The Sun. — London, England, 1850-02-12 00:00:00

LAND-TAX. NORTHERN COUNTIES UNION _ RAILWAY COMPANY. The half-yearly ordinary meeting of the proprietors of this company was held yesterday at the London Tavern ; Major Beresford in the chair. The SECRETARY read the following report:— " The directors have to report that since the last half yearly meeting, and in accordance with the unanimous desire of that .meeting, they have greatly reduced the liabilities of the company on satisfactory terms. The directors continue of opinion that it is inexpedient, under existing circumstances, to proceed with works on the line. Since the last half-yearly meeting the sum of 3,123/. 15s. 4d. has been received o❑ account of arrears of call. The directors regret that they have been driven to adopt legal proceedings against some of the default ers, and in justice to the other proprietors, it is their in tention to follow out this course except in cases only where there are strong grounds for believ ing that such steps would be entirely useless. The directors have recently sold out the Three-and-a- Quarter per Cent. Stock belonging to the Com pany at a profit of 241/. 4s. Bd. The proceeds, viz., 13,6401. 10s. 2d., have been lent on Government securi ties at call. The strictest economy comensurate with the prOper attention due to the company's affairs has been and will continue to be exercised. The directors recom mend the confirmation by this meeting of the forfeiture of seventy shares on which the call is in arrear, and of which due notice has been given. The meeting will have to elect four directors in the room of William Beresford, Esq., M.P., John Castel Hopkins, Esq., Thomas Sal keld, Esq., and Joseph Underwood, Esq., who retire by rotation, and who, being duly qualified, offer themselves for re-election. George Broom, Esq., one of the audi tors, also retires by rotation, and is eligible for re-elec tion." The balance-sheet appended to the report, showed a balance of 30,2251. 19s. 7d. in favour of the company up to the 26th of January last. The CHAIRMAN said he had only to make a few ob servations i❑ moving the adoptio❑ of the report. It had been the object of the directors, since the last meeting, to economise the expenses, and to put the af fairs of the company on a satisfactory basis ; and he had the pleasure of stating that they had entered into an agreement which would entirely absolve the proprietors from their liabilities in respect of the Toeby branch. Their negotiations for getting the Wath branch off their hands had not been satisfactory. With regard to the pro gress of the works he said it had been his own individual opinion, as well as that of the other directors, that it would be madness to proceed with the undertaking. They endeavoured to get rid of the works, but having failed to do so, they considered any further outlay of money as unprofitable, and therefore injudicious. Consequently they came to a resolution not to make any further calls. Everything had been done to collect the arrears of calls which were due, and since last meeting there had been received on this account 3,0001:, which showed that they had not been inactive. Those who chose to hold back after the great lenity and kindness which had been shown to them must take the conse quences of the law, for the directors had thought it right to commence actions against them. It had been thought expedient to sell out the Three-and-a-Quarter per Cent, stock. On former occasions, when they were obliged to dispose of their stock, they did so at a great dis idvantage; but there had been a trifling profit on this last transaction, fir it was a curious incident that the stock at the time of the sale was within a trifle of the highest sum it had ever reached. The balance belonging, to the company was now in vested in Exchequer-bill securities. By the removal of the offices a saving. of 160/. bad been effected in the annual expenses, and the directors had endeavoured i❑ every other way to lessen the expenditure. Four directors offered themselves for re-election, but they bad no remunerative or lucrative appointment in view, and they were simply desirous of continuing on the board until their affairs were brought to a termination. He would only say for himself, that if they would re lieve him from the onus of his office they would confer upon him a strong personal favour. But being one of the original persons who, to a certain degree, was guilty of becoming a shareholder and a director—for they were all under delusions at the time—he could not think of first bringing the proprietors into a scrape, and then leaving them to do their best, and, therefore, he was ready to give his best services so long as the company required them.—(Cheers.) Mr. BATLEY seconded the motion. In reply to several questions, The CHAIRMAN stated that the sum of 2,6401. 4s. sd. in the accounts for law and Parliamentary expenses, was for work done two years and a half ago, and that not a shilling of that sum had been expended since then; 10,0001. had been invested at 6 per cent. upon de bentures in the Eastern Union Railway, which he con sidered perfectly safe. They could get back the money whenever they liked. Mr. Lloyd, a barrister, had ad• 'lied the directors that the investment at 6 per cent. was perfectly legal, and that they could seize the property of the railway in satisfaction of their claim. The interest upon the debentures had been paid up to the last moment. The report was then received and adopted. The retiring directors were then proposed for re election. Mr. RICLIARDSON, of Leeds, moved as an amend ment that Mr. Baker, of Thirak, be substi atuted in the place of Mr. Underwood. He said he represented a large number of shareholders in the north, who wished for a further return of money, and who thought their affairs might be put in a much better position. Mr. Baker was the gentleman through whose influence the works were mainly stopped, and being a person of great respectability, who was intimately acquainted with the interests and feeling of the people of the district through which the line passed, as well as the shareholders who resided there, he thought that no better person could be *elected as a director. Mr. JACKSON seconded the amendment. Mr. SANDS thought Mr. Richardson had shown that 1$ would be to the interest of the shareholders generally as well as the company to elect Mr. Baker. Mr. BATLEY said, if they passed the amendment, they would not be paving Mr. Underwood a proper compli ment, after all his exertions on behalf of the company, especially when it was known that his services were given gratuitously. It is clear that a direc tor residinz at Thirsk could not pay as much attention to the business of the company as a London director, and besides, Mr. Underwood held 340 shares, while Mr. Baker was only the proprietor , of 40. Mr. J. THOMPSON said there were only three London members of the board who gave their attendance when ever required; but if Mr. Underwood was taken away, they would be unable to form a qnoruna to transact the most ordinary buisineas without bringing a director from the country at great expense. After a short discussion the amendment was ne ga _ tired by a large majority, and the retiring directors were re-elected. - - - The meeting then resolved itself into an extraordinary meeting, in compliance with the fallowing requisition:— " We, the undersigned shareholders in the Northern Counties Union Railway Company, holding in the aggregate 20,0001. and upwards of the capital of the said company, and not being less than fifteen in number, do hereby require you, the said directors, to call an extraordinary meeting of the said company, in order to consider and determine upon the propriety of a proposition to be submitted to the said extraordinary meeting, in pursuance of the resolution passed at the last extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders of the said company, to the effect that you, the said directors, be required forthwith to reduce the last call made upon the shareholders of the said company by such amount as may be then and there agreed upon, and to return th e amount per share so agreed to be re duced to , the respective shareholders in the said company.' The CHAIRMAN then called upon the gentlemen who represented these shareholders t o state what course they wished to pursue. Mr. RICHARDSON said after the discussion which had taken place he did not intend to press any resolution upon the meeting. In reply to Mr. SPACLMAN, The CHAIRMAN said the directors had a n id ea of making an application to Parliament for a Bill to dis solve the company, but their intentions had been altered by what had lately transpired in Parliament. It ap peared that three Bills had been introduced into the House, and Mr. Labouchere, the other night, gave notice of his intention to move that they should not be read a second time until after Easter. From this and other matters which bad come to his knowledge, be drew the conclusion A meeting of the Commissioners of Land-tax acting for the Holborn division of the county of Middlesex was held yesterday at the Tax-office, Red Lion-square, when a numerous board assembled. An application from Mr. Moseley, solicitor to Mr. Mayes in his appeal against his land - tax assessment, in St. Andrew's, Holborn, for a re - heari n g b y t he Commis sioners, was read. A long discussion took place as to the powers of the Commissioners to grant a re-hearing, but at length a resolution was moved by Mr. Coppock, and carried unan i m ously, that the application could not be granted. Mr. COPPOCIL then brought forward a motion for call ing a general meeting of the Commissioners of Land tax w ith a view of considering the assessment for the county as at present existing, and of modifying or cor recting the same. After showing the powers which the Act of Parliament vested in the Commissioners, their power of remedying the evils which were alleged to exist, and urging upon the Commissioners not to allow their refusal to act to be construed into a denial of justice, or to compel an application to the Court of Exchequer to put them in