The Sun. — London, England, 1844-03-01 00:00:00

IRISH WASTE LAND IMPRO VE MENT SOCIETY. The usual Half-Yearly General Meeting of the Share holders of this Society, was held yesterday in the King's Head Tavern, in the Poultry, in conformity with the Act of Incorporation. Shortly after one o'clock, the chair was taken by the Earl of Devon, Chairman of the Society. Among the gentlemen present were the following Directors of the Society :—William Blount, J. M. Maude, Colonel Robinson, R. P. Staples, and Newman Smith, Esqrs. ; also Mr. William Wray, Samuel Ware, W. H. Maurice, G. F. Knott, Edward Carroll, &c. The Secretary having read the advertisement calling the meeting, proceeded to read the usual half-yearly Re port of the Directors of the Society to the proprietors. It stated, in effect, that Colonel Robinson, to whom the Society had entrusted the inspection of their estates in Ireland, had visited those estates, and superintended their advantageous management, and that the report which the Gallant-Officer had drawn up in consequence of his visit would be read to the meeting by Colonel Robinson hind TolonellikmiNsoN then read his report, from which it appeared that the principle upon which the Society pro ceeds is- that of reciprocal co-operation and mutual be nefit between landlord and tenant. It will be seen by the following statement of the former and present con dition, of the three estates belonging to the Society how 'this principle has been adhered to, and what the benefits derived both to landlord and tenant from its being carried into effect, are— On the estate of Ballynakill, cpunty Galway, the landlords' improvements at the time of the Company's coming into possession in the year 1838 were valued at 2001. ; the Society's improvements since that time are worth 1,3671. On the estate of Gleneask, county of Sligo, the landlords' improvements were valued, in 1838, when the Society came into possession, at 1,2741. —they amount now to 2,2251. On the estate of Kil kerrin, county of Galway, the landlords' improvements, in the year 1841, when the Company came into pos session, were valued at only 1371.—n0w they amount to 1,440/ The value of the tenants' im provements on the three estates respectively, at the former periods mentioned, and at present are :- 1838, Ballynakill, 13/., now 3341.; 1838, Gleneask, 139/., now 5531.; 1841, Kilkerrin, 2,400 L, new 2,9041. The tenants' Oroperty on the estates at the same periods re spectively amounted to, on the Ballynakill estate, 191., now 3941. ; Gleneask, 1971., now 1,267/. ; Kilkerrin, 2,200 now 3,1601. At the time when the Society entered into possession the rental of the first estate was ni4 it is now 1371. Of the second estate the rental was 41L, it is now. 448/. ; of the third estate the rental was 500/, it is now 687/. It was also mentioned in Colonel Robinson's report that not one single individual of the Society's tenants had ever been compelled to apply to the workhouses for any relief whatever since the Society came into posses sion of those estates, nor had any, with the exception of one of them, found it necessary to come over to Eng land, as was their usage, in the harvest season, to earn money which they could not get in their own country. Means, it appeared, were also taken by the Society to extend the advantages of education to the peasantry, which they had not enjoyed previously. The Secretary then resumed the reading of the ordi nary Report of the Directors, in which Colonel Robinson's report was embodied, and from it, it appeared that there were 323 shares to be declared forfeited. - Mr. CARROLL inquireci 'how "the original property stood. It was desirable that the Proprietors should know the number of shares theiebuld logk to in case of a fresh call. The CHAIRMAN said, that that information was always given at the general meetings, and would of course be furnished at the present. The property consisted of leases. Mr. Daum, a Director, then read a statement of the Society's receipts, disbursements, and assets. The CHAIRMAN said it would have been delightful to 'him to discover, in his intercourse with Ireland, more instances in which improvements, like those effected by Col. Robinson, had been carried out. The great pre vailing errors were that plans were formed which it was found, impossible to carry out, and that there was a want of attention to details, without which no substantial improvements could be hoped for. He was happy to bear his testimony in reference to the estate of Ballynakill. Having had many years acquaintance with the lower classes of Ireland, he had never witnessed anything with more pleasure in that country than the distribution of the prizes on the mountain of Ballynakill in August last.—(Cheers.) He bad the satisfaction of personally observing the progress made by the poor persons on the estate, who, it must be recollected, were actually enga e ,aed in learning the first rudiments of agriculture.—(Hear, hear.) Their busi ness as a society was not to adopt scientific modes of farming, but to give the labourer the first impulse towards improving both himself and the land which he cultivated. On the occasion when the prizes were distributed, a very general feeling of satisfaction was evinced by those who received them, and every promise was afforded of pro gressive improvement.—(Hear, hear.) He felt a confi dent hope that by degrees, however slow, the, exertions of this Society would'.become appreciated in Ireland. He firmly believed that they were laying the foundation of a very substantial improvement in the habits and condition, as well as leading the way to a considerable increase in the general productions, of the country. One means by which they sought to attain their object was, by showing the people that the land would,•under proper care, produce several species of grain, or more commonly, of artificial grass, which they had never before thought of cultivating.-- : -(Hear, bear.) A prize was given to the farmer who produced the greatest breadth of green crop on a given surface ; and thus a stimulus was given to the improvement of the crops. Prizes were also given for cattle with a si milar object. The tenants kept the cattle in the house during the winter; this gave them an opportunity .of ob. taining manure, and at the end of the winter a prize was given, which was found to have a very beneficial effect. He was quite sure that no individual connected with the Society would grudge the small outlay, which was required for this purpose.—(Hear, hear,) • He might mention one rather amusing circumstance in connection with this subject. The President ended the day when the distribution took place, by proposing that a prize should be given to the wife of the poor tenant who should send her husband to the next meeting with the fewest holes in his coat.—(Loud laughter.) It was the habit of many even of those whom they called farmers to go to the meeting dressed certainly not in the neatest manner possible.—(Hear.) In conclusion, he begged to observe that while, by training the lowest and poorest classes of the Irish people in habits of in "dustry, and by inducing them to apply their energies to the cultivation of the soil, they hoped that they were securing some advantage to themselves. they also confi dently believed that they were laying the foundation of permanent benefit to Ireland. Mr. CARROLL said he entirely concurred in all that had fallen from their excellent Chairman. He would suggest, however, that in the present position of their affairs, it would not be prudent to extend their specula tions by purchasing new land, lest they should find 'themselves hampered in their movements. • The CHAIRMAN thought that the principle of the Hon. 'Proprietor must be taken with some limitation.—(Hear, bear.) He did not at all mean to advise a reckless 'extension of their undertakings ; at the same time he thought circumstances might arise which would justify an enlargement of the present sphere. In any further steps which might be taken, the Directors would be cautious not to fall into the error which they committed in the outset, of giving too high a price for land. - Colonel ROBINSON said he thought it necessary to ex plain that when the Society commenced its operations at Ballynakill, the tenantry were in a state of extreme po verty_; they literally possessed nothing at all. This was not the case, however, on some of the other estates. At liilkerrin, for instance, the tenants were not exactly paupers ; they possessed some little property, al though, from their extreme ignorance, they were unable to make a right use of it. With such per. sons this Society dealt in a manner which resem bled the course pursued by parents who taught children first letters, and then words, and then led them on to sentences. They led the tenantry forward by a gradual course of improvement. He trusted that numbers of them would, in the course of three or four .years, be in a state of comparative affluence, as the result of the course adopted. With respect to the point referred to by Mr. Carroll—the extension of their operations— he begged to state that on undertaking the management of his department of duty, he had expressed his deter mination not to be a party to any new undertaking until the estates already belon g i ng to t h em y i elded a profit. -The CnAiaNAN said there was one point which h thought it very desirable to mention before the discus! sion - crOsed. Gentlemen who knew anything at all of Irektid were aware that that part of it which was called Contwmara • was not always very easily mana ,, ed irp,„ the estate of Kilkerrin there were formerly a great quantity of tenants. They o ccu pi e d very Y nut4ll, itv common, and had a sort of kingdom among themselves, which they managed in their own w a y, an d they.were very jealous of any improvements, or divi sions into farms. Of course, under these circumstances, the Society had found it necessary to re-arrange the holdings. There were now 139 tenants located on the estate ; and he was happy to be able to state that they bad • not lost one tenant, and that not a single disturbance bad taken place, as the result, of the course they had pursued; These persons were now regular holders, and were going on quietly, peaceably, and industriously. It was a point of great importance to convince the lower classes of Ireland that they meant to benefit them; that was the very foundation of success. -Mr. Wake moved, and Mr. CLARKE seconded, " That thetßeport be received, entered in the minute book of the general meetings, and printed for distribution." The resolution was carried unanimously. Mr. CLARKE moved, " That the resolution of the Court of 4rectors of the 2d of November last, declarins , the forfeiture of 323 shares for. which the third call has not been paid, be confirynect" Captain BOND seconded the resolution, which was adopted unanimously. A resolution was then moved by Colonel SHAW. and seconded by Mr. konais, reducing the. number of Di rectors to twelve; - tand Mr. Ronan Rdnard, one s of the acting Directors, wasre-elected. Mr. CARROLL moved a vote elf thanks to : the .Chair man, which was seconded byeaptain BOND, and carried by acclamation. The CHAIRMAN,, lit - acknowledging the compliment, said that long saperience. had satisfied him that it was 'ordy through ...minute attention 'to deatis, and the:..