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

Lot 9 1 ! dein AO' the. il' sat' rharo. lor of . iruPy rd ary -- uu, Id 10 V the and nont. i'tho Edg uerry rtjAce a at ) Lord Donut and and n is §t. tosYn ge ,oath • 'n tIER MAJESTY'S THEA TRE. - Mozart's chef d'ceuvre, 1? Don Giovanni, 'was re- Peated last evening with the same powerful cast 'as When it was produced for the first time this season, a fortnight since, and the announcement attracted a crowd - -round the doors long before the usual hour_ for opening them had arrived. The theatre was crowded in every part long before the commencement of the overture. Not a box or a stall was unoccupied, and there was not even standing room 'in pit or gallery. The overture was mag. nifieently given, and the op era , f rom b eg i nn i ng to fall, was one continued series of triumphs. For nasari and Ikrsiatii were encored, as a matter of course, in 't tn -ei dar em lo ano," and Persiani hc . was in excellent vo!ce was also encored in "Batti, batti." The other encore of the evening was mio tesoro," which was exquisitely sung by Mario. The trio in the first act, by Grisi, Favanti ac c , and Alarin, was admirably given by these three omplished artists. It was much applauded, and narrowly escap-1 an encore. Between the acts of the Opera. Cer:to danced La Gitana with all that naive coquetry, that ease, neatness, and fascinatin grace w hi e h is so g pevularly characteristic of tke f( "vie of this - deligh me tful dans. The ballet of Alma "110%ked, for the:tirst ti:: ) e thi s season , w i t h C ert he heroine, an d n ver did she dance the c lehrate': at de Fascination more delightfully. A m no ost fits cinating creature is Cerito, and we wonder tat her turning the heads of the old German - authorities who fur , ' th e c i ty gates. They must have been rnor, e , s ' than hu man; had they not been fascinated by tlL ri arms of Al ma, a hen represented by such a sylph if graeeful creature as Cerito. There is a heartiness, d n ,,l Il laY he pardoned the expression, about th- , of —e ing Of Cern% which we seek for in .vaio in that ;have Other artiste. It is evident that other artistes e ve: bee, „ taught dancing, but it seems natural to she -r ~.a l aci dancing been unknown before her time, ofth . -- I ,_ ° `"u have invented it. 'The third tableau dipc av tlet, the ball-room scene, is a most magnificent effect. In this scene is introduced the er ctie. of c tite whole corps de ballet. The dan - — ce ll "vu in this manner is a most elegant Pa.thisrotttWiryll' no doubt, become as fashionable as it already is in the salons of th e Daliet The house conti nue d crow d e d t o th e c l ose . M EETING OF THE PITMEN. O n (From the Ty ne M ercury .) Monday,lDen at twelve o'clock, a meeting.of the pit recently employed in the . collieries of the Tyne, Tow fear on the north of the Wear was held on the Moor, in thi s town. The placard announcing the Itt • g r - bgi g intimated that the use of the gr,uncl had been ra ted by the Mayor (Sir John Fife, Knight), of the ber,:gn• The me e t i ng was muneromly attended, there itnti - E not les s t h an from seven to. eight thousand men th ‘"rnen present. The entire proceedings were of Vnost peaceful character. that MARK DENT, having been called to th e c h a i r , sa id on rt was no t w i t h hi m a t thi s meet i ng as i t h a d b een s un% or i t ner occasions—it excited w ithi n hi s b reast plea ehni,,2 emotions in having the honour as acting as Pralan• We are still alive, be said, though it was n o - h l eted that we should have been by this time as a p„; e 2ti'y as an association ; but we are now more th e ' 11•11 than when we first came out. The speaker peer e d llu ded to' certain articles which had ar•- o . hs in the Durham . Chronicle, respecting the W e ll , on which he 'said,' this old hag, this let I. th' Wisp, that before long' they would b no . 'ln know they would catch hold of him, and Wh is e ri h . : 'him for his • 'calumny end falsehood, edie.?t_rwiwneedsttaortbecel i fe n d t , his'strukgle, we said that we were aye, and to be better fed, better no;ltsiatUd better educated; we want all the abundance n 'c wa s destined to create for us., At the corn tile cement of this struggle we had to contend »ping Peu a i v e al iee of the 'coalowners and the ignorance of the f: • 4atTof the local press were abio opposed to 1 4. I . l r t now their views are changed, and they are with ev er must now urge. you to keep the peace, and give sPeaker a fair hearing.—(Loud cheers.) lo st i r ' ' I °RX Term e, from South Hetton, moved the fel ng resolution : the Alter. olved—That in the opinion of this meeting, we, an in in er4 of Northumberland and Durham, have be'n i n o '" used cla s of men, and we hold ourselves justifiable %v.... e asing from labour until we obtain an advance of ages on equitable terms." ht..it,rrsfer i re ading this h e sa id—N ow m y f r i en d s , man y men tnuated th a t our grievances are - Now, th, w as not our time come to resist the oppress!on t axist, a i s n te t: ? I am th an kf u l t h at t h e Mi ners ' Association that We " are Valid. We ha ve me t t oge th er t o -day to show ' an oppressed set of men. We have been in t ie Itaat ° °F eXperience and there learned wisdom. The b ead: rs la id on the serew, but at length we reared our row s ' and to-d a y we are free men, to-day we are no me et servants, and before we return to our employ are told are determined to have a better agreement. We cur 1„ ',l° discharge from our service Mr. Roberts, as tha t Alt adviser, and all will be well. It would appear wish ~` 's gentleman is a mote in their eyes. If they th e e : 8 sincerely to accept their advice, let them destroy th e for him, and do unto others as they would p, do unto them. After urging them to keep the 4 , 0 ing the resoluti and wa.kin, , o , ll. other remarks, he concluded by Mr - T ni , s 7.41 they 401 u . i0n, -- from Castle Eden, seconded the said that tell •' • it had never been deemed were an ill used set of men. He said, they andus that we have no just H now that w . ground of compl a int, e i„„ - ", are a lazy, indolent class of men. act b i de-- , - -eu, and without a blush, that there was set -,;• the coun a more hard-working, industrious Are ~,Men than the pitmen of Northurnberland hot called from our bed in the night, and I t C to descend into the bowels of the earth, risk our lives, and run numberless hazards Paity. pittance' for our fa . ? But we Mu t h 01. the we are possessed of a moral power 4 tele is sufficient to carry us through this strug taWiera re e e t'''antlY. He said that in Scotland, the men y wcng 2s. per. t o n, w hil s t in Northumberland aet l th „Ttlenkaa, said u''t only asing from Is. 3d. to Is. in 4d. ton. ' that it • was an trovertible t tv, 4t had ,'et Peaceful demeanour of the men in this con t-1," - d d ined them .the good opinion of numbers of t4' Pri- • c lasses, and spoke at considerable length on t4t e p e 'T l Ples of the union, which, in consequence of the at which the meeting , was held, prevents our "`;,11:..° 11 concluded by moving the following reso- L 4 . I_, - ,7 t: t by '""'"'" That in the opinion of this meeting, we enirjoint actions and virtuous deeds, merited a '- ' r ,tts b B - „ 4 ,N of public opinion, and in order to maintain I:ass.a--", pledge ourselves to keep the peace." eTallaasly F 34 tVealll. CIIARiTON, from South Shields, pro -rillis•to third resolution, which was seconded by t ‘ lies r , l l ll , l t 11 48wELL, of Seghill ni•u„ -ve o---Th a t in the opinion of this- meeting, we, ti i r a s oi. ,, Northumberland and Durham, , feel abun tk 'rill for the help we have realised from our f.tedk,nos' is shopk eepers an d ot h ers ; an d we d o h ere b y e Irlaid4tlaraelves to c ome f orwar d, like honest men, to esa atio e all d e b ts that may be contracted during our h At he froth labour." ;ialtinn,oei,cionclusion of the meeting a vote of thanks was st) tO tr Bt 3' Passed to Sir John life, the Mayor ; and th e C hairman f If conduct in the chair. , OT IS FINE ARTS. PORTRAIT OF SIR BENJAMIN BRODIE. We have just been favoured with the sight of an cinbosscd medallion portrait of that eminent surgeon, Sir Ben:amin Brodie. The portrait is engraved by Fre , bairii from the original model for the medal which has been executed by Wyori, and it is by far the best likeness that has yet appearedof Sir Ben jamin. As a work of art, the engraving is not less deserving of commendation, and so admirably are the lights and shade.; managed, epecially about the eye and the lower part of the forehead, that it is difficult to believe that the plate has been wrought upon a flat surface. The countenance indicates great shrewdness and sagacity, and the expression of the mouth, in particular, is that of decided energy and determination of purpose. In fact, Mr. Freebairn has preserved all the characteristics of Sir Benjamin Brodie's counte nance with singular fidelity, and the result is, a portrait as like life as it is possible for engraving to be. As the proCes,ional reputation of the original is widely diffthed, more especilly among medical men, we have no doubt that this admirable portrait will become speelily popular with the faculty, first, from its accuracy as a likeness, and secondly, from its su perior excelle;ice as a work of art. CRIMINAL STATISTICS. I There is deep matter for legislative reflection and inquiry in a Blue Book just issued from the Vote ' office, entitles " Tattles showing the number of Criminal Offenders (England and Wales) in the year 1843." These tables, which exhibit the numbers " committed for trial or bailed for appearance at the Assizes and Sessions in each county"—also the result of the proceedings, are followed by a most valuable paper or digest, prefaced by this announcement : " he following explanations and calculations with reference to the accompanying tables, have been made by Mr. REDGRAVE of the Home-office, who compiled and prepared the tables." This docu ment is highly honourable, no duubt, to that gentle man's powers of analysis and arrangement, but it develops a picture of the present aggregate of criminal offenders, and the ratio of its increase, which is the most discouraging that could be submitted to the British public. The contents of the Tabular Returns will be found, if not to falsify, yet by no means to confirm, the anticipations of those who augured, from the extensive repeal of capital puniShment, first, a largely increased proportion ofconvictions to the number of commitments ;' secondly a largely decreased amount of those crimes from which the capital penalty has been thus withdrawn.. The release of juror's from the temptation to falsify their oaths, by verdicts founded, —not on their impressions of the evidence before them, but—on their reluctance to be accessory to the execution of their fellow-creatures ; and the as sumed readiness with which they. would (it was thought) convict, where warranted' by evidence, in such cases—appear to have had little sensible effect in repressing this class of offences. In spite of Mr. RGEBUCK'S eulogy, the other night, of factory labour as the most , appropriate and salutary employment fur women, these tables supply statistics from which Mr. REDGRAVE eliminates the conclusion that " the variations on the centessimal proportion of the males to the females have not exceeded 2 per cent. in the last seven 'years ; that the proportion of females was greatest in 1840, decreasing slightly in the two fol lowing years, being last year 22.02 per cent., being a slight increase on the previous year ; and that in the ten most manufacturing counties, the proportion of females was 25'4 per cent. ; in the ten most agricultural counties, 15 . 4 per cent. only."—(P. 10.) To the same learned authoiity, who found matter fur thank fulness and congratulation in the devotion of childre❑ and young persons to the same species of occupation, we commend this significant passage :—" The coin parative ages in the ten most agricultural, and the ten most manufacturing and mixed counties, afford' similar results ; namely, the earlier coin• mencement of crime in the manufacturing than in the agricultural counties."— (P.' 9.) But Mr. RED GRAVE shows, especially by reference to the per centage of offences committed between twenty and .twenty five years, that the career of crime is shorter in the manufacturing than in the agricultural districts. The returns, however, are full of ano malies well calculated to refute the confidence of less practical men in either House of Par- ' liament, and in either of the two great parties which occupy them, in the dangerous delusions involved in some of their most favourite notions. His Grace the Duke of BUCKINGHAM may be surprised to learn such news as this of hi's " model county," namely—" In the Midland (agricultural) Counties Northampton, Oxford, and Berkshire, a decrease of crime—Bucks an increase." Mr. BANKES, who ran a memorable tilt, some time since, in honour of the abundant wages and excellent character of the whole Dorsetshire tenantry, must bear to be'told that " if the Western counties, Wilts and Somersetshire, show a decrease, Dorsetshire shows an increase of crime." But the general results are too deplorable to be used,,merely to point a passing reflection for the di gestion of political Contemporaries. "In the last year" (1843) writes Mr. REDGRAVE, " there was an ' increase (of commitments) of 141 per cent. on the whole class—every one of the most atro cious (If fences showing a considerable increase. In the " iffences against property committed with violence," there was a large increase, extend ing to nearly every offence. In 1842, the in crease in this class amounted to :16.6 per cent.; and the past year has added 13.9 per cent. to the former great increase. " Offences .against property, com mitted without violence," have decreased during the last year. " Malicious offences against property" show a considerable increase, although.they had been already more than doubled in the year 1842. "For geries and offences against the currency," which had likewise greatly multiplied in 1842, show in 1843 a further increase of 5 per cent. Here follows a painful confirmation of the views which these details are calculated to supply— It has been already shown that the decrease in the past year has fallen chiefly on the minor offences, and that there wa.4 an increase in the graver classes of crime. This, with the number of sentences passed at the winter assize, will account for the increase„ in the face of a general decrease, of the most severe secondary punishment, and of the numbers sentenced to death, which latter exceed those in any year since the exten sive abolition of capital punishments by the Acts of 1 Vic toria. The sentences in each of the three last years are given : Tl l WOOD P.A.VING. al, e • b 't at ,-;:n, taissioners of Sew,,rs for the City of London rbuithvaildliall on Tuesday last, to consider a motion keilis,t fu rwurd by Depute Peacock—'•'l'' That. in con..e -' e Ik . : 0 - (1 ? i f the great expense and doubtful durability of 11, 11111 er l av ntnent—it is the opinion of this Court, th : it '%ll fo r " a°. What is now contracted for shall be laid A „or tw e i r ,, ~ . „ tt discus Diorites. s e ,, 6tlbi,:°ll owl considerable length took place up l ift scl P'n4 - t :'' in ich it vvis strongly argued by tie is-Petall- if the wood D • went, that the timber paved uita • - are i"flitting . ' t ' e , . -ion the inlia tl tits enormous ex oensc li t ." sto':" were giving infinitely more trouble than Nillt e Pav e . h oise of which was greatly its ell 'a4n 'nent ' tu n • ' hich it excelled riyai. ned by the proportion in w (4. 1 t v v , t *cto r s ß c° ; nt ehded by those who did not-agree with the f -.°ll , th a - t T the necessity ol comitor to such a res,lu ilvittltie:::p-sioitetCoorurt ought not to be ' fetter, d as to their 11 ' a OW T- i ti "; and the previous question was carried s —the numbers being for the previous - 14 I nt isi t ; in i e l : _fi.).7,Mr. Peacock's motion 14. th e N Is I , ," I “.nt that the opinion of the Commis (' * ""rgoin a rapid change on the subject of 1344 Pay eln.-nt. g -,-,------ ci h W lNb;: rt r- 4 lii. AND HIS FAMILY. )06_, 4 e1, ' `'ln+Y 15, 1781, SuNDAY.—At St. George's -,0r i ,,,,, )I'syers et eight present, the King, Queen, a re 4s s Elizabeth - and ; Sophia,—about a hundred tn th e ~' 've joined the train to Queen's house, or rather 1 ! t 'all, f o t e s• The King was dressed in blue fly, cuffs :114.44,1V_1! and turned up with red velvet, cape ot same, b i l l ordinaulte, breeches and waistcoat of white cotton, so lult th'n rY i viai te wig with a tail ribbon, a round wigs ‘ , 1 4 - uat, small, used in riding. He is tall, % tie s• a over t the shoulders, large ugly mouth, t cou nte It deal, and shows his teeth too much ; rnw s. i!anc heavy and lifeless, with white eye 4ve Teel Queen of the middle size and bulk, height ititif u i , She a half,--thOugh far removed from ,N..„ lit haS an open, placid aspect, mouth large, ;:! i y , 41,12'air-ltt prayers their voices often heard, and '''freel e " devout. They take no state upon them; ;lit .4,iY_about the town, with only a Lord in Wait- Qtlee t i ; . i',..„_Beyen, every evening after tea, the King, iAlii i , a ' R ef Of -Wales, Princess Royal, Princesses t i, lie ind Elizabeth, walk for an hour on terrace half 41 tatil ' c rig, amidst two or three thousand people of erTliso,e, Prince of Wales appears a likely, Itt !„, ho e etib ia le s : p far more graceful than his father, t 74 J.__ ungainly. The Prince affects much the ,7.Y" dress and air : age will doubtless soften down a 1. 1 ' ) 477 .. ni . 1 ,_ e ;„ta.ste and . affec tation. The Queen's dress, dtiltif- nablt, same colour and facings as the 141ue .., 1 ! umall bonnet with a blue feather. Coil -4) IN 0 M ire gallery and state rooms ;in .one stands NVitti'' !elk's- bed, of a- cream colour, worked in flowers 1 44 .N %IN beautifully shaded, about - ever) feet lon' ds Mr. and Mrs. T. P. i r feet wide i Hosts fluted a; d 'lt s e ter havin g k ' the equestrian, invited his friends , which he had erected AN ORDER FOR TWO.--The . *fi,it en ' tr e an 0•111 compartt'nen't, thought it to be th - e , ', C—, to visit themausoleu il at Kensal m late _A ani nd .. :ew Ducrow, * hitiis - ' ll 801 gland, except-Lady Clifford's at Wbroo,k, i - . - for the reception of himself and his 1 their satisfaction il un — ' we ' ll: w4ntight an,f pres Lady Clifford's to he . r by the late, gteen. His visitors havingexpressed liy,tsa.lpf Norfolk t. twelve.chLrs and a screen, wrought ' at its external f:eauties, and the . F n O d Tl l ValliOnPY Nter'Negetit Aiajesty' s own dilig lit' I and In the I interior arrangements Ducrow, ,ki : 11 ti e 1 „ 11,1 k7, 0 n ibe terrace the lung --t . i n 4 f H il . d, es ,.._ : friend by the hand, exclaimed, in the •%. ' fl orin,. ivrlrd, nai l cock,. ,As th e ~ time to give so 1 shall be happy at an . . . .d e ; " thl- s P - r - inc - e of Wares - - liberality—‘ , Well, my dear fellow, you see there's 13, 'lame- NT Queen in a faint greenish silk full ;: plepty 01 room ; . . sseXcept her fataakl, on which , he told a bolo , et, witl, , 11. eo.,pley fulness shaki n og o f f l il l it i i s ss los t ia:il. l !'of the same c4our us her dress,—,Sumuel Cur= • !.. way, an offer of an order for two to the pit, of places to you and_ Mrs. T. P. . *Nill'icte and Zetteis.. ' immediately accepted. . , T I,: v s , , ls in n i u ts t • - - --" Vc-4 , ..),-...:;• --.:_ ... , ;,,. ~..: ' ILIzcl:: •--. , . 