motion, Mr. Coppock referred to the proceedings of the deputation which went on Wednesday last to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the subject. He showed, by reference to the Acts, and to the re ported cases, that the Court of Exchequer could com pel a due assessment of the tax, and that if the Court had the power to do this by the commissioners, it would be far more gracious for the commissioners to do it themselves. The inequality of the rate was admitted— why not apply the remedy given by the Act ? Mr. Coppock then moved the following resolution, which was carried with only one dissentient: — "That this Board recommends that a general meet ing of the Commissioners of Land-tax, acting in and for the County of Middlesex, be held on or before the thirtieth day of April next for the purpose of ascer taining and setting down in writing the several pro portions which ought to be charged upon every hundred lathe, wapentake, rape, ward, or other division within the said county, for and towards the raising and making np the whole amount of land-tax charged upon the said County of Middlesex, by the Act of the 38th George 111. c. 5." A committee of five was then appointed to carry out the object in view. Mr. CUNLIFFE proposed a rote of thanks to Mr. Robertson for his exertions on behalf of the bondholders, which WAS carried unanimously. Mr. ROBERTSON said, in returning thanks, that before undertaking the consulate of Equador he had made it an express stipulation that he should press an arrangement of this debt with all the speed possible.—(Hear, hear.) Ile could assure the meeting that there never was a better prospect of a speedy settlement of their claims than at present. The meeting then separated, after a vote of thanks to Mr. Talker for his conduct in the chair. MR. DENISON, M.P., AND FREE TRADE. At a very numerous meeting of landed proprietors and tenant farmers, held at Doncaster on Saturday, Mr. Denison, M.P., offered some explanation cf his conduct with respect to the part which ho has taken on the sub ject of protection and free trade. The chair was taken by Sir Wm. Bryan Cooke, Bart., and a resolution hay in;.z been carried in support of a return to protection, Mr. DENISON said, if he had lowered himself in their esteem by the vote he gave last week, he could only say that he had no honest alternative, and he would tell them why. He alluded to the amendment proposed by Sir J. Trollope, against which Lord J. Russell and Sir C. Wood spoke, and declared that Miaisters would not comply. Now, every man in the House ought to consider the re sult of a vote he was about to give. And the position in which he stood was this—that if, by his vote, he should turn a Government out, who was to follow ? He had no wish to turn out the present Govern ment.—(Hisses.) Who was to succeed them ? (Cries of " Lord Stanley," and " Hear, hear.") Well, he had no objection to Lord Stanley, be cause he believed him to be a wonderfully honest man; but perhaps not always the most judicious. Bet sup posing Lord Stanley were sent for, .unless he was prepared to go back to protection, and do away with free trade, why should he be put in the place of Lord John Russell ? And how would he be able to get up a Government in favour of protec tion? Would he get one of Sir Robert Peel's party to go with him? In the first place he did not believe they would be asked; and, if asked, he did not believe they would go. And, in the last alternative, an:appeal to the country, could they then form a protection Government? —(Yes.) Ho knew something of the House of Commons, and he could say that the Protectionists hai not a single man, with the exception of Mr. Herries, who had ever held office in his life.—(A ♦oice, " They will be all the honester.") Honest or not, if a man had not been in office before, he was not the fittest man to form a part of the Government. Ho was firmly persuaded that Lord Stanley, with a Protec tion party, could not form a Government which would stand a fortnight. And if so, would they like the Queen to send for Mr. Cobden ?—(No, no.) Well, he was sure they would not wish for Sir R. Peet.—(No.) He would be frank with them, and say that he was sure that even he could not form a Government. Well, then, if neither Sir Robert Peel, Lord Stanley, nor Mr. Cobden could form a Government, they must be content with the present one. And this being his impression, he ♦oted against the amendment, considering that it was his duty to his Sovereign and to his constituents that he should do so. Some resolutions having been carried, it was agreed that petitions be got up and presented to both Houses, praying for a moderate duty, or the exemption of the land and its produce from all taxes whatever, as the only means of arresting the evils at present complained of. IN ATFORD.—On Friday last one of the most nu merous and respectable parties which this town has wit nessed for many years dined together at the George Inn for the purpose of paying a tribute of respect to Mr. Paten, for his indefatigable exertions in the prosecution of the plan for supplying the inhabitants of the metro polis with pure water. Upwards of fifty gentlemen sat down. PROTECTION IN via lllGnwirtio 8.- -- A memorial t o the Queen, praying her Majesty to her pre_ nd caalltcatobihneert sent Ministers, to dissolve councils men who would make Protection measure, has been hawked about the a . st . two weeks in Strathtay and Athole. It with some of the minor landlords or i g i nated with e districts ; but the time when "Jock geed up to be hanged to please the laird" is passed away, and most of the farmers are refusing to sign the memorial. They call it "humbug," or the Gaelic equivalent of that ex pressive epithet, and declare that a reduction of rent is the one thing needful to the tenant-farmer. Here, as in must other oases, the Protectionists go out to gather wool, and return shorn.—Perth Advertiser. THE AYLESBURY SA VINGS' BAN K.—The small freehold property, consisting of four cottages, let for 211. 121.. a year, belonging to Stratton, have just been sold by direction of the trustees of the Aylesbury Be nefit Building Society, of which he was a secretary. It has not realised sufficient to cover the society's claims, and consequently there will be nothing forthcoming to diminish the amount of his defalcations at the savings' bank, which amount to between 990/. and 1,0001. It is in a singular fact that Stratton, who sailed from Liverpool the i Canada u p war d s of six weeks ago, was accompa nied n the same vessel by a clerk who had plundered the savings' bank at Jedburgh of between 4,0001 and 5,0004 that Government intended to bring forward a general measure for the dissolution of companies, of which they might take advantage, and thus avoid the expense of getting a private Bill to dissolve. He simply drew this inference, and had no official knowledge of what the Government proposed to do. A vote of thanks, after some further discussion, was passed to the Chairman and directors, and the meeting separated. MEETING of the BONDHOLDERS OF EQUADOR. A meeting was held of the Equador bondholders, at the Guildhall Coffee-house, yesterday, by the requi sition of Mr. P. Robertson, to consider certain proposi- tions. The meeting was numerously attended. In opening the proceedings, Mr. ROBERTSON said that he appeared before them as the representative of the Republic of Equador. One of the subjects which that Government had most at heart was that of the foreign debt. Moat of the bondholders, he thought, knew the circumstances in which that re public was placed. When Colombia was split into three portions, New Granada, Venezuela, and Equador, an arrangement at which Equador had no commissioner present, the debt owing by Colombia was split into three parts, and the lion's share—(Cries of " No, no," from the bondholders)—yea, he thought taking into ac count the smallness of the population, and the paucity of the resources, that 21 per cent of the debt was by far the largest share. The white population was 300,000 or 400,000 at the most, spread over a large amount of country. This debt had been a subject of great anxiety to the Government, and they were extremely wishful to come to some arrangement; and he (Mr. Robertson) was armed with a full power of attorney to come to a settlement as soon as possible. His object in calling this meeting was to ask them to name a committee of three of themselves to make arrangements with him respecting the immediate settlement of the debt. He should be ready to furnish that committee with all the information in his power, with the details, which it was impossible to fur nish to such a large meeting. He thought it was his duty to inform the meeting that the present price would be the maximum which they would be able to obtain. He spoke under the perfect knowledge of what Equador could do. Any arrangement which he might be able to make with that committee it would be necessary for him to transmit to the Legislative Assembly of Equador to receive its assent. In reply to a question, Mr. ROBERTSON said that he had no reason to think that say arrangement which he made would be refused by that body. A BONDHOLDER inquired what would be the maximum? Mr. RobEnTsoN said it would be 3 per cent., arriving at that by a scale from 1 per cent. The overdue coupons he was not so certain about, but he thought that they would be transferred into the nature of deterred stock. There were other matters into which he could not enter into detail at present. Mr. LIND() thought that if Equador had had no commissioner present at the division of the debt, she was cot justified in recognizing the debt. He believed that the division of the territory had been made with a con sideration to the population, commerce, and resources of the three parts, nor did he think that there was reason for Mr. Robertson saying that Equador had the lion's share. After some desultory conversation, in the course of which some of the bondholders insinuated that the ob ject of Mr. Roberson, in calling the meeting, was to depreciate the Equador stock, and to make the best bargain he could with the bondholders, Mr. ROBERTSON replied that he had yet to learn that a state was to be thought less of because it came for ward to meet its creditors, and to make the best ar rangement it could with them. His object in meeting them there to-day was not to depreciate the stock, but to make an arrangement with them for the settlement of the debt. Mr. GREEN thought that the best eourse which this meeting could pursue would be to desire Mr. Robertoo❑ to put himself into communication with the committee of the Spanish American bondholders, and to inform them that he was empowered to make arrangements for the settlement of the debt.