The Sun. — London, England, 1845-04-22 00:00:00

ea would bear testimony to the ability and assiduity with which his Noble Friend Lord Dalhousie had inves- Ttzgated the questiene submitted to the C,mmittee under his management.—(Hear.) The imperfection of the made in which railway Bill; were investigated an the House, where the subject was but little understood, was admitted upon all bands. In l8:39, a Committee was appointed, the result of which was the recom mendation to refer all railway Bills in the first instance to a Committee of the Board of Trade. The members of the Board of Trade were subjected to the strong suspicion that they had encouraged gambling speculations, by communicating information to certain parties who had speculated in railroads. Now, he would take that opportunity of declaring explicitly and solemnly, that no member of the Railway Board had either directly or indirectly conveyed to any person interested in par ticular railway schemes any information of what the decisions of the Board of Trade were likely to be, till after" he decisions were publicly made known. The Honourable Gentle man referred to the change of value which had 'taken place in the London and York and Cambridge lines. Why, that was the result of speculations on the Stock Ex sehange, totally uninfluenced by anything that transpired from the Board of Trade. There were three competing lines, and two of them had coalesced, not in consequence of any sugges tion from the Board of Trade, but (as he suppo.ed ) from the consideration that it would be their interest. This having be liaised the reports two months before the meeting of Parliament. Now, they said that it was not intended that the report ehould have any effect upon the value of shares. Why, then, was it published in the Gazette?—( Hear.) What other effect would the publication have, but to raise some shares and depress others? And the fact was so. It was known that shares which had been at a discount rose to a premium, and others which had been at a premium fell to a discount. If this depart ment of the Board of Trade was to exist, he thought the Go vernment ought to give it a Parliamentary and Legislative character, and not the picked up one it at present had. If the House was to place it under some legislative con troal, he had no objection to its existence.—( Hear. ) Colonel SIBTHORP believed that the Board that had been constituted on the subject of railways, which he destested— (Laughter)--was most unconstitutional, and led to more gambling transactions than any institution that had ever been introduced into the country.—( Hear, hear.) They were worse than the gambling transactions that took place during the time of the rage for lotteries.—(Cheers.) He was not sure whether the people had not gone more mad on the subject of railroads than they had with respect to 1 tteries.—( Hear, hear.) At least it was enough for him to say that his experience, and that was not small, justified him in asserting that on no sulsjeut had he ever seen so much foolery displayed or so much money squandered.—( Hear, hear.) He apprehended that the most serious consequences would result f one these schemes, and that they would ultimately tend to the inj ur y of every good proposition.—( Hear, hear, and laughter.) For himself, he was glad to confess that he was free of railways—( Laughter) —and he had always been of lotteries.—(Laughter.) He meant to keep so. He thought that in most cases the opinion of the Board of Trade with respect to railways had been, if not most erroneous, at least defective—(Cheers. ) He believed that the gentlemen who formed the Committee on railways in the Board of Trade were men of the highest in tegrity—( Hear, hear)—but if the Hon. Member who had brought forward the resolution had made a motion impeae ing the Government for appointing such a Board he would have supported him.—(Hear, hear.) It might be con sidered selfish on his part, but he must confess he should like to see every Member of that House brought to the table, and asked upon his solemn oath whether or not he was connected with railways ?—( Hea-, hear.) If he thought railroads would benefit the public, no man would be more forward thin himself to support them; but, believing that they would have an opposite effect, ha would most deter minedly and strenuously oppose the motion.—( Hear. ) Mr. BERSAL considered that great gratitude was due to the Hon. Member for Finsbury, in bringing forward the present motion, as he thought that great benefit would result to the public from it. Much had been said on the constitution of the Committee on the Board of Trade on railroads—he would not say much on that subject.—( Hear, hear, and laughter.) How that experiment would turn out it was impossible for him to say, but he would express a hope that it would be success ful, and that the railway projects it had approved of would be carried out.—(Hear, hear.) But at the same time he ceu'd mot but express a hope that the enormous speculations that were now going on with respect to other lines would be put an end to ; because it must be apparent to all that in the speculations that were taking place, nobody contemplated as they ought to de the ruin that was likely to ensue from such speculations.—( Hear.) He did not augur so favourably of this experiment as others thd. He wondered how the Board of Trade were enabled to do even what they had done. The Hon. Gentleman then proposed an amendment, that an humble address be presented to Her Majesty, that she may be pleased that all documents and statements relating to any railway Bill or project be laid before this House, and that the proposals of every such Bill should be presented to the House, and that the coun sel and agents connected therein should have leave to inspect all such statements and documents. Lord HOWICK agreed with his Pon Friend that they would he greatly indebted to the Hon. Member for Finsbury for bringing this motion before the House, as it was one of great importance and ought to be well considered. He agreed with the reasons which had been assigned by Hon. Gentlemen for not pressing the original motion of the Hon. Member far Fins bnry, as he (Lord Howick) was of opinion that the Hon. Gen tleman had not correctly read the standing order which he wished to have rescinded. He thought that the offer which had been made by the Right Hon. Baronet opposite to lay these documents before the House would be a most valuable concession, and one which his Hon. Friend shouhl be perfectly satisfied with. The Right Hon. Gentleman the late President of the Board of Trade said, that it was premature to dismiss tho manner in which the duties of the Board of Trade should be performed. He ( Lord Howick) thought that the reports of the Board of Trade were calculated to carry great weight with them, and a great deal of injustice would be done by their entertaining any prejudices again-t any party. And, in order to do away with such injustice, they should care ully look to the conduct of the Board. There was no blame to be attached to any individual member of the Board. There was no doubt that they had performed the duties entrusted to them ; and he would go further, and say that they had shown considerable diligence and ability in the performance of those duties. But, notwithstanding that, he was bound to add that those ditties had not been satisfactorily performed—not from their fault, but because they had imposed on them duties which it was physically impossible for them to perform.— Now, without casting any blame on any individual officer, it was proper for their own sakes that this question should be brought distinctly before the House. He would take this op. portunity of saying that the manner in which the reports wore drawn up, and the result of their inquiries, were entirely un satisfactory. With regard to carrying on proceedings in the Board of Trade, they were told that the Board of Trade had received statements from the parties concerned, and that the opposing parties had not had submitted to them the statements of the opponents. They had no opportunity of pointing out the errors fallen into by their opponents, or their misstatements or misrepresentations. Interviews had taken place, in which only one party was heard. Was this a proceeding which was likely to succeed in eliciting the fasts of the case? How was it possible that the Board of Trade, re ceiving statements them certain parties, not exposed to the scrutiny and examination of those against whom they were directed—how was it possible that they could correct the errors and ascertain the misrepresentations contained in tho e statements? And if they looked into those reports they would find that there were direct and palpable blunders in point of fact of serious importance. Ile would not go through many instances of the kind. There was a petition en the table com plaining of the Board of Trade, with reference to their pro ceedings in connexion with the South-Eastern Railway. In this petition there was a distinct allegation of material errors fallen into by the Board of Trade ; and the parties were so confident that they could prove those errors, that all they asked was, that they should be allowed to have the matter referred back to the Board of Trade. The Hon. Member for that part of the country (the Member for Maidstone) made a motion to that effect; but the Right Hon. Member the President of the Board of Trade declined all discussion on that point. The Board of Trade in that instance, in comparing two different lines, stated that one line had considerably heavier earth work than the other, but it was capable of proof that that line which was represented as being of heavier work was actually much easier. It had also been stated in the petition that the Board of Trade had recommended a certain line in consequence of the cheapness of the fare, but at the same time forgot to state in the report that another company had offered to bring the fares still lower. These were facts which it was essentially necessary to point out to the considera tion of the House for its guidance in the adoption of Railway Bills. They had pointed out to them two circumstances which should be particularly attended to. The first was— when a lot g line of railway ran into one having a short tr ,ffic, as such junctions produced fearful collisions, and was attended with great danger, there was a recommendation from the House that a statement of that fact should be given by the Beard whenever it occurred. There was another objection—railways passing a public road ; and it was a stand ing order that every case of that kind should be distinctly pointed out to the House, as it was considered most essential to the public safety. But, notwithstanding these recommenda tions, in the South-Eastern schemes, where there existed 25 crossing, of public roads, including in these crossings four in the town of Deptford, none of these facts were ever noticed or pointed out by the Board of Trade. He held in his hand a railway communication from Scotland, in which it was begged to direct the attention of the Committee to a level passing over a road which might be considered one of the most public streets of Glasgow. These were omissions of material facts, which made the reports of the Board of Trade most unsatisfactory, and most unfit to direct the judgment of the House. He could not help observing, on coming to look at several of their reports on railway Bills, that they were, as in the cases just mentioned, perfectly inconsistent with each other. What in one case they deemed a matter of the greatest importance, in other cases they over passed without the slightest notice. They very often decided right, but it generally happened that every point which made against the railway which they recom mended, and in favour of that to which they objected, was en tirely kept in the back-ground, and on the other hand every thing which could be urged in favour of the line, and against those who objected to it—every such point was placed in the strongest light in which it was possible for an able arrangement to put it. These were the inconsistencies contained in the reports of the Board of Trade, and they might be thus accounted for, for he found in the minutes which were laid upon the table, that the general nature of their decisions showed that they came to those decisions long before they made their reports. The usual course was to publish the announcements of the proposed lines in the Gazette, and when the Board of Trade had announced their dei ision, they went on to other cases, and then drew up their report. and it did so happen that in many such cases those in favour of the line carried it; and, therefore, the Board of Trade were naturally induced, in the absence of all opposition, to report in favour of that line, and it followed that the Committee reported in the same way. The Board of Trade must, in all instances, bear in mind the statements they had received, and on these alone should they make their reports. He was the more convinced flit this was the fact because he found that in one of the ceses reported on by the Board of Trade, that report was founded upon a speech made by a shareholder at a meeting entirely in favour of a certain line.