The Sun. — London, England, 1849-05-12 00:00:00

ire could assure his Hon. Friend that no treaties had as 3et been entered into with regard to Hungary. With ye lp, ct . to the second question there was no dttliculty, and he could freely assure the Hon. Gentleman that no treaties had been entered into which had reference to the security of Hungarian independence. With regard to the third question he could reply that there had been no applica t i on to this country tor a mediation between Hungary .and Austria.—(Laughter.) TILE ROMAN STATES. Mr. B. COCIIR ;NE wished to know whether there was any communication in the Foreign-office relative to the invasion of the Roman territory by the French troop s , and he might add to the inquiry the question, whether there was any intention on the part of her Ma jesty's Government to mediate between the French and the Roman people. Lord PALMERSTON said that there was no inten tion to m?d!ate between the two states to whom refe rence had been made. With regard to the second ques tioh, he. had only to state that there was a correspon dence between himself and the Roman Government. RETURNS RESPEC TING THE WEST INDIAN COLONIES. SCOTT wished to inquire whether there was any objection to grant the returns of which he had spoken of the pensizns, salaries, &c.. granted to the several State dependenCies in the W4st Indies. Mr. LAROLICEIinEitad not the slightest objection to grant the returns, if the motion was so modified as to render it prawica,bla. Mr. SCOTT assented. CHOLERA IN IRELAND. In reply to a question from hlr. SCULLY respect ing the wain:l-lit of pauper cholera patients in Ireland, Sir G. GREY said the number of difficult cases was about 300, and that the respective parochial and other Officers had a discretionary power to remove and relieve them. VAGRANCY IN IRELAND. Mr. STAFFOIU) wished to know whether there had been any return made of the number of the paupers begging lately in the city of Cork, and what was the result of the measures which had been taken with re spect to them. Sir W. SOMERVILLE said that ho had only re ceived a report on the subject, and he had understood that an order had been given to the beggars continually to move oa, and the result was that there had been a great reduction in the number of paupers.—(Laughter.) There had been no public subscription, but 1001. had bleu grantNl by the corporation for that object, where cases of excessive distress had been shown. PAUPERS AND WASTE LAND IN IRELAND. In reply to a question from Mr. E. DENISON, as to the numb?r of able-bodied paupers in Ireland, and the numbe r of acres of waste laud in that country, Sir W. SOMERVILLE replied that the returns did not enable him to state the number of men who were paupers in the waste land districts, but the whole num ber, including women and children, was 165,000; but ho Would, however, make further inquiries and lay the re turns upon the table.—(Hear, hear.) EMIGRATION DEPOT AT DEPTFORD. Mr. St:o TT wished to inquire whether the Mr. C6 Per, at the head of the depot for emigration, was any relation to the Mr. Cooper who was at the head of another Government-office?—(Laughter.) Mr. LABOUCHERE had no information, but he Would inquire. SIR WILLIAM PARKER'S EXPEDITION TO NAPLES. Mr. URQUHART wished to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Cabinet were aware that Sir William Parker was scot for to Naples by the British Minister, when they stated to Parliament that he went there of his own accord? Lord J. RUSSELL said that the Hon. Gentleman had confused together two different transactions. The question which was asked in August last was, he un d"rstood, as to whether Admiral Parker had gone to Naples in consequence of the order of her Majesty's Government, and whether he had gone there for the purpose of interfering with the expe dition which was about to start from Naples to Sicily; and he thought he gave then a sufficient answer to the question. But the Honourable Gentleman now re ferred to the request of Lord Napier to Sir W. Parker to go to Naples in the month of February, and when he (Lord J. Russell) answered the question in ,August last the transactions which took place in Fe bruary never entered into his mind. At the time the question was asked Admiral Parker had left Naples and gone to Palermo, and ho naturally supposed it had reference to that time. He (Lord John Russell) remembered that when Lord Minto was at Rome he was informed that Sir W. Parker intended going to Naples, and he asked the Neapolitan Minister it it would be agreeable to the King of Naples that the British squadron should make its appearance there, and he was informed that the King did not think that its appearance would in any way militate against his interest. He (Lord J. Russell) certainly un derstood the question to refer to recent transactions, and not to what occurred in February.—(Hear, hear.) PUBLIC HEALTH, &c., IRELAND. Mr. SADLEIR asked whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce a Health of Towns Bill for Ireland, and a Bill to amend the Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages? Lord JOHN RU S SELL said, be would give the Hon. Gentleman au answer on Monday. POLICE RETURNS. Mr. FItEWEN complained to the House that certain returns relative to the rural police, which had been laid on the table of the House, were not given in the form which he desired. Sir GEORGE GREY said, if the Hon. Member Would point out in what respect the return was defective, he (Sir George Grey) would endeavour to supply the omission. The motion was then put and agreed to that the House at its rising do adjourn till Monday next. LAND INIPROVEMENT AND DRAINAGE (IRE- LAND) BILL. On the order of the day for the second reading of this Bill being read, Major BLACKALL said ho was far from under rating the intention of this Bill or the advantages to Ireland likely to accrue from it ; but if the House wished to give continuous employment to the poorer classes in Ireland, they must give it by encouraging those who were occupiers of the soil to become their employers at money wages, and that could rot be effected by giving grants of money from time to time. Owing to the Poverty of the country, it was absolutely impossible that those proprietors could at present give the assist ance which a as necessary. He would ask that the scope of the Bill should he increased. The Bill at pre sent was entirely confined to draining, fencing, making roads, and things of that sort. The farms were being quickly consolidated, and thegreat difficulty in those farms ii,) consolidated was that there were neither farm-houses nor buildings applicable to the new state of things. lie then read an extract from an Irish paper —the Leinster Express—stating that the cul!ivation of fl at was extending, and recommending those who had not used a portion of their land for that purpos e to do so, and that the crops of last year had Proved very valuable. The same was the case in the Queen's County. It would be recollected that last Year, or the year before, agricultural instruc tors were sent out to Ireland by the Royal Agricultural Society, and the Marquis of Clan ricarde had devoted a considerable sum to the expense thus created. If the improvement of the land was set about in earnest, the people would have spades in their hands instead of stone hammers. The Hon. and Gallant Member then read extracts from Skibbereen and other places, showing that the improvement of the land was proceeding, and the necessity of affording the means of employment to the large number o f p eop l e who were starving. The arterial drainage of Ireland was, in a measure, allowed to be of the utmost importance. Large sums of money had been advanced by this country for that purpose, but unfortunately, when the works would have been of great assistance to the people, they were stopped, and now, it was only proposed to vote a small sum for their continuance. Formerly this mode of drainage was carried on with the aid of private capital advanced upon the security of the lands drained, and he really could see no reason why the same system could not be resorted to now.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") Return to that system, and then instead of advancing money without limitation, Govern. went would be enabled to take security for the repay ment of their advances. One word before he sat down in connexion with the railways. No doubt such works would prove of the utmost advantage to Ireland, and he only regretted that the promoters of .euch undertakings in all parts of the country had not received more en couragement and support at the hands of the Govern ment.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD wished to impress upon the House that all these measures were quite in adequate to meet the wants of Ireland , and the Right l l° l 3. Baronet the Secretary for Ireland would delude himself if he thought so.--(Elear, hear.) The eject meats now going on required some remedy, for, he would I rk , What goo d resu l ts followe d t h e pass i ng of the Bill of aa t Year? W as i t t h e i ntent i on o f t h e H ouse t o depopu late Ir e l an d , and by that means provides remedy for the e vils whi c h a ff l i cted that country, then were they pur imis o f t n he g s oln thereasonabl right course. B at he did think the occupation li and t h at ystnall holdings was thegreatremedy could not be done until protection was given those occupiers from the harshness and injustice of evictions as now carried on. Persons who not going to ersons who spoke of English capital Ireland, and, therefore, good, were inist e k , ' productive of no Ireland, if en, for there was capital enough in aatnyrpesroper vent could be givenbut, unhappi l y , present ntehe greater part of it was taken from the country, Hon. Gentleman then read an address from the British Relief Association, in which it was Plainly and broad) asserted that no good would follow until security w a swould given to occupiers of land. He be totally ineflicient.g The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER ob seried that the time d and Member for Longford, were u l , Gallant Friend, thenainpenhts spoken of by his Ho and which disposed of in the vrlslii,,anetnsehrtid been stated onr a for place. %With regard to provionsi a re to adz ince evening about u char, land, he had re3c2elivelli:geo draining an acre of tri m m ad u n nic f a ir • lieu on the subject, and could otil Ilan. Gentleman who made theY,,hserve that if the had taken ordinary precaution in n ,charge, er his ageet, °n his Own property, that could not h perintending works perks alluded towere given aye occurred. The What wCommonly under the Relief as known as Mr. Lab . Act, o r and an ov,oushere's letter „overseer appointed, who lived ""nan'a Ow e e' on the Hon. Gen. and of property; eat when an officer flora tlee Worl a nd his man sh i t ! . visited the place ho found the oversee; (A lau gh.) Ing under the hedges, doing nothing. d 1,,,..,That was the way in which things wg."