The Sun. — London, England, 1844-05-17 00:00:00

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS - 2 f • 71`.•.)14 THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY. GLOBE.—When the Whigs were in office the mem bers and adherents of the present Government were in cessant in their attacks upon the way in which Ireland • Was rulel The 'adminietration of justice—the exec vise of the Royal prerogatiVe of mercy by her alajesty'a representativeevery net which pertained to the rime- Veils of - the executive, wore rigidly investigatedfor the Pnepese of discovering whether any feasible.' pretext for a party assault upon the Government could be Made in either House of Parliament. The tables are Bow turned upon themselves. Retributive -justice commends the poisoned chalice back to their own Bpi. That which they imputed, without cause, to the admi nistration of their predejessOrs, is dealt back. This,! difference is; however, discoverable. Their attacks were the result of a factious desire to obstruct the Government in its equitable administration ; and thus prevent the beneficial results of the sys tem that was practically condemning their own Partial, and therefore inefficient, dispensation. Thus they fostered the discontents of the great mass of the people. The manifest intimation, too obvious to be mistaken, made to the favoured few by the Underlines of the Government, that the many were to beiiiiShe7l aside and disregarded whenever the interests or inclination of the former could be served or gratified by sacrificing the latter, produced their natural effects. On the one hand, the people relapsed into gloomy dislike ; showed a disposition to confederate against the Government which treated them with neglect, and • handed them over to oppression ; while, on the other, the Government had recourse to the old system of employing secret agencies to de tect crime ; and these secret agencies, in many in stances, have actually prompted the commission of the very offences they were employed to discover. It is a feht, which the records of the criminal comes in Ireland fully demonstrate, that since the ascession of the present Government there have been more instances 'of crimes committed by policemen and other Government agents, in order to fasten them upon innocent parties, and offences committed at the instigation of those who were employed by the Govern ment authorities to detect offenders, than were supplied during the entire period of the Grey and Melbourne Ad ministrations. The speech of Lord Normanby on Tues day evening, on moving for papers connected with the recent- dismissal of Mr. Gray, a police inspector in Ireland, affords a striking illustration of the injurious effects of the spy system, which has been revived in Ire land under the present Government. A man named Osborne had been apprehended by the police in the act of singing, and offering for sale, a ballad which was regarded as seditious.. He was taken before Mr. Gray, who ordered him to find bail to answer the charge at the assizes. Thepurpose contemplated by the inspector was, it seems; to convict the printer of the ballad. To secure the ballad-vendor's evidence against him, he was committed to - gaol: A correspondence was subsequently opened upon the subject by Mr. Gray with the Secretary's office at the'Castle. - The object was to obtain the sanction of the Government to the man's release; and the reason assigned for this was, that the Crown would not thus be deprived of the benefit 'of his evi dence against the printer. The " law adviser" of the Castle authorities declined to release the ballad-seller; and intimated that other evidence against . the printer might be easily obtained. This hint was, it seems, understood, and acted upon. The very course taken by tho police inspector is an illustra tion of the system. A police-constable is provided with the disguise of a beggar-man; he is supplied with the manuscript of the song he is directed to purchase ; and is dispatched to the ballad printer with his in structions. The ballad was not to be obtained, the whole of the copies having been disposed of ; but it might be reprinted—as it was ; and the printer prosecuted. To get it printed was, it is said, no part of the policeman's instructions. But as Mr. Gray, acting upon Mr. Brewster's hint, went rather beyond what the letter of his " opinion and advice " really justified, so the constable went a little further than the inspec tor intended he should proceed. This is invariably the case. When it is understood that a course of pro ceeding, not justified by the open and honest adminis tration of justice, is that which a Government recog nises 'as its mode_ of bringing offenders to punishment, there will be no lack of indiscretion in those who are employed to "carry such instructions into effect. Mr. Gray. gave a liberal interpretation to Mr. Brewster's intimation ; and the police-constable went about his secret Mission with more zeal than Mr. Gray expected or designed. The ballad-printer was entrapped into the commission of an offence against the law by those whose duty it was to prevent, and not to prompt the perpetration of crime. The affair got wind. The Government. was compelled to investigate the circum stances. Tho result was, that Mr. Gray was dismissed. What we Most wonder at is, that the Castle authorities did not see that, in punishing Mr. Gray with dismissal, they admitted the vice of the system which they act upon. The "other evidence" suggestion of Mr. Brewster was the origin of the whole business. If Mr. Gray was held guilty for employing the police man to entrap the printer, he was only criminal in a secondary degree. Mr. Brewster, and the Go vernment which employs him, are the principal offenders. When Toryism is in the ascendant, there will never be a lack of crime in Ireland. The agents it there employs are frequently inciters to, or perpetrators of, the offences ; and the system on which it acts is the prolific source of the discontent, disturbances, and alarm which harass the country. STANDARD.—The news from the United States came yesterday upon the newspaper-reading public as a refreshing shower in . a dry season. Nothing indeed can be so - dull as the political horizon has been for the last.year or two. Peace, peace, peace, everywhere ; no prospect of stirring events, or critical situations, in any part of the world. Lord Palmerston is sadly missed, and his Lordship's political demise has reason to be as mach lamented by " our order" as the death of Sultan Amnratli was lamented by the owls of Bagdad—fur whom, blessed be his memory, lie " provided so many ruined villages." Let us not, however, make too much of the windfall, seasonable as it is. The Senate of the United States may not, after all, ratify the treaty • for the annexation, and if it should, the affair is still no such great matter. Via units fortior no -doubt, but it must be via, not weakness, the union - of which constitutes strength. The things capable of an indefinite augmentation are those which increase by every the least addition, as time, quantity, number. (-Vial other things it is quite the reverse. The in- ~tensity of a colour, white for example, is not improved ihut diminished by the addition of a less white shade; and such is eminently the ease with regard to nations and parties in political warfare. The addi tion of a weaker ally is in most cases an addition not of strength, but of weakness. Of such an addition of weakness, the annexation of Texas would seem to pre sent a remarkable example. The sources of weakness to - the United States .are, too - many slaves, too many State dehts, too great an extent of frontier, too little reputation for honesty in pecuniary transac- Vons, and —may we be pardoned for saying it—a •-• disposition- to retrograde. in • manners, morals, and of this last unh a ppy c h arac t er i st i c we m i g ht snit- be- disposed to speak, were it not forced upon the attention -of every one- by the late scere of complex brutality in Cogress, where one member " male a pass at another" in the ardour of debate, and one of the servants• of the Assembly was shot in the thigh in an attempt to pistol another member on the floor k• of the, house. Now these things—slavery, debt, exces sive frontier, want of character for honesty, want of civili sation and morals—disable any country from offensive or even defensive war; a country afflicted by them, though in the compact grasp of an energetic tyrant, could do little. 'How utterly feeble must such a country be, - with only that • she'dow of government which affects to exercise the sovereign authority 'in • the United States I But what is the portion that the States will have with Texas ? More slaves, more State debts, more frontier, and certainly they will not improve their cha racter for honesty by a transaction which two of the leading statesmen of the Commonwealth, Mr. Clay and Mr. Van Buren, characterise as a' gross outrage, 'and a violation of public faith. The valued part o' the portion of Texas ie, however, the slave part. Texas is adopted, so eminently fitted by situation and climate to serve the purpose (we write the words with disgast), of abreeding farm for negroes; and probably the facilities which it affords to the Cuba slave smuggler, to bring his con traband freight of humae beings- into the States, is not wholly disregarded among the circumstances that seem to recommend the proposed acquisition. The annexation of Texas, if completsid, will lieces attrily confirm the United States as a slave country for overaor, at least, until`freedem shall vindicate herself by some violent convulsion.. But; independently of all other considerations, there is to a loosely connected confederacy a denger_consequent upon increase of terri- • I . tory th a t . does not in the ;same degree, if at alt, affect countries subject to any other form of govern anent,—the d enger, that the parts w ill fall asun d er n from rivalry or from any other incompatibility. This danger very seriously threatened the Republic from the side of the northern provinces during the last tear of the' late war with thi s country, and t 7tgain in the case ;of the Carolina nullification proceedings • 'but it is obviously a dan ger w hi ch must continue to in crease _ i n a ratio far beyond that of the extension o territory. Like the. h ouses a filch childre n bulttl of cards, after they have reached a certain height, 40110 addition, however .