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. LINDO entirely approved of the suggestion. He considered that any disagreement which might have oc curred between that body and Mr. Robertson would not at all lessen Mr. Robertson's readiness to undertake that arrangement. Mr. ROBERTSON said he was perfectly willing to un dertake any arrangement which the meeting would pro pose. He thought the best course would be for the meeting to appoint a chairman, and embody their propo sition in a resolution, and to transmit it to him. Mr. TANKER then took the chair, and put the follow ing resolution, which was moved by Mr. Green and seconded by Mr. Cunliffe:— " That Mr. W. P. Robertson be desired to put him self into communication with the committee of Spanish American bondholders, with a view to the immediate settlement of the Equador debt." Mr. MARRIOTT thought that resolution was scarcely stringent enough. He would express more confidence in the committee, and would not press for the immediate settlement of the debt; be thought that the prosperity of South America was perspective, and if they were con tent to wait fur a little time he had no doubt they would be able to obtain much more favourable terms. No amendment was proposed, and the resolution was put and carried unanimously. A BONDHOLDER wished to know whether the committee would have all powers to settle with Mr. W. P. Robert son without acquainting the bondholders previously. The CHAIRMAN raid that there was no instance on record where the committee had come to a final arrange ment without previously calling a meeting to acquaint them with the conditions. EXTRAORDINARY ATTEMPT AT SWINDLING. One of the most impudent and barefaced attempts at swindling which have ever occurred in this neigh bourhood has just been exposed, by an investigation which took place before the local magistrates, at Bilston, on Saturday last. The party who felt most interest in the result of this inquiry was a respect ably-dressed foreigner, Count Von Wladdislaw by name, according to bis address card, and belonging to Hungary, Poland, France, or Germany, as best suited his convenience. The " Count" first comes under our notice, from the disclosure now made, as a guest of Mr. Clements, landlord of the Royal Ex change Inn, Dale-end, Birmingham, where he ar rived on the evening of Saturday, the 19th, having come in a car from the railway station. During his stay there he lived in a style becoming an Hungarian noble, and on an early day he took Mr. Clements into his confidence, and gave him a bit of information worth knowing. The " Count's" elder brother had been living with a female at Glasgow, and had be• come so infatuated with her that he had given her the title deeds of a valuable property in Hungary. She was ignorant of their value, and the "Count" being anxious to get possession of them, he proposed that Mr. Clements should go to Glasgow as his agent, and offer the woman 5,0001. for the documents ; if he was successful he should have 5001. for himself. The offer was too tempting to be refused, and was at once accepted, with a proviso (at the suggestion of a friend of Mr. Clements) that the Count should pay his ex penses to Glasgow, and give him 51. to bring him back. This was joyfully acceded to, and the evening of the following S a turday was fixed for the start. Mr. Clements was duly apparelled: for the journey on the evening in question, when the Count left the house for a moment, as he said, but forgot to return. Thus was the landlord of the Royal Exchange "done" out of a prospective 5001., as well as the amount of his guest's board and lodging for the week. While the Count was staying at Mr. Clements', he was introduced to a Mr. Alfred Somerville, partner in a Brussels firm engaged in the iron trade, to whom he stated that he was com missioned to purchase engines, &c., for the Cracow Railway Company, and asked his advice as to the most proper parties in Birmingham with whom he could deal. Mr. Somerville recommended him to Messrs. Boulton and Watt, of the Soho Works, and having gone there, the Count ordered two pairs of marine engines, of one hundred and forty horse power, and two pairs of eighty horse power, with iron boats to suit the same, which he said were to be used on the Danube in connexion with the Cracow Rail way. He signed a contract to the amount of 27,0001., giving references in London as to his responsibility, and agreeing to pay 10,0001. in a week. In the course of conversation with Mr. Blake, one of the managers at the Soho, the Count mentioned that there were a number of Hungarian refugees in Birmingham who were desirous of emigrating, but had not the means of doing so, and Mr. Blake offered him a 51. note as a contribution for that object. The Count refused it, however, saying he could give more himself, d o ubtl ess thinking that Mr. Blake would increase the amount. We are not aware whether this was done, but from inquiries which he subsequently made Mr. Blake was induced to suspect that his customer would not be a very profitable one, and the contract was therefore immediately cancelled. After leaving Mr. Clements' house, we find the Count in a day or two distribuiing the orders he had been commissioned to execute for the Cracow Railway, in the neighbourhood of Wednesbury and Bilston, in cluding a 500-horse poster stationary engine from Messrs. Perry, of the Highfield Foundry; 500 rail way axles, from Messrs. Lloyd, Foster, and Com pany ; an 80-horse power high-pressure engine from Mr. Joseph Spencer, of Bilston, and 350 tons of best steel from a manufacturer at Moxley. Of course, the Count, in giving his orders, discussed the merits of a few bottles of wine, at the expense o those whom he was honouring with his commands but this appears to have been the e x t e nt o f th e imme diate benefit he derived. He wanted to borroW.sl., from the Morley steel-manufacturer, under the pre tence that he bad lost his purse in coming from the Willenhall Railway station ; i but this at once opened the eyes of the other to the real character of his cus tomer, and he tore up the contract. We next discover the Count in the custody of Inspector Thompson, at Bilston, by whom he was brought up at the public office, as we have already stated, in order that it might be ascertained whether his doings brought him within reach of the law. After due consideration, however, the magistrates, E. B. Dimmack and John Jones, Esqs., were of opinion that there was not evi dence sufficient to warrant a conviction, and the Count was therefore discharged. The Bench expressed a wish that publicity might be given to the circum stance, for the purpose of putting the public on their guard. The Count has a Jewish appearance, is about 30 years of age, .5 feet inches high, of a dark com plexion, has dark hair and whiskers, and wears a moustache and imperial. He speaks the English lan guage imperfectly.—Birmingham Journal. THE POISONING CASE AT HACKNEY. Yesterday Mr. William Baker, the coroner, re sumed for the fourth time, at the Fountain Tavern, Upper Clapton, the investigation touching the death of James Merritt, which took place early in the morning of the 25th ult., from the effects of arsenic, supposed to have been wilfully administered in gruel by his wife. - The additional evidence adduced at the present in quiry was merely a repetition of that which took place at Worship-street, on Saturday. The CORONER having read over the evidence, the jury, after half-an-hour's deliberation, returned the following verdict :—" That the deceased, James Mer ritt, died from the deleterious effects of a mortal poison, called white arsenic, found in his stomach, but when, by whom, or in what manner the same has been administered to and taken and imbibed into the stomach, there is no satisfactory evidence to prove." The foreman of tie jury then handed in the follow ing recommendation, signed by thirteen of the jury : " The jury, before they separate, wish to recor d their opinion regarding burial-clubs, as they are at present constituted ; they view them with fear, inas much as they seem to hold out a premium for the frightful crime of secret murder, through the facility with which the funeral money is obtained, several cases having recently come to light the facts of which are startling, and on which their fears are founded, besides the many they may presume to have escaped discovery. The jury, in thus noticing the evil tendency of these burial societies, from which is obtainable a sum of money upon the death of a mem ber, are desirous that they should be differently con stituted, either by the act of their governors, or that some legislative measure• be made to control or guide them." The CORONER stated that he had just received in formation that the son of the deceased, a boy eight years of age, had died that afternoon, and he should consider whether it would be necessary to hold an inquest on the body. TRACTARIAN HUMBUG AT OTTERT.