The Sun. — London, England, 1850-03-15 00:00:00

ittrb %bittott SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. Lord LANGDALE, in the absence of the Lord Chan ' cellor, took his seat on the Woolsack shortly after Five o'Clock. PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS. The Duke of ARGYLE gave notice that on Tuesday • next he should present a petition from Scotland, praying • 'that their Lordship would not give their assent to any measure altering the constitution of parochial schools in that country, and that he' should then make some observations on the important subject to which the peti tisln rderred. AFFAIRS OF GREECE. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE wished before the Noble Lord (Stanley) proceeded to put the question with • respect to the emirs of Greece, of which he had given notice, to put it to the Noble Lord whether it would tend to answer any public purpose to enter into any ' discussion on the subject while negotiations were still • pending. Lord STANLEY felt that the appeal which the Noble Marquis had made to him had placed him in no small difficulty. He was most anxious to have the information ho required, but be should. af,er the appeal that had hi en made to him, lim't himself most strictly to the line prescribed by the Noble Marquis. The Noble Lord then, some length, adverted to what had taken place in Greece, and to the doclerations cf the • French Minister and Lord Palmerston, that this country had 'eccepted the intervention of France, and observed that it might naturaily have been expected that no time would be lost in acting on that ac .ceptance, but so far from that being the case, on the 19 . h • of Feb. a courier arrived at Athens, bearing, it was said, a 'private dispatch from Lord Palmerston, approving of the .conduct of Mr. Wyse, but studiously avoiding any allu ,sion to the acceptance of French mediation. News bad .been received from Greece of a later date, in which there was no indication that the blockade had 'been raised except what had been said in another place last night. Ile must remind the Noble Marquis that the snore conciliatory tone of the second despatch from Count Nesselrode, was dictated in the expectation that the acceptance of the good offices of France would be seed on. -There could be 'no doubt that Russia and France expected that such would be the case. lt was not his desire to enter at the present moment more fully into the subject, be cause he felt certain that it was the desire of .the 'Noble Marquis that the good understanding between France, Russia, and England, should be yreiented. He would therefore satisfy himself by merely a,king the Noble Marquis the cause of the delay that had taken place in suspending hostilities after the mediation of France had been accepted. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that the first intimation his Noble Friend at the bead of Foreign At -fairs bad of the intention of the French Government to offer their mediation was on the sth of February, and that was communicated to him in a letter from Mr. Drouin do Lhouys, who had acknowledged that be had not then been formally authorised to make that offer. : Bis Noble Friend might therefore have declined to act on that information, but •on the very same day be wrote a letter to Mr. Wyse informing him of the expected offer of good offices on the part of Prance.. Those offers were not received till some time aftarwardg, and, therefore, he did not see that his Noble Friend was to blame. Of this he was sure that the greatest expedition had been acted or, pelting an end to the state of things that had occurred in Greece. After some observations from Lard STANLEY and Lord BROUGHAM. the subject dropped. COMMONS INCLOSYRE BILL. This Bill went thrbugh Committee. AUDIT OF RAILWAY ACCOUNTS. This Bill was read a third time, and on the motion of Earl GRANVILLE was ordered to be referred to a select Committee. (LEFT SITTING.) ROUSE OF COMMONS. . The SPEAKER took the Chair at a Quarter to Four o'clock. NEW MEMBER. Sir GORE BOOTH took the'oaths and his seat far Sligo. THIRD READINGS. . The followicm Bills were read a third time and passed :—Bristol Wutt rworks Act Amendment Bill; Suffolk and General Country Amicable Insurance Office Bill. PRIVATE BUSINESS. Mr. WILSON PATIEN moved that it be an instruc tion to the Committee of Selection, thitt they have power to appoint the meeting of the Committee on the Watt r ford and Limerick Railway Bill, specially reported upon by the Committee, for Tuesday next, if they so think eit.—Agrt e l t . Sir GEORGE PECIIELL moved that the petition of ccrt► itihtiitants of the town of Brighton, deposited in the Private Bid Office, upon ae.l4th nay of February las', in favour of the Brighton Improvement, rurchasu of it,yal Pavilion and Grounds, and Amendment of existing Act Bill, be refers ad to a Committee on the Bill, -Agreed to. PETITIONS. Several petitions wry a presenttd against Sunday labour in the Post-utlice. 1.;60N 'presented a petition against the Kirriage Bin. Mr. PAC KE preser ted a petition praying for the extension of the jurisdiction o f County Courts. Mr. CALEY prsseuted a similar petition from Derby. Mr. A. nAsnE pr,sented a petition from Glasgu., against the Marriage Bill. Mr. ELLIS presented a petition to the same effect from a place, in Scotland ; also a petition praying fur the abolition of wll taxes on knowledge. Me. C. LUSHINGTON presents,' 1 a petition from the Northern Star-office praying for the abolition of taxes on kuowleege. 'An iloN. ftinatuEa presented a petition from R)e againit any alteration in the law relating to the Mer chant Seamen's Fund. Mr, BERKLEY presented a petition from the del ten..Eraminer-uface, praying fur the abolition of taxes on knowledge. . Mi. 13. SMITH preset td six petitions from places in cotlaucl, praying that a solemu affirmation might be sub stituted in lieu of an oath. Mr. SPOONER. moved that the petitions from Bir niinglianefor re munerat'on to medical men for their ser ;lees in cases of railway accidents presented yesterday be printed. Mr. TIIORNELY said the petitions bad been Lefore the Committee of Public Petitionewho had ordered them to ho printed; they had accordingly been sent to the printer's, and uo dtubt they would be in the hands of Hon. Members on Monday. Mr. SPOONER was particularly anxious to have them printed with the votes, as they contained important stare-- meets, which ought ter meet the eye of Lion. Members. if they wet e printed with other papers, there was little chance of their. ever being opened. Mr. THORNELY said Le should still resist the motion. Mr. SPOONER would nut put the House to the trouble of dividing. and the motion was withdrawn with leave. Mr. FOX MAULE presented several petitions from pfaces in Zient'and against the Marriage Bill. Lord ASHLEY presented a large number of petitions praying for the abolition of the relay system in factories. CHESTER AND HOLYEIBAD RAILWAY.. An Hoy. MEMBER gave notice that, on Tuesday next, he should Ince° fur copies of all correspondence which had taken plena tette( en the Admiralt), the Treasury, add the Chester and Holyhead, or any other company on the subject of carrying the mails between Holyhead and Dublin, with the view of founding a motion upon it, fur e the appointment of a Committee to inquire into the facili ties that are afforded to the public by any arrangements the Admiralty had entered into for carrying the mails between Holyhead and Kingston. IRISH POOR-LAW. Mr. HENRY HERBERT moved for copies of so much of the correspondence of the Poor-law Commis sioners of Ireland with the boards of guardians, during the last six months, as relates to the question of giving or withholding out-door relief i detailed account of the exi en3es ,which have, been incurred by the several boards of t;usidniiis in providing increased work house atcommodati6ni copies: of forty-eight general orders. Issued by the Commissioners for administer ' jog' the Laws for Relief of the P oor i n I re l an d, un d er the Act 1 and 2 - Vic. e.. 56; nominal return of the poor laty in Ireland, where the affairs have been ad rniiiistered by paid guardians , and stating the periods of such administration ; and, return otrthe amount of the debts, claim's, and liabilities, exclusive of thoie owing to the 'Government, against those ingots when the . ad ministration by paid guardians commAned and termi ' • nated.—A#ved to. POLICE INSPECTOR COWARD. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY wished to, ask the Right lion. Gentleman the Secretary of State fur the 'Home Depaitment, whether his intention had been drawn to the conduct of police inipectur Coward, as it appeared in eiideneein a late criminal proceeding at the Central Criihinal Court? Six GEORGE 'GREY replied that an inquiry lad already been institu.ed into the conduct of the officer, and it:though he lied ceitain;y been guilty' of indis eiretion; it appeard now in a very different light to what it did aeshort thee ago. UNION. Me.'POULErr SCROI:g asked the First Lord of the.Tx, a.ury whether ray meesure was in contemplation hy 'the 'teioverunieid to check he wholesale evictions and ' house-levelling which is stain progress in the Kilrush • • and ether. Irish unions, and which threaten to depopu late those districts? Lord JOHN RUSSELL said there was no measure oh 'the subject evictions in immediate contemplation b y the G - uverement: The question e f evictions was one waeh lay at the root of the relationship between land lord and tcnant. ACCIDENTS ON RAILROADS. Mr. S POONER gave nut co tbst en Monday next he would ask the President of ihe Evard of Trade whether heiveut& be pre' ari d to fut mit to the House some mea- Sure with rtferetice to the 1 abli!y of railway compani es in cases of accident. Mr. A. STAFFORD took occasion to protest against any inference being drawn from the anonymous report which had been, quoted by the Hon. Member for Stroud with reference to the state of the union of Kilrusb. Mr. P. SCRO-PE said his authority was Captain Ken nedy him se lf.. IRISH REGISTRATION. Mr. STAFFORD asked 'Lord J. Russell when be would be prepared to go on with Ole Irish Resign- Sion Bill?' • • • Lord J. RUSSELL hoped to do so on Monday, DUTY ON BRICKS. Mr. CARDWELL presented a petition from the Arcbceological Society in favour of a removal of the duty on bricks. SAVINGS' BANKS. The Chancellor of the Exchequer entered the House shortly before five e clock, and took his seat on the Treasury bench amidst loud cheers from all parts of the House. The Right Honourable Gentleman appeared to have entirely recovered from his recent indisposition. Mr. REYNOLDS immediately afterwards rose to ask the Right Hon. Gentleman whether he intended to bring in a Bill on the subject of savings' banks. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said a Bill had been prepared on the subject, and he should take the earliest opportunity after Easter of bringing it forward. Mr. REYNOLDS said, the answer of the Right Hon. Gentleman was highly satisfactory. Mr. HERBERT wished to ask the Right Hon. Gee tleman a question in connexion with this subject. Was it the intention of Government to introduce:any measure, or take any steps to reimburse the depositors who had lost their money by the failure of the Rochdale, Dublin, and other savings' banks during the hit two years. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said a Committee had been appointed to inquire into the mat ter, and he should be wanting in respeat to that Com mittee if he answered. the question. LORD-LIEUTENANCY OF IRELAND. Mr. REYNOLDS wished to ask the Noble Lord at the head of the Government whether it was the inten tion of Ministers to introduce a Bill this session for the abolition'of the office °fiord Lieutenant ot Ireland? LordJOHN RUSSELL said a Bill was preparing on the subject, and he should give due notice is the House before introducing it.—(A laugh.) HUNGARIAN REFUGEES. Mr. B. OSBORNE said as the Noble Lord the Secre tary for Foreign Affairs was not in his place to answer a question he had given the Noble Lord notice of, he should take an early opportunity of calling the attention of the House is the conduct of the Turkish Government towards the Hungarian refugees. THE BUDGET. The House then went into Committee of Ways and Means, when The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER imme diately rose to bring forward the financial statement of the Government. He commenced by thanking the House for the kindness it had evicted towards him during his illness, and then went on to ask the indulgence cf the House while he entered upon his budget, not only on account of his own indisposition, but for any inaccu racies that might creep into his statement.—(Hear, hear.) Some of his Hon. Friends who sat behind him, be said, were always anxious for an early budget, but at this - early period of the session it was impossible to disclose it with that degree of accuracy which it was desir able should always characterise a statement of this nature. It was the duty of a person in his capacity . to state what he fairly believed would be the probable income and expenditure of the year now ensuing. With regard to the expenditure. Honourable Gentlemen were aware that it was necessary that the vote for the ensuing year should contemplate certain excesses which might have taken place in the navy, army, and ordnance expenditure. The accounts of the navy, army, and ordnance expenditure were not wade up till the end of April, therefore it was impossible to form a correct estimate of what those excesses might be. That which was valuable for the House to have was such an estimate as the person who made it might be honestly and conscientiously able to say was re.illy a true: state of the case. -Last year it was impossible to make anything like an accurate estimate, considering the time of the year when it was made. The circum staeces of this year were./more favourable to such a cor rect estimate. He had now to lay before the House two estimates; of the income and expenditure ; one for the year ending :sth April next. and another for the year ending sth April, 1851. After referring in touching terms to the death of a publio servant this morning, by whom ho had been assisted in the business of his office, the Right Hon. Gentleman proceeded to say, when he hid before the House his estimate of the income for the last year he estimated the probable income at 52,262,000!. Up to January last the receipts amounted to 52,874,000/4 the income up to the sth April next he could not estimate at so large a sum ; :but he believed, therefore, that the probable income of the financial year ending sth April next would amount to 52,785,5001. Up to the sth of April next he estimated that the pro bable income would he '52,785,5001., while the expendi ture he calculated at 50,533,3514, which would give a surplus of income over expenditure of about two millions and a quarter. The House would be gratified to hear that the actual expenditure in the last ear had been less than the estimates by about 1,625,0001., which in-' eluded about 400,0004 Rut to the account of naval excess, and he holed. that this would he taken as a proof that in every possible way consistent with the public service attention had be3i raid to economy. With regard to the estimates of ibis year, he was afraid that there was not much encouragement for quite so favourable a picture. In the first place, he thought they must look for a considerable fallteig off in the article -of Castling, which might be ascribe.' to several causes, among others to the reduction upon the duty in sugar which had taken place in Juno last. Now, the decrease in the receipts upon foreign sugar he found from the returns which were wale up to sth of March this year, and up to the 12th of March la: t year, was not less than 626,0001.—(Hear, tea'.) lie men tioned this in order to show that the expectations of those who anticipated very large is luctions in the Customs duties could not be realised.— (Hear, hear.) Whatever increase bad occurred had been tound to arise from the import of colonial pro duce.—(Bear, hear.) All the increase bed been from our own colonies. In Derck Guiana they Were com plaining that they could find no market for their pro duce in consequence of the competition of the British colts. nice, and there, accordingly, the gel west distress prevailed. He was desirous of stating this in order to aid, further, the fact that erreteous impressions prevailed in the public mind respecting the sources of our prosperity. — (Cries of .‘ Hear, hear.") But on other topics he could speak with more confidence.' In 1848-9 the importa tion of brandy had been 577,0004, giving an accession to then revenue of 43,3001:. This was partly owing' to the state ot the - cornineree c f the country, and partly to the alarm which prevailed respecting cholera.—(llear, hear.) The other increase was upon gin, rum, and the various.products of the British colo nies. During the last year the increase had been in the duty reports 118,000 gallons, showing an increase of duly cf 139,0001., and in 1849 the quantity was 559,786 gallons, showing an increase of 381,000 gallons. It was not likely the same quantity of grain would be imported next year. He estimated the probable receipts of the Customs for the ensuing year at 20 millions. On all the other items, he was happy to say, there were the strongest reasons for expecting an increase. The Excise produced last year 13,980,0001., and there were circumstances to warrant his taking tee receipts of the e xcise for the ensuing year 14,450,000/. Another item (the nature of which we could not catch) he calculated would amount to 6360,0001., the assessed taxes to 4,320,01)0/.; the income tex",, i 5,010,0001.; the post-ellice, 820,000/. ; crown lands, 160,000/. ; miscellaneous, 260,0001.; old stores, 410,000/.; making altogether a probable income of 52,285,0001. On the otter side of the account there were these items —lnterest on funded debt, 27,700,000/4 interest on Exchequer. bills, 405,000/., making the charge or debt to 28,105,0001. The other charges on the consolidated fund of 2,500,0001., 5,849;4234, and 764,2361., would make a total of these latter items of 1,613,1551. T 1 e army estimates at present on the table amounted to 6,109,347/., the militia estimates were 110,000/., and the commissariat department 500,0004, making a total in the army estimates of 6,629,3471. The ordnance estimates were 2,434,417/., and the army and navy esti mates together were 15,677,452/., and these items added to the other he had mentioned made an expenditure of 50,612,182/. In accordacce, however, with the general wish of the House, expressed last year, he proposed to :increse the vote for the new House of Parliament, while, if the Bill of his Right Honourable Friend the President of the Board of Trade passed, would impose an additional charge of 30,0001 on the Consolidated Fund.—(Herr.) there would also be a further .charga this year for the Arctic Expedition, and he propbsed, therefore, to take a margin of 150,000/., making the probable expenditure 50,763,5821. leaving a surplus of 1,521,4101., but taking off a further margin, the total surplus of receipts over expenditure might be written down at 1,500,0001. Now that balance- sheet of January was made known to the public just after the meeting of Parliament, both in and out ot the House; and there were persons who had been very anxious to save him the slightest trouble in disposing of that surplus.—(Laughter.) Hardly was the belace-sheet out when his Noble Friend (Lord John Russell) received a large dcqutatiOn interested in the re dr:dc_utnieotnicen.totte. tea. They state d a great advantage would r. suit to the consumers cf tea in this country from the ea.iniitheowsea t rs h e e duty in the increase of our trade with force re pres e ntations t e I n t s t r a o t iseends antsto say perhaps bestre wpaeshneoyt as a genet al rule was to reduce duties to such an amount as nut to interfere with the consumption of the articles orderon w i t c he ah attaint y w e t r h e a i t m imposed.