The Sun. — London, England, 1849-05-12 00:00:00

I He could assuro his Him. Friend that no treaties had as yet h , en entered into with reg,ard to Hungary. With ro am ty. to the eecond question there was no d!fliculty, and he could freely assure the lion. Gentle , n4n that no treaties had been entered into which had reference to the security of Huncrar; ,, n independence. • With regard to the third question he could reply that there bad been no applicacion to this country :or a mediation between Hungary and Austria.—(Laue.ter.)___ THE ROMAN STATES. Mr. B. COCHRANE wished to know whether there was any communication in the Foreign-office relative to the invasion of the Roman territory by the French troops, and he might add to the inquiry the question, whether there was any intention on the part of her Ma jesty's Government to mediate between the French and the Roman people. Lord PALMERSTON said that there was no inten tion to mediate between the two states to whom refe rence had been made. With regard to the second ques lion, he had only to state that there was a correspon dence between himself and the Roman Government. RETURNS RESPECTING TUE WEST INDIAN COLONIES. Mr. SCOT I' wished to inquire whether there was any objection to grant the returns of which he had spoken of the pensions, salaries, &c., granted to the several State dependencies in the W.-st Indies. Mr. LABOUCHERE had not the slightest objection to grant the returns, if the motion was so modified as to render it practicable. Mr. SCOTT assented. CHOLERA IN IRELAND. in reply to a question from Mr. SCULLY respect ing the treatment ot pauper cholera patients in Ireland, Sir G. GREY said the number ot difficult cases was about 300, and that the respective parochial and othtr officers had a discretionary power to remove and relieve them. VAGRANCY IN IRELAND. Mr. STAFFORD wished to know whether there had been any return made of the number of the paupers begging lately in the city of Cork, and what was the result of the measures which had been taken with re spect to them. Sir W. SOMERVILLE said that he had only re ceived a report on the subject, and he had understood that an order had been given to the beggars continually to move on, and the result was that there had been a great reduction in the number of paupers.—(Laughter.) There had been no public subscription, but loot. had been granted by the corporation for that object, where cases of excessive distress had been shown. PAUPERS AND WASTE LAND IN IRELAND. In reply to a question from Mr. E. DENISON, as to the number of able-bodied paupers in Ireland, and the number of acres of waste laud in that country, Sir W. SOMERVILLE replied that the returns did not enable him to state the number of men who were paupers in th e waste land districts, but the whole num er, including women and children, was 163,000; but he would, however, make further inquiries and lay the re turns upon the table.—(Hear, hear.) EMIGRATION DEPO r AT DEPTFORD. Mr. SCOTT ;I;fied to inquire whether the Mr. Cooper, at the bead of the depot for emigration, was any relation to the Mr. Cooper who was at the head of another Government-office?—(Laughter.) Mr. LABOUCHERE had no information, but he would inquire. SIR WILLIAM PARKER'S EXPEDITION TO NAPLES. Mr. URQUHART wished to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Cabinet were aware that Sir William Parker was sent for to Naples by the British Minister, when they stated to Parliament that he went there of his own accord? Lord J. RUSSELL said that the Hon. Gentleman had confused together two different transactions. The question which was asked in August last was, he un derstood, as to whether Admiral Parker had gon e to Naples in consequence of the order of her Majesty's Government, and whether he had gone there for the purpose of interfering with the expe dition which was about to start from Naples to Sicily; and he thought he gave then a sufficient answer to the question. But the Honourable Gentleman now re ferred to the request of Lord Napier to Sir W. Parker to go to Naples in the month of February, and when he (Lord J. Russell) answered the question in August last the transactions which took place in Fe• breary never entered into his mind. At the time the question was asked Admiral Parker had left Naples and gone to Palermo, and he naturally supposed it had reference to that time. He (Lord John Russell) remembered that when Lord Tinto was at Rome he was informed that Sir W. Parker intended going to Naples, and he asked the Neapolitan Minister if it would be agreeable to the King of Naples that the British squadron should make its appearance there, and he was informed that the King did not think that its appearance would in any way militate against his interest. He (Lord J. Russell) certainly un derbtood the question to refer to recent transactions, and not to what occurred in February.—(Hear, bear.) I'UBLIC HEALTH, &c., IRELAND. Mr. SADLEIR asked whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce a Health of Towns Bill fur Ireland, and a Bill to amend the Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages? Lord JOHN RUSSELL said, he would give the Hon. Gentltman au answer on Monday. POLICE RETURNS. Mr. FREWEN complained to the House that certain returns relative to the rural police, which had been laid on the table of the House, were not given in the form which he desired. Sir GEORGE GREY said, if the Hon. Member would point out in what respect the return was defective, he (Sir George Grey) would endeavour to supply the omission. The motion was then put and agreed to that the House at its rising d adjourn till Monday next. LAND ISWROVENIENT AND DRAINAGE (IRE LAND) BILL. On the order of the day for the second reading of this Bill being reed, Major BLACKALL said he was far from under rating the intention of this Bill or the advantages to Ireland likely to accrue from it ; but if the House wished to give continuous employment to the poorer classes in Ireland, they must give it by encouraging those who were occupiers of the soil to become their employers at money wages, and that could not be effected by giving grants of money from time to time. Owing to the poverty of the country, it was absolutely impossible that those proprietors could at present give the assist ance which was necessary. He would ask that the scope of the Bill should he increased. The Bill at pre sent was entirely confined to draining, fencing, making roads, and things of that sort. The farms were being quickly consolidated, and thegreat difficulty in those farms so consolidated was that there were neither farm-houses tor buildings applicable to the new state of things. He then read au extract from an Irish paper—the leinster Express—stating that the cultivation of flax was extending, and recommending those who had not used a portion of their land for that purpose to do so, and that the crops of last year had proved very valuable. The same was the case in the Queen's County. It would be recollected that last year, or the year before, agricultural instruc tors were sent out to Ireland by the Royal Agricultural Society, and the Marquis of Clan ricarde had devoted a considerable sum to the expense thus created. If the improvement of the land was set about in earnest, the people would have spades in their hands instead of atone hammers. The Hon. and Gallant Member then read extracts from Skibbereen and other places, showing that the improvement of the land was proceeding, and the necessity of affording the means of employment to the large number of people who were starving. The arterial drainage of Ireland was, in a measure, allowed to be of the utmost importance. Large sums of money had been advanced by this country for that purpose, but unfortunately, when the works would have been of great assistance to the people, they were stopped, and now, it was only proposed to vote a small sum for their continuance. Formerly this mode of drainage was carried on with the aid of private capital advanced upon the security of the lands drained, and he really could see no reason why the same system could not be resorted to now.—(Cries of Hear, hear.") Return to that system, and then nstead of advancing money without limitation, Govern. ment would be enabled to take security for the repay ment of their advances. One word before he sat down in connexion with the railways. No doubt such works would prove of the utmost advantage to Ireland, and he only regretted that the promoters of such undertakings in all parts of the country had not received more en- couragement and support at the hands of the Govern ment.