The Sun. — London, England, 1861-06-04 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS.-(YESTERDAY.) The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at 5 o'clock. BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY BILL. Lord CHELMSFORD said in the committee on this bill he should move a clause preventing the bill having a retrospective operation with respect to non-traders. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Wye Railway (Extension) ; Trent, Ancholme, and Grimsby Railway; Belfast and County Down Railway; Penrith Harbour, Dock, and Railway; Stockton and Dar lington Railway (New Railway at Marske, &c.) bills were read a second time. The Newgate and Metropolitan Meat and Poultry Mar ket, and Great Northern Railway (Purchase of Hertford Branch) bills were read a third time and passed. THE GALWAY CONTRACT. _ _ The Marquis of NORMANBY rose to move an address for copies of the correspondence between his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and her Majesty's Government on the subject of the contract with the Atlantic Royal Mail Steam-packet Company. The noble marquis having pre sented a petition in favour of the continuance of the mail service at Galway, said on Thursday week he willingly acceded to the request for postponement ; but:he was sorry to say that since that time a topic had been introduced to prejudice the question by the Government. He then pro ceeded to deny that the Irish members had ever contem plated entering into any compact to support the budget on receiving an assurance that the Galway contract would be renewed for six months. There was a universal feeling of regret in Ireland at the determination that had been ar rived at by the Governme n t, a regret that was ;shared in to the full extent by the Lord-Lie u ten a nt. This opinion had not been expressed in any private manner, but had been made in Dublin to a deputation that had waited on his lordship relative to the withdrawal of the contract, He could not refrain from saying that it was most extraor dinary that the contract should have been withdrawn at the moment and the manner it was. The objection to the vessel was also most irreconcilable, because she had previously performed the voyage successfully, and within the time allowed by the contract, and he could not help hoping that, sooner or later, the prayer of the petition he had presented would be accomplished. Earl GRANVILLE said he thought it was irregular and inconvenient to re-discuss a subject that had been de bated in another place. He did not think the noble' lord had been quite correct in saying that the noble lord had been the only person alluded to in the com pact, Had such a compact been entered into, he could not but say that it would have been most disgraceful to all parties, and that the Government had better fall than be kept on its legs by such a proceeding. (Hear, hear.) He thought that the noble marquis ought to be the last man to attack his noble friend the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and he thought his noble friend the Postmaster- General would be perfectly ready to defend the course he had thought it his duty to take. As to the motion of the noble lord for papers, &c., he had to inform him that there was no official correspondence of the description alluded to in the possession of the Government. The Earl of EGLINTON stated the reasons that induced him to sanction the contract and urge its acceptance upon the Government of Lord Derby. His object was solely to benefit the country at large. He would not touch upon the subjects alluded to by the noble marquis, but he could not help thinking that the company had been dealt with in a hostile spirit, and that in consequence they had suffered in justice. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE referred to the lively and unanimous feeling in Ireland which had arisen on the cancelling of the contract, and thought it a serious matter for a Government, without adequate consideration, to pro voke the opposition of a whole country, and to put an end to this service at a moment when events in America ren dered it of the utmost importance that the communication should be kept open. Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY said the chief objec tion to the contract with the Galway Company was this— that, contrary to the universal practice, it was given without competition—(hear, hear)—and without notice to any of the great public companies, or to the mercantile community, that might have enabled them to enter into a competition for giving the service on the terms most advantageous to the country. (Hear, hear.) The question itself is divided into two distinct parts. The first is whether the contract has been properly performed. If a contract is not fulfilled by one party, I have never teard that it could be made a just charge against the other party, that it put an end to it. But I will go further ; I will admit, if we had pushed the conditions to an extreme, and terminated the agreement on the very first omission to fulfil its terms, we should not have acted with a fair liberality. But a very short history of the proceedings under the contract will, I hope, satisfy your lordships that so far from having treated the company with severity it has been shown more than usual in dulgence. (Bear.) 'We have from time to time met every application the company has made to us. It has from the first moment been allowed to employ vessels that did not answer the conditions of the contract ; it was allowed to de fer the voyages from once a fortnight to once a month. Then the company, not having a single vessel fit for the service, made another application to be allowed to postpone the ser vice for four months to the 12th of March. That was also conceded. But under these circumstances it is quite clear that it was competent to the Government to terminate the contract without any imputation of harshness. (Hear.) The Government, however, said, we will suspend the contract for the time you yourselves name, but solely and entirely on this condition, that if at the end of that time you are not ready with proper vessels, under the terms of the contract, it will be terminated. It is very inconvenient to the public service that a contract should be changed, mutilated, and imperfectly executed ; and that there should be no certainty of the company having proper vessels ready to perform the duty, particularly in this service, of which speed is such an important element. It was most necessary that the vessels should possess the power and speed that would enable them to perform the voyages within the time stipulated. But only once has the voyage to St. John's been performed in six days since the commencement of the service. In every case except one the Cunard boats have made shorter voyages from Queenstown than the steamers from Galway. It there fore comes to this, that as far as a direct communication be tween Ireland and the United States is concerned, no advan tage has been gained by the establishment of the Galway line of packets ; equal advantage has been derived from the Cunard steamers from Queenstown, and from the other lines of steamers that run from Liverpool and Southamp ton, calling at Londonderry, without receiving one sixpence of subsidy. •The company had certainly a right to require from the Government full and due notice that in the event of certain circumstances occurring the contract would be put an end to. My lords, I can refer to the correspond ence to show that not once only, but repeatedly, the com pany has had such notice. The suspension of the service from October to March was only granted on the clear under standing that if the country had not, at the end of that period, proper vessels for the recommencement and continu ance of the service, the contract would be terminated. And what was its condition at the end of the term? On the 26th March the 'company had not a single vessel to go to sea. But on very u rgent representations being made to me of an accident that had occurred to the Hibernia the company was allowed to forego a voyage on payment of a fine • but it was not to be allow e d to resume the service unless' it had efficient vessels. On the 7th May a vessel was offered for acceptance by the Government. It was the Adriatic. This steamer fulfilled the condition s of the contract tvtneedsshasdb.peeern formed the service admir a bl y. Had all the e: equal to the Adriatic no questi on would have been The next vessel, the Columbia, h a d b een CO straeinnerdaltshed. she was obliged to go into dock at Li verpool to be repairer. and the Hibernia, even on her way f rom Southampton to G a l wa y, was so injured that it was stated she would not be fit to go to sea for three months. The company therefore has not a single efficient vessel but the Adriatic. The Go vernment agreed to accept the Parana if the Admiralty sur veyor, whom they were bound to consult, reported h er f i t for service; but the report the Government received was On the motion that this bill be reported with amendments, Lord REDESDALE proposed that his clause for the re gistration of places of public worship for Roman Catholics in Ireland should be added to the bill. The LORD CHANCELLOR was glad of this opportu nity of correcting a misapprehension which had gone abroad, that he had consented to the two clauses of his noble friend being added