The Sun. — London, England, 1856-02-19 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING_ FEBRUARY 19, i 856. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. not have acted in a more consistent manner if they had refused to entertain the subject of that measure at such a period, when it was impossible it could be considered in a manner adequate to its import ance, and when they knew that it had been passed through the other house in the most hasty and careless manner ? After a few remarks from Earl GRANVILLE, Lord REDESDALE withdrew the resolutions for the present. PIRACY IN THE CHINA SEAS. The Earl of ALBEMARLE rose to present a peti tion from the native and European merchants of the British settlement of Singapore, praying for protection to their trade from piracy ; and asked her Majesty's Ministers what steps they had taken to comply with a memorial from the merchants of Singapore, dated the 12th of June, addressed to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, on the subject of the aforesaid piracy. The noblo lord briefly described the circumstances under which the piracy took place, as well as the pecu liar obstacle which prevented its being put down. The most formidable piracies were committed by the Chinese, and the smaller junks fell an easy prey. Apart from the duty of putting down piracy we had a convention with the Netherlands, dated 1824, and the Dutch performed their part of the duty, whereas our vessels were wholly inadequate for their intended purpose. He begged, therefore, to ask the noble lord the question of which HOUSE OF LORDS—(YE.sTEILDAy). THE WENSLEYDALE PEERAGE COMMITTEE OF PRIVILEGES. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at 2 o'clock, and shortly after the house resolved itself into a Committee of Privileges, Lord REDESDALB in the chair, " to examine and consider the copy of the letters patent purporting to create the Right Hon. Sir James Parke, Knight, a baron of the United Kingdom for life (pre sented on Monday the 4th inst.), and to report thereon to this house." The LORD CHANCELLOR announced that he had received a letter from Lord Wensleydale, announcing that he declined appearing before their lordships' com mittee by eetiesel. At the request of Earl GREY the letter was read in txtenso as follows : "MY DEAR LORD CHANCELLOR,--I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of an order of your lordships' house, of the 12th inst., giving nae liberty to be heard by counsel, if I should think fit, on Monday next. before the Committee of Privileges, to whom it is referred to examine and consider a copy of the letters patent, purporting to create me a Baren for life. I will thank your lordship to state for me that I decline to appear by counsel before the Committee. " I have the honour to be, my dear Lord Chancellor, " Your very obedient " Feb' 16, lf 5 i." WII:EYDALE. Lord CAMPBELL said he rejoiced his learned friend bad not denied, by that letter, their lordships' jurisdiction. Mr. Smith, an officer of their lordships' house, exa mined by Lord Lyndhurst, produced copies of the jour nal of the house, dated 1660, relative to the Earl Banbury p e erage, to the Pierbeck peerage of 1660, to the Marquis of Worcester peerage, 1660, and relative to the scions of peers during the life time of the father, and also of barons by writ, and also that of the peerages of Ormond, Hamilton and Brandon, and Fermoy, and of Lord Dingwall, and others. 3,4:r. Sharpe said that the patents before their lordships' house had been translated by Mr. Hardy, but that gen tleman was not present. Witness had not examined them. Lord LYNDHURST asked their lordships if they deemed it necessary to send for Mr. Hardy The LORD CHANCELLOR said he apprehended it mattered not whether a witness was called to prove the translation. Noble lords should use their own discre tion on that point. Lord LYNDHURST said he wished to know if their lordships desired him to go through patents pre vious and subsequent to the periods placed on the table to prove senegative. He wished to know if that was sufficient ? He had not had time to make further re searches. The LORD CHANCELLOR said be could give no answer to the question. It was fcr the noble lord to ake bin own course. Lord LYNDHURST said there had not been suffi cient time for him to examine the other patents to prove a negative, and stated that an application hail been made to the Master of the Rolls to make certain searches, but that learned gentleman declined, not having re ceived an order from their lordships' house. That was his answer whereby certain evidence had not been pro duced, and if it was necessary to produce it a further delay must take place. Lord CAMPBELL reg retted the delay that must arise in consequence of th is. They were now morally convinced they had all the evidence tbat could be pro duced, but no doubt it would be desirable to have the legal evidence that further search had been made, but no further precedents could be found. The Earl of DERBY said this was a question that ought not to be taken up in a party spirit. It was not for the Lard Chancellor or any other noble lord to throw obstacles in the way. It was not Lord Lyndhuret's case, but that of the committee. (Hear, hear.) When, however, the whole of the evidence relative to the question bad been collected and examined, and laid on the table of their lordships' house, it would be for the noble and learned lord (Lyndhurst) to submit a motion thereon to the committee. Earl GRANVILLE said that the Government bad no desire to throw impediments in the way. Lord ST. LEONA RDS condemned the conduct of the Government with respect to the conduct of this in quiry. The LORD CHANCELLOR denied that the course he took was one of a technical character. It was for him to say what search should be made in this case. He was ready to admit that every search had been made. Lord CAMPBELL— -With that admission of the Lord Chancellor the noble Lord (Lyndhurst) had better close his evidence. The LORD CHANCELLOR said he had received a letter from a gentleman in the Rolls Court, Dublin, announcing the grant of an Irish life peerage in the time of Philip and Mary, which was the time stated by the noble lord (Lord Derby). He reserved the right of using it if he thought necessary. Lord LYNDHURST said he would endeavour to bring before their lordships such evidence as would allow them to come to a correct conclusion on the subject. Earl GREY said that he thought the negative search might go on, and the nohle and learned lord gave his notice for the discussion of the question on an early day. Lord BROUGHAM doubted they could not come to a proper conclusion until the whole of the evidence had been produced. It would net do to discuss the ques tion on the admissions of this or that from n able and learned lords, and he suggested the further consideration of it till the whole of the inquiry was completed. Lord AEINGER, said this was not a mere question of Lord Wensleydale's taking his seat, but one that affected the constitution of their lordships' house. If life peer ages weregiven to lawyers, why should they not be given to military men ? To these taro °eke; of peerage might bring the hereditary branch into collision with the Crown and the House of Commons, and might endan ger the existence of the.r lordships' house. Lord DERBY suggested the adjournment of the committee to Friday, and the noble and learned lord gave notice of a motion on the question in the mean time. he bad given notice. The Earl of GRANVILLE said that information had been received that piracy was carried on in such small boats in the China Seas that the ships sent out could not follow owing to the shallow water. A despatch had been sent out to detach a steamer for the purpose of putting down the piratical trade. When the orders of the Board of Control were received be had no doubt that more effectual means would be taken to carry out this object. VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OF EDUCATION. This bill passed through committee. HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICES BILL. This bill passed through committee. METROPOLITAN POLICE DILL. This bill also passed through committee. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YEsTEE , DAY.) The SPEAKER took the chair at a quarter to 4 o'clock. NEW MEMBER. Mr. A. BLACK took the oaths and his seat for Edin burgh. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were severally read a second time, and ordered to be committed :—Boston Gas, Chorley Water, Crystal Palace Co., Fleetwood, Preston, and West Riding Junction Railway, Gainsborougk Gas, Hasling den and Rawtenstall Water, Honiton and Sidmouth Road, Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway, Leeds Improvement Aets Amendment, Leeds Water, London. derry and Enniskillen Railway, Metropolitan Railway, Midland Railway, Milford Junction Railway, Norfolk Railway, Penrith and Cockermouth Roads, Rotherham and Barnby Moor Road, Scarborough Water, Stirling and Dunfermline Railway, Vale of Clyde Railway, Wakefield Gas, Wavesey Valley Railway, Oxford, Wor cester, and Wolverhampton Railway (Additional Capi tal, &c.) LANDS IMPROVEMENT COMPANY (SCOT- LAND) BILL. On the motion that this bill be read a second time, Mr. E. LOCKHART opposed the motion, and moved that it be read a second tune that day six months. Mr. W. LOCKHART supported the bill. Mr. FITZROY could not support the amendment. There was nothing new in the bill, as the principal points it contained were to be found in two statutes already on the table. He therefore thought that the bill ought to he read a second time. The motion was ultimately withdrawn, and the bill was road a second time. Petitions against the opening of the Crystal Palace, British Museum, and National Gallery on Sundays were presented by Mr. M. Smith, Mr. Wilcox, Mr. Baxt•T, Mr. Hindley, Mr. Butler, Mr. Masterman, ST E. B. Lytton, Mr. Ball, Mr. Acland, Captain Duncombe, Lord Emlyn, Mr. Christie, Mr. James M`Gregor, Mr. Spooner, and several other lion. member , . Sir J. -WALMSLEY presented a similar petition amidst great laughter. Several petitions were also presented in favour of open ing the Crystal Palace on Sundays. ROBBERIES (GLASGOW). Mr. STIRLING obtained leave for a return relative to robberies, &c., in Glasgow. ABJURATION OATHS. Mr. M. GItSON