The Sun. — London, England, 1845-02-14 00:00:00

--------- - NORTHERN and EASTERN RAIL WAY COMPANY. The half-yearly General Meetisg of the Directors and Shareholders in this railway took place yesterday at one in . o'clock, in their board-room, above the terminus Shore • ditch, J. Patterson, Esq., the Chairman of the Board of Directors, presided. The Secretary having read the advertisement calling the meeting, and the report of the Directors, in which they stated that they would be prepared, on the Ist of March next, to pay a dividend of 5 per cent. per annum on the paid-up capital of the Company for the half-year ending the 31st of December last, and the dividends on the respective shares of the Company would be IL 2s. 6d. per share on the registered shares (45/. paid); 2s. 3d. on the shares (10L paid), and 10s. on the scrip shares VOL paid), subject, of course, to the property-tax. The report also stated, that the receipts of the Northern and Eastern Railway for the half-year ending the 31st of December last, amount to 47,1071. 145., being an increase of 3,3401. ss. 5d., on the corresponding half-year of 1843. The total receipts of the railway for the whole of the past year, as compared with those of 1813, show an increase of 11,057/. 2s. ; and that the surplus property attached to the old line had been dis posed of; with the exception of some small pieces of 1 and, which may possibly be required for the traffic of the railway ; and the sales had exceeded the estimated value. The only other matter of importance in the report was the information that the works on the extension line from Newport to Cambridge and to Brandon, via Ely, had been expedited by the Eastern Counties Com pany ; and the Proprietors of the Northern and Eastern Railway would learn with satisfaction that the whole line from Bishop's Stortford to those places would be opened early in July next ; and as the Norwich and Brandon Company would open their line at the same period, railway communication would then be estab lished between London, the city of Norwich, and the important town of Yarmouth, and the traffic of an ex tensive district of country would be attracted to the rail way. The balance of the traffic account, as stated in the report of February last, was 1,852/. 6s. 10d. ; that ac count being now virtually brought to a close, a state ment was annexed to the present report, and the balance, 103/. 3s. 4d., will be carried to the &edit of the capital account. Resolutions in accordance with the report were passed unanimously, and the meeting then separated. NEW ZEALAND COMPANY. A spesial general meeting of the Proprietors of the New Zealand Company was held yesterday, at the New Zealand house, Broad-street-buildings, in pur suance of an adjournment from the 13th of January last, for the purpose of receiving a report on the present state of the Company, and adopting measures for im proving its affairs. Mr. Seines, M.P., occupied the chair. The Directors present were—Captain Nairm ; George Lyall, jun., Esq.; Joseph Somes, Esq., Governor; J. R. Gowen, Esq.; E. G. Wakefield, Esq.; J. Philcher, Esq.; R. D. Mangles, Esq., M.P.; Stewart Alarloribank, Esq., 11. A. Aglionby, Esq., M.P.; G. T. Young, E9(1.; William Hutt, Esq., M.P.; Alexander Currie, Esq., &c. The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed, the following report was submitted to the meeting : " The publication of Lord Stanley's dispatch to Go vernor Fitzroy, of the 13th August, 1844 (which will now be read to you), leaves, we fear, no hope of obtaining, except from an appeal to the justice of Pariiament, re dress of the wrongs which you are suffering at the hands of the Colonial-office. " We, therefore, recommend that you should now au thorise us to lay the whole case, if we think it necessary, before the House of Commons, in the form of a petition from the Company. " Supposing that you will not fail to approve of this suggestion, we purposely abstain from alluding on the present occasion to any of the topics which such a peti tion must embrace. "In the midst of the follies and disasters proceeding from the Local Government, of which every arrival from New Zealand brings some fresh account, it has been most gratifying to us to learn with what fortitude the colonists of your settlements have received intelligence of the unhappy position of the Company. " There will be laid before you, in the form of an ap pendix, copies of all letters of importance which ha v e been received from your local agents since the date of our Fourteenth Itep,Drt." The last dispatch of Lord Stanley to the Governor of New Zealand was then read. It ran to a great length and was exceedingly unfavourable to the Company. It commenced in the following terms:— " In my dispatch, No. 27, of the 30th ultimo, I en closed to you the report and proceedings of the Commit tee of the House of Commoas appointed to inquire into the state of New Zealand, and into the proceedings of the New Zealand Company. On reference to he proceedings you will perceive that the Com mittee were far from unanimous in their opinions, and that some of the most important of their decisions, including one upon the selection between two sets of resolutions, as the basis of thoir report, were sus tained by very narrow majorities. Nevertheless, I cannot but apprehend that this report, carrying with it, as it must be admitted to do, the authority of a Com mittee of the House of Commons, may add to the diffi cultiea of your position, less indeed by the practical measures which it recommends than by the principles which it lays down, and on which it proceeds—princi ples which I know to be opposed to your own views, and which, if you were to attempt to carry them into practice, would, I fear, lead to most unhappy conse quences." The CHAIRMAN said—Gentlemen, I deeply regret the spirit that has been evinced by the Colonial-office against the New Zealand Company ever since Lord John Russell resigned the post of Colonial Secretary. Had his Lordship remained at the head of the Colonial-office up to the present time, this Company, and the 10,000 British subjects in New Zealand, would have been in a very different situation to that in which I regret to say they are at present placed. The Colonial-office has not carried out either the spirit or the letter of agreement entered into with this Company.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") When Lord John Russell granted a charter of incorporation, it was upon certain ct_nditions, viz., that the New Zealand Company should make over to her Majesty's Government all lands to which the Company had a claim ; in return, the Government were to make over as many acres of land, at five shillings per acre, as the Company bad laid out money for the benefit of the colony, subject to the award of Mr. Pennington, which sum amounted to 218,1451. 4s. 24., and entitled the Company to 762,593 acres, for which the Government were bound to give to the Company a clear and bone fide title : and I maintain that the Company has nothing to do with the native claims—that is a matter between the Government and the natives ; and I, therefbre, fear there Is no other course left for the Company but to appeal to Parliament for justice, and for that compensation which is clearly due to them.—(Cheers ) Mr. Roetss was quite sure the Proprietors placed every confidence in the Directors, and they only wished to know what course the Board, after duo deliberation, advised to be adopted. He was sure, that amongst all the speculations and companies in existence, they could not find a more efficient Board of Directors, and it there fore appeared to him, that the best thing they could do was to follow their advice. He must say they had been most unfairly dealt with by Lord Stanley. There was no use in mincing words. He was a Conservative to the back bone, but when he compared the conduct of Lord John Russell with that of Lord Stanley, he was bound at once to praise the Whigs. He called upon every one present to exercise their influence in inducing Members of Parliament to support their cause, which was based on jtruth and justice, when it came before the House of Commons. It was almost im possible for them to fail in their application to that House, because the report made by a Committee, ap pointed last year to inquire into the subject of their affairs, had reported in their favour. If it were neces sary and consistent with the usual order of procedure, he should be glad to move that the Board of Directors take immediate steps to proceed to Parliament. The CHAIRMAN said that they had better adopt and receive the report first. Dr. PERRY, of Glasgow, accordingly rose to move that the report now read be received and adopted. He quite concurred in the remarks which had been made by Mr. Robins, that the conduct of the Government towards the Company was exceedingly unjust. He thought Lord Stanley had done much to unsettle and disturb the affairs of New Zealand, and he trusted the matter would be carried before the Legislature. Mr. WATSON, in seconding the motion, fully agreed in the recommendation that they should go before Parlia ment for that justice which was denied them by the Colonial-office. So fully did he concur in what Mr. Robins had said, that be was afraid to trust himself in commenting on the conduct of Lord Stanley. The Noble Lord had made an absurd attempt to shake the report of the House of Commons, and had made a most signal failure. The motion was put and carried unanimously. Major MURPHY, in moving the adoption of a petition to the House of Commons, representing on the part of the Company the wrong that was done them by the Co lonial-office, remarked, that if Lord Stanley persisted in his present policy it would not only ruin the shareholders of the Company, but permanently destroy the prosperity ul the colony. Major CHESS seconded the motion. Mr. AGLIoNHY, M.P., spoke to the resolution, and tiielt at som e l eng th u p o n th e s t a t emen t ma d e by L or d Stanley in his dispatch to Governor Fitzroy, relative to the smallness of the majority which carried the resolu tions in a C • ommittee of the House of Commons in favour of the Comps, He s - howed that the majority, instead of being small, was, comparatively speaking, large, inasmuch as the Chairman of the Committ ee , L or d Tlowick, abstained fromwo voting altogether, and one of the Committee,e oas known to entertain favourable Company views towards th was from some cause unable to attend on the diPvginsiYo The motion havi ng been cinrri3:ed unanimously, a vote of thanks to the Chairman was a gree d to, rind the meet-- ing terminated. LLOYD'S SHIPPING. EAST INDIA SHIPPING Arrival-Robert Matthews, PhiHipps, from . Van 1:30 - Land, off the Wight, sailed from Launce s t on , O ct. 