The Sun. — London, England, 1850-04-16 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS. The Court sat yesterday, at Clerkenwell, for the pur pose of hearing appeals against the refusal of the divi sional justices to grant and renew public-house licences. Mr. Sergeant Adams, the Assistant-judge, presided. The magistrates present were—Mr. Pownall, Mr. Wilks, Mr. Witham, Mr. Tubbs, Mr. Denou, Mr. Laurie, Captain Carpenter, Mr. Brooking, Mr. Marriott, Mr. Ha!swell, Mr. Turner, Mr. Warner, Mr. Woodward, Mr. Arm strong, Mr. Bentley, Ir. Hammack, Mr. Arden, Mr. Rose, and Mr. France. ILLEGALITY OF BITTING LISTS. The first case on the list was an appeal, by Samuel Searle, against the refusal of the justices of the division of St. Martin-in-the-Fields to renew a licence, under the 9th Geo. IV., c. 61, to sell excisable liquors in the house called the Salisbury Arms, Durham-street, Strand. Mr. Clarkson appeared for the appellant, Mr. Ballan tine in support of the decision of the justices. Mr. BALLANTINE, in opening the case, said he had the honour to appear before the Court on behalf of the justices of the division in which the appellant's house was situated. The appellant was the landlord of a public house, called the Salisbury Arms, in Dur ham-street, Strand, and at the last meeting of the licensing ,magistrates for that division, they thought it right to refuse to renew the licence to that house ; but tfey did not adopt that measure until abundant warning had been given to him, which warning he had disregsrded. The charge against Mr. Searle was, that ho had knowingly suffered gambling in his house, in contravention of the terms of his licence—a species of gambling from which great evil resulted— namely, betting lists. It had been decided by compe tent authority that " betting lists " came within the meaning of the term " gambling," and as the licence prohibited gambling of all kinds being carried on, on the premises, the justices had no alternative but to carry out and enforce what they conceived to be strictly the law, namely, that no publican who suffered this kind of gambling to be carried on in his house was entitled to have bis licence renewed when the pro per time for withholding it had arrived. The ques tion was one of great importance, and if the Court af firmed what had been done by the Court below, the •effect no doubt would be a very beneficial one to the public generally. The Learned JUDGE asked for the Duke of Rich mond's Act, 8 and 2 Victoria. Mr. CLARKSON said that Act legalised wagers, but gave no legal means of recovering them. Nobody could say that it was a violation of the law to make a bet upon the issue of a horse race. The Learned JUDGE said the words in the Act of Par liament, the Licensing Act, 9 Geo. IV., were very dis tinct, and were to the effect, that no unlawful game, or gambling, or any gaming whatever, should be per mitted iu a public-house. The question here would, therefore, be, ho presumed, were these betting lists a species of gaming, and did the appellant knowingly suf fer it in his house? Mr. Bonk's' said he appeared for a publican, who was in the same position as.this appellant. He did not ques tion the power, or deny that it was in the discretion of the magistratee, to refuse to renew any licence, and, as the magistrates of that division had determined to re fuse licences in every case where the betting lists were continues, his client, Mr. Barr, of Long-acre, was ready to promise that nothing of the kiad should ever take place in his house:for the future. The Learned JUDGE said they had better dispose of one case before they entered upon another. Sergeant Thompson, of the F division, and another officer, then gave evidence, which proved the fact of Mr. Searle having had betting lists exposed publicly in front cf the bar of his house, and that parties had fre quented the house to make bets, taking the list as their guide. , The witnesses said the lists were copies of Tat tersall's lists, and gave the then state of the odds, in favour or against horses entered for different races. Parties went to houses where these lists were kept and made bets on tho various races, according to the state of the odds, as given in the lists. The witnesses said the house had always been considered an extremely well conducted one. The Learned JUDGE askel if these lists were not the same as those published in the newspapers? Mr. CLARKSON said they were. The Learned JUDGE then observed that he could see no difference between the looking at a written list and at a list published in the daily papers. Mr.l.3ahhasrrNE said he had nothing further to urge for the justices. Mr. ChanissoN--I should like to know what I have to answer. The Learned JUDGE—If as the matter stands, it was a mere question of law, I should have no doubt about it, but it is a qnestion el discretion entirely for the bench to determine. Mr. CLARKSON then addressed the Court. He did not in any way deny that it was entirely in the discretion of the magistrates below to refuse to renew or grant a licence tor any reason, -and it was of little avail for a publican to appeal to that court against a grievance in flictedupon him by the exercise of that discretion, if he did not speelehis mind freely and fally. For ten years had Mr. Searle k e pt thi s h ouse , an d t h at d ur i ng t h at period ho' had conducted it most respectably there was a memorial from his nsighboura to the court to testify— there was not the slightest imputation upon his charac ter as a reareetahle man, and the only possible reason that could be set forth for the refusal or his licence was, that the magistrates had erroneously and mistakenly, be would satisfy the Court, deemed these betting lists to partake of the character of Derby' sweeps. When Derby sweeps were so much in vogue a short time ago, the opinions of some of the most eminent men at the bar was taker' as t i their legality, and these opinions, he would inf,irrn the Court, were that. the sweeps came within the eperation of the Lottery Act, and conse quently they' were repreised. But between a Derby sweep and Is there' bet upon the issue of a race nothing could 'hormonedistinct—the one was perfectly illegal, the legality of the other could not be impeached—and therethre nothing could be more mistaken than the no. tion that betting lists, were of.: the same character as Derby sweep. , The Leereed JUDGE said that there could be no doubt but that Derby sweeps were illegal, .The sinaple ques tion before the Court was this, was it gaming fora pub lican to allow a Nit of the state of the odds,. copied from Tattersall'S, and published in the newspapers, to lie on his counter for the inspection of bis cusecjeaers. I Mr: Wreeis said it was in the' discretion of the magi strates iorefur or grant a licence, and be thought this was a 'nester of fact within their discretion. Mr.e e ch.teresoN, so fir from denying that, would ad mit that iteWas so, and though' magistrates had it in their diseretion to refuse.or grant licences, they must recollect that, in' the opinion of Englishmen, oppres sion, tyrapay,,a,ech absolutism were not the teir and legitiniiite exercise or that discretion the law had given to the mfsgistracy.' °T. hay' had that discr e ti on g i ve n th em to seethe laW carried out and sbeyed. Here that dis cretion flea been exercised whereahere, had been no vie lation . 91 the toe: florae racing was Made legal for the encourageinent of the bread of good horses; and who would say that the making of a _het upon the issue of a the reliihitio,nof a list in a race wasvful, OA; publiteliquae ain s tict as, illeesilsae the keeping of Derby *weer., Ip Sionie cares when bet s were made, the landlord, ' heceme s - telk;:h,6l(l. r, .but h e h a d no profit directly'ot indirectly, nicceeting the custom that the lists brought to his house. He thought the legality of these betting lists so palpable that he had nothi ng to answer. refusal o f his licence on that account was at leait an unsound exercise of discretion, but of course* th e appellant Must *Omit to the principle the Court migh t adept; and if the 'Court made the condition, that if his, licence Was "renewed he must discontinue. the lists, of course he would conform. Thi - L - sarned JUDGE said the case now wore a different "Peet- 'Mr. 'Clarkson had Najd that the landlord be came stakeholder; thereby he became a party to the transaction. ' He certainly thought betting gaming; but a landlord eYiiild not be held responsible fur the act of any taro person's' who chose to make a bet in his house; but when he b ecame a sta k e h o ld er b e t we en those partici; itifpileared to him that he was knowipgly suffer n% gaining in his house, contrahy to the tabus of his ice nee. Mr. CLtaxsort—He derives no profit whatever by be coming stakeholder. Several rnagt6trstes suggested that he profited by the custom brought to the house by the betting lists . Mr. Powxatr. said the words of the Act were em phatic' and deeisirie—" tujiarning whatever." mr. CLaaitsox said as this was the decision of the bench, his client must submit. If he persisted, and had hie lie,ence refuied, he aught keep his. house as a beer shop, arid' thedtiaere was not the slightest power on the part of any authority,to interfrre with the betting lists, if they' - were centinned. If the bench, therefore, would renew the licence, he would promise to- discontinue bet tint. liqi for the future. ~h 0 migiArates then renewed the :licence upon this p i3 O . said t he . . . said the bench wer e unanimous) - that 'these betting lists Were'g n 'he Learned JuDGE " g ath ing i " and of opinion . by t h e publicity given to the proceedings ther,f_rre ' de . would have a distinct intimation that the there Ow trade t (lin keeping betting -lists would, . h os e who persisted . licences- of t . l'iic magistretes below had would , 'be en da ngered... us coarse 111 . brinoing the matter for taken a very judicious infraction, of the law in this respect ward. Any future with,au _ . d this the bench wished would'be severely dealt licence was granted, with 10/. to be Understood.. . Thisl appellant,. with this intimation,. 