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

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO. TO THE EDITOR OF THE .3.111 , . SIR, —Slaving in my posse.sion same manuscript hills and receipts bearing date April 4, 1749, I was led to contrast them with the price of similar articles at the present time, April, 1849, as near as I could arrive at the same, and believing they might be acceptable to many of your numerous readers, I herewith place them at your disposal. COMPARISON BICTWEEN 1749 AND 1849. X. s. d. 150 0 8 00 17 0 0 3 6 0 7 6 0 2 0 011 0 0 6 . 00 6 00 3 012 0 0 6 0 012 0 0 6 O 17 6 0 5 6 0 5 7 O 3 6 0 5 0 • 0 13 6 •0 1 4 ... 0 3 6 ▪0 9 0 ... 0 3 6 ••• 217 0 ... 1 0 0 ... 018 0 ... 0 8 8 ... 0 4 4 Gunpowder tea, per lb.* Bohea tea, per lb. Coffee, per 1b.... Loaf sugar, per lb. ... Rice, per lb. ... Lucca oil, per gallon ... Raw cotton, per lb. ... •-• Silk stockings (men's), per pair ... Worsted stockings, per pair .. Cotton stockings, per pair ••• Silk gloves, per pair ... ••• Silk, per yard... .-- Dowlas, per yard ••. •-• Holland, per yard •.. Fine holland shirting, per yard Cambric (English), per yard Muslin, per piece ..• Diaper, per piece Brocade satin, per yard Flowered damask, per yard ... Plain damask, per yard O 1 6 0 2 6 O 3 6 O 0 4 0 0 9 O 2 6 0 1 6 0 16 0 O 4 6 O 8 0 O 1 6 O 0 9 O 0 10 O 1 0 O 0 6 0 6 0 O 0 8 O 3 0 5 0 0 _ • Poplin, per yard .. „. 0 310 Ribband (various), per yard ... 0 2 6 French paper fans, each ... 0 3 6 Meeklin lace, per yard ... 0 14 0 China plates, each ... 0 3 6 China dishes, each 0 10 0 Set of window curtains and valiance 17 0 0 Crimson velvet easy chair and two stools• Wrought bed, dimity and furniture complete ••• ••• 29 0 0 Down beds, bolster, and pillows ... 15 0 0 Indian four-leaved screen ... ... 17 0 0 Book-case, glass doors ••• ••• 18 0 0 Serge, for carpet covering, &c. per ••• ••• ••• ••• 03 6 yard 0 8 8 Silver plate, per ounce ..• ... Nails, per thousand (vari ous ) 0 3 10 Wainscotting, per foot •.. ... 0 1 1 Charge for dyeing stuffs, per yard ... 0 1 2 0 5 10 Tape, per piece ..• ••• 0 15 0 Thread, per lb. Sable muff and tippet ••• ••• 21 0 0 Ten chairs, two arm ditto, walnut tree frames ••• ••• ... 34 0 0 10 0 0 Pier looking-glass, 72-inches, gilt ... 15 0 0 50 0 British wrought counterpan e "•2 0 0 016 0 Printed calico quilt 016 0 0 4 6 Pair of blankets ... 1 7 0 016 0 Coals, per chaldron .• • ... 1 9 0 1 6 0 Beef, mutton, and pork, per stone .. 0 110 0 4 0 Moist sugar, per lb. ... 0 0 2 0 0 4 Butter, per lb. 0 0 3 0 010 Bacon, per lb. 0 0 5 0 0 9 Old Cheshire cheese, per lb. ... 0 0 3 0 0 9 Raisins, per lb. ... 0 0 3 0 0 5 Currants, per lb. ... 00 3 00 5 Tobacco, per lb. (various) ... 0 0 6 0 3 6 Oats, per bushel •.. ••• •• 01 6 02 6 Wheat, per bushel 0 4 0 0 8 0 British spirits, per gallon ... 0 5 6 0 13 6 Brandy, per gallon 0 6 6 1 8 0 Port wine, per gallon 0 5 6 013 6 Sherry, per gallon ... 0 6 6 016 0 Sarsaparilla ..• 0 010 0 5 6 Free thy' preceding list it appars that articles of agricultural produce were nearly 200 per cent. cheaper one hundred years age than at the present time, even with a free trale and an amended and most liberal tariff; while articles of luxury, convenience, or usefulness were proportianably dearer during, the same period. What eu4rmous priafits,:4ben must have been made, and what fortunes aina , sed. when we now produce in our menu facturira districts articles of superior workmanship for one-thlr.l. or 'leas, than what it cost one hundred years ego. Neither, Sir, did the working man receive a portion of these profi s, or in any way gain by high prices of workmanship in those days, sa tne following extract of a bill, out of many, will show :- 1749. To t' .e Right Hon. Richard Earl of Castlemain, Dr. to Benjamin Taylor, builder. To wainscotting, 73 yards, at 3s. 2d. per yard (now Is. 6d.) To nails, per 1,000 at 34. 10d. per 1,000 (now 10d.) To foreman, 2 days, at 3s. Od. per day (now 65.) To carpenter, 2 days, at 2s. 6d. per day (now 55.) To bricklayer, 2 days, at 2s. Od . per day (now 45.) To labourer, 2 days, at Is. Bd. per day (now 35.) This extract is sufficient to show that high prices did not ensure high remuneration to the working man as far back as a hundred years ago. Our navy was at that period more flourishing than at present, and occasion ally I irge sums divided among the crews, yet the pay was small—disproportionately small—to the dangers and perils encountered. The following is the beginning of an Admiralty order:—" 1794, August, pay to 3,349 seamen at 14s. per month, 46,886 shillings." Apologising for the length of this letter, I remain, Sir. &c., W. A. J. Previous to the year 1666 tea was unknown in this coun try. It was first made into a decoction at coffee-houses, and sold at a duty of threepence per ga llon. In 1667 the East India Company sent for 700 lbs. of it, which being immedi ' ately disposed of, led to a further trade in it ; but the price was at that time immensely high. In 1707 it was sold at 1/. 6s. per pound. In 1768 its consumption had nearly doubled, al,d it bore a duty of 2s. per lb. This beverage having now become of almost universal demand, the Go vernment of that day once more raised the duty (in 1773), and the consumption fell 75 per cent. In Mr. Pitt's Admi nistration (1784) the duty was reduced to ls. A change immediately took place, the consumption rose from 5,000,0021b5. to 21,000,000 lbs. in twelve months. From this year until the year 1804. the duty gradually increased, it being then 100 per cent., which continued unto the termi nation of the Company's charter in 1843, at which time the trade was thrown open. A free, or rather open trade, led to an immediate increased demand, and at the end of that year the consumption was 44,000,000 lbs., the previous twelve months being only 31,000,000 lba. The present duty on tea is 2s. 2 1 4 d. per lb., or 200 to 400 per cent. The original cost of tea varies from 4d. to 2s. per lb. The populatioa of China is estimated at about one-third of the known world (350,000,000), and their territory offers free access to our manufactures —they admit our imports at five per cent., while our duty on their teas ranges from 200 to 400 per cent. The quantity cf tea used in the United Kingdom is under 2 lbs. per head per annum ; less than one-half usually con sumed in the Channel Islands, and a mere fraction of what the Chinese themselves use, who drink it as we do beer. Were the duty only ls., the consumer would obtain three pounds of tea for the lame money that he now pays for two pounds. Now, as the consumption of every pound of tea in volves that of five pounds of sugar, the extra duty on the sugar, added to that on the increased quantity of tea, at Is. duty, would yield a revenue of 4,000,00(11., according to the most moderate calculation. 4 0 0 10 10 0 8 0 0 3 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 8 O 7 2 0 0 10 0 0 6 O 0 6 0 0 9 O 4 0 7 0 0 GREENWICH. FROM A. CORRESPONDENT.) During the past week thousands of the inhabitants of Lond. , n visited that beautiful spot. Greenwich, and, as a few remarks and particulars respecting it may not be un inter. sting. I have ventured to mske them. and to place them at your service. And first then as to its name. Greenwich, or the Gr. en Town, was named trope the verdure of its park. In the reign of Henry V. it was only a small fiihing town. Its present populousness arose from the establishment of a royal residence within its b,uno ark's, to the cony, nience of its harbour, the pleasantne is of its situation, the convenient distance from London, and to th- peculiar facilities for travelling by water or land from one to the other ; of which the fol -10w11?; calculation the number of visitors from London on Sandays throughout the summer may give some idea:—•' Op an average at least 18,000 individuals resort to Greenwich every fine Sand throughout the summer. On a fine Easter Sunday above 25,000, and on last Whit- Sunday up wards of 40,000 persons were taken to and fro by railway. The ticket-taker at the London-bridge terminus states, During the first three days of last Whitsun.week fair 100 000 persons were conveyed to and fro by railway! 47 000,' he added, was the largest number they ever carried to and fro in one day.' At the Town Pier at Greenwich, from Sunday to Wednesday in that week, they embarked 100,000 persons, and on Whit Monday alone 46,000. At the Waterman's Pier, during that week, they landed and embarked 101,700 persons. In various conveyances, thus, it appears that upwards of 200,000 persons have in one week visited this spot." Ore of the principal attractions is the Royal Hospital. No fewer than four of our English Sovereigns were born in the palace which stood on the site from which the present edifice by gradual steps has grown—viz., Henry VIII., Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth. For nearly 400 years it was the scene of courtly splendour. The lalt King v•ho inhabited Greenwich was Charles I Charles 11. began to repair it, but 1-ft it in an unfinished state. Queen Mary, in the reign of William 111., resolved, at the suggestion of Sir Christopher Wren, to turn it to its present use. The King gave 2,0001.. the Commis sioners 8,0001 The foundation of the present hospital was laid in 1696, and an Act wis passed by which 6d. per month of the wages of all seamen belonging to the Royal Navy is app - opriated to the benefit of the insti tnti;al. The present annual income is about 90,0001. The pensioners must be seamen or marines, disabled by age or maimed in the Queen's service. Foreigners are admitted who have served two years in the British navy, and merchant seamen wounded in defending or taking any ship, or fighting against a pirate. There are about— Pensioners •-• ... 