The Sun. — London, England, 1844-08-07 00:00:00

'ought L arge 'AA" leLl to ina vitt 0 :t to b • fl 3ony parish Doctor le said ►tholic ie de ;reated She stauce ig her, )utbful should wessa- him a notice,' ing me ip, that Le must mild do arted ? parted auei.) Lista& r I vr ll9 iu lOUs ) yOll 0 her A T War . ,ands InSbanU her of off an d Y o ur sported. way Sh ;Ito be [ at , less° 51/IF , . t: as (JO 3erne•'s' man" l'GradP ed. 116 Wes the in 01 ' aid th e , s good are IRO >ufficie l/ ) yea ee° d aff`'°"' ahowinQ' :11 be oil ceritf of ing 3655 ) to , th r : ,ort ne us e . U' *olio will coud• till 001/, 4/ 4ove re/b te for tu ° Irgb,,it` p por. 5• • incoo • flees , 1 , 4 1 0 )neY lan 10/ tats d 1 / 4 1f Topa )) v 4 O 1 . f t ropri e r — le ?., Cle.• of - 0 for nd ed Inac tb e l. oe a 15 .1 , r o be; ory of 0, s 6 ' oc o: nth , fi r tiljao 0 ,(1. t he; b c f l t ie ; le 11L1 f, to B e " t the ce ;e- 9 if 01 ' a v iols oc e fo ol r _ fic ti ll t, 511133613 ertilr of S t ; t f 4t , nP brel be lac t y of _Coils ' [0: 1 / 11 : l t is jo ien• jo 0. a obb er6 e irrie tt ' tb f laug hter 0 Wbf Erna fj14 1 1 ,4 * 3/c;00 GIUVENIVID @TAY% PAOZETS, PURTIIER lIEKTOXION OP rAnzg. SIXPENCE AND NIWEPENCE, Boat and Blackwell Railway Included. D From the Brunswick Wharf, Blackwell, —3' Sundays included) at Ten, Eleven Twelve, Three, Four, Six, and Half-past Seven From the Terrace Pier, Gravesend, At Seven, Half-past Nine, Half-past Twelve, Two,* Four, Six, Seven, and Eight. * On Sundays at Five instead of Two. Pare--POre Cabia and Secorkl-class Carriage, Sixpence; Saloon and First-elass Carriage, Ninerence. She °Moe, Gravesend, JrJy 10,1844. 'THE GENERAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY'S splendid and powerful first-class STEAM- U'SS/1 are appointed to leave LONDON for— HAMM:MOH and ROTTERDAM, carrying her Majesty's Mails Every Wednesday and Saturday Morning. HA VRE—Every Sunday, at Eight, Morning. • AN TWERP—From Brunswick Wharf, Blackwall—Every Thurs day, at Eleven, Morning. From London Bridge Wharf, for— OS TEND—Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and S un d ay. IJOUL OGNE -- EveryWednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. CA LAIS--Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday Morning. HULL --Every Tuesday and Friday, at Eight, Morning. YA RMOUTH—Every Saturday, at Six, Evening. S A USGATE--Daily, at Half-past Nine. EDINBURGH—From Brown's Wharf, Poplar, every Saturday every alternate Wednesday, August 7, 10, 17, and 21, at Ten From Down's Wharf, Reduced Fares, for— XE WCASTLE--Every Wednesday and Saturday, at Eight, Eve- Fares, 10s. and as. SuNDERLAND--Every Tuesday, at Seven, Evening. BRIGHTON and HAVRE—Every Tuesday and Friday. Between BRIGHTON and DIEPPE, daily (except Sundays). DO VER and BOULOGNE—Th e M ag i c i an , D a il y, accord i ng to tide. To s ecure Berths, for Freight, and for Bill s , con t a i n i ng h ours of de s ecure fares, &c., apply at the Offices, 69, Lombard-street ; 37, 4e fent-circus • and 35, Leadenhall-street. BRIGHTON RACES, 9th and 9th of AUGUST. 14; X CIIRSION TICKETS will be issued on the above das to I.GISTON, and BACK, at HALF FARES, by all the usual Tra y ins. Tickets to be available only for the day on which they are u 1 irst Class, 14s. 6d . , or 1 2s. ; Second Class Bs. ; Third Class, ss. h e Third Class Train leaves L on d on a t H a lf- past E i ght A.m., and from Brighton, at Half-past Six P.M. ....f. o ndon Terminus, August 2, 1844. , OREIGN GOVERNMENT SECURITIES ~--,. and STATE BONDS, RAILROAD SHARES, &c. kali'. GEORGE VOELCKER, jun., Bai ar. of Frankfort-on-the- B N i e . re sPectfully calls the public attention to his occupation as a ~.tesrtand Agent in the Sale and Transfer of the following Govern 'lL T °C4 : _ ~e ' 4l Perial Austrian 500 florin Bonds of the Loan of 1834 The G 250 t 9 PI PP 1839 Pri t r and Duchy of Baden 50 „ „ tt 1840 lt u s.' Paul Esterhazy's 50 „ „ 1836 11:No-Pollsh -- - - 5 00 ~ ~ 1835 99 Th! City of Frankfort Bonds 9, Pt II 1844 j_ r ussianisTaral Trade} 50 dollar „ 1832 kki " Pany ' S P 9 all other Foreign Stock, Railroad, and Estate Shares, &c. gQ l, lications by p os t ( pre-paid via France) will meet with imme if: (M at te d ntion, and p rospec t uses and particulars will be forwarded "ire SUPPLEMENT TO THE ATLAS.—On IiA.TURDAY NEXT, August 10, a GRATUITOUS SUPPLE krt! will be presented with the ALAS, containing an original li ant. e oh the Advantages of Commerce ; T he principal features of the leariVf E ngland: New Charter Bill ; together with a Summary of 14'8a,Tentary Proceedings, and Contemporary Opinions relating to d 4 Measure, and other Monetary matters. verilsements will be received at the Office until Friday next. Olilce of Publication, 6, Southampton-street, Strand. EST INDIA PINE-APPLES, per Fear I ?C hM . r. l3. °t, in Twenty-six Days from . New Providence.—For 844 lock dLE, o at 2, Monument-y th ard, on- THURSDAY, August 8, 'C precisely, e following goods, viz., 3,000 LT rv s „',lE, SUGAR-LOAF, and PROVIDENCE PINE-AP PLES, :AA — -4 Per Fear Not, from New Providenee, 40 Boxes WEST e ttS D 4'I , tR OAV-ROOT, 150 Tins UNDRESSED TURTLE, and To es- ',., ST INDIA CANDIED GINGER. ' lo 'wed on the morning of sale, and catalogues to be had of KEELING and HUNT, Brokers, 2, Monument-yard, and 9, Pudding-lane. ,„T74IILE LEASEHOLD HOUSES, UPPER STAMFORD ° , STREET, BLACKFRIARS-ROAD. „, 13 e SOLD by AU CT lON, by Mr. - 4 Tv, I TON, at Garraway's on FRIDAY, August 9, at Twelve, T wo ° Let a, ber mt antially-built DWELLING-HOUSES, in excellent re !Jr 11 2 g 43 and 46, Upper Stamford-street, Blackfriars-road, held 4 4 ''h t ou ue xPired term of upwards of 42 years, at a ground-rent of 91. iota fr s : n yll the occupation of Mr. Napper and Mr. Baldwin, r at te ,,,, Year to year, at the several rents of 501. and 521. 10s. Dr Cl th e ._eovises are in complete repair, and may be viewed by leave kt 0 , 014- co 'n u ' rr s ' an application to Messrs. Peyton and /Min, 10, 4 , 1 (1 or Lincohes Inn-fields, of whom particulars ma Pre had ; °bet, G!r B . Bippingham and Rose, solicitors, 17, Great scott °°°nlans-fields ; and at Garraway's. c/ . , IV. -BURNETT'S PATENT c cheapest and best process for the Preservation of Timber, ~, ,k enseso rd age, Cotton, Woollen, &e. 11. an , granted to Noblemen and Gentlemen to use the Prepara 'rTrt's. to Others for the purposes of Trade, on advantageous th„ ll3l trault, A 0„ - 4 bov e ‘ - ‘l , paratus and Tanks, for the expeditious preparation of vposit e Materials at the principal station, 3iillwall, Poplar, nearly fo Creenseleh' -.ere tia - lo'Laatte, ,Pecimens and Testimonials may be seen, and every a.. 1),,,, obtained at the Office, No. 53, King William-street, Lou- SHEFFIELD PLATE. , ESSRS. HORTON and CO., Silversmiths and 4 ;veriiiv,,‘Te.'srellers, 36, Ludgate-street, St. Paul's, opposite Messrs. ''.ltea`"ns offer to their Friends and the Public, at considerably t‘,*ideb thDriees, their STOCK of GENUINE PLATED GO fn 7 , i,,„•ny warrant to be the manufacture of the first She . e d h e,',:"(l are of the most tasteful and modern designs, comprising krid•r.a".os. Corner Dishes Waiters, Ice Pails, Cake Baskets, Coffee kentm . Vs. Ca ndlesticks ' and every other article useful and orna- Jk largeZ_coMnion BirMingham ware kept. articles ai''''ck of Jewellery and Watches, Fancy Silver and other it'Aiden'ts ,Pricea well worthy the notice of Visitors to, as well I..____ 0. Loudon. [411" and PERRINS' WORCESTERSHIRE AUCE. Cr. Prepared from fir e , ~.. ou t the recipe of a Nobleman in the co c u ab a i s n s. of the 1‘•')--c "tn hratb"ice n ' - em If ss estern Steam-ship, June 6, 1844.-- , The 4 ra_ turtle t 1.0,4 !stershir d Perrins' wrehgticihlarilsy adapted ed f 0 l every hL v e a a rirty of dish, ° b eef—Wom salmon to steaks—to all of which it gives le,, t Th othi relish. I have eat pleasure in recommending this excel hest . sauce to captain. astrA Passengers for its capital flavour, and as I)est accompaniment or ha kind for a voyage. got (Signed) 'JAMES HOSKEN." 4 `ter d Wholesale by the proprietors, Messrs Lea and Perrins, Wor ti ; Messrs. Barclay and Sons, Farri n • t • and the prin- N oil ti„ and sauces warehoUseMen In London ; and retail by the gdon.stree , ual v endors o. SILVERS:.PER,brtd injurious Metals 1, 17 1 4 te,...( 1 y the introduction of acai ne i 'Va N nd ickel perfectly and DED, and those - corrosive matchless s Siv i !BrlsuTpA el.P,. Lit,,7AaTidSeodlerby, 4 a l pe a rso nd i ;l2 ol. EAR plic.,or, and 16, NORTON-FOL tver Sat in brin_aing to ost heautifhl article science in the amalgamation of metals, ooh Yet offered • hcnnde r all Its public notice the m Silver Dio' Posse ssing all the richness of in appearance n bility and hardness—with its perfect sweetness in k ' le fts in g " It does, a Chemical process, by which all that is „4y h. _, Inured metals is entirely extracted—resisting all acids— . 4% fabiTeaned as silver, and is manufactured into every article for Tam, 411 d Sideboard. - e S ikbons Fiddle. Threaded. Xing's. .1, ,t ditt and Forks, per doz.. 16s. 6d. .• 30s. Od. .. 355. Od. %,,,%' Sp,„, o , Per doz... . . ..... . • 12s. Gd. .. 255. Od. .. 28s. Od. 8 4 ,7,'' I` o ,' Per doz. .....• ••• • .. 5 8 . Gd. .• 12s. 6d. .. 13s. Gd. ' aad IC% each . ...... ....... Is. 3d. . • Si. Gd• ' • ,C. ~. -84 rd Spoons, each .... 6s. Od. .. 13s. 6d. .. 13s. Gd. ik. 'NAN, , Communion Services, &c. iii.,, Z his 0 .,,,,," " e ga the Public will understand that this metal is peen to Int" 7, and that Silver is not more different from Gold, than I ,;ntest,4:onl all Others; on its intrinsic merit alone he wishes it .. * lne e ,, 7;11'1 the daily increasing etilogiums he receives, he Cal . e ar ' . , at froming can prevent its becoming an article of uni -18 ~ats.„, Mk; t Pa► - s h andso iild 1,11, mely Illustrated Catalogue and Price Current IrAti, P 038 ,3 ~ and families who regard economy and elegance ? v o 2tnel p, he and of this usend book, which may be had Der pkit'sP4bies.tkr,,free. from the above address. —.Yes, I Is. per dozen, Dessert, 9s. ; Carvers, 3'. 6d. TARLE. DESSERT. CARVERS. 4.40 . 114 41 pair. doz. doz. , ra k h alan_ 41.,in balance handle .... 18s. Od. 14s. Od 6s. 6d. 4.ltte e...-aadlei -ar gest and best 41 / 4 ' l l tith .4. t; • .. "• " • ••• • • 20s. Od. 16s. Od. 7s. 6d. It eih im -en's Albata. Plate p ale to silver.... .• •• .. 225. 6d. 18s. Od. Bs. 6d. , e. 4Z ea,tra Forks half the above price. N S "' Of TZ' 35 a. the Set of Three ; very richly ornaments A 4 get ' Qu art 1, 0 " ,; wa.ttnt., Si en 61.011 Made Bronze Tea-urn 355. up to 5/. Raised I?Stix!i i ed. th e rtnnftde Dish Covers 18s. 6d. ; Imperial tl:re h'i j u s t 4 :B l 444 ; 1 ; 2, ° B .13.1f1.3Icand 16, NORTON FOLGATE. 7 ' * e ii i h e a ai v- .or Fifty Teare ' pre-emlnent for their ways exchanged, if not approved. 1 1 4 t Send for his Catalogue. sins tri ne o lt C E OF HABIT. - i_•'e 45 thi t it tg'"ar he a du i s . may. to many folks, seem At e ere reader gto choose for a theme. _ _ h i dr„ e ,„.. , Must note, that the " Habits" of M ose s , ..k e 4 , , ta s ,Z,` ' Habits" from what he supposes. N' I n dre h ear " bad"— , ‘ ,. ,;(, a' v t e h rey b4 s . a e e , t i tif(ulet l o i e f n ll' s g h o od o w h ;t person .a il cl 1 d. " Habits" of MOSES and SON tiei r ' bers4°ll H abits"—_outrivalied ti none. pf, re,, ec ..B , g e t Ha b i t s" as these, .14,, ' foree,?bl.e Habits" are certain to please. ANI7 When 3, ‘ „stich " Habits" by all is allow'd— T he i *h e wi L t z „. r eiPect as you pass through the crowd; Xvb: .. H ai.. ." a d rawing -room party you blend, tin e ," a geil".,,lts" will certainly gain you a friend. Ansta der,el,,,eiii.,,, d, ."'s wooing some feminine bloom, l bhe ! h !.se ai:-‘o,_n Habits" which he "den assume. ", Ut Ltoreib; ,ne reasons why gentl men ' f,,,‘ , i .,' uSts sl ahits" of 510SES and SON. Tthij ii rnph s has b eautiful " Habits," of course, `A" li ‘nstieo habit" of riding the horse, - "oh '` ,) it , ;to the ladies who " habit" in these, An d :pay sh°',lldin with gr ace and with ease. ..