The Sun. — London, England, 1849-01-29 00:00:00

LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF CHANCERY, Jan. 27. THE ROYAL ETCHINGS. PRINCE ALREIsT V. STRANGE AND JUDGE. The arguments in this important case were resumed by Mr. Russell on the Lord Chancellor taking his seat. Mr. Rolt. followed Mr. Russell in support of the appeal of Mr. Strange from the order of Vice Chancellor Knight Bruce, refusing to dissolve the injunction granted against the appellant. Mr. WARREN, who followed Mr. Rolt, for the appel lant Strange, said, that he would confine his arguments to those points of law applicable to the case, which came within the province of that part of the profession its prayer which he belonged. The statem ents in the bill and prayer raised questions of great moment respecting the jurisdiction of courts in respect to the property that a man had in the labours of his own brain. A parade had been made that Mr. Strange had submitted to that part of the injunction restraining the exhibition of the etch ings; but the reason that he had so done It as, that such restriction was, as far as he was concerned, non ad rein; he had only had one of them in his possession, which he returned, and as for the other 63 or 64 he had never seen them. Then, with respect to the catalogue, the Vice-Chancellor had gone a great way indeed in grant ing the present injunction without giving Mr. Strange an opportunity of having his legal title investigated by a court of common law; the more so as his Honour in his judgment had not stated that it was not a fit question for a court of law. The de cision of Lord Lyndhurst in the case of " Spottis wode v. Clarke and Phillips" had clearly defined what ought to be the rule of this court in regard to cases of this description. His Lordship there stated that where the question depended upon a legal right the title must be very clear indeed for the Court to interfere by in junction before sending the case to law, as great injustice might be done to the defendant if it should afterwards tura out that the plaintiff's view of the case was an erroneous one. The same principle had also been laid down by his Lordship in a later case of " Rigby v. the Great Western Railway Company." There could be no foundation for the interference of this court except on the ground of property ; and yet the bill might be searched through in vain for an allegation that his Royal Highness Prince Albert claimed any property in the catalogue, or even in the particular copies of - the etchings described in such catalogue. In addi tion, there was no charge in the bill that the pro perty of the plaintiff in the etchings, even if he had any, would be injured by the publication of the cata longe, or that the etchings themselves or the catalogue were of any value. With respect to the charge of fraud, the statements in the bill did not go to the extent of saying that Mr. Strange had obtained his information by any improper means, and it was therefore quite con sistent to infer that he had gained it bona fide, although the source from which it came might be tainted. It was • extremely painful to have to argue a case of this kind, were the parties concerned were of such exalted station, but it was his duty to submit to the Court all the points of law bearing upon the subject. The whole proceed ings, most likely, were offensive to the royal personages int r sted, and it :was much to be lamented that they should be so annoyed; but the answer of Mr. Strange contained a solemn disclaimer on his part of any in tention to cause such pain, and a d, claration that the instant he discovered the exhibition would be dis tasteful to her Majesty and the Prince he determined to abandon it. It might be asked, what, then, could be the reason that Mr. Strange sought to annul the injunction? The answer was, that he had a character to maintain amongst the members of his own trade in London and the public, and could not, therecore, sit down quietly under the imputation that he had sur reptitisty obtained p ,sscssion of his information. In the next place the allegat , ons in the bill were, that some of the etchings in question had been done by her Ma jesty, which, be would submit, was no assertion of the plaintiff's having any property in them; fur, by the sta.. ' tute 3d and 4th Victoria, chap. 2, sec. 3, it was enacted that the husband of her Majesty should not, jure rnariti, gain any interest in property belonging to her Majesty, but that the same should continue her own. And yet the injunction covered the whole of the etchings men tioned in the catalogue, which was too extensive, as the plaintiff ought too have have disciiminated which were his own property. The real question, however, was, had the plaintiff any property in the copies possessed by Judge, , or in the catalogue? If he had, there was no such allega tion in the bill; nor was there aey statement that the cata logue itself was of any value, although at the bar it had been urged that it might turn out to be extremely valu able if her Majesty thought fit to present it to any charitable institution. Could the conclusion, therefore, be drawn from the pleadings, that the legal title of the plaintiff was so clear as to justify the Court in abstain ing from submitting it to the usual ordeal of a trial at law? The case of appellant was, that no such clear title could he inferred from the bill and affidavits. • Another point relied upon by - the other side was, that privacy was one of the most valuable ingredients of right annexed to property; but he would submit that it was only an accidental adjunct to property, to which the owner could not lay exclusive claim. The Learned Counsel referred to the cases of " Martin v. Wright" (6 Sim.), "Giles v. Wilcox" (2 Atk.), and others, as proving this proposition, and also that the bone fide abridgement of the literary w ark of another person could not be restrained by injunction. Ile now came to 'the effect likely to be produced by the publication of the catalogue, and in no part of the pleadings was it stated that it would prove injurious to the plaintiff. Is must, therefore, be presumed that it was of an entirely innocent character; and there was no reason for the interposition of the Court on the score of viola tion done to private feelings. In point of fact the cata logue, on the contrary, was of a most eulogistic charac ter. The appellant hail proved that the catalogue was the emanation of his own brain, and the Court could only interfere with it on the assumption that the defen dant had no property in it, and that the plaintiff had. Now, could such a state of things be presumed? As well might it be said that a person, wbo happened to be in a shop when another person was purchasing a variety of articles of vertu, could be prevented from disclosing the fact and nature of such purchase. " Chandler v. Thomp son" (3 Camb. 82). Taking it for granted that the pub lication of this catalogue would be a source of displeasure to the plaintiff, that was not sufficient to give jurisdiction to this Court to interfere by injunction, for his Lordship did not sit as censor morum to punish parties for doing tin injury to the feelings of others. If an injury were so sustained that the law could take cognisance of, the only remedy was in a court of common law. " Gee v. Pritchard" (2 Swanston), and the case of v. Seerward," in" Merivale's Reports," were tben referred to and commented upon. If the Court did take upon itself to interfere in a question of this s irt, it would be called upon in every similar case brought before it hereafter—and, without doubt, there would be many , such if such a precedent were - once established—to in quire how far such a publication might be offensive to the feelings of the plaintiff. This would be an entirely new jurisdiction, and one very difficult to be carried into operation. Lord Eldon had said that courts of law and equity should be kept as distinct as possible, and yet this would be an assumption of the functions belonging to the courts of low, it there coul I be any remedy for such a grievance. He would, however, deny that there was any remedy by action for the mere deprivation of plea sure, and consequently none for the violation of a per son's feelings. " Aldridge'a case " (9 Coke, 55, A). In looking at the judgment of the Vice Chancellor, he could not help being struck by the confusion therein of law and equity, and equity and ethics. It appeared as if this Court would admit of the argument ad vereeundiam, which seemed to him quite a novel pl , a. Idconclueion, he trusted that the injunction would not be.sustained, as it rested upon no legal base, but only upon a matter of feeling and character. Ile was well aw. Are of the onerous nature of his Lordship's public duties, and hoped that he had not trespassed too much upn his valuable time. These, however, were not times to introduce any variation into the laws of this country, and he felt assured that the illustrious person ages interested in this case would willingly bow to his Lordship's decision if it should be opposed to their views, which he confidently expected it would be. The LORD CHANCELLOR here observed, that the per. tioi of the injunction restraining the exhibition of the impressions had been submitted to by the appellant, and yet, he claimed the right of publishing the catalogue of thoSe identical impressions. None of the arguments had been addressed to this point, whether the Court, having prevented the doing of a certain ac', would allow the public announcement of the party's intention to do that act. It appeared to him that the catalogue was prepa ratory to the exhibition, which had been restrained ; and that it was connected with and ancillary to such ex hibition. The catalogue even stated that every pur chaser of it would the pre sented with a f oe s imile of her Majesty's autograph or of Prince Albert's, a statements, with th e i r permission ; ought the Court to allow such to be put before the public, which could not be carried into effect, the more so as the appellant that, he had no right to exhibit the articles named in ie catalogue ? He made these observations as the attention of the appellant's counsel did not seem to