`light, is su re t o destroy thesbn: laace - of their scarcely connected materials, and they ell full to the ground. It is for this reason that nothing short of a stern despotism can hold together a great empire of h omogeneous p arts, because in such. an empire there must al ways grow up sooner or, later, rival Ship sa d opposition of interests.' The possibility of England maintaining at the same time her vast empire and her free institutions, arises from this, that her empire is not homogeneous, but so varied that the parts of it cor respond one to the other, and all, without emulation or collision, co-operate •to the • common prosperity. To return to Texas—if we were enemies to the' United states, we shouid most earnestly desire that the annexation may be consummated, for the imme diate effect of that step would be to muter it impos sible for the States ever again to disturb other nations by a war, and its not mach more remote consequences must be a dissolution of the Commonwealth ; but that, we fear, is inevitable in any event. We are nut, how ever, enemies to the United States ; on the other hand, we wish them to enjoy all prosperity, and to deserve it : and ra therefore we-most deeply regret a step that would cl mit them finally and irrevocably to the practice of slavery. _ TUE HERRING FISUERY.—STORNOWAY, MAY 6. ,The herring fishing commenced here on the 2d inst., and from,the 9t4ntity taken, there is a fair prospect o f a goo d fishing this season. O n Friday last some boats had six crans. On Saturday 100 barrels were shipped for Wick. - About , lso boats have already arrived, and more are daily expected.— Boas-shire ,ddrerttser. LAlir INTELLIG E NCE. -SHERIPPS' COURT, May 16. PENSAM V. WINTER AND OTHERS. This was a writ of inquiry to assess the damages in an action for an assault, brought by Mr. Jame. Pensam, an ale and porter merchant, residing in, P or t u4 al. street, Lincoln's Inn-fields, against Joseph and' Thomas Winter, two sons of Mr. Thomas Winter, better known in the sporting world its" Tom spring. Judgment was allowed to go by default. The ease excited considerable in terest,—and the Court was crowded wi th s p ortin g cha ractersifAnd amongst them several sporting noblemen. Mr. C. -Jones and Mr. Charmck appeared for the _plaintiff, and. Mr. Thomas for 'the defendants. . . - Mr. C. JONES addressed the jury, and said that the plaintiff hadlieen .in the habit of f r equenting the Castle Tavern, whiebTwas kept by the defendants' hither. On the 2d of Febraary the plaintiff was there, when a dis pute arose on_ the subject of the.cruelty of Burke to his poll y.. -in a race from Loudon to':Bedford. The de fendant, Thomas Winter, lighte d ;a, candle by the gas and singed the plaintiff's whiskers, which lie had culti vated with considerable care.—(Laughter.) The plaintiff remonstrated with him, when they commenced fighting. The defendant, Joseph Winter, came in and struck him, knocking out one of his teeth, Mr. John Bilton, of 1, Kings-road, Conveyancer, knew the plaintiff and the defendants. Witness was coming out of the house at the tinge of the affair. The defendant, Thomas, poked the candle into the plaintiff's face. He did not know whether he singed his whiskers. The defendant, Joseph, came from the - bar and struck &e plaintiff on the right side of the face, and knocked him down. The elder one took the work out of the younger one's hands.—(Laughter.) Mr. THOMAS said he had a certificate to show that the defendant Joseph was labouring under a pulmonary disease. Mr. C. JONES—You mean a pummelling disease. Mr. TsomAs addressed the jury for the defence in a speech of considerable humour, and urged the respect ability of Mr. Winter, and the manner his house was conducted, and that the action was merely brought for extortion. He then called . Benjamin Hickman, head waiter for eleven years at the Castle—Witness had known the plaintiff for ten years; he had visited the house. He had several times shown him dice-boxes, and a large piece of ivory called a " barley roller." The plaintiff was frequently " chaffing" the younger brother, calling him " Little Punch," " Nix my Dolly," &c.(Laughter.) The younger defendant was lying on the mat, and the plaintiff on him, when the elder one went to his assistance, when a fight ensued. The plaintiff went to witness and asked if there were any marks on him ? Witness replied " No." On one occa sion the plaintiff laid a wager with Dennis, the porter, that he would have his whiskers cut off for 1/. The money was staked, and witness cut off one—(Laughter) —and the defendant Joseph, the other, and the plaintiff, won the money. They were cut off close with a bad pair of scissors. A number of witnests were called to prove that the plaintiff got his living principally by gambling, and Mr. Winter, sen., deposed that the plaintiff - was in the habit of taking great liberties in the house, and bad been frequently told that his custom was not wanted, and wit ness told him that if ls. would settle the matter he would not give it. Mr. Josiss replied, and The Learned UNDER- SHERIFF having summed up, the jury assessed the damages at 20s.—(Received with lond applause)—which saddles each party with their own costs. COURT OF EXCISE, May 16. (Before HART Davis, Esq., Chairman, and Commissioners STEPHENSON and DERBIES.) IMPORTANT ,TO SNUFF TAKERS.—WHOLESALE ADULTE- _l4 1,7 5 _ 557 1 - _ . . . surprised sand astoailleed that the Right . Hon, Baronet I was, that House should lie very cautious in comic:' aouad -1138 gentlemen support „Mae in such to any conclusion regarding compensation to naval men, a thing• What asked, was, to plow Officers because though lion. and Gallant Officers on both sides cf sixty years of age to 'retire upan 100/. a of the House might conjointly press on the House the plata They had now ten officers retired to Green- ' adoption of certain measures, it should be remembered which Hospital upon 801. a year ; and he proposed that they were . not the best nor the most impartial to increase it to 1001. a year. The Gallant Corn- judges, and that, like members of other professions, they modore then referred to the Report of the Commis- were apt, in a strong feeling for their own, to disregard sioners, and stated Out he read it in order that the House those principles of rational economy by which the (louse might understand what the retired list was. It was should be governed.—(Elear.) The whole question had ' necessary that he should show the House what was been referred by the late Government to a Commision, the lamentable state of the British navy at the present of which the following- distinguished persons were mern moment. The Honourable and Gallant Commodore berg—the Duke of Wellington, the Duke of then referred to the state of the navy in 1815 and 1818. Richmond, Lord Melville, Lord Minto, Lord Howick lie was aware that Government could not help Lord Hill, Mr. Labouchere, Sir E. Kemp, Sir Hussey many of the evils which existed, but stilt he Vivian, Sir IL liardinge, Sir G. Cockburn, and Sir T. thought, they ought to take some steps to put Hardy. The Commission also examined a greet number an end to them, and bestow rewards with impar- ofnaval officers. The very question which the Hon. and tiality. He was actually shocked when he , looked Gallant Officerhad brought underthe consideration of the at* the returns of the - respective ages of the officers House was brought before the Commission, namely, the of the navy. That list showed there were only two ad- policy of constituting a retired list of captains, for the rnirals and nine vice-admirals under 70 years of age ; purpose of clearing the list of a number of officers of twenty-fire rear-admirals under 65, and fifteen under very advanced age. The lion. and Gallant Officer had 60 years of age. Of the tvio hundred captains in that read an extract from the report of the Commissioner in list, thirty were between 70 and 75 years; forty-eight reference to the impolicy- of continuing the retired list between 65 and 70; sixty- one between 60 and 65 years of that class of admirals which had got the name of of age; and fifty-one under 60 years of age; whilst the yellow ; but he had not read that part which had an youngest was 52 years of age. In 1815 they had 831 immediate bearing on this proposal to constitute a re captains, the average of whose age was 36. They had tired list of captains—doubtless the omission was not 837 retired captains with an average age of 31 years intentional. The Commission said it did •not occur to and four months. They had 812 commanders and 80 them to suggest to her Majesty the adoption of any retired commanders, making in all 892, with an average other changes with regard to the captains pay and al age of 27 years and six months. They had 400 flag- lowances ; various propositions were made to them to re lieutenants, with an average of 23' years and seven commend the establishment o f a retired list for officers months. n 1843 they had 720 captains, and what of this rank, as well as of other ranks. The whole of would the House believe was their average age ? At these propositions had relation to the claims arising out the_ present moment their average age was 46 years. of seniority of service ; but as it did not appear to the Now, if his Gallant Friend, who was made a aaptain at Commission that this change was calculated to advance 17 or 18, only got at the head of the list when he was the public interest to an extent at all commensurate to the 52, what was to become of those who were only made charge which would be entailed on the public revenue, ceptair.s - at 56? He asked the House whether this was they refrained from offering any recommendation to her not a "miserable state of things? He thought he had Majesty to extend the principle ef a retired list beyond explained as clearly and as shortly as he could. the the present practice, except in the cases of mates and present state of the navy; and he was now going to pro- commanders, This very proposition, therefore, had pose, not a full remedy, because he knew to do so been brought under the consideration of the Commis would be useless. If he got the Right Hon. Baronet to sioners, and they stated that they saw no advantage in listen to him, the Chancellor of the Exchequer would constituting a retired list. The report here the rigna perhaps tell him that he had no money for the purpose.' tures of Lord Minto, Lord Melville,.Sir Charles Adams, Bet, be believed there was not one man who.had sat at and his Right Hon. Friend Sir George Cockburn. He the Board of Admiralty for the last 20 years who had hoped that under these circumstances .the House would not seen the danger they were in, and the necessity of not constitute itself a tribunal to decide this question; remedying it, He did not believe there was a naval that they would recollect that the Commissioners had officer in the House or out Of it, who was not sensible of considered the question in its comprehensive bearings, that danger, and the Right Hon, and Gallant Officer on other branches of the naval and military services, and who sat opposite to him (Sir George Cockburn) knew that they would not imply an opinion at variance with that as'well as he did. He thought it most extra- that expressed by the Commissioners.