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD wished to impress upon the House that all these measures were quit e in adequate to meet the wants of Ireland, and the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary for Ireland would delude himself if he thought so._(flear, hear.) The eject meats now going on required some remedy, for, he would ask, what good results tollowed the passing of the Bill of last year? Was it the intention of the House to depopu late Ireland, and by that means provide a remedy for the evils which afflicted that country, then were they pur ening the right course. But he did think the occupation of the soil in reasonably sm all holdings was the great remedy and that could not be done until protection was given those c tccupiers from th e h ars h ness an d i n j ust i ce o f evictions as now carr i e d on. Persons who spoke of Engl i sh cap i ta l not going to Ireland, and, therefore, productive of no good, were mistaken, for there was capital enough in Ireland, if any proper vent could be given to it ; but, unhappily, at present the of from the country. The Ho g n rea G ter par t tl it was taken then read en address from the British Relief A en sso c c in ta a t n ion, in which it was plainly and broadly asserted that no good would follow until security given t o occup i ers of land. Ile concluded by avowing w h a is convi c ti on that the Bill would be totall y inefficie nt, The dmentaof the EXCHEQUER ob served that the amendment s s of by his Hon. and Gallant Friend, the Memb er for Longford, were already disposed of in the diseu place. With regard to Wskitchs which previously took at had been stated on a fer mer evening about a char,geha received a communof 32/. being made for d i draining a n acre of land, h tion on the subject, and could onlobserve that if the Hon. Gentleman who made c harge, or his agent, had taken ordinary precaution i Ittliaperintending works ve occurred. The on his own property, that could n ot il works alluded to were given under tha Relief Act or what was commonly known as Mr. Labouchere's letier and an overseer appointed, who lived on the Hon G tletnan'A own property; but when an offs;; fiOna t t ' la n e . Board of Works visited the place he found the overseer and his man sitting under the hedges, doing nothing,— (A laugh.) That was the way in w hich thing s dune i n I re l and—and surely if Gentlemen horeswideertel on the s p ot w i ll not look after these things, how can a Government do so? Mr. ORMSBY GORE concurred with the Right Ron. Gentleman that the work was done under Mr. Lebow chere'a Act, but neither he (Mr. Gore) nor his ~g oro , knew anything of the work until they remivrd a bid from the Government fcr 2001., being at the rate of 32/. par acre for drainage. But that w:ts not .alt, for 1501. was at terwards charged him :o: draini;;g nine acres and a halt'. The Hon. Gentleman then read a communica tion he received from Ireland, in which it wa's stated that 24/. was char,i,:ed for the drainage of three quarters of 811 acre. Tile letter aLio stated that the Whigs were determined to ruin Ireland, and charged the Board of Works with employing a host of incapa hles. The Government, when they undertook works ought to be compelled to finish them; and it was not fair, as in the case of the drainage of the Shannon, that those who were at the source of the river should be compelled to pay for works which yielded theal no benefit, Mr. SHAFTO ADAIR felt bound to bear his testi mony to the excellent manner in which Mr.'Labouchere's Act was carried out, and believed that tie greatest ad vantage must be derived to Ireland from the pasting of the Bill before the House. Mr. F. FRENCH condemned the system pursued by the Board of Works in Ireland, where in every ease they exceeded, by at least one-third, the estimates of the works which they undertook to perform. it was there fore material to keep a cheek on the proceedings of that body. What be objected to was, that this loan was not sufficient to lay the loandation for future improvement. He should extend the means of communication through every one of the distressed districts. It was calculated that 50,000 acres of the best arable land in Connaught was now lying waste. If the means of cultivating that and similar districts in Ireland were forthcoming, it would open up a mine of wealth to that country. Mr. HORSMAN said that when they considered the slight s tesults that had followed hitherto all their mea sures for the relief of Ireland, they were bound to give the fullest reflection to the plans of amelioration now suggested from various quarters. He believed that the people of England would willingly and cheerfully give what they could spare for the relief of the starving po pulation of Ireland, but they would require that what they advanced should bo distributed upon economic principles and in a manner really beneficial to the peo ple of Ireland. The mortality of that country was greatly increasing, and their physical condition was daily deteriorating. In proof of this the Hon. Gentleman read several extracts from the 7 imes and other newspapers. He saw a letter addressed to a clergyman the other day, from which it appeared that the people were dying in awful numbers from want, and that the sources of industry were entirely wanting. A corre spondent of the Honourable Member for Dorset shire (Mr. Bankes) stated that upon driving through a part of the country a short time ago, he was obliged to stop his car five or six times in the course of the day, to remove the dead bodies out of the way. The sight of multitudes of the pt,or dying in this way was shocking to humanity. Judging, however, from the speech of the Right Hon. Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exche quer) the other night, one would suppose that the state of Ireland was improving, and by no means so had as represented. But it appeared from the best evidence that in many districts the landlords were entirely ruined, and the proprietors could find no tenants. In may districts, such a thing as a healthful, able man, could not be found. From a combination of evils, the country generally was in almost a state of permanent depression. Seeing that these were not merely temporary causes of depression, it was idle for any one to write from Ireland, giving accounts of isolated cases of improvement. Now compare this measure with the evil it was intended to cure. They had to aim at the immediate preservation of life, and of healthful agricultural operations; and •in establishing kindly feelings between the two countries; but this loan was only to employ the able-bodied man. The weak and disabled would not profit, and were only reserved for more cruel distress and misery. As to the success of agricultural operations, in the present state of things it was quite out of the question. 'There was not one single transaction connected with land in which they were not harassed and trammelled by imperfect legislation, by isolated and unconnected measures, of which that now under the consideration of the House was one, and therefore he protested against it. They wanted a system based on a statesmanlike policy, and not a se ries of little measures which would not benefit Ireland, and would ultimately be a cause of ruin and oppression to England. Sir G. GREY said that the measures of Government did not deserve the censure cast upon them by the Hon. Member. The money they had advanced from time to time had not been thrown away. At that moment twenty thousand able-bodied men, representing a million of the population, were now employed by the means adopted by the Government, and so satisfactory were the results which followed from the loans they had advanced, that a good use had been made of the money, and in some districts the greater part of it had been re p a id. The improvement was as yet of a limited character, be cause the whole sum at the disposal of the Government was not expended, but when it was, the benefits resulting frown it would be greater than was anticipated. The Hon. Gentleman had also stated that there was not a proprietor in the west of Ireland who was in a state to avail himself of these loans, and had quoted the evidence of Captain Hamilton, to disprove the state ments of Mr. Bourke. When Mr. Bourke, in March last, gave evidence as to the destitution which existed, he was a most credible witness in the estimation of the Hon. Gentleman ; but when iu April the same gen tleman states that there are prospects of improvement, he would not believe his evidence.—(Hear, bear.) With respect to the evidence of Captain Hamilton, all he would say was, that even in the union of Balliva there were landlords who were availing themselves of these ad vances to employ labour, and in other distressed unions the proprietors were applying fur loans, and what was to hinder the House from granting these loans, in the face of past experience, that they had been employed safely, and duly repaid? —(lltar.) The Hon. Gentleman asked where was the use of employing these walking spectres? Why, the use of these grants was, to prevent others from becoming walking spectres, and from falling into the same situation, by means of profitable employment; to give the landlords the means of employing the people at the same time that they improved their own estates, and added to the wealth of the country. He would not follow the Honourable Gentleman into the other parts of his speech, much of which had no reference to the measure before the House, but was merely an explana tion of his vies% sas to the nature of the policy which ought to he pursued in Ireland. He would only say that the Hon. Gentleman misrepresented the Govern ment when he stated that they said legislation would do nothing. All they said was, that legislation could not do every thing, and that though they could remove ob stacles, and grant facilities for the improvement of the country, there was a spirit of determination to take ad vantage of these facilities on the part of the people.— (Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman in this very unfair attack upon the Government had said much that had co application to the Bill before the House, upon which the Hon. Gentleman should have taken the sense of the House, if he was opposed to it, and not have been con tented with a protest. If he had done so he (Sir G. Grey) believed there would have been a large majority in its favour. After a few words from Mr. HORSMAN in ex planation, the Bill was read a second time, and ordered to bo committed on Monday. INCUMBERED ESTATES (IRELAND) BILL. On the order of the day for the second reading of this Bill being rend, Mr. STAFFORD said he morely rose to state briefly but most cordially his entire approval of this Bill. If anything could do good to Ireland, it would be a mea sure of this kind. He thanked the Government for bringing it forward, and earnestly hoped it would pro duce all the benefits they wished to confer by it. Mr. J. O'CONNELL also briefly expressed his ap proval of the 1111, as calculated to be of real benefit to Ireland, though perhaps some of its details might re quire amendment. Mr. GROGAN approved of the object of the Bill, and did not rise to detain the House by any remarks upon its details. He wished, however, to state that more was required than this Bill. There were at present more estates for sale in Ireland than could find purchasers, and until some radical change was effected in the machinery of the poor-law, he did not believe that any permanent confidence could be given to either landlords or tenants. Sir H. W. BARRON said that ndr n r ecently an estate had been hil sold as hadin Lublin stated,6o p er n its ot r b e e al so v l a d lu a e t , while, others eet, u could e all. He merely stated this fact, to show that merely facilitating the sale of incumbered estates would do little or nothing—they mu st stop the drain caus e d by the poordaw on estates, before they could induce per sons to embark capital on land which was likely to prove a source of expense to its purchaser. These were hints on the plans whic h had been suggested by the for Member M emb T e e r w f h o o r sh Tamworth, and by the Hon. which were well worthy s ° s f en t t l ia e l the Government, and abso lutely of any practical and efficient remedy for Ireland. aip did not object to the Bill in itself, but would earnes tly ''' impress upon them the attention o f necessity colooe o l pruatiitiEnnoaolomideaosoutres. concur hi with many of his countrymen in the approval they m a bestowed on this more estates into a Bill. He thought that to bring mar ket which was already oversteeked most tnis chievously.