The Sun. — London, England, 1849-03-13 00:00:00

cal with is they House Gf the ade, or ef • Queen's ery sea rr stat?,i. before :ognition ild not conduct it only ?.s of the rs called —but he t 80 too• to the ser for sters on coUld of bet natioOal nanent 9 .nd Lord Govern' :castone• Ider the inst the rt ferred nci Par hen her !laded to 3 in re: not well i'regard ion into bee° THE SUN, ihan just and equitable, in the event of this measure be ing passed, that a compensation should be made by foreign countries for this law. Mr. MITCHELL said that the free•traders were for reciprecity, for they had severally stated on his side of the House, that if foreign countries did not comply with this measure, that they would act towards them as they deserved. He had listeeed to the debate attentively. and had hoped that the fallacy of supposing that a diminu tion in the freight did not produce a diminution in the price to the consumer, would be exposed, but was grieved to find an Hon. Member, representing a large commer cial community, not only stating so erroneous a proposi tion, but endeavouring to affirm it by many arguments. To come now to the arguments of the Right Hon.,Gentle man the Member for the University of Oxford, he was surprised to hear it advanced against this measure that it would injuriously affect their system of ship duties, and be an injury to the shipowners. His first experience of the shipping interest was formed many years ago, and he remembered that when a predecessor 'ln the Board of Trade of the Right Hon. Gentleman near him (Mr. Labouchere), he meant Lord Sidmouth, pro. posed a reduction in the timber duties fur ship -building, the shipowners were up in arms against him, complain ing that they had immense numbers of ships built of Baltic timber, and that if that wood came in cheaper their property would be depreciated to an enormous ex tent. That objection had proved to be groundless, and so also would many others of a similar nature. The competition to which English shipowners would be ex posed would do them more good than all the reciprocity treaties or general legislative measures they could enact, because it would enable them to discover the points in which they were superior to their rivals, and those in which they were inferior. The real competition, how ever, would be with the shipping of the United States, and even in that limit of their rivalry, he believed that five years hence, so far from the repeal of the navigation law injuring them, the shipowners of this country would thank them for the change.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. WAWN said that since the reciprocity treaties had been entered upon, so far from English tonnage having increased, the foreign had increased, as compared With it, as much as 100 per cent. The corn grower in this country had the protection of freight, of which he could not be deprived, and that protection acted on the shipowner, who had not only his freight and charges, but his timber duties. He could find no clause in the Bill to relieve the English shipowner of the burden he had to contend against. It seemed to him to be a studied attempt to advantage the foreigner at his expense, and to deny to him all the useful alterations of the law that were virtually patronised by Mr. Huskisson. Mr. C. BRUCE said he rose as a member of the agri cultural party, who did not participate in the desire to see another great interest of this country involved in difficulties which it bad itself experienced. The navigation-laws certainly contained several matters of in convenience and even of hardship; but viewing them as a general line of policy, he thought that the arguments ad duced in support of them had not been answered. He would not extend the system of reciprocity if he thought that by so doing he should endanger the chance of suffici ently manning the navy of this country in the time of War.—(Hear.) He entreated the Government, and especially the Right Hon. Gentlemen on that (the Op position) side, who gave their support to the measure, to pause before they repealed those laws under which the shipping interest of the country had prospered, and which secured the services of a large body of seamen. Mr. WILCOX suggested that that clause should be retained which made it imperative that three-fourths of the seamen should be British subjects. From the first enactment of the navigation laws, power was given that one-fourth of the seamen might be foreigners ; but although the number of seamen in the mercantile marine • Was estimated at 130,000, yet there were not, in reality, 4,000 foreign subjects employed.—(Hear, hear.) In an evil hour for herself, Spain took up the English navigation laws in all their integrity, and the conse quence was, that gradually her mercantile navy had dwindled away. Let the House look at the South Sea trade, which had been loaded with protection and overwhelmed with bounties, and what had been the result ? Had it not been ruined by the system of pro• tection ?—(Hear, hear.) They had heard a great deal last year about their national defences, and about the necessity of taking care of their wooden walls, but be Would remind Hon. Members who so clamoured for the Maintenance of monopolies, and who argued in favour of protective laws, that the public had a great suspicion and distrust of those effusions of patriotism, which might have a latent regard to the pockets of the par ties.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") Mr. HILDYARD said they had been told that the navigation -laws were the last remnant of an exploded Vetene. In what sense of the word, he would ask, could the shipping interest of this country be called a mono- Poly ? What obstruction was thrown in the way of any man who chose to compete with that interest. It !night be said that they wanted competition with foreign shipowners, but he contended that there was nothing to prevent an American ship clearing out of the port of Liverpool to any port in their colonies. Let him ask, t herefore, whether competition had not produced its effect ?—(Hear.) Tne Honourable Member here referred to the evidence given before the Committee of the House of Lords by a gentleman who was, he said, a strong advocate of free trade, Mr. Wilson, of Sunderland, and who proved that competition was doing all that could be usefully expected, and that every im provement in ship-building was readily adopted. Ile (Alr. Hildyard) would contend that competition should never be carried beyond that point where it operated as a healthy stimulus to trade, for if carried further it must prove to be injurious. —(Hear, hear.) He had yet to learn that the great interests of the empire were to de- Pend on the view which the legislatare of Canada might tak e of the navigation-laws.—(Hear, hear.) They were not to prostrate the whole of the system of the naviga tion -laws in obedience to such reasoning as that employed by the legislature of Canada. The Honourable Member for Liverpool complained of the grievance that corn could not be brought from Canada except in a British hottoe n , and he spoke of the hardship of a case of a Carg o having arrived at Liverpool in an Ame rican vessel, and which could not be sold in consequence. But what did that case in fact amount to but simply this, that the whole was the result of a blunder in not bringing the cargo in a British ship instead of an American one.—(Cries of " Hear, hear," on both aides.) The Hon. Member then referred to the argu- Ments which had been used as to the effect of the repeal of these laws upon the West India colonies, and con tended that these colonies would be seriously injured by the repeal. They had spoken of the imitation of Ame rica; but the principle adopted in that country was not that of free trade, but of protection; and they would take all that we were willing to give them without giving us a nything in return. With regar d t o t h e N ort h ern Mates, the threats that had emanated from those Rates had been paraded before them with great em• Phasis ; but there was not one single state of them that would give them the slightest benefit, unless they Fot great advantage in return. It was said that Russia 'led entered into a system of reciprocal duties ; but that Was net a case in point, becau se th e R uss i an no bl emen d erived their incomes from the export of their produce li lt° this country, such as tallow ; and any retaliation ° A n their part would be th e i r ru i n. A n d as to t h e ,neericans, were they to do a ll th a t th ey promised— 'eat was to say, to give to us equivalent advantages to !„ 11 ° 8 e which we had given to them—that w as no t enoug h ; " was necessary that they should go farther, and make us alterations in their coasting t ra d e as wou ld g i ve to • m 4 a fair a dvantage in o ur t ra di ng i ntercourse with them. Whe Hen. M e mber th an k e d t h e H ouse for the attention h which it had heard him, and concluded by impress ,eing upon the House the seriou sness o f t h e su bj ect, an d ""e necessity of dealing with it with the utmost caution. Mr. RICARDO said there were various kinds of re l'Procity, but the reciprocity of the Hon. Gentleman b .whe had just sat down wa s o f a p i ece w i th that of the : 40 12. Member for Stamford, nam e ly, "h o ld what you )11 n, and concede what you must."