The Sun. — London, England, 1861-02-19 00:00:00

IMP TRIAL PARLIAMENT. I /MUSE OF LORDS.—(YESTERDAY,) Th' 3 LORD CILXNCELLOR took his scat on the woolsack et fis , pc o'clock. SYRIA. Lord STR it,TFORD DE REDCLIFFE gave notice that on Monday next he should move for copies of certain correspondence connected with the recent disturbances in Eyria. CHURCH RATES. Lord Cklville, the Duke of Marlborough, and Lord Egerton, presented petitions against the abolition of church rates. INDIAN CADETSHIPS. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGII inquired what mea sures had been taken for the purpose of carrying into effect the proviso in the act of the last session, cap. 100, in favour of the sons of persons who had served in India? The Earl of RIPON could assure the noble lord that the Government had every intention to carry out the provisions of the act. Certain changes were under the consideration of the Government, which were not, however, finally de termined upon, but as soon as they were decided he should communicate the result to their lordships. The Govern ment were fully sensible of the importance of the new arrangements for the admission of officers into the army of India. The utmost care would be taken to fulfil the provi sions of the act. CONSTRUCTIVE NOTICE AMENDMENT BILL. This bill, after a few words from Lord CRANWORTH and Lord St. LEONARDS, was read a second time. /sT.ETROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS, Viscount TORRINGTON moved' for a return showing the sources and amounts cf receipts and payments in con ni,ction with the Metropolitan Board of Works. Earl GRANVILLE read a letter from Mr. Thwaites, the chairman of the Board, the purport of which was inau dible in the gallery. The noble lord was understood to oppose the motion. Lord MONTEAGLE thought the return ought to be granted, as the Metropolitan Board of Works had an un seasonably large power of taxation. After a few words from Earl ST. GERMANS, The return was agreed to. DIVORCE COURTS. _ The LORD CHANCELLOR said on an early day he should move for a select committee to inquire into the law . with respect to parties suing or those who ought to be en titled to sue in the Divorce Court of England or the Court of Session in Scotland. The lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.--(YESTERDAY.) The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. NEW MEMBER. Colonel HARVEY BATUURST took the oaths and his seat on his election for South Wilts. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The standing orders were declared to have been com plied with in the case of a number of private bills. The folowing bills were read a second time :—Andover and ltedbridge Railway, Atherstono and Whitacre Rail way, Barnsley Coal Railway, Biddendon and Stockershead Roads, Birmingham Caaal Navigations, Brecon and Mer thyr Tydfil Junction Railway (Additional Money), Burton-upon-Trent Water, Clifton and Durdham Downs (Bristol), Cork and Youghal Railway, Risley and Hayfield Railway, Dublin and Meath Railway, Dublin (City) Steam Packet Company, Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, Elton and Blackburn Roads, Forest of Dean Central Railway, Horsham and Guildford Direct Railway, Hull and Doncaster Railway, Kendal Fell, Kingstown Water, Leven and East of Fife Railway Companies (Amalgamation, &c.), London and North Western Railway (Chester and Holyhead Railway); London, Chatham, and Dover Railway (Deviations, &c.) ; London, Chatham, and Dover Railway ((Lease of Margate Railway, &c.), Londonderry and Coleraine Railway, Margate Railway (Ramsgate Extension, &c.), County of Mayo (Grand Jury Cess), Midland Railway (Addi tional Powers), Neath Water, Newgate and Metropolitan Meat and Poultry Markets, New Ross Port and Har bour, North-Eastern Railway (Castleton and Grosmont Branch, &c.), North Somerset Railway, Oldham and Ripponden Roads, Parsonstown and Portnmna Bridge Railway, Petersfield Railway (Extension to Southampton); Portadown, Dungannon, and Omagh Junction Railway; Ryde Water, Scottish North-Eastern Railway, Scottish Widows' Fund and Life Assurance Society, Sittingbourne and Sheerness Railway, South Wales Railway, Swansea Vale Railway, Thames Embankment, Universal Lime Light Company, Walton and Edgehill Junction Railway, Witney Railway, and Worksop and Staveley Railway. Several private bills were also read S gilt time. PETITIONS. Petitions were presented against MOMlelniditional aboli tion of church rat3s ; in favour of a reflation of the public expenditure, and the appointment of a finance committee to consider this subject ; in favour of the passing speedily of a new reform bill ; in favour of an uniforna duty on wines imported into this country'; by Colonel SYKES, against the Caledonian, Edinburgh and Gleegow, and Scottish Central Railways Bill, which was numerously signed, and in which the petitioners prayed the house to reject the bill as being founded on the principle of amalgamation, which they considered injurious to the public interests; by Mr. 'HADFIELD, from the town council of Sheffield, for a redis tribution of seats, vote by ballot, and other alterations in electing members of Parliament ; by Mr. W. EITART, in favour of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Bill, &c. CORONERS' INQUESTS (METROPOLIS). Mr T. DUNCOMBE moved an address for the return of the number of coroners' inquests held in each year upon the bodies of infants, from the 31st day of December, 1855, to the 31st day of December, 1860, within the metropolitan district, stating the parish, age, sex, and verdict in each case.—Ordered. GOVERNMENT PROPERTY. Mr. Alderman SALOMONS moved for a return of the appropriation of the whole or any part of the sum voted last session "in aid of local assessments for the relief of the poor on certain descriptions of Government property," specifying the amount paid in each district.—Ordered. ADMINISTRATION OF NAVAL AFFAIRS. Sir J. PAKINGTON said he rose to make an explana tion personal to himself and an honourable member of the house. On Friday evening, when the house was breaking up, he had a conversation with his noble friend the Secretary of the Admiralty (Lord C. Paget), and he was informed that the hon. and gallant admiral the member for the East Rid ing intended to bring the subject of the administration of naval affairs before the house. When he gave notice of his motion ho was not aware of the fact, and nothing was further from his intention than to act with discourtesy to any member of that house. Ho would therefore be only too happy to take such a course as would enable the hon. and gallant admiral to bring forward the question, and move for the appointment of a committee. The question was one of the greatest importance, but it was a matter of no moment to the public by whom the question was brought under discussion. He hoped that no further time would be lost in bringing the question forward. IRON FOR RAILWAYS. General UPTON asked the President of the Board of Trade to inform the house whether the railway companies of the United Kingdom are careful that the best malleable iron shall be used invariably in the construction of the wheels, tires, and axles of the carriages, trucks, and loco motives on their respective lines. Mr. M. GIBSON said that the Board of Trade could not at present furnish the information required, buta report had been presented by Capt. Tyler on the subject, which would probably be all the information required, and would shortly be laid on the table. RED SEA TELEGRAPH, &c. Gen. UPTON sked the Secretary to the Treasury if all means had been taken by the official director of electric telegraph companies --himself ens of the ex officio directors of the Red Sea Telegraph Company —to insure complete and uninterrupted insulation in the Red Sea telegraph cable by an efficient and continuous testing of the cable during the process of its manufacture ? Mr. F. PEEL said that the testing in question had been tfficiently performed by the servants of the company. BARRACK MASTERS. Colonel DUNNE asked the Under Secretary of State Tor War whether the Government had lately come to a decision on the subject of retiring allowances to barrack masters, as promised last session ? Mr. BARING said that two years ago the Government pledged themselves to consider this question relative to barrack masters, and certain alterations were made respect ing them. However, the question of retiring allowance was not separately inquired into, but the committee sug gested that retiring barrack masters should receive corn• missions. MARKETS AND FAIRS, &c. (IRELAND). Mr. BRADY asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he intended pressing for a second reading of the Markets and Fairs (Ireland) Bill, and the Births, Deaths, and Marriages (Ireland) Bill, on the 21st inst. ? Mr. CARD WELL said ho was ready to adopt any course that might be convenient to Irish members as re spected tho day on which ho would bring this bill forward. BELLIGERENT RIGHTS AT SEA. Mr. lIORSFALL asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether any steps had been taken by her niiesty's Government with the view of carrying out the recommendations