have been directed to the point. Mr. S. SHITu was the fourth counsel who was heard for the appellant, and said that the cause now under consideration seemed to have been anticipated by that of " Miller v. Taylor" (4 Bur. 1, d 056), which proved that 'there could b e no property in i observations set forth i n the catalogue had Shaeeofthe appeared in the newspapers of 1840, and yet the injunction went; to the entire catalogue, which rendered it almost impossible of being carried into effect. The injunction proceeded upon the supposition of a breach of trust, and yet the relations between the plai nt iff and the person injoitied, necessary to support such an order, had not been made out. If there had been a breach of trust it had been committed by a third party, and the appellant was in no way connected with it. The injunction was also bad, as being too extensive in covering all the imeres wpoi portio n it n o sions asf the etchings named in the catalogue' h was admitted by the plaintiff himself that only a of the etchings were his own property. It was his duty t separate those which belonged to himself from those white were tho property of her Majesty. Under these circumstances the injunction ought to be dissolved. The LORD CHANCELLOR, at the conclusion at the ap pellant's case, said, that he would proce e d w ith t h e motion on Monday. The Solici sor-Greneral, Mr. Sere.ant Talfourd, and Mr W". M. James, will then he heard for Prince Albert. COURT OF COMM WV PLEAS, Jan. 27. (Sittings in Banco.) HOARE V. DIXON. • This case, in which a rule had been obtained to show cause why further proceedings should not be stayed until the payment of costs in a former action, came on fot argument today. The•Cnut JUSTICE said be had received a letter this morning from the plaintiff (Miss Hoare) which he bawled to his clerk, refusing himself to read it , and he told Win that it related to a matter now pending in this Court MeediDgly ialprOPer t 2 send td PrivAte, communication to a Judge upon any case coming before him in his judicial capacity. Mr. Justice MAULE—I suppose we have all been fa voured in the same way.—(Laughter.) J . received one, and read a little of it, but saw quite enough, indepen dent of the impropriety of svnding the communicat on, to show me that I was - not d tot end the rest. Mr. CARTER showed cause against the rule. He was furnished wi,h an affidavit of the plaintiff, stating that the casts in the former action, amounting to 4081, 10s. had la: en paid to the defendant or his attorney by the Royal Naval Benevolent Society, and that no sum was now due to him by her. She also stated that the action was not proceeded with in consequence of her solicitor neglecting to instruct counsel in time, and to get the at tendance of the necessary witnesses. The Learned Counsel stated that the payment by the society was good, that it mattered not from whom the money came, provided the debt was satisfied, and that therefore the defendant had no right to complain. On these grounds, and also on the ground that the merits of this case were substantially different from those of the former action, he contended that the course now taken by the plaintiff was not vexatious. The CHIEF JUSTICE said it was a recognised prin ciple in Westminster Hall, where a party failed on the merits of the case and withdre v from the decision of the jury from a conscientious conviction that it would be adverse to him, and brought a second action on the same grounds, that the Court would, on application, stay further proceedings until the costs in the former one had been paid. The defendant was secretary to the Royal Naval Benevolent Society, to which the plaintiff had ap plied for assistance, and the action was brought upon certain communications he had made to it respecting the right of her claims for relief. The case came on for trial, when she elected to be nonsuited on the merits, which were precisely similar to those in the present case. The defendant had been exposed to a demand of 4081, which was enough to ruin many persons, and it therefore appeared to him and his Learned Brethren that the second action was vexatious and unjust. There was no pretence for saying that, because the society had paid the costs, the action having arisen out of the proper discharge of his duties, the plaintiff was discharged from the debt. The Court were, therefore, of opinion that the rule ought to be made absolute. Rale absolute accordingly. HOARE V. DICKENSON. This was an action brought by the same plaintiff. The CHIEF JUSTICE said there was no substantial difference between this and the preceding case, and was, therefore, of opinion that the rule ought to be made absolute. The other Judges concurring, the rule was made absolute. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. GUILDHALL. James Glyn, a well-known thief, living in Field-lane, was placed at the bar for final examination, on the charge of cutting and wounding Thomas Bresnahan, alias Brown, also a well-known thief, under the follow ing circumstances:— Police-constable Eiger, 85, said, that while on duty on Tuesday morning last, about two o'clock, he was passing the White Hone public-house in Fann•street, Goawell street, when he saw the prisoner and a number of other persons of the lowest character in front of the bar, quarrelling. He went in and told the landlady she must clear the house, and at the same time ejected the prisoner, who returned into the house. He then again turned him out, as well as the wounded man, and they commenced fighting. Just previous to the fight he ob served the prisoner put his hand into the right hand pocket of his trousers, and also noticed that he kept the left hand still, and used the right only. He parted them, when Bresnahan exclaimed, " By G—, he has been and knifed me;" and he then saw blood flowing down his face and neck, upon which he at once took the prisoner into cus tody, and afterwards conveyed the complainant to Mr. Child's, the surgeon of the police force, who dressed his wounds, and he was then taken home. He saw the wounds; one of them extending along the neck under the left ear, about lour inches, and the other under the cheek bone, and it appeared as if it had been inflicted by a blow struck upwards. On the way to the surgeon's he imagined the man must have lost a quart of blood. Police-constable 153 said, he was in company with the last witness, and conveyed the prisoner to the station house. lie afterwards returned, and found the knife produced—a small penknife—lying on the pavement, covered with blood, at the spot where the fight took place. Thomas Bresnahan deposed that he was in the public house in question when the prisoner entered, and tor a quarter of an hour he never spoke to him, until he inter fend with some one else. Witness told him he had no right to interfere any more than himself. After drink ing a pint of beer he left, and, on arriving outside the door, a girl made use of some bad language, upon which he said that if he could get near her he would slap her face. The prisoner immediately turned round in a fight ing attitude and struck him; before he c ,uld return the blow he was struck a second time, and then felt as if sop, hot water was thrown over him, but on looking at his hands he found them covered with blcod, upon which he turned to some man and said, "By G—, he has done for me, he has stuck me with a knife." He was after wards examined, and had his vi ©ands dressed by the surgeon, and then went h3me. Mr. G. B. Childs, surgeon to the porco force, said, I examined the wounds of the last witness, about halt-past two o'clock en Wednesday morning. He was very faint from loss of blood. I found that he had received a punctured wound in the left cheek, about one inch in length. It was over the radius of the lower jaw, and ex t-nded to the bone. There was also ano!her wound coming from behind the left ear to the front of the throat. It was superficial, but I consider it most im portant as it was situated over the jugular vein and the carotid artery. In my opinion, it is a clear ease of at tempting to cut the man's throat, which only failed from the bluntness of the instrument used. Had it been sharp the man would have died almost immediately. The prisoner's defence was, that it was an old grudge. The ALDERMAN committed him to Newgate for at tempting to murder the prosecutor. WOBSIIIP-STREET. A young man named Thomas Ivory, the son of an ex tensive florist in one of the suburbs, was placed at the bar before Mr. Hammill, charged with the following violent highway robbery:— The prosecutor, a shipwright in the London Docks named Peters, went upon a pleasure excursion on the 26th ult., accompanied by his mother, brother-in-law, and sister, and on their return they all stopped at a public-house in Old Ford-lane to procure some refresh ment. There they stayed some time themselves, and the prisoner, who was there also, but a stranger to their party, perseveringly forced himself upon their at tention, and ultimately, upon their leaving the house at nine o'clock, insisted up in accompanying them part of the way home, more particularly attaching himself to the prosecutor, whose arm he persisted in taking. In this manner they walked until they reached a desolate part of the road on the edge of Victoria-park, when his brother-in-law left him to protect the women, who had gone in advance, and the instant he had done so the pri soner turned fiercely upon him, and, telling him he was determined to have his watch, grasped hold of the chain, which he tugged so violently that it broke, and left the watch in the prisoner's hand. The prosecutor attempted to recover his property by seizing and struggling with the prisoner, but was struck down by a terrible blow under the ear, ani left in a state of insensibility, during which the prisoner effected his escape. How long he retn.sined senseless he mid not tell, but he at length became conscious of his relatives feeling about for him on the grass in the dark ; and upon recovering he was in such a state or debility that he was obliged to be supported until a cab be procured to carry him to the police station, at which he gave such a description of his assiiiLnt as ultimately led to his ap prehension. _ \Vhen callr , d upon for his defence, the prisoner ear nestly protested his innocence, declaring that he had gone straight home after leaving the prost,cutor and his friends at the door of the house they had been staying at, and that he had never before been in custody for any offence in his The prosecutor's brother-in law, however, likewise swore positively to the prisoner's identity, mentioning several facts which could leave no doubt about it, and a man named Wilkins, who had formerly been in the police force, proved that in October, 1847 the prisoner was in custody upon a charge of felony, for which he was subsequently arraigned and convicted, and sen tenced to a lengthened term of imprisonment in Ilford gaol. The prisoner upon hearing this became instantly silent, and, the depositions having been taken, he was fully committed to Newgate for trial. 