The Sun. — London, England, 1854-06-09 00:00:00

, T-• M - 0-NEY M A RKE T AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, TWO o'CLOCK. • The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were ,estimated at 7,000 bales, including 1,500 American taken for export and on speculation. The market dosed steadily at previous rates. The sales com prised 5,750 American, 250 Pernam and Maran -4412a at 6cli. to 71d. ; 70 Bahia at ; 400 Egyp tian at 6d. to 94d. ; and 500 Surat at 3d. to 4d. Per lb. Railway shares were flat. Colonial produce has rather tended downwards 41 , value this week. Sugar has been in fuller sup- PLY, coffee in fair request, rice has been dull and dheaper, tallow less active since the early part of the week, and spices have been sold to a moderate beer, at rather irregular prices. Saltpetre has Deer, more inquired for, tea steady, and cotton in demand. Of the silk market, it is stated by Mr. H. W. ziaton that : `` The position of the Silk market, during May, has Varied little from the preceding month, large imports baying continued ; it is, however, satisfactory, that the disposition of importers to meet the trate, alluded to on ,She let u‘timo, has brought buyers forward freely, which 4 aB resulted in the largest deliveries ever known, shippers fully participating. It may be here remarked that the exports of Raw and Thrown Silk, during the first three months of this year, shew an ex cess of nearly 100 per Cent, over the same period of either 1852 or 1853, and which will be con siderably increased by those of April and May. The accounts from Cnina, just received, present no sew feature ; more silk, as was expected, had arrived from the interior (chiefly of the lower descriptions), and Prices at Shanghai are quoted as rather firmer. Nothing tore decided was repor.ed as to the estimated total ex- Ports for the season, but whatever it may be 46,000 bales have been already received. Bengal silk remains Without alteration, the better qualities selling to a mo derate extent although at lower rates, while the com- Cton sorts are still entirely neglected. The shipments from Calcutta, according to the last advices, had fallen clf. In Brutias and Persians there is nothing doing ; the stock of the former is under 100 bales, and of the latter is about 1,500 ballots. In Italians the business has been extremely limited, but fine and good silk both raw and thrown is scarce." The directors of the Carson's Creek Mining Corn- Pany have at length issued a statement to the share holders ; and if the explanations given are not satisfactory, they will at any rate be preferred to that protracted silence which has so long annoyed the proprietors. The directors observe that they had intended at one time to recommend to the shareholders to abandon the enterprise, and we see nothing in their present report that could justify them in deferring a meeting to take the opinion of those interested. There is some excuse, perhaps, in the fact that the agent of the company only return ed to England on the 10th instant, but this did not Prevent the calling of a meeting months since to represent how matters stood. Another proof that this would have been the proper course is, that the directors consider that " the value of the property has not been exaggerated, and that the large pro fits promised to be obtained can be realised." If this can be fairly demonstrated, there would be a satisfaction in letting the shareholders know it. As to winding up, it appears half the capital only can be returned now and whatever the machinery in California realises, will after wards have to be added. Should the undertaking be prosecuted, the directors promise every exertion to realise an early dividend. The shareholders are to sand in their assent to proceeding, or the reverie. In conclusion, we may observe that the report of Mr. Robert Inch, dated in November last as to the probable returns from working the mine, is satis factory. The rate of exchange is telegraphed so high from Paris that dollars are again in demand here, all those received this week by the West India Mail, having been disposed of at ss. lid. Bar•silver is ss. lid. per ounce standard. The funds have been rather lower since the com mencement of business this morning, and trade is comparatively dull. Consols for transfer have been done at 92, and for the opening, ex. dividend, they have been 91k ±, since 91k, and are now 91 to The sudden fall of 2 per cent. at Paris was calculated to have some effect now the market is so sensitive after the rise, but we apprehend the speculators will be shy of operating largely for the fall, and that the market, if it sinks, will do so principally from the contraction of business. The New Three-and-a-Quarter per Cents. have been 92k, and are now 91i. The Three per Cents. have been marked 91i to 1. Bank stock is weaker, having declined to 204/ to 2051. India,stock is at 236. Exchequer-bills are par to 45. premium, and India Bonds par. In the foreign market there is very little doing. Spanish New Deferred Bonds have been 191 ; Mexican, 24; Venezuela, 26 ; being all rather heavier. Russian Five per Cents. keep firm, at 1001. The other stocks are nominally the same as yesterday. There has been some fluctuation in shares this morning, and upon the whole the English lines did not maintain the highest prices of yesterday. The business, however, is not very large. The York and North Midland, Caledonian, Midland, and Lancashire and Yorkshire have been principally dealt in. There have been several transactions in Namur and Liege, at prices more in favour of buyers. The French shares are decidedly lower, owing to the reaction yesterday at Paris. In the Mining Market AguaFria's have declined. Carson's Creek have been done at 55., the amount that can be returned if the company is wound up, exclusive of what may be realised in California. The other gold shares are very heavy. In the Land Companies' there is but little doing. Crystal Palace are firmer. The Joint Stock Bank Shares have been in more request, and at a slight advance. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY.—CLOSING PRICES. ( From the Olicial List. ) Rust n pgs done Bank Stock 3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities 91.1 1 i 3 per Cent Consols Annuities New 31 per Cent. Ar-mities 921 11 i 21 Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860 India Stock India Bonds, £lOOO par Ditto, under £lOOO par Consols for Opening 19th July Exchequer Bills, 24d. £IOOO .000 par 5 p Small 1 5 p Exchequer Bonds Scrip PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY. Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent. 991 Mexican 3 per Cent. Ditto for the Account 24 Russian Bonds, 1822, 5 per Cent. £ St lOOl 991 100 Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent. l9i Swedish 4 per Cent... ..... . ..... . ..... Venezuela Bonds, 31 per Cent. ......... Dividends on the above payable in London. THREE O'CLOCK. Consols for Opening 19th July 911 I a d MANCHESTER RACES. (THIS DAY.) (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) ORDER OF RUNNING. 2.3o—Welter Stakes. 3.ls—Grand Stand Plate. 4.ls—Salford Born' Cup. s.3o—Derby Handicap. 6.15—Tw0-year-old Stakes. ARRIVALS FOR THIS DAY'S RACES. SALFORD BORO' CUP.—Typee, Vanderdecken, Peggy, Evadoe, Octavia, Annie Sutherland, Helena, La Belle, Miss Agnes, Whalebone, Hope, Voucher, Syvagee, f. by Gameboy, Daphne, and Professor Buck. DERBY HANDICAP.—Snowdon Dunhill, Calot, Thalia filly, Octavia, Hazelnut, Lord Lieutenant, f. by Don John out of My Dear, Bonnie Bairn, Black Bess, and Nelly Hill. FOR OTHER RACES.—Vitese' Jack-the•Giant•lCiller, Gold•dust, Timotheug, and the Chick. LATEST BETTING. SALFORD BORO' CUP. 6to 4 agst Typee (taken). 7to 2 agst Helena (taken). 4to 1 agst Vanderdecken (taken). 7to 1 aget La Belle (taken). NORTHUMBERLAND PLATE. 7to 1 agst Early Bird (taken in force). AMERICAN COMMERCIAL APFAIRS.—The commercial accounts from New York this week are more satisfactory than for some time past. The present steamer has brought 80,0001. in. specie, and shipments to this country are likely to c sntinue, but the arrivals from California had been very ]large. The Governtnert continued to redeem the public debt at the rate of about 50,0001. per week, the term originally fixed for these purchases having been extended for another month. The amounts thus dis bursed by - the Treasury, however, were far below the additions constantly taking place to the 6,000,0001. already locked up in specie on account of surplus re venue. In the stock markets there had been a revival Of activity and a general tendency to recovery. The last accounts Irma California were again uniformly favourable "a regards . the gold production, and there were also better reports of the results of quartz minin in some districts. The Chinese immigration still continued on considerably scale. From Mexico there was no later intelligence of importance, all the last accounts being confused and •contradictory. According to some state- Tents the i nsu . rgent Alvarez bad forced Santa Anna to ay from b e t ore A capu l co , w hil e o th er a nd more reliable r eports t afli rm the it Santa Anna had returned to his capi , after h %ling .crushed the rebellion. )rilliantaff sw l y years ago' n the Ren s )f l o ngitud es. . one is sect tho ship (1$ of o the RO3l an t he ;•uns, •,,, r 6 few days I'. ari s e d from F Loo-giog ro: s, and 3Pb negotiation! establisbniee; a Berlin a nd ;lit to a dot e 't m ade to t!' ars the teg iv In 't b. on. In mnected Wl . Last Yea r ' ; and extrser" 37,8 0 ° , t to the exte rl , general int ose on, are th_;, 3 to the Fel', civil dot debtors MP ; the bil l of the CO , as , Yraphic line!! 5 to r forming aileries ; ell pled with t t b e . lit during 1 Lble sales, $ 1) pence. ue 15e and 70f. 7'l' have conie . ,A tmers inst," f - x , 111 be sen b i s 1. These re d 2;000 1 11 °A atch detaohlo u e o l irba,nces o uo ti on of tP of lishnniev t 311 t orr f r°ll2 says :---, adoptea is assured of 37 ; the - of the F l ' at 5. „ero s and par - 0 Loop New t' ) . . l of Porteroi )reign shy e t th e bu g g of interl; tes since iranto, ge t h o reply to iese Gover ll ; mpathies ity, which 1v ring the P j]RIALIS 15 ~MERlatw yid Prie s t inn ill "" made by t he Shanghai Dp on the 4 t; mg . Two s e ¢' volunteers' d ; Mr. W ir of the 10 56 All quiet on on, ss. 211; 4,000 bal e/ ' 000 ; thrOs ° ' 1 of tea, the lb. Anothl t Shanghai.' )ENHAO' director s Captai n Th o he stoic' stions ao .ed to th° and au no of ad" or nub" articula r 3tB bei n g rt. Th e bed wi t ', Ps" iu Ln such , to sill d by 0° een fur s u ch Lnd th e ,h e cow hat tb e th Std . 11. p er , 0 irorr wity to a tonal , ions 01 y AO" are to hange r [tied to 3'30 ° 1 rraphi c wai l gb rer 11"- LA - W- INTELL - 10ENCE.