to the bill. He had consented to certain amend ments moved by the noble lord, which he thought unneces sary but harmless, being introduced with the most laudable object of preventing clandestineity, and to preserve the evi dence of marriage ; but the othertwo clauseshe had strongly condemned, and, instead of carrying them out, he said he would rather abandon the bill altogether. The clause was condemned in Ireland, not only by Roman Catholic priests, but by persons of all religious persuasions. The Bishop of DOWN and CONNOR said the clause was most objectionable in its character, and would have a very injurious effect. The clause was negatived without a division. NEW PROVINCES (NEW ZEALAND) BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS,—YESTERDAY. The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. NEW MEMBER. Lord RIORARD GROSVENOR took the oaths and his seal on his election for Flintshire. PRIVATE BUSINESS. __ _ _ The Lords' amendments to the Leeds, Bradford, and Halifax Junction Railway Bill and Universal Private Tele graph Company Bill were considered and agreed to. The Isle of Wight Water Bill was read a third time and passed. that the Parana had not speed enough to perform that ser- vice. Under these circumstances. I ask my noble friend, had he been Postmaster-General, could he, with such a report in his hand, have consented to send out the Parana ? It really is of vital importance to a service of which speed is such an essential that the vessels should be sufficiently fast for the purpose; it is speed alone that makes the service valuable. I admit that the communication with Newfoundland is a most important one,and I should be sorry to see it dropped; but to effect it with advantage the vessels must have speed enough to perform the voyage within six days. If they take a longer time than that the communication is of no advantage. No advantage has been gained by the substitu tion of Galway for Liverpool. I must, therefore, contend that there is no ground for charging the Government with unduly pressin g en a particular company, or with a want of feeling for the interests of Ireland. The Government is open to the strongest representations from the mercantile community generally that it is not advisable to grant sub sidies to lines of steamers running to ports of the United States to which communication already exists, while assist ance is refused to steamers from our own ports to those of Canada. Under these circumstances it would have been impossible for us to continue any lax indulgence to the Gal way Company after the ample notice it had received. I can only say that her Majesty's Government and all those with whom I am politically connected have never shown any in difference to the feelings or the interests of the Irish people. The noble marquis who ;ntroduced this motion will, I think, recollect from what party he received support and from what party he encountered opposition when he was himself pursuing a truly liberal policy in Ireland ; and I am there fore surprised that he should have ventured to come forward and endorse the accusations which have been made against the Government on this subject. I propose shortly to lay on your lordship? table the whole of the papers connected with this matter. Ido not wish to withhold one single letter or iota of the correspomlenee. Your lordships and the other Houses of Parliament will be able, after reading those papers, to form your own judgment on the conduct of the Government, and, however much we may regret the feeling which prevails in Ireland, I think, upon calm con sideration, it will be found that it would not b e just to visit us with condemnation for the course we have adopted. No man can be more anxious than I am at this moment to see i IMPERIAL PA_RLIAMENT. an early opportunity offer for promoting a direct and im mediate communication between that country and America, and my only desire is to see it established on the best and soundest foundation. (Cheers.) Lord BROUGHAM said it was impossible not to feel the greatest interest in a subject which had excited a feel ing more universal and more intense in the whole of the sister kingdom than any other question, great or small, which had arisen in his time. Men of all sects, parties, and classes, whether employed in agriculture or in trade, had united with an unexampled unanimity upon this local ques tion. He therefore hoped that it would be found possible, notwithstanding what had passed, to excuse the company to a certain degree for their partial failure in their contract, and to renew that contract, provided they could prove their solvency and their ability to fulfil the conditions into which they had entered. But he could not sit down without ad- verting, not to the rumour, but to the positive statement, upon the authority of a Minister, of an attempt having been made on the part of certain Irish members of the other House of Parliament to obtain the continuance of this sub vention by threats of an adverse vote, or by promises of a friendly vote, on a totally different question. The noble marquis opposite had stated, most justly, that men must be • extremely unwise and exceedingly foolish if they could suppose that any such threat would influence his noble friend at the head of the Government, or that any such promise would induce him to betray his duty to the Crown. His noble friend near him had shown that "action was taken"—for that was the technical expres sions—by the body in question long before the time when this was said to have occurred. All that, no doubt, made it probable—he did not say more than probable—that this charge was without foundation. But he should like to have a better disproof of the charge, and that could only be given by Father Daly himself, either denying that any Irish member had authorised him to go to the First Lord of the Treasury with their threat and their offer, or that any Irish member connected with the Galway Company had given him that authority. It was obvious that if any member of Parliament sent to a Minister to say, "If you don't put money in a certain place (which used to be held a threaten ing letter) take the consequences—we shall vote against you ; or if you do give that sum to us, the shareholders, we shall vote for you," a more corrupt proceeding, a more direct act of offering to be bribed could not be imagined. And they would in vain in either House of Parliament challenge the respect of the community if they allowed such a thing to pass, inasmuch as, while they were prosecuting some poor voter in a borough for receiving a bribe of £5, they would be conniving at members of the House of Commons offering to sell their votes for a bribe of so many thousands. (Hear.) The facts of the case could be at once asc rtained. Father Daly might be examined at the bar of the House of Com mons, and required to declare whether any member of Par liament had authorised him to go to Lord Palmerston with that joint menace and promise. Let the same person also de clare who those members of Parliament were, and then it might be seen whether or not they happened to have shares in the Galway Company, which would convert their pro mise into an offer to be bribed. If Father Daly chose to say, " I had no authority, I was merely an intermeddler acting from over-zeal in a good cause ; I thought I did what I was bound in duty to do," then those members were acquitted, and there was no charge against them. But, as long as the statements made in the other House of Parliament con tinued unrefuted and unretracted by Father Daly in his examination, men would not hesitate to believe that there was great foundation for the charge. (Hear, hear.) The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said that Father Daly had called upon him before going to Lord Palmerston, and asked him to accompany him, which he declined, but dur ing the interview he showed him a paper in favour of the company, signed by 48 members of all parties and shades o political opinions. After some further discussion, the subject dropped. MARRIAGE LAW (IRELAND) AMENDMENT BILL. DUBLIN CORPORATION WATER BILL. _ _ On the motion for the thi r d rea di ng o f t hi s bill, —. Sir E. GROG AN repeated the objections which he had made to it at a previous stage, and moved that it be read a third time that day six months. Mr. WESTHEAD, in opposing the amendment, said that 56 oui of 60 of the corporation of the City of Dublin were in favour of this bill, the provisions of which he de fended at some length. Mr. DAWSON supported the amendment. Mr. MASSEY opposed the amendment, and said that the bill had undergone the most careful investigation be fore the committee, and that there was no ground for the opposition that was offered to it. Mr. O'BRIEN defended the bill. _ _ Mr. MAGUIRE deprecated very strongly the opposition to the bill, for which he said the people of Dublin panted. He observed that, notwithstanding what had been said by Sergeant Fitzgibbon in favour of the present water supply in Dublin, still it appeared that that learned gentleman, though he allowed it for the use of his servants, he had a pump on his premises for the use of himself and family. (Laughter,) The fact was, that at the present time, in consequence of the defective supply of water in Dublin there was not ade quate provision made for the protection of life and property. He contended that the