The Sun. — London, England, 1856-02-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 26, 1856. gerhnot recollecting anysuch opinion to betherein expressed, him to strike at the root almost of private property itself ; and fearing that the right hon. gentleman might inadver- because if any public . advantage could be shown to arise t e ntly have referred to some " Board of Trade" copy not from taking away private property, he could not see why a ccessible to the general public--(laughter)—he had, there- that ground should not be equally applicable in that case fore, referred to the work itself, and the passage which he as it was attempted to make it in the case of the property found there, ran thus :—" In estates held, as we call it, iu of corporate bodies. (Hear.) At all event s , h e was en mortmain there is no intercommunity, no natural privity ' titled to say that t he principle upon which thi s bill wa s of interest bet ween th e p r e s ent possessor and those who bases would, if admitted, undermine all c or p ora t e proper ty may enceeed him ; and as the former cannot have any pre- throughout the kingdom ; and under the conviction that text for complaint if, his own right being preserved, the such a measure was most dangerous and most mischievous, legislature should alter the course of transmission after his he moved as an amendment that it b e rea d a seco nd time decease, so neither is any hardship sustained by others un- that d ay six months. (Hear.) lees their succession hes been already designated or ran- Sir F. BARING had been requested to second the dered probable." Corporate property, therefore, appears amendment, and he hesitated not to do so in order to show to stand on a very different footing from that of private that the opposition to the principle of the bill was not con indiriduals and while all infriagements of the established fined to th e other side of the h o u se . H e objected to the privileges of the latter are to be sedulously avoided, and held justifiable only by the strongest motives of public ex - second reading on two grounds. First, he recognised in the pediency, we cannot but admit the full right of the legis - bill a determination to interfere with the principle of self lature to new mould and regulate the former in all that management in local affairs—(hear)—and, secondly, he re does not involve existing contracts upon far slighter rea cognised in it what was more important, a carelessness of sons of convenience." private r i ghts, a sacrifice of public and Parliamentary Mr. LOWE explained that he had not professed to quote the words of Mr. Hallam, but had only stated their effect. faith. (Hear, hear.) If hon. members would examine the Sir F. THESIGEII would proceed to illustrate what he bill they would find that it proceeded upon the principle had been saying with regard to corporations, by referring of intermeddling by the Government with local affairs. to particular cased. He would, in the first place, take the (Hear.) It proposed to hand the collection of these dues C4BO of Liverpool, because that was a case to which the over to the Commissioners of Customs with no other check right hon. gentleman himself had referred. The right hon. gentleman said that the corporation of Liverpool received than that of the Government, the money to be p a id over 125,0001. a-yeagehf, which sum they spent only 4,0001. upon to the Paymaster-General, to be expended at the discretion matters connected with shipping. The right hon. gentle- of the Board of Trade. (Hear, hear.) He understood man was not correct when he said that this sum was raised that the expenditure necessary for the benefit of the entirely by shipping dues ; in fact, it was raised to a great shipping interest, that was, the expenditure requisite for extent by an export and import duty. These local dues of keeping the harbours in proper order, was still to be paid. Liverpool had most probably arisen from the petty cud- But who was to be the judge of what ought to be expended tome, which in former times were levied by the King's for that purpose? It appeared that an estimate was to be prerogative. These dues were frequently granted to indi- given in to the Board of Trade, and if they were satisfied, viduals and to corporations, and one of the subjects of such then, and then only, the Paymaster. General would he a grant was the corporation of Liverpool. In 1628 the cor- justified in making the necessary payments to the corpora poration purchased these dues for the very large sum of tions. Their sanction must, in fact, be obtained before any 374,989/. In 1635 they sold their rights to Lord elolyneux, improvement or repair could take place in any harbour. the ancestor of the Earls of Sefton, who shortly afterwards Then the Board of Trade would have the power to abolish purchased a fee farm rent which had been reserved out of or retain any tax upon any class of vessels within certain the dues. In 1764 the then Lord Molyneux made a lease limits, without reference to the local authorities. There was of the dues to the corporation of Liverpool for 1,000 years, another clause he looked upon with considerable jealousy. and in 1777 the corporation purchased from Lord Moly • He was aware that there was an impression in some quartet s neux the reversionary interest in fee, and they became the that the Government ought to havethemanagement of all the absolute owners of the dues. In 1336, their title being mercantile harbours in the country, than which anything then questioned, an action was brought to try the right, more ridiculous or more mischievoushe could scarcely inea and a decision was given in their favour. Since then the gine. Ho knewnot whethertheßoardof Trade, as at present title had been unquestioned. Now if a corporation could constituted, was in fevers'. of that view ; but the knowledge possess private property at all, he (Sir F. Thesiger) would that it obtained led him to regard with doubt the clause like to know how a stronger title could be made out. Let which enacted that any tolls now levied by any of the ex the house suppose that those dues bad remained the pri- isting harbour authorities might be transferred to any vate property of Lord Molyneux, and had descended to other harbours. Under that clause it appeared to him, the Earl of Sefton ; would the right hon. gentleman say though he was not sure that he understood it correctly, that the right to them ought not to have been preserved that the Board of Trade might advise an order in council inviolable ? Would any one say that there was any dis- by which the tolls collected at one harbour might be trans tiaction between the right of the Earl of Sefton and that ferred to the improvement of another; so that the clause of the corporation which purchased it from his ancestor might be worked with a view to the concentration of all for a valuable consideration ? (Hear, hear.) What right the different arrangements and management of all the had any one to say that they were not to continue in harbours into the Board of Trade. It was also proposed to possession of their property ? It was paid for with the enable the board to grant superannuation allowances. That, funds of the corporation, and for the benefit of the cerpo- within due limits, might be fair enough ; but whet he ration. Bat the right bon. gentleman might say perhaps would suggest was this, as to the principle of the bill. those.dues were given originally as a sort of trust for local There were two modes of conducting local business; one purposes, such as maintenance of harbours ; but he (Sir F. by local authority—which was the principle of the consti- Thesiger) would venture to assert that not one of the char- tntion of England ; the other by centralisation. In both tars had been granted with that condition. He had seen there were advantages ; but in his opinion the balance of many, and could not remember one in which any such con- advantage was largely in favour of the local authority dition was inserted. On the other hand, the right hon. central authority, uncontrolled and unchecked by gentleman assumed that such conditions existed, and that local interference, being, in his opinion, wholly unfitted they had been violated. Ho passed new from Liverpool to for this country. (Hear.) But there was a third course, another case that exhibited the injustice of this measure. which, without any of the advantages of the other two, In 1774 the Hull Deck Company obtained an act for making was decidedly the most mischievous that the human ima their docks, with a power which was usual in those times, gination could devise ; that was a Mixed authority, nei of charging a double amount of dock dnee on foreign vessels. ther central nor local, but partaking of the two—neither In 1842 they were about to enlarge their docks, but were being responsible to the other—neither knowing which was afraid to incur the expense without previously making a muster, but both always contending for the supremacy. permanent arrangement with the Government respecting The collection of the dues being transferred to the hands their double dues. They put themselves iu communication of the Customs, under the control of the Board of Trade, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the President of the local authorities would consider their rights infringed, the Board of Ti ade (Messrs. Goulhurn and Gladstone), and and that they had been treated with injustice. Yet they an arrangement was ultimately come to by whi c h the Go- would have to act with that very central authority by vernment redeemed the toll on foreign vessels by a pay- whom in their opinion the injustice had been perpetrated. ment out of the consolidated fund equal to the average of This would occasion constant differences and constant re five years' previous collection, which amounted to 6,3331. monstrances, and the result would be that before long a bill - lie would ask the right hon. member for Oxford Univer- would come down to the house declaring the impoesibility of city, whether that transaction was note an arrangement continuing this system pf divided authority, and proposing deliberately entered into with the Government, and one by to place the whole of the management in the hands of the which the Government wus a considerable gainer, seeing Board of Trade. He objected to the principle of the bill, that the difference for the last fourteen years as against the therefore, in so far as it interfered with local self-manage corporation was 54,000/. ? Tho hon. and learned member ment. He objected also to the manner in which it was having emoted the Treasury minute referring to this tram- proposed to deal with the corporate property and with the action continued :—But the right hon. gentleman would pledged faith of