The Sun. — London, England, 1856-02-23 00:00:00

dity. They had, indeed, proceeded on the supposition that I the patent was perfectly valid. It had been said that a writ without a patent would give a seat, but a writ upon this patent would be invalid because the patent was only for life. Therefore it was argued that the writ would be invalid because the patent was valid. He denied that any instance could be found on record of a'person being refused to enter that house in virtue of a writ of summons from the Crown, except in the case of a personal and legal incapacity. The course taken by the Government had been taken upon the authority of every high legal writer of the country. It was argued that this power of the Crown had fallen into desuetude and had thus ceased to exist. Bat this was in direct con tradiction to the well-known dictum, " Nullum teinpus occurint regi.” He was indeed astonished to hear from the noble earl opposite on a former evening that no prece dents were of any value unless directly sanctioned at the time of the revolution. Why, Mr. Hallam distinctly told us that with the exception of the dispensing power, the power of the Crown was not diminished, nor that of the people extended. Mr. Macaulay's authority was to the same effect. He believed that: it was more correct to say that every prerogative of the Crown not impugned at the revolution of 1688 was still in force. Lord BROUGHAM said that on going into all the pre cedents and authorities since the previous evening's debate, and examining them in connection with the curr ent history of the time, he had had the doubt w hic h be originally felt with respect to the legality of this most unfortunate step of the Government considerably strengthened. His leaning had been originally is favour of the legality, though cer tainly not the constitutionality of this exercise of the power of the Crown ; but he had now come to the opinion that the creation of a life peerage to give a seat in this house is beyond the royal prerogative, and therefore illegal, accord ing to the law and constitution of England ; that life peer age—to entitle the holder to sit in Parliament—is now and ever has been unknown to the constitution of the country, which has never recognised anything but hereditary peer age. In considering whether any asserted prerogative is or is not vested in the Crown, we must go to the exercise of it s power by the Crown in past times; and when he was told that user or non-user did he not settle the fact of the Crown's having a prerogative or not, except the fact were abuiecU perfectly clear. Precedents of the time of the Plantagenets and Tudors would not weigh much with him as to the Crown's possession of the prerogative. But the fact was that there was not a single instance of a life peerage being created since the constitution assumed a settled form. The only case which had been dwelt upon much by the other side was that of Sir John Cornewall, 10 Henry VI., which he said had not been got rid of by Lord Lyndhurst. The first answer was that the baronies of Fanehope and Middlemore was conferred by the King, in the presence and with the advice of Parliament, which all lawyers admitted to be equivalent to an act of Parlia ment. But admitting that one precedent had been found in the 10th Henry VI.. was there another case, before or since, in which an attempt has been made to constitute a peerage for life? And, after all, the only ground for sup posing this to be a life peerage was the fact that the patent contained no words of limitation. But if there was here a creation of a life peerage, what sort of times were these from which to draw precedents? The whole of the his tory of those times abounded with such violent stretches of the prerogative. The Parliament of 1401 was held by writ as usual; but his Majesty directed that no legal man ' should be cleated a knight of the shire, which gave Coke the opportunity of stating that no good law was made thereat. But that was not the only occasion on which the Crown had interfered ; for much later, in the reign of Henry VIII., that mons rch commanded a certain person, named Denny, to be elected for a certain borough, and he was returned accordingly. Well, had that right ever been repealed ? No ; and yet it seemed to be held by the other side of the house, that if you could not point out any such repeal under the House of Hanover or the House of Bruns wick, that the ante of things was, talis quails, just as it was 400 years ago. By the exercise of the royal prerogative in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, one-sixth part of the House cf Commeus was returned. It was only necessary to refer to these sasee in our history to show how little authority was to be placed in such instances of the exercise of the royal autnority. He would only remind the house of one other instance to show how little reliance was to be placed on such precedents ; and that was one in which, after the close of the session, the laws passed by King, Lords, and Commons in Parliament assembled, so that in 1822 it be came necessary to pass a law restricting in that respect the royal prerogative in future. The noble and learned lord re viewed at some length the opinions of Coke upon constitu tional questions, for the purpose of showingthat he was not a reliable authority upon such matters. As to preroga tive ceasing by non use, he had shown many instances. What was the very origin of Parliament? why that seats in both houses should be held by tenure of land, and that system had never been changed by any direct law. As long ago as Charles 11., in the Fitzwalter case, it was held by the courts that barony by tenure had become obsolete for ages, and therefore could not be revived. So with re gard to the prerogative of creating life peerages, it had not been exercised even in our ruder ages, and had never been even attempted for 4'lo years. Had they then not a right to say that tke present step was an infringement of the constitution? The prerogative of creating hereditary peerages in no way gave the right of creating a life peer age with a seat in Parliament. 13ironies by -tenure were not the only prerogatives which had ceased. There were the peerages by courtesy. Husbands of baronesses had claimed the right of being summoned to Parliament in virtue of the baronies of their wives. From the time of Henry IV. to Richard 111., there were no less than 17 of such baronies. That prerogative had been entirely lost. He was bound for all these reasons to support the motion of his noble and learned friend. If they supported their undoubted rights, and performed their just duties, they would give no offence to the other House of Parliament, and as to offence to the Crowe he held that to be an im possibility. As the House of Lords never could interfere with the privileges of the House of Commons, hew could that house interfere with the privileges of the House of Lords. Wily, such a collision would be a conflict of ab surdity, and therefore he thought it was impossible that it, could occur. This was a question which touched the con stitution, and he joined heartily with hisnoble and learned friend in support of his motion. The LORD CHANCELLOR said, that on the second night of a debato on this subject, it was difficult at that time of night to obtain the attention of their lordships. He would, however, state what he considered to be the law of the case. The noble and learned lord who introduced the motion had said that he (the Lord Chancellor) had not followed out the case of the Brandon peerage in support of his argument. What he (the Lord Chancellor) had in tended was, that it was not similar to the present one. The case there was, whether the person created Duke of Brandon was a person who could be so created. Why, if there was a law by which a baron of the Exchequer could not be created a peer, then this case would be analogons to that of the Brandon peerage, and that was his argument on the former occasions. The case of the Banbury peerage, so relied on by the noble and learned lord, occurred in 1660, when it might be said that no regular Parliament A, as existing. After the Restoration, letters were sent to the peers, and they assembled, and amongst them was this spurious End of Banbury. Ho wan an illegitimate son and, that being discovered. it was asked by what right Le sat. He petitioned the King for a writ, and the Crown itself referred the case to the house. (Hear.) What, then, became of that case as au authority ? There was one ease which had the semblance of authority, and if he satisfied their lordships that the Crown was the undoubted judge when a writ, was issued. Ho presented a writ on a We t nesday after the usual hour. It seemed to have been sus pected that he was not the right Earl of Lincoln, for it was, ordered that his pedigree should be loOked into, and when that turned out to be right he was admitted. That surely was no authority for contending that that house had a right to judge wh e th e r the Cr own should call one of its subjects to assist her there with his counsels. A peer did not sit there in virtue °Phis patent, but of his writ, which ho was bound to obey on pain of fine. That being so, did not that raise a great doubt whether, even if this patent were illegal, their lordships should seek to get redress by doing that which bad never been done since this house was a house, by refusing to admit one of her Majesty's subjects who came there with her Majesty's writ. Even-euPposing the patent in this case wore bad, Lord Wensleydale could not be in a worse posi tion theft if he bad no patent at all. If a Dian had a good patent he had a right to a writ of summons; if he had a bad patent he had not ; bat if he had a writ of summons it did not matter whether he had a good patent or no patent at all. Their lordship» had no more right, if a person not disqualified by statute presented himself at their bar with a writ of summons, to refuse to admit him, than the other house would have to refuse to admit a person who had been returned for Yorkshire. If the Crown issued a writ there was no appeal from its will. Having explaiaed this, which be thought of more constitutional importance than that of the peerages for life—for they were usurping a privilege which did not belong to them—he should merely recapitulate the grounds on which he thought this crea tion was legal. First, the presumption was that the Crown, being the fountain of honour, might dole it eat as it thought it. - Then there was the authority of Coke upon Litile ton. Both his learned friends who had addressed them had always spoken as if Lord Coke was no authority on points of constitutional law. But ha thought that was rather an extraordinary position to hold respecting the man who was generally believed to be the author of the petition of rights. Then there was the authority of Sel den, of Lord Hale, of Chief Baron Comyn, of Blackstone, of 'Hargrave, and, though lzst not least, the late Lord Redesdale, who, in his report on the dignity of a peer, stated distinctly that peerages had been and might be granted for life. But he was told there had been no in steno's of such creations. But no one could deny that there had been abundance of creations in the persons of iemales ; and it was impossible to show that there was any distinction in the minds of there learned judges between" peerages conferred on men and on women. But there were other precedents not even liable to this objection ; for he could see no difference between a grant to a man for life eimpliciter, and a grant to aman for life with remainder to collateral heirs which took effect as a new g rant. Then it was said that the early peerages were g ran ted assensu or conger= parliamenti, and that this was equivalent to their being granted by act of Parliament. This, however, ho by no means admitted. These grants of 'Peerage were