-(TBIS DAY.) COURT OF EXCHEQUER. (Before Mr. Baron Parke.) A. VALUABLE VEHIOLE-LANGLEY V. HAYNES. This was an action to recover the value of a chaise and harness. Mr. Prontis was for the plaintiff, and Mr. Hawkins far the defendant. It appeared that, some time about the end of March, the defendant, who lives at Barnet, lent a gio , and har ness to a person named Salmon, who described himself as an agent for collecting bad debts. Salmon not re turning the gig, after being for sonic tune questioned, stated that he had left it with the defendant, who keeps a beer-shop in Ferdinand-street, Camden Town, having borrowed 3/. 10s. upon it. The plaintiff then went to the Barnet bench of magistrates to know what steps he should take against Salmon, and they referred him to the magis trate at Marylebone, and they told him he had better consult his lawyer, and he went to Mr. Hall, of Lincoln's-inn, who wrote a letter upon the 24th of April demanding the return of the gig, and upon the following day he followed it up with a writ, not giving the defendant time to make the return. .Upon the day following de fendant drove the gig down to Barnet, but plaintiff being specially told by his solicitor not to receive the vehicle, the consequence was the gig and harness were left in the main road at Barnet, near the defendant's house, much to the amusement of the townsfolk ; but what had finally become of the vehicle did not ap pear, as the last account of it was, that it remained in the road, with a mob around it, it being in a very shat tered condition. The plaintiff, in cross-examination, created much laughter by his description of the origin of the vehicle — he had it made under his own guidance, out of a part of a tilbury, a part of a street cab, and portions of five other different sorts of conveyances ; and finally, he had himself painted it a pea green, and picked it out white. The harness was not less remarkable. It was made up of many, parts, and fitted alike a cart horse and a pony. Plaintiff would not say the value of the property—it was great. He had paid as much as 7/. for some of the al terations. For the defence witnesses were called to prove the very valueless character of the vehicle, and it was con tended that but for the interference of the lawyer, an action would never have been brought for so paltry an affair. The Jury found for the plaintiff 7/. 10s., in addition to 1/. paid into court. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY. Mr. Commissioner Fane was the Commissioner of the day, but the cases were merely for audits and dividends. IN RE BROWN AND COOMBS. These bankrupts were described as of Windsor, bankers, and to-day was appointed for a dividend meet-, ing to wind up the affairs. The commission bears date so far back as 1810. The amount of the dividend will be declared in a few days. MARKET NEWS-(THIS DAY.) CORN EXCHANGE. A very limited quantity of English wheat was received fresh up to our market this morning, and the show of samples of both red and white was small. For all kinds we had a very slow inquiry, at Monday's currency The imports of foreign wheat have exceeded 22,000 qrs. The sale for all kinds was inactive, but we have no change to notice in the quotations. Floating cargoes were neglected. Barley was in fair average supply, and heavy request, at barely stationary prices. There was scarcely any inquiry for malt, yet the quota tions were well supported. We had a very dull sale for oats, owing to the large arrivals from abroad, and prices had a downward tendency. Beans, peas, and flour were a slow sale, on former prices. Wheat. 760 ARRIVALS THIS Barley. Malt. 1:0 3,910 English .. Irish .... Foreign .. oats. Flour. 24 2,050 970 36,770 I,l9osks 22,090 I 5,fi33 I - SMITHFIELD. Our market to-day was very moderately supplied with beasts, the general quality of which was inferior. All breeds were in fair request, at Monday's currency. Sheep, the supply of which was tolerably good, were steady, at very full prices. Prime old Downs sold readily at 5s per Blbs. There was_ a slight improvement in the inquiry for lamb. In some instances prices had an upward tendency. Calves were steady, at full currencies. In pigs very little was doing. Mulch cows sold slowly, at from 141. to 191. Os each, in cluding their small calf. Per Sibs to sink the offals. s. d. s. d. , Inferior Beasts.... 3 6to 3 Second quality.... 3 10 4 2 Prime large oxen 4 4 4 8, Prime Scots, tire. 410 5 0, Inferior Sheep ...3 6 3 8 1 Second quality ...3 10 4 2 1 Prime crse.-wlled.4 4 4 6, Lambs TOTAL SUPPLY. Beasts .................. 960 Sheep .•• .• .. ••••.. .... 5,800 Calves , ..... ............ 330 s. d. s. d. Prime Southdown 4 8 5 0 Large eras. calves 4 2 410 Prime small d 0... 5 0 5 4 Large hogs 3 0 4 2 Small porkers 4 4 4 8 Suckliugealves ..22 0 29 0 t Quarter old pigs 21 0 27 0 4s 10d to 6s Od. FOREIGN SUPPLY. Beasts.. ........ . 210 Sheep ...... . ..... 440 287 ...• .... • NEWOATE AND LEADENHALL. The general demand ruled steady to-day, at the following quotations : Per 81bs by the carcase. s. d. s. d. s. d. 0. d. Beef, inferior 3 2 3 6 Mutton, Inferior 3 2 3 6 Do., middling 3 8 310 Do., middling 3 8 4 4 Do., prime large .4 0 4 2 Do., prime 4 6 4 8 Do., do. 5ma11....4 2 4 4 Veal 3 8 4 10 Pork, largo_ 3 6 4 4 Pork, small 4 4 4 8 _ Lamb * 4s Bcl to 5s 101 BOROUGH HOP. Our market is very scantily supplied with fine hops, for which the demand is steady, at fully the late advance in the quotations. All other kinds are quite as dear as last week. Duty 130,0001. The plantation accounts continue unfavourable. This week's imports are 36 bales from Hamburg, and 12 from Antwerp. The quotations are as follows :—Mid and East Kent pockets, 6/. 6s to 91. 93 ' • Weald of Kent ditto, 71. lOs to 9/. Os ; Sussex ditto, 6/. lOs to 81. 8s per cwt. COLONIAL. SUGAR.—West India has been taken freely at a slight decline, caused by the presinre of large quantities of Mau ritius on the market. Barbadoes sold at 32s 6d to 383 for low heavy to fine bright yellow, at 39s for fine, and at 35s to 39s 6d for grainy. Crystalised Demerara found buyers at 34s 6d to 39s for low yellow to good grey, Grenada at 32s 6d to 34s for low to mid yellow, and. Jamaica at 34s 6d to 35s for mid yellow. EAST INDlA.—Mauritius has generally declined about 6d per cwt., except on the strong and good grocery quali ties, low to fine brown selling at 28s to 32s 6d, low to good yellow and grey at 32s 6d to 37s 6d, fine bright pale yellow at 40s, grainy yellow at 36s 6d to 403 6d, and white at 41s to 42s 6d per cwt. Madras at auction was taken in. Fo reign—White Havannah brought 25s to 25s 6d for fine. Refined has been dull, brown lumps at 46s 6d, and grocery at 47s to 51s for low to fine. COFFElL—Plantation has realised full rates, very ord selling at 42s 6d, good ord at 43s to 43s 6d, low mid and ord at 55s to 595, peaberry at 60s to 643 6(1, and triage at 45s to 52s 6(1 per cwt. Native has been inquired for at rather firmer prices; good ord went at 43s to 43s 3d. Rio was likewise at 42s to 48s for ord and fine, and Bahia partly sold at 43a to 50s for ord mixed to fine ord colory. St. Domingo realised 42s 6d to 44s 6d for good and fine ord. Mocha has been steady, mid short berry at 395, and fine long berry at 70s to 75s per cwt. COCOA.—West India has been held for full value. RICE. —White Bengal is rather cheaper for the better sorts. Good Para was taken in at 9s per cwt. Madras pinkey went at 12s per cwt. Prices generally are 3d to Gd lower for the fine sorts. SPICES.—Rates have been irregular. Black pepper has advanced id per lb, and white is Ad lower. Cloves have been firm, mace rather cheaper, and nutmegs have declined ld to 2d, except for the bold kinds. TEA. —Common congou has been at lid per lb, with a fair business doing. COTTON.—This article has been at full rates, with large purchases. SALTPETRE.—There has been more disposition to buy. Bengal, 3A per cent. refraction, sold at 37s Gd privately, and at 37s for good 4/, and 35s for mid, 12/ per cent. re fraction. COCHINEAL.—The market has been steady. TALLOW.—This article is firm. P.Y.C. is 62a 9d to 63s per cwt on the spot. GREEN FRUIT.— A good demand exists for all kinds. Oranges have further advanced 3s to 4s per box. A par cel, per Madrid steamer, sold by Keeling and Hurst at public sale, fully maintained the improvement. Nuts of all kinds higher. No sellers of Barcelona under 47s per bag. The letters from Lisbon, under date of the 27th ult., stat , 3--" The appearance of the vines so far is good, with a great show of fruit ; but in some districts the disease has made its havoc by already withering the young branches. Should it extend, the vines may be reduced to the same state as last season." LLOYD'S SHIPPING-(THIS DAY•) QUARANTINE NOTICE. OPORTO, June 3.—lt is reported that the order from the Board of H e alth declaring Cawintra and Vienna suspected ports, has been annulled, but no official communication to that effect has yet appeared. LONDON, June 9.—Wind this day at Noon, N.W.; light breeze, and cloudy. PLYMOUTH, June B.—Wind, S.W. Sailed—William Broomham, for Quebec. FALMOUTH, June B.—Wind, variable. Sailed—North Britain, for Quebec. GRIMSBY, June I.—Wind, E.N.E. Sailed—H.M.'s steamer Cuckoo, to the Baltic. LIVERPOOL, June B.—The Ariadne, which arrived at Valparaiso in April, from Port Philip, was iu contact, on the 16th, during a heavy Norther, with the Susan S. Fitz gerald, and sustained damag to her stern. A barque, supposed to be the Achilles, of Sunderland, and another vessel, have been wi ecked at Moosepecca Beach. CUXHAVEN, June 4.—The following vessels were spoken by the Stadt Altona, arrived here :—The Flora, with 3,000 seals ; the Kleime Heinrich, 2,900 seals ; Jungfrau Lucia, 1,000 seals ; and the Junge Conrad, with 1,200 seals. TRIESTE, June 7.—(Per Elec. Tel.)