'entail - Arrivals at Launceston Van Dieman' s Land 2:3llN'srilliam, Thom, Sept. 20, from Sydney ; Joseph C r i pp' Deborah 26th, from New Zealand ; Tamar, Oct. I t ' from a" Port Philip ; Calypso, 3 d, from Sydney ; Timbo, from Mauritius, ; Palmyra, from Hobart Town, Tobago, 14th, from Sydney ; Elizabeth, Bukhara, 17th, from London ; Scout, 18th, from Port Philip. Arrivals at Hobart Town—Pestonjee Boaianjee, Binnie, Sept. 10, from London, and sailed 21st to Sydney ; Eudora, BP3feckam, 16th, from Nei's- Zealand ; William the Fourth, 23d, from South Sea Islands ; Leander, 25th, from Mauri tius ; Caroline, Oct. 8, from Sydney ; John Williams, 10th, from London and Cape Islands, 22d, to Sydney and South Seas • Tropic, Oct. 14, from London ; Maguas h a , from Streaky Bay • Marian Watson, from Sydney ; Waterlily , 14th, from Sydney ; her Majesty's ship Vesta, 23d, from the Cape. Departures from Hobart Town—Barossa, Sept. 21, to Syd ney ; Cadet, 23d, to Port Essington ; John Tomkinson, 24th, to Valparaiso ; America, to Marseilles ; Isabella Anna. Oct. 7, to China; Athens, 9th, to Port Philip; Louisa, 10th, to Sydney. Arrivals at Sydney, New South Wales—Garland Grove. from London ; Pestonjee Bomanjee, from Hobart Town ; Piscater, from New Zealand ; Alfred, from Manilla ; Hawk, from Adelaide. Departures from Sydney—Ceylon, Beazley, to London ; Star of China, to New Zealand ; Maid of Athens, to Hong- Kong, cleared at Sydney; Sovendraporog, Oct. 16, to London. Ships loading at Sydney—For London, Greenlaw Ewe retta, Sydney, St. George, Thomas Lowry, Templar, and Pestonjee Bomanjee. Arrival at George Town—Lancheeter, Oct. 21, from Lon don, and proceeded to Sydney. Arrival at Port Philip—Alberton, Campbell, Sept. 22, from Cork. AMERICAN NE WS. Extracts from the American papers brought by the Queen of the Vest. In Congress, upon the Oregon question, Mr. Allan rose to ask whether the Senate was in possession of any information in relation to the correspondence between the Government of the United States and of Great Britain, relative to the Oregon Territory. Mr. Archer replied that no information had yet been re ceived on the subject, but that he would probably be able to give the information to the Senate in a few days. Mr. Allen stated that he had a petition from citizens of Fairfield, Ohio, asking Congress to establish a Territorial Go vernment in Oregon. The people of Oregon complained, with reason, that their interests had been much neglected. Last year, when the subject was pressed on the Senate, we were told that Lord Ashburton had come over specially charged with the settlement of this question. But when he arrived here, it was found that he had no power over the subject, and it did not appear that he had done anything. The people of Oregon did not wish to be trifled with any longer on this subject. lle desired the petition to be referred to a Select Committee, but it was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. ANNEXATION. Mr. Burke, of N. 11., asked leave to introduce joint resolu tions for the admission of Texas into the Union. This proposition was committed. It is similar to Mr. Forster's plan. It gives the assent of Congress to the crea tion of the territory known as Texas into a new State; the constitution of the said State to be laid before Congress by the proper authorities of Texas, before the 4th of July, 1846 ; the territory to be divided into new States, when its popula tion shall be sufficient ; those States south of 36 degrees 30 minutes north latitude, to be admitted into the Union with or without slavery, as their people may desire ; the boundaries to be adjusted by treaty ; Texas to pay her own debts, and keep her own lands, but to order to the United States her navy, dock-yards, ports, forts, harbour, public edifices, arms, armaments, &c., pertaining to the public defence; all claims for lamb . to be adjudicated by courts of Texas, subject to the iuPisdiction of the federal courts ; said State, when admitted, to 'have two senators and two representatives, until ithe next Congress. The House resumed, in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the Resolutions for the annexation of Texas. Mr. Bowlin, of Mobile, spoke in favour of the measure, contending that it was necessarily constitutional, because the acquisition of territory was a right essential to national sovereignty. We have been continually acquiring territory since the adoption of the Constitution. N►ne States put the Government in operation, and nine States elected General Washington President, but we had since added seventeen States. there was considerable reason to suppose, an interest in 'supporting Daly's claim. He (Mr. Ball) admitted that she was present in the Crown Inn when a certain indivi dual placed five sovereigns in the hand of the landlord, and was enabled thereby to furnish Daly with the ne cessary information to make the application for the money, after hearing that the real owner had not come for ward. Hence, no doubt, this application originated; but he maintained that Mrs. Langham had given erroneous evidence, and thus Daly had no title whatever to the money. The Learned Gentleman then called several witnesses, amongst others the barman and barmaid, who deposed that it was a man dressed in sailor's clothes, with red hair, whiskers, and altogether unlike the plain tiff, who had deposited the money. Mr. Tno:sias replied at considerable length in refe rence to the subject of identity, pointing out the position in which the two last witnesses, the barman and bar maid, stood in relation to the defendants, and contending that their evidence was to be looked upon with great suspicion. This view of their evidence was further strengthened by the fact that the plea set forth in the de fence had never been advanced on any previous occasion, when application was made for the money. Against this suspicious evidence, on the other side, sN as to be placed three disinterested witnesses, and the subsequeu admissions of the defendant, all going to establish the right of the plaintiff to the 5/. Besides, the fact tha no other person had made application—a fact almos miraculous, if the evidence of defendant was to be be lieved—completely established the claim of Daly. The DELI= SHERIFF, in summing up, said there was only one question for the jury to decide—the identity of the person who deposited the money. Was Daly really the person ? The great difficulty with the defendant's case was, that no other person had ever claimed the money. This difficulty was further increased when, from the evidence of the barman and barmaid, it ap peared the person who left the money was not so drunk but that heokuew what he was doing. There was likewise consideirtible difficulty on the other side. It was a suspicious circumstance that Daly never applied for the money until after Christmas, and then in con nexion IN ith Mrs. Langham, who, it ought to be ob served, was the principal witness of plaintiff's identity. There seemed a conspiracy on one side or the other— which, he was not prepared to say; but it would be for the jury, after fully hearing the evidence brought for ward by both parties, to decide on which side the pre ponderance lay, and return a verdict accordingly. The jury retired, and after being absent nearly an hour, returned a verdict for the defendant. The hearing occupied nearly three hours, and excited considerable interest. Texas was a line cotton growing country, and should she make a treaty with Great Britain for the admission of her cotton at a rate of duty a farthing less than oars, our staple would be excluded from the market. The exportation of cotton now nearly equalled our importations of foreign goods. If awn exportation ceased, it would destroy our commerce. If Texas remained independent, slavery would be perpetu- ' ate (1 in her limits, and her limits would soon include Mexico, and Central America. But if Texas were admitted, her boundaries would be permanently fixed, and the limits of slavery would necessarily be defined. He preferred Mr. Dromgoole's plan, but would vote for any other. He adopted the motto of the people of Missouri, " Texas honourably, Texas for ever." Mr. Hamlin and Mr. Severance followed against the mea sure. Whendhe last named gentleman concluded, there was a tremendous rush for the floor. I never witnessed such a scramble. At least 40 members were up, and eager to speak. Among them was old Mr. Adams. Mr. Hammett obtained the floor and will speak to--morrow. Mr. Adams offered a resolution calling on the President to state the bounds of the territory of Texas, as commonly un derstood by the people thereof. PENNsYr.vANIA.—In the Pennsylvania house of Represen tatives on Wednesday, the Committee of Ways and Means reported a Bill appropriating the funds in the Treasury to the payment of interest on the Ist of February ; which, after some time was taken up, was passed in Committee of the whole. The Bill, says a correspondent of the Pennsylvanian, meets with considerable opposition, but that opposition is not strong enough to endanger its passage. The debate upon the ques tion has been interesting and instructive, and generally has been strongly in favour of expending our last dollar in pay ment of our debts. PENNSYLVANIA IsmitEsr.—The Pennsylvanian of yester day argues that the Bill which has just passed the Assembly of that State, directing the February interest to be paid " out ofany moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated," will be a nullity, because a large portion of the money in the Treasury (598,405 dolls. 60c.) is otherwise appropriated. This deducted from 846,449 63 dolls., the amount which the Trea surer estimates will be in the Treasury on the Ist of February, will leave only 248,044 03 applicable to the payment of in terest. With this sum, the Pennsylvanian sarcastically re marks, "we are to pay 971,39590 dolls." Said paper distinctly recommends the non-payment of the February interest in full, as it would " leave to the administration of Mr. Shuck the unenviable necessity of a suspension next August." We are sorry to hear such statements and recom mendations from a paper so respectable, and generally so correct, as the Pennsylvanian. We hope and believe the result will be better than its fears. With all the wealth and prosperity of Pennsylvania, it can pay its interest—and the world will not believe to the coutravy. DUTCH AND FLANDERS MAIL. BRUSSELS. FEB. 10.