The Sun. — London, England, 1851-07-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, ROCHESTER DIOCESAN FEMALE TRAIN- I ING INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTION. On Wednesday the foundation stone of this institu tion was laid by the Bishop of Rochester. The Eastern Counties Rail way ran special trains to and from Shore ditch to Bishop Stortford. The proceedings com menced with Divine service in Bishops Stortford Church, and after an impressive discourse had been preached by the Reverend J. Br&MStOl2 from the 3d chapter of Collosians, 17th verse, a pro cession was formed to Bramble-hill, about a mile to the eastward, where the intended building will be erected. The procession was formed in th e followin g order :—The National School children, the Church wardens, the High School and Masters, Mr. Harle bearing the silver trowel and velvet cushion, on the former of which was inscribed, " ' Feed my lambs,' John xxi., verse 15. This trowel was presented to the Hon. and Right Rev. George Lord Bishop of Rochester, by the inhabitants of Bishops Stortford, Herts., on the occasion of his laying the foundation stone of the Diocesan Training Institution for School mistresses, at Hockerell, near Bishops Stortford, on the 2d of truly, A.D. 1851." Next cams the archi tect and f,uilder, bearing the mallet, levels, and plate, on which was engraved—" The foundation-stone of this institution for the industrial training of sixty schoolmistresses in the diocese of Rochester was laid by the Right Rev. G. Murray, D.D., lord bishop of the diocese, on Wednesday, July 2, 1851, with many prayers to God that His blessing may prosper the work thus commenced." The Bishop and Archdeacon Burney followed, after which the clergy and gentry brought up the rear. Psalms were chaunted as the procession moved through the town. Upon reaching the intended site, the bishop, kneeling, offered up several prayers, and on receiving the trowel he expressed his thanks for the honour the inhabitants had canferred on him by selecting him to take so prominent a part in the proceedings, and sincerely hoped the anticipations which they bad formed would, by the blessings of God, be realised. The stone was then lowered, and the ceremony ter minated. The intended building has been designed by Mr. Clarke, of Stratford-place. It is in the Elizabethan or Tudor style of architecture, composed of brick with Bath stone borders to the doors, windows, &c., a n d has a chequered front, similar to the great ball in Lincoln's-inn and the buildings of Hamp ton Court Palace. The extreme e l e vation will be 43 feet, length 220 feet, and depth 156 feet. It com prises an infant school, dini n g hall, matron's apart men's, &c., and will cov e r a n area of 21 acres. The estimated cost is 9,000 L, towards ,which the National Society have subscribed 600/., and with the Govern ment grant the subscriptions amount to 4,5001. A further sum of 441. 12s. 3d. was collected yesterday at the church door. THE DETAINER DETAINED. A few days ago a mechanic in one of the dis tricts of Ayrshire, who was rich in ingenuity, pre paring to em i g rate, found a little obstacle in the revi val o f an ancient dispute about the division of some trialb• however, having got his machinery in motion he commenced " sitting on a rail" as far as Greenock, when eo his annoyance he found the vessel did not sail for a couple of days, and on the second he got a post-haste advice, that if he did not eail instantly tie might probably be persuaded not to sail at all, by rea son of the determination of hi 3 friend, who, with a war rant, intended to see whether he might not be dispond to come aehore again and reason the matter. Chest; and family on board and passago paid, this wa3 a serious and sudden slap at him in the hour of his extremity. However, SI he had always depended more upon his head then his heels heretofore, he stuck to the scat of the reasoning powers to the last; and stepping into the Greenock police-office next morning, he told u sen sible honest-like tale of how he had come down the coun try and intended to cross to Helensburgh, but before he could return, same night, a weak friend, whom he de scribed, and whom he intended to place in safe keeping. might arrive,and that he would take it a great favour that the officers would take charge of him till he should i eturn from Helensburgh. He told them the train he would probably arrive by, and that he always carried what he believed to be a warrant, having for years been uniler the hallucination that somebody owed him 201. The bait took • our emigrant dropped down the river, and sailed for the land of liberty the same afternoon, while his out-witted creditor, detected at once on stepping out of the train, was the more decidedly believed to be all he had been re• presented the more indignantly he repelled the insinua tions of the police, and the more loudly he vowed ven geance. When the last steamer arrived from Helens burgh that night without a cleineant for the captive, the scales fill from the eyes of the police ; but ere this the anchor had been weighed, and the 6. mart" man had pieced twenty knots of a different king between himself and his friend.—Ayr Advertiser. NOVEL EXPERIMENT.-EXYL , OSION AT TUIRTY MILES' RANGE. On Wednesday a series of extraordinary experiments were pen/brand at the Gutta Percha Company's works, I Wharf-road, City-road, calculated to show the immense distance or long range at which explosion can be pro duced by the galvanic battery, by which the electric spark is propelled along c pper wires, insulated by a covering of gutta percha, of a similar construction to that used for the sub-marine telegraph. Much to the' surprise of the spectators, the instantaneous ignition and explosion of several charges of gunpowder was produced through a length of no less than thirty miles of wire; the, respective coils forming this length being from 500 to 700 yards each, were immersed in the water of the Regent's Canal, and attached to a barge moored off the company's premises. The wire use'd for this purpose was what is called No. 16 gauge, entirely enveloped in gotta percha, and the only parts not entire!) , under water were the small pertions necessary for connecting the coils; the perfection of the whole arrangement, and the itssulating properties of got t a pereha being rendered apparent by the magical rapidity of the explo.ions, and the facility with which the connexion could be severed. The discovery of this novel long range is attributable to Mr. Statham, the managing director, while experiment ing upon heating platina wire for mining purposes, and the experiments of Wednesday show that not only can this novel mode of blasting be applied to mining but also to warlike purposes, and that distance is no object, as it could be equally effected with any length of wire, pro vided it were perfectly insulated. The experiments, it is understood, will shortly be repeated in the presence of high military authorities and scientific gentlemen. DISEASES OF INTEMPERANCE. At a meeting of the Statistical Society of London, held on the 16th of June, the Right Hon. Lord Overstone President, in the chair, a paper was read by Mr. F. G. P. Nelson, on the " Rate of Mortality among Persons of Intemperate Habits." Mr. Neison commenced his paper by explaining that the primary reason for collecting the data then brought forward, was to apply the results to life assurance eperations, and he had consequently only included well marked cases of intemperance, and nut brought into his observations mere occasional drinkers, or what is termed generous or "free livers." Through out the whole of the tables the mortality shown was frightfully high. In the 6111•5 years of life, to which the observation extended, 357 deaths had taken place; but if these lives had been subject to the same rate of mortality as the general population of England and Wales, the number of deaths would have been 110 only, or less than one-third. Some curious results were shown in the influence of the different kinds of drink on the duration of life; beer drinkers averaging 21.7 years, spirit drinkers 161, and those who drank both spirits and beer indiscriminately 16.1 years. These results, however, were not more curious than those connected with the different classes of persons. The average du ration of life after the commencement of intemperate habits among mechanics, working and labouring men, was 18 years; traders, dealers, and merchants, 17; pro fessional men and gentlemen, 15; and females, 14 years only. But perhaps the most curious circumstance dis closed was the remarkable similarity between the pre vortion of crime in the sexes to the proportion of deaths from as Qgned causes of intemperance. It was shown NI the tendency to crime in the male sex is nearly five times greater than that of the female, or Moro strictly, in the relation of 336 to 1,581, while the ratio of death s to the population from assigned intemperate causes at the age of 20 an d upwards, are in the relation of 8.011 to 36,769—a mos t remarkable agreement, the differenc e being under 2 per cent—Builder. ---_____ FREINCH RA IL WA Y TRAFFIC. The following are the bat returns of the gross re ceipts of the principal French RailwaP : NoRTHE RN . 