--- 00 the la nd—.. an d -- and s. , t- -I ',' h 1 ere _ spot will no , t. e . 11 Gat ‘‘)),l reFies.d lievernment do ot touk aver ill:se things, how cell a Ur rise so? G • -ltsgy G ensl itzu , ORE c oncurred w ithth e R . that the work ivas done chore's Act, but neither he (Mr. Gore) nor his agent knew anything of the work until they received a bill from the Government for 200 L, being at the rata of 32L per acre for drainage. But that was not all, for 1501. was afterwards charged him 1o: draining nine acres and a hall. The Hon. Gentleman then read a communica tion he received from Ireland, in which it was stated that 24L was charged for the drainage of three quarters of an acro. The letter also stated that the Whigs were determined to ruin Ireland, and charged the Board of Works with employing a host of incapa bles. The Government, when they undertook works ought to be compelled to finish them; and it was not fair, as in the case of the drainage of the Shannon, that those who were at the source of the river should be compelled to pay for works which yielded them no benefit, Mr. SHAFTO ADAIR felt bound to bear his testi mony to.the excellent manner in which Mr.`Labouchere's Act was carried out, and believed that the greatest ad vantage must be derived to Ireland from the passing of the Bill before the House. Mr. F. FRENCH condemned the system pursued by the Board of Works in Ireland, where in every ease they exceeded, by at least one-third, the estimates of the works which they undertook to perform. It was there fore material to keep a check on the proceedings of the.t body. What be objected to was, that this loan with not sufficient to lay the foundation for future improvement. He should extend the enema of communication through every one of the distressed districts. It was calculated that 50 000 acres of the best arable land in Connaught was now lying waste: If the means of cultivating that and similar districts in Ireland were forthcoming, it would open up a mine of wealth to that country. Mr. HOR6MAN said that when they considered the slight results that bad followed hitherto all their mea sures for the relief of Ireland, they were bound to give the fullest reflection to the plans of amelioration now suggested from various quarters. He belie v ed that the people of England won't; willingly and cheerfully give what they could spare for the relief of the starving po pulation of Ireland, but they would require that what they advanced should bo distributed upon economic principles and in a manner really beneficial to the peo ple of Ireland. The mortality of that country was greatly increasing, and their physical condition was daily deteriorating. In proof of this the lion. Gentleman read several extracts from the Imes and other newspapers. lie saw a letter addressed to a clergyman the other day, from which it appeared that the people were dying in awful numbers from want, and that the sources of industry were entirely wanting. A corre spondent of the Honourable Member for Dorset shire (Mr. Bankes) stated that upon driving through a part ot the country a short time ago, he was obliged to stop his car five or six times in the course of the day, to remove the dead bodies out of the way. The sight of multitudes of the poor dying in this way was shocking to humanity. Judging, however, from the speech ot the Bight Hon. Gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exche quer) the other night, one would suppose that the state of Ireland was improving, and by no means so bad as represented. But it appeared from the best evidence that in many districts the landlords were entirely ruined, and the proprietors could find no tenants. In may districts, such a thing as a healthful, able man, could not be found. From , a combination of evils, the country generally was in almost a state of permanent depression. Seeing that these were not merely temporary causes of depression, it was idle for any ono to write from Ireland, giving accounts of isolated cases of improvement. Now compare this measure with the evil it was intended to cure. They had to aim at the immediate preservation of life, and of healthful agricultural operations; and in establishing kindly feelings between the two countries; but this loan was only to smploy the able-bodied man. The weak and disabled would not profit, and were only reserved for more cruel distress and misery. As to the success of agricultural operations, in the present state of things it was quite out of the question. There was not one single transaction connected with land in which they were not harassed and trammelled by imperfect legislation, by isolated and unconnected measures, of which that now under the consideration of the House was one, and therefore he protested against it. They wanted a system based on a statesmanlike policy, and not a ae ries of little measures which would not benefit Ireland, and would ultimately be a cause of ruin and oppression to England. Sir G. GREY said that the measures of Government did not deserve the censure cast upon them by the Hon. Member. The money they had advanced from time to time had not been thrown away. At that moment twenty thousand able-bodied men, representing a million of the population, were now employed by the means adopted by the Government, and so satisfactory were the results which followed from the loans they had advanced, that a good use had been made of the money, and in some districts the greater part of it had been repaid. The improvement was as yet of a limited character, be cause the whole sum at the disposal of the Government was not expended, but when it was, the benefits resulting from it would be greater than was anticipated. The Hon. Gentleman had also stated that there was not a proprietor in the west of Ireland who was in a state to avail himself of these loans, and had quoted the evidence of Captain Hamihoe, to disprove the state ments of Mr. Bourke. When Mr. Bourke, in March last, gave evidence as to the destitution which existed, he was a most credible witness in the estimation of the Hun. Gentleman; but when in April the same gen tleman states that there are prospects of improvement, he would not believe his evidence.—(Hear, bear.) With respect to the evidence of Captain Hamilton, all he would say was, that even in the union of Ballina there were landlords who were availing themselves of these ad vances to employ labour, and in other distressed unions the proprietors were applying for loans, and what was to hinder the House from granting these loans, in the face of past experience, that t h e y h a d been employed safely, and duly repaid ? —(Hear.) The Hon. Gentleman asked t% here was the use of employing these walking spectres? Why, the use of these grants was, to prevent others from becoming walking spectres, and from falling into the same situation, by means of profitable employment; to give the landlords the means of employing the people at the same time that they improved their own estates, and added to the wealth of the country. He would not follow the Honourable Gentleman into the other parts of his speech, much of which had no reference to the measure before the Howe, but was merely an explana tion of his vices as to the nature of the policy which ought to be pursued in Ireland. Ho would only say that the Hon. Gentleman misrepresented the Govern ment when he stated that they said legislation would do nothing. All they said was, that legislation could not do every thing, and that though they could remove ob stacles, and grant facilities for the improvement of the country, there was a spirit of determination to take ad vantage of these facilities on the part of the people.— (Ueda., hear.) The Hon. Gentleman in this very unfair attack upon the Government had said much that had ne application to the Bill before the House, upon which the Hon. Gentleman should have taken the sense of the House, if he was opposed to it, and not have been con tented with a protest. If ho had done so he (Sir G. Grey) believed there would have been a large majority in its favour. After a few words from Mr. EORSMAN in ex planation, the Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Monday. INCUMBERED ESTATES (IRELAND) BILL. On the order of the day for the second reading of tais Bill being read, Mr. STAFFORD said he merely rose to state briefly but most cordially his entire approval of this Bill. If anything could do good to Ireland, it would be a mea sure of this kind. He thanked the Government for bringing it forward, and earnestly hoped it would prop duce all the benefits they wished to confer by it. Mr. J. O'CONNELL also briefly expressed his ap proval of the Bill, as calcul a t e d t o b e o f rea l b ene fi t to • Ireland, though perhaps some of its details might re quire amendment. Mr. GROGAN approved of the object of the Bill, and did not rise to detain the House by any remarks upon its details. He wished, however, to state that more was required than this Bill. There were at present more estates for salo in Ireland than could find purchasers, and until some radical change was effected in the machinery of the poor-law, he did not believe that any permanent confidence could be given to either landlords or tenants. Sir H. W. BARRON said that recently an estate had been sold in Dublin 60 per cent. under its real value, while, as had been stated, others could not be sold at all. Ile merely stated this fact, to show that merely o rnot nothing—they o facilitating th e sa l e o f i ncum b ered estates would do little must stop t could induce e drai n ndooo caused by the poor-law —tbey estates, before they per sons to embark capital on land which was likely to prove a source of expense to its purchaser. These were hints on the plans which had been d suggeste by the Right Hon. Member for Tamworth, and by the lion. Member for Tewkesbury, which were well worthy of the attention of the Government, lately essential t o t h e completion of and l a b anysnod p efficient remedy f o r Ireland. He did not objectct toica a the Bill in itself, but would earnestly impress upon them the necessity for additional measures. Colonel DUNNE could not concur with many of his countrymen in the approval they hal bestowed on this Bill, lie thought that to bring more estates into a mar ket which was already overstocked was acting most mis chievously.