The Sun. — London, England, 1854-04-04 00:00:00

'MPERIAL PARLIAMENT. SOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.) The house resumed at five o'clock. - REPLY OF HER MAJESTY TO THE ADDRESS. After the presentation of some petitions, The LORD CHANCELLOR said—l have to ac quaint your lordships that the house waited this day upon her Majesty with the address, which was voted by your lordships on Friday last, and that her Majesty was pleased to return the following most gracious answer : "I have to thank you for your loyal and dutiful ad dres. It is highly gratifying to me to receive an assurance of your co-operation in giving effect to the measures which I consider necess try fir the honour of my Crown, and the welfare of my people." ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE. The Earl of ABERDEEN gave ti,tice of his inten tion to move the aljourninent of the house for the Easter holidays, front Tuesday the 11th inst. until Thursday the 27th. CHURCH BUILDING ACTS AMENDMENT BILL. The Earl of HARRO WBY moved the second reading of this bill, the object of which is to enable churches in parishes, iu cities and market towns to be pulled down, and to permit benefices to b.: united for religious pur poses. Earl POWIS objected to the loose wording of the bill, which rendered it difficult to ascertain to what localities it would be applicable. He thought the measure would not prove so innocent as it seemed to be at the &A glance. The Bishop of LONDON explained that all the pro visions of the bill were conditional. He supported it, iLs being absolutely necessary in the present condition of .he metropolis. Lord ST. LEONARDS contended that all the churches which were to be pulled down under the provisions of the measure should be determined upon and designated before the bill was allowed to pass. The bill was then read a second time. TESTAMENTARY JURISDICTION BILL. The house went into committee on this bill. On Clause Lord WYNFORD said the commission which wag appointed on this subject refused to recommend the trani-fer of the jurisdiction to the Court of Chancery, and and the majority of those who voted on the report ware the judges to whom under this bill the jurisdiction would be transferred. He moved, as an amendment, that in stead of the words " exercised by her Majasty's High Court of Chancery," the words " exercised by her Ma jesty's Court of Probate" be inserted. The LORD CHANCELLOR said if this amendment were adopted the bill would be made a totally different, bill, and every word of it must be altered. }te there fore trusted that their lordships would not agree in this amendment. The Earl of DONOI7GHMORE supported the amendment. Lord CAMPBELL thought that instead o f erecting a Court of P ro b ate i t would be better to let the bill stand as it was, and let the business of Probate go to the Court of Chancery, always supposing that there was one tribunal i n th e C our t of Chancery to which parties could resort Lord ST. LEONARDS agreed that the jurisdi c ti on should be in the Court of Chancery and not in a Court of Probate ; but he wished thlt it should be confined to one Court in Chancery, and that the jiidge of the Prerogative Court, whose office had been kept up at his g,restion, should be called on to sit with th e j udge of B th u at court when neces.ary. The LORD CHANCELLOR said he thought that the clause in the bill provided all that was necessary, and avoided difficulties which the language of the clause of his noble and learned friend caused. Lord ST. LEONARDS said that he had been told by one of the principal advocates that the giving them precedence in the court would be a great boon ; but as he only wished 'to benefit them, and they did not desire it, he would strike that provision out. The Earl of HARROWBY inquired whether the es tablishment of one court in Chancery would have the effect of keeping up proctors and advocates. The LORD CHANCELLOR said he hoped so. He thought the business would naturaliy fall into their hands, although they could not have precedence. As ' to exclusive right to the business teat was never con templated. Lord ST. LEONARDS said that he could not strike out that part of his clause which related to the prece dence of advocates in the new court. The clauses up to 36 were then agreed to, with verbal amendments. Before clause 37 was pnt, Lord ST. LEONARDS moved the clause above Stated, with reference to. confining the jurisdiction of probate to one court in Chancery; Which was opposed by the LORD CHANCELLOR. Their lordships then divided For the clause For the amendment lO-4 The remaining clauses and tha schedule having passed, the house resume 1. Tie bill to he reported this day. Their lordships adjouruei at 20 minutes past eight o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY.) T..e house resumed at half-past 5 o'clock. THE ADDRESS. The SPEAKER acquainted the house that the house had to-day been with her M ijegty, and presented the address in reply to her Majesty's mess ige, to which sbe had been pleasel to make the following most gracious reply :-- 4 + I thank ynu for you loyal and dutiful address. The declaration of your sentiments on this occasion off Irds me great satisfaction. I rely with confidence on your co-ope ration in the meamreg which I ifiay consiler necessary for thehonour of my crown and the welfare of my people." PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Lords amendments to the Leeds New Gas Bill were considered and agreed to. The following bilis were real a third time and passed : —Bacup Improvement, Brighton and Hove Gas, Clyde Navigation (Amendments to be proposed), Doncaster Cemetery, Glasgow New Street, Hereford Improvement, Imperial Gas C onpany, Stockton, Middlesbrough, and Yarrn Water, North London Railway. The following bills were considered, and ordered to be read a third time :—Ambergate, Nottingham, and Boston, and Eastern Junction ; Belfast Harbour ; Blyth and Tyn e R a il way; Beh an Gas, Cardiff Gas, Chesterfield Market, Hamilton Waterworks, Harrow Waterworks, Havering, Dagenham, &e. Sewers ; Kingswood Roads ; Port Gordon Harbou r ; , Lanes, and Holehouse Road ; Salford, Stockport, and Manchester Division ; Tyne Keelmen ; Wellin g to n (Salop) Improvement ; Whitehaven, Cleator, and Egrement Railway ; London, Brighton, and South Coast Radwav hills. The Blackburn Improvement (No. 2) Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed. NORTH LONDON RAILWAY. The Marquis of CHANDOS moved the third reading of this bill, which gave rise to considerable discussion, in the course of which Mr. CARDWELL announced that on Thursday next he should state the course which the Government meant to pursue with regard to the general question of railway legislation. The bill, as well as several other railway bills which stood on the paper for progress, were postponed until Monday next, 'inconsequence of this announcement, CHURCH LEA.3EHOLDS. On the motion of Mr. INGHAM the following address was agreed to:--Address for return of the number of leaseholds (every lease being cons! lered as a distinct leasehold) in the several dioces•s of Erniland and Wales, in respect of which applications have been made by the lessees either to the archbishops and bishops, or deans and chapters respect i vely, for the purchase of the rever sion or for the sale of the term, or for both in part and whether on such application terms have been either agreed upon and referred to the Church Estate Coniuiis sinners, or declined by the lessees, or whether s uch ap plications have been declined by the lessors, and, if de clined, on what grounds, or remain under consideration. RAIL WA Y SCH EMES. On the motion ot the Marquis of CHANDOS the following return was ordered :—Copy of any communi cation from the General Committee on Railway and Canal Bills to the Board of Trade, in reference to the report of the latter on railway schemes, dated February, 1854 ; and of any answer of the board thereto. SCOTCH EDUCATION. On the motion of Mr ALEX. HASTIE, the following ad dress was agreed to :—Address for copies of correspon dence that has taken place between the promoters of the Secular School, St. Andrew's-square, Glasgow, and the Committee of Council on Education ; an I of the cor respondence between the promoters of Williams's Secular School, E linburgh, and the same committee. LOUTH ELECTION. The SPEAKER acquainted the house that he had received a report from the examiner of recognisance% stating that the recognisances in the case of the county Louth election petition were unobjectionable. BUSINESS FOR TUESDAY. In reply to Sir JOHN PigINGTON, Lord J. RUS'SELL stated that it was proposed to morrow (this day) to take the second leading of the Education (Scot!and) Bill, but the committee on the Clergy Disabilities Bill, which stood also for tomor row, would be postponed. THE BLACK SEA FLEET. Captain SCOBELL said a rep ,rt had gone abroad that the Black Sea fleet had been impeded in its opera tions by the want of coals. and it would be satisfactory to the house, no doubt, if the first Lord of the Admi ralty would state whether or no there was any founda tion for the rumour. Sir J. GRAHAIV/ had much pleasure in informing the house that he had received a letter from Admiral Dundas, dated at Constantinople as late as the 19th of March, which contained no mention of the subject ; but he knew of his own knowledge that, since the Ist of January, 10,000 tons of coal had been seat to Constan tinople for the use of the fleet, while there were about 6,000 tons in store at Malta. The letter to which he referred stated that the fleet would be in the Bosphorus for a few days, but he understood that this morning a ?r iic dliqoatch had been received announcing that Nrcived in the neighbourhood , r ,\\ o f Yarns. GAGE OF MR. STONOR. ifittla moved the adjournment of the purpose of re-opening the case o f Mr. had already been twice befor e the bonne. however, who bad simply g i ven no tice „, gitiant persist in the inotiou ; niter ieegriplio r the tleet,lact al i '- (Near, hear) (Ler4 D . P ER STI ..