—(Hear, hear.) ordinary that the Right Hon. Baronet at-the head of hear.) In consequence of the deference due to the opt- the Government, having bad the evils of the - system nion of the Hon, and Gallant Officer, the Treasury had shown to him, should persist in maintaining it. given this matter the fullest consideration, and it' they The Right Hon. Baronet afterwards proposed to allow hesitated, it was not on account of the expense, but from thield officers to sell out and young officers to purchase a sincere conviction that the measure, if adopted, would is under certain regulations. At the time he proposed not produce the effect which the Hon. and Gallant 061- that, the Right lion. Gentleman stated that when be cer anticipated.—a Hear, hear.) That it would not clear brought the matter before the Commission he had not the list of captains ; that it would positively do no good met with Sufficient encouragement. According to the whatever except by enabling particular officers to exer regulations now existing, though he was sorry to say cise their discretion as to whether they would retire or they were not carried into execution, the Admiralty not: He pronounced that the Gallant Officer would not could not promote more than one man in three deaths. wish to make the retirement compulsory. That patronage was entirely in the hands of the First Sir C. NAPlER—Certainly not.—(Hear, hear.) Lord of the Admiralty, and he promoted whomsover he Sir ROBERT PEEL—Against compulsory retire pleased. But the Government' received many applica- ment, the strongest opinion had been expressed by Rear tions, and being out of office for ten years they h a d a Aimiral Griffiths, who said that it would involve a great many hungry fish to provide for.—(Hear, hear, breach of engagement, and give great pain, whilst the and laughter.) But the number of deaths was not saving would be quite insignificant.—(Hear, hear.) This equal to the number of promotions. From 1830 to 1843 point would be brought under the consideration of the there were 332 commanders made captains ; 535 lieute- Treasury, and it was clearly shown that the retirement nants were made commanders ; and 939 midshipmen of 100 officers, would not be of any avail whatever, in were made lieutenants. In 1815 there were 892 corn- clrearing the list. The retirement of 150 captains would menders ' at present there were 1,135 . Those were not entail an expense upon the public of about 26 , 000 /. If all regular commanders, but some of them were lieute- the retirement were optional what vzottld be the effect ? nants on 7s. a day, with the rank of commander. The Our oldest officers, the captains of 1808 and 1809 were lieutenants were then 4,010. Now they were not those who would take advantage of the only something more than 2,000. There was Option. Entertaining the hope that the next something fair in this. He did not see any objec- brevet would give them the rank of admiral, it was not tion to the selling out, and he would propose, in addition to be expected that they would retire.—(Hear, hear.) that no officer should have any vacancy who had' not The officers who would take advantage 'of the retired served a certain term ; that no officer should be tip- list would more probably be the captains at the bottom pointed post captain who had not served as a corn- of the list, who despaired of ever obtaining the rank of mender for five, years, and, that no lieutenant should be admiral.--(Hear, hear,) That, was the precise intim ' appointed.a commander who had not served the same lion conveyed to the Treasury on the part of the Board period. He would also propose that a midshipman of Admiralty ; and of what advantage, he asked, would should serve the whole of .his. time before he could be a such retirement be to the public ?—(Hear, bear.) It lieutenant., This would enable the Government to give diet appear to him to be very improvident to offer this the vacancies to officers who had served for a consider boon, when the oldest men, who expected to at able time. Now, if purchase were allowed, whatewould taro the distinction of the flag, would, in all probability, take place ? Men of fortune, of family, and of influ- reject it ,• and' when only young men who had no ence, would press the' First Lord of the Admiralty chance of obtaining, for a considerable period, the to promote their sons.—(Hear, hear.) It was rank of admiral were likely to accept the 11. per day on quite natural that they should do so, and it was often the list of retired captains. It did certainly therefore impossible to resist such applications. But the First appear to him that the advantage to be gained by the Lord of the Admiralty would say, " I should be ex- public Vas not sufficient to compensate for the expense tremely happy to promote your son if I could, but he Of...the retired list. If they created this list now, when • must remain a commander for five years before I can six' or - seven yeers had elapsed, they would have to go ,make him .a post captain. If you wish to make him a through precisely the same operation for the purpose of post captain, you may purchase after two years, other- again clearing the lise-e-(Hear, hear) Ile did hope wise you must wait fur two. years." How would it af- that that House, having before them the opinion of the fect the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) if he wished Commission, which was composed of the most eminent to obtain a. vacancy for his son ? He was very happy men in both services, would not be induced by their rm . to haie it in his power to compliment the Right Hon. aural predilection in favour of naval men, or by the ad- Baronet opposite upon the great talent of his son, who mission which must be made as to the state of the had now,heunderstood, become a lieutenant, not through navy with respect to those who occupied the highest the Right rion. Baronet's influence, but through having rank in the naval service, to express an opinion which passed a very clever examination.—(Hear, hear.) In would in the least degree fetter the judgment of her the case which he had supposed, the Right Hon. Baronet Majesty's Government. - The opinion which they enter would have been able to purchase one of the commissions tained on this subject was in exact conformity with that for sale, without taking away what belonged to others or of a Commission which had been appointed for the ex . injuring the service. Now let them look at the case of press purpose of investigating it. Nothing could be midshipmen. Numbers, he hesitated not to say, had more painful to himself and to his Right Hon. Friend left the service disgusted at seeing others put over their than the performance of this imperative duty of guard heads. If naval officers, who bad served for several ing the public purse against demands, the yielding to year,, conducted themselves with impropriety, which would be unaccompanied with any public advan why let them be sent out of the service at once ; tage. , It was not to be argued that because improvident but when they behaved in 'a proper manner, they should arrangements had been made in other cases, they should not be treated with so much indifference and neglect.— make an improvident arrangement in the case under (Hear, hear) With respect to the retired list, the navy consideration. He hoped the House would disregard any was the only service under the Crown that had not a such precedents ; that they wouldcomider thequesticm on voluntary retiring list.- The officers in the army were its abstract merits,.and above all that they would con ' - allowed to sell but, and hence a 'certain number of pro- eider the policy of leaving questions of that nature to motions might take place ; but in the navy, in conse- those who had to take a comprehensive view of them. quence of the pernicious system which prevailed, officers He should say nothing whatever as to the policy of per were obliged to remain until they were wholly unfit for mitting the sale of commissions; that was a rrofessional service. The marines should, at all events, hare the question, with which he had nothing to do. If he were same justice. done them as the artillery, but they had asked what was the most effectual mode of preventing an not. If the artillery were permitted voluntarily immense accumulation of aged officers, he would say a de to fall back upon the retiring list, why parture from the principle of seniority, and the selection should not the marines ? There were captains in on the part of the Crown of officers for promotion who had that service so aged and infirm, as to be wholly unfit for shown themselves best qualified for the public service. duty. A remarkable instance of this occurred in Syria —(Hear, hear.) He knew that there was great jealousy —th e re we re 1,600 marines there, but almost all their in the profession on' that subject. He thought that captains were unable to discharge their duties—out of seniority was, on the whole, the best principle that could the whole number of captains, only one was able to be adopted, affording the greatest security against the , march properly. One officer of marines was so dis- abuse of power and patronage. He believed that the tre'ssed with the: fatigue of marching,, that he (Sir C. principle of selection from inferior ranks of the profes- Napier)to get a donkey for him—(Great Sion of officers to exercise command would shock the couldnot go on a quarter of an hour feelings, and perhaps the professional prejudices, of o a g g c h r t longer, F a t sh really w e e b r l e i g toobliged save the lives of all the men of the many men whose opinions were entitled to great weight. division but for the donkey.—(Renewed laughter.) Let them depend upon it that the creation of the retired hear.) ) V eora h rr a n. t )6ouf ep a ts s su t a a srp vo te i toie o ftbhet there riuen with n g fi s t 1,600 y oung men , fit for any list of 100 captains would do nothing whatever to clear tofficers so aged, infirmwere'convinced , and the list. If he of the propriety of to march with them.