The Sun. — London, England, 1844-08-06 00:00:00

SPIRIT — of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. 1 titOX TITE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. GLOBE.—The conduct of the Admiralty in the case of Lieutenant Gray, tried last week by a court-martial, at the instance of the French Government, for boarding and searching a French slaver, without an Admiralty warrant for that purpose, has induced considerable sur prise, mingled with disapprobation, throughout both branches of the service. The nature of the charges which Lieutenant Gray was called upon to answer ; the . evidence adduced in their support ; and t he decision et the Court upon the case—have also been freely can vassed in all circles. The general opinion is, that the proceedings taken against Lieutenant Gray are calcu lated to embarrass our officers when employed on such sarvica as that on which that gallant officer we, engaged at the thne when the alleged disobe- . dierace of orders was eornmitted. Nor does the Br.; tish Government appear, by its conduct in tha trans action, to have sustained the honour and indepen dence of the British flag. A truckling to French dic tation—a disposition to gratify . the incendiary ravings of the anti-British faction, which is endeavouring to rouse public feeling in France into a cry for a war with England—is recognised in this surrender of a British officer for trial, on such charges as those which were preferred against Lieutenant Gray. The extraordinary kind of evidence which was admitted by the Court in support of the charge against the prisoner, and the j udg ment—apparently unsupported by the evidence—have also contributed to excite sympathy for Lieut. Gray, and to fasten a large portion of condemnation on the Admiralty, and on Lord Aberdeen, as Foreign Secretary. The first charge upon which Lieutenant Gray was put upon his trial was —" For disobedience of orders on the coast of Africa, on the 4th of July, 1842, in causing the French vessel Luiz d'Albuquerque to be detained and searched, she having at the time displayed her proper colours, indi cating the nation to which she belonged, and no sufficient cause having existed for suspecting such colours to be false." The evidence proved that Lieut. Gray received special orders to watch for a slaver, the description of which was furnished to him for his guidance. A vessel (the Luiz d'Albuquerque) strongly resembling .hat alluded to in his orders, hove in sight. He gave chase. She hoisted French colours. He came up with her---boarded her ; and, to ascertain her true character, overhauled her papers. The evidence before the court martial fully showed that there were passengers on board whose names were not inserted in the ship's papers. A further examination of the vessel exhibited food, such as is invariably used for the sustenance of slaves on their transit, and scarcely ever used for any other purpose. The searchers also discovered manacles for fastening the slaves to each other, and to the deck—the vessel had a slave-deck; and in other respects showed the kind of service in which she was engaged. But she hoisted French colours! And the boarding and searching of the Luiz d'Albuquerque was, therefore, an affront to the French nation—an insult to the French flag! Do not Brazilian slavers sometimes hoist French colours and American colours, for the manifest purpose of inducing a belief that they are protected by those flags in the vile traffic they are engaged in ? Once on board, the only mode of satisfying the officer as to what she was, and to whom she belonged, was to inspect the vessel, and examine her papers. Everything on board tended to confirm the belief that the Albuquerque was a slaver. That she was really a French vessel could only be ascertained by the search he insti tuted. The papers produced, in order to induce a belief that she was French, were manifestly fabricated. " The log was written on sheets of paper apparently done that morning "—[the chase lasted twenty-four hours]. Capt. Foote, who commanded on the station to which Lieut. Gray belonged, and who was examined on the court martial, was asked by Lieutenant Gray :—" Would you have been satisfied with my conduct if I had not examined the papers of the Luiz d'Albu querque under the circumstances ?" We beg special attention to the answer of Captain Foote :—" If I had received information that Lieutenant Gray had seen a vessel which hoisted French colours, and had not ascer tained her nationality, I should have been very highly displeased ; because I consider that the mere display of a French flag may be done by the most arrant Brazilian and Portuguese slaver, to avoid capture ; and it is very frequently done on the west coast of Africa. both with the French and American flags." Evidence was also given by British officers who had been engaged in the same service, that it was the practice of British commanders to board ves sels suspected to be slavers, in order to as certain their nationality. In the teeth of evidence such as that we have epitomized, and notwithstanding the ab solutely exculpatory evidence of Captain Foote, the court-martial found that " the first charge was proved !" On the two others they acquitted the prisoner; and they sentenced him to be reprimanded, and enjoined him to be " more cautious in future !" To be sure they had one description of testimony to which we have not speci fically alluded—strong enough against the accused, in all conscience ; but not exactly the kind of evidence which courts of law, whether military or civil, have been in the habit of receiving. The court-martial which tried and convicted Lieut. Gray, and sentenced him to be reprimanded, actually received as evidence a leading article of La Presse, a French newspaper; which embodied a statement of Capt. Belle, the master of the Luiz d'Albuquerque. This statement—which, it must be admitted, emanated from a source of all others the most likely to be prejudiced, and was furnished by the individual most interested in giving an exaggerated, if pat absolutely false, account of the transaction—was actually put in by the Admiralty, as a part of the proof in support of a charge against a British officer ; and it was admitted as evidence by the Court! The statement contained in the French paper is false upon the face of it. It is declared to be so by the untainted declara tion of the gallant officer whose conduct was the sub ject of inquiry. It is worth nothing—except indeed that it affords another proof of the length to which the war faction in Paris will proceed, in endeavouring to foment a hostile feeling between the two countries ; and of the pusillanimity of Lord Aberdeen. In this, as in the Otaheite affair, a show of resistance made by him to the claims, or even a disregard of the clamours, of the war party, would have intimated, in a way that would have been understood, that however much their bullyings might work upon the fears of their own government, they were treated as they deserved by that of England. STANDARD.—We understand that in consequence of the remonstrance of' our Government, with reference to the violence offered to the (late) British Consul at Otaheite, in March last, by the French autho rities, a letter has been brought under the no tice of the British Ambassador at Paris, written by Mr. Pritchard upon the 7th of November, 1843. This letter, we have been informed, consists of two paragraphs, one of which contains his resignation of the consulship ; the other is a protest, in his own name, against the deposition of Queen Pomare. We learn too that Mr. Pritchard, after the cessation of his consulship, followed up his protest by several acts tend ing to inculcate the belief that the Government of Great Britain would send a flee in aid of the Otaheiteans, so that upon the appearance of her Majesty's steam-ship the Cormorant, the greatest excitement was occasioned from the expectation that she was one of the coming fleet ; in consequence of this the captain was invited to withdraw, and Mr. Pritchard, who was arrested while on his way to the vessel, was subsequently put on board of her, upon the condition that he should not be landed on any one of the Society Islands. We learn further that the dispatch of Captain Bruat of the 13th of March, describing and justifying the expulsion of Mr. Pritchard, appeals to the very different conductpursuedwith regard to Mr. Orsmond, the reverend colleague of Mr. Pritchard, who, if we may credit Captain Bruat, not only did not join his brother missionary, but endeavoured to dissuade him from the course he was pursuing. Upon Mr. Orsmond the highest elogium is pronounced in this dispatch. Such is the tenour of the important information we have received. This new view of the affair will be seen considerably to alter its character. The original wrong committed by Admiral Dupetit Thouars, in usurping the absolute sovereignty of the island, a wrong frankly and handsomely acknow ledged by the French Government, and, as far as time and distance would permit, repaired—this original wrong remains unaltered, but the consequences flowing from that wrong may be greatly coloured by circumstances. It is obvious that if some proportion is not ob served between the first provocation and the means of retaliation resorted to, there can be scarcely any extravagance of outrage which may not be justified, or which it will be lawful to punish. Our own quarrel with China affords an example in point. We were, we think, clearly the wrong-doers in the first instance, but the Chinese retaliated so enormously beyond the just propor tion as to leave a heavy balance of injury in our favour, - and we took care to exact it. Now, it is possible to believe that something of the kind may have arisen at Otaheite, even without giving credit to all the ex aggregations of the Siecle. And passing by this hypo thesis of disproportional retaliation, we can imagine an other, which would relieve the Government of this country fro m a ll respo nsibility in this matter. After the complaint of the Queen and the British inhabit ants had been remitted in form to Europe; it is plain that they were bound to rest there, as far s w