The Sun. — London, England, 1830-04-09 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. NOUSTS OF LORDS.--(LAST NIGHT). The Royal Asient was given by Commission to the Ellenborough Divorce Bill, and several other private Bills. The Commissioners were, the Earl of Rosslyn, the Earl of Shaftesbury, and the Lord Chancellor. A person from the India House presented an ac count of the salaries and pendons granted to officers of the East India Company. A person from the Treasury presented accounts connected with superannuations for the last year. Sir A. GRANT, and others from the Commons, brought tip the Four per Cents. Annuities' Bill, the Haymarket Removal Bill, and the East Retford Witnesses' Indemnity Bill.—Read a first time. The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from an individual named Sparrow, praying for al teration in the licensing system. Lord CALTHORPE presented several petitions from Dissenting Congregations in Blackburn against the suttee system. Lord HOLLAND presented a petition from Woburn, praying for mitigation of the criminal code. On the motion of the Earl of SmAFTEsnuRY, the House adjourned till Monday, the 26th instant. HOUSE OF COMMONS-(LAST NIGHT). At twenty minutes before Four o'clock the SPEAKER took the chair, and was immediately sum moned by the Deputy Usher of the Black Rod to the House of Peers. Upon his return, the Speaker read the list of Bills to which the Royal assent had been given by commission in the House of Lords. (For which see Lords' report.) Mr. CHARLES CALVERT said that he had a petition to present from a lady named Mary Anne Lloyd, who stated that she had been cheated out of 4281. in the purchase of six (we understood Poyais) bonds, on which she had never received but one half•ytar's dividend. She had written a letter to his Majesty stating her loss, and had understood that lie had been kind enough to order her a gift of lOU, which, however, she had never received. Having thus had all the produce of many years swept assay, she prayed the House for relief.—The petition was laid on the table. Mr. SADLER presented a petition from the licensed victuallers of Sutton-in-Aslitield, complain ing of the proposed alteration in the law which re gulated the beer trade. He thought the licensing system under the controul of the magistrates a safe guard for the morals of the public, and he should be sorry, therefore, to see it disturbed.—The petition was laid on the table. Mr. W. HORTON presented a petition from Newcastle-under-Lyme, against the East India char ter, and one from the Protestant Dissenters of the same place, against the burning of Hindoo widows. On the motion of the HON. MEMBER, certain papers were ordered (a correspondence bet ween Mr. Hay and Mr. Herries) relative to the revenues of Ceylon, Mauritius, Trinidad, &c. NAVIGATION OF THE RHINE. Mr. C. GRANT, seeing his Right Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department in his place, wished to ask him a question or two which had reference to the execution of the treaty of Vienna of 1815, an article of which (No. 6) had expressly secured the free navigation of the Rhine to all the contracting parties. The stipulation was, " that the whole course of the navigation of the Rhine to the sea, ascending and descending, should be entirely free to the contracting Powers, with a due and equal regard to the interests of all, and as favourable a construction of them as possible for all parties, upon the payment of the clues necessary for preserving the river, and the police thereof." By all the European Powers, with one exception, this treaty was construed, according to its obvious mean ing, to imply that no demand for the navigation of he Rhine should be exacted, except such as were required to preserve the police of the navigation and the banks of the river : yet it seemed the King of the Netherlands resisted this construction, and ex cluded these powers, except on the payment of heavy prohibitory duties. Two years ago, when he (Mr. Grant) left office, he knew that negociations on the subject were pending, which he then thought would have been speedily finished. This he under stood had not taken place, but, on the contrary, the King of the Netherlands was now engaged, or had concluded a treaty, with one of the Powers of the Continent, which was in direct variance with the provisions of the treaty of Vienna, inasmuch as it meant to restrict the navigation of the river to two or three Powers, and to impose eneroue duties on others. He wished to ask his Right Hon. Friend whether the Government had received any official communication respecting the recent treaty, or agreement, to which lie alluded 2dly, whether, if he had received such, he would have any objection to lay it before the House; and 'idly, whether any negociations were pending to enforce the provisions of the treaty of 1815 ? Mr. PEEL said,.tliat he had not the least desire to withhold any information which the Government possessed upon this subject. It was quite true, as his Right Hon. Friend had stated, that in the year 1815 the Allied Power.; entered into a treaty, which he thought, in common with his predecessorc , in office, was intended to open the navigation of the khine to all vessels upon mutually fair terms. Ile believed that the King of the Netherlaude subse quently raised some doubt upon one of the terms employed in the language in which the treaty was drawn up, with reference to the construction of the phrase in the translation of it into German. In looking at the treaty as the Government had it in the French language, he was clearly of opinion it was intended the navigation of the Rhine should be free to all jusque la met. Now the King of the Netherlands construed this to mean ns far as the sea, but not into the sea. Ibis was no good argument to be sure ; but then another question was raised as to what was the channel of the river, and one of the parts so marked out was not navigable at certain periods. England had al ways contended for the larger construction, and that the Rhine ought to be wholly free, on payment of the mere duties necessary for the preservation of the channel and the police of the river. The questions which he believed his Right Hon. Friend had asked him were, whether any continental Power had lately entered into a treaty with the King of the Nether lands to restrict the navigation of the Rhine, contrary to the provisions of the treaty of 1815; and secondly, whether he had any objection, if he had the informa tion, to produce it to the House. Before lie answered his Right Hon. Friend, he had to state, that there was at Mentz a central commission established, com posed of deputies from the different Powers inte rested in the navigation of the Rhine, to superintend that object. To this commission had, he under stood, been lately remitted, not a treaty, but a projet for one, between Prussia and the Netherlands,to form the basis of •a new arrangement for the navigation of this river. The Committee had not yet, he believed, pronounced upon this projel : therefore it was impossible for him to communicate it to the House ; but should they decide upon it, he could not foresee any objectien to its production in proper time. It was quite evident that England could nos be expected to consent VI the e..engement if it compromised any of her rights of naeigation under the treaty of 1815.