„ „t i'fi t r hi, a is s t off , . „good reade rs reflect, as they shr s uld .1, the b e ,- thi,, h a . , habits" for those that are g ood. " butes , l ts .Util ui ! that s very soon done Dress-slart" of MOSES and SON. tat L'stipt!",bis,.. x s. d. An c . er,..iti t ..... *Rani( MADE. NA .b.4 4` t ecjinalit e .... • .... ,* from 0 8 6 ~,,, e tt i dk i ~t ii, , b 4 ,1 ,! in ivva.ich silk cellars, cuffs, and facings... ! 0 ittl 0 _ n- k l. t ? s tl r l. s t e ' r a , a,a se n s f r 11 0 `,', a t n y °t shapes, hand,iely tritni r n o e n l f t , _ _ t l ch, es t ' ll .......... ei s • • •• .1. ........ .......... blouses . . ,from ' 0 : 2 i ( 6' ~ , :ye t „:;: t i„,,,, . .t . i ........... htnere and .. ie . ;sl .... vests, splendid to 8 6 0 6 0 i i ,N a r t bilk m er g...„, ... s, warr•a;;.sz ............................... '3B. . te .. ,,, 4 e (':' , 11,4 (, e.i, . 11, ................. •,. 0.. gtkt ........... trousers* ..................... • ... from 0 7 0 '* t,ei e ............................ .. from 1 • • I , Oi t 4 t6 ed '4 , , „., .7 . ..................... ........from (1 ( 0 1 1 1 1 1 : t . , N.,.,„,qat, , ........................................ ..... l4 0 k thr 4 ' er ted . : ( rin abled i, i , s et T. . ........................ j 41 ki e ! fir . i . .. ;w,,, Wit h Silk E?'!". :4in .itst,e i „ the , 0s; . . ............ , m a d e in any shape, wa n. t o e m r " ~,h re rg e t 6l tins , rBtst Y y j and ntli ....... .... .......... 7 ; ............... e i rl ru g ra e er . p v r ett", l' e, tis,7 °I fash ion g summer from 1 5 0 0 18 0 1 0 0 ~. ousersnreehe're,ach, or three for lj t Y t t ci"4eo 'i e t n, gre,,[le patterns from 0 9 6 0 16 0 4 e, t 4 Coat! es t ° ,Warid " ,),"ketY of materials 11 17 6 k.... T nalluf ........ ' - tigi a ,V,,aql doe trousers -4,,;,. actu tec i .. .. ...... ,4 ......... it ...,- _II ................................... i ,.. r . ,1, 1 12 0 4:tr.s I.r t 0 a 1 exte nt c ............. -... . . 2 15 0 4!' tbi'Llts. dress cow rot ' b e had: ... .. . fi ..........: ....... : .... ........... at the 4 ' i bit".jack e ct, , eit owi rig , . . 3 Ve minu tes ei, ,i , A NT. 4, , 'vest and from 1 16 0 1 4 , ling ed ny , and tr ou t _ Cs i ki1 ti.,14,......0 i5f r th e as.rtoioete vet : from 018 0 a, ordered, if not approved , s it, D e r .nOs ts eY tett '1,=1.' 4 54,6 1 ",!, Out& and s a nd tetet,,,ta.tt,.:,,ldgat4e.7s. and t , ,... l i 'r". nlesale and Retail lusetnen, 154, Mi- Ilk, , 1411),:., .144 c., _.tY, opposite the C 1- 11 :e * Z se Of beliGni h„l ti n d Xon are obli 1 4 , 4 y h _ re, nrt ng corinect g lerne,i g that guard unf . •h , 'public m d a 1 qi, th, s 4 „re n o e d to in Or kith them or .he it's the same concern, kt,:1 , )4, A wh o edo_tinexi,awy. instances, 'and for obvious reasons. geu,,,heatver with any other establishment, tel.tei‘tehi , e c tik u t e ' e. : ) re ca 1 1 send he Clothing should cto pi event 1, 4 1 o h , A•13,n,,„ •to, 54, Minories, or tab, Aldgate, - -4 "12e-Co,trasnalaue_t_Fd at this Establishment from sunset on 'oaY, when busineas is resumod tilltwelve 1., .I,AND CO IN SHAVING -)iirs ktBR ,I:.itVll`,4lslpolia). and SORT COWVAN'S invaluable 1, 4 , t ,ct ' RAapp.sTßoP or QUADRILATERAL CHINESE _ est the R— i. t atroni b h" R I • h te s t „ etlg rno:; 3 ' enders the operation oya o f n"s , . 3. , e, na teuli,aierriy_.,_, of shaving no longer it. , ,trie e .Cow va ,,,spe e d ity be skin, 13y a very simple process the given tothe bluntest razor er penknife Iti,hen,..._-94%-eaf,,the-Sstri*ooes tenaPered razors and shaving pos dr , 7 1 ,1 a.,he 4 ~ Roy a l - l' d e n i Ow exhibng at the Royal P 1 •t c h e * * Gallery, Low sleet . 4_ e .B,,oentors, n g certificates have been , o 3 ec f rim 1,0 h e ti,"t 14,4' 14tterin -"ld° ‘,„ it,Teah may rott,n 6,0 ri, 'Z , N, a, c, •.:,;,, and S. COWVAN, 164, Fenchurch te, ~ . ..a , y be obtained, as well as of all re pectable Retrai);fset.ni„, I,,iii,,V iited Kingdom, price 55. 6d., is. ' 6d , and are R e n ' ilin c eper box. WQrl-4,110.he Shae'u,,pwan's Canton Razor Strol , Pasie, at kJ/. At i. ns 1 1 and 4e6)-e4 le rholei marked and Spelt ''oe 1 allowance to the trade and shippers. z/ TI S (iOrit* 4 ,,,, h 4 4 - 44 , ,- _ - -,-. • - --„ n - - -4 .t i ' '`... V-46624 - -t. ~,- ---- _ 'l'...a ''' 1 .t 0 :' 1 ........._:____,..._ .., 1 .,... .... ~,,,•,.a. ~. ~,,,,..,, .....,, .., Angsruseismusa.m.i.... a ZAW ao - Za 51c. No. 16,217. LONDON WEDNESDAY 3 ' N Grl• • AUGUST 7 1844. 'HE SUN is Published EVERY MORNING at FIVE O'CLOCK, in Time for the EARLY TRAINS and TOWN DELIVERY; a SECOND EDITION (Evening Sun) is Published in Time for the AFTERNOON TRAINS and a THIRD EDITION at SEVEN O'CLOCK, for POSY; containing PARLIAMENTARI and all other NEWS in LONDON up to that Hour. ADVERTISEMENTS INSERTED in ALL THE THREE PAPERS, Morning Noon, and Night, thereby insuring a TOWN and COUNTRY CIRCULATION, at ON E CHARGE. SHE Public are resp ec tf u ll y i n f orme d t h at t h e METROPOLITAN ART-UNION Is NOW ESTABLISHED, and that the Committee will fix an early day for the Drawing. London, August 6, 1844. House of Lords. Tivo ttf the Judges were appointed assist ants to the Committee, and were expressly ordered to report their opinion as to all such particulars concerning the vali dity of the patent as the Committee might think fit to ask them, and they reported, "'That the inland,letter-oilice patent was well erected; that tl.e clauses of restraint, in the said patent, are void and not good in law ; that notwithstanding these elapses be void, yet the patent is good for the rest." The foreign letter7ottice patent was not referred to the con sideration of the Committee. According to the law as expounded by the two judges, no person, under the authority of letters patent from the Crown, could, without an Act of Parliament, lawfully set up any ex clusive title. to carry mails of letters from one part of the kingdom to another. It appears that in 1650 the Common Council of the city of London, not satisfied with the footing on which Mr. Prideaux, then Attorney-General, had placed the posts, of conveying letters into all parts of the nation only once a week, endeavoured of their own authority to settle posts on the several roads, which were to run twice a week ; and this: hey had actually done in the whole line of the road to Scotland. On a report to that effect from the Council of State, the Parliament resolved, " that the offices of post masters, inland and foreign, are and ought to be in the sole power and disposal of the Parliament;" and they referred it to the Council of State to consider how those offices might best be settled; and in the meantime to take orders for the present management thereof. These offices continued, until 1653, to be managed by Mr. Prideaux. They were farmed in 1653, and in 1655 the ma nagement of them was entrusted to Mr. Secretary Thurloe, on his giving security for the then present rent of 10,0001. a year. In 1657, a Bill for the settling of the postage or England, Scotland, and Ireland was laid, by order of the Protector, before his Parliament, and passed with some amendments. It provided for the establishing one general post-office, and one postmaster-general, to be appointed under letters patent by the Lord Protector and his successors, such officer and his deputies (with certain reservation) to have exclusively autho rity to carry inland and foreign letters, and of horsing all thorough posts, and persons riding by post to and from any post-roads, with power to levy certain rates for conveyance of letters and horsing of posts; imposing penalties on any persons other than the postmaster -general or his deputies, who shall set up posts for the conveying of letters or horsing of posts ; providing for the forwarding by post of ship letters, for the exercise of superintendence over the postmaster by the Lord Protector and his successors, and giving power to the Lord Protector and his successors to farm the post-office for life, or for any term not exceeding eleven years. After the restoration Charles 11. granted, by letters patent, August 14, 1660, to Henry Bishopp, for the term of seven years, the office of the master of running messengers, formerly held by Lord Stanhope and others, &c. ; and by a separate indenture, dated September 1, agreed to farm to the said IL Bishopp, for the term of seven years, all powers and profits expressed in the "pretended" Act of 1657, for the annual rent of 21,500/., payable quarterly. The said Bishopp agreed, at the rates stated in the said " pretended" Act of Parliament, and no higher rates, to defray the whole charges of main taining the said office; the King agreeing that the Parlia ment shall be moved speedily and effectually to pass an Act of Parliament, in the due and usual form, for settling the said postage and the profits thereof on his Majesty, as part of his said Majesty's revenue. On the 12th of September, 1660, it was ordered by the Lords and Commons, in Parliament assembled, that the office of postmaster, and the postage and carriage of letters, domestic and foreign, should continue to be exercised by the same persons now employed therein by his Majesty, their agents and servants, according to the same rates and rules now prac tised, and without the interruption of any person or persons whatever, until the 6th day of November next ensuing. And in December, 1660, an Act was passed agreeing nearly, mu tatis mutandis in its enacting clauses with that of 1657. The passing of this Act was followed by a proclamation for quieting Bishopp in the execution of his office. On his surrendering it in 1663, it was granted to Daniel O'Neale, one of the grooms of the chamber, who farmed it for the re mainder of Bishopp's original term, and on the same condi • tions. A proclamation followed O'Neale's appointment. An Act passed in 1663, for settling the profits of the Post-office on the Duke of York and his heirs male ; and two proclama tions followed, one in 1669, the other in 1683, for enforcing the due execution of the said Acts. On the expiry of O'Neale's lease, in 1667, Lord Arlington was appointed Postmaster- General, and a proclamation followed for quieting him in the execution of his office. No statute for altering the manage ment of the Post-office, or the rates of postage, was passed during the reign of James 11. and Wm. 111., nor until the 9th year of Anne. In reviewing that period of the history of the country which commences with 1641, your Committee beg to notice the following incidents, as bearing on the subject of their inquiry. o e f a tt twost stoppages fl o g: s s e s o , f oe t the ec foreignomitteinesaiwlserwe orders eP pusea the Members of bah U sue e a re pp m oi a n d te e d, b l y oo t m h_e letters stopped. vn one tfiose occasions Mr. Pym re ported the answer of the Lords to a message from the Com mons to stop the foreign mails, " that they did yield to the opening of letters ; but it would be very inconvenient if often used." The opening and detention of the letters coming from France and Antwerp in Nov. 1641, led to a complaint to the King and to the