The Sun. — London, England, 1849-02-21 00:00:00

FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE OF TUESDAY. CROWN-OFFICE, FEB. 20, 1849. XEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THIS PRESENT PAR- LIAMENT. County of Stafford (Southern Division) —William Walter Legge, commonly called Viscount Lewisham, in the room of Henry John Talbot, commonly called Vis count Inge3tre, now Earl Talbot, called up to the House of Peers. DECLARATION OF INSOLVENCY. John Baker, victualler, Wollaston, Worcestershire. BANKRUPTCY SUPERSEDED. George Braund, jun., land surveyor, Exeter. BANKRUPTS. Thomas John Colson and William Manners Colson, bricklayers, Upper Holloway, to surrender March 1 and April 13, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official assignee, Basinghall-street; Field, Ifinchley. Charles Sneezum, grocer, 'Woodbridge, Suffolk, March 2 and April 3, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Stansfeld, official assignee; Buchanan, Basinghall , street. Robert Goring, butcher, Brentford, March 2 and April 3, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Pennell, official assignee ; Smith, Barnard's lon, Holborn. Henry Hix Ulph, cattle salesman, West Ham, Essex, March 3 and 30, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Green, official assignee, Guildhall-chambers, Basinghall street ; Taylor, New Broad-street. Edward Burley Clayton, dentist, Argyle-place, Regent street, March 1, at half-past eleven, and April 5, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Bell, official as signee, Colemaa-street-buildings ; Goren, South Moul ton-street.' James Robinson, grocer, Slough, March 2 and 30, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Edwards, official as • aignee, Frederick's-place, Old Jewry; Linklater, Char lotte-row, Mansion-house. George Maddock, grocer, Burslem, Staffordshire, March 20 and 27, at twelve, at the Birmingham District Court. Whitmore, official assignee, Birmingham; Wal ston, Furnival's Inn; Bishop and Twigg, Butteries. Wiliam East Holmes, coachmaker, Lichfield, Staffordshire, March 13 and April 10, at ten, at the Birmingham District Court. Valpy, official assignee, rirmingham; Warren, Chancery-lane; Spencer and Rollings, Birmingham. John Dickinson Harper, woollen draper, Derby, March 9 and April 13, at eleven, at the Birmingham District Court. Bittleston, official assignee, Notting ham ; Teague, Crown-court, Cheapside ; Motteram, Knight, and Emmett, Birmingham. John Mallett, grocer, Tiverton, Devonshire, Feb. 28 and March 28, at eleven, at the Exeter District Court. Hernaman, official assignee, Exeter; Forwood, Tiverton; Turner, Exeter; Johnson, Son, and Weatherall, Teaiple. Abraham James Crowther, draper, Church Garforth, Yorkshire, March 6 and 26, at half-past eleven, at the Leeds District Court. Hope, officicial assignee, Leeds; Sudlow and Co., Chancery-lane; Naylor, Leeds. Henry Kenward, tailor, Moreton-in-Marsh, Glouces tershire, March 6, and April 13, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. Hutton, official assignee, Bristol; Tilsley, Moreton; Sharp, Field, and Co., Bedford-row. John Hitchea, builder, Beeston, Cheshire, March 2 and April 3, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Bird, official assignee, Liverpool ; Bower and Son, Chancery-lane ; Bunting, Manchester ; Fletcher and Hull, Liverpool. Joseph Clegg, licensed victualler. Manchester, March 13 and 28, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court. - You, official assignee, 1 1 .1anchester; Gregory, Faulkner, Gregory, and Skirrow, Bedford-row; Clay and Welsh, Manchester. David Evans, jun., coach builder, Liverpool, March 1 and 26, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Caaenove, official assignee, Liverpool; Gregory and Co., Bedford-row; Frodsham, Liverpool. (Dividends, &c., in our next.) MARKET INTELLIGENCE. (From the London New Price Current of Feb. 20.) SUGAR. —To-day proceedings in the Raw Sugar mar ket were of a favourable nature, and for Colonial there were not seller,s gdtnerally excepting at former terms,:al though the quantity offered at public sale continues to be large. The upward tendency in the value of Fo reign is still observable. The business concluded in the West India market was at former quotations for both grocery and refined kinds, and the quantity sold amounted to 550 hogsheads, &c. including 147 hhds Barbadoes at public sale, which went at full terms, and rather above for the best sorts; fine yellow realised 41s to 41s 61, middling and good 38s to 40s 61, low 37s to 37s 6d. Of St. Lucia 199 hhds 1 barrel, a part only found buyers, in consequence of holders asking stiff rates; ordinary yellow realised 36s 6d to 375, very ordinary brown 345, ordinary 34s 6d to 355, middling and good 35s 6d to 365, low grey 35s 6d to 363. REFINED.—TO-day refined goods met with an active demand for home trade purposes, and prices ruled firm at 48s 6d to 49s for brown, and at 49s 6d to 50s for Standard Lumps. Bonded Crushed Sugars are wanted, and realised 29s to 31s per cwt. MAURITIUS.—This afternoon there were fire public sales of Mauritius Sugar, comprising 10,645 bags, mostly of superior quality. The biddiogs were less spirited, yet nearly the whole sold, and at prices that averaged those of the sales on Friday. Good to fine yellow went at 38s to 425, ord and mid 36s to 38s, good to fine brown 345 to 35s 6d, mid 33s to 33s 6d, low to fine grey 35s to 40s, syrupy and washed 32s to 39s per cwt. EAST INDIA.—This afternoon Bengal Sugar met with ready purchasers, and at public sale 6,649 bags all sold, generally at former rates; Madras is less wanted, and 5,608 bags at public sale only in part sold rather under the rates privately—very low dark went at 28s to 295, ordinary to fine brown, 29s 61 to ns, yellow, 32i to 345, arid grocery, 35s to 38s per cwt. FOREIGN.—The private sales in Foreign Sugar here yesterday were 4,000 chests good yellow Havannah at 22s to 235, two cargoes of brown Bahia at 19s to 20s, a large parcel of brown Cuba Muscovado at 18s 3d, and some parcels of Maceio, the particulars of which were not allowed to transpire. To-day there was no private sale, and privately much inquiry existed at former rates, but at which there are few sellers. MOLASSEB.—Prices are well supported for West India, and deliveries continue to exceed arrivals ; at present, however, there are not many buyers. The value of low to fine quality is from 17s to 20s per cwt. East India 'reacle 15s 6d to 16a per cwt. Cocos.—Trinidad red 40s to 465, grey 383 to 435, Grenada and St. Lucia from 37s to 42s per cwt. Foreign is held with firmness, Brazil at 26; to 275, and Guaya quil at 26s to 26s 6d; few sales, however, have taken place. COPBEE.—To-day holders of Coffee displayed much firmness, and refrained from offering any at public sale. Exporters were desirous to do business in all sorts of Foreign, and otTered full rates ; there are, however, still few sellers. Of Singapore Java 1,700 bags were disposed of at 32s fo'r good ordinary. Home trade sorts met with more attention, and good ordinary Native Ceylon realised 34s 6d to 35s per cwt. On Thursday 360 bales of `S oche, 1,200 bags Ceylon; on Friday 490 bags Mar . illa, 1,896 bags East India, and 300 bags Plantation Ceylon Coffee will be offered for public competition. TEA.—Prices cannot be quoted higher for black, still holders manifest firmness, and purchases to a fair extent have been made. It is difficult to obtain sound common clean Congou under 81d per lb. Green met with only a limited demand, yet former rates are generally sup ported; the amount on offer is, however, larger. For scented and black leaf Teas former rates are sustained; a fair business has been concluded. To-day the market was quiet for Tea, prices showing little variation. The public sales declared comprise 30,000 packages. RlCE.—There continues to be much demand for Cleaned and prices rule firm; town dressed Carolina at 22s to 275, low to fine Patna 13s to 17s, and American cleaned 19s to 20s. There are Ilse, several orders to be executed. East India 'Pet with little attention for home use or exportation, r-Ithongh sellers are ready to accept former low rates. •5.t auction 2,000 bags were nearly all taken in at 9s 6d for_ a broken white Bengal, and at 9s to 9s 6d for Java. _go is not much wanted. At auction 167 bags of corn rnn 'lusty Borneo went at 13s 6d to 15s. Sago Flour to l l6 g s r 6 e t o r request, and at auction 235 ba g s realised 16s looks firm. fo r goy], Fa r i na a t 14 s to 15s, and the market Tapioca 4d to 7d per lb. CG'FRINEA I. —This afternoon less demand existed for Cochineal, still former r offered at publi c sale, theatLsisterfe supported. Of 90 bags duras silvers 4s t o 4s 3d for p i a d r d t li was taken in—Hon ta 4s 8d to 5s 2d, Mexi can 4s 2d to 4s 4d , and good, Black silvers 3s 9d, and Teneritfi. silvery black 4s ld to 4s 4d SPIRITS. - -There has been a good l!Druesinibes.scoTnuceludded in East India Rum, and the sal es since last y are 500 puns, &c., at is 3d to Is 31,1 per gallo n proof; sa ihese are not better prices. Leeward Island is held for is 4rl to is 41c1; the sales made have been small. F or De',nerara the market is quiet, and prices are drooping: they rule at 2s to 2s 2d for 28 per cent. to 34 per vent. over proof, and at 2s 3d to 2s 5d for 35 to 40 over. Fine Jamaica is in scanty supply and continu, to be much inquired after; there are a few purchasers of inferior, and former rates are not to be obtained, as the supply is extensive. The value of plain and mid quality 28 to 32 per cent over proof, is from 2s 93 to 34 Id; better 3s 2d to'3s 3d; good, 33 to 36 over, 3s 4d to as 8d; fine and choic; marks 3s 9d to 4s 10d. The value be Rum is Is 2id to is 3d, and few buyers are to met with. Brandy continues in good demand at fully former terms; Cognac best brands of the vintage of 1847 realised 3s 6d. SALTPETRE. —To-day there was not more desire evinced to do business in rough. At auction 536 bags of Madras sold at 25s 6d to 26s for good strong grey per cent, refraction, and 605 bags Calcutta at 26s to 26s 6d for good mid and good 71 to 61 per cent.; these are lower rates. SPICES.