—( Hear.) Therefore, he would say, that he did think that the grounds he had stated warranted him in coming to the conclusion that the reports of the Board of Trade had been framed in the fallacious manner he had endeavoured to describe. However, he was willing to admit that the blame did not rest quite so much upon the Board of Trade as had been imagined, for the officers of that Board had re peatedly stated, that it was physically impossible for them to sift out from the vast mass of evidence before them, suffi cient facts to warrant them in coming to a satisfactory cenelu sion upon any particular case. On these grounds, then, he would say, that it was wrong in some measure to make the Board of Trade subservient to that House. He did not mean to say that there were not faults to be found elsewhere, but be the fault where it might, greater care should be observed in matters where the public interests were deeply concerned and that the views of the Board of Trade should not be hastily or rashly token up by the House or the Committees of the House. And he would also contend for it that the House should not entrust the Beard of Trade te ith such an amount of power and responsibility as they had hitherto exercised. The House should have proceeded much more cautiously and guardedly than they had (lone in such projects. It they intended to make such changes as had been s ingested by his Hon. Friend, the sooner they withheld a portion of the authority now vested in the Board of Trade the better, for it was preposterous to sup pose that it ever could have been contemplated to invest the amountthat hadas that hitherto whi ch be t h e y Board of Trade with the power of the disposal of property of th suche a c ovuarastene db. by From the no p w urs c u n r i i ( Cl Y Board of Trade, it had would appear that the House been framing rules and regulations to very little purpose, because the Vice. President of that Board had ae rnitted that they had gone much further in the exercise of their functions than the Leel should, but at the same time " tha ati e had ever intended they state,' that the Board had found i t s, • Right HOD. Gentleman had the line marked out by the Legislature.lpossible not to go beyond reply that there was a limit of authority To this he would House to ail Boards and Committees conceded by the beyond which they should not go. l a r pi: h o e mteg id by e the House, regulations then all he could say was that tl y ris Hourhad d these snaking rules to very little pureose. He ( Lord Ho e witk been ) con ceived that the duty of a Committee on all subjects • con nected with railway matters was to weigh well the rea sons laid before them that would warrant them in reporting in favour of the line ; and to report accordingly tot, House. On these grounds then, he would say, that he cordially concurred in the mo'ien of the Hon. Member for Finsbury, and hoped that the House would concur in making the necessary amendments in the present system. Lord G. SOMERSET said he entirely concurred with the Noble Lord opposite, in so far as the present business of the House in ralway questions should not be transferred to any other tribunals, but at the same time he should say, that he ,sever consider the *Wow of the %Um Cvaugittees come known on the Stock Exchange, it was naturally conjec tursd that such coalition would strengthen their claim before Parliament and the Board of Trade, and this would account tar the rise in the value of their shares. The Hon. Gentleman hall gone at great length into the reason for the Board of Trade living a preference to the Direct Northern Railway and the Cambridge and Lincoln Railway over the London and York Iteilway. The reports of the Board of Trade had not been laid before the House with a view of binding the House, but merely for the purpose of supplying neces rary information, and for the purpose of putting the tio . use in possession of the opinion of the Board of Trade, after an examination had been male by them into the schemes upon which they offered their opinion. These reports were net to prejudice the interests of private individuals, who would have full and ample opportunity before the Committee of sup- Toning their views, and of contesting the opinion given by the Board of Trade. The decision upon the various schemes was left entirely to the Committees of that House. The Com mittees of the House had dealt with reports that came before them in such a way as they conceived they were called upon by the evidence before them • but some allowance should be made for the great number of Bills that were brought before them every day, when Hon. Members intended to find fault with those decisions. Under those circumstances, he did think that, in furtherance of the views of that House, he would not be unreasonable in asking the Hon. Member to define the cases of which he had to complain. He understood that a charge had been made against the Board of Trade, of which he was a member, that the reports of the Railway Department of that Board were not sent before the Select Committees on the Bills. He (Sir G. Clerk) should have thought that the Hon. Member for Finsbury, before making these t harges, had well ascertained the reality on which lie foun.ted his accusation. He would, with the per mission of the House, read to that Hon. Member the standing order upon this subject, It would be found at page ?5, and was to this effect, that every report made by the Board of Trade should be referred to the Committee on the Bill, to which it had reference. Under these circumstances, he trusted that the House would give the experiment a fair trial before they consented to any of the alterations or improvements sug gested by the Hon. Member. He trusted,. before the House gave their opinion upon the question, that they would wait and see what were the opinions of the Committee upon the sub ject. He opposed the motion of the Hon. Member for Finsbury. Mr. LABOUCHERE thought the mature of the standing order had been somewhat misunderstood by his Hon. Friend the Member for Finsbury, as well as by the Right Hon. Gen tleman who had just sat down. With regard to the reports of the Board of Trade, he was not prepared to say whether they ere really deserving of credit or not ; but of this there could be no doubt—they would receive the strict scrutiny of a com mittee of that House, whose report would be laid on the table before the end of the session, when they would be able to say positively whether the reports of the Board of Trade were de serving the consideration of the House or not. On that around be was not prepared to support the motion of his Hon. Friend. At the same time, he did not regret that his Honourable Friend had brought the question before the House, for however ready he might be to admit the ta lent and abilities of Lord Dalhousie, an t the other members of the Railway Department of the Board of Trade, there was no doubt the Board had committed serious mistakes and errors. In his opinion. a great error was committed in the constitu tion of the Railway Board. It was an anomaly in the constitu• tion, and in his opinion it would have been much better if the 111 Awl of Trade had taken the authority and responsibility on itself. He hoped, therefore, Government would give the sub j their best consideration, and see whether some alteration could not be made in the present machinery of the Board of Trade,. so far as it related to railway matters. It appeared to him that the Railway Department bad, in some measure, mistaken the objects for which they were appointed. What was the object? It was this. They were told last year that railway legislation had reached that point when it was necessary to establish a tribunal to go into matters connected with railways, which could not, by any possibility, or without incurring vast and un necessary expense, he brought before a Committee of the House of Commons. Accordingly, powers were given to the Board of Trade to establish a tribunal of this nature, but it was in tended that the Railway Department of the Board of Trade should be instrumental in affording information to the Com. mittees. and not that the Railway Department of the Board of Trade should take upon itself to pronounce a peremptory de cision upon any scheme which might be laid before them. In stead, however, of this being the case, he could not help re marking that this fault run through all their reports, namely, that they had adopted a peremptory and decisive tone. In some instances the Board appeared to have entered into certain arrangements with particular companies, for he found, in some of their reports, that one consideration for their reportin g in favour of such and such a scheme was, that the company had undertaken to charge low rates of fares. Now this was cer tainly an important principle, but the Railway Board had failed to apply it to all railways alike. For instance, in the case of the Great Western Railway, no considerations of this nature appeared to have guided the Board in forming their conclu sions respecting the branches promoted by that company, not withstanding it already possessed a large and powerful mo• nopoly, which in some respects militated against the wish of the public. With regard to the motion before the House, he certainly did think it would be most unwise and injudicious to pass a standing order in one session and repeal it in the next. Mr. GLADSTONE hoped the House would agree in the construction put upon the motion by the Right Hon. Gentle man who had just resumed his seat, because they now stood in this position—every one of these reports had been laid upon the table of the House ; some of them had actually been re ferred to Committees, and others were about to be referred, and it was impossible they could be of any value whatever in guiding those Committees if they rescinded the standing order in question. Generally speaking, he considered these reports were valuable documents, in so fir as they opened the imme diate question which each Committee would have to discuss. He therefore submitted whether, at the present moment, it would not be exceedingly injudicious to make any arrangement which should withhold these reports from the consideration of the Committee. He regretted exceedingly that the standing order in question was not passed through the House till 3o late a period of the last session, but at the some time he must protest against the assertions which some Hon. Members had made, that the order was smuggled through the House. The subject generally extended over the whole session, for he believed the first motion made was for a Select Committee to inquire into the best mr'e of railway legislation. That Com mittee was immediately afterwards appointed, and, so soon as its labours we re brought to a close, a Bill was framed and brought in, founded upon the report. He entertained a very different opinion to that of the Right Hon. Gentleman who last addressed the House respecting the appointment of the railway department of the Board of Trade. It was quite impossible for the Board to have taken the duties and functions of the Railway Board upon itself, because its duties and sphere of action was already sufficiently extended without adding to it. Then, again, the a- s o:ointment of the Railway Department of the Board was purely of an experimental character, and if errors had been committed, they were errors of a remedial tendency, but, at all events, without the assistance of such a Board, it would have been quite impossible for Government to have got through the vast mass of railway business which bad sprung up within the last six months.