The Sun. — London, England, 1854-05-17 00:00:00

is i m possibl e ;alnst • Rus sie 'Hied Pewer e ~,, s h e were vi ent, Austris i )le weight ° also to r aise , n w hich 118 3 will, more. n as to the Polish qutecie' 11 Y 8 exPec ible that t..‘ H u bner 0 1 ie Persignl P the East el " any, and °ll erday. Tof r the 01( 1 4 )ents. at 9": Pc. ; Orlea" Of. ; lit if re v ! burg, ons, 875 L Western ti i4of. ; G o to Gene', taken Pl s „ 3ana, in s c ontaill ate the le, w here sb°,/ 1 : 3 prOCeeCTIVi h, we lel havingl? ee _A Lt Rossi 1 1 ,r o aidemnati c L, ni, to cleat° end B. fi l l 'apanna irons ; e ll a to fifteen befe ll oces ised ' by I; a the victed ; bti >st of the ences. lazette IL, w 11 1„ nfante p°'" al tins a rcl f and Co., e. ice betwe e i 3 service, n 'OO to 2,7 1 they ar°,,', Ines. ~," Thiel' are the decre e ' ig with tb e there is s ituatio o, fined to be f in g better, iscover tbb ', in whit: acked. dy e part ifl arreste ald lead t° :!onspirad; Lear. ° I General ‘ 2f missielt ; the Ne ll( the first' 4 15. CIFIO ORNINCI , ,,, 9, , Capto,!: aging t he .nd PaOu" ; Chagre * 1; Dole' . Thorao on • an d _ di $327, 0 " 232 ser 00 the /..7 1 ;, 13 inst., 3d AI/ in the; marke ts ing to' tile lie 0 4 mp ;h, 101 11 " Casa! ) L Gene 0 was si11 ) : y been 10 'allao s ( 36 ; ;sets A e„'; to tAlov that th e Goveirtl °, n• a Wl' ie islo of t bßlt and fou .i t , ,lia f 0 4 " n. Th mom ete' t, rebtirc l ' Yello vr ull. A Cher procef 3 cl ' scars it 9 ad bees S. 1 138 by 1,(1" had 'e T SU Is.— C V. Dye v€ aright lecew d sot t Larrie( 1 1- r 1 of e 14" ester th a l, 1, A it ry wo re enfi being r a ssailas °' fate if RAC ?: ived ' ,he LC 11 !, 1 : who e % row - be „ knoc antler' K ETV.. Et A ft!P ,th , er hard oc' at id re" 4 bee n us rat e 4 ad 'beets 'rues' e 1 this irrip-sh i F s there t° of vf 0 f tilue 0 lust b . f, 11etle,; L,r3 Inus . le, an d w here o f the fi o jeet h o ur, be ad,: reaeu MONFV MARKET Asi• COMMERCIAL IivTELLIGENCE. CITY, TWO o'CLOCK The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday Were estimated at from 6,000 to 7,000 bales, of which 2,000 American were taken for export and on speculation. The market closed heavily with out change in prices. The sales include 200 Egyptian at 6d. to 10d., 300 Surat at 3id. to 32d., and the remainder nearly all American. Railway shares were dull, at rather lower prices. Wheat in Mark-lane to-day was quiet, at Mon ' day's prices. The wool auctions are progressing much the same as at the opening. Some of the favourite "marks" even are less carefully got up than for- Inerly, owing to the scarcity of labour. The indigo auctions went off more heavily up to the close yesterday. Of 9,319 chests passed to that date, 2,717 were sold. The accounts by the steamer Magdalena, with the West India and Pacific mails, have not yet been delivered. The amount of specie brought is 1 ,609,000 dollars, and will prove very seasonable. The delay in the arrival of the steamer Aus tralian causes much disappointment, as she has, besides the specie, a large number of letters. The Marco Polo brought a good deal of correspondence; but there are mails on board the steamer. The foreign exchanges were rather higher again Yesterday afternoon. Bills on Paris, 90 days, were taken at 25 25 to 30, on Amsterdam at 11 151 to 16, on Hamburgh at 13 5 to si, and on Frankfort at 1181 to I. On Trieste 13 36 to 13 42 were the ( potations, being a shade lower. The law of Joint Stock Companies can never be pronounced perfect, as far as the shareholders are concerned, until they have a fuller control over the affairs of any undertaking to which they sub scribe. The Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China illustrates this view more forcibly per aps than any other case which has of late come under notice, because this bank has an influential and respectable board of direction, first-class solici tors, and was established for bona fide purposes. Where spe'ulative concerns like gold companies, and others got up for the mere purpose of selling shares, fall, or the directors are found carrying out the project contrary to the wishes of the shareholders, fear will manifest surprise, but we do confess that in the present instance we hoped and expected sot nething better. Out of the entire subscribed shares a large majority of the proprietors are un wi to proceed with the company, and the grounds of their disinclination are perfectly natural. In. the interim between the undertaking being set cn. foot and the obtainment of the charter, various other Banks have succeeded in getting into opera tion, and the field for the employment of capital to astything like the extent previously existing, is occupied sufficiently, at least for some years to come. A local Bank started at Melbourne has made enormous strides, being supported by all the merchants and traders, who identify themselves as a matter of feeling as well as policy with the colony in - which they reside. If this were not a sufficient reason, we mightcite the greatercaution with which commercial shipments will now be made, and the consequent smaller facilities for banking profits, although we admit there will be greater soundness ultimately. Upon the gold buying the chance of profit is almost entirely gone, and the metal is in deed purchased at a rate which frequently leaves a loss after paying freight and charges. This Bank has but 21. paid up on its shares, and yet the direc tors are forcing it on, endeavouring to obtain the payment of " calls," which at any rate in the present state of the money market the subscribers cannot be expected to meet. It has been objected that .after so much trouble it would be a pity to give up (the charter, but really English charters are of but ittle moment to Banks having their seat of opera t ions in Australia, the Union Bank having worked s uccessfully for years without making any attempt obtain one. The only advantage gained is a limitation of liability, for privileges in the colony it self an English charter will not confer. There *lv( )re suggestions a short time back for an amalga mr ),tion between the Melbourne and Sydney Bank am I the Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and ,ina, but these do not appear to have been en tei taimed, and the struggle is now fierce between thl s directors and the shareholders. The commit tee, which represents the latter are not taking pre cisoly the course which we should recommend. It is s t ated to be always difficult to get an injunction again ast a chartered company, the Court of Chan cery having no inclination to in erfere with the Prer agative of the Crown. If it be true that the deed itsel f was not properly filled up, we imagine that that would be the proper issue to try. At present an a dvertisement appears in the papers, threaten ing the forfeiture of the shares in case the " call" 18 1 1(14 paid. Probably the deed gives power to the direct ors to act thus ; but then comes the question, are •Che allottees thereby relieved from further liability, supposing the shares are already in the bands of other parties who object to pay ? To raorl:ow an injunction will be applied for to restrain this forfeiture, and we shall then see what view the legal aiuthorities take upon this further applica tion, the first, with regard to the attempt to stay the ". call," having failed. The allusion made above to the prosperity of the Bank of Victoria, may be illustrated by selecting th e principal items of the balance-sheet for the half-year ending 31st December last. The capital i s given at 217,5801., and the circulation at 3 30,19.8/. The current accounts amounted to 1 1081,`A00/., the Reserve Fund was 28,4241., and P the Profit and Loss 19,7281. On the Cr. side there axe 644,133/. in the precious metals, 142 , 0391 . due b y other banks, and bills receivable and ad vance:; on security, 914,4441. It should be ob served, perhaps, as one reason of the rapid success and popularity of this Bank, that its affairs are auperintended by Mr. J. Matheson, a most able Officer, formerly of the Union Bank of Australia. The dividend declared by the Bank of Victoria Was at . the rate of 10 per cent. per annum, and would have been far greater but for the necessary precaution in the onset, of adding largely to the reserve fund. The shares of the British Australian Gold Mining Comp-my are very properly to be excluded from quotations in the official lists, published by the Stock Exchange, the original insertion having been obtained under representations which are proved to have been unfounded. We can scarcely imagine any more signal disgrace to befal any undertaking than i;his