-. • house for the p I ,: Stoner,. which h. ` l '''' s The noble lard, J Wittipittpit, 0 012_,Aid v Zl.U...ikei. making a statement, he concluded by asking whether her Majesty's Government would send out a despatch for cancelling the appointment of Mr. Stonor, a com mittee being pendinz to inquire into the circumstances. Lord J. RUSSELL protested against the course which the noble lord had taken of moving the adjourn. ment of the house, and then went on to say that the motion for the committee would be made on Thurs day, when the Government would be quite ready to accede to it. All the circumstances touching the appointment would then come before the com mittee, and the house would find that the recom mendations of Mr. Stonor were entirely of a legal and professional nature, and that it was quite an oversight of the noble duke at the head of the colonial department in nut being aware of the report which had been made against Mr. Stonor. He trusted, however, that the committee would make no recommendation that the appointment should be confirmed, although it might be a case of great hardship on Mr. Stonor, but the real state of the matter was this. The appointment had been made in Victoria, but when it came home for confirma tion the noble duke would decline to confirm it on the part of her Majesty. STATUTE LAW COMMISSION'. Mr. BOW YER asked what course Government pro pose.l to pursue with respect to the Statute Law Conso lidation Commission, whether it wa s t o b e renewed or allowed t , ) drop with all its valuable labours incomplete. Lord J. RUSSELL replied that as the Attorney- General was not in the house be was unable to answer the question ; but he understood his learned friend had been in communication with the Lord Chancellor on the subject. NEW REFORM BILL. Sir E. DERING give notice that on Monday next he would ask the noble lord the member for the city of London, whether he intended to move the second read ing of the Reform Bill on the 27th last. BRIBERY, &c., BILL. On the or d er of the day for t h e com mittal of this bill, Lord J. RUSSELL , i n movin g that the Speaker do leave the chair, appealed to the hon. and learned mem ber for Suffolk to allow his bill to come on next, and before the Controverted Elections Bill. Sir. F. BELLY was understood to assent to the proposal. Mr. V. SMITH then moved as an amendment that the bill be referred to a select committee, announcing that if this amendment was carried he should move that the other two bills be referred to the same committee. The three bilk ought to be conaidered together, but it was impossible to do that in cormnittee of the whole h ou se, and hence arose the necessity for a select com mittee, where all the three bills could he discussed together and ultimately consolidated into one effective measure. Several points embraced in the other bills were omitted from that of the noble lord. This showed the impossibility of considering the measures apart ; and there was not time to take them in succession on the same evening. One important matter was that neither of th e bill s h ad any provisions relating to agents, not legal agents, but those mysterious persons who went about telling people to open their hands and shut their eyes and see what they could get. (Laughter.) These were the real authors of the mischief, and yet there was no provision to reach them. The proper course would be to refer all the bills to a committee up-stairs. It might be said they would still have to be discussed by the house, but this would be done much more conve niently after an investigation before a select committee. They should then know what they could do, and how the evil could be reached. An enthusiasm against bribery had arisen that session such as was never shown before; but out of doors the feeling very widely pre vailed that there was a great deal of hypocrisy in this. (Hear, hear.) People thought that hon. members found it as easy virtue to disclaim against that bribery of which, owing to the interposition of agents, they could not possibly be convicted. It behoved them, therefore, to proceed cautiously, and not rashly to inflict such penalties as were given by the noble lord's bill. Could they carry cut the serious penalty of depriving a man of his qualification for life, arid would the public go with them in such a course ? Suppose that, in early life, Lord John Russell himself, when party feeling was much higher than now, had been deprived by the vote of a parliamentary committee of his se..t for life; and he had subsequently displayed the abilities for legislation which he possessed, would the public have acquiesced in his perpetual exclusion from public life ? (Rear.) There would be a difficulty in finding prosecutors ; for who would come forward in such a case where the result might be to deprive a man of the chance of ever again ' being elected ? It became both the convenience and the honour of the house to proceed cautiously in such a mat ter, lest they should do more harm than good. A great deal migat be done by themselves. One gentleman had admitted before a conamitt e that he purposely refused to look at any vouchers, If candidates would directly discourage every species of bribery arid undue influence, that would do more than anything else to put an end to the system. It should to remembered that their object was not backed by any strong feeling among the consti• tuencies. In one ca.iie the committee found that it was not poverty by any means which induced the acceptance of bribes ; men renting houses of 201. or 301. had taken then as readily as occupiers of 101. houses. Any violent legislation must fail, as in the case of smugglers or poachers, undl the same feeling was excited in the public mind against the offence as existed in that house. He could not recognise the distinction taken by the bill be tween bribery and undue iefluence. He-thought that a pound's worth of any kind of goods was as much bribery as a pound in money ; in fact, he was at a loss to know what was undue an I what was due influence. He con cluded by moving that the bill should be referred to a s lect c immittee, in the hope that it would be promptly proceeded with. Mr. DEED Eli seconded the amendment, and ex pressed the difficulty which he felt in dealing with the three measures sep irately, all of which related more or less to elections. Ho hoped the noble lord would con sent to the proposal. All who sat on election commit tees must have seen that this was a growing evil, and nine which cast opprobrium on the house and on mem bers individually. If the committee went into the ques tion with a determination to apply a remedy to the evil, he was certain their end would be attained. It was most important to deal with the question conclusively. Lord J. RUSSELL said he was greatly disappointed at the amendment of his right hou. friend. He con sidered that, if it were successful, it would be equivalent to postponing till another session any consideration rela tive to bribery, (Hear, hear.) In the way be proposed to consider these bills there was not really any practical difficulty. The hon. and learned gentleman opposite, who had considered both the bills, had pointed out that clause 2 and the two following clauses in his (Lord J. Russell's) bill, with reference to oaths, and likewise clause 7, with reference to agents, related to the same subjects as were treated in his bill. Undoubtedly he was quite right ; and it would be inconvenient for the house to discuss one set of provisions of that kind with out having others before them, which the author of the bill, at least, considered more effectual. But he should have had no difficulty in proposing the postponement of all those clauses. When the committee had gone through the other clauses he should have proposed that the chair man do report progress ; they could then immediately go into the bill of the hon. and learned gentleman, and consider its various provisions with reference to that and other subjects. Besides these few clauses there were several matters treated in both hills for which differen provisio • ns were made; and the house would have no lifficulty in dealing with these propositions in ( ommit tee. The last speaker pointed out several other provi sions which were not in either bill, and said that there were several persons competent to - suggest other provi sions which ought to he intro‘luced. But let the house consider what a large field was thus opened. If the bills went before a select committee it could not be expected that the members would agree as to their provisions ; for many members of the house had different opinions on these subjects. There would therefore be all the previsions of these bills to consider—all those which the right hon. gentleman had recommended, and all the others which might be suggested ; and, this being so, they oould hardly hope to get the bills back from the committee before the end of May or the