of the Shipping Committee of last year, on the subject of belligerent rights at sea ? Lord J. RUSSELL, who was imperfectly heard, was understood to say that it had not been advisable to adopt the recommendatio n of the committee in question. When the matter was under discussion the American Govern rnent had been•covernunicated with by the Government of this country. However, the negociations were not satis. factorily terminated, and the American Government re quested that this subject would be suspended for the pre eent. The noble lord said there were difficulties which could not be surmounted in carrying out the recommenda tions of the committee, and was, proceeding to enter upon some explanations, when Air. BRIGHT rose to order. He did not consid er it into wa s competent for the noble lord to enter an explana tion in answer to a question, when an opportunity would not be afforded to hon. members who might differ from the noble lord of stating their views in reply to his statements. The SPEAKER saiditwas usual toallowgreatei latitude to a Minister of the Crown than to a private member. (Bear, hear.) Lord J. RUSSELL said that the committee h: d made their recommendation in very positive terms, an 1 the ex planation which he had been about to make t the house when he was interrupted by the hon. member n r Birming ham would show the reasons which Induced the Government to refuse the suggestions of the com mittee in reference to this subject. They considered that this was a question which affected the whole maritime power of this country, and he thought that no Minister of the Crown ought to take any steps in respect to it without the gravest consideration. (Hear, hear.) POST-OFFICE SAVINGS BANKS BILL. The second reading of this bill was postponed. BANKRUPTCY AND&c.) IN BILL. SOLVENCY (SALARIES, After a short discussion the bill went through com mittee. BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY BILL. The house went into committee on this bill. Clauses 1,2, 3,4, and 5 were agreed to, with some modification. On clause 6, which gives jurisdiction to county court judges in reference to bankruptcy and insolvency, Mr. BOLT strongly objected to the clause, and moved its omission. After a short discussion, the clause, with some amend ment, was agreed to. Clause 7 was also agreed to. Mr. A. SMITH moved the omission of clause 8, which gave Government power to create county courts at dis cretion. Mr. WALPOLE did not intend to oppose the clause, bu' expressed strong apprehension as to the effect of the intro duction of clauses giving jurisdiction to County Court judges in bankruptcy. The County Courts and the Bank ruptcy Courts were essentially distinct. In the first the litigation went rapidly, and in the latter the administration was necessarily slow. He therefore feared that the combi nation of the two judicatures would be injurious to the courts and detrimental to the public interests. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY said the country was charged with a sum amounting to nearly £600,000 for the payment of its judges, and contended that upon constitutional as well as economic grounds it was expedient that a limit should be fixed to the power of increasing them under the operation of the clause. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL maintained that a Go vernment had two important duties to discharge,—the one being the protection of those whose interests were committed to its keeping from external violence; the other their pre servation as far as possible from internal injustice and wrong. The former duty the House of Commons always performed in a liberal spirit ; the latter, he regretted to say, was by some hon. gentlemen dealt with after a somewhat niggardly fashion. (A laugh.) In that circumstance lay the great difficulty of making provision for such cases as those to which the clause applied ; but he could assure the commit tee that they need not be under any apprehension that the prerogative of the Crown could be unduly exercised under its operation by the appointment of new County Court judges, inasmuch as it would be necessary to come to Parliament for the purpose of obtaining a vote for the payment of their salaries, and a sufficient check upon their creation would thus be established. He might add that the adminis tration under the Bankruptcy Court in the provinces was frequently not at all satisfactory, owing to the fact that there were large districts throughout the country—some 60 or 70 miles in extent—and embracing a considerable number of populous manufacturing towns, in which the present machinery of the court was not ade quate to the due performance of its functions, and he had, therefore, deemed it right to take the power to create additional courts in those localities. Mr. E. JAMES was disposed to look upon the clause as placing too great a power in the hands of the Crown, while he very much doubted whether the authority to turn loose upon the country some 20 or 30 County Court judges would be regarded by the public at large as promoting that internal protection which the Attorney-General had very properly stated it to be the duty of a Government to afford. (A laugh.) If it were found that additional judges were re quired under the operation of the bill it would be very easy at any time to apply to Parliament to effect that object—a course, in his opinion, far preferable to enabling the Lord Chancellor, as the clause proposed to do, to create those functionaries ad libitum. Sir F. GOLDSMID was of opinion that if the committee were to pass the clause as it stood they would be as it were recognising the probability of new judges being created by the Crown, and would thus be incurring to some extent a moral obligation to grant their salaries when applied for. Under those circumstances it would be perhaps advisable that a limit should be placed to the number of such appoint ments. Mr. M. SMITH said that if power were given to the Crown in the present bill to appoint additional judges, and an application should afterwards be made to Parliament for salaries, Parliament would in that case find itself clogged by the action previously taken by the Crown under the authority of a public act. It would be under the necessity either of quarrelling with the cpp'Antmcnt of the crown, or of granting the salaries as a matter of course. Another reason for opposing the clause was that the jurisdiction would be much better exercised by district commissioners than by County Court judges. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL explained the course .which would be pursued under the clause. When her Ma jesty should be of opinion that there was a necessity for a new district, the scheme would in the first instance be sub mitted to Parliament for its consideration, and if approved, would then be promulgated. Parliament, therefore, would not be surprised into any vote, nor would any ap pointment be made without its knowledge and sanction. Mr. SMITH asked whether the hon. and learned gentle man would have any objection to introduce words to that effect into the clause at a future stage ? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL replied that the scheme for a new district must necessarily be submitted to Parlia ment before promulgation; but he had no objection to insert words to that effect. The clause was then agreed to. Clauses 9 and 10 were agreed to without discussion. On clause 11, relating to officers of the court, Mr. N EWDE G AT E asked the Attorney-General whether the salaries of the officers of County Courts were to be in creased in proportion to the expected increase of their duties, and whether the salaries of the judges themselves were not to be dealt with in a similar manner ? i t he ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the officers of the County Courts were remunerated by fees, and the addi tional business would, of course, give them additional re muneration. He did not propose to augment the salaries of the County Court judges. Mr. NEWDEGATE could not see why, if they could command the fees in the case of the registrars, they should not also be able to give a just increase of salary to the judges with an increase of business. The clause was then agreed to. Clause 12 was agreed to. Clauses 13 and 14 were postponed. On clause 15 being proposed, Mr. MURRAY expressed a hope that the official assig nee, as registrar, should not combine the offices named in the 20th clause in connection with that now under conside ration, otherwise there would be no audit in the district. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL admitted that it would be the most unreasonable thing in the world to allow the registrar of a County Court acting as official assignee to send in his bill of costs and charges. 'lke clause was then agreed to. Clauses 16, 17, and 1S were agreed to. On clause 19, Mr. MURRAY complained that in some local districts fees of the most exorbitant kind were charged. It would be a great advantage if arrangements were made by which one taxing master were appointed, all business being trans ferred to London, so that a uniform system might be adopted. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought the suggestion a valuable one; the only difficulty was as to the arrange • ment of machinery to give it effect with economy and de spatch. If the hon. member would embody his views in a clause it might be considered on bringing up the report. The clause was ordered to stand part of the bill. Clause 20 was agreed to. On clause 21, reducing the number of official assignees, Mr. M. SMITH suggested that the clause should be postponed, as it en ti re l y d epen d e d on th e c l auses re l a ti ng t o the creditors' assignees, which would require a good deal of consideration. Th e mercantile community were expect i ng a little too much if th ey expected that there could be any very inexpensive collection of a bankrupt's assets. The bankrupt himself generally got in all the assets which were easy of collection, and left the rest to be got in by the as signees. Mr. MELLOR saw no object that was to be gained by delaying this clause, which was perhaps more strongly de manded by the commercial community than any other por tion of the measure. Mercantile men professed their readi ness to undertake the duties of creditors' assigne es . Mr. ROEBUCK said they were told there was a cry among the mercantile public for divesting official assignees of their pre/eat functions. He had learnt that cries were often very senseless things, and he thought the present one would prove one of the most senseless. When official as signees had been got rid of he believed it would be found that inefficient and useless persons had taken their place, who would charge dearly for services that were ill-performed, and that then there would be a cry to have the official as signees restored. Mr. MALINS supported the recommendation that this clause should be postponed. The objections he had previ ously expressed to this part of the bill had been in no de gree mitigated. Official assignees had no doubt been paid too highly in the case of large estates, but that was not sufficient reason for abolishing them. It was desirable, in the collection of assets, that there should be a public officer into whose hands they should all go. Mr. MURRAY thought the time had arrived when offi cial assignees should be reduced both in number and in fees ; and he hoped the clause would be at once proceeded with. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL could not consent to Postpone the clause. (Hear.) No doubt it was the duty of thathouse to consider whether any particular "cry" had a foundation before they yielded to it, In this cue tilt genera 11 .1stbain, THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 19, 1861. demand certainly was, that creditors should have restored - - to them the administration of what was really their own affairs--(hear) ; and he could not say that that demand was unreasonable. He fully recognised the value of the services of the official assignees, especially in collecting small debts, because they had a large staff of clerks, and could easily re sort to the commissioner or the judge. One of the provi sions of the bill, therefore, intrusted to them the getting in of debts not exceeding £lO, which they could do more cheaply than a solicitor could. The number of these gentle men was at present, however, far too many, and, indeed, he thought there would not be sufficient work for those whom the bill proposed to retain. Mr. M. SMITH did not assert that under no circum stances would mercantile men consent to act as creditors' assignees. What he maintained was that the provisions of this bill were too stringent and burdensome, and would tend to deter such persons from undertaking these duties. The clause was then agreed to. Upon clause 22, Mr. BRISCOE wished to know whether it was intended that the judge should have power to dismiss messengers without any misconduct on their part. There were only five messengers in the London district, and one of them had held his office fir 45 years. It would, he thought, be hard to dismiss those officers after so long a service without any compensation. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said the reasons for dis continuing any messenger would be stated in the order made by the judge. The messengers were employed to take possession of property, and although the present holders of those offices were very respectable gentlemen, yet their duties were such as might be performed by very subordi nate officers. `;Mr. HENLEY wished to know whether it would be a sufficient ground for dismissal that their services were no longer required. Mr. BRISCOE still thought it to be harsh to remove men who had held these offices for 40 years without any misconduct on their part. The clause was then agreed to, as were other clauses up to 25. Upon clause 26, Mr. MALINS referred to the position of the provisional assignee of the Insolvent Debtors' Court, who, by this clause, was to receive the same emolument as the other offi cial assignees. As that officer had always performed his duties in a most satisfactory manner it would be unfair to reduce him now from £1,500, the amount of his present in come, to £1,200 per annum. He (Mr. Malins) proposed an amendment to the effect that the provisional assignee should continue to receive the same amount as he now derived from his office. Mr. MELLOR said the bill provided that the provisional assignee of the Insolvent Debtors' Court should perform the same duties as the official assignees. It would there fore be unfair that ho should receive a different salary from the official assignees. Mr. WILLIAMS wished to know why the provisional assignee should be placed in a better,position than the offi cial assignees ? Mr. MALINS thought it very hard that, after having discharged the duties of the office for 42 years, the gentle man in question should now havehis salary cut down, espe cially as he would still have todo the same amount of work. Mr. HENLEY believed that if they allowed the provi sional assignee to retain his present emoluments there would be a difficulty in dealing with the official assignees. He asked whether the emoluments were in the shape of fees or salary Mr. MALINS—Partly fees and partly salary. Mr. COLLIER deemed £1,200, the remuneration which the provisional assignee would receive under the bill, amply sufficient for, the duties he had to perform. The clause was agreed to. Clauses from 27 to 35, both inclusive, were also agreed to. In clause 36, providing for the payment of the salaries:of the present officers of the Insolvent Debtors' Court, Mr. MALINS proposed to omit the words "as nearly:as may be out of the same fuuds, and payable in the same manner in all respects, as if this act had not been passed," and to substitute for them, " and the same shall be paid out of the fund standing to the credit of the Chief Regis trar's account." The ATTORNEY-GENERAL promised to consider the matter before the report ; and upon that understanding the clause was agreed to. On clause 37, Mr. E. JAMES inquired on what principle the scale of remuneration to official assignees had been fixed. At pre sent he believed there was scarcely any uniformity in the manner of their payment. The different estates were bal loted for, and, while a fortunate assignee got hold of proper ties which were largely remunerative, there were others who in 10 or 15 years cleared little more than the amount of their establishment charges. It ought not to be forgotten in determining the payment to which they were to be en titled, that their duties under this measure would bo mate rially lessened. He therefore moved that a fixed sum be allowed them in place of the salary and allowances contem plated by the bill. Mr. ROEBUCK asked the Atterney-G eneral whether he had not last year been of opinion that those gentlemen were entitled to more than £1,200 a-year ? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he was induced last year, in consequence of representations made by a deputa . tion of official assignees, to fix their maximum remuneration at £1,500 a-year. The clause inserted for this purpose led to a great deal of remonstrance, and was among other mat ters a reason why the bill had to be given up. Since that time he had caused inquiries to be made, the answers to which satisfied him that for several years previous to 1856 the average emoluments of these gentlemen did not amount to £1,200 a-year ; but by a return extending from the 11th October, 1857, to the end of the year 1859, it appeared that their remuneration had largely increased. These gentlemen, it should be remembered, were often placed in situations of considerable peril ; in some instances they had been made de • fendants to suits and obliged to pay heavy costs ; but to this liability the bill contemplated they should no longer be ex posed. On referring to the measure by which their offices were created he found that the original intention was that they should receive £BOO a-year ; but having reference to their length of service, to the altered nature of their position, and to their average receipts for the last 10 or 12 years, he thought it would be found that £1,200 a-year was by no means an exaggerated estimate. Mr. M. SMITH remarked that this clause only provided that the income tax should not exceed a certain sum ; it did not provide for the other alternative, and state that it should not be less than a given amount. Sir M. PETO had been assured by ono of the official assignees that for 1.5 years their average income had been £1,600 per annum ; for 12 years, £l,BOO , and for 7 years over £2,000. Mr. MURRAY said that the official assignees who had the maximum of profit seemed to have no more business than those who had the minimum. He thought the proper course would be to adopt the principle of the bill of last year, and fix a minimum salary of £BOO, with fees. That was the only way to get the official assignees to do their work. Two of them had been examined, and both objected to take a salary exclusively. Mr. MALINS observed that by the clause, as it now stood, the salary could not exceed £1,200, but it might be only 12s. Something ought to be fixed certain. He could not see the force of the observation of the hon. member for Newcastle (Mr. Murray) that the official assignees could not be got to do their duty without a salary in addition to fees. As every other officer of the court was to be paid by salary, why should an exception be made in the case of the official assignees ? Mr. BRISCOE suggested that the clause might bo amended by substituting the words " shall amount to" for the words " shall not exceed." This would secure the offi cers a salary of £1,200 a-year. Mr. A. SMITH said that so much depended on the dili gence used by the official assignees in the collection of the assets, it would be better to pay them partly by salary and partly by fees. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL was willing to so alter the clause that the proposed arrangement would apply to the existing assignees, but that no assignee hereafter to be appointed would receive more than £1,200 a-year. Would such an alteration meet the views of the hon. and learned member for Marylebone ? Mr. E. JAMES would be perfectly content with such a settlement of the matter. The amendment of the hon. and learned member (Mr. James) was then, by leave, withdrawn ; and the clause was postponed in order te give the Attorney-General an opportunity of making his proposed alteration. On clause 38, relating to the messengers, Mr. MALINS asked the Attorney-General to postpone it. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL assented. Mr. JAMES hoped the hon. and learned member for Wallingford would inform them on a future occasion what was the proper definition of the term messenger, what duties the messengers to Bankruptcy Courts performed, what amount of money they had received, and how much they returned to the income-tax. (Hoar, hear.) Mr. MALINS said the Bankruptcy messengers had had for many years very important duties to perform, and he had never heard that they had not performed them very well. Whatever they had received they had received under the law, and he thought the house would be slow to leave them suddenly in their old age with scarcely any provision. Mr. BRISCOE had just received two petitions from messengers in Bankruptcy, but had not had time to peruse them. Ho had no doubt they contained important state ments, and he should take care to make himself master of them. Mr. SPOONER said that in the collection of assets much depended on the vigilance and honesty of the mes sengers. It was often the case that fraudulent bankrupts concealed property, and it was the duty of the messenger to discover it. It was a more important office than the hon. and learned member for Marylebono seemed to suppose. The clause was then postponed, and also clause 39, as to the retiring annuity of the judge. Upon clause 40, which provides that officers who have served 20 years, or who have before become incapacitated by ill health, shall be entitled to pensions to the amount of two-thirds of their salaries, Mr. A. SMITH moved the addition of these words:— "and shall be above 65 years of age." He said that many of these offices might be filled by men aged 25, and they would be entitled to retire, even though in good health, when they were 45. While they hold office they ought to provide retiring pensions for themselves. (Hear.) The ATTORNEY-GENERAL saw no objection to the alteration if the officers were at liberty to retire when inca pacitated by ill health. The amendment wasagreed to, and the clause as amended ordered to stand part of the bill. 'Clause 41, referring to annuitants who accept other offices, was agreed to. On clause 42, which provides that the compensations under Ist and 2d William IV., cap. 56, sections 52, 53, and 54, to the Patentee of Bankrupts, the former Commissioners of Bankrupts, the Clerk of the Hanaper, and other officers of the Court of Chancery, shall be paid into the Bank of Eng land by the Commissioners of the Treasury out of moneys yearly voted by Parliament. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY asked the connnittee whether they were prepared to see a new item in the miscellaneous estimates. The house last year refused to allow these pay ments to be made out of the Consolidated Fund, and he now called upon them to say that they should not be au nually voted by Parliament, but continue to be paid out of the fund from which they had been drawn for 40 years. There was an ample fund out of the interest of which these payments could be made, and he objected to their being thrown upon the public purse. He moved that all the words of the clause after the word "funds" be omitted. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL observed that these pay.. ments were now made by statute, which required that they should be paid out of a fund contributed by creditors in their capacity of suitors for justice. This was objectionable in principle, and why should the committee refuse to cor rect the errors of past legislation ? If it was the duty of the Stato to provide for the administration of justice, it was also the duty of the State to do so at the expense of the community. So far as the Bankruptcy Court performed the public duty of administering justice in this important branch of the law, it was the duty of the State to find the funds necessary forso doing. (Hear, hear.) All he asked expressed a hope that the measure would be fully considered " by a select committee. Mr. BRIGHT said the bill had been only three or four days before hon. members, and he thought that as it was one of great importance it was advisable that some delay should take place before the second reading, in order that their respective constituencies might have time to consider its previsions. He would therefore move that the debate be adjourned for a fortnight. (Hear, hear.) Sir G. C. LEWIS said if he thought that was the gene ral wish of the house he would accede to ;it, but as there was a general agreement as to the principle of the bill, he thought the second reading might be taken now, especially as ample time would be afforded for discussing details in committee, which the bill would go into on Monday week, after which it would be referred to a select committee. Mr. BARROW objected to going into committee at so early a period as Monday week. Mr. WALPOLE supported the motion for reading the bill a second:time, as according to the Secretary of State's arrangement, abundant opportunity would be afforded for considering the provisions of the bill. Mr. DEEDES supported the second reading of the bill. The amendment was then withdrawn, and the bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed this day fortnight. HIGHWAYS BILL. On the order of the day for the second reading of this bill, Mr. DISRAELI said—A committee was recently ap , pointed to consider whether any changes could be intro duced into the mode of conducting the public business which would tend to facilitate its progress through the house• One of the great objections raised against the pre sent system in the debate on the motion for the appointment of that committee was that the privilege ofbringing forward questions on going into Committee of Supply was carried to such an extent that it was impossible to know when the main business of the evening would come on for discussion. When the Navy Estimates, for example, are on the paper, we come down and find some gentleman bringing forward the grievances of Whitechapel. Perhaps there may be good reasons for that course of procedure, but I beg to call atten tion to the manner in which the programme of business is prepared for the information of the house by the Govern ment. I came down to-night to discuss the Highways Bill, a subject in which my constituents, and the constituents, no doubt, of many hon. gentlemen on both sides, are much interested. The Highways Bill stands first on the paper, but when it was called nobody proceeded with it. It ought to have been proceeded with, or, at least, those responsible for the bill ought to have given some reason to the house why it was postponed. The second order is the Post-office Savings-banks Bill, a subject which at present engages public attention. I know that many members came down to-night purposely to receive: information respecting