The Sun. — London, England, 1845-02-06 00:00:00

erbtrti Ntittion SUN OFFICE, Seven o'clock. EXCHEQUER.--(THIS DAY.) THE ALLEGED FRAUDS UPON THE REVENUE, THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL V. SMITH. • (Continued from our Afternoon Edition.) Daniel Wentworth Thornton—ls a supervisor of Excise. Surveyed the premises of Mr. Smith from the 29th of Sept., 1838, to May, 1843. Produced the last entry under which they worked, on the 16th of September, 1840. Cross-examined by Mr. KELLY—When he surveyed the premises he was generally there from eight to nine hours a day. The officers on the premises were himself, another officer, and the supervisor. To Mr. Baron ALDERSON—Was then an officer—is now a supervisor. To Mr. KELLY—These were always present when a charge was taken. There were always officers there during the distilling week. That was not constantly the case during the brewing week. The officers examined the premises sometimes at night. They could do so at any uncertain time, if they thought its necessary to take the distiller by surprise. Did not know how long the premises had been u.ed as a distillery. The officers knew that there was a water pipe for :supplying water from the large reservoir over the granaries. That reservoir was capable of containing several hundred thousand gallons of water. It was supplied by the East London Company. A vast quantity of water was necessary for the purposes of a distillery. The stables at the opposite side of the road and the dwelling-house were supplied from that reservoir. Did not know in what way the rectifying distillery of Mr. James Smith was supplied. Was never before aware that it was supplied from a branch pipe from the said reservoir. All the cocks and pipes in a distillery have, according to the Act of Parliament, parti cular colours to distinguish the liquid which passes through them. Mr. KELLY—We have heard a great deal about spirits passing from the vat No. S in the distillery to No. 17 in the rectifying-house. Point out these on the model. (The witness did so, and also showed the plan of the reservoir in the building, on the top of which was the above-mentioned reservoir.) After the spirit was deposited in that receiver, the Excise had done with it, ex cept that the spirit, when the manufacture was completed, and thus passed into that receiver, was dipped, and the quan tity to be charged with duty was ascertained. After that the - Excise had done with it. 'the officers had to ascertain whether the quantity of spirit corresponded with the quantity of wash from which it was made ; 1(X) gallons of wash, at 50, was calculated as capable of yielding 10 gallons of spirit, but it . ought to yield more. lithe product was less, the charge was =vie on the wash ; that is, up to 10 gallons. If it exceeded 10, the excess was charged up to 124 gallons. If the excess was more than a gallon, and a fourth above that, it was inferred, according to the 71st section of the Act, that fraud had been committed. After the officers had once charged upon the spirits in the rece've: they (it r.o:, make shy other c'iarge uroa it when removed to the larger vats. At every distillery the spirits in the receiver was guaged two or three times a day or oftener. When the spirits was removed to the vats, stock was taken by the officers about once a fortnight. The spirit was re moved from the receiver to the vats by pumping it out. In the vats the officers might examine it at any hour of the day ornight, and as often as they pleased. Knows enough of the business to be able to say that the quantity of spirits pro • duced varied with the density and strength of the wash and the qaulity of the grain. Re-examined by Mr. JAMES—Stock was taken once a fort nigl.t. Witness knew nothing of the underground pipe lead ing t o the t ec&ving -lit use. A different set of officers attended to that e•tablishment. Some time was then occupied in reading the description of the premises and utensils returned, according to the Act, by the defendant to the Excise authorities. Mr. William Morland, a land-surveyor, examined by Mr. Jana - Is—He made the model in Court, on a scale of three eighths of an inch to a foot. The pipes are all made to the same scale. A part of one end of the premises was omitted. Cross-examined by Mr. KELLY—In the model two-thirds of the tank were left out, because otherwise the model would be too. large. Did not know enough of the business to be able to say what became of the water which was conveyed by the pipe under the road to the rectifying-house. The whole of the premises (the rectifying-house) and the vessels were supplied from that pipe, with the exception of a spirit vat in the cellar. The pipe had no connexion with the spirit 1 receiver. Joseph Drinkwater, examined by Sir THOMAS WILDE—IS Supervisor of Excise of Stepney second division. Took charge of Mr. Smith's premises in March, 1842. Left it in August. Was also absent from December to January, when helreturned, and remained in survey of the distillery up to June last. Had examined the reservoir and ascertained there was an error in the drip before taken. The model in Court is a correct model of the premises. The entrance to the rectifying-house was in Brick-lane. It was surrounded by a wall which sepa rated it from the distillery, with which there wasno apparent communication. In the distillery there were two very large water-tanks. In Brick-lane there were very large stables, in which the horses belonging to the two establishments, the distillery and rectifying-house, were kept. All the carts he had ever seen belonging to either establish ment were marked with the same name—Thomas Smith and Co. The processes of distilling and brewing were not carried on at the same time, but in different weeks. In brewing, when the water was put to the grain, it was called worts. The vessel was called the under back ; from that it was conveyed to the coolers, and from them ran into the wash back, in which the process of fermentation commenced. The strength of the wash was ascertained by its specific gravity. After that was ascertained, the distiller was allowed to add yeast or other ferment to it. After fermentation commenced the gravity diminished ; but no charge was estimated until it went to the still. It was then estimated according to the attenuation that had taken place in the process of fermentation ; that is, the difference of specific gravity from the first to the last. The change was made for one gallon of proof spirits for every five degrees of attenuation upon a hundred gallons of wash. The receiver had glass sides and a glass top. It was not an exact level, but was somewhat inclined. The quantity in the receiver was ascertained by the dipping rod, which was dipped into it through an opening in the top, which was covered with a brass plate at other times. The quantity contained in the sloping span was ascertained by measuring in water to the length of the level. Witness first took the drip by measuring in the water in September, 1842. He measured in 260 gallons, and the dipping rod told an in clination of four inches six-tenths. To Mr. Baron I:OLEE—It required 260 gallons of water to rise to the level of the highest part of the bottom. To the LORD CHIEF BARON—The dipping-rod having shown an inclination of four inches and six tenths to be covered by 260 gallons, in making the charge that quantity was counted for the first four inches and six-tenths shown by the dipping-rod ; and the remainder of the charge was cal culated by the dimensions of the vat and the height of the contents. The drip taken before was set down as four inches stve 1 tenths, with the same quantity of water. That one tenth difference in the calculation made a difference of about nine gallons in the estimate of the charge. A part of the re ceiver was'sunk in the ground. The place wl:ere it stood was very dark, and in taking their charge the officers were obliged to use a lamp. The place altogether was very in convenient to them.—(The witness explained by the model the position in which the officers stood when using the dip ping -rod, and pointed out the alleged inconvenience, which we could not explain without the same means.)