as regarded t h e i r relations with this country. It was undoubt e dl y open to them to get rid of the usurped authority of their k native oppres tasoors, could, and we should blame neither hei i t f ean th n e o y r naturalised Englishmen fur the attempt, could it be made with any prospect making success ing ; but though they were clearly entitled to vindicatettierbeerty by lt.hedm selves, having applied and, as it turnedli every sense successfully for the mediation applied f la G le rea in t Britain, they had no right to shift their ground, and civil war war call for the support of Great Britain in a against the de facto government, either organisedell actually waged without her knowled ge or consent. orlt is possible that Mr. Pritchard, having for ma ll y divested himself of the character of a British Consul, may have identified himself with the people among whomhepthinadg so long enjoyed hospitality and kindness ;and, adn their feelings, may have gone further than, as a British subject, he ought to do in hostility to the de facto, though usurping, government. In this he would do no more than any honourable, warm-hearted illtt eight be expected to do, though more, certainly, ~,4 4 1\11 fly regular Government of our age could support "F:\ \ ',.. -AT ' ex I doing. There seems to be something ano tul44, • --- 3 . ratiliabli* allowing to a defacto Government, founded in .a a a' ' - - . vero,nce, y rights; but still experience has shown, •:•'.. . ‘- ; ~ielbo, ' anifold evils of private war, that it is , . . : t:;:: , on` the z: whole, conducive to the safety and , 1 liqpineis, of the human race to allow to even u, \ a - merely de facto government such a pre -,. a • . a-ndmptiiin of right as shall p ro t e ct it from being a/ ~., *Tenafly attacked by other governments, and to , ', prevent other governments throwing their shield over those who irregularly attack it. We carry the principle even lower than the case of govern ments ; we carry it down to individuals. Suppose a ship attack e d in the channel nnel by anoth e r bearing, say the flag of F rance. The owner of the ship attacked carries his complaint to Down' g-s s eet, whence it is duly re m itt e d to Paris, and THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 6 1 1844, As to the rest of the party, he was unable to speak with certainty. Poor M.Eaddon died the same evening, and Howell was immediately taken into custody. On Thurs day Mr. J. E. Sparrow, the coroner, and a respectable jury assembled. The death-bed statement of the de ceased was put in as evidence, together with corroborative testimony as to the burglary, the removal of the corn sacks, and the medical evidence. The jury, after a long consultation, returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder against William Howell," who has been committed to take his trial at the ensuing assizes. The deceased bore a most excellent character, and was much respected by his superiors as a spirited and efficient officer. HAMBURGH AND DUTCH MAILS. 1 .- TitECI3T. .TFLY .29.—The Netherlands Govern mnt positively refused to admit Englih agents into Java. The new English law on the sugar duties allow the importation of sugar, the produce of free labour, at a reduced duty ; but in order to enjoy this privilege, an English agent residing on the spot must sign, a certificate of origin. The Netherlands will rather lose the advantage of this reduction than admit English agents in its colonies. THE HAGUE, AUG. I.—We have received Java papers to the 17th April. The Java Courant of that date says :—" According to an account received by the Commander of the station on the west coast of Sumatra, his M.tjesty's brig the Siewar, commanded by Lieut. P. Lanvage, has ran aground on a reef to the north of Poeloe, and is entirely gone to pieces. The crew, however, and part of the tackling was saved." BONN, JULY 26.--There has lately been found in the coal mine at Roth (from which our museums have already received several yaluable acquisitions) the jaw bones of a kind of pike now extinct. Com paring them with the lower jaw bones of the present s pec : linen of pike, the animal to which they belonged must havd been almost ten feet long. THE HAGUE, AuG. 2.—This being the twentieth anniversary of the t.t . ff.% of Prince Alexander, their Majesties' second son, has been observed with the usual ceremonies. The Staats Courant publishes a royta decree, by which the Alinister of Finance is authorised to pro ceed by anticipation to the exchange of Lerrentin at 5 per cent., for bonds of 4 per cent., and to effect the transfer of them to the National 4 per cent. debt. M. de Jonge Van Campens Nieuwland has been ap pointed by his Majesty to the post of Minister of Justice, which he had held for some time ad interim. ELSINEUR, JULY 29.—The remaining part of the Russian squadron, consisting of four ships of the line and a frigate, left our road yesterday, with a north wind, to pass the Sound, and was out of sight at sunset. HAMBURGH, AUG. 2.—The Universal Prussian Gazette begins to publish accounts from various parts of the kingdom of the horror excited by the attempt to assassinate his Majesty, and the gratitude to Divine Providence for his escape, which seems to have been almost miraculous. A pamphlet, published on the 29th July, says that Tschech had stated that he had been the more impelled to execute his design by seeing that a woman, attempting to present a petition to the King and Queen, had no notice taken of it by either of them. "This statement," says the Prussian Gazette, "is wholly unfounded. It appears, on inquiry, that the petitioner (who was erroneously re ported to be the daughter of the assassin) is the wife of a merchant, who is sentenced to imprisontnent ; and, from the examination which was deemed necessary, the following is found to be the state of the case. On the evening before their Majesties' departure, she stood at the palace-gate and presented to the King a petition for a mitigation of her husband's punishment. The King had spoken very graciously to her, and on the same evening had the matter discussed with other things, and gave an order in compliance with the petition. The woman fearing the King's departure might delay the fulfil ment of her request went to the palace gate on the following morning and presented a similar petition to the Queen just as her Majesty was stepping into the carriage. Her Majesty received it kindly and gave it to the King who recognising the woman, told her very graciously to make herself easy, that her request was granted, and the necessary orders given. The woman relating the preceding particulars, says, that being deeply affected, she was going to kneel and express her wish that Providence would grant him a happy journey, when the criminal fired the shot at her benefactor." This statement is signed by Baron Von Arnew, Minister of the Interior.—Eamburgh Papers, Aug. 2 FLANDERS MAIL. BRUSSELS, Aug. 2.—The Precurseur of Antwerp has the following article : Thus, then, we h:vre entered directly on a system of reprisals, with a war of tariffs. This is an unhappy necessity on the part of Belgium ; and though we la ment, in an economical point of view, measures of this nature, we must on this occasion applaud the firmness of the Govermnent. We say frankly that we did not expect that it would show so much courage, and it was not without some surprise that we learned from the Moniteur this m.mifestation of energy:—' But since the Government has L 'yitered on this course of reprisals, which the dignity of the .'country and numerous interests that were threatened pointed out to it, it is our duty, and that of the whole truly national press, to support it in its struggle with the Prussian colossus."' The Journal du Commerce of Antwerp, and the Organ des Flanders, have likewise long articles commending the conduct of the Government. llis Highness Prince Michael Olrenovich, with his suite, has arrived at Brussels, and lodges in the Hotel de Saxe, where apartments were bespoke for his reception. The organisation of the new line of steamers between Ostend and Dover, which was said to have been com pleted on Monday last, is deferred for a week, at the re quest of the English Company, which was not ready to deliver the three steamers required for this service. Yesterday a destructive fire broke out in the cellars of M. Denville, grocer and oil merchant. It was discovered by some persons in the street, who had great diffi culty in rousing the family and the lodgers. The progress of the flames was so rapid, that the inmates were obliged to escape by the roof. Besides the total de struction of the house and its contents, we have to state the deplorable fact, that a daughter of M. Denville, aged 19, and a son, aged 11, perished in the flames. By the new convention between the British and Bel gian post-office;, the postage of letters between England and Belgium is reduced to Is. for the whole distance, of which sum Belgium will take 5d., and England 7d. This is a reduction of more than half of the present rate. The prepayment will be optional. The journals, of what ever size, will be charged and continued. Since we shall never receive the English journals in Belgium without extraordinary expense, the Govern ment should consent to suppress the extraordinary stamp duty. We ask it for the sake of the English families re siding in this country. LLOYD'S SHIPPING. ARRIVAL OF COUNT NESSELRODE. This distinguished diplomatist, whose arrival at the Court of London has been daily expected for some time, and whose near approach to England was announced by M. Gregoire de Kandriaffy on Saturday last, arrived in London yesterday by the General Steam Navigation Company's fine snail steam-packet Columbine, Captain Norwood, from Rotterdam. This vessel upon leaving the Brielle observed a ship upon her beam ends to the eastward of the inner buoy of the Brielle Bar, upon which Captain Norwood immediately sent his boat to the wreck, and succeeded in rescuing the captain, crew, and pilot, in a very exhausted state, from their perilous situation. The vessel proved to be the Brama of Pap penbury, from Windau, bound to Rotterdam with grain. The intrepidity of Captain Norwood upon the occasion produced the following testimony in his favour from Count Nesselrode and the rest of the passengers of the Columbine: —" The passengers on board the General Steam Navigation Company's steamer Columbine, Capt. W. Norwood, on her voyage from Rotterdam to London, have great pleasure in expressing their satisfaction of his coolness, intrepidity and judgment, by which he was enabled, under the blessing of Providence, to save the lives of five individuals clinging to the wreck of the Brama, a Pappenbury vessel, wrecked in the inner bay of the Brielle Bar, on her voyage from Windau to Rot terdam, on the evening of Saturday, the 3d August, and at the same time acknowledge his great kindness and attention to the undersigned. (Signed) " COUNT NESSELRODE, "COUNT D. NESSELRODE, and several other passengers." CROPS IN SOUTH WALES.