The Sun. — London, England, 1821-05-22 00:00:00

ire avoided by causing two Member 3 to lie re turned for the North Riding of the County, and two for the remaining parts„ Earl FETZWILLIAM expressed his objection to the transfer of the Elective Franchise' to Leeds, in the way proposed by the Bill when it came up from the Coinnions. Ile, however, wished to be understood as . not objecting to the principle - of bestowing the right of suffrage to large towns. Alluding to what had fallen from the Noble - Marquess who spoke last, he observed that it would be impossible, without completely altering the Constitution of the country, to diiide it in the manner proposed. Lord REDESDALE thought the suggestion of the Noble Marquis (Lansdown) might easily be act ed upon, as the'county was already divided for 'every purpose except that of election. Thu Earl of LivEttrow.'s motion was then car ried without a division. • Upon the motion of the Earl of LIVERPOOL, the report was ordered to be received to-morrow, and the Bill, with the amendments, to be printed. The Bill was then appointed to be read the third time on Thursday, for which day their. Lordships were oiderod to be summoned.—A , !- journed at TEN O'CLOCK. HOUSE OF COMMONS. 'MISCELLANEOUS. .Mr. MAXWELL obtaimd ten days leave of abs,ence for Lc zti A. Hamilton, on urgent private business. • :sir. %lACKENZIE presented a petition from the Owners and Occupiers of Land in the County of Selkirk, against the Scotch Juries Bill.—Laid on the table. Mr. T. WILSON presented a petition from several Mer... chants and Traders on and near the River Thames, against the London Wharfs Bill.—Laid on the table. The House then went into a Committee on the London Wharfs Bill. • After a few words from Mr. T. Wilson, 11Ir. Calvert, Sir J. Yorke, Mr. Ellice, and Mr. P. Moore, A division was called for on one of the Clauses, but the Rouse did not divide. On 1:i-entering the Gallery, we found the Speaker in the Chair; and Mr. D. BROWNE on his legs on the subject of the Irish Inland Navigation. The Honourable Member -said, that his cola object in introducing this Bill was to improve the present wretched state of the commerce and agriculture in Ireland.— /le concluded by moving that leave be given to bring in a Bill to promote the Inland Navigation of Ireland.—Leave given. Mr. DENISON presented a petition from the Church wardens arid InhabitantS of the Parish of Mitcham against the Newington Vestry Bill.—Ordered to be referred to the Corn mitteeon the said Bill. Lord W. BENTINCK postponed 'his motion on the affairs -a Sicily to the sth of .June. .Air. C. HUTCHINSON presented a Petition from Ro bert Barry, one of the Coroners of the County of Tipperary, against certain clauses in the Irish Coroners' Bill.—Laid on the table. Mr. ELLICE presented a petition from several persons, for merly tide waiters, who had been discharged in consequence of receiving certain fees which were prohibited. After a few words from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Wm. Curtis, and Mr. Baring, the petition was laid on the table. • General GASCOIGNE presented a petition from Liver •pcal against the Penitentiary Bill ; Petitioners also prayed tbs.t means might be devised to prevent the increase of the County Rate. After a few words from Mr. BENNET, the petition was laid oa the table. Mr. C. H. HUTCHINSON asked the Right Ikon. Gentle man (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) opposite, whether he intended to make any alteration in the Irish Distillery Laws, or to adhere to those made last year ? ghe CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that he did not at this late period intend to make any alteration. COAMITTEE OF SUPPLY. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then anoved the Order of the Day for going into a Committee of Supply. • Mr. CREEVEY then rose to call the attention of the House to an item in the Estimates, which he -understood were to be submitted to them that -evening, on which, before they went into the -Committee, he would take the liberty of propos ing a Resolution. The item he alluded to, was a sum of 5,9001. for the repair of fortifications, .&c. in the island of Barbadoes. Now, the rea son of his objecting to this vote was, that there was a fund supplied by that island; as-well as -mostly all the Leeward Islands, for the express purpose of keeping in repair these fortifications, and until he knew that the fund was properly ad ministered according to the intention of those that granted it, he could not consent to vote away - the public money of this country for any such purpose. As a proof of the existence of this fund, and of its nature being as he had stated, he would only refer to the Journals of the House.