The Sun. — London, England, 1845-05-16 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. !1 USE OF COMMONS, Macy 15. The SPEAKER toA. the Chair for the first time after the Whitsuntide rec ss, at Four o'clock. Colonel THONIAS WOOD presented a petition against the 'Westminster Improvements Bill. ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY. Sir G. STAUNTON presented a petition, sigled by upwards of 16,000 persons, in favour of the app li cation of the atmospheric principle to railways. Colonel WEMYSS presented a petition against the Edinburgh and Northern Railway. Mr. BRO HERTON presented a petition against the Chichester, Guildford, and Portsmouth Railway. CROYDON RAILWAY. The following Bills were severally read a first time, and ordered to be committed:—London and Croydon liailway (Enlargement); London and Croydon Railway (Chatham and Gravesend) ; London and Croydon Rail way (Maidstone, Ashford, and Tunbridge); London end Croydon Railway (Orpington Branch) ; London and Croydon Railway (Chatham to Chilharl). SOUTHAMPTON DOCKS. The Southampton Docks Bill was read a third time and passed. IRISH GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. On the motion of Lord I'ALMERSTON, the Dublin, Mellinger, and Athlone Railway Bill was read a second time and ordered .to be committed. The Noble Lord remarked that the Bill had excited an extraordinary interest in Ireland, and gave notice that, to-morrow, ho would present a petition fr , .m the Cor pore' ion and Lord Mayor of Dublin in favour of it. Mr. B. BALDWIN presented petitions against the Brighton (Horsham Extension), the North Midland, the Mellinger end Enniskillen, and she Dundalk and Ennis killen Railways. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' BILL. Mr. SPOONER presented a petition from Tunbridge and oth,er pieces praying for an alteration in the Insol .vent Debtors' Bill passed last session. 6ir J. DUKE presented similar petitions from Boston. PAROCHIAL SETTLEMENT BILL. Mr. TENNENT presented a petition from the Board of Guardians of the Cambridge Union against the Paro chial Settlements Act ; also petitions against the Union of the sees of Bangor and St. Asaph, and against the grant to the College of Maynooth. GRANT To MAYNOOTH. • Mr. DUNDAS presented peti7ions praying for an increase of the salaries of paro•hial schoolmasters in Scotland; also petitions against the grant to Maynooth, ritizainst Sunday travelling. Sir R. H. INGLIS presented petitions from the parish St. John the Evangelist in Westminster, against 6unday trading, and the grant to Maynooth. Mr. BOUVERIE presented petith‘ns from Scotland against tha grant to Maynooth. Mr. SUMMERS presented petitions from several places in Ireland against the Roman Catholic Bequests' Numerous petitions against the grant to Maynooth were presented by Colonel Powell, Mr. Buck, Mr. Greene, and Mr. Arkwright, but in no single instance could IN C heap the designations of the petitions. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS. Mr. DUNCAN presented a Bill from Dundee against the Statute of Limitations Bill. MAYNOOTII. Mr. HAWES presented several petitions against the grant to Map( oth, and one in favour of it, signed by a single individual, the Rev. Mr. Ballagar, which, as it presented the question so shortly and so strongly, he should move that it be read at the table. BIRILINGHA,M, GLOUCESTER, AND WOLVER HAMPTON RAILWAY. Mr. SPOONER moved the second reading of the Birmingham, Gloucester, and Wolverhampton Railway Bill. Mr. PARINGTON said that this was a Bill for the ontensioa of the London and Birmingham Railway, and he hoped the House would extend its indulgence to him whilst he stated his reasons for opposing the second reading of this Bill. It was not merely on private grounds that be opposed this Bill, nor would he ask any favour of the House, but on behalf of other landowners as well as himself, he should oppose it. This railway would pass foe 2i miles through his own ground, and he would hear every engine from his drawing-room s indows. When this scheme had first been brought forward, he had inquired of hie surveyor respecting it, and had bren informed that the standing orders had been violated in a hundred instances. The Bill had been proposed, and was then vrithdrawn, when after two or three months it was again brought forward by an entirely dif ferent company. Last January it was again intro d•iccd to the notice of the public, not by the original company, but as an extension of the London and Bir mingham line, when one was prepared to oppose it ; and he should, therefore, certainly take the sense of the House on the second reading. Air. SPOONER opposed the motion on the ground that his Hon. Friend had not given notice to the parties of his opposition. The promoters of the Bill had been put to the expense of summoning their witnesses and retaining counsel. The Bill had been referred in one of the groups to the Committee, and before that Com mittee the case of his Hon. Friend would be fully inves tigated. Mr. PAKINGTON explained. He regretted that he had not been able to give notice of his intention t oppose the second reading, but in consequence of the period at which the Bill was moved he could not give notice. Sir R. INGLIS said he did not understand his Hon. Friend to object to the Bill, except upon the ground of surprise, but as he understood the facts, it was his Hon. Friend the Member for Droitwich who was taken by surprise, and he would, therefore, support the motion of his Hon. Friend the Member for Droitwich. Mr. SPOONER explained. Mr. LABOUCHERE said that the Hon. Gentleman brought the case very fully and fairly before the House ; bat still he thought that his objection to the second reading of the Bill, merely on account of the surprise which at would cause, should not induce the House to r.efuse the second reading of the Bill. The House then divided, when there appeared to be— For the motion 4l Against it llaj , :rity in favour of the motion —l9 ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. Mr. WAKLEY rose to move, " That a Select Com mittee be appointed, to inquire into the management of the Royal College of Surgeons of England : also, to investigate the circumstances which led to the grant of an additional charter to the Council in 1843, and into the effects produced by the operation of that charter upon the interests and professional rank of the great body of the members of the college." And should that resolution be negatived, then to move the following:— " That in any charter which the Crown may be advised t 6 grant for the incorporation of the general practition ers, those gentlemen are fully entitled to enjoy an equality of professional station with the newly-created Fellows ; that a deep and lasting injury would be in flicted on many thousands of scientific men if a College of General Practitioners were to he founded as an insti tution inferior to the College of Surgeons." The Hon. Mt mber said he submitted the motion to the House in cenferinity with a great number of petitions which had been presented to the House from members of the College of Sargenns resident in every part of the king dom, and in censquence of a great number of communi cations from the same body of gentlemen on the subject. But he was chiefly actuated by the fact that a petition had been presented on the 31st of March by him free) surgeons resident in the county of Glou •ester. The petitioners stated that, by the charter granted in 1843 by her Mnjesty, the Council had th e power o f electing a certain number of the member.; of the Col lege, who should be entitled to the general principle of el, cting the Council in all time coming; and they added that they lo.,ked on such distinctions as unjust to the great body of surgeons, and they entered their most indignant protest against the principle. They also stated that the charter required that all existing members should undergo areaher examination, or be excluded from the bonours of a fellowship in the College. They also prayed that no Bill should be allowed to pass until inquiry bad been ordered into the circumstances connected with the granting of the charter. He be lieved that the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home Department ISM by that time aware that he had taken a false step in recommending the granting of this charter, and the division to which the House had come the otliar night ras a sufficient proof of that fact.—(hear, hear.) fie was as yet really ignorant of the effect of the changes which were intended by the Government measure ; and he supposed—he was under the necessity of sup posing—that the Bill which had been formerly in troduced was in substance the very same with that which would be now introduced before the Ruse, but that they would have soon an opportunity of examining these alterations. The history of the Col lege of Surgeons—the history of the conduct of the Council rather was characterised as one of injustice to the professors by the self . ..elected gorerning body. The College was 4 . randsd by a charter granted in the rar 1843, and from that year to this the Council had on various ocea,ions passed rsgulati.ms extending their own powers, and, fact, Creating to themselves a monopoly of the :cost Unjust and oppressive character. In the year 182 re i consetreuce of the abuse of these powers, there had been a large assembly of the profession who expressed great dissatisfaction at the conduct of the Counal. After much discussis-n the meeting parsed two reseluti cese , h e might say itnanimou!ly, expressive of their sense in the first place, of the oppr ess i ve mo d e i nwhieh the Council h a d acte d ; and, in the second place, that the regulations which had been passed in 182 1) 3, rer'spect ing the taking up of diplornasriere highly Tes detrimental resolutions to the interests of the profession. vg io re passel in a meeting in which A n t .a t r i e i r e e 2,000 t than these . 