071-1 W AR. Robert Duncan, SD Mary Duncan, K and Pierce Wall O'Brien were brought up before Mr. Cottingham, for final examination, charged with conspiring to extort money from the London and North-Western Railway Company by pretending that they had been severely injured by an accident on that railway; they were also charged with defrauding the Eastern Counties Railway of 701., by pretending that O'Brien had lost a valuable carpet bag on that line; and with obtaining 651. from the proprietors of the unfortunate Cricket steamer, by asserting that they were injured by the ac cident on board that vessel. The prisoners were fully committed for trial for the conspiracy against the North-Western Railway. Mr. COTTINGHAM offered to take bail for Mary Dun can's appearance at the sessions, and Darke (a witness) was committed, in default of finding sureties, to attend a nd give evidence. Maria Ann Wright, R ° sin aCarter, and Henry Davies, d with committing a murderous assault on. Seeker, charke three well-known character s, were brought before Mr. merchant carrying on bud med very much knocked n M e sr; F. B Gr el a l i c n ec g h er u ' rc a ll F -s r w t e r h n e c o e h t. se e he dined with some friends at Camberwell, an about, stated st c a n t m ed pi t a h i a n t a o n n t, the pee vioud on s eve h n i i s n return g home he met with a wo man nam ed Newman, public-h ouse near t h e N ew - c ut. While drinking at the and went into a bar he s aw t h e pr i soners, w h o seeme d to be littleac inted with the w oman w h o accompan i e d hi m . Aafter two o'cl oc k h e went with Newman to her l o d g ings in White Horse-street, where he undressed and went to bed. About five o'clock he was aroused by some parties breaking into the room, and on looking round he saw the prisoners rush towards him. The women emptied his pockets and stole his purse, containing a sovereign, while the male prisoner pulled him out of bed and beat him in a most unmerciful manner. He called out for assistance, and in a few minutes a policeman came up to him and secured the prisoners. He had been drinking a little, but was quite positive that the money was safe in his purse when he entered the house. Police constable 196 L said, h e was Passing the house in question a little after five o'clock that morning, when he heard a scuffle in the first floor front room. He lis te4ed, and heard some parties beating another, when he inihntly procured the 434'4140 of another constable, and entered the house. After some difficulty they suc ceeded in entering the room in which the prisoners were, when he t e rcei vt d the prosecutor lying on the floor, quitA naked and covered with blood. He was speech less, but pointed with his hand that the prisoners were behind the door and under the bed. He seized Davies, while another constable secured the others. Police constable 67 L corroborated the last witness's testimony, and added that be found the prosecutor's purse on the stairs near the door. A sovereign was found on Davies, who struggled hard to get away. In answer to the charge, the prisoners denied stealing the purse and money. They were drunk when they ar rived home, aed were exasperated at seeing a stranger in the room. They were committed for trial. GENERAL ORDER AND BOARD MINUTES RELATING TO THE REVISION OF TIER MAJESTY'S DOCKYARDS. CIRCULAR TO HER MAJESTY'S DOCKYARDS AT HOME. Admiralty, Jan. 25, 1849. Sir,—l am commanded by my L'irds Commissioners of the Admiralty to transmit to you a series of minutes, numbered from 1 to 26, and a sheet containing the new establishment of the dockyard under your superintea dence, as about to be submitted for the approval of her Majesty in Council. The minutes embody such of the recommendations of the committee of revision, which has recently visited the dockyards, as my Lords have boon p!eased to sanc tion, and they are to be carried out simultaneously in all her Majesty 's home establishments on the Ist of April next. The first five minutes regulate the future working strength of the dockyards, the admission of apprentices, the hours of labour. the mode of muster, and the present amount of superintendence, which my Lords believe to exceed the legitimate requirements of the service, and which it is, consequently, their intention to reduce. My Lords will themselves decide upon the proper mode of effecting this reductit,n, and transmit to you further in structions upon that head. The four next minutes (No. 6 to No. 9) assign fresh duties to the superintendents, the object of which is to secure) 1. A prompter co-operation amongst the different de partments of the dockyard ; 2. A proper check:upon the:" demand " for stores; 3. A proper control over their expenditure; 4. A proper audit of the large payments made an• nually for wages;— all of which ii is their Lordships' desire to bring more directly under your control. The discharge of these duties will impose upon you some additional responsi bility; but, to meet this, my Lords have armed you with additional powers, and they are satisfied that they require nothing from you that is not indispensable to the good management of the great establishment at the head of which you are placed. The - minutesnumbered from No. 10 to No. 14 relate principally to the charge of stores; but there are two of them—No. 10, which places all returned stores under the charge of the store receiver, and No. 13, in which you will find instructions with regard to the general survey uniered to commence on the Ist of April next, to which lam directed to call your especial attention, as my Lords must look to you for many of the preliminary arrangements which are necessary to carry their wishes into effect. The remaindeai• of the minutes refer to separate sub jects, with regard to which the orders given are suffi ciently explicit to render comment unnecessary ; but they all form part of that system of improved economi cal management which my Lords desire to see enforced in the dockyards. You will pay particular• attention to the new mode of keeping the accounts, which is to be adopted in the fac tories, metal works, roperies, and other manufacturing establishments under your orders; to the introduction of the ten hours' 53 stem of work into the smitheries; the steady application of the principle of partial measure ment ; the improvement of the inspectors' day-books; the better division of labour; and, above all, the prompt and effectual remedying of those defects in the pre• cent arrangements for the receipt and stowage of timber, which the committee of revision has pointed out as the great source of unnecessary expenditure in her Majesty's dockyards. My I.o:ds are perfectly aware that improved economy depends much less upon the written rules laid down by the Board of Admiralty than upon the spirit in which those rules are carried out by the superintendents and the principal officers of the dockyards. But, after a very searching inquiry, they have thought it advisable to lay down certain new regulations, which seem to them calculated to remedy obvious defects, and to give a re gular, and uniform action to all the parts of the exist ing system of management. They trust that you will use wisely the authority thus cor:fided to you, and im press upon the minds of all under you the fact, that the only way to disarm the jealousy with which the grow ing expenditure of the naval yards is viewed, is, to sa tisfy Parliament, and the country, that these great na tional establishments are conducted with the same regard to ec momy.—the same honest desire to make promotion dependent upon merit,—and the same scrupulous atten tion to those minute details of management, upon which the loss or gain of a manufacturing establishment de pends, that in all private enterprises have constituted the secret of success. I have the honour to be, &e., Jan. :15, 1849. 11. G. WARD. P.S. The form of the monthly return adverted to in No. 8, having been revised and altered in the store. keeper general's department, will be transmitted next week. ORDER, AND SUBJECT, OF MINUTES. ESTABLISHMENT.—No. 1. Establishment of yards. No. 2. Apprentices. No. 3. Working hours. No. 4. Mu:tet by tickets. No. 5. Superintendence, and working strength. SUPERINTENDENT'S NEW DUTIES.—No. 6. Morning meeting of officers. No. 7. Quarterly estimate board, for demand of stores. No. 8. Monthly return of store expenditure. No. 9. Audit of wages. STORES.—No. 10. Returned stores. No. 11. Revision of store establishment. No. 12. Standing contracts. No. 13. Triennial survey. No. 14. Annual visit of storekeeper- general. GENERAL ARRANGEMENTB.—No. 15. Mode of pay ment. No. 16. Manufacturing establishments. No. 17. Smitheries. No. 18. Measurement. No. 19. Reduction of one measurer at Sheerness. No. 20. Inspectors' day books, and returns by leading men. No. 21. Burnetti zing process. No. 22. Superannuation. No. 23. Re sorting hemp. No. 24. Arrangements for the receipt and stowage of timber. No. 25. Timber inspectors. No. 26. Division of labour. NO. 1.