— CThe Hon. Member accordingly directed the lerk of the House to read from the Journals pe titions presented from certain individuals in the -years 1663 and 1702, praying the interposition of the House to cause the proceeds of a duty of 4- 1 : per cent on the imposts of the island to be applied, as originally intended, to the repair of the fortifications and other works erected for the defence of the island.]—These extracts having been read, the lion. Member proceeded to ob serre, that there was sufficient proof on the Jour nals of the House of the original intention of those who granted this fund being as he had stated ; and he had reason to believe that instead of its being appropriated as it ought to be, it was to tally absorbed by the Crown, and dispensed in the support of a number of placemen and pen sioners. This fund he knew was disposed of by distribution amongst many Lords and Ladies in the country, and Gentlemen in that House, and he knew, therefore, that he should have the votes of many in that House who held these funds in their hands against his motion. This he did not doubt, and indeed he wished to point out -to the House that almost all the late votes on the Estimates had been carried by the official men alone in that House. This was a pretty state for them to be in, when all the public money was voted away by those Gentlemen who were in terested in its being so voted and -employedas it was. The Hon. Member passed a high encomium on the labours of the Hon. Member for Aberdeen (Mr. Hume), to expose the abuses in the expen diture of the public money, and concluded by moving the following Resolution as an Amend ment : " That it appears to this House, by the Ordnance Estimates for the present year, that there is a charge of 59001. for repairs of fortifications and other military works in the island of Bar badocs ; and as it also appears by reference to the Journals of the House that there is a certain sum collected out of the re -venues of that island for the purpose of acfraying . the repairs of the public buildings, forts, &c. , of that island, it is the opinion -Qf the House that it cannot, consistently, with its duty, vote the said sum of 59001. till it is satisfied that this tax has been faith fully applied and found inadequate." (Before the question was put from the Chair, a message from the Lords was received, acquainting the House of their Lard al-4s' assent to several ] load Bills.] The question 'having been put, Sir CLOSIG said, that he could not conceive .the House would be induced to accede to the propositions of die Hon. Member for Appleby, iri opposition to the established practice of Par liament' with reference to the fund for the last century. The grant of this fund was distinctly made for his Majesty, his heirs, and successors for ever; and if ever there was money which ought to be indisputably regarded as belonging to the permanent revecne of the Crown, it was the money derived from that source. There cer tainly was ground for a claim on the part of the island of Barbadoes alone to the effect stated by the- Hon. "Alember ; but if he would look at the circumstances under which that claim was made on the-occasions lie had directed the attention of the flotise to, he would find that the case had greatly altered with the time's. Since those periods Bar hadoes had been made a naval depot, and its de fence ,well provided for, to which end frequent grants had of money had been made by this coun try. The mariner in which this Fund was at pre sent applied had been recognized over and over again by Parliament ; and in the year 1797, a Com mittee of that House had declared that the fund was appiicable in such manner as the King shoUld think fit. - The Hon. Member said, that its sole purpose was to repair the fortifications • yet on one of the occasions quoted by the Hon. Member the Address •of that House to the Crown prayed his Majesty so to apply thw:e fundsofter paying the Earl of Kinnoul his annuity out of it. There had not been a Lawyer of eminence for the last century who had not'given it as his opinion that the present application of it was legal. For these reasons he should oppose the amendment. Sir F. BURDETT maintained that it never could have been the intention of those who granted this fund for the repairs of fortifications in the West India Islands, that it should be applied to the corruption of Members of that House. It was no argument in favour of such an application, that it had existed for a century ; and if the fund were in the control of the Crown, it was like all other money so situated, intended for the benefit and not the detriment of the public ; and when Parliament saw that the Cro4n had other re sources than it gave, it would be backward to agree in all the grants proposed for that purpose. Mr. GOULBUILN contended that the fund was strictly at the disposal of the Crown, and what ever the Honourable Baronet might think of the manner in which it was expended, the characters of those who received pensions from it, repelled imputation. Mr. MONCK said, it was clear that, even if the application of the funds collected from the others of the Leeward Islands were not laid down by Act of Parliament, it was granted for a national purpose, arid not for the support of pensioners in that House.