2,700 13 , )y3 800 Nurses ..• 1 10 0 4 Officers • •• • •• 0 Wives, f a milies, and officers servants, 296 3,990 And every Saturday night all are expected to sleep within the building. They are all of them old men. None are admitted under 60, except they are maimed, and obtain a special order. A man of 70 is almost a junior, many are between 80 and 90, and one has arrived at 103. Many pensioners are maimed. The following was an accurate list-inserted in the Suuday Times, Sept. 4, 1842: Pensioners with loss of right arm •• •• 12 Ditto • left arm ••• 8 Ditto both legs 3 Ditto right leg ... 29 Ditto lett leg 36 Ditto both eyes 61 Ditto right eye 44 Ditto left eye Ditto ruptured ... :7 . 44895 717 About 300 of the pension ers die annually. All wh o di e are buried within forty•eight hours. The Hospital has an infirmary containing sixty• four rooms, each room accommodating four patients. The Hospital schools contain upwarls of 800 boys -400 of whom are the children of seamen in the navy, or von-commissioned officers and. privates of the marines, sari 400 the sons of officers. seamen, and marines in the TILE SUN th r.e t;me.: as to a harvest to r,compens.- f..r the pre vious (Lifi , •alci-s th • year. There are 123 taverns, pubt.c-h ,, uss, iu l be -, r-shops In the place; and during the fairs an immense numb4r of private houses sell tea and coffee to the thousands of London visitors. I shall not further enlarge, but would suggest to those of your numerous readers who may hereafter visit Greenwich, not to miss the pleasure they are sure to reap by an inspection of the interior of Greenwich Hos pital, which is easily obtained by a seaall gratuity or otherwise to any one about the place. W. A. J. MILITARY STATIONS. (From the United Service Magazine for April.) RegimentsandCorps Troops for Service Companies. Depots. Ist Life-Guards ... 2d do Royal Horse-Gds... Ist Dragoon- Gds... 2d do 3d do 4th d 0 ..... sth do. . 6th do 7th do Ist Dragoons. .. 2d do 3d do. 4th do. . 6th do 7th Hussars Bth do 9th Lancers ....... 10th Hussars...... 11th Hussars 12th Lancers 13th Light Dragoons 14th do 15th Hussars .. 16th Lancers 17th do Gren. Gds. Ist bat „ 2d bat ~ 3d bat Coldstream let bat Guards 2d bat Scteh Fusi- Ist bat lier Gds. 2d bat Ist F00t.... 1 tat bat 2d bat 2d do. ... ......... 3d do. 4th do. sth do. f Ist bat 12d bat 6th do. let Bat Reserve Bat. 3 cos Do. 3 cos 7th d 0.... .... Bth do. Ath de. 10th do. 11th d 0........... 12th do. Reserve 13at.... 13th do. 14th do. 15th do. 16th do. 17th do. 18th do. 19th do 20th do. Reserve Bat 21st do. 22d do. 23d do. ....... Reserve Bat... 24th d 0......... 25th do . 26th d 0... 27th do. 28th d 0...... 29th do. 30th do. 31st do. 32d do. 33d do. 34th do. 35th do. 36th do. Ist ba 1 2d bal 37th do. 38th do. ... 39th do. 40th do. 41st do 42. d do. Reserve Bat 43d de. 44th d 0... - Reserve 8att...., 45th do. Reserve Bat. 46th d 0...,..... 47th do. 48th do. 49th do. 50th do. 51st do. 52d d 0...... ..... 53d do. 54th do. 55th do. Ist bat 56th do. 2d bat.' 57th do. 58th do 59th do. 60th do . Ist ba 12d bal 61st do. 62d do. 63d do. 64th do.. 65th do. . 66th do. 67th do. ... ..... Reserve Bat... 68th do. 69th do. Reserve Bat 70th do. 71st de. Reserve Bat 72d do. 73d do 74th do 75th do. 76th do. Reserve Bat 77th de ...... 78th d 0.... ...... 79th do 80th d 0. ... 81st do. . 82d de. 83d do.. 84th d 0... ..... 85th do 86th do 87th do. 88th do. 89th do. 90th d 0..... ....... 91st do Reserve Bat 92d do 934 do. 94th do 95th do. 96th do.. 97th do Reserve Bat 93th de 99th do Rifle J Ist bat Brigade 2d bal Reserve Bat 'Maidstone ISlaidstone !hlaidstone Maidstone !Norwich Aberdeen isle of Wight Youghal Chatham Chatham Chatham Brecon Guernsey Chatham Nluilingar Isle of Wight Chatham Chatham Chatham Chatham Chatham Chatham ,Castlebar Isle of Wight Isle of Wight Isle of Wight Isle of Wight Chatham Chatham IJersey (Gosport 'Chatham !Chatham Chatham Cork Chatham Tralea ye of Wight ilsle of Wight Sheerness Fermoy ~ Chatham ~ Nenagh . Chatham Cork . Chatham . Chatham . Chatham . Kinsale Chatham . 'Londonderry ;Chatham of Wight . 1 Chatham Chatham Bristol Portsmouth ,Portsmouth Hy de Park Windsor Regent's Park Cahir .. Edinburgh Nottingham Manchester. Birmingham ...... • • Dublin . Brighton York ... Longford _..• Bengal Athlone • Dublin Newbridge Newbridge ...... Bengal Bombay Hounslow .. , Cork , Dundalk ..... I Bengal Madras Norwich Dublin Portman-rt Windsor Wellington Barracks St. George's Bar Tower ........ St. John's Wood Chichester New Brunswick Dublin Dublin Limerick Winchester Mauritius Mauritius Cape of Good Hope Fermoy Halifax, N. S ➢ombay Newry Bengal .. New South Wales Northampton... Mauritius ...... Belfast , Newport, S. W. Ceylon .... ..... ... Co fu 'Chatham Bengal Canada Canada ... Canada Edinburgh Bombay Winchester Canada ... Bengal Madras Cork Glasgow ...... Devonport Bengal Manchester Athlone Bengal... Berwick .. Gibraltar Muilingar Cephalonia ... Gosport Ceylon .... Nova Scotia Preston Dublin . Cork Bermuda Bermuda Kilkenny IMalta IMalta.. Cape of Good Hope Cape of Good Hope Liverpool. Buttevant Dublin Templemore Dover Preston Preston . . Bengal Antigua Dublin Gibraltar ▪ Gibraltar ▪ Enniskillen .• New Zealand Birr. Bombay Dublin Bengal Buri ... Newcastle-on- Tyne. Bombay S New Zealend ...... Barbadoes Gibraltar Galway 'Malta Bengal• ,_.. Naafi St. John's Barbadoea Cape of Good Hope Limerick . Fermoy Corfu Zante Portsmouth Bombay Canada Bengal ... Hull ......... Plymouth Bombay Sec underabad Waterford......... Bombay ...... Weedon St. Vincent Birr ...... Ashton-under-Lyne. Portsmouth Cape of Good Hope Clonmel Stirling Castle Madras China... 'New South Wales, Malta Jamaica Bengal Van Diemen's Land Cape of Good Hope Toronto Quebec * On passage to. COLONIAL CORPS. ISt West India Regiment Jamaica 2d do . Bahamas 3d d 0... .. Demerara Ceylon Rifle Regiment Cape Mounted Riflemen Cape of Good Hope Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment Canada St. Helena Regiment Royal Newfoundland Companies Newfoundland Royal Malta Fencibles DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT LIVERPOOL. On Saturday forenoon, about half-past eleven o'clock, a fire broke out in the cotton warehouse of Mr. Maxwell, merchant, of this town, and we regret to say that in less than two hours, so rapid was the progress of the Elapses, that the entire building, together with its con• tents, which consisted of about 800 bales of cotton, was destroyed. The building is situated in Henry-street, and forms one of a number of warehouses for the stowage of cotton and other produce. At the time the fire broke out several persons were in the warehouse, engaged in sorting cotton ; and perceiving a strong sulphurous smell, they concluded that something was on fire. In a few moments afterwards, and before the men had an op portunity of ascertaining from what part the fire pro ceeded, a dense volume of smoke suddenly burst out in different parts of the warehouse, and in a few minutes the entire building was enveloped in flames, which raged with terrific fury, threatening almost instant destruction to the premises and contents. The fire-engines were quickly on the spot, but the conflagration had already attained such a height that to save the warehouse seemed perfectly hopeless, and Mr. Maxwell, inspector of sal vage, and Mr. Hewit, superintendent of the fire-brigade, consequently directed the exertions of the firemen to the work of saving the adjacent premises, which imme diately join the warehouse. These latter premises form the back part of Duke-street, one of the principal streets in the town, and as the north wall of the warehouse joined :the back part of several of these houses fears were entertained for the safety of the latter. The hose was therefore conveyed through the front of these houses in order to prevent the conflagratiou communicating with them. Fortunately by this means the houses in question were entirely saved, and the fire was confined to the warehouse itself. In about an hoar after the flames first broke out the roof of the warehouse fell in, and the entire premises were a heap of ruins, nothing but the bare walls remaining, which are said to be in a very dangerous state, and the probability is that it will be considered necessary to take them down. We seldom remember to have seen a fire in this town where the work of destruction was so rapid or fierce. The flames, indeed, raged with terrific violence. So powerful were they that the houses on the opposite side of the street wore much scorched with the heat conveyed, and we regret to say that during the progress of the fire a stone window sill a ttached to a window opposite cracked, and a heavy portion of it fell upon the head of a poor man who was passing at the moment, which knocked him down aryl dreadfully frac tared hi s s k u ll. H e was at once pi c k e d up and taken to the Southern Hospital in a state of insensibility , where he died i n the course of the afternoon. The warehouse was full of cotton, the greater part of which was alto eether ennsnm.,l •vs- tin., that the, Lond,,n, L!1 , 1 th, Norwich I.Taior. offices fo , -111, , f1y :he ta: , fornwr ..ffices. Wt. (lid not Liie warehouse was insured or nut. The nature u the origin of the fire has not been ascertained, but it is rumoured that it was the work of an incendiary, and that a boy was seen to throw a rocket amongst the cotto'i a few minutes before the flames broke out, and imme diately afterwards ran away. LONDON, PARRICIDE. GLOSSOP, SATURDAY MORNING.