'oats, to be,paid by the aPPe also thathe must. discontinue the betting lists. In the. - eases of Joseph Barr, o f the Windsor Castl e , .., b .- nn and of Saff ory • Middl, toe, of the White wan, .1., g. - acre, the r enewal of whose lieenoess had is e -er.n refused on n the same gronnels,they were granted, upon -- the Promise houses, that betting li s t s should be discontinued in th e ir each of these appellants paying 101. costs. , HEAD V. titE !llOSTicks or THE HARYLENONF. DIVISION. This was' an aPpeal against a refusal to renew the licence to the .hope, teplien- , treet, Lisson-grove. Mr. HUDDLESTaNE said he opposed this appeal on be half of the.. justices,-who refused to renew the licence on the ground -that the appellant. had suffered music and dancing and card-playing in his house, but more particularly for the mariner in which the uppel lant fsellittited the escape from , his house of a man whom a/vOorrra,rt accused of robbing her in the room where the, daneurig wat.; going . on. When the officers arrived tho'gas wa-, trimed r,ft rind the In.u.goi away; but he was afterwards ."t7.ke:l, tri e d it this court, and sentenced to six months' hard labour. These fact„ "-. -esa mete were communicated- to the justices by the Commissioners of Police, and the justices telt bound to refuse the licence. Evidence was gone into, but it rather disproved than -ed, that th ,ppellant was concerned in putting the :anion in• question. addressed the Court for the appellant. !ussion the licence was renewed, with muse and dancing were to be discon 'all publicans who had music and ouses, and had their licences refused ' anything that occurred from those have but little cintuce of mom on 1 , 9 r essions. proved - , that the ap in the °cc f.INF• BON • • , Blatt d:ifofin t that Uwe that datrci..• • it he re of seidepp.or ' auk! oppe • uarl ` <t N THE An order was made on appellant for 101. costs. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. A fashionably-dressed, powerful man. named William Barber, was brought before the Lord Mayor, in the cus tody oillaydon, the officer. The officer said—At a quarter before two o'clock this day I saw the prisoner, whom I knew to be a mem ber of that large knot of thieves called the swell mob, standing at the corner of the Bank next to Princes street. After some little time he got into an omnibus, and took a place next to a lady. I followed the omni ' bus as it passed down King William-street, and stopped it, and told him he must get out. He refused to do as I required, and I told him he belonged to the swell mob, and he must get our. I then procured assistance to re move him, and we got him oat and took him to the sta tion-house, where be was searched. There we found upon his person six sovereigns and a gold watch and guard chain. He asked me what solicitor he should employ. I replied that it was a thing for his own con sideration. He said it would cast him 2/. for a solicitor, and that I might as well have that money as a solicitor, and I should have it if I would let him go. I said to him that ho was mistaken in the person. Einnell, the officer, said he knew the prisoner to be the constant associate of the most daring thieves. The prisoner —I acknowledge, your Lordship, that the account given of what took place is perfectly cor rect. The officer is right in all ho has stated about the omnibus, and his conversation with rr e; but I had no criminal intention. I was going over the water upon business. Haydon said the prisoner was, when first seen by him, moving towards Lothbury. One of the other most active officers said he had known the prisoner to be the associate of the desperate thief who was some time ago transported for robbing Alderman John Johnson, when Lord Ilayor,•of a gold watch and seals at the terminus of the Blackwall Rail way. Inspector Mitchell also identified the prisoner as one of a notorious gang of thieves. The prisoner—You never knew me to be tried at the Old Bailey ? Inspector Mitchell—No. The LORD MAYOR directed that the prisoner should be remanded till Thursday, and that inquiries should be made about the gold watch found in his possession. The prisoner is, it is believed by the police, generally employed in "covering" others of the gang when their work of robbery is going forward. an occupation for which his personal size and strength seem peculiarly adapted to qualify him. THAMES. Mary Grace, a singular, gypsy-looking woman, was charged with smashing sundry squares of glass at the 'house of the Rev. Mr. Horrabin, official clergyman at the Roman Catholic chapel, Virginia-street Ratcliffe highway. Mrs. Harriet Creamer, housekeeper to the rev, gen tleman, stated that being informed by the servant that a woman n as breaking all the windows, she slant out, and saw the prisoner dashing her fist through square after square successively. On asking her the cause of her outrageous cOnduct, the prisoner said Father Horrabin had sent several men to kill her. Prisoner—So he has, the robber. I wanted to see the old villain, but though I knocked several times the door was not opened, and then I took the other way of calling attention. He is ene of a gang of the most desperate robbers in London, and I am sorry to say that my own brother belongs to them. Oh, this man (pointing to Mr. Horrabin), I should rather say this monster, for he is a demon incarnate, after digging many pit-falls for me, came and vilified me to my neighbours. Mr. YARDLEY—Where do you live ? Prisoner—At Norris-court, Greenwich. Mr. YARDLEY—Do you _belong to Mr. Horrabin's religion? Prisoner—No, lam a Churchwoman; but is that a reason why I should be pillaged, waylaid, ma ligned, perhaps murdered, by that monster, who is a fiend out of hell? He distressed me in everything. Mr. YARDLEY, addressing Mr. Horrabin ' who is highly respected by all his neighbours, and seemed utterly astonished at the woman's bitter attack on him, asked whether he had any knowledge of the woman. Mr. Ilorrabin said it was possible he might have seen her before, but he could not say when or where. Prisoner—Oh, yes, you know well when and where. You stole me when a child, only nine years old, from my comfortable home in the Isle c,f Wight, and changed me for another child in Ireland. I was well treated there, but when I began to be comfortable you pursued me with your devilries. Mr. YARDLEY—Thii seems , to be madness. Prisoner—Oh, of course that monster will have more justice than I, for he can put his hand into his pocket and pay for it. It is cruel that a poor creature like me, because I am poor, should be delivered over to a mon ster, a devil. The constable here produced a stone which was found upon the prisoner, and which she admitted she brought from Deptford -for the purpose of demolishing the rev. gentleman's place. Mr. Horrabin here said he had never, by any chance, been at the Isle of Wight. Mr. YARDLEY said it was evident that the woman was not iu a state to be at large, and wished her to be taken for the present to St. George's workhouse. The prisoner was removed, loudly denouncing the law. which sided with the rich and oppressed the poor. SINGULAR APPLICATION.—The Rey. Charles Gulliver Fryer, vicar of Eltham, Kent, applied yesterday to Mr. Yardley for a warrant to apprehend a an named Joseph Cracknell, whom he charg ed with stealin g a rind-tailed marmozet monkey, which he valued at 5/., but would not part with it for three times that sew, as it was a slpecial favourite of his wife'4, and though of the smallest of the simian kind had a closer resemblance to humanity in all its lineaments than he had ever seen in the animal world. Mr. YARDLEY said if there was a charge Of theft, ap• plicant had better state the facts to a police inspector, and the party accused could be taken into custody in the usual way. The rev. geatleinan, who had Ara hold's Reports under his arm, said the circumstances were rather peculiar, and there might be some slifficulty in the way of the course recommended. The facts were these. The marmoset was geneasilly. kept on board hi s y ac h t , the Ilebe, in the East Indi a Dock, and this man Crack nell, who belonged to the Ganymede, another pleasure yacht, lying alongside, took some umbrage at the animal, and threatened to destroy it. The man in charge of his (applicant's) yacht dared him to do so, and the result was. that the fellow contrived to get possession of the poor little animal and dashed its brains ou*. Mr. YARDLEY said the man, if the animal was not over' 54 in value, could be proceeded against for wilful damil l e, but a summons might be issued under the Act for cruelty to animals. Applicint said he had intended to proceed under that Act, but the penalty would be only 40F. Mr. YARDLVE—No, you are mistaken there; but I hare some doubt whether a monkey com e s i n t o a class of animas intended to be protetted by the. Act. The word any animal is used, but as a number has been enu- meratad, the question has been much discussed. Mr. Fryer—l find by Archbold, that persons stealing dogs, bea:t., or birds, render themselves liable to ape • natty not exceeding 20L Mr. YARDLEY --'Th e re is a doubt of stealing here, as the party did not apply the thing taken to his own use. After some further conversation two summonses were granted against Cracknell—one charged him with " un lawfully stealing a certain beast ordinarily kept in a state of confinement - , to wit, a monkey," and the other with." beating, ill-creating, torturing, and abusing "the said artimal. The rev. gentleman then went off to Ratcliffe-highway, to a