gavii notice that, on Friday next, he should move fr a cJimnitte.e of the whole hnu;e, with a view to obtain leave to bring in a bill for the repeal of the oaths of abjuration. PUBLIC-HOUSE LICENCES. _ Mr. LUSHJNGTON asked the Vice-President of the Board of Trade whether it was the intention of the Go vernment to bring in a bill for the purpose of carrying into effect the resolutions of the committee of the House Of Lords of last session on agricultural statistics ? Mr. LOWE said it was. THE CRIMEA:. Mr. LAXARD asked the lindtr Secretary for War why the list of officers recommended. by General Simp son for promotion for distinguished services in the attack on the Redam on the Bth of September, alluded to in the Gazette of the sth of October last, had not yet been published, and whether it was the intention of the Sec retary of State for War to publish that document ? Mr. PEEL said that the list sent home by General Simpson included all the officers in the army for Lord Hardinge to select from, and hence the brevet of the 2.1 November. The names were all recorded at the Horse Guardq. Lord LYNDHURST said be would do so on the assumption that no additional search being made for a negative should not he used against him. Lord GLENELG asked if it was the intention of the noble and learned lord to ca:l in the assistacca of the judges in deciding t"e legality of this question ? Lord LYNDFIURST said he had no such intention. The judges might give an opinion on the legality of the patent, but they could not decide on the right to sit and vote, that being out of their jurisdiction. A case had occurred where the judges had been called in, but they declined entering on the right of a peer to sit and vote. The House . of Lords were the sole authority to de cide that question. Lord CAMPBELL said if that were adopted great delay must arise, because the judges were about to start on circuit. Earl GRANVILLE reminded the house that the pre sent discussion was irregular. Earl DERBY asked if Lord Lyndhurst gave notice of a motion, it was right the Government or any other noble lord endeavoured to propose an amendment ? Earl GRANVILLE said that for the Government he would state, it any amendment were intended to be proposed, ample notice of it would be given. At least 24 hours' consideration would be required. , Earl GREY gave a similar intimation. It would be necessary to see the motion first. After some remarks from Lord BROUGHAM on the ill-advised granting of the peerage, Their lordships adjourned till Friday next at five o'clock, Lord CAMPBELL intimating that, if desirable, the house should sit on till a late hour to finish it. The house then resumed, and suspended its sittings till five o'clock. Lord Lyndhurst, in the course of the sitting, handed in his motion, which declared that the patent creating Sir J. Parke a life peer did not entitle him to sit or vote in their lordships' house. REFORM OF THE STAFF OF THE BRITISH ARMY. COURT OF CLIANCERY (IRELAND.) Their lordship re-assembled at five o'clock. The Earl of HARDWICKE gave notice that to morrow he should ask a question of her Majesty's Go vernment as to their intentions respecting the ships sunk within the harbour of Sebastopol. Lord BROUGHAM postponed his motion respecting judicial statistics front next Friday till Friday week. The Earl of DERBY presented a petition praying that in any measure that might be adopted on the subject of Church Rates due care be taken to preserve the union between Church and State. Lard ST. LEONARDS presented a similar petition roma Dorsetshire. • THE FALL OP KARs, The terl of HARDWICKE said a few nights ag o a wish had been expressed by his noble friend ( the E arl of Ellenborough) that the papers in reference to the surren der of Bars should be placed on the table, an d that a discussion should take place before the noble lord for Foreign Affairs left this country. It was, h owever, understood from the Government that the pressure e a them was so great that they were afraid that the paper s coald not be produced before the noble earl's departure. lie wished now to ask when it was likely they would e laid on the tablet Earl GRANTILLE said, in the absence of the Under Secretary of State, he could not exactly specify the time. The Earl of NIALMESBYRY hoped that as this was a subject of the most pressing importance, that the noble earl would urge the greatest despatch in respect to their preparation. Earl GRANVILLE said the greatest despatch would be used in order that the papers might be laid on the table. Lord REDESDALE moved the following resolu tions:— 1. "That no private bill be read a second time after Tuesday, the Bth day of July next. 2. That no bill confirming any provisional order of the Board of Health or authorising any enclosure of lands under special report of the Enclosure Commissioners for Bngland and pales, or for c,onfirmino• any scheme of the Charity Commissioners for Englan7l and Wales, bo reads second time after Tuesday, the 15th day of July next. 3. That when a bill shall have passed the house with amendments, these orders shall not apply to any new bill fe et up from the House of Commons which the Chairman of Committees shall report to the house as substantially the same as the hill so amended." Earl GREY said he thoug:it it was due to the racter of the house to stand by those resolutions if they were passed. Notwithstanding that resolutions were passed, they allowed them to b e suspende d i n reference to measures which could not . bee.rthech arac t er o i urgenc y, as for example th e limited l i abil ity measure was pressed upon them at the latter end of last session on the plea of urgency. He now appealed to their lordships whether that plea was at all justified, and whether they would Master of the Rolls in framing the Incumbered Estates Act, took that opportunity of warning the house not hastily to abolish a jurisdiction which had been so bene ficial to Ireland. (Rear, and no.) He should hesitate much before he removed business from a court which bad given such entire satisfaction. No complaints had been made of the court, while it had disposed of an im- mense amount of property in a satisfactory manner. (" No, no," from Mr. Whiteside.) Its proceedings might have been unsatisfactory to a small minority, but as a general rule it met the requirements of pub lic opinion iu England and Ireland. Without oppos ing the second reading of the present bill, he (Mr, Ellice) would watch with great jealousy any attempt to supersede an act which he had himself strongly supported, and which had, since the period at which it became law, worked exceedingly well in Ireland. _ _ Mr. WHITEabE said he was in this predicament with respect to the bill, that he believed it to be impos sible of execution through the medium of the Court of Chancery unreformed, or reformed as was proposed by this bill. Since the last time he had addressed the house he had been in Ireland, and found it to be the opinion of the whole legal profession in that country that tho working of the bill would be impossible. There were still 1,600 estates, valued at sixteen or seventeen mil lions of money, remaining fair adjudication in the Incutn bered Estates Court, and three millions of money to be distributed, showing that there was a great deal of diffe- rence between the rapid sale of property and the proper distribution of the proceeds afterwards. He believed that although the court had effected sales with great.ra pidity, the distribution of the funds would not give en tire satisfaction. It .was the opinion of the whole liar that the Court of Chancery could not dispose of these ar rears ; the attorneys thought the same ; and he had a letter from the Master of the Rolls expressing a similar opinion. The Master pointed out that the bill pro posed to do with four judges the amount of work now done by nine. The Master also said that the business might be done with the staff proposed, bnt certainly not if the arrears were to be thrown on the new courts. He (Mr. Whiteside) objected to this bill as a job, the object of which was to oust all the officers of the Court of Chancery and fill their places with the officers of the Incumbered E dates Court, and that with that view it was proposed to deprive the judges of the right of nomination, and to lodge it with her M a j es t y ' s admi nistrator. Another objection to the bill was the want of a satisfactory court of appeal, without which, it was the opinion of the whole Irish bar, the bid could never give satisfaction. He begged also to point out that one object of the bill was to make the Court of Chancery a great conveyancing machine for the whole of Ireland. Any man possessed of property might, athoegh owing no money, go into the Court of Chancery and get a new title to his property without any expense, the court having, at the expense of the country, to do all the work of a conveyancer. If the proposal were persisted in, of referring the bill to a committee of the whole house, he must give his vote• against the second reading. Mr. J. O'BRIEN was of opinion that all the faults which had been found to the bill were faults of deteil, while its principle was well worthy the consideration of the house. That principle was, to maintain the system of Parliamentary title, which had already produced such good effects in Ireland. If that system was to be persevered in in the case of incumbered estates, there would be gross injustice in withholding it from estates that were not incumbered ; and as to the disposal of arrears, that was merely a question of detail. He could assure the house that if two estates of equal value in every other respect were for sale, one with a Parliamen ' tary title and one without, the former would fetch three or four years' purchase more than the latter. If,then, it was admitted that Parliamentary titles would be an advantage to incumbered as well as unincumberad estates, the Court of Chancery would be necessary to inquire into questions of title. It had been objected that the Court of Chancery had got into such I a 1 repute in Ireland, that they ought mot to be entrusted with new powers ; but were they prepared to abolis'i that court, or to refuse the reforms contemplated by the bill, and which were not mere expe riments, but alterations framed upon the model of the reforms which ha :I