Lords from the ambassador of the republic of Venice. The preamble to the Act of Cromwell's Parliament for settling the postage of England, Scotland, and Ireland, enu merates among the advantages of the post, that it is the best means " to discover and prevent many dangerous and wicked designs which have been and are daily contrived against the peace and welfare of the Commonwealth, the in telligence whereof cannot well be communicated but by letter of escript." It scarcely needed this evidence to prove that during the Protectorate recourse was had to the expeient of openin letters. This fact is sufficiently apparent fr d om the number g of letters designated as "intercepted letters," in the State correspondence of Secretary Thurloe. No preamble similar to that which the Act of Cromwell contains, appears in the statute of Charles 11., for erecting and establishing a Post-office. But in the lease granted to Bishopp, of the profits to arise from the Post-office under the Act, which Parliament was to be moved by his Majesty speedily and effectually to pass, it is agreed that the lessee shall permit and suffer the said Secretaries of State for the time being, or either of them, from time to time, and at all times during the proposed term, to have the survey and in spection of all letters within the office or offices aforesaid, at their or either of their discretion. And the same power is reserved to the Secretaries of State in the lease granted to Bishopp's successor, O'Neale. In the proclamation which immediately followed the pass ing of the statute of 1660-1, the practice of opening, by au thority of the Secretary of State, letters lawfully conveyed, is no t mentioned ; but in the proclamation which followed the appointment of Bishopp's successor, O'Neale, the words occur w hich correspond to those afterwards introduced into the statute of Anne :- 4, And we do further charge and commaud that no post masters or other officers, that shall be employed in the con veying of letters, or distributing of the same, or any other person or persons of quality or condition soever they be, except by the immediate warrant of our principal Secretaries of State, shall presume to open any letters or paCkets not directed unto themselves, or that they, or any other persons whatsoever, do stop any mayl in the passage to or from Lon don, or any other place whither the same is consigned and directed, but shall truly and faithfully deliver the same, without any opening, concealing, or retarding the delivery thereof." These words are not repeated in the subsequent proclamations of 1667, 1669, 1 683, and 1685. As to letters unlawfully conveyed, it is directed in the pro clamations of 1660-1, and 1 667, that they be seized and sent to the Privy Council ; in those of 1669, 1683, and 1685, that they be considered as letters of dangerous consequence, and be seized and sent to one of the Secretaries of State, or to the Privy Council, to the end that the persons conveying or sending them may be proceeded against, according to law ; in that of 1663, that they be seized and carried to the General Post-office, " there to be disposed of for the benefit of all such of his Majesty's loving subjects as may be con cerned therein." Although, after quoting the cited clauses from the leases granted to Bishopp and o'Neale, and the words from the proclamation of 1663, no reasonable doubt can be en tertained that the Governments of the different Monarchs who reigned between 1660 and 1711, had frequently re course to the practice of opening letters, yet the only instance during that period that has come under the notice of your Committee, is that of Coleman, one of the victims of the Popish plot. Your Committee now come to the period subsequent to the passing of the 9th of Anne, the first statute which re cognised the practice of opening letters, now under consi deration. Before they proceed to avail themselves of the information laid before them, which has proved to them that the 40th and 41st sections of this Act did not remain a dead letter, they will notice several occasions in the last century o „ hich, both in Parliament and in courts of judicature, this practice was brought distinctly under public attention. About eleven years after the passing of the Act, viz., in the year 1722-3, in the course of the proceedings had on passing the bills of pains and penalties against the Bishop of Ro chester, and his two associates, Kelly and Plunket, the prin cipal evidence adduced against the parties accused was that of post-office clerks and others, who, in obedience to warrants from the Secretary of State, had detained, opened, copied, and deciphered letters to or from those parties. I n the Com mittee on the Bill against Atterbury, in the House of Peers, the clause of the statute of Anne was referred to and com mented on by the bishop's counsel, who raised a doubt whe ther the copying of a letter were sanctioned by the Act ; but in no one of these three cases was any question raised as to the legality of the warrants, In 1735, complaint b e ing made in the House of Commons by certain of the Members, that their letters had been opened and read by the cle r k s o f the Post-office, on the pretence of ascertaining whether or no the franks of those Members were counterfeited, and a copy of his Majesty's warrant, whereby letters of Members and certain public functionaries were per mitted to pass free from postage, being read, it was ordered that the copy of the said warrant be referred to the considera tion of a committee, and that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinions thereon, to the House ; and on the committee making its report, the House resolved; inter alia, "That it is a high infringement of the privileges of the knights, citizens, and burgeses chosen to represent the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament, for any postmaster, his deputies or agents, in Great Britain or Ireland, to open or look into, by any means whats oever, any letter directed to or signed by the proper hand of any Mem ber without any express warrant in writing under the hand of one of the principal Secretaries of State for every such opening and looking into, or to detain or delay any letter directed to or signed with the name of any Member, u n l ess there shall be good reason to suspect some counterfeit of it, without an express warrant of a principal Secretary of State, as' aforesaid, for eery such detaining or delaying.' ,- Sir Robert Walpole and Mr. Pelham are said to have agreed to the appointment of this committee, on an under standing that it should not inquire into anything that might tend to discover the secrets of Government. In 1742, how ever, the secrets of . Sir Robert Walpole's Government were somewhat rudely pried into by the secret committee ap pointed "to inquire into the conduct of the Earl of Orford, during the last ten years of his being First Lord of the Trea sury, and. Chancellor and Under Treasurer of his Majesty's Exchequer." I That committee, in its report, gave a description of the es tablishment fur inspecting letters, as maintained by the Go vernments over which Sir Robert Walpole had presided; but abstained from stating on what particular occasions that es tablishment had been made available. It appears from the information laid before your Committee, that under the pressure of the rebellion of 1745, which fol lowed almost immediately on the downfal of the administra tion of Sir Robert Walpole, his successors issued warrants for stopping and opening post l e tt ers o f a very general and unlimited caracter. In the year l 758, Dr. Hensey, a physician, was tried on a charge of high treason, being accused of a treasonable corre spondence with the enemy. The principal evidence on which he was convicted was that of a letter-carrier and a Post-office clerk, the latter of whom had opened Dr. Hensey's letters, and delivered them to the Secretary of State. In 1764, a Select Committee of the House was appointed to inquire into the abuses of franking letters ; and the chair man, Mr. Dyson, was directed by the Committee to move the House, " That it be an instruction to the Committee, that they have power.to.inquire into the abuses committed at the Post-office by opening inland letters ;" the motion, however, was negatived. The last instance that has come to the knowledge of your Committee, in which this power was exercised under cir cumstances of public notoriety, is that of the trial of Horne Tooke for high treason, in 1795. A letter written to him by Mr. Joyce, a printer, was intercepted at the Post-office, and was stated by the prisoner to have been the immediate occa sion of his apprehension. On his requiring its production, it was produced in Court by the Crown officers, and given in evidence. It is now so long since any public trial has taken place, in which facts ascertained by opening and detaining letters at the lost-office have been adduced in evidence, that it seems to have been nearly forgott en by the public that such a practice ever existed. Yout Committee, having gone through the proofs of a more public character, and ascertained that the Governments of past times have authorised the detaining and opening of post letters, and given notoriety to the exercise of that authority, and that the fact has, on several occasions, been brought under the notice of Parliament and courts of law, proceed now to show (from evidence of a more secret, and confidential nature) to what extent this practice has been carried on, by the same authority, during the past and present centuries. Before entering, however, on this head of inquiry, they con sider it proper to observe, that they have had before them, with few exceptions, every person now living who has held the seals of Secretary of State for Home or Foreign Affairs, since the year 1822, as well as two noblemen who have dis charged the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, and several persons who have held confidential situations under them ; and they have further examined the present Postmaster- General, the Secretaries of the Post-office for England and Ireland, together with several of the most confidential offi cers in every branch of the Foreign-office the Home office, and the Post-office ; and that a ll these witnesses, without exception, have made to your Committee the most full and unreserved disclosures ; so much so as to have rendered it superfluous for your Committee to examine any other witnesses. Of the number and nature of warrants for opening and de taining post letters issued by Secretaries of State, from the year 1712 to the year 1798 inclusive, your Committee are able to render only a very incomplete account, compiled partly from the books of the Home Department, partly from the re cords at the State Paper-office. It appears that, during that term of years, it was not the practice to record such war rants regularly in any official book. That this account is what the Committee describe it to be, very incomplete, is manifest from the small number of warrants that enter into it, considering the length of the term of years. From 1712 to 1798 inclusive, a term ofB7 years, the number of warrants, of which any account has been obtained, is but 101; and of that number eleven only belong to the last twenty eventful years of the term, in cluding the period of the French Revolution. In this ac count, moreover, certain cases are not included, in which it is known, from reports of public trials, and other independent sources