atuffer of beasts and birds, to ascertain the value of the animal. _ p T p e tL s L t hl.a?rciE t h e NNoltarAnikli-VrtsAir.Y--l l N adirectors CE. of thin company and their late en • yet come to terms. Late tra ins ar e have not of daily occurrence, and, what is . worse, freq uent ePo w damage to the engines, owing to the ignoranc e of the persons employed. Last week th e ma il train Caine to a stand, and the fireman empl o y e d to dr i ve it did not know what to do ; he became so ala rme d 'that he jumped off, and in doing so his foot caught the wheel and was severely injured. The accident happened at a curve on the line, and had it not been for the acti vity and exertions of the mail guard, who observed and signalled another train approaching, it would ine vitably have dashed into the standing carriages, an d probably have done considerable damage. One o f the new enginemen ran the train through the Dunbar station at full speed, but fortunately no accident ac cident occurred. Considerable uneasiness is felt lest something serious should happen. The professed ob ject of the directors is that of reducing the men's wages to 4s. a day when they are at work in the sheds, the.average wages being G. a day. The effect of this proceeding will be an enormous destruction of working stock,..which will soon amount to several thousand pounds damage, as was the case a few months ago on the. East Lancashire Railway. It is hoped that some influential , shareholders will imme dtately.interfere and prevent the serious consequences which may be expected to occur •f the 41 . i irestars are allow e d to. perse in • vere their present unwise course. 17087N X v ~ Rig COAL AND MINING COMPANY.--On ' rluaY the affairs be of this undertaking came on tionfore the Mute •r in Chancery Tinney. The peti ers, stated. that the d k . un erta lug was started in 1838, to work, fo lieries in the count o f period of forty , years, col at 500,0001., with Y po f w l::r t haT.. The capital was fixed 1 were nine, directors , and London, Newcastj e , and Norwich, shares were subscribed for. per share were paid by of 11,0001. The collieries and Purchased by the company for establishments 30,000/. There ishmenta were opened alotrwich. About 16,550 11,974 C son the . full sum of 251. shares, with theexception 3 plant were originally 3 0,000/ but b re cent valuation were now only worth " 69 1844 the liabilities amounted to 70,0001. ; y a in ,oo l o B /. - In to 110,000/. ; in 1847, to 125,000/. ; an d in 184 4 8 6; to 150,000/. Several meetings w e r e h e ld , and plans were proposed 'for paying off the liabilities by a pro rata assessment on the shareholders of 101. per share ; but the holders of only 4,400 shares came forward, paid the 101. per share, and were exonerated from further liability leaving about 90 000/. in deficit ; and to satisfy creditors and prevent legal proceedings, the petitioners had paid out of their own pockets nearly 70,000/. The assets, other than would arise from a sale of the property, areB,oo- 01. at the outsid e . Mr. Quilter, the o ffi cial manager, informed the Master that a call of 10/. per share on each shareholder would be necessary to de fray the debts , w hereupon the,Master proceeded with the list, and Placed thereon those be considered liable. • LANCASTER AND PRESTON.—A special meeting, convened by requisition to the directors, for the pur. pose of concerting mea s ur es t o redeem the annuity of 4,8751. now paid to the Lancaster Canal Company as compensation for their surrender of thirteen years' in terest in the line as lessees, was held at Lancaster on Friday; Mr. Bushell in the chair. By a clause in the agreement with the Canal Company, the option was reserved of redeeming the annuity at the rate of 5 per cent. previous to the 13th of May next, or at the rate of per cent. after the expiration of that period. Several propositions for effecting the object in view were submitted to the meeting. Eventually, on the motion of Mr. Saul, it was resolved to raise 45,000/. by the creation of 10,833 shares of 41. 3s. 4d. each, to ne called twelfths, a call of 41. on each share to be paid on the Ist of May, and a second call of 3s. 4d. each on the second of May. Any further sum required to complete the redemption to be borrowod on mort gage. PARIS AND STRASBURG.—A special meeting of this company was held at Paris on Thursday ; M. de Segur, the President, in the chair. The report stated that the directors had entered into a provisional agreement with the Minister of Public Works to construct at the cost of the company a railway from Blesmes to Joinville. The land and works are to be provided for a double line of rails ; but the company will not be compelled to lay down more than a single line of rails until the gross annual receipts from traffic shall have reached 18,000 f. (7201 . ) per kilometre. This line is to be completed for traffic within three years after the date of the new conces sion. The present scale of tolls and fares authorized on the main line, and the branch lines to Metz and to the Prussian frontier, is to be applicable to th e new branch line mentioned. The Strasburg Company are to pay into the treasury a sum of 3,500,000 f. (140,0001.) fur the purchase of land, and on the section of the line between Vitry and Bar-le-Duc. In consideration of the company fulfilling these conditions, they are to have the duration of the con cessions extended to ninety-nine years for the main line and all the branches. The company are also to have the power to lay down at first only one line of rails on several sections of the main and branch lines, but they are to lay down the second line of rails whenever called on by the Minister of Public Works; except on the section from Metz to Saarbruck, and that only when the gross traffic receipts on that sec tion shall amount to 18,000 f. (7201.) per kilometre per annum. Should the company neglect to per form the whole or any part of the above conditions, the stipulations for the extension of the concession to 99 years are to be null and void. A discussion en sued, in the course of which it was agreed that the directors should call the shareholders together again on a day to be fixed, as soon as the Council of State shall have decided on the terms of the convention. On the introduction of the subject relating to a modi fication of one of the statutes which prohibited the distribution of more than one-half of the net profit as long as the main line remained unfinished. M. Po riquet proceeded to address the meeting on various matters, and regardless of order, he persisted in speak ing on points not properly before the meeting. With a view to put a stop to this irregularity the Presi dent declared the meeting dissolved. A scene of great confusion ensued, and it was ultimately arranged, at the suggestion of the secretary, that M. Poriquet should defer the matters he bad to submit till the or dinary general meeting on the 25th inst. WRECK NEAR THE FERN ISLANDS. On Sunday morning last the brig Bravo, of New castle, William Avitt, master, which sailed on Thurs day last for London, was observed in the Fair Way between Bamborough Castle and the Fern Islands with a signal of distress flying, and shortly afterwards came ashore on the beach immediately below the castle. A flag was hoisted on the castle and a bell rung, and numbers of people from Bamborough and North Sunderland hurried to render assistance. The wind was blowing a gale, and the sea breaking over the vessel, and it was evident that she must soon go to pieces. The sailors tried to get out the long boat, which was almost instantly washed overboard, and the surf rolled in so heavily that it was almost impossible to launch a boat from the . shore. After a gallant but ineffectual attempt to rescue the crew by three fisher men of the district, and also by a party of the Coast Guard, a messenger was dispatched for a boat to North Sunderland, and a large coble belonging to Lord Crewe's trustees was lashed and conveyed to Bamborough. Eight men belonging to North Sunderland threw off their jackets and got into the boat, which, by the united exertions of the bystanders, was launched through the surf. Their names were George Wilson, mason; William Spears, cooper, William Berry, Coast Guardsman ; and Henry Grey, Thomas Knox, George Tait, and Robert Burn, sea men ; Robert Patrick, a fisherman, taking the steer ing oar. The first wave which broke over the boat nearly filled her, and struck the steering oar out of Patrick's hand, who narrowly escaped being washed overboard. After the most heroic struggles, amidst the breathless intere't of the spectators, and the tears and exclamations of the women assembled on the shore, the boat rounded the vessel, where three of the seamen had slid down the rigging to the end of the bowsprit, and were hanging by the ropes and sails. The captain and his daughter, a girl of 15, had taken refuge in the maintop, and the remainder of the sailors clustered in the main rigging to escape the dash of the sea. By some of the leose ropes hang ing over the side - the boat was made fast to the ship, at a sufficient distance, and, watching a favourable opportunity, the girl was first taken off the wreck. The men on the bowsprit were next dragged into the boat, and the remainder of the crew, being unable to afford the slightest assistance, threw them selves into the sea, and were rescued by the boat's crew amid the cheers of the people on the shore. The greatest danger to the boat's crew was still to be en countered. The coble, laden with 16 men, two boys and a girl, half filled with water, and destitute of any thing to bale her, after the loss of one oar and the breaking of another, was almost at the mercy of the elements, and it would have been an act of madness to attempt to land. The efforts of the gallant fellows were therefore directed to keep her head to seaward, and after several hours' exposure they were descried by the fishermen of Holy bland, who went off, as far as the breakers would allow, to their assistance. Most providentially, the sea for an instant abated, and, taking advantage of a lull, the overloaded craft was brought into smooth water. The girl and one of the boys were carried on shore in the arms of the fisher men, being unable to stand from the effects of expo sure. The wrecked seamen were kindly sheltered on the island by Mr. Wilson, the harbour-master; and leaving the boat, their preservers, half dead with cold, wet, and hunger, walked back ten miles to their homes at North Sunderland, where they arrived at a late hour of the night. A more courageous and merito rious act has not been performed since, nearly on the same spot, Grace Darling and her father rescued the survivors of the wreck of the Forfarshire.