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") He thcught that the Hon. Member for Finsbury was prejudg ing a question which wes not yet in a fit state for decision.- 4 Hear.) 'f he Hen. Gentleman said that they ought to have hinited a certain company to a maximum of charges. But it appeared to the Board of Trade, that the case in question was not cue to which the principle of a maximum ought to be ap plied; nor, indeed, could the principle apply equally in all cases. Every case should be considered on its own peculiar circumstances; and in some cases it would be for the advantage of the public to fix a maximum of charges, whereas in others there could be no limitation without a risk of putting an end to the works altogether. On the whole, he thought the House ought not to prejudge the question as to the efficiency of the railway department of the Board of Trade. It had been ad mitted that their reports were drawn up with great ability, and although he did not agree with them in all their de tails, he thought it would be unwise to interrupt their progress, after all the inconveniences had been gone thought, and the House was about to reap the advantages.— ( Hear.) He thought that nothing would be more unwise than 'at this moment of time to attack the reports as a whole, in con sequence of alleged errors in respect to a particular line ; and it was admitted that any errors which had been committed were errort , of judgment, no malversation being alleged. He thought that any allusion to the reports on particular lines— such for instance as the London and York—ought to be avoided at the present time, when the reports were going into very stringent examination in the Committees, where they would be subject to the hostile scrutiny of wealthy parties.— ( Hear.) There could be no doubt that when the reports were against the justice of the case they would be rejected. He thought that it would be dangerous to go into the subject at t h i s moment—and he world not express a wish that the House would rejsct the motion, but that the Hon. Gentleman would withdraw it.—( Hear, hear. ) Mr. GISBOHNE could not aeree with the defence set up by the Right Hon Gentleman who last spoke, for the conduct of the Railway Committee of the Board of Trade. The re» ports of that department were the lastpatch our patchwork of railway legislation. The Roar I f Trade had volunteered to do that patchwork. In t he e v idence before the Committee of last session all the wit the Board of Trade stated that they alone could do this bull ' : andwo wo u ld engross beieved the con sequence would be that the Boar " g belie u v ld d engross the whole power of railway legislation. He judgments e of w C ou o l m d m fo i ll t o te w es th o e f would have great influence on thethat the reports the House, and that in all doubtful eases they advice of the Board of Trade. But was the manner n' the Word detpatched the busi ness sufficient to a e n n a tT . Tle t heta which wra to th a t eo- fidecce a —(The lion. Me m b er t h en quoted from a re. cently-pubii-hed pamphlet a statement to th e effect (rat the Railway Committee of the Board having 2,500 Bills before them in s eptember, made up their judgment upon inspection of plans and examination of surveyors statements, and then pub lished the official report in November.) The ingenuity of man could scarcely devise a more certain means of error.—( A laugh.) They did not hesitate to decide against the general pt in ciple of competing lines.—( No, no,) But the fact was that the public were already deriving the advantage from the fear of c ompetition—in reduced fares and improved accommodation— so much, that we heard very little now of the complaints which were so general a year ago. He could not approve either of their decision respecting the ompelsion of parties to complete their line;, whette w they could or not.—( Hear, hear.) There was one line, now in existence ten yeas, which had been able to advance no farther than thirty miles from want of public sup port. According' to the Board of Trade, that company s hould be compelled to go on, though they might sell to a richer com pany able to carry on the works. If they offered the line fir sale they would be in the condition of the negro pig- dealer.— ( A laugh.) The negro offered his pig for sale to a white, who would not have it because it was a little one.—(A laugh.) " Yee, masts," says the negro, " him be little, but him (1-- Laughter. ) He thought the statement of t e Railway Committee on another matter was quite as funny.—( A laugh.) They stated that of two lines to Harwich, which they called A and B, they preferred A ; but as there was a Peer in con ' lir - ley sent to the Admiralty, and the Ad lid not say whether by a porter, or wred line B. The Board of Trade laying seen how the Board did to pains they took to arrive at a righ. ' to tie ;ilt 'top. Ike {lob M A YNO. Mr. S. CRAWFORD said OT that he had given notice that, at some future stage of the Maynooth Bill, he would move a resolution against all State grants for Ecclesiastical purposes ; but he found that he could not do so at any stage f the Bill until it was reported by the Committee, when would do so. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 22, 1845. or of the Board of Trade, as binding upon that House. He (Lord G. Somerset) was willing to admit that he had been in error in reference to some technical paints, and, therefore, he would wish to know whether it was the in tention of the Hon. Member for Fin-bury to press his motion. He (Lord G. Somerset) understood that the Hon. Member intended to withdraw it : if not, he ( Lord G. Somerset) should certainly say he had a great objection to it. Mr. H AWES sad he had read one of the reports of the Board of Trade with considerable care--- ( ie alluded to the report on the S •uth- Eastern schemes. A more inaccurate and more careless document had never issued from any public body ; and yet they had been told that these documents were intended to guide the decisions of the 110115 e. Why such documents would only mislead the House. The Board of Trade had assumed the position of advocates and partisans. What was contained in the circular letter that had been issued to the Parliamentary agents? There was one part of that circular which the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite hail entirely omitted to notice. The passage to which he (Mr. Hawes) referred was as follows—"I am directed by the L•rds of the Committee of the Privy Coun cil for Trade to call your attention to the course of proceeding with regard to railway Bills intrusted to your care, which will become necessary in order to give effect to the supervision of the Board of Trade over such Bills during their progress through Parliament." Why was it intended that the Board of Trade should have the supervision of railway Bills, when they were before Par liament? He would be glad to have this matter examined into. By the existing arrangement of the Board of Trade, parties who wished to submit information to the Board, pending an inquiry, were prevented doing so. It was quite clear that such a tribunal as that, acting, as it necessarily must, with great precipitation, could never give satisfaction. It might he said to those who objected to the Board of Trade, " What other course would you propose ?" He did not think it was necessary to answer that question. He thought that there was great objection to the transfer of the business of that House to a Government Department or Board. Another objection which he had to the Board of Trade was, that they did not make any reference to the locomotive system on railways, as compared with the atmospheric system, as in the case of the Newcastle and Berwick railway. Altogether, he thought the functions of the Board of Trede were most objectionable. Mr. BECKETT DENISON said he had been averse to taking any part in this discussion, simply because the London and York Railway, in which he took considerable interest, had been reported against. He would, therefore, reserve much of what he had to say until after the Committee on the Bill had completed its labours. He bad the most perfect confidence that the Committee would do justice to all parties, and if that Committee should come to the same conclusion as the Board of Trade he would be one of the first to bow to that decision. His Hon. Friend the Member for Finsbury hod .nade a pointed allusion to a conversatii.n which his Hon. Friend the Member for Finsbury had had with him (Mr. Dennison). He cer tainly had said that he was in a condition to prove that four days before the Gazette came out respecting the London and York Railway, it was very generally circulated in the City, and letters went into the country conveying the intelligence that the London and York Railway would be reported against, that the Cambridge and Lincoln would be reported of favour ably, and t at the Direct Northern would also partially be reported in favour of. When this was mentioned to him he said the latter part of the story was a most extraordinary one ; that the Direct Northern, which professed to be seven miles shorter than the London and York line, should be cut off at Lincoln. Why did that company make such an arrangement if they had not previously known what was to be the decision of the Board of Trade? It was quite clear that they had some foreknowleige of the fact. He was quite ready to prove what he had stated to his Hon. Friend. He was ready to produce persons at that bar who would state that they were in possession of this knowledge on the Saturday preceding the Gazette which announced the decision of the Board. He could easily understand this, because by going to the Board of Trade, and putting questions, the answers to them might give a hint as to the coming decision. He had been in communication repeatedly with the officers of the B iard of Trade, and he could safely state that he never went further than to lodge a statement with them, and he, considered it to be his duty never to ask a single question re specting either the London and York Railway, or any other railway which the Board might have under their considera- I He was upon the Railway Committee that sat last year, and which recommended that Railway Bills should be sent to the Board of Trail'. His Right Hon. Friend the President o; the Board of Trade had stated meet accurately that it never was the intention of that Committee that the Board of Trade should rule the decision of that House. He believed, however, that the Board of Trade had far ex ceeded the duty which had been intrusted to them. He could prove that the report respecting the London and York Railway was inconsistent with itself, as there were contradictions in various parts of it. He therefore said that it would have been much better if the Bor.rd had confined itself to considering the written statements which had been sent in to them by the pro moters of the different lines. He believed that conversations had been held with the Board of Trade, by which a knowledge could be obtained respecting the decision that was about to be made. He thought that the Gazette, which contained the decisions of the Board of Trade, for or against a railway, ought to be accompanied simultaneously with the report of the reasons for their decision. After the report ap • peered in the Gazette, it was customary for parties who had been reported against to make representations to the Board, to induce them to make some alteration in their reasons for coming to the decision which had been announced in the Gazette. Ile said that it was not fair or just. The report of the Boat d had in many instances been compiled from state men's which had been submitted by the favoured or success ful parties. He had been in conversation with a gentleman with respect to one of tl.ose reports, and upon his doubting its a...curacy the gentleman replied, " Oh, de not doubt it, for I drew it up myself."