-ESTABLISHMENT OF YARDS. My Lords are pleased to direct that the number of shipwrights now employed in her Majesty's dockyards be reduced to 3,500; and that corresponding reductions be made in the other branches of skilled Ltbour, accord ing to the :.calo now in use for regulating the rropor tions between the shipwrights and other classes of artificers. A printed sheet, containing the future establishment of each yard, which my Lords have fixed with due re ference to the programme of building, and repairs, pro.. pose.l by the surveyor for the next five years, will be transmitted with this minute; and my Lords, having al. lowed all vacancies from superannuations or deaths to remain unfilled since August last, in the anticipation of those reductions, which are not to take place until the commencement of the next financial year (Ist April, 1849), they are willing to hope that the pressure upon the working classes will be greatly alleviated by these preciutions. - The superintendents will take care to hold a general survey of the yard in the month of March, and to re commend for superannuatioa those who are unfit for ac• tive service, retaining the younger and m')re vigorous men, who must otherwise be discharged. H. G. WARD. NO . IL-APPRENTICES. My Lords have taken into consideration the number of apprentices admitted of late years into dockyards, as compared with the number of shipwrights. They find a perfect unanimity of opinion as to the ad vantages of filling all vacancies in the yards by young men brought up in them, not only because of the habits of subordination which they acquire there, but also on account of the excellent education that they are now receiving. But, on the other hand, my Lords are satisfied that the entries of the last seven years greatly exceed the an nual vacancies by death, or superannuation ; and they are, therefore, pleased to reduce the establishment of apprentices in each yard by one sixth of the number of shipwrights, in lieu of one fourth ; and the entries in the present, 'and each subsequent year, to one-seventh of this reduced estab:ishment, which they believe to be amply sufficient to provide for the wants of the service. This will give to— Established Apprentices. Annual Entry, Deptford 6 Woolwich ... 75 ... ... 11 Chatham ... 76 ... ... 11 Sheerness ... 63 ... ... 9 Portsmouth ... 135 ... ... 19 Devonport ... 125 ... ... 18 Pembroke ... 66 ... ... 9 581 83 My Lords conceiving that it would be at once unjust and uneconomical for the public to take charge of boys up to the age of 21, and then discard them, propose to provide for the apprentices coming out of their time during the next five years, by a hired list, under Order in Council, to be composed entirely of those apprentices, and to cease when they are placed upon the establish ment. This privile ge , however, may b e f orfe i ted by misconduct of an y kind; and the selection of apprentices for establishment will be decided by the board, not by seniority, but with due reference to the recommenda tions of the superintendent and the master shipwright. H W NO. 111.-WORKING HOURS. H. G. ARP. My Lords are pleased to direct that from and after the Ist of March next the working hours in all the dock and victualling yards shall be regulated by one unform scale, which is to be as follows: NEW SCALE OF WORKING HOURS IN ALL HER MAJESTY'S DOCKYARDS AND VICTUALLING YARDS. Bell rings Gates close. Bell rings. Gates close. 5 m. before. Dec. Ito Jan 30 7 , 15 11•50 1.10 4.15 February 7'25 11'50 1.10 5•15 Mar. 1 to Oct. 30 7.10 IPSO 110 6.00 November 7 .25 11054 1.10 5.15 IL G. WARD. NO. IV.-MUSTER BY TICKETS. My Lords are pleased to direct that the Chatham sys tem of muster by tickets be adopted in all the dockyards, from the Ist of April next; and they have desired pro vision to be made in the estimates for erecting the ne• cessary buildings for the ticket tables, the mustor gal. leries being so pla,ced as to admit of the men P46sing through them in one continuous line, when entering or leaving the yard. The tickets, when taken up by the men, are to be de posited in b eees kept by the leading men, and the heads of the different trades to which the men belong, at their respective working places; and these boxes are not to be re-opened unt►l the ten minutes' bell, for dining, or quitting the yard, has actually begun to ring. The super intendent is to take care that the muster galleries are opened at the same time, and not sooner; so that the men, having to take up their tickets at the ship's side, and then to deposit them in the muster galleries, will not leave the yard before the time intended by the re gulations. H. G. WARD. NO. Y.—SRPERINTENDENCE AND WORKING STRENGTH. Having fixed the working strength of the yards, my Lords have also considered the amount of superinten dence, and they see reason to believe that it consider ably exceeds the legitimate wants of the service. The whole of the evidence collected by the committee of revision proves that a leading man may take charge of 20 men as easily as 15. which was the number fixed by the " Dockyard Cirular" of February 27, 1847; and my Lords are consequently pleased to direct that the yards shall be new shoaled in March next, and the size of the gangs increased from 15 to 20, including appren tices, 19 men and boys being placed under each leading man, and three leading men under each inspector. This will make a redie.tion of 51 leading men out of 219 now employed in the dockyards; but as men who have earned their present situation by passing the ex anainatien rrquired cannot be deprived of it without in justice, my Lords desire that, after superannuating such of the leading men as are no longer fit fur active duty, the intended reduction in the number of the remainder shall be made by filling one vacancy in two, leaving the extra leading men, for the time, at the disposal of the master shipwrights. At Deptford, where no promotions have been made under the new system, the reduction will take place im mediately, the extra leading men being reduced to their tools after the yard is re-shoaled, with the promise that they shall be noted for the first vacancies. My Lords also consider that the present number of inspectors is larger than the new distribution of labour will warrant; and they are, consequently, pleased to re duce eleven inspectors —seven of shipwrights, and four of joiners, as will be shown by the printed forms of the new establishments. My Lords are also pleased to reduce eight foremen : —One at Woolwich, one at Chatham, one at Sheerness, two at Portsmouth, two at Devonport, and one at Pem broke. The master shipwrights and master shipwrights' as sistants remain unaltered. H. G. WARD. NO. VI.—MORNING MEETING OF OFFICERS. My Lords, desiring to secure a prompter co-operation between the different departments of the dockyards, and to afford to the officers in charge of them more frequent means of communicating immediately with the superin tendent, are pleased to direct that a morning meeting of all the principal officers be held at 9 A. 31. precisely in each dockyard, where the orders for the day are to be read in the presence of the superintendent, or of the officer next to him in rank. My Lords desire it to be understood that at this meet ing any principal officer may make personally, an d pub licly, such suggest i ons to t h e superintendent as he may think necessary for the better conducting of hi s depart ment, or for th e more prompt execution of the particu lar duty assigned to him, which under the present sys tem he can only do by a written communication, passing through the superintendent's clerk; and where two de partments are concerned in the same order, the superin tendent will have the means of:--satisfying himself that it is properly understood by both. My Lords see reason to believe that many misunder standinge And delays will be put an end to by this ar rangement; but, in carrying it out, the superintendents will r(collect that their first duty is punctuality, not merely because the officers should not be kept from their duties unnecessarily, but because the regularity of their own attendance will serve as the measure of that of the dockyard. H. G. WARD. NO. VII.—QUARTERLY MEETING FOR THE DEMAND OF STORES. The progressive increase of the vote for stores, which eu the r Board years, has risen from 426,9.581. in 1835, to 1 ,694,1521 in 1846 7, oha Admiralty.f n s c dh a led s ave o r r a t g h e e d mOt r 1 5 5 24 5 , e o3 io s c 21 d u o r nthe t as n t o t f h e e s dr a My Lords are aware that a large proportion of this increase may be ascribed to the purchase of machinery for the steam navy, which amounted, in 1846 7, to no less a sum titan 450,0001., and to the growing consump tion of coals, which reached 108,180/. in 1847-8. But they are also convinced that there is room for much greater economy in the use of stores, and that this will be best enforced by making the superintendents respon• sible both for the demand and the expenditure, over which Re present they exercise no direct or personal control. The storekeeper of each yard now receives, at the commencement of every quarter, from the professional officers, the '• demands" fir their respective department,, and calculates his own by the quantities remaining iii store of the principal articles required. But these calcu lations are very loosely made. The " demands" are not formally brought under the notice of the superintendent, nor does he consider it a part of his duty to ascertain, be fore transmitting them to Samerset [louse, whether there may not be on hand, " repairable" articles fit to supply their place. ,t - My Lords are, therefo-e, pleased to direct that the professional officers shall make their "demands" upon the storekeeper on the sth day of the first month of each quarter, and that on the iih, or on the following day, if the 7th be a Sunday, the superintcnd.'nt shall hold an estimate board, to be attended by all the principal offi cers, at which the demands of each department shall be discussed aid settled. The result is to be communicated at the usual time, and in the ordinary form, to the Store keeper-General, who now receives on the 14th, and 21st, of the first month of each quarter, a return of the quan tities of each article in store, and of the probable wants of each dockyard (Forms No. 162 and No. 163); but the superintendent is to communicate directly with the Board of Admiralty, and to state that the demands for the quarter have Lean duly considered at the estimate board, and do not, in his