1841 1842 1843 Death BO 57 97 Transportation for Life ......... 156 191 225 above 15 years 15 years, and above 10 709 726 641 11 10 years, and above 7 1,240 1,402 1,471 /9 7 years . ..... Imprisonment above 3 years ••• 1 7. 3 years, and above 2 2 years, and above 1 465 464 464 „ 1 yr, and above 6 myths 2,060 2,594 2,332 6 months and under 13,212 14,799 13,477 Whipped, Fined, and Discharged The capital sentences for eleven great crimes (mur .der, attempts at murder, treason, arson, cutting and maiming. riot, &c. &c.) passed in the three years 1841, 1842, and 1843, were respectively for each year, 80, 57, 97. We are grieved to add this illus tration of the remarks which we have hazarded above as to the hitherto unsatisfactory working of the last Act for abolishing the penalty of death in various cases. But we should observe that' o noble an expe riment—that a principle which we believe to be so sound in the abstract—ought not to be condemned, even on this sort of constructive evidence without further and more prolonged inquiry. In 1838, by the Acts of the Ist Victoria, a further and more important amelioration was effected in the Criminal Laws, and the penalty of death removed from several of the largest classes of offences for which up to that time, executions had not been unfrequent. With reference to these offences, a similar comparison to the foregoing is made, excepting only such as from their numbers were too unimportant to afford any useful results. Average of 1835-6-7. 1841 Attempts to Murder and Maim... 124 .254 Burglary Robbery Arson On each of offences there has been a very consi-' derable increase, which on the aggregate reaches 109 per cent., the commitments generally increasing only 26.4 per cent, in the same time. The convictions have been slightly affected by the removal of the extreme penalty, • the proportion acquitted having decreased from 1 in 2 . 26 to 1 tri t• 73. TIRE SUN, LONDON, r'TD Y MORNING, MAY 17, 1 944. THE TEXAS. TTA- - advice and consent of tho Se n ate, who. shall Meet at Washington, Texas, within the period of six months after the exchange of the ratifications of this' treaty, and may continue in session 'not exceeding twelve months, unless the Congres of the United States should prolong the time. They shall take an oath for . the faithful discharge of their duties, and that they are not directly or indirectly interested in the said claims at the time, and will not be during their conti nuance in office; and the said oath shall be recorded with their proceedings. In case of the death, sickness, or re signation of any of the Commissioners, his or their place or places may be supplied by the appointment as afore said, or by the President of the United States during the recess of the Senate. They, or a majority of them, shall be authorised, under such regulations as the Con gress of the United States shall prescribe, to hear, examine, and decide on all questions touching the le mality and validity of said claims, a n d s hall, when a claim t , - is allowed, issue a certificate to the claimant, stating the amount, distinguishing principal from interest. The cer tificates so issued shall he numbered, and entry made of the number, the name of the person to whom issued, and the amount, -in a book to be kept for that pur pose. They shall transmit the records of their pro ceedings and the book in which the certificates are entered, with the vouchers and documents produced before them, relative to the claims allowed or rejected to the Treasury Department of the United States,' to be deposited therein ; and the Secretary of the Treasury shall, as soon as practicable after the receipt of the same, ascertain the aggregate amount of the debts and liabilities allowed ; and if the same, when added to the amount to be paill to Frederick Dawson and the 'sum which may be paid in the redemption of the Exchequer bills, shall not exce e d the estimated Sum of 10,000,000:dons., he shall, on the presentation of a cer tificate of the Commissioners, issue, at the option- of the holder, a new certificate for the amount, distinguish ing principal from interest, and payable to him sr order, out of the nett proceeds of the - public lands hereby ceded,. or stock of the United State , , for the amount allowed, including principal and interest, and bearing an interest of 3 per Cent. per annum from the date thereof ; which stock, in addition to being made payable out of the nett proceeds of the public lands hereby ceded, shall also be receivable in payment of the same. In case the amount of the debts and liabilities allowed, with the sums aforesaid to be paid to Frederick Dawson, and which may be paid in the redemption of the Exchequer bills, shall exceed the said sum , of 10,000,000 dollars, the said secretary, before issuing a new certificate, or steel, as the case may be, shall make in each case such proportionable and rateable reduction on its amount as to reduce the aggregate to the said sum of 10,000,000 dollars, and he shall have power to make all needful rules and regulations necessary to carry into effect the powers hereby vested in him. , " 7. Until further provision shall be made, the laws of Texas, as now existing, shall re,wain in force, and all executive and judicial officers of except the_Pre sident, 'Vice-President, and heads of departments, shall retain their offices with all power and authority apper taining thereto, and the courts of justice shall remain in all respects as now established ana organised. •" 8. Immediately after the' exchange of the ratifica tions of this treaty, the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint a .Commissioner, who shall proceed to Texas and receive the transfer of the territory thereof, and all the archives and public property, and other things herein conveyed, in the name of the United States. He shall exercise all executive authority in said territory necessary to the proper execution of the laws', until otherwise provided. "9. The present treaty shall be ratified by the con tracting parties, and the ratification exchanged at the, city of - Washington in six months from the date hereof, or sooner, if possible. "In witness whereof, we the undersigned, plenipoten tiaries of the United States of America and of , the Re public of Texas, have signed, by virtue of our powers, the present treaty of annexation, and have hereunto affixed our seals respectively. " Done at Washington the 12th day of April, 1844. J. C. CALHOUN. .4 ISAAC VAN ZANDT. " J. PINCKNEY HENDERSON.' The Washington Globe contains a letter from Mr. Van Buren, on the subject of the proposed annexation of Texas to the Union. The following is the con cluding portion of his letter : " Having now replied, in the fullest and frankest manner, to both the questions which you have pro pounded to me, I might here close-this letter, but being sincerely anxious to put you, and others occu pying the same position, in possession of my views and opinions upon the whole subject, as far as they can with propriety be now farmed and expressed, I will go a few steps further. " Occasions do sometimes present themselves, in the administration of public - affairs, when the de cision of great questions can be safely anticipated by those whose subsequent duty, it may become to decide upon them ; but to justify such a course, those ques tions must be such as are unavoidably dependent upon circumstances and considerations of a fixed and settled character. I have not been able to regard this as being, in all respects, a case of that descrip tion. It is a matter affecting our foreign relations, in respect to which every enlightened nation makes it a rule to avoid, as far as practicable, public annunciations of its proceedings and intentions, beyond what is deemed necessary either to justify its past course, or to make others sensible of its determination to resist aggression, whether present or prospective. As the action of the Executive upon all questions that affect our relations with other countries must be more or less influenced by their, onduct wards us, it is, in general, desirable that our future course should not be embarrassed by assurances given at a period, when no safe opinion could be formed of what their conduct would be. In respect even to motives of a domestic character, it could scarcely be deemed consistent with that prudence and calm discretion which, in public as well • as private affairs, is of such inestimable value, to bind oursPlves in advance in respect to the parti cular line of conduct we will hereafter adopt in a case of such magnitude as the present. When the period for definitive action shall have arrived, the considera tions now taken into view may have lost the weight they at present possess in the estimation of the public; and