The Sun. — London, England, 1842-03-05 00:00:00

thesi s , rote an official letter to the Admiralty, stating that he naught the punishment had been sufficient, and begging, as a ,Irreonal favour, that the prisoner mieht•he liberated. In reply lett er th ey stated that. they could' not c msistently re -111411re full punish men t, but that altar the lapse of a month :9eY would grant a release. They considered that after the r l u i ttfi man had been dismissed from the service, and disgraced, g sent to the M ars h a l sea, if t h ey k ept hi m i n the dY longer the sentence might appear to be vindictive ; - -, le thrht eudess th e H ouse d ec i ded to the contrary, t h ey wou ld still tliat they had exercised a just and proper discretion. L. sot th e , every: young man that could manage a ship, eoad :til he had no doubt that every young man thought he 1e b : 1 - 10 t (Lau g h ter. ) I t required considera b le exper i- nee an d 1 . 6 e t, and a grea t d ea l o f ta l ent , to b e a bl e t o ma nage a oti r! ith respect to the age of an Admiral being an objet : c ot i a l l al stated by t he Hon. and Gallant Officer, he (Sir G. goy eA l " ) thought th a t w h en a man h a d been em is ' 4 . and had been found worthy of employment , it O tl a l ia t nt i.leir duty to conti nue t o em ploy him.—( Hear.) The b e e: reit* Officer thought that allowances should be made to offi to induce them to retire from the service. This had been tow,re i ntrodneed into the House, and it was decided that it we e sot be entertained, and at that time it was argued and OrE ee cc°l sidered. With regard to the motion of the Gallant i et b . " to increase the pay of seamen in the Navy, it was a ete leat for grave consideration. In the first place, if they in lieees.4 the nay fine the seamen line the Navy, it would become th e i r • a k r,Y for the -ehants to rease their pay to sailors in th e ones It behoved the parties conducting the affairs of ago ropey to look to this. With regwd to adding to the Veva,. of boys, they must consider that there ;was always a std number of boys ready to go to sea, both in the Navy tor e •:ue merchant service, than either could take, and there the w auld be an unwise thing to bring up a larger number t b a l t 3 be provided for, f o r the consequence would be, ./e ity th eY viould ultimately become paupers. At the time the aMounted to 20000, the next reduction caused 100,000 IC ) t ° be turned out o, upon the wide world. Many became ,s em tul P's in the country, and were in great distress. He was I.l le t ° admit that seamen could not be g,t in a day when 1,4 wanted to increase the Navy. If they decreased the oe en r t i'Tvcs and a war should spring up, that difficulty they and. There could be n doubt that it was a highly att rrtant thing to keep up a cer o tain number, to prevent dis- A n 4; in case of war. If they kept up this number of seamen te tn lNavz, the les s ne ce s s ity would there be for reeruit:ng the se a ZY• But it war were to come upon:them with but 32,000 •-s et ,,7`sa in the Navy they would have to go into the merchant oft ice for men. With respect to increasing the pay of the tn e ers in the Navy, he, for one, could have no objection ; but .1 04 1 14 be remembered that Captains had larger pay than Co , th e 11,i/commanding regiments. With regard to the officers in the, Na hey they could not give too much encouragement to ti le - e - /hey were very valuable men—they got attached to h e ;s erv ice, and moved about from one ship to another ; and ei l 'ittaight it highly desirable to give them encouragement sh,,,ght it was d es irable that the officers commanding ships %to '''. mke return of the petty officrs that were fit to he 4offieaers,a and recommend them to e the Admiralty. With niect t a t h e statement of the Hon. and Gallant Commo d ore a t man Admirals Admirals were not fitted to command, he (Sir G. kburn ch must say he thought the Gallant Officer was very P ee Mistaken. With regard to tale good service pension, there %Lb° objection on the part of the Admiralty to continue it to th . "'` to whom it had already been granted. With respect to „ retirement of Captains, he thought it would be a very tvoaulable thing to allow officers, after a certain age, to retire ari t e ll day.—(" Hear, hear," f rom Sir C. Napier) Now st — regard to another point alluded to by an Hon. and Gallant s t l e r nber on his (SirG.Cockburn's) side of the House, viz., the li td ,_°f commissions. It was not the first or second time it " e eti mentioned in that House, but the question had not ill: e ntertained. In these commissions a certain degree of Item must prevail. A person holding an office came to the en l i :eoffice when there was a commission for sale, and insisted 3 son or his nephew receiving it. Now it was not easy r e e sist this.—( L aug ht er .) H e th oug ht th er e w a g advan- Z th iri bringing young persons forward in different ranks, o l d "Rh they oug ht no t, nor did th e y, re f use a d van c e ment to t officers. But still it was very useful to bring young men th ari l , for voung men gave sufficiet.t money to retire e old officer and make him comfortable in his retirement ; ( "in d • • Us a dawn to this comfort the old man who had been i ns e aty or thirty years in the service felt that he was paid for to t : erv ice. If an old officer had a son in the Navy, he came e Admiralty, and his name was put down for promotion on by e first vacancy. The Hon. and Gallant Member concluded s• aeing that he thought it would be much more advisable to Zretirine Captains 20s. a day,instead 141. per day. Pe ,aPtain ' BERKELEY commenced received that he was eer re eet . to t c-sty satisfied with the answer he had with respect "e ease of Mr. Elton, notwithstanding the odium thrown w P a cal the case by the pubic press. It was very. true Mr. Elton (Al: n a Alio under his (Captain Berkeley's) command. His Ofr.: Elton's) friends had taken great pains to bring forward a `,'ficate from him (Captain Berkeley) approving the conduct toe young man. Although the friends of Mr. Elton had ;aught this certificate forward, they knew perfectly well why he ..as obliged to quit the hip. They were als o aware of the rea - Z s that induced him (Captain B.:1 to turn him out of the ✓ P• He should have been content to have let the subject 0?t, after the answer he had -received, but for the feeling out t e _tlyliors, and the ex par t e s t a t emen t s w hi c h h a d g one forth. ing stated so much, he would just refer to the speech of eh l e ', ll( ms and Gallant Memb e r for Westminster, who stated a circumstance took place in the Mediterranean with re • "a to some Midshipmen carrying a black flag round the b oor. i He mere l y b egge d t o sta t e th a t no suc h circum ever took place, and he wished to clear Admiral Sir tno rrt Stopf or d f rom t h e supposition that such a circumstance d have taken place under his command He was quite (c are that Gallant Officer never would have allow ed it. He Pa i t litai n 13 . ) was very sorry, at ell times, to make any corn h 4'° l l between their brothers of the Army and themselves, tit it h a d been done that night by the Gallant A dm i ra l , fin er Pay than a Colonel in the Army, but it must be taken ; t i t co t n h s e ideratio n that a Colon-1 its the Army had no mess. Captain in the Navy was obliged to keep a table months out of the year ; and he had many other calls 4 1 7,h-itli which the Colonel of a regiment had not. Much *ell "e" said with re a ar d t o th e age of officers, and it was very • ems": the H on. and Gallant Member who had just spoken to e": to this, for he was promoted at a time wh the list _, , so large as at t h e present t i me—at a t i me wherifhere was .-1.74,1tate necessity for such promotions for redeeming the list. '• lon ger net think that he need trouble the Committee any '- that sheurlN?„ o th e su bj e t ; b ut b efore he sat down he shou ld say He m .„. 4 a r 7Y, , , and the servtce generally, owed much to the on G allant Commodore (Sir C. Napier) ; and there was subject which, although a delicate one, he should advert to. Na,lneant the compar i son i nst i tute d b etween t h e A rmy an d se Y, as h e s h ou ld certainly say that it struck him most forcibly 'at those who were placed at the head of the Admiralty had the same feelings or anxiety for the promotion of naval in „ crests as those who were at the head of the Army, and for the P r aroo;ien of the interest of that service. -4 Hear.) He made fas t observation without the slightest disrespect for those NOhle and Gallant Officers at the head of the Admiralty. Ile "old further observe, as an illustration of what he had already ted, that two of the last military officers who had distinguished 'l_,i'era4lves were made Peers, while a aim far distinction ['Lan_ not been conferred upon Sir Robert Stopford, who, it :auld be admitted upon all sides, had commenced and termi ilted his career most brilliantly.—( Hear, hear.) When it ;as recollected that the result of the victory achieved by that al r lalit Officer had secured the peace of Europe, he (Capt. Fa eley)k thought that some distinction should have been con ferred upon Sir Robert Stopford upon the same principle that rewards for public service were conferred upon military officers. Lord INGEST RIE said it was gratifying to ere Gentlemen • nn v both sides o f th e H ouse di scuss i ng t hi s su bj ect w i t h ou t a d. v etting to politics. As referen ce h a d b een m a de to Sir Robt. h. ° Plard, he (Lord Ingestrie) should add the expression of z l ! wish that a peerage had been conferred upon s t distinguished officer ; it was an honour due, t Only to him as an officer of distinction, but tiwall due to the profession to which he belonged. He trusted, t , e , r what had fallen from the Right Hon. and Gallant Admi it:l that some plan would be hit upon to secure younger men t : the naval service. He did not mean the slightest disrespect , L the officers who had been so long into service, but be Zought a small additional pay should be given to them:on re• • Atl ng; it would net cost the country much, and it would afferd guis "Portunitv of providing for officers who had been distin h d 4• s and have their places filled up by younger men. Ile :7 e "d to advert to ti. subject of the construction of British ' er r; a subject w hi c h was n e g lected by this country for a el e . " of years, however, he was glad to see by the • wsFtapers that there was a committee of shipwrights h ° ! r lted at Woolwich to see that every improvement tre „ nt be effected in the construction of ships for the future. r,”‘nuld beg leave to ask the Right Hon. and Gallant Ad- M ira l whether it was the intention of the Admiralty that their t i h: of battle ships should be constructed for the future upon Ith.ltalas of Admiral Hay. He (Lord Ingestrie) thought that tit E nglish Navy was not supplied with a sufficient quan te4" heavy frigates. He wished also to ask the Right Hon. Gallant Admiral a further question with reference to the Expedition. He (Lord Ingestrie) called the attention ae d 'louse to that subject in a former Session of Parliament, th e „ e was extremely sorry to say that the apprehension he lI e ./Pressed had since turned out to be lamentably true. s z , wished to ask (as the Noble Lord was understood) whether it '; e Port had ee received from that expedition, or whether SuIoW intended to repeat it. t tiIEORGE COCKBURN rose to reply, but frbm the 4se h ?" of voice in which he spoke, it was impossible to heal th e - `enee. The Gallant Admiral was understood to say tie t tishitricteet attention would be paid to the constructi in of Bri stret,sh'Ps, w . th a view to make them the most perfect, th.o he el e st and the best possible description of ships that could eliii°Ostructed, both as regarded their stability, their . power of . le e : 1 1, g , and, what is still more important, the working off a eor & - t -Or e- The most particular attention should be paid to the pollOetion of the bows and sterns, which were the great Itei e n h 4 , Where strength was required in ships of war. They h. l in ? h t. am effect some improvement in the construction of . s ships, titis e h was hound to say he believed the very best ship in the i n avy was the Inconstant. The sailors described her by Vr at n : a nautical phrase, which was—that she sailed over tbe Wm: . l ike a duck, whilst the others had their bowsprits under o rd 4 t L üb* ' 3 TANLEY said it might be proper for him to noti ce Vi,raPet which was brought under the consideration of the Ai i ltee by the N o bl e L or d who had just sat down ; he with — ''"e Niger Expedition. That expedition was undertaken p ossi ,a, desire t o i ncrease and i mprove the commun i cat i on , if if pos'ie, between this country and the interior of Africa, and earrie s P ie t° Put a stop to the system of slavery which was maton Unite. It was impossible to deny that to a very He ex tent that ex p e di t i on was a f a il u re.