been carried out in this country ? It was proposed to abolish the office of masters in chancery, and to institute a tribunal similar to the Vice-Chancellors' Courts. But it was a mere matter of detail whether the existing masters were to be made vice-chancellors, or whether new vice.chancellens should be appointed. If at this moment all the arrears were thrown upon these two vicechancellors, he admitted that it would be al most impossible to dispose of the business. But those arrears would not come at once. If it did, that was a mere matter of detail ; and if the Incurnbered Estates Court were continued for the purpose of working up the arrears, he saw no reason why the delay should take place which the opponents of the present measure anti cipated. The business of the lncumbered Estates Court was decreasing ; formerly, upwards of 1,200 petitions had been presented in one year, while in 1854 only 372 petitions were presented. He saw no reason, therefore, to fear, if the proposed court were relieved from the ar rears, that they would not be competent to the transac tion of all future business. Then with regard to the ex tension of the juricdicuon to unincumbered estates, it was impossible to carry out the system of giving Parlia mentary titles in Ireland, unless the principle wan ex tended to all property, for which purpose this bill was necessary. The constittr ion of the Court of Appeal was a mere matter of detail, which might be arranged in committee, as was the utse with most of the other objec tions which had been raised. The question now was whether, considering the admitted necessity for /egisla tiem—conside irg, also, that this bill involved no new principle, and that it had the unanimous support of the Commission, the house was prepared to adopt the ex treme course suggested by the hon. member for Mr, KER SEYMER moved for Returns for the last five years for the Metropolitan District, showing the number of license(' victuallers whose licences have not been renewed in consequence of misconduct : Of the number of public-houses permanently closed in consequence of the refusal of magistrates to renew the licences : And, Tear by year, of the number of applications for new licences, showing how many have been successful.—Granted. AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. Mr. EWART inquired of ;be Under Secretary for War whether any measures were in the contemplation of the Government for the efficient reform of the Staff of the British army, so as to make it a nucleus of the best and most intelligent officers thereof, who shall re• calve their appointments on the ground of merit only? Mr. PEEL said it was, but nothing bad yet been de cided with regard to it. FOREIGN OFFICE. Lord PALMERSTON brought up a return of the persons employed in the civil service of the Foreign office. On the motion for the second reading 01 this Mr. S. FITZGERA.LD presented a petition from the solicitors practising in the Court of Chancery, Ireland, against the bill, and he moved its second reading that day six months. He thought the proposed abolition of the Incumbered Estates Bill by this ima m e would he of the greatest evil to Ireland. This bill was founded upon a commission issued to inquire whether the powers of the Incumbered Estates Bill should cease to be transferred to the Court of Chancery ; and he much regretted that those commissions had been formed entirely of lawyers practising in the Irish Court of Chancery, for had others been associated with them, as in the ease of the English Chancery Com mission, they would have been of great as,-ist• ance, and many valuable improvements suggested. He then reviewed the proceedings of'the commissioners, and the subjects they had to investigate, and said they did not attempt to elicit an answer from one of the wit ' nesses brought before theta with reference to the trans fer of the jurisdiction fur the Incumbered Estates Bill. One witness, Mr. Smith, had alluded to it, but his opi nion was against them, and the Master of the Rolls in Ireland, had expressed an opinion upon the question, which the hon. member read to the house. He next referred to the contemplated changes with regard to the number of judges in the Irish Court of Chancery who were to be reduced in number, and who were to be called upon to discharge the arrears in the Incumbered Estates Court, now requiring an additional committee to dis charge, and also the Chancery bu-iness in addition. They had too often been called upon to see men in full vigour pensioned 'from abolished offices, and other offices created to which others were appointed, and he looked upon the provisions of this bill as adopting that obnoxious principle, for whilst it was put forth that a saving would be effected in the aboli tion of offices it was not really the case, for the pen sions of the abolished officers and those to be appointed under this bill would be equal to, if not more than those now paid under the present system. He looked upon some of the provisions of this bill as introducing exceptional legislation for Ireland, which he very much deprecated, and which were of a piecemeal character. He was of opinion, and he believed it was generally en tertained that the Incumbered Estates bill should be con tinued to Ireland for a limited period longer. It was not now as atifirst a creditors curt, but a proprietors' one, Who had frequent recourse to it ; and it would, if continued, be of infinite benefit to that country. as M a r • P. URQUHART seconded the motion, and used p r incipal argument for so doing the con tinuation tEhsattatdeisstreo B s and free operation of the Incum bered Bill for amongstr n lrelan d. landed It preventproprie tors in that country in case of panic, as had been the case in past years. Mr. This.DE A S b Y i l 13 p u r p o p p o o r s t e e d d the to d s e e n c l o n wit r h e a d t h i p e g s e of gre th a e t bill principles, viz., first, the Perpetuation of the unueual powers of the Incumbered Estate's Bill ; secondly, the transfer of those powers to the Court of Chancery 7 and thirdly, the internal reform of the Irish Court of 'Chan eery. There was one portion of the bill to which the hon. gentleman who moved this ameedment did not advert, and that was the part which introducetil. into the Irish procedure the regulations with regard 1, 0 th e abolition of the office of master and the appointment of chief clerks to the judges, which bad acted so fi e . &ally in England. He thought that this portion of the bill was entitled to the warmest commendation. Be lieving that the general scope of the measure was most beneficial, he should vote for the second reading, and he trusted that in committee the house would arrange a bill alike creditable to the Legislature and advantageous to the country. Mr. CAIRNS entreated the house not to be led away by flattering descriptions of the reformed Court of Oh:vi a:wry in Ireland, to abolish the Incumbered Estates Court which had had such beneficial results in the con'', try. He should advise that the jurisdiction of this cov.et should he extended to unincumbered estates. Mr. ELLICE, as one who had taken a part with +1 Horebarn. Mr. GEORGE admitted that they ought not to refuse a seem I reading to the bill merely because they objected to certain of the details. In many respects the series of bills proposed by tie hon. and learned member for En niskillen were identical with the Government measure, and he suggested that the better course would be to refer them all to a select committee. If that were done, he should vote for the second rea ling ; if not, he should oppose it. He thought the Incumbered Estates Court should be continued until it had disposed of its own ar rears, and objected especially to the clause which gave power to the new tribunal to sell unincumbered estates, which he considered a m Est dangerous principle, and one that %could give rise to bald. He was also for retaining the existing m ist.?r4, under the altered name of Vice- Chancellors, instead of appointing a new staff of officers and imposing a cheep upon the e)untry for retiring allowances. He preferred the Court of Appeal, as sug gested by the hon. and learned member for Enniskillen, to that proposed in the Government bill. Col. DUNNE would vote against the second reading of this bill, not because he desired the Incumbered Es tates Court to be continued, but because he desired that it should determine finally and altogether at the period fixed by the existing act. Tots was a measure put for ward upon the ground of expediency. He objected to expediency as a principle of legislation, believing it to have been the cause of most of the calamities which bad been inflicted upon the country. It was expediency which had driven us into the present war, aid it was expe diency which had occasioned all the [elut:3 and mis takes which bad marked its pro,grese. He objected to the proposal for compensating the officers of the Incuin bared Estates Court, by transferring them to the Court of Chancery, leaving the present officers of that court, who were quite equal to their duties, chargeable to the country for retiring allowances. Ile. believed the woik ing of the Incumbered Estates Court by forcing sales had not only deteriorated the value of Irish property, but had been the mein cause of those murders which had resulted from the endeavour of the purchasers to dispossess the tenants iu order to make the most of their property. Mr. BLAND would vote for the second reading. All concurred that the jurisdiction of the Incainbered Estates Court should not be perpetuated, and this, he thought, was the best time for infusing its jurisdiction into the Court of Chancery. He acquiesced in many of the objec tions which had been advanced, but as they were mere matters of detail they ought not to affect the vote upon the second reading. He was of opinion that the existing court ought to wind up its own business, and that the new tribunal should not be incumbered with the arrears. Mr. FRENCH denied that the Incumbered Estates Court was popular in Ireland, as bad been stated ty some hon. members. He thought there was much force in the observation of the hon. member for that when the Incumbered Estates Court was established the greater proportion of the business with which it Lad to deal had already been under process of