The Sun. — London, England, 1854-02-14 00:00:00

for the )leque, ived a s, who ass by cu pied tri-ship ', with British t., and mails, stormy on the pany'g lelphis t New I,rrived of dol thmus n that er and rnents band. enate, York was in )0,000 g pre- at th• rn last t flour isions, 1. 6 17i 'all Way memo. tion of about eposits A de- PREPARATIONS FOR WAR. All the arrangements for the transport of troops to , Malta are pushed forward with the utmost despatch. The Guards will embark first, then the regiments of the line ii England and Scotland, and lastly those in Ireland. The announcement of the intention to send out a cavalry force turns out, for the present at least, to be premature, no decision having as yet been come to upon that point. There will, however, be five squadrons of picked men, in all 500 sabres, included in the division, probably for staff and escort service. In general terms it may be considered as certain that the whole of the first division, except, perhaps, the regiments from Ire land, will have set out by the Ist of March, and that the latter will have embarked before the 10th. The steamers thus far definitively engaged for this service are the Hima laya, the Ripon, the Orinoco, the Manila, and the Golden Fleece ; nor is it likely that the Government may defer taking up any more until after the 17th, which is the last day for sending in tenders. As to sailing-vessels, the result of the tenders will be known to-day. Only seven or eight are required, and Mr. Dunbar's ship the Canterbury, of 789 tons, commanded by Captain Carvel, has already been secured. The ports of embarkation and the exact days of sailing will be determined according to circumstances. The Gnarls embark at Portsmouth on Saturday, Government has determined that the effective strength of each regiment or battalion sent out shall be made up to 850 bayonets, and soldiers from other corps have been permitted to volunteer. Thus, the 4th Foot have received an acces sion of 142 volunteers, the 28th 109, and the 77.6 99. Whether the strength of the 93d Highlanders is so nearly up to the mark that it requires no greater num ber, or whether the kilt acts as a damper to military enthusiasm at this season of the year, we know not, but the accession of volunteers to that regiment is at pre sent only 13. The 2d battalion of the Rifle Brigade wanted 199 men, and they were at once obtained, but what deserves special notice is that of this number 102 are volunteers from the 1-t battalion, which only re turned home on Sunday from the Cape. There is no doubt that the 33d and 50th, which are in Ireland, will make up their effective strength with equal facility. Taking the force now under orders for the Mediterra nean, a brigade already formed there, and the regiments next for service, the British contingent for the defence of Turkey will amount to 20,000 men, with 40 guns, admi rably horsed and provided with a full proportion of am munition waggons. Of this auxiliary army, as we announced yesterday, Lord Raglan takes the chief com mand, but it is not expected that he will leave England for that purpose until the beginning of next month. We cannot compete with the great military nations of the Continent in the numerical strength of our troops, but we shall endeavour to compensate for this by perfect discipline, effective equipment, carefully selected officers, and, above all, the unflinching courage of our soldiers. To render these as telling as possible in the force which we are now despatching to the East, several measures of great importance have been adopted. First, 250 picked men in each battalion are to be armed with Minie rifles. Brigade commands, instead of being given to anti quated general officers, will be conferred on young colo nels, who will have the temporary rank of brigadiers. Thus, the brigade of Guards will be under the command of. Colonel Bentinck. Colonel Eyre, who so greatly dis tinguished himself at the Cape, will, we believe, act as Adjutant-General. The batteries of the Royal Artillery under orders for the Mediterranean are to be made up to the number of 180, beicg more than double their strength on the peace establishment. Even in minor points all that can promote the efficiency or the comfort of the troops on service will be carefully attended to, for the civilisation of modern times is in no respect more strikingly contrasted with that of the ancients than in the consideration that while it has vastly increased the power of nations in the prosecution of war, it has nut exercised any enervating influence over their courage and patriotism. SOUTHAMPTON, FEB. 13 A. telegraphic despatch has to-day bee❑ received by Captain H. Austin, C. 8., the Admiralty Superintendent of Packets at this port, announcing that the Govern ment has chartered the Royal mad steamship Orinoco, of 2,800 tons and 750-horse power, belonging to the West India Mail Packet Company. The troops she is to convey will be embarked from Southampton for Malta, and the Orinoco is to be ready by the 18th inst. The temporary repairs to the ship will be effected by that date. The arrangements for the accommodation of the troops will be carried out by Captain Vincent, R N., the superintendent of the company, who has already commenced coaling the ship. The Orinoco is admirably adapted for carrying troops, and will accommodate with comfort nearly 1,500 men, owing to the shelter afforded by the spar deck, which extends from stem to stern, and leaves the maindeck quite free fore and aft for the use of troops on the voyage, at the.same time affording ex cellent opportunities for berthing them under proper cover. We understand that the company's steamer Thames, hourly expected to arrive from the Brazils, and the new steam-ship Atrato, expected in about 10 days from the Clyde, will also be placed at the disposal of the Government. The Atrato would carry about 1,600 or 1,700, and the Thames about 1,000 men, both ships being well suited for the transport service The General Screw Company's steamer Propentis, chartered by the Government, is in the dry dock, but will be got ready for sea as soon as possible. ROYAL ARTILLERY. WOOLWICH, FEB. 13. Captain Burrow's Company, 4th battalion, marched from the garrison at 10 o'clock a.m. to-day, headed by the drums and flutes of the regiment, to the Royal arsenal, and embarked on board one of the Woolwich steam packet company's vessels hired specially for the occa sion, for conveyance to Tilbury Fort, to relieve Captain Paynter's company, Bth battalion, first for foreign ser vice, and under orders for the Mediterranean. Captain Paynter's company, on being relieved, will return tc head-quarters this afternoon in the same steam-packet. Captain Stacey's company, 7th battalion, recently re turned from' service in Canada, has been placed under orders to proceed to-morrow by railway to Dover, to relieve Captain Swinton's company, 11th battalion, the latter being sixth on the roster for foreign service, and placed under orders to proceed to the Mediterranean station. Captain Swinton's company will arrive in garrison to-morrow afternoon. ROYAL SAPPERS AND MINERS. No. 9 company, under the command of Captain Jesse, Royal Engineers, proceeded from the Royal Arsenal station of the North Kent Railway to-day for Chatham, to relieve a number of men of the 10th and 11th com panies, who will return to Woolwich to-day to prepare for embarkation for service on the Mediterranean stations. PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 13. Each day brings more bustle and accession to the pre parations for the Eastern expedition, and as the week advances we shall be still further and more actively em ployed in embarking the forces draughted for service in aid of the Sultan. Several regiments are ordered to embark heave in ships chartered for the purpose, besides those fitting out for similar duty under the pennant— her Majesty's steamships Simoom and Vulcan. Electric telegraph orders came down from the Admiralty this afternoon for these ships to be got ready positively by the 24th for the embarkation of troops, and we doubt not but they will be in trim by the day specified. These are the only two naval transports fitting for the convey ance of troops. The Dragon paddlewheel steam-frigate at this port, and the Bulldog, similar class vessel at Devon port, are fitting as war frigates, and have no orders to the contrary. The 35th, 79th, and 2d battalion of Rifles, have been out to-day on Southsea-common, and the Royal Marine Artillery corps (or rather what is left of it) has been engaged all day in great gunnery practice for the sea service battery at Southsea Castle. The re cruiting parties are also perambulating, and the volun teers for the ships are briskly rolling in. While this is being written about 200 Royal Artillery (foot) are on their way from Woolwich to Portsmouth, to be dis tributed on board seagoing men-of•war, to do duty as marine artillerymen. Temporary accommodation has been provided for