1,500 individuals were present. resolutions were passed it was a unive lm rs t a ' l im pression that, however energetic their e presen tations ruie,lit be, th ere was little chance r of obtaining attention or redress, except by a n appeal to the House of Commons ; and accordi ng ly t h e l ast reso lution of that meeting was a determination to appeal to that House, and they accordingly did so. The result of that petition was the appointment of a Select Committee, of which his Hon. Friend the Member for Kendal (Mr. Warburton) was chairman, and he believed the night Honourable Baronet opposite (Bir James Graham) was a member of it. Before that Committee a great mass of evidence was taken, the whole purport of which was to show that the whole establishment was in a state of disorder. The museum, a most valuable one—the Hunterian Museum—which was allowed to be one of the finest in Europe, and for which a great sum:of public money had been paid, was in such a state of disorder that it was per fectly useless. From that time till 181:3 nothing was done, but in 1815 a great injury had been done to the medical profession by the operation of the New Poor. law. The profession had every reason to expect that they Would obtain redress from that House ; but in 1843 they found to their amazement that a new charter was granted to th college, in which ex traordinary and unconstiutional powers were con ferred upon the Council. When it was first re ported that such a charter had been granted, he dia not think that a hundred men in the profersion throughout Great Britain, believed that ir. was true. But, unfortunately, tame showed that it was true, and that a charter had received the sign minual con ferring those extraordinary powers on the Council. It contained provisions which gave extreme an noyance to upwards of then thousand men. In the last fifty years the science of medicine and surgery had made greater progress than any other art or science in the whole range of human knowledge. It was admitted by every %Inter of eminence or ability that medicine and surgery constitute but one science, of which pharmacy and midwifery are important depart ments. But by the extraordinary provisions of the new charter those members of the College of Sur geons who practise midwifery and pharmacy are caaluded from the governing body of the College. In fact, the qualifications were looked upon by the mem bers of the College of Surgeons as inferior and degrading occupations, and the rules of that institution wire such as cast a slur upon the professional avocations of those practising midwifery that never should have been cast upon them. Those rules and by-laws had been made by the Council of the College of Surgeons, but they had never been included in any statute or ever received di;; sanction of the Crown. One of the clauses in these rules was to this effect, that ro member of the College of Surgeons should be eligible to become a member of the Council while practising midi Very or pharmacy, or IA ho had practised those branches of the profession for five years, or, in ether words, that any person who had practised midwifery or pharmacy - for four years, from this time, would be disqualfied for a seat in the College of Surgeons. This he should call a most monstrous and ridiculous propos tion, and such a one as never would have received the sign manual of the Crown. Well, the rule went on to say, further, that those who professed midwifery and pharmacy could n( t be entitled to a seat in the College unless they resided within 5 miles of St. Martin's-le-Grand. Now, he knew many members of the profession practising those branches who could not be equalled in Europe, and many of them were superior to any in the empire, and yet this disqualification was put upon them by this ridi culous rule. The rule went on to provide, that if a member who had a seat should cease to reside within the definite distance, then he should be removed from the Council. This, he would say, was carrying such absurdities to a most preposterous length. It was for those reasons that those members of the me dical profession who practised midwifery and pharmacy had sought for the abrogation of those bye-laws. They sought it by petition to that House, and by public declarations, and by remon , trances to the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite himself. He (Mr. Wakley) would contend for it, that no person in the profession could approve of this charter. The Right Hon. Gen tleman himself did not like it, though it was his own off spring; and he (Mr. Wakley) could assure the Right Hon. Gentleman it was looked on abroad as an ugly production. Two petitions had been presented for an inquiry into the circumstances which 1 , 1 to the passing of the charter. The proceedings of the Council were carried on in secret—no one knew what motions were proposed, or what amendments Ni ere spade to them, nor was it known what was decided. The Right llonourable Gentleman had made them a representative body, and he should also take care that the members should know what the conduct of their representatives was. The language of Mr. Guthrie was worthy the attention of the llouse. He stated in his petition which was presented last year, that though in his collective capacity he was compelled to accept the grant of the new charter, a copy of which had been laid en the table, yet he considered several of the provisions to be illiberal, exclusive, and unjust. In his petition this year lie sought for an inquiry into the conduct of the Council, and states that he was aware of the unfitness of the charter for the purposes for which it was intended, and that many of the provisions were as de ceptive and illiberal in their nature as could be expected from even a purely arbitrary Government- That was the language of a member of the Council of Health, and he hoped that such an explanation would be given by the Right Hon. Gentleman as would preclude the necessity of the appointment of a Com mittee of Inquiry, and that the Right Hon. Gentleman would be prepared to say that such a charter would not continue to exist, to the annoyance of the profession. Even the majority of the Council spoke of the duty imposed on them by the Right Hon. Gentleman as an invidious duty. The Government had, therefore, abso lutely forced on the Council of the College of Sur geons a charter for which they entertained the greatest dislike ; and, of course, which they had no desire to receive. Now the circumstance was very extraordinary, considering what had been the conduct of the profession for a long series of years. In his (Mr. Wakley's) opinion the Right Hon. Baronet exercised, in 1843, relative to this subject, a very unconstitutional power, and he thought he had most unjustly exercised that power with reference to a very large number of deserving professional men. C =plaints had been made by Sir Astley Cooper and other distinguished men, and all were agreed that the rule prohibiting men from becoming members of the College until they had arrived at a certain period of life was a great hardship.— (Hear.) These complaints had been laid before the House, but how were the petitions of these men an swered ? Simply by a Minister of the Crown, who rely ing on some private representations, and guided by some influence at the Home-office, granted a new charter to the Council, and instead of punishing the Council for misconduct n hid' they had committed during a long series of years, invested them with new powers, and enabled them to exercise such powers to the extreme annoy ance of many thousands of their professional brethren. The profession and the House had a right to complain ; and, if prerogative charters were granted in this way, the sooner such powers were extinguished, the better. He knew the Right Hon. Gentleman would say that ho did it for the best. He (Mr. Wakley) had no doubt but that was the case, at the same time he felt quite sure the Right Hon. Gentleman had been mis informed by one upon whose judgment he should not in future rely. But the charter had beea granted, and granted under extraordinary circumstances. Was it to continue in force? Tho Right Hon. Gentleman ought to make some alteration in the standing of the fellows. The present plan was the most absurd and ridicu lous that could be conecived. The Committee were empowered according to the provisions of the charter to elect 300. members to the class of fellows within the first three months of its operation. Upon the 14th December, 1843, the Council was required to select from the body of members not less than 250 nor more than 300 - members, and these members were selected in the most arbitrary manner. Now, the fellows constituted the body from which the future Council was to be elected, the fellows themselves being the electors; and by this system it was absolutely impossible for the names placed lowest on the list to be elected to the Council of the College. Could any one suppose that an arrangement of this kind could be satisfactory to the pro fession? Could it give rise to any other feel ings than those of disappointment ? There were im mense numbers of men, who had endeavoured to dis charge their professional duties with credit to them selves and advantage to the public, thus by the whim of a dominant party placed in such a position, that they were deprived of their just rights and privi leges. The council of the College had seen proper to give the world an analysis of the mode in which they had discharged their duty, and the result according to their own showing was as folloNs. They had appointed 229 surgeons in the general hospitals in various parts of the country. They had created fifty-two teachers in the various branches of recognised science, recognised as such by themselves. Tney had created as fellows ten men, who were distinguished by their contributions to medical literature. Forty members who had formerly practised pharmacy or midwifery, were created surgeons without examination. Then they said that 113 persons in the country had been recommended by the heads of the respective departments ; and then, out of thousands of professional gentlemen practising in the provinces— men not surpassed for their scientific acquirements by any body in Eerope—only sixty-seven, out of all the provincial practitioners, were recommended as being ea petite of being attached to a general hospital, although some of their, diplomas dated later than 1822. And was it not apparent, on the face of these farts, that seine inquiry was absolutely necessary? It was impossible to look at the principle on which the college was governed—it was impossible to look at the paucity of individuals elevated —without feeling throughout convinced and persuaded