—(Hear.) —Proper care would be taken not to overlook the interests of this wintry, but nothing had as yet been decided. Mr. C. GRANT said,he had understood it was an actual treaty which Prussia had made with the Ne therlands, and that it infringed the treaty of 1815. Under the new treaty, as he was informed, England could not claim any rights, for the agreement was solely between the two Powers he had mentioned, and even the Baltic Prussian vessels h a d not t h e power of navigation of the river. Mr. PEEL repeated his previous answer, drat the project was now before the Mentz commission, an d as far as be was informed, the larger principle of the treaty was not lost sight of in it; but England did itot, and would not, relinquish the full advantage of her rights under the treaty of Vienna. At present he knew of no obstacle to the free navigation of the Rhine, and lately an English vessel had gone up to Cologne, where she discharged her cargo. Mr. C. GRANT was quite aware of that fact, and that it was to try the experiment; but if the new treaty passed, no other British vessel would go there, for the intended duties were prohibitory. Mr. PEEL—The British Government would doubtless consider prohibitory duties to be contrary to the treaty of 1815, and act accordingly. Dr. PHILLLMORE expressed a hope, that when the papers relative to Greece were laid upon the table, they would contain a full statement of the blockade of Prevesa. Mr. HOBHOUSE presented a petition from the inhabitants of St. Paul's, Covent-garden, complain ing of the manner in which the assessment of the land-tax was made. The Hon. Member said the disproportion in the assessment of that tax was re ally astonishing. Wesminster was rated at 63,0921., Sussex, at 57,560/. ; Lancashire, at 20,989/. ; and London, at 123,0001. The disproportion in smaller places was equally remarkable. Rye, in Sussex, was rated at 4731. ; Hastings, at 3781. ; Bath, at 436/. ; and Winchelsea, which did not contain more than forty or fifty tenanted houses, was rated at 4051. Lord STANLEY presented a petition from a parish in Lincolnshire, complaining of distress. Mr. HUME presented a petition from the incor porated trades of Arbroath, against the East India monopoly ; also a petition from Brechin, praying for an alteration in the inventory duty. _ The same HoN. MEMBER moved for a return o. the expellee of the civil establishment of New South Wales, and inquired ►whether Captain Dumaresque, the brother-in-law of General Darling, had received the appointment of treasurer of that colony. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied that he did not know. Lord CLIVE presented a petition from the High Sheriff and Grand Jury of the county of Monmouth, against the change contemplated in the Welch judi ture.—Ordered to he printed. Sir W. SCOTT moved for returns of all the manufactures exported during the last six years, specifying the amount exported in each kind.— Ordered. Mr. DICKINSON presented a petition from the licensed victuallers of the county of Somerset, against any alteration in the sale of beer. Mr. BRIGHT moved for returns of the quantity of tobacco manufactured, that had been imported into Great Britain and Ireland from the British Colonies in Asia, Africa, and America, since the year 1828.—Ordered. FORGERY. Mr. LENNARD presented a petition from Wood bridge, in Suffolk, praying that the punishment of death should be no longer inflicted upon the crime of forgery. The petition, the Hon. Member observed, was most respectably signed, and had attached to it, amongst other signatures, those of several bankers. The petitioners expressed a hope that the legislature would devise some other punishment for all species of forgery, that would be less revolting to humanity and more advantageous to the interests of society. Ile hoped the country would not be beforehand with the metropolis in the expression of just and liberal sentiments on this subject, but that the bankers in London would follow the example of the bankers in the country, in calling for an alteration of the law in regard to forgery. Mr. TIIANT said that he knew a respectable banker, who having, several years ago, been obliged to prosecute an individual for forgery, and having failed, after a conviction had taken place, in his efforts to save the life of the prisoner, declared that henceforward nothing would induce him to institute a similar prosecution, and that he would rather lose his entire fortune than be the means of taking away the life of any man for such an offence. He also told him (Mr. Trant) that such were the sentiments of several other bankers, and that it was the general opinion of that class of persons who were most in terested in the question, that the punishment of death should be removed from the statute book in all casts of forgery. He (Mr. Trant) was sure that the measure introduced by the Right Hon. Gentle man opposite would not give general satisfaction in the country unless it went that length. _ Mr. F. BUXTON said, he should read two let- tern which he had received upon this subject, and which were well worthy of the attention of the House. The first was from a highly respectable clergyman in Glasgow, transmitting a petition which had been signed there, praying that the punishment of death should no longer he inflicted upon the crime of forgery. The writer wrote as follows : " The bankers to a man have been, favourable. I am given to understand that there is hardly a bank in town (if, indeed, there be even one) that has not been in circumstances