—We are told that Dr. Cornish has recently ordered that the fu neral bell is never more to be tolled on the burial of a Dissenter in the grave-yard adjoining the Inde pendent Chapel ; nor are the nuptials of " here tics" to be announced by a merry peal from those sacred bells. Whether it be that the bells have been re -consecrated is not known; but some persons are so unkind as to declare that it is a mighty bit of spleen, of which, in his charitable moments, the doctor may well be ashamed, and at which his humbler brethren of the conven ticle laugh most heartily. In the event of the Bishop having a loaf and a fish to spare, he eould not find more deserving recipients than some of the Ottery clergy. It was only a few weeks since that one of the clergy, residing in a little hamlet of the parish, went to the cottige of a poor woman to baptise her infant. The minister demanded a basin of water, which was brought, the woman no doubt placing her best one before a gentleman. The usual ceremony was just concluded, when the as tonished mother saw her china dashed in pieces on the floor, the minister informing her " that having been once used for holy purposes, it would be a bin to use it again for secular ones." It would be a sin to allow the weary labourer to taste his accustomed broth from that sacred basin! The most surprising fact is, however, that the reverend gentleman did not collect the scattered fragments together, and deposit them in some chest near the altar. How ♦ery short-sighted, to allow them to mingle with common things on the heap of decomposing matter!— Western Times. DEFALCATIONS IN THE DULL SAVINGS' BANK...-. Since our last, a further examination of the state of this institution has taken place, the result showing a total deficiency of 3,620/. 12s. 7d. It is believed that no greater deficiency can be found to exist. The par ticulars of which it is composed have been found out to the extent of 2,5801. The whole of the books hare been examined as far back as 1840, and a minute examination from 1824 to that period is in progress. The bond of the late actuary, which was supposed to cover 2,0004, is found to be worth only 4004 which is the amount of fraud perpetrated since its execution, Jan. 1, 1845:—T0 meet the deficiency of 3,620/. 12s. 7d., the bank has a surplus fund of 3,4501.; a guarantee for the return of the balance of the late actuary's salary, 130/.; and the bond, value 4004; making together 3,980/., so that there is a surplus of 360 L over and above the sum requisite to pay all the de positors 205. in the pound, and exclusive of the value of the premises, Is hich belong to the bank ; there is a further probability that out of 500,003/. to 400,0004, deposited in twenty-six years, there are many sums deposited by parties who have died without leaving representatives, which will never be called for at all. On Tuesday last, from 4,000/. to 5,0001. was withdrawn by parties who had given notice a fortnight previously; but from 1,000/. to 1,500/., for which notice had been given, was not called for, which is regarded as an indication of the decline of the panic as a proof i n. o f L returning vec e c o a n u fi s caused n b e y e recent sever di s closures, handsome a deposits came Mercury. Mr. Clay, M.P., had an interview with Earl Granville yesterday, at the office of the Board of Trade. effective superintendence which such Ratters required, and that a change ought to be made, with the concurrence of the Government, of Parliament, and the Right Rev. Bench of Bishops. ,A state of things had arisen which rendered such a change imperative ; and he therefore had now briefly to state the provisions of the Bill by which it was intended to amend and alter the present law. In order to secure the constant attendance and attention which were required by large pecuniary matters, it was proposed to appoint three Commissioners for the management of estates, to be named the Estates Commission. The report of the Committee of the House of Commons, which sat last year, recommended that there should be three paid Commissioners appointed; but, after reflecting upon the subject, it bad not been deemed necessary by the Government that there should be three paid Commissioners. It was thought quite sufficient that two of them should receive a salary, and that it would be possible to get a third Commissioner, competent for the duties of the position, who would act without being paid. The Bili provided for three Commissioners, one of whom Iwas to be paid by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the other by the Crown. and t 3 receive 1,2001. and 1,000/. a year respectively.—(Hear.) The Bill further provided, in order to secure continuous attention to business, that at least two of these Commissioners should be present at all important business arrangements adopted by the Commission. It also appeared 'absolutely necessary that the offices of treasurer and secretary should not be held by the same person.—(Hear, hear.) It was, there fore, proposed that the duties of treasurer should bo discharged by two of he Commission, and that the secretary should be an officer appointed by the Commis sion; the Bill further provided for the abolition of the division now existing liter( en the episcopal and common fund, and that henceforth all funds arising from the various sources under the management and control of the Commission should be devoted to the general ob jects for which it was established. Another provision was, that the Bishops might, if they thought proper, commute their present fluctuating incomes, into fixed means, with a maximum translation as applied to the Bishops of Chichester, Exeter, and several others. After the discussions which had taken place on the sub ject, and the general attention it had excited, he did not consider it necessary to detain their Lordships longer, but having thus briefly explained the leading provisions of the Bill, he would conclude by moving that it be now read a second time. The Archbishop of CANTERBURY said, he rose with very great satisfaction, to express his concurrence in the opinion that it was desirable to alter and amend the constitution of the Ecclesiastical :Commission, and indeed he should have been glad to have made the al teration some time ago, by which the business would have been assigned to paid and responsible officers, had he not been deterred by the consideration, that every thousand pounds taken from the common funds of the Commission would abstract these funds from the objects for which they wese appointed. Another reason for his now concurring in the propriety of making this change, was the great and increasing business of the Commission, and the many intricate affairs which demanded atten tion, and which were likely in future to increase still further. These facts rendered:it necessary that there should now be responsible officers, capable of conducting the business satisfactorily to the Commission and to the public. While, however, he cordially concurred in the propriety of the proposed changes, he must protest against the charges which had been made against the Commission as a whole, and the manner in which it had heretofore con ducted the business. He could not concur in these charges without doing a grievous injustice to many Right Reverend, Right Honourable, and Noble Friends, who had given their time and ability to promote the ob jects of the Commission at a great sacrifice to them selves. Much bad been said about the junction of the offices of treasurer and secretary, but that was not the work of the Commission; it was an act of the Imperial Legislature, and he confessed not a very discreet one, inasmuch as it had ultimately led to the secretary going off, leaving a deficiency in his accounts of about 6,0001. This certainly showed very defective business arrange ments; but, at the same time, he felt bound to say of the secretary, that up to the last six mouths of his service, he had been a faithful, discreet, and zealous officer. He had, it appeared, entered into large speculations which he believed would enrich him, and in order to meet the calls upon him he used the money in his hands, believing at the time he should be able to replace it. He was placed under circumstances of difficulty and temptation, and he sunk under them. There was an other allegation against the Commission to which he felt it necessary to allude, namely, the charge that a large and disproportionate portion of the funds had been expended by the Commission on the repair, en largement, and furnishing of episcopal residences. There were very exaggerated statements abroad on that sub ject. For instance, it was said, that after building a new palace for the Bishop of Ripon, it had afterwards been furnished for him, at a cost of between 8,000/. and 9,000/. This was a gross exaggeration, because the Commission had also repaired and enlarged the diocesan residences of Worcester, Bristol, and Oxford, and the whole ex penditure (as we understood) only amounted to about 9,0001.; whereas, it had been stated to be five times that amount. He could only account for this mistake by supposing, that as property had been charged in various parts of the country, to the great disadvantage of the Church, the parties making these charges had included these transactions with the building and repairing of episcopal residences. He regretted very much that such statements had gone forth, because they had a tendency to alienate the clergy from their superiors in rank, and to produce a feeling of discontent and dissatisfaction, which was neither warranted by the facts of the case, nor conducive to the welfare of the Church. These allegations as to the partial distribution of the fund, he had no hesitation in saying, were altogether unfounded. But he feared their effect had, in many instances—looking at the man ner in which the clergy were scattered, and the difficulty they had in procuring correct information on such mat ters—induced them to think ill of the very men who had been exerting their abil.ties and employing their time to promote the comfort of the inferior clergy. He con curred in the proposal to abolish the distinction between the episcopal and common fund that had hitherto existed, and he trusted that the Commission thus remodelled might prove effectual for the great and important work it had to perform. The Earl of HARROWBY expressed some doubt whether the change proposed would effect the objects in view. He was decidedly of opinion that there ought to be a considerable increase in the number of bishops. It was required by the increase of the population. Though here and there an active man, by the aid of the railways, might continue to exercise an effectual control over the large dioceses