that such a state of things could not remain in tha same state without occa.ioning feelings of dissatisfaction and heart-burning in those who lied done no wrong, and were only guilty of demanding the rights to which they were justly entitled. Though that statement was made, not one of the sixty-seven surgeons has chosen, whose diplomas dat©d since 1824—a period of twenty one years. And it was also a fact, which appeared from the analysis of the list, that thirty were created to the rank of fellows in the first 300 appointed, whose diplomas dated between 18'33 and 1837. The inequalities established, as he considered, in a thoughtless manner in the Bill of the Right Iron. Gentleman were of an outrageous character. A feeling of dissatisfaction would prevail, unless the demo to which he referred was removed, namely, the clause relating to the present condition of the charter. The Right Hon. Gentleman excluded those who prac tised pharmacy and midwifery from sitting in the Council if they practised within five years antecedent to the day of election. There were persons of the highest au thority, however, who acknowledged that the medical practitioners, in order to exercise the functions of their profession with security to their patients, ought to be educated in the whole of the branches of the profession. The expression of Mr. Abernethy, in 1828, had been often quoted, that medi cine and surgery were one and indivisible. What was the opinion of several men who were examined before the Committee in 1834? If the Right Hon. Gentleman had referred to the statements made by the eminent men who were examined before that Committee, he (Mr. Wakley) did not t hi nk that he would grant a charter: con taining such provision s as were in the Bill before them. Mr. Lawrence, a member of the Connell, was , examined l before that C omm i ttee, and what was his evidence . He was asked, " Is no t a l arge share of the actual practice of London, s urgeon me di cal practice?" and what was the answer ? Why, it was , " Unquestionably, surgical cases are principally t reate d b y means called medical." Sir Benjamin Brodie w as exam i ned on the same subject 1L and he was asked this q ues ti on , " I s it not a very im portant part of the busi ness o f a surgeon to resort to medical treatment to prevent hemorrhage." The answer was, " Yes, many cases which are treated as surgi ca l, may be remedied by medical treatm en t." Sir , Astley Cooper, and Mr. Travers, another member of the Council, gave similar testimony.—mearo This testimony was given in 1834, and it was seven. years since this had occurred. The surgeons were stigmatised at that time, but Mr. Travers stated that though he objected to the system, yet he had suffered no inconvenience, for his colleague was too gentlemanlike a person to interfere with his cases. Now, it was well known to all who had paid any attention to the subject that it was the surgeon who was the complete me dical man. The physician only practised in a part of the profession. lie could, it is true, cure all the evils generally called medical evils, but the surgeon had not only to heal the abrasions of the flesh, but also to quell the fever which so frequently attended upon wounds. From these circumstances he trusted the Right Hon. Gentleman would see that he had taken a backward step, and that he had been misled by the information of persons who were either inte rested in making c rroneous statements to him, or too de ficient in knowledge to direct him rightly. The medi• cal practitioners were another of the stigmatised parties. Mr. Lawrence, who was one of the Council, had stated that midwifery was a subject which ought to be espe cially attended to, and he did not believe that it was possible for any man to become an able midwifery prac titioner without examination and instruction by persons who attended to that practice only. Sir Astley Cooper, who was also ono of the Council, had borne testimony to the same effect, and expressly stated it as his opinion, that unless instructed by individuals engaged solely in the practice of midwifery, he would never be aide to ful fil his duty properly in that branch of the profession. He thought the best constructed Board would be formed of those men who had studied midwifery almost exclu sively. He was sure the Right Hon. Gentleman could not be aware of the danger he was creating by the pro• eeeding he was adepting. It ought to be the duty of the Legisisture to find competent medical practitioners for the million. The wealthy would never do it. The Government was bound to take care that among the million there was not one unqualified practitioner. Case , had taken pl we, in consequence of inexperienced practitioners, that were disgraceful to the House and disgusting to society. The poorest classes of the people were the most interested in the proper education of the general practitioners. The middle classes also had not less anxiety for the welfare of their families than the highest aristocracy in the land. And he was able to state that the great body of surgeons in this country were competent to the discharge of their duties, and they ought not to be' placed on a lower scale than persons younger in years and prac tice, and not superior in academic attainments. If the Right Hon. Gentleman granted the Committee he would prove that the number of the parties who had been elected to the class of fellows had obtained no dis tinction whatever, and were unknown as practising sur geons, but wlio in general practice had attained, per ' haps, a considerable and a high moral character. tinder the circumstances. he would ask the Right Hon. Gentle man if it were his intention, in the first place, to refuse this inquiry, and, if he should refuse it, he would, in the second place, ask him if it were his determination to maintain the charter in its present odious aspect? As medicine was but a science, was it fair that they should have so many medical corporations ? If such, then were the facts (and it was now admitted that they were facts), was the Right Hon Gentleman pre pared to say to these professional gentlemen that though they were members of the college they should not be admitted to a scat at its councila because they practised certain branches of that profession? The Right Hon. Gentleman admitted that those members had rights, but yet they would not be permitted to enter their own college. In fact, the Council acted as if the college were their own private property; but he looked upon them as a public body, and acting only in the ca pacity of trustees for the members and the public. They were appointed by law to perform certain important fune tions, and he would ask how had they discharged their duties? He denied they had discharged their duties in any thing like a satisfactory manner ; for if they had, so long ago as :the year 1815, the members would have been in the possession and full enjoyment of their rights in this institution, and when they attempted upon a for mer occasion to assert their rights they were turned out of doors. And, now, when a law was about to be pro posed affecting them, the Right Hon. Gentleman oppo site told them still that they should not find a home in their own institution, but that he would provide them with another establishment which would not be per mitted to enter into high and honourable and distin guished rivalry with the present one. He (Mr. Wakley) did think that those gentlemen had great cause to com plain of the treatment they received in that House, for it was there that laws were made affecting them, and it was there that care should be taken that competent professional persons should be provided for the public. In whatever point of view he looked at the con duct of the Council, he could observe that it presented but one characteristic, and that was a neglect of the duties imposed on them by their obligations and by the law • in fact, he could not point to any one ac t that that body ever did for the advancement of the medical science. The I-lon. Member then alluded to some instances, where individuals who were highly de serving and meritorious had been suffered to live in neglect, and were kept out of the Council, though they possessed all the requisites that constituted a claim to a place in it. He then went on to illustrate the bad effects of keeping back members of the profession in this way. He belonged to the profession himself, and had had many opportunities of witnessing them in the persons of some very talented men in some of the greatest hospitals in the world. He looked upon the profession as the noblest that the mind of man could be devoted to, and therefore he did think the House was bound to confer all the honours upon it that it deserved. —(Hear, hear, and cheers.) Before he concluded he would entreat, he would implore, the Right Hon. Gentleman to retrace the steps he had taken on this subject. Never did he (Mr. Wakley) make an appeal with more earnestness for its success than this one.— (Hear, hear.) He would beg of the Right Hon. Gentle man not to listen to the prejudiced representations of interested parties, but to act for the benefit of the public at large, and enable himself to say that he thanked God he had been instrumental in passing such a measure.— (Hear, hear.) He had two resolutions before the House and it was upon the second that he intended to take the sense of the House. The SPEAKER was then about to put the question, when an lion. Member moved that the House be counted, when it appeared that there were not forty Members present, and the House adjourned. RAILWAY CO_OLVIITTEES. (YESTERDAY.) Group F. THE LONDON, WORCESTER, AND SOUTH STAF• FORDSHIRE RAILWAY. (Cnntinuelfrom our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Mr. Joseph Chester, examined by Mr. llorE—Lives at Leicester. Is engaged in the wool and coal trade. Believed the water-carriage for wool better adapted than the ralway under the present arrangement of the line. The break of gauge on the Gloucester line was very inconvenient to the traders on the line. The inconvenience arises from the great and unavoidable delay occasioned by the break. Mr. W. 11. Lloyd, examined by Mr HOPE—Is a merchant at Birmingham. Trades with Gloucester, Bristol, and Hull, and other places. A meeting of the merchants of Birming ham was held on the 20th of December last. The meeting was convened by themselves. It was a very important meeting, and its object was to consider the propriety of having a con tinuous gauge from Birmingham to Bristol. The first reso lution was moved by Mr. Muntz, M.P. CHArnmix—Here comes the Hon. Member to answer for himself. Mr. 51mitz here made his way to the table amid much bzughter. , I:xamination continued,—The resolution was favourable to a continuous gauge. The meeting was unanimous for an unbroken gauge. Cross-examined by Mr. TALBOT.