of evidence, that letters were opened and detained, such as those of Atterbury, Plunket, Kelly, Hensey, and Horne Tooke. From the commencement of the present century, if not from an earlier period, down to the present time, the prac tice has been, with very few exceptions, for such warrants to issue only from the Home-office, although another Se cretary of State has occasionally signed the warrant in the absence of the Secretary of State for the Home Department. From 1799 inclusive to the end of the year 1805, a record has been preserved of the warrants issued from the Home office, which, from the circumstance that the annual average which it exhibits agrees nearly with the annual average of the warrants issued in subsequent years, appears to the Com mittee to be nearly a complete record; they have, however, no other mode of testinf its aimaralie ZitrrSp - inc'er be - catne Secretary of State for Home Affairs, that the practice was introduced at the Home-office of recording the issuing of every such warrant in a private book belonging, not to the head of the department, but to the office, and always acces sible to the two Under-Secretaries of State and the Chief Clerk of the Domestic Department: and that practice has been continued, the Committee believe, without interruption, till the present time. Still, there is no check by which to test the completeness of the entries made in that book until the close of the year 1822, from which period the original warrants themselves are preserved at the Post-office, the earlier warrants having been destroyed on the removal of the Post-office from Lombard-street to its present site in St. Martin's-le-Grand. A.'s eldest son to open and inspect any letters which A.'s youngest son might write to two females, one of whom that youngest son had imprudently married. Two warrants, in 1734, are issued, each at the instance of the creditors of a party who has absconded, it not being alleged that any posi tive fraud had been practised. One, issued in 1735, appears to have arisen out of a political libel ; another, in 1755, con cerns a noted political libeller of the day, Dr. Shebbear. One, in 1746, arises out of a robbery in bank bills, the pro perty of the Chamberlain of the City of London ; all letters sent by post to Holland are to be examined ; and if any letter appears to contain any of the stolen bills it is to be opened, and on suspicion of any letter containing anything that may lead to a discovery, that letter is to be stopped, opened, and inspected. Two warrants, in 1738, and one in 1741, concern the practice, then in constant operation, of en listing recruits for Ireland for the Irish brigade in France. The following two general warrants, to which the com mittee before made allusion, were issued in the eventful year 1745 : Secretary the Duke of Newcastle to the Postmaster-Gene ral, September 20, 1745 :—To open and detain all (such) letters, packets, or papers, printed or otherwise, as shall come to the General or other Post-office, suspected to contain matters of a dangerous tendency ; and t o t ransm i t t h em to the office of the Secretary of State. Secretary the Duke of Newcastle to the assistants of the Yarmouth and Chester roads, October 8, 1745 :—To open, inspect, and detain all such letters and packets as shall come to their offices, suspected to contain treasonable correspon dence; and to transmit them to the Secretary of State. In 1783 the following warrant was issued : Whitehall, 10th February, 1783. To his Majesty's Postmasters -General. My Lord and Sir—l am ' to desire, and do hereby authorise you to stop and open all such letters as are, or shall come to your hands, addressed to Lord George,Gordon, at least such as may be supposed to come from the regiment, now on their march from to the northward, and any letters from his Lordship to that quarter; and to send me all the said letters as soon as possible after you shall , have so stopped and,opened them ; and for so doing this shall , be your warrant. R OYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTI'EUTIoN. CAPTAIN WARNER'S EXPERIMENT. In consequence of the DESTRUCTIVE EXPLOSION off BRIGH TON, the Directors of the ROYAL POLYTECHIC INSTITUTION yield to the generally expressed wish that Dr. RYAN should adapt one of his Lectures to the subject of EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS. This Lecture,!illustrated by interesting Experiments, so far as they can be shown with perfect safety, will bo delivered daily at half-past Three o'clock, except on Mondays and Saturdays, and in the Evenings of Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays, at a Quarter to Nine o'clock. On. Mondays and Saturdays, at Four o'clock, Dr. POTT'S PNEUMA TIC MODE of forming SUBMARINE FOUNDATIONS in DEEP WATER, with various interesting Experiments. Professor BACH HOFFNER'S Lectures, and all the other subjects of interest in the Institution. THOMAS TOWNSHEND, Secretary of State for the Home D To Lord Tankerville and the Right Hon. Henry tment. Fred. Cartwright, joint Postmasters-General. Coming to the warrants of the present century, your Com mittee have noticed among them, issued during certain pe riods of the last war, some few of a very general nature. In 1800 and 1801 orders were given to the Postmaster-General to open all letters addressed to persons in France, Flanders, and Holland, and all letters addressed to Dover, supposed to contain letters addressed to France. Flanders, and Holland. As regards intestine commotion, your Committee found that a warrant was issued in 1799, to open the letters of seventeen persons at Manchester and Birmingham ; one in 1809, to open the letters of eighteen persons in Manchester and Liverpool. In 1812, warrants were directed to the several postmasters of Nottingham, Manchester, and Glasgow, directing them to open all such letters passing through these several post-offices as should appear to A. B. (naming in each warrant some particular individual) to be of a suspicious na ture, and likely to convey seditious and treasonable informa tion, or to contain money intended to be applied to the pur pose of promoting seditious or other disturbances. A warrant, nearly similar to the preceding, was issued in 1813, to the postmasters of Wareham and Weymouth, in Dorsetshire, and one to the same purpose, in 1817, to the postmaster of Nottingham. Among the names of persons not now living, whose letters were directed to be opened previously to the year 1822, are found those of Despard, Thistlewood, and Watson ; and that of Mr. Hunt, once Member of Parliament for Preston. With regard to the warrants issued during the last 22 years and a half, your Committee have not observed among them a single warrant indefinite as to the number of persons coming within its scope. In every case the names are specified, and in one instance only does the number exceed 6. As regards this period, your Committee would have abstained from giving particular information concerning any warrant and from naming a single individual whose letters have been di rected to be opened, but for the notice which has been taken of the mode of executing certain warrants, and the mention which has been made of the names of the parties included in certain others ; these being the circumstances which mainly led to the inquiry which your Committee has been appointed to conduct. On these cases, therefore, your Committee con sider it their duty to report particularly. The warrants referred to are the following :- 1. During the outbreak in the manufacturing and mining districts, which took place in August, 1842, in the week of the greatest anxiety, a clerk was sent down from the London Post- office, with directions, under the authority of a Secre tary of State's warrant, to open the Jetiflrts. ,flcWul34riY67- named Atrsjimljto hithe same wee k t h e same clerk was directed, under auth or ity o f two other such warrants, to open the letters of ten other persons named, and a fortnight later to open the letters of one other person, making seventeen in all. Most of the persons whose letters _were ordered on this occasion to be opened were indicted, and many both indicted and convicted, before the Special Commission appointed to try the parties concerned in those disturbances. With one exception these warrants were issued between the 18th and the 25th of August, 1842, and they were all cancelled on the 14th of October. About the same time two clerks were sent down to two pro. vincial towns, each with directions, under authority of a Secretary of State's warrant, to open and examine the letters addressed to one individual in each town; but in one of these cases there were no letters to open. One clerk employed on this duty returned to his ordinary business after a week's absence, the other after an absence of five weeks. 2. In the autumn of 1843, during the disturbances which took place in South Wales, two clerks were sent down from the Post-office, into the disturbed districts, with directions, under authority of a warrant from the Secretary of State, one to inspect the letters of one person at a particular town, the other to inspect the letters of another person at another town ; and subsequently, under authority of a different warrant, this second clerk was sent to a third town, there to inspect the letters of a third person. In all three instances the persons whose letters were to be inspected were specifically named in the warrant. One of these warrants was in force eighteen, the other seven days. It is these facts, probably, that have given rise to the re port of a commission or commissions having visited the ma nufacturing districts, charged with a general authority to open and inspect letters. 3. The third of these cases is that of a warrant to open and detain the letters addressed to Mr. Mazzini. This warrant was issued on the Ist of March, and cancelled on the 3d of June, in the present year. Throughout that period the intercepted correspondence was transmitted un read from the Home-office to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. The facts of the case so far as your Com mittee feel themselves at liberty to disclose them, appear to be as follows : After these explanations of the authenticity of the lists which have been submitted to their consideration, they pro ceed to give, first, an abstract of the warrants, so far as they have been able to make up an account, from 1713 to 1798 in clusive; secondly, an abstract of the warrants for detaining and opening letters issued by the Home Department since the commeacement of the year 1799 to Midsummer, 1844. ANNUAL NUMBER OF WARRANTS IN EACII YEAR, FROM 1712 TO 1798, SO FAR AS AN ACCOUNT OF TILE SAME COULD BE MADE UP. L : Number ,- Number Number of War- g of War- Year. of War .+ rants. rants. rants. --.. 1712 1 1744 3 1768 1713 2 1745 7 1770 1723 1 1746 1 1772 1730 1 1749 1 1773 1731 2 1751 1 1774 1734 3 1752 1 1776 1735 4 1753 6 1777 1736 3 1754 1 1778 1737 3 1755 1 1782 1738 7 1756 1 1783 1739 5 1763 3 1784 1740 1 17 1 From 1788 17 4 1 4 1765 1 t o 17985 6 - 1742 2 1766 4 1743 4 1767 2 Total No lOl Representations had been made to the British Govern ment, from high sources, that plots, of which Mr. Mazzini was the centre, were carrying on upon British territory to excite an insurrection in Italy, and that such insurrection, should it assume a formidable aspect, would, from peculiar political circumstances, disturb the peace of Europe. The British Government, considering the extent to which Bri tish interests were involved in the maintenance of that peace, issued on their own judgment, but not at the sug gestion of any foreign Power, a warrant to open and detain Mr. Mazzini's letters. Such information deduced from those letters as appeared to the British Government calculated to frustrate this attempt was communicated to a foreign Power; but the information so communicated was not of a nature to compromise, and did not compromise, the safety of any individual within the reach of that foreign Power • nor was it made know n t o th a t P ower by what' means, or ' from what source that information had been obtained. 