them in garrison. Rear-Admiral the Hon. M. F. F. Berkeley, C. 8., M.P., third Lord of the Admiralty, accompanied by Commander Kennedy, of the Coast-guard, arrived in this dockyard this morn ing on an official visit, connected chiefly with manning the ships. All the outpensioners of Greenwich employed in the yard were mustered before the Admiralty Lord, who harangued them in spirited terms, and told them that be wanted such as were able to take duty in the Coast guard service in the room of the regulars, who were draughted for ship duty. These, he said, should receive 3s per diem in addition to their pension allowance (we under stood); and to all those in the rigging-house as riggers, or any other (pensioners) who ha,d been formerly con nected with the navy, he gave the choice of volunteering for any ship they might name ; failing such voluntar) choice they would be sent on board Rear-Admiral Chads's flag-ship Edinburgh. The Admiral, however, added, that as this sea service wculd alter their circumstances, they would remain on the dockyard pay-list the first two months, and then receive that of the navy The pen sioners from the Royal Marine corps will also be draughted (such as are capable) for temporary Coast guard duty. The out-pensioners of Chelsea will be simi larly dealt with in relation to military service. Eighty more Coast guardsmen arrived at this port this morning for service at sea, and each hour adds its quota to the great levy. A notice has been posted in the dockyard that those out-pensioners of Greenwich inspected to-day will not be required to attend to-morrow, for which day the general call has been made by official proclamation. PIEW MUSKET BULLET. On Saturday we had an opportunity of inspecting a novel description of musket bullet submitted to us by Dr. Ryan, which, if its properties be correctly stated, promises to produce almost as great a revolution in the efficacy of firearms as the introduction of the us.e of gun powder effected on the weapons in use before the disco very of the destructive action of a certain combination of sulphur, nitre, and char coa l. Th e mer it s o f th e new musket bullet have been recently tested by a Belgian military commission, appointed by the Government, and the inventor has, within the last few days, requested from the English authorities permission to make such experiments as will establish the superiority of his pro jectile. The report of the Belgian commission speaks of the invention in the most unequivocal t erms , an d states that the projectile will double the force of an army; and that soldiers supplied with this description of ball are as much superior to the soldier armed merely with the common musket and the ordinary spherical bullet, as that soldier would be over savages armed merely with the bow and arrow. The report of the commission, at the head of which vro - I.4outeCitUtlirl Chase, aide-de-comp du FA btate THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 14, 1854, SHARE - MARKETS. (THIS DAY.) BRITISH RAILWAYS. Paid.l RAILWAYS. Closing Prices yesterday. Business done I st . this day. 50 too (:) 8 Aberdeen . Ambg Nottng. Bost and Eastn. Junct , 6 all ,3 all a 1 28 7il all 2 184 ;5 30 It. 1100 +t. 100 'X) all l 0 12 .6 50 45 ?,5 I all 25 all 25 all 18 all It. I all 0 all .6i 11i .6i 2 >t. 100 .9 176 A 114 Belfast & Ballymena. Birming. Wolverh. & Stour Valley Birkenhd. Lancsh. & Cheshire Junct Do. Chesh. & Birk., £5O and £25 Cons. Do., ....... Blyth & Tyne original £25 (issd. at £45) Bristol and Exeter Caledonian • i 0 all !O all LIA all LO 8 it. 100 it. 100 !O 12 LO 1 L 2. 21 ;t. 100 20 - 204 4- 8 - 9 12 —lO dial 16 - 18 1 64 bid 95 - VT 53 - 53' 15 - 16 131 - Itti Chester & Holyhead. Cork and Bandon Cork, Black, & Pass Cornwall Crieff Junction Dublin&BelfastJunc Dundee Perth &Aber deen Junction a 7_ 46 7i- 84 Do. New East Do., (£lB E & H)... Eastern Counties Eastern Union, A • - • 4 .3h - 13$ 38 - 26 - 28 Stock Do., B. Stock Do., New A East Lancashire 64 - 66 62 - 64 Edinburgh &GlasgoA Edinb. and Peebles Edin. Prth. &Dundet 'orth & Clyde June. `llasgow &S. Westeri Great Northern Stk. Do., A. Stock Do., B. Stock . . 21 - 24 ~ '-'- ..• 88 89 70 72 L3O - 13: 99 - 101 83 - 83, Gt. Sth.&West.(lre.) Great Western Irish South-Eastern Lancaster & Carlisle Do., Thirds Do. New Thirds 93 96 13 —14 p 12L: 13H3' 664 -- 6id Lancash.audYorksh. Do., Fifths D 3• , Wst. Riding Un Leeds Northern Liv.Crsby.&Southpt London & Blackwall Lend. Tilb. & Stheud. hoed. Bright & S.Cst. Loud. and N. Westn. Do. Fifths Do.lo/. 5h.,M&8...0 Do. Eighths London andS. Westn. Do., £5O Do., £4O Lndndrry& Coleraine Lndndrry. & Ennisk. Manch.Shef.& Litwin Do., Man. & Lin. Un Midland Do. Birnmg. & Derby Midld. G. West. (Ira.) Do. Half Shares Newcastle & Carlisle Newmarket Do., Bury Extension. Nwpt.Aberg. & Hrfd. Newry & Enniskillen Newry Warrenpoint and Rostrevor Norfolk . Northn.Counties Un. North British North Devon, No. 1. Do., No. 2 Do., A Deferred Do., A B Guaranteed ,North London ...... 13 • - 14 8 par—gip 95. 964 (;01 - 105 I - p d par r 816 82 . 9 8d 104 9id ;5 all ;5 all it. 100 23 - 24 V2s 44 St. 100 St. 100 50 47 25 I.'N 63 - 63 36 - 38 )0 all 3t. 100 6 5 17. 55 57 4 d par 5i 5 d 2t 3 ;0I all 6 - 8 L 7 - 60 3j 30 ;2 ... 33 ft. 1 100 ;t. 100' .6 16 [6 11: 8 all 8 8 -2, - 52 - 54 - i 0 I all 0 4 is ;0 I 17 53i * 4 51- - 501 8 - 84 ►,O all LO 10 LO 1 t. Itoo 0 2/ 2s it. 100 it. 100 it. 100 it. 100 0 10 ;6i all .3AI all n all ;t. I too 15 !O 5 0 212 s ,),5 all .t JAC 0 8 it. 100 20 n all .0 51s. it. 100 15 20 :5 13! 3t. 100 34 - 36 90 92 64 - 56 55 60 55 - 60 21- 20 15 - 17 7i - Si 11 - 13 - qa 14 16 61 62 32i 33 2 d par 4 5 31 - 33 . . - - 3 15. f 15 5 - 5 24 - 2G .. - .. G - 7 89 si 9f 72 3 70 3 10 129 A 5 20 83i 20 66 a 104 i I i i 5 23 2i 6 3 i i 4 67 68 48i 49t 20i 100 20 33 2016 114 11 i9i 10 20 10 20 20 1 10 1 1 100 1 201 30 I 10 28 1 Pm 1 5 10 St. 5 15 8 10 1001 100 10 25 10 1.0 f LIKES LEASED Arr FIXED RENTALS, Shr. Paid. RAILWAY/. Leming Closing Prices Business Conpans., Y esterday, this day. ...11•11. 50 all Bedford and Loncon & Bletchley. . N. Vest. St. 100 Bnckghamsh. L.V.W. 99 101 50 all ClydesdaloJc. Cale6on... 50 —52 St. 100 E. Lincoln gr. 6 per cent. Gt.NAhn. 139 141 140 25 all Glas. Barr. & Caldcuian. Neils. Direct ••• ••• 25 all Do. New D0.,.,,... 25 all Glstr.&Dn.Fr Gt. 'West. 30 32 100 all Eirtlpl. Dk. & Yk. /few. Railway & Berw. 50 all Hull & Selby Y. &1131 d 108 110 25 all Do. 4 Shares. D 0... 54 55 127 all Do. Shares. Do. 13i all Lon.& Grcenw S. Eastern 12i 131 20 all Do. Preference 244 254 20 100 Lowestoft g-z. 4 per cent. Norfolk._ 20 WO Do. 6 per ct. 54 all Ranch. Bata. L.&N.W. and Matlock & Milld, 2 - 3 50 all Aiddlesbro' & Stckten & Redcar Darlingt. ••• 100 all Vlidld.Bradfd ffidland.. 98 100 981 50 all Northern and Easternsp.e. E. Count, 59 61 50 , Do. 6 per ct. Do____ 50 all Do. Fixeds p s D 0........ 25 all Prest. & Wyre L. & N.W. &Ln&Yk 121 12 Do. 1 Shares. D 0........ _ St. 100 Roystn.& Hit. GtNorthn 138 142 St. 100 Do.Shepth.St D 0.... . _ . 138 142 25 18$ ihef.Roth.anc Lancashi Goole g. 5 p.c. Y orksh. ~• 12 94 S. Staffordsh. A.MClean 21 50 all WearValleygr itockt. & 6 per cent Darlitgt. 25 all Do Do _ 304 314 St. 100 Wilts&Somrs , GtWestn. 96 98 3 2 d 1 4 3d par 4 p 3i 3 2id p all Agua Fria all Anglo Austrin. Gold 11 Anglo Californian 2 Australasian 6 Australian all Australian Cordillera all Australian Freehold all Ave Maria all Baden (Gd. Duchy of) all Blaeaarvon Ir. do Coal all isritish Austrin. Gold 13.5 3ritis7 Iron 24) Brazilanlmp.(issued at .R 5 pm all Do. Comes & Cuiada 15 Do. St. John Del Reyl Carson% Creek 6 Clarendon Con. Min Co. of Jamaica all Cobra Copper 1 Colonial Gold 15 CopiaPo all Copper Min. of Eng. all Do. Pref. 7 p. cent. all English and Austrin. Copper gmeltg. Co. all General all Great NugzetVeiu., all Do. Registered , all Great Polgooth all Liberty all Linares i - i PI ii ---- li'd 1 d par ... - ... i d - i P -•— die 4 5 i li li li id i'a -:- i-pl 30 iOt "ii := 13 -- 13ip 1 7i - 8 41 —43 37 —39 29a —29 a pm 3 ld 17 18 ld par . d 8 —13 i all Lond.&Californ.Gold Quartz Crush. Co. all 'fariquita 9 Nilexicau&S.Araericn all New Granada .4A ... - pm all New Linares Mining and Smelting c o all Nouveau Monde,,,., all Pontgibaud Silver Lead Min. & Smelt. 1 Port Philip all Quartz Rock all ithymney Iron 15 Do. Now 10 Santiago do Cuba all :outh Australian 7 rin Croft all United Mexican all Waller all West Granada all West Mariposa 12s. ,vorthing Mining of Australia....... - i —li A 4 1rp 1- i d d -1* li li d id i 9 —IIP - i d 4 7 - 9.x.d 74 7 4 4i. 5 5 6 2t 28 30 a (I, It 2 41 46 par — R P 124 —13 i 68 70 4 6p 2 2i 14 16 id par 11 1i d 10 11 61 bi d d par— p 17 19 - P 28 30 8 10 4 5 $ — ld 4 5 id $ d d all I Vaba 1 7 : fal IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY.) Their lordships met at the usual hour, five o'clock. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY presented a petition from a place called Dunning (in Suffolk) against the in timidation of Roman Catholic priests in Ireland. DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA, The Marquis of CLANRICARDE gave notice that to-morrow he would move that an humble address be presented to her Majesty, praying that further informa tion respecting the cessation of diplomatic relations between this country and Russia be laid before the house. ASSESSED TAXES ACT AMENDMENT BILL. On the motion of the Duke of NEWCASTLE the second reading of the above bill was agreed to, and the third reading fixed for to-morrow. of conveying a very serious imputation against a gallant admiral now serving on a foreign station. I thought it necessary, therefore, to reply to that question at once, but in doing s Ico ceive tl'at I did not attach any blame to our ambvssadur at C• nstantinople. I said, the ambas sador had to ..Itt it right to ask an explanation, sad in the position in which he is placed I can conceive nothing more natural or proper. (Hear, hear.) But with respect to the orders given to Admiral Pandas, they are properly the orders, not of the ambassador, but of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. By the orders of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the admiral is told by the ambassador that there are certain services which he is re quired to perform ; but the hon. gentleman will see that, in performing such services, Admiral Pandas, as a naval servant of the country, would refer to the means which he had of carrying them into effect, and also to the dangers which he might have to encounter in performing those services. (Hear, hear.) Admiral D un d as f oun d, w h en he went into the Black Sea, that the anchorage at Sinope was not such as had been represented. He found that the very long nights and the darkness and fogs during the day were likely to cause acc id ents to the ships, and he came to the th a t if h e were to remain two oaths cruisiug in the Black Sea th e fl ee t wou ld b e so impaired in its effi ciency that he would n o t b e a bl e t o per f orm the serv i ce he was so anxious and desirous to discharge. That being the case, he returned to Constantinopl e f rom Si nope, when as I have stated, explanations were asked and given. There seems with regard to this question to have been some dif ference of opinion, but that difference of opinion was not of a political but a professional character. (Hear, hear.) Her Majesty's Government and theGovernmentof the Emperor of the French have had to to consider the representations which have been made to them, and both Governments have given similar instructions with regard to the services to be performed. The admirals are to take the directions of the ambassadors, but with regard to the means of per forming the requisite operations much must be left to the discretionof the admirals themselves. With regard to the second question of my hon. friend, as to the mission of Count Orloff, that mission only ceased on the Bth instant, and, I believe, Count Orloff left Vienna on the 9th ; but there had already been communications with respect to that mission between the Austrian and English Govern ments. I believe, however, it is not usual in unfinished transactions between two Governments—thoughit is some times done—to communicate copies of the papers to Parliament. Ido not believe that my noble friend has any reason to complain of concealment on the part of the Austrian Government ; and with respect to the object of the mission of Count Orloff, so far as it may be presumedto have been intended to obtain the assistance of Austria, by that country binding herself to a course of conduct pre scribedby Russia, that mission has entirely failed. (Hear, hear.) As to anything further, our despatches only arrived to-day, and I beg to assure the house generally, as well as my hon. friend, that, as the Government have produced very fully papers on the subject already, they will be pre pared to produce further papers as soon as they are ready. (Hear, hear.) Some little delay will, no doubt, take place, but as soon as the communications are completed they will be laid without delay on the table of the house. (Hear.) Mr. LAYARD made an observation that was quite in audible. Lord J. RUSSELL said, he meant to cast no reflection whatever on our ambassador at Constantinople. (Hear.) THE NEW REFORM BILL. Lord J. RUSSELL then rose for the purpose of asking leave of the house to introduce a bill further to amend the laws relating to the representation of the people. He said, —lt is usual for speakers, in bringing forward any measure in this house, to magnify the importance of the subject they are about to submit to the notice of the house, and of the measure which they propose to introduce ; but it is not my intention to take any such course on the present occasion , On the contrary, I think that the importance of the measure I am about to introduce has been already unduly magnified in public apprehension. The name of a Reform Bill recalls to recollection a period of great excitement—a period when we deliberated amid the flames of Nottingham and of Bris tol, when there was a collision between the two houses of Parliament, and when ultimately the measure only passed with the obviously reluctant assent of the House of Lords. (Hear, hear.) Ido not contemplate that the present mea sure will lead to any such excitement, and I trust that it will not be passed amid similar difficulties. (Hear, hear.) It appears to me that we may fairly and duly consider the provisions of the Reform Act with a view to supply what is deficient,—to amend that which is in need of correction, and to improve that which stands in need of improvement. It appears to me, likewise, that at the present time we can do this with calmness, and, at all events, with delibe ration, and that we may modify or vary the provisions of ani measure which is before the house, with a view to make it as perfect-an act of legislation as possible. (Hear, hear.) lam told, however—and the objection is a very common one—that we are now on the brink of war, and that Mr. Pitt not only declined to proceed with measures of reform he had formerly introduced, but actually op posed reform when in a position of a similar character. Now, if I professed myself tp be bourid by any master on these political questions, Mr. Pitt wSlild not be that mas ter ; but Mr. Pitt himself first introduced the subject of Parliamentary reform in 1782, in a period of war, and a period when he himself represented the country to be in the greatest peril from the forces of the combined enemies op posed to it. But, looking rather to those in whose prin ciples 1 most cordially agree, I find that in 1793, imme diately after the commencement of war, Mr. Grey pro posed to this house to consider the question of the reform of Parliament: In doing so, he made a remark which I have often had to make in this house, that there is no time Los the consideration of the question of reform that appears fit to those who are the oppoucnts of reform. (Hear, hear.) If everything is quiet they say—" Can free men be more than free—can men who are happy be more than happy ?" If, on the other hand, it be a time of war and alarm, they then appeal to that state of war and alarm as a conclusive reason against the consideration of the question. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Fox supported Mr. Grey on that occasion. In 1797, when the war had proceeded for some time, an.i when its character, as one of the most hazardous and costly is which this country could be engaged, could not be mistaken, Mr. Grey renewed the measure for reform, and was again supported in a most powerful speech by Mr. Fox. Nay, more than this, when Mr. Grey became a member of the House of Lords, where it is not, certainly, incumbent on any one to introduce the question of the re presentation of the people, he, in 1810, as Lord Grey—in bringing before the House of Lords the state of the nation pointed out the defects of the representative system of this country, declared that his principles on th tit subject were not changed, and though he was, perhaps, less warm and sanguine than he had been, yet he thought a temperate and gradual correction of the abuses of the representative system was necessary in order to restore the country to a state of content. At that time the country was in the greatest danger. The sun of Wellington had not yet risen to its meridian, and Lord Grey depicted in most gloomy colours the situation . of the* Country, stating that during the warthe burdens of thepeople had risen from 16,030,00: )1. to 80,000,0001. Many men may differ from the opinions then expressed by that noble lord, but no one could doubt the courage, constancy, and consistency of Charles Earl Grey. (Hear, hear, hear.) That which in the midst of war he attempted in vain, he lived to accom plish in a time of peace. (Hear, hear.) But lam told that the peculiar position of present affairs makes it emi nently inexpedient to introduce into Parliament