—( Hear, hear.) doei,L'ul ot say it w as a lt oge th er a failure, because it showed Prove Iti upon the part of the people in that country to im eunnevand enter into commercial intercourse with this e limat Hotvever, it was impossible to eentend against the sei ve of Africa. The Government world not feel them. agiti : Justified, after the lamentable losses that had occurred, ;At e , to risk th e li ves of Euroreans and white persons in li e „ ed iling to se n d another expedition up the Nile. He be thee "e might safely say t h a t t h e G ot e r nm. nt who had sent hear.) at expedition had no id ea of the fat:l results.—( Hear, bli sd . IVith respect to the Mush ssubjerts who had esta dese . n thernsel ves i n the interior of Arica, it was a matt , r erv " of the most serious consPeration whether it woo d staar aisle to iriterfere for their erotection. He (Lord intent o ) would 'e :line saying anythir g that would show an th e .° upon the part of her Majesty's Government, or hind in in the least total' d •, to give protection to those people. He . , tre __Y po disclaimed the idea. that British pro , ection by force or w _ . !!! : •• old or would be given to them, and if British subjects settle therrnelves there, they shou`.d not expect ""11Y:e protection from this country, but they must live • they'L d r the laws and the Government of the Country in which ehose to reside. At the same time, he should say that 1 , ought not . to be altogether abandoned by the Government. served be consideration whether it might not be y e np-o -e send out a small frigate to that. country, for the purpose chose it or bringing home those British subjects, if the to which, as afford them that moral support and rrotection , as subjects of this realm, they were entitled; the vesse l might be entrusted to the care of negroes, who wouhl l ' i s a t t be affe c t e d by t h ea° climate ; at th e same ti me h e (L rd y) should say th at, locking at the dreas f loss of 11, ' w hich had oc eurred in that expedition, her Majesty's Govern e loent had no intention whatever to repeat it. Mr. CHARLES fiction i s , h . WOOD said he had the greatest satis earing the statements which had been mas'e 1 7 the — Govern:a° ble I, Lord of the intentions of her Majesty's ith reference to the Niger exiieuti on It y ea: , not his intention to go into many matters which had occupier; the attention of the House. He would only, before THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY MORNING. MARCH 5, 1841. reverting to what occupied the attention of the Committee, I folio ing the policy of Turkey, which appointed the Capitan refer to one subject—the good service pensions—and on this Paella on the grou n d that he had been born within sight of the s subject he would say that he hoped the house would continue tea, a was the cause with the present First Lord of the Admi ensions to persons when en full pay. He hoped he might be raity. It se as said that a civilian was appointed to the snece, permitted to congratulate his Hon. Frie nd on the p lain and because he was less l i ke l y to have p ersonal motives for promot distinct manner in which he had laid the matter before the ;in officers in the service. But if he were obliged to e House ; and, having had some experience himself in the office ; hese- recourse to a naval officer to assist him. he (Sir which his Hon. Friend so worthily filled, he knew that it was i Charles Napier) could not see how that naval officer might only by the strictest attention that the estimates could be ; not have his relations and personal friends to promote just as brought forward in so clear and lucid a manner. His lion. Friend ; much as if he were the First Lord of the Admiralty himself. had assumed that a reduction of six sail of the line in the ser- rrem the year 872—( Great laughter ).—to a recent period in vice would take place, as he observed that the Navy at present our history, the Sovereigns were the heads of the Admiralty, contained 1,500 men more than had been voted for; and he they were the kings of the sea, and the Navy was immediately hoped that the money thus saved would enable the Admiralty directed by High Admirals. In the reign of Queen Anne, to reward honourable services. He (Mr. C. \Vood) hoped that after Lord Pembroke had served the office of Lord High Ad those complaints wnieh had been so freely made wh en h e re - miral, the Commissioners of the Admiralty were appointed, and presented the Admiralty would nut be made now. Ile trusted the system had continued since that time, for what reason he that we need not expect the French to land in London, and that knew not, unless it was that the Ministers of the day, on look his Hon. Friend opposite would believe that he might sleep ing about them, found that civilians possessed more Par content and in peace, without having his orchards robbed by a liamentary influence than naval men possessed. An- Russian fleet.—( Hear, hear.) Those complaints had been other reason was, that it was extremely advantageous to the made, certainly most unjustifiably, in his time-- ( Hear)--but he Minister of the day to have the whole of the administration of hoped they would not be made now. lie had no fault to find the Navy under his control, particularly when parties were with the estimates which had- been laid on the table ; indeed, nicely balanced in that House.—( Hear, hear, and laughter.) it would be strange if he had, for they were an near as He wished to show that this was no new opinion of his, or ex possible the estimates of last year —another proof pressed from opposition to the present Government. As far that the successors of the late Government thought back' as 1816, he had addressed a letter to Lind Melville, in they could not do much better than follow their ex- which he had pointed out the objectionable manner in which ample.—( Hear, hear.) There were, however, some few points the Ne.vy was governed. In this he did not allude to a mere of small importance where they differed—where the present Lord of the Admiralty, but to something even worse. ( The Government had done that, in direct opposition to their prede- lion. and Gallant Member then read a short extract, in which eessors, which, if they had considered better, they would not he made a strong objection to the appointment of a military have done. He did not object to their giving full complements man to the Board of Admiralty.) 1 his was in 1816, and he to the Navy, considering how the country was at present believed he followed it up, when the Right Hon Baronet was situated with regard to foreign countries. Indeed, he thought at the head of the Admiralten Then he came into office he that, during the last two years, it would have been better if ( Sir C. NaWer) pointed out the propriety of having a Com lareer, complements had been allowed.—( Hear, hear,) But he manner-in-Chief of the Fleet. He could not understand, thought that the Admiralty had gone to work rather rashly, when the Army bad a Commander-in-Chief who was not a that what they had done was founded upon no sound principle. Cabinet Minister, wnile the Master-General of the Ordnance, In the Princess Charlotte, for example, when the former eons- the Quartermaster-General, the Military Secretary, and all plemeat was 850 men, they made it 950; thus adding 100 tile officia l s o f the Arm y administration were almost, exclu men more than was considered necessary, by six of the ablest sively, military men, why, there was not a Commander-in officers in the Navy. But three-deckers, which had formerly Chief, or whatever name he might have, at the head of the been considered first-rates, wre to be considered first- Navy. There were many reasons why there should rates no longer, but were to he reduced to second- be one ;it often happened that the First Lord of the rates. If so complete a change as that had to be made, he Admiralty was very ignorant of naval affairs, but after remain ( air. C. Wood) would not say another word on the subject. ing in office a little time, he imagined he was a perfect sailor, He should be glad to hear if all that had been done was to de- and he believed that in the case of the last Lord of the Admiralty, termine that at the present time ships should go to sea with he assumed a great deal more power than he had any authority the full war complement; then nothing more would have to to do, because in the Board of Admiralty the re be said; but if the Admiralty said that under all the circum sponsibility was divided. But if he was not mis. stances, and at all times, ships never should leave this country taken, the late Lord of the Admiralty did assume but with what had been considered a full war complement, he a power that had never been assumed before; it was with re should be glad to hear what were the reasons which had in- spect to manning the Navy. A scheme was prepared, after duced the Admiralty to alter that which had hitherto been the great deliberation, for keeping the number of the Navy as low uniform practice. He should be glad to know what the Ina.. as possible, and that was to be a war complement, with one sons were which had induced them now to reverse that which eighth to be taken as a peace establishment This was pre had been the decision of the Boards of Admiralty during peace served to Lord Minto, who put it in his pocket, and for the present and the last century. There was another sub- never brought it before the Board at all, and no ject which had been alluded to, where the Admiralty had re- thing was heard of it till it was understood that his versed the decision of their proceedings—it was the allowing Lordship had struck off one-fifth instead of one-eighths. Was of sailors to receive their pensions with their pay. That was a that a proper way for the naval administration to be con subject where the late Board of Admiralty followed the course ducted ? In the time either of the Earl of Chatham or of which had been previously adopted ; and he remembered a case Lord Spencer, the Board of Admiralty desired to supersede in which two sailors, who were attacked with the gout, on Admiral Bridport, but several of the Lords of the Admiralty board of the Formidable, at Spithead, had received the pay of refused to sign the order, when they were threateeed by the able-bodied men and pensions at the same time. Sailors who First Lord that if the order was not signed, the Board were discharged after serving twenty-one years, received a should cease to exist.