Parliament. (Hear.) After the speech of probably say that Hull was a case for whi c h h e h a d pro - th e h on. an d l earne d gent l eman he would not go into the vided, by permitti ng the levy of a toll wh erever a p ay - vexe d ques ti on o f h ow f ar l eg i s l at i ve authority could go ment had been made out of the consolidated fund, and in dealing with private property. No doubt Parliament was withdrawn by the bill. Now, in the first place, he had the power to deal with private property. They might had to reply, that this offer was not likely to be available by act of Parliament take away the property of any man, to the Hull Dock Company, because they had been and of course they could do the same with the property of great sufferers lately by competition, and if they raised corporations. But nothing could be more unwise or clan the toll they would infallibly drive away the ships. The gerous than to interfere with such property except upon amount payable last year was 11,0001. and odd pounis, and the gravest grounds, or to . treat lightly the pledged faith if the 6,0001. odd from the Treasury were taken away, the of Parliament. (Cheers.) Take the strongest cage in company would be deprived of snore than half its net in- favour of the bill—that of the harbours of refuge. Rams come. The last illustration, and perhaps not the weakest gate was a harbour of refuge for ships in the Downs, but case he should give, was the case of Bristol. The electors it was found so difficult to levy the dues that the commis there had dues to which they were entitled under a charter sioners recommended, and he concurred with them, that from Edward IV., in the year 1412, and to be levied on they should no longer attempt it. But how were they to goods exported and imported: There were also one or two deal with the people of Ramsgate ?It was not for tho pen fee farms which the Crown reserved, and which were after- ple of Ramsgate, or at their instigation, that the h ar b our wards purchased by the" corporation. In the year 'Seri had been construct e d. I n consequence of: losses occasioned the corporation, at fceir own expense, obtained an act of by a severe storm, the shipping interest of London prayed Parliament enoteling them to alter and reduce the toll ; that there might be a harbour of refuge at Itaanseate for and they reduced them accordi ng ly f rom 5 , 0001 . t o 2 , 000 1.; t h eir benefit, and at their request it was constructed ; but and they continued in that position until the passing of now they were told that the expense of maintaining it the Municipal Reform A c t. Th e i r h ar b our was f ormed b y could not properly or conveniently be levied on those for a company in 1805. and to provide the necessary funds whose benefit the expeaditure was incurred. He admitted the inhabitants of Bristol agreed to assess themselves in a that they ought to take off the passing tolls • but why permanent rate to the annua l amoun t o f 2 , 400 1. In make the unfortunate people of Ramsgate make good the 1818, the shipping interest being dissatisfied with the deficiency ? For all the purposes of their -trade the plan management of the harbour and the docks, they requested which they propoeed before the harbour of ref age was formed the corporation to purchase tee rights and interests of the was sufficient, and if a job had been perpetrated it was not cenapany. The corporrt;jon - agreed, and the arrangement theirs, but the Government's, and the Government was ' was carried out in ,the Dock Act of 1848, by which the bound to take the burden upon itself. Then with regard to ratepayers were e letund to makeup any deficiency that the reciprocity payments. These were made, not for the ad might occur in satisfying the claim of the company. The vantage of the corporations, but for the benefit of trade and inhabitants seeped to an assessment of 1,4001. in order to commerce; and the question was now, not whether the supply the deficiency. Subsequently 70,0001. was spent money should go into the pockets of the shipping interest, in the repairs of the docks, and it was all gnaranteed out but whether it should be paid over to the Chancellor of the of the borough fund. Now here was one of the cases in Exchequer. On what right did these reciprocity payments which her Majesty's Government would strip the corpora- rest? On eld charters—on constant payment —on the deci tiou of all local dues derived either under charter or by sions of courts cf law, and on the authority of repeated acts voluntary assessment of the inhabitants. The right hon. of Parliament. (Hear.) The acts of Parliament by which gentleman might say that this was an exceptional case and these payments were sanctioned wet - u not old and obsolete would be provided for, b u t th ey s h ou ld not h ave excep- their dates were 1818, 1838, 1842 L and 1852. Nor we re th e y tional cases. The question was one of principle, and on passed by light or trifling men. The tint was passed by principle it ought to be decided. The case of Bristol was Mr. Huskisson, and the latter on es by Si r R. P ee l—b oth identical with that of ,Li verpoo l, on l y th at th ere was a men wile cared for the public interest, and who would not trivial difference in the mode in which the right to levy have allowed the claim unless they had believed it to he was derived. Ho was ;dealing with the principle which just. Was it fair or just, when these public bodies had given the right honourable gentleman had boldly put forward, up certain rights on the faith of acts of Parliament, that namely, that a corporation, because it was a corporation, they should now he met with some such argument as that could hold no private property. He would now return to " the river can't flow higher than its source, and that these the right hon. gentleman's precedents. The light hon. gen- reciprocity cases are waste paper ?" He was told that if the tlernan had quoted the case of the corporation of the Tri- question wore how to be argued, no compensation would bo pity Bosse, but that was a corporation of exclusively a granted: Upon that point he thought he might leave it public character. -- It had been incorporated by Henry VIII., to the noble lord (Palmerston) to defend Mr. Huskisson, and received its present charter in thoreign of James 11. It whose follower to a certain extent he was. Sir. Huskis was composed of 31 elder brethren and an indefinite num- son effected great reforms, but in doing so he never inter ber of younger brethren, the latter to be composed of per- fared with the property of others. But in dealing with eons who had been commanders of merchant ships. But no these reciprocity payments they had not even the excuse individual member had any right in the funds, which that they were relieving the shipping interest. They took were etrictly for public objects. In 1853, an application was away from the corporations the nweey which they were made from the Board of Trade that the Trinity House entitled by act of Parliament to receive, and put it into should cease to collect for charitable objects. It appeared their (the Government's) own pockets. This was endan that the corporation had applied some of their surplus funds gering the confidence of the public in the good faith of the to the relief of decayed mariners and their families, but Legislature and the Government. It had been suggested the Treasury decided Viet these charities communicated no that the matter might be settled by a compromise. But vested rights. He had been surprised to hear the right hon. how could any reliance be placed by such a compromise, gentleman quoting the Case of the Trinity House in sup- when the faith of Parliament could not be trusted—when port of his view. He (Sir F. Thesiger), en - the other head, that which the Legislature guaranteed iu 1852 was reversed held it to be a case going entirely for the view which he sup- in 1556 ? (Hear.) He would not enter upon the qnestion of ported ; for in it was marked most broadly the distinction compensation. He believed they cool I not do justice with between vestal rights and powers conferred merely for out going into every case separately. The principle of the public objects. Another argument put forward by the bill was wrong, and it could scot be carried out without right hon. gentleman was, that all the vested rights of the injustice. The right hon. gentleman (Mr. Lowe) has told corporations were destroyed by the passing of the Munici- them that the shipping interest would be relieved by this pal Reform Act he 1835, by which the property was taken bill to the extent of 200,0001. a year; but he (Sir F. Baring) . from the corporation and given to others. The right hon. would like to know on what principle of political economy gentleman was unhappy in his selection of arguments. Ea he made that out? (Hear.) Were they to be now told by (Sir F. Thesiger) would venture tombnsit to the considers- those who, when the question was the repeal of the corn Con of the house, that the 5 and 6of Wm. IV. was one of laws, contended that the tax fell upon the public, that this the strongest grounds for insisting on the finality of all ar- burden was borne by the shipping interest ? (Cheers.) He . rangements respecting corporate property. (Hear.) They would like to know whether the right hon. gentlemaa the knew that corporations had orig inally had c er t a i n p r i v f- mem b er f or M anc h ester eudoised that doctrine. The case , loges and fr anc hi ses, an d that b y degrees their privileges of the Manchester consumer was that he paid what he had , were monopolised by close bodies. Such a state of thing s no right to pay, not th a t th e s hi p pi ng i n t eres t pa id it ; an d *as remedied by-th e C orporat i on Reform Bill which tool it was to relieve the commerce that, as he understood, the the revenues from these close bodies and placed them under change was demanded. (Hear.) Then the shipping interest the control of the burgesses at large. That was the view was in no very great distress. The Chancellor of the Ex of Lord Brougham, who called the measure restitution, chequer elated on Friday that the general reduction in the not spoliation, and by the noble lord th e mem b er f or Lon- customs and excise was about two millions, and be gave don, who sai d that municipal fundsshould be appropriated reasons for the statement, showing that certain interests to public municipal purposes. It Was so provided ex- were not going on altogether favourably ; bat when he came pressly in the 92d section of the act, which declared that to the shipping interest his countenance bright ene d, an d all tolls and dues should become p ar t o f th e b oroug h f und. he declared that more shipping - had h one out of Briti s h Should there be any surplus after the spe c ifi c o bj ec t f