opinion, exceed the legitimate requirements of the yard. In those dockyards where there are factories or metal mills a separate statement of their " demands " is to be made at the estimate board by the chief engineer, and not departed from, when sanctioned by the superinten dent, with due reference to the work in hand, and to the probable wants of the ensuing quarter, without the special sanction of the board. For my Lords ascribe to the novel, and unforeseen, demands of the factories the growing excess, under vote No. 10, upon the standing contracts, which has risen from 6,335/. in 1846, to 74,996/. in 1847, and to 54,0001. in the first six months of the present financial year. My Lords are also pleased to direct that, in the super intendent's quarterly return, the storekeeper of the yard shall insert the money value of the stores demanded, as well as the quantities, so that it may at once appear whether the demand for the quarter exceed its fair pro portion of the Parliamentary vote. A n account of the works in progress, and of the pro bable expenditure upon them, should also be laid before the superintendent, at the estimate board, by the officer in charge of works ; and the certificate of the audit of the wages for the preceding quarter is to be made out, and transmitted, at the same time; so that each of these quarterly meetings will present a complete epitome of the progress and requirements of the yard. A record, or register of the proceedings of the esti mate boards is to be kept by the superintendent's clerk, and to be submitted to the Board of Admiralty upon its annual inspecdau of the duck) arils, it being their Lord• ships' intention to examine closely into the manner in which these instructions have been carried our. H. G. WARD. NO. VIII.—MONTHLY RETURN S OF EXPENDITURE OF STORES. My Lords having provided for a more regular "de mand" of stores, are desirous to introduce some addi tional check upon tht it expenditure. At present, this is by no means a satisfactory state, for, although the check upon " issues " is complete, no stores being issued, however small the quantity wanted, except upon an " issue note," signed by a foreman, or by the head of the branch, or trade, for which the stores are required—which " issue notes" are sent daily to the superintendent's office, and checked by his clerk into what is termed the " abstract sheet," and from the " abstract sheet " into the ledger—still these minute precautions aro not turned to proper account, the total monthly expenditure of stores not being officially shown, or its progreis so traced that at the close of the year, when an excess has occurred, my Lords may at once acertain where and with whom the responsibility rests. My Lords are, therefore, pleased to direct that a monthly return shall be prepared in the superintend ent's office, embracing all the principal articles of ex• penditure, with a view of ascertaining to what extent they exceed or fall short of the parliamentary vote. All the materials fur this return exist already, for the issue notes, when entered in the ledger, are " totalled" monthly, after being converted into money by the rate book now in use; and a balance is struck quarterly in the receipt ledger, the difference between " issues" and " receipts" constituting the " charge" for the ensuing quarter; and the results thus obtained are entered in two " Expense Books" (No. 316 A, and No. 316 B), the one for the " Cost of Ships," and the other for " Yard Services," from which again the annual returns $8 and 89 are compiled. My Lords can foresee no difficulty, therefore, in fill ing up, monthly, the forma return herewith transmitted; and they conceive that it will have the double effect of bringing; the whole expenditure of each yard under the eye of the superintendent, at short and stated intervals, and of enabling the Board of Admiralty, whenever an excess appears, to check it by demanding timely expla. nations. 11. G. WARD. NO. Ix.-W.IGES. My Lords find that the exclusive resp3nsibility of the wages paid in the dockyards, amounting to near 800.000 L a year, now rests with the storekeepers of the dockyards, whose clerks attend the musters, check the absentees, and prepare the weekly pay list, without any inquiry being made, either locally or at Somerset house, into the manner in which these accounts are kept, and without even the semblance of a subsequent audit. My Lords can only regard this system as an anomaly unprecedented ibnedsirtheepeubbileicteerg service. ie In considering th e remedy that might b e b est app li e d to it, they f ee l that while it would the dockyard wages, like every other item of naval e xpenditumunder thedirect control of the Accountant General, the inconvenience of transmitting such a mass of vouchers, weekly, to Somerset check,tlou se, the in qu i r i es that they woul d g i ve r i se to, and the icioi surmountablerre correspondence to obstacles. t h a i e c l h e s t 1 . u3s T e h inquiries prefer, therefore,u l would ca local the inquiry b e i ng detected, the remedy alwaysin the hands of the prop er authorities; and they i mm ediate, and, where error is are consequentlypleased to direct that in each d oc k yard an experienced clerk shall be trtins6l:l:?d lOW t h e stcsirekeeper'6 dlattolont to On office of the superintendent, where he will assist in checking the accounts of each week as soon as sent in, and preparing them for a weekly audit by the sups-rim. tendent, who will pass no account without satisfying himself that the sums paid are those really due, and that no error or irregu:arity has been committed. At the end of each quarter the superintendent will transmit a certificate to the board, stating that the ac counts fur the precoding twelve weeks have been exa mined and passed; and the accountant oo deputy Ac ce,nntant-Gencral of the Navy is to visit the dockyards once a. year, and to exsmine the manner in which the wages account is kept, directing such changes to be made as may appear to hire to be desirable, either in the form of the account or in the vouchers. My Lords believe that the uniformity of practice, and a proper check upon the expenditure in wages, will be more speedily produced by this mode of proceeding than by any regulations that they could lay down at present; and they are, consequently, pleased to direct that a let ter be written to the Treasury, requesting its sanction to the increase of establishment proposed, and recapitu lating their reasons for considering it indispensable. H. G. WARD. NO. X. — RETURNED STORES. My Lard; are pletved to direct that the receipt of all " returned stores" shall be placed henceforward under the responsibility of the store receiver, assi Lted, as in other cases of receipt, by proper profes•ional officers, to b:r selected, upon his application, by the master ship• wright. An article charging him with this duty is to be add• d to the dockyard instructions ; and in this, the store receiver is to be directed to call the attent:on of the Board of Admiralty, through the superintendent, to those ships, from which the largest proportion of stores is landed in the best state, as well as to those in which neglect and wastefulness are apparent. H. G. WARD. O. XI -REVISION OF ESTABLISHMENT OF STORES. My Lords are pleased to direct that the " establish ment," of stores in the dockyards shall be revised, and a list made out of all such stores as have become obso lete, and may in future be dispensed with. H. G. WARD, NO. XII. -STANDING CONTRACTS. My Lords a's'i desire that all standing contracts be opened to public competition, upon due notice, at stated intervals, not exceeding three or four years. Whenever this is done, the fullest information is to be given to the contractors as to the average quantities of each article required annually during the previous contract, my Lords considering that the uncertainty of the liability tends, at present, to enhance the prices. A new rate book of the value of stores is to be pre pared for the use of the yards, or the present rate book is to be revised, and to be corrected annually, by the aid of the most recent contracts and of the price current, which is to be supplied weekly to all the storekeepers. 11. G. WARD. NO. XIII.-TRIENNIAL SURVEY. My Lords having considered the present practice in the dockyards, with regard to the charge of stores, con cur with the committee of revision in thinking that the ar2ounts given by the storekeeper's ledger should be checked, periodically, by actual survey. My Lords aro aware that the heavy expense with which surveys have hitherto been attended has in duced successive J3oards of Admiralty to limit them to a charge of storekeepers by death, or removal. But, on the other hand, they see that no private establishment could go on for eighteen or twenty years without taking stock, and they ascribe to the want of a similar regula tion in her Majesty's dockyards both the discrepancies that have universally arisen between the results of the survey, when held, and those given by the ledger, and the want of proper economical arrangements for the stowaw.eand preservation for timber. A periodical survey will force upon each superin tendent the necessity of seeing that the whole of the timber, thickstuff, and plank under his charge is pro perly class.'d and stacked, and the quantities duly re corded, or he will be held justly responsible for the delay caused by his neglect of these precautions. There will then be no difficulty in making the survey by the help of the timber-inspector's register, in which the marks cut upon the butts of each piece, of timber, when received, are to be entered, and the surveying officers will only have to ascertain that the quantities in each stack correspond with those registered, or when timber has been drawn from the stack or shed, to note the differences between he remaind..r and the original entry. My Lords are therefore pleased to direct that a general survey be held in all the dockyards, of timber, and every other article in store, to commence on the lst of April ni , xt; that its duration be limited to three months —pro vision being made in the estimates for this purpose. That the superintendents in each yard be directed to make the most strenuous exertions during the ensuing quarter, and bef‘ re the establishini nts are alteied, prepare the yards for this purpose, by bringing the stores, and particularly the timber, into better order ; and that the storekeepers be instructed to begin the sur vey in their own depirtmeiLs, when their stocks are lowest, by calling in the aid of the store receiver, and be informed that the results, when certified by him to the superintendent, will be considered as the datum line, from which the general survey aid begin. Anotfe r general survey will take place on the Ist of April, 1832, and once in three years from that time forwards, and my Lords expect that the superintendents will give every facility to the introduction of the new s} stem, which my Lords believe to be essential to good order, to sound economy, and, consequently, to the best interests of the naval service, by so shaping the arraege ments of their yards as to make them correspond with the change now ordered. IL G. WARD. MODE OF CONDUCTING SURTEY. The storekeeper general is to prepare, and submit to the board, a plain for conducting the survey, which is to comu ence cn the Ist of April next, in the most effec tive, expeditious, and economical manner. 