not by acts of Parliament. In the last year of Richard 11. a great number of these dignities were granted a with i t a h n e aaast sent of Parliament. In the first year Henry v. of Parliament was passed, repealing all the acts pa sse d i n the last year of Richard 11. Upon this the Duke of Nor.: folk, who had been created in the last year of the previous re ign, supposed that his dukedom was gone, and reverted to the inferior peerage which he previously held. But, on a question arising on this point some years afterwards, it was expressly held by the !stayers of those days that th ese p a pers were created by the King in Par liament, and not by the Parl iament; that it was the act of the Monarch, and his alone. This, however, was importance in the view h e t oo k o f not a point of much the question. He then came to the question of the propriety of the manner in which the p ower i n question, supposing it to ex i st , had been exercised. Thi s prerogative of the Crown might be abused, as every other prerogative might be abased, but h e apprehended that the only check was that of e• to argue from the use public opinion. He did not think it a philosophic a l wa y of proceedin g the probable abuse of the prerogative, and it was idle to talk of the probablity of a set of pauper peers, who would never be useful, and who would destroy the character of the ho use . Th e on l y quest i on now t o b e c onsidered was , 'whether, in the event of the exercise of the prerogative, it was not useful at this period to add tothe judicial strength of their for ;ships' house. He felt bound to oppose the motion of the noble and learned lord. The house then divided, and the numbers were— • For Lord Lyndhurst's motion Against it Majority for the motion —3s The house adjourned at 20 minutes past one. HOUSE OF commoNs. tv --ESTERDAY.) The SPILAKER took the chairshertly before four o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESB. The fo!lcwinz bills were severally read a second time ea i ordered to bo cot:mated ; Lakulluaxl Docka, Sittingbourne and Sheerness Railway, and Stotfield and Lossiemouth Harbour Improvement. Sir J. WALMSLEY presented a petition from a working man in Bristol. He had taken the precaution of inquiring into the character of the petitioner before he presented the petition, and he found he was quite trustworthy. The petitioner stated a peti tion was about to be presented to that house against the opening of the Crystal Palace and British Museum on Sundays, and that the signatures thereto were obtained in a most bjectionable manner. They consisted of the names of infants of tender age, paupers and others who were not free agents, and under those circumstances he prayed that a remedy might be adopted to meet the evil, which existed to a very great extent. Mr. BAINES presented a petition in favour of the bill for the abolition of local dues upon shippirg. Mr. M. GIBSON presented several petitions from Manchester with a similar prayer. THE NERBUDDA. Mr. OTWAY begged to ask a question of the First Lord of the Admiralty of painful interest. There some time ago appeared a report in the public prints of the total loss of the Nerbudda, with 180 souls on board. No o ffi cial notification of the loss bad been made to the public or the relatives of those on board, and he now begged to ask for any information the Government had on the subject ? Sir C. WOOD said he had not yet received any official information on the subject, and until he bad , received that information be thought he should not be justified in making any report on the subject until all hope had gone. He was sorry to say there was at present all absence of any information. THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY „,IPVENING, FEBRUARY 23, 1856, IRISH BILLS. Sergeant O'BRIEN asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether the Government would agree to post pone till some early day after Easter further proceeding with the Juvenile Offenders (Ireland) Bill, the Burial Grounds (Ireland) Bill, and the Prisons (Ireland) Bill, inasmuch as several of the Irish members would be ab sent during the assizes ? Mr. HORSMAN said, with respect to those bills, he intended to take the second readings pro forma, and postpone their farther consideration until after Easter. COMMUNICATION WITH IRELAND. Mr. GROGAN asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether any and what steps, since the issuing of the minute of the 19th day of October, 1855, bad been taken by the Government to facili tate and improve the postal and passenger communication between London and Dublin ; whether the hours of departure from; and arrival at, those cities respectively of the mails, and the time to be employed on the journey, bad been decided on; whether any tenders for the performance of that service had been called for by the Government ; whether any tenders for that service had been sent in to the Government ; and what was the present state of negotiations on this subject Mr. WILSON said that communications with the Chambers of Commerce •f Belfast and Dublin had taken place with respect to the hours most convenient for the mails to arrive in Ireland. When the answers had been received, tenders with those flours mentioned would be sent forth. ST. PANCRA.S WORKHOUSE. Mr. PERCY . asked the President of the Poor-Law Board whether a report had been presented to the Government on the state of the St. Pancras or St. Mary lebone Workhouses ; and whether he would lay such report on the table of the house. Mr. BOUVERIE said, that in consequence of reports he had received he felt it his duty to appoint an able medical gentleman to inspect the place. He bad within the last week or two received that gentleman's report, and, to use his own words, the arrangements were hor rible—be had sent that report to the par!sh authorities, and he had no doubt they would speedily remedy the state of things complained of. He would have no ob• jection to lay the report on the table of the house. LOCAL DUES UPON SHIPPING. In reply to an HoN. MEMBER, Lord PALMERSTON said be intended to move the second reading of this bill on Monday. Sir F. THESTGER said, such being the case, he begged to give notiee that, on that day, he should move that the bill be read a second time that day six months. He asked the hon. member (Mr. Gibson) if he intended to bring on his motion for the abolition of the abjura tion oatlatthat night ? Mr. M. GIBSON said he hoped the house would permit him to introduce his bill without discussion. He must ask the honourable gentleman if he, and those who acted with him, would allow him to lay the bill on the table, and the second reading on such a day as would give the house an opportunity to consider the matter. At the same time he would ask the noble lord at the head of the Government if be Lad any objection to that course I Lord FALMERSTON said that the Government could have no objection to the course proposed. (Rear.) Sir F. THESIGER said be thought that would be the most convenient course to be adopted. CONTRACTORS' DISQUALIFICATION BILL. Mr. T. D CINCOMBE gave notice that, on the second reading of the Contractors' Di•qualification Bill, be should move its second reading that day six months. EDUCATION. In answir to a question from Sir J. PAKINGTON, Lord J. RUSSELL said that bl proposed to lay on the tahle of the house his resolution on education on the 6tll of March. He should not then ask the house to come to any conclusion on them then, but to a ljourn the discussion to a future day. He had not entered into any arrangement with the Government to gice.ll iro a day, but in the event of peace being concluded be know of no question of greater' interest than that of edecation, and he hoped the Government would, there fore, give him an early day. ANNEXATIONS IN INDIA. In sower to a question from Mr. OTWAY, Mr. VERNON . SMITH said that the state of the kingdom of Oude for the last 50 years had caused much anxiety to theGovernmen', and in consennenceof represen tations made to the G,,verilor .r en rat of Indir, - vho sent d• • 'patches to the East India Court of Directo n, and the Government, they had given dkcretionary powers to Lord Dalhousie. When the correspondence was complete he would lay it on the table of the With regard to the feeling of the psople of 0 ide in fa vour or against the annextion.of Oude to India he could give no information. The policy of the Government of Oude had been to prevent the free exercise of public feeling. Sir E. PERRY condemned the conduct of Lord Dal housie in India. He thought the answer of the President of the Board of Control to Mr. Otway's question unsa tisfactory. He (Sir E. Perry) wished to be able to deny the assertion that had been made against England of making unjust aggressions in India. Sir J. HOGG defended the conduct of Lord Dalhousie. Mr. J. PHILLIMORE supported Mr. Otway in putting this question to the President of the Board of Control, and characterised the conduct of Lord Dal housie in India as being influenced with a dangerous spirit of aggrandisement in that country. ST. JAMES'S PARK. Sir B. HALL gave notice that on Monday next he should move for a select committee to consider the means of communication at present existing between those parts of the metropolis north of St. James's•park and on the south and south-west part thereof, and to report thereon. WAYS AND MEANS. The house having gono into committee of ways and means. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said—Mr, Fitzroy, it now becomes my duty to move certain resolutions in the committee of ways and means, and to lay before the house such an explanation as is necessary for their informa tionwith reference to those resolutions. The ordinary prac tice in years when pacific relations exist between her Majesty's Government and the Governments of other independent states is, for the Finance Minister for the time being to lay before the committee one financial statement comprising the revenue and expenditure for the preceding year, together with the estimate of the receipts and expenditure for the ensuing year. That practice has been fond from experience most c envenient to the committee, inasmuch as it places before them at a single view the finances of the two years under consideration. I should have been glad if it was in my power to follow that practice on the present occasion, but the circumstances in which the country now finds itself have left •me no option. War imposes necessities upon senates no less than upen generals in the field, and renders a deviation from the ordinary path of procedure imperative. The statement which it is my duty to submit to the committee this even ing will be confined to the financial position of the present year, and will not trench upon the revenue or expenditure of the year which is to commence upon the let of April next. And this course is not upon the present occasion unattended with advantage. For although in some respects it would be more satisfactory to the committee to have but one financial statement in the session —still, consider. ing the great efforts which the country has made within the last year—considering the great expenditure which these efforts have occasioned, it may be satisfactory to hear, at'an early period, the state of our revenue and expenditure. Un certainty upon a question of this sort must be attended with inconvenience : for it engenders apprehension in friendly quarters, as well as hope in unfriendly quarters—both of which, as I expect the committee will conclude from my statement, would, in tko present instance, be equally ground less, I will now, with the permission of the committee, re call its recollection to the statement which I made last ses sion in bringing forward the budget of the year. The re venue, including the new taxes, I estimated at 67,339,0001. The loan was t a k en a t 16,000,0011., besides which there was an estimate for Exchequer supply bills of 3,ooo,oool.