—(Hear, adopting the proposal, he would not be influenced by had been no donkey--(Laughter) the consideration of ten or twenty thousand pounds a —bow were they to have managed ? lion. Members year, but he had a firm and sincere belief that it was might laugh,, but the fact showed the absurdity of the not a remedy for the evil in question, an evil consequent present system. He believed the* Right Hon. Baronet upon the long duration of the war. If the House had proposed to allow 150 captains to retire on 150/. adopted the recommendations of naval officers in Obi a year each. Now that would amount to 15,000/. ; bUt instance, they must expect to have the same recorne he (Sir C. Napier) did not ask so Much : all the retiring mendations with respect to marine and artillery officers. pension which he sought for naval officers who had Each service would adduce very good reasons why reached their sixtieth year would amount to only 10,000/. similar advantages should be extended to itself. He Another point which he wished to press on the attentioe trusted that the Executive Government might be con of the House was that they should go down lower on the sidered to have a due regard for the interests anti honour retiring list. . In some instances, old commanders of the different branches of the service, and he hoped who had been thirty or forty years in the service the House of Commons would continue to leave these were allowed to retire upon sixpence a day. Now was matters in their hands. He hoped that they would not this just, or fair, or becoming ? Those young men countenance the proposal of the Gallant Officer, which, whom the Admiralty intended should , fill the post Of while it involved a considerable expense, provided, in admirals, should be placed at once upon the Admiralty his opinion, no remedy whatever for the evils which he list, so that in case of _war there should be twenty or admitted the Gallant Officer had proved to exist. thirty, or a sufficient number, of these officers in readi- Captain BERKELEY said he most fully concurred ness to meet the exigencies of the public service. In with the Gallant Officer as to the grievances which he the event of a war now, where were admirals to be found had brought before the House. The Right Hon. Baronet, who would be capable of carrying on a blockade, er however, at the head of the Government, asked them to other important hostile operations ? Why they were leave such matters to the Executive. That was alwa) not to be found at all. At Syria, - where there the case when naval officers were under consideration. were seventeen sail of the line, most of the —(Hear, hear.) The Right Hon. Baronet could see no young admirals were so timorous and so nervous, great advantage in making this retired list ; but he be arising from their inexperience, that they could not sleep lieved that every naval man must perceive that it would a wink at night, whilst within sight of the land.—(4 be attended with ve:y great advantage. Much was said laugh.) It .would surprise him very much if the House about old and experienced officers. He believed that refused to accede to his motion. , After what they had the term " old and experienced officer," was very much heard a few nights ago from his Hon. and Learned misapplied. If a man became experienced by remaining Friend behind him (Mr. Watson), he thought they could on the shelf, totally unemployed, there were many hardly say that the parties whose claims he (Sir Charles officers "who were entitled to that description. It had Napier) brought under the notice of the House were not been stated that many malshiptnen were not allowed to , as deservieg of consideration as those to whom his Hon, sleep when the vessel was in sight of - land. He would and Learned Friend had alluded. Why it appe a red eels, if they were called upon to blockade a lee shore on a there were four Chancery clerks reeeiving for sine . dark night, under such circumstances, could they possi cures alone 28,000 L a year.—(Hear, hear.) Aad b!y he efficient ? The Right Hon. Baronet said they when those sinecures were about to be abolished, ought not to seek good things because others had these four clerks got a retiring pension, amounting to obtained them. Did they not regard the navy 2e,000/. a year during their life, and 11,000/. a year for as their best bulwark in time of war ? Why, seven years after they were dead.—(Laughter, and cries- then should they make the navy the exception, of "Hear, hear.") Another batch of these clerks, and not -give those .who belonged. to it the same option eighteen in number, had 49,000/. a year, and they got a of retiresnentwhichavas extended to the other service?— retiring pension of 26;000/. a year.—(Elear, hear.) The (Hear, hear.) 'The Right Hon. Baronet said it was the Hon. Baronet theu alluded to the " patent during plea- ardent wish of every man in the navy to obtain the flag. sure," which had been abolished by Act of Parliament, He would take his own case. He had been promoted at and asked, was it fair that, whilst Chancery clerks te.• the end of the war in 1814, and during thirty years he ceived those enormous sums as pensions, such paltry-corn- had- only been able to serve six years and six months, pensation should be made to such men as Sir M. Seymour, because he had not interest enough to obtain a ship for Sir I'. Briggs, and Sir T. Gordon, the latter of whom a longer period. He would ask what chance had he of had nothing more than a house rent free at Greenwi c h obtaining the flag ? Certainly none, until he was per- Hospital ? No distinction should. be made between the fectly incapable of performing his duty in case the flag treatment of officers in the army and in the navy. The I were offered to hi m . 'He thought - that the present sys- Hon. and Gallant Officer concluded by requesting of the tem had the effect Of setting officer against officer, and House to agree with him in the resolution which he would allowing the appointments to be influenced solely by` now react to them—'.a That it be a recommendation to i political motives. He felt confident that the profession tie House that previous to the preparation of the esti- ! thought that practice was not so likely to be done as mates for 1844 and 1845, a plan of retirement be devised things were now managed, as if commissions were so as to render the naval service efficient, and with a totally unconnected with, and independent of, the view to *reward old and deserving officers."—(Cheers.) various changes. of Governments. The warning given Sir R. PEEL said lie would more especially address by the Hon, and Gallant Member for Mtsrylebone must, the observations he was about to make to that portion sooner or later, be attended to, and he thought the of the speech of .the Gallant Officer which had reference sooner the better; and he felt sure that the House would to the . department over which lie (Sir R. Peel) had do wisely in acceding to his motion. Control, and would leave those observations of the Gallant ; Sir G. COCKBURN, who was almost inaudible in Officer which were of a technical nature to be answered the gallery, said he thought the Gallant Officer had not by his lion. Friends collueeted with the Admiralty. He! brought this matter fairly before the gouge. The thanked the Gallant Officer for the kind notice lie had reeture of the naval service of this country was such, been pleased to take of the young man, his son, who had that during the time of war a vast force must been recently promoted, not, as the Gallant Officer had be maintained, and consequently then a 'gr ea t many observed, through his (Sir Rs Peel's) influence, but ! officers were called into service ; but durng the ti me o f on account of his own merits. To be so lauded;by ! peace, when a reduction must necessarily take place, so • distinguished an - officer as the Hon. and Gallant those officers must be placed upon Ale retired or half- Member squid wit fail of stimulating the young man ; pay list. Th e o ffipers for service, accordi ng as t h ey m a y to-pursue that line of conduct, o ? th e ' anecess Of Avllich be reauired;''Were taken 'fl , om the list of names ; but no the Hon. and Gallant Officer himself furnished so aril- one could for a moment suppose that all whose names liant an example.—(Loud cheers.) The observations he, stood upon this list could be employed on active service. Sir B. Peel, had made on a former occasion, were in no The Gallant Officer had mentioned the names of several degree meant to disparage the services of.navatoffigers, officers, - but out-of - the number to which he h.ad.alluded . ' or to recommend to the House a too rigid economy in there were on ly two who had been employed in active the consideration of their deserts, but all he meant to say ' service, and those two call? , for a couple of years. In RATION. Mr. William Wainwright, of No. 58, -Fore-street, Moorgate, tobacoonist and billard table keeper, was charged ,with adul terating snuff, and having adulterating matter in his posses sion. There were four counts in the information, varying the offence, and laying the penalty in each count at 2001. A fifth count charged the defendant with having tobacco in a room not entered, subjecting him to a penalty of 100/. Mr. Davis, a Custom-house officer, stated that, in conse quence of the increase of Chinsura cheroots at the various tobacconists in London, and the fact that only two chests had paid duty in the port of London for the last ten years, the officers were looking sharp after them. On the 29th of De cember witness, accompanied by Crawford and Reed, two other Custom-house officers, visited the defendant's premises, and discovered a box full of the much-esteemed Chinsuras in the back parlour. During the search witness discovered a large box of snuff, as also a sieve filled with the same ; he tasted the contents, and finding them so grossly adulterated, he examined several of the jars in the shop and seized them. The shopwoman told witness it was all brown rappee.