—A sensation, which it would be difficult to attempt to describe, prevails at the present time throughout this usually quiet district, in consequence of the discovery having been made of a most appalling murder, which there is no doubt, from what has recently transpired, was perpe trated by a young man named Thomas Doxey, a so■ of the unfortunate victim. The murder was committed as far back as last December, and the body was found on New Year's eve in the water near Victoria-bridge. The circum stances connected with the case were at the time considered to be very mysterious, but no evidence could be procured likely to implicate any person, although rumour was busy, and pointed to members of the deceased's family, who were known frequently to quarrel with and ill use the old man. On Good Friday, however, a man named John Clough made a most startlicg disclosure con nected with the affair, which coming to the ears of Mr. Clayton, the chief officer of police, he at ' once went in search of the alleged murderers. On Sunday last he succeeded in apprehending Thomas Doxey, the deceased's own son, and William Dawson, his son-in-law. The two were on Wednesday last brought before Mr. Yates, one of the magistrates of the district, when John Clough, upon being sworn, stated, that on the 30th of December last, about 10 o'clock at night, he and his wife were crossing Victoria-bridge, when he saw Thomas Doxey and another man, whom he at first believed to be Wil liam Dawson, accost the deceased, who was also crossing the bridge. The deceased was at that time in front of witness. The prisoner Doxey then went up to him, and said that he would strike him, when he at once gave him a blow over the head, which felled him to the ground like a bullock, and the other man kicked him on the head. His son then cried out, "We will murder the d- old b- now." After that he kicked his father twice on the breast, when witness went up and asked what they were doing to the old man. The wife of witness was with him at the time. The two persons who were murdering the deceased cried out that if they did not go away they would serve them the same. They being afraid of losing their lives, made off, but as they were so doing looked round and saw the two men throw the deceased over the Victoria-bridge into the brook. He (witness) heard the splash and saw the man fall. He had known the prisoner Doxey for more than two years, and was, therefore, quite certain he was one of the men who committed the murder. The reason he did not mention the matter till Good Friday was on account of the prisoner Doxey telling him if he did he should surely lose his own life. He was not certain that the prisoner Dawson was the other person he saw with Doxey, and he now considered that that person was somewhat stouter. He had seen Doxey se veral times, who had cautioned him not to say a word about his throwing his father over the bridge. The witness having been severely cross examined. Mrs. Clough, his wife, was next called, and after she had given her testimony, the prisoner Doxey was fully committed for the wilful murder of his father, but the prisoner Dawson was discharged, his friends proving that he was in the house at the time the murder was committed. The police have received orders to look after the other man who was engaged with the prisoner Doxey in murdering the poor old man. ' AUSTRIA. The Breslatter Zeitung gives the following con nected account of the late movements of the Austrian and Hungarian armies. It appears that the Imperial army, having received considerable reinforcements from Austria Proper, took up its position eastward from Pesth, extending from Waitzen and Godollo to Hatvan and Czegled. The left wing was commanded by General Scnlick, who took up his quarters at Waitzen, while the bulk of the army stood at Hatvan, commanded by Windischgratz, and the right wing, under Baron Jellachich, occupied Czegled and the environs of that place. The Magyar army, commanded by General Dem binski, had crossed the river Theiss, and advanced to within nine miles from Pesth. Dembinski first en gaged the Ban of Croatia at Czegled, and enticed him from his post by the retreat of a lesser number of troops than the Ban had, and induced him to follow the flying Hungarians deeper into the country than he ought to have done. Baron Jellachich was thus cut off from the army of Prince Windischgratz, and the only thing which he now can do is to proceed further to the south to assist the Servians. On the 4th of April the Hungarians made a simultaneous at tack upon the Austrian head-quarters at Hatvan, and upon the left wing under General Schlick. The two armies tried their strength against each other in a pitched battle, and the combat lasted the whole day. The Austrian centre was pressed back to the very walls of Pesth. As for the left wing of their army, there are no positive accounts of how they fared, but it is not unlikely that they, too, shared the fate of Baron Jellachich—that they were deluded by a retreat of their enemies and cut off. The hopes which Prince Windischgratz has of them cannot be very sanguine, for the preparations which were making at Pesth on the sth and 6th inst. show that no less than a general retreat to the right bank of the Danube is in contemplation. The Prince's orders to fortify the city of Buda against an attack from Pesth are peremptory. The houses next the river and near the suspension bridge are being evacuated by the inhabitants and oocupied by sol diers ; the windows of these houses have barricades of sand-sacks; the seamers are constantly kept with their steam up, so that they may be ready to start at a moment's notice, and a number of waggons laden with milit:ary stores and wounded soldiers are con tinually crossing the suspension bridge. ITALY. In the sitting of the Venetian Assembly of tbe 2d, Manin communicated to that body the painful intelli gence of the defeat of the Piedmontese. He re marked that the circumstances were difficult, and that it was for the Assembly to determine the course to be followed. A representative having re plied that the Government ought to take the lead, Manin asked, " Are you, citizens and representa tives, determined to resist at every cost ?" " We are 1" was the unanimous cry. " Are you disposed to give me unlimited powers, that I may do whatever is use ful and necessary for the purpose, without my being obliged to give you explanations ?" " Yes, yes !" was again the unanimous a ns wer. "I did not expect less from this generous assem bl y ," said Man in, "and I accept." The loudest applause greeted this declara tion. The representatives flocked round Manin and embraced him; he himself was deeply moved. The following decree was then passed :-- " The Assembly of Representatives of the State of Venice, in the name of God and the people, unanimously decrees as follows: " Venice shall resist the Austrians at every cost. " For this purpose President Manin is invested with unlimited powers. "President, GIOVANNI MINOTTO. " Vice-Presidents, Lunovico PASINI, GIO, BATT. VARE. " Secretaries, PASINI, RIITFINI, SOMMA, VA• LIISSI." SICILY. The following is an extract from a private letter from Marseilles, dated the 11th inst.:— The Philippe Auguste left Palermo the the 2d, in the evening, with 900 barrels of powder and three move able barricades, which it went to deposit at Syracuse. At four o'clock A.M., and whilst it was landing its cargo, the telegraph announced at twelve miles distant, in the waters of Catania, the Neapolitan division ; consequently hostilities had not yet commenced on the 4th. The Philippe Auguste then proceeded to Malta. Whilst there the steamer Independant entered the har bour from Palermo, which it had quitted on the sth, at which date the port of Palermo was not yet blockaded, sind there was no Neapolitan vessel near. " The Philippe Auguste arrived at Marseilles on the 10th." ""*Trin ELECTRIC T E LEGRAPHr..A remarkable ex ... A mple of the skill with which this important engine is now wurked by journalist enterprise in this country has during the past week been exhibited :in connexion with the late banquet at Wakefield to the new Apostle of Peace. Hitherto special engines, driven at a rapid speed, have been employed by the managers of the metropolitan morning journals for the quick transmission of impor t ant ant intelligence to their columns. Locomotive power now, however, been distanced, as itself had previously distanced the old stage-coach; and in the present day the electric telegraph is fast assuming a most important bear ing on the interests of journalism. The banquet in ques tion being held at a late hour in the evening, of course some extraordinary effort was necessary to enable the morning journals to report the proceedings fully in their first impressions of the ensuing morning ; and, con sequently, some trifling arrangements having been made on the evening of the banquet, the transmission of the detailed report trom Wakefield to London was at tempted, and with