—(Hear.) If the law was defect ive , tiug did they not amend it, instead of suspending th w l hy three years, and investing a power in the hands of awfor tri umvirate of Commissioners, who would have uncontr a oll power over every man who had borrowed money on his estates.—(ilear, hear.) Unless he knew who these three Commissioners were how could he have confidence in them? For instance, if the Hun. Member fur Manches ter (Mr. Bright), was one of them, with his known opi nions on the subject, how could the Irish laudlords have any confidence in him? There was no guard in the Bill against the abuse of their powers; there was no power of appeal, exeopt that given by the 20th, clause, which, after all, was worth little, seeing that it had first to be sanctioned by the Commissioners themselves. One excuse the Bill WV.}, that landlord 3 were either unable or unwilling to emp!oy labour; but the worthlessness of that excuse was shown by the fact, that the Irish pro prietors had borrow( d two millions for reproductive la bour, that a Bill for further advances wes now before the House, and that, and that, as stated by the Right Honourable Baronet, there were now more than 20,000 persons employed by these means, in addition to the ordinary labour of the country. Ile denied alt.:get her that the proprietors were bound to provide employment for the whole population, and he had no doubt that at the present momeut the Irish pro prietors employed a much greats r proportion than the English proprietors did. Ile believed that if they throw the property of the Irish landlords i n to the market, to be bought by English speculators, they would simply add to one of its greatest evils, namely, absentee proprle tors.—(lleur, hear.) But, as he had said before, his greatest objection to the Bill was, that it left everything to the discretion of the Commissioners, and until they were named he thought the Government ought not to THE SUN, LONDON. call upon the House to agree to the Bill.—(Hear, hear.) There were comptent persons in Ireland to work such a measure. The Chalicelier ought to be one, from his knowledge of the law, If he was not satisfied on this point, and no member divided the House at that stage, he begged to give notice that he would take the sense of the House upon it at a future stage. Sir A. BROOKE could not concur with his Honour able and Genera Friend, who beet just sat down. On the contrary, lie Lelieved that under the Bill, the value of property would be raised five years' purchase at least. At the same time he must urge on the attention of the . Government, the necessity of compelling the owners of land to provide employment and subsistence for the peo ple on their estates. Absenteeism was the great evil of Ireland, and it was one of the most essential and im portant changes they could make, to compel absentees, in some way or other, to contribute to the support of a fair proportion of the people on their estates. He had on various occasions urged this point on the attention of the House, and would continue to do so whenever he lied an opportunity. In the mealtime he would give his vote for the second reading of this Bill, believing thet its principle was an excellent one. Mr. TURNER thought that many of the provisions with respect to the Commissioners were of a most ex traordinary and unprecedented character.—(Hear, hear.) In the Slave Compensation Act, instructions were laid down for the guidance of the Commissioners, and he thought that in this case borne such instruc tions should be provided, and especially binding them to look to the interest of the first mort gagee, who might be altogether sacrificed by the present Bill.—(Hear, hear.) A very large sum of money had been invested by English capitalists on the security of Irish estates, and he thought it was the duty of the House to protect these interests.—(Hear, hear.) Some of the provisions of the measure were such as ho had never seen in any Bill before.—(Hear, hear.) The Com missioners might compel the production of titles, and it was well known that in certain cases this might materi ally reduce the value of the estate as a security. In ad dition to this, the Commissioners bad the power of setting aside the decisions of the Court of Equity, which he thought a most dangerous precedent, and calculated to be productive of great mischief in practice. He objected to the clause which excluded the jurisdiction of a Court of Equity over the decisions of the Commissioners, and denied relief against whatever determinations they might arrive at with respect to the sale of any estates. He did not intend dividing the House on the principle of the Bill, but he trusted that the provisions to which he had just called attention would be either expunged or modified. Mr. SADLEIR gave general support to the Bill, and answered some of the objections urged by the Noble and Learned Member for Coventry. Some such measure was absolutely necessary for the welfare of all classes in Ire land. While the number of decrees against property had greatly increased, the sales effected in the various western offices had steadily decreased. The Incum brance Estates Bill of last session was wholly impracti cable. Not a rood of land would ever be sold under it, and he trusted the Hon. and Learned Gentleman would consent to repeal it by the measure under consideration, and embody in it the one or two useful and valuable clauses that Act contained. It was quite competent for the Legislature to enable the Commissioners to extin guish intermediate interests, and commute them for a terminable rent-charge. There were two millions of acres of land in Ireland, held under joint tenancy, and he thought there ought to be a clause inserted in the Bill to facilitate the sale of undivided or unpartitioned portions of property. The mode proposed to enforce the orders of the Commissioners in England and Scotland was rather cumbrous. There should be summary and distinct power given them to enforce their orders in England and Scotland, as well as in Ireland. He did not know how it was intended to deal with the question of arrears of rent, but he thought the Commis sioners ought to be empowered to deal with it, and not allow it to remain a practicable barrier between the landlord and tenant. When estates were thoroughly bankrupt the Commissioners should be placed in a posi tion to put the Act in force, without any application be ing made to them for that purpose by incumbrancers. Ho pressed on the consideration of the Government the necessity of giving a cheap and summary mode of en forcing the payment of arrears of poor•rate, by the sale of land. The Bill was not clear on this subject. It re quired simplification, and an easier mode of coming at the landed proprietor for his arrears of rate, without do ing injustice to any party. They couldsafely entrust the adjudication of matters connected with the recovery of arrears of poor -rate to the assistant barristers, and have their civil bill decrees registered as judgments in Dublin, and thus proceed against the land like all other judg ments. He thought an amendment might be introduced into the Bill during the session which would make landed property in Ireland a convertible security for money. If that were done, so that money could be ob tained for the permanent improvement of the soil, he felt that it would do more for the landed proprietors than any measure which had been proposed.—(Hear.) Mr. KEOGEI, after alluding to some remarks which had been made by the Hon. Member for Coventry (Mr. Turner), said he was of opinion that the Bill was capable of doing the greatest amount of good to the bulk of the people of Ireland. He thought the objections urged by the Hon. Member for Coventry were not well founded, and were met by two clauses i❑ the Bill. He thought, also, they had no right to suppose that incompetent per sons would be appointed by Government to fill the im portant offices of Commissioners, or that if there was any danger they would arrive at an unfair or vicious conclusion in the performance of their duties. With reference to what had been said by his Hon. and Gallant Friend the Member for Portarlington (Colonel Dunne) about the impropriety of attempting to do away with those fences and guards which ought to surround pro perty in Ireland, he (Mr. Keogh) hoped, whatever might be the opinion of people out of doors, that that House, in legislating for the improvement of the social condition in Ireland, would not listen to the monstrous doctrine that the law's delays should be permitted to stand in the way of those changes which the condition of the country required.