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

ail way aelice. Hon of about posits A de 'or the leque, ived a who ass by :upied n-ship with 3ritish ~ and mails, tormy n the )any's elphia► rrived d dol ;hmus that ,r and manta band. ;nate, York 'aB in 0,000 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 in 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 Ireland, 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 Manilla, 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 Guards 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 77th 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 Ist 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 snake 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 "elected 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 Mini 4 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, being 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 not exercised any enervating influence over their courage and patriotism. SOUTHAMPTON, FEB. 13. A. telegraphic despatch has to-day been received by Captain H. Austin, C. 8., the Admiralty Superintendent of Packets at this port, announcing that the Govern ment has chartered the Royal mail steamship Orinoco, •f 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 stein 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 i❑ the dry dock, but ►ill be got ready for sea as soon as possible. ROYAL ARTILLERY. WOOLWICH, F. 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 Wcolwioh steam packet company's ♦essels 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 Sent 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, Fla. 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 here 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 Devo n port, are fitting as war frigates, and have no orders to tlie 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 hi 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 thi. 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 employe(' in the yard were mustered be fore the Admiralty Lord, who harangued them in spirited terms, and told them that he 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, sh ould receive 3s per diem in addition to their pension allowance (we under stood); and to all those in the rigging - hou s e as riggers, or any other (pensioners) who had been formerly con nected with the navy, he gave the choice of volunteering' for any ship they might name ; failing such voluntary choice they would be sent on board Rear-Admiral Chads's flag-ship Edinburgh. The Admiral, however, added, that as this sea service would 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 snore 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 bite general call has been made by official proclamation. NEW MUSKET BULLET. On Saturday we had an opportunity of inspecting a movel 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 use 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 charcoal. The merits of the 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 hi s pro jectile. The report of the Belgian commission speaks of the invention in the most unequivocal terms, and states that the projectile will double the force of an a rm y ; 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 WAS Lieut.-General Cl anal, aide-de-camp du Roi, states 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- I . tion to Lord Hardinge, who advised him to await the q j report of the Belgian Commission. Since the delivery of the report within the last few days, the new projec tile has accordingly been submitted to the English Go vernment through the Commander-in-Chief, and that gallant officer has referred the inventor to the Master- 4 General and Board of Ordnance. The inventor, M. r 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 absurd 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. birb Wilutton. LINCOLN RACES. (THIS DAY.) (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) TRIAL STAKES. Lord Lieutenant.. Cardsharper