—(L aug h ter. ) The ieht e Hon. Gentleman the Member for Oxford University ( fir, Gladstone) had also indulged in that argument, to his (Ur. Ricardo's) astonishment ; and the more so when he re collected that that Right Hon. Gentleman had supported t he policy of the Right H on . B aronet the Member for e aniworth. He (Mr. Ricardo) had watched this debate Very closely ; and he must confess that not one single h ew argument had been introduced i n t o i t . Hon. Gen tlemen had stated over and over again, that in America ships could be built much cheaper than in this Country ; but what was the fact ? Why, that in Ibis country, they had almost every material required 1 1 ship-building muc h cheaper t h an i t was to b e h o in America, an d, i n a ddi t i on to t h ose ad nVantages, wages in this country were also one-third 4 eap er ,—(Hear, hear.) Th e Hon. Member here al iled to the evidence of several witnesses respecting the 12Peration of the navigation-laws, and cited several pas sages from it in support of his view of a necessity for °it ch a change in the system as would lend to a better ngement of the subject. With respect to the m ono - Ces connected with the operation of the navigation is's, he might say th a t th ere ne ver yet was a monopoly t a t was not most sturdily d e f en d e d—as in the case of e corn-laws. • He could assure Hon. Gentlemen on the tlPosite side of the House, who were opposed to any tice %age in the nvigatio-laws, that the mercatile ma of this count a ry was not dependent o n any n such re hgulations as they stood up to uph o ld ; an d w i t h res pect the opinions of officers of the Royal Navy, which k sd be en re f erre d to b y t h ose Honourable Members 1 1 1 s o much in favour of a m a i n t enance o f t h ose l aws 4 , must say that there was no class of persons less j i „. ll aPetent to give a sound opinion on the sub- Othan naval officers. With respect to the argument, k ilt it was necessary to resort to " impressment" to th a n the royal navy from the mercantile marine, he held e t s t nothing could b e more un j ust or rotten than that tr, s tena, and thit if they did no t f a i r l y pay f or t h e men, ti .eY had no right to them. With respect to the assertion O t he Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for Stamford has Herries), and other Hon. Gentlemen, that there th: neither feeling nor excitement in this country on ~subject of the navigation-laws, he must say that such t l l ltereent came with a very bad grace from that side op hC House. He was averse to any organised agitation 'ge subject; but it they had c hosen to imp ress upon e Poor'' of the country that the operation of those ie ttl enhanced the price of every necessary imported th m " for their consumption, he did not hesitate to say ta tit . t hey would have th ousan d s an d t ens o f th ousan d s o f Iv eui Tlis in favour of s uc h an a l terat i on i n th ose l aws as a. et ,'' remove those great and i nconven i en t res t r i c tion s . threar, hear.) H e agree d t h at t h ere were many C erti ''Rs in th e Bill w hi c h h e s h ou ld w i s h to see a l tere d i n thomnaittee, and he would g i ve hi s ass i stance to ma k e alterations at the proper moment. te.. u oliral BOWLES said he had watched with great eie t fer, e Y the operations of the Act passed in 1846, in re tes4"lte; to the West India colonies, and what was the re the Why the ruin of our West India coloniee. He he w° "I therefore, they ought to pause in their free• kiteiP °l icY. They had ruined the West Indies by ad tiettn, g tt slave-grown sugar, and we had obtained no na ." elrantage. ,He had, therefore, a right to draw an analogy between the Act of 1846 and the measures be fore the House. We were always proud of our ships, colonies, and commerce. Now it was felt that our ships were useless, that our colonies were cumbrous, and that our trade ought to be left open to competition with the trade of all the world. Our commercial marine and our navy were inseparably united. They must stand or fall together, and he contended that this measure was calcu lated to injure both one and the other. Honourable Gentlemen depended very much last year upon the eve dente given by Sir James Stirling, but they did not do so now. He would, in answer to these arguments, how ever, refer to the evidence of Sir Byam Martin, who had expressed a strong opinion against the policy of inter fering with our navigation-laws. Mr. DRUMMOND promised the Hon. Member for Stoke that in the remarks he was about to make he would not make use of any of those arguments which he had described as having been long interred in past debates; but he would take the liberty of examining into the truth of the position whether the naval and mi litary officers of the country were men whose opinions were not to be attended to when the honour and safety of the country were concerned.—(Hear.) But, before he proceeded to that part of the subject, he must say that when the Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for the University of Oxford complained of the. vivant of unanimity among the members of the Government, he might have afforded them a better example than by giving an argument on one side of the question and a vote on the other.—(Hear, hear.) He must agree that much of the debate on this question had been not so much on the principle as on the details of the Bill; but at the same time he must say there was this excuse for lion. Members—that the principle of the Bill was no where to be found in it.—(Laughter.) The Bill in its first words said that it was a Bill to amend certain things; and the way in which it proposed to amend them was by abrogating them. Now, he must say that was the most extraordinary way of mending he had ever heard of.—(Hear, hear.) It might be all very right and proper to alter eighteen statutes of Parlia ment, but he could not consider that question in the present stage of the Bill. To find out what was the prin ciple of the Bill they must look to the speeches which had been delivered not only in the legitimate assembly, but in many assemblies of an illegitimate character. In all past times the object of every statesman, whatever his political opinions might have been, was to prevent capi tal going out of this country, because if it did our la bourers could not be employed. Now, the object of this Bill—and most ingeniously contrived it had been—was to keep capital in the country, but still not to employ our labourers.—(Hear, and a laugh.) The promoters of it did not send capital away, but they kept it here for the purpose of employing foreign labourers. They had all heard of the Satanic school of poetry in literature. If there was such a thing as a Satanic school in politics, the authors of this Bill certainly belonged to it.—(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) It was a very remarkable pheno menon that at the present day it seemed the fate of every statesman, no matter to what party he belonged, or on what side of the House he sat, to be doomed to eat every word he had ever uttered on any one occasion —(A laugh)—and to go against every principle which he had ever endeavoured to establish. If, therefore, any Honourable Gentlemen were at a loss to meet the ar guments of the Government and its supporters, they had only to go back to the speeches of those very gen tlemen, and to appeal from the drunken Philips of the day to the sober Philips of ten years ago.—(Hear, hear.) In fact, the best speech against the measure of Earl Grey was the speech delivered not long ago by Lord Howick.—(A laugh.) For years past the country had been under an evil genius. It had been well described by the Hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Disraeli) as a fate from which no Minister could liberate himself—it seemed, as it were, a sort of myth of a force which bound them down, while Chancellors of the Exchequer pecked at their livers ad libitum.—(Cheers and laughter.) The alterations in former days made by Ministers in our system had not been carried to any dangerous ex tent. The changes introduced by Lord Wallace and Mr. Huskisson had been wise and prudent. Not so the conduct of Ministers now. He spoke not of any parti cular Government, but of all those who had sat on the Treasury benches for many years back. It might be apparent presumption in him to say so, but one ex pression in the Right Hon. Member's (Mr. Glad stone's) speech had been worth attending to—that in which the Right Hon. Member said the evil to our school ' was that we did not attend to les sons of experience, but dashed boldly into ways unknewn on the faith of theories untried.—(Hear, hear.) lie called on them not altogether to disregard the teaching of the past and the lessons of experience. The most celebrated statesman of antiquity declared that " there is in maritime states a corruption and in stability of morals, for they import not only merchan dise, but morals—so that nothing can remain entire in the institutions of their couutry—(Hear, hear)—for they who inhabit those states do not remain quiet in their places, but are hurried away from their homes by an ever-winged hope of thought; and, even if they remain bodily, they still run about and wander in spirit; nor did anything tend more to the destruction of Corinth or Carthage, long in a declining state, than the vagrancy and dissipation of their citizens, who, through their greediness of trade and navigation, relinquished the cul ture of their lands and their training to arms."—(Hear, hear.) He might quote the opinions of Lord Chatham and of Mr. Canning to a similar effect, and of late days they had an eminent writer who, in his work on Germany, speaking of Frankfort, said, that "in consequence of her commercial relations, she was so thoroughly under fo reign influence, and so polluted by a mixture of all foreign manners, that her population could be hardly said to have a character of their own." What had fitted them to be citizens of the world had unfitted them to be citizens of the country to which they belonged, for " they judged of the happiness of mankind by the rate of exchange."-- (Cheers and laughter.) Now, all that was applicable to the Manchester school. The grand fault of these gentle men was that they could not form a conception how any thing which was not good for cotton-spinning could be good for anything else.—(Renewed laughter.) " But, ' said the same writer, " let no one blame them for for getting, in the pursuits of the money speculator and merchant, the interest of their country, or at least before doing so let him visit the ports of London, Liverpool, or Bristol, and discover—if he can—a purer foundation for English patriotism."—(Hear, hear.) But he had one more authority for Hon. Gentlemen opposite—their darling Adam Smith. The only quarrel he (Mr. Drum mond) had with Hon. Gentlemen with respect to Adam Smith was that they never would read beyond one page of him.—(A laugh.) Let them attend to this:—" As their (the manufacturers') thoughts, however, are com monly exercised rather about the interests of their parti cular branch of business than about that of society, their judgment, even when given with the greatest candour (which it has not been on every occasion), is much more to be depended upon on the former than on the latter. The interest of the dealers' in any particular branch of trade or manufacture is always in some respects diffetent from or even opposite to that of the public."