The Sun. — London, England, 1861-07-24 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS—YESTERDAY. The LORD CHANCELLOR too k his seat on the woolsack At five o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Earl of Egremont's Estate Bill, the Stourbridge Railway (extension to Smethwick, &c.) Bill, and the Swan sza and Meath Railway Bill were read a third time and passed. THE PAROCHIAL AN D ILL BOROUGH SCHOOLS B. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from the Uni versity of Edinburgh, setting forth that a bill with this title had recently been introduced into the House of Com mons. With the bill, as a whole, they cordially approved, but they deprecated any clause of a sectarian tendency, and prayed that when the bill came into their lordsbips' hands they would alter it in this sense. ANNOYANCE JURORS (WESTMINSTER) BILL. Their lordships went into committee on this bill, Lord LLANOVER proposed certain amendments, which Lord CHELMSFORD opposed. He defended the constitution of the Court of Perquisites, and strongly objected to the abolition of this court, as proposed by Lord Llanover. The only argument as it seemed to him, which his noble friend urged against the court was that it was a self-elected body. What force had that argument when the self-elected body, as in the present case, proved itself fully able to perform its functions. Earl PO WIS supported Lord Llanover's amendment The question was whether there should be a professional or a non-professional judge. Viscount DUNGANNON thought the police magistrates had already enough work on their hands. There was no reason for taking out of the hands of the burgesses a duty that they had always performed well. He should vote against the amendment proposed by the noble lord. After a few remarks in reply from Lord LLANOVER, the amendments were negatived without a division. VOTERS (IRELAND) BILL. This bill was read a second time The University Elections Bill was read a second time. The Salmon Fisheries Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed. IRREMOVEABLE POOR BILL. Lord WODEHOUSE moved the second reading of this bill. He stated that the class of irremoveable poor was created under the act passed in 1846, by which, for the first time, it was provided that five years' residence in a parish should confer a status of irremoveability ; and another bill, brought in by Mr. C. Buller when he was President of the Poor-law Board, provided that the irremoveable poor should be thrown upon the common fund of the union, the assess ment being calculated upon the cost of the relief of this class during the three preceding years. Under this law a great many poor persons had become irremoveable. In 1860 no less than 225,000 were relieved as irremoveable poor, and the expenditure for their relief amounted to £708,000. It was proposed by this bill to diminish the time during which there must be continuous residence to constitute irremove ability. from 5 to 3 years, and it was also proposed that, in stead of this continuous residence being necessary within a particular parish continuous residence within any one union should be sufficient. The bill also made a change in the mode of raising the funds for the relief of the irremoveable poor, proposing, instead of their being raised upon an assess ment based upon the average expenditure of three years preceding, that they should be raised upon the county as sessments, so that the expenditure would be thrown equally according to their assessment to the county rates upon all the parishes of the union, This was not a bill for the abolition of settlement, nor was it a bill for union rating. The object was to remedy certain grievances, which, in point of fact, had arisen principally out of the law of 1546 itself. The law of 1846 had aggravated the evil, which arose in parishes which were in the possession of a few landowners, by making it their interest to reduce the number of settled poor in their parish. The poor people came in to supply a deficiency of labour, not in a particular parish, but through out a district, and it was a great hardship on open parishes that the whole of the cost of their relief should fall upon them. There were parishes which were overburdened with poor, because land was easily procurable in them for resi dences for labourers, and there were others benefiting by the labour of those persons which were free from contributions to their relief. As regarded the diminution of the terms of residence from five to three years, one of the great improve ments in the administration of the poor law of late years had been the reduction in the numbers of removable poor. The greatest hardships were suffered under the present ad ministration of the law in the removal of poor persons from one part of the country to another, and the effect of this pro position would be to make a still further reduction, and a very considerable one, in the number removeable. (Hear.) This bill gave the poor man the right of being relieved in a district after a residence of three years, and required not that he should be resident for that period in a particular parish, but in a whole district. It did not seek to establish union rating, and in regard to settled poor all that was pro posed by the bill was to extend the area of residence to the whole union. It was a great hardship that poor persons should be liable to be removed suddenly to a distant parish of er having given their labour to a particular parish for a number of years; and there were not a few instances of per sons losing their claim of settlement by moving from one house to another 100 yards off. It was to mitigate evils which were inseparable from the present law of settlement that this bill was introduced, and he trusted their lordships would consent to read it a second time. (Hear.) Viscount LIFFORD objected to the bill that it destroyed the present parochial system, and was the first step, and not a small one, towards the establishment of a system of union rating. There was only one way in which security could be obtained for the proper administration of the poor law, and that was a small rating area, that every man might know how his money was being expended, and see that it was his interest to prevent as far as possible poor persons from coming upon the parish. The effect of the charge being made upon electoral districts instead of upon parishes had been injurious enough in Inland ; but the system pro posed by the noble lord was infinitely worse, because in Ire land they had not, as in England, the cankerworm of out door relief. The only remedy against the evil was the establishment of small areas of rating. He trusted their lordships would not defeat the beneficial arrangements of the act of 1845 by the provisions of this bill. He begged to move that the bill be read a second time that day six months. The Earl of DEVON supported the bill. He thought that whatever benefited the labourer and ameliorated his condi tion must, by a not remote consequence, improve the condi tion of his employer also. (Hear, hear.) The noble lord who spoke last, after passing a just eulogy upon the former poor-law act, implored their lordships not to interfere with the principles of that great measure. Bat he (the Earl of Devon) contended that this, so far from interfering with, was simply a continuation of and supplement to, that for mer measure. The doctrine that the labourer ought to be permitted to carry his labour with the most perfect free dom wherever he pleased, was one which had been ac cepted ever since the days of Adam South. He did not know whether their lordships had ever read the speech in which a lamented friend of his, the late Mr. Baines, intro duced this subject to the House of Commons, and in which the hardships of the law of settlement were most fully ex hibited. Arguments had been advanced in favoir: of small areas of rating, and he had always been in favour of small areas with regard to Ireland. But, in point of fact, this bill did not go the length of establishing uion areas of rating with regard to the poor universally. It merely pro posed to diminish the time, and to increase the area neces sary to confer irremoveability in certain cases. As the case now stood, it often happened that the poorest parish con tributed unevenly to the fund, because the common fund often received the largest contributions from the p ar i sh which for the last three years had received the greatest number of poor. He thought that the principle ofirremove ability had already had great effect in diminishing theahll didmiouii i t of pauperism throughout the county. All that this was to throw upon the common fund the ch ar g e of the irre moveable poor, now contributed by the several parishes. He thought the bill fraught with benefits not onl y to the poor but to the ratepayers. It came before their lordships recommended by two committees of the Houseof Commons and by many leading authorities, and he strongly recom mended it to their lordships' consideration. (Hear, hear.) The Earl of STRADBROKE said he was one of the few members of their lordships' house who recollected the pas sing of the measure of 1834, and he had cordially supported the passing of that measure. Ho had objected strongly to the introduction of the principle of irremoveability, because when the Chargeability remained on the parish to which a poor man belonged, it was to the interest of the ratepayer to find him employment. (Hear.) blow it was proposed, not only - to reduce the period from five years to three, but to extend the area from the parish to the