The Sun. — London, England, 1849-02-20 00:00:00

t trZi Wbition SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock. WINDSOR, STAINES, AND SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY.—(THIS DAY.) The usual half-yearly general meeting of the above company was held Ithis afternoon, at the offices of the company, John-street, Adelphi; Mr. Henry C. Lacy, M.P., chairman of the board of directors, in the chair.) The minutes of the last meeting having tbeen read and confirmed, the following report was submitted to the proprietors:— " The main line of railway between Richmond and Datchet bas, since its opening on the 22d of August last, been worked by the London and South-Western 'Company, in accordance with the terms of agreement approved by the shareholders at their last meeting, and a half-year's rent, being at the rate of 51. per cent. per annum on the amount paid up by the pro prietors, w ill become due in the cour se o f t h e present month. The directors, feeling the import ance of the Loup line as an adjunct to their scheme generally, have taken Steps to secure the completion of it as soon as possible. The importance of a continua tion of the line into the town of Windsor is too obvious to need comment; and the directors are happy to be able to report, that they have, on the part of the company, concluded an agreement with the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods, &c. (with the sanction of the Government), by which her Majesty's assent is given to a line crossing the Thames near Black Potts, and thence, through a small portion of the Royal iltoperty, into the town of Windsor. Permission has been given to commence the works, and the consent of the authorities of Eton College to this arrangement has been obtained. The Thames Commissioners also have approved of the proposed mode of crossing the river. The directors, under the advice of their engineer, have let the construction of the works to Mr. Brassey, who has received instructions to complete the line at as early a period as practicable. In consequence of the necessity of obtain ing powers to raise the required capital, and also in ac cordance with a stipulation in the agreement, a Bill has been introduced into Parliament, which will be submitted to the proprietors for approval. The estimated cost of the line is 80,0001, and the Bill authorises the company to create that amount of new share capital. In order to comply with the standing orders of Parlia ment, a subscription contract was signed by parties representing the London and South-Western in terest. A reservation was made of the propor tion of the new capital, to which the shareholders who had not signed the subscription contract are entitled, and this will be allotted pro rata to such of the proprie tors as shall, on or before Thursday, the 15th of March, intimate to the Board, through the Secretary, their de sire to receive an allotment. Due notice of the time so limited for such option will be sent to each proprietor by circular. By the provisions of the Corn - panies' Clauses Consolidation Act, the following directors go out of' office: Frederick Ashby, Esq., Captain Mark John Currie, R.N., and Charles Finch, Esq. These gentlemen are eligible for re-election, and offer them selves accordingly. The directors have to announce the retirement from their board of Mr. Bedborough, and to express their regret at the loss of his valuable services, but iv is not thought necessary to supply the vacancy so created. The balance-sheet represented the receipts to be 480,920/. is. Id., and the expenditure 476,6941. 19s. 10d., leaving a balance in hand of 4,2251. The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report said, he could add nothing to the information it con tained, but perhaps he might explain that the new capi tal would be distributed pro rata amongst the proprietors, and the new shares would, of course, be subject to the preliminary arrangements. In answer to questions, The CHAIRMAN stated that the agreement with the South-Western Company gave them the option of pur chasing the line. Mr. WARD wished to know when that option was to determine? The CHAIRMAN could not say. The fact was, the South-Western Company had power to purchase the line when they thought proper. At present they had a lease of the line for twelve months, and no doubt at the expiration of that period they would purchase it or come to some other terms. Several Proprietors urged upon the directors the expediency of selling the line at once; but it was stated that that was a question which could only be disposed of by the South-Western Company. Mr. WARD asked if the proprietors were at liberty to pay up calls in advance? The CHAIRHAN said, certainly; but he apprehended that the company would not be in want of money for some time to come. A PROPRIETOR wished to know how the shares were held. The CHAIRMAN said there were 50,000, of which 5,000 were held by the general public, and the rest by the South-Western Company. Mr. WARD thought it would be for the advantage of the South:Western Conlpany to buy up the trifling 5,000 shares at 41. premium, which they had power to do. The report was then adopted, after which the retiring directors and auditor were re-elected. The shareholders then resolved themselves into a special meeting, and agreed to a resolution approving of the Bill for enabling the company to extend the line through Windsor Park into the town of Windsor. Thanks 'were then voted to the Chairman, and the meeting terminated. CORK AND WATERFORD RAIL __ WAY.-(THIS DAY.) _... The fifth half-yearly ordinary general meeting of the proprietors was held this day at the London Tavern ; the. Right Hon. Thomas Wyse, the chairman of the company, presided. The report stated that the financial statement of the last six months exhibited a balance in hand of 8,3961. 12s. 2d. Since the last meeting of the proprietors the directors had considered it for the advantage of the . company that interest on the deposits should be suspended. They had not thought it expedient to take any steps towards the prosecution of the works. The following directors would retire by rotation, viz.— P. D. Harlow, Esq., George Emery, Esq., James Murphy, jan., Esq., George Ashlin, Esq., and T. S. Coppinger, Esq., who offered themselves for re-election. Thomas Bates, Esq., one of the auditors of the company, would also retire. It was recommended that the number of directors should be reduced to thirteen; and a resolution to that effect would be submitted to the meeting. From the accounts it appeared that the receipts were 75,569 L 155., and the expenditure 67,173/ • 2 s . • 10d ,thus leav;ns , a balance of 8,3961. 12s. 2d. The'ClialßalAN said he had scarcely any thing to add to the report except to observe that the amount allowed to the directors had been reduced from 700/. a year, the original amount, to 200/.; the office expenses from 700/. to 1001.; the remuneration of the auditors from 20 to 10 guineas, and the rent of the office, &c., from 501 to 30/. In the present state of public works in Ireland it would be an imprudent act on the part of the company to at;e:npt to commence any part of the railway and not less so, probably, to make a call upon the proprietors. They should wait until the works might be resumed without injury to the company, and until there was a greater chance of combination and co-operation between the capitalists of this country and the labour of Ireland. No one could but be aware that there must, at no very distant time; be some communication between such great capitals as Cork, Waterford, and Limerick. It was not a matter of choice that there should be a railway, but a matter of necessity; and he hoped one day to see Ireland thelink bet ween t h e eastern an d western h em i spheres. In that point of view the line of this company must ne cessarily be carried out, and he had no doubt that it would ultimately prove productive, for the very element of popu lation itselteirrespeetive of every other cause, tended to se • cure to raileiays a considerable amount of profit. But they must have time, patience, and prudence ; end he thought • the directors had acted judiciously in remaining l inactive with their arms c rossedunttherriva of better times; and no doubt the public entertained the same opinion. He hoped that, ultimately, some co-operation would take place between thit and other companies, for there was already a friendly dispositi on on bothof u sides, and a mutual recognition of the advantages atr an s ao r on . He hoped at no distant period to see those dis positions matured into fact, and to see them advance th b e ein city g of toge ther for the improvement of f line W a terford. One p )rtion of com pleted between Waterford and Limerck, and another portion between Waterford and Kilkenny, the city of Waterford was in fact in an abnormal state. ee But every action had its reaction, and as soon as the • li nes were completed which linked the towns he had mention , d together, there could be no doubt in the world that they only be rescued from thei r would not _ former position, but would have benefits conferred upon them 4urpassing their most sanguine expectations. The Right' Hon. Gentleman concluded by moving that the report be adopted and circulated among the proprietors. Mr. WISHAW 'said he regretted to see that the balance at the last meeting had dwindled from 12,0001. to about 8,0001. and he regretted still more at the directors keep ing up the concern without the slightest desire on the part of the proprietors or the public, that the line should be carried out. He understood that this was merely a duplicate line, and that the Southern and Western Rail way would give the same accommodation with the excep tion of being t 3 little longer. The CHAIRMAN said that line was not only longer, but omitted Dusgarvon and Youghal. A through com munication with Dublin and Limerick had nothing to do faith the lines of this company which gave a communi cation with Waterford and Cork. Mr. Westeaw said he had understood that this rail. Way would be superseded by others. If they took the opinion of the shareholders it would be found that they were all in favour of winding up the concern. They oughtl to wind u p t h e com p an y an d di v id e t h e money r o,e_ in hand among t h e s h areho ld ers. Sir. Bellow, a dir ec t or, sa id t h e m. ajority of tho di rectors entertained the same opinion with respect to winding up the concern;itbut they had an Act, and th e only way to get rid of Act, which woult exhaust W al a l a their by funds thends and even h applying for another they might not succed. Looking at difficulties u cot'st then which t h e y were p l aced, the most dreesirable would be to wait, and very possibly something might Every p oss ib le to their adva n tage.very p oss ib le act of eco nomy would be resorted to in the meantime. Atter some further discussion with re s p ect to winding up the concern, in t he course owhich the directors inti mated that the expenses for the year ensuing would be covered by the interest upon the money now in hand, the resolution adopting the report was agreed t o . Other resolutions were proposed, reducing the numb er of directors, re-electing the new board, and appointing auditors. A vote of thanks was then passed to the Right Hen. Chairman, and the meeting separated. MARKET INTELLIGENCE. (From the London New Price Current of Feb. 20.) SUGAR.