The Sun. — London, England, 1849-05-01 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIG EN CE. COURT OF QUEELVS BENCE!, A pril3o. littiugs in Banco, before Mr. Jus:ic© PA.TTEsoN, Mr. Justice COLSIUDGE, and Mr. Justice ERLE.) THE LAW OF THE ISLE OF MAN.—IN RE CZAWFORD. In this case a writ of habeas corpus had barn issued kbythe Court, celling upon the gaeler of Castle ;ltuslitn, in the Isle of Man, to produce before !!the Court the body of John Crawford , who hod i!been com m itt e d t o prison by the authority of the Judge of the Court of Chancery in the Isle of Man for !ontenapt of that Court, by writing an d p ublishing an . .rttcle in a newspaper published in the island, the Mona Verald, tending to scandalise and bring the said Court nto contempt. The Court had at first committed Mr. rather, the responsible editor of the paper, when Mr. jrawford rose and avowed himself to be the writer I the article. The Court then committed both i Ur. Crawford and Mr. Father ; the latter on I presenting a petition and apologising to the Court, was, after sixteen days' confinement, set at liberty; but 1 \lr. Crawford, who refused to apologist', still continued i a custody. The judge of the Court of Chancery was i he Hon. Charles Hope, the Lieutenant-Governor of the i stand. Mr. PEACOCK had moved for a rule to quash the writ if Hale -, as Corpus on two grounds;—first, that the writ vould not run into the Isle of Man; and, secondly, be t ause the affidavits on which the writ had been moved t hewed that he had been lawfully cemmitted, and that I his Court would, therefore, only remand him after he . 1 sae brought before it. Mr. ARCIIBOLD, in support cf the writ, contended hat it could extend to all parts of her Majesty's domi a tons, as it was a prerogative writ, and also that a man c Juld not be imprisoned for an indefinite time for con t :mpt of court, but that a sentence of imprisonment t lust he passed on Lim fir a certain period of time, or t :at he must be finei; for an in lefinite imprisonment ti as contrary not only to the common law, but to the it wof the Lie of Man. Neither could the Court corn- Tr it a person for contempt for anything that was out of ti at court. Mr. Justice PATTESON said that, as at present advised, be was inclined to think that the writ of habeas corpus W 'old run into the Isle of Han since the passing of the stl t George 111. Before the passing of that Act it was said that the Lie of Man was not part of .tht, dominions of the Crown of England, but was he 1(1 an a feudatory of England. It was granted to th t Earl of Derby by James the First. The kings of England appear to have been superior Lords. Then Cot , aes the sth George 111.. and that transferred the Isle Man to the then King of England, his heirs and suc cesi tors. The right of the Crown was made inalienable. is now to be taken as a part of the King's dominion, and at such where a writ of habeas corpus would run. e first objection made is, that this is not a commit 711eint of the Court of Chancery of the Isle of Man. In l4he first place, looking at the a ffid a vits alto g ether, 2 t might be collected that the writ was an act of tae Court of Chancery of the Tile of Man. His rdship was therefore of opinion that the rule Isht mild be made absolute to quash the writ of habeas cot :pus. Mr. Justice ERLE was of the same cpini :n, and Mr. atl :tice PATTESON announced that his 13toth2r Coleridge Was of the same opinion. THE QUEEN V. CUARITIE AND OTHERS. The defendant and others were recently found guilty clf, selling a cadetship. This was a motion f ur a new tea it or arrest of judgment. The reading of the documents occupied the Court till site rising. The further hearing of the case was then 11( 1 j turned until Thursday. BAIL COURT, April 30. (Before Mr. Justice COLERIDGE.) THE QUEEN V. PARISII OF BASING. Mr. BRAMWELL applied to the Court for a under following circumstances:—An order of rencovsl was nor ide from the parish of Basing, in the county c f South ▪ Ipton, to the parish of Basingstoke. Agand that s) vier there was an appeal, and upon that app-al the a rder was confirmed, whereupon the Counsel for the sr ppellant applied for a rule, which was peremptorily 17 :fused. Two or three subsequent applications were t aade with no better result, but the Court would be sur prised to learn that since then a certiorari had been g ranted, a certiorari issued, and a return made to it, to SI ie eff , .ct that the order of removal had been confirmed, ▪ lobject to a case which was mutual, and the present Bp fication was for a rule to show cause why the return s liould not be quashed.—Rule nisi. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, April 30. ( Sittings in Banco, before Justices COLT3I.I.N, MAuLE, and WILLIAMS.) COOPER V. PENNEFATHER. Mr. BARSTOW, on the part of the defendant, applied in sup p lrt of an issue on what is called in law a uul tiel record, a; ad submitted that the plaintiff had failed on the issue. Mr. JONES, on the part of the plaintiff, opposed the ap- Vi ication. The action was for debt on a judgment which Sh owed the recovery of 20/. for damages and 6'. for costs; iereas the declaration claimed 26/. for damages for the de tei ition of the debt. That, lie contended, was a blunder—a clerical error. It described the judgment inaccurately; and La asked for leave to amend the declaration by rendering it co; 'formable to_ the record. _ _ Justice MAULE thought the plaintiff was not entitled to judgment. Mr. BensTow applied for judgment for the defendant. Tustices Coltman and Williams taking the same view of the case as Mr. Justice Mettle, judgment was given for the def cadent. CHURCH LESSEES. A public meeting of Church lessees and others in• tei ested in Church property was held at the Bridge- Ise Hotel, London-bridge, yesterday afternoon, to take t steps es might be considered necessary to represent to 9 nature of their interests to the Royal Commission no w sittirg, which has been appointed to consider the t sure of Church property. William Potts, Keel., pre si, ded. Mr. PAYNTEIt, who was a large lessee under the see of Winchester, proposed the first resolution, to the ini:ect that a Royal Commission having been issued to al ;certain whether the present mode of dealing with el lurch leasehold property might not be improved for EI le benefit of the Church, it was most important to the lessees and sub-lessees, that in any measure affecting th a property in question their interests should be fully considered. He said they bad no desire to in ju re the interests of the Church, but simply to obtain ju ;lice for themselves; and ho believed that, unless they ea me forward and stated their claims to the Commission, Its e same gross injustice would be dono to them as had ba en done to those whose property had been brought under Me 3 control of the Ecclesiastical Commission. The to nuro of property in the see of Winchester was fu r three lives, and rilie.a one life dropped, the Bishop ds manded a certain fine, which was calculated se tt :ding to established rules, for putting in a new lil That tenure had existed ever since the time ()1 Queen Elizabeth, and under it large sums of money he d been expended by lessees and sublessees in erecting buildings and in otherwise improving the pr aperty which they held under the Church, and it Iv; ould be nothing but robbery and spoliation to refuse It Panting renewals of lives if some compensation was gi van to them. In the see of Winchester alone hun di eda of thousands of pounds had been spent in improve re 70ts within the last fifty years. The resolution was seconded and carried unanimously. Mr. CHARLES PUTT, proposed—That the ter.ure of the q :lurch leaseholds, under the sees of Winchester and lehester, was of an ancient and peculiar nature, and Itl ad pr:vailed in its present form for centuries, 1 11 'O5l. the faith of which a very large amount of capital had been expended by lessees and sub-lessees C't improving the property, and in full confidence of the pt rmanency of which the leases under those sees had be en purchased, settled, and mortgaged upon proportion ab 'e valuable considerations down to the prcsent hour. The resolution was seconded by Mr. ROBERTS, and alt o carritd unanimously. Other resolutions were then proposed, and a corn ittee appointed to watch over the interests of the sees and sub•less , and to lay such information and to; presentations ht fora the Commission as might lead to a . a Wen:lent of their just and equitable claims. A rote of thanks was then passed to the Chairman, sem I the meeting separated. AMERICAN MARKETS. NEW Yonx, A rim. 17.