—There is less demand for Pimento, and former rates are not supported by ki per lb. At auc tion 250 bags were all sold at aid to 3-ad for good mid and go'bd quality. Black Pepper is held with firmness at fu'tly former rates. At auction 278 bags of Be tlif4 were sold at, 2id to 2-ad for good clean Zrat black, and at 21d to 2-ad for damaged -' i bundles 1,030 robins Malabar, good grey 2id to .2. 1} 9 , and damaged 2ad. For better kinds the rates paid Privately are 24d to 3id. White is in greater demand, and prices tend upwards:Mt auction 21 bags went at 4d to 40 for mid. I n the private market better sorts the au ppl realise front 5 d to 93 per lb ; o f fi ne C or i an d er y is vet !mall. L ong Pepper from 10 cases of 163 to 18s, and - Pod 303 t o 50s - per cwt. Cloves Penang at auction realised Is 4d for good bright, Is 81 for fine, and partly mouldy Is 3d. By pri vate treaty Bourbon and Zanzibar realise rd to 71d, and fol- Amboyna 8d to Is. Mace is in much better rc tinear and realised an advance of 2d p er lb . At auction 39 'cases of Penang went readily; good at 2 s 5d to 237 d, r o er r aorta, whereas inferio for m er told 2s Id to 2s 4d. .Brown Nutmeg s met with in treased attention, and prices have advanced 2df or au ' mid realised fully f terms. The quantity offered at auction was large, and et the whole sold ; 6 case s sma ll aino nated to 28 pkgs, i v Nutmegs Is l imed 2s, and a small Dutch liMe'd 23 to 2s 9d. lot of presorte d INDIGO. —During the progress of the sale to-day 237 chests Indigo were withdrawn, and 882 chests have passed. The sale commenced this morning with the re mainder of the B Catalogue, of which only a small pro portion was sold at very uneven prices. Of the 433 chests in fritrA Catalogue which followed, the bulk con sisted of good shipping qualities, for which the bid -1 dings were not animated, prices ranging from last sale's price to 3d advance, whilst middling and ordinary sorts went off with spirit at the rates pre viously established. Proprietors have bought in 300 chests. Of 7,189 chests which have passed the sale, 4,373 are sold, and 2,816 bought in or withdrawn. This after noon Spanish indigo was dealt in with greater freedom, and 101 serons Guatemala at auction sold at firm rates, and went at from 2s Id to 2s 7d, and at 2s 8d to 2s 10d for middling sort. Ons.--For Linseed Oil, 25s 6d to 26s per cwt has been accepted on the spot. Exportors have been buyers to a fair extent. For forward delivery 26s to 26s 6d, Rapeseed Oil, 37s to 37s 6d, and brown 36s 6d to 375, and pale foreign 39s to 39s 6d. Olive Oil, Gallipoli at 441 to 451, Spanish and Sicily 421 lOs to 431 lOs; Bar bary, Levant, and Portugal, 411 to 421 per tun. Cocoa Nut does not improve in value; the demand is likewise getting brisker both for home use and exportation. The value of white East India is from 33s 6d to 355, and Sydney 32s to 33s 6d per cwt. Palm fine quality realises 31s 6d to 325. At auction 97 casks went at 29s 6d to 32s for low to fine. Seal is wanted and further advanced rates are obtained, several parcels having been sold. Of the best pale there is yet a scanty supply. Cod met with much attention. All sorts of Southern are much wanted; the supply is small, and the rates paid are 291 to 311 for fine, and 261 to 281 lOs for low to good. Sperm met with more atten tion, and prices are firmer; American 801103 to 841, and Headmatter 811 to 841 per tun. On Friday 578 pkgs Cocoa Nut, and 60 tuns of Sperm Oil will be offered at auction. TALLow.—The demand has become limited for Rus sian on the spot, and former rates are not supported; fine P.Y.C. is offered at 39s 6d to- 40s per cwt. The operations for delivery in the last three months of the year are to a fair extent at 41s to 41s 3d. Home melted on the spot has been dealt in with caution, at 40s 6d to 41s net cash. Other sorts of Tallow have been brought to market in larger quantities, and prices are depressed. At public sale 48 csks of Petersburgh Soap Tallow were taken in at 36s 6d to 375; 100 mks Odessa were with drawn at 36s 6d: to 375; 636 csks New South Wales, nearly all sold at 36s to 40s 3d, low 33s 3d to 35s 6d; 780 pkgs South American, low to fine 34s to 40s; 215 pkgs Persian taken in 38s; 59 oars Tuscan, partly sold 38s 6d to 39s 6d per cwt. Rough Fat 2s 31d per stone of Blbs. WINDSOR, STAINES, AND SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY. The usual half-yearly general meeting of the above company was held yesterday afternoon, at the offices of the company, John -street, Adelphi; Mr. Henry C. Lacy, M.P., chairman of the board of directors, in the chair. The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed, the following report was submitted to the proprietors:— " The :main line of railway between Richmond and Datchet has, since its opening on the 22d of August last, been worked by the London and South-Western Company, in accordance with the terms of agreement approved by the shareholders at their last meeting, and a half-year's rent, being at the rate of 51. per cent. per annum on the amount paid up by the pro prietors, will become due in the course of the present month. The directors, feeling the import ance of the Loup line as an adjunct to their scheme generally, have taken steps to secure the completion of it as soon as possible. The importance of a continua tion of the line into the town of Windsor is too obvious to need comment; and the directors are happy to be able to report, that they have, on the part of the company, concluded an agreement with the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods, &c. (with the sanction of the Government), by which her Majesty's assent is given to a line crossing the Thames near Black Potts, and thence, through a small portion of the Royal property, into the town of Windsor. Permission has been given to commence the works, and the consent of the authorities of Eton College to this arrangement has been obtained. The Thames Commissioners also have approved of the proposed mode of crossing the river. The directors, under the advice of their engineer, have let the construction of the works to Mr. Brassey, who has received instructions to complete the line at as early a period as practicable. In consequence of the necessity of obtain ing powers to raise the required capital, and also in ac cordance with a stipulation in the agreement, a Bill has been introduced into Parliament, which will be submitted to the proprietors for approval. The estimated cost of the line is 80,0001, and the Bill authorises the company to create that amount of new share capital. In order to comply with the standing orders of Parlia ment, a subscription contract was signed by parties representing the London and South-Western in terest. A reservation was made of the propor tion of the new capital, to which the shareholders who had not signed the subscription contract are entitled, and this will be allotted pro rata to such of the proprie tors as shall, on or before Thursday, the 15th of March, intimate to the Buard, through the Secretary, their de sire to receive an allotment. Due notice of the time so limited for such option will be sent to each proprietor by circular. By the provisions of the Com panies' Clauses Consolidation Act, the following directors go out of office: Frederick Ashby, Esq., Captain Mark John Currie, R.N., and Charles Finch, E,q. These gentlemen are eligible fur re-election, and offer them ;.elves accordingly. The directors have to announce the retirement from their board of Mr. Bedborough, and to express their regret at the loss of his valuable services, but it is not thought necessary to supply the vacancy so created. The balance-sheet represented the receipts to be 480,920/. Is. Id., and the expcnditure 476,6941. 19s. 10J., leaving a balance iu hand of 4,225/. The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report said, he could add nothing to the information it con tained, but perhaps he might explain that the new capi tal would be distributed pro rata amongst the proprietors, and the new shares would, of course, be subject to the preliminary arrangements. In answer to questions, The CHAIRMAN stated that the agreement with the South-Western Company gave them the option of pur chasing the line. Mr. WARD wished to know when that option was to determine? The CHAIRMAN could not say. The fact was, the South-Western Company had power to purchase the line when they thought proper. At present they had a lease of the line for twelve months, and no doubt at the expiration of that period they would purchase it or come to some other terms. Several Proprietors urged upon the directors the expediency of selling the line at once; but it was stated that that was a question which could only be disposed of by the South-W estern Company. Mr. WARD asked if the proprietors were at liberty to pay up calls in advance? - The CHAIRMAN said, certainly; but he apprehended that the company would not be in want of money for some time to come. A PROPRIETOR wished to know how the shares were held. The CHAIRMAN said there were 50,000, of which 5,000 were held by the general public, and the rest by the South-Western Company. Mr. WARD thought it would be for the advantage of the South- Western Company to buy up the trifling 5,000 shares at 4L premium, which they had power to do. The report was then adopted, after which the retiring directors and auditor were re-elected. The shareholders then resolved themselves into a special meeting, and agreed to a resolution approving of the Bill for enabling the company to extend the line through Windsor Park into the town of Windsor. Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the meeting terminated. CORK AND WATERFORD RAILWAY. The fifth half-yearly ordinary general meeting of the proprietors was held yesterday at the London Tavern ; the Right Hon. Thomas Wyse, the chairman of the company, presided. The report stated that the financial statement of the last six months exhibited a balance in hand of 8,3961. 12s. 2d. Since the last meeting of the proprietors the directors had considered it for the advantage of the company that interest on the deposits should be suspended. They had not thought it expedient to take any steps towards the prosecution of the works. The following directors would retire by rotation, viz.