—Newcastle Paper. EXTRAORDINARY PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF A BANKRUPT. On Thursday an inquiry, during which circum stances of a most unusual character were elicited, took place at the Bankruptcy Court, Liverpool, before Mr. Commissioner Stevenson. The bankrupt, John La Guarrande, of Montpelier-terrace, Upper Parliament street, was a merchant and broker, carrying on bu siness in Liverpool, his petition having been opened on the 28th of February last. The bankrupt subse quently came before the Court to give information relative to the state of his affairs, and assignees were chosen, who were put in possession of his property, ' consisting of furniture, plate, &c. On the 15th of March intimation was given to Mr. Gaskill, the official messenger of the Court, that bis man had been ejected from the premises by the bankrupt. The messenger, accompanied by Mr. Ayres, immediately proceeded to the bankrupt's residence, and demanded admittance by authority of the warrant. This was re fused. The following day an application was made to the Court for a new warrant, which was granted. The pro per officers then went to the house, and took possession without any resistance being offered. Shortly after this the property was ordered by the assignees to be sold, and Mr. Edwin Gaskill, auctioneer, was appointed to take the management of the sale. Mr. Gaskill, in accordance with his instructions, took possession of the bankrupt's effects, and stationed six men in the house • but no interference being off ere d b y th e b an k. mmoenndraey ht house until Theo. re mained in quiet possess rupt, ;he number was r i e o d n uc o e f d th t e o last, when proceedings of a most riotous character of an attempt on the part of the took' place, arising out bankrupt to eject the officers. r. Gaskill, tioneer, made n statement of t M r. E. auc he c ircumstances con nected with this disturbance. The men who had b y the been put in the house remained unmolested until Monday last, wh en threats were held out bankrupt, and i n di ca ti ons we r e given that they had no right to be there. I n th e even i n g the bankrupt went ,out and returned about ten o'clock, shortly after which he introduced eight men through the parlour window, and demanded possession of the house. The two men who were then in charge were ejected, there being no chance of resisting the powerful body brought in opposition to them. The police were called upon to assist, but they would act interfere unless a breach of the peace took place. An addi tional for ce , amounting in all to thirteen m a y, was then dispat c h e d to t h e house by Mr. E. Gaskill ; they succeeded i n gaining admission by the back (loci., and after encountering severe opposition they ove reame their opponents and regained possession of the , pre mises. Blows were struck on both sides, thou gh no serious injury was sustained by any of the Iv rents. Peace was restored, but it only lasted for a short time. On the following day (Tuesday) iiitima tion was brought to Mr. Gaskill that his men were being murdered, and he went up to the ban krupt's house. There was A force of 50 men inside the Lhor.se, and as many outside, the object being to recover pos session of the furniture. It was with difficulty he obtained admission; but on doing so an indescribably scene presented itself. The bankrupt was taking an active part in the matter, and he and his men were assailing the messengers with pokers, sticks, pieces of chairs, or any other weapons that came within their reach. Some of the men had jugs, tea cups, and other articles smashed over their heads. During the encounter the bankrupt drew a sword stick from a sheath, and was about to use it when it was wrested from him, and broken in two. Mr. Gashill produced the stick for the inspection of the Court, and said that, if necessary, he could bring twenty men who had received severe injury. The messengers, whe were unable to resist the onslaught of their more numerous antagonists, were ultimately obliged to give way, and finally leave the house. The goods were then removed, but they were subsequently recovered and replaced in the custody of the officers of the court. The doors and windows of the house were smashed to pieces, and other damage had been committed, amounting in the whole to upwards of 301. The hearing of the case was ultimately post poned. BARBARISM AND SUPERSTITION IN HAYTI.- 7 REVIVAL OF 0131 WORSHIP. A letter from Hayti of February Bth says—" The Emperor of Faustin has just quitted his capital to pass a week at the Petit-Goave, his native place. The object of his going was to celebrate a fu n er a l service for the souls of his father and mother, and to witness the marriage of two old negroes, the parents of the Empress, who, never expecting the elevation of their daughter, had not thought it worth while to obtain the nuptial benediction. A dozen of regi ments, forming about one thousand men, the princes and princesses of the blood, the dukes, counts, barons, knights; the ladies of the court; and in fact almost all the civil and military employes were assembled at the Petit-Goave to add to the solem nity of the fete. The French corvette the Naiads came to anchor before this old capital of the French part, which for forty-eight years had not seen a vessel of war. During the funeral service, the corvette had its colours half-mast high, and fired a number of guns, which singularly flattered the vanity of the blacks, and has perhaps contributed to smooth down some difficulties of late pending. After the service, the Emperor proceeded to a habitation situated some leagues from the coast,. near which his father and mother were buried. At midnight, he and the Empress went out without guards, and accompanied only by some persons believing in the ceremonies of the Vaudoux. The Empress walked first holding a cock in her hand. The priests carried a sheep and a kid, the mingled blood of which was to serve to pre pare the wangha. — When they arrived at the cemetery, the priests contrived, by means of certain charms, to fix in a vessel of water the souls of the pa rents of Soulouque. The soul of his mother then spoke, and informed the sacrificators that she was much obliged to them for the ceremony which had just taken place, but there was no occasion to feel any uneasi ness on their account, as they were well off in the other world. The three animals were then killed, Soulouque drinking of their blood, and with it mak ing cabalistical signs. Afterwards the vase was in terred with all due ce r emon y. Thi s poor country of Hayti is marching rapidly towards barbarism. How can any one be astonished at it when the bead of the state is seen to revive the religious ceremonies of Congo and Guinea, which the President who preceded him took such pains to destroy ? The fete was near terminating tragically. Prince Anulyese-Ulysse, after some discussion about a general's uniform, which he had put on without any right, seized the Emperor by the throat, and was proceeding to do his Majesty, as the phrase is, when the Ministers, chamberlains, &c., interfered, and rescued him. It is not known what is to be done with the offender." THE LATE SKIRMISH IN INDIA. The following is an extract from a letter from a second-lieutenant in her Majesty's 60th Rifles to his parents, dated Peshawur, February the 15th : " Sir Charles Napier and staff arrived here a fort. night ago, and it so happened that a most horrible massacre took place the same night. A number of soldiers who were engaged in making a road, having foolishly no guard, were every one of them cut to pieces in the night by the Kaiberees ; some officers of the 98th were attacked and wounded in their tents, and several artillerymen killed. Sir Charles, immediately on hearing this, determined for a just revenge and full restitution, and a force of 2,000 men was selected for the purpose. I was not one of the party chosen, but I volunteered to Colonel Bradshaw, who, though he at first refused, afterwards accepted my services, and I was accordingly attached to a company to do duty. The force was commanded by the Commander-in: Chief himself, and Brigadier Sir Colin Campbell and Col. Bradshaw commanded divi sions. We had to march to a large village, by nan e Kohat, about 40 miles away in the hills, by forced marches. When we arrived there we found the hill robbers had betaken. Themselves to the hilly, with all their property and families, while they were shooting at our party and attacking our pickets, who crowned the hills, without our being able to molest them in return. We burned all their villages, spoiled their crops, destroyed their water, and did all the harm we could. But the day before we left—unfortunate day —when we and the 31st Bengal Native Infantry re giment were descending the hills from where we were picketed, the robbers came to the heights, and killed and wounded a hundred of us. Poor Lieutenant