11. G. WARD. O. XIV.-STOREKEEPER- GENERAL TO VISIT YARDS ANNUALLY. My Lords are pleased to direct that the storekeeper gi-neral shall resume his annual visit t the dockyards, where he is to take cognizance, personally, of all matters connected with his department, reporting to the board, upon those points, which he may deem deserving of special attention. H. G. WARD. NO. RV.-MODE OP PAYMENT. My Lords are pleased to direct that the mode of pa, went in all the dockyards shall be assimilated, the pay inent by distributors being discontinued, and the factory system of individual payments adopted. H. G. WARD. NO. XVI.-MANUFACTURING ESTABLISIIMENTS-FACTO nus METAL MILLS, ROPERIES, &C My Lords have alreaiy sanctioned and circulated in. structions for the factories at Woolwich and Portsmouth which will place them, in all essential particulars, as re gards book-keeping, accounts, and the periodical taking of stock, upon the same footing as tho best•conductEd private establishments. The same principles were also applied by their Lord ships' minute of the 20th of October last, to the metal mill at Chatham, where the whole of the copper used in her Majesty's navy is now " received," refined,and rolled into sheets; and were ordered to be extended, on the Ist of January, 1849, to the other manufacturing establish ments in that yard, which comprise a ropery, a lead mill, a pant mill, a metal and iron foundry, and a sheathing nail shop. At Deptford Victualling-yard, where raw materials to the amount of 87,0001. a year are worked up, the accounts are kept with an accuracy that admits of no improvement, with the single exception of the cooperage, which is now to be brought under the same system; and my Lords are ploased to direct that the books and forms used at Chatham and D2ptford be adopted, on the IA of April next, in all the other dock yards and victualling yards where any manufactures are carried on, stock being taken, and books kept, after the custom of private establishments, so as to show a per. fact debtor and creditor account at the close of the finan cial year. With this view, all raw materials issued by the store. keeper are to be charged by him at the contract price, which is to be stated in writing, to the establishments to which they are supplied, and the heads of those esta blishments are to debit themselves with chat amount, and to add to it the whole cost of manufacture, with ten per cent. for the wear and tear of machinery, and with in terest upon the plant and buildings, when these have been constructed within the last ten years. The manufactured articles are to be received hack by the store• keeper at the increased value, and so charged by him when re-issued for use. My Lords desire to impress upon the minds of all connected with these great national establishments th. , necessity of the most scrupulous economy in their ma nagement. Public attention has Wen fixed upon them by the inquiries of last year, and the country is keenly alive to the disadvantages under which all manufacturing establishments must labour which are not c•mducte4 under the eye of a master, and checked in their expendi ture by the necessity of drawing upon funds at his sole disposal. My Lords are aware that it is difficult to combine a rigid economy with that unlimited command of capital which Government establishments are supposed to pos sess, or to impress those who administer them, by any written rules, with the same frugal ideas which feelings of self , interest naturally and necessarily inculcate. But they have selected as the chief engineers of the three principal dockyards men favourably distinguished in private trade; and, having placed at their disposal the means of commanding success, and secured to the country, by the publicity of their annual accounts, the fullest knowledge of the issue, my Lords must leave it to time and their exertions to show that an adequate re turn is made in new work and repairs, for th© vast outlay which Parliament has already sanctioned in connexion with the steam navy. IL G. WARD. NO. X VLl.—smanEßlEs. My Lords having taken into consideration the heavy expense incurred by the introduction of Nasmyth's steam hammer into the dockyards, and the impossi bility of producing the same amount of work from them that is produced in private trade, unless the work ing hours are assimilated, the want of con tinuous labour in the dockyards causing a greater consumption both of fuel and material, are pleased to direct that, from the Ist day of April next, the ten hour' system, recently introduced at Devonport, shall be adopted in the smitheries of all the dockyards, the wages of the men being increased in the proportion of 2,719 to 3,130, that being the difference of the number of hours worked under the dockyard systi.m, and under that now in force at Devonport. IL G. WARD. are earning their money. The value of this instrument will depend upon the discretion with which it is used—the firmness with which the power of mulcting gangs found in default is exercised by the master-shipwright —the attention paid by the superintendent to the working of the system generally—and the impression thus diffused amongst the inspectors and men, that the means which the superintendent has of estimating accurately 1113 ex ertions of all under him, will materially guide him in his recommendations for promotion. My Lords desire that a frequent inspection of the measurer's books be considered as one of the principal duties of the superintendents ; and it is their intention, at their own annual inspections, to require, in each yard, a report of the working of the system, and a precis of the results which it has presented quarterly. My Lords are aware that the value of those results depends upon the accuracy of the schemes of prices, upon which they are foundel; and that, in some res pects, the schemes now in use are defective. But many omissions and defects will be corrected by the returns already received from the yards, at the close of the first six months; and my Lords have no doubt that, with the experience of another haleyear, when similar returns will be callei fur, a committee of master-shipwrights, and measurers will be enabled to supply all that is want ing, especially as regards shipwright's work, the szet!e for which is now founded upon the old scheme of 1825, corrected in 1829, which makes no provision for the new wants and new works connected with the steam navy. My Lords, expect that particular attention will be paid to the points here enumerated, feeling confident that, with proper care, the system of measurement may be made to work. with satisfaction to all concerned, and with decided benefit to the public. IL G. WARD. NO. XIX.-3IEASURER. My Lords are pleased to direct that one measurer shall be reduced at Sheerness, the scale of work in that yard not requiring three. IL G. WARD. NO. XX.—LNSPECTOR'S DAY 1100 KS, AND RETURNS BY LEADING MEN. My Lords see much r , ason ttt be dissatisfied with th.: manner in which the inspectors' day-book is kept in most of the dockyards, and &sire that it may be much more strictly looked to than it has been of late, both by the foremen and the master shipwrights. The day-book, when first introduced, was intended to be the basis of the weekly " Expense . Sheet," and this again is the basis of Form 89, in which the annual cost of labour employed in ship-building is abstracted by the storekeepers for the surveyor. It is, therefore, of the highest importance that the day -books should contain such an account of work done as will tally with the " Expense Sheet," in ell essential particulars, and my Lords desire that the foremen will acertain this carefully before they submit the " Expense Sheet," which is pre pared by the inspectors, under their superintendence, for the signature of the matter shipwright. The r.-turns made out, one.• a week, by the leading men, under the Dockyard Circular, as to the conduct of the gangs under them, are to be reduced to once a fort night. H. G. WARD. NO. XXI. - BURNETTIZING PROCESS. My Lords cunsideriug the fact, that the Burnettizing process, although attended with a considerable expense, must still be regarded in the light of an experiment, sufficient time not having yet elapsed to test its results practically, aro pleased to direct that the process shall be confined to the three yards wbere it is already in use; namely, Portsmouth, Chatham, and Woolwich; res,-ry ing to themselves the power of extending it to the other dockyards, when experience shall have established its value. IL G. WARD. NO. XXIL-SUPERANNUATION. My Lords not being satisfied with the present mode of recommending ior superannuation in the dockyards, are pleased to direct that a superannuation board shall be formed in each dockyard, which is to consist of the following members:— The superintendent ; The captain or the ordinary, or flag-ship; The master shipwright; assisted by the medical officers of the dockyard. Ml's board is to be held on the first Monday of each month, and superannuation cases may be brought before it, by the superintendent, the master shipwright, the surgeon of the yard, or the officers generally, in their n spective dip art uents; and, atter such a preliminary investigation, my Lords feel confident that many of the defects, which they have noted hitherto, will be put an end to. H. G. WARD. NO. XXIII.