course pursued by the opponents of the bill was most disrespectful to the house, considering the time and attention bestowed on this bill by the commit tee to which it had been referred. Mr. M'CANN supported the bill, and stated from per sonal experience that the quality of the water in Dublin was very bad. He stated that it was so deleterious that he could never drink it, not even when it was mixed with whisky. (Laughter.) Mr. VANCE said that the bill had been so altered in transitu, that he felt relieved from giving it his support, although his name had been on it originally. The quality of the water was not what it had been described, and he assured the house that ha and his family never consumed any other water. (Laughter.) Mr. COGAN supported the bill, and said hon. members who opposed it did not represent the requirements and feel ings of the inhabitants of the city of Dublin in reference to this subject. The house divided— For the third reading Against it Majority —7G The bill was accordingly read a third time and passed. The Hereford, Hay, and Brecon Railway Bill and the Kingston Water Bill were considered and ordered for third reading. The following bills were read a second time :—Alva Railway, Blan e Railway, C a l e d on i an and Syming. ton, Biggar, and Broughton Railway Companies; Caledo nian Railway (Cleland, &c. Branches), Caledonian Rail way (Rutherglen and Coatbridge Branches), Caledonian Railway (Stonehouse Branch), Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerby Junction Railway, Fif e and Glasgow and Milngavie Junction Kinross Railway, Glasgow (City) Railway (Additional Ca i- Life Assurance, &c., Company, North British and Peebles ItochkYstaGnaseY, -Weston-super-Mare GaPs, t R a j a , il sc w:y ) Companies,V e oria Whitworth Vale Gas, and Wivenhoe and Brightlingsea Railway. THE MAYNOOTII GRANT. Mr. WHALLEY gave notice that, in the event of his motion for the withdrawal of the grant to the College of Maynooth being negatived, he would move that a committee be appointed to inquire into the canons and laws of the Catholic Church, and the text-books used at May nooth College. THE ABOLITION OF CHURCH RATES BILL. Mr. S. ESTCOURT appealed to the hon. baronet (Sir J. Trelawney) who had charge of this bill, to postpone it for a fortnight, considering the spirit of compromise that prevailed amongst the members of the house in respect to this subject, which might lead to an amicable settlement. Sir J. TRELA WNY said there were a great many persons in the house who believGd that a compromise could be effected in regard to the measure. He did not partici pate in that belief, but in deference to the wishes of the hon. members he would consent to the'postponement pro posed. EAST INDIA LOAN BILL. In reply to Mr. VANSITTART, S:r C. WOOD said that ha intended to proceed with this bill in committee this evening. ABOLITION OF TOLL GATES. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress had been made towards the abolition of toll -gates round London ;if the Metropo lis Roads Commissioners had held any special meeting to effect that object, or whether they had teen summoned for the purpose at all; if they had net, what was done, and out of the forty-one Commissioners how many were pre . sent; and if her Majesty's Government intended to present any specific proposition for abolishing toll gates, and when. Sir G. LEWIS said there was considerable difficulty in dealing with this question, and he did not intend to make any proposition such as that alluded to by the hon. member. ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY'S SHOW. Lord FERMOY asked the First Commissioner of Works whether there was any truth in the report that he had granted permission to the Royal Agricultural Society of England to hold their annual show in the Regent's park ; and, if so, whether he had restricted them either as to the space which they were to occupy, or the time during which it was to be so occupied for the erecting and taking down the sheds and other fittings? Mr. COWPER said he had no doubt that public opinion in the metropolis was in favour of the Royal Agri cultural Society being afforded every facility for having their show in London, and 26 acres would be placed at the disposal of the society. CRIMINAL LAWS CONSOLIDATION BILL. In reply to Mr. HADFIELD, The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said that, in the present state of public business, this bill could not be proceeded with as early as he could have desired; but from its dis cussion in the Upper House, and careful investigation before a select committeee of the House of Commons, the bill would not be expected to be discussed at much length. AMERICAN PRIVATEERS. In reply to Mr. FORSTER, Lord J. RUSSELL said that orders had been issued last Saturday on the subject of the privateering ships of the American States, by which both the belligerent parties were interdicted from bringing prizes into any of the ports in the dominions of her Majesty, whether in the United Kingdom or in the colonies. The Government had also communicated with the . French Ambassador, who stated that the French Government would act in conformity with a rule agreed to in 1860, by which, when France was a neutral Power, prizes could be brought into her ports, but were not allowed to dispose of them there, or to remain beyond 24 hours. THE CUSTOMS AND INLAND REVENUE BILL. On the motion for the third reading of this bill, Sir W. JOLLIFFE said it would be remembered that, at a former stage of the bill, he had reserved his right to call attention to the new mode which had been adopted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the collection of the income tax, and which had greatly added to the inconvenience and severity of the tax. Up to last year the tax had been col lected half-yearly, but in October last the right hon. gen tleman suddenly altered the system, and began quarterly collections. Now all payments in this country were made upon the principle of half-yearly payments—that was, all large, regular fixed payments were made upon that definite principle; all permanent vested interests paid half-yearly dividends. The dividends on the national debt, amounting to £800,000,000, were so paid, and the interest on railways, mines, docks, harbours, and other public investments, amounting to at least an equal amount of capital invested, were paid in like manner. The system of quarterly col lections thus suddenly introduced by the right hon. gen tleman was therefore at variance with the great monetary arrangements of the country at large, and must give rise, if persisted in, either to a great amount of evasion by those liable to the tax, or a great and severe pressure, and in convenience probably to both. He had no desire for any new legislation on the subject, and certainly he did not wish that the tax should be evaded, but he put it fairly, as a practical question, to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he would insist upon a mode of collection which was open to such great and obvious objections. So long as the present Government were determined to maintain at an increased height a tax which fell with the most un just and severe pressure on many of those who were subject to it, it might have been thought that they would have lightened that pressure as much as possible by the mode and time of its collection, instead of introducing changes which made the tax be felt more severely than ever. Land lords were badly enough off, whether they were the owners of acres or houses, in having to pay the tax in the first in stance on mortgages, bonds, and other encumbrances, but upon the tenants who were called upon to pay the property tax of their landlords a quarter before it could be deducted from their rent, it was peculiarly hard. The Chancellor of the Exchequer had very much surprised him the other night, when he had stated that he understood that quarterly collections instead of half-yearly were generally preferred, as being more convenient. The right hon. gentleman did not speak as from his own knowledge on the subject, but on the authority of the subordinate officials ; and it only showed that Chancellors of the Exchequer lived in such an atmosphere that it was difficult for the truth to reach them. If the right hon. gentleman would only go a few miles out of town with him to the market table of the first market, he would be convinced of the inaccuracy of the assertion. He did hope that the right hon. gentleman would again give this subject his consideration, and respond to the ap peal which he had felt bound to make to him upon a ques tion deeply interesting, not only to his own constituents, but to those of every hon. member in the house. Mr. BAILLIE entered into calculations to show that the estimated surplus, even if it had ever existed, had al ready disappeared, owing to new charges, and contended that disturbing causes affecting the cotton trade would materially reduce the revenue for the current year. Atter a few observations by Alderman SIDNEY, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied briefly to Mr. Baillie and to Sir W. Jolliffe in some detail. Mr. BENTINCK anticipated a very large diminution of the Customs and Excise. Some remarks were made by Mr. CRAWFORD, and Sir S. NORTHCOTE explained and justified the grounds upon which the opponents of the bill, while admitting a surplus, urged