„exertions of individuals' in particular localities, tha • great good could be effected in Ire land ; .is conviction which had induced him t' " wth was likely to carry out that objec .4, e vote of tli •-# a also given to' COL-Robinson, 1 anal - briefly ac .sow edg after which the meeting se- I parated.- 1 asfe SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY; GLOBE.—Certainly, the party in power are curiously chequered in ecclesiastical policy. On the one hand, they have a Stanley, a Graham, and (faeilis.descensus) Perceval directly charging, or indirectly insinuating perjury on the part of those Roman Catholics who show any disposition to help the Anti-Ascendancy Pro testants in their efforts to " subvert the present Church Establishment, as settled by law within this realm," and " disturb or weaken the Protestant religion or Protestant Government of the United Kingdom.' On the other hand, they have the Monckton Milnes, John Manners, Smythes, and the rest of those tasteful Young Eng landers, who have " softened and elevated" their minds of late years by a sort of steeple-chase throughout Roman Catholic Europe, and are striving, sub rosa, to smuggle those ultra-montane doctrines into old England, which si milar geniuses, on thrones and offthem, have been seeking, likewise, to revive on the Continent. Lord J. Manners thinks that if we had only an ambassador at the. Papal Court,. and free trade with Italy—not in corn, but in monks and nuns—there would be no risk of riots in Birmingham and Manchester. How he accounts for popular tumults and military precautions lately in Rome, we are not informed. Mr. Milnes thinks we should " soften and elevate"—by paying—the Irish priests, And we are credibly informed that one or more of the Cardinals of Rome have almost daily correspondents from Oxford. Thus we have one section of the Tory party strenuously repelling, and the other strenu ously promoting Romish agencies on our institu tions. And both these sections of this most united party profess themselves to be pulling these oppo site ways equally out of pure love of the Church. What is it possible for plain men to make out of these opposite bents of Tory Churchmen ? The one set of them tend to reunion with Rome ; the other to war with Ireland. Each of them, as it appear§ to us, though by opposite routes, would travel towards re storing undivided ecclesiastical dominion over the spirits of men. The exclusive Protestant aims at this by main taining for Protestantism an universally marked as cendancy. The Churchman of the new Oxford school aims at it by edging towards Rome; to show her prestige and traditions. This is the party which has sought avowedly to un-Protestantise the National Church, and to which the payment of the Irish priesthood seems naturally only a sort of Church Extension. If Sir Ro bert Inglis thought as Mr. Milnes does of the Romish Church, he would consider his plan to subsidise it simply as carrying out his Church Extension views. Now zealous men of either school may rejoice in prospects of union in the Church, either by Protestant absorp tion of Roman Catholicism, or Protestant assimilation with it. We rejoice, for our part, to think that neither the one nor the other is possible by their me thods. Of course we hspl, ' ltimate triumph of truth • and we havViro own views of truth. But we deprecate the triumph of an undivided ecclesia tical power—and that is the triumph which Ascendancy Protestants on the one hand—Romanising Oxonians on the other—would achieve. We deprecate all assistance by the secular power to the ascendancy of any Church. A Church which is that of the majority of a people will naturally receive that treatment from its representatives which the feelings of that majority dictate. But we consider it a political advantage (we speak of no other here) that the several divisions of an empire should not belong to one Church. There is the less risk of success to that everlasting ambition of Churchmen to dictate the whole direction of mental training, of moral inquiry,' and thence, in the end, of social and political institutions. Two Churches are better than one ; three better than two ;—spaaking po litically. We are latitudinarian enough to think none of them may monopolise true religion ; and we are very sure that to aid one of them to monopolise establishment is no true policy. Such is the source of our alienation from an Anglican Church-ascendancy in Ireland. We rejoice that the Scotch wrenched it from our hands ; and we wish the Irish had done so three centuries back. But when Churchmen of the peculiar colour of Young England adopt the plan of State payment of the Irish• Catholic clergy, we are forced to ask ourselves— Is not this tending by an opposite way from Sir Robert Inglis to the renewed ascendancy of one Church ? It is certain that the tendency is that way in the minds of our Romanising Churchmen. Now, although we do not think there is much danger of their getting the upper hand, and establishing their mode of interpreting the Thirty-nine Articles into consistency "with the decrees of the Council of Trent," still, we must say distinctly, that the very motives which draw them near Rome, keep us farther from it. We should look upon what they would call the renewed union, and what we should call.the re vived centraliiation of the Church, as the greatest of all evils. We look on its existing outward divisions as the greatest of all benefits. Whatever course we would take, therefore (we make no pretension to unerring in sight in the matter), we should take from exactly oppo site motives to those which dictate the exactly opposite courses of old and new Oxford Divine-politicians. STANDARD.—" What is the League about ?" asks a Contemporary. Why " the League is about many things," we may answer. The League is holding meetings with closed doors in the manufacturing districts,'-where it has been long known—and handing over to policemen and gaolers all intruders on its privacy. 'ln the rural districts, which it has but lately honoured with its acquaintance, it is getting handsomely beaten, and its emissaries getting all but horse-ponded, as the other day at Thirsk ; and in the metropolis, it is delighting to honour " Mr. Daniel O'Connell," the great father of the science of " rent robbery," which it prosecutes with so great success. On the 12th prox. Mr. O'Connell is to be entertained at a dinner at Covent-garden Theatre, to which dinner the Leaguers will, of course, be the prin cipal contributors ; but surely this cannot be all that it is proposed to bestow upon poor old date obolum in the day of his distress. A dinner, even a fortnight off, is a good.thing, and it is on many accounts convenient to the aged mendicant to have an excuse for remaining in Lon don. In Ireland he must attend the Repeal Associa tion meetings, and, perhaps, say things that it would be inconvenient to haveremembered on the 15th of April; besides, who knows? His bail is at present com paratively light, and the Folkestone Railway places Lon don within five or six hours of the French coast. There is a great probability that the collection of rents of all kinds approaches its end, and why should a patriot give his presence for nothing • to an ungrate ful, country, or place himself under the obligation of being strongly lodged at its expense ? These are all advantages which -Mr. O'Connell derives from the politeness of the Leaguers' promise of a dinner— an excuse for not attending the Association and an apology for fixing himself within a five or six hours' run for the Continent ; but this is not all that the Leaguers ought to do for their old friend; why, even in the trifling business of the Factory Bill, he had 1,0001. from them for only changing sides—will they do nothing for him now: that he has almost given them the opportunity of a rebellion --46 fish in the troubled waters? " What is the League about?" We never expected to rattle •Mr. O'Connell's beggine)ox, but the shameful neglect of " the League " forces us to do so. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. HOME ClRCUlT.—Herlfurcl, Feb. 29; • ~ The Conimission of Assize for the county of Hertford, was opened on Wednesday, by. Mr. Baron Alderson. Owing.to the Special Winter Commission of .Assize not having been extended to this county, the number of pri soners for trial is • somewhat larger : than usual, some being upwazils of thirty on the calendar ; some of the offences charged against them are of a serious de scription. On the civil side thirteen causes are entered, two of which are special juries,oneq them involvin g a question of right of way being expected to last a con siderable time. Lord Chief Justice 'Penman sat in the civil side this morning at ten o'clock, and Mr. Baron Alderson pre sided in the Crown Court. Mr. Baron ALDEIISQN . , on charging the Grand Jury, took occasion to allude to a charge against a clergyman named Blegden, residing near St. Alban's, of having feloniously shot at one of the county constabulary and wounded him with a gun, under rather singular circum stances. The case was not in the calendar, the defen dant being out on bail, but as the depositions in the case had been returned to the Court, he felt it necessary to address some observations to the Grand Jury respecting it. It appeared that some alarm had been created in the neighbourhood where the defendant resided : and, at a late hour of. the night, being disturbed, he got up, and discharged the gun out of his window, and thereby wounded .the constable. His Lordship, in remarking upon the case, observed that it would appear that the gun had been fired at random out of the window.; and if this should turn out to be the case when the witnesses