investigation in the Court of Chancery, and so for a time the proceed ings of. the Incumbered Estates Court went on speedily; but now it was clear that the business was at a dead lock. Still, on the whole, he was not so enainoueed of the Incumbered Estates Court in itself as to oppose the second reading of the bill of the Solicitor-General. Mr. M`MAHON said this question had been treated as if it was one which concerned lawyers and landowners only ; but he wished to treat it as one which concerned the people of Ireland ; and looking at it in that point of view, he urged that everything which tended to make land cheap, and to facilitate the transfer of land, would be for the good of the people of Ireland, and ought to be adopted. He could not conceive how this measure could tend to that object. He objected to making the Court of Chancery a permanent conveyancing establish ment. He contended that it would be better to adopt measures for the removal of impediments to the transfer of land, such as abolishing judgments against land and entails, and establishing a county registry of the trans fers of land. The Appeal Court in Ireland which it was proposed to erect under the bill he thought was an unnecessary expense, and that as all lawyers in Ireland practised both in law and equity, the Court of Exche quer Chamber would constitute the best court of appeal from the decisions of the Court of Chancery. Mr. MALINS said he was placed in a difficulty with reference to the course he ought to take on the second reading of a !sill of much of which he approved, of much of which he disapproved. He agreed in the provision creating two Vice-Chancellors, andthat which abolished the Masters in Chancery, :snd that which constituted a Court of Appeal ; Unmet he objected to that court con sisting of only two judges, for he thought all courts of ;tepee' should consist of three judges. There was, how ever' an improvement in the bill on the practice in Eng landof allowing appeals to go from a single judge to an other single judge. He objected to that system in Eng land, and he knew that the Solicitor-General for Eng land agreed with him in that respect, and also in another objection he had to the practice which now pre vailed of some appeals being heard by two judges and oth era by only one judge ; and he hoped his hon. and teal ned friend would support that provision of the bill. Ha (Mr. Menne) also approved of the discontinuance of tiro Incumbered Estates Court at some time or other. Tice other objects of the bill were, be thought, open to oljoetion- if there was the arrear in the Incumbered Eettetes Court which had been stated, he thought nothing WOUI4' be more un wise, or more calculated to break down the whole system, than the transfer of the business of that a responsible situation for which he was not fit, no one court to the Court of Chancery. He believed that the In- thought of attacking the judge ; but the case was very cumbered Estates Court must be retained for a time, and different if such an appointment were male by the Exe that the Government would have to give way on that cutive Government. The experience of the last 20 years point. The hon. gentleman then referred to the reforms in bad fully established two principles—that officers of the the Court of Chancery four years ago, which alone pre- courts should not be paid by fees, and that their appoint vented that court from being swept away, and which had ments should rest with the Executive Government, and worked so well that the Court of Chancery was fast ap- not with the judges. proacbing to perfection, for both causes and appeals were Mr. KENNEDY said the profession bad had great heard with great expedition. He should be glad to see reason to complain of the inclnvenitnt situation of the the same machinery applied to the Court of Chancery in Incumbered Estates Court. They might well complain Ireland, and therefore it would be with reluctance he when they were called on to attend at two distant places should oppose the second reading of this bill. Some of at one and the same time. (A. laugh.) The result had the provisions of the bill were most extraordinary, and been to give a monopoly to some few members of the especially those which proposed to give the patronage of profession. He objected to the transfer of the mass of the officers of the judges' to the Lord-Lieutenant—that business transacted in these courts to the Court of Chan is, to the Government of the day. It had been found to eery, already overburdened. He would empower the Court be of the g reatest possible advantage in this country of Chancery to deal with the unincumbered estates, but that the Master of the Rolls and the Vice-Chancellors would retain the powers of the existing Incumbered should have the choice of their own officers, while it the choice were loft in the hands of the Government fitness would not be the only thing considered. Again, he objected to the provision declaring that the chief clerks should be barristers, and not solicitors, as in Eugland ; and he was afraid that arose from the question cf pa tronage again. Ho also objected to the Court of Chan cery being made a great conveyancing machine, with out reference to whether estates were incumbered or not, which would require a machinery consisting of as many conveyancing counsel as there would be clerks in the court. In the difficulty in which ho was placed he could only hope that the Solicitor-Ge reral for Ireland would accept the suggestion which had been made for sending this bill, as well as those of the hon. and learned member for Enniskillen, to a se lect committee. Unless that course was pursued he (Mr. Matins) must reluctantly vote against the second read ing of the bill. Mr. H. HERBERT supported the second reading of the bill, ,on the ground that it was recommended in a re port which was sanctioned by Sir J. Romilly, the author of the Incumbered Estates Court Act, which had been so beneficial to Ireland, and of which he (Mr. Herbert) had been one of the warmest supporters. He thonght that when the principle of the Incumbered Estates Court had effected so much good in the cases of estates which had been incumbered, the same advantage and simplicity of transfer should be applied to unincumbered estates. Mr. CAIRNS said that if the reasons which actuated the commissioners in making the recommendations con tained in the report were not capable of being made clear and satisfactory to the members of the house generally, there was no reason why they should commend them selves to the house, or why the house should adopt the views which the commissioners took of the question. The commissioners began 'by endeavouring to procure every kind of information with regard to the matters on which they had to form an opinion. After taking that evidence the ammissioners called a meeting here, at which they had the assistance of SirJ. Romilly, to whom the Inoumbered Estates Court in a great measure owed its existence, of Mr.Longfield, and Mr. Blackburn, who perhaps was more conversant with matters pertaining to the improvement of Ireland than any man living. They all agreed that the Membered Estates Court did infinite benefit. (Hear.) It was made quite clear to them that landlords obtained a better market for their land through the instrumentality of that court than they could else where. The commissioners therefore came to the con clusion that the court could not be abolished, but that, on the contrary, it was necessary for the welfare of Ire land, and expedient for Great Britain at large, that it should be continued. But they did not stop there, for they had to consider whether its powers should not be extended, because it was shown to them that theueh the Incurnberecl Estates Court could do everything with re gard to the sale, there were other matters which were not within the jurisdiction of the court, and which it was necessary to send to the Court of Chancery or a court of common law for adjudication. They also found that the Incumbered E-tates Court carried on its business in an obscure street iu Dublin, where the suitors could not have that complete professional aid which they might desire. They therefore recommended that the situation of the court should be removed. They were next told by the Incumbered Estates Commissioners themselves that their staff was insufficient, and therefore it would be necessary to add considerably to the staff of the court. Having, then, come to the conclusion that the court was to be retained, that a new situation and premises were to be provided, that an increased staff was to be found, all of which would require legislation and expenditure, they had next to consider ;his further question, why the pewees of the court should not be extended to the sale of unincumbered as well as toineurnbered estates. The corn plaints on this head reachel the commissioners from vari ous parts and in the most etnnistakeable manner. His hon. and learned friend the member for Enniskillen challenged any to prove that estates had been incum bered with fictitious incunbrances for the purpose of having them sold in the 'membered Estates Court. Of course any person who cid so would not be candid enough to tell it, or to give the circumstances of the case, but there was plenty of evidence from professional men to show that such thirgs had been done. If it were material no doubt thonatnee and circumstances could be obtained; but even if no such cases existed, there was no reason for not extending the powers of the court to unin cutnbered estates, if it was right in itself. He would put the following case :—iu estate worth 100,000/ , which was incumbered to one-half its value, was sold, and the court, after distributing the 50,0001. to the in cumbrancers, ascertained the title of the owner, and gave him the other 50,0101., and there the mat' er ended. Why should not tie court have the power of dealing with an anincumbe7ed estate worth 100,000/ as it dealt with the 50,0001. which remained alter the vale of the incumbered estate worth also 100,0001. (dear, hear.) That was the whole question. Supposing they gave these extended powers t ) the :Encumbered Estates Court, and brought it by the side of the Court of Chan eery, the result wou'd be that they would have two Courts of Chancery—the Court of Chancery with the powers of the