or ports, and snore ships had been built d uring the last year, which the rate was levied had been carried oat, the surplus than for many previous years. That interest, therefore, was to be applied for the general benefit of the inhabitants they might presume had gone on very well of late, notwith and the improvement of the borough. So that the tolls were standing their heavy burdens of local dues. Not that if by the Corporation Reform Bill conferred on the boroughs the tax were unjust that would be any reason for retaining - as - part of their property. (Hear.) The right hon, gentle- it. But what he wanted to know was, whether they were man might probably urge filet this provision was admitted to again proceed upon the principle introduced last year at into the bill by an 'oeereiglrt, lent the fact was that it was the instigation of the Manchester school, when the only in most carefully discussed and deliberately inserted in clause terest relieved from taxation dining the war was the news -32 of the bill. How then, in the face of such precedents, paper interest, which was doing very well ? (Hear.) It could the right hen. gentleman maintain the right of might possibly have been as well to allow the bill to be the Government to confiscate the property of corporate read a second time, and take the division in the commit. hodies ? lie (Sir F. Thesiger) defied any one to make a tee ; but looking at the measure as one striking at the distinction between the private property of an individual very root of local government, he should give his cordial which was, for the present at least—(hear, hear)—invio- support to the amendment. (Cheers.) labia, and that which having been the private property of The question and amendment having been put, an individual had hubsequently become the private pro- Mr. LOWE said there was one point which the hon. party of a corporation. Brat the right hon. g entleman had exhibited consid era bl e ingenuity in his m ode of intro member -for Portsmouth had omitt e d i n hi s speec h against ducing the question, having prefaced the objectionable the principles of this bill, viz., that the borough of Ports principle with two short clauses, on which, as he doubted month received in local dues 3,8001. on goods shipped at not, there would be very little difference of opinion, thus that port, which he supposed had some effect on the hon. as it were, making a covert from which he might dart out upon his prey. The right hon. gentleman hoped in th a t way gentleman and in some measure a ccoun t e d f or a ent to obtain the second reading of th e bill , and then turn man - sitting ' on that side of the house vo ti ng again st the round to the house and say, " You have already acknow- bill. (Hear, hear, from Sir F. Baring.) The right hon. ' lodged the principle of confiscation." Had th e right hon. gentleman (Mr. Lowe) complained th a t F. Thesiger had " gentlenaan confined his legislation to pas s i ng tolls he wolt put statements into his mouth which h e m i g ht l oo k i n have met with li tt l e oppos i t i on, b u t h e used theeeintes. bill vai n for through his speech, viz., that h e ma i n t a i ne d th e to mask his rea l o b ject. But let 0 hon. memb e r bedecetved absolute right of the Government to take corporate pro' by this contrivance ; the object of the Government was, by introducing these compar at ively unobjectionable clau se, party and apply it to it s own use ; an d, f ur th er, th a t t h e , object of the bill was to take away these dries from the the better to cask the pri nciple of confiscation and spoil He knew he addre ssesrhonourable members , some of t e i c k hporations, and not to abolish them, but to confiscate whom had been instiucted by their constituen ts ' to oppose t ijo h e ei:i of these corporations, anti never restore it. If hon, an d learned gentleman bed referred to his (Mr. these Liverpool local (Intim ; but let them net flatter them- sreli, he would have found, though possibly not so selves that if the Government measure were earned their fully ex as it might have been, What really was the constituents would he relieved. Th e obje c t was not to objecto r t11:17 Theobject of this bill was there stated to abolish the rate, lene to transfer the collection to the Board be to prevent the harbourefrow being in danger hereafter of of Trade, so that if the right hon. gentleman carried his being starved, so to spea k, by the sudden withdrawal of hill the constituents of the hon. members would not be in funds, and also withad reßr e d b to ll the interests of the the slightest degree benefited. He begged to remind the creditors of the corporations. representatives of. i n l an d eorpora,tions. that, although nn recommendations of a commission , o n Thfir the dhen the attempt was made no w to interfere with their property, able and learned gentleman had I n i ' ot e s n e' w l or e d. enle`lteltrt atill if this precedent wore once permitted to be established commission recommended the abolition u of en th s e w sh dues, and it would be hardly possible to protect them from eonfisca- , the question the Government had to consider in carrying h lion. They w o u ld fi n d ou t , pro b a bly, that all the favour out the recommendations o t coretrni es i one they had obtai ne d b y th e i h en h ee„ n t o the Government that could best be accompl i sh ed . (Hear.) T r h g e w i a u s i estco t w i t i l was the melancholy privilege once awarded to the Greeian wee one of a peculiar nature o(hear)—surrou chief, o f w h om th ey a ll b e d ree d , that of being devoured tlifficultiee, and having to deal with a vast number l(a' of w n last. (A laugh.) He theref o re most earnestly entreeted successful ' corporations for whom it would bonecessaryilto them to stop at ifee commencerneut a course which, in the lay down cert a i n regula tions. , In doing that it wa s i m p os _ cud, might be fatal to themselves. (Hear, hear.) Ho had sible for the Gov er e men t to foresee all that might b e thus endeavoured to place before the h ouse a ll th e cirenm- brought forward with reference to the working stances under under w hi c h it appeared to hire impossible to r sure, and the only ale they could lay down in reference to Maintain thq prin c i p l e upon which the bill was based; and this measu re was , that whilst they did good, to tak e care ho confesseß th a t he wee at aloes t o k now w h e th er h e was th e y did not commit an injusti ce to either interest c on s more astonished at th e measure itself than at the arguments I cerned, and it was o n th at prineiple that the Powers corn which had been brought f9zward in its supp or t, Th e p l a i nes t of with reference to the creditors of municipal cor sure was intended toOake away from these corporations ' porations were adopted. He should be most happy to property to which they were entitled be , charter, by A c t s a b o li e e th ese dues at once, but it was not considered fair, pt padiara3nt, 157 public agreement, and by immemorial I and hence it was that the dues with reference to these cot. o g i sis ion, anti that upon argaminta which appmted to paste towns were to he devotett under this b i ll to the Pte; 1-----~ __ _~ poses of shipping and the municipal corporation creditors, and the surplus to go towards effecting their ultimate abo lition, and that was what the hon. and learned gentleman had characterised as confiscation on the part of the Go vernment. (Hear.) • With regard to the passing tolls, they unfortunately appeared to have no friends, but it was only the municipal corporations affected by this bill that had found a defender ; he considered the passing tolls ought to be abolished, because it was an impost on ship ping from which that interest derived no corresponding benefit. The hon. and learned gentleman, in his speech on town due s , h a d spo k en muc h of property, but he had failed to give the house the slightest idea of what he con sidered property to consist in. The bill spoke only of taxes, and not a word was mentioned in it of property. The hon. and learned gentleman had not favoured the house with his definition of what property was, whether it was land or whether it was funds over which be bad a control, or whether it was that for which a man could get money, because es man might get money by saying t o hi m that, if h e p a id hi m a sum of money, he would tell him where to find his stolen property, He could put a number of similar cases, and surely the house nor the hon. and learned gentleman would not consider that a property. He understood property to be the possession of land or capital over which a man had entire control, and not such as that which this bill proposed to deal with, where-one Irian had entire control and dominion over the property of another, aid for which the latter received no considera tion. The lion, and learned gentleman had not said a word for the charities with which this bill proposed to deal, but he had for the ratepayers of Liverpool, now and for all time to come, that they might continue to possess the right to tax the whole of the rest of England, and also the ship ping which came to their port ; and thus the unborn chil dren of the rest of England were to become the serfs of the unborn children of Liverpool—(hear) —and continue to pay dues for which they would obtain no equivalent. And that not only to the present amount which was levied in Liverpool, but to any amount it rose commensurate with the prosperity of the country. Many towns claimed to be exempted from this tax, and Manchester amongst the rest, and the people of Manchester justly said, that whilst they contributed 80.0001. per annum fora borough fund, Liver pool ought not to be exempt from it, and Manchester be called upon to contribute towards such a fund for Liver pool by the enforcement by the latter of local dues on ship ping. That he looked upon as a theft according to the sys tem of the Prud'hommes.