4. A warrant to open and detain all letters addressed to Mr. Worcell and to Mr. Stolzmann was issued on the 17th of April, 1844, and cancelled on the 20th of June. 5. A warrant to open and detain all letters addressed to Mr. Grodicki, at Paris, and to another foreign gentleman, was issued on the 3d of June, 1844, and cancelled on the 13th of the same month. The last two warrants rested on grounds connected with the personal safety of a foreign Sovereign entrusted to the protection of England. It appears to your Committee that, under circumstances so peculiar, even a slight suspicion of danger would justify a Minister in taking extraordinary mea sures of precaution. The Committee have not learned that there appeared in the letters that were detained anything to criminate the gentlemen whom the Committee have very re luctantly named. The Committee think it may be desirable for them to make known that the above three warrants are the only warrants to open the letters of foreigners which the present Govern ment has issued. The warrants issued during the present century may be divided into two classes :- Ist. Those issued in furtherance of criminal justice, and usually for the purpose of obtaining a clue to the hiding-place of some offender, or to the mode or pl ace o f concealment of property criminally abstracted ; and these, for brevity's sake, the Committee will term criminal warrants. 2d. Those issued for the purpose of discovering the designs of persons known or suspected to be engaged in proceedings dangerous to the State, or (as in Mazzini's case) deeply in volving British interests, and carried on in the United King dom, or in British possessions beyond the seas. With regard to both these classes of warrants, the objects in issuing them has been, in many cases, to ascertain the views, not of the party receiving, but of the party sending, the letter. fol l lo n w i s i— ssuing these warrants, the mode of proceeding is as The above warrants classed under certain heads :—Bank of England, 8 ; Bankruptcy, 5 ; Murder, the ft , fraud, &c., 14; Prisoners of war, 1 ; Revenue, 10; Foreign correspond ence, 35 ; Treason, sedition, &c., 5 ; Libel, 2 ; Forgery, 1; Debtor absconding from creditors, 2 ; Private case, 1; Un certain, 17.—Total, 101. ANNUAL NUMBER OF WARRANTS Di EACH YEAR, FROM 1799 TO 1844. Year. I Number. I Year. Number. I Year. i Number. 1799 9 1815 2 1831 17 1800 11 1816 0 1832 5 1801 7 1817 11 1833 4 1802 6 1818 9 1834 6 1803 7 1819 6 1835 7 1804 2 182( 6 1836 7 1805 7 1821 1 1837 4 1806 9 1822 12 1838 8 1807 13 1823 7 1839 16 1808 2 . 1824 2 1840 7 1809 11 1825 6 1841 18 1810 6 1826 8 1842 20 1811 8 1827 8 1843 8 1812 28 1828 4 1844 7 1813 8 1829 5 1814 3 1830 14 372 Total number of persons named in the above warrants, 724. 372 fits, 724. This would give a little more than eight warrants, on the average, per year, and about two persons, on the average, for each warrant. Among the warrants there are eight, applied each to some particular object, but not restricted to any de finite number of persons. The above warrants classed under certain heads :—Bank of England, 13 ; Bankruptcy, 2 ; Murder, theft, fraud, &c., 144 ; Treason, sedition, &c., 77 ; Prisoners of war, 13 ; Re venue, 5 ; Foreign Correspondence, 20 ; l e tt ers re t urne d to writers, 7 ; address copied, 1; forged frank, 1; uncertain, 89. Total, 372. The SeCretaries of State who have signed the warrants re ferred to in the two preceding abstracts, are named in the following list, arranged in the order of date 1712-13. The Earl of Dart- 1804-6. Lord Hawkesbury, mouth. and 1807.9. 1713. The Right Hon. W. 1806-7. Earl Spencer. Bromley. 1807. Right Hon. C. W. W. 1722. Lord Visa. Townshend. Wynn. 1730-46. Lord Harrington. 1809-12. The Right Hon. R. 1735-1754. DukeofNewcastle. Ryder. 1749. Duke of Bedford. 1812-21. Lord Visc. Sidmouth. 17524. The Earl of Holder-1822-30. The Right Hon. Sir ness. R. Peel. 1755. The Right Hon. Sir T. 1822-3. Right Hon. G. Can- Robinson. ning. 1756. .The Right Hon. H. FOX. 1823. Earl Bathurst. 1763.. The Earl of Halifax. 1827. Lord Vis. Goderich. 1765-7. The Right Hon. Ge- - Right Hon. W. S. neral Conway. Bourne. 1766. Duke of Richmond. Marq. of Lansdowne. 176,:.7. The Earl of Shel- 1830-4. Lord Via. Melbourne. burne. 1833-40. Lord Palmersson. 1770. 'The Earl of Sandwich. 1834. Lord Via Duncannon. 1770-4. The Earl of Rochefort. - Duke of Wellington. 1776-7. Lord Vis. Weymouth. 1834-5. Right Hon. H. Goul -1778. The Earl of Suffolk. burn. 1782-d. The Right Hon. T. 1835-9. Lord John Russell. Townshend. 1838. Lord Glenelg. 1782. The Right Hon. C. J. 1839-41. The Marq. of Nor- Fox. manby. 1784. Marq. of Carmarthen. 1841-4. The Right Hon. Sir 1799-1801. Duke of Portland. James Graham. 1801-3. Lord Pelham. 1844. Earl of Aberdeen. 1803. Right Hon. C. Yorke. Among the warrants of th , been discovered that were issue , be considered highly objection; tioned by recent practice. IV mens of the earliest warrants. The earliest, dated Sept. 20, 1712, is as follows :- To the Postmaster-General,-Her Majesty is pleased to order that all letters directed to Mr. Thomas Perrin (and three others named) be sent to the Commissioners of the Customs for their perusal, as is desired by the inclosed letters from Mr. Carkess. This method is taken in order to dis cover their effects ; and you are to comply with it as far as is consistent with law and the duty of Your office. DARTMOUTH. In 1741, at the request of A.., a warrant issued, to permit Icci o 1 . u r ta l a rm thew n P , 1. In the case of nd e they do p 0 not wer originate those with the Home-office. The application is made, in the first instance, to that one of the two tinder-Secretaries of State applicant to state the circumstances in writing ; but if the sometimes dispenscdtowtiretaT.hrye general who i s o f the legal profession ofcarc ie;vahlnasd right,tbhee n u w s h u c a eor l me co ma i i i ii r t s at e ce i dth s i: f an o n r od t the case be very urgent, owing to the time being too short, before t t h h a e t d c e n p n a d r i t t u t r o e n o i f s the post, to draw out a written statement, object of this class of warrants has been already stated ; and the principle which governs the issuing of them appears to be, not to make them subservient to private and family con rcascceoesurnpal es d s : et o b x r e tcoi t u o wsi t hv i iiec e ihy maintained, t wh ehr support ee a re s i ins goodm anyca ground ses to believe fraud otratbaeonnkrvr Sa-rrant is drawn key, i l l : a then signed e Principal n, underc i w pata h chl i ce c e h sdi neei Se by and A. reeord of the date of the costaer likelyp cor respondence n at d opo e npf leadl c si e ctaa i s tttieo g o n o d; 2 i e n wht g eeict o tshi n uawbn w i .hn i oi t ts h lsef t at a hhpeep p rc a ot "a s r v t n i ae c dl e r . by the private book, to s br t yu r u P the c t e t iYo headn; s b o u f t the etloe rr U ke n s oe d rf e ir r he - S e cr e t a which the two Under-Secreta • Principal Secretary of State. warrant is kept under lock head clerk have access. To Under-Secretaries and the above. mentioned the applicant information is given, according to circumstances, address merely, or o f the contents of the lette r s d e t a i ne d ; or, if the case require it, the original letter is put into his hands. Le last century some few have on grounds which would now table, and would not be sane re proceed to give some speci- 2. In the case of warrants of the second description, they originate with the Home-office. The Principal Secretary of State, of his own discretion, 'determines when to issue them, and gives instructions accordingly to the Under-Secretary, whose office is then purely ministerial. The mode of pre ruing them, and keepi ng recor d o f t h em i n a private book, Admission, is.; Schools, Half-price. NATIONAL LOAN FUND LIFE ASSUR ANCE SOCIETY, 26, CORNHILL, LONDON. Capital L 500,000. :Empowered by Act of Parliament. DIVISION OF PROFITS. The steady success and increasing prosperity of the Society has enabled the Directors, at the last mutual investigation, to declare a second Bonus, averaging 60 per cent. on the amounts invested on each Policy effected ou the Profit scale. ' EXAMPLES. ) " it p 0 - • c r , . premium. t .' 4l Beaus Bonus in 0 .V „'''g'' 1 rld i 1 al. p i p 4 added. Oash. c -,-g aO' . a i r '' '3 .1 4 5 • 9,4- 'Fa. I£. £s. d.: I X s. d. Xs.d.Xs. d. X s . d s 1837 170 9 3 77 5 1 12 3 9 346 2 3 60;1000 74 3 4 1838 144 2 2 64 5 6 9 16 4 296 13 4 I 1839 116 16 0 51 8 11 j 7 11 9 247 4 5 The division of profits is animal, and the next will be made in De. cember of the present year. This institution odors many important and substantial advan tages with respect both to Life Assurances and Deferred Annuities. The assured has, on all occasions, the power to borrow, without ex pense or forfeiture of the Policy, two-thirds of the premium paid, (see table); also the option of selecting benefits, and the conversion of his interests to meet other conveniences or necessity. Assurances for terms of years are granted on the lowest possible rates. F. FERGUSON CAMROUX, Sec. LONDON, EDINBURGH, and DUBLIN LIFE ASSURANCE, 3, Charlotte-row, Mansion-house, and 18, Chancery-lane, London. The more than usual success which has attended this Company has arisen— From the combination of advantages formerly obtainable partly -from proprietary and partly from mutual societies, thereby affording to the assured bonuses, reduction of Allure premiums, and complete freedom from responsibility. _ _ From the indisputability of the policies, leave to travel beyond Europe, the option of payment of one-half of the premiums for the first seven years, and immediate settlement of claims. Prospectuses and rates forwarded by the agents and Manager. ALEX. ROBERTSON, Manager. UNITED KINGDOM LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY, 8, WATERLOO-PLACE, PALL-MALL, LONDON. Established by Act of Parliament in 1834. DIVISION OF PROFITS AMONG THE ASSURED. This Company, established by Act of Parliament, affords the most perfect security in a large.paid-up Capital, and in the great success which has attended it since Its commencement in 1834, its ANNUAL INCOME being UPWARDS of 72,0001. In 1841 the Company declared an addition to the Shareholders of one-half of their Stock, and also added a Bonus of 21. per cent. per annum, on the Sum Insured to all Policies of the Participating Class from the time they were effected. The Bonus added to Policies from March, 1834, to December 31, 1840, is as follows : Sum Time Sum added Sum Time Sum added Assured. Assured. to Policy. Assured. Assured. to Policy. £5OOO 6 yrs. 10 mths. £683 6 8 £5OOO 4 years £4OO 5000 6 years 600 0 0 5000 2 years 200 The Premiums, nevertheless, are on the most moderate scale, and only one-half need be paid for the first Five Years, where the Insur ance is for Life. Every information will be afforded on application to the Resident Directors, Edward Boyd, Esq., and E. Lennox Boyd, Esq., of No. 8, Waterloo-place, Pall-mall, London. LONDON AND YORK RAILWAY. At a numerous Meeting of the Nobility, Gentry, and Inhabi tants of the town and neighbourhood of Huntingdon, held la the Town-hall, Huntington, on Friday, August 2, 1844 ; DENNIS HERBERT, Esq., Mayor, in the Chair; The following. Resolutions were unanimously passed : Resolved—That it would be very desirable that the projected Rail way from London to York should pass as near the town of Hunting don as possible. Resolved—That this Meeting will give its cordial and strenuous support in furtherance of the objects of the London and York Rail way Company. Resolved—That it would be highly beneficial to the town of Hun tingdon that there should be a station for the projected Railroad from London to York at Huntingdon. Resolved—That the thanks of this Meeting be offered to the De putation from the London and York Railway Company, for the clear, able, and candid statements which they b.