that bill, and to offer their opinions upon it ; but it was passed over in silence, and the Minister responsible for it did not appear in his place to explain why the second measure appointed by the Government was not proceeded with. The next order on the paper—the Bankruptcy Bill—was cer tainly proceeded with, but only to a certain point. (Hear.) The Minister responsible for that bill told us he believed there was an understanding that progress should not be made beyond a certain clause; and the consequence is that, at a comparatively early hour, there is no Govern ment business before the house. As the Minister respon sible for the Highways Bill was not in his place when it was called in its proper order, it was postponed, according to our usual practice, until after the other orders. It has now been called again; but, although the Minister is pre sent, he has not condescended to give us any reason why the arrangement of business devised by the Government has not been followed. I want to know what prospect there is of our conducting the public business with satisfaction to our- selves or to the country if the house is to be treated in this manner by the Government. (Hear.) I have always thought that, although there are many means by which the business of the house might be expedited, much must neces sarily depend upon the course pursued by Ministers. See what has happened to-night. Upon an important Govern ment night, at the beginning of the week, we have a pro gramme of business prepared and circulated for twe days, and when we come down we find it is not realised in any respect. The only conclusion at which we can arrive is that the conduct of business in that manner, if not the only cause, is a cause of the unsatisfactory state of public busi ness. (Hear, hear.) I think an explanation is due to the house by the Government upon these heads, and I await it with some interest. Sir G. C. LEWIS—I regret that any inconvenience has been caused by the circumstances to which the right hon. gentleman has referred ; but I think I can give an explana tion which will be satisfactory to the house. I was perfectly prepared—indeed, it was my wish—to move the second reading of the Highways Bill to• night; but the hon. mem ber for Leominster on Friday evening asked me across the table whether, in consequence of the short time during which the bill had been in the hands of hon. members, I would consent to postpone the second reading. I said that as the time had been short I would consent to postpone the second reading, and I added that I would mention on Mon day the day to which I should postpone it. Perhaps I ought to have moved the postponement on Friday night, but I distinctly stated that I would not move the second reading this evening. (Hear, hear) With respect to the Post Office Savings Banks Bill, I believe the Chancellor of the Exchequer is confined, if not to his bed, at all events to his room, by illness, and " consequently it was not in his power to come down to the house to-Right. (Hear, hear.) If he had been able to attend in his place, he would have moved the second reading of the bill. Such are the circumstances un der which the Bankruptcy Bill came to have precedence, and I, for one, was under the impression that the Attor ney-General had stated publicly that he would not proceed beyond the 50th clause. I presume he oxpeeted, remem bering the long debates which took place last Session, that the first 50 clauses would occupy the House the whole of the evening. I am always sorry when hon. members have reason to complain of any want of notice, but I trust they will see that there was no intentional omission on the part of the Government upon this occasion. (Hear, hear.) After a few words from Mr. BARROW and Mr. HENLEY, The second reading of the Highways Bill was postponed till Friday next. RED SEA AND INDIA TELEGRAPH. Mr. FREDERICK PEEL moved the appointment of a select committee on the Red Sea and India Telegraph Bill. Mr. WYLD objected to the motion being brought for ward in the absence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in whose name it stood on the paper. Mr. F. PEEL said the object of the bill was simply to carry out certain arrangements entered into between the Government and the Red Sea Company. Sir MINT° FARQUHAR said• that all the answers of the Government on this subject were so vague that they could not be understood by those who were interested in it. The question was of great interest to the public in general; for public faith was deeply identified with it. It was understood that the Government were responsible for the interest to be obtained by the shareholders. The statement now made by the right hon. gentleman made confusion worse confounded. Mr. G REGSON said it was certainly understood that the contract between the Government and the company was unconditional, and that the Government was to gua rantee the rate of interest to the shareholders. Mr. Alderman SIDNEY said the house ought to know if the company had carried out their undertaking with the Government. All they knew was that the Government had entered into an unconditional contract with the company, but whether the company had performed its portion of the contract did not appear. All they knew was that there had been a failure by the company, and the surprise was that the Government had pledged the public money in respect to the scheme in question, without an assurance being given that the company would carry it out. Sir G. C. LEWIS said the question before the house was the appointmekt of the committee on the subject under con sideration, and ho hoped the house would adhere to this question. What was the engagement between the Govern ment and the company was the subject to be considered by the committee, and when the committee made its report that would be the time to consider the whole question. Mr. RICARDO said ho believed that the object of ap pointing this committee was that it should in effect not make any report at all. What the house wanted to knew was this, did the company carry out its undertaking with the Government? He believed they had not, and he must say that the explanation given by the right hon. gentleman was far from satisfactory. He should move, at a proper time, that it be an instruction to the committee to say whether the company had performed their portion of the contract. Sir C. WOOD repeated the statement made by Sir G. C. Lewis, and said he believed it was true that the whole line of telegraph had not becu in operation, but a part of it had been. The simple question to be considered by the com mittee was the contract between the Government and the company. The following gentlemen were appointed members of the committee :—Mr. Peel, Sir S. Northcote, Mr. Dunlop, Mr. Cave, Mr. Scholefield, Mr. E. Egerton, and Mr. Bonham- Carter. The house then adjourned at 11 o'clock. THE TEA TRADE, Feb. 18.—The deliveries in London estimated for the week were 952,5861 b., which is a decrease of 15,1611 b. compared with the previous statement. [ADVERTISEMENT.] Pills and medicine invariably ag gtavate and perpetuate diseases ; their annoyance, dis appointment, and expense may be avoided by persons in indifferent health sending only their addross to E. S. Barry, Esq., 77, Regent-street, W., London, and they will receive gratis and free by post the " INVALIDS' Owl, GUIDE," or Natural Restorer, without medicine or ex pmee, of perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound lungs, and refreshing sleep, to the most enfeebled, insuring the removal of indigestion (dyspepsia), constipation, liver complaints, nausea, epilepsy, paralysis, debility, nervousness, palpitation, cough, asthma, consumption, dropsy, flatulency, diarrhoea, dysentery, biliousness, fevers, sore throats, catarrhs, colds, noises in the ears, rheumatism, gout, impurities, eruptions. hysteria, neuralgia, irritability, sleeplessness, acidity, palpi tation, heartburn, headache, despondency, cramps, spasms, sinking, fits, bronghltie.--,!Unguestionably the safest Quids to hv~lth s> the Committee to (I) was torelieve the unfortunate suitors in the Bankruptcy Court from an unjust burden placed on them, in return for which they had no specific advantage, and which had been imposed upon them by past legislation. (Hear.) The Commissioners of 1854 pointed out the great injustice of this burden, and recommended that the com pensations hithert) paid out of the Suitors' Fund should be placed upon the Consolidated Fund of the country. In accordance with that recommendation the bill of last year proposed to put the payments on the Consolidated Fund, but an objection was taken to this on the ground that it would establish the payments in perpetuity. In the present bill he had made an alteration which would have the effect of making the compensations payable by moneys annually voted by Parliament. He trusted this proposal would be adopted by the house. There was nothing more unwise or unjust than to tax suitors, in addition to the expense they necessarily incurred on going into court, for the justice which they sought to obtain. Mr. BARROW said the Attorney. General told them that he was throwing these payments into a charge which was to be paid annually by a vote of Parliament, but the words of the clause were to a contrary effect, for they de clared that the amount " should be paid into the Bank of England out of moneys to be from year to year voted for that purpose by Parliament." The sums were to be paid, and the Parliament was to provide the amount. (Hear.) He denied that there was any injustice in paying these compensations out of the fund contributed by the suitors. The Attorney- General might with equal reason contend that the law ex• penses of all who went to law should be paid by the State. So long as there was a fund—as he understood was the case, from the speech of the hon. baronet—from which these compensations could be paid, there was not the slightest justification for charging them on the tax-payers. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY wished the Attorney-General to state whether there was not a balance of the bankrupts' account amounting to £1,500,000, the interest of which, at 4 per cent., was £60,000. If that were the case, it was surely fairer to go to this fund for these payments. The committee could scarcely seriously intend to place an enor mous charge of this kind on the tax-payers, as long as this fund was unexhausted. If they would do that they would do anything. (A laugh.) He hoped that gentlemen, who, in words at least, professed to have strong objections to in creasing the Miscellaneous Estimates, would take this opportunity of making a beginning of giving effect to their professions. They would thereby save themselves from many tiresome debates, for there could not fail to be a debate every year when this vote was proposed. Mr. HFNLEY had voted last year against placing these charges on the Consolidated Fund, but the mode of dealing with them now proposed was ten thousand times more ob jectionable. Nothing could be more unfair both for the public on the one hand, and for the gentlemen who had had these compensations assured to them for the last 30 years, than this proposal. The act declared that these compensa tions should be paid out of a certain fund, and for fear that fund should be sufficient to meet them this bill proposed to cut off a large portion of the stream which fed it. The Attorney-General pretended to say that it would be in the power of Parliament to deal with these compensations at any future time, but, in fact, the hands of Parliament would he tied neck and crop--(a laugh)—and the first time any hon. gentleman got up in Committee of Supply to object to the vote he would be met by the reply, "You consented to take away the stream which fed this fund, and you have no choice now but to find the money." It was a mere delu sion to say that this mode of dealing with the matter would not fix the compensations on the public purse. He confessed he was at a loss to know upon what ground the country was asked to give the proposed compensation, and he knew not why it should not be paid out of the balance of a million and a half. (Hear, hear.) Mr. MALINS was unable to vote for the amendment which the hon. baronet proposed. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL begged to explain to the house that his proposal was, that the money should be voted annually. The bill of last year proposed to fix the charge upon the Consolidated Fund, but the house on that occasion objected, and they had, in fact, tied him "hand and foot, and neck and crop." (Laughter.) Mr. MALINS did not think it right that the creditors of estates in bankruptcy in 1861 should have their dividends diminished in order to pay those compensations to whom it was guaranteed in 1832. The hon. and learned gentleman felt, and indeed acknowledged, the inconvenience of the course he proposed. Under the circumstances, he thought it would be better for him to throw the charge upon the Consolidated Fund, and he should have his support in such an object ; but if he shrank from that course, he would sup port the amendment of his hon. friend the member for Evesham. These compensations were made by Parliament, and ought to be paid by Parliament. Mr. HENLEY observed that there could be no ground for saying that Parliament should direct these compensa tions to be paid out of the Consolidated Fund. The pre sent creditors had not contributed to the bankruptcy fund, and therefore the money was not theirs. Those patent offices were abolished for the good of the suitors, and they had no right to resort to the public funds for the payment of their compensations. Mr. VANCE complained that the bill made no attempt to relieve Irish tax-payers from the payment of compen sations to offices abolished in Ireland. The committee then divided, and the numbers were— For the amendment Against Majority against The clause was then agreed to. Clause 43 was also agreed to. Clause 44 was postponed. Clause 45 was agreed to. Clauses 46, 47, 48, 49 were postponed. Clause 50 was agreed to. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL then moved that the Chairman report progress, as many members had left the house on the understanding that they would not proceed farther that night. The motion having been agreed to accordingly, The house resumed, and the Chairman reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again. PAROCHIAL ASSESSMENTS BILL. Sir G. C. LEWIS moved the second reading of this bill. Mr. HENLEY expressed his hope that if the bill passed its second reading that night, the right bon. gentleman would not press it forward in committee for some little time yet, in order that tine might be afforded to consider any objections. Looking at the bill without any explana tions from the Government, he must say he entertained serious apprehensions that it would bo attended in practise with great expense. Mr. A. SMITH said there were several objections to the bill, and he hoped the right hon. gentleman would consent to postpone the second reading. Mr. DEBDES thought the machinery of the bill was cumbrous and ;expensive, and that it would not produce adequate .results. He should like to see a system of inquiry by which parochial assessments would be placed on a fair and just footing. With a view to fuller consideration he desired the second reading of the bill deferred for some short time ; but if that were not agreed to, he trusted that there would be no objection made to sending the bill to a select committee. Mr. BARROW said he could only assent to the second reading of the bill on the understanding that the board of assessment was to bo remodelled. Sir G. C. LEWIS said that the bill was intended to alter the present unjust system of parochial taxation. He would not trouble the house on the present occasion with the details of the machinery of the measure, but he trusted that the second reading would be agreed to. If there was a general desire to have the bill sent to a select committee he should offer no objection to that course. He should fix Monday week for going into committee on the bill, and the house could then determine whether the consideration of the bill by a select committee were necessary. Mr. Alderman SIDNEY objected not to the principle of the measure, but he suggested that the proposed boards of jurisdiction should be co•extensive only with the unions. The bill was capable, he believed, of being made a very valuable measure. Mr. E. JAMES urged that the second reading should be deferred for a week or ten days, and then referred to a select committee. In fairness he thought that course should be assented to. If it were not, he intended moving that the bill be read a second time that day fortnight. Mr, PULLER criticised several clauses of the bill, and rw••es--~--- - --- THE COMING STOB.II. MURD. III t L N M x , eh apels S J. (From the Derbyshire Courier.) 13„ namod o H n en u ry nd L a a y cy T a or s n m in a g il th fa e r y . As the peo Plo of Ryde were coming from their Ten days ago we all began to think that the :Yin. churches and ter had done its worst. It was supposed that tht: per in the in - t o d url aood, and well known in the heard that am . a b was cus 0y on the charge of having mur weather could not go on getting worse and worse his wife. The rumour for ever. So everybody imagined, that Spring was to ,7n ,' about to appear. As we are to have an early . p unfortunately proved Easter, why not an early Spring ? But nothing of true. ~acy occu a farm at Westridge, known the rading-road. He is the son of a the kind. England has caught a shocking bad cold, as Old-hou,,e-fa defen ri n, situate about a mile and a half and cannot get rid of it. Will any one pretend to say that he has a Rose bush or a Rhododendron labouring man in tt 'e neighbourhood, but becoming alive in his garden ? Can any man in the county possessed of some in ?Luis by his marriage he was from Ryde on show us a sound turnip? But worse things have enabled to take thi .S farm, which he t had oc happened than the destruction of flowers and fod- cupied now for 10 or . years. Lacy is a giant in der. Last week was one, not only of snow and both size and strength, • , and it is much feared that hail, but of storm and tempest. All along the north- the evidence wl tich wil l be given