others, not now regarded as of any value, may, in the meantime, arise to affect materially, if not to change, the whole aspect of the subject. The pre sent condition of the relations between Mexico and Texas may soon be so far changed as to weaken, And perhaps to obviate entirely, the objections against the immediate annexation of the latter to the United States, which I have here set forth, and to place the ques • tion on different grounds. Should such a state of things arise, and I be found in charge of the respon sible duties of President, you may be assured that I would meet the question, if then presented to me, with a sincere desire to promote the result which I believed best calculated to advance the permanent welfare of the whole country. In the discharge of this, the common duty of all our public function aries, I would not allow myself to be influenced by local and sectional' feeling. I am not, I need hardly say to you, an untried man in respect to my disposition or ability to disregard any feeling of that character in the discharge of official duties. You, as well as all others, have therefore at least some grounds on which to form an opinion as to the pro bable fidelity with which those assurances would be observed. _ _ " I shall add a few words to another aspect of the question, and then dismiss the subject. Mexico may carry her persistence in refusing to acknowledge the independence of Texas, and in destructive but fruit less efforts to re-conquer that State, so far as to pro duce, in connexion with other circumstances, a de cided conviction of the part of a majority of the people of the United States, that the permanent welfare, if not absolute safety of all, makes it necessary that: the proposed annexation should be effected, be the con-, sequences what they may. The question may be asked, what, under such circumstances, would be the use you would make of the executive power, ifintrusted to your hands ? Would it be wielded to defeat, or to carry into effect the ascertained wishes of our people F. My reply to such a proposition is, that I can con ceive of no public questions, in respect to which it is more eminently proper that the opinions and wishes of the people of the different States should be con sulted, and being ascertained, treated with greater respect, than those which relate either to the ad mission of a new member into the confederacy, or the acquisition of additional territory with the view to such a result; and that if any application for annexation under such circumstances were made to me, I would feel it my duty to submit the same to Congress for a public expression of their opi nion, as well upon the propriety of annexation as in regard to terms upon which it should take place. If after the subject had been brought before the country, and fully discussed, as it now will be, the Senate anti the House of Representatives, a large por tion of the former and the whole of the latter having been chosen by the people, after the question of an nexation had been brought before the country for its mature consideration, should express an opinion in favOur of annexation, I would hold it to be my further duty to employ the executive power to carry into full and fair effect the wishes of a majo rity of the people of the existing States thus constitu• tionally and solemnly expressed. "There may, notwithstanding, be those, on both sides of this great question, who are unwilling to con e w f t e h ore would, their specific ef eifig reha elected,li suffrages eeplahlsetudtcsg o hh: n ei usslr o s n iun e e whoin regard irsesr respect not oc tp thert o e prepared a t hreeeodutr course variouse giveh sincerity—thatmh a at e te o r nl na t y o shaeyr—e:fatnedr havee do on r s e oo - t aspects s w e h t e d the inT the slightest disposition to question their right rteogueolia4elaitnheoifr its exercise . an lf d toias last there e ll be be the one who they believe can be more safely entrusted with their interest in this or any other of the great questions of public policy which are likely to arise in the ad ministration of the government, of which assurances as to his future course are more satisfactory to them, they will, without doubt, be. well warranted in giving him the preference ; and they may be assured that no one will more cheerfully acquiesce in a decision, made from such motives, than myself. I have ex pressed a willingness to discharge, to the best of my abilities, the responsible duties of the high office in question, should the democracy of the United States be able and willing to re-elect me to the same. But I can take no steps to obtain it by which my ability to discharge its duties impartially and usefully to b :e d im paired; e p v a e ir r e y d r n rt o i r on ca o n f o T u , r in co a m ny mo ex n tr c e o th u i t t l y tr The wo i u n l d d u cast a shade over the motives of my :past life, by changes or concealments of opinions maturely formed upon a great national question, for the unworthy pur pose of increasing my chances for political promotion. " I am, Sir, very respectfully, your friend and obe dient servant, "M. VAN BUREN. "Hon. W. H. Hammett' LICENSED VICTUALLERS ASYLUM.— n t 110 1 e m d enmesbdear Licensedsy i t t eh the Chai r . Conduit hei House f . the seventeenth Anniversary attendance Festiva l th e Victuallers' Asylum was celebrated at M i r n h aTnhderferi ew T ride a se v eoerfntv.heeryMrin numerousst.i tut Broa d wo o d , ion present, between 400 and 500 sitting down to dinner on the occasion. Among the gentlemen on the platform, supportine• the Hon. Chairman. were—Mr. Foreman, M.P. for Bridgwater, Mr. Mundell, Mr. C. Bleaden, Mr. Deane, Mr. Larby, Mr. Vousley, Mr. Southall, Mr. Hodges, Mr. Wicker, and Mr. Walter. The banquet provided on the occasion was excel lent. The usual loyal toasts having been duly honoured, the Secretary read the report, which stated that the benevolent, feelings of' the public had enabled them to continue the liberal weekly allowances which for the last four years the Board had made to the in mates ; such allowances make up the income of each single person, widow or widower, to 6s. per week, and that of a couple to 7s. per week. At this period the Society's funded property consisted of 6,051. 163.8 d. Three per Cent. Consols, and 617/.65. 2d. Three per Cent. Reduced Annuities, which two funds together were of the value of 6,4001. ; and the Board were gratified to say that the Society has defrayed every claim against it to the present moment. There were at the present time 102 out of the 103 habita tions in the Asylum occupied ; and, including married couples, no fewer than 131 inmates were, at this mo ment, reaping, the comforts afforded by the libe rality of the donors at large, a fact which the contri butors to so noble a work of charity could fairly and honourably boast of ; and some slight conception of the necessities of the inmates might be formed from the fact, that to the occupants of the 102 hohses now inhabited, weekly allowances are at the present time made to no less than 79 of them, being more than two-thirds of the whole. Many excellent speeches were made in the course of the evening. Subscriptions were announced, amounting, in all, to 1,7411. Amongst the subscribers were, the Chairman, 25 guineas ; Broadwood, Mundell, and Co., in addition to 20 guineas, 50 guineas ; Mr. Ro bert Mundell, 15 guineas ; Mr. Huggins, 15 guineas ; Mr. E. Huggins, 15 guineas ; Mr. C. Broadwood, 10 guineas ; the Directors of the Imperial Gas-light Com pany, 50 guineas ; the Directors of the Licensed Vic tuallers' Fire and Life Insurance Company, 10 guineas. ALDERMAN GIRDS AND CHARITY PROPERTY.—On Wednesday, Mr. Day, the vestry clerk of St. George the Martyr, Southwark, had an interview with Mr. Rock, the newly-appointed churchwarden of St. Ste phen's, Walbrook, relative to Mr. T. Dickenson's gift, who, by will, dated the 18th of December, 163 t, directed that the sum of 121 should be paid every ten years, by the churchwardens of St. Stephen's, for placing poor children, belonging to St. George's to a trade. Several applications had been made to Alderman Gibbs for an ac count of the property of the charity, but the Alderman was not inclined to let the gift of the donor go out of his hands. A curious correspondence hereon has taken place. Mr. Rock states that it was in consequence of the manner in which Alderman Gibbs managed the charity property which came into his hands, that first induced him to bring the matter before the pub lic ; and the most tangible case which presented itself to his notice was Dickenson's gift. By the will of the donor, the moneys arising from the estate were to be kept separate from the parish accounts, but which was not done ; Alderman Gibbs had mixed them both up in one account. He added, that having been elected and sworn in as the Churchwarden of St. Stephen's, he certainly would take care that' the charity property held in trust by the churchwarden should be properly carried out, or, it it was necessary, to join amicably with those parishes which were interested in any gift, and to obtain a scheme for the better distribution of such property. It is at length arranged between the legal advisers of Mr. Rock and Mr. Alderman Gibbs that the question of churchwarden shall be tried in the Queen's Bench next term, by means of a feigned action for trespass. SEDUCTION BY A FRENCH PRIEST.