in which they have forborne to prosecute rather than expose the offender to the certainty, or even the risk of death ; and this for bearance has been exercised sometimes in circum stances of an aggravated nature." Ile had also re ceived a letter yesterday on this subject from a re spectable banker in Newcastle, from which he begged to read the following extract :—" I now wish to offer you my testimony on the subject of forgery, in confirmation of your sentiments expressed in the House. My mind has long been distressed with the present law. I gladly embraced the first oppor tunity to do what I could for its alteration, and lately took some pains in forwarding a petition fro►n hence, praying that in all cases the penalty should be short of the forfeiture of life. The leading part ners of the banks in this town signed it, under the practical conviction that the severity of the law was not a protection to us, but tended to increase the crime. I also called on our principal merchants, who concurred in the same sentiments, and signed it. This opinion may be said to be universal in this district." These letters showed that those classes far whom, in particular, the existing protection was considered necessary, were favourable to an altera tion i►► the law. Mr. WARBURTON supported the prayer of the petition.—lt was read, and ordered to be printed. Mt MARSHALL presented a petition from a place in the West Riding of Yorkshire, praying for a protectingdutyupon the importation of foreign lead. Mr. F. BUXTON presented a petition from the inhabitants of the Tower Hamlets, praying for an alteration of the Forgery Laws. On the motion of the same HON. MEMBER, a re turn was ordered of the number of persons executed for forgery during each of the last ten years,specify ing the nature of the forgery for which such persons had been severally convicted. Mr. BURRELL presented a petition from the inhabitants of Brighton, complaining of the addi• tional charge of a penny, levied by the post•office there upon their letters. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the case stood thus—a charge of a penny was made upon letters delivered at a certain distance from the post,office in Brighton. The inhabitants, it appeared, conceived that wherever a house could b brought within the name of Brighton, the post office should send the letters there free of any addi tional charge. The post-office, on the contrary, con,- sidered the boundary of Brighton as about a mile distant from the post-office, and beyond that boun dary the post-office would not send letters without making a charge of a penny. The charge was made for the convenience which was thus afforded, and the law officers of the Crown, who had been con sulted on the point, were of opinion that it was rfectly legal. After a few words from Mr. TRENT, the peti tion was ordered to lie on the table. Mr. Niv ODEHOUSE postponed his motion re lative to the duty on sea-borne coals to the 13th of May. On the motion of the same lioN. MmuEn, a copy of the report made to the Treasury on the sub ject of sea-borne coals, was ordered to be laid be fore the House. On the motion of Mr. S. Ittcg, returns were ordered of the number of gallons of rum in bond in England in 1826; of the number of gallons im ported into England from 1826 to 1830, and the number of gallons exported during the same period. The same HON. MEMBER presented a petition from the foreman and sixteen other members of the Grand Jury of Galway, in favour of the Galway Franchise Bill. JEWS. Mr. R. GRANT postponed the second reading of the Jews' Relief Bill, from Monday, the 26th of April, to the 3d of May. ADJOURNMENT FOR THE RECESS. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose to move that the House should, at its rising, adjourn to Monday, the 26th of April. The ad journment was somewhat longer than usual, but he did not imagine that any objection would be made to it, particularly when it was recollected that, from the very commencement of the Session, their labours had been very great, and almost without ces sation. In consequence, too, of a drawing room and a levee being fixed for the week after next, but little public business could possibly be done then in the House, and under these circumstances, he did not anticipate any objection to the motion, that " the House at its rising do adjourn to Monday, the 2Gth of April."—(Hear.) The motion was put and agreed to. Mr. F. BARING presented a petition from Ports mouth, praying for an alteration of the forgery laws. Mr. DOUGLAS presented a petition from Pol lockshaw, in favour of a free trade to India. The same Hon. Member moved for a return of the amount of duties levied upon the produce of the British North American colonies, imported into Great Bri tain, up to the end of the last year. Mr. WARBURTON wished to take this op portunity to put a question to the Right Hon. Gentle►ran opposite. He understood the parties had been in the practice of shipping timber from the Baltic to Halifax, or some other port in our North American Colonies, and then bringing it to this country, so as to evade the high duty upon the im portation of foreign timber. He was given to un derstand that three cargoes of timber had been brought in that way in the course of the last year from Halifax to Ireland. The clause under which this was done, was contained in the 10th of the King, by which it was enacted that timber might be imported, duty free, from our colonial possessions in North America to any part of the United Kingdom. The importers of timber from the Baltic, with a view to evade the high rate of duty, exported their cargoes in the first instance to our possessions in North America, and thence imported them here. By that means they effected a saving to the follow ing amount :—The cost of timber in the Baltic was 205., the freight direct to this country was 18s., and the duty was 555., making, with the other charges here, the cost amount to 98s. Now, if the timber be exported in the first instance from the Baltic to Halifax, and thence to this country, the cost of the timber was then as before, 205., the freight 505., and the duty 10s., which, with the other charges in this country, made the last amount to 855., being 13s. less than if the timber were imported direct from the Baltic. He (Mr. Warburton) was aware that there were several vessels about to sail for cargoes to the Baltic, and thence to proceed to Halifax, with a view to take advantage of