—(Hear, d it ( e w a s r s , h .) Bu in t in d i s p ensably necessary that the House would not think it right to dispose of the small surplus of last year in the reduction cf • the - deity on tea. The amount received from the &Iron tea 'last year was 5,471,0004 The duty on tea was now 2s. 2d. per lb. The duty on the same import at Is., would only produce 2,500,0001., leaving. therefore, a first loss of no less than 3,000,0004 To, recover the reve nue up to 3,000,0001., would require an increase of consumption to the extent of 10,000,000;bs. Taking it in its most favourable light, there would be a loss ut 2,500,000/. The next proposition he received was a deputation asking for a't eduction cf the duty on windows, bricks, and soap. The duty on there articles last year amouted in the aggregate to 3,275,000/. they had also a proposition to reeeal the duty en paper to the amount of 754,0001., the advertisemeet duty of 157,0004, and the certificate duty, which amounted to 170,00 c/. Be was quite aware that very strong argu ments might be adduced in favour of the repeal of these duties ; but be must say that, lookirg at the interests of the great bedy i f the working classes if the country there were not duties which had the first claim. A proposition had been made also for the reduc tion of the duties on timber used in ship building. He certainly had not been prepared to find so much value attached to this tax as appeared to be now, but, taking everything into consideration, be could not a t present come to any certain decision on the subject. He hoped the House would not expect him to do so, for as of late he had been prevented by, his health from seeing any one, he had not had the opportte nity of communicating with persons best acquainted with these subjeots; but he would do so, and at present he wouid not state anything definite to the House on the subject. They had also a proposition to reduce the malt-tax, amounting to 5,225,0001., but it must be obvious that nnlesa the House were prepared to vote some substitute for the deficiencies would occur to some considerable amount there was no chance that any Chancellor of the Ex chequer could come down to the House prepared to make such a large reduction. The next proposal was one made by an Hon. Gentleman, whom he regretted not to see in his place to-night (Mr. Disraeli) to transfer as many items of local taxation to the general fund. It was almost impossible to calculate the amount of that transfer, but it was probable that it would be two millions and a half. He was quite sure that the object of the policy which had been adopted was to give the greatest advantage to the whole community, and the policy which had pre vailed for the last ten years had besot instrumental in the reduction of from 1,600,0001. to 2,000,000/. of annual taxation.—(lleac, hear.) At least 1,000,0001. of the taxation of the county had been permanently re moved in consequence of the charges which her Majesty's present Government had temcved.—(Hear.) they had iudeel only followed out the plan which had been adopted by Hon. Gentlemen on the other side of the House, who were now in the Opposition.— (Hear. hear.) He was the more anxious to move this, because he saw in the opposition which had been offered there was an evident attempt to delay, if not altogether to frustrate, the policy which had been pursued during the last twenty years. In 1825, Mr. Huskisson had first propounded the principles upon which Government had during late years acted. The object e f that policy was to remove from the working classes those burdens which they had heretofore borne, and to place them on those whose attained property would enable them well to bear them.—(Loud and continued cheering.) This was the reason why they had continually proposed the removal of the restrictions on commerce, and the reduction of the duties upon the necessaries of life and the articles which are requisite for the conaf and well-being of the poor. Since the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite (Sir R. Peel) took office in 1840, duties on copper, sugar, and other articles, had been repealed to the extent of 7,600,000.. On sugar alone the duties repealed could not have been far short of a million. 8,650,000). might be clearly taken as the amount of reduction of duties on articles of consumption. Taking the reduction on foreign sugar from 635. to 235., the average amount for three years alone would be 1,600,0001. Many other indirect taxes had been repealed, and the result considerable benefit to large masses of the people, including every order and every class.—(Bear.) All I these reductions had been approved of by a large ma jority of the House. Now let him ask, did they believe the state of shins pointed out by Huskistos bad come Ito pass? Capital had accumulated, and every large I town in the kingdom had increased in size and population, especially this large metropo lis. Since Huskisson lost his Eft on the first railway that was ever opened, 220,000,0001. bad been invested i' railways. Within the last five years as much as 140,000,0001. had been expendedon these undertakings He thought he need not refer to more conclusive proof than that of the accumulated wealth and capital of su perior classes of this great country, but could he con gratulate them on a similar improvement in the condi tion of the working classes?—(Hear, hear.) Certainly it was creditable to the age that much more attention was paid now than formerly to the condition of the working man.—(Cheers.) But let the House look at the report of the Factory Commission, the Mines Com ' mission, the Sanitary Commission, and, above all, the last report of the Commission appointed to inquire into the operations of the law of settlement; and he was afraid the House would have to confess that the condi ' tion of the poorer classes was still miserable in the extreme.—(Cheers.) And yet in the face of all this two hundred and fifty gentlemen in that Houss had recently been found voting for a pro position which would have had the effect of relieving property from taxation by imposing it on articles of consumption and the raw materials of labour.—(Cheers.) He believed, however, that had those Hon. Gentlemen fully considered and weighed these facts which he had just brought before thew, they never could lave voted for any ouch proposal.—(Cries of `• Hear, hear.") He thought the past policy of the House had been beth sound and just, and although they had been troubled with a famine in Ireland, and a commercial crisis which for a time had palletised the trade of the country, he believed they were now approaching that period when the whole country would reap the full benefit of that policy.—(Hear, hear.) He COL, ceeded to the Honourable Gentlemen who had voted for that proposal, that great pressure bad been felt in the agricultural districts from the change, but from in formation which be had recently received, be was very much mistaken indeed if this pressure had not now almost entirely passed away.—(Cries of " Oh, oh.") He confessed he thought that the complaints which were made throughout the country were a little premature. He must admit, however, that the price of corn had been lower than he anticipated it would be.—(Hear, hear, from the Protectionists.) But at the same time he thought it pretty clear that the present prices could hardly be permanet t, or attributed to the operation of free trade. He saw only yesterday a report which had been presented to the President of the French Re public from the Council of Agriculture, Commerce, and Manufacture in France, in which they spoke of the dis tressed state of agriculture in that country, and where, too, agriculture was protected, in language stronger than any that had been used iu the most depressed districts in Frigland. It was obvious that the low prices of corn in that country could not be anributed to any importation from foreign countries.— (Hear, hear.) Ile believed that the solution was simply that there had b.eu an unusually abundant harvest. The exportation we had received to any very' great extent was hardly beyond what he had anticipated from those csuntries which were not usually exporting countries. Be found, for instance, in France, the aserago pr.ce of wheat for eight years ending 1845, was 48.. Id ; in Belgium, during the seven years ending 1845, was - 495. odd; and in Amsterdam, during the six years ending 1845, was 48s. 10d. Ile had shown that in those three neighbouring countries, from which we derived so large a supply, the average price of grain was under 84s. per quarter. He was fully convinced that the result of the late com mercial alteration had bad the effect of inciting those engaged in agricultural to further exertion, and he felt . fell reliance in the energy and spirit of the British farmer that he would surmount all his diffi culties, elthoug h ho was aware that many in that endeavour might fail. Such was an inevit able consequence of all gnat improvement?, —to take a familiar instance,—were not all who lived at a distance from London aware e.f• the great numbers that had been deprived of ti *air em; loy meat by the introduc tion of railways, and been obliged to turn their ehdea yours to some other means of getting a livelihood. But still no one thought of stopping the railroads on that account. Great improvements went on, and though ISOILO persons might be injured, no ono thought of stopping the in provcments. He had touched upon all the propo. ale which had been made for the disposal of his surplus. Now he came to the views of her Majesty'; Government on that point—he had thought it right to touch upon these proposals first, because it was probable that they might be in the House, and be thought it was as well that the House should be aware f the views of her Majesty's Government on all of them pre viously. The surplus amounted, as he had already stated, to 1,500,0001. Looking back at what had taken place during late years, the chief desire of her Majesty's Government, was to effect some reduc tion in the debt—and the manner in which that was to be done, would require great and careful consideration. If lion. Gentlemen would only refer to the money which lisel been borrowed of late years, they would immedi ately perceive tt e stringency of the motive by which he was actuated.