at the inquest east coast the gales of Friday and Saturday, Feb- will show that h e had bt.'en habitually ill-treating ruary Bth and 9th, have strewn the ehore with his wife. The farmhouse is situated in a lonelyspot, wrecks. The loss of the lifeboat at Whitby, with there not being a habitation within 1n alf a mile of 12 out of 13 of the gallant crew which manned it, it, and the only inmates were Lacy and his wife, and the melancholy fate of Captain Boyd of the and a woman Darned Susan Wilder, a niece of the Ajax, with 14 of his brave fellows, at Kingston latter. In Nov. last .a summons was i ssued against harbour, in the very act of attempting to rescue the Lacy for an assault upon this womat 1, but it was crew of a vessel which had gone ashore near the arranged without magisterial interfei 'ence. Laey Pier, have excited the mournful sympathy of every was of very intemperate) habits, and hat I been drink household throughout the kingdom. ing freely at Newport o n Saturday, wk tich place he Admiral Fitzroy assures us that much of this had visited, accompanied by Susan Wilder, the disastrous destruction of life and property might niece. He returned to the farm ho um about 10 have been prevented by the exercise of common o'clock in the evening. The horrible event, full prudence and intelligent observation. The coming particulars respi'cting which will not be known till storm was foreseen, and notice of its approach was the inquest, must have occurred short] ly afterward& sent by the Board of Trade, by way of caution, to All that is at present known may be s' fated in a few many of the great sea-ports three days before it words. The murdered woman has 7 been confined occurred. In spite, however, of all warnings, many to her bed fo r some time p ast, and on 'Sunda y morn vessels appear to have put to sea with the most ing her meaical at tendant, Mr. 011ard, of Ryde, reckless indifference to consequences, and thus was called upo:a by the farm carter, and requested many cargoes and many hardy mariners have been • to visit his patient a t once, as she had accidentally sacrificed, not to the fury of the gale, but to the fallen downstairs. NI 'hen Mr. 011ard arrived at the thoughtless fool-hardiness of the shipowners and farm he found Lacy le n a violent state of excitement captains. There is an important lesson to be and evidently under the influence of drink. He gained by the nation from the recent gale. It is refused to allow that antlenvin to sets his wife, and impossible not to perceive that the political baro- the answers given to i nc. tuiriel by the niece were so meter indicates rough weather. In the first place, unsatisfactory that Mr. 011ard considered it his the extraordinary season of 1860 has not been duty at once to communica to with the police. Ser without its serious effects on the supply of the geant King and another police-constable, with Mr. nation's food. The wheat crop of last year is Pinager, also a surgeon of Hyde, accompanied Mr. turning out quite as bad as was expected, if not 011ard on his return. As soon as Lacy saw the worse. The long continuance of severe weather police of - Seers he made a desperate attack upon the has caused au increased demand for food for cattle, constable, but the police sergeant at once closed while it has most extensively diminished the supply. with him, and after a short struggle he was secured The turnip crops, and indeed all roots, have suffered by the handcuffs. On proceeding upstairs a most very severely from the frosts. Every appearance horrible spectacle presented itself. On the bed lay indicates that the price of all kinds of food for the body of the unfortunate woman, I, , er features some months to come at least will be high. presenting the strongest evidence of her having been But something else is high besides food. Taxes brutally m urdered. Her head was ono mass of are exorbitantly high. Never in time of peace had bruises, and there were wounds on various' parts of the country such a burden of taxation to bear. And the body, which was reduced by disease or want of we can at present see no prospect of adequate relief. nourishment to that of a mere skeleton. The bed- The state of the Continent absolutely requires that dress in which she had. been murdered had been England should be prepared to stand on the defen- taken off, and was not - to be found. The corpse sive. It would be the extreme of shortsighted had been carefully washed and laid out, and it is folly not to keep both army and navy in a thoroughly evident that some idea. existed of passing off the efficient condition. No great fault can reasonably story of her having fallcn downstairs. Sergeant be found with our foreign policy, as it has been King, finding Lacy likely to offer great resistance, managed by Lord Palmerston of late. It may not returned to Ryde for a carriage and assistance. always have been very dignified, but we have been The police officers were compelled to strap his legs, endeavouring honestly to carry out the principle of and it was with great difficulty he was brought to non •intervention, and we are reaping the good effeci:. s the station. It was not till the following morning of our conduct in the respect and amicable feeling I that he became conscious of his awful situation. with which we are for the most part regarded by the nations of Europe. But there is a gale getting up on the other side of the Atlantic. The accounts which arrive from the United States give no ground for the supposi tion that even a temporary reconciliation can be patched up between the North and the South. The President is evidently unequal to the emergency. The Senate and the Representatives talk and form committees, and report and hesitate, and blunder and temporise. The democratic form of government which Washington and Jefferson elaborated did very well for a few small States just starting into life, but it is proving itself quite unequal to the efficient go vernment of a large Empire, with varied and compli cated interests. It breaks down in the hour of trial. And what will the free and enlightened slave-drivers of the South do for themselves ? Proud, ignorant, self-confident, and poor, basing their system of go vernment on a barbaric institution, at which com mon sense and the innate sense of justice in man revolts, what future can be anticipated for the South but one of anarchy, ruin, and servile war ? And how soon must this state of things begin to tell on Manchester and Lancashire ? We believe that ultimately this country will obtain better and cheaper cotton from Africa, India, and Australia, than has ever been got from America. But the falling off in the cotton supply is a breaker ahead. , We may weather this storm, but a storm there cer tainly is to be encountered. And much must be done for India before we can hope to render the enormous outlay of capital which is required there fully remunerative. All our splendid colonies re quire much assistance from the mother country be fore they can repay us. To give them up would be about as wise as it would be for a landowner to suffer his land to go out of cultivation to save the expense of seed and labour. And how grievously have we mismanaged our colonies. Look at Aus tralia, where we have encouraged democratic in stitutions in servile imitation of the United States' Republic, as if we were ashamed of the English Constitution under which, be its faults what they may, England has become the foremost country of the world. Every year our Australian colonies are drifting into extravagant, inefficient, and unma nageable democracy—for which result we have only ourselves to blame. We have taught them no better. Well, then, with dear food, high taxes, a threaten ing state of commerce and trade, and enormous drains on our resources from various quarters, who cannot foresee a coming storm ? And to aggravate all these unpleasant indications we have a financial and monetary system the very perfection of insane absurdity. Can anyone believe that we can go on with a rate of interest at 7 per cent., and a con tracted circulation ? And Gold is still leaving the country. Even this last week the exportations have been large. Is the country in a position to bear the effects of another Panic ? And with a panic will inevitably come discontent and civil disunion, the invariable attendants of commercial depression and distress. It is a good strong ship in which England rides the ocean. We have strong hands, and cool heads, and brave hearts on board. We do not despair " though the weather should be worse." But it is folly to shut our eyes to the appearances around us on every side. And these appearances, we repeat, indicate so plainly that he who runs may read, A Coming Storm. OF WIGHT. COUNTRY MARKETS. COLCHESTER—FEB. 16. A moderate supply of wheat ; best samples readily rea lised the full prices of last week ; inferior parcels difficult of sale. Fine malting barley commands full prices, and other sorts dull. Beans arid peas as dear. Wheat, white 60s to 68s I Beans, Mazagan..36s to 42s red 44s to 60s Middle & small 44s to 50$ Barley 4os to 48s I White peas 4Bs to 5 23 Oats ,, —s to —s Grey.. ...... ..423 to 48s CHELMSFORD —Fen. 15. . A fair number of samples of wheat on offer, but the condition was still bad. A few dry samples realised last week's:prices ; fur those out of condition few buyers could be found. Spring corn unaltered. Wheat, white 39,.3 to 63s Yeas, Partridge ..43s to 440 re d 48 s to 60s I White 43s to 46s Barley 29s to 42s Boiling 43s to 470 Chevalier ....32s to 4.58 Dun ..39s to 42s Grinding 26s to 37s Beans, Tick ....369 to 443 Malt 618 to 678 Harrow Ticks 37s to 470 Chevalier 648 to 69s Mazagall 308 to 418 Oats 26s to 31s NORTHAMPTON — F EB. At this corn-market the wheat supply was an average one, with a fair demand, prices ranging from 64s to 68s for old, and 42s to 62s for new. In barley a steady business, malting 38s to 435, grinding 29s to 32s per qr. Oats in small supply, and prices as before—quoted at 22s:to 38s per 24 stone. Beans, old, 51 s to 56s ; peas, 40s to 60s. Rye, 37s to 425; malt, 68s to 72s ; flour, 33s to 34s per sack KIRKALDY—F. 16. We had only moderate supplies to-day of wheat, but large of oats and barley. Last week's rates were taken for wheat, and barley and oats sold slowly at 6d to la lees money. Wheat Barley First.... 