—The farmers them selves, proverbially disposed to croak about crops, admit that things look fairish. In some parts of Wales reap ing has begun, but it is by no means general, nor has the grain yet that golden hue which shows that it is ready for the sickle. The wheat harvest is sure to be good ; but that is of comparatively little consequence in South Wales, but even barley (our chief crop) is likely to be better than was expected, though deficient and very little good malting barley will be on offer, we are sorry to say, by the farmers of this country. Pota toes look very well, and the pastures are in a rich state of verdure, contrasting most beautifully with the arid ap pearance which they presented a few weeks ago. The harvest has commenced in Pembrokeshire. Since last week several fields of wheat, barley, and oats, being cut, the quality of wheat and barley, together with the quan tity is very good ; oats being deficient in quantity, but of good quality. We have had some fine refreshing showers of late, but still there is a great scarcity of hay and grass, the former being burnt up.— Welshman. Another Cabinet Council, which was attended by all the Ministers, was held at the Foreign-office yester day at two. The summonses for holding this Coun cil were issued, by the direction of the Earl of Aberdeen, on Saturday evening. FLOATING DOCK AT HAVRE.—We read in the Journal du Havre that the floating careening dock of M. Frederick de Conninck was launched on the 31st. :ult. The operation, which was confided to the management of that able shipbuilder, M. A. Normand—was perfectly successful, and the gigantic structure, which is large enough to receive a vessel of 2,400 tons, glided majesti cally into the water. It is to be immediately fitted with its pumps and machinery and will be shortly ready for use. The Earl of Lonsdaie, Postmaster-General, had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, yes terday, in Downing-street. .—....--_—,..---- just reparation is made. But suppose the owner of the 1 injured ship "to take," as we say, " the law into his own hands," and upon the next opportunity to get foul of his late assailant, and again to get the worst of it, 1 the British Government would certainly give him no help in the quarrel now of his own seeking. If the case of Mr. Pritchard's conduct at Otaheite has been similar to the case last supposed, we do not see why it must not be governed by the sa me principle ? We do not pretend to say that Mr. Pritchard has been moving a private war against the de facto government at Otaheite; but, if he has been doing so, much as we may admire his generosity and courage, we cannot honour his prudence, or give him great credit , for a care for the interests of his native country. We must say one word, too. for the members of the de ~facto government in the Society Islands. In ?[arch that government must have believed that they were ' exercising legitimately an authority derived from their Sovereign ; they are, therefore, scarcely to be blamed, if they vindicated that authority without any unnecessary violence or cruelty ; and if they found Mr. Pritchard, who was no longer a consul, exciting a bad feeling against their government, it was their right, as well as their duty, to deport him. The original wrong-doer in such cases is commonly the only wrong-doer, for they who derive from him a de facto authority which they are taught to believe also an authority de jure, must, to the best of their judgment, act upon that au thority. We say this much in justice to all parties, for as to the affair itself, we think it cannot possibly end in anything serious. Such misunderstandings must be ex pected to be constantly arising, but it is only when they occur between ill-disposed or extremely silly persons, that there can be any difficulty in accommodating them satisfactorily. . NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, AUG. 4.—The Excellent gunnery ship, Captain Sir Thomas Hastings, lint., still bears the flag of the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Charles Rowley, Bart., G.C.8., G.C.H., &c. ; it will be removed, however, to the Queen, 110, Captain Martin, on the latter leaving the harbour for Spit head, should the St. Vincent not be ordered from Devonport. Mr. Thomas Howels, puller, R.N., has invented a new " pointer " for concentrating a ship's fire, which, having been submitted for the approval of' the Board of Admiralty, their Lordships directed a trial to be mNle on board the Excellent ; consequently, yesterday five guns were fitted with the pointers, and a large target twelve feet &lime being placed at a distance of 400 yards from the ship, at ~be first fire all five shots pierced the target and tore it to shreJs. It is believed that had the shot being directed in a similar canner against a ship, and struck her near the water-line, she must have sunk in a few minutes. The experiment, which is considered eminently successful, was witnessed by a large number of naval officers and spectators. The Collingwood, 80, Captain Eden, flag of Rear-Admiral Sir G. F. Seymour, is ready for sea. She was to have re ceived two months' advance on Friday, but some delay oc curred, and it is consequently postponed. We are informed that the recent transactions in the South Seas will probably alter her route on sailing, and that she only waits the answer of the French Government to the application from her Ma jesty's Ministers for satisfaction for the conduct pursued towards her Majesty's Consul, Mr. Pritchard. We are also informed that Mr. Pritchard will be reinstated in his Con sulate duties at Otaheite and that he will return to that island in the Collingwood. The Scylla, 16, Commander Sharpe, sailed from Halifax on the 14th ult. for St. John's, Newfoundland, where she would relieve the ult., 26, Capt. G. Elliott, ordered to Halifax. The Pique, 36, Captain the Hon. M. Stopford, touched at the Havannah, on the 15th ult., for water, &c., en route from the coast of Mexico to Halifax, with specie. The Illustrious, 72, Commodore R. Sharp, arrived at Ha vannah on the 20th of June, from Jamaica, to demand, in conjunction with the British Consul, satisfaction for some gross outrages put upon some English subjects in the island of Caba. The Pique was ordered to remain to co-operate with the Illustrious. The Nimrod, 20, Commodore Glasse, was at Bombay on the 18th of June last from Trincomalee, where she left the Cornwallis, 72, Captain Richards, flag of Vice-Admiral Sir W. Parker, G.C.8., on the 27th of May, refitting for her re turn to England. The Clio, 16, Commodore Fitzjames, left Bombay on the 19th of May to join the Cornwallis at Trincomalee, whence both ships would sail for England. The Alligator troop-ship, 22, Master Commander J. N. King, arrived at Madras from China on the 25th of May, with troops. The Fox, 42, Captain Sir 11. Blackwood, Bart., touched at Tangier (en route for the East Indies), to land important dis• patches on the 16th of June. The Comet steam-vessel, Commander Prettyman, on pay ing off the Vindictive, will proceed to Plymouth and Devon port with such of her crew and marines as reside in those localities. In Harbour—The Excellent, the Queen, the Victory, the Vindictive, the Seaflower cutter, the Fearless, the Comet, and the Echo steam-vessels. _ In Dock—The Prince Regent, the Athol, the Wanderer, the Dwarf, and the Scourge (building). In the Basin—The Victoria and Albert, the Lily, the Fly ing Fish, the Daring, the Osprey, the Pantaloon, and the Waterwitch. At Spithead—The Colliagwood. DEVONPORT, AUGUST 2.—The Crane packet, 6, Lieutenant- Commander T. A. Lewis, sailed on Thursday for Falmouth, whence she sailed the same day with mails for the Brazils, via Madeira and Teneriffe. The Apollo troop ship, Commander Maclean, sailed on the 26th ult. for Newfoundland and North America, with two companies and a detachment of the Royal Artillery aboard, for service in those regions. On the same day the Ilamoaze lighter sailed from Milford Haven, with Mr. Henderson, As sistant Master Attendant of this dock-yard, and a party of riggers, to rig and navigate the Juno, 26, recently launched, to Chatham. _ _ The Nile, 92, was docked on Wednesday to have her cop per cleaned and examined. The Madagascar, 44, Captain J. Foote, is ordered to be paid off to-morrow. Joseph Noble, the marine, who was sentenced to be hanged last week for stabbing Mr. Prothero, a midshipman of this ship, has had his sentence commuted to transportation for life. The Superb, 80, advance ship, was undecked on Wednes day, and will be taken to her moorings in a day or two. In Harbour—San Josef, Madagascar, and Confiance. In Dock—Kent, Ranger, Acton. In the Sound—St. Vincent. SHEERNESS, AUG. 2.