union. Ho feared, therefore, that the result would be a great increase of irre moveable poor. Besides, were their lordships satisfied that the eouuty rate was a fair basis on which to levy the com mon fund ? No doubt it was true that the bill did not in troduce union rating ; but which of them failed to see that it was the thin end of the wedge? He was not unfavourable to the principle of union rating in towns; but he maintained that that principle was not equally applicable to country districts. He denied that the landlords were desirous of pulling down cottages in order to rid themselves of their fair share of the poor rate. In the county with which he was himself connected there had been no fewer than 2,621 new cottages built within the last ten years. (Hear, hear.) lie believed that the bill would have an injurious efiact upon the Poor, because it would prevent them from being so well employed as they hould therefore supp ort the were at present; and he Lord It LDESDAL d it hadendmentE said am. (Bear.)) been the object of those 4 h o supportA the bill to represent it as a little measure, but it was in point of fact a very large one. (Hear hear.) It Was re all y im p ossible to a gree t it withoutconsidering the whole law of t-otilement. The bill would not altogether cure the evil which it sought to r emedy, be cause i f a man lived in a border parish and stepped over the boundary of the union he would lose his irremoveability just the same as l'e would at p resent. (Hear, hear.) Be (the noble lord) contended, therefore, that they whole theyc ould not deal with the bill without con,idering law of settlement. ver y great alter a ti on in the The m,abure would make a incidewe of the poor rate, Tor.o. for example, *31,3 union which had been referred to, where the rate in one parish was as much as 9s. in the pound, and only 4s. or ss. in the other. The bill would make in the one case as great a difference as the imposition of a new income tax, and in the other as the removal of the existing one. He did not deny there were inequalities which ought to be cured, but the remedy proposed was too violent—at all events too vio lent to be considered at this season of the year. He would appeal to their lordships what the other house would say if they had sent down to them a measure of equal importance at that period of the session ? (Hear, hear.) He did hope, therefore, that the noble lords in charge of the bill would not press its second reading. The Duke of NEWCASTLE did not say that the bill was either a small or unimportant one. On the contrary, he contended that if it passed it would cause the present ses sion to be looked back upon as one in which an act of great practical beneficence had been done to the poor. (Hear.) As for the period of the year, there was still a fortnight or three weeks of the session to run—(oh ! oh 1) —and their lordships had had sufficient opportunities as landlords for inquiry into the subject; besides which they had had the advantage of the investigations of the other house which had thrown a flood of light upon the subject. Every pro vision of the bill had been recommended by Mr. Sotheron- Estcourt's committee; and, with the exception of a very strange proposal, namely, that units of population should be added to the pounds sterling of rateable value as a basis on which to levy the common fund, the measure practi cally embodied the report of that committee. It was an err or to speak of this as the thin end of a wedge, or as the commencement of an attempt to upset the parochial system. It merely sought to correct the mode of levying the com mon fund, which at present was one of the most un just that could be conceived. In the first instance, it was fair enough that each parish should pay towards the union expenses in proportion to the number of its paupers ; but the moment they threw the irremovable poor upon the common fund it became as unjust as possible. Take, for example, the case of a union which had been referred to by the noble lord, and of which he (the noble duke) had some personal knowledge. In the union of Radford (Notts) there were three contiguous a nd populous parishes, but the rates were in one case 11s., and in the other two 4s. in the pound. There was in each an equal number of irremovable poor ; and the rateable value of each was nearly the same—that was to say, it only varied from £20,000 to £21,000. Now, if they charged eac h the same s um towards the union ex penses they would do justice; but if they made the contri bution depend upon the number of the settled poor, the one parish, already overburdened, would have to pay nearly three times as much as its neighbours towards its unsettled poor, with which it had really nothing to do. He was cer tain the poor would benefit greatly by the provisions of the bill, and he trusted their lordships would read it a second time. (Hear, hear.) The Earl of CARNARVON was not prepared to give his opposition to the provisions of the bill, but did not think they should be asked to deal with a question of such mag nitude so near to the end of the session. Five new bills were brought up from the House of Commons on the previous evening, there were yet measures to be introduced into the House of Commons, and in this state of the business of the session he protested against this important question being pressed upon the consideration of their lordships. Their lordships divided— For the second reading Against it Majority The bill was accordingly read a second time. The Dublin Revising Barristers Bill was read a second ,ime. The Drunkenness (Ireland) Bill and the Landlord and Tenant (Ireland) Bill passed through committee. The Naval Medical Supplemental Fund Society Bill was read a second time. ECCLESIASTICAL DILAPIDATIONS. The Bishop of LONDON rose to call the attention of the house to the subject of ecclesiastical dilapidations. His lordship said there were so many as 9,000 residences and 12,020 encumbances in this country ; but that fact did not show the importance of the subject, The residences were increasing at the rate of 125 a-year. In the last 25 years they had increased in number from 6,000 to 9,000. What they wanted was a law to keep t hese residences in proper repair. Under the present law the incumbent was bound to keep the residence in repair ; but that could only be done through the Ecclesiastical Courts, and their lordships knew these courts were not in the state they ought to be. The only remedy for the present state of things was aperiodical visitation, with power given to the bishop to insist upon the necessary repairs. The machinery to work the measure would be the same that was employed in Queen Anne's bounty. The measure which he would now lay upon the table had been approved of by both Houses of Convocation and by the clergy, and it was important that during the recess it should be considered what improvements could be made in it. (Hear, hear.) After a few words from Lord DUNGANNON and the Bishop of CARLISLE in approval of the measure, the bill was read a first time. BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY BILL. It was reported to their lordships that the Commons had agreed to certain amendments of the Lords, and rejected others, Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS—YESTERDAY. The SPEAKER took the chair at twelve o'clock. THE WAR IN NEW ZEALAND. Lord A. CHURCHILL asked the Under Secretary for the Colonies what was the nature of the last despatches re ceived from New Zealand. Mr. FORTESCUE said the news was of a very hopaful character; the Governor of the colony reported that he was negociating with those who had taken up arms against her Majesty, and that he was in hopes that the result would be satisfactory. INLAND REVENUE BILL. The house went into committee on this bill. On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHE. QUER, clause 7 was struck out, and 8 was agreed to. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he would now explain the clauses which were agreed to on the former sitting, on the understanding that he would afford an opportunity to the house to reconsider them. The clauses which he would now call attention to were for the purpose of equalising the land tax laid by various parishes, and also to facilitate their collection, and to apply the sur plus to the redemption of the tax. The clauses would, without interfering with the discretion of the Land-tax Commissioners, have the effect of making the Inland revenue responsible for the management of the surplus and its application to the redemption of the tax. It would be for the committee to say whether it agreed to these clauses ; if not, he would re-commit the bill for their further con sideration. Mr. HENLEY called the attention of the committee to the fact that if the collectors were under an obligation to make a return to the Commissioner of Inland Revenue, the result might be to cause some difficulty in rentals of very small tenements, the collection of the tax from which would cost more than the tax itself would amount to. Lord H. VANE thought that this bill was a very necessary and a very useful one. It was desirable that the Government should appoint some one to assist the commis sioners, who were not always very competent to make the assessment. _ _ Mr. BARROW thought the commissioners were as able to make the assessment as they were to"hear appeals against the poor rate assessment. They did the one, and certainly could do the other. After a few words from Sir IV. JOLLIFFE, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER ex plained that