—( Laughter.) The Board of Trade there fore were c , mpelled to become the advocates for or against a railway. Now with respect to the fu tore proceei'le gs of this Bill he should take the liberty of suggesting a mode by which a great deal of dissatis faction which existed with respect to the Board of Trade, might in future be prevented. He thought the Board of Trade might perform the duty of the Classification Committee, and refer in groups, to the Committees of that House, the various railways that came before them. He believed that if their functions were confined to this they would give satisfaction, but this not being the case, his cenvieron was that the reports, as they were at present drawn up, would, in many instances , puiale the Members sitting on a Committee, and render them no assist ance whatever. Sir G. STRICKLAND said he believed that the Committees of that House, to whom the management of Railway Bills was referred, had done their best to lay down rules by which an in justice might net be done immediately. He was sorry, how ever, to think thst both landed . proprietors and speculators in railways had received great injustiee by means of the legi-- lation of that House. The effect of the reports of the Board of Trade, instead of lessening that ii.justice, had greatly aggra vated it; and he trusted the House would, before they seea rated, rc-con-ider their rules and regulations, with a view to their revision. The Board of Trade had lost sight of the public interest in their decisions.—( Hear, hear. ) The Railway Board had favoured small schemes, which cut up the country without showing any regard for the interests of the landed proprietors, and which would never pay any profits. He would support the amendment of his Hon. Friend below him, and he hoped that after this session the reports of the. Board of Trade would be entirely put an end to, or that it would be differently constituted. Mr. G. BANKES said that he had come to the conclusion respecting the Bonet of Trade which the Hon. Gentleman who hat just sat down had come to. The reports of the Board of Trade had favoured the large companies who possessed so much influence, and those persons who felt themselves injured by their proceedings could not obtain attention to their com plaints. He thought the Board of Trade had greatly exceeded the powers which it was the intention of Parliament to give them. He lately saw a re port of the Great Western Company, in which they stated that the Board of Trade sanctioned art agreement between their company and another company ; but he bad never thought that that Holies had constituted that Board a board of reference. ft was evident that they were assuming to themselves a regular and permanent authority. He begged leave to call the atten tion of the House to one case of considerable hardship which had been already brought forward in another place. It was the case of a lady of rank and fortune, but, unfortunately fcr her, she was opposed to a powerful company, who had said that they could command 100 votes in that House. She re monstrated against a railroad passing, within 100 yards of her maroion,• and expressed her dislike at it S but the day after the agent or'surveyor of the company called on one of her tenants, and on his declaring that he would be guided by this lady, this agent or surveyer induced him to sign a paper, giving his consent, on the representation that this lady had assented to the railway, which was contrary to the fact.—( Hear, bear.) Now, he believed there were many cases of that kind. And in the instance he had mentioned, when a remonstrance was made, she was told that she must get used to railways as other persons.—(" Hear," f.om Colonel Sibthorp.) In the case of another person who had to deal with this very company, when he found no other means to avail him, he took up the surveyor under the Wilful Trespass Act, and had him fined 51. —(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") He thought that the Board of Trade had too much power, and he should vote for the amendment. Mr. COLQUHOUN said that it was rather surprising that not a single Member had risen during that debate to bear his testimony in favour of the Board of Trails, except, indeed, the Vice-President of that department—( Hear who, however, only ask of them to suspend their judgment till after the reports. He thought that there ought to be either a preliminary inquiry into the subject, fur he had doubts whether the Board of Trade was not unwisely constituted. He thought it gave an impulse to dangerous and imprudent speculations and to call on the House to say they were sati,fied with the RailwarDepartment of the Board'of Trade as at present consti tuted was unreasonable. He would vote for the amendment which had been proposed. Mr. 'l'. DUNCOMBE replied. He would withdraw his own motion in favour cif the amendment of his Hon. Friend the Member for Weymouth, which was ane of the resolutions he intended to propose himself to-morrow. He should like to get an answer from the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite (Sir G. Clerk) to the question which had been already put tohim— namely, what was meant by the power of supervision given to the Board of Trade over the reports of Committees or that House? What right haul the railway department of the Board of Trade to send for documents to Parliamentary agents, relating to particular lines? When they had laid their report on the table of that House their functions had ceased, and they had no right to further interference—they had no right he repeated to interfere with Committees of that House in any manner any such interference or supervision was an imp ertinent assumption of authority, which the Legislature never intended they should possess. Throughout the discussion not one Member had attempted to defend the course pursued by the Board of Trade. On the contrary, it clearly appeared that these reports were of no more value than the paper on which they were written. The Right Hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade ( Sir G. Clerk) had attempted to defend them, and he could say very little for them. Great alarm and jealousy had been excited in the public mind by these reports, the worthlessness of which was now fully ascertained. The business of the house had been thrown back a full month by w aiting for these reports. He felt obliged to the Hon. Member for Weymouth for his amendment, which he would adopt, and withdraw the original resolutiou. Sir GEORGE CLERK said that, with respect to the super vision, it was recommended by the Committee of the House, in which that department of the Board of Trade had origi nated. One duty of supervision was to consider the various schemes presented; the other to point out to the House the introduction of any new clauses which might affect the public interest. Ihe communication of the Board of Trade with the Parliamentary agent was necessary to prevent clauses of an extraordinary na ure being introduced into the Bills. Mr. DUNCOM BE wished to know what right the Board of Trade had to give such directions to Parliamentary agents? ( Hear, hear.) If orders had to be communicated they ought to issue from that House, and not from the Board of Trade— ( Hear, hear ) In point of fact, they had no right whatever to issue such orders—( Hear, hear.) The original resolution was then withdrawn, and the amend ment put, and carried without a division. Eastern rn W c A o ß un D tie p s res i i a n i t l e sc d ay tw , o ai p ai eti a t n io o n th s, er on a e in gai.ns f t av t o h u e r E o as f te th rn e Union Railway. Mr. LAW gave notice that, in Conirnittee on the Maynooth Bill, when the question was put as to whether the approprii lion should be made out of the Consolidated Fond, he would move that the sevoral sums payable for that purpose should not be paid by the Commissioners of the Treasury out of the Consfilideed Fund.—( Hear, hear.) FIELD GARDENS BILL.—THE GAME LAWS. Mr. BRIGHT said that when the Field Gardens Bill was in Committee he would move a clause empowering the holders of allotments to snare and destroy game.—(Laughter.) Lord GRANIFILLE SOMERSET, in answer to a question from Mr. Morris, said he would, on Thursday next, move a resolution respecting the Railway Act, which would quite meet his views. MAYNOOTH ENDOWMENT BILL. On the motion that the order of the day for going into Corns mittee on this Bill being read, Sir ROBERT INGLIS rose and said—l trust I shall be excused for calling the attention of the House to one or two observations—(Cries of " Petitions")—l am quite in order—tte question is that the order of the day be now read. I trust I may be excused for calling the attention of the House to the clock.— ( Laughter. ) I ask, whether it would be right or decorous to commence so important a measure at the present hour. — ( Hear, hear.) The question at issue is whether the consoli dated fund is to ba charged in perpetuity with a considerable amount for maintaining the College of Maynooth.—(Hear, hear.) I certainly will resis t th e d iscussion being gone in to at the present hour, but hope I shall not be put to the neces sity of dividing the House, and that her Majesty's Ministers will see the justice of what I propose.—( Cries of " Go on.") It is now a quarter past ten o'clock, and is it, I ask again, a proper time to go on with a Bill of so much magni tude, and upon which the House and the country feel so deeply interested? He hoped the Ministry would not, trusting to a mere numerical majority, object to the post poneepent.—( Hear, hear.) Sir R. PEEL rose amid loud cries of "Go on." I sin cerely regret that my Hon. Friend makes any objection to our proceeding with this stage of the Bill to-night.—( He ar, hear. ) I did not expect that,:beginning the discussion at so late an hour, the House would come to any decision to-night. I cer tainly understood from the Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Ward ), that he would not bring forward the motion after ten o'clock.—( Hear, hear.) I will net give my Hon. Friend the Member for the University of Oxford ( Sir R. Inglis) any ad vantage over me, by saying that I hurried or attempted to press forward this measure. At the same time I repeat that con cerning the measure now introduced, and which has received the sanction of the House in so decided a manner, I consider it to be one of vital importance, and that. n.ehing shall he wanting on my part to bring it to a successful issue.—(Cheers.) It was a question of great importance to the public, and he would throw no obstacle in the way of its speedy settlement. He would, however, in the fufilment of a pledge given by h m to a Scottish deputation, proceed upon Friday to state the measure which the Government intended to introduce with respect to banking in Scotland. He now regretted having given that pledge, but he trusted that the House would agree in reserving any discussion upon it until a later period. This question might be taken on Wednesday, but Government, at the same time, had not the power of compelling Gentlemen who had notices on the paper to postpone them for another day. It they were, however, willing to waive their right to precedence, he should be perfectly ready to allow the subject to be at once brought forward, but it they were unwilling to yield that right, he would bring it forward immediately after the statement on Friday. He was most anxious, feeling the great importance of the measure, to bring it to a speedy conclusion. Mr. HINDLEY thought the Hon. Member for Sheffield would be injuring his own cause if he gave way on this occasion. Those who opposed the Government on that ques tion had been charged with bigotry. He (Mr. Hindley) thought they bad an equal right to charge the other aide with robbery. —( Hear, hear, cheers, and laughter.) He was obliged to support his own chapel and to endow his own odlege —( Hear, hear)—and he asked what right the Government had to put their hands into the pockets of the Dissenters of this country. He did not wish to speak ciisrespectfully of his Roman Catholic fellow-subjects, and at all times, in that House, lie had promoted with his influence, and by his vote, the cause of the Irish people--the cause of the Roman Catholics. He meant their civil rights, but he thought it extremely uncivil— (Laugh'er)—when they wished in return to put their hands into his pocket. Sir R. PEEL hoped that no discussion would be raised upon a question not bsfoee the House. Lord HOWICK expressed his sorrow that the question would not then he taken.