-The hon. and learned gentleman had referred to the peliod. when Liverpool obtained this right of levying local dues on shipping, but he had omitted to inform the house that the sum given for them was only 7001., and that they yielded but 141. odd, and that that was the basis from which the princely revenues obtained by Liverpool from these dues had sprung, and which it was wished to continue in perpetuity anti to ages and genera tions yet unborn. There was a great distinction between corporations and individuals. The latter had to work in their respective spheres as free agents, acccrding to the constitution of thet society by which they were surrounded. Corporations neither existed by nor for themselves, but were creatures of public utility, which were bound to act in ac e .rdance with the conscieccee of mankind, and in deference in some degree to the honest prejudices of public justice. They had been established as a means to an end, and as soon as they failed to accomplish that end it was the duty of the Legislature either to modify or abolish them. The hon. gentleman then referred to the state of the municipal corporations prior to 1835, when the members were either self-elected or appointed by the mayors, aldermen, and core moo council, who formed a small portion of the inhabitants of the respective boroughs. They possessed considerable real and personal property, which they claimed to hold, and which Lord Ellenborough and Lord Eldon had decided they were empowered to hold independent of any trust what ever, and they used that property in the most scandalous manner. (Hear, hear.) They ate, bought, feasted, and jobbed till the day of reckoning came, which was that of the passing of the Municipal Corporations Act of 1835, after as desperate a fight in support of these class interests as that made that night by th e h on , and learned member for these particular dues. The House of Commons of that day heard plenty about confiscation, but they grappled boldly with the question, and swept away the abuses, and gave the administration of their local affairs to an elective body. The Legislature then took from the corporate bo roughs all their corporate rights by a stretch of power greater, perhaps, than had ever before been made by any Legislature of a free country ; and by the 921 section of that act they vested those rights in new bodies, vesting in them these tolls and dues for the maintenance of police and the administration of justice, and the surplus to be applied for the gen -pal benefit of the inhabitants. That was a precedent of what Parliament had done and could do when the proper time arrived, and under that prece dent the dues purchased of the Molyneux family had been vested in the present municipal corporation of the town of Liverpool, and which tolls they were now misapplyiug ac cording to the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act, and from which the shipping interest derived little or no interest. (Hear, hear.) The remark of Junius in the reign of George M., that "a crown won by one revolu tion might be lost by another," was appliceole in this in stance, and it was for the house to consider whether it was right or just that Liverpool should raise 125,00 J/. a-year from shipping, and spend only 3,0001. f or i ts b enefit. Was that a stat e of things that should 6o continued ? He thought not, for it was equivalent to their, permitting a man to take away the proceeds of the labour of another, without giving him an equivalent for them. (Hear, hear.) The hon. and learned gentleman had alluded to the cases of Hull and Bristol, which, lie doubt, were exceptional en ie s, and the Government had come to the determination some days since - of meetin g th em w ith a special clause to be inserted in the bill. In exceptional cases, such as those alluded to, he and his noble friend the Pre sident of the Board of Trade were desirous of doing every justice to th e pl aces concerned. 'With regard to th diffe rential dues it had hitherto been the pulley of the country to impose higher ditties on foreign ships than on English ships ; but by the theory of free trade, which was now somewhat exploded, it was found necessary to enter into reciprocity treaties with countries trading to this country, and to compensate those who claimed the right to the dues by paying them out of the consolidated fund. By this bill it was proposed to abolish these duties, and it beeamea qua: - Mon whether these ports that had been in the habit of levy ing them had a claim for compensation o'. the consolidated mud for their abolition. Many hon, members appeared to imagine that the public purse was inexhaustible, and in the cases of corporations compensation was always claimed, but had not that greatest corporation of all, the State, a right to be considered in this matter ? (Hear.) If the house were of opinion that compensation ought to be given in this case, how would they propose to do it. If theyre lieved shipping of this unjustifiable tax, the only way they could raise a sufficient sum to compensate that tax would I be by levying this unjust taxid - another shape -(hear)— and which he submitted no reasonable man would attempt to do. Compensation iu individual cases were very avail able and desirable ; for if the public were desirous of be coming possessed of an individual's rights, compensation should be rigorously enforced; but when the house took away, not property, but the claim to the right and power of extorting another man's money without giving him an equivalent for it, it was not a subject for compensation. It had been said that this bill had been framed with a great deal of craft, but he begged to deny it. He had boon given credit for many clever things lee had never thoughtof; and as regarded the bill before the house, it was founded, as he bad already stated, on the report of the Commissioners. The Government brought this question before the house to ask whether the system of local self-government should be converted into a system of Imperial taxation. He thought no one would say that the 9,2 d section of the Municipal. Act was a just one ; that 175,0001. should be levied on ship ping, and that none of it should be spent for the benefit of the interest's on whom it was levied. The injustice might bo small, lent it was not the less injustice, which cannot be lon tolerated in this country, whatever !night be the re sult of this night's debate. The Corporation of Liverpool were the same gentlemen in two characters ; at one time it is the dock fund, at another time it is the corporation. They applied last session to Parliament to borrow 2,000,000/. ou the security of this tax, This did not cor respond with his (Mr. Lowe's) notion of fair dealing; it was a practice which, if not prevented, would b e caar i e d on all over th e kingdom. 110 thought the committee had done its duty in its report on this matter, and had devised a full and complete remedy. He thought, also, the Govern ment had done its duty in bringing it before the country, and enabling it to judge whether reform was necessary. It was a state of things which, like their rotten boroughs and their rotten commercial system, would be numbered with the thiage which were passed. (Cheers.) Mr. ILORSFALL stated that the Liverpool revenue of more than 100,0001. was not derived from shipping, as Mr. Lowe had asserted. Only 1,0001, was derived from ship ping, the rest was levied on shipping. The solo charge on shipping was ls., not per ton, but per vessel, upon all coasters, and 3s. 3d, on ships coating from foreign ports. This bill would in fact raise the 1,0001. now derived from ships to 6,000/. or 7,000/. The Co, potation of Manchester, which was the great advocate o f t hi s bill , d i d itself apply the town dues of Manchester precisely as the Corporation of Liverpool applied its town dues. He went into some detail as to the manner in which the Corporation of Liver pool had spent the dues, to show that they wore all ex pended for the benefit of the shipping. Mr. RIDLEY delivered his maiden speech in opposi tion to the bill. Ho stated that the duos levied by the Newcastle corporation were not paid by the shipowners, but by the coalowners, who had petitioned against this bill. The property of the corporation in those dues was founded at first on prescription, it was confirmed by charter, and it had been further confirmed, and, as it was hoped, finally settled by an act passed-so late as 1850, when the corporation gave up 15,0001. a-year, and was exoneratei from all further responsibility as to the conservancy of the port. He objected, also, to the principle of centralisation contained in this bill. He hinted that the definitions of property which Mr. Lowe laid down in his speech might pass muster in Australia, but he was quite sure that they would not bo tolerated by public opinion in Great Britain, Mr. TOLLE-MAC:HE thought that the local dues required revision, anti should have been glad to support any mea sure based upon the report of the commissioners appointed to inquire into the subject. But this bill far exceeded the recommendations of those commissioners, and therefore he could not support it. Mr. COLLIER supported the bill, which was based upon this principle, that ships should not be taxed for the support of towus. As to the claim of vested rights, the very same claim had been set up by the proprietors of rot ten boroughs, the West Indian slave owners, the self elected corporations, and the landouners of the country. He voted for the second reading of the bill, on the ground that these dues were not applied to shipping purposes, but that the shipping interest were paying for the paving and lighting of the streets, and for the building of town-halls, Mr. HILDYARD reminded the House that as Parlia ment had sanctioned these does on, former occasions, they could not now in good faith retract them. He severely censured the arguments need by Mr. Lowe, and put it to the Prime Minister whether it was creditable that a speech which appeared to set at defiance all the principles on which property was founded should have been delivered from the Treasury bench. Mr. RICE oppomd the bill, and explained the injustice it would inflict upon Dover. Mr. DEEDES defended the tolls levied at Ramsgato. Mr. J. E WART hoped the house would reject this bill, which he considered to be fraught with the grossest in justice. - Mr. INGHAM supported the bill, which was opposed by Mr. LIDDELL and Mr. CAIRNS. Mr. BAINES would not have thought himself justified in addressing the house upon the subject of the bill had he not been pressed to support it byhis constituents, who had a material interest in its success. Ho lad the honour to re present the metropolis of the great . woollen manufacture of the north, and his constituents had stated to hies their views, and he would briefly repeat them to the house. But before he did so he might say that, having listened to the hon.and learned gentleman the member for Stainfolci (Sir F. Thesi ger), and to the hon. baronet who seconded his amend ment, the objections that had been urged went more to the various clauses than to the principle of the bill. The hon. and learned gentleman the member for Belfast (Mr. Cairns) had stated that, if there had been any intention to do away with the town dues be would have supported the bill. As far as he (Mr. Baines) understood the matter, that ' 6 ' 4 s Priciiely the intention of the Government, (Clams') What really was the principle of the bill ? That one part of the community should not be at liberty to tax other parts of the community for purposes peculiar to itself, or that it should not tax other parts of