—(Hear, hear.) In 1833.4 the sum of 3,000,0001. had been borrowed ; in 1841, the sum of 5,000,0001. had . been borrowed; and in 1847, when the House refused to accede to his motion for the permanent increase cf the income-tax he had been compelled to go out of doors and borrow the sum of 8,000,000/. Since then the sum of 2,000,000/. had been borrowed, so that during the years that bad ensued since the reduction of the war taxation, no less a sum than 38,000,0001. had been added to our national debt. Against this, however, there was an Offset of 11,000,0001., which had been paid, thus sliming that the permanent increase of the debt was 27,000,0001. since, the attempt had been concluded for the reduction of the impositions occasioned by the war.—(Hear, hear.) To remedy this evil the only plan that could be adopted was the reduction of the debt, and to pay off a portion of the obligations which had been incurred during the last ten years. The House had met his proposal for a con tinuance of the income-tax during an ensuing ten years with a . decided negative.—(Hear, hear.) Be had made that proposition in the hope of clearing the debt.— (Hear, hear.) If they could not prepare for this in a time of profound peace, when could they do it? • What would they think of any dpirsinvasttreoupserspoenrtwodb,o a w n a d s o y b e l t ig r e e d rus t e o d get to p i r n o t r o id d e eb f t or in th a e obligations which he bad • incurred when more prosperous therosper timeseoousnrsoof th csmere presentound.—(H year ear,a a ndcheeri.) In moat important question would come before the House, viz., the removal of the income-tax, and without entering into the opinions of parities on the subject he would simply say that it was obvious that this tax must be continual if any fur ther reductions were made in our taxa tion. The Honourable Member for Buckinghamshire bad spoken cf the advantages which would be derived by maintaining a high state of credit by the public keeping an abundant available security. He (the Chan cellor of the Exchequer) thought the income-tax was a necessary element in maintaining that credid. A Mem ber for a large county in Ireland had stated that the cre dit produced by the income tux had enabled gentlemen in Ireland to relieve their estates from incumbrances. It was desirable, nevertheless, that some relief should be given to the lauded interest, and the first measure he should propose was one which he hoped would be of some benefit to the occupier and small holders of land. None but a large reduction of rents could bent fit the occupier. The altered state or the law, however, requited that there should be same reduction, and when he remembered the cheapness that the present policy was producing he thought that reduction ought to be readily made. Comparing the last year with the present, he believed employment in the agricultural districts was increased improvement cf the labourer wou ld be still further improved. d condition no w greater than it was in the corres p ondin g period o f last i nye thear; cualntidvalteionbeoltetibeed soil b th y an n e the welfare of the comm unit y at large advanced. This could only be intended by an outlay of capital on the part of the landlord ; and he was anxious that no obstacle should be thrown in the way of his doing that. Now the stamp. duty on a 501. sale of property was 124 percent.; on 1001. si/. per cent.; on 300/. 2i/. per cent.; on 5001, 11. 14e. 3d. per cent.; and above that sum 11. per cent. It was obvious, therefore, that in the case of the small owner, he was not in an equal position with his richer neighbour. (Hear, hear.) Ho therefore proposed that there should be a considerable reduction of the stamp duty on the transfer of property up to the value of 1,000/. Ifs proposed then to make some reduction on the duty on mortgages, on the stamps for leases, so as to reduce both to an uniform rate of per centage. The Government had also a great anxiety to improve the condition of the labourer, to increase his employment, and to provide better accommodation for him in dwelling (LEFT SPEAKING.) SUMMARY.-TIIE BUDGET. The Commons met at Four o'clock. After the transaction of some preliminary business, the House resolved itself into a Committee of Ways'and Means, when The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER roso for the purpose of making the financial statement for the year. Af.er bespeaking. the indulgence of the House on account of tte illness under which he was evidently labouring, the Right llonournble Gentleman said, that whatever advantages might attend the bringing forward t f the financial statement at an early period of the sessior, yet it was atttnoei with this disadvantage, that it was impossible to make so accurate an estimate of the expected income and expenditure as it would be at a later period of the session, and, there fore, he hoped 'HOD. Members would bear this in mind while he made his statement. He had, however, received the budget from a gentleman well known and greatly re spected by all, and of whose untimely death he had, to his great regret, heard that morning.—(Hear, hear.) De income of the country up to the sth of April next would be, be estimated, 52,785,5001., the expenditure 50,533,351 L, leaving a surplus of about two millions and a quarter. As a proof that they had not been unmindful of their pledge to observe a judicious economy, he.would remark that the actual expenditure had been less than the estimated expenditure. by 1,625,000/. He did not estimate this income for 1850 at so urge an amount Z 3 the income of 1849. I.le aaticipatei a di- minution in the receipt; from the sugar duties. He also anticipated a reduction in the amount of Cus toms duties received froin biandy, as a large increase in the amount of duty paid fo brandy had taken place last year, in consequence of the-prevalence of cholera. He also anticipated a considerable decrease in the amount of duty paid.on the:importation of foreign corn. In conse quence of the diminished importation in the mouths of January and February, 1850, a considerable decrease ap peared as compared with the corresponding months of 1849. He estimated the probable receipt from Customs next year at 19,750,000/. Exclusive of beer duties, he estimated the Excise at 6,800,0001. ; the assessed taxes at 4,320,000/. ; the property-tax at 5,080,000/. ; the Post-office revenue at 820,000/. ; Crown lands revenue at 161,0001., the miscellaneous a 270,0004 the old stores at 410,0001. He estimated the latest revenue at 52,285,0001. Ile estimated the expen diture for the payment of the national debt, funded and unfunded, at 28,105,0001., for the navy at 7,613,7592, for the Army at 6,625,3411.; for the Ordnance at 2,234,417/. He estimated the total expenditure at 50,613,5861. He, however, intended to propose an increased expenditure of 150,0001. for the New Houses of Parliament, and if that were agreed to, it _ uld, leave a surplus of no 1,471,000/. Various propositions had been made for re ductions of taxation. Iv bad been suggested that the tea duty should be reduced, that the window duty should be abolished, that the timber duty should be abolished, that the mule tax should be repealed, but it would be impossible to repeal any of these taxes without providing some substitute. It had. been proposed by an Hon. Gentleman, whom helvae very sorry not to see preseet in the House, that a great Portion of the local taxation of the country shOuld be thrown upon the Consolidated Fund. He was sorry to ;find that that prvosition had received such support as it had done, because he con ceived the adoption of it would be the final step towards the reversal of the system ef commercial policy which bad_been adoptel for the last 20 years, and which went to reduce the duties on all articles of general consump tion, and thus to relieve the industrial classes,. by •trans •erring the burden of taxation from the poor to the rich. Upwards of 8,000,000/. had been actually re moved from articles of consumption, but these figures showed but a very small portion of the benefit which the industrious classes had deched from the re moval of duties from articles of consumption, because, Met eadently of the advantages which they had actually derived from a diminution in price, they had, also derived 'a great benefit from the increase of ernplo)meet consequent up on the increase of consumption. As a proof of the accu Ovulating wealth add capital of the country he would ob serve that no less a sum than 148,000,000/. had been Invested in railways; but yet, with all this wealth, the condition of the poorer classes was most wretched, and yet, in the face of this a proposition for re:l:eying property from taxation, and transferring it to the shoulders of the poor had received the support of a large number of Members of that House. Ile believed that if the lion. Members who supported that proposition had considered its effect* they would have paused before they had supported it. He believed that the agricultural interest was suffering from a merely temporary depression, from which it would speedily recover by the reaction upon them of the prosperity cf every other _interest. He admitted that the price of corn had been lower than he had anticipated, but, at the same time 'he telieved that such a depression a a price would not be permanent, neither did he attribute it entirely to free trade, because in France, Be'giure, and Holland where a rigid :protective system was in full force, The price of corn had fallen even lower than it had ever been in this couniry. The ilia was, in all these coun tries there had been an ett;tpally prolific harvest, and to that, and not to importation elem., was to ho attributed the fall in price of corn. He I elieved that the skill and energy of the agriculturists would surmount all the difficulties under r b i e n r g e , i bu tla tthhee pressure, siould not bu tdneony greatbu t niece Without injury to many ritleharPi tha t man y improvement ey l . 