—On the night of the 6th of this month, the Eliza, Captain Sharp, an English ship, bound from Rye to Nieuport, with a cargo of wool, not being able to enter that port on account of the violence of the wind, was obliged to go to Ostend. The night being dark, and the sea running very high, it missed the en trance, and run aground on the beach. The cargo is being taken out. It is not yet known to what extent the ship is damaged. The severe frost that we have had for these three days has again interrupted the navigation iu the canals of Charleroy and Willebroech. The King has gone into mourning for eleven days, on account of the death of her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Machai Lowns, Duchess of Nassau. The Chamber of Representatives continues the dis cussion of the budget of the Department of the Interior. The Senate has agreed to all the articles of the budget of the Marine and to that for establishing a new mode of sanctioning the laws.—Brussels papers, Feb. I I. THE HAGUE, FEB. B.—We learn that as soon as our Government was informed that a Netherland ship had been captured and carried into Palama, which was bound from Antwerp to Marseilles, and had a chest of arms on board, instructions were immediately given to his Ma jesty's Minister at Madrid, and that he had already taken the necessary steps. The Consul of the Netherlands, at Barcelona, has also done what belongs to his functions. THE HAGUE, FED. 9.—The sections of the Second Chamber will resume their labours to-morrow (Monday). They will examine the new regulations on standing or ders of the Chamber and the project of law for modify ing the 9th chapter of the budget for the year 1846-47. The fete for the celebration of the 270th anniversary of the foundation of the University of Leyden, on Sa turday, the Bth, passed off in the most satisfactory man ner. The masquerade, representing the entry of Count Floris V. with the Knights of the new order of St. James, just instituted by him, was extremely brilliant. - DUTCH FUNDS. AMSTERDAM, FEB. 11. Money. Bills. Actual Debt, 2% per Cent •• •••• • • • • 64 6414 Ditto, 3 per Cent Ditto, 4 per Cent... Ditto, 5 per Cent... Amort Syndic, 434 per Cent • Ditto, 3V, per Cent ••••••• • • • • • • Commercial Company, per Cent • • 147 1 ,4 148 East India Loan, 4 per Cent . • • 98 1 ,‘ 98N Exchange on London, one month •• • . 12 17 Two .............12• • • 12 12 At sight.• ••••• •• .. On Ilamburgh .••••• • • • • • • 35 62.5 Two months.• •• . • OnParis •••••••• • • • • • • .• - - Two months. ••••••• • • • • • • • —Dutch rapers.. Feb. 12. lIAMBERGII BORSENIIALLE, FEB. 4, Bills. Money. 113 Austrian 5 per Cents • • • ......... • • • Bank Shares .. Anglo-Russian Loan Russian 5 per Cent., Hamb. Certificate. 105% 1051,i Ditto Ist series Inscription.. Ditto, Hope and Co., 3d and 4th series • Ditto, in Certificate • • • ..... • • • • • . New 4 per Cent., Hope and Co. ••• • . • 92 Ditto &leglitz .. • ....... .. • • 90 14 —Haniburgh Borsenhalle, Feb. 7. LAW INTELLIGENCE. SHERIFFS' COURT, Feb. 13. (Before Deputy-Sheriff W. R. KENNEDY, Esq.) DALY V. NEATS. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. (YESTERDAY.) LAMBETH. STEALING A COPPER.—A lad named Philip Balton, a well-known thief, a long list of whose various convic tions and sentences was handed to the magistrate, was charged with stealing a copper. Police-constable 98 P stated that, between six and seven o'clock last evening he met the prisoner carrying a copper, in the Walworth-road. On questioning . him, he stated that three young men had given it to him to carry, and that they were strangers to him. After taking him to the station-house, he proceeded on his beat, and ascertained that au unoccupied house in Francis-street had been entered, and the copper removed. The pri soner's shoes exactly corresponded with the marks in the snow. Mr. Young, an agent, having the care of the house, could not swear that the copper was the one that had been taken, except by some repairs which had been made to it some time ago. If, however, the prisoner was re manded, he should be able to produce the man who had repaired it, and who no doubt could identify it. The prisoner, who repeated the story he had told to the constable, was remanded to Saturday. A young woman, named Caroline Carter, was charged with having robbed her ready-furnished lodgings in Martin- street, Blackfriars-road, of some blankets and sheets, which she had pledged for Bs. The prisoner stated that she was a married woman, but was not living with her husband; that she pledged the articles to purchase a pair of shoes, and that the house was a brothel. The landlady denied this. The defendant repeated that this was true, and that there were others in the house who obtained their living by prostitution. She admitted that she was no better than the rest. She was fined Bs., the value of the goods, 20s. for pledging the goods, or in default, one month's imprison ment. PRINCESS'S THEATRE. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 13. Lord STANLEY having been summoned by writ to the House of Lords, under the title of Lord Stanley, of Knowsley, was introduced to-day by Lords Redesdale and Wharncliffe, and took the oaths and his seat. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool sack. Lord CAMPBELL trusted that their Lordships would allow him to introduce two Bills, and lay them on the table, which he had introduced last session, and had received the cordial assent of that House, but which had been defeated in the House of Commons, in consequence of some misunderstanding as to their ope ration in Scotland. The object of the Bill was, that where persons who were indebted to parties in this country left it and resided in foreign parts, process might be served upon them, judgment obtained against them, and their property secured for the benefit of their creditors. Now, since last session, he had had a communication with the Lord-Advocate of Scot land, and he had stated to him that he would not oppose the Bills. One Bill was with respect to England, and the other to Ireland, and with respect to Scotland one was not necessary. The LORD CHANCELLOR trusted his Noble and Learned Friend, before he read the Bill a first time, would give him an opportunity of seeing the Lord- Advocate of Scotland. Lord CAMPBELL—Certainly. Leave was then given to bring in the Bills. EQUALISING THE RATES ON RAILWAYS. Lord lIATHERTON, in presenting a petition from various parties in the county of Stafford, praying for an equalisation of the rates charged for passenger traffic on railways, said that the subject was one that was well worth the attention of the Noble Earl at the head of the Board of Trade, and of her Majesty's Government. It was a subject which had begun to ex cite the greatest attention, particularly in the manufac carwriiatghe g manufac turing districts. It might not be generally known to their Lordships , that there was a loss of 1,200 per cent. passengers by third class o fi e n. ds • for as Id. per mile was charged for passengers, and only Id. per ton f o r goods, and as it was computed that twelve pas sengers , in trains a s r a compared teof with their luggage, constituted a ton, it followed, there fore, that there was a consequent difference of 1,200 per cent. He allowed that there must be a difference of ex pense in the construction of such carriages as were in tended to carry passengers, but if they considered the incidental expenses which attended the transmission of goods, they would find that the peti tioners had good reason to complain of the enormous difference in the rate of charges. If there was a loss attending the transmission of goods at the present rates, the petitioners prayed that such loss should not fall upon the travelling public. He had made these observa tions for the purpose of calling their Lordships' attention to the subject. The Earl of DALHOUSIE said that, as the Board of Trade was at present constituted, they could not enter into the consideration of the question which the Noble Lord had brought forward. Undoubtedly, the question was of the utmost importance, and would, no doubt, be taken into consideration by the Government. 1 1 Beyond that, his Noble Friend would not expect him to say anything. OFFICIAL ASSIGNEES. Lord BROUGHAM moved for a return of the sums of money which had been lodged in the hands of official assignees in the Court of Bankruptcy during the two years ending January, 1843, together with all the sums at present remaining in their hands. HEALTH OF TOWNS. The Marquis of NORMANBY, after presenting a petition in favour of the Government Medical Reform Bill, gave notice that in a few days he should present a petition agreed to at a public meeting, held at Exeter, Hall, praying the House to take measures for the im provement of drainage in large towns. RAILWAYS AND THE BOARD OF TRADE. Lord DALHOUSIE said, in pursuance of the notice he had given on a former evening, he rose to bring under the consideration of their Lordships, the report of the railway department of the Board of Trade, re lative to the South-Western Railway schemes. He did not intend to go fully into the question then, but simply to lay before their Lordships a few statements respecting the constitution of the Rail way Board, and the course they had adopted in arriving at the conclusions to which they had come to with regard to the South-Western projects. It would be in the recollection of their Lordships that, in the past session of Parliament, a Committee was appointed by the other House, for the purpose of inquiring into their mode of railway legislation. After a very full review of the sub• ject, and canvassing the inconvenience and deficiencies which existed in the prevailing Railway system of legis lation, the Committee arrived at the conclusion, that it was desirable that there should be some Railway Board in connexion with the Government, who should have powers to institute preliminary inquiries into the railway projects which it was intended