were examined, he thought the Grand Jury would not be justified in finding the bill, for before _the present charge could be sustained, it must be proved that the ac -cused party intended to .shoot at some one. . Ife,•at the same time, observed, that a person was not justi fied, in shooting at a thief, but he *as bound to use.all reasonable means to capture him hefOre he re sorted to such a violent proceeding, and it was only in case every ether .means failed that a party might be jus• tified in.adopting the proceeding of discharging a loaded fire arm at another. Pelltam Fox; 31 ; Joseph Shaw, 26, and William Ald ridge, 35, boat men ,W ere charged with a felonious assault upon Anne Rey no ld s; ' and James- Cowdry , 22, also a boatman, was char ge d w i t h a i d i ng and a ' ssistincr the other The prisoners e sel7as to c l earlcommityp proved o te odffece. against the prisoners, and they were sentenced to be transported for life. George Hill, 34, a post-boy, was indicted for stealing a brooch, value 30/, the property-of Char!es Alexander Wood, Esq. Mr. Ballantine defended the prisoner. -It appeared from the evidence-that on the 16th Jan., the prosecutor, with, his lady, went to visit Mr. Gaussen, of Brookinan's-park, near Barnet, and the prisoner was the post-hey engaged to take-them home at night. The brooch in question, which was of considerable value, was believed to be safe upon the dress of Mrs. Wood when she left Mr. Gaussen's, but upon her arriving. at her re sidence in'Hyde-park-gardens it was missed, and Mr. Wood, in-the prisoner's hearing, directed a search to be made in the carriage, but it could not be found. A few days after - this the prisoner went lo a watchmaker at Barnet and produced the brooch in question, stating that he had found it, and wished to know the value; and, .helieving that it was only made - of some base metal, the watdhrnaker told him it was not worth more . than twelve shillings. The prisoner subsequently went to a pawn briler at Barnet, named Tliimbleby, and" offered to pledge the brooch ; at the same time also telling him that he had found it in London. The pawnbroker tested it and found it-to be gold, and he then advanced.the pri soner six.shillings upon it., The same night he received a handbill, giving notice of the loss of the brooch, and -which also offered a reward of 51. The son of the pawn• broker upon thlit 'went to the prisoner, and asked him some questions, and the prisoner then told him 'that be had picked up the brooch near Brookman's-park. The pawnbroker then told him, that as he had found the TJIT SUN, LONDON, FR,ADAt owner lie thought himself entitled to half the reward, and upon the prisoner assenting to the proposal, he went to Mr. Gaussen and returned the brooch, telling him that it had been found by a poor man, and he received the reward, and handed over half the amount to the prisoner's wife, keeping the remainder for himself; but it appeared that he did not say anything to Mr. Gaussen about the brooch having been offered in pledge, or that he was to have any share of the money paid as a reward. Mr. BALLANTYNE made a very able address to the jury, commenting upon the facts of the case, and also with considerable severity upon the conduct of the pawn broker. He then called:a number of witnesses, who gave the prisoner an excellent character for honesty and ge neral good conduct. Mr. Baron ALDERSON having summed up, the jury almost immediately returned a verdict of Not Guilty. The cases on the Court side were entirely devoid of interest. OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Abingdon. Feb. 29. Mr. Baron Parke, the senior judge of assize, arrived here yesterday afternoon about three o'clock, and having opened the commission, proceeded to attend Divine service at St. Mary's. Mr. Justice Coleridge came down in the course of the evening, and the business of the assize commenced this morning at an early hour, Mr. Baron Parke taking his seat in the Nisi Prius Court at nine o'clock. At ten o'clock Mr. Justice Coleridge charged the grand jury in the Crown Court, and soon afterwards some bills were found, and the trials of the prisoners began. Both the civil and criminal business of the county exceeds the average amount. There are sixteen causes for trial, al though none' of them are marked for special juries. On the Crown side there are 65 prisoners, a very large number for a Berkshire spring assize, even when the circumstance is taken into consideration that no special commission was issued for this county for the trial of prisoners in December last, as was the case in the adjoining county of Oxford. With a few ex ceptions, however, the calendar does not present instances of crimes of an atrocious character. There are four cases of arson, one of shooting at with intent to maim, two of high way robbery, one of an assault with intent, &c., and one of sacrilege. The rest of the offences described to have been committed are of the ordinary character. NISI PRIUS COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron PARKE.) LOVEGROVE v. WILLIS. _ _ In this case Mr. Sergeant Talfourd and Mr. Carrington appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr. F. V. Lee was counsel for the defendant. The plaintiff, it appeared, is a young woman, now twenty one years of age, who some time previous to the 12th of De cember, 1842, had gone to live in the family of a Mr. Corne lius Willis and his sister, all her own near relations being either dead or settled in other parts of the country. The plaintiff, however, as Miss Willis said, was " a little of a re lation, as Miss Willis's brother had married the plaintiff's great aunt ;" and partly, perhaps, on this account, and partly on the score of the plaintiff's skill in dress-making, and her readiness and ability to make herself generally useful in the family, she continued to reside with Mr. C. Willis and Miss Ann from the time when she first went to live with them up to the present period. Mr. Cornelius Willis is a draper and grocer carrying on his business at a place called Woolstone, in this county, and happens to be pretty far advanced in life. The defendant, Thomas Willis, is the brother of Cornelius, and carries on thi business of a coal-merchant at Uffington ; and it seemed that some yet unhealed differences had broken out between the two brothers, and that the defendant had taken umbrage at the plaintiff's residing in his brother's fa mily, he having got into his head a notion that Cornelius in tended to marry Miss Matilda Lovegrove (the plaintiff), who was to receive 6001. when she reached the age of twenty-one. Influenced by these feelings, the defendant thought proper to indulge himself on various occasions in remarks derogatory to the plaintiff's character for chastity; and, as some good natured friend is never wanting to carry an unpleasant tale, it was not long before these remarks reached Miss Matilda's ears. Accompanied by Miss Willis, the plaintiff proceeded to the house of the defendant, and, conscious of her own purity, demanded what he had to say against her. He replied, that he had nothing to say, and that he knew nothing against her; but at the same time took care to qualify the satisfac tion which such a declaration was calculated to produce, by a threat that if she did not leave his premises he would thrust her head and that of her companion, his own sister, into the " guzzle," a word which, in the Berkshire dialect, signifies "gutter." The ladies accordingly beat a retreat, and the defendant, elated at the success of so vigorous a de monstration, suffered his prudence to go to sleep, and instead of keeping " on the windy side of the law," as he had care fully done during his brief interview with the slandered Miss Matilda, communicated his private opinion about her to a customer who came to his shop for coals on the 12th of De cember, 1842. The language in which this was expressed was so coarse as to be unfit, in part, for publication. The witness who deposed to the conversation, a Mrs. Tyler, who lived at Woolstone, said that when she went on the day in question to the defendant's coal-shed, he asked about his sis ter, Ann Willis, who had been very unwell for a long time, and said that she was poisoned, as Mr. Barnett, her medical attendant, had told him so—that she had taken enough mer cury to poison a lion—that " them that were about her had given it to her"—and that " it was that little Matilda that gave it to her." He added " that they wanted to get his sister out of the way, in order to marry Matilda to his brother." Upon this conversation being reported to the plaintiff's friend, Miss Willis, the defendant was written to, and an apology demanded, but that not being given, an ac tion was at once commenced by Cornelius Willis, as the next friend of the plaintiff.--Thejury found a verdict for the plain tiff, and give her 40/. as damages. NORTHERN ClRCUlT.—Carlisle, Feb. 28. (Before Mr. Jusitice CorirmAx.) Eliza Hetherington, aged 24, a person of mild and pleasing demeanour, was indicted for the wilful murder of her illegiti mate child, at Carlisle, on the 11th of October last. The prosecution was conducted by Mr. Ramshay, Mr. Bele, and ➢lr. Lawrie ; the prisoner was defended by Mr. Matthews. The circumstance of the prisoner having given birth to a child, and her concealment thereof, were proved : the evidence it is wholly unnecessary to detail. His LORDSHIP having summed up, the jury acquitted the prisoner of the murder, but found her guilty of concealing the birth. To be imprisoned twelve calendar months. LAW INTELLIGENCE. BANKRUPTCY COURT, Feb. 29. (Before Sir C. , F. WILLTAms.) W. BROMLEY'S BANKRVPTCY. The bankrupt in this case is described as a money scrivener, dealer, and chapman, of Gray's Inn, Gray's Inn-square, but is better known as a discounter and annuity agent of exten sive business, and he appeared to-day before the Court on his final examination. He has failed for a very large amount, his debts and liabilities being estimated at 140,0001., while his assets are said to be little or nothing. The bankrupt was not prepared with his accounts in consequence of ill health, and an adjournment was made to give time to arrange a balance sheet. The most serious charges of misappropriation are made against him by his creditors, but till the case is more fully extered into, a detailed report cannot be given. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. CLERKENWELL. Eight wretched looking creatures, some of them dressed in theatrical costume, were brought before the Magistrate, charged with being in an unlicensed theatre in Cumberland-row, St. Pancras. George and 'Mary Boulton, two of the prisoners, styled themselve come dians, the other members of the corps dramatique ware costerniOngers' and sweeps; • . Pour 'separae batcheS, ComprisinOn all seventy per sons of bOthsexes, the audience in Cumberland - row on the previous night, were charged with having been in,an unlicensed theatre - without ]awful purpose: Many of the prisoners were; recognised as convicted thieves, the greater number of them were sweeps and`Costei.nongers, and dust gatherers, and all, except three, were under . the age , oftwenty years. Mr. GREENWOOD said it was no wonder .there should be so much wickedness in , the. meiropolis,:;.when there Were such sChOols of vie& is that in Cumberland-row. The Magistrate then discharged all the prisoners with a caution;'re)icept^..Mary Davis, .an. elderly! woman, who bronght her two daughters to the play. She was fined 2s. The puppets and parapheriinlia of the th.eatre:iwere detained by the. police, and Mr. Macey intimated that he would issue a summons agatst.the proprietor of the theatre..:! -!.o - §) II FACTORY , OPERATIVIDP MMONED FOR LELVING THETA *1 EMPLOTSI4 wrrmixri:NerrlcE—On Friday six Fac tory Operative's; nanierEdWard: Citllen, Wm. Parry, James Bliikemore, Wm: Hughes, John. Dillon, and Thomas Winter, appeared at the Borough' ourt,' in answer to a summons, charging theM 'with. haVing left their employment without giving due notice. Mr. .Bent, who appeared in support of the summonses, said the defendants had been " winders " in the employ of Messrs. T. Hilton and Co. at the Hanover Mills, Buxton-street, who kept 500 hands. They received their wages on, Friday evening, and on Saturday they ab sented themselves from - work, thereby causing several other hands to stop, and putting their employeri to considerable expense. The terms upon which all of them were engaged were that; before`leaving their employ, they should give 14 days' notice,'" or be dealt with according to law." On Sa turday evening- the, defendants went to the. milli and said they had done wrong, and asked leave to go back, but their employers had made preparations for supplying their places with . other handsl and Dillon remarked that he would not have absented himself had he not been compelled to do so to save-himself from disgrace.-- , Christopher Wood, manager in - "the mill was then called, and .stated that six pairs of wheels were stopped in consequence . of the defendants ,ab.. senting themselves, and their piecers were also, stopped. Their places -were filled up as soon, as -possible, but as fresh hands came the defendants enticed them away. All the places were not filled up before Thursday last.-4ames Jardine, overlooker, proved that. the defendants_ were engaged upon the terms stated by `Mr.,ltent, and that notices were posted in the room where they worked, to the effect-that 14 days' notice was , required.-The defendants alleged, hi their, de fence,' that the Manager had introdticed imprOyementsinto the spinning of the yarn, and that it was impossible to .per- form the work' ivithout some one to help them.' They also said that'. the overlooker would not, permit, them to, state their grievances to their employers, and that they were told that f they resumed work on Monday morning they must each pay a fine of, ss.—Mr. Wood, in answer to questions from Mr. - Mande,,stated, • that the alteration alluded to by the defendants took place about three weeks ago, and would be arrAdvantaffe to the men if they would give it a fair trial. The defendant Dillon- said he had tried it' eight days, and was' Ps. deficient, in his wages. Mr. WoOd said, if they would have given the alteration a fair trial they would have got more in . .tlie'end; • :' jgjd'.the'whideri 'in the other rooms were at present. earning more ;..and, as to the fine, it was to go to the Infirmary : —There-was no fining in their mill at a11. 7 -11r. Maude (to • the' de*ndatits) : We - think, upon - the whole, you have taken a.very.fOAIISE 'too much to say that" those inilloWners are 'not to make any, improve 4 merits or alterations.whatever in their machinery; but if you had gone-on working to the end of the week, you would have bad Oa gratin(' 'to - have summoned the masters for the difference 'Of wages below that which you earned before, and if we thought it. had made-a-deficieloyin- your wages we should have given-you Tourwages at once ;-.but, instead of that, you ha' etaken the case into your own hands.—Mi. Bent 'said, he was instructed to press for the pay men t of t h e cost'of the suramonaes,hut nothing further.—Mr. Maude : Is there any chance of these parties goin g b ac k ; to the mill ? : Mr: Wood :: Not at present.—Mr. Bent : These men's p l aces ar e filled up, but-the proprietors have no objection to putting their names -down for the next vacancy that occurs, if they will agree 'to the regulations in future.—Mr. Maude (to' the defendants): We think that you have been the un reasonable parties in this case, and that you ought to pay for the summonses. I hope in future that on anything of this kind-oectirring you will come here, and we will tell you at once whetherthere is any breach of contract onthe part of the masters, such as will give you a right to the difference of , wages. Manchester Guardian. Ey - _,E,N I NG, M.ARCH 1, 1844. believe that they would be palatable to the parties con cerned. In the Bill of last year, provisions had beep in troduced for the general regulation of drainage. He had omitted those regulations in the present Bill, because the great question of the drainage of the metropolis and of other large towns, and also of affording an adequate supply of water to populous places generally, was now un der the consideration of the Commissioners who had been appointed to consider the means to be adopted for pro moting the health of populous places, and he hoped to be enabled to introduce a general measure for the regu lation of drainage, founded on the Report of those Commissioners.. The only regulation he had intro duced into the measure on the subject of drainage was, that for the future no house should be erected without a proper provision being made to se cure adequate and proper drainage. The mortality produced among the poorer classes by the want of pro per drainage, and by the over-crowding of their habita tions, was exceedingly great, and he proposed to pro hibit the use of cellars as habitations, except under cer tain circumstances. He also proposed to introduce a clause prohibiting the carrying on of, dangerous trades which might occasion fire, or trades noxious to health, in crowded localities. He proposed to have dis trict surveyors appointed by the magistrates. Such sur veyors not to be under thirty years of age; and not to be magistrates ; and he also proposed that the appointment of surveyors should be confirmed by the Secretary of State, so as to secure the services of a superior class of officers. Although he objected to making new officers, yet he felt that it was absolutely necessary, to prevent expensive litigation, that official referees should be appointed, to determine disputes, and he, therefore, proposed to appoint them by this measure. There was a provision for extending the operation of the Act round the metropolis, but not further than twelve miles from Charing-cross. There was also another pro vision, new to this Bill, and which was not in the Bill of last year ; it was one for vesting the power of deciding on the report of the official referee in the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, in cases where any exceptions were taken to his reports. He earnestly hoped, that though the Bill was of a technical nature, and therefore not of a nature to command the attention of the House, that it would receive its best consideration. On the question being put, Mr.DUNCOMBE said he did not wish to oppose the Bill, but he wished to call the attention of the Noble Lord to a petition he had presented from a portion of his consti tuents, complaining of the dilatoriness of the Woods and Forests in rebuilding houses, in some cases whole streets, which they had pulled down for the purpose of improvement. In St. George's, Bloomsbury, a street, called Plumptre-street, had been pulled down, and had so remained for twelve months. Application had been made t• the Woods and Forests to know when the houses were to be rebuilt, but no answer could be ob tained. The tradesmen in the - immediate vicinity com plained, and not unnaturally, of their trade being much injured 'by the loss of customers. The - assessment to the poor rate, which in that district was made on a valuation of 35,0001. was, in consequence of the destruc tion of the street, reduced to an assessment on a valuation of 14,0001., and the rates were thus very much increased upon those which remained. They had only to employ more workmen and the difficulties would be got over. He thought the public convenience ought to be considered, and where buildings were pulled down they ought'to be erected again as soon as possible. He he had presented a petition on this subject, and he thought he was in duty bound fo make the observations he had done. The Earl of LINCOLN was quite aware of the in convenience complained of by the Hon. Member, but he could assure him it was not the fault of the Woods and Forests. In many parts the purchase of the land had not been completed till 'a short time since, and it was, therefore, impossible to take any steps. He had no doubt, however, that ultimately the constituents of the Hon. Member for Finsbury would be benefited ; for the rating on the, houses, instead of being, 119 it was at present, 35,000 L, would amount to 46,000 L —(Hear.) Leave was.then given to bring in the Bill. SHIPWRECKS—HARBOURS OF REFUGE. Mr. RICE then yose, pursuant to notice, "To call the attention of the House to the Report of the Com mittee on Shipwrecks, with reference to Harbours of Refuge, and to move an humble address to her Majesty, praying that ,a Committee of. scie n tifi c an d com p e t en t persons might be appointed to consider and advise the best means of carrying into effect the recom mendation of that Committee." It was his in tention -to confine himself to that part of the Re port which' had reference to the harbours of refuge. In doing so, he would not trouble the House by alluding to that part of the report or evidence, which referred to a great number of places which were submitted to the