— ....a.... Resolved—That the thanks of the Meeting be given to Lord Sand wich, for the extremely liberal and handsome manner in which he has come forward on this occasion and given his powerful and disin terested support. DEN IS HERBERT, Mayor. On the motion of the Right Hon.. the Earl of SANDWICH, seconded by SAMUEL EDWARD COOCH, Esq. Resolved—That the thanks of the Meeting be given toDennit Her bert, Esq., the Mayor, for his able conduct in the chair, and for hls readiness on all occasions to promote the interests of the town, and faithiblly to discharge his duty, by which he has deservedly obtained the esteem and respect of his fellow-citizens. Huntingdon, sth August, 1844. WELLINGTON BOOTS, TO MEASURE. Best Quality, finest French Calf-skin, ONE GUINEA, al STUNT'S, 57, Strand, for CASH ONLY. PUBLICATIONS. Published this day, post Bvo., 10s. 6d. cloth, T HE VALE of the TOWEY ; or, Sketches in South Wales. By ANNE BEALE. London : Longman, Brown, Green, and Longman. WILDE'S NARRATIVE—CHEAPER EDITION. Just published, Bvo., with Illustrations, 18s. cloth, NARRATIVE, of a VOYAGE to MADEIRA, TENERIFFE, and along the SHORES of the MEDITER RANEAN. By W. R. WILDE, Surgeon, &c., Sec. Second Edition, corrected and enlarged. Also, by the same Author, A USTRIA and its Institutions, Literary, Scientific, and Medical. Crown Bvo., 9s. 6d. cloth, London: Longman and Co. Dublin : W. Curry, jun., and Co. RAMBLES IN GERMANY AND ITALY. Just published, In 2 vols., post Bvo. cloth, R AMBLES in GERMANY and ITALY, in 1840, 42, and 43. By MRS. SHELLEY. Edward lioxon, 44, Dover-street. Now ready, in post Bvo., with numerous Illustrations, by Leech, price 10s. Gd., ROWQU I L 'S COMIC SKETCHES; J Or, the Phantasmagoria of Fun. "Full of arch drollery, and illustrated in a kindred spirit by Leech. A more humorous or entertaining little volume has not appeared this seasan."—Sun. " We cordially recommend this very piquant and pleasant book to all laughter-lovers."—Court Journal. Richard Bentley, New Burlington-street. To be had also of all Booksellers. PROLAPSUS, PILES, FISTULA, &c. Just published, bound in cloth, price 58 • by post Is. 6d. extri. ON" the 'CURE of - the DISEASES of the RECTUM and ANUS; particularly Prolapsus, Piles, Fistula, Ifiemorrholdal Tumours, Excrescences, Ulcers, and Strictures, WITHOUT CUTTING or CONFINEMENT ; illustratng the origin and progress of these diseases, and the success of the Author's mode of treatment in numerous cases, The whole embellished with Plates from Nature. By Dr. SILVER, Physician Accoucheur, No. 70, Great Russell-street, Bloomsbury-square, London. Sold by Sherwood and Co., 137, Strand ; J. 011iyier, 59, Pall-mall ; Maclachlan, Stewart, and Co., Edinburgh ; Fannin and Co., Dublin ; and also by the Author at his residence. LAME KT ON DEBILITY, NERVOUSNESS, AND ALL DISORDERS ARISING FROM EXCESS, &c. " He who ifs pleasure's downy arms Ne'er lost his health or yeuthfti lcharms, A hero lives, and justly can Exclaim, in me behold a man I" Just - published (in a sealed envelope), Tenth Edition, price Si. 6d., or sent by post, free, to any address, 3d. d., ELF-PRESERVATION : a Popular Essay on 1,7 those concealed disorders, originating in youthful excesses, and terminating In Nervous Debility, Local and Constitutional Weakness, and all those Sinkings, Anxieties, and Tremors, which afflict the Weak, the Sedentary, and the Delicate. With Practical Observations on Marriage, and on the Anatomy, Physiology, and Diseases of the Reproductive Organs, with plain Directions for their perfect Restoration. tly SAMUEL LAMERT, Consulting Surgeon, 9, REDPO RD-STREET, BEDFORD-SQUARE, LONDON, Matriculated Member of the University of Edinburgh, Honorary Member of the London Hospital Medical Society, Licentiate of Apothecary's Hall, London otc. " The various positions of Lover, Husband, and Parent, the in herent privileges of mankind, ate frequently marred and prevented through the follies and frailties of early indiscretions. To such, among others, this Essay addresses itself; and by its perusal many questions may be satisfactorily adjusted that admit of no appeal even to the most confidential friend."—Stafford Gazette. " The design of this work will he tolerably obvious from its title, and we cordially recommend the author and his book to all who are coffering from nervous debility and general weakness."—Wakefield Journal. l'ublished by the Author, and sold in London by S. Gilbert, 51 and 52, Paternoster-row; Starie, Tichborneostreet, Quadrant, Regent street; Hannay and Co., 63, Oxford-street; Noble, 114, Chancery. lane; Gordon, 146, Leacienhall-street ; and by all Booksellers. At home every day till hree, and from Five till Eight. REMOVED FROM BIRMINGHAM TO LONDON. Just published, price 2s. 6d., and free by post (in a sealed envelope) Price 3s. 6d., 11IIE SILENT FRIEND ; a Medical Work on Human Frailty and Physical Decay, its causes, and the baneful eflects of excessive indulgence and inf ec ti on , ill us t ra t e d by engravings, with observations on Marriage, and directions for the removal of certain disqualifications. By R. and L. PERRY and CO. Published by the Authors, and sold at their Residence, 19, Berners. street, Oxford-street ; also by Strange, 21, Paternoster-row; Purkis, Compton-street, Soho; Noble, 109, Chancery-lane, Crocker, 1, Milford-lane, Strand; Ward, Strand (opposite Exeter.hall) ; Wil son, 355, Oxford-street (two doors from Argyle-street); Phillips, 264, Oxford-street; J. Gordon, 146, Leadenhall_street London; Guest, 51, Bull-street , Birmingham ; and by all Booksellers In Town and Country. The CORDIAL BALM of SYRI ACUM is exclusively directed for the cure of nervous and muscular debility, impuissance, &e. Price 11s and 235. per bottle. Sold by all Medicine Vendors, of whom may be had the " Silent Friend." The Five Pound Cases may be had as usual. PERRY'S PURIFYING SPECIFIC PILLS are the most effectua cure for syphilis and secondary symptoms in both sexes, price 2s. 9d. 4s. 6d., and I Is. per box. Consultation fee, if by letter, 1/, A minute detail of cases is ne cessary. Messrs. Perry are in daily attendance, for Consultation, at their residence, 19, Berners-street, Oxford-street, Londcn, from Eleven till Twe, and Five till:Eight, and on Sundays from Tex till Twelve. One personal visit only is necessary to effect a permanent cure PLEASING RESULTS.-With the gaiety assumed by nature in the brig;htnes4 of the summer season there are few disinclined to participate; and in pursuit of those rational enjoyments personal agremens, in all their variety, are necessarily objects of desire—those, of which the perfection and durability are at once obvious and important, meet their most available preservative in Gowland's Lotion ; first, as a decided remedy fur all cutaneous impurities ; and, secondly, as an elegant, mild, and effective appendage to the toilet, removing every species of local discolourati on , defending the skin from all the well-k nown effects of heat upon its surface, and as contributing largely to continued delicacy and fresh ness of the complexion. ,:,,"' . ' 4 000 1 1" . -- . . . , - ';:_• — :',..6. - :.:;•,•:- . 4,,i'l , : ''- ' I::: ' ;,.ti, ': . :.'‘.-:. •- \•;..-..: ; 4 , . ` ''' .S. 4 . -. A,.„0. 1.1 --.,-;-.1--- .. -: ---- '-.‘ - -e- :1--- .','' 1 " - 2 '.\': : ii,o4---- ::- 7A + 4. , .. A 4 • ...... 4t0 , ., f. A l it.'444 \\.,„, )! H 1:k- " ' , , 4 •,, .. -- &‘ ''' ~ - . .te.7.4, ' ' *7:7:4, • • 2 -% ) S yr ."';;; (4 0rt.._..4: 4 .4 if ....,Hky 0 „ ~,,.: 54 *I - 4 SQL v: ‘'lgf,„- '1 DIES ' . ,-, . 1, ... i f •" ' ' , .• f .12) 2 ., . \:' -. P . s i z t 6 .\. ". - 2.." ' • ",-:' , -.1,, ~....31i ,s, ~,,,,: LOIT: ,ir TRICE sd. lONAGE. COMMONS' REPORT. The Committee of Secresy appointed to inquire into the state of the law in respect of the detaining andopeniug of letters at the General Post-office, and into the mode under which the authority given for such detaining and opening has been exercised, and to report their opinion and observa tions thereupon to the House, and to whom several peti ttions were referred ; — h ave examined the matters to them referred, and have agreed to the following report : Your Committee, in performance of the duty which the House has devolved upon them, of iuquiring into the state of the law respecting the detaining; and opening of letters at the General Post-office, beg to state in the outset that although the wording of the 33d and 36th chapters of the Ist of Victoria, which now mainly regulate the Post-office, is, in respect of the matter in hand, somewhat different from that of the 10th chapter of the 9th of Anne, for which they were substituted, yet that there appears to be no such vari ance between the statutes of those two periods respectively, as to prevent your Committee from assuming, for the con venience of their inquiry, that the same powers are con veyed or recognised in all. The inquiry, therefore, what the state of the law now is respecting such detention and opening, is reduced to the in quiry what the state of the law was, respecting the same matter, immediately on the passing of the statute of Anne, unless in the intervening period, the principles which regu late the interpretation of Acts in general should have under gone modification, or cases should have been decided in the superior courts of law which might have a bearing on the construction to be given to this particular Act. With that reservation, the law on the matter in question was the same in 1711 that it is in 1844. In preference to discussing the purely legal question, how far the statute of Anne, in recognising the practice, on the part of Secretaries of State, of issuing warrants to open letters, rendered it lawful for the Secretaries of State to issue such warrants, your CoMinittee propose, so far as they have materials for that purpose, to give the history of this prac tice, prior and subsequent to the passing of that statute; these materials being such as ought not to be overlooked in investigating the grounds on which the exercise of this au thority rests. In these early researches your Committee will have occa sion to inquire into the condition of the posts in this country at various periods of our history, and into the connection that subsisted between them and the supreme authorities of the country. In these inquiries your Committee have been assisted by Sir Francis Palgrave, of the Rolls Office, by Messrs. Lechmere and Leman, of the State Paper Office, and by Mr. Reeve, of the Council Office. It does not appear at what precise period the Crown under took to be the regular carrier of letters for its subjects. The Crown, doubtless, found it necessary at a very early period, to the exercise of the functions of sovereignty, to be able to convey with speed and security its own dispatches from one part of the realm to another, and from and to parts beyond the seas; and for that purpose it appointed certain messengers or runners, called the posts. These posts were also employed for the personal convenience of the Sovereign, and the individuals composing the royal court. In course of time, a master of the posts was appointed, and the first of these on record was Brian Tuke, Esq., afterwards Sir Brian Take, Knight, who held that office in 1516, and whose letter to Thomas Cromwell, respecting the performance of its duties, dated 17th August, 1533, is given in the appendix. The joint successors of Si r B r i an T u k e were Sir William Paget, Knight, Privy Councillor, and one ofHenry the Eighth's chief secretaries, and John Mason, Esq., secretary for the French tongue. The letters patent, dated 12th November, 1545, conveying to them this office, grant to them, during their lives and the life of the survivor, the office of master of the messengers, runners, or posts, as well within the kingdom of England as in parts beyond the seas in the King's dominions, together with the wages or fee of 66/. 