—The depth oft :e receiver was 45 inches ; the spirit was pumped up from the receiver into the vats. Two of the vats were over the receiver. The vat No.B was the furthest from the receiver, 'from which the spirit was pumped into it, through a pipe 26 or 28 feet long. There was an Excise lock upcn the pump, and when thereceiver was exhausted the pump was locked. He knew the large water tank over the granary, front which a pipe ran the w h o l e l ength of the ailding. A branch from it led into the spirit house, and to a small tank tinder the vat No. 8. That small tank was entered in the Excise, both as a spirit and a water-tank. From that there was a pipe which crossed under the carriage way into the rectifying distillery, where it met with another pipe, and a branch front these led to the liquor back. Sir T. \WILDE—you mean the water back? Witness—Yes; liquor always means water. The CHIEF 13AI:use—Then I have been all along following you in a mistake. I thought by " liquor" vou meant spirit. The witness then p o i nte d out the course of these pipes and their ramifications in the two e i sta i blishments. I n several places there were cocks by ' retthtte b w r water e o a r other fluid could be s t oppe d off which from di After the junction. pip e w hi ch crossed under ff t e he road entered the rectifying-house, it went on to the ro t om tha llo. 4, in which there we re no sp i r i t vats. But went next into the sp i r i t store-house, No. It ea pip m de there communicated with a l most a l l the vats. municated directly with the vats from No. 14 to No. 1^ and seat off branches to the oth ers , an d to the receiipse-earanici the wormhead. There were coc k s to a l l these p branches, by which the wate r cou ld b e stopped off from any an or all of them. The principal pipe, from which the junction pipe cross( d under the road Joined the main of the Fa a London Water Compaey ; but the junction-pipe and the branches in the rectifying-house had no connexion with the water. main. There was a trough which traversed the top of the distillery from the large tank, and crossed over the carriage-way, into the rectifying-house, where it supplied all the worm tubs. The worm tubs in the distillery were also supplied from it. In the rectifying-house there was a small tank which was filled with water pumped up from the worm tubs, by the same machinery that worked the pumps in the distillery. In October, 1843, being in the rectifying-house, with two surveying examiners, Cameron, and Frankish, and at, officer, Batten, they noticed that water was coming into the worm-heads. It was about three days after that he gave directions ti open the ground. It was on the 14th of October they first observed the water in the still-heads. On the 15th they saw Mr. George Smith, the defendant. Mr. Cameron asked hint if there was a communication between his distillery and his brother's rectifying-house ? lie replied, 4 You arc not goin , to catch me." Cameron observed that " no doubt Mr. Smith had heard from his brother what occurred at the rectifying - -house the day be fore; but that all they (the officers) wanted to know was, whether there was a communication between the two pre itnt:::.'; (The witness he re o bt a i ne d p erm i ss i on to ref e r to ter.) es which h e made of the conversation immediately af r.) In answer to another question front Mr. Cameron, Mr. Smith said that " the troughs which a pipe from the large tank supplied two premises, with the water with every part of the all the houses in the neighbourhood." main, and consequently with water to be stopped, by,' ibourhood." They then caused the tank from which the ait'eurttiTg a plug in the hole of the pipe into the troughs ; and red through the downright going into the rectifying_ they found that the water still flowed fur which leeat(.ls. The next day five minutes in the worme .ritetdsiti in the rectifying they traced the pipe, from the distillery, to all the n itehpeipe cause front the rectifying housew copyat e ro- of whatlain. house. They were not then aware that the distillery. They thought it came from Mr. KELLY—Are those notes original, or a you first wrote? Witness—They are the Original. Mr. KELLY then asked to look at them, but the Chief ien s Baron said that the Learned Counsel cou ld not have them until the witness had fildslied using them. They were not • evidence, but only used to refresh his memory. Cross-examination resumed—Had suspected before that there was a pipe underground communicating from the dis till ry t ) the rectifying-house. On the 17th, from all they Lad observed, th -y determined to open the ground, and they proceithd to do so in the rectifying-house. They traced the pipes there to the junction-pipe leading tom the distillery. Mr. Cameron went in the meantime to Mr. G. Smith, the defendant, and stated his intention of opening the ground in the distillery. Mr. Smith at first said that they should wait until they had done in the other house, at he wished to employ the same men. Mr. Cameron per sisted, and, after a time, Mr. Smit h gave hint the men to do from the work. On that night some one took out a plug the 4 • • ain, and flooded the excavation in which they had iiirEWS.l.. • ~,, he pipe that day. - er ,-.-r - 7 7 ( : ,F, ' i i r,f,y- You must not charge us with what the nat j _r - ..._ ./cokOanr elid. k.,7 ..„•,: r t.. 4 ,-. a ": \ ,.,ExtiotirOtion resumed—On the 18th and 19th they traced r ,......_ .... „",..„0„.: fleksgp*Across the road, and the whole way to the granaries.. ' F-• 1.-- 4' , .„,% , '0;‹ . .r..06inif-ithen said to Mr. Smith that he thought it i o<V.."'''' - -veotildliell)ossible to transmit spirits from the distillery \ , -t- 7.7--- - t - - % -:".:, • '', S • T E -A FEBR It 6, r _ S OND T S Al' VENI to the rectifying-house through that pipe. Mr. Smith said that it was impossible, as it would require a , left-handed cock to do so, and he defied them to find a left handed. cock on his premises. The officers said that they would make the experiment with a tub of water. Mr. Smith said if they succeeded, they would do more than any one else ever did or thought of. They made the experiment, however. Having connected the tub, containing sixty gallons of water, by a hose with the pipe, and having stopped off the cocks of all the branches except that leading to the vat, No. 17, in the rectifying-house, the water passed from the tub to the vat in about a minute. Witness and Cameron remained in the distillery attending to the tub, while the officers went into the other house to watch the result at the vat. Some of Mr. Smith's servants and he himself were present. After the water was gone from the tub Mr. James Smith came in, and said that the conduct of the officers was diabolical. Mr. G. Smith said that they had put some water in the tub, and that they had made it dis appear as if by some magic of their own. After this ex periment, the officers said they would repeat it with spirits They asked Mr. Smith's permission, which he refused to give. He said that to pass spirits in that way would be illegal ; he would not oppose them by force, but would hold them responsible for whatever they did. Witness procured a pipe eleven feet long, with which he connected the spirit vat No. 8, in the distillery, with the vat No. 1 7, in the rectifying-house. The strength of the spirit in No. 8 had been first ascertained by the other officers. The spirit was then permitted to flow from the vat into the pipe,. but after a short time it ceased to flow. This was ascertained,upon examination, to be occasioned by air in the pipes. This was remedied by permitting water from the water-tank to flow through them, as there was a great pressure ; and the leaks being stopped with putty, the spirits in the vat No. 8, was examined, and it was found that about 33 gallons had been used in the first trial. The cock of No. 8 was then turned, and the spirits permitted to flow into thepipe. Whilst it was running he went round to No. 17, in the other house, and four.d the spirits coming in very fast, and of a great strength. gradually increasing to eleven above proof. Ile bad samples of the spirit in Court. He had not himself tested the strength of the spirit in No. 8. When they were satisfied with the experiment they got out the spirit that remained in the pipes, by causing the water from the tank to flow through them, which forced the spirit out. They afterwards tasted the water, and found that it had no flavour of spirit. When they were about to make the experiment, Mr. G. Smith said they would contaminate all the water on the premises with spirits, and the horses would be drunk for weeks. Subsequently, on the 30th, Mr. Smith toll him that his family had not been able since the experiment to get a drop of water free from the taint of spirits. Witness said lie would taste the water himself; but Mr. Smith would not allow him, and asked " By what right he attempted to enter his (defendant's) house ?" To the CIIIEF BARON-The quantity of spirits which re mained in the whole line of pipes after the flow from one vat to the other had ceased, would be abo u t 450 ga ll ons . Th ese might (if allowed to remain long in the pipes) beco m e mi xe d with a little water. The CHIEF BARox—Then every time the machinery was employed to pass spirits from the one house to the other 450 gallons would be placed in jeopardy ? Witness (to Sir T, Wilde)—The mixture of the water would not be of any consequence, because all the spirits had to be re-distilled in the process of rectification. After the experiment, it was found that there were 3,5001 G gallons in vat No. 17, which had before been empty. Eleven hundred gallons of water were afterwards passed through the pipes to show that no spirit remained in them. Sir T. WILDE said that he was now about to examine the witness on another part of the case. The Lora) CHIEF JUSTICE said that it would be more ex pedient to adjourn the examination till to-morrow, as it was now beyond half. past four. Mr. RELAX submitted that it was highly desirable that the jury should examine the premises in person, as it was evident that the model, elaborate as it was, did not enable them to judge correctly of the evidence. The Somerton-GENERAL said that, if the application had been made before the trial had proceeded so far, he should have been disposed to accede to it. But he thought it would now be highly inexpedient. Mr. LtnTrN could not see what was the objection. The defendant's friends could exercise no influence or misrepresent anything, as the premises were entirely in the hands of the Excise. The CHIEF BARON thought it would be necessary now to go on as well as they could with the assistance they already possessed. The Court then rose. LONDON AND COUNTY JOINT STOCK BANK- The Directors and Shareholders of this establish ment held their usual half-yearly meeting at their office, 7, Lombard-street, yesterday. The SECRETARY