the clause was not only to deal with ex isting surpluses, but also with those that might here after accrue. The bill did not take any of the powers which the Commissioners now held away from them, but would render a more regular and proper collection of the tax necessary. ofc A tiha ft, e ue a a u3 f a7 e w wt words aaxs Henley, and Mr dn . reom N ptp e pe w rde d . :gat) the discussion on the subject Boftvmheatec seasidsiotnhaoatmuet the d y , which was to facilitate the re covery. Mr. o effect of this clause would be to deprive all pa r ti es of any power to appe a l f ro m de c i s i ons of the Court of Exchequer, and some remedy should be I su pplied in the bill to meet thieobjti Mr. PHILLIPS was stronelyeoc objection. d to proceeding session. w ith these clauses at so late a period Th e CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that he would not obje ct to the introductio n of the words to me e t the views of the hon. member for Guildford (M r . Bovill). In reply to Mr. WALPOLE, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER maid that he had not been able to look into the proceeds that might be derivable front a succession duty on the prope r t y of cprporate bodies, It w as understood that it would not realise more than £5,000 a year, but h e hoped to be able to sift the matter thoroughly on a future occasion. Sir 11. JOLLIFFE hoped that the subject would be taken into consideration early next session. After some conversation the clause, with amendments, was agreed to. On clause 38, which proposes to exceed the preceding clause to Ireland, there was some irregular discussion, in the course of which The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it had been determined to divide the bill into three bills, a course which was sanctioned by precedent. Mr. MASSEY, thi chairman of the committee, was ap pealed to and confirmed the statement of the right hon. gentleman. The clause was agreed to. Oa clause 39, which related to probate duties, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was proposed to provide for the prevention of just debts due to the Treasury being evaded. In order to accomplish that object more effectually, he moved the following amendment :—" At the end, after "voluntary debt," add, "expressed to be payable on the death of such person, or payable under any instrument which shall not have been bona fide delivered to the donor thereof, three months before the death of such person." The right, hon. gentleman, in reply to some questions, stated that as regarded gifts inter vivos the clause would not inter fere with any bequests of that kind, except they came! THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JULY 24, 1861 Within the terms of the amendment, namely, being delivered to the donee three months previous to the demise of the donor. PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT (INDIA). Col. SYKES rose to move, "That on all occasions when candidates were invited to compete for public employment under the Crown, British subjects born in India should be allowed to compete on the same footing as other British sub • jects. That Drs. Thompson, Goodhall, Pulney Andy, Mun- The clause was then agreed to. On clause 40, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER explained that the object of the clause was to give effect to the Succession Duty Act of 1853, which, as it stood at present, enabled persons by arrangement amongst themselves to evade the payment of the succession duty. He contended that, without such a clause, the spirit of the bill could not be carried out. Sir F. GOLDSMID moved the omission of the clause, which he considered was framed with a view to repeal the effect of a decision of the House of Lords. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL contended that an alte ration in the Succession Daty Act had become necessary, and that a decision of the House of Lords was no ground for not introducing amendments in an existing law. The learned gentleman illustrated his position by a number of suppositious cases which might probably arise, in which the spirit of the bill might be entirely evaded. Sir H. CAIRNS opposed the amendment, contending it wa s quite unnecessary, and complicated the matter unneces sarily. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said after what had occurred, he should not persevere with the clause. cherjee, Beramjee Colah , and Surgeon Pickachy, all British subjects, having been prohibited from competing for the office of assistant-surgeon in the Royal army, at a publicly alvertised meeting appointed for the 18th day of February last in London, it is the opinion of this house that such pro - hibition was unjust, impolitic, and uncalled for." He con-, tended that the prohibition, while it was a violation of guarantees given by Parliament and the Crown, was disad vantageous to the public service in India, and it disappointed hopes and expectations which the people of our Eastern Empire were encouraged to entertain. The motion was seconded by Mr. LAYAE,D. Mr. T. G. BARING, remarking that the second resolu- tion was a direct censure upon the Secretary of State for War, said this was not a question of the employment of na tives of India, but whether they should be employed in the British army, in the general medical service of the Crown, in all parts of the world. The opinion of the best authorities, upon which the Secretary of State had acted, was that natives of India were constitutionilly unfitted for service in all parts of the world, and, so far from the prohibition being unjust, impolitic, or improper, the Secretary of State would not have fulfilled his duty had he acted The clause was negatived. - The CHAIRMAN then reported the bill with amendments to the house ; and it was agreed that clause 15 should be withdrawn with a view to its re-introduction as a separate bill. otherwise. After a few observations by Mr. J. B. Smith and Capt. Jervis, and a reply by Colonel Sykes, who considered the objections of Mr. Baring utterly groundless, the motion The house adjourned at four o'clock, and reassembled at six. was withdrawn. BANKRUPTCY BILL. The report of the Committee of Supply was brought up and agreed to. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL brat/ ght up the report of the committee which had been appointed to draw . up rea sons for disagreeing with certain of the Lords' amendments to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Bill, and on his motion it was read by the clerk at the table, and subsequently agreed to. ECCLESIASTICAL LAW. On the motion for going into committee of supply, Mr. H. SEYMOUR moved a resolution that the state of the Ecclesiastical Law in England and Ireland, and of the Courts in which it is administered, and especially the Act commonly called the Clergy Discipline Act, require to be amended and reformed, and that it is incumbent on the Government to direct a measure to be prepared for that purpose. He reminded the house that the Ecclesiastical Law and the Ecclesiastical Courts, which had been con demned by the highest authorities, constituted the judicial system under which 25,000 most influential persons were governed, and observed that, owing to the state of the courts and the expense of the proceedings, the clergy were without any practical control. The present Bishop of Lon don had confessed and lamented the want of some reform of the ecclesiastical law, and some remedies of the delay and expense of the proceedings in the courts. Sir G. LEWIS said he was not disposed to maintain that the Ecclesiastical Courts, so far as they retained jurisdic tion, were in a satisfactory state. The Government had a great many measures to bring forward and were obliged to exercise a discretion as to what measures they should sub mit to the house, and it was impossible for him to give at present any formal pledge upon the subject. Some remarks were made by Mr. Newdegate and Mr Hadfield, and the motion was then withdrawn. mous and amply sufficient withont taxing the people in this indirect, and, he would say, surreptitious manner. After a few words from Sir M. PETO in opposition to the vote, The committee divided, and the numbers were— For the vote Against it Majority. —32 On the motion that £29,005 be granted to her Majesty to wards defraying the Patent Law expenses, Mr. WILLIAMS criticised the vote, and complained that of the amount a sum of £9,l 66 was set down to be paid to the law officers of the Crown, while the fees which they received were enormous. Capt. JERVIS called attention to the difficulties that were thrown in the way of poor men in their endeavours to take out patents to protect their inventions. A poor man, before he could take out a patent, must pay £5O, and out of that sum the Attorney-General got £5. The Lord Chan cellor's messenger also had his fees out of the sum. His (Captain Jervis's) attention had been called to this matter by the case of a poor man who had discovered a new inven tion which he was desirous to take out a patent for. He was so poor that he would not have been able to take out the patent had it not been for the assistance of a number of frienda, who, feeling for him, subscribed the £5O, and out of the sum so raised for the poor man the Attorney-General and the other law officers of the Crown received their fees. He must say it was a disgrace to this country that such a state of things should exist in relation to the patent law, and he should move that the vote be reduced by the sum of £9,166. Mr. PEEL defended the vote. With regard to the charge for taking