ignominious erasure, after the prelimi naries. were not only settled, but the quotations had taken place ; and if there is the least sense of propriety existing, the directors, who may them- Selves have been misled by the promoters and others, will take steps for winding up. It is extraordi nary to hear, on all hands, the deception that has been practised, not only in the case of many of the gold illompanies started, but likewise in that of many which were projected and never brought out , the di: erence being that the individual buyers of lands uffered, instead of associated shareholders. In on se case brought under our notice, a large sum of money was received by a gentleman for some property in Australia, for which he had already mortgaged far beyond its value, and the buye r . is wholly without remedy, it would seem, owing; to the insolvency of the vendor. The ne cessit.V for a registration of mortgages upon Colo nial property, if such does not already exist, can scarcely be denied after this. The English funds have recovered a little from the decline which they experienced yesterday, " after hours," when Consols were done at 88i They have been 88i this morning, and are now quoted 881 1. The satisfactory news of the defeat of the Russians has imparted some stability, but the value of money in the discount market has in creased to au extent that is against a decided improvement in either the permanent or floatin g debt, unless some important political intelligence reaches us. The price of Exchequer ,Bonds is 1 premium on 981. 16s. East India Bonds have been 5s to lOs discount, and Exchequer Bills Par to 2s premium. The New Three-and-a-Quarter Per Cents. have been 88 to 88g. East India Stock Las been at 237. Foreign Securities have been very inactive, and the prices are with ou t ma t er i a l change. Russian Five per Cents. h ave b een d one a t 95 to 96, being firm. Dut c h F our per C en t s . are BTh Brazilian New Stock is at 90. Mexican Bonds have been 24 g. The market for railway shares is not enlivened by either real or speculative transactions of any magnitude, but the prices ar e ver y we ll s upported. The F renc h lines have b een s li g htl y i n f avou r of u yers, but the Strasbur g are now d ea lt in ex dividend. Great Western of Canada are not quite so good. The Gold Mine Shares have been heavy. Impe rial Brazilian Shares and the Cocaes have advanced. In all the Australian Bank Shares there is a little improvement and with increased dealings. Union are up 10s. to 11., and the EngliSh Banks are ss. to 10s, higher, several purchases having been mad©. The Oriental Ba n k h ave r i sen a b ou t 10 s . The Australian 'Agricultural Company, being stated to have very favourable advices, its shares are up considerably. At one-period this mornih-.7, they stood 61. to 7/. higher than yesterday, 'nit have just relapsed 3/. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. ( Prom the Official List. t per Cent. Reduced Annuities 3 per Cent. Consols Annuities Vow 34 per Cent. Annuities New 2, 1 , per Cent. Annuities India Stock India Bonds, £lOOO . Bnsiness done 87 88g 88. f g 8 g 74g 37 5 Ditto, under £lOOO Consols for Account (th Juue Exchequer Bills, 2d. 1:1000 . 10 5 d 88 g i i par 2 p par 2 3 p par p on 9t81.16s PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK. Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Ditto New, 1852, 44 per Cent 9O Mexican 3 per Cent. Russian Bonds, 1822, 5 per Cent. £ St 95 6 Ditto for the Account 95 Dividends on the above payable in London. French Rentes, 44 per Cent. Dutch Exchange, 24 per Cent. 12 Guil Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates 2500 Small Exchequer Bonds Scrip HALF-PAST TWO. Consols 8 8 8 81 Ditto June Account RISE IN THE PRICE OF PORTER AND ALE. It is not often that there is so marked a harmony among the public journals as there is on the subject of the rise in the price of porter and ale, consequent on the additional duty imposed on malt. The Times, the Sun day Times, the Era, and, indeed, all our contemporaries, daily and weekly, who have referred to the matter, con cur in speaking of the small increase as not only indis- pensable on the part of the vendor, but as one which will be cheerfully paid by the consumer, because we all know that we must pay our share of the war's expenses, and that, perhaps, a less burdensome mode could not be resorted to with regard to those classes of the community who are the greatest consumers of malt liquor than that of the addition of a halfpenny to the price of the pot of porter. It will have been observed, from the useful and interesting statistics which Mr. Homer read on Monday evening, to the meeting at Hackney, that the price of beer is at present very considerably below what it was during the period of nearly a century embraced by Mr. Homer's Parliamentary returns, — when the price of malt was as high as it is just now. The present comparative cheapness of beer and porter is, in a great measure, to be ascribed to the increased com petition in trade—a circumstance which will always guarantee to the public the sale of the various descrip tions of malt liquor at the lowest price compatible with a fair profit,—which fair profit no one will ever grudge the trader in return for his labour, his anxiety, and the employment of his little capital. We say this to the credit of the working-classes, who are the principal con sumers of malt liquor, just as it is very greatly to their credit, that from principles of patriotism, and a love of liberty abroad as well as at home, they are prepared to pay an additional halfpenny on their pot of porter without a murmur. The readiness with which the in dustrial classes submit in this way to contribute their part to the expenses of a war undertaken for the purpose of checking the ambition and chastising the audacity of Russia, will read to the Czar one of the most striking and significant moral lessons which he ever received. — Morning Advertiser. GRAND JURIES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR,—A bill is introduced into Parliament, the pre amble of which, with other reasons, says "the time of grand juries would be saved." The best and most effectual mode of saving the time of grand juries would be to abolish the system, because of its being a "grand farce," and seriously prejudicial to the ends of public justice. When magistrates have care fully examined into a case (whether it be of a great or small nature) and placed it in the ordinary course for trial before a petite jury, why have a grand jury to go over the ground which the committing magistrate has already done ; for that is the only function they have to perform ? A magistrate has full opportunity of examin ing into all circumstances and facts, and is sufficiently competent to judge whether it is necessary to send the charge for trial, and when he has done so it is sheer nonsense for a grand jury to be occupying and wasting a vast amount of their own time, and that of others ; because, when that is done, facts and circumstances cannot be arrived at, as they are before the examining magistrates. How many thieves have escaped punish ment because of the grand jury not being in pos session of material points which are arrived at before the committing magistrate, sometimes through witnesses forgetting to state those points, and at other times having been tampered with between committal and going before the grand jury. A pettifogging lawyer, who gets the defence of a prisoner, always sets his "Touts" to tamper with a material witness, or instructs the friends of the prisoner how to act, so as to accom plish the suppression of any main point from the know ledge of a grand jury. Many years' experience in criminal law practice bas convinced me of the inutility, and I may add the mis chievous consequence, of the grand jury system ; and whilst the bill I have named is passing through its ordeal in Parliament, I would earnestly recommend our legislators to carefully peruse a work by Mr. Foot, an eminent barrister, entitled "Grand Juries : Reasons for their Abolition."—Your obedient servant, May, 1854. A MAGISTRATE'S CLERK. MARKET NEWS-(THIS DAY.) CORN EXCHANGE. To-day's market was very scantily supplied with English wheat, for which the demand ruled steady, at fully Mon day's advance in the quotations of from is to 2s per qr. Foreign wheat, the show of which was good, was very firm, at extreme currencies. Floating cargoes from the Black Sea were held for more money. Barley sold slowly, yet prices were firm. Malt was 5s to 108 dearer than last week, owing to the advance in the duty. Oats were steady, at full prices. In beans and peas very little was doing. Flour moved off steadily, and the quotations had an upward tendency. English Irish •• • • Foreign .. Wheat. 