— P. D. Hadow, Esq., George Emery, Esq., James Murphy, jun., Esq., George Ashlin, Esq., and T. S. Cuppiuger, Esq., who offered themselves for reelection. Thom Bates, Esq., one of the auditors of the company, would also retire. It was recommended that the number of directors should be reduced to thirteen; and a resoluii na to thateffect would be submitted to the meeting. Frocn the accounts it appeared that th e rece ipt s were 75,5691. 155., and t h e expenditure 67 1731 2s. 10d thus leaving a belar ce o f 8,396/. 12s. 2d. " The CUAIRMAN said he had scarcely any thing to add to the report except t o o b serve that the amount allowed to the directors had been reduced from 700/. a year, the original amount, to 200/. ; th e o ffi ce expenses from 7001. to 1001; the remuneration of the auditors from 20 to 10 guineas, and the rent of the office, &c., from 50h to 30/. In the present state of public works in Ireland it would be an imprudent act on the part of the company to attempt to commence any part of the railway and not less so, probably, to make a call upon the proprietors. They should wait until the works might be resumed without injury to the company, and until there was a greater chance of combination and co-operation between the capitalists of this country and the labour of Ireland. No one could but be aware that there must, at no very distant time, he some communication between such great capitals as Cork, Waterford, and Limerick. It was not a matter of choice that there should be a railway, bat a matter of necessity; and he hoped one day to see Ireland the link between the eastern and western hemispheres. In that point of view the line of this company must ne cessarily be carried out, and be had no doubt that it would ultimately prove productive, fer the very element of popu lation itse f . ,irrespective of every other cause, tended to se cure to railways a considerable amount of profit. But they must have time, patience, and prudence ; and he thought the directors had acted judiciously in remaining inactive with their arms crossed, until the arrival of better times; and no doubt the public entertained the same opinion. He hoped that, ultimately, some co-operation would take place between this and other companies, for there was already a friendly disposition on both sides, and a mutual recognition of the advantages of such a trans action. He hoped at no distant period to see those dis positions matured into fact, and to see them advance together for the improvement of the city of Waterford. One portion of the line being com pleted ,botweeu Waterford and Limerick, and another portion between Waterford and Kilkenny, the city of Waterford was in fact in an abnormal state. But every action had its reaction, and as soon as the lines were completed which linked the towns he had mentioned together, there could be no doubt in the world that they would not only be rescued from their former position, but would have benefits conferred upon them surpassing their most sanguine expectations. The Right Hon. Gentleman concluded by moving that the report be adopted and circulated among the proprietors. Mr. WISHAW said he regretted to see that the balance at the last meeting had dwindled from 12,0004 to about 8,0001. and he regretted still more at the directors keep ing up the concern without the slightest desire on the part of the proprietors or the public, that the line should be carried out. He understood that this was merely a duplicate line, and that the Southern and Western Rail way would give the same accommodation with the excep tion of being a little longer. The CHAIRMAN said that line was not only longer, but omitted Dungarvon and Youghal. A through com munication witli Dublin and Limerick had nothing to do with the lines of this company which gave a communi cation with Waterford and Cork. Mr. Wisaew said he had understood that this rail way would be superseded by others. if they took the opinion of the shareholders it would be found that they were all in favour of winding up the concern. They ought to wind up the company and divide the money now in hand among the shareholders. Mr. HADOW, a director, said the majority of the di rectors entertained the same opinion with respect to winding up the concern; but they had an Act, and the only way to get rid of it was by applying for another Act, which would exhaust all their funds, and even then they might not succeed. Looking at the difficulties in which they were placed, the most desirable course would be to wait, and very possibly something might occur to their advantage. Every possible act of eco nomy would be resorted to in the meantime. Atter some further discussion with respect to winding up the concern, in the course of which the directors inti mated that the expenses for the year ensuing would be covered by the interest upon the money now in hand, the resolution adopting the report was agreed to. Other resolutions were proposed, reducing the number of directors, re-electing the new board, and appointing auditors. _ _ . A vote of thanks was then passed to the Right Hon. Chairman, and the meeting separated. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 20. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool. sack at Five o'clock. HABEAS CORPUS SUSPENSION (IRELAND' BILL. This Bill was brought up from the Commons by Mr. BERNAL and others, and read a first time. This was the first Bill brought up from the Commons in a printed form, in accordance with the new arrangements. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE gave notice that he should move the second reading of this Bill on Friday. CONVEYANCE OF REAL PROPERTY BILL. This Bill was passed through Committee. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE laid various returns on the table, and their Lordships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 20. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. SECOND READINGS. The following Railway Bills were read a second time, and ordered to be committed:— Caledonian (Lease or Purchase of the Glasgow, Barrhead, and Neilston Direct). Caledonian (Purchase or Lease of Wishaw and Coltness Railway). Edinburgh and Northern (A—Dunfermline Branch Devi ation in Dunfermline Parish, and so as to pass under Town hill and Halbeath Tramways; Branches in connexion with those Tramways; Repeal of Agreement with Lessees of Halbeath Colliery; Increase of Capital and Amendment of Acts). Edinburgh and Northern (Additional Capital and Amend. ment of Acts). Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ardrossan Railway, and Ar. drossan Harbour Acts Amendment. London and South-Western ( Extension of Time for the Purchase of Lands and Completion of Works on the Basing stoke and Salisbury, and Farnham and Alton Lines). Reading, Guildford, and Reigate (Branch to London and South-Western Railway - No. 2). Shrewsbury and Chester (for Branches to the River Dee, Agreement for Joint Station at Shrewsbury, Power to sub scribe towards the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway). York, Newcastle, and Berwick, and Maryport and Carlisle Lease and Amalgamation. York, Newcastle, and Berwick (Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Carlisle Railway Lease and Amalgamation). The undernamed Bills were likewise read a second time, and committed : Black Sluice Drainage Acts Amendment (Amendment of Acts, Extension of Time for Completion of Works, Powers to levy and raise further Rates and Moneys, to alter existing Rates and Tolls, and for other purposes). Congleton Inclosure Act Amendment. Universal Railway Casualty Compensation Company. DUBLIN IMPROVEMENT BILL. On the motion of Mr. WILSON PATTEN, it was ordered that one of the Examiners of Petitions for Pri ♦ate Bills do examine if the resolution of this House of the 19th of February, in regard to the Dublin Improvement Bill, has been complied with; and if so, that the said Examiner do give a certificate thereof to the parties promoting the said Bill. CALEDONIAN, EDINBURGH, AND GLASGOW RAILWAYS. On the motion of Mr. LOCKHART, it was ordered that the orders of the 12th day of February, for the second reading of the Caledonian and Edinburgh and Glaigow Railways (Lease of Dundee and Perth and Aberdeen Railway Junction, and the Dundee and Arbroath, and the Dundee and Newtyle Railways) Bill, and the Caledonian and Edinburgh and Glasgow Rail ways (Lease of Scottish Midland Junction Railway) Bill, be discharged; and that the said Bills be withdrawn. The second readings of the East India Railway and Liverpool Rates (Rating:Dock Property) Bills were pos poned. SECEDING CLERGYMEN. Sir JOSHUA WALMSLEY presented petitions from Liverpool, praying for an alteration of the law relating to clergymen seceding from the Church of England and subsequently preaching in Dissenting chapels. NATIONAL EXPENDITURE. Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from Dundee, praying for the reduction of the national expenditure, and against the expenditure of money without passing through the Treasury. RATING RAILWAYS. Mr. ELLIS presented a petition from the Midland Railway Company, praying for an alteration of the pre sent unequal mode of rating. Mr. BROTLIERTON presented a petition to the same effect. WINDOW-TAY. Mr. COBDEN presented a petition from Sheffield in favour of tho repeal of the window-tax. POOR-LAW (IRELAND). Sir L. O'BRIEN presented several petitions from va rious places in Ireland against the poor-law in Ireland. ARBITRATION. Lord D. STUART presented a petition from Mary. lekne in favour of settling national disputes by arbitra• tion. VAGRANCY. Mr. STAFFORD presented a petition praying for an alteration of the present vagrancy laws. THE CHARTIST MULLINS. Mr. C. LUSHINGTON presented a petition from the jury that tried Mullins, the Chartist, praying the House to address her Majesty to remit the sentence passed upon him, as he was but 22 years of age, and appeared to be the victim of others. FARMING OUT CHILDREN. _ _ The HoN. MEMBER also presented a petition against the system of farming out children. SLAVERY. Sir E. N. BUXTON presented a petition :from the Anti-Slavery Association, praying the House to extend its influence to finally suppress slavery. POOR-LAW (IRELAND). Mr. MONSELL presented a petition against the present poor-law in Ireland. PRINTING THE SCRIPTURES. Mr. HUME presented a, petition against the monopoly of printing the Bible in Scotland. THE RAJA OF SATTARA. Mr. HUME inquired the reason the papers he had moved for on the 6th, with respect to the confiscation of the territory of Sattara, had not been laid on the table. Sir J. C. HOBEIOUSE replied that the papers would be laid on the table to•morrow or next day. SUBSTITUTION OF AN AFFIRMATION FOR AN OATH. Mr. WOOD presented petitions signed by the inha bitants of Rochester, Chatham, and other places, in favour of a measure to enable persons who refuse, on religious grounds, to be sworn to substitute an affirma tion for an oath. THE ESTIMATES. aside. Mr. HUME gave notice that on Friday, if not on Thursday, he would move that, in the present state of the finances of this country, her Majesty's Ministers, before submitting to Parliament their general financial scheme, should make a statement of their proposed re ductions in the expenditure of the country. COMMISSARY CLERK OF EDINBURGH. The HoN. MEMBER also said he would on either of those days move for a return showing the expenses incidental to the office of Commissary Clerk of Edin burgh. OATHS OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT. Mr. BANKES gave notice that when the House re solved itself into a Committee to consider the resolution of the Noble Lord at the head of the Government on the oaths of Members of Parliament, before the words "not being Roman Catholics," he should move the insertion of the words, " and .1 hereby disclaim, disavow, and solemnly abjure any intention to subvert the Established Church as settled in this realm." THE NAVIGATION-LAWS. Mr. BERRIES presented a petition signed by cer tain of the inhabitants of Alloa, deprecating any altera tion in the na►igation-laws. a VAGRANCY.petiton from Somerset- Mr. MILES presented Somerset shire, calling on the House to enact such measures as will: put an end to the demoralizing and disgraceful system of vagrancy. PRESERVATION OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS. Air. M. MI LN ES wished to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures had been taken since the last session for the preservation of the public records ; and also, whether it was the intention of the Government to propose any measure respecting the treatment of juvenile prisoners? Sir G. GREY, in reply, said that alp hough the Com mittee had agreed upon the site for a Record-office, and had decided upon ereoting one, unfortunately Parliament had not voted the funds. He could not say that any measure would certainly be introduced upon tne subject during the present session. Mr. 13AN4ES had understogd that the Victoria Tower was to be appropriated to that purplse, and wished to know whether the intention had been laid Sir G. GREY believed that it had been intended that the Victoria Tower £hould be the depository of the public recorle, but tint id-a had been abandoned. THE PALACE COURT. Mr. HUME, seeing the Attorney-General in his place, wished to ask him whether her Majesty's Go vernment intended to bring in any measure to reform the abuses of the Palace Court, the Mischief of which was so crying, and which had attracted so much of public attention? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL' said that the matter being strictly within the jurisdiction of the palace he must wait an expected communication from the Lord Steward of the Household. --- To Mr. WYLD, who asked a question of similar im port, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL replied to the same effect, with the addition, that when a Bill was introduced the Lord Mayor's Court would, in all probability, be included in its provisions. EMIGRATION. Mr. SCOTT wished to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies the following questions:—What is the number of applicants for emigration accepted by the Commissioners, and now waiting orders to em bark? What is the daily average number, since Ist November last, of those who apply in person at the office of the Land and Emigration Board, for passages to the Australian and South African colonies? 3. What is the average nnmber of letters of application received daily at the same office during the said period, and also during the corresponding period last year ? 4. What number of ships have been dispatched monthly with emigrants since Nov. 1, 1848? 5. What number of ships would be requisite to convey persons whoze applications for emigration are at present approved? 6. In consequence of the number who desire to emigrate, how long an emigrant may expect to be detained after he is accepted, and before he can sail? 7. What number of free passages have been refused to applicants since let November last, and what is the pro portion of those refused to those accepted? Mr. HAWES said that he had not yet received the returns upon the subject to which the Hon. Member re ferred, but as soon as he did, he would give him the in formation he required. CROWN COLONIES. Mr. BAILLIE, in pursuance of the notice he had previously given, then rose to move for the appoint ment of a Select Committee to inquire into the griev ances complained of in the Crown Colonies of Ceylon, British Guiana, and the Mauritius, and to report to the House whether any measures can be adopted for the better administration and government of those dependencies. It was not only his opinion, but that of many others, that the Colonial-office was not competent to perform the important duties intrusted to it.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") Although Noblemen and Gentlemen of the highest character and the most intelligent mind had been appointed to the office of Secretary of State for the colonies, it was singular to remark that not one of them had been able by their measures to give satis faction to the colonial possessions of this country. The Noble Lord the present Secretary for the Colonies had not only met with the fate of his predecessors, but had incurred a greater degree of dislike among the inhabitants of the colonies than any one that had preceded him had done.—(Hear, hear.) He had a most serious charge to make against the Colonial office, and those who presided over it, namely, that of tyranny and oppression, and a wasteful and extravagant expenditure of the colonial resources—(Hear, hear) — the result of which was a call upon the colonies to pro vide for a most grievous, heavy, and unnecessary burden —(Hear)—and to raise a spirit of great dissatisfaction among them.—(Hear, hear.) He charged the states men who had hitherto presided over the colonial government of this country with the greatest mismanagement, and as evidence of that he would refer to the evidence of Mr. Philip Anstruther, who stated that the fault of all that had occurred in the colo nies was, that every colony was a miniature of the Imperial Government.--(Hear, hear.) That gentleman said the Colonial-office might Change its system entirely. —(Hear. hear.) He (Mr. Baillie) wont further than that, and asserted that the Colonial-office must change its system entirely—(Hear)—because there could be no doubt that the course that had been pursued by the Colonial-office had brought the colonies to almost cer tain ruin and discontent. He (Mr. Baillie) would not rest his assertions with respect to the course pursued by the Colonial-office upon the statements of Mr. Philip Anstruther alone, but he would refer to the authority of Mr. Herman Merrivale. That gentleman, in his lecture upon colonization, stated the views he entertained upon the colonial system, and de Glared that the American colonies, in 1846, with three millions' of people, could be governed at an ex pense of 55,000/., and complained that the colonial expenditure within the last four years had increased, without producing any improvement in the condition of the colonist. That was the opinion of apolitical economist. He knew not what might be the opinion of Government upon the subject. He knew not whether these gentle men were subject to that weakness of human nature, which appeared to work so wonderful a revolution in the minds and opinions of those who became members of the Government; but this he would say, that this gentleman m mg o u i vi s havefa tust stultifiedpe ople h coot uslsd i s feelings ,onooc if y when h be be h e e governed,f o l i u e n v d ed h that himself he ettl rwell stalled in the Colonial .office, and administering the law under a system which inflicted upon British Guiana, with a population of only 150,000, taxes to the amount of 273,0001., for its civil administration, being an amount of taxation equal to 21. Gs. for every living soul in the colony, or One sixth more than the ataount of taxation imposed on this country. If the people of England had hitherto flattered themselves that they were the highest taxed people or the face of the earth they were mistaken, for here the 3 had a colony without an army or navy, in which the rate of taxation was one-sixth higher than that of the people of England.—(Hear, hear.) These, then, were the grounds upon which he should venture to crave the indulgence of the House whilst he proceeded to de tail the facts which he had to bring forward, and then it would be open for the House to decide whether he had made out a case which would justify him in calling give its sa nctio n and support to the he sho u ld conclude.—(Hear, hear.) m up o o t n ion the with House which c t h o It was well known that the British colonies here subject to various forms of govern ment ; there were several of them with legislative assemblies and popular representatives ; there were others again which slightly approached to the legislative system, and there were others of pure ano simple despotisms, subject only to the supreme will and pleasure, or he might say the ca. price, of the individual who, in the revolutions of parties in this country, for any temporary conveni ence might find himself iu the office of Secretary of State for Hear, h ear .) N ow , it wa s to the latter h t ee° class I of° e scolonies to which he wished to draw the attention of the House, namely, the third class, of pure and simple despotisms. They must all attach great importance to the colony of Ceylon. Its legisla tive a dministration was confided to a Governor and Council, every member of which was nominated either by the Governor himself or by the Secretary of State for the Colonies; there then they had a form of government without any pretence of representation, and in conse quence of that form of government, very general dis content had for some time past prevailed in this colony— a discontent not confined to th e nat i ves , b ut exten di ng to the Europeans.