striking success completed. A resume, comprising not less than three columns of close, small type was dispatched along the wires with fidelity and skill within the brief space of less than four hours ; and by three o'clock on the suc ceeding morning copies of The limes containing the report were issued from the press. It will be observed, therefore, that the relative talent and effect with which the electric telegraph is employed in this country is not by any means inferior to that displayed in the United States; and certainly the contrast cannot be viewed as disparaging when allowance is made for the difference of atmospherical condition in the two regions under which the operator must perform his part. Nor is the enterprise and energy of the journalist less worthy of remark. To this we might add other examples; but the above will suffice, we trust, to satisfy our readers of the ability with which the onlyo of the w e Electric Telegraph Company performs its d uties. One point n w h o er u g ld ee f m ur ed th e er h r y e t m h a e r o k om np p o a n n — y, n w am hi e o l h y,the extent con traststtess. so injuriously They nrece rtainly thosen high—so current ig s o nigh, i nth indeed,e it o h Boyle TUESDAY EVENING., APRIL 17, 1849. C rf r, T THE P,\TuSSI On Friday evening, at ,ix o'clock, the ratepayers of St. Faith's under St. Paul's assembled in the vestry of the church, according to notice issued, to make a church rate of 6d. in the pound. The chair was taken by the Rector, the Rev. R. Shutte. The room was soon so crowded that many could not obtain admission. Some of the parishioners moved an adjournment to the church, which was objected to by others as an indecent proceeding. Upon the RECTOR being called on to put the motion, he said that he certainly did not at all approve of hold ing a meeting in the church for secular purposes ; but he was in the hands of the meeting, and must be go verned by the decision of the majority. The adjournment was then put and carried by a large majority. A temporary table was erected with the aid of some stools in the huddle aisle, and the ratepayers occupied the pews. The CHAIRMAN then proceeded to open the business of the meeting, remarking that, knowing as he did that there were differences of opinion among his parishioners present, he trusted they would all remember the place in which they were assembled, and he should less regret the adjournment to that place if it had any weight in causing the business of the meeting to be conducted in an amicable manner. And, lastly, he begged that no personalities might be introduced. He would make no further remarks ut that time, but called on the church wardens to proceed to make the rate. Mr. BRACHER said, that in accordance with the notice issued under his signature, he rose to propose a 6d. rate; but he believed some gentlemen were about to move, as an amendment, that it be a 4d. rate; and he must admit that would be ample to cover all the legal expenses of the church. He concluded by moving a rate or 6d. in the pound, which was seconded. Mr. WEEDoN rose to move, as an amendment, that it be a 4d. rate; and examined in detail the church wardens' account, showing that 4d. was enough, and more than enough, to cover all the charges which ought fairly to be introduced into a church -rate. It was seconded by Mr. LEAPIDGE SMITH, Mr. Deputy HICKS opposed the amendment on the ground that charges objected to by the mover of the amendment had been on the rate for some years, and he did not like to interfere with established practices. Mr. VENABLES asked how the lecturer's salary would be paid if the 4d, rate were carried. The CHAIRMAN said this was foreign to the question. The question was to make a legal rate. Mr. WEEDON explained that he had been quite prepared conducted heidndi et business, from on his i gi ase n n nsd t eeo o rs athed th l eeomei questionshn esteemed d u d j ifnh e r c of t hoped ep t nedd, without i it would we deference o e dtur c oeel t deues thectroe hnr r b have rvienoeumgrt opened nereks e intohad personalities. Mr. OKEY objected altogether to church-rates. A desultory conversation ensued. Several Dissenters asked questions concerning church-rates, and 14Ir. OSMOND made a very tedious and lengthy exami nation of the accounts, showing that all the charges were necessary for the respectability of the parish. Mr. STEIL asked the Vestry-Clerk what were the legal charges? The VESTRY-CLERK said all the charges in the ac count were legal if the rate was made. The CHAIRMAN said, in reply to a question from a Dissenter, I differ teto ccelo from the statement of the law as laid down by the vestry-clerk. I speak with all deference to his professional knowledge, but I have ',coked into Pridhoe and Burns, and have taken eminent opinion. The form given for a church-rate is " a rate,. tor , thicrepaies' of the fabric." And here is the re port of a case tried in banco, before four judges of the Court of Queen's Bench, in which they are unanimous that a man cannot be compelled to pay a rate which is for incidental expenses. With regard to the organ, Judge Bailey has ruled that to be a luxury which must be paid for by those who enjoy it. Anti I do hope, as a minister of the Church of England, and desirous to support her in her integrity, that you will not let it go forth, that when she is assailed with such clamour on all skits—when this very subject is discussed in the Legis lature—that you will no w let it go forth that you, who call yourselves members of her, assisted her assailants by at tempting to irepo,e upon your fellow-parishioners an illegal impost. And I warn you, that if you make this rate, you will not be able to cillect it. lam assured the matter will not rest here, and I regret to see the door opened for dissensions among those over whom I am in one sense the head. With regard to the lecturer, as per sonalities have been introduced, passing the smaller rate does not alter his position, except that instead of being illegally paid out of the rate, he will be paid as I am for the Thursday evening duty, by subscription, and I desire no other position. Let those who value my ministry sup p rt it. " The labourer is worthy of his hire." Mr. THEOBALD said that be was opposed to church rates altogether; but as the mover of the amendment had stated there were certain duties which the church warden was by law compelled to discharge, and it was right that he should be furnished with funds tor that purpose, he considered that a very much smaller rate world suffice for all the legal expenses, and he should move a smaller rate. The amendment was lost by 6: ayes, 25; noes, 31. A 2d. rate was then negatived. Subsequently one for *d. On the CHAIRMAN proceeding to put the 6d. rate, his so doing was protested against by the mover and seconder of the 4d. amendment. He said his position was painful, because he telt that the door was now being opened for disputes—that the rate could not be collected; but his office was merely ministerial, and he must put the rate; which was carried by a majority of 6. The Vestry then elected parish officers, and, Mr OKEY, in moving thanks to the chair, said he had stayed, at considerable personal inconvenience, in order to have the pleasure of making this motion—" That the gen tlemanly, candid, and Christian spirit displayed by the rector, whom he had not before met, had tended greatly to conciliate the Dissenters." lie moved the thanks of the meeting to the chairman. Carried unanimously. DEATH OF SlRmeingANs of railway pßE ANDREW pan NcEoWn:BAßT.diffe rent It i is . n came country, on h a s behalf long e n the s o with much pain that we announce the death of this wall known gentleman. Over - exertion in attending the re centrweh itc half-yearly s roh f Andrew'st c lcoasuesley withc con nected, - nected, resulted, we understand, in fever, which termi nated fatally on the evening of Thursday last. The deceased Baronet was born in 1793. —Scotsman. ELECTRIC AND HYDRAULIC TELEGRAPHS.— On Thursday evening last, April 12, we had the pleasure of attending a lecture, delivered. e a of by M r . W. H. F renc h, theEleetricTelegraph lately engaged in the sliveredCj ee.:lvelogcnrtphh s. The lecture was de. the comparative merits of electric'mpa to a nayn,dLho r ny e d' s i p (r)a e n e u, t l a iB: t ble, but scanty audience, in the Collegiate Institution. The le c t urer went i nto a m i nu t e and critical examination of the inefficiency and the liabi lities of the electric telegraph to disarrangements, show ing in a very clear and satisfactory manner that they arose from fluctuation of galvanic electricity and the interfe rence of terrestrial and atmospheric electricity. Mr. French's statements . respecting th e uncerta i nt y o f the electric telekjaph's signals, from oscillation and the strik ing and variations of the needles, were very plain and convincing, and drew from the audience warm plaudits, inasmuch as all present felt the full force of his arguments, and by the illustrations and experiments brought forward, proved that he was stating nothing more than reason and the laws of natural philosophy warranted. The complicated character of the electric telegraph's alphabet. was next descanted on, and proved by the exhibition of one invented by the lecturer. Mr. French then exhibited and explained at some length the n of two of his inventions—current deflectors, as o s h b e j t e h i c e a t r t s m service termed t telegraph in an d Company ad very die meaifltsust ecr d e o pointed consequence o f matters arising out of these inventions. He next explained his mode of transmitting signa ls b y means of water. Alto e h r and s itm e , f ro m their Alto geher his lecture was a very a ble a nd interestin g one, and strengthened our previous convictions , founded on a very extensive experience of the operations of the company, that the electric telegraph, as at present worked, is constantly liable to errors, omissions, and delays, entirely inexcusable, and the repetition of which tend to bring the practical part of an invention, no less useful than important, into a daily increasing disrepute. Why is this? Simply because the public have no guarantee th a t t h e i r messa ges will be transmitted in stantaneously, or with accuracy. Indeed, from Mr. French's lecture, it would appear that a certainty of accuracy is what cannot be attained so long as the letters of the alphabet are signalled as they now are.