The Sun. — London, England, 1850-03-19 00:00:00

1••' LAW INTELLIGENCE. ROLLS' COURT, llarch 18. THE 4.TTORNET-GENERAL V. DALTON, CLERK, AND OTHE M.-CHARITY PROPERTY IN ST. G EJRGE% FIELDS, LAMBETH. This is an information filed on the part of the Crown against the rector, the Rev. Mr. Dalton, of St. Mary's, Lambeth, the churchwardens, and other trustees, in number altogether sixteen, for the purpose of obtaining a declaration by the Court of the trusts created by the deed of the Ist of December, 1671, whereby a very extensive property, called in the olden time the Common-fields, St. George's, Lam beth, was conveyed to trustees, sixteen in number, for the support of the poor, and for other purposes con nected with the charities within the enormous parish of Lambeth, which has been subdividedinto a number of parishes and chapelries within the mother parish, under the provisions of Acts of Parliament, the New Church, Building Act, the 9th Geo. IV., and other Acts. The information, after various allegations and charges of mal-administration of this estate by the late and present trustees, prays for a declaration of the trusts. created under the above-named deed, and also a declaration that the proper mode of appointment of trustees, when any trusteeship became vacant, was by the rotes of the parishioners in vestry assembled, as was the ancient custom, and that the estate be de clared to have been purchased in part by the parish funds for the benefit of the poor. It also prayed that new trustees be now appointed, in conformity with the ancient custom, and that an account be taken of the value of the property and premises let on lease in the Lsaid common fields, some of which leases are about to expire, and are let at very inadequate rents. There are also suggestions annexed to the prayer that the Court agree to a scheme for the future and better management of the charity, for applying a part of the improved funds of this charity to the creation of public wash-houses, a superior school, and scientific and mechanical institutions. The case was opened by Mr. Turner, and the ar gument occupied the rest of the day ; dr. Bagshawe, Mr. James, Mr. Roupel, Mr. Forster, and Mr. Ro gers representing various interests. The case excited considerable interest amongst a crowded audience of parishioners of St. Mary and its officials, and the property in question it is expected, if properly administered, will increase the income of the pariah by 5,000/. or 6,0001. a year, thereby re ducing the local taxation of this grievously overtaxed parish. ADMIRALTY COURT, March 18. (Before Dr. LUSHINGTON.) THE FAIRY—DAMAGES. In this case a schooner of 58 tons, the Ssrah, ar rived in the Mersey on the 8:h August last, and waiting for the flowing of the tide, was towed by a rowing boat, and proceeded to drop up the river, broadside to the tide. About ten o'clock in the evening she arrived off the small landing stage north of the St. George's Dock Basin, and the men in the boat. were taking a rope on board to run it on the lauding stage, with the view to steer the schooner into that basin, when the Fairy steam-boat (the vessel proceeded against), of sixty tons, with two engines of 30-horse power, plying between Liverpool an New Brighton, but which was then lying outside another steam-boat off the large landing stage, suddenly shoot ing ahead, came directly on into the Sarab, striking her with such force that she sank a few minutes after the collision. The present cause of damage was the result. Dr. Ai:wallas and Dr. Twrss, on the part of the schooner, contended that although the schooner car ried no light, the night was not so dark but that vessels without lights on board might have been seen from the shore half-way across the Mersey ; and that when the crew of the schooner hailed the steamer to steer clear. no notice whatever was taken of such hailing. They submitted it was not incumbent on the Sarah to carry a light, and -that the damage solely resulted from the course pursued by the other vessel, which, they contended, started at full speed from the landing place with a deficient crew and a rudder not perfectly manageable. Dr. HARDING and Dr. BAY FORD, in opposition to the claim, contended the Fairy started from the landing stage at half-speed only, and did not increase her speed until after the collision; and that when the schooner was seen the Fairy immediately starboarded her helm and reversed her engines, but before the full effect of the reversed motion could influence its speed, unavoidably came in contact with the Sarah, in consequence of the night being dark and misty. They imputed the blame of the collision entirely to the schooner not having carried a light, according to the general practice and usage on board vessels afloat alter nightfall, in the Mersey, and submitted such omission was especially an act of gross negligence on the. part of the Sarah, as she was coming to a crowded part of the river and was close on the track of the Liverpool ferry-boats. The Learned JUDGE in addressing the Trinity Masters, said, the generel facts of the case were that at the time the collision occurred the schooner was in the act of being warped into St. George's Dock at Liverpool, while at the same period the steamer had Just started from its moorings to proceed to Egremont and New Brighton. Under such circumstances the Sarah being absolutely la ithoat power and helpless, and the .Fairy of course having the power and facility of doing what was necessary, the presumption at law would be against the steamer ; but although this was the presumption at law, many circumstances might exist with regard to both vessels which would tend to exonerate the steamer from the blame imputed to her. He (the Learned Judge) considered that as the night was misty the obligation of both vessels to proceed with great care and precaution was certainly increased by that fact. The charges against the Fairy that she was in adequately manned, or had a rudder improperly fixed, were neither of them substantiated by the evidence ; the balance of testimony was also against the charge of her going at full speed—indeed, the Court doubted whether it was possible for her to have attained her full speed at the moment the collision took place. The questions of importance for the consideration of the Trinity Masters were—whether any blame at tached to the steamer, either on account of leaving the landing-stage too early, and without keeping a good look-out, or from having run down the Sarah through negligence or want of care ? With regard to the schooner one question only arose—viz , whe ther, under the circumstances of the case, it was her imperative duty to have carried a ligh', in conse of the crowded state of the river and the mistiness of the night ? Although there was no general law which could compel sailing-vessels to carry a light in the river except while at anchor, yet circumstances might arise which would render it culpable negli gence not to have a light displayed. Toe Learned JUDGE then conferred with the Tri nity Masters, and upon his return into court said that those gentlemen agreed with him (the Learned Judge) in opinion' that no blame at all attached to the steamer, and they thought the schooner to blame for not having, under the peculiar circumstances of the case, shown a light. The Court, therefore, pro nounced against the claim, and with costs. THE ROYAL ADELAIDE—DAMAGES. This cause was promoted by the owners of the collier brig Margaret and Emily against the owners of the Royal Adelaide, a steamer trading between London and Leith. It appeared the brig was on her voyage from &ahem to the port of London, laden with coals, when at five o'clock in the morning of the 3d of December, 1848, being in Sea Reach, at the entrance of the Thames, and standing across the river towards the north, on the larboard tack, close hauled, the Royal Adelaide was seen a quarter of a mile off OR their weather beam, making directly for the brig, and apparently going a. head. The master of the brig, thinking a collision inevitable, put his helra down and hove his vessel in stays. The steamer, however, came rapidly on, and stove in the brig's s t a rboard bow, carryin g away the b owspr it an d up per part of the ship. A cross action had been en tered on the part of the Royal Adelaide. Dr. ADDAms and Dr. ROBINSON, on behalf of the brig, contended the ordinary rule of navigation would apply ; and the steamer having departed from that rule, the blame of the collision must rest entirely on her. They,submitted the lloyal Adelaide should have ported her helm, and borne away immediately she saw the brig. Drs. eTENNER and R. PIJILLIMORE, for the Leith, Edinburgh, and Glasgow Steam Packet Company, denied that the, Trinity House rule applied in the present instance, and contended, had both vessels kept on their course they would have gone clear and at some distance from each other—that the collision must be imputed s o l e ly to th e b r i g ' s lulling-up and endeavouring. to cross the bows of the steamer, and that the master of the Royal Adelaide acted f o r th e best in putting his helm to port after he saw the brig's helm starboarded. The Learned JUDGE having consulted the Trinity Masters, said that it was th . r opinionto that both vessels were to bl ame, as the brig l ought con tinued her reach and th e steamer toiia,,e have starboarded, consequently they must divide the damage. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. U(::l-STREET. IMP3SITi9:Y ON THE DOKE OF W^LLINGTON. A wattle of Henrietta Stanley, but wamtui uln) pre , 111,, who is ' knOwn to tho Moodicity Society under several other names, and a um who lives with her, a n d who gave the name of Henry John Stanley, a returned transport, with several aliases, were brought before Mr. Bingham, charged with having obtained various sums of money, to a considerable amount, from his Grace the Duke of Wellington, by fraudulent pr e .. tences. • The prisoners were apprehended by Horsford, of the Mendicity Society, who had been employed to trace out the p r i ioners i n consequence o f information which the society were in possession of. In the pos -10,81011 of the prisoners, when apprehended, were the halves of two Si. notes, ab - Jut 251. in cash, and two handsome gold watches with heavy gold guard-chains attached, and a silver Geneva watch with a solid gold guard-chain. It was suspected that this property, worth about 50/., had been bought with a part of the money obtained by repeated impositions on the bene volent disposition of the Duke of Wellington and others. At 3 o'clock the prisoners were placed at the bar. Mr. Bodkin was in attendance on the part of the prosecution. The male prisoner is a well-dressed man with one leg, walking on crutches. The woman is of genteel appearance, and evidently of a better station than the ordinary class of begging-letter impostors. Mr. Bodkin said—These parties are brought here, having been taken into custody on Ssturday night, charged with having committed a fraud—or rather a series of frauds on several persons of benevolence and property, whose charitable feelings have been preyed upon for a length of time, and amongst whom is the Duke of Wellington. His Grace has been imposed on by the woman representing herself to be the or phan daughter of a military officer under various names, and by these means has succeeded in obtaining considerable sums of money, and it was only in con sequence of a communication to the Mendicity So ciety that arrangements were made to have the pri soners in custody through the instrumentality of a letter in reply to an application for money which was left at a post-office in Kennington. This letter was given to the woman at the bar, who goes by the name of Stanley, but whose real name I believe to be RJ.W. son. This letter, it will be proved, W 35 in answer to an application to his Grace for relief on account of alleged distress. The woman re ceived it from the postmaster, and afterwards joined the prisoner, who was in the neighbourhood. This matter, I anticipate, will eventually branch out into greater length and complicity than what the present charge assumes to have; but I am not in a situation to go at length into this or other charges, or to state the shape the charge will finally assume, though per haps it will be that of conspiracy to defraud. The Mendicity Society have asked my advice, and I have advised them not to treat the case as one coming un der the Vagrant Act, but to send the parties for trial. It is a bailable offence, but of course the magistrate will see as to the sufficiency of the bail Mr. BINGHAM would take care of that matter, but must have a few facts, in order to see what ground there was for remanding the prisoners. William Horsford, one of the Mendicity Society's officers, said that in consequence of order; from ibe manager, Captain Wood, he had been for the last month on the watch for the female prisoner, who hdd passed at varions times under the names of Stanley, Stone, Jones, Walton, and other names. Last Saturday witness saw a letter sent from the residence of the Duke of Wellington ' in reply to an application for money, posted in Down-street, to be left at the post-office, Kennington. The letter was posted and registered by the Duke of Wellington's secretary. At about twenty minutes past five on Saturday afternoon, the woman called for the letter, and received it. Witness had seen her just before in company with the male prisoner. As soon as she received the letter she joined the prisoner, and walked by his side for about 200 yards. Sbe then gave him the letter, and the male prisoner tore it open and threw away the envelope, and the fragment of the latter, which witness picked up, he now produced. The envelope belonged to the letter which witness saw posted in Down-street. The prisoners went into the Ship public-house, in the Kennington-road, and remained about five minutes. Tney came out, and got into an omnibus, and witness followed them in the same omnibus. The prisoners quarrelled in the omnibus, and got out after crossing Westminster bridge. Witness got out too, and with assistance took them both into custody for obtaining money under false pretences from the Duke of Wellington. The woman said, 6' I know nothing about it." 'Witness took the prisoners to Captain Wood, the manager, and on searching the woman a 51. note, ten sovereigns, and two gold and one silver watch, with gold guards, were found. Mr. Parry, who had just before entered the court to attend professionally for the prisoners, remarked that no specific charge had been made. He thought it would be more regular if a specific charge were made at once. Mr. Bodkin replied, in all probability the charge would he one of conspiracy to defraud. Mr. Parry would then know what it was he was called upon to meet. He apprehended it was not the proper course to speculate upon what the evidence might produce. A question was here raised as to the jurisdiction of the magistrate. The money was obtained in Surrey, and it was in that county the alleged offence had been committed. Mr. Bodkin said he believed the magistrate had . . jurisdiction, for he recollected a case — in which a letter had hoen posted in Middlesex and received at Win&or, when it was held that where the letter was posted there the offence was committed. Horsford was then recalled. He said he did not know what the letter contained that was posted in Down-street. lle saw the Sams letter given to the woman at the Kennington post-office, but he was not aware what money was in it. He had the fragments of the letter with him. Mr. Bodkin said the letter had been directs d by the Duke of Wellington himself for the special object of this charge. It would be necessary to have the at tendance of his Grace to prove the identity of the fragments. His Grace had been communicated with on the sulject, and he had expressed his readiness to come forward and prosecute. James Kendall, valet to the Duke of Wellington, saw his Grace direct the letter, which was put in the Down-street post-office. Could swear that the writing on the fragments was the Duke of Welling ton's writing. William Simpson, postmaster, Kennington, proved that he gave the female prisoner a registered letter. Could swear to the Duke's writing, and had no doubt the fragments were part of the letter he gave to the female prisoner. Mr. Parry would say nothing on the question of remand, as that appeared to have been determined upon. He woujg, however, re mar k th a t en i rregu l ar course had bee adopted in one part of the proceed ing., far the prisoners had been taken to a private house when first apprehended, whereas they ought to have been taken before persons of competent autho rity. Mr. BINGHAM would not enter into that question then, the question before him being the evidence on which he was to remand the prisoners. As far as the evidence went, all that was proved was that a letter had been put into the Down-street post-office, and received by the woman at Kennington post-office, but no one could say any thing about its contents. Mr. Parry—Nor has any ground been stated for suspecting the prisoners. Mr. Bodkin said the prisoners had only been taken into custody on Ssturday night. It was not likely all the evidence against them would be ready to be produced. The prisoners were suspected of committing various frauds, and if remanded, at the next examination material evidence would be produced in support of the charge. The letter now produced might be made good ground of a charge of obtaining money under false pretences. Mr. Parry contended there was nothing against them at present. Mr. BINGHAM asked Horsford if he, on his oath, believed he would be in a condition by next Thursday to bring forward evidence in proof of the charge of obtaining 51. from his Grace. Hereford replied he could, and about 4001. more. Mr. BINGHAM thought that was sufficient to justify a remand. Mr. Parry than renewed his complaint of the prisoners baring been taken in the first instance to Captain Wood's house, rather than to the station house. He trusted the Court would take moderate bail, even though the Duke of Wellington was the prosecutor. Mr. Bodkin said he had not said that the Duke of Wellington was the prosecutor. Mr. BINGHAISI decided on remaining the prisoners until Thursday next. WESTMINSTER. Caroline Cuddcford, late a servant in the establish ment of M r . C . N . Clarke, Drayton Villa, Bromp ton,• was finally examined, charged with plundering her employer under circumstances of an aggravated character, after accused entered which th r t e h e e service sovereigns in were October m e last, d a s oT d r i th ff ley erent periods from two wardrobes. In conse quence of some trifling silver money being purloined from a dress belonging to