—The Mary Shen herd, from London to Shanghai, ban been destroyed by fire iu St. Beanardo Straits. The Dumfries, from Shanghai to England, was lost at Perendore Island, May 31. IQ (2Y ELECTR LITER T P E O LE OL G , RA F P r Iit id O ay, 10.30 a.m. Wind, N.N.W. ; strong breeze, and fine. Arrived—Eingende Jacob, from Dantssic ; Eclipse, from Ostend. Sailed—Compromise, for New York ; and Scotia, for Baltimore. (BY SUBMARINE AND EUROPEAN TRYJEGRAPIT.) GRAVESEND, Fritlay, 10.0 a.m. Wind, N.W. by W. ; tide, half flood ; weather cloudy. Arrived, Bth—Lord John Russell (s), from Harlingen ; E. A. Cochrane, Havannah. Arrived, 9th—Lizzie Loud, from C trdenas ; City of Boulogne (s), Boulogne. Sailed—Santos, for Bilboa; City of L o ndon (s), for Dunkirk. LONDON, PRIDAIt EVENI I TUE Spri IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY.) MINISTER OF WAR. On the motion for going into committee of supply, Lord J. RUSSELL rose and said—Sir, in moving that you leave the chair, I will give an answer to the question which the honourable member for Montrose addressed to mu before the recess with respect to the administration of the affairs of the army, I imagine that there are two questions upon this subject which engage the attention of the house—the one is the question of giving more imme diate vigour and efficiency to the war department, and the other relates to the arrangements to be made respecting the administration of all the variousdepartments connected with military affairs. Now, sir, with regard to the first point, namely, the more efficient administration of mili tary affairs in s time of war—it is, I think to be collected from the general feeling, and it is the opinion of her Ma jesty's Government, that a Minister having the charge of the Colonial departnaenti bearing in mind the manner in which the business of that department has increased since the last war, is both physically and morally unable to give the affairs of the war department that great amount of attention, time, and labour which those affairs in time of war absolutely require. (Hear, hear.) It is, therefore the opinion of her Majesty's Government that the affairs of the War Department, instead of being united to the ad ministration of the Colonies, as they at present are,should be separated from it. The next question regards the ad ministration of the various departments which are con nected with military affairs. The house is aware that these departments are several in number, and it knows, likewise, that one of the principal Secretaries of State, as Secretary of State for the War Department, takes the Queen's pleasure with respect to the amount of forces to be kept up for the year—takes the Queen's pleasure, also, with regard to any considerable aug mentation to be made, and generally takes from her Ma jesty by those directions which the military affairs of this country are regulated. The Secretary at War administers the financial affairs of the army ; the Board of Ordnance has, in the first place, the management of the artillery and the engineers, but it has likewise various other duties to perform which from time to time have been added to it; the commissariat is a department by itself, and its duties are well known ; and there are vario'ss other departments which are more or less concerned in the military affairs of the country. Now, air, in the year 1831.-32 there 'was a committee of the Government appointed, of which the Duke of Richmond was the head, and of which I had the honour' of being a member, and that committee was of opinion that there should be a general board, which should have the affairs of the army under its control, but divided inteAlifferetit apartments—one to lodge the army, another to clothe the army, a third to feed the army, a fourth to furnish arms; and so on. Somewhat later a commission was appointed, of which Earl Grey, who was then Secre tary of War, was the head, and of which, also, I had the hdeour of being a member, and that commission was of opinion-Lat le - ast, Earl Grey suggested, and the members of the commission concurred in the recommendation—that there should be greater concentration of departments, and that the Secretary at War should exercise many of the functions which are now discharged by the Secretary of State. The plan which I have first mentioned did not meet with the approbation, if I recollect right, of Earl Grey, who was then at the head of the Government, and it certainly was not persevered in any farther. The second plan was laid before the Duke of Wellington, who stated to Lord Melbourne, the First Minister of the Crown, such grave and, I think, such reasonable objections to the placing in the hands of the Secretary at War a con trol which properly belonged to one of her Majesty's Secretaries of State, that the plan likewise was not pro ceeded with.. Sir, under these circumstances, her Ma jesty's Government are of opinion that the best thing to be done for the present would be to confine ouraelves.to the change of making a separate Secretary of State for the War Department, confiding to him a superintendence over all those matters which fall under the administration of mili tary affairs in time of war. Having been a member of both commissions, I have no hesitation in saying that I was not at' all satisfied, after hearing the objections of Earl Grey and the Duke of Wellington, that either of the proposed plans would have ensured the efficient and complete work ing of all the vat ions departments connected with military affairs in this country. But a Secretary of State would have these departments under his immediate superinten dence. He would have the control of the whole , of them, and could say from time to time what improvements ought to be introduced, and could either introduce these improve medts'singly, or prepare some plan to be afterwards sub mitted to the consideration of the Government as a more general reform of the various military departments. This, I think, is all that it would be advisable at the present moment to attempt. To introduce greater changes—to derange and put into a state of confusion all those various departments at a time when we have but lately entered into a war—would, in my opinion, be a very rash and dangerous undertaking. I have been told, with respect to the most beneficial change which was made by my right honourable friend the present First Lord of the Admiralty, when he abolished the Navy Board more than twenty years ago, that it took upwards of two years before that alteration could be made so as to ensure the harmonious working of the new system. If that bo so, it is obvious you cannot adopt in the first instance an entire plan, with out the risk of producing probably a great deal more con fusion than at the present time, instead of ensuring that harmony and unity which are so much desired. There are certain principles which I think should guide us with respect to this subject. It is easy to say " Unite the various departments." But while there is the greatest benefit in having one head which can control departments and branches of the same kind of service, there very often will be great disadvantage in uniting in one department what ought to be divided amongst several.. The progress which has been made in society in general has been a progress made, not by uniting, but by separat ing different mechanical arts and manufactures which in early times were united together. Is it not the same with regard to the immediate suoject under our notice? If we were to desire the infantry to do the work of the cavalry, and the cavalry to be as complete as the artillery, that, evidently, instead of improvement, would rather produce disorganisation, and prevent the efficient working of those different branches. At the same time, everybody sees that it is unfit that the commander of the cavalry should have a separate command, or that the commander of the artillery should have his own mode of conducting operations, and that it is desirable all should be under one head and one commander. With respect to certain things unity is de sirable. With respect to others, separation i- the best way of attaining that end. It appears to the Government better to allow the Secretary of State, who is placed at the head of this department to consider from time to time what is the best arrangement, and how improvements can be in troduced. It certainly appears that there are defects, which have been pointed out by my honourable friend the member for Montrose; and by others, in the other as well as in this house, and no doubt very considerable improve ments can be made. (Hear, hear.) There is one change, however, which I must say I do not think we can consider in the light of an improvement — that the patronage exer cised by the Commander-in-Chief, without political consi derations should be abolished. (Hear.) I do not think that would be likely to give satisfaction to the public. It seems to me far better that the patronage should continue to be exercised as for a long series of years it has been and is now exercised, having regard to the benefit of the army, totally apart from any considerations of which party is in power or in opposition. (Hear, hear.) These are the only re marks which I wish to make on this subject. It will not be necessary to have recourse to Parliament for any bill to separate the departments of war and the colonies. That can bo effected nearly in the same manner as the Home Department was separated from that of War and the Colonies. There wilt be, of course, some increased ex penses ; but the establishment now found to be sufficient for both departments will be nearly sufficient for them when separated. An estimate will be proposed for defray ing the charges of the Secretary of State for the War De partment ; and the'Secretary of State for the War Depart ment, having his undivided attention given to the affairs of that department—never more important than at the pre scut moment, or requiring more vigour and decision—will be able to serve his country in the manner it deserves. Mr. HUME was glee to find her Majesty's Government had made a beginning, but hoped they would lay on the table some more definite plan. He was one who agreed with the noble lord in thinking that individuals should be placed in a situation to perform separate duties, but united at the same time under one command. He never contem plated altering the powers of the Commander-in-Chief with respect to patronage. What he desired to see was one head —a member of her Majesty's Government—who should have the opportunity of being consulted upon all orders that were given. Ho wished to see the artillery form part of the army, and no longer be a strange body, unknown to the Comman der-in-Chief. He wished to .see men of experience ap pointed as aides-de-camp, to perform those most important duties, instead of young men of two or three years' standing in the army who were entirely incapable. The ar rangements he desired were arrangements which would not weaken but give strength to all operations. Although ho considered the Treasury ought to check and control all de partments, he thought it anomalous that the Treasury should have the management of that most important of all services in the field -the commissariat. There should also be some]arrangement with regard to stores. He did not wish to blame the Government, but while the manner in which the artillery and troops had been conveyed to the East was highly creditable to the country, it, was utterly impossible there could be that efficiency which under a proper system might have been obtained. He was not dis satisfied with what was now proposed, but ho wanted a little more to be done, and the sooner it was done the better. (Hear.) They did not know how long the war would continue, and they ought to be prepared at all points, for now that the country had entered upon war they had a rigtst to expect operations would be conducted with the greatest efficiency. Unless, therefore, the noble lord laid upon the table a programme of what would be united and what separated, so as to promote efficiency in the different departments. it was impossible the house