beginning or middle of June. They would then have to be discussed in committee of the whole house ; and it was a subject on which so many members of the house were informed, so many having served on election com mittees who could not poesib!y be on the select com mittee, that considerable time must be occupied in dis euesing the bills ie committee of the whole house. They would hardly reach the House of Lords before a very late period of the seseion, when there would be great danger of their being put aside for the Session. Therefore the real question for consideration was, whether or not the house .vas diepesed to entertain the bills. (Rear, hear.) The right hon. gentleman said he o bj ected to many of but the house_fit found that t oo severe in committe e cou ld en- . t te h r e ta ir in pro t % h i o si s o e n ( s ,h , j • actions, I penalti es were affixed to persona committing the offence of bribery, that surely was a question of pri nci pl e to be , • considered i n com mittee a fi in favour of more lenient the whole house ; and they might decid e if they saw penalties. Th ere was no pract:cal difficulty in dealing with the q uest i on. On the o ther hand, if the bills we re sent before a select committee he (Lord J. Russell) should be utterly unable to attend on it, he could only take pa r t i n the discussion in committee of the whole house when the bills came back. He hoped the house would now go into committee and consider these pro visions. The laws relating to bribery were tolerably well known ;he proposed to consolidate those laws. With regard to the alterations to be made in the law, the house would be a tolerably good judge; he certainly was quite ready to abide by its decision in preference to sen it di r n . g w th A e L b p ill o s L b t said he herhaniditoteneatiP formeratairgo.ccasion pa se he a t in timated that he should not i n t erfere with the course pro posedshout toee certainly takennlyhave been byti strongly ie oble of lo opinion in ; ioh otherwtht great advantage might be derived from a lull investigation of the subject by a select committee. But upon considera tion, he did not think it would be advisable to press the amendment. In the first place he should be very un willing to take any course which might appear to have the object of preventing the measure from passing this session, or which might seem to be in any way of a party character. The noble lord had taken the fairest possible course that could be suggested ; he proposed to take Sir F. Kelly's bill second in order, relating as it did to the same subject, th e prevention f bribery, and to postpone the controverted clauses in his own bill. Another reason for objecting to the amendment was that stated by the noble lord, that he himself would be unable to serve on the committee ; and any committee without the noble lord's assistance would not give satis faction. (Hear, hear.) He, therefore, hoped that the amendment would not be pressed. He thought it right to take that opportunity of stating that there were cer tain clauses in his bill of of last session which he should be under the necessity of proposing as amendments on this bill. Ca t SUZZOS.? PA that with marl.bribery ik) THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 4, 1854 , had as much objection to it as any person ; but, after being twenty-six years in that house, he had yet to learn what bribery was. The noble lord attempted to define it in his bill ; but he (the Colonel) could not subscribe to his definition. (Laughter.) What he defined as bribery was practised almost every day by those who had the honour of sitting on the treasury bench. (A. laugh.) It appeared that the noble lord—the pure lord —the spotless minister of the crown—had chosen to give an appointment to Mr. Stonor, after he had been con- Tided of bribery. (Hear.) There was purity for you I (Great laughter.) He had read all these bills, but could not approve of them, and should oppose the house going into committee on them. He thought, now that we were engaged in war, that such a subject ought to be allowed to drop. He found that the noble lord's two bills had ' not been introduced until a week after Mr. Walpole's, and yet the former were to be considered first. What was the meaning.of this ? Was there an understanding between the whig and gory benches? (Laughter.) He should move the further postponement of the bill till that day six months. The SPEAKER said the hon. and gallant irember could not move that amendment now. Mr. 'MINN regretted that the noble lord had not consented to refer the bill to a select committee, The noble lord proposed to repeal no less than 10 statutes, incorporating many of their provisions into different sect;ons of this bill ; and the mode in which this was done required the most careful consideration. The committee on the Dungarvan etection put a construc tion on the Treating Act which was much more stringent than that usually put upon it by election committees. It was, in fact, almost impossible to reconcile the con flict►ng decisions of committees on that subject. (Hear, hear.) He did not agree with the noble lord (Lord J. Russell) that the reference of the bill to a select com mittee would e.►use its postponement to the next ses sion. A fortnight would suffice to get through it, and he saw no reason why it should not be ready to be submitted to the Lords by the middle of May. Mr. F. PIGOTI' opposed the amendment. Mr. I. BUTT should vote for the amendment if it were pressed to a division. The noble lord said if the bill were referred to a select committee it must be post poned till next year. Even if that were the case, the question was whether it was better to have a bad bill this session or a good one next. (Hear, bear.) Hasty legislation was not likely to be at all effectual. Mr. NAPIER thought the sooner the house got into the subject the betthr. He should himself have pre ferred a select committee, but if the noble lord was op posed to it he should not vote against him. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY was convinced that if the house got into committee it would never get out of it. (Laughter.) So many intricate questions were in volved that there would be a perfect war of words. He wished to know what was meant by the provision as to having received or asked fur, directly or indirectly, place, office, or employment. Whether or not any Go vernment could exist in this country without the exer cise of patronage, he could not pfetend to determine ; but it became the house to beware in what position they placed electors. Mr. CROSSLEY was in favour of at once going into committee, not because he thought the bill would prove effectual, but because he wished the Government to learn that they must, after all, come to the ballot. (Hear.) Mr. PACKE supported the amendment. He would suggest to the noble lord to consider whether, during the hours of polling a restriction might not usefully be placed on the sale of intoxicating liquors. Lord HOTHA.M said it appeared to him that, with the exeepti ni of the noble lord himself, who held no office, the whole of the members of the Government would come under the charge of bribery as defined in the bill. It was notorious that nine out of .ten of the public offices were distributed for political purposes. The whole subject was so complicated, that there could be no satisfactory legislation upon it without a select committee. The house then divided— Fur going into committee 146 For the amendment The house then went into committee, and clauses 1 to 4 inclusive were agreed to. On clause 5, Mr. WALPOLE said he thought the words of the clause made the offence of bribery too extensive, treating as bribery what was not so in fact. If any person gave valuable consideration to a voter who was "about to vote," though it might not be in order to induce him to vote, the transaction was treated as bribery. A person who was about to vote might have a place given to him without any corrupt intention. The words which he would suggest, instead of those used, were, " with the intent to induce any voter to vote, or to refrain from voting, at any election." He would also suggest that the 5 and 6 Vie., c. 102, with regard to head money, should be inserted. He thought, too, that there should be a provision with regard to kindred or affinity. He men tinned this because last year a case came before an elec tion committee in which a father, who was not himself a voter, was led to- persuade his son to • vote in a par ticular manner for his own advantage. Lord J. RUSSELL thought that the words "about to vote' sufficiently conveyed the object for which the place was given. With regard to head money, that wi,s provided for in a subsequent part of the bill. With regard to the third point, he thought it better that the words "kindred or affinity" should not be introduced, because the voter might be influenced by a person who VMS no relation receiving a bribe. Mr. V. snail wished to know the meaning of the words " any person authorised to act as agent." The case of agency was one of the greatest difficulties they had to contend against. It was, therefore essential that it should be defined. Sir F. KELLY apprehended the words were not in tended to include any case of agency except that of agency directly authorised by the candidate. He would suggest, therefore, in order to render the clause more clear, that the words "by him" (the candidate) should be inserted before the word " authorised." The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said this being a penal clause, it was not intended to apply to the case of con structive agency, which had been the subject of great anxiety and some opprobrium. The agent here in tended was the person directly authorised by the candi date to commit the act prohibited, and though that was necessarily implied by the words of the clause, no doubt the words suggested by the hon. and learned gentleman would make the clause more clear. Tue object of the clause was to strike at an offence characterised by a mains animus. Mr. G. BUTT thought that the addition of the words suggested by his hon. and learned friend would be ne cessary. (Hear, hear.) Lord J. RUSSELL signified that he had no objec tion to their insertion. Colonel SIBTHORP said this bill struck at the free men of England, who were more pure than the members of the Treasury bench themselves. (Laughter.) He would wash his hands out of the bill for the present, but would oppose it in future stages. Mr. PIIINN suggested the words "employed by him," which were the words used in the statute o George Mr. I. BUTT thought it quite right that the agent directed to commit should ba deemed guilty of a crimi nal offence ; but they should be cautious that, in crea ting a criminal offence, they did not alter the whole some law which subjected the member to loss of his seat for constructive agency. The words proposed by Sir F. Kelly were then ordered to be inserted. After a long discussion, on some verbal objections raised by Mr. WALPOLE, Mr. MALINS, and Mr. I. BUTT, Lord J. RUSSELL promised to recommit the bill, in order that an opportunity might be afforded the house to reconsider the phraseology of this and other clauses, after it had been finally settled by the Government. In the meantime, the suggestions of the hon. and learned gentlemen would meet with every attention, and would in all probahihty be adopted. Lord Ron-Lin thought the latter part of this sec tion would extend to cases not within the intention of the framers of the measure. For instance, if a gentle- man, wishing to get his son a seat in Parliament, were to make a present—not in money—to a person who had exerted himself in obtaining the son's return, that would be an offence under this clause. Lord J. RUSSELL thought that the introduction of the word "corruptly" would obviate all difficulty: Lord HOTHAXI thought that, inasmuch as the in terpetration of this clause would have to be made by committees of the house, the introduction of the word, "corruptly" would riot got over the difficulty. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL reminded the cora mittee that the clause under consideration was a penal clause, imposing a penalty of 1001. Committees of that house did not impose penalties or enforce penal statutes, therefore the noble lord was not quite correct when he said the interpretation of the measure would rest with committees of the house. Lord HOTHAM wished to know whether the gift of offices and places by members of her h . laje4ty's Govern ment would be bribery within this bill. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL—Not unless corruptly given. Mr. HENLEY thought that the duties to be per formed by common agents would bring them within the bill. Mr. R. PALMER said that the bill followed the language of the statute of George 111., which had been held not to include common agents. Upon that part of the clause fixing the penalty at 1001. being read, Mr. WALPOLE proposed to alter the amount to 50/. The only effect of fixing the penalty high was to make the measure a dead l e t ter. Mr. MASSEY was for doing away with the p ena lt y altogether, and making bribery an offence at common l aw . If an agent became liable u n d er the present bill, the candidate, - feeling that be had got the agent into the scrape, would be sure to pay the amount of the penalty, and thus the system proposed in the bill would in effect only swell the election expenses. The CHAIRNIAN said it would be irregular to put the amendment at the present time, but it might be put afterwards. After a short discussion the amendment was with drawn. Mr. PHINN asked the Solicitor General if he would consent to a proviso giving costs to the prosecutor in case of con v i c ti on. A s the law at present stood, if a person prosecuted for bribery he had to pay the costs, while if he prosecuted for riot the costs were allowed. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said the suggestion was an exceedingly valuable one. The Attorney-General was at present not in the house, but he would consult him up on it . Mr. HENLEY hoped the hon. gentleman would well consider on this subject I before he made up his mind g upon it. It would hold out great temptations to vexa- tious prosecutions, because the parties who carried on the prosecution s wou ld do so with no r i s k to thew selves, the public payin the costs. T4t POLIOZOI44,EX4/4 NOW tit ail MI 1 prosecutions would be subject to the control of the At torney-General. Mr. G. BUTT opposed the proviso. Mr. PHINN observed that in all cases the costs were at the discretion of the court, and if it saw that the pro secution was improperly instituted it would not allow the costs. Lord R. GROSVENOR asked if it was intended to prevent candidates being charged with travelling ex penses, which were frequently made the means of bri bery. Lord J. RUSSELL said he did not propose to make any alteration in that respect in this bill. Clause 5 was then agreed to. On clause 6, Mr. WALPOLE said clause 5 dealt with persons who offered bribes, and clause 6 related to persons who re ceived bribes. By this clause they made a person guilty of bribery who asked for any place on account of having voted for any particular candidate. Suppose a person who voted for the noble lord (Lord John Russell), and within a year after he asked for place which lie was perfectly competent to fill, was he to be deemed guilty of bribery Col. SIBTITORP said a wink was as goad. (Laughter.) The whole of this bill was ❑othing more nor less than an attempt to undermine the fair and legitimate right of those who possessed the property—he meant the aris- tocracy. . The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said his present im pression was that the words •' ask for" had better be left out. (Hear, and laughter.) It would be necessary to make this clause and the counterpart of clause 5 cotre spoil& He would therefore take it into consideration previous to the re-committal of the bill. Mr. AGLION BY thought the clause would have very little operation, as it would be difficult to prove a case so as to bring about a conviction, Mr. HILDYA RD said it was absurd to insert such a clause. When Lord Derby took office, he (Mr. Hil(1. yard) had many aoplications from his constituents for places ; and when Lord Derby left office those applica tions ceased. Was the noble lord about to declare that the practice which had heretofore prevailed should cease to exist ? Mr. MALINS also opposed the clause on similar grounds. Colonel SIBTHORP said that during the six and twenty years he had been in the house he had never asked a favour of any Government. At the same time he had always been courteously treated by both Whi g s and Tories, and he attributed that to the straightforwar d course he had always pursued. Lord J. RUSSELL said the object of this bill was to consolidate and amend the law relating to bribery. Hon. gentlemen, however, spoke as if he were intro ducing for the first time a clause against persons receiv ing a bribe in the shape either of moiety or employ ment ; but they entirely forgot that there were already upon the statute book laws for that purpose ; and what he proposed to do chiefly by this clause was to reduce the penalty imposed by the act of George 11. from 5001. to 501. There was no doubt whatever that there were some words in the clause that went beyond the existing law, and his hors. and learned friend lir( posed to recon sider it with the view of making an alteration in its phraseology, though without any alteration it would not apply to the case which had been put by the hon. and learned member for Cockermouth. Mr. DISRAELI said the bill not only consolidated, but it also amended and extended the law in a very ma terial particular. The great fault of these consolidation bills was that they consolidated that which often ought to be repealed. The clause as it now stood was mon etrous iu its provisions, but it appeared to him that if they were to leave out the last two lines many of the objections would be got rid of. Sir W. CLAY suggested that the best way to pre vent these cases was to extend the constituencies. Most of the applications fur places came from small con stituencies. Mr. WALPOLE would answer the suggestion by reading a few words from a return which had just been laid on the table. It was a return of the boroughs con victed of corrupt practices between 1833 and 1853, and the total number was 76 ; of those, being boroughs in England and Wales, 12 had a constituency of less than 500 ; there were many between 500 and 1.000, while there were 22 places where the censtitnency was more than 1,000. In 1850 it was found that the majority of the bribery cases applied to large towns, the worst of which were places like Hull and Liverpool. Sir W. CLAY had said nothing about bribery, he had simply referred to applications fur places, but even in these large towns the bribery was confined to freemen. Mr. BOOKER viewed this