to ask the Legislature to sanction by Acts of Parliament. The report was adopted by the House of Commons, and in consequence of this adoption alterations to meet the change were made in the standing order of both Houses. Arrangements were made to establish a department for considering the details of these railways, and the Government, having appointed a Board, consist ing of four officers and a president, the details of the various railway projects were immediately given. The result of these inquiries were laid before the public as soon as they were known, but the reasons for the conclusions of the Board were deferred to an after period. Those reasons would be laid before both Houses in a general report. From what was passing out of doors and in another place since the commencement of the present session, greatap prehension had prevailed as to what was the real juris diction of the Railway Board, or what was the authority to be given to its reports. It was stated, that to past], tute a Board of this description in connexion with the ' executive Government, consisting of five 1 gent emen con * nected with the Government, from whom was to issue ' a report as to whether a certain railway project should go on or not—that to give to board such authority wo u ld b e objectionable any dangerous in the highest degree. But still further if the reports were to be adopted on the measures of the Government itself, the effect would be to substitute the reports of the Board for the enactments of Parlia ment itself. Now, if such a thing had been dreamed of for one moment—if it had been for an instant imagined that such authority should be given to the Board, any objection would be reasonable to the last degree, and no one would urge them more t h an himself.' Nothing, however, of the kind had entered the mind of the Government. They hail never supposed that the report of the Board should be final, and it was to him a matter of surprise how any one could have imagined such a state of things. If the question had arisen out of doors, he should not have noticed it ; but as it had been raised in the other House of Parliament, andinasmuch as erroneous impressions had prevailed on the subject, he thought it necessary, on the part of Government, to state what the real character of the reports were. These reports were only to be considered as aids to Parliament, in order that they might come to a proper conclusion with respect to which one of the competing lines was the best and the most calculated for the benefit of the public.—(Hear.) They bad assumed no such authority. Whatever might be said or thought of the decisions of the Board of Trade, would not influence in any way those decisions, or make the members of it a bit more rigid in examining into the conflicting claims of rival projectors. But there was another consideration, and that was the powers given by Parliament. The Board was on no account to consider the claims of private interests, which were reserved exclu sively for the Houses of Parliament :--thus private matters were entirely excluded from their decisions. The reports issued by the Board were never intended to he of a conclusive character; they were merely intended to be laid before Parliament, and there to be used as it in its wisdom might think fit and proper. He had one or two observations to make, with respect to remarks which had arisen in the other House regarding their proceedings. The Board had been termed a secret tribunal. It had been said that they conducted their proceedings with closed doors, and that their ordinary mode of conducting the business of the Board was out of the ordinary course of other courts of inquiry. But it should be remem bered that that Board was not armed with any autho rity of a seri3us character ; and if they were to hear counsel, if parties were to be examined and cross examined, the grievance to the public would in deed be of an enormous character, and the ex penses in which parties would be involved would be a greater burden than any , now complained of. It had been said that if they did not do so, the least they could do would be to call the parties interested be fore them, and to hear what they severally had to urge. He thought that neither their Lordships nor the public could be aware of what must necessarily have happened in such a case, or it never could have been considered that this was the most effectual method of eliciting the truth. He would ask any person who knew the feelings by wh;ch rival railway proprietors were actuated, what would have been the effect of their calling before them the proprietors of the Cen tral London and York Company, and the directors of the Midland Counties Company, to discuss at length the merits of their respective schemes? If that experiment had been tried once, he was convinced that it would have at that time been abandoned on account of its impracti cability. But it had been said that, at least, they might have heard all that could have been urged by the vari ous parties interested. It had been stated out of doors, and also in another place, that he (Lord Dalhousie) had distinctly stated that the Board of Trade would Rot attempt to hear the contradictory statements of competing parties. It had been imputed to him that he had said that if the Board of Trade were to attempt such a thing it would be physically impossible for them to get through their business. Without im• puting any intentional misrepresentation to any parties, he could assure their Lordships t • hat he had made no such admission. What he had stated was, that having heard the statements of objections to any lines, it was impossible that be could receive deputations to state the same objections a second time, for deputations had often sought interviews with them for the purpose of merely repeating and reiterating those objections which had been previously made. Now, if such a course of proceeding were admitted they could never get through their business. They could not grant repeated personal interviews to all those who requested them. What he had said was, that it was physically impossible to receive personal interviews, and deputations a second time. Persons applied at the outset for second and third interviews, merely to re-argue the same thing. On that account the Board was obliged to decline those inter views, and thus requested parties to address the Board in writing, if they bad any fresh objections to urge. Now he would take an instance in support of what had been stated. There was the ca-e of the- London and York, and to supply . 1; , tr: ' t t.tt Lordship were aware, that there were three schemer; in the fie+l4"..4 ll ° " 612 and 1r9r14 America has long owed us a heavy dramatic debt for en ticing away from us so many of our best actors. She has now more than repaid it by giving us the greatest of actresses, Miss Cushman. This lady made her first appear ance before an English audience, at this theatre, last even ing, and since the memorable first appearance of Edmund Kean, in 1814, never has there been such a debfa on the boards of an English theatre. She is, without exception, the very first actress that we have. True, we have very lady-like, accomplished, finished artistes, but there is a wide and impassable gulf between them and Miss Cushman—the gulf which divides talent, even of the very highest order, from genius—that god-like gift is Miss Cushman's, strictly speaking. She is no artiste, or if she be, hers that highest reach of art the urs celare artem. The character which she chose for her first appearance was Bianca, in Milman's tragedy of Fazio, a character which, since the days of Miss O'Neil, no actress of any note has ventured to attempt. The Bianca of Miss Cushman is not so polished as that of Miss O'Neil, but it is more intense, more powerful, more harrow ing—more true to nature. In reading the play in the closet, it is impossible to avoid being struck with the improbability of the story. It is scarcely possible to imagine that Bianca can be so carried away by her jealous feelings as not to be aware that in denouncing her husband to the authorities as the plun derer of old Bartolo, she is not dooming him to certain death. In seeing the actual play, however, this idea never once strikes the mind. Miss Cushman, by the intensity of feeling which she throws into the part, completely carries her audience with her. They feel with her that it is the only means to tear Fazio from the arms of Aldabella, and to restore him to his distracted wife ; and, like her, they are thunder- struck when they find that he is torn from Aldabella's arms only to be conducted to the scaffold. We know that it is usual, on these occasions, to enter into a critical notice of the various beauties developed by a debutante; but, were we to attempt this, our space would in the first place be too limited, for we should have to transcribe nearly the whole part, and, in the next place, we will fairly acknowledge that we were so com pletely carried away by the transcendent genius of this gifted lady, that after the magnificent scene in the second act— after witnessing;the electrical effect which she threw into the words " Thou'st seen Aldabella"—we could not criticise, we could only admire. She was admirably supported by Graham, as Fazio, who would be a first-rate actor, if he would trust more to himself, and less to his recollections of Macready. Both were called for at the conclusion, and bouquets in abundance were showered on Miss Cushman. Never were bouquets more richly merited. The house was well attended. 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, the Bth of February, 1845." The Table is issued from the Office of the Registrar-General:— Weekly CAUSES OF DEATH. Total. Average 01 Five Years Epidemic, Endmic, and Contagious Diseases 188 184 Diseases of variable or uncertain seat llO 106 Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses 153 159 Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of Respiration _ ... 336 292 Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 34 24 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion Diseases of the Kidneys, &c 5 6 Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c. 8 in Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles 5 6 Diseases of the Skin, &c Old Age, or Natural Decay 7O 70 By Violence, Privation, or Intemperance Causes specified 1015 954 Deaths from all Causes ...... . lOlB 963 DEATHS FROM TILE PRINCIPAL DISEASES INCLUDED UNDER ---- ---- -- THE ABOVE HEADS. Total. Weekly Average of Five Years. Consumption 154 147 Scarlatina 34 36 Pneumonia .. B4 SO Dropsy .........................1 33 looping Cough 35 33 Typhus 24 30 Small Pox Disease of the Heart Measles 27 24 Apoplexy .......... ... .... ... 