—RE •SORTING lIEMP. My Lords having taken into consideration that por tion of the report of the committee of revision which re presents the nconveniences that result from the practice of re sorting hemp aftf , r sur vey, which prevails at Chat ham, and is sometimes resorted to at Purtsmou:h and Devonpot t, are ple.sel to direct that this practice by d scontinurd, and that the first test, in all cases, he ma d e final. H. G. WARD. NO. XXIV.-IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE RE- CEIPT AND STOWAGE OF TIMBER. NO. XVIII.-MEASUREMENT. My Lords find, with pleasure, that the system of par tial measurement, introduced into the yards in March last, is working satisfactorily. They wish, however, to remind the superintendents that the principle of the pre sent system is, not to measure all the work done in the dockyards, but that all work should be measured occa sionally. The measurer is an instrument, of which the superintendent, or the master shipwright, is to avail himself whenever he is dissatisfied with the work of a par ticgig gang, p,u4 wishes to tt3OftrtAill whether the well My Lards have learned with much regret that the arrangements for the receipt and stowage of timber in her Maj .sty's dockyards are generally of the most un satisfactory character. My Lords are auare that some excuse may be found for tie costly and slovenly practices brought under their notice by the Committee of Revisi in, in the great works that have been going on in many of the yards, end the consequt nt derang,ment of the ordinary lines of commu nication. But the very first duty of each superintend ent, now that the yards are about to be rem tored to their naturai stet -, must be to Select in each yard the largest op,n space that can be found, within a rea,onable dis tance of the landing-place, and to set it apart exclusively for the receipt aHti survey of timber. My Lards have dlr. ci., d provision to be made in the estimates of 1849 50, for opening a communication by tramway and travellers, with the spots selected as the future receiving ground at Portsmouth, Chatham, and Woolwich, and it is their intention to provide all the dockyards with similar facilities, when satisfied with the arrangements made for taking advantage of them. The supertutendents, in conjunction with the master ship wrights and the timber inspectors, are to submit a gene ral plan tor the more economical management of timber, to the Board of Admiralty, at the next inspection of the dockyards, when my Lords will investigate the subject very strictly, as they see too much reason to suppo e that a large proportion of the labour placed by the libe rality of Parliament at their disposal, is ri,tv wasted by the want of proper method. H. G. WARD. NO. XXV. - TIMBER INSPECTORS. My Lords see no reason materially to alter the duties which it was their intention, originally, to assign to these officers, except.as regards the timber accounts, which are to be kept, as now, by the storekeeper. The timber inspectors are to test, measure, and " re ceive" all timber, in conjunction with the store receiver neither being absolutely bound by the decision of the other, and both empowered, in doubtful cases, to appeal to the superintend, nt, and the master shipwright. A fixed proportion of labour, in every yard, is to be placed at the dispose! of the timber inspector, who is then to be held responsible for carrying out, under the sanction of the superintendent, a general plan for the removal of all timber, after receipt, and fur its being stacked at the pro per time, in proper order, so as to create no difficulties upon the general surrey. The timber in.spector is to keep a register of these stacks, as well as of the contents of each shed where plank or thickstuff is deposited. He is also to be respon sible for the conversions, in which he will be assisted by the first and second converters; and my Lords feel satis fied that, if he show proper activity in the discharge of these duties, a great improvement will be effected in the present economy of the dockyards. My Lords desire, however, to regulate remuneration by work; and seeing that there is a great difference, both in responsibility and labour, between the larger and the smaller yards, they are pleased to direct that while the salary of the timber inspector continues to be 400/. a year at Portsmouth, Woolwich, Chatham, and Devon port; it shall be 'educed to 3501., upon the next vacancy, at Pembroke, and to 304. at Sheerness and Deptford. H. G. WARD. NO. XXVI -DIVISION OF LABOUR. My Lords are nut saiitiect with the present di.trihu tion of labour in the d "Hwy have alrea.iy directed that a fixed proportion of labour in each yard shall be placed at the di:•posal of the timber inspec or; and, in lieu of leaving the iem:tincler at the absulure dis• p)sal of the boatswain, they consider that the superin• iewients should agree wit: . ihte (Laster shipwrights upon some general scheme of' labour, taking taro, first, that the shipwrights themselves be adequstoly :dipplie], so as to prevent the necessity of einpkyin; skilled artificers to do labourers' w rk, and for.oing the reti.ainder of the labourers into gtneral service gauge, to be employ - eft in loading and unloading stores by task and j ,b, u; on a scale of prices which my Lords will direct to be pre pared, with due reference to those now paid in the river. In the yards where there is convict. labour .my Lords are pleased to direct that it shall, so far as p sstble, employed in large masses, and upon duties distinct from those of the tree lau,,urers, and the superinti•ndents, in conjunction with the heads of the convict establishment,' are to prepare and submit a scheme for this purpo,e. li. G. ARM THE COUNTRY MARKETS. READING, JAN. 27.—There was a good attendance of farmers and dealers at market this morning, but the supply of wheat was by no means large. An evident improvement was masitest in the demand for all kitids or grain, aid in fact it was the only market f©r many weeks past at which business to any extent has been transacted. There was a good clearance effected in wh. at at full is per quarter above last week's prices. Barley was in fair supply and good demand, and all descrip tions were full is dearer. In oats, beans, and peas there is also an 'rapt °veil demand, at better prices. Wheat, per quarter, 34s to 56s ; barley, 25s so 365; oats, 16s to 225; beans, 30, to 40s; peas, 30s to 403.—Pig market: A short supply of stores, with a fair trade. Fat hogs, 9s to 9s 6d. Porkers, 9s 6d to lOs per score.—Poultry market: Fowls, per couple, 3s 6d to 4s 6d; ducks, ditto, 33 6d to 4A 6d; geese, each, 5s to 53 6d; butter, per pound, Is id t Is 2d; eggs, Bto IO for is. MANCIIESTER, JAN. 27.—A tolerably fair consump tive demand for flour has been experienced throughout the week, occasioned, no doubt, by the reduced state of the stocks of this article in the hands of the dealers and b skers generally, and the currency of the preceding market day was supported. Oatmeal, on the contrary, has met an exceedingly slow sale, at barely previous rates. This morning a firmer feeling prevailed, and wheat was held tor the full quotations of this day se'n• night. Flour moved off st. adily, and choice well, known marks fully maintained their previous value. Oats mwt be noted the turn dearer, whilst oatmeal was very diffi cult of sale at late prices. LIVERPOOL, JAN. 27.—The!cluties on wheat, flour, and oat,, :Are at the high,,st point under th. existing corn law, and there is an advance this week of 6,1 per quarter each in the duty on barley, ry., beans, and peas. There was a moderately fair sale of wheat at our market yes terday, at an jwprevement of Id per Imkel ou Tgesday's prices for both bonded and free. Sack flour met a dull 5 ile, and was considered rather easier to buy; but duty paid barrefled was fully as dear, Bonded flour was 6d per barrel higher, 264 and 26i 61 having both been paid for Western Canal. Oats, barley, and oatmeal were un changed in value. Mans and peas were each h per quarter cheaper. There was not much doing in Indian corn yesterdsy, but the price was tolerably well main tained. Bonded flour is again in request to-day, but there are few sellers. The price of Indian corn is rather weaker. There is no other change from yesterday. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d IBarley, Feeding.. 3 5 t o 3 9 I Rye, per 4801 b . 0 0— 0 0 ) Beans, English, pr i imperial quartr 32 0— 34 0 Irish and Scoteh, per 4801 b.. .. 31) 0— 31 0 Foreign, duty pd. 26 6 . 27 0 European, per im perial quarter.. 30 0 —3l 0 Peas, English, per imperial quartr 33 0— 35 0 Foreign • .. 32 0— 33 0 Malt, English, per imperial quartr 54 0 58 0 Do., Irish .• 50 0— b 2 0 Do., brown • • 43 0 —5O 0 Flour, English, pr 2801 b —35 0— 37 0 Irish, extra fine.. 37 0 . 38 0 United States, per barrel .. 26 0— 27 0 Canadian .. 26 0— 27 0 Oatmeal, English, & Acoteb,pr24olb .5 0 26 0 Irish, new .. • • 23 6 —24 0 Do., old .. .22 0 --. 23 0 Indl in corn, per 4801 b • - Wheat, per 701 b : English, white 7 0 to 7 3 Do. r.d.. 6 9 7 0 Irish, new •• 5 6 G 01 Do., old • • 6 3 6 6' Dantsic• • •• 7 0 - 7 6 Do., good mixed 6 8 7 0 Lowerlialtic,whit 6 9—G 10 Do. red.. 6 9 6 10, American . • • 7 0— 7 21 Canadian .. .. 7 0— 7 2 1 Spanish, red an , t white.. Tuscan and Bar letta, red .. • . 6 6 6 9j Marlanopoli .. 63 6 61 Odessa, Polish .• 6 0 6 - 6 Do., hard.. • . 4 6 5 0 Egyptian .. 4 0 4 6 Oats, per 451 b :-- Engli.h and Scotch 2 8 2 9 1 Welsh •• .. 2 6 2 7 Irish, mew .. 2 6 2 7 Do., old • • • 2 8— 2 9 Barley, English, pr imperial quarter 32 0 - 34 0, Irish, Scotch, and Ilarx,per6olb.. 3 6 4 31 .. .. 29 0— 31 0 ABERDEEN, JAN. 2 6.—There was an average attend ance at market to-day. Silss stiff and little business dime. Oats, 14a to 16s, 401 b per bushel; barley, 23s to 24s Od, bear, 23s to 245, 521 b per bushel; wheat, 50s to 545; oatmeal, 133 to 14s per boll ; flour, 433 to 495 per sack. 00- 0 0 - ABERDEEN PROVISION MARKET, JAN. 26.