291,1 I lf. ; good s 1 2rxi June IS to June 24: Passengers, 473,810 f. RonEN......p rora ' 1 ,1 699 E; total, . 96,312 f.; goods, 81,41je' 15 to ~„ J un e 21 . Passengers, HANRE.—F rom - 1 .“ . .; total, 177,71nr Jun e 38,409 f.; goods, 37, 135 f 1 5 to June 21 : Passengers, ORLEANS.—From Juns Is to dune 22 : ' 1 tqtal 75,544 f. 92,047 K ; goods, 109,402 f • Passengers, BORDEAUX.—Fro m J un . .' t ir ll , 201,449 f. 41,46 a ,.; goods, 43 633 f,; VIERZON —From Jun 16 a t• l l B l, l , Cl2f. tot . " i t ° Juno 22: Passengers, 36,933 f.; goods, 39,762 E; tot a l, A ,% 22 : passengers , BOULOGNEiI.—rom June 16 to Juts 14.972 f.; total, 4 7.5:71' 2 ' 32,575 K; goody, Passengers, NAIITES.—From June 14 to Jun, 20 : p 23,096 f.; eoods, 20.407 f.; total, 43,503 f. -B • B2 engerS, STRASBURG —llOlll June 18 to Juno 24; p , 5 ,,, 104.773; good,, 67,228 f. total, 172 001 f. a --17`Zers, MoNTEßEAu.—FromJune 11 to June 17 : Passenry zer , ‘ 11.831 K ; goods, 13,7151'. ; total, 25,546 f. MARSEILLES.—FromJuno 11 to June 17: Passengers, 44.026 f.; goods, 22,255 f.; total, 66,284 f. LYONS. —From June 8 to June 14 : Passengers, 220,624 f.; goods, 53,285 f.; total, 273,909 f. CHARTREs.—From June 9 to June 15: Passengers, 28,477 f.; goods. 17,073 F.; total, 45,550 f. S TO CK-171-TRADE. — The Act 3 d and 4 th Vie., c. 83, Con tinuing the examption of inhabitants from liability, to be rated as such in respect of stock-in-trade, or other pro perty, to the read' of the poor, is proposed by Mr. Bouverie and Sir George Grey to be continued till the Ist October, 18.52. The Bill authorising the continuation has been printed. Barns'? CLIPPERS. —We may notice the quick e"ato of the, new brig Everton, Captain John Ditchburn, by Mr. it Willi a mson this year at Harringion, which has just completed her passage to Earbadoes and hack t o silty -a : 378 . Captain D. writes in the most flattering terms of his vessel, and states that, although for some time he met with cross winds, he passed every vessel in his track. acquet, A BOY TWELVE YEARS OLD COM MITTED FOR WILFUL MURDER. On Thursday an inquest was held at the King's Head Hotel, Horsham, touching the death of Wm. Gibson, aged 14 years. The first witness, Lucy Jenkins, deposed to seeing deceased and a boy, John Payne, walking up the Church-causeway on the evening of the 14th June. She sat at work, but hear ing a cry looked up, and saw Gibson crying, and he said " you've done—you've done it, look here." Just at this time Mr. Killick, who lives just opposite, came out and asked what was the matter, when Gibson said " Payne has stabbed me with a knife." She heard no struggling between them, she only heard the cry. Did not see any knife.—Robert Killick deposed to saying to Payne, " Why did you stab him (Gib son) ?" and Payne replied, "because he hit me on the side of the head with his fist." Gibson denied having hit him at all. Saw blood running from Gibson's side. Didn't see a knife at all. The boys then parted, and each went in the direction of their homes. Mr. James Winkworth, surgeon, from a post mortem examination made that morning, stated that there could be no possible doubt that deceased bad died from the effect of a wound given with a pocket-knife. William Stedman, the magistrate's clerk, deposed to taking deceased's dying statement on oath. It was that he was walking up the Church causeway when he saw Payne sharpening a knife on a stone. After having passed Payne about six feet, be looked round and saw Payne coming after him with a knife in his hand, which he immediately thrust into his right side. A man looked out of a window on the causeway at the time and told Payne he would be either hanged or transported. He (Gib son) had never had any quarrel with Payne; neither did he say or do an thing to Payne previous to his stabbing him. The jury returned a verdict of " Wil ful Murder against John Payne," adding that they were of opinion ttat the act was committed with the smallest possible premeditation. Payne was after wards brought before the magistrates and committed to take his trial for wilful murder at the Sussex Sum mer Assizes. —Brighton Guardian. SEABORNE MAILS. [147 signifies that the mails are sent freak the General Post-ofdas by the night—and SI by the morning—dispatch.] When made up in From what when PLACES. GeneralPost-ofilce port die- due. London. patched. A.merica (by Brit. pkt.)N,July 4 .. Liverpool.. July 6 America (by U.S. pkt.) NJuly 8 .. Liverpool July 9 America (by U.S. pkt.) 31'July 16 .. Southampt. Ju ylO Africa (West coast)• • Nll4th of the month Plymouth July 3 Alexandria* • • ...... Nll9th & 30th of mo. Dover .. July 18 Belgium • . NiDally Dover .. Daily Brrzil .. • .. 1119th of the month ISouthampt. July 12 ilucnos Ayres • • .. 31;90 of the month Southampt. July 12 CaliforrJa(viaChagres) M . ld & 17th of month [ Southampt. July 5 Cape of Good Hope N[l4th of month ' Plymouth.. Ju y 3 Constantinople* .... :7th 17th 27th of mo Dover .. July 10 C,entral America .. 31:2d & 17th of mon. ;Southampt. July 5 Channel Isles .. NIMon., Wed., & FrLlSouthampt. Tn. Th.S a Chili . 31,17 th of the month I Southampt. July 20 France & N Twic:i. daily .. .. Dover .. Twicedaily Greece* • • .. N 7th 17 th 27th elm I Dover .. July 10 Hamburgh N'Tuesday & Friday ;London .. Tues. Sat. Holland .. • • .. M Wednes. & Satur.lLondon Moa.Thrt Honduras . N 17th of the moothlSouthampt. July 20 Ireland M & N Twice daily i Holyhead •. 1 wicedaily India(via Southamp.) M 20th of the month Southaropt. July 43 India (via Marseilles) N 7 tit& 24th ofmonth , Dover • • July 16 Mediterranean (via I Southampton) .. M2Oth of the monthlSouthampt. July 23 "Aediterranean (via I Marseilles) N 7th& 24th of month Dover • • July 16 Mexico M 2d of the month.. iSouthampt.lJuly 5 Nlclelra M 9th of the month Southampt.i July 12 Malta'..• • N 7th ,17 th,190, 2 7th 1 l Dover July 10 CI &30th of month Naples* N sth 15th 25th ofmo Dover .. July 12 Papal States* N sth 15th 25th of mo!Dover .. July 12 Peninsular.. • • .. M 7th 17th 27th of mol Southampt. July 6 Peru .. M 17th ut the month Isouthamet. [July 20 Tuscany* N sth 15th 2.5 th of mo Dover .. !July 12 ,Vest Indies 17th of the month ISonthani pt. 'July 40 qest Indies (qxcept Ilavanna & Nassau) M 2d of the msnth * The mails to those c ountrles thus marl; Frenei packet Marseilles. CALIVOILNIA. — MaiIs to and from California are now despatched and due by every Ameri4 I Southarept. !July 5 ed (*) are conveyed b; La, via the United States Lean packet. THE GREAT FLUE AT SAN FRANCISCO. (From the New York Herald.) SAN FRANCISCO, THURSDAY, MAY 15.