would be satisfied or disposed to vote any money. He wished to ask whether it was correct that orders had been given for altering the clothing of the army, and whether an y arrangetnent had been made for separating the Ord nance Department from the artillery? Mr. E. ELLICE said it would be very unfair to his noble friend, who had announced this late change, if they were to mingle with their congratulations any observations which might seem to detract from the expediency of the measure just announ ced. At the same time, lest general assent might hereafter be taken to imply entire approval of that measure, he must say for himself his noble friend's state ment had fallen far short of satisfying him with respect to the arrangements which were about to take place. He wished to correct one statement of his noble friend. He was also a member of the commission of 1831, and neither he nor Sir James Kemp concurred in the report which was suede to the Government ; and he very much doubted whe ther his noble friend himself approved of it—at least, that was his impression at the time. What was required with respect to our military establishments was, that there should be one head responsible to this house for the expen diture. He quite concurred with his noble friend in think ing that it was the last thing to be desired that any politi cal influence should be exercised with respect to the pa tronage of the army, and he should be very sorry to see the discretion of the Commander-in-Chief interfered with same recommendationstime it had were always madeoc- to the Crown should be in some respect under the advice c b u y u p e o c lit t i o ca h l im pa lh ti a e t s and control of • the Go ve r nment of the day. There were N ; V h a a t t e t v h e e r various questions about patronage and promotions in the army, which should be en tirel y controlled by a Minister responsible to this house for the ex p enditure of theat my. He would not trouble the house with a history of the ano malies on this subject, such as the Secretary-at-War being made responsible for departments over which he had no control. What he submitted was, there should be one superbatending authbrity to control the partici havitg the management of different details. If it was intended that the new Secretary of State should only be employed in time of war, then, indeed, they would have made very little progress in improving their military administration. If it was intended to be a permanent office, not only to transact all affairs connected with military operations, but to conduct and he responsible for the whole military admi nistration of the country, thou he could see no reason why that Secretary of St ate should not be responsible for the whole administration, whether by the Master of the Ordnance, the Commissary-General, the barrack-master, or the officer who supplied the clothing. What he wanted was, all those parties responsible to the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State responsible to the House of Commons, so that the control of the House of Commons should be much greater Over the military expenditure, for which they had to call upon the people to submit to taxation. (Hear.) The com missariat was managed, as he thought, most improperly by the Treasury. (Hear.) But in snaking that statement he would guard himself from being supposed to think that the banking part of the commissariat should not remain with the Treasury. It was essential that the Treasury should control the whole expenditure of the country in every department, and in order to enable them to do that, they must not be undertaking the expenditure in detail of auy one department. What the house appeared to him to deAre, what commissions had all agreed upon, what com mittees had always insisted upon, was that there should be one authority, not to undertake the administration of the various departments, but one authority to which all those variom:s departments could report and refer, and who, being the head of time military administration of the coun try, should be responsible to that house. (Hear.) He quite agreed with the noble lord that they ought not to act hastily, without duo caution, without due preparation. If the secretary of State now appointed was to have the power by degrees, as lie saw expedient for the benefit of the public service, to bring into subjection to his own de partment such details of the administration as appeared to him might be better managed under such control, then he should be perfectly satisfied ; but if, on the other hand, it was intended for carrying on operations during the war, to appoint only a temporary officer (because he hoped they might look - forward some time or other to the re-establish ment of peace), then he did not think the country would be satisfied with this change. (Cheers.) Mr. RICH observed that the Froposal of the noble lord had met with such general assent that it would be unne cessary for him to move the resolution of which he had given notice, declaring that the several departments for the administration of the army required to be consolidated, economised, and simplified. He knew no possible ground why the commissariat should be connected with the Trea sury, and it was a notorious fact that it was the most ex pensive and ill-conducted of all the public departments. He rejoiced at the change which the noble lord had inti mated, and which the house had so well received, and he was prepared to give it every support. Colonel DUNNE considered that much would depend upon who was to be the Minister. (Hear, hear.) He should wish him to be a military man, but he supposed a Minister of the Crown who was also a member of the mi- litary profession could not always be found. He did not think the army had been sent to Turkey so efficiently as the country had a right to expect, and the commissariat was extremely faulty, and ho believed at the moment the troops were moving on Varna they had no guns larger than 6-pounders, the heavy artillery having only just left Wool- wich. Mr. M. GIBSON asked whether the new Secretary of State would sit in the House of Commons ? Lord J. RUSSELL was understood to say that two Se cretaries of State would always sit in the House of Com mons, and that the Secretary of War would be competent to sit there. Mr. M. GIBSON—Is it to be understood that the new Secretary of State is to sit in the house of Commons? (A laugh, in which Lord John Russell joined, but made no answer). Mr. HumE rose, but The SPEAKS said the hon. member had already spoken, Mr. HUME said it was a new question. He had spoken on the order fur going into committee of supply being read, but not on the motion that the Speaker do leave the chair. (Calls of "Order.") The SPEAKER said —According to rule, the order was read by the clerk at the table, and no objection being made, the noble lord moved that I now leave the chair, and on that question the hon. member has spoken. (Hear.) Mr. W. 'WILLIAMS regretted that his hon. friend had not had an opportunity of addressing the house, as he be lieved it had been his intention to have moved that these estimatea be referred to a select committee. The increase which hail taken plale in their amount within the last few years was a matter which deserved the ser ious considora- tion of the house. The question was then put and agreed to, and tho house went into committee, Mr. Bouverie in the chair. SUPPLY. On the motion that a sum of 135,8631. be granted to her Majesty to defray the expenses of the royal palaces and public buildings, Mr. WISE inquired whether the painting of the eat h o a n d e work of the cast front of Buckingham Palace, which certainly disfigured it extremely, had been rendered neces sary by the decayed state of the steno. Sir W. MOLESWORTH said a great number of public buildings had suffered from the wet and frost of the last season. Buckingham Palace was amongst the number ; and in order to preserve the stone work it had been found necessary to paint it. Mr. HWIE considered this no answer to the question. When public money was voted, it was the duty of some department to see that it was properly expended, and that proper materials were used. When the new Houses of Parliament were to be built, an inquiry had been instituted into the relative durability and costs of different descrip tions of stone, and it had been ascertained that stone from Normandy, such as that of which Henry Vll.'s Chapel was built, and the capability of which to stand the weather had been amply tested, could be got at as cheap a rate as any in England. Lord SEYMOUR bore testimony to the immense diffi culty of procuring such atone as would stand the London atmosphere. There was scarcely a stone building in the metropolis which had not had to be renewed, and when he was at the Board of Works, and the question of enlarging Buckingham Palace was under consideration, he had been assured by the scientific and practical men whom he had consulted that the only way of obtaining a stone which which would resist the influence of the atmosphere was to have a competent authority at the quarry to examine and mark every stone, and to allow no stone to be used which had not the mark of that authority upon it. Mr. WILLIAMS saw that the vote included a sum of 2,0001., for replacing the present decayed farm buildings in Windsor-park. He presumed that these were the buildings in the occupation of his Royal Highness Prince Albert ; and he thought that if his royal highness paid neither rent nor taxes, the cost of keeping such buildings in repair ought not to be paid by the public. He objected also to the public being charged as they were in these estimates, with the expenses of the offices and st iff of the ecclesiasti cal and tithe commissions. Such charges were most unjust, considering the immense property of the Church. Mr. WILSON said his Royal Highness Prince Albert paid for the farms which he occupied the same rent as would be charged to any ordinary tenant, and the amount of that rent was carried to the public credit. His royal highness, it was well known, was a great improver, and had carried " high farming" to a point of great perfection ; but whenever he had proposed substantial or permanent improvements, and those improvements had been carried out, they had been paid for in the same way as they would have been in any other case, one half by the Crown, as landlord, and the other half by his royal high ness, as tenant. (Hear, hear.) He thought that, upon the whole, they were rather more strict in dealing with his royal highness, than they were with an ordinary tenant. With reference to the other observations which the honour. able gentleman had made, ho could only say that if com missions were appointed for important public purposes, they must be provided with offices, and those offices must be furnished. Mr. SPOONER inquired what was the number of acres which his Royal Highness Prince