—( Hear, hear.) He would suggest one thing to the Right Hon. Baronet. The Right Hon. Baronet hail informal the House that he meant to begin and end upon Friday his exposition of the Scotch banking measure. He ( Lord Howiek ) could not help suggesting to the Right Hon. Ba:onet that the gentlemen of Seotlind would be willing to relieve him .of any necessity for bringing the measure for ward—( Hear, hear)—and if he postponed it till another ses sion, it would not disagreeably disappoint them.—( Hear, bear. ) He could not help thinking that the measure might, with great benefit, be considered next session, after the House had had a little experience of the acting of the Right Hon. Baronet's measure in England. Such a course would, he was convinced, facilitate the passing of the measures with respect to Scotland and Ireland. They all knew that when Gentlemen in that House began to speak of paler-money, it was very difficult to limit the discussion—(Laughter)—and looking at the subject of Maynooth, and other questiocs which it was absolutely ne cess:ry to have disposed of in the present session, he would urge on the Right Hon. Baronet the adoption of his suggestion. Mr. HUME joined with the Noble Lord Sin recommending to the Right Hon. Baronet a postponement of his Scotch banking measure till another session. The Right Hon. Baronet should allow well to remain well. If he took till next year to introduce his measure, he would be better able to judge how far he might go on this question. The Scotch Members and the commercial men of Scotland were opposed to his system of currency, and it might save trouble if the Right Hon. Baronet would allow his banking measure to stand over. Sir R. PEEL hoped that Hon. Members would give no opinion on this measure of Government until they knew what it really was. The measure was intended not to apply to Scotland alone, but to Ireland also. It would be advantageous to give Government an opportunity of stating the details of the intended measure. Mr. WARD said that he had stated to the Right Hon. Baronet that he was willing to bring forward his motion at any reasonable hour, but he thought half after ten too late to enter upon the discussion, and would, therefore, rather post pone it till Wedesday as suggested by the Right Hon. Baronet. Mr. COWPER thought the question one on which it was advisable to have the opinion of the House as soon as possible, had a precedence. notice Mr. and he should be very ha ppy to give way with his motion upon fer that day o n th e subject of arrestment of w a g es in Scotland. If ther e were no epp'- Wednesday. Lord ASHLEY h ad a motion on the paper relative to calico print-works, but he a lso would b e glad to give way, and allow thefila D yn u oo N th c question nt tion he would press the second reading, but, if it were oppose he should give way to the Hon. Member for Sheffield. - The LORD ADA ()CATE said that he should feel it his duty to oppc , so the measure of the Hon. Member for Finsbury. Mr. WATSON expressed his willingness to p os tp one 'a m otion of his on the paper for that day. The Committee of Supply on the Maynooth grant was then postponed till Wednesday. Mr. WARD presented petitions praying that the sums of money for defraying the Government grant to Maynooth be taken out of the revenues of the Irish Church, instead of out of the consolidated fund of the country. Sir R. PEEL presented a petition from Belfast, signed by the most influential inhabitants of that town, mag'strates, bankers, and merchants in favour of the grant to Maynooth. Also similar petitions from Antrim, Hartlepool, and Dublin. Sir R. Inglis, Mr. Hume, Mr. Law, Mr. Bankes, Mr. Dundas, and other Hon. Members, presented petitions against the grant. Mr. B. ES COTT presented a petiti on f rom B r id gwater i n favour of the Government measure. The petitioners believed that the measure was calculated to promote the peace and happiness of Ireland. CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the third reading of the Customs Duties Bill, an d said, that as the principle of the Bill had been already agreed to, he hoped there would be no dispute about the Bill. Mr. HUTT said that he had received many representations from merchants in Australia respecting the duties uirsn and hit had testate- that they deeply regretted, that suffieient difference was no t made between home' and colonial and foreign' wool Mi. HUME w ished to know on what principle the Govern ment allowed the present remission of duty on sugar and denied it upon staves. PEEL said that the G overnment ma d e no Si r ROBERT difference between small interests and great, as the Hon. Mem- Iser for Montrose had supposed ; but it should be recollected that the duty on sugar was an annual grant, while the remission of the duty on staves was intended to be-a permanent mea sure. Mr. KEMBLE, in presenting petitions for the remission of the duty. on.ataves at present in the Queen's bond ware. houses, stated that the dealers in that article were not anxious to relieve themselves from the claim which the Government had hitherto made upon them, but they thought that in the re mission of the duties on sugar there was a certain rule laid down, and that the same reasons which had induced the remission on sugar would apply to them. The petition parti cularly expressed a peculiar principle which the wholesale dealers conceived affected their interests. It was this :—They were always obiiged to keep a much larger stock on hand than any other dealers, and as the loss to the revenue was incon siderable to the Government, he trusted their case would be taken into consideration. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that the House would recollect, that when he had introduced the measure respecting the Sugar Duties, he had stated that he anticipated many persons, in different lines of business, would make similar claims to this. Mr. H AWES said that he should not have said a word on the subject, but that he thought it was due to the sugar dealers to say that the lowness of the duty upon staves in no way affected their position, and he thought that the objection was entirely met by the clause in the Bill. Mr. HUME said it had been the custom to remit all duties upon goods when any large measure was passed. He thought the customs' duties a large measure, and he trusted the Govern ment would not forsake their character in such a measure as this. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it had been the custom never to demand the increase of duty when the duty had been raised, and that it was therefore unreason able to expect that the duties should be remitted on the stocks in hand whoa it had been reduced. Mr. HUME denied this statement, anti said that, for forty years, it had been the custom to impos X e these duties.denied the The CHANCELLOR of the ECHEQUER assertion, in which he was supported by Sir Robert Peel. ittr. GLADSTONE conceived that the Hon. Member for Montrose bad entirely misconceived the question, and that there was no analogy between the present topic and that to which he referred. In the case of former years, the parties who had obtained a remission of the duties, were individuals who had been led to suppose that the duty would be continued. They had con , equently accumulated stocks in bond, upon which the duties were chargeable, and which impost the Legislature had remitted when those duties were removed. After a few words from Mr. HAWES and Mr. HUTT, Sir ROBERT PEEL remarked, that if the importers of foreign commodities would not accept the increased trade which would result f rom the re moral of duties on particular articles, as a compensation for any slight loss they might sus tain from having goods in bond, there would be great in jus, ice done to the public revenue. He hoped, therefore, Pvliament would always have a right to deal with customs duties without being shackled with the claims of parties who held goods in bond. True, in the case of sugar, they allowed a drawback, but the House must remember that the duties en that commodity were regu. hated annually, and parties who held quant ities of that article in bind at the time of the change were entitled to the draw back, because the Government proposal took them by sur prise, inasmuch as it was submitted to Parliament some time before the annual duties had expired. Now, the duty on staves had been permanent, and the same right to a drawback did not, therefore, apply to them as it did to sugar. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER brought up the following clause :—" And whereas it is expedient that cor rect accounts may continue to be taken of the value of the im ports of certain goods upon which duty has hitherto been charged according to the value thereof, but be upon it which goods the duties have been repealed by this Act; f en acted, that, upon she entry inwards of any sueh goods, the ,sense tenor hgl be ;Weil the wry, ad shall be draid by the declaration of the importer or.his known agent, written upon the entry, and attes'ed by his signature ; and, if iddh dee claration be false, the person mining the same shall forfeit the sum of 2 1. ; and it shall be lawful fe• the landing waiter, or other officer appointed to examine such goods, to call for the invoice, tells of parcels, and such other documents relating thereto, as may be deemed necessary for ascertaining the true value of the same ;" which was read a first and second time, and then committed. The House having resumed, the report was brought up and received. The clause was added to the Bill by way of rider. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. MEDICAL REFORM. On the reading of the order of the day for the second read • ing of the Physic and Surgery Bill, Sir J. GRAHAM said that he had informed the Noble Lord the Member for London that he had alterations to propose in this Bill, and also in the Colleges of Physician= and Surgeons Bill, of which he would give the Noble Lord notice. He was not yet in a condition to propose those alterations to-night, but as he was desirous to lose as little time as possible in carrying the Bill through, he hoped the House would allow the Bill to be read a second time on Friday, even at a late hour. He would then fix a day, certainly before Whitsuntide, for taking the Committee pro forma, when he would state the alterations which he should propose. The Bill as altered would then be printed ; and at least a fbrt night would be allowed for the profession to eonsider the measures as altered, before the details were considered in Committee. Mr. WAKLEY did not offer any objection to the present arrangement, as it was the promise of the Hon. Baronet to have the amended Bills printed, and to give the profession and the House a fortnight to eomider the amendments. After a few words from Mr. HUME, Colonel WOOD said the Hon. Gentlemen the Member for Finsbury ( Mr. Wakley )had a motion on the paper for to-morrow night, respecting the constitution of the College of Surgeons, and he hoped he would postpone it. He should regret any measure that would estrange the great body of medical prac titioners from the College of Surgeons. Mr. WAKLEY said he should postpone his motion. Sir J. GRAHAM said the Hon. Gentleman had done right in postponing his motion, beause existing circumstances ren dered such a course necessary. Mr. ACLAND s.id, if medical men would do their dory they would not be aggrieved by the acts of any persons over whom they had no control. He thought the College of Sur geons had done their duty, and ought not to be aggrieved by violent and intemperate language such as the Hon. Member for Finsbury had used towards that body. He hoped, when he brought forward his motion, he would be able to prove some thing more substantial than the words he had uttered conveyed. Mr. HUME thought it unfair that his Hon. Friend should be charged with using intemperate language. If abuses existed in the constitution of the College they could not be remedied without inquiry.