—(Hear. hear.) But it went even pension for life; but when they only suffered under temporary further than this; he had been told on good authority that irs disabilities, they only received temporary pensions. The the time of Lord Spencer, several sheets of foolscap were sent mode in which the Admiralty got rid of that gout round and signed, though many of the Lords of the Admiralty case, was not by stopping the pensions, as they did not know the content.. But an instance had occurred of surely ought to have done, but by making the men late years. He had read in one of the Malta papers that in a quit the service. The Government had since decided on letter from Lord Minto, Admiral Stopford was ordered giving no pensions but pensions for long service. He (Mr. to proceed off Candia, and there wait for orders. Wood) folly coneuered with his Hon. and Gallant Friend the Was the Gallant Admiral light or wrong in obeying that Member for 'Marylebone, that it was exceedingly objectionable order? If the First Lord of the Admiralty was responsible, the to receive pay and pension together. He though the tendency naval administration would be better conducted. They had a of the present system was to destroy a principle which was eif Vice and Rear-Admiral of England ; he did not wish to de the greatest service to the Navy—that of keeping up a co ns t an t prive them of their offices, but for the future he should p ro . intercourse with the merchant service. Ile always thought pose that there should be two Lords to assist that the fact of those who received the pensions f r o m th e the Commissoners of the Navy in carrying on affairs. He Navy going into the merchant's service, and speaking o f th e would put the Vice-Admiral of England at the head of the present nature of the discipline of the Navy, did - dockyards of the kingdom; for if there had been one officer much to do away with the dread which merchant at the head of the dockyards for the last ten years, they would sailors frequently felt at en•ering the Navy. There not have been twenty-five years in finding out that it. was a reduction of 10,0001. for dock-yard wage; ire was necessary to keep a ship of war on the slips to questioned the prudence of this step, for it was only lately that save her from rotting. If they had such an officer they would the operations in our dock-yards had been conducted wins suf- not have found the masts of sixty or seventy sail of the line ficisnt vigour, and to the necessary extent, espe c ially in the totally rotten. If they had a Commander-in-Chief at the head building of first and second rate line-of-battle s hips, th o ugh of of the Navy the British fis et would never have been course he would admit that it was advisable to delay the launch- manned in the way it had been, for he would ing of ships, as long as possible ; indeed, he was desirous to have told the Prime Minister that he would not see it decided how long ship could remain on the stocks with- take the responsibility of sending the fleet to sea in out being deterioated. Here he would advert to the bad such a manner. The present Board of Admiralty was policy of the exposure that was made of the state of our dock- nothing but a screen to escape responsibility, for if any dis yards in 1639, when, by an attack made by the opposite party, I aster happened to whom could they apply? They fereig i Powers were informed that there was not more than six could not hang the whole Board of Admiralty.— montn's consumption in our dockyards, though that statement ( Laughter. ) One man might be impeached, and more slid not give the exact facts of the case. But the Government easily than four or five, but at present the blame would be to which he had belonged, had been gradually advancing the thrown from one to another through the whole Board. He efficacy of Ve dock-yards, as would be seen from the wages tho ught he had heard it s t a t e d that ni g ht that the stores of the in successive years ; being in Navy were reduced to the lowest possible scale ; that they were 1836 .. ... £300,000 ad on paper; that, in fact, there was nothing in the dock -1837 350,000 yards at all. Now, if the First Lord had of his own will and 1838 1839 . 1840 1841 ........ 505,000 sequence to the country ? He had stated his objections But now the amount taken was Again the am -unt voted for stores was— arid he would only make one other observation, which was, 1835 , £383,000 that if it continued to be conducted in the same manner by a 1836 1837 575,000 must ge on through every branch of the service. The Right 1838 593,000 Hon. Baronet ( Sir J. G; ahem) had, during his Administra -1839 1840 1841 Now it was He hoped the dock.yard system wouid lose none the Admiralty; he be ieved he would job the Admiralty as of its efficiency under its present superintendence. With littl e as an y of his p redecessors ; but if the First Lord of the regard to steam vessels, he thought the reduction of 50,0001., Admiralty were masse perfectly responsible, he would not ask which was made in that department, was a very large reduc- a naval officer to be placed there. tion ; and, looking to the great importance of steam vessels to Captain CARNEGIE said the only reason why it had not the Navy, he hoped that a large number of them would be been thought expedient to place a naval officer at the head of laid on in the course of the year. There was only one other the Navy was, that it was said he must. be in the Cabinet, as subject to which he would allude, and that was the packet ser- it required a man of great talents and active habits. Now his vice. The passage to Halifax had been very successful and answer to that w att, keep him out of the Cabinet, if he was not then with regard to the West Indies, the passage of vessels to worthy to enter it. The Navy would not complain of it. that place had been performed with great. success. He con.: The Army, he believed, did not complain because Lord footed he had a particular interest in those, because they were Hill was not in the Cabinet. The Navy did not part of the arrangements made by himself when he was con- want a man versed in State secrets, but a man fleeted with the Admiralty; and with respect to expense of the who knew the secret of governing the Navy.—( Hear.) passage to the West Indies, he believed the receipts of the Post - If th ey wer e not to have a Naval Lord at the head of the Ad office were more than sufficient to defray it miraby, he hoped Government would see the necesity of be- Sir G. COCKBURN said, that with regard to what the stowing !some of the appointments, that came daily in their Hon Gentleman had said respecting the manning of the ships, gift , upon naval men. Such, fur instance, as the Second Se he (Sir G. Cockburn) must allow that although vessels of war cretary to the Admiralty, now so ably filled by Sir John Bar may be sufficiently manned to go to sea, they might not be so for row. He hoped, also, that hereafter the Government would the purposes of war. He was therefore of opinion that it was take into consideration the propriety of making naval men of the greatest importance that the ships should be properly Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital. In conclusion, he manned ; and he would ask, how was it possible, if they left must say, in justice to the Right Hon. Gentleman, that the the country without the proper complement of men, that they civilian at the head of the Admiralty Board was one of the could perform in the Chinese and Indian Seas those services most competent that had ever been appointed. that were expected from them ? But if the proper number of Lord HOWICK admitted the importance of the subject that men were first employed, they could be more easily kept up. had been brought under the consideration of the Honour- With respect to pensions, they found that one of the difficulties able and Gallant Officer. But while he did so, he had nu in getting ships manned arose from paucity of pensior,s, and hesitation in saying, that he gave the preference to the existing another difficulty, which arose from the same cause, was the .; arrangement, because it by no means excluded naval men number of the deserters. Those pensions were granted some- ! from being First Lords of the Admiralty. He thought times for life, and sometimes for one or more oears. It was it would b e extremel y inconvenient if it were laid down always found that the longer the men remained in the ser- las a rule that persons of high rank in the Navy were to be made vice the more competent they became, and if linty expected a First Lords of the Admiralty. Such a system had worked ill pension the longer they would be inclined to remain in the in the Army, and he felt convinced that it would do so in:the service. If they remained 21 years in the service, they were ! Navy. He would not at this hour of the night attempt eligible to a pension ; and if they were invalids, they received to refer to' instances where such an arrangement in pensions for two or three years. I the Army hfid been attended with the very worst effects. Mr. C. WOOD explained. But this he would say, that at a fitting opportunity he should Sir R H. INGLIS said he would not enter into the be prepared fo show, in the Administration of the Army for general subject. He only rose for the purpose of de- the last thirty-five years, a series of mismanagement and fending the commanders of the Niger expedition, which, blunders, affecting the lives and the welfare of British soldiers, he contended, *as confided to men as gallant as any by which hundreds of thousands of lives, and millions of whO ever carried their country's colours to any part , money had been sacrificed. If he could show that such a state ; of the world. He was most anxious to express his of things had occurred in the Army, he trusted that a system cordial acknowledgments to her Majesty's late and present Ad- which had led to such results would not be followed in the Nany. ministrations for-the course they adopted with respect to that Ile t hou ght t hat the country and Parliament looked for the g ood expedition. Hon. Gentlemen were very sensitive with respect management of the Navy to the First Lord of the Admiralty, to human life when the object was one of pure, unmixed bene- but he could• not carry out the different services connected volenee. God for bid that he should undervalue the lass that with the office without he could find high officers to co-ope unhappily marked the course of that expedition. He grieved rate with him. If officers in the Admiralty did not think as much as any gentleman in that House, or out of it, for the affairs were carried on in a manner of which they could approve, loss of that expedition; but when he considered the loss of life their duty was plain and simple, it was to retire from the that attended other expeditions, conducted for the single and Board. There ought to be the most entire confidence sordid object of gain ; when he considered the loss of life at- among the members of the Board of Admiralty, therefore tending former expeditions, conducted for the purpose of he regretted that the lion. and Gallant Officer had read the carrying on the slave trade, and comparing it with the letter which he (Lord Howick) was convinced had not been loss of that expedition undertaken for the purpose intended to be read to the House of Commons. The reading of supporting it, he did not think the sensitiveness of lion of letters of that kind would put an end to all confidence among Gentlemen, was greatly to be envied who could not endure Members of the Admiralty. His (Lord Howiek's) object in the loss of 2.500 persons out of 10,0(10 engaged in the Guin e a rising was not to let the speeches of the Gallant Officers that trade, one quarter of the number of persons employed in the had been delivered that night go forth without giving his ships that formed the expedition. He most sincerely thanked opinion on the plausible doctrines advanced in those speeches, her Majesty's late Administration for sending an expedition namely, that they ought not to put an unprofessional man at for purposes of the purest and most Christian benevolence.