20 19 Diseases of the Brain ...... Diarrhoea.. — ....... ..... 5 13 Sudden Deaths 23 15 DISTRICTS. Deaths Weekly Births in Average of in the Week. Five Tears. the Week. West North lB9 176 234 Central East 234 209 284 South This was an action to recover ilidue to the plaintiff, John Daly, by William Neats, publican, Crown Inn, Seven Dials, under the following circumstances : Mr. THOMAS, who appeared for the plaintiff, said, ho was instructed to appear in rather a nove l case o f d e b t. It appeared that Ills client, one night in August last, got the worse for drink, in which state he went into the public-house of defendant. While there he began foolishly to flourish some money, on which a Mrs. Laugh= who was present requested him to place it in the hands of the landlord for safety until he got sober. He agreed to do so, and forthwith placed five sovereigns in the hand of defendant. He then left the house and went to an adjoining beer-house kept by a Mrs. Connel. Some time afzerwhen application was =defer themoney it was refused, on the plea that defendant did not know that the plaintiff was the person who had deposited it. On this refusal defendant was summoned to Bow-street. but the sitting magistrate decided that he had no juris diction, as the money had passed into the possession of defendant without any force having been used. After this the defendant agreed to give up the money, provid ing the plaintiff would produce a respectable surety, to bear him harmless. Two responsible housekeepers were produced, but without avail ; he would take nei ther, but still held the money. Hence this action was commenced to recover the bl. Mr. and Mrs. Langham, and Mrs. Connel, were called as witnesses, who proved that o _ Daly had deposited the five sovereigns in the hands themmr.ote43u- for r been th o taken. dofo o o I Neats as described, and that the other steps to recover e admitted that 1 . had been deposited in the hands of ~ Nests by a mPn one night in August, while in a state • • of intoxication, but he main tained that Daly was not the man' application for the m oney until a considerable Daly had iiot made it was placed in Mr. Ne a t s ' hand, andth en only time after ing from a certain party who was present nnnuent occa sionlearn- that such a sum of money had b een deposited. The party who was present, a Mrs. Langhara, and who had given evidence respecting the plaintiff's identity, had, Total .... ........ ...... 1018 963 129 E XC ISE INFORMATION.— On Friday last, Mr. G. Watson, of Finkle street, Kendal, Westmoreland, tobacco menu. lecturer, on the information of Mr. William Walton, supervisor of excise of the Lancaster district, was fined in the lowest penalty of SOL, the highest one being 2001., for selling a quantity of to bacco which was found highly adulterated with chicory. The sei zure was made by Mr. Walton, the supervisor. GALVANISM.—YARMOUTII.—In our last we re ported the case of James Earle, who was brought up before the magistrates for begging from ladies Sd. each for the purpose of providing himself with a silver ring to cure fits; we then referred to the fact that galvanic rings were to be had for about fourpence each, and said that " cheapness in gullibility was a consideration;" but gullible as some folks may be, we opine they may be equalled by the good folks of Yarmouth, with whom there is quite a rage for galvanic rings, and numerous are the instances of "cures by faith " told by the dames of the town. One we record, for the benefit of those who may labour under any of the ills that flesh is heir to, which is that of a woman who was sorely afflicted with that most obstinate of diseases, rheumatic affection of the foot, and what was to be had but a galvanic ring, and where placed but on the toe? In a short time faith and galvanism had wrought its work, and the patient was enabled to walk "right bravely ;" unfor. I tunately she is a votary to " Terpsichore," and for the purpose of enjoying for a short time "the festive dance" was tempted to dis encumber the toe of its galvanic circle; here she was doomed te disappointment, for when the time came she could not walk snore than dance, and was therere obliged to have recourse to her gal vanic protector, which we doubt not will cure her as speedily as before. —. Cambridge Advertiser. PRIZE MONEY.—Notice has been given to Lieu tenant Lapidge, who lately commanded the Pantaloon, and the officers and crew, that an account of money received for the cap. ture of the Spanish brigantine Desiao, on the 19th of May, 1843, will be deposited in the registry of the High Court of Admiralty. Notice has also been given to the officers and crew of the Spy brigantine, that an account of the moiety of the net proceeds of the bull and cargo of the Brazilian brig Furia, captured by the Spy on the Bth of August, 1543 ; also of the bounty mo ne y gra nted for cer. tarn slaves on b oar d a t th e ti me o f cap t ure, will be delivered into the registry of the Court of Admiralty on the 24th Wank THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 14 1 1845. the Direct Northern, and the Cambridge and Lincoln. Had the London and York been granted a second inter view, the other parties, of course, would have demanded the same indulgence, and thus they might have gone on ad znfinitum with respect to those schemes. So with respect to the Goole schemes, *.e Syston and Peterborough, and Swinton and Lincoln. Their Lordships must be aware that a line had to be drawn somewhere, and the lire the Board had drawn was, that but one interview should be granted ; and thus had said to the parties, if you have any fresh matter to communicate, we are ready to receive it. Their Lordships would not think that the Board lacked information when he informed them, that having been in existence but six months, they were receiving at the rate of 9,000 papers a year respecting railway schemes. Of documentary evidence, therefore, they had abundance. He now came to another class of objections to which he wished to direct their Lordships' attention. It had been said that the Board did not pos sess the confidence of the public, nor were they entitled to have it. It had been asked by way of question, to which it had been supposed that no answer had yet been given, whether the Board had not a personal and pecu niary interest in railway matters, and whether they had not, by obtaining previous information as to the deci sions of the Board which were forthcoming, enabled par ties to go to the Stock Exchange and to speculate there. Now, if that statement had been con fined to the public journals, he could never have mentioned it in Parliament; but these rumours, affecting the efficiency of the Board itself, had been sounded loudly in the ears of Parliament, and more especially with respect to one member of that Board. He (Lord Dalhousie) trusted that their Lordships would not consider that he was occupying their time with trifles, if he attempted to vindicate the reputation of an able and honest servant of the public. Mr. Porter and Mr. Laing, two other Members of the Board, did not possess, and he believed never had pos sessed a single share. Mr. O'Brien had once possessed sham, but he did not now possess any, nor had he done so since he had been a member of the railway Board. He was present when the appointment was offered to Mr. O'Brien, and that gentleman voluntarily stated that he was in possession of a number of shares. The interview took place on the 26th of July, and on the 6th of August he had taken measures to get rid of his shares, and on the 2d of Sep tember he irrevocably parted with every and all his in terest in any railway shares whatever. This was on the 2d of September. The Board did not attempt to go into the consideration of these railway schemes until the first week in December, so that Mr. O'Brien did not possess a single railway share for three months previous to the meeting of the Board. Then it was said a spirit of favouritism had been shown by this Board in certain railways. This allegation he need scarcely notice because on the face of it there was ample evidence of its utter want of truth. After one of the Great Western Company's meetings, a person sent him a paper from the country, with a black cross on a paragraph, in which it was suggested the whole of the Board of Trade should wear the ticket or badge of the Great Western Railway Company.—(Laughter.) A charge had been brought against Captain O'Brien, that he had displayed a gross partiality for the Dover Company, solely because he had a brother connected with that line. This was not a mere rumour ; it had been quoted from public prints in the other House of Parliament, and it was hardly possible for him to sit still and allow the character of every one of his colleagues to be im pugned in this way. But the charge was as absurd it was wholly unfounded in truth. Did they suppose that the other members of the Board would countenance partiality, without gain, inducement, or advantage whatsoever? Did any person suppose that they would have ventured to take upon themselves such risk, abso lutely without inducement, and merely because the brother of one of their colleagues was the manager of a particular company? Could any man suppose that sitting in the chair of that Board, responsible as he was to Parliament for their immediate transactions, that he would be such a fool as to suffer a single member of the Board to evince partiality for this or that railway which came before them ? The charge was ridiculous. It was an absurdity scarcely worth contradiction. It would be preposterous to do so in any case, and doubly so in a case like this. Now what were the circumstances of the case? The South-Eastern Company had proposed most comprehensive schemes. Other schemes had also been proposed, upon the merits of which he would not now say anything. They were before their Lordships, and no one could doubt their competency to consider them. In addition to the merits of their scheme, the South- Eastern Company, adopting the view of the House of Commons last session, had addressed a communication to the Board of Trade, in which they bad offered the following advantages, viz.