the repeal of the war duties on tea and sugar, in preference to an abolition of the paper duty. Mr. WESTHEAD approved the repeal of this duty, be lieving that it would enable the manufacturers of this coun try to compete with the Germans. The duty, he observed, was originally a war tax. Mr. HENNESSY replied to certain comments of Mr. Osborne upon statements he had made in a previous debate upon the subject of Irish butter. After a few observations by Mr. HENLEY and Mr. OSBORNE, the bill was read a third time and passed. THE INDIAN LOAN. In a Committee of the whole House, Sir C. WOOD, in moving a resolution, " That it is ex pedient to enable the Secretary of State in Council in India to raise money in the United Kingdom for the service of the Government of India," said that, deferring his full ex position of the Indian finances till he was in possession of more perfect accounts from India, he thought it necessary to make a short statement. He referred to his financial exposition last year, in which his anticipation that the deficiency of revenue would disappear was conditional on no unforeseen event occurring to disappoint it. He was sorry to say that such an event had happened in the shape of a drought and consequent famine, the necessary effect of which was a loss of revenue and an increased expen diture. The ultimate result would be, taking the most unfavourable view, a deficiency of £2,000,000, which he did not think could be much complained of. Meanwhile the prospects of the ensuing year were favourable, and Mr. Laing expected shortly to see the revenue and the expenditure equalised. There would be a pressure for money in the early part of the year, and recourse must be had in this country either to the money paid in by the railroad companies, or to a loan in the money market. From the railroad balances he had no prospect of a considerable sum being available; the only alternative, then, was a loan to meet the demands in England. The next :question was what sum ho should borrow. After stating the estimated amount of the expenditure in Eng land on account of India, and the means of meeting it, he proposed, he said, to borrow a sum of £4,000,000, though he might have occasion to come to the house again to bor row a further sum for railroad purposes. Sir Charles gave a very long and detailed explanation of the general position of the railroad finances and of the state and prospects of those undertakings. Mr. BAZLEY dwelt upon the heavy tax upon cotton occasioned by the want of facilities of transit, and urged the necessity of a revision of the land tenures of India. He hoped that the Indian Government would endeavour to de velope the natural rather than the artificial resources of India, insisting upon the great importance of securing an ample supply of the raw material required for the employ ment of our manufacttuing population. Our colonial pos- sessions comprehended an immense area of cotton-produc ing countries, and in 'lndia there ras not only land but labour. Lord STANLEY said he was glad to hear from Sir C. Wood that the reduction of the military expenditure was going on at a rapid rate, being satisfied that our prospects of equalising 'expenditure and revenue mainly depended upon the diminution of this part of the expenditure. He deferred a full consideration of the subject of this loan till a future stage of the question. Mr. J. B. SMITH strongly recommended the use of water-carriage for the conveyance of cotton and the opening of the navigation of the Godavery river. Everything de pended, he s a id, upon cheap carriage for the transport o f Indian cotton. With European superintendence India could produce cotton equal in qualityquantity as mu c h as we required. Mr. VANSITTA R T tooka to much th le e ss A f m av er o i u c r a a n b , l a e n v d ie i w n of the Indian finances than Sir C. Wood, and was of opinion that the anticipated equilibrium of revenue and expenditure was not likely to be seen for some years to come. Mr. CRAWFORD said the proposal of Sir C. Wood would not throw any additional weight upon the money market, and his specch, he thought, would greatly relieve the public mind. He pointed out the aavantßzes which would in a few years be derived from:railroads in India, and the misapprehensions which prevailed in this country re specting the tenure of land in that country, the system of agriculture there, and the nature and extent of the home demand for cotton in India. Mr. SMOLLETT complained of the enormous expendi ture on account of India, and that with an income of £38,000,000 the Government could not make ends meet, but were spending £47,000,000, which he thought a great scandal, Lord Dalhousie having considered that £34,000,000 would suffice. He believed that a very large amount might be saved in every department, especially the milit. - ay and public works. Against the latter department he brought very heavy charges, and said he should vote against the resolution. Mr. A, SEYMOUR objected that, in rolation to public THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 4, 1861. works carried on by companies, Sir C. Wood was acting in the bad spirit of the East India Directors. He had not taken measures to promote the accumulation of capital in India and to alter the tenures of land, which, with other necessary reforms, were indispensable for theimprovement of the country. Colonel SYKES discussed the comparative advantages of carriage by water and by railroads, and the obstacles to the sale of land in India (except waste) in fee simple. In his reply, Sir C. WOOD reminded the committee that he was not raising money to meet a deficit in India; it was to supply the wants of the home Treasury that he asked this power. The resolution was then agreed to. THE DEATH OF ADMIRAL DUNDAS. Lord PALMERSTON—I rise, sir, to move that you now leave the chair, in order that the house may go into Com mittee of Supply, and I cannot refrain from taking this op portunity of expressing the deep regret which her Majesty's Government feel at the great loss which the country has sustained this very morning by the death of Vice-Admiral Dundas, a most distinguished officer, who was for 45 years in the service of his country, and who equally distinguished himself in every sphere in which he was called upon to act. He was eminent for the good dis cipline and order of the ship which he commanded, he was distinguished by the gallantry and good judgment with which he conducted every naval operation in which he was engaged, he was most valuable as a public servant in the direction of naval affairs at the Admiralty. Whether at the council-board or on the quarter•-deck his merits were equally eminent, and his services were equally valuable to the country. It would have been an omission of which we should have been sorry to be guilty, if, upon this occasion, in moving that you, sir, leave the chair, in order that we may go into Committee on the Naval Estimates, we had not expressed our deep sense of the loss which the country has sustained, and had not paid a tribute of re spect to the memory of a distinguished and valuable ser vant who has been unexpectedly lost to the public service. (Hear.) Sir J. PAKINGTON—I cannot refrain from begging permission to add a few words to what has been said with so much feeling by the noble lord, and to express the very deep regret with which I heard this morning of the loss which the country has sustained by the sudden death of my gallant friend Sir R. Dundas. During the time that I had the honour of being at the head of the Admiralty I had the advantage of his assistance at the Board, and I am sure that every one who was acquainted with that gallant officer will feel as I do, that it was quite impossible to be connected with him so intimately, to see him as I did from day to day, without forming the highest opinion of his character, and feeling for him the warmest friendship and attachment. He was a distinguished ornament of the naval profession, he was an honourable, frank, and straightforward colleague, and I deeply lament his loss, not only upon those accounts, but as a private friend for whom I felt the greatest value and respect. (Hear.) Admiral DUNCO MBE—I hope I may be permitted to say one word to lament the death of my old and valued friend, Sir R. Dundas. Many years ago I had the pleasure and honour of serving under that distinguished Admiral. I feel that the less sustained by the country by his death at this moment is very great, because, as the noble lord has said, whether on the quarter-deck or at the council-board, his safe advice and his sound judgment were most valuable, and II believe that it will be extremely difficult to supply his place at that Board. (Hear.) Admiral SEYMOUR—Having long known the late Sir R. Dundas, and having served with him on the last oc cession on which he was at sea, I wish to echo all that has been said with reference to the loss of that gallant officer. I served with him as his second in command in the Baltic, and have known him in every rank, the duties of all of which he so admirably discharged; and I am deeply sensible of the loss which the navy as well as the country has sustained by his death. His judgment was based upon great experience, and he exercised it with great advantage to the country and to the naval service. I can well under stand how highly he was esteemed, and how :thoroughly his merits were recognised by those who were connected with him in office. (Heti r, hear.) Admiral WALCOTT—I must ask the indulgence of the house while I likewise express my deep regret at the death of that valuable officer, Sir R. Dundas. He was perfectly well known to me, and an officer of greater merit, of more determined courage, or more resolute to do well in the ser vice of the country could not be found in the navy. (Hear.) SUPPLY.