—(Hear, hear.) As to the appointment of receivers under the Court of Chancery, he could say, of his own knowledge, that their appointment was a matter of traffic between certain parties interested. The Right Hen. Baronet (Sir Robert Peel) was kind enough to inform him that nine of the largest estates in one union in the west of Ireland were under the management of receivers, and he (Mr. Keogh) had no doubt that the union in which those estates were situated was among the bankrupt unions. Having spoken of the west of Ireland, he would state that there were several estates, comprising so much as 279,000 Irish acres (one of them was Mr. Martin's, containing 196,000 Irish acres), the owners of which would gladly avail themselves of a measure which would find them purchasers.—(Hear, hear.) He thought that that fact was a sufficient answer to the objections which had been urged by the Hon. Member for Coventry (Mr. Turner). Considering the lamentable condition of Ire• land, and feeling ashamed, as he had often done, at hear ing the term mendicant applied to his countrymen when applications were made to the House for the relief of the distress which prevailed, be would gladly concur in any measure which would relieve them from that, their de graded position.—(Hear.) Mr. HENLEY, after referring to the failure of the Bills passed in 1847 and 1848, said the thing that was necessary was to let loose the incumbered estates in Ire land, and the question was, whether to effect that the Bill before them did not go too far. Decrees for sale were at present easily enough obtained, but the difficulty was to find purchasers.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Mem ber for Carlow had told them that they could not stop here—they must go farther.—(Bear, hear.) Hon. Members who had supported the present measure bad admitted that there was an abundance of land for sale under the decrees of Court. L t them, therefore, be content with that mode of proceeding; give a Parlia mentary title, and then see what will be the result, before they had recourse to the present measure. If they passed the present measure, they wore bound either to show a special reason why they should set aside the course of that tribunal having the authority, or else the tribunal itself should be altogether swept away. Mr. MARTIN was of opinion that the time was come when the landed interest of Ireland should be released from the incubus which pressed upon them. But he held that there did not exist any precedent for what was now proposed to be done. If they passed this measure, without its being altered in the way suggested by him, it would not work well. If they meant the Bill to work properly they must make the three Commissioners a Court of Record, with the powers of a Court of Record; otherwise their proceedings would be upset by techni calities and legal rules. If the gentlemen of Ireland would give up the present system of tying up estates to the prejedice of younger children, they would do much to place Ireland in the position in which she ought to be placed—namely, something in the position of this country. ____ The - SOLICITOR-GENERAL said that this ques tion must he considered, not mere ly i n regar d to its legal character, it must also be considered in a social and moral point of view. It was said that they would not find purchasers of land in Ireland under this Bill. He denied this, because the difficulty of finding pur chasers now had relation to the want of title. This Bill would give a title. It was proposed to intro duce certain alterations in the Bill. It was intended to give the Commissioners the power of making parti tions of individual interests which were incumbered. It was also proposed to give the power of exchange, by the consent of parties, and also to enforce and rescind con tracts, where such a course might be considered for the interests of the parties concerned. A law similar to this was in existence in Scotland for the last two hundred years, and had worked well. Ile believed that the effect of this Bill would be to benefit the mortgagee. He concurred in the suggestion to get rid of the middle man, the thirtie h clause provided for that. What should be dine fur Ireland is not to be effected by one Bill, but by a ierirs of Bilis, end that was what the Government endue% ourcd to accomulif-h by having one measure sub sidious to another. The first thing was to have the land treed from incurnbrances, and an improved system of registration established. It these measures were carried into effect they would no longer require coercion Acts; but the people, receiving the blessings of a paternal Go vernment, would support the law, and prosperity be given to that country. Mr. NAPIER said the nature of the incumbranco upon the property in Ireland was very intricate, but be denied that the Courts in Chancery in that country were more objectionable than those in England, He thought it would be injurious to transfer the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery to the Court of Common Pleas, as had been suggested by the Member for Pontefract. It implied that the Court of Chancery could not be im-' proved, an opinion he could not admit to be correct. The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Monday next. DEFECTS IN LEASES BILL The SOLICITOR GENERAL then moved the se ocornthdor(Baidllitg w , give such a lease as the gra n t or mi g ht lawfull y g ive, as°ltothgeivieetfheeetsCoinurLt e O u f 6e C s hßainliCeryTphoewoebrjetcot SATUnti - A.Y and thereby correct the defects in the lease. Pie also litlpcd that 'lls , Homo would allow him to read the Evate.s Ler.si:34 Bill a second time that evening. • The motion was then agreed to, and the Committee fixed for 2,1 , . , nci1Ay next. E;;I'ATES LEASING BILL. This Bill was read the zeotnidtiine, and the Committee fixed for Monday next. ACCOUNTS OF TURNPIKE TRUSTS (SCOT LAND) BILL. This Bill, on the motion of the SOLICITOR-GE NERAL, then went through Committee, and was re ported to the House with amendments, to be consi dered on Monday next. GRANTS OF LAND (NEW SOUTH WALES) BILL. This Bill next went inioCommitiee. Mr. scorT objected to the Bill on the ground o its inefficiency for the purposes intended. It passed. however, through Committee. ATTACHMENTS COURTS OF RECORD (IRE , LAND) BILL. On the report, as amended, oa this Bill being brought up, Mr. GROGAN proposed the insertion of a clause, granting compensation to Messrs. Butler, Walsh, Rivets, and another, on being deprived of their offices by that Bill. Mr. REYNOLDS observed that when he saw the clause proposed, he thought his lion. Colleague was not in earnest. Mr. B ut l er ha d already a peus i on f ro m the Dublin Corporation of 4491. a year during his natural lite; and the Hon. Gentleman sought to induce that House to give him another slice. Compensation had been given to men whose name was legion. He would as soon give compensation to a highway robber as to this man. This man was to have power 0) put his hands into the pockets of the corporation of Dublin to the tune of 600/. per annum; but if that was intended the corpo ration should at least have notice of it.—(Hear.) Mr. KEOGH said that he was surprised to hear the lion. Member for Dublin denounce the case of those men which he had ably supported with him in the presence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer within the week. He had pleaded the cause of those men whom be now de nounced as cormorants.—(A lau g h.) lie wished to de prive four men, of the averag e age of 60 years, of com pensation. Would the House decide against the claims of these men? Mr. REYNOLDS said it was true that be did accom pany the Hon. Gentleman to th e Ri g ht Hon. the Chan cellor of the Exchequer, but he did it for peace sake—(A laugh)—and, at the same timetthe the Mem ber that they bad no legal ri ght to compensation. Sir W. SOMERVILLE obj ected to the principle of giving compensation for the lo ss of fees. T M h r e . O a tli ss c u e r w i n a g s t t h o e b i e i n o b n o . lished. Hon. Members, adjonrned for a fortnight, to give time GROGANdehate was said then, that a to the Corporation of Dublin to consider this point. NA%dV MARKETS. DIJNDAS, th e G reenw i c h suggesti n of several miral Markets Regulation Bill was rea d a third time and On the motion of passed. EvE:NING-, NEW BILLS. Mr. BOURKE obtained leave—to bring in a Bill for the better preservation of sheep, and the m ore speedy de tection of receivers of stolen shee p, in Irel an d. Sir W. SOMERVILLE obtained le ave to bring in a Bill to continuo., for a limited t i ne, certain temporary provisions relating to the collection of grand jury cess in Ireland. Both Bills were afterwards brought in and read a first time. EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY. On the motion of Mr. CHARTERIS, the following gentlemen were nominated as a Select Committee on the Eastern Counties Railway Company:—Mr. Charteris, Mr. Labouchere, Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Roebuck, Mr. Henley, Mr. Ord, Mr. Disraeli. Sir David Dundas, and Mr. Monsell. Tho House adjourned at a Quarter to One o'clock till Monday. THE RATE IN AID BILL. HOUSE OF LORDS, MAY 11. The following are lists of the Majority and Minority of he Peers who voted upon this Bill: CONTENTS. Effingham Clanricarde Colborne Spencer Carlisle Minto Montfort Lansdowne Campbell Scarborough Cremorne Grey Cottenham Eddisbury Westminster Yarborough l'onsonby Dowoshire Carrington Erskine Breadalbane Craven Teynham Longford Camoys Granville Waldegreve • Westmeath Saye and Sele Leigh Strafford Lilford Beeborough Devon Byron annors. Foley Cowper Durham. Devonshire Bruce Manchester Burlington Elphinstone Ripon: Fortescue llowden Worcester NON-CONTENTS. Roden Downes Hill GlasgoW De Iros A shburton Redesdale Sandys Galloway Lucan Blayncy Abercoru I lawarden Winchilsea Ralifurlf Lorton Mont eagle Abin ger Caledon Wicklow Drogheda Stradbroke Sligo Londonderry 3lountcashel Beaumont Romney Clarina Crofton llar rowby Enniskillen Egkiont Wharnclilfe, . . posse Boston Comberinere Templemoro Fitzwilliant ARCHBISHOP. Desart Belle Dublin Ely Dow•usbirs BISHOP. Castlemalne Manchester Cashel PARLIA.MENTART COMMITTEES. SMITLIFIELD MARKET.