—To-day proceedings in the Raw Sugar mar ket were of a favourable nature, and for Colonial there were not sellers generally excepting at former terms, al though the quantity offered at public sale continues to be large. The upward tendency in the value of Fo reign is still observable. The business concluded in the West India market was at former quotations for both grocery and refined kinds, and the quantity sold amounted to 550 hogsheads, &c. including 147 hhds Barbadoes at public sale, which went at full terms, and rather above for the best sorts; fine yellow realized 41s to 41s 6d, middling and good 38s to 40s 6d, low 375. to 37s 6d. Of St. Lucia 199 hhds 1 barrel, a part only found buyers, in cocsequence of holders asking stiff rates; ordinary yellow realized 36s 6d to 375, very ordinary brown 345, ordinary 34s 6d to 355, middling and good 35s 6d to 365, low grey 35s 6d to 365. REFINED.—To-day refined goods met with an active demand for home trade purposes, and prices ruled firm at 43s 6d to 49s for brown, and at 49s 6d to 50s for Standard Lumps. Bonded Crushed Sugars are wanted, and realised 29s to 31s per cwt. MAURITIIIS.—This afternoon there were five public sales of Mauritius Sugar, comprising 10,645 bags, mostly of superior quality. The biddings were less spirited, yet nearly the whole sold, and at prices that averaged those of the sales on Friday. Good to fine yellow went at 38s to 425, ord and mid 36s to 38s, good to fine brown 34s to 35s 6d, mid 33s to 33s 6d, low to fine grey 35s to 40s, syrupy and washed 32s to 39s per cwt. EAST INDIA.—This afternoon Bengal Sugar met with ready purchasers, and at public sale 6,649 bags all sold, generally at former rates; Madras is less wanted, and 5,608 bags at public sale only in part sold rather under the rates privately —very low dark went at 28s to 295, ordinary to fine brown, 29s 6d to 328, yellow, 32s to 345, and grocery, 35s to 38s per cwt. FOREIGN.—The private sales in Foreign Sugar here yesterday were 4,000 chests good yellow Havannah at 22s to 235, two cargoes of brown Bahia at 198 to 20s, a large parcel of brown Cuba Muscovado at 18s 3d, and some parcels of Maceio, the particulars of which were not allowed to transpire. To-day there was no private sale, and privately much inquiry existed at former rates, but at which there are few sellers. MOLASSES.—Prices are well supported for West India, and deliveries continue to exceed arrivals ; at present, however, there are not many buyers. The value of low to fine quality is from 17s to 20s per cwt. East India Treacle 15s 6d to 16s per cwt. Cocos.—Trinidad red ,40s to 46, grey 38s to 435, Grenada and St. Lucia from 37s to 42s per cwt. Foreign is held with firmness, Brazil at 26s to 275, and Guaya quil at 26s to 26s 6d, few sales, however, have taken place. COFFEE.--TO•day holders of Coffee displayed much firmness, and refrained from offering any at public sale. Exporters were desirous to do business in all sorts of Foreign, and offered full rates ; there are, however, still few sellers. Of Singapore Java 1,700 bags were disposed of at 32s for good ordinary. Home trade sorts met with more attention, and good ordinary Native Ceylon realized 348 6d to 35s per cwt. On Thursday 360 bales of Mocha, 1,200 bags Ceylon, on Friday 490 bags Manilla, 1,896 bags East India, and 300 bags Plantation Ceylon Coffee will be offered for public competition. TEA.—Prices cannot be quoted higher for black, still holders manifest firmness, aid purchases to a fair extent have been made. It is difficult to obtain sound common clean Congou under Bid per lb. Green met with only a limited demand, yet former rates are generally sup ported; the amount en offer is, however, larger. For scented and black leaf Teas former rates are sustained; a fair business has been concluded. To-day the market was quiet for Tea, prices showing little variation. The public sales declared comprise 30,000 packages. RlCE.—There continues to be much demand for Cleaned and prices rule firm; town dressed Carolina at 22s to 27, low to fine Patna 13s to 17s, and American cleaned I9s to 203. There are also several orders to be executed. East India met with little attention for home use or exportation, although sellers are ready to accept former low sates. At auction 2,000 bags were nearly all taken in at 9s 6d for broken white Bengal, and at 9s to 9s 6d for Java. Sago is not much wanted. At auction 167 bags of com mon dusty Borneo went at 13s 6d to 153. Sago Flour is in greater request, and at auction 235 bags realised 16s to 16s 6d for good. Farina at 14s to 15s, and the market looks firm. Tapioca 4d to 7d per lb. COCHINEAL—This afternoon less demand existed for Cochineal, still former rates are supported. Of 90 bags offered at public sale, the chief part was taken in—Hon duras silvers 4s to 4s 3d for middling and good, Black 4s 8d to 5s 2d, Mexican 4s 2d to 4s 4d, silvers 3s 9d, and Teneriffe silvery black 4s ld to 4s 4d per lb. SPIRITS.—There has been a good business concluded in East India Rum, and the sales since last Tuesday are 500 puns, &c., at is 3d to is 3id per gallon proof; these are 'not better prices. Leeward Island is held for is 4d to is -lid; the sales made have been small. For Demerara the market is quiet, and prices are drooping: they rule at 2s to 2s 2d for 28 per cent. to 34 per cent. over proof, and at 2s 3d to 2s 5d for 35 to 40 over. Fine Jamaica is in scanty supply and continues to be much inquired after; there are a few purchasers of inferior, and former rates are not to be obtained, as the supply is extensive. The value of plain and mid quality, 28 to 32 per cent over proof, is fr,,m 2s 9d to 3s Id; better 3s 2d 35 3d; good, 33 to 36s over, 3s 4d to 3s 8d; fine and choice marks 3s 9d to 4s 10d. The value of Havannah Rum is is 2fd to is 3d, and few buyers are to be met with. Brandy continues in good demand at fully former terms; Cognac best brands of the vintage of 1847 realised 3s 6d. SALTPETRE.—To-day there was not more desire evinced to do business in rough. At auction 536 bags of Madras sold at 25s 6d to 26s for good strong grey 74 per cent. refraction, and 605 bags Cal cutta at 26s to 26s 6d for good mid and good 7i to 6f per cent., these are lower rates. SPICES.--There is less demand for Pimento, and former rates are not supported by id p er lb. Al auc tion 250 bags were all sold at 3id to 31d for good mid and good quality. Black Pepper is held with firmness at fully former rates. At auction 278 bags of Ba tavia were sold at; lid to 2id for good clean light black, and at 24d to 2P for damaged ; 90 bundles 1,030 robins Malabar, good grey 24d to 20, and damaged 21d. For batter kinds the rates paid privately are 2/d to 3/d. White is in greater demand, and prices tend upwards. At auction 21 bgs went at 4d to 4fd for mid. In the private market better sorts realize from 5d to •d per lb ; of fine Coriander the supply is yet small. Long P e pp er f rom 16s to 18s, and Pod 30s to 50s per cwt. Cloves 10 cases of Penang at auction realised is 4d for good bright, Is 8d for fine, and partly mouldy is 3d. By pri- vate treaty Bourbon and Zanzibar realise 7d to 741, and for Amboyna 8d to is. Mace is in much better re. quest and realised an advance of 2d per lb. At auction 39 cases of Penang went readily; good at 2s 5d to 2s 7d, mid 2s Id to 23 4d. Brown Nutmgs met with in• creased attention, and prices have advanced 2d for supelior sorts, whereas inferior and mid realised fully former terms. The quantity offered at auction was large, and amounted to 88 pkgs, yet the whole sold; 6 cases small limed 2s, and a small lot of preserved Nutmegs Is Dutch limed 2s to 2s 9d. INDlco.—During the progress of the sale to-day 237 chests Indigo were withdraw n , an d 8 82 c h ests have passed. Th sale commenced this morning with the re mainder of the B Catalogue, of which only a small pro portion was sold at very uneven prices. Of the 433 chests in the A Catalogue which followed, the bulk con sisted of good shipping qualities, for which the bid .. dings were not animated, prices ranging from last sale's price to 3d advance, whilst middling and ordinary sorts went off with spirit at the rates pre viously established. Proprietors have bought in 300 chests. Of 7,189 chests have passed the sale, 4,373 are sold, and 2,116 bought in or withdrawn. This afternoon Spanish indigo was dealt in with greater freedom, and 101 tans Guatemala at auction sold at firm rates, and went at from 2s ld to 2s 7d, and at 2s 8d to 2s 10d for middling sort. OILS.