—Another of those devastating calamities which have so often attacked this city has laid in ashes all the best-built, most densely inhabited and business portions of this city since the departure of the last steamer. On the 4th of May, 1850, about three o'clock in the morning, a fire was discovered which, before it was extin guished, destroyed a great portion of the city. Three times between that and the 3d of May, 1851, did de structive fires again and again destroy the results of energy and perseverance hitherto unparalleled in the annals of the world. On the night of the 3d of May, at 11 o'clock, a small shanty, about 12 feet by 20, was discovered to be on fire. By 7 o'clock on Sunday morning, the 4th of May, more than one half of the city lay in smoking ruins, and buildings and property were destroyed more than equalling in extent and value all that the four great fires (besides the lesser ones) which had occurred within a twelvemonth had consumed. To at tempt to describe the appearance of the city while enveloped in this terrible conflagration, or the aspect of the smoking ruins when the de vastation was complete, or the feelings of those whose breasts were filled with hope the previous evening, and whose fortunes were destroyed in a few hours, would be a hopeless task. Frame-buildings burned like tinder ; iron houses curled up like sheets of paper before a fire; brick buildings, with iron shutters and doors, gave way and crumbled into ruins. Of scores of buildings supposed to be fireproof, within the limits of the burnt district, not a dozen remain, and it seems as if they were preserved by a miracle. Such was the fierceness of the flames that they leaped across streets 100 teat wide, and ignited the buildings as if they were made of touch wood. And when the fury of the flames was exhausted, they were extinguished in as improbable a manner as they had ravaged. They destroyed one end of a wooden building and went out, leaving the remainder standing. To tear down buildings was useless. They might begin a block, but before the first building was demolished the flames had reached them. To blow them up seemed equally unserviceable—the flames crossed the gap thus made as if it were nothing. I forward to you, accompanying this, a map show ing the burnt district, which, with the explanations accompanying it, will enable readers to understand better the accounts you may publish respecting this great catastrophe. The loss is incalculable. You will find the various newspapers estimate it at from 7,000,000 to 20,000,000 dollars. I think the latter estimate will be much nearer the truth than the former. The list of losses which you will find in the newspapers is entirely fallacious, and give no good data upon which to make any calculations. The loss in the destruction of buildings and goods on the ground, bounded by the Plaza on the west, Clay-street on the south, Montgomery-street on the east, and Wash ington-street on the north, can be readily summed up to exceed 2,000,000 dolls., and this is one block only out of more than 20. In the two bonded ware houses which were destroyed, one in California-street end the other in Clay-street, there were more than 2,000 tons of merchandise stored. The value of this merchandise alone was between 400,000 dolls. and 500,000 dolls. Then it must be considered that every store in the city almost had a full stock of goods, and many more were destroyed than were saved, in consequence of the rapidity with which the flames spread, and the unexpected direc tions which they took. Hundreds of persons who were rich on Saturday night had nothing but the clothes in which they stood on Sunday morning. Multitudes of persons did not save a paper ; and, alas ! numbers lost their lives. In one store, at the corner of Montgomery and Sacramento streets, no less than six met a fiery death. Some four or five, whose names are unknown, are known to have perished in the burning streets, and some are believed to have pe rished in burning buildings, whose fate will never be known on earth save by conjecture, when they are never heard of again. But the most wonderful part of the history of this fire is the energy and perserverance displayed by the citizens here. The language does not contain words sufficient to describe or commend their courage and determination. Four times destroyed by fire, and four times rebuilt, this, the fifth catastrophe, is as far from disheartening them as the first. In forty-eight hours after the fire buildings were erected and business was transacted over the still smoking ruins. On this, the eleventh day since the fire (including two Sun days), there are nearly 400 buildings erected or in progress of erection in the burnt district, most of them being completed and occupied. I hazard nothing in saying that in 60 days the whole district will be again covered with buildings. Nearly all of those buildings, it is true, are of wood ; but wherever there was a brick building previously preparations are made to rebuild with such additional securities against fire as they have learned by the recent calamity, and in some cases larger buildings than the previous ones are being erected. Including the building being erected out side the boundaries of the fire, fully 600 buildings are erected or being built since the fire. It is perfectly astounding. It must be seen to be believed. I had no conception of what cou ld or would be done p rior to this. My e xperience has b een ver y varied. I have been in different countries, climates, states, and cities, but have never seen anything like what I have seen here. N ew York has suffered by fires, but extent ßrraono and nothing coin New Y or k would of that city emiee-ostreet, from 'hide should compare in proportion to the populati on parison to San Francisco. A fire in North to East u sweep awa y the th this lastin v, S i a t n h whole city below would be thought, him who should prophecy all its vast population, in th e reat metropolis, '-tiver. And what here is a matter of re built (in eany mannPer)C7l that so much would be e ca p it al, skill, and resources, of In the conflagration all the A n A u e a l w y 3 60 day s ? The prophecy great fire in 12 months. course, ne wspaper -offices ctehsev,fi,efrthe Picayune, Courie t : destroyed except that of the California. The Pacific News, Herald, Balance, LONDON, True Standard offices—all were destroyed totally, ex cept the News, ilerald, and Balance, which saved a portion of their materials. The Pacific News, by obtaining from San Jose some materials which it had there, and the Herald, with what it saved, have since re-appeared. The others have not yet done so, and there is no prospect of their immediate resumption. In the first place, there are no offices to be pur chased, except one inferior and incomplete one, for which an extravagant price is demanded, and, in the second place, the rates for' work have been so much reduced that the prices paid for composition (d dolls. per 1,000 ems) have not only absorbed all the income of the office, but in some cases run them in debt con siderably. The fact is, the printers here have been killing the goose which laid the golden eggs, so that there is not now employment for one-half the number that there was before the fire. The fire has very much unsettled the market for all descriptions of goods, and sales at present are made at very variable rates, depending mach on ac tual need. The speculative feeling is slight. What there is, is in favour of a rise in most articles. }lour cannot be expected to rise in consequence of the large stocks, very little of that article having been destroyed by the fire, as it was principally in store, in vessels in the harbour, and in large brick stores, be longing to the flour company at Benicia. It will probably be some time before the market becomes settled again, so as to be quoted with certainty. We hear of sales of limited quantities of the same article changing hands at a difference of from 20 to 30 per cent. on the same day, and this makes quotations very unreliable. I am prevented from sending to you my usual statisical account of the commerce, &c., of this port, by the confusion into which everything has been thrown by the destruction of the Custom-house in the fire. Mr. Hopkins, the assistant•collector, and some others were near losing their lives in the burning building while endeavouring to save some of the papers and bunks. By way of a change this morning, about eight o'clock, we had a very sensible shock of an earth quake, which shook nearly all the houses in town. It lasted but two or three seconds. POST-OFFICE NOTICE. The undermentioned Offices will be opened as Minor Money Order Offices on the following days, viz.:— July I—Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire; Thorp Arch, Yorkshire; Whitchurch, Herefordshire. July 3—Staunton, Worcestershire. July s—Wickwar, Gloucestershire. July 7—Kingswinford, Worcestershire. July B—Badminton, Gloucestershire. July 10—Purton, Wiltshire, July 12—Shrivenhem, Berkshire. July 15—Bidford, Warwickshire. July 23—Bexhill, Sussex; Droxford, Hampshire; North Fleet, Kent; Withyham, Sussex. N.B. Aston, Shropshire, inserted in the last list, should have been designated " Aston-on-Clun," Shrop shire. SIR JAS. GRAHAM AND HIS TENANTRY. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) It appears from a circular which has been issued by Mr. Matthew Brown, the agent of Sir James Graham, that the tenants of the Bight Hon. Baronet have deemed themselves justified in requesting a reduction of their rents. With this view they signed a petition (notify ing their objact), which was presented to Sir James, and to which they individually received the following reply : " Crofthead, July 1, 1851. " Sir,—ln reply to the petition fora reduction of rent, Rigned by you, end presented by me to Sir James, I am instructed to inform you that, under existing circum stances, Sir James is not prepared to accede to your request. " At the same time, I am desired to state that you are at liberty to surrender your present agreement for the farm of --, on givatig notice to me here on or before the 21st current. It Sir James Graham should afterwards be willing to propose a new agreement, the terms thereof will be notified to you within a reason able time. " Should you not surrender your present agreement by the time specified, Sir James will then conclude that you are g to hold your farm under the terms of the existing contract.—l am, yours faithfully, " To -----." " MATTHEW BROWN. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, July 3. The Royal assent was gived by commission this after noon to the undermentioned ails. The Lords Commis sioners were the LORD CHANCELLOR, Earl MINTO, and Earl T. GERMAN'S. Stamp Duties (Ireland) Continuance. Compound Householders. Court of Chancery (Ireland) Regulation Act Amend- ment. Highways (South Wales). Process and Practice (Ireland). Prevention of Offences. Fee Firm Rents (Ireland). Bridges (Ireland). Killarney and Valencia Railway. Commercial Docks Improvement. Gnat Northern Railway Amendment (No. 1). Harwich Improvement (Quays and Pier). Leeds and Thirsk Railway. Great Western Railway (Arrangement to purchase Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway). Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Wakefield, Huddersfield, and Goole Railway. Stroud and Gloucester Road. Briton Ferry Docks and Railway. South Devon Railway. South Wales Railway (No. 2). East Lancashire Railway. Eastern Union Railway. St. Andrew's Railway. Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee Railway. Uttoxeter to Stoke, near Stone (continuation of Term and Amendment of Act, &c.). Monkland Railways. Liverpool Docks (Alteration of Management). Waveney Valley Railway. Sunderland Improvement. lisping Bridge and Causeway. Price's Patent Candle Company. Midland Railway (Increase of Capital). Dundee and Arbroath Railway. Weston-super-Mare Improvement, &o. Brackley Roads Consolidation. Huddersfield and New Hay District Turnpike-road Great Central Gas Consumers' Company. Reading Water Works. War►ington and Altrincbam Junction Railway. Maryport and Carlisle Railway. North Shields Quays and Improvements. Great North of Scotland Railway. South Wales Railway (No. 1). Atb awes' Estate. Christ's Hospital Estate. Their Lordships adjourned during pleasure. Their Lordships resumed at Five o'clock. THE BARON DE BODE'S CASE. Lord LYNDEIIIRST presented a petition complain ing of the delay which had taken place in the Baron de Bode's case. The LORD CHANCELLOR explained that the Baron de Bode's case had been postponed to obtain the attendance of the judges. • . --- Lord LYNDHURST was proceeding to enter into the facts of the case, when Lord CAMPBELL rose to order. He objected to the merits of the case being entered on on the presentation of a petition. The Learned Judges had hitherto been nimble to attend in consequence of their duties calling them elsewhere. _ Lord BROUGHAM had always understood that the first duty of the Judges was to attend their Lordships. Lord CAMPBELL said that they had not been sum moned; but he understood they were to be summoned for Monday next. MR. ROBERT OWEN. Lord BROUGHAM had a petition to present from a very celebrated man and a great public benefactor, he meant Mr. Robert Owen. That gentleman held peculiar opinions, but he was a great public bene factor, for he was the founder of infant schools. His petition was for facilities for bringing for ward his scheme for the improvement of society, and he thought that the petitioner should be afforded an opportunity of appearing before a Select Committee of their L irdships' House. The late illustrious Duke of Kent, the father of her Majesty, had been a patron of Mr. 0 wen'6 plan, and a non more religious or more at tached to the Church than his late Royal Highness the Duke of Kilat it would be difficult to find. Of all men, Mr. Robert Owen was the most moderate, the most tole rant, and the most accessible to reason; and he, therefore, hoped their Lordships would give a respectful hearing to his petition. He moved that the petition be read by the clerk at the table. The motion was agreed to; and the petition, which was of considerable length, was read accordingly. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE thought it would he impossible that a Select Committee, appointed at this late period of the session, could enter satisfactorily upon K) largo a subject. S I'EAM NAVIGATION TO AUSTRALIA. Lord LY r fELTON ruse to ask the Noble Earl op posite whether it was the intention of the Government to carry out the recommendations of the Committee of the other House for establishing steam communication with Australia? Earl GREY (who was at times inaudible from the buzz of conversation prevailing in the House) was understood to say that the Gov2.rnment were inclined to adopt the plan of steam communication with Australia via the Cape of Good Hope. ADULTERATION OF COFFEE. Lord WHARNCLIFFE presented a petition cora plaiaing of the adulteration of coffee; and in presenting it he would wish to direct the attention of their Lord ships to the important subject of the adulteration of coffee by the admixture of chicory and otber matters. The Noble Lord then proceeded to detail the pro visions of the various Acts of Parliament which had at different times been passed on this subject up to the year 1840, when a Treasury Order was issued, permitting the adulteration of coffee with chicory. From that time there had been a continual increase in the substitution of chicory and other adulterations for coffee, and now the consumption of coffee had been seriously affected, and, as a necessary con sequence, the revenue had suffered. At the time this order was issued, all the chicory was imported, and liable to a duty, and therefore FRIDAY EVENING, JULY 4 5 1851. the loss to the revenue was only the difference in the duty between chicory and coffee; but now chicory was grown in this country it was subject to no taxation, was protected, in fact, by the amount of the duty imposed on foreign chicory, and tins the revenue was injured by the substitution of an art elf, paying no duty for one paying a high duty. The Noble Baron declared himself dissa tisfied with the various reasons which his Right Hen. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer had assigned fer continuing the Treasury minute of 1E49, and con cluded by moving that the petition be laid on the table. Earl dR,ANVILLE would not reply at that moment to the arguments of his Noble Friend, as the subject had already undergone the fullest discussion elsewhere. As his Noble Friend had referred to the question of revenue he would just say in reply that it was not desirable to make any change in the fiscal arrangements respecting coffee on that ground. The increase in the consumption of tea and coffee, to which his Noble Friend bad referred, was quite sufficient to explain the reason of the diminu tion in the consumption of coffee. If the Government could take measures to prevent chicory from being sold as coffee, it might be desirable to do so; but it had been stated that a whole army of Excisemen could not prevent the adulteration. The Treasury minute of 1840 was made on the representation of the dealers that it was impossible for the Excise to prevent the mixture of chicory with coffee, and that under such circumstances it was impossible for them, who sold unmixed coffee, to compete with those who sold it thus adulterated. If this Were true ®n years ago, it was still more so at the present mo- ment. He would not say that either Sir F. Baring, Mr. Goulburn, or Sir C. Wood were infallible autho rities on matters of finance ; but it was something, he thought, in favour of the present system that each and all of them had determined not to rescind the minute of 1840. SMITHFIELD MARKET REMOVAL BILL. Lord BEAUMONT then gave notice that he would move to-morrow that the standing orders be dispensed with in respect to this Bill. COURT OF BANKRUPTCY. Lord BROUGHAM reminded their Lordships that in the spring of last year his late lamented friend, Lord Cottenham, had presented a Bill to them, in which they bad concurred unanimously, and had afterwards sent to the House of Commons. It was a Bill abolishing patro nage producing great emolument, and among other offices it abolished the office of chief registrar of the Court of Bankruptcy, which produced to the holder 1,2004. a-year, and transferred the duties of it to the Lord Chancellor's chief secretary, and on his accepting the office the emoluments were to cease and determine. He had been much surprised to hear that this Bill had been dcnounced in the other House as something very like a corrupt proceeding—in a word, as a job—and bad been lost accordingly.