—THE NAVY ESTIMATES. The house then went into committee of supply on the navy estimates, when the discussion on vote 10, of £3,489,477 for naval stores and steam machinery was resumed. Mr. LINDSAY moved to reduce the vote by £lOO,OOO. The hon, gentleman reminded the committee that in for mer years he had endeavoured to reduce the vote for anchors. The Government always told him that there was only one firm that could make anchors fcr the navy, and that firm was the one which had supplied them ever since 1840, but he could never get any satisfactory explanation of that circumstance. He only knew that the Government paid £3,434 for anchors which might have been had from other firms of equal eminence. They were now told that there were only two firms that could make steam engines for the navy. He was strongly opposed to expenditure in curred in that manner so unnecessarily, and so greatly above the market price. He was the more opposed to this, that the Government had announced their intention of building so many wooden ships, that there could not be so much occasion for steam machinery. He moved to reduce the vote by £lOO,OOO. Mr. CONINGHAM also oppos , ad the vote, and moved to reduce the vote by £55,000 for steam machinery at Chatham, if the motion of the hon. member for Sunderland did not raise the question. • Sir J. ELPHINSTONE complained that the Ad miralty should continue to give the preference to heavy anchors after the necessity for them had passed away. Four anchors of five tons each being needed, their great weight at the bows of a ship of fine lines forward, de pressed her so considerably as to diminish her speed in a very great degree. He believed they must in time substi tute iron for wooden ships, and the manufacture of ma chinery was therefore absolutely necessary. They were now going to reconstruct their whole system, and cer tainly they ought to have a better ad v i ser th an the sur- veyor of the navy. They ought to have a council composed of men practically acquainted with iron ship building, because they were only on the threshold of ex periments, which may cost the country millions of money. Lord C. PAGET went very far with his hon. and gallant friend the member for Portsmouth in his opinion that they could not have too many investigations into the subject he alluded to, which may cost enormous sums of money. His noble friend at the head of the Admi ralty had given it his most serious consideration, and ap pointed a committee consisting of Sir John kLiy, Dr. Percy, Mr. Fairbairn, and other officers who were engaged for some time in making experiments on various kinds of iron, and the class of ships to which it could be applied, or might be built of that material. With respect to the intentions of the Government as regarded iron-cased ships to be built hereafter, he might say that great attention had been paid by the other maritime nations of Europe to this subject, which were more or less constructing vessels of that class. The Government thought it necessary, therefore, to commence five more, in addition to the seven now in course of being built. These seven consisted of the 'Warrior, Black Prince, and Achilles, which were of the largest size, and would be shortly mounted with their guns; the Resistance and Defence, of a smaller size, but of 3,000 or 4,000 tons, and the Hector and Valiant, of a still smaller description. Those seven, as he had stated to the committee, were now in course of construction, and five more would be immediately laid down. Then as to whether they should be built of wood or iron, it so happened that they had already in their dockyards frames of wood already laid down for 90-gun ships, which would be covered with iron plates, and able to carry, after that process, 50 of the heaviest guns. This class of ships would be extremely valuable. They would have engines of 1,000 horse power, which would give them a very high speed, and altogether they would be exceedingly useful ships in time of war. The hon. member for Sunderland had said his objection to this vote was that ho did not know what number of engines we were constructing. The answer was that altogether 64 engines were to be constructed. Of these there were only five that were for line-of••battle ships. One of these was so far advanced that it might almost be said to be completed, and the others were also nearly so. Of course it would be a loss to stop the completion of any of these engines in their present state. With respect to anchors, if the hon. mem ber could bring any satisfactory tender for anchors of 70 to 100 cwt. at the Admiralty price, he was sure due considers- tion would be given to them, but the Board did not fee: warranted to entrust the construction of first-rate anchors or chains to strange persons any more than the construction of first-rate engines:What they did was to allow strangers to tender for smaller works, and if they were executed satisfactorily to permit them afterwards to tender for works of a more important kind. They had also of late largely increased the number of persons allowed to send in tenders. With respect to the objection of the hon. member for Brighton -to building one of the iron-cased ships at Chatham, he was sure it - would be seen that in entering upon the construction of a number of these new ships it was most desirable that we should have at least one ship of our own building to test and compare other ships by, both as to quality and cost of workmanship and material. Sir J. PAKINGTON said he was much disappointed with the explanation given by the noble lord as to the num- ber and the armament of the ships about to be built. He found that he had understated the other night the facts as to the French slips of this class now in process of construc tion. There was another large frigate constructing at Tou lon. Altogether the number already built of various classes and in process of construction was 25, and to meet these vessels the Government told them that they were about to lay down six, which with six constructed or in process of construction would make 12. That was not a satisfactory state of things to his mind. He wished very much that the noble and gallant lord would state how this committee was competent to carry on such an inquiry as that which had been referred to, and he must, in conclusion, express his disappointment that the Admiralty seemed not to be sen sible of the great naval preparations that were being made in France. (Hear.) _ _ Mr, E 111 1 441" concurred with the right 1,101, baronet in ' the opinions he had expressed in relation to the iron-clad ships of France. They were told that the French had 24 or 25 iron-clad ships, while they (the English) had not more than 12. He did not see why the Admiralty should not convert certain classes of their ships and cover them with iron plates. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the Warrior (British ship) it was considered that at close quarters she would not be able to compete with La Gloire. Ho had been told that at close quarters a shot into the Warrior would go through two or three compartments, and that a shot driven into her between wind and water would be very alarming. He therefore thought that such ships were not those upon which they should rely for their defence, and that the Admiralty should not build and the Government should not sanction any more such ships. (Hear, hear.) Mr. BENTINCK said they had discussions of this kind year after year on this subject, but they came to nothing— (hear, hear)—and they were now much in the same situa tion as on former occasions. With respect to their ship anchors, he was told that those who tendered for them were very much in the same situation as those who tendered for machinery ; but such was not the case. Mr. Trotman's auchors were subjected some years ago to tests, and the report of the committee was that his anchors were superior to those of the Admiralty. But Mr. Trotman had not at the time the power to carry out this experiment. He (Mr. Bentinck) wanted to know whether by the process of testing they could or could not give better anchors than they had at present,! and at a cheaper price? He agreed in the opinion expressed by his friend, as to the Board of Admi ralty, and he could only say that he and his hon. friend sat day after day inquiring into the merits and demerits of that board; and that such an inquiry, as related to it, was per fectly hopeless. Then, with respect to the proposed reduc tions of expense, so long as the Board of Admiralty was constituted as it was, there was no chance of any—they must submit to the Board. With respect to iron clad ships, he concurred with the right hon. baronet, the member for Droitwich (Sir J. Pakington), that the Admiralty, the Government, and the Legislature ought to take such steps as would put them upon an equality with their Gallic neighbours. (Hear, hear.) The invasion of France by England had been spoken of as a justification for the