--For Linseed Oil, 25s 6d to 26s per cwt has been accepted on the spot. Exporters have been buyers to a fair extent. For forward delivery 26s to 26s 6d Rapeseed Oil, 37s to 37s 6d, and brown 36s 6d to 375• and pale foreign 39s to 39s 6d. Olive Oil, Gallipoli at 441 to 451, Spanish and Sicily 42/ lOs to 431105• ' Bar bary, Levant, and Portugal, 411 to 421 per tun. Cocoa Nut does not improve in value; the demand is likewise getting brisker both for home use and exportation. The value of white East India is from 33a 6d to 355, and Sydney 32s to 33s 6d per cwt. Palm fine quality realises 31s 6d to 32a. At auction 97 casks went at 29s 6d to 32s for low to fine. Seal is wanted and further advanced rates are obtained, several parcels having been sold. Of the best pale there is yet a scanty supply. Cod met with much attention. TALLOW.—The demand has become limited for Rus sian on the spot, and former rates are not supported; fine P.Y.C. is offered at 39s 6d to 40s per cwt. The operations for delivery in the last three months of the year are to a fair extent at 41s to 41s 3d. Home melted on the spot has been dealt in with caution, at 40s 6d to 41a nett cash. Other sorts of Tallow have been brought to market in larger quantities, and prices are depressed. At public sale 48 cks of Petersburgh Soap Tallow were taken in at 36s 6d to 375; 100 cks Od essa were with drawn at 36s 6d to 375; 636 cks New South Wales, nearly all sold at 368 to 4os 3d, low 33s 3d; 780 pkgs South American, low to fine 34s to 40s; 215 pkgs Per sian taken in 38s; 59 cks Tuscan, partly sold 38s 6d to 39s 6d per cwt. Rough Fat 2s 3id per stone of Blbs. All sorts of Southern are much wanted; the supply is small, and the rates paid are 291 to 311 for fine, and 261 to 231 10s for low to good. Sperm met with more atten tion, and prices are firmer; American 801 10s to 841, and Headmatter 811 to 841 per tun. On Friday 578 pkgs Cocoa Nut, and 60 tuns of Sperm Oil will be offered at auction. THE LONDON GAZETTE. (THIS EVENING.) CROWN-OFFICE, FEa. 20, 1849. MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN TUE PRESENT PAR LIAMENT. County of Stafford (Southern Division)—William Walter Legge, commonly called Viscount Lewisham, in the room of Henry John Talbot, commonly called count Ingestre, now Earl Talbot, called up to the House of Peen. DECLARATION OF INSOLVENCY. John Baker, victualler, Wollaston, Worcestershire. BANKRUP rcy SUPERSEDED. George Braund, jun., land surveyor, Exeter. BANKRUPTS. Thomas John Colson and William Manners Colson, bricklayers, Upper Holloway, to surren d er M arch 1 and April 13, at twelve, at the Co ur t o f B an k ruptcy. Whitmor e , official assignee, Basinghall-street; Field, Finchley. Charles Sneezum, grocer, Woodbridge, Suffolk, March 2 and April 3, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Stansfeld, offi c i a l assignee; Buchanan, Basing hall•street. Robert Goring, butcher, Brentford, March 2 and April 3, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Pennell, official assignee; Smith, Barnard'a Inn, Holborn. Henry His Ulph, cattle salesman, West Ham, Essex, March 3 and 30, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Green, official assignee, Guildhall-chambers, Basinghall street; Taylor, New Broad-street. Edward Burley Clayton, dentist, Argyle-place, Regent , street, March 1, at half-past eleven, and April 5, a eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Bell, official as. signee, Colemaa-street-buildings; Goren, South Moul ton-street. James Robinson, - grocer, Slough, March 2 and 30, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Edwards, official as signee, Frederick's place, Old J ewr y ; Li n k l a ter, Char. lotte-row, Mansion-house. George Maddock, grocer, Burslem, Staffordshire, March 20 and 27, at twelve, at the Birmingham District Court. Whitmore, official assignee, Birmingham; Wol ston, Furnival's Inn; Bishop and wigg, Potteries. William East Holmes, coachmaker, Lichfield, Staffordshire, March 13, and April 10, at ten, at the Birmingham District Court. Valpy, official assignee, Birmingham; Warren, Chancery-lane; Spencer and Rollings, Birmingham. John Dickinson Harper, woollen draper, Derby, March 9 and April 13, at eleven, at the Birmingham District Court. Bittleston, official assignee, Notting ham ; Teague, Crown -court, Ch ea p s id e ; M o tt eram , Knight, and Emmett, Birmingham. John Mallett, grocer, Tiverton, Devonshire, Feb. 28 and March 28, at eleven, at the Exeter District Court. Hernaman, official assignee, Exeter • Forwood, Tiverton; Turner, Exeter; Johnson, Son, and Weatherall, Temple. Abraham James Crowther, draper, Church Garforth, Yorkshire, March 6 and 26, at half-past eleven, at the Leeds District Court. Hope, officicial assignee, Leeds; Sudlow and Co., Chancery-lane; Naylor, Leeds. Henry Kenward, tailor, Moreton in Marsh, Glouces tershire, March 6, and April 13, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. Hutton, official assignee, Bristol; Tilsley, Moreton; Sharp, Field, and Co., Bedford-row. John Hitches, builder, Beeston, Cheshire, March 2 and April 3, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Bird, official assignee, Liverpool ; Bower and Son, Chancery-lane ; Bunting, Manchester ; Fletcher and Hull, Liverpool. Joseph Clegg, licensed victualler, Manchester, March 13 and 28, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court. Pott, official assignee, Manchester; Gregory, Faulkner, Gregory, and Skirrow, Bedford-row; Clay and Welsh, Manchester. David Evans, jun., coach builder, Liverpool, March 1 and 26, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Cazenove, official assignee, Liverpool; Gregory and Co., Bedford-row; Frodsham, Liverpool. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. The LORD CR&NCELLOR took his seat on the Woo] sack at Five o'clock. HABEAS CORPUS SUSPENSION (IRELAND BILL. This Bill was brought up from the Commons by Mr. BERNAL and others, and read a first tim e . Thi s was the first Bill brought up from the Commons in a printed form, in accordance with the now arrangement. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE gave notice that he should move the second reading of this Bill on Friday. CONVEYANCE OF REAL PROPERTY BILL. This Bill was passed through Committee. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE laid various returns on the table, and their Lordships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. SECOND READINGS. The following Railway Bills were read a second time, and ordk red to be committed:— Caledonian (Lease or Purchase of the Glasgow, Barrhead, and Neilston Direct). Caledonian (Purchase or Lease of Wishaw and Coltness Railway). Edinburgh and Northern (A—Dunfermline Branch Devi ation in Dunfermline Parish, and so as to pass under Town hill and Halbeath Tramways; Branches in connexion with those Tramways; Repeal of Agreement with Lessees of Halbeath Colliery; Increase of Capital and Amendment of Acts). , Edinburgh and Northern (Additional Capital and Amend ment of Acts). Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ardrossan Railway, and Ar drossan Harbour Acts Amendment. London and South-Western (Extension of Time for the Purchase of Lands and Completion of Works on the Basing stoke and Salisbury, and Farnham and Alton Lines). Reading, Guildford, and Reigate (Branch to London and South-Western Railway - No. 2). Shrewsbury and Chester (for Branches to the River Dee, Agreement for Joint Station at Shrewsbury, Power to sub scribe towards the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway). York, Newcastle, and Berwick, and Maryport and Carlisle Lease and Amalgamation. York, Newcastle, and Berwick (Newcastle-upon• Tyne and Carlisle Railway Lease and Amalgamation). .... . The undernamed Bills were likewise read a second time, and committed : Black Sluice Drainage Acts Amendment (Amendment of Acts, Extension of Time for Completion of Works, Powers to levy and raise further Rates and Moneys, to alter existing Rates and Tolls, and for other purposes). Congleton Inclosure Act Amendment. Universal Railway Casualty Compensation Company. DUBLIN IMPROVEMENT BILL. On tho mntinn of Mr. WILSON PATTEN, it was ordered that one of the Examiners of Petitions for Pri vate Bills do examine if the resolution of this House of the 19th of February, in regard to the Dublin Improvement Bill, has been complied with; and if so, that the said Examiner do give a certificate thereof to the parties promoting the said Bill. CALEDONIAN, EDINBURGH, AND GLASGOW THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 20, 1849 RAILWAYS: On the motion of Mr. LOCKHART, it was ordered that the orders of the 12th day of February, for the second reading of the Caledonian and Edinburgh and Glasgow Railways (Lease of D u nd ee and Perth and Aberdeen Railway Junction, and the Dundeo a n d Arbroath, and the Dundee and Newtyle Railways) Bill, and the Caledonian and Edinburgh and Glasgow Rail ways (Lease of Scottish Midland Junction Railway) Bill, be discharged; and that the said Bills be withdrawn. The second readings of the East India Railway and Liverpool Rates (Rating:DockProperty) Bills were pos poned. SECEDING CLERGYMEN. Sir JOSHUA WALMSLEY presented petitions from Liverpool, praying for an alteration of the law relating to clergymen seceding from the Church of England and subsequently preaching in Dissenting chapels. NATIONAL EXPENDITURE. Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from Dundee, praying for the reduction of the national expenditure, and against the expenditure of money without passing through the Treasury. RATING RAILWAYS. Mr. ELLIS presented a petition from the Midland Railway Company, praying for an alteration of the pre sent unequal mode of rating. Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition to the same effect. WINDOW-TAX. Mr. COBDEN presented a petition from Sheffield in favour of the repeal of the window-tax. POOR-LAW (IRELAND). Sir L. O'BRIEN presented several petitions from va rious places in Ireland against the poor-law in Ireland. ARBITRATION. Lord D. STUART presented a petition from Mary lebone in favour of settling national disputes by arbitra tion. VAGRANCY. Mr. STAFFORD presented a petition praying for an alteration of the present vagrancy laws. THE CHARTIST MULLINS. Mr. C. LUSHINGTON presented a petition from the jury that tried Mullins, the Chartist, praying the House to address her Majesty to cemit the sentence passed upon him, as he was but 22 years of age, and appeared to be •.he victim of others. FARMING OUT CHILDREN. Mr. C. LUSHINGTON also preeented a petition against the system of farming out children. SLAVERY. Sir E. N. BUXTON presented a petition 'from the Anti-Slavery Association, praying the House to extend its influence to finally suppress slavery. POOR LAW (IRELAND). Mr. MONSELL presented a petition against the present poor-law in Ireland. PRINTING THE SCRIPTURES. Mr. HUME presented a petition against the monopoly of printing the Bible in Scotland. THE RAJA OF SATTARA. Mr. HUM; inquired the reason the papers he had moved for on the 6th, with respect to the confiscation of the territory of Sattara, had not been laid on the table. Sir J. C. HOBHOUSE replied that the papers would be laid on the table to-morrow or next day. SUBSTITUTION OF AN AFFIRMATION FOR AN OATH. Mr. WOOD presented petitions signed by the inha bitants of Rochester, Chatham, and other places, in favour of a measure to enable persons who refuse, on religious grounds, to be sworn to substitute an affirma tion for an oath. THE ESTIMATES. Mr. HUME gave notice that on Friday, if not on Thursday, he would move that, in the present state of the finances of this country, her Majesty's Ministers, before submitting to Parliament their general financial scheme, should make a statement of their proposed re ductions in the expenditure of the country. COMMISSARY CLERK OF EDINBURGH. Mr. HUME said ho would on either of those days move for a return showing the expenses incidental to the office of Commissary Clerk of Edingurgh. OATHS OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT. Mr. BANKES gave notice that when the House re solved itself into a Committee to consider the resolution of the Noble Lord at the head of the Government on the oaths of Members of Parliament, before the words "not being Roman Catholics," he should move the insertion of the words, " and .1 hereby disclaim, disavow, and solemnly abjure any intention to subvert the Established Church as settled in this realm." THE NAVIGATION. LAWS. Mr. BERRIES presented a petition signed by cer tai❑ of the inhabitants of Alloa, deprecating any altera tion in the navigation-laws. VAGRANCY. Mr. MILES presented a petition from Somerset shire, calling on the House to enact such measures as will put an end to " the demoralizing and diigraceful system of vagrancy. PRESERVATION OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS. Mr. M. MILNES wished to ask the Secretary of State for the Home department what measures had been taken since the last session for the preservation of the public records; and also, whether it was the intention of the Government to propose any measure respecting the treatmenteof juvenile prisoners? Sir G. GREY, in reply, said that although the Com mittee had agreed upon the site for a Record office, and had decided upon erecting one, unfortunately Parliament had not voted the funds. He could not say . that any measure would certainly be introduced upon tne subject during the present session. Mr. BANKES had understood that the Victoria Tower was to be :appropriated to that purpose, and wished to know whether the intention had been laid. aside. Sir G. GREY believed that it had been intended that the Victoria Tower should be the depository of the public recoris, but that idea had been abandoned. THE PALACE COURT. Mr. HUME, seeing the Attorney-General in his place, wished to ask him whether her Majesty's Go vernment intended to bring in any measure to reform the abuses of the Palace Court, the mischief of which was so crying, and which had attracted so much of public attention? The ATTORNEY , GENERAL said that the matter being strictly within the jurisdiction of the palace he must wait an expected communication from the Lord Steward of the Household. To Mr. WYLD, who asked a question of similar im port, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL replied to the same effect, with the addition, that when a Bill was introduced the Lord Mayor's Court would, in all probability, be included in its provisions. EMIGRATION. Mr. SCOTT wished to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies the following questions :—What is the number of applicants for emigration accepted by the Commissioners, and now waiting orders to em bark? What is the daily average number, since Ist November last, of those who apply in person at the office of the Land and Emigration Board, for passages to the Australian and South African colonies? 3. What is the average nnmber of letters of application received daily at the same office during the said period, and also during the corresponding period last year ? 4. What number of ships have been dispatched monthly with emigrants since Nov. 1, 1848? 5. What number of ships would be requisit e t o conv ey persons whcae applications for emigration are at present approved? 6. In consequence of the number who desire to emigrate, how long an emigrant may expect to be detained after he is accepted, and before he can sail? 7. What number of free passages have been refused to applicants since let November last, and what is the pro portion of thoso refused to those accepted? Mr. HAWES said that he had not yet received the returns upon the subject to which the Hon. Member re ferred, but as soon as he did, ho would give him the in formation he required. CROWN COLONIES. Mr. BAILLIE, in pursuance of the notico he had previously given, then rose to move for the appoint ment of a Select Committee to inquire into the griev ances complained of in the Crown Colonies of Ceylon, British Guiana, and the Mauritius, and to report to the House whether any measures can be adopted for the better administration and government of those dependencies. It was not only his opinion, but that of many others, that the Colonial-office was not competent to perform the important duties intrusted to it.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") Although Noblemen and Gentlemen of the highest character and the most intelligent mind had been appointed to the office of Secretary of State for the colonies it was singular to remark that not one of then had been able by their measures to give satis faction to the colonial possessions of this eountry. The Noble Lord the present Secretary for the Colonies had not only met with the fate of his veslecessors, but had incurred a gre a ter degree of dislike among the inhabitants of the colonies than any one that had preceded him had done.—(Hear, hear.) He had a most serious charge to make against the Colonial office, and those who presided over it, namely, that of tyranny and oppression, and a wasteful and extravagant expenditure of the colonial resources—(Hear, hear) — the result of which was a call upon the colonies to pro vide for a most grievous, heavy, and unnecessary burden —(Hear)—and to raise a spirit of great dissatisfaction among them.—(Hear, hear.) He charged the states men who had hitherto presided over the colonial government of this country with the greatest mismanagement, and as evidence of that ho would refer to the evidence of Mr. Philip Anstruther, who stated that the fault of all that had occurred in the colo nies was. that every colony was a miniature of the Imperial Government.—(Hear, hear.) That gentleman said the Colonial-office might change its system entirely. —(Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Baillie) went further than that, and asserted that the Colonial-office must change its system entirely—(Hear)—because there could be no doubt that the course that had been pursued by the Colonial-office had brought the colonies to almost cer tain ruin and discontent. He (Mr. Baillie) would not rest his assertions with respect to the course pursued by the Colonial-office upon the statements of Mr. Philip Anstruther alone, but he would refer to the authrity of Mr. Herman Merrivale. That gentleman, in his lecture upon colonization, stated the views he entertained upon the colonial system. This gen tleman declared that the American colonies, in 1846, with three millions of people, could be governed at an expense of 55,0001., and complained that the colonial expenditure within the last four years had increased without producing any improvement in the condition of the colonist. That was the opinion of apolitical economist. He knew not what might be the opinion of Government upon tb. subject. He knew not whether these gentle men were subject to that we ikness of Est nan nature, which appeared to work so wonderful a revolution in the minds and opinions of those who became members of the Government; but this be would say,!that this gentleman must have stultified his feelings if he believed that three millions of people could not only be governed, but well governed, at a cost of 55,0004 when he found himself in stalled in the Colonial-office, and administering the law under a system which inflicted upon British Guiana, with a population of only 150,000, taxes to the amount of 273,0001., for its civil administration, being an amount of taxation equal to 2/. 6s. for every living soul in the colony, or one sixth more than the amount of taxation imposed on this country. If the people of England had hitherto flattered themselves that they were the highest taxed people on the face of the earth they were mistaken, for here they had a colony without an army or navy, in which the rate of taxation was one-sixth higher than that of the people of England.—(Hear, hear.) These, then, were the grounds upon which he should venture to crave the indulgence of the House whilst he proceeded to de tail the facts which he had to bring forward, and then it would be open for the House to decide whether he had made out a case which would justify him in calling upon the House to give its sanction and support to the motion with which he should conclude.