out a patent, the expense had been reduced from £3OO to £25, and the Patent Law Commissioners stated that it was not expedient to make any further reduction. Mr. CONIgGITAM could see no earthly reason why the expenses of taking out a patent in this country should not be as low as those in America. The vote was agreed to. £13,018 for fisheries in Scotland was agreed to. £35,000 was then voted for local dues under treaties of reciprocity. Witness—l also found three letters from a lady addressed to W. J. Roberts, Northumberland-court, Charing-cross. I found them in a waste-paper basket in the front room. They do riot in the slightest relate to the present transac tion. The Coroner read the letters, but their contents did not transpire. Mr. M'Kenzie—l also found under the window some black hair. . _ £3,600 for salaries of inspectors of corn returns was agreed to. £l,OOO for boundary survey (Ireland) was agreed to. £126,930, for the expenses of taking the census of the po pulation, was the next vote. Mr. CAIRD complained that the particulars, as to Scot land, had not yet officially appeared, although extra ex penses had been incurred there, while the particulars had been published as to England and Ireland. Sir G. C. LEWIS said the census was taken by the police in Ireland, and was, therefore, cheaper. Scotland in volved more expense owing to the wide area to be gone over in proportion to the population, and there were also many islands to be visited by the enumerators. Mr. F. PEEL said the expense in Scotland was also in creased by an amendment moved by the hon. gentleman himself, that the number of unoccupied houses be taken; and also the number of windows in each. (Laughter.) The vote was then agreed to. On the vote of £26,457 to defray expenses in connection with telegraph companies, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in reply to Capt. JERVIS, said that the Red Sea Telegraph Com pany might be said to be reduced to a state of neutralised existence ; but it did not appear to the Government desi rable to proceed at present to any definite conclusion with respect to the financial arrangements involved. They were, however, of opinion that it would be desirable to as certain at a moderate cost the condition of the line, and his hon. friend the President of the Board of Trade had re ceived some reports which he hoped would enable him shortly to apprize them more precisely as to the mode and extent of the inquiry which it would be expedient to un dertake, in order that they might arrive at the root of the matter. So far as his information at present wenthe did not think the circumstances of the case very favourable. In reply to Sir M. PETO, Lord PALMERSTON said the Turkish Government were now employed in. establishing a telegraphic line along the Euphrates from Brusa down to Bassora, by means of which he hoped communication would be opened with India. After some further conversation the vote was agreed to, as was also a vote of £36,000 for the establishment of tele graphic communication between Malta and Alexandria. With this vote the Civil Service Estimates were brought to a close, and the Chairman was ordered to report the reso lutions agreed to in the cout se of the evening to the house. The Passengers (Australian Colonies) Bill passed through Committee. The house went into committee on the Landed Estates (Ireland) Act (188) Amendment Bill, and, on a division taking place, there were not 40 members present, and the house adjourned at 5 minutes to 2 o'clock. THE LATE FATAL ENCOUNTER IN Mr. Sleigh—l should like to form my own opinion about NORTHUMBERLAND-STREET. Mr. Humphreys—That is part of Major Murray's whis. kers. Mr. T. Roberts—You have no right to say so. It is jus as likely to be the hair of the unfortunate deceased. Mr. Humphreys—l was not addressing you, Sir. Mr. Roberts—Such remarks as you have just made ought not to be made. I say again, it is just as likely to be the hair of Mr. Roberts as Major Murray. Mr. M'Kenzie then proceeded to relate a conversation he had had with Major Murray, in the hospital, as to his con nection with Mr. Roberts. The statement was precisely the same as that given in evidence previously by tho wit ness Ramsey. The witness then proceeded—On seeing Mr. Roberts, after his arrival at the hospital, I asked him how it was done, and he replied " Murray did it." I said " How ?" and he replied, "My head is too bad now." On the following evening, about half-past seven, I was again in the hospital. He was sensible. I went and sat down by his bed side. I asked him if he knew me, and he said, "Oh yes, I know you very well, you are Mr. Mac kenzie." I said, " Will you tell me how you received all the injuries about the head ?" and he replied, "Yes, a man named Murray did it." I said, "Tell me how, Mr. Roberts." 'lie said, "He got the tongs, and attacked me, and struck me with a glass bottle." I said, " Tell me more particularly, did you know Murray before ?" He replied, " I have seen him before, but never spoke to him." I asked if he met him by accident or appointment. He said, "By accident, in Hungerford-market, and he came to my office with me about a loan. That Major Murray shot himself in the neck, and attacked me with the tongs like a demon, and with a glass bottle." I asked him the amount of the loan, and he said, "£50,000." I asked if he wished to make a deposition before a magistrate, and he said, " No, I've nothing more to say." I did not speak to him after, although I saw him every day until his death. When Major Murray was telling me about the conversa tion, I told him the name of the person he had spoken of was Roberts, not Grey. By Mr. Sleigh—Superintendent Durkin, Mr. Roberts's son, and other persons were present while Mr. Roberts made his statement. I think Roberts told me he had been dozing. The spots of blood on the window in the back room were considerably higher than a man's head. Tho drawer in which I found the razor was closed, and there were no marks of blood either on the things insi le or out side of it. I found that a woman lived at Elm Lodge call ing herself Mrs. Murray. Her name is Anne Maria Murray. Mr. Humphreys—l beg to say I shall tender that lady's ADJOURNED INQUEST. A portion of the following appeared in our impression of yesterday : The coroner's inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of William John Roberts, lately occupying apart ments in Northumberland-street, Strand, was resumed yes terday in the board-room of Charing -cross Hospital be fore Mr. St. Clair Bedford, the coroner for the city of West minster. evidence. • Witness—l found this was the residence of Major Mur ray. The name of Roberts is on the door of No. 16, Nor thumberland-street. There is no name of Grey or any , hing like it painted on the door. I distinctly heard Major Murray say repeatedly that he had never before been in the house No. 16, Northumberland-street. By Mr. Humphreys—The last encounter, according to Major Murray was near the folding doors—partly in one room and partly in another. The legs of Roberts were in the back room and the body in the front. Murray said he took up the legs and turned them into the front room. Mr. Sleigh objected to the mode of cross-examination. Mr. Humphreys thought he was being unnecessarily in terrupted. Mr. Roberts again made some observation, when Mr. Humphreys said if such interruptions were continued it would be the duty of the Coroner to order the person so interrupting out of the room. Mr. Roberts thought such remarks quite uncalled for. After some further conversation, the cross-examination proceeded—l cannot say whether Roberts walked or crawled from one spot to the other. There is no indication of his having been dragged there. In the back room there is a small chair with blood on the seat, but I cannot say whether it would be so if a man had been shot while sitting there. To get to the secretoire which has been referred to the natural course would be round the back of the person sitting on the left hand of the fire place ; to go in any other way the per-- son sitting w3uld have to be removed. The hair I found under the window appears to be that of a person's whisker rather than hair from the head. It is the colour of Major Murray's hair. Al ogether I found six pistols—two pairs, a revolver, and a pocket pistol. The shirt with the blood upon it was found upon the linen basket. The towel was found on the drugget or carpet. The name of " W alker" on the blotting paper appears to be in the head writing of Roberts. I found several documents in Roberts rooms relative to army agency with the namas of Stcqueler and Eicke on them. I don't know who Nicholson is, or who Roberts, Nicholson, and Co. are. Mr. Humphreys—Have you tested by all means in your power in your official capacity as to the truth of Major Murray's statement? Mr. Sleigh objected to the question, and it was not put. Coroner—Have you any evidence to corroborate Major Murray's statement ? Inspector Mackenzie—None but what has been given. Mrs. Eliza Tyler, the sister of the ward in which Mr. Roberts died, deposed that while attending him he appeared more inclined to speak to her than any 'one else. On Saturday night, the 18th, she asked Mr. Roberts who had beaten him so ' • he replied Murray did it. She then asked him who shot Major Murray; he replied, he (Murray) shot himself first, and beat him afterwards, and said he had beaten him with the tongs and poker; he never said any thing about his going to die. Witness asked Mr. Roberts if he knew Major Murray; his reply was, that he had seen him before, but never spoke to him. She asked him where he inet Major Murray; he replied, "In Hungerford market." She then asked him who spoke first; he replied, he spoke first ; and on witness asking him why, he said that he thought Major Murray belonged to the Grosvenor Hotel Company, and thought his company wanted money. By Mr. Humphreys—He did not at any time say that he had known Major Murray before ; what he said was, " 1 have seen him before, but never spoke to him." Mr. 