The Sun. — London, England, 1864-06-03 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS—Last Evening. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at 5 o'clock. DEFENCE OF THE BRISTOL CHANNEL. Lord PORTMAN asked what had been done with respect to the fortifications on the coast of the Bristol Channel. Earl DE GREY and RIPON said negotiations ware now being carried on by her Majesty's Government, sites at several points had already been purchased, and a grant would be moved for in the House of Commons as SOOD, as it was necessary. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Liverpool and London Fire and Life Insurance and Globe Insurance Companies—Wrexham, Wold, and Con nah's Quay Railway—Mersey Docks and Harbour Road— Okehampton Railway—North and South Western Junc tion Railway—Wallasay Embankment—Royston and Hitchin Railway—North-Western Railway—Nottingham Gas—and Midland Railway (Chesterfield to Sheffield) Bills were read a second time. The Ardrossan Harbour Borough Ferry Road—Caledo nian Railway—East and West Junction Railway--South Yorkshire Railway—and River Dun Company Bills were read a third time and passed, CIRCASSIA. Lord STRATFORD de REDCLIFFE asked whether the Secretary of Foreign Affairs had any information to give the house respecting the many deaths which had taken place amongst the Circassian on their way from their own country to Turkey, flying from the persecution of the Rus- sians ? Earl RUSSELL replied that he had no doubt great mortality had occurred amongst those unfortunate emi grants. He would lay upon the table of the house such papers as he could gather, calculated to give their lordships the information asked for. MORTGAGE DEBENTURE BILL. Lord REDESDALE moved their lordships go into committee on this bill, the object of which was to enable public companies to lend money on land on mortgage. The subject had been considered in committee as a private bill, but it had been thought desirable to bring in a public bill on the subject rather than give such power by a private bill. The mea sure enacted that all the securities taken under the bill be registered as securities on real property. Lord PORTMAN thought several amendments were required in the various clauses. Earl GREY said the bill had been very carefully consi dered by the committee to which it had been referred. His noble friend (Lord Portman) had mistaken the object of the measure, which was solely to enable the owners of money on the one hand and the owners of land on the other to enter into arrangements for their mutual benefit. It was well known that a large extent of land was lying waste, be cause its owners had not money to work it. Now, this bill would enable the owners to surmount that state of things by raising money for the object required. Lord OVERSTONE agreed with the noble lord who had just sat down, in thinking it desirable that every facility should be given to landowners to pro cure money for the purpose of working the land, but he thought it very essential that Parlia ment should watch very narrowly to see that it did not indirectly sanction the maintenance of concerns that by other statutes had been condemned. He objected to the securities being called mdrtgsge debentures—they were no such thing; they were merely acknowledgments of debt. The Duke of MARLBOROUGH contended that these debentures would be in fact a mortgage, and would give their holders an equal security as a charge upon the land. Holders of these debentures would also possess an additional security in the company's guarantee fund, and in its un called up capital. The profits of the company would arise not merely from the difference between the tate of interest at which they borrowed and that at which they lent, but also from commissions on the transactions which they nego tiated. No money would be advanced except upon the re port of a competent valuer, and he could not therefore ad mit that there was any reasonable doubt as to the perfect safety nor as to the legitimate character of the business which they were likely to carry on. The LORD CHANCELLOR said that this bill proposed to authorise trustees who were now empowered to invest money in stocks, shares, and mortgages, to invest it in future in their land debentures. If this was done, due care must be taken that an excessive sum was not advance:l— a sufficient margin was left to cover any decline in the value of the land on the security of which it was ad vanced, and that the provisions of the bill were made appli cable only to trusts hereafter to be created. But he doubted whether, even under these restrictions, such a power should be given. These debentures would not give their holders any specific right to any security held by the company. They would only entitle them to claim generally against the property of the company, and under these circumstances he must say that he thought it would be objectionable even to empower the trustees of future trusts to invest their money in these securities. After some observations from the Earl of DoNotraamonx and Lord REDESDALE, The house went into committee. Lord FORTMA.N moved the omission of the 32d clause, empowering the investment of trust funds in land deben. tures. After some discussion the clause was struck out, it being understood that another clause, having simply a prospec t:ye operation, would be brought up on the report.. The bill then passed through committee. The Eezlesiastical Courts and Registers (Ireland) Bill was read a second time. Tha,Summary Procedure (Scotland) Bill was read a second time. A bill on the Oyster Fisheries was read a first time. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening. The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock, PRIVATE BUSINESS, The following bills were read a third time and passed : Crieff and Methven Junction and Branch Railway—Kirk cudbright S.ewartry Roule--London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway (Additional Powers)—Wallasey improve ment (A Verbal Amendment to be proposed.) BELFAST IMPROVEMENT (No. 2) BILL. On the motion for the consideration of this bill, Mr. MAGUIRE moved that such consideration should . bo postponed for a week. He accused the corporation of Belfast of having, in reference to this bill, raised money .under false pretences, they having obtained money for a specific purpose to which it was never applied. They brought forward a bill in 1847 and another in 1858, both of which were negatived. A Commission was then ap pointed, but the inquiry was limited to financial matters, and did not embrace the subject of the grievances of which those 'nose interests he advocated com plained. The 'bill was, in fact, an attempt to obtain incle• 4l ll 4' from the corporation of Bel fast for theair misconduct, and one of the grave charges against Cut body was that they had perverted the funds entrusted to their charge to political purposes. If the de lay la proposed were acceded to, it would enable certain referees to meet and give the result of their deliberations. 'Sir C O'LOGHLEN seconded the m o ti on. Sir H. CAIRNS said that the hon member (Mr Maguire) did represent the constituency of Belfast, and he Was grossly misled by the statements he had heard, and on w hi ch be founded his am en d me nt. In a town of 150,000 inhabita n t s there never was greater unanimity than thatdisplayed by par. telt of all shades of opinion in favour of this bill. He de fended the conclusions arrived at by the committee, which, from its constitution, was above reproach, and which had investigated the whole subject with the greatest care and attention. Sir C. O'LOGHLEN said he had no desire to defeat the bill by delay, but he thought benefit would result from the adoption of the hon. and learned member for Dungan non (Mr Maguire), so that th e h ouse would be in a hotter position to determine the merits of this bill. An agree ment had been made between the promoters and oppo nents of the bill to refer it to arbitration, which was pending, and he tt isted the house would not sanction the violation of that agreement by allowing the bill to be hur ried on prematurely to a third reading. Mr. CARDWELL said that the subject had been re ferred to him some time back. It appeared that some years ago, when feeling ran high in Belfast, the corporation of that town were accused of misappropriation of