Incumbered Estates Court, and the In cumbered Estates Court with all the powers of the Court of Chancery. (Hear, hear.) There was no necessity for two courts of the same kind ; and the whole questi el was, whether they could male the Court of Ctisncery as cheap and as expeditious AS. the Incumbered Estates Court. He believed it could be so made. He therefore would vote for the second read ng of the bill. Two of the objections made to that principle he had already answered. With regard to the third, which was made by the hon. member fur Horsham, namely, that this bill went on the principle of an exceptional legislation ter Ireland, which he deprecated, whatever value might be in that objection, it was now too late, for it should hare been made when the Incumbered Estates Court was pro posed. But whatever fairness there might be in this ob• jection, coming from the hon. member for Horsham, it was hardly fair in the mouth of his hon. and learned friend the member for Enniskillen, who had himself a bill on the table which went on the principle of exceptional legislation for Ireland. Ike would now say a few words with regard to the details of the bill. With regard to the amount of arrears in the Incumbered Estates Court, it was difficult to know how to deal with that question, and it deserved the consideration of a committee of the house. He also thought that some means should be pointed out in the bill providing for the existing staff of the court. It was the duty of the house to see that the transfer of the staff, if it should take place, should bo effected in the most judicious manner. With regard to the question of appeal, the same objection which was taken by his hon. and learned friend might be taken to the appeal which existed in England, where there was an appeal from the Vice-Chancellor to the Lord Chancellor and to the Lord Justices, who were generally but two in number, and therefore there was a possibility of one judge having an opinion opposite to that of his brother judge. The next question, though one of detail, was the most impor tant and transcendent of al, viz., that which had refer ence to the appointment of the chief clerks under the new judges. It was most important, in his opinion, that the judges who wore to be responsible for the working of the court should have the appointment of the chief clerks. That was the recommendation of the commis sioners, and it was contained in the hill of last year. In the present bill, howevsr, theapeointment was placed in the hands of the Lord Lieutenant. He trusted that the Government would not press this part of their measure, but if they did he hoped it would be rejected by the house. (Hear.) The qualifications laid down in the bill for the office of Vice-Chancellor would exclude Mr. Hargrave, one of the judges of the Incumbered Estates Court, who was said to have performed his duties in the must satisfactory manner. (Hear, hear.) He thought the bill should be altered in this re spect also. These matters of detail were important, and he did not think they could he satisfactorily considered in a committee of the whole house. During the discus sion, different reasons had been assigned for disagreeing with several parts of the bill, and he thought that these several opinions should be represented on a select corn mittee, with the view, if possible, of reconciling them. Mr. G. M. BUTT said the detaile'of the bill required great alteration in his opinion ; but as he agreed in its principle, he should vote for the second reading. He hoped it would be allowed to go to a select committee, along with Mr. Whiteside's bills, which contained many provisions that might be advantageously incorporated with the bill. This course would in reality be a saving of time ; fir with the numerous objections raised to the bill before the house, it must undergo considerable al teration before it could pass. In one important parti cular the recommendaticn of the commission had not been followed. :They recommended that the chief clerks and others should be appointed by the judges, and without this, it was imposiible for the system to work well. This bill proposed to give these appointments to the Lord-Lieutenant. He agreed with the propriety of extending the provisions of the Incumbered Estates Court to estates not incumbered ; but great care was necessary in making this extension of jurisdiction. It would be a great boon, both to the people of Ireland and of England, t o es t a blish some means of giving a Parlia mentary title to property ; but ho did not think the pro visions of this bill would suffice for the purpose. That was another reason why he wished the bill to be referred to a select committee. Sir E. PERRY said this bill related to a subject with which be had been brought much into contact, the pro per formation of a jurisdiction which should dispense jus tice in a cheap and summary manner. He was convinced that the principle of the bill, the transfer of the jurisdiction of the Incumbered Estates Court to the Court of Chancery in Ireland, was a sound one. Objection had been taken tol the way in which the patronage was proposed to be dis posed. From his experience in dispensing judicial pa tronage, which was great, be could say that theie was no such blot on our judicial system as the attribution of that patronage to the occupants of the bench. This led to the mischievous creation of fees, and the unwillingness of the judges to interfere with the officers appointed by them selves. There were numerous instances in India of im proper appointments, being made by the judges. He thought it one of the best provisions of the bill to take these appointments from the judges, and give them to the executive government. If a judge made an improper appointment—say his own son, a boy of 21 perhaps--to Estates Court with regard to incumbered 'estates. Every argument of the Solicitor-General for Ireland had in reality gine in favour of the continuance of the Incum bared Estates Court. Unless the Government would con sent to these bills going before a select committee, he should oppose the second reading. Mr. T. O'BBIEN said he should support the second reading of the bill, believing that the Incutnbered Estates Court bad worked well, and required to be extended in its operation. If the bills were referred to a select com mittee they would be delayed till the end of the session, and then probably abandoned. The great object was to give a Parliamentary title to persons purchasing pro perty ; and the difference between this bill and that of Mr. Whiteside was merely one of detail. It would be easy to incorporate the valuable provisions of the two bills in one, when the house went into committee upon them. Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD said he found there were many opponents to the bill ; but, as their opposition rested on totally different grounds, one might be set off against the other. The arguments of the hon. and learned member for Enniskillen, might be set off against those of the hoe, member for Horsham, and so of the others On one point the house had agreed with a soli tary exception, that there should be a continuance of the system of the Incumbered Estates Court, the exception being the hon. member for Portarlington (Colonel Dunne). The solitary objector to the principle of the Incumbered Estates Court was the hon. and gallant gentleman opposite (Colonel Dunne), who had certainly been most consistent in his apposition. Indeed he told the house that all the murders which had taken place in Ireland had been caused by the commission. (Laughter.) Colonel DUNNE demurred to this account of his ob servations. Mr. FITZGERALD--At all events, to judge from the hon. and gallant gentleman's speech, the way in which he would determine the existence of the court would be by hanging the three commissioners. (Laughter.) The most popular objection to the bill, however, was the provision it proposed to make for transferring the juris diction of the court to the Court of Chancery. Now,svhee Sir J. Romilly (then the Solicitor-General) introduced the measure in 1849 it was put forth as an experiment. The original bill being one for three years expired in 1852 ; and in the March of that year, Lord Derby, who was then in office and who had been asked in another plaoe what were his intentions with respect to the court, stated that the Lord Chancellor for Ireland was direct ieg his attention to the simplification of the procedure in Chancery, with a view to see whether it might not have the functions of ti e Incumbered Estates Court engrafted upon it. In the raise year the right hon. gentleman (M:r. Napier) expressed an opinion that the true mode of reformiug the Incumbered Estates Court would be to reform the Court of Chancery, and to transfer the juris diction to it. A similar opinion was expressed by many other gentlemen of great authority. At that time the procedure in Chancery was by bill and answer. The court required every person, however remotely interested, to be made a party to each suit : the system of master., as well as that of charge and discharge, were in force, and, in a word, there was such a long tissue of circumstances leading to delay that a suit might be considered as almost interminable. In 1849, then, the Court of Chancery was not able to do the work of the Incumbered Estates Court, for when the final decree vas made the litigation had only just commenced. Thus, in 1502, Lord Redesdale gave judgment it, a case of property which was not finally sold till 1852. (Hear.) But since 1849 how great had been the change. The Court of Chancery had, in the first place, been eased by the Incumbered Estates Court, which had disposed eight or nine hundred cantos in which the Court of Chancery itself could not have so'd the property. In the following year, however, Sir J. Romilly introduced a large measure of Chancery reform. The system of bid and answer was replaced by the easy and expeditious mode of petition and affidavit. The re sult had beeu that from the passing of the act in 1850 to the end of last year the court had disposed of no fewer than 6SI causes, every one of which had been begun and ended bef 're the Lord Cha a eller hinas, IF. Besides those, 176 causes bad been disposed of under the old system et bill and answer. It would still further illustrate the improvement