--( Hear, hear.) They wanted to arrive at the truth, and the be,t way was to deal fairly with the subject. Many persons were in the habit of charging others with using intemperate language with regard to matters of which they were ignorant.—( Hear, hear.) If, on inquiry. the College of Surgeons were found to have conducted their affairs in a proper manner, he should be the first to praise them for it. The House then went into Committee, and the Bill was read a second time. Dr. BOWRING moved that Mr. Richard Yorke be sub stituted for Mr. P. M. Stewart on the Committee of Colonial Accounts. The motion was carried, and the House adjourned at Twelve. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S.—YESTe RDAY. Although the room was kept open yesterday for nearly half an hour beyond the usual time of closing, we may, with out hesitation, return it as one of the dullest afternoons ever known within five weeks of the Derby. We cannot say that there was a scarcity of hackers, but so inconceivably shy were the layers that not one quarter of the commissions were executed. The bets laid on the Somersetshire Stakes were small amounts, and are scarcely worthy of a quota tion; nor did anything new arise out of the few engagements made on the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes; at the close the field had a decided call. The Chester Cup betting was confined to a moiety of the horses that have so long been included in the auotations, and of the few mentioned only Olndurity, Ould Ireland, and Ratan , were in force; 9 to 1 was taken freely, and at the close 8 to 1 in hundreds about the first of this lot, and 9 to 1 and 10 to 1 about the Irish nag. Ratan opened at 35 to 1, had several friends, and left off at 25 to 1, taken. The highest offer against Cataract was 5 to 1. THE DERBY.—Ides, Alarm; Newsmonger, and Cleat-the- Way, as before, and very little doing, except on the last mentioned horse, against which 20 to 1 was laid two or three times in fifties. An immense number of inquiries after Wea therbit, but not an offer above 12 to 1. Eager takers of the olds quoted against Pam and Kedger, and several scores and ponies laid out on Old England at 30, 28, and 25 to 1. THE OAKS.—The decline of Lancashire Witch is accounted for by a report. that she has broken down ; the other mares mentioned below were backed with some spirit. CLOSING PRICES. sOMERSETSIIIRE STAKES. 4 to 1 agst Mr. Wreford's Worthless—taken 6 to 1 agst Mr. Osbaldestane's Sister to Devil-among the-Tailors 6 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's St. Lawrence—taken . 7to 1 agst Mr. A. W. Hill's Sweetmeat—taken 8 to 1 agst Lord G.Bentinck's Pug—taken • TWO TIIOUSAND GUINEAS STAKES. Even between Idas and the field. 7 to 4 agst John Day's lot—taken 5 to 1 apt Colonel Anson's Kedger—taken 5 to 1 agst Mr. Wreford's Worthless THE CIIESTER CUP. 5 to 1 agst Mr. W. Scott's Cataract—taken 8 to 1 agst Mr. A Johnstone's Obscurity 9 to 1 agst Mr. Irwin's Oald Ireland—taken 10 to 1 agst Mr. Jaques's Semiseria—(No backers) 17 to 1 agat Mr. W. 1-1. Johnstone's Era—(No backers: 20 to 1 agst Mr. Isaac Day's Portrait 25 to 1 agst Mr. Meiklam's Trueboy—taken 25 to 1 agst. Mr. Ilutchinson's Ratan—taken 25 to 1 agat Mr. Belt's Winesour 30 to 1 agst Lord G. Bentinck's Pug. • DLRBY. 4 to 1 agst John Day's lot—take 9 to 2 sto 1 agst Lord Stradbroke's Idas—take 6to 1 • 8 to 1 agst Mr.. Greville's Alarm 12 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's Weatherbit 15 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Pam—taken 16 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Kedger—taken freely 20 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Newsmonger 20 to 1 agat Mr. Ferguson's Clear-the-Way—taken 25 to 1 agst Mr. Wreford's Winchilsea—taken . 25 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's Old England 25 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Pantasa—take 27 to 1 40 to 1 agst Mr. Gratwicke's Doleful 50 to 1 agst Mr. Wreford's Worthless—taken and after. wards offered. OAKS. 14 to 1 agst Lord G. Beatinck's Longitude—taken 16 to 1 agst Mr. Worthington's Lancashire Witch—t 16 to 1 agst Mr. Newton's Sister to Ma Mie—taken 25 to 1 . aget Mr. Osbaldeaton's Sister to Devil-among the-Tailors NEWMARKET FIRST SPRING MEETING. MONDAY, APRIL 26. 501. for 4 yrs old, Tht 10lb ; 5 yrs, Bst 91b ; 6 yrs and aged, 9st 41b. D.M. Handicap Sweepstakes of 20 soya. each, h ft, if declared for 3 yrs old and upwards. T.Y.C. Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each, for 3 yrs old colts, Bst 71b ; and fillies, Bst 41b. T.Y.C. The winner to be sold for 2001. Sweepstakes of 50 soya. each, for foals of 1842, out of mares that never bred a winner ; colts, Bst 71b; and fillies. Bst 31b ; those by stallions that never got a winner, allowed 31bs. A.F. Duke of Bedford's Eleazar, Lord Exeter's Tunick, and Lyons, Mr. F. Herbert's Silver Spur, Lord Orford's cby the Grand Duke, out of Miss Julia, Mr. Osbaldeston's f by the Saddler, out of Miss Etty, Colonel Peel's f by Slane, out of Seakale, Lord Verulam's c by Sir Hercules, out of Christina. Sweepstakes of 50 sovs. each ; for three yrs old colts, Bst 71b ; and fillies, Bst 41 e T.Y.C. Those by stallions or mares that neveebred a winner allowed 31b,s s • • Scaimenta:do,,c by Economist, out of Billow (31b)—f by Bay Middleton, out of Impertinence (31b) —Lyons (31b)— Secutor—b c by Royal Oak, out of Minx's dam. Produce Match of 300 soy& each, li ft ; for colts, Bst 71b; • fillies, test 41e. D.M. One to the post. Lord Albemarle's Tisiphone and Zadig (dead) agst Lot d Exeter's Golden Fleece. et, and Deodora. The Jerry Stakes of 100 sovs. each, 11 ft ; colts, Bst 7lb ; fillies, Bst 41b. D.M. Mr. Booth's New Year's Day—Lord W. Powlett's Energy —Lord Sandwich's f by Jerry, out of Legend. MATCHES. • Lord Glasgow's cby Velocipede, out of Amulet, eget Lord Maidstone's Cockamaroo, Bst 71b each. Al?. 100 h ft. Duke of Bedford's Espoir, 9st, agst Lord Glasgow's Sister to Pathfinder, 7st. A.F. 325 to 300, 150 ft. Duke of Bedford's Panther, Bat 101 b, agst Lord Glasgow's fby Retainer, out of Purity, Bst 71b. D.I. 200 h ft. Duke of Bedford's Captain Phebus agst Mr. Greville's Ste Francis, Bst 71b each. D.M. 200 h ft. Duke of Bedford's Minotaur, Bst 10Ib, agst Mr. Ramsbot tom's Pine Apple, Sst Ilb. D.M. 100 h ft. TUESDAY. The Queen's Plate of 100 guineas, four yrs old, Bst 91b ; five yrs, 9st 81b; yrs and aged, lOst. h.c. The Two Thoueane Guineas Stakes by subs. of 100 soya. each, h ft, 3 yrs-old colts, Bst 71b; and fillies,Bst 41b. R.M. Scarmentado, Kedger, Leopard, Merryman, Golden Fleece, Wood Pigeon, Adrianople, Lyons, Weatherbit, Moulton, b c by Economist, dam by Ishmael, c by Slane out of Cobweb, The Prior. c by Royal Oak out of Cowslip's dam, Idas, Win chelsea, Worthless, Seaman. Sweepstakes of 300 sous. each, 100 ft, for 4 yrs old colts, Bst elb ; and fillies, Bst 21b. B.C. Robinia, Panther, Antenor. The Coffee-room Stakes of 50 soya. each, for 3 yrs old colts Bst 71b; and fillies, Est 41b. A. Lyons, Prologue, Refraction. guke of Bedford's Oakley agst Mr. T. Westley's Coun sellor, 8.3 t, T.Y.C. 200, h ft. Sir J. Hawley's Comrade, 3 vrs ' Bst 71b, agat Lord Exe• ter's Dr. Hill, 4 yrs, Bst 41b. First half of Ab.M. 100, h ft. WEDNESDAY. 50/. for 4 yrs old, 7st 81b; 5 yrs, Bst Illb ; 6 yrs and aged, 9st 31b. B.C. Handicap Sweepstakes of 20 soya. each, for 3 yrs olds, &c. A:F. Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each, for 3 yrs old, 7st, and 4 yrs, Bst 101 b. D.M. Winner to be sold fbr 100/. The Burghley Produce Stakes of 100 sovs. each, h ft; colts Bst 71b; fillies, Bst 31b. D.M. Leopard, Pilgrimage (31bs), The Wryneck (31bs), Zadig (dead), f by Camel out of Arsenic (dead). Sweepstakes of 100 sow. each, h ft, for four yrs old. A.F. Red Deer, Bst 71b; Welbeck, 7st 71b; Boarding School Miss, 6st 121 b. SweepstakeS of 50 sovs. each, It ft. T.Y.C. Garry Owen, aged, Bst 81b ; Knight of the Whistle, aged, Bst 71b ; Bishop of Romford's cob, 5 yrs, Bst 2lb ; Prince of Wales, 4 yrs, 7st. -- ---- , _ . notion . . • line, the) - • itilk .. ek (they di tiIF•A N - h „;,,,1.., . ~\tli.A. preferr ( 7 .!-..,.. ~•• .• ' " ~- 4 4 Ha _ C. . ' e ' . littl• : N--;-.', - -7. , v -f.•"- „."-- . ,-...-- \‘' \ ••:-.--<, \ ',,,..„ -....,::,,,•... -. 4 . - -^ --"'--,,_.1 1 : 2- --" ,- 74 - z... • • \':.'' ,-- -- -' , CI - 1 ‘,--.V-.4-t• Sweepstakes of 10 sous. each ; for three yrs old, ist ; four, Bst 61b; five, six, and aged, 9st. D.M. Winner to be sold for 10d ; c. The Newmarket Stakes of 50 sovA tan ; h ft ; for three yrs old colts, Bst 71b ; and fillies, Bst 21b. S'ster to Putentia, b c by Glaucus, out of Minikin, Scar mentado, Wood Pigeon, Concealment, Golden Fleece, c by Slane out of Zany's dam, Old England, Lady Anna, John Davis, Impertinence filly, hedger, Leopard, Prologue, Hersey, Seakalo Elchee, Javelin, Winchester, Fla howlagh, Rubicon, Fuzbos. Lord - Glasgow's Amulet colt, 4 vrs, agst Sir R. W. Bul keley's The Bishop of Roreford's Cub, 5 yrs, Bst 71b each. D. I. Col. Peel's Garry Owen, Bst 71b, agst Duke of Bedford's Minotaur, ist 121 b. T.Y.C. 150, 25 ft. NEWMARKET FIRST SPRING MEETING. A mistake having crept into the announcement of the special train from Shoreditch, it is necessary to remind the public that the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes will be run for on Tuesday next, the 29th instant, and riot this day as ad- vertised. - Epsom Spring Races take place on Friday. Mr. 11. Due ling, we hear, will officiate as clerk of the course, in the room of the late Mr. Farrell. HAM BURGH MAIL. STOCKHOLM, APRIL 4.—The Estates are now dis cussing the tariff of custom-house ditties, -the Com mittee having submitted to them no fewer than 154 points on which they are to decide as soon as possible. This matter is very interestirg, since it clearly shows the insufficiency of our system of four Chambers. M. Petra deposited on the table of the Chamber a motion, to the effect, that the Estates should exert themselves that (according to the wish of the King) the Diet may be ended on the 21st of April. • STOCKHOLM, Arm. B.—The Speaker announced to the Minister of Justice, on the 4th, that they did not think that the most urgent matters now before the Diet could be terminated before the end of May. BERLIN, APRIL 12..—The deliberations of the Board of Trade, with the mane acturers and the Commis sioners of t!.e Ministerial Department, arc terminated. As far as we can 1:- am on good authority, the manufac turers for all the provinces were unanimous in their opinion that till present system of free trade must be aban doned, and a vigorous system of protective duties adopted, without which the critical state will extend to all the manufacturing counties in Germany. They propose a duty of six dollars per cent. on linen and cotton yarn and twist. Bleached manufacture; to be subject to a higher duty. It is thought that this mea sure will cause the manufacture of those German articles to flourish as much as those which are rww duly protected. The Department of Foreign Affairs is engaged 'in drawing up a kind of German "Act of Navigation, for the protection of the national flag and the encouragement of direct navigation, to serve by way of reprisal against the exclusiveness of foreign countries." WIESBADEN, APRIL 11.