read the advertisement conven ing the meeting, and the Directors' report, of which the following is the substance : " Your Directors have again much pleasure in laying their half-yearly report before the Proprietors. " Your Directors are happy to report the business of the Bank continues to improve and to increase, and they recommend the payment of the usual dividend at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum on the capital stock of the Company for the half-year ending Dec. 31, 1844. " The Proprietors will recollect, that at the last meeting the Directors reported, they had, by a second verdict, maintained their right to hold the Scrip of the Royal Mail Packet Company, which had heen lodged with them fer advances bona fide made to Messrs. Coils, the brokers of Messrs. Acraman of Bristol. After alluding to the law proceedings (the trial against the assignees of Messrs. Acraman) the report stated that the present head office could not afford the accommodation required by the great increase of the Company's business, and that they had obtained the more extensive premises, 21, Lombard-street, to which they intend to remove during the ensuing month. The CHAIRMAN then proceeded to address the meet ing at considerable lengths. He congratulated the Shareholders on the prosperous state of the affairs of the bank for the past half year, which he said had not only been very satisfactory, but far exceeded the most sanguine expectations of the Directors. He then alluded to the state of the Branch Banks, which he said were equally satisfactory and profitable in their !malts. With regard to the legal proceedings in which the Company were likely to be involved, he said this was the third time they would be compelled to take their position as defendants, in order to submit to a jury of merchants the question as to whether they had a right to dispose of scrip, of which they had become the holders. He next read the balance-sheet, by which it appeared that a large suns was to be placed to the credit of the Company. Having spoken at considerable length, and congratu lated the Shareholders upon being the pro prietors of so prosperous and profitable a con cern, he next answered several questions that were put to him by some proprietors upon matters of detail, and the replies appeared to give general satis faction. The meeting unanimously adopted the balance sheet, re-elected the out-going members of the Board and auditors, and having passed a resolution to the effect that the directors be paid 1,5001., to be divided amongst them as remuneration for their services, the usual votes of thanks were passed, and the meeting separated. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. ;FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF THIS DAT. STANDARD.—The debate in the House of Com • mons last night was—as always happens on the second night of the session, when there is no amendment to the address, and scarcely a formed opposition party—very flat, and, if we may apply so undignified a word, " rag ged"—a thing of shreds and patches. We regra that the Premier was not able to give a more encou raging reply to the question put to him re spesting the proposed refuge harbours in the Channel ; but we are bound to own that we feel more regret than surprise at the Right Honourable baronet's hesitation. lie knows that the construction of the har bours will involve a considerable expense, probably five or six millions stering, and he knows, no minister ever had such good reason to know it, that a surplus of re venue over income is a principal spring of national pros perity ; that surplus his wisdom has secured, and with it the inseparably attendant prosperity ; and he must be !sorgiren if he is reluctant to risk them—at all events reluctant to plei'ge herself to any expensive measures until Parliament has given him security that the means of effecting it should not fail without encroaching upon his surplus. On the other hand, we cannot help seeing that the Channel refuge harbours are a necessity created by our augmented commerce, and by the change that me am navigation must effect in thesystem of maritime war. Nor can we be blind to the fact that if they are not under taken by a minister as bold and successful in his financial policy as Sir Robert Peel, they never will be undertaken at all. The sum proposed is large, say six millions sterlirg, but these six millions could not be expended in one year, two years, or probably in less than six years. The expenditure until all the harbours should be com pleted, would, therefore, scarcely exceed one million per annum in the whole six years—little more than one year's produce of the property-tax. Is it possible, however, to imagine any money so well laid out ? Had Mr. Pitt realised his plan of a refuge harbour at Dover, which in the then imperfect state of constructive science it was calcu lated a ould cost four millions (though it is now esti mated at no more than two millions and a half), there is no doubt that the four millions would, before this, have been re-paid five times over in vessels (lives out of question) saved from shipwreck ; five times over again, in facilities afforded to the river com merce, and twenty times over in the advantage it would have afforded during the late war. The Channel harbours, accompanied by the increase in our steam navy in progress, would in fact double—more than double the power of this country, offensive as well as defensive, in any future war a ith neiabouring nation of the Continent. We do not, however, contemplate the subject in a military light. Preparation for war is no doubt the best guarantee of peace, but there are other guarantees of peace much p t ,whichharbour Channel n i e r l e l u i s a r i b u o ur s full , measure e r e s p . e Fl. l c l y e communication and active commerce are these pleasanter guarantees, and the harho •of d o r u a r w si n de early all the coasting of the Channe } urs which we speak trade of Western Eukrovi:eutlod pla,cod as that harbour is Dunkirk, sometimes s atpr een t Raasms an geantter,epi l obe t boldlybut Havre and Rotterdam ; D ee o n ve D r i , e p s p ta e nd ai i i n d g D u nn' in the Channel, flanked by Dungenessas it does stand out the noble roadstead, the Downs, on one side, and with a safe, capacicus, deep -water the other, would, the universal entrepot of the Channel harbour, become for both sides. This is a subjectecoasting trade the elder readers of the Standard upon eo which, as long held very strong opinions ; but if it were ewree havep sible to strengthen our previous convictions the would be strengthened by a glance at Mr. Wyld's recently published and splendid post map of Europe. In this map the distances of the several ports in the Channel from each other are carefully laid down, and it is impossible not to see in a compansen of these dis tances, the enormous amount of coasting commerce that this country sacrifices in not providing a safe, capacious, deep water harbour at Dover. TATTERSALL'S.-THIS EVENING of what had passed. The representative of the French Government had more ample means in his power of presenting an accurate record of what had passed, but no such record existed as far as the Eng lish Government was concerned. He could assure the House that he did not shrink from the production of these papers, because he thought their production would be injurious to the Government, but he did hope that if the feelings of the House and of the country were favourable to the principle of bringing these differences to an amicable conclusion, and as each pa r t y h a d made concessions, forjthe sake of bringing the matter to that amicable conclusion—if the House was satisfied with the course hich the Government had taken, he trusted they would he content with the production of the result of those communications, and would not press for the pro• duction of those portions of the correspondence which were of an irritating character.—(Loud cheers.) He felt obliged for the nianner in which he had put the question, and he trusted that after the announcement which bad been made, the Right Hon. Gentleman I would not press for the production of the whole of the papers. Lord J. RUSSELL thought that the production of the results of the correspondence would be satis factory. It would be irregular to press for the pro duction of papers, the production of which would be injurious to the public service, and as to the produc tion of any irritating correspondence, he would not press for it. ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS BILL. M r . F. BARING seeing the Right Hon. Gentle man the Secretary of the Home Department in his place, would ask him if it was his intention to intro • duce, during the present session, any measure for the regulation of the Ecclesiastical Courts.—(Cheers.) Sir JAMES GRAHAM had already given notice of the introduction of several measures of very great importanee during the present session ; but, from the experience of the last two sessions —(A laugh)— he despaired of being enabled to bring in any measure for the regulation of Eccle siastical Courts, which would be satisfactory to the present Parliament.—(Cheers and laughter.) He knew not what might be the intention of his Hon. and Learned Friend the Advocate-General—(A. laugh)—but he himself had no intention of bringing forward any measure on the subject.