— European Times. Advices from Valparaiso have been received, ant New York, up to the 6th of February. The fever for emigration to San Francisco still continued, although not to such an extent as about a month previously. There were 15 vessels loading for that port, one of which,theChateaubriand, had upwards of 150 passen gers already engaged, ma n of-war and s c w r L ? l u y l . d s t probably eam e r Massachusettstake 3OO . The American had just come in with troops bound for California. Business in Valparaiso was very dull, and money was scarce at 14- per cent. per month. THE NEW CITY PRISON AT HOLLOWAY.-011 Sa turday the contract for the building of the new city prison at Helloway was regularly signed by the con tracting parties, and to- day operations are to commence on the ground. The first stone will be laid at Mid summer, and it is believed that the whole structure will, under the able direction of Mr. Bunning, the city architect, be completed in the summer of 1852. It is singular enough that when Alderman Sidney first brought forward the question as to the propriety of erecting the new prison on the city's own ground at Holloway, he found it difficult to procure a seconder, and for a considerable time there was a most resolute opposi tion to the proposal. At length, however, the project was supported by large majorities in both courts of the corporation. The new prison is to be built in such a manner as to be adapted to any improved system of dis- eipline. STINGINESS ABOUT FIRES.—I cannot understand wha: it is that snakes everybody grudge to have as many fires us are requisite fur health, in this country. In the case of people like ourselves, who have scarcely enough to live on, of course every additional fire be comes a consideration. But how many rich people we know who would hesitate about having a fire in every bedroom! They will have three courses and dessert every day—an expense highly injurious to health; and they will starve with cold in their bedrooms; which, according to my notion, is quite as injurious to health. How many families you see who are never free from coughs, colds, and influenz t, all the winter, merely because they all go to bed and get up every day (at the coldest times of the tlnr_ tool in nn litmoinhere at or below the freezina 11?I'.11,..! A P IiCIUSE OF GOiLLIONS, sprit 16. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. SECOND LEADING. The following Bill was read a second time : London Gas Light Company (Amendment of Act). THIRD READINGS. The following Bills were read a third time and passed: Hartlepool Gas and Wati , rworks. London and Black wall Railway (Amendment and Ex tension of Time). Wareham Docks (Construction of Dicks near Wareham and entrance thereto from Wareham Channel). REPORTS. The followinc , reports were considered and agreed to: — Marshland Smeeth' and Fen (Equalization of Drainage Rates and R >pair of Roads). Grimsby Corporation and Freemen's Arrangement. Kid,lerminster Union Small Tenements Rating. Macclesfield BorKitgh Waterworks, Markets, &c. CLERGY RELIEF BILL. Mr. DUNCAN presented petitions from the presby tery of Dundee in favour of this Bill. SUNDAY TRAINS. The HON. MEMBER also presented a petition against Sunday trains, from Dundee. MARRIAGE BILL. Mr. ELLIOT presented a potition from Kelso, in 'avour of an alteration in the marriage law. ARBITRATION. Mr. MUNTZ presented- a petition from Birmingham, in favour of arbitration. Mr. H. BERKELEY presented a petition to the same effect. REV. J. SHORE. The Hort. MEMBER also presented a petition from Bristol, signed by 4,000 persons, in favour of the libera tion of Mr. Shore, and in favour of the immediate s,paration of the Church and State. SUNDAY TRAVELLING. _ Mr. BAILLIE presented a petition from Inverness against Sunday travelling. SEDUCTION. Colonel THOMPSON presented a petition from Brad ford; praying for the punishment of persons trading in seduction. RATING. Mr. C. LEWIS presented a petition from Ross, pray ing that owners of tenements under 6/. might be rated instead of the tenants. LAW OF SETTLEMENT. Mr. GODSON presented a petition from Kiddermin ster praying for an alOration of tho law of settlement. THE MARRIAGE AND REGISTRATION LAWS (SCOTLAND). Mr. M.NEILL presented petitions against these Bills, SUFFRAGE. Mr. G. THOMPSON presented a petition in favour of the extension of the suffrage, and in favour of arbi (ration. STOPPAGE OF HALF-PAY. Mr.COBDEN presented a petition from Lieut. Francis Higginson, complaining that his half-pay had been stopped by the Admiralty, and praying for inquiry. Mr. F. MAULE presented petitions from Perth against the running of trains on Sundays, and against the Marriage and Registration Bills. ARBITRATION. Mr. CURRIE presented petitions from Northampton in favour of arbitration. MARRIAGE BILL. Mr. J. S. WORTLEY presented petitions from different parts of the county of Cork in favour of the Marriage Bill. TAXATION. 11, 11 CristP gave notice of, his intention; on Thursday, the 2Gth inst., to mOve for' a dothinittee of he whole House to consider the public expenditure and the existing system of taxation, and how far both might be revised with a view to relieve the expenditure of the country and the pressure upon the industrious portion or the community. THE BALLOT. Mr. EI. BERKELEY gave notice of his intention on the 2d of May to move for leave to bring in a Bill to make the vote by ballot at elections the law of the land.—(Hear, hear.) NATIONAL REVENUE. Lord DUNCAN gave notice of his intention, to-mor ruw, to put a question to the Chancellor of the Ex chequer, with respect to the payment of the national revenues into the Exchequer, without any reduction. IRISH YOUR-LAW.—ENCUMBERED ESTATES (IRELAND). Lord JOHN RUSSELL gave notice of his in tention, on Tuesday, the 24th inst., to move for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the Poor-law (Ireland) Act; and he also gave notice that it was the in tention of his Learned Friend the Solicitor-General, on the same day, to move for leave to bring in a Bill to fa cilitate the sale of encumbered estates in Ireland. SICILY. Mr. DISRAELI wished to know from the Noble Lord at the head of the Government when the papers with respect to the affairs of Sicily would be distributed among Members? Lord JOHN RUSSELL had spoken to his Noble Friend the Secretary or State for Foreign Affairs upon the subject, and he had inlormed him that the only reason the papers had not already been laid on the table of the House was in consequence of their being so voluminous. He could assure the Hon. Member the papers would be laid on the table with the least possible delay. Mr. DISRAELI considered the answer of the Noble Lord most indefinite, and stated his intention, unless he received a more defiuite answer, of bringing the whole subject of the foreign relati,ns of this country before the House at the earliest possible opportunity. NAVIGATION-LAWS. The HoN. MEMBER also asked the Noble Lord at the head of the Government a question relative to public business. Would the Noble Lord be good enough to inform the House when Ministers intended to take the third reading of the Navigation Bill. Lord J. RUSSELL said he intended to take the re port on Thursday, and the third reading on Monday. APPREHENSION OF DESERTERS (PORTU GAL) BILL. This Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed. COLONIAL EXPENDITURE. Mr. SCOTT then rose to move for a Select Committee co inquire into the political and financial relations be tween Great Britain and her dependencies, with a view to reduce the charges on the British Treasury, and to enlarge the functions of the Colonial Legislatures. He said he owed an apology to the House for venturing to bring so important a subject under consideration, because when he remembered that no allusion was made to it in the Speech from the Throne, he felt that the subject became one of too much importance to be dealt with by an humble Member like himself. When he remembered, too, the divi sion of opinion which existed in the House on the subject, he felt that he ought to shrink from introducing the question, but, on the other hand, when he recollected the interests which were involved in the prosperity of our colonial empire, he could not help thinking that it behoved every man, how ever humble his station and ability might be, to endeavour to bring about a better system of government for the colonies than at present existed.