the ques tion of the state of the representation. I own I cannot see that. (Hear.) I can very well imagine that if we were in the same state of circumstances as existed in 1803—if there were an apprehension of immediate invasion, and people were engaged in collecting together militia and volunteers, and calling upon their neighbours to prepare and resist a foreign enemy, I can conceive that then neither this subject, nor the state of the University of Oxford, nor of the ecclesiastical courts, nor of the laws relating to the settlement of the poor, would properly engage the atten tion of this house ; and our thoughts would be directed to nothing but the means necessary for the defence of the country. But, much as I abhor war, much as I deprecate the evils of war, I confess I do net view war with that ap prehension with which some hon. gentlemen seem to regard it. I can conceive that we should be able to provide all the means necessary to carry on war with vigour —and, if carried on at all, it ought to be carried on with vigour— (cheers)—and, at the same time, have full time for delibe ration on those of our domestic concerns which appear most to require consideration. (Hear, hear.) This apprehen sion of our being unable to attend to those topics from the time war should be declared—if unfortunately war should be declared—this idea that there is such danger in Russian armaments and forces, appears to me, I confess, one of those thoughts which may be described as having in it only one part of wisdom and three parts of cowardice, and I must say it does not affect me.. (Hear, hear.) I, there fore, now proceed to consider what it is we should do with, respect to the present state of ou r representationl; but I will first refer to a documen t which I think eiwnlcel at least show the house the progress sce,hla7v9e3 made in attain period I have lately advertedtu representationno— of the ing the object of a fair and fu people. In a petition presented to this house in the name of the Association of the Friends of the People, I find several statements which I will repeat, in order that this House may see how different was conditionthe u of the re presentation in those daysfrom dit a its condition ta time d7Olinat present. The petitioners state a mbers were returned by b urg age tenure — electors e none. In 1854 no member was so returned. They stated that electors were returned by places where the number of did not exceed 50. There are now no members so returned. They stated that, besides 160 so returned, 37 were returned by places where the number of voters did not exceed 100. There are at present no members so returned. Besides these 197, they also stated that 52 were returned by places where the number of voters did not exceed 200. I believe that there is not more than one member, at all events, so returned at present. They stated, again, that 20 members for counties in Scotland were returned by less than 100 electors each, 10 by less than 230 each. There is no mem ber for a Scotch county so returned at present. They also stated that there were 13 districts of burghs not contain ing 100 voters each, and two not containing 125 each, re turning 15 members. This state of things no longer ex ists. They stated that in this manner 2a4 members v, e , e chosen, being a majority of the House. Well, instead of these small places returning members to Parliament, there are now members returned for Manchester, Leeds, Shef field, Birmingham, and other places, which are the seats of wealth and industry. (Hear, hear.) They went on to state that there were distinctions which perplexed and confounded the rights of voting. Those distinctions have mostly been abolished ; and the rights of voting which are established are comparatively easy and simple. They stated that there were freemen resident and non-resident —freedom by redemption, by election, and by purchase. Tn respect to the right of voting, these distinctions have been abolished. They stated that religious opinions created an incapacity to vote ; that all Papists ware excluded gene rally, and, by the oparation of the test lam, Protestant Dinenters were depired of voice of row! that the bullet requires only a fourth of the powder re quired for the common musket-ball, will carry four times the usual distance, and that the cartouch is easily con structed by the soldier himself under all the usual cir cumstances of an ordinary campaign. The inventor, some time since, submitted his inven tion to Lord Hardinge, who advised him to await the report of the Belgian Commission. Since the delivery of the report within the last few days, the new projec- _ tile has accordirgly been submitted to the English Go vernment through the Commander-in-Chief, and that gallant officer has referred the inventor to the Master- General and Board of Ordn,nce. The inventor, M. Charrin, now demands a fair opportunity for experiment before the military authorities of this country. From what we have ourselves seen and heard of this matter, we have reason to think very highly of it ; and we really hope that, in the present crisis of affairs, our authorities will allow none of the ~biurd rules and regulations of office to prevent the speedy adoption of the best means of legitimate defence and offence. THE BRAZILS. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) The Royal Mail steam-ship Thames, with the Brazil and Rio La Plata mails, arrived at South ampton this morning. LINCOLN RACES. (THIS DAY.) -- -- ~- (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) TRIAL STAKES. Lord Lieutenant Cardsharper Six ran. LATEST BETTING. LINCOLN STEEPLECHASE. 4to 1 agst Maid of the West (taken freely). 6to 1 ag-t Melon (taken). 6to 1 ag-t Tomboy (taken). 6 to 6 agst Little Charley (taken). ADDITIONAL ARRIVALS. Hercules, - Bessie (2-yr-old), mare by Yaxley, out of Broughton dam, Florist. Blue Bonnet, Squire of Mal• ton, Songster, c. by Dormouse, and Smuggler Bill. LYCEUM THEATRE. Mr. Charles Mathews has this morning written a letter to the Times, with the object of putting himself in a right light before the public, and of silencing the misrepresentations which he says have appeared respect ing the late events at the Lyceum. After earnestly de nying the imputation of extravagance and recklessness, and protesting that the embarrassments with which he has so long had to contend are attributable solely to his anxiety to acquit himself from obligations which, though DO longer binding at law, he had felt compelled by hon our to discharge. He feelingly alludes to the contretemps incideut to his laborious career, and concludes with an explanation of the late events at his theatre, which we give in his own words :—Finding that the claims, dating from last Easter, were pressing so heavily upon the present great receipts,—the greatness of the receipts, of course, causing the greatness of the pressure, and thereby jeopardising the interests of the general com pany, I called half a dozen of the principals to my room (mind, I called them, not they me), and told them that to guard their interests, I had resolved to ret apart from the nightly receipts the sum requisite for the current salaries, leaving to myself the task, of meet ing all claims for the past as I best could ; claims, I emphatically observe, solely connected with the theatre, and none of them with my personal expenditure. It is right the public should know this. My proposal was received with the warmest satisfaction. The consequence was immediate. No sooner was the first night (Mon day last) over, and the receipts appropriated to this legi timate purpose, than 50 judgments were at once acted on, and at 5 o'clock on Tuesday I was arrested. It being too late to make other arrangements, and a splendid audience having assembled, the customary mode resorted to on the sudden indisposition of a principal performer was adopted, and the indulgence of the audience requested for another gentleman to read my part. This was, strange to say—and probably the first time such a thing ever happened in a London theatre—unanimously re fused, and the money was returned at the doors. On the next evening the bars imposed by all those judgment creditors were removed, and at half-past 5 I sent word to the company that I should be with them in an hour, begging them to be ready to perform their duty. At 20 minutes past 6 I was there, and found the whole com pany, with a few honourable exceptions, had deserted their posts, and quitted the theatre. The doors were once more closed in the face of a numerous audience. and ruin seemed inevitable. I have since called my old fellow-labourers back to their duty, explained the real state of affairs, and I am now happy to say all is going on as flourishingly as ever, with cordiality behind the curtain, and good humour in front of it. LLOYD'S SHIPPI NG.-(THIS DAY. LONDON, Feb. 14.—Wind this day at Noon, N.W. ; hazy. There was a slight frost last night. RAMSGATE, Feb. 13.