—Money Market—The market }i t 3 been much pres3ed, and foreign exchange conse q .intly rules lower, and the stocks of United States and the t States are depressed by the same cause. The current rate of selling bills on London for cash doi is not exceed six per cent., while large transactions are made at five per cent. This state of the exchange Nti:'l materially draw coin hither from the Bank o f tu i ;land, and large amounts: are calculated upon as like ly spou to reach us in this way. few millions of dollars could be well spared by the Ear k of England just now, and in this market would bent fit England's affairs hardly less than our own, ''Y the renewed activity which would thereby be im lat to trade in general. ;Owing to the work on the enlargement of the Erie 4 nal, the navigation thereon is not yet resumed, and wi 11 not be before the Ist proximo; hence the impulse ns sally given to business by the spring trade through t b is channel i s yet to come. Happening , as it is likely s dn, simultaneously with the first arrivals o f g old from r ( tgland, th ere is ground for anticipating r elief to the Zy market, a n d muc h act i v ity in business. r w are yet looki ng f or t h e golden flood from C ali- LI n .e la. Hitherto a very small proportion of the treasure collected there has foand its way to our shores. Expeditions for that re g i on o f prom i se s till continue, bin _withconsiderably ab a t e d zea l. Th e L eg i s l a ture of the State of P e n ns yl van i a h ave enacted that the interest no the State debts shall in future be paid in casb, and not in ;selling notes without any deductions except the State ttz, Another law has been passed, appointing the taxes on collateral inheritances on charters of banks and railroad companies to the annual purchase of the State debt. From these sources about 250,000 dollars annually is ex pected to accrue, and will be invested accordingly. The following were the current rates of United States at curities at the dates mentioned: —United States Sixes of '3B, March Ist, 113; March 15th, 112; March 31st, 110; April 16th, ili; Treasury notes, 11q, 1091, 107;1, 108+; Pennsylvania, Fives, 801 801, 78+, Sit- 0 Ohio Sixes, 1031, 103+, 1031, 104+; Kentucky Sixes, 102+, 302+; Reading bonds, 50, 53, 53, 52; Bills on London, 107+, 1074, 1061 to 107+, 105 to 1061, 106 to 106+. Cotton—On the 6th inst. the telegraphic edvices by the Niagara were received. The decline by this packet Was not greater than was looked for, but as it began to appear doubtful whether the peace of the continent wonid be preserved, the business on that and the suc ceeding day was almost nominal. The letters which were received ol th 3 9th in;tfint, eo2lfirmin this idea, had th e e ff ec t o f caus i ng a decline nearly of g _at which 1,6C0 bales were dis- PO4ed On Tuesday the sales were 1,500 bales, and on Wed nesdq 2,000 bales, prices each day slightly lower. One farthing was the currency paid for freight to Liverpool to-day. On Thursday 1,000 bales, Friday 2,000 bales, and Saturday 1,500 bale without further change in prices, the market assuming a more regular character towads the close of the week. Nearly the wholo of this business was for exportation, and the bulls of it for the continent. Yesterday the sales were 1,000 bales, with a languid market. The quotations are for mailing, Ca to 6-;i- for uplands; and 61 to 7 for Orleans fair; 71 to 7 H for uplands, 71.. for 11-Inbile and Orleans. Freight 13. per lb. to Liverpocl; 4c. to Havre. The receipts of cotton during the last two weeks have been larger than in any fLrtner year, excepting the year 1840, v:licn the crop ran 200,000 or 300,000 bales be- yond the estimate. The Courier and Inquirer says, we are tired of being deluded by recresentations of probable falling off. Wo will not believe again until we see, and we verily expect the cscesses in r, ceipts, compared with 1648, to be about as large three weeks hence as it is now, telling that the receipts of the three weeks last year were only 143,000 bales. Tons we may be right up to 2,400,000 bales before we have a symptom to exhibit of any probible accuracy in the opinion we have given, that this crop will nut mate rially exceed 2,600,000 bales, &c. Flour—The continued dulness in the market has occa sioned a further decline of 371 to 50 cents per barrel on the lower descriptions since the calling of the Canada on the 4th. The better kinds, being has plentiful and more in demand, have been less affected. At the close of yesterday there was a better feeling, and holders were more firm, but the enhanced rate for freight bad checked the expert demand. The exports from the 27th of March to the 101 of April to Great Britain and Ireland from this port were 5,700 barrels of flour, 962 barrels corn meal, and 234,577 bushels Indian corn. Provision—The market is inactive. Mess pork is held at 10 dolls. 25c. to 10 dolls. 371 e., and prime at 8 dolls.. 50c. Beef sells in small lots at 11 dolls. 50c. to 12 dolls. 50c. for country end city best mess, and 7 dolls. 75c. to 8 dolls. 50c. fur prime; Ohio lard 61- dolls. to 61 Ashes—Pots command 7 dolls. per 100 lb. They are scarce, and in demand. Pearls are steady at 7. Freights—Rates of frei'zlit are, to Liverpool kr cotton is square bales, and in round 1. per lb.; flour, 23. per barrel; grain in bulk, 611. to 7d. per bushel for corn and wheat respectively—to London, 2s. to 2s. Id. 2s. 21, and 2s. 31 per barrel for flour, and other ar ticles in proportion. To Havre—cotton cents. per lb. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 1, 1849, FRAN CE. The annual general meeting of the ehareholders of the Northern Railway was held on Saturday; Baron James de Rothschild occupied the chair. The report, after giving a statement of the affairs of the company, and stating [hat the directors thought that the sum of 2,500,000 e, which were the profits of the year, ought to be devoted to the payment of the debt due to the French Governrceat, stated that the interest of 4 per cent., guaranteed to the shareholders, should be paid, but that there would be no further divideed for the present half•) ear. M. Rothschild stated that it bed been resolved that the shares should be definitively fixed at 400 f. each; and he added that, of the amount of capital not yet called up, 35F. per share would be required next July, and 401'. more about the commencement of next year. The fol lowing gentlemen were elected directors:—MM. Bon nerd de St. Didier, and Deshler. DENMARK. SCHLES WIG-HOLSTEIN. COPENHAGEN, APRIL 26.—The Minister of War has just published the official report of the battle of Kolding. It is as follows:—" On the 231 General Bulow made an attack upon the enemy, which had entered Jutland ; the 4th Infantry brigade, under Major General Moltke, marched across Brandrup, and the 33, under Major General Schlepnergrcli, across Gadsoo and Nordve. Bjert, against Kolding, while General Rya was to have crossed the Koldingow with his corps at Eistrupp, but was unable to make the transit at the time appointed, in consequence of the superior force opposed to him on the other side. Near Kolding groat obstacles were en countered, especially by some entrenchments that had been thrown up by the enemy. They were, however, taken, and the fifth battalion of the line, and two Jager corps succeeded, in conjunction with several battalions of the 4th brigade, to force their way into the city, from which, after a hot engagement in the streets, they succeeded in expelling the enemy. But as the enemy hereupon, with a superior force of artillery, fired upon the city with granite shot from the neighbouring heights, and the city caught fire in several places. The com manders, in order to save it from complete destruction, gave the word for the troops to fall back and return to the cantonments. This withdrawal of the troops was ef fected with the most admirable order. The enemy did not attempt to follow the 31 and 4th brigades, nor did the strong body of the enemy's cavalry, which pursued Gen. Rye's corps venture to make an attack. The loss during this engagement, which lasted from six in the morning to half•past three in the afternoon, was immense en the side of the Danes, and amounted to several hundred killed and wounded. Among the killed was the Commander of the 511 Regiment of the line, M. Von Schindel. The Imperial troops took part in the engagement, but they were probably standing as a reserve corps. The Haders 'obeli quarters had been proparcd on the 24th for eighteen battalions, two regiments of cavalry, and four battalions of Prussians. The Dsncs have made 80 pris,mers. HANOVER, APRIL 26.—An extraordinary supplement of the lianoveriazzGazette of this evening contains a pro clamation by the King, countersigned by his Ministers, in which his Majesty dissolves the Second Chamber of the Assembly on account of the irregularity of its procedure relative to the question of the adoption of the fundamental law and Constitution of Germany, as laid down by the Frankfort National Assembly, and the illegality of its procedure, in regard to the recognition of the King of Prussia as the Imperial head of Germany. The proclamation concludes by saying that his Majesty reserves to himself the power of convoking a new Chain ber.—Hamburgh Papers, April 26. POLAND. WARSAW, APRIL 20.—The reports are confirmed that the Emperor has been very unwell for several weeks. Nearly every day a number of political offenders arrive here. They had been sentenced to Siberia, but subse quently pardoned by the Emperor. Several young Poles of rank who are serving in the Russian army had lately been promoted and distinguished with the Russian Order of Merit, a circumstance which has never before been known to take place. These improvements are ascribed to the endeavours of the heir apparent to gain the affections of the Polish notion. There is no doubt that mcmentous events are at hand. The artillery depots are at work day and night. Troops are corning and going, but not even the supreme officers know the place ot their destination. No ore, however, imagines that there will be a conflict with Prussia. The concentration of the troops on the frontiers merely serves to prevent the Pules from giving acive assistance to revolutionists in the neighbouring countries. Patkewitz himself has said as much. Oa the othrr hand, all can ace t i;ainly enough that Russia intends to break with the Porte. Some of our great merchants received an admonition a few weeks since to he on their guard in their intercourse with Turkey.—Cologne Gazette, April 28. ITALY. Letters from Venice, of the 181 inst., state that the Sardinian squadron had sailed off, notwithstanding the pro mise made by Ali ini to the Governor of Ancona. Seven Austrian ships of war arrived off Venice in the evening of the 17th, when the blockade commenced. In the morning of the 18th, however, the mail steamer, with Atveral sailing vessels, two of which, laden with provi suceeeiiLd in entering the harbour. Venice was tranquil, and prepared to offer au energetb resistance to the Austrians. Letters from Turin of the 25th instant announce that the Au*trians entered Alessandria at six o'clock P.M. on the 241!.b. Their force consisted of a Croatian Illyria❑ battalion of the Regiment Buck vina, a Wallachian regiment, and two batteries of artillery, forming together 3.000 men. One half was quartered in the citadel, and the other in the town. The population remained perfectly tranquil. General Ls Mirmora had 3. long conference with the Ministry at Turin, after which he returned to Genoa. The Ticino Gazette of V the 25th inst. publishes an order of the Council of State of that canton, dated Lu gano, 24th, banishing therefrom in 48 hours all the Italian refugees who had been denied leave to reside in canton and had nevertheless remained in it, and tht. 33 who having entered it since the late political events had not applied for that leave. All the inn keepers and inhabitants, who should receive them, were to pay a fine of 25 francs for each infraction to that order. SPORTING LOTTERIES, &e.