—(Hear.) If the law was defective, why did they not amend it, instead of suspending the law for three years, and investing a power in the hands of a tri umvirate ofCommissioners, who would have uncontrolled power over every man who had borrowed money on his estates. — (Hear, hear.) Unless he knew who these three Commissioners were ho w could he have confidence in them? __aoches For instance, if the Hon... Menaber. k Mfo r . ter (Mr. Bright) , was one of them, with his known opi nions on the subject , how could the Irish landlords have in him? There was no gua rd in the any confidenceof their powers; there was no Bill against the abuse thatgiven by the 20th, clause, power of appeal, except . . that it had first worth little, seeing which, after all, was ~ ners themselves. One to be sanctioned by the Commissioners unable excuse for the Bill was, that la ndlords were either of or unwilling to employ labour; but the worthlessness Irish that excuse was shown by the fact , that the . ,e pro prietors h a d borrowed two millions for reproductive la bour, that a Bill for further advances was now before SP, a n, the H oe • I that, Right and that, as stated by the . t Honour a bl e B arone t, there were now mor e • than 20,000_ person s emp l oye d by there means, in addition to the ordinary labour of the country. Ile denied altogethe r that the proprietors were bound to provide employment for the whole population, and he had no doubt that at the present moment the Irish pro prietors employed a much greater proportion than the English proprietors did. Ho believed that if they threw the property of the Irish landlords into the market, to be bought be English specolators, they would simply add to one or ;,,,: ;: r , a , 0.1 , •vis, earn , lv, abs ,, e,tec , pr,:pro turs.—(llE.ar, hew.'.) Luc, u, he had said boom, his greatest objection to the Bill was, that it left everything to the discretion of the Commissioners, and until they Were named be thought the Government ought not to eall upon the House to agree to the Bill.—(Hear, hear.) There were competent persons in Ireland to work such a measure. The Chancellor ought to be one, from his knowledge of the law, If he was not satisfied on this point, and no member divided the House at that stage, he begged to give notice that he would take the sense of the House upon it at a future stage. Sir A. BROOKE could not concur with his Honour able and Gallant Friend, who had just sat down. On the contrary, ho believed that under the Bill, the value of property would btitraitedefFve years' purchase at least. At the same time he itinst Ile on the attention of the Government, the necessity 0 compelling the owners of land to provide employment and subsistence for the peo ple on their estates. Absenteeism was the great evil of Ireland, and it was one of the most essential and im portant changes they could make, to compel absentees, in some way or other, to contribute to the support of a fair proportion of the people on their estates. He had on various occasions urged this point on the attention of the !louse, and would continue to do so whenever he had en opportunity. In the meantime be would give his vote for the second reading of this Bill, belisving that its principle vs as an excellent one. Mr. TURNER thought that many of the provisions with respect to the Commissioners were of a most ex traordinary and unprecedented character.—(Hear, hear.) In the Slave Compensation Act, instructions were, laid down for the guidance of the Commissioners, and ho thought that in this case some such instruc tions should be provided, an I especially binding them to look to the interest of the first mort gagee, who might be altogether sacrificed by the present Bill.—(Hear, hear.) A very large sum of money had been invested by Engliet capitalists on the security of Irish estates, and he thought it was the duty of the House to protect these interests.—(Hear, hear.) Some of the provisions of the measure were such as he had never seen in any Bill before.—(Hear, hear.) The Com missioners might compel the production of titles, and it was well known that in certain cases this might materi ally reduce the value of the estate as a security. In ad dition to this, the Commissioners had the power of setting aside the decisions of the Court of Equity, which he thought &most dangerous precedent, and calculated to be productive of great mischief in practice. He objected to the clause which excluded the jurisdiction of a Court of Equity over the decisions of the Commissioners, and denied relief against whatever determinations they might arrive at with respect to the sale of any estates. He did not intend dividing the House on the principle of the Bill, but he trusted that the provisions to which he had just called attention would be either expunged or modified. Mr. SADLEIR gave general support to the Bill, and answered some of the objections urged by the Noble and Learned Member for Coventry. Some such measure was absolutely necessary for the welfare of all classes in Ire land. While the number of decrees against property had greatly increased, the sales effected in the various western offices bad steadily decreased. The Incum brance Estates Bill of last session was wholly impracti cable. Not a rood of land would ever be sold under it, and he trusted the Hon. and Learned Gentleman would consent to repeal it by the measure under consideration, and embody in it the ono or two useful and valuable clauses that Act contained. It was quite competent for the Legislature to enable the Commissioners to extin guish intermediate interests, and commute them for a terminable rent-charge. There were two millions of acres of land in Ireland, held under joint tenancy, and he thought there ought to be a clause inserted in the Bill to facilitate the sale of undivided or unpartitioned portions of property. The mode proposed to enforce the orders of the Commissioners in England and. Scotland was rather cumbrous. There should be summary and distinct power given them to enforce their orders in England and Scotland, as well as in Ireland. Ho did not know how it was intended to deal with the queation of arrears of rent, but be thought the Commis sioners ought to ho empowered to deal with it, and not allow it to remain a practicable barrier between the landlord and tenant. When estates were thoroughly bankrupt the Commissioners should be placed in a posi tion to put the Act in force, without any application be ing made to them for that purpose by incuwbrancers. Ho pressed on the consideration of the Government the necessity of giving a cheap and summary mode of en forcing the payment of arrears of poor-rate by the sale (Aland. The Bill was no t c l ear on this subject. It re quired simplification, and an easier mode of coming at the landed proprietor for his arrears of rate, without do ing injustice to any party. They could safely entrust the adjudication of matters connected with the recovery of arrears of poor-rate to the assistant barristers, and have their civil bill decrees registered as judgments in Dublin, and thus proceed against the land like all other judg ments. He thought an amendment might be introduced into the Bill during the session which would make landed property in Ireland a convertible security for money. It' tha t e mi w .mo e ra r e e n ef d on o rt n the hm , so ep lr landed that nv deme de m pu rt o o n o pf e ryi thee c t o o s u r os l i d tl 12, b ah n e e af o ne ob tained thata e i ‘ n ai e sir d u.trl f iev o io r Ewu ohldi the hadGcdh p lol, a f t er been a p u r d. n o i , p noi o zne s m e : dohb. that r t ( mi h f o e l er e B a er i r eo . iml ) v wea nar t k s r s c y a w p ( l :ll b i l e l r h e . had n b e e r e ) n , mad snid be y e w t a h s e o H f o o p n i of doing the greatest amount of good to the bulk of the people of Irehind. He thought the objections urged by the Hoe. Member for Coventry were not well founded, and were met by two clauses in the Bill. He thought, also, they had no right to suppose that incompetent per sons would be appointed by Government to fill the im portant offices of Commissioners, or that if there was any danger they would arrive at an unfair or vicious conclusion in the performance of their duties. With reference to what had been said by his lion. and Gallant Friend the Member for l'ortarlington (Colonel Dunne) about the impropriety of attempting to do away with those fences and guards which ought to surround pro perty in Ireland, ho (Mr. Keogh) hoped, whatever might be the opinion of people out of doors, that that House, in legislating for the improvement of the social condition in Ireland, would not listen to the monstrous doctrine that the law's delays should be permitted to stand in the way of those changes which the condition of the country required.