hill as a thorough piece of humbug. but as it was intended to revolutionise the system of Government patronage , he would propose that the further consideration of the bill should be postponed to a more fitting opportunity. It was ridiculous to sup posa that the Government would ever d stribute their pit .onage amongst other than friends r, supporters. After a remark fr.vn Mr. V. SCULLY, Mr. BOOKER moved that the chairman do report progress. Lord J. RUSSELL observed that it appeared to him that the hon. member was favourable to bribery. How ever, all that the committee was now required to do was to pass the clause, with a view to its being altered, and the bill afterwards re-committed. Mr. DISRAELI saw no objection to that course. Mr. BOOKER, assured the noble lord that he was as much opposed to bribery as any man, but he decidedly objected to imposing pains and penalties upon the poor constituency, when in nine cases out of ten the member was the really offending party. He withdrew the amend ment. Mr. V. SMITH asked what was the alteration pro posed to be made in the clause ? Lord J. RUSSELL intended to introduce the words "in consideration of," suggested by an hon. and learned member, so as to keep the clause within the bounds of the existing law. Lord C. HAMILTON suggested that as such great alterations and modifications were to be made in the clause it had better be postponed. Lord J. RUSSELL said he had had a good deal of experience in passing bills through that house, and he had found it the best course to have a discussion in com mittee on the clauses, but not to weigh every word so as to fix them, and then to recommit the bill. Ile had passed the Tithe Commutation Bill, and the Municipal Corporations Bill. • After some conversation in which Mr. I. BUTT ob jected to clauses being thrown on the table one after the other merely to be postponed, and Mr. WARNER sug gested that the Government should reconsider their de termination and let the bill go to a select committee, Mr. BOOKER said he hoped the noble lord would not press tle clause, or he must move that the chairman report progress. Lord J. RUSSELL agreed to the postponement, and the house resumed. The Towns Improvement (Ireland) Bill went through committee pro forma. The Church Buildings Continuance Acts Bill as amended was considered. The Dublin Port Bill was read a second time. MINISTERS' MONEY BILL. This bill was read a third time, and after a clause brought up by Mr. FAGAN had been added to it and certain verbal amendments. made, was passed. The other orders of the day were disposed of, and The house adjourned at 20 minutes past 12. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION. HOUSE OF COMMON'S-Arlin 3. BRIBERY, &c., BILL. Order for committee read. Motion made, and question pro posed, " That Mr. Speaker do now leave the chair." Amendment proposed, to leave out from the word " That" to the end of the question, in order to add the words " the bill be committed to a select committee"—(Mr. Vernon Smith)—instead thereof : Question put, " That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the question. The house divided—Ayes, 146 ; Noes, 76. AYE , ;-146. ATourt, C. Goderich, Viscount. Patten, J. AVerley, C. Goolman Sir G. Peel , F. Aglionby, H. Graham, Sir J. Pellatt, A. Alco , A, T. Greenell. G. Percy, 1. , %nderson, Sir J. Greele, Thomas Peto, S. Pagshaw, J. Greville, Col. F. Pigott, F. Banes, St. Hon. M. Grosvenor, Ld. R. Pilkington, J. Ila Barnes, T. Pinney, W. Barrow, W. Hamilton, G. A. F , liar.i-Urquhart, W Bass, T. Ilastie, Alex. Power, N. . Beamish. F. LI ,sti• , , Archd. P ice, Sir R. Bell, J. Heard. J. Pugh, D. Bethell. Sir R. liennage. Geo. F. Iti ..irdo, J. Riggs, W. Hervey, Lord A. hicardo, 0. Bland. L. If. He wood, J. R chardson J. Booth, Sir Rt. Gore fleywortn. L. Robartes, T. llouverie. Ron. E. P. Hindley, C. Ita-seal, Lord J. Brocklehurst, J, Ingham. R. Sawle, C. iirotherton, J. Kelly. Sir F. Scholefleld, W. Brown. W. Kershaw, J. Scotian, Capt. G. Bruce, Lord E. Kninsird, A. Scully, F. Card well, E. Kirk, W. Sculy, V. Caulfeild. It.-Col. J. Lacon, Sir X. ghee, SerJt. W. * heetham, John Laing, S. . Shelley, Sir J. Cholmondeley Lord Langston, J. H. Smith, J. IL Cobbett. J. M. Lent ton, H. G. Spooner, It Cobden. R. Lani. ton, W. H. P. G. Startle. Le G. Crossley, F, Lee, W. W. Strut E. Devereux, J. T. Lindsey, w • Sutton, J. Dire t. E. Lowe, K• Tattered. H. Duncan, G. Luce, T. Thicknesse, R. Dundas, G. Mackie, 3. Thompson, G. Dunlop, A. , t 31 iann J . . J. Thornely, T. Elcho. Lord 3f cTagg.art, Sir J. Walcott. Admiral Esmonle, J. Massey. N. Walmsley, bir.J. Mutsu. W.' Walpole, S. Feilden, 3f. Whatman. 3. Fergus, J. Ferguson. J. Fitzgerald. Lt..G.Sir J. 14313 1 11:414 l lit e lishgl s :ea w :En i ll i i worth, Sir W • yww W WW oy ii i i l e : k n i n k n e: i l l an i ;: s .; rol B. In -1 H. W. W i r .T T. Fitz Gerald. J. Mansell, W. Williams, M. Fitzro , , Hon. H. Mowbray. J. Williams. W. Forster. J. 3imuurcgoraugvah,, J. Wyndham. of Fortescue, C. Fox, W. Nader, J. Wyvil, M. French, F. Oates, J. Gardner, It. O'Brien, I'. Leach, C. o' , 'onnell, S. Glyn, G. 0 horns, K. Goddard, A. Palmer, Roundell NOES-76. TXLLEILS. Rayter, W. Berkeley, G. Alexander, J. Forbes, W. Arhuthnott, Lt. G. H. George, J. _. Ark irriaht, G. G ooc h, Sir X. Baird, J. Graham, Lord 31 . Ball, E. Greaves, E. Baring, Sir F. Hanley, J. „, Bateson, Capt T. Herbert. Sir Bennet, Capt B. Hilyard, IL ' ~'" -. Bent nek, G. Horsfall, 'l' • Blackett, J. F. B. Hotham, Lord Itia:r, Col. J. li, Hume. W. Buller, Sir J. Irtoi I. S. Bunbury, Capt. W. Kennedy T. Batt, 0. Kin f, J. Butt, I. Knight, F. Chelsea, Viscount LOU% Capt. R. Child. Smith Lennox, Lord A. F. Crook, J. Liddell. H. T. Cnhitt, W. Lockhart. A. E. Disraeli, lion. E. Lucas, F. Dunne. Col. Macgregor, JAL -East, Sir J. Mack /lure, J. Egerton B. Mains, B. Zvelyn. W. Meagher, T. Ferguson. Sir K. Michell. W. Fltsg WM. W. Montgomery. Lit Naas, Lord Packe, C Phinn, T. Rolt, P. Sanders, G. Seymour, Lord Sibthorp, 01. Stanley, Lord Swi t, R. Taylor, Lt.-Col. J. Tomline, G. Tyler, Sir G. Vane, Lo d Yansittart, G. Vernon, G. Waddington. H. Walsh, Sir J. Whiteside. J. Whitmore, EL Willoughby, Sir H. %hie. A. Woodd, EL MIMS. smith g. AN*. It CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT'.--April 3. OLD COURT. ' The April sittings of this court commenced this morn ing, before the Recorder, the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, Mr. Alderman Kelly, Mr. Alderman Farncomb, Aldermen Carden and Salomons. The calendar contains the names of 147 prisoners, one of whom stands charged with murder, one for manslaughter, three for cutting and wounding, one for feloniously shooting with intent to murder, and no fewer than 47 for passing bad coin, and three for coining. The Grand Jury having been sworn, The Recorder said, it was with much regret he saw that the calendar before him was a very heavy one, heavier in point of numbers than any that he had ever had before him, but still he was glad to find that the crimes charged were not so very heavy. Although there were some cases of cutting and wounding, he was glad to find that the crime of violence to the person was di minishing, a circumstance he attributed to the spread of education. With regard to the case of murder, there could be no doubt that the unfortunate woman met her death by the act of the prisoner, and although a question might arise as to the state of the pri soner's mind, their duty would be to find the bill, and leave the petty jury to decide that issue. All the cases in the calendar had been 'investigated by the magistrates, but doubtless some bills would lie brought before them that had not passed that or deal, and those bills they -hould look upon with jea lousy, as, generally speaking. the course was an objec tionable one. Stilt he did not say but that in some in stances it was a proper one. Another case which he would draw their attention to was, that of a person who, charged with embezzlement, had fired a pistol at the prosecutor, and the act was attributed to an accident ; that would also be a question for theni to leave to the petty jury. He now came to a case of which they (the grand jury) had doubtless heard through the press, which was that of two persons named Harrison and Desaux, which would come before them as a charge of conspiracy, with others not in custo6y, to obtein the prostitution of a Belgian girl. The only difficulty that arose in the case was, that part of the transaction took place in Belgium arid part in France, for which parts they could nut be charged in this indictment ; but if they conspired in this country to commit any part of the offence, that was an offence at common law. He did not know of any case in point, but it was certain that the act known as the Bishop of Oxford's would meet the case, and said, that he should recommend them to find the bill, and leave any point of law to be dis cussed in court. He thought it likely that durir g the session there would be another bill preferred, for an assault and false imprisonment arising out of the same transaction. There was also another case which was one of the most paramount importance to the adininie tration of justice in these courts. It was one where two men, named Jones and Pull, had obtained, by an order at the Middlesex Sessions, the sum of 2/. 