Mrs. Clarke on Sunday week, the police were sent for, and upon searching the prisoner's boxes some muslin, lace, a pair of white kid gloves, and other miscellaneous property belonging to Mrs. Clarke were discovered. The prisoner was then given into custody, and upon a further examination a bottle of brandy and some lace were found concealed in a petticoat near her bed. In the course of searching the prisoner at the police station she was found in possession of duplicate keys to the wardrobes, and upon an inspection of the pro perty they contained, Mrs. Clarke discovered that she had been robbed to a considerable extent, and that valuable dress lengths of velvet and satin had ti , eeu entirely spoilt by lieces having been cut ore them. A portion of black satin belonging to one of these was discovered among the things in the prisoner's box ; and she had had the impudence to have a bonnet made up for herself of part of the rich velvet cut off. The keys of the wine cellar were kept in the wardrobe, and upon looking over the stock of brandy 15 bottles were missing. Prisoner owned the bonnet and several of the other articles as her own, declaring that she could prove she bad bought them; and accounted for her posses sion of the brandy by stating thlt it had been given to her when the cholera was about, and before she had I entered ) 4 k, cluke's service) She was fully committed for trial. WANDSWORTH. James Turner, badge No. 2,669, driver for Robert Dackham, of the omnibus No. 6,741, and James Page, badge No. 9,689, driver f*Jr Rtzhard Render, of the omnibus No. 6,581, were summoned before Mr. Beadon, at the instance of Inspector CJleman, of the Clapham section of the V division of police, for furiously driving in the Wandsworth-road, to the danger of passengers. The two defendants were severally represented by Mr. Gilham and Mr. Games. Mr. T. Fox Cross, an accountant, living at the Courland, Wandsworth-road, proved that on the evening of that day week, about half-past seven o'clock, he had just left his house, when he heard a vehicle coming along at a tremendous rate, and pre sently two omnibuses passed him. They were both swinging in a feaaful manner, and he was so certain that Dackham's omnibus would turn over, that to avoid being crushed, he ran back to his gate. Dack ham's omnibus went three or four yards farther, when two of the wheels went on the path, and two on the road, for about twenty-four yards, as he had since measured, when the coachman fell off, but whether he fell between the horses or not he was not able to state. Thelhorses being uncontrolled, went on a little farther, at the same furious pace, when the omnibus turned over. Had it come in collision with the other, both must have been upset, and several pertons killed. There were two other persons on Dackham's omnibus besides the driver.. He saw another person in the road, who had fallen from some part of it. There was plenty of room for Render's omnibus to have passed. Both omnibuses were going at full sixteen miles an hour. At the time Dackham's omnibus got on the kerb, R.trider's pulled up, because of the screaming of the passengers. Mr. Charles Dagnell, of Point-pleasant, Wands worth, proved that he got into Dackham's bus at Gracechurch-street, on the evening in question. The other omnibus was alternately behind and before them. The witness proceeded to describe that it was one occasionally broken but determined race between the two omnibuses, each gallopping its hardest, until Dackham's reached the William the Fourth, where they took up an elderly lady. Render's bus had had to stop behind, and was for a short period out of sight, but their bus had scarcely started when the other came up as fast as it could, and came in collision with them, driving them on the footpath. Witness at tempted to get out, but in so doing fell, and was in sensible for a few seconds. When he became sensi ble, he saw a lady sitting on the side of the road screaming, and, as he supposed, in hysterics. Other evidence, corroborative of that previously given, was next detailed by John Shillito, a tailor, at Lavender-place, and this witness, who rode on the box of Render's bus, distinctly proved that that bus ran the other on the pathway, which knocked the coachman off. Mrs. Ann Marriott, of Dale-place. Wandsworth, proved that she was a passenger by Dackham's om nibus ; that by the fierce speed at which it went, and the subsequent upset, she and her baby were obliged to seek medical advice, and she had kept her bed two days. She was not then recovered. Mr. Games said it was quite clear at one part of the time his client's driver was going at an improper rate. Mr. Gilham observed 'that Mr. Render had wit nesses to call ; but, under all the circumstances, he was prepared to leave his case in the worthy magis ztrate's hands. Mr. BICADON said this was a case taken up very properly by the police, and never was a case more completely supported by the public. It was a miracle that no person was killed; and if that had been the case, all the parties concerned would have been tried for manslaughter. If a case of such a nature came before him again, he would assuredly imprison the guilty party fir two months with hard labour. With respect to Dackham'a driver, he should fine him 405., or one month, and Render's driver would be committed for a month, but without hard labour. On the intercession of Mr. Gilham, Page's sen tence, who had driven for twenty years, and bore a high character, was altered to 605., or tyro months. Both fines were paid. .r-i - • .. ,ts_ 'title ..,,, ~. 4 5! , % , -. 0 - , , ttton WARWICK SPRING MEETING. (THIS DAY. (3Y ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) The Trial Stakes. Alonzo ... Mark Tapley ... Knight of Gwynno ••• ••• ••• 2 ... ••• ••• 3 The Willoughby Fugitive ... Rattrap ... _ Free Handicap. Thubt POO •11! 1111. 1 ••• ••• ••• • Docility-, 1111. ••• ••• ••• 11•11 ••• 2 BUENON Al RES BONDS. --- A meeting of BUCEO3 Ayrean b ,, ndholders was held yeA3rday, at the London Tavern, for the purpose of con►idrrttag what measures most conducive to ;heir in terests should be adopted under the improved condition, both financial and commercial, of the Argentine Re public. There was a very small attendance of bond holders. Mr. TASIEER presided, and adverting to the small number present, said this particular stock only involved a million of money, and therefore it could not be expected that there would be such a large assembly as those held in respect of the Mexican and Colombian bonds, which involved eleve❑ or twelve millions. This was the first meeting which had taken place of Buenos Ayrean bondholders, and he hoped the result of their efforts would be to place themselves in as good a position as the holders of the stock of the neighbouring states of Chili and Peru, which now paid their dividends regularly. Tho loan had been nege tiatel by the respectable house of Baring and Co., and it was a matter of surprise that the dividends upon it had not been paid, for, si ith this particular ex• ception, Buenos Ayres had been remarkable for meeting every national engagement. The interest upon its local debt had been paid with the regularity of the British Government; and, since 1844, four-fifths of it hal been redeemed. Forty millions of dollars were now in the coffers of the Republic, and it only owed fifteen millions. This was a gra ifying circumstance ; and, besides, he had been informed that the coun try nev‘r presented a more prosperous appear ance tban it did just now. The debt upon thee• bonds had increased 1201. per cent., and hence it was incumbent upon them to take energetic steps for its payment; and, looking to the cheering facts which he had mentioned, ho had still hopes of as satisfactory an arrangement as that in the case of Chili. The Presi dent, in his last message, had alluded to the discovery of a bed of guano at Pa . agonie, which had yielded a considerable number of tons, and was likely to bring a large sum to the Exchequer. At an interview cf the Spanish American bondholders with Senbor Moreno, the Minister of the Republic in this country, that personage stated it might be advisable to present a memorial for the settlement of their claims, now extend ing over twenty. fire 3 ears, and expressed a hope that, as the commerce and finance of the state had so much im proved, they would be able to offer terms much more favourable than those tendered by other states in a similar situation. After some little discussion the letter of the commit tea of the Spanish American bondholders was approved of, and they were requested to continue their best exer tions in furtherance of a speedy and satisfactory ar rangement of these claims. Resolutions, tendering thanks to the press for its advocacy of the claims, and to Mr. D. Robertson for his appeal to General Rosa?, were proposed and carried. A vote of thanks was then tendered to the Chairman, and the meeting separated. G &RMA NY. Letters from Berlin of the 16tH inst. state that the negotiations between Austria and Prussia, for the purpose of forming a Central German Constitution, have been broken off, and that there is no probability If those powers coming to any understanding on the subject. It is supposed that Hesse-Cassel will follow the example of Hanover, and secede from the German Bund. It is said that the Cabinet of Vienna has, on the announcement of the intended marriage of the reigning Duke of Brunswick, declared its intention to support the pretensions of the heirs of the dethroned Duke Charles in opposition to those of the heirs of the present Duke William. On the 13th, at Vienna, considerable crowls av sembledat the cemetery outside the city lines, to visit the graves of those who fell two years before during the revolution. ITALY. The Costituzionkili of the 9th states that the Bri tish Government had presented a n)te to the Tuscan Cabinet demand in g compensation for the losses sus tained by the British residents in L • thorn during the bombardment of that city by the Austrian troops. _ --,...............11011CVM551MM1• The formatia a of new streets in the City goes on slowly and badly '. Ono of several correspondents on the subject says—" Your recent remarks on the state of the new Houses of Parliament would apply to the City im provements. I: was perfectly as t on i s h e d the other day when in the City, to witness such a picture of idleness; no wonder th st the building trade languishes when we see Improvem Ent Cammittees, as they aro called, begin ning their wo rk at the middle instead of at the end of the street. no builders in their senses would speculate on such gro• and as is now offered to be let, without a proper ar preach. to their houses."