—The House then divided : For the Amendment - - , - - 53 Against it - - - - - - 88 Majority _ - - - -28. On our re-admiSsion we found the House in Committee upon a vote of 94,000/. for the Staff of Artillery. THE CORONATION. Mr. MoNcii wished to ask the Hon. Gentleman opposite d question on the subject of the Corona tion. He wished for information on a matter re lative to it, which every one interested for the RoyalTamily, and looking up to them with that regard which he sincerely felt, must consider of some importance at the present moment. Every person so feeling, must see, with extreme repug nance, any slight offered to any Member of the Royal Family, and must especially complain of the omission of any established usage which went to give peculiar dignity to one member of the Royal Family. It would be in the recollec tion of every Member of that House, that in the course of the last session of Parliament, a sum had been voted for the Coronation—he believed 100,0001. had been voted for, that purpose. When that grant was agreed to by the House it was under circumstances very different from those of the present day. It was then very doubtful whether the Queen would ever return to this country, and it was therefore not thought necessary to.consider at that time what arrangement in the event of her coming would be proper to be made for her. On this subject he had now to ask two questions. The Ist was, whether any arrangements were made for the part that illustrious person might sustain in the ceremony ? . and the 2d, whe ther, if any • such arrangements were made, it would be necessary to call on Parliament for a_ new grant in addition to the 100,0001. already voted on account of the Coronation ? He for one was not disposed to believe the rumours that he had heard abroad, that while provision was made for securing seats for the Peeresses of England, no provision was made for" the accommodation of the most Il lustrious Personage in the country. This he mentioned as a rumour that he had heard, but it was one that he could not bring himself to be lieve. After what had passed in the last session of Parliament, it could not be denied that the Queen was as much Queen of this country as the King was King of it. Any vote that might be proposed to make suitable arrangements for her Majesty he was confident would be well received by the country, however large the sum proposed might be, if the same were well and justly ap plied for the Queen's accommodation. If, how ever, the sum which had been voted was not in tended, nor any part of it, to be appropriated— if the Coronation festival was intended not to give new lustre, but to throw a stigma on her Majesty, he then thought - that any sum of money that might be so expended would be considered objectionable, not only by the Members of that House, but by the people (almost universally) out of doors. He hoped the Chancellor of the Exchequer would satisfy the public mind by giv ing some answer to this question. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER did not really see bow the question just asked grew out of a proposed vote of money for the pay of the Royal Artillery in a Committee of supply. He could not see that any clear ground was laid for the question at all. Such a one would only be come necessary if a larger slam should be asked to cover the expenses of the Coronation. At present, however, the question was wholly un necessary, as he could assure the Hon. Gentle man that Ministers had nn intention of calling for a new grant on account of the Coronation, in the course of the present Session of Parliament. Mr. Moscrc thought there was nothing irrele vant in the qUeStion which he had put to the business of a Committee of Supply. In a Com mittee of Supply he had thought that Members were not obliged to confute themselves to the sub ject in debate, but were at liberty to bring for ward all the charges of the empire. He therefore conceived the question to have been perfectly