this state of the law, and he therefore wished to know whether the Right Hon. Gentleman intended to make any provision to meet the case, in the Bill which lie was about to introduce ? Mr. HERRIES was glad that this question had been asked, as it afforded him an opportunity to give that explanation which was required by the parties interested in this subject. There was certainly a defect in the clause to which the Hon. Member had adverted, for it had never been the intention of the persons who drew up that clause to allow the im portation of timber from the Baltic by means of a circuitous voyage of this description at a reduced duty. It was intended, at the time, only to allow the importation of timber, the produce of the United States, and which had bee►► exchanged for some article of British colonial produce at this reduced duty—that was the object which the act to which the Hon. Member had referred had in view. He doubted much that, even by means of those circui tous voyages, the importation of timber from the Baltic had been so conducted as legally to evade the payment of the higher rate of duty. He conceived that to comply with the law as it stood, they should have landed their cargoes at Halifax, and reshipped them again ; and if the officers there had done their duty, such voyages would not have been undertaken, as the increased expense would more than counter balance the saving which would be thus effected in the duty. However, in order to prevent any further evasion of the intentions of the Legislature, it was his (Mr. Ilerries's) intention after the present re cess, to introduce a measure to remedy this defect in the law as it at present stood. After a few words from Mr. STEWART and Mr. WARBURTON, the motion was agreed to. Mr. HOME DRUMMOND presented a petition from the Magistrates and Town Council of the Royal burgh of Dunbar, praying that in the Bill for the improvement of the Scotch judicature, pro‘ision should be made for entitling the Sheriff to hold com missary courts. COURT OF CHANCERY. On the motion of Sir C. WETHERELL, a return was ordered of the number of causes, pleas, de murrers, &c. set down for hearing and decided with in the last six years by the Lord Chancellor, the Master of the Rolls, and the Vice-Chancellor, re spectively. Mr. WESTERN presented a petition from the bankers and other inhabitants of Witham, in the county of Essex, praying that the punishment of death should no longer be inflicted in cases of for gery. lie concurred in the prayer of the petition. ers, and thought that some secondary punishment— as, for instance—solitary confinement, would be found as effectual as the infliction of death in pre venting the commission of this offence. JESUITS AND MONKS. On the motion of Sir R. INGLIS, an address was ordered to be presented to his Majesty, praying that he would be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid upon the table a return of the number of Jesuits, and other persons belonging to the monastic Church of Rome, who had registered their names, pursuant to the Act of last Session, in the offices of the Clerks of the Peace far the d►fl'erent counties in the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, and whose names had been transmitted by the said Clerks of the Peace to the Secretary of State for the Home Department. SALE OF BEER BILL. Mr. CALCRAFT said, that having been the Chairman of the Committee which had been ap pointed to examire into the licensing system, it was now his duty, in pursuance of their directions, to move for leave to bring in a Bill to regulate the sale of beer. As neither the report of that Committee, nor the evidence which they had collected, had yet been laid on the table of the House, he thought that it would be unfair for him to enter at present into any points of controversy, further than was necessary to explain the purposes of the Bill which he now sought to introduce. The Committee had been given to understand, that the principle of a free trade in beer was a principle which had been adopted by the House; and that, in order to give full effect to the repeal of the beer duties, the House was desirous to carry the freedom of that trade to the fullest extent. The Committee, adopting, the same opinion, had ordered this Bill to be brought in, which he conceived would be found plain, simple, intelligible, and effective, for the object for which it was intended. It p rov id e d t h at an y per son who resided in London should, on applying at the licensing-office of the Excise, receive a licence to sell beer for the next two years, upon payment of the sum of two guineas : and that ,any person who resided in the country, should receive the same licence, on the same terms, by applying to the superintendent or other officer of excise for the district. Thus would a complete freedom be established in the trade in beer. This would be • followed up by a variety of regulations for the good conduct of the houses licensed under the Bill, into which he would not then enter. Having thus steered clear of the other houses, which would still be licensed under Mr. Esteourt's act, the Com mittee thought that the regulations which they had prov►ded would insure in the houses licensed under this Act, order, regularity, and decency, and cer tainly punishment, if order, regularity, and decency were not preserved in them. The only excuse which he had for saying even as much as he had said upon this Bill was, that this was the last day before the recess, and that he wished to get the Bill printed, in order that the House might, on its re assembling, have before it the collective opinion of the country on the merits of a measure which was of great importance, not only as regarded the vast capital invested in the beer trade, but also as re garded the working classes, to whom it held out a prospect of a better, a snore wholesome, and a cheaper beverage, than any which they had ever before drank under the name of beer. He hoped that gentlemen would not, upon this occasion, enter into a discussion of the details of the Bill, as it would be unfair to those gentlemen who had not been upon the Committee, and who were conse quently unacquainted with the evidence. He con cluded by moving for leave to bring in a Bill allowing the general sale of beer by retail in England and Wales. Mr. C. BARCLAY entreated Ministers to read over the evidence taken before the Committee during the recess, and to consider whether they could not, in