into which the country was divided, it was in the majority of instances impossible to do so, and he thought that this ought to be kept in view while dealing with the funds under the management of the Commission. He would suggest that the Commission should have the power, from time to time, to make a re commendation in respect to the appointment of addi tional bishops. The Bishop of LONDON earnestly recommended to the Government the suggestions of the Noble Earl. London, for instance, was so overpowered with business that it was more than he could do to attend to the va rious duties of his office. He was not satisfied at the position in which the archbishop and bishops were under the Bill. By the arrangement proposed it was impos• sible that he should ever be in the chair of the Commis sion, and it seemed to him that the Archbishop's no minee would be a mere cypher. Lord STANLEY, while ho agreed generally in the principles of the Bill, begged to repeat the recommenda lion of the Rigist Re v . Pr e late who last addressed their Lordships, th a t t h e G overnme nt would take into their serious consideration the suggestions of his Noble Friend the Noble E ar l nea r him. It was quite clear that consi dering the great increase in the population, the addi tional attention paid to the spiritual wants of the people —(Hear)—and the great increase in the number of the clergy, it was wholly impossible that the present num ber of bishops could be equal to the requirements of t he Church, even at that day; and when the increase eft h e population was taken into consideration, and the obliga tions of the Church with regard to that increase, some twenty years hence, there could be no doubt but that it would bo most desirable that they should do nothing that would prevent them hereafter from increasing the number of bishops, if such a course would be deemed desirable. But if they joined, as the Government pro posed to do under the 12th clause of this Bill, the epis copal and the common fund, and make them ono, then they would deprive themselves of the opportunity of adopting the suggestion of his Noble Friend, and pre vent hereafter any increase in the number of bishops, no matter how desirable such a coarse might be.—(lltar, hear.) He also thought that adding the episcopal fund, amounting to 16,000/., to the common fund, now 136,000 L, and likely soon to be 300,000 L, would produce circumstances that were calculated to create division be tween the higher and the lower clergy, which would not operate otherwise than prejudicial to the interests of re ligion.—(Hear, hoar.) He trusted that before the Bill went into Committee they would take these suggestions into consideration, and separate this objectionable clause from the other provisions of the Bill.—(Hear.) The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said he could not hold out any hope to the Noble Lord that the suggesti on which he had made in respect to the non-amalgamation of the funds would be adopted by the Government. Tho Bill was then read a second time THE BEER BILL. The Earl of HARROWBY moved the reeappoint meet of the Select Committee on the operation of the Acts for the sale of beer.—Agreed to. Their Lordships then adjourned. , the dissolution rf a railway company, nor any Bill to ali t thorise the abandonment of the whole or part of a rail way, and which does not relate to other objects, be read a second time until after Easter. Agreed to without any discussion. TYNE NAVIGATION BILL. On the motion that this Bill be read a second time, Mr. R. GREY moved an amendment that it be read a second time this day three months. Mr. ORD supported the second reading of the Bill. Mr. SPOONER would consent to the reading of the Bill, if the Hon. Member would allow the next Bill (the Tyne Conservancy Bill) to be read without opposition. The allegation against the Corporation of New castle was, that they had appropriated some portion of the tolls of the Tyne to the improvement of the town of Newcastle. The charge had been brought before the House last session, and a Committee had decided that the charge was well-founded. A Bill had been framed which had been lost in the House by want of 1 time to pass it through. If the Hon. Gentleman would give an assurance that he would not oppcso the next Bill he would consent to the Bill being read. Mr. BROTHERTON thought that both Bills should be inquired into as fully as possible. Mr. HUME hoped the House would pass the Bill, as it involved a public question of considerable importance, and had been fully inquired into. The Earl of ARUNDEL trusted, as one of the Com mittee, that the Bill would be allowed to be read a se cond time. The House was not in a position to judge of the merits of the Bill, and the whole questio❑ had been discussed at considerable length by the Committee, who had endeavoured to act fairly in the matter. Mr. HEADLAM said the Bill was to give power to the Corporation of Newcastle to take certain property on the banks of the river Tyne, in order to carry out certain improvements. They claimed this property as a right, but some opposition having been offered to their right owing to their not having done certain acts in re spect of the river, they thought it advisable to bring in this Bill, though they still considered that they were entitled to the property. The amendment was withdrawn, and the Bill having been read a second time, was ordered to be committed. TYNE CONSERVANCY BILL. On the motion for the second reading of this Bill, Mr. ORD moved, as an amendment, that it be read a second time this day three months. Mr. HUME said the amendment was most prepos terous, and he hoped the House would show by its vote that it considered it so. Mr. CARDWELL said the Bill proposed to interfere with a grant which had existed for centuries, and which bad repeatedly been confirmed by Acts of Parliament. The right of the grant had never been questioned till now, and if those who enjoyed it had abused their trust the appeal must be to another tribunal, and not to thia House. Mr. R. SPOONER supported the second reading. It would take more ingenuity than the Hon. Member for Liverpool possessed to convince him that spending any portion of the river funds i❑ favouring the streets of Newcastle was an equitable appropriation of the funds. Mr. ROEBUCK said that the House knew but little about the Bill, and therefore were totally incapable of understanding its merits.—(Hear, hear.) For his own part he was sure that he knew nothing about it, and was quite unable to vote upon it, and therefore the best thing that could be done would be to consent to its being rent to a Select Committee. Certainly there was an unusu ally full assembly of Members for such an occasion and at such a time of day. He was certain that he could not imagine what brought them down. He did not altogether think that it was the Tyne Navigation Bill— (Laughter and cheers)—and he thought that they had better get more information before they decided. After a few words from Mr. GREENALL, Mr. STUART said that in disposing of this ques tion, they were adjudging that neither this House nor its Committees were fit tribunals for adjudication on cases of property, a principle which he must abjure, and he should, therefore, oppose the Bill. Mr. lIEADLAM said that the Bill alleged that the grant was invalid, and that the Corporation had misused the tolls. He defied them to prove this, and the Hon. Member fur Tynemouth kaew very well that he could support this i❑ a court of law, and had tried to push the Bill through the House, and through a Committee which knew nothing about it. Mr. OGLE thought the House was not a tribunal which could decide a question of this kind. The Earl of ARUNDEL was of opinion that the Bill ought to go back to the Committee, and said it would bo a greater injustice to throw it out than it would have been to have thrown out the former Bill. The House tie❑ divided, when there appeared— For the second reading l3l Against it Majority —6B The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed. , 't was his earnest desire that every the Hon. Gentleman that as far as be was concerned afforded him in dealing with these questions. AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. Mr. SANDARS asked the President of tbe Board of Trade whether the Government had any intention of i t ; troduciug a measure of agricultural statistics during th e present session, as the Chancellor of the Excbeciii,ere indulgence should b could not now object on the ground of deficiency of t ° ways and means. lIERE said the subject had been ender Mr. LABoUC the consdeation of te Governent, and that a Ipeti, sure was i in r the course of preparam t i on , which he bop to bring forward during the present session. POOR-LAW REPORTS. Mr. DISRAELI asked the Hon. Gentleman th e , Secretaryof State for the Home Department received the annual report of the Poor-lae Coin of the rnissioners of Ireland, and the annual report Le„ Supervisor of Poor-laws fur Scotland, and when tu / would I e laid on the table of the House ? the Sir G. GREY said he had not received either of . ectog reports rererred to, but would make inquiry resP them. whether De. Colonel CH I A R T IS T H ER L T I Board of Trade if it was the intention o c, h.a.,u,, Irish meet this session to bring in a Bill for re e nl u" lighthouses? w holly M. The answer of Mr. LABOUcIIERE Was audible in the gallery. O G N EIT a - s li ked U th S eP; f e s s i d e n n es t Os f er th a i e ; CAPTAIN WATSOCNETLPORNO.CLAMAT:ac c Lord J. RUSSELL said he rose to perform,,,e stsilt of justice towards a gallant officer in ", t aste: whose feelings had been wounded by _ As , 119 3 ,' , ment made in the House on WedneS(_' ic a ptsfn during the debate on Ceylon; he referred ;°_,., year n s Watson, who had been for more than tweed 'been an officer in the army. A mistake ha Icier; committed by the Honourable Member o pen ~,, ness-shire (Mr. Baillie) in commentinq_ sae d Pi proclamation said to have been J___ c e ilan; Captain Watson, during the disturbancesszit by the Having read a copy of the statement n 3, el:,, 'Oil. Honourable Member for Inverness•s?"'cotal° Baillie), in which he asserted sh"oeWilti°ll Watson had issued the violent P r ed , to Al of threatening death and confiscation of u g s o r , nuriag e . one who was in any way instrumental in h n _ ° _ o f e illfc, ll o assisting the pretender in Ceylon (the substa n , e the N o b! appeared in our columns on Wednesday last)' „ so no w Lord proceeded to say that Captain Welf'_ etre to fir s in London, having been summoned to this count r fret pear as a witness before the Ceylon Cana" : _ ae /ot ter ',, reading this statement hal written ' at toll" Lord Grey repudiating, in the atto'r w as e n r i the imputations on his charaster• the letter Ors on the morning of the day on which t',' t h e psi% written that Captain Watson had seen , °_, bor , w/ 31 5 r , the attack made upon him by the Hon. ge n '' der t he T o he said was most unjustifiable and unfair u fbr i e ser , l 4_, cumstances, especially as the Hon. Member. ore t he C a ; was aware that he was about to appear he a j e ci l i c 3 t he mittee to give his testimony respecting al l se able on stances, and stating that the documents er ociec en% e ' t , Honourable Member had relied for his ~,%I . 