—Wind, E. by N. Sailed—Em press, for Monte Video ; Annibale, Constantinople. ILFRACOMBE, Feb. 13. —Wind, S.E. Arrived—Pearl, from Newport, for Barcelona with cargo shifted. PLYMOUTH, Feb. 13.—Wind, E.N.E. Sailed—Anti podes, for Sydney, N.S.W. Alfred, Mauritius. OFF THE LIZARD, Feb. 13.—Arrived Mary Eleanor, .from Odessa. FALMOUTH, Feb. 13.—Wind, E.N.E. Arrived—Mary Ann, from St. Malo ' • Orion, Alexandria. PORTSMOUTH, Feb. 13.—Wind, N.E. to E. Sailed— Bussorah Merchant, for Sydney, N.S.W. SHIELDS, Feb. 13. Wind, S.W. Sailed—London, for Rio Janeiro ; Levetsen (s), Havannah ; Diana, Alexandria ; Nancy, Trieste. GLOUCESTER, Feb. 13.—Arrived—Helene, Olga, and Emporium, Odessa. _ . _ LIVERPOOL, Feb. 13.—Arrived—Niagara, steamer, from Bcston, with $62,000 on freight. BRISTOL, Feb. 13.—Wind, N.E. Arrived—Highlander, from Mauritius. Sailed—Railway; for St. Michael's. FLEKKEFIORD, Jan. 31.—The Robert, from London to the Baltic, in leaving Rasvaag with a pilot on board, struck upon one of the outer rocks, Scheeren, sunk in 16 fathoms water, and will be sol • PARIS, Feb. 11.—A small schooner, with oil and mer chandise on board, from Dunkirk to Burdeaux, struck, night of 3d-4th inst., on the Roses Bonnes rocks of La Hague, and has begun to discha r g e ; crew saved. The Cherie (French sloop), from Pontrieux, struck, 7th Feb., on the bank at the entrance of Dunkirk harbour, and was much damaged, but was got into harbour in a sinking state. A brig, black with white riband outside and green in side, having the word " Fortune" forward , and a scutcheon with "I. S. K." and the name " Helene," with coach on deck, dismasted level with the deck and abandoned, was passed 9th Feb., 90 miles west of the Pentnorchs, by the, Berry, arrived in 12th Feb. SYDNEY, N.S. W.. Oct. 17. —The Will o' the Wisp, from Auckland, New Zealand, with timber, &c., has been wrecked at Swan's Point, Port Philip Heads ; crew saved. ABERDEEN, Feb. 11.—The Jack Tar (schooner), of and from hence for Sunderland, struck upon the Fern Islands during a fog 9th Feb., sunk ; crew saved. BOULOGNE, Feb. 13. Part of the wreck of a vessel, bottom upwards, supposed from a flag picked up near her to be a Russian, and her name the N. G. R. U. A., bound with a valu ble cargo from Lisbon to Finland, has been found at sea about 10 miles off the coast, attempts will be made to bring the wreck on shore. (BY SUBMARINE AND EUROPEAN TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Tuesday, 9.30 a.m. Wind W. Tide, low water ; fine. Arrived, 13th —Anna, from Dora ; Fros Furet Con stantine, from Rostock ; Ceres (steamer), from Bremen ; Hope (steamer), frem coast of Africa; Perslmento, from Lisbon. Sailed—Letititia, for Malta ; City of Paris for Boulogne ; Lord John Russell (steamer), for Harlingen. DEAL, Tuesday, 9.0 a.m. Wind N., very fine. No arrivals. ARKET NE IVS-(T DAY.) COLONIAL. SUGAR.—There is not much doing. The home deliveries continues good. Foreign is quiet Refined steady, with a fair business. Low to fine grocery lumps 44s 6d to 48s 6d per cent. The quantity of British plantation landed, last week, at the East and West India Docks, was 3 hhds. There were taken for home consumption 1,421 hhds 109 tierces 417 barrels. The stock in the same places is 4,987 hhds 701 tierces 679 barrels. COFFEE.—This article is dull. COTTON. There has been a better demand, at former rates. Rum.—The quantity landed, last week, at the East and West India Docks, was 146 puns. There were taken for home consumption 183 puns 4 hhds, and exported 54 puns 177 hhds. The stock in the same places is 5,541 puns 658 hhds. TALLOW.—P.Y.C. is 62s 6d to 62s 9d per cwt. on the spot, and town 64s 9d per cwt. TEA.—The purchases have been limited, but prices are not lower. HAY MARKETS. SMITHFIELD. —Meadow hay, 32 Os to 5/ 5s ; clover ditto, 4/ Os to 6/ Os ; and straw, 1/ 14s to 2/ 2s per load. A moderate supply, and a fair demand. CIIMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, 31 3s to 5/ 88 ; clover Z/ Os to 5/ 5s ; ditto, 4/ 06 to 6/ Os ; and straw, 1/ 168 to 2/ 58 per load. Supply good, and trade tolerably firm. 2 — ;; M a e n a d cl° s v t l ra h w a , y,l / 14s to 2/ 2s per load. dit 7 O H: 4 T I E O c s ii to APV, 6 . clover Trade steady, at full prices. SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE ELECTION.—The High Sheriff made his declaration of the result of this election, at the Guildhall, Lichfield, on Monday morning, in the p re . sence of as large a number of people as could get ad mission to the hall. The numbers as finally declared were—Lord Paget, 4,328; Lord Ingestre, 2,769. m a . jority fur Lord Paget 1,559. WEST SUSSEX ELECTION.—The election of a repre sentative for the western division of the county of Sussex in the place of 'Hr. Prime, who had resigned, as stated, on account of ill health, took place yesterday (Monday), at Chichester. The entire proceedings occupied but little time, the election being apparently a matter of form, Mr. Wyndham having been some years since selected as the representative of the division by three families already named ; Mr. Prime merely going into Parliament as a stopgap until the member elected yes teriay shoul4 &air) at yeas of discretion. Do. New £lO N.Bz,S.Wstrn.,lfsmp• stead, and City Jn., North Staffordshire (North Western N. & S. Westru. June. Nuneaton, Hinckley, and Leicester.. Oxford, Worcester, & Wolverhampton Portsmouth Scottish Central Scottish Midland Shrewsbury & Do. L. & N. Western Guarante ad St Gelc Shrewsby. 6i Herefd ihrewsby. do CLostel (N. W. Min ...... . Do. Halves, - 1 6 Do. Oswestry Shropshire Do. A, B, C,& D,fully paid up at per cent. iouth Devon south Eastern South Wales . IS. Yrksh. & Riv. Duul Do Staines, Wok &Wok Stockton & Darling Stockton & Hartlepl Taff Vale Do. £lO shares. Do. Pref., No. 1 Thames Haven Dock and Railway Vale of Neath Waterfd. & Kilkenny Waterford&Limerick West Cornwall. West End of London and Crystal Palace West London Wimbledn & Croydon Ybrk Newetl.&Berw. Do. Extensions Do. G.N.E. Purchase York & N. Midland PREFERENCE SHARES. Aberdeen Do. No. 2, 7 p. C. Blyth and Tyne lope] c. pref. (issd. at 501, Bris. & Ex. 4 p. c. St Do. 4 p. c. Shares Caledonian £lO Chester & Holyhead 1 Guar. 5i per cent .%ork &Bandonsip.c Dundee Perth &Aber deeu Junction EastAnglian (1210 s; 6 per cent Do: (X 5) 7 per cent. Do. (X 7 17s) 7 p. c. It'astern Counties Ex tension,s p. c. No. I Jo. No. 2 )o. New 6 p. c. St. Eastern Union, Scrip (uar. 6 per cent Do. 51., 10 per cent 1)o. 101. Debentr.Sh- East Lan cash. 6 p. cts. East and West York shire June. Pref... E d int) Prth. &Dundee per cent. ; lasgow & S. Western Guar. 5 per ceut. . treat Northn. 5 p. c. )o. 5 p. c. Redeem., at 10 p. c. „. . all all LOU all )o. 4t, 13. e. Scrip.... lt. N. of Scot. Ist Pref ;t, Southn. &Westm. (Ireland) Eighths)... Do. 4 per c. Pref. Sh. it. Westu. (Burks & Rants Ex. 5 p. c) Do. cov. rod. 46 pc. Do. con. red. 4 p. o. Do. irred. 4 p. c . Lan. & York. F. £2O Do. 6 p. c. Stock ... Leeds N. 6 p. c. No. 1 Do. Quarters, 1848... London and Brighton Guaranteed 5 p. c Do. Pref., 5 P. c. St. Do. Convertible, 5 p. c., 1552 Do. New Guar.6 p. c. Lon. &N. W., Coy. & Nuneaton London & S. Western Con. Thirds Londonderry& Coler, Shares Loudy. & Ennis. 51au., Shof., & Lin Shares, No. 1. Do. New, £lO Do. £6 Vlarypt.&Carl.4 p.c, Do. 41 per cent Do Aid. Consol.6 p.c.St Do. Consol. Bristol & Birm. 6 per cent Do. Pref. 4A per cent Norfolk Debenture Do. Pref. 4 p. c. Stock Do. 5 p. c. Eat Do. 5i per ct. Do. Way. Val. 5 p. c North British North Staffordshire Oxford, Worcester, & Wolycrh.Xls, 6 p.c Do 100 100 100 100 100 all 100 15 all all all Scot. Cent. , New Pref Shrews. & Birm.N.G. Shrewsby. & Chester (Nor. W. Min), 8 p.c. Do. 5 par cout South Devon Do. fixed, 4 per cent S. Eastern (Reading Ann.) of £1 Os. 6d. Do. 4Aper cent. ...... S. Yorksh.4p.c.Guar. Stockton and Dar- lington, 4 per cent Do. do. do, Aocktou and Hartle• pool, guar. 5 p. c. till Ist July, 1856 IVaterfd.&Kilk..6p.e. York, Neweastle,anci Berwick,4 p.c. Pref. Do York&N. Midland 11 1 kind'? Pvrchati►►►► 99 101 GL - 6 3-31 4 - 4i - p 1 - - 13 -14 - 3} 19 - 221 .09 - 111 4 - 8 - 8i 6i 7 96 -- 98 90 95 93 95 id par 137 139 ••• 2 3 / 4 , 3 121 —12 i 6 7 9 94 par i p 137 139 Ili id 99 101 I par ipml 9i 10 16 16' 9i 101 12 14 id i 1 23 —24 17 - 19 le / d 94 97 3 3 / 4 4 id T. , __ id FOREIGN. 7 Antwerp&Rotterdam 3 Belgian Eastn. June. 8 Beziers to Graissessac 2s. Bombay, Baroda, and Central India,Scrip ... Central of Italy all Charleroi& Erquelin all Demerara 14 Dijon and Besancon 8 Dutch Rhenish all East Indian 2 Do Extension all Gt. Indian Penins 10 Gd. Janet. of France 74 Grd . Trunk of Canada 30 Do. Debentures all Do. do 8 Gt. Central of France all Gt .We stern of Canada Shares Do. Bands (Ist is.)'s7 15 Hamilton & Toronto all Do. 6 per cent. 5 Lake Const. & Basle, all Lucca & Pistoja 5 p.c. pref 15 Luxembourg 10 Do. (Railway) 2 Do. Pref 3 Do. (Canal) 5 Do. 6p. et. pref 8 Lyons and Geneva 12 Lyons & Mediterran 10 Madras 333 Maria Antonia all Do. do. New 2 Melbourne Dk. &Ry all Namur & Liege (with interest) all Do. (ex interest)._ all Northern of France Do. 201. 