Six ran. GRAND STEEPLECHASE. Trout Melon Maid of the West Eleven ran. TWO-YEAR OLD STAKES. Mary f by Rochester Broom SELLING STAKES. Julius Ctesar AUSTRALIA. BY MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH. ARRIVAL OF THE GREAT BRITAIN. LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY. This morning, at 10 o'clock, the screw steam ship Great Britain, from Australia, arrived in the Mersey. The Great Britain sailed from Melbourne on the 4th of December, and has brought 199 pas sengers, and 165,000 ounces of gold. She is also the bearer of the first shipment of cotton from Sydney. The Gauntlet, from London, had arrived at Mel bourne on the 3d December. There is little news of interest by this arrival. The price of gold at Melbourne was 775. per ounce, but was declining. LYCEUM THEATRE. Mr. Charles Mathews has this morning written a letter to the Times, with the object of putting himself m a right light before the public, and of silencing the misrepresentations which he says have appeared respect ing the late events at the Lyceum. He earnestly de nies the imputation of extravagance and recklessness, and protests that the embarrassments with which he has so long had to contend were attributable solely to his anxiety to acquit himself from obligations which, though no longer binding at law, he had felt compelled by hon our to discharge. He feelingly alludes to the contretemps incident 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 set 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 purpo:te, than 50 judgments were at once acted on, and at 5 o'clo ck 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 sky—and probably the first time such a thing ever happened in a London theatre—unanimously re fused, and tote money was returned at the doors. On the next everting 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 the; n to be ready to perform their duty. At 20 minutes p ast 6 I was there, and found the whole com pany, with rt. few honourable exceptions, had deserted their posts, and quitted the theatre. The doors were onoe more cl osed in the face of a numerous audience, and ruin seemed inevitable. I have since called my old fellow-labour ers 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 SHIPPING.-(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. ILFRACOM3BE, 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. LIVERPOOL, Feb. 13.—Arrived—Niagara, steamer, from Boston, with $62,000 on freight. GLOUCESTER, Feb. 13.—Arrived—Helene, Olga, and Emporium, Odessa. 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 Penrnorchs, 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 vain. ble cargo from Lisbon to Finland, has been found at sea tibout 10 miles off the coast, attempts will be made to bring the wreck on shore. (Br SUBMARINE AND EUROPEAN TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Tuesday, 9.30 a.m. Wind W. Tide, low water ; fine. Arrived, 13th —Anna, from Dordt ; Fros Furst 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. MARKET NEWS-.(THIS DAY.) COLONIAL. SUGI AB.—There is not much doing. The home deliveries continues good. Foreign is quiet. Refined steady, with a fair business. Lo w to fine grocery lumps 44 s 6d to 48s 6(1 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 barr els. 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 wore 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 61s 9d per cwt. TEA.—The purchases have been limited, but prices are tot lower. HAY MARKETS. SMITHFIELD.—Meadow hay, 3/ Os to 5/ 58 ; clover ditto, 4/ Os to 6/ 09 ; and straw, 1/ 14s to 2/ 2s per load. A moderate supply, and a fair demand. CIIMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, 3/ 3s to 51 88 ; clover ditto, 4/1108 to 61 Os; and straw, 1/ 16s to 2/ 58 per load. Supply good, and trade tolerably firm. WHITECHAPEL.