—thus making altogether an estimated revenue for the year of 86 . 339 .000/. The expenditure, as I estimated upon the B a re occasion, i nc l uding the payment of 1,000,0001. ways Means bills on account of the preceding year,. and the 1 ,000,0001. loan to Sardinia was 51,899,000/. The differ ence, therefore, between the estimated revenue, and ex margin I allowecrm°°yrelf.' an soth d at w i as f t penditure was a A the amount margin exapeon d n i t t ur o e f a t n h d e revenue had been equal to the estimate, there would be on the Ist of April next a snxplus of 4,403,030/. However, in the supplementary statement which I made on the 2d of August, I stated that having in ray former calculation put down the total ways and means of the year at 86,339,0001., since that I had abandoned the s t amp duty on bankers' cheques, calculated to realise a sum of 200,0001 . That, there fore, would reduce the estimated revenue for the year to 86 ,1 3 9,0001., and the estimated surplus to 4,24 0,000/. Now, the committee will doubtless remember certain supplemen tary estimates for the military services were afterwards voted, amounting to 6,135,000/. Well, adding that to the previous estimate of the expenditure—namely, 81,999,000& we ha ve a total estimated expenditure of 88,134,0001. To meet this ex penditure there was the estimate of ways and means at 86,139,0001. But the committee then consented to an addi tional grant of Exchequer-bills and Exchequer-bonds, in con sequence of th e increased expenditure amounting t 04,000,0001., making the total provision for the year 90,139,01)01. Well, the increased expenditure being 88 .134,000/., there consequently remains a marginal surplus of 2 ,101,0001. , according to the last estimate submitted to the committee. This surplus was, in a great measure, required to restore the balance of re venue and expenditure, the former having been assisted at the commencement. of the year by the issue of bills to the amount of 1,700,000/. I nOW come to state to tii• committee • how far that estimate has been verified by the result. We are by piepetual annuities. Well, sir, the amount of Exchequer not very far from the end of the last quarter of the year, and bills which it is proposed to fund is 3,000,0001. If the re the statement which lam now about to read includes the at- suit of that operation le tho means of bringing the rest of count of the revenue and expenditure up to a late day, and the Exchequer-bills up to pay, it will be found to be a most contains also an estimate for the remaining portion of the advantageous arrangement. Ido not know whether the corn quarter gathered from authentic sources, and may be relied ' mittee wish to be informed ef the number of Exchequer-tills upon as likely to be accurate. In the estimate which I made issued last year. Thetotal am oun t o f E xc h equer -bill s now last year the Custom s were t a k en at 22,450,0C,0a; while the . eutstandiag is 23,930;0501. Th e amoun t , h owever , i n th e receipts, so far as ca n b e estimated, will only reach to hands of the public mar be taken at about 17,0)0,0001. The 21,600,000!., showing a d e fi c i enc y o f a b ou t 85 3,000/. below , rate of interest, 21d., is equal to 31. 16s. per cent. Assuming what was estimated. The produce of the Excise was put that the measure lam about to submit should succeed in raising down at 17,921,000/., while the result only showed a return the price of Exchequerhills the amount of about 20,000,000/. of 16,860,0001., the deficiency thus amounting to 1,061,000/. being at par would be asaving to the public of about 193,000/. The estimate of the stamp duties was 6,815,0001., the , per annum, as compared with the alternative of the raising actual receipts amounting to 6,930,0001., being an excess of of the rate of interest. The total amount of outstanding 1 115,0001. For "taxes" the estimate was 2,902,0001., 1 bills is 23,000,0001. The annual interest is 1,053,0001. It while the produce was 2,950,0001., showing a small excess . might, perhaps, become possible, by straining the powers of of 3c),0001. The property tax was estimated to yield ;borrowing entrusted tothe Executive Government, to provide 14,535,000 h, it actually producing 1 4,726,0001., an excess . for the deficiency of 4;a.0,0001. for a little time longer. But over estimate of 191,000/. The result of the estimate on ac. the powers of borrowing committed to the executive govern count of the Post-office has not been very satisfactory, for meat have been confined within narrow limits by the wise while the returns from this department were put down a t jealousy of former parliiments. Their whole power of borrow -1038,0001., the result only realised the amount of 1,141,000/. ing is limited to the ihang of deficiency bills to be made showing a falling off of 297,000/. From the Crown lands the charges on the Consolicated Fuud, which must be repaid in receipts were estimated at 260,000/., while the miscellaneous the quarter, and also to the issuing of ways and means, ap receipts were put down at 800,0001.; they yielded, however, plicable only to the public services; and which must be paid an amount of 1,100,000/., or 300,0001. in excess of estimate. off in the subsequent cimeter. Beyond that the Executive Go- The total result, therefore, with regard to the financial r e t urn vernment are wholly amble to raise a single shilling by boirow of the year is this, that while there has been an estimate of hag. They cannot issue a single Exchequer bill, they cannot 67,139,000/., the actual receipts have only amounted to sell a perpetual annuitywithout the consent of Parliament. I 65,567,0001,, there being an excess in some bra nc h es o f am aware that there ere some persons whose imagination 636,000/. and a deficiency upon othe rs o f 2 , 280 , 0 001. Tho loan takes fire at the idea of t loa n t o b e ra i se d. How e v e r much produced 16,000,0001.; the issue of Ex c h equer bill s and they may be disposed b bl ame even th e li m ited extent of Exchequer bonds for 7,000,0001. ne ar ly rea li s i ng the amount. this loan, I think, won cons id era ti on , th e y will be of So that the total estimated revenue f or th e year, including opinion that the course taken by th e G ove rnment is on the both land and taxes, was 139,000!., w hil e th e actual receipts whole a prudent one. All, therefore, I propose to do by the will be 88,593,0001., showing altogether, in round numbers, present resolution is, to ask the committee to place the Go a deficiency of 1,600,0001. That, sir, is a complete statement vernment in the same losition as if an extraordinary expen of the comparison between the estimate and th e ac t ua l re .. diture had taken place in the present year, and as if no ex venue for the year. With regard t o th e expenditure : the t raor di nary c i rcums t ances had arisen in the high price of food expenditure on account of the int eres t of the debt was nearly, as was estimated, 27,384,00a—0ther char ges upon and other contingencies h a d no t occurre d t o di m i n i s h th e weight of taxation, Sr, if these resolutions should meet the the Consolidated Fund amounting to 1,000,000/. The esti- approbation of the . conmitteo, the Government will after mates on account of the army, navy, and ordnance amounted wards ask the sanction of Parliament to provide ample ways to 49,812,0031., while the actual expenditnre has been and means for the ensui ng quar t er . W e s h a ll th en b e a bl e t o 51,61 1 ,000/. - showing an excess of expen dit ure o ver estimee• judge how far the uegcti a ti ons neigh of 1,800,0001. The estimate on accoun t o f the civil service now proceeding in a homing country are likely t o t erm i na t e i u a sa f e an d honour was 6,506,0001.—an excess of 100,000/ • over the estimate, able peace. If, happily, they should lead to that issue, the The interest on Exchequer-bills, owing to the increased rate, Government will have th e p ower d e lib era t e ly t o cons id er th e has been 60,000/. over the esti ma t e, w hi ch was 590,0001,, the Sardinia has state of the revenue, to rev i se th e es ti ma t es , an d t o ca l cu l a t e amount paid being 650,000/. Th e actual loan to what will be necessary t o mee t th e ex p en dit ure o f th e follow been 1,000,0001. The grand r esu lt, th ere f ore, is this—while the total estimated expendit ure f or the year has been ing year. If unhappily, h owever , th ese ne goti a ti ons s h ou ld no t terminate as we must all desire, and that we shall not have 88,340,000/., the actual expenditure will be 90,200,0001., or such a peace as would cement the interests of Europe in a 1,860,000/. in excess of estimate. Therefore the exact result lasting and solid manner, it will then be the duty of the Go is that the state of the revenue is worse than what it was vernment to appeal to this house to place them in a position estimated to amount to by the sum of 3,560,000/. Now the M which they will b e ena bl e d t o mee t th e large estimates for main cause of that deficien c y i s ow i ng t o t h e article of sugar, warlike purposes that will be in such a case required, and to An increase was made l as t y ear i n th e d uties upon sugar and continue the struggle in which we have been engaged during coffee. With regard to tea and coffee, the results nearly cur- the last year. Having submitted this explanation to the cor respond with the estimate. It does not appear that the addi- mittee, I will now move, sir, the resolutions which I have tional duties imposed upon these two articles of foreign and placed in your hands, colonial produce Iwo materially- diminished their eoasump- The CHAIRMAN then put the first resolution, which was tion. Indeed, with regard to tea, the consumption has i n _ one empowering the Government to raise a loan of 5,000,000/. creased, for while the quantity entered for consumption in 1853 was 58,860,0001 b., i n 1854 61 , 970 ,0001 b., in 1855 the incurred Sir H. WILLOUGHBY sa id it was qu it e c l ear th e y h a d quantity amounted to 63,454,0001 b. With regard to sugar the payment of a h eav y bill, an d h e was no t aware the Government could have resorted to a better mode for its the result is different—owing to the short importations of liquidation than that proposed by the Chancellor of the Ex that article. The importation of sugar in 1853 was 317,000 chequer. tons, in 1851 389,000 tons, whil e i n 1855 it on l y reac h e d to M r- W. WILLI AMS objected to the mode adopted by 281,000 tons, the deficiency, as I before said, being caused the Chancellor of the Exchequer for raising this money. by tho shortness of the supply of the article. With It would, have been better had the right honourable gen regard to the Excise almost the whole of the den- tleman raised this money by a loan, receiving the sterling ciency is ascribable to one cause, and that is to the inside. for every 11. of debt, whereby they would have reduced the cleat produce of the duty upon spirits. Several causes ha ve amount of interest to be paid on the sum borrowed. He ob tended to that result; and first it was owing to the large jested to their entailing a portion of this debt on posterity, drawback upon the malt, in consequence of the changed and considered it a very unwise course to adopt. The debt mode of taking that duty; secondly, to the sacrifice of th e of this country by Government following out that course duty upon certain articles manufactured from spirits. The would increase to such an amount; that the people would be main cause, however, is ascribable to the high' price of corn unable to bear it, and the consequence would be the endan prevalent during the present year; for, as the committee may gering the institutions of the country, if it did not affect the be aware, since the 15th of September last the average price Throne also. of corn has been 755, per quarter, But there was another Mr. JAS. MACGREGOR thought that the Chancellor of cause which influenced the price. I allude to a circumstance the Exchequer had adopted a prudent and judicious course— which was found beneficial to the distilling trade, and which (hear) —and as to what the hoe. member for Lambeth had greatly enhanced the demand of. barley. I mean the great said about Mr. Macaulay turning prophet, he (Mr. Macgregor) increase which had taken place last year in the expor. would remind the hon. member that he had himself indulged tation of British spirits in consequence of the extensive in prophecy as to what the effect of the present system would failure in the wine crop on the Continent. The' great be inrespect to posterity. (Hear.) diminution of the wine crop on the Continent not Mr. WILKINSON was of opinion that posterity would only diminished the quality of wine, but also of brandy; not have much reason •to complain at the rate at which and this circumstance had, therefore, led to a largo ex- the Chancellor of the Exchequer was raising the required portation of British spirits, in order to supply the, void funds ; and the fact that the right hon. gentleman was able thus created. The spirits thus exported. were not, of course, to procure money at 3/. 