Committee, for the - construction of harbours in different parts of the - world, nor would he refer to that part of it which alluded to .particular localities for their construction, thotigh .he might . have his . predi lections. in favour of. the place he had the honour of representing.. But he was warranted' by the report in stating it as his conviction, that the formation of one or more harbours of refuge in narrow seas was, not only a measure -of national utility, but of. urgent neces sity. He would read shortly from the report that part .' of the evidence to which he referred. It says that witnesses of the highest authority were called, and gave evidence in proof of the want of har bours of refuge accessible at all times, no matter what the state of the tide .was, and of the neeessity, of erect ing them in places where they. did not exist at pre sent. With regard to the places for their construc tion, the 'Committee recommended that this part.of the subject should be left to the consideration-of competent and scientific men, 'whose attention should be exclusively' directed to the subject. He had adopted, An his motion, as nearly, as possible, .the words used' in the Report. The Report went on to say, that as large an appropriation of • the public funds as could be made should be applied to' the. con struction of harbours of refuge in such placeS. great number of professional persons of the highest authority.on the subject, had been produced, before the Committee. Mr. Cubitt, the engineer, had been examined, and several civilians. who were interested in the .subject. lie would now only refer to the evidence of two or three perions who, from their high situations and professional experience, were eminently worthy the attention of the House and the . country. The first of these gentle men was 'Captain Washington, who was employed by the . Admiralty to - survey the Eastern coast. He stated that he ..had turned his attention to the subject of harbours. of refuge, and that there was a great,want of them on the eastern coast. Between the Thames and. Portsaiouth there was also a similar want, and, looking at our contiguity,to France, he con sidered-this not the least important part of our coast. He would next turn. to the evidence of Captain Buller, who was directed by the Admiralty to follow in the steps of the Commission .of 1840; and Who gave it strongly as his opinion, that a great security would he_given_. to the commerce_ of the country and the.integrity of the coast, by .the formation of a harbour of refuge* between Portsmouth and the NM. • •Amither witness was Mr. Cubitt,.who was one of the Commission of 1840, and who was first examined with respect to Dover, and who stated that the strong opinion of that • Commission had been given as to the necessity of a. harbour •of refuge. between .Portsmouth, and the Nore. . :The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports (the Duke of Wellington) was the last witness whose evi deride . he would . ' then- -refer - .to. The 'chief ipart of . • his Grace's' 'eViderice was in reference 'to the pilots anti' ; system. irtlia ,GraCe, _however; took an opportunity. of distinctly expressing his-opinion that , it was• absolutely necessary to form a harbour-be tween Portsmouth and the Thames. He further 'stated that, in case of war, he should consider the want of protection, and .of refuge, which now existed, would leave the trade of that part of the Coast, and indeed the coast itself, .in a very precarious' situation. He would not trouble the House with any further evi dence on this subject. He did not care so long as har bours were established, whether the Government made them harbours of refuge. or harbours of defence. A good harbour of defence was a good harbour of refuge, arid a good harbour of refuge was a good harbour of defence. This was a subjeet which required the most serious attention of the . G overnment. 'lt _was the . duty of her. Majesty's Government to provide the means of security, not only for our commerce, but also security for our coasts. He recollected perfectly, well that at the time Napoleon meditated his descent upon England, the coast was in a' very . defenceless state. He was quite sure that, at that ' time steam-vessels had been in Use, Napoleon would have been enabled easily to have landed 15,000 or, 20,000 men on the coast. He did not mean to say that such a landing would have been at tended with much success to Napoleon ' • but it would have have had this effect—it would have destroyed that confidence which was now felt in our insular 'position. In considering this 'subject, the Legislature ought to take into account ~the great alteration which had been made of late years with respect to steam navigation, and the use that power might be applied to in the event of another war. He was presentat a large - meeting, in Devon some ,tiriie ago, on the occasion of the opening of the rail- Way, and -at which all 'the 'most influential persons of the town,were present, 3111..,0f whom. expressed strong hopes thatthose harbours would be constructed. They should .recollect that the French Government were acting upon 'the old proverb, that to be prepared for war w al . the best way to 'secure peace, and were daily g their naval - forec, • and more parti eularlytheir steamfleet, and he thought it was incumbent upon the British to. make their .navy equally effective. At Boulogne and Calais harbours •of .refuge had been construsted by the French 'Government ; and at Cher bourg, when'he was, leSt there,,no.less than 400 men were etwployetl-4n-impr-04ong-the harbour. He hoped 'that there would beno financial-objections raised to the con struction and improvement Hof this harbour. A Com mission.' had been appointed to examine the esti= mates • fer Making this. . harbour. The. Report was laid beforei the House by the late Chancellor :of the Exchequer, and it was found that the 'expense. would be .500,0001. for the first three years; and for the subsequent ten years, to kee_p it in repair and perma nent condition, about 10 . 0,0001., would be required; and he thought that' this .comparatively small sum ought . not to stand 'in the way of 'such a great national object. He felt • convinced there was no Min person in ,that House—not . even his as s H o onourable vigilant Friend near him (Mr, e), who w in his guardianship of the public PuSe---whe wou ld `have - the slightest objection to th e expen di ture of the sum he , had - just named, when they reflected upon the', great importance the, construction of 'tho se h ar - • bours . of . refuge were in a 'national point of . view. He felt that this was a subject which he was hardly warranted in pressing so strongly upon the Government---(Hear.) But, as one of the Members for the port of Dover—(A laugh)—and, also as a Member of the Committee which had sat to inquire into the sub ject,-T he thought he might be justified in moving for an address . in-the terms of Which he had given notice: Sir JOHM ItAt REID said that as a merchant and shipowner he felt a great interest in this - questi6ii: fie agreed with his Hon. Colleague that the port of Dover could be made one of the finest harbours in the world.— (Laughter.) He did not say so on account of his con nexion with the town, but only as a merchant and ship owner.—(Laughter.) He did not wish to interfere with the financial arrangements of the Right Hon. Gen;leman (Sir R. Peel), but he would say, that there would be no difficulty in raising any amount of money that might be required at a very low rate of interest, and nothing could give him greater gratification than to be intrusted with raising the .moneys. —(Great laughter.) , He wt 4 glad that his Hon. Friend had broughtithesattentign VI the House to so excellent and desirable an object. He se conded the motion. `Sir R. PEEL said that the subject was certainly one. of very great importance, and.well 'deserving - - the consi deration which the Committee had given to it. The Committee was appointed to consider the best means of preventing shipwreck, and the inquiry respecting har bours of refuge was a natural and incidental part of the subject. He had not the least doubt, that if the Honourable Mover had been the . repre4 - seritative of any other borough than that which tli seconder described as the very best harbour of refuge in the world—(A laugh)—he would have brought forward this motion, and that he was not at all influenced by re gard to the interest of the locality.—(Hear, and a hugh.) But it was rather odd that the mover and seconder should both be the representatives of the port, which claimed to be the best site in the world fur a harbour of refuge.—(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) If the House were to listen to Members for towns on the eastern coast, they would be told that on that coa s t were the best situations for such harbours, and that there they were most wanted. The Right Hon. Gentleman then read extracts from the evidence before the Shipwreck Committee to the effect—that for two hundred miles south of the Humber, there were no har bours of refuge, although there were several situations where one could be constructed at an expense of not more - than five hundred thousand pounds. If they went from the east Oast to the west, he thought he had quoted the most conclusive reasons for establishing harbours of refuge on the west coast, for the purpose of facilitating the communica tion with Ireland. As far as considerations of public policy were concerned, and the promotion of the public interest, he should select Holyhead as the place for a harbour, which would bring Dublin within a very few hours reach of England.