55., alleging that they had been engaged lo prosecute a man charged by Mr. E. Smith, the lessee of Drury-lane Theatre, with robbery. The man had, it appeared, pleaded guilty, and Mr. Smith had never employed the prisoners to con duct the prosecution, It was by this fraud they had imposed upon Mr. Serjeant Adams, a gentleman not generally easy to deceive. The grand jury then retired. Mr. Clarkson applied to the court upon the part of the Bank of England, to withdraw from the prosecution against the wife of the late Frederick DJ Molyns, who stood charged with having uttered a forged power of attorney for the transfer of stock. De Moiyns had since died in Newgate, and it was clear that the wife had acted under his directions. The Recorder said they had better not go befure the grand jury with the bill. MIDDLESEX SESSIONS-April 3. The April general quarter sessions of the peace for the county of Middlesex commenced this morning at Clerken well, there being 94 prisoners for trial. The Assistant Judge, in addressing the grand jury, said that during the last 12 months 2,500 bills had been sent to this court, 75 of which were ignored through the non-appearance of prosecutors. In six of the cases there had been a full confession of guilt by the prisoners, and in others women who had been bound over to prosecute their husbands for assaulting them had de,,ied before the grand jury that they had ever been beaten at all, their object being to save their husbands from the con sequences of a trial. After soma general observations on the cases that would come before them he dismissed them to their duties. THE ATTEMPTED FRAUD ON THE LESSEE OP DRURY. LANE THEATRE. Joseph. Perry, convicted last seigion, was brought up to receive judgment. He was convicted of stealing half of a 101. note from the offices of the Wesleyan Re form Association. at-Exeter Hall, and was given into custody hi consequence of having attempted to obtain some money upon it froai Mr. E. T. Smith, the lessee of Drury-lane Theatre, representing that he had been sent by his father. Mr. Flexiinire, the clown. The Assistant Judge said he considered the best cimrsa he could take would be to sentence the prisoner to a long term of imprisonment, with a view of being ad mitted into the Philanthropic Society's School at Red hill. The prisoner was sentenced to two years' hard labour. George Cooper, 14, pleaded guilty to a charge of having stolen a handkerchief from the person of Abraham Sawn. Some observations were made by the Assist Out Judge with reference to this prisoner having, while in the House of Detention on the charge of pocket-picking, committed an act of wilful damage for the purpose, as he afterwards informed the visiting justices, of getting a long term of imprisonment, so that he might be taught to read and write. This was a case, he said, which showed the necessity for something to be done in the way of instruction for these unhappy juvenile delinquents, and he trusted that though all thought was directed to war, they would not stop in their career, which had been rapid and promising of late, of improving the present system. He should sentence the prisoner to two years' hard labour, with a special re commendation for his being seat to Redhill. Sentence accordingly. POLICE INTELLIGEN 'E. MARYLEBONE..— Carpenter Phillips, aged 17, was placed at the bar before Mr. Broughton, charged with having robbed his master, Mr. Henry Pike, 7, Newcastle-place, Edgware-road, of cash and other pro perty to a considerable amount. Sergeant Haseltine said that upon a future day he should be able to prove a former conviction for felony against the prisoner. Mr. Broughton, in order to afford time for the officer to institute other inquiries, remanded the prisoner, who had nothing to say, till Monday next. WORSHIP-STREET.—Charles Smith, 50, a cian, Thomas Hardy, a hawker, and Thomas Lewis, a weaver, were charged with outrages upon their wives. In Smith's case, the wife stated that she sat up waiting for her husband till nealmidnight, when he returned home furious with chink, and, after loading her with the vilest epithets he could think of, swore that he would dash her brains out ; and, grasping hold of the poker, levelled such a terrible blow at the side of her head with it that, if it had taken effect, the woman said it must have instantly killed her. She stooped, however, and so evaded part of the force of it • on seeing which, the prisoner levelled a second blow at her head, and, not so fortunate in escaping it this time, the poker descended heavily upon her shoulder, injuring her very much. "He is constantly Musing me in this way, sir, and I am always in great danger of losing my life through him." Mr. Hammill sentenced this man, who simply pleaded intoxication, to be imprisoned for six months in the House of Correction, and kept to hard labour, and to provide bail for his peaceable behaviour for six mouths more. In Lewis's case, King, a constable of the H division, was on duty in Charlton-street, Bethnall-green, at a late hour at night on the 18th ult., when he heard a woman uttering terrifying screams ; and, upon hastening up, found the prisoner's wife in the street, almost naked, her mouth bleeding profusely, and so contused and swollen " as to have the appearance of a piece of liver." She complained that her husband had inflicted these in juries, and detailed another injury of so brutal and inde cent a character that it cannot be stated. Notwith standing this both the woman ierself and her married daughter positively refused to give any evidence against the man, the wife protesting that it was all her own fault, and, though they were both obliged to confess to former and repeated illusage,_ they obstinately perse vered in screening him all they could. Mr. Hammill said they were evidently trying to con ceal all the facts, but more than sufficient had been eli cited to establish the case, and he should therefore sen tence the prisoner (who had been remanded since the 18th, and expressed great contrition) to three months' imprisonment in addition. Hardy's wife, whose countenance was shockingly con tused, said—l was in Shoreditch at half-past 11 last night, looking for my living, which is that of a prosti tute, as my husband, who will not work, has refused to support me, and I am therefore obliged to support him in that manner, when he came up and told me to go with him. I did so, to his mother's, when he struck me with his fist, tore all my clothes, called me scanda lous names, and then again dealt me a blow on one of my eyes. I ran home to get another bonnet, as he had crushed the first, and went into Hare-street, when I found him following me. I ran into a beer-shop to escape him, but he followed me in, dragged me out, and struck me again heavily upon my left eye, injuring it as it now appears. I have only been married to him two years, but he has beaten me in this way a great many times. Emery, 92 H.—Seeing the wife crying and running as fast as she could, with the prisoner close behind her, I stopped and took him, and she gave him in charge. On the road to the station he declared he would do for her, if he had to wait six months in prison to do it ; and this morning, on leaving the station, he declared to me that he would be revenged upon her. Sergeant Busaine—While just outside the court this morning I heard the prisoner threaten his wife, " If you send me to prison I'll do for you ; recollect there's more ways than one to do it." The prisoner stoutly denied all that his wife had stated, but Mr. Hernial sentenced him, like the first, to be im prisoned in the House of Correction for six months, and kept to bard labour, an d, t o i n sure protection to the wife against further Waage, ordered him, in addition, to put in substantial sureties fc- hi 3 ViOV,: or m tut , tor tuya of lie ciaratiou, LIST OF SCOT HSU COMPANIES' PRICES. Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price. Annum. Share. - £ s. d. X s. d. P.ank of Scotland ..•• 7 • per cent. ,100 0 0 100 0 0 182/10 British linen Company 8' per cent. ' .00 0 0 100 0 0 2081 0 Caledonian Bank ... 81. per cent. 10 0 0 210 0 3 18 , City of lasgow Bank B'. per cent. 10 0 0 10 . , 0 107 lOs Clydesdale Bank -•• 5%7. p cent. 20 0 0 10 0 0 •1 15e rninercial Bank •• 71. per cent 5 0 0 0 100 0 0 2001 es Eastern Bank.. ••• - V per cent 25 0 0 10 0 0 11/ os Edinb & Glasgow .... 3% , p cent 5 0 0 5 0 0 4/. 8s Exchange Bnk of Scot _. - 100 0 0 31 5 0 - National Bank •. • . ~% per cent 50 0 0 10 0 0 i 5; 15, No thof cet'and Bank 6 , percent 20 0 0 210 0 4/. 7s Royal Bank of • cot!. .. 5/. per cent -1 , 0 0 0 100 0 0 1271 ,• Union Rank of Scot. .. .41. per cent. 11l 0 0 50 0 0 91/ Os West , rn Bank- -.• •• 71. per cent. 50 0 0 50 0 0 7 1710 e , lliance Fire and Life.. 8%1.pr cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 241 lOs British Guarantee .... se. per cent. 10 0 0 2 0 0 IL Is Caledonian Fire Incur 01. per cent. ioo 0 0 10 0 0 261 Os City of lasgow Life - 4. per cent. 25 0 0 2 0 0 41. 15s Colonial Life ... .... 51. per cant. 50 0 0 1 0 0 51. Os Edinburgh Life Incur 11. percent. 100 0 0 15 0 0 25110 8 Eng. & Scot. Law Life 51. per cent. 50 0 0 212 4 41. 7 Life ssoc of '4 , tati,ind 4/. per cent. 10 0 0 1100 4. 15s National Fire and Life 61. oar cent. 10 0 0 I 0 0 ,I/ 13s North British Insur .. 7: per •twat. 200 0 0 20 0 0 34/ 12s t.cottish Union Immo. 7%.1 pr cent. 20 0 0 1 0 0 I/. Ile tandard Life .... . 5' per cent 0 0 0 7 0 0 171 i 8 United Dep. Assurance 5/. per cent. 10 0 0 1 4 0 ...., MISCELLANEOUS. Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price, Annum. Share. X c d• 4 s. 0 . Assam Tea •• -• •• •• •• 3'. 