—On Thursday, on - the re-assechbling of this Committee, Mr. Mackiuuon in the chair, additional evidence WB3 taken as to the nuisances connected with Smithfield-market. Mr. Langbam, butcher, of Edg. ware-road, was of opinion that the substitution of 'two markets on th e nort h -eastern side of the T hames would remedy th e ev il , and obviate the great incon venience that no w arose from the driving o f an i ma l s through Londo n . Of the 4,000 butchers in the metro polis not h a lf s l aughtered their own meat. There was no combinatio n i n L ondon to keep up the price of meat, though th ere was a combination of butchers, bankers, and salesmen, to keep up Smithfield market ; and witness had been " mobbed," and threatened with violence the other day in Newgate market, on account of his having given evidence be fore the Committee. Several sergeants and inspectors of the City Police were then examined, and spoke to the rushing of bullocks into the London Coffeehouse, tied the smashing of glass iu Fleet and Bridge-streets. There ware thirteen police b . ) day and seven by night to keep order. There was by no means sufficient space for the animals. This occasioned what was called the "ring drove," the main cause of cruelty ; and this might be avoided it the room was adequate. The habit of "pething," or hitting a bullock hard behind the horns, was a very great cruelty ; and twisting the tails until they broke, another ; though there was no more cruelty exer cised by drovers at Smithfield than by jockeys at Newmarket. Comparatively s peaking, no accidents occurred. Mr. Norris, a member of the Common Coun cil, said he had constantly occasion to pass through Smithfield, and the violence inflicted, from attempts made to accommodate the mass of beasts on the insufficient space, were disgraceful and provoking. The drivers were almost educated in cruelty. There were 67 houses in Smithfield -market and 13 public houses, or one in every five. The other shops were where butchers' and drovers' tools were sold, and coffee and eating-houses which depended on the drovers. Iu the streets imme diately leadin g out o f S m i thfield the pu bli c h ouses were one in seven ; i n ot h er ord i nary stree ts, one 0 in 0 19. the whole of the c ity o f L ondon there w ere 15, houses, and out of th ese 650 were pu b lic -h ous es, or at the,rate of one in 25. Th e c hi e f tra d e encouraged in Smithfield was that of publi c -h ouses an d g i n palaces. Other trades 9 were proportionably di scourage d. The -, a nd there was a difficulty iu lettin g l o dgings. The e gave the worst kind of lodgers. accommodation, and took iu the lowest trades wi t hi n The market encouraged the most offensive p of the market deterior a t e d h ouse ro p arty; propinquity _ ma king, cat-skinning, s k it n s a n c e k ig er h s b , o y u a rh rd o s o , d, b s o u n c e h as . b bone-boilers', the entrails of sheep into i s l a er u s b ', gea and etublishments fiddlestrings. for Th ose portions of parishes abutting on the market were the poorest o. any 11 , k London, r • and the health, saf e ty, an d convenience of the inhabitants demanded its removal. The present market could not be enlarged to the extent of halt an acre without very great outlay. About 2,000 cabs and carts had to go round the market on market days. Tho managers of the Eastern Counties and Great Western Railways had told him that thousands of bu!- locks came by rail without blotch or blemish, leaving it to be interred that they were injured after leaving the rail. The Committee thee adjourned. The Lady Arabella Hesketh was safely delivered of a son at Rutford Hall on Wednesday last. POISONING AT BATH.—The adjourned inquiry into the death of Henry Merchant was yesterday renewed at the Guildhall. The prisoner Mrs. Harris had so far recovered as to be able to 'be brought up. She and the other prisoners were accommodated with seats. Several witnesses were examined to show the terms of intimacy subsisting between Mrs. Harris, then Mrs. Marchant, and the male prisoner Harris, and to prove the purchase by her in April last of arsenic at the shop of Mr. Bright. The Rev. Dr. Starner, rector of St. Saviour Walcot, deposed that on Friday before the marriage the male prisoner Harris applied to him for a marriage license, and said he wished, if possible, to be married the next day. He was told the license would not be re ceived till Sunday's post, and he then said he would be married on the Monday. Inspector Sutton deposed to having searched the apartments of the prisoners the Shaylors. In u box of linen he found a small bag, con taining 40 sovereigns; another bag, with 150 sovereigns and 32 halt-crowns; and a third bag, containing 6 halt sovereigns and LWO half-crowns; a fourth bag, containing 5 crown pieces and 16 half-crowns; a piece of rag, con taining 8 half crowns; a fifth bag, containing 45 four penny pi eces an d some s i xpencL a ; a purse, containing 92 farthin gs and some halfpence and penny-pieces; a stocking, containing a half-sovereign ; a silver watch, a duplicate ticket of another watch, 12 women's dresses, &c. The inquest was then adjourned. THE PHONETIC NEWS.—The following joke ap pears in the Man in the Moon:— Sakred 2 do memmuri oph DE FONETIC NUZ, witch expiured Martsh, 1849, aphtur lingering 4 sum weex, in de gratlst pane oph de publisher's windo, knott witi itself, but de core oph wit in edits; itz desees will be sinseerli regretted by itz survyvivg publisher. Afflixyuns soar long time it boar, Fizishunz was in vane; It wood knot sal, so down it pbel, And eye hope dey, went tri it agane. WitEes.-witx-xfs-m•T ITN irAilisy!! • I MAGAZINES, tcc.—(CONTINUED.) THE BELLE ASSEMBLEE. The Belle AssembVe is adorned with a fanciful portrait of Effie Deans, the hapless " Lily of St. Leonard's." One of the best, because the most prac tically useful, of the many excellent articles in this Magazine, is from the pen of Elizabeth Youatt—" A Lament and a Lesson." The lament consists in a v.idow's tear falling cn the bridal dress of her friend; and the lesson is suggested by her heart touching exclamation —" I was not grieving so much for his death, but because I am afraid I did not make him as happy as I might hare done !" In the hands of Elizabeth Youatt, this simple sentence becomes the text of a most beautiful and impressive sermon. It concerns not those who weep for friends departed, but all who are blest with living ones to love. It gently exhorts them so to act that they may never have occaion to cry in heartbroken accents, " I did not make them as happy us I might have done." The accomplished edicress of the Belle Assemblee this month adorns its pages with one of her always-interesting papers. THE JOURNAL OF DESIGN. Because the Journal of Design contains a variety of designs, and descriptions of those designs, it maV be supposed that it is chiefly adapted to the artist or the manufacturer. It is likely to bo v:ry useful to both these individuals without doubt, but it will he chiefly useful to that vast holy entitled general readers. To these it may be of essential service, it will convert them into general observers, and tend greatly to develop their pewerS of Per ception and discrimination.. It is difficult, in deed, to say for whom the Journal of Design is not designed. In the drawing-room and boudoir it will be invaluable, its suggestions and its criticisms will be of infinite advantage to the fair arbitresses of taste and fashion ; and, moreover, it gives no inconsiderable exercise to the reasoning faculties, for it is not content with telling us that such a thing is beautiful, and such another is the reverse, but it shows the why and the wherefore in a manner that is as interesting as it is instructive. MAY 12, 1349. CHAMBERS'. Chambers' Journal is as good and interesting as eyer. We can pronounce no higher encomium on our old Edinburgh friend, and to all who know it that will be sufficient. The new number of the Instructive and Entertaining Library contains the second and con cluding part of the memoir of Francis Horner. THE HISTORY OF PE IVDENNIS. No. VII. This number is devoted to the description of Pen 'a repentance and penance for his Oxford outbreaks. We are introduced to the family of Sir Francis Clavering in this number, who promise well. Al ready has Pen a second love in the person of the Baronet's daughter-in-law, Miss Amory, as well as a sisterly affection for his mother's ward, Laura Bell, an affection which that mother would fain see ripen into something more than sisterly. ' SHARPE' S LONDON JOURNAL. Sharpe's London Journal continues steadily to improve —a fact which to any one acquainted with the ordinary history of periodicals is as surprising as it is satisfactory. The editor's tale in the present number contains an amusing account of the editor and management of Blunt's Magazine, which will probably be recognised by the readers of Sharpe. Dinah Mulock has commenced the " History of a Household," some incidents of which are described with a beautiful pathos. The new edition of " Frank Fairlegh," the great favourite of all last year's readers of Sharpe, continues to appear in monthly parts, illustrated by the inimitable pencil of Cruik shank. THE .111IltR011. We are sorry to miss the continuation of Mr. Percy St. John's most interesting narrative of the adventures of a French Republican, but, en revanche, we have, under the head " The Great Danger," an admirable defence of the 'great principles of Demo cracy, and a demonstration that all evils and distress under which this country is labouring is owing to the existence of that mainstay of privilege the law of primogeniture. " What are the fruits of this law of primogeniture'" asks this writer— . "It transmits an undiminished mass of wealth from father to son—it preserves the ancient estates of the kingdom from subuivision ; but it also casts adrift upon the country those countless younger sons who fill up the offices of State, without honour to themselves or profit to the nation. Because these men, by the action of an unjust law, do