The Sun. — London, England, 1849-04-26 00:00:00

fourtt MlTitton SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock. FRANCE. It is positively asserted in well-informed circles to-day that the French Government has notified to that of Austria that the occupation of Alessandria by the Austrians will be considered as a cusus belli, and that, in such an event, a French army will forthwith enter Piedmont. The Committee charged to examine the accounts of the Provisional Government has concluded its labours. According to the D4bats, the report presented by M. Ducos caused lung and sharp debates, the majority of the Committee having objected to it, whilst the minority, and M. Ducos himself, would not consent to any modification; eventually the majority of the Committee ceded, and the report was agreed to. "We are assured," says the Debats, "that among the credits of which the Committee does not approve is that of 123,000 f. granted by M. Ledru-Rollin to M. Longepied, pre sident of the Club des Clubs, to send emissaries into the departments and among the soldiers to influence the elections ; the Committee also disapproves of the sum of 13,000 f., given to M. Oliver, commissary general in the department of the Bouches-du Rhone, and the sum of 6,000 f. to M. Joly, who exercised similar functions at Toulouse." The Committee charged to examine the Bill rela tive to the double command of General Changarnier yesterday nominated M. Grevy its reporter. By a majority of 7 to 6 the Committee has resolved to propose to the Assembly to reject the measure, and to require the Ministry to execute within eight-and forty hours the law on the National Guard. M. Thiers has left Paris to pass some days at Lille, partly on account of ill health, partly to settle some family affairs. The Siecle publishes the following letter, which has been addressed by M. Dufaure to M. Lefebvre, avocat at the Court of Cassation, who is recommended to the suffrage of the electors of the Loir et. Cher : '• Paris, 14th of April. _ _ " The election of the 13th of Dlay will be a solemn trial for our country; according to the composition of the next Assembly, the Republican Government will be definitively established for us, or it will be distinguished in the convulsions of a fresh revolution. It is the determination of my friends and myself to oppose with all our efforts this ❑ew revolution, under whatever standard it may present itself ; we are convinced that the republican form of government, well understood and well carried out, is perfectly compatible with all the great social necessities, and with the impe rishable rights of every citizen. We shall be happy to b© assisted in the task which we have undertaken the last year, by men active, intelligent, younger than our selves, and who may continue the work, if it is to have an existence in the future. It is for that reason that I hear with a lively interest of your candidateship at the approaching elections in the department of the Loir-et- Cher, and I offer you my sincere wishes that the votes of your fellow-citizens may procure you a seat in the Na tional Assembly." The Siecle, in giving this letter, remarks that it is a document fraught with political instruction of high authority, and recommends it to the attention both of its friends and of its adversaries. An electoral meeting, known as the " Union Demo cratique de h Seine," having called on M. de Lamar tine to allow himself to be put forward as a candidate, thst gentleman has written a letter, in- which, after thanking the Committee, he says : "I do not present myself. I believe that political men who are slighted, and who support the weight of a recent responsibility in one of the crises of their country, should accept without calling fur the judgment, just or unjust, of their fellow-citizens. If I am called again, I will answer to the call; if I am forgotten or thrown aside, I shall con gratulate myself on laying down for a time the burden of the representation. I leave all to the spontaneous will of the electors. Perhaps new men would be at this moment more useful to the li' public than men who, if not used up, are at least compromised in the Rut. Patience is a patriotic virtue, and your justice makes it easy to me." IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS E VENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his sent on the Wool sack at Five o'clock. The Earl of EGLINTON presented a petition from Glasgow complaining of the immigration of Irish paupers. NEW SOUTH WALES LAND BILL. On the motion of Earl GREY, this Bill was read a third time. SMOKE PROHIBITION BILL. This Bill passed through Committee. PETITIONS. The Earl of CARLISLE presented petitions against trading in prostitution, and praying for the enactment of some measure of regulating leer-houses. Lord CAMPBELL preseut_d several petitions com plaining of the persecution to which the Rev. James shore had been subjected. LEASEHOLD TENURE (IRELAND) BILL. The LORI) CHANCELLOR melted - the second reading of this B:11. This Bill was intended to remedy many evils which cxided with regar f to leasehold tenure in Ireland, and it won't' raise the value of landed property in that country. In many cases leases were renewable for ever on certain conditions, and therefore the real owner had only a very small interest in the land. In this country owners of land would not grant leases of land for lives renewable for ever. This species of term e led to a bad cultivation of the land, and inflicted an injury upon the proprietors. The Noble and Learned Lord then went into a lengthened detail with regard to the various enactme its which had at different times been passed on this subject, and de tailed at large the c vils which were the consequence Of the existing state of the law. The object of this law was to make the assignment of leases compulsory on application of the owner of the land. This compu'sory sale of lesva, renewable for ever to the owner of the land, would obviate all the evils complained of, and wou'd tend to the improvement of cultivation, by dis3 , .nraging subletting, kr the great subletters were the owners of the leases renewable for ever. The Noble and Learned Lord concluded by moving that the Bill be read a seconl time. Lord BEAUMONT complained that the machinery of the Bill was nunecessarily complicated, and suggested that such machinery should be simplified. The object of the Bill was good, but the machinery by which it was sought to carry it cut was bad. Lt" .d MONTEAGLE said that the magnitude of the interests involved in this Bill wt re more extensive than any Noble Lord uncon nected with Ireland could imagine. These perpetual leases extended over a greater portion of Ireland, and the greater portka of the buildings in the towns of Ireland had been erected upon the faith of these leases. The subl et was so important that he hoped his Noble and Learned Friend would not press the measure forward, but would allow time for consultation with the various parties residing in Ireland whose interests wituld be affect,d by the Bill. The Earl of WICKLOW thought the Bill was well intended as to purpose, and was well calculated to carry that purpose into effect. (LEFT SFEAKING.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four o'clock. THE DUBLIN, ASIIBOURNE, AND DROGHEDA ROADS ACT CONTINUATION AND AMEND MENT BILL. On the motion that this Bill he read a seend time, Mr. REYNOLDS felt bound to oppose the motion, and to move that it be read a second time that day six months. The Hon. Member also presented several pe titions against the Bill. Mr. J. O'CONNELL seconded the amendment. Par. HAMILTON supported the second reading of the Bill. After a short discussion the House divided, when there appeared — For the second reading ... ... 46 Against it • • Majority for the second reading ... —3O The Biil was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed. Mr. FAGAN presented petitions praying that the attention of the house might be directed to the charities of Ireland, from Cork and several other places; also petitions from the Corporation of Cork, against the abolition of the process of attachment in the Record Court of Cork. Mr. C. BRUCE presented petitions from places in Morayshire against the Marriage Bill. Mr. DUNCAN presented petitions from several parts of Dundee to the same effect. Mr. DEEDES presented petitions from Kent com plaining of agricultural distress. Colonel THOMPSON pres-nted a petition from the Mechanics' Institution of Bradford, praying that national disputes might be settled by arbitrat►on. Mr. COWAN presented petitions from various parts of Scotland, complaining of agricultural distress. Mr. CROWDER presented a petition from the officers cf St. Martin's Union, praying for the establishment of a superannuation fund. Sir W. MOLESWORTH presented a petition from Van Diemen's Land, against the present systeraof transporting convicts to that colony. Mr. REYNOLDS presented a petition from an Irish tin who had been recently employed in the Ordnance .I)epartment of the Tower, complaining that he had b-en dismissed from his situation through a prejudice which prevailed in that department against his coun trymen- Mr. iirYLD presented a petition from Bodmin, pray in; the House to take into consideration the case of the Ilsv. J. Shore, with the view to his immediate release ; also a petition from the alleged Lunatics Friend Society, praying for an alteration in th e law of lunacy. Mr. - LOCKE presented a petition from the Town Council of Edinburgh, stating thst the attaching of pas senger carriages to the Sunday trains on the Scotch railways was not only desirable but absolutely called for, and praying