—Baiider. The Ear lof Carlisle, Lord Ashley, and the At torney-Goneral, had a conference with Sir George Grey ye sterday at the home-office, on the subject of extramill StipletUje. - --- _ IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS,' March 18. Lord LANGDALE (in the abience of the Lord Chan. cellar) took his seat upon the Woolsack at Five o'clock, COIINIOINIS ENCLOSURE BILL. _ The Commons Encivsure Bill was real a third time and paned. GREAT EXHIBITION OF 1851. Lord BROUGHAM gave notice Oa; to-morrow he s.hould move for a return of the Royal Commission for superintending the great Exhibition of 1851, and at the same time he should put a question in relation to a very alarming report, that it was intendod to encroach upon one of what he might term the great lungs of London, by the erection of a building for the purposes of the ex hibition in the park, a course to which he decidedly ob jected. _ CASE OF MR. NASH. Lord LANGDALE then order's i Mr. Charles De Lacy Nash, t' , e secretary to the committee of the Wa terford, Wexford, Wicklow, and Dublin Railway Com pany, to be called to the bar. In answer to questions from various Noble Lords, Mr. Nash said he was not the sem - etary to the company, but only to a committee of shareholders. He had under stood that an order had been made by their Lordahipe for certain returns, which had not been complied with. He communicated to the Railway Commissioners that . :he could give the information required, and he ac cordingly made a return. The order for the return had not been made upon him, and he had never received any order. He was not aware whether or not an, re turn had been made to the order by the officials of the company. Lord BROUGHAM—You volunteered the return. Mr. Nash—l wrote to the Railway Commissioners. Lord BROUGHAM—As a volunteer you wrote to the Railway Commissioners, saying you were prepared to writs, and then they wrote to you ? Mr. Nash—They wrote to me. Lord BROUGHAM—But not until you had written to them first ? In answer to further questions, Mr. Nash stated that he had not a copy of that letter. Ile way not certain whether it was bolded Waterford, Wexford, and Wick low Railway. The committee of which he was secre tary was merely a committee of shareholders. Lord Courtown's name was attached to the original return. He saw the return in the Private Bill Office. He copied it, and copied Lord Courtown's name too. Lord BROUGHAM—Now did you copy this literally, without any addition whatever? Mr. Nash—l did, my Lord. Lord BEAUMONT—Was it made by you, or by your clerk? Mr. Nash—By myself, two years ago. Lord BROUGHAM—Who wrote the signature to this return—" Courtown, Chairman?" Mr. Nash—l did, my Lord. Lord BROUGHAM—Is it in your ordinary hand writing? Mr. Nash—lt is, my Lord. Lord BROUGHAM—WiII you venture to say that the signature, " Courtown, Chairman," is not such as is calculated to induce persons to believe that it is a signa ture and not a copy ? Mr. Nash—l did not intend it as an imitation of a signature. _ - Lord 13 ROUGHAM—Do you not know that in cases of a copy of a signature it is usual to prefix the word " Signed " to the copy of the signature? Mr. Nash—lt is so occasionally, but it is not my practice. By Lord BEAUMONT—He thought that the House would understand that he could not be in possession of the original, and that their Lordships would understand that it was a copy. By Lord BROUGHAM—He never took out of the Private Bill Office the paper of which the return pur ported to be a copy. The examination with regard t) the signature " Cour to a a, Chairman," was then,resumsd, and Lord Broughams produced the signature attached to the return. and handed it to .Mr. Nash, making him if the Chairman in " Courtoa n, Chairman," was not different from the chairman of his own signature, Charles. The documents were subsequently handed round to the Peers in order that they might compare them, Mr. Nash contending that the difference was not very material. In answer to further questions, Mr. Nash said he had never taken the paper from the Private 1311 Office, nor had he oar been applied to for the parer. He was then ordered to withdraw. The examination was ordered to be printed, and Mr. Nash was ordered to attend again on Friday. APPELLATE JURISDICTION OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS. AND OF THE JUDICIAL COM MITTEN 01' THE PRIVY COUNCIL. Lord 13ROUG HAM said he had now b call their Lordships' attention to a subject of the greatest impor trteee, indeed of the very highest importance when (towed in connexion with the administration of justice in our vast colonial empire. It this country chose to possess a boundless empire, it was our duty to judge the folks rightecusly, for unless we bestowed upon them the inestimable blessing s o f a good administraion of justice we could not cepect them t o re j o i ce an d b e g l a d i n our dominion. That we did administer justice, generally speaking, in a superior manner—that our rule over these countries had been attended with infinite advantage compared with any detriment that we had caused, all history bore testimony. Nevertheless, it could not be dr nied that our judicial system was capable of great im provement, and we ought never to allow ourselves to st ,p by reflecting on the good that had been done, so long as it could be shown that any defect vises discover ab!e or any improvement could be ma 10. That was the only position he wished to take on the present occasion. Our present system had many advantage-. He belies ei it to approach in some respects towards perfsetion, al though he feared in other respects it was wide of that mark.—(Bear, hear.) But having compared it with other systems he could! hardly find fault with it, so grit vous were the Inuits of others. The papers tor which ke moved the other day gave a comparative view, not only of the state of judi cial business in our various possessions. distinguishing between the Channel Islands and the empire of the East India Company, but for the purpose of making the com parison more effectual he had also moved for a return casting light on our judicial system nearer home. These returns all related to the appellate jurisdiction, and more or less they were calculated to furnish a test of the excellency of the administration of justice in those courts from which the appeals proceeded. The returns embraced the appeals during the last 20 years from the three great branches of our judicial system in England, Ireland, and Scotland, and the appeals from the court of equity. The same returns had been made for the colonies, the Channel Islands, and our colonial posses sionso upw dons in the East. At first sight it might appear extra • ordinary that there should be so great a disproportion between the amount of appeals before their Lordships c a o n u d rt t s ha ad tCouncil, ards of 100,000,000 and that from the the number should be so very inferior. There was also a great disproportion between the appeals from England m b n fo i s r te, ringt e e y e and Ireland and from Scotland. The appeals from Eng land heard and delivered during the last 20 years amounted to 140 from all the camas cf equity, being 7 per year; from Scotland 534. being 26 or 27 per year, from Ireland 75, bring about 31 per year. But from all India, with an infinite number of local courts, and three supreme courts, the number of appeals to the Privy Council in 10 years was only 66, or little more than six per year. This was not because the Hindoo was better pleased with a decision against him than the S'cotchman ur the Celt, but in consequence of the expense of pro secuting an appeal on the other side of the globe being so much greater than an appeal from Edinburgh or Dublin. Now as to the result of these proceedings. Of the 140 English appeals, in 38 the decree or order was reversed or varlet, being at the rate of about 27i per cent. In the Scotch appeals there were 153 reversals out of 534 cases, being about 28 per cent. In the Irish ap• peals the proportion was much higher, the reversals, out of 75 appeals, amounting to 34, or 45 per cent. With respect to