Albert occupied, and in respect of which this 2,0001. was to be expended Lord SEYMOUR, said, as the arrangement with his Royal Highness was made when he was at the Board of Works, he might perhaps be permitted to explain that, with respect to the farms which Prince Albert occupied and farmed, he w.B treated in precisely the same way as any ordinary tenant of the Crown . but that with respect to the dairy farm, that was considered an appendage to the castle, which ought as much to be kept up us the kitchen or any other part of her Majesty's establishment. (Hear, hear.) He imagined that thi s 2,0001. was required in order to care y out a plan which was in contemplation when he was in office, for putting the buildings on the dairy farm into suitable condition. Their state was cer tainly not such as any nobleman would like the buildings on his own dairy farm to be in. Sir W. MOLES WORTH assented to the accuracy of Lord Seymour's explanation, and said that this sum of 2,000/. which was now asked for was required for the purpose of completing the new farm buildings on the dairy farm. Mr. SPOONER quite agreed with the noble lord that the dairy farm was an appendage to the castle, and had no objection whatever to its being made as perfect as possible, but the explanation just offered differed very materially from that which had been before given by the Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. WILSON said the explanation was this. Improve ments on the dairy farm were paid for wholly by the public; on the other farms his Royal Highness paid ono , half, as any other tenant would do, and the public paid the other. Mr. HUME advocated the reference of the estimates to a select committee as the only effectual means of bringir g them into a satisfactory state. However, taking this vote as it was, he found a charge of 5951. for the military knights' houses at Windsor Castle, although it was stated that there were several thousand pounds which ought to be applicable to that purpose ; a charge of 4,9641. for lia bilities incurred under the act 11 and 12 Victoria, for im proving the approaches to the castle and town of Windsor, although no less a sum than 85,000/. had been paid by two railway companies, which ought to be available for car rying into effect the provisions of that act ; charges for the British Museum and for the Royal Mint, although there was a separate vote for each to be afterwards proposed ; and no less than 20,158/. fur the rent of houses occupied as public offices, although there was a piece of ground in Downing-street which had remained unoccupied for years, and upon which, with other property adjoining, for which au estimate had been obtained, he believed that buildings might have been erected at a very moderate expense, ac cording to a plan which had been laid upon the table of the house, and all the different departments of public business have been brought together under one roof. Sir W. MOLESWORTH explained that of the 4,9641, proposed to be paid in discharge of liabilities at Windsor, the first vote of 2,661/. was mainly for professional services performed antecedently to the passing of the act ; the other sum of 2,010/. was required to put the roads in proper order before the charge of obtaining them could be trans fermi to the respective parishes, and, he believed, would he the last sum that would be asked for that purpose. Ho quite agreed with his hon. friend that the private houses which were rented by the Government and used as public offices were unfit places for the purpose, and that great advantage would result from bringing the different de partments together into one suitable building. Ho had caused plans to be prepared, and (so we understood) should be happy to propose that they should be acted on, if he could prevail upon the Chancellor of the Exchequer to sanction the necessary expenditure. Lord SEYMOUR thought, as the expense, of the Post office and Custom-house establishments were for the future to be the subject of vote, it would have been well if the amounts required by those establishments for the repair of their public buildings had been included in the present vote. He had heard with great pleasure the opinion ex pressed by his right hon. friend against the occupation of private houses as public offices, for he felt that such places were not only most inconvenient, but that they in volved the employment of a large number of persons as messengers and doorkeepers, and in other subordinate ca pacities, whose services might easily be dispensed with, if the various public offices were grouped together and Gi ) JTYN'E u 1854. brought under one roof. The arrangement, therefore, would lead to a considerable saving of expense. Mr. WILSON explained that, the bill for effecting the proposed change in the revenue departments not having yet become law, the votes for repairs in those departments could not be included in the estimates which were now before the house. Next year the course suggested by the noble lord would be adopted. Mr. HUME said that in the Civil-list 10,000/. were al lowed for royal gardens. Now iu the present votes he ob served au item of 1,656/. for royal kitchen gardens, forcing houses, buildings; &c. Ho wished to have sonic explana tion on this item. Sir W. MOLESWORTH said the outlay was for the royal kitchen garden at Frogmore, and included iron en trances and fences, and repairs of forcing houses. Mr. WISE wished to call the attention of the right hon. baronet to the charges for the residence of the British am bassador at Paris. There was a charge of upwards of 600/. for water and other services. Last year the sum voted for the repairs of the embassy was 5,8201., and a further sum of 3,3931. was about to be proposed. He thought some explanation of the first item was necessary. Then with respect to Marlborough-house there were three items—one of 2,2761. for general and ordinary expenses, and another under the head of " rents," &c. He did not at all under stand that item, inasmuch as he understood the Crown had consented to the occupation. He thought it would be desirable in future to place those items together, and not under different heads. Sir W. MOLESWORTH said the first amount alluded to with respect to the ambassador's house at Paris, in cluded the ordinary rates and other services at the em bassy. The other charge was for setting the house in proper order. Mr. WILSON said the item under the head " rents," &c., relating to Marbororough-house, included charges made up from that and a great number of other houses. Mr. PELLATT said he objected to the charge on ac count of the British Museum, inasmuch as the public had not the full advantage of the benefits of that institution, being admitted only three days a week. It was said that the other days were appropriated to students, but the attendance was very small. On one occasion when he called there were not more than 12 present, and the books of attendance did not show the average to be more than 24. Mr. GOULBURN said that it had been the opinion of the house that it would be for the advantage of the public to allow students the opportunity undisturbed of copying the fine specimens of ancient art, and it would be impos sible for them to pursue their studies in the presence of 40,000 or 50,000 persons. Mr. EWART said it was most, desirable to allow the public the opportunity of studying the works of the ancient masters. A great many of the drawings could only be seen by a restricted number of persons, but this inconvenience might be remedied by placing the drawings under glass so as to protect them from injury. Mr. GOULBURN said that wish had frequently been expressed before, and the trustees some time ago prepared two rooms for the purpose, but the arrival of the Assyrian antiquities had rendered it necessary to chang e the plan. He trusted the trustees would be able to mak e some ar rangements to accomplish the objects alluded to by the hon. member. Mr. PELLATT said if it was necessary to sot apart days for students in the statuary department, ho did not see why the public could not be admitted to the other rooms during rive (lays out of the six. Mr. GOULB URN said the hon. member should recollect that au establishment like the British Museum required to be cleaned and kept iu proper order. The vote was then agreed to. The next vote was 19,4371., for the completion of the south wing of Buckingham Palace. Mr. HUAIE said that something like a million and a half had been expended on Buckingham Palace, and he should like to know if this was to be the last vote on account of that building? Sir W. MOLESWORTH said the sum now asked for was a portion of a former vote, and he hoped it would in clude all that was necessary to be done to that building. The vote was then agreed to. The next vote proposed was 66,535 for maintaining and keeping in repair the walls, keepers' lodges, and other build ings, fences, roads, rides, drives, footpaths, &c., in the several royal parks, pleasure gardens, &c. Mr. E WART said the public had the advantage of ad mission to Bushy park and gardens ; but there was a large park connected with Hampton-court grounds called the Home-park, to which the public were not admitted. He could see no reason for their exclusion. He wished to sug gest to the right hon. baronet the restoration of the ancient fountain in Bushy-park. Sir W. MOLESWORTH said, with regard to the park . alluded to by the honourable member, there were certain rights of the ranger recognised by statute, and he did not see how they could be controverted. Ho would, however, consider if anything could be done in the matter. He be lieved the restoration of the fountain would be attended with considerable expense. Mr. KINNAIRD trusted that on the appointment of the new ranger an entrance to the park would be secured to the public. Mr. HUME wished to know where the receipts for the Home-park went to ? Sir W. MOLES WORTH said the receipts from the va rious parks, amounting to 5,220/ ., were paid into the Con solidated Fund. moneyH lj M was k ° vo u t e t e a nded eught that to aeblel thrownt ho par ks for w open to to hi the h p pub licu b lie. (Hear, hear.) The opening of the parks had been at tended with the greatest advantage to the public ; and to show the interest felt on the subject, he might state that, during the last year, the number of visitors to Kew-gar dens was 381,210. Ho trusted before long to see all the public places thrown open on Sundays. (Hear, hear.) Sir G. PECHELL said that nothing could be more de corous than the conduct of the visitors on all occasions. When he found last year au item of 1,2001. for Bushy Park, and this year an item of 1,9001. he was in hopes that something was going on. He trusted that the foun tain would be restored, and believed it had fallen into ' decay only through the negligence of the department over which the right honourable baronet now presided. Mr. W. WILLIAMS