—Meadow hay, 3l Os to Si ss; clover ditto, 4/ Os to 6/ 6s ; and straw, 1/ 14s to 2/ 2s per load. Trade steady, at full prices. PREFERENCE SHARES. St. 100 kberdeen St. 100 Do. No. 2,7 p. c 25 30 Blyth and Tyne 10 per c. pref. (issd. at 50/) St. 100 Bris. & Ex. 4p. c. St. 20 5 Do. 4p. c. Shares St. 100 Caledonian £lO 99 101 100 15 all Chester & Holyhead Guar. 51 per cent — 61 61 Cork &Bandonslp.c 61 all Dundee Perth &Aber deen Junction 34, all EastAnglian (X3los) 6 per cent 3 31 5 all Do. (£5) 7 per cent 4 4 2 Do. (X 7 17s) 7p. c p 6' all Eastern Counties Ex tension' sp. c. No. I 1 all Do. No. 2 1 110 pm 10 all Do. New 6p.0. St 134 —l4 20 all Eastern Union, Scrip Guar. 6 per cent 5 all Do. 51., 10 per cent. „, 10 all Do. 101. Debeutr.Sh- St s . 100 t Lanewasehs.t6 York all E East s and shire June. Prof 5 all EdinbPrth.&Dundee 56 per cent. St. 100 Glasgow &S.Westeru Guar. 5 per cent — St. 100 Great Northn. sp. c. 119 121 St. 100 Do. sp. c. Redeem., at 10 p. c. prom lO9 111 10 10 Do. 46 p. c. Scrip 1 10 6 Gt.N. of Scot. Ist Pre - 61 all Gt, Southn. &Westin. (Ireland) Eighths) 8 84 20 4 Do. 4 per c. Prof. Sh. 50 6 Gt. Westn. (Becks & Hants Ex. sp. 66 7 St. 100 Do. cov. red. 46, p.c. 96 98 St. 100 Do. con. red. 4p. (3. 90 95 St. 100 Do. irred. 4p. c..,. 93 95 16 6 Lan. & York. F. £2O id par St. 100 Do. 6p. c. Stock 137 139 20 13 Leeds N. 6p. c. No.l 12A 9 Do. Quarters, 1848 St. 100 London and Brighton Guaranteed sp. c . St. 100 Do. Pref., s p. ,c. St. 50 all Do. Convertible, sp. c., 1852 — St. 100 Do. New Guar.6 p. c — St 100 Lon. &N. W., Coy. fa Nuneaton 50 5 Loudon &S. Western Con. Thirds 24 3 12t all Londonderry& Coler. Shares — 124 all Londy. & Ennis.6Sh l2l 124 25 all %lan., Shef., & bin , Shares, No. 1. 10 all Do. New, £lO 6 4. Do. £6 par 1 p 121 all Nlarypt.&Carl.4 p.c. 12; all Do. 46 per cent — 126 106 Do — St. 100 Aid. Consol.6 p.c.St. St. 100 Do. Consol. Bristol & 13irm. 6 per cent.... 137 139 137 164 5 Do. Pref. 46 per cent 11 id 4i 10 6 Norfolk Debenture St. 100 Do. Pref. 4p. c. Stock ,„ I St. 100 Do. sp. c. Ext — St. 100 Do. 56per ct.pref St. 100 Do. Wav, Val. sp. c „ St. 100 North British — 20 all North Staffordshire., ,„ St. 100 Oxford, Worcester, & Wolverh. £l5, 6 p.c. 99 101 1004 100 15 15 Do par 4pm 84 all Scot. Cent., New Pref . 8 all Shrews. & Birm.N.G. 94 —lO 10 all ihrewsby. & Chester (Nor.W.Min), 8 p.c. 16 164 10 10 Do. 5 per cent 9i 104 25 all south Devon l2 —l4 10 11 Do. fixed, 46 per cent id 4 p 1.0.6 all S. Eastern (Reading Ann.) of £1 Os. 6d. 23 24 St. 100 Do. 46pci cent 20 all .4. Yorksh.4p.c.Guar l7 —l9 25 all Stockton and Dar lington, 4 per cent. 25 5 Do. do. do. 124 all Stockton and Hartle pool, guar. 5 p, c. till lot July, 1856 •• • 5 3 Waterfd.&Kilk.6p.c. 11 d St. 100 York, Newcastle,and Berwick,4 p.c. Pref. 94 97 17 SDo 34 4 4 25 10 York&N. MidlandH. and 8. Porch. . d-- id 94 Sam THE SUI 4, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 14, 1854. SHARE MARKETS. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS DAY.) 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. BRITISH RAILWAYS. RAILWAYs. Closing Prices this day. Businesis done this day. The Marquis Of - CIANRICARDE 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 tomorrow. PROBATE OF WILLS, &c. BILL. The LORD CHANCELLOR said he had received a letter from Paris from Lord Brougham, stating that he was 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 ELLENI3OROLIGEI, The Earl of CI;ARENDON 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 SPZIKER 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.) 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 so, I conceive that I did not attach any blame to our ambassador at Constantinople. I said, the ambas sador had thought it right to ask an explanation, aid hi 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 Dundee, 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 Dundas, 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 Dundas found, when 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 accidents to the ships, and he came to the opinion that if he were to remain two months cruising in the Black Sea the fleet would be so impaired in its effi ciency that he would