— the head of the Admiralty. (Hear, hear.) He believed there were other instances of ex. Sir H. HARDINGE said that at that late hour of the peditions in which 24 out of 25 persons perished, and a still night it was not fitting to discuss the question whether the greater proportion out of the expeditions conducted Navy ought to be governed by a civilian or not. The report by Oldfield and Louder. The result of the present expedi- which the Noble Lord had signed—every tittle of the evidence tion, he contended, did not justify the language held by pe r - upon which the report had been founded, and which had been sons out of doors with respect to the policy which dictated th a t given before the Noble Lord himself, went in a direction con expedition, and he hoped they would still carry it forward as Crary to the judgment which had been arrived at. if Hon. far as might be consistent with the general principle on b lembers would read the evidence of the Duko of Wellington which it was conducted. He did not see anything in that ex- dote that Commission (it was a Commission appointed by his pedition to justify a Gallant Friend of his in speaking in the late Majesty), they would find not only in the evidence given manner he did of her Majesty's late Administration, and ire by the Noble Duke, but also in that given by Lord Vivian, by hopel the present Government would give the princip le of it himself, and several other Military Officers, that the intended their continued countenance and support. plan of superseding the Commander-in-Chief by a civilian, Lord INGESTRIE explained. would have a most disastrous effect apon the Army, Captain BERKELEY said in explanation, that when So strongly impressed was Lord Vivian with that sentiment, serving oil the coast of Syria, in the month of August, 1840, that when, as part of the plan of the Noble Lord, it was intended they had been warned that they were likely to come in contact to abolish the office of Master-General of the Ordnance, or re. with the French fleet, but it was not until the month of form it, he intimated that sooner than accede to such a depre- January following that they had got one man to complete the r iation of his office, he would resign. The Noble Lord must fleet. Even the ships sent out expressly for the purp ose of be aware that the Duke of Wellington and several officers meeting the fleet of France had only been able to come on condemned his plan. As foi himself, he would never consent their peace compliment. Fifteen hundred seamen hail been to the 'functions of Commander-in-Chief being conferred on a wanted to make up the complement, arid up to the month of civan. Captain BERKELEY said, that with resp e c t to his leavin g January, 1841, they had only got 350 of the number. Captain PECHELL said that he could not but express his the Admiralty, he had written the letter which the gallant approval of the manner in which the Estimates had been Commodore had read in explanation of the reasons which in brought forward that evening; and he was ready to admit that fluenced him to resign his office. The letter was a mere state much benefit hadresultedto the service from improvements intro. ment of facts. lie had been guilty of no breach of confidence duced by the present Administration. He was particularly glad t o whatever. He was not the first that had published any state find that the practice was no longer enforced of not allowing ment on the matter. His publication was in answer to a pet- seamen to re-enter the service with their pensions. His only lidation of the second Secretary of the Board of Admiralty, regret was, that the estimates were not larger, so that we might who was present at all their deliberations, and who knew his be enabled to have three fleets in full complement—the one in ( Capt. Berkeley's) opinion on the subject. He had published a the Downs, the other at Portsmouth, and the other at Piy- defence of that statement, and he had been rewarued by the mouth. It appeared that France had not reduced her fleet, First Lord of the Admiralty by the purchase of his book.— and the Right Hon. Baronet, the Member for Dorchester, had (Laughter.) He (Capt. Berkeley) found it necessary, without stated in a speech addressed to his constituents, and M. Guiz A entertaining any ill- will towards his colleagues, to had positively stated in the French Chamber, that no such step make that statement, which he did, and the 1 tter hadbeen taken by the French Government. The French Minister which he wrote was a simple statement (as there were so marry of Marine had made a s imilar decl a ration, and it appeared that mis - s tatements abroad ) as to the reasons which had influenced a; could, about o to accountit change th foretherefore jh his re e manner becamepol ti c s in an him t o i v inh i ceh v e hery France had now six sa il o f th e line lying at Brest. Under his conduct, arid one of those reasons given among hi s constitu these circum s t ances , an d i n the present critical times, it did e not become this coun t r y t o re d uce th e grea t source of the na- t tional strength. on th e score o f econom y. But although he justs':i t s h A e7 a ay s. other th ti : side i t dhee h ofe waso House; t regretted that the Estimates were not larger, he thought they l e f t the p olitical p art y to which he belon g ed then, and st ill be were calculated t o gve ent i re satisfaction as far as they went. longed. If ate Gallant Commodore wonld move that the sa- After a few word s from Sir G. COCKBVRN, which were 'try of the First Lord of the Admiralty, so long as he was a quite inaudible in the gallery, civilian should be reduced, he (Captain Berkeley) would go Sir C. NAPIER • 1 sae , the Gallant Admiral had quite mis- out of the House and vote with him. understood him, if h e su pp ose d th a t h e mean t t o spea k dare-Mr. C. WOOD regretted very much that the Gallant Officer spectfully of Lord Howe. What he had said was, that it was Imet read she letter in question. impossible that he could h ave p er f orme d hi s d u ti es a s effi- Sir C. NAPIER said he was authorised to do so. ciently, in that particular case, as he would have done had he Mr. C. WOOD then regretted very much that the Gallant not arrived at such an advanced age. Officer had authorised the Gallant Commodore to read that Mr. WILLIAMS did not intone to offer any opposition to letter. Surely the Hon. and Gallant Gentleman would not the vote. d en y that the First Lord of the Admiralty was at liberty to gDart.irrßeOgWnlaßriltNy G wh c ie al h led pre t v h a e ile a d tte in nti t o h r e s o ni f o t d h e e H of k o e u e s p e in to g t t h h e e write toan Admiral on a foreign station, giving him i n f o rmatio n . re C. NAPlER—Orders.--(A laugh. ) public accounts. Mr. C. WOOD was surprised that the Hon. and Gallant After a few words from Mr. F. BARING the vote was Officer should talk about orders. Surely the Hon. and agreed to. Gallant Officer must be aware that no orders could be issued The next vote of 1,436,62 91., to defray the wages of seamen by any single Member of the Board of Admiralty, but the First and marine., was agreed to without observation. Lord was surely at liberty to write a private letter to Sir Robert 742,842/. for invalid seamen was agreed to. Stopford, giving him information, and Sir Robert Stopford On the question tha t 121,4291 - be granted to defray the ex- could not be blamed for going to Candia on the information penses of the Board of Admiralty, - he had received from Lord Alinto. The Hon. and Gallant Sir C. NAPIER said that he hail found no ground of Officer had said that he (Mr. C. Woods had reason why the Navy of this country should be governed by a stated t ilc l:at (illy. C. w the Naenloosdni had said stores were n ion more r m e o to-nights t discreditable e thand ta bhl he civilian, es hen he had never be en on board of a ship in his life state . --(Hear, bear, and laughter.) The Government seemed to be had said three years ago when he was in office. Captain BERKELEY explained that the Hon. Gentleman was mistaken in saying that the question of manning had been a Board question while he (Captain Berkeley) was at the Board. The minute had been taken away by the First Lard, and he (Captain Berkeley) was about to leave his carriage, being at the door, when he said to his Honourable Friend—" I s ee how it will end, the complements will not be carried, and I shall have to give up my seat at the Board." Shortly after he (Capt. Berkeley) went down into the country, and while there h e rece i ve d a l etter f rom th e Hon. Gentlemen, saying—" One-fif,h will be taken off instead of one-eighth, and that, I trust, will satisfy you." His answer to that communication was the publication of his answer to Sir John Barrow's letter, and the resignation of his seat at that Board. FRANCE. RIGHT OF SEARCII QUESTION. CIIAMhER OF DEPUTIES—SITTING or FEB. 28. The chair was taken by the President at one o'clock. M. 'tiauguin then ascended the tribune, and spoke as follows :—An event of the most serious importance has lately taken place. A Treaty on the Right of Search has been con cluded between France, England, Prussia, Austria, whose flag is scarcely known except in the Adriatic and the seas of Greece and Russia, whose vessels seldom quit the Seven Seas by which its immense territory is surrounded. The desertion of the principles which make part of our maritime code, and protect the navigation of neutral vessels has been talked of. Public opinion and the Chamber have been deeply excited with the affair, and from our deliberations an unanimous amendment has emanated which east a serious censure on the Treaty, which has been signed, but not ratified—a censure the full force of which no one can mistake. The position of the Ministry became very difficult. What was it to do? Was it to adopt the new policy of which the Chamber had assumed the initiative, or persist in its former poic ? I like to render. every justice to an adversary. The Ministry has acceded to the wishes of the Chamber ; it has re nnunced its own policy, and has accepted that of the Chamber. But, inasmuch as it has not ratified the Treaty, it is placed in a position which demands both its own and your serious atten tion. The refusal to ratify a Treaty which as been signed is an event et rare occurrence in diplomacy, and may be attended with most important consequences. What then is the position created by the refusal to ratify ? The negotiator, who has not exceeded his instructions, finds himself compromised—th e Minister is pledged; as to the Crown, it stands on an emi nence, where it eaenot be assailed, but it nevertheless feels the centre coup of a refusal to ratify. It is not in a general way desirable that negotiations, when once opened, should rot come to a conclusion ; there is always a degree of embarrassment resulting from it, and the most dangerous of all is, that the country feels less confidence in the negotiator, and in the mo tive which directed his measures. For this reason when a re fusal to ratify takes place it is generally followed by a rupture of diplomatic relations. A recent example cf this has just occurred in the affair between Prussia and Holland ; the Treaty had beer, signed in virtue of the instructions of the King of Holland; nevertheless, the King having refused to ratify, an interruption in the diplomatic relations between the two countries took place, and the minister who had conducted the nego:iations resigned his functions and his portfolio. You see, Gentlemen, I lay the question fairly befote you; you know that among a I the parties who aim at power, it is a mat ter of perfect indifference to roe which is successful ; 1 do not therefore proceed by insinuations, I state a fact—l say that the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs resigned his office. We find ourselves in a similar situation, and this position is suffi ciently serious to merit all our attention. I have therefore a question to ask of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, or rather a request to make of him—it is to ask his opinion of die conduct of the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs when placed in a posi tion strictly analogous to his own. The amendment of the Chamber changed the whole policy of the Ministry ; it had one of two steps to take—either to dissolve the Chamber, which it had a right to do, or to. modify its conduct agreeably to the wishes of the Chamber. This latter course presented serious inconvenience, as the Minister would thus admit that the policy of the Chamber was better than his own. What then ought to be the position of a Minister when he is convinced he has been deceived, and has committed an error? I beg him to tell me. When he wishes to resume negotiations can he say to the other Cabinets, " You may treat with me, for I represent the oeinion of the Chamber-1 possess the confidence of' the country ?" I ask him hew he could hold this language whilst a signature given by him remains unratified—when he him self declares his non-adherence to what he has before or dained? Gentlemen, in this point of view principles are the same, whether in diplomatic treaties or in agreements between private individvals. When a contract has been made, and it is broken by one of the parties, it inflicts an insult on the other, and renders another contract very difficult of arrangement. If this is the ease in private affairs, in State affairs it is much worse. Gevernments are, and ought to be, more jealous of their dignity ; they require the respect of the people. When a Government has broken its word to one Cabinet, how can it come forward to nego tiate with another? Amongst private individuals, a man who has once broken a contract would not again be nege.tiated with. It is the same between States—it even becomes to them a duty. This breach of contract, in spite of the ties o relationship between the two Royal families, has caused a rupture between Prussia and Holland. The policy of France is not that of iso lation. But is rot the Minister of Foreign Affairs on the point of finding himself in a situation of great embarrasment with regard to the other Powers, when the Ministers of those