called the attention of the com mittee to the large sum of 13,8661. for keeping St. James's Park, the Green Park. and Hyde Park in repair. He wished to know whether of the sum of 66,5451. for the royal parks and pleasure garden's no portion was taken from the Crown lands? Mr. WILSON said there was a large increase in the civil service estimates from year to year, but there was a constant process going on of paying into the Consolidated Fund the revenues and fees which had in former years been expended on the parks. With regard to this vote, every source of income was paid into the Exchequer, and every portion of the expense was vote(' by the house. (Hear. Sir W. MOLESWORTH said the increased expense for the parks arose from the increase in the price of materials and labour. It was necessary to employ a considerable number of officers for the preservation of order. (Hear.) Mr. EWART complained that large quantities of gravel had been dug up in different parts of Hyde-park, and that the excavations had been filled up with mud and other re fuse, thereby causing c)mplete swamps. He trusted the right hon. baronet would put a stop to such a course of proceeding. Lord R. GROSVENOR trusted the right hon. baronet would turn his attention to the subject of the fountain at Bushy-park. A work like that ought not to be destroyed for want of sufficient repairs. In reply to a question by Mr. HUME, Sir W. MOLESWORTtI said that a portion of the sum of 1,3661. for Greenwich•park was required for improvement. Sir G. PECHELL said the right hon. gentleman had taken no notice of the suggestion respecting the fountain. Sir W. AIOLESWORTH said he understood the repairs would cost a very considerable sum, but he would take care to have another estimate made. (Hear.) Mr. W. WILLIAMS said her Majesty had consented to allow carriages to pass from Pall-mall through St. James's park, and he thought it would be a groat convenience to the public if cabs were allowed the same privilege. In answer to a question by Mr. SPOONER, Sir W. MOLES WORTH said that the sum of 7531. for Kennington-common included the expense of providing shrubs, plants, &c., and for laying out the park. The vote was then agreed to. On the vote of 141,2941. for the expense of works at the New Houses of Parliament, _ _ _ Mr. W. PATTEN inquired whether any settlement had been come to with Sir Charles Barry, for superintending the works at the Houses of Parliament 7 Mr. WILSON said that the whole circumstances of the case had been gone into, and the Treasury had come to a conclusion as to what would be a fair amount of remune ration. A communication had been made to Sir Charles Barry on the subject, but he demurred, and there the matter stood at present. He understood that Sir Charles Barry was preparing a statement in support of his own views. Mr. HUME hoped the Government would not consent to pay Sir Charles Barry anything until the accounts were made up. (Hear,. hear.) Before a stone was 1 id the com mittee, over which Sir Peel presided, came to the con clusion that 25,0001. should be paid in the shape of remu neration, in order to remove any inducement to increase the estimated expenditure, and each of the gentlemen who sent in plans was furnikihed with a copy of that decision. Mr. J. W. PATTEN inquired what sum had been paid to Sir Charles Barry ? Mr. WILSON said that, speaking from recollection, be belived about 40,0001. The original estimate for the works, included in which Sir Charles Barry was, as arranged by Lord Besborough, to receive 25,000 i., was 600,0001. or 700,0001. Upon the adilitional work, Sir Charles had been paid a commission in a proportion similar to that arranged for upon the original committee. In reply to another question from Mr. PATTEN, Sir W. MOLESWORTH said that all the work was measured up to the end of last year, and he believed that as the work had been completed since, it had been mea sured and paid for. Mr. HUME said that the additional sum paid to Sir Charles Barry had been paid contrary to agreement, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer ought to be called on to re fund it. (A laugh.) He complained that much expense was caused by the arathitect building, and thou pulling down and rebuilding portions of work, and expressed the opinion that the houses of Parliament would not be com pleted in his life-time. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that no blame for anythin ,, which was defective in these arrange ments rested with the executive Government, because to it there had never been given an effectual control over them. Last year a promise vras giv-on that a final estimate should be prepared. That estimate was not yet ready, its pre paration having ho believed. been delayed by the protracted and serious illness of Sir C. Barry. With regard to the sums paid for the reniuneratiou of the ar chitect, the house ,trust bear in mind that it was twenty years since the old douses of Parliament were burned down, and that for not much short of that period Sir Charles Barry had been engaged as the architect of the new houses. It must also be remembered that all that was paid to him was not net pruat, as he had to incur expenses for establishments and assistants a mounting, he (the Chancellor of the Exche quer) cossld not ho certain as to the precise sum, but he bake , ' ed that Sir Charles Barry had in conversation with him told him that it amounted to 1,2001. or 1,r,00/. a year. With ?.respect to undoing of work, it must also be borne in min d that much of this had been done, not at the sug gestior of Sir Charles Barry, but at that of other persons (earth 3ularly of persons connected with the other house), which had put Sir Charles to great inconvenience, and to whiel t ho objected. These alterations had, Sir Charles Barr: f had assured him (the Chancellor of the Exchequer), reach :red it necessary, with regard to a large portion of the striae ture, that he should three times undergo the labour of a e ()replete reconstruction of his design. Mr . Vs ILLIAMS asked upon whom rested the superin tenenince of the expenditare, and called attention to the fact. that Mr. Gurney had expended but SO!. in removing the apparatus of Sir Charles Barry and Dr. Reid for venti. lati ',lig the house, which had cost 240,000/., and had by do . ing so made the house healthy, and effectually veuti la' led it. Lord B. GROSVENOR said that it was not fair to lay to the charge of Sir Charles Barry this expenditure of a qua rter of a million for ventilation, because he had strongly prolLested against the adoption of Dr. Reid'a system. rSoll io of the reconstruction which had been carried ont; r especially that connected with the exterior and interior of that hollse, had been rendered necessary by errors of Sir Charles Barry. He was afraid that even if the houso received a final estimate it would not include all that was to he clone. Something would have to be done with the sow side of Bridge-street„and there was also the quaff tic. 7, f the removal of the courts of law. Sir W. MOLESWORTII explained that the Board of Works was so far responsible for the expenditure that they examined the accounts before they were paid. Not that Board, however, but Sir Charles Barry was responsible for ordering what works should be done. Mr. JOHN PHILLIMORE said it seemed to him to be rather a question of faith than of works. (Oh, oh.) Mr. HUME thought that the house had been in every way imposed upon, and he should oppose the vote being agreed to until the house knew who was responsible. Mr. KINNAIRD inquired whether it was true that Sir C. Barry had been requested to furnish designs for the new bridge at Westminster? Sir W. MOLESWORTH said that the construction of this bridge had been entrusted to the engineer of the Board of Works. Sir C. Barry had kindly given him a design, and would receive payment for some drawings be had made. Mr. A. PELLATT called attention to the estimate for wax candles, and suggested that a cheaper description, such as Price's, or sperm ones, might be used. Mr. DANBY SEYMOIJE, suggested the general substi tution of, gas for candles. Sir W. MOLESWORTH said that when 31r. Gurney thought gas might with advantage be substituted, it would be so. Mr. KINNAIRD thought the estimates unsatisfactory, and should support the hon. member for Montrose in his opposition to this vote. 1 n reply to Mr. LOCKHART, Sir W. MOLES WORTH said that there had been a small fire near one of the gas meters, but it was almost immediately extinguished. Mr. BELL said that he examined the walls upon the terrace walk, with several eminent architects, who were of opinion that these walls were in a very bad condition. Mr. WILSON defended the estimates, which were more detailed than those of any previous year, and were also, for the first time, accompanied by a coloured plan, which was necessary to render them intelligible. Mr. DANBY SEYMOUR said it would be a thousand pities if, in order to save a small sum, the building of the new bridge at Westminster were taken out of the hands of Sir Charles Barry, and if it were built of iron, and not of stone, in conformity with the design of the Houses of Par- lament. Sir W. MOLESWORTH said that he some time ago in quired into the state of the walls, and he was then informed, upon good authority, that the stones were upon the whole good, and there were not more than the ordinary proportion of bad ones among them. He was informed that the contractor employed a person to examine the stone at the quarry, but the atmosphere of London was so bad that, however good the stones used in building might be, some of them were sure to suffer from exposure. Mr. WALPOLE said there seemed to be no control over :he accounts, or over the works connected with the houses of Parliament. Mr. WILSON said the system now adopted was intended to obviate the abuse that had crept in in past years, by which the money voted for a particular portion of the works had been applied to another. The votes were now taken for so much of the plan as could be executed in the year. Mr. HUME considered that in future no public works should be proceeded with until an estimate of the total cost was produced, and then they could determine from year to year what the architect should lay out. He thought the Chancellor of the Exchequer should postpone this vote until an estimate had been prepared of the entire cost of the carcase and of finishing these buildings. Mr. SPOONER asked if the contract that had been en- tared into was regulated by measure and value only, or was to include the entire finishing of the works ? Mr. WILSON said the contract was for measurement, and as the work was (lone it would be measured and paid for. The contract had been entered into under favourable circumstances, and if it were now to be suspended the pub lic interests might suffer. It was impossible to obtain an estimate now of the entire cost of the buildings when they would he completed. Mr. H. HERBERT wished to know whether the new Westminster-bridge was to be constructed of iron or of stone ? It would be a pity to mar the effect of these fine Gothic edifices, which, in • his opinion, were well adapted for the purposes for which they were intended, by the erection of a bridge made of iron, and that wig h the mere view of a paltry saving of expense. Sir W. MOLESWORTH said that this subject bad been brought before the committee which sat last sessi.en, and the committee determined, after much deliberation,, that the bridge should be composed of iron. It would be a handsome structure, and quite congruous with the architec ture of the Houses of Parliament. Sir C. Barry approved of the design, although, no doubt, that gentleman wouh'l have preferred a stone bridge instead of an iron one ' • but a very large sum of money w ou ld b e requ i red to pay for stone bridge, and more than the state of the Bridge Estate Funds would be able to afford. That was the reason why an iron bridge had been decided upon ; and when fi n i s h e d it would, he believed, look remarkably well. It would be very much wider than the existing structure. Mr. FREWEN, as one of the members of the commit tee which sat upon the question of the building of West minster-bridge, confirmed the statement of the First Com missioner of Works as to the inadequacy of the funds of the Bridge Estatis to build a stone bridge, although they would be able to furnish the means for building an iron one. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, with regard to Sir Charles Barry's remuneration which had been alluded to, that it would not be consistent for the Govern ment to give a pledge on that subject in the terms sug gested, and for this reason—that the Government were not yet able to bring to a conclusion what they conceived to be their own duty with respect to Sir Charles Barry. What they said, and what they ought to say, was this—that they would not be responsible to that house for making no pay ment to Sir C. Barry, with respect to which they were not perfectly certain that it would be within any sum which that house would award. Of course they would not commit the house to anything of a doubtful character, or make any issue to Sir C. Barry, excepting that which that house would be likely to sanction. They had not yet arrived at the time for forming a judgment on that subject, and when they had brought the matter as near as they could to a proper train for that purpose, then would be the proper time to recom mend the house to deal with this question. Ho hoped the house would not divide upon this vote, because it referred to a matter of contract with regard to which it would not be well to create a doubt under the circum stances stated by, his hon. friend, and above all, for this reason, that this was not a question of controlling the Ex ecutive Government—the question was about establishing an efficient control, and especially a verity of control ; and for that object, the Executive Government was most de sirous of co-operating with the house. Mr. HUME had heard with satisfaction the first part of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's explanation, but still thought that the vote ought to be allowed to stand over until the house had a plan of all the work that was yet to be done, and an estimate of the total cost. He should, therefore, ask the house to negative this vote if it was per sisted in.l4 Mr. WALPOLE quite agreed that the Government could not postpone a vote with regard to which a contract existed, but believed it possible to prepare a plan and esti mate next year. Mr. HENLEY would support the vote, but thought the time had come when they ought to see what further works were to be sanctioned for these buildings. There need not be much difficulty in making an estimate, as the architect must have made up his mind how high he would carry the two great towers, for instance, and could therefore calcu late how much it would cost to complete them. They had already consented to lessen the headway of the Thames to accommodate Sir C. Barry, and thus seriously injured the navigation of the river; and he, therefore, thought to make it now a question whether the bridge should con sist of iron or of stone, as regarded the effect upon the river, was like straining at the gnat after swallowing the camel. The committee then divided, when the numbers were — For the vote Against it Majority The vote was then agreed to. _ _ The next vote was a sum not exceeding 10,0001. to defray the expenses of additional works and buildings at the Sta tionery office. In reply to a question from Mr. HOME, Mr. WILSON explained that the object of this vote was to enable the Government to consolidate the whole of the enormous mass of printed and unprinted papers in one building, which are now kept in the printer's warehouses at a very heavy cost for rent. By this means the expenses of management would be reduced, and the saving in rent alone would mere than pay the interest upon the proposed outlay. The vote was then agreed to • as was also another vote of 10,0001. for expenses connected with the erection of the general repository for public records in Chancery-lane. The next vote proposed was a sum not exceeding 155,486/. for the works at the new packet harbour and the harbour of refuge at Holyhead. Mr. F. FRENCH called attention to the course which had been adopted by the Chester mid Holyhead Railway Company. Instead of facilitating the communication be tween the two countries, they were doing all they could to throw obstacles in the way, and to drive away all compe tition, so that it would become utterly impossible to get the mails carried at a fair rate. There might be some power, if it were exerted, in the Treasury to have protec tion afforded to passengers, and to encourage the inter course between the countries as much as possible. Mr. WILSON suggested that the discussion of the ques tion could probably be more properly raised when the mo tion of the hon. member for Kerry came on with regard to the packet service. Mr. H. HERBERT considered that the question to which the hon. member for Roscommon had referred had nothing to do with the motion of which he had given notice. Mr. WILSON was of opinion that if the observations of the hon. member for Roscommon had any application whatever, it was to the postal communication and to no thing else. With regard to the arrangement between the Government and this company it was now settled, and was not open to further discussion. Mr. VANCE said that the Chester and Holyhead Com pany had been forgiven a considerable sum, and had made a bad return for it, having refused to facilitate the inter course between Kingstown and London, by adhering to the booking system whi c h was agreed to be tween them and the City of Dublin Company for many years. When it was in the power of the Government to enforce proper regu lations on the part of the Cheste r and Holyhead Com p an y , he tru s t e d th e Government would take the earliest oppor tunity of signifying to them that they had not acted with a proper desire to accommodate the public, Mr. F. SCULLY declared that every individual who came from Ireland complained of the difficulty of the inter course between the two countries, and they should continue to bring forward the question until they teazed the Go vernment into doing what they required. Lord BERNARD thought the statement of the Secre tary of the Treasury was unsatisfactory. The fact was that nothing could be worse than the communication between the two countries, Mr. COWPER denied that it could ever be expected that the Government should take upon themselves to be the car riers of passengers between one part of her Majesty's do minions and another. This was not a question for the house to deal with, and had nothing to do with the vote before the house. All the Government could do was to enter in to a contract for the conveyance of the mails, and that had been efficiently performed. Mr. FREWEN remarked that when the Government boats were employed, the passage was performed quicker than at present. Mr. COWPER observed that two of the packets now running were the identical packets that had been employed by the Government. Mr. MACARTNEY—When they were employed by th Government they went more quickly than at p resent, _be e cause when they got into the possession of a company they did not go beyond a certain speed. Col. DIMIN.E reminded the house that the Irish repro- • , sentatives bed to °ease eser ;4 Per2iat4ZTheit4fh u lators, and until they chose to send them back to Dub to manage their own affairs, they should affeld them the , means of coming over in safety. L 2 * IV: Mr. H. HERBERT was surprised at theetatement of the ' hon member for Hertford, that the Government had never entered into an arrangement for the carrying of passengers. He could show him in the library no less than 18 reports of committees, and 16 reports of commissions, all recog nising the principle of giving the utmost facility for the in tercourse of passengers between the two p:irts of the United Kingdom. He could show him that those reports had been acted upon, and he asked hon. members from Ireland if they did not remember the immense convenience afforded a few years ago by Government vessels to passengers, in, going backward and forward between the two countries. The packets now took a considerably longer period to per form the passage than they did six or seven years ago, and that concomitantly with an improvement of communisa tion all over the world. Mr. COWPER explained that what he stated was, that Government had never made any contracts for the cenvey ance of passengers. When the Government employed packets they had for their object the conveyance of the mails, and the conveyance of passengers was only inci dental. Lord BERNARD thought the house ought to re member that Sir Robert Peel had recommended theta to facilitate the passenger communication with Ireland. Mr. F. FRENCH hoped that, when the motion of the hon. member for Kerry came before the house the Go vernment would be able to say that some satisfactory ar rangement would be adopted. Mr. HUME thought that better accommodation should be provided. Mr. WILLIAMS begged to inquire if the work would be carried out according to the estimate? Sir J. GRAHAM said that it had been found that the ships entering the harbour would be inadequately supplied with accommodation , according to the plan as it originally stood ; and after the experience of last winter it was de termined to enlarge the area, for which an additional out lay would be necessary. Mr. FRENCH said this statement came upon him by surprise, and he hoped sufficient time would be given for the consideration of the additional estimates. Sir J. GRAHAM said the additional estimates would not be laid before Parliament till next year. Mr. FRENCH