65.. Bd. was strong, as showing the subject to duty, and therefore yielded nothing to the revenue. confidence capitalists had in this country being able to meet Under the head of stamps there was also a loss, as was esti. all her engagements. (Hear.) mated, last year of about 220,0001. on newspapers, in cense- Mr. GLADSTONE said that the measure was ono that left quence of the alteration which took place in reference to the them but little discretion, and at the same time with little stamp. That loss was, however, to a certain extent compen. with which to find fault. Considering the limited amount re sated by the Post-office revenue, arising from the newspapers quired by the Government, he found no fault with the course passing through that establishmentwith the impressed stamp pursued by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He thought upon them. Nevertheless, on the whole, the Post-office re- hon, members would leave the house with a false impression vent e shows a diminution. The direct taxation—the property if they believed the war had cost no more than that stated • tax and the assessed taxes—.are more thanthey were estimated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He (Mr. Gladstone) un to be. In regard to the expenditure, the increase on the ex- derstood the Government had borrowed 28 millions during pecediture is 300,000/., owing to the supplemental estimates, the present year, and now, by raising 5 millions on loan, and which were either, voted in the present session or are now funding 3 millions of Exchequer-bills, they were adding 9 upou the table of the house. These votes are as fol- millions sterling more to it. He did not consider the compa lows ;—ln the Ordnance the deficiency of the grant for risen made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to show the 1855-56 is 646,000/. That estimate is still under the con. cost of the war a fair one, and when they came to consider sideration of the committee of saliply. , With regard to the largo amounts that were due, and contingencies arising the navy the excess already voted is 204,9821. The on an extension of their military system, and the effects of total supplementary military and naval estimates voted or war generally, they would find that the country had expend to be voted in the present session, without referring to the cd considerably more than 45 millions on this war. With current year, is 1,631,095/. I will now' state to the commit- regard to the statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, tee how much of it would have been incurred in an ordinary that a wise- jealousy on the part of the Parliament bad con year of peace, and how much must be set down to the extra- fined the borrowing powers of the Government within narrow ordinary cause in operation. I have made a comparison be- limits, the result had been to show a very unwise liberality tween those two calculations, which I think will make the and great carelessness on the part of the Government in en matter somewhat clear to the committee.. The peace expendi- trusting t..) the executive the powers of borrowing by an in ture for military purposes, for our army, cox.unissariat, navy, direct process. He intended, just before ho loft office, to ordnance, and including that for the Kafir war, for tho 22: 1 years have introduced a bill still further limiting the borrowing preceding the war, amounted to 30,984,0001. The present w..r powers of the Government ; and lie hoped that when they had lasted 22A months, and taking the entire expenditure dur- had concluded an honourable peace the right hon. gentleman i ing that time, the amount was 74,549,0e01, Tho difference be: would turn his attention to that subject. tween these two sums is 43,564,00 t/. That, therefore, is the Mr. P. URQUHART having addressed the house, s sum, as nearly as it can be calculated, which the war has cost The resolutions wore agreedto. , this Country. I believe that that sum includes everything The house then resumed. appertaining to the military exp en dit ure o f t h e country, SUPPLY. The result of the statement I have now submitted to the On the motion that the Speaker do leave the chair, committee is, that we find ourselves at this moment in the Col. DUNNE complained that no information had been fur position of being something more than 4,000,0;01, deficient nished respecting the Ordnance estimhtes. All that could be of the sum estimated in the last session of Parliament. The ascertained was that the salaries of the officers had been in margin, which I originally reckoned at 4,40,000/., would, erdised enormously in certain departments, but the duties as nearly as possible, have left the expenditure and the re- bad been most inefficiently performed. With regard to the venue at the end of the year without any certain reserve or accounts themselves ho did not believe it would have been surplus. The resolutions which I mean to place in the hands possible to cramso much confusion into so few sheets of paper. of the chairman are for the purpose of enabling the Govern- It was a perfect Balaklava, with Turkish, German, and Italian ment, with the consent of the house, to place the finances of accounts all mixed up together, without order or method. the country for the prompt quarter in the position in which The extravagance that was exhibited in the War Department they would have been placed if the estimates of last year was perfectly monstrous. In 1 52 and 1853 that department had been verified by the result. The excess in the deficiency cost only 101,1441., whereas for 1856.7 the estimate was of the revenue leaves about 4,000,000/, to be provided for. 169,0261., thus showing- a loss to the country of about I will, therefore, submit to the committee a resolution for 67,0001. The present systemof clothing was the most expen. the supply of 5,00J,0001., which will amply provide for , sive, extravagant, and absurd system in the whole world. the service in the present quarter, and which will leave Instead of the old system of placing the responsibility of cloth some surplus to meet the immediate demands in then ensuing the troops upon talc colonels, the Government had adopted ing financial year. Sir, the entire sum which has been a system of contracts which they could not carry out, and already borrowed in the present year is composed as fol- it was to be hoped that this qu stion would bo referred to lows—namely, of a loan aniounting to 11,000,0001., of a committee of inquiry. It was impossible for the Govern -0,000,0001, of Exchequer-bills, and 1,000,0001. of Exchequer- merit to undertake the clothing of tho army, and there bonds, making altogether 23,000,0a0/. T 9 that sum will be would bo great loss to the country in making the attempt. added—if these resolutions receive the assent of the commit- Right honourable gentlemen opposite believed that the tee—a further sum of 5,000,031., which will make altoge- French system could be introduced into our service, but ther within this year, raised by loan, a sum of 28,C00,000/. of • that was out of the question. Our army was too small, increased expenditure. Sir, lam well aware of the great dis- and time men were not ready to turn their hands to any advantage of imposing se large and so new a-bu r d en upon the thing as the French were. (The hoeousab'e gentleman then Exchequer as the sum I have just stated ; 'but in considerina detailed the system of clothing adopted in the French service the magnitude of the new burden we should not allow our- at considerable length). For the British Government to un selves to be disheartened. We must not suppose taiat we dertake a mauufacteny for clothing our army, would have thereby in defraying the expenses of this coady and gi- requi re an ()sway of about 40,0001., for manufactories, gantic war—that we h ave lo a d e d the springa of industry in and the saving proposed, even if it could be effected, this country with a burden whieh is likely , We know the app re h ens i ons w hi c h i n f oenner to crush them, would n o t cover th e int eres t o f th e mone y a d vance d. B u t years were en- it was quite impracticable, and the only sound plan was to tertained with regard to the sueceset ve additions to the na- have it done by contract with respectable tradesmen, giving tional debt. Th ose fea rs have l aeenexplained in a passage the colonel the, responsibility of seeing that the contracts of a work which most of the m have read with instruction 'ambers of this house no doubt w ere p ro p er ly p er f orme d . Th e presen t sys t em, h owever, h a d and with pleasure. I allude been pushed to a dangerous excess in the endeavour to get to Mr. Maeaulay's recen 4 .ay published volumes of the " His- contracts at the lowest possible price. For instance, when tory of England," in, which ho illustrates the origin of the the Land Transport Corps wanted trousers, a highly-respect national debt. (Haar, hear.) After showing the wifounded able firm tendered for them at 235. a-pair, and they were to alarms which some of the very greatest writers of make up cloth worth Bs. a-yard. But another tender came in the last ceee s ury_persons profoundly versed in the most for 18s., which, without ceremony, was accepted. What was advanced a oc t r i nes of political economy—having illustrated the result ? Cloth worth not more than ss. sd. a-yard was the alarms, and apprehensions which they entertained, he used, and the work was so bad that the Government were proceeds to make the following remarks :--" A long experi- ashamed to serve them out ; and if they ever were served, it e.nee justifies us in believing that England may iu the 20th must be with a compensation to the men. The saddlery for century be batter able to bear a debt of 1,600,000,0001. than the German Legion, which was alluded to the other night, she is at present prepared to meet this loan ; but be this as was a uo th er instance o f, s i m il ar b a d managemen t . Th e h orses it may those wh o pre di cted that she would sink under bits, too, were all bad, and it was said this was because they 50,000,0001., under 80,000,0001., under 140.000,0001., *der were of galvanised iron. But that was not the reason at all; 240,000,0001., and lastly u nd er 800,000,0001., were beyond the truth was they were all cast instead of being wrought all doubt, under a twofold mistake ; they overrated the pres- iron, and snapped directly. The remedy for all this was sure of the burden, and th en un d erra t e d th e strength by not to institute Government ettablishments, but to see which that burden was to be borne." Sir, the