writs of error, out of 62 cases there had been 16 reversals. From England there were 41 affirmations and 7 reversals; from Scotland, 1 affirmation and 2 re versals; from Ireland, 21 - affirmations and 7 reversals. Out of 66 cases from the Consistory and Admiralty Courts of Loudest', 17 had been reversed or altered. From the Conaistorial Court at York there had been 1 affirmation and 4 reversals ; from the Channels Islands 4 affirmations and 1 reversal ; from the colonies and plantations, out of 83 appeals, i n 32 the judgment had been reversed or varied. Of the 6G appeals from the Company's possessions, 43 had been reversed; and it was somewhat singular that the great pre portion of revertals were in cases of appeal from the supreme courts. Out of 41 appeals from the native courts there had been 21 reversals; while of 25 from the superior courts the: number of reversals amounted to 22, making a proportion of no less than seven reversals to one as compared with the appeals from the courts in this country. There was this differ ence between the proceedings by appeal from the supreme and inferior courts. The law administered with respect to the supreme courts was nearly our own; but the law administered in the native courts involved all the nice ties of Hindoo manners and customs, which were re markably puzzling, and it was hardly possible, in this country, to imagine how so much perjury and forgery should be imported into the administration of justi ce , whether civil or criminal. The result Ras that the appellate jurisdiction trusted very much to the judgment or the registrars' courts, and a judge of upper,' almost inevitably felt himself compelled to give a casting vote to the judgment below, and only to reverse, alter, or vary in the case of a clear mss-decision. It was, therefore, more natural to affirm the decision in the native than in the supreme courts. and that was one reason why an appeal was more likely to be made against the judgment of the supreme than of the native courts. Of thirtsen appeals from the Supreme Court at Madras not one had been affirmed. The same was the case with rest eat to the Supreme Court at Bombay. He had heard with the greatest delight of many important and valu able suggestioes flow India with respect both to the supreme and native courts, which it' reformed upon sound principles would be equally advantageous. to the suitor and the jud i ;e, and the g .neral administration of justice. He I a I great :iatisfaltion in B/i . ing that thi - East India Grupany had ap.ired no expense in anproving tbe educa tion of their officers. That education, which was com menced by Lord Wellesley, had been carried on in this country in the admirable establishment at Haileybury. Great as had been the improvement in that respect, it was still more necessary to send out good judges; and no more important duty could devolve upon a Colonial Minister than the selection of competent persons to exercise judicial functions. If the means were given there would be no difficulty in finding properly-qualified persons. But, from a miserable, paltry saving of a few hundreds, and the still more unjust economy of refusing a retiring pension in all the colonies (with the exception of the East Indies), such men could not be found, and the result was those disgraceful .sqpbblea which had sometimes taken place between persons ap pointed to judicial offiqes and the Governor. An alter ation in this respect would be productive of the greatest advantage to the administration of justice and to the in terests of the colonies. The Noble and Learned Lord concluded by laying on the table certain resolutions em bodying the facts which he had stated, observing, that he was willing to move their adoption at once, or to wait until after they had been printed. The Marquis of LA.NS DO VV NE said that if the reso lutions contained a mere statement of facts, he did not see any objection to them. Lord BROUGHAM was understood to move that the resolutions be printed. POST-OFFICE SUNDAY LABOUR. The Earl of MALMESBURY, seeing the Noble Marquis the Postmaster-General in his! place, wished to put a question of which he had given notice on present ing a petition praying for the cessation of all Sunday labour in the Post-otfi a). On that occasion he stated that although the petitioners were entitled to be treated with the greatest respect he dissented from the prayer of t'leir petition, and did not believe that they had sufficiently considered the subject. Since that time he had ascertained the manner in which signatures were obtained to these petitions. A man was asked simply whether he was not for keeping holy the Sabbath day? Of course his answer was " yes." He was then asked whether he did not think it a hardship for post masters in the country to be compelled to work on Sun days when they were not obliged to do so in London? and the reply would naturally be "yes." In this way an enormous number of signatures had been obtained in that part of the country with which he was connected. He should like to know if' the Noble Earl could say from his experience whether it would be possible to keep the post offices generally closed all Sunday, and if so, whe ther parties would get their letters as early as at present on Monday morning? The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said that had his Noble Friend given him notice of his question, he should sot have been unprepared with a full answer, consi dering how much had been said, and, he would add, improperly said, about the matter during the recess. Having been subjected to much abuse and gross misre presentation —some Noble Lords, Members of that House, had even published letters in the newspapers with very strong opinions, censuring him for what bad been done—he was only surprised that nothing had been said in that House, where he could have answered it. Tha question addressel to him by the Noble Lord was •t' a different nature to the allegations against him, and instea i of giving his own opinion, the best answer he could give would be to lay on the table shortly cer tain reports, which would state what had been done with respect to Sunday labour in the Post-office during the last few years, and what ts ere the views on the question of the best authorities of the Post-.office. His own opi nion was, that it was quite impossible to disregard the convenience—the requirements—in fact, what he might call the absolute necessities of the country, by stopping the transmission of the mails on the whole of Sunday. Neither did he think there was any religious or moral obligation that imposed such a necessity on them. He would lay the necessary papers on the table with the more readiness, because he perceived a notice had been given in the other House calling for information on the subject. When the returns were on the table he bad no doubt they would furnish all the information the Noble Lord required. The Bishop of OXFORD bad a strong opinion as to the possibility of stopping the mails on Sunday, but he would not dismiss the subject at that moment. Lord BROUGHAM—Do you mean stopping the mails all user the country? The Bishop of OXFORD replied in the affirmative. He only rose, however, to say a few words on the sub ject of the parties who signed petitions presented to that House. The Noble Marquis seemed to say that many of the petitions had been signel in ignorance of the question, and through misrepresentation. He had pre teuted numerous petitions on the subject from various quarters, and he could take upon himself to say those petitions by no means bore the character imputed to petitions gene rally on the subject of Sunday labour in the Post-office by the Noble Marquis. They who signed the petitions he had presented perfectly well knew what they wactld, and perfectly well knew their own feelings on the question. The petitioners ex pressed no opinion as to the recent alterations ; they only petitioned in &your of a great principle. They believed that it would be beneficial to the best in terests of the country to have the diffsrent post-offices closed throughout the kingdom on a Sunday. The petitioners thoroughly knew what they were about, and neither acted from ignorance or under misrepresentation. He again repeated he was ready to discuss the question, but would not unless urged to do so. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE had made no dis respectful allusion to the petitioners. No one could feel deeper respect for those who signed these petitions than he did, and when the proper time arrived he should be able to' prove he had done, as far as his duty allowed, what he could to diminish Sunday labour in the Post office. The papers, when produced, would show what h• had done, and what an immense diminution of Sun day labour had taken place. With respect to the pe'i tions on the question, they were not all of the same li mited character. Some even went so far as to pray for the total cessation of every sort of labour, including the stoppage of mail trains from Saturday night to Monday morning. Lord BROUGHAM wished to know whether the packet service was also to be delayed? The Earl of MALMESBURY could state, from his personal knowledge, that some of the petitions were signed in ignorance. - The Earl of HARROWBY said the petitioners from Manchester, Liverpool, and the trading districts of Lan cashire, had no objection to be placed on the same foot ing as the Lond Lord BROUGHAM remarked by running into ex tremes. the great?st mischief was often done. It was proposed to render the keeping holy the Sabbath-day the more general, but if matters ware pr. SSE d to an ex treme point, it might have the effect of rendering that unpopular which ought to be popular. If the packet service was alio to be interfered with, were the packets to lie like logs on the water all Sunday? The conversation then dropped. THE CASE OF MR. RIDER. The Duke of ARGYLL brought under the notice of their Lordships the case of Mr. Rider, wl;o had been deprived of an offi c e in C ana d a , a t th e ti me o f th e union, without compensation. Alter an attentive consideration of the whole case, and a careful perusal of the documents, be was satisfied Mr. Rider had a valid and solid claim for recompense against the Imperial Government. Papers on the subject had been moved for, and when produced, unless they threw a different light on the subject, he should, early alter the Easter recess, introduce some measure on the subject. When he saw such vigourous, effective, and it might be righteous measures adopted to secure compensation for injuries at the hands of foreign Governments, he did hope that the appeal to an indivi dual fir redress sgaiust injury by our own Government would not be neglected. Earl GREY said an address to her Majosty had al ready been moved for papers relating to this matter. He must say he did not think the reflection on the colonial government was deserved. The colonial governme❑t had treated Mr. Rider with consideration and liberality. The Duke of ARGYLL was sorry to differ with the Noble Earl on that subject. Earl GREY said he did not think Mr. Rider had any case either against the colonial government or tae Impe rial Treasury. The Earl of MOUNTCASIIELL pottponel his mo tion for papers relative to the conduct of the officers and surgeon of the Sobraon till Friday. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 18, The SPEAKER took the Chair at five minutes before Four o'clock. CLERICAL, MEDICAL, AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY BILL. On the House going into Committee on this Bill, Sir R. INGLIS objected to the Bill on the ground of its involving the sacrifice of a considerable portion of the revenue. Mr. IJAYTER said the Bill only contemplated the payment of a stamp duty on certain memorials which were necessary on a change of trustees in the society, and would not cause any sacrifice of the public revenue. After some farther conversation, in which Mr. Brotherton, Mr. Goulburn, Mr. Hayter, and Sir R. Inglis joined, the Bill passed through Committee. The Licensed Victuallers' and General Fire and Life Assurance Company (No. 2) Bill (Stamp Duty on Me morials), and the Guardian Fire and Life Asburance Company Bill (Stamp duty on Memorials) severally passed through the Committee. THIRD READINGS. The following private Bills were severally read a third time and passed : Architects, Civil Engineers, Builders, and General Fire and Life Insurance, Annuity, and Reversionary In terest Company (Incorporation of the Company under a different name). Buckinghamshire hallways. CALEDONIAN AND EDINBURGH, AND GLAS GOW RAILWAYS AMALGAMATION BILL. On the name of this Bill being called, Mr. COWAN moved that the order for the second reading of the Bill be discharged, on the ground that the proposed amalgamation went to the confiscation of pro perty; he, therefore, moved that it be read a second time this day six months. Sir R. Inglis, Mr. Fox Manic, and Ddr. Lushington, expressed themselves against the principle of the Bill, on the ground that it had in view the spoliation of property. Mr. LABOUCHERE said the Bill was so utterly re gardless of the rights of private property that he was quite sure the House would never entertain it. Mr. GLADSTONE thought that the, introduction of this Bill had been a great blow to railway inter• ti, and the only way of reparation lay in its rejection, and in the reception which it bad met with in the House. Mr. Denison, Mr. Ellis, and Mr. ilutne supported the motion. The motion was then agreel to without a division. PETITIONS. Several petitions were'presentAaaaiust the emplo3- nient of Sundl . y labour in the Post-office. Sir 11. INGLIS, prese , nted petitions from Durham and other places against the Marriage Bill. Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from shipowners at Dundee for a repeal of the timber duties. Mr. H. BERKELEY presented a petition from Bristol in favour of an alteration of the mode of rating surgeons in the navy. Mr. FREWEN presented a petition from a place in Sussex in favour of summary convictions in cases cf petty larceny. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY presented several petitions from places in Lancashire praying that the franchise might not be given to persons who did not pay taxes. Mr. WESTHEAD presented a petition praying the House to extend the jurisdiction of county courts. Mr. GLAI)STONE presented a petition again it the Marriage Bill. Mr. H. ‘VILLYAMS presented a petition praying for the adoption of ocean penny r ,:ta g e. Mr. HAMILTON presented a petition praying for the amendment of the Factory Act. Mr. CO WAN presentpd several petitions from places in Scotland against the Marriaje Bill. COUNTY COURTS. Mr. STANSFIELD presented a petition from Hud dersfield praying fox en extension of the jurislction of the county court .. POSTAL COMMUNICATION THROUGH FIFE. Mr. HUME presented a petition from the provost, ma gistrates, and town council of Arbroath, complaining of the manner in which the Post-office communication is conducted through Fife. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. Lord JOHN MANNERS presented petitions com plaining of agricultural distress from places the names of which were inaudible in the gallery. MOIIILL UNION. Lord NAAS presented a petition from the ratepayers of the Mohill Union, in Leland, complaining of the fla grant acts if ale vice-guardians in that union. TEN HOURS BILL. Colonel cuATIERTON presented a petition from the city of Cork in favour of this Bill. Similar petitions were presented from places in Scot land by Mr. Maccnudon and Sir George GREY.. DUTY ON PAPER. Mr. COBDEN presented a petition from a glace in Yorkshire preying the House to repeal the duty in paper and the advertise ment tax. Mr. EWA RT presented a similar pi titian. MARRIAGE WITH A DECEASED WIFE'S SISTER. Mr. FORBES presented a petition from the Presby tery of Edinburgh against this Bill. Sir DE LACY EVANS presented a petition in 'avour of giving honorary rewards to surgeons in the navy. Str J. TYRELL presented a petition front Essex praying that all Post-office business throughout the country might be suspended on Sunday. Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition agreed to at a pub lic meeting at Manchester, in favour of the abolition of punishtnent for death. Mr. M. GIBSON presented a petition from Chester for the abolition of the excise duty on paper and the newspaper stamp and advertisement duty. THE BALLOT. . Mr. BRIGHT gave notice that to-morrow he should present a petition trom the electors of Scotland on the subject of vote by ballot.. RETURNS. The following unopposed returns were ordered : " Return of all Bills draws foi the payment of head money for the capture or destruction of pirate:, as directed in the second section of the Act 6 Geo. 4, c. 49, on her Majesty's Paymaster-Goner al, since the Ist day of January, 1849. " Return of the minute addressed by Mr. Rowland Hill, on the 3d day of February, 1849, to the Pestmas ter-Geoeral, on the Sunday duties of the Post-office ; of all documents and papers relative to the adoption of the recommendations of that minute ; of the date when such recommendations were carried into effect ; c-f the num ber of persons employed in the General Post. office previously to and subsequently to such date ; of the number of persons employed in the General Post-office on Sunday, the 10th day of March, 1850 ; of the number of persons relieved of Sunday la bour in the provincial post-offices of England and Wales, and of the average number of hours per head, per Sun day, to which such relief extends ; of copies ( f all cor respondence between the Post-office and the Treasury on the subject of Sunday duties ; of all Post-office mi nutes and reports thereon, and of all memorials against Sunday labour in the Post-office, addressed to her Ma jesty's Government." "A tabular return of all debts incurred under the Acts 8 and 9 Vic., c. 107, 10 Vic., c. 7, or any other Acr, since January 1845 (specifying the Acts), which remain due by (stun electoral division in each union in Ireland; also, a tabular return of all debts due at the last audit from each electoral division to the union, in every union in Ireland." MARRIAGE AND REGISTRATION ACTS. Mr. EwAwr inquired of the Right Hon. Secretary for the Home Department whether the Government ir.