funds, R e strongly condemned the idea of indemnity being withheld fro m the corporation of Belfast. After some further discussion the house divided, when the numbers were— Per the motion Against Majority The report was accordingly agreed to, and ordered to be read a third time. CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS FOR THE ROYAL NAVY. Sir F. smnir gave notice that on an early day he would move that an humble address be presented to her Majesty for a commission to inquire into and report upon the vari ous systems in operation for the c onmttuction of ships for the Royal Navy, with a view to the adoption of the best system. (Hear, hear.) MEAL AND GRAIN POISON BILL. Mr H. BERKELEY gave notice that he would move for en amendment and alteration of the provisions of this bill. NAVAL ARCHITECTURE. Mr. A. SMITH asked the Vice President of the Com mittee of Council on Education whether an amended report had been received by his department from the institution of naval architects recommending the establi,hwent of a school of navel archit ec t ure at K ens i ng ton; and whether he would lay the same upon the table of the house. Mr. BRUCE said that no further report on the subject bad been received, but a correspondence was going on which at its completion would be laid before Parliament. THE HUDSON BAY TERRITORY. Mr A. MILLS asked the Secretary of State for the Colo_ :lies whether her Majesty's Government exercised at the pre sent moment any control over the territory ciaimA by the B.adaon's Bay Company, and stated, in their prospectus issued in July last, to comprise 1,400,000 square miles; and, whether it was in contemplation to establish a crown colony in any portion of this territory. Mr. CARDWELL said that negotiations were going on on the subject. THE CONVICT WHITE. _ • In reply to an Hon. MEMBER, Sir G. GREY said that his attention had been called to the subject, and he had received a letter from Mr Payne on the subject, and it appeared that the party convicted had been sentenced to five years' penal servitude, and had been a very abandor,ed criminal. He defended the conduct of Mr. Payne irk his judicial character. ACCIDENT FROM ARTILLERY PRACTICE. Sir M. LOPES asked the Under Secretary of State for War, whether his attention had been called to the fatal raccident which has recently taken place from artillery practice in Plymouth Sound; and what measures he pro, pose to recommend is order to prevent the repetition of so painful a disaster. _ The Marquis of HARTINGTON said that unfortunately the accident alluded to had occurred, and instructions were given that the artillery practice should be suspended until the report had been received. ENDOWED SCHOOLS. On the motion that the orders of the day should be left till after the notice of motion relative to education, Mr. ADDERLE Y moved—" That this house, having considered the Minute of Council of the 1 lth of March, 18M, on endowed schools, is of opinion that it does not meet the objections made to the minute of the 19th of May, 1863." Having described the effects of these minutes, he discussed various matters of detail, and examined the prin ciple which had been laid down by Mr Lowe for the distri bution of the Parliamentery grant, which made it an elee• mosynary fund, and placed the distributor in the condition of a relieving officer; contending that the right principle was the very reverse of this. He considered the different kinds of endowment, and insisted that the claims of en dowed and unendowed schools might be reconciled with out any injustice or confiscation, and that the distribu tion should be on fixed conditions. Mr. WALTER observed that the principle at issue be. tween Mr Adderley and himself was really very limited. The question was whether endowments were to be consi dered of the nature of public property, applicable to cer tain purposes, in the hands of trustees; or of the nature of private subscriptions, and to be reckoned as such. He cited cases of large endowments and small subscriptions where the schools had received Government grants, and should on principle oppose, he said, in the distribution of the grant, the respecting of endowments, whether large or small. Mr BRUCE explained very fully the views of the com mittee of the Privy Council on this subject, and the effect and operation cf the minute of March. It was the des:re of the committee not to blunt the edge of voluntary efforts, while it was their bounden duty, where money was not required, to hold their hand. He opposed the resolution. Upon a division the motion was negatived by 119 to 111. SELECT COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (I N SPECT OR S' RE PO RTS). The adjourned debate on Lord PALMERSTON'S motion for the nomination of the Select Committee (of 15 members) on Education (Inspectors' Reports), with the amendment moved by Mr. CLAY, " that the Committee do consist of five members, to be nominated by the General Committee of Selection," was then resumed, Mr. BOUVERIE, in supporting the amendment, sug gested that to the five members nominated by the General Committee two members should be added, to sit only as assessors. This suggestion introduced a new element of disoussi'n ; it was approved by the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER and opposed by Mr. DISRAELI, as taking the house by surprise. After considerable discussion, Mr. CLAY'S amendment was agreed to. Mr. BOUVERIB then moved that two other members, to be nominated by the General Committee of Selection, be appointed to sit on the select committee, without the power of voting. This motion was agreed to. COURT OF CHANCERY (IRELAND) BILL. On the order for the second reading of this bill, Mr. LONGFIELD moved to defer the second r eadirkg for three months. He gave a long history of the ' inquiries into the Irish Court of Chancery, and of the r dorms effected in its system, and took exception to the constitution of the Royal Commission, on whose reco- drmendations the present bill was framed, which was ar i pointed, he said, i n or d er to , give effect to a preconceive'.l determination. He otjected to the changes proposed 6-, this bill, which were unnecessary as well as costly, ad' jing. ten officers to the judicial staff at an expense to the country of £12,000 a year. Mr. VANC'A seconded the amendment. Mc, O'H ' A G • A. 04 referring to the exposition he had given of the eb - J er,t and machinery of the bill when he obtained leave t o introduce it,proceeded to reply to the observations, sorr, e o f a general and others of a pare icular character, made ky Mr. Longfield, remarking that the measure in all tts parts had been recommended by commissions of the highest authority, and that the changes it proposed had been for some time in operation in England, with the approba tion of the profession and the people of this country. He vindicated the competency and impartiality of the members of the Commission, to the constitution of which Mr Longfield had excepted, justifying their recommenda tions. He denied that, by the bill, either the number of judges was increased or the expense. The only new offices created were a - Vice-Chancellor and three clerks, while three Masters in Chancery would be abolished, and ulti mately there %Mid be a saving to the country of £4,500 a year. Mr VIIITESIDE, in a speech of considerable length, discudSed the evidence collected in the several inquiries into tke constitution and practices of the Court, bearing upon the rosin portiens of the bill—those relating to the demo lition of what he deemed most useful offices, and the crea tion of new ones; to the new form of procedure, this por tion of the bill being, he said, very clumsily drawn, and to the cost. The abolition of the masters, which had given, he said, great satisfaction to suitors, he thought, was as woll as the introduction of chief clerks, a mistake; the proposed new form of procedure, instead of the present simple form, was a retrograde step ; there was no evidence to show that ono Vice- Chancellor and the staff would suffice to dispose of the business; and, though Mr O'Hagan had stated only the place that would be created, he (Mr Whiteside) sug gested the places that might be created he was assured would be created. Lastly, he considered the bill that would have to be paid for these questionable reforms ho estimated at upwards of £13,000 a year to begin with. The ATTORN EY-GENERAL replied to Mr Whiteside, who, he said, had in 1856 brought in a bill to abolish the masters, and to appoint not one Vice-Chancellor, but three Vice-Chancellors, in the Court of Ireland, and to introduce th - e system of chief clerks. He read opinions of officers of that court in favour of the assimilation of its system and practice to those of the English Court, and urged the house not to be led away by the arguments of Mr Whiteside. Mr, GEORGE defended the course taken by Mr. White side in 1856, which, he said, had been misrepresented by the Attorney-General. He opposed the second reading of the bill. Mr. SCULLY supported the principle of the bill, which was opposed by Mr. S. Fitzgerald as a wrong one. Mr. MALINS was not satisfied by the arguments of Mr. Whiteside that the bill should be opposed, The amendment was withdrawn, and the bill was read a second time. The Court of Queen's Bench (Ireland) Bill was likewiss read a second tirue. The report of the Committee of Supply was brought up and agreed to. The remaining business having been disposed of, the house adjourned at 20 minutes past 1 o'clock. ~IA ItDLT POSSIBLE ! EVEN AS A SPECIMEN OF SPUEGEONISM.