51 0 , 8 4 were altogether spurious, and that the o b u rea itoP,u ebip who had attached any credit to them had lii , Dor% al upon by infamous furgeries.—(Hear.) k r uts read this letter at length, and during sate chbottl was frequently interrupted by the 0 30 1 1 000 3 , ter , from the Ministerial benches, and frequeS t Y d t he it' o e sides of the House.) After having finis" tt er I ' le his Lordship, in conclusion, said: After that not another word to add. Mr. BAILLIE deeply regretted I t v ha a t: o ,, n e inso t c : e e i l i d i l o f i: o l o ° lo : l B been imposed upon, but said that the "°, s igna tur e s' which he had relied bore Captain and had been sworn before two :I" tic " goose Wci aig (Hear, and laughter.) No one in that , he hs' l , o ` nts tion'i o more deeply regret than he s hould been instrumental in casting unmerited in 3 P id dais! any man., TheiHon. Member sat down a m • e c laughter, and, roc° alve The SPEAKER then put the motion f or P to the orders of the day. The orders of the day were then read. Mr. HA wE A s FF n3 A O I v I.: , . d S OF for C a EY se L i O ent L cOnlivlns i i t si te , s vile a lr : : Ceylon : Mr. Baillie, Mr. Hume, Sir Joshu a d , ' tope' " - i, Sir Robert Peel, Sir James Hogg, Mr. G' a .i tatisr i i : D ., Charles Villiers, Mr. Disraeli, Mr. Hawes, our'_thata, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Stuart Wortley, Lord Hot ham' M'Cullagh, and Major Blacken. Mr. HUME begged to state, before the C j ta fa i ! ti f e t : was appointed, that he could not expect .thatl), W",i a would be done in this most important ques". o of le, the Noble ;Lord rejected the recommendeue, Cer ° „ Committee that a commission should go out .11 " e t it l e there to examine into the affair, he took r ! ente d s 0 tunity of stating that when he had P e' sre tb '„, THE LAND TAX. petition it was the wish of the petitiona lie tr, Mr. WODEIIOUSE gave notice that on an early day full and fair inquiry should be instituted• er taiLT he would ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer a pies- sidered the Committee the second best th , i e ng e t nu c i d de lse t : er , Lion relative to the present system of assessing and col- but still he did not expect that full justice r , A letting the land tax. tained. He had suggested that Lord Torringt° °6 e bse rj r c ; Mr. SCOTT gave notice that he should to-morrow interested in the Inquiry should move for copies of the correspondence which had passed to return home, in order that theylnigh" e : or , b toy respecting the emigration to Australian colonies, and to prevent any witnesses that wale ne° es ," h li t ":-, g also respecting the depot at Deptford, and whether the sent here.—(llear, hear.) He knew ,„''.- PI - f il et have leave °f ipterf e g stores at that depOt were furnished by contract or by persons had been intimidated f,,,,,r°—,,s sod for tender. Also similar returns with respect especially to evidence fairly and freely by the public 0111c o - e'rera,ll oo . the emigration of New South Wales. these reasons he did not expect that this , rebe' bus THE BLOCKADES. could fairly inquire into the grounds of fu ti a id eo s In reply to a question, He had no doubt that in Committee they s '„' e r f t Sir G. GREY stated that the correspondence with to prove that!such means bad been ext ; J a i ant: r ' he ° ' .:: respect to the blockades, and the information to be fur- Mr. STUART thought that the re-sPV ia ,, t r ta din sr37 c . i n r : nished, was very extensive, and would be laid on the Committee was made under the most table as speedily as possible , being cumstances at the present momen''', pirtY THE ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION. pointreeet of the Committee, without 14— I wo uld f i , Lord ASHLEY said that before the notice of the Hon. given to the production of witnesses , - 1 .) P . Member for Cockermouth was taken by the House he his opinion be a perfect force.—(Haa r " t h h ee' r" r if e .' begged to say a word or two, and he trusted that he they now stood the witnesses in favour a ',. -e „ e 1 %, might be permitted to observe that whatever dif- could not be brought forward, while ti', ° ' It 's"" t ferenc• of opinion existed with respect to the were to rebut it would be easily obtaineue ~_ th a ,, high functionaries of the Ecclesiastical Commission the opinion of the Committee last ses sioer nf f ile in their public capacities, there was still in exist- means should bo adopted for the attendanc e tO I P C 0 once among them the greatest amount of private esteem. Queen's advocate and Captain Watson, relauv e o loef,,; He did not think that this House was the proper tri- martial law thas was then prevailing in that „,itt bunal to adjudicate this matter. A large portion of the but, as it was so late in the session, the Csaur ec er evidence which must bo brought before the Committee thought it most judicious that there should be a,' o, es mast consist of matters which had taken place without struction of that Committee mn i ee n ces t s h a e ry pre w se it n n t es s s e e s s : frio e i s: :1 the walls of the House, and what had taken they felt that they could not go through the ba Tbe place within the House consisted of a few woids Graham) declared it then as his opinion . 1 0 0 4 that tse;)iononlu.soßwaitreoenee: theh dropped in the heat of debate. He did not think Gr g giber for Ripon that lbd 'fit; it possible that the Noble Lord could possibly at this distance of time charge his memory as to what had fallen . Committee ought to be recotnhsetrupcatrepdeatheis of notary ' ),wafsorsupported by the Noe'''' g in% from him. He was convinced that the whole affair had (inLothrdat j o . pin t o u n sse h l e i arisen out of a misunderstanding, because he was quite sure that the Hon. Member for Cockermouth was matters, relative to evidence, with the Seor ets etigh / quite sincere in his measures; he had undertaken Stste. In compliance with this them on principle, and that accounted in a gre a t Honourable Baronet (Sir James Graham), t tb ° ; 141, bu th t, e measure for the warmth with which he spoke. He was determined, on the 30th gbf' tterg'"' fr S a e m cre w t h a e ry t for the u C e ° l3 l ° , , - a n re t i a bs l eh2 d, . 'Ol 4 Proposal of tbe it wa ti of July, ro 000 quite convinced that all this had arisen out of a mi sun - Chairman of the Committeeshould dreg s o ,, re , al es, d ey er erstanding, and he thought that the House ought not to t w h i e th c t o h m a m te it ffi te c e i entertain the matter any further. He should, therefore, he h fe a a v r e ed th t e hat properthere wwiatsnesasegserreeraadlyi imtop_rbeet_s;r:lftc,-_ess:clirht;teih;e.„.;.'':::i move that the orders of the day be proceeded with. After a short pause, Mr. HORSMAN said if he understood that the wishes of the Committee were li k ely to be . '',7„ t be L''',,,it'' Li . , House wished to adopt the resolution of the Noble Lord, the Noble Earl (Earl Grey) was required oe r , o g ,..et ,) 4:4 he hoped he should have an opportunity of saying a few man of the Committee to pport himlnr(E - a r r i l%, - cit i l . ..f . :;_i i ;l" with that fact that .‘__ Cha irr n fp 'of words. The letter which had been alluded to had been nesses, was it not a comp l aint aga i nst t h e (iZsrl Grey) state to l misunderstood, and perhaps he ought to state to the declined complying h that request of the Chair N o b 0 ie. • ist ei House what interpretation he meant to put on it, and the part of the Committee? Did not "au ba d td $ll . ",tIP how far he intended to make any Opinion,uswhateversuch, and Noble i n , Earl eon , id t : oh - c ot a b0 : 1 d t 1 ts r br i ' 4 . ,i l O Noble Lord, and how readily he withdrew any imputation formation on his conduct. Perhaps it would be more satisfactory the Chairman, that n h o e , d ; I l iar' ll' i o th ' i /14 O A that the retractation should not be a mere compliment, his duty? He hreg'erectotnedsidtheraetdthteo but that he should tell the house and the Noble Lord fuse to what he really did feel in the matter. He (Mr. Hors- theranc g e justice,ovfesue reformation as would _t_e inioo t e_a v of ~,,eel; man) believed the Noble Lord was annoyed at his Committee ad and was strongly of . , , T,, tio dsv' t ; d i e i 5 , 0 40 persevering in his motions respecting the Church the Noble Earl t t o he gi p v e e Wig ° els° ; 4 'o ion re Ile ~ ; ea s e and had taken advantage of those opportunities Ceylon affairs which he had in his possession• he ells 3 ',, t 0 waeurytotpnfroorcmurset.tne e which he possessed of dispensing with disagre ea bl e hoped that the House and the county would ne t bst Go' . 1 ,',01 motions which came from Members wh o had not a appointed in their hopes, ,for all are o y f oPs ;° !f a t l ee Ic e / ,140 party, and had incautiously carried his opposition to too vernment cannot with any appearance o to b .4 , i great an extent. He believed the utmost that the Nobl e back those witnesses that a - re supposed to ]sab l e .