—(Hear, hear.) With re spect to the Channel, he was at one time much inclined to attend to the report, made by the highest authorities, recommending the construction of three harbours, but they would cost two millions each. He under valued none of the considerations stated, in these reports and evidence. Bearing in mind the altered rela tions of different countries, both in their commercial in terests and their means of offence and defence, creatsd by steam; be thought this might be an additional reason for considering the necessity of establishi ng harbours of refuge. There had been certainly strong opinions expressed by some - professional men in favour of Dover, but there were other very high authorities who were against the selection of Dover. It had been asserted that during certain states of the wind, shipping could not enter the harbour of Dover, and that, therefore, it was not a proper place for the construction of a har bour of refuge. Her Majesty's Government had been embarrassed in making up their minds, apart from the consideration of expense, as to what would be the best port to select for a harbour of refuge. They should make up their minds to begin with one and to make that one as Complete as possible. It would be better to make one harbour complete than to commence three. There were three points to be considered in the construction of this harbour. In the first place, it was to be considered with regard to its advantages as affording a place of refuge for merchant vessels. Secondly, as a great naval harbour for purposes of offence. and defence during time of war, and thirdly, they must consider the facilities for defending the harbour. They must ascertain whether all these advantages were combined before they decided. The Government required further evidence on the subject. They were not at present prepared to submit any plan to that House._ _The subject was-still, under their anxious consideration, and he considered it ought to be sub jected to further consideration. The Goiernment pro posed to appoint a Commission, composed of some of the most eminent naval officers, of some eminent autho rities among. the 'commercial marine, of one or two - eminent civil engineers who were the best versed in the action of the tides, and in the effect produced by breakwaters in the deposition of mud, and of some Ordnance officers. He would not say one word in favour of Dover, or against it. He should leave the matter entirely to the investigation of the Commissioners. He trusted he had said enough to show that the subject was under the anxious consideration of the Government, but they would not be prepared to submit any proposition to'-the Ilouse on the subject until the Report of the Commissioners should have been made and con sidered. Lord R. GROSVENOR wished to know, whether . the Government contemplated entering into arrange ments with the Chester and Holyhead Railway Com pany, as it seemed to have been determined that Holy head was the proper place for the "packet station for communication with Ireland. Sir 11013eRT_PEEL said that he considered Holyhead to be-the fittest port for carrying on communication with Dublin .and Ireland generally. Some reflections had Veen cast upon the officers who had originally :reported in favour of . Holyhead. Since then other . gentlemen had been appointed to _ report, and among those gentlemen was _Mr.. Walker, the President of the Society of Civil Engineers. -They had confirmed the former report. With respect to the Railway Company, the Government . had .had communica tions with it, in the course of -which the -Com pany had come down in their demands from 80,0004 to 40,000/. Only yesterday he had received communication from a new Company, offering to con struct a railway without cost. The - Government had 'not determined on the subject, and therefoie he could not at present make • any declaration as to the intentions with regard to the railway. Sir C. NAPIER said that the winds did not admit of Dover being a good harbour. He_ thonght that Dover being made a harbour -was entirely out of the question, because the winds that would permit ships to anchor safely_ id. the Downs, vtould render their anchoring at Dover impossible. The Downs was alone the proper - place for a har bour in his opinion, and he hoped =the: Govern- Ment would, give their preference to it. With respect to Holyhead, he thought - it was admirably calculated for communication between this country and Ireland. He trusted that this subject-would not lead to the perpetration of a job. Sir J. R. REID explained. - - - Sir T. TROWBRIDGE was satisfied to leave the sub ject in the hands of the, Government. - - - Mr. RICE in - reply, • referred to the evidence of Captain Washington, to show that Dover wis the best place to .erect- a harbour of refuge. -He- had not referred to Dover, because he - thought - he was best consulting the interests of DoVer in leaving. it to rest on its own claims. He was perfectly satisfied with what had fallen from the Right Hon. - Baronet. He hoped he would not have to trouble the House arty more. on the subject. He hoped the Government would take the matter up, and he trusted it would not-be made a job of.—(Hear, hear.) The motion was then withdrawn. _ _ GREAT BRITAIN AND AMERICA via IRELAND. Sir VALENTINE BLARE then - Jose to bring for ward the motion of which he had -given notice, for a "Select Committee, to inquire and report how far it may be practicable, expedient, and useful to promote a 'more speedy intercourse between Great Britain and America, by the establishment of steam. carriages (in connexion with a ship canal also to be executed) across Ireland, and thence by steam communication across the Atlantic Ocean.',! The Hon. Member- said, as they had been discussing the subject of harbours - of refuge, he begged to say that, without exception; the:most magnifi sent harbour in the world was that of Cork ; and if they wished really to consult the interests of the empire they would best do so by employing the poor in:making a railway across Ireland to" that 'port, and so_ bringing America nearer- to England than :lhe now was. When he first gave notice of his intention , to bring this subject before the House 'he was' advised that The course he proposed was not the prOper one; :and he-had-altered it accordingly, in the hope -to , meet - support - froth :the quarter whence: the:, - advice came. :Before lie entered upon the subject, however, he wished to-advert Ito one little natter which was, that in the - recent "monster" debate about Ireland the Right llon. genfleirtiin op posite (Sir Robert by the mere_ abuse of a • single expression had given to him (Sir V.- Blake) and others pain, which he really believed the Right lion. Gentle man never inteCded to do. The Right - Hoi...l3arimet said that thoie who agitated the question of repeal or the union were endeavouring to obtain the dtsme m b er - - meat of the empire. Now,he (Sir V. Blake) believed' in his conscience that the persons advocating the repeal of the union did not hope for a dismemberment of the empire, for all who did so were rebels: He thought that the establishment of such a line .of communication would be, not only of great importance to Ireland, but also to the whole United liingdoni, and would prove to the Irish nation that the Parliament of England was not wholly unmindful of their interests. A Commission had been appointed on the 2d of October, 1836, to in quire into the port on the west of Ireland best cal culated to form a point o f communication with- Ainerica, and also the best lines for railways crossing Ireland at this point. The appointment of the Commission had been subsequently confirmed, but nothing had ever yet resulted from it. After quoting from several re p or t s and other documents, the Hon. Baronet concluded by calling on - the House, in the most earinest manner ; to ac cede to the motion, and thus give the first instalment of justice to Ireland. The motion having been seconded; Sir R. PEEL said he had listened with - great attention to the speech_ of the Hon Baronet. • He thought the present motion, if acceded to and -carried into effect, would be wore calculated to benefit local interests than the ge. - 4eral welfare of the country. The Right Hon. Gentle Man then quoted from_ the-Report of the Railway Commissioners, who were of opinion that the two most eligible lines of railway were a south-western and a northern line. Cork was _considered as the most eligible terminus for the south-western line, and e that city was also co ns id ere d as the best port in th empire for a steam communic a tion 13.tweTen this country and the United States. If the House granted this Coine H mi e t n te . e m it em w h o e u r ld fe s r ti w r a u te p r a for h d os a t hd of th l;c i a i l o i n n . ter_ Cork would ask for the appointment -C similar grounds. This day a deputation waited-upon =and s. Liver est. Member The fo r kea railroad mitiees on him of capitalists from Manchester; Leeds, Liver pool, who have it in contemplation. notices in November, these gentlemen _ If the pre sentsual form.- from Dublin to . Cashel, and if they lia t d o sta s m e t r e v d e t d h t e h y e w u e s t u d a d l be now ready to proceed in the u He had the labourers lines of motion com m we u r n e ic a a t c i e o e i d: d to it would everyul d prejudice ti other disposition to give legitimate opporamities for employing_ did not think it of Ireland, but at the same time he would be PrudenCto form any ill considered or u n P, e ro d fitable plans in that country. The subject had englv the anxious attention of the Government, and hetrns‘, the Hon. Baronet after this explanation would not P rebs his motion. Sergeant MURPHY said he had likewise the g r . ati b ; fication of meeting the deputation to which the Hon. Baronet alluded, - and he hoped and believed ttvii would construct an effective line of railway from Milo to Cashel. It was, indeed, a great desideratu m such a plan should be carried into operation. He trtlSil that when thesezentlemen cam e t o the House preP sr ... with a Bill, the House would give it a favourable reeeY4 tion. The Hon. Baronet who made the motion prefer::;„ Galway for a port and terminus. He (Sergeant Nu..a phy) preferred Cork, and co n sidered it by far the 101" eligible. After a few words from Sir HowARD Dotra-is Sir VALENTINE BLARE in explanation, the motion Withdrawn: RAILWAYS. • hose The SPEAKER then called on Mr. Wallace, w - 0 name stood next on the paper, for the following 1 170 ° y —" To postpone the moving an instruction to the C u ll , mittee on Railways until after the discussion ral question shall have taken place on the 29th ; t .t• that day to call the attention of the House to the cr e:;,t, ing state of the communication by railway thons4 the kingdom, as shown in a pamphlet entitled n a , e a t to Reform,' and move that a commission be apPni ni inquire into the management of the present lines, report thereon to. the two Houses of Parliament. Mr. GLADSTONE hoped the Hon. Gentleman shat postpone the discussion upon this subject for a s t he time, as there was at present a Committee sitting nl i l d be subject of railways. He felt, therefore, that it vfna of the ge d v 0 better if the Hon. Gentleman would postpone thi 9 so t cussion, and not enter into the s u bj ec t at the Pr e moment. • bri4 Mr. WALLACE said he* would endeavour to the subject forward.on that day three weeks. The motion was then postponed. Colonel SIBTHORP rose, but e the The SPEAKER said there was no motion he t° ' House. 