—At a special meeting cea of magistrates, held on Saturday intheohairdroom of the Hulborn Union Workhouse, mr. a w chairman), said that too much publicity coulds no (the tneb e given 0 the unanimous determination of the licensing m agistrates of the county of Middlesex, which was, ot tl h lial in future, wherever it was proved by the police, or disinterested testimony, that a publican had exhibited betting-lists on his premises, or permitted gambling of any description , his licence would most assuredly be taken away from him; and some of his brother magis trate 3 went so far as to say that they would not even saction the transfer of a licence to either an out. going or n in-coming tenant proved to have been guilty of such an offence. CLERKENWELL COUNTY COURT.—THE COUNTY COURTS BILL.—WANTED A JUDGE.—On Saturd day, an d six other days within the last fortnight, much ssatis- . faction was expressed at this court, in consequence of 1,150 cases having been put down for trial—that is, at the rate of 150 a day, but, owing to the death of Mr. Starkie, the late judge, the proceedings have been sus pended, much to the inconvenience of a vast number of witnesses, &c. The evil is a very serious one, as affecting the general working of the Bill. There 'aro now up wards of 6,000 plaints nnheard, and the appointment of a judge, with an assistant, is anxiously looked for. ROYAL PRESENTS.--Her Majesty's ship Seagull has brought from Rio do janeiro two packages contain ing presents from the Royal Farnilv Brtzil to the iiori Family of N;sples. The p3cizt - g , .# , were addresicA to his Ext - Tllecey the Prine , A (3:-Lsteicie‘;ll the Ne4Plittm Arebl4.3lcior as this Court, and wete, ua a rival, ikaine diately forwarded to town for troamlsiou to their des. tination, - , . .• IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS, April 30. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the Wool sack at Five o'clock. The Earl of EGLINTON presented a petition from Ayr against railway travelling on Sundays. The Bishop of CASHEL presented several petitions in favour of a grant to the Church Education Society in Ireland. ALLEGED PILLAGE OF WORKS OF ART IN ITALY. Lord BROUGHAM said that it had been reported that the Minister of Finance of the de facto Govern ment cf Rome, had departed with the cameos of the Vatican, and the medals, and coins, and MSS., fur the purpose of raising money on them in Paris and Lon don ; and he ho.ped that the public notice thus given would have the effect of putting all intended pur chasers on their guard ag tinst purchasing these stolen goods. After a few words from a NOBLE PEER, Lord BROUGHAM said that it was not Mazzini, but Mazzoni, who was Minister of Firianc. Mazzoni was Minister of Police, arid as such ought to have protected his (Lord Brougham's) excellent friend Count Rossi from assassination, which he did not do. Lord BEAUMONT said his Noble Friend was wrong in his second assertion. At the time of the murder of Count Rissi Mszzini was not at Rome, he was not a Roman Minister, he was rot even a Roman citizen; he was at the time these events took pltee at L:ghorn. Lord L'ROUGIIAM explained. NAVIG ATION-LAWS. Lcrd STANLEY presented several petitions against the repeal of the navigation-laws, among them one from Liverpool, signed by 47,000 persons. The Eirl of LONSDALE presented some petitions with a similar prayer. The Marquis of SALISBURY presented some peti tions with a similar prayer. HIG 11 WAYS BILL. On the motion of the Earl of ST. GERMANS, this Bill was read a second time. TURNPIKE TRUSTS UNION BILL Lord REDESDALE moved the second reading of this Bill.—Agreed to. The Bill was then ordered to be referred to a Select Committtee. RAILWAYS. Lord BROUGHAM gave notice of motion for to morrow for certain returns relating to railways. Lord MONTEAGLE thought that their Lordships ought not to suffer any railway Bills to pass until they had decided whether or not they ought to have public auditors of railway accounts. Lord BROUGHAM considered some such measure absolutely necessary. After a few words from the Earl of GItANVILLE and Lord WRAnscLIFFE, the subject dropped. PETITIONS. - The Earl of CARLISLE presented several petitions in avour of the Seduction Prevention Bill. POOR-LAWS (IRELAND). Lord WHAUNCLIFFE then rose to move for returns of the correspondence which had taken place between the Government and the Poor-law Commissioners of Ireland, relative to the steps taken, or to be taken, for the relief of destitution in certain parts of Ireland, since the last papers were presented to Parliament. The Nob'. Lord addressed the House at some length on the subject of his motion, but in a tone so low and indis tinct that he was almost inaudible in the gallery. He was understood to say, that although wholly uncon nected with Ireland, yet, considering the great distress which existed in some portions of that part of the em pire, and the large amounts proposed to be applied from the Imperial Exchequer for the relief of that distress, he might be excused for seeking that the fullest infor• mation should be afforded on the subject. Now, he coniidered the papers laid before Parliament up to the preeent moment were of a ♦ery unsatisfactory nature, and the object of his motion was to procure the latest and fullest information, both as to the actual existing amount cf distress and the nature end extent of the re- lief wbL,h the Poor•law Commissioners in Ireland would be enabled to give. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said he had no ob• jeetion to produce the papers asked for. The time at which the Noble Lord had moved for them was most opportune, and it was quite right that their Lordships should he put in possession of all existing information On the subject, as they would be shortly called upon to decide upon measures brought forward by the Govern ment for the relief of destitution in Ireland. Lord GOSPORD prc rented a petition in favour of the Protection to Women BT. The Bishrp of OXFORD presented petitions from several places to tho same t ffcct. The Earl of ROSSE moved far corrfspondenco be tween the Poor-law Commissioners and Boards of Guardians in Ireland, with .respect to out-door and in door relief, which was agreed to. CRUELTY TO ANIMALS PREVENTION BILL. Their Lordships went into Committee on the Cruelty to Animals Prevention Bill. The Bishop of OXFORD drew adistinction between fox-hunting and conk-fighting, in point of cruelty to the animal, and contended that the former was the enjoy ment of animal life. The speed of the animals, and the dexterity of the riders, constituted a sport of a superior order; and, as such, it ought not to be the subject of re strictive legislation. The Earl of MINTO said, that the cruelty to the animal itself was the test by which they should try the cruelty of the sport, and therefore he could not see any grounds on which the Right Rev. Prelate (the Bishop of Oxford) could establish his distinction. The several clauses of the Bill ware agreed to, after a desul:ory discussion, with a few verbal amendments. Their Lordships then resumed, the Bill was reported with its amendments, and their Lordships adjourned at a Quarter before Eight o'clock. HOUSE OF CO:11MONS, April3o. The SPEARERtookthe Chair shortly before Four. THIRD READINGS. The Bradford Waterworks Bill was read a third time aad passed. REPORTS. The reports on the fullowirg Bills were confdered and agreed to: — Division of the Living of Richmond and Kingston upon-Thames Bill. R tnsonmoor or Dodclington Filth District Drainage Act Amendment (to amend and extend the powers, to annex other lands, to borrow money, and to levy rates or taxes) Bill. Tay Navigation and Perth Harbour Acts Amend ment Bill. hittlesey St. Mary and Whittlesey St. Andrew Union of Parishes, and for Improving the Town of Whittlesey Bill. PETITIONS. Colonel REID presented a petition from Windsor in favour of the alteration in the Marriage Act. Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD presented a petition from Reading against the Alteration of Oaths Bill. Mr. GREENE presented petitions from places in Lan cashire complaining of the present mode of levying the county rate. Mr. F. ISIAULE presented a number of petitions from places in Scotland against the Marriage and Registra tion Bills. Sir G. STICKLAND presented a petition from Pres :on in favour of the Bill for legalising marriages with a leceased wife's sister. Mr. FITZROY presented a petition against it. Mr. EVANS presented a petition in favcur of it. Mr. I)UNCAN presented a petition in favour of the Clergy Relief Bill. Sir R. H. INGLIS presented petitions against the grant to Maynooth and the Parliamentary Oaths Bill; also a petition from the Chancellor, Master, and stu dents of the University of Oxford, against the admis sion of Jews into Parliament. Mr. THORNELY presented a petition from a Liver pool congregation in favour of international arbitration. Mr. B. DENISON presented a petition from a place in the West Riding in favour of the Marriage Bill. Mr. LOCKHART presented petitions from places in Scotland against the Marriage and Registration Bills; also petitions against Sunday travelling and against the Bill for legalizing marriages with a deceased wifu's sister. Captain JONES presented a petition against the Rate in Aid Bill. Mr. HASTIE presented petitions against the Scotch Registration Btll. Mr. S. CRAWFORD presented a petition from Roch dale praying for the appointment of a Central Financial Board to regulate local taxation. TURNPIKE TRUSTS. Mr. CORNE