the community for advantages in which they did not share. His coustituents and the pub lic at large complained that in reference to shipping a cer tain duty was levied, and no consideration was received. If that principle were a sound one, he was not prepared to stand there and say thatthe re might not be some exceptional case, and he understood the right hon. gentleman the Vice- President to admit that, and to say that Governrneat would give the fullest consideration to them. Two or three of them had been mentioned in the course of the debate— the Trinity-house and Bristol for example—and others might probably be cited. But these had nothing to do with the principle of the bill. They should be considered in committee, and every case should be considered upon its own merits. For sown time he (Mr. Baines) represented the town of Hull, and that day he had met some of his late constituents, who stated to him that the bill was likely to work the greatest possible benefit to the shipowner, and put the matter in a light which was perfectly irresistible. They said that Parliament had repealed the navigation laws, which laid upon them a heavier pressure than be fore. Acknowledging this to be right, they insisted upon the other hand that they should not be compelled in the great race of competition with other countries to bear un just burdens, so that if it could be proved that any unjust burdens did rest upon them, they had a clear right to be relieved from the tax. Besides pleading for the ship owner, he (Mr. Baine s ) st oo d b e f ore th e h o us e th a t even ing as the advocate of those who were interested in the great woollen manufactures of the country. There was not a single bale of goods which came to Leeds or the West Riding of Yorkshire which did not come up the Humber on the one side or the Mersey on the other. They said they were willing to engage iu competition with the clothiers of any other country, but they claimed to be exempted from texes levied for another community, and from which they derived no advantage. (Hear.) He respectfully asked the house whether there could be a more reasonable claim than this in support of the views now advocated by the Go vernment ? Sir F. K ELLY could not allow this bill to pass its second reading without calling the attention of the house to what he considered its real principles, for he believed the Go virnment were not aware of what that principle was, or of t lee consequences that must fellow if it passed into a law. The principle of the bill was nothing more nor less than to take away from corporations having property that which they had in trust for the inhabitants, whom they repre sented, without any misdeeds on their part, and without any compensation. He believed that the right hon. gentle man the Vice-President of the Board of Trade had, how ever unintentionally, misled the house as to the real cha racter of the bill. It was said to he " A Bill for the Aboli tion of PassingeTolls and the regulations of Local Dues on Shipping." Upon the subject of passieg tolls they were all agreed. The house was left in ignorance on many important points. They had no return of the number and amounts of town dues levied by corporations, but he calculated from the speech of the right hon. gentleman that it was some where about 163,0001. a year. The deductions which the right hen. gentleman had made, after hearing the speech of the right hon. and learned gentleman the member for Stamford (Sir F. Thesiger) reduced it to 149,0001. a year, of which Liverpool had by far the largest proportion ; and this it w a s said w a s a t ax l ev i e d b y Llverpool upon the shipping interests of the country. Out of that 149,0001. only I,oeo/. was levied on the shipping at all. He would now come to the priucipli of the bill. It had been said that this was not strictly pew ty, but was a tax that could be dealt with by Parliament. That argument had been already met by the right lion. gent!eman the member for Belfast. It was a calumny to say that by an oversight such as the Municipal Act this property was transferred to the corporation of Liverpool. Why, it was the direct avowed purpose of that act, with regard to corporations, that the property of those corporations should become the property of the inhabitants of the boroughs. That was specially pro vided for by the 92d section of the act. And yet that was called an oversight, and it was that very provision which this bill was intended to violate. It was directlyviolating the con stitution of the country,inthe case of the corporationof Liver pool. The dues in that case were the property of the people of Liverpool, held by thine under the law, and purchased aid paid for by them. These dues were the private property f the town. That very property was sold a long time ago by the Crown to the ancestors of the Earl of Sefton, and by him conveyed to the corporation of Liverpool. Why, suppose the present petitioner had been the Earl of Sefton, instead of the people of Livirpool, would such an attempt as was made by this bill be tolerated ? No; it would not. They might as well bring in a similar bill to confiscate the tolls of Covent-garden Market. The two cases were pre cisely similar. The corporation of Liverpool purchased this property at a remote period, and enjoyed it down to the year 1832, when these dues were resisted, but the claim of the corporation wise then substantiated before a judge, who was certainly not favourable to monopolies. Ho alluded to the late Lord Denman. The title of the corporation was then fully established. These duos had always been ap plied to the benefit of the town of Liverpool, and to no other purpose, and they now amounted to a very lergesum. Were this bill to pass into a law, the effect of it Oa the cor poration -of Liverpool—that corporation having borrowed 2,000,000/. on the security of those dues—would be to take away all security for that money, while it would also take away from the people of Liverpool 10,000/., by which they paid the interest upon that money so borrowed. It was true mortgagee creditors were to be protected by the bill ; bat these dues were not mortgaged. The money had been borrowed upon mere bonds, which they had done under the sanction of an act of Parliament. This bill would de stroy the security of these bondholders. The money had been borrowed by the corporation under the authority of the Lords of the Treasury, and the result of this bill would be that the security for that money would be transferred to the borough fund. Such was the effect of the bill which her Majesty's Government called upon the house to sanc tion. He earnestly called upon the house seriously to con sider it, for it was a bill which, neitber more nor less, was intended to deprive corporations of property which legally belonged to thorn. Mr. LINDSAY moved the adjournment of the debate. Lord PALMER'STON said that at that hour of the evening it was diffieult to resist a motion for an adjourn ment. If the debate were adjourned, he would propose that it be adjourned to Friday, and the Government would take the army estimates on the Monday following. gr. DISKAELI thought that as the labours of the ses sion had hitherto been light, they might finish the debate, as it was then but comparatively an early hour. (The clock was on the stroke of twelve.) If the debate, how ever, were to be adjou ned, he could not see why it should be carried over to Friday. This was a most important subject, and ought to be proceeded with to-morrow. He did not see why the-country should be kept in suspense upon a bill which certainly contained alarming princlales. The country ought not to be kept in doubt as to what he thought would be the unequivocal decision of the House of Commons on the subject. Another reason against the adjournment to Fridey was that on that day a motion was on the paper to be brought forward by the honour able and learned member for Sheffield with reference to a very strange act of the Government—namely, the proposi tion of a board of inquiry into the conduct and report of their own commissioners. Not wishing to go into a discussion on that subject then with reference to agreeing with the honourable and learned gentleman or not, he was bound to say that his opinion was that the Government, iu proposing that court of inquiry, raised a question of so momentous a character, that certainly if the honourable and learned gentleman had not given that notice, it was the intention of a right honourable friend on that (the Opposition) side of the house, to have the opinion of the House of Commons on the conduct of the Government on that subject. Well, it was proposed to adjourn this debate to Friday, on a subject scarcely se cond in interest to the other. He thought the noble lord would do well to reconsider the plan of public busi ness which he had just pointed out. The hon. unit learned member for Sheffield had given notice of an amendment to the motion of the Government du going into supply, and he (Mr. Disraeli) put it to the noble lord at the head of the Government, and also to the hon. and learned gentleman, whether it would n•,t be better for the Government to bring forward a substantive motion on this important question. The hon. Members on his side of the house might not agree with the hon. and learned member for Sheffield, a.ne they might wish to express their opinion on the ques tion, but, by the course about to be pursued, they would be prevented from moving an amendment on an amend ment, so as to ask the sanction of the house to their opinion. (gear, hear.) Lord PALMERSTON said that not gain; in the secret of hoe. members on the other side of the house, it would, have been unbecoming on his part to have assumed that they meant to put their motions off to admit of the debate being continued to-morrow. If, however, the right hon. gentleman was authorieed to speak for gentlemen on that side of the house, and they wore willing to agree to the suggestion that had been made, the Government were ready to accede to it. (Hear, hear.) Sir F. KELLY said ho would give way to allow the question to come on again to-morrow for discussion. Mr. ROEBUCK, in reply to Mr. DISRAELI, suet he had no objection to make his amendment a substantive motion if it met the views of the Governnteet. The debate was them adjourned till to-day. The Partnership Amendment Bill, and the Joint Stook Companies went pro forma through committee. The Prisons (Ireland) Bill was read a second time, and ordered to bo committed on Monday, th 3 21st of March. DELAMERE FOREST BILL. Mr. WILSON moved the third reading of this bill. Fkir. IL WILLOUGHBY . asked if it was the intention of the Governme n t t o t a k e -powers by this bill to sell this forest? because, if so, it was contrary to the preamble. .Mr. WILSON said that