—Mr Spurgeon has recently been preaching in the town of Bury St. Edmund's. Accompa nied by sever a l of his friends, he visited the well-known magnificent ch urch of St. Mary's, when the following ale place. .Mr Spurgeon, seatinr , himself thus • addressed the Church S ' cri ture ,(7nanat c f o re ll e oq b u e y n t c r reader :—Mr Spurgo on ...„ Do You allow smoking here?" Scripture - reader — " What Can yo u mean, sir ? Mr Spur -46 Oh, I thought you ? geon— . .la, as I see a spittoon." sir! where, where?" Mr Spurgeon— Scripture-re , a , c l W er h — ; ota, (pointing to a very beautiful full sized lout, erected I V the late Mr Cottingham)." Scripture reader—°' Spitt'jon, sir F,, Mr Spurgeon—" Spittoon-- yes, yes I" (Exit the Scripture-reader indignant.) (Exeur,i owns, Spurgeon no doubt admiring ,his t , wnWit). ;fury and Norwich Post. (AD VERTI9EMENT.I—Consumption , all nervous, bilious, liver, and stomach complaints, is every stage, are only ag gravated and accelerated by drugs of every description, but perfectly curabl e by D u B ar ry's health restoring Revalenta Arabica Food, as proved by thousands of cases Whi c h had been considered hopeless. We quote a few.—Care No. 6 2,9i4. Miss Lange, 18 abandoned all h opes of her recovery from th e l ast stage of Years of age, cured after the medical m en had pulmonary consumption, with fearful cough, expectoration, exhaustion, spittng of blood, perspirations, hollow cheek; emaciated to a skeleton. She is now, thank God, a perfectly healthy, blooming, fleshy girL_N, Lange, Commissaire de Police. Cure, No. 43,270. Mr. James Roberts, of Friroley Surrey, of thirty years' diseased lungs, spitting; of blood, liver derangement, and partial deafness. —Cure, No. 47,121. Miss Elizabeth Jacobs, of extreme nervousness, indigestion, gatherings, low spirits, and nerv ous faxcies.—Cure, N o. 51,816. the Rev. James T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, of indigestion and torpidity of the liver, which had resisted all medical treatment. In tins, llb, 2s 9d; 21b, 4s 6a; 5114 11s; 121 b, 225; 241 b, 40a. Barry du Barry and GI., No. 77, Regent-street, London ; also Fortnum and Season; and all grocers and chemists in every town of the United Kingdom .... Ed b external vio remedy f or b a d l egs, whether caus • L A DvERTISEMEIqT.I-11olloway's Ointment is a wonder fullence or resulting. from cold, erysipelas, varicose veins, gout, or rheu mat i sm. The dee; est ulcerations of the flesh yield to the powers of this unguent with the same readiness and slightest the same certainty as the simplest scratch or in flammation of th e akin. The heat and smarting of scalds end burns are checked at once by the soothing application, and the progr ess of the cure, to the sufferer's astonishment and delight, p roceeds in its painless course. This impor tant fact should i n d uce every one haviue. the charee of children always to kepp this pain-saving A ppli ca ti on w iti.in reach. Holloway's Ointment will spare the child torture and the mother anxiety, Visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales to Cambridge. party upon the platform re-entered Trinity Lodge and partook of some refreshment before preceeding to the Senate-house. Their departure was the sig nal for an outburst of cheering, such as is not often heard even in a University, exceeding all previous efforts upon their arrival, or during the progress of the proceedings in old Trinity. The Senate-house meanwhile filled rapidly, and long before 3 o'clock, the hour named for the con ferring of degrees, except in places especially re served, there was not standing room for another indi vidual. The body of the hall and galleries were, as usual, crowded with members of the University, and in the reserved seats places were set apart, among others, for the following :---The Duke and Duchess of Manchester, Earl of Powis, Viscount Palmer ston, Earl Granville, the Earl of Carnarvon, Duke of Rutland and Lady Adeliza Manners, Marquis Camden, Marquis and Marchioness of Carmarthen and Ladies Osborn (2), Marquis of Hartington, Earl of Morton, Earl Stanhope, Earl and Countess Fitz william and Lady Frances and Laoy Mary Fitz william, Earl and Countess of Hard wicke, and Lady Agneta Yorke, Lord and Lady George and Mies Cavendish, Lord Richard Cavendish, Lord Edward Cavendish, Lord George Manners, Viscountess Mid leton, Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, Viscount Royston, Viscount Eversley, Lord and Lady Al wyne Compvon, Lord Ernest Bruce, the Bishop of Lichfield and Miss Lonsd.ale, Lord and Lady Rollo, Lord and Lady Wharncliffe and Lady Mary Las celles, Lord and Lady and Miss Leigh, Lord and Lady Wenlock, Lady Belper and Miss Strutr, Sr Robert and Lady Affleck and Miss Affieck, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Fisher, Mr. and Lady Elizabeth Adeane and Misses Adeane (2), Mr. Walpole, M.P., Mr. Selwyn, M.P., Provost of Eton and Mrs. Good. ford, Mr. Beresford and Lady Mildred Hope, the High-Sheriff, &c. The habitual repose of the ancient and learned town of Cambridge has been practically in abeyance since it was known that a visit from their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales W 39 impending ; and the result shows that even a seat of learning when once it yields to pleasurable excite ment can pursue enjoyment with as keen a zest, and abandon itself as fully to the events of the moment, as if it were not gray with the experience that be longs to the storehouse of centuries of wisdom. It is true that the occasion hardly possesses the same charm of novelty as before the late royal visit to Oxford, and that Cambridge, as a town, is wanting in much of that architectural grandeur which im presses every visitor to the sister university. But a royal visit to a university is one that can never fail to excite strong interest, especially where there is on every hand so marked a desire to see and pour con gratulations on the Prince and Princess of Wales. Whatever may be wanting in mere externals in Cambridge is certainly made good by cordiality of sentiment. As to the earnest feeling stirring the university through all the many grades of its thou. sands of members no doubt whatever can exist, and in the manifestations of non-university residents the' old rivalry of " town" and " gown" in its best hens() is worthily maintained. If time, or indeed human energy, permitted the royal visitors to remain in Cambridge a week instead of the three days allotted to their visit, the entire period would doubtless be converted into a fete as brilliant as that during which it will be possible for them to remain. But to all things, even to public receptions, there is a limit, and the mere record of the proceedings in which their Royal Highnesses have already taken part, or are still to take part, would create fatigue in many an ordinary individual. At 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon the special train arrived at the railway terminus, conveying their Royal Highnesses and suite from London. The Prince and Princess of Wales were accompanied by his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, and at tended by Earl Spencer, Lord Alfred Hervey, Lord Harris, the Countess of Morton, General Knollys, and the Equerry to his Royal Highness the Com mander-in-Chief. On alighting, the Royal party were received by the Earl of Hardwicke, Lord Lieutenant of the county, with some members of his family, and by the Duke of Manchester. Mili tary honours were rendered by the members of the University Volunteer Corps, which marched to the station, and was drawn up on the platform for the purpose. The corps looked in its usual state of high efficiency, and the attention of his Royal Highness was drawn to the fact that every one of the officers and privates wore a small red and white riband as a mark of sympathy and respect. A mounted escort, consisting of the Duke of Manchester's regiment of cavalry, numbering nearly 200 men, waited outsid e to accompany the Royal party to Trinity lodge. The scarlet uniforms, sombre helmets , and splendid horses of this corps made a very • :affective fentau in the court-yard of the ` . ...