consequence of the great importance of the inte rests affected by this Bill, agree to some modifica tion of it. He did not speak now in behalf of the London brewers, for he had always been of opinion that the benefit which their trade would receive from a remission of the beer duties, would be greater than the less which they might suffer from this Bill. He spoke in behalf of couHtry brewers, and of the publicans enjoying houses of their own, whom this Bill, allowing every person without limitation to sell beer in any way he chose, was calculated to in jure seriously. He believed that there were 50,000 publicans who annually took out licenses, and that of this number 23,000 enjoyed houses of their own. Many of these persons had mortgaged their houses; and be verily believed that if this Bill passed, the value of their houses would be so materially dimi nished, as not to be worth the sums lent upon them. He had submitted a mode of relieving these indivi duals to the Committee, but in vain. If HO other Member should propose that plan to the House and he admitted that it would come with a better grace from a ny other Member than himself—he should move, as an instruction to the Committee, that some relief be afforded to the parties whose claims he had just been advocating. He should fol low the example of the Right Hon. Gentleman op posite, and not discuss this question further at present. Mr. C. CALVERT could not twee in all that had fallen from his Hon. Friend who had just ad dressed the House. "We are so mixed up," said the lion. Member, " with the publicans, that what ever affects them will undoubtedly affect us; and it is my opinion that if this Bill pass, the money which we have advanced to the victuallers will never be repaid us. If this Bill were likely to be a benefit to us, we might be enabled to act leniently to them ; but I cannot lay that flattering unction to my soul. I believe that it will be ruinous to the victualler, and very distressing to the manufacturer of beer." He could have wished that only one ex periment were made at a time. The taking off the beer duty would be beneficial to the public; and all the benefit which it would receive from that measure would have been received by it through the old channel, without the aid of the new channel, through which they were now to get their beer. In Mr. Carr's evidence, given in 1818, it was stated that all the deleterious beer consumed in London was brewed by the inferior brewers; and he had no doubt that, as soon as this Bill passed, the town would be inundated by a deluge of trash, which would not merely be not drinkable, but which would also be most destructive of the health of those who swallowed it. Mr. 11. DRUMMOND was glad that this Bill was not to extend to Scotland. Indeed, such a Bill would be unnecessary in that country ; for the evil of the monopoly, which it was intended to pre vent in England, Intd never had any existence in Scotland. After a few words from Mr. FERGUSSON and Mr. STEWART, Sir J. SEBRIGHT said, that though he should lament to see any property sacrificed by this Bill, he must still remind the Hon. Members below him, that the laws under which they had invested their pro perty in public houses were laws, not of property but of police. He would not pretend to speak of the consequences of the present system in town; but would confine himself to its consequences in the country, which had fallen more particularly under his own observation. A house was built on specu lation, of which the intrinsic value was not worth more than 10/. a year. A licence was procured first, and its value rose immediately to 201., 30/., 40/., or even .50/. a year. Now this rent was paid for by the consumers of the beer. Any measure, there fore, which enabled the consumers to get rid of this extra payment for their beer must be to the man im provement. He congratulated the House and the country on the liberality with which the present Ministry met the spirit of improvement that was now abroad.—(Hear, hear.)---A degree of liberality distinguished this Administration beyond every other which had preceded it. He owed them gratitude for their conduct, and hoped that their future mea sures would be conceived and executed in the same spirit as their past.—(Hear, hear.)—The present system of licensing inflicted on the lower orders a more oppressive monopoly than any other which could he well imagined, and he was glad to see that it was at last determined to get rid of it altogether. Those who had invested their money under that system, had no right to complain of its termination, for they had invested their money in that manner at their own peril. Mr. F. BUXTON said that the brewers of the metropolis had never adopted the monstrous notion that the present laws were enacted for the benefit of the brewer, and not for that of the public. He thought that the brewers had met this Bill fairly, for they had stated that though they should be losers in the first instance, some of them to the amount of 100,000!., they were convinced that they should be ultimately gainers, owing to the remis sion of the beer duties. There was, however, an other class of persons who must be great sufferers by this new law,—he meant the publicans; and their case he really thought to be deserving of ,considera tion. He conceived that a remedy for a portion of their loss might be easily provided. Without at all entrenching on the principles of free trade, the House might adopt the amendment of his Hon. Friend, restricting the parties from drinking beer on the premises. Mr. HUME wished to know why, if this mea sure was good for England, it was not to be extended to Scotland ? The evils which it was intended to cure, were certainly not so great in Scotland as in England ; but still he had heard of many cases of hardship in that country, which he thought ought to be remedied. He hoped the Bill would be extended over the United Kingdom. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had no wish to preclude Scotland from the benefit of this measure, should such be the feeling of the House. Leave was then given to bring in the Bill, which was read a first time and ordered to be printed. The report on the Stamp Duties was brought up and agreed to. TOBACCO DUTIES ACT. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER proposed to bring up the reports on thew acts; but, After a few words from Mr. WARBURTON and Mr. lIUME, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER agreed to postpone it till after the holidays. The other Orders of the Day being disposed of, the House adjourned at Half-past Seven o'clock, PARLIAMENTARY PAPER. A MILL FOR THE RELIEF OF HIS MAJESTY'S SUB, JECTS PROFESSING THE JEWISH RELIGION. Note.—The words printed in Italics are proposed to be inserted in the Committee. Whereas, by the operation of various laws, his Ma jesty's subjects professing the Jewish religion are subject to certain restraints and disabilities: and whereas it is expe dient that the same should be removed, and the subjects of his Majesty professing the Jewish religion be placed in the same state and condition, as to all civil rights and pri vileges, as his Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects : May it, therefore, please your Majesty that it may be enacted, and be it enacted, by the King's most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this pie sent Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that, from and after the passing of this Act, it shall be lawful for any of his Majesty's subjects professing the Jewish religion to have and enjoy all such and the same civil rights, franchises, and privi leges, and to hold, exercise, and possess such and the same offices, places, employments, trusts, and confidences, as the subjects of his Majesty professing the Roman Catholic re ligion are now by law able and competent to have, enjoy, hold, exercise, and possess, and under the same restrictions : provided always that his Majesty's subjects professing the Jewish religion shall, in all cases in which his Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects are by law required so to do, take, in the form and manner and under the modifications hereinafter mentioned, and subscribe the oaths set forth and appointed in and by an Act passed in the last Session of Parliament, intituled " An Act for the Relief of his Ma jesty's Roman Catholic Subjects," and make and subscribe the declaration prescribed by an Act passed in the ninth year of his present Majesty's reign, intituled " An Act for repealing so much of several Acts as impose the necessity of receiving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper as a qualification for certain offices and employments." Provided always, and be it further enacted, that when any of his Majesty's subjects professing the Jewish religion shah, take the oaths or subscribe the said declaration, the words " on the true faith of a Christian" shall be omitted. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that whenever any of his Majesty's subjects professing the Jewish religion, shall, at any time or times hereafter, pre sent himself, or be required to take the said oaths, up. poioted and set forth in and by the said Act, passed in the said last cession of Parliament, or any other oath or oaths, all the said oaths shall be administered to, and taken by, such person professing the Jewish religion, in like manner as Jews are admitted to be sworn to give evidence in Courts of Justice ; and the same shall be deemed a suffi cient and lawful taking of Inch oaths on all occasions whatsoever. And be it further enacted, that from and after the pass ing of this Act, his Majesty's subjects professing the Jewish religion shall be and become subject and liable to such and the same incapaeities, disabilities, and penalties as his Ma jesty's subjects professing the Roman Catholic religion now are subject and liable to by law, and to none other inca pacities, disabilities, or penalties whatsoever : and that the oath hereinbefore referred to, being taken in manner aforesaid, and subscribed by any person professing the Jewish religion, shall be of the same force and effect, for the relief and exemption of the persons taking and sub scribing the same, from any disabilities, incapacities, or penalties whatsoever, as the same oath would be for the relief and exemption of a person professing the Roman Catholic religion, if taken and subscribed by such person in the manner directed by the said Act of the last Session of Parliament ; and that the oath, hereby authorised to be taken by persons professing the Jewish religion, shall be admini►tered, recorded, and certified by the same persons, and in the same manner respectively, as by the last-men tioned Act the oaths thereby authorised to be taken by , persons professing the Roman Catholic religion are di rected to be administered, recorded, and certified. PUBLIC WORKS.-(IRELAND.) COPY OF A REPORT OF MR. NIMMO ON THE PRO GRESS OF THE PUBLIC WORKS IN THE WESTERN DISTRICTS OF IRELAND, IN THE YEAR 1929. TO THE RIGHT HON. LORD FRANCIS LEVESON GOWER. Marlborough-street, Dublin, March 10, 1830. MY LORD ) .—I have the honour to submit for the infor mation of his Excellency the following statement of the progress of the Public Works in the Western District, during the year 1829. The operations this season have been mainly confined to the forwarding of the large bridges on the coast road, at the head of Lough Corrib, in the glen of Errife, and also thuse destroyed by the floods on the line of Erris road. Much of the funds from this year's grant have been ex pended in the way of repair, the extent of road now used, and not delivered up to the Directors General, being about 200 miles. COUNTY OF MAYO. The north coast road intended to connect Killala with Broadhaven bad been suspended for some time; the bridges were unfinished, and there had occurred a con siderable breach in one place by a mountain torrent. The country people however had made from their own means temporary passes, so as to take advantage of the portion done, and I directed a repair to be given to it this season, so that a cart passage is now practicable as far as Made ! ig, with the exception of Glenlassera Bridge, where they must unload. A cons:derable increase of culture and po pulation has, even in its imperfect state, occurred from this opening, and a number of good stone houses have been built at Behey, Glenlassera, and Belderig. The com pleting this road, and its connection with the central Erris line at 13ealacoirig Bridge, are much to be desired ; be tween this last line and the north coast there is a district of 350 square miles, highly improvable, without any prac cntihiceianeliliesoenc: ie o td i n o. fm It i u l i c its a o ies n et i li b ea u stsi t o n t t lF ilae i I , ind p g, e t r ii f f e ia, c ti imperfect indeed a w line above st the only now way in which