in order; but if, from what had fallen from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, they were to col lect that Alini'sters were disposed to give no in formation on this subject, he hoped that some Munber of greater importance tha❑ himself would bring it before the House in a regular mot ion. Mr. HumE said, the Right Hon. Gentleman had but half answered the second question of the Hon. Gentleman, lie had stated that Minis ters meant to move for no additional grant on ac count of the Coronation in the course of the present Session of Parliament. He wished to know if they had any intention of doing so in any subsequent Session ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated it to be impossible for him to say then what it might be necessary to do in a future Session. A grant of 100,0001. had been taken, on the sup position that that sum would be sufficient to cover the expences of the Coronation. When the ac counts came to be made up, he could not say what the result../light be. Mr. BENNET contended, that according to an cient custom the Members of that House, before granting a supply, had a right to call for informa tion on every subject, and to bring forward every grievance of which they had to complain. He was therefore of opinion that the questions. of the lion. Gentleman ought to be answered. The Marquis of LoNnoNoEnny said Ministers had been taken by surprise in this instance ; but admitting that all grievances might fairly be brought forward in a Committee of Supply, he still thought a good deal of ingenuity would be required to prove that any thing connected with this question that bad been asked came before them in the shape of a grievance. If it would be a grievance that her Majesty should not be crowned, still the Honourable Gentleman would have a good deal of difficulty in proving•that this grievance could as yet be complained of by the representatives of the people. If the Hon. Gen tleman wished for any information on the subject, he and his Right Honourable Friend were little disposed to shelter themselves under technical objections, or to use the form,s of that House to evade inquiry. He apprehended that those he then addressed had not to learn that it depended on a positive act of the Crown whether the Con sort of *the reigning Sovereign should share the honours of a Coronation. The decision on this subject came within the Royal Prerogative—was the clear, undoubted, undisputed right of the King. As to the way in which that prerogative would be exercised on this occasion, he had no he sitation in saying, that heand his Majesty's Minis ters were not prepared to advise that the Queen should be crowned with the King. Having stated this, if there existed any wish to raise the dying, or rather the dead embers of those fires which had raged in time minds of time people, but which no longer prevailed, the consequences must rest on the heads of those who were capable of acting such a part. Ministers were perfectly ready to take upon themselves any responsibility that might attach to the course which they thought it their duty to pursue. Mr. BROUGHAM, in consequence of what the Noble Lord had said, felt it his duty to say a few words. lie was taken as much by surprise as the Noble Lord could he. If that to which the attention of the House had been directed was regarded as a matter of grievance, he was of opinion that it might regularly lie brought for ward in a Committee of Supply. With respect to The strict legal right of the Crown to give or withhold the honours of a Coronation to the Queen Consort, he did not wish to be under stood as 'giving his assent to that proposition, and he only rose on the present occasion that silence on his part might not be mistaken for an admis sion that the Noble Marquis was correct. The Resolution having been read, HUME objected to the amount of the grant proposed. At present in the artillery there were nine battalions, each consisting of eight compa nies. If the battalions were made to contain ten companies of seventy-three men each, as was the case before the French war, the result would be a saving of the Staff of 3 battalions, which with other expellees connected with that would give a reduction of expence to the amount of 25,0001. without reducing the number of men now pro posed to be kept up in the artillery. He would therefore move that the Grant before the 1-louse be reduced by the sum of 25,0001. and substitute for the vote proposed by the Right Hon. Gentle man tit° sum- of 69,0001. Mr. R. WARD shewed, that the time necessary to make gogd Artillery Officers had made it ap pear desirable to reduce the number of men with out reducing the