—to reduce the rate of fares over all their old and new lines, and to calculate them upon, not the eighty-eight miles to Dover, but the seventy-four miles. They also agreed to take reduced fares for the second class, and they had given double accommodation to the third-class pas sengers. They had also agreed to lay down the elec trical telegraph for the whole distance, and to go to Parliament for the purpose of obtaining a central ter minus at Hungerford- bridge; and they were willing that that should be made a central terminus for all rail ways; and, in addition to that, they offered to do that which was a matter of great importance, viz., to pro vide the only link of communication round the southern coast of the country, which link would give almost an uninterrupted line of accommodation from the metro polis to within eight or nine miles of the land's end. They offered, also, to put their old and new lines under the option of purchase. Such were the offers they had made; and when the Board agreed to them, no other reason could be found for their doing so but that a brother of one of the Committee was a member of the company. It was ridiculous to make such state ments; and, in justice to his colleagues, he felt bound to make the observations he had done. There was another point to which he would wish to direct their Lordships' attention; and he did this equally on the part of the other Members as for himself. It had been asserted that private information of the de cisions of the Board had been circulated to certain par ties before those decisions were made public, thereby enabling frauds, in the shape of commercial speculations, to be perpetrated upon the public. On that point, as far as the general allegation went, he met it by as ge neral a denial, and for himself he would say that on no one occasion had he given the slightest information to any person as to what those decisions were to be— (Cheers)—and as far as the other gentlemen who com posed the Board were concerned, lie was in a position to inform their Lordships that he (Lord Dalhousie) had called the Board together, and he had put the question to them, and those gentlemen had authorised him to say that they were willing, upon oath, or if any other more solemn mode could be devised, they were willing, by that mode, to say that they had never, either directly or in directly,given the slightest information out of doors as to the probable decisions of the Board.—(Hear, hear.) There were two modes of giving those decisions to the public ; they must either defer them altogether until laid before Parliament, or they must give them to the public almost in the moment of decision. The latter course was open to objection, but it was clear that by the former mode, the chance that the decisions might accidentally be made public were in creased a hundred-fold. When the schemes of the com peting companies, with the remarks of the different offi cers in the department were returned to the Board, then he (Lord Dalhousie) made a memorandum which, with the other papers, he circulated through the Board, in order that each Member should in like manner make their own memorandums. Now, if those papers had by any possibility been seen by third parties, then, indeed, such information might have been obtained as had been alluded to in another place. Every precaution had been taken that human ingenuity could suggest to prevent any but Members of the Board from having access to those papers. They had not even been entrusted to the ordi nary official messengers. The papers had been put into a box and locked up with a new lock, of which he alone had the key. He had 'given the box and key, with his own hands, to another Member of the Board, who should in like manner give it to another Member of the Board, and so on, until it was returned to him. There was no key to that box, with the exception of the master-key, which he wore round his own neck. The box was never out of the custody of a member of the Board of Trade, and it was phy sic ally impossible for any one but a member of the Board of Trade to have access to it. With respect to the decisions of the Board, they had all, with one exception, been come to on the day on which they had been published. The minutes had been written at the Board by the secretary of the Board; the notices for the Gazelle had been prepared at the Board by the secretary, and had been copied by him there. No one could have any knowledge of those de cisions until after their publication in the Gaztee. It might be considered that after those minutes had been placed in the hands of the editor of the Gazette, the responsibility of the Board of Trade ceased ; but they had taken every precaution to prevent persons connected with the Gazette from an improper use of those docu ments. The Stock Exchange was closed at feur o'cleek, and the papers were never put into the hands of the edi tor until it was so near four o'clock that it was physi cally impossible that lie could by any means of convey ance reach the Stock Exchange before that hour. He was aware that it was not necessary for him to enter into this vindication before their Lordships, but he felt called upon to do so in consequence of what had been said upon it. But suppose that railway speculators, calculating upon the decisions of the Board of Trade, had made purchases, it did not follow that the intentions of the Board had been made public ; for any person of ordinary shrewdness, looking at the reports of last year, and hav ing seen the early reports of the Board of Trade, could calculate upon the principle on which that Board would proceed. Many of tha journals had made accurate calculations of their decisions. The principle on which they decided was to secure the greatest advantage to the public.—(eries of " Hear, hoer.") Their decisions were open to the review of Parliament. If those decisions were erroneous, they would be treated as a mass of worthless papers, but the Board of Trade had endeavoured to discharge the heavy task, attended as it was with the most oppressive responsibility, which had been laid on th em b y Parliament, without' favour or fear, and they had adopted this principle as their guide—that having a due regar I to the national and local interests they should decide he favour of that line which appeared to them to give to the country the of thewhich great interests was about involved make, k in greatest attainable amount of oubli e goo d.—(H ear .) e Lord BROUGHAA considered that this w as th e mot important subj ect w hi c h had engaged the attenti-n of Parliament of l a t e years. He begged leave, in tie outset of consideration th' e'remarks and anxious which were extracted from him by a d ee p an d the question—he begged leave, not only to absolve his Noble Friend, hut also hi s co ll eagues. f rom a l l b lame whatever. he lied je_!:rd any clie beti , ;gl t till'(' 1 e I , earkl that to eine,. isle had ui aaa,d IIJ couti.Aiun, turbid--(Laughter)—with any railway, having never he ever likely to do so, and therefore he was speaking disinterestedly. He could not but express surprise at his Noble Friend saying that the replrt of the Board would not influence Parliament. His Noble Friend said, " We do not act judicially, we do not decide, we are merely ancillary to Parliament. All we do is to examine the case, and report upon it to Parliament." Why, this was true, but supposing he (Lord Brougham) repre sented a railway company, and supposing he proceeded to Parliament, would not the first thing that he would hear be, " You are throwing away your time, you have been reported against. What chance have you of passing your Bill ?" Did any man bought a farthing's worth of stock in his life, nor was suppose that the reports were to be waste paper. Why, no, they would be followed by both Houses of Parlia ment. Government were pledged to the reports, be cause a portion of them had sanctioned them. True it was that that portion of the Board were not in the Cabinet, but, until the late extraordinary retirement of a Right Hon. Friend of his, one at least had been in the Cabinet. No, these reports would be taken by Parlia ment. They were not living in Uutopia, where Par liament was independent of the Government or the Government of Parliament.—(Laughter.) It was said that where the Executive had pronounced an opinion, and had reported that opinion to Parliament, they were not bound by that opinion in their House. This was not the sort of world they lived in. But now it was not a Government! Well, if it was not a Government, it was a very important member of one—a very important col league of one. He should like to have a return, next year, showing how many reports of this Board of five Members, acting under the President of the Board of Trade, had not been sanctioned by Parliament, and how many had. His own conviction was— that the result would be just the same as the report of the Board of Trade in ninety nine cases out of a hundred perhaps in a hundred cases out of a hundred—there would be found a literal coincidence between the decisions of the Board of Trade reported now to Parliament, and the decisions recorded in the Statute Book. He said this with very great confidence, not merely from past experience—not merely judging from the probabilities and improbabilities —but from the speech of the Noble Lord himself. He had listened, not only to the first part of that speech, but to the last part—and the whole of the last part, and it was a demonstration of the truth of the assertion he had just made. The utmost possible precautions were taken, said his Noble Friend—and most justly and properly, too—to prevent the least whisper from getting abroad, whereby the result attending the inquiry—the probable decision of that inquiry—might be conjectured; first, the papers were not entrusted with the executive, and there fore an especial lock was provided, as well as a special key to secure these papers. The genius of the Bramah of the day—(Laughter)—was put into requisition, that there might be a new inimitable key fur an unopenable box.