circumstances that proper contracts were made, and those contracts pro of the country at present show clearly that we should cog- perly performed, Only recently a contract had been made mit a great error if, in the words of Mr. Macaulay, "we un- for rifles, and 20,0001. advanced to an unsafe firm, and but derrated the strength by which the burden is to be borne." I for the activity of an -officer in the department, who went will, by the permission of the committee, call attention to a few down in great haste, and was fortunate enough to secure a facts, which show how little the general trade and resources mortgage on the factory, the whole of this money would have of the country have suffered, notwithstanding the great been lost, and the rifles most likely have gone to the Russians. efforts which have been made to carry on the war. I will first Tho estimate for the Government factory for making firearms ask attention to the subject of exports. The total value of there was an item in the estimate sufficient, at the present British and Irish produce exported was, duringtho year 1853, contract prices, to furnish 290,000 stand of arms. But had we 98,933,000/. ;in 1854, 97,181,000/. ; and in 1855, 97,364,0301. got them? •It was notorious that our forces were deficient of —showing, therefore, a very slight diminution in the value of rifl es . It was very proper also that the house shou ld k now exports since 1853, which was a year of unusual speculation whether all the men asked for were enlisted, or only expected both in Australian and American produce. There was a great to be. We ought, from the estimates, to have 264,000 men diminution in the exports in 1855, which was not, however, in what wag called the British army, and he wished to know due to the countries which would be naturally affected by the whether we had them ? He should like information of the influence of war, but was due to the t ra de w ith Australia and same kind respecting the German Legion and the Militia, be- America. In 1854 the value of our exports to Australia was cause be had heard recently that a regiment of militia had 11,784,000/. •, in 1855 it fell to 6,279,000/. The value of the been disbanded because its number was not complete. exports to the United States was in 1854, 21,410,000/. ; in Foreign Legions were the most expensive troops we could 1855, it was only 17,312,000 e. These facts again showed have. There had been already 778,000/, expended for German that the falling off of our exports, then, was not traceable and Italian troops for which no equivalent had been received, to the war. I will now trouble the committee with a and if the war ceased to-morrow, that money would all be statement in regard to our s hipping. The tonnage entered entirely lost. There was 300,000/, also for the Turkish con into the ports of the United Kingdom was, in 1 853, 1 tingent, with ou t an y d e t a ils at all, an d 93,000/. f or c l o thi ng, 7,797,000 tons ; in 1854 it was 7,899,000 tons; besides other items, making nearly half-a-million for a force and in 1855, 7,018,000 tons. With regard to the ships that will never be of any great service, while their officers cleared out :—lii 1853 it was 7,583,000 tons ; in 1854, were most extravagantly paid as compared with our own. 7,807,000 tons ; in 1855, 8,348,000 tons. The numbers of The most monstrous item of all, however, was a million and ships built were, in 1853, 798; in 1854, 803 ; and in 1 8 55 , a quarter for the Land Transport Corps, and 400,000/. for 1,098, I will not trouble the committee with following out animals, when it was notorious that the want of this body further details. What I have already stated must, I think, was the cause of all our disasters. Whoever was responsible prove, in the words of h er M a j es t y ' s S peec h , th a t " the f or th e want of that transport service was responsible for all resources of the country are unimpaired." With regard to the evils we suffered in the Crimea. (Hear.) The hon. and the question as to the defraying the expenses of the war gallant colonel, then, after alluding to the bad quality of the from a loan or from taxation, it must be, borne in mind by huts, and denouncing the present system of war appoint the committee that the war e x p en dit ure i s o f necess ity, to ment s, b y which most incompetent persons were placed id', use the language of political economists, unproductive. the highest s i tuat i ons, pure l y 'f rom family connexions, con-, The character o a war expenditure- . belongs e qually to eluded by moving that the estimates be referred to a coin , the revenue raised by loans and by taxation. Of the mitten, amount I have stated of the war expenditure, beyond Mr. MONSELL said that the greater part of his hon. 40,000,100/. has been raised in one year by taxation. For friend's spee c h refer re d to matters that be could only reply the most part that was expended in an unproductive man- to in committee on the votes. As for the Government nor, and had left no traces b e hi n d. W e h a d• bequeathed clothing the army, such an idea had never crossed the brain nothing durable to posterity. There wou ld h av e been the of any of her Majesty's Ministers, The only statement that same difference whether we had d e f raye d th e c ost of the he would formally contradict, however, was that of the ineffi country by loans or by taxation. Sir, the resolution I am ciency of the arm y appointments. There never was an army in, enable the Government to raise the sum o f-0,000,t001. about to ask the assent of th e comm itt ee t o w ill , if acqu i esc ed h i the presence of an enemy better fed, clothed, and disci by plined th an our own at this moment. It certainly was the a loan. That loan has been arranged u p on t erm s which I very last thing he should have expected the hon, and gallant trust will be considered, looking t o th e presen t price of colonel to have stated that the recent appointments were uu stocks, as advantageous to the nation s — The price has been satisfactory. 90 in. the Three per Cent. Consolidated Annuities. Vele, I , Mr. J. L. RICARDO said the e x i s ti ng d e fi c i enc i es, o f thick, will be considered on the whole a fair price. In at d'" which much had been heard lately, were chiefly owing to what might be termed the open tender system. It required t tion to this resolution I shall also have to submit certain re-some perseverance indeed to ascertain what e Government solutions in respect to the funding of Exchequer-bills , Ex tenders, in other cases large orders were w gi er v e mi m w ad it e hn n u a t tl n io n u n t . system was ; for in some caies chequer-bills, from various causes, have been at a consider able discount educe last autumn. A partial increase has tracts, while in others the open tender system was adopted. The clothing department that had been alluded to by the hon been made in some instances of a halfpenny, and in other instances of a farthing, which produced for a time souse member opposite (Col. Dunne) was a fair type of that system.. results ; but which did not permanently keep them up at Helios to send in a sample, and after the sample all the par. It therefore became necessary for the executive clothing was to be made. Who was the judge ? Why the Government to resort to one of two expedients—it was director-general of clothing—a most excellent man —but no necessary either to fund the Exchequer-bills or to judgein- clothing whatever of cloth. The system leads to this—that men cr ease the rate of interest upon th e Exchequer in tendered upon chance upon being able to deceive the in circulation.. Th o process of funding Exchequer-bills is simply the converting of ono kind of security. into another. It is not the creation of a new debt, but the changing of the specter. This respectable tradesmen would not do; and the respectable men ware thus driven out of the trade eltogether debt represented by Exchequer-bills into a debt represented T i he contraotOrts nen sometimes fotiml out, and were lidle to penalties—which penalties were commonly not levied. Even when they a ere levied, would the fine find shoes, clothes, and supplies for our soldiers, our horses, or our artillery ? It is poor consolation under such-circumstances to know that a fine has been levied. The report of Sir J. M'Niel and Colonel Tulloch, the commissioners sent to the Crimea, states that while soldiers bad to pay for their shoes, they were unwilling to purchase them from the public stores • the soles came off, and the leather was bad. Similar complaints were made as to the quality of the clothing, which was quite unfit to stand the rough work of the trenches, and was utterly inferior to the quality of the French clothing! This arose from the prin ciple of buying in the cheapest market what was cheapest. A man who paid Bs. for a pair of boots that lasted a mouth, bought them dearer than one who paid Ils. for boots that lasted half a year. The Government were not to blame. The inspector of clothing could not examine 40,000 pairs of boots and shoes. Ho turned them over to his subordinates. Much fraud was thus practised ; many of those who had the power of passing goods *ere open to gratuities, and bad goods were passed accordingly. When the expenditure of the country was at the greatest it should be administered with the greatest economy. Lord PALMERSTON appealed to the house on the incon venience of the course pursned by the honourable member who had just sat down. It was quite obvious that if mat ters of detail—matters which should properly be dis cussed in committee —were thus brought forward on the motion that the speaker leave the chair—that those whose duty it was to bring forward measures of this kind, have ever replied to any hon. member—were compelled to be silent for the rest of the evening, and were unable to give that information for the very purpose of affording which they were asked to go into committee. If his right hon. friend was to give au 'answer to all the details thus brought under dis cussion, he would have to anticipate all the remarks which he would have to make in committee. The hon. gentleman who spoke last had made a speech which be had intended to make on a motion of a committee of inquiry, for cshich he had given notice, and to which the Government were prepared to assent, and which that very evening ho had said, that if not himself in his place, ho should ask au hon, friend of his to move for • him. It was sufficiently inconvenient to discuss matters of detail of army estimates, on the motion that the Speaker leave the chair, when his hon. friend could make no reply ; but it was still more to hear a speech on army clothing at a time when those whose duty it was were unable, by the forms of the house, to give any expla nation. He (Lord Palmerston) had been long in that house, and had had some experience in it—and it was strange to see how, on some subjects, it vibrated and oscillated from side to side. At one time, if anything was specially urged upon the Government, it was the very mode of supplies made by open tender, Nothing. was more constantly urged by his lamented friend, Mr. Hume, than this, as the only mode of procuring , things good and procuring them cheap. The instances quoted of supplies not good in their kind were not fairly quoted. They had to be obtained under a sudden emergency, and were not obtained by contract or tender. It was when, by the misfortune of a great storm, supplies were lost which it was urgent to replace in any manner that offered itself. At all events, a system which had only been in force from June last, should not be judged by what occurred a year and a half ago. He would put it to the house if it was not for their own convenience to permit the Speaker to leave the chair ? Colonel NORTH said he thought it was understood that they were not to go into the estimates. Lord PALMERSTON' sAid that what