the House to take the matter into their serious consideration. Mr. ADDERLEY presented a petition from Sheffield praying for an alteration in the poor-law. Sir G. GREY present e d a pet i t i on f rom Northumber• land in favour of the clergy belief Lord DUDLEY STUART presented a petition com plaining of the mannfr in which justice was adminis tered by the Palau Court. PARLIAMENTARY REFORM. Mr. FUME postponed his motion with respect to Parliamentary Reform until the 15th of next month. PRISON DISCIPLINE. Mr. CHARLES PEARSON gave notice that on the .sth of next month he would move for the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into and report upon the practicability of establishing one uniform system of discipline, purely reformatory and self-supporting, to be applied to all prisoners convicted of crime. POOR-LAW (IRELAND.) Mr. J. O'CONNELL gave notice that he would move for a return of the number of notices served u'on relieving-officers with respect to the eviction of tenants in Ireland. THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, APRIL 20, 1849. CALAMITIES ON BOARD STEAMERS. Mr. J. O'CONNELL rose to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether it is the intention of the Go vernment to bring in any measure so to regu!ate the carriage of passengers in merchant vessels, between various ports of the United Kingdom, as may prevent the recurrence of such calamities as occurred en board the Londonderry steamer? He would beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade also whether his atten tion bad been drawn to an inquest which had been held at Liverpool within the last few days in reference to the loss of life which had happened on board the Bri tannin steamer, during a gale of wind, when no less than 214 of the deck passengers were exposed to the greatest distress and danger, many of them having bee❑ com pelled to take refuge on the paddle-boxes, and in conse quence of which exposure a woman and her child had perished? Mr. LABOUCHERE said he was happy to state that the attention of the Government had been called to the consequences of the overcrowding and the exposure of deck passengers to the weather, on board of passenger boats plying between Ireland and England, not only from the ca tastrophe which had occurred en board the Londonderry but from other causes. The Government, however, were desirous of not throwing any obstructions in the way of the peasantry of Ireland coming over to England in harvest time. Hitherto the power of limiting the num ber of passengers on board steam-vessels had only been applied to river boats; and it could only be extended to vessels sailing on the open sea after mature de'iberation. He had, however, to state that the Government had sent an officer down to Liverpool to institute an inquiry into the circumstances connected with the case of the Bri tannia. Mr. CARDWELL said it was his duty, on the part of the parochial authorities at Liverpool, to express the satisfaction which he felt at Captain Denham's having been directed to icstitute that inquiry. THE NEW HOUSE OF COMMONS. Mr. B. COCHRANE roe to ask Mr. Greene whether there was any probability of the House of Commons being ready for the reception of Members by 'the session of 1850; whether it might not be ready if a Lager grant were made for the purpose; what amount would enable such to be effected; and whether a great ultimate saving might not be obtained by a more libral grant during the present year? Mr. GREENE said, in reply to the first question, he could only state,that the House itself might be rendered fit for the occupation of Members, but all the various offices connected with it could not be conveniently finished. So far, therefore, as the House itself was con cerned, it could be conveniently used and occupied by the Members. In answer to the second question he had to say, perhaps the House might be sufficiently finished, together with the libraries and other offices, provided an additional sum, over that which had been granted this year, to the amount of about 50,0001., could be allowed possibly for that pur pose. With respect to the last question, there could h 2 doubt whatever that a very considerable saving might be ultimately effected by going on with the works a little more rapidly.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. COCHRANE would then ask the Noble Lord at the head of the Government whether he would not con sider himself justified in proposing an increased grant for the new House of Commons? Lord J. RUSSELL said the amount of the grant must be regulated very much by the expenditure of the year.—(Laughter.) THE RATE IN AID. Lord J. RUSSELL said he would not be able to bring on the Rate in Aid Bill this evening. What he would propose was to postpone the Committee on that Bill until to-morrow. He thought the Bill should be taken the first thing to-morrow on the orders of the day ; and if the House went into Committee on the Bill on that day, he proposed that the report be taken on Saturday. He would then be able to put the third reading first on the orders of the day on Monday. The question was one of great emergency—(Hear, hear)—and be trusted the House would agree to his proposal. Mr. W. GRATTEN hoped the Hon. Gentleman would not persevere at that crisis, and would withdraw his motion. Mr. SLANEY said he bad alrearly postponed the mo tion for the convenience of the Government, and he thought it would be unfair to ask him again to do so, unlesi a day were assigned to him on which he could bring it on. Sir R. PEEL said be was not sure whether or not he had understood the Nohie Lord correctly. Be was, therecre, d-sirous of knoiling if the withdrawal of the motion would affect the position of the Bills fur the Effectual Relief of Destitute Poor, and for Facilitating the Sale of EneunViered Estates. Lord J. RUSSELL replied that it would not. Mr. BRIGHT said, the question of alleviating the con dition of Ireland Iva; a great one at the present moment; but he thought the Hon. Gentleman would meet with as much littention on Friday, if he were to postpone his mo. tion until that day, as he would to-night.—([Tear.) Mr. SLANEY repeated that he would postpone the motion if a day wag assigned to him on which he could bring it on. Mr. P. SCROPE urged the Hon. Gentleman to post pone his motion. Lord J. RUSSELL said he could not fix a day. He proposed to move the Rate in Aid Bill as it stood. Mr. SLANEY said, looking at the feeling on both sides of the House, he should postpone his motion, and when he again brought it on he hope the House would give him a fair and patient bearing. MARITIME INTERCOURSE. Mr. MACGREGOR postponed the following motion I. That considering the magnitude of the maritime com. merce of the British empire, and that no vessel or ship, with a cargo, in ballast, or with passengers, can, when engaged either in the coasting, colonial, or foreign trade, arrive at, discharge, or take in a lading, or passengers, or depart from any port in the United Kingdom, without the interference of the officers and submitting to the regulations and laws of the Uu)toms, it has become necessary for Parliament to take into consideration the whole subject of the administration, organization, management, and regulations of that depart ment : 2. That the friendly and peaceable relations, and reciprocal social benefits, and commercial advantages between the United Kingdom and all foreign countries, can be most harmoniously and durably maintained by the maritime and trading intercourse beini; rendered as free as the security of the revenue may allow from all vexatious, ignorant, and useless restrictions, delays, and expenses : 3. That with a view to facilitate maritime intercourse be • tween British and all foreign ports, and to effect a direct re sponsibility of duties and efficiency of services in regard to the security of the revenue, and the quick dispatch of the commercial and shipping business of the United Kingdom, it appears the following changes are absolutely necessary ; First. A complete reform of the system of regulations, orders, and management of the Customs. Second. An abolition of the present administrative organization of appointments, and especially that of the iloard of Commissi,ners. Third. That for the purposes of responsibility of duties, the security of the revenue, and the quick and efficient dispatch of ships and their cargoes, an efficient re-arrangement of the personal organization of the Customs' department appears necessary. 