13s. 4d. a-year, to be held by themselves or "their sufficient deputy or deputies, &c. ; but, besides his fee, the Master of the Posts received from the Crown the amount of his expenses for con veying letters, of which he rendered in an account, many samples of which are given in the appendix. There is a succession of patents (including recitals of patents), granting the same office, at the same fee, to other parties for life, in the times of Elizabeth, James 1., and Charles I. With regard to correspondence conveyed by other messen gers than their own, our monarchs viewed it with great suspicion ; but it was especially towards letters arriving from or going to parts beyond the seas that their vigilance seems to hare been directed. The frequency of disputed successions to the Crown, and the constant jealousy enter tained of the Court of Rome, will assist in explaining their desire to prevent such correspondence. All letters coming from beyond the seas were directed to be seized ; but in the time of Edward 11., to whose reign the first record of this kind belongs, the King's bailiffs, in assisting the admiral of the fleet to search for letters, were forbidden under the pretext of such powers, to attack or oppress any mer chants or others crossing the seas . Th. -`-'' re 0Y te.x, uc Lae aispatenes sent from this country by the ambasador of the Emperor Charles V., is a proof of the extraordinary jealousy with which foreign corre spondence was regarded, and of the vigilance with which it was watched. After the grant of the office of Master of the Posts to any new person, a royal proclamation always followed, to notify the new appointment. Consequent on the grant of the office by Queen Elizabeth, in the year 1590, to John Stanhope, Esq., there is a proclamation, prohibiting all persons what soever from gathering up, receiving, bringing, or carrying out of the realm any letters or packets, without the allowance of the masters and comptrollers of the posts, or their deputies. All mayors, bailiffs, &c., are ordered to make diligent search for all mails, &c., of all such disavowed carriers, &c., or suspected persons, coming into ongoing out of the realm with packets of letters ; and -all such to apprehend, &c., keeping them in safe custody, until, by the view of their writings, sent up to the Privy Council, it be seen and advised what further shall be done with them." Exception is made of the dispatches of her Majesty's principal secre taries, of ambassadors, and of others sufficiently authorised. Similar prohibitions are contained in the proclamations an nouncing the appointment of new postmasters in the two subsequent reigns. The practice probably began at an early period, and after wards grew into a regular custom, of allowing private per sons to avail themselves of the King's posts for transmitting their correspondence. This probably became a perquisite to the postmasters, while, at the same time, it gave to Ministers of State the power of narrowly inspecting the whole of the written communications of this country. The employment of the posts for carrying the letters of the subjects of the Crown is recognised in a proclamation, dated 1591, consequent on the before recited grant by Queen Elizabeth to John Stanhope, Esq., of the office of Master of the Queen's Posts. The Lord Treasurer and others are thereby directed to notify to all merchants, both strangers and others, in the city of London, that they are not to take upon them to employ any disavowed persons to convey their letters, but are to use such only as are lawfully appointed for that purpose: The same direction is repeated in a procla mation of James 1., dated 1609. In the year 1628, in an address from the House of Commons to Charles 1., it is stated that the deputy of the King's postmaster, appointed to carry the letters from the Crown beyond the seas, was likewise employed for the same purpose by the English merchants. With regard to inland letters, in a document obtained from the State Paper-office, and dated 1635, it is stated that the King's postmasters carried the subjects' letters, but up to that time had never reaped any benefit from it. The officer who has been hitherto mentioned as the King's postmaster, was the master of the posts within the King's dominions, at home or beyond the seas. To him, however, had hitherto belonged the transmission of letters both at home and abroad; but in 1619 a new Patent-office was esta blished by James 1., called that of the Postmaster of England for foreign parts out of the King's dominions. The patent gave rise to a long legal contest between Lord Stanhope, who held the former of these two offices, and Matthew de Ques ter, the new patentee. During these proceedings, lest the merchants of London should sustain inconvenience from in terruption to their foreign correspondence, an order was issued permitting them to convey their letters to and from parts beyond the seas, by nTessengers of their own choosing; and moreover, the Lords of the Council, to whom the dis pute had been referred, advised De Quester, by letter, not to give any interruption to the conveyance and reconveyance of the merchants' letters. On the subject of this letter, the Secre tary of State, Sir John Coke, wrote to his co-Secretary of State, Lord Conway, calling the power of sending foreign let ters a branch of the royal authority, affirming that no place in Christendom can be named where merchants are allowed to send their letters by other posts than those authorised by the State; that his colleague best knew what account they shall be able to give in their places of that which passeth by letters in or out of the land, if every man may convey letters, under the covers of merchants, to whoni and what place he pleaseth, &c. The order, " upon weighty reasons of State," was afterwards limited to the Company of Merchant Adventurers alone, and they were only to convey their let ters to the towns of Hamburgh and Delf, and they were to give bond to carry no other letters than those concerning the Company; no one was to be appointed messenger to the Com pany, unless approved of by the Secretaries of State; the other companies of merchants were to send their dispatches by De Quester only ; and, in times of war and danger to the State, the said Company, and all other companies of mer chants, if required, were to acquaint the Secretaries of State, from time to time, with their letters and dispatches into fo reign parts. In the end, by the influence of the Crown, Lord Stanhope was made to surrender his patent. De Quester's patent came into possession of one Thomas Witherings, who suggested to the Crown a plan for the entire re-organisation of the inland posts, which, instead of producing at that time any revenue to the State, were a burden to it of 3,4001. per annum. The plan proposed consisted essentially of three parts—the establishment of fixed rates of postage; substi tuting horse posts, which were to travel at the rate of 120 miles in twenty-four hours, instead of foot posts, which tra velled at the rate of 18 miles • and giving to the public gene rally the use of the Post-office. This plan was adopted; Witherings was appointed to the office ; and thus became centered in the same person the offices of Postmaster for in land and for foreign letters. In 1635 and 1637 appeared two proclamations, to notify and give effect to the new plan of Mr. Witherings; and in both these there were clauses pro hibiting any other than Mr. Witherings, or his deputies, from carrying letters. In 1640, on a charge of divers abuses and misdemeanours committed by Witherings in the execution of his said two offices, they were sequestered into the hands of Philip Bur lamachi, of London, merchant, who was to execute the same under the care and oversight of the principal Secretaries of State; and without tracing at this day the disputes which the conflicting pretensions of different individuals to the p6s session of thes offices gave rise in the year 1642, it will be sufficient to say that, shortly afterwards, the management of the affairs of th e P ost -office fell into the hands of Mr. PH deaux, who was Chairman of the Committee appointed by the House to consider the inland department of the Post office, and was afterwards, under the Commonwealth, At torney-General to the State. Mr. Prideaux was appointed Master of the Posts, in 1644, by the authority of both Houses of Parliament. The validity of the clause in the grant to Witherings of the inland letter office, prohibiting any but the persons ap pointed by the patentee from receiving or delivering letters at any - place where the patentee should settle posts, was brought in question, in 1646, before a Committee of the POST-OF 5 ~/ _ z z Year. 832 .... . ......................... 833........» 834 ........ ............ 835... .......... .... „. 836... 837 ,838 839 ......... ,840 1841 [842 [843 [844 Total Crimes, murder, robbery, &c Ribbonism ••• 12 Sedition, &c. Bankruptcy •• Forging a Post-office stamp Letter returned to th e wr it er . 1 Total . The Lords-Lieutenant and others who have signed these warrants are arranged in the following list, according to date :- 1832 . 1834 . Marquis of Anglesey. 11 J. Littleton (secretary). Marquis of Wellesley. Earl of Musgrave. Ditto. 1835 . 1836 . --- ... 1837 ... T. Drummond (secretary). Ditto. Lord Plunkett (one of the Lords Justices). Archbishop of Dublin (ditto). Lord Morpeth (secretary). Marquis of Normanby. Lord Viscount Ebrington. °.