said he had been assured that the harbour could not be entered at certain times. Sir J. GRAHAM assured the hon. gentleman that in October last he bad himself entered it in a gale of wind. The vote was then agreed to. On the next vote, which was for 237,300/. on account of the exp ense o f con structing harbours of refuge at Dover, the Channel Islands, Harwich, and Portland, Mr. HUME renewed his objections to the expense in curred in these works, and said that the reports of the en gineers in charge of the works ought to accompany the esti mates. Mr. WALPOLE observed that one of the items in this estimate were for the works at Portland. Now the works at Portland were chiefly carried on by convict labour, which was remunerative to the country. The only prisoners who paid the expenses attending them were those at Portland. There were more than 800 convicts confined there, and they paid the country by their labour upon public works, by which the country profited. He wished therefore to impress upon the Government the propriety of applying convict labour to other public works, especially to those in the nature of harbours of refuge, on which they might be employed without coming into contact with independent labour. If nothing was done on this important subject, he should in another session bring it u- der consideration, in order that the opinion of Parliament might be taken upon it. Mr. PELLATT alluded to the works at Dover, where he said a pier had been erected upon the old principle of being supported by piles ; and he asked whether the Board of Works had power thus to prevent improvements ? Sir J. GRAHAM said he entirely agreed with the right hon. gentleman that it was most desirable that convict labour should be employed on public works, in order that the public works might be remunerative on the one hand, and be carried on in a way consistent wtth the best discip line on the other. The works at Portland had received the sanction of Parliament, and it would be wise economy to have them finished with the least possible delay ; and for this purpose the number of convicts employed upon them had been greatly increased. About 1,000 convicts were now employed there. The vote proposed to be taken for the works at Dover was 31,0001., in order to complete the existing contract. It was intended to extend the sea wall, which would be done by contract, but it was not in tended to take any vote this year on account of the exten sion. With regard to the works in the Channel Islands, he had visited them in company with Lord Raglan, Sir J. Burgoyne, Admiral Dundas, Sir Baldwin Walker, and the respective engineers; every possible investigation had been made on the spot, and subsequently they assembled at the Home-office, along with the Secretary at War, for the pur pose of coming to a decision respecting these works. It had been determined that the works at Guernsey should • not be carried into immediate execution ; those at Jersey would be finished this year, and those at Alderney would b e proceeded with ; but at Holyhead it was intended to do,nart somewhat from the original plan, with the view of enclosing a larger area of deep water. As a comparatively small' additional expense, great advantages would be de rived .from this extension. Mr. 2 , 11.1 ME hoped the house would be furnished with a return of the number of vessels that visited either Guern sey or Alderney in the course of the year. He did not think a has hour of refuge was necessary at Alderney, but one was cert,Ninly necessary on the north-east coast of •Eng land, where n timorous vessels had been wrecked during last winter for the want of such a place. At the entrance of the Tyne no feNver than twenty-five to thirty vessels had been lost. Ho hoped, therefore, that protection would be given to our own mast, rather than spend money uselessly on the Channel Islands, for it was quite time something was done on our northeast shores. Mr. INGH A.ll cordially approved of this suggestion; and added that the shipowners of the Tyne and the corpora. tion of Newcastle had agreed, the former to tax themselves to an extent of 10,0001. a year, and the latter to surrender rights worth 7,0001. a year, if the Government would un dertake the construction f the necessary works. There was not a harbour of refuge on the whole of the north coast, and be suggested that if one were constructed at the mouth of the Tyne, it might be useful, in the event of war with any of the northern powers, as a station for our ships. He hoped that next year the Government would lay some pro poeition before the house on this subject. Sir J. GRAHAM said it was natural for his hon, friend to feel a preference for the entrance of the Tyne ; but he had been requested to consider also the claims of Hartle pool, and the mouth of the Tees. He had also been assured that the Yorkshire coast was better than any other place yet suggested for a harbour of refuge. If one were to be established between the Humber and the Forth, it would therefore be necessary carefully to consider the site • but at present it appeared to him wiser to finish some Of the larger works in hand, on which considerable sums had al ready been spent. He had been advised, in respect to war with any of the northern powers, that it would be an error to build a harbour of refuge either upon the Tyne or the Tees. Nature had done all that was necessary at Leith, on the Forth, and on the Humber. These places possessed all the facilities that could be desired under such circum stances. With regard to the great national harbour upon the Humber, be had recommended a considerable outlay. Lord SEYMOUR hoped the Government would not be induced to embark in any more extensive harbours of refuge without due consideration. A large sum had been already expended upon them, and it would be desirable that the Treasury should take care, in future estimates, to show the suns required for the completion of the works, and whether or not the original plan had been strictly car ried out. Mr. WILSON observed that the whole of this informa- tion was already before the house in a separate paper. Sir G. PECHELL claimed consideration for the coasts of Sussex and Hampshire, along which many wrecks oc curred in the course of the year. He denied that the works at Alderney were a harbour of refuge; it wee • breakwater for war purposes. Mr. GIBSON said he had for some time past been trying to find out a person who would undertake to say that the Alderney expenditure was judicious. But he had not succeeded in finding any such person ; and the only reason now assigned for it was, that as the works were begun they must be gone on with. He did not propose to pull them down, but he doubted whether tke country would benefit by the expenditure of 1,000,000 1 . sterling upon the barren island of Alderney. The vote was then agreed to. On a vote being proposed of 6761. forpayof the establish. mon tr.andfor WILLIAMSnece.s said sar t necessary works wo,coo k a s at Portpi.haci been atrick xp harbour, e( M nded on this harbour, and that Sir G. Clerk, when Secretary to the Treasury, had promised that no more money should be s e u eu rre in nd h e i r s asked for it. The harbour wasinqculuitdeeudsienlestsh. e n es e ti o ra b a je t e e te , t o , of papers relating t th o o o etxoectuhtoteoptrshaeyomhf a M e r n b r t . o o u lf f r, r w e i h et ch for h a the possession as secretary to the commissioners. Mr. WILSON said the great object for which so much money had been spent on this harbour no longer existed. Portpatrick was no longer a packet station between Scot land and Ireland ; but it would be unwise to allow the works to go out of repair for the sake of an expenditure of between 3001. and 4001. a-year. As to the item of 3001. to Mr. 11` Neel's executors, h e cer t a i n l y th oug ht the papers ought to have been giv en up ; but the Treasury ha vin g ta ken a legal opinion o n th e su bj ec t, h e did not deem it expedient to obtain them by going to law. Colonel BLAlRdefended the maintenance of the harbour as a means of keeping up the communication of this country with Ireland. After a few words from Sir J. WTAGGART and Mr. KERR, Mr. M`MAHON put in a claim for a harbour of refuge on the east coast of Ireland. He recommended the coast of Wexford or Wicklow, opposite Milford Haven. The vote wa s then a g reed to. On the vote of 26,1181. f or repairing and maintaining public buildings in connection with the public works de• nartmeHERBERT wished in Ireland, M r r. . to ask whether the Government co ntemplated the removal of the Encumbered Estates Court from Henrietta-street, Dublin, to the general law courts ; because its present position was most inconvenient to those who were obliged to transact business there. He had no doubt that property had frequently been sold much below its value in consequence of the site of this court. Mr. WILLIAMS called attention to the cost of the lord-lieutenancy of Ireland, which was one of the greatest mocks of royalty ever heard of. These estimates contained items to the amount of no less than 50,000/. connected with this institution. It was perfectly absurd to main• tain, in connection with this " mock royalty," the same description of officers as were in attendance upon the Queen. There were items for the " State Steward's house," " Chamberlain's house," " Comptroller's house," " Gentleman Usher's house," " Clerk Disbursement's house," " First Aide-de-Camp's house," &c., all of which it certainly could not bo necessary to maintain in order to carry on the Government of Ireland. Then there was, besides this, a secretary for that country. Now there was no such officer for Scotland, and he believed that none was required in Ireland. Colonel DUNNE thought that the site of the Encum. bared Estates Court was very well adapted to the trans. action of the business for which it was established. It was very well for the hon. member for Lambeth (Mr. Williams) to object to the "mock royalty" of the lord• lieutenancy, but the people of Ireland liked it ; and as to the present vote, ho certainly thought that the only fault to be found with it was, that it was not adequate to the maintenance of the Irish public buildings in a proper state of repair. It was considerably less than it had been in former years. Sir J. YOUNG admitted the inconvenience of the site of the Encumbered Estates Court. It had, however, proved impossible to find accommodation for it nearer the Four Courts without erecting a new building • and the es timates for this purpose am oun t e d to 12,0001., a sum which the Treasury would not consent to expend in con• nection with a court whose duration, according to the pre• sent act, was limited to two years. Mr. VANCE remarked that the effect of the present site of the Encumbered Estates Court was to prevent the general bar of Ireland practising there, and to restrict the '.~. 3`.;~ .~ is ~.=a ~, '1 -0 ii ~„