—A letter from one of the communes, in the department of Loir-et- Cher, states that a great scandal was lately caused by the curb having seduced a young girl of 16, belonging to one of the most respectable families in the place. The parents knew that she frequently went to visit him, but thought it was for the purpose of religious instruc tion. On May Ist she disappeared. and the public voice having accused the cure of being instrumental in the business, a great clamour was raised against him. He at last acknowledged that he had sent her to Mans under the care of a servant, in order to conceal the con sequences of the seduction. The father immediately lodged a complaint with the Procurenr du Roi at Blois, and a few days back two ecclesiastics came from that city,. and carried off the cure in a carriage with such precipitation that he could only take with him his umbrella and his breviary. The Bishop had previously suspended this priest for a similar act, and had restored him to the exercise of his functions only on the most pressing solicitations. MURDERS IN SrAnt.—The following appears in a Spanish journal. It seems to us, however, too impro bable for belief •-•." A terrible crime has just taken place in the neighbourhood of Igualda. A woman having lain in, in au isolated country house, her neighbours took the child to the next village to have it baptised, leaving a woman behi n d, w h o had offered to remain by the patient during their ab sence. When they had all departed, this woman, draw ing forth a knife ' commanded the p a ti en t to r i se, an d show her where her money was placed. Thb latter obeyed, and taking her into, another room, contrived to lock her in. She then- celled to her two Children, who, had been left behind, and sent them for help. But a man who was concerned in the affair was prowling about outside, and, stopping the children, he learnt their errand, and returned with them, saying to the mother that if she did not at once open the door he would put them to death. The poor woman not paying any attention to this threat, he stabbed one of them with a knife, and knocked out the brains of the other against a stone: - He then proceeded to force the (Igor, and had nearly succeeded, when the people re turned from the baptism, and the Assassin took to flight. The mother related what had taken place, and fell down in an expiring state. The alcalde, who had been invited to the baptism, e ntered first into th e room w h ere t h e prisoner was locked up. She stabbed him, then killed a second, and escaped. The,naother died in the course of the day, 14114 her husband is Pot expected to survive." THE ORIGINAL Mss, OF TUE CIARINDA COR RESPONDENCE.—These interesting memorials of Burns were sold yesterday • at Messrs.. C. B. Tait and Co.'s rooms, Hanover-street. The attendance was numerous, ra g s o t c p t oe he t. Tec A ent s specimens of and the spirited competition which took place fully showed the great interest attached to these relics of tli Scotlan d'slettet, the " Lament of Queen Mary," brought 51. ss. ; No. 65 the prices, brought 1/. lfis. ; No. 66 brought 11. 1 is. ; No. 69 brought 11. 10s. ; and the others brought corresponding frices.—.4Cotsmun. containing THE UNITED STATES and TEXAS. The following Treaty fur the annexation of Texas was concluded between the United States of America and the Republic of Texas, at Washington, on the 12th of April, 1844:-- " Art. 1. The Republic of Texas, acting in conformity with the wishes of the people and every department of its Government, cedes to the United States all its territories, to be held by them in full property and sovereignty, and to be annexed to the said' United States as one of their territories, subject to the same constitutional provisions with their other territories. This cession includes all public lots and squares, vacant lands, mines, minerals, salt lakes , and springs, public edifices, fortifications, barracks, ports and harbours, navy and navy yards, docks, magazines, arms, armaments and accoutrements, archives and public docu ments, public funds, debts, taxes, and dues unpaid at the . time f the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty. "2. The citizens of. Texas shall be incorporated into the union of the United States, maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty and property, and admitted, as soon as consistent with the principles of the federal constitution, to the enjoyment of all rights, privi leges, and immunities of citizens of the United States. 3. All titles and claims to real estate, which are valid under the laws of Texas, shall be held to be so by the United States ; and measures shall be adopted for the speedy adjudication of all unsettled claims to land, and patents shall be granted to those found to be valid. " 4. The public lands hereby ceded shall be subject to the laws regulating the public lands in the other territories of the United States, as far as they may be applicable ; subject, however, to such .alterations and changes as Congress may, from time to time, think proper to make. It is understood between the parties, that if, in consequence of the mode in which lands have been surveyed in Texas, or from previous grants or locations, the sixteenth section cannot be ap plh.d for the purpose of education, Congress shall make equal provision by grant of land elsewhere. And it is also further understood, that hereafter the books, papers, and documents of the General Land-office of Texas shall be deposited and kept at such place in Texas as the Congress of the United States shall direct. " 5. The United States assume and agree to pay the public debt and liabilities of Texas, however created, for which the faith or credit of her Government may be bound at the time of the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty ; which debt and liabilities are estimated not to exceed, in the whole, 10,000,000 dolls., to be ascer taiued and paid in the manner hereinafter stated. " The payment of the sum of 350,000 dolls. shall be made at the Treasury of the United States, within ninety days after the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty, as follows :-250,000 dolls. to Frederick Dawson, of Baltimore v or-his. executors, on the delivery of that amount of 10 per gent. bonds of Texas ; and 100,000 dollars, if so much be'required, in the redemp tion of the Exchequer bills which may be in circulation at the time of the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty. For the payment of the remainder of the debts and liabilities of Texas, which, together with the amount already specified, shall not exceed 10,000,000 dolls., the public' lands heroin curled, and p the nett revenue from the same, are hereby pledged, " 6. In order to ascertain the full amount of the debts and liabilities herein assumed, and the legality and vali dity thereof, four Commissioners shall be appointed by' the 49sit1ent of the United States, by anti with the IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. .ILO USE OF COMMONS, May 16. The SPEAKER 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 C as h e l Rail wa y 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. ESTCOLTRT moved that the Committees on the following Bills have leave to reporron or before the 18th June next :—Ayr Bridge Bill, Preiton and Wyre Dock,' Sce., Bill, .Paisley General Gas Bill, Lakenheath and Brandon Drainage Bill, Monkland Railway (No. 2) RH, London and. South Western Railway (No. 1), and North Wales Mineral Railway Bill.—Agreed to. ASEITON AND STALEY-BRIDGE'RAILWAY. Mr. M. GIBSON moved the further consideration of the report on this Bill. - • " Mr.. GISBORNE expressed his surprise at the deci sion the Committee on the, two :competing lices of railway, namely, the Ashton and Sheffield Railway and the Leeds. and Manchester and Ashton Railway BM, had come to, in recommending the adoption of both 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 h e , th ere f ore , 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. He thought the motion could not be entertained on a point of form. The question was whether, on 'account of the important defect attending the arrangements which had been made, the House would intercept practically the progress of the Bill. If the works could be executed under the clause he did not think .there was any objec tion to warrant the House in intercepting the Bill. Mr. V. SMITH defended the conduct of- the Com 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 be made, decided that the means of carry ing them into effect would be to refer them to a compe tent authority. . Mr. J. PARKER disapproved .of the new precedent attempted to be intrcduced, but he 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 CASIIEL RAILWAY. - SHAW presented . petitions 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. SHELL presented a similar petition from the Chamber of , Commerce of Cloamel. Mr. HAMILTON presented a similar petition from Down. Mr. 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 fortnight. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr. WARD gave notice that this day fortnight he should move that the House do resolve itself into a Conimitte 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 day, 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 Dethy 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 not 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 R.