—(Hear, hear.) It was well known that the British Colonies were subject to various forms of Govern ment ; there were several of them with legislative assemblies and popular representatives ; there were others again which slightly approached to the legislative system, and there were others of pure and s imple despotisms, subject only to the supreme will and pleasure, or he might say the ca price of the individual who, in the revolutions of parties in this country, for any temporary conveni ence might find himself in the office of Secretary of State for the colonies.—(Heart hear.) Now, it was to the latter class of colonies to which he wished to draw the attention of the House, namel y, the third class, of pure and simple: despotisms. They must all attach great importance to the colony of Ceylon. Its legisla tive administration was confided to a Governor and Council, every member of which was nominated either by the Governor himself or by the Secretary of State for the colonies there;:then they had a form of government without any pretence of representation, and in conse quence of that form of government, very general dis content had for some time past prevailed in this colony— a discontent not confined to the natives, but extending to the Europeans.—(Hear, hear). This discontent had lately manifested itself amongst the native population, in the only way in which an uneducated and ignorant people were accustomed to make re mons t rances t o th e in the s h a p e o f open re b e lli on. had also man if es t e d it se lf European Population, but in the —(Hear,Ga m o o e n r g n s m t c n tth—he the Government—name , a . E e u l j y rt 0 , morcerational and civilized mode of memorials addressed to the Secretary , for the Colonies, and by petitions ad dressed to that House.—(Hear.) He would now read a few passages from one of the petitions addressed to that House, in order that the House might know what were the grievances of which the people of this colony complain.— (Hear, hear.) The petitioners com menced by stating that they were deeply interested in the welfare of the island in which their property was invested, and :they addressed the House under sufferings of no ordinary character. They were labouring under the burden of heavy taxation, while the revenues of the 'island were devoted to purposes for which they were not intended. The administration, they went on to complain, wa s tortuous and uncertain, and from a failure of the agricultural crops, p roperty was being disposed of by forced sales at a depreciati on of forty to fifty per cent., and yet the colo ny was an nually put to the expense of useless and sinecure offices to support the protegees of the Home Department. It further complained that duties at the rate of 200 per cent. bad been imposed upon the colony—a pretty speci men of the manner in which the Government had car ried out their free-trade principles, and of the sort of justice they distributed to the colonies.—(Hear, hear.) They allowed the produce of Europe and America to come to our ports free, while they charged 200 p er cent. upon the produce of our own colo nies. —(Hear, when (Hear, Lordhear T.)orSruiDchgtwon was appointed Governoras the state of the i s l an d of Ceylon of the island in 1847. Ile found the colony labouring under great depression—distress universally prevailed, and estates upon which large capitals had been invested were every day being sold under executions, having been abandoned by the owners, and in addition to that the revenue had fallen below the ex penditure, and it was found that there was not sufficient forthcoming to pay the officers whose ditty it was to carry oat the government of the island. In short, he found the island in a similar state to that in which he left the other country. Tin•ro was a deficit in the exchequer—(Liea6 and under those circumstances he seemed to have thought it advisable to follow as closely as possible that very great financial authority, doubtless, whom he did not now see in his place, the Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Being, he presumed, a free trader, it did not appear that he contemplated any increase of imp ort duty, and b e i ng a l so a Whig, and without the fear of a financial reform association before his eyes, ho did not contemplate any reduction in the public expendit ure. — (Hear h e ar.) There remained no other course b u t t o f ollow the example of the Chancellor of the Exchequer of thi s country, an d to ma k e a p ropos i t i on toincrease the direct taxation .—(Hear, hear.) But, having the advantage of the Chancellor of the Ex chequer's experience with respect to the proposition to increase the .income-tax, he was compelled to have re- • course to other sources, and in such an emergency he appeared to have hit upon a financial scheme which of all others was the most impracticable, and at the same time most obnoxious to the to the natives of Ceylon. He issued an ordnance im posing a tax upon the construction of roads, a tax upon all ships of the colony, and a tax upon dogs and upon guns; and in a speech which he delivered to his council he stated that those taxes had received the full concurrence and sanction of the Board of Trade. —(Cries of " Hear, bear." But he also stated that the same time that it was not his intention to persevere in imposing them, for a reason which he (Mr. Baillie) considered a very valid and just one—viz., that they were not calculated to increase the revenue.—(Hear.) Now it was most unfortunate that this discovery had not been made at an earlier period, because in the first place it would have saved Lord Grey from the mor tification of giving his aesent and approval to that which was not calculated to raise the revenue, but to produce discontent and dissatisfaction ; and, in the second place, because it would have saved the colony from all the 'miseries and horrors of a popular outbreak.—(Hear, hear.) That the levying of these taxes was the immediate cause of the discon tent and rebellion to which he had referred was shown in the first of all by the address and memorial of the mer chants, planters, and traders of the island, who were not interested parties, because the taxes did not fall upon them. And what did they say? They attributed the rebellion entirely to the imposition of taxes of a novel character, which were levied in such an objec tionable and vexatious manner as to irritate the people.—(Hear.) They asked for redress by personal appeals to the governor, and by petitions to her Majesty, while many made the discontent to which the taxes gave rise, a cloak for their own disloyal purposes. They stated that they had to travel great distances, some times 40 miles, to get licenses for the use of guns. The document proceeded to say. that some of the vie lagers were kept away from their homes a whole week, whilst several had to go backwards and forwards, as pre parations had not been made for the issuing of the licenses. Now, it was a remarkable fact, that Lord Tor rington, when he wished to have the tax repeyled, used the same arguments as those used by those villagers. —([fear, hear.) He then read the dispatch of Lord Torrington to Earl Grey on the subject, and remarked that the dispatch of the Noble Earl approving of the repeal of the tax crossed that of Lord Torrington on its way home.—(llear, hear.) The dispatch set forth the grievances under which the colony laboured in consequence of this tax since under it the tax imposed upon guns was 25 per cent. of their value ; and such was the objection to the tax, that many concealed or destroyed their guns some of whom had had in their families as heir-looms of many guns. These ordinances were the cause of an outbreak on the part of the natives. They did not, however, appear to have presented themselves in any great force, as the re bellion was suppressed without loss of life to her Majesty's troops; therefore, corroborating the state ment of the Hon. Member (Mr. Hawes) that the statements that had appeared of the outbreak had been much exaggerated, and that the troops had been called out more for show than for the purpose of firing upon the people. He now came to a part of the procceedings in connection with the revolt in Ceylon, which no Englishman could look upon except with a blush of shame. He alluded to the atrocities and cruelties that had been perpetrated upon the unhappy people after the rebellion had been suppressed.—(Hear, hear.) They had heard much of the atrocities perpetrated in Vienna by Prince Windischgratz, the accounts of which, being published in the papers that supported the Government, were doubtless not coloured. The capitulation of Vienna was only affected after a severe struggle, and an enormous sacrifice of life. Many of the parties who had taken an active part against the cause of the Prince were tried by court martial, and immediately shot, and a writer in the Economist, with which one of the Members cennected, deplored the execution of Blum, whose of fence, he said, admitted of every excuse and justifica tion, and whose offence was far from criminal; one such execution, the writer said, was not unlikely to lead to a long train of assassinations. The writer had heard of the atrocities perperated in Vienna, but he had not become acquainted with the atrocities perpetrated under the paternal Government of the Colonial-Office. The House was aware that a number of executions had taken place in Ceylon, in pursuance of the sentence of a military tribunal. A return had been furnished to the House of the number of these military executions, and of the offences laid to the charge of those who had been executed. He found that eighteen men had been shot under martial law, and a nuraber of others to various degrees of punishment; and he was surprised, looking over the list, to see that the nature of the offences fir which they had suffered He found one man charged with having communicated directly or indirectly with rebels—with holding commu nication with them, and not giving the information which he was possessed of for the detection of a rebel—in other words, not betraying his friend. with whose hiding place he was acquainted with— (Hear, bear)—and with having administered a treason able oath. Four men were charged with having appeared at an armed assembly, headed by a man who called himself a " king." These men, let that House recol lect, were not charged as leaders.