—(Hear, hear.) Yet it was for such men as these that the Legislature had acted for many years back, and acted still. The manufacturer sent to Africa for his cotton, grown by the African labourer ; having employed the African la bourer and shipowner, he would take it home and spin it into cotton—then it was put on board a French vessel and exchanged for French silks or wines, to that from beginning to end not one English labourer would be em ployed.—(lronical cheers from the Ministerial benches,) When the poet, glowing with a fine enthusiasm, ex claims : "Breathes there a man with soul so dead, Who never to himself bath said, * * * • This is my own, my native land 2" " Oh, yes," says the Hon. Gentleman opposite, "at Manchester there are a thousand of them."—(Cheers and laughter.) Not content (continued the Hon. Gentleman) with resorting to bribery to get up accu sations against your sailors—not satisfied with assailing them and your naval officers with taunts, you noway we have a " superstitious reverence" for the navy. It may be true we have a supertitious reverence for that gallant ser vice. It may remain among us yet. Time was when we had a veneration for it. There was indeed a time when we had a national faith—when we venerated, ay, ;wor shipped, if you like, the statesmen who guided the des tinies of this country—when we respected the magis trates who administered her laws, and admired the sea men and soldiers who devoted their lives to her service —a time when our national creed was "Rule Britannia," and the finest anthem in our ritual was " God save the Queen."—(Cheers.) Mr. LABOUCHERE could assure the Hon. Gentle man, that if he was not firmly persuaded British in terests, and especially the British mercantile marine, would be promoted by this measure, and that it could not be supported on British grounds, he (Mr. Labou chere) would not be found amongst its advocates. The only question before the House at present was the principle of the measure. He had never attempted to conceal its magnitude, or to disguise that it was, in fact, the virtual abandonment of the system of restrictions on the navigation of this country, and he would not ask for the vote of any Hon. Gentleman who was not prepared to consider the propriety of that course.—(Hear, hear.) There were undoubtedly details of the utmost conse quence, such as the manning and registry of vessels, connected with this principle, but they should be reserved for the House in Committee, when he hoped they would receive the most attentive consideration. He had paid the greatest attention to those details, however; but, nevertheless, would repeat the assurances he had already given, that he had not the presumption to suppose im portant suggestions might not be made by individual Members el the House with respect to those details, and while he would adhere rigidly to the principle of the Bill, he would be perfectly ready to receive any sug gestions. The restrictions which had been imposed for the advantage of our shipping were of three kinds—on the colonial trade, on the carrying trade, and on the long voyage trade. From the best consideration he could give the subject, he was satisfied the time had ar rived when it was necessary, for the sake of our com mercial interests, to examine those restrictions—not merely to modify them, but to see if they had not been fraught with the greatest possible amount of evil. He had been greatly surprised at the way in which the Right Hon. Member for Stamford (Mr. Herries) had treated the demands of the colonies fora relaxation of those laws. Those demands were not a priori surprising, for the restrictions had been reluctantly submitted to at a time when differential duties and protective principles in favour of colonial produce were in operation. The Right Honourable Gentleman dealt very lightly with the case of Canada, whilst he had relied very much on the solitary instance in which any body of the in habitants had opposed the repeal of the navigation-laws; for in all the other instances to which he had referred, the petitions had been to restore protection. The Right Hon. Gentleman said nothing of the sentiments of the Canadian Legislature, who had urged on this country the necessity of departing from the navigation-laws by a majority of 49 to 19. As to Lord Elgin's statement, that making Montreal a free port would meet the com plaints of the Canadians, it was made at a time when the LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MAR,CH 18, 1849: navigation-laws were suspended, and when the St. Law rence was blocked up with ice. Next came the case of the West Indies, Hon. Gentlemen opposite were fond of praising the sagacity of Lerd Harris when his views were favourable to their wishes; but it was only a very few days ago Government had received a dispatch from that Noble Lord, in which he declared the naviga tion-laws were impeding the prosperity of Trinidad. It was true no great complaints had come from Australia or New Zealand as yet; but when any one recollected the balky nature of their produce, he must expect that, at no distant period, representations of the gravest cha racter would be made by th em as to th e restrictions im posed by the navigation-laws. The next portion of those restrictions referred to our carrying trade and to the long voyage. The opponents of the measure were too apt to take it for granted that the people of thi s c o un t r y were f ree agen t s in the matter, and that their concessions were merely gratuit ous. No one could look to the foreign correspondence on the table without seeing that such an idea was a com plete delusion. Hon. Gentlemen said they thought no thing of threats from Prussia; and the conviction had been expressed to-night with respect to Russia, that the Government of that country wou ld no t d are to re t a liate, on account of the restrictions placed on her commerce by Great Britain. That was a most unsafe way of rea soning. Nations, like individuals, acted from passion; and it was not safe, when just and equitable demands were made by foreign powers, to resist them on such grounds as the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Hernes) had urged. The Right Hon. Gentleman, whose state ment he had heard with great astonishment, had pro nounced a glowing panegyric on the Government of Belgium because they maintained, protection for their own people. If other countries were to follow the ad vice‘of Belgium, what would come of the foreign corn merce of this country—what would come of its carrying trade? With respect to the long voyage trade, it was the interest of a country like England to fetch the main articles she required for her own purposes from the prime sources. An English ship would not go to Havre for cotton or to Hamburgh for sugar, but to Charleston for the one and to Cuba for the other; though for alpaca, or cochineal, or such articles, it might be well sometimes to go to a port which was not in the country of production. It was the interest of continental countries to come to England for commodities, instead of proceeding to the country of production; and the effect of the Right Hon. Gentle man's policy would be to cast off England from the posi tion she now held as the great depot for other countries, without securing to her any countervailing advantages. Of all the evils conjured up by Hon. Gentlemen the strangest was, that the shipbuilding interest would be affected. A case might be more easily made out for the cotton manufacture ; for the necessity of bringing the raw material from the other side of the world would furnish a very plausible argument to prove that langland could not compete in the cotton manufacture with foreign coun tries. But, it was hard to understand what ground there could be for such an argument with respect to ship building. Of all countries in the world, this country had the greatest choice of timber. The Right Honour able Member for the University of Oxford (Mr. Glad stone) strongly urged the Government to remit the timber duties. He (Mr. Labouchere) would be as glad as the Right Honourable Gentleman to see them removed. Such a measure would be most useful as re garded not only the shipping interest, but the commu nity. But if the Government were unable, in the pre sent condition of the revenue, to make a breach in the Customs' duties, that afforded no reason for the post ponement of the Bill before the House. It had been stated, by a commercial deputation, that on a Prussian ship built at Stettin, the duty on the timber imported added no less to the cost than 9 per cent. ; while the duty imposed hero was estimated by Mr. Wigram at 6d. per ton. He (Mr. Labouchere) said nothing against their removal ; but no argument could be drawn from their pressure against the removal of the navigation laws. The Hon. Member for the University of Oxford while he generally supported the principle of the bill, stated that in some respects he took a different view of the question from the Government, that he thought the right course was to imitate the course taken by Mr. Huskisson, when he entered into reciprocity treaties, and that he proposed to adopt a system of what he called conditional relaxation, that is, to act on a principle of strict reciprocity. He (Mr. Labouchere) would deeply regret if the House were to adopt the suggestion of the Right Hon. Gentleman.