—It seems that the Grand Duchess Helen will not come to the Rhine till the autumn, and will first visit the baths at ISchl. The Empress of Russia will not come to Germany, but go to the southern provinces of Russia. POTSDAM, APRIL 15.—The King is gone to Dresden to join the Queen, who is the re on a visit to her sister. THE LATE FATAL ACCIDENT 0-L` TII E Sli El , FIE E.D AND ASHTON RAILWA 1. ...„ • Asifrose MONDAY.—The inquest upon nine of the bodi ea recovered from the ruins of the arches at the Ashton bran ,f the Sheffield and Manchester Railway is appointed to take place this afternoon. Since Saturday four other Wales be sides those whose names we give have been rescued. The inquest will be held at the Commercial Hotel, the coroners for Cheshire and Lancashire sitting at the 50 1 time in the same room. There is but little doubt that the at quest will be adjourned. Five of the bodies are at pres ent al a small public- house on the Lancashire side of the rarer, four on the Cheshire side. 'The extent of the loss of life cannot yet be fully stated; upwards of 100 men, and a large number of horses, have bee n Ashtoffe engaged during the whole of the day in removing the falle ll materials, and up to nine o'clock last night four mere have been found buried in the ruins, making in all twelve, of wife ° nine were killed on the spot. The remaining three Here taken out alive, but two of them are so severely injured thas very little hopes are entertained of their recovery. T tuner They are all lying at adjoining public - houses , aw aitin g the co inquest. A number of the bodies being found on the Cheshire shle of the river, and the remainder on the Lancashire side, the_ investigation will, of course , be conducte d b \V. C y t h e coroneiT for the two districts, Mr. S. Rutter and Mr. . lludson. Ire° the best possible information to be obtained, there are fr?.ne 13 18 to 20 persons kilied , most of wh om are sin g le men I _G r eorge names of those who have been found dead are : Collier, 45; James Bradbury, 26 ; John Cox, 35; Henri Rogers, 27 ; George Smith, 30 ; Samuel Smith (brother le George), 26 ; Adam Newell, 20; William Leonard, 30, slog men; Abraham Nowell, 47, father of Adam Nowell, wife bs9 left a wife and four children. Taken out alive—Charles Critchley, Richard Critchley, and Thomas Brown. of Throughout the whole of yesterday ma n y thousands ,t 3 people have been continually crowding to the scene of, t' t _ accident, but by the exertions of the 56th Rtegimeilt of inletkoe assisted by the police force , under the dire ction of Mr. L es the special high constable of .Hyde, the greatest order been maintained. Mr. Robert Newto n, of the Ashton polc,,e'e was also in attendance, with a num ber of his men, on the Lancashire side of the river. There is still much specnl nti o 23 to the cause of the accident , but in the absence of is official report from some scientific and practical man impossible to convey an a c c urate idea of the cause. 11 facts , 5 have made every possible inqui r y , and will g ive the fhb as we have found them , and lea ve the p ublic to come to tild. o wn conclueiens until an investiga tion has been comPl e % he There were nine arehee, which formed the viaduct ov,e r r hco river Tame and the Willey through which it runs. i f , "_ ees arches were supported by 1;: thick at the spring of the arch, :sad 6 feet 6 inches thicf_cro4e ers of 28 feet long, 4 feet 6 .11 '.t, the base. The span of each arch wa,:' 30 feet , the spring of 7 feet 6 inches. They were .all built of got in the neighbourhood, which is said to be u. rood quaileon Some of the piers were founded on rock, and 0t.:2 1.3 what appeared to he solid clay. i These are the facts so far as relates to the workinans.':Pri but it is much to be desired that a very searching jog, b ) 0 should be instituted. There is one circumstance '' l"C of said to have very much affected the arches, viz., the etateerxt the property over which they were erected. For se T ri o miles round the whole country is undermined by celli e ft bs many of which are said to come within a short distance, °,,ich surface. There are numerous places in the vicinity' " and a rise f _r e have sunk many feet, and by so doing ha ve done icl 105 de , damage to property of every description. I n one joining Wharf-street, about 50 yards from the l ine of rgii i y way, there are evident marks of sinking , some- parts or have. fallen in three or four feet. In many other 0 0 1 0 0 the neighbourhood similar sinkings of the earth have place, and many of the buildings are perfectly curved. frhs this cause. There appears to be little doub t but that the third arch, from the abatement on the Ashton s ide, wets toi first to give way, as by a close inspection it will he I° tw o that the piers of this arch fell towards each other, the, the arches on the eastern side falling towards t h e west, ancery other six on the western side falling towards the east- h thi S large quantities of flee clay have been got from benefit-of part of the country, the stratum of which is within 4 ns ae short distance of the surface. One of these drift-v( 3 3' 5 .R for way some short time ago, and the s, age which erre bin,.„ol the purpose of carrying the line over the reak-forest I,43'nd sunk several feet, and of course had to be takel: cli?' ° ' the the foundations piled or filled up with clay and soil to depth of 45 feet. sf„ f r 115 It is to be hoped that the real facts of the case, est they can be ascertained, will be produced on the ins-ti; which it is well known is the wish of the compa n y an contractors. There were not less than from 15,000 to 20,000 Per s°Ps congregated near the scene of the sad catastrophe. The amount of damage is estimated at 4,000/. a lit° DOVER, APRIL 21.—The Overland East 1 010 mail (Calcutta) consisting of fourteen cases, arrivedove day from Boulogne, by the Ondine steam-vessel. Then the steam-vessel, in crossing from Dover to Boulogne tode. preceding day, passed close to a vessel lying on her broe ;es She had no mainmast, but her foremast and b o wsprit or ott still standing, with all the sails attached, and one sue"; 03 her bows. The Ondine, on returning from Bouleg l r was day, again passed close to the same wreck, and 41 0 0 its supposed to be a large Dutch galliot. The wreck be the itnmediate track of vessels passing to and from the nent, and lying about ten miles S. and lay W. of DevQather e the N.E. end of the Ridge shoal. The Britan nia ate ouc hes been since sent out in quest of the wreck , for thhe'r on pose, if possible, of getting hold of her and towing shore out of the fair way of the navigation. FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE DOVER EAIi-. pee Another inquest was held by Mr. Carter at the Ivinoca Croydon-common, on the body of a labouring Pal" o,' en g William Davis, who was killed upon the Dover s one Friday morning. It appeared that the deceased I v ; on neer, the men employed upon the works at present geinv„roose the Croydon and Brighton Junction lime; fur the P". °'l3' aII d carrying out the asmospheric principle of locernett,chAly he was returning to his work from dinner about 00e at the time a down train to Brighton and an Dover were passing upon the line. The deceased ic BS 4 5 4 fi lug between the up rails, and it is supposed that the nu for tae down train prevented him from hearing the othert. a d although he was repeatedly called to he took no notice , 7 te r the engine struck him to the ground, the wheels past,eci t ° oo., him, and he was almost instantly crushed to death. 2 ', slightest blame appeared to attach to the guard, dri ° ,,, d ied any person connected with the train, and the jury re'" - a verdict of "Accidental Death." RCS RE-INTERMENT OF THE REMAINS OF OF Sossex.—Yesterday, at eleven o'clock, the Lord Chauw e i ts Earl Delawarr, and the executors of his late royal High ue : 4 l ;eo , Duke of Sussex, attended by several of the Directors of t! c ore up trainwforre sal.green Cemetery, superintended the removal of the CO iit tabling the remains of his Royal Highness from the cab se° which it was originally deposited to the mausoleum just eree:olo its reception. The coffin was raised on the funeral 0 0 to 0 0 the chapel, and from thence conveyed with all due cereal:°la De final resting place. The ceremony was strictly private. 11 1 ; e ir 0 remembered that shortly after the demise of his Royal I .o !L or y 01 spler.did mausoleum was proposed to be erected to tbe the puke by the Freemasons of England, of which' se c f e n r, bo t honourable erder his Royal Highness was the Grand-let. infer' in accordance with the wishes expressed by the Male' s "' OP° nets, and other menrisers of the family of the illustrious uplsrt" that intention has been abandoned, and the present It° e eti‘ t se has been erected at their own private expense. The 1 1 1 °., el-' as the situation for this monument is the centre of le e cular grass plat immediately in front of the chapels . : f ieS upper er dof the cemetery. The tomb consists ofa capaei ° ";ol l4 or chamber, into which the royal remains will soon bee Et, is' from beneath the chapel, where they now rest. Th eig ht detp square excavation, sufficiently capacious to contain e Lying' or twenty crffins, flagged at the bottom with Yorkshir e ri t ate t and Fu r round ed by brick walls, of immense thickn ess; the 41111 surface being covered n ith a smooth facing of cement . s one° briek.work forms the resting.place for five stones, which Of p gl the entire of the shove ground-work of the monument , th e . are of grey Aberdeen granite. The four stones which f°7ogle walls of the monument are each rather more than foUr te length, and about twof stet in height and thickness. Thr WO. be surniout.ted by the crowning stone, which h as th e vo n attached to it all ready for lifting, an enormous bl ock of the 010 granite, weighing, it is estimated, upwards of three 00 , 5 ;,:or 0 . : atone like the ott.ers, is without the slightest inscriPb°'''.o( i t s ment, or device of any kind, with the exception, hoWever'coire upper surface being slightly bevelled off at the sides. T he o or height of the monument does not exceed four feet. ft m et' rounded by fourteen pillar!, each three feet six inches 0 te e quite plain, and composed of the same species of granite monument, but connected with each other by chains, 0 01)5 STORNOWAY, APRIL 10.—Preparations are 1 11 here already for the early herring fishing, which CO. mences next month. The curers who were her„eipelv year have engaged their old 11 stances,_ and en curer from the east coast has also taken a stance. 0 or seven sloops, fro the Clyde, are coming t. ° ort joio g with their own boats, two of which fished t heif cargoes last year in three weeks, at the allP r ieet i harbour of Cromore. A number of boats have already'nro' from the east coast, and they are at present succe sstell) secuting the cod and Eng fishing. They will retnailleco about the middle of May, when the herring fishing,i v ieg mences. John Scobie, Esq., factor of the island, ise bat every encouragement to curers and fishermen. ";:i lately built an excellent store' and curing "'ROG% Cromore, and he is at present building another at 1 33, ,, for there is also a space of ground laid off at th - e- latter idt t s ' eof ,iotl drying nets. Fishermen who intend coming here thiS ig f r oel should he made aware that the size of net required 34 to 35 meshes per yard.—lnverness Courier. c 1 11 0111( ' 'Three females died last week in the parish 0. t,b e reci we a rmouth, Sunderland, whose united ages now :. • two hundred and sixty years. diets the The Ezeter Gazette, of Saturday, contr a •Irt that Sir William Follett is about to resign his BIBTII-8. el° On the 16th inst., at Gro v e - h il l - te rrace, Camberwell- • Mrs. James Hastie, of a son. (0 ,14 On the 19th inst., at Worthing , Suss ex,the lady a. Morris, Esq., of a daughter. 