— (Laughter.) Witness - then proceeded to search the house, and took up some of the flooring in the billiard-room. He broke open a cupboard, where he found bottles, glasses, rneasitres, some bottles of port, sherry, and champagne, and about thirty dozens of stout. There were cupboards on every floor filled with stout, containing altogether about eighty dozens. Witness only seized the spirits, cheroots, and snuff. The defendant said he could show invoices for the cheroots, and produced one in which he had introduced the word " Chinsura ;” they were charged at is. 6d. per lb. The duty on Chinsura cheroots was 9s. per lb. and 5/. per cent. The defendant told witness he had introduced the word to cover the goods, as there had been such a disturbance in town about them. _ Messrs. Reed and Crawford, Custom• house officers, fully corroborated the last witness. ' Mr. George Phillips, professor of chemistry, deposed that he had tested the article seized. The stuff in the box was a powder closely resembling brown rappee, but did not contain a particle of tobacco ; it consisted of 73 5-10ths of vegetable matter, and 26 5-10ths of common salt and earthy matter. The contents of the jars were adulterated with earth, sand, potash, and salt, and the net adulteration was 22 1-6th per cent. The witness banded a sample out of the box to the Commissioners, which did not contain a particle of tobacco, but had the appearance ot brown rappee. A solicitor addressed the Court in defence, and contended that Mr. Wainwright sold the articles as he purchased them, and never mixed his snuff. Caroline Selby, shopwoman, swore that the defendant never mixed his snuffs, and that.they purchased them of Mr. Victor, of Holborn. She had sold a little of the " Gillespie." CHAIMIAN—Is that the article with no tobacco in it ? (Laugh ter.) The witness did not answer the question. Victor, had called several _times since the seizure ; but he did not appear to come about it. lie said he had nothing to lose. Mr. MAynEw—Did you ever sell that trash for snuff ? Witheis—We sold a small quantity of it, and then pUt it aside, as we found out it was not good.—(Laughter.) The'Court said it was a very bad case, and fined the defen dant 100/. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. (YESTERDAY.) MANSION-HOUSE. The clerk of Messrs. Gregson and Co., solicitors, applied to Sir Peter Laurie, to be allowed to give in bail to answer for the appearance of a person who had been indicted before the grand jury for having published a libel, reflecting upon the chrracter of another. • Sir PETER LAURIE said the observations which had been made on the subject of grand juries last session, at the Central Criminal Court, were calculated to attract 'Vie attention of the Government in a very emphatic manner to the question of the propriety of the institution. It was, of course, known to the gentleman who attended upon the part of the defendant, a: presentment,' at that tune, to the. Commissioners of the Central Criminal Court, deSignatel grand juries as wholly useless, and rather calculated to defeat than to serve the ends of justice. The solicitor said he was aware of the fact. Sir PETER LAURIE desired to be informed under what circumstances the case alluded to appeared before the grand jury. . The solicitor declared that he believed the defendant was wholly ignorant of the particulars, but it was con jectured that a letter, written by the defendant, con taining matter presumed to be libellous, and calculated to do injury to the individual reflected upon. had been laid before the grand jury, and a true bill found, and that a warrant was about to be issued for the apprehen sion orthe accused. That was the state. of the case, as had been by some tneans or other Ascertained by the de fendant, who was connected by ties of blood with the cora .plitinant. The- prisoner,. upon hearing that the Bill of indictment had been found, was advised to keep out of the way until the necessary arrangements should be made to meet the accusation. Sir P. LAURIE declared that he felt gratification at the appearanoe of an opportunity for exciting the obser vations of practical men on a subject of such vast import ance to the community as the grand jury system. Mr. Clark, the Clerk of the Arraigns, than whom no man was a higher authority, with regard to the working of the system, was most decidedly of opinion that no man was safe who was subjected to the operation of such a power. ..11e entirely agreed in the views of that excellent officer, and considered that there should be no intermediate authority between • the committing•magis trate and the trial of the accused. To say nothing .of the intolerable inconvenience and expense, the perver sion Ofjustiee frequently resulting from the temptations which presented themselves to persons liable to be tam pered with in the interval between a charge and the pre ferring of a bill was most frightful. To be sure, the re cent order made by the judges that a qualified person should be present at the sittings of the grand juries to see that the evidence of the witnesses in support of the presentments was in accordince'ivith that in support of the charges when originally made; had accomplished great good, but still there were inherent faults in . the syStem which partial applications could not remedy. Tho solicitor said he was astonished when he' was told that a bill had been presented and found, upon the occasion to which the magistrate's attention liad.been thus particularly called, as the usual mode adopted in cases of alleged Rd, was tiyeriminal information in the Court of Queen's Bench, or by action at law. Hai was rejoiced that his application had called forth the 'obser vations of Sir Peter Laurie; as everything sliculd be done to show the necessity of the prompt interference - of Go v_ ernmeut to remedy the grievahce. Sir P. LAURIE—I believe that no two gentlemen, however extensive may may lgitfilelltitoonfothrmanamoir. rcelcaorrkr,ectjubdegtmheCnirt ponractlitiicse,i,m the Clerk of the Arraigns, and Mr. Goodman, the chief clerk of the Justice-room. I a P re or ci t u an a i should wish to bo guided by them in this matter. I p k z o p w ab , i n e n and injustice u h s a t i v c e e long to which prosecutorstheo daenlda y acid witnesses the ba , e been exposed, and I have bee n always impressed with the feeling that the accuser and the accused should be placed face to face, and I trust that her Ma jesty's Government will make inquiry into the merits o f a question 'which is becoming daily more important t o the community. Sir PETER LAURIE then accepted bail in• the usual form. --- A deputation of private country bankers, consisting of Mr. Plumptre (Kent), Mr. Rodvrell (Suffolk), the Hon. A. L. Melville (Lincolnshire), Mr: Veasey (Hunting .tlogshire)..,Mr. Spooner (Birminghani), Mr,. Tweedy (Cornwall), and -Mr.. Birkbook (Yorkshire), 10_ an in terview with Sir Robert Peer yesterday, at his official residence - in Downing-street. . .~'ERI~. F Y lik I.IANI: HOUSE OF COMMONS, MO .16. The SPF.AK.EIt took the Chair at the usual hour: • Mr. O'CONNELL presented a petition from Dublin, praying the House to suspend the Standing Orders with respect to the Dublin and Cashel Railway Bill. Mr. M. O'CONNELL presented a similar petition. Mr. COLLETT presented several petitions from Dublin in favour of the Dublin and Cashel Railway Bill., . Mr. ESTCQURT moved that the Committees on the following Bills have leave to report on or before the 18th June next :—Ayr Bridge• Bill, Preston and Wyre Dock, &e., Bill, Paisley General fins Bill, Lakenheath and Brandon-Drainage Bill,. Monkland Railway (No. 2) Bill, London and ' , South Western Railway (No. 1), and North WaleiiMineral Railway Bill.—Agreed to. ASEITON AND STALE I -BRIDGE- RAILWAY. Mr. M. GIBSON- moved • the further consideration of the report on this Bill. Mr. GISBORNE expressed his surprise at the deei: sion the - Conimittee on the two competing lines ' . of railway, namely, the Ashton and Sheffield Railway and the Leeds and Manchester and Ashton Railway Bill, had come to in recommending the adoption of Loth lines. The opinions stated - before the Committee showed that Sheffield had made out their case. He was most anxious that no such precedent as this Bill established should be recognised. Mr. LABOUCHERE thought the Hon. Member was right. Some impartial person should be appointed who could decide the points at issue, and he, therefore, approved of what was termed the arbitration clause. After a few words from Lord G. SOMERSET, Mr. HAWES thought the decision was unsatisfactory; it appeared to him that the Committee had sanctioned two lines, while they had taken evidence of the traffic only on one. Mr. GLADSTONE said the question had been re ferred, in fact, to arbitrators from the Board of Trade. %a ,thought the motion could not be entertained on a point of for.p. The question was whether, on account of the important, defect attending the arrangements which had been made, the !louse would intercept practically the progress of the Bill. i'L".l4lO works could be executed under the clause he did not think tore was any objec tion to warrant the House in intercepting Bil!! Mr, V. SMITH defended the conduct of the. t.;Onl= mittee. It was impossible for the Committee to come to a decision without the evidence of an engineer. The Committee, having satisfied themselves that the arrange ments could he made, decided that the means of carry them into effect would be to refer them to a compe tent authority. - Mr. J. PARKER disapproved of the new precedent attempted to be introduced, but be was contented to have the clause rather than run the risk of losing the Bill. After a few words from Mr. CLIVE, the Bill was read a second time and ordered to be engrossed. The Chester and Holyhead Bill was read a third time and passed. DUBLIN AND CASHEL RAILWAY. Mr. SiAV . Presentedpetitions from Dublin, praying for the suspension of the Standing Orders with respect to the Dublin and Cashel Railway Bill. Mr. M. O'FERRAL presented a similar petition. Mr. SIIEIL preSented a similar petition from the Chamber of Commerce of Cloamel. •Mr. 10.811LTON presented a similar petition from Down. Air. STAFFORD O'BRIEN presented a similar peti tion from Clare. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL presented similar petitions from Kerry. SUGAR, DUTIES. In answer to a question from Mr. EWART, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated that he should not be able, to move that the House do re solve itself into a Committee of the whole House, to con sider the , question of the Sugar Duties, until Monday June 3. _ _ INTERFERENCE OF PEERS AT ELECTIONS. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE postponed the motion of which he had given notice for this evening, relative to the in terference of Peers in the elections of Members of Par liament, till this day forinight. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr. WARD gave notice that this day fortnight he should move that the House do resolve itself into a Committe of the whole House to consider the subject of the Temporalities of the Irish Church. HILL COOLIES. Lord SANDON moved for returns of extracts of dis patches from the Governor-General of India, on the sub ject of the emigration of Hill Coolies.—Agreed to. COUNTING OUT THE HOUSE. Mr. PAKINGTON hoped he might be allowed, without disrespect to the House in general, or to any Member of it, to complain of what he believed was the unusual and somewhat uncourteous mode in which the House was counted out at half-past four o'clock yester dayfo before the usual hour of proceeding to business. No one was more willing than himself to agree to what. he believed the sense of the House. If it was the opinion of the House that all legislation should be confined to her Majesty's - Government he was willing to consent to it, but if upon subjects to which the Government had not leisure to turn their attention legislation could be carried on by the exertion of individual Members, they ought not to be exposed to the sort of impedi ment he met with yesterday. On the Wednesday before there was no House; yesterday it was counted out; and Wednesday . next was the Deibx day, when, of course, there would be no House again.—(Laughter.) If he was wrong in the grounds he had taken, he should be happy to retract what he had said. He could not Complain of any Hon. Member in particular, because he did not know who it was that moved that the House be counted out last night, for he was net aware that it had been counted out until he was told so by an Hon. Friend whom he met in Parliament street.—(Laughter.) The dropped Orders were then re appointed, and the subject dropped. DISSENTERS' CHAPELS BILL. In answer to a question from Sir T. WILDE, Sir B. PEEL was understood to say that as there were two- Orders to-morrow before the Dissenters' Chapels Bill, namely the Customs Bill and the Factories Bill, and. as it was probable, therefore, that the Dissenters' ChapelS Bill could not come on for discussion before a late hour, he would propose to read the. Bill a second' time .to-mor-, row, and take the discussion upon the principle of the Bill on the motion for going into Committee. Dr. BOWRIIsTG said there were a great number of persons who were anxious that this Bill should be dis l cussed on an early occasion. Sir R. PEEL said the . Bill could not be fully disc cussed if brought on at a late hour to-morrow, and therefore he proposed to take the discussion on the motion for going into Committee. NATIONAL EDUCATION IN IRELAND. . M.J. O'CONNELL wished to know from the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite, whbn the remaining estimates would be brought forward ? There were two of those—that for National Education on which an increase was to be proposed this year, and upon which some discussion was likely •to arise ; there -was also the grant to Maynooth, which was an annual subject of discussion. It would be very conve nient to know what time it was intended to bring them on,_ tti hether before or after the Whitsun Holidays ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he would give an answer• to• morrow. • ' THE WHITSUN HOLIDAYS. Mr. COLLETT wished to know from the Right Hon. Gentleman when the Whitsun Holidays would begin and end.—(Laughter.) Sir R. PEEL said that he proposed that the House should adjourn from Friday week till the Thursday fol lowing. The Housdi would.meet on Friday. PRISON DISCIPLINE. Mr. MACKINNON begged to ask the Right Hon. Baronet (the Secretary of State for the Home Depart ment,• whether, if he postponed his motion with respect to prison discipline, he would have any objection to grant certain papers which he required for the purpose of elti cidating the subject ? Sir J. GRAHAIVf . said'he was of opinion that the dis cussion of the subject would be attended with the most salutary effects, and if any papers were nec 4 S sar y, he would be happy to .furnish his Hon. Friend with them before the discussion took place. Mr. MACKINNON then postponed his motion until that day fortnight:. STA'rE TRIALS. Mr. I'. D,l.r/403M8E Mend for and obtained the following re'tur.ns - ::-L•lteturn oraii -moneys paid, or to be paid, to Mr. IrodeS short-hand writer or writers for notes taken of the proceedings in the Court of Queen's Bench, Duhliti;: previous to, 'and .during or since the trial of, -;The Queen .11.- ,Q,'Conaell. and others. Also, a return. of, all pc2ripys.paid, or to tie paid, for any notes taken of proceedings at C . orieiliation Hall, be •tween the Ist day of Aiiknit, ,. lB43,•iiid‘tlie present time. PROMOTION INJHE NAVY. Sir CHARLES NAI'IER rose to bring before the House the present state of the naval establishment of the Country. Ile did so entirely from a regard to the in terests of the service. Ile had studied this subject since the time of the war, and he thought that in the present state of the navy list, it would be impossible to carry on a war with vigour, in consequence of the advanced age of the superior officers of the navy. In 1842 he brought the subject before the House, and moved that admirals of advanced age should retire upon a pension of 50s. a day. He brought on that motion on the 22t1 of March. In 1843'he brought the subject again before the House, and his motion was seconded by the Noble Lord, the Member for South Staffordshire (Lord Ingestre), who received a severe reprimand from the Hon. Baronet oppo site. The question was one quite unconnected with party politics. Whatever Ministers might be sitting upon the Treasury benches—whether they were Whigs or whether they were Tories—they seemed to be equally inattentive to the interests of the navy. Ile had alluded to the subject when the navy estimates were brought forward in 1843, and the Right Hon. Baronet had stated that there had previously been .a retired list, but that it had been abo lished by recommendation of the Commission. Now, the Right lion. Baronet had spoken the truth in stating this, but ho had not spoken the whole truth. lie had not told the House that officers were forced to put them selves upon the retired list to which he had alluded. The . system. had been instituted by Lord Howe, and it had continued until the Puke of Clarence had been .appointed Lord High Admiral, when an alteration had taken place. The Duke of Clarence had adopted a inore just principle. He had adopted the principle that no officer should be promoted to a flag who had not served either four years in • time of war, I live years in time of war and peace, or six years in time of peace, That retired list was not a voluntary retired list —it was formed Or officers who had not inte rest enough to procure ooyment afloat, It was in fact a punish m e n t u p o n officers for not having suffi cient interest with the Government to procure emploment. The Com m i ss i on h a d recommen d e d that all these officers should be taken off the retired list, and allowed the rank of rear-admiral, vice-admiral. and admiral, but without enjoying the pay. When he asked the Right Hon. Baronet to give him a 0140 list, it was a ra9tlcrate ?rorsal, and In was onl7 ._~. - 77 most instances;'' when an Officer retired, he was succeeded by the next officer in command, and and in all cases he was granted his half-pay when any accident occurred. He regretted to be compelled to differ from so high an authority as the Hon. and Gallant Officer the Member for Marylebone; but still he (Sir G. Cockburn) should say dial he was confident, if war were to break out to-morrow, the fleet would be quite as well manned and officered as it ever had been. The question brought forward by the Gallant Officer was one of great importance and intricacy, and therefore it was a matter for fair discussion, and considering the points relating. to it pro and con., and then decide upon what was best to be done. Captain PECHELL thought the expressions which fell from the Gallant Officer who had just sat down, afforded further proofs of what had been frequently asserted before —namely, that it *as hard under the present system, to render justice to the officers in the distribu tion of promotion. That Gallant Officer lid alluded to precedents, as also did the Right Hon. * Baronet at the head of the Government.; but this Commission would never have been appointed were it not for the number of times which the question had been brought before the House. The Gallant Officer who bad lately been ippointed to the Government of the East (Sir H. Har dinge) had spoken most manfully in behalf of the navy, for which they felt deep gratitude. Ile (Captain Yechell) got several letters from the masters in the navy, complaining of the manner in which they had been treated; and also of certain expressions - which were used in that House, and which they thought'were likely to lower their position insociety. The claims of those officers had not been brought before the Commission, and , he considered this to be a great hardship. Many of ihe officers had no opportunity, from their long resi dence_ on shore, of being sufficiently conversant with nautical affairs, and in order to obviate this evil, be con sidered it would be necessary that some change should be made in order that the younger officers might have some opportunity of be coming practically acquainted with their profession. He stated that employment in the navy was never ob tained except by means of political or aristocratic in fluence. This was notorious ; one Board of Admiralty might be slightly better than another; but, to use a naval expression, they were all tarred with the same brush. They would give employment or promotion to those deserving of it, being continually pressed upon by political influence. With respect to the employment of ships, he stated that the Queen, of 110 . guns, was kept during nine-tenths of her period of service at anchor in Malta harbour. And he could state another instance, in which a ship, on board of which some important experi ments had been tried—the Fox—and of which experi ments the operation had never been tested. This vessel had been lying ever since in the river Shannon, whether for the purpose of collecting the poor's rates, or frighten ing the unfortunate natives, he did not know. But for the sake of improvement in naval architecture, he felt indig nant that there had been such apathy in both eases. •In neither case had a sufficient trial been given to the improvements. It was the object of the motion to pro cure more frequent employment for young officers—that principle the Gbverinnent had itself acted upon in choos ing the young and Gallant Member for Ipswich, whom -they sent to Hong-Kong to share the prize-money with Admiral Parker, which, no doubt, he was very sv•ell able to do.