—(Renewed laughter.) This box was sent by a special messenger, at a particular part of the day—at a quarter. past four—just when the Stock Eechange was shut, to the Gazetie office. He was the only person entrusted with it, and no one human being could ever form a conjecture what would be the opinion of the Board. But then why all this secrecy, and why all this multiplied precaution to prevent the publicity of the least whisper getting out of the decision of the Board? If the decision of the Board was of no conse quence, and was not to effect the final result,—if it was to be considered only as the opinion of five men for the purpose of saving Parliament the trouble of entering so minutely into the question,—if the Board did that only, if it was ancillary only to Parliament, and not to guide it, why, he would ask, did they not publish their pro ceedings at Charing-cross.—(Hear, hear.) The reason of this secrecy was this, that the decision of the Board not only operated on Parliament, but finally decided what railwaysßills should be passed and what not. Now here were three schemes of railways in contemplation be * fore the Board, and the question was which of the three should be successful in the opinion of the Board, and which of the two should be condemned. The parties go in before the Board, it examined the case. His Noble Friend at first said that the Board did not exa mine evidence; they had no power to examine or call witnesses, and they informed themselves in the best way they could. The Board examined the evidence produced by the parties without calling witnesses. The reports of the Board were published in the Gazette. Now, what was the Gazette? It was the official print that gave to the public the condemnation of two of the three schemes, and the approval of the remaining one. They reported against two and in favour of one ; and what was the consequence ? The decision was whispered upon the Stock Exchange, and those who had shares in the two first projects sold out at a loss, while_ the last rose in the _ _ _ market to an incalculable extent. Now, it was well to know in what way they could best regulate this im mense power for the safety of the public, so as not to press on the property of individuals. If, for instance, he should, as many had done, invest 5,0001. in railway shares, or if he had any connexion who had done so, he should, naturally enough, feel greatly interested in knowing on what grounds the Board of Trade bad so decided. They were all aware of the immense capital involved in those railway schemes ; yet here was a Board that could by a single word depress or altogether sink the most flourishing schemes, and raise the most depressed. Could ruin some and elevate others to wealth, and all this by a single report in the Gaza*. Let them not run away with the impression that there should be injustice in this, but yet where it was possible that there might be injustice, it became their duty to guard with a jealous eye the interests of the public. He thought such a Board should consist of some sworn Ministers of the Crown, or of some responsible persons who would be accountable to the country for the deci sions they came to, and for the justice of decisions which involved such enormous amounts of property. Then they should not be in a position to go, if they so chose, and buy or sell on the Stock Exchange. He decidedly was of opinion, therefore, that that Board should consist of individuals high in rank and station—high in political affairs, and in the Parliament of the country. They could hardly place men too high or too respectable at that Board, and he would repeat his own conviction that the most eligible would be the sworn advisers of the Crown.—(Hear, hear.) But he (Lord Brougham) must guard his words to prevent an unfavourable construc tion being placed upon them. His arguments must be understood as applying generally, for he fat that there could not be more respectable individuals than some—and he knew them—of the pers. ns sitting as members of that Board. He knew Major-General Pasley well, the others he did not know, but he took their characters as described by his Noble Friend. He would just refer to a subject which had been alluded to by the Noble Lord. It was said that one gentleman named O'Brien was connected with a Railway Company, and that an other Mr. O'Brien was a member of that Board, and it was said that the first had speculated upon certain in formation received of the intended decisions of the Board. Earl DALHOUSIE—The imputation was this, that the decisions given by the Board were revealed by one of its Members to his brother. To that he gave a per fect denial, and in addition he had to observe, that it was absurd to suppose that it could be done. _ Lord BROUGHAM had no reason to doubt that such was the case. He understood that it had been asserted that Mr. O'Brien had been a purchaser of stock at the time, or about the time, but that was denied, and he (Lord Brougham) was in consequence quite satisfied. He had no doubt it was all right, and all proper, and chat no shadow of suspicion could exist against that gentleman. But one advantage might result from the circumstance. It might attract the attention of her Majesty's Government to the matter. It would not do merely to say, " Oh, the persons constituting the Board are men of honour. They would not divulge their in tended decisions." The amount of caution used to pre. vent the result of their deliberations being given to the public at the improper time, proved this, if it proved no more, that the information sought to be secured was of a most important nature, and capable of being made a grievance of no common magnitude to the public. It was, therefore, absolutely necessary that confidence should be observed to prevent malversation, and that the most entire confidence should be placed in the Members of that Board, in order to prevent fraud and sreculation among the public Ho had thought it his duty to make these few observations on a matter which had excited the public interest in no ordinary degree. . __ • - The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, who was heard at first very indistinctly, was understood to say that the decisions of the Board of Trade were never considered final in the House of Commons. He thought the Board was of incalculable advantage, as preventing persons from embarking in schemes which were never likely to be sanctioned by the Imperial Parliament ; and for that reason alone he should be inclined to support it. It would, he hoped, be shown that, however individuals were prejudiced in favour of their own plans and schenies, they would still be open to reason, and the de cisions of the Board of Trade would therefore be emi nently useful in destroying all such fallacious schemes in the bud, and preventing a great waste of capital that might be more usefully employed. Lord STANLEY s.dd that as his experience in the other House was of a mere recent date than that of the Noble and Learned Lord (Lord Brougham), perhaps he might be allowed to correct a misapprehension into which the Noble Lord had fallen ; because if allowed to o uncontradicted, it might create an impression exceed ingly unjust to the character of the Government, and the House itself. The Noble and Learned Lord had stated that he should move for a return of all the rail ways that had passed the House of Commons, and for the reports of the Board of Trade connected with them, Ind he ventured to affirm that, in ninety-nine cases out of every hundred, the decision of the House had followed as a matter of course the opinions of the Board of Trade. It was extremely likely that the opinions of the Legis lature-would be in accordance with that of the Board of Trade. But he could assure the Noble and Learned Lord that, in no one instance, had the Government upon railway matters sought to influence the votes of the Meihbers of -the lower House. The Noble and Learned Lord would ever find, in the majority of cases, that even the members of the Government had refrained alto gether from voting on suoh occasions, or, when they did vote, they were found opposing each other. The Noble and Learned Lord would certainly assign the claims of private property as a just yea on why Members should have an opinion of their own on such sub.), cis, without being biassed by the expressed opinions of the Board of Trade or of the Government. The Board of Trade examined the schemes bofore them, as stated in the most favourable light by their several supporters, without the perplexing examinations and cross-examinations of counsel; and, therefore, any decision they might come to, might be very fairly taken as an evidence of the effi ciency of that Board, and the justness of their conclu sions ; and, certainly, if it were so, it must be conceded that it. was of great public advantage. He did not intend to as to their Lordships i that the Board never exercised any nfinence upon the House of Commons. All he meant to say was that the decisions Of that Board were not 13oked upon as final - by . that 'louse ; but surely Noble Lords would be of opinion that _the UMW Would but stul- cr tify itself, if it gave no heed to decisions — come to 0, ft bie minute labours and patient investigation. The /4 of Marquis had justly observed that the d o cisioes , the 13,,ard were eminently calculated to prevent an:eed cessary expenditure on the part of those w ho suerePrj these projects. His Noble Friend nea r him (1):.1,11 Dalhousie) had already stated the grounds 0 10 `, y l their decisions were founded. It was very truc in" that if these decisions, through some i were, if he might use the phrase, to ooze, '7 9 might give rise to fraud and speculation. :,'lO Noble and Learned Friend had spoken of the hards to which parties were subjected by a rejection of 0 ;4 schemes by the Board of Trade; but his Noble ° ill nadvertl; Learned Friend might not be aware that by s re d c , e io order of the other House an alteration had been en.'. ` l 5, the period at which parties might present their Pet lti° 6 o o and, consequently, bring in their Bills. By this (sal v o parties would have the full benefit of time to coniid er j ot to make their case more perfect, and to those who rooien be induced to withdraw in consequence of the °Fi e , it expressed by the Committee of the Board of Trl!„-tot would be the means of saving a vast expen se both ;013 and in the lower House. Really useful scheme s goo se be enabled, in consequence, to come before the,`,tioa without any of that expensive and unprofitable tber who% to which they hod formerly been subjected, to parties who were unsuccessful in obtaining a de ci5 , 1 1 ,. 