this was the only forest that did not come under the inelosure acts relative to Royal forests. The intention of the act was to put this forest in the same position as the other Crown land, which give a right of HA% under the usual circumstances relating to Crown lands. The bill was then read a third time. The Court of Chancery (Ireland) Jurisdiction Bill ; the Court of Chancery (Ireland) Piocodure Bill; the Court of Chancery (Ireland) Receivers Bill; the Court of Chancery (Ireland) Appeals Bill ; and the Court of Chancery (Ire land) Sale of Estates Bill, were, on the motion of Mr. WHITESIDE, referred to the select committee to which the Government Court of Chancery (Ireland) Bill was re ferred. METROPOLIS LOCAL MANAGEMENT ACT. The ATTORNEY•GENERAL moved for leave to bring is a bill to amend the act of last session. In committee on that bill certain alterations were made in it, that the law was now in such a state that no one could safely say whether tho new or old vestries had the power of raisieg the rates for the relief of the poor, and the management of the poor also. It was to remedy these defects that the present bill was to be introduced. Leave was given, and the bill was accordiney brought in. ST. JAMES'S-PARK. On the motion of Sir 13- BALL for leave to appoint a select committee to consider the best means of communi cation between those parts of the metropolis which lie north of the fit. Jamas-park and those parts which lie south and south-west thereof, and to report thereupon to the house, Mr. HINDLEY, as an amendment, moved the ad journment of the house, on ti 42 ground that it was too important a motion to be taken at that late hour (twelve o'elock). Dr. MITCHELL secondea the amendment on similar grounds. - Sir IT HALL said that it was well known to all the members of that house, that for a very long period there had been a desire expressed on the part of the public that there should be a more convenient communication from one side of the park to the other thin that which at pre sent existed, and the only object the Government had in view in appointing this committee was that a full and impartial inquiry should be made with reference to it, and so far from the committee being bound by the plans that had'already boen prepared, it would be competent for them to consider any other plans that might be laid be fore them, and to report thereon. After what had been stated in the public papers with regard to this subject, he thou* the moat couvomiont mode of doalino with the questia4 WU Ivy appoiatmont a a aelect'coaaaiittee, The public mind appeared to have bee❑ led away by the many rumours that hail been circulated, that there had been a desire on the part of the Government to exclude the public from St. James's-park, more especially from passing in front of Buckingham Palace. The best answer he could give to those rumours was, that previous to the time when those reports were most industriously circu lated he had received instructions to prepare plans that would admit the public passing immediately in front of the Palace. He thought that statement showed how un necessarily those rumours hail been circulated, and that there was no desire on the part of the Government to ex clude the people from the park. (Hear, hear.) In asking for the committee, all the Government wanted was an in vestigation into the desirableness of the contemplated alteration, and he would have the committee struck as fairly as possible. Mr. HENLEY said there could be no question that considerable desire had been expressed by the public to have a communication from Belgravia to St. James's street, through the park; but, in order to mystify the question, the Government proposed a communication frem St. James's-street to Westminster, which was quite a dif ferent thing. lle felt particularly , interested in this ques tion, far, happening to live in Westminster, his fan-ily enjoyed great advantages from St. James's-park. Ho looked upon the offer of the right honourable baronet, with reference to the committee and the plans, very much like trailing a red herring—(laughter)--across a line to take off the hounds from the right scent. (Renews laughter.) The object of so many plans being brought before the committee was, he thought, to divert their at tention from the real question. (Hear.( Lord PALMERSTON said the real object of the com mittee was to examine into the means of communication with the great number of persons living between Hyde park-corner and the Horse Guards, and with the inhabi tants on the other side of St. James's-park. He assured the house that the Government had no desire but that the fullest) and fairest investigation into the question should take place, and it was with that view that they proposed to submit various plans to the consideration of the com mittee. Lord EBRINGTON was in favour of the proposed alte ration, and had hoped no delay would have arisen in its being carried into effect. Sir G. GREY : That communication, if then open, would be dangerous, as the corner of St. James's-palace was ❑ot fitted for a large traffic. The Hon. A. K[NNAIRD thought it was permitted to pass by St. James's•palace after eight o'clock in the even ing, but ho had been stopped by a policeman. He trusted the Secretary for the Homo Department would give orders to allow such passage. Sir J. SHELLEY thought the communication was most important. His constituents in Westminster felt a great desire to relieve Charing-cross, and to have a com munication between Pall-mall and the Houses of Parlia ment. He hoped the committee would take the whole subject of communication in that part of London into consideratior. Lord HAMILTON thought it would be well to ttdop the suggestion of the learned member for 3heffield. Mr. iiINDLEY opposad the appointment of the com• mittee, on the ground that the plans had not been sub mitted to the houso. They could not go without the requi site information. Lord PALMERSTOI`T begged to assure the hon. mem ber that there would be plenty of time to distribute the plans after the committee was appointed. After a short conversation, in which several hon, mem bers took part, the committee was appointed. On the motion of Mr. HORSMAN, leave was given to bring in a bill to abolish the office of Secretary to the Poor law Commissioners in Ireland. The bill was then brought in, and read the first time. The house then adjourned at ton minutes before one o'clock. POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Feb. 25. MARLBOROUGH-STREET.—Ellen _Ryan was charged with steahhg a watch, value 251., front the per son of Mr. John Bradley, of No. 5, Gower-place. Mr. Bradley said, on the evening of the 9th of Dec. last he was accosted by the prisoner in Soho•square, who told him come one had taken her boa. While speaking to him a short man came up and pushed agaiast him, and then the man and woman left hits. He walked as far as Frith.street, when he missed his watch. The Police-constable said a great number of gentlemen had been robbed under circumstances similar to that de tailed by the prosecutor, and he had no doubt if the prisoner was remanded he should be able to produce several cases against her. Remanded till Monday next. William, Mason, cuff,e-shop keeper, 17, Little Titcb field•strent, wai charged with selling liquors without a license. The police proved that a'e, wine and spirits were served to various eustomers in the house during a visit paid by them in plain clothes on Sunday :morning. The defendant, having no licence to sell excileable liquors, was fiued in the mitigated penalty of 25/. and coats. WORSHIP-STREET.—ATTEMPTED MURDER.—A young woman named Mary Anne Prior, was placed at the D.r, before Mr. D'Eyncourt, charged with having feloniously wounded Hannah Kendall, her sister, with intent to murder her. The complainant, who described herself as an " unfor tunate," stated that since the death of her parents she had resided with the prisoner, who was a married woman, but had parted from her husband, and was now leading an abandoned course of life. On the previous evening they went out for a wa!k, and were soon afterwards accosted by a man, with whom they proceeded to a beer shop. where else detected her sister in an act of robbery, for which she severely reproved her, and compelled her to restore the property. The prisoner was greatly exas perated at the exposure, and assailed her with such abusive language that she left the house, and returned home alone. She had only been there a few minutes when the Ferioner entered, and, after striking her re peatedly with her fists, she caught up a knife and made towards her, with the observation, " This is the last moment of your life; I shall do for you with tht-." Witness managed to escape from the room, but was overtaken in the passage by the prisoner, who made a desperate blow at her with the knife, and inflicted a frightful wound on her right cheek. Witness instantly fell from the effects of the wound, and while she was lying on the floor, the prisoner stooped over her, and "‘‘ dug" the knife into her b reas t, exc l a i m i ng, "T hat i s whatl meant to do, and now I am satisfied." The prisoner then left her, and witness contrived to make her way into the street, where she received prompt assist. ance from some of the neighbours, who sent for a police man, and the prisoner was conveyed to the station. house. Mr. G. W. Coward, the divisional surgeon, stated that on the previous night he was summoned to attend the, co'nolaihant, and found her suffering from a severe in cised wound, abut an inch and a half in length, on her right cheek, and another smaller wound between her left breast and collar-bone, neither of which were of a dan gerous character at present, but if erysipelas intervened they might be attended with a fatal result. Police-constable Caffray, Pt 153, stated that on pro ceeding to The house he found that the prisoner bad effected her escape immediately after she had stabbed her sister by jumping nut of the window on the first floor ; but he ultimately traced her to a public•house in Shoreditch, and on taking her into custody, she observed, "That the complainant richly deserved all she had got." The prisoner, who declared that she had been drink ing at the time, was ordered to be remanded for a week. SOUTHWARK.—DIABOLICAL ATTEMPT TO COMMIT MURDER IN THE SUP.REY THEATRE.