—(Laughter.) Lord J. RUSSELL put a question relative to the charter of the College of Surgeons, which we could not catch. Sir J. GRAHAM said the Hon. Member for Finsbury had given notice of a moti , n for the pro duction of the charter to the College of Surgeons. He had offered no opposition to the production of other papers connected with the subject. These papers would be laid upon the table. Mr. WAKLEY said the Right Hon. Gentleman had not correctly interpreted the nature of his motion, which was for a copy of the memorial pre sented to the Crown from the Council of the College of Surgeons. MONTE VIDEO AND BUENOS AYRES. Mr. EWART said he would feel obliged for an answer to the question he was about to put, if it were convenient to the Government to answer it, if not he would put the question on some other occasion. He alluded to the trade of the river La Plata which, had been so much obstructed of late, and it would give him great pleasure to hear that there was even an approximation to an arrangement of the subject. The British merchants entertained great apprehensions regarding the trade with these parts, as the Government of Buenos Ayres had inter fered with the navigation of the River Plata. He had hoped, from the aspect which things presented last session, that some combined operations on the part of the Governments of France, England, and Brazil, would be attempted. Sir ROBERT PEEL said he regretted exceed ingly the prolongation of those lamentable hostilities between the inhabitants of the two small powers whose quarrel disturbed the commerce of Eu rope. He could assure the Ilonourable and Learned Gentleman that this question had occupied the attention of the Government during the recess. He had a communication with the Go vernment of Brazil, and with the Government of France on the subject. He mild not better illus trate the importance of a cordial co-operation be tween France and England, than by mentioning what had occurred on this subject. When the proposal for interference was made to France, that Goverment at once hearkened to the call, and joined in their efforts. He trusted that, with the concurrence of Brazil, the three Governments, by acting in complete concert, would make such representations to the belligerent parties as would terminate these disestrous events. He hoped the good sense of the parties would not reject such mediation.—(Hear, hear.) ASSIZE EXPENSES IN IRELAND. Lord CLEMENTS wished to know whether the expenses of the going judges of assizes in Ireland had • been increased, in consequence of any recent arrange ment? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the Noble Lord was not present last session when the votes regamling law expenses in Ireland were under th e cons id eration of the House. The grounds for seeki ng an additional allowance sere simply these. By an Irish Act of Parliament ' the judges were allowed 201. Irish to provide them ' selves with lodgings in the several assize towns in Ireland. The sum was found inadequate to obtain lodgings in which the judges could decently reside; and it appeared therefore t o th e G overnment that an estimate should be submitted t o P arliament for an increased allowance. Accordingly an estimate was submitted in the course of the last session, Parliament acquiesced in the amount fixed, namely, 6691. for the thirty-nine assize towns. Lord G. SOMERSET moved for leave to intro. duce the six following Bills :—the Companies Clauses Consolidation Bill ; the Lands Clauses Consolidation Bill ; the Railway Clauses Consolidation Bill ; the Companies Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) Bill the Lands Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) 8111 ; the Railway Clauses Consolidation (Scotland) Bill; the object of the Government in introducing Bills was to emboiy the statutes which already existed in one uniform Act. Great uncertainty had hitherto pre vailed in reference to the matters which were em braced by their provisions ; s.nd on this ground it had been thought desirable that some general Bills should be introduced. The Noble Lord spoke, in an extremely low tone, of the proceedings of the Board of Trade. He could see no objection to fourteen days being allowed, after the reports of the Board had beE n published for allowing parties to decide whether they would proceed or not. For his own part, he should never consider himself bound, either as repre senting one constituency, or in his more general cha racter as a Member of that House, to follow in the track of the Board of Trade. He wished it to be understood that those Bills would not be com pulsory; 1 • but they would be found to be so useful that he scarcely apprehended any opposition to them, and therefore he trusted the House would go further than he had at first expected, and give them the support they merited. He did not think it would he convenient if he troubled the House with any fur ther observations, and therefore he would conclude with this observation, that the copies of tha Bills would be in the hands of Members by Saturday next. _ _ Lord HOWICK thought the explanation given by the Noble Lord opposite quite satisfactory. He did think that fourteen days' notice after the reports of the Board of Trade were before the public quite suffi cient. He thought he also understood the Noble Lord to say that it was the intention of her Majesty's Government, when there were two competing lines reportel on, those reports should be referred to a Committee of the House. This was a point of ex treme importance, in order that the report should have a full and fair scrutiny; so tha` if this point be conceded, he was quite satisfied. He would also wish to remark, in reference to the Bills which the Noble Lord now proposed to bring forward, that the country should feel greatly indebted to him for them, as they would tend greatly to les sen the expenses hitherto attending those meaeuree; but before he sat down he would beg leave to ask when these Bills would be laid upon the table of the House ? There was one other observation he had to make. In order to carry out substantially those arrangements he had been alluding to, regarding the reports of the Board of Trade, it would be necessary, where there were reports on two competing lines, that that which had been unfavour ably reported on, should have precedence before the Committee of that m hich had been favourably re ported, for this would be only fair.--(Hear, hear.) He thought that a company should not be allowed to carry a Bill through the Committee, where there vvai a competing line, without giving the latter an oppor tunity of putting forward their case, whether the re port of the Board of Trade had been favourable or not. Mr. lIODGSON wished to say a few words upan what had fallen from the Noble Lord, who had said that the line in favour of which the Board of Trad e h a d reported, shou ld no t be proceeded with in Com m itt e until the Board s h ou ld also have reported on th e compet i ng line. N ow , one he thought this might i n some cases era te unfairly. There might be two compan i es, of which, although ready to proce e d, would prefer d e l a y, in the hope of forcing the compet i ng company to co me to a com promise; what he s h ou ld recommen d was, that after the Board of Trade had reported in favour of one line, the other company should be admitted to appear in opposition before the Committee with plans and drawings. Sir GEORGE GREY thought that the delay suggested by his Noble Friend was only reasonable, and would not operate materially to the inconvenience of the Company favoured in the report of the Board of Trade. Sir It. PEEL had said that the Government would give the subject their impartial co nsideration, and they had done so. What he proposed was, that the parties should be allowed to present their petition whenever they pleased, but that they should not be obliged to present them before fourteen days. He had that day had an interview with his Right Hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, and he thought it would not be desirable to cost I .oep the presentation of those reports that related to railways that might be considered to belong to a particular class, not immediately bearing on other railways, till the whole of the reports should be ready. His Right Hon. Friend would be prepared in the course of the next week to take one particular class of rail ways —say the Kentish lines—and present, during the week, the report on that c l ass , an d th en p rocee d with various other classes. The whole would thus be divided into six or seven families, if he might so call them, the interests of which were neither competing nor connected with other lines, and periodical reports of them laid before the House. It was never contemplated that the Board shouldin any way f e tter o r con t ro l th e dis cretion of Parliament. The intervention of the Board of Trade was for a specified purpose, for afford ing information to the House, and that intervention did not at all involve the Government in any neces sity of taking any other part in questions connected with railroads than it had hitherto done. Col. SIBTHORPE said it was pretty well-known to that House and to the country, that be was not t p o ar a ti s c k ully a ar goest p io a n rt , ial in to o ilonsreagoreonacdos. of some rose now somoreports that had been circulated in reference to certain members of what was called the Railway Commis gsiooont.lemTehneooLupesotsiioong the Commissionany of wereth e four directly or indirectly, with any o f th ose rai l roa d s was if which had been brought under their consideration ? Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET said it had never struck him that the question which had been put by his Gallant Friend would have been asked. He was not consulted with regard to the formation of the Committee. All he knew from the communica tions which had been given was, that parties always expressed themselves satisfied with the fairness and intelligence with which the casesthat came before the Committee had been discussed. Mr. WAKLEY said that the question which had been put by the Hon. and Gallant Colonel was not answered by the Noble Lord. He did not expect that it would, because the Noble Lord did not possess the necessary information on the subject. It was true, as stated by the Hon. and Gallant Colonel, that reports were actively circulated in the City to the prejudice of holders of rail way shares. It was stated generally and openly by parties acquainted with railway subjects that private information in the market or parties could not have made such enormous sums of money within a few weeks.—(Hear, hear.) The Right Hon. Baronet opposite alluded to the circumstance how dangerous to the character of the Government it would be if such an opinion were circulated and not contradicted or capable of being contra dicted. But the Right Hon. Gentleman wished to have something like a tangible accusation. There was great difficulty in obtaining such information, but this was clear, that certain parties in the city who were engaged in the sale of railway shares happened to be right in their speculations, and were not wrong in any one instance for several weeks ; and one gen tleman made 40,0001. b y t h e sa l e o f s h ares i n a single day, the sh a r es h av i ng gone f rom a sma ll premium to a premium of 91. 105. or 10/. in the course of a few hours. The Noble Lord the Member for Sunder land had opened the question last night in a most able and practical speech. The Right Hon. Gentleman paid th a t a tt en ti on t o it w h ic h it deserved, and showed by hi s d ec i s i on o f a dj ou r n ing the subject, that he was himself influenced by prejudice, but was open to receive impressions from either side of the House. But the question then opened ought not to be thus abruptly terminated. If the the only result to be obtained by . the speech of the Noble Lord, was an extension of the time with regard to the introduction of Private Bills, he would feel greatly disappointed as to the benefit which he anticip a t e d f rom the speech which the Noble Lord had addressed to the House. If he (Mr. Wakley) recollected rightly, the Right Hon. Gen tleman, when sitting on his (Mr. Wakley's) side of the House, said that he had sat for 63 or 65 days on, he believed, the Stafford and Rugby Railway Committee. During the whole of that time was not one gigantic company fighting another company, and beatingjus tice and principle out of doors.— (Hear, hear.) The Right Hon. Gentleman had stated that that iniquity had been perpetrated yesterday ; the Right Hon. Gentleman, in reply to the Noble Lord who had so ably discussed the subject, stated that it was most difficult to control barristers in their addresses to Committees of that House. That was a most extraordinary declaration for the first Minister of England to make ; a Minister, be it remembered, who influenced Foreing Powers in no ordinary de gree.—(Hear, hear.) How extraordinary that he should complain, in his place in Parliament, of the difficulty of controlling barristers in their ad dresses to Committees of that House.—(Laughter.) He did deny that the conduct of Committees of that House with regard to private Bills was not only inju rious to the best interests of the country, but disgraceful to the cause of justice and detrimental to the character of that House.—(Hear, hear.) They could not be ignorant of the practices carried on there. Why it was well known that barristers of moderate ability, during the last session, earned their 68 and 12,0001. in the Committees of that House.—(Hear, hear.) The difficulty of controlling barris ters ! Why, the Right Honourable Baronet were he applying his vigorous mind to find a remedy could do so in less than four hours, and it was only for want of that application that they had not the remedy before them. They need not expect it from the law officers, for barristers had too much respect for the law, to throw out insinuations against barristers. The common sense of the people of England found out the best mode of transacting bnsiness—of accomplishing their objects. Supposing the Right Hon. Baronet employed a physician, and said, "As long as I am in good health I will give you ten guineas a-day." Why, when did they think the Right Hon. Baronet would be ill ?—(Laughter.) Supposing, again, that he got into a cab at the end of Oxford-street, and said to the cabman—" I wish to see the Lord Mayor's Mansion -house ; but I don't know, perhaps you don't, but drive me about the streets till you find it, and I'll give you a guinea a day."—(Continued laughter.) He ,vould, I am assured, be a very long time in finding it. What was the common rule with barristers ? This. They got their ft o for a particular case, and how long did they think the trial lasted. It was, indeed, a lengthened one if it went over a couple of days. It was, at all events brought to a conclusion within a very limited period. But iu the Committee of that House the case was very different. Ilis (Mr. Wakley) information said, that barristers in Committee were paid by the day, divisions in each clause. The senior barrister, to which he alluded, commenced arguing the question on the first sub-division, and he commenced a kind of circle, for their was neither beginning nor end to his argument, but he continued during five hours upon the first sub-division, and at the end of that time it was intimated that the Speaker was at prayer. On the following day one of the Committee said, " Good God, when will there b 3 a termination to this affair! I really think I shall ensure my life—he has not got through one of his subdivisions—l am sure it will kill me." And yet there were 183 clauses to go through with. The junior barrister in a Committee frequently asked for time, in consequence of his senior being absent, and it was a perfectly notorious thing that seniors frequently required Committoes to be adjourned from day to day, and witnesses to be detained, at an enormous expense, until it was conve nient for them to be present. He (Mr. Wakley) had been informed that a junior barrister, very young, addressed a Committee some thing after the following effect:—" Mr. Chairman their . d a le ne cessary and Gentlemen, the Bill I hold in my hand contains 183 clauses, and each clause contains a distinct subject, and that subject, I find, on being sub-divided, will em brace 13 subdivisions." 183 clauses and 13 sub thirteen subdivisions in each. When they applied common sense to such a practice as this, he thought it would be seen that it called for immediate remedy, in every view in which the subject conld be taken. There was not an aspect in which it could be placed before the mind that did not cry for a remedy. Somebody was robbed. Members of that House were robbed of . their time, robbed of their comfort, robbed of their health, and robbed of their convenience ; while other parties were robbed of their money, and might be ruined by these disgraceful proceedings. He thanked the Noble Lord (Lord Howick) for having introduced the subject, and he trusted the Right lion. Gentleman opposite would endeavour to apply a remedy to the evil complained of. He would only trouble the House with one more remark, and . that was, with respect to the secret proceedings of the Committee of the Board of Trade. The Noble Lord had alluded to the vast amount of property that was placed almost at the disposal of that Board. The Noble Lord also justly stated . that every trial in which property was involved was made public. They must recollect that the character of the Go vernment was implicated in these rumours. II Gentlemen opposite, he was sure, could * not o b n. aware of what was . said on this subji.ct.—(lfeare, i e n g absolutely h ea r.) What objection could there be if t acted r honestly wing the r and do or s uprightly, operi_ f throwing rwo, were the Committee of the Board of Trade, open, and letting the public see all that trans ir d oors (Hear, hear.) . If there were insuperable ' o p bst e that the tribunal should he a secret tribunal, would be better that it should be at once aboulnial, dit because its continuance,. under such circumstances,se would not only inflict great injury upon individuals but would bring the character of the Government itself' into disgrace.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE said that the lion. Gentleman had made many forcible remarks on the delay which took place in the conducting of the pri v,if@ business heforis Cc, , mmittc,' rt that he had also asked why mat dcpart nt of tl-e Board of Trade did not conduct their business %,%ith open doors. lie would give the Hon. Gentleman one reason only, they did not do so. If the railway de partment of the Board of Trade were to conduct their business in public, the lion. Gentleman would find that there would be the same complaint made of the delays, the dilatoriness and the expense of con ducting investigations before that Committee that he had so justly made of the manner in which private business was conducted before Committees of that House. He admitted the great difficulty which existed from the not conducting the inquiries before the Board of Trade with open doors ; but on the other hand, it should be considered that these inquiries were not final; they were merely pre- Ihninary inquiries. On no other grounds could the constitution of that tribunal be defensible.