WALL LEWIS moved that it be an in struction to the Committee of Selection to form into a group all turnpike Bills for England and Wales, whether opposed or unopposed. After a short discussion the motion was agreed to. Mr. COBDEN presented a petition from a place in the West Riding, complaining of the excessive expen diture under the county rate. Mr. STUART WORTLEY presented several pe tit'ons in favour of his Marriage Bill. Mr. M. GIBSON presented four petitions from Man chester, praying the House to pass a measure for esta blishing a system of education, which should be sup ported by local rates, and under the control of local boards. AUDITING OF RAILWAY ACCOUNTS. Mr. WYLD inquired whether the Government in tended to take any measures for ensuring a better auditing of railway accounts. By the 9th Victoria, chap. 16, it was decreed that fourteen clear days were to be allowed for the notice for the auditing of the ac counts. but in thecase of the Eastern Counties he had good reason to believe that the auditing had not taken place until after the fourteenth day. The report stated then that although the accounts had been audited, it was ne cessary to call in a professional accountant to investigate them. What then he wished to know was, whe ther there was any intention on th e p ar t o f the overn• ment to take mcv.ures fur the hotter regulation of rail way affairs. Mr. LABOUCIIERE said that the House was aware that during the la,t session h.! had introduced a measuie which had for its objet the b. tter government of railway affairs, but the House, as h thought most unfortunately, had taken a different view from himself of the na ture of railway interests, and had rejected his Bill. But the Reno was also probably aware that a Committee of the House of Lords had for some time been sitting for the consideration of this subject, and ho fully expected t r: would emanate from them to ensure a prod of railway accounts. Should that not cYat a a b ic e n should certainly feel it, his chitty to brimto ensure that object. i T n c ll TT( e ) a N sur o e F TENANTRY IN IRELAND. o (ft. ON NUL, inquiring whether to urd` as d / 9,i 1 Febfuau, 1819, r,.:pcctiog g be iv m en ad t e u fo r r e t l h ie:iitnhgnovi, officers of poor-law un 11 etate the number of and that such return e a e bele e rL s rnti tun o ehlse' e usc of tioennas ylrteolanbde duals evicted in each case, and all other particulars of said notices, was in the hands of the Government? Sir W. SOMERVILLE replied that he Ind not yet received them. POOR-LAW (IRELAND) —RATE IN AID. On the motion for the third reading of this Bill, Captain JONES mov e d that it bo read a third time Lhat day six months. Sir J. WALSH considered that the measure would . be as pernicious in its tendency as it was insufficient in its provisions. He would not enter at any length into those statistical details which would clearly prove the utter inefficiency end inadequacy of the rate which it WAS intended to raise, and which, in cense quence of the principle that it involved, was so repug nant to the feelings, common sense, and justice of the people of Ir e l an d, w h o were struggling against the distress and difficulties of the times, and who were scarcely able to support themselves. Neither would he, at any length, press upon the attention of the House that most painful consideration which naturally at : taciaed to this measur e its unavoidable tendency' to alienate the affections of the most loyal porticn of the population of that country. This measure had bean forced upon the House against their conviction, and the most str,nuous opposition of the majority of the Irish Members composed of men of every shade and co m pl ex i on of' p o litical feeling ; and it was forced on them under the idea that England was to acquire some undefined benefit from its own on I re l an d t h e ma intenance of own poor. That did appear to him to be a state of things, an exercise of power on the part of that House which must necessarily furnish a strong argum ent to those persons w h o h a d disturbed the vice of that country, and who had alienated the feelings of the people of Ireland from thi s country i n re f erence to the Uni After all the melancholy details which had been laid be fore the House of the lamentable distress in the unions of the south and west of Ireland, he still did entertain very consider a bl e d ou b ts as to the urgent necessity which had been so strongly pressed upon the House, and which was i n f ac t t h e sole argumen t w ith which her Majesty's Ministers had met the opposition to this mea sure. He did acknowledge that great and lamentable end very general distress did prevail in those districts in Ireland; he did not deny the failure of the potato crop, which was the staple food of the people, had created a very lamentable degree of distress in that country; but they were now giving out-door relief with • out accompanying it with any practical test whatever of the destitution of the recipients; they were thus opening the door to every species of abuse. It was impossible not to feel the greatest conviction that side by side, purl. paean, to the vast amount of real distress, destitution, and poverty in that country, there was at the same time on all sides, in every one of those unions, a vast amount of fraud and imposture, to which their present system applied no adequate corree • open, a nel think h that the at that tive whatever. Wherever out-door relief h a d been applied, they found the workh ouse t eat had failed in consequence of the number o f occu pants, that the gates were thrown whole population were thrown upon the rates, w h o might perfectly well maintain thems e l ves , an d the censequence was, that grounds he to whole machi nery which they had devised had entirely broken d own . aA betterot her administration reas n lvhich g gave t e him ,e poor-law wo u ld b e e ffi s eacious, was the remarkable cont ras t th a t ex i sted b e teeen the state of the different districts of Ireland, though apparently under and affected by the same cir cumstances. It had been shown to the Committee tha . had sat upon this subject that a great difference existed between Donegal and Clare—indeed, there w as a mate rial difference between the condition of unions in Donegal, affected by the same circumstances, though they were side by side. One union in Donegal had been frequently mentioned. It was affected like its neighbours, yet it had been able to go on with out-doorreliet; whilst its neigh• hours had been drawn into the vortex. Tl.e se an d ot h er things had confirmed him in his opinion, that it was most unwise to apply to such a country as Ireland so limited a poor-law. He blamed the system of appoint ing vice-guardians to manage the affairs of a union, be cause they were not ve rsed in the multifarious d u ti es they were called upon to discharge. Ireland was just one of those cases to which they must apply exceptional deeds; whatever was applicable to ordinary affairs was not applicable to Ireland. Lord CASTLEREAGH regretted that he was not in the House in time to move t hat this measure should be read a third time that day six months. He thought the Government had placed Z 'Hon. Members in an unfair po sition, for it had reduce d them to the alternative of either submitting to the provisions of the Bill, or the obnoxious impost of an income-tax. The Noble Lord then proceeded to quote from a number of returns, wi.h the view of showing that . Ireland was at present income-tax nor a rate in aid.—(Hear, hear.) Clare has repaid Is. 10p. in the loan to Government ; overtaxed, and could bear neither . the burden of an Iu Mayo the suf fered a rate of 14s. Bd. in , the pound. ; in Kerry they were las. 6d. ; iu rates were 17s. rqd. and yet with all that imposition,. the county had all these statements he had not pressed at all . upon the and in Limerick, 15s. Now in the difficulties which were likely to accrue from the course which they were pursuing. Did rGeasiol'arYce'slso3f. 6 the d. c ; ountry ; he had simply pointed ou• they want new reasons, let them look to the north of Ireland. What was the case there? In Belfast the poor-rate was 20s. Bd. in the pound. In Roscommon it was 20s. in the pound. He sup posed therefore that if they had another value tion, there would be the same evils, only with the exception that they would be largely enhanced. He had only ono other observation to make, and he would address himself to the English and Irish Mem bers of tho House, and when he spoke of Irish Members ho could not fail to remark that very few of them had assisted in flat so debates.—(Hear, hear.) He did not know where they had gone, or w h at t h e y were about, but certainly, very few of them had appeared in these de bates.—(Hear, hear.) H o would as k, were th e y dis posed to act upon th e s t r i ct pr i nc i p l es o f ju s tice 2 (Hear, bear.) Or were t h ey determine d to p us h for the thepo Fpundroing of flesh they were, the re s p ons ibili ty would be upon t h e m. He would act ventu re to ta lk to the House of Commons in water?--(Hear, e flesh, r( or te to a r drab ie a r iron o it m a tone which was disrespectf u l, but lie would remind the Ministry that ther e was such a'thing as rashness in un dertaking that which might be incompatible to the national eh aracter.