efforts which were being made by France to increase her naval armament; but there was nothing less likely than that this country would think of invading France, and for this rea son, that she had not one fifth of the land forces possessed by France. (Hear.) Mr. DALGLISH trusted the Admiralty would not go on too rapidly in building iron - ships. Sir F. SMITH contended they were not bound blindly to rush into a vast expenditure. He did not see why the wooden vessels which were in a state of progress ought not to be cased .with iron instead of their building new iron ships. Lord C. PAGET said among the eminent men consulted were Mr. Laird and Mr. Napier, of Glasgow, in the con struction of these ships. It had been stated that Mr. Trot man would make anchors cheaper than the Admiralty could. All he (Lord C. Paget) could say was this, that if Mr. Trotman would send in a tender it would be laid before the board for consideration. Mr. CONINGIIAM said as there were other anchor makers in the country ho thought the making of anchors for the Admiralty ought to be thrown open to public com petition. Mr. BALL was of opinion that this country should always be in a position to show that it was the first naval country in the world. Lord PALMERSTON assured the house that the ques tion as to the best method of providing steam-engines and boilers had not escaped the attention of her Majesty's Go vernment. It was a subject of vital importance to this country, for every one must see at a glance that if any other power were to acquire maritime superiority, the eminence of England would be lost, and her interests would be en dangered. The question therefore was, seeing that other countries, and mcst especially their nearest neighbour, were making efforts and commencing a career of an extensive construction of iron-clad ships, what could the Government do to meet the corresponding demands of this country. The right hon. baronet stated the other day very accurately the number of ships of war which the French Government had already constructed, or had ordered to be constructed. The total number, so far as they were informed, amounted to 15. Of these the larger number had only recently been ordered to be laid down, and it would take considerable time before the entire 15 were launched and fitted for sea. Her Majesty's Government had built or were now building seven iron clad ships, as had been stated by his noblefriend. The Government had to consider the best and readiest method of providing a considerable and valuable addition to our iron clad ships, and it was thought the readiest and most effective method, and that which would be accomplished in the shortest space of time, would be to take advantage of the preparations that had been made for constructing wooden line-of-battle ships, to pile five of them up and pre pare them to be clad with iron. (Hear.) It was obvious they would save time in that way, because they would have the materials prepared, and the ships would be fit for sea at an earlier period than the five ships which it was now proposed to commence for the first time. The French ships, all but two, were commenced. They were to be covered with iron, and our five ships would be of the same class and de scription, and armed with guns of the best possible calibre. They would be formidable, and he trusted that by arrange ments they would be sea-going ships as well as floating batteries. (Hear.) Therefore, when these five were added to the other seven, they would have 12 vessels as against 15 of the French. The French had about the same number of floating batteries as they had, and the one might be set against the other. He wished the house clearly to under stand, that although the Government now stated the mea sures they were prepared at once to take, that did not pre clude theni in any degree from taking other measures with a view of building other iron ships of a larger and more formidable description. But that which had passed in the present discussion would show that it would be unwise to launch at once any of these iron vessels of the new de scription until the Government had come to some clear and definite understanding of what was the best form and the best construction of vessels of that kind. This would involve a large expenditure, but that expenditure should not stand in the way of providing the best means for the national security. Ships of that description must be built by contract. They could not be built in the Go vernment dockyards, and before the Government undertook to complete large iron-clad vessels, experiments should be made to ascertain the best and most useful vessels of that kind. In the meantime the Government were taking those steps which would put them in possession of five iron-clad vessels armed with the heaviest guns. They would be ready before the five vessels ordered by the French Govern ment, because they were prepared with the materials,which he supposed the French were not ; and therefore when these five were equipped and ready for sea, we should be, in his opinion, quite on a par with the French. (Hear, hear.) Sir AI. PE TO said that no hon. member would withhold from Government what was necessary for the honour and dignity of the country, but it was quite clear that there was a general want of confidence in the Board of Admiralty and its executive. They could not commence the building of five iron-clad ships without large establishments. Chatham Dockyard was the last place that ought to have been selected for the construction of the first iron ship. With regard to the clothing of wooden ships with iron, he should like to know where that was to be done ; as he was anxious that they should not get into the erection of large establish mente for that purpose. The house would not grudge the money for five such vessels, or for five more if they were needed, but it was their duty to consider seriously where the establishments for building them were to be placed, and that there was a proper staff available to superintend their construction, which he was bound to say they had not. As regarded their naval rivalry with France, France was only doing what this country should have done in 1858. France had taken advantage of the experience gained at Kinburn during the Russian war, soon after which it began building iron-plated ships. Ho deprecated these discussions, because ho knew the effect which they pro duced in France. The Government rushed into a reckless expenditure 0 maintain a prestige in the presence of a neighbouring country, where not a shilling was laid out without adequate value to represent it. He regretted to see them led on by a vague: feeling of apprehension, arising from the knowledge that a great mind in France was doing that which they lacked the energy to do here. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY, with regard to iron-plated ships, observed that, assuming their employment in naval warfare would be effective, as to which there was great doubt, the cinestion was, which was the best mode in which they could be built—whether in the Government yards or by private contract. They had no system, he maintained, by which the cost of a ship of war could be known ; if they had, the noble lord could state how much the Achilles had cost. Until they had a better system, therefore, they should be careful how they trusted the Government with all those millions of money. The question ho wished to put to the Government, therefore, was, what was the machinery they had by which the cost of a vessel built in their yards, and capable of comparison with a contract-built vessel, could be ascertained. Lord 0. PAGET, in reply to the hon. member for Fins bury (Sir M. Pete) said he begged to state that the ships in question were all built in her Majesty's yards by the artifi cers in the yards, and the only additional expense was for the iron plates, which would be purchased by contract. In reply to the hon. member for Evesham, he had to state, that the expense of building the Achilles would be fully ascer tained as a guide to their future operations. Sir J. ELPIIINSTONE said they were mow satisfied that Government were going to build five ships, but unless they were properly constructed they would be of no use, and he would suggest that they should appoint a committee of scientific men, who would say how these ships should be constructed, and this inquiry could be carried on simulta neously with the building of the ships. If this were done they would have a report fu rn i s h e d t o th e h ouse on th e sub- jut in a month, and no delay whatever would take place in respect to the building of the ships in question. After a few words from Mr. BENTINCK, Mr. LINDSAY considered that wo wore going on in a very unsatisfactory manner, in reference to the building of ships. Where was this increase of ship-building . to end ? We were entering into treaties of commerce with France, and yet if France was building five) ships this Government came down and asked more money for increased shipbuild ipg. Ike believed that France was going on steadily, while we were going on in a most extravagant manner. He would not call on the committee to divide upon this amendment, but he would ask the committee to reduce the vote by £200,000, on account of other items in connection with it. We had six troop-ships, of which four had carried on all the service between the Cape and