if he (the 'hon. gentleman) were to state the average period of the first thirty causes which had been heard under the new system in Trinity Term, 1854. Of those 30 cases 10 hadbeen begun and disposed of within 3 months, 15 within 5 months, and 24 within 10 months, the rernainh g 6 having occupied a longer period. Now compere this with what had been the case with the 176 (nu:es with respset to which the old procedure bad not been deearted fratu. Of those cans ,s 12 hail been disposed of in Trinity Term, 1854, and in these the suits had averaged a length of seven years and a half, and some of them had lasted 13 or 14 years each. (Hear.) The Government n rw prop sod to r xt!nd the reform still further. They pr p .set to abolish rho system of nasters in Chancery —(hear) —and to make it imperative upon the judge who hail a cause in charge never to let it pass from under his control ; but if he etepl yal his chief clerk, it should be under his own eye. (Cheers.) They proposed to put an end t" all technicalities a , ,d to all objections arising from want of parties to the suit, from the death of sui tors an I everything of that kind. In short, if the bill were carried, he would undertake is say that the Irish Court of Chancery would be the cheapest, the simplest, and the most expeditious tribunal in the land. Indeed, in its present ceedition, they might get a right decided in it more rapidly and at less expense than they could in a court of common law. They need net, therefore, hesitate to entrust it. when yet further reformed, with the jurisdiction of the Incumbered Estates Court. (Hear, hear.) He (the lion. gentleman) had just received a letter from the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, stating that by the conclusion date term both he and the Master of the Rolls would have cleared off all their arrears. (Hear, hear.) It was sometimes asked why an unincumbered proprietor should net be placed in the same position as the incernberetl one? He (Mr. Fitzgerald) could see no reason why he should not, and he proposed, therefore, in conformity with the weightiest possible authorities, both in the profession and out of it, to give the proprietors of non-incumbered property exactly the same privileges as had been accorded to suitors in the Incumbered Estates Court. The real question was, in truth, not whether that court should be made perpetual, but whether they should have two Courts of Chancery. (Hear.) The censideratiens he had just pointed out to the house were those which had influenced the commissioners in coming to the conclusion that, although tho sys tem should be continued, it would he extremely injuri ous to the public interest that a separate tribunal should be kept up instead of the jurisdiction being transferred to one of the established courts. The hon. and learned member for Enniskillen bad spoken of the job, and the gross job, to be perpetrated by the bid. Tee clause he characterised as the biggest job that hail ever come be fore the house was that which provided the chief clerks should be appointed by the executive instead of by the judges. This was a departure from the bill of last year, but the obj et was to pro oire as efficient a staff as pos sible to secure the proper working of the bill. It de prived the masters, examiners, and all the officials of the Incumbered Estates Court of their offices, and the clause would enable the executive to appoint them to the new situations to be created. Any appointment made by the executive would be euhject to the control of Parliament, but a judge was responsible to no person for any ap• pointment made by him. The hon. and leaned member for Enniskillen had referred to the 19th clause, which provides that the clerks shall be ei iher barristers, soli citors, or persons who have been masters' examiners, or masters, or secretary of the Incumbered Estates Court ; he (Mr. Fitzgerald) confessed that he was alone respon sible for that clause. The officers of the Incumbered Estates Court had given proof of their efficiency, and he he wished, therefore, to make them eligible for the new offices. The hon. and learned member for Enniskillen said the objeat was to provide for a particular indivi dual ; such was not the case ; he could not even imagine who was the person referred to. The hon. and learned member said the bill was impracticable ; it proposed to transfer to the Court of Chancery the whole mass of busi ness of the Incumbered Estates Court, and the result must he that the whole would get clogged up. There was, indeed, a large accumulation of business in the court of the commissioners, but the delay was in many instances owing to the masters themselves ; and he felt confident that two vice-chancellors, starting with an efficient staff, would soon clear it off. In point of fact the business was now done by two, as the third commissioner, Baron Richards, only sat in the full court. A complaint was made that he had not consulted the Master of the Reds in reference to this measure. He could only Say that he sent his lordship a copy of the hill last July, but from that time he had not received any communication from him. One officer had suggested that his salary should be raised, but he had not received a single suggestion fo r the public good from any quarter. He was responsible for the frame the bill had assumed ; but in all its principles, and in all its details, with two exception', it was founded on the re commendations of the a nnnaissioners. He had volunteered to prepare a bill founded on these recommendations, and his only object bad been to introduce one that would tend to secure the public benefit. He was ready to receive suecestiouit as to the details, and would have no objec tion to refer the bill to a select committee. He would not consent, however, that it should be referred along with the five bills of the hon. and learned member for Ennis killen. They were se diametrically opposite that, if re ferred to one committee, none of them would ever emerge. The hen. and learned member for Enniskillen, in his speech on the first reading, bad stated that the books and papers of the Incumbered Estates Court were in ,the greatest confusion. He (Mr. Fitzgerald) had re ceived letters from the accountant-general and the secre tary distinctly denying that assertion. Mr. NAPIER said it was impossible for him to con sent to the second reading of this bill, if the Government refused to allow the bills of the hon. and learned member for Enniskillen to go to a select committee. The object of all the bills was the same ; it was to secure facility of transfer and security of title iii the sale of estates, and the best course for the house to adopt would be to refer all the bills to one and the same select committee. At all events, if the house pwed•this bill its present shape, the whole ' question of Chancery and Incumbered Fatales Refonn in Ireland would be brought to a complete deadlock. Afzer a few words front Mr. BENTINCK, Mr. DISRAELI said he thosight the hon. and learned Solicitor-General was pursuing an ungracious and unne cessary course in refusing t• allow the bills of the hon. and learned member for Eeniskillen to be referred to a select committee. It was proposed that the hon. and learned member for Enniskillen should be a member of the select committee to which this bill was to be referred; and, of course, if he so thought fit, the hon. and learned member could contest every clause of the bill in com mittee. Now, would it not save time, and promote the object in view, if all the bills were referred to the same committee ? However, the question now was, should they read the bill a second time, with a view to referring it to a select committee ? Ho saw no objection to that course ; and he hoped, therefore, the house would not he put to the trouble of a division. Mr. S. FITZGERALD would not divide if he could be convinced that the select committee, to whom the bill was to be referred, would have power to extend the period for the existence of the Incumbered Estates Court. The SPEAKER said the bill contained a clause con tinuing the Incuinbered E,tatesCourt for a limited time, and it would of course be competent for the committee to extend the date. The amendment was then withdrawn, when the bill was read a second time, and ordered to be referred to a select committee. . JURIES (IRELAND) BILL. On the order for the second reading of this bill, Mr. FITZGERALD (Solicitor-General for Ireland) said if there was any objection to the second reading of this bill, be should postpone it for a fortnight. Other wise he should propose to read it now a second time, and then refer it to a select committee. Mr. WHITESIDE said the principle of the bill was precisely the same as that of a bill which he introduced last session, but which the Government opposed. Mr. FITZGERALD denied the statement of the bon. and learned member. This was simply a Consolidation Bill of the Jury Laws of Ireland, and the idea of it had in no way been borrowed from the source suggested. Mr. NAPIER said he should decidedly object to re fer the bill to a select committee. The second reading was then put off for a fortnight. DRAINAGE ADVANCE Aar AMENDMENT BILL. On the motion for the second reading of this bill, Col. DUN NE asked what was the object of the bill 1 Mr. WILSON said it was merely to simplify the mode of transacting business between the Drainage Com missioners and the Treasury. The bill was then read a second time. TURNPIKE TRUSTS AR RANGEMENT BILL. This bill was read a second time. COAMONS INCLOSURE BILL. This bill was read a second time. SUPPLY. The report of the committee of supply was brought up. Upon the motion that it be agreed to, in reply to Mr. WILLIAMS, Mr. WILSON admitted that the customs and inland revenue estimates (lid not include the whole of the su perannuation charges. He trusted that the Government would, with the aid of the house, be enabled, in a short time, to put the matter on a more satisfactory footing. CH ARITABLE USES BILL. The house went into committee on this bill. In reply to Mr. WALPOLE, Mr. ATHERTON said the bill in no wise dispensed with the existing guards against fraud, applicable under the existing law, to grants which were not for full value. The bill then passed through committee. ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION (ENGLAND). Sir G. GREY moved for a select committee to inquire into the present constitution of the Ecclesiastical Com mission for England ; into the operation of the act 13 and 14 Vic., c. i 4. int;tuled, An Act to amend the Acts relating to that Commission, and of the act 14 and 15 Vic., c. 104, intituled An Act to facilitate the Manage-. ment and Improvement of Episcopal and Capitular Estates in England ; and into the expediency of further continuing the last act, and of consolidating the Church Building Commission with the Ecclesiastical Commission. It was provided by the first of those acts that the Eccle siastical Commiesioners should not act sinless two mem bers of t s Church Estates Commission were present. The effect of this was to shift the power to the smaller body, known as the Church Estates Commissioners, having only a general supervision to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The second act conferred larger powers on the Church Estate Commissioners, but it would expire this year ; and he desired that a committee should re port to the house upon the desirability of its continuance. Its main object was to facilitate the enfranchisement of copyhold and other property of a similar nature belong ing t ) the church. He thought it would be desirable to renew the act, but some alterations would in his opinion be requisite. Another question for the committee to consider would be whether the Church Building Com mission ought not to be incorporated with the Church Estate Commission. The Marquis of BLANDFORD said that these acts deserred most serious attention, as they had introduced an entirely new p ieciple into our church polity, at least so far as concerned the temporalities of the establish meet. He considered that it was the duty of Govern ment to put so impor ant a matter on a clear and defi nite footing. Mr. WALPOLE gave his entire concurrence to the proposal made by Sir G. Grey. It was most desirable to consolidate and settle the law on this important matter. Mr. HADFIELD thought that there were so many of these acts and commissiens that they stood in each other's way. It was time that the country should under stand what these acts were, and how the law really stood. Mr. MOWBRAY expressed his satisfaction at the course which the Government intended to pursue. He thanked the right hon. gentleman (Sir G. Grey) for thus redeeming the promise which he made in the last ees. sion of Parliament. The resolution was then agreed to. FORMATION 01? PARISHES BILL. The following members were -nominated as the select c munittee on this bill :—The Marquis of Blandford, Vis count Ebrington, Mr. Dyne, Mr. E. Egerton, Mr. G. Butt, Mr. Gladstone. Mr. Massey, Mr. Mowbray, Mr. Heallatn, Mr. S. Herbert, Sir S. Northcote, Mr. Dun lop, Lord J. Manners, and Mr. Pellatt. Five to be the quorum ; power to send for persons, napers, and records. PUBLIC PROSECUTORS BILL. The following members were nominated as the select committee on this hill :—Mr. J. 'G. Phillimore, Mr. Napier, the Lord Advocate, Mr. Miles, Mr. Phillips, Mr. Attorney-Genera', Mr. SeliCitor-General for Ire land, Mr. Walpole, Mr. W. Ewart, Lord Stanley, and Mr. Watson. RETURNS ORDERED. SUPERNUMERAII:ES (IRELAND). —On the mot 7 o.i of Mr. GuoGAN—Return of the names and dates of appoint ment of all persons temporarily engaged as supernu meraries, draughtsmen, and clerks, in the various Government offices in Ireiand having permanent esta bikhments, who have been in continuous employment for five years and upwards; the rate of pay granted to such v.:1.8,ms on appointment, and the number of years of service of persons to the I.t day of Feb., 1856, respectively ; the nature of employment (detailed) since appointment ; and all reports 34 to the general conduct and efficiency of such person, made by the officer or officers under whom they were 'placed ; the rate of pay on the let day of February, 1856 ; the scale of salaries of permanent clerks employed in the same officeis to which such persons were temporarily attached. The house adjourned at 25 minutes past 12. Mr. John Lawler, the sculptor, has received a com mission from Prince Albert for a copy, in marble, of his figure of "The Thither." M. Chapot, f )rinerly member for the Gard of the Constituent and Legislative Assemblies, died at Venice, from au attack of apoplexy, on the Bth, whilst on a visit to the Count de Chambord. [ADVERTISEMENIA—Among the numerous extraordinary cures without medicine effected by Du Barry's Delicious Health-Restoring Revalcnta Arabica Fool of Indigestion, (Dyspepsia) Flatulency, Constipation, Nervous, Bilious; and Liver Complaints, Cough, Asthma, Consumption, and Debi lity the following are not the least remarkable :—Athol street, Perth, May 2, is4B,—Thirteen years' cough, indigos. tidn, and general debility havo been removed by Du Barry's excellent Revaleuta Arabica Food.— James Porter. Hun. ton, 22d Nov., 1850 . — D ear Sir, —I am happy to inform you that your excellent food has relieved me from an incredible accumu l a tion of suffering, for which, during the l n ast eight years, all kinds of medicines had been tried in vain, My feelings and suffering,s previous to taking your food were the following :—lndigestion, nervousness, biliousness, affec tions of the liver and kidneys, costiveness, palpitation of the heart, noises in the ears, pains in almost all the body, low spirits, general debility, loss of memory, wretchedness, thoughts of self-destruction.—MaryGodsmark. In canisters, .51bs. 11$. ; 121b5., 225. The 1211,5. carnage free, on receipt of post-office order. Barry du Barry and Co., 77, Regent-street, London ; Fortnum, Mason, and Co., P ur veyors to her Majesty, Piccadilly ; also at 60, Grace church-street ; 33J and 451, Strand; 4, Cheapside • 68 C o rnhill ; 49, Bishopsgate-street ; 55, Charing-cross; 54; Upper Baker-street; 63 and 150, Oxford-street. - . I ADVERTISEMENT. SIGHT AND HEARINO. SPECTACLES, POWERFUL TELESCOPES, OPERA, RACE AND PERSPECTIVE GLASSES. —Messrs. S. and B. Selemons, opticians, 39, Albemarle street, Piccadilly. Observe opposite the York Hotel. By ker Majesty's Royal Letters Patent for valuable and extraordinary improvements in the most powerful and brilliant Telescopes, Camp, Racecourse, Opera, and Per. spective Glasses, to know the distances of objects viewed through them—of great importance to the army, navy and others. These telescopes possess such extraordinary powers that some three and a-half inches, with an extra eye piece, gill show distinctly Jupiter's moons.. Saturn's ring, and the double stars ; with the same telescope can "pe seen a person's countenance three miles and a half distant and an object from 16 to 20 miles. They aro of larger and all sizes, with increasing powers accordingly ; while their vary ing roin 4 to 6 inches enable us to discover more than the above, and the Georgian, with his 6 satellites, &c. —The Royal Exhibition, 1851.—Valuable, newly-invented, very small, powerful waistcoat-pocket glass,the size of a walnut, by which a person can be seen and known 1l miles distant ; they answer every purpose on the race-course, and at the opera houses, country scenery, and ships are clearly seen at 8 to 10 miles. They arc invaluable for shooting, deer -stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers, and tourists. Open, race-course, camp, and perspective glasses, with wonderful power. Newly-constructed Spectacle Lenses et the great est transparent power. The valuable advantage derived from this invention is, that vision becoming impaired is preserved and strengthened, and very aged persons are enabled to employ their sight at the most minute occu pation can see with these lenses of a much less magnify ing power—and they do not require th e f requen t c h an ges to the dangerous effects. of further powerful assistance. Deafness—New Discovery. — The Organic Vibrator, an ex traordinw powerful, small, newly-invented instrument for de a f ne ss, entirely different from all others, to surPass any thing of the kind th at has been, or probably ever can be, produced. Being of the same colour as the skin , is not per ceptible ; it enables deaf persans to hear distinctly at church and at public assemblies; the unpleasant sensation of singing noises in the ears is entirely removed ; a nd it affords all the assistance that possibly-eould be desirod. -39 , Albemarle. street, Piccadilly. Observe.. oppuite the York Hotel, Comitri Markets, CHELMSFORD-FEB. 15. The wheat market opened at the prices of this day week, but an improvement towards the close of is to 2s per qr. In spring corn there was little doing, but no alteration to report in prices. Wheat, white, old, per s. gr. 56 new 62 old 5S new 56 Barley 28 Chevalier 30 Grinding Malt 70 Chevalier 73 red, per qr ...... Partridge White Boiling Dun 37 Beane, Tick :)2 I Harrow field 741 Mazagan 76 Ditto, new... 32 76 I Oats, 75 I Peas, 72 8. S. .22 28 ..38 40 .40 50 ~43 50 -38 37 ..35 37 i 37 39 ..34 26 COLCHESTER- FEB. 16. Only a small supply of wheat ; the trade firm, and beet samples made is per qr. more than last week. Barley the turn eheap.r. Beans and peas without any material change in value. Prices to-day were as follow :--Wheat, white, 76s to 80s; red, 64s to 72s ; barley, 32s to 38s ; oats, 24s to 28s ; beans Mazagan, 34s to 36s ; middle and small, 36s to 418 ; peas, white, 46s to 50s ; grey, 36s to 40s. Official Statement of the Quantities of Corn, &c., receivel in the port of London, from the following porta, from the 11th to the 16th Feb., both inclusive. . Di • a: c o 0 ..1.4 o iLt Colchester Harwich l4 10 560 ( 227 Leigh Maldon .1147 694' 600 1 50 3191 235, 309 KIRKCALDY-FED. 16. A moderate supply of wheat and oats, but small of barley. Sales quick for all kinds. Wheat at au Rclvancs of 4s per qr., barley 6d to is, and oats is to Is 6d, over last marke t rates. Wheat. First Second 72s Od Third s6s 04 Barley. 1 Oats. I Beans. 38s 63 29s ed. 1 Os Od 37s Od 128 s K I Os Od 31s Od i 25s Id I Os Od COAL MARIE! Prices of Coal por ton at M.—FEs. 18. the close of the market. Wallsend, &o. a. d. Byass's West Hartley .. 