Officers in proportion, as it was desirable that the Officer should be kept in prac tice. He also shewed, that a full complement of Officers was always necessary from the circum stance of the artillery corps being much more dis persed when on active service than was usual with a regiment of the line. Mr. HumE was of opinion that the artillery could not now be kept in practice, and therefore, considering it only a question of expense, thought the reduction he had recommended might be effected. Sir U. Button spoke of the inconveniences arising from the slowness of promotion in the Artillery Corps. In the Peninsular war, the Lieutenants who at. first commanded were so old that they did not possess sufficient bodily vigour to endure the fatigue of campaigning. From the difficulty of finding Officers who possessed suffi cient vigour of mind and body to go through the service, dnring the last three years of the war in Spain, the artillery, consisting of 6000 men and 5000 horses, was commanded by Capt. Dicken son; and at Waterloo, the artillery, comprehend ing 7000 men and 6000 horses, were in the same way commanded by Lieutenant Sir G. Wood. At present there were but two hundred men in the artillery over the number kept up in 1791 and 1792. Stating that, he did not include in the comparison the Horse Artillery and the Driver Corps, as they were not in existence at the time he had .mentioned. He stated 22,000 of the artillery to have been reduced since 1804, out of '28,000. This was •a greater reduction than had been made in any other corps. Mr. 13tNNET said, in 1792, the expence of the artillery was 112,0001. It was now 394,600/. He was of opinion that the artillery ought to be re-modelled. Mr. R. Winn spewed the number of men in the artillery i❑ 1792 was 4,365. Had the new colonies been then in our possession, providing for them on the same scale, would have added to the 4,365 men 748, , making a total of 5,113. The actual number now kept up was 5,575, being an excess of 462. In 1792, it was also to be remembered, that no provision was made for retie fs. Mr. Hums did not see bow the arguments of the two Hon. Members applied to his reasoning. His objection was not to the number of men, but to the number of. Officers. He meant to propose that the staff of three battalions, which he held to be unnecessarily kept up, ,should be placed on half pay, and the reduction. thus made, with the savings on allowances, &c. would amount to the sum he had mentioned.—The House divided, For the Motion - - - - 43 For the Amendment - - 16 Majority - • - - - —27 The following grants were then moved : For the. Royal Corps of Artillery Drivers, including . &rage for riding - horses - ' - - - £17;590 For the Medical Establishmennt of the Ordnance in Great Britain - - - - - • - 8,377 Mr. HUME objected to the increased expense for the Medi: cal Establishment. They had been augmented ninefold since 1792. He complained of the salaries of certain individuals, and especially of the office of the . Director-General, who en joyed an income of £1,095. . Mr. R. WARD said, in 1792, there was,no Medical Esta blishment connected with the Ordnance • that deserved so to be called. It was then the custom to have recourse to practi tioners in various parts of the country. This occasioned a con siderable expense, not merely in pounds, shillings, and pence, but in, efficiency. He then explained and defended the various arrangements of the establishment. Mr. HUME renewed his objections to the grant, and moved, as an amendment, that £3,778 should be taken from the grant proposed. Sir U. BURGH complained of the amount of the reduction proposed by the Hon. Gentleman: If a reduction of 3,0001. were made from 8,0001. he did not know how they should get on at all. Sir J. YORKE said,. they might get rid of the Director- General.—The Committee divided— For the Amendment - - - 18 Against it . - - - - - 47 Majority - - - - -29 Mr. WARD then proposed the sum of 66101. for the pay of Civil Officers, Professors, and Masters of the Royal Academy at Woolwich. Mr. HUME said, that all the benefit the public derived from that institution was the education. of 30 persons, each of whom cost the sum of 1700 L The present grant was not the whole demanded from the House. There had been £B,OOO granted for the pay of those persons. Before he would pro ceed with any proposition tending to a reduction of that esta blishment, he wished to learn whether any reduction was con templated by Hon. Gentlemen opposite ? Sir U. BURGH assured the Committee that every means of economy had been introduced into the establishment. It had been once as high in number as 1110, and it was reduced to 