—(Hear.) The ❑umber of our colonies was somewhere between 40 acd 50, while they were about forty or fifty times as large as th• British empire; our exports to these colonies were far greater than the exports to all the other parts of the world put together. Our tonnage and shipping trade was the same, for in 1845, while the tonnage to fortign ports amounted to '2,250,0001., the tonnage to colonial ports was no less than 3,170,0001. The present expense of governing the colonies amounted to no hss than 5,600,000/. The population of the colonies, half of whom were negroes and other coloured races, was five millions. Now, it was said that this country was extravagantly taxed; but if that were so, as no doubt it was, the colonies had double cause for complaint, inasmuch as the population of these countries amounted to 30,000,000, and the tax ation to 24,000,0001., giving only 16s. a head, while the population of the colonies being 5,000,000, with 5,600,0004 of taxes, gave as much as 28s. per head. Now it did appear to him to be a subject worthy of in quiry whether the enormous cost of governing our colonies was owing to the extensive tracts of continent which we possessed in Asia, in Africa, in America, and in Australasia, or whether ; it was not rather due to ono small responsible and geographical spot in Downing-street; and when they talked of making changes in our colonial govern ment, he thought it behoved them to consider whether they might not with great advantage make some changes nearer home. When they talked of giving up the colonies —and he knew that such an opinion was entertained by some Honourable Members opposite—he thought they might, with great advantage to this country, pro pose giving up something in the metropolis.— (Hear.) Mr. Adam Smith stated that the government of the English colonies in North America would not cost the inhabitants more than 64,700/. a year. " Such," added that eminent writer, "is a memorable example of the small expenditure for which three millions of people may not only be governed, but well governed." Then the highest possible authority in this country—he meant Earl Grey—stated, on the 10th of August, 1848, that our system of colonization was never so perfect, as at the present time. If, then, our system of coloni zation was so much more perfect than it was in 1770, when Adam Smith wrote, and when three millions of persons were governed for 64,7004, they might surely calculate that five millions of subjects might at the same rate be governed for 105.107/. But in these days of perfection no less than ,3,372,1981. was required for the government of the British colonies. It costs now as much to govern 100,000 persons as it d'd for three millions in 1770, and it required 140 times as much to govern every subject in the Mauritius as it did when colonization was not so well understood. Although the salaries received by the Governors of the Mauritius and Ceylon exceeded the amount required in 1770 to govern three millions, Earl Grey stated before the Committee on the miscellaneous estimates that the colonial governors were exceedingly under paid. The Honourable Member then referred to the opinion expressed by a statesman in 1845, who thought that we had better return to the policy of our ancestors, and allow the colonies to govern them ' selves, and who said that although they might commit some serious mistakes, from all his expe -1 rience he was in favour of self-government. Earl Grey was now the statesman in power with the means of carrying out his political views as a states , man; but with his change of place a change had come over the Noble Lord. The praise of the Noble Lord formerly related to times paat, but his praise was now re:erred to the future. The colonies, at the period to which Lord Grey alluded, I?ad charters of self-government at that time given to them, in nignv 4,A...e5_ during the period of the Stuarts, T at .. ~ r . i ,1 - ,thott 1111 c. 3El stoo, atik follies nao toe power, to the tuliest extent, ut ni,Lklng their own laws; and now at this time, when those colo nies had that power. he might ask why Ireland should rot, be self-governed? By war we lost colonies which we once possessed, and by war we had taken the colonies which we now held. We preserved them indeed Within the pale of our dominions, but without the pale of the Constitution, and denying them in most instances civil rights, we governed them by in structions and by dispatches sent out from Downing street; and that minister who, in 1835, condemned that system, continued it in 1849. In 1670 it was, that there was first appointed a Committee of the Privy Council on colonial matters, and afterwards Lord Somers. who drew up the heads for the Board of Council, drew up likewise the charters. Those colonies c' ntinued to be well governed while they were governed under their own charters; and when at length we lost those colonies, the two causes which tended prin cipally to light the flame were precisely the two causes which were now carried into effect by the present Minister ; ho (Mr. Scott) meant that of altering the constitution without the will of the colonies, and of refusing them the privilege of self government. To these might be added the taxing them without their consent. Now in the various colonies that was carried into effect at the present day by the present Minister ; in New South Wales, British Guiana, and Jamaica We taxed the colonists with heavy civil lists against their consent and against their most express desire. Now, he would ask, not whether it was fair and just, but whether it wise, prudent and politic to propagate such iniquities, and then to allow such feelings to arise and to be engendered as if there were no common feelings existing between this country and her colonies, or no common interest? Instead of continuing to tamper with their constitutions, and deny ing them rights which we claim to ourselves as British subjects, we ought to regard them as British subjects in different parts of the same empire. During the last year there had been some attempt to obtain a remedy for the grievance. In a letter obtained under the return moved for by Earl Grey, there had been a reference made to the duties to be imposed and the saving to be made, but nu remedy, so far as he was in formed, had been carried into effect. But it should be observed that the remedy which had there been suggested was not a remedy for the relief of the colonies or of the House, but for the relief of the Secretary for the Colo nies.—(Hear, hear.) And this remedy did not so much affect the state of the colony, as the convenience of those who had the government of it ; a relief, let it be re marked, that the Minister and not the colonists were to enjoy. But these duties, to whom were they to be delegated ? Certainly not to the Go vernor. The colonists could not undertake them, and the Colonial-office was too full of business to interfere in any way in so delicate an affair. In fact, the whole duty was to devolve upon that prime agent of all colonial affairs, the Secretary of State.—(Hear, hear.) In the evidence given before the Select Com mittee during the course of the last year, he found that to the question 6,650, the Noble lEarl made the reply, that though formally the whole of those matters were under the jurisdiction of the Board of Trade, they were in reality and substantially under the entire direction of the Secretary for the Colonies. If he referred to the an swer of Sir J'. Stephen, the same result would be obtained. The words might seem to bear something different from that contained in the reply of the Secretary, but, upon examination, it would be found to be neither more nor less than the same.—(Hear.) It was unreasonable, to , suppose that great colonies could be governed .with , propriety,. justice, or economy; at so great a distance as Downing-street was distant frbm them. Next, he came to the important question of auditing the public accounts. It appearld that 170 persons were constantly engaged out at a cost of 2,0701. Now, if we allowed them to audit their own aceounts the cost would be greatly re duced. Then, again, the colonists had a right tocomplain that the Home Ministers were constantly changing their policy. Those to whom the destinies of our great colo nial empire were entrusted were changed on the average once in eighteen months. Indeed, of late they had changed the Secretary of State and the Under-Secretary of State on the average every year. But this was not all. The chief ruler of the destinies of the colonies changed his mind once every six weeks.—(Laughter.) For ex ample, there was a dispatch sent out, and it was revoked within a month. There was a constitution sent out for New Zealand, and it was revoked within a year. There was a Constitution sent out for New South Wales; it was disapproved of there, and the n it was said it was only sent out for a pattern. There was a Constitution sent out to the Cape of Good Hope, which was just as badly received. This battledore and shut tlecock affair might be fine tun for the Colo nial-office, but it would not do for plain thinking and well educated men. The fact was, that in the go vernment of all our Australian colonies the crotchets of the Secretary of State were made paramount to every other consideration. In giving constitutions to the colonies the course that had been pursued appeared to do well in theory, but it did not do in practice.