—One gentleman named Chance, who attended the meeting, wrote a letter by desire of the meeting to Mr. Laing of the Board of Trade, in f avour a a continuous ga uge from Bristol to Birmingham. Mr. Chance spoke in favour of the broad:gauge, but the meeting did nit approve of it; their immediate object was a continuous gauge, and not as to w h e th er it s h ou ld b e broad or narrow. Was himself in favour of the narrow gauge, though if the gauge were to be continuous the inconvenience would be materially diminished. Re-examined by Mr. HOPE.—Competition would be very beneficial if it could be kept up where two lines ran together. This would, however, be very soon got rid of by the two Companies combin ing. Would prefer a Government regulation to any other for the security of fair rates. There would be more trouble in loading the trucks on the broad gauge than on the narrow; the loading would be far more inconvenient. The small gauge would be generally more compact and un • objectionable. by the CHAIRMAN—On the whole, if he had his choice, he would give the preference to the small gauge. Mr. Hopi: said he would have to claim the indulgence of the Committee. At that moment he was unable to call any further general evidence, in consequence of the witnesses being under examination in another Committee. He would, therefore, propose to put in the tables of traff.z. The tables of traffic were then put in, and a few witnesses ►ere called, who were briefly examined as to their general accuracy. The Committee then adjourned till twelve o'clock to- morrow. Group V. THE NEWARK AND SHEFFIELD. (Continued from our Afteenom Edition of yesterday.) Mr RUNES, on the part of the promoters of the Bill, read extracts from the report of the Board of Trade recommend ing this line. He stated that it was intended to extend it to a distance of thirty-two miles, and that it would connect the producing districts of South Nottingham and SJuth Lin colnshire, with the markets of Yorkshire and Lancashire. By forming a junction with the TN' idland Railway at Chesterfield, they could communicate with Manchester, Leeds, and Barns ley; and he would produce evidence before the Committee to prove that the traffic world be amply sufficient to maintain the line, and return a profit to the Company. The line would not interfere with any existing interest. The Learned Counsel, after giving returns of the export trade of Newark in the articles of malt, flour, coals, lime, &c., pro ceeded to call witnesses in support of his position. John Thorpe, m !lister and coal merchant, proved that a very considerable export trade existed between Newark and the market of South Lancashire in the articles of malt and flour, 5.41 that coal was imported in great quantities from Derby shire and Nottingham. He was certain that if the line were made it would increase in a very great degree the value of property in Newark. The popular feeling was strongly in its tlivour. Mr. Bramston, Mayor of Newark, gave similar evidence. The Committee adjourned till to-morrow. Group E. NEWCASTLE AND BERWICK LINE. Mr. Hudson, the Chairman of the Company who promoted this projected locomotive line, occupied the attention of the Committee during the entire day in showing the immense local advant ages w hi c h wou ld be derived from its adoption. llis evidence chiefly tended to prove that the atmo spheric system of railway would not work the same quantity of goods as that worked by the locomotive, and that the public would not be convenience(' by having such fre quent trains as were advocated by the- Northumberland At-. mo spheric Company. Dispatches from the Governor of the Mauritim were received yesterday at the CvlQuial-office. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. REPORT OF THE RAILWAY DEPARTMENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE ON SCHEMES FOR EXTENDING RAILWAY COMMUNICA TION IN VARIOUS DISTRICTS. Ordered, by the House of Commons, to be printed, May 8, 1845. Railway Department, Bcard of Trade, Whitehall, May 8, 1845. The Board constituted by the minute of the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade, for the transaction of railway business, having had the fol lowing railway schemes, vi z . Porthdynllaen and Bangor; Chester and Holyhead ; Ditto—Mold Branch ; Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings—Rye and Ash ford Branch ; have decided on submitting the following report thereon, for the consideration of Parliament : The Porthdynllaen and Bangor (or North Wales Railway), commences at the port of Porthdynllaen, runs along► the coast of the Irish Channel, by Clynog and Caernarvon, to Bangor; its length being 28 miles 56 chains. The earth-works on the whole will ex ceed an average, and a tunnel occurs of 704 yards in length. At the 6th mile is an embankment 118 feet high, and at the 11th mile a cutting 71 feet deep and several run from 40 to 50 feet. The promoters of the scheme state, that by bring ing into close connexion the city and port of Bangor and the town of Caernarvon, the line would confer important commercial advantages upon the interests of North Wales ; and that its further course through the mineral and agricultural districts will throw open additional supplies of copper, lead, slates, grain, and provisions, to new and ex t e nd e d markets. Es pecially they ay stress on the advantages to be de rived from opening out the extensive slate quarries in the district. With regard to passengers, they reckon upon a considerable number going along the proposed line, particularly in summer and autumn, and the traffic tables, which have been submitted with the statement of the promoters' case, seem to justify, so far as it is in our power to form an opinion from the data which they contain, their assumption that the line will be remunerative. _ We have stated that the earth-works on the whole will exceed an average, and that a tunnel occurs 704 yards in length; consequently the line will be of an expensive description. The promoters of the scheme, however, while they estimate the cost at 300,0001., state that arrangements have been made with responsible contractors to complete the Railway within the engi neer's estimate, both as to time and amount. The projectors are particular in their statement, that their scheme is not intended to rival the Chester and Holyhead Railway, nor to disturb any existing arrangements between that Company and the Govern ment; their line is for local purpases, and it appears to have received very general local support. No statement has been made to the Board of Trade in opposition to this scheme, and we are not aware of any circumstances tending to invalidate the case of the promoters. In these circumstances it becomes our duty to re port, in conformity with the Fifth Report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons, that " there are no public reasons which ought, in the opinion of this department, to be decisive against it." The object of the Chester and Holyhead Railway Bill is to complete the continuous communication from Chester to Holyhead by the passage of the Menai Straits, by means of one of two alternative lines, the first of which, 4 miles 63 chains in length, passes over the town of Bangor by a viaduct bridge ; the other, 4 miles 26 chains in length, passes about half a mile south of Bangor, and effects a saving of 37 chains in distance. The gradients on both lines are good. The point selected for the passage of the Menai is at the Britannia Rock, in the centre of the Strait, which affords a convenient position for the central pier of a bridge of two arches; but as an objection was taken to the bridge proposed to be constructed, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty directed a local examination to be made by Sir John Rennie and Mr. Rendel, civil engineers, in company with Capt. Vidal, Royal Nary. We beg to refer the Committee on the Bill to the reports of Sir John Rennie and Mr. Rendel, in which the Inspector-General of Railways concurs. The Mold Branch of the Chester and Holyhead Railway has been formally withdrawn by the projec tors, with the intention of bringing it forward in an improved form at a future period. The Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings (Rye and Ashford Branch) is 29 miles 27 chains in length, with a subsidiary branch to Hastings, 1 mile 21 chains in length. The main branch commences at a point on the Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings Railway, about two miles westward of the St. Leonard's terminus, and about thirty-one miles from Brighton ; and, sweeping round to the north of Hastings ' to which it throws off the subsidiary branch which we have mentioned, passes by Winchelsea and Rye to Ashford, where it terminates at the station of the South-Eastern Rail way. In the report from the Board of Trade on the Kentish and South-Eastern Railways, we stated, with regard to the South-Eastern Company's scheme (Ashford to Hastings), which is an important link in the coast line of communication, that we were aware of no public grounds why it should not receive the sanction of the Legislature; and we omitted to notice expressly the scheme which is now before us, in con sequence of the Directors of the Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings Railway having, in a memorial re ceived at the Board of Trade on the 7th of January, made the following statement : " The extension of the coast line to a point on the Dover Railway which would complete the chain of communication along the coast, between Dover and Portsmouth, at the eastern end of the chain, is an object which has been viewed by the Directors to be of great public importance, and one which it was much their interest and desire to promote, and for such purpose they have caused surveys to be made and the country in that direction