—(Hear, hear.) Would to God that we had more such jobs Mr. Lergeant Lawes, the chief registrar, had died a few weeks before the introduction of the Bill, and his duties were performed provisionally under another arrange ment. Lord Cottenham, therefore, inserted a clause in the measure to give validity to all the proceedings in bankruptcy which had ,taken place subsequently to Sergeant Lawes'a death. When the Bill was rejected this clause was, of course, rejected also, and the conse quence was that all the proceedings in bankruptcy which had taken place since Sergeant Lawes's death were in valid. The q'testion he wished to a.,lt was, whether it was the intention of his Noble Friend on the Woolsack to introduce forthwith a 13i11 to give validity to those proceedings? The LORD CHANCELLOR said that his Noble and Learned Friend had correctly stated the facts of the case. Ms own attention had recently been called to the matter, and he found that the office of chief regis trar was essential to give validity to the most important proceedings in bankruptcy. This disagreeable state of affairs was entirely attributable to those who took upon themselves the responsibility of throwing out Lord Cottenhem's Bill. It would be necessary to bring in a Bill to give validity to the proceedings in bank ruptcy which had taken place since the registrar's death. Fortunately the blot had not been discovered, otherwise the greatest confusion must have been caused. Persons who took on themselves the responsibility of altering or rejecting Bills were not always aware of the conse • quences that would flaw from their acts. Complaints had recently been directed against him because he had not done as much as lay in his power since he became Lord Chancellor to carry into effect certain recom mendations contained in reports of Committees. It was said that two reports had recommended the abolition of certain offices, one of which was that of secretary of briefs, and another chaff-wax.—(A laugh.) It bad been made matter of reproach to him that he had not complied with the recommendation of the reports al luded to by abolishing these offices. In the first place, he could find no such reports at all; he believed nonesuch had ever been made. If those who made these state ments had only taken a little trouble beforehaed they would have found that the offices referred to had been abolished for years. It was also stated that ho had seven secretaries. It might as well be said that the First Lord of the Treasury had a number of secretaries, because the Secretaries of State were subordinate to him. (So we understood the Noble and Learned Lord, who was occasionally heard very indistinctly.) When he entered on his office the Lord Chancellor bad two gentlemen of the chamber—offices which might fairly be deemed sinecures. lie abolished one, and reduced the salary of the other. Lord Cottenham had reduced the salary of the gentleman of the chamber from 1,0001. to 7501., and he (the Lord Chancellor) had now reduced it to 5001. The office was no sinecure now. The gentleman of the chamber, as he was called, was always at his (the Lord Chancellor's) house till midnight, and sometimes later, engaged in the performance of arduous duties. The al terations made in the law of bankruptcy had diminished the duties of the secretary in bankruptcy, in consequence of which he had been deprived of certain fees, and re tained only his salary of 1,2001. The salary of the prin cipal secretary was also 1,2001. That officer's services were not personal to the Chancellor; his duty was to make certain reports, which were submitted to the head of the Court. Next came the secretary of presentations, with a salary of 2001. The officer received every morn ing all the letters addressed to the Lord Chancellor on the subject of Church patronage, and replied to those which required an answer. It was this officer's duty to make inquiries as to the qualifications of persons to be presented to livings, and to obtain a certificate on that head from each candidate. The office was held by a nephew of Lord Cottenham, and its duties were constant and responsible. The salary of the secretary of commissions was 4001., and it was his duty to insti tute inquiries as to the fitness of the persons recom mended for the commission of the peace, particularly in boroughs ; for the recommendation of lords-lieutenant for county magistrates might generally be relied upon. The secretary of lunatics was a most important office, and the salary was 80uL The salary of the secre tary of decress and injunctions was 301., which was about as much as the office was worth. It should be re collected that it was only in July last that he entered upon his o ffi ce, and since then his attention had been directed almost day and night to the discharge of his duties. It was said that with respect to the Court of Chancery there had been too much inquiry and too little done. What these complaints were made for he knew not, but if the party making them had taken some trouble he might have known what had been done. It was true a great deal remained to be done, but he ven • hired to say that a vast deal had been done. From 1824 downwards various orders had been made which ope rated seriously on the practice in the Court of Chan cery. Even as late as 1850 Lord Cottenham ieeued a body of orders of considerable importance. A Bill in which Vice-Chancellor Turner took an interest had also had a material effect on proceedings in Chan cery. The orders he had referred to were the means of bringing hundreds of cases into the paper for hearing which formerly must have waited a con siderable time before arriving at that stage. It was only those who knew not the evils which were generated by alterations made by rash hands who undervalued what had been done. A great many changes had of late years been made in the bank ruptcy law—indeed it had been altered five or six times. The consequence of those changes was that no large bankruptcy was worked out now in the Court of Bank ruptcy.—(An indignant cry of " Hear," from Lord Brougham.) How it happened he knew not, but the parties who formerly came to the Court of Chancery, with all its evils unredressed, with bankruptcy cases, would not go into the Bankruptcy Court, but preferred having recourse to a private tribunal of their own. It was difficult to ascertain the cause, but certain it was the new system had not worked in such a way as to induce the merchants of London to have recourse to it to determine bankruptcy cases in which they were in terested. It was notorious that not one out of twenty large oases was worked out in the Bankruptcy Court. This he stated on the authority of most respectable soli citors. As regarded the attack on himself, it was calcu lated to bring odium on the Government as well as him. He would lose no opportunity of introducing amend ments into the Court of Chancery. A commission was sitting, to which he mentioned any defects which struck him. It was most unjust to accuse him of not wishing reforms to take place, for he was a reformer before re form was in fashion, and he would not cease to be one now. Lord BROUGHAM protested against thr3 extraordi nary and unnatural course taken by his Noble and Learned Friend. His Noble and Learned Friend rose to reply to a question which at the request of his Noble and Learned Friend he bad postponed putO,ng until then, in order to give him an opportunity of:' answering a charge made against him of not abolishi rig some offices which he (Lord Brougham) bad abolished years ago, and then his Noble and Learned Friend—not content with defending himself—must needs carry warfare into the territory of an ally, and attack him (Lord Broug ham), who had actually afforded him the opportunity of being heard in his own defence.