—(Hear, hear.) They would be taking a most shortsighted and erroneous view of the policy of this country if they followed that advice. A closer examination would show him that the authority of Mr. Huskisson took a totally different direction from that which the Right Hon. Gentleman supposed. It was he (Mr. Labouchere) who, in point of fact, was able to refer to that authority. It was true Mr. Huskisson entered into reciprocity treaties, on the ground of equa lity of duties and dues. But was that all ,he did ? On the contrary, there we, e large branches- of trade which Mr. Huskisson, for the first time, threw open to other countries, retaining to the Crown, as the Govern • ment proposed to do in the present instance, the right of retaliation. Mr. Huskisson absolutely took off the pro hibitions from the importations of goods from the Ne- therlands; he relaxed the law so as to allow the ships of foreign countries to import goods as from the countries of which they were the produce. He opened the colo nial trade to its present extent. The Right Hon. Gen tleman, therefore, was not correct in stating that Mr. Huskisson went on the principle of strict reciprocity; fur, on the contrary, Mr. Huskisson went on the prin ciple of opening those trades at once. He (Mr. Labou chere) altogether objected to a system which would make a foreigner the legislator for this country. That system might be tolerable in the United States, but was scarcely practicable in a country like England, with complicated interests and indisposed colonies, whose interests, again, were greatly diversified. He totally differed from the Right Honourable Gentleman as to such a system working with respect to the colonies. Lord Harris had spoken of the importance to Trinidad of opening communication with France and Spain, which were the countries least likely to give England a share of their colonial trade. Should Parliament on that al count refuse a measure which was for the advantage of the British colonies? Further, it must be observed that retaliation was by no means reciprocity. It was desir able that this country in admitting other countries to compete with her ships should adopt any course likely to induce those other countries to act with equal liberality. But he very much doubted whether the course proposed by the Right Hon. Gentleman would tend to that result. If the United States imposed a duty of two dollars the ton on British ships, England might retaliate by putting the same duty on American ships. But if the United States put a 10 per cent, ad valorem duty on goods im ported in British ships, 10 per cent. on the American duties would not be the same as 10 per cent. on the British; for the American had a high tax and this country had a low tax; and there existed no means of applying the principle of reciprocity. It would be most inconvenient for a country like England to adopt a self-acting princi ple such as that. That was a position in which England ought not to be placed; and he trusted that the House would weigh well the matter before adopt ing the advice of the Right Hon. Gentleman. Notice had been given of an amendment which would bring this question under the consideration of the Committee; but, although he might have anticipated that such an amend ment would be moved, he certainly was somewhat asto nished at the quarter from which the notice of it had proCeeded.—(Hear, hear.) It had been said that, if the change which the Government proposed should be car ried into effect, the British shipowner would be placed at a disadvantage if he were not allowed to man his ships from all the nations of the world. Without wish ing to anticipate discussion upon this point, he might be permitted to observe that the grievance indicated was rather nominal than real. At the same time it was for the House to determine whether a vessel should be held to be a British ship and entitled to British protection merely because it had a British owner and the British flag flying at the masthead, although it were commanded by an American captain and manned by an American crew. It was contended that danger would ensue from dispensing with the necessity of shipowners taking ap prentices; but shipowners had au interest in taking ap prentices voluntarily, as was evident from the fact of the number of apprentices on board our maritime marine, amounting at present to 33,000, whereas by the compul sory enactments of the law it was not necessary that there should be more than 22,000. One word as to the effect of the present measure on the maritime power of this country. No one could deny that a great commer cial navy was the only foundation of a great military navy. The position of England would be insecure if she did not possess a great seafaring population employed in the mercantile marine. This had nothing to do with the question of impressment; but he contended that if the Bill was calculated to increase commerce, it must of ne cessity foster and encourage the growth of a mercantile navy, and, therefore, establish the foundation for a mili tary navy. If the preseut measure were calculated to cripple our mercantile navy, it would receive no support from him. The regu l a ti ons respecting the coasting trade were the most difficult part of the mea sure, and stood upon different grounds from those upon which other parts of the plan rested ; but he would reserve what he had to say upon this branch of the subject for the C omm itt ee . —(Cri es of " Divide, divide.") It was of the utmost consequence that the question should be settled without further delay. The suspense and anxiety which prevailed on the subject were producing the most unfortunate effect on the mer cantile marine of thi s country . I t was t h e opinion of a great majority of the House that the time had arrived when an extensive alteration of the navigation-laws should take place, and he implored Hon. Members, and particularly those connected with the mercantile inte rest, not unnecessarily to delay the solution of the im portant question which had been raised. The Right Hon. Member for Stamford had reminded the House that Mr. Huskisson did not make the changes which were associated with his name until he was forced to do so by circumstances. We should act an unwise part were we to wait until forced by circumstances to effect the alte ration now proposed. In how different an aspect would the question then present itself. We should then have to deal with the complaints of embarrassed merchants and of irritated foreign powers, which would make a friendly and satisfactory settlement of the question much more difficult than it would prove to be at the present moment.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. MU NTZ thought that hardly any one who had heard the Right Hon. Gentleman could fail to perceive that he was doubtful of the policy of the measure which he recommended the House to adopt.—(Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Muntz) was about to do what ho supposed would be called speaking on one side and voting on the other.—(A laugh.) The object of the present measure was to reduce the heights and profits of the English shipowner, and give them to the foreign shipowner, in the same way as we had taken the profits of the English agriculturist and given them to the foreigner.—(Cheers from the Opposition.) He had yet to learn that any of these changes were productive of national advantage.— (Renewed cheers.) He had voted for the repeal of all protection.—(A laugh.) When be heard that laughter ho always thought of Goldsmith's line in which he connected the " loud laugh" with the " vacant mind." Since other classes had been deprived ef protection, he thought that it ought not to be enjoyed exclusively by the shipowner. Besides, this advantage would re sult from the repeal of the navigation. laws, that the standing excuse for the failure of all the free•trade 'mea sures of the last two years would be removed.—(Hear, and laughter.) The lion. Member for Liverpool said we could compete with all the countries in the world, because we had the largest capital. lie (Mr. Muntz) believed that the capital consisted in our land, houses, and ships, but if we reduced the value of them he was not sure we should have the largest capital in the world. —(Hear, and laughter.) They ought to consider what had been the success of the measures they had taken. He would mention the effect of them on the article of zinc, in which he had been a large dealer. No zinc was now made in this country. Why? Because the price of foreign zinc was only 13L or 14/. a ton, while in this country it could not be made under 184 But what had been the effect of free trade on the town he represented? A few days ago a person handed to him a newspaper published there, called the Midland and Birmingham Advertiser, and pointed out an advertisement in it from a respectable ironmonger in Birmingham. It was headed, " The Effects of Free Trade," and stated that the advertiser had just imported from Germany a stock of superior tools, which, although the duty was 10 per cent., he could sell at from 30 to 60 per cent. under the price at which they could be made in Birmingham.—(Hear, hear.) It struck him that every day they were getting out of the fryiegpan into the fire. —(Laughter.) For the last 25 years he had been com peting in the foreign market with the merchants of his own town. By care, industry, and economy, the whole of them had ceased to compete with him; but, although he had the whole trade, he fuund himself so reduced by competition with the foreigner that it was not worth keeping, and he was going to give it up.—(Hear, hear.) It was said that they should Luy in the cheapest market and sell in the dearest That did not consist in the abstract price.—(Hear, hear.) They might get an article that was manufactured in England 10 per cent cheaper on the continent. It did not follow that that was the cheapest market.—(Hear, hear.) Take iron. It might be 101. a ton here, and only Si. on the continent ; but if it were b oug ht th ere the labour here would b e unemployed, and, instead of buying in the cheapest market it might in the end prove the dearest.—(Elear, hear.) lie expected to see the produce of this country as low as foreign produce— (Hear, hear)—and he knew that that price could not pay the taxes and liabilities of the country.—(Hear, hear.) If they had a fixed amount of revenue to make up, and they lowered the price of produce, they increased the pressure of that taxation on the industrious classes— (Hear, hear)—and by so doing prevented the possibility of their competing with foreign labour.—(Hear, hear.) He believed they would find their land uncultivated, their trade profitless, and their people unemployed, and that something else was wanted besides absolute free trade.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. SU'HOLEFIELD wished to say, on hehalf of the constituency he and, the Hon. Gentleman repre sented, that they had a considerable interest in the re peal of the navigation-laws, as Birmingham carried on a very large and lucrative trade with the colonies, but which for some time past had been in a declining state. If free trade had failed, it had been because it had not been carried out to the fullest extent—(" Hear" and laughter), —or because it had not been accompanied by those changes in the monetary system which were ab solutely essential.—(Laughter.) His Hon. Colleague had referred to the prices of the continent, but if the articles he spoke of could be supplied there cheaper than in this country, how did it happen that we were supplying America with them ? After a few words from Mr. MUNTZ in explanation the House divided, when there appeared, For Mr. Herries's amendment ... Against it ... 210 ... 