'Wm. Roberts, the son of the deceased, recalled—l have been in the habit of acting for my father. He had no associate or partner. I used to sit in the room of No. 17. Mr. Superintendent Durkin explained that there was a communication from the staircase of No. 16 into 17 ; there was no communication from Mr. Roberts's rooms to No. 17, except through the landing. Mr. Wm. Roberts continued—l transacted the business in No. 17, and frequently went into my . father's room in No. 16. Was there on Thursday week last. Tho back room wes generally clean and orderly. Was not in the habit of going into the front room, but was there about a week ago ; it was then in order. My father used to dust his room himself. He last saw a woman acting as a laun• dress cleaning the room about a week before. The witness here identified the whole of the pistols pro duced as belonging to his father, except the revolver, which he had never seen before. n Wednesday week last he fired the small pistol at the mantel-piece in the back room, that was the only time he did so. By the Coroner—l have seen my father on two distinct occasions fire pistols at the fire place, but did not know whether he was in the habit of doing so. I identify the handwriting on the blotting paper, "Mrs. Murray, Elm Lodge, Tottenham, as those of my father. The impress of the other writing on the blotting paper is that of my father. The two letters produced are also in his handwriting. I knew Major Murray by sight. In March last I was walk ing with my father in the Strand, when he said, " That is Major Murray. Saw him about a month afterwards on the landing leading to his father's office. He did not speak to him ; it was about three or four o'clock in the afternoon; it was in the month of April, but he could not say what day. He was going to the bankers—the London and Westminster Bank, to change a cheque; it was my father's cheque. My father was at home when I saw Major Murray on the landing. I have often heard my father say he had been out with Major Murray all day at the Grosve nor Hotel. I have never written to Major Murray, but I have seen two letters written by my father to Major Mur ray, which I have posted. I don't know any person that had any communication with my father and Major Murray. I have seen letters from Mrs. Murray to my fatber. He has told me that they were from Mrs. Murray. I dq het know whether he had any business transactions w ith Mrs . Murray. She used to call at the office often. By Mr. Sleigh—When I saw Major Murrayoit.hsela ing ho was going towards my father's office ; s w t go n in d; down stairs I heard Major Murray knockt A rn t the n the door. I d had to go into the City, and id not reetu or Murray that day. When I and my father mards the Temple, a j to office in the Strand we were going tow Major Murray was mentioned about the heard Major Murray's name havo seen Major Murray coming towards Charing-cross. First beginning of this year. fathernot an irascible man, about b h u te twe rather a e t e h w e ai r th my I have fre the landing^. quently posted the Strand and on in the hospital ; ho is the same person I saw in had told me he had them 1 ha y, known the pistols letters to Mrs. Murray.q u produced giehtt. was to stand on a shelf within reach. yabeoaurst.twmoyyle.aatrhse;r my The bottles produced Murray call at the on She used to call ce as long came in the after week, e nd she generally noon. I have left b l a h ck av a e s O se c e t n ob l el r . s. er there about a fortnight or three weeks the chambers when Mrs. Murray has father; last saw since. By Mr. liuraPhreys — l am 18 years of a been in the business with my father about twoe, and have years First saw Mrs, Murray at my father' about 12 b * IV 10clatuB ago, yi men Mr. Humphreys attended on the part of Major Murray, and Mr. Sleigh for the family of the late Mr. Roberts. Police-constable 155 F said—l was on duty near Northumberland-street, on the 12th inst., about noon. Passing through Craven-court I met Major Murray, ac companied by Mr. Ramsey. As soon as he saw me he said, " Go round to 16, Northumberland-street, to a man who has shot me in the neck. He's in the first floor." I went there and proceeded upstairs, and tried to open the doors of the rooms ; as I could not 1 tried to force them open, but did not succeed. I then went down stairs and called for a ladder, and one was brought. I placed it against the back window of the first floor, and entered the room by that means. I found the place in great confusion, and a great quantity of blood beneath the window which I had entered. I then tried to open the back room door. I tried for some time, and did not succeed. After, twisting the large handle of the lock round and round the door seemed to open of itself. I observed after that there was a small nut or screw on the lock; but I cannot say whether that would make the lock on the door secure. On letting the police in I went into the room and found Mr. Roberts in a corner in the front room. I took hold of him, and he raised himself up and got hold of the brindle of the door. I sent for a cab. While it was gone for Roberts said " Let me sit down and die." I did not hear him say anything else. When I got him to the hospital I searched his clothes and found some Crystal Palace cards, one address card, marked " John Frazer Walker, solicitor, 16, Northumberland-street," half a return ticket, S.W. Railway, first-class, Richmond to London, four wens ' sion caps, and two penny pieces. That was all the money found in his pockets. Three rings were on his fingers and one in his pocket. The Coroner—Only twopence in his pockets, Was that all ? Witness—Yes, sir. • By Mr. Sleigh—l did not pat any questions to Roberts All I beard him say is what I have stated. - _ By Mi. Humphreys—l am quite sure the back room door was fastened inside. It was not locked. The key was in the dcor outside; I tried to turn it, but could not. Police-constable Langley, 100 A—l went to 16, North umberland-street, on the 12th. I saw Golding talking to Mr. Roberts, jun. He said somebody has been shot, and he is trying to get out of the window. I asked him who was in the front room, and he replied, " I think it's my father." I entered the place and saw white smoke about Ithe room. There was also a strong smell of gunpowder. I I saw on the table in the centre of the room the brace of pis tols I produce. Both hammers were down, and the secret triggers were out. On one was an exploded cap. Both ap peared to have been recently discharged. I saw the deceased in the front room in the position described. He was lifted up and placed in an armchair. A cab was sent for and he was taken to the hospital. I saw two other large pistols lying on the ground by the window in the back room. I examined them, and they did not appear to have been dis charged for some time. I did not examine them as to whether they were loaded. I don't know they are not loaded at the present time. The room was all in confusion. Inspector Mackenzie, of the F division of police, said— On Friday, the 12th inst., I went to Northumberland-street, about 12 o'clock at noon. I went to the first floor, lately occupied by Mr. Roberts. On entering the back room I found it in great confusion. I proceeded to make a minute search of the place, and under the window there were large Fools of blood. Everything about was saturated with it. On searching the corner I found two portions of a pair of tongs. I also found another portion of the same article lying on a table. Near the spot I found two broken bottles, one quite whole covered with blood. I also found a pistol case on the floor. Close to it I picked up 23 leaden bullets, some of which were covered with blood. The bullets fit both pairs of pistols. I proceeded with my search, and under the table I found the case behinging to the small pair of pistols. Blood is on both pistol cases. I also found a powder canister containing powder, and near the same spot I found an old-fashioned six-chamber revolver pistol. It was in the woollen bag I now produce. The large pistol's were on a table near which Mr. Roberts usually sat. One of the large pistols I found loaded with ball. I drew the charge. The charge was well home. There was a cap on the other pistol, but it did not appear as if it had been fired for some days. On the mantelpiece I found the percussion cam case. The caps fit the nipples of both pairs of pistols. I found the secretoire drawers had been pulled out, but nothing appeared to have been disturbed. They contained prin cipally law forms. I examined the mantelpiece and found there were bullet marks about it. On the shelf I found eight flattened bullets, which evidently bad been fired fi om the pistols. There were three bullet holes in the wall. Tho prints hanging up close to the window were found sprinkled with blood. One of the squares of glass in the window was completely covered with small spots of blood. I saw there were marks of blood on the doors. The outer door of the front room was locked. It remains so at present. Near the folding door I found a pillow covered with blood. There were,some beer bottles