their industry can be applied. THE CENTRAL ERRIS ROAD FROM CASTLEBAR TO BLACK SOP POINT. Of the nine bridges carried away by the torrents in June, 1828, two only now terrain unfinished, one of these Beltra is partly done, that at Bonavon is arespeetable work. The improvement in agriculture and trade, which I de scribed in my report on this line last year, goes on appar ently with increasing vigour. At Belmullet the number of houses is nearly doubled ; three large corn stores, of three floors each, were built up this year, and 1,000 tons of corn in store ; they trade direct to the British markets, and drew a considerable portion of their last grain from Broadhaven and Dunkeighan, where, as is well known, it used to be entirely devoted to illicit distillation: They complain much of the want of a resident custom-house officer at this place, having for every small cargo to bring one from Westport, fifty miles, at a considerable expense, besides frequent delay and loss of market. Binghamstown is also improving, the piers there and at Tarmon finished ; the latter much used as a rendezvous for the herring fishery, which set in to a considerable ex tent this season. NEWPORT TO AND ACROSS ACIIIL ISLAND. I have this year extended the road from the sound acio,s Achil Island, and, taking advantage of the sound at low water, a light carriage may go as far as the lands of Keem, on the Western Ocean. The convenience to the population is very great ; they bring their corn to the shore at Saula or Cashel by the new road, and thence send it by a boat to Westport or Belmullet, or take it on horse back across the sound, when it can be done, all along thu line to Newport. I have done nothing further to the ferry piers, which are now the moat necessary improvement. ROAD FROM WESTPORT TO KILLERY HARBOUR AND CONAMARA. This important line has received some further amelio ration this season by levelling and fencing the old road in places, paving under Errive bridge, &c. The complet ing the parapet walls of that bridge I had to suspend for the season, but carts puss it from the Conamara side into Westport, and corn from the head of Lough Corrib is now taken to that market instead of Galway, in which direction, though the distance is nearly equal, the roads are not so practicable. The mountain floods and high tides of last year have done some damage to the western extremity of the road, which I have not been able to overtake. CLARE TO WESTPORT. This name is given to a portion of road joining the mail-coach line at Ballyglass with the road from Ballin robe to Westport, and effecting a material improvement in the communication between that market and the south east of Mayo. It is a great thoroughfare, and having been in use some years is kept in order by a moderate contract, as is also that from Ballinrobo to Hollymount. COUNTY OF GALWAY. JOYCE COUNTRY ROAD YRO3I KILLERY BAY TO CO:4G ♦ND BALLINROBE. The western end of this line received some damage by a high tide last winter, and a small bridge has been injured by a mountain torrent ; I have not been able to overtake these, but they are not such as to obstruct the communica tion. The remainder of the line has been kept in general repair, and the partial improvements spoken of in my lust report executed, though some of the contracts still too slightly. I have set out the junction referred to at eastern end, and part of it is in baud. ROAD TO KILICERRAN BAT.* I mentioned in my last report that the large arch been closed at the head of Lough Cord!). We have at] the wing walls, turned the river into its new course, filled up the old bed, and carried an embankment ac , and upon the deep bog, so that it is now passable by el of which the people of this glen have now a geod nun and, as I have already observed, take produce from side as far as Westport. Lime also, which is only fo' o❑ the south side of the river, is now quarried in la quantities, and carried to the north side. The road' somewhat injured by high floods, but continues in good pair over to the central plain of Conamara. The gra ling of the southern part is partly contracted for, as far: the shore of Cormnas, the portion from thence to Coste' Bay stands. The central Conamara Road, which was undertaken' contract, has not yet been opened in any part. The bridill with the exception of two, are finished, and I hare the contractor 800/. out of the public funds, retaining 6 eighth in hand, according to his agreement ; but as the ti' is expired, and no prospect of his fulfilling his engsi ments, I have applied to the law officers to learn % . 0 steps are necessary to enter upon the work, and hall completed forthwith. Until this be completed, ass e l have no access to the western part of this district by c l riages. In the mean time, I have given some slight rep s to the old county road. THE COAST ROAD. In last report I mentioned having concluded a O l t agreement for completing the passage over Minna Cre c y A substantial outface has been l a id i n h ewn stone, vii; four swing doors, and the cl os i ng o f t h e o ld passage advanced; this has been a work of some difficulty, will, I think, be successful. I have been called on by t: Commissioners of Woods and Forests for a plan of t ground that will be retained by this embankment ; it tuf out to be 90 acres. In the western part of the coast road, the arches of bridge of Timbola are now closed, and the line from the to Clifden has received an additional gravelling. ; V I . Martin has completed the quay at Clonisle, and pror ° building stores there at the outlet of Ballinahinch ri , which will he a useful shipping place. At Roundstone some progress is made with a liar, f join the old coast road at Murrey, instead of a roc' bridle-way across Urrisbeg Mountain, which is quite passabl e ; this will give a complete opening along °' part of the coast towards Slynehead and Mannin Bay. , ra Beyond Clifden the improvement mentioned in ml ls' of , - is as yet i n th e same state. T he new coast road bei,y • is kept in general repair. Nothing farther done about road to Killeiyhead. The improvement of Conamara still continues; a 0 0 seems to Lave been infused into the district likely to P. duce important results, if not untimely checked. Thee, eons who have built at Clifd en an d Roundetoni; are, ever, under great alarm from their claims to register freeholders, having been lately refused on account of 1 "., estates being under mortgage or cus t o di am . Sh ou ld t