—Frederick Quennell, a diminutive and rather repulsive-looking row), about 40 years of age (a relative to Quennell who was hung a few years ago at Hormemonger-lane Gaol for the murder of his brother), described in the charge sheet as a painter, was brought before Mr. A'Beckett charged with attempting to murder W. Hercule, in the Surrey TLea're, by striking him on the head and body with a heavy iron rod. Police -constable John Measures, 160 L, said that on Saturday night, about 10 o'clock, he was on duty in the Blaekfriars road, near the portico in front of the Surrey Theatre, when he was informed that the audience and every ore inside of the theatre were alarmed at a murder being committed on the stage by one of the scene-shifters. He instantly went to the stage door, and was admitted by the proprietors, when the pri soner was given into his custody for attempting to murder William Hurcum by striking him on the head with an iron rod about five feet long and rather more than an inch in circumference, which witness received from a man named William Leonard, one of the scene shifters. There was at the time considerable excitement on the stage, as well as among the audience, who were, however, soon pacified. _ The prisoner gave himself up to bins without making any remarks, and he conveyed him to Tower-street police-station. Mr. A'Beckett—la the injured man in attendance ? Measures—Re is not, sir. He was attended to im mediately by a medical gentleman, and removed to his house, where he now remains in bed. Mr. A'Beckett—Did you see William Hurcum, the injured man Measures—Yes, sir ; I saw him lying on a table in one of the dressing-rooms, bleeding profusely from a wound at the back of his head. He was then insensible. Mr. A'Beckett—ls there any medical man present to give evidence ?_ - Measures—There is not sir ; but I produce a certifi cate from Dr. lionarlhue, who attended him, setting forth that he had a severe scalp wound at the back of the heal, and other injuries about the body. Mr. A'Beckett--Is there any one in court who wit nessed the transaction ? Measures—l have a female who was in the dressing room at the time, sir. Mary Hall, a middle-aged female, residing at No. 34, Grosvenor-place, Borough•road, stated that she was em ployed at the Surrey Theatre as a dresser. She knew the prisoner as being a painter, and the injured man, William Hurcum, as a scene-shifter at the same place. On Saturday night, about ten o'clock, witness was sit ting in her dressing-room on the stage, when the prisoner came in, and after remaining there a short ti me h e crossed the room towards the entrance, just as Hurcum was pas'ing. She beard him make u'e of some ang r y w irds towards the latter, and strike him on the head with something which he held in his hand. Hureutn then fell down, and witness saw that the back p ar t o f his hea 1 was bleeding, and immediately afterwa r d s s h e saw the iron rod produced taken away from hi m . Mr, A'Beckett to the prisoner)—Have you any ques tion to ask this witness ? Prisoner ( I have not. Measures said that he had no other witnesses to call at present, but if the prisoner was remanded he should be able to produce William Leonard, who wrenched the rod from him, and prevented him from accomplishing his object, and who heard him say when he attacked Iluicum that he would be hung for him the same as his cousin was a few years ago. Ile also understood that they had bad some words together several times in the course of the evening. Mr. A'Beckett accordingly remanded the prisoner for a week, and he was conveyed to lioracnonger-lano gaol. BANK RETURNS. An Aec()u.nt, pursuant to the Act seventh ail eighth Victoria, cap. 32, of the Average Amount of Bank Notes of the several Banks of Issue in England and Wales, in Circulation during the Week ending Satur day, tae th day of January, 185 G : Average Amount. 12,351 10,916 4,043 31,791 PRIVATE BANKS. Andover Bank, Andover—Heath and Co. Ashford Bank, Ashford—Jeinmitt and Pomfret Aylsham Bank, Aylsham—G. and T. Copeman Aylesbury Old Bank, Aylesbury—Z. D. Hunt Baldock Bank and Baldock and Bi,,.. , gleswade rank, Baldock—Wells, Hogge, and Co Barnstaple Bank, Barnstaple—Marshall and Co Basingstoke and Odiliam Bank, Basingstoke Seymour, Lamb, and Co. Bedford Bank. Bedford—T. Barnard and Sons Bewdley Bank, Bewdley Nichols, Baker, and Co Bicester and Oxfordshire Bank and Oxford Bank, Bicester— H. M. and G. Tubh Birmingham Bank, Birmingham -Attwoods, Spooner, and Co_ Birmingham and Warwickshire- Bank, Bir mingham—J. L. Moilliet and Sons Blandford Bank, Blandford—Oak and Co. Boston Bank, Boston—Garfit and Co Boston Bank, Boston—H. and T. Gee and Co Bridgwater Bank,. Bridgwater—J. and J. L Sealey Bristol Bank,• Bristol—Miles, Miles, and C 0... Broseley and Bridgnorth and Bridgnorth and Broseley Bank, Broseley—Pritchards, Boy cott, and Co Buckingham Bank, Buckingham—Bartlett, Par rott, and Co. Bury and Suffolk Bank, Sudbury Bank, and Stowmarket Bank, Bury St. Edmunds-- Oakes, Bevan, and Co. Banbury Bank, Banbury Gillet, Tawney, anti Co. • Banbury Old Bank, Banbury—Cobb and Son Bath City Bank, Bath- -G. Moger and Son Bedfordshire. Leighton Buzzard Bank, Leighton Buzzard—Bassett, Grant, and Co Birmingham Bank, Birmingham--Taylor and Lloyds Bradford Old Bank, Bradford, Yorkshire—H A. and W. M. Harris and Co. Brecon Old Bank, Brecon—.Wilkins and Co Brighton Union Bank, Brighton—Hall, West, and Borrer Burlington and Driffield Bank, Burlington— Harding, Smith, and - Co Bury St. Edmunds Bank, Bury St. Edmunds— J. Worlledge Cambridge Bank, Cambridge—Mortlock & Co. Cambridge and Cambridgeshire Bank, Cam bridge—Messrs. Fosters Canterbury Bank, Canterbury—Hammond and Co Carmarthen Bank, Carmarthen—David Morris and Sons Chertsey Bank, Chertsey—La Coste and Son. Colchester Bank, Colchester—Round & Green Colchester and Essex Bank, and Witham and Eisex Bank, and Hadleigh, Suffolk, Bank, Colchester—Mills, Bawtree, and Co Cornish Bank, Truro—Tweedy and Co Coventry Bank, Coventry—Little & Woodcock City Bank, Exeter—Milford and Co Craven Bank; Settle—Alcocks, Birkbecks, and Co Cardiff Bank, Cardiff—Towgood and Co Chepstow Old Bank, Chepstow Bank, Mon mouth Old Bank, Monmouth Bank, Brecon Bank, and Ross and Herefordshire Bank, Chepstow—Dromage, Snead, and Co Derby Bank, Derby—W. and S. Evans & Co Derby Bank, Derby—Samuel Smith and Co Derby Old Bank and Scarsdale and High Peak Bank, Derby—Crompton, Newton, and Co Devizes and Wiltshire Bank, Devizes—Locke 9,079 22,544 33,982 10,841 14,785 22,861 10,700 7,539 73,504 14,836 7,089 41,926 18,1411 21,988 7i,015 34,633 25,865 1,511 37,827 35,794 10,688 65,585 20,055 12,718 3,213 16,966 48,199 38,758 23,013 3,149 19,410 37,391 48,150 7,093 20,277 66,720 9,178 11,075 34,313 26,087 9,014 10,440 and Co Diss Bank, Diss—Oakes, Fincham, and C 0.., Doncaster Bank and Retford Bank, Doncaster Cooke and Co Darlington Bank, Durham Bank, and Stockton on-Tees Bank, Darlington—Backhouse & Co Devonport Bank, Devonport— Hodge and Co Dorchester Old Bank and Dorsstshire Bank, Dorchester—R. and H. Williams East Cornwall Bank, Liskeard—Robins, Fos ter' and Co , East Riding Bank, Beverley—Bower and Co Essex Bank and Bishop's Stortford Bank Chelmsford—Sparrow, Round, and Co Exeter Bank', Exeter—Sanders and Co Fakenham Bank, Fakenham—Gurneys, Birk beck, and Co Farringdon Bank and Bank of \Vantage, Far ringdon—Barnes, Medley, and Co Farnham Bank, Farnham - Messrs Knight Faversham Bank, Faversham —Hilton and Co Godalming Bank, Godalming—Mellersh and Keen Guildford Bank, Guildford —Messrs. Haydon Grantham Bank, Grantham—Hardy and Co Hastings Old Bank, Hastings—Smith, Hilder, and Co. Hereford City and County Bank, Hereford=— Matthews" and Co. Hertford and Ware Bank, Hertford—S. Adams and Co. Hull Bank and Kingston-upon-Hull Bank, Hull, Smith, Brothers, and Co. Huntingdon Town and County Bank, Hunting don—Rust and Veaseys Harwich Bank, Harwich—Cox, Cobbold, and Co. Hemel Hempstead Bank, Hemel Hempstead --Smith and Whittingstall Hertfordshire, Hitchin Bank, Hitchin Sharples, and Co. Hereford, Ross and Archenfield Bank, and Ross and Archenfield Bank, Hereford— Morgan and Co Ipswich Bank, Ipswich—Bacon and Co. Ipswich and Needham Market Bank, Suffolk, Hadleigh Bank, Aianningtree and Mistley Bank, and Woodbridge Bank, Ipswich— Alexanders and Co. Kentish Bank, Maidstone—Mercer, Randall, and Co. - Kington and Radnorshire Bank, Kington— Davies and Co. Knighton Bank, Knighton—Davies and Co Knaresborough Old Bank and Ripon Old Bank, Knaresborough—FlArrison and Co Kendal Bank, Kendal—Wakefield, Crewdson, and Co. Kettering Bank, Kettering—J. C. Gotch and Sons Lane End Staffordshire Bank, Lane End—C Harvey and Son. Leeds Bank, Leeds--Beckett and Co Leeds Union Bank, Leeds—W. Williams, Brown and Co. Leicester Bank, Leicester—Pagets and Kirby, Lewes Old Bank, Lewes—Molineux and C 0..., Lichfield Bank, Lichfield—Palmer and Greene Lincoln Bank, Lincoln—Smith, Ellison, and Co. Llandovery Bank, Lampeter Bank, and Llan dilo Bank, Llandovery—D. Jones and C 0... Loughborough Bank, Loughborough—Middle ton and Craclock Lymington Bank, Lyanington—St. Barbe and Co. Lynn Regis and Lincolnshire Bank, Lynn Regis—Gurneys and Co. Lynn Regis and Norfolk Bank, Lynn Regis— Jarvis and Co Macclesfield Bank, Macclesfield—Brocklehurst and Co. Manningtree Bank, Manningtree—Nunn and Co. Marlborough Bank, Marlborough and Wilts Old Bank, Marlborough Old Bank, Marl borough Old Bank and Uungerford Bank, and Hungerford Bank, Marlborough—Tan ner and Co Merionethshire Bank, Dolgelly—Williams and Son Miners' Bank, Truro—Willyams and Co Monmouthshire Agricultural and Commercial Bank, Abenavenny—Bailey and Co Monmouth Old ,Bank, Monmouth Bank,--Ere con Bank, Chepstow Bank, Chepstow Old Bank, and Ross and Herefordshire Bank, Monmouth--Bromage, Snead, and C 0....., 14,088 Newark Bank, Newark—Godfrey and Riddell 24,790 Newark and Sleaford Bank, and Sleaford and Newark Bank, Sleaford—Handley, Peacock, and Co ................................................ 51,712 Newbury Bank, Newbury—tunny Slocock 20,251 Newmarket Bank, Newmarket—Eaton, Ham mond, and Co Norwich CroWn Bank and Norfolk and Suffolk Bank, Norwich—Harveys and Hudsons... Norwich and Norfolk Bank, Norwich—Gur neys and Birkbeck 99,374 Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Bank, Not tingham, Hart, Fellows, and Co Nuneaton Bank, Nuneaton—Craddock and Co Naval Bank, Plymouth, Plymouth—Harris and Co. -- 19,148 New Sarum Bank, Sarum—Everett and C 0.... 10,947 Nottingham Bank, Nottingham—Samuel Smith and Co. Oswestry Bank and Oswestry Old Bank, Os westry—Croxon and Co Oxford Old Bank, Oxford—Robinson, Parsons, and Co. Old Bank, Tonbridge, Tonbridge and Ton bridge Wells Old Bank, Tonbridge and Ton bridge Wells and Sevenoaks Bank, Ten bridge—T. H. and S. Beeching Oxfordshire Witney Bank, Witney—J. W Clinch and Co. Pease's Old Bank, Hull, the Hull Old Bank and Beverley Bank, Hull—Pease and C 0..,. 43,115 Penzance Bank, Penzance—Batten and Co 10,774 Peterborough Bank and Oundle Bank, Peter borough—D. Yorke and Co Pembrokeshire Bank, Haverfordwest—J. and W. Walters ........... . Reading Bank, Reading—Simonds and Co. 31,410 Reading Bank, R e ading—Stephens, Bl an d y, and Co. Richmond Bank, Richmond—Roper and Co 1,173 Rochdale Bank, Rochdale—Clement, Royds, and Co. .............................................. 