—(Hear, hear). This di sco nt e nt had l a tely manifested itself amongst the native population, in th only way in which a u une d ucate d an d i gnorant people accustomed to m a k e remons t rances t o the eo nlwe Government—namely, in the shape of open rebellion. —(Hear, hear.) It had also manifested itself amongst the European population, but in the more:rational and civilized mode of memorials addressed to the Secretary for the Colonies, and by petitions ad R th e e a p r etitions addressed to that He would now read a few House, dressed i passages n to o t r h d af e rt r ol im t h ou a ns t ee t . - h o e f( House might know what were the grievances of which the people of this colony complain.—(Hear, hear.) The petitioners com• menced by stating that they were deeply interested in the welfare of the island in which their property was invested, and they addressed the House under sufferings of no ordinary character. They were labouring under the burden of heavy taxation, while the revenues of the island were devoted to purposes for which they were n ot intended. T he adm inistration, the y was tortuous and uncertain, agri cu l tura l cro p s , p ro p ert y forced sales at a d e p re ci a tio n and yet , the colony was an oawwofaedinsatrbteyoi from a disposedng t to i o f ycomplain, failureper er oocff ebnttyh an nually put to the expense of useless and sinecure offices to support the protegees of the Home Department. It further complained that duties at the rate of 200 per cent. had been imposed upon the colony—a pretty speci men of the manner in which the Government had car ried out their free-trade principles, and of the sort of justice they distributed to the colonies.—(Hear, hear.) They allowed the produce of Europe ann America to come to our ports free, while they charged 200 per cent. upon the produce of our own colo nies. —(Hear, hear.) Such was the state of the island of Ceylon when Lord Torrington was appointed Governor of the island in 1847. H e found the colony lab our i ng under great depression —distress universally prevailed, and estates upon which large capitals had been invested were every day being sold under executions, having been abandoned by the owners, and in addition to that the revenue had fallen below the ex penditure, and it was found that there was not aulificient forthcoming to pay the officers whose duty it was to carry out the government of the island. In short, he found the island in a similar state to that in wh i c h he left the other country. There was a deficit in the exchequer—(Hear) —and under those circumstances he seemed to have thought it advisable to tollow as closel y as p ossible that on v f e o very the hn e g o w r astefi in oiahnicsi Exchequer.apl place, the Right Hon. the Chancellor Being, g he presu m e d, a free - trader, a uthority, doubtless, whom he did it did not appear that he contemplated any increase of import duty, and being also a Whig, and without the fear of a financial reform association before his eyes, he did not contemplate an y reducti on in the public expenditure.—(Hear, hea r. ) There rem a i ned no other course but to follow the example of the Chancellor of the Exchequer of this country, and to make a proposition to increase the direct taxation .—(Hear, hear.) But, having the advantage of the Chancellor of the Ex chequer's experience with respect to the p ro po s it i on to increase the income-tax, lie was compelled to have re course to other sources, and in such an emergency he appeared to have hit upon a financial scheme which of all others was the most impracticable, and at the same time most obnoxious to the , natives of Ceylon. lie issued an ordinance impos ing a t ax upon t h e co nstruction of roads, a tax upon all ships o f t h e co l on y, and. a tax upon dogs and upon guns; and he stated that those taxes had receired the full in a speech which he deliver ed to h is council concurrence atal sanction of the Boiird of Trade. of " Hear, hear.") But he also stated at the same time that it was not his intention to persevere in imposing them, for a reason which he (Mr. Baillie) consilered a very valid anti just one—viz., that they ware not calculated to increase thl revenue.—(lleay.) Now it was most unfortunate that this discovery had not been made at " an earlier period, because in the r first place, it would have saved Lord Grey from tification of giving his assent and approval to that which was not calculated to raise the revenue, but to produce discontent and dissatisfaction ; and, in the second place, because it would have saved the colony .from all the miseries and horrors of a popular outbreak.—(Hear, hear.) That the levying of these taxes was the immediate cause of the discon tent and rebellion to which he had referred was shown, first of all, by the address and memorial of the mer chants, planters, and traders of the island, whu were not interested parties, because the taxes did not fall upon them. And what did they say? They attributed the rebellion entirety to the imposition of taxes of a novel character, which were levied in such an objec- tionable and vexatious manner as to irritate the people.—(Hear.) They asked for redress by personal appeals to the Governor, and by petitions to her Majesty, while many made the discontent to which the taxes gave rise, a cloak for their own disloyal purposes. They stated that they had to travel great distances, some times 40 miles, to get licenses for the use of guns. The document proceeded to say, that some of the vi - lagers were kept away from their homes a whole week, whilst several had to go back wards and forwards, as pre parations had not been made for the issuing of the licenses. Now, it was a remarkable fact, that Lord Tor rington, when he wished to have the tax repealed, used the same arguments as those used by those villagers. —(Hear, hear.) Ho then read the dispatch of Lord Torrington to Earl Grey on the subject, and remarked that the dispatch of the Noble Earl approving of the repeal of the tax crossed that of Lord Torrington on its way home.—(Hear, hear.) The dispatch set forth the grievances under which the colony laboured in consequence of this tax, since under it the tax imposed upon guns was 25 per cent. of their value ; and such was the objection to the tax, that many concealed or destroyed their guns, some of whom had had them in their families as heir-looms for many years. These ordi nances were the cause of an outbreak on the part of the natives. They did not, however, appear to have presented themselves in any great force, as the re bellion was suppressed without loss of life to her Majesty's troops; therefore, corroborating the state ment of the Hon. Member (Mr. Hawes) that the statements that had appeared of the outbreak had been much exaggerated, and that the troops had beers called out more for show than for the purpose of firing upon the people. He now came to a part of the procceedings . . in connexion with the revolt in Ceylon, which no Englishman could look upon except with a blush of shame. He alluded to the atrocities and cruelties that had been perpetrated upon the unhappy people after the rebellion had been suppressed.—(Hear, hear.) They had heard much of the atrocities perpetrated in Vienna by Prince Windischgratz, the accounts of which, being published in the papers that supported the Government, were doubtless not coloured. The capitulation of Vienna was only effected after a severe struggle, and an enormous sacrifice of life. Many of the parties who had taken an active part against the cause of the Prince were tried by court martial, and immediately shot, and a writer in the Economist, with which one of the Members was cennected, deplored the execution of Blum, whose of fence, he said, admitted of every excuse and justi fication, and was far from criminal ; one such execution, the writer said, was not unlikely to lead to a long train of assassinations. The writer had heard of the atrocities perperated in Vienna, but he had not become acquainted with the atrocities perpetrated under the paternal government of the Colonial-office.: The House was aware that a number of executions hal taken place in Ceylon, in pursuance of the sentence of a military tribunal. A return had been furnished to the House of the number of these military executions, and of the offences laid to the charge of those who had been executed. He found that eighteen men had been shot under martial law, and others sentenced to various degrees of punishment; and he was surprised, looking over the list, to see the nature of the offences for which they had suffered. He found one man charged with having communicated directly or indirectly with rebels—with holding commu nication with them, and not giving the information which he was possessed of for the detection of a rebel—in other words, not betraying his friend. with whose hiding place he was acquainted with — (Hear, hear)—and with having administered a treason able oath. Four men were charged with having appeared at an armed assembly, headed by a man who called himself a " king." These men, let that House recol lect, were not charged as leaders.—(Hear, hear.) They were simply charged with having been found in the. company of armed persons ; yet they were sentenced to death, and shot immediately after.—(Hear, hear.) This man, who called himself a king, was afterwards tried by a military tribunal, and, being recommended to ' mercy, was transported.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") It appeared, indeed, that those executions were carried on with no less brutality than illegality. There was a ilescription of these executions taken from the Colombian Observer, and Lord Torrington himself confirmed the account.