0 /1 Colonel SIBTHORP—Then, Sir, I am sorry —e Member withdrew his motion.—(Laughter.) THE CLONTARF MEETING. a t he Colonel R.AWDON then • rose to bring forwa r dtto following resolution :—".That it is the opinie n :"„a at House, upon considering the lateness of the pr o w which was issued the:proclamation of the Irish L ' . . ° Oe ting meat, intended to prevent the assem bli ng o f a stb announced to be holden at or near Clontarf on t' il i s ios day of October, 1843 ; th a t a • r i s k o f di sastro us ce et ote was incurred, and a preced en t' thereby created (WI lie to the lives and liberties of her Majesty's subjects . f t ive felt that some expression o f o pi n i on on th e part ° ec t to House ought to go forth to the public, with re-quiet' the manner in which the.proclamation against th e o l ing to be held at Clentere in October last, wa! s ' 001 0 1 The charge he had to b r i ng aga i ns t th e Gev -r „ e seg e with respect to this procla ma ti on was one of stili i eo eS and inactivity in their p rocee di ngs . I t was well ee' that the proclamation was no t issue d un til the co me latest moment, although, there was nothing thatopeo' have prevented its bein g i ssue d sooner if th e Gov° f eel' had so pleased. He was th ere t o d eny t h a t the Got. that meat took proper steps f o r the promulgation ° t as! , proclamation. From a letter he had received th i e ie pr o' it appeared, that the earliest moment at which fla t 00 1/ dalmatian was issued was thr ee o ' c l oc k inthe as of the day before that on . .which the. meeting. ese be held. The moment that proclamation was, Mr. O'Connell read it at the meeting at W en t Exchange, and immediately messengers were. s iic i l be to post up a warning to the people not" to at'„ e " - o oe" meeting. He (Col. Rawdon) had received e'"'", th, s j cations from the persons employed, to post „ It rwoia warning that was issued by Mr. O'Connell, and he to ile take the liberty of ,reading those communications rea d + House. (The Hon. and Gallant Gentleman theOpersol3 number of letters from varietia persons. O ne stated, that at eight o'clock on th e even ing of and the of October, he was seven mil es f rom D u blue id b proclamation had not, then. arrived. Another Poorer arrived at a town' ten miles f rom D u bli n , at a c l i o i to eleven o'clock at night; an d no p roc l a mation. be d t' rived then. Another m esse n ger , w h o was disPt c e e veai pest up the warnings said, at seven o'clock in t u nt b, ing the proclamation had .not arrived at MaY,.. n°v dsl4l at eight o'clock on the Sunday morning, ta e t ien a„•• which the meeting was to be held, no proclans' fid e ' arrived at Blanchard's Town—a place about fea re i s b from Dublin.) Now, these persons who had f,t t . him (Colonel Rawdon) I with these statement':;' ready to make ,oath as to .their , te Messengers were dispatchedin all directions by,: to stoj, sociation when the proclamation was first isseeaary to the people who were already on the move te r " . Co'' place appointed for the meeting ; and when I‘'l r l e ; nell's counter proclamation was shown to the of said they did not put any faith in it,,and that it ot t 0 , 0,1 a hoax got up by the Orange party; and it was P r os ,l the arrival of Mr. Steele . th they could be pens vi to return, and thus prevent the recurrence °f,,, t he . 4 appalling massacre. He hoped the. Noble Lor",, goo - 0 cretary for Ireland would be able to convince th' e bee, that this proclamation could not possibly h a t v d d ce v r , issued at an earlier period, otherwise they w ° ol . etb e to elude that the peoPle, Whether through negle e i t bo ied t nt . wise, had not had sufficient warning. Ile a ',i'„roff i t r ,„ necessity of a Government exercising energy al% s taa' , ness, but he thought also that, in the first there should have been more promptness_ a nd tw eei te6 ram e t' A vast number of persons had come fr ° ' and other parts of England, to be present at this: ll o e; `ing,—although the vessel .in which - they c also conveyed a large body of troops, who - f or .he over in order that the yr might be in readine s 4 4 pin ie 'Clontarf meeting. • Now, he thought it, was"„ jet t • r ii on the part of the Government, not 'to ha v vi ' m determination of the Government be kn ° „ re ve o ,,„' respect to the - Clontarf meeting; and thus r„ e ybr . "4l these poor men from leavi ng th eir work. P ° " 0 ,14; was as near,' if not nearer, to Dublin than Cl °° 01 oetl i : 1 1 no prohibition had been issued against th_ ll ,,, ij? h , there. He was sure that . no lawyer would cc .' o ' Y al there, was an inconsistency in the proclaina ti c , ti la!'o people of Wales were m ee ti ng in the most ti manner, destroying toll-bats and toll-houses, , s oc i c ) ,00 the houses of individuals; and setting fire to hiaYby threw,, ricks, and in many instances compelling peoPl e hite of personal violence to give: them money; ly 014°,0' land every one of the m ee ti ngs was most P e re . "ol+ orderly, and they only met ida ccer d ance with t t e eo he 6 6 tional principle which recogni se d th e right 0 ' s irole% o .4 to petition for the- repeal of a statute. In r . sa c ttr b' proclamation only called upon the civil offiee i j'aiet te s sheriffs, bailiffs, and the like, to repress t V i le 0 1 ' anees. Now, the Irish proclamation was ...eOP' , Ol the .ra different character, and such as to induce ail . l ith Ireland to conclude that a different principleL„,„ 1, h ie in the law existed with respect to that count':f i an to respect to the course pursued by Mr. O'Colu . lc ile pt o ‘i i coadjutors, be thought it displayed a verYl e c r e gl al eitlg ciliatory feeling, for when a Protestant c hen 1 11 re Dublin complained that the procession , towards Clontfirf,wauld disturb and---nan n Y,: he cl 6 „ e ill! e . gation, at their devotions, the Hon. and li e ,,„% e oo o :",i•is° ; man : at once changed the route, in ecio s ",,.,r e srfa l et e 'delay of the issue of the proclamation, a tra`J t , bf co 0:. had arrived. He hoped the H ous e wouhlTrwelaact Eb t he ing this resolution, induce the people 6 f re st elude that it Was careless about the lat e it portion of the empire, but that it.weuld d e sori or to", journals. He felt .cOnVinded - that they o to, e horrible slaughter-.-a slaughter which, if irth h e th e /lately occurred, had been a sad blow t° id pre S'e hlf prosperity of the empire generally, and w° l.4 . Des ceal ie sr e Irish peeple from ever again appealing iflear , d O f , England for a redress of their grivancei.---k to sec° l( l 11(1 Mr. V. STUART said he felt bound , re s hoti i f D' motion of his Hon. and Gallant Friend. Irl_ titue ots Jo*, he thought, be doing his duty to his ceas p bl o did not thus record his opinions Ai favour had b e en itc„ The House would perceive from what ha , was tb„ his Hon. and Gallant Friend, that the no_Li ii e jd res,c te tie at a time when it was impossible that it ey kbr onf . ,a tit e j thousands who were already preparing to! iO3 0, 0 7 1 01 informationh Governmeut were in meets. g e, upon which the indic to titts+. -against the principal agitators three Weef at ioe 00 , it was their duty to have issued the- Prciels w - ; l : e Y o L i . i t ge h fiti ii ;: f il t ; time, and noeto allow persons to be cira wl . l , within the meshes of the law.—(Cheers.).„e; g ue`," he cir, hers of the IriSh Government,. who were ta tter ed ' A so; oselitvhees,p,uobnlei:e3,lpeereec,e,oonuegthhtei.nv,otantdo tlbuteve himself Who absent at the very niornenu,„ ollo 49. o/1 , ger arrirsl.—( Hear., hear.) He reallY e Lai,„ t c 0 l ob a would ate: better to have no Lord Lieut Te,. res pF e j s, to leiVerthe Government in the hands y i orL t y , ° r ;4414tet,,tta,p :to maintain a system . wa lir l a ' s t eer 9w e i t e j fbadly.--(I ear, hear.) Ho thought !t a ore, ,00° !the . , Ippse, ‘ ,tO express its opinion DY s small -Might-.be the minority.• He, ther e 'l l eiPa the motion. for o ti he iPuse Lord ELIOT had to apologise to t „ y obliged to repeat, nearly verbatiin ra , tn th : e ari s ili t :by: e li p l ov i : o ;:t: first by his Right 'Hon. Friend, and tte „ vet ie _ OO ; $t the course of the nine nights' debate: ti c to on t s h i e de l r l a o t n iQ . n an r d is G pe l t l i. 4 n n g t . 0 11 i ffic is e e r i, he it ,vas ver, it ale te i " twice told tale." He thought, hewl e he w hole s i pO, O l, after a nine nights' discussion epen n ' s u „,. 02 ..ea c i ttc l o o t get up debates, and, to- take divisio it in detail.—(Tory cheers.) 'First, „ t o lint Officer coMplained. that, the P.r e o_eT," llo , w ieee n , been published in the Gazette —apro e c 013 have been wholly useles.; he ventur e d n t_. in Ireland read the Gazette. Th Nb respectingabsence teteheer,but o Lord it sence was caused by illne. s, which tha; ni roe P b e pair to England. It was also ce e lr i it? bort si lie ready bm Ye meeting n b Cg e a e st i u i hp i o n pl ifrcoersmseeddt vas priests.a t t ßc h n e set r e ws qu uhrl is il i4 l , e s i n s : llli fo ( ! j a lel i d !. icee : s4 ( ll. o t f at in oft s et t hr a: ev ic ai e nr . dhs a a i b i n d i toat t e g ts n so et f l ,betyrheetliisossicie• districtlec7oilYt;F;ionrit,ilieriotar) the surrounding counties to ass e nr,' / o rd 1 0 0 0,' ha alone e ste a r t i m )n e b e i t i i n n , g b . nt l s l n t oh th w a n t s this meeting, thus called with pelt r. 7 n oi , wa s an t marshalled in military array, should n° lie genius one, that if necessary lie ( af & tated for one moment to take upon h i e u a u r.) j; it o bility of preventing Exe eeng e lbe I v plaeard waesanctioned apnr b gg y aeti t l ; l o e ift e tw 9 igi r ;p n ortsucei_a 4 tr e dieooa d onto l ssu._ „,e ijii:ra t a 'e ect : :l( !': : paper, the, which Corn waa E t x h c e li (Cries of " No, no."> Ile beggea__P c a s were c a l to t!bot) patronise, o t P a s eard h e late.—(Hear, hear.) That r- „,,,, ht goo. t. it AA: i h li e se p , ap to er t w a - k h e ic i l n i thtberrtehopeal.4 immediate) forwarded to his t t .,' 1 , e „ 1,3:41 2: James Grahani), and who woutoett such nmatitre that-the , Govorm" . 1)# . 