4. That considering the effect which the commerce and the financial legislation of the United Kingdom have, at all times, upon the employment of the people, the prosperity of the empire, and the public revenue and credit, it appears necessary to inquire into the progress of the trade AO navi gation between the United Kingdom and foreign countries, and also between the United Kingdom and the Bri; ish pos sessions abroad, including India, from the sth day of January, 1827, to the sth day of January, 1849. PACKET SERVICE. On the motion of Mr. HENLEY, a Select Committee was appointed to inquire into the contract p?cket service. POOR RELIEF (IRELAND). Lord J. RUSSELL then rose to move, pursuant to notice for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the Act for the more effectual relict of the destitute poor in In land. He had stated on a former occasion the nature of the amendments he had intended to introduce himself. What he had now to propose ho proposed on the responsibility of the Government. The first and most important alteration was the introduction of a maximum both with regard to the rates upon each separate elec toral division and the rates upon all electoral divisions. I - s provision, whatever its amount might be, he admitted was contrary to the general principles of the poor-law of that country, but it must be remem bered that in Ireland the attempt to carry out the principle of the poor-law as in this country, that of relieving pauperism by a rate in support of the poor, and by a rate setting to work the able bodied poor, had been found to be productive of great distress, and great scarcity, and such oppression on the tenant farmer of the country and the property of the country, and to create great alarm. Such being the case, the Poor-law Commissioners had considered whether it would not be desirable to propose a maximum rate. That question had been considered by a the x im u G m o v ratee r n m o u e g n b t t a o n b d e letnwfoarsc ethought abtyh them h e r t e h f a o t r e a , proposed m ectorl a bydi division nB thatl was, hadthat i a supposingcll rredpen ex there to one th the el amount of 75., and that electoral division could only pay 53 , the other electoral division should pay 23. in addition to their ordinary rates. lie was told that it was objected to this proposal that it would th be an inducement to electoral divisions to extend b ta se in cti t o h n e a a l id a g is i i v s e i n ou by erdierretxopoenditure to the full amount limited by the law in on another a lie celoduiltdionnaoltrahtoewoefv2esr. think that that would b . was obvious that if an the case because it . electoral division were enabled to support its poor with a 4s. rate there was no inducement for them to increase the rates to 75., in order to obtain the trifling relief he bad some other electoral divi s i on . Now, 0 m mentioned from of opinion that it would be advisable to lay persons were the electoral division, which sh ou ld not y h t a h v e rate upon e raised a certain amount, but he was afraid if that were adopted, the result would nut be th a t which proposition anxious to arriva at. While some electoral divisionsymwierhet expend a sum beyond the rate of 75., there might h 3 other divisions where rates might be under 55., and yet be able to support their own pauperism by having re course to a rigid system of economy; and it ap. pearcd to him that it would be unfair to call upon that division to contribute towards the support of another that might not have been so careful in its expenditure. It seemed to him, however, that the guardians of the unions would have a certain controul over the expenditure of each electoral division ; and of course the guardians would take care that the expenditure was regulated by the strictest economy this proposal was widely different from a general rate in aid extending over the whole of the country, because in the case of a rate in aid there would be a difficulty in controling the expenditure, which could not be urged against this proposal, because the guardians of the different unions would find it to their interest to look sharply after the expenditure. The main objection to this proposal was, that the dis tress of late years had so crippled the resources of many unions, that s,-me of the electoral divisions were exceed ing a 7s. rate. The Ccmm;ttee, however, which had sat upon the subject had fourd that this objection applied only to the western divisions, and he thought it was much better to adopt this proposal than have recourse to unlimited rates in aid, ash gave security to the occupiers and owners of land that these rates should never go beyond a certain limit, and would have the effect of inducing many parties to expend their capital upon the land who were now deterred from doing so by the fear of excessive rates. He pro posed, further, that the Poor-law Commissioners should hare the power of settling and determining the past liabilities of certain electoral divisions, in contemplation of a new division of unions. Upon this part of the subject a report had been made by a commission appointed last year. It was, however, impossille to adopt alp the recommendations contained in that report, but he might state generally that he was dispesed to adopt the views contained in the report from time to time as the Poor Law Commissioners should think fit. At the same time he thought the question relating to the work• houses might de disposed of now, and as far as they were conceived he was prepared at once to adopt the opinion of the report, that it would not be safe to make a. further division of unions without accompanying such a measure with a proposal for increasing the number of workhouses.—(Hear, hear.) He proposed to introduce a clause, the effect of which he had alluded to on a for mer occasion, namely, that the owners of land should have power of deducting a portion of the rate on account of his rent charges.— (Hear, hear) He proposed to make an important alteration in the pro visions of the poor-law, with respect to the reduction which a tenant made in his rent for the purpose of paying the poor rate. He intended, for the fu:ure, that the tenant should have the power of deducting half the rate to which he was liable from the rent. He also proposed to introduce a provi sion with reference to the improvements which might be made upon the land—eiz , that in order to pre vent any disputes and litigation, a valuation should be made of the improvements, and that there should be no increased valuation for a period of seven years. It had been complained in petitions and memorials which had been presented to the House that there was great discou ragement given to the improvement of estates—that no sooner bad a landed proprietor improved the value of his property than the amount of rates which he had to pay was increased ; and he proposed that all claims in respect of them should be substan tiated by an action of debt, in which a judg ment, as in common law, might be obtained. Then with respect to the sale of land for the purpose of pay ing the arrears due for poor-rate, he found that there would be great difficulty in dealing with that subject, and as he wished to confine himself as much as possible to the amendment of the poor-law, he pro posed that on the nrn payment of the rates the lessor should have the power of ous ing the tenant. Ile did not think, however, there was any such extent of pauperism in Ireland us might not ho relieved by the rates as in ordinary years. He was surprised to find that the amount of able-bodied labourers who, with their families, received relief from the poor-law during the months of June and July last was not greater than in ordinary years. The number stated by the Poor-law Commissioners was 70,000. The Lum ber in England was much greater than in Ireland, being some 90,00; but at the same time there was not such a very great disproportion between the two. The question, after all, was whether, supposing that there was not every year a very great security ; it was possible for Ireland to go on supporting her poor by laws made as efficiently as possible for that purpose. So far from the country being pauperised by the poor-law, it was very much more likely to be much better cultivated if there was some security for the proper relief of the destitute poor. He begged leave to move to bring in the Bill. Mr, STAFFORD said the Noble L'>rd had stated that he believed, in ordinary years, as distinct from years of famine, rates could be levied amply sufficient to maintain the population of that country. The difference between those who had acted under the guidance of the Noble Lord, and those who had ventured, session after session, to recommend a different course of policy with regard to this difficult subject was thus, that they had over and over ;again called the attention of the House to the fact, that the famine in Ireland did not, as the Noble Lord still seemed to imagine, leave the country where it found it. The poor-law in Ireland, as at present constituted, had a ten dency to feed pauperism rather than the income of the country—and that he had urged over and over again, to the House, that owing to the inefficiency of the poor-law, thousands of lives had been and were sacrificed, still the operation of the poor-law left the proportion be tween pauperism and the population as wide as ever. Fe had to express his regret that the Government had de termined upon what he might call piece-meal legislation. The Noble Lerd bad s lid he was not prepared to ;;o into the question of the sale of land for the arrears of poor-rwes, but he must recollect that considerable dis cussion had already taken place upon that point.— (Lord John Russell appeared to dissent.) Well, then, he wished the Noble Lord would siate the nature of the measures which he intended to bring forward on this subjeci. He began by dealinte, with the most difficult question of all—the maximum rate. It was time; he did not say the Government was pledged to an irrevocable rate of ss. and That question he seemed to leave open fur discussion. But he did not say what was to be done in any electoral division where the rates exceeded From what fund was distress to be alleviated when that maximum had been reached. He ought to have ex plained from what source the funds were to come. It could not come from the rate in aid fund, since that would be sufficiently expended; it was difficult, there fore, to say from what course it would come, exert from the Imperial Treasury. But he omitted to mention another subject, which was mere important than eitther the 2s. or ss. rate. It was a matt er o f t h e greatest poss ib le importance, namely, whether a ss. rate was to be merely struck, or whether it was to be bona fide collected.