thoroughly explored; but they feel bound to say, that any in terference with the prospects of their Railway, by the adoption of any line having for its object the ab straction of the Hastings and London traffic, w ill probably be fatal to such an undertaking, and that, pending a state of uncertainty and doubt as to the decision which may be arrived at, all efforts towards its accomplishment on their part must be suspended, although of course they could not object to its ac complishment by any other parties." Considering, therefore, that the Hastings and Ash ford project was withdrawn, we omitted all notice of it from the Report on the Kentish schemes ; but as the Brighton, Lewes, and Hastings Company have since requested us to report specially upon the project, we beg to state, with reference to that scheme, that inasmuch as a line of railway from Hastings to Ashford will be an important link in tl - e chain of the south coast communication, we think it ought to be made; and that, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, as set forth in our report on the Kentish schemes, we are of opinion that the branch will be best constructed by the South-Eastern Rail way Company. In conclusion, we beg to draw attenti on t o th e passage of the Fifth l Report of the Select Committee of last year, in which it is stated, in recommending that reports should be made to Parliament by this depart ment upon railway schemes, " That no such report should be held to prejudice the claims of private persons, the examination of which should he alto gether reserved to the Houses of the Legislature." In submitting to Parliament, in conformity with the recommendation of that Committee, the results at which we have arrived, with a view to the information and assistance o f Parliament in forming a judgment upon the schem es in question, in so far as our re port may bzi available for that purpose, we are anxious that it should be distinctly understood that we have ar rival at these results solely upon public grout.ds, and to the exclusion of all consideralions how far such results might require to be modified by a due regard for private rights and interests. DALUOUSIE. C. W. PASLEY. R. PORTER. D. O'BRIEN. S. LAING. DUTCH MAIL. NIMRGURN, MAY 9.—By a decision of his Excel lency the Minister of the Interior, the Rhenish rail way from Arnhem is to be inaugurated on the 14th of this month. The train of carriages is - to leave the; station out of the Westerpool at Amsterdam, at ten o'clock on th a t d ay. Hi s M a j es ty the King has sig nified hi s i n t en ti on o f b e i ng presen t on the occasion. Their Roy al Highnesses the Prince of Orange and Princes Frederick, and Alexander, and Henry are invited to honour the ceremony with their presence. A great number of invitations to persons of distinction have been issued. The King, the Princes, and the public functionaries are to be at the station at Amsterdam on the 14th, and half-past nine is the hour. We hear that some capitalists of Amsterdam have obtained a licence from the Government for the con struction of an iron railway from the Hague to Scheveningen, and with the intention of connecting the new branch with the Dutch and with the station near this city. FRANKFORT, MAY 17.—Count Munich Belling hausen, President of the Diet, re t urn ed yesterday from Venice to resu me hi s important functions. We hear from Vienna that Prince Metternich in tending first to visit his estate at Konigswart, in Bo hemia, will not come to the Rhine till the end of the summer, about which time the King and Queen of Prussia are expected. Letters from Berlin say that the negotiations be tween the Courts of Prussia and Wurtemburgh for a marriage of the Cro wn P r i nce of %Vurtemburgh to a Princess of the Roy a l F am ily o f Prussia are al ready so far advanced that it may be expected bat thelestat - will "shortly be iiiiblished. THE MURDER IN ST. GILES'S. CENTRAL CRILITINAL COURT. OLD COURT. TRIAL OF JOSEPH CONNOR. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Mr. BALLAST NE then proceeded to address the jury on behalf of the prisoner. He said—When he was first called upon to defend the prisoner he had felt that he should have been able to offer a fair defence in his behalf, but he was wholly unprepared for the fresh evidence that had been adduced, and he almost felt the weight of the responsibility thus thrown upon him— almost too great for his abilities. He called upon them to dismiss from their minds all that they had heard out of doors, or from the public newspapers, in reference to the prisoner, and, as unprejudiced men, :to arrive only at a conclusion warranted by the evidence they had heard. Ile held that the motives which had been as signed for the commission of the crime by the prisoner were not of a character to entitle them t ) come to an adverse de cision respecting him. The prisoner was hurried to Newgate with only half of the case heard against him, and complained that he had not been supplied with the depositions of the witnesses who were to be examined on his trial. Thus he had to answer evidence which lie had no idea would be brought against him. Was it possible that the prisoner, a young man of two or three and twenty, could have had intercourse with a woman of the age of the deceased—a woman leading the most loathsome of all occupations, in the most wretched and lowest district of the metropolis—a district where, of all others, the lowest class of indi viduals and the lowest kind of vice was to be found? The threats were not such as were used by persons in the same class of life as the prisoner, and it could not reasonably be inferred from them that he intended to destroy the woman's life. It was unlikely that the prisoner, who was about to be married, and whose betrothed had in no way dis appointed his affections, would commit so horrible a crime as this. Then, as to the identity of the prisoner. There was a belief that he was the individual— a belief which might be excited by many causes, and by the similarity of the prisoner to some other person. Belief showed a defect of some nature—that the person using the term was uncertain of matters in his testimony. Let them look at what opportunities the various witnesses had of specifying that the prisoner was the man who committed the murder. Mary Palmer and Mrs. Hall, who had oppor tunity of seeing him—the one, at the very time he was committing the murder, if he was the man—yet they could not swear positively that the prisoner was the person. Might they not have associated their belief with certain descriptions which were given of the person by whom the murder was really committed. So much doubt was there, that men as old as - forty or fifty were taken up on suspicion. When Allen saw the prisoner, whom he said was the companion et reputed thieves, run out of the house hastily, was it not extraordinary that he did not arrest him—why did he stand still at the corner of the street ? The aspersion cast upon the prisoner by the police man was refuted by the evidence of the witness from Messrs. Garrard's, and from the evidence of the prisoner's father, by whom it was shown that he was both hard-working and honest, and consequently obtaining his livelihood in a respectable manner. Then with respect to the evidence of Mr. Oldham. Persons were, no doubt, continually calling at his shop to purchase knives, and it was singular that an ordinary indi vidual, making such a purchase at an ordinary time, should have been so strongly impressed on his mind. His daughter said that the person who purchased the knife had a blotch on the side of his nose, yet none of the eight witnesses who saw the prisoner on the night of the murder were asked the question by the Counsel for the Crown. When Mr. Oldham said " That is the man," that inference was no doubt drawn from reasoning on the proba bilities that the prisoner was the individual. The voice was most fallacious, and changed more than any other organ by deep emotion. Was it not likely that the prisoner's voice, speaking as he did, under deep emotion, and under painful and trying circumstances, might have been husky, and like the voice of a person merging from youth to manhood. lle was not positive that the prisoner was the man who bought the knife until he heard him speak some half-dozen words. He held that this was not a reasonable test, and could not be entertained by the jury. The object of the prisoner in pointing out Mrs. Tape in the street as the person who had communicated a certain disease to him, was for the purpose of holding her up to shame amongst her com panions, and not as a prelude to a dreadful and revolting murder. Secrecy was ne part of his conduct. He made no secret of his aversion to the woman, and of the injury he supposed he had received from her. The coat which the policeman stated was stained with blood ought to have been sent to some scientific person to ascertain if the marks on it were blood or not, for surely in the advanced state of science there was some means of arriving at such a result. There was nothing to show that it was not rouge, or that it was not the result of some slight wound. If the prisoner committed the murder, was it not likely that in stead of there being spots cf blood on the coat, it would have been deluged in blood ? It was proved that the woman was tall and stout, and it was unlikely that the pri soner, who was not a powerful man, could have committed the murder without meeting with great resistance, and of having the knife wrested from his hand by her. It was shown that the prisoner came home as usual and went to bed with his father, and that his parent, whose testimony was not biased, as, from the position in which he stood towards the prisoner, might be supposed, saw nothing differ ent from his ordinary conduct. Was it not likely that, if he had committed the murder, that he would have been dis turbed with the consciousness that he had destroyed the life of another? Such, however, was not the case, and this was an additional reason why he was not the man. If, as it was stated, that he went home a short time before the murder, why could he not have obtained a knife there, instead of exposing himself in the cut ler's shop? He conceived that Cochrane had committed per jury. His evidence, and the assertions contained in it, were inconsistent with