The Sun. — London, England, 1861-06-22 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. d therefore support the bill, as it would relieve several bur ens that now pressed very heavily on the shipping trade. If the house delayed the passing of the bill it would only increase the claim for compensation. The real question for them to decide was, was ten years a sufficient time for that purpose. He thought that it was, and he also thought that the Government deserved great praise for the great consi deration that . had been given both to taxpayers and tax receivers. Colonel FRENCH was against compensation being given at all. HOUSE OF LORDS-YESTERDAY. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at 4 o'clock. THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE STATUTES BILL. The LORD CHANCELLOR made some observations relative to this bill, which were inaudible in the gallery. Lord BROUGHAM expressed his opinion that it was not advisable that legal bills should be discussed clause by clause in the House of Commons, considering that there was only a very small minority of members competent to deal with bills of that description. THE INDIAN NAVY. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH, who had given notice of a motion on the subject of the reduction of the Indian navy, now wished for some information as to what arrange ments the Government proposed to adopt in order to meet the deficiency in the naval force that would be created. It was necessary this reduction should be supplied by her Ma jesty's ships, and he wished to know from what source the expense of meeting the deficiency would be supplied. The Duke of SOMERSET, having referred to the finan -6al statement of Mr. Laing in support of the alteration which it was proposed to make, said that it was intended to charge the Indian Treasury with the expenses of the pro posed alteration. VOTE BY BALLOT. Lord TEYNHAM presented a petition from the Society for Promoting the Adoption of Vote by Ballot, setting forth that the experience of recent cases proved that the attempts to put in force the penal law for the purpose of pre ventin gcorrupt practices at elections by fine and imprisonment had entirely failed in accomplishing their object, and prayed that attention might be given to the recommendations of the witnesses examined before the select committee of the House of Commons in favour of the adoption of vote by ballot. Mr. BUCHANAN thought the compromise of the hon. member for Sunderland was a very liberal one, and ought to be accepted. Mr. LINDSAY said he should be neglecting his duty and also the interest of those industrious persons who had sent him to Parliament if he did not take the sense of the house on his amendment. After a few words from Sir F. GOLDSMID, The house then divided, when there appeared : For the amendment Against l2B Majority The amendment was consequently negatived. Mr. CAVE then proposed that the following words be added at the end of the clause :—" Provided, that in the case of any body of proprietors paying a dividend to share holders out of the profits made by them, or of any compaay paying a like dividend, or of any private individual entitled by reason of a private proprietary right, adequate compen sation shall be made in such manner as may be determined by arbitration or otherwise." He urged the necessity of making this amendment, and said that at Shoreham a large sum of money had been laid out in the improvement of the harbour on the strength of receiving the dues. He ap proved generally of the bill, and the addition he proposed was only what was required as a matter of justice. Mr. M. GIBSON said ho hoped the hon. gentleman would not press his amendment. He did not think that any special reason existed in favour of Shoreham, and therefore he thought they ought to come in to the 10 years compensation. The amendment was withdrawn,and the clause was agreed to. Clauses up to 21 were agreed to. In reply to Mr. DEEDES, Mr. M. GIBSON said all the clauses giving the right to transfer Ramsgate Harbour to any company, railway or otherwise, had been withdrawn. The funds transferred la Government from Ramsgate would be used for the benefit of the harbour. Mr. MOFFATT thought that the management of Ramsgate harbour by the trustees had been highly effec tive. Mr. MITCHELL was of a different opinion. Mr. LIDDELL said with respect to the economy of the trustees of Ramsgate Harbour, it had been stated that the works, which had cost the trustees £2,000,000, could have been erected at a cost of £700,000. Mr. MOFFATT said Sir J. Rennie, in his evidence in the committee which sat some time ago, said if the works had had to be erected at the present time they could possibly have been carried out for £760,000. It must be recollected that the works were commenced whey the appliances which were at present in use were not in existence. Mr. MOFFATT said it was gratifying to hear that the funds transferred from the trustees of Ramsgate Harbour to the Government were to be used for keeping the work in efficient repair. Clauses 22 to 24 were agreed to as amended. Clause 2.5 was struck out. Clauses up to 31 were agreed to. Clause 32 was postponed in order to allow certain amend ments to be made with reference to limiting its operations with respect to Ramsgate harbour. Several verbal amendments were made in clause 33. Clauses 34 to 41 with amendments were agreed to. Clauses 42, 43, 41 were omitted. On clause 45 being read it was proposed to omit it and the following eight clauses, in order to make room for the following proposals :—From and after the first day of January, 1862, the Harbour of Dover and the soil thereof, li and all property, real and personal, vested in the warden and assistants of Dover Harbour, or in any person in trust for the purposes of the said harbour, with their actual and reputed appurtenances, subject to all liabilities affecting the same, shall be transferred to, and vested in a board of trustees to be called the Dover Harbour Board. The said Dover Harbour Board shall consist of seven members, four of whom shall form a quorum ; the said seven members shall be the Lord Warden for the time being of the Cinque Ports, who shall ex-officio be chairman of the said board, two burgesses of the borough of Dover elected by the town council every three years, and to be eligible for re-election, a member to be from time to time appointed by the Presi dent of the Board of Trade for the time being, a member to be from time to time appointed by the First Lori of the Admiralty for the time being, a member to be from time to time appointed by the South Eastern Railway Company, under their common seal, and a member to be from time to time appointed by the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway Company, under their common seal ; and the said Lord Warden shall from time to time nominate, under his hand, one of the members of the said Board to be his deputy, to preside at all meetings at which the said Lord Warden shall not be present ; and in the event of an equality of votes at any meeting of the said Board, the chairman at such meeting shall be entitled to a casting vote : provided, that in the event of either or both of the said railway com panics failing or declining to appoint a member of the said Harbour Board within one calendar month after having been required so to do by the President of the Board of Trade, then such president shall, from and after such de fault, be entitled thereafter to appoint from time to time another member or members in lieu thereof, as the case may be. Mr. DEEDES protested against the manner in which Dover Harbour was proposed to be dealt with by the pre sent bill. He considered the changes proposed uncalled for, and the manner in which the subject had been introduced to the house he thought very irregular. He thought the Court of Assistants at Dover had been treated very disre spectfully. Mr. GIBSON said when the bill was first introduced there existed no intention of interfering with Dover, but as the people at that place had petitioned to come within its provisions, alterations to carry these wishes into effect were made. He could assure the hon. gentleman opposite (Mr. Deedes) there was not the slightest intention of treating in a slighting or disrespectful manner the Court of Assistants at Dover, who had conferred the greatest benefit on the town by their exertions. The clause was omitted. Clause 52 was ordered to stand part of the bill. Clauses 53 to 64 were agreed to. Clause 65 was postponed. Several new clauses were agreed to, amongst them those given above, constituting a new governing board for Dover Harbour. Mr. DEEDES and Lord LOVAINE strongly protested against the manner in which Dover had been dealt with by the present bill. Mr. THOMPSON moved the following additional clause to the bill :—" That on and atter the first day of January, 1862, all vessels exceeding ten tons entering or leaving the harbour of Whitby shall pay to the trustees of Whitby Harbour such sum or toll, not exceeding one penny pei ton, as such trustees may from time to time direct to be paid to them, for the support, maintenance, and improvement of