and small por tions of bread lying about the room. All the things in the place.were very tory. On riltArni4a to the back ro9PAI.O"T a quantity of blood on the carpet and hearth-rug. After I 1 Mrs. Murray has been there, never went to cash a cheque. It had further examined the room I went to the hospital I was in March when I met Major Murray in the Strand. I and saw both Major Murray and Mr. Roberts was then going with my father to issue a writ. It there. I then returned to Northumberland-street Nza ra s e a t b i c \ ) l u a t a t r he m mi r ddle, anc i l l it la wag . about a a m s o c n ert th ai a n ftg a t t h n a a and further prosecuted my examination. I found marks of one else la the u re ra t 3 o r seen the 3 ajo n r ;at.' ay bu;; myself. The blood on the water pipe near the back rcom window, and writ we were going to issue was against Mr. Charles some scratches under the outside of the window as from the Routledge. Was certain it was in the month of March. the toe of a boot. I have examined the whole of the papers, 100 was on the right hand side of thy, Strand, near Water; and Ido not find any correspondence between Mr. Roberts anbrridegim N i v :on n-I „ e l t )et M w a e j e o n r him and Strand, I L o t t he o r b . serv i and 1 Major Murray. While I was searching the front posted two letters to Major Murray, but do not recollect room young Mr. Roberts took another pistol, which I pro- the address of either. I think it was in March when I said duce, from a cabinet in the front room. On the 19th I one was directed to Pimlico ; I meant one of the letters to was again searching the front room, when I found the razor rli;se.arlu m rrair a . the l have only shot off the two pistols once. I produce, covered with blood, in a small oak cabinet near in all his life, and. say y I he nweevaerr that t3aw i t M w a !o a r Murray Major Murray f the window. I also found in a basket, with some other I saw on the landing. I recollect my father and linen 3 three shirts, a handkerchief, and ato wel spotted with mother being at a fete at the Crystal Palace. When they blood. met Mrs. Murray my father introduced her to my mother. I have heard they also met her at the Surrey Hall, when Coroner—ls there any mark on the linen? Mr. Spurgeon was preaching there. I did not know whether Inspector M'Kenzie—None. my father had been in the habit of lending Mrs. Murray The witness proceeded—l also found a sheet of white money. Mrs. Murray was in the habit of calling on my blotting paper with blood on it. On holding it up to the father two or three times a weak, but sometimes not it all. light I discovered a direction. It was "Mrs. Murray, Elm By Mr. Sleigh, through the Coroner—l have often heard Lodge, Talbot-road, Tottenham." There were also some my father speak to my mother about Major Murray and Mrs. Murray. marks of a letter. By Mr. Humphreys—l never heard my mother say she Mr. Sleigh took the paper, and after a minuta's exami- had ever seen Major Murray before. the 12th of this month. nation, said, I can seethe words " I cannot rest," "send by A very lengthened discussion here took place as to an bearer." adjournment, Dr. Canton stating that it would be unad '-,able t -Line Major Murray to-da' He would be visable to exam._ ajor 657 Ly. much better after a night's rest. it was ultimately deter mined to go on for another hour, and then adjourn to Thursday. COUNTRY ItIAREETS. BRISTOL-J ULY 23. At our market to-day there was a good attendance of millers, who were buyers of wheat to a fair extent, at last Tuesday's prices. Oats 6d advance. More business done in foreign grinding barley. Flour firm, and also peas. LEEDS—JULY 23. Our market to-day was fairly attended by millers, and the trade in wheat was at no reduction upon last week's currencies for good fresh samples; inferior parcels were neglected. Other articles unaltered. The reported arrivals are small. NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYNE—JULY 22. At this corn market there was a moderate show of wheat. The trade ruled very steady, and prices were at the extreme rates of last week—white making 64s to 70s. red 58s to 645. The demand for barley was slow, and not much changed in value. Oats were in limited request, with a firm sale, from 24s to 30s per 24 stone. Beans met with a dull sale, from 46s to 50s per qr. LIVERPOOL--JuLy 23. There was a good attendance of the town and country trade at this morning's market; and we had a very good business doing in wheat; sales for best sorts at ld to 2d per cental cheaper than late quotations; inferior, 3d to 4d. Flour was in fair demand for good sorts, at 6d per barrel and sack less money, but inferior sorts were unsaleable. Beans and peas declined 6d-on the week, but were in more request. Oats and oatmeal at Friday's prices. Indian corn remains as last quoted. MILITIA ESTIMATES. Mr. T. G. BARING brought up the report of the com. mittee on the militia estimates. GALWAY CONTRACT. Mr. GREGORY brought up the report of the select com mittee appointed to examine into the Galway contract. The hon. member subsequently gave notice that he intended on Friday next to ask the First Lord of the Treasury what was the intention of her Majesty's Government with respect to the renewal of postal communication between Galway and America. (Cheers.) ARMY ESTIMATES. Mr. T. G. BARING brought up and laid on the table an amended army estimate. NEW WRIT. Col, TAYLOR moved that a new writ should issue for the borough of Andover, in the room of the Right Hon. William Cubitt, Lord Mayor of Londoa, who since his election had accepted the stewardship of her Majesty's manor of Hempholme. SAILORS' HOMES. Sir H. STRAC EY asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if it were true that the portion of the grant voted by this house for the encouragement of sailors' homes in the neigh bourhood of dockyards had been withdrawn from the Cork Sailors' Home on the ground that that home is not in the neighbourhood of a dockyard ; and, if it were withdrawn, upon what principle it had for previous years been given ; and inquired if there were not other instances of a portion of that grant being continued to any other sailors' home or homes not in the neighbourhood of dockyards ? Lord C. PAGE r said that the grant had been withheld because the commander-in-chief on the Cork station had in formed the Admiralty that very few sailors used the home at that port. The only place not in the neighbourhood of dockyards which received Government aid was Falmouth, a port where a good many of our sailors were always to be found. POLAND. Mr. lIENNESSY asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when the papers relating to Poland would be laid upon the table of the house ; whether the despatch (from Viscount Palmerston to Prince Talleyrand), which contains the statement that " the rights of the Czar are in contes: able," would appear with the other papers ; and, if not, whether that despatch was authentic ; and what were the reasons which influenced her Majesty's Government in withholding its contents from the house ? Lord J. RUSSELL said that as the correspondence had taken place whilst his noble friend at the head of the Go vernment was Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, he had thought better to consult his noble friend as to the pro priety of procuring it. His noble friend had not as yet had time to consider the subject. TURNER'S PICTURES. Lord 11. LENNOX asked the Chief Commissioner of Works if any plans had been prepared under his sanction for erecting a building behind the National Gallery, in Tra falgar-square, for the reception of the " Turner Pictures," and if so, whether it was in contemplation to commence the execution of any such plans without previously obtaining the direct sanction of Parliament? Mr. COWPER said that the improvements which had been made in the National Gallery were so arranged as to assist any large plan that might be adopted for extending the National Gallery in the rear over the site now occupied by the barracks and St. Martin's Workhouse. He had plans in his possession showing how accommodation might be provided in that direction for all the pictures, ancient and modern, which might be entrusted to the National Gallery. A separate wing could at any time be erected for the Turner pictures. Government not having, however, considered these plans, he could not say what steps might hereafter be adopted, Lord H. LENNOX—WiII the right hon. gentleman give me an assurance that whatever decision Government may come to, nothing will be done without the express sanction of Parliament first obtained ? Mr. COWPER—I entirely decline to enter into any pledge on the subject. I certainly do not contemplate any thing like erecting a building without the direct sanction of Parliament, but I do not conceive that the noble lord has a right to get up in his place, and ask me to give a pledge not to do that which I am not at all likely to do. Lord H. LENNOX would recur to the subject on going into supply on Friday next. PORTO NOVO. Mr. H. SEYMOUR, asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he would lay upon the table of the house a copy of any despatches connected with the attack on Porto Novo in the month of May lalt ? Lord J. RUSSELL was understood to say that the de spatches of the naval and military commanders would be produced. SUEZ CANAL.