50 0 0 20 0 0 - Uccle., Mart•• •• • • • 2/. ss. SO 0 0 - _ instralian A;riculturi 11. I Is. 671. 100 0 0 17 10 0 33 Australian Trust -.. 6.. per cent. - 25 0 0 - Australian Royal Stall 61. 10 0 0 11 0 0 - 1' 10s. 10 0 0 in 0 0 - ican Land 5 38 10 0 - C B' a nr n ilii t s d i-i a ltAl • e rnei . x . . er . a . n . . 5 . 11 .7.. 41. ee l r '. .re en t . 100 0 0 12 10 0 - Do . ' per cent Bonds 5/. per cent. ._ - - Ditto , 6 per cent. •• Q. per cent. - 104 City Navigation Ponds 31 per cent. Electric Telegraph (A) - 35 0 0 20 0 0 17 nitro •• •• .... (Et) _ 25 0 0 13 ° 0 - Equitable Rsversionry 51pr cent. 100 0 0 lot . 0 0 - Ditto New 50 o 0 12 10 0 - . _ Gen. r. ever. & Invest. 6p. c.& be. 21. 100 0 0 100 0 0 - Gen..4teamNavigation 10 pet 15 A 0 14 0 0 - Iludson's Bay ....... - stock - Flunveriord ...... 2l 10s. 100 0 0 100 0 0 - London institut'on . •• - - - - London Fte.versionary 51. per cent. lb 0 0 15 0 0 - Russell Institution.- - .... 12 10 0 - Pric 's Patent, !and. 0, 4 , ni, per cent 20 0 0 17 10 8 25% Reversionary Int. , •43e. 4% 1. pr cent. 100 0 9 1W 0 0 - Royal•'ail team .. .7 p. sitere. 1 07 ' 0 0 4 0 0 0 Soatlx k astral 5 : . , o; oat, 25 8 0 28 0 0 83 :Mat and Loan cony. . 7 -• i COLCHESTER —APRIL 1. The wheat trade has assumed a different aspect, many farmers refusing to show their samples. The prices given to-day were 8s per qr. over last week's. Barley rather dearer. Beans and peas 2s to per qr. dearer. Prices to-dAy were as f o ll ow : —Wh eat, white, 763 to 883; red, 72s to 8!!s ; barley, 34s to Xis ; oats, 26s to 303: beans, Mazagan, 36s to 3's ; miildle and small, 38s to 463 ; peas, white, 56s to 60s ; grey, 388 to 425. Official Statement of the Quantities of Corn, &c., received in the port of London, from the following ports, from the 27th March to the Ist April, both inclusive. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, APRIL 3. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The share market opened flat, went better, and closed dull. Birkenhead, Liverpool, and Ches ter (Chester and Birkenhead), 15—Caleilouian, 25—Great Western, 72 li—Laucashire and Yorkshire, 59,i--London and North-Western, 911 3i—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 19—Midland, 56 - South Eastern and Dover, 17 1-16. LEEDS, APRIL 3. STOCK ExcHANG k.--There has been a further though only a slight rally in the share market this morning, and transactions we; a left off with a pretty firm tone. The fol lowing are the closing sales :—East Lancashire, 14,E—Lan cashire and Yorkshires, - 9l—Midland Stock, 56 North Westerns; (prefs.), J 41—North Westerns, 74—South Eastern and Duvet; 14, MANCHESTER, APRIL 3. STOCK EXCIIANGE.—There has been a steadier market, but only a moderate business. Darer, 7A —Leeds. 59-- Midland, 561 —Sheflild, 19:—Cheshire Junction, 3C. d. —Great Northern, East Anglian, 34—Ditto Six per Cent., 3A - Chester and Birkenhead, 1 51—Caledonian, 25a. BIRNIENGI.B.A, APRIL 3. STOCK EXCHANGE.— Business was more active in this share-market to-day. Prices were firmer; in some instances they advanced a shade, and generally there was a better tone than on Saturday. pltivEB oP SHARES. IN BANKS, ASSURANCE, AND OTHER COM PANIES' STOUR. LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCH 31, 1554. From the Official List. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY EVENING JOINT-41'0 'K BANKS. Dividend Amount Name of Company. per I of Annum. share. Paid. I Pace, Australasia... ...... British . 61. per cent. 6 per cent. S. per cent 34 per cent. 6, per cent. •Iritish N orth A merlcan Commercial of Loudon. Co•onial • • • lonian ........• • • • ... Lon(i. Char. Bk. of Aus. London and County .. 61. per cent. Lomb' and Westininstr 6s. per cent London Joint .stock ... 6 per cent, Frovincial of Ireland.. 81 per cent. Ditto, New. ... 8 per cent. National of Ireland. .. 4: per cent. Nat Ptovncial of Eng. 6 per cent. Ditto, New ... •. • 5 per cent. Oriental Bank Corpora. 121. p ct.&bs. south Australia • 8 ct. & Union of . ustralla...• 4') per cen , . Ditto .. ........... 4)1 per cent. Union of London ..... 8/. per cent Union of Madrid .... s. d. 1 40 0 0 '5O 0 0 100 0 0 100 0 0 25 0 0 20 0 0 1 50 0 0 100 0 0 50 0 0 0 0 1G 0 0 1 50 0 0 1100 0 0 20 0 0 2:5 0 0 25 0 0 25 0 0 50 0 0 40 0 0 £ s. d. all 20 0 0 25 0 0 25 0 0 2 In 0 20 0 ro 20 0 0 10 0 0 - 25 0 0 all 22 10 0 35 0 0 1.) 0 0 25 0 0 2 10 0 10 0 0 I i-;UIt.A.NCE: COMPANIK-t. • Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. I Price • Annum. Share. , --- - Albion .........• •• 4 s. d . X s d •. 3/. 10s. ;500 0 0 50 0 0 92 Alliance Brit. and For. 7 1 . Its 6d 's. 100 0 0 II 0 .i - Ditto Marine.- .... 4p c & bs. 100 0 .1 25 ) 0 - Anchor .........• ..... 6 per cent. 5 0 0 1 0 0 - Atlas .. rgus Life ....... -•• 4. per cent. 100 0 0 25 0 0 23 British Commercial .. 7s 60 50 0 0 5, s 7 Clerici.Med.&Gen.Life Spir et. St bs. 100 0 0 10 0 0 21 C0unty,.,..,,,,,,... 41 10) 0 0 10 0 ' 1 1 25 Crown ............ l6s. 60 SO 0 0 5 0 i B 2 'I A igle . Equity and Law...... 4% p er cen t . 100 0 0 5 0 0 6 Eu opean Life ...... ... 15 s . 20 0 , all 20 Genera 1.............. 6 0 0 11 5% Gibe uardian ............ 5 per cent 1 0 0 o 45 0 o 58 Imperia; Fire......... 12/. p.r cent 5.0 0 0 50 0 0 3-0 Imp rial Life Indemnity NI arine. ... 1 ' sh. & bs. .1. - 0 0 0 10 0 0 6 Law Fire .......... •• - U.& 2s os. lib , 0 0 210 0 4% Law Life... ......... - 100 0 0 41) 0 0 57% Legal and General Life - 51 0 0 2 0 9 4,14 London Fire .... London hip.... - Marine....• .......... I.ss.per share 100 0 0 18 0 0 - Med. Invlid& Gen. Life 4% per et. 50 0 0 2 0 0 3% At Inerv4 - ....„ •• .. sp. ci. St Ds. 20 0 0 2 0 0 6 Monarch . .. .. - , 0 0 1 0 0 pi National Loan Fund.. 5 1 . pe •• cent.. 20 0 ' 210 0 2% Palladium ..,‘” .. Pelican .... - - - ' - - 45 tli.enix . •• - - - P eisional Life s'. per cent. I 6 " 5 0 010 0 % Provid:nt Life ,. 1/. 5s & bS. 100 0 0 10 0 42 Rock Life ....... • • Royal Exchange ....•• 61. pet & be. Stock. all 260 Sun Fire - 1? '.. DIM/ Ute .• ••• II lOs ..... 11 65 United ICingdoin .. •• 4 pct k be. 20 0 0 4 ii 0 - Universal Life .. 2 os. per si. 100 1 0 0 10 0 0 - Vie ~ r ia L , it , ' ....•. 5' , or etAllt 1 4 12 .; - 11111 in; Es, Dividend . Ainowit Name of Company. per of Paid. Price Annum. Share. -' - -- -- X s. d. X s. d. Hunzerford .......... - - - 12 Sou- hwark .......... - 100 0 0 - loi.t i ..e,v of 7% p c ,70s. per cent 50 0 0 - - Waterloo ..... .... •• •• 1 - 100 0 0 - 54 Ditto Old ' rul. of 81. I/. 12s. i6O 0 0 60 0 0 - Ditto Nw ditto of 71. 1/. Pis. Od. !40 0 0 40 0 0 - Vauxhall ........ • • •.' 1/. Ss. 70 10 3 - 21 WA rEtt-wiiliKS. Dividend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price. Annum. Share. - . £ s. d. X s. d. Fast London 6.. per cot. Stock. 100 VI Grand Junction ...... 4 . Ber cnt 60 0 0 a.l 73% Kent.... .......... 4. per cut. 100 0 0 - 80 Lambeth .. - 100 0 0 - 97 New River Company.. 2Z. lOs. - - - • outhwark & Vauxhall 5 per cnt. 100 0 0 - 90 West Middlesex ...... 51.105. pr ct.' - - 108% DOCKS. DiVidend Amount Name of Company. per of Paid. Price. Annum. . Share. ----- --- •-- -- .£ s. d. I X s. d. Commercial .. •• ••- •• 4t. pr cent. lock. 1 Stock. - East and West India.. - pr cent. r tock. - 104 East Country , 20e. per sh. - - - London . • •• •• •• I 5 pr cent. Stock. - 95 Ditto Bonds 4 p er cen t. - - - ~t. Katharine - - outhameton .. •. • II , . 12s per c. 50 0 0 ' 50 0 0 ! - Victoril .. •• --. • • I Al. percent . 20 0 0 6 0 0 • - CANALS. Dividend, Names of g Dividenr rice. Names of `Ci P per ~.,„ Companies. Is per Companies. tel . ' 4 Annum., ''''''' :Id Annum. v. I -- -- — X X shtn &Oldh 98 74. p. ct 154 Macclesfield. 'lOO 27. 10s. I 51% IFtriisl,y 160 ,S Wit ••• • , 100 1 , 150 lirlink& tbrg l :50 4: 60 ;Oxford —— WO 13 . 115 Birmingham 40 4', 96% Peak Forest. 78 5 Os 86 Coventry .• . 100 25 '. 215 Regent's • 30 7 17 Derby inn s• 63 'Rochdale . 85 11. 10s. 66 Ellsinre&Chs 69 2% pcl SOMY s t Coal 4i, Grand/ ~ in fOO 4 pr.ct.l 64 Do Lk F t 12 Do , I pr.rt. 10 ~1 pr. et.. I I turd &Wore 140 281 407 ra , at urrey 100 21. 10s. 50 •hreWsKir,y —1 1 25 Grand Union 1 0 0 1;, 1 s IVA Aottrbridg, 1 45 , 201. 295 Remit & Avis 39 68. td. G 'even, and } 1 ( 26 2/. 24 Lancaster 100 . Wye Bait Leeds &L vp' 100 25/. 530 W•r•ww.l , 1 , 0 3/, 27m I,lcester .... I .00 4/. 63 Birmlng. ' Lei-str & vth 83 41. 29 .Varwick & f ,31 13 Loughborovh .152 70'. 557 k N'apton. 'OO Nionmeuthsh 100 worcstr &1 79 31 , 32 slntginerysh ;100 Binning. f Nleltnslwbry 100 milts & Brks —10 s. Od. OAS-LIMIT AND COKE COMPANIES. Dividend Amount Name of Company. per ..f Paid. Price. Antrum. Share. X 8. d. .£ a. d. ! British • . -- , Ditto Provincial —•• IL i Bs. 23 0020 0 0 22k, Brighton . ..... 5/. I/0 0 0 2 , 0 0 15 City of London • 61. 1)0 0 0 100 5 u 1 , 5 ('ontin-ntal (3d Cap.).. 4/, 75 0 0 43 10 0 67 ?:quitabl3 ••... •... 501 50 0 0 all j 25 ~a rea, r e•ltral . •—• • 71 percent. 10 0 0 10 ) 0 124 Imperial ........... 3 & bonus. , 30 0 0 all 85 . Ind , pendent ........ 6 140 0 0 PP .... London .. . .... _ !:0 0 0 Do., l'arl. Preference 6. per cent. ' 25 0 0 PP 2) P' ce ix .—.. .. ... 31 per cent. 50 0 0 49 0 0 201 Ratcliff •• ....... 5/. 100 0 0 J(} A 0 71 Unite( ileneral • 11. , 50 0 0 all 21 Westminster , hartered 5? per cent, 80 0 0 PP 33 Ditto, '• err .... •... 51. per cent. So 0 0 10 0 7% BLiIPPING INTELLIGENCE. CUSTOH HOUSE, APRIL 3. ENTERrD INIVARDS.