34s Od 31s Od Second.. 56s Od 41s Od Third .. GOs 6d 43s Od Oats 205,<2,0d 28s Od 328 Od THE MAILS. THE CONVICT REVOLT AT CHATHAM. CHATHAM, MONDAY. Only about 200 of the convicts belonging to the establishment at bt. Mary's have as yet been allowed to leave that prison to resume their daily labours in the dockyard and on the other public works, the remaining 900 prisoners being rigidly confined to their cells. Order and quietness have, however, been completely restored within the prison, and no attempt has been made by the inmates to repeat the riotous proceedings of last week. _ Now that order has been once more restored in the prison the number of convicts sent out to their daily labour will be gradually increased each day, until the whole are permitted to resume their work on full labour diet, and there is no doubt that the lesson the convicts have been taught from past events will not be without its effect upon them. By direction of Sir Joshua Jebb a general order issued by him has been read to the whole of the convicts by Captain Powell. Each convict is informed of the position in which he has placed himself by his late mutinous conduct, the privileges hitherto en joyed by them being entirely forfeited and all their gratuities confiscated. Sir Joshua Jebb also informs them that no extra diet will be served out to them. It is understood that some important changes are likely to be effected in the interior of the prison, by the removal of some of the officers whose con duct has rendered them obnoxious to the convicts, and with this view several of the warders have already received notice that they are to be dis charged. It now appears to be pretty well under stood that the governor and deputy-governor are not armed with sufficient authority in the manage. ment of the officers and prisoners, their efforts being altogether cramped by the fact of sufficient powers not being delegated to them to carry out the proper system which should be observed in the prison. It is hoped that recent events will show the higher authorities the necessity for giving greater power in the management of the prison to Captain Powell of any other governor. That the convicts have no ground for complaint, either on the score of the insufficiency or inferiority of their food, is evident, their diet being infinitely superior to that afforded the inmates of our work houses. The following figures will show the amount of food given weekly to each convict :- 189 ounces of bread ; 7 pints of tea ; 61 pints of soup ; 7 pints of cocoa or gruel ; 7 lbs. of vege tables ; 42 ounces of cooked meat, free from bone or fat, &c. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Ointment and Pills.— . Anti-rheumatic Remedy.—For all inflammatory affections of the joints, muscular pains, and neuralgic tortures, the sufferer need:only turn to Holloway's unrivalled remedies to find present comfort and future cure. Whatever be the predisposing cause of such pains every one knows that exposure to wet or cold induces them; and it should be as universally known that Holloway's Ointment, well r ubbed upon the affected parts, is a safe and certain antidote. It soothes the severity of the attack, and effectually wards off its ;future return. When the pain is allayed continued friction with this curativelOintment, soon restores strength to the muscles and flexibility to the joints. It regulates the loco' circulAtivil and Priselllcivo MAILS DUE. Australia, Ceylon, and Mauritius (via South ampton) • .. Feb. 18. Do. (via Marseilles) Mar. 15. Brazil and Cape Verds .. Mar. 6. Buenos Ayres, Monte Video, &o. Feb. —. Cuba and Mexico Feb. 28 Canada, &c. (via L'derry) Feb. 20. Cape of Good Hope, &c. March 1. China, Penang, and Singapore (via S'ampton) Feb. 18. Do (via Marseilles) Feb. 27; Gibraltar (via Southampton) .. .. Feb. 18. 'lndia (Calcutta), Ceylon, &c. (via Southampton) Feb. 18.. Do. (via Marseilles) Feb. 2T. India (Bombay), (via Southampton) .. .. Feb. 25. Do. (via Marseilles) .. Feb. 20. Lisbon • • • • • • • • • .. Feb. 21. Malta, Egypt, and Aden (via Southampton) Feb. 18. Do. (via Marseilles) .. Feb. 20. Vigo, and Oporto .. .. Feb. 21. United States, California, &c. .. Feb. 20. Western Coast of Africa, Madeira, Teneriffe .. Mar. 10. West Indies and Pacific, Carthagena, Cuba, &c. Feb. 28. [ADVERTISEMENT.I—WO extract a few out of the many thousand expressions of gratitude from invalids cured with out medicine by Du Barry's delicious Revalenta Arabica Food :—Cure No. 71. The Right Hon. the Lord Stuart do Decies, of many years' dyspepsia and all its horrors.—Cure No. 49,832. " Fifty years' indescribable agony from dys pepsia, nervousness, asthma, cough, constipation, flatu lency, spasms, sickness at the stomach and vomiting, have been removed by Du Barry's excellent Food. Maria Joly, Wortham Ling, near Diss, Norfolk."—Cure No. 47,121. Miss Elizabeth Jacobs, of Nazing Vicarage, Waltham Cross, erts, a cure of extreme nervousness, indigestion, gatherings, low spirits, and nervous fancies.—Cure No. 48,314. Miss Elizabeth Yeoman, Gateacre, near Liverpool, a cure of ten years' dyspepsia, and all the horrors of nervous irritability. Avoid Pills and Medicines : they invariably aggravate and perpetuate diseases ; their annoyance, disappointment 2 and expense may be avoided by using Du Barry's Fo od which, at a few pence per day, saves SC times its cost in other remedies, removing effectually, Nv At:tut purging ! constipation, indigestion (dyspepsia) nervous, 'ihous a nd 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 £5,000 against Alfred Hooper Nevill and his agents ; and the pretences that Nevill has a patent for Arabica Food and that Dn 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, onthe seal and wrapper. Shopkeepers who attempt imposition in one article must expect to be distrusted in all others. Packed in tins lib. 2s. 9d.; 21b. 4s. 6d. ; 61b. lls.; 121 b. 225. ; 241 b. 40s, The 121 b. and 241 b. canisters are sent carriage free on receipt of Post-office order by Barry Du Barry and Co., 77, Re' 4 gent-street, London; Fortnum Mason, and Co.; Abbitry 60, Gracechurch-street ; 4, Cheapside ; 63 and 150, Oa bard-street ; 330 and 451, Strand; 49 and 60, 13ishopsgate street ; Batty, 16, Finsbury Pavement ; Phillips and Co. tea-dealers; Petty, Wood, and Co., King William-street, City ; at 127 High Holborn and all grocers BIRTHS. Asiwinr.—On the 17th inst., at Waltham Abbey, the wife of Colonel W. H. Askwith, Royal Artillery, of a son. BARTON.—On the 18th inst., at 22, Saint Augustine-road, Camden-square, N.W., Mrs. Thomas Barton, of a son. BLOSSE.—On the 14th inst., at Bray, the Lady Harriet 13. Blosse, of a son. FITZGERALD.—On the Ilth inst. ,at Nerrion-square,Dulr lin, the lady of the Right Hon. J. D. Fitzgerald, of son. Rou.o.—On the 17th inst., at 12, Hereford-street, Park• lane, the Right lion. Lady Rollo, of a son. MARRIAGES. LLOYD—BRooKEs.—On the 16th inst., at St. Stephen'ef Coleman-street, Thomas Lloyd, Esq., F.R.C.S., Fins bury-circus, to Mary Ann, second daughter of William Brookes, Esq., Mark -lane. Dili BRAY—ALEXANDER. —At Edinburgh, Dr. J. Ivor Murray, F.R.C.S.E., &C., Colonial Surgeon, Hong Kong, China, to Margaret Agnes, youngest daughter of James Alexander, Esq., of Wooler, Northumberland. DEATHS. ANDERSON. —On the 16th inst., at Stoke Newington-road, William Burnett Anderson, formerly of Billiter-street, aged 37. BURNETT.—On the 16th inst., at Chichester, Sir William Burnett, ILL D., K.C.8.. &c., late Director-General of the Medical Department of the Navy, aged 82. , - CLERKE.—On the 16th inst., at The Heath, Salop, Lieut.- Colonel Sir William Henry Clerke, Bart., of Martyr', Flintshiro, aged 67. FITZROY.—On the 9th ult. at Sierra Leone, Arthur Geo. Fitzroy, Com man d er o f H.M.S. Falcon, aged 34. LONDON : Printed and Published by 51.11RD0 YOUNG, at No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TILE SUN Office, No. 112, Strand . in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the County of itielelleacx Tueiclith February 19, 1561