China, while the other two were available for occasional relief. It was clear, then, that the Government did not want mere of those ships, and if they did, they could be hired much more cheaply than they could be retained as part of the permanent naval esta blishment of the country. He moved to reduce the vote by £200,000 the cost of the two proposed transports. Lord C. PAGET said he hoped the committee would not agree to the amendment. (Opposition cheers.) The question did not depend upon the comparison of cost which the hon. member had made. Many of the old troop ships required very extensive repairs, and new ships must be built to do their work in the meanwhile. The Government had no control over the rate of freight, or over the rate of wages, and the hon. gentleman had no idea of the extent to which these vessels were employed, or of the expense which would be incurred in fitting up contract transports. It was abso lutely necessary to keep up the transport service, and he hoped the committee would reject the amendment. Mr. HENLEY thought the Government might use some of the old frigates now unemployed, instead of spending £200,000 for two new transports. The same money applied to the construction of another iron-plated ship would be far more useful. Admiral DIINCOMBE supported the vote. As a member of the Tre.nsport Committee, he denied it to be politic that her Majesty's navy should be denuded of transports, and it was very disadvantageous to employ frigates in the convey ance of troops. Mr. J. EWART and Sir F. SMITH supported the amend. ment. Lord C. PAGET reminded the right hon, gentleman the member for Oxfordshire that they could only use the old frigates as transports, and they were all sailing vessels. What they wanted was steam transports. Mr. HENLEY replied that they had plenty of steamships in reserve which could be employed as frigates in time of peace, and while they were building iron-cased ships. The committee then divided, when the numbers were— For the amendment 6B Against it Majority... The vote was then agreed to. The next vote was £169,835 for new works, improve ments, and repairs in the yards. Lord C. PAGET explained the necessity of this vote by the fact, that at the present moment there was more acco modation for building ships in France, and more basins than England had, and it was necessary therefore to increase and improve their yards. If it, be the pleasure of the house the Government had no objection to appoint a select committee to consider the entire subject. After some discussion, the Chairman reported progress, and the house resumed. The committee on the education of destitute children was appointed, The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the house adjourned at half-past oae o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION. HOUSE OF COMMONS—JUNE 3. THE NAVY ESTIMATES. Motion made and question proposed, "That a sum, not exceeding £3,489,477, be granted to her Majesty, to defray the charges of naval stores, for the building, re pair, and outfit of the fleet, steam machinery, and ships built by contract, which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1862." Whereupon motion made and question put, "That the item of £60,000, for the purchase of steam machinery for two troop ships, be omitted from the proposed vote." The committee divided—Ayes, 68 ; Noes, 85. - AYER 65. Anson, Capt. Dunne, Col. Paxton, Sir J. Ayrton, A. S. Ewing, H. E. C. Peto, Sir M. Baines, E. Finlay, A. S. Pilkington,James Barnes, Thomas Forster, W. E. Pollard U r q u h ar t W Barttelot, Major Greene, Capt. J. Ponsonby, A. Baxter, W. E. Groan, Sir Edward Russell, Sir Wm. Bazley, Thomas Henley, J. Selater-Booth, G, Blackburn, P. Hennessy, J. P. Seymour, Digby Bridges, Sir 13., Bt. Heygate, W. U. , Smith, Sir F. Brooks, R. Hill, L or d E . Somes, Joseph Bruce, C. L. C. Hodgkinson, G. Stirling, Wm. Buxton, C. Hornby, W. H. Stuart, Major W. Caird, James Humberstone, P. S. Sykes, Col. W. H. Childers, H. C. E. Kinnaird, Hon. A. Turner, J. A. Coningham, Wm. Knatchbull, W Valetort, Lord Crawford, R. W. Lewis, J. Harvey Verney, Sir Harry Crossley, Frank Locke, John Westhead, B. Cubitt, George McEvoy, E. Whalley, G. IT. Dalglish, Robert Mackie, J. White, Jas. Davey, R. Martin, P. W. Williams, W. Dent, John Dent Moffatt, George Dickson, Col. Monson, W. J. TELLERS. Dodson, John G. Naas, Rt. Tin. Lord Lindsay, W. S. Douglas, Sir C. Parker, Major W. Ewart, J. C. NOES, 85. Angerstein, W. Gibson, T. M. Paget, Lord A. Bagwell, J. Gilpin, C. Paget, Lord C. E. Ball, E. Gladstone, W. E. Pakington, Sir J. S. Baring, Sir F. Gladstone, Capt. Palmerston, Visct. Baring, Thos. Geo. Goddard, A. L. Peel, F. Beaumont,Somerset Goldsmid, Sir F. Pinney, Wm. Beecroft, G. S. Gordon, C. W. Powys, L. P. Bentinek, G. W. P. Grey, Rt. Hn. Sir G. Proby, Lord. G. L. Bernard,W. W. S. Hankey, Thomson Pryse, Capt. E. L. Brown, James Hassard, M. D. Puller,C. w. Bury, Viscount Headlam, Thos. E Ricardo, J. L. Cardwell, Rt. Hn. E. Herbert, H. A. Salomons,Ablerinan Carnegie, Hon. C. Hervey, Lord A Selwyn, C. J. Cavendish, Hon. W. Hodgson, R. Seymer, H. K Clay, James Howes, Edward Seymour, Sir M. Close, M. C. Hutt, W. Somerville, Sir W. Colebrooke, Sir T.E. Jolliffe, Sir W. Spooner, R. Conolly, Thomas Kendall, N. Talbot, Hon. W. C. Craufurd, E. H. J Kingscote, Lt.-Col. Taylor, Colonel Denman, G. Liddell, Hon. 11. G. Upton, General Dunbar, Sir Wm. Lockhart, A. E. Villiers, Rt. Hon. C. buncombe, W. E. Lovaine, Lord Walcott, Adm. J. E. Dundas, Sir David Lowe, Rt. Hon.R. Watlington, J. W. Elcho, Lord Mainwaring, T. Whitbread, S. Ellice, E., jun. Martin, J. Wood, Rt Hn. Sir C. Elphinstone, Sir J Moncreiff, J. Evans, T. W. Montagu, Lord R. Fergusson, Sir J. Montgomery, Sir G. Fortescue, C. S. Mowbray, Rt. Hn. J. Brand, H. B. Gard, R. S. Northcote, Sir S. H. Knatchbull-Hugess TELLERS. [Advertisement.] THE CHURCH RATE BILL. I. REASONS FOR PASSING THE BILL. 1. A similar exaction (Vestry Cess) has been abolished in Ireland, and without detriment to the Episcopal Church in that country. 2. Twenty-seven years ago the Ministers of the Crown proposed that Church-rates should be abolished, and hosti lity to the impost has never abated, but has been increasing ever since. 3. All parties admit that the law should be altered ; but no other measure than that of Sir John Trelawny has been sanctioned by the House of Commons. 4. Opposition in parish Vestries has reduced the annual sum derivable from Church-rates from £519,307 in 1827, to £263,709 in 1859, and the amount is diminishing year by year. 5. The rate has been quite abolished in the large and in many of the small towns ; and it is now being gradually ex tinguished in the rural parishes. 6. Church-rates have been shown to be unnecessary. The churches erected in recent years have always been repaired without them, and the churches are in good repair in the parishes where rates are abolished. 7. The erection of voluntarily sustained churches has made church-rates unjust to those who worship in them; while the extension of rates to district churches would need lessly displace a large amount of voluntary contributions. 11. OBJECTIONS TO COMPROMISE. 1. Of the many schemes of compromise hitherto proposed not one has been sanctioned by a single Parliamentary majority. 2. The opponents of church-rates will not assent to a compromise; and, if they would, there is no compromise which the upholders of church-rates can agree to offer them. 3. Any scheme based on compromise must be an experi ment ; its operation would be uncertain, and its failure would only increase the ill-feeling creatad by the existing system. 4. It is better for the Church of England, and for the community at large, to close this lengthened struggle by a decisive act, which would remove an admitted grievance, than to incur the risk of another agitation, which would certainly end in total abolition. 111. SHOULD CHURCHMEN " TAX THEMSELVES P" I. If Churchmen are willing to furnish the required funds, it is needless to tax them ; if unwilling, they ought not to be compelled. 2. If Episcopalians may claim the right to tax themselves it must be no less the right of other religious bodies ; and chapel-rates for Dissenters must be conceded, as well as church-rates for Churchmen. 3. The making optional the payment of a public impost would be an impolitic and dangerous innovation, and one which could not be limited to religious matters. 4. The registration of all objectors to church-rates-- which would be needed for any scheme of exemption—would sectarianize the Church and create an invidious distinction between the inhabitants of parishes. _ _ 5. Many objectors to church• rates would be deterred, by local influence, from claiming exemption, as they now are deterred from voting against rates in vestry, and the mea sure proposed for their relief would thus be practically use less. Sixty miles an hour by . the Great W es t ern express has been arrived at by the careful and constant improvement of the locomotive. The same means have made Herring's mag netic brushes and combs equally perfect. They are now the accepted and certain remedy for the agonies of tic doloreux, nervous headache, &c., and restore the colour to grey hair in a few weeks. 