Powers shall, in the event of another Treaty being about to be concluded, say to him, " Will y ou ratify the Treaty this time ?" But it has been said majorities change ; the Chamber of Deputies is very near its dissolution ; another majority may be formed, and we shall have a different vote. Do you then fo:get that the amend me. t, which cast censure on your act was passed unanimously? Have you promised to make the Chamber retract its own exist ession of feeling ? If you have done so, you will have lowered is character and your own, in showing that you were resorting to a trick to gain time. The question is not as to whether we shall enjoy supre m acy on the ocean ; it is to know whether we shall there exercise equal right? What Minis'ers demand is what would be asked by English deputies. murs and ironical laughter.) The question is to know whether the interest of France is to be paramount to that of England ; the question will be to know whether at the ap proaching elections we are to have French or English Depu ties There will keno modification of the Treaty ; the present Minister of Foreign Affairs will obtain less concession than any other. The present Treaty makes England the Magistrate of the ocean ; no one can traverse it without being subject to her search. She may proscribe city nation at her will, and preventing her ships from navigating any sea she may point out. Should France consent to such pretensions, she would abandon every principle and abandon herself. I wish to call tt.e attention of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the situation in which he is placed, and to the serious difficulties with which lie is surrounded. I pause for his reply. M. Gutzst said—lts the lengthened discussion which has already taken piste on the question which is again brought hi fore you, I maintained in all its constitutional freedom the prerogative of the Crown—viz. its right to ratify the Treaty which had been concluded ; but at the same time I acknow ledged that the feeling manifested by tl.e Chamber was entitled to tl.e serious consideration of the King's Government. I have acted upon this principle. My language has formed the rule of my conduct. N't hen the moment for ratification arrived, tl e Crown, upon the advice of the Cabinet, and particularly of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, instructed the Ass bassador in London to declare that the Crown felt that it ought not to ratify the Treaty. It declared. moreover, that it could not say at what period it might be able to do so ; and, at the same time reserved to itself to propose modifications in the Treaty. The Hon. Deputy who has spoken may tranquilise his mind. The propositions of the Crown did not meet with the repulsion, the antipathies, of which lie has informed the Chamber. The position of the King's Government and the motives which d.'- termined the conduct which it thought itself called upon to adopt were perfectly understood. It thoroughly understood that the other Powers, having no motive similar to that of the French Government for not exchanging the ratifications,would exchange them as soon as the period fixed for that act should arrive ; and that the Protocol would remain indefinitely open for France up to the moment when the modifications which were to be the object of the negotiations to be entered upon, and which wall, in fact, be entered upon, should have been made. Such is the real state of things. No fixed delay has been assigned for the closing of the Protocol. No engage ment, direct or indirect, has been entered into for ratifica tion by France at any' period, nor has any: even been hinted at. Not one of the hypotheses set up by the Honourable Deputy has presented itrelf. No person has even speculated upon a possible change of opinion in the Chamber. Such an idea would have been alike offensive to the Chamber, to the Government, and to the Crown. All the facts of the case were simply and honestly exposed. The truth only has been told, and in a country in which the principles of constitutional Government are in force the state of things was understood just as it was exposed. The Protocol remains open ; France is not separated from the other Powers ; France is not even upon this special question isolated from the rest of Europe. Grave legitimate and constitutional motives induced the Crown to re fuse its ratification, as it had a right to do. Such a state of things has not besides been of such rare occurrence as the Honourable Deputy pretends, for there have beers numerous examples of reservations in the ratification of treaties. The state of things then is perfectly simple, perfectly regular. The ratification has not been given. A new negotiation has been opened with the Powers with a view to obtain modifications which would satisfy, as far as the honour of the Cha eber will permit, the feeling which has been manifested by' the Chamber and the public. What the precise object of these negotiations is, and what the result as to the proposed modifications may be, is a question upon which my sense of duty does not permit me to enter now. The affair is pending, the negotiation is opened, and it will be followed up with the desire not to violate the ergagements of France, and not to abandon the cause, the great cause, which is the object of the Treaty, but, at the same time, to satisfy , the feeling which has been manifested by the Chamber. It is opened with the intention of guaran teeing the independence and the legitimate interests of our flag. Such is the object of the negotiations. Th e Ch am b er will comprehend that I cannot at this moment enter into any further details. I have been merely anxious to state the case as it really stands. There is nothing irregular in it; it is a delicate one, and requires to be treated with prudence and care. There is reason to believe that we shall attain the double object whirls we have in view. This is all that I can say to-day. M. Mauguin said he had felt it to be his duty to call the attention of the Chamber to a situation which the Minister himself called a delicate one. The Minister had said that the Protocol remained open. He would repeat that France would not obtain any modification. —( This expression was received with clisapprohation from various parts of the Chamber. ) M. Joly said he did not think the Treaty could ever be ratified, as a grave question of constitutional right was in volved. The Treaty, in one of its clauses, stated that an) vessel which should be proved to have been engaged in the slave-trade should be confiscated. By one of the causes of the Charter the penalty of confiscation was abolished. They could not revive this penalty in a Treaty with Foreign Powers. M. Joly then proceeded to remark on several clauses of the Treaty, particularly clause 1, which placed the slave-trade on the same ground as piracy, and the signs by which the cruisers were to recognise vessels engaged in that trade. lie spoke also of the inconvenience to commerce of the right of search, and cf the difficulty that there would be for the owner of a suspected vessel ta show that it was not. engaged in the traffic which it was the object of the Treaty to suppress. M. Berrycr—The very simple and clear manner in which the Minister for Foreign Affairs has placed the question does not, in my opinion, perinit us to prolong this dis cuss'on. The Minister tells us that the Government sus pended the ratification, and did not say at what period it is-mild be given. He also informs us that modifications have been proposed by France, and that hitherto they have not been rejected by tire other Cabinets. In this state of things it is evident that the Minister for Foreign Affairs could give no other answer to the ,questions which have been put to hint than that which lie has given, and that he cannot fairly be exposed to further questions whilst things remain in the present state. I have, therefore, merely' one observation of make to him. In the discussion on the address, I spoke the dangers of the Treaty to France. It is not necessary for me to say that the perusal of the Treaty gives additional im portance to the observations which I have made. Evers thing in the Treaty is clear and precise on one point—viz. the number of cruisers. I must confess that the way in which the c' ause giving to the contracting parties the right of regulating the number of cruisers according to their own views, and diet which declares that the cruisers of one Power shall have no autho rity to act without the consent of the other Powers, are dra wn up, is of a nature to offer sufficient guarantees on this important point. But I do not find precisely: the same guarantee in aticie l I, which contains the stipulations of indemnity in the case of a vessel having been improperly dives ted from its route. This clause is so drawn up as to be, in my opinion, altogether illu sory. There is, besides, a clause, not in the Tr ea t y i tse lf , b ut annexed to it, which seems to me to be pregnant with danger. Everybody has remarked that it is a strange Treaty in which nart i es fi g ure who have so little interest its it, and Ru ss i a , L' whic h h as no maritime interest except on the African sea, L. her alliance with the Americans has been particularly alluded to. Now', it is declared by the Treaty that in the African sea vessels of commerce, as well as vessels of war, are to be ex empted from the right of sea rc h. I h ave a right, therefore, t o assert, that the 'Treaty is entered into with Powers which have no interest in the question. I will now rep .y' to the speaker who preceded rne. He is in error in saying that our laws no longer pronounce confiscation. Confiscation may he and is pronounced under certain circumstances by our laws Sir RUBERT PEEL would address himself to the question which had been raised ke the Hon. and Gallant Officer. He did not consider that it was fitting' that this House should lay down a rule that, under all circumstances, the office of First Lord of the Admiralty should be filled by a naval officer. Ile should be sorry to lay down a rule excluding, under all circum stances, a naval man from the office of First Lord of the Admi ralty, but the present system did no such thing. It lef: the office open to naval officets, while at the same time it did not exclude civilians, and he should he sorry to see the House depart from the constitution under which the Navy had been administered for neatly a century.—(Hear, hear. ) Since 1797 there had been only two instances in which naval men had been at the head of the Board of Ad miralty, and the Right Hon. Baronet was justifed in saying that the administration of the service had given general satis faction. Let. them consider the great naval exploits which 'had been performed with civilians presiding at the head of the Board. There were ale aye naval officers in the Beard to give the First Lord advice, and when they looked at the names of those who had been First Lords for the last forty years, Lord Spencer, Mr. Gren ville and Lord Grey, he thought the House ought to pause. It might be necessary to make reductions in the Navy. It was clear that a civilian was most fit to make those reductions. Again, a civilian was much better fitted to intro duce reform into the Naval Service than a Naval officer could possibly be. A Naval Officer would be too much under the dominion of pro''essional prejudices—( Hear, hear, hearl—prejudicesw hich personally did him the highest honour, to carry many measures into effect which might be carried into effect by a civilian. On the whale, he trusted the House would not interfere with the present constitution of the Board of Admiralty. Sir NAPIER could not agree with the Right Hon. Baronet in the high character which he gave the Board of Admiralty. He (Sir Charles Napier) had been in the service forty-two years, and during the whole of that time he had heard constant complaints o! the manner in which the Navy had been ruled by the hoard of Ad miralty. The argument of the Right Hon. Baronet as to the number of celebrated men who had presided over the Board of Admiratty, told in his (Sir Charles Napier's) favour.