—A court-martial was held on Mon day on board the Ocean, 80, Captain Fisher, flag-ship pro tem. of Vice-Admiral Sir John Chambers White, K.C.8., to try the master's mate of the Spy brigantine, Lieutenant- Commander Wooldridge, recently arrived from the coast of Africa, for acts of repeated drunkenness. The charges were fully proved, and the pri..foner was sentenced to be dismissed her Majesty's service. The Lords of the Admiralty have ordered a new second class war steamer to be built at this yard, to be called the Fury, of the following dimensions :—Length, 190 feet ; breadth, 36 feet ; depth, 21 feet ; tonnage, 1,123 ; horse power, 460. Captain Superintendent Peter Fisher, R.N., went on survey on Tuesday to join the Harbour of Refuge Commission. In Harbour—The Ocean and the Raven. In Dock—The Monarch, the Vernon, and the Herald. In the Basin—The Amazon, the Vulture, and the Cro codile. PROMOTIONS. Commander—John Marshall (a), and F. D. Schaw, from the retired list of 1830 to that of 1816. APPOINTMENTS. Lieutenants—Justus B. Kooystra* (Ig-11), from the Mada gascar to the Collingwood ; R. Jones (b), to the Victory; A. F. Kingston (additional), to the Collingwood ; W. Southey, to the William and Mary yacht, for the Lightning ; J. R. Baker, to be agent for mails. Master—H. B. Yule, to the Porcupine. Mates—M. F. O'Reilly (of the Excellent), to the Albion ; W. I?. Bishop, to the St. Vincent. Second Master—ll. D. Beach to the Victory, for service in the Emerald (tender to St. Vincent) ; H. Pennington, to the Porcupine. Assistant-Surgeons—D. Dugare (acting), to the Victory, for service at Hasler Hospital; J. T. U. Bremner, M.D. (ad ditional), to the San Josef, for service in Plymouth Hospital ; W. Fasken, to the Illustrious. C!erk in Charge—J. C. Aildridge, to the Meteor. Midshipman—F. Egerton, to the Excellent. Boatswain—John Robinson, of the San Josef, to the Sheer Hulk at Chatham, vice Flynn, appointed Master Rigger of that yard. COAST GUARD. Appointments—Lieut. E. J. Ironies, R.N., to command the station at Richam, vice Allen, removed. Removals—Lieut. J. Allen, R.N., from Richam to Challa borough Station, vice Tozer, to Gorram haven, vice Lory, to Porthpean, vice Vallack, D.D. ; Lieut. J. O'Reilly, R.N., from Flamborough Head to Hornsea Station, vice M. Leicester, superannuated. * We are informed this officer was twenty-five years a mate. MURDER OF A POLICE OFFICER. IPSWICH, SATURDAY.-This county has of late ac quired an unenviable notoriety from a succession of in cendiary outrages. It has this week been stained by the still more hateful crime of murder. Committed, too, under circumstances of extreme daring and deliberate purpose. It is worthy of remark that the day on which this fatal event occurred was that on which the judges of assize had taken their departure from this town. The facts are as follows :—lt appears that in consequence of frequent robberies of farm-yards, the police had received strict orders to direct their utmost vigilance to the movements of stranger; trampers, or other suspi cious characters, with the twofold view of securing agricultural property from incendiaries and thieves. On Sunday, the 28th ult., soon after midnight, a con stable of the rural police, named James M‘Faddon, who was stationed at Kessinglands, a secluded hamlet in this district, when going round his beat, perceived a party of men, five in number, approaching a farm in the occupation of Mrs. Button, the stable-yard of which stands close to the road. From the silence of the men, and their stealthy motion, both of which are unusual with la bourers returning from the beer-shops, the constables con • eluded that they were bent on mischief of some sort. De termined to watch their proceedings, he crouched down close to the fence. The party, after looking round, pro ceeded to Mrs. Button's farm-yard, and went direct to the barn-door, the fastenings of which they forced off. One remained outside, to give notice to his associates in case any one approached. The four who entered speedily returned, laden with sacks of corn, with which they were preparing to decamp, when the policeman thought it time to interfere. Being then only a few paces distant, and supposing them to be un provided with fire-arms, he resolved to capture at least one of the gang. Having first challenged them to surrender, he was advancing, when one of the party who bad mounted a lain hedge, raised a gun to his shoulder, and fired with deliberate aim at his victim, who received the greater part of the charge in his thigh. The police man dropped into a dry ditch, and the gang ran off rapidly in different di rec ti ons , conc l u di ng th a t the report of the i shot wou ld alarm the inmates of the farm-house. p addon, though suffering excessive pain, managed to crawl to the house and aroused the servants, who ren dered the poor fellow such assistance as they could command at that late hour. A messenger was dis patched to the superintendent of the force, and the wounded man was provided with the best medical aid. On the following morning, the symptoms assumed a character so decidedly serious, that the district Magistrate deemed it advisable to take the man's de position, which was signed and prop er ly atteste d . Although rapidly sinking, be was quite conscious ; he described distinctly the circumstances already nar rated, and declared that the man who fired the shot was William Howell, whom he had previously known, and whose person he recognised when he presented the gun. POLICE INTELLIGENCE (YESTERDAY.) CLERKEN WELL. _ Maly Anne Hartive.'l and Harriet Holmes, about 18 years of age, were charged with breaking sixteen panes of glass, value 21., at the Clerkenwell workhouse. Inspector Bart cat deposed that the prisoners, who have been up to a recent period inmates of the Clerkenwell workhouse, were, about two o'clock on that morning, sitting on the door-step of the Clerkenwell workhouse. The whole pavement near them was strewed with broken glass. Witness asked "who has broken all these win dows ?" Both prisoners exclaimed "we have." Witness thereupon inquired how many they had brcken? They answered " all we could reach." Holmes' arm was bleeding. He asked them if they had broken them with their bands? Hartwell replied '" she did, but I was not fool enough ; I broke them with sornethino . else." Wit n,s4 toDic them to the station, and charged them. They walked quietly thither, and were locked up. They added, at the station, that they had broken the glass about five minutes before witness came up. Mr. Hamet, the master of the workhouse, proved that when he went to bed the windows were whole. The prisoners had been paupers in the house, and were very bad characters.' Mr. Comm: (to the prisoners)—Well, what have you to say ?—The prisoners replied that it was quite true they had broken the windows, but what were they to do ? they had applied for admission to the workhouse, and were refused it. Mr. COMBE—What time did you apply for admission? Prisoners—At eight o'clock in the evening, Sir. Mr. COMBE—Who did you see ? Prisoners—We saw Mr. Ilamet, and asked him for a night's lodging., but we were refused it. He told us to go to the overseer ;we did go to the overseer's house, but we could not see him. We returned to the workhouse, and again applied for admission, stating that we could not see the overseers, but we were refused admission. We sat on the flags at the workhouse door until nearly two this morn ing, and then we broke the windows. The door-keeper told us we must not go there any more. Mr. CONDE-- , IS it true that they were refused admis sion to the workhouse? Mr. Hamet—Yes ; I refused to receive them. They threatened my life. Mr. COMBE—Have they any means of supporting themselves out of the workhouse ? Mr. Hamet—Not that I am aware of ; but one of them was relieved on Saturday night. Mr. CONDE sentenced them to a month's imprison ment each in the House of Correction, in default of the payment of 1/. each. They wore committed accordingly, and seemed very glad at being sent to prison. A man named Ward was charged with begging and assaulting a police-constable. • It appeared from the evidence of Baker, 108 E, that being on duty in High-street, Bloomsbury, on the pre vious day (Sunday), at ten o'clock, he saw the prisoner asking alms from several persons, and in a peremptory way, something like the beggar in " Gil Bias," for the prisoner was armed with a stout bludgeon, which he flourished in a menacing manner. Baker watched and saw him go up to a gentleman who resides in Bedford square and ask for money, the gentleman refused; the prisoner repeated his demand in threatening language ; the gentleman still persisting in refusal, the prisoner followed, overtook, and standing before him on the footway, struck him so violent a blow on the chest as made him reel back against the railings. Baker then ran up and arrested the prisoner, who no sooner felt himself seized than he struck the constable a severe blow on the face, and another on the chest. They struggled for some time, both being powerful men ; at length the prisoner, seizing Baker's thumb, pulled it back with all his might, and nearly broke it. Baker roared with pain, but the prisoner twisted it the more. At length assis tance arrived and the fellow was secured. Baker showed his hand, which was terribly swollen and inflamed. Mr. CONDE—What have you to say to this brutal conduct? Prisoner—Nothing, and loooking jeeringly at the officer said, " You have got that!" He was sentenced to a month's imprisonment. WANDSWORTH. THE LATE ATTEMPT AT MURDER AND SUICIDE.