%atan, and worthily heralded the public er: a _ . y compliment to the occasion, also, the i• • - the first time., A amnion o f po li ce appeared for • In their new uniform, and by their admiralal arrangements at all points contributed to the g. 4access of the spectacle. Both in the station ;• .*self and along the route of nearly two miles to the quarter where the Colleges are grouped the enthu siasm was very great. The houses, with few excep tions, were draped with flags or evergreens ; in the places where vacant frontages existed stands had grown up filled with gaily-dressed spectators, flags floated from the different steeples, the bells rang out merrily, bright sunshine gave a finishing touch to the animation of the scene, and as regarded the enthusiasm of the gE zlre— The scene inside the Senate belongs to a class that has often been described, but yet loses most of its freshness and life in the very act of being reduced to writing. It is only at a place like one of our Universities that such a gathering could be held. All the venerable memories and associations re called by the name of a Senate, ail the ideas clinging to the professional garb of law, physic, or divinity ; representatives of ail that is grace ful and lovely in nature, and representatives of all that are eminent by position, or have made themselves famous by achievement, here find themselves contrasted and• brought face to face with the li cence of the gallery of a theatre educated, well-d ressed, gentlemanly licence, it is .-- true, but stilt a ga th er i ng wh i ch aantlione and, in deed, encour ages the freest a gent allusion s . B ef Tinment and most pun °)e mencement of tl' n time fixed for the com amused the ee 7:oceedings the Undergraduates e- , • —selves after their usual fashion. Three cheers _ were given for Lord Palmerston and three anmietakable groans for Earl Uuesell. Three hearty rounds of applause for the Princeand Princess were succeeded like the swing of a pendulum by as many deeparnouthed revilings of " Gladstone and Demos cracy,'' the sound, but not the sense of which latter sentiment was afterwards changed to " Gladstone and Bright," " The dark girl dressed in blue" was enthusiastically honoured, and numerous inquiries of " Where is she ?" immediately followed. The cheering for Professor Kingsley was very hearty, and that for " the South" loud, but not altogether unanimous. Lord Granville entered altogether un noticed, and took his seat at first beside Lord Car nervon, who was one of the earliest of the distin guished visitors who appeared on the platform. Apparently thinking that too close proximity to an Opposition peer might be undesirable, Lord Gran eille shifted about for a few minutes from place to place, but was made happy before long by the ar rival of the Premier, whose appearance on the plat form was the occasion for a general outburst of cheering. The heads of the University, in consi deration of the pressure to which the noble lord's , ime trust be exposed, offered to present him with his honorary degree of D.C.L. on the same occasion that it was conferred on the Prince of Wales. Lord Palmerston, h - )wever, expressed his williugness to wait until the second day, in order hat the honours on the first might be limited ex clusively to the Court circle. "Three cheers for Bulwer Lytton" and three for the Chancellor, were given heartily; and when the Chancellor arrived, as be did at at five minutes to 3 o'clock, accompanied by the Vice-Chancellor and the Earl of Powis, he got three more hearty cheers from galleries and floor. His grace took his seat upon the dais; and at 3 o'clock precisely the Princess of Waies was conducted to the chair of State reserved for her. Until her royal highness had reached her place there was a respectful hush, but the moment this was attained the cheers of the assembly, again and again re newed, poured forth in deafening volume to wel come her to the headquarters of the university. The Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Duke of Cambridge and the members of his household, all in the scarlet robes of Doctors of Law, entered shortly " You would have thought the very windows spake, So many greedy looks of 3 oung and old Through casements darted their desiring eyes." The procession turned aside through Lancefleld road into Trumpington-street for the purpose of re ceiving an address of congratulation from the Mayoi and Town Council, and just before it reached this point the horses belonging to ono of the six Royal carriages grew so uneasy that General iinollys and the gentleman by whom he was eecompenied were obliged to get out and walk the remainder of the distance. Time did not admit of the Corporation address being read, but the attention VrO3 briefly and gracefully acknowledged, and the Royal party moved en without further delay, and as fast as the numbers and acclamations of spectators would per mit, to the great Court of Trinity College. For once, the turf, which ordinarily to touch is to profane, had to submit to the pressure of a dense multitude. The wide quadrangle was filled with dignitaries of the College and their academical subordinates, and though the ladies present at the ceremony were sup• posed to confine themselves to the rooms of their relatives and friends, there were many who seemed by grace especial to have acquired the coveted privi lege of gazing from a much nearer point upon the Princess, and who helped with the flame-coloured gowns of the doctors to give some relief to the ordinary gloominess of a collegiate assembly. Colleges are apt to stand stoutly upon precedent, and at one time it was imagined there might be a difficulty in admitting the cortege through the great " King's Gateway of Trinity, as none bat crowned heads of England had ever entered in state by that venerable porch. Even the late Prince Consort was compelled to make a detour and to enter the precincts by an approach venerable rather than savoury. Good taste, however, pre vailed in the present instance, and a blind adhesion to collegiate etiquette was not suffered to mar one of the most striking features in the reception. The Royal party, leaving their cavalry escort outside, having enter e d the quadrangle, filed pest the foun tain, r:.nd, passing before the steps leading to the treat hall, alighted at Trinity Ledge, where they remained for a few moments, and then, reappear ing, were conducted to a very tasteful little plat form erected under a marquee beneath the shadow of the Dining-hall. To this point the Duke of Devonshire (Char cellor of the University), the Vice- Chancellor (Dr. Cookson), the Heads of Houses, Professors and Members of the Senate proceeded is, order to present a formal address to the Prince of Wales. In this document expression was given to the unfeigned gratification with which the visit of his Royal Highness, accompanied as he was by his illustrious Consort, was regarded by the University ; the honour thus conferred was interrupted as a proof that his Royal Highness cherished a kind's remembrance of the period of his residence at Cam bridge; a hope was ventured that the Princess of Wales would always find pleasure in visitin g p i eces and scenes in which his Royal Highness felt an interest, and the address concluded with assurances, of loyalty and welcome. Tne Prince read a short reply, in