—The Blanche, from Buenos Ayres;, Genoa, Odessa ; Maria Eugenia, Marianople • Everdine Elizabeth, R o tte r d am ; Charles, Caen ; Edward,' Haderss leben ; nraf Von Nassau Amsterdam ; A g l ao, H avre ; Tertia, Varna; Nova Albuna, Lisbon ; Egypt, Demerara ; Lelia, St. John's and Nassau ; Black Warrior, New York; Maiy Jane, Ger , enti ; Augusta, Anemia; Engine, Havre; Mary Green, Callao ; Arabistan, New Orleans ; Watton Muucaster, Iquique; Luesa, St. Vincent • Wellesly, Cal cutta; - Charlest on ; Coquiwbo , ' New York and Fayal ; Maloina, St. Croix ; Shepherdess, Algoa, Bay ; Candi.: ate, Bar badoes ; Concordia, Marseilles ; Simlab, Auckland and Callao; Wood coc k, N ew Y ork ; Sebemas, Demerara.; Euclid, Savannah ; Barham, Calcutta ; Nor thumbeiland, Melbourne, Port Philip; Auguste, Grave lines ; Talavei a, Sydney. ENTERED OUTWaHI,S FOR LOADING.—The Esther, for Panama and San Francisco; Shepherdess, Algoa Bay ; Jonge Kerst, Dantne ; Lelia, St. ThQuias and Nassau ; Mystery, berhice ; Sjardina Anngina, Memel ; Canada, S. Leone; Eclipse, Rou n Ore limgh Guldborg, Nestved ; S due y ; _Unser, St. Vincent ; •Liberty, Cher bourg ; Providence, Genoa ; Flovereign, Jamaica ; Superb, Gott en burgh : Virgini a , B oston ; Seinhh, New Zealand; Challenger, Sydney ; James Scott, New Zealand. CLEARED OUTWARDS WITH CARGo.- The Emanuel, for Harunurgh ; Basilic, Bil boa ; Hendrik,' Margarita, Santa Cruz and Grand Canary; Cambridge, Jamaica; Nuevo Rosano, ; Silva, Thruburgh ; Atneable Marie Louise, Bordeaux ; Dorothy, Atturitius ; Ida, Altona ; New Expres , Trinidad ; Virginia, Boston; Sir Charles Forbes, Adelaide; Mercury, Bremen. • LIVERPOOL, APRIL 3. The Royalist, from New York, at this port, passed on the 7th ult. the wreck of the Express, apparently about breaking up; and on the 1.412, in lat. 43, long. 49, saw a great many icebergs. The Charity (s. s.), from this port, has arrived at Port land, in 28 days from the Clyde, having been hemmed in the ice nine days. The Asia (Royal mail steamer), from New York, has ar• rived at this port, left March 22. Specie on board $303,Q00, of which $16,0j0 are for England. The Emerald, from Baltimore for this port, was wreaked 600 miles to westward of Cape Clear. LESIVIG, March 27.—A. vessel derelict, with both masts cut away, and apparently having been adrift at sea for some tine past, drove on share on the strand, off Koob jerg, in the night of 25th March The cargo consists of planks, which are marked on one end "C. B."—the vessel, apparently a galleisse, is marked in the hatch rim "C. L. 31," wi h the Norwegian lion,- and branded either Nov wegian Property, or Northern Property —the words being rather irdistinct. ULVOSUND, Feb. 24. —lt blew a heavy gale last night. The wreck of a vessel capsiz.id was seen this morning ; several letters have been picked up, addressed to Capt. C. H. Thera, Command er o f th e ship Minnie, and there is no doubt that this ship was lost, with all hands, upon her voyage to Bergen. REVEL, March 14.—The Pythia, from Liverpool to this port, was carried ff the ice at Baltic Port, about ten miles from the harbour. The ice is, however. so strong, that it is .mpossible for her to approach. The Roads are closed, and there is no open water to be seen. ANTWERP, April 1. —The Belle Kate, for Shields, came in contact with another vessel in proceeding down the river to-day, and has put back to repair, having carried away her bowsprit. HARWICH, April I.—The vessel with which the John and Margaret, front London to Hartlepool, which put in here. March 30, with damage, wits in contact, was the Thetis (brig), of Shields. The collision took place in the night of the 29th, off the Gunfleet Light. MONTROSE, March 31.—The Jane (sell.), of this port, Sunderland, to Kirkwall, which was ashore, has got off, having thrown part of cargo overboard. ELSINORE, March 30.—Her Majesty's steamer Gorgon passed the Sound yesterday from the North Sea, and pro ceeded. The arrivals from the North Sea are proceeding in course, but some vessels from the Baltic are still detained and bound in the roadstead. Weather to-day calm and very foggy. AntsiapAitr, March 31.—The English schooner Anna Magi lale,a was stranded on the Lanwerzee on March 24, and broke up—crew saved, and arrived at Kloosterburen. ST. MICHAEL'S, March 16.—The Goddess, of London, whilst under weigh iu the roadstead, got in contact. with the schooner Aurora, of Guernsey, and rectived some da inage—part of stanchions, rails, and bulwark,' broken, &o. MELBOURNE, Jan. 28.—The Hope, of Greenock, from the Clyd e to this port, was abandoned disinasted and in a si-iking state on Dec. 30, in lat. 40, long. 62 E.—crew and passenger s saved. Aux CAYES (HAYTI), March 7.—The Hannah and FalnY of Hituburg, for Jacwel, which ,out back to this port Jan. 5, with 4 feet water in her,hold. bus been finally surveyed a a surd found t o b e i n such disabled state that the repairs would exceed her value. The surveyors also declare.' that the repairs cannot be done here, through default of la nourers and materials, and there being no place to heave her down. VESSELS SPOKEN WITH. The Robert Thomas, March 4, lat. 2 N., long. 21 W. The Celestial, London t o H ong Kong, March 5, let. 3, long. 22 Osprey, Clyde to Port Philip, same day. The Ann Nelson, March 2J, lat. 36, long. 34. The Norfolk, Mauritius to London, March 21, let. 3T, long. 33. The John Currier, March 23, let. 40, long. 38. The Beethoven, Valparaiso to Swansea, March 26, let. 44, long. 21. The Virago, March 28, let. 47, long. 13. The na4siopeia, Mauritius to Liverpool, let. 23 S., long. 2 E. The John Gengo, Bombay to London, Feb. 10, lat. 7 S., long. 13 W. she Stephaue, Clyde to Melbourne, Feb. IG, lat. 1 N., long. 20 W. The Countess of Zetland, London to Barbadoes, March 4, lat. 17 N., long. 39 W. The American Enterprise, New York to Liverpool, March 21, lat. 45 N., long. 27 W. Barque, second distinguishing pendant No. 6982, Bahia to Bremen, March 23, lat. 49 N , long. 10 W. The Cletnire of Cork, Liverpool to Barbadoes, March 29, lat. 49 N., lung. 10 W. CO UX R Y MARKETS. CHELMSFORD—MAncH 31. Prices to-day were as follow :—Wheat, white, old 69s to to 83s Od, new 698 to 83s ; red, old 57s to 795, new 59-4 to 9€4 ; barley, 27s to 35s ; chevalier, 335 to 38s ; giindiu; Ils to 3J5 ; malt, 61s to 65s ; chevalier, L4s to 68s ; oats, 23s to 30s ; peas, partridge, 39s to 44s ; white, 47s to 49- ; boiling 51s to 6 s ; dun, new, 39s to 41s ; beans, tick, 38s to 40s ; Harrow tick s , 36 s t o 42 s ; Mazagan, 36s to 395. I 4 ri g • g 8 •°:', , 7 - 7 ": ." A g 0 , 1 I.___ t _ _ Colchester 1 ,-. 1 . . ! Harwich l.i 60 3uo ... _ _ Leigh I 129 7.., i 139 420 nalcion ! 2011 1: 3 2 453 1 24.4 113 _ , KIRKCALDY —APRIL 1. Here, to-day, we had extremely limited supplies of al kinds of grain ; and of wheat, the quality was better than last week, and the adrance is 8s to 103 per qr , oats about 2s, and barley and Is per qr. over last week's rates. Wheat. I Barley. 1 Oats. I B eaus . First Second Third 6os Oct I 3is Od I 27s Od 1 . Os Od Oatmeal, per bag of 2801bs imperial, 44s Oct to 4(s Od. ET.—APRIL 3. he close of the market : i Wallsend, Ste. s. d. 'Tamen 20 9 Kepler 19 9 ) am bton .......... 20 6 Lumley ..................... 19 3 Peusher ..................... 19 0 ) Plummer ................. 20 0 ) tussell's Retton 20 6 -;tewart's . 2O 6 Whitwell ll 9 ileugh Hall ..19 3 youth Kelloe 19 3 tees 2O 6 Whitworth lB 3 Low Bitehburn 16 3 West Tees lB 0 St. Helen's Tees l7 9 Woodhouse Close l7 9 Cowpen ....20 0 I )erwentwater Hartley. 2J 0 mercy's West Hartley ....19 6 lAangennech ......... 23 0 Tyne Cannel .. ............. .... 23 0 Sidney's Hartley 2O 0 COAL MARK Prices of Coal per ton at t n. d. Rurnhope lB l• Can's Hartley . 2O ' Davisou's West Hartley 20 Ilastiug's Hartley 2O 0 20 • ' Howard's West Hartley Netherton 20 0 Old Adairs 16 0 Raveusworth Hartley l9 Redlieugh Main 16 I Tautield Moor l7 (• Taufield Moor Butes 17 %Vest llartley 2 ,) 0 Willin,gtou Hartley 20 0 Wy lB WaMend, &c. Bell and 8r0wn..,,,,,,,. 18 C Johnson 18 Lawson 18 • Belle Primrose ~,,,,,,,,, 19 C Bell l9 C Belmont l9 f Brathlyll 2O 0 Framweilgate l9 Hetton 2O 6 BIRTHS. OF A BON. On the 2d inst., at 14, Bernard-street, Russell-square, the ife of G. G. Osborne, Er q . On the 3d inst., at Great Berkhanapstead, the wife of J. Robinson, Esq. OF A DAUGHTit. On the 2d inst., at the Rectory, Sim Owen, the wife of the Rev. B. C. Sungar. On the 3d inst., at Wimbledon, the wife of Edmund D. Bourdillon, Esq. MARRIED. On the 9th of February, at Kerowly, Rajpootana, J. R. Ballantyne, Fig. LL.D., P r i nc i pa l o f t h e Government College, Benares;to Annahalla Georgiana, fourth daughter of the late Captain T. Monck Mason, R.N. DIED. On the 31st nit., suddenly, of apoplexy, at Hadley green, Middlesex, Corainissary-General Dickens, Special Commissioner of Property and Income Tax, in tho 76th year of his age, and th e 60th i n the public service. On the Ist inst., at Cambridge, suddenly, Edward Ennio ton Vance, Esq., Fellow of King's College. On the 3,1 inst., J. H. Jerwood, E.3q., surgeon, of 8, River terrace North, Islington, aged LONDON: Printed and Publifted by MUNDO YOUNG, of No. 112, strand, Printer, at. Mc .Sun Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, the cotulty et ; 4. 44 !!!5e DONN', 04 4 1 1 - " A.] Cr As, Pr A Intro Leave ! Arrive Leave T s li Arrive 1 CONTR T. and Ire] April ne Persons into her the unfit IEAS S AISI:V Chesr, descri ‘il.rs TA E: CE ',llBtrat rsaT The cal 'abject 4 (I' , a and abo .Auc Apr Per ( last, street next. Thi the C L' The rebru betwe Port, ( includ Weigh To must 1 above, Lorne Swan. Wood. Horse title dW s; street. The to a ny the eh Ist of 0: out wil Station Verhan