his right honour able friend had stated was this : that they were proposing to take votes ou account, and that it was competent to them to discuss those votes, betas the votes must necessarily come again before the house, there would be another oppor tunity for discussing them. S!r DE LACY EVANS said that these were very compli cated estimates, and that only 36 hours had been given for their consideration. This was sharp practice, and the leaders of the Opposition bench had abandoned their position, and the only chance lay in the feelings of the Government as to what was due to the country. He repeated that it was sharp prac tice the bringing the votes forward after only having been circulated for 36 hours. The country would not approve of such a proceeding. He conceived that this was a very impor tant occasion. They were about to vote estimates in the un certainty of peace or war, on a now plan— )rdnance, army— all mixed together. He ought to know something about the matter, lie did not want to interrupt the forms of the house. He protested against these estimates—pre-eminently and without example important, such as had not been brought for ward for 40 years—being brought forward at 36 hours' notice. Mr. W. WILLIAMS said, that with all the diligence he could use he had not been able even to read the estimates through. There were many millions having no refereace to the war, and ho protested against such proceedings. He should move that the estimates be deferred till Monday. (Cries of " Move, move.") Mr. MUNTZ rose to make some observations on the sys tem of tender. He learnt from good authority that that sys tem was bad in one respect. When goods bought by tender ought to be rigorously examined, the examination which now took place was of the worst description, done by young men of delicate constitution. Without proper examination it was ' impossible to prevent abuse. Colonel SOMERSET complained of the misrepresentation as regards the army made by the gall tnt officer near him (Col. Dunne). Amongst other things it had been asserted that Lord Raglan chose his staff under the impression that there was not to be a shot fired. He begged to repel this insinuation. Colonel DUNNE had never spoken of the army as con. stituted now. There had been a mode of selection of which he could not approve, but had stated that there was more in competence than in fonner years; but the gallantry of the army no one denied. Mr. M. CHAMBERS approved of open competition by con tract, but it was necessary to prevent abuses. He had been anxious at the commencement of the contest to see how Go vernment would proceed in the matter of contract. Fie had then heard it said with grief that the Government establish ments Wer3 insufficient, and they were driven to the contract system. He had discovered that in so doing they had been subjected to great abuses. He did not agree with the obser vations of the hon. member .for Stoke-upon-Trent (Mr. Ri cardo), that contracts should be confined to respectable trades men. How was the respectability of any tradesman to be as certained ? The fault was a very plain one, understood by all business men—not to have those who understood the subject, and in whom confidence could be placed to examine the articles. This man should be a man of integrity, and be dismissed if he ever made a falso ropro.ontgt;op: hail gond officers to make the contract, but none to sea that those contracts were properly executed. There avas e"ory necessity of having proper inspection of article when tLey were to be supplied according to sample. Instead of sending bocts and shoes to the army, why not send bootmakets and shoemakers? When once the contractors knew that goods were properly inspected, they would take due cap of the fulfilment of their contract. It was important to 'condescend to small things, without which no Government could be properly conducted. 1411. SPOOXER said the question was whether the house was prepared to go into committee on the estimates before them. He agreed with the hon. and gallant memb r opposite (General Evans) that these were peculiar estimates, and that it was sharp practice to vote them at so short a notice. The noble lord said that only a part of the votes were taken, and that there would be other opportunities of discussing them. But, aftet having once given.a vote, it would be impossible to reopen the question. Sir C. WOOD could not understand why the honourable member could object to vote upon account, or think himself precluded thereby from future discussion. Mr. SVOONEII, said tint ho had said no such thing. But take the first vote on the paper, which involved a pledge which coal not be r(vokcd. Sir C. WOOD referred to what had taken place the other night. Instead of takin g the full vote of three millions and a half on the navy estimate, he had taken a vote of three mil lions, and the whole subject had to come again before the house. Honourable members were actually debarring them selves from the opportunity of understanding what was pro posed and of forwarding public businesr. The Speaker then loft the chair SUPPLY. The house then went into &committee of supply. Mr. MONS M 412 said he proposed to take a supplemental vote of 294,1541., comprising 65,3731. for barrack sup plies, most of which were sent to the East ; 91,0171. for boots and shoes, having to sapply the Turkish Contingent with them ; and 137,7011. for Warm clothing, in additi m to 120,0001. that had been expended for the same purpose. These increases also contained large payments fa. the mortar establishments in the East, and for stores, &c., supplied to the Baltic fleet. There were also additional expenses at home re quired to be covered by supplemental votes. In reference to 15,090/. for wages to be employed in the Tower, the hon. gen tleman said that during the last year the arrangements for ex amining the necessary articles at the Tower ware found ineffi cient; and it was neeessaryto take additional room in St. Ka tharine Docks for the reception of articles from the contractors instead of at the Tower, the effect of which had been a better system of inspection now existed in the Tower than formerly, and many of the evils complained of, and which he admitted to be well-founded, • were `now remedied, and everything would, for the future, be conducted to the entire satisfaction of the public. The carrying out these reforms entailed neces sarily increased expenses. A vote of 40,0001. would be required for Land Transport waggons, and 37,0001. for har ness. The hon. gentleman opposite had stated they were unserviceable. The axles, however, had been tested, and found to boar a heavier weight than was intended. It, how ever, would be desirable for the future that these waggons should be made stronger. 25,0001. were required for improve ments in the Laboratory at Woolwich, for the construction of shells under the superintendence of Captain Boxer, the iu venter of the machinery, whereby a saving was effected to the pliblic from 11/. 15s. per ton to 61. 6s. Bd. per ton. The sum was a portion of 50,0001. that the alterations would cost, and he hoped the saving that would accrue from the cheaper mode of obtaining them would repay in the course of the en suing year the investment of the money. He need scarcely enlarge upon the advantage this establishment would be in the event of war again occurring. A sum of 1,2681. would be required to defray the expenses of a select committee at Woolwich. With reference to the conducting of scientific experiments, and 1,1001. for the examination of candidates for the artillery and engineers, great advantages had resulted from it, and the examinations of the cadets had been satis factory, and experience had shown that the selections that had been made hitherto had been successful as regarded learning and military bearing. The establishment at Shoe buryness was one of great importance, and was the only place they had for trying heavy ordnance. The results during the past year had been important in getting rid of fallacies in the public mind with reference to inventions in large guns, and it was necessary they should have such a place, where they could test fire-arms of both large and small calibre. He now came to the consideration of the army estimates for the present year, and he saw no difficulty in their comprehension by gen tlemen accustomed to such estimates. Many of the votes would be the same as on former occasions, whilst the blending toge ther of others would be an improvement and, in accordance the recommendation of the committee on army organisation which sat in 1837, and who impressed the importance of tho whole of the army estimates being presented before them at one view. The civil department of the army had been removed from the War Department, and placed under the Secretary-of State for the Homo Department. The Com missariat Department had undergone a change, the financial department being removed to the Treasury, and that of pro ' riding food, &c., only being confined to the Commissariat. In the three last years of the late war the estimates excee ded those he now submittedto the house. InlBl3 the estimates f or army, ordnance, and commissariat amo unted to 36,245,238 1.; in 1814, to 49,482,9111. ; and, in 1815, to 49,562 , 26 9/. These amounts exceeded considera bl y the amount of the esti mates it would be his duty that ni g ht to submit to th e house. The hon. gentleman then ref erred to the order of valour lately in wouldreturns r ( 1 be a t r i retrospective o topective in its opera- the healthy cn instituted, s condi tion of the army in th e C rimea, which he c ontrasted with the o st an te d d, read state of the health of the arm y in other parts of the world. This, in great measure , was attributable to the improvements that had taken pla ce in the f ood and clothing of the men and the excellent sanitary arrangements made in the camp by Dr. whichs he eev several id Sutherland and the gentlemen who had assisted him. The re cruits that had . been sent out to the Crimea were not of so young an age as was generally supposed. He found that of 10,268 men sent out to the Crimea between April and Oct., 1855, that - 162 only were under 18 years of age ; 5,318 were between -the ages of 18 and 21; 2,822 between those of 21 and 24 ; '2,244 between those of 24 and 30 ; and 412 above 30 years of age; Another return showed the actual ages of the men now in the Crimea, and also those of the army when the war commenced, and which also showed that the state ment that bad Den made, that the army was composed Lot, ( boys, was incorrect. With regard to -the amount of crime in the army, there was at one time a coesiderable amount of drunkenuess ; but General Codrington had stated that it had declined ; and that not above stwo men a day out of - a hundred wtTo now br •ught before the autho rities for such an offence. Other officers bore testlitony to the admirable condition of the troops, and also that of the Fo reign Legion. During the past year, alterations had been made in the arrangement and supplies of the army for the benefit of the soldier. He had referred to the order of valour. The kit was now supplied to the recruit without being de ducted from his bounty-money. The mode of screwing a small rant out of the pockets of the soldiers for the canteens had been abolished, and the canteens were let simply as other shops or houses, without the extra premium which had to come after all out of the pockets of the soldiers. A number of clerkships had been_opened at Woolwich for non.commis sioned officers of Sappers and Miners, andwhich it was hoped would ultimately be extended to the other parts of the army. Sixpence a-day addition to the pay of the army in the Crimea was an alteration the Government might justly take credit for, and however much it might have been at first abused was now working well, and large amounts of the savings of the soldiers there were being sent home. That additional pay had induced many officers' servants to volunteer for service in the East. There were many other advantages that had been conferred on the army—that of the medical staff board com prising ten companies of 320 men each. These men were not selected at first with great care, but now the returns were satisfactory. These 120 men were in attendance ou hospitals containing 500 patients, and had to attend to their wants. The civil hospitals established in. the East had been of great ad vantage as a means of relieving the military hospitals. The hon. gentleman, after a few other remarks, said he now came to the separate votes. He spoke rather indistinctly, but was un derstood to say lie required a vote of 221,997 men, which was an excess of 30,378 men-over that of last year, making 224,997 British troops, and 21,719 foreign corps. The number of the army iu India last year was 29,629 men,whieh was now reduced to e 6,363 men, occasioned bytho withdrawal from that country of two regiments of cavalry and two of infantry. • These would have to be again made up, and it was the intention cf the Government to increase the relative numbers of artillery as compared with the rest of the army, and of keeping up a larger force of this description than had been usual, the ex perience of last year having shown the necessity of such a change being effected. ' 1,192 men would be required to in crease the Sappers aedMiners, which, for the future, were to form part of the Engineer Corps. This body was to be in creased, and to go through a proper course of training. 