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. BOWRING .aaid there were a great number of persons who were anxious that this Bill should be dis cussed on an early occasion. Sir R. PEEL said the Bill could not be fully dis 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. Mr..11.J. O'CONNELL wished to know from the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite, when the remaining estimates would be brought forward ? There were-two ofthose—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, K hether before or after the NVhitsun 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 beg in and 0 end.—(Laughter.) Sir IL PEEL said that he proposed that the House should adjourn from Friday week till the Thursday fol lowing. The House would meet on Friday. PRISON DISCIPLINE. Mr. MACKINNON bogged 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 d elu cidating the subject ? Sir J. GRAHAM 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 necessary, 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. ME STATE TRIALS. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE moved for and obtained the following returns :—Rettirn of all moneys paid, or to be paid, to kir. Hodges or any short-hand writer or writers for notes taken of the proceedings in the Court of Queen's Bench, Dublin, previous to, and during or since the trial of, The Queen v. O'Connell and others. Also, a return of all moneys paid, or to be paid, for any notes taken of the proceedings at Conciliation Hall, be tween the Ist day of August, 1843, and the present time. PROMOTION IN THE NAVY. Sir CHARLES NAPIER rose to bring before the House the present state of the naval establishment of the country. He did so entirely from a regard to the in terests of the service. He 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 22d of March. In 1843 he brought the silbjeet 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—theyseereed to be equally inattentive to the interests of the navy. He hadalluded to the subject when the navy estimates were brought forward in 1843, and the Right Hon. Baronet had stated that there bad previously been a retired list, but that it had been abo lished by recommendation of the Commission. . Now, the Right Hon. Baronet had spoken the truth in stating this, but be had not spoken the whole truth. He bad not told the House that officers were forced to put them selves upon the retired list to which he had alluded. The system bad been instituted by Lord Howe, I and it had continued until the Duke of Clarence had been appointed Lord High Admiral, when an alteration had taken place. The Duke of Clarence had adopted a more 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, five years in time of war and peace, or sit years in time of peace. That retired list was not a voluntary retired list —it was formed of officers who had not inte rest enough to procure employment afloat. It was in f ac t a punishment upon officers for not havin g ffi sn - cient interest with the Government to procure employment. The Col:mission had recommended that all these officers should be taken off the retiredlist, 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 retired list ; it was a moderate vromiii t a n d 1 0. e vioi"wq isurprised and astonished that the Right Hon. Baronet a 1 found 138 gentlemen to support him in such thing. What .ho was, to' allow officers of sixty year's - of age to retire upan 1001. it year. They had now ten officers retired to Green which Hospital upon 801, a year ; and he proposed to increase it to 100/. a year. The Gallant 'Com modore then referred to the Report of the Commis sioners, and stated that he read it murder that the House might understand what the retired list was. It was necessary that he should show the House what was the lamentable state of the British navy at the present moment. The Honourable and Gallant Commodore then referred to the state of the navy in 1815 and 1818. He was aware that Government could not help j many of the evils which existed, but still he thought they ought to take some steps to put an end to them, and bestow rewards with Wiper : tiality.• lie was actually shocked when he looked at the returns of the respective ages of the officers of the navy. That li s t showed' there w ere' o nly two - ad mirals and nine. vice-admirals under 70 years of age ; twenty-five rear-admirels under 65. and fifteen under 60 years of age. Of the two hundred captains iir that list, thirty were between 70 and 75 years; - forty-eight between 65 and 70; sixty one between 60 and 63 years of age; and fifty-one under 60 years of' age; whilst the youngest was 52 years of age. In 1815 they had 831 captains, the average of whose age was 36. They had 837 retired captains with an average age of 31 years and four months. They had 812 commanders and SO retired commanders, making in all 892, with an average age of 27 years. and six months. They had 400 flag lieutenants, with an averacre of 23 years ' an d seven months. n 1843 they had 720 captains, and what would the House believe was their average age ? At the present moment their average age was 46 years. Now, if his Gallant Friend, who was made a captain at 17 or 18, only got at the head of the list when he was 52, what was' to be2ome of those who were only made captair.s at 56? He•asked the House whether this was not a Miserable state of things? He thought he had explained . as clearly and as shortly as he could the present state of the navy ; and he was now going to pro pose, not a fug remedy, because he knew to do so would be useless. If he got the Right Hon. Baronet to listen to him, the Chancellor of the Exchequer would perhaps tell hini that he had no money for the purpose. But he believed there was not one man who had sat at the Board of Admiralty for the last 30 years who had not seen the danger they were in, and the necessity of remedying it. He• did not believe there was a naval officer in the House or out of it, who was not sensible of that danger; and the Right Hon. and Gallant Officer who sat opposite to him (Sir George Cockburn) knew that as well as he did. He thought it most extra ordinary that the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the Government, having had the evils of the system shown to him, should persist in maintaining it. 1 The Right Hon; Baronet afterwards proposed to allow the old - officers to sell out and young officers to purchase in under certain regulations. At the time he proposed tliat, the Right lion. Gentleman stated that when he brought the matter before the Commission he had not met with sufficient encouragement. According to the regulations now existing, though lie .was sorry to say they were not carried into execution, the Admiralty could not promote more than one man in three deaths. in the hands of the First That patronage was entirely Lord of the Admiralty, and he promoted whomsover he pleased. But the Government received many applica tions, and being out of office.' for ten years they had a great many hungry -fish to provide for.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) But the number of deaths was not equal to the number of promotions. From 1830 to 1843 there were 332 commanders made captains ; 535 lieute nants were made commanders ; and 939 midshipmen Were made lieutenants. In 1815 there were 892 com manders, at present there were 1,135. Th ose were no t all regular commanders, but some of them were lieute nants on 7s. a day, with the rank of commander. The lieutenants were then 4,010. Now they were only something more than 2,000. There was something fair in this. He did not see any objec tion to the selling out, and he would propose, in addition that no officer should have any va canc y who bad not served a certain term ; that no officer should be ap pointed post captain who had not served as a com mander for five years, and that no lieutenant should be appointed a commander who had not served the same period. He would also propose that a midshipman should serve the whole of his time before he could be a lieutenant. This would enable the, Government to give the vacancies to officers who had served for a consider able time. Now, if purchase were allowed, what would take place ? Men of fortune, of family, and of influ ence, would press the First Lord of the Admiralty to promote their sons.—(Hear, hear.) It was quite natural that they should do so, and it was often impossible to resist such applications. But the First Lord of the Admiralty would say, I should be ek tremely happy to promote your son if I could, but he must remain a commander for five years before I can make him a post captain. If you wish to make him a post captain, you may purchase after two years, other wise you must wait for two years." How would it af fect the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) if he wished to obtain a vacancy for his sod ? He was very happy to have it in his power to compliment the Right Hon. Baronet opposite upon the great talent of his son, who had now,he understood, become a lieutenant, not through the Right Hon. Baronet's influence, but through having passed a very clever examination.—(Hear, hear.) In the case which he had supposed, the Right Hon. Baronet would have been able to purchase one of the commissions for sale, without taking away what belonged to others or injuring the service. Now let them look at the case of midshipmen. Numbers, he hesitated not to say, had left the service disgusted at seeing others put over their heads. If naval officers, who had served for several years, conducted themselves with i m p ro p r i e ty, why let them be sent out of the service at once ; bat when they behaved in a proper manner, they should not be treated with so much indifference and neglect.