—(Hear, hear.) As to the appointment of receivers under the Court of Chancery, he could say, of his own knowledge, Vint their appointment was a matter of traffic between certain parties interested. The Right Hen. Baronet (Sir Robert Peel) was kind enough to inform him that nine of the largest estates in one union in the west of Ireland were under the management of receivers, and he (Mr. Keogh) had no doubt that the union in which those estates were situated was among the bankrupt unions. Having spoken of the west of Ireland, he would state that there were several estates, comprising so much as 279,000 Irish acres (one of them was Mr. Martin's, containing 196,000 Irish acres), the owners of which would gladly avail themselves of a measure which would find them purchasers.—(Hear, hear.) Ile thought that that fact was a sufficient answer to the objections which had been urged by the Hon. Member for Coventry (Mr. Turner). Considering the lamentable condition of Ire land, and feeling ashamed, as he had often done, at hear ing the term mendicant applied to his countrymen when applications were made to the House for the relief of the distress which prevailed, he would gladly concur in any measure which would relieve them from that, their de graded position.—( Hear.) Mr. HENLEY, after referring to the failure of the Bills passed in 1847 and 1843, said the thing that was necessary was to lot loose the ineumbered estates in Ire land, and the question was, whether to effect that the Bill before them did not go too far. Decrees for sale were at present easily enough obtained, but the difficulty was to find purchasers.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Mem ber for Carlow had told them that they could not stop here—they must go farther.—(gear, hear.) Hon. Members who had supported the present measure had admitted that there was an abundance of land for sale under the decrees of Court. Lat them, therefore, be content with that mode of proceeding; give a Parlia mentary title, and then see what will be the result, before they had recourse to the present measure. If they passed the present measure, they were bound either to show a special reason why they should set aside the course of that tribunal having the authority, or else the tribunal itself should be altogether swept away. Mr. MARTIN was of opinion that the time was come when the landed interest of Ireland should be released from the incubus which pressed upon them. But he held that there did not exist any precedent for what was now proposed to be done. /f they passed this measure, without its being altered in the way suggested by him, it would not work well. If they meant the Bill to work properly they must make the three Commissioners a Court of Rec - ord, with the powcre.of a Court of Record; otherwise their proceedings would be upset by techni calities and legal rules. If the gentlemen of Ireland would give ti? the present system of tying up estates to the prejudice of younger children, they would do much to place Ir.:laud in the position in which she ought to be placed—namely, something in the position of this country. TheSOLICITOR-GENERAL said that this ques tion must tio considered, not merely in regard to its legal character, it must also be considered in a social and moral point of view. It was said that they would not find purchasers of land in Ireland under this Bill. He denied this, because the difficulty of finding pur chasers now had relation to the want of title. This Bill would give a title. It was proposed to intro duce certain alterations in the Bill. It was intended to give the Commissioners the power of making parti tions of individual interests which were incumbered. It was also proposed to give the power of exchange, by the consent of parties, and also to enforce and rescind con tracts, where such a course might be considered for the interests of the parties concerned. A law similar to this was in existence in Scotland for the last two hundred yeurs, and had worked well. Ile believed that the effect of this Bill would be to benefit the mortgagee. He concurred in the suggestion to get rid of the middle man, the thirtieth clause provided for that. What should be done for Ireland is not to be effected by one Bill, but by a aeries of Bills, and that was what the Government endeavoured to accomplish by having one measure sub sidious to another. The first thing was to have the land treed from incumbrances, and an improved system of registration established. If these measures were carr i ed into effect they would no longer require coercion Acts; but the people, receiving the blessings of a paternal Go vernment, would support the law, and prosperity be given to that country. Mr. NAPIER said the nature of the incumbrance lacribdavxryreirnytbinattrcicoautleit,r3huwt were deniedob'ectionaide than those in England, He thought r c ty ou in rts lr i ( n , uriuus to transfer the .jurisdiction of the uponth i e; i t p a re t l e c to the Court of Common Pleas, as ..ithcory b - the Member for Pontefract. It had been suggested Court y of Chancery could not be implied that the he could not admit to be correct. proved, an opinion read a second time, and ordered Court imt o'vr(ei u would dif bee hi next. to be committed on idonTd\,,:iy,,,,, A .;Es BILL. ,1;111I4 tti,en moved the se cond (-11'; ' ' Leases Bill. The object The Bill was then Court of Chancery power to of the Bill was to give the lawfully give, give such a lease as the grantor Wight cond ading of the Defects in THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 12, 1849. and thereby correct the defects in the lease. He also hoped that the House would allow him to read the Estates Leasing Bill a second time that evening. The motion was then agreed to, and the Committee fixed for Monday next. ESTATES LEASING BILL. This Bill was read the second time, and the Committee fixed for Monday next. ACCOUNTS OF TURNPIKE TRUSTS (SCOT- LAND) BILL. This Bill, on the motion of the SOLICITOR - GE NERAL, then went through Committee, and was re ported to the House with amendments, to bo Coll Bi. dered on Monday next. GRANTS OF LAND (NEW SOUTH WALES) BILL. This Bill next went into Committee. Mr. SCOTT objected to the Bill on the ground of its inefficiency for the purposes intended. It passed, however, through Committee. ATTACHMENTS COURTS OF RECORD (IRE. LAND) BILL On the report, as amended, on this Bill being brought up, Mr. GROGAN proposed the insertion of a clause, granting compensation to Messrs. Butler, Walsh, ltivett, rind another, on being deprived of their offices by that Bill. Mr. REYNOLDS observed that when he saw the clause proposed, ho thought his Hon. Colleague was not in earnest. Mr. Butler had already a pension from the Dublin Corporation of 4401. a year during his natural life; and the Hon. Gentleman bought to induce that House to give him another slice. Compensation had been given to men whose name was legion. He would as soon give compensation to a highway robber as to this man. Tbis man was to have power to put his hands into the pockets of the corporation of Dublin to the tune of 6001. per annum; but if that was intended the corpo ration should at least have notice of it.—(Hear.) Mr. KEOGH said that he was surprised to hear the Hon. Member for Dublin denounce the case of those men which he had ably supported with him in the presence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer within the week. He had pleaded the cause of those men whom he now de nounced as cormorants.—(A. laugh.) He wished to de prive four men, of the average age of 60 years, of com pensation. Would the House decide against the claims of these men? Mr. REYNOLDS said it was true that he did accom pany the Hon. Gentleman to the Right Hon. the Chan cellor of the Exchequer, but he did i t for peace sa k e —(A laugh)—and, at the same time, assuring the Hon. Mem ber that they had no legal right to compensat i on . Sir W. SOMERVILLE object e d to the principle of giving compensation for the loss of f ees. Mr. GROGAN said that the office was to be abolished. The debate was then, at the suggestion of several Hon. Members, adjonrned fora fort n i g h t, to give time to the Corporation of Dublin to consider this point. GREENWICH MARKETS. On the motion of AdmiraIDUNDAS, the Greenwich Markets Regulation Bill was read a third time and passed. NEW BILLS. Mr. BOURKE obtained leave to bring in a Bill for the better preservation of sheep, and the more speedy de tection of receivers of stolen sheep, in Ireland. Sir W. SOMERVILLE obtained leave to bring in a Bill to continue, for a limited time, certain temporary provisions relating to the collection of grand jury cess in Ireland. _ _ _ Both Bills were afterwards brought in and read a firs EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY. On the motion of Mr. CHARTERIS, the following gentlemen were nominated as a Select Committee on the Eastern Counties Railway Compauy :—Mr. Charteris, Mr. Labouchere, Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Roebuck, Mr. llenley, Mr. Ord, Mr. Disraeli, Sir David Dundas, and Mr. Monsell. The Hoube adjourned at a Quarter to One o'clock ti Monday. THE RATE IN AID BILL. HOUSE OF LORDS, MAY 11. The following are lists of the Majority and Minority 01 he Peers who voted upon this __ _ CONTENTS. Effingham Clanricarde Colborne Spencer Carlisle Minto Montfort Lansdowne Campbell Scarborough Cremorne Grey Cottenham Eddisbury Westminster Y ar b oroug h Ponsonby Downshire C arr i ng t on Erskine 13readalbane C raven Teynham . Longford Camoys Granville Waldegrave Westmeath Sayc and Selo Leigh S tra ff or d Li/ford Besboroug,h Devon Byron BISHOPS. Foley Cowper, Durham, Devonshire Bruce Manchester Burlington Elphinstone Ripon; Fortescue Ilow d en Worcester NON-CONTENTS. - - • Roden Downes , Bill Glasgow De nos Ashburton ReAleadale Sandys Galloway 'mean Blayney Abercorn Ilawardeu Winehilsea Ratifurl I Lorton Monteagle Abinger Caledon Wicklow Drogheda Stradbroke Sligo Londonderry Moun tc a shel Beaumont Romney. -. ~..., Clarina Crofton Hat rowby Enniskillen Egmont Wharnelille. Bosse Boston Combermere Templemore Fitzwillittnl ARCHBISHOP. Desalt Rolle Dublin Ely Downslilre tumor , . , C as tlemai ne Manchester Cashel r PARLIAMENTA RY COMMITTEES. SMITHFIELD MARKET.