not be able to perform the service he was so anxious and desirous to discharge. That being the case, he returned to Constantinople from Sinope, 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 I 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.) Aberdeen Ambg Nottug. Bost and Eastu. Junet Belfast & Ballymepa• Birmiug. Wolverh Stour Valley Birkeuhd. Lancsh. Cheshire Juuct Do. Chesh. & Birk., £5O and £25 Cons., Do., £20.......... ... Blyth & Tyne originall £25 (isad. at £45) Bristol and Exeter Caledonian - Chester & Holyhead. Cork and Bandon Cork, Black, & Pass Cornwall Crieff Junction Dublin&BelfastJunc Dundee Perth &Aber deen Junction Do. New. ...... East Anglian Do., (XlB E & Eastern Counties Eastern Union, A Stock Do., B. Stock Do., New A East Lancashire , Edinburgh& Glasgow Edinb. and Peebles Edin. Prth. &Dundee Airth & Clyde June. glasgow & S. Western] Groat Northern Stk. l l Do., A. Stock ~ ,I Do., B. Stock -- - - --- . Gt. Sth . &West. (Ire. ) Great Western Irish South-Eastern Lancaster & Carlisle Do., Thirds Do. Nev Thirds Lancash.andYorksh Do., Fifths D )., Wst. Riding Un Leeds Northern Liv.Crsby.&Southpt London & Blackwall Loud. Tilb. & Sthend. Lond. Bright & S. Cst. Loud, and N. Westn. Do. Fifths Do JO/. Sh. , Do. Eighths London and S. Westn. Do., £5O Do., £4O Lnudrry& Col oraine Lndndrry. & Ennisk. Nfauch.Shef.& Lincln Do., Mau. &Lin. Un Midland Do, Birmng. &Derby Nlidld • G. West (I re.) Do. Half Shares Newcastle & Carlisle. Newmarket Do., Bury Extension.' Nwpt.Aberg. &Hrfd. Newry & Euuiskillen Newry Warreupoint and Rostrevor. . Norfolk Northu.CountiesUu.' North British North Devon, No. 1. Do., No. 2 Do., A Deferred Do., B Guaranteed North London 'Do. Now £lO N.&S.Wstrn. ,Hamp stead, and City Ju., North Staffordshire North Western N. & S. Westrn. June. Nuneaton, Hinckley, and Leicester Oxford, Worcester, & Wolverhampton , Portsmouth Scottish Central. Scottish Midland Shrewsbury & Biting, Do. L. & N. Western Guaranteed St tt.k Shrewsby. & H erefd Shrewsby. & Chester (N. W. Min ; Do. Halves,. s Do. Oswestry Shropshire Union Do. A, B, C,Sz, D,fully paid up at per cent South Devon South Eastern South Wales S. Yrksh. & Riy. Dun, Do Staines, Wok &Wok itocktou & Darling. itoekton & Hartlepl Taff Vale Do. .£lO shares IDo. Pref., No. 1... flames Haven Dock and Railway Vale of Neath Waterfd. & Kilkenny Waterford&Limerick West Cornwall West End of London and Crystal Palace West London Winibledn & Croydon York Newctl.&Berw. Do. Extensions Do. G.N.E. Purchase York & N. Midland_ 20 - 20 4 - 8 - 9 12 —lO disci 16 18 6i 5d 95 - 97 53} -53 t 154 - 166 134 - 146 44 ie 71 - 84 .. - . iiA .41 13} -- 13 38 -- 42 26- 28 65 - 67 62 - 61 21 - 23 88i 891, 72 74 130 - 132 99 - 101 831 - 83, 93 96 13 12A —13 q., 6i 6,1 -- 6Ed 13 . - ii 71 8i par p :16 — 97 !104k • 104; 4 - P d 81 -- 82 9 -- 8 d 114 9id - 24 63i - 63; 36 - 38 55 57 #d— par 5i 5 d 2 3 6 -8! LT - 50 31 30 52, 4 ; 8 10 Gi - 74 52 - 54 - 6 5i shd 8 8t ... --. ... 34 - 36 90 54 - 56 55 - 60 55 -- 60 3 -- 2id 15 -- 17 7i -- 8. 11 -- 13 3i -- 3id 14 —` 16 611 C 24 32i 33 2 d par 4 5 (*) -- 21 3 151 15 51 - 5i 24 - 26 ... - ... 6 - 7 68i 69i 8 7i( 3id 49 $0 LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS, Paid.l Leasing Compans. Closing Prices this day. RAILWAYS. Bedford and Mete'ley ' Buckgliaiush. Clydesd4le Jc. E. Lincoln gr. ti per cent. Glas. Ban•. & Neils. Direct Do. New...... Glstr Dn. Fr Dk. Railway Hull & Selby I Do. Shares. Do. 4 Shares. Lon.&Greenw Do. Preference Lowestoft gr. 4 per cent. Do. 6 per ct. Manch. Bath. and Matlock Micldlesbro' & Rodcar. . Niidld.Bradfd Northern and Do. 6 per et. Do. Fixeds p e Prest. & Wyre Do. tibares. Roystn.& Hit. Do.Shepth.St Shef. Roth.an Goole g. 5 p.c. S. Statfordsh. Wear Valleygr 6 per cent Do Wilts&Somrst London 8: N. Went. L.&N.W. Caledon... Gt.Nrthu. CaIdol) lan. Gt. Westn Yk. New. , & Berw. Y.&Nlici Do Do S. Eastern Do 1 Norfolk, L.