the existing or any future tide lights at the entrance of the harbour : Provided always, that any vessel which shall have paid such toll on entering the harbour may again leave the harbour without furthe r p a y men t o f toll." The clause was agreed to and added to the bill. The preamble and schedules of the bill were then agreed to, and the chairman was ordered to report the bill. The house resumed and the sitting was suspended till 6 o'clock. The house resumed at 6 o'clock. NEW ZEALAND. Mr. AD DER LEY asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, now that the rebellion in Now Zea land was suppressed, the government were taking such steps as would tend to extricate this country from any future im plication in native policy ; and whether they would now ad vise her Majesty to give assent to the Native Council Bill sent by the New Zealand Legislature for her approval. Mr. FORTESCUE said he could not give any other answer than that he gave b efore, viz., th a t a new governor of New Zealand, Sir George Grey, h a d been appointed, and th a t instructions had been given to him to consider the whole subject of the administration of the colony and re port f to her Majesty's Government. Under thos e circum stances it would be very wtrivoengcoaututchileßpirlle.sent moment to N TO GOVERN ORS OF Native givßeEaTnymaslsNenGt to PENSIONSthe COLONIES. Colonel FRENCH asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether it had been determined by the Government to grant retiring pensions to governors of colonies; and, if so, after what period of service, and on what scale. Mr. FORTESCUE said this question was considered by the Government of Lord Derby, who came to a decision against it. Her Majesty's Government had not given any consideration to the subject. THE GALWAY CONTRACT. Colonel FRENCH asked the hon. m em ber for Galway if he was prepared to nominate the members of the select committee on the Galway contract. Mr. GREGORY said he had been quite ready for several days to name the committee; and if his hon. and gallant friend wished to know the reason why the committee had not been nominated, he begged to refer him to the Secre tary of the Treasury. He begged to say that he would nomi nate the committee that evening, and if they could not come to terms as to the names, he should apply to give hon. members whose names would be a guarantee for impar tiality and intelligence, and ask them to servo on the com mittee, together with himself and the Secretary of the Treasury. He should nominate those five gentlemen, and take the sense of the house on each name on Monday next. THE HIBERNIA. Mr. HENNESSY asked the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Messrs. Palmer of N ewcastle-on-Tyne, the builders of the Hibernia —which - was pronounced unsea- Tf o r tily by the Admiralty before avaing a voyage—mel the same parties who were constructing an iron-cased fri gate for the Admiralty ? Mr. 'WHITBREAD said it was a fact that the Hibernia was pronounced unseaworthy by the surveyors of the Ad miralty, and that firm were constructing an iron-eased frigate for the Admiralty, but it was fair to say that in all cases in which that firm had supplied iron cases for the Ad miralty they were of the best quality. THE CHANNEL FLEET. In reply to Sir H. STRACEY, Mr. WHITBREAD said there was no intention to send the Channel fleet to Great 'Yarmouth this year. ST. DOMINGO. Mr. W. E. FORSTER asked the Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether he had received any assurance from the Government of Spain that it would not take advantage of the events that had recently occurred in the eastern portion of St. Domingo to introduce slavery or the slave trade into any part of that island. Lord J. RUSSELL said he had received no official com munication from the Spanish Government, but the house would be pleased to hear that he had received a despatch from Marshal O'Donnell, dated 22d April, stating that her Majesty's Government would be pleased to hear that whe ther any annexation took place or not, no slavery should be allowed to exist, and no slave trade be allowed to be carried on in the island. (Cheers.) DISTURBANCES AT ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUND- PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a second time :—The Salis bury and Dorset Junction Railway, Southampton and Net ley Railway, ,Stockport District Water, Bognor Railway, Kingstown Improvement, and New Ross Pott and Har bour. The following bills were read a third time and passed : Marlborough Railway, Barnsley Coal Railway, London and North-Western Railway (Eccles, Tyldesley, and Wigan), and the Trent, Ancholme, and Grimsby Railway. STANDING ORDERS. Lord REDESDALEn;Q that the standing order 185 (formerly 223) be considered, in order to its being amended by the insertion of a paragraph to the effect, that no provi sion authorising any company to raise money or subscribe towards a guarantee of money by the undertaking of any other company should be introduced into any bill which was not brought in by the company, thereby not authorised to raise money or to subscribe or to guarantee. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE objected to any measure that would tend to prevent the extension of rail way accommodation generally, feeling satisfied that the facilities of railways promoted the development of local traffic. He thought the matter should be left to private companies. Earl GRANVILLE said he felt bound to support the motion, and considered it was the duty of the house to simplify the operation of the railway system, and to reduce, as far as possible, the expense attending the construction of railways. Some discussion ensued, in the coOrse of which it was contended by noble lords that though some alteration in the existing system was necessary, still this motion went too far, and might operate very injuriously in checking railway enterprise. Lord REDESDALE said that he would not press the motion in its present form, but would introduce some modi fications to meet the objections of noble lords. The motion was then withdrawn. CHURCH BUILDING ACTS AMENDMENT BILL The bishop of CHICHESTER, in moving the second reading of this bill, stated that the object of the measure was to enable the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, in cases where no patron and no incumbent existed, to proceed as if the conditions of the Church Building Acts in respect to notice had been fully complied with. Lord PORTMAN and the LORD CHANCELLOR both thought further time should be allowed for the considera tion of the bill—a suggestion with which the Bishop of Chichester concurred by postponing the second reading of the bill until Monday next. EAST INDIAN LOAN BILL. Lord DE GREY and RIPON, in moving the second reading of this bill, explained that the necessity for the loan did not arise from any deficiency of income in India, but from the state of the cash balances in the Home Treasury. The bill was read a second time. The Duke of SOMERSET, on bringing up the report on the Greenwich Hospital Bill, said that, as he understood the bill was considered objectionable in point of form, and as threatened with powerful opposition in the House of Commons, he should not proceed with it. At the same time he repelled the imputation that he wished to use the patro nage of the livings at the disposal of the Admiral for poli tical purposes. After a few words from Lords ELLENBOROUGH and HARDWICK; Lord GREY said the best way of getting rid of such im putations was by selling the Greenwich Hospital property, a course from which an immediate accession to the income of the hospital would arise. The bill was then withdrawn. Lord MONTEAGLE, in presenting a petition from certain British subjects, natives of India, complaining of their exclusion from the competitive examinations for ap pointments to office, called the attention of the house to various acts of Parliament and to the Royal proclamation to the natives of India, admitting the eligibility of the natives to hold offices the duties of which they were qua lified to perform. In spite of these enactments, he said certain Parsee gentlemen who had studied medicine in this country had not been admitted to the com petition for the appointments of the Army Medical Depart ment. He only claimed for them what he believed to be their right, and contended that the law ought not to be per verted by official prerogative. Lord HERBERT explained that the words of the Royal proclamation guaranteed appointments to natives in India only, but not in the general service of the Crown. In the case of these Parsee gentlemen, he considered them not physically qualified for the situations to which they aspired, and ho had been confirmed in that opinion by Dr. Gibson, Director-General of the Army Medical Department ; Sir J. Liddell, Director-General of the Navy Medical Depart ment ; and Sir R. Martin, a gentleman of great experience in India. Lord ELLENBOROUGH bore the highest testimony to the qualifications of the native doctors, preferring them, if in India, to those of Europeans. lie did not see any reason why native medical cfncers should not be employed under the, general direction of Europeans, as they would fairly meet the wants of the service. Lord CLANRICARDE and Lord DE GREY and RIPON having said a few words, the petition was ordered to lie on the table . Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMNIONS—YESTERDAY. The SPEAKER took the chair at twelve o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. he Birmingham Improvement Bill and the Great Southern and Western of Ireland (capital) Bill were read a third time and passed. Several other private bills were advanced a stage. THE HARBOURS BILL—RAMSGATE. On the house going into committee on this bill, Mr. M. GI BSO.N said it would be convenient if he were to make a short statement with respect to Ramsgate har bour. Nothing could be further from the intention s of the Government than proceeding with any steps re l at i ve to Ramsgate harbour under the provisions of this bill ; he was therefore perfectly willing to agree to the omission of all portions of the bill touching that harbour. (Hear, hear.) When it was proposed to seek any power to deal with the harbour the parties would have to come openly and freely to Parliament, and he could assure the house that there would be no anticipation of a decision of Parlia ment by her Majesty's Government. (Hear, hear.) The house then went ;nth committee. On clause 7, Mr. MILLER moved to add to the clause the following words :—" With the exception of the said dues leviable by the Trinity Corporation at the port of Leith, where such dues shall cease to be levied as soon as provision shall have been made by sufficient accumulated funds for all annuities, pensions, and obligations which have been lawfully granted, or in which a vested interest, absolute or contingent, has been lawfully created before the 15th day of March, 1861." The hon.gentleman stated that such great objection had been felt at the manner in which the Trinity Corporation dis posed of its funds that the people of Leith resisted the pay ment of the tax by force. The result was that the corpora tion was obliged to procure an Act of Parliament, which was granted them for 20 years. The period happened to expire about this time ; the community of Leith were anxious that their case should be an exception to the gene ral arrangement which the Board of Trade had made with the Trinity Corporation. The clause was drawn up on liberal terms, and he hoped it would be agreed to. Mr. GIBSON resisted the proposal, which, after a short discussion, was withdrawn. The clause was agreed to. Clauses 8 and 9 were also agreed to. On claus e 10, Mr. LINDSAY proposed to substitute " 1867" for 1872. 1 he first duty of the house was to keep down taxation, and they would be neglecting their duty if they allowed the parties to receive half a million of compensation before they were entitled to it. Mr. lIORSFALL said it was a fallacy to suppose that anything was given to any parties which was not already theirs by right. Mr. BEAUMONT said the differential dues levied at Newcastle were secured not only by Acts of Parliament, but by grants made centuries ago, and he could Bee no gr itind for stopping them wi thout compensation. Ten years was a very moderate period to fix for that purpose. After a few words from Mr. HODGSON and Mr. DUNLOP Mr. Alderman SALOMON said his constituency were only interested in this question as taxpayeris, %ad heehQuid THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JUNE 22, 1861. LAND. Mr. CHILDERS asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Government had received complete information as to the disturbances at St. John's, Newfound. land, and if he had any objection to lay a copy of the papers on the table ? Mr. FORTESCUE said some unfortunate riots had taken place in Newfoundland in consequence of party feeling during the last election. An investigation was now taking place, the result of which would soon be received, and when received there would be no objection to lay the papers on the table. THE RED SEA TELEGRAPH. Capt. JERVIS asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it was not advisable that the question of the Red Sea Telegraph should be referred to a select committee, in order to inquire whether it might not be worth while endea vouring to render it available ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he stated on a former occasion that if there was a disposition to oxamine into this contract he should wit havA the smallest objection to the appointment of a select committee; but with regard to the subject mentioned by the hon. member, it ap peared to him that to appoint a committee would be to de volve upon a portion of the House of Commons a duty which devolved upon the executive government, which it was their duty to undertake, and which, though it was a dif ficult duty, they had greater advantages in performing than a committee could have. He would inform the hon. mem ber of the position in which the matter at present stood, so far as the Government was concerned. The question was to be considered in the first place in regard to the financial en gagements of the Government, and in the second place with regard to the material of the cable itself which had been laid, and the practicability of turning it to advantage. As regarded the financial part of the question, they had at present under examination the mode in which they might come to an arrangement with the persons who at present formed the company and had charge of the telegraph, and upon that they should be prepared very shortly to proceed to some measure, because it did not appear, nor as far as he knew to the parties themselves, that there was any particular advantage in retaining the telegraph in the hands of those parties. On the contrary, it would appear on vaaious grounds to be desirable that they should be divested of all further concern it. Then, with regard to the telegraph cable, and the possibility of turning it to account, they had referred it to the Board of Trade, and that board was now preparing a report on the best method of making an examination of the different parts of the cable on the spot ; and it was obvious that it was only upon such an examination that they could found any plan for the future dealing with that cable. Of course the expense of the examination and the mode of conducting it were mat ters for consideration, but those matters were at present in the hands of competent persons connected with the Board of Trade. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. Lord PALMERSTON said, as the private business was now nearly at an end, he thought the time had arrived when some advance might be made in public business between four o'clock and half-past. When there was no actual business before the house, perhaps it might be convenient that the public business should begin at a quarter past four instead of half-past. CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS. Mr. COCHRANE moved a resolution, that the evidence taken before the select committee on civil service examina tions proves that the system of examinations should be modified in order to meet the requirements of the public service. He read extracts of the evidence, in which heads of departments and practical official men testified that no advantage had accrued to the public service from the sys tem since 1855, and adduced examples from the military examination papers of the questions put to candidates, which, h© contended, were not calculated to test their powers and intelligence. After some remarks by Mr. HENNESSY and Mr. MILNES, Lord STANLEY, chairman of the committee, observed that Mr. Cochrane had raised two questions—one as to the merits or demerits of the system, the other as to the report of the committee, which he had alleged to be contrary to the evidence. With reference to the latter, he remarked that Mr. Cochrane had quoted only a small number of the wit nesses; but he showed that the evidence of even these wit nesses was, in fact, favourable to the system. Without defending all the questions in the Examination Papers cited by Mr. Cochrane, they were not, he said, put by the Civil Service Commissioners, and therefore had nothing to do with the motion before the house. Lord Stanley then discussed the general question as to the merits of the system, and of limited and unlimited competition, concluding with a vin dication of the fidelity of the report. Mr. BENTINCK complained of the total irresponsibility of the Civil Service Commissioners. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought it entirely superfluous to make any further reply to Mr. Coch rane after the very able speech of Lord Stanley, but he added other proofs of the unfair manner in which Mr. Cochrane, blinded, he said, by the strength of his feelings, had dealt with the evidence, showing that he was not sufficiently mindful of what was due to the Civil Service Commissioners, who were charged with a most important duty.) Lord R. CECIL remonstrated against the severity with which Mr. Cochrane had been treated by Lord Stanley and Mr. Gladstone. He had been charged, he said, almost with garbling the evidence, but he contended that, so far from exaggerating, Mr. Cochrane had rather understated th 6 evidence against the new system. He stated the grouncL 4 of his objection to the system and to its administra tion by a secret and irresponsible tribunal, which made the system one full of danger. Sir S. NORTHCOTE defended the report of the com mittee, and insisted upon the vices attending the old no mination system, which 11. ad been extinguished by the competitive system. Mr. MAGUIRE spoke in opposition to the motion, which was negatived. THE FORTIFICATIONS AT SPITHEAD. Sir M. PETO desired to call the attention of the house to the tature of the fortifications about to be erected at Spithead with reference to the very great changes now taking place in naval armaments ; and to inquire if the Govern ment intended to reconsider the question whether floating batteries would not prove more effective for the defence of the arsenal than the forts propnsed to be constructed on the shoals. He did not wish in any way to deprive the Gov'ern ment of the money which had been placed at their disposal for fortifications or otherwise, but to direct attention to the mode in which that money was proposed to be expended. That a great mistake was about to be committed was not his opinion only. Admiral Dundas had expressed a very decided opinion to the same effect. Floating batteries were much preferable to forts, which, however powerful, could never be effective beyond the range of their own guns. They could only protect a portion of Spithead, sad the commis sioners themselves admitted that the forts when erected could not prevent iron ships passing them. They would therefore be practically useless, for vessels taking up a po sition out of the range of the forts would be able to shell the whole of Portsmouth Dockyard. The commissioners admitted that to make them effective the forts would re quire the assistance of explosive machines, which worn tried by the Russians during the Crimean war and signally failed, and of a certain number of iron-clad vessels as a re serve. It was said that these forts would protect a large number of merchant ships and hulks ; but if these vesaets were attacked by an enemy, the forts durst not fire for fear of injuring their friends as much as their foes. If they did fire, the smoke from the first two or three discharges would prevent the gunners distinguishing objects, and they would t become useless. In his opinion, Portsmouth could not in the fut ure cont i nue to b e w h at it was now, our great re pairingas o be y fo ar r d e , and they commenced e e n r therefore e a n urgedexpenditure the w hi which said wGovernmentth they would amount to £840,000, but which might amount to 4810,000. The" Pray, let us alone. other day a friend of his argued this question with o ne or h Th C e o ft mmissioners, who at last said they s iric ea n n d d a o r3ep n e o eoar h e a d rm to ,and will be a great menace.” Th at think was not what we wanted, a nd could be of no servic e t o Sir F. SMITH said his hen. that shoals l ned to ships, h the defence of Portsmouth ought try on shao v u i g an d that no land defences or forts u er ected. For his ow n p art, he had long been convinced to thatbe th es e forts at Spithea d were re q uisite. lie had for 20 years been officially engage d in considering the defen ces of Ports mouth and of the Solent, and he had never doubted the ad visability of erecting such forts as these. His opinion in that respect was shared by all the most eminent naval and m ai. tary officers whom he had consulted. The whole of the coast in the vicinity of Spithead was, if he interpreted the inten tions of the Government rightly, to be furnished with powerful batteries, and would not their range, he would ask, be equal to that of those ships which it was said might bombard the dockyards? He only hoped the Government would not relax in their determination to construct these batteries on the shoals in question, but that theyjwould cause them to be erected with all possible despatch. He wished, ho might add, t , ) know under what department the experi wigs were being conducted as to what thickness of iron was to be regarded as shot-proof were being conducted. If they were being carried on under the War Department and the Admiralty conjointly, he feared the •advances made would be of a very slow character; indeed, as it was they were open to that charge. He might further observe that if the works on the coast were armed with the 3001 b. guns which were ordered to be made, his hon. friend opposite must, he thought, come to the conclusion that if this phantom fleet entered the Solent it would not be allowed to rest there long. The proposed batteries, indeed, on the shoals, would form so strong a point cr appui, that in the face of them no enemy would, in his opinion, ever enter into the Solent. That being his conviction, he must again impress upon the Government the necessity of pushing on those works with the utmost vigour. Revert ing also to the subject of the experiments which were being made, he must say that he did not think they were being carried on with sufficient energy, and that the num ber of persons employed in prosecuting them ought to be doubled, nay, if necessary, quintupled, in order to bring them to an immediate issue. Admiral DUNCOMBE, notwithstanding the high autho rity of the hon : and gallant gentleman who had just spoken, must contend that nothing would be more suicidal than to construct at once, and without due consideration, those forts along the shoals at Spithead. Taking into account the uncertain state in which the proper construction of iron plated ships and the efficiency of fortifications had been placed by recent experiments, the Government would not, he thought, be justified in proceeding at once to incur so large an expenditure as must be consequent upon the build ing of the proposed forts. Capt. JERVIS could not concur with the hon. and gal lant member for Chatham in blaming the members of the committee who were carrying on the experiments to which he alluded with having performed their duties slowly, inas _ . _ much as they had within a period of three months shown that much of the expenditure of the French Government was useless, and that we must take care not to lay out money in the same way. Lord PALMERSTON—My hon. friend the member for Finsbury has:adopted the views of a very intelligent officer, Capt. Cole, and no doubt prima facie there is something very plausible in them ; but I confess that, after full reflec tion, and after hearing the arguments on both sides, I can not concur in the conclusion at which the hon. baronet has arrived. It is somewhat remarkable that in this very short discussion we have had military men arciii , 36 in fa vnor of forts, and naval men arguing in favour of floating defences. So it will always be, and that was one of the difficulties which the Government experienced in coming to a decision upon the matter. But I think the argument is entirely in favour of forts as against ships. Let us just consider for a moment what the object is which we have in view. That object is the security of Portsmouth. What is it that Portsmouth is to be attacked by ? By a fleet coming into Spithead. Now, that fleet, as may be supposed, would be the strongest fleet that the enemy, whoever he may be, could concentrate upon that point. It would consist of ships of the largest size, and of the most formidable arma ment, and to meet those ships we ought to have a fleet of equal strength. Does my hon. friend propose that we should have permanently stationed at Spithead 10 iron-cased ships of the largest dimensions and of the most formidable armament, equal to any fleet that might be brought into Spithead for the purpose of attacking Portsmouth? Why, unless your fleet were equal in force to any fleet that might be brought there you would only lay in store for yourselves defeat and disaster. You are, then, for the defence of an arsenal which is useful only for the creation of a fleet, which fleet is to operate wherever required, to look upon another fleet equal in size and strength to the one produced at the place which it is Sour object to defend. (Hear.) Again, you could never reckon upon having your floating defences on the spot when they were wanted. If there was an alarm upon another part of the coast do you imagine that the Go vernment would allow these ten formidable ships—ships which must necessarily be of the first class—to remain at anchor at Spithead ? Public opinion and the wants of the service would cause these ships to be sent elsewhere; and then, when the enemy, having made a feint at Plymouth or in some other direction, came to Spithead, your floating de fences would not be there. (Hear.) Take the expense. The forts we propose will, probably, not cost so much as the large fleet which, according to the theory of Captain Cole, would be permanently stationed at Spithead, for the pur pose of defending Portsmouth. Moreover, the ships would decay ; they would require constant repair ; they would require a large body of sailors to man and work them. A much larger number of men would be required in the ships than in the forts we propose to construct. In point of economy, therefore, either