18 0, Davison's West Hartley 18 s. Haswell 18 G 'Hetton lB 6 [letton Lyons Main l6 3 Lambton lB 0 North Hetton 17 6 Peusher 16 6 Plummer l6 0 Russell's Hetton 17 6 Aeaham l7 6 I South Hetton 18 0 Stewart's 18 6 'Caradoe .....16 6 Cassop 16 6 Hough Hall l6 0 ,Kelloe 17 9 , 'South Kelloe 16 6 ,Tees lB 6 Cowndon Tees ,15 6 :4 I Sold Newton Main l6 0 Tanfield Moor l6 3 Tanfield Moor Butes 16 3 Walker Primrose l4 6 Grey's West Hartley l7 Wylam 15 0' Wallsend, ke. Gosforth l5 9 1 Harton 15 9 Heaton fledloy Hilda 15 %Marneliffe l5 6, Eden Main 17 (Y, 13raddyll l7 6, Framwellgate l6 6; Ships at market... 14 BBABO.RNE, MAILS. t iq signifies that the mails are sent from the General Postince , y the night—and M by the morning—despatch.) Day when made up From what When COUNTRIER. in General Post- Port due In Office, LondOn.* Dispatched. England. ------ -- e kmerica(byltrit.pack)N Every Friday .... Liverpool ... Feb. 14 tmcricp. (by United Ste. nacket) .. .. .. ....N •• •••• ^ • • Liverpool ... Feb. 11 America (by U. States packet) .• •. .. ....N •• ~* ••• • - Sonthampton,Feh. 21 tiastralla (via •South ampton) .........„K .......... • • Southampton )ltto (via Marseilles) l'il 'Otto (via Cape of Goad: ' . Rope) ...... ......N I ... Uncertain Africa (West Coast) ..N 2 3d of the month.. Plymout h.. Mar. 6 9, 24, &30 of m. Dover .... 4.1exandria..........N IS , Alexandria .. .... .. .. M• 4th & 20th of mon. Southampton Bahamas ..........,m,l7th of the month Southampton. Belgium .. .. .. .. .. .. N' l) oi. b . ' • • • • • • • • •• • • Dover ...... Daftly Brazil .... ..........m r 9th of the month.. Southampton Feb 16. Buenos Ayres ........31 9th of the month.. Southampton Feb 15 Cape of Good Hope ..N Various port: Uncertain Cape. of Good Hope •.N 9th of the month Southampton Feb. lb Cape de Verde ......N Ceylon (see India) Ceylon ..............N Channel Isles .... ~..N,Mou.,Wed.,&Fria. Southamptor Trt.Th.°ll Chili __ .......... m 7,1 & 17th of moral Southamptoi China .... .. 'Once a month.... Mar. 4 Constantinople ......N ,8,13,18,23,&78 of n Dover ...... Constantinople Cont. of Europe M & N Twice daily ... .... Dover ...... Twleedally Egypt (see India) Franco .. M a z N Twice daily ...• • • Dover .... .. Twiottlaol Gibraltar .. .... ....M• 4 , 7, 17, 20, 27 ~ f m Southampton Greece (see India) • Ireytown ..........M, 2 nd & 17th of mon. Southampton . Han/burgh ..........N,Tuesday & Friday London ..... •lavannah ........... ii 2nd of the monti Southampton'Feb. la. Holland ...... • . ld i ) 41 1 3 7 •- Honduras ....., „ ..mll7t i o the montil.,Southampton lOthotneon India (vlaSouthampt.)Al',Ath k 20th of mnp.!Plymotith .. 4 & 20 m !mils. (via Marseille:OM ,9th& 21th of month 1 Dover ...... „ man Te m (~,,,, h i d; ,01 7 , 17, & 27 of monlDover...... l'clari ........M & NlTwic. daily • • .. ..11101; head ... .1 1 wleedati, f,i5h0n...... „ .. „ „ o/17, 9, 17. & 27 of m. Southampton Feb. 16 , 4ade , ra .......... .. m l9ll l of the month 'Southampton Madeira ........ N 7311 of month • ... Liverpool ... ~... Matta (see India) 1 Matta sfaurithis (see India) i . aurt o„, ..........N 14th of the month Mexico ............ x2nl of tlo. (nont". Bouthturtptenleb. 16 Napio _ . ........N 15thlAth25thofmor.. Dover ...... Now Granada —.., , to •24 & 17th of month Southampton New Zea1and......... IBy private et Sp .. Various port Uneeroki . Fapal States ........N Sthl s o2 s tliotmon. Dover ...... Peninsula ..........N ithl7o27thollnon. Southampton Porn .... ~........m Id & 27th of mondSouthampton Port Natal .... ...... N By private ship ...IVariotts porta•Uneertas. ,ittover ...... "licily ~............N sihtetlithofman Tuscany .. _ ........ N stiiisth2ethotmon.lDover ...... venemei , .......... m 2d& 17th a/month aouthampton 1 &IS mo Van Diemen's Lan d (see . I .._ . . Australia) weir ruffles 1 10 k 17th 0 i mone, 'Southampton '1&161cos Whenany of these dates fall on a Sunday, the malls will be de ',patched on the following day, with the excepthm of the In Ile (vie i!onthampton), and the Malta, both of which will be despatched the proccdin; day. SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL. FEB. 18. STOCK EXCIIANGE.—The tone of the market has been improved to-day, and the prices rather higher. South E•istern, 19— Lancashire and Yorkihire, 82 2{ a — Caledonian, 28—North Eastern, Berwick, 19—Midland, "OA —Dutch Rhenish, p.—Ditto, new, 2} p.—Great Western of Canada, 264—London and North Wes-terns, 1014 :„ I ,—Great Northern (A shares deferred), 91. MANCHESTER, FEB. 18. STOOK EXCHANGE.—The market to-day has been doing a firmer business, and priees . were inactive. Leeds, 11i 21 - Dover, l 9 7-16 i—Midlanda; Joi—Eastern Counties, 10—North Union A, 225. BIRMINGHAM, FEB. 18. STOCK EXCIIANGE.—The tone of the market was brisk to-day, and prices generally were firm. In local stocks, old Birmingham Canals were done at 90 i—Birming ham and Staffordshire Gas, halves, 47S—London and North Westerns closed at 1001 101—Birmingham end Derbys, 40i. - • SUICIDE OF THE HARLEQUIN OF NEWCASTLE THEATRE. —On Friday morning, Mr. Charles Shaw, who per formed the part of Harlequin in the pantomime at the theatre, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, threw himself into the river Tyne from the balustrades of the old bridge, and was drowned. The fatal act was committed in the presence of many spectators, and prompt exertions were made for his rescue, but his body was not recovered until after th • lapse of an hour and a half, when life was extinct. H had been drinking hard lately, and had bad a fit of de lirium tremens. Verdict, "Temporary insarJty." [ADVERTISEMENT.]— Holloway's Pills, Wonderful for Curing Diseases of the Chest.—Mr. Hobbs, of Newton Abbott, informed Professor Holloway that a lady, resid ing near him, stated that she considered Holloway, pills had been the means of saving her life, three medi cal men had pronounced her disease incurable, terming it consumption ; seeing an account of some person being cured of a similar complaint she determined on giving them a trial, and fortunately for her they have effected a perfect cure, which she is willing to testify by reference to Mr. Hobbs.—Sold by all medicine vendors through out the world ; at Professor Holloway's establishments, 244, Strand, London, and 80, Maiden-lane, New York ; by A. Stamen, Constantinople ; A. Guidicy, Smyrna ; and E. Muir, Malta. BIRTHS. OF A SON. On the 14th inst., at Hafton House, Argyleshire, the Hon. Mrs. C. Monteith Hamilton. On the 17th inst., at Newlands, Wind)ledon-park, the wiie of Horace Maddock, Esq. OP A DUMMER. On the 15th inst., at &dwell Park, Herts, the Lodi Cochrane. On the 17th inst., at Surrey House, Hyde-park-place , the wife of John Laurie, EN. MARRIED. On the 16th inst., at St. James's, Piccadilly, Edward Ward Fox, Esq., of Newbold-fields, Chesterfield, 0 , Eleanor, younger daughter of Edmund Balfour, Esq., Lincoln's-inn-fields. On the Ifith inst., at Dunkerque, Commander Fairfos Moresby, H.M.S. Sappho, to Emma Eliza, eldest daughter of Herbert Taylor Lewis, Esq., late of her Majesty's 40th Regiment. DIED. On the 15th inst., at Hammersmith, James Morgent Esq., late of Golden-square and St. Alban's-place, Regent.' street, aged 81. On the 16th inst., at Lavender-hill, Surrey, Edward Crowley, Esq., aged 68. On the 18t inst , Sarah Maria, wife of John ThrupP, E s q., of 11, Stockwell•common, younger 'daughter of the late Edward Crowley, Esq., of Lavender-hill, Wand" worth. On the 17th inst., at Folkestone, Mr. George Bathurst , aged 42. On the 17th inst., atYately, Hants, Capt. Rush, aged 7'9. On the 7th inst., at Ditton-place, Kent, John Golding, Esq., aged 86. On the 17th inst. ' a t Ross, Herefordshire, Henry Grant Clyde, Esq., late of H.M. Customs. LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOlll7O, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The sun Office, No, 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the coest7 • laiddleoes, Tuetitlagy, Fatuity 19,1866 to ebefli'l 4 I /1 ne uter or n , * 4 l. m etteid ton to,iltro!d ""• IR 14 oN]ltur, p 44 4 -Telti 171,:nd t e ta IN Trai n Stati( Qeneri Ma S er NDi Qom PrtisT (4 11P a hY het l'ro„: t ° ll owin Ilitt tn v t 4 2 3 ,,Zi b s Afc kA thjnth 1% 44 2 three °' ''Perial b y hat " 4 1 b I,,,roik!rettori, Tb a l ed by thi N et Et Alexan fro Auditor — led by Th t t tt th is sie , bit,re._ltorny ev t eltt.'‘ of th to their 1 'fh"ed by vi .ks firsthe eoi orEsq., Orem, 'am Ron • • - - T AR PA p s ,hoßAvEs: b - zio4R WICK ?rain, . - 4oket a p c , ,o rth or u woo 4 • lirritVoalinfr h efts and r tto w Zith and ) Nkitle!!!!Yese a , • 11W LA; t 404;striety 11t ori g 'i l 'Ut OIL 4t oy m 4:4 fre tre at _ o s4: emi t pr o e ti Zo_a , ina hula from kired l i "ed of Pop w hi t c 2(l , thirt volt Is Tug °Row! d w Which i s 41_ 14 3? th -,, ert sin at Pt. or TII h tESEM . ee t h e lit inio nction 1 trith of Jun' h„.).:11W11 and other it;°,o?unds, from 111 1 r 41 tiettes Pati e de Pharaus,cli Ilk h • edy for Eel el,,T Nltent es arlsin b-,014 i n youth, in e; ss P 1.04 Itentinvaluabed elit ' ev Ise] :Stacy in the sl L'elee so a, tee Plartraou ar" long beon tl - 4 teat port ion of 1 1 4 ito tlle 11%4 Conti= L ,o7ttOli ately the E lable degruetion , NP e rilla In the w -41inislAft, ,N, k 4 ft, ' _. 411__ .maw ,thoot undr n'e be Z.IttEBE ?AAR lq, 151444 b e at ,Li 111°-:::14411::cii:";1:14:14:478 : e1 ; l:Vitt47: 1 14'4:4i nt iadvi;1111b i alus.1 1 0 :;: i 1''''.. ..................., 41'4 IC SP,ORRT IN; Ilat Pabllaked, price N. In D. Ze-. Ita Ceases, zrrllala. with I tt_-,ealltni mode of dttern. Obtain bY L'4lllanishillt by url Lvery variety of con -`teleles. accident, or fe,t2eentY Yeara' e 1„.- ,utts Debility. Lo ehea -441_. added Comments a ° hints ou to oil the ideugarou -114 IMPOrtittlt disorc , By .e 11 .. 2ED F ( --vior of bfedlethes le r_.°llrellarollOrarY lit 4 to of ApOttli ..1.11- nal object i..ltienees rollultiug ft, , 1,„"1011 have produced 4 P. ae. and premature e r Mass of disease Ile ttleuterly iecommel tll th elr Physical onnditi ( it titled health, ha pp ine ss ' ft fe ebeolutelY nee° prtilekies of personal i hieelarring grievotis pen '• he m of limn& .._ _ 4111 ? be mitigated, bon, ‘L'oll hOIV the evil and 1 i r lit t here is Scarcely a ,411ternent to wch ...7uf,Antlior hav f ora 1 hirktee in the treatm ..."ntentlllately been to 4 ObLres. who inflict Ell ..utll In their pretensim kREEVOBB DEBILI od and Co„ 23, 1 , 13 11% 19 Lolcestor-erP 14 ~2_ . 1,6„,-...mps to anY ad( ',":aquere, I,7hoOke for consults -.eight. Irti; '11:11.eleet; e A 4 u rr: t: h t. 4741 v Zia 0141 °Nithecf.` Nad LOX] Ath il t4 yPTbe btibi t