—(Cheers.) The real question was, if, on the whole, it was not expedient that some such preliminary inquiry should be made. He confessed that he was of opi nion that however doubtful might be their decisions in some instances, on the whole the experi ment had worked well. He admitted that any inquiry involving secrecy must be necessarily imper fect, and therefore he fell back upon the dec'earation which had been made last session, that these inquiries before the Board of Trade did not profess to give any definite result.—(Cheers) He hoped the House would look at the question not upon abstract principles, but with a view to practical re sults. They were at present in a great crisis in railway matters. A mass of proposals had been brought forward. The whole speculative action of the country seemed to be concentrated upon railways, and although fault might be found with some of the decisions of the Committee of the Board of Trade, valid objections might be urged against those inquiries not being conducted in public, yet he would ask the House in what condition they would have found themselves if no preliminary inquiry had taken place, but if, at the present moment, they had had 240 railway Bills laid en the table of the House of Com mons without any clue to guide them in the investi gation of their respective merits, but leaving the whole of them subject to those delays of which the Hon. Gentleman had so justly complained in the conduct of the private business of the House. The subject would, no doubt, undergo further investigation at a future time, and there could be no doubt that where such immense interests were idvolved certain parties must be disappointed. The Hon. Gentleman had alluded to certain rumours, but he would express a confident opinion that up to the present moment,:on the whole, the public sentiment was in favour of those decisions to which the railway depart ment of the Board of Trade had come. The arrangements had been made with a view to candour and impartiality. He must say on behalf of the Railway Department of the Board of Trade, that the utm st possible precautions had been made to insure secrecy. The Honourable Gen tleman said that notions had gone abroad as to what the nature of these repots would be. A very small p ar t o f th e H on. Gentle man's sagacity would enable him to see that that was no proof, nor even a very strong presumption, that anything had been divulged from the railway department. (LEFT SPEAKING.) MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS The following are the results of "A Table of Mortality in the Metropolis, showing the Number of Deaths from all Causes registered in the Week ending Saturday, tilt Ist of February, 1845." The Table is issued from the Office of the Registrar-General:—. CAUSES OF DEATH Weekly . Total. Average of e Years Epidemic, Endemic, and C on t ag i ous Diseases 200 Fl` 184 Diseases of variable or uncertain seat llO 106 Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses 155 159 Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of Respiration Diseases of the Heart and 8100d - vessels 29 24 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion .. Diseases of the Kidneys, &c Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c. lO 10 Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles 4 6 Diseases of the Skin, &c. ...... . ... Old Age, or Natural Decay 89 70 By Violence, Privation, or Intemperance Causes specified ...............1004 954 Deaths from all Causes ...... . ................... 1011 963 DEATHS FROM THE PRINCIPAL DISEASES INCLUDED UNDER THE ABOVE HEADS. Total. Weekly Average Consumption of Five Years. 121 147 Scarlatina 35 36 Pneumonia .......... Dropsy ..... .. .. Hooping Cough 26 33 Typhus Small Pox Disease of the Heart Measles Apoplexy .......... ... .... ... 26 19 Diseases of the Brain ...... Diarrhoea.. Sudden Deaths DISTRICTS. Deaths Weekly Births in Average of in the Week. Five Years. the Week, West North lB9 176 199 Central East 221 209 274 South Total .... ......... ..... 1011 963 1236 MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS.—The followingpara graph appeared yesterday in a morning Contemporary whose abject servility is but ill-rewarded by its patrons: " Our well-informed Contemporary, the Times, stated yes terday morning, in its leading columns, that Sir George Clerk was to be the Vice-President of the Board of Trade. In the House of Commons, last night, Mr. Young moved for a new writ for the borough of Stamford, Sir George Clerk having accepted the office of Master of the Mint. So much for the early and accurate information of the Times! Neither Mr. Cardwell nor Sir George Clerk has been ap pointed Vice-President of the Board of Trade, although our Contemporary first gave the appointment to one, and then to the other." The stupidity of our Contemporary is, if possible, greater than usual. The office of Master of the Mint is always held conjointly with that of either President or Vice-President of the Board of Trade: There is but one salary —two thousand pounds a-year—specifically all , ,Wd for the Board of Trade, and the office of Master of the Mint, which has no duties attached, is annexed to either of these appointments as may be necessary. Mr. Gladstone was President of the Board of Trade and Master of the Mint, receiving the salary of the latter office, which is also 2,000/. per annum. Lord Dalhousie, previous to Mr. Gladstone's retirement, was Vice-President, and received the salary attached to the appointment in the Board of Trade, which he still retains. The office of the Master of the Mint is in con sequence held by Sir George Clerk, in conjunction with the Vice-Presidency. And the writ for Stamford was moved for on the acceptance of office as Master of the Mint only, as it is not usual to confer the appointment of " Vice-President of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade" upon any per s on until he has been sworn in as a Privy Councillor, which Sir George Clerk has not yet had the opportunity of doing. Mr. Cardwell is Secretary of the Treasury, and lies taken his seat at the Board in the usual manner. —Times. COLD WATER CIIRE.—A singular incident occurred during the fire at the warehouse of Messrs. M'Crea and Boord, which took place last week in this town. Amongst the individuals who laudably gave their assistance on the occasion, was Mr. John Brier, hairdresser, and landlord of the Labour-and -Health house, Southgate. For some years Mr. Brier had laboured under deafness, still more so on catch ing cold. On this occasion, whilst actively en gage d i nside the burning buildi ng , one of the engines played into his ear, and knocked him down. On recovering from the stunning effects of the accident, Mr. Brier found, to his great surprise and gratification, that his hearing was completely restored, and finding the benefit to continue, gave the firemen a treat, declaring they had done him more good than all the doctors in the town.—Lralifax Guardian. ASTOUNDING ! The following will amuse our readers :—" The Havre and Rouen Railroad Company, founded by Charles Laffitte, is thus composed," says the Courrier Francais:—" the principal engineers are English, the overseers are English, the operatives are English, and the machinery has been fabricated in England. Everything in the concern is English, even Charles Laffitte himself, who voted for Pritchard." IMPERIAL PARLIAN ENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 5. ADMISSION OF STRANGERS TO THE HOUSE. Mr. CHRISTIE said he believed he was at liberty to state that the amendment he was about to prcpose was sanctioned by the Speaker. When he moved a similar amendment last session his proposed alteration was resisted by the Right lion. Baronet opposite, because from its wording it had reference to other parts of the House than the body. His present amend ment, however, had been drawn up in strict accordance with the views of the Hon. Baronet opposite, and it fully met with the concurrence, as he had previously stated, of the Speaker. Under these circumstances it would be unnecessary for him to trouble the House, and he would simply move the following amendment : " That the Sergeant -at-Arms attending this House do, from time to time, take into his custody any stranger whom he may see, or who may be re ported to hi m t o b e, i n any part of the House or gal lery appropriated to the Members of this Home, and also any stranger who, having been admitted into any other part of the House or gallery, shall mis conduct himself, or shall not withdraw when strangers are directed to withdraw, while the House, or any Committee of the whole House, is sitting, and that no person so taken into custody be discharged out of custody without the special order of the House. That no Member of this House do presume to bring any stranger into any part of the House or gallery appropriated to the Meatleers of this House, while the House or a Committee of the whole House, is s itting. That the , ' above resolutions be standing orders. Dr. BOWRING seconded the amend ment. Mr. B. \V LLIA MS could see no reason why? ?:01 be :-.10 -,- ;;A to enter that Nouse. fully for crcky but at the same time he tiitiug ht. it was unjust not allow strangers to be present at debates. Lord J. RUSSELL interrupted the Hon. Member , and pointed out to him that the amendment did not exclude strangers. Mr. WILLIAMS, after reading the amendaimi ent, continued.