—(Hear, hear.) In speaking of those exe cutions it stated " the court-martial on the priest who was shot in his robes at Candia may be taken as a fair specimen of those tribunals. . . . There were only two witnesses against him, who were both men of suspicious character, and one of them was a candi late in some way for a Government situation ! The priest was shot the next morning after his trial, and his dying request that he should not be made to lie in his sacerd Jtal garments, was refused."—(Hear, hear.) The account went on to say " that this priest was entirely innocent, and he had no connexion with the king; he was a low countryman, and was not at all acquainted with the people, and knew nothing of their secrets." Now he (Mr. Baillie) put out of question altogether the gu s ilt or innocence of this man. He assumed he was guilty; but the mode and manner of his execution was an outrage on humanity, and had such an act been committed at Madrid under Naryaez, he (Mr. supposed they should never have heard the last of it. It was in Spain only that a parallel could be found for those atrocities. But in order to appreciate the feelings of Lord Torrington, he must refer to his corespondence with the Cbief Justice of Ceylon. It seemed as soon as the court-martials were suspended the ordinary tribunals came into operation, and the remainder of the prisoners were tried in the su perior Court at Candia before the Chief Justice ; 14 of these men were condemned to death, and the Chief Justice communicated that fact to Lord Torrington, stating that under different circumstances he should have recom mended his Excellency to have executed such three or tour of those last mentioned as, after a minute examina tion by the law officers of the Crown, appeared to have been most guilty, for the sake of example, but he found the example had been already made, some twenty persons having already been shot for their shares in the rebellion by courts• martial.—(Hear.) Tho Lord Chief Justice concluded by saying that the blood which had been already spilled had been sufficient for all the pur poses of the vindication of thepaw.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") Lord Torrington, in reply to the Lord Chief Justice, pointing out certain inconveniences likely to result from the course recomm, nded by the latter, concluded by saying he would remit the capital punishment and substitute transportation for life in those cases of conviction which had not been recom mended to mercy by the jury, and for fourteen years in all other cases. Now, it seemed Lord Torrington was highly displeased at being compelled against his will to temper justice with mercy.—(Hear). He (Mr. Baillie) would have thought Lord Torrington would have been but too grateful to any one relieving him from the responsibility of deciding on the lives and deaths of his fellow-creatures. And not only did executions, but also confiscations of property occur. Now, it appears, that this proclamation was carried into such ready effect that a large number of estates were cone fiscated. It is true Lord Torrington had advertised that the value of these estates would be restored to the owners when it was discovered that they were not guilty; but it was a very different thing be tween leaving the estates in the hands of the proprietors and returning to them the price which such estates might realise in the market. lie thought that this was a most unsatisfactory mode of meeting the necessities of the case. And now he came to the last act of the tragedy—the act of indemnity. It was not to be wondered at that when acts such as these were being perpetrated, and when apprehensions as to their resu lts might very naturally arise, that an act of indemnity might seem to be necessary. They evidently thought so—(Hear, hear)—and such an Act was introduced to the Colonial Council—an Act which was the more necessary, inasmuch as that most of the Acts which called for condemnation had been done witnout the consent of the Council. Well, such an Act was introduced, and how did Hon. Gentlemen ,ihink it was passed ?—(Hear, hear.) Simply by the vote of Lord Torrington himself.—(" Hear, hear," from all sides of the House.) There were 14 present in Council, seven of whom were against, and seven were for the Act, and the casting vote for it was given, as be had ,aid, by Lord Torrington, the President at the Board. He trusted that this last fact would prove a sufficient warning against any future experiment in trusting the high and responsible duty of governing a large and im portant colony.—(Hear, hear.) Now he would turn to another colony, of which great hopes had always been entertained; and in stating this, he wished particularly to draw the attention of the House to the fact, there was no colony of which greater hopes had been enter tained than of Guiana.—(Hear.) It had been predicated of that colony that, whatever fate might befal our other West Indian colonies, this at least was possessed of such variety of appliances, such a beauty of climate, such a nobility in its affluence and variety of aspect, that no adversity could possibly repress its advance to an illimitable prosperity. Yet was there no co lony more distressed than British Guiana.—(Hear, hear.) It would probaby ba remembered that when the Act for the emancipation of the negroes was passed that the heads of the Colonial-office had taken no steps whatever to avert the mischief, nor ascertain the consequences that might arise from such a proceeding. In Guiana the planters were ruined, and the estates were carried on by merchants in this conntry. lie believed that in no colony con nected with the British dominions was the patronage more improperly exercised than in Guiana. The Governor of that colony had at his disposal patro nage to the extent of no less than 35,0001. a year. The Civil Service consisted of the following offices:—A Governor at 5,0001. a year, a Chief Justice at 2,5001., two puisne Judges at 1,5001. each, the Governor's secre tary 1,500/, his assistant 6001., the Attorney-General 1,1001., the High Sheriff 1,2201., two Under-i,heriffs at 700/. each, and six stipendiary Magistrates 7,0001., making the total cost of the Civil Go vernment amount to 39,0004 z per 15111111132. When the Court o Uniana met, th:,y pro;;(,e,d tnat there should be a reduction of the exoricliturit, of the bony, but the Governor refused his. s;,?tetion. , to the pro , posal, upon which an slteresttoo took place, and the Court refused to grant the supplies. The Governor, however, thougt t fit to change his former resolution, and consent to the reduction, but a dispatch from the Colonial-office (leprecatcd the measure, art! refused to consent to a reduction of taxes. Now, what did that House suppose was the chief tax in Guiana? why it was a tax upon corn; and yet, although the Minister was so staunch en advo este of free-trade at home, he did tot think it politic to extend the principle to the colony of British Givana.—(Hear.) In that dispatch Lord Grey stated that the faith of the colony was pledged to the Civil List, meaning, no doubt, that a certain agreement had been entered into between the Court of Guiana on the one hand, and the Colonial-office on the cc her, that the civil list should be voted for a cA•tain period. The Noble Lord accused the colonists of breach of faith, and'insisted on the civil list. " I'll have my bond ! I will not hear thee speak; I'll have my bond, and, therefore, speak no more; I'll not be made a soft and dull-ey'd fool, To shake the head, relent, and *jell, and yield To Christian intercessors. I'll have no speaking—l will have my bond." Such appeared to be the spirit in which the dispatch re ferred to was written. With respect to this agreement, he wished, however, to offer one or two remarks. It had been proved before the Committee on coffee and sugar plantations last year, by so competent a witness as Mr. Barkly, since then appointed to be governor of the co lony, that that agreement had been obtained from the colony under false pretences and fraud. Mr. Barkly stated in his evidence, that the Colonial-office, anxious to raise the salary of the Governor, applied to the Court of Guiana to do so, but that the Court refused unless the Colonial-office promised to issue an emigration ordincnce, and that so soon as the civil list was obtained the Colo nial-office refused to issue the emigration ordinance. Such was the evidence of Mr. Barkly.—(Hear.) Was it not wonderful, then, that a Minister of the Crown should charge a colony with a breach of faith, when the breach was manifestly on the side of the Colonial office? Were not the colonists perfectly justified in refusing to perform their part of the agreement, when the Colonial office had failed to keep faith with them? But they did not do so. They appealed to the Colonial Secretary in forme pauperis, and told him that, reduced to such poverty, they were compelled to practise economy in the expenditure of the colony. The refusal of the Co lonial-office to accede to their wishes, under such cir cumstances, was wantonly cruel and unjust. On receipt of the Noble Lord's dispatch, the Combined Court, per ceiving that the Col , nral Secretary had stated his wil lingness when any office became vacant to consent to a reduction of the salary attached to it, proceeded to redues the salary of the Governor because a vacancy had oc curred. The acting Governor, however, oeposed them, told them their duty WAS to vote the civil list, and that if they refused he had Lord Grey's instructions to adjourn the Court sine die.—(!fear, hear.) They did refuse, and the Court was so adjourned. The result had been most disastrous. Last year no supplies had been granted, and no money paid to public functionaries, the civil list excepted. To meet the demands on the civil list Lord Grey had secured a sum of money which , had been deposited in the public treasury for the purpose of being applied by way of au emigration loan.—(Hear.) He would allude now to only one other act—the ap pointment of Mr. Barkly. He regretted that Mr. Barkly had sacrificed his consistency by accepting such an appointment. He could not but recoll ec t that Mr. Barkly had opposed the Government measures relating to the colony in that House, and that he had appeared before the Committee of last year to justify the resist ance of the colonists to the Government. On that occa sion he stated that the colonists had been the victims of fraud and oppression, and yet he shortly afterwards was sent out to the colony as Governor, with the full salary of 5,0001. a year.