150. There would not be more than 100 young men in it in a few year,, in consequence of the regulations which had been intro duced. Mr. FIUME maintained, that the establishment ought to be reduced to 50 ; it was a complete waste of money to have more young men than could be provided for. One-fourth of the number of cadets there could only he provided for. He there fore should propose a reduction of the number from 150 to 50 only. It was a cruelty to bring,up - young men without having the means of realising their expectations. He therefore moved, that the sum should be 3,3051. Mr. WARD , said, that there were arrangements made in order to have the establishment reduced to 100, before any new -members would be admitted into it. The regulations for the Cadets from the College into the service, were such as would as well prove serviceable to the Officers on half-pay, as to the young men in the College, for the stream of promotion flowed through regular channels to each. After some further observations from Mr. Bernal, Sir H. Harding, Sir U. Burgh, Mr. Hume, and Mr. Bennet, the Comthittee divided— For the Amendment - - 20 • Against it - - - - 63 Majority in favour of the original grant - —43 11,458 for fees payable to the Officers of the Exchequer, as fees arising from payments - to the Ordnance Department. Mr. BERNAL objected to such a system of fees. Sir H. PARNELL objected to the confused manner in which accounts were kept. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER explained the manner in which the accounts were kept, and that it arose from the nature of the business transacted. Mr. HUME wished to know when a return might be ex pected respecting the fees he had moved for a month ago ?—He wished all fees to be abolished; the House would then know the actual expences. Sir C. LONG said, when the Hon. Member talked of fees, he confounded those arising from the issues of mollies, and the passing of accounts, which were widely different. Sir H. PARNELL explained. The ReSolution was then a s -Treed to. 1:39,000 was then moved for the balance of Extraordinarics of the Ordnance Service in Great Britain. Mr. HUME wished to know if this was for the whole of the extraordinaries ? Mr. WARD answered in the affirmative. . . • . Mr. HLTME said the CoMmittee was Called upon to vote no less than 270,0001. contained in five pages of the Estimates ; he wished the charges for the Colonies were 'comprised under one head, instead of several votes for each, under the various heads of Army, Navy, and Ordnance ; in addition to which the Chan cellor of the Exchequer would be bringing forward the Civil Contingencies. He insisted that the extravagant scale of the Eslablishment at Gravesend, under the head Of Repairs, ought to be corrected. This was the third year he •• had called the at tention of the. House to the expences of the powder mills at Fe versham and Waltham Abbey, which required to be reduced. In speaking of the persons employed, he said they lived EN PRINCE, it was 0:1'1E11 completely taken. Mr. WARD said, in another - 3 , ear the Estimates would be more detailed, the temporary would be separated from the per manent charges. - A pledge was given some time ago that no new works should be undertaken without a correct plan. In the present Estimates no new works had been anticipated. The expellees of the Colonies .were now the same as they were in 1792. With respect to Heligoland, that was quite a political question, and not fhr him then to argue but if it was to be dis. cussed, he thought . he could shew the advantage to be derived from it. With respect to Waltham Abbey, he found upon in quiry that -we could not give up that establishment on account of tha expences that would attend the removal of the stores. At any rate it would be-impolitic to give up the powder manufac tories altogether. Sir W.. CONGREVE said, that considerable saving arose from the establishment at Feversham, • not less on the whole than. £1,573,803. There were now on hand 300,000 barrels of gun powder, which, at an expense of 10s. each barrel, might be rendered worth .E 5 a barrel.. 'Air. BERNAL objected to the mode in whieh the Ordnance accounts were kept, and the number of draft horses kept up on the establishment. Mr. 'WARD said, it was impossible the artillery could be worked without horses. After a few words from Mr. Humr, Mr. D. GILBEUT, and Mr. BENNET, the Committee divided on the Resolution.