120 ARRIVALS THIS STEM Barley. Malt. 270 2,710 - - 20,730 1 I 1,010 WHITECHA.PEL. Flour, 330 Oats. 460 1,880 24,240 1 1,2305 iv; 1,40brl Each kind of meat moved off freely to-day, as follows : Beef from 3s 4d to 4s 4d ; mutton, 3s 6d to 4s 10d ; lamb, 5s 6d to 6s 4d ; veal, 3s 8d to 5s Od ; pork, 3s 4d to 4s 8d per Sibs by the carcase. BOROUGH HOP. Our market is steady, and prices are well supported The show of samples is limited. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS, LIVERPOOL, MAY 16. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market has been dull all day, closing at a slight reduction on the prices of yesterday. Chester and Birkenhead, 15i ; Caledonian, 27i i ; Lanca shire and Yorkshire, 60, 59i ; London and North-Western, fifth shares, 14 dia. ; South Eastern, 17i. MANCHESTER, MAY 16. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The business to-day was not equal to that of yesterday in point of prices, business being much the same in quantity. The sales were—Blackburn, 4.} ; Caledonian, 27i ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 60 ; London and North Western, M. and B. Qrs. C., 5-16 dis. ; Man chester, Sheffield, and Lincoln New 6/. Pref., 3-16 dis. ; Midland Railway Consols, 53. BIRMINGHAM, MAY 16. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The railway share market continues steady as regards prices, but there was no business in that description of stock transacted on 'Change today. BRISTOL, MAY 16. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market is in a completely in active state, and without stock of any description having changed hands. LLOYD'S SHIPPING-(THIS DAY.) LONDON, May 17.—Wind this day at Noon, N. to N.NE. ; light pleasant breeze, and fine clear weather. PORTSMOUTH, May 16.—Wind, E.N.E. Arrived—Wm. Bromham, from Sierra Leone ; Mariana, Dantzic ; H.M.'s at Miranda, Westward. PLY MO UTH, May 16.—Wind, E.N.E. Arrived—Augusta, from Geija, for Konigsberg; Nestor, London, for Portland Bay ; Wm. Prause, London, foa Adelaide, S.A. ; Cocker mouth Castle, Loudon, for Paineboeuf, with mainmast sprung. FALMOUTH, May 16.—Wind, N.E. Sailed—Mathilda, for Amsterdam. QUEENSTOWN, May 15.—Wind, variable. Arrived— Margaret Evans, from Jaffi. DOVER, May 16.—Wind, E.N.E. Arrived Finish, from Portsmouth, for Harwich, with loss of anchor and chain. Off Port—Ellen Margaret, Salonia, for Yarmouth ; Susannah, Hamburgh, for Valparaiso. RAMSGATE, May 16.—Wind, N.E. Arrived—Thomas Lee, from Callao, for Leith, sustained slight damage in entering the harbour ; Flora, Hartlepool, for Margate, jibboom and bowsprit carried away in entering harbour. OFF BEACHY HEAD, May 16.—Wilberforce, from the Mauritius ; Rio Packet, Rio Janeiro. MEMEL, May 13.—Weather fine • wind variable ; 14A feet of water on the bar. H.M.S. Zmphion is still in the bay. (BY SUBMARINE AND EUROPEAN TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Wednesday, 10.48 a.m. Wind, E.; tide, low water ; weather very fine. Arrived, 16th - -Alina, from Nykiobing ; Gertrude La merkine, Konigsberg. Arrived, 17th—Lskkens Prove, from Bandholm ; Ararat, Archangel ; Frsd , nodig, Arendal ; Andenken, Frelloborg ; Sarah Mills, Rostock ; Lydia, Gothenborg ; Johanna, Tenserzeil. Sailed—Cordelia, for New Zealand ; City of London, Dunkirk ! Seine (s), Boulogne. DEAL, Wednesday, 9.17 a.m. Wind, E.N.E. ; light and moderate. Passed—Typhoon, from London, for Calcutta; Birmah (No. 85 transport), London, for Malta. At Anchor in the Downs—The Duncan Ritchie, for Shields. Lord ELCLIO seconded the amendment. After a short conversation the amendment was agreed ;o without a division, and the bill was thrown out. EPISCOPAL AND CAPITULAR ESTATES BILL. On the question for resuming the adjourned debate on the second reading of this bill, Lord ADOLPHUS VANE expressed his surprise at the absence of Ministers on this occasion. The bill af fected many millions of Church property, and as it was only right that the Government should be represented when the division took place. He was therefore justi fied in moving that the debate be further adjourned, but at the same time he thought it right to state at once that he was decidedly opposed to the bill. Mr. G. BUTT seconded the motion for the adjourn ment, though he was not opposed to the bill; but in the present state of the house, and the absence of Ministers, he thought it was unwise to proceed with the discussion now. Mr. G. BERKELEY said it was from no want of courtesy to the noble lord who had charge of the bill that Ministers were absent, but he had just received a message from the noble lord the Secretary of State for the Home Department stating that he would be here very shortly, and he therefore hoped the debate would not be adjourned. Mr. DRUMMOND recognised no difference between those who wished openly to destroy the Church and those who professed to be its reformers. Now the effect of this bill would be to convert cathedrals into parish churches ; but instead of doing that, they ought to esta blish more cathedrals and create more bishops. Why, in the diocese of London alone seven additional bishops were required ; but the Church had acted like the dog in the manger—it would not do its own duty nor would it let anybody else do it. He was rejoiced, however, to find that another Church had stepped in and added another bishop to the metropolis. The fact was, the decline of the Church was not due to its open opponents, the Dissenters or the Roman Catho lics, but to the negligence of its own clergy. The object of this bill was to destroy the whole temporalities of the Church, so far as its capitular and episcopal estates were concerned ; and having done that, he wanted to know where they were to stop ? He could not tell ; but this he knew, that such measures as this would only have the effect of driving Protestants over to the Roman Catholic Church. Mr. HADFIELD insisted that the voluntary efforts of the people had done more towards evangelising the country than the Established Church, with all its vast property. The great bane of the Established Church—• the great obstacle which stood in tLe way of its progress was its property, and, for the sake of Christianity, it was only right that the control of that property should be taken out of its hands, and placed under temporal man agement. [LEFT SITTING.] , MARKET INT ELLIGENCE. (From the London New Price Current of yesterday.) SUGAR —To-day the prices obtained for British planta tion sugar did not exceed those of Friday, but there was a brisk demand for refiners and grocers. Barbadoes went readily at full rates—fine yellow at 39s to 40s, mid to good 358 to 38s Gd, and low 33s to 34s 6d per cwt. REFINED.—To-day there was a larger demand for re fined sugar from home dealers, and rates are firmer ; brown lumps selling at 45s 6d, and low to fine grocery 46s 6d to 50s Gd per cwt. In crushed sugar little doing for expor tation. OlLS.—Stock is on the increase of sperm, and the trade operating with reluctance, prices have declined—mid to fine quality selling at 106/. to 1091., and headmatter 1021. to 108/. ; in seal many purchases have been made, and the market has a firm as?ect. Sales of pale at 411 to 431, coloured 371 to 401, dark 361 to 371. Cod con tinues to be wanted, and -realized 391 10s to 40s. For Cocoa Nut there is now a large demand ; Cochin at 49s Gd to 50s 6d, other sorts 47s 6d to 48s ; Palm is cheaper. TALLOW. -Stock now exceeds that of last year by 11,000 casks, and deliveries show a decrease of 9,000, still rates rule much above that time. There was a reluctance to operate in tallow up to Friday for all purposes, and prices declined to some extent, an impression gaining ground the supply of Russian overland would be large amounting to 100,000 casks. The rates accepted on the spot for first sort P.Y. Candle were 61s to 61s 6d, June and July 62s to 62s 68, and Au gust 638 s to 61s 6d. Since Friday speculators and the trade operated more freely, and an advances has taken place ; it not being likely more than 50,000 cks can be received during the season in an indirect manner. Prices now rule at 62s 9d to 63s on the spot, and at 64s Gd to 61s 98 for August de livery. Home melted is plentiful, but now in good de mand at 60s to 60s Gd cash. In other sorts of Tallow pur chases have been on a lage scale since Friday ; Australian, mid to fine mutton at 60s to 62s Gd, beef 59s to 60s 6d, South American 58s to 635, and French melted 58s to 62s per cwt. - - --~--- THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY l7, 1854. 'IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. SHARE MARKETS. (THIS DAY.) HOUSE OF COMMONS—(THIS DAY.) The SPEAKER took the chair at twelve o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and passed : —Bradford Water Works ; Edinburgh Police and Im provement ; Petworth-road. The foliowing bills were considered and ordered to be read a third time :—Ambergate, Nottingham, and Bos ton and Eastern Junction Railway ; East Suffolk Rail way ; Mallow and Fermoy Railway ; Stamford and Kettering-road ; Wells and Fakenham Railway ; York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway:. PETITIONS. Petitions were presented by Mr. Ferguson from 52 clergymen of the county of Cumberland complaining that they could not live on their stipends ; by Mr. Miall, from Cambridge and other places, praying that the uni versities may be thrown open to Dissenters ; and by Mr. Heyward, from Hungerford, against the opening of public houses on Sundays. REGISTRATION OF BILLS OF SALE BILL. Mr. MULLINS, in moving that the Speaker do leave the chair for going into committee on this bill, explained that the object of the bill was to compel the registration of bills of sale within 21 days after their execution, so as to prevent creditors being cheated, as was often the case now, by means of such instruments. The same system of registration prevailed with regard to judg ments and warrants of attorney, and since it often hap pened that when a man fell into difficulties he resorted unknown to his creditors to a bill of sale to save a large part of his property from being seized to liquidate his ju-t debts. Mr. PHINN viewed this bill as one of great im portance to the commercial world, as it would tend to discourage fictious credit. The only fault he found with the bill was that it was confined to traders. He thought it should apply to all classes of society, but most pro bably this omission could be corrected in committee. Mr. G. BUTT approved of the principle of the bill, but he hoped it would only be committed pro forma, in order that it might be reprinted with the amendment. There was this difficulty in applying it to all classes, be cause, if it embraced the personal property of private individuals how could they prevent its being extended to mortgages. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL differed with his hon. an learned friend, because there was a wide difference between personal and real property ; in the former, possession went with ownership, but with regard to the latter the same principle did not apply, and therefore it did not follow that in extending this bill to personalties of private individuals it would equally embrace mort gages of real property. He approved of the principle of the bill, but he thought it was encumbered with unne cessary provisions that it would be well to strike out in committee. Mr. HORSFALL, as representing a large commercial constituency, was quite satisfied with the principle of the bill. Mr. BOUVERIE suggested that care should be taken that the Registrar under this bill should receive no more than a pr. ,per remuneration for his trouble. Mr. GROGAN was anxious that the principle of the bill should be extended to all parties alike. Mr. HADFIELD was rejoiced to find that an end was to be put to the system of surreptitious preference in the case of personalties, and he cordially approved of the bill, but at the same time he thought it would be a great evil to preserve, in reference to this bill, a distinc- tion between traders and non-traders. Mr. MALINS, as a legal member, highly approved of the measure. The bill was then passed through committee. BURGH BOUNDARIES (SCOTLAND) BILL. Mr. BOUVERIE moved the second reading of this bill. The LORD ADVOCATE admitted the grievances which the bill referred to, but the provisions of the bill were altogether impracticable. He moved that the bill be read a second time this day six months. RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS. LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY. — Traffic return for the week ending May 13, 1854 £11,382 8 2 Corresponding week last year 10,505 19 6 Total of the half-year to this date, 1854 204,359 3 4 Total of the half-year to this date, 1853 173,786 15 6 LONDON AND 80 IITH-EASTERN RAlLWAY.—Traffic re turn for the week ending May 13, 1854 £16,142 9 1 Corresponding week last year 14,210 10 11 Increase in 1854.. . £1,931 18 2 GLASGOW AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—TIaffio re turn for the week ending May 13, 1854. £5,016 3 0 corresponding week last year 4,622 10 0 Increase in I 851:. £393 13 0 PRICE OF GOLD.—The quotation of gold at Paris is about 3 per mille discount (according to the last tariff), which, at the English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 101 d, per oz. for standard gold, gives an exchange of 25.094 ; and, the exchange at Paris on London at short being 24 971, it follows that gold is about 0.48 per cent. dearer in Paris than in London. By advices from Hamburg the price of gold is 421 per mark, which, at the English Mint price of 3/. 17s. 101 d. per oz. for standard gold, gives an exchange of 13.31 ; and the exchange at Hamburg on London at short being 13.31, it follows that gold is 0.06 per cent. dearer in London than in Hamburg. The course of exchange at New York on London for bills at 60 days' sight is 1091 per cent., and the par of exchange between England and America being 109 23-40 per cent. it follows that the exchange is nominally 0.08 per cent. against England ; but, after making allowance for charges for transport and difference of interest, the pre sent rate leaves no profit on the transmission of gold either way between the two countries. FOREIGN. 10 9 Antwerp&Rotterdam 5 3 Belgian Eastn. June. 6 1 20 8 Beziers to Graissessac 4 3 d 20 2s. Bombay, Baroda, and Central India,Scrip id —4 p pm Central of Italy 20 all iharleroi & Erqueliu — 171 all Demerara 20 14 Dijon and Besancon p 20 9 Dutch Rhenish 4l 4 d 20 all East Indian ll 2 p 213 20 2 Do. Extension 1 d 5 all Gt. Indian Peninsula 4 X P 20 10 C,ld. Junct. of France 25 7i Grd. Trunk of Cana& 5 dl9 100 30 Do. Debentures 9 7 d 100 all Do. do 20 10 Gt. Central of France 1 —l4 d 9 201 all Gt.WesternofCanada Shares l9 —2O 191 Do. Bands (Ist is.)'s7 ...p 201 all Ramilton & Toronto lip 100 all Do. 6 per cent. 20 5 Lake Const. & Basle „, 5 all Lucca & Pistoja 5 p.c pref die 20 15 Luxembourg • — 5 10 10 Do. (Railway) 3 3 5 2 Do.PrGf — 1 5 3 Do. (Canal) l4 10 5 Do. 6p. et. pref.__ 1. lid 20 8 Lyons and Geneva •„ 1 d 20 12 Lyons & Mediterran. .•• 20 131 4adras 4 par 331 331 ilaria Antonia 10 all Do. do. New 2(?' 2 !Melbourne Dk, &Ry — ••• 20 all Namur & Liege (with interest) 6l 74 20 all Do. (ex interest) —•• „. 16 all Northern of France 3lk 31 1 Do. 201. 3 p. c Bds 20 all (fmy. B. & Ams.Shs ) • 10 all NorwegianTrunkPref S —9 Xn 20 10 Paris and Lyons l5 1 5 49 40 all Ditto Bonds 10 all Paris and Orleans 43 „1 4 ' 20 all Paris and Rouen._ 35 —37 „ 20 all Paris and Strasbou rg 30k 304 29 k xd 20 10 l'arisCaen & Cherbrg. Pm 104 10 Quebec & Richmond ... •• • 20 all Rouen and Havre • ••• 20 12 Royal Danish •2l —11 d 5 2 Royal Swedish — 20 all Sambre and Meuse •8 81 6 Do. 51 p. cent. Pref ... 20 6 Southern of France ••• —pm 20 8 St. Andrew's and Quebec (A) — 8i all West Flanders 3 4 10 all Do 54 per c. Pref ••• d 20 10 Western of France 3 4 p 10 7 West. of Switzerlad 3 20 2 Wiesbaden ••• 20 15 Zealand BRITISH RAILWAYS. RAILWAYS. Closing Priced yesterday. Aberdeen . &mbg. Nottng. Bost. and Eastn. Junct... Belfast & Ballymena. Birmiug. Wolverh Stour Valley Birkenhd. Lancsh Cheshire Junct Do. Chesh. dx Birk., £5O and £25 Cons. Do., £20.. •• Blyth &Tyne original £25 (issd. at £45) Bristol and Exeter... Ca1ed0nian............ Chester dr Holyhead. Cork and Bandon Cork, Black, dt Pass Cornwall Crieff Junction Dublin&BelfastJunc Dundee Perth &Aber deen Junction Do. New (East Anglian.. 'Do., (Xl - 8 E & H)....' Eastern Counties.....' Eastern Union, A Stock .......... ..... .1 IDe., B. Stock... Po., New A. Fast Lancashire Edinburgh& Glasgow Edinb. and Peebles... Edin.Prth & Dundee Forth & Clyde June. Glastgow &S. Western Great Northern Stk. Do., A. 5t0ck......... Do., B. Stock Gt. Sth. &West.(lre. Great Western....... Irish South-Eastern Lancaster & Carlisle Do., Thirds Do. New Thirds Lancash.andYorksh. Do., Fifths D o. , Wst. Riding Un Leeds Northern , Liv. Crsby.&Southpt London & Blackwall Loud. Tilb. &Sthend. Loud. Bright &S.Cst. Lond. and N. Westn. Do. Fifths Do. Eighths liondonandS. Westn Do £5O 1_ _ - Do. £4O Lndndrry& Coleraine Ludndrry. & Ennisk. lanch.Shef.