Sitwell, of the 31st Regiment, was shot in the hand, and before we could come to his rescue we saw him cut to pieces before our eyes. He was a most dear friend of mine, and a very handsome fellow. Lieute nant Hilliard, of the 23d Regiment, was shot dead through the lungs; many native officers were killed. The pass we had to go throu g h was a very difficult and dangerous one, and Sir Charles Napier himself had some most providential escapes, as also myself, for my horse was shot under me by a matchlock ball as we were marching across a bad road. Several ar tillerymen were cut to pieces before we could come to help them, from their guns being upset. Never did I feel so much the horrors of death as I did at that moment. Poor Sitwell had passed through the bloodiest battle ever fought in India—viz., Chillian wallah, and then to be killed in a s k r i mmage lik e t hi s, where there was no glory or h onour, except that he was nobly doing his duty t. Hilliard was only mar ried the day before we went out on the expedition. We had got up a very large ball at this station to be given to the Commander-in-Chief, but it is needless to say it has not come off. The doctors have so fully shown Napier th e un h ea lthi ness o f Peshawar wt o to r that Sir w o we months' Cha rle s a r les eordered t o marc h next wee k to s march, at the b o tt om o f th e uaau,a t h ar hills, near Simla, and, I hear, a pleasant cool station GERMANY. The People's Chamber of the Parliament of Erfurt met on the 9th, and proceeded with the verification of the qualifications of the deputier. The number of deputies admitted amounted to 214. A letter from Erfurt of the 9th says that M. Rado witz and M. Carolwitz had declared that they had been misunderstood in what they had said with re spect to restricting the powers of the Federal State, and it was added that the King of Prussia had written to the Elector and Grand Duke o f Hesse to declare his firm intention of maint a i n i ng th e F e d e ration. All this had removed the fears which had been enter tained that the Prussian Government would abandon the Federal State altogether, or consent to modifica tions in it, which would deprive it of all real political importance. The report of the Committee on the Constitution recommends the adoption of it en bloc, in order to preserve its binding force on Hanover and Saxony. ITALY. In the sitting of the Bth of the Senate of Turin the discussion on the abolition of ecclesiastical privileges was resumed. The general debate being closed, a large majority r ose i n f avour o f the discussion of the articles. Monsignor Billet and Count Galli, who, it may be remembered, had moved amendments calcu lated to adjourn the discussion, of the law sine die, withdrew them, and the Bill ultimately passed in its original form by a ma j or it y o f 64 to 29. The Chem bet of Deputies, in its sitting of the same day, dis cussed and passed the Bill for restoring their pensions to the veterans of the French army of the Empire, by a majority of 100 to 6. STAMP ACT—JOINT-STOCK BANKERS. A private meeting of the representatives of joint stock banks throughout the country, was held yestes• day, at the London Tavern; Mr. Sadleir, M.P., in the chair. Several resolutions on the subject were adopted, and it was announced that a deputation would wait on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to morrow. At the close of the proceedings, Mr. Leech, on behalf of the country joint-stock bankers, expressed their entire concurrence in all the steps taken by the London committee. WINDOW - DUTY.—The total number of houses charged with window-duty Kir the year ending April, 1849, 1, 13,6291. i3,629i. amount i ssehaeis2sed towns sg in England and the net receipts was, according to a statement j us t published, 487,411; 70,41 e largest itlie whole amount of window-duty are:—Bath. in which 3,722 houses are assessed for 21,69,31., the net receipts being 21,9861.; Bir mingham, 5,423 houses, assessed for 16,1611., net recept 14,9861. ; Brighton, 3,613 houses, assessed for 18,0251., net receipt 17,5721. ; Bristol, 4,350 houses, assessed for 14,6751., net receipt 13,2801. ; Cheltenham, 1,407 houses, assessed for 6,9981., net receipt 6,767 i. ; Clifton, 1,373 houses, assessed for 9,429/., net receipt 8,896 E; Leeds, 2,479 houses, assesses for 7,9721., net. receipt 7,596/. ; Liverpool, 11,342 houses, as sessed for 32,461/., net receipt 28,856/. ; Manchester, 7,754 .honsesoisleified f^r 21,9231., - net receipt '2 0, 5 7 51. ; Norwich, 1,871 houses, assessed for 6,6271., net receipt 6,4651.; New castle-on-Twine, 1,854 houses, assessed for 8,320/., net receipt 7,822/. ; and Plymouth, 4,527 houses, assessed for 12,207 i., . net receipt 11,991. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, April 15. Their Lordships assembled at Five o'clock. Lord STANLEY presented a petition from the Isle of Man complaining of the withdrawal of agricultural protection, and praying for economy and retrenchment. The Noble Llrd said that this call for economy which was so ril3 was a proof that the country was not in a state of prosperity, because persons in a state of prospe rity did not call out for a parsimonious economy, and he feared that this call for economy might push retrench ment beyond the good of the public service. The Noble Lord also presented five petitions from different parishes in Lincolnshire complaining of agricultural distress. Lord PORTMAN drew the attention of the House to certain returns from the Board of Trade which ap peared to be discrepant, and asked for an explanation. The Earl of GRANVILLE explained the apparent discrepancy, and showed that in reality there was no discrepancy at all. The Mike of ARGYLE presented' petitions: from Glasgow and several other places against Sunday labour in the Post•ofiice. JUDICIAL COMMITTEE OF PRIVY COUNCIL. Lord REDESDALE presented a petition from certain of the clergy, praying for the restoration of the Convo cation, and complaining of the recent decision of the Committee of the Privy Council. The Bishop of LONDON said it was his full inten tion to proceed with the Bill which he had introduced on the subject of the jurisdiction of the Committee of Privy Council; and be should introduce a clause which he thought wculd give satisfaction to the Church, on which he would consult his Right Rev. Brethren. After a few words from Lord REDESDALE, The Bishop of LONDON said that his Bill only re lated to a certain class of cases, viz., those in which points of doctrine were involved. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE postponed the second reading of • the Bill relating to workhouse schools to Thursday next. PETITIONS. The Earl of MOUNTCASHELL presented' severa petitions against Post-office labour on Sunday. BRICK DUTIES BILL. This Bill passed through Committee. EXCHEQUER-BILLS BILL. This Bill passed through Committee. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, April 15. The SosAKER took the Chair five minutes before Four o'clock. THIRD READINGS. The following Bills were read a third time and passed: Carlisle Gas Light and Coke Company. Clerical, Medical, and General Life Assurance Society. Ramsey, Up wood, and Great Raveley Tarf Fens, and Lockspit Lots and Lockspit Lands Drainage and Im provement. South Wales Railway (No. 1). PETITIONS. Mr.' FREWEN presented petitions from Newhaven ,and other places against Post-office labour on Sundays. Viscount BARRINGTON presented similar petitions from Cheadle. Mr. ELLIS presented a petition from the Midland Railway Company complaining of the inequality of the proposed stamp duties. Mr. W. PATTEN presented petitions from ♦arious parts of Lancashire against Sunday labour in the Post office. Mr. HARRIS presented a petition from Market Har borough praying for the application of the funds of the Church to the relief of national burdens. Mr. W. J. FOX presented a petition from Glasgow against Sunday labour in the Post-office. Mr. C. LUSHINGTON presented a petition from Chelsea in favour of secular education. Colonel CHATTERTON presented petitions from various parts of Ireland against Sunday labour in the Post-office. Mr. TIIORNELY presented petitions from places in Leicestershire aad Devonshire in favour of secular edu cation. Sir J. WALMSLEY presented a petition from Neilson and Co., of Glasgow, in favour of the abolition of the punishment of death. Sir H. HALFORD presented petitions from different parts of Leicestershire against Sunday labour in the Post-office; also a petition from Market Harborough in favour of the extension of the jurisdiction of county courts. Sir DE LACY EVANS presented petitions from dif ferent parts of the metropolis praying for the repeal of the taxes on newspapers. Lord GALWAY presented several petitions against Sunday labour in the Post-office. Mr. CHRISTOPHER presented similar petitions from various parts of Lincolnshire. Mr. NV. BROWN presented, a petition from Liverpool in favour of secular education. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD presented petitions from Rochdale praying for the reduction of the duty on tea. Mr. B. DENISON presented petitions from Dews bury and several other places in Yorkshire in favour of an eleven hours' Factory Bill. Mr. TRELA.WNY presented petitions from various parts of the West of England against Sunday labour in the Post-office. Mr. BRIGHT presented petitions from various par ties in Manchester against the existence of an Esta blished Church. Mr. WALPOLE presented a petition from the law stationers of London praying for an alteration of the Stamp Duties Bill. Mr. COWAN presented petitions from Edinburgh and other parts of Scotland against Sunday labour in the Post-office,. Lord HOTHAM presented a petition from a place in the West Riding complaining that the Stamp Duties Bill made no provision for re luting the duty on the re gistration of deeds. Sir R. H. INGLIS presented a petition from the Royal College of Physicians i❑ favour of the claims of naval assistant-surgeons to additional accommodation; also a pet tion from the president, vice-president, end members of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Insti tution, taking notice of the great loss of life arising out of the indiscriminate sale of poison, particularly arsenic, and praying the House to take steps to restrict its sale. Colonel THOMPSON presented three petitions from Bradford—one against the Education Bill, the other against Sunday labour in the Post-office ; and the third, praying for the repeal of the taxes on knowledge. Mr. POWER presented a petition from Cork against the Fisheries Bill Mr. BAGSUAW presented a petition in favour of the Copyhold Enfranchisement Bill. Captain DUNDAS presented a petition against the Marriage Bill. Sir D. DUNDAS presented a petition from Suther landshire to the same effect. Sir T. BIRCH presented a petition from Liverpool, praying for the repeal of the taxes on knowledge. Mr. HUME presented a petition in favour of the Edu cation Bill. Mr. HUNIE presented a petition from Stirling and its vicinity complaining that the dress of the Highland sol dier, consisting of kilt and philibeg, was indecent— (Laughter)—that during the eighteen months that the 93d Highlanders had bee❑ stationed at Stirling Castle the inhabitants had been sub jected to painful spectacles—(Roars of laughter)— that it was understood that each of the soldiers received a bonus of 1/. ss. foe wearing the kilt, and tbat it was exceedingly inconvenient to them in this inclement sea son.—(Renewed laughter.) The petitioners prayed the House to give the matter its most serious considera tion.—(Roars of laughter.) Mr. HUME also presented a petition from Framling ton, in Northumberland, in favour of the Bill for secu lar education. Mr. WAWN presented petitions from South Shields, as we understood, against the Marriage Bill, and pray ing for the cessation of Sunday labour in the Post-office. Mr. G. HAMILTON presented a petition from the Irish Church Association, complaining of the diversion of the episcopal fund from its legitimate objects. Lord JOHN MANNERS presented a petition from a place in Lancashire against the relay system in factories. Lord R. GROSVENOR presented a petition from Chelsea and other places against Sunday labour in th© Post -office. Mr. KERSHAW presented a petition from a Baptist congregation in Brecknock against church-rates. Lord JOCELYN presented a petition in favour of the Marriage Bill. Sir J. WALSH presented a petition in favour of the Copyhold Enfranchisement Bill. Mr. C. BRUCE presented a petition from a place in the county of Elgin, complaining of the operation of the poor-law in Scotland; also several petitions from places in Scotland against the Marriage Bill, and against Sunday labour in the Post-office. Mr. STAFFORD presented a petition from a place in Northamptonshire in favour of the Bill for the regis tration of copyholds. Sir GEORGE CLERK presented several petitions from places in Scotland against Sunday labour in the Post-office. Mr. SCHOLEFIELD presented a petition from Bir mingham against church-rates. Lord BARRINGTON presented a petition from the Great Western Railway Company against the stamp duties. COUNTY RATES. Mr. FREWEN said in the early part of the session ho moved for certain returns from county court treasurers, but certain treasurers had neglected to send in those returns, and he begged to give notice that unless the returns were made within a short time he should bring the subject under the particular notice of the House. EDUCATION IN IRELAND Mr. HAMILTON gave notice that, on the motion for going into Committee of Supply, he should move an ad dress to the Crown on the subject of education in Ire land COURT OF CHANCERY. Mr. G. TURNER gave notice that on an early day he should move for leave to bring in a Bill to diminish the delays and expense of proceedings in the High Court of Chancery. PEERS' REFRESHMENT ROOMS. Sir DE LACY EVANS wished to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether, in pursuance of the report of the Commissioners of Fine Arts, it was the intention of the Government to expend 1,0504 on pictures relating to the chase, to decorate the Peers' refreshment rooms? Lord JOHN RUSSELL said a sum had been allowed for the purpose, and the rooms would be decorated in the manner which the Commissioners of Fine Arta had de termined. Sir DE LACY EVANS asked if the item was in eluded in the estimates ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said 4,000 i. was annually voted, and distributed under the di rection of the Fine Arts Commission. That item in -eluded these decoKationp. QUARANTINE.. 1 , Mr. HUME wished to inquire whether any measures had been taken by the Government to modify or reduce the quarantine est Lblishment, of thi country ? Mr. LABOUCLIERE replied that some corre spondence had passed with foreign powers on the subject, but at present he could r.e,t promise; to lay it on the table. Th,,re were now only three quarantine stations in th's country, which invols el an annual expeL dant%) of 1,5C01. RETURNS. OF IRELAND. Lord J. RUSSELL gave notice that on the 6th of May he should move for leave to bring in a Bill to create a Secretary of State for Ireland, with a view to the abolitio❑ of the Lord-Lieutenancy of that country. SALE OF IRISH ENCUMBERED ESTATES. Mr. STUART wished to ask several questions of the Solicitor-General with reference to the working of the Irish Encumbered Estates Act. The first was, how many estates had been sold under that Bill; secondly, how many orders bad been granted; and thirdly, how many applications had been made for orders upon return cf half the purchase money, and the rest of the money to be furnished in the manner provided for by the Bill. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said he bad no au thentic information on the subject; but if the Hon. Mem ber moved for returns they would be furnished. Mr. STUART said he would move for the return now. Agreed to. SAVINGS' BANKS. Mr. H. HERBERT asked if the Chancellor of the Ex chequer had been able to make up his mind when the Savings' Banks Bill would be brought in? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the state of public business rendered it exceedingly difficult to command a day. The first day he could fairly take for the Bill he would not fail to avail himself of it. STAMP DUTIES BILL. On the motion for going into Committee on this Bill, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, as there had been so much misapprehension on the subject of the altered Bill, he thought it right to state, that although a considerable number of reductions had been made, in no instance was there any additional taxation imposed ; no other tax had been levied in the altered Bill now be fore the House beyond that contained; in the first schedule, which had passed through Committee. He had received a great number of communications from parties respecting this measure, and as it was impossible to transmit to each an answer, he had referred them all to the board of Inland Revenue for consideration, and a digest had been made ( f the whole, and he believed he was now justified in stating that 99 out of every 100 of the persons who felt aggrieved by the measure had had their views met by the alterations which had been made by the Government. He stated when he introduced the Bill that he intended to proceed on the ad valorem prin ciple, and he had carried out that principle as far as he possibly could. Mr. GOULBURN said the Right Hon. Gentleman intended to introduce into the B.li a mode for levying the stamp duty which had heretofore never been adopted. It appeared to him that the systsm proposed by the Right Hon. Gentl man would lead to great inconveni ence and much injustice, and would suggest that the scale should be a descending and not an ascending one. Under the existing law, a mortgage for 50,0001. paid a duty of 25/., but when this Bill passed it would he raised to 250/., while a mortgage for 150,0001. would have to pay 750/. Now, would the House allow him to point out the inconvenience which must result from this? Why, the ingenuity of man would suggest some mode of advancing money without incurring expense, or the practice of lending money upon mortgage would bo greatly restricted, if not. abo lished, and as either alternative must prove highly injurious to the country, he hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman would reconsider his plan. With regard to marriage settlements, the Bill certainly would have a very ill effect, for though it decreased the duty under 500/., when they amounted to 1,000/. it in creased them, and he must remind the House that there were unfortunately, more se Cements effected above 1,0001. than under. He had stated these objections in order that the Chancellor of the Exchequer might take them into consideration before going into Committee. Mr. MULLINGS, in objecting to the Bill, remarked that the first duty was the bargain and sale duty for one year. It should be put in the tame category with lease holds for years. He conceived that the warrants of at torney and mortgages might rut in a claim (as we un dcrstnocl) fur further consideration. It was his opinion that taxation upon loans was a vicious principle, for it was a tax upon the necessities and distresses of the people.