— (Choers.) Let them have a 6d. rate, or of any other amount, but whatever was its amount let it be actually collected. [LEFT SPEAKING.] THE GAME LAWS. In addition to the heavy list of charges, which, as the farmer's friend, we have latterly had occasion to exhibit against a Lirge portion of the landed proprietary of this country, we Lave now to exhibit the mischiefs inflicted on the tenant-farmers exclusively, we might almost say universally, by the operation of the game. laws. We are aware that there are arm,ng landlords some, we hope many, honourable exeptions to that reckless, ruthless spirit of game preserving by which most of the rural gentry are infected. Whatever else of burdens may bo taken from the shoulders of the tenant•farmcr, either by landlords themselves cr the Lrgialature, we are fully persuaded that no such substantial relief will be afforded to him as shall enable him to suitain the severe competition to which he will henceforward find himself expmied, so long as this im pcdirm-nt to the spirited outlay of capital, and the earnest application of skilful industry, is allowed to re main in the active operation in which it now exists in manydivriets. _ It - is of no use for a nobleman or gentleman to say, ; " I make an abatement of rent to my tenantry suffi cient to cover the loss which they sustain by my game preserves." When these preserves—more especially of hares and rabbits—are allowed to swell out to the extent to which they are carried on numerous estates, we are fully persuaded that no such satisfactory abatement ever takes place—the tenants themselves being judges; and it is upon this judgment that everything in the question depends. We have, it is true, heard a tenant-farmer, when challenged in public by his landlord in reference to this subject, admit that he was satisfied by the abate ment of rent made to him for the damage done to his crops by the game on the estate ; but we never heard a farmer express his opinion on the subject in private, but that it drew from him the most bitter invectives against the landlord or his agents, fur making him, or allowing him to be made by others, the victim of such a degrading and ruinous system of spoliation • We say a degrading system—and we use the term advisedly— for we are certain that every intelligent, high-spirited agriculturist feels himself more degraded by the game laws than by any other circumstance connected with the tenure of his land. We just invite our readers, in order that they may the better be enabled to enter into the feelings of the farmer upon this subject, to accompany us into the lands of a personal friend of ours—an industrious, bard-working man, and, withal, as good a practical farmer as need to walk over the broad acres of Eng land. This person rents a farm of considerable ex tent in a certain division of this county. His landlord is a liberal Peer; but an inveterate, despotic, mercenary game preserver. Well, but to the farm: wherever you may go—whatever cropping you may inspect—there, we will engage for it, you shall encounter hares, not in units or tens merely, but by seores; and those in addition to a large amount of feathered game, both partridges and phea sants. Within the last fortnight, the occupier of this farm was induced one evening to visit a field of seeds, in order to ascertain whether they would bear stocking for a few weeks with about forty or fifty ewes and their lambs, when, to his extreme mortifwation, he found that the crop, so valuable to him at this season of the year, and more especially fur the purpose for which was then required, had been literally eaten eloie down by the hares, not fewer than eighty of those vermin being at the time of his visit engaged in quietly feeding upon them. Now, we ad:, was it in human nature that a man should feel other than at once indignant and degraded by such a circumstance as this. If there was a single prac:ice of bile or biqerners, in such a constitu tion, could the man do other than curse the selfish despotism which inflicted such a wrong upon him — was there a single spark of pride in his bosom, could he do other than feel the flush of shame upon his check, from the reflection that he was compelled to witness such a spoliation of his property, and yet dare not, through dread about adof h him movements, myrmidons watching his movements, perhaps through the apertures of half-a -,? u hito fray the vermin from their Upon this farm of about 4CO acres, and upon many others of a similar extent in this county, it has been e,timated that, at scaree'y any period of the year, is there fewer than five hundred head of four-footed game to be found, besides birds, and at particular seasons many more. Look at this picture again, gentle reader I Eighty old strop g hares feeding altege:her upon about twelve acres of cicrer seeds, and the tenant of this land—the man by whose sweat and toil, and the application of whose haro.- earned capital the crop has been raised, compelled to stand by and dare not so much as clap his hands—or fling up his hat—or give them an halloo, to drive them away, in order to make room for his ewes and lambs, without incurrine , his landlord's displeasure —or, may hap, subjecting himself to the costs of an infraction of the game-laws. 0 — Why—was there ever anything equal to this rural despotism, in a state of .ociety like ours, i❑ any country, or, at any period of the world's history ! And what adds to the enormity of the tyranny is, that, in numerous instances, as in the case under considtra- tion—the proprietor, after all, is not a man who takes pleasure in field-sports— one who has a peculiar taste for this description of butchery himself, and lives jollily and cheerfully among his tentntry—dispensing to those who have fed the animals the proceeds of his days of slaughter—but, one who, after having drawn from the occupiers of his lands the last shilling for their use, which aristocratical cupidity can extort from patient industry—either re-lets, as it were, the land to some amateur game-butcher ; or else, employs a little army of ignorant, and oftentimes brutal watchers and keepers under him to commit trespass upon his tenant's occupation and sell the game, fed at their ex• pense, in the public market of some m ighboui ing town for his own exclusive benefit; and these are theacts, for sooth, of farmers' friends! and it is to uphold, in all its odious integrity, a system like to this, that the cry for Protection to Native Industry' —or, in other words to enhance the price of bread by a penny a pound to the labouring population, by shutting out the competition of the foreign grower— is raised by the mass of landed proprietors, and their retainers in all parts of the country. But is it passible to suppose that such hollow pro fessions of friendship shall not be seen through—or such profligate invasions of the rights of property as are involved in game preserves, by those who are ostensibly the peculiar conservators of property, should be much longer tolerated in a nation where the bulk of the people possess such an innate love of justice—such a correct appreciation of the natural claims of industry as in this country ? Certainly not ! The day for the entire overthrow of this debating, de moralising system of feudal plundering of the cultivators of the soil may not have fully arrived—but it is on the way, and certainly near at hand. We will resume the consideration of this subject next week, when we will endeavour to piece the irjurious operation of these laws under another aspect to our readers.—Nottinghani Mercury. THE EMBEZZLEMENT at LEEDS. On Monday, Mr. Peter Mann, chief clerk of the Leeds Waterworks Company, was further examined before the sitting magistrates at the Court-house, Leeds, on a charge of having embezzled a sum of nearly 5,0001., the property of his employers, the Waterworks Company. The investigation, which was taken before Mr. Garbutt, Mr. Monkland, and other justices, occupied a considerable time, in consequence of the necessary reference to the books in which the ac counts of the company kept by the prisoner were entered, but the facts lay within a very narrow compass. Mr. N. Freston, a clerk iu the service of the company, produced a number of "rent cash-books," each being made fur a separate half-year, which purported to contain the parti culars of the various sums received on account of water rents by the collectors, and paid to the prisoner. The entries of these sums in the rent cash-books, as well as in the general cash book, into which the sums purporting to have been so received were, or should have been, correctly entered, were in the hand writing of the prisoner during the year 1847, but during the whole of that year the entries in the general cash book do nut correspond with the entries of the receipts from the collectors of the water rents. There is an entry of the accounts for the year 1847, having been audited by two directors on the 6th of May, 1848, but witness was not present. Tho " rent cash-books" were at hand for audit if they had been required, as well as the general cash-bcok. In 1848, during the ab sence of Mr. Mann, Mr. Preston was in the habit of receiving the rents from the collectors, and handing the cash-box and the key to Mr. Mann, on the follow ing morning, or the morning of the second day, but he made no entry in the " rent cash-book," leaving that to be done by the prisoner. The sums paid in by the collectors were entered in their collecting books by themselves or other clerks. During Mr. Mann's absence for three months of that year (1848) Mr. Preston received the rents from the collectors , and made payment thereof to the treasurers, Messrs. Beckett and Co. The accounts for 1848 have net yet been audited, in consequence of the Michaelmas survey of erniny pro. perty not having been completed, and other charges for water supplied under special circumstances, not having been adjusted. Mr. Robert Bird, who had been a col lector, of the company since February, 1816, states that his duty was to go to the cffice of the company every night, and there to enter the water rents he had collected during the day in a book called the collector's water rent book. When he had so entered them in detail, he had to make out an account on a piece of paper specifying each portion of the year to which the accounts received relan d, as sometimes there were arrears received. The accounts of water rents were formerly presented half yearly, but now quarterly. Mr. Mann signed a receipt in the book in red ink for the sums the c .11( ctors paid him, and it was his duty to enter those sums in the " rent cash-book." All the entries made by Mr. Mann in his presence were correctly made in the collector's water rent book; but sometimes it happened that Mr. Mann was not at the office in the evening, and then he left the money with another clerk, who locked it up in a cash box and gave it to Mr. Mann when he came, and wit ness frequently found when he went to the office next morning that Mr. Mann had correctly entered the money he bad left over night before his arrival. All t h e p a y. meats he made to Mr. Mann were in that manner cor rectly entered.