& Lineln Do., Man. & Lin. Un Midland Do. Biruing. & Derby Midld. G. West.(lre.) Do. Half Shares Newcastle & Carlisle Newmarket Do., Bury Extension Nwpt.Aberg. & Hrfd Newry & Enniskillen Newry Warrenpoi.nt and Rostrevor Norfolk Northn.Counties Un, North British North Devon, No. 1 Do., No. 2 ....... Do., A Deferred ' Do., B Guaranteed North London jDo. New £lO N.&S.Wstrn.,Hamp stead, and City Jn North Staffordshire_ North Western N. & S. Westrn. June Nuneaton, Hinckley, and Leicester Oxford, Worcester, & Wolverhampton Portsmouth Scottish Central Scottish Midland Shrewsbury & Bi i mg Do. L. & N. Western Guaranteed St cdc Shrewsby. & Herefd Shrewsby. & Chester (N. W. Min ;„ Do. Halves,l s Do. Oswestry Shropshire Union Do. A, B, C,& D,fully paid up at per cent South Devon South Eastern South Wales S. Yrksh. & Riv. Dun, Do.. Staines,Wok. &Wok Stockton & Darling Stockton & Hartlepi Taff Vale Do. £lO shares.. Do. Pref., No. 1 Thames Haven Dock and Railway Vale of Neath Waterfd. & Kilkenny Waterford&Limerick West Cornwall West End of London, and Crystal Palace West London. Wimbledn & Croydon York Newctl.&Berw. Do. Extensions Do. G.N.E. Purchase York & N. Midland 23 - 24 41 - 4i 7i - 8i 13 —l2 dial 15 17 1 S 7d; 89 - 91 54f -54 i 13i - 14! & • _ 10 ii = ii 7 - 8 ••• - ••• N - 16 ••• - ••• 12 - 12, 59 - 60 53 - 55 ia = ii 58 62 85 86 72 74 .19 - 121 88 - 90 721 • 734 83 - 87 10 - 12 10 -12 pi 59i - 604 - 7i •z 1 iii -7- ii 8 81 P 981 —99 A 95 - 96 11 lid 77 —7 8 d 12 1131 10 9,1 19 io 57i - 32 - 34; 6 d 4 d dl l 2i 6 8 45 47 34 31 30 ... 31 50 64 par AP - spa - - 74 26 - 28 85 86 51 • 53 51 - 53 51 - 53 3 -26 Li 13 - 15 64 - 7i 10 - It 4 - 3tit 13 15 59 —59 i 34 35 4 2d 4 5 30 - 32 3 - 3i 17 18 3 - 44 19 '2l Ei ---- 4 . 6 1 65a 9 80 5 -- 40 45 -- 464 LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS, Paid.' RAILWAYS. Leasing Compans, 'lomat Prices yesterday. Bedford and Blotchley Buckghamsh Clydesdale Jc E. Lincoln gr 6 per cent. Glas. Barr. & Neils. Direct. Do. New ..... . Glstr.& Dn. Fr flrtlpl. Dk. & Railway Hull & Selby Do. Shares. Do. Shares. Lon. & Greenw Do. Preference Lowestoft gr. 4 per cent. Do. 6 per ct. Manch. Bxtn and Matlock Kiddlesbro' & B,edcar lifidld.Bradfd Northern and Easternsp.c. Do. 6 per ct. Do. Fixeds p e Prest. & Wyre Do. Shares. Roystn. bt Hit. Do. Shepth. St Shef.Roth.and Goole g. 5 p. c. S. Staffordsh. Wear Valleygr 6 per cent Do Wilts&Somrst London & N. West. L.&N.W. Caledon... Gt.Nrthn. Caldonian. Do Gt. Vrestn Yk. New. Berw. Y. &NAM Da Do S. Eastern, Do [Norfolk L. & N. W. & Midid. Stckton & Darlingt. E. Count. 'Do. Do L. &N.W &Lain Do GtNorthn De lAncash& Yorksh. N. Mclean Stockt. & Darlingt. GtWestn: PREFERENCE Fi HARES. 'Aberdeen.. Do. No. 2, p. C. Myth and Tyne 10 per c. pref. (issd. at 504 Bris. & Ex. 4 p. c. St. Do. 4 p. c. Shares Caledonian £lO Chester & Holyhead Guar. 5i per cent Cork 6tßandons4p.c Dundee Perth &Aber deen Junction EastAnglian (£3los) 6 per cent Do. (£5) 7 per cent Do. (£7l7s) 7 p. c Eastern Counties Ex tension, 5 p. c. No.l Do. No. 2 . Do. New 6 p. c. St. Eastern Union, Scrip Guar. 6 per cent Do. 51., 10 per cent. Do. 10/. Debentr.Sh- East Lancash. 6 p. eta. East and West York- , shire Juuc. Pref... Edinb Pith. &D undee 5i per cent.__ 93 - . 68 94 - 96 .• -' ... 101 - 103 50 - 52 25 - 26 12 - 13 22i - 234 2i - 2i ii = OO 54 - 56 id xd = 28 - 30 90 -- 92 Glisiow& S. Western Guar. 5 per cent.... Great Northn. 5 p. Do. 5 p. c. Redeem., at 10 p. c. preen Do. 44 p. c. Scrip Gt. N. of Scot. Ist Pref Gt. Southn.drWestm. (Ireland) Eighths)... Do. 4 per c. Pref. Sh. Gt. Westn. (Relics & Hants Es. 5 p. Do.cov.red.4 p.c. Do. con, red. 4 p. c. Do, irred. 4 p. c.... Lan. & York. F. J.. 20 Do. 6 p. c. Stock Leeds N. 6 p. c. No.l Do. Quarters, 1848._ London and Brighton Guaranteed 5 p. c Do. Pref., 5 p. c. St. Do. Convertible, 5 p. I c 1852 Do. New Guar.6 p...c. Lon. &N. W., Coy.. 4 Nuneaton London & S. Western, Con. Thirds Londonderry& Coler Shares Londy. & Ennis. Sh Han. Shef., & Shares, No. 1. Do. New, £lO Do. £6 Siarypt.& Carl. 4 p.c. Do. 4i per cent.... Hid. Consol.6 Do. Consol. Bristol .& Bina. 6 per cent.... Do. Pref. 4i per cent Norfolk Debenture Do. Prof. 4 p. c. Stock Do. 5 p. c. Do. 5 fper ct . pref. Do. Wax. Val. 5 p, c. North British North Staffordshire,. Oxford, Woree ster,, Wolverh. Xl5, 6 p.c. Do Scot. Cent., New Prof Shrews. &Birm.N .G. Shrewsby. & Chester (Nor.W.Min), 8 p.c. Do. 5 per cent South Devon De. fixed, 4i per cent S. Eastern (Readin g Ann.) of £1 Os. 43(1. Do. 4iper cent. S.Yorksh.4p.c.Grar. Stockton and Dar- lington, 4 per c ent. Do. do. do. Stockton and Hartle- pool, guar. 5 p. c. till Ist July, 1856 Waterfd.&Kilk.6p. c., York, Newcastle and' Berwick,4 p.c. i'ref Do York&N. Midlandß and S. Pnvell ..... Agna Fria Anglo Austrin. Goad Anglo Californian Australasian Australian Australian Cordillera Australian Freehold Ave Maria Baden (Gd. Duchy of) Blaenarvon Ir. & Coal Esritish Austrin. Gold British Iron Brazilian Imp. (issued at .£5 pin Do. Cocaes & Cuiacla Do. St. John Del Rey Carson's Creek Clarendon Con. Min., Co. of Jamaica Cobre Copper Colonial Gold Copiapo Copper Min. of Eng Do. Pref. 7. p. cent English and Austrin Copper Smeltg. Co General Great Nugget Vein Do. Registered Great Polgooth Liberty Linares Lond.&Californ.Gold Quarts Crush. Co Aariquita Aexican&S.Amerien New Granada New Linares Mining and Smelting Co Nouveau Monde Pontgibaud Silve3 Lead Min. & Smelt Port Philip Quartz Rock Rhymuey Iron Do. New Santiago de Cuba Fouth Australian Tin Croft United Mexican .. Waller West Granada West Mariposa , Worthing Mining o. Australia Yuba JOINT-S' Australasia . British Colonial Bank and Loan Company British N. American Chartd. Bank of Asia Chrtd. Bnk. of India, Australia, & China Colonial Commercial of Lond English Scottish and Australian Loud. Chart. Bk. 01 Australia 20 10 20 35 20 50 20 25 5 25 all 1 London and County.. London Joint Stock., Loud. & Weatminstei National Provincia: all all 21 1 0 ' BANKS. 72 - 74 id 11 lid 5 - 4 2i 2 d .. - ••~ of England Do. New National of Ireland New South Wales Oriental Bank of Corporation Do. Now Provincial of Ireland Do. Now 43 45xd Royal Australn.Bkg , & Gold Imp C 0..., South Australia ...... Union of Australia.. Do. New. .............. Union of London.. 871 37 - 39 68 - 70 6i - 7i 24i. i 35g 45 41 70 698 THE STEAMER GOLDEN . AGE.—It is expected that the American steamer Golden Age, which made the un precedented passage to the Cape of 26i days, and reached King George's Sound, Australia, from Liverpool, in an actual running time of 47 days, will arrive in England from Sydney about the end of the present month. IMPERIAL PARMA"MENT. HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.) The house met five o'clock. .ADMINISTE ATION OF JUSTICE IN IRELAND. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said that, on a former evening, in the course of his observations on the , administration of justice i❑ Ireland, he referred, by way of illustration, to certain cases which had been tried by a learned judge in that country. It now appeared that these observations had given some pain to the learned judge who pronounced sen tence upon the prisoners. Nothing, however, was further from his (the Marquis of Clanricarde's) intention than to cast any blame upon that learned personage ; and he stated the other night, and he repeated now, that he had no doubt there were circumstances which did not appear in the report of the trials which justified him (the learned judge) in pronouncing the sentences he did. He (the Marquis of Clanricarde) wished it to be dis tinctly understood that whatever remarks he made were meant to apply, not to the learned judge, but to a gene ral course of proceeding which had taken place in Ireland for several years. Lord BROUGHAM said he listened with particular attention to what passed on the occasion in question, and he could state that the noble marquis cast no re flection whatever upon the learned judge. Petitions against the closing of public houses were pre sented by the Earl of Derby, and by the Earl of Har rowby, from places in Essex, Bristol, and a place in Cornwall. NUISANCES REMOVAL AND DISEASES PRE VENTION ACT FURTHER AMENDMENT BILL. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY, in moving the recom mitment of this bill, entered into an explanation of its provisions, but owing to the low tone in which he spoke he was almost totally inaudible. Lord BEAUMONT had received representations from several parties who thought that the bill would in terfere with the common business of agriculture, but, having looked at the machinery of the measure, he be lieved their apprehensions in that respect were ground less, as no works could be undertaken unless by the order of a certain number of justices, before whom there would be a full inquiry into the particular circumstances of each case. Lord REDESDALE said the bill was not carefully drawn up, and was, in his opinion, open to many griev ous objections. After a few words in explanation from the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, their lordships went into committee. The Earl of DONOUGHMORE called attention to the fact that the measure was totally inapplicable to Ireland. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY could not say, in re ply, that the bill had been referred to Mr. Power, the . Irish Poor-law Commi ss i oner, who reported upon it, and it had the sanction of that very high authority. The measure then passed through committee, and was reported with amendments. BOUNDARY SURVEY (IRELAND) BILL. On the motion of Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY this bill was read a second time. BENEFICES AUGMENTATION BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. DEVONPORT AND KEYHAM TUNNEL (No. 2) BILL. On the motion of Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY this bill was read a third time. TAXES ON LAW PROCEEDINGS. Lord BROUGHAM brought under the consideration of the house the subject of taxes or fees upon proceedings in the courts of law. The noble and learned lord alluded principally to the amount of fees charged in the county courts, mentioning that, upon an average of the years 1552-53, they amounted to 261,0001., being 171 per cent. upon the sums sued for, and upwards of 30 per cent. on the sums recovered by judgment. In the superior courts the fees paid amounted to only 50,0001. a year. Com plaining of the injury which such a state of things in flicted upon the county courts, by reducing the amount of business brought to them, he vindicated the principle of all law taxes, being defrayed, not by suitors, but by the public, out of the Consolidated Fund. In conclu sion, the noble and learned lord moved a series of seven resolutions, embodying the principles he had enunciated. The LORD CHANCELLOR concurred in most of the views of Lord Brougham, but he doubted whether the present was an opportune moment for changing the existing system, and he expressed an opinion that it would be inexpedient to pledge the house to abstract re solutions on such a subject. The State was bound to supply tribunals ; but the suitor in the wrong ought to contribute also to the maintenance of the judicial sys tem. The whole subject, however, should receive the consideration of the Government as soon as the County Court Commission had made their report, with the view of removing the existing inequalities between different courts. Under these circumstances, he recommended the noble and learned lord to withdraw the resolutions. After a few words in reply from Lord BROUGHAM, the resolutions were negatived. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS--(YESTERDAY.) The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Lords' amendment to the Hereford Improvement Bill were considered and agreed to. The following bills were read a third time and passed : —Furness Railway ; Llandudno Improvement; North Shields and Improvements; Stockton and Darlington Railway; Swansea Harbour. The following bills were considered and ordered to be read a third time :—Bethesda and Llanlleched Improve ment ; Great Western Railway (Stratford, Sc.) ; Lowe stoft Improvement (No. 2) ; Shrewsbury and Chester Rail way ; Trowbridge Roads. The Tees Conservancy and the Patent Solid Sewage Manure Company (No. 2), were read a second time and ordered to be committed. PETITIONS. Petitions were presented by Mr. Brotherton and other honourable members against the opening of public houses on Sunday ; by Sir J. V. Shelley from St. Paul's, Covent garden, complaining of the supply of water to the metro polis by the New River Company ; also, a petition from a public meeting, held in St. Martin's Hall, signed by Mr. Coninghain, praying the house to appoint a committee to inquire into the state of the Foreign-office, with full powers to read all the Papers there, and that all foreign operations should be suspended until that committee had reported. (A laugh.) Mr. James Anderson, from Dunfermline, praying for the abolition of the newspaper stamp by Mr. Crossley from Halifax, praying for the abolition of church rates ; by Mr. Spooner from St. Judge's, Bethnal-green, against the en dowment of Maynooth. VOTE BY BALLOT. Mr. H. BERKELEY gave notice that on this day month he should move for leave to bring in a bill to protect the voter of the ballot. SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES. In reply to Mr. MACARTNEY, Mr. WILSON said it was impossible yet to state what the amount of the supplementary estimates for the corn missariat expenses of the war might be. When they were prepared they would be laid upon the table. NEWSPAPER STAMP DUTY. Mr. MILNER GIBSON rose to call the attention of the house to what ho alleged to be the present unsatisfactory state of the law affecting the press, and to move the fol lowing resolution :—" That it is the opinion of this house that the laws in reference to the periodical press and newspaper stamp are ill-defined and unequally en forced; and it appears to this house that the sub ject demands the early consideration of Parliament." The right hon. gentleman excused himself for bringing for ward the question in the absence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the ground that it referred, not to finances, but to the state of the law. The duty of bringing the subject under the consideration of the house devolved on him in consequence of having been chairman of a committee of the house on the question of news paper stamps, which came to a resolution which de clared that there were abuses incident to the present system of the Newspaper Stamp Law, arising from the difficulty of determining the meaning of the word " news" The resolution which he intended to move on this occasion was not a mere abstract proposition. It asserted two facts —namely, that at the present time the law relative to the press was ill-defined ; and, secondly, that the Executive did not enforce the law such as it was with impartiality. Should the house adopt the resolution, it would indicate the opi nion of the house that the Government should bring in a measure for the purpose of defining the law, and also in struct their officers to enforce the law with impartiality.. The financial aspect of this question, in reference to the newspaper stamp, was insignificant, compared with other considerations connected with it. Instead of treating this question as merely one of law, he might have taken higher ground. and it would have been easy to show that a ch eap press and the dissemination of useful knowledge would have an important influence in extendiag the work of edu cation. This view of the subject could be supported by the most recent Parliamentary authority—namely, the re port of Mr. Horace Mann on the state of education in Eng land and Wales. In that document Mr. Mann states that although much was being done in respect to providing cheap literature, yet a vast deal more remained to be accomplished especially in the department of cheap newspapers, an abun dance of which, he thought, would do more to assist edu cation than millions spent in elementary schools without inducements to the people to attend them. Past experience taught him that the question of which he was the advocate would be met in a fair and liberal spirit by members on either side of the house. It was not a party question. When Lord Derby was at the head of the Government he (Ur. Gibson) accompanied a deputation to the noble lord to urge the abolition of the stamp duty on newspapers. On that occasion Lord Derby said ho could not be expected to enter into all the details of the question, but there was one thing which had been clearly established—namely, that the law was not in a satisfactory position. His lord ship also declared that, whatever the law might be, it ought to be impartially enforced, and that his Government felt no disinclination to the spread of knowledge. The proposition which ho now asked them to approve was only that the law was at present unsatisfactory, that it ought to be made simple, and that it ought to be enforced ; and therefore he earnestly begged hon. gentlemen not to con sider what his opinions might be, what theories might be