truth, and could be little more than in vention, in which he had been assisted by the police, who, he believed, had basely tampered with him. The name of Connor had been associated with that of " the murderer," and many, Cochrane among the rest, no doubt considered him guilty; his name had been mixed up as " Connor the murderer" in litigation between public officers, and in the newspapers—who could help con sidering him guilty? The assertion that if the women came forward he would be sure to be tucked up, merely denoted a morbid state of mind, and that he was labouring under great apprehension as to the threats he had used towards the un fortunate woman. After referring to other matters in rela tion to the case, he concluded by a powerful appeal on behalf of the prisoner. The Learned Counsel then called the following witnesses on behalf of the prisoner : Mr. John Webster, gold and silver chaser, Soho, said the prisoner was in his employment when a boy, and that he was peaceable and well-conducted. Mr. George Robinson, carpenter and builder, had known the prisoner for three years, and he had borne the character of a quiet, inoffensive young man. Mr. John Barnett, confectioner, 10, Great Suffolk-street, had known the prisoner six or seven years. He was quiet and well conducted. He was in his employ for eight months about two years ago. Mr. Baron ALDERSON then proceeded to sum up the evi dence. He called upon them to dismiss from their minds all prejudices, find to confine their attention to the evidence they had heard, as if they were in the presence of Almighty God, who would have to judge them. With respect to the depo sitions of some of the witnesses not having been delivered to the prisoner, he would remind them that on the second day of the trial of Courvoisier, some important evidence was ob tained. It would not have been right to have dispensed with this evidence, because it was not obtained until a late period of the investigation. His Lordship then read over the evidence of the witnesses, and commented as he proceeded on the most important parts. He did not think they could rely on the evidence of the cutler as to the prisoner's voice strengthening his opinion that he was the man who bought the knife from him on the night of the murder. Considering the position in which he was placed, it was probable that his voice was hoarse. He would not advise them to place too strong reliance on the evidence of his daughter, who was not in the shop more than a minute. After referring to other portions of the evidence, more particularly to that of Waugh, his Lordship concluded by leaving the case in the hands of the jury. The jury retired at twenty minutes past six o'clock, and did not return into Court until a quarter to ten. Their names were then called over, and the foreman gave their verdict of Guilty. The moment the verdict was pronounced the prisoner turned deadly pale, and appeared quite overcome. Proclamation for silence having been made, the Learned Judges put on their black caps, and Mr. Baron Alderson pro ceeded to pass sentence upon the prisoner in the following terms :—Joseph Connor, after a very patient and careful investigation of your case, the jury have felt themselves compelled to pronounce that fatal verdict of guilty, which must remove you from this world, and leave only before you the world that is to come. A more barbarous murder than that by which the unhappy victim of your brutality lost her life, I think, can hardly b e conceived, but it at the same time shows that when a man offends against ono of God's laws, he very speedily trans gresses against the whole. You were at first guilty only of an offence which you no doubt considered a very light one, and that which you thought a very venial sin ended in the commission of murder. No one could tell, when once he stepped aside from God's commands, where he should stop. I beseech you, said the Learned Judge, to think of your present state. Your time in this world is very short, and you must look upon it as of some thing passing away from you, and place all your reliance and hope in that which is to come, and sincere repentance and contrition may yet avail you. I have nothing now to do, but as the minister of the law, to perform that which I have always considered one of the most painful and fearful duties of a judge, to pass upon you that sentence of death which the law has affixed to the crime of which von have been convicted. The Learned Judge then passed sen tence of death in the usual form. The prisoner appeared to listen attentively to the obser vations of the Learned Judge, and when he had concluded ho made one or two efforts to address the Court, but seemed unable to do so from his emotion. lie at length bowed re spectfully, and then walked away from the bar. The trial was not concluded until near ten o'clock. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. CIL ERKEIV WELL. Edward Wilcox, of No. 3, Little Guildford. street, was charged with the following outrageous conduct. Julia Wright, the wife of a decent mechanic, a mo dest, quiet-looking young female, stated, that on the previous night, between eleven and twelve o'clock, she was returning home with h er mot h er an d h us b an d , w h en t h e latter made a momentary stop, and they walked on. At the corner of Cromer-street, a boy was playing a barrel organ, and they stood awaiting the return of the hus band. The prisoner, with five or six others, was stand ing at the deor of a beer-shop on the other side of the street, when he suddenly ran over, and dragged her to the side upon which he was standing. He then asked her to dance—she being much terrified refused—her mother interfered, but the prisoner knocked witness down, and another man knocked her mother down. Witness rose three times, but was each time prostrated with a blow on the chest from the prisoner. The fourth time she got upon her legs as well as she was able, and screamed " Murder." Her husband came up, and the prisoner ran away. She pursued him, but the pri soner suddenly turned round, and with a blow again felled her. Witness had some braises on her, and felt great pain in her chest from the bruises inflicted there. Herself, husband, and mother were perfectly sober. She considered the prisoner was sober. Mary O'Neill, the mother, gave exactly the same ac count of the transaction. Her daughter,. the complainant, being in the family way, she feared she would be killed, and when the prisoner knocked her down, she threw herself between them, awl said, " Oh, for God sake, preserve her life, she is in the family way," Witness had hardly uttered these words when one Gf the pri soner's comrades felled her with a blow on the chest. Police con Agile 216 G deposed that he ,w the pri '- soner running away and strike the complainant, who was purs'iing him, a violent blow, from which she fell on the pavement. Before he came up, he heard screams and cries of murder. Mrs. Williams, the housekeeper of the Court, deposed that there were bruises on the complainant's hip., recently inflicted. The husband gave confirmatory evidence. The prisoner said that when he asked the complainant to dance, she refused, and struck him on the eye. Mrs. Wright positively denied this, and Waddington, the gaoler, said there was not the slightest trace of in jury on his face. _ _ Mr. GREENWOOD said the complainant was a respect able woman, and had given no provocation. She was waiting quietly for her husband when attacked and treated in the manner described. He would fine the prisoner 21. 103., or three weeks' imprisonment. The money was paid soon after, an the prisoner was liberated. BOTV-STREET. At a few minutes to five o'clock, as the Magistrate was preparing to leave the Ceurt, a middle-aged gentleman was brought in, charged by the steward of the Free•trade Ba zaar, at Covent garden Theatre, with uttering a counterfeit sovereign. The accused declined giving his name. Mr. Burnaby—Am I to put you down as a person refusing to give your name 7 Defendant—My only object in refusing is, the utter absurdity of the charge, which will be found so on inquiry. Alr. - TN4FORD—WeII, if you are innocent, you can have no motive fur concealing your name. Defendant—lf I am compelled to give it, of course I will do so. Mr. TwYronn—Why, bless me, I know your voice, surely, although I cannot recollect your name. Are you not personally known to me? I don't mean in my capacity here, but in private? Defendant—Yes, Sir, we have met before. ➢lr. TWYFORD—Dear me, I thought so. You must be the person I mean. There can be no reason for withholding your name. Defendant—My name is White. Mr. TWYFORD—To be sui eit is. I know this gentleman perfectly well. lam the habit of meeting him in private so ciety every week. He is an intimate friend of mine, and I cannot conceive it possible that he is guilty of any such act as that imputed to him. However, it is my duty to go on with the case of course. Mr. W. F. James, of 15, Bridge-street, Blackfriars, one of the stewards of the Bazaar, here observed, that without knowing anything of the accused, he fdt it his duty to have the case invest igated. The gentleman was certainly in a very awkward position. Mr. TWYFORD—Oh, certainly, you are quite right in press ing the charge, and I must go through with it in the ordi nary way, and even with greater attention, after what I have heard stated respecting the defendant. The defendant—No one can be more anxious than myself that the matter should be examined. Mr. James then stated that he was officiating as one of the managers at the Bazaar, when applied to by the Rev. T. Witcherly, another steward, whose statement relative to the defendant induced him to give him into custody on the charge entered upon the sheet. Mr. T. E. Wicherley said he was a dissenting minister, from the country, but at present residing at 59, Frederick street, Borough-road. He deposed as follows :—I was acting as one of the stewards, near a perfumery stall, on the stage this afternoon, when the person at the bar came and pur chased a box of perfumery, price 35., tendering in payment a coin which I supposed to be a sovereign, and for which change in silver was given. I handed the coin to Mr. Gads ley, who, returning it immediately, said it was a light one. I took it and showed it to the gentleman, upon whist' he pulled out his purse and gave me a good one, remarking at the same time, that he had ten of the imitation ones in the other end of his purse, and that it was a mistake. He then purchased another article of the same kind, for which he paid 3s. in silver, and was afterwards taken into custody by the directien of last witness. A constable of the detective force deposed to having taken the defendant, in whose pocket he found a purse containing nine false sovereigns at one end, and 51. 