— Yesterday was appointed for the examination of Amelia Alferry, the young woman who, on Monday, the 29th ult., attempted the murder of her two children and self destruction, on Wandsworth-common. Mr. Bicknell said, as the prisoner was then in a state of great nervous excitement, he thought that it would be politic before the prisoner was brought into Court to have the room cleared. The Court was accordingly cleared. The prisoner was led into the Court ; she is about twenty-seven years of age, was deadly pale, very weak, and had a vacant look. She was accommodated with a chair. The children, one a girl six years of age, and the other a noble looking boy, about four years old, were also brought into Court. The charge, as entered on the sheet against the pri soner, was as follows :—" Amelia Alferry, aged 27, single woman, charged with assaulting her children, Mary Anne, aged six years, and Henry, aged four years, with intent to murder them, by drowning, and also with attempting to commit suicide at the same time, to wit, on the 29th of July last." Mr. BURRELL approached the chair in which the pri soner was seated, and said, "Do you feel that you are capable of answering tho Anrge now mad. ago,ins yutt?" —The prisoners in a scarcely audible tone, said, " Yes, I do." William Alferry, a lad about fourteen years of age, was then sworn, and stated, "I live near the White Horse, Water- side, Wandsworth, and am brother to the prisoner. On Monday evening, the 29th of July, be tween five and six o'clock, I was crossing Wandsworth _ common, when I saw my sister sitting 'on the island ,;ear Mr. Wil,on's. She had her two children with her. The names are Henry and Mary Anne French. I wished :.'er to go home. She said, 'You can go home ; coming presently.' I went home alone, but came e island, and the children were back shortly it":,'Twards to play at cri c ket. My sister was still sitting oil th them to her and said, playing near her. si:e called We'll go home.' She then drew them to her, left the bench on which she had been sitting, walked to the j u mped in with them. The part into water's edge and which prisoner jumpedis called the 'Black Sea.' I went in after the children and held their heads up to prevent them from drowning. I hallooed for help, and kept the little children up until Mr. Steers came, and he walked into the pond and took the children out. Mr. Steers afterwards got my sister out with a great deal of trouble, and laid her upon the grass. Prisoner had said nothing to me before she went into the water about drowning her children or herself. Ido not know whe ther she went into the pond by accident. It was in her way home." Mr. BURRELL asked the . prisoner if she had anything to say 7—The prisoner, in a feint voice, said " No more than that it was trouble that caused me to do so." Mr. BURRELL observed . that he should now remand the prisoner until the following day (Tuesday), and he ordered the prisoner to be taken back to the union. SPANISH AMERICAN BOND IIOLDERS. The following further correspondence between the Committee of Spanish American bondholders and Messrs. Lizardi and Co., the Mexican agents, was circu lated in the City yesterday:— " 13, Austinfriars, Aug. 2. " Gentlemen,—Your letter of the 27th ult., in reply to mine of the preceding day, was yesterday laid before the Committee of Spanish American bondholders, and I am desired to express to you their extreme dissatis faction with its contents, and especially with your re fusal to furnish the Committee with any information as to the moneys in hand to meet the dividend now four months in arrear. _ _ " The Committee desire me to express in the strongest terms their unanimous opinion that the withholding of this information is utterly unjustifiable, inasmuch as the proportion of duties assigned in Mexico for the pay ment of the dividends belongs to the bondholders, and they have consequently a right -to knoW from time to time the amount of such moneys, and the mode of their appropriation. " The Committee need not dwell on the enormous sacrifices which the bondholders have heretofore made to meet the convenience of the Mexican Government. 'They had fully expected that in return for those con cessions the bondholders would have received from the Mexican Government and from yourselves that con sideration which the circumstances of the ease called for and required. " The Committee trust, therefore, that you will, on further deliberation, furnish the particulars requested in my letters of April 23 and the 27th ult.—l am, &e., " G. R. ROBINSON, Chairman. " Messrs. F. de Lizardi and Co." " 26, Austinfriars. Aug. 3. " Stry—We have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday, addressed to us on the part of the Committee of Spanish American bondholders. " As regards the first part of your communication, we have no other reply to make than to refer you to our letter of the 27th of July. " Respecting the latter part, wherein you allude to the concessions made by the bondholders, we beg to assure you that we are fully sensible of their importance; and that the same are duly appreciated in the proper quar ter is, we think, sufficiently proved by the great sacri fices made by the Mexican Government, in the midst of very trying financial difficulties, to meet its engagements with its creditors.—We remain, &e., " F. DE LIZARD' and CO., " Per pro. M. J. de Lizardi. " G. B. Robinson, Esq." - - PRIMITIVE CHURN.—The wife of a farmer at Hougham, Stamford, saves herself the labour of churn ing by the following peculiar contrivance. She ties up her cream in a linen cloth, over which she places a piece of print, and buries the whole in a damp place in the garden for twenty-four hours • She then takes it up , and turns the cream whi c h by this time is in the shape and consistency of a pudding) into a bowl, and by stirring it with a wooden spoon the butter quickly separates from the butter-milk, and is said to be sweeter than that pro duced by the ordinary method. What induced her to resort-to this extraordinary system she states to be, that one of her neighbours having children troubled with sores, applied to them the ancient remedy of a salve made of buried cream ; by stirring it she perceived that this produced an oil similar to butter, and she thought that, if it would do in a small quantity, it would in a larger. This is rather a more primitive system than the one pur sued in Chili, where they place the cream in leather bags on asses, and trot the animals about until it is changed into butter. The Anti-Catholic and riotous feeling is particu larly strong among the pretty women of Southwark. We note that they even go so far in their exhibition of it as to utterly eschew now the use of bishops and car dinals, and display a pecular partiality for mob-caps. Sad creatures.—New Yoh Herald. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Avast 5. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) The House resumed at Five o'clock. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr. lIAWES gave notice that next session he should move for certain returns relating to savings banks. Also for a Committee to inquire whether the 'loyal Academy had been favourable or prejudicial to the progress of the fine arts in this country ; and also for a Committee to in quire into the proceedings of the Trinity•house, at Dept ford and Stroud, aikid how far they had carried out the recommendation of that House made in 1834. Lord WORSLEY gave notice, that next session he should move for leave to bring in a . Bill to fucilitatE- the inclostire of commons. PRIVATE BILLS. Mr. GLADSTONE then rose, for the purpose of bringing forward the motion of which he had given notice some days ago, and which he hoped would meet with the general approbation of the House. The mo • tion was founded on the recommendations of the Select Committee on Railways. It went beyond these recommendations because the functions of the Select Committee were confined to Railway Bills. It was found desirable to apply the same principle which had been applied to Railway Bills to private Bills of other descriptions. The present measure was in order to establish greater certainty and uniformity with re spect to the law on this subject, and to make it more acceptable and intelligible to the public. It would also convenience those who introduced Bills into the House, because it would enable them to shorten those Bills. The clauses of the model Bill were about 350, and all Railway Bills which passed that House contained from 300 to 400 clauses. The expense of printing and engrossing those Bills cost a considerable sum oemoney. He did not propose that those Bills should pass into a law during the present session.— , (Laughter.) He would not have the courage to make such a proposition at the present period of the session ; but it was desirable to have them printed, so that the attention of the parties, Parliamentary agents, and others interested in these Bills, might have their attention drawn to them. By having the Bills printed, they would, if susceptible of improvement, have the best advice and the soundest suggestions on the subject, and at the opening of the next session they could pass those Bills at once, so that the private Bills of the next session might derive the advantage of the improvement. The advantage of those Bills would be that instead of consisting of 300 or 400 clauses, the number of clauses would now be reduced to a moderate number of intelligible ones. He would now state what those Bills contained. The three Bills lie proposed to lay on the table of the House comprised the whole of the model Bill, as to its substantial enactments. But they broke up the subject matter of it into three parts, because it had reference to three classes of under takings. The first Bill he proposed was a Bill which would apply, when it became a general Act, to all pri vate Bills that might be introduced into the House for the purpose of incorporating trading companies. In the second, he intended to include all those provisions with respect to companies not merely seeking to be incorporated, but requiring compulsory powers to pur chase and hold lands. This Bill would include railway, harbour, canal, and gas Bills, which require compulsory powers. With regard to the third Bill, that would be still more restrictive in the range of private Bills, to which it would be applicable. This Bill would specifically correspond with the recommendation of the Railway Committee. It would be applicable in its pro visions to Railway Bills, in respect to those features which belonged to them exclusively, and not in common with other Bills for the execution of public works. Having described the general purview of those Bills, he had to say that in the first Bill, he did not mean to propose anything worth mentioning. except what was already in the model Bill. In the second Bill he proposed to introduce an enactment which had been frequently recommended to Government — namely, the introduction of an exceptional provision in the present law which provides for the compensation for lands by reference to a jury. Now he proposed that where the value of the land in question was not more than a certain amount-1,0001., the parties might have the option of settling the question by arbitration. He did not take it front the jury as a matter of course, but it would be optional for either of the parties to