entertained on the general subject of cheap newspapers, but to ask themselves whether any reasonable objection could be made to the wording of the resolution. He would now proceed to demonstrate—first, that the law was ill-de fined; and secondly, that it was not equally enforced. The house would recollect that some time since a prosecution had been commenced against the publishers of a work of Mr. Charles Dickens, called the Household Narrative of Cur rent Events, for the purpose not of inflicting a penalty, but of ascertaining whether by law the Government had the right to put down such publications. He bad said on that occasion that if the law was doubtful they ought to bring in a bill to settle it, and to let the world know what they might and what they might not do. (Hear, bear.) His ad vice was not acted on, and the prosecution was taken into the Court of Exchequer, when a majority of 3 to 1 of the judges decided against the Government, and held that the publication was not a newspaper in the eye of the law. The Government were again urged to bring in a bill so as This doctrine as to the legality of a small quantity of news was still a matter of doubt; and the counsel for the Crown, in the prosecution at Dublin, had made the important de claration, that that case was to decide the law with refer ence to a very numerous class of publications in this country as well as iu Ireland. With reference to the point that the news in the journal was not political news, it was endeavoured to be shown, by some sort of inuendo, that the object of the Legislature in passing the Stamp Acts was not revenue. The learned counsel for the Crown said : "Now, gentlemen of the jury, I will bring before your notice what appears to me to be the question before you. First, let mo say one or two words on the general policy of stamping papers such as these. You aro aware, no matter what may be said of the liberty of the press, a great deal may also be said of its licentiousness, and the Government of the country, to keep a proper control over the public press, and to keep within its own power a proprietor of a paper, who. departing from liberty, may indulge in licentiousness, has provided a machinery by which every proprietor of a paper is bound to restrictions, and bound to pay a certain stamp to protect the public." He contended withgreat deference, that this was bad law ; and he defied the learned counsel to produce any act of Parliament which said that any stamp should be imposed upon licentiousness. The stamp was to be put upon a re cord of facts, and any one might publish as much licen tiousness, as much blasphemy, as much sedition, as much obscenity, as much of extreme democratic views as they pleased, without putting any stamp upon it. But a fear had always been entertained of the circulation of facts, and it was only upon records of facts that the stamp had ever been imposed. But the journal in question was not, in fact, a licentious paper. It happened to be a most moral, harmless, innocent, literary paper, and no one contended that it contained a word that could be con strued into what was called license. (Hoar.) He had looked at the particular copy of the paper which had been prosecuted, in order to see whether there was any ground for raising a prejudice against it in tho mind of the jury by talking about the licentiousness of the press, and he found that it really contained nothing more than some good natured half-complimentary remarks upon her Majesty's present Ministers. In speaking of the present Government it said— " With all this undoubted personal ability, I have littl hope that the new Cabinet will work well. It wants a prin ciple, and it is too rich in individual talent." (" Hear" and laughter.) An attempt had been made in the course of the trial to set aside the act which had been passed last session, which was met by Lord Chief Baron Pennefather, who presided upon the occasion. By that act the stamp duty had been repealed upon observations or commentaries upon news, but not upon news itself. He thought it must have required an intellect of the refining power which was attributed to the present Chancellor of the Exchequer to have brought in a bill which drew a distinction between a commentary upon a fact and a fact itself ; but, at present, the law was that you might observe upon a fact, but if you gave that fact you were liable to a penalty. (Hear, hear.) The learned judge, in his charge to the jury, said— " One paragraph is contained in the paper on which reli ance has been placed on both sides. It is the Letter from London.' Now, this contained a good deal of observation on public occurrences. It consisted of matters of considerable public interest, a good deal of observation and discussion on what is considered political, change of Government, &c. The fact of its containing observation and discussion, I must tell you, in point of law, does not constitute that portion any thing that would make the publication newspaper.' The mere fact of their being observations and discussions was at one time a test on which a publication was to be determined whether it was a newspaper or not, but that test no longer exists in point of law. You will consider, with respect to that portion of the paper, whether that letter conveys infor mation of a fact of a public nature—whether it contains public news, intelligence, or occurrences.' So far as it contains observations and discussions, you will exclude it from your consideration as a t e st, b u t so far as it conveys in telligence of facts, you will give it such weight as you think it deserves." The committee upon which he had sat had reported that nothing was more undesirable than to attempt to draw a distinction between observations upon a fact and the fact itself, and had pointed out that by so doing they would produce a harvest of Exchequer cases, and the case to which ho had referred was ono of the results of the course which the Government had taken. The law was now, therefore, in this position—if he published in an unstaraped paper the despatch of Admiral Dundas, expressing his re gret at having been compelled to attack the batteries at Odessa, he would be liable to a penalty of 20(.; but if he published a violent commentary on Admiral Dnndas's con duct, and accused him of not having done his duty to his country, he was free from all stamp duties. If they al lowed observations to be circulated through the country free of stamp, they ought, as a matter of public policy, to allow records of facts themselves to be circulated on equally favourable terms, so that facts might correct erroneous theories, and men might not be led astray by violent obser vations. He thought that this case of the Dublin Penny Commercial , Tottrual would be sufficient to induce the house to come to the conclusion that the law required to be better defined and rendered more intelligible. (Hear, hear.) He had been told that, instead of the word " early" in the resolution which he had moved, he ought to have inserted the word " immediate," and he was certainly of opinion that not only an early but an immediate settle ment of the question was required, as he had not conjured up refinements to bring before the houee, but had shown that practical grievances existed which demanded the im , mediate attention of the Government. He would now give them another case of more recent origin with refer ence to the present state of the law. The discovery had lately been supposed to have been made that musical announcements came under the head of news. Mr. No -1 vello, the publisher of a paper called the Musical Times, had received the following communication from the Board. of Inland Revenue, dated May 8, 1854, so that it was clearly a very recent discovery by the board : " Inland Revenue, London, May 8, 1851. " Sir,—l am directed by the commissioners of this board to communicate with you respecting a paper entitled the Musical Times, printed and published by you, some un stamped copies of which have been brought under their obser vation. As this paper contains news, as well as principally advertisements, and is published at intervals of less than 26 days, it is a newspaper liable to stamp duty, and for every copy printed upon unstamped paper a penalty has been in curred. I shall be happy to submit to the board any explaua tiou you may think proper to offer upon the subject. —I am, Sir, your obedient servant, " J. Timm, Solicitor of Inland Revenue." In reply to that, Mr. Novelle wrote as follows : " London, 69, Dean-street, Soho, May 11, 1854. " Sir,—l have to acknowledge your letter of May 8. I have delivered