3 p. c Bds. all (fmy. B. dr Ams. Shs.) all NorwegianTrunkPref 10 Paris and Lyons all Ditto Bonds all Paris and Orleans.... all Paris and R0uen......, all Paris and Strasbourg, 4 ParisCaen ds Cherbrg. , 10; Quebec ar Richmond all Rouen and Havre 9 Royal Danish 2 Royal Swedish all Sambre and Meuse 6 Do. 51i p. cent. Pref 6 Southern. of France 6 St. Andrew's and Quebec (A) all West Flanders all Do. 5i per c. Prof 10 Western of France 5 West. of Switzerland 2 Wiesbaden 15 Zealand JOINT-STOI all \ustralasia all British Colonial Bank and Loan Company all British N. American 5 Chartd. Bank of Asia 2 Chrtd. Buk. of India, Australia, & China 25 .- olonial 20 oinmercial of Lond 10 dublish Scottish and Australian 15 Loud. Chart. Bk. of Australia 20 London and County 10 London Joint Stock 20 Loud. & Westminster 35 National Provincial of England 10 Do. New 22, National of Ireland all - New South Wales all Oriental Bank of Corporation 5 Do. New 25 Provincial of Ireland all Do. New 1 Royal Australn. Bkg. & Gold Imp Co all iouth Australia all Union of Australia Do. New L 10 Union of L0nd0n..... 50 50 100 100 20 50 20 25 BANKS. 77 - 79 1 _ld .• ... -- d par i p ii : io 45 - 47 68 - 74 6i - 71 MISC. .EOIIS all 7ubin Coal and Iron 17 Australian Agricult. 11 Australsn.PciSc.Ma il 8 Australis. Royal Mail 2i Berlin Water Works 386 Brit. Amorican Laud 1 Brit. & Coln. Smeltg. and Reduction Co.. - ... -- . , iO -- i' 32i Canada 5 Crystal Palace 4 Do. N0w........ ....••• 2 Crystal Pal. of France 3 Eastern Steam 20 Electrit Telegraph(A) all Do. (B).. 1 Electric Teleg. of Ir 14 Gen. Steam Navigat 18 General Screw Steam 71 [rish Beetroot Sugar 10 Magdalena St. Na.vig. all Nat. Pat. Steam Fuel 3 Netherlands Land 1 N. S. W. Coal & Inter Steam Navigat. Co. all N. B. Australasian Do. New 10 Nrth.ofEuropeSteam all Peel Rr. Ld. & Minrl. all Peninsular & Oriental 30 Do. Do. all Portland Iron C 0..... GO :loyal Mail Steam ... all Scot. Austral. Invest. 25 South Austral. Land all lubmar. Telegraph .. all Do. Registered 28 Van Diemen's Land 75 - 80 - ih p ... -- . 17 - 18 17 - 18 15 20 20 20 ... - . ... - . ... - ... - .. - 3 2 di ... - fra -- .. - id = ... - .. - 19i 19 37 —3 9 p id id P 13 14 42 i x d 2i i LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY. — Traffic return for the week ending Feb. 11, 1854 £9,431 7 2 Corresponding week last year 3,187 6 7 Total of tho half-year to this date, 1854 84,202 1 9 Total of tho halfleax to this date, 1853 52 891 9 8 :7 - - PROBATE OF WILLS, &c. BILL. The LORD CHANCELLOR said he had received a letter from Paris from Lord Brougham, stating that he wo accidentally detained there, but expected to reach London probably this evening. He would, therefore, put off his bill on the above subject till Thursday next. In answer to a question from Lord ELLENBOROUGH, The Earl of CLARENDON said the Government had no objection to lay before the house the correspond ence with the Danish Government in respect to the policy to be pursued by Sweden and Denmark, in the event of a war taking place. Their lordship's then adjourned at 20 minutes past six o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY.) The SPEAKER took the chair at five minutes to four o'clock. NEW MEMBER. Colonel 'Watkins took the oaths and his seat for Brecon, borough. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a second time and or dered to be committed : Bangor and Caernarvon Railway ; Belfast Harbour ; Blyth Harbour, Docks, and Railway ; Caledonian Rail way (Wishaw and Coltness Railway, &c.) ; Cork, Blackrock, and Passage Railway ; Crystal Palace Com pany ; Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire Junction Railway (Revival of Powers, &c.) ; Dundalk and Enniskillen Railway ; Grand Junction Railway of Ireland ; Great Indian Peninsular Railway Company ; Great Western, Shrewsbury and Birmingham, and Shrewsbury and Chester Railways Amalgamation ; Havant and Haling Railway ; Kingston upon Thames Improvement ; Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (Li verpool Dock Branches) ; Mallow and Fermoy Railway; New River (Hertford Sewerage Diversion, &c.) ; New River (New Reservoirs, &c. ; Scarborough Market ; Stockport, Disley, and Whaley Bridge Railway ; York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway (Pontop and South Shields, &c.) PETITIONS. Mr. W. H. WICKHAM presented a petition from the Bradford Chamber of Commerce, praying for a Com mittee of the House of Commons to inquire into and re port upon the present state of the mercantile law, with a view to its amendment. Mr. D. SEYMOUR presented a petition from Sun derland, in favour of some alteration in the system affecting assistant-surgeons in the Royal Navy. Mr. HADFIELD presented a petition from Sheffield against the consolidation of the rural police. Sir J. SHELLEY presented two petitions from the metropolis one in favour of, and the other against, opening the Crystal Palace on Sunday. The former was only signed by four persons, the latter by a considerable number. Mr. HUME presented a petition in favour of a re duction in the duties on wine. Col. BLAIR presented a petition from Scotland, in favour of a national system of education. THE ARMY. Mr. HUME gave notice that to-morrow week he would call the attention of the house to the report of a select committee as to the propriety of consolidating the different departments of the civil service, relating to the army. NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. Mr% WISE wished to ask the Commissioner of Works whether he had recently received any report of the state of the stone-work of the Houses of Parliament ; and whether he had any objection to lay upon the table of the house any communications made to him by the archi tect respecting the defective condition of some of the materials used for the external walls ? Sir W. MOLES WORTH replied that be had received no such report. The materials used in the external walls of the house were not defective. THE CIVIL SERVICE. _ _ Mr. W. WILLIAMS wished to ask Lord J. Russell whether he had any objection to lay on the table of the house the report of Sir Stafford Northcote and Sir Chas. Trevalyan, on the civil service of the Crown ? Lord J. RUSSELL was understood to promise that the report should be laid on the table. TREATMENT OF THE TROOPS. In reply to a question from an HON. MEMBER, The SECRETARY-AT-WAR stated that a new ar rangement was about to be made, by which the soldier would cease to have any interest in the market price of food. Bread, meat, and clothing would be always sup plied to the troops at fixed prices, and the system which now prevailed of making the charge to the soldier for these articles depend upon their price in the market. According to present price, this arrangement would con siderably increase the costs of the troops to the National Exchequer. THE BRITISH FLEET. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY wished to ask Lord John Russell, whether he can place on the table of the house a copy of any despatch, or extract of despatches, in an swer to the instruction forwarded by the Earl of Claren don to Lord Stratford de Redcliffe on October Bth, 1853 (No. 134), " ordering that Admiral Pandas should in form the Russian Admiral at Sebastapol, that if the Russian fleet should come out of that port for the pur pose of landing troops on any portion of the Turkish territory, or of committing any overt act of hostility against the Porte, his orders are to protect the Sultau's dominions from attack." Lord J. RUSSELL said the intimation referred to was not made to the Russian ambassador, but there would be no objection to lay the despatch on the table. BURIALS IN ST. GILES. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE wished to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the order, or any part of it, issued in July last, for discontinuing, after the 15th of August last, burials in the vault and church yard of the parish church of St. Giles' in the fields, has been withdrawn ; and, if so, at the request of whom, above one hundred interments having taken place since that period ? Lord PALMERSTON said the order had not been withdrawn, but a portion of it had been misconstrued. THE ARTILLERY. Sir DE LACY EVANS wished to inquire whether sufficient practice is afforded to our artillery troops at Woolwich, to enable that force to serve their guns with due effect, if required to take the field immediately, and if means do not exist there to enable the officers to give this degree of instruction to the gunners, whether the Ordnance department will propose a remedy for this deficiency ton the presentation of the estimates now about to be brought under the consideration of the house ? Mr. MONSELL answered the first question in the negative and the second in the affirmative. OATHS. Mr. A. PELLETT wished to ask Lord J. Russell it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to in troduce any bill this session to authorise persons enter taining conscientious scruples to taking an oath, and not authorised by the acts already existing, to make affir mations instead ? Lord JOHN RUSSELL said, a recommendation had already been made by the Common Law Com missioners to that effect, and it would be adopted by the Government in a bill they were about to introduce. THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH FLEETS. Mr. LAYARD—I wish to put two questions to the noble lord the member for the city of London, of which I have given him notice, and, as considerable importance attaches to one of these questions, I trust the house wilt allow me shortly to state its nature. I have to refer the house to a despatch which has appeared in the papers ad dressed by Lord Clarendon to Lord Cowley, dated the 16th of gDecember. From that despatch it appeared that M. Drouyn de Lhuys had inquired of our ambassador at Paris as to the nature of the instructions, given to our ambas sador at Constantinople with regard to the fleets, as it ap peared that some disagreement had occurred between Lord Stratford do Radcliffe and Admiral Dund Is. Lord Clarendon replied, that no instructions had been issued to her Majesty's ambassador at Constantinople or to the British admiral but those which were in possession of the French Government ; and that those instructions were that ' the admiral should " comply with any requisitions in re gard to the movements and operations of the fleet under his orders which he might receive from her Majesty's am bassador." At this date, therefore, there was some dis agreement between our ambassador at Constantinople and the admiral of the fleet ; and I have heard from a good source that this disagreement had become a matter of public notoriety and that it had left a painful impression. (Hear, hear.) The other evening the hon. member for Roscommon addressed a question to the noble lord. It appears that her Majesty's ambassador had ordered the fleet into the Black Sea, but that Admiral Dundas had since returned to Constantinople, though on his way there he had received by a steamer a despatch from the ambas sador requiring him to stay where he was. With that re quest, however, he declined to comply, and returned to the Bosphorus. In answer to the question put the other even ing, the noble lord stated, that such had been the case, but that he believed that the conduct of the admiral, though the ambassador had asked an explanati of h on o er f it, would be found to deserve the approbation Majesty's Government and the country. I conceive, how ever, that this answer of the noble lord contained a severe reflection on her Majesty's ambassador at Constantinople, and, therefore, I have to ask the noble lord whether the a fi m e e b t a h s s a a s d b o e r r , r p ace e d t h u e n r d e r thet a h i e i n irrdaelr has a o s f n h s t e r r u c l3 t, i l o a n j e s s o tys f ' a o different nature from those supposed to be given to the ambassador? (Hear, hear.) I have also to ask whether he is yet prepared to submit to the house the result of Count Orloff 's late mission to Vienna; and, if not, whe ther the a bsence of such information arises from any un willingness on the part of Austria to give that information, or from any neglect on the part of her Majesty's ambas sador at Vienna ? (Hear.) Lord J. RUSSELL—With respect to the first question which my hon. friend has asked, I have to state that when I was asked the other evening a question on this subject ' (though I do not suppose it was so intended), .f I h a d a t alifthelOi in giyin a reply., it 'would have had the effect sentatives in about 30 burghs, where the election was confined to corporate officers alone. The laws excluding Roman Catholics have been repealed, and, by the repeal • of the Test and Corporation Acts, corporations have been opened to Protestant Dissenters. They stated that house holders generally were excluded. At present the lahouse holders aro admitted by the Reform Act. They stated that in Scotland superiority without pro d erty gave a title to vote. This is entirely altered by the Reform Act. Anti they stated, lastly, that the polls for counties were taken in one place and lasted 15 days. This, too, hasbeen altered, and an instance occurred only last Saturday of the poll for a county being taken in one day, an d i n many pl ac es. I state these things to show that great improvements have been made in the condition of this house as representing the people since 1793. (Hear.) I need scarcely state, be cause the house must have them fresh in recollection, the important measures which have passed during the period that has elapsed since the Reform Act was carried, viz., the abolition of slavery, the opening of the trade to China, the reform of the corporations in hngland, Scotland, and Ireland, the measures taken for the reform of the tariff, the repeal of the corn laws, the equalisation of the sugar duties, and the repeal of the navigation laws. These are only some of the measures which occupied Parliament dur ing the period that has elapsed since the passing of the Re form Act. (Hear.) Well, then, I come to consider what it is that now remains for us to do in order to enable this house still more fully to represent the people at large. In opening this subject I should state that I think there are three main defects which either belonged to or were left by the Reform Act, and which require the serious attention of this house. The first of these is that, though a very large disfranchisement took place at that time, there are still several boroughs which hardly contain a sufficient number of electors to justify their retaining the power of sending members to this house. (Loud cheers.) But, in stating that as a defect, and in seeking to amend it, I wish likewise to state that I do not concur in some of the objections made on this head. I do not concur, for instance, in the opinion that the re ou g ht to be anything like an equal number of electors in every place returning members. My belief is, that you would hardly get a fair representation of the people without some variety in this respect in our system. If you only look to the history of the last few years you will find, during the continuation of th e agitation which existed on the subject of free trade that at a public meeting in some agricultu ral countygreat applause was given to those who depicted the selfishness and cupidity of the manufacturers, and at tributed their efforts for free trade to such feelings. On the other hand, at meetings in great manufacturing towns the landed aristocracy were held up to odium ; a mono poly of power was imputed to them and denounced as a great evil. There existed, however, a vast number of peo ple in the country who neither listened to nor believed in these representations. A great portion of the people, con sisting of many of the most moderate and calm men, justly thought that the landed aristocracy were useful to the country, contributing to the maintenance and stability of the free institutions of the State, and who likewise were of opinion that the country derived great benefit from the industry of the commercial and manufacturing classes. (Hear.) If, then, you were to adopt such a plan of reform as would give the representation only to counties and large cities, you would want that mediating element, that infu sion of moderation, which is derived from those members who are returned by neither counties nor large towns. (Hear.) I think, likewise, that it would be impossible —I will not say whether it would be desirable or not—but I think it would be impossible in the present social state of this country, with our law of primogeniture and with the great proprietors who are found in this country, to attempt to prevent the influence of those great proprietors affecting the returns for counties. That is an evil which has been frequently pointed out as one that ought to be got rid of ; but it is not with that view I think it necessary to make the changes which I now propose. At the time of the Reform Bill I said that there were a certain number of boroughs which, though small, still had a sufficient number of electors to enable them to make an independent election. The number of electors which I then stated that all boroughs should at least have iu my opinion was 300. I find several boroughs which fall below that number. I find, likewise, that there are boroughs which, though they exceed in electors the num ber of 300, yet in point of population are not considerable, the population, in fact, falling below 5,000. I shall pro pose, therefore, to deal with the boroughs in that state. Proceeding to some other boroughs which are not so small, I find a certain number which have less than 500 electors, and others less than a population of 10,000, returning two members each. I shall propose to deal with these boroughs by depriving them of one of their members. Taking the double scale of electors and population, I find that the number of boroughs which have less than 300 electors, or having 300 electors have less than 5,000 population, are 19 ; and the number of members which they return to Parliament is 29. The number of boroughs in the next table which have less than 500 electors or less than a po pulation of 10,000, is no fewer than 33. If the first class of boroughs were entirely disfranchised, and one member taken from each of the boroughs in the second class, the numbers of this house would then be reduced by 62 seats. 