not possess an independence— because their forefathers, out of their wealth, could not bequeath a portion to them, the people, forslotb, mast out of their poverty provide them an inheritialco. Fur this reason are sinecures created; for this reason salaries are multiplied and taxes increased. And the country will tor ever go on lavishing its riches upon those who perform no duties in return, until this blot upon our Legislature be removed." DUFFY'S LIBRARY OF IRELAND. The second series of the " Songs of Ireland," edited by Hercules Ellis, Esq., has just reached us. It is an elegant little volume, and dues great credit to the taste and enterprise of both publisher and editor. It is a collection of minor poems, by about fifty different authors, many of them saved from oblivion by the industry of the learned editor, who, in a gracefully written introduction, has classified them— under a new, and we think un improved nomenclature —into sonnets, songlets, and songs. Sonnets, the only one of these minor poems hitherto defined, is contained within a single stanza of fourteen lines ; songlet, he defines to be a minor poem, containing not more than one hundred syllables ; a song, he defines a minor poem, longer than the songlet, and not ex ceeding in length four stanzas or forty lines. The fourth and fifth divisions of minor poetry he makes are romance and ballad, but the present volume is confined to minor poetry under the first three heads. Many of these little fugitive pieces are of the very highest order of poetical beauty—all are above mediocrity. We regret our space will not allow us to make ex tracts, and it would be invidious to mention parti cular names where all are worthy of praise, yet we cannot avoid saying that the anonymous poems, which we must presume to be the editor's own crea ti,ns, are not the least attractive flowers in the Wreath. FRIGHTFUL OCCURRENCE.—Last night, shortly before eight o'clock, a fire, which it is feared will be attended with fatal coniequences, broke out upon the premises occupied conjointly by Mr. Roberts, an auc— tioneer, and Mr. Lloyd, a solicitor, No. 7, Old Jewry, Cheapside. It appeared that a young man, named Mears, a clerk to Mr. Lloyd, was engaged on the first floor warming a quantity of gold size, when it boiled over, the contents of the saucepan became ignited and blazed away with great fury. The unfortunate mien then took the saucepan off the fire, and was, it is sup posed, in the act of carrying it down into the street when his foot slipped and the fiery liquid ran down the staircase, setting it in flames, and at the seine time running over the whole of the man's body. The poor fellow succeeded by a desperate effort in forcing his way through the fire, when on reaching the street the flames were blazing over his head. After running to and fro for some time he at length fell in the street, and some persons having thrown a few pails of water over him. the fire about his person was extinguished. It is doubtful whether he can recover. The engines of the London brigade from Watling.•street, promptly attended, and the firemen immediately set to work. Other engines of the brigade, with that of the %Vest of England Company, followed in rapid succession, and the flames were fortu nately confined to the staircase. Roslin Chapel (or Collegiate Church as it was), was commenced in 1446 by William St. Clair, Earl of Orkney. The founder died in 1479, and left the building unfinished; the completion of it is attributed to the end of that century. This chapel is an extraordinary com bination of the massive and the minute, some of the parts being large and coarse, while the decoration over the whole is most elaborate anti continuous. But for documentary evidence it would be ascribed to the following century, when Gothic ran mad ; it is like nothing else,—cannot be classed,—and ought nut to be imitated. Externally, some of the pinnacles have a Chinese aspect, and other parts are Indian; there are flowers carved on the face of the but tresses, and a semi-circular arched porch over the south door. Inside, all the parts, roof, jambs, strings, arch mouldings, are sculptured, and much of the carving is welt executed and now in a good state, considerable works having been done there eight or nine years ago, at which time the east window was put in. The vaulting of the aisles is received on straight lintels, which run from the main columns to the aisle wall. These lintels are all sculptured; one of them dis plays the Vices, with the Evil One looking on out of the jaws of hell. In the arches at the east end, where there is the greatest luxuriance of carving, the Dance of Death is represented.—Builder. CHUSAN.—The Island of Chu-san, or Chow-san, is a great rendezvous of native junks, and is but a short dis tance from Ming-po, the principal emporium of trade for Chekeong province. Chu-san is blest with the most proltietive soil ; its internal resources are abundant, the inhabitants orderly and weli•disposed, the town pirtieularly - well-built, and the climate the most lubrious in China. how all these advantages could have been overlooked by our diploinatist4 appears enigmatical; or why the arid, fetid, broiling sport, Hong-Kong, should have been fixed upon (excel) , t for its contiguity to Canton) a s a British colony, mus remain a riddle to be explained by the negotiators of the treaty. All those whose health become impaired by a residence in Hong-Kong, are advised to take a voyage for their recovery to Chusan, from whence,i after a short residence, they generally return co e nva dt es ir c t en e t , , , otrhamate rially our dip benefited. I t is deeply to b l o mati-ts neglected to secure this fertile island for the British Crown. —China and the Chinese. MIDLAND R ULWAY.—Mr. Ellis, M.P., has been e.ec t 1 I c hairman, and Mr. Sam uel Beale deputy• chair. man of this compatiy. THE LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY,— The directors of this company - are, on acme of their branches, laying down a single line of rails, with the electric telegraph, in order to economise expeuditure. We understand the company will , by this wise proceed ing, BaYe alsout a quarter Of& million sterling. - MEMORANDA OF A MUSICIAN. BY GEOLIGE J. 0. ALLMANN. " Notes, notes, forsooth, and noting !" SIIAKSPERE. No. NI I. G !USE PPE VERDI. Rather would I prove a sorry ;:rophet than an unkindly one, but I have ever observed that those reputations which resemble the ascent of a meteor, that with a eud• den flesh, and with a terrific rushing noise, upmounts to the highest heaven, are like to that meteor in their short lived and unenduring brilliance. I do not say that this will be the case with Signor Verdi, but only hope it will not be so. From one of the " unktioen crowd," from a natuehess ohwurity Verdi suddenly started into " a :11:01 of note," and gained a Lame end reputation celebrated throughout the extuit of Italy and now extended far beyond. tiow this was it would be impertinent and perhaps futile to examine. We have oily to deal with tsets—incentrovertible, immutable. Ido not hesitate to acknowledge that Signor Verdi is a men reesessing con stdereble genius as a musician, but I du affirm, that, net withstanding he has been befit:tied tine beprsis.ed by the press, ad nauseam, the resonant tunes of their trumpets beldieg es expect something like is modern "rare avis in terris," there are no internal signs —none of those palpable evidences that convince you in a second and bid doubt cease—not one of those untnistakeuble proofs in his scores that would justify so much adulation. Per haps my reade-rs may nut be so well aware as those who are fortunate enough to possess musical friends in Italy whose solicitude supplies their English friends with the most interesting news and newspaper::—to be found in Italy, somewhat like angels' visits, few and very far be• tween—relativ e to musical matters,lbut if they have they will then know to what an extent this furore for adulat ing Verdi was catried during the early part of his ca reer. And however much his own countrymen may feel the voices of melody and beauty breathe from his music, nevertheless, the extreme lowliness in which his wor shippers prostrated themselves in adoration before his footstool was, if not to the Italians, at least to us who like to judge sensibly and after mature and unprejudiced meditation, productive of ill effect, and somewhat marred Verdi's future endeavours, which did not mount to the standard of excellence required, after the first excitement had worn away. Still, as I have before observed, I would rather than be an unkindly prophet be one of false omen. The real stability of Verdi's fame is hidden beneath the dark and subtle web of futurity—the veil which is concealed from the gaze of all till the dewdamps of closing exist ence fall on the brow, when the failing arm lifts up the pall, and the glazing eye pierces for the first'and for the last time its awful and solemn mystery I And yet, to return to my subject, the career of Giu seppe Verdi has been pre-eminently illustrative of that of a child of genius. Born in the year 181 e, at Bussetto, a poor and insignificant village in Lombardy, his parents vv. re obscure and by far too straitened in their means to afford him a musical education, but as the boy gave evi dences of rare promise in the Art, the village organist undertook to promote his wishes; and it happened— strangely enough in Italy, but very fortunately— th at the latter was somewhat of a theoretician, so that the advan tages Verdi possessed were great considering the obstacle of poverty; and uh! how great, how invincible is that obstacle at times! Bui; as Verdi grew in years he began to excite attention, and by his pleasing exterior and un assuming manners won many friends ; not like flies which buzz about the sugar cask, but friends in the true sense of that impressive word—who determined to assist him in his exertions and strugles for fame. This pur pose they effected by obtaining for him an admission into the Conservatorio at Milan. Here he struggled till the year 1839, when he produced his first opera at the Scala, called Obei to, Conte di San Bunifuzio. It had been a :.isastrous season at La Scala, almost every opera had proved a failure or been coldly received, and thi,, the first opera of Verdi, shared a similar destiny. The work was well nigh forgotten, when by the intervention of his friend Marini, the well-known basso profondo, Verdi, after effecting important anti judicious alterations in it, reproduced it, and this time it created a perfect furore; Salvi, Marini, and our own lamented country woman, Mrs. Alfred Sbaw (the famous L'lnglese of the Italian stage) filling the principal rides. 