266 - Majority for the Government ... —56 The announcement of the numbers was received with great cheering by the Opposition. The main question was agreed to without a division, and the Bill was then read a second time. AFFAIRS OF SICILY. On the motion of Mr. BANKES, the following papers were ordered by way of addition to Lord Palmerston's amendment on Sicily:—" Copies of all correspondence which has passed betwen offi cers of the Board of Ordnance and any other departments of her Majesty's Government with reference to the transaction in question; and copies of all communication 3 on this subject which have passed between her Majesty's Government and the represen tative of her Majesty at the Court of the King of the Two Sicilies." BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. Lord J. RUSSELL said, he proposed to go into Com mittee of Supply on Friday on the navy estimates, in order to vote the number of men for the ensuing year. On Monday evening he. proposed to go into Committee of Supply on the army estimates. Mr. GROGAN inquired whether the Rate in Aid Bill did not stand for Monday? Lord J. RUSSELL said, the Government must pro ceed with the army estimates on Monday. In answer to Mr. RICARDO, Lord J. RUSSELL was understood to intimate that he should ask the House to go into Committee on the Navigation Bill en Friday se'nnight. The other ordors of the day were then disposed of, and the House adj ourne d at a Q uarter to One o'clock. Sir Charles J. Napier having expressed a wish to visit Italy previous to his going to India, the Lords of the Admiralty have given orders for one of her Ma jesty's steamers to be at Leghorn on the 28th of the present month, to convey the General from Leghorn to Alexandria, to meet the Marseilles mail there. The mail is to be detained at Alexandria until the arrival of Sir Charles. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.-011 Saturday Car lotta Grisi arrived from Paris, and Gardoni from St. Petersburgh. THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION.—The following are extracts from a letter received at Plymouth from an officer on board her Majesty's ship Plover, lying at the Sandwich Islands, Command er Th omas E . L. Moore. The letter bears date Aug. 23:—. I have obtained per mission to go with Capt. Moore in his boat when she leaves the ship, to proceed along the northern coast of America, towards the Mackenzie River, to which river Sir John Richardson, with his party, are proceeding; they having landed at New York some two or three months since. He will proceed further to the eastward, as far as Copper-mine liver. Sir James Ross and his ships, which have left England, will commence their search from Davis's Straits ; so that if Sir John Franklin and his expedition are in existence, we shall, in all pro bability, find them very shortly. Should any unforeseen accident occur to prevent our getting through Behring's Straits to the ice this year, which might be, should the winter set in earlier th an usual, we shall winter at Petropaulowski, in Kamschatka, or at Norton Sound, at the entrance of Behring's Straits on the north Ame rican side." , NELL Gw YNNE TAVERN AND CHOP-HOUSE.- This tavern, which is situated in Bull Inn-court, Strand, has been opened by Messrs. Archer and Holt, who have fitted up the coffee-room in the style of the period in n a v n ee d ie e n v e e e ry ef at t t h e e nt p io u n w h ie a . s b T ee h n e paidwh which to Nell th e comfort e a lived, d v c e d e , decorations are perfect. The ceiling, painted by Sanz, is chaste, and beautifully executed. The chimney pieces are chiselled out of Caen stone, by artists who have been engaged on the extensive works at the Houses of fi o tt s i t ng e s legant an d li g ht th a t h ave are of solid oak, and the Parliament. ers e; are The the most come under our notice. We recommend our country friends to pay a visit to the Nell Gwynue. The table d'hote at half-past five precisely, consisting of fish and joints, is admirably served up, and the chop and steak department is first-rate. The tavern is contiguous to the Adelphi Theatre, and will be found convenient for not only the visitors to that establishment, but also the gentlemen connected with Somerset house and banking houses in the vicinity. PRINTERS' PENSION SOCIETY. Yesterday the annual general meeting of the subscribers and donors of this valuable institution, which was established in 1827, for the purpose of affording relief, by granting pensions to aged and infirm printers and their widows, was held at the London Tavern, for the purpose of receiving the report of the Committee for the past year, and to elect five pensioners on the funds of the institution. R. Tay lor, Esq., F.R.S., the treasurer, presided. Mr. Hodson, the secretary, read the report, which stated that the society, in common with all other charitable institutions, owing to the depression of trade and the prevailing com mercial distress, had suffered much by a diminution of their general support, the annual subscriptions having fallen to 4701., being 50/Jess than last year ; the same influence had operated upon their receipts at the anni versary dinner, the subscriptions amountingito 235/. 10s1 only. The Committee, however, had the satis ftction to state, that instead of any of the pen sion being curtailed, they had been increased by 281. The number of pensioners on the funds after the election last year was 52, since which two had died. The Committee had vested 1001. with tho Commissioners for the reduction of the national debt, which, with the year's interest on stock, added 294/. 17s. sd. to the funded property, which now amounted to 5,209/. ss. 7d., producing 200/. a year in terest. The Committee had also received 9/. 16s. 6d. from the profit of the Vauxhall Gardens entertainment, and 11/. from a private theatrical performance at the Olympic Theatre in 1847. The gross receipts amounted to 1,211/. 19s. 11d., and the expenditure to 1,002/. 85.9 d., leaving a balance of 2091. I is. 2d. in hand. The propo sition for increasing the pension for men to 14/. per annum, and for women to 91., was carried, on the ballot being taken, by a majority of 963 to 781; and another motion that every pensioner shall have been duly ap prenticed, and a printer's widow to bo deemed eligible must not have been re-married to one of another trade. A very long and warm discussion ensued as to the pro priety of excursions being undertaken by the Committee, in aid of the society, when it was finally carried they should be discontinued. The treasurer, committee, and other officers having been re-elected, a vote of thanks was passed to the chair, and the meeting separated. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—DEAFNESS AND DEFECTIVE Vl sum-39, Albemarie-street, Piccadilly. Newly invented Spec tacles, Powerful Telescopes, Opera and Race Glasses, &c.— Patronised by their Majesties the Queen Dowager and the King of Hanover, their Graces the Duchess of Hamilton, the Dowager Duchess of Bedford, the Archbishops of Canter bury, York, and Dublin, the Dukes of Devonshire, Norfolk, Ar gyle, and Manchester, Bishops of Exeter, Lincoln, Cork, Kihnore, and Kildare. Messrs. S. and B. Solomon, Oculists and Opticians, have invented Spectacle Lenses upon a new construc tion. Immediately they are placed before imperfect vision, that mist and dulness which appear before the eyes is at once removed, every object becomes clear Ana distinct, the most aged defective sight be comes bright and brilliant, and is brought to its youthful, natural, and original state. Powerful Telescope's, Opera Glasses, Invisible, and all kinds of Acoustic Instruments, for relief of most ex treme deafness. Caution.—Not connected with a person putting up the same name in their immediate neighbourhood, nor In any part of the country. To prevent mistakes, be cautious and ob serve—Only to be had at 39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly, opposite' the York Hotel. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.) MONDAY, 11fAR - CI. 12.. Harbours of Refuge—Petition from Hythe, for inquiry into the eligibility of the Bay of that town for a Harbour of Refuge —to lie on the table. Passengers—Bill for regulating the Carnage of Passengers in Merchant Vessels, ordered to be brought in. CONVEYANCE OF MAILS (HARWICH, &c.)) On the motion of Mr. Mullings Copies were ordered " of all Tenders for the conveyance of the Mails to and from the ports of Harwich, Rotterdam, and Hamburgh, and of all Correspondence or written communication with the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty relative to the contract en tered into by them, to commence from the Ist day of April next, for the conveyance of the Mails to and from those ports." Captain Harris gave notice that he should on Thursday, March 15, move for the following returns : Return of the line-of-battle ships (specifying their names, tonnage, number of guns, and the date at which they were launched) which have been broken up, sold, wrecked, bunt, converted into hulks or depots, or otherwise rendered unfit for active service, between the fat day of January, 1815, and the Ist day of January, 1849; Average of the periods during which the above ships Kaye been fit for active service; Account of the original cost of construction, and of the subsequent repairs of each of the above ships; , And, Return of the number of line-of-battle ships annually launched during the period specified above. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commona.j MONDAY, MAIICH I. NAVIGATION BILL. Order for Second Reading read; Motion made, and Ques tion proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time:"— Amendment proposed, to leave out the word " now," and at the end of the Question to add the words "upon this day six months :"—Question put, " That the word now' stand part of the Question." The House divided : MAJORITY—AYES, 266. • - - Abdy, T.IN. Goulburn, Henry O'Connor, Feargus . Adair, Hugh E. Grace, 0. D. J. Ogle, S. C. Adair, R. Shafto Graham, Sir James Ord, W. Adare, Viscount Greene, Joha Paget, Lord A. Aglionby, H. A. Grenfell, C. Pascoe Paget, Lord Clarence Anderson, Arthur Grenfell, Charles W. Paget, Lord George Anson, Colonel Grey, Sir George Pakington, Sir J. S. Anton, Viscount Guest, Sir J. Palmerston, Viscount Armstrong, R. B. Haggitt, F. R. Parker, John Arundel, Earl of Hallyburton, Lord Pechell, Captain Bagshaw, John Hanmer, Sir J. Peel,,Sir Robert Baring, Sir F. T. Harcourt, G. Peel, Colonel Bass, M. T. Hardcastle, J. A. Peel, Frederick Bellew, R. M. Harris, Richard Perfect, R. Berkeley, Captain Hastie, Alexander Peto, Samuel Berkeley, H. Hastie, Archibald Philips, Sir G. R. Berkeley, C. L. Hawes, Benj. Pigott, Francis Birch, Sir Thomas Hay, Lord J. Pilkington,James Blackall, S. W. Hayter, W. G. Finney, W. • Blake, M. J. Headlam, Thomas Reynolds, John Blewitt,:Reginahl Heald, James Ricardo, J. L. Bouverie, E. P. Heneage, G. H. W. Ricardo, Osman Boyle, Colonel Heneage, Edward Rice, E. R. Bright, John Henry, :Alexander Rich, Henry Brockman, E. D. Herbert, Sidney Robartes, T. J. Brotherton, Joseph Hervey, Lord A. Roche, E. B. Brown, W. Heyworth, L. Hominy, Sir John Brown, H. Hindley Charles Russell, Lord J. Browne, R. D. Hobhouse, Sir J. Russell, E. Bruce, LordlE. Hobhouse, T. B. Russell, F. C. Bulkeley, Sir R. B. Hodges, T. L. Rutherford, A. - Bmibury, E. H. Hodges, T. Twisden Salwey, Colonel Callaghan, D. Hogg, Sir J. Sanders, George Campbell, W. F. Hollond,lltebert Scholefleld, William Cardwell, Edward Hope, H. T. , Scrope,:G. P. Carter, John B. Horsman, E. Scully Francis Cavendish, C. C. Howard, Lord E. Seymour, Lord Cavendish, G.H. Howard, C. W.I Shafto, R. D. Chaplin, W. J. Howard, J. K. Shell, R. L. Charter's, Francis Howard, E. G. Shelburne, Earl et Childers, J. W. Howard, Sir R. Sheridan,lß. B. Clements, Charles Hume, J. Simeon, John Clerk Sir G. Hutt, William Slaney, Robert A. Clifford, H. M. Jackson, William Smith, R. V. Cobden, Richard Jermyn, Earl Smith, J. A.! Cockburi, Alex. Jervis, Sir John Smith, M. Tucker Coke, Edward;K. Keppel, G. T. Smith, John B. Colebrooke, Sir T. Kershaw, James Somerville, Sir W. Collins, W. Kildare, Marquis Spearman, II .:J. Corry, H. icing, P. J. Stansfleld, W. R. Cowan, Charles Labouchere, Henry Stanton, W. H. Cowper, W. F. Langston, J. H. Staunton, Sir G. Craig, W. G. Lascelles, W. S. Stuart, Lord D. Crowder, R. B. Lemon, Sir C. Sullivan, Michael Currie, Henry Lennard, T. B. Sutton, H. M. Currie, Raikes Le wis,:Sir T. Tenison, E. K. Davie, Sir H. Lewis, G. C. Tennent, R. J. Dawson, T. V. Lincoln, Earl of Thicknesse, R. A. Devereux, J. T. Littleton, E. R. Thompson, Colonel D'Eyncourt, C. T. Loch, James ..: Thompson, George Dlvett, E. Locke, Joseph I Thornely, Thomas Douglas, Sir C. Lushington, Charles Towneley, John Drumlanrig, Vie. M'Cullagh, W. T. Townley, R. G. Duff, G. S. M'Gregor, John Train, George, , Duncan, Viscount Maitland, Thomas Turner, G. J. Duncan, George Marshall, J. G. Verney, Sir H. Duncill, John Marshall, W. Villiers, .Viscount Dundas, Admiral 3iartin,:John ' Villiers, Charles Dundas, Admiral Martin, C. W. - Vivian, J. H. Ebrington, Viscount Matheson, A. Wall, C. B. Ellice, Edward Matheson, Colonel Walmsley, Sir J. Elliot, J. E. Maule, Fox Ward, H. G. Enfield, Lord Melguad, Viscount Watkins, Colonel Estcourt, J. B. B. Milner, W. M. West, F. R. Evans, William Milnes, R. Monckton Westhead ,J. P. Ewart, William Mitchell, T. A. Whitmore, T. C. Fagan, James Moffatt, George Willcox, Brodie Fergus, John Monsell, William Williams, John Ferguson, Colonel Morgan, li. K. Willyams, U. Fitzpatrick, J. W. Morison, Sir W. Wilson, James Foley,llJ. H. Morris, David Wilson, Matthew Fordyce, A. D. Mostyn, E. Wood, Sir Charles Forster, M. Mowatt, Francis Wood, W. P. Fertescue. Chichester Muntz, G. F. Wrightson, W. B. Fox, Richard M. Norreys, Lord Wyvill, 3larraaduke Fox, W. J. Norreys, Sir D. Young, Sir John Freestun, Colonel Nugent, Lori Gibson, T. M. O'Brien, T. Gladstone, W. E. O'Connell, John Tiffin% H. Glyn, G. C. O'Connell, M. J. Hill, Lord Marcus TELLEZEI. MINORITY—NOES, 210. Acland, Sir T. Easton, Earl Mailings, J. R. Adderley, C. B. Farnham, E. B. Mure, Colonel Alexander, N. Ferrer, James Napier, Joseph Anstey, Thomas C. Fellowes, E. Neeld, John 3 Arbuthuott, Hugh Filmer, Sir E. Newdegate, C. N. Archdall, Captain Floyer, John Newport, Visct. Bagge, W. Forbes, William Newry, Viscount Begot, William Forester, G. C. Noel, G. J. Bailey, Joseph, jun. Fox, S. L. Ossulton, Lord Baines, M. T. Frewen, C. B. Packe, C. W. Baldock, E. 11. Fuller, A. E. Palmer, Robert Bankes, G. Gaskell, J. M. Palmer, Bounden Baring, Thomas Goddard, A. L. Pennant, Colonel Baring, Francis Gordon, Admiral Piget, Sir Robert Barrington, Lord Gore, W. 0. Plowden, W. 11. Barron, Sir H. Gore, W. R. 0. Powell, Colonel Bateson, Thomas Granby, Marquis of Prime, Richard Beckett, William Grogan, Edward Pugh, David Bennet, Philip Gwyn, Bowel Reid, Colonel Bentinck, Lord H. Hale, R. B. Renton, John C. Blackstone, W. Halford,'Sir Henry Repten, G. W. J. Blair, Stephen Hall, Colonel Richards, Richard Blakemore, R. Ralsey, T. P. Robinson, G. R. Blandford, Marquis Hamilton, G. A. Rolleston,iColonel Boldero, H. G. Hamilton, J. H. Raiford, Francis Bourke, R. S. Barris, Captain Rumbold, C. E. Bowles, Admiral Heathcote, G. J. Rushout, Captain Bramston, T' W. Henley, J. W. Saadars, Joseph Breraridge, Richard Herbert, henry A. Scott, F. Briefer), M. Berries, John C. Seaham, Viscount Broadley, Henry Hildyard, R. C. Seymer, H. K. Brooke, Lord Hildyard, T. B. T. Shirley, E. J. Brooke, Sir Arthur Hill, Lord E. , Sibthorp, Colonel Bruce, C. L. C. Hodgson, W. N. Sidney, Alderman Buck, L.'W. Hood, Sir A. Smyth, J. G. Buller, Sir Y. Hope, Sir J. Smollett, 4. Burghley, Lord Tiornby, John: Somerset, Captain Cablell, B. B. Hotham, Lord Sotheron, T. H. S. Carew, W. P. Hughes, W. B. Spooner, Richard Cayley, Edward S. Jocelyn, Viscount Stafford, Augustus Chandos, Marq. of Johnstone, Sir:J. Stanley, E. Chichester, Lord J. JolliiTe ' Sir W. H. Stephenson, Robot Cholmeley, Sir M. Jones, Captain Stuart, Henry Christopher, R. Keating, Robert Stuart, J. Clay, James Kerrison, Sir E. Talbot, C. R. Clive, R. li. Knight, F. W. Talbot, J. H. Clive, Henry B. Knightley, SIr:C. Taylor, T. E. Cobbold, J. C. Knox, Colons Thompson, Alderntall Codrington, Sir W. Legh, G. C. Tollemache, Joh* Cole, lion. H. A. Lennox, Lord G. H. Trevor, G. Coles, Ii: Y. Leslie, C. P. Trollope, Sir .1, Compton, H. C. Lewisham, Viscount Tyrrell, Sir J. Cotton, W. H. Lindsay, Colonel Verner, Sir W. Davies, D. A. S. Lockhart, W. Tesey, Hon. T. Deedes, W. Leag, Walter Villiers, F. W. Dick,:Quintin Lopes, Sir Ralph Vivian, J. E. 1 Disraeli, B. Lowther, Colonel Vyse, R. H. nod, J. W. Lowther, Henry Waddington ;David Dodd, G. Lydon. General Waddington, H. S. Drummond, Henry Mandeville, Viscount Walpole, S. H. Duckworth, Sir J. Manners, Lord C. Walsh, Sir J. Duke, Sir James Manners, Lord G. Wawn, J T. Duncombe, A. March, Earl of Wellesley, Lord C, Duncombe, 0. Masterman, Joli Williams, T. P. Dundas, G. Maunsell, T. P. Williamson, Sir M. Dunne, F. P. Maxwell, Hon. J. P. Willoughby, Sir H. Du Pre, C. G. Meux, Sir H. Wodehouso, E. East, Sir J. B. Miles, P. W. S. Worcester, Marquis Edwards, Henry Miles, W. TELLTILe. Egerton, Sir P. Morgan, 0. . Mackenzie, W. F. Egerton, W. T. Ilulgrave, Earl Beresford, William The Caledonia, 120, Captain T. W. Carter, in Ply mouth Sound, not having entered her full complement, 200 men have b-en 7flr,;Fzed to her from the guard ships. Captain Cgrter has been very particular in en tiring none but superior men, and good seamen prefer smaller ships. DOCKYARD.— Admiral - Superintendent Sir John Louis issued an order to-day, stating that any artisan absent frorn muster on Monday would be discharged. Seven ibipwrights and one ropemaker were this morning super annuated at 241. each per annum ; and ten labourers were examined by the surgeon, preparatory for superan nuation. James Bayly, a tiipwright,:lately superannu ated, committed suicide this morning. APPOINTMENTS. Captain Robert Fitz Roy (1834), an officer of sound practical attainments, cool and steady courage, and dis cret zeal for his profession, has at length been officially appointed to the command of the Arrogant, 46, screw frigate, at Portsmouth, Lieutenant H. F. M.Killop (1847), to the coast guard; rather too young an officer for this service in these easy times; a sea-going-ship would be a better qualification for his nex t superior grade. Surgeon.—Harry Goldney (1828), to the Randolph, as superintendent iu charge. Second Master—W. H. Drysdale (1845), late in com mand of the Netley tender, to be acting master of the Racer, 12, fitting at Devonport. Midshipmen—Harcourt S. Gammell and GRorg,e T. Morrell, to the Excellent, gunnery -ship, at Portsmouth. Master's Assistant—William Storer, to the Caledonia, 120, at Devonport. Wind northerly, light breezes. WooLwicil, MARCH 12.—The Athol' troop-ship, Master Commander Beam, was paid wages in advance today, and taken out of dock at two o'clock P.M. She is to take on board the baggage of three companies of the Royal Artillery on the 15th instant, and on the fol lowing day Captain M'Coy's company, sth battalion, Captain Tuite's company, 4th battalion, and Major Hennis's company, 2d battalion, will embark in her for conveyance to Canada. The following officers will em bark at the same time to join their companies of Royal Artillery, at present serving in North America:—Se cond Captain Elgee to join Captain Dalton's company at Halifax, Nova Scotia; Second Captain Hap:Rain and First Lieutenant Grimaton to join Captain Stace's com pany, 7th battalion. _ The Stromboli steam-sloop, Commander Lord A. Beauclerk, arrived at Sheerness yesterday from Gibral tar and Portsmouth, and is to be paid off at Sheerness. The Elfin steam-vessel arrived at Woolwich to-day from Chatham, towed by the African, and was imme diately taken into the basin to be fitted with her machi nery, made by Messrs. George and Sir John Rennie. The Garland steam-vessel, Lieut.-Commander Aplin, was tried down the river to-day, having on board all the officers studying steam at the factory at Woolwich dockyard, Mr. Humphries, chief engineer, and Mr. Trickett, assistant to the chief engineer. She ran the measured mile six times, three times up and three down, and her average speed was found to be about 14 knots per hour. The Myrmidon steam-vessel, when tried down the river on Friday, made a speed of about 10 knots per hour; and the Jasper, when tried on Saturday, under the charge of Lieut. Robertson, a speed of about 8 knots per hour. The Rhadamanthus steam troop-ship was taken into dock to-day immediately on the Atholl being taken out. Mr. W. A. Hutton, junior clerk in the storekeeper's offiee at Woolwich dockyard, has been selected to attend in the Commodore's-dice to examine the cash accounts of the yard, the committee of revision having recom mended that an efficient clerk should be employed for that duty. The selection of Mr. Hutton, who was six years an extra clerk, and nearly two years on the esta blishment, causes a ♦acancy of junior clerk in the storekeeper's department. The committee of revision have recommended the appointment of two clerks in the factory department to examine the cash accounts in that branch of the establishment. LICENSING MEETINGS. MARYLEBONE. (Present, Sir Peter Laurie, Chairman; Lord Montfort, Sir G. Carroll; Hector Rose, Esq.; J. B. Kirby, Esq.; J. Laurie, Esq.; P. Laurie, Esq., Major Moore; Edmund Pepys, Esq.; W. Williams, Esq.; and Elliot Esq.) The above-named gentlemen met yesterday morning, at eleven o'clock. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. MALTA, MARCH 3.—The arrival of h e r Majesty's ship Prince Regent, from Gibraltar, and the announcement that her Majesty's ship Powerful was to be attached to the division of Sir W. Parker, are the great points of the week, locally considered. The former ship, having sprung her mainyard, was obliged to come to Malta, where alone the necessary repairs could be effected. qn the arrival of the Powerful, the Hibernia will, it is thought, proceed home to be paid off, and Sir W. Par • ker's flag be transferred to the Queen. The outward India mails, per Ripon and Merlin, vid Southampton and Marseilles, have both arrived. They came in last night, after 10 o'clock, within half an hour of each other. The Ripon continues her route this afternoon. PORTSMOUTH, MARCH 12.—8 y a letter from Sheer ness we are informed that the orders for paying off the Stromboli there have been superseded by others to take in charge the Conflict steamer to Devonport, to join the reserve steam force there, and thence to proceed to Pembroke with riggers and spars to navigate the Magi cienne, new steamer, to Sheerness to be fitted, and then to return to Spithead. We trust this is correct. The Stromboli had a most expensive refit before going on her present commission, and to pay her off before serving one-half the usual short term (three years) of service would be something worse than folly under existing circumstances. The Rifleman screw steam-vessel, Lieutenant Com mander Crofton, came into harbour to coal and prepare for service this morning. _ The depot companies of the 42d Highlanders were conveyed to Cowes to-day by the Echo steam tug. They were embarked from Clarence-yard. Wind N.W. by W., light breeze and hazy weather. PLYMOUTH, MARCH 10.—Her Majesty's packet-brig Petrel came into harbour on Monday to refit. Her Mu jesty's brig Nautilus was masted on the same day. Tho Belleisle, 72, was undocked on Wednesday. DocitYAßD.—On the 7th instant orders were issued to the different branches to make returns of the ages of all men employed, of those incapable of doing a full day's work, and of those who habitually lose time. This re turn is preparatory to the reduction which takes place on the lit of April. A general survey of the artisans will be made on Monday, the 12th instant, in the pre sence of Admiral Superintendent Sir John Louis and the principal offices of the yard; muster to commence at two o'clock. THE RODNEY AND HER SEAMEN.—We aro informed, with reference to the seamen of the Rodney, that most of the men who went on board of the Victory were those of good conduct, who accepted the very liberal offer of the Admiralty to give them six weeks' leave, with the option of returning to the service at the expiration of that period, and of being paid for their time during the va cation. It is not impossible, however, that some of the Rodney's men may have been in debt to the purser; for it will be remembered that the Rodney only recently in creased the number of _her complement in the Mediter ran 0611. LETTING LISTS. At the general licensing meeting the licences of Messrs. John W. Colling, of the Crown, Old Cavendish street, and John Warrington, of the Hope and Anchor, Hereford-street, were not granted, in consequence of it having been reported by the police that they had exhi bited betting lists in their houses, but the further consi deration of the matter was postponed until the present meeting. To make the matter intelligible it is, perhaps, neces sary to state that last year a notice was issued, under the direction of the magistrates of this division, and served upon every publican in the district, and which notice stated the intention of the Bench to put down all racing sweeps, lotteries, and all kinds of gambling. This notice was left with the above-named gentlemen on the 6th of November last, and a betting list was exhibited at the Crown until the latter end of January, when the in , spector of police told Mr. Coiling it was wrong, and he immediately tore:it down; and it was reported that at the Hope and Anchor the lists had not been up since the 24th of February. Mr. WIRE appeared for both parties and admitted the facts. As the cases were very similar, the same obser vations would apply in both, but before proceeding he would premise that the two gentlemen before the Bench were as respectable men as any in the division. One of them had been in his house for ten years, and the other for upwards of five years, without the slightest complaint until now. With regard to exhibiting "betting lists," he did not stand there to defend or excuse parties having them, but on the part of his clients, he might say that they were only offenders with many others, and each of them had so large an interest in his house as not to wish fur a moment to resist the Magistrates. They had imi tated the example of their betters, who had their betting lists, although not at public-houses, yet at public and notorious places; and although he should condemn one as much as the other, yet he trusted that they would in these cases renew the licences. The Magistrates had issued a notice that they would not allow sweeps, and the publicans had immediately discontinued the prac tice; but a betting list was a thing that could not be immediately closed, for many persons, strangers to the landlord, would subscribe their names, and he had no means immediately of returning the money. In both these cases his clients had sought out the parties in terested and returned them their money. They had acted erroneously, but they had been misled by a high legal opinion, that what they had done was legal ; and although it were true that their licences were absolutely at the discretion of the magistrates, yet he would humbly submit that, if these parties had been led into error on the authority of high names, that the bench would this time grant the licences. These betting list, were not generally got up by the publicans, but by parties fre quenting their houses. The CHAIRxax wished to know whether these betting lists were put up before or after the 6th of November? Mr. WIRE said they were put up before that time, and one was taken down at the latter end of January, and the other in February. Mr. P. LAURIE—The magistrates' notice is served on the 6th of November, and the betting lists wero not taken down until January and February. Tho serious part of the charge was, that these parties kept up the lists after all the other publicans had complied with the wish of the Bench. Mr. WlRE—They did away with it as soon as they possibly could under the circumstances. The moment the police went and told them it was illegal, the lists were torn down, and there was an end of them. lie was satisfied that the object of the magistrates was not to punish, but to prevent the occurrence of such things again. That very discussion, which would go forth through the medium of the press, would have the desired effect, for he was sure that, after the matter became known, no publican in the division would be found of fending again in the matter. Perhaps they would allow him to read what some of them no doubt had seen, and which he held in his hand, viz., the opinion to which he had referred, which was that of Sir F. Kelly and Mr. Badeley. He did not agree with this opinion, and ho thought it very foolish that the publicans had acted upon it instead of resorting to some person well acquainted with the practice of the different divisions, and with licensing law. The Learned Gentleman then read the following opinion of the above-named counsel, from the Sunday Tintes:—" We are of opinion that it is not illegal for a licensed victualler to exhibit in his house a betting list of a horse race, nor even to be the depository for the time being of such bets as are laid on a particu lar horse—at least if such wagers are not in themselves illegal—being upon a lawful race, and withi n an amount allowed by law." He differed from that opinion; he re gretted that it had ever been taken, and still more that it had been acted upon by the publicans. Ho held this matter to be illegal within the terms of the licence, for he could not conceive that betting was not gambling, whether it took place at Tattersall's or in a public-house, and all gambling was contrary to the licence. It might not be illegal except in a public-house, but there it was illegal. He would, therefore, simply repeat that his clients had great property at stake, both of them being persons of respectability, and had never before been complained of. U n d er th e circumstances he trusted that the magistrates would act with the same clemency towards his clients as they had dispensed to other par ties, and grant the licences. The CHAIRMAN directed the room to bo cleared, to enable the magistrates to consult in private, but after a few minutes the public were re-admitted, when The CHAIRMAN said that the magistrates thought that, in justice to the other publicans, they ought to re. fuse these licences. M r . WIRE trusted that they would not oppose when the matter came before the sessions. The CHAIRMAN declined to give any pledge upon the s ubject.--Licences refused. 'Dispatches were received Yesterday at the Colonial offl co from the Governors of Sierra Leone and St. Helena. CA . 1 1 YERTISEMENT.]—A Resp ec t e d M em ber of the Society of Friends Cured of a Cough and Asthma, by Holloway's Ointment and Pills.—Extract of a letter from Mr. Benjamin Mackie, to Professor Holloway, dated Creo, nagh, near Loughall, September 11, l848:—" Re spect ed Friend —I feel it only an act of justice to thy self to state, that I have personally experienced the benet it of thy excellent Pills and Ointment, in the cure of an inveterate cough and asthma , which afflicted me for three Years to such an extent that I was obliged to walk about my room at night, afraid of suffocation if I went to bed.. I then tried thy invaluable medicines, which I am ple wed to say have perfectly cured me."