—(Hear.) He knew of patties being frequently in such a situation that they were not able to pay the expenses of the mortgage. But what would be the case under this Bill ? Up to 1,0001. there would be relief afforded, but the moment they passed beyond 1,000/. the evil e ould be aggravated. Upon 2,000/., where 6/. was now paid, 10/. would be required ; upon 3,0001., in stead of 71., it would be 151. ; upon 4,000/., instead of 8/., it would be 20/. ; and on 5,000/, instead of 101., it would be 25/. ; and so it went on up to 100,0001., when the stamp duty was 5001., and so that in cases that he knew a party would have to ;pay 600/. and 7001. stamp duty. This did not affect . the land only. Then in a settlement, if any person granted an annuity, whether contingent or otherwise, that was calculated as an abso lute annuity, and had to pay stamp duty, although it might never come into effect.—(Hear.) It had been stated that this Bill would give relic f, and it had been calculated that the revenue would lose 300,000/. a year. It was his belief, and it had not been altered by the fal lacious set of duties he had seen, that the produce of the revenue would be infinitely more than 300,000/. Mr. ROUNDELL PALMER thought there were many objections to the Bill, especially c ith reference to building societies. Mr. HUME said that hitherto small sums had paid more duties than large ones; and as he understood the Government, the object of the Bill was to make all pay in proper proportions, if such was the case (and he had been told that it was), he felt bound to suppor the Bill. Mr. HENLEY complained that time had not been given to Members and parties to consider the Bill as reprinted, and the House was called upon to act in the dark. Under such circumstances he thought they ought not at present to go into Committee on the Bill. Mr. SADLEIR observed that a more difficult or a more complex Bill than the Stamp Duties Bill, with its schedule B, could not possibly be laid before the House. It involved most difficult questions, and embraced more interests throughout the United Kingdom than any other measure that be knew of. They had been told that the Bill was to bo a great boon to the United Kingdom, and that declaratiAl was followed by a Bill which, he was happy to say, had been abandoned—a Bill that ho was unwilling to speak of in harsh terms, because he did not like to speak evil of the dead, but yet a . Bill of whi c h h e could not refrain from saying, that if it had passed in the shape it had been brought forward would have brought disaster and ruin upon the agricultural and commercial community alike.—(Hear.) He was happy to say that the Right Hoe. Gentleman had adopt e d nine tenths of the suggestions that had been made; but even now with his amended all he asked the Right Hon. Gentleman was be prepared to stind by his sugges tions?—(Hear.) Would he even now say that he would not yield to any suggestion?—(Hear.) What provi sion, he asked the Right Hon. Gentleman, was there in the Bill for that large class of deeds that were now 1111- duly stamped?—(lfc'ar, hear.) There;as — no - laW - so consistently avoided as the stamp laws, and why so? Because they dare riot enforce them—because if they al enforce them they would bring to a complete stand still the mercantile operations of this great com mercial country. The Chancellor of the Exchequer regarded all dealings above 1,0001. as large transactions, and subjected them to high rates of duties. Assuredly the Right Hon. Gentleman must know that transactions under I,OOOL were of very limited nature compared with others above that sum. Benefit would have been conferred if the duties had been lowered on all transac- tions under 10,0001. In Ireland the duties in one case were increased 100 per cent. upon a certain class of leases which now paid only Is. It was desirable to hare the I. ,registretton o f all deeds, and the mat charged was the On the motion of Mr. HUME, the following returns were ordered:—An account of the aggregate amount paid for advertiements by the public departments c f Government in the United Kingdom for the year 1848, stating specially the amount paid by the Board of Inland Revenue, the Customs, Post-otlice, Treasury, and Commissariat Departments, Bo trd of Ordnance and Store Department, Board of Ad miralty and Victualling Board, Woods and Forests, Poor-law Board and boards of guardians, and all pub lic departments, so as to exhibit the total amount paid for advertisements to newspapers for the public service in one year; also a statement of what measures have been adopted respecting the erection, manage ment, and superintendence of the lighthouses in the British colonies and possessions (in continuation of Parliamentary paper, No. 225, of session 1849); and an abstract (f any returns received from the colonies upon the subject since April, 1849; al;o an ac count of the expenses attending the preparation, printing, and sale of the " Nautical Almarads" in each of the years 1847, 1848, and 1849 ; stating the number t f copies printed and the number sold in each year; stating by whom sold, the price at which sold, the per centage allowed on the salt, and the less or gain to the public in each year; and an account, in detail, of the manner in which the 1,0001. voted annually for "re wards, experiments, and other expenses for scientific pur poses," during the last three years, has been expended. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MALTA. Sir R. H. INGLIS rose to put a question to the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, on the sub ject of certain proceedings at Malta, in reference to the Roman Catholic Church in that island. Some excite ment, he said, had taken place, both in this country and in Malta, in consequence of an ordinance which bad issued from the Council in that country, which had had the effect of declaring the Roman Catholic religion the dominant religion in that island, and which provided for the toleration of other religions. A member of her Majesty's Government in that island had objected that the religion professed by her Majesty, and which she had sworn by her coronation oath to maintain, could scarcely bo treated as a tolerated religion in any part of her dominions. The Government, however, were beaten on the question, and the ordinance was issued. The Bishop of Gibraltar, who ought to be called the Bishop of Malta, had protested against this ordinance, and the question which he wished to ask, was whether that ordinance had arrived, and what course her Ma jesty's Government intended to take on the subject. Mr. HAWES said the lion. Baronet had not stated the circumstances correctly. No ordinance had been issued, but the facts had taken place in consequence of certain changes which had been recently effected in the criminal code, some of which related to offences com mitted against religion. The Bishop of Gibraltar had protested, and his protest had arrived in this country. The Secretary of State for the Colonies had acquainted the Governor of Malta, that if those changes were em bodied in an ordinance, he should feel it his duty to re fuse to sanction it.—(Cheers.) ABOLITION OF THE LORD-LIEUTENANCY i saze n u t r e e s a tam ho r us d e u o ty f 0 1 n ol.a securities year a s was s on 50 a year. there was no app li cation of the principle of graduation the same, and to tie m.—Jlear, hear.) In the next place ho thought it was extremely unjust that mere personalty should be subjected to the same scale of duties as were to be charged upon real property. Then he came to the ease of redeem able annuities; and why, he asked, were they to bear a higher rate of stamp duty than mortgage transactions? Redeemable annuities were mortgages granted by tenants for lif,!; and it was monstrous that any Bill should be submitted to the consideration of the House which con' twined principles so directly opposed to one another, whilst no a- tempt was made to set at rest those questions of litigation which referred to licences granted by paten. tees. Again, by the imposition of a progressive duty in addition to the ad valorem duty on mortgage transactions, they would drive parties to resort to practices by which he feared the titles of this country would ere long be come as voluminous, prolix, and entangled as the Irish titles with which the Solicitor -General had recentlf been dealing. He also regretted that no effort was made by the Bill to remove the difficulties which had arisen, and which were daily increasing, with regard to the pro per duty upon the transfer of mortgages.—(Hear, hear.) e Hen. and Learned Gentleman (the Attorney-Gene r-d) shock his head to express his di ssat i s f act i on at big not being allowed to'ru s h at once:into Committee; but it was just possible that the observations which he (elr. Sadleir) and other Members had made might be the, in ans of renderi ng th e Bill use f u l and practicable; and sun, ly no one would say that they could, without dams' ping their own reputation and the reputation of the GO' yen must, pass such a measure unaccompanied by any remark through the House.