— Ayes - - - - 99 Noes - - - - 53 Majority for the Resolution --46 On our re-admission into the Gallery, we found Mr. Ward on his legs, moving a vote of 111,8371. for the Ordnance of Ircland. Mr. lIUME remarked upon the large establishment kept up for Ireland,. the Storekeeper of Dublin being paid as much as the Storekeeper of Woolwich. The Hon. Member, after some further observations on the necessity of reducing the Establish ment, concluded by moving an Amendment, taking off 4,4501. from the vote. Sir J. NEWPORT said a few words ; in a very low tone of voice, in favour of the Amendment. 111, WARD defended the original motion, and contended that from the nature of the slxvice, the Establishment was no unnecessarily large. After some further conversation between Sir H. PAux,ELL, Mr. Hu ME and Mr. WARD, the House divided— _ , For the Amendment' Against it - - 53 - 92 Vajority in favour of the Resolution --=39 The sum of 299,6231. was then voted for half.pay of the Ord. nance Establishment, and 'Widows' Pensions • 11,2751. for a similar purpose ; 4.2791. far Superannuated Allowances and Allowances for Children of deceased Officers ; 36,6581. for thz .Alloifrances to Persons whose services did not extend to nil - i years' service. After a few words from Mr' HuNE, Mr. J. SsHTIr, czi Mr. VARD, the item was voted. 'l' ther resoluticmx were then moved a nd agree d to, after whichir e Chairman reported progress. The House resumed, and the report was ordered to be received to-morrow. • IRISH REVENUE. Sir JOHN NEWPORT asked. if it was the intention of his Majesty's Government to appoint COMMissioners to collect 0: revenue in Ireland. He did not object t6G9vernment appoiat ing such Commissioners. He thou g ht if th e y were p r operly sected, much good might be done, but if the Commissioners were not proper persons; the greaiest inconvenience would arise. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER intimated that it was his intention to move for the appointment of the Committee alluded to by the Hon. Member ; at the same time. due care would be taken to select proper persons for the purpose. The other orders of the day were then postponed, and the HouSe then adjourned at ONE O'CLOCK. SOCIETY FOR THE ENLARGEMENT AND BUILD- ING OF CH URCHES AND CHAPELS. The Adjourned General Meeting of the ahove Society was held yesterday at the Society's HOus?, Lincoln's Inn-fields, for the purpose of receiving the Report of the L.-.st year's proceed ings, and electing 'Officers, &c. 'f'or the ensuing year.--Shortly after twelve o'clock, his Grace the Archbishop of CANtE7Z-. itillt.l" took the Chair, and addressed the Meeting in a .brief speech. There were present the Bishops. of Chester, Salis bury, Gloucester, and Llandaff, Lord Kenyon, Sir Robert Peel, Bart., Sir.T. D. Ackland, - Bart., and several other emi nent persons._ _ _ The Rev. Mr. RonnE ft, Secretary, read. the Report; and on the motion of Mr. 4.-GIPPs, it was referred to a Commit tee of the Gentlemen who drew, it up to prepare an abridgment for publication in the papers. We shall, therefore, content: ourselves at present with stating:, that the Report was heard . With lively feelings of pleasure and approbation. The Archbishop of CANTERBURY said, the statement just read was highly satisfactory, and the result of great magnitude .and importance ' • and, when the smallness of the sum expended, and the general benefits derived, were taken into consideration. he thought he might defy the whole world to produce an in stance where so much good had been done at so trifling an ex pence. His Grace then stated, that, under existing circum stances, it was not deemed advisable, or necessary, to apply at present to the piihlic for further aid. Lord KENYON moved the thanks of the Meeting to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury. The motion was carried with acclamations. Thanks were also voted to the Rev. Mr. Bramwell, to the Auditors of the Society, to the Acting Secretary, the Rev. Mr. W. J. ltodber, and the Vice-Presidents and Members of the' Committee, the Trustees and Treasurer.. These motions were carried unanimously. • Mr. J. WATSON was then elected a Trustee, in the room of Mr. Beeston Low , deceased. Mr. CRANE called the attention of the Society to the Church. Briefs Bill now before Parli a ment. - lie wished the attention of the Meeting to be turned towards it, in order that in its pro gress any suggestion that would benefit the views of the Society might be made to the House of Commons. After a long conversation as to the nature of the Bill in peg don, Mr. CRANE moved, in effect, that the Society saould watch the progress of the Bill, in order to render every assist ance in their power to make the proposed measure subservient to the attainment of one object. This motion was seconded by Dr. NAms, and carried una nimously. The Meeting then proceeded to elect officers, &c. for -Cos ensuing year. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF KING'S' BENCH, MAY 21. LORD BRUDENELL V. WEBSTER. Mr. DES MAN applied to the Court that this case (a horse case) might be brought on as a motion, instead of going into the peremptory paper, in ordei that an early answer might be given to a statement made, when Mr. CLARK, moved for the new trial, tend:ng to make an impression very unfaCourable to the 7 . plaintiff, it having been suggested that a witness for the plain tiff, described as a respectable farmer on the trial at Leicester,. turned .out to be a servant in the ei - nployment of the agent of the plaintiff's father, the fact being otherwise. The Court ordered that the case might come on as a motive when Mr. Clarke should be present. THE KING V. BENBOIV. On the motion of Mr. TINDAL (Counsel for the Constitu tional Association), this defendant came up to plead to the in dictment to which he took time last week to imparl, and now pleaded not guilty, and received notice thathe would be tried at the Adjourned Sittings after this Term. QUEENAITHE WARD ELECTION.-Yesterday Wardmote was held at the Church of St. Nicholas, for the election of an Alderman for.this Ward, in the room of Sir lc- DOMVILLE, resigned. The Candidates were Mr. - TEN.AntEg and Mr. CAPEL. Both Gentlemen, as well- as their respec tive friends, disclaimed any undue party feeling on the occasion , The show of hands was declared, amidst loud cheering, to be in favour of Mr. Venables, by a considerable majority. A roll was deManded on behalf of Mr. Capel. The polling, however, went on but slowly, as each vote underwent the most rigid scrutiny, and arguments of Counsel, were heard upon s:vera 'contested votes at great length. At the close in the evening" , the nurribers were only, for Mr. Venables, 5.-11 Ir. Capel, Majority 1. ARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS'.--A gentlerunn, who has held an official situation in the Parlia ment House for upwards of 20 years, and kept a regular account of the duration of each Session in that period",,lias made the following calculation of the public labours of the two Ilothes during the present session :—The number of hours which the Commons have already sat exceeds those of any former season since the Union with Ireland, by upwards of 100; and, as far as any opin".:ort can be formed from the present state of business, the session is not likely to terminate before 00 9- last week in June. .With respect to the Lords, our informant states, that for every hour which their Lordships have devoted to public business, .exclusive of appeals, the Conunons haVe sat tea, hours and a fraction. Mr. CROMWELL, of Cheshunt, has now in his posSessio, 3 , the hat of his ancestor Oliver Cromwell, by. which the skit'''. supposed to be the Protector's, which, with two others, were , after the Restoration, affixed over the entrance to Westminstg Hall, until the reign of Queen Anne, has been tried, and nn doubt is now entertained of its identity. We invite our Readers' attention to a Work just pubiiShe Ch an Advertisement of which appears in another part of our 1";'' per ;we allude to the " Family Cyclopedia, - "-by Mr. Jaol e l Jennings. The following is the character given it by one of our most respectable Journals :—" The utility and variety the subjects it embraces, and their connexion with the intimate: l ' important, and daily concerns of life, excite an irresistible rr„' laudable curiosity towards them. That a considerable por,ti ° ,;" of talent has been bestowed on this very useful undertaL l , ll ,';,' will be perceived by the most hasty glance at its pagcS, Alphabetical Arrangement renders it peculiarly convenient, for reference. Under the heads Appetite, Exercise, Educat °n ; Food, Benevolence, Ague, Chemistry, &c., and indeed ev e ,!?* department, will be found more or less originality. It is however, the ability which is displayed in the 'Work, ernil el , l , as it unquestionably is, but its obvious - utility, that will secure for it a popular adoption. There' is no subject allied to td/.,e pleasures or thepains of domestic life but has its approi-riate velopement in Mr. Jennings's "Work ; and many of the artic' t c., d are treated with a diffuseness and originality which entitle it unqualified commendation." It is not often that we can speak with perfec t commendation of a Novel ; but we do not hesitate, to pronounce the new - production of ,The Favou rite of Nature, to be entirely deserving the atten tion of the Public. To say nothing of the strong interest of the story, the purity of its moralitY7 and the beauty of its sentiments, combine to ren* Ider it as iustructive. as 4 is affecting,