7 1, egc k roheut bntotkhau tak e glace Would they abolish ailroads, because inkeepers, coach-masters, and turnpike shareholders bad been in many instances ruined? Having referred to the various proposals which had been made for the disposal of the surplus of 1,500,000/. he would state his own views, The first idea that had struck him was that some reduction should be made in our debt. Since 1833 there had been borrowed 35,000,0001, while all the money that had been applied to the reduction of the debt had been 8,000,0001., being a surplus of debt of 27,000,000 L Ile had hoped, seeing the House had re fused to increase the taxation in 'lB4B, and had forced him to borrow, th e y would n ot when there was a surplus insist upon a decrease of taxation. The rule seemed to be, when there is a deficiency to borrow, but when there is a surplus do not reduce your debt. It was cf . the utmost importance that s>e high state of public credit should be ma intained both to the public and to individuals, because the higher thii...ur atate of public cr e dit N th e e ve l r o t w heles er wa Nevertheless h s e was the not interest prear e f cl 'in to s devote the whole of the eur p lus to the purpose of the diminution of the debt. He pr o posed for the purpose of relieving the landed interes t to make a considerable ptZ in the market y that he would re duction on stamp duties upon the transfer of real pro perty up to 1,000/., an d to equalise the duti es a f ter a ergo amount; and he pr oposed to adopt the sane prin leiple with regard to the stamp duties on mortgages He proposed also to reduce the stamp daty upon leases. Ho proposed that when the stamp duty now payable upon a lease was IL, it should be reduced to 2s. 6d. and so on in proportion. Ile also proposed for the purpose of improving the dwellings of the laboaring classes to accede to a total repeal of the duty on bricks.—(This announcement created a great sensation in the House, and was received with loud cheers.) He thought that the repeal of this duty would not only conduce to the improvement of the dewellings of the labouring classes but ivoulcl'• also conduce t o the improvement cf a griculture, and to the advantages of land. The amount of losses, be anticipated, in the revenue were, upon stamps a little under 300,0001, upon bricks to a little over 450,0001., making a total of 750,000/., being half the s urplua. s . The other h a lf h e proposed to devote to the redUction of the debt. (LEFT sPEAMNG.) MARKET Ii 4 TELLIGENCE. (From the London New Price Current. March 15.) SUGAR. —To-day the market for West India Sugar pre sented a dull aspect for both grocery and raining sorts, whilst rather lower rates were submitted to. The purchases amounted to only 290, for the week to 1,010 !ids, tic , and the decline for that t me has been fully t d per cwt. REFINED.—To-day the Refined Sugar market presented a dull appearance, and at former terms there are free se lers. Crushed Sugar is not much wanted. MAuhrrius.—This afternoon the quantity of Mauritius submitted to public sale was large, at.d amounted to 11,288 bags 25 casks; nearly the whole found buyers, but at rather lower terms; good and fine yellow went at 37s 6d to 395, low to middling 35s to 375, good to fine brown 33s to 34s fid, inferior 28s 6d to 32s 6d, and very low 26s 6d per cwt. EAST INDIA.--This afternoon the market was well supplied with Bengal Sugar. The public sales comprized 8,574 bags, and about half sold at rather lower terms; white Benares went at from 37e to 40s 6d, and grainy yellow 40s 6d to 43 per Cwt. MoLAssEs.—To-day at public sale 200 casks Bengal Molasses only in part sold at 133 6d to 14e, and 29 hhds Surinam were taken in at 163 per cwt. COFFEE.—Today the Coffee market was again in a dull state, none was offered at public sale, and the private operations for all purposes were trifling. It it difficult to quote a real price for Native Ceylon. FOREIGN.—Today there was little disposition evinced to do business in Foreign Sugar by private treaty, and of 2,246 chests Idavannah offered at auction a small part only sold at 21s to 22s for good, and at I9s to 20s 6d for low to middling. RICE.—To-day Bengal Rice met with little attention, and at public sale the sound of 5,592 bags was nearly all taken in at 9s 6d for for middling white, damaged sold at 4s 6d to 95 6d, and a small portion of the sound at 9s 6d to lOs for good white. Of American Cleaned Ric: 182 tra were taken in at 19s 6d to 20s per cwt. 60 pkgs St. Vincent Arrow root were sold at 7d to 8d per lb. COCOA.—lmporters of West India are less disposed to realize. By private trenty only limited purchases have been made; Trinidad at from 40s to 48s, and Grenada 39s to 44s per cwt. For Foreign sellers are willing to accept 30s to 31s. TEA.—A fair amount of businosa has been concluded in the lower qualities of Congou. Full terms are required for better kinds, still the trade are not much disposed to operate. For ord and good c,mmon Congou the value is 91d to 10d, rnedium sorts lld to Is 2d, and other kinds is 3d to Is 9d per lb. Of Souchong only small parcels have been sold, still ord and mid kinds met with a fair sale at 10id to Is 2d. There has been little disposition to operate in Green, and of the lower sorts there are sellers rather under former terms, still good and fine cannot be obtained at a re duction. Of Scented Teas several parcels have been sold, and at former terms there are not willing sellers. At auction 1,000 pkgs of Assam Tea all sold at a rise on the rates of the last auction of Id to 2d per lb, but the quality was superior to that time; Congou realized from 9d to Is 6,d, Souchong Is 6d to 2s 7d, and flowery Pekoe 2s 4d to 2s 41d. SPIRITS. - For Leeward Island the rates asked are ls 41d to is 5d proof, still only small purchases have been mule. East India has been purchased with caution at Is 4d to Is 4id proof. A fair business hass been concluded in Deme rara at from 2s 4d to 2s 6d for strong sorts. The market for Jamaica has a quiet aspect, shippers and home dealers operate with caution, and holders are willing to accept lower rates. The value of 23 to 33 per cent above proof 2s 6d to 2s 6d, geod 33 to 36 over 2s 10d to 3s 3d, fine ;and chice marks 3s 4d to 4s 2d per gallon. The market for Brandh has been less active, net holders are firm, and insist 'upon 4s 8d to 4s lOd per gallon for Cognac best brands of the vintage of 1841, and for infe fior sorts 3s to 4s 4d. In the value of British Corn Spirit L there is no variation. COCIIINEAL.—To-day the small public sale of Cochineal went at full rates • Honduras silvers at 3s 8d to 4s 2d for ord and good, and rates; silvery black 3s 10d to 3s lid per lb. DONCASTER RACES. (THIS DAY. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) The Optional Selling Stakes. Theory ... ••• ... Young Bamboo The Northern Steeplechase. What fdale Maid ... ••• ... Laurel gelding ... ... .. ... The Doncaster Handicap. King Hal Timothy... ... 1 ... 2 ... 1 ... 2 ... 1 ... 2 THE LONDON GAZETTE. (THIS EVENING.) ST. JAMES'S PALACE, MARCH, 1850. The Queen has been pleased to appoint Lothian Sheffield Dickson, Esq., Exon of her Majesty's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard, vice Edmund H. W. Bellairs, Esq., resigned. WHITEHALL, MARCH 9. The Lord Chancellor has appointed Benjamin Bradley Hewitt, of Bishop's Waltham, in the county of Southamp ton, Gent., to be a Master Extraordinary in the High Court of Chancery. WHITEHALL, MARcU 11. The Lord Chancellor has appointed Rowland Rodway, of Trowbridge, in the county of Wilts, Gent., to be a Master Extraordinary in the High Court of Chancery. 'DOWNING STREE, MARCH 13. The Queen has been pleased to appoint . Falkner Hope, Esq., to be Resident Magistrate at Richmond, in the settle ment of the Cape of Good Hope. Her Ma:esty has also been pleased to appoint George Gar cia, Esq , to be her Majesty's Soacitor-General fur the Island of Trinidad. CROWN•OFFICE, MARCH 15, 1850. MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THIS PRESENT PARMA- MENT. COUNTY OF SuGo.—Sir Robert Gore Booth, Bart., in the room of John Ftolliott, Esq., who hra accepted the office of Steward of her Majesty's Chiltern Hundreds. W AR-OFFICE, Mincti 15. Ist Regiment of Life Guards—Francis George Hare, Gent., to be Cornet and Sub-Lieutenant, py purchase, vice Sir W. A. Fraser, Bart., promoted, March 15. Royal Regiment of Horse Guards—The Hon. John Bap tiste Joseph Dormer, to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Lord Ribblesdale, who retires, March 15. Ist Dragoon Guards—Andrew Robert Guy Evered, Gent., to be . Cornet, by purchase, vice Birt, promoted, March 15. sth Dragoon G:ards—Henry Hugh McNeile, to be Cprnet, by purchase, vice Inglis, promoted; Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class, George Kincaid Pitcairn, M.D., to be Sur geon, vice James Barlow, who retires upon half-pay, March 15. 4th Light Dragoons—Captain John T. Douglas Halkett to be Major, by purchase, vice Fane, who retires; Lieutenant Charles Berkeley Molyncux to be Captain, by purchase, vice Halkett ; Cornet Charles Brandreth to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Molyneux, March 15. Bth Light , Dragoons-4ohn Charles Henry Fitzgibbon, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Clutterbuck, pro moted, Marci 15. _ . . 9th Light Dragoonr—John Geotge Willis, Gent., to be Cornet, by rurchase, vice Scott, promoted, March 15. 14th Light Dragoons—Egerton Ford, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Dudgebn, promoted, March 15. 