-GUANO. Mr. GRIFFITH asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether Mr. Colquhoun, the English consul- gene ral in Egypt, together with the English consul at Alex andria and other gentlemen, had lately (on 29th June) visited the works of the Suez Canal, and had expressed his satisfaction with what he had seen and heard there ; and whether such approval was to be understood to be qualified by the condition that forced labour should not be employed on the works of the canal, and that the obligations in that respect of the Pacha of Egypt towards the Porte be faith fully fulfilled ? Lord J. RUSSELL said he had seen the report alluded to by the hon. member in a foreign newspaper, but had received no information on the subject from the consul-general. The consul had informed him of his intention of visiting the canal, but had not sent any information as to the result. He would take that opportunity of answering a question which had been put to him respecting the exportation of guano. The question was whether the Peruvian government had opened the guano trade ? He had received no information to that effect, on the contrary, his information was, that the late contract having expired it was their intention to invite ten ders for a new contract. "What her Majesty's Government had asked was that the guano should be sold at a certain price, and that the trade should be opened to all nations. THE GREAT TASMANIA. Capt.. ARCH DALL asked the Secretary of State for India if an inquiry had taken place into the conduct of the officers in Calcutta that signed the inspection report of the Great Tasmania previous to her departure for England, who were charged with culpability by the verdict of the coroner's in quest mho sat upon the bodies who died on board that ship on her voyage home from India ; and if so, if he could state to the house what the result of the inquiry had been. Sir C. WOOD replied that an inquiry did take place, and the result was that the evidence given on the coroner's in quest here was impugned in several particulars. Previously to that inquiry the officer responsible in some respects for what had taken place had been removed from his position, and had not been reappointed. Nothing had been done in the case of the officer commanding the European troops, as it was found that he could only have been tried by a court martial, and that such a proceeding would not bo desirable under the circumstances. Sir C. ItAILWAY STOCK. ssar ;d for he th h e a G d o s v tat n ed na s e o n n t le h t e i f m or e e a t g h o e t e h n a d t it would of the session t o t a k e powers t posesin ie ln n d e i c a e , in the even': of the money for railway pur iltarsstdna night neatht t that a to t it ask was f r th a e s i e n i t e e e n t t e l o o railway e mo o f m ittht p e an G i o e v s not ern- raising sufficient funds to prosecute their e undertakings. He d in order that there might be no mistakeeefor that p m g n a e r l i e j t o n o s : T i a c h n e a the object of the Government , he gave notice that the com mittee would sit to consider the propriety of authorising the Secretary of Stato fi a- India to raise money for railway pur- ' poses. On reconaiaral ion, however, he was afraid that if he did not phrase the resolution in exactly the same terms as the old stock it would be considered a different stock, a circumstance which might be very prejudicial to the stock itself. He wished to make this alteration in the notice pub licly, because although it was a change in the form the sub stance was identically the same as that of the previous no- tice. It was most desirable the stock so raised should be of the same nature as the old stock. The order was then discharged, and the present motion to take the committee on Thursday next was agreed to. MORNING SITTING. Sir G. C. LEWIS gave notice that there would be a morn ing sitting on Thursday next fur the purpose of taking supply, FIRES IN THE METROPOLIS. Mr. HAN KEY called attention to the state of the law respecting the prevention of fires in the metropolis. Stat ing the enormous amount of property in the metropolitan area, he observed that no municipal regulations whatever were now ih force in the city of London for the protection of this vast property from fire. The Fire Brigade, sup ported by the insurance offices, which rendered very effi cient services, was founded, he contended, upon a wrong principle ; the insurance offices ought not to bear the ex pense of puttinge out fires, which fell ultimately upon in surers, wherees the general community, insurers and non insurers, had an interest in preventing the loss of life and .property by fire. In his opinion this was a function of the police, and it might be cheaply performed by them. Sir G. LEWIS thought it clear that if all the expendi ture now frittered away by separate parishes formed one fund, and was placed under one management, it could be more efficiently and economically applied to the extinction of fires than at present. The Fire Brigade was a voluntary force employed by the insurance offices, and the companies might make some contribution to the fund. The subject, he thought, deserved consideration. CIVIL LIST PENSIONS. Mr. STIRLING called attention to the return of Civil List Pensions, and more especially to the pensions conferred for literary and scientific services. He complained that this small fund seemed to be the refuge of the poor relations of rich families. With regard to pensions to literary per sons, great caution, he observed, ought to be exercised ; and he suggested reasons for believing that caution was not used in all cases. He thought it would be desirable that the precise works should be indicated of a person re warded with a pension for literary services. Lord PALMERSTON said he was not at all aware that any of these pensions were granted to necessitous members of wealthy or aristocratical families. He had numerous applications for these pensions, which were very small, and was obliged to reject many ; but, small as they were, the assistance they afforded relieved much suffering. He ex plained the circumstances connected with a particular case referred to by Mr. Stirling. SUPPLY. The house then resolved itself into committee of supply, Mr. Massey in the chair. On the motion that a sum not exceeding £185,140 be granted to her Majesty towards defraying the expenses of superannuation allowances, Mr. WILLIAMS took exception to the vote, which ex ceeded £7,000 that of last year. If proper economy had been resorted to, many of the persons who had been re ceiving those superannuation allowances might be appointed to other offices; but instead of that, other persons were ap pointed to them by the Government. lie found in this vote a party who had been in receipt of £320 a-year for 30 years,' on the ground of ill health, and another person who had been 40 years in receipt of a large pension on the ground of infirmity of body. He also found in the vote a grant for the Queen's Coroner. He should like to hear some expla nation as to what was meant by the Queen's Coroner. Mr. PEEL explained that the salary of the Queen's Coroner and Solicitor was £3,000 a-year ; but that the office had been done away with by the Court of Queen's Bench, and the grant in question was agreed upon as corn- pensation. The following votes were then agreed to : £l,OlO for Toulonais and Corsican emigrants. £32.5 for the Refuge for the Destitute. £3,210 in aid of the Polish refugees and distressed Spaniards. £3,951 towards defraying miscellaneous charges formerly on civil list. £2,539 towards defraying the expenses of public institu tions in Ireland. £2,600 for the Westmoreland Lock Hospital, Dublin. £7OO for the Rotunda Lying-in Hospital, Dublin. £2OO for the Coombe Lying-in Hospital, Dublin. £7,600 for the House of Industry and Hospital, Dublin. £2.500 f ,r the Cork-street Fever Hospital, Dublin. £6OO for the Meath Hospital, Dublin. £29,740 having been proposed for Nonconformist clergy men, Mr. HADFIELD objected to the vote on the ground that the paucity of numbers of these dissenters did not justify such a grant. There were now 550,000 Presbyterians in Ireland, and the vote for their ministers was much greater than it was in 1834, when their numbers were 20 per cent. higher than at present. In fact the donum was double at present what it was when the number was greater. The rate of allowance was increased, not in proportion to their increasing numbers, but to their diminishing numbers. (Hear, hear.) The hon. member stated that the Govern ment had withdrawn from the Society for Spreading the Gospel in Foreign Parts the small grant of £7,000, and what did the society do ? Why, they raised as much as £70,000 by voluntary subscriptions. Why, then, should this grant of the Regium Donum be continued? He thought hon. members opposite who favoured this vote would find that it would not last for the term of their natural lives. The hon. member moved as an amendment that the vote should be reduced by the sum of £28,000. Mr. CARDWELL said it had formerly been the practice to oppose this vote in committee, but it had at length been agreed that the sense of the house should be taken upon the grant, and last year the member for Montrose in a very able speech, moved in a full house that the grant should be discontinued, but the motion was lost by a large majority, and the grant was sustained. After that decision he hoped hon. members would permit the vote to pass. Mr. P. DAWSON defended the vote. The committee divided, when the numbers were— For the vote Against it Majority The vote was then agreed to. On the vote of £3,750 for the expenses of the ecclesiasti•• cal commissioners of England, Mr. WILLIAMS said that the commissioners in question had, during tho years 1855, 1856, 18.57, and 