—Sold by all Vondoi -s of Medicine throughout the globe, and at Pro fessor j lolloway's Establiehunut, 244, Strand, London. LITERATURE. DUDLEY CRANBOJRNE ; or, a Woman's History. 3 V o l.. The writer of these volumes tells us that it has not been his object to seek interest by stratagem and a cunningly contrived plot, but he has preferred rather to found his claim to attention on correct de lineation of character, and the grave or lively manner in which he has endeavoured to present certain views and,thoughts. In so doing, he has aimed wisely, and, to a certain extent, he has succeeded in carrying out his idea. His delineations of character are occa sionally very effective r and his manner, whether grave or lively, is generally interesting. Still, much as he disparages a " cunningly-contrived plot," a plot was necessary to give vitality to his characters. Now although it answers that purpose admirably, and al though its various incidents serve to bring out the lights and shadows of individual portraits, the plot contrived by the author of " Dudlg Cranbourne'' is not a very natural one. It contains, to our thinking, one or two glaringimprobabi lities. These imperfections, however, are redeemed by the truthful painting of other portions. Once or twice during our perusal of the work we have been some what disagreeably impressed in its behalf; but on closing the third volume we must confess that those disagreeable impressions had disappeared, and the effect of the book as a whole is pleasing and salutary. It teaches a double moral lesson—in one instance with most painful force. The title-page bears a motto from La l3ruyere, to the effect that some men differ so greatly from themselves at different periods of their life, that it is impossible to judge their charac ters in early youth. This assertion is illustrated by the career of Dudley Cranbourne. Reared in the worst possible school, familiar with extravagance and depravity from his childhood, his heart is not utterly corrupted, when a change of scene and of situation brings him into close companionship with a noble-- minded man and his pure-hearted family. Dudley, still very young and impressionable, yields at once to the ennobling influences of this friendship, the good:points of his character develop themselves— he is thenceforth another and a better man. From this time the fortunes of Dudley are full of vicissi tudes, but he himself remains unchanged, and his character, frank, earnest, and manly, yet gentle and affectionate to an extreme, is more really interesting than that of any novel-hero we have met with for a considerable period We have given but a very brief summary of Dudley's most eventful career, but we leave the unravellingof the plot to the curiosity of,the reader. We have mentioned only so much of it to show the moral which it teaches—and a very useful moral it is—namely, that if evil communica tions corrupt good manners, good influences have an equally powerful, but contrary effect. But "Dudley Cranbourne" teaches also another lesson. Its title-page tells us it is a " woman's his tory"—a history on the old theme, ce n'est que le premier pas qui coi2te. Favourite as that th eme i s with fiction writers, it has here been treated in an unusual and a very effective manner. The first volume opens in the quiet village of Loagfern, where a Mrs. Cameron, the widow of an officer, lives in re tirement with an only child. Mrs. Cameron is re presented as almost a paragon of perfection. She is the favourite of old and young—charitable, good, gentle ; in short, possessed of every virtue, " yet not withstanding h er lif e o f peace and well-doing, Mrs. Cameron was not happy. There was a void in her heart, for she was young and very beautiful, and she thought with a pang that she was henceforth to pass through life in loneliness of heart." She was, how ever, mistaken in this supposition. Lord Cran bourne bas a castle in the neighbourhood, and he forms an acquaintance with the widow. Lord Cranbourne is represented as a noble-minded, admir able man. He is gloomy and melancholy, for he is unhappily married. He passes his time in retirement in the country, while his countess is flirting in town. Lord Cranbourne and Mrs. Cameron become friends, but after a while the lady, suspecting that their ' friendship deserves another name, gwithdraws herself from his Lordship's society. He resolves to leave the country, but first insists upon saying farewell, and here follows one of the glaring imprebabilities to which we have alluded, as disfiguring the pages of " Dudley Cranbourne." Lord Cranbourne and Mrs. Cameron, be it remembered, are no longer actuated by the passions of youth, both are of virtuous and admir able character, parents living in retirement educating their children —the one a nobleman duly conscious of the responsibilities of his high position, the other the widow of an officer and the daughter of a proud family. When she refused the hand of William Durham (one of the noblest characters in the book), we were told " Mrs. Cameron was not a woman to be lightly won ; she had been a St. Clair, and some of the pride of that proud race might perhaps have been found even in her gentle nature, though she was not conscious of it." Bearing all these things in mind, we cannot but think the catastrophe most im probable. Lord Cranbourne, returning from the visit in which he had proposed bidding farewell to Mrs. Cameron, is thrown from his horse and killed. The unhappy woman is left to bear her shame and sorrow alone. After the birth of Dudley Cranbourne—her son and the son of Lord Cranbourne—the metamor phosis in her character takes place. Twenty years afterwards we are introduced to a Mrs. Cameron, whom it is difficult to recognise as the once proud Emma St. Clair, The cause of her altered manners is however natural enough. After her fall she had at first thought of assuming anotherTname, and still continuing her retired life, " but that solitude which had before only been haunted by melancholy became insupportable, now she had remorse and guilt for her companions." She turned to society for refuge—" she sought forgetfulnes,and found despair." Shut out from the companionship of her former friends, she became compelled to associate with characters from whom she would once have turned with disgust. But we have pursued the " woman's history " far enough— the lesson is vividly but painfully set forth. To re turn again to the consideration of the book as a whole, we must say that it affords ample room for condensation. The scenes from low life are far from pleasing; here and there they are amusing, but such themes soon grow tedious. The author, in his anxiety to avoid a cunningly-contrived plot, has fallen into the opposite extreme, and become much too prolix in his episodes and descriptions. One-third of " Dudley Cranbourne," especially of the first volume, might be very well dispensed with, and the remain ing portions would, in consequence, be far more in teresting than at present. En revanche for this pass ing condemnation, we must cite some of the more attractive features of " Dudley Cran bourne." The author has told us that one of his great objects has been to render his pages attractive by the grave or lively manner in which he has presented various scenes and thoughts, and in this he has been successful. Many of the thoughts and reflections which occur in " Dudley Cranbourne" testify that its writ er thi n k s much, and often well. Here - is one truthful sentence taken at random :-- "None are so unhappy as those whose conduct is vicious, yet whose hearts still yearn mornfully after virtue. Hell must, indeed, be hell, if it be peopled with fallen angels !" Here is a sentence which we cannot pass over without a passing censure, it is illiberal to an unpardonable degree::—" What a mean, cold-blooded, heartless race, are the nobles of our day! An occasional bright example in vain endeavours to disprove this assertion, and they are only excep tions to a rule, which is fearfully general. Our no bility have neither the chivalry of their remote ances tors, nor the wisdom and talent that grace their order at a later period," &c. We were about to enumerate a list of noble noblemen, beginning with th e friend of the Poles Lord Dudley and the friend of the poor—Lord t t hese As hle y,are but on a second reflection we presume Out "Dudley the "exceptions" to which the ofauthor.Stuar t , r Cnorbanilbitoyuransea" body. allucl alludes. Ile Islhisoucldondheamvenactoinotneisnteodfb.tint self with a less comprehensive our nobility are in a politic alpocienntsoufre.vieAws far c fr l o as m s, a class, most as suredly their pri va t e " characters are but as far, very far, from meriti ng the censure of Dudley Cranbo urne, "—" a sweeping mean, cold-blooded, heartless race !" Mrs. Camer on 's terrible and continued extravagance, which repeatedly overwhelms her with debt, gives occasion for this author's favouring his readers with some very excel lent admonitions on the subject of debt and debtors. It also enables him to throw a light upon the ini quitous proceedings of Messrs. Fleeceman and Co., for the benefit of those ignorant persons (though in these enlight ene d d ays their number can b e but few), who may b e unacquainted w i t h the prac tices of su c h gent l emen. Besides t h e thoug htful and truthful observations, sometimes very beautifully ex. pressed, which are to b e met with in its pages, " Dudley Cranbourne," notwithstanding its some what improbable plot, abounds in natural touches. But we have lingered lonegetnotugh attention over these f ourvo - lumes, we must commend readers " with all their imperfections on their head." We shall, however, expect something yet better at the hands of the author of " Dudley Cranbourne." This production amply testifies that he does not lack abilities, and those abilities would be more manifest if he were content to winnow the chaff from the genuine grain. THE MAN MADE OF MONEY. By Douglas Jerrold. Part VI. This is the concluding number of perhaps the most philosophical work that Douglas Jerrold has yet given to the world. With all the shrewd tact, the sarcastic wit, and the delightfvl style of the tales of Voltaire, it has none of their cynicism, and no one can rise from the perusal of the " an made of Money" without being not only a wiser, but a better man. The Siekhs:are so called, as the disciples of Nanick Shah, the founder of their sect, in tho) 15th century ; from althock.sitamo, to km. that ioble upon bad