—On Taureday, on the rc-assembliug of this Committee, Mr. Mackinnon in the chair, additional evidence was taken as to the nuisances connected with Smithfield-market. Mr. Langham, butcher, of Edg ware-road, was of opinion that the substitution of two markets on the north-eastern side of the Thames would remedy the evil, and obviate the great incon venience that now arose from the driving of animals through London. Of the 4,000 butchers in the metro polis not half slaughtered their own meat. There was no combination in London to keep up the price of meat, though there was a combination of butchere, bankers, and salesmen, to keep up Smithfield market ; and witness had Inca " mobbed," and threatened with violence the other day in Newgate market, on account of his hiving given evidence be fore the Committee. Several sergeants and inspectors of the City Police were then examined, and spoke to the rushing of bullocks into the London Coffee-house, and the smashing of glass in Fleet and Bridge-streets. There were thirteen police b) day and seven by night to keep order. There was by no means sufficient space for the animals. This occasioned what was called the "ring drove," the main cause of cruelty ; and this might be avoided it' the room was adequate. The habit of " pething," or hitting a bullock hard behind the horns, was a very great cruelty ; and twisting the tails until they broke, another ; though there was no more cruelty exer cised by drovers at Smithfield than by jockeys at Newmarket. Comparatively speaking, no accidents occurred. Mr. Norris, a member of the Common Coun cil, said he had constantly occasion to pass through Smithfield, and the violence inflicted, from attempts made to accommodate the mass of beasts on the insufficient space, were disgraceful and provoking. The drivers were almost educated in cruelty. There were 67 houses in Smithfield-market and 13 public houses, or one in every five. The other shops were where butchers' and drovers' tools were sold, and coffee and eating-houses which depended on the drovers. In the streets imme diately leading out of Smithfield the public .house 9. In s were one in seven; in other ordi nary streets , o andth e whole oof t the h f es these city 6 50 0 fwLe were dpounbtl public-houses, s e e r se,lonsre,9ollo at :h e houses, of one in 25. The chief tr a d e encou r a ged in Smithfield was that of public-houses and g in palaces. O were proportionably discouraged. The P rne oecir tj there was the market deteriorated house property, e a difficulty in letting lodgings. These gave the worst d of lodgers. were andt he poorest accommodation, and took in the lowest kin within The market encouraged the most offensive trades its neighbourhood, such as sausage-making, f cat -skinning, _or knackers' yards, bone-boilers', and establishments Other t r y ad n es f twisting the entrails of sheep into fiddle/strings. Tho se health, ari ie safety, t portions of o f ay parishes niaL on a d bu on tt , in a g nd on the th the market convenience of the inhabitants demanded its removal. The present market could not be enlarged to the extent of halt an acre without very great outlay. About 2,000 cabs and carts had to go round the market on market days. The managers of the Eastern Counties and Great Western Railways had told him that thousands of bul locks came by rail without blotch or blemish, leaving it to be inferred that they were injured after leaving the rail. The Committee then adjourned. The Lady Arabella liesketh was safely delivered of a son at Milford Hall on Wednesday last. POISONING AT BATIL—The adjourned inquiry into the death of Henry Marchant was yesterday renewed at the Guildhall. Tne prisoner Mrs. Harris had so far recovered as to be ible to be brought up. She and the other prisoners were accommodated with seats. Several witnesses were examined to show the terms of intimacy subsisting between Mrs. Harris, then Mrs. Marchant, and the male prisoner 'Harris, and to prove the purchase by her in April last of arsenic at the shop of Mr. Bright. The Rev. Dr. Starner, rector of St. Saviour Waicot, deposed that on Friday before the marriage the male prisoner Harris applied to him for a marriage license, and said he wished, if possible, to be married the next day. He was told the license would not be re ceived till Sunday's post, and he then said he would be married on the Monday. Inspector Sutton deposed to having searched the apartments of the prisoners the Shaylors. In a box of linen he found a small bag, con taining 40 sovere i gns; ano th er bag, with 150 sovere i gns and 32 halt-cro wns; an d a third bag, cont a i n i ng 6 halt sovereigns and two half•crowns; a fourth ba g , conta i n i ng eyp B iec half pieces and- crowns; some 5 crown pieces an d 16 h a lf- crowns; a piec e o f rag, con taining)nafitlhbag containing 45 four insixpences; a purse, cont a i n i ng 92 farthings and some h a lf pence an d p enny - p i eces; a stocking, containing a half-sovereign; a silver watch, a duplicate ticket of another watch, 12 women's dresses, &c. The inquest was then adjourned. Tilt PHONETIC NEWS.—The following joke ap pears in the ll9 an in the Moon:— Sukred 2 de memmuri oph DE FONETIC NUZ, witch expiured Marteb, 1849, ephtur lingering 4 suns weex, in de gratist pane oph de publisher's windo, knott wits itself, but de tors oph wit in odirs; itz de:ees will be sinseerli regretted by itz survyving publisher. A fllixyuns soar long time it boar, FiziAhunz was in vane; It wood knot scl, so down itphel, . And eye hope dey went tri agane. NVEtZcA-Wnr-ESS-AAT rASEX 11 MAGAZINES, &c.—(CONTINUED.) THE BELLE ASSEMBLEE. The Belle Assemblee is adorned with a fanciful portrait of Effie Deans, the hapless " Lily of St. Leonard's." One of the best, because the most prac tically useful, of the many excellent articles in this Magazine, is from the pen of Elizabeth Youatt—" A Lament and a Lesson." The lament consists in a widow's tear falling on the bridal dress of her friend; and the lesson is suggested by her heart touching exclamation—" I was not grieving so much for his death, but because I am afraid I did mot make him as happy as I might have done !" In the hands of Elizabeth Youatt, this simple sentence becomes the text of a most beautiful and impressive sermon. It concerns not those who weep for friends departed, but all who are blest with living ones to lore. It gently exhorts them so to act that they may never have occasion to cry in heart-broken accents, " I did not make them as happy as I might have done." The accomplished editress of the Belle Asseinblee this month adorns its pages with one of her always-interesting papers. THE JOURNAL OF DESIGN. Because the Journal of Design contains a variety of designs,' and descriptions of. those designs, it may be supposed that it is chiefly adapted to the artist or the manufacturer. It is likely to be very useful to both these individuals without doubt, but it will be chiefly useful to that vast body entitled general readers. To these it may be of essential service, it will convert them into general observers, and tend greatly to develop their powers of per ception and discrimination. It is difficult, in deed, to say for whom the Journal of Design is not designed. In the drawing-room and boudoir it will be invaluable, its suggestions and its criticisms will be of infinite advantage to the fair arbitresses of taste and fashion; and, moreover, it gives no inconsiderable exercise to the reasoning faculties, for it is not content with telling us that such a thing is beautiful, and such another is the reverse, but it shows the why and the wherefore in a manner that is as interesting as it is instructive. CHAMBERS'. Chambers' Journal is as good and interesting as ever. We can pronounce no higher encomium on our old Edinburgh friend, and to all who know it that will be sufficient. The new number of the Instructive and Entertaining Library contains the second and con cluding part of the memoir of Francis Horner. THE HISTORY OF PEIVDENNIS. No. VII. This number is devoted to the description of Pen's repentance and penance for his Oxford outbreaks. We are introduced to the family of Sir Francis Clavering in this number, who promise well. Al ready has Pen a second love in the person of the Baronet's daughter-in-law, Miss Amory, as well as a sisterly affection for his mother's ward, Laura Bell, an affection which that mother would fain see ripen into something more than sisterly. SHARPE'S LONDON JOURNAL. Sharpe's London Journal continues steadily to improve —a fact which to any one acquainted with the ordinary history of periodicals is as surprising as it is satisfactory. The editor's tale in the present number contains an amusing account of the editor and management of Blunt's Magazine, which will probably be recognised by the readers of Sharpe. Dinah Mulock has commenced the " History of a Household," some incidents of which are described with a beautiful pathos. The new edition of " Frank Fairlegh," the great favourite of all last year's readers of Sharpe, continues to appear in monthly parts, illustrated by the inimitalale pencil of Cruik shank. THE MIRROR. We are sorry to miss the continuation of Mr. Percy St. John's most interesting narrative of the adventures of a French Republican, but, en revanche, we have, under the head " The Great Danger, " an admirable defence of the :great principl es o f Demo cracy, and a demonstration that all evils and distress under which this country is labouring is owing to the existence of that mainstay of privilege the law of primogeniture. "What are the fruits of this law of primogeniture ?" asks this writer— " It transmits an undiminished mass of wealth from father to son—it preserves the ancient estates of the kingdom from subdivision ; but it also casts adrift upon the