—(Heur, hear, and laughter.) Yes ; his Noble and Learned Friend had chosen wantonly to attack him, but he %VFW prepared to defend himself. His were the " rash hands ' which dared to interfere with the ancient and vene:7able system of bankrupt law, and to establish the new jurisdiction of the Court of Bankruptcy. What ! did hit) Noble and Learned Friend hanker after the old system? Did he want the 70 commissioners back again, and all the other abuses which caused Lord Eldon the first day he took his seat in court to declare that it waa a system of corruption and abuse from beginning to end ? The so licitors, it seemed, were against the Bankruptcy Court. They were right. Under the old system a bankruptcy was a regular annuity to a solicitor.—(Haar.) Those worthy gentlemen sighed to think that out of 20 in solvencies only one went to the Court of Bankruptcy, to be "worked up" as his Noble and Learned Friend de scribed the process. how this sad result came about his Noble and Learned Friend did not kn ew, but so it was; there must, however, he opined, be so , ale reason for it. There was, and he would tell his Noble and Learned Friend what it was. By improvements i•etroduced into the law the old system had been so much amended as to give now the greatest possible eucourag,ement to parties to do that which had at all times bee, regarded as the perfection of an insolvent law, namely, to have the bank rupt's property divided among his creditors, instead of waiting until it had been run away with partly by pre ference creditors, and partly by respectable solicitors, to whom the bankrupt's property was a nice little income. This was it which had caused not more than 1 in 20 of insolvencies to be carried to the Court of Bankruptcy to be worked up. And who had a right to complain of that? If the cases were otherwise settled, it must be by the wish of the parties. If the creditors found they could wind up the affair without the expense and delay conse quent upon going to the Bankruptcy Court, who had any right to complain? His Noble and Learned Friend took care to inform their Lordships that ho was the friend of law reform. It had been his (Lord Brougham's) lot to see many friends of law amendment from the time of Lord Eldon, but they were all friends to the cause in general. ome to particulars, and they objected to every reform proposed.. When these professing reformers were called upon to act their acts directly belied their professions. That was the class of law reformers to which his Noble and Learned Friend belonged, and he was almost disposed to place him at its head.—(Laughter.) There was another circumstance which might in some measure account for the small number of cases carried to the Bankruptcy Court—a thing which seemed so sorely to have gravelled his Noble and Learned Friend —and that was the prosperity of the country. But what did his Noble and Learned Friend object to? Was it the official assignees? If he did, he was the only person who took that view of the case, except perhaps his friends, the respectable solicitors. When the ap pointment of the official assignees was under considera tion, a member of the banking firm of Smith, Payne, and Smith stated that the change would cause his house to lose 7,0001. or 8,000/. a-year. The banker alluded to the profits which his firm derived from the immense sums left in their hands by the supineness generated under the old system. The banker was jus tified in his anticipation. At the end of two years after the establishment of the system which his (Lord Broug ham's) hands were accused of rashness for creating, up wards of one million and a quarter of bankrupt pro perty was obtained by the exertions of the official assignees and other officers of the Bankruptcy Court; and in a year and a half more the sum recovered ap proached two millions, all of which had been lying for years and years—some portion as long as 20 or 30 years —in different banks, owing to the idleness of creditors' assignees and the supineness of those respectable soli citors referred to by his Noble and Learned Friend, all of whom had more or less interest in letting things sleep, and not winding up—in leaving creditors unpaid; ay, and in leaving the bankrupts uncertificated ; for in many cases, in consequence of the exertions of the officers acting under the now-for-the-first-time-openly-con demned-system which his " rash hands" had established, bankruptcies were superseded on payment of 20s. in the pound. Here the Noble and Learned Lord proceeded to eulogise the system of three classes of certificates esta blished under the new bankruptcy-law, and concluded by expressing a hope that their Lordships would forgive him for having felt it necessary at some length to repel the gratuitous attack made by a person whom he bad always regarded with partiality upon the system which had been founded by his " rash hands." The LORD CHANCELLOR, considering what he brought upon the House, could not but feel some regret, though he had not said one word that was calculated to affect the feelings of his Noble and Learned Friend. Ho certainly did regret being the cause of so much vehe mence, but at the same time he begged leave to say that he had no intention of applying the term " rash hands " to his Noble and Learned Friend. His Noble and Learned Friend had spoken of his partiality atel kindly feeling towards him (the Lord Chancellor). He had no doubt that he did feel most kindly towards him, but he must say that the specimen he had given of his kindness and partiality was of a somewhat singular kiwi. His Noble and Learned Friend knew that he was as sincere a law reformer as he was, and, it it were not that it ',eight lead to another half-hour's occupation of their Lordships' time, he would add, not so rash a one.—(A laugh.) Would his Noble and Learned Friend allow him to ask who were his instruments in putting an end to the old st ite of things regarding bankruptcy? Why, it was himself (the Lord Chancellor) and the Hon. 'Air. Ers kine.—(Hear.) He did not know whether his :Noble and Learned Friend was a party to the annihilation of the Court of Review; but that had passed away, as had some other things, and another system was established in its room. This session they had seen another system by way of reform introduced, and such changes they were likely to have from time to time as long as they lived—(" Hear, hear," from Lord Brougham)--and very properly so, no doubt. But he nevertheless felt bound to say that a little care at the beginning would render such trouble unnecessary. What he had said was that those individuals who did not know the course of the law or its practice, were rash in attempting to make alterations in the law. He did not, however, apply those. words to his Noble and Learned Friend; on the contrary, he said that great as had been the labour and pains which his Noble and Learned Friend had taken in emending the bankruptcy law, unfortunately the amend meat did not succeed. Beyond that he hod said nothing to war rant the discharge their Lordships had just heard. His Noble and Learned Friend said the new system had re duced expense, had given certificates, and had done a great many other things; but be must tell their Lord ships, after all that had been said, that credit ars would not go into the Court of Bankruptcy; they did not find it to their interest to go into that court. What ever ad vantage hie Noble and Learned Friend might see in his new system of bankruptcy, he begged to say ithat both the solicitors and merchants of London were content to forego all those advantages; and he would add further, that out of very numerous bankruptcies, the largest, the most important, and those most requiring the advan tages of a good system of bankruptcy, were just the cases that were managed elsewhere. It would not do , to say this was the fault of the solicitors, for their clients were men of intelligence and business habits, and if they found that their solicitors were following a course contrary to their interests, they would soon check it. His Noble and Learned Friend had been a party to passing laws that created not a few difficulties and involved people in expense. The public were no doubt indebted to him for his efforts in the cause of reform, but he (the Lord Chancellor) would, nevertheless, not forbear making suggestions occasionally to his Noble and Learned Friend, even though he should spook of his "partiality" for him, and call him an enemy of reform, and even though he should forget that he was en instru ment in his hands in bringing about his refoom in the bankruptcy laws.