—(Hear, hear.) They were simply charged with having been found in the company of armed persons • yet they were sentence d to death, and s h o t immediately after.—(Hear, hear.) This man, who called himself a king, was afterwards tried by a military tribunal, and, being recommended to mercy, was transported. —(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") It appeared, indeed, that those executions were carried on with no less brutality than illegality. There was a description of these execution taken from the Colombian Observer, and Lord Torrington himself confirmed the account.—(Hear, hear.) In speaking of those exe cutions it stated " the Court-martial on the priest who was shot in his robes at Cardin may be taken as a fair specimen of those tribunals. . . . There were only two witnesses against him, who wore both men of suspicious character, and one of them was a candi date in same way for a Government situation I The priest was shot the next morning after his trial, and his dying request that he should not be made to die in his sacerdotal garments, was refused.—(Hear, hear.) The account went on to say " that this priest was entirely innocent, and he had no connexion with the king ; he was a low countryman, and was not at all acquainted with the people, and knew nothing of their secrets." Now he (Mr. Baillie) put out of the question altogether the guilt or innocence of this man. He assumed he was guilty; but the mode and manner of his execution was an outrage on humanity, and had such an act been committed at Madrid under Name.; he (Mr. Baillie) supposed they should never have heard the last of it. It was in Spain only that a parallel could be found for those atrocities. But in order to appreciate the feelings of Lord Torrington, h e must refer to his corespondence with the Chief-Justice of Ceylon. It seemed as soon as the court-martials were suspended, the ordinary tribunals came into operation, and the remainder of the prisoners were tried in the su perior Court at Candia before the Chief-Justice ; 14 of them were condemned to death, and the Chief-Justice communicated that fact to Lord Torrington, stating that under different circumstances he should have recom mended his Excellency to have executed such three or four of those last mentioned as, after a minute examine tion by the law officers of the Crown, appeared to have been most guilty, for the sake of example, but he found the example had been already made, some twenty persons having already been shot for their shares in the rebellion by courts•martial.—(Hear.) The Lord Chief Justice concluded by saying that the blood which had been already spilled had been sufficient for all purposes of the vindication of the law.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.) Lord Torrington, in reply to the Lord Chief Justice, pointing out certain inconveniences likely to result from the course recommended by the latter, concluded by saying he would remit the capital punishment and substitute transportation for life in these cases of conviction which bad not been recom• mended to mercy by the jury, and for fourteen years in all other cases. Now, it seemed Lord Torrington was highly displeased at being compelled, against his will to temper justice with mercy.—(Hear). He (Mr. Baillie) would have thought Lord Torrington would have been but too grateful to any one relieving him from the responsibility of deciding on the lives and deaths of his fellow -creatures. And not only did executions, but also confiscations of property occurred. Now, it appears, that this proclamation was carried into such ready effect that a large number of estates were con fiscated. It is true Lord Torrington had advertised that the value of these estates would be restored to the owners when it was discovered. But they were not guilty, but it was a very different thing be tween leaving the estates in the hands of the proprietors and returning to them the price which such estates might realize in the market. Ho thought that this was a most unsatisfactory mode of meeting the necessities of the case. And now he came to the last act of the tragedy—the act of indemnity. It was not to be wondered at that when acts such as those were being perpetrated, and when apprehensions as to their results might very naturally arise, that an act of indemnity might seem to be necessary. The evidently thought so—(Hear, hear)—and such an Act was introduced to the Colonial Council—an Act which was the more necessary, inasmuch as that most of the Acts which called for condemnation had been done witnout the consent of the Council. Well, such an Act was introduced, and how did Hon. Gentlemen think it was passed ?—(Hear, hear.) Simply by the vote of Lord Torrington himself.—(Hear, hear, from all sides of the House.) There were 14 present in Council, seven of whom were against, and seven were for the Act, and the casting vote for it was given, as he had said, by Lord Torrington, the President at the Board. He trusted Viet this last fact would prove a sufficient warning against any future experiment in trusting the high and responsible duty of governing a large and im portant colony.—(Hear, hear.) Now he would turn to another colony, of' which great hopes had always been entertained; and in stating this, he wished particularly to draw the attention of the House to the fact. There was no colony of which greater hopes had been enter tained than of Guiana.—(Hear.) It had been precicated of that colony that, whatever fate might befall our other West Indian Colonies, this at least was possessed of such variety of appliances, such a beauty of climate, such a nobility in its affluence and variety of aspect, that no adversity could possibly repress its advance to an illimitable prosperity. Yet was there no co- lony more distressed than British Guiana.—(Hear, hear.) It would probaby ba remembered that when the Act for the emancipation of the negroes was passed that the heads of the Colonial-office had taken no steps whatever to avert the mischief, nor ascertain the consequences that might arise from such a proceeding In (inlaid" the planters were ruined, and the estates were carried on by merchants in this country. lie believed that in no colony con nected with the British dominions. was the patronage more improperly exercised than in Guiana. The Governor of that colony had at his disposal patro nage to the extent of no less than 35,0001. a-year. The Civil Service consisted of the following offices:—A Governor at 5,0001. a year, a Chief Justice at 2,5001., two pusine Judges at 1,500/. each, the Governor's secretary 1,5001., his assistant 600/., the Attorney- Generall,lool., the High Sheriff 1,2201., the other Under Sheriffs at 7001. each, and six stipendiary Magistrates 70001., making the total cost of the Go vernment amount 39,000., per annum. When the Court of Guiana met, they proposed that there should be a redution of the expenditure of the co lony, but the Governor refused his sanction to the pro posal, upon which an altercation took place, and the Court refused to grant the supplies. The Governor, however, thought fit to change his former resolution, end consent to the reduction. but a dispatch from the Colonial-office deprecated the measure, and refused to give his consent to a reduc tion of taxes. Now, what did that House suppose was the chief tax in Guiana, why it was a tax upon corn; and yet, although the Minister was as staunch an advo este of free-trade at home, he did not think it politic to extend the principle to the colony of British Guiana. The Noble Lord refused to sanctionn any re duction of the taxes because the combined Court had previously guaranteed the supplies, in consideration of an emigration order being granted to them by the Colonial-office. His course, therefore, was plain. lie would have his bond and nothing but the bond, and told the colonies that if they con tinued to refuse the supplies they would be guilty of a breach of faith. But so far from their having been guilty of a breach of faith, they had petitioned the Colonial-office in forma pauperis for a re duction of taxes, which they felt they were unable to meet. But he (Mr. Bailey) maintained that it was the Colonial-office who broke the contract, for the Noble Lord refused to grant the emigration order, and the co lonists were therefore justified in refusing the supplies. In the Mauritius there were the same causes of com plaint, but on reflection he thought it advisable to con fine his attention to the colony of Ceylon. because the grievances of that island called for the most urgene measures. The inhabitants said that they had no confidence either in Earl Grey or in the Right Hon. Centleman the Under Secretary for the Colonies. How could they repose confi dence in a Minister who had attempted to de [LEFT SPEAKING.] IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 19. MARRIAGES (SCOTLAND) BILL. Lord CAMPBELL rose to move the second reading of a Bill for amending the law of marriages in Scotland. He observed that in every well-governed country mar riage was a contract of which there should at all times be satisfactory evidence, and that the status of the wo man should be one with respect to which there ought to be no doubt. The present law of Scotland did not af ford this satisfactory evidence, because marriage might be contracted iu various ways—by a clergyman, by a simple declaration of marriage between the parties, by a promise in futuro followed by cohabitation; and the consequence of this was, that the woman was placed in a very degraded position, and the state of things itself was productive of an infinity of evils. Their Lord ships bad all heard of Gretna Green mar - riages, but marriages were not alone celebrated by a functionary at Gretna Green, that person had rivals all along the borders; and he was told that the late parson at Gretna Green had married no less than 30,000 couples. Marriage was frequently gone through as " a lark;" those who entered into that state did not deem themselves to be bound by it, and they fancied that at the end of