remove it from a jury and refer it to another tribunal. It happened, singularly enough, that the proposition had often been made to them both from railway companies and from landed proprietors, that they should be allowed to submit these small valuations to arbitration. He, there fore, proposed to insert in the Bill a proposition to this effect. In the third Bill he proposed to add a second proposition, giving a discretionary power to the Government and the Board of Trade, of allow ing certain deviations in engineering works from the prescribed models, in cases where it was proved this could be done with increased advantage to the public, and without any detriment to private rights. In consequence of the advanced state of science, the estimates for public works could now be made with greater accuracy than they could be a few years ago. Another very important matter he proposed to include, was a general provision with regard to what was called the equal rates clause. At present there was not a perfect uniformity of privi lege as between the different railway companies ao to the power of varying their charges. Some companies had no power of varying the rates of their fares at all ; others had the power to do so, provided the rate was made uniform throughout the whole of the company's line. That clause was now subject to some ambiguity. They could not devise a clause that should exactly define the rate in all cases, but it was obviously a subject of great importance and great difficulty. Sometimes it was for the interest of the public that there should be a power of varying the rates. At present, in some cases, it might be varied, but only to a rate that should be equal and uniform all along the line, though it might be more advantageous to have a lower rate along one part of the line than along another. He therefore pro pos•A to insert a clause giving power to make these variations with those exceptions and reservations in cases which experience had shown ought to be so limited. The power to vary the rates applied also to the carriage of goods, but also with certain restrictions. He did not think there was any other particular which he had to mention to the House, and he therefore simply begged to move his propositions, and also to propose a slight alteration in the title of the Bill. Arr. HUME wished to know whether any power was taken by Government of interfering with the accommo dation for third-class passengers. It was quite a disgrace to Parliament to sanction a monopoly which obliged the poorer class to stand like cattle, exposed to the air. It was impossible to see a railroad, without feeling ashamed of this country, as compared with Belgium and other continental countries. Mr. GLADSTONE would not say that this might not be a fit matter for consideration at some other time, but he did not think it a proper occasion, when they were discussing the general principles of railway mat ters.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. HUME asked whether any power had been given ill by remission which ha d of been e t a p x a a s s t d on in of t 5 h a p t e 1. 1 c o e u n s owfhreen ftbiuyi sei t na h ge e c was not considered sufficient? t ommodation provided for third - class passengers Bh Mr. GLADSTONE said he believed that under this CliLeave was then given to bring i n t he Bill. l a l a nc d el is lo c r re o ti f o t oa he ry power that kind was vested in the Leave was also given to bring in a Bill for consoli dating in one Act certain provisions usually inserted in Acts of Parliament, authorising the taking of lands for undertakings of a public nature. MERCHANT SEAMEN'S FUND ACTS. The House then went into Committee on these Acts, when Mr. GLADSTONE rose to move for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the law relating to the relief and support, in certain cases, of merchant seamen, their widows, and chil dren. The Right Hon Gentleman said the Bill which he wished to bring in affected the interests and prospects of a class of men which that House, as well as the whole country, regarded with feelings of great interest—he meant the merchant seamen of this country, a class who were the least disposed to complain.— (Hear, hear.) They were, it was true, dissatisfied with the state of the seamen's fund, but his only surprise was that they were not a hundred times more so. They did not object to the compulsory payment of a tax out of their wages, but they did:wish to see the :fund placed on a more satisfactory footing. He thought that the pensions that were given to these parties ought to equalised. The fund was in the nature of an insurance, and it ought to come back to the subscribers. It was contrary to all principle to consider it as a cha rity. It was not of an eleemosynary charac ter. It should be administered as the savings banks were administered. They ought to make the best of it. It ought to be uniformly administered. He thought too much was devoted to the expenses of management, there was nothing like wilful mismanage ment of the fund, but the expense would be less if it were taken into the hands of a public department. Then with regard to . the remedy, there was a great want of data on which to found calculations. He proposed that a measure should be passed for not less than seven, nor more than ten years. He also proposed that the pension should be equalised. The effect of this would be, that there would be a uniform system of pensions all over the country. It was proposed that the pension should be 41. a year, but the seamen who were sixty-three years old, and therefore disabled, should be entitled to a pension of 81. As to widows, it was proposed that in stead of continuing their pensions, a gratuity should be given them. All that he meant to propose was to se cure the fund in the best and most efficient manner, and to give the seamen all the benefits which could pos sibly arise from the appropriation of the fund. He would therefore move for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the laws relating to the relief and support, in certain cases, of merchant-seamen, their widows, and children. Mr. LABOUCHERE thought there was no class of her Majesty's subjects more entitled to the considera. tion of that House and the Government, than the class proposed to be benefited by the Bill. After a few words from Mr. Hume, Lord Sandon, and Mr. Gladstone, leave was granted to bring in the Bill. POST-OFFICE.--COMMITTEE OF SECRECY. Lord SANDON brought up the Report of the Com mission of Secrecy on the Post-office. It was laid upon the table. The House then adjourned at a Quarter past Seven. HOUSE OF LORDS, August 5. Their Lordships met at Five o'clock. Several Bills brought up from the Commons were read a first time. TIIE POST-OFFICE INQUIRY. The Earl of RADNOR presented a petition complaining of the unconstitutional conduct of the Secretary for the Home Department. lie did not understand why that Secretary was under any necessity to be the agent of Foreign Powers. The Duke of WELLINGTON said that he thought it would be better to postpone any discussion till a future stage. The conversation then dropped. THE CHURCH COMMISSION. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE presented a peti tion from holders of Church property, complaining of certain acts of the Church Commissioners. The Noble Marquis insisted that the Legislature had no more right to interfere with property of this kind than with any other property. He prayed their Lordships to turn their attention to the subject. The Bishop of LONDON denied that the Church Commission hadacted in the manner alluded to by the Noble Lord. They would have been guilty of a gross dereliction of duty if they did not make the most of a property with which that and the other House of Par liament had entrusted them. Ile could assure the Noble Lord that any business transacted by a smaller number of the Commission was at the earliest period made known to the greater. The Duke of RICHMOND said that this being one of the few Commissions which did not make a report to enable the country to understand what it was doing, he was as much in the dark as others. But he knew that eertain parsons had complained of the severe views taken by the Commission of its duties, and as the Right Rev. Prelate courted inquiry into the transactions of that Commission, he (the Duke of Richmond) hoped that tile Noble Marquis who had presented this petition would move for a Select Committee upon the subject. After a few words from the Marquis of Clanricarde, Lord Carbery, and Lord Wharncliffe, The Bishop of EXETER said that as a trustee of a great public property for a great public purpose, he trusted he might be allowed to say a few words on the subject. He considered that his duty as a trustee of that -property was to make the most of its value, and till he was told by the authority that delegated him to the office that the contrary was his duty, he should still fol low the line he had laid down for himself when he ac cepted the trusteeship. Lord RADNOR thought that the principle laid down by the Right Rev. Prelate was a most just one, and he was astonished that the Noble Marquis and the Noble Duke upon the cross-benches should have seemed to doubted the prop iety of it for a moment. He thought that the Commissioners had a full right to insist upon the full value of their property ; and further, that they would be neglecting their duty if they did not do so. The Earl of BESBOROUGII hoped that the Noble Marquis would investigate the subject further, and he would find that the Commission did not at all deserve the remarks applied to it by the Noble Marquis. The subject then dropped. The Criminal Justice (Middlesex) Bill was also read a third time and passed. Lord WHARNCLIFFE then moved the resumption of the debate upon the Railways Bill, and in so doing took occasion to state that, having fully considered the effect of the words proposed to be inserted by the Right Rev. Prelate on the Episcopal bench (the Bishop of London), he would briefly state what was the course the Government intended to pursue. The Right Rev. Pre late proposed in the 6th clause to insert certain words in order to prevent what he supposed to be a compulsory enactment upon railway proprietors to run third-class trains upon Sundays. Now, the feeling of the House no doubt was this, that although it might not be desirable to compel trains to be run on the Lord's-day, yet that it would be most unjust to the humbler classes of the public if measures were to be taken under this Act which would give an undue advantage to the wealthy— which would compel the convenience of Dives to be con sulted, whilst Lazarus was refused permission to travel. —(Hear, hear.) Now there were certainly two reasons deserving some weight why the clause, as it at present stood, should be made the subject of some considera tion. In the first place, when this Act was originally submitted to the proprietors of railways they were not led to expect that anything would appear in it under which they would be compelled to run third-class can riages on Sundays ; and secondly, there could be no doubt but that if these trains were run, Government inspectors and other persons must be compelled to break into their day of rest, in order to superintend and regulate the traffic. Under these circumstances the Go vernment had come to this decision, that nothing should appear in the Act to compel railway proprietors to run trains on Sundays ; but that if they did run such trains, they should be compelled to afford as much accommoda tion to the poor as they afforded to the wealthy.