1 The next defect in the Reform Act that I have to mention is, that I think it has tended too much to divide the coun try in a Way in which it was not before divided—into op posite camps, according as people are connected with land or with trade. I think we have seen—what was not the case before—the county members too exclusive, generally, on their part in respect to the interest they cared for, and the members for great cities too exclusive also on their part. Before I proceed to state the mode in which I pro pose that the 62 seats should be filled rip; I will mention that I think a very great advantage would be derived from a change, which has been advocated in writings and pamphlets--namely, that there should be a representation given to the minority. (Hear, hear.) In looking over the numbers that have voted for some of the larger coun ties and for soma of the great cities, I find that there are 2,000, 3,000, and 4,000 who vote for the unsuccessful candidate, while perhaps 100 or 150 more are found on the side of the successful candidate. It appears to us that many advantages would attend the enabling the minority to have a part in these returns. In the first place, there is apt to be a feeling of great soreness when a very considerable number of electors, such as I have mentioned, are completely shut out from a share in the representation. In one county it may be the Liberal party—in a great town it may be the Conservative party ; but, if these electors form a very large body, I have been told—l don't know it from practical experience—that there is a very great irri tation and anger at their perpetual exclusion. In the next place, I think that the more you have your representation confined to large populations, the more ought you to take care that there shall be some kind of balance, and that the large places returning members to this house shall send those who represent the community iu general, Now, when there is a very large body excluded, it cannot be said that the community at large is fairly represented. Our plan would only be adopted when three members represent a county or city. When that is the case, supposing there to be a decided majority, even of 100 or 150, that majority should at all events have two members out of the three, so that in this hones there might be two to one on any divi sion that might take place. I think, besides, that such a provision would have a great tendency to prevent angry contests. I propose now to explain in what manner the seats I have mentioned are to no tilled up. I have stated more than once, its answer to gentlemen- who complained that there were places of 6,1)00 or 7,000 inhabitants which returned as many members as places of 60.000 or 70,000 lniiabitants, that if we were to reform the representation according to the numbers of the people, then a town of 10,000 or 15,00) inhabitants must yield to the claim of great counties which have 200,000, 300,000, or 400,000 inhabitants. I remember the right honourable member for Buckinghamshire (Mr. Disraeli) maintaining that argument with great ability, in answer to a proposition made in this house during the time he was Chancellor of the Exchequet:' It' :appears to me that the argument Is founded in fairness and in justice. We shall pro pose, therefore, to take population generally as the rune to be applied in the manner I have stated. We shall take in the first place the West Riding of the county of York, which has nearly 800,001 inhabitants, besides the inhabitants of towns which are represented. We shall take the county of Lancaster, the southern division of which has, I think, about 500,000 inhabitants. We shall divide these two counties, and to each of these divisions we propose to give three members ; and, going on with counties and with towns, we shall propose to give an addi tional member to each county and to each town which has more than 100,000 inhabitants. Then we shall propose that, in giving their votes, the electors shall vote as they do at present, only for two candidates out of the three, so that when the minority exceeds two-fifths of the whole number of electors they will be enabled to have one repre sentative out of the three who are returned. [This state -1 ment was followed, for some moments, by a low murmur of conversation among hon. members.] The consequence of taking this rule will be, that four members will be added for the West Riding of York, and four for the So uth Lancashire division, and there will be, I think, 38 for other counties, making 46 altogether. There are also eight towns having more than 100,000 inhabitants, and the borough of Salford, with more than 80,000 inhabitants, which at present return representatives ; without includ ing the metropolitan boroughs, for we h ave considered the metropolitan boroughs as parts of one great city,irom 0 as separate towns of themselves—(cheers f n and not . tion)—and to each of these towns we propose to give o additional member. We shall propose also to give one inhabitants each—Birkenhead, Staleybr id g e, and Burnle y. member to each of three tow ns which have more than 20,000 We shall then propose .what has been often asked—that Kensington and Chelsea shall be formed into a borough, and that two members shall be sent to Parliament from that district. (Cheers.) There is another kind of representation wh i c h has been often advocated, and which we propose, at l eas t in some degree, to recommend. I will first mention think (C h e e t r h s a , t and we I haveau g h t alreadye ) I sufficient a c s e m n e t f l e Cmo gentlemen r t . nu mber of lawyers in bon . In g n e s n o t this house. (Laughter, and loud and continued cheering.) But, sir, my own persuasion is that, when we have put the ' • representation in the position in which we propose - to place it, it would be most bene ficial that we should have two of the most eminent lawyers in the country re t urne d to t hi s h ouse ; an d I believe, while, of course, lawyers would have as good a chance as any other candidates, if not a better, in boroughs in gene ral—(laughter)—that the lawyers who belong to the Inns of Court would take a pride in choosing two of the most eminent of their profession to represent them in this house. I cannot but think, and I am sure the house will agree with me, that it is a very great advantage to us to have some most eminent lawyers to assist in our debates ; and, if we are in any degree liable to be misled with regard to legal doctrines by those who have not enjoyed so much ex perience and who have not attained the same eminence, the opinions given by the first lawyers of the day are sure to sway the house and to prevent its being led to adopt erroneous views. We propose, therefore, to give two members to the Inns of Court. We propose, likewise to give one member to the University of London. (Hear, hear.) Considering that the two great Universities—the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge—are so much con nected with the church, I think it is only fair that a University which opens its doors to the whole country should have the power of sending a member to this house. (Hear, and cheers.) I will state more particularly after wards the counties and towns to which additional members will be given ; but I will now advert to what I have before mentioned in this house, and what I think a defect in the Reform Act which still remains to be corrected. Hardly any variation took place from the first proposal we made with respect to the disfranchise ment of boroughs under that act. Iu the first draught — the rough draught —I sketched of the Reform Bill, I proposed that 50 boroughs should be entirely disfran chised, and that 50 ether boroughs should send only one member each. (Hear.) That proposal was somewhat varied, but in the Kid I think 56 boroughs were disfrane chisel, and it was provided that 30 should send only one member each. The measure eventually adopted v aried but little from the original proposal I had made to the com mittee appointed by Lord Grey to consider the plan of the Reform Bill; but with regard to the franchise to be given a great deal of consideration took place, even after the bill was brought into this house, before the Go vernment of the day finally made up their minds on the subj set. Tt was propopd that there should be a 104 rating ; it was thought 040 ti 010 that the qui4atioa 51404 even her ng, tve. nee ral sri. Jae sly the ire it. ne 31e `1