the year they might make a new excursion. What was desired was, that persons entering into the marriage state should, for the future, be married either by a clergyman of their own persua sion, or in presence of a public functionary, signing their names to a document by which they declared them selves to be scan and wife, and which document should for ever after be evidence of the fact. The Bill he pro • posed proceeded upon the same principle as the Mar riage Bill of 1836. In England a person might go before the clergyman or the rgistrar. The latter was seldom resorted to in England. Such he believed would be the case in Scotland. Persons would go before their pastor, who would bestow upon them the nuptial benediction. This Bill would prevent clandestine marriages, and, as such, he trusted it would meet with the support of their Lordships, as it was most desirable that whenever a mar riage did take place there should be evidence for all future time of the fact. The Earl of ABERDEEN observed that notwith standing the confidence expressed by the Noble and Learned Lord on this subject, it was with some regret that he felt bound to state some objections that he enter tained respecting it. His opposition to this measure arose from the fact that he considered it uncalled for, most impolitic, and likely to lead to most injurious re sults. Everybody admitted that it was desirable to have a complete registration of births, marriages, and deaths; but what he objected to was, that the Noble and Learned Lord made a very great alteration in the law of Scot land, as a means of perfecting a system of registration.— (Hear.) If the Noble and Learned Lord considered the marriage law of Scotland defective, let him intro duce a Bill to amend the law; but to adopt such a measure as this for the purpose of perfecting a system of registration, was, in his opinion, a proceeding that was quite preposterous. In England and Scotland the cases were not similar. Hero a Bill had been introduced to relieve the Dissenters from what they considered a grievance imposed upon them by Lord Hard wicke's marriage law, and which for the purposes of marriage compelled them to repair to the Established Church. In Scotland nothing of the kind occurred. Every one was married by the minister of the sect to which he belonged, and he could say that clandestine marriages were very few in Scotland, and that whenever they might occur no adequate remedy was provided by this Bill. The marriage law had often been the subject of discussion among all ranks of men in Scotland, and some alteration in the law had fre quently been recommended by some of the greatest men in the country; but who ever asked for such an altera tion as was proposed by the measure of the Noble and Learned Lord?—(Hear, hear.) The uniform opinion of the country, pronounced two years consecutively by numberless petitions, while there was not one pre sented in its favour, deserved some attention from their Lordships, and particularly in a case affecting, or which might affect, the social condition of every man in the country. The existing law had worked well, and to the perfect satisfaction of the people of Scotland. For centuries there had been no complaint of the law, and the people living under it had been distinguished for social and religious qualities. The Noble and Learned Lord had stigmatised the people of Scotland as living in ,a state nearly approaching the " more ferarun." Their condition had been described as very different by another Noble Lord, who had said that, taking it altogether, Scotland was the best-condi tioned country on the face of the earth. Those Noble Lords would not both support the Bill. As the measure was one of restriction, he did say that the feeling of the country was deserving of the attention of their Lord ships. Let their Lordships look at the 18th article of the Union with Scotland, in which it is especially said that laws affecting civil government and policy might be made the same in all parts of the United King dom ; but the laws affecting private right should be only altered for the evident utility of the people. Now, the innumerable petitions against the Bill did not show that the people thought the proposed alteration would be for their benefit. Ile would entreat their Lordships to consider that they were not legislating for England, nor for a people governed by the same laws or feelings as themselves—they were legislating for a country the people of which w e re ac t uate d by feelings and prejudices, it might be, altogether different from those of the people of this country; but to those feelings, and even to those prejudices, it was their Lordships' duty to give every attention. The law of Scotland was the law of the whole of civilised Europe. They were constantly borrowing from it, in order to render the English law more perfect, and therefore it deserved all respect and honour. The Bill proposed by the Noble and Learned Lord imposed new restrictions upon the constitution of marriage in Scotland. He held that it was essential to the happiness and for the morality of the people that marriage should be rendered as easy as possible. Holding the opinion which their Lordships naturally did it was difficult for them to place themselves in that situation which it was necessary to do in order to legislate for the people of Scot land. In England they held that the marriage tie was indissoluble, however much their practice differed with the principle. They said it was indissoluble, but they almost daily dissolved it, not as a legislative act, but acting as judiciaries. Nothing could be more incon sistent or more unjust than that. Although they held marriage to be indissoluble, still they did not hold it to be a sacrament; and in times shortly after the Reforma tion the tie was dissolved, but now there was no court to pronounce such a judgment. He had been given to understand that marriage being made a sacrament in the Romish Church arose from a mistranslation—that that which was properly translated " a great mystery," was translated in the vulgate " a great sacrifice;" but, at all events, England was the only Protestant country where marriage was indissoluble. He trusted the law of Scctlaud would not be altered in that particular, because he considered it was preferable to the law of England. There were only two causes for which the law of Scotland allowed a divorce, viz., adultery and wilful de sertion for four years. If it was essential that marriage should be rendered easy, so was it equally necessary that divorce should be difficult ; but as the law now stood, he thought it was upon a rational and the best foundation. A Noble Lord had warned their Lordships, upon a late occasion, to consider what they were going to do. The case before them was one in which it particularly be hoved their Lordships to consider what they were going to do, and what was likely to be the effect of the measure before them. He knew he vi as speaking the sentiments of the great body of his countrymen, and therefore he considered he had a right to press his opinions upon the House. By the law of Scotland marriage was a civil contract, the very essence of which contract depended upon mutual con sent—that was the doctrine of the canon law as well as of the civil law of Scotland. The Noble and Learned Lord had said there were irregular marriages under the law. But a written promise followed by cohabitation, constituted and was recognised as a valid marriage. The promise, however, must be a written one ; why, there fore, should a man be allowed to abandon such a con tract at his own pleasure. Under the present state of the law seduction in Scotland was extremely rare ; in England the eases were innumerable as compared with those which occurred in Scotland. The law was a great protection to the woman. Undoubtedly under the law of Scotland, a man might be entrapped into a marriage by an artful woman. Such a case might occur ; but for one man that was entrapped, one hundred women were entrapped and betrayed under the law of England ; and certainly it was woman who most needed pro tection For these reasons he saw no cau'e why that which was now admitted as proof of a contract should not continue. The same of a declaration of marriage before witnesses. Rsinembeting always that marriage was considered as a civil contract, although in fact nearly all parties ma de it a religious ceremony; but as a civil contract he saw Co reason why the solemn declaration before witnesses should not be admitted to be as good proof of consent ca a written promise. No length of cohabitation would constitute a marriage in Scotland if nothing appeared to prove that the parties had intended to contract a mar riage. Cohabitation would be considered prima facie evidence of the fact, but even 20 years' cohabitatica would not constitute a marriage without some evidence of the consent of the parties. He would agree with pleasure to impr ove th e l aw b y confining its provisions strictly to persons having a proper Scotch domicile; for though the people of Scotland had a great love for the law themselves, they had no particular wish to extend it elsewhere. Marriage was a most valuable right, and it great privilege of the poor, and their Lordships ought not to impose any further restriction upon it without good grounds, which he contended had not yet been shown. His object would be effected by the omission of those words which restricted the marriage ceremony to be performed "in two modes and no more." He was satisfied with what had conduced so much to the hapPi" ness, the morality, and the prosperity of the country. Lord BROUGHAM acknowledged ,the question 1 0 be one of much importance, but, unfortunately, the melt' sure had been married to another Bill, and it had re ceived all the odium which that other measure perhaps deserved. It had been said by his Noble Friend that the Registration Bill had been brought in to complete the Marriage Bill: now just the reverse was the fact, the Marriage Bill had been introduced to complete the Registration Bill. That Bill contained a clause, the