0 4 their favour, might wisely withdraw without ber"" themselves with turther unnecessary expense s ' yi tit° The Marquis of LANSDOWNE did not kw.thboia the constitution of the Board compelled them to w!;„ or their reasons for their decisions. It must be 'l i t i:osi vmus that they eould not have come to their ov . . t si c 0 without some reasons, and it would have been (0 1 , 95 to easy for them to communicate their reasons as ltd communicate their decisions to the public, ;i ll b obst might have appeared at the same time. Na te what his Noble Friend had just stated was quite_A tinge is tb respect to that which had been recently adePtel e , he, other House of Parliament ; but it had taken . „a 18 9 believed, since the discussion which had oecurgibt 1 le : 1 : ear on the constitution of the Board. -- v re_ 4 ll ' ffect of the existing management w ould be beim a large portion of the capital of the country from wasted upon useless and hopeless speculation. 0 thi The Earl of DALHOUSIE said, that as flit t bsta t° Board were concerned, it was quite as easy for. t he! have submitted their reasons in detail at the n s „, ios r published their decision, as at a future perio d ; ree much as the existence - of the Board depende d 19// ,, 0 1 1 lution of Parliament which called upon than to the report of their reasons to Parliament, till& pr e that the course which they had adopted wa s per one. old! The subject then dropped, and the House item adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 1 1 0 rol l The SPEAKER took the chair at a Quarter o'clock. PRIVATE BILLS. fa A number of petitions were presented ' ll - Private Bills. DUTY ON COALS. t he Mr. H. HINDE presented a petition fren l „ r oitt ber of Commerce of Newcastle•upon-Ty nn the repeal of t eort duty on coals. AG he RIC xp ULTURAL DISTRESS. 40 'la Mr. DARBY presented several petitions I.l.lo'allgrli districts, complaining of the burdens which P r e culturists, and praying for immediate relief. tl 3l EXCISE DUTY ON SOAP . f 0 03 Mr. MASTERMAN presented a petition far, City of London, signed by upwards of 11 0 % se and praying for a revision of the Excise _,,,do l kr - TlS'' UNEQUAL TAXATION IN THE SC K s! BURGHS bf Mr. HUME presented a petition troll? , t tbs l ',, t r burgh of Forfar, in Scotland, complains p the existing law, the property in the barg es 30 tw of equally taxed, as compared with the cettt, tie prayed for an inquiry into the subject, '- providing a remedy. A; CASE OF MR. GORD OS. Mr. HUME also presented a petition from e-tet ual named Gordon, who had resided in Ge lle t t o been deported thence by order of the Govert-to. for some alleged misconduct. He (Mr. 1.1-- „ e st e 5 ' e el presented a petition from the same person tePj a ist o 4 and he then prayed for an t in into the er c iiter of his case, but such inquiry had not bee n to the present hour. He prayed, therefor earliest opportuity would be taken to do sn' O se BEER SHOPS IN LANCASEI- T -,0 of Mr. 0. STANLEY presented a petition o:hit shire, or" hire, against the extrusion of beer shops in "" t RAILWAYS. Mr. ENTWISLE begged to give noti ec hv tli o 3 f ' J:e r the Right Hon. the Chauccllor of the Du e ,t 11 1 ', of caster bringing up his report upon the ' es e tb'": 0 ) 1 forming railway Committees, he w ould lo n % r ail,eo person having any interest, direct or indirect/ i se rifi° or railway companies, shall be excused froth such Committees. , G AME- LAWS. Mr. JOHN BRIGHT gave notice th at he vii: ia le° this day fortnight move for a repeal of the PI 1 tile RAILWAYS. t te. 10 Mr. WALLACE begged to bringing up of the Railway Committees' S e l l- la the w oo Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, he il i fi ti o s,4 for the adoption of certain resolutions r e l e nt 0 give notice th at , ' a t b) , f e size, construction, and charges of the diger— carriages. 1, 41 ' IS , 31- sEaSidTltratTeEpSo-11 h er 000,tio,', Captain PEC N H A E V LL Y Ministers submitting the Navy Estimates tf„s iele ° he would move that the House do take int o vv - the claims of Captain Clarkson. , 0 13+ WINDOW-TAX- 0 , ~, t ll e 'te ' The Hole. MEMBER also gave notice i lls rels t/ on Tuesday next, move for certain returns the modes of assessment of the w i n dow - „tsAi„. 1, s l '„ RAILWAY COMMITTEES' Pmilobl e e t ; ' Mr. WALLACE begged leave to ask the it heti c l- 0 0' the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancast er ' 1 i''' ~ ;10 , 8 l e was true that there were on the present l or e a mittee many persons who were interested, 1 11 IV rt ° in railway speculations ? fin -tee u vi', Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET, ill `, -; 0. " r o''' Hon. Member opposite, begged to say tha" h e f c et ,o t once admit that there were s ue t . 3 Poll on the Committee ; but it ilia j ee° l " il t to him that much serious obje.ction o p p re from that circumstance ; for this redo& be p r e one object of the Committee was, to se e ' ° fbeid o ° ' jetted lines brought under the consideration w oe., t iro had fair play; and he really thought that th e l j oed 1 te il ° have fair play unless the parties, who wer e P cootitil situation referred to by the lion. Member, fol. partm Mr, WALLACE the Commite s s. ai , be the . I° ,lll. the House, he felt that he d hhaadvidnigschtirged a bl 6 f tile PRIVILEGE. ' don ° ,3, The order of the day for the considelea rejlio; statement of the Sergeant-at-Arms havilEt in eel l ips, The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said '",',"f 01,101: the attention of the House to the posit i ' ° ; „, - o 07tbl'r geant-at- Arms, relative to certain procer,re, ea £be 10; been instituted against him, he was i tt "a" to ~d 1 '; that there would be no opposition offer e .„ •, njos . ;" tion of which he had given o°"`",, the 4 01 was therefore not disposed to trespas...ys uP,,,, ° ",eld P i ; o d e , with any statement of the case. He - „ e cosi ° "tar", therefore, that the House should on that -- 9 sant' 1 11 " the course which was taken in 1843, vihet.•Arre,';,oevt" tion was brought against the Sergeant-et' his P; v • e : House had then, upon the motion °' A sterno 3 j able and Learned Friend, the presen t a's e rge g 11$ neral, decided on giving leave to the A pleg l o reP Arms to appear, and plead to the a ction . 5 a delo o eog been put on the record, to which there /is w ot ° o or e no That demurrer had been argued, and " 5 0 14 °, g Arsl for That sjiurdgwmiellniatmofGethsseetC,ourtt Ile v ° e sat" . 6 lo attending this House, have Klenat4thteoSsePrP....geillir oflris.clAr . d' el; c e ,i the action brought against him by Thetnfer se) or e Lord J. RUSSELL said he would Son, 0 an d lid tb . , tion to the motion proposed by the ~„, resi lj n ref e ' Gentleman. He would merely state that3`-te the r opinions which he had before expressed a ...ii s ee s. ~,,01 )1 course to be pursued under such circuntliO P ta it:i NOTICE OF MOTION—STATE o „.r_ iec t O li o Sir C. NAPIER rose to move for a 9' m ad be en 4 0: "to inquire into the manner ia which th e ba d be; e0 00; since 1835, for the construction of sh i P s o ' irtA t , pended, and if the ships constructed are a t o ill' floner e D OI .4 0 1 of the old system?' The (who dropped his voice so as to oee ede a ro oti, °l3 audible) in commencing his speech , P r o d the c i r ce,l; that his only . motive in bringing forw oorts ° g et. P e was to ascertain whether or not the re. .. e co rr ; ter fer, tion as to the defects of thes3 ships vl h i s to 03 , r ope,` had been told that it was no business °, 4to the 1 00: with such a matter; that it s hould be ` t o ~,d, the. e , for ' authorities, by which was meant, he silPl ) ,: tit heritl a tlivs ratty. It had been left to the prop , er: otw ithsw ati,. great number of years, and .blundershe°, P rs iling b • it t es: seen the greatest errors and p ~,tion, a 4 3 , party he vy 0 e' was neither a political nor apa he na , • s.id which concerned the well being et . t c oil) 'bow oftcti k vi e tate , b: •0 8 5 0 he ti proper application of the finances in the remarks which be was about t,, _. It wee be guided solely by such consideir_aeri I b 'r e t i t ee iBoo , ilif i necessary to go back for a cons d g he (Sir C. Napier) first entered the s_e f r v i l 2 c o e : :10, 0 9 1i l oti re navy contained several three-deckers '-' ; II co ns- sted t hey g 90 guns. The first class genera4:or_ t hat t h . t oeis ci , ships, but the others were so inte bu Vnotwi t the A found totall unfit for service ; ado to ea is' all the representationsthesame swyshtelemb miralty, i v l e v r a e s O r rae y L et i.,s 0 . 0• 0 1 ., exce..ent ee_rrareo. This country had taken some very , t h e Sa° s l tr oci e t 6 l the French. There were the Terhrear d been e° foe° $ and the Canoeus. Several shies ...., ba d beat ~.1 0 ,. , upon the model of the Canopus, and 1 9 :7 1 ' ne vL: v answer extremely well. The k ., t s he h L i c 0° a most excellent shit), but t iute. were folio been copied' up to t his a . s , Ther e t eittr:oo came to the frigates of those 3 a fr icratest sp-t debt ,pie six gun frigates, forty-.two gun unders, thiry,,,ht t o t gun frigates, all carrying 18-P° _ . ,3 twe nty e r li,„, . e , frigates carrying 12-pounder, sh i ps in the: , __` , , irs ' ed:, frigates. Those were very good ,B.` t r o , we re n , 14 0 e li j they were found not to answer, ansa___'" ofthe'. 00 ;te, 5 . 0 by the thirty two gun s hips. I ' l ' l ' officer o pp or wo w , Goa -5Y tba` ' ill 11 ; Ad l i acontnotinhearnbd3e,dhbitynseenif,Haonnd. ahnedaGettiallsi:t .. ed hy. se et, ;,., lot of ships had n• v , r been e ded hY sli T he o ri for nothing ; and they were super.,un friate:4oer, ft. 4 of frigates, called twenty-eight e l;„,,a to au s 4 d j ! P „ however, like the rest, were: not to. c , v.s , .• s t, rally-. They were t;und to cben sitar.euilio'ci e n f, thus were • given up. Anoik s e io r epa : re. o .a tin u t o lil t p, t t lief il were those called sixteen gun were found perfectly useless.; e 1, no , 10: „taro 0. pounders, and those vessels were per,setv;erre lv,i,i,:ir,ict;l,,l,. youngster or boy in the navy 00 l':' the „ teen- Nei 0 wen. • next class of ships adopted ~, , ,i ra.ficb;b 01) 0 frigates, which were mut:h 104€, : . 10 ,1) , ~oe übleo troy ~,niara vk 1110Sler chts!, than the aighikee gun Wigs, m ap ivy. , UMW would have isilede ad Yi‘" , lv od NM IC! rUI ots th(