which he acknowledged the compliment paid him by the University, and assured the Heads of that body that in their address they had only done justice to his own feelings. He could not easily forget a period endeared to him by so many pleasant associations. The Princess was very sen sible of the cordiality of the welcome accorded to her, and equally with himself anticipated the great est pleasure from visiting the many objects of interest to be found in the University. A procession, headed by the dignitaries already enumerated, and consist ing of the Colleges in order of seniority, the divi sions between each being very successfully indicated by the banners of the various boat clubs, then marched past the marquee, each lowering its flag in compliment to the Prince and Princess as it passed. As soon as the procession, closing with the officers of the Cambridge Town Volunteer Corps, had with drawn, the University Volunteers, who meanwhile had packed themselves away in the closest column known to military art, advanced in line as to the centre, with both flanks thrown forward in front so as to form, when the word was given to halt and front, a hollow square about the nlatform. Her Royal Highness in Ferson then proceeded to deliver a very valuable list of prizes. Lieutenant -Colonel B a k er h a d th e h onour of receiving, in the first w.aein stance,lsand Captain the chaalplenig: Ross cap given by th e P r i nce of as (to wh om two cups were presented for successive victories), Lieutenant B Ensign France, and ot h er members of the corps were similarly presented with prizes won io recent competitinne, When the distribution had terminated, the Volunteers took up a new formation, and marched past, after which the distinguished afterwards, and his royal hi g h ness rece i ve d a wel come little, if anything, short, in point of enthu siasm, to that already bestowed upon his consort. The undergraduates, however, were bent upon pay ing especial court to the princess, and the next cry raised—" Three cheers for the King of Denmark,, by thihresponse which it elicited proved what was the feeling uppermost in their minds. Commensu. rate groans for " Austria " followed, and seemed likely to last for an indefinite period, until suddenly some one, with a sense of propriety stronger upon him than the rest, invited " three cheers for the Queen," which were given with right goodwill, and then the ass, mbly settled down to business. The Prince of Wales, in the first place, was installed a Doctor of Laws, his admission at the hands of the Deke of Devonshire being preceded by a short ad dress in Latin on the part of the public orator, and, as this was the event of the day, the acclamations were of course proportionate. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge was nest admitted, a refer ence being made by the orator to the share which he had taken in the dangers of actual war. The public orator (the Rev. W. G. Clark) then pro ceeded to deliver the accustomed oration, in the course of which reference was made to the oithusiastic welcome given to the prince and princess, and to the ancient and constant loyalty of the University, for which nowadays no credit could be claimed, as our present Sovereign had learnt how to reconcile the royal prerogative with popular liberties, so that throughout the em pire there was no political prisoner nor any English refugees abroad. The address enlarged upon the t domestic virtues of th e Sovereign , wh ich had mad e whole people sh arers in her joy s and sorr ows , ,led referred to the career of the late Prince Consort, as an example to his son, That so n's love of every thing English —sport as well as serious matters— w,:s insisted upon as an additio nal bond of union with the English people. And then, turnin g to the Princess, the Orator said, he wou ld not p raise them to their faces, because the Princes of a tree country ought to scorn even the appearance of flattery, but sympathy and respect at the ha nds of sub j ects were offerings which Princes might g ladl y receive, and this observation led to a digression upon Danish affairs, in which the courage and patriotism of the King, her father, and the fortitude of his subjects, were dwelt upon amid the plaudits of the assembly. The Orator expressed an earnest h o p e that the y o ung Prince Albert Vi c tor, when, after long years, h e came to the throne, might find all things quietly settled by the wisdom and courage of his predeces- sore— V‘Pacatumque regat patriis virtutibus °them." Honorary degrees were then conferred upon Lord Spencer, Lord A. Harvey, Lord Harris, and General Knollys, and the proceedings in the Senate-house were brought to a close by the presentation of medals to, and the recitation of prize poems by, successful competitors in the recent examination. At half-past six o'clock the Vice• Chancellor (Dr. Cookson) and Mrs. Cookson had the honour of entertaining at dinner in the Kali of Peterhouse their Royal Highness the Prince and Princess of Wales, his Royal Highness the Duke of Cam bridge, the members of bis Royal Highness's suite, Lore Spencer, Lord Alfred Hervey, Lord Harris, Lady Morton, Gee. Knollys, Major Tees dale, the Duke of Cambridge's Equerry, and the t 3 ll l e ituCh a e t :t:r i , l i t he 117 Marquisd Rutland, the e' following distinguished company :—The Duke of DevortBhire, K.G . and Li6y Louisa Civendibh • Dade Lord GarnadnviD.fra,c4t3G.o,l THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JUNE 3, 1864. Camden, the Marquis of Hartington, Lord Powis, Lord Stanhope, Lord and Lady Hardwick() and Lady Agneta Yorke, Lord Carnarvon, Lord Richard Cavendish, Lord Eversley, Lord and Lady Palmer ston, the Bishop of Ely, Lord Leigh, the Right Hon. Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, the Right Hor. Mr. Walpole, Hen. Sir W. P. Wood, Sir Charles Eastlake, the Dean of Westminster, Dr. Phelps, Master of Sidney; Dr. Whewell, Master of Trinity, and Lady Afileck ; Okes, Provo i st of king's; Dr. Corrie, Master of Semis; Dr. Pulling, Master of Corpus; Dr. Bateson, Master of St. John's ; Dr. Phillips, Master of Queen's ; Dr. Atkinson, Master of Clare; Dr. Geldart, Master of Trinity hall ; Dr. Guest, Master of CAus; Hon. Latimer Neville, Master of Magdalene; Mr. Selwyn, M.P., Mr. Beresford Hope, Dr. Watson, Professor Hoffman, Professor Wheatstone, Mr. Godfrey, Mr. 13esant, Mr. Porter, and Mr, Cookson. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE, RAILWAY BILLS. Yesterday, in the Committee on Metropolitan Railways, Mr. Hope Scott, Q.C., opened the case of the North London, the object of it being to enable the company to exercise additional powers, to make a new dock, and to widen their line at Poplar, and to raise £50,000 by shares and £16,000 by wort• gage. Evidence in favour of the bill was adduced. The consideratio❑ of the Teign Valley Bill closed, and the committee declared the preamble proved. Mr. Phinn, Q.C., stated the case of the proposed Ilfracombe Rsil vay, the capital being £210,000 in shares and £70,000 by loan for a line of 12 miles in length. Mr. Galbraith, C.E., and other witnesses were examined in favour of the project. After several days' sitting, and the examination of about 100 witnesses, the case for the promoters of the Great Eastern Northern Junction Railway was concluded, and Mr. Salisbury was heard for the opposition of the Manchester, Shef field, and Lincolnshire, and Mr. Merewether, Q C., tor landowners. The evidence of Mr. Hodgson, chairman of the North British Railway, occupied the committee on the proposed Glasgow and North British Bill, to raise £1,350,000 in shares and £450,000 by loan, with power to create a 5 per cent. debenture stock. The case of the Drayton Junction closed in Mr. North's ccmmittee, and the opposition to it of the London and North Western commenced, Mr. Mason being examined. Evidence occupied the committee on the Brecon and Merthyr Junction, the East Glocestershire, the Dublin Trunk Connecting, and the St. Helen's Bill. Iu Earl Devon's commit tee the case of the Leeds, Bradford, and Halifax Railway was considered. SOUTH EASTERN. A Wharneliffe meeting of this company was held yesterday at the Bridge house Hotel,London•bridge ; the Hon. J. By ng in the chair. Mr. SMILES, the secretary, read the notice con. Tening the meeting to consider nine bills, in com pliance with the standing orders of the House of Lords. The CHAIRMEN stated that three hills promoted by them in the present session had been so far sanc tioned by the proprietors as to authorise the direc tors to make applications to Parli,ment in respect of them. By the first bill on the list it was pro posed to raise a capital of £lBO,OOO, by the second bill £450,000, and by another bill,since withdrawn, £230,000 for a line to Eastbourne—together £860,000. The directors had subsequently been enabled to enter into arrangements whereby the capital applied for had bee❑ considerably reduced. An agreement had been made with the Belgian Company under which facilities would be afforded for an efficient service of trains between Loudon and Eastbourne, via Tunbridge Wells, in connec tion wit h the SAVII Eastern Railway, in considera tion of which the company's Eastbourne brat ch had been withdrawn, as well as the proposed junc- tion line between Croydon and 6aterham. An arrangement had also been made with the Weald of Kent Company, under which the South Eastern Company's branch would terminate at Cranbrook, and the proposed extension to Tenderden and Appledore had been withdrawn accordingly. 