country those countless younger sons who fill up tile offices of State, without honour to themselves or profit to the nation. Because these men, by the action of an unjust law, do not possess an independence— because their forefathers, out of their wealth, could not bequeath a portion to them, the people, forsooth, mast out of their poverty provide them an inheritance. For this reason are sinecures created; for this reason salaries aro multiplied and taxes increased. And the country will fur ever go on lavishing its riches upon those who perform n ) duties in return, until this blot upon our Legislature be removed." DUFFYS LIBRARY OF IRELAND. The second series of the "Songs OKlrel;nd," edited by Hercules Ellis, Esq., has just reached us. It is an elegant little volume, and dues great credit to the taste and enterprise of both publisher and editor. It is a collection of minor poems, by about fifty different authors, many of them saved from oblivion by the industry of the learned editor, who, in a gracefully written introduction, has classified them— under a new, and we think an improved nomenclature —into sonnets, songlets, and songs. Sonnets, the only one of these minor poems hitherto defined, is contained within a single stanza of fourteen lines ; songlet, he defines to be a minor poem, containing not more than one hundred syllables; a song, he defines a minor poem, longer than the songlet, and not ex ceeding in length four stanzas or forty lines. The fourth and fifth divisions of minor poetry he makes are romance and ballad, but the present volume is confined to minor poetry under the first three heads. Many of these little fugitive pieces are of the very highest order of poetical beauty—all are above mediocrity. We regret our space will not allow us to make ex tracts, and it would be invidious to mention para. , cular names where all are worthy of praise, yet we cannot avoid saying that the anonymous poems, which we must presume to be the editor's own crea tions, are not the least attractive flowers in the Wreath. FRIGHTFUL OCCURRENCE.—Last night, shortly before eight o'clock, a fire, which it is feared will be attended with fatal consequences, broke out upon the premises occupied conjointly by Mr. Roberts, an auc tioneer, and Mr. Lloyd, a solicitor, No. 7, Old Jewry, Cheapside. It appeared that a young man, named Mears, a clerk to Mr. Lloyd, was engaged on the first floor warming a quantity of gold size, when it boiled over, the contents of the saucepan became ignited and blazed away with great fury. The unfortunate man then took the saucepan off the fire, and was, it is sup posed, in the act of carrying it down into the street when his foot slipped and the fiery liquid ran down the staircase, setting it in flames, and at the same time running over the whole of the man's body. The poor fellow succeeded by a desperate effort in forcing his way through the fire, when on reaching the street the flames were blazing over his head. After running to and fro for some time he at length fell in the street, and some persons having thrown a few pails of water over him, the fire about his person was extinguished. It is doubtful whether he can recover. The engines of the London brigade from Watling-street, promptly attended, and the firemen immediately cot to work. Other engines of the brigade, with that of the West of England Company, followed in rapid succession, and the flames were fortu nately confined to the staircase. Roslin Chapel (or Collegiate Church as it was), was commenced in 1446 by William St. Clair, Earl of Orkney. Tho founder died in 1479, and left the building unfinished; the completion of it is attributed to the end of that century. This chapel is an extraordinary com bination of the massive and the minute, some of the parts being largo and coarse, while the decoration over the whole is most elaborate and continuous. But for documentary evidence it would be ascribed to the following century, when Gothic ran mad ; it is like nothing else,--cannot be classed,—and ought not to be imitated. Externally, some of the pinnacles have a Chinese aspect, and other parts are Indian; there are flowers carved on the face of the but tress( s, and a semi-circular arched porch over the south door. Inside, all the parts, roof, jambs, strings, arch mouldings, are sculptured, and much of the carving is well executed and now in a good state, considerable works having been done there eight or nine years ago, at which time the east window was put in. The vaulting of the aisles is received on straight lintels, which run from the main columns to the aisle wall. These lintels are all sculptured; one of them dis plays the Vices, with the Evil One looking on out of the jaws of hell. In the arches at the east end, where there is the greatest luxuriance of carving, the Dance of Death is represented.—Builder. CHUSAN.—The Island of Chu-san, or Chow-san, is a great rcndr zvous of native junks, and is but a short dis tance from Ning-po, the principal emporium of trade for Chekeong province. Chu-san is blest with the most productive soil ; its internal resources are abundant, the inhabitants orderly and well-disposed, the town particularly well-built, and the climate the most sa lubrious in China. how all these advantages could have been overlooked by our diplomatists appears enigmatical; or why the arid, fetid, broiling spot, Ilong-Kong, shculd have been fixed upon (except for its contiguity to Canton) as a British colony, must remain a riddle to be explained by the negotiators of the treaty. All those whose health become impaired by a resith ace in Hong-liong, are advised to take a voyage for their recovery to Chusan, from whence, after a short re:idence, they generally return convalescent, or mate rially benefited. It is deeply t o be deplored that our diplomatists neglected to secure this . fertile island for the British Crown. — Chin a and the Chinese. MIDLAND r AILIVAY.—Mr. Ellis, M.P., has been elected chairman, and Mr. Samuel Beak deputy-chair man of this company. THE LONDON AND NORTII-WESTERN RAILWAY.— The directora of this company are, on some of their branches, laying down it single line of rails, with the electric telegraph, in order to economise expenditure. We understand the company will, by this vvise proceed ing, WO about a quarter of a million sterling. MEMORANDA OF A MUSICIAN. BY GEORGE J. 0. ALLMANN. "Notes, notes, forsooth, and Aotin g !" SII.IIiSPERE. No. XII. GIUSEPPE VERDI. Rather would I prove a rorry prophet than an unkindly one, but I have ever observed that these reputations which resemble the ascent of a meteor, that with a sud den flash, and with a terrific rushing noise, upmonnts to the highest heaven, are like to that meteor in their short lived and unenduring brilliance. Ido not say that this will be the case with Signor Verdi, but only hope it will not he so. From one of the " unknown crowd," from a nameless obscurity Verdi suddenly started into " a man of note," and gained a name and reputation celebrated throughout the extent of Italy and now extended far beyond. How this was it wcull be impertinent and perhaps futile to examine. We have only to deal with facts—incontrovertible, iiumutahle. Ido not hesitate to acknowledge that Signor Verdi is a men possessing con siderable genius as a musician, but I do affirm, that, not withstanding he has been bepuffed an bepraised by the press, ad nauseam, the resonant tones of their trumpets bidding us expect something like a modern " rara axis is terris," there are no internal signs —none of those palpable evidences that convince you in a second and bid doubt cease—not one of those unmistakeable proofs in his scores that would justify so much adulation. Per haps my readers lalay not be so well aware as those who are fortunroe enough to possess musical friends in Italy whose solicitude supplies their English friends with the most interesting news and newspaper:: —to be found in Italy, somewhat like angels' visits, few and very far be tween—relative to musical matters,lbut if they have they will then kn ow t o what an extent this furore for adulat ing Verdi was carr i ed during the early part of hisca reer. And however much his own countrymen may feel the voices of melody and beauty breathe from his music, nevertheless, the extrem e l ow li ness in which his wor shippers prostrated themselves in adoration before his footstool was, if not to the Italians, at least to us who like to judge sensibly and after mature and unprejudiced meditation, productive of ill effect, and somewhat marred Verdi's future endeavours, which did not mount to the standard of excellence required, after the first excitement had worn away. Still, US 1. have before observed, I would rather than be an unkindly prophet be one of false omen. The real stability of Verdi's fame is hidden beneath the dark an i subtle web of futurity—the veil which is concealed from the gaze of all till the dewdamps of closing exist ence fall on the brow, when the failing arm lifts up the pall, and the glazing eye pierces tor the first:and for the last time it,s awful and solemn mystery ! And yet, to return to my subject, the career of Giu seppe Verdi has been pre-eminently illustrative of that of a child of genius. Born in the year 1816, at Bussetto, a poor and insignificant village in Lombardy, his parents were obscure and by far too straitened in their means to afford him a musical education, but as the boy gave evi desces of rare promise in the Art, the village organist undertook to promote his wishes; and it happened— strangely enough in Italy, but very fortunately —that the latter was somewhat of a theoretician, so that the advan tages Verdi possessed were great considering the obstacle of poverty; and oh! how great, how invincible is that obstacle at times! Bu; as Verdi grew in years he began to excite attention, and by his pleasing exterior and un assuming manners won many friends ; not like flies which buzz about the sugar cask, but friends in the true sense of that impressive word—who determined to assist him in