—(Hear, hear.) For his own part he was anxious to take some pains, in order to send the measures which originated there to the other House of Parliament in as perfect a shape as attention and care could make them; and he trusted the Hon. and Learned Gentleman would exhibit no further impatience upon the course which had been taken in this instance. Another point to which he desired to refer was the sub ject of portions for younger children. They were now exempt from settlement duty ; and he put it to the Chancellor cf the Exchequer whether they ought not so to continue. But the greatest objection he had to urge was the ex pest facto operation of the Bill, even in its amended form, with regard to deeds which had been either entirely or in part executed. It frequently occurred that the greatest difficulty was ex perienced in the attempt to ascertain what was the right stamp for a deed. This was the cause of constant con flicts and contentions, but there was not a public board in the country which would give the professional man, the landed or the commercial interest, the slightest in formation upon the subject. In his opinion it was highly desirable to vest a power in the Commissioners for In land Revenue to declare what was the proper stamp duty to be imposed upon a deed; and as it was professed that it was intended by the Bill to confer a boon upon the, landed interest, he would suggest the addition of a sim ple clause, enacting that every stamped instrument executed anterior to the passing of the Bill should be deemed and taken as duly stamped. That would be I practical boon and a substantial benefit to the landed in terest. In concluding, the Hon. Gentleman said that be claimed exemption from additional duties for all those parties who might have been so unfortunate as not to have. placed a correct construction upon the existing stamp : laws, under which no man could be confident in expresso ing an opinion. The House then went into Committee. On the first clause being proposed, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose and said, that with regard to a great number of ques' tionts which had been raised in the course of the present . discussion, they would be more conveniently answered when the clauses to which they particularly referre d came under the consideration of the Committee. It was not true that he had ever stated that he proposed a zees' sure which would be of general relief to all parties. What he stated was, that he proposed a measure which would afford relief in all transactions of a small amount, whilst he should indemnify himself by raising the del on those of a larger amount.. And when he laid down that principle it appeared to meet with the general ar probation of the House—(Hear, hear.) He stated die • tiretly that he proposed to adopt an ad valorem duty throughout; not that there should be a higher amount ea large sums, but that theper-centageshould be equal. Sup' posing 100,0001. or 200,000/. were borrowed, no doubt it would be hard if a high per-centage were placed on that amount ; but the hardship would be just as great, upon the poor shopkeeper, or other person in similar cir cumstances. If it were just in the one case, it was jest in the other ; and the principle that appeared to him the most fair to adopt %Nes that of an equal percentage on large and small sums, He quite felt that 0 1 1 amount of duty upon borrowing was very large, sad after having had communications with the chair , man of the Beard of Inland Revenue, be was prepared to move in Committee an equal per tentage on mort gages and bonds. Ile had at first proposed a duty 0 '• per cent. on mortgages and bonds; he proposed now to reduce it to a uniform I— that was to say, ss. instead ' of 10s. on every 100/. Tne Hon. Member for Oxford shire (Mr. Henley) had asked him if he could no t fur nish some information to the) House to show what would be the probable amount of revenue. But it was pur ely , a matter of estimate, an d h e was a f ra id t h at he co uld not lay upon the table any return by which a certain conclusion on the subject could be arrived at. The Hon. C entleman must be aware that it was the mass of small transactions, and not the few large ones, that produced the great amount of r evenue . Il e had gone carefully over the matter, however, wi:h those persons in the Board of Inland Revenue who were mimbers of the late Board of Stamps and Taxes, and the nearest conclusion to which they had been able to come, after revising it with the utmost c,ri , was that the loss by the proposition, as ha at first stated it, might, under the most favourable circumstances, be taken ut 270,0001.—he had previously stated it at 300,000/.—and that the proposal he now made cf reducing the duty from one-half to one . quarter par cent. might occasion a further loss of 50,00 0 /. or 60,000/. But he could not prove this. It was im possible to produce figures to show the loss upon trap' section.; of this nature. Ho might lock for some in: crease of these transactions by reducing the amount or the stamp duty, just as he looked for an increase of re' venue from the Customs duties when they wet ° lowered ; but it was impossible to say to what extent- What he now stated was upon the authority of those who had the best information upon the subject. He had no other authority ; and the loss upon the proposition he now made might run up to 320,0001, or 330,000/.; but it would certainly be more than 300,000/.—not less. The Hon. Member for Cirencester (Mr. Mullings) had given notice of a clause for obviating the inconvenience which arose out of doubts upon the amount of stamp duties payable by law. He (Sir C. Wood) thought it was esa' tremely desirable to dl that. Ho did net think, how' ever, that the clause which the Hon. Member proposed would affect that object in the best possible pay. Bu t in order to attain that object, he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) should propose to give to the Commis: sioners of Stamps the power of deciding and adjuth; eating what the stamp duty should be in cases of small amounts. Mr. DISRAELI had understood the Right Hon. Gentleman originally to say—and he had, in fact, refer red to the expressioe himself this evening—that he in" tc tried to bring in a measure for the advantage of whe t , he called the l a nd e d i nteres t, an d t h e o bj ect of t h e 'U g h' Hon. Gentleman was a praiseworthy one.—(Hear, hear.) It was to assist the smaller proprietors—that was the expression then used; that these small proprietors w ele not the least important part of the landed interest, and, that they were to receive re li e f f rom a mo difi cat i on or the stamp duties that affected them.—(Hear, hear.) The Right lion. Gentleman now said that at that time he informed the House that he could not make this benefi" cial arrangement for the small proprietors, nnless he et the same time made some other changes which would, 0 ' course, press more upon the greater proprietors—in fact , recur to, or adopt, an ad valorem system.—(Hear, hear.) Now he (Mr. Disraeli) could not recollect that when the Right Hon. Gentleman made his financial statement:, that the phrase "ad valorem" esca p e d f rom " t h ose lips . —(A laugh.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER-0, yes.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. DISRAELI—WeII, but what was the Bight Hon. Gentleman's proposition when he came forward with his budget ?—(Hear, hear.) He said, "I a m going to introduce a measure for the'advantage of the small proprietors and the landed interest. I anticipate that the changes which I am going to make will cost the re• venue 300,000/. or 400,000/., and I am going to sacrifice of my surplus a sum to that amount." Well, that was an intelligible proposition.—(Hear, hear.) But what did he say to-night ? Why he said, "I am prepared to benefit the landed interest and the small proprietors to the amount of 350,0001.; but as compensation for that I must lay on an amount ;of taxation which will probably reach at least to the same extent on the greater pro prietors." Now he (Mr. Disraeli) asked, was that con sistent with the Right Hon. Gentleman's original state: ment, that ho was going to devote a certain portion or his surplus revenue to the benefit of the landed interest —(Hear, hear)—when it turned out that the great pien of the Government was to tax one portion of an landed interest in order to relieve another portion or the landed interest ?—(Loud cheers.) Had the Right Honourable Gentleman—(continued Mr. Disraeli), introduced a measure the object of which are a to benefit the (small proprietors by devoting t'" their service a portion of the surplus revenue, as are° originally stated, I should have accept e d a mea sure e , that kind as a boon; but the present measure—even if 11 _,' be a politic and necessary measure—is o n e o f i nc rease: taxation upon the landed interest, or a consid era ble p. ol :_ Lion of the landed interest; and whether it b e a and necessary measure or not, I maintain that a rue °. sure of this kind ought to be brought forward frankly--; (Hear, hear)—that it ought not to be brought forward_ under a false pretence; that the Government should not upon an occasion of such importance as the budget come forward and announce that they are introducing a ure a; sure for the benefit of a considerabl e sec ti on o f the landed interest, by devoting ',:to them a portion of the surplu s .. rev enue, and then when w e come to t h e d eta il s it turns out that this good is to be secured by taxing another portion of the landed int eres t.—(Ch eers. ) B ut if, as have been told to-night, the Right Hon. Gentleman is fr find compensation by a n a d va l orem sca l e o f duties, , want to know what h ee means to do with the 300,000_1 surplus revenue in the TreaZriwhicialalnOt be ne cessary. Probably he may devote that to-morrow nigh t to reducing the tax upon paper, or some other measur e , which his friend s may propose to hi m . —(H ea r, hear./ At present, however, it appears that we have 300,000/. of surplus, which may be devoted to any purpose which lion. Gentlemen may suggest.—(Hear, bear.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that by the rules of the House he was not at liberty to refer to the report of the debate on a former night; but he begged to say that the memory of the Hon. Member for Buckinghamshire was most inaccurate, for that Hon. Gentleman had put into his mouth expressions and words, which he had never uttered.—(Ministerial cheers.) Og course he had not done so intentionally. What he Oil Chanoollor taleion Was gli'd to stacni lin4r 30000 the duty on t whit OV rt. 4 5 , of 75) 000/. (the Chancel] other, a aurP: know whence r ",asure h e ye It 1045 0 same time ate 0 0:1'cl) f F'1:110aa i v t l . 'r: r i.ra C .bib iz ini i c a St3r a 'a i in o c l i c' e f a ' En all au le 300.0001 fan of :° a t sh h te ji umi Op( di on 300,0 001. t When i Committee the bnilget