—(H e ar, ar.) He would remind them that th ere was suc h an aphorism which, if freely rendered, and he might cite, said " that angels fear to tread where cowards yet rush in." . lle did not mean, far be it f rom him, to impute such a sup position to men like her M a j esty ' s ' Ministers ; he did not mean to impute to them anything like inconsideration or imprudence. If their foreign relations were not . so satisfactory, and th e i r colon i a l po li c y was in diffi culty, in what p os i t i on woul d t h ey b e in when theyimposed further taxes upon an unwilling arid over burdened people? I re l and was prepare d to p ou r out its heart's blood for the weal of the nation—it was prepared to dothat which had taken place upon the plains of Belgium , the valleys of Spain, th e shores of China, and more re cently on the distant banks of the Hydaspes. Lord J. RUSSELL sa id h e ha d r i sen i n con sequence of the distressing accounts which had been received from Ireland, and to reply to some observations which had been made by the Honourable Member for Montrose. The sum of 50,0001. was now entirely exhausted; and the accounts from tho Poor-law Commissioners re presented that the destitution was increasing. With those accounts before them, and considering that if ever the House agreed to the third residing this evening some time must elapse before the Bill could be taken into the consideration of the other House of Parliament, hedid not think that the House would be justified in placing any limit on the sum previously agreed to be advanced, but to issue such a sum as they might find, from the ac counts which they received, would be absolutely neces sary to mitigate and prevent the destitu tion which prevails. With regard to the h latter part of the Noble Lord's speech, threatening them with the effects that that rate should in would produce in Ireland, he (Lord J. Rus sell) _ e . not be alarmed, because he had happened to l e_c receive a most excellent letter from Lord Londonderrt lear) • Ireland would offer no resistance to that his tenantry in the measure, in the event of its passing into a law. Lord CASTLEREAGH—No, for they will all be gone to America. Lord JOHN RUSSELL--Then their resistance would not be very formidable.—(Laughter.) He would now ask the house to ogre() to the grants of 6,0001. to relieve the distress in Ireland, the money that was in hand for that purpose having been exhausted. Mr. BANKES said the representatives of England had a right to see that there was a security for the money that was asked, but they found there was no security. There was no security for the payment of th e money even at a distant period, butit was an early payment which they had a right to look to when they remembered the exigencies of England.—(Hear, hear.) He thought the Irish Members should give security for the repay ment of the advances that it would now be necessary to make. Mr. .13. COCIIRANE said all the measures of the Government of Ireland had proved to be empty and scanty measures. He had not seen any large end comprehensive measures brought forward. When the vote of 10,000,000/. was proposed, be said it was fallacious, because the sinews of a nation were industry—the sinews of men—and that whilst they were wanting no grants of money could be be neficial. The Government had proposed nothing like a great measure; and unless the Government did better, a • justifiable cry would be raised up for the repeal of the Union. The loss of Ireland would detract from the dignity of England; but there were t wo thi ng s to be considered —this loss of dignity, and the starvation of the people. He confessed that un less a real panacea was applied, and the measure before the House was not of that character, ho should be disposed to vote for the repeal of the Union. Mr. P. SCROPE said that he thought security ought to be taken from the unions for any advance that might be made to them, and that the able-bodied paupers should be employed upon the waste lands, which would he applying them to productive labour. By employing them in useful labour, they would have a return for what they might advance to alleviate the distress of the coun try, which would be the true policy to be adopted. Mr. S. CRAWFORD said the money expected to be raised by the rate in aid would not meet the difficulties in the county May o, where the people were without clothes, without houses, and without employment, artd the best part of the population emigrating from the country. He wanted the public money to be expended on works which would stimulate the employment of the people. He considered the rate in aid unconstitutional, and should oppose it. Mr. GRATTAN said, that he had receive:l lott.:T! , to,na Ireland, informing him that distress was eprtee i itw in all dila ctio e , Is was not a inernster they wauted iu Ireland, but a baker, or an undertaker. There were six teen millions of quarters of corn grown in Ireland last year, wording to the report of Captain Larkin. If Ireland had a native Parliament, these deaths could not have taken place, for the Irish would .have shut the ports, stopped the :distilleries, and :exerted themselves to meet the distress. When Ireland had a Parliament, they voted 250,0001. in the year 1795, for the defence of England, and forty thousand men for the pub lic defence against a threatened French invasion. It vras said in that House, that if England lost the first place among the nations of Europe, she would be nothing. He believed it, and he should always wish she were first, but it was not keeping her position to be peddling about a few pounds and a few stones of meal, while the people of Ireland were starving. He wished the Liberal Members of Ireland to consider what they had done; they destroyed the agricultural interests of the country—(" H ear " f rom th e Protectionists)—they destroyed its commerce, mainly by supporting certain measures, and let them not now put the finishing stroke to the miseries of the country. It was said there were bed landlords in Ireland, and he believed it, but they were not all bad, and in many cases, to his own knowledge, more particularly in Connaught, Cavan, and parts of Connaught, no rent wac paid at all, for several years. Let the House look at his own case. He had property near that farmed by the Duke of Buckingham, in the county of Longford, and Colonel White had property also, and so had Lord Longford; but what was ,the fact? The Buckingham property was covered with paupers, whom they hull to support in addition to their own; and although it was recently sold for 1.4,5001, not a single shilling could the purchaser get from the tenantry on that property. They first, as he had said, destroyed their agriculture and commerce—they took away the constitution in conse quence of a mock insurrection, and then talked of sending away the people by emigration. For his own part, he was incen'tiary enough, and would continue so, to tell the people of Ireland not to pay any rents to the tbsentees —for they were the cause cf the misfortunes which befell the country. For his ote,n part, he should vote for the Bill, in the hope th At it would afford some relief to the famishing people in the present dreadful crisis. _ _ _ Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL then proceeded to address the House, in the midst of loud and vociferous cries of " Divide, divide." He denied, in the first instance, that the people of Ulster were superior either in know ledge cr loyalty to those of the south or west of Ireland, as had b. en alleged by Hon. Members on the other side of the House. Ile had also heard it complainel of that the loan of ten millions to the people for some years hack created a bad effect. He denied it, for it relieved the people from death by starvation in many instances, and where so Many lives were preserved it coeld not have created a bad effect. He voted, as he had aleeely said, fcr the Bill now before the House as a choice of two evils, and he should say it was not fair for that !douse to place Irish Members in so painful a position. —(Hear.) They had heard that evening of the horrible account given by the gentleman who, in driving through the western parts of Ireland, in the county of Mayo, was obliged to desist from his journey in consequence of the number of bodies which lay dead and festering along he road. But they had not heard half the story of the horrors which now existed in that unfortunate country. He had received letters from various other parts of Ire land—Kilkenny, for instance, a rich and fertile district — from places withi❑ a short distance of the metropolis, and in the gangway, if he might use such an expr.es ,ion, of trade and commerce, and yet the destitution which prevailed was really frightful, The Hon. Member then proceeded to read an extract from the Cork Exa miner, in which the writer of the letter gave a melan choly description of the misery produced in various places in Kerry, in consequence of recent evictions which reek place in that county; and then proceeded to say, they might depend on it that the emigration now going forward of the farmers and yeomen of the country, which was most disastrous, would be encouraged instead of checked, if this system of eviction were permitted to eo on. They were beautifying the public buildings of that metropolis, widening streets, and rendering them mere megnlicent than any others in Europe; but they were doing that—they were expending money at a time when the people of Ireland were starving. It had been ilasphemously asserted that the misery of Ireland was Heaven's will; that her people ought to be left to their own wretchedness. Yes, in rich powerful England, and in the nineteenth century, such language was used, and the author not reproved, towards millions of God's creatures, and for whose salvation he laid down his life. Colonel DUNNE said that unless they were taxed justly, the Irish Members would not support this mea sure. Ho was prepared to show that in Ireland they could not get this money, and therefore this security was delusive. The whole tax must fall on one-half of Ireland. Ho thought the poor-law objectionable. There was no help for Ireland at this na,ment, unless they fundamentally altered this poor law. He repudiated the idea that the Irish Members wore responsible for any thing that was going on in Ireland. The Government ought to have spoken out. Their present proceedings would no result in any permanent benefit to the coun try. There were 172 petitions from Ireland against this measure, and only one for it. The measure was opposed to the general feeling in that country. Strangers were ordered to withdraw, and the House divided, when there appeared— i'or the amendMent Against it Majority The Bill was then read a third time. G)lonel R W DON suggested some verbal alterations in the title of the Bill. lie thou4ht the collection of this rate would most materially affect the beneficial ope ration of the poor-law in Ireland. After the word c• - .T- Lain he moved to insert the words " other more" dis tressed unions. He protested against this invasion of the Act of Union. Lord JOHN RUSSELL thought the words objected to unobjectionahl, therefore he should not agree to the amendment. It was then wgatived vvithout:a division. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.—NAyY ESTIMATES. The House then went into a Committee of Supply, Mr. BERNAL in the chair. The following votes were passed nem. con.: -135,2141. to defray the salaries of the officers and the general ex penses of the Admiralty-office; 9,772/. for the General Register and Record-office of Seamen; and 52,8471. for ihe scientific branch of the navy. On the vote of 137,287/. for her Majesty's establish ments at home. Mr. CORItY took occasion to remind the House that the late Secretary of the Admiralty (Nlr. Ward), in :Boring the es'imates, and in explaining the alterations which the Admiralty proposed in the dockyards, !nada some observations with respect to the manner in which the busitless was carried on by the dock yard officers. Since that time certain Hon. Members, following up the remarks of the Hon. Gentleman had made use of s' rong language in reference to those officers —some having even gone the length of charging them Nith gross and prof] ga'o mismanagement. Now, har ing hed five years' Experience of the manner in which business was carried on in the dockyards, and enter taining the highest respect for the officers of those establishments, he felt bound to say that the observa tions which had been made upon them were by no means deserved.—(Hear, hear.) Ho would do the Hon. Gentleman the late Secretary of the Admiralty the justice to say that he did not think he intended to convey the impression to the House which some Hon. Gentlemen had attached to his remarks.—(Hear, hear.) It had been said, too, that the Board of Admiralty had for 200 years been conniving at gross peculation and extrava gance in the dockyards. Without denying that the system was open to improvement, he felt bound to maintain that the charges which had been urged against it were greatly exaggerated. It was said, fur instance, that there had been no audit of wages; but that did not arise from any loose management on Lhe part of the authorities, but simply because they had always found their preliminary in quiries sufficient to secure accuracy. Then again it was said that there had been no general survey of stores; upon expen diture, of but that was because of the enormous expense which s yvv : .Ta c is h t h a r e s s u pr consideredev respect yt owouldtoe be unnecessary,s have ten ty occasioned, in and because it check consequence other arrangements calculated to secure the same end. it should not be forgotten that there was a monthly return of all the stores, which was duly verified by the superintendents. Sir F. T. BARING regretted that his Hon. Friend (Mr. Ward) was not present, in order to explain per ,,onally that he had no intention whatever of ascribing blame to the officers of the yards. So far was his Hon. Friend from stating that the system hitherto pursued at the yards had been a system of peculation, that he, on the contrary, was much struck and greatly satisfied, on strict inquiry, by the honesty with which the public busi ness had been carried on in the yards.—(Hear, hear.) No doubt there was room for improvement there, as in all large establishments of a similar nature. The vote was then agreed to, as was also a vote of 24,8731, for the salaries of officers, &c., and contingent expenses of the naval establishments abroad. On the vote of 414,4161, for the wages of artificers, labourers, and others employed in the naval establish• ments at home, Mr. COBDEN hoped the Right Hon. Baronet would not object to postpone it, as the Hon. Member for Mon trose (Mr. Hume), who had two amendments on the vesper with respect to the reduction of the dockyard bate talions and of the shipwrights, was unable to attend in his place owing to a sudden attack of cold which ren dered him quite inaudible. Sir F. T. BARING said, ho would not object to post pone bringing up the report on that particular vote till the llon. Member (Mr. Hume) could attend in his place, The rote was then agreed to. 40,7441. for wages to artificers, labourers, and others employed in the establishments was also agreed to. On the vote of 1,168,8691. for naval stores, building, repair, and outfit of the fleet, and for steam machinery, Mr. COBDEN arid that all who had examined into the details of the Committee last year would be satisfied there wore no grounds whatever for the charge of pecu lation in any branch of the service; but, at the same time, there was a very general opinion that the manage ment of our establishments was very defective, and ac cordingly a Committee had been appointed to revise the system and put the public on the footing of private establishments. He should like the Right Hon. Baronet to state the result of the inquiries of that Committee, as to which the late secretary (Ur. Ward) had been very anxious. t o stet© that the Sir F. T. BARING was understood report presented by t he Committee was now in co urse of being carried into effect. The vote was then agreed to. On the vote of 391 . 9341. to de fr ay the charges of im provements, repairs, &C. th, but in so low a tone as Mr. FAGAN , at some leng to be almost inaudible, rose to bring under consideration the expense; of the erection of a stertm-flciory at Haul -110 compit,ined the very m sali curii•n: ir:wiiu n monv - ex rn:led iu IrAthd, and Gail' 3 on 0 e meet to redeem their premise of making a landing-place at Cork. Sir F. T. BARING assured the lion. Gentleman that Oa admiralty not only gamins(' but were most willing, to perform their promise. —(Hear, hear.) With works connected with the steam navy in progress at respect to establishing a steam-factory at Cork, he could Woolwich and Portsmouth, would have hesitated to only say the project had been stopped there as well as commence far more costly ones at Keyham ithouteinore in other places, from the general curtailment of expendi- information, and would perhaps have referred throes tore, which had been as strictly enforced in England as tion to a Select Committee ; and if the Co Mee in Ireland. had been like the N av y C omm i ttee o f l ast y .the _ Mr. J. O'CONNELL thought it a great hardship that works at yliern would never h ave b ee -6mie • Ireland should have only one dockyard , while England mended,for the Navy C omm i ttee h a d state d dr had ten or eleven. re p ort t h at if those works had not been Attad 4s h-, • Ne ; • Admiral BOWLES expressed his opini on that some menced, the y w o u ld have had no hesitation i c= `t.= of the large grants made to Ireland shoul d have. been commending Parliament to w ithh o ld i ts sanction fro :;;;,- employsd in such reproductive works as the erection of them. There was no doubt that great blunders had beets-` a steam-factory at Cove. He hoped the Government committed with regard to these works. First, they were would not listen to the advice of those who would reduce on the lee shore instead of being on the weather shore, the navy to a state of degradation. Ile did not think and therefore exposed to the prevailing winds. It was, they could reduce the navy lower than it was at however, a strange fact that it was the suaimers,ebitehar)all-7or present. Recollecting how, in 18 46 , the United dock y ards.—(Hear, hear.) Secondl y , there was not a States had attempted to seize the Oregon ter - sufficient de p th of water at Keyham—(ea ritory ; how, iu 1847, they had attacked Mex- that the largest class of steamers would only be able to ice ; how, at the present moment, all Europe enter the basins at spring tides. To remedy this defect was torn by foreign and intestine warfare, he could see it was proposed to cut a channel through the mud and no ground on which they would be justified in reducing to endeavour to keep it open by constant dredging. the navy, or in dispensing with the services of that small Thirdly, the entrances to the basins being at right angles f.,ree which they now kept in a state of efficiency. to the current of the stream, large steamers would run Neither had any new circumstances arisen to lessen the the risk of considerable damage in entering, unless they nec.:siity for precaution. They had a powerful neigh- entered at the top of the tide, at slack water. Fourthly, hour which maintained strong naval and military esta- the basins were extravagantly large; the two would t,lishments, and which might turn upon this country cover sixteen acres, and would easily contain be with much more facility than at any former period. tween fifty and sixty steamers of the largest size. P, rhaps it was an old-fashioned idea of his to prefer ex• But what possible use could there be for such perience to theory. Bat it was imagined that the time enormous basins when there was 'such a harbour as the was at hand when warfare would case, and armaments !feminize ut hand ?—(Hear, hear.) Fifthly, the works might be dispeneed with. Those who took a prominent were prematurely undertaken. In 1844 works connected and active part in urging reduc:ioni might have been with the steam navy were in progress at Woolwich and expected to inculcate those great Christian principles of Portsmouth ; Parliament, as usual, Lad been misin charity, love, and forbearance, by the difrusi , ‘n of which formed that they would be completed for 100,000/. alone that happy change could be effected.