— ( Cries of " Hear, hear.") Lord Barham was the First Lord at the time when the battle of Trafalgar was fought; shortly alter there was a change in the Administration, and Lord Howick, now Lord Grey, succeeded him. He was suc ceeded by Mr. Grenville, who was succeeded in his turn by Lord Audley, making four changes in one year. He (Sir C. Napier), well recollected the inconvenience attending those changes, and he had reason to do so, for he had well nigh become a victim to them himself. ( The Hon and Gallant Member then read a long letter, that he had written to the Board of Admiralty in the year 1816, complaining of a civilian being placed at the head of the Ad miralty, as it was annoying to the feelings of officers to be obliged to state the circumstances of,every action to a chief who knew.not how to appreciate them.) The continued charges which took place in the Board of Admiralty entailed an 'enor mous expense on the country. When the Board of Admiralty was under the last Government, they made changes, and did ,a great deal of good by doing so. When the present Adminis tration came into office, another general place took place, and destroyed the good t he last Board of Admiralty had done. Now all these changes brought great expense upon the country— an expense Hon. Gentlemen were not aware of. The Noble Lord near him said that the remedy was perfectly easy, for, if one Lord of the Admiralty disapproved of what the Board of Ad miralty did, he could put a cheek upon them by resigning. But he ( Sir C. Napier) did not think Hon. Gentlemen were much inclined to resign office at all, because, they kept in as long as they could. He never saw a Lord of the Admiralty who was willing to resign his situation and give up 1,006/. a year—( Continued laughter)—therefore, he thought the law was very iesufficient. The Noble Lord said the British Army was in a d reful p sition, and yet that army, under the Duke of Wellington, had obtained the most glorious vie ories on record. But the Noble Lord was no soldier. He pretended to say the Army was ill-ruled, and he wished to keep the Navy in their hands, in order to increase the patronage of the Government.— ( Loud laughter.) They had heard the Right Hon. Baronet tell them of the great victories of our men ; and he ( Sir C. Napier) kn w th :t during the latter period of the war the ships were so insufficiently provided, that when a shot was fired at the enemy they could not hit her. —( Laughter.) He was in the Mediterranean fleet at th e ti me w h en the war commenced with America, aul instead of manning ships suffic.ently well they sent out British men of war to be taken and disgraced, and this was under a civil Board of Admiralty. What did that Board of Admiralty do when they found out their mistake? Why a secret order was sent out to the officers on the American station not to engage American frigates if they fell in with them. thus throwing the whole of the blame cn the Captains. The Captains did as they were ordered. " When I got the of der (continued the Gallant Commodore), I put it into the only fit piece for it, the quarter-gallery." — (Loud laughter, which con tinued fur many minutes.) He remembered perfectly well when the late King became Lard High Admiral, the Navy at that time was not in a wholesome state, it was ex tremely ingfficitart. He (the late King) found no justice was going on, great patronage existed, and everything was sacri ficed to political influence. He (the late King) did a great deal towards reforming the Navy. He used to go down to Portsmouth and examine the ships himself, Every Captain, when ' L ite heard that the Lord High Admiral was coming down, took particular pains to see that his ship was in order, for he well knew, if it was not, the Lord high Admiral would complain. He (Sir Charles Na pier) remembered one case of an officer, under his com mand, and a gallant officer he was, serving in tl.e Burmese war, being severely wounded. He fell ill and was near to due, arid he saw his junior (Sheets promoted. Notwith standing his being recommended by his Commander to the Admiralty, he could not get the smallest redress. lie ( Sir C. Napier) himself asked - the reason, and went to the Admiralty, but he could not get the smallest re dress ; but he wrote to the Lord High Admiral, and the answer was, the officer was appointed to a Captaincy. These things would occur again, and if they were persisted in, it was perfectly impossible that the Navy could be carried on with credit or advantage. lie ( sir C. Napier) had seen the British Navy himself in America (Liar being . disgraced; if they (the British line) had fallen in with a French brig during the war—il:- manned as the British vessels were, in consequence of the stubbornness of those under whose management naval affairs were then conducted there was not an were offiner su i r n e otfhevietiy. British oi line who could say they If the British Navy was ruled by British officers, he was sure that those things would not happen again. The Hon. and Gallant Member concluded by moving, as an amendment, a reduction ha the estim ate After t a o f t e h w e a w m e o r u d n s t f o r f om 4,s C oo ap L tain PECHELL in support of the amendment ; also from Mr. WOOD and the Hon. SIDNEY HERBERT, The question was put from the Chair, and the Amendment was negatived without a division. The House resumed, the CIIAIRIuAN reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again on Monday. EXCHEQUER BILLS. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER brought in a Bill for the appointment of a commission to inquire into the Exchequer &ifs' fraud, which was ►ead a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Monday. Lord ELIOT brought in a Bill to amend an Act of her present Maje'ty for vacating any presentment fur rebuilding the Gaol of Newgate in Dublin, and vacating any contract be tween the Commissioners for rebuildi► g the said gaol and the contractor, which was reed a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Monday. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at One o'Clock, till Monday. THE CORN - LAWS-MEETING IN SHAD WELL. A very numerous meeting of the inhabitants of the parish of St Paul, Shadw ell, including the most influential merchants and ship. owners of that district, was last night held in the Vestry-room, "to consider the means to be adopted on Sir Robert Peel's intention to perpetuate the Corn-laws." Mr. CAREW, one of the Churchwardens, having been called to the Chair, stated the objects of the meeting; and it having been intimated that some Chartists were in the room, who were not parishioners, requested that no one would interfere in the business of the evening who was not a parishioner. Mr. ALLAM moved the first resolution, which was as follows : " That this meeting deeply sympathizes with their fellow.country. men who are the subjects of severe sufferings and privations, and at the same time cannot but express their anxious concern for their future interests, as trade is fast declining, and commerce leaving our shores, the whole of which lb attributable to the baneful effects of the Corn and Provision.laws. This meeting further expresses their disappointment in the measures prepared by her Majesty's Government, which measure, instead of affording the least be nefit, only tends to perpetuate the same iniquitous system, and that such plans are alike an insult to the nation and to suf. faring humanity. seeing, therefore, that they have declined to repeal those laws, which would be the only means to remove distress, and improve trade, the meeting do memorialise her Majesty to dismiss from her counsel's the present Ministry, and appoint such men as will appreciate the nation's claims, and render to the trading and commercial interests that justice so long den'ed them." Mr. Allam reviewed the plan proposed by Sir R. Peel, and contended that the Corn-law was no benefit to either the manufacturer or agricul turist, but was the bane of all classes, snore particularly the poor. He knew it was difficult to approach Royalty, and it was more than probab:e that their memorial would not find its way to her Majesty, but if it did not, those to whom it would be confided would see what was the opinion of this populous district. The resolution having been seconded, g ro b w ee s n ed pu th t e on being read, was which, carried unanimously fouMndr.tFoßbleEsßomneoavreldy l a l l e a th n e en m d o m ti e o l n it , and no seconder having been found for it, that it fell to the ground, Mr, A. C. Await then p oypttihoen resolution o a l ut i on memorialinto af: ' , l; lo, l ds te teg o r r t, i i g ia) i ot n : a l l her Majesty, which was unanimously agreed to. appointed to c effect, and it was resolved tha ws hse, proceedings of the meeting should be advertised in the T i‘ iii r . , un, and Morning Advertiser. ,mlaoutsi having A Committee was then t t carry It was then proposed by .JACKSON, and seconded by Mr. 4. That the best thanks of this meeting are due, and the above resolution, to are bertby given to the P r oprietors of The Su n newspaper, to r th e i r zealous exertion. for the interests o f the people , and snore espe cially for the publicity given theto proceedin gs of this parish. " A vote of thanks w as then given to the C hairman, and the meet. ing separated. work belongs to that estimable class of merely to present a vivid or --- O T f h ‘ i :hi ics h . is l i n u a i . t ri ß ly y an d n"oTveelms,pttahteionai'm' FOß IVIVEs SCHOOL .-- tehaesilyAauffetheoerde.ss The striking picture of society. but also the convey )re s e n t of deepest practical importance in regardd rules of conduct in life, n ed trial of marriage may be gra dually of temper, the or er own sex, as the title both of w aywardness and she teaches how o t this s the a nd o n h e e her hand,f i) former e b r y Pi rnci,doinuo9cs:oitdiito,i s mooth even inconsiderate dually enfeebled and dissolved, while on the other, an ha bitual the roughest ways of do mestic iyi fondestut u wh a bo l irce c bus u ns l its t iow i nr a bsi t ta i eil o n: n P jetnhhoeaisfetsfittilisoissee a delicate affectionate amiabi 1 i t i e s which should be ev, r associat.ed with the character of woman mraersetliycfianitleirncorZdee.rinTg he incidents by which she illustra , es her The School for Wives" is fairly kindly le : sons are spiritedly designed , and in situations of varied a of eu e r x d e i c a u l ti wlcome among s t all those who come interest bring into action chfoaracters of most contrasted dis similarity. In a word, both „ ... r its purpose, and the merits of as having been experienced in N ei ti ns i t th init i l n eadn ti r l te e or cirele of the pupils whom it contemplates.—Herald of the 25th November, me A nt d io v n ic A e A s ' the roads of St. Denis, on 20th. A good deal of damage was done to the shipping, and one was wrecked ; several boats were swamped at the same time. iolte'rootnrtazßdoeunr,boornee, If a vessel were proved to have been engaged in the slave trade, it would be confiseated without the violation of any con stitutional right. SPAIN. Glais-Bizoin now said—ln the last sitting I applied for permis s io n t o p u t cer t a i n ques ti ons to the Minister of Foreign Affairs relative to Spin. Doubtlessly the President did not hear me, fcr my demand does not figure on the order of the day. I now ask whether the Chamber is disposed to hear me? Guiaot—l hare already explained myself at great length on the Spanish question on another occasion. It would be imprudent, indeed it is impossible for me to change or add to any thing that I hare said. I have, therefore, no reply to make to M. Glais-Bizoin. M. Glais-Bizoin—On the eve of a conspiracy organised under the auspices of a Queen—(Great opposition to M. Glais- Bizoin continuing was here expressed.) M. Guizot said with eme warmth—l leave to the Chamber to judge of the propriety of such language. Will you allow it to be said that a Queen, residing in France, has organised a conspiracy ? The President said—The language employed by M. Glais- Ilizoin was altogetiter unpailiamentary. M. Glair-Bizoin—lt was declared in the English Parlia ment, that a flagrant conspiracy was being organised, and that the day and hour of the exilosion were agreed upon. The Prime Minister of England stated that the chief of this con spiracy was in Paris. I ask whether if, after such a declara tion by a Prime Minister, it is not necessary for France to protest with - energy ? There already are sufficient grounds for discord between France and Spain. We must not allow new causes to arise. I ask the Cabinet to say what truth there is in the declaration of the English Minister. M. Guizot—J affirm that the person alluded to, Cabrera, for it is he who has