— (Hear, hear.) With respect to the retired list, the navy was the only service under the Crown that had not a voluntary retiring list. The officers in the army were allowed to sell out, and hence a certain number of pro= motions might take place ; but in the na v y, i n conse quence of the pernicious system which prevailed, officers were obliged to remain until they were wholly unfit for service. The marines should, at all events, have the same justice done them as the artillery, but they had not. If the artillery were permitted voluntarily to fall back upon the retiring list, why should not the marines ? There were captains in that service so aged and infirm, as to be wholly unfit for duty. A remarkable instance of this occurred in Syria —there were 1,600 marines there, hut almost all their captains were unable to discharge their duties—out of the whole number of captains, only one was able to march properly. One officer of marines was so dis tressed with the; fatigue of marching, • that he (Sir C. Napier) was obliged to get a donkey for him---(Great laughter)—he really could not go on a quarter of an hour longer, it' it were to save the lives of all the men of the division but for the donkey.—(Renewed laughter.) What a state of things-1,600 young men, fit for any sort of service with officers so aged, infirm, and worn out as to be unfit to march with them.—(Hear, hear.) Suppose there had been no donkey—(Laughter) —how were they to have managed ? lion. Members might laugh, but the fact showed • the absurdity of the present system. He believed the Right Hon. Baronet bad proposed to allow 150 captains to retire on 1501. a year each. Now that would amount to 15,000/. ; but he (Sir C. Napier) did not ask so much : all the retiring pension which he sought for naval officers who had reached their sixtieth year would amount to only 10,0001. Another point which he wished to press on the attention of the House was that they should go down lower on the retiring list. In some instances, old commanders who had been thirty or forty years in the service were allowed to retire upon sixpence a day. Now was this just, or fair, or becoming ? Those voung men whom the Admiralty intended should fill - the post of admirals, should be placed at once upon the Admiralty list, so that in case of war there should be twenty or thirty, or a sufficient number, of these officers in readi ness to meet the exigencies of the public service. In the event of a war now, where were admirals to be found who would .be capable of carrying on a blockade, or other important hostile operations ? Why they were not to . be. found at all. At Syria, where there were seventeen sail of the line, most of the young admirals were so timorous and so nervous, arising from their inexperience, that they could not sleep a wink at night,, whilst within sight of the land.—(A laugh.) It would surprise him very much if the House refused to accede to his motion. After what they had heard a few nights ago from his Hon. and Learned Friend behind him (Mr. Watson), he thought they could hardly say that the parties whose claims he (Sir Charles Napier) brought under the notice of the House were not as deserving of consideration as those to whom his Hon. and Learned Friend had alluded. Why it appelred I there were four Chancery clerks receiving for sine cures alone 28,0001 a year.—(Hear, hear.) And when those sinecures were about to be abolished, these four clerks got a retiring pension. amounting to 22,000/. a year during their life, and 11,0001. a year for seven years after they were dead.—(Laughter, and cries of "Hear,, hear.") Another batch of • these clerks, eighteen in number, had 49,0001 a year, and they got a retiring pension of 26,00 01 ayear.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Baronet. then alluded to the " patent during plea 'sure," which had been abolished•by Act of Parliament, and asked, was it fair that, - whilst Chancery clerks re ceived those enormous sums as pensions, such paltrycom and Sir T. Gordon, th e l atter of whom p ensa tion should be made to such men as Sir M. S e y mour, b S a ir d more than a house rent f ree at Greenwich Hospital ? No distinction should be made betwe en th e treatmentinthustee-naing % T navy. otßrhiingts , Officerco nelu and v concluded db r e questing of the In. and -House to agree with him in the resolu t ion - • o Gallant oof officers in the army which he would now read to them—" That it be a recommendation to the House that previous t o t h e preparation of the esti matesfor 1844 and 1845, a plan of retirement be devised so as to render the naval service effi • cient, and with a I view to reward old and deserving officers."—(Cheers.) Sir R. PEEL said he would more especially address the obaervations he was about to make to that portion of the speech of the Gallant Officer which had reference . to the department over which he (Sir R. Peel) had control, and would leave those observations of the Gallant Officer which were of a technical nature to be answered Iby his Hon. Friends connected with the 'Admiralty. He thanked the Gallant Officer for the kind notice fie had J been pleased to take a the young man, his son, who had j been recently promoted, not, as the 'Gallant Officer had t observed, through his (Sir Tt, Peel's) influence, but on account of his own merits. To be so lauded by so distiuguished an officer as the Hon. and Gallant Member could not fail of stimulating the young man to pursue that line of conduct, of the success of which the Hon. and Gallant Officer himself furnished so bril liant an example.—(Loud cheers.) The observations he, Sir R. Peel, had made on a former occasion, wet's' '1 no degree meaat to, disparage the services oe 4 or to recoramencl to the House oaval officers, 7 the towage th' .l- • too rigid economy in _„,r deserts, but all he meant to say was, that the house shouid be very cautious in coming ; to any conclusion regarding compensation to naval men, hecauso Ifoii.littitGalitint Officers on hoth sides of the Hume might corijiiiiitly press on the House the" adoption of certain measures, it should be remembered that they %lore nut the beat nor the most impartial judges, and that, like metnbera of other professions, they wen: apt, in a strong feeling for their own, to disregard those principles of rational economy- by which the House should be governed.—(llear.) The whole question had • been referred by the late Government to a Commision, of which the following distinguished persons were Mew ber—the Duke of Wellington, the Duke of Richmond, Lord Melville, Lsrd Minto, Lord liowia Lord Hill, Mr. Labe:where, Sir E. Kemp, Sir Hussey Vivian, Sir H. Hardinge, Sir -G. Cockburn, and Sir T. - Hardy. The Commission also examined a great number .1 of officers. The very question which the Hon. and Gallant Officer had brought under the consideration of the House' was brought before the Commission, namely, the ' policy of constituting a retired list of captains. for the purpose' of clearing the list of a number of offieers of very advanced age. The Hen. and Gallant Officer had red an extract frost the report of the ( 7 ounnissioner in reference to the iinpoliey of continuing the retired list of that class of admirals which had got the name of • ' yellow ; but he had not read that partevhich had an immediate bearing on this proposal to constitute a re- tired list of captains—doubtless the omission was not intentional. The Commission said it did nit occur to tlism to suggest to her Majesty the adoption of any other changes with regard to the captains' pay and at loveances ; various propositions were made to them to re commend the establishment of a retired list for officers of this rank, as eell as of other ranks. The whole of these propositions had relation to the claims arising out of seniority of service ; but. as it did not appear to the Commission that this change was calculated to advance the public interest to an extent at all commensurate to the charge which would be entailed on the public revenue, they refrained from offering any recommendatien to . her Majesty to extend the principle of a retired list- beyond the present practice, except in the cases of mates and commanders. This very proposition, therefore, had been brought under the consideration of the Commis sioners, and they stated that they saw no advantage in constituting a retired list. The report bore the signa tures of Lord Minto, Lord Melville, Sir Charles Adams, and his Right Hon. Friend Sir George Cockburn. Ile hoped that under these circumstances the House would not constitute itself a tribunal to decide this question; that they would recollect that the Commissioners had considered the question in its comprehensive bearings, on other branches of the naval and military services, and • that they would not imply an opinion at variance with that expressed by the Commissioners.—(flear, hear.) hear.) In consequence of the deference due to the opi nion of the lion. and Gallant Officer, the Treasury had given this matter the fullest consideration, and it' they hesitated, it was not on account of the expense, but ftom a sincere conviction that the measure, if' adopted, would not produce the effect which the lion. and Gallant Offi-• cer anticipated.