- tended to introduce any Bill this session for pone:aline the Marriage lied Registraton Acts passed in the seventh year of his lstis Majesty's reign; particularly with reference to the rep , al of so much of the first of these Acts as requires a seven clays' notice to be given and read at a meeting of the board of guardians prior to the issue of a licence? Sir GEORGE GREY said he had been in commu nication with the Registar-General on the subject, who was of opinion that some modification of the existing law as to the notice of marriage was necessary to pre vent clandestine marriages, but that this might be done without bringing in any Bill for the purpose. LIABILITY OF RAILROAD COMPANIES. Mr. SPOONER asked the Pre-ident of the Board of Trade whether he intended to propose auy measure for the purpose of remedying the evils complained of in the petitions presented on the 14th of March, arising from the state of the law relative to the liability of railroad companies in case of accidents. Mr. LABOUCHERE said the conclusion he had come to, after having consulted competent persons, was, that it was not expedient to increase the liability of railway companies in this respect. lie thought the judgment of Baron Parke, in the Court of Exchsqaer, had nu; only clearly laid down the law on the subject, but that it WAS not expedient to alter it. INSPECTION OF MINES AND COLLIERIES. Mr. WYLD asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, at what period of the see'ion he will introduce the Bill for the inspection of mines and col leries ? Sir GEORGE GREY said so soon as he had received the reports of the three gentlemen who had been sent to inquire into the cause ut accidents in mines he would b., able to lay when he could introduce the Bid. MEDICAL PROFESSION. Mr. WYLD rose to ask the Secretary of Slate fer the Homo Departssent, if it be the intention of the Govern ment to bring forward any measure fur the bettor regu lation of the medical profession? Sir G. GREY said that a Bill was in the ha'ids of the Lord-Advocate, who was in communication with various parties on the subject, and that he would probably bring it forward at as early a period as possible. GORHAM T. BISHOP OP EXETER—MR. DENI SON'S PROTEST. Mr. HUME rose, according to notice, to ask what notice the Government intended to take of the protest s.f Mr. Denison, published in all the raecrs, impugning the judgment of her Majesty's Council ia the case of Gorham v. the Bishop of Exeter, and denying the supremacy of the Crown as head of the Established Church. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that it would be only just to Mr. Denison to read a statement which he (Lord J. Rusteli) had that morning received, which professed to be a statement of the opinion which that gentler's se held as to the supremacy of the Crown in this matter. Mr. Denison did not deny that her Majesty was supreme over all causes iu her dominions, whether ecclesiastical or civil; in ecclesiastical causes by her ecclesiastical judges, in civil causes by her temporal judges; but he denied her right to decide questions of doctrine through the medium of her Privy Council. He (Lord J. Russell) thought Mr. Denison was entirely mistaken in the opinion which he had formed, and that the judgment given by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council was entirely within their jurisdiction, and was such as they were authorised by law to give.—(Hear.) lie believed likewise that this decision had given very gene ral satisfaction. With regard to the other question, as to what notice the Government intended to take of the matter, the Noble Lord said he feared any at on the part of the Government would tend to disturb the Church still further, and that they certainly were not prepared to adopt any proceedings with respect to the protest of Mr. Denison.—(Hear.) TIMBER DUTIES. In reply to Lord JOCELYN, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he was not in a position to give any positive answer as to what his intentions were with tespeet to the abolition of the timber duties until he bad beard the wishes and opi nions of the parties more particularly interested in the matter. In reply to a question from the same NOBLE LORD, Mr. MITCHELL said it was not his intention to bring on his motion for the repeal of the timber duties till after Easter. HUNGARIAN REFUGEES. Mr. OSBORNE wished to ask the Secretary for Fo reign Affairs whether the Government of this country, or our Ambassador at Constantinople, are parties, by advice or otherwise, to the conduct of the 'I urkish Go vernment in condemning Kossuth, and the other Hunga rian refugees in Turkey, to banishment and confinement in the interior of Asia Minor ; and, if not, whether her Majesty's Government had offered any remonstrance to that step ? Lord PALMERSTON replied that her Majesty's Government, through her Majesty's Ambassador at Constantinople, had recommended the Porte to make the detention of these persons—if the Porte considered himself bound, by his communications with Austria, to detain them—as short as possible, consistent with his engagements with the Government of Austria. Upon the broad quesOen he could only say that his opinion was, that it would have been desirable for the Porte, if he were under no engagements not to detain them at all.—(Hear, hear.) The Porte, however, might be under some engagement to Austria, but if the Porte bad been at liberty to nut with these persons as he thought proper, it would have been much better had he not drtained them at all. —(Hear.) But, believing that the Porte had placed himself under an engagement in his communications with Austria, which compelled him to detain the m , he had, no doubt, removed them to se cure the tranquillity cf Turkey, and her Ma jesty's (Internment, under these circuinstmees, had tendered to the Porte the advice which he had just mentioned.—(Cheers.) AUSTRALIAN COLONIES BILL. In reply to Mr. GLADSTONE, Loud JOHN RUSSELL said lie. intended to brine en this Bill next Friday. SURVEY . OF THE THAI'sIES. Sir J. FAKING lON wished to ask the Fit Lord of the Admiralty, whether the survey of the river Thames had been completed, and if so, how soon the Board of Admiralty was prepared to communicate to the public the result of the survey? Sir F. BARING said the survey was already com pleted, but probably two months would elapse before it could to made public. STAMP DUTIES. The House then went into Committee on this Bill. The CHANCELLOR cf the EXCHEQUER said that the resolutions he was then about to move would deal only with that ohm of damp duties which related t 9 . the tr.►nsfer of property, to mortgages, bonds, and leases. He did not say that no other portion of our system of s'amp duties required the consideration of the House; but it would be remembered that the subject of a ge neral revision of those duties had been under the consi donation of various Governments for many years past. In the time of Lord AlthoT p a scheme had actually been pr,i,rtd upon the subject; a similar scheme had been entertained by his Right Hon. Friend (Sir F. Baring), th First Lord of the Admiralty, and he believed the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth bad also had his at'ention directed to the matter. It bad been found, however, that the greatest difficulties presented themselves in the way of the adoption of a general plan f)r dealing with the question. The experience they had already had upon the subject, and the inquiries he had himself instituted with respect to it, convinced him that it would be better to deal with the case in de- •ached portions than to attempt to embrace all COw p'ex details in a general measure. The object of the resolu tion he had then to submit to the Committee was the adop tier, es nearly as possible, of an ad valorem duty on that class of stamps on which ho proposed an alteration of the existing law. Of course, however, it would be irepcestble strictly to enforce such a duty, as that would render it necessary that they should enter into endless detaile. At present the "jumps" were very large, being fur instance from 1,0001. to 2,000!., and from 2,000/. to 3,000 E He proposed to adopt a more minute scale. to make the differences vary from 25/. to 50/., from 50/, to 1001., and then every 100/. after up to 1,0001. Perhaps the most convenient course he could then pursue would be to state a few instances of the changes which be pro posed to effect. In doing to ho should first confine him' self to mortgages and bonds. At present on mortgages and bonds not exceeding 501. the duty was 11, he pro posed to reduce it to 55.; on mortgages and bonds be' twe en 50/. and 100/. the duty was at present 11. 108., be proposed to reduce it to 10,; on mortgages and bonds between 100/. and 2001. tee duty was at present 2/, he proposed to reduce it to 11.; on mortgages and bonds between 500/. and 1,000!. the duty was at present 5/., he proposed that between 500/. and 600/, it should be 3 / 4 , between 600/. and 700/., 3/. 10s.; between 700 e and 800!., 41.; between 800/. and 900!, 4/. 10s.• ' and between 900!. and 1,000!., 5/. Aft er th a t, an d for sums of er 10,0001, be should propose to go by sums of 1001. He did not see why an ad valorem duty should not be carried to the higher scale for the purpose of indemnifying the revenue for the loss it might sustain by the reduction cf the duty on the lower sums. Het therefore, proposed to approximate by half per cent. upon mortgages over that amount. The question of stamps upon conveyances end transfers of real property was of a more difficult and complicated character. In reqect of this branch of the subject, he proposed to edopt, in the first place, a d,ff2rent phraseology front that used in the present law-namely, to substitute the words not exceeding" such an amount, instead of " be tween" that and the following anaemia. He had, on the last night on which he had addressed the House, read an extract from the report of the Committee appointed by the House of Lords to inquire into the burdens on land, and he had shown, by the quotation of evidence taken before that Committee, that the stamp duty upon the transfer of real property was one of those bur dens. He had quoted the evidence of Mr. Baxter en that subject-a man of intelligence and information- - and if it was any consolation to Honourable Gen' tlemen opposite. be (the Chancellor of the Exche quer) might add, he was the Conservative agent of toe West Riding. What he should propose in ac cordance with that statement was as follows •-` Con' seyances and transfers, relieve up to 1,4001., half per cent. up to 500/, a to 1,000/, 1 after 1,000/.