schoolmaster clause, when it was last before the LegiS . lature, which was as improper a clause as any be had ever read, and it had given rise to much feeling towards the Bill, great part of which Was also improperly extended to the Marriage Bill. Almost every lawyer had complained of the operation of the law. It had been complained of by Lords Thurlce, Hard' wicke, and Eldon. And no wonder it was complained of' when advantage was t a k en o f i t to evade the law o f this country. He should support the Bill, because it would throw impediments in the way of improper, mis" chievous, and ill-considered marriages. Those only amongst their Lordships before whom divorce cases were brought could be aware of the difficulties consequent upon the state of the law of marriage in Scotland. In many instances it was impossible to tell whether the par ties were duly married, whether they were legitimate or, if a second contract had been entered into, whether they were guilty of bigamy or not. Scarcely two lawyers could be got to give the same opinion with regard to it• He agreed with the measure because he saw no other means of putting an end to the difficulties which at pre sent existed. The Noble Earl near him (the Earl of Aberdeen) suggested that the law respecting divorces ought to be dealt with simultaneously with the law of marriage, but he (Lord Brougham) thought that that question ought to form the subject of a different measure. The Earl of ABERDEEN said it appeared from re turns which he had moved for on the subject of English and Scotch marriages and legitimacy, that during the last eiohteen years, since the Scotch Consistorial Court was abolished, and the business of it transferred to the Court of Session, there had been only six appeals front that court to their Lordship's House ; therefore, the Noble and Learned Lord had very little right to coin' plain that the time of the House had been much °ens' pied in settling disputes respecting Scotch marriages. The whole number of cases that had come before the Court of Session during that period was 104. Lord CAMPBELL—And in those 104 cases 35 of the parties concerned were found to have been legally War' ried, 34 were discovered not to have been legally mar ried ; and the question with respect to the rest could not be settled.—(A laugh.) The Duke of ARGYLL said he did not believe that this Bill had been introduced for the sake of completing the registration of marriages. Te principal objection, of the Noble Earl opposite appeared to be, that the Bill limited in an undue and dangerous. degree_the. facilities for contracting marriages. He (the Duke of Argyll)' however, did not b e li eve th at i t would have any sue", effect. Under th e ex i st i ng l aw marriages were legs' which took place before clergymen of all denominations; and it was not proposed to alter that system. The 1 31 , 1 : would have the eff ec t o f f oreclosing for the future all irregular marriages, and continuing the system of mar' rying before clergymen of all denominations, and als o before registrars. B u t, as t h e N oble Earl had trilly said, such was the moral and religious feeling of the people of Scotland, that very few marriages were con' traded except before c l erg y men. Th e measure cou ld, therefore, make very little change in the law, and the,. Noble Earl's objections to it we re , h e thought, devoid of force. It appeared to him that the Bill provided every faci lity for contracting marriages that it was necessary 1 provide; and he trusted that no m i sappre h ens i on wo uld go forth to Scotland with r es p ec t to i ts rea l o bj ect a nd tendency. It would make no difference whatever in the practice of contracting marriages in that country. The Earl of EGLINTON objected to the measure on the ground of the great expense it would entail tipt?!n the people of Scotland in carrying it out. If the 1310 bad the effect of driving the people from the registrars to the clergymen he should cordially support it, but the matter was left to the option of the parties. It WO true that the fees for marriages before the registrars were higher than before clergymen, and that w as cer tainly an inducement to go before the latter. He Po: ferred the clergymen to the registrars, but he preferred the registrars to the blacksmiths. Lord CAMPBELL replied, The two Bills were then read a second time. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF CMMONS, Feb. 19. HABEAS CORPUS S U SPENSION (IRELAND) BILL. On the order of the day being read for the third WO ng of this Bill, Mr. OSBORNE rose to present a petition from bitants in the parish of St. Pancras, calling on the Housenot to pass the Bill, an d to cease to administer the affair s of Ireland altogether, and t o a ll ow t h e people of Os country to administer the government themselves."' (Hear, and laughter.) Mr. J. O'CONNELL said, as he did not wish to hav e a double debate, he should postpone his observation s until the Noble L or d th e M em b er for Aylesbur y amendment came on. Mr. FEARGUS O'CONNOR then rose to a ddress the House, but the noise consequent upon a great nutub et of the Memb ers s i mu l taneously leaving the House wss s 0 great that for some moments the Hon. Member I" wholly in au dibl e i n t h e gallery. He was understood tie say that he w as very much surprised to find, after tie statement of the Right Hon. the Secretary for the Home Departme n t, th at no E nglish Gentleman in t",. House had thought it hi s d uty i n the House to do more than give a passive acquiescence to this Bill. There Was time when this Bill would not have been allowed to Po without some more urgent reasons having been assigue ' , for its necessity than had been assigned by the Hon..Balle ° net the Secretary for the Home Department. Notwitu • standing that many gentlemen had attempted to e xpress their views on this Bill, there was not one from first to last who had touched it. The Honourable Member for Bandon assigned as a reason for supporting the Bill that he was foreman of a grand jury is Ireland. The Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tam worth, in accordance with his usual maxim, said he would return good fo r ev il. Th e Government had op' posed the Right Hon. Baronet on the appropriation clause , mad he retorted by supporting the present measure. The Hon. Member for Buckinghamshire entered into dissertation on free trade, and the Honourable Gen: m tlean said he was not only prepared to give 11'5 assent to the stopping of agitation for the re' peal of the union, but to put down all agitatie ll ' But now it s eeme d qu i te unnecessary to make out Of, reason for the p ass i ng o f such a measure as this. Suc h used not t o b e t h e case formerly ; and oh for , the days of Fox, Pitt, Romilly, and all theft noble comp e e rs . B ut t h e i r days were past, an d an epoch seemed to have arrived when private in: terests were in the eyes of Members of Parliamen" paramount to the consideration of the most serious inroads upon the:constitution, and when a matter vitaalli, affecting the int eres t s o f I re l and was to be introduce ' to their notice, scarcely a House could be formed , yet when a private Bill was to occupy their at t e ntion upwards of 170 M em b ers were ready to tender thei r votes. Such was the feeling, or rather the comparativ e feeling with which great national grievances in Ire land and petty advantages in England were viewe d ' So much for th e s y mpat h y of England for Ireland' Lord Clarendon says that the object of this Bill is to II put a atop to the ag it a ti on w hi ch, for thirty years, "s distracted Ireland. The Right Hon. Baronet the Seel,: tary of Ireland sa y s t h at th i s Bill is simply recal capital to the country. The Noble Lord at ti e head of the Government says that it has 01/ ' thing whatever to do with the agitation for peal. but simply to enforce the views of the Lora• Lieutenant. To which of those authorities was b• t 0 ~. refer? In none cou ld h e p l ace any reliance, Le(t when Lord Stanley, was a M em b er of that House, he had expressed his opinion that a very sufficient reason eV' to be assigned b e f ore any suspension of thl liberties of the co un t r y too k place.—(Hear, hear .) The Whigs had ev er ma d e Ireland their battle-fie ld, the late Mr. C. Buller had warned them of the ad°P tion of this course ; he had said as long as O'Coenell lived Ireland would be in an ln e i ' - pient rebellion, b u t when he was gone it wou ld ,1, become an open one . If such a measure as had been proposed at the outbreak of the French re volution in F e b ruary l ast, it might have been tolerabl e ' but at the p resent moment it was uncalled fo r ' It was to the Ri g h t Honourable Baronet the Melnb— , for Tam worth that the people of Ireland looked fortis redress of thei r gr i evances, and not to the Noble r-,0! at the head of the pre sen t G overnment.—(Hear, ) Government could not rec Jive the allegiance of t, people o f I re l and until they pursued a more liberal Prig' ciple to war d s them. The proceedings of the Gov/ono:le o n d proved thi s . Th ey h ad had five sessions of Oyer art terminer in Dublin, and yet there still rema i ne d fival),, l o soners to be di s p ose d o f, so bungling a n d c l ums y had l 3 T, ;11 the course of th e l aw o ffi cers. But it was said t hi s sa' was to be follo we d b y remed i al measures. What were they ? He had a right to an answer t n n that question, f or thi s Bill would not put to to the agitation for the r e p ea l o f th e (Hear)—t it would p revent every Ivan to friv g Ireland, no matt er w h e th er h e was loyal or not, mak ing • urged a single str ugg l e i n d e f ence o f his rights. Why vv d farce this mod e o f l eg i s l at i on was. It was *ase that the meas ure was proposed to secui:o • protcction of the loyal and well-disposed 1 0 I re land! What nonsense! Instead of its affording such protection it wou ld ma k e the l o y a l discontentsto and unless som e measures for remov i ng t h e sociel e h " er of Ireland, and exten di ng the su ff erages °L ul a people, . were _shortly propose d G overn ment wy -~