17th Light Dragoons - Lieutenant Richard Douglas Hay Lane to be Captain, by purchase, viee Fleming, who retires; Cornet Augustus Frederick Cavendish Webb to be Lieute nant, by purchase, vice Lane, March 15. Ist or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards-John Murray, Gent., to be Ensign and Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Ho them, promoted, March 15. Ist Foot—Montagu Adam Henry Legge, Gent., to be En sign, by purchase, vice Pugh, promoted, March 15. gnd Foot—Lieutenant Raymond Inglis to be Captain, by purchase; vice Lord Cochrane, who retires; Ensign James Harwood Rocke to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Inglis; Lord Charles Edward Hay to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Nocke, March 15. 4th Foot—Lieutenant Samuel Blakelock Moody Skinner, from the 9th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice exchange, March 15. 9th Foot—Lieutenant George Augustus Morgan, from the 4th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Skinner, who exchanges, March 15. 14th Foot—Lieutenant George Sotheby Tyler, from the s 3d West India Regiment, to be Lieutenant, vice later, who exchanges; William Heywood, Geni., to be Ensign, by pur chase, vice Hawley, promoted; March 15.: 15th Foot—George Frederick Christie, Gent., to be En sign, by purchase, vice Tuite, promoted, March 15. 18th Foot—Lieutenant-General. Sir John Forster Fitz- Gerald, K.C.8., from the 62d Foot, •to be. Colonel, rice General Lord Aylmer, deceased, March 9. 21st Foot— Lieutenant William Frauds Ring to be Cap tain, without purchase, vice Brevet-Major Mackay, who re tires upon full pay as Captain ; Edwin Ashley Tucker Steward, Gent., to bo Second Lieutenant, by purchase, March 15. 25th Foot—Ensign William Henry Newenham, to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Taylor, who retires; Ensign John O'Hea, from the 34th Foot, to be Ensign, vice Newen ham, March 15. . • 26th Foot—Captain William Hayter Hussey, from the 67th Foot,. to be Captain, •vice Bernard Granville Layard, who retires, upon half-pay, 67th Foot; Ensign Charles Lord Lurgan, from. the 16th Foot,, to beEnsign, vice Thistleth wayte, who retires, March 15. . 32nd Foot—Edmond de Lotbiniere Joly, Gent., to be En sign, by purchase, vice Lawrence, promoted. March 15. 34th Foot— Walter Hamilton Twemlow, Gent., to be En sign, by purchase, vice Probyn, promoted, March 15. 41st Foot—Frederick Cherburgh Bligh, Gent., to be En sign, by purchase, vice Bertram, promoted, March 15 ; Henry Stratton Bush, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Pierce, who retires, March 16. 56th Foot—Acting Assistant-Surgeon William Lawrence Cashel to be ;Assistant -Surgeon, vice May, who resigas, March 1.5. 58th Foot—Lieutenant John Alexander Charles Pettey to be Captain, by purchase, vice Brevet Major Matson, who re tires; Ensign Gladwin John H. Wynyard to be Lieutenant, by, purchase, vice Petley, March 15. 62d Foot—Major-General James Fergusson, C. 8., to he Colonel, vice Lieutenant - General Sir John Forster Fitz- Gerald, appointed to 18th Foot, March 9. 75th Foot—Assistant-Surgeon John Shaw Willes, M.D. from the 88th Foot, to be Assistant- Surgeon, vice Martin, deceased, lSlarch 15. 87th Foot—Edward Barker Prestcott, Gent. to be Second Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Gibson, promoted, March 15. 88th Foot—Acting Assistant-Surgeon John Irvine, M.D., to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Willes, appointed to the 75th Foot, March 15. 91st Foot—William Benjamin Battiscombe, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Saunders, superseded, March 15 ; George Spaight, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice S'Argent, appointed to the 51st Foot, March 16. 96th Foot—George Alexander Warburton, Gent., to; be Ensign, by purchase, vice Moffat, promoted, March 15. Ist West India Regiment—William Banger Bower, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice M'Namee, appointed to iith Foot, March 15. 3d West India Regiment—Lient. George Slater, from the 14th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Tyler, who exchanges, March 15. HOSPITAL STAFF.—Surgeon Edward John Burton, M.D., from the sth Foot, to be Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class, vice Pitcairn, appointed to the sth Dragoon Guards ; Staff- Assistant-Surgeon Thomas Kehoe, M.D., to be Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class, vice Robert Winchester Fraser, who re tires upon half pay, March 15. MEstoiamstaim.—The Christian . name of Lieutenant Westhead, of the 34th Foot, are George Edward Brown. Commission by the Lord-Lieutenant of Middlesex. Royal West Middlesex Regiment of Militia—St. Luger Glyn, Gent., to be Lieutenant, March 1. BANKRUPTS. John M Guffie, draper, New-road, Whitechapel. George Palmer, cat la dealer, Langmere, Norfolk. Benjamin Smith, copper stnelter, Threadneedle-street. James Harbridge, miller, Islip, dxfordshire. Peter Fielding, dealer and chapman, Rhyl, Flintshire. Samuel Firth, linendraper, Leeds. Matthew Batten, sheep-dealer, Kintbury, Berkshire. Thomas Garretqcoach-maker, Stowmarket, Suffolk. PRICE OF SUGAR. The average price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar, com puted from the returns made in the week ending March 12, leso, is 255. 3 h d. per cwt. SLIGO, MARCH 13.—Wtud S.W.-61d. Industry, New York. SUNDERLAND, MARCH 13.—Wind Cateutta; Rait.bow, New Yurk. HULL, Mauna 14.—Wind N.W.—Sld. Endymion, New York. TAIRACE, MARCH 14.—A smack belonging to Aber. them drifted on the Nash Sand 11th inst., and was lost. The sand had shifted. QURENSTOWN,—SId. Needy, Stewart, New_York. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT, HOUSE OF LORDS, March 14. CONVICT PRISONS BILL. Earl GREY (in continuation from our Third Edition of last night) proceeded to say—lt was essential that there should be some place to which convicts in the colonies, having tick( ti of leave, could be removed and placed under the control of Government in case of mis conduct. As he had before stated, it was desirable that removal to a distant colony should form part of the sen tence cf transportation, for various reasons. It had been found by experience that punishment should con sist of a combination of various elements. To one class of men a sentence of transportation from their native land to a distant place would strike the utmost terror— whilst to others ft would be an additional incentive to crime. To a man of sensitive feelings the idea of being compelled to labour in company with the worst of cha racters, in a convict's dress, and in the public view, would be the severest torture, whilst others would to callous to all sense of shame. Some would prefer the comparative comforts of a prison to the precariotrz sub sistence they obtained out cf it—whilst to others the deprivation of freedom would be acutely felt. It had, therefore, been deemed redvieable to combine thue elements. Another reason why it had teen dit?rmined to retain removal to a distant colony as a part t.f the . _ punishment, was to give the convict a better chance of retrieving hiselost position in society, by placing him in a colony where his having' been a convict would not ope rate as a bar to his finding employment. In this coun try he had no such chance, as, even if animated by the most earnest desire to gain an honest livi lihood, his con viction was an insuperable obstacle to his so doing, while if he went to a spot where he was unknown, ho was liable to be discovered at any moment by some one of his old associates, and again driven to crime for a liveli hood.—(hear, hear.) In :a penal colony, on the con trary, he might rise to respectability, and even wealth; and this was proved by the number of former convicts who, according to calculations made at the Colonial office, were now subsisting by their own exertion, there being in New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land no fewer than forty-eight thousand persons who had gone there as transports, while the number of i‘ ticket-of leave men" made an addition of twenty thousand. But for this system of transportation all these persons would now beve been at large in this country, having no resources except crime, and the result of that might have been guessed, by looking at a neighbouring country and its army of forcata. He lo,lieved that under a proper sys tem of management the colonies might receive convicts, after they had emerged from the discipline which they had undergone, not only without injury to those colonies, but with positive advantage. At present the convicts were sent out with tickets of leave instead of conditional pardons. The difference being this, a ticket of-leave man might remain about the town, and so fall in with his old associates, and under the present system of allowing certain gratuities to men of good conduct while on the public works, a man so situated, if posses sing any money might be robbed, and induced by want to resort again to crime. But a man Laving a conditional pardon might be required to go at once into the more distant regions of the colony, and to accept employment from any respectable settler, who might offer a fair re muneration.