his exertions and strugles for fame. This pur pose they effected by obtaining for him an admission into the Conservatorio at Milan. Here he struggled till the year 1839, when he produced his first opera at the Scala, called Oberto, Conte di San Bonifazio. It had been a asastrous season at La Scala, almost every opera had proved a failure or been coldly received, and thi', the first opera of Verdi, shared a similar destiny. The work was well nigh forgotten, when by the intervention of his friend Marini, the well-known basso profondo, Verdi, after effecting important and judicious alterations in it, reproduced it, and this time it created a perfect furore; Salvi, Marini ' and our own l amente d country woman, Mrs. Alfred Shaw (the famous L'lnglese of the Italian stage) filling the principal roles. This opera raised Verdi's reputation considerably, but one opera rarely achieves much, and Verdi, thoroughly compre hending this great fact, set to work on an opera buffs, but owing to the loss of his wife, to whom he was sincerely and tenderly attached, and who died before it was finished, it was not brought out till lately at Venice, and if it has not proved successful, we must attribute it to the melan choly state of mind of the poor composer during the time he wrote it. Verdi's next appearance before the public, after the mournful event I have recorded, was on the production of his iVabucodonosor, better known in Eng land as .Nino ; and this opera has solely rendered Verdi the favourite he now is. In this opera occurs the beau tiful patriotic lament, " Va Pensiero," a happy instance of that pathetic and flowing form of melody which occurs now and thou—like glimpses in the desert, or voices of music upon the night air—in this composer's operas. Pity that these snatches of genius do not appear more frequently, for amid the rugged and generally unvecal, though it must be confessed dramatic, airs in his operas, they would prove a relief and a charm. Verdi has an excellent idea of dramatic effect and therein lies the secret of his success—and therein alone ; for it must be ad mitted on all hands that his works are not what is termed melodious ; on the contrary, his style of composition which affects a severe simplicity of construction, but which is in reality only to be attributable to the power lessness of producing at all times agreeable and flawing melody, has severely tried, and at the present time is ruining the finest singers of his:country. Independently of this, he possesses very little conception of the resources and effects of an orchestra ; his instrumentation is un imaginative and lacks refinement and variety ; now and then, however, he produces startling eff.cis by unisonic choruses and instrumentation that proves, in confirma tion of my own thesis, that his chief claim to fame rests on his knowledge of dramatic erect and the judicious use he makes of that knowledge. I have little else to add now than to record the produc tion and success of his later operas, I Lombardi, Ernani, Giovanna D'Arco, Alzira, I due Foseari,Attild, the last of which Fame, that speaks from the musical organs of Iris own country, pronounces to be Verdi's greatest;work, and an opera of transcendaut beauty, and Mocbetto. I believe it was the success attending the representation of this latter opera, which induced our own enterprising and liberal impresario, Mr. Lumley, to engage the ser vices of Verdi to compose an opera expressly for Her Majesty's Theatre. Ile accordingly produced I Mas nadieri (the subject taken from Schiller's first written and powerfully dramatic tragedy " The Robbers"), but it proved only partially successful, notwithstanding the Saint Cecilia of the age, the great, the good, and the captivating Jenny Lind impersonated the heroine, and the other parts wore fulfilled by the first singers in Europe. There are one or two pretty airs scattered here and there throughout the opera, but on the whole it is dull, and was listened to with an ominous silence, notwithstanding that the presence of its composer in the orchestra drew from an English audience those marks of encouragement and favour which wily an English auditory accord so spontaneously. But the detractors of Verdi must in this instance be candid enough to confess that tit e na ture and revolting incidents of the story went far towards rendering this opera unsuccessful. At present Verdi is, I hear, engaged on a tragic opera of which, rumour with her thousand tongues, speaks in highly encomiastic lan guage. Though little more than thirty years of age, Verdi looks considerndily older. The traces of deep thought, united to care and illnesF, have made fearful havoc on his otherwise handsome and somewhat melan choly features. His hair is of a fine Chesnut colour, and, singularly enough for au Italian, his eyes are "deeply, darkly, and beautifully blue," while their expression is at once soft and vivacious, and variable as a summer land scape. Though he has amassed already a considerable fortune, Verdi prefers a lite of retirement and seclusion DREADFUL SUICIDE.—On Thursday night last, at about 11 o'clock, Hall, the lochkeeper of the Regent's Canal, near Maiden-lane-bridge, St. Pancras, whilst in his residence on the hanks of the canal, was attracted by the report of a pistol, and on proceeding towards the spot whence the report issued he found a pool of blood and a brace of valuable duelling pistol. He instantly gave information to police-coustable 96 S, and on exami nitiun they found appearances on the ground which left no doubt that some one had been shut, and afterwards fallen into the water. One of the pistols was discharged, but the other was primed and loaded. They immedi ately procured drags, and after dragging for some time succeeded in getting out of the water the remains of a respectably-dressed man, about 54 years of age, with gray hair, quite dead. lie was taken to St. Pancras work house, when, on being searched, 2s. 2d. was found in his pocket, but nothing else whatever to lead to a discovery of who or what he was. A severe pistol-shot wound was discovered in his side, and it is evident that the unfortu nate deceased stood on the edge of the bank of the canal when he shot himself, and fell blckwards into the water. Information was forwarded to Mr. Wakley, the coroner, and the police are making exertions to trace the friends of the deceased. THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.—We are autho rised, in contradiction of a report very much circulated within the last few days, to state that Mr. Chas. Russell has no intention whatever of retiring from the office of Chairman of the Great Western Railway Company, so long us it may be the wish of the proprietors that he should continue to preside over their affairs, and the board shall possess the confidence of the company. Mr. Russell only relinquished the chair of the South Wales Company to prevent the possibility or imputation of hav ing to perform any duty conflicting with the interests of the Great Western Railway Company. THE RECENT FIRE IN PORTLAND-PLACE.—Yester day Mr. Waklcy, the coroner, received information that 2;, Portland ntdh(!picaocaec, had coachman to expired from f p re e m org t e he G e o ty s: e t .; c e t t s lrl . l injuries he received at the fire which broke out in 't h i(3) i e s f morning master's stables and coach-house on Sunday last. During the raging of the fire a pollee consta bl e, engine, had hi s h an d ,ho was working at on e of't e he engines,eacl so fe ar f u ll y i d rro under the levers o f th injured that ha was o bli ge d to be takn tn 0 the hospital and it was found ne cessary to resort to amputation to , save his life. BURGLARY AND EXTENSIVE ROBBERY 01' STAMPS, &c.—Yesterday morning the dwelling -house of Mr. T. W. Buck, stationer, 33, Mount. street, Lambeth, and who keeps a post-otlice, was burglatiously entered, and pro perty stolen to the amount of over 2001. The thieves, it appeared, had managed to force an entrance to the back yard, and from thence into the house, from which they carried postage-stamps, postage-envelope;, bill stumps, receipt stamps, silver bile spoons, silver teaspoons, silver sug ar t ongs , a ll fiddl e - pattern, and marked " B." silver knife rests, silver pepper castors, a large white leather letter bag, and other property. SHOCKING DEATH AT YORK. On Tuesday night, between ten and eleven, the inba• bitants of York were much alarmed by the report that the body of Mr. Richard Nicholson, of Clifton, near that city, had been found in the river Ouse, and that the un• fortunate gentleman had been the cause of his own death. Mr. Nicholson was brother-in-law to Mr. Hud son, 51.1'. for Sunderland, and from his connexion with the directorate of the York and North Midland Railway Company, great and melancholy interest is felt in this affair. A variety of rumours are afloat as to the de ceased's pecuniary circumstances; but as these were not adverted to at the inquest, we shall not further allude to them. The.following abstract of the evidence gives all that is at present known as to the immediate circum stances of his death. A jury was summoned on Wednesday afternoon, when the coroner for York, Mr. John Wood, proceeded to hear the evidence. The first two witnesses were watermen, who saw the body in the river Ouse about ten o'clock on Tuesday night. The deceased's hat was visible above the surface, and by the light of the moon they saw the body. Hav ing got the body out of the water, it was conveyed to a public-house, by which time medical aid had arrived. Mr. T. K. L. Walker, surgeon, stated, that when he reached the place where the body lay he recognised it to bo that of Mr. Richard Nicholson. Pulsation was quite gone, and when be attempted to extract blood from the jugular vein none would flow. Dr. Laycock was also called in, and after they had examined the body they came to the conclusion that deceased had been dead at least half an hour, and that the cause of death was drowning. There were no marks of violence whatever cn the body. John