'This opera raised Verdi's reputation considerably, but one opera rarely achieves much, and Verdi, thoroughly compre hending this great fact, set to work on an opera buffa, but owing to the loss of his wife, to whom he was sincerely and tenderly attached, and who died before it was finished, it was not brought out till lately at Venice, and if it has not proved successful, we must attribute it to the melan choly state of mind of the poor composer during the time he wrote it. Verdi's next appearance before the public, after the mournful event I have recorded, was on the production of his Nabucodonosor, better known in Eng land as Nino ; and this opera has solely rendered Verdi the favourite he now is. In this opera occurs the beau tiful patriotic lament, " Va Pensitro," a happy instance of that pathetic and flowing form of melody which occurs now and then—like glimpses in the desert, or voices of music upon the night air—in this composer's operas. Pity that these snatches of genius do not eppear more frequently, for amid the rugged and generally unvocal, though it must be confessed dramatic, airs in his operas, they would prove a relief and a charm. Verdi has au excellent idea of dramatic effect and therein lies the secret of his success—and therein alone ; for it must be ad mitted on all hands that his works are not what is termed melodious ; on the contrary, his style of composition which affects a severe simplicity of construction, but which is in reality only to be attributable to the power lessness of producing at all times agreeable and flawing melody, has severely tried, and at the present time is ruining the finest singers of hissountry. Independently of this, be possesses very little conception of the resources and effects of an orchestra ; his instrumentation is un imaginative and lacks refinemt nt and variety ; now and then, however, he produces startling effects by unisonie choruses and instrumentation that proves, in confirma tion of my own thesis, that his chief claim to fame rests on his knowledge of dramatic effect and the judicious use he makes of that knowledge. I have little else to add now than to record the produc tion and success of his later operas, /Lombardi, El nani, Glove:end D'elreo, Alzira, I due Foscari, Attila', the last of which Fame, that speaks from the musical organs of his own country, pronounces to be Verdi'. greatest;werk, and an opera of transcendaet beauty, and Muebetto. I believe it was the success ai tending the representution of this latter opera, which induced our own enterprising and liberal impresario, Mr. Lumley, to engage the ser vices of Verdi to compose an opera sec.ressly for Iler Majesty's Theatre. Ile accordingly produced I Illas nadieri (the subject taken from Schiller's first written and powerfully dramatic tragedy "The Robbers"), but it proved only partially successful, notwithstanding the Saint Cecilia of the age, the great, the good, and the captivating Jenny Lind impersonated the heroine, and the other parts were fulfilled by the first singers in Europe. There are one or two pretty airs scattered hare and there throughout the opera, but on the whole it is dull, and was listened to with an ominous silence, nutwithstunding that the presence of its composer in the orchestra draw from an English audience those marks of encouragement and favour which only an English titniitory accord so spaLtaneou.ly. But the detractors of Verdi must in this instance bo candid enough to confess that tl a na ture and revolting incidents of the story went tar towards rendering this opera unsuccessful. At present Verdi is, I he ar, engaged on a tragic opera of which, rumour with her thousand tongues, speaks in highly encomiastic lan guage. Though little more than thirty years of age, Verdi looks considerably older. The traces of deep thought, united to care and illness, have made fearful havoc on his otherwise handsome and somewhat melan choly features. Ills hair is of a fine Chesnut colour, and, singularly enough for an Italian, his eyes are " dei ply, darkly, and beautifully blue," while thvir expression is at once soft and vivacious, and variable as a summer land scape. Though he has amassed already a considerable fortune, Verdi prefers a lie of retirement and seclusion DREADFUL SUICIDE.—On Thursday night last, at about 11 o'clock, Hall, the lock keeper of the Regent's Canal, near Maiden-lane•bridge, St. Pancras, whilst in his residence on the banks of the canal, was attracted by the report of a pistol, and on proceeding towards the spot whence the report issued he found a pool of blood and a brace of valuable duelling pistols. lie instantly gave information to police-constable 96 5, and on exsnii nation they found appearances on the ground which left no doubt that some one had been shot, and afterwards fallen into the water. Ono of the pistols was discharged, but the other was primed and loaded. They immedi ately procured drags, and alter dragging for some time succeeded in getting out of the water the remains of a respectably-dressed man, about 54 years of age, with gray hair, quite dead. He was taken to St. Pancras work house, when, on being searched, 2s. 2d. was found in his pocket, but nothing else whatever to lead to a discovery of who or what he was. A severe pistol-shot, wound was discovered in his side, and it is evident that the unfortu nate deceased stood on the edge of the bank of the canal when he shot himself, and fell b ickwards into the water. Information was forwarded to Mr. Wakley, the coroner, and the police are making exertions to truce the friends of the deceased. Tits GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.--We are autho rised, in contradiction of a report very much circulatedi within s th r i io n i t n h t e e n l a t i s e t n t e w w h whatever Io of t r a e t t e i retiring Air. fro re Chas. o tfi tu ce sse o l f l h Chairman of the Great w l i V sh es i t , e f rn th ß e ailvi•ay• proprietors C thatompany, so long as it may be the be the board shall poss ss the confidenee ofthe South w should continue to presid e over theirr the a c ff um air p s a , hy. and Mr.ales imputation of hav ing to perform any dut y conflictin g with the interests of b i l chair t) . u t r ) Company to prevent Huss( II only relinquisthhee possibility the Great Western Railway Company. RECENT FIRE IN PORTLAND-PLACE.—Yester day Mr. Wakiey, the coroner, received information that Jennings. the coachtia,n to Mr. George Gusset Hill, of 24, Porilaed place, had expired from the effects of the injuries he received at the fire which broke out in his master's stables and couch-house on Sunday mornine. l as t. During the raging of the fire a police-constable, who was working at one of the engines, had his hand drawn e n d u t n i d m e t r h t e h e s v o e h r i g o e f d t ht toe be n engine, n a t n o d t hseo fearfully l , and it was found necessary to rei.ort to amputation to save his life. BLEGLARY AND EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF STAMPS, &c.—Yesterday rooming the dwelliug-house of Mr. T. W. Buck, s!ationer, 33, Mount- street. Lambeth, and who keeps a post• office, was burglariou-ly entered, and pro. perty stolen to the amount clover 2001. The thieves, it appeared, ha'! managed to force an entrance to the back yard, and from thence into the house, train which they carri , d po-tage-s amps, postuge-envelopes, bill stumps, receipt stumps, silver table spoon-, silver te.,stotins, silver sugar tongs, all fiddle -pattern, and marked " B." silver knife rests, silver pepper castors, a large white leather letter bug, and other property. • SHOCKING DEATH AT YORK.. On Tuesday night, between ten and eleven, the inha bitants of York were much alarmed by the report that the b ,dy of Mr. Richard Nicholson, of Citften,rieur that city-, had been found in the liver Ouse, end that the un fortunate g-nt!cman had been the cause of hit: own death. Mr. Nicholson was brotber•in-law to-Me. Hud son, M.P. for Sunderland, and from his connexion with the directorate of the York and North Midland Railwil Company, great and melancholy interest is -felt in this sfrair. A variety of rumours are athat as . to the dq cent:L(l's pecuniary circumstances ; bit as these were not adverted to at the inquest, we shall not further allude to them. The following abstract of the evidence gives all that is at present known as to the immediate circum stances of his death. A jury was summoned en Wednesday afternoon, when the coroner fo► York, Mr. John Wood, proceeded to hear the evidence. The first two witnesses were watermen, who saw the body in the river Ouse about ten o'clock on Tuesday night. The deceased's hat was visible al,ove the surface, and by th light of the moon they saw the body. Bar ing got the I►udy out of ,he water, it was conveyed to public house, by which time Medical aid had arrived. Mr. T. K. L. Walker, surgeon, stated, that when he reached the place where the body lay he ncognisad it to be that of Mr. Richard Nicholson. Pulsation was quite gone, rind when he attempted to extract b!uoil It oat the jugular vein none would flow. Dr. Layeock was also called in, and af , cr they had t xacuiued the body they came to the conclusion that deceased bad been dead at least half an hour, :did that the cause ot death was drowning. There were no marks ot violence whatever on the body. John