—Mr. Richard Newton, another collector, gave similar evidence as to the course of business, and said that the prisoner bad always correctly receipted at the foot of the daily accounts the moneys he paid him or left for him.—Mr. Preston, on being recalled, said that for the last three or four years the arrears of rents re ceived are partly in the handwriting of other clerks, anti for the last three or four quarters the entries in the rent cash book are principally in the handwriting of other clerks —Mr. Mallinson, a ledger clerk in the bank of Messrs. Beckett and Co., the treasurers to the Water works Company, referred to a pass hook showing the account between the bank and the company from slyer . : l,he January 1, 1841, to December 31, 1847, an d a sub sequent book bringing down the acco unt to t h e present paid moneyin hwy., was generally el an ; o ti c in ca e s ' io T na h l e ly drawn out by cheques signed by di rectors, aid re cently they have been countersigned by the chief clerk. The first-mentioned pass book was signed at the red by - the three gentlemen who were auditors of the borough fund accounts in 1848, and dated October 18; there were also the initials of two of the directors.— Mr. J. R. Bywater said that he had been employed during the whole of last week in investi• gating the accounts of the Leeds Waterworks Corn. pany. He had looked into the rent c ish-boolts par tially, but more particularly into those from Feb. 28, 1847, to Dec. 31, 1847, and those from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 1848, and from the latter period to March 31, 1849. Witness produced an account which he had drawn out of the sums received by Mr. Mann from the col lectors, as shown by the rent cash-books, and also the amou nts paid by him to Messrs. B_ckett and Co., during the ten months from February 28, 1847, to December 31, 1847, which showed a balance against him during that period of 1,310/. lls. 5(1. The rent cash becks from which this account was made up, do not appear on the face of them to have been before the auditors, though there aas an audit of the accounts for that period, by the company's auditors on the 6th of May, 1948, and on the 18th of October by the auditors of the town council.' 'The general cash-book, which ap pears to have been before the auditors, agrees, so far as relates to the payments made by Mr. Mann to the treasurers during those ten months, with the pass ' book of Messrs. Beckett and Co. He was not able to mention any particular sum which Mr. Mann had received from the collectors, and had withheld, as he paid in several days' receipts at one time, or at least a sum on account of those receipts. The cash account for 1848 had not yet been balanced and cone. quently not audited ; but a " rest " was taken of the receipts to Dec. 31, 1848, and that showed that the prisoner bad paid to the trea surer 3,050/.45. ld. less than he appeared, by the rent cash .book kept by him, to have received from the collector during that year. In the three months ending 31st March, 1849, there was a similar deficiency of 342/. ls. 2(1., making an aggregate deficiency of 4,783/. 16s. Bd. As the witness was unable to state any particular sums which the prisoner had received and not paid over, the further examination was adjourned until Monday next, for that to be ascertained. GRAND MASONIC FESTIVAL.—Last evening the annual grand festival of the iSlasons of England took place at Freemasons' -hall, Great Queen street, to cele. brate the election of officers for the year ensuing. The Earl of Zetland, Most Worshipful Grand Master, pre sided, supported by Lord Suffield, R. Alston, Esq., W. F. Beadou, Esq., &c., who, with about 400 brothers, attired in full masonic costume, sat down to a most ex cellent repast. The hall was most appropriately deco rated, the centre ornament of the tables being the mag nificent solid silver temple, with candelabra of the weight of nearly 200 ounces, originally presented to the late Grand Master, his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, and since re-presented to the Grand Lodge by her Grace the Duchess of Inverness. The Right Hon. the Earl of Yarborough had ,been unanimously elected a Deputy. Grand Master. The evening was enlivened by vocal and instrumental music, under the direction of Mr. J. W. Hobbs, aided by the Misses Pyne, and Messrs. Francis, Genge, Young, and Lee. The Countess of Zetland and about 100 ladies were in the gallery. The festivities generally were of a highly satisfactory character, and did not conclude till a late hour. CLYDE, Aran. 24.—Arrd. Eliza Ann, Savannah; Rob the Ranter, Patk, Rouen. Sid. Queen, Calcutta ; Sprirghill, Quebec; MILFORD, APRIL 24.—Wind W.S.W.—Arrd. Gentoo, Moulmein. COWES, APRIL 25.—Wind S.W.—Arrd. Experiment, Alinger, Buenos Ai res; Julius New Orleans. POWEr, A PRIL 2-I.—Wind NI thick.—Arrd.Ana, Autzen, Valparaiso. OFF DOVER ; APRIL 25.—Ida, Halleghan, Rio Grande, for Gothenburg. BRISTOL, APRIL 23.—Wind N.E.— Arrd, Pomona WatkißS. Trinidad. EMILY SANDFORD. TO THE EDITOR OF SUN. n. ill b an act of justice On 3 our part to ad mi.; :he reply of a subsilibcr to the fund for Emily Sand ford to the animadversions on that suf,j , •et in your paper of the 23J. I shell consider the case on its own merits, setting aside the comparison with that of Eliza Chestney, as not a fair argument against the contribution fur Emily Sandford, I regret that this sub7cription was not prefaced by a full statement of the grounds on which it was raised ; for the destitution of its object was the weakest of them. The strongest was, that she had ‘• turned from the error of her ways." with feelings still manifestly ur.der the fluence of her tyrant. One who heard her evidence in court, and sympathised with a woman's h( art, perceived that htr totes became tremulous from tenderness in addresiing Rush. Was it less an effort to decree his doom because his guilt was of so deep a dye? No; the very fact of the peril in which he stocd, appealed more than all, to htr love. She could not so have acted from any motive but a revivt d sense of duty. llad she made use of certain cant phrases, she would have been placed in the favcured class of Magdalcus', anointing the Sa viour's feet—but, like Mary Magdalen she did, and said not. In conquering herself to bear witness to the truth, she gave you, Sir, a right which, accor,deg to the judge, you would not otherwise have hod, to stigmatize her as tne paramour of a murderer. For these reasons I ctfer her my steal , subscription, with more even of respect, than of pity—and I will here vdd to it my earnest wish, th,tt in her future retirement the mother's sins and sorrows may, through the Providence which is always bringing good out of evil, Ih-come bless - ings to the child by the lessons they will have left (n -gr tsen on her own mind. These are not the sentimentalities of youth ;'you may 10,,k upon them as the puurilities of one from whom youth has long passed away. I am, Sir, &e., AN OLD READER. ENGLAND AND IRELAND.— SIR ROBERT PEEL'S PLAN. No. I. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR,—The student of history grieves over the pre sent condition of Sicily, Egypt, and Barbary, once the granaries of the vast Roman empire; the partisan politician looks to the corn-covered plains of rambov and South Russia as the future granary of our teeming population, and he descants on the exchange of Manchester spring patterns and Spital fields silks with the Cossacks and Tartars of that region; or, if his predilections so lead him, over the number of acres of English wheat which are to be thrown out of cultivation by foreign corn. The granaries of the Romans were in their own keeping, ours are in the hands of the brutal Cossacks and jealous New Englanders, having in time of war the sea for our road, a rood which can only be kept open by fighting for its mastery, and which when gone over may lead to disappointment; beset by enemies on our way, we reach the corn stores to find them slut against us by the fear of a famine, or by political hatred. Free•traders and Protectionists look with like distrust on this possible contingency, and all that can be said to soothe us is, " Hope fur the best." These are days in which nothing can strike us with wonder; herds of crownless kings wander as beggars, the beggar and prisoner becomes a king; the golden sands of California have realised all the wealth and all the dangers that the ancients dreamed of in the Golden Fleece of Colchis. If, therefore, we were told of some new Sicily, we are ready to believe it. Suppose an island yielding fifteen or s'x teen millions quarters of grain, and which might be made to yield five and twenty millions. What if this island were lying at our doors ? What an extension of our political power, what a resource for our social wants ! Then all we want to fill up the measure of our national wealth would be given to us, and we must wait for years before our wants could press upon us to ask for more. What if this country were Ireland ? What if this country were Ireland —pair, beggared, starving Ireland ? And yet it is so. We have vast resources at our doors, and we neglect them. Ireland has a better soil than this island; and had our fathers, in their settlements among the Celts, chosen a field for husbandry instead of a Feat of empire, Ireland would have become the thriving English island, and this the abode of miserable, pauperized Celts, and e should have been told the poorness of the soil was the cause of misery, and not the poorness of soul of the people. From the soil of Ireland a husbandry, the more back ward be cause improvident, raises sixteen millions of quarters of grain. This is the field for Protectionists and Free-traders; yet such is the political incapacity of our Legislature, for so we fear we must term it, that not one measure is taken to make the resources of Ireland more available to us. Measures for the so called improvement of Ireland have, it is true, been carried train time to time, but w h en no t p o li t i ca l they have been expedients for perpetuating beggary by temporising with it. Seldom is it, however, that any measure other than political is attempted. In 1800 the Union was carried, in 1829 Roman Catholic Emancipation, in 1832 the Reform Bill, in 1838 the Poor-Law and the Tithe Commutation Act, in 1845 the Godless Colleges Act, while many political mea sures, as Coercion Acts for instance, have been only temporary in their operation. Of these measures the most important undoubtedly is the Poor-law Act, yet how little is it compared with what is to be done to stimulate improvement in Ireland. The railway and drainage Bills hove been only partial in their operation, and the poor-law is rather directed to pre vent starvation than to increase the resources of the population. Part of the mischief is to be traced to legislating for Ireland on what are called English principles, but in the greater part to legislating on no principle at all. in England it is of less importance to legislate for the promotion of the industry of the country, as the people are better able to take care of themselves than the Legislature is able to take care of them; hut in Ireland industry cannot be so left to itself. There every part of the social system is faulty, and works badly ; its constitution is so unhealthy that every scratch becomes a wound, and every sore a chronic cancer. A notice to quit figures as an ejectment and a clearance, and perhaps nothing is mere illustrative than this of the perverse condition of the country. It' in a country without charity and without resources an enemy's army laid waste a wide tract, burned the houses and carried off the crops, if, in fact, another nation of Palatines were cast adrift on the world, we could uaderstaud the tale of an Irish ejectment. Ejectments take place in London and throughout England, but no parish priest tells us of old men, bearing women and suck. ling children, turned into the road, making their homes, or rather their graves, in the ditches, and lying down to die. Our sentimentalists keep their high flown words and overdrawn tales for bone grinders in the workhouse and hard-hearted overseers without. With an open road to England, there can at the worst be no need for the homeless Irish to die in the ditches. Neither do they, though from a dishonest and idle likirg to keep anything that corms in their way, they cling to their holdings to the last, and when the landlord has long ceased to get any rent, and is tired of offering the abandonment of his claims, the unroofing of the hut becomes the only means of getting rid of the tenant. Every part of the social system is faulty, but no measures are carried for its remedy, not for want of good ones, as many are proposed by practical men, and the question is seldom as to their efficiency, but as to which is the best. Under such circumstances, though it is necessary that a well combined course of legislative measures should be carried out, it is not necessary to discuss them here, for they would take too many words and it will be enough to take up those measures which are the immediate subject of this letter. The object of any measures in reference to the agriculture of Ireland may be twofold, first, in re ference to Ireland, and next to England. On other questions the connexion of the interests of the two islands may not be so readily seen, but on that of agri culture the connexion is so close, that if the lot of the sister island lay in our hands alone, if we were indeed the Saxon taskmasters the Irish tell us we are, and not helpmates and brethren, sel fishness would be enough to spur us on to do a ll we could for her. By whatever measure the agriculture of Ireland has been bettered, by so much has our share in her exports been increased. Adam Smith, writing in 1776, only seventy years ago, doubted (" Wealth of Nations," Book iv., chap. 2), whether Irish cattle could be imported to any great extent, and lie gives many reasons for it, whereas we now know, that through Glasgow, Fleetwood,., Liverpool, and Bristol, we get large supplies; through Liver pool alone to the value of 3,000,0001. yearly, of Irish cattle. Of corn the import here has grown from a trifle, to more than the average of our foreign imports. In 1804 the import of Irish grain into England was 316,958 quarters ; in 1816, 821,192 quarters; in 1821, 1,822,816 quarters; in 1828, 2,r26,135 quarters; in 1836, 2,929,322 quar ters; in 1840, 2,324,204 quarters ; and io 1844, 3,251,901 quarters. Thus the quantity of grain ex ported from Ireland has grown eight or tenfold. It is of no use to say that this is a further proof of the evils of absenteeism ; and of the growing misery of Ireland. The number of absentee landlords would not be so much greater in 1844 and 1849 than in 1804 and 1816. It would not he tenfold. If anything, absenteeism has of late years lessened in Ireland, end the strong expression of public opinion here has tended materially to oheck it. Indeed, 'what can be so utterly foolish as to put down to ab senteeism the increasing exports of Irish food, and to lose sight of the growing imports into Ireland of English coals, iron, clothes, and other manufactures. Above a million tons of coals are yearly taken from this country to Ireland, yielding greatly to the comforts of the people. A s too the husbandry of Ircland • has improved, so has the demand for Lng. lish implements increased. As the condition of the people has improved, so has the consumption v . } English goods been extended. Therefore the in creased agricultural exports of Ireland are a true measure of the increased advantages to the peoide of both countries, nay, further, are they the most truthful reisens for promoting the agriculture of Ireland. The average yearly consumption of foreign corn in these islands, from 1842 to 1846, was 3,000,000 quar ters, which is fur beneath the average of the exports from Ireland. It is true in 1847 the imports from abroad were 9,437,034 quarters, but that was the year of the great dearth. In every year, therefore, our great resource for corn is from Ireland. Taking our yearly consumption of foreign corn at two millions, or even three millions of quarters, it is worth asking whether the bounds of production have being already reached in Ireland, or whether it is still possible to extend production there, so as to get a fur her surplus of three million quarters. If that can be done, the solution of the corn-law difficulty has been reached, so far as touches provision for the chances of war. No one will think that the bounds of production have been reached, and the quektion can only be as to the three million quarters. The yield of grain in Ireland was in 1847 reckoned by the Government authorities at sixteen million quarters. The whole surface of Ireland is 20,808,271 acres, of which, i❑ 1847, 5,000,000 acres, or one quarter only, under crop, and of this two-thirds under corn-crops, and the rest under crops of potatoes, turnips, beans, flax, clover, grass seeds, &c. The live stock of Ireland in 1847 is likewise worth referring to, as a proof of the growth of prosperity even in a year of difficulty, as compared with 1841:- 1841. 1847. Increase. Horses 552,569 ... 557,917 ... 