in first construction or in maintenance, or permanence, the balance of opinion is in favour of forts as against ships. They woul I require less money to make them, they would require less money to keep them in repair, they would require fewer men to man and work them, and they would be always on the spot. My hon. friend says that ships could not be hit from the points at which these forts are to be built. I doubt that statement. There seems to be scarcely any limit to the power of modern artillery, but there is a limit to the resisting power of ships, because there is a limit to the capacity of ships to float with a certain weight upon them ; and I defy you to construct a ship covered with iron coating of sufficient thickness to repel the heavy shots which are now sent from cannon, and yet to be buoyant enough to float in tho water. (Hear.) But that is not the case with a fort. There is no floating in a fort. You may make the walls of your fort as thick as ex perience may show to be necessary to resist the attack of the heaviest ordnance. Then, ordnance of a certain weight is unmanageable in a floating ship. You may have your guns upon deck, but upon deck they are exposed to the fire of the adversary, and may be soon disabled. In the embrasures pf a fort they are protected. You may have any amount of ordnance in a fort. You are limited in regard to the weight of ordnance which you can put on board ship, whereas you may have in these forts guns of any calibre ; and I venture to say, in spite of all the calculations that have been made, that if the forts at Spithead were to be constructed and armed with such cannon as Sir W. Armstrong and others are able to put into them, any skips which might come to attack Portsmouth would very soon be sent to keep com pany with the Royal George. (A laugh.) Therefore, though I quite agree with my hon. friend that in a matter of this sort, in which repeated experiments are necessary to enable you t• feel sure that what you are doing will answer your purpose, you ought to proceed with the utmost care and cir cumspection, yet, on the other hand, I concur with the hon. and gallant member for Chatham that no time should be lost, and I am quite sure that the course which the Govern ment have determined to adopt with respect to the construc tion of these forts is the course which ought to be pursued. My hon. friend says, truly enough, that there are defects in Ports- friend tmh make k question that w ll bear observationabi favour of dfau i nottnhuea ner i nmtl ingenious mouth arising from an insufficient depth of water, and that some other place may be found better adapted for the building of an iron fleet. That is one of the considera tions which led the Government to think that Chatham r a n gi n g eact ndiohani tmtestsshpteNaevwptnhtcehosimrhacomhbdalyelitaeshnhc. Capt.amueomnnsylst might be made useful to the public service. I only P I ne t e a r anhfi udi:ne floatinggo aefsnhes whenndockyard neni defences, Hear,een opinionhea ss is, trhear,"ihgnaetds don't mean to say they may not be assisted by floating defences. We cannot rely upon permanent defences alone, but no doubt you would always have at Portsmouth a cer tain number of ships to assist your forts, and your forts and ships together would be sufficient. It is said that these forts would serve as buoys to ena.',le the ships of the enemy to arrive at Spithead. Does anybody really imagine that any naval Power on the continent else where would require the assistance of these forts to find their way to the anchorage at Spithead ? (Hear.) We have charts which indicate with the greatest nicety the course which ships ought to pursue. We know well that all foreign Governments which have navies are in possession of these charts. We also know that visits of vessels of war belong ing to foreign Powers have not been unfrequent, and that there is no part of our coast which has not been accurately surveyed, and which is not as familiar to the naval officers of other countries as to the officers of our own service. (Hear.) So much, thee, for the subject to which my hon. friend has called attention. I am bound to say that there is nothing in his arguments or his figures which leads me to think that the Government have arrived at a wrong conclu- Edon. Before sitting down I may be allowed to answer a ques tion put by an hon. and gallant member opposite with respect to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. The question is what are the relations between the lord-lieutenant and the govern ment, and whether Lord Carlisle intends to continue in the performance of his duties in Dublin. Without going into the question of the Galway contract, I may say that the relations between the Lord •Lieutenant and the Government are the relations fixed by law and by usage, that the rela tions actually existing between Lord Carlisle and her Majes ty's Ministers are of the best possible description, and that I have no reason for supposing that my noble friend is not ne filing to continue his valuable public services. (A. laugh.) Mr. BENTINCIi believed that the expenditure of a large sum upon theca forts without any better information than was at present possessed would be a waste of money. Captain Cole's opinion was shared by nearly all the expe rienced members of the profession, and the two reports which had issued from the commission were entirely con tradictory. On the question of annoyance from smoke, he believed a ship would have the advantage over a fort, be cause a ship movel cut of her own smoke, which the other did not. Sir 11. VERNEY said he had hoard naval men declare repeatedly that if the buoys wereremoved from Spithead no fleet—not even the English—could enter the harbour. (Hear, hear.) If it were true that there was no limit to the power of artiller,T, he thought it would be much better to build the forts, not upon the sandbanks, but nearer to the shore. Mr. T. G. BARING thought the fair way to put the question was this :—lf a foreign commander had his choice, would he rather have the forts to show him the way into Spithead or not? (" Hear, hear," and a laugh.) A naval office r who NVIS reckoned ono of the ablest surveyors afloat said that wall a simple chart he could pilot a fleet int 9 head during the greatest fog w hich was ever known in the Channel, With regard to the apprehended inconvenience from diffi omsp c o u k l e ty of in tb.cthl kBeniiinad forts,utedzed bet awl 4e r entssh owed that no a also state that a tender had actually been received for the construction of one of the forts, at a price less than was originally estimated. (Hear, hear.) Honourable gentle men who were disposed to underrate the labours of the commission forgot that two of the most distinguished offi cers in the navy, Admiral Elliott and Captain Cooper Key, were upon that commission, and brought to its inquiries the advantage of their great experience in scientific know ledge. In reply to two questions which had been addressed to him in the course of the discussion he wished to mention that £20,000 would be taken this year for the supply of ad ditional articles to the soldiers ; it was not proposed to give all the articles which had been recommended at once, but when these were all issued there would be equal to an extra pay of ld. a day. The Committee on Iron Plates carried on its experiments under the joint authority of the War office and the Admiralty, both those departments being in terested in the result of its investigations. The house then resolved itself into Committee of SUPPLY. Mr. WILLIAMS said at that hour (five minutes to 12 o'clock) it was too late for discussion ; and he therefore begged to move that the Chairman report progress. Mr. T. G. BARING hoped the hon. gentleman would allow the first vote to be taken. The sum of £179,407 for works, buildings, and repairs for civil buildings at home and abroad was agreed to. On the motion to report progress, Lord PALMERSTON said he should not oppose that motion; but he hoped hon. gentlemen would recollect that there were 203 votes, and that they had made very little progress. Mr. HENLEY said that there was a great stir at the beginning of the session to give Tuesday for Supply, but the Government had not availed themselves very much of the advantage thereby afforded to them. Mr. WILLIAMS thought that a whole evening should be given to Supply. This evening had been consumed in the delivery of speeches, several of which were left unan swered ; so that the discussion had been of a very desultory character. (Laughter.) Colonel DICKSON had asked a question on the subject of the functions of the * Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, to which he had received no further answer from the noble lord at the head of the Government than the statement of a mere truism. (Laughter.) He should take care to renew the subject on a future occasion. The motion for reporting progress was then agreed to, and the house resumed. DURHAM UNIVERSITY BILL. On the order for tho second reading of this bill, Mr. FENWICK moved, as an amendment, the adjourn• ment of the debate. The amendment was negatived without a division, and the bill was read a second time. The