lieynard, who had lived upwards of 17 years with the deceased fl 4 servant, said LIS late master was abut 56 years of age. His late waster dined at home on Tuesday atternoun, at the usual hour (live o'clock), and be left the house about eight o'clock in the evening, having first put his top coat on. He told his servant he was going into the town for a 'short time. Witness had observed for about a week or ten days previously his muster had appeared not so cheerful and well as he was wont to be. He appeared restless, and often went in and out of the house. On Tuesday, while taking soap, he observed that his master's hand trembled, but that he accounted for from the tact that deceased had received an injury on one finger, which he said caused him pain. Witness never saw the deceased again alive after eight o'clock that evening. When told of the circumstance of his late master's death, he went to the place where the body lay, and there took several articles of value, and 9s. 6d. in silver, from one pocket. Deceased had left his watch at home. The next evidence referred to the deceased's move ments after he left home on Tuesday evening. A youth name d Coding saw the deceased on the banks of the Ouse, a short distance from the York and Scarborough Railway bridge. He then had his top coat on, and the collar was turned up. He stood with his tuce to a large tree, as it' to avoid being recognised by the witness sad his companions. This was about 9 o'clock. Mr. M. Richardson, a solicitor, also saw the deceased near to the place spoken of by the youth Ceiling. He was then walking slowly, and with his head dawn (au un usual thing), and appeared to be in a moody state. No evidence could be procured to show the precise time when the deceased got into the water, and nothing can be ascertained as to what has become of the top coat, which was not on the body when found. The CORONER walressed a few remarks to the jury, and they immediately returned the following verdict:— "That the deceased was bound drowned, and that there is not satisfactory evidence to show how he got into the water." STRANGE APPREHENSION OF BURGLARII.-012 Thursday night, as Police -constables Carlo and Pickess, officers under the management of Superintendent Ray, of Boxford, were on their beat towards Kersey, ►rom Boxford, in agreement with their orders they ♦isited the premises of Mr. Stutter, of Sauspsou'a Hall, in the parish of Kersey. They had but just entered the stackyard when they espied a man (it was quite moonlight) at a distance, as if upon the watch; believing " something was up," they immediately crouched to avoid observa tion; fearing, however, they might lose their man, they made a move, when they saw two other men—all of them appeared as if preparing fur plunder. At this juncture the officers hnd reached the cowhouse, from which place they could see what was going on outside: The depre dators had to fetch a ladder from a distance to enable them to get to the granary. When they had unlocked the dour they cause down again, and on., of them actu ally looked into the neat-house where Carlo and Pickers were, but fortunately did not see them. Two of them went to work up the granary, leaving one below in the yard to watch. They were not suffered to be at it long before the officers rushed out towards the man outside, who immediately gave a sort of watchword, " !" and down jumped the other two, when a battle ensued. They proved to be very powerful and determined characters, and with hor rid imprecations, as "-- them," "Kill them," they went at the officers like furies, no doubt determined fully to carry out their threat. The cot.flict lasted some time, but ultimately two of the party were secured, %ho proved to be John Humphrey and Robert Humphrey, both no toriously bad characters from Polstead. The former has long been looked upon as a chief amongst a gang that has infested the neighbourhood for a lung time, and is the son of the old man of the same name who was trans ported for the second time at Ipswich last year. Carlo, in the affray, lost his staff', but clo'ed with his man, who was much more powerful than himself. Pickess en countered the other two, and while stalking blows, or warding off those of his antagonists, he shivered his staff into three pieces, and with the fragment in one hand, and his prisoner (whom he had stunned), he con trived to get near enough to assist Csrlo, who was struggling desperately with the elder Humphrey upon the ground. The prisoners had furnished thetmetvos with seven skeleton keys, a dark lantern, and a file. It was found that almost any of Mr. Sutter's doors could be unlocked with the skeletons. On Saturday the burglars were brought before the magistrates at lied leigh, and were fully committed to take their trial at the assizes.—lpswich Express. 11ER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.—The Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert honoured the perform ances at her Majesty's Theatre on Thursday evening with their presence. The royal suite in attendance upon her Majesty end the Prince included the Countess of 1)e -sart, the Hon. Flora Macdonald, the Hon. Miss Murray. Earl of Morley, General Wemyss, and Lieutenant- Colonel the Honourable Alexander Gordon. Her Royal lightness the Duchess of Kent also honoured the theatre with her presence; in attendance upon her Royal High ness were the Baroness de Speth, Lady Augusta Bruce, the Hon. Miss Dawson, Lord James Murray, and the Hon. Thomas Bruce. Her Majesty the Queen Adelaide's box was occupied by his Serene Highness Prince Ed ward of Saxe Weimar, his Serene Highness Prince Wil liam of Hesse Philipstehl, the Earl of Denbigh, the Viscountess Barrington, the lion. Miss Barrington. Lady Jane Fielding, and Captain Taylor. His Royal Highness Prince Leopold of N4ples (Count of Syracuse), attended by the Chevalier Colonnu, also visited the thewre. Amongst the audience wire his Grace the Duke of Wellington and Lady Charles Wellesley, the Duchess of Leeds and Miss Lane Fox, the Duke and Duchess of Cleveland and Lady- Alicia Powlett. his Excellency the Russian Minister, the Baroaves Brunnow, and Mademoiselle Olga de Lechner, his Excellency the Sviedish Mitlis;er and the Batoness Rehausen, his Excellency 'the Austrian Ambassador and the Countess Coloredo, hie Itxcellency the Das nish Minister, the Countess Reventlow and the Countess Hilda de Reventlow, his Excellency the Neapolitan Ambassador, his Excellency the Belgian Mi nister and Madame Van de Weyer, the Marquis and Mar chioness of Saiisbury and Lady Blair Balfour, the Mar quis and Marchioness of Londonderry, the Marquis of Huntley, the Marquis of Donegal, the Countess of Mansfield, the Earl of Cardigan, the Earl of Falmouth. the Earl and Countess of Malmesbury, the Earl of B.& fast, the Earl and Countess of Boctive, the Count Stro ganoff, the General Count Nielowsky, the Count Kou driaffsky, the Conde de Prado, the Baron :Koller, M. de Kuchnit r, the Viscount Cantilupo, the Viscount Anson, the Viscount Enfield, Lord Ward, Lord Sandy., Lord Feversham, Lord Cranstoun, Lady Rolle, Lady Frankland Lewis, Lord C. Wellesley, Lord G. Puget, Lord W. Lennox, Lord ti. Lennox, Lord F. Gordon, the Hon. D. Ward, G e ner a l th e H on . S. Cavendish, the lion. Mrs. Browne, the Hon. Mrs. D. Ward, Sir J. Bayley, Bart., and Lady Bayley, Lieut.-General Sir Andrew Barnard, Bart., Lieut.-General Sir A. Wood• ford, Bart., Lady and the Misses Woodford, Sir R. Sutton, Bart., Sir P. Acland, Bart., Sir Seymour Sad ler, Sir Thomas Frankland Lewis, Sir H. Webb,. Bart., Sir G. Wombwell, Bart., Sir H. Meux, Bart., Lady Wentworth and Miss Wentworth, Sir Cornwallis Arthur Upton, Mrs. Fitzroy Somerse t, rs. C. J. Palmer, Captain Cator, R.N.. Colonel Dixon, C M Ricketts, Bart., M. Lewis Blanc, Geners o l ion th e e l Wild man, Colonel Cavendish, Mrs. and si r s. Mr. 0. Morgan. M.P., Colone l Thornton, Mr. Fordo Captain M e y ne l l, R.N., Mr. Rose, Mr Montague Gore, Mr. W. Dela field, m Captain Smith, Mr. Sturt, . M. C. Koudri affsky, Mr., Mrs., and Miss Ewing, Mr. Packe, M.P., and Hubert de Burgh, Cap tain A M 'i r llia P m a s e , k C e ap ß i e a a in di M ng a . ll M et r t 8,l ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA, COVENT- GARDEN.—Her Majesty's box was occupied on Thursday evening by her Grace the Duchess of Norfolk, Lady Adeliza Howard, and Lady Mary Howard. There were also present the Duke of Beaufort, the Earl and Countess of Leicester, Lady Blanche Dupplin, Lady Geraldine Somerset and Lady Henrietta Somerset, the Marquis of Headfort, the Earl of Belfast, the Earl Grosvenor, the Countess of Minto and the Ladies Elliot and Hon. C. Elliot, Viscount Ex mouth, Baron Gorlache, Lord Archibald St. Maur, Lady Foley, Lord George Lennox, Lord Maynard, Lady Quentin, Lady Williams, Lady Caroline Maxse and Lady Southampton, Lady Williams Vaughan, Lady Clarence Puget, Ilon. John Fortescue, M.P., Hon, Mrs. Wyndham and Miss Ward, lion. Mrt\. Ives, Hon. B. Coke, lion. B. Lumley, Sir Henry Paulet, Bart., Sir Ralph Howard, B.rt., and Lady Howard, Sir John and Lady Campbell, Sir William Fraser, Sir John Bur goyne, Bart., and Mr. and Mrs. Blackett, Sir Coate Lindsay and Mr. Liddell, Sir Charles Price, Bart., Lady Webster, Lady Wilson, C o l. Sslway, M.P., eneral Knox, Colonel Phillipps, Col. Hodgson, Major Gages Captain Colville, Captain Rainier, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mills, Mr. Sturt, Mr. Morgan, Mr. T. Knox Holmes. Mrs. Mountjoy Martyn, Mrs. Standish Standish , Spring L Rice,aneFox Fox, 111 r. W. L. Commend!, Mr. Balfour, Mr. C. CONTINENTAL TEAFFIC.—FOLKESTONE HARBOUR, MAY 11. Yesterday the Princess Clementine steamer of hve l t r hQ d eu t Fe o er r ne ß noc k: h u t l ah o re g r n iv e e w ti i b t h r n l g l i l n pd a 7 ss 6 e n p g a e i r s s e , n a g n e d r s . t h e T Q o u . d e: y tt French steamer sailed for Boulogne, haviug on boat d 76 pas—ngers, amongst whom was the Comte de Janine. T.:e Princess Clementine arrived, bringing 62 passengers, including Lady Dummy, Lai Goderiois,