—(Hear, Since then about 400,0001. had been expended there. hear.) lie regretted to say ho saw nothing Now, the AdmirtLy should have waited until those of the sort. He thought those gentlemen were works had been completed, and then, it experience had as pugnacious politicians as he had seen in the proved their expediency, works of a similar character course of a long experience. He was reminded of the might have been constructed at Devonport for about a fable of the sheep, the wolves, and the dogs. Ile pre- third of what Keyham would cost. Sixthly, all these fcrred the dogs to the wolv es . Th e at t empt was ma d e wor k s had been undertaken, partly in consequence of to undermine these great safeguards of the country a most ludicrous miscalculation of pecuniary benefits which those who had engaged in it would not venture to to be derived from them. It had been calculated that take openly. They disparaged the management and by means of these works steam-vessels could be re sneered at the efficiency cf the naval establishments. paired for about 25 per cent. cheaper than by con lie could not forbear noticing the unbusinesslike way in tract. From this calculation the cost of the works, and which discussions were commenced. No inquiry was of keeping them in repair, had been omitted. Now, made as to the establishments of other maritime nations. it wool.! be easy to show that the' interest of the Daring the inquiry of lest year not a question was asked money expended, and the cost of keeping the works tending to elicit information on that point. France had in repair, would be nearly equal to the whole cost of 40 sail of the line, 60 frigates, and a large steam navy; repairing the steam navy by contract.—(Rear, hear.) Russia had about 55 sail of the line, a smaller number It was evident that these works had been begun in the of frigates, a steam navy considerably iucreas- most thoughtless, reckless, and unbusicess-like manner. hag; and America 12 sale of the line, 14 frigates, They were, however, but a specimen of a system which arid an increasing steam navy. In 1793 this country had been pursued for years both by the Admiralty and had 78 sail of the line in commission, and in 1795 the Ordnance. ffe thought it was worthy of considerae upwards of 90. At a later period of the war this country tion whether there should not be a board of public had to contend with France, Spain, Holland, with two works, to which all plans and estimates, both of new northern coalitions, and finally with the United States, works and of alterations of old works, should be sub- What would have been their situation had they been, a mitred ; which board sh ou ld b o respons ibl e to Perna fe,v years before those contests, in :the, hands of the rnent for the accuracy of both plans and estimates ; and financial reformers? The reduction of the navy by _without the fuel report of which board as to the nature 3,000 men involved the breaking up of the squadron and intended cast of a work no estimate should bo pre fitted out in 1845, and which, nu doubt, had acted a s a sented to Parliament. If there had been such a rule in check on the American Government. With respect to 1844 Parliament would not, by voting 30,000/. on an the ships which were said to have never been at sea, the estimate of 400,0001., have pledged itself to works cost reason was, that providentially this country had not been ing 1,300,0001 Ile thought, With respect to these works at war. Some of the old vessels were en' inferior qua- at Keyham, that the wisest plan would bo to stop them, lity, and it was better to go on building new vessels than and to pay a forfeit to the contractor, for by doing so expending an equal sum of money in repairing the old there would probably be a saving of 700,000/. He, ones. While other navies were increasing, the navy of therefore, moved that the amount of the vote be re- Great Britain was diminishing; and he therefore en- duced by 120,000/, treated the House not to sutler the revolution which ells Mr. CORRY sail that, as he was in office at the Al urged in the system to proceed further, but rather to miralty when the works at Keyham were undertaken, he persevere in the measures undertaken by the Right Hon. was enabled to afford the House some information en the Member for Tamworth, to supply the deficiencies of subject. The Hon. Baronet had proposed in the Com the navy, and especially to increase the steam navy and mittee on the Navy Estimates that a stop should be put put the dockyards on a better footing; while, at the to these wet ks, but his proposition was only supported same time, the education of that rising generation cf by another Hon. Gentleman besides himself; and he (Mr. officers should not be neglected, on whose skill the Curry) therefore hoped that the Committee of the House country must rely for defence in all future emergenc'es. earth! support the Committee upstairs in their decision, Mr. HENLEY thought the Government placed in a by rejecting the Hon. Baronet's amendment. The lion. difficult position. On the one hand, the country was Baronet had said on a former occasion that the Admi calling out for reduction, while there were two parties ralty, under the pretext of making economical repairs, in that House who took a different course. The Irish were squandering large sums upon then orks of Keyham. Members called for new establishments, for no other Now, tnose works were undertaken solely in order to purpose apparently but to have money spent in Cork.— maintain the efficiency of the steam navy, which in case (Clear, hear.) However anxious they all were to eus- of war was essential to the safety of the country. It must fain the honour and dignity of the country, they wire be obvious to every one ecquaiutt d with naval affairs, agreed in thinking that their establishments should be that if there were any part of the coast where it was kept up as economically as possible. The multiplicity essential to have a harbour of refuge and means of re ef their establishments very much increased the expense. pair for steam-ships, that place wasDevonport. As the He was one of those who thought there were too many greater part of our naval force would be required in the of those establishments already; if they had fewer, the event of war for protecting the coast of Ireland, or for wor k would be better done, and the cost would be less. blockading the western coast of France, Devonport was There was nothing to show that the navy was neglected. the best point at which provision could be made for its In 1543 the number of men was very much the same as repair, and that port was also easy of access to ships at this moment. The number of men might fairly be coming from any foreign station, except from the North taken to test the other items of expenditure. The Go- Sea and the Baltic. lie admitted the Committee had vernment were most fit to determine what should be the expressed their opinion that if the works at Keyham had number of men. But at the present day more was had not been commenced they would not have recom paid for stores and dockyards than in 1843. He wished mended that they should be undertaken; but, with all de. the Government had been able to make a greater reduc- ference to the Committee, he would rather rely on the thin. The expenses of the dockyards were higher than opinion of gentlemen who had much more acquaintance they ought to be. Reduction might be carried to a much with matters of this kind than the Members of that further extent; but it was for the public interest that the Committee could Feasibly possess. Mr. Ward, nearly service should ho maintained in as efficient a state and at all the Naval Lords of the Admiralty, the late Lord as moderate a cost as possible. Auckland, Admiral Bowles, Mr. S. Herbert, many Admiral DUNDAS reminded the Hon. Gentleman engineers, and, indeed, all the witnesses examined that the estimates for the present year included items before the Committee, with only one exception, which were not included in the expenditure of former ho believed, had urged the necessity of este ) wers, blishing extensive works for the repair of steam ma- Mr. HENLEY had taken care in his comparison to chinery and steam-ships at Devonport. It had been said omit those items which related to the victualling yards that the works might have been commenced on a small and the steam navy. seal n but he considered that there could be no worse Mr. CORRY said that from 1813 to 1827 the average economy than to commence important works of this kind yearly amount of the navy estimates was 6,141,0001. ; on a small scale. The Honourable Baronet had given a from 1833 to 1838 it was 4,764,0001.; during the five meat exaggerated at count of the capabilities of the years of the last Administration it was 7,062,0001.; and basins at Keyham. It was truo that the basins were during the three years which the present Government very extensive, but this arose from the necessity of had held office it had been 7,492,000/. If the increase having space for bringing the ships alongside the wharfs, which had been made in the estimates since 1827, on ac- that they might be placed under the shears to receive count of contracts tor packet service, additional men and the immense weight of boilers and machinery; and, so additional pensions, were to be added to the estimates far from those [resins having been constructed on an ex for the years betwesu 1818 and 1827, these estimates travagantly large scale, it was in evidence that they were would exceed the present estimates by about 450,0001 only about one-third larger than the basins at Ports- When it was borne in mind, too, that since 1828 we bad mouth. lie had been informed by an officer that so far created largo steam establishments in the dockyards, from the basins at Woolwich and Portsmouth being too and established a steam navy, the House would see cause large, the only mistake had been in making them so to doubt that the percentage on wear and tear was less small; and he therefore thought it AISS the duty of the formerly than now. Government, in undertaking new works, to take care Mr. HENLEY said that 1814 was the period which that sufficient accommodation was provided. The Ho he referred to, and insisted cu the statement which he nouratile Baronet had said that a gross blunder had been had made being correct, committed in placing the works at Keyham on the lee