Chatham Dockyard Enlargement Bill went through committee. COPYRIGHT OF DESIGNS. On the motion of Mr. M. GIBSON, the house resolved itself into committee, when leave was given to bring in a bill to amend the law relating to the copyright of designs. The right hon. gentleman explained that the object of the bill was simply to give effect to the 12th article of the French treaty. The bill was read a first time. CHURCH ENDOWMENT ACT AMENDMENT. Leave was given to Mr. BOUVERIE to bring in a Bill to amend the Act 6th and 7th Victoria, cap. 37, entitled " at Act to make Better Provision for the Spiritual Care of Populous Parishes." The Bill was read a first time. On the motion of Mr. BARING, the Select Committee on Cadastral Survey was ordered to consist of 17 members I IN Mr. Hassard and Mr. Wyld were then added to the Committee. The house adjourned at half-past 12 o'clock. POOR INCUMBENCIES. (From the Times.) Convocation certainly appears determined to do something or other to mark its brief session. We notice an extraordinary proposal, which has just passed the Upper House, to institute a weekly Offertory for the augmentation of " poor incum bencies." Now, first with respect to the Offertory itself. A weekly Offertory is not the natural form of generosity and liberality in this age. There is a stiff, ceremonial look about it, which people do not like. Most people think the morning service long enough already, without an additional quarter of an hour being forced upon them for the purpose of proving that the ultimate object of bringing them to church is to make a demand upon their pockets. It is quite true that in particular congregations, especially some London congregations, the weekly Offertory flourishes. But then these congregations are picked ones. The huge mass of population around supplies the required number of homogene ous units to make up a congregation of one school. This school likes the Offertory. The Offertory is one of its ideas. They give to the Offertory, there fore, with a relish, and a large Offertory is not only a triumph of charity, but also the victory of a theo logical conception. But introduce the arrangenient into another church, and it makes no way at all. It is not one of the ideas of the congregation. You way say it will become one, if it is pressed, and if people are familiarised with it ; but that is a very hazardous game. In our opinion, it is far more likely to empty our churches, and drive people else where. Men do not ordinarily like an arrangement any the better for its being forced upon them ; and, instead of forming a habit, you are increasing an aversion. But a weekly Offertory for the augmentation of small livings is indeed a very extraordinary con ception, and we are much mistaken if nine out of ten even of the clergy themselves will not laugh considerably at the idea as soon as they hear of it. Imagine the surprise with which ninety-nine congre gations out of a hundred will hear the announce ment of the new claimant upon their alms. The inadequately beneficed clergy ! We do not dispute for a moment that many of the clergy, even the clergy who have livings, are very ill off. We are perfectly aware also that respectable poverty, which has to keep up appearances of some kind, is often worse off than the poverty of lower life. Nobody can tell all the pinching, and pressing, and grinding, and paring that goes on in juxtaposition with a very correct-looking morning and evening dress. But, unfortunately for the strength of this claim upon popular sympathy, popular charity is to a very;large extent an appeal to the eye. If your poor incumbent will, in spite of the inner martyr dom, persist in looking so respectable, so smooth, so correct, so shining, and so glistening, it is not to be expected that much emotion will be felt. The crowd are no philosophers; they want a good downright visible case to rouse them. Let wretchedness come forth like a man, and the chal lenge is irresistible, but the mass has a difficulty in penetrating into inner worlds of pain and heart gnawings which go on beneath good coats and waistcoats. It so happens that, while the poor clergy are an undoubtedly existing fact, they are at the same time the most invisible class in the com munity. You may go everywhere, looking right and left for one; they are on all sides of you thick as bees, but they are as effectually hid as if they lived in the bowels of the earth. You may desire from sheer curiosity, to see a phenomenon which you have heard so much of, but, even with the assistance of your most clearsighted friends and neighbours, not to say even of the police, if called for, you cannot get at it. What is the explanation of this mystery ? We suppose it is that in a certain rank of life appearances are the first thing attended to. They must be considered, at whatever cost, and whatever else has to give way to them. The gentleman must look like one of his class ; the lady the same ; the children must look like genteel chil dren ; there may be defects distinguishable by sharp eyes, but the look of the surface must be the same as the look of other surfaces. All this excrior, however, while it sharpens the tooth of poverty within, has at the same time the unlucky effect of concealing the fact of poverty. There is no appeal to the eye. Imagine, then, our ordinary congregations called upon to c on t r ib ute every wee k , as a part of th e church service, to the augmentation of minor bene fices and the wants of the poor clergy. They will immediately say, " Where are these poor parsons ? " Let us see the poor miserable creatures; w e want to loJk at them; our pity is ready at the proper notice, but we must have something visible and tangible to excite it." Convocation, if it persists in this scheme, will have to send forth every six months a ragged regiment of parsons, in order to sustain the popular sympathy at its proper pitch, and really substantiate the belief in the existence of poor clergy at all. This will be a positively ne• cessary part of the machinery of the scheme. It is no sort of use expecting or dreaming that common congregations will give one farthing to the heart which aches underneath exceptionable broadcloth or a well selected fashionable print and volatile bonnet. We have no duubt that an experienced lady's eye will detect a difference in the dress of a poor parson's wife and a squire's wife or a rich rectors wife, but to the eye of the mass of any con gregation a gentleman is a gentleman, and a lady a lady ; and if two people will persist in looking so ve ry like other gentlemen and ladies they must take the consequence which is so complimentary to their efforts. Neither the hat nor the plate will go round for them ; at least, if it does, it will go its circuit without much replenishing. If you appeal to the mass, you must have a spectacle, you must have a fact, you must have something which has an outside as well as an inside, and a very palpable outside too. Y ou must advertise upon a broad and striking scale. You must study pictorial designs and striking effects. The pity of the crowd has a strong theatrical principle in it you must consult this taste, or your attempt will be a dead failure. You must do the thing artistically, and achieve the proper combination which unites, in the telling spectacle of clerical indigeney, a eelea and sacred dignity with tier want of buttons, and a truly poetical expression with darns. The parson in rags must preach eloquently though mutely, his wile must weep irresistibly upon torn muslin, And ~ his children awaken pathos by as much pictorial nudity as is decent and safe for their health. Because we consider this, however, an excessively ridiculous and absurd scheme we are not at all in different to the necessities of the poor clergy. But there is a proper way of doing everything. Intelli gent and educated persons understand perfectly well the condition of this class; they can sympathise with the deep instinct of keeping up appearances which there is in all society of a certain rank, and at the same time see the sure consequence of that attempt,—the pinching and positive want which must go on underneath this exterior and for the sake of it. They do not want a coarse appeal to the eye or the actual sight of rags in order to move their pity. It is to this intelligent class of society that the appeal ought to be made in behalf of the poorer clergy, and not to the mixed mass which composes a common congregation. We do not see the force in the least of the Bishop of Oxford's ar gument, that " millowners and great employers of labour, who are casting their capital into business and making great gains, cannot be expected to fix charges on their capital, which must necessarily be of a floating character, for the purpose of endow ments ;" but that these persons might be expected t, give to the Offertory. We presume it is the principle of the Offertory that these persons should glve according to their means ; and, if they do, there is exactly the same difficulty in adjusting their liberality to a floating capital when the Offer tory is the channel that there is when a subscrip tion list or anything else is the channel. THE