1,202 men would be required for the Land Transport coqis. For the Foreign Legion corps an increased .vote would be taken. The number of men voted last year was 14,950, and it was pro posed now to ask for 21,719 men. There had beenn - already en listed about 11,00) men, consisting of Germans and Swiss, and 2,500 Italians ; and it afforded him great satisfaction to be able to state, that so far the conduct of these men had merited the approval dif officers of all classes. 9,020 would be required for the Land Transport Corps ; and already 7,000 men had been engaged, and were in the Crimea ; and from the arrangements lately entered into between Lord Hardinge and General Cothingtoia this corps would have for the future a more military character, and, be under the entire control of the generals of division, to which their respective detach ments might be attached. 200,0001. increase would be re quired in the amount of pay over that of last year, arising rom the establishment of the camp at Aldershott and at the CuiTagli; the increase iu the medical staff, commissariat, the staff in the Crimea, field trains, &e., arising from the exten sive operations in the East. The sum of 443,0281. would be the required increase for the Land Transport Corps, but there was an apparent decrease of 121,1801. on the levy money for recruits, owing to the new regulations that have been issued with reference to it. The next item was 300,0001. for the Turkish Contingent, the details of which were not given, because no accurate in formation had been received. It was for 29,000 men, at 41. per annum each. - The next item was for the extra 6d. a day paid to the men in the Crimea. The next item was for the purchase of horses, 351,8111. This was for increasn.ha expenditure. He would now proceed to the Militia vote, which last, year was 3,435,7281, and this year 3,150,1201. Last year the number of men was 38,520, and this year it is 66,317 ; and there would shortly be accom modation for five or six thousand more men. Tho number of volunteers to the line between the 20th of November,. 1854, and the 31st of December, 1855, was 22,014, and from that time to the Bth instS the number was 4,830. The next item was for the Army Works Corps. They had rendered most valuable sorvises last year, and without them we should have been in great difficulty both with the huts and the roads. Though he mach wished they should be re placed by regularly trained military men, still their services should not on' that account ,be overlooked. Among other things, he could not help referring to the floating factory, which had literally removed a considerable portion of the Woolwich dockyard work to the actual scene of operations, where it had been most useful. The next vote was Vote 6, and there was there a decrease of 36,2911., occasioned by the removal of the post-office, and an increase of 11;390/s for extra clerks, and 5,0001. for the topographical dep artmenss. The next item was 1,8001. for increase of professional staff in the Inspector-General of- Fortification's department, ren dered necessary by the great increase of duty. The next item is an allowance to junior clerks who do the extra work of the senior clerks. There were 15 clerks trans ferred to the War-office, and not charged; for this there was 3,5201. charged, and other sume, making altogether 24,2851. The next item was for heaa-quarters of military establish ments, which last year was 19,6911., and this year is 22 ' 791/" being an increase of 3,0971 . s The next charge is. for civil establishments, which last year was 402,3351., and this year is 514,1411., being an ex cess of 111,8061 for extra clerks and works at the various new establishments,' the details of which the right honour able gentleman read to the :house. While upon this item he could not pass it by without paying the highest compli ment to the head of the Ordnance Stores Department at Da leaklava for the excellent manner iu which ho had performed his duties. The next vote was for wages upon which there was an in crease on last year of 289,376/. for artificers, extra workmen, and labourers at the various factories- and establishments. The hon. and gallant gentleman opposite (Col. Dunne) had spoken disparagingly of the Government small arms factory, but lee spoke as If contractors always kept their word. Un fortunately they did not, but the principal portion of the machinery has now arrived. The contracts were made with the best firms in America, and the Government could not help their not fulfilling those contracts. The next vote was for the increase in the small arms fac tory at Birmingham, on account of the large additional num ber of guns that had -been supplied. There were then some small items of extra expense for em barkation, sec., not necessa-y to be further alluded to. The next item was for clothing, which showed an excess of 131,0001., arising from the great augmentation in the num ber of men in the army this year, and partly for clothing sup plied last year. but not charged, for the Militia and Turkish Contingent, Medical Staff, and Colonial Corps. Sir DE L. EVANS 'called the right hon. gentleman's atten tion to the large extra sum charged for boots and shoe 3, Mr. MONSELL said that would probably arise from a sur plus stock of 200,000 pairs being kept in hand. He could not quit this subject without noticing the attacks that heel been made on the clothing department. He must remind th a house that this department was only formed on the 6th of June last, so that many of the faults charged to it took place before it existed. The great difficulty, however, was to get goo 1 cloth, and to do this every., exertion had been used. From its very recent formation, however, it could not be taken as a test of experience, and he thought the house would do well to sus pend their judgment Until they had seen more of it; opera tion. The next item was for provisions, showing an increase of 3,413, 6281., caused by the increase of men and the increased price of provisions. Extra charge for forage was 1,100,4181., being reckoned for 60,000 horses, at 3s. id. per day. For • bread, 347,8711.; for fuel and light, 78,0001,; to Wkell WAS to be added 25 per cent. for loss in transmission, and from other causes. The next item was the small-arms factory at Enfield, for which the sum demanded was 13,378/. The re icon for this vote was o A ing to the putting-up of barrel machinery, which it was considered exreliont to establish. The next item was an excess of 90,0001. for gunpowder. There were 50,000 bai. ( - rels above the supply of last year. The next item wax the royal laboratory, in 'which there was an excess of 2411,5831. over last year. The next' item was a sum of 96,234'. for wag gons and harness for the Land Transport Corps, which it was anticipahed would save a large sum in the transport o' stores. There had been lately established a gun fouudry at Woolwich for the casting of iron guns. Hitherto it had been our cost in to manufacture our owa brass guns, but to obtain the iron guns from contractors. This system had given rise to great dissatis faction, and during the past year a commission was issued, which had decided that a Government establishment ought to be created for the manufacture of such pieces as 68-pounders and 13-inch mortars. AlthOugh, under the old system, they had gone to the best fact odes, and given orders without any undue regard to economy, yet he was clearly satisfied, from his own experience, that it was not safe to trust to the arti san. The work required very peculier artists, and from the 'small demand for iron of such high quality, and intended for special service, it was not easily obtained in the ordinary establishments. Ho believed that, notwithstanding the y ex cellence °four iron foundries, and though our brass ordnance was of acknowledged excellence, our iron orduance was far inferior to that of the rest of:Europe. Ile felt sure that the house would net grudge the small sum of 60,0001. or 70,00 X. for so important an establishment. The next vote was cer tainly a large one —nearly 2,041.900/. for works and bui d ings. Of this item there had been already expended the sum of 1,072,164 1 . oisabout half the vote. Works now being carried out would cost 317;6701., and the further sum of 654,2351. was for works not yet sanctioned by Government. In these sums were included—for fortifications in Portsmouth harbour, 25,23 2 /. ; for the camp at Aldershott, 52,831/, ; for the military hospital lately erected in Southampton water, 60,000/. ; and for barracks in Dublin, London, Chatham, and elsewhere, 100,0001- The committee were aware that a committee of officers had been appointed last year by Lord Panmure to inquire into the improvement in barracks. That committee had made an interesting report, and had issued public advertisements to all architects in the country. In consequence many plans had been sent in, and some has ac tually been selected, and the expense minutely calculated of carrying them out. Their plans included increased accom modation for married soldiers, facilities for the amusement of the men, barracks, hospitals, and other accommodation. The expense of providing upon this improved principle for 1,000 men was 86,000/., or 861, a man. He had some difficulty in proving what met I ropcsition to make to the house. It would not do to bu.ld bar; acks partly on one systein and partly on another ;. and, on the other hand, they should re flect before they altered the entire system. The Inspector- General of Fortifications had been called upon to make re turns showing whatnumber of barracks were wo, th preserving, how many do not come up to present requirements, what would be the expense of bringing them up to those require - , meats, and what would be ' the 'further expense of bringing ' them up to the higher requirements of the barrack committee. Till this report was obtained, the house could not come to a con clusion upon this important question, or come to a deter mivate opinion as to what extent they should carry out the recommendation of the committee. The improvenments introduced into Woolwich Arsenal were matters of con gratulation to the country. He wished that honourable gentlemen would visit• and judge for themselves. A deep sense of gratitude 