& N. W. & Stekton & Darlingt. Nlidland.. E. Count Do Do L. &N.W &Ln&Yk Do IGt Northn D 0.... ..... fiancash& Yorksh. Nl.MClean Stockt. & Darlingt Do I iltWestn 99 - 101 50 - 52 139 - 141 30 - 32 163 -- 116 53 -- 54 26 -- 27 12i -- 131 24i -- 251 2i- 3 98 = liii 59 - 61 138 - 142 138 - 142 ii : i 30 - 31 95 - 97 FOREIGN. Antwerp&Rotterdam Belgian Eastn. June Beziers to Graissessac Bombay, Baroda, and Central India,Scrip Central of Italy Charleroi & Erquelin Demerara Dijon and Besancon Dutch Rhenish East Indian Do. Extension Gt. Indian Peuins Gd. Juliet. of France Grd. Trunk of Canada Do. Debentures Do. do Gt. Central of France Gt.Westernof Canada Shares Do. Bonds (Ist is.)'s7 Hamilton & Toronto Do. 6 per cent. Lake Coust. & Basle Lucca & Pistoja 5 p. c. prof Luxembourg Do. (Railway) Do. Pref Do. (Canal) Do. 6 p. et. pref. Lyons and Geneva Lyons & Mediterran _ .. Nfadras Maria Antonia Do. do. New Melbourne Dk. & Namur & Liege (with interest) Do. (ex interest) Northern of France Do. 201. 3 p. c Bds (fray.B.&Ams.Shs.) NorwegianTrunkPref Paris and Lyons Ditto Bonds Paris and Orleans Paris and Rouen...- IParis and Strasbourg IPsrisCaen & Cherbrg Quebec & Richmond Rouen and Havre Royal Danish Royal Swedish Sambre and Meuse Do. 5{ p. cent. Pref 'Southern of France St. Andrew's and Quebec (A) West Flanders Do. 5i per c. Prof Western of France West. of Switzerland Wiesbaden Zealand JOINT-S' Australasia British Colonial Bank and Loan Company British N. American Chartd. Bank of Asia Chrtd. Bilk. of India, Australia, & China Colonial Commercial of Lond English Scottish and s Australian bond. Chart. Bk. o' Australia . London and County London joint Stock 'Loud. & Westminster National . Provincial l of England Do. New _ National of Ireland New South Wales Oriental Bank of Corporation. Do. New Provincial of Ireland, Do. New . Royal Australn.l3kg & Gold Imp C AL _ south Australia Union of Australia Do. New Union of London_ _ MISCE Rubin Coal and iron Australian Agricult. Australsn .Pcific. Mail Australn. Royal Mail Berlin Water Works Brit. American Land Brit. & Coln. Smeltg. and Reduction Co.. Canada Crystal Palace Do. New.... ..... Crystal Pal. of France Eastern Steam Electrit Telegraph(A) Do. (B).. Electric Teleg. of Ir Gen. Steam Navigat General Screw Steam Irish Beet Toot Sugar Magdalena, St. Navig. Nat. Pat. Steam Fuel Netherlands Land N. S. W. Coal dr Inter Steam Navigat. Co N. B. Australasian.., Do. New Nrth. ofEuropeSteam Peel Rr. Ld. & Minrl. Peninsular & Oriental Do. Do. Portland Iron Co Royal Mail Steam 2 1 Scot. Austral. Invest ' South Austral. Land Submar. Telegraph Do. Registered Van Diemen's Land 3; 3 d 1— 1 I 4 3d par p -- ... - P - -31 p - PI - ii 7_ ii 2i 1i d 1 d par .. - ... i d- ip die 7 8 4i 5 —1 1 —idi i . d .i..P 73 - 8 `l9 -.30 13} -- 13ip 41 43 37 —39 29 - • 29i Pm 3 id 17 18 ld par 8 si ... -- ... .. - pm 3 4 3 - - 3j p - 6a 78 - 80 ... -- d 1 —id 3 2 d Pat— P 44 - '46 45 - 47 68 -70 6 i -7; - EOTTS 41 - 43 '7O 7- 75 75 gp 1 lf p 1 la p - 18 - 3 2 di a p ••• lu par 384 - 40 Par p id 13 14 Business this day. 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 he 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. WILL OUGHBY 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 Dundas 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 Sultan'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 va ult and curch 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 ion 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 if 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 wil 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 iDecenaber. 