5,348 - Asses Cattle Sheep S n ine _— Poultry The tvi - 'o latter heads show a falling off of 730,642 swine and 6,643,372 poultry, which, however great in themselves, are of little agricultural importance, and by this time have been nearly made up. There is, how ever, a great increase in horned stock, showing that the manure of 750,590 more beasts is available for corn crops. _ _ The ways of getting a greater quantity of corn from Ireland are threefold ; first, by saving on the present crop ; next, by a greater yield from the land now sown ; third, by bringing more land under crop. The crop is now, it is true, sixteen million quar ters, but it is badly gathered and badly threshed, the threshing machine not being fully used in Ireland. Little care is shown in sowing the crops, so that, ao far from the best way of sowing the seed being followed, much corn is wasted. A saving of five per cent. under these heads would give yearly, say, eight hun dred thousand quarters more, or nearly as much as the foreign corn taken into consumption in 1844 (982,287 quarters). The crop not being carefully grown, the corn is not so good in weight and quality as it might be. That a greater yield can be got from the ground now sown, all will say who know how badly the land in Ireland is drained, and how much it wants the help of lime and other manures. A better husbandry under these heads would, perhaps, of itself give the whole quantity of corn wanted. There is, however, much more land which can yet be brought under crop. Of 20,808,271 acres in Ireland 13,464,300 were in 1841 reckoned as tillable, being either then tilled, or in meadow or pasture ; 6,295,735 acres were untilled and waste, and 1,048,236 acres were in woodland, covered with towns and buildings, or under water. Of the wastes 4,600 000 acres are reclaimable. The hills of Ire land, it must be remembered, do not rise much above 3,000 feet high, and, instead of being bare like those of Scotland and Wales, can commonly be ploughed to their tops. Twelve hundred thousand acres more under crop in Ireland will give three millions of quarters of grain yearly, and this does not touch the ques tion of what are the ultimate resources of Ireland. The whole average under tillage in New South \Vales is only 163,331 acres, and yet it ships corn. Here, again, we may turn back and ask what be yond the drainage loans has been done to make the agricultural resources of Ireland available to herself, and England, and the answer must be "nothing." There is enough to be done and many ways of doing it. Sir Robert Peel's plan is one way, but whatever is tried, it must not he paltry, partial, tin kering, and Whiggish, but must be on some great scale. We may try as many plans as we like, but each must be great and comprehensive in itself. No totality of tinkering jobs will constitute a satisfactory aggregate. — The — plan about to be proposed complies with the required conditions, while it does not claim to be a panacea, nor to hinder other plans from being car ried out at the same time ; indeed, the more the better will he the success of each. If railways are promoted, so much the more successful will be an) outlay for drainage. If a settlement of Connaught is to be made, so much the better for raik ays and drainage, but there must be enough of each. We must not make a plantation in the far west of Con- naught, drain a bog in Munster, make a canal in Leinster, and open a railway in Uls!er, and sit down contented. The plantation must have draining, roads, canals, and railways ; the lines of conveyance must have traffic. Sir R. Peel's plan undoubtedly touches a great but the machinery of a government commission can never carry out the detail ; the evil remains to be dealt with. The complication of interests and titles in land constitutes, it must be owned, a monstrous difficulty in the way of agricultural improvement in Ireland, but no adequate means of remedying it have been pro vided by the Legislature. Their acts fail in this; they are permissive, they give the power to sell, but do not provide the buyers; they send an article into the market, no doubt, but not in a marketable con- dition. Not only must the title be cleared, but the land must be drained, farm-buildings be put up, and a good tenantry be found, It is of no use to bring land into the market to the present class of buyers ; they are overdone, they have not the means of doing what is wanted, other classes of buyers are to be sought, and their requirements must be complied with. Those Irish capitalists who now invest in mortgages, stock, and shares, those English capitalists vat) bold Irish mortgages, those English egricul. turists who seek a wider field of enterprise, are the classes who must be catered fur. 'this must be done in the way pointed out, and on a large scale ; Go vernment cannot do it, single capitalists cannot cope with it, and a great corportion only seems available. This latter resource des not seem to have come under inquiry ; but it is worthy of it, and seems that which has the best sanction from ex perience, and the best working powers. Sir Robert Peel ha=, indeed, made ready the way for it, fur the experience he has invoked is that im• rnediately applicable to a corporation. The Govern ment of James did little directly for the plan tations of Ulster, neither was individual en terprise alone effective ; companies of undertakers were formed, and all the corporations of England were invited to take part in the enterprise. The Merchant Adventurers, the East India Company, the Russia Company had barely capital enough for their own purposes, there was no Bank of England, but the great monetary corporations of the day were appealed to. Not only was this appeal directed to the Corporation of London, but to the several City com panies, from the rich Goldsmiths, the bankers of the day, to the wardens of the poorest mystery. In that time were obtained the large estates of the Irish cor poration, of the Drapers' Company, and others. This worked well enough then, and why not now that we are better acquainted with such transactions and have all the appliances? How easy would it be to get together a corpora tion for the purchase and sale of lands in Ireland, not a Waste Land Improvement Company, but a buying and selling corporation. Companies for the improvement of waste land in Ireland do not so readily invite capital, because the operation of re covering waste land requires many years, whereas dealing in land gives a quicker return, is more suitable to the capitalists, and has the advantage of being more easily kept under control by the Legisla ture. Corporations for the improvement of waste land must be perpetual, but a land-selling corporation may be limited at the discretion of the Legislature, as are the Banks of England and Ireland, and the East India Company. This Irish Land Corporation should have power to purchase lands sold by Chancery, or sold for rates, &c., and to purchase by consent waste lands, or lands requiring heavy drainage, &c. The Corporation to provide the lands with buildings, drains, fences, &c. ; to let them and to sell them. The mode of carrying this out shall be shown in another letter; mean 5% bile it may be said that this measure w,uld give the best direction to the resources of Ireland, and would be a great boon to resident Irish landlords, as well as to the working classes, for the new farms would want bricks, stone, lime, s an d, manure, stock, machines, &c. The amount of food would be increased, the national wealth placed on a sounder basis, the rich and the poor of both iflands would benefit, while the common revenues would be improved. To du this, however, the operations must be directed, first, to meet the wants of the present generation, and then to provide resources for after ages. HUMPHREY BROWN. Tewkesbury, April 20, 1849• PLY MOUTH, APRIL 25.—Wind S.W.—Arrd. 24th, Arco, Clark, Gua)ilquil, for HaiLbur t ;li; Princess Alice, Hunter, Rio Online, Irvin Bristol, Sld. 25th, New Liverpool, Port NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PC ATM OUTII, TUESDA Y. —A Board of Admiralty, consisting•of Captain.the lion. M. F. F. Berkeley, C.B. M.P.; Captain Alexander Milne, R.N.; Captain Sir Baldwin Walker, K,C.8., Surveyor of the Navy; and Mr. Isaac Watts, Assistant Surveyor, arrived et this port at 11 this morning, and wt r, rt eeived at Gosport station by Flag-Lieutenant Cochran, who conducted them to the Commander-in Chief, in whose barge they crossed the harbour, and commerced their inspection, first going on board the Arrogant, 46, Captain Fitzroy; thence visiting the Plumper screw-schooner, Commandtc Nolloth; and the Reynard schooner, Commander Cra croft, respecting whose armament the visit was nrinci pally occasioned. A long examination of several of the superior officers of the two latter vessels as to their opinion of their various qualities ensued, but - as each person was'exernined privately in the captain's cabin, we are not in possession of what took place. The Board afterwards visited the Blenheim, 56, Captain Austin, C.B. In all ships the guns cccupied much at-. tention, bating been worked for the pirpose of ascer taining if their was suffieent rw)m to tight them. The haretw cks were also hung up to see it sufficient accom modation for the crew existed. After a cursory inspec ►ion of one or tit o other objects in the dockyard, end a conference with the principal officers, the Board returned to town. A board of sciectific officers, consisting of Me. Mur ray, superintendent engineer of this dockyard ; Mr. Dinnen, inspector of machinery, of SAtieriet-house, late of the St. Vincent; and Mr. 13.1ter, inspector of machinery, of the itoyat yacht, is ordertd to survey and report upon the state of the engines of the Sidon steam frigate. );VEDNESDAY.