0 Pass • cated its powers, had it allowed lt .' IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 29. In the absence of the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of SHAFTESBURY took his seat upon the Woolsack at Five. HORSE-RACING PENALTIES BILL. The Duke of RICHMOND said* he should w•ve that the Horse-racing Penalties Bill, as brought up from the Commons, and the amendments, be printed, and to morrow he should bring the matter under their Lord ships' consideration. FREE TRADE. At the instance of the Earl of RIPON, Lord RADNOR consented, in consequence of the ab sence of the Duke of Wellingtoh, to postpone the' pre sentment of his petition from the county of Somerset on the subject of free trade. Their Lordships then adjourned. ROUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 29. The SPEAKER took the Chair at the usual hour. Mr. DENISTOUN presented a petition from Berwick, praying for a repeal of the corn-laws. Mr. H. BERKELEY presented a petition from 32 persons connected with the tobacco and snuff trade in Bristol, complaining of the heavy duties imposed upon those manufactures, and praying that the Government would adopt some measures for the relief of the manu facturers. RAILWAYS. Sir C. DOUGLAS presented a petition from War wick, praying the House would adopt some means by which the several lines of railways should be thrown open to general competition. Mr. M. GIBSON presented a petition, signed by 458 persons, representatives of various commercial firms in Manchester, with a similar prayer. AGRICULTURAL PROTECTION. Lord WORSLEY presented a number of peti tions from various parts of Lancashire, praying that the House would sanction no legislative measures which would tend to diminish the fair protection which should be given to the agricultural interests of this country. THE GAME LAWS. - la WALLACE presented a petition, signed by a number of noblemen, gentlemen, magistrates, and other influential persons in the counties of Lanark, Renfrew, and Ayr, complaining of the evils attendant upon the present laws for the preservation of game. They stated that those laws tended to induce persons to be out at night with fire-arms for the purpose of killing game, and thus led them into the commission of offences of which they would not, under other circumstances, be guilty. The Hon. Gentleman moved that the petition be printed with the Votes of the House, and said that on an early day he should bring this matter more fully before the House. Mr. DUNCOMBE presented a petition from Ludlow (as we understood), praying that as an immunity had been granted to certain noblemen and gentlemen for past actions, to relieve them from heavy legal liabilities, the same course should be adopted towards those Dissenters who were now being . stied for church-rates. POSTAGE.-AMERICA. Mr. WALLACE presented a petition from a nume rous - class of persons connected with philanthropic so cieties, complaining of the high charges they were called upon to pay for printed papers published by charitable institutions in that part of the world. The petitioners had, on, some occasions, paid as high as fourteen shillings for the postage of a report or other document. They prayed that an uniform rate o f postage might be estab lished. ROMAN CATHOLIC OATH. Mr. 'VERNON SMITH gave notice that on this day fortnight he should move that an alteration be made in the oath taken by Roman Catholics before entering Par liament. GREECE. • Mr. B. COCHRANE postponed his motion on the subject of Greece until this day fortnight. SUPPLY.—GRIEVANCES. Mr. S. CRAWFORD gave notice that, on the motion for going into supply to-morrow, he should move that the several petitions he had presented, complaining that that House did not truly represent the people, should be referred to a Select Committee, and that until such Com mittee had reported, the grant of any supplies should be deferred. POOR-LAW AMENDMENT BILL. Mr. COLVILE 'gave notice that, when this Bill again came before the House, he should move several amendments upon it. CORN. Mr. HUTT postponed till some future day the motion, of which notice stood for to-day, that corn imported into the United Kingdom, from the British possessions in South Africa, India, and Australasia, be made subject to the same duty as corn imported from Canada. POST-OFFICE. Mr. WALLACE gave notice of a motion for this day fortnight on the Postage Acts. RETURNS. Mr. GREGORY gave notice that on a future day he should move for several returns connected with the Paving Board, the Police, the Grand Jury, and other public establishments in the City of Dublin. Mr. JERVIS moved for a return of the names, ad dresses, professions, and occupations. of the several auditors appointed under the Poor-law Amendment Act, together with the dates of their respective appointments. Agreed to. PRISON DISCIPLINE. Mr. MACKINNON' gave notice that he would, on this day fortnight, move for a Select Committee to in quire into the state of discipline in prisons, with a view of making such improvements in their management its might be safely adopted. Mr. Sergeant MURPHY presented two petitions from the municipality of Cork, complaining of certain parts of the Municipal Corporations Act for Ireland, and praying the House to amend them. Sir G. CLERK presented a petition from certain pa rochial schoolmasters in Worcester, praying for an alteration of the system under which parochial schools are conducted. Mr. HUTT presented a petition from certain parties engaged in an action in the Court of Exchequer, brought against then' by the corporation of Sunderland. The petitioners stated that some returns had been made to that House which were important evidence in the cause, and they therefore prayed that the officer of the House might be permitted to produce the said returns on the petition be printed with the Member moved that the Votes of the House, and gave notice that, to-morrow, trial of the cause. The Ho 11, he should move that the officer of the House be ordered to comply with the prayer-of the petitioners. ' MANAGEMENT OP THE REVENUE. Mr. HAWES wished to ask the Noble Lord opposite when the labours Vof the Commission which had been appointed the management of the reve. cue, were to like inq ly ui to ren beibtrOught to a close. Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET said, the inquiry was progressing as speedily as possible, but he could not say how long it would be before it would be termi nated. ESPARTERO. Sir HOWARD DOUGLAS said a paragraph in a newspaper had just caught his eye, in which it was stated that he had charged General Espartero with want of personal courage. The courage of that officer was un questioned, as it was unquestionable. His (Sir 'R. Douglas') observations• had applied to the corps d'arrnee. He had great pleasure, therefore, in availing himself of this opportunity of giving this explanation with respect to an individual who was absent and in adversity. RAILWAYS. Mr. WALLACE. wished to know whether any clause that should be introduced in any Railway Bill brought forward during the present session, would-be held to be binding, as well with respect t o the branch and exten sion lines as the old lines? Mr. GLADS I'ONE said he understood the Hon. Gentleman to ask, whether a clause that, was recom mended by the Railway Committee was to be inserted in all Railway Bills brought before Parliament this ses sion, and whether that clause would apply only to junc tion lines and extension lines, or in each case to the entire line ? Nis answer was, he believed that in all cases where railways were brought before Parliament by Bill, in which any new powers were to be given, those Bills would be brought under the operation of the clause. He need not now explain what the purport of the clause would be,.but as he understood it, it would apply to the whole line in each case. BUILDINGS IN THE METROPOLIS. Lord LINCOLN rose to bring in the Bill of which be had given notice for regulating the construction of build ings in the metropolis and its neighbourhood. The numerous reports which had been before the House, not only from Commissions and local authorities, but from Committees of Parliament, must have made such an impression upon Honourable Members that it avould •be useless for him to recapitulate the statements of those reports, or occupy the time of the House by making extracts from them. In 1840 the Hon. MeMber for Newark introduced it Bill upon this subject. It was a Measure not 'only of ,essential, but of para mount importance ; and the first Bill brought in by a Noble Lord' in the other House was . read a second time, but it was not carried through when the session terminated. In 1841 the Bill was again brought in, was read a first time, and reached the second readhig• in this. House, but in consequence of the dissolution of Parliament it made no further progress. In 1842 •a Bill Was again introduced, but by the consent of all parties it was referred to a Committee of . 'the House of Lords. TheComtnittee sat the whole of the session, but come to no resolution further than to publish the evidence. By the advice of his Right ilcria. Friend the Secretary f0r,,,0e lloine Department, he (Lord Lincoln). had uidertaken to look into the Bill, and to prepare a men su're'oa the subject. For that purpose he had consulted eminent and experienced builders and carpenters, .and, looking to the number of towns which would be affected by so general a measure, many of them having already local Acts for the sane objects, lie thought it was de- ; sirgilelobring in an Act for the metropolis alone, and wait to observe the effect of its operation here, before it should be extended to the rest of 'the country. With that view he brought in a new Bill in 1843 ; but the presspre of business during the session prevented its being gone through with. He did not regret that, tis - it gave him an opportunity of introducing improve ments into. the measure ,• and he ;hoped that in its preient form it would be likely to be effi cient, ' and productive of great' public advantage. The House was aware that the Act which was at present in existence for the purpose of regulating the buildings in the Metropolis had been passed seventy ,years ago. In the pitsent extended state of the metropolis it was obvious that many of 'the provisions Of that Act must be inapplicable to the present state of things. He pro posed to repeal that Bill altogether, and to introduce a separate measure, embodying the provisions of 'that Act relating to the prevention of fire. It would be unnecessary to trouble the House with the technical de tails, of the measure, which would be not only uninteresting but unintelligible. The ,House would find that the ; greatest possible care and attention had been taken in the framing of those details, and he had every reason to