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 de Redcliffe 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 Dundee had since returned to Constantinople, though on his way there he bad 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 explanationof her of it, would be found to deser ve 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 fleet has been placed under the orders of her Majesty's ambassador, or whether the admiral has instructions of a different nature from thosel supposed to to be given t ot th e the a mbassador? (Hear , hear.) have also ask wh he is yet prepared to submit to the house the result of Count Orlon late mission to Vienna; and, if not, whe ther the absence 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 q uestion on this sub j ec t I , (though I do not suppose it was so intended), if I had at all faltered in giviag a reply, it would have had the effect 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 any measure which is before the house, w ith 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 to be bound by any master on these political questions, Mr. Pitt would 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 I 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 for the consideration of the question of reform that 'appears fit to those who are the opponents 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, and when its character, as one of the most hazardous and •ostly in 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 that 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 war the burdens of the people had risen from 16,000,0001. to 80,000,0001. Many men may differ front 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 I am 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 ou 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, hoar.) I, there• fore, now proceed to consider what it is we should do with respect to the present st . ite of our representation ; but I will first refer to a document which I think will at least show the house the progress we have made since a period I have lately adverted to—viz., 1793, in attain ing the object of a fair an d full representation of the people. In a petition prese nted 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 the condition of the re presentation in those days from its at present. The petitioners stated that 70 members were returned by btu-gage tenure —electors none. I n 1854 no member was so returned. They stated that 90 members wh the nuber f lectors did were returned by_p here laces are ere now no members e RO returned. no t exceed 50. T Th e y 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 th e se 197, they also stated that 52 were returned by places w h er e the number of voters did not excee d 20 0. I believe . that there is not more than one member, at all events, so re turned at present. They s t a t e d , again, that 20 members for counties in Scotland were returned' by less than 100 electors each, 10 by less than 250 each. There is no mem ber for a Scotch county s o re t urne d at present They also stated that there we re 13 di s t r i cts of burghs not contain ing 100 voters each, an d t wo not containing 1 25 eac h , re turning 15 members. This state of things no longer ex ists. They stated that in this manner 294 members weld 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. In respect to the right of voting, these distinctions have been abhlished. They stated that religious opinions created au incapacity to vote ; that all Papists were excluded gene rally, and, by the operation , of . the test laws, Protestant Dissenters were deprived of a voice in the election of repre sentatives in about 30 burg hs where t ; confined to co r p ora t e officers a lone. ' Th • Roman Catholics have been repealed, an. , 1 • of the Test and Corporation Acts, corpora Ark:••! opened to Protestant Dissenters. They stated a t t o holders generally were excluded. At present the lethoulak holders are admitted by the Reform Act. They stated that in Scotland superiority without property gave a title to vote. This is entirely altered by the Reform Act. And they stated, lastly, that the polls for counties were taken in one place and lasted 15 days. This, too, has been altered, and an instance occurred only last Saturday of the poll for a county being taken in one day, and in many places. I state these things to show that great improvements have been made in the condition of this house as representing the people since 1.793. (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, el le , the abolition of slavery, the opening of the trade to China, the reform of the corporations in England, 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 there ought 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 the agitation which existed on the subject of free trade, that at a public meeting in some agricultu ral county great applause was given to those who depicted the selfishness and cupidity of the manufacturers, and at tributed their eff or t s f or free trade to such fee li ngs. 