'Tar capital required for the construction of the proposed new lines of the company would tberctote now stand as follows :—For the branch to Westerham, £70,000, instead of £lBO,OOO, and for the branches to Crap brook, and Hytbe and Sandgate, £28(1,0u0, instead of £4so,ooo—together, 1:350,000, instead of £630,000 as originally proposed. He thought the proprietors would not object to that reduction. Mr. Toogood (the solicitor) read the heads of a Bill for authorising the South-Eastern Railway Company to make and maintain an extension of their railway to Westerharn, and to raise further moneys. It authorised £70,000 in shares, and the usual borrowing powers for £23,330. The motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. Thompson, a formal resolution approving the bill, was then carried. The next was a Bill for authorising the South Ea6tern Railway Compaty to make and maintain extensions of their railway to Cranbrook, Hythe, and Saudgate, respectively, and to raise further moneys, to the amount of £280,000 on shares and £93,33,) on loan. After some observations by Mr. C. Child as to the necessity of having a map of the projects in the room on such occasions, a format resolution ap• proving the Bill was carried unanimously. the Solicitor read the heads of the next bill for authorising the Charing-cross Railway Company to acquire additional lands at or near Cannon street station in the city of London, and to raise further moneys to the amount of .t 90,000, of woich £65,000 was for the purpose of subscribing towards uhe cunstructio❑ of an hotel in the city. Mr. ADAMS said the £90,000 would not be suffi cient for the purposes of the company, and that the directors shonld have applied for powers to raise £600,000. The CHAIRMAN said the directors thought it would be considered by the present bills that they were asking for too much money, instead of too little. The bill was approved. Oa the !notion of the CHAIRMAN, formal resolu- tions approving the following bide, which did not require any subscription from the South-Eastern Company, were agreed to :—A bill to authorize the construction of a dock, piers, a railway, and other works at or near Ddal, and a navigable channel therefrom to Sandwich, all in the county of Kent; a bill for authorizing the extension and mainten ance of tramways in the parish of Erith, in Kent ; a bill to authorize the London, Chatham, andllover Railway Company to construct additional works arid acquire additional lands, to alter the works and powers (connected with or affecting their undt r taking) of other companies, bodies, and persons, and to amend the Acts of the company relating to Dover and to Margate; and a bill to authorize the con struction of a railway from Hartley and Cranbrook to Tenterden, in the county of Kent. Mr. WILSON, having expressed the gratification he felt in consequence of the company having re cently estabEshed friendly relations with neigh bouring companies, moved a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors, and the meeting was ad journed to the 22d inst., at the same place, for the consideration of the other bills. CALCUTTA AND SOUTH-EASTERN. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held on Tuesday at the offices, Gresham•house—Mr. J. Borradaile in the chair. The report stated that the terminus at Port Canning was still unfinished, Sines the opening of the line vessels aggregating about 7,000 tons had visited the port, but it was regretted that sufficient accommodation had not yet been pro vided there. The Municipal Commissioners of Port Canning were endeavouring to provide a remedy for this state of things, and pressing the Government on the subject. With regard to roads and approaches to the different stations they were in a backward state. The important road for con necting the Barripore district with Chappahattee station would not be completed before the middle of the year. Until the terminal stations of the rail- Way were put into habitable and serviceable condi tion the merits of the lire could not be tested• S o tar as the water site and channel were e'neerned every day's experience served to prove the admir able fitness of the Matlah for a first-rate port. - The superior cheapness, safety, and easy access of the Mutlab. as compared with the Hooghly, was now beyond dispute. The iron jetty, on which the con venience of vessels and the returns of the line in a great measure depended, was by the last accounts expected to be completed in dune. No exertions had been spared to reduce the expenditure, and the various establishments had been brought down to the lowest point compatible with efficiency and safety, The sums required for the railway had been advanced from time to time by the Govern ment of Tricia. The capital account showed that £431,517 had been expanded, leaving a balance of £7,381. The total amount of guaranteed interest received from the Government to the 31st of De cember, 1863, was £63,594. The traffic receipts for the half year ending the 31st of December last amounted to £2,494, and the expenditure to £3,029. showing a deficiency of £535. On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, the report was adopted; the retiring directors, Mr Burkinyoung and Mr. Berber, and the retiring audi►ors, Mr Goodehep and Mr. C. W. Johnson, were reelected. Fhe proceedings conctucled with a vote of thanks to the directors. SPIIIIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TIMES.—The lest news from the seat Ot war in Virginia prepares ua for the complete failure a Grant's expedition, The telegraphic intelligence which we published yesterday announced that the Federal General was again advancing on the night of Tuesday, the 17th of May. That which we pub lish this morning records the signal repulse of the attack which he made on the morning of Wednes day, the 18th. This time the assault was directed against Lee's centre and left. "After a desperate conflict, lasting throughout the forenoon, the Fede rats were forced to retreat, with the loss of 1,200 in killed and wounded." After the who!esale slaughter of the previous fortnight these numbers may appear almost trifling, but to an invading force a defeat is, in one sense, more damaging when the loss is small. It stems to show that the position of the enemy was found too impregnable to be carried by "piling up men" and marching over their bodies, and that a timely retreat was dictated by that which is the better part of valour. This inference is confirmed by the sentence which follows. A counter-attack is stated to have been afterwards made by Lee upon Grant's front, though without success. When we remember that, according to a New York contem porary, a full week before this action, " the army of General Lee, befflA and beaten et every point, was in full retreat towards Richmond, pursued by the uncocquerable old Army of the Potomac," the feet of his becoming the aggressor is sugges tive of many reflections. The same authority endorsed as " absolutely true" the information that Lieutenant-General Grant " was achieving a victory which will be crowned with the destruc tion or dispersion of the main army of Jeff. Davis, the occupation of his