—(Hear, hear.) Were young officers more fre quently employed, it would give more satisfaction to the profession. He believed that the present Board of Ad miralty were as well disposed to them as any other, and he hoped they would listen to the motion of the Gallant Commodore, being assured that it did not at all interfere with the prerogative of the Crown. Lord INGESTRE said, he should not follow the Hon. and Gallant Member for Brighton from Ireland to Hon g -Kong and back again. He was as - well dispose. to promote the object of the motion as any one, and he was as capable of exercising an inde pendent vote in that House as the Hon. and Gallant Member. But there was a question of prudence involved in this matter.—(Hear, hear.) He questioned whether the reiteration of these motions, without a chance of obtaining the object in view, was not doing an injury to the cause, especially when such discussions were pressed in a House so thinly. attended. He should not vote against the motion of the Gallant Commodore, neither ihould he vote with him. But he trussed he would not press his motion to a division, for, if he did, he would do great injury to the cause he advocated. The ques tion was much better left in the hands of the Executive, because this House was not a court of appeal in ques tions of this sort. With the respect to the delay of the Queen in Malta Harbour, he thought there might be good political reasons for it, and though-it was desirable to try vessels, to test their powers, and exercise them, yet opportunities were not always available for doing so. Captain HARRIS (the new Member for Christchurch) and Mr. Hume rose together—the latter gave way, and the Hon. and Gallant Gentlemen addressed the [louse. He said • the question was one of the greatest interest, and though he should not be disposed to inter fere with the Executive, yet as that House voted the supplies, if it should express a wish to put the navy list in better order, he did not see why they should not do so. With respect to the Gallant Commodore's plan of allowing 1001. a year to 100 captains as a retirement, he thought many of them would not accept it ; still he would have no objection to support the proposition, pro vided it was clearly understood that the arrangement should be voluntary. Mr. HUME said the question was one of great im portance, and had been often submitted to the House. It appeared, from all the debates on the subject, that they bad a list of so many officers of different ranks, yet, from the whOle list, they would have a difficulty in iifficering a fleet. Though he had heard that contra dicted, yet it was certain that the list contained a great many men who could not, under any circumstances, re enter the service. Thus, whilst they had apparently a large naval establishment, they had really a most in ferior one. They were paying and keeping up an ap parently great military establishment, while their force was really a small one. The estimates were no less than six millions, yet they were told that a large num- . ber of officers were unfit for service. They had heard that the House of Commons was not to interfere-in this matter— Sir G. COCKBURN said that he had not denied the right of the House of Commons to interfere with respect to the navy. Mr. HUME said he had understood the Gallant Officer to say that the House was not to interfere with the promotion or pay of the navy, and the Hon. and Gallant Officer grounded his opposition to the motion on the fact of a Naval Commission having been ap pointed three or four years ago. He considered an in quiry into the state of the navy would be of the greatest importance, because he believed it would bo shown that many deserving officers had been' set by to make way for young men, the friends of the partisans of the Go vernment.—(Hear, hear.) From the report of 1838 it appeared there were 683 captains in the royal navy, 313 of whom never served a single day after they were posted.—(Hear, hear.) There was one admiral who had served only nine years, and was only one year in actual service. He believed the same admiral had latel) got a command in . Malta. He had supported the Hon. and Gallant Memberr - for Greenwich when he brought forward his motion for an inquiry into the state of the navy with a view to renatiyeAkve who Were unfit for service. That was a proper principle, and - he believed no naval officer in or out of the House:would object .to it.—(Hear.) They had now wasted four years ,and a half, and nothing had been done. He thought the toasters, who were a most meritorious class of persons, had been treated with great injustice.—(Hear.) If inquiry were-granted he hoped it would not be limited to Clearing the list, but would be extended to ascertain how it had become so numerous. The appointments in the navy rested with the head of the Admiralty, and' of course, political influence was regarded.—(Hear.) This was not the principle on which the best bulwark of the country should rest.— (Hear.) He had not 'opposed the grant to the effective part of the navy. It was the money that was applied to the useless and extravagant parts of it that he objected to.—(Hear, hear.) They had seven captains and seven lieutenants for a 'ship, and only used ono.—(Hear, hear.) Would any one keep seven coachmen . and only use one ! —(Hear, and laughter.) It was no wonder then that they had to pay 1,500,000/. to officers on half-pay. If the half-pay list were examined it would be found that the service of most of the officers had been but but small.—(Hear, hear.) A regulation had been made that no promotion should take place till three persons had died. That had been acted upon for some time, but the returns would prove that it had so.in been disregarded. _ The practice had been to place school boys over the heads of old officers, but he was glad to think that things were not so bad now. At the same time, he did not think that the old officers should be pensioned off without sufficient grounds. lle did not think the Gallant Commodore would d 3 so himself,— (Hear, hear.) But he thought that an inquiry ought to be granted. Mr. S. HERBERT did not think the Hon. Gentleman who had just spoken could have heard the motion of the Hon, and Gallant Commodore, or the reply Of his Right Hon. Friend—(Hear, hear)—for he see me d t o m i sta k e the question altogether. The real question was, whether the remedy which the Hon. and Genera Commodore proposed would cure the evils which they were all will ing to admit.—(llear, hear.). He believed that the effect of his motion would be to add 25,000/. a year to the permanent burden% of the country without effecting the good he expected from it. How would it act ? if the retirement were optional, those who were at the tep of the list would refuse the additional pay, and would run the chance of their lives against the hope of being made rear-admirals.—(Hear, hear.) They should then go down the list to the young officers, who would accept the retirement, and the consequence would be that the old officers would be in active servic', and the young men would be on the retired list.—(ll.nr, hear.) Anything like compulsory retirement was out of the question. He admitted that the practice of promoting men according to seniority was good, but under pre sent circumstances it could not be done on a large ,seale. Such was the practice in France, and he approved of it. But there were different opinions amongst naval officers, and the questi o n being a l a r ge one , an d the remedy pro posed being one which would prove ineffectual, he should -vote against the motion of the Hon. and Gallant Commodore. He should not regard the expense if it re medied the evil complained of, but if at the end of teo years they found themselves whore they were before it would bo absurd to impale such a burden on the coun try. He hoped the Hon. and Gallant Gentleman would withdraw his motion. Captain CARNEGIE said he should oppose the mo tion, because it was a direct interference withtheaou tive Government; because if the .retirement were ontionql, thqsc at the head oP the list would decline the adfiional pay of 58. a day in the hope of obtaining the rank of rear-admiral. • Ile did not think there was occa sion for immediate inquiry. Sir C. NAPIER replied. He did not think he ev4i. heard the Right Hon. Gentleman make so lqi4 4.0 weak, a reply as_tq his.speech.- 7 4INhte0 He had not attempted to controvert the,*case, he (sir C. Napier) Aid . wit &wove hi* statement that the navy was not in a state of safety. The Right Hon: Gentleman entir e ly res t e d on what the'Commissioners had said, but there were only three naval officers among then]: He would like to know what confidence was to be placed in a Commission which came to a decision on one dal and reversed it the next? That was something lilt(' what had occurred on Lord Ashley's motion—(Laughter .) What did that Commission do? They gave 10s. a-dt 4 Y to lieutenants in th e navy . A n d w h y did t h e y do so? Simply because they discovered that those lieutenants would not serve unless they did something of the sort' It wis a kind of " thank 'ye for nothing" affair. -- (Laughter.) A ri d w h at did t h ey do w i t h res pect to commanders? Why they gave them 6d., a - dgl (Laughter.) Wh a t did Admiral Wyse say wiith resp ect to this? Why he said they ought to be ashamed or such a thing, and he would be sorry to see such a C° l l l- mission again appointed. Th e Right Hon. Baronet said that the expens e o f carry i ng out the propos i t i on 1v 1 ", /. •• he (Sir C. Napier) had submitted would be 25, 0 ° t : a-year; but this was a mistake, for it might easily be done for 13,0001. ; an d t h e Ri ght Hon. Baronet said that if this retiring pension were allowed, the first-ele, officers would not acce pt o f it. He (sir C. Napier) IT not expect they wou ld, b ut t h ose of a lower class I v and and their pla ces wou ld h ave to b e filled up bYitinio officers. It was all nonsense to suppose that men were between sixty and seventy years of °g o were competent to take the command of tre fleet, or ev en a l arge vessel o f war. f " (Sir Charles Napie r ) was not very old, b ut he Iry quently felt that he was not so strong as when„„ °l i i i e , twenty-five years o f age.