—(Hear.) These conditions, it was pro posed, should be invariably insisted on. They should also be required to pay a certain sum of money out of their earnings before they should be entitled to an un conditional pardon, the motive for requiring such pay ment not being any desire to obtain a sum of money, but to carry out the system of punishment and dis cipline under which the convict was placed. Ever since transportation bad been a punishment the Crown had a property in the services of the convict. Under the system of assignment those services were transferred to the master, who had a right to make him work in return for certain specified rations and a supply of clothing; that is, they were neither more nor less than slaves. ID olden times they were literally slaves. In the early days of transportation to Virginia, the convicts were sold by public auction for the term of their sentence; and the pictures which were drawn by Defoe in one of his works of the nature of transportation to the plantations were so near to truth that he would content himself with referring to them as an exemplification of what transportation was in those days. The system of assignment had been found productive of many evils, and it had, therefore, very properly been abolished. By requiring a sum of money as a condition to • entire freedom, they also be lieved that they gave the convict an additional stimulus to industry and good conduct. The sum thus raised would be applied to' the promotion of free emigration, and would thus indirectly benefit ti .e convict himself, by assisting in the development of the resources of the country in which his future lot was cast. In principle, this past of the plan of conditional pardon was similar to that of the " passholders" created by Lord Stanley, from whose wages a reduction was made. He considered it of importance that convicts should he as much as possible dispersed, as the bringing together a large number was a source of much danger, and with that view the Government had been anxious that they should be disperse& not only in those colonies where they were already sent, but also in as many different colonies as possible. Unfortunately the attempt made to gain that end was frustrated by the opposition of cer tain colonies to receive convicts, and as those colonies had not originally been penal settlements, Government had not thought itself justified in endeavouring to over rule that resistance. New South Wales also must now be considered as in the sense position, so large a portioa of its inhabitants having gone there since it had ceased to be a penal colony, as to give them a right t) have it considered as a free colony. Van Diemen's Land, how ever, was originally established as a convict colony, large sums had been expended on it by the Goveremt ut with a view to carry out,that purposr, and the fre e in habitants who Had gone there had done so with their eyes open, and ought not to expect any extra ordinary indulgence. If they sent convicts to the colonies, they should take the utmost care that it should not be done to the injury of the colonists. They had altered many and were endeavouring to alter all the regulations respecting the superintend ence and government of convict) that were injurious to them. But their great object was in Lending convicts to any colony, that free emigration to the same colonies should be promoted' by all means. That would prevent the evils resulting from an exclusive convict element in society. Parliament had voted a sum of money for that purpose, and they had appropriated it to a certain ex tent in sending free emigrants to New South Wales and other colonies. They had also sent out the wives and families of such convicts as were reported to have le hayed well, under certain regulations. In Van Diemen's Land they had adopted me asures to secure a superior class of colonists. Persons of that class wore thereby enabled to settle there with the greatest possible benefit to themselves. Practically they got their lands for nothing. Several ships had arrived there lately, and the labourers bad obtained employment at once, at wages Varying from 101. to 151. per annum. In the northern parts of New South Wales, there were the finest pas toral lands, of almost unlimited extent. He regretted the vote of the colonial legislature at Sidney against sending convicts with tickets of leave there, in conse quence of which they bad been preventing these ann from going to thoic - C,Parts at present. Free settlers did not like the seclusion and absolute solitude of these regions where wool was cultivated. They preferred the associations of towns. But the grow ti e f wool in these pastoral regions was just the employment for convicts with tickets of leave. In Western Australia Government had determined to establish a very small colony, and they had sent 70 convicts of the best class there. But it was not intended that there should be any large number of coerced convicts in any of the colonies. The con victs would be employed in those works which most developed the resources of the country, in opening up communications between the colonies, the formation of roads, Sac. He looked forward to the greatness and prosperity of Western Australia, as coal, timber, and other natural resources existed in abundance. All they wanted was sufficient labour. He now had stated what were the arrangements in progress and in contempla tion, with regard to convicts under sentence of trans portation. :He was aware improvements might be made. He had confined himself entirely to the interests of Great Britain, as the Bill only referred to that. He regretted the greet increase in the number sentenced to transportation. It had greatly increased. In 1848 the , number was 2,658, and in 1849 above 3,000, while, a few years before ' Ike number was about 600. They had formed several set- Clements, but many of them were over crowded. He was sure their Lordships would see that the subject was one of deep importance, and it should be thoroughly under stood. He had avoided matters of a controversial nature, or the motives ascribed to Government, which they did not entertain. A foundation had be en laid to establish a system of convict renal discipline, deterring to otlenders, and beneficial to the country. With these observations he should move the second reading of the Bill. The Bill was than read a second time. STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH GREECE. Lord STANLEY gave notice that to-morrow he should call attention to the state of our negotiations with regard to the affairs of Greece, and that he would ask for information from the Noble Marquis opposite (the Marquis of Lansdowne) upon she questions arising upon recent communications made by Russia upon this sub ject, and also respecting the precise moment when orders were sent out to put an end to coercive measures towards Greece. THE TEN HOURS' BILL. ---- --- Lord STANLEY presented a petition from Rochdale, in Lancashire, with respect to the Ten Hours' Bill, which had been passed by the Legislature to restrain the labour of children and women in factories. The petitioners prayed that their Lordships would vote for a Bill intro duced into the other House of Parliament, with the view of giving effect to the intentions Of the Legislature in passing the Bill, which were likely to be frustrated in ccnsequenco of a recent decisionof the Court of Ex chequer upon a technical point. He wi.s not one of those who originally pressed forward the Bill, but find ing that it had worked well both for the manufacturers and the workmen, he thought it would be moot !amen table if the benevolent intentions of the L:gislature should be frustrated upon a mere technical const ru c t i on of the Act. The petitioners prayed that their Lordships would support a Bill for giving nem the benefit iuteneed by the Act. LAWS RELATING TO BURIAL CLUBS. Lord MONTEAGLE said he wished to draw the at tention of their Lordships to the laws relating to burial societies, and to ask a question of the Noble Marquis (Lansdowne) although he had given no notice on the subject. It had been proved of 'we that a crime of the most ho rr ibl e a t roc i t y h a d b een ma ki ng i ts way in those districts of the country in which burial clubs were established. Poison had been administered to parties by those standing in domestic relations to wards them, and they had been cut off by those bound to them by the dearest ties of nature. This horrible crime had spread, in consequence of the establishment of these clubs, who mai° pecuniary pay ments, by which even the death of a chi ld was made prctitable to its parents, ,ho had been induced f Ibis reason, in some instances, to sacrificetheir own etnprill f ' He hoped that th e Government would deal with this tr.estion without delay, and that it would nut be r.: iarded by bring mi xe d u p w ith the larger and m ore ill acult question of interment. Government might dtsi with the subject by a single enactment, forbidding. the payment of money by thes e cl u bs to surviving relatives'', and rt ndering it compulsory on the societies then:l9oo to bury the deceased. his question was whether Bq measure was contemplated by ae Government on tl3 subject? If not, he would feel it his duty to introduCe 5 Bill himself without delay. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that the Ties' tion as of a difficult nature. It was, d ou btless, tE ue ' that frauds of the most iniquitous colour bad been P e e l ; petrated, in connexion wit - i these clubs, to a degr which must he surprising to th • I d -hips• Dl etc. t. • i3 O could be no doubt but that the subject ought to ITO the attention of Parliament, but as it required great etT; i sideration, he ft arsd that be could not undertake, 0• P art t f Government, to introduce a measure this sess l P i r d Any Bill, however, introduced by the Noble Lord, OA% receive most serious consideration, and, prubsblft Government would support ur introduce some short tz" sure on the subject. Lord NI OUNTCASHELL said he would pos t r t ne the o• two motions of which he had given notice . until . morrow. Their LcuLhips then acj urned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 14. FACTORY ACTS. (Continued from our Third Edition of last night. ) a Mr. EDWARDS s, cended the motion, and elaltret the indulgeLce of the Bowe for a short time . In question mightily affected the neighbourhood in he resided; and to shoN the interest felt in the giblieret he callei on the House to witness the men in the —(Laughter.) He maintained the working eh' ss ' - o ne his district were against the relay system; it ' vas to which would Lever answer, and be never subreitte 0 by the people of England. Besides. be contended 4110 impracticable, for unless they employed new in s P e lor he could not see how persons working 15 hours bea t could be discovered to have worked more than 10 g° consecutively. The speed e , f the machinery had beeebe, much increased, that eery little difference txis te „ ci f 14 tween the present system and the former syster°," h " 're hours labour. The men of Lancashire and Yer' s " tr i as wanted the Act of 1847 to be carried cut in its to spirit and integrity, and it was their di tero 3los " - thel urge the Government to do so—a task, he believed,' .0 would accomplish, seeing that they had been 30 Y e ile straggling obtain the boon already granted the i t i de had always been a Protectionist; but since fr ee is came into operation he had not opposed it; and tulsng could say. that in Bradford thousands of the wo classes who two years ago were starving in t he °t r ep t he were now fully employed.