to the Stamp-office stamped and unstamped copies of every number of the Musical Times for the last ten years (as compelled by law to do) and each of these copies has been thoroughly examined by your officers to ascertain how much of it was liable to duty for advertisements, so long as that impost was chargeable ; and I suppose that, both before and since, it has been examined to see that it contained no blasphemous and seditious libel, as I am compelled still to deliver a copy for the latter purpose. During these 10 years the news contained in the paper has always been precisely of and w yourth its ofa naturec e ; I have shown) • was me has been made, I must suppose that the a jr nd w , ic as al n r o i o n ljecti han on , ) th e thoroughly sl kind, acquainted during 10 years, been published with the sanction of your office. I should bo glad, therefore, to be favoured by your pointing out what particular passage of news you now consider as making the paper liable to be all printed. upon stamps. The Musical Times has always consisted principally' of a piece of music, for which the same price is paid, whether printed alone, or whether accompanied by the matter of temporary interest, which is given away ~. _. Business this day. (Paid. 100 I 8i 100 18 114 all all all 194 14 50 20 11i 22 1 .00 42 34 all 812s1 LOO [OO 471 174 all .00 all si , 1z le MISCELLANEOUS 5 all :Lubin Coal and Iron ... 25 17t lustralian Agricult 41. 43 47 5i 20 11 Xustral sn .Pc i fic. Mail 10 8 Xustraln. Royal Mail 10 4 Berlin Water Works ... 50 40 Grit. American Land 65 75 5 1 Grit. & Coln. Smeltg. and Reduction Co 100 32i Canada 75 80 5 5 Crystal Palace 6 i 7 6f I -4 2 Crystal Pal.of France ... 20 3 Eastern Steam — 25 20 ElectritTelegraph(A) 16 18 25 all Do. (B) — ••• 1 1 Electric Toleg. of Ir ••• ••• 15 14 Gen. Steam Navigat — 20 18 General Screw Steam 20 74 Irish Beetmot Sugar 20 10 Magdalena St. Navig. 1 all Nat. Pat. Steam Fuel 10 3 Netherlands Land 4 14 2 1 N. S. W. Coal & Inter Steam Navigat. Co. 1 all N. B. Australasian — 1 1 A Do. New — 20 10 Nrth. of Europe Steam 5 all Peel Rr. Ld. ST, Minrl. j d 44 50 all Peninsular & Oriental 50 35 Do. 2 all Portland Iron Co iP 100 60 Royal Mail Steam 1 all Soot. Austral. Invest. 2} 2A 25 25 South Austral. Land 35 37 1 all Submar. Telegraph.. 1 all Do. Registered 100 • 28i Van Diemen Land 104 5 8 / 1 8 30 i i per cent. 59 1 it i Business done this day. 50 25 12 13/ 20 20 all all all all all 100 MU i 12i St. St. 25 'lOO 100 18i 9i all 74 3 60 69f 81 100 99 96k 5 5 10 St. 5 all all 100 all 1.00 100 100 6 100 Do.. 93 .95 3 2i - .J - 12 - 23 - i P I P i P 12A 24 3 -34 112 - 114 j 104 - 106 9 - 9i 74 8 .. xd 6 64 94 96 - 89 88 90 Id pa: 128 132 21 )) 21 - ... ... 5 6i 1 84 9 4d par 130 132 It - lid 93 - 95 ... - .. 8 - .9 15i -16 i 9i -- 10 11 -- 13 id -- p 22i -22 i 98 - 100 15 - 20 3 - 1 87 92 3 30 1} id d AP 1 d 1 2 - 10 _ - 8 4 5 2 29 31. d 40 42 f li 10 12 50 60xd 2 4v, a - 21 1 -- 14 R -- i 10 - 11 1 - 4 5i -- 62 § • 7 g ' • • • 154 —16 i a xn 29 31 8 10 3 4 2 4 2i 31 d •• •• * • • i d ..i 7 i to save individuals from this system of persecution ; but no said the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, the judges were wrong, and the Board of Inland Revenue was right, and the G overnment were determined to take further measures to enforce their own view of the law. In a short time the Government of Lord Derby came into power, and they . an . nounced that they i n t en d e d t o sett l e t h e po i n t b y legon, and a measure was prepare d w hi ch was after wards brought in by the present Government for the pur pose of exempting Messrs. Bradbury and Evans, the pub. lishers of Mr. Dickens, from the stamp, and releasing them from further persecution by th e B oard of Inland Revenue. I What was their present position ? A bill had been passed to exempt a particular publication from the stamp and to define news and newspapers afresh, b u t severa l po i nts o f law had since arisen, springing from that bill, in addition to those which had previously existed. The Government bad commenced a prosecution against the publishers of the Penny Commercial Journal in Dublin of which Mr. Shaw was the proprietor, the object, according to the counsel for the Crown, being not to recover • penalty, but to enforce a right and ascertain a point of law. Mr. Whiteside, the counsel for the defendant had, in an eloquent speech in the Dublin Court of Exchequer, deprecated this system of singling out individuals as v i c ti ms , i n or d er t o ascertain what was the law, and said that it was the duty of the Government, as sisted by the law officers of the Crown, to bring forward a bill to make the law clear and simple. In this prosecution the Government had again been defeated, and the Chan cellor of the Exchequer had declared that he did not in tend to acquiesce in the verdict, but should go on with the proceedings against Mr. Shaw until he could get some court of law or jury to assert that the Board of Inland Revenue had taken a just view of the law. It was a mon strous injustice to individuals to persevere in this course of policy—(hear)—and he appealed to the house, whether be had not a right to call upon the Government to put an end to those difficulties by bringing in a bill to make the law clear and intelligible. (Hear, hear.) The point of law raised in the case of the Penny Commercial Journal was a very peculiar one. The question raised was whether this paper, consisting for the most part of literary matter, but containing also some few scraps of news, was, in the eye of the law, a newspaper? The defendant pleaded three pleas—first, that if the paper did contain news there was only a very little of it ; secondly, that the news it contained was not political ; and, thirdly, that there was no proof that the news was true. The last plea was pleaded because it had been contended that if it could be shown that what was stated as a fact was iu reality a fiction, it was not news and therefore was not liable to the stamp. Mr. Baron Parke, whose authority would not be disputed, had con tended that a little news was not enough to constitute a paper a newspaper, and that the words of the act, "a paper, containing public news, intelligence, and occur rences" was meant to apply to a paper the main object of which was to give a record of current events. If it should be decided that a paper might contain a little news, what questions would be raised as to the quantity it might law fully contain, and as to the amount of the space of a paper which might be occupied by news without its becoming liable to a penalty. He should be sorry to misrepresent the learned judge, and he would therefore read the passage to which he had referred. In speaking of another publication Mr. Baron Parke said : " Now, I am clearly of opinion that it is a newspaper within the definition of the act of Parliament. That act contains in the schedule a description of what is to be considered as a newspaper ; therefore, we must look to the schedule to see whether this is a newspaper within the meaning of the clause or not, and the schedule says the following shall be deemed and taken to be a newspaper, and chargeable with the said duties Any paper containing public news, intelligence, or occurrences printed in any part of the . United Kingdom, to be dispersed and made public.' That is the definition. It does not say any public news simply, but containing public news, intelligence, or occurrences;' and if the question had turned upon that part of the act of Parliament, I should have thought that it was not enough to bring the paper within the meaning of the act if it contained only a single article, and its main object was something else, either a scientific work or a discussion upon matters of science or fine arts. If it happened to contain a single article only of news, I should have considered that it was not within the meaning of the section, but that it was to be a paper the particular object of which was to contain public news, intelligence, or occur rences ; an'l if it happened that the paper contained a matter of science or discussion upon the fine art, but that its main object was that it should contain public news, intelligence, and occurrences, I should have thought it would still have fallen within the. meaning of a newspaper." 20 20 10 10 20 20 50 20 2/ 2s, 100 100 100 100 all 100 all 15 5 212 s 100 8 100 21 17 all all 16 all 51s. 100 20 13§ 100 12 12a 25 all 44 all all 10i 100 100 12A 12 126 St. 1001 100 100 100 100 all 100 15 8i 8 10 15 all all all 10 25 10 1.0.6 all all all all all 15 i 4 1 10 1 1 all all 15 10i all ~^"