—(Hear.) He thought he had stated enough to justify him in bringing the question before the i House.—(Hear, hear.) He had trespassed largely on the indulgence of the House, and had now merely to state that upon reflection he had thought it better not to include Mauritius in the proposed inquiry. He wished to confine the inquiry to the two colonies to which he had directed the attention of the House, first, because their complaints were the more urgent; and, secondly, because the more the inquiry was limited the more likely would an early practical conclusion be arrived at. And now he would ask the House whether they thought the colonies could long be governed under such a sys tem as the present—whether we could long continue to deprive the inhabitants of our colonies of all interference in the management of their own affairs? He was aware that the Hoe. Gentleman the Under Secretary had been most liberal in promises, both in his own and in Lord Grey's name, on this point, and that he would tell the House that he had always expressed opinions favour able to colonial self-government. But that was just what the colonists complained of. They complained that both the Honourable Gentleman and the Noble Lord had expressed opinions in favour of self government utterly at variance with their acts.— ( Hear, hear.) They say that they have no longer leith in the promises of the Colonial-office. How could they? How could they place confidence in a Minister who stood convicted of a deliberate attempt to deceive the House of Lords as to the stare of the island of Jamaica by reading only a certain portion of a memorial addressed to him, to show that Jamaica was in so prosperous a condition as to afford art advantage ous field for the investment of capital, when he knew that the memorial had been sent to him to show that the reverse, was the case? A Minister who could so per vert the truth for party purposes could never enjoy the confidence of the colonies, and ou , tht not longer to be intrusted with the highly-revoniible duty of protecting the lives and fortunes of her Majesty's subjects in the colonies. Nothing but the unhappy divisions on that side of the House during the last Parliament could have prevented the whole Opposition unitins , as one body to denounce the Minister gu ilty o f suc h conduct and the Government of which he was a member. There was a point, however, beyond which endurance could not go—an occasion when the most effete and emasculated bodies would no longer quietly submit. That time had no er arrived, and he hoped no fear of casting censure on the Government would deter the majority of that House from giving their support to a motion for that inquiry, which he now had to demand in the name of justice, in the name of the outraged British colonists, arid of that constitution, under the shadow of which—even in the remotest parts—British subjects were accustomed to look for safety and protection, but from the advantages of which so many thousands of British colonists had long been so pertinaciously excluded.—(Cheers.) The Hon. Gentleman then proposed the motion. air. HUME said that after the able speech of the Hon. Gentleman there was no necessity for him to occupy the attention of the House at any length in order to induce them to support the motion. At the close of the last session he had presented a petition from Ceylon, and had called the attention of the Government to the state of the island; but the Hon. Gentleman the Under. Secre tary for the Colonies told him that his statement was exaggerated. Before offering any opinion on this ques tion, ho wished the House to understand that it was the system of colonial government that he found fault with, rather than with the conduct of this or that Colonial Secretary. It was impossible for one person, sitting in Downing-street, to superintend the administration of 43 colonies in different parts of the wide world. He must, however, say that every act of the present Colonial Secretary was a discredit to him, when contrasted with the opinions he had expressed while a Mem ber of that House.—(Elear, hear.) When the Noble Lord took office three years ago, he declared through the Under-Secretary for the Colonies, his desire to extend British institutions to all our colonies. Yet not one constitution had been granted, with the ex ception of that to New Zealand, which, however, the Noble Lord had been glad, almost immediately after it was granted, to abolish. Either the Noble Lord was sincere in the desire he had expressed or he was not. If sincere, then it would appear that he was without capa city to fulfil his wishes. He trusted an inquiry would be instituted which would show the evils of the system generally. With regard to Ceylon, so long ago as 1811 Lord Castlereagh entertained so high an opinion of the natives that he recommended the establishment of trial by jury and the appointment of natives to colonial situa tions. The result had been most beneficial, as might be seen from the evidence given before the Committee of 1832 on the state of Ceylon. Sir W. Gifford declared that the establishment of trial by jury had been completely successful, and had been productive of the best effects on the morals of the natives, whom he described as quiet and peaceably disposed. The same authority declared that as long as that system was pursued towards the colony her Majesty would not have a more loyal or peaceable one under her sway. But now, after 26 years of experience, what were the results which they found there ? The Hon. Member who introduced that motion had detailed to the House a variety of instances of misgovernment which had brought the colony to the condition in which it now existed. He believed that it was the acts of Lord Torrington, since he came into power there, whi c h b a d produced the present state of things. There was no case on record of a similar nature to such a one as that of having the' pro perties of men, who were only absent from their homes, invaded and taken possession of by military authority. After what had been stated, and that upon good authority, no less than the authority of papers emanating from the Colonial-office itself, it appeared to him that that Nobleman ought to be recalled before 24 hours had passed. It might be said that no blame ought to attach to Earl Grey or Lord Torringtoa until after the pro posed inquiry had been granted. Now, it was upon their own acts and statements that he conceived them censurable. With regard to Demerara, he believed there never was such an insult offered to a colony as the Noble Earl at the head of the Colonial-office had offered to that colony when it had applied for permission to re duce its establishments.—(Hear.) When the taxation of the colony amounted to one-third of the value of its entire exports, it was, surely, time to think of retrench ment. When an Act passed in 1836 which brought them into competition with other colonies, they had very prudently determined upon reducing their expenditure to the extent of twenty-five per cent., yet that proposal had been refused by Earl Grey.—(Hear, hear). A cer tain guarantee had been given for a civil list, but that had been under the impression that protection was to be afforded to their produce. That protection had been withdrawn, yet they were called upon to maintain their civil list in its original state.—(Hear.) The colony had said that they would not refuse the supplies if allowed to make a general re duction of expenditure, and it was not until the Colo nial-office had refused this that they had come to the resolution of refusing the supplies. He could show, if ho were to refer to the case of the Mauritius, that a similar want of good government prevailed there. Let the British House of Commons come to the determina tion that the colonies ought to be left to govern them selves and pay their own expenses, and then they would not be such a source of expense gDglial al their Mlb:1;2 Vt , -(II }: ei:r, What wa; it that made pr;Sk'nt order of things be continued and maultained ? Why, nothing more or less than the patroioge possessed by the Colonial office.—(Hear, hear.) .He had moved last ysar for a list of all the offices in the Colonial Department. but it had rot been furnished.—(Hear, hear.) But those who were crying out for financial reform in this coun try had no conception of the wholesale abuses which existed in our colonial department —(11r ar, hear.) HO would tell their to take away the patronage from the Colonial-offica, and give it to those who had to pay the salaries.—(Hear.) It was incumbent on them that such an inquiry as the present should be gone into, not against this roan or that man, but against the prevailing- system. hear.) It it were to be gone into, he conceived that Earl Grey and . his Hon. Friend below him (Mt Hawes), would ik; welt to retire from the Colonial-office. —(Hear, hear, and laughter.) He hoped it they Offere' their resignations her 'NI ajesty's Ministers would accept them.—(Hear, bear, and laughter.) there had been ia• stances before , f dispatch,s having been kept back.— (Hear, hear.) He -did not think the proposed inquiry could be properly or satisfactorily carried out while the, present authorities of the Colonial-office held their places. —(Hear, hear.) He concluded by seconding the motion of his lion. Friend opposite. The SPEAKER having put the question, Mr. RICARDO propos' d, by way of amendment, to add these words to the motion:—" Whereby they may be rendered more capable of meeting the difficulties of the transition from a system of protection to that of com petition in the British market with the produce of to• reign states to which Parliament has determined that they shall be exposed, in accordance with the general commercial policy which it has deliberately adopted." He said it would be presumption on his part to take upon himself to reply toohe heavy charges made against the Government, and that he must express his surprise that with so grave an accusation as the Honourable Gen tleman (Mr. Baillie) had made he should have concluded with so small a motion.