—(Hear, hear.) It v f . till same in his own neighbourhood, but it was Dru',., ‘ ",:iga Lancashire, and he had been informed that the 1— ,,1t• markets were absolutely glutted with English 0 3 $ 11 " no es tures. He believed the matter should be settled at "be and fur ever, and the working classes would t ir e,fi ti set satisfied. He would implore of those in that Pacidos, whose families, like his own, had arisen from the i t try of the working classes, to show their cratliu: t he that occasion, by supporting the Bill brought le Noble Lord the Member fur Bath. The motion having been put from the Chair, iettert, b l o 4i,i: had GEORGE GREY said thit although certiinli 0 indulged in the hope that t fter the repested cad protracted discussions which had taken place e e t • Or question of the reduction of the hours of labour b a d twin classes employed in manufactures, although: h e e d - et hoped that after those repeated discussions, ' they w ou ld Id length arrived at a satisfactory result, and that it " - t u bs therefore be unnecessary to revive what could n e iot b carried on without the clashing of interests in they' el ranches of national industry, between whom i e et• so much importance that harmony should otis t ,o 4, and withstanding all this, the present state of circutn,t.g'" els of the law, were such that he thought his l' e s ° lt' Friend was jueailied in coming to this Howe snu - es ing a legislative remedy for what he believed Woo existing evils. H e (Sir George Grey) s hould 00 nothing of the nature of that remedy - in de trs' Noble Lord himself said nothing et it, for ' be 11 14 " - et t ild firmed the House what the purport of the 1311 ! l ' e l- for be, than the particular details of it; but spesi t i n % go himself, and looking back to the part he (Sir G e t i r es Grey) bad taken in supporting the existing res tric a .° o on the hours of labour of those emelt:l e- t ea factories, he believed an amendment was expedient, lea should as soon as possible be proposed and adoPte d e ' vi d en os t twa h tnbik e l olteh,cahoe:enntsei%huufaaborjtirremehenneteo.er_wte occasions, ,hd t : those reasonable ssteeonn, er lat ne d and o t) T it o: , j eg te y e,er e l , Though that p h tr a bo t ept a ho eas partl his t e a e d 6 i e l ;d o t b h e e tandeooputsiiosutenotf,abneyor 0 i d say the afterwith awmouenlddninoetthatyto, of thelaw which e ll ; bu t t ' s the spirit of the Act of 1847, or against the ohJe e ",, - e f eli of protecting women and children for which it vFS- t een' proposed.—(Hear, hear.) It may be desirable, in ; - de g sidering the question, to recur Lriefly to the ex state of the law, without golf g back to tb• Act ef t: 0 the 3d and 4th of William 4, which enacted th () a,, young person should work at night, or, i n e ther *ci t e from half-past eight in thu evening to half-pal d ing in f the morning, leaving fifteen hours, and Wi ll o r onales from its o elation. The secont. gee' Lion limited the hours of labour to tte el— m eel• o lt tt , h;fit' i t a r w ea fa , l le t a o v e in m g p a b n ,y hour and a half for each eat provided the won king young timedid five in the morning to half. past eight in the even";;.. and then came the 7 and 8 of Victoria, p . siied ill h"„ e ei by which woman were classed with young persons, e " o t n ut exceedpersona twelve b a -,,, i , subject to the same restrictions. By the 30th we d " le e sections of the Act, the hours e f labour for children ~,j, tween the ages of eight and thirteen, were regelet-ele and they were worked by what was termed " t e sr ; e c• e . f relays," as aunerised by that Act. Th e 26 0 - o e. ton limited the time of night, as he bad alresciLst served, from halr-past five in the morning to ha e e t att eight in the eveniee, provide d they did not exee e e'd e e hours at continuous labour. No doubt the conliejeiest decisions given with regard to the constructien ( L le' clause had led to a greet deal of confusion. o p i n ion specter of factories entetteincd the same e e regarding it as his Noble Friend the Member for 'Tao, and b he was bound to say that successive Govern e rn e ; fur is Right Honourable Friend opposite, the Igeo,"`, o eire Ripon, and himself; and the law advisers t of the u — be agreed in that opinion. B u t hi s N o ble Friend renettied l aware that the opinions of secretaries of stii te •••• that opinions which were binding could only ° a 0 legal advisers of the Crown were of no autheriticr, Glared by competent courts of justice, by th ud s traces, aed ultimately by one of their supreme eei;,, t he judicature. After the construction put upon i t :"' s; judges of the Court of Exche uer - a construetiee.fo proved of by the Lord Chief Barqun—and of which , O ra reading it est ntiv e ly, h e (Si r G. G r ey) bad not "steed - to say— it did, in hi s o pi nion , ren d e r that claus e, 01. of being a benefit, a s it w as i n t en ded, a positiie i v) t ee The fact was, that section fixed the same hoar for r t ur commencement of their work of all parties in th e in ter ries, bnt under the woi king e f th of e sstem, and the m - ieh S vais of rest allowed, the period t erm i n ating i t "e ee ed vary, provided the whole time employed did not d :;- ten hours. That construction was open to great n e etit to rious objections, not only to the operative the employers of labour ; and it was, tee relore,de,siiiter that the law should be made clear and distinct son li at or peachable, to prevent the inconvenience which nin t ' d e e re cessarily follow to both parties, ii they did nnt a l e en' strictly to the law as now laid down by indisput n , b i bout thority. The objects of the limitation of hours el 7 0 4 were two ; first, a physical object ; for one of t he r t el bi grounds laid down during the discussion of the ,; 0 , es classes ;800 his Noble Friend and others war, that such 3 sr . : w all,' applied to young persons and females was PhY""eerd e bort Ti , injurious ; that it deteriorated their health, their lives, and altogether destroyed hodliferey) gour.—(Hear, ; hear.) But he (Sir George ' - e it o d of iff r e e r l e a d ys w ii t r h s h b i i s ft N s o . b a l s e F u r e i e e e n s d se i r n ily saying that the 1 ,1 i," ow attainment of that object. Relays case where a young person was employed, nolnkn ei f eat continuous labour with the same set, as it W-9 t ir e ...- -in bill or, in other words, the set was engaged to v/9 4.. ' t oe. all connected with it did not do so at the ston e e t e elts iwneaorenssisntaeinstgo%to 01 Some were therefore set to work at six d' wo rk others at eight, and so on; but those who weal t e e we pt at six leaving off two hours earlier than those veu f l ee er, to work at eight. The " shift" system was, hn o yed different, for the same persons may be el moo throughout the whole range of fifteen hours, an d go come et half -past five o'clock in the morning and tiro away at half-past eight in the evening. TbeY lll , e ld hod not work more than ten hours, and his Noble Fel en be f t' overlooked the fact that the physical objects noll d id not tamed under either system. On that account he h phi object to the sy stem of " shifts" or " relays o n e t t . th e sical part of the question; but whets he eein to criest fussed,h c s of ta t however, w H oe e fv a e r rt , b h et e b a ai r ta . ' w ') ll, moral objection it was quite a different thinv — sk . o n- GreY) o f in speaki ng lo_ b t e he o d l i betwe ea the different classes in the factories,, rot' and that whatever might be the intentions rot' liament towards women and young children, n° 000 existed that legal restriction was never intended on II of _ labour. Many of his Noble Friend's oheeeevettileorge plied to the adult system, and although is lo li N st e ob ( s S le ig ir h F; l o e f n°drg, Grey) did not say his Noble Friend had n° eau % w ere so, yet it was hardly lair to say that restrictiotLeieet t i.. 0 c t o t d n necessary, when it was the clear intention of Partlind it in passing the Act to impose none w hateeer• el a a rid was avowedly its intention to promot e the fowl t s bef moral good of women and young persons, that od should get proper religious and moral inatructtonhoto should enjoy proper recreation, and that w01:104 be be enabled to attend to their domestic affairst,tetion was bound to state—and he did so wit h great sattbsitiPt the —that the results in that view bad been ell, t w o!' most sanguine advocates of the pr i nc iple could it e e ter. (Cheers) From t'le reports he received from 01 bo nd of religion, and indeed fry all quartere, he e v i t e ;list to say that young poisons and women bad sn°,." eo3 the they duly appreciated the benefit; they derived 1 01 , 3 ,d, Ten Hours' 13i11.—(Cheers.) Schools had been, ono, instruction given on religious subjects, industvni.ertbe suits—such as needle-ww k—tauglit, so necessarye:soo, domestic comfort and convenience of the poorer that all and every anticipation realise d to such a d e gree, nt r e f. who supported the Bill had gro at reason to betnut'rered He remembered a predi ction which Was wo uld during the discussiore tha t the em p lo y ers oflabolir _ssed not give the Bill their heat ty concurrence after It u P e ere e. into a law. Now, he must say, in justice to 0 1 ' '''t a ete owners, that the results he had described were In themve measure owing to the cordial concurrence they h to in carrying it into effect. It was competent fore_orlie keep those in their mills from half-past five in th . .t ci i n g ing until half-past eight, without, of course, sunte e , it then to more than ten contieuous hours' labot%. re d it was because they allowed time for instruction , th ~.1 8 " s ei. great benefits bad been derived to the workng c. THE SUN, LONDON, Ow'