ESSAYS AND .REVIEWS. (Prom the Daily News.) The learned and very reverend author of "Latin Christianity," in the second book of that valuable history, contrasts with striking effect the differ ence between a Church Council as devout minds love to conceive it, and the picture which his torical impartiality is compelled to draw. No where can Christianity appear in such command ing majesty as in a sacred synod. It includes, of course, the most distinguished clergy ; a lofty and sacred piety governs all its proceedings ; profound and dispassionate investigation exhausts every sub ject ; human passions have no place amid the awful interests it contemplates; its conclusions are grave, harmonious, and temperate; and even con demnation is so tempered with charity as gradually to win backsthe wanderers to the still o p en f o ld. Such is the - fond dream of a pure and single-minded enthusiasm. History shows the melancholy reverse. "Nowhere," says Dean Milman, "is Christianity less attractive, and if we look to the ordinary tone and character of the proceedings, less authoritative than in the Councils of the Church. Injustice, vio lence, decisions on authority alone, and that the authority of a turbulent majority, decisions by wild acclamation rather than after sober inquiry, detract from the reverence and impugn the judgment, at least of the later Councils, The close is almost in variably a terrible anathema, in which it is impos sible not to discern the tones of human hatred, of arrogant triumph, of rejoicing at the damnation imprecated against a humiliated adversary." Such is the judgment of history. It appears to be worth the while of some of the clergy to demonstrate how vigorously the old vices of their assemblies survives the power which made them at least respected. The Convocation of the Province of Canterbury is a body which unites the impotence of a French Senate with the pettiness of a parish Vestry. But the Senate is at least digni fied, and the Vestry useful. Nobody knows why Convocation is allowed to meet. The very Bishops mercilessly ridicule its pretensions even in their own chamber. From the day, some dozen years ago, when a Minister contempt uous ly permitted its re vival, until now, it has done nothing, and it meets on condition of doing nothing to affect the real in terests of the Church. The speeches delivered in both Houses to sustain the appearance of business have been models of an ingenuity exerted to con ceal t k e real barrenness of their proceedings. Its friends talk of it as if, instead of being a repre sentation of a portion of the clergy of the United Kingdom, it was a representation of the Church of England. But the first attempt to deal with the rights of the laity, whose repre sentative* are to be found not there but in Par liament, would show the futility of this pretension. It was inevitable that Convocation, brought to gether without useful occupation, should go astray —that some mischief should be found for its idle hands to do, The wonder is that this did not hap pen before. But early in the present year the temptation presented itself at the meeting of the two houses with irresistible fascinations. Half-a dozen of the clergy had published a book which made the judicious grieve, and which might bring some of its authors under the censure of the Church Courts. The matter, if it was to be touched at all in Convocation, required very j u di c i ous h an dli ng. The Bishops had united to publish an expression of opinion unfavourable to the writers of the volume, and the religious opinion of the country was unani mous. The commonest prudence would have sug gested that such a state of things was the best that that could be hoped for in the interests of the ortho doxy. But a restless party, to whom disputation is as vital air, refused to accept it with contentment. There are some men who would as soon be martyrs as persecutors, but will insist on being one or the other, and Convocation offers specimens of the class. In the Upper House the Bishop of Oxford, and in the Lower House Archdeacon Denison succeeded in destroying the prosperous unanimity which had been maintained, and provoked from a right rev. prelate and a very rev. dean the first words that had been spoken in public on behalf of the Essayists and Re viewers. Still the mischief was not past repair, and it seemed as if Convocation was about to rise above the traditional weakness of synods when, set ting aside Dr. Jelf's motion inviting the Upper House to join in condemning the obnoxious volume, the Lower House quietly associated itself to the pub lished expression of the Bishops' opinion. But it was not to be so. The deliberate vote of the Lower House having been taken a trick was resorted to on a subsequent day which would have been im possible in any assembly of laymen in England, America, or Australia. When the Lower House had been reduced, by departures, to thirty-eight members, twenty of those who stayed behind united in a prayer substantially identical with that which the Lower House had formally rejected, and, with. the aid of Archdeacon Bickerstetb, acting as Pro locutor in the absence of the Dean of Bristol, ac tually palmed it on the Bishops as the vote of the Lower House, an act which was indignantly cha racterised as it deserved by Canon Wordsworth and others from their places, as soon as it became known. This application to the Upper House is the foundation of the proceedings which we have this theri bringing g deprecated reported at so great length. Th e twenty house bodiesbusy to which succeeded engrecate down up on the d task of app o i n t. ing a committee to mak e extracts from " Essays and t c h ce e e y ded in belong Reviews," and report thereon. It is much easier to make a hole than mend it, and the most able, ex perienced and sober members of Convocation have spent an athious week in trying to find some way of getting rid of the business. The proposition of Archdeacon Denison, seconded by Dr. A. M'Caul, from whom better things might have been expected, is virtually that Convocation proceed to what they are pleased to call " synodical action" on the opinions of the incriminated book. In other words, to condemn and place in the Index after the man ner of Rome, a work which e ver yb o d y agrees to call most erroneous. The folly of this course was pointed out in clear and earnest language by the Bishop of London in the March sittings of the Upper House. The Bishop warned his brethren that the Protestant people of these islands do not value at a straw the sen t ence w hi ch Convocation may deliver on opinions respecting which they have already judged for themselves, as they are well able to do. Since then the relative situation of the ' several parties has been changed in an important respect. One of the authors of " Essays and Re views" has been prosecuted by his diocesan for heresy. Archdeacon Moore pointed out the course which common decency dictates in such a case, but he could hardly get time to ask whether they were to assume the functions of a court, and pronounce a solemn judgment against a man already on his trial, before the vociferous Denison interrupted him with a stolid and unblushing " Yes." Canon Wordsworth also, after warning the Convocation that they were .contemplating an illegal and unconstitutional act, the assumption of high and solemn functions without authority, showed how much harm would be done if by their conduct heresy were associated in the eyes of the public with oppression, and orthodoxy with injus tice. He asked Dr. 111‘Caul how he and others, probably the great body of the members of Convo cation, who had united in signing the condemnation of this book, "having taken upon himself the duties of Attorney-General, could superedd to them those of the Lord Chancellor, and not only prosecute th e book, but s it i n j udgment upon it"?' Appeals of this kind, however, are never listened to in synods. Zeal blinds men to consequences, and too often, i n proportion to the singleness of mind with which a right end is espoused, are all means thought allowable if they but premise its attainment. Con- F vocation is no worse than other synods, but rat h er better, as composed of Englishmen accustomed to the habits of a healthy public life, and amenable to ' English public opinion. But it cannot escape the vici ous t en dencies inherent in its constitution ; and ' Churchmen, whether lay or clerical,. may be thank ful that their liberties and nr ; T- 14 e.1 3, es are not at the mercy of an assembly of priests, but, rest on the basis of law, interpreted and administered ac cording ti?. fixed rules, under the Protection of the P,Upreare authority in the State. COUNTRY MAREETS. LIVERPOOL-Juwz 21. There was a fair attendance of the town and country trade at this morning's market; and we had a very limited business doing in wheat, and sales only effected at a decline on last week. Flour was a fair sale at former quotations. Indian corn a moderate sale, and is to 2s per qr cheaper —American mixed, 28s 6d ; white, 31s 6d to 33s 6cl per 4801 b. Oats is 2d per bushel, and oatmeal 6d per load de cline. Egyptian beans gave way fully 2s per qr. upon the week. Barley and peas is 6d and 2s per qr cheaper. WAKEFIELD-JuxE 21. --- The supplies of grain at market to-day were moderate. The wheat trade rather dull, and for good descriptions there was a retail demand, at is to 2s under last Fnday's rates. Barley nominal. Beans, is to 2s lower. No change in oats and shelling. LOUGHBOROUGH—JUNE 20. At this market to-day the show of wheat was short, with a slow demand, and last week's rates were scarcely rea lised ; white, 64s to 70s ; red, Ms to 63s per 36 stone. Bar ley was quite as cheap as in the week previous, malting selling at 37s to 41s per qr., grinding 29s to 32s per 30 st. Oats a heavy sale, and late values slightly declined. Beans also dull. EXETER-JurrE 21. Wheat, white.. 