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 pw 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—l 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 in 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 119 ; and the number of members which they return to I Parliament is 29. The number of boroughs in the next table which have less than 510 electors or less than a po , potation 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. 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 eared 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 up, 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 some 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 in 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 house 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 be filled up. I have stated more than once, in answer to gentlemen who complained that there were places of 6,000 or 7,000 inhabitants which returned as many members as places of 60,000 or 70,000 Inhabitants, that if we were to reform the representation according to the numbers of the people, then a town of 10,000 or 15,000 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 Exchequer. 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 rule 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 800,000 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 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 South Lancashire division, and there will be, I think, 38 for other counties, making 40 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 have considered notthe metropolitan boroughs as parts of one great city , and s separate towns of themselves—(clieers from the Opposi tion) —and to each of these towns we propose to give on e additional member. We shall propose also to give one member to each of three towns which have more than 20,000 inhabitants each—Birkenhead, Staleybridge, and Burnley. We prop o se—what has been often as k e d—th at Kensington Chelsea shall be formed i n t o a b orough, en s shall ing on then an d and that two members shall be sent to Parliament from that district. (Cheers.) There is another kind of representation which has been often advocated, and which we propose, at least in some degree, to recommend. I will first mention the Inns of Court. (Cheers, and laughter.) I know some numberhon.enotflelamweynenthiinnkthis ho that v ltiseeh. aNLaulrgehatdeyr, and asnur loud e e e ri putng .t)heSt.erpt,ressiro,itma fiitanhne which 1 is , e t w o h n l a i t e t i n w n w u e v ‘ e e • e d p h i C ( a ) l shouldos prop ose to y tio o r w i n in p t e h r s e u p a o s t n i eptlwacoeofitt,heitmno,ositillbineemntoalta:sveyneers in the country returned to this house ; and 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 lam 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. Wo 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 t*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. In the first draught— the rough draught—l sketched of the Reform Bill, I proposed that 50 boroughs should be entirely disfran chised, and that 50 other boroughs should send only one member each. (Hear.) That proposal was somewhat varied, but in the end I think 56 boroughs were disfran chised, and it was provided that 30 should send only one member each. The measure eventually adopted varied 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 Government of the day finally made up their minds on the subject. It was proposed that there should be a 101, rating ; it was thought at ono time that the qualification should even be %sr , tv SMAJO'k. At ) ..,,,A,..:, .