Lord BERNARD advocated the propriety of aelvanc• shore; but, as the dockyard was on the he side of the ing money for the improvement of Cork harlsour. The harbour, it was deemed advisable to place the basins on sum required for the completion of the works would not the same shore. The Bon. Baronet was entirely mis t exceed 30,0001 taken in his statement respecting the depth of water, for Colonel SIBTHORP gave notice that urn the bring. he (Mr. Corry) believed the channel would be kept per ing up of the report he would move that the number of fectly clear without having recourse to dredging. Al the Lords of the Admiralty should be reduced by two, though he admitted it was desirable that Parliament and that the salary of the First Lord should be reduced should have the fullest information as to the extent to by ten per cent. which it was intended to carry these works, yet it was Captain FITZROY was happy to bear his testimony very difficult on commencing a great undertaking of this to the fact that the navy had never been in a more efli kind to determine upon the particular works, so as to clout state than under the late First Lord and the late make a satisfactory estimate. During the progress of Secretary to the Admiralty; whilst at the same time due such works various improvements, enlargements, or attention had been paid to economy. lie wished to alterations might become necessary; and if in 1843 he know whether there was any improvement as to tie me- had laid before Parliament a full estimate of the works at thud of coaling the steam navy, for considering that only Keyham, he would have been deceiving the House, for he 100 tons could be put on board in a day on the old sys. rosily did not then know to what extent it might be de tem, it was desirable that some other mode should be sirsble to go. lie denied, however, that the Government adopted. Another question to which ho wished to call in the course they had taken, had had any intention of the attention of the Government was with regard to the deceiving Parliament, for their estimates bad always freight of specie. lie thought it would be better it some specified the particular portions of the work for which ar rangements could be made for altering the present votes were required. The increase in vote No, 11 had practice, been noticed, but that increase was caused by the same Sir F. T. BARING was much obliged to the Hon. circumstance which had led to the increase of many Gentleman for the handsome terms in which he had other estimates in this department—by the necessity of referred to the state of the navy under the late Lord providing fur the maintenance and repair of the steam Auckland and his Hon. Friend Mr. Ward. Ho was navy. Another cause of the increased expenditure for glad also to have the opportunity of bearing his testi- works in the dockyards was this—when the late Board mony to the merits of his lion. Friend the late secretary. of Admiralty came into office, they found the dockyards He must say that during the short time he had been at in a state of dilapidation, they considered it their duty the Admiralty he had never met with a more zealous to place them in an efficient condition, and hence con. public servant,—():Tear, hear.) Tho attention of his siderable expense had been incurred, but he believed it lion. Friend had been much given to the subject to had been attended with results most advantageous to the which the lion. Gentleman first referred—that of coal- public service. ing the steam navy ; but he (Sir F. Baring) had been After a few words, in explanation, from Sir W. so short a time in his present office that he was not yet MOLESWORTII, acquainted with all the details of it. He believed, how- Mr. COBDEN said it had been stated before the ever, that before long a new plan would bo adopted. Committee to which the Right lion. Gentleman (Mr. With respect also to freight, the question was one of Corry) had referred, that the Government had en considerable difficulty, and ho had not yet boon able to tered into contracts to a certain amount for con. strutting the works at Keyham ; and a strong ceme to a satisfactory determination upon it. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY then complained of the works opinion was expressed in the Committee that that had been carried on at Keyham. Already 479,000/, those contracts should be adhered to, but he had been spent upon them, and now 120,0001. more was thought there was also a strong feeling that the works re quired. There was a powder-magazine in the middle should not go on after those contracts were completed. of the works, and he should wish to know what was the He hoped his Hon. Friend (Sir W. Molesworth) would determination respecting that magazine before they take the sense of the House as to whether any further voted any more money. expense should be incurred until the House or a Com; Sir W. MOLESWORTH thought there had been mittee had an opportunity of seeing plans of the docks great waste and extravagance with regard to these a n d bas ins, and of ascertainin g what would be the total works. In 1844 Parliament had been informed that cost of their construction. Lle reas on h a dby practical to know certain works were to be commenced at Keyham ; these tha t the whole thing was considered were to cost 400,0001., and on the faith of that estimate engineers to be disgraceful the to the c o e n c e s o s l u i i n e t y t r y o f f ro t as he b s e e gin do n c i k n s g , Parliament had voted 30,000/. On the 25th of September to end.—(Hear.) ttc of last As year came to the resolution that to of the same year, a Mr. Baker, a contractor, had pro- t they Committee e had not been begun, they w ould not have recom doeks were and a a posed to the Admiralty a plan of operations at Keyham if the c which required 713,0001. for the completion of a portion t m i s e fi n e d d ed t th heir e i is construction, country because already the y only, not of the whole of the intended works, and the brains enough for the repair of all her steamers. Admiralty approved of the plan, and entered into en o - f. Was the House aware that these preparations gagements with Mr. Baker to that effect ; in . virtue of were made, not in order to construct engines for those engagements the Secretary of the Admiralty I their steamships, but for the repair of these vessels in the event of a great war? It seemed to be assumed that t h e y were to have another general war to•morrow, end stated that Parliament was pledged to eb xr e n es d ir t t a h n o e t ' y n u e a x r t at least 120,000/. at Keyharn. that they must therefore be estimate in 1845 had been only fol moment that e 6 v 7 e s r , t ooo/., though the prepared with steam basins, Admiralty must have known at that mo _ham and have everything in order, to be ready for another taxpayers? He a t r ti . x e th d a e t n a ied w t i h s e e n p e o e l e ic s y sit w y it o h f the whole of the works in contembpslsattiloonnattwliceey that b re a f t e tl r e en o c f e T t r O d' t a h l e g could not be completed for muc h sum. Ia 1846 and 1847 the same estimate of 675,0001. At bngth—last year having a steam-basin at all; and his reason for doing so had been laid before Parliament. 1 to 22' 0001 The was, that private builders of steamboats had no basins. had discovered that an irn- —(Hea r, r) 'There was not in this country such a thing Navy Committee, b h e o en ve o v m e omitted from that estimate, and in existence as a steam-basin for the construction of portant item had told that 1,322,6271. was the private steam vessels. The Right Hon. Gntleman said now the Committee was sum required, although •the Hon. Gentleman the Secre- that the ad van t age of Keyham dock was to be estimated, tary for the Admiralty had told the Navy Committee not by the extent of dock, but by the amount of wharf 1, that the scale upon which the Admiralty would pro- age. If eo, what was the use of this great dock? It would pace to open Keyham would be less than half that laid be bett e r t o h ave a great sea-wall, an d t h en to b r i ng u p down in the plans which they found traced out by the the steamers alongside the wall. B u t thi s system of previous Government." He had likewise told the Navy expending public money was carried on without the Committee that it was originally proposed to have two slightest reference to the capabilities of the taxpayers basins and three docks at Keyham, and that the pre- of the country; and if the Government had an sent Government had struck out one of the dock?. It inexhaustible California under the table of the House, it was evident, therefore, that from the year 1844 to 1848 Parliement had been naiiinforincd with regard reckless would be impossible for them to go to work in a more . to ma the intended costs of them work', It had, however, Keyham dock.—(Hear, hear.) Preparation was made ruler than they bad done in reference to this been sail that the works estimat, din 1844 at 400.000. for the removal of' one were different from those which were' now to cost 'more up of another, at an expense of 90,0001., capable of con • than 1,300,0001. How did they eilfer? Preciney in powder magazine and the putting the present all stored in places of taining 40,000 barrels of powder. Was that wanted ? same manner as the foundation of a house differed They had 90,000 barrels at from the whole house when ehnonl ' ` l.l •of security • this c ountry But he ,hould be told that this e . wowts 1844 the ,abi.llll worke It in 1344. Admirelty pletely stated :wet tt;aytii.og be primed, charged, and loaded 's le in r wee, to wen New, %, us it that it wo u ld b e use l es s to commence the works unit se in preparation for a great warto-morrow.—(Elear, hear.) Parliament were prepared to expend 1 , 300 , 0007 . upon Instead of preparing for an imaginary war, it would be them, what wo u ld have been the consequences? In all wiser to consider the convenience and capabilities of the probability Pglitiment, kinlYing that there were costly taxpayers; and, in order to put an end to Cho extraordti TA