-- .. . Ii the um it itt the OM eif ellmillei COUPIIIII, thee record kept of the grounds on which they are Issued, rucpf so far as correspondence preserved at the Home- offlee way lead to infer them. Your Committee will here notice a statement which has been made, that instances have occurred of sending entire mail bags with letters to the Home-office for examination. Your Committee are satisfied that no instance of the kind has occurred. None but separate letters or packets are ever sent, out of the ordinary course, from the Post-office to the Home-office, and those never but under a Secretary of State's warrant; and that warrant usually directs that a letter or letters, directed to certain persons, or written in a certain handwriting, be detained : and that either a copy of the post-mark, or of the address, or of the contents, o r th a t ex tracts from the contents, or the letters themselves, be sent to the Principal Secretary of State. In some cases the warrant directs that some deputy-postmaster shall communicate in formation to the same effect to a magistrate, or some other person, in the country; and when that is the case, the pre sence of some third person, named in the warrant, is usually required. It may, perhaps, be necessary to state that, in some very few cases, the Secretary of State has been required to autho rise the Postmaster -General to return to the writer a letter which has been already posted. Some doubt seems to have existed how far this can lawfully be done. In the year 1795, Holland being in the occupation of the French army, one of the principal Secretaries of State, by warrant under his hand and seal, detained the entire mails of the 13th, 16th, and 20th of January, intended for that country ; and an Act of Parliament (35 George 111., cap. 62), was passed to enable the Postmaster-General "to open the letters contained in those mails, and return the same to the parties by whom they were written, signed, or sent." A case nearly similar occurred regarding the Hamburgh mail (see 47 Geo. 111., session 2, c. 53), in 1807. The number of war rants issued under this head from 1799 to 1844 is 7, as stated in the abstract. The general conclusion which the Committee draw from the returns before abstracted is, that in equal intervals of time these warrants have been issued in nearly equal num ber, by the several Administrations which have been in power from the commencement of 1799 until now. For although in certain years, in consequence of internal commotion, it happened that the number of warrants issued by eel.tain Secretaries of State was unusually great, yet in other years, if they continued sufficiently long in office, the number of warrants they issued for similar purposes proved to be unusually small ; so that the annual average of all the warrants they issued, during the whole period -of their con tinuance in Office, did not rise materially above the general annual mean. The general average of the warrants issued &ring the present century does not much exceed eight a year. This number would comprehend, on an average, the letters of about sixteen persons annually; but how many letters to and from each person coming within the scope of these war rants have on an average been opened we have no means of estimating, since no record of the number of letters de tained and opened under warrant has en kept by the Post-office, but there is no reason to believ b e e that number to be great; and the Committee have ascertained that, in the case of many warrants, no letters whatever have been opened. Those which do not appear to relate to the object for which the warrant is issued do not undergo particular examination. Of the average number of days for which a warrant is in force, the Committee cannot form any just estimate. It was only as regards the warrants issued from 1822 to 1844 that any return was made to your Committee, showing how long they continued in operation, and in the early part of this period, there appears to have been some inattention in seeing to their timely revocation ; it is pro bable that many a warrant had become inoperative long be fore the period when it was cancelled. In that respect there is a marked improvement in the practice of the present Home Secretary, as compared with that of his predecessors ; since the average duration of the warrants issued since September, 1841, does not exceed forty days ; and in many cases it is as low as three or four days. From the abstract that has been given of the warrants issued in the present century, it appears that about two thirds of them were criminal warrants; for by far the greater portion of those marked " uncertain" appears to be long to this class. So far as the criminal warrants go, no suspicion arises that unfairness or imparti a lity h as directed their issue. With re gard to the other class of warrants, though there have been some few issued by different Administrations that have been in power during the last 22 years, in regard to which it is obvious that on a subsequent review of the facts a difference of opinion might arise as to the discretion exercised in each particular case, yet your Committee see no reason to doubt that the conduct of the Secretaries of State belonging to each of those Administrations has been guided by no other motive than an anxious desire to preserve the public peace, with the maintenance of which they were charged. It does not appear to your Committee necessary to follow the warrant from the time of its reception at the Post -office, to that of its execution. The letters which have been de tained and opened are, unless retained by special order, as sometimes happens in criminal cases, closed and resealed, without affixing any mark to indicate that they have been so detained and opened ; and are forwarded by post according to their respective superscriptions. There are other cases, under the 33d and 36th chapters of the Ist of Victoria, besides the case we have been consider ing, in which post-letters may lawfully be detained or de layed, or opened, by an officer of the Post-office. These ex cepted cases are the following:.—When the person consents, to whom the letter i s di recte d —when the letter is returned for want of due direction —when the person to whom it is directed is dead, or cannot be found, or shall have refused it, or shall have refused or neglected to pay the postage thereof. If any letter not included in the above exceptional cases be opened, delayed, detained, or abstracted at the Ppst,oillea, through the malpractim aswieffi punishment under the latter of these Acts. With regard to all other inland letters, your Committee are assured by the Postmaster-General, by the Secretary of the Post-office, and by the President of the Inland Depart ment at the General - Post -office, that the secresy of corm spondence is inviolate ; and this assurance they have seen no reason to doubt. Your Committee will here notice a statement which has been made, that letter-bags from Dublin, Brighton, and other places, have oflate, before being opened, been taken out of the usual course, into an inner room of the inland- office at the General Post-office, for the purpose of being there examined. The allegation of fact is correct, so far as counting the letters, and observing their external appearance, goes. This is fre quently done in order to ascertain the condition of the bags on their arrival, before their contents are delivered over to be sorted, it having been found a necessary check upon the commission cf irregularities by the subordinate functionaries of the Post-office; but this examination has no connection whatever with the opening of letters under warrant, and it is not the method practised when letters are detained and opened by authority of the Secretary of State. On the subject of the foreign department at the General Post-office, the secresy of foreign correspondence your Com mittee are assured is kept inviolate. Certain warrants bear ing respectively the signatures of the Right Honourable Charles James Fox, when Secretary of State for Foreign Affiiirs, in 1752, and of his successor, the Marquis of Carmarthen, were laid before your Committee, which, being of a very comprehensive nature, have, in conjunc tion with other information, induced your Committee to believe that diplomatic correspondence, when posted in ordi nary course, incurred in this country and in the other great States of Europe, nearly equal risk of inspection. How long similar warrants continued, and when they were finally re called, your Committee have no information, nor do they think it their duty to report as to any practice which may have existed in reference to this part of the subject. Of this they are satisfied, that no such warrants or practices now exist; and that public as well as private correspondence, foreign as well as domestic, passing through the office in regular course, now enjoys complete security, subject only to the contingency of a Secretary of State's warrant, directed for special reasons against a particular letter or letters. In making the above statements, however, it is right to observe that there exists another channel of communication with foreign countries, by means of the King's messengers and foreign-office bags. This is not under the control of the Postmaster-General, but of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. It is conducted by officers appointed and paid by the latter, from whom alone they receive their orders, and to whom alone they are responsible. Somi years ago no inconsiderable number of private letters, passing between this and foreign countries, was sent and received by these bags ; but this abuse (for such it was, as payment of postage was thus evaded) has been almost entirely discontinued ; and your Committee believe that at present the bags contain little more than the official correspondence of our own diplomatic agents, and of the Ministers of such foreign States as may choose to avail themselves of that mode of transmitting their dispatches. The authority of your Committee extends no farther than to inquire how correspondence is dealt with, while remaining in the custody of the Post-office. It remains for your Committee, after treating of the cor respondence in Great Britain, to make a brief statement as to the law and practice regarding the same matters in Ire land. The statute of Anne extended to that country, and whatever legal force the warrants of the principal Secretaries of State, directing the opening of letters, had in Great Bri tain, those warrants had the same force in Ireland. But previously to the passing, in 1783, of the Irish statute, the 23d and 24th of Geo. 111., c. 17, intituled "An Act for Esta blishing a Post-office in this Kingdom," the_principal Secre taries were in the habit of delegating to the Lord-Lieutenant authority for this purpose. Nor was thia all ; for by a war rant, dated October 31st, 1740, Secretary the Duke of New castle directs Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, the Postmaster-Gene ral for Ireland, to open and detain all such letters as the Duke of Devonshire, then Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, or any other person appointed by him, should authorise and direct : copies to be sent to the Duke. The necessity for having recourse to a twice-delegated authority was removed by the statute above referred to, which gave the same indemnity to persons in I re l an d opening letters by authority of the Lord-Lieutenant, th a t t h e statute of Anne gave to persons in Great Britain and Ire land, opening letters by authority of a princpal Secretary of State. - Your Committee here submit an abstract of the warrants whereon ry r thearsantse; ed issued by the Lord-Lieutenant, or oth er Chi ef Governor or iandtdheedaadsn,other according abstrteoctt, the e rr gr an oun gin da g sued:— G ov ernors of Ireland, to the Post mas t er- G eneral for Ireland, for every year from 1832 to the p resent time, being a period tohf 2h r e e e ry havei s sued e Number of Number of comprehended in Persons Warrants. the said Warrants. Gre---e---e ,// .1 4 /.20_i; 1838 . 1839 . ....'' 419 .~.,, 4 yott u1(1 the Ilea I in med that It i• leged ;jury V had waS d the