4,630 Rochester, Chatham, and Strood Bank, Roches ter—Day and Nicholson 9,974 Royston Bank, Royston—Fordharn and Sons 14,505 Rugby Bank, Rugby—A. Eutlin and Son. J or R.jo Bak IllegtoAl 0 toAfrot and eo O_ 438 _ JOU 78,480 84,285 8,946 46,540 84,032 53,375 501513 28,101 7,757 15,554 6,567 5,112 14,783 29,802 35,798 18,547 23,094 20,386 56,757 5,765 22,693 37,210 21,019 20,915 75,375 19,383 25,154 9,056 21,071 39,116 9,703 4,864 54,846 37,273 30,606 31,643 97,550 31,539 7,139 3,993 39,631 12,00 12,384 3,365 6,93(3 19,216 82,245 20,568 49,062 3,274 31,352 10,089 11,160 10,620 8,947 CHELMSFOk. The wheat market opened was transacted to a fair anion week. All other things anal Wheat, white, old, per s. qr 56 old 58 new 56 red, 72 71 Barley 28 34 Chevalier 30"-37 Grinding . 26 :42 Malt 70 74 Chevalier 72 76 COLCHESTER-- FEB. 23. A moderate supply of wheat, and best sam pi e iroisS ' is to 2s per qr. more m one y ; o th er sorts a rea di e r Barley in short supply, an d i t t o 2 e d earer. B ea ne peas each the turn in favour of the teller. '; Prices to-daywere as f o ll ow : —Wh ea t , w hit e, 76 4 to ; 0 red, 64E! to 72s ; barley, 32 s t o 3E s ; oa t s, 23 s to 28 s ; Mazagan, 34s to 368 ; middle and small, 36s to 440;. 1 white, 468 to 508 ; grey, 368 to 40%. Official Statement of the Quantities of Corn, &c, in the port of London,-from the following p the 18th to the 23d Feb:, both inclusive. reco koo p i " • , 4 Al 134 Colchester 2‘2 87'1036' AO • Harwich 363 2 30 1351 25 Leigh ; 625 126 157 2491 l!',( 97 0 970; 330 170 98 3431 1112. KIRKCALDY—FEB. 23. 11 of We had good suppli es o f w h ea t an d oats, bat ema il barley. Sales quick— w h ea t a t an a d vance of 2 s to 3",1 qr.; barley and oa t s a t i s t o 2 s over t h e l ast market (I" rates. Wheat. I Barley. Oats. I 1584°9 0:1 First Bos Oct I 40s 01 30s Gd I pd Second I Third 60s Od 33s «d 27s Od I w' COAL MARKE' i'xioet, of Coal per ton at I yr. —FEB. 25. the close et the ma rket- 0 West Riding Hartley ..:1 6 7 3 . Grey's West Hartle• . Willington Hartley .... y - . 1 16 5 u Arylam .. . ........... ~‘ ..... s. d. Byass's West Hartley lB Davison's West Hartley 18 0 [lusting's Hartley lB 0 Howard's West Hartley Netherton lB 0 Longridge's Wet Hartley 18 0 Tanfield Moor Butes 15 9 Tyne Main 15 C Ships at market... 9E Wallaend, &u. Haugh ............... 0 Derwentwater Hartley .1' I Sold . 37 8BABORNI? MAILS. N M roo t gnaties-.that the mails ar e Boat t rom th e g ene ral .y the night—and,?l. by the morning—,lespatch.) fie °' Day when roes,' •.p 'ut eri , .. ; ,s, A - Jar, NTRIPA • 111 Goneral Pont- P or t W o k Office, London.* Disp,dene. N ni ......... ,,,, ------- _.... 0 kmerlea(byTtrit.pack)N Every Friday .. - Liverpool ' ls ll e ' \merlon (by United Sim. packet) „ .... _„N•• . . .... • Liverpool Fe b ' 27 kmerica (by U. States l packet) ..........34 ••• .• • • • Southampton Fe b ' ' tustralia (via emith.,. • ampton) ..... .....hir —•.•— • • Southampton Ilitto (via Marseilles) NI ••. - • - Dover • Ditto (via Cape of Good Rope) .......... —NI 4' •• ..... • . rfneei t Africa (West Coast) ..N 23c1 of the month . Plymouth „ N . an Alexandria........ „N 8 ,9, 24, & 30 of n , ~D over ..... Alexandria ........ ..M.4th to 90th of mor,.i Southampton : H a n amaa „... „ , -, ..},l 17th of the mon,. Southamptor 3elgiufn ......... .. N:PailY , ••••• •• •• • Dover .... .. Ma ili i6. brazil .......... .... M 9th of the month., south= p to, Mar . ,l6 Suenos Ayres .... 31 9th of the Montt, .. !Southampton Nor' . 0 10 Cape of Good Rope .. N 'Vari ous p or t i Unce'' Cape of Good Elope ..N Cape de Verde .. ..... NI 9th of the month go u th ame w, Feb. 2 4 Coylon (see India) Ceylon .. .. ...... .....N I II • Chamoei Isles .. ..1 . .. N.Mon ~Wed..&Fri., . Southarapto. ,Te• VW Chili. -..............11.2d & 17fb of moot' Southampto 4 China ... . Once a month.... Mar' Constantinople . . , ~., r;.8,18,18.23,5t28 w , Dover .... i Constantinople ~_ , „ „ :4th Sr- 20th of m oo ;Southempto: I o pt Cont. of Europe M :4-.. N l Twico daily .• .. Dover .. .. . IV" Egypt (see India) ! I 0, 01 France ........ M & 's Twice daily .. .. .. Dover .„ ~ . Mll e Gibraltar ......... „hi 4, 7,17, 20, 27 . f 0., Southampton Greece (see India) I Tuesday & Friday .London ..... 20. Greytown ....., „ ta 2nd Sr 17th of moo Southampton Fisruhurgh .......... N Havannah ..........ht .2nd of the mon tl. ISouthamptor. 'Feb. Holland ............ hi 'EallY•• • • • • • • •.. • ( nowt* ........ iPe l .„ Y oso H on d uras .. ~.... „At 17t,, (Ithe month. Southampto, , ,l 6t "; o tif m,4th 20th of moo. India (viaSouthampt.) Plymouth .. '4 & • India (via Marseilles)M 9 th& nth of month Dover .... . • ) lonian Wes (see India),7, 17, &27 of nom Dover—. .. , ,d.,11 N iTwice daily ...... Hol; head ... Tie2 r s 6 Ireland ........M & Lisbon .............. si! l . 9 , 17 , & 27 of , n• i Southamptonlee. Madeira ........ „NI 9th of the montl,lSouthampton' Madeira ...... .., ..., , N .23d of month .... I Liverpool ... Malta (seo India) 1 201 0 „ Malta ...... „ .. *: „ft, 18. &28 of mon.lDever _ .... 4 Mauritius (soe India' I Mauritius ........... sll4tle of the mouth : m ex i oo , ..........m !Snit of th e mon th . Southampton x ~,, e..h . 46 Naples... „ .. .. ..... ,„.14.5thlath25thormor. 'Dover ...... New Granada .... of !2•1 & 17th of moot' ;Southampton. y 0 New Z0a1and...... „ ... !By private slip .. Various port ~1110 ` ' • Papal States .. ;„7 ;sth l s th2.sthormon. Dover .... I, P en i nsula ~... , ~,,,, ~,,mi lt h l 7th 27thofmon.,outhamptorti Pm ... ........ , n. Mrd & 77th of mon. ksouthampton I f rai , ... Port Natal ....... „., N !AY private ship...lV ar i ons pur(s pne• Sicily ,; ~ ~....... ~ , , othl6th2lithofir ton. D over ...... Tuscany .. _ .... ~ _Nl 6 thlAitt 2 . s thelinon. D over ...... ids Venezuels .. „ mld Xs 17th OfMenti• Southampton,l a." van Diemen's Land (se, .. Australia) . •6 le°2 we' , imiie. , ,.:2(1.k. 17th o , tnon*. goutha mn t.,, l l it I , ~;12(1.k. 17th n, tnon* k 1 11 4161V :Southampton , When any of these slates fall on a Sunday, th e malls will , (0 switched on the following day, with the exception o f th e DOI; ( 71 gouthampton), and the Dian a,both 4f which will be deepatel' u preceding day, SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, FEB. 25. b B6ll STOOK EXORANGE.—The t one of the market has .00 pretty fair to-day, and th e pr i ces with little al teroll , on Saturday's rat es . Caledonian, 283—Great Northe ro 231 i—Lancashir o an d Y or k s h ire, 824—Midlands, 70..N.,:f, Manchester, Sh e ffi e ld , and Litwin, 243—Ditt o . 6 per cent., 11—London and North Westerns, 1011 South Eastern, 19a i—North Eastern, Remick, 191 ; 9d.—Great Western, 591---Dutch Rhenish, new , , —Great Western of Canada, MANCHESTER, FEB. 25. A Id STOOK EECHANGE.—The market to-d a y has been 0 0, a fair busines s , p r i ces t en di ng upwar d s, and closed iflot —Dovers, 19j—Midlands, 70i—Leeds, 824—shok 0 1 0 , 24k- London and North Wester ns , 101 1 —El ec t r i c r-t° graph, 30i—District Bank, g p. BIRMiNGRA.M, F. 25. STOCK EXCILINGE.— .1 A The tone of the mark e t was -to to-day, and prices g en era lly were fi rm. Great Wei".,l Guaranteed Stock was in q ui re d a ft er , b u t th e transac tio% were chiefly in local stocks. Sh ro p s hi re Banks were d° //v at 3j. BIRTHS. or a nom On the 24th inst., at Hydelarklbrdens, the Wit° Thomas Dent, Esq. On the 24th inst., at Brixton, Surrey, Mrs. 1 41 / 1 14 Milnes—twins. • a OP A Devon= • On the 23d Ind., at Bath, the wife of Isieut.-Celo ol Charles Moray Macleano. On the 23d limit., at Surbiton-bill, Surrey, the wilt of James Brothert on , E sq., R ece i ver - General of Inland Pe' venue. MARRIED. On the 23d inst., at St. George's, Hanover-square, Hyde, Esq., of Dewsbury, to Madeline Margaret, goo fl . daughter of Mr. Willia m M organ , o f P ar k- street, G r osp nor-square. DIED. On the 23d inst., at Tredegar-square, John Ditchbal liP Esq., late surveyor for Lloyd's, age d 77. On the 23d inst., at St. Ives, Hunt s , M r . Th om as B er t Ulph, aged M. On the 24th Inst., at Tottenham, Middlesex, J 0091311 Laundy, Esq., aged - 79. On the 23d inst., at Lower Syclenham, Kent, Mr. Jame s Lance, formerly of the Ad m i ra lty, S omerse t-h ouse , ag ed 82. On the 22d inst. ' at Restormel, Lostwithiel, James Hamilto n , Esq. of Nunhood, Surrey, and Back' form er ly o f the H.E.1.C.5., aged 47. On the 21st inst. at St. Peter's-square, H a mmersmit h ' John Fenemore, inst., late of Brackley, NorthamW u• shire, aged 81. On the 19th inst., at Cheltenham, Philip Ottey gB er too Baines, RC. S., aged 44. LONDON: Printed and Published by HURD° yorgi, 1 of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Tie. Sun Office, No• , Strand, in the Precinct of.the Savoy, in the eountl liiddleasz k lanclity. FebruAry 26,18;56` PRIVATE AND JOINT-STOCK BANK+S' The Bankers' Magazine furnishes the returns of ell lation of the private and joint- s t oc k b an k s i n E n glan and Wales for the four weeks ending the 19th of JO,' 1356, and gives the following as the average weeklYci r culation of those banks during the past month, viz. Private banks Joint-stock bank s 121 Average weekly circulation On comparing the above with the retarns for the PT r ceding month, ending the 22d of De.:c. last, it shows" - An increase in the circulation of the private banks of £ 70,261 An increase in the circulation of the joint-stock banks of 22 ,78 Increase on, the month And, as compared with the return for the correerlo ing period of the pr ece di ng year — viz., Jan. 20, 135 u! shows— A. decrease in the circul a ti on o f th e pr i vate banks of £2/ • A decrease in the circulation of the joint-stock 25411 banks of Decrease on the year On comparing the abov e w ith th e amounts o f the 610 issues, the following appears to be the comparative s' of the circulation : 46S The private banks are b e l ow th e i r fi xe d i ssues EC"- en , The joint-stock banks are below their fixed issues Total below their fixed ountry Markets. .D—FED. 22. pretty briskly, and busisel [nt, at about the prices 0 01 `,ered. per qr 228 Partridge ..... White.... ...... Boiling ....... a Dun Beans, Tick Harrow ticks 3 1 16 - Branagan 34 Ditto, new $2 Oats, Peas, TE run' t two rorze i lt n n: P g g e t i anemic fiesta's) —The The 4 . Hai ;lad Ee • geletto Theatr And me .. L'! Race rs Pqtratr4 obligin Produe • bailees invent< Mr,w bevy b : Novel: liforela tr. Be aasistet Mr.H Mr. R ( Arrang Produc Mr, A. TriE ( Gnoi the olc Gentle dui tei soap lief in kick s : Gregor Ste c Assi ton, m blazes,Rell ,tr, Ja vomit, kr, Bi Goo' dneiv e the No, THE 128 G. TRH Res lora e it i s i n kin g . more he ' d„ he is of his Pre The Ma ilosey Car " swit P• Q. Sir Weatl. VoI W e t _ Frei lie] AVe GR vii th av Lc ....