--(Hear, hear.) That it would not clear the list of captains ; that it would positively do no good whatever except by enabling particular officers to exer cise their discretion as to whether they would retire or . not. He pronounced that the Gallant Officer would not Sir C. NAPlER—Certainly PEEL—c(olmlepanrisohre)a, wish to mak e th e ret i rement compulsory. b y Rear r.rletire- ment, the strongest o pi n i on h ad been expressed Sir ROBERT PEEL—A Admiral Griffiths, who said that it would involve a breach of engagement, and give great pain, whilst the saving would be quite insignificant.--(Hear, hear.) This point would be brought under the consideration of the Treasury, and it was clearly shown that the retirement of 100 officers, would not be of any avail whatever, in clrearing the list. The retirement of 150 captains would entail an expense upon the public of about 26,0001. If the retirement were optional what would be the effect ? Our oldest officers, the captains of 1808 and 1809 were not those who would take advantage of the option. Entertaining the hope that the next brevet would give them the rank of admiral, it was not to be expected that they would retire.—(Hear, hear.) The officers who would take advantage of the retired list would more probably be the captains at the bottom of the list, who despaired of ever obtaining the rank of admiral.—(Hear, hear,) That; was the precise intima don conveyed to the Treasury on the part of the Board of Admiralty ; and of what advantage, he asked, would such retirement be to the public ?—(Hear, bear.) It did appear to him to be very improvident to offer this boon, when the oldest men, who expected to at tain the distinction of the flag, would, in all probability. reject it ; and when only young men who had no chance of obtaining, fur a considerable period, the rank of admiral were likely to accept the 11. per day on the list of retired captains. It did certainly therefore appear to him that the advantage to be gained by the public was not sufficient to compensate for the expense of the retired list. If they created this list now, when six or seven years had elapsed, they would have to go through precisely the same operation for the purpose of again clearing the list.—(Hear, hear.) He did h ope that that House, havi ng before them the opinion of the Commission, which was composed of the most eminent, men in both services, would not be induced by their na tural predilection in favour of naval men, or by the ad mission which must be made as to the state of the navy with respect to those who occupied the higheit rank in the naval service, to express an opinion which would in the least degree fetter the judgment of her Majesty's Government. The opinion which they enter tained on this subject was in exact conformity with that of a Commission which had been appointed for the ex press purpose of investigating it. Nothing could be more painful to himself and to his Right Hon. Friend than the performance of this imperative duty of guard ing the public purse against demands, the yielding to which would be unaccompanied with any public advan tage. It was not to be argued that because improvident arrangements had been made in other cases, they should make an improvident arrangement in the case under consideration. lle hoped the Manse would disregard any such precedents; that they wouldconsider the question on its abstract merits, and above all that they would con sider the policy of leaving questi ons o f t h at nature to those who had' to take a comprehensive view of thern. He should say nothing whatever as to the policy of per mitting the sale of commissions; that was a professional question, with which he had nothing to do. If he were asked what was the most effectual mode of preventing an immense accumulation of aged officers, he would say a de parture from the principle of seniority, and the selection on the part of the Crown of officers for promotion who had shown themselves best qualified for the public service. —(Hear, hear.) He knew that there was. great jealousy in the profession on that subject. He thought that seniority was, on the whole, the best principle that could be adopted, affording the greatest security against the abuse of power and patronage. - He believed that the principle of selection from inferior ranks of the profes sion of officers to exercise command would shock the feelings, and perhaps the professional prejudices, of many men whose opinions were entitled to great weight. Let them depend upon it that the creation of the retired list of 100 captains would do nothing whatever to clear the list. If he were convinced of the propriety of adopting the proposal, he would not be influenced by the consideration of ten or twenty thousand pounds a year, but he had a firm and sincere belief that it was not a remedy for the evil in question, an evil consequent upon the long duration of the war. If the House adopted the recommendations of naval officers in this instance, they must expect to have the same roman. mendations with respect to marine and artillery officers. Each service would adduce very good reasons why similar advantages should be extended t o itself. He trusted that the Executive Government might be con sidered to have a due regard for the interests and honour of the different branches of the service, and he hoped the House of Commons would continue to leave these matters in their hands. He hoped that tbey would not countenance the proposal of the Gallant Officer, which. while it involved a considerable expense, provided, in his opinion, no remedy whatever for the evils which he admitted the Gallant Officer had proved to exist. Captain BERKELEY said he most fully concurred with the Gallant Officer as to the grievances which .he had brought before the House. The Right Hon. Baronet, however, at the head of the Government, asked them to leave such matters to the Executive. That was always the case when naval officers were under consideration. —(Hear, hear.) The Right Hon. Baronet could see no great advantage in making this retired list ; but he be lieved that every naval man must perceive that it would he attended with ve:y great advantage. Much was said about old and experienced officers. He believed that the term " old and experienced officer," was very tu t)e l l misapplied. Ifa man became experienced by remaining on the shelf, totally unemployed, there were many officers who were entitled to that description. It had been stated that many midshipmen were not allowed to sleep when the vessel was in sight of land. He would ask, if they were called upon to blockade a lee shore on a dark night, under such circumstances, could they possi bly be efficient.? The Right Hon. Baronet said they ought not to seek good things because others had obtained them. Did they not regard the navy as their best' bulwark in time of war ? Why, then should they mike the navy the exception, and not give those who belonged to it the same optima of retirement which was extended to the other service?-.- (Hear, hear.) The Right Hon. Baronet said it was the ardent wish of every man in the navy to obtain the flag. He would take his own case. lie had been promoted at the end of the war in 1814, and during thirty years he had only been able to serve six years and six months, because he had not interest enough to obtain a ship for a longer period. He would ask what chance had he of obtaining .the flag ? Certainly none, until he was per fectly incapable of performing his duty in case the flag were offered to him. He thought that the present sys 1' tem had the effect of setting officer against officer, anti p a 1 0 1 l o i w t c i n a g i m t o h t e i v a e p s . p o i e m f e e n l t t s e t o o n fi b d e e n fl t h u e a n t c t e h d e p so ro le fe ly ssi b on y thought that practice was not so likely to . be done as of' the totally unconnected with, and independ ent !r e m g giveu things were now managed, as if commissions were ne must, v b a y ri t o h i e is i c i h o a n n . he thought th e sooner ' sooner or later, be attended to, and sooner the better; and he felt sure that the House would changes s d Gefallant Governments. Member for T tr w do wisely in acceding to his motion. Sir G. COCKBL'RN, who was almost inaudible in the gallery, said he thought the Gallant Officer had not brought this matter fairly before the Rouse, The nature of the naval service of this country was such, that during the time of war a. vast force must be maintained, and consequently then a great tnany officers were called into service ; but durng the time of peace, when a reduction must necessarily take place ; those officers must be placed upon [the retired or half pay list. The officers for service, according as they May be required, wed is en from the list of names z but no one could f'7,l; a moment suppose that all whose names -s t ',"":l., upon this list could be employed on active service. The Gallant Officer had mentioned the names of several officers,• but out of the number to which be had alluded there were only two who had been employed in active ' service, and_those two only fora couple of year& IP ur of i took 0011 ride eito. _TO ~~~,. their w , oP With rt , which .ed t 0 ?.ceiYe z :,~`~ ;i . '~N ~}~ N''R ~ trtieN et (of es ref wi fttv e COO ° i ht o - i obe fig ! P e r,i aeir