—A most ay' ful accident happened yes terday alernoon in this dockyard, which is expected to terminate fatally to one or more persons. As a gang of men were employed on the new dock, building by Mr. lirsmble, at the north corner of the yard, in working the " traveller" of the tramway, supported on piles for rais ing and lowering stones into the basis of the fabric from a lighter moored alongside, the gear broke, and the traveller" went over the rails into the lighter, and most seriously injured two men in the vessel, and dragged several others from the scaffolding support ing the tramway. Some fell into the vessel, and others into the water. Six men were maimed, three of them dangerously. Three of the most seri ously injured were conveyed to the Portsmouth, Portsca, Red Gosport Hospital. One man, " c hose leg was so severely injured and lacerated ( a bolt having stuck into his thigh four inches deep) that the only chance of saving his life was by removing the limb above the joint, had that oper a ti on most skilfully per formed by Dr. E. J. Scott last ni g ht b y gas li ght ; hopes, however, are entertained of his recovery. Another man had both legs broken—one in three places ; it is much felreci he must lose it, but he is not in a state at present to undergo the operation. The third is seriously injured in the chest and head. The greatest attention was promptly afforded by the Excellent gunnery. ship, and the poor sufferers were taken to the hospital u pon the shoulders and in the arms of the crew of that ship, which is moored adjacent to the spot where the accident occurred. The medical officers of the Excellent were the first in attendance, and accompanied the sufferers to the hospital. The less injured were conveyed to the medical department of the dockyard, where they received the promptest attention from the officers of the establish ment. The cases of these poor men illustrate in a most striking light the value of such a benevolent institution as the Portsmouth Hospital. The poor fellows were not admissible into the Naval Hospital, and but for the este-. blishment of the former, would have had no place of re ception where their cases could have been done justice to nearer than Winchester. The Favourite, 14, Commander Murray, arrived this morning from the coast of Africa. She left Sierra Leone on the 21st of February, Goree ' 26th of March. No news or specie. Ilas sa il e d for Devonport to be paid off._ The Vixen stemn-sloop, Commander Jenner, was at Bermuda on the Bth instant, to leave for Halifax the next week. The Sappho, 16, Commander Michell, put in at Xs deira on the 201 h ult., having encountered a gale of wind off the Western Islands. The sea ran so heavy she worked considerably, and the rigging all being new, settled down at the roast heads, and gate out. The lower masts and bowsprit were nearly going by the board. Having secured her masts, abe put to sea in 2 4 hours afterwards for Bermuda. The Captain and officers of the 'Dutch corvette Atn" phitrite were cnartained this evening on board the fhig: ship Victory by Captain Blackwood and tho officers of that ship. Comiiander Lord Amelius Benuclerk, of the Strop' bolt, has leave of absence, to visit the Duke of St. At!' ban's, who is very ill from the effects of a fall from bill horse lately while hunting. Wind— W.S.W., mcdcrato breezes; and fine weather. RAILWA Y SHARE MARKETS. BRISTOL, Aran. 25. STocx EXCHANGE.—The Share Market continues very depressed , the dealings being principally confined to the Old t harem of the Mid land Company, which cloned at 74%. LI VERPOOL, APRIL 25. STOCK Exert...l.:oz.—The share market opened with a better feeling( to-day, and a fair business was done, but afterwards became dam , and closed heavily. The sales are—Caledonian, Preference, 11% -- East Lancashire, Preference, Q,arters, 7% Lancashire and York shire, Fifths, 4 die.—Ditto, Halves (L. and B.), 1214 dis.—Lorded and North-Western, New Quarters, 4c. p.--31anchester, She' fleld, and Lincolnshire, 86—LItto, Eighths, 4% —Ditto, Freferenee , le% c.—Ditto (treat GrAnsby and Shellield), 30 dis. —Midland, 74-- Ditto, Halves, 3s. 9d. dis..—Shrewsbury and Chester (Oswestry and Chester), 54 dis.—ScAtish Central, 24 IA —York, .Newcastle, and Berwick (Original Newcastle and Berwick), G. N. E., 6 per cent till 1850, IN, dis.—ltitto, 1% (Bs. MANCIIESTEIi, APRIL 25. STOCK EXCLIANGE.—The sales are-1,111(7 , th' Union, 2% dis. — Dovur (N 0.4), 7 dis.—;•.;lieflicid and Lincoln, 4 11-16 dis.—Leeds,rr?; fercnce, —Sheffield (No. 2), 9—Old Doyens, 22N—Leeds, 2 4 . Shares, 8 y.j. PIRMINGHAM, A PAIL 25. STOCK EXCHANGE. to-day's transactions Birmingham tat Stour Valley, 111. 3s. 9d. dis.—Shrop,hire 1: 1,1°11 ' dis.- South Staffordshire, 71. Gs. 3d. iris. YORK, Aram 24. STOCK EXCHANGE —Tie bUSilie, a transacted to-day was as fol" lows :—Grettt North, rn, II York, Newcastle, and Berwick (Ne ll. ; castle Extension), IC %—Ditto (G. N. E. Pur c h ase ) , 6 i— Tor k g" North Midland, Preference, s GLASGOW, APRIL 24. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The business done 111 the Stock Exchange to day has been as follows : —Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle, 4 1 . —Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr, 5 7—Ditto, Halves (No. 1), ° • 17s. —Ditto (No. 2), 61. 175. Scottish Central, 23%—York, Nei" castle, and Berwick (G. N. It. Purchase or Preference), 6%. MELANCHOLY DEATH.—On Monday erening 91 1 inquest was held at the White Horse, Strand, on .Lien; tenant-Colonel T. Suteliffo, aged 59, late of the Royal Horse Gnarls Lluc. Mr. W. Knight, of 357, Strands stated that the deceased had resided in his house for the last three years. He had held a commission in the Royal Horse Guards, was with his regiment at Watt rloo, left ler dead on the battle, field. Since then he 11 " d been in the army of Columbia, South America, and thee i'orfeited his half-pay from the liritish Government' Rvturnisg to this country with but very slender mean! , he endeavoured to improve them by literary pursuits, his last work, which he completed only a short time ago, Le' lug " A Chronological Record of the Trade, Commerce , Resources, Expenditure, and Progressive Improvement in the Textile Manufactures of Great Britain and Ireland!, from the eorliest period t o th e present t i me. " He fin i s hed his book by the opening .of the present session of rer lilment, and, being then without the means of publish' ing it, wrote to Lord John Russell, with whom he had had some previous acqustintance, to assist him in putting the work to pass, lie w as a t t hi s t i me utterly w ithout money, and all his hopes were built on the success of W. application, but his Lordship's reply was unsatisfactory Ile mid depended entirely on the proceeds of his book to pay witness what h e owe d him for his support during three years, and th e f a il ure of h i s attempt caused him t reat sorrow. Deceased had lately been in good health , with the exception of a slight cold; and on Sunda,' witness was much surprised to find him dead in bed. Mr. Lane, surgeon, said he had made a post mortem CJ urination, and found the cause of death to be suffocation irom ossification of the heart. Verdict, Natu ral death." [ADVERTISEMENT.] —CONSUMPTI ON , BRONCHIAL' ASTHMA, INFLUENZA, &C.—Tlie following cases of the severest forms of disease are selected from the clinical report published by Dr. Cronin:—Mrs. Osborne, 8, Olt" ford-street; Mr. Morley, Messrs. Croncock and Co-, BoR Churchyard; iklnjor Lynch (late 14th Foot), 7, W"" . land-place, St. John's Wood; Mr. Bryant, 7, Paddirigi con-street Marylebune; Mad e m o i se ll e Duprez, Royal Academy of Music; Miss Erwood, 72, New Bond-street; Hiss Robb, at the Baroness Bassett's, Tehidy Park, near Truro, Cornwa!l; Mrs. Thurrnott, 29, Bedford-street - Covent Garden; Mrs. Williams, Portobello Arnig , Kentish New Town; —, 14, Leicester-place, Leicester , square. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—TO Persons Paralyzed, SO' Extraordinary Cure by Holloway's Ointment and Pill s * —Copy of a letter from Captain E. F. Ferris, corn' manding Rampore Forces, Rohticund, India, J anuar y 15' 1549. To Professor Holloway ' Sir,—l deem th a t you . ; wonderful Medicines ought to be made w e ll k nown , an .take the liberty of reporting a miraculous cure under my own e3e. An old woman had been for this last two years quite bed ridden, having entirely lost the use of her legs from the hip joint. Her limbs were aP" parently quite dead, and without the slightest feeling, but bf the use of your O intment and Pills, she i s qu i te res tored. Signed, E. F. Ferris. Sold by all Vendors of Medicine, an d at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Sttand, London. BIRTHS. On the 20th inst., in Eaton-square, the wife of Edwar d Divett, Esq., M. Y. ( a son. On the 2'd inst., tiling William -street, City, the wife of R E. Morrice, Esq., of a son, stillborn. On the 23d inst., at Eccleston-street, Chester-square, O. lady of Captain J, W. Montagu, R N., of a daughter. On the kid inst., at Lonsdale-square, Mrs. Joseph B. Mor rison, of a son. On the 24th inst„ at Oakley-square, the wife of B. S• Gaden, Esq , of a son. MARRIED. On the 2 th inst., at St. Mary Ahhotts, K ens i ng ton, Colonel G. E. P ra tt B ar l ow , o f L eonard-place, to Eliza b e th ThLophilia, eldest daughter of R. Clarke, & . q., of Kensing ton-square. DIED. On the 19th inst., aged 48, the Rev. Thomas Littlel33les, rector of Sheering, Essex. On t ti Ist inst., aged 87, Msjor Wathen, Military Knig ht of Windsor. On the 22d inst., Lieutenant W. A. Usher, R.N., of Sea. ham-harbour. On the 22d int., at the Rectory, Handsworth, Stair"-1 - shire, Marianne Catharine, second daughter of the Rev. W. Murray. On the 23d inst., Mr. Thomas Rood, bookseller, Gre at Newport street, Long-ac; e, aged 53. On the 2:ld inst., Mr. William Chase, Stamford-street. On the 23d inst., in Baker-street, the wife of .Jol' u Goldie, On the 2 , d inst., W. Warden, M.D., Surgeon of her Ma jesty's Dockyard, Chatham, aged 72. London Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, 2f , O. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No, 11 1 Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county of ulidtUeae t, Thuraty, April 26, 1819,