capital, and his flight as an outlaw from his exploded Confederacy." Pending the accomplishment of these decisive events, we hear that Lee continues to occupy his old position, about half way between Washington and Richmond, while Grant is not only unable to dis lodge him, but has sometimes to act on the defen sive. But this is not all. "On Thursday (the 19th) Ewell gained Grant's rear, and attempted the cap. cure of the Federal supply trains. The result is unknown ; but after an hour's fighting, in which the Federals lost upwards of 1,000 men, the Con federates returned to their entrenchments." It would be premature to speak of this as the finale of Grant's invasion of Virginia, tut our readers will probably agree with us, that a conqueror, supposed to be driving before him a " defeated, exhausted, and demoralised" enemy, was never placed in a more awkward predicament. It is true that Mr. Stanton had undertaken to reinforce him with " 25,000 vete ran troops;" Sue we are not told from what quarter these veterans Are to be procured, nor is it quite certain that they will arrive in time to avert a crushing disaster. The most pradeut of the mill i ary critics at New 4oik took care to qualify their triumphant vaticmationa by making them condi tional upon Beauregard having taken part in the late engagement. If Grant had proved himself more than a match for the joint strength of Lee and Beaureg .rd, then the retreat of the Confederates to Richmond was, they t bought, inevitable. They could not afford, it was argued, to leave Butler in the rear of their capital without. Beauregard to watch him, and must forthwith fall back to defend it. Anothcr paragraph in the telegraph news of to-day shows how utterly these anticipations have been eon founded. There is still some mystery about Beauregrad'a movements, but we know, at all events, that after he was bait ved to have joined Lee, General Ran som, one of his subordinates, surprised General Butler in one direction, while a second detachment of the same force surprised General Baldy Smith in another direction. Mr. Stanton himself ad mitted that the latter was at first driven back " with some contusion," but asserted that the attack on Butler was " handsomely repulsed." That General h o wever, by Mr. Stanton 'a own showing," retired" —though "leisurely"--" within his own lines." The exact nature of this strategic movement is explained by our latest accounts " The Confederates captured General Hickman with nearly his whole brigade and eight or ten cannon, and drove the whole Federal force to their in trench ments at Bermuda. The Federal loss in killed and wounded is admitted to be 2,509." Meanwhile Beauregard, so far from having despatched all his available troops to the assistance of Lee, was actually in force, on the 2let of May, in Gen. Butler's imme• diate front, ane was preparing to assault his in trenchments. Should be have been successful, all cause for anxiety about the safety of Richmond will have been removed, and Lee will no doubt have been heavily reinforced from Beanregard's army. It is now time to glance briefly at the operations of General Sherman, whose expedition, however in ferior in magnitude to that of Grant, opened more hopefully, and excited great expectations in the North. On the 14th of May Mr. Stanton reported that Sherman had forced his antagonist, Johnston, to evacuate DAton in the Chattanooga Mountains, though not without a loss to himself of 3,000 in killed and wounded. On the 16th he was advane- ing into Georgia by rapid marches. On the 17th he was still "in eigorons pursuit," his suppiies abundant, and his animals fattening on the pastures and grain fields. By the 20th he had arrived at Kingston and occupied Rome; uy the 21st he had reached Cassville, and a great battle at Atlanta was considered imminent. For the sequel we must wait till the next wail, but a very cursoryinspec tion of the map will show the advantages under which it will be fought by the Confederates. ' Atlanta stands at the j;2netion of three great lines of railway, communicating with Savannah, Charles ton, and the Mississippi. It 1 : should fall into the hands of the Federale, it will .no doubt be a valuable position, but in the contree'y event it may turn out that the retreat of Johnstot: was a preconcerted plan to draw Sherman away from his basis of operations, and the "pursuit" of the latter a suicidal hastening into the trap laid for him. It is not, however, on the fate of Sherman's, but on that of Grant's, enterprise that the fortune of the war now appears to -be suspended. There is no limit, indeed, to the elasticity of Northern self reliance, and there are persons who would not cease to proclaim the approaching extinction of the re— bellion though the Army of the Potomac were annihilated and Washington taken. We speak of no impossible contingencies. If Beauregard wei . e to dispose of Butler and gain Lee's camp before Grant's reinforcements could reach him, nothing, we imagine, creed save the latter from an over whelming defeat. Such a defeat is ruin to an army which has staked everything on victory, and has no defences to fall back upon. Unless Grant can maintain a superiority in the field, it becomes a question whetter he will be able to recross the Potomac with more than a remnant of his force. We know too little of the resources at the commaed of the Confederates, and have had too many examples of their comparative weakness for aggres sive purposes, to venture on any prediction at this conjuncture. All that we desire to point out is the importance of political issues depending on it. Supposing Grant's prodigious sacrifice of men to be fruitless, and his military reputation to be wrecked, what will be the probable effect on public opinion in the North ? The war party will doubtless be more furious than ever, but will the war party be dominant any longer ? Will the policy forced on President Lincoln by a section of the Republicans survive the financial and moral collapse that must follow such a catastrophe ? O r w i l l the pac ifi c s sentiments of the great masses , w h o h ave " no interest in wrong," make themselves heard for once above the din of boisterous passions , demanding either a change o f p o li cy or a change of President? We cannot tell, but we may at least hope, for the sake of humanity, that the wild and ruthless cry, On to Richmond," has now been raised for the last time. POST.—The County Courts Bill of the Lord Chancellor, which is to be discussed to-night in the House of Lords, has, in one particular, encountered an amount of adverse criticism which may have in duced the public to overlook in other respects its great and manifold merits. We, of course, refer to that section of the measure which proposes to mid that, after the Ist, day of March, 1t465, no action or y suit should be brought for the rceovi•ty of an debt or money demand not exceeding £2O, "unless within one year after such debt or money demand, or some part thereof, liecame and payable." stated by The object of the Lord Chancellor, a s 1, himself, was to protect the artisan and • the a g ri r tural labourer from the evils of that systa .