• Isr Lord intended to do was to annoy him (Mr. Horsm at ), the necessary information, s "el' tioa ) I, e aue 3 A i s . li , li and ho must admit that his Noble Friend had Lord J. RUSSELL said, that although W j e e ', a"" e ,alt given him reason to complain, for imputations of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman had put had "s d e e avoa k - : 40 .0• 0 personal ohl motives had been cast upon him, of which the tinctly answered the other day, be would e n e s ebie' i bl', t a h s at to he th d e i i d r u n n o t t ro g t iLe him lio t as he . Lord was the only party who knew the injustice, his disappointed testimony very shortly to explain what were the views wit the gr . -I;i ir and h e e benefit feltofhis Hon. Friend Mr. Hawes) bad moved for ifeo ere' ; Ir a awed the Noble pointment of the ( Committee of which be h? cl be g e I.lig i ! l i Lord that there never should be t . revival of such differences • again, and he promised be most anxious not to allude to anything in the a that in the discussion ofpublic Hon. Baronet (Sir J. Graham) what he meant w an 1 , ohm,. Earl .. tee. A s he (Lord J. Russell) understood e o , this ..—.l questions he would —that he supposed by the resolution to e he ''N e ble A'''' te li , smallest degree painful to the Noble Lord hagdaiwnritteenzwphreicsshedeohuilsdsibneeeraet raegilre disct fo r r e e a a n b y l t e h itnog the Committee should communicate to t .., „ o re ~,), , s A • he the Secretary of State for the Colonies with rear a ~.• ' ja s • e s hoe • e , T r - a , °rai n '? g '' ) cc be I feelings of the Noble Lord, in g thehe. the vvitnesses whom he and the Committe A necessary to have produced before them. , et , is d s ` , triCaS At - il that he had written or uttered and retracting every word the Committee next day agreed on two an n .... . 0 . 4 v a tso • B a h • t , to that was at all calculated summoned, one of whom Was Captsin 1 , ar o J . L, , st J o impugn the motives or acts of the Noble Lord, they had been summoned in consequeace. -- ( 13 : ate (Pi ,es's,ll or his Right Honourable Colleague the if h . Hon. Friendthe Under -Secretary of ''''i 600 ° 'Lesi Secre- is tary of State for the Home De he begged Hawes) had been told, when that laic partment, reso u ese la' es s r to ' )," to apologise to the House that he should have been the the Committee was moved, "Now, mind, tilts I ° d V ' l cause of Potunlit t en • sff s taking up so much of their time uselessly.tion means that your Chairman of the stat e, 0 , 0 fa ,I Lord J. RUSSELL ct • 1 had • d • or am yreceive the im- of 0 , have absolute power over the Secretary do 0 pression from the letter that the Hon. Gentleman sup- is to order him during the next six mouths to e„...wa?o posed that he intended to deceive him, and he felt most please, and he is to have no discretion or optio n t ser ee l unconscious of any such intention. However, he had then, his Hon. Friend would have refused t 0 °" an d .. 0 L' „elivt, heard with great satisfaction that the Honourable any such resolution.—(Hear, hear.) Th 0 tbo — of ' Gentleman did not now persist in the charge, but de- Learned Gentleman (Mr. Stuart) would, h e s tret ei l l oti . Glared that he never intended to make it. Now with hardly assert that it would not be a great s hed regard to the latter observations of the Hon. Gentlem an , the powers of the Committees of the House if if Vi c :. ,1 he could of course only attribute them to his proceed- complete control over the Secretaries of State'cf ter f b ' e .. , ' 0) , ings in pressing forward certain questions with an earnest were three Committees appointed at the endl of er s ' of : 1 1 desire to serve the public, and he believed in pressing sion, and that the Chairmen were to have Po wer ; i ; sd e r.ne eO . , , t .,S A forward these questions the Hon. Gentleman had no three Secretaries of State, with respect to oi, s etre teP_, r , o s''.,ea other object but the general benefit of the public. The witnesses they pleased, ho was sure that wag l' et. „(flf ts Hon. Gentleman however, must remember that ho (Lord authority to which the House would 0 . ° J,,,, Carotid John Russell) stood in a different position to what he did, hear.) With regard to the proceedings or 7 hey wo o ,. for while the Honourable Gentleman was at liberty to tee, he could only say that when they sat n d coal or . press his views and intentions upon the House to have full power to summon the witnesses, e a Ffien d to a d the fullest extent, he (Lord John Russell), as a cility would be given to them by his Noble the Ilon Minister of the Crown, when he undertook any measure rive at the lacta of the case. But ''s inq uirY file t it was his duty to show that the measure was not Learned Gentleman thought that in the „ c ,, aa rd t ',',„, only just, but to wait patiently till the House wa s was one part of the question to be entirelS' of oB no 0 : 1 ' 1 ; there w as no t ' clearly or that opinion before he could expect to b© sue- and that was the defence—and that vies t ee cessful in carrying it,through. In regard, therefore, to the to be heard on the part of the d e fence--- , a s_ sente d t o, ieh particular measure which had given rise to this dispute condition on which he (Lord J. Russell) ; in! , on let he had felt it required not only the further attention of appointment of the Committee. The P un • i- w as ' p h appointed be a ll the House, but the serious consideration of parties out of he understood the Committee to -e defence it before he could hope to have it agreed to, and he was the accusation be heard, but let not the o de' the very happy that the Honourable Gentleman was now Pressed.—(Hear, hear.) i for d be estl a 01 ready to make every allowance for the position in which Mr. ADDERLEY said, it was not e s ent wno the he (Lord John Russell) had been placed. F or fence to precede the charge. That prate 0 Lord. `isi' o be his own part he could assure the Honourable Gentle- new under the proposition of the Nobl e _ ere ___ a the the any that he should be always ready to grant him other hand he repudiated the int, _,n_u c u ha i res tr_o, o „ l3o any reasonable indulgence that he might require Lord, that the Committee, through their lat the head. '„:,,e upon these subjects, and again he gave him full credit presumed to dictate to the Noble lie' . _ . , _ et:a w ned e tb " o for the honor of his intentions and purity of his motives, colonies as to what witnesses s ho ,, u c id o " rleiu l, „ lv ecee 4 t Sir GEORGE GREY wished to add one word only Committee had suegested two naii_i_conrn mitre o— ' 4o ese" to this discussion, and that was simply to express th e Noble Lord had put it as if the C _., t h e se vi` Ai tely satisfaction he felt at the manner in which the Hon. to propose two witnesEer. But, ,o uPl'" ittee im o va t. o e u no i n t Gentleman had retracted the charge. At the being mentioned, the whole C m s "'„ cu ll t h_h,ed same time he must add his "fwhi le said, " but there are other witnesseirt,e_e the pr s u etu re egret 1 , ' a posing b 0 under the unjust r imputation which of the long protraction of mat tial la at' inen t s o prow' coOlgis the charge,,,,of Conveyed, he was betrayed to any ings by court-martial, which foren_ le or the nr°3 ' l4 94 feeling or expression. He could only assure 9f . the inquiry ." The only fair cou r se IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT, HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 11. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the Woolsack at Five o'clock. The County Cess (Ireland) Bill was read a first time. The Earl of STRADBROICE presented a petition in fsvour of the equalization of local taxation. STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH AUSTRALIA. Earl TALBOT asked what steps had been taken to secure steam communication with Australia? Earl GREY said several tenders had been made for establishing steam communication with Australia, both by way of Panama and by other routes, but that nothing had yet been definitively determined on. ENCUMBERED ESTATES (IRELAND). The Earl of GLENGALL gave notice of a motion fir this day week, fir certain returns connected with the working of the Encumbered Estates (Ireland) Act. GREECE. Lord STANLEY had seen that the papers relating to Greece had been published in the French papers, and also that the mediation of France had been accepted. If the me diation had been accepted (which he considered preferable to its rejection), he thought it would have been better that it had been accepted by the Minister of Great Britain in Greece. He was sorry to find that the accounts from France confirmed the statement that Mr. Wyse had stated that the affair must be settled whether just or unjust. Ho asked if the mediation of France had been accepted, and whether it extended to the important question as to the right of Greece, or the lonian Islands, as to the possession of certain islands, and if no attempt would be made to take further possession cf these islands until the medi ation should be concluded. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE assured the Noble Lord that there would be no delay in the production of the papers. The Government of this country had ac quiesced in the offer made by the Government of France to interpose its good offices in ;the settlement of the dif ferences between this country and Greece. It was not an abitration, but an acceptance of the good offices of France in the same manner as France some time ago had accepted the offer of the good offices of this country in a dispute with the United States, which had been at tended with the happiest effects.