—Beef, 5d to 7d; mutton, 5d to 7d; veal, 5d to 7d per lb; pork, 4s od to 5s per stone; lamb, Os Od to Os Od; tallow, 4s 6 1 to 5s per stone; potatoes, 1011 to is per peek; butter. 7d to 8d per lb ; eggs, 7d to 9d per dozen; hens. 34 to 3s 6d; chickens, 2s 6d to 3s; ducks, 2s Od to 2s 6i; ducklings, 2s to 2s 6d per pair; turkeys, 4s 6d to 5s Od; geese, Os to 0s Od each. Butter for exportation (present cure), 58s per cwt. Eggs, wholesale price, 6id per d, zen. Bread, 4lb loaf, 8d; 21b loaf, 4d. Pork, per stone of 141 b, 3s 6 , 1; pork, fine small, 5s 6d; pork, large. 3s 6d to 4s 3d. Ship pork, per barrel of 204 lbs, I 00s. ABERDEEN MEAL MARKET JAN.2S —We had an ave rage supply of meal at mis - rket to-night. Trade ruled heavy, at last week's prices. Oatmeal, Is 4d to Os Od; bearmeal. is 4d to Os Od; peasmeal, 2s Od to 2s 2d; side, 6d to 7d; barley flour, Is 5d to 1,6 d; barley dust, 7d to 8,1; fl our. 2s to 2s 3d; barley, per lb. lid 2d. JAN. 25.—The number of cattle brought for ward to our monthly market on Monday last, far ex ceeded what we have ever been accustomed to, either last season or the present, and 'we venture to affirm, that there are ft w districts in this part of the country who could produce a simiiar surplus stock. Notwith standing the presence of a numerous body of dealers, sales were effected with difficulty, at a considerable re duction from that of December. By three o'clock, however, a good deal of business was transacted, many being obliged to submit to the reduction, having no doubt previously taken a survey of their turnip fields, which can bear no comparison to that of the correspond ing period of last season. Others seemed resolved to hold out for some time, in hopes of a reaction taking place. Some of the more superior animals brought from 161 to 191. STONEILIVEN GRAIN MARKET, JAN. 25 .—Oats, 401 b, I4s to 14s 6d; barley and bear, 531 b, 22s to 24s per bushel. MONTROSE, JAN. 26.—Our market had an upward tendency. to-day for barley and beans. Wheat, 621 b, 445; barley, 531 b, 235; oats, 401 b, 16s to 17s ; beans and peas, 621 b, 23s per quarter. INVERNESS, JAN. 23.—Prices are falling, and as the duty on foreign corn ceases next month, there is little probability of any rise in the southern markets for some time, unless the weather should prove exceedingly stormy, and destruc , ive to the young brairds. Things were dull in our market to day, anewheat, which bad been quoted higher in our market than in others, came down very considerably. 45s was the highest price tor 621 b going, and offers were current as low as 40s. Pro bably none were accepted, however, at this low figure, as the farmers will hold till the spring; but the 'ulcers seemed determined to offer very little more. Oats are stationary. First flour is down 3s per sack on the top; cond is down 6s. Oatmeal is is per boll lower. In the retail market there has also been a r , ductioe. Wheat, per qr of 621 b per bushel ... 40s Od to 45s Od Barley, do 541 b do ... 26s Od to 0, Od Oats, do do do ... 18s Od to 19s Od INVERNESS MEAL AND PROVISION MARKET, JAN. 23. —Oatmeal, 16s; ditto second, 15s Od; barleymeal, 115 8d; peasemeal, 14s to 15s per imp boll; bran, 501 to 8d per stone; Ist flour, 405 to 425; 2d ditto, 30s to 32s per 280 lb; oatmeal, best, is 83; ditto. second, is 6d ; bar leymeal, is 2d; peasemeal, 15 61; Ist flour, 2s 9d cash, 3 , credit; 2J, ditto, 2,3 d cash, 2s 6d credit per stone of 141! imperial . Potato4s, 3d to 4d per stone; beet, 6tl to 811; veal, 41 t) 6d; mutton, 4,1 to 7o; pork, 4d to 7ti per lb; fowls, 12d to 15d; chickens, 121 to led per pair; ego, 7d to 8d per dozen; butter, fresh, 93; ditto, salt, 11d to Is; croudie (curd ), 2id per lb; 41b loaf, cash, 6cl to 7d; ditto, credit, 6id to 7id; coals, 9d per cwt; bay, 63 p- r st,ne. BELFAST, JAN. 25.—Whether it is from the severity of the weather, or from our farmers joining in the gene ral feeling that we are, after the Ist, to have an advance in prices, and, specu!ating accordingly, are withholding the usual supplies, but so it is, that we have had very bare supplies of grain since Friday, yet dealers were not disposed to buy beyond their immediate wants, prices, ag undernoted, are generally on the decline. Wheat bee declined 3d on the best qualities, and fully 6d on the other sorts, on the week; and th e sa l es o f parce l s ar e very limited at a similar &cline. Flour—All parties sell as they can, and it is difficult to get at the rictus' selling prices. •ur quotations are, in some instances, 6d lower this week. Barrel flour a pretty tree sale, at 273 to 28s per barrel. Barley is difficult of sale at late prices. Oats are 3d to 4d lower, but sell readily at the decline. Oatmeal has again declined 3d, and is dull of sale.' Indian corn is in small bounds, and in few hands, and sells pretty freely at 71 7 s 6d to 7110 s for white, and 71 103 to 71 15s for yellow. CORK, JAN. 2 7.—Flour—Firsts, 14s 6tl to 15s 6d; extra, 16s 6d; seconds, 13s 6d to 14s 6d; households, its to 13s; thirds, 8s to lOs per cwt. Meal—Oatmeal, 11 s Od to Ils 6d; Indian meal, 8s Od; wheat meal, its Od per cwt. Indian corn, 71 to 71 lOs per ton. Bran, 51 per ton. Hay—Farmers', 25s 0.1 to 45s Od; average, 38s ; dealers, 42s to 48s per ton; average, 46s per ton. Straw—Farmrs', 18s Od to 31s Od; average, 245; deal ers, 30s Od to 34s Od per ton. Bread—Wheaten loaf, 7d to lid; household loaf, 6d to bid per 41b. Coals Newport, 17s; Lydney, 18s; Landore, 17s; best Neath culm, 16s per ton. Tallow. 48s 6d per cwt. Whisky ! 25 over proof, 6s Od per imperial gallon. Meat—Beer, 4d to 7d; Britton, 5d to 6,4 d; veal, Sid to 7d; pork, 4 d to Sid; bacon, 7d to 8d; sausages, 6d per lb. Hop, 61 lOs per cwt. Bangor slates, 312 s 6d to 315 s per ton. Bark—Barbary, 6/ to 71; Valunia, 111 to 131; French, 61; English, 6/ per ton. Fleece wool, 10s to 12s per stone. Hemp, 351 per ton. Fish—Scotch herrings, 18s to 00s; red ditto, 25s to 27s per brl; Nawfoundland, 111 to 121 lOs per ton. Timber—New Memel, 41 10s; old scarce red pine, 31 15s; yellow pine, 31 per ton; deals, first quality, 20/; second quality, 171 per 120. Hides-- Market, Its to 16s; salted, 1 Is to 16s per cwt; calf skins, lid to 2/d; market, Zed to lid per lb. Guano—Peru vian, 101 10s; Ichahoe, 91 per ton. Potatoes, white, 10d to 12d; Minions, 18d. Tar—Archangel, 18s per brl. DUTCH SHEEP.—On the 15th inst., an ewe be long lug to Mr. Jaws %Valli-, Leith Walk, dropped twin lambs, one of which is black and the other white, and both are doing well. It is somewhat singular that the same ewe dropped a lamb in January last, NO was sold at a high price in March, and a foster lamb was then placed to the ewe, which she also brought rts ptilk t4 , rward t 4, gre.t, perfection • The ewe was int" Forted from llollatql in autumn 1847.—Edinburgh Post I :1. DVE RTISEMENT.:I—TH E EARL OF ALDBoßotTail atin itoLLow,ty's rtu.s.—An astounding cure by this miraculous medicine, atter every other means had failed. See extract from his Lordship's lette!', dated " Villa Messina, Leghorn, Feb. 21, 1845. Professor Solloway—Sir; beg to acquaint you that your pills hav ef fected a cure or a disorder in my liver and stomach which all the most eminent of the facility, at home and all over the continent, had not been able to effect ; nay, not ever the waters of Carlsbad or Ma rienbad. (Signed) " ALDBOHOUGII." These wonderttil pills will cure any disease of the li ver or stomach.—Sold (also Helloway ' S Ointm.nt) at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, and by ell medicine vendors throughout the civilised world. BIRTHS. On the '4th inst.. at Glasgow, the lady of Captain E. E. Haines, 920 Highlanders, of a daughter. On the 20th inst., toe wife of W. Bosworth, Esq., of Charley-hall, Leicestershire, of a daughter. Ou the 23d inst., Mrs. Humphrys, of Bursledon, South ampton, of a son. At Ampth ill-square Hampstead-road, on the 24th inst., the wife of T. J. Barker, EN., of a daughter. On the . 25 h hist,, the wife of F. S. Williams, Esq., of Lincoln's Inn, of a son. On the •sth inst., at Devonshire-place, the lady of L• Kennedy. Esc, of a eanater. On the: 26th inst., the wife of H. White, Esq., Carron wharf, London, of a son. On the 26th inst., at Gibson-souare, the wife of the Rev. Charles F. Vardy, A.M., of a daughter. MARRIED. On the 23d inst., at - Birk Maim, Isle of Man, Loftus Wigram. Et , q., of Lincoln's Inn. son of the late Sir Robert Wigram, Part., to Lady Catherine J. Douglas, youngest daughter of the late Earl of Selkirk. On the 24th inst., at Wellington, Shropshire, Robert D. Jones, E-q.. third son of Pryce Jones, E q., of Cyffionnyd„ 4l, al.ntgomeryshire, to J ane. t hi rd daughter of St. John C. Charlton, Esq., of Apley Castle, in the tbrmer county. iIIED. On the 9th of September last, at Wellington, New Zea land, Colonel William Wakefield. On the 16th inst., at the Rectory, Chelsfield, the Rev. J. E. T ar l eton, D.C.L , formerly Fellow of A ll Souls College, O x f or d . On the 17th i ns t . , at Ri c k ruansm orth, Hots, Mary, the wife of M a j or Willi am Stone, of that place. H On the 23d i nst ., at as:ing,s, aged 46, 11. Colebournet , M. D., of S toc k we ll- v i l l as, Clapham. On the 24th i nst ., at S t. L eonard ' s-on -Sea, George Du ke, Esq., aged 46. On the 25th i ns t., a t Q ueen - street, C heapside, W . L o ng, Esq., aged 81. On the 25th inst., J ames L . J e ff ree, E sq., churc h war d e n of St. Luke's, Ch e l sea , aged 51.0 n Kent, th :inst , John Webster, eldest son of Mr. Kent, of Laurie terrace, St. George's-road. Southwark. aged 27. On the 26th inst , airs. Dudley, of Connaught-terrace. On the 2r , th inst., at Garrick's-villa Hampton, Marienn e Louise, the eldest daughter of S. Phillips, Esq. On the 22d inst., at Belgrave cottage, Wandsworth - roa d, VauxhAll, Sophia Elderton, formerly of Clapham-rise. London : Printed and Published by MUIIDO YOUNG, ° I No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, No. 112 / Strand, in the Precinct of th e Savoy, the Multi 9 bivaclay, January 29, 1849. THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JAN ETARY 20, 1840. PK)] Ulf itu Tai hi(