°f long credit which generally ended in consige, to g y e debtor to the county prison and his unfortunate:l wife and family to the parish workhouse. Credit, b.''' . in great and' small commercial transactions, is a' . matter too important and too dependent upoce established habits and customs to be safely dealt. with on mere grounds of favour or benevolence to. a particular class. If the artisan and the agriculee Oral labourer have a right to ask Parliament to diminisi t the statutory period of limitation from six years to one year, surely the swell tradesman, , whose interest is quite as great, has a right to be heard on the other side, ateJ to show, if he can, that the proposed enactment would in reality cottler " benefit upon the labouring classes. whilst it ee . " o e drive those situated as himself to immediate habit" ruptcy. But the argument may be put even higher.. The small tradesman is dependent upon the whole sale dealer, and the latter upon the importer, for all articles, such as tea, sugar, and tobacco, whielle though the produce of foreign countries, are' reckoned necessaries of life among all classes of our population. IF credit be disturbed at the basis ot our social system, where the insignificance or each transaction is more than compensated by an enormous aggregate of dealings, the shock will reach the very highest class of merchants, and an injury will be inflicted upon the trade of this coun try the consequences of which would not fail to tell upon the very persons for whose special behalf the taw had been changed. But in considering a ques tion of this kind we prefer facts to mere argumente, ado ' we therefore proceed to show the probable beat" ing o f t o section upon the London shopkeeper, who nee d s l ot necessarily be a small tradesman, and whose customers need not bel o n g t o t h e labour ing clgsses. We ktiet; the case of a tradesman at en d w h o h„ every y ear on hi s the West- hooks four thousand accounts, each for a sum under £2O. ilia rule is to send out his bile at tile end of the year, and he states that if ne were compelled to collect them within a twelvemonth he might as well shut up shop and retire from business altogether, or wait for an inevitable resort to her Majesty's Court of Bankruptcy. In another case the manufacturer of an article of general consumption, who supplies several thousand retail shopkeepers, states that if such a law was obligatory upon him he could not continue to carry on his business; that he endea vours as far as possible to limit credit, but that the constant litigation and oppression which would ensue from the proposed limitation to one year would deprive him of his customers. But the ques tion may be viewed in another aspect. Is it kind or humane to require the working man at all times and under all circumstances to pay that which is reality amounts to ready money ? When wi rk is plentiful and wages are high the labourer ought, no doubt, to abstain from running into debt; but when circumstances are changed, and employment cannot be obtained, to deny him all means of credit would be either to send him to the parish or to induce him to take part in one of those strikes which often end in scenes of outrage and violence. We therefore say, on behalf of the working man, the small shop keeper, and the wholesale dealer, that the proposed period of limitation is too short, a:though we have every confidence that the Lord Chancellor, in re' commending it, was solely actuated by a desire to protect and benefit a large and deserving class Of his fellow subjects. But if one year be too short, is the old statue ory period of six years too long ? We believe that all controversy in this respect will be' settled by the noble and learned lord accepting two years as the period during which a debt or 'none, demand under £2O can be recovered. If this modi" fication be adopted in conjunction with those pro visions which abolish imprisonment except for eel' tain defined offences, fraud, reckless extravagance ie living, &c., the law of debtor and creditor in respect of small transactions will, no doubt, be placed on much more just end satisfactory footing, and render the measure worthy of the reputation of its die tinguished author. It is needless to discuss th e " tally-man" grievance, because we perceive that Lord St. Leonerds has given notice of a clause which will provide an efficient remedy. He pro poses that no debt of this kind should be recover; able unless the order had received the sanction 0 1 toe husband or father. Those portions of the bill which propose to confer a small equitable juriedice lion upon the county courts are likely to produce considerable benefit to the public, but the clauses themselves are so general that little opinion can be, formed of their will* until we see the code 0 ' orders which is to presctibe the procedure. We in' tend, however, to return to this subject of equitable jurisdiction and to the short system of bankruptcy in small debt cases which, we believe, constitute e Iwo of the most vetuabie and important fe a t ure s 01 the Lord Chancellor's measure. The latter We especially commend to the attention of the come mittee Low sitting to investigate the operation of • the Bankruptcy Act, 1861. COUNTRY MARKETS. BIRMINGHAM-THURSDAY. There was an increased supply of English wheat to-dall but the demand was slow, and last week's prices advanced 6d to is per qnarter. Barley nominally unaltered in prise. Beans and oats were rather over late quotations. Peas firm' —English wheat was so ld a t 40s to 44a for white, and 365 to'42s per 36 stone for red. parley, new malting, 30s t° 38s per qr ; grinding, 18s to 2,4 s Oats, old, 22s to 3 08 per 30 stone ,• Irish, 18s to 24e. Beans, 34s to 40s per Peas, 32s to 38s per 36 stone. BURTON- ON-TRENT—THURSDAY. Old white wheat ..41s to 45s I old red wheat, 4os to 42 .! New do. ~ 39s t o 44 s I New do. 37s to 4 " Malting barley....32s to 35s I Oats. 20s to 30s Grinding d0.....26s to 29s I Beans 34s to 425 MANCHESTER—THURSDAY. „ i d A very limited attendance at our market to-day, but very little business doing. Wheat and flour both m e i, for previous quotations. Oats id to ld per bushel dea r . e an Oatmeal at late prices. Beans 6d to is advance. corn was 3d to 6d per qr higher. BRISTOL—TH U RSDAY. A small supply of English wheat, which met a re li f n ii sale, at an advance of is per qr. Foreign more dealt at prices unobtainable last week. Barley ruled slow+, 6 0 brought late rates. Beans, peas, and Indian corn dear, but dull. EDINBURGH GRAIN—JUNE 1. To. day there was a better supply of grain, which Bold at is above last week's prices, with an active demand' Wheat on the top Os 6d up.... average 2s 3d OP Barley on the top Os 6d up Oats on the top 2s Od u p . average e e O ie s Ir do Po' Beans on the top is Od up average 2s 8d 11 P . Avet age Prices. I Wheat.. 39s id Oats Barley 34 s 6d Beans 383 - Total Supply and Sales. Wheat .. 906 qrs Sold 450 qrs 8ar1ey........ 150 qrs Sold 113 qrs Oats Beans 73 qrs Sold 73 qrs Flour sells as follows :—White s , 37s Od_; extras, 355 13 ' 1 ' superfine, 33s Od ; fine, 30s Od. NEW JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES.—A Parliaule n° tary return, moved for by Lora Overatone, shows that b°: tvir-er. the beginning of last year and the 18th of 141aY id this year, 1,170' new joint-stock companies with stered, and fhe total number of limited liability were reg: „, sharesto created reached the enormous number of 13,348,401' TO re is, however, some gum:Teation of this statement i n a ri° f appended to the return, the effect that the registrar hoe joint-stock companies is unable to state how °f shares have been really subao.ribed for. The persons 9 9 t egistered these companies hart Only subscribed for 672 ' 3 shares. Births. he m ABBOTT.—On the Ist inst., at Grove n ouse , Tette: - the wile of Arthur 8.. Abott, of a son. elf' ANLEY.—On the, lst inst., at 7, i Hoe-park-terrace ory mouth, the wile of Capt a i n F. A. A n l ey , Royal A rtl of a son. o! jr. BLADES.—On the 2d inst., a t Peng e , the wife Blades, of a son. orga n - STACEY.—On the Ist inst. at Whitchuroh , shire, the wife of th e R ev , Cyril Stacey, of a di"' Marriages. .1110 6 EviNg.-MUMFORD.—On the Ist inst., at Little C.0°.,-;,011- Anthony Evans, Esq., cf 3, Tavisiock•plac A, •,•-• square, to Lucy Louisa , second daughter of Go o. ford, Esq., of Little Cornard. AbOilt TAYLOR-1 INDALE.—On the Ist inst., at Alm° l2- , o arep John Hirst Taylor, Esq., of Grove Ho use, Win ue- joll ll to Annie Elizabeth, the , aldest daughter o f late Tindale, Esq., of Rose Villa, Almondbury. Deaths. .„,,, k weil• BEARD.—On the 31st ult., at 4, Clarence- place , 0 S 6 ' Charles Beard, Esq., formerly of the Hon : "'" - . . aged 78. o f Dole CANNING.--Onthe lat inst., Allen Canning, EA" don Colne, near St. Albans, aged 56. W illi a m Cole l l' °I COLEBY.—On the 31st ult., suddenly, Stratford, Essex, aged 78. ..f.. iVf CORNELL.—inst.,On the Ist , ' 0 116 N CHE r EY.—On the Ist inst., at Castlegate, Gra ll ' m Cheney, aged 88. .13.•• sr. o°l4 HENSON.—On the 31st ult., at Brighton, !Jenson, of the Strand, aged 48. . r . MARTINDALE —On the Ist hie, at 20, Brunsartc.-115. dens, Kensington, Benjamin Martindal e, Esq., ,eboo, . WOOD.—On the 30th ult ,at Grafton-square, ° a l l ag ed Mr. Arthur Wood, of 16, Cletnent's-lane, city, a" London : Prtri 'Zed and Prtlfslicti by ViriI,LIAILA NDIt 11$+ of No. 112, Strand, Printe r, at HE SUN 011 ice 2 ,0 * o i 1 St ra nd- .11 th, Precinc t of the lavoy, 110 0 111311 ItUddlenex —Friday, June 3,1861.