— (Hear, hear.) At this moment the colonies were loud in their complaints against the present Go• vetement, and he warned her Majesty's Ministers that if they did not change their colonial policy, this country would lose one of the greatest colo nial empires that any kingdom ever held. What was it caused the war between this country and Ame rica? It was precisely what was being done now in some of our best colonies. Sir Thomas Barnett, the Governor of Massachusetts, refused to admit into the legislature of the colony a member who did not support his views. That was precisely what was being done in many colonies; Governors were overriding the law, and Ministers might depend upon it, that if they persisted In their present course of colonial policy, many of our best colonies would soon follow the example of America.—(Hear. hear.) He would pass now from British Guiana to our North American icolonies. But, perhaps, in the minds of some Honourable Gentlemen, looking at the circumstances which had recently transpired about Canada an impression might prevail that the present is not the se ison to bring forward a complaint of this sort, but he must be allowed to repeat that the non-in terference in this oountry with colonial questions, and the absence of discussions upon topics fre quently gave rise to many of the difficulties which affected our colonial empire.—(Hear, hear.) Now to pass at once from British Guiana to the North Ame rican Colonies—these colonies had two forms of Go vernment ; one he might call the democratic form, and the other the absolute form. For instance, in Prince Edward's Island the Government of the country was centralised in three or four persons, some of whom held as many as ten state offices, and if he was rightly informed three of them held no less than seventeen places between them.—(Hear.) In the demo cratic class, such as Canada, the Government was much better, but still it might be greatly improved ; and he thought it a much eater policy to make wise concessions in time, than pursue a bad policy till the colonists rose up and threw off the yoke of the mother country.—(Hear.) The fact was, if England had always considered her co lonies as rising states, of which she might at some future period have great reason to be jealous, she could not have adopted a course more calculated to alienate their regard and affection. In the Mauritius the commerce was burdened to •an amount of about 3,000,000/., or nearly 2/. per head of the population. In Jamaica it was found there was an adverse balance of 395.0001. on an entire export trade of 894,0001. The colonial policy pressed on the commerce of the colonies. The Government al home imposed or rather sanctioned the expenditure and re duced the revenue. The petitions from Demerara and Tobago complained simply that they had not the control of their own expenditure. Although no allusion was made to the colonies in the Queen's Spedch, in Parliament, he might ask whether they were without the pale of the constitution, and whether the principles of freedom and justice had not the same foundation in the extremest parts of the globe as within the realm of Eng land. He knew that the Hon. Genth•man, with all his tact, would tell them of all the advantages which had been enjoyed by the colonies, but he bell eves that if the inquiry were fully made, that it would be found that there was not one of the colonies which had received the slightest advantage from the erection of civil insti tutions. Why did they speak of responsible govern ment, when there were so many interferences with 'the proper discharge of official duty?—(Cries of." Hear, hear.") He alluded, however, not only to the discharge of duty, but to the mjschiefs which arose from the evils emanating from the possession of property. He was aware that the Crovrii had the right to possess property in the colonies, but it would seem that instead of being a benefit, the right, which ou g ht above all others to be a benefit to a colony, had provtd to be nothing but a detriment. Responsible Govern ment was in tact a mockery. He had see n from a letter of Lord Grey that many men of family' had emigrated, and he was aware that such h a d b een th e case. But what was the result ? Those who had gone out with hope had returned in despaire--those who had- gone out vith property had returned in poverty. The Villiers, 'the Vernons, and all the others w h o h a d proe:eded to the colonies in the reasonabket anticipation of taking position had given up the attempt in miserable disappointment, and they wee e nownowh'ere. In fact, the Colonial-office was responsible for all the evil which had accrued through the misad venture of 'the system which they had adopted, and bee must say that the actions of the Government did not all square with their professions. The Colonial Gazel'te, of a recent date, informed them that 2,000,000 had emigrated ff.om the United Kingdom to the colonies in twenty- tour years. Now, he would ask where were they gone, to? Why,f the population of the whole of the colonies :did not amount to 2,000,000; they bad gone to the Ulll ted States, ; the emigration to which, in the last twenty - four years, was from 40 to 60 per cent. fro m the United. Kingdom, and the emigration to these States in one yers.r, equalled! the whole of their population in the Australian settle • went ; 188,000 persons, out of 248, 000, emigtitted in the last year to the United States.. The govern ment of the colonies was a govern ment lest of affection than of force.—(Hear, hear.) The impbrte ante of the colonies to the British Croerri could no, be too highly rated ; it was the empire o f the sea Plat gave them their colonies, and it was the possesinon of their colonies that secured to them the empire of the sea. He could not but refer to their garri coned colcaaief as of great importance, and as much meglected. He would take Malta, for instance. Now„ as well might they select the Lord Mayor of London ti f fill the office of Commander-in-Chief at the Horse Ckuards, as Mr, More O'Ferrall to fill that of Governor. , of Malta, 'vial 5,0001. a year. No doubt the Hon. Oa ntlemau cbuld sleep very well, but to make him Gov or nor of a 4real military post like that of Malta was, het apprehended, not very judicious. They had lost t he+ best colonies which they possessed by the impolicy rind bad adminis- ~- - ~;,, ,v, r Non of of tii,,se c.:ionies. It was but a little time since they gave up Vancouver's I, land to a company whose course of policy was r ether to &populate than populate. That island was enriched with iron, coals, &c., and yct the Government gave it up to such a company as he had described. If they looked at the policy of the colonial department, in relation to the colony of Jamaica, they found its fruits is the bankruptcy, disgust, and bad feel ing which that policy engendered, all arising from tho bad faith which had been kspt with the colonists. There, then, the cffects of the colonial policy were most loath- sot e.—(Hear, hear.) lle stared, if - the House did not I.•nd its ussisrance to (Talent the colooies of this great empire with the mother country, that it would take such a course as would lead to the dismemberment of its integrity.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. HAWES said that he felt it to be his duty to oppose this motion, as being unprecedented, and as being adverse to the interests of the colonis in general. lie, therefore, wished to take a glance at the colonial system as it at present existed, and piaci, it before the House as it really was. He would first allude to the Executive Council of Goverment in Can :da, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia , trnd Prince Edward's Island, and felt it his duty to state, that the Colonial-office rarely interfered with those Govern- Fuents except in cases of trade; but in cases of trade and matters belonging to the Crown, he believed that it would be generally admitted by the House that the Crown had a right to exercise its veto. Again, he should say that there were other representative Governments in which a totally resp nisib!e authority did not exist, he alluded to the West Lidi,s. Yet Jamaica had full and uncontrolled power over its own taxation and expendi ture; but with regard to Trinidad, it was well known to the House, that whe❑ that colony represented that their revenue was less than there expenditure, that the Im perial Government agreed according to their )uggestions to reduce the officers in that colony. Ile would make no further allusion to Guiana than to state that Lord Grey informed that Government, that he would reduce the salaries when these matters were properly brought under his consideration. He should also say that the representative bodies in Guiana and Trinidad were not popular assembla , Yes, for they consist fur the most part et merchants awfabsentecs, who have the privilege of voting by proxy, and therefore that the Crown had a right to exercise a controul and to act as an arbiter be tweea the two parties, the aristocracy and the emanci pated natives; and with regard to the latter class be con sidered it right that the Crown should exercise a Glue and salutary control and protection over them, until they advanced more is intelligence and information. Of the forty-three colonies, twenty-seven had representative institutions, and there were nineteen which had