'should be felt to the •officers, and espe cially to Captain Boxer. They had been the means of saving large sums to : the country, and had put the fleet into a state of efficiency which would never have been done with out their valuable assistance. The next item was an increase in the educational i hnd scientific vote of 17,369/. On this head ho would observe that a director of artillery studies had. been appointed, whose duty . ii • Was to overlook the artillery practice orthe cadets. This office Was filled by Colonel Wil ford, who had been the means of turning out several excellent young artillery" Officers. There was an increase is the academy increasedincsea h at Woolwich of 1,440/• e se a small increase in the military aca demy; at Sandhurst, owing to t price of provi sions; and an item for the school of musketry at Hytbo. There was an addition to rewards for distinguished services . . of 17.029/, and some other items under the head of, pensions for wounds aed superannuatione, the, last' consequent, on the consolidation of the different offices of the War Department. He had now gone through the'aubiect. It was rather a dif ficult task to follow out so many flew arrangements, and if he lad not niacin himself clear, he was willing to give any infor nation that Might be, required, On the first vate,291174.k lor barracks, being piit from ,he chair, • ; • COltlati DUNNE mid thg? ii. Gertainli c ould not wader.. ..... - -- - stand many things in the statement of the hon. gentleman. He had net explained the duties of the new War Department, and he (Colonel Dunne) thought that no one in the house now knew more about the arrangements of the Commissariat than ou entering it. He wanted explanations on the lower parts of the War Department. The hon. gentleman had talked of the new order of merit. He himself would rather lia.Ve seen a lower order of the Bath, but that was for her Majesty to judge. It was not st tted that any board was ap pointed for the inspection of army clothing. In old times this was done by a general board of officers—at present no military man was responsible for the army clothing, and until this was the case there would still be the absurdities in army ••clothing that had been so much talked about. The vote was then agreed to, as was the supplementary vote of 62,30111. for,wages. Ou the question that 987,1851. be granted for stores, Col. KNOX wished to know what was the meaning of the appearance of an item of 250,4 001. for encampments? This -item had appeared in previous estimates. Was it a repetition, or was it for additional expenses ? Mr. MONSELL said that the vote was necessary to provide additional accommodation for the troops—it was for this pur pose proposed to establish encampments in different parts of the country, which was the object of the sum required. Col. C. LEGH had some objection to state to the ereetion of huts in the north of Ireland, and wished to know if he should have another opportunity of stating that objection / Mr.. MONSELL was afraid that there would be no other opportunity, as the expense was already incurred. Col. C. LEGH would thou say that he considered the erec tion of these huts, which were fragile and inconvenient, highly injudicious. The same expense would have provided addi tional accommodation in barracks of permanent brickwork, and have been'much more useful to the army. The whole of the north of Ireland was being covered with huts, which might be burned down and destroyed at any time. Mr. MONSELL said that the Government could not wait the time necessary for building new barrack accommodation. They were obliged to dO what was to be clone with the least delay. He admitted that it would have been much better if the accommodation could have been provided in a permanent manner, but the Government had no option. Col. TAYLOR thought that iron huts, which had been pro posed, woald have answered the purpose, and would have been more durable. Perhaps the expense was the objection, he should be glad of information on this head. Mr. WILLIAMS complained of the loose manner in "Ne t they were voting away money for barreks without due inquiry. Ho saw several expensive propositions for warming the bar racks with steam or hot water, which he thought quite useless. Colonel NORTH said that the bon. member always made objection to every proposition for the increase of tne army. Mr. MILES wished to know if the hon. member had read his hiitory, and been told how barracks had been knocked down from a false economy. If they were to have good soldiers they must keep them warm. Mr. MONSELL, in reference to the question asked him re specting iron huts, said that the expense of each hut would have been 61. 7s. 6d. ; but the objection to them was on the score of their unhealthiness. In reference to what had been last said, he qa:to agreed in the false economy which had pulled down. valuable barracks and sold the materials for trifle. The vote was agreed to. 2,3j8/. for defraying the charges of the scientific commit' ten at Woolwich was agreed to. The next vote was for 246,716 men, including the officers and non-commissioned officers in the East India territories. Colonel NORTH called attention to the fact, that old colonels of the army were anxious to know if brevets were to cease, and that these men were not to have any hope of a brevet taking place that would give them that rank they had naturally looked forward to during the whole of their long life. He much approved of the order. of valour, and as there were many officers in the army of small means he hoped the Government would remit them the fees usually payable bf those who received the Order of the Bath. Colonel DUNNE moved that tho committee report pro gress. . _ In reply to a question from Mr. WILLIAMS, Lord PALMERSTON said he wished a vote of sufficient men to cover the Mutiny Act, and such an amount of money as would cover three months' pay. After that it would be competent to the committee to discuss the items. Mr. MILES dissented from such a course as that proposal of voting three months' pay on account, having disposed of the supplemental votes. Lord PALMERSTON said that on Friday he would go into the remainder of the votes ; and as it was against the feeling of the committee to voto tho three months' pay on account, he would not force it, but move it again on FridaY next. The vote for the men was agreed to. The house then resumed. The Delamere Forest Bill went through committee, a nd was ordered to be read a third time on Monday next. The Turnpike Trusts Arrangement Bill, after a short dis cussion, was road a third time. The Commons Inclosure Bill was also read a third time. The third reading of the Drainage Advances Acts Amend ment Billovas postponed till Monday. OATHS OF ABJURATION. Mi. M. GIBSON moved to bring in his bill in reference to this question. Mr. WALPOLE said he admitted that the oath of abjurs: tion contained provisions which, from the lapse of time, ha become obsolete, and which it seemed advisable should be abolished ; but ho wished it to be borne in mind that be conceived the oith in question contained principles that ought to be retained in any new oath that might be substi tuted for it. At the present time three oaths were takes bl. members of Parliament—the oath of allegiance, the oat h 0 supremacy, and the oath .of abjuration; and if they look ed carefully into them, they would find that they contained three distinct principles—first, simply allegiance to the Quee n ; secondly, the supremacy—a clear and undivided allegiance" not only an allegiance to the Queen, but that no foreign prince, prelate, or potentate bath, or ought to have, jurisdic tion or authority in this realm ; and thirdly, the allegiance , according to a particular line of succession, and an important principle involving the foundation of the Protestant principle,. so far as it was contained in an oath. He should be s o rry to see in any oaths that might be prescribed to members of that house these three principles omitted. Leave was given to bring in the bill, which was at a subse quent period brought in and read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on Wednesday, the 9th April. Tito house then adjourned at twenty-five minutes to one o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION. MAJORITY AGAINST LORD GLENELG'S MOTION. PRESENT. nutFEs. De Grey Vernlam Castlemalne Beaufort Eglinton Wilton Clarlna Bucctench Egmont Winchilsca. Col vile of Cul- Buckingham Erne VISCOUNTS. ross Manchester Enniskillen Canterbury De' amtre Montrose El lenborough Dungannon Denman Somerset Gray " Doncrai le Dynevor MARQUISES. Hardwick e Falmouth Downes Bath Harrin ;ton Gage Dunsandle Drogheda Ruins Hawarden Forester Salisbury Lanesborough Hill Fcversham Wincheit er Longford ]afford Grantley Tweedd ale Lonsdale Melville Kilmaine EARLS. Abergavenny Beauchamp Bathurst Cardigan Cottenham Chesterfield Cawdor Carnarvoi Darnley mesart Delawar: Derby DonoughTore Lucan Morniti7ton lialmesbury Orkney. Pomfret Romney Sandwich Scofield Selkirk Sheffield Strathmore Shaftesbury Stanhope Sidmouth BISNOTS. Exeter Rochester BARONS. Abinger Brougham Blaney Batem n Berners Ccagleton Campbell Colchester Kenyon Lyndhurst Polwarth Redesdale Rayleigh St. Leonanle Sandy,' Sondes Southampton Teuterden Templemon Walsinghaut Wynford :DUKES. Crawfor I Hamilton ant Courtow.t PROXIES. Onslow Orford Blantyre Berwick Brandon : FerrerA Poulel t C►onhrock Marlborough Guildford Stradfroke De San maga liorthuroberland Harewood Tankerville Farnham MARQUIS. Huntingdon VISCOUNTS. Gray Alba Howe Bangor Hawke EARLS. Limerick Com bermere Hey tesbury Bandon Lauderdale St Vincent Ptunket Bcckinghana- Leven and Mel-Strath Allan Ravenswortit shire vino BARONS Rodney Beverley Mansfield Bray broke Sinci Air Bradford M acclesfield Bolton St. John Exeter, Marquis Cathcart Mayo Exmouth Glengall . Jersey Douglas Stamford Dartmouth rems. Willoughby de Broke dancers Radarley lesford Boston Cadogan Digby De Ros Ely Warwick Hopetoun Rutland Waterford Middleton Crofton _ Mount Cashel Gloucester, Bishop Talbot Bayning Downshire De Lisle Bantry Cleveland Bedford, Duke Spencer • Waldegrave Fortescue Foley Stratford Dunfermline Belhaven Strangford Hat!torten Durham, Earl retro Carlisle Kinnaird Airlie Clilden i; rafton Lovelace Ribble• dale Hereford, Bishop St. Asaph, Bishop Suffield Auckland Leinster De Freyne St. David's, Bishop Norwich, Bishop E I phinstona Cenyugham Carew St ourtzun Dormer Rivers MARSEILLES, Feb. 20.—A number of cannon have been landed at the port of the Joliette. The sea yester day was exceedingly rough ; but the heavy weather did not last long, and in the evening several vessels laden with corn entered the port. Accounts from Alexandria menticin a further fall in the price of earn in that market. BIRTHS. OF A BON. On the 21st inst., at Hyde-vale, Blackheath, Mrs. Alfred M. Raymond. On the 21st inst., at Kidderminster, the Hon. Mrs. Claughton. OP A DATIGITTPB. On the 21st inst., at Hampstead-heath, Mrs. Herbert Evans. On the 20th inst., at 6, Sumner-place, Onslow-square , the wife of Mr. S. T . Maling Welded'. MARRIED. On the 21st inst., at Clifton, by the Rev. T. Linwood Strong, 8.D., rector of Sedgefield, Alexander J. Dennis' toun Brown, Esq., of Balloch Castle, Dumbartonshire, N. 8., to Margaret. only surviving daughter of the late William Tritton, Esq., of Wrington, Somerset. D I E I). - On the 18th inst., at Bigadon, Devon, Lieut.-General Sir John Hunter Littler, G.C.8., of late Deputy Governor of Bengal, and Colonel of the 36th aged 73. On the 19th inst , Charles Hastings Rich, of 7, Bates terrace, Old Ford-road, late registrar of Mile-end New town, aged 62. On the 25th ult., at Tarin, Matthew Fletcher, Eel-, formerly of Lime-street-square , Fenchurch-street, aged 72. On the 20th inst., at Padworth, Berke, Thomas Strange, Esq., aged 75. 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