7s Od to7s 6d I Barley.. 4 s Od t o 5 s Od Ditto new .7s Od to Os Od Oats .........3s Oa to 3s 61 Flour, fine, 44s to 46s ; seconds, 42s to 44s per sack. CATTLE. There was a moderate supply of cattle, with a fair sale, and last week's rates were realised. Pork carcases in scarce supply. I Fat beef,p score, 12s to 13 s 0d E wes , p er lb ....Old to 7d Perk carcases,dolOs to lls 6d Wethers, do. .7dto Od Lambs, per lb 81d to Od Fat calves, d0...5fd to 63. Rough fat, 4d per lb. BRISTOL SUGAR-JuNE 21. The market for raw sugars continues without alteration. In refined goods there is rather more in the way of sales doing, and at about late rates. There have been one or two small parcels of rum disposed of to meet present re quirements, but the prices have not transpired. THE MAILS. MAILS DUE. Australia, Ceylon, and Mauritius ("ia South ampton) .. Do. (via Marseilles) July 13. Brazil and Cape Verde • . .. July 4.1 Buenos Ayres, Monte 'Video, &o. Cuba and Mexico .. Juno 28. Canada, &c. (via L'derry) .. Overdue. Cape of Good Hope, &C. .. July 2. China, Penang, and Singapore (via' S'ampton) J u ly —. Do (via Marseilles) June 2G. Gibraltar (via Southampton) Overdue. India (Calcutta), Ceylon, &a. (via Southampton) Overdue:. Do. (via Marseilles) June 26. India (Bombay), (via Southampton) .. June 25. Do. (via Marseilles) Overdue. Lisbon .. June 21. Malta, Egypt, and Aden (via Southampton) Do. (via Marseilles) June 19:. Vigo, and Oporto .. June 21. United States, California, &o. June 26. Western Coast of Africa, Madeira, Teneriffe July 10. West Indies and Pacific, Carthagena, Cuba, &o. June 'lB. _RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE,,. TRAFFIC RETURNS FOR THE 'WEEK. Miles Opened. ' Receipts. Hallways. ~..___,.. ,_____.....-,. 1861. 1860. 1861. 1860. ............ X X Ballymena and Port Rush - _ - _ Belfast and N. Counties 136 136 1,621 1,943 Belfast and County Down 39 39 643 602 Birkd., Lanc., & Ches. June - - ..._ - Blyth and Tyne 2O 20 2,079 1,525 Bristol and Exeter 125 125 6,673 7,00 8 Caledonian 2lg 2191 15,608 15,392 Cockermouth & Workington 8i 225 302 Cork and Bandon 2O 20 329 3 01 Cork, Blackrock, & Passage 6l el 218 237 Cork and Youghal 26 17 232 156 Cornwall 5 31 5 3/ 1,538 1,318 Deeside . 17 17 325 3 43 Dublin & Belfast Junction.. 63 63 1,372 1,3 58 Dublin and Drogheda 63 63 1,828 1,890 Dub. & Wicklow (in.Kingst ) 40.4 401 ' 2,395 1,800 Dundalk and Enniskillen Dundee and Arbroath l7l 171 746 739 Dundee, Perth, & Aber. Jun 3l 31 1,070 1,068 East Anglian 671 671 863 911 E.Counties,Nrfk.,&E.Union 499 499 25,816 27,021 Edinburgh and Glasgow Edinburgh, Perth,& Dundee 78 78 3865 4,046 , Forth & Clyde Junction 289 Furness Glasgow & South-Western 1834 1834 7,757 8,20+ Great Northern 283 283 23,175 24,865 Great North of Scotland f lt.Southn. & Westn.(lrin4 ) 329 2491 7,978 8,697 Great Western 5831 578/ 45,537 42,777 Inverness & Aberdeen June 55 55 870 80t Irish South-Eastern 251 251 225 26+ Lancashire & Yorkshire 3954 3954 38,680 37,010 1 Leominster and Kington Limerick and Ennis 24 241 171 181 Limerick and Foynes 261 161 126 Llanelly 4 461 651 462 London & North-Western London and Blackwall 54 5 1 1781 LW . London & South-Western 729 21,62+ Lond. Brighton, &S. Coast 224 223 * 19,760 18,621 London, Chatham & Dover 6 19 3 / 4 1,368 3 6 3 Lond. Tilbury, & Southend 42 40 1,212 1,189 Blan.,Sheflield, &Lincolnsh 173 1731 12,010 11,855 Manch. S . Jun.&Altrincham l 9 4 9 Maryport and Carlisle 2B 1,136 1,016 6 1 28 1,212 1,186 Midland (incl. N.-Western) 6144 6141 37,09 38, 341 Midland Gt.Westn. of Mild 1924 1771 4,336 4,428 Monkland 56 56 - - Monmouthsh. Rail. & Canal 44 t 4, 2,494 2,424 Newcastle and Carlisle 7B io 3,381 3,706 North British (incl. Selkirk and Galashiels) North Devon 35 35 542 518 N-Eastern(Bedale &Leybro' 764 764 41,229 36,719 North London .. 9 9 2,715 2,414 North Staffordshire 246 233 7,134 8,108 0 swestry and Newton 2O - 621 - Rhymney l9l 194 809 625 , St. Helen's Canal & Railway 52 52 1,842 2,009 Scottish Central Scottish North-Eastern ll5 115 3,665 3,630 Shrewsbury & Birmingham - - Shrewsbury and Chester - Shrewsbury & Hereford Shropshire Union 291 291 1,070 1,108 South Devon South-Eastern 306 306 21,573 21,533 South Wales l7ll 1711 7,375 7,254 S. Yorkshire and River Dun 118 118 3,034 3,254 Stockton and Darlington Taff' Vale 5l 54 4,920 4,506 Ulster 6l 51 1,896 1,787 Ulverstone and Lancaster Vale of Clwyd.. lO 10 148 141 Vale of Neath - 35 35 2,291 005 1,259502 Waterford and Kilkenny 3l 31 Waterford and Limerick " 105 1,082 West Cornwall W.HartlepoolHarbr.&RaiL E 27+} 274 1 ' 920 903 39 5,040 4,243 West Midland W'haven,Cleator,&Egrmnt. 7 7 538 473 Whitehaven Junction .... 12 12 779 707 Whitehaven & Furness Jun. 35 35 791 681 FOREIGN AND COLONIAL. AAntwerp and Rotterdam... 52 52 1,009 989 ustrian ............. . .... 828 673 40,683 34,890 Belgian Eastern Junction.. 261 264 268 276 , Bu ff alo and L a k e Huron ... 161 161 1,511 1,018 Detroit and Milwaukie lB5 185 2,373 2,2'83 Dutch Rhenish lOB/ 1084 4,165 3,710 Eastern of France 1032 1006 52,764 49,37 1 East Indian Grand Trunk of Canada 970 970 12,472 11,627 Great Indian Peninsula 350/ 277 5,687 4,008 Great Luxembourg 128 128 3,591 2,718 Great Western of Canada 345 345 6,953 6,280 Lyons and Geneva 142 142 5,776 5,470 Madrid, Saragossa &Alicant 301 284 15 , 5 91 12,565 Northern of Canada - _ Northern of France 624 814 44,467 43,880 , Norwe.. - lan Trunk 44 44 1,050 71+ Paris, Lyons, & Mediterrn 879 840 85,989 77,0. 9 ,6 Paris and Orleans ,180 Pernambuco 361922 92 2 547 ...... 6007 50,3 Royal Danish 69 69 -- - Sambre and Meuse 6B 68 1,376 1,32 4 South Austrian Southern of France • 7 27 773 22,420 19,580 Welland.. •• 25 25 - - West Flanders • • 75 75 842 789 W. and N.W. of France.... 742 730 42,49 t 42,131 [ADVERTISEMENT.] Pills and medicine invariably 814' gt avate and perpetuate diseases; their annoyance, dis appointment, and expense may be avoided by persons in indifferent health sending only their address to E. S. Barry, Esq., 77, Regent-street, W., London, and they will receive gratis and free by post the "INvAraos • Own Gums," or Natural R es t orer, without med i c i n e or ex prase, of perfect digesti on , s t rong nerves, soun d lungs, and refreshing sleep, to the most en f ee bl e d , insur i n g the removal of indigestion (dysp e p s i a ) , cons ti pat i on . liver complaint s , nausea, epilepsy, paralysis, debility, nervousness, palpitatiot ~ cough, asthma, consumption, dropsy. dysentery, biliousness, fevers, sore throats, catarrhs, colds.. noises in the cars , ...unquestionably the safest Guide hysteria, neuralgia, irritability, sleeplessness, acidity, palpi,- tation, heartburn, headache , despondency, cramps, spurn s , sinking, fits, bronchitis. — rheumatism, gout, l fi nl a P t uri ule ti n e c s Y :e dia :pii:::: to health."' B 1 It T H S. of of : t :lin: votihfhneae m:2 fo, t o Ethu n s ell : . R h :t e oe. : 1 :4 : s t d h paa mi ; n u ; el t i alt . e , trca;t7tDr l e r n evs p ow : ofirettlhhd: wife o of ( a CIUMLESAVORT • son. CoirAm.= ,r, AvEns.—On the 19 th inst., at Chea m , S urrey , th e w ife ' R d Otho W. Travers, Esq., of a daughter. MARRIAGES. UmpnEvILLEWILsoN.—On the 20th inst., at St.George'st Hanover-square, S. C. Umfreville, Esq., of Ingress Ab . - bey, Greenhithe, Rent to Anna, daughter of Francis Wilson, Esq., of Swans'eorebo. CLowEs—WIGRAM.—On the 20th inst., at the parish church, D an b ury, Essex, George Gonch Clowes, Major Bth Hussars, youngest son of Lieut.-Colonel Clowes, late 3d Dragoons, of Broughton Old Hall, Lancashire, tq_ S usan Carolin e Wi gram, eldest daughter of the Lord Bishop of Rochester. DEATHS. EVANS.—On the 18th inst., at Vichy, Anna Maria, wife of Captain Gustavus Evans, R.N., of 24, Lansdown-place r Brighton, aged 57. tho 20th inst., at Victoria Villa, Stoke New ington, Mr. Thomas John King, of the Stock Exchange, aged 59. ROY.—On the ht inst., at Montague House, Brook-green, Hammersmith, Daniel Thomas Roy, Esq., aged 58. SPIERS.—On the 19th inst., at St. Leonard's-on -Sea, Chas. Spiers, Esq., of Amhurst-road, Hackney, and Spital square, aged 67. TUDWAY.—On the 19th inst., at Wells , Somerset, Frances Gould Tudway, relict of the late J. P. Tudway, EST , M.P. for Wells, aged 79. 1... , ..'''. 1 LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO YOUSG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN Office, No. 112,S trand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the County of M 14441000 h'sturciity,JlWV 22, 1861,