10s. in gold at the other. _ _ Mr. TWYFORD—Have you any evidence to show that this gentleman is a reputed hand at this sort of thing ? The officer, as well as the stewards, stated that they had never seen him before. Mr. TwyForD—Then there is nothing in the case that I can take notice of. But, Mr. White, you can explain the affair if you like, and in your own way. Mr. Witcherley—l assure your Worship, that if the gen tleman does not deserve suspicion, no one will rejoice more than myself in his honourable acquittal. Mr. TWYFORD—If I had not known the gentleman I should have treated the case precisely in the same manner. It would hare been better if I had not known him. The defendant—l wish, Sir, you had not, for I am - certain you would have seen that I had no wrong intention. Those imitation sovereigns I have had in my purse for three or four years. They were quite bright when I first had them, and I have often shown them to my friends. I bought them of a man, and gave something like sixpence a dozen for them I believe. I have also in another purse in my pocket two dia mond rings, and two 101. notes, besides other things. I ten dered the coin produced quite by mistake, it being a gloomy part of the theatre, and when it was asked who had given that sovereign, I replied in a loud voice that I had, at the same time stating that I had others in my pocket. So that there was no attempt at erasion made by me, and when I was apprised of the error, I immediately offered a good sovereign. _ . . Mr. TWYFORD-I have known this gentleman a long time, and shall dine with him, in all probability, to-day, and with several of his friends. Mr. Witcherley—l hope your Worship will not deem it improper in me to bring this case before you? Mr. TWYFORD—Oh, no, not at all. I should have acted so myself. I can only say that, knowing Mr. White, he is the very last person I should have thought capable of buying such trumpery as that which has got him into this un pleasant position. However, unless I could believe, from the evidence.given, that Mr. White had been in the habit of uttering bass coin, I could not detain him on this charge., If he had been guilty of such acts before, to our knowledge, it would have been my duty to remand him to Monday, in the usual way, in order that the case might come into the hands of the solicitor for the Mint, who, whenever the party is recognised by him as an old offender, undertakes to pro secute him. So that, if Mr. White was actually guilty of one uttering, in the absence of any proof of previous guilt, I should be bound, as I am now bound, to discharge him ; and I do so without being influenced by any acquaintance with him, and my conviction that he could not have intended to commit a felony. I think you said, Mr. White, that you had another purse containing other money. Defendant—Yes, Sir (producing it). You are liberty to ex amine it. Mr. TWYFORD—Let the officer examine it. The constable took out the contents, which were, as Mr. White had mentioned, two 101. notes, and two diamond rings. . . Mr. James here stepped forward to examine the rings, and asked if he might be allotted to detain the false sovereign. Defendant—l have no objection to that whatever. Mr. James then asked if the gentleman would have the goodness to leave his address. The defendant asked if it was necessary? Mr. TWYFORD—You cannot have any objection to it, surely. The defendant said it was "No. 8, Regent-street." He de clined to mention his profession, and the stewards stated that they did not require that. Mr. Witcherley, Mr. James, and the defendant then ex changed personal assurances of the absence of any ill-feeling towards each other. Tie former shook hands with Mr. White, remarking, at the same time, that if any other similar coins were found in the treasury, he might hear of the sub ject. The defendant assured them that they would find him at his residence. Mr. TWYFORD confirmed the statement, and then the parties separated, Mr. White slipping out of the prisoner's box on to the bench. WANDS WORTH. SCANDALOUS ASSAULT ON A CHILD BY A GENTLEMAN IN WANDSWORTH FAIR.—The Court and its avenues were crowded, in consequence of its having become known that an elderly gentleman had been taken into custody in the fair on the previous evening, on a charge of indecently assaulting a little girl, only ten years of age. Immediately on Mr. CrivE's arrival, the accused was placed in the dock. He is a tall military-looking man, about 60 years of age; he wore a military cloak, and gave his name and address, Charles Bell, 13, Parliament-street, gentleman. Both name and address are said to be fictitious, and it is generally believed that he is an officer of considerable rank, on half-pay, The complainant in the case is a pretty-looking girl, turned ten years of age. Her name is Eliza Willis, the daughter of a bargeman of that name, living in Spencer's court, Waterside, Wandsworth. It appeared from her evidence, corroborated and materially strengthened by nume rous other witnesses, that on Wednesday evening, between five and six o'clock, the complainant was playing with her sister and brother, in the fair field, and was in the act of run ning after them, when the prisoner seized her hand and asked her if she should like to go into a show. She said she had been in one on the previous night, and didn't care about seeing any more. The prisoner, however, pulled the child up the steps of " Tanner's Mechanical Exhibition," and whilst stand ing on the platform, he was observed by Maria Warlters, one of the performers, to act very indecently with the child, and Elizabeth Tanner, the daughter of the proprietor of the exhi bition, had her suspicions so much aroused, that she desired her mother, who took the money, to ask him if it was his little girl. Upon this lie hummed and hesitated, and then said, "It is fair time, it is all right." With some reluctance Mrs. Tanner admitted the prisoner into the show. He was, however, watched by the proprietor, his family, and servants, and seen to take the child on his lap, her several times, and after drawing his cloak around her, proceed to take most dis gusting liberties. The child was then snatched out of his arms by the man who beat the drum, but not without some resistance and stormy language on the part of the prisoner. The proprietor of the exhibition sent for a policeman, and gave the pt isoner into custody. The prisoner's conduct was witnessed also by several persons who had paid to see the performances. Mr. CLIVE asked the prisoner if he wished to put any ques tion to the child or any of the witnesses?—The prisoner re plied in the negative. Mr. CLIVE then called upon him for his defence, reminding him that he was not obliged to make any statement. The prisoner, in a tremulous tone, said, I should like to say a few words, but I have no desire to question the child or witnesses, as they have given their evidence fairly, and with very little exaggeration. lam at present so over whelmed with shame and confusion, at my egregious folly, that I scarce know what to say. lam a perfect stranger to this place. I wandered front London to the fair, and, seeing this little thing, I asked her to go into a show. I was de sirous that she should see everything that was to be seen, and took her on my lap. Mr. CLIVE—I shall send this case for trial. Prisoner.--I implore you to dispose of it summarily. You know not what I am suffering in my mind, and what I have suffered in that horrid cell all night. Do not send me for trial. I will cheerfully undergo whatever punishment you may be disposed to inflict. Mr. CLIVE—I have no alternative. It must go for trial. Prissner—l have been indiscreet, but deny that I had any improper motives. If I had, a public booth was not the place in which to commit such an act. Indeed, I had no such thought, so help me God ! The child here said that the prisoner wanted her to go to Westminster with him. Mr. CLIVE asked the prisoner if any one was present who was acquainted with him ? Prisoner—l have sent for no one. I had hoped you would deal with the case summarily. My character up to this mo ment is unimpeached and unimpeachable. If lam sent to prisoner I shall go mad. Some minds are keenly sensitive to suffering; and mine is one of that nature. lam nearly sixty years of ago. lam a soldier, and have seen service in the four quarters of the globe, and never till now have I stood charged before a magistrate. lam willing to recom pense the parents of the child to any amount. Do dispose of it summarily, I implore—l entreat of you. Mr. Ct.tvE—l cannot ; I shall send this case to the ses sions, and shall commit you for the misdemeanour, but will accept of bail, with twenty-four hot& notice. Prisoner—lf you will permit me to go to Yirestinnis . ter I will get any amount of bail you require. Mr. CLIvE—I cannot allow you to do s) ; you . must r e i main in custody until you find two approved suretio3 0 25/. each. The prisoner was then removed in custody, and in the OOU of the afternoon he dispatched a messenger to procure ba LLOYD'S SHIPPING• - - - EAST INDIA SHIPPING. Arrivals.—Owen Glendower, Robertson, from 1 30 ' , 1 0 1/ , in the Downs, sailed Jan. 15, Madras Jan. 28. Caps in March 23 ; Sea Gull, Langley, from Mauritius, off P mouth, sailed Feb. 18, St. Helena March 29 ; n Lea de o ; Millman, rrt TVornDilernc. 2 en'B l L. cape Land, off Brighton , sailed f° Hobart r° March 21. March 9 , S t: Arrivals in Table Bay.—Cape of Good Hope,C ° ; March 15, from Simon's Bay • Shepherd; from Muth; XL, 16th, frt,m Ichaboe; Lord Glenelg, from leh a rro ' and sailed 20th to Zanzebar ; Janet Izat, Just e, Mauritius ; Gloriana, 19th, from Calcutta ; "`",: o l t A el Robertson, 23d, from Newport ; Prince Albert , ' f r o , Adelaide ; Garland, Ichaboe ; Fortitude, 2 l it ' London to Ceylon. ..„hl6; 139, Departures from Table Y.---Chtintieleer, 3 16 '' .