000 1 On the 20th inst., at Regent - square , the wife of • Walker, Esq., of a daughter. vc.a ,ilf On the 20th inst., the wife of Charles Woolley, '''''' our-street, of a son. I'fip On the 21st inst., at Sydenham - common , Kent, 310. of a son. Gui 1( 01°' On the 20th inst., the lady of Dr. Sp ur g in, of street, Russell-square, of a daughter, MARRIED. Ti' On the 12th lost. at St. Pancras Church, Middlesco,jef, Inman, to Louisa daria, second daughter of Charles tv Esq., late of Staplegrove, Somerset. t h. VO o ' On the 17th inst„ at Buckland, Monachorum, chr Rev. John Williams Rector of Wigginton, Oxon► r b p s , tian, daughter of T:Gill, Esq., M.P. of Buckland Ayu o 'et'h On the 12th inst., at Clapham, Mr. Richards, of Fair to to Mary Wenham, eldest daughter of Mr. James Oh of Clapham-rise. DIED. iv 31" On the 9th inst., at Ostend , Jame s Henr y Horatio, °.nik., of the Rev. W. H. Tudor , Rector of Svderstons, N°l,.s.°liito' On the 12th inst., Joseph Stainton;Esq., of Bigg'"" in the county of Lanark. P i°. On the 12th inst., Frances , widow of the late 3-tr• Dea, of Walha Abe, Essex. f t" On the •13th t inst. m ,at Ox y ford, Mary Charlotte , ll if, ° Rev.Spranger, M.A. ~.etelii On the 16th inst., at Belvidere, Cannington, SO lne— Catherine, relict of the late J. Poole, Esq. On the 16th inst., at Ashburton , Mr. Johnstone-, dee O n the 17th inst„ at Dulwich, Harriet Agnes, o ne tain Plumridge, R.N. ..,;,, of p er On the 18th inst., Mr. Robert Laws , of tbe .1. , —.. , of t, mark Tavern, Wapping. i r e On the 18th inst., near Tunbridge-well, Louisa , I r% P. Cay, Esq., late of Tunstal Lodge, Durham. r, of 01.. On the 18th inst.., at Hatton-garden, Mary , 111-- 4 Richard Durant Cumming. „ f,l On the 19th inst., Milward, son of William Barage' Old Broad-street , f London: Printed and Published by MURDO Y`llo. No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sue (Ocey oti oti Strand, in the Precinct of the Savo!. in o ' 3 Midlesemp Woodsy, April a 1845. • COURT CIRCULAR. Her Majesty the Queen Dowager, attended by the Hon. Miss Mitchell, Maid of Honour in Waiting, visited the Queen yesterday at Buckingham Palace, and remained to lunch with Her Majesty and Prince Albert. The Queen and Prince Albert took an airing yesterday afternoon in an open carriage and four. Colonel Arbuthnot and Colonel Bouverle, the Equerries in Waiting, attended on horseback. - His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on horseback yesterday, attended by Colonel Bouverie. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales. the Princess Royal, and the Princess Alice, were taken an airing yesterday morning in an open carriage and four, accompanied - by the Dowager Lady Lytteltan. The Queen had a dinner party yesterday at Buckingham Palace. The company included her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, Monsieur Dedel, the Netherlands Minister; the Duke de Sotomayer, Spanish Minister, and the Duchess de Sotomayer, the Duke de Broglie, the Prince de Broglie, the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk, the Duchess of Northum berland, the Earl of Aberdeen, Earl Talbot, Lady Anna Maria Dawson, the Countess Wratislaw, Lord George Lennox, Lord and Lady Claude Hamilton, and the Hon. and Rev. C. Leslie Courtenay. The band of the Grenadier Guards attended during dinner, and performed the following pieces : Pot pourri, "Lucia di Lammermoor "—Donizetti. Waltz, " Die Wietern,"— Kuhner. Theme, with variations—Streck. Walzer, " Nachtfalter "—Baijere. Polka, " Redouten"—Baijere. The Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady Anna Maria Daw son, left town at twenty minutes before eleven o'clock, yes terday morning, in a carriage and four, for her residence, FroginOre House, near Windsor. •Her Royal Highness re turned to Clarence House, St. James's, at half-past six o'clock. Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess Stephanie of Baden, attended by the Baroness de Strumfeder, Miss Gre ville, and Baron Roth de Schreckenstein, dined with her Majesty the Queen Dowager yesterday evening, at Marlbo rough. House. A select party were present to meet the Royal Duchess. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the Hereditary Grand Duchess of Mecklenburgh Strelitz took a drive yesterday morning to Kew, returning to Cambridge House in the afternoon. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke of Cambridge and the Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburgh Strelitz, attended by Baron Knesebeck, dined yesterday evening with the officers of the Life Guards, in the Regent's Park Barracks. CouSit Dietrichstein, the Austrian Ambassador, transacted business yesterday at the Foreign Office. — • . - The President of - the Board of Trade and the Vice-Presi dent had an interview with Sir Robert Peel yesterday. Dispatches were received yesterday, at the Colonial Office, from the Governor of Van Diemen's Land. SIGHT AND HEARING TESTIMONIALS, 39, ALBEMARLE-STREET, PICCADILLY. Gener Browne Clayton feels desirous to express the comfort and advantatee he has derived at his advanced age of 7(' years, and after two years' trial, from the use of Messrs S. and B. Solomons newly invented Spectacles. Their valuable inventions fully merit the patronage they have received. Address. Adlington-hall, Lancashire. Major-General Sir Howard Elphinstone begs to say that the Spectacles he has now had some time in use, have fully redeemed the assurance of the Messrs. S. and B. Sol. mms as to their excellence, and having found so much comfort and advantage from their use, far prefer able to every other kind of glasses. 13, Norf ilk-street. Park- lane.--The Hon. George Ca.vendish, to Messrs. S. and B. Solorgons, 39, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly, op posite the York Hotel. Gentlemen, I approve very much of the Spectacles I purchased from you ; I have made use cf . glasses for many years, and never met with any to ( iiahle me to see equal to yours, and with less incon veniense to my eyes. Yours obediently. G. Cavendish Leixiip Casale, Ireland.—lmpriived Achromatic Teles copes, Opera Glas'es, Microscopes, &c., of the same hied of lenses, to surpass any , ever yet invented.—The Messrs. S. and B. Solomons In viucible Operatt'r Voice Conductor, Sound Alagnifiers frir deaf persons, give im med.; relief to old standing extreme cases of deaf. rtes .• • -Caution. Messrs. S. and B. Solomons. Opticians /suri,ts, are not in any way connected with a person et t t same name in their immediate neighbourhood. in. any part Of the ceuntry. s o prevent mistakes, al'eaatious and observe—only to be had at 39, Albe marle-street, Piccadilly oppes;te the York Hotel. THE CARPET 11.1ANDFACTCRE.—Notwithstanding the great improvement that has taken place within the last few years in the designs and colouring of our carpet manufacture, and the successful in:roduction of two new patent fabrics, both of which possess considerable me it, and are highly creditable to the taste and ingenuity of the inventors, Mr. Whyteck of Edinburgh and Mr. Templeton of Glasgow, the periodical exhibition which took place last year at Paris shaved that we were sill far behind the celebrated manufactures of Aubusson and the Gobelins. It must be understood that our remarks apply only to the more costly description of carpets which are purchased by sovereigns, nobility, and those who have wealth and taste to appreciate those exqui sitely beautiful productions. In the manufacture of Brussels and velvet carpeting in breadths, we believe that our manufactures as far surpass the French as theirs do ours in the description of carpet before referred to, and cannot but feel some degree of surprise that in this the richest country . in the world, and that in which ma nufacturing enterprise has been most fully developed, no stronger efforts should have been made to rival their x cellence. The fact that the principal manufactory in France is partly supported by contributions from Go vernment (the Gobelins, as is generally known, being entirely a Government establishment) coupled with the great cost of designs—the difficulty of finding artists of taste and ability to give their attention to the manufac ture, and the slow return for the capital invested—are causes which have doubtless deterred our manufacturers, who love the profitable more than the beautiful, from entering into competition with the foreign fabric. It is with pleasure that we have learned that this interesting manufacture is about to be established in London by Messrs. Jackson and Graham upon an improved method of their own invention ; and we may add, that the well known taste and enterprise of the firm are a guarantee that it will be carried to a successful issue. GIG ACClDENT.—Thursday afternoon, about four o'clock, a serious accident occurred to Mr. Joseph Partridge; a medical gentleman, residing in Duke-street, Bloomsbury square. It appears that Mr. Partridge was on his return ' from visiting a patient, when, near Ebury-street, Pimlico, the bearing rein broke, and the horse, a very spirited animal, became totally unmanageable, and went off at a terrific pace in the direction of the Vauxhall- road. It is supposed that ' Mr. Partridge became alarmed, and in endeavouring to alight at the back of the gig, fell with extreme violence on his head. The horse was stopped nearly opposite the Royal Standard public-house, having stunned himself against the wall of the main sewer. Mr. Partridge was conveyed into Mr. Cotton's, a surgeon, labouring under a concussion of the 'r brain, and, after some time, was conveyed to his home with slight hopes of recovery. THU RsDAY. A L ARMING FIRE AT A LUCIFERFACTORY,...Thunday .The Queen's Plate of 100 guineas, for four yrs old, 9st Blb night, shortly before eleven o'clock, a fire broke out upon the five years, 10st 7lb ; six yrs and aged, lOst 121 b. R.C. premises in the occupation of Mr. Graham, lucifer match Sweepstakes of 10 sous. each, for three years old colts, Bst manufacturer, in Rook's-yard, Queen-street, Mile-end New 71b ; and fillies, Bst 41b. First half of -A-b- Winner Town. The parish engine, with that from Wellclose-square to be sold for 801., &c. brigade station, were quickly on the spot, followed by an- Sweepstakes of 10 eoes, each, for two years old colts, Bst other belonging to the London Hospital, with the brigade 61b; fillies, Bat 31b. T.Y.C. engine from Jeffery-square, with Mr. Crookland, the chief Handicap Sweepstakes o f 25 ami s. each, and 5, if declared. officer of the district. The firemen at once set to work most T.Y.C. vigorously, and with the aid of the neighbours, they ale- Sweepstakes of 10 soy & e ac h, for three years old colts, Bst ceeded, after much trouble, in extinguishing the flames, not, 71b; and fillies, e a t 41b. T.Y.C. The winner to be &Al however, until a great quantity of the stock, together with for 150 L, &c, the racks and work benches were destroyed, a portion of the The One Thousand Guineas Stakes, by Subs- of 100 sovs. roof, and the centre windows burned, and other damage done each h ft, for three years old fillies, Bst 71b. D.M. by fire and water. The origin of the fire is not precisely Alexandrine, Tisiphone, Gossamer, Longitude, Pug, As known, but it is supposed to have been caused from a piece You Like It, Heather Bell, Prudence, Topaz, Pilgrimage, of the roof being blown down by the high wind, and falling Jet, Timbria, Mademoiselle, Playmate, Sister to Ma Mie, upon a pile of matches, caused them to ignite. Unfortu- Rigolette, Hersey, fby Slane out of Seakale, fby Glaucus, r ately the proprietor was not insured. A few years since, out of Estelle, fby K rem li n , out of Bridegroom's darn, Wed- 'sue of Mr. Graham's workmen was killsd whilst preparing ding Day. the composition for some lucifer matches, in Primrose-street, Lord Exeter's Wee Pet, 5 yrs, et ; b, against Sir J. Ilishopegate. Hawley's Comrade, 3 yrs, 7st 41b ; Lk, M. NCO; THE GAME-LAWS. The calendar containing a FRIDAY. description of the offenders confined in Nottinghamshire Ilaridieep Sweepstakes cf . 10131,-4 each, for: el iu d four: House of Correction, as laid before the Quarter Sessions last 9iCith week, got &ally ese , teurth are under the gaine-laws Pint c' 2111z, d Stop t , i ,,; kix : ft . h ? L aims ir o ft 1 • ofn ee ''Posit ritcu t %tic', 1 7-° R AIL - aCtOSit R dot Place cer, e 4 Partlei 'ery n have tris NI In the P .UKte 131.1 , 1 4 , - Tit q, 01 , A ik t, , , l ; ti l'elili