been mentioned, has not come to Paris. Per•. mission was even refused to him to enter France. The Eng lish Ministry is in complete error on this subject. BANKS. The next Order of the Day was the discussion of the pro ject of law for the prolongation of the privilege of the Bank of Rouen. M. Fould considered the best model to be followed was that of the actual organisation of the Bank of France, where the nomination of the Governor and of two Sub-Governors as vested in the Government. Although the Bank of Rouen did not demand similar precautions, yet he consi sidered it ought to be under the special surveillance of an agent of the Government, who would prevent its statutes from being deviated from. With this view, he should give his support to the article of the Gsvernment, the rejection of which was proposed by the Committee. The Honourable Member considered that the capital of the Bank was not pro portionate to the operations which the Bill authorised it to enter into. An augmentation of 500,000 francs, he said, was not sufficient to carry on discount transactions in seven places. The Honourable Member then proposed, in discussing ;he statutes, to carry up the capital to five millions. The pro.. fits, he admitted, would have to be divided amongst a greater number of shareholders, but the operations of the Bank would be more secure. lie wished the nominal capital of the Bank to be stated in the law, and not in the statutes. He demanded • the re-establishment of Art. 3of the project of law, in case his amendment were not adopted. He then proposed an amend ment to the effect that a weekly return of the operations of the Bank should be made to the Minister of Finance; that the apital of the Bank should be raised to five million; and that the Bank should be authorised to discount paper in all towns where the Bank of France has branch establishments. The Honourable Deputy also proposed several amendments on the statute of the Bank of Rouen. The Chamber then pawed to the di,cussion of the articles of the Bill. Art. 1. " The privilege of the Bank of Rouen, constituted :n virtue of the law of the 24th Germinal, year 2, by the Royal otdonnances of March 7, 1817, June 7, 1826, and June 14, 1840, is pro!onged to Dea. 31, 1863. "—Adopted. The fallowing additional paragraph was proposed by the committee:— " Nevertheless it may be put an end to or modified on the 31st December, 1835, if thus ordered by a law passed in one of the two sessions preceding that period."—Adopted. Al. 'Victor Grandin proposed to place the following between the first and second articles : " The departmental Banks, legally created, are authorised to discount paper payable in ali towns is which similar establish ments exist, and to exchange it." The amendment, sot being seconded, was not put to the vote. At five o'clock the diseu.sion was adjourned. SITTING OF MARCH 1. The Chamber met to-day at the usu .1 hour. The older of day was the discussion relative to the Bank of Itouen, but the subject possessed nothing of general interest. The remainder of the sitting was occuided in the monthly organisation of the bureaux. LAW INTELLIGENCE. HOUSE OF LORDS, Marcie 4. The Lord Chancellor, Lord Brougham, Lord Campbell, and the Earl of Redesdale, sat in the House of Lords to-day, to hear Scotch Appeals. BALFOUR V. MALCOLM. The arguments in this part-heard Appeal were resumed and sioncluded to-day, and Their Lordships gave judgment, affirming the decision of the Court below, with costs. HAMILTON V. HAMILTON-AtSENCE OF COUNSEL. Upon this Appeal being called on, the Agent for the Ap pellant stated that Sir William Follett, his leadinfr Counsel, was absent ; that the junior Counsel(.Jr. Gori'on) had not been instructed, and he had therefore to request of their Lord ships to postpone the hearing of the case to another day. Lord BROUGHAM (with some warmth) obsersed, that an intimation had been given to their Lordships yesterday, at three o'clock, that such a request would be made, and the parties then were peremptorily told that the House would not accede to any such application. It was the bounden dntv of the parties, therefore, to be ready to proceed to-day with the appeal. He considered the course that had been pursued highly disrespectful to the House, and he for one would not be a party to so great a waste of the public time. The case must, therefore, either proceed, or the appeal must be dismissed with costs. The LORD CHANCELLOR, having taken his seat on the Woolsack, put the question that the appeal should be dismissed ~Nith costs, when . Mr. GORDON, the junior Counsel for the appellant, said, that although he had not even looked into the papers, he was willing to save the time of then: Lordships and would, therefore, open the appeal as well as he could. Lord CAMPBELL said it was a case of great importance, and one also of hardship to some of the parties interested ; he thought. therefore, that the motion for the dismissal of the appeal should be carries! into effect. The LORD CHANCELLOR observed, that as Mr. Gordon had expressed his willingness to proceed with the appeal, their Lordships would adjourn the consideration of it till two o'clock. in order to give him time to look into the papers, without which it was impossible that the Learned Counsel could state the case in a manner their Lordships were entitled to expect. Lord liaoun riA sr said, that counsel, agents, and parties, might depend upon it that the course that had been adopted by their Lordships that day would in future be peremptorily car ried into effect, as their Lordships were determined that the time of the pubic and of their Lordships should not be wasted, in consequence either of the non-attendance of counsel, or the neglect of agents. The appeal was then ordered to stand over till two o'clock, and in the interim their Lordships proceeded to hear the argu ments in the case of lIIMILTON V. WRIGHT, This was an appeal from the decision of the Court of Session ; the object of which was to reduce a deed, granting an annuity of 221/. Jr.A PEMBERTON and Mr. ANDERSON were heard for the appellant, and shortly before two o'clock, the further con sideration of the case was adjourned to Thursday next. HAMILTON V. HAMILTON. Mr. GORDON then proceeded to open this appeal. The arguments not having concluded at four o'clock, the further consideration of the care s as adjourned to Thursday next. ROLLS' COURT, March 4. PARIS V. HUGHES. Lord LANGDALE gave judgment to-day in this case, the arguments in which engaged the Court for the last two days. It came on for exception to the Master's report, that he had not found as to the state of facts, that the defendant Bright more had notice .of the transaction in question. The bill had been filed in the year I MI, and a decree of reference to the Master obtained in 1833; and the exceptions taken to the report then made by the Master formed the question now before the Court. The suit had been originally insi.ituted to set aside an al leged fraudulent. sale of the estate of Paris. He had had ac counts with Messrs. Debutts, his solicitors, and had been arrested and imprisoned by them in 1820. Debutts insisted, as a condition of his release, that he should execute a deed with power of sale of his estate ; otherwise that he would have a commission of bankruptcy issued against him. Paris consented and executed the deed. Under that deed the property was put up to sale, and Mr. I3rightmore became the purchaser. The question was whether Brightmore had notice of the transaction respecting the deed - Or sale. It was said that Miss Paris, the sister of the plaintiff, had given him notice. The master found the other way, and to that report exceptions were taken. His Lordship allowed the first exception ; The second exception he referred back to the Master to review his report, with directions to examine Miss Paris viva voce and whatever other witnesses, and in whatever manner might seem best. VICE-CIIANCELLORS' COURT, March 4. (Before the VICE-CHA NCELLOR of England.) Unopposed petitions, short causes, and the part-heard case of Branlil v. Budges, occupied his Honour the whole morning. (Before Vice-Chancellor WIGR.A3I.) BULTEEL Lottll ABINCER. The further hearing of this case was continued throughout the day. • SECONDARIES' COURT, March 4. 110DGK1NSON V. MILLER. This was an action by art attorney against his client for 51. 45., for professional services. Defendant had engaged plaintiff to file a bill of discovery against a Dr. Bigsby, but after some correspondence and inquiries defendant was advised not to persevere, as he had not a prospect of success. The defence at first was that this was a no-cure no-pay ca• , e, but this allegaticn failed, and it was said that no service had been performed, i. r., that the plaintiff had done no good, and then that a sufficient bill of costs a 3 required by the statute had not been delivered in. The SECONDARY observed that an attorney's claim must not be considered as groundless, because what his client had ordered him or permitted him to do had not been successful. The defendant's Counsel farther urged that the bill of costs was drawn up in abbreviations not commonly used in the Eng lish language, and that, therefore, according to " Archbold's Practice," the bill was invalid. The bill had the letters A. T. S. which stood for nothing, for there should have been the tour letters, A. T. S. 0. to stand for "at the suit of." Also that the plaintiff had not put down his res,dence in the bill. The SECONDARY thought this a very strong objection, still he could not non-suit the plaintiff on this point. The case was allows d to go to the Jury, who thought the charges on the whole reasonable, and gave a verdict for the plaintiff for 5/. 4s. The defendant's Counsel said he would raise the point of re sidence elsewhere, to which the Learned Judge did net object. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, March 4. IN RE WILLIAM RITCHIE. The insolvent in this ease had been a gentleman's servant, and lately the occupier of the Blue Posts public-house, Rupert street, Haymarket. His petition to be discharged seas sup ported by Mr. Woridroffe, and opposed by Mr. Cooke, on be half of Miss Elizabeth Francis. Mr. COOKE examined the opposing creditor at great length, when she stated that she and insolvent had lived together as fellow-servants, and having saved about 400/. he induced her to lend it is him for the purpose of setting up in a public-house. In March, 1841, the Blue l'osts, in Rupert-street, being to be let, she advanced, at different periAls, the sum of 342/. to effect the purchase; and after the insolvent had got the sum into his hands tie told her the house belonged to Messrs. Whit bread and Co., the brewers, and as they had an objection to receiving single females as tenants, he would be compelled io have the house taken, and also the licence filled up, in his name. However he said she could remain in the house with him and his wife until such time as the money advanced was repaid. From the month of March to the month of September she lived there, and when she asked him to execute some deed or writing, t) secure her the money, he knocked her down and m b her whenever n o e s: e e r r blackening a(ie a s disfi guringohr. September t i h l e e y , imilar her , eyes an , d otherwise a l s d s c i k s , t ‘ e d d h b e y: v h i i o s le w n i t f r e lye repeated the same treat her in custody q i u n e t s o t t huensttitle, street, a e t h d e ga 4 N t , h e to a policeman on the charge of being drunk. She was kept at the station-house until the following morning oath (isftrtalitee.insoAlvh/t,thshate day s ti h i e le n d ev fi e v r eshilling b w ) lo t , e, ositting e to the Nue Posts, and soon afterwards stied the .insolvent returnedfor the amount a s n u m e r h i t e o s f old money out, t lent, n t a e n r d e sttc in n k t him he Moose eseeeilfori°nnearlWhen e h e e n ap g p i e v a •e r n an i e n e to of eu h s e to th d g y same sum which he raid for it. The witne.s, in her cross-examination by Mr. WOODRUFFE, kicks and ill-usage she said that, although usebnecemt p )itg e h r l f it a l c ui t io l a y: , ef s r o oh b na e : r t t ht w eh • ou r f e n C i t t e he i r v e 'e t d Ph°el fi i • ic o : i ft : the insolvent and 11:s wife. Alter being fined, she showed a certificate to the Magistrate from a medical gen tleman describing the injuries she received. Witnesses were called on behalf of the insolvent to endea