—The fact was, he had made a slight f i take.—(A laugh.) He had been so m uch engar __ that day that he had had no opportuni t y lie un til t of reading the motion paper.—(Laught er.) would, therefore, not trouble tne House further. _ Sir R. 11. INGLIS wished to put a q uestion Pry the Speaker, bearing upon the exclusion of strang ee. Hitherto it had only been necessary for an cen t ' Member to observe that strangers were pr e and the Speaker immediately req uested W ilt, withdrawal without the question being as in other instances, to the vote of the Il"" - 100 et Now he Li ished to be informed whether, kingvais the construction of one of the sessional o rders,. i t ci by not necessary that the question should b e decided a majority, and not absolutely by an indi Member. Ought not a debate and a division to place on the question ? The SPEAKER said that he had pre vious e Leo ' mated to the Right Hon. Baronet that h e could ,Ds of no objection to an amendment to meet the vie * es , the Right Honourable Baronet. But the c i u do tion, in fact, had aothing whatever t o e e wi. h the standing orders on the book .ci s not the House. The exclusion of strangers di d e ar depend upon the sessional orders. It we e of the right for any Member to call the attention and Speaker to the fact that strangers were present'• wite to request that they might be ordered to.d e sl draw. It was an inhere n t right of each ind'Y'bieb Member, and rested up on the same prineiP le „ " ;tbst gave any Hon. Member the privilege of Inev" .. ed e oe the House be counted, which was immediately toe upon such motion being made; and upon the :d to principle, the instant any Hon. Member obser v ; in the Speaker that strangers were present it we It cumbent upon him to order them to wit hartivi e se was open to the Right Hon. Baronet to amv amendment to put an end to the latter privilege•vv Mr. HUME wished to ask whether enYeeespace rangement had taken place by which tn e d been allotted for the accommodation of strangers bad altered, as the space already allotted for t heir t ' modation was extremely small. orde r The SPEAKER said he heed not given e n e eß eing on the subject. Th ere was gre at diffi cu lty ln : t e of desirable arrang emen t s regar di n g the twi l°4B- strangers. alie , • he Mr. HUME said that, on behalf of the would impress upon the House the necessity o f ": ones arrangements more convenient than the preseaLbooe Those persons who c ame th e re to hear the ce 1 001 were much exposed t o co ld, and had s car room. t wool' The SPEAKER said that ever y arrange m Oie eon' be made for the ac commo d a ti o n of the Pli"'/ tha t sistent with the a ccommo d a ti on of Mem bers House. The question et as th en p u t a nd agreed to. of PRIVATE COMMITTEES" ee„doe Mr. WALLACE b egge d t o call the at''-eieg y° the House, especially of those Members bel time or ' a Committees of Sele c ti on , to the waste of rivet° money which the present arrangements of ! ess ioet Committees involved. H e m entioned 11 ' 4 x pens e that, in the instanc e o f one ra ilway Bill, the o e had reached the e normous amou nt of 100,00%rithoot trusted the present session would not Pe es s ubje ct ' some effectual arrangement being made once t e i . igee r He was far from i m p eac hi ng the condu O' greatt e' bers on those Committ ees , who bestowed th e the pains and labour in endeavouring to k e , t e p ee t in a reasonable condition ; but they had deal t' their power to do th a t w hi c h they so inu c koe • 1- 7 Last session he called the attention of the, ad 131 . two private Bills ; th e fi rs t was the golik' r e e- es way Bill, the second was the Paisley it t es e° Although those Bills came before the l'° ie re e ll oe a ss' March 25th, on July 25th they were yet in he anise Now this was a fact which could n ot be contr ybo ther and he would leave it to the House to sal halve' it was not its duty to alter such a state ,_ 0 .4 t 13 6,: He would contend that the House guardhad p o riew power to enable Private Committees to 1 'Cit ° 50. 1 fie such annoyance. It was not right the. 69 1 g should have it in their power to send for et' lle se ; eounsel, thus entailing enormous eq e be e usew; f w hile the solicitors had the power, it wolli" expect or parties concerned in private Bills to m curtailment of these expenses. He felt g ee ° efic.A ° vinced that it would be - greatly for the - f e a bih i e- v- e those private companies, if counsel we re I). e Li. ' altogether from entering Committee-o°o3-'OA° believed that this practice gave a facility to thee taking fees, which was not permitted . 1 5 0CI House in Committees on public busineseteneei" which tended materially to increase the ec i r o tioN and afford facilities for delay and pro s w as which could not otherwise emir. 0 1 % gout practice that had brought discredit upon th B if 0 00 w and which discredit would go on incre,,,asi.‘ngsober step were not taken to stop it. The D e ' . o f P r e./ concluded by calling upon such Member s oh ittiP vate Committees as were then present, twobsealYenitfteeeel:ttlo they agreed with him in part or in the he had said, and, by moving for a Select Conn i ve o ies' ascertain whether they could not sugges t el of P r°. sure by which to prevent this dillatory In °-- ceeding with private Bills. h er r Majesty's EWART wished to put a quest'cln.,utioo,° Committees Bn te G Government Houserela relative upon o the consti. wished to see the Members C private Bills of Committees free from all personal interest in the ttier e. tions which had to be submitted mittees Peer pith tee This principle had been recognised those i v w thrie e t f ' spect to certain railway Bills; nanlea , '• on 1 1 competing lines. He had a notice of paper upon this question for te•morrow evenVelel the principle to which he alluded s hould he e is hed tfi to all Committees on private Bills ; but h e , leld, r , e ; . , know whether her Majesty's Governinenbsibilm lieve an individual Member from that re:Vide:oh' which he, however, was ready to take liP eil d to trA ke e Sir R. PEEL said he was no t prePa r ,r e wee renit any announcement on the part of the 1 - 1° fon 3 IP; which would relieve the Hon. G e ntlema n o be verl duty which h e h a d un d er t a ken. It weti' u t of con ' difficult to defi ne w h a t was the direct inter es nbe ost stituents in Railway Bills, and it would t impossible to determine what was indirect !,, ant', He hoped the Hon. Gentleman would 1131 ,i'd Peel) " 1 of' his motion came on, as he (Sir Robert : 00 wish to give an opinion upon the quesp Ge otle a ' With respect to the observations of the Hat veoll man (Mr. Wallace), he could only saY th at i coa° sg be excessively difficult effectually to controiresseei 81f :sag: noel :I"; with respect to the length of their ad' u otire y ? a g e (Laughter.) It would be also difficult to 5. p the Hon Gentleman's other (Sir Robert Peel) believed that,su of last session, the sum of 75,000/. wee re; h Woo to in the prosecntion of a railway Bill, evoi e o d, mately thrown out. This Bill, he understo very I goe be again brought forward, and there %Wig e ~,,t bability of its succeeding. Lord HOWICK said, he thought thererepelitie; be longer time given for the presentation 0 . et d for railway Bills than for those for other prop enC#j o ver) o f Unless they adopted that course, great ine ° _ o nce and great injustice would ensue, in cons:root!, the adoption of the system of subjecting. _iiipeed Bills to a preliminary examination by tn€l., are tir Trade.—(hear, hear.) The House was,_°T f a r eaq great decisions on projected railways "V., o ther' been arrived at ; while the decisions 01 ' t hose e ct t° were yet unknown. Even with resP coun t ry „.e which were known, the House and the r a ll jerP , and the persons interested in those Bills we c e ; o w in ignorance of the grounds on which the re 'vete foun o d se ed P erties tre dations of the Board of Trade were fore, it would be unjust to call upon th decide at once whether they would SW"' A or 11°t. measures in which they were stet In t he If they now fixed the time parties interee to ta ke - .0 intereste,e . eheea measures would be forced either at °ne t ex _ ense grea expense thef preliminary steps, and to incur bringing their Bills before the Boues,er_nbrnietinl would be deprived of the opportunitycern" , roittee. (1)D, such Bills to the fair decision of a eeke e ither_ was not just to call on these parties to hear) __ for h these decisions at present—(Heol ports e ff believed that if they should find that the 1. , e 00 d an; the Board of Trade were founded uP°'' t,id commit the mistake of incurring a age _ ward. 13 r; adequate reasons the parties interesteeidessweipenTe ture of money in bringing their /3ilis o f thes e on the other hand, it might happen thant;nuartiesbelohrst decisions would not prove satisfactory,. a be d a riff they determined to abandon their sch e enc iatiOn of. the to canvass the grounds of the recolnM, Trade.e, Boar ni a Railway Department of the°n the —(Hear, hear.) He urged this arg, ll ,l,: nu c Pdl: 4 l sumetion that the Government and th e s hould " et , not intend that the decisions of that Doe the rePc"ai final.—(Hear, hear.)be founa, yep of the Select Committee of last of Traay Roar Bilk , ' it distinctly laid down that the - „ awa y g was not to decide on the merits of rese" t4tj'A d but was merely to investigate the “ 1- . 