1858, ex panded £98,000 upon lawyers and solicitors. lle would take the sons of the house on the vote. Sir G. LEWIS said the duties of the commissioners in connection with the property of the Church were very great, and the expenses were therefore necessarily very heavy. Hence the necessity of this vote. Mr. HADFIELD wished to know what these commis sioners had to do. He could not really understand their duties. Mr. CAIRD objected to immense sums paid to land and timber surveyors, £10,840 having been so spent in 1855, and n 0,546 in 1858. lie objected to these persons being paid by commission, and thought they should be attached to the office and paid a reasonable salary; £10,000:a•-year to a land and timber surveyor was out of all character. The solicitors also got an amount higher than the salary of the Lord Chancellor himself. Mr. DEEDES defended the commissioners. Mr. W. WILLIAMS said the hon. gentleman had failed to show any reason why any portion of the public money should be applied at all to the purposes he had indicated. No doubt the commissioners had to deal with large sums; but since the year 1801 no public money had been granted to build charges, and the money having many years since been spent, the functions of the commissioners ought to hare ceased long ago, The woltll of the church was ehor- NORWICH CATTLE. The show of store cattle to-day was good, several lots being of excellent condition and quality. The sales were limited, and but a small attendance of buyers; prices in favour of. purchasers. Scots, 4s Od to 4s 6d ; shorthorns, 35 6d to 4s ; Irish, 3s Od to 3s 6d; Devons, 4s to 5s 6d (estimated weight when fat). Fat beasts a small show and sales brisk, at 8s Od to 8s 6d per 141 b. Sheep—There was an excellent supply of sheep in the pens and:of lambs more than equal to the demand. Fat sheep, 8s Od to 8s 6d per stone; prime, 9s Od , with out a clearance. _ _ Pigs—A fair supply. Store pigs, 15s to 20s ; fat pork, 7s Od to 7s 9d per stone. THE MAILS. MAILS' DUE. Australia, Ceylon, and Mauritius (via South- ampton) Do. Brazil and Cape Verds •• • . Buenos Ayres, Monte Video, &o. Cuba and Mexico .. .. July 19. (via Marseilles) Aug. 12. .. Aug. 4. •• .. July A. _ - - Canada, eco. (via L'derry) .. July —. Cape of Good Hope, &c. .. Aug. 1. China, Penang, and Singapore (via S'ampton) July 19. Do (via Marseilles) July 27. Gibraltar (via Southampton) .. .. July 19. India (Calcutta), Ceylon, &c. (via Southampton) July 19. Do. (via Marseilles) July 27. India (Bombay), (via:Southampton) .. July 26. Do. (via Marseilles) July 20. Lisbon '• . ••• .. July 21. Malta, Egypt, and Aden (via Southampton) .. July 19. Do. (via Marseilles) July 20. Vigo, and Oporto .. .. July 21. United States, California, &c. July 24. Western Coast of Atrica, Madeira, Teneriffe .. Aug. 10. West Indies and Pacific, Cartharena, Cuba, &o. July 29. MR. BRAIDWOOD.—The various insurance offices in Lendon have decided to subscribe among themselves £7,000, to be invested in the names of trustees, for the benefit of the widow and children of the late Mr. Braid wood. The amount is to be contributed by each in propor tion to its London business. ---- - THE YELVERTON CASE.—On Saturday the First Division of the Court of Session gave judgment in the re claiming notes against Lord Ardrnillan's interlocutor in the case of " Yelverton v. Yeleerton." The Lord President said that a certain relaxation of the rule in regard to the exclu sion of hearsay evidence was made where the statements made were truly part of the res gesice, but the relaxation must be carefully watched, otherwise . the rule would be en tirely broken down. In the present case he thought the. pursuer had got the full benefit of the relaxation. Indeed, there were one or two of the evidences in her favour, which the Lord Ordinary had erroneously admitted. The Lord Ordinary was quite right in allowing proof as to the footing on which the parties were living. The declaration of mar riage was partly laid on the ground of habit and repute, and therefore evidence of the footing on which the parties were living was quite admissible. As to the competency of examining the pursuer in order to prove the loss of certain documents, his opinion was clearly against it. It was set tled law that a party to a consistorial action could net be examined as a witness. In regard to the question proposed to be put by the d ?Sender to the pursuer as to an alleged certificate of marriage shown by her to the priest, that could not be allowed. The question was plainly pointed at the certificate being a forgery, and for that no foundation had been laid by the defender. As to the documents in the pos session of Mr. Parker, 'solicitor, in Ireland, who declined to give them up, he thought the Court should oblige them t 3 be produced, so far as concerned the objection that they had not been produced before the record was closed, In regard t 3 the other documents the Court reserved its opinien. [ADVERTISEMENT.] —To the hectic, the consumptive, the dyspeptic, the emaciated, and the debilitated, Du Barry' s delicious health restoring Revalenta Arabica Food restores sound lungs, perfect digestion, refreshing sleep, and nerv ous and muscular energy:without any of the uncertainties, purging, and ruinous expenses incurred by medicines, cod liver oil, or visits to distant climates. Cure No. 39,618 — Dr. Wurtzer, of consumption. Cure No. 54,812—Miss Virginia Zeguers, cured of consumption , after her medical advisers had abandoned all hopes oi recovery. Cure No. 3,9o6—Thirteen years' cough, indigestion, and general de bility, have been removed by Du Barry's excellent food; James Porter, Athol-street, Perth. Cure No. 46,270—Mr. James Roberts, timber merchant, of thirty years' dis eased lungs, spitting of blood, liver derangement, and partial deafness. Cure No. 52,087—Field Marshal Duke of Pluskow, of a gastric inflammation of the stomach. Avoid Pills and Medicines : they invariably aggravate and perpetuate diseases ; their annoyance, disappointment, and expense may be avoided by using Du Barry's Food which, at a few pence per day, saves 50 times its cost in anwduClioa.:B7:36: other remedies, removing effectually, without vurging 2 constipation, indigestion (dyspepsia) nervous, bilious and liver complaints and all their consequences. Certificate No. 36,418. We find it the safest remedy. Andrew Ure, MD., F.R.S., Dr Harvey, Dr. Wurzer, Dr. Shorland, Dr. Campell. Let invalids avoid the fearful dangers of spu rious and injurious imitations offered under a variety of false pretences. Nevill's imitations are' prohibited by the high Court of Chancery under a penalty of X 5,000 against Alfred Hooper Nevill and his agents ; and the pretences that Nevill has a patent for Arabi t a Food and that Dit Barry's are connected with such patent are utterly fake. No canister is genuine without the name Barry Du Barry and Co., 77, Regent-street, in full, on theseal and wrapper. Shopkeepers who attempt imposition in one article must expect to be distrusted in all others. Packed in tins Üb e . 2s. 9d.; 21b. 4s. 61, ; 5113. lls.; 121 b. 225. ; 241 b. 405. 121 b. and 241 b. ministers are sent carriage free on receip of Post-office order by Barry Du Barry 6 g o e gent - street, s r t a r c e e e e t h , u L r o e n h d - s o ti n e ; e t Fortnum 4 ohe a M p B e i s d o e n ; , bard-street ; 330 and 451, Strand ; 49 and 6 Bisnopsgate. 6a3Fno_ d inani C :l..i. o p.saon A ,d b oe b ,x i tsetare.edto;alßerast;ty,pelt6t,y,FWinsoboudry, Dzvaifiti,ing City t at 127 Ilia Holborn: a nd all zrooerA, t o h f e a wife son. of Major Hoste, C. 8., ILA., a BIRTH S. BRUCE.—On the 21st in st., at 43, Queen's-gardens, nyde liarinstC.,aamt A er l o d n ei l3- sh ru ot e t e : HopsaTrkE,._thoenwtihfo of .A. the 23ci a son. HYDE.—On the 20th inst., at Moorgate House, East Dere- Elwin Hyde, Esq., of Lincoln's . nn, daughter. Linco of a ham, Norfolk , the wife of Henry 'MARRIAGES. STBWART—PARLA ND . On the 20th i ns t ., at the Br i t i s h Embassy, Paris, Charles Stewart, Esq., to Emily Con stantia, the youngest daughter of the late John Parland, E s q., of St. Petersburg. SwEETNAm—TomuNsoN.—On the 20th inst., at St. Bar tholomew's, Quorndon, Leicestershire, J. C. Sweetnam, Esq , of the General Post Office, London, to Fanny, the second daughter of Mr. William Tomlinson, of Quern don. DEATHS. BELL. —On the 23d inst , suddenly, the Rev. Dr. Samuel Be 1, of Stockwelhgreen . , aged 69. CLARK.—On the 21st inst., Thomas Clark, Esq., of 2 1 . Apollo-buildings, E a st. reet, Vl alworth,:Surrey, aged 95. CRAYTOR.—On the 20th inst , at Durham, Annie Martha, wife of Colonel Chaytor, R.E. HARr : —On the 17th inst., John George Hart, Esq., Stow- market, aged 76. WniannAw.—On the 21st inst., at Leeds, Chas. Edward Wratislaw, Esq., of Woolscot, near Rugby, aged 36. You/ay.—On the 20th inst., at Dover, Jas. Hadden Young, Esq., of London, third son of the late James Young, Esq., of Rotterdam, aged 45. LONDON : Printed and Published by XIIRDO YOUNG, c f No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Tin SUN Office, No. 112,Strand , in the Precinct of the Savoy, In the County of Wednesclay, July 24, 1.8431. C' the E SITS a tree t Alder out Aklza 11111 in BassiE stre Bisho Bread Wit Queer Brjd g bror Broad Castl( Cheat gat( Cora Cripp. Cripv Farris North Routh Laub( r „ t orts( 4 °Wel Tem p Westi Mary] 40Wei Tow el South lamb iamb Mddl ut, $ Ul3 REN It C Subs M the p E l Comp libera Or G i lteadi and ,_ • Ti gers and V 10. 108. , On lea ve CHIT (14s. ci r c en Jalo Itea P d 4a. fi3d bury , saine L' TO }lust, LA , Pr an d To To I To To Ai