vour to establish proof of 11iiss Francis being a person of drunken habits, but their statements were immaterial. in his examination the insolvent said that the marks of in jury which she sometimes bore on liar face were the effects of falls she got while intoxicated. Mr. COOKE said the charge against the opposing creditor was one which was but too frequently brought under similar circumstances. At all events there could be no doubt but she had lost all the savings which she accumulated during a long life of servitude through the heartless conduct of the insolvent, and he trusted the Court would consider this to be a case than which few required a more severe application of the discre tionary clause of the Act. '1 he Learned CHILI COMMISSIONER said the opposing creditor's testimony detailed the most heartless ingratitude on the part of the insoivi nt ; however, there was no other evi dence adduced to confirm her statement ; but he could desig nate the conduct of the insolvent, under all the circumstances, of taking money from a woman without using every pos)ible means to repay her, as shabby and disgraceful in the extreme, and an indication of au ungenerous and unfeeling mind. How ever, as there was no collateral evidence in support of that of the of posing creditor's, he felt that it was not a case which he could Beal with under the clause referred to by the Learned Cousel. IN RE ILA VIS. Mr. NICHOLLS, on behalf of several creditors of the insol vent, who held an anointment in Woolwich, at a salary of 300/. per annum, !aid he was instructed to state that the in solvent had exiiressed his willingness to give up 1001. per annum of his salary, to be appropriated in the liquidation of the debts, and that they expre,ised their cor.currence in the arrangement. Mr. HUGHES, who appeared on behalf of a creditor at the hearing, said lie had received no instructions whatever from his client. Mr. Cooke and Arr. Nicholls, who represented a large body of the creditors, expre,sed themselves satisfied; when 111 r. Hughes offered no further opposition, and the arrangement was agreed to by the Court. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT. OLD COURT. Peter 411'i%Jirut anti Robert Sntiflt, the maker and male of a ship called the Sealby, from Tampico to Liverpool, were placed at the bar, charged with killing and slaying John Jones, a sailor boy, on board the said ship. Mr. bodkin and Jr.A Doane appeared to prosecute, and slr. Clarkson and Mr. Phillips appeared for the prisoner AP/Uinta and Mr. Peneergast for the prisoner Smith. From the statement of the case by Mr. Bodkin, it appeared that the ship Sealby sailed from Tampico on the 12th of December. For some time previous to her sailing, the Cap • fain and crew had been sick of the fever, and many of them had been in the hospital at Tampico. At the time the vessel sailed the boy Jones had not recovered, but was in a very weak and sickly state. While the boy was in this state the mate ordered him on deck, and putting a scraper into his hand, ordered him to scrape the deck. At another time the Captain, who was ill below, ordered the mate to take a piece of rope, r..nd compel the boy to work. When the vessel left Tampico, the surgeon ordered that the boy should not be allowed meat for some time, but that he should be sup plied with coffee, and a little soup. These directions were complied with, but the coffee and the other food, when brought for the boy, was always placed on the after hatch in the cpen air, and if the boy was too weak to fetch it he was obliged to go without it, as the cap' ain would not allow any person to take it to him, sating That if the boy was indulged in that way he would never work at all. The boy wou dat times crawl to the place whore his food was put, but when he was unable to do so he had no food during the day. The boy ultimately died on the 24th Deceinher. Jarr es Lewis was the first witness called, who stated that the boy was extremely ill at the time when the vessel sailed. It was ordered by the doter that care should be taken if him. The boy was directed by the mate to scrape the ship, and the mate put a scraper nate his hand, and mace him go down on his knees to scrape the deck. The boy died on the 24th Dee. John Rapson stated, that he was a boy on beard the vessel called the Sealby. She sailed from Tampico on the 12th of D. ember. A number of the crew was at that time ill. The boy Jones was very ill,but he was ordered on deck to scrape the ship. His foua w;is always placed on the after hatch, and if he did not go for it himself, he was obliged to go without it. .1 he boy was so weak that he used to crawl upon his knees to the after hatch. Iles seen him crawl to the water-cask to get sonic water. Once when he was at the cask saw the mate push him down, and prevent him getting any water to drit k. Ne,er heard the boy use any improper language to the captain or the mate. Witness was fad vet y well during the first part of the vo ) age. 'Hwy had then a pound an alialf of meat a day, but it was after wards reducedto .• one pound, and then to half a pound. Ilas seen time mate best the boy frequently when the boy was unable to work, and oft, n heard him complain of the mate and captain beating him. The day before the boy died i.e complained of ill•treatment, and said he had been %tat red. lie died on the 24th December. he ,hip's cook was callud, and corroborated the foregoing testimony. On cross-ex..mination, he said that in cases of fever in the climate of Tampico, too much food frequently caused death. The meat was always taken to the after hatch that the captain might we how much was given to each man. llad seen the deceased boy ftequently go to that part of the vessel for hi food, hut could not say how much he ate. This was the ea.e for the prosecution. Mt. PREN DE RG AST then addressed the Jury for his client, contendirg that under the circumstances the course adopted was a nee, scary one icr the safety of the whole crew ar.d the ship. The wnole of the crew were in a state of sickness, and if cessation of labour had been allowed, the slip must have been sacrificed, together with the whole crew. The de ceased was put to the easiest work in the ship, that of scrapirg the decks, and e‘en for :his the mate was not answer able, inasmuch as he wasacting under the orders of the captain. Several wi , nes,es were thin called, all of whom gave the prisoner Smith a good character for humanity and mildness. Mr. PniLtirs then addressed the Jury for the other pri soners. Several witnesses gave the prisoner a good charac ter for humanity, and The LEA RNLI) JUDGE having summed up the evidence, the Jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty, but at the same time expressing their belief that great blame rested on the prisoners. The prisoners were again indicted for killing and slaying another boy of the name of John Popham, but CL A it KSON said after the decision the Jury had come to as to the former care, he should not press the second indictment, as the evidence upon which it rested was precisuly the same as that already adduced. The prisoners were consequently acquitted. NE IV COURT. (Before the COMMON SERGEANT.) The Court was occupied during the morning with the hear ing of Allot cases, non,3 of which offered any feature of pub lic interest. SPRING ASSIZES. HOME CIRCUIT— Hertford, Mardi 3. THE QUIEN V. WEbSiTER. This was an information tiled by the Attorney-General, iu pursuance of a resolution of the House of Commons, imputing to the defendant that he had, at an election for the borough of St. Alban's, in February, 1841, when Lord Listowel and B. B. Cabbell, Esq., were the candidates, bribed a voter named Robert Atilms, to induce him to vote for Lord Listowel ; and that he had also bribed another voter, named John Steb bing, in order to induce him to refrain from voting at all at the election. The Attorney-General, Mt. D. Pollock, Mr. Thesiger, and Mr. Bodkin conducted the case in support of the information. Mr. Sergeant Shea, Mr. M. Chambers, Mr. Maule, So licitor for the Treasury, and Mr. C ppock for the defendant. 'rhe ATTOILN Er• GENERAt. statedthe case for the prosecution. George Ray, post-boy, at Barnet, proved that on the day in question the defendant, with another gentleman, came to his master's in a chaise and four ; they went on to town with four other horses, and witness was one of the post-boys. They first went to St. James's•street, and from thence to Whitehall. Baron ALDERSON—Whereabout in Whitehall? It is a large place. Witness—" Agin" the Treasury.—( Roars of laughter.) Witness continued—Dr. Webster went into the Treasury and he left him there while he put up the horses. He went back at night with the same two gentlemen. Cross-examined—The Treasury was on the right hand going from Charing-cross. There wore some soldiers standing about with great jack boots on.—Otenevved lauhter.) This was why he belied` d it to be the 'I reasury.—( La g ughter.) Several w itnesses proved that Dr. Webster solicited their votes, and that they were not particular as to which side they voted for. Hobert Adams was then examined : He deposed that he was a voter of the borough of St. Alban's, and had resided there for upwards of twenty years. lie knew the defendant, Dr. Webster, and he remembered meeting him on the Satur day before the day of nomination at the election in Feb ruary, 1841, in the High-street of St. Alban's • the de fendant was looking after voters, and he tapped him on the shoulder, and asked hint if he would be on his side; witness replied, " No, Voct,,r, i. won't do ;" thinks that he then said they had got plent y of money ; witness, accompanied by another voter named Stebbing, went on the Monday following to the Doctor's house, and he then said they had better be with his party, and asked them to walk in, and they did so; before this, witness had had same conversation with the gentlemen connected with the Blue or oppo— ing party; they went all together into the surgery, and then the Doctor took Stebbing with him into a back parlour ; after a short time Stebbing came back to him, and showed him two five-pound notes and two sovereigns, I and the doctor then called witness into the back parlour, and asked him what he wanted for his .vote? He replied, 201. The doctor said he would not give that sum, but he would give him what he had given to Stebbing, and that, he said, would be IYi. , and witness agreed to take that suns ; the doctor then went out of the room, and fetched the money, and laid it on the table, and witness took it up. Alter some further exami nation the following scene took place. _ _ Mr. Serg, ant SliEA—Now, sir, tell me whether you were known at Aylesbury by the name of " Lying Adams? " Witness—Am 1 obliged to answer that question? Baron A Liikasos —1 (toilet think you a- e r,quired tube the herald of your own dishonour. You may refuse it you please. Mr. ett , tiant SHEA-1f )se refuses to answer, that will do just as The LEARNED SliicaANT then asked the witness whether he was not known at St. Alban's by the name of "Lying Adams?" Witness—l don't choose to answer the question— they may call me what they please. Sergeant SHEA Did you ever know a person named Samuel Gibb ? Witness-1 won't answer. Sergeant SHEA—You must. Witness—very well, then, I did. - Sergeant Stun-D:(1 he not, wh,-n he worked with you, keep a piece of chalk to mark up the number of lies you told in a day—( Roars of laughter)? Witness—l don't know anything about that. It is .11r. —, of St. Alban's who put that about. He is a Whig. -( Renewed laughter. J. 11. Rumball, Esq., the mayor ' of St. Alban's, deposed to the circumstances connected Nita} the election in question. The polling day was on the 9th of February, and he remem bered Adams handing to him a parcel, and stating that it con tained money which had been given to hint by pr. Webster to induce him to vote for Lord Listowel. Believed that Dr. Webster was present when he communicated the circumstance to the peaioni who were round the hustings, and some pers,n on the part of the hustings w here Dr ;, 1% _e_ i b , Aar was, called out, " They are as bad on th e other side. It tness added that he sealed up the parcel and money, and he now produced it, and handed it to the Court; he added that he now claim k e e d ly th t e A LD ERSON said he not see how that coul d be; it nno i n ja 7. n did no person w as h was a sort of dere lict p ro p ert y; and as A 11- A a u " in the