Reynard, who had lived upwards of 17 years with the deceased as servant, said his late master was about 56 years of age. His late master dined at home on Tuesday afternoon, at the usual hour (five o'clock), and he left the house about eight o'clock in the evening, having first put his top coat on. He told his servant he was going into the town for a short time. Witness had observed for about a week or ten days previously his master had appeared not so cheerful and well as be was wont to be. He appeared restless, and often went in and out of the house. On Tuesday, while taking soup, he observed that his master's band trembled, but that he accounted for from the fact that deemed had received an injury on one fi nger, w hi c h h e sa id cause d h i m pa i n. Witness never saw the deceased again alive after eight o'cicck that evening. When told of the circumstance of his late master's death, he went to the place where the body lay, and there took several articles of value, and 9s. 6d. in silver, from one pocket. Deceased had left his watch at home. The next evidence referred to the deceased's move ments after he left home on Tuesday evening. A youth named Ceding saw the deceased on the banks of the Ouse, a short distance from the York and Scarborough Railway bridge. He then had his top coat on, and the collar was turned up. He stood with his face to a large tree, as if to avoid being recognised by the witness and his companions. This was about 9 o'clock. Mr. M. Richardson, a solicitor, also saw the deceased near to the place spoken of by the youth Catling. He was then walking slowly, and with his head down (an un usual thing), and appeared to be in a moody state. No evidence could be procured to show the precise time when the deceased got into the water, and nothing can be ascertained as to what has become of the top coat, which was not on the body when found. The CORONER addressed a few remarks to the jury, and they immediately returned the following verdict:-- "That the deceased was found drowned, and that there is not satisfactory evidence to show how he got into the water." STRANGE APPREHENSION OF BURGLARS.-011 Thursday night, as Police -constables Carlo and Pickess, officers under the management of Superintendent Ray, of Boxford, were on their beat towards Kersey, from Boxford, in agreement with their orders they visited the premises of Mr. Stutter, of Sampson's Hall, in the parish of Kersey. They had but just entered the stockyard when they espied a man (it was quite moonlight) at a distance, as if upon the watch; believing " something was up," they immediately crouched to avoid observa tion; fearing, however, they might lose their man, they made a move, when they saw two other men—all of them appeared as if preparing for plunder. At this juncture the officers had reached the cowhouse, from which place they could see what was going on outside. The depre dators had to fetch a ladder from a distance to enable them to get to the granary. When they had unlocked the door they came down again, and one of them actu ally looked into the neat-house where Carlo and Pickess were, but fortunately did not see there. Two of them went to work up the granary, leaving one below in the yard to watch. They were not suffered to be at it long before the officers rushed out towards the man outside, who immediately gave a sort of watchword, " Hip !" and down jumped the other two, when a battle ensued. They proved to be very powerful and determined characters, and with hor rid imprecations, as "-- them," "Kill them," they went at the officers like furies, no doubt determined fully to carry out their threat. The conflict lasted some time, but ultimately two of the party were secured, who proved to be John Humphrey and Robert Humphrey, both no toriously bad characters from Polstead. The former has long been looked upon as a chief amongst a gang that has infested the neighbourhood for a long time, and is the son of the old man of the same name who was trans ported for the second time at Ipswich last year. Carlo, in the affray, lost his staff, but closed with his man, who was much more powerful than himself. Pickess en countered the other two, and while striking blows, or warding off those of his antagonists, he shivered his staff into three pieces, and with the fragment in one hand, and his prisoner (whom he had stunned), he con trived to get near enough to assist Carlo, who was struggling desperately with the elder Humphrey upon the ground. The prisoners had furnished themselves with seven skeleton keys, a dark lantern, and a filo. It was found that almost any of Mr. Sutter's doors could be unlocked with the skeletons. On Saturday the burglars were brought before the magistrates at Had leigh, and were fully committed to take their trial at the assizes.—lpswich Express. HER MAJESTY . S THEATRE.—The Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert honoured the perform ances at her Majesty's Theatre on Thursday evening with their presence. The royal suite in attendance upon her Majesty and the Princa included the Countess of De sari, the lion. Flora Macdonald, the lion. Miss Murray, Earl of Morley, General Wernyss, and Lieutenant- Colonel the honourable Alexander Gordon. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent also honoured the theatre with her presence; in attendance upon her Royal High ' ries were the Baroness de Speth, Lady Augusta Bruce, the lion. Miss Dawson, Lord James Murray, and the lion. Thomas Bruce. Her Majesty the Queen Adelaide's box was occupied by his Serene Highness Prince Ed ward of Saxe Weimar, his Serene Highness Prince Wil liam of Hesse Philipstald, the Earl of Denbigh, the Viscountess Barrington, the lion. Miss Barrington, Lady .Jane Fielding, and Captain Taylor. His Royal I iigliness Prince Leopold of Naples (Count of Syracuse), attended by the Chevalier Colonna, also visited the theatre. Amoigst the audience were his Grace the Duke of Wellington and Lady Charles Wellesley, the Duchess of Leeds and Miss Lane Fox, the Duke and Duchess of Cleveland and Lady Alicia Powlett, his Excellency the Russian Minister, the Baroness 13runnow, and Mademoi,elle Olga de Leaner, his Excellency the Swedish Minister and the Baroness Rehausen, his Excelleir2y the Austrian Ambassador and the Countess Coloredo, his Excellency the Da nish Minister, the Countess Reventlow and the Countess Ililda de Reventlow, his Excellency the Neapolitan Ambassador, his Excellency the Belgian Mi nister and Madame Van de Weyer, the Marquis and Mar chioness of Salisbury and Lady Blair Balfour, the Mar quis and Marchioness of Londonderry, the Marquis of Huntley-, the Marquis of Donegal, the Countess of Mansfield, the Earl of Cardigan, the Earl of Falmouth, the Earl and Countess of Malmesbury, the Earl of Bel fast, the Earl and Countess of Bective, the Count Stro ganoff, the General Count Nielowsky, the Count Kon driaffsky, the Conde do Prado, the Baron Koller, M. de Kuchinir, the Viscount C an til u p e , the Viscount Anson, the Viscount Enfield, Lord Ward, Lord Sandys, Lord Feversham, ,Lord Cranstoun, Lady Rolle, Lady Frankland Lewis, Lord C. Wellesley, Lord G. Page; Lord W. Lennox, Lord G. Lennox, Lord F. Gordon, the Hon. D. ,Ward, General the Hon. H. Cavendish, the Hon. Mrs. Browne, the Hon. Mrs. D. Ward, Sir J. Bayley, Bart., and Lady Bayley, Lieut.-General Sir Andrew Barnard, Bart., Lieut.-General Sir A. Wood ford, Bart., Lady and the Misses Woodford, Sir R. Sutton, Bart., Sir P. Acland, Bart., Sir Seymour Sad ler, Sir Thomas Frankland Lewis, Sir H. Webb, Bart., Sir G. Wombwell, Bart., Sir H. Meux, Bart., Lady Wentworth and Miss Wentworth, Sir Cornwallis HoWild man, Colonel Cavendish, Mrs. a i n x d on M m Die. 0. Morgan, M. Captain Cator, R.N., Colonel D l A '‘i r c t k h e u t r ts 'U ß pt a o r it , L F e i w tz i r s oy ßl rona c 'er G se e r t n , L e C C l:a o . l io j n t . h e e l Palmer, R.N., Mr. Rose, Mr. Mon , Packe , Burgl , M.P., MCK d• • Smith, Mr. Stun,M . C . OU R. field, Captain M.P., Colonel Thornton, M t r a . gu F e or G de o :C e, ap A t r a r i . n W M . ey• D m e e l l a l . , Ewing, d r. a and Mrs. tain Williams, Captain Mallett, affsky, Mr P" a 3 ck ir e s "R a e n a d din al g, is M s Er. ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA, COVENT- G ARDEN.— Her Majesty's box was occupied on Thursday evening by her Grace the Duchess of Norfolk, Lady Adeliza Howard, and Lady Mary Howard. There were also present the Duke of Beaufort, the Earl and Countess of Leicester, Lady Blanche Dupplin, Lady Geraldine Somerset and Lady Henrietta Samerset, the Marquis of Headfort, the Earl of Belfast, the Earl Grosvenor, the Countess of Minto and the Ladies Elliot and Hon. C. Elliot, Viscount Ex mouth, Baron Gorlache, Lord Archibald St. Manr, Lady Foley, L or d George Lennox, Lord Maynard, Lady Quentin, Lady Williams, Lady Caroline Maxse and Lady Southampton, Lady IVlliams Vaughan, Lady Clarence Paget, lion. John Fortescue, M.Y., Hon. Mrs. Wyndham and Miss Ward, Hon. Mrs. Ives, Hon. E. Coke, 8011. B. Lumley, Sir Henry Paulet, Bart., Sir Ralph Howard, Bart., and Lady Howard, Sir John and Lady Campbell, Sir William Fraser, Sir John Bur goyne, 13art., and Mr. and Mrs. Blackett, Sir Contts Lindsay and Mr. Liddell, Sir Charles Price, Bart., Lady Webster, Laly Wilson, Col. Salway, M.P., General Knox, Colonel Phillipps, Col. Hodgson, Major Gage, Captain Colville, Captain Rainier, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mills, Mr. Start, Mr. Morgan, Mr. T. Knox Holmes, Mrs. Mountjoy Martyr), Mrs. Standish Standish, Mr. Lane Fox, Mr. W. L. Commerell, Mr. Balfour, Mr. C. Spring Rice, &c. CONTINENTAL TRAFFIC.—FOLKESTONE HARBOUR, MAY 1 l.—Yesterday the Princess Clementine steamer sailed ofthe French e Boulogne leorgrnf arrived w d i h t h r e l i l e g 7 6 passengers, passengers. and th e To-day Queen the Queen of the French steamer sailed for Boulogne, having on board 76 passengers, amongst whom was the Comte de Jarnac. The Princess Clementine arrived, bringing 62 passengers, including Lady Dumpy, Lord Godericla, 44,