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Barry, Esq., 77, Regent-street, W., London, and they will receive gratis and free by post the "INVALIDS' OWN GUIDE," or Natural Restorer, without medicine or ex p^nse, of perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound lungs, and refreshing sleep, to the most enfeebled, insuring the removal nausea, of indigestio n (d yspeps i a), cons tip a ti on, li ver complaints, epilepsy, paralysis, debility, nervousness, pa l p i tatiot , cough, asthma, consumption, dropsy, flatulency, diarrbeea, (iyeentery, biliousness, fevers, sore throats, catarrhs, colds, noises in the ears, rheumatism, gout, impurities, eruptions, hysteria, neuralgia, irritability, sleeplessness, acidity, palpi tation, heartburn, headache, despondency, cramps, spasms, sinking, fits, bronchitis,—" VLlQUef3tionably the tweet Qui& to health.!', MIDDLESEX SESSIONS, June 3. The June General Sessions of the Peace for the County of Middlesex commenced this morning, at the Court-house ou Clerken Fell-green, before Mr. Bodkin, assistant-judge. The calendar contains the names of the large number of 100 prisoners for trial, a longer period than usual having elapsed since the last session. That circumstance was alluded to by the learned Assistant-Judge, in his charge to the grand jury'. Of the 100 prisoners, 84 were charged with felony, and 16 with misdemeanours. A great number of cases of larceny from the per son were disposed of in the two courts, in the greater part of which the prisoners pleaded guilty. Thomas Sparks, 23, horsehair dresser, was in dicted for stealing three bags of feathers, three bags of down, and a quantity of horsehair, value altogether £7O, the property of Thomas James (put in the calendar as Lawes), feather merchant and cabinet-factor, of 65, City-road. He pleaded guilty. _ _ Mr. Sleigh was for the prosecution. Mr. Ribtoll appeared for the prisoner, and called witnesses as to character. The prisoner had been in the prosecutor's service, but was not at the time of the robbery, though he took the property off the premises. He had a wife and family dependent upon him for support. His lordship said it was a very aggravated offence and passed upon him the sentence of twelve months hard labour. Wm. Kimpton, convicted last session of a jewel robbery at Lady Dungar von's was brought up for for judgment. His sentence was postponed to give him an opportunity to disclose where the property was, or the remaining portion of it, but he gave no information. The Court sentenced him to twelve months' hard labour. Frederick Blayney , 24, bookseller, was indicted for feloniously stealing two pianofortes, value £26 ss. each, the property reBpectively of Richard. Cook, Joachim Stohmenger, and another. Mr. Sleigh prosecuted. The prisoner pleaded guilty. He had hired the pianos and then pledged or sold them. The learned judge sentenced him to 18 months' hard labour, and severely reprimanded one of the persons who had received one of the pianos, and had removed the original plate of the maker's name, and substituted one of his own. Mr. Sleigh suggested further proceedings. Thomas Edmonds, 43, a toll c dlector in the Cambridge-heath-road, was indicted for assaulting his wife and daughter with a poker. He pleaded guilty. The wife said it was done in a fit of drunkenness, and pleaded hard for a lenient sentence. The prisoner was sentenced to six months' hard labour. John Haywood, 44, pleaded guilty to a charge of feloniously breaking and entering the dwelling house of Noel Harris, and stealing therein 42 yards of alpaca and other articles, value £4O, and £2O in money, his property, &e. A former conviction and a sentence of four years' penal servitude were proved against him. - The Court sentenced him to seven years' penal servitude. SECOND COURT. (Before Mr. Payne.) John Clifford, 29, was indicted for stealing a watch, value £3, the property of John Irvine, from his person, as he was stepping on board a steamer at Hungerford pier. He was detected in the act, and on being searched the watch was found in his pocket. The learned Judge sentenced him to 12 months' hard labour. John Cook, 23, was found guilty of stealing a watch from the person. of Alfred Kaines. Mr. Cook prosecuted, and Mr. Cooper defended. This robbery was committed in the New North road, as a corps of rifle volunteers was marching by. The prisoner had been convicted before. The learned Judge sentenced him to four years' penal servitude. COUNTRY MARKETS. COLCFIESTER—JUNE 1. A fair supply of wheat. Trade very dull, and is per qr. cheaper to make sales. For barley, beans, and peas there is little inquiry; prices as last week. Wheat, white 6os to 66s I Beans, Mazagan..364 to 42s red 44s to 60s I Middle & small 42s to 48s Barley —s to —s I White peas 44s to 48s Oats ..—e to —s Grey.. 38s to 44s CHELMSFORD—MAY 31. A very good supply of wheat, but very small demand. Best wheats barely maintained last week's prices; inferior qualities from is to 2s per qr. cheaper, and even at that re duction very little business doing. Spring corn about the same, if any change, the turn lower. The whole market ruled excessively dull. 'Wheat. white 33s to 65s red 42s to 62s Barley 29s to 42s Chevalier 32s to 45s Grinding 26s to 37s Malt 61s to 67s Chevalier 6ls to 69s Oats 26s to 31s Peas, Partridge 44s to 45s White 43s to 463 Boiling 43s to 47s Dun 40s to 43s Beans, Tick 39s to 48s Harrow Ticks 39s to 50a Mazagan 33s to 45s STAMFOR Wheat ...54s to 60s White do 60s to 66s Barley ..,....28s to 42s •JUNE 1. Oats.. 24s to 32s Beans 44s to 50s Ditto, old 5Cs to 54s KIRKALDY-JUNE 1. A fair supply of wheat, good of oats, but small of bar. ley; wheat is lower, and oats about 6d dearer. Wheat Barley Oats I First.... 36s Od I 34s Od 24s Od Second.. 54s Od I 40s Od 29s Od Third .. 63s Od f —s Od 32s Od ; COAL MARK (Prices of Coal per Ton at :ET--JUNE 3. the close of the market B.:d. Bower's West Hartley 15 6 Carway and Duffryn Malting 24 0 Do. Anthracite 21 6 Halbea,th Steam 14 6 Wylam.... 15 6 Lambert's West Hart- R. d. Eden Main 16 0 Grey's West Hartley-14 0 Walls End. Cassop l6 6 Hartlepool..... 17 6 Brsddyll's Hetton 16 9 Tunstall Thornley ....14 6 Trimdon Hartlepool ..17 3 Kelloe ......17 0 South Hartlepool...... 16 3 9 ; sold, 34. ley 15 3 Holywell 15 9 Walker Primrose 12 3 Howard's West Hart ley 15 6 Ships at market, 3! THE MAILS. MAILS DUB. Australia, Ceylon, and Mauritius (via South ampton) .. • • • • •• June 18 .7 Do. (via Marseilles) June 12. Brazil and Cape Verds .. • • • • .. June 4. Buenos Ayres, Monte Video, &c. Cuba and Mexico .. .. June 28. Canada, &o. (via L' deny) .. • .. Overdue. Cape of Good Hope, &c. Juno 1. China, Penang ,and Singapore (vi a ! S' ampton) June 18. Do (via Marseilles) June i 2. Gibraltar (via Southampton) June 10. India (Calcutta), Ceylon, &c. (via Southampton) June 18. Do. I(via Marseilles) June 12. India (Bombay), (via Southampton) .. June 10. Do. (via Marseilles) .. June 4. Lisbon .. .. • . • • .. June 11. Malta, Egypt, and Men (via Southampton) .. June 10. Do. (via Mar s eilles) .. June 4. Vigo, and Oporto .. June 11. United States, California, &c. June 6. Western Coast of Africa, Madeira, Teneriffe .. June 10. West Indies and Pacific, Carthagena, Cuba, Ste. June 13. [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Holloway's Pills.—The Right Road to Health.—ln selecting the most appropriate medi cine for a particular ailment there may be some difficulty, unless one can be found to purify, regulate, and strengthen. Holloway's Pills possess and exert these three qualifica tions in an exrraordinary degree. They enable the stomach to digest any ordinary food, they increase the secretory powers of the liver, cleanse the blood, expel all morbid matters, and throw into the circulation the purest elements for sustaining and repairing the frame, and preserving it from unnecessary " wear and tear." These inestimable Pills are especially useful in broken bodily health, where the system is out of order without any assignable cause ; with this knowledge none should trifle with life or health. BIRTHS. BERKELEY,—.On the Ist inst., at Overbury Court, 'Wor cestershire, the Lady Catherine Berkeley, of a daugh ter. GRANT.—On the 31st ult., at Easter Elchies, Craigella chie, the Hon. Mrs. George Grant, of a daughter. PENNANT.—On the 2d inst., at 26, Chesham-place, the wife of George Douglas Pennant, Esq., of a daughter. MARRIAGES. FAUCHEY—TURING. — On the 29th ult., at Rotterdam, Pierre Charles Jean, second son of P. T. M. Fauchey, Esq., of Rotterdam, to Helen Young, daughter of the late Sir T. H. Turing, Bart. HODSON—Honsom—On the Ist inst., at Bury St. Ed mund's, Charles P. Hodson, Esq., of The Chantry, Bishop's Stortford, to Bessie, third daughter of N. S. Hodson, Esq., of the former place. DEATHS. CRAVEN.—On the 2d inst. at Hounslow, Major Craven, of Richardstown, co. Louth, aged 60. DOUGLAS.--On the Ist inst., at Clifton, Marianne, wife of General Sir James Douglas, G.C.B. GOSTLING.—On the 2d inst,, at Montague-square, Captain Gostling, R.N. HOWARD.—On the 31st ult., at Fazgkerly, near Liverpool, John Howard, Esq , R.N., aged 80. SPARKHALL.—On the 2d inst., at 142, Cheapside, Edward Sparkhall, aged 74. SUTTON.—On the Ist inst., at Lee, Kent, Miss R9becca Sutton, aged 82. THAcKiRAY. — On the Ist inst., at nunsdon Rectory, the Rev. R. W. Thackeray, aged 46. --- LONDON : Printed and rublished by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TnE Sun Oltce, No. 112,Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, b cgtuity of blidcfleckex Tgesagy, (AMC f, I 1 I