—(Laughter.) T 1-‘ he ",.11 Lord the Memb er for Staffordshire (L o rd Ingestre)r said that he (Si r C. N ap i er ) h ad accused him o f bel , tongue-tied, but h e h a d d one no such thing. Al' he had said was that the Noble Lord had received a .rePtr r mand from the Ri g ht H en . B aronet at the hea d o f Majesty's Governm en t, and all he could nay to /v. ;kl that had such a rep riman d b een g i ven to him he not have taken it so easily as the Noble-Lord had do The Noble Lord said that he did not-intend to eulT d this motion, and y e t h e supporte d a s i milar mot i o n •• - d year. Did the Noble Lord think that what Was Oh last year was bad this? No doubt he did, for s° e r. changes often happened in that House.—(Hear, h e L td and a laugh.) It a p peare d t h at as this motion "0 been opposed by th e Ri g h t H on. Baronet, it *le therefore receive the opp os iti on o f every Mem b er on Ministerial side of the House. One said to the " You support it, and I will stick to you like 10 " %. 0/1 (Laughter.) He tru s t e d; h owever, that the' 0°„:,c1 would ultimat e ly fi n d f avour, and he was sure the would result from his having brought it forward.tion After a few words from Sir R. PEEL, in explo"fi the House divided— For the motion Against it 7l . Majority ag a i ns t th e mot i on —4 s, ;r ne The West India Relief Bill was r e ad a second and ordered to be committed. The House then adjourned, at Ten. o'Clock. - - Lac ENSEDVICTUALLERS'.ASYLUM.—On Wedu-s the seventeenth Anniversary Festival of the Limon Victuallers Asylum was c e l e b ra t e d at Whit e CO_ A r. House Tavern. Mr. Bro a d woo d, in the Lops There was a very numerous attendance of nieu l o ei and friends of the institution present, between 40 0 p g 500 ,sitting down to dinner on the occasion. A l l l / 00 . the gentlemen on the platform, supporting the g r r. Chairman,were—M r .F oreman , M . P . fur B r id gwa ter, g Mundell, Mr. C. Bl ea d en , M r . D eane, Mr. Larh.Y", go Vousley, Mr. South a ll, M r . Hodges, Mr. Wicker, an' a l. Walter. The banquet p rov id e d on ie occasion was e ",,cl, lent. The usu a l l o y a l t oasts h av i ng b een duly 1100 0 ° t o the Secretary read th e re p ort , w hi ch state d that to benevolent f ee li ngs o f the public had enabled th eul t se continue the lib era l wee kl y a ll owances w hi c h for ite last four y ears t h e B oard had made to the "of mates ; such allowances make up the incoaleyo each single person, widow or widower, to 6-5* •A,. week, and that of a cou pl e to 7s. per week. t of period the Society's funded property consisted 2 3, 6,465/ 16s. Bd. Three per Cent. Consols, and 6.171. t i p Three per Cent. Reduced An nu iti es , w hi c h tw o o ' o l together were of the value o f 6,400/ ; and the were gratified to say that the Society has de f 6 l e ra every claim against 'it to the prese n t mome nt. ' o r Were at the present ti me 10 2 out o f t h e 103 haril-ed tions in the Asylum occupied ; an d, including r°,Boo- couples, no fewer than 131 inmates were, .at thloo r ment, reaping the comf or t s a ff or d e d b y the rality of the donors at large, a fact which the tw — o ci butors to so noble a work of charity could fairil t so honourably boast of ; an d some s li g h t conception °ffos, necessities of the inmat es m i g h t b e f orme d from thticed, that to the occupants o f th e 10 2 h ouses now inhs"" ea weekly allowances are at the present time made less than 79 of them, being more than two-thirds t he whole. Many excellent speeches were made 10 course of the evening. Subscriptions were alln °u i l ets amounting, in all, to 1,7411. Amongst the subseeii, were, the Chairman, 25 guineas ; Broadwood, Dd and Co., in addition to 20 guineas, 50 guineas ; bert Mundell, 15 guineas ; Mr. Huggins, 15 gutd Mr. E. Huggins, 15 guineas ; Mr. C. Broadwo7oo guineas ; the Directors of the Imperial GasslighS, ie pany, 50 guineas; the Directors of the License d ~ tuallers' Fire and Life Insurance C om p any , 10 guine'bo ALDERMAN GIBBS AND CHARITY PROpERTT.'"t Wednesday, Mr. Day, the ves t ry c l er k o f St. Get'rgse the Martyr, Southwark, had an interview with ste. Rock, the newly-appointed churchwarden of St- ,„"ift, phen's, Walbrook, relative to Mr. T. Di c k enson 's 1, 0 4 who, by will, dated the 18th of Dece m b er , 1 631 , direc by that the sum of 121. should be paid every ten 3.ear s ',4 , the churchwardens of St. St e ph en ' s , f or placing :oil children, belonging to St. Ge orge ' s t o a tra d e . Se_ s e , applications had been made to Ald erman Gibbs for a_" . . 04 count of the property of th e c h ar i t y, b u t the Alder' s at was not inclined to let the gift of the donor g ° sts 4 of his hands. A curious correspondence .bereonleare taken place. Mr. Rock s t a t es that it was in consO t g ed of the manner in which Alderman Gibbs In° pc the charity property which came into his hand 3, o b' first' induced hits to bring the matter before the .r, sel f iic • and the most tangible case which to ' his notice was Dickenson's gift. By the will 0,,"1;8 donor, the moneys arising from the estate werehwol kept separate from the parish accounts, but which not done ; Alderman Gibbs had mixed them' h 1 s ieu presented. if'•,h) in one account. He added, that having bee°, e w e s , h; and sworn in as the Churchwarden of St. StePue certainly would take care th a t th e c h ar i t y proper t foiel in trust by the churchwarde n s h ou ld b e properlkc tb out, or, if it was necessary, to join Amicably parishes which were interested in any gift, and t° ro pertP f a scheme for the better di s t r ib ut i on o f su ch I , jo s o It is at length arrangsd between the legal tiuv'tioa ° f Mr. Rock and Mr. Alder man Gibb s t h a t the ge e v et s churchwarden shall b e t r i e d i n th e Q ueen 's Be° term, by means of a feigned action for trespass• r fran i leaf, „ r ev SEDUCTION BY A FRENCH PRIEST.—A one of the communes, - in the department of I : s l e d Cher, states that a great scandal was lately 0 ' 40 ,0 the cute having seduced a young girl of 16, the pl y . to one of the most respectable families in .;i t The parents knew that she frequently went to vl instr ile" but thought it was for the purpose of religiont lic saJ c ! tion. On May Ist she disappeared, and the pu,",, 1. ,ja - „,,t 11 : having accused the cure of being instrunieln„ business, 'a great clamour was raised against P-A . 'gow at last acknowledged that he had sent her i t t ` lis cor under the care of a servant, in order to conceal d i o tel , sequences of the seduction. The father ina llie DP I toi ° t that lodged a complaint with the Procureur du,l 00 II and a few days back two ecclesiastics came 'r i d ' Pic o city, and carried off the curs in a carriage l i ; lias b, with i a , r i t aisi precipitation that he could only take umbrella and his breviary. The Bishop bad Prr eo ote t ad r 0, suspended this priest for a similar act, and h t be him to the exercise of his functions only en pressing solicitations. acs 11:! MURDERS IN SPAIN.---The fOLIT OWL arr isiP• ° ,; Spanish journal. It seems to us, hoi..-ever, too t ;eV, bable for belief :--" A terrible crime has iZ S tsclr place in the LeighbourhorA of Igualda having lain in, in au i so l ated country 11",i4vii"10 neighbours took th e c hild to the n e: ', .., to have it bapti s ed, l eav i ng a woman hea t heir 11 0 , . had offered to r ema i n b y t h e pat i ent d u ring &ad sence. When they had all departed, this' wo rfi li s e, ing forth a knife, commanded the patient tt: ri , e ItI A show her where h er money was p l ace d. - ` iit rive;bo obeyed, and taking her into another room, ; ( " ire lit„ ot , lock her in. She then called to her tw o v iiri g had been left behind, and sent them for h e r i ;ro^ man who was concerned in the affair w h is ildr e9; about outside, and, stopping the c sa yili o „c learnt their errand, and returned with them' t he ' it el the mother that if she did not at once °Fell er w°4 lYe a he would put them to death. The P°,, e s tob o r not paying any attention to this threat, bra ia,s ircs one of them with a knife, and knocked out :; e t t . f , to the other against a stone. He then procee he pe oP'! o be the door, and had nearly succeeded, whea l oo k to fi t ;',,oo turned from the baptism, and the assassin '., d f e ll The mother related what had taken place a , in an expiring state. The alcalde, who h n ' w eere, a a to the baptism, entered first into the ors prisoner was locked up. She stabbed hirin roolr ben kilt; o f •/ the CO i second, and escaped. The motht r died to su rv-'t the day, and her husband is not expecte d ----_____ ----------"I--- BIRH On the 16th inst, the lady T off he Hon. Spencer ' C". tagu, of a daughter. . On the 24th ult., at Gibraltar, the lady of A ss-stall- i t missary-General Dinwiddie, of a son. 0 On the ,14th inst., at King ' 's Bromley Manor, 1-' CIAO rd - S him "-- J . the Hon. Mrs. Newton Lane, of a daughter. _mil.. S. On the 15th inst.; at Coburg-place, Kw:lll 4 4 4 w .t, Bowlr, of a daughter. " • f ii• r' P— , On e the 12th inst., at Doimington , the lady ° En, of a daughter. . - , Rah . li. _MARRIED. On the 14th inst., at St. Ann's, ligestminster, !ftr'dt Burstall, of St. Martin's-lane, to Elisabeth, y,oulige;.;etilwr ter of the late John Lewis Butley, Dn., 01 " re3 street. On the 15th inst., at St. Mary's, Lambeth, tloieflte`eTiate J. Cox, M.A., to Emily Clara, youngest daughter Web' Pittman, Esq., of Warwick -square. .;,,, s fr te, J 811 1;: ght et On the 15th inst., at it. George's, 1 1 --- - ‘-' 3 r t (li ster, Esq., of Ramsgate, to Emma Curtis, youmaanet. of the late G. T. Hardy , Esq ., of St. Lawrence, 1° tin der DIED. At Liverp.aol, Mary Ann Charlotte, the wife of -kW AlWay, Esq., 69th Regiment. FA. , 13°' On the 20th ult., at Cairo, Edward Bannerman? of the East India Company's Madras Civil Service. 1 _ r :jort. , On the llth inst., at Bognor Sussex, William OU "' ' Esq., of Stockwell, [wed 41. ' On the llth..inst., Wilson, Esq., 4.7Hitirlen-1. .-. tile. On }he 12th inst., at-Cheltenham, Miss Anna 12 1 ..... °- „,........ / -------------ni-to 0111161, 'Christine, the wife of JO Waterloo London : Printed and Published by M t: ' - Y 1 4 ° 4 ". No. - 112, Strand, Printer, at 77/14_ Sun o£l;ese.ustw 0 Strand, in the Precinct: of ' the Wolf the. Strand, irtdity - , Mir 17i 16440 R°Y The E\ l - Idtt insCo ,___ 0 [IL C4 Pital 65 6( which To provict rre nth c auction w the Banke ir the li ai I.4 ncli C }4 AZ AN WI )4 ' de Ha ^ f lia Standir (The / Nrgui ti h e t 'Thnecte, 111411 harp CON. W hich 1 1atn ti c ," Leasi :I Sir W THO) WILT ROB E LEW Rica Me, Thy Di e Th Me Atal ho t , i A ng,, 111 t ottlp Vip er t i . Ti tot 4 Not X4l, tut; * it tea