—(Hear, hoar.) He considered that the British Minister in Greece was per fectly authorised in refusing to accept the good offices of the French Minister, as he was not authorised by his Government. The claim of the territory was not included in the offer of the good offices of France, because that was not included in the u lti ma t um o f Mr. Wyse and Sir W. Parkin', • Lord STANLEY asked if any measures would be adopted to take forcible possession of the territories in dispute ? The Marquis of LANSDOWNE had no reason to believe that any such measures would be adopted. In answer to a question from Lord BROUGHAM, The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that the posses sion of the island in dispute was not included in the categorical demand of Mr. Wyse. The Earl of ABERDEEN expressed his satisfaction at that acceptance of the mediation of France, as it would extricate our Minister from a situation highly embarrassing. But ho could not but observe, that the mediation of France bad been acoepted in the settlement of claims which had been said to be indisputable, whereas it had been refused in relation to the claims which were admitted to be doubtful, viz., the territorial claims. If the intentions of the Government to enforce their claims had been communicated to France, he could not but believe that the mediation of that power might have been offered and accepted with much better effect than after the unhappy violence which had taken place. They had now taught Greece to consider France as their protector from British violence, and had held up Repub lican France as the: supporter of moderation, with a Bonaparte at the head of it. He thought it would have been better to accept the mediation before the violence had been committed than afterwards. With regard to the territorial claims he found that the Greek Minister made no distinction between the pecuniary and the territorial demands, although he took it for granted that the distinction had now been made. He admitted that the territorial claim was one which admitted of much discussion, but if we had a right to two, we had a right to twenty. At the same time it would be satisfactory if the Noble Marquis could say there was so chance of the forcible execution of that claim, because it would appear that it was within the compass of Sir W. Parker's instructions to take posses sion of these islands. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE should have sup posed, had the Noble Earl been less conversant with diplomatic proceedings than he was, that he was ignorant of the difference between good offices and arbitration. The acceptance of good offices did not bind us to abide the decision of France as the acceptance of mediation would have bound us. Had the offer been made by France in the spirit in which the Noble Earl had suggested it was made, there would have been a difficulty in accept ing it; it was made in a friendly spirit, unaccom panied by the tone of complaint in which the Noble Earl had indulged, and, therefore, it had been accepted in the sam e f r i en dly s pi r i t i n which it had been offered, The EARL of ABERDEENadmitted that the claim to these islands was a doubtful question, but he said that it was most unjustifiable to, insist upon the cession of the islands within twenty-Tour hours after the claim was made. He denied that he had over made the demand for the islands during the time that he was in office. Sir E. Lyons had made the demand, but it had been by instructions from his predecessor. lie would advise the Noble Marquis to beware of his instructions from the Foreign-office. It was time he had a familiar of the office at his elbow ; but there were more things in that office than was " dreamt of in his philosophy." He felt very uneasy as to the instructions that might be sent out with regard to these islands. The effect must be to establish French influence in Greece. Lord EDDISBURY would appeal to their Lordships whether the Noble Earl did not distinctly state, in the former discussion, that he had consulted a map appended to a treaty which he had signed, and which, he said, convinced him that the lonian Islands had no claim to those islands, and yet now the Noble Earl admitted that the right to the possession of those islands was a case that would admit of great dispute.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped that when the Noble Earl had further infor mation he would still further modify his opinions. He regretted to find that on every occasion the Noble Earl took up the cause of those who were, he would not say, the enemies of Britain, but who would encroach upon the rights of British subjects. The encroachers upon their rights were always small states, because great states would hesitate before they provoked this country. The questions at issue with Greece had nothing to do with the protectorate of tint country, but he would not provoke a premature discus sion, as the papers would soon be before the House. The Earl of ABERDEEN had not seen the map since the year 1830, but from his copy it appeared that the Isle of Syra was given to the Greek kingdom. He admitted that the island was so given without any pre vious inquiry or examination, but as a reasonable dis tribution of the territory. He thought, however, now, that the question admitted of fair discussion, because he admitted that at the time he had no knowledge of the circumstances. Lord EDDISBURY thought the demand had been frequently made as against Greece, and that the claim was not a new one. Lord COLCHESTER, as having commanded a ship of-war in the Mediterranean for many years, could bear testimony to the fact that those islands had always been considered as belonging to the lonian Islands. Lord BROUGHAM said that the Greek Minister Londos, had applied for good offices not only to the answer French Ambassador, but to th e R ussian Ambassador, and the latter had sent to St. P e t ers b urgh for instructions. med be ia tteiuguv of give Could any one doubt but that t a t epte d France n f e u e l wpeo couldwer andn,)t refuse having the mediation of R uss i a . Yiscount CANNING considered that if there was any intention in the mind of the persons who drew out the map alluded to to deal with the Island of Syra, it was intended to give it to Greece. The subject then dropped. Messengers from the Commons brought up a message requesting to be furnished with copies of certain reports. ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION BILL. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE moved the second reading of this Bill. Having introduced it without making any observations, he would now very briefly state to their Lordahips its nature and scope, Its ob ject was to amend the existing Act relating to the Ec clesiastical Commission, and to peovide for the more efficient discharge of the duties imposed by that Com mission. It was not necessary for him to detail circum stances with which they were all well acquainted. It was only requisite to state, that in the year 1835, in consequence of observations made in and out of Parlia ment, and inquiries by the Government as to the amount of distribution of the Church revenues, it was proposed to establish a Commission to inquire how those revenues could be more satisfactorily distributed with benefit to the Church. In the following year that Commission made a very valuable report to Parliament, and in 1836, is order to give effect to the recommendations of that report, a Commission of 13 members was established, consisting of the heads of the Church as well as of the State. This Commission proceeded to carry into exe cution the recommendations of the former Commission, and to devise schemes for that purpose, which having obtained the sanction of the Privy Council, were forthwith to take effect. A great many of those schemes were very beneficially carried out, but i n 1840 changes wore made in the constitution of the Commission which, notwithstanding the best inters- tions on the part of those who made them, had not im proved its aptitude for the business committed, but, on the contrary, had materially detracted from its utility. The Commission was enlarged from 13 to no less than 49 members, including the whole bench of Bishops —many of them being persons who could not possibly attend from day to day, constantly watching the business, while others might come in at any time, and knowing nothing of what had been previously done, throw the whole into confusion. He thought it would be admitted that such a Commission was unfit to deal with the nu merous delicate, important, and complicated interests submitted to it. Besides which, there were various subordinate regulations, such as requiring the chairman for the time being to vacate the chair whenever his supe rior in rank entered the room, all of which were mani festly calculated to impair the efficiency of a Commission which bad to deal with such complicated and important interests. There was now 16,000/. a-year under its control, arising from the common Episcopal Fund, besides the revenues from various other sources, amounting at present to no less than 130,000 L a-year, and which, within a short time, would amount to the large sum of 3 00,0001., derived from all manner of sources—from leas es on lives, leases on years, and from leases on renewal by fines. It was evident that such complicated and extensive transactions must require the closest attention, and that a Commission so en larged and' so constituted bad not proved equal to the HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 11. The SPELLER took the Chair at a few minutes before Four o'clock. COLCHESTER ELECTION. Lord Jour( MANNERS took his seat and the oaths for the borough of Colchester. Th o N o b le Lord was cheered on his approaching the table of the House. n o V 111.4 introduced, by Sir John Tyrell, and Major Beros ford. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following private Bills were read a second time, and ordered to be committed:—Aberdeen Railway— Birkenhead Improvement—Buckinghamshire Railways —Cambridgeshire Regulation and Improvement Mar kets and Fairs—Carlisle Gas-light and Coke Com pany—Clerical, Medical, and General Life Assur ance Society—Cronford and Newhaven Turnpike-road —Dubli❑ and Drogheda Railway —East Fife Railway— Edinburgh and Glasgow, and Bathgate, &c., Amalga mation—Godstone and Highgate Turnpike-road—Kent Waterworks —Liverpo o l Cattle Market—New North road Railway Passengers' Assurance Company—Roch dale and Bury Turnpike -roach—Swansea Dock Com pany —Surrey and Sussex Roads. !RAILWAY COMPANY DISSOLUTION OR ABANDONAIENT BILLS. Mr. LABOUCHERE moved that no Bill to authorise ;z:;. -.r 50