-Not amounting to 20/, lease 10s., release 10a.; not exceeding 251., proposed 2s. 6d.; amounting to 201. and under 50/. lease 155., release 20e, present li. 15c.; amounting:to 501. and under 150/, lease 205., release 305., present 2/. 103.; exceeding 251. and nit exceeding 50/., proposed 55.; exceeding 50!. and net exceeding 751., proposed 7s. 6d.; exceeding 75/ and not exceeding 1001, proposed 10-.; exceeding 1001 and not exceeding 125/. proposed 12s. 63.; exceeing 125/. and nut exceeding 1501, pro' posed 153.; amounting to 501. and under 300/., lease 355. release 40=. present 31. 15..; exceeding 150/. and not ex ceeding 1751., propose! 175. 61.; exceeding 1751. and not exceeding 200/., proposed 203.; exceeding 2004 a nd not exceeding 2501., proposed 255.; exceeding 2501. and not exceeding 300/. proposed 30e.; not exceeding 500!., pre sent, 71. 155., proposed 2/. 108.; not exceeding 8001. present 10/.155., proposed 6/. 153.; not exceeding 1,0001., present 131. 15 e, proposed 71. los.; not exceeding 1,200/, present 13/. 155., proposed 121.; not exceeding 1,400/.• present 13/. 15c., proposed 14/." He proposed to repeal altogether the stamp duty upon leases for years. At pre: eat the transfsr duties upon small properties were 1 1 eensideration. It amounted to 10e. on the lease, and 10a on the deed-that was to say 1/. in all. He proposed to reduce them to hat'-a-crown upon all leases under 25/. This was his proposition-" Leases, where the rent reserved is under 20/., present 1/.; not exceed , ing 25!., e per cent. proposed 2s. 60.; amounting to 2 01 ' nod under 100/, present 1/. 101.; amounting to 100/. tied under 2001, present 2/.; amounting to 2001. and under 4001, present el.; exceeding 251. and not exceeding 50!.. proposed 55.; exceeding 501. an d not excee di ng 754 proposed 7e. 63.; exceedin g 751 an d un d er 100 !., pro posed 101.; exceeding 2501. an d not excee di ng 3001.. pro' posed 11. 103.; exceeding 350/ . an d no t excee di ng 4001, proposed 2/.; and so on." H e h a d i nten d e d to have uniform scale to 1,0001.; but he found it would only in' crease the amount of the duty up on t h e l ower trivafere. lie proposed, therefore, that th e stam p s h ou ld b e half per cent. urn' 500/, 4 per cent. up t o 1,0001., and 1 per c nt. afterwards. Upon all transactions of this hind between 1,000/. and 2,000/. the duty was now 3/. 15a. He proposed that the new duty should vary with every 1001., leaving the smaller tre niters at the low rate he hsd named, and increasing in an ad valo r e m rat i o w i t h the higher. On the authority of Mr. Baxter, he could state that the consequence of the existing duty was iejurieue. This was his statement-" There is one suggestion that I would 'peke with reference to the expense of the conveyance of property of small value: that is, that the stamps upon the sate of laud should not stand, es they do now, higher upon the smaller amounts of property, but be regulated by a per centage. I find that at present the stamp urn a 50/. sale, calculating a certain length of conveyance , would amount to 12i per cent. That the stamp upon 100/, sale would amount to 5/. per cent., and upon a 300/. sale would amount to 2/. los. per cent.; upon a 500/. sale to 1/. 14s. 3d. per cent., and then above that only one for cent. This is not effected by saying, in so many words, that a hue er to the amount of 50/. shall pay 12!. 103. per cent., which is the amount that he does pay; but it is in consequence cf burdening the transfer o f pro perty with a second conveyance, which we call a lease for a year. It. was a principle of law that you were obliged to have a lease for a year, and a release, in * transfer of property; so that you had two distinct stamps and two distinct deeds. An Act was passed, about O. twelvemonth ago, relieving you of the necessity of basing two deeds, but continuing the necessity of having to, a , stamps. The con sequence c f t h at i s, t h at t h at men stamp attaches to a 150/. purchase as much a* it attaches to a 100,0001. purcnase. It tears, there" fore, peculiarly hard on small properties ; and a reduction of the stamps to an equal rate of one per cent. upon the amount of the sale would be a see; Bible relief, if it would nut be a gnat loss to the revenue. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) had heard an ob jeation to this proposition. Ile she uld he sorry to 5 00 the land in England so subdivided us it was in a neigh" bouring country, where many proprietors were but little removed from the condition of paupers; but he did be lieve that the operation of the reduction he proposed would be to cause the purchase of land by labouring men, who might be anxious to invest the fruits of their industry and skill in that description of property. lie thought that this would be an eject gained, because he believed it to be most advantageous to bold out an in' ducement for agricultural labourers to better their con dition by becoming proprietors of the soil. With regard to leases, he believed, as he had before stated, that many persons had attached more importance to them than be did, as connected with the improvement of the land. They were not common in his part of the country, an d their scarcity was not found to be an evil. In fact, as far as he could discover, this circumstance did not any way interfere with the improvement of the land' Others, however, differed from that view of the case; but be that as it might the present heavy stool ) duty upon leases bad the direct effect cf preventing leases from beirg g ive n i n most i ns t anc es. It was, therefore, desirable to reduce that duty, and he proposed to do so. His proposition was to adopt the same principle as he had laid down in thefts; instance-namely, an ad valorem duty. This would be the effect of that reduction :-Leases for rack rent, under 501,, now 1/.; propos e d,: u p t o 25/., 2 s . 6c1.; 9 5 , to 5 01 , Sc. Rents, n o t excee di ng 10/., now 5 5 ., propose': 2s. 6d. ; 10/., and not exceeding 201., now 10s., propose! 2s. 6d. ; 251., and not exceeding 50/., now 155., prorW ss. Rents, with a fine, lower, up to 75!. per annum , He wished to call the attention of gentlemen from Ire land to what he was about to say in in connexion 11 4 " this point; because leases in Ireland were exempt in some cases from stamp duty, and in so far that count,' was not on the same! footing as England in this respect; His wish was to pl ace t h em upon t h e same foot i ng , but he was not prepared to insist upon it, if there was any objection on th e p ar t o f I r i s h M em b ers. H e pro posed that leases under 501, should have a half-crown statOP' With regard to all the others there would be a consider able reduction of the present amount. At present there was a difference between ecclesiastical leases and cow; mart leases , which he p ro p ose d t o d o away w i t h. What he proposed w as th a t l eases o f 10L per annum shou ld beer a st a mp o f h a lf- a - crown, and so on up to 501 Up to that there would be a relief on the present stamp_ duty; Ether that there would be an increase to a cella!n extent in the existing duty. He was not, however, as e" said, willing to d o an y t hi ng ca l cu l ate d to ra i se c bjee7 thins on the part of Irish Members; and be would not insist upon altering the present exemptions if he W 5 5) opposed. These wer e hi s p ro p os i t i ons . He !Alive! upon the whole, th a t it wou ld b e more c onvenient t postpone the discussions on the details to the next stage of the Bill, inasm uc h as a ll th e tr a nsactions of th e , country, which it affected, would be held in a state_ of suspense until it was passed; and ho should bo very glad if the House would take that pOn stage a s nuttier of course, accerditigly; or defer the discussion n tl , O details wail alter Easter, erpecially as he could net c coneive cloy opposing a reduction of taxation. re' The Eight Hon. Gentleman concluded by moving a e nd • 3 the, schedule ' t(3'to th e n effectid h th a a r t e the ) stampree in duties Great cßornittsaiinne 0 1. Ireland after the pas.iug of the Bill , and that th e pre' amended seat law reeulating those duties should be so and altered. the flight Hon. Ire ntlemen applied to house proper aerr,_ Alderman SIDNEY inked whether the proposition, .01 And also whether it was his inteniton to alter that p: o the Stamp Act which regarded persons taking tip __,., their freedom in cities upon redemption ( 55 Ge o. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER sa id the pr reduction would apply to the transfer of all kinds of Bi ° re The only difference was that leases for y°ll*- 19, 1850