- • ' A I 0 1 / Jane, January 17 ; Phtenix, 18th, to ~•gos s Heroine, 16th ; Parland, 16th ; Lady Huntley, Imo Julia, 19th ; Ambassador, Margaret Ilaree'ooat Bay.; Wright, and Fairy Queen, 20th, all to Sal danhs F.,;lipse, Hay, 19th to Cork; Louisa, 19th t o Portl4l;., MArgaret and London, 20th to London ; British et; t, to Mossell Bay. ist° bet. Arrival at Mauritius.—John Hullett, Chr Feb. 14, from London. Ja rdine, Amsterdam, May 12.—The Jane Smith, ~ and from London to Hambnrgh, is agroun d between this Fert,chelling and full of water, - c rew and part 0' saved. ot S S ' New York, April 30.—The Maid of the Mist, do, Johns, New Brunswick, to Jamaica, put into Be rri L 17th inst., leaky. noun Shields, May 13.—The Alfred end Martha seines, which was on shore on the Insand Pre the 7th inst., has got off and proceeded. IRE Joiso ui , IRELAND DUBLIN, MAY 13.—The Evening :Freeman -. 1 1140 e : contains the following letter from Arehhi6berbitiaa addressed to Dr. Gray, respecting a recent e% 1 , 1 ; „ 1 f ly el . Exeter Hall, where that gentleman una/ e " n f tempted to obtain a hearing, i n re ply E st , °-s .ll °oll ' speakers, who made certain charges agn i p g Catholic clergyman in the archdiocese of: 111 , 4 ; c :1 84 ".:„ " St. Jarlath's, Tuam, Pentecost in° ll " - ( 4 the "-‘ cea " si ll , n i g y e d al e u a m r n S i i e r s ,— ag T a o in a st tt l e r m el p a t nd th a e n r d e t f h a e ta c t i s liti:e i l o r li with e hich the English press is daily tve ll3 , ‘ „,' ll ereP, l , l ,; indeed be a fruitless labour. No so oner ipg.6 slander mowed down than another sudden l y 'r s r boee " 11 froze that rank soil on which the seeds of lies be ll " s ibos f peo le ;egoe s, profusely scattered. The poor besotted diseased appetite can relish such intellectae,i ode are deserving of our commiseration. It is dim c f be ever, to find appropriate language for paintil o i to • - softy of their transgressions who labour to $ 0 1 " morbid malady of the English people by t“'" in of gusting and malignant applications. a fi e, " Of their unfastidious appetite for everi slander, you have on a recent occasion beeu• 111°' th nor should I, though my n ame h as been mixed tb elll o l exhibitions at Exeter-hall, take the least 0 011c ,;ting le nu r were it not for the purpose of recording tnY.P of 1.„ ( 1 you, for your noble and intrepid vindicstwilociarre Catholic countrymen amidst the storm of ob hag iv .d ! vituperation by which you as well as „ t rgstenj, assailed. I have been accused, it seenio,: " h it the with approval to a se r m o n , in g asserted that those who practise the rev^7rse A lf" Bible fall into everlasting destruction,' S l e; 67, b i s of God may still continue to effect prodigtals P- td but I have no hesitation in saying, that I - ditit he , expected in the ordinary course of nature, eit he t r ble o f oa or of liberality, from those who could be oll,,P„" otl i t'ss lieving that blasphemous assertion Well till beyd clergyman in the Catholic Church . would hat e soe "0 / - assertion, either in the presence or the 4- The 0 , bishop, before any Catholic congregatint s e 1116- tbo tholic pastors and people use, they do not eu t. „ 11 0; 0 he spired writings. They are reverenced 13/ %ad authentic title deeds of their exalted right' s ; , e d !„,0: ritance, and their heavenly contents are reet i . f t il with that veneration which is due to the sltece— from which they have descended. 004 "It was in vain, it seems, that you en eliv,4o secure the attention of an auditory rabid el' f . the frenzy by proclaiming, from your knowledge °„ ferg e ,; s , priesthood, that the infamous ex tract Wets f - 0 Ol e o To your appeal to their reason they were de A l ing and in labouring to calm you were but irri l e fanaticism. You told them the cited P 55 54 ill forgery, and, without hearing your reesc'ocifere, dication of the accused party, they loudlY 11 and resolved that the passage was authentiOntfog from the justice of those cool and re esun !l badr A ot Ireland is to expect to be put on a level ofeifl.oo deal rights with England ? As well might 004 the fairest fruit from brambles. No ; of pend on her own energies and the r ighteousn,_ 9o own cause in wringing her legitimate iadepenne,RoC.; a hostile people with whom they have bu t one. n of is sacred—that of the Crown—as a comm on li lo st nexion. " I have the honour to be, with great es very faithful servant. TIO " JOHN ARCHBISHOP OF - " John G;ty, Esq." o'C o o c lS u N m E e L n L t 'S w n as EP r E e A a L d oseelo l' 175 at the The following 3R. d i the Repeal Associati on y es t er d a y : — i n to r l ;,04 1- " We recommend that O'C onne ll and his dap "se prisoners shall hold a l evee on the 30th 0 % f bero t io twelve to three o'clock, f n th e Rotunda, 90 60( 1°.- 10 ceive addresses from the repeal corporation l o til s o u bodies, such addresses to be p res ented bY cle P u t ber the costume of the municipal c ouncil or 0 which they represent. " That the aggregate trades of Dublin be : 7 1 to assemble at the Richmond PenitentiarY, 111 ' ea st, e: 11 on the same day, the head of the trades facing roc es2 4 l ,s , thence, at half-past eleven, to move in fu ll f t rs e ; s tr through Harrington-street, Circular-road, r 1 1; Stephen's-green East and North, Davison-strrtreets or eet street, Grafton-street, College-green, Dame ° 4 1 0 j /11. hill, Essex-bridge, Capel-street, B o lton-st re f e o d T o ol street, Frederick-street North, so tha t the, r folt j 'o ll procession may halt at three o'clock in Preto ) 00 0 , and thence send on a deputation to the I t° 10 1 an address. of t" tis i. " Tht immediately after the reception the Bpd address a O'Connell, his late fellow-prisoner°%ball •00 and the municipal and other deputatiolio°4olsoo their carriages at the main door of th e arg e ntireo p lg eo briso age; being thus in front of the trades, the shall move through Sackville street, C.satistedso Westmorland street, Nassau-street, lgerriell thet afer . and North, to O'Connell's house, a nd quietly. " Approved by the General Com trio elation, and entrusted to the energy au'•• P be aggregate trades." TEE NEW COLLEGES. iog The Dublin Evening Post has the foil° e nto fi the 11 2 11 0ril on the Government plan:— " As far as it goes, we do not slu° s ", -° , ll e s likely to accrue from these provincial cones tbeo" raittee ?f i t s ; af as no person can prize more highly than "i'd a ge. 6 thel fits of education—the advantages of know en d O o ft s would be a mockery and a delusion t o Prof t he 01 W will prove a panacea for the discontent nroli,:sioes': In short, without a perfect equality °f 10 1_ 4 0e, country cannot, and ought not, to be eenfr,ead any w i t e• Now, while our university holds her " lore ,as people of Ireland, as the chief seat of pr 9 • be. no t . he she has so many and such rich gifts 1n 't 00' hi t P' which gifts she distributes solely atan rl g o3 sv o iine l „"st. fessing the dominant creed, it is idle to 014 v' peole of Ireland will be satisfied, or that 1b"reolo on o " p Why should not the university he,.., t tho lie 4.01 Catholics ? Not ecclesiastically, for I .. il eher 0 1 0 0 must be educated alone, but 'for ,"; p rOfe ° icbi r purposes. At present, we believe, I ' f oielyt t o physics and mathematics must be co al should not Catholics be allowed t e ll P;boe d these lay fellowships—neither of vib ic ? 'why s fie; at present, are held by clergy lee * • w it jean s they not be allowed to stand for fellowahlP c ivil t bro o f of enabling them to obtain a chair wh y St 3 l h ip common law—in medicine ? But again",4 o 9oo rs ,, th ° the whole course open—all but the P' we belie' 'ge e ' divinity ?It is not absolutely neeessarY oei efr isa the fellows of Dublin College should he , _ or al* l _ sod rally are, clergymen. All! but there are Let waiver, livings in the gift of the university. :,.uf.„1100reolof,, these livings, and let a certain n umber ni de n ot y r dained to take them as they fall. Bu t _ d 04 0 igf• national esstalslishment to be administeren no only to the benefit of a comparatively oval 0 16 Castlioit he OLIVE OlL.—The Commissioners of e ffect ( per have received a letter from Mr. Cardwell to L i l o/ 0O %ad' he . _ has been commanded by the Lords Cot t ha t t beir t ., 0 . 0 311.jesty's Treasury to acquaint the Board "3 0 1 ' 4 Cill j O ieli ships are pleased to authorise them to collect he pro olive oil, imported in ships of the kingdom of t he dotArtell l the sT, kingdomN V e hi Ch is Postmaster-General for elitllha thei r the previously-eXisting f th e biAl t two guineas per ton. This order a the Lojtls„;tl3ol% sury has been transmitted to the revenue ow e ' n t, Oh Deputy nfonnati Chairman of the Stamps and la.- eter." l e e ver views with the Chancellor of the Each ...,•-4,2....1. - ____----___. __-.-.-- _ A Peg°. BIRTHS. re ,et ov-' oarttisnligrolrollin,n: frbobsiSte.r. On the 12th inst., at Abbeyridge, s sr ' I, the shire, Mrs. E. W. Fernie, of a daughter. Pi 0yde....r100, O the 14th inst., in Cambridge-street' b~rrtster"at• i ;,, SO. wife of George Young Robson, Esq.' barrister-1 of o f t '' the c l i m u l u 4 r t r h i d i; e s , t 0 . , f a a t d ß a a u l g d h o c t k e r,. Harts, the $ On the 15th inst., at Alfred-plece, --- ti e re " w riford' el lady of C. J. Axford, Esq., of a daughter. goc ,4,op hi d s,rrt ie ille l ir : be ,ter, O eer :oge 4 On the Bth inst., at St. lf 4 11f R ar jg gL E e tl ' s).. Powlett Bingham, Esq., 54th Regialent, t° goYo l en/ daughter of the late Colonel C. C. 13inglieel, the 11ev.,,,001 1 On the 14th inst., at St. Mary,, Loyton,stoto, t? N T i el o Herbert Evans, A. incumbent o'fLeYney SPririg' only daughter of N. Charrington, Esq ., ''''' tonshire. 0 De l l riIED. t Ono - or der ° At Paris, on Saturday last, the Viscount isTobl e Gueriviere, Hereditary -Knight of the 111°5 er k WI Malta. , Gr es. On the 12th inst., Mr• Thomas gale, °I ,:toratt• street, aged 58. 10 °I .AVIIDO Y°E.0%.,11/ On the 13th inst., at Horton , Mrs. Deborolt ' London : Printed and Published by .„ i oficeviov - s x t o r ...: (l l , 2 in s t t i rr, pro P i r a i e n t to ef r . the in the _ Middleags., Friday, May 16, 1 845 ' _ Coll (4, C 4 — qc IP. Vo r , o ll , -4ob,rt tA (, I!? 4 4 414 utiv an] keh e4 itt Is t irt, totlt t "i o k- THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 16, 1845. C -•