1 i ) o , f e ces o °_ When he looked to made, and to report to the House, ,et eo rid e nee opinions for the on and e b of as sisti c it Parliament, and for the purpos_ decision. Sjo; Parliament in coming to its Ta ittee ° A f p d to had been the decision of the , the 3vg year. When the arrangement ~C a e° "; econl. 01 " -- te tbe House by the Right Hon. be °' e oic; President of the Board of Trade,of i n cree- mef Gentienia ~d n o propose it for the purpose the influence of the Board, but for the POP- CHESTER CUP. 9 to 1 agst Semiseria 15 to 1 agst Obscurity 20 to 1 agst Cataract 20 to 1 agst Celeste 20 to 1 agst Era 25 to 1 agst Pug 25 to 1 agst Winesour 28 to 1 agst Zanoni 30 to 1 agst St. Lawrence 35 to 1 agst The Pride of Kildare 50 to 1 agst Foig-a-ballagh. 50 to 1 agst Seaport 50 to 1 agst Cro.on Oil dam DERBY. 11 to 1 agst Alarm 12 to 1 agst Cobweb colt 16 to 1 agst Kedger 34 to I agst Newsmonger 33 to 1 agst Mentor 33 to 1 agst Annandale 40 to 1 agst Laird o' Cockpen IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT (THIS EVENING.) lIOUSE OF COMMONS. The House met again at Half past Four o'Clock REPLY TO THE ADDRESS. The SPEAKER informed the House that her Majesty had been graciously pleased to return the following answer to the Address :-- ‘ 6 GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS— " I return you my warmest thanks for your loyal and dutiful address. " I rely with confidence and satisfaction on the re sult of your deliberations, and I trust they will tend to promote the prosperity of all classes of my people." MEDICAL REFORM. Mr. TANCRED presented a petition from the medical practitioners of Banbury, against any measure of medical reform that did not enforce a proper examination for the qualifications of students ; also a petition in favour of Sir James Graham's Bill, from the medical attendants of Gloucester Infirmary. Lord SANDON presented a petition from Liver pool, praying for leave to bring in a Bill for the im provement of the Liverpool Docks. NOTICES OF MOTION. Dr. BO%VRING gave notice that he would, to-morrow, inquire of the Government whether any arrangements had been made with the Porte which would place the British merchants in circumstances not less advantageous than the most favoured nations. Mr. MACKINNON gave notice that he would, on Thursday the 20th, move for leave to bring in a Bill to prevent the nuisance of smoke from furnaces and factories. Mr. HUME wished to know from the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir J. Graham) whether he had any ob jection to lay before the House the Order in Council of the 18th of January, respecting the affairs of Guernsey and Jersey. Sir J. GRAHAM was understood to say there would not be any objection. Mr. WALLACE gave notice that he wculd, on Tuesday week, bring forward a specific motion on the subject of the petition which he presented from Glasgow. Mr. MILES moved that a humble address be presented to her Majesty, praying for an abstract of the accounts of county treasurers for the years 1843 and 1844. THAMES EMBANKMENT. Mr. FOSTER wished to know from the Noble Lord opposite (the Earl of Lincoln) whether it was the intention of the Government to bring forward the measure which had been brought in last session, for the embankment of the river; and, if so, whether any additional tax would be laid on the coals coming into the river, to carry out the works. The Earl of LINCOLN said it was not the inten tion of the Government to bring in the measure of last year. He anticipated, however, that a Bill might be introduced on the subject, but no additional tax would be laid on coals. POOR-LAW IN IRELAND. Mr. FFRENCH gave notice that he would to morrow put a question to the Right Hon. Baronet, the Secretary for the Home Department, whether the effects of a union workhouse (the blankets, sheets, and so on) had been sold off under an execution. LAW OF SETTLEMENT. Sir JAMES GRAHAM said that he would, on next Tuesday, move for leave to bring in a Bill for the purpose of consolidating the law of settlement in England. PRIVILEGES OF COUNSEL. Mr. ENVART gave notice that he would, on an early opportunity, introduce a Bill to allow counsel the privilege of replying in criminal cases. The Right Hon. Gentleman could not be aware how this subject had excited the public mind in Scotland. If he had placed a right construction upon the words to which he had alluded, he trusted that the Right Hon. Gentleman would feel it compatable with his public duty to give some information on the subject. Sir ROBERT PEEL—It certainly would not be consistent with my sense of public duty to make any explanation now as to the character of the measure, which I shall at as early a period as I can, consistently with the performance of other public business, bring under the consideration of the House. In the course of last session, in the Speech from the Throne, the attention of Parliament was called to the state of the laws affecting the Bank of England and other banking establishments. I was constantly pressed by gentlemen representing various interests to give some notions of the general outline of the measure that it was intended to propose. I steadily refused, and I said that I would give a full and fair explanation when I brought forward the measure. Now I must take the same course with respect to any measure affecting the banking esta blishments of Ireland and Scotland. I must reserve to myself the opportunity of stating the nature of those measures, until I ask leave to bring in the Bill which is in the contem,.ilation of the Government. I believe that the Right Hon. Gentleman has put an erroneous construction on the words which fell from a colleague of mine. I believe it was stated in the House of Lords that reference was made in the speech from the throne to the currency of Ireland and Scotland. I believe that what my Noble Friend intended to say was, that the same references had been made to the banking establishments of those two countries has had been made with respect to the banking establishments of this. I trust the Right Hon. Gentleman will excuse me from giving any explanation until I ask leave to bring in the measure, and I do hope that no inference will be drawn as to the intentions of the Government from the explanations I have now given —(A laugh.) OTAHEITE. Sir G. GREY wished to put a question to the First Lord of the Treasury, in reference to that por tion of her Majesty's speech which referred to the discussions which had taken place last year between her Majesty's Government and the French Govern ment, relative to the island of Otaheite. As the close of last session the Right Hon. Gentleman declined giving any detailed information as to the nature of the correspondence which had taken place between thetwo countri( s, and expressed his intention ofsubmitting to the House, at a future period, full information on the subject. Now, without expressing any opinion as to the course the Government had taken, he might say, that no man more sincerely rejoiced than himself, that the dissensions between the two countries had been so satisfactorily arranged between the two Governments. He for one would be extremely unwilling to press for the production of any correspondence which might tend to create a feeling of irritation, or foment discord and jealousy between the two countries. At the same time it could not be overlooked that this question was exciting a very warm interest among a very large class of persons in this country, as it was regarded as of great importance both to our national honour and interest. At present the House was in possession of noinforma tion except that which they had derived through the medium of the public newspapers, from documents that had been submitted to the French Chambers. He wished to know whether the Right Hon. Gentleman had any objection to produce the correspondence which had taken place ? Sir R. PEEL trusted that, as the correspondence was of a somewhat delicate nature, the Right Hon. Gentleman would not press for the production of the whole of it. Now that the affair had come to a ter mination honourable to the two countries, and, he trusted, satisfactory to all parties, he did hope that he should not be pressed for the production of the whole of the documents. He would have the greatest pleasure in laying before the House the result of those negotia tions—that was to say, the two letters of M. Guizot and the letter of his Noble Friend. He objected to the production of this correspondence on exclusively public grounds. It was not necessary for the vindi cation of the character of Mr. Pritchard, because Mr. Pritchard had been originally appointed, before those differences existed, to a situation of higher emolument, and which embraced a more extended sphere of action, and that appointment had been conferred since these transactions had taken place. If he were to present the whole of the docu ments to the House he would have to present a correspondence which had taken place between officers in the naval service of France, and in the naval service of this country, of a highly irritating character ; and, as the whole affair had been amicably settled, he should be exceedingly s rs o pepo rr nr y edseen t n o ctea b l e ivbeu c t o o m bi pe tdh ll ae e i d l to produce that correspon dence.—(Loud c h eers ) B ut t h at am i ca bl e termina y tion had b een c hi e fl y brought about, not b y corre ytFhcreoermne fe m ohr u e ri ,G i c o a wy t e i hr o ih n e in , h b e en could w o ui e hl e d n t thethis country and hi s Noble F r i enu an d hi mse lf . Any correspondence, produced would present but an imperfect record