- •. . • t....-% , 7 ,,,,a, S t. 100 0 8 ;0I all .3i all 28 1711 all 2 18; T. 30 ;t. 100 ;t. 100 ;0 all all !O I 12 .0 i 0 1 45 151 all 15 all 15 all .8 all :0 I all it. all io all .6i 11 .6i 2 it. 100 .9,5 17:. 14 1L '0 all !CI all .1i all LO it,. 100 it. 100 !O 12 L 0 1 1.2 2 2, it. 100 - . LO 34 ?,5 all ?,5 all 3t. 100 t2s 4 3t. 100 St. 100 15 1 17 ►0 all ;t. 100 64 15 17: ;t. Iwo ;t. 100' .6 16 L 6 11 8 all 8 8 .0 i 4 .0 is !o 1171 !O all LO 10 LO 1 0 212 s it. 100 it. 100 it. 100 it. 100 10 10 :6/ all 34 4 all 9 . all 0 all t. 100 50 all 0 15 0 5 , '.;40 IV 2s! 25 I all 16i >t. 100 .0 8 ;t. 100 15 20 !O I 14 ?,() all LO 51s. 3t. 100 ?5 20 ?,5 13i 3t. 100 6919 53i 14 311 15 41 13} i 89 si 9i 9 72 3 70 3 4 1291 31. 83i 66i i i 104 i I i I 5 12A 23 21 4 63i :I 4 31 i all all all all all 100 12i St., St. 25 100 100 18 9i all 7 3 8 2s. 20 25 100 100 20 WEST SUSSEX ELECTION.—The election of a repre sentative for the western division of the county a Sussex in the place of Mr. 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 Borne 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 terday should arrive at years of discretion. [ADVERTISEMENT. ]—A LIEUTENANT OF DRAGOONS CURED OF RHEUMATISM BY HOLLOWAY'S OINTMENT AND PILLS.—This officer, who is in the Dutch army, states that Holloway's Pills and Ointment have cured him of rheumatism, which appeared to be Incurable as n either sea-bathing, vapour - bath s, nor p re parations vaunted as sure remedies, did him any good, and the t reatment of the doctor, after several months trial, was' without suc cess. At this juncture he commenced taking these Pills. and rubbing the Ointment into the complaining parts twice a day, which effectually cured him in the course of six weeks. The truth of this statement can be vouchedfor by Mr. J. B. Stratman, of Bois-le-Duc.—Sold by all drug gists ; and at Professor Hollowav's establishment, 244, Strand, London. [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Fifty thousand Cures have been effected by Du Barry's delicious Revalenta Arabica Food, without medicine, inconvenience, or expense (as it saves fifty times its cost in other remedies).—" Twenty-fiveyears nervousness, constipation, indigestion, and debility, from which I had suffered great misery, and which no medi tine could remove or relieve, have been effectually cured by Du Barry's Food in a very short time.. W. R. Reeves, Pool Anthony, Tiverton." " Eight years' dys pepsia, nervousness, debility, with cramps, spasms, and nausea, for which my servant had consulted the advice o f many, have been effectually removed by Du Barry's delicious food in a very short time. I shall be happy to answer any inquiries. Rev. John W. Flavel, Rid lington Rectory, Norfolk." "Three years' excessive nervousness, with pains in my neck and left arm, and general debility, which rendered my life very miserable, has been radically removed by Du Barry s excellent food. Alexe. Stuart, Archdeacon of Ross, Skibbereen." —" Fifty years' indescribable agony from dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma, cough, constipation, flatulency, spasms, sickness at the stomach, and vomittings, has been removed by Du Barry's excellent food. Maria Jolly, Wortham Ling, near Diss, Norfolk." Copies of testi monials of 50,000 cures (including those of Lord Stuar de Decies, Major-General Thomas King, Drs. Ure, Shorland, and Harvey (gratis). In canisters, with full instructions, 11b., 2s. 9d. ; 21b., 4s. 6d. ; 51b., lls. 121 b., 225. ; super-refined, 51b., 225. ; 101 b., 335. The 101 b. and 121 b. carriage free. Barry Du Barry and Co., 77, Regent-street, London ; also, Fortnum, Mason, and Co., purveyors to her Majesty, Piccadilly. 7171 i 4i 5 19 3 / 4 19 451 45 661 4213 16 15i ~h I New r pre- t the a last dour lions, i 17i an, ive ale the ,ng or- !O I at llt ali i 62i 2 33 9 49i # 20i 100 20 8i 10 20 10 20 20 50 50 100 100 20 50 20 25 21 1 _ I