— (Cheers.) They had, therefore, prepared a clause to be introduced by way of rider to the sixth clause, as amended by the Bishop of London, and under which clause it would be enact e d th a t whenever any railway should run any train whatever upon the Sabbath-day, to such train, or to one at least of any trains so run on the day, third •class carriages should be attached. This amendment would, he hoped, entirely meet the difficulty which had been raised to the clause. Lord MONTEAGLE said the point to which he wished to call the attention of the House was, whether the accommodation and cost of travelling to the poorer classes would be equal on the Sunday with other days of the week. If that were the case, he would not say a word against the clause, but cordially support it ; but, if such were not the case, the clause was a nullity. Lord WHARNCLIFFE said he understood it was the intention of the other House of Parliament to make the cost of the third-class the same on Sundays as on the other clays of the week. He could not, conceive there would be any difference of accommodation. Lord MONTEAGLE wished the clause were more distinct. Unless some provision were made by the Le gislature, there was little doubt but the railway pro prietors would give such scanty accommodation as would force the travellers to go into the other trains. The Earl of MINTO said it would give great offence in Scotland if the trains were not allowed to run on Christmas Day and Good Friday, for neither day was observed there. It would not be right for the Legis lature to compel their observance, at least to a very in convenient extent. The Bishop of LONDON said he .would word the amendment thus—" On every week-day, and, in England, Upon Good Friday and Christmas-day."—(Hear.) The Earl of DALHOUSIE then expressed a hope that the amendment, as it now stood, would prove gene rally satisfactory. He repeated the opinion of the Noble Lord the President of. the Council, that no objection would be offered to any amendment proposed in the House of Commons, with a view to regulate the fares to be taken upon the Sundays. With regard, however, to the description of carriages to be put upon the line, he thought that was a point that would be rather dangerous to tamper with, and certainly he was not prepared to go the same length that other Noble Lords were inclined to go with reference to that particular. Undoubtedly, it was true that the third-class system had not hitherto been carried into full effect by railway proprietors, but now that the sense of Parliament and of the public was so decidedly expressed in its favour, he did hope that the companies would do all in their power to bring that system into general operation. The Earl of WICKLOW entirely agreed with Noble Lords opposite, that it was highly necessary to the prac tical working of this clause that the poor should not be subjected to higher fares or to worse accommodation upon Sundays than upon any other day of the week. Ile should think it very fair and proper to introduce words providing that all third-class carriages should contain seats, and should be protected by canvass against the weather. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE asked if the rail way companies under this clause would be enabled, if they pleased, to run on Sundays a third-class train for third-class passengers only ? Lord WHARNCLIFFE replied, that as he understood the clause, it would be perfectly open to the companies to take that course. Lord CLANRICARDE---Would they in that case be obliged to run other trains ? The Earl of DALHOUSIE thought not. Lord MONTEAGLE would add the amendment, " providing the third-class train have covering and seats." He thought that was so reasonable that nobody could object to it. The Earl of DALHOUSIE said the poor would have the superior advantage of travelling at twenty-five miles an hour on Sundays, instead of twelve miles as on the week days. The Marquis of NORMANBY did not think speed was the chief object of the poor man, who wished to get out of town for recreation. He wished that the third class trains might stop at all the stations at which the other trains stopped. The Earl of DALHOUSIE did not agree with the Noble Marquis, the effect of whose propostil would be to interfere with private property in a most peremptory and unreasonable manner, without any great State necessity for so doing. Lord COTTENHAM thought that third-class car riages should be attached to trains which stopped at every station on the particular line, and not to those which ran throughout with but few stoppages. The Earl of RADNOR did not think the clause was compulsory ; it only provided that if railway companies ran trains on a Sunday, they should have third-class car riages also. It did not compel them to run the trains on a Sunday. Lord CAMPBELLmoved that the debate be adjourned till to-morrow. The Bishop of LONDON repeated his objection to the clause which provided that third-class carriages should be run on a Sunday. Ile did not wish to prevent rail way companies from running such trains, but he could not be a party to compelling them to do so. He re minded their Lordships that although these trains pro vided the means of recreation for a great number of per sons, yet a great number of servants were obliged to be engaged in conjunction with those trains, and those persons, of course, were deprived of their Sabbath day. The Earl of MINTO said they were about to go to a vote on the faith that if the Right Rev. Prelate's amend ment were carried, a clause providing third-class car riages for passengers would be proposed. This clause, however, no one seemed to understand. Lord: MONTEAGLE thought their Lordships in justice ought to place a clause in the Bill, providing that all third-class carriages should be fitted up with seats, and should also be covered. Lord CAMPBELL thought it would be better to put an end to this kind of burly burly debate—(Laughter)— and come to a vote on the clause proposed by the Noble Lord opposite. The Earl of MINTO opposed the adjournment of the debate. . After a short conversation, the amendment was agreed to. On a clause introduced by Lord WHARNCLIFFE being put, Lord MONTEAGLE proposed, as an amendment, that the third-class carriages should be provided with seats, and protected from the weather. 'Their Lordships divided, when there appeared— For the amendment Against it Majority against the amendment The clause was then agreed to, and the Bill passed. THE STATE OF THE NAVY. The Earl of MINTO said he rose in pursuance of the notice which he had given the other evening, in relation to the state of the navy. He was quite aware of the inconvenience of introducing this topic at the present time, on account of the feverish state of mind which existed in France. No man could be more anxious than himself for the preservation of peace, and nothing should drop from him whi c h was calculated' to give umbrage to the French Governme n t. I n ca lli ng t h e i r L or d s ips' attention to the state of the navy, he begged to say that he was no advocate for large naval establishrfients in time of peace ; but there was a limit to the economy which should be practised in relation to such matters. Considering how entirely the power and interests of this country depended on the navy, it could not be deAr able to reduce it to the very low state to which it had now been brought. The confidence in peace was often disappointed when its interruption seemed least likely. In -1792, Mr. Pitt gave it as his opinion that such was the security for peace in the then circumstances of the country, that they might count with confidence on its long continuance ; yet, within a year from that period, the country entered upon the longest and bloodiest war in which it had ever been engaged. Other in stances, of a similar kind, might be cited ; a nd he thought the present aspect of affairs was not such as should induce them to feel no apprehension. There existed, unfortunately, on the part of no inconsiderable number of the French people, a feeling of no friendly nature towards this country ; and there were questions then pending which might materially affect English interests. The events which were now pending en the coast of Africa were such as it was impossible to contemplate without, at least, some degree of ap prehension. The aspect of affairs throughout the world was, in fact, such as to require some degree of preparation on the part of this country. The alarm which he felt on this subject was greatly in creased by the tone assumed by her Majesty's Govern ment, who, whenever this subject was mentioned, gave not the slightest intimation of their intention to increase the existing force, or to put the country into a state in which it would be enabled honourably to contend with a foreign Power. He could not doubt that the existence of large British fleet would have a tendency to avert the danger.