l, ; decision be confirmed, I fear it will have a most injur i° l effect on the improvement of the country, few estates' fear, in Ireland, being free from such incumbrances. NORTH EAST DIVISION. GEEVA AND MOUNTALLEN COLLIERY ROAD. e j The portion of the Arigna roa d w hi c h was untinioc last year, in consequence of some di s p u t e d c l a i ms vrb l i i, are now settled, has been completed and opened for pab ai use, a considerable traffic is now carried on upon it, 11 °, 0 ,0 will speedily require repair, as well as that portion a' c the Brawlieve mountain from the coal country toward s county of Sligo. The improvement and repair of the county road between these is much wanted. CultivAt i. , is going on rapidly on this mountain. Several et ° :, houses are built near the summit, a valuable tiagA. tt c,, quarry at the north end is in full work, and the Ar l gi l furnace being again in blast, gives extensive occupatic' a that district. CELTENAVINA COLLIERY TO LOUGHCILL. Four miles of the northern part of this line from linamore bridge has been opened this season, and a❑ c 0 sive traffic already exists on it ; all the corn and but from the neighbouring mountain district being carted t way to Sligo, and limestone brought up as back-carris The further progress of carts is prevented by the virs° l bridges over the ravines, but in the meantime cultivat and the reclaim of the moor goes on with rapidity. The county road in the valley has been open some ye between Drumsua and Loughallen ; the portion 0 0 Roscommon side is also nearly completed, but no 8t having been taken towards erecting the bridge across Shannon, I propose this season to get some other ' petent person to undertake that work. CASTLERSA TO BALLYMOE. We continue to keep in repair this road, which great thoroughfare, and on the application of some respt able country gentlemen, I have prepared a plan to be I before the Grand Jury at Galway at this Assizes, fur general improvement of the line front Ballymoe by more and nem to Galway, with a view, in cosjonc l , with the operations in o th er quar t ers , t o open a grea t ' of coack communication across the kingdom from Gal' to Belfast. It is unnecessary for me to repeat in this report that tIY, is an evident spirit of improvement and increased iiadu r visible in all this district, mainly, but perhaps DO 0 gether, arising from the expenditure of the public mot' in opening new lines of communication, new mark' and providing, to a certain extent, a supply of circuit , ' medium in the hands of the labouring population. Cal' has appeared, and been invested in buildings, agricuit', and trade, where none was supposed to exist, and altho o the individual portions may be small, the aggref': amount is considerable. This fact is best seen in the' crease of the revenue. The customs and excise of way have fully doubled since 1822, and, exclusive of 1 ; improvement in Mayo, Sligo, &c. the surplus must gone far to pay off all the sums Government have Oh pended since that period in the province; while the P a riA lation are now ena bl e d t o p ay t h e same rate o f ta zsti per head as the rest of the kingdom. As another proof, I may observe, that the mercO l i body of Galway have come forward, in consequence, the increase of th e i r t ra d e w i t h a bi ll f or improving t`. port, making docks, and a canal to Lough Corrib fro , ' sea, to be repaid by dues which they consider wil l , quite adequate to the object. A few years ago such a fit posal would have been looked at with despair, and I he"` that other places are equally intent on improvement. a is painful for Inc, however, to state that while Parlist o ) ; grants such limited suppli es f or an o bj ec t so ev id en tly I, fitable to the State, and that so great a part must be pended on the charges of administration and repairs full accomplishment of these useful works seems likely be delayed to a period which I cannot foresee. I have the honour to be, my Lord, Your Lordship's very obedient servant, ALEXANDER N1A.110.1 On Saturday last, a battle was fought a t C 1) mersdale, near this city, between a Yorkahireman faf j ; Scotehman, which, if our information be correct , perhaps no parallel in the annals of pugilism, eitheri, the length of its duration, or f o r th e di sp l ay o f d es pers , „ and brute obstinacy whi c h di s ti ngu i s h e d t h e combsilvi The battle lasted nearly three hours, and during t1: 0 ;pi riod the two infuriated champions engaged actually f° ,.4 , 1/ 'tt no less than 95 rounds. Th e men, as may be supl r r were completely exhausted ; but victory at length tr . scended upon the " son of York," and the unfortuno„ioit ledonian w as l e d stone-blind off the field.— Cadis/e/V . A • A SKEL ETON FOUND.—On Friday 0 , • while tLe workmen employed by the Conamissiones•s improvements were at work under the castle, they t i 'd vered a human skeleton. The bones were those of 1 1 ' rather above the ernmnon size. Although the recnait' t f a coffin wer e di scovered, the corpse was found wit b ot head down th e d ecl i vity, a circumstance that almost s,: rants the c one l us i on, that the person had been brough„ert an untimely en d b y an assassin, and hastily and ins •••, rnoniously h u ddl e d i nto the earth.—S cotsman. Some idea may be formed of the irnpor l o'll changes that have taken place in the Statute Law realm, from the number of Statutes that have bee n el t wholly or partly repealed within the last seveoyea rs (fi t 4th to 10th George IV. inclusive.) It appears, froi v table of repealed Acts of Parliament, that, during the al/i , period, 1,126 Acts of Parliament have been wholly, A 442 partly, repealed, snaking a total of 1,569: of 1,341 relate to the empire at large, and 225 sold/ lreland. .I„, A badger, of immense size, supposed ta nearly 30 years old, was dog out of his retreat, at 13°,u ton Monchelsea, last week, by two men, who were pied nearly two days and one whole night •in cle s :v away the earth to dislodge this fierce animal from his r i which was found a m ply s t ore d w i t h t h e b ones o f ° d o i animals and birds, various descriptions. -The P i " is commonly supposed to live entirely on roots, and animal remains may be accounted for by the probabil"?‘ the h o l e h av i ng b een the abode of a fox.--2/7aid i Journal. C L 4 6 Ai x C P( al ft! K 1 ti, D. co thi pri Ni po is w na th du 131 as re EBE ni fe: At chi GI gut fro ma asa 111)1 left A 8 1 1,4,011 • tia sit ii CIE i~~Gt,r pro for