actual representative Governments. British Guiana might be classed under this head, as having an actual Govern ment, though as yet very imperfect; but which he hoped would be ere long very much improved; and the lonian Islands had also a representative Government, rounded on the treaty of Vienna, with a free press, and other auxiliaries. Then there were 16 colonies, such as St. Helena, Ceylon, the Mauritius, and others, which, from the small number and character of their population, were not as yet fitted to be entrusted with the management of their internal affairs; for he would ask, was Ceylon, with 1,500,000 Asiatics and 4,000 Ea' ropeans, fitted to govern itself? Thus, on the whole, there are 27 colonies enjoying representative govern ments and a free press. He contended that the imperial policy of this country must be carried out according to the resolve of that House, and that, therefore, it was most unjust to attribute to the Colonial Office a els conteet at .le o nee and .in the _colonies' for which that House, which was the organ tor the abolition of sla every; etas - sielely responsible, be it for good or be it for evil. Who, he would ask, supported and carried out the abolition of slavery? It was the House of Commons. Then why attack the Colonial department for carrying out the resolve of the House of Commons? When that House resolved, alter many debates, that the policy of free trade should become the policy of the country, he would ask, did not that policy affect the trade and condition of the colonies ? and were nut the very persons who then advocated moat strongly the; measure of free-trade, the most prominent i n attac king the Noble Lerd (Lord Grey) at the head of the Colo nial Department? Such attacks he considered to be most unfair and unjust, and particularly coming from Hon. Members who had been in some degree the cause of those complaints. With respect to local self-govern' client, he telt confident that Lord Grey was as much in favour of that principle as any other person, and that the only obstacle that presented itself to him was the unfitness of some of those colonies. He would ask the House would Ceylon, the Mauritius, and Guiana, with a coloured population of 2,600,000, and 8,500 whites, be considered to have the necessary elements for self-go" vernment. He thought he might venture to say, that if the French Government had taken the policy put' sued by Eegland as their guide, at the first revolu" Lion, when they lost a most important colon,' in the West Indies, such an event would not have 0 9: curred; or hal it been a dependency of England, " would have remained to that momsnt annexed to Of British Crown. There was another limitation to self government in their colonies, and that was, where grille' naval and military establishments existed the Crown re tained its power and pro-eminence in regard to theta' and every control necessary for those establishment° must be vested in the Sovereign at home. With these restrictions he was for granting to all their colonies, se far as it was practicable, or circumstances would safely permit, free government and representative assemblie s to manage their own concerns. Having thus ven tured, to show their colonial system as distinct f rom co l o nial policy, he was justified in saying, that free institution s were at all times conferred whenever the colonies were in a state to use them wisely and moderately. The Hon. Gentleman next proposed to inquire into th e financial relations between England and her colonie s ' but he thought that would be a task of great difficulty For example, grants had been made from time td tithe to assist the colonies. Eight hundred thousa o pounds was given to the Mauritius some time sloes' and a million to Ceylon; but these sums were nos withdrawn, and the colonies required to assist tbeit selves. The time was no doubt coming, wh en p ro babl e ,' all assistance would be withdrawn, p ar ti cu l ar l y their West Indian colonies, where the sal a ri es o f thell governors were paid out of the imperial f un d s; but th e ., could not be done at present, h owever d es i ra b le it mad be, in consequence of existing distress. With regal' to naval and military establishments in the coloniee' and the propriety of the colonies themselves maintaio ° ing an armed force for their own protection, that, 13° doubt, was a subject of great importance, and was der the consideration of his Right Hon. Friend t he Secretary at War. Everything would be done that W o il possible, but a Committee of i n q u i ry wou ld d o no go in the furtherance of such a st e p. It was nex t se l .: that the patronage of the Coloni a l-offic e was v estedd L i o the aristocracy, but what was the fact? Except th e office of Governors, every situation throughout the ir colonies was conferred on the colonists themsetT e d and persons appointed, not by the Colonialeof% but the Governors of each of the colonies. n i (Mr. Hawes) believed firmly that the oppositi on offer° t to the Colonial-office in latter times arose in a gr e l., measure from persons who were di sa p po i nte d i n no t e. ting those appointments to which they looked forele r be But then, why should not m em b ers o f t h e ar i stocra cy employed? And for his own part he hoped the day 03 :( r never arrive when they would not be found taking th fair share of those appointments at the disposal of t , Crown. Lord Elgin had shown himself an able GO/I r o , nor and statesman in his administration of executive 0 partments in their colonies. Lord Harris had he e d equally distinguished, and notwithstanding all that 1 4 said, when lion. Members read the dispatches on t'' o subject, they would find that Lord Torrington was fi e able Governor, and showed himself as such in his e t ° ;;) nagement of Ceylon.--(Cheers, and cries of Oh, ou' l e That was his opinion from all he had seen of the Nevin Lord's administration ; an d h e h a d no h es i ta tion avowing it. But then, except these three appointme ° , the governorships of th e i r co l on i es were no t e °o , re tarred generally o n th e aristocracy . Th e o ffi ce of ne , vernor of New South Wales was given to Sir Chg.,. Grey, who, with Sir H. Young, a nd many other disti l) , guished persons, could not be said to have offices 0 , tarred on them beca use th e y w ere o f the ar istocra e l, He contenued that the most successful system of eft! s , gration ever carried on was by the emigration cortt?', sinners to New South Wales. The mortality dure 3 s 7, the voyages was next to nothing. A sum of 919, 63 0 was realised by the sale of land, the whole of which W oo appropriated exclusively to the colony. Half of it w o, devoted to colonial imp rovements, such as mak i ng roe s. bridges, &c., and th e o th er h a l f i n carry i ng on the lee tern of emigration. A sum o f 100,000 1 . was due hY.-eci colony, and that was paid off. Another,loo,ooo/. was ril i j o i also, and that too was paid, and now a third sum to t o amount was about being raised, which would be &Y . ° to the purposes of emigration. Mr. SCOTT asked if these sums were to be paid the produce of land? th e Mr. HAWES replied that they were raised 00 he t secur ity of lands hereafter to he dispos e d of in colony. In 1846 the debt of 100 , 0001 ., to which he m a A Of already alluded, was due, and Lord Grey, instea d stopping emigration at that ti me unt il t h e di c e wa s paid, encouraged it the more, an d t h e cons eque m e was as he had stated, that the m one y was now ratio's 4 e —(Hear, hear.) Another sum of a similar amount "be also raised and expended, and a third now about to raised. He opposed the motion of the Hon. Gentl e d because he deemed it unnecessary; because he biett it would not attain the objects he had in view. a 0 while he did this, h e at t ac h e d t h e greatest importetn e ,"; o o the discussion rais e d on i t, b ecause i t d rew t h e a tte_nee of the House t o th e s i tuat i on o f t h e i r colonies, and et manner in which they were con d uc t e d. H e wou ld sn i t) repeat, that the Colonial-office had to carry out t iott policy of that H ouse , an d none ot h er . Th e elOe e d ought to be met fairly, whether they were determul e a if maintain in its integrity their colonial empire; eo o lo' they were they should pay for it. H e b e li eve d the e tb et nial empire had conferred great b ene fit s on the rog, oo l country. They were their brothers in blood. a be possessed all the rights of f ree -b orn su bj e cts, an d trusted the day would never come when England w .s i,t , deem it necessary to sev e r th e connex i on so long es ing between them. Mr. GLADSTONE agreed with the Hon. Geo t l etri e Sli sli who had just address e d the House, that no g Ol - e e - o , l b' arise from granting a commission of inquiry int e c e ee' j. cts so complicated, because he believed such a ee r mittee would find its hands so overloaded with (I,:teet plexity of subjects as to render it a matter of the grv7o—ili 0 0 difficulty to arrive at any satisfactory result. I e not, however, say that a Parliamentary Coaine l 'ttt, eB . o the not do some good, as for example, with regard a be disposal of Crown lands in New South W ee ales. de' lie%ee much might be said for such a modon 1 be 4 1 the siring as he did that the attention of Parliament *eV, country should be brought to colonial subjec ts, E Still unwilling to give his assent to a des_cr_lll'7o.tas.' I