--(Hear hear.) He would now state what was the present amount of the naval force of this country, which he certainly thought totally inadequate to the wants of the country, even in a state of. profound peace, much more under the circumstances to which he had re-, ferred. The whole navy of England at that period, as respected line-of-battle ships, consisted of nine ships. of these nine ships, two were upon a very distant station, one was in the West Indies, one was under orders to sail for the Pacific. They had, a short time ago, three ships of the line in their home ports ; there was a flag ship bearing the flag of the Admiral commanding at Cork ; and their ninth ship was 'the Mediterranean fleet, a Mediterranean fleet consisting of one ship-of•the-line! —(Hear, hear.) Was that, under any circumstances, a fit state of things ?—(Hear, hear.) Could their Lord ships conceive a state of things which could make it to lerable that the Mediterranean fleet should be reduced to a single ship ? He certainly felt that this was a condi tion to which the nary ought never to have been re' duced—a state of insecurity in which the country never should have been placed. It was true that the Medi terranean fleet now amounted to three ships-of-the' line, having been reinforced by two line of-battle ships, in consequence, he presumed, of the state of affairs in Morocco. Now he did complain of this state of things as a wanton sacrifice of the safety and honour of the country. Great complaints were made in 1838 of the inefficiency of the naval force at that time; but in reply to such complaints, he showed that there was as large a force available as could be re quired. It was then a time of profound peace, there was nothing to cause the least anxiety, and yet the force -was much larger than it was at the present moment , there being no less than eighteen ships of the line in commission. A Noble Friend of his (Lord Melville) complained at that time that though the force might be sufficient for the service abroad, yet there was not a sufficient reserve of ships maintained for the defence of this country. Now at that very time there were sis ships of the line in our home ports, and two more at Lisbon. There was the greatest difficulty in getting good sea: men, England was the last country in the world that ought not to be provided properly with seafaring wee- As an instance of the manner in which the English had been treated by foreign nations, in consequence of their not having a sufficient fleet, he need only advert to the, ease of Otaheite, where the Consul of this country had been treated in the most disrespectful manner. The de' position of Queen Pomare in Otaheite did not deprive the Consul of this country of the powers he possessed; and the course that had been pursued towards him er, peared a great disgrace to this country. He thougn' that the acts of violence that had taken plac e at Otaheite showed great want of perseverance ort the part of this country. Did not all these things show that some protective force ought to be kept up—one that would ensure respect and not allow this country to be made the laughing stock of the world? Il e . was satisfied that the present Ministry of France meant well, but he was doubtful of its durability. He thought that the state of the fleets of this country ought to het t . strengthened in the Mediterranean, for the purpose 0 keeping up the position which the country held in th e scale of nations. The Noble Earl concluded by moving " a return of her Majesty's ships of war (other than those reserved for harbour duty) in commission on th e 31st of July, 1844 ; and also a return of her West,' ships of war present at Otaheite from the Ist of t3eptem' ber, 1842, to the latest period to which advices have bees .received, specifying the date of the 'arrival there and de parture from thence of each ship." The Earl of HADDINGTON said the Noble Earl bad impressed on the House the sense of deep responsibility he felt in bringing forward such a question at an Mon" venient moment ; he said also that he was quite awar e of the inconvenience of the present time; he then pre; ceeded to remark in what that inconvenience consisted, and he then committed himself, on his own showing, . 1 . 1 . great impropriety, by drawing the attention of thl r Lordships to what he was pleased to call the deplorabg state of the naval defence of this country. He (Lo Haddington) was also well aware of the inconvenienc e, at the present time, of a discus s io n o f thi s nature. inconvenience should therefore make it his duty t o a b s t a i n f r om en,' observations which might at all add to that inconvee r. ence—and he should occupy their Lordships' attende; for as short a time as possible. H e s h ou ld on ly ton 'on such parts of the speech of the N o bl e Earl as thought necessary for the defence of his departinel and of her Majesty's Government. The Noble El i , said he was not for keeping up an u nne cessari l y large naval force; but that making such reduction. as might be necessary : was a very differee.: thing from what he was pleased to denominre a truckling submission. He was most anxious to huf f ., in what this truckling submission consisted. The No.'', ; Earl did not particularise, he gave no instances of !".. he merely said, that nothing could justify the reductiode, of the navy to its present state. Now he (Lord Ha d dington) had about him a return of the number of . 0 ( Majesty's ships in commission in the three yeaareuo 1339, 1840, and 1844, and the result. was t", the number of line of battle ships in commission in tin year ending July, 1840, was greater than the number _ commission in the year ending July, 1844. But th e e ", the House should remember, that at that time did were carrying on hostilities in the Mediterranean, an were bombarding the town of Acre. But this state o; things had passed away ; this country was at pres` pa o ; s , 'l 3 in a condition of profound peace, and to keep up Of, thing approaching to that establishment now, would an extravagance, which however it might be appre,, / r e o by the Admiralty, which never disliked a large I °4 afloat, her Majesty's Government would not besest l , ll ; c l in entertaining. In 1838 the Noble Lord said, they e es , eighteen line-of-battle ships in commission ; of t b ,, eo eighteen, three were . guard-ships, which were t'' be manned as fifth-rate frigates, and were, as ships, P,„,„ 0 sent to sea, perfectly useless. This reduced the eignA to fifteen ; and these fifteen were of that und e r-man class in which the Noble Earl so much delighted'i: (Hear, hear.) Those ships which were in the Mali ° , it ranean were greatly under-manned ; so muc h s o, that' was with extreme regret that he h ear d it deels,' - 60 at the time, by no less an au th or ity tr ot , Commodore Sir Charles Napi e r, that if ttb had then unfortunately gone to war ' li a f France, we should have been beaten in consequenc e o r our ships heing under-manned. Again, by the n d estimates of 1838, it appeared that the whole numh eee t ba sailors voted was 23,165. But be it observed r) number voted in the present year was 36,000.-0 1 '0e Now that was a very large peace establishment- of Noble Lord had insinuated that the present nulnbe r tee nine ships of the line was the number to whic h at be Government was determined to restrict itself. 13 ao protested against the Noble Lord's holding out t efe r the intention of the Government—that it would of be necessary, in time of peace, to exceed nine sh .. .iP s t se the line. With a great deal of what had fallen &n o r Noble Lord he was disposed to agree, as to the elq ic of ment of line-of-battle ships. Taking a general vl,urtaie the matter, he thought there ought to be a c` d the number disposable. The Noble Lord had repea te se in complaint he made on a former night as to the f o rma the Mediterranean; and he (Lord Haddington) 0 101 0 to repeat the answer he had then given to it. Th e , 00 11 Lord said the fleet in the Mediterranean consisted ros of one line-of-battle ship. Now when they were. i s li ti f sth found peace with France, and were likely to contworeon, it was by no means necessary that they should apPrnigt!s their own force in that sea to what the French„ t een' consider necessary for their interest there. -P1, 13 the possession of Algeria they had great interest i sas other side of that sea ; their principal port, Touoeneces. in the Mediterranean, and there was much mor e lthan sit y for them to have a considerable force tue,L o e ser, this country had. If they thought it necessary cise their ships there, it was no reason foLLlneet. always keeping there a force equal to it. t ` e ' res ts ; had to look to was, the protection of Brld, ll , lll ,b e v • which s ,as bad and he was not aware of any case in w s 1 , 0 s been neglected. The Noble Earl had made out , w on' a most • ira liamentary case, thouh he had made n , to venient speech—(Hear bear )— not inconvenie touisg self, for that was but a small consideration .— t i ot ob er t his motion coupled with. his speech, alleging I f u eOnV iall' s of ships at present employed as a cause: against the Government, he should ask their,l, 4 do etia a to decide the question by voting—as he should nie.v.ed self—against the production of the return re, for by the Noble Earl. The Nob; lan d I_ o. not shown that the safety of -r v s, Fran ce ' quired more, for they were at peace a an ,, ci c i o f m w i a n r g e was ven p t r w b o a u b i l d e, , i , t e w as ti t s itnaotlikell b ut that shadow_2l. ;d. n; that event, he contended, this country h! l ,r with _w os They had thirty advanced ships in ordi na ry res t 130 , 1; 1, their fittings up, and rigging, and stores , but _4 00 .. ;ht on board—wanting nothing for sea a _ a _ . e:r t the ;, though that could not be done in .rae , ha d Nor d i d effected in a comparatively short neglected the new element of destru ti .eti _ 011 _, 4 - 1 0 . tea eo ra ns ; were building new war steamers, and main b ptli ate progress in erecting steam z