—(Bear.) If the Colonial office bad been guilty of half the high crimes and mia demeanours charged against them by the Honourable Gentleman, and insinuated against them by the Honour able Member for Montrose, then it would have been more fair in them, more worthy of the position they had taken up as the representatives of the colonies, to pro pose a direct vote of censure on the Right Honourable Secretary for the Colonies and his colleagues' than to demand a mere inquiry into their conduct.—(Applause.) But the Hon. Gentleman seemed to consider his motion as a direct vote of censure. It might be so; and, as he (Mr. Ricardo) believed, it had a meaning dfferent from the terms in which it had been expressed. He bad, for that reason amongst others, given notice of his amend ment. It was his belief that the case of Ceylon had been selected as a peg to hang another inquiry upon; but he could not understand why the case of the alauritius and British Guiana had been mixed up with that of Ceylon, or what connexion existed between these three colonies. If there was a charge against the Government relative to Ceylon, why not bring it on by itself? Why intro duce British Guiana and the Mauritius, and then at the last moment withdraw one of the charges advanced against the Colonial-office?—(Hear, hear.) Ile was also at a loss to understand what it was that Hon. Gen ' tlemen were complaining of. They had commenced by attacking the system pursued with reference to the co lonies, and then they had advanced charges against the Governor and the Colonial-office. He was not going to refer to the case of Ceylon.—(Laughter.) His belief was that, under the guise of a motion for inquiry into the administration of affairs at Ceylon and British Guiana, an attempt was now being made of a reactionary movement in favour of Protection.—(Oh, oh.) This was his case, and he would prove it. The whole at tempt with reference to British Guiana has been made in order to embarrass the Government by inducing com plaints to be advanced in and out of the House. Why, the fact was avowed. The great mover in this affair was the man who had acted as leader to the party who refused the supplies. That man's name was Peter Rose, and he had declared to the Governor that it was hopeless to expect the supplies while the colonists were unprotected against slave sugar.—(Hear, hear.) The Court of Policy bad pro posed in 1848 that the civil list should be reduced 25 per cent., and the ground on which they made that proposal was, that, when the civil list was voted, they bad pro tection against slave-grown sugar, and that then, as they had not that protection, they would make the 25 per cent, reduction. They afterwards proposed that the estimates should be postponed altogether, until the re sult of the Committee, which was sitting in that House on the sugar and coffee question, had been ascertained. Now, this looked very like having a motive, that motive being to obtain protection; and, indeed, extracts from the papers of the colony showed that the supplies were refused, merely because they had been unable to obtain protection.—(Hear, hear.) The Honourable Member here refer', d to a meeting at which Rose presided , and at which the terms were read for granting the sup plies, and he then proceeded to observe that there was no dispute about the long list of salaries to which the lion. Member for Inverness (Mr. Baillie) had called the attention of the House. The dispute was about the civil list. The salaries were under the control of the com bined court, and if they chose to reduce them 50 per cent. they might have done so without objection.—(Hear , hear.) There was no doubt that the movement in Bri tish Guiana was made for protection, and that it was not aimed against Lord Grey, but against a free trade Parliament.—(Applause.) But the days for obtaining a restoration of people f of the this eo principles ontr y had of pronounced t at hay passed, and the would no longer consent to have their industry taxed for the benefit of the colonies. He believed that Lord Grey, much to his honour, had dared to encounter much mis representation rather than flinch from those principle/ of commercial policy which he had supported in that House, when in opposition, and which he maintained is the other House, now that he was in office. The Hon. Member for Inverness was no friend to the colo nies if he endeavoured to persuade them that there Wes t a possibility of returning to the old st a t e o f thi n gs. he attempted to cajole them into the belief that there was a party here ready to return to the commercial policy' which the people of England had declared to be oppres sive to the community and mischievous to those whom it was intended to serve.—(Loud cheers.) Let them no; be deceived into the belief that the people of England were not firm to the policy they had adopted—that they would favour any interest, be it that of the landowner or the shipowner, to the detriment of another interest -- ' that they would longer submit to subsidise the colonies --- or that they would resuscitate that monopoly to which they had already given a death-blow.—(Cheers.) The amendment having been seconded, Mr. HAWES rose and said, that but for the motion of which the lion. Gentleman the member for Stoke had given notice, it would have been his (Mr. Hawes's) duty' as it would be his inclination, immediately to have fol lowed the speech of the Hon. Member for Inverness. Toe latter Hon. Member had made heavy and grave charges against his Noble Friend at the .head of the colonial department—against the Colonial-office in times gone by—and, he (Mr. Hawes) might almost say, against Parliament and the country itself.—(Hear, hear.) Th e lion. Gentleman had attempted to support these charges by re.erence to the papers on the table, in a manner most disingenuous and unfair.—(Applause.) And be had ~ a id that he wished a Committee to inquire into the con duct of the Colonial-office in reference to Ceylon and British Guiana; but why had he struck out the Mauri tius? He (Hr. Hawes) entreated of th e Hon. Mover to adhere to his motion as it originally stood. He feared no inquiry. —( Applause.) He invited iiiquiry—nay,more , he was anxious to grant it—(renewed applause)—and he was perfectly willing that the Mauritius, or any other colony should be inserted. Let it not be understood for a moment that either his Noble Friend at the head of the Colonial Department or himself feared in the slightest degree any inquiry that might be instituted. lie feared it as little as the Right Hon. Gentleman had reason to fear it, who conducted the colonial affairs un der the last administration. He was ready to meet it• and then the Hun. Mover of the resolution would have an opportunity of making good his charges.—(fiean) That House aas not the place to make these charges,' particularly in th e wa y i n w hi c h t h ey h ad b een advancetk Having determined to move for a Committee of inquiry' he might have suspended his bitterness and personality —(Hear, hear.) Having proposed to inquire whether there was any ground for the charges be, at least, might have postponed his judgment until his own accusations were proved, as they would be proved, to be utterly 11 0 " founded.—(Cheers from the Ministerialists, and laughter from the Protectionists.) He (Mr. Hawes) was prepared to be met with some jeering, but he was entitled at least to a respectful ht aring; at least, this he might say, that the jeering would not interrupt him in the course he tended to pursue.—(Applause.) He did not mean by d declaring his willingness to ent e r on th e i nqu iry, his determination to have that inquiry followed up, n shrink in any respect from dealing as well as he IT, able with the charges and accusatio ns b roug h t forward' --(Hear, hear.) Now, the Colonial-office had been se: cused of tyranny and opprestion, and wasteful expends' ture; and it was contended that the colonies should have control over their own affairs, and over the 00 ; penditure of their own taxation. But no distinction ha d been drawn, and no discrimination used i n t rea ting 0 ,`,, the subject. One would have thought f rom th e o pening speeches that there was not a colony in ex i s t ence which e 0 had a representative government.—(H ear , h ear .) TP lion. Mover had attacked in generalities; he had ten' fined his illustrations to two or three c ases; an d he JO" not stated fully and fairly what was the onlonial policf of the country. Mr. BAILLIE—I stated that I would confine my e fr servations to two of the colonies. Mr. HAWES said that he only was now dealing wi th the general charges advanced, and that he would after; wards come to the parti cu l ar cases.—( H ear.) Fi r st 0' all, attention had been drawn to the colony of CeYl e ' and it was necessary to f o ll ow t h at part o f the case Step 7 by step. When Lord T orr i ngton h ad b een appo lete-; and when he arrived in that colony, he found its trease% almost bankrupt, it s t ra d e declining, and, of course, t " that European population chiefly engaged in trade, at - di . time by no m eans i n a prosperous and thriving COn et tion. Now, th e H on . M over h a d not made the sliglite„. reference t o any o f t h e measures which Lor d To; rington had introduced or ca rr i e d w ith re f erenc e to te i• ation. H e had not said a word about the reductions n Lordship had made; not a word about how be Ils e revived trade and expanded the springs and not a word shout the amount be 50 converted from direct to indirect taxation .—( Cheery ) allusion had been made to any part of the case would have done Lord Torrington justice, but nibet bee n ingenuously and unfairly had those points only _ oa r touched which would be likely to produce an unfav to able impression on the House.—(Cheers.) WhY'.. ss ei first thing a his Lordship did on witnessing the depreor condition of affairs in the colony was instantly c , °role— municate with all the leading departments, and to expense of all kinds. Next, he investigated the tar o f and reealed taxes pressing on the land to the aro. _ .a u' itt . 30,0001. a-year.—(Cheers.) Then he instituted an of industa qqiry iut9 the age of the e xpenditure, sad in luv .imma ~~ --''r"~. TIIE a l