—(A laugh.) Why, nobody could say a word to his Noble and Learned Friend about his Bills but it put him in bad temper—(A. laugh)--rout that would not prevent him doing so whenever the occasion might arise. He had passed not a short life. All that life had been in the profession of the law, and he had seen not only the advantages of reforms, isautiously adopted, but also the mischiefs that had sudden from constant alterations in the law, and from an haserease of expense to those who had occasion to have recourse to it. Therefore he did not consider every one three brought in a measure to amend the law a reformer. He certainly should apologize if he had applied the term " rash hands" to his Noble and Learned Friend; but he bad not done so. He used the words with reference to those who were wholly unfitted to make alterations in the law, being fully impressed with the conviction that -whatever changes were made should be done with the best care and caution, and should proceed from the best informed minds.—(Hear, hear.) In conclusion, he begged pa rdon of their Lordships for having called his igoble and Learned Friend upon his legs, and having thereby been the means of detaining them so long.—(A laueet ) Lord BROUGHAM was not aware that the offence of his Noble and Learned Friend was in the nature of suicide; he had thought it was in the nature of man slaughter; but it now appeared that the than ges which he repudiated so much, and which were embodeied in the Bill for the amendment of the bankruptcy sys Item, were his own changes. His Noble and Learned Friend was a party to it, for he said he was one of those who prepared this measure. The LORD CHANCELLOR—Not this, but that. Lord BROUGHAM—WeII, that. His Noble and Learned Friend was employed in preparing that mea sure, and it was of great advantage to the systefrn. That system worked so well, and the Commissioners did their daty so admirably, that any appeal from their judgment was found to be superfluous; and that, he begged to say, was the only change that hod taken place. • The subject then dropped. The Representative Peers for Scotland Bill was read a third time, on the motion of Lord REDESDA.X.E. On the motion of Earl GRANVILLE, tb e Patent Law Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. The Prisons (Scotland) Bill, and the Survey of Great Britain, asc., Bill, went respectively through Committee. The Manchester Water Companies Bill was read a third time. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. July 3. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. Several petitions were presented in favour of the Pharmacy Bill. THE GREAT EXHIBITION. Sir B. HALL presented a petition from aarylebone, praying that the Great Exhibition be thrown open to the public at a charge of one penny. THIRD READINGS. The following Private Bills were read a third time and passed : Cameron's Coalbrook Steam Coal and Swansea and Loughor Railway (No. 1) Bill. Imperial Continental Gas Association. Saint Bartholomew's Hospital Estate. Saint Pancras (Middlesex) Paving. The report on the Kensington Improvement Bill was considered and agreed to. PETITIONS. Mr. L. HODGES presented a petition from Kent in favour of the Pharmacy Bill. Mr. J. BELL presented several petitions to the same effee t. Mr. W. PATTEN presented a petition, praying for limitation of beer-houses. . _ Mr. ANDERSON presented a petition from Orkney in favour of the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill. Mr. BAIRD presented a petition from the brewers and distillers of Linlithgow against the Public• Houses (Scotland) Bill. Lord JOCELYN presented a petition from Bombay in favour of the establishment of steam communication between India and Australia; also a similar petition from the merchants of London. Mr. EWART presented a petition from 750 members of the College of Preceptors and Proprietors of Schools, praying that (in the Inhabited House Duty I3W) build ings devoted to the purpose of education may. like houses connected with shops and warehouses, be sub jected only to the lower rate of charge. ROYAL ASSENT. Mr. Pulman, Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod, ap peared at the table of the House, and summoned the Speaker to the bar of the House of Lords to hear the Royal assent given to certain Bills (for which see Lords' report). - Mr. HU VIE presented a petition from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in favour of the Vete rinary Surgeons Exemption Bill. WESTMINSTER-HALL. Mr. HUME wished to ask the Noble Lord at the heed of the Woods and Forests whether any arrange- ments had been made to secure the opening cf West minster Hall to the numerous strangers now visiting London, without the payment of a fee. Lord SEYMOUR said the hall was in the care of a keeper, ever whom he had no control. Mr. HUME would be glad to know who the keeper was, and he would go to him himself.—(A laugh.) Lord SEYMOUR did not know. Mr. HUME said it was a disgrace to the country that strangers should be compelled to pay a fee to see the . Hall. The keeper was liberally remunerated at the expense of the public, and it was illegal for him to ac cept any gratuity for opening the doors. Sir G. GREY said the Hall was always open while the Courts were sitting, and he would see if it could not be opened when they were not.— (Hear.) Colonel SIBTHORP wished to know whether the Right Hon. Baronet was aware of the gross indecencies that had taken place through the indiscriminate admis sion of strangers into Westminster Abbey? Sir GEORGE GREY said he certainly was not, nor had representations been made to him on the subject. BUSINESS FOR TO-NIGHT. _ _ Sir DE LACY EVANS wished to know whether it was intended to take the Inhabited House Duties Bill to-night. Lord J. RUSSELL said the Court of Chancery and the Woods and Forests Bills would be taken before that. EDUCATIONAL BOOKS. Mr. S. HERBERT inquired if it was intended to restrict the sale of the school books by the Irish Edu cational Commissioners to Ireland, and only to the schools under the management of the Educational Board, or would measures be taken to enable the public to purchase them both in England and Ireland? Mr. C. LEWIS said the Government had taken the subject into their consideration, and the conclusion they had come to was, to request the Commissioners to make such arrangements as would secure to the public in both countries a constant supply of authentic books, and at modern/$:5 prices. Mr. HUME had been given to understand that there were parties in Ireland ready to undertake the printing of the books without any assistance from the public Exchequer, and afterwards to sell them at the prices fixed upon by the Commissioners. Mr. LEWIS said it was quits true that such an offer had been made, and it was now under consideration. FOREIGN FOSTAGES. Mr. HUME wished to aek Viscount Palmerston whether any arrangement or negotiation was in pro gress for reducing the charge of postage between this country and France? Lord PALMERSTON replied that a communication had been made to the French authorities on the subject, but as yet it had led to no favourable result. Mr. ANSTEY wanted to know what progress had been made in the the negotiation for equalizing postage charges on both sides of the Channel? At present if a letter was prepaid in Paris the postage was only Bd., but if the postage was paid in London it was 10d. Lord PALMERSTON said the matter rested entirely with the Posemaster-General, and he was therefore un able to say what progress had be n made. ECCLESIASTICAL TITLES BILL. Mr. FRESLIFIELD understood that it was the intention of the Government to move, by way of amendment, in the second clause of the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill the omission of the words which gave a com mon informer the power to put the provisions of the Bid in force with the permission of the Law Officers of the Crown. Now he had an amendment to propose which ought fo come before that one; aud, therefore, be wished to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whet amendments he intended to propose, aud in what order, upon the third reading of the Bill? Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he did not propose to make any alteration either in the preamble or the second clause of the Bill, but he did intend to move the omission of the words which the Hon. and Learned Member for Abingdon had succeeded in putting into the second clause. He could not, however, agree to the Hon. Member's proposal to allow his amendment to come first. Mr. B. OSBORNE said the amendments which had been introduced into the Bill were not sufficiently un derstood in Ireland, and the third reading ought there fore to be postponed for a short while longer. Lord J. RUSSELL could not accede to this proposal. The amendments were fully understood on both sides of the Channel. Mr. GLADSTONE suggested that the debate on the amendments and the general merits of the Bill should be taken not on the third reading, but on the question that the Bill do pass. OATH OF ABJURATION (JEWS) BILL. Lord JOHN RUSSELL moved the third reading of this Bill. Sir R INGLIS said ever since the first time when a Bill on this unhappy subject was introduced he had always regarded it as one of the most unfortunate measures which had been brought before Parliament. He looked upon it with the greatest abhorrence, and the strongest repugnance, and he believed it was both uncalled for and undesired by the great mass of the people. On the pre sent occasion, however, he should not call upon the House to divide, but would content himself with ex pressing once more his solemn objection to a measure which would have the effect of destroying the Christian character of the House.—(Hear.) Lord JOHN RUSSELL thought it right to offer a few words in explanation to the observa tions of the Honourable Baronet the Member for the University of Oxford. It was well known that a Jew was ready to swear to all that was contained in the oaths of allegiance and supremacy. Then came the ques tion, was the oath of abjuration imposed in order that all Members who entered the House should declare them selves Christians? Now, he believed that neither those who proposed or who supported the oath of abjuration ever dreamt of its necessity on that ground. It was intro duced solely for the purpose of making persons declare that they would bear allegiance to the family then on the Throne,_ and not to the descendants of James the Second. To the conditions, therefore, of the oaths of allegiance, supremacy, and abjuration the Jew was ready to swear and subscribe; but no doubt the words at the end of the last oath placed him in a position of difficulty, and precluded it being administered to him in that form. He (Lord John Russell), however, could not but think that on this question the wishes of the people at large ought to be very much consulted, and especially electors of Members of Parliament.—(Hear.) Within the last few days a second member of the Jewish persuasion had been elected as a representative for a borough by a majority of nearly 900 votes.—(Hear.) He was glad to see that the Honourable Alderman who had been thus elected had declared it as his intention not to come down and offer to take his seat until the other House of Parliament had an opportunity of considering the present Bill.—(Hear, bear.) He (Lord J. Russell) was ready to meet the views of that other House of Parliament in regard to the sensitiveness which had been evinced upon one clause of the Bill, and if necessary to withdraw it. Now that the House of Commons was about, for the third time, to declare that Jews have a right to sit in this House, he thought it was quite time that the House of Lords should consider what was due to the people. With regard to popular elections, it struck him that the present state of the case gave Jews a most decided advantage as against Christians, because the Jew was able to hold himself out to the voters as a persecuted man, and one in whom was centered the principle of religious liberty. He did not think that, even if this Bill passed, its effect would ex tend beyond admitting one or two Jews into Parliament, and would certainly not give them any advantages over Christians. Mr. NEWDEGATE (who was received with loud cries of " Oh") said that he did not agree with the Noble Lord as to the effect which this question had upon popular elections; an opinion never had been elicited from the people at a general election. As for the late election at Greenwich there were exceptional circumstances which prevailed upon persons to vote for Mr. Salomons rather than Mr. Wire, apart from any political grounds. Mr. Wire had been an active supporter of Baron Rothschild, and had been very much employed by tile Jewish community in h is le g al ca p acit y , so that theelectors of Greenwich had merely to choose be tween a Jewish barrister and his attorney. He rejoiced that the Right Hon. Baronet was not about to call upon the House to express any further opinion upon this Bill, because, in his opinion, Mr. Alderman Salomon s al though he did not mean immediately to present him self, had, nevertheless, been elected under a pledge to force himself into the House, in defiance of the law. Mr. HODGSON was atonished that the Noble Lord, who announced himself as the champion of Protestant ism, should come down to the House one night to propose a measure to defend Protestantism, and on the next push forward a Bill which was an insult to the feelings of the majority of Protestants in the country. Mr. PLUMPTRE thought that after the division on the second reading of the Bill, which was only carried by a majority of 25, it was not necessary to divide the House. Still be should take the final opportunity of entering his complete protest against the principle of the mea sure. Mr. J. A. SMITH expressed his conviction that the division in favour of the Bill on the last stage would have been much larger bad it not been brought on at such a late hour. He was qu i te ready to di vide, and he was sure that the m a j or i ty would be a triumphant one. After a few words from Mr. HENLEY, The Bill w as th en read a third time and passed with out a division. COURT OF CHANCERY AND JUDICIAL COM MITTEE BILL. The House then went into Committee on this Bill, Mr. C. Limes in the Chair. w hi c h provides for the appointment of two Clause judges to 1, a new constitute, with the Lord Chancellor, court of appeal, having been put, M r . J. STUART said that the clause was one which seemed to him to require great consideration. The Bill had been alluded to in the House of Lords as one affect ing their Lordships privileges; and although he did not think that it trenched on those privileges, it would, no doubt, materially affect the duties of the House of Lords as a court of appeal from the Court of Chancery. He believed that if the two new judges were to sit in the House of Lords, instead of the Court of Chancery, a very important public advantage would Le gained in a perfectly unobjectionable manner. The supreme appeal court would then be strengthened, without any interfe rence with the privileges of the House of Lords, or with the duties of the Lord Chancellor. He had further to observe, that under that Bill the duties of the registrars would be considerably increased, and he would strongly recommend that an additional registrar should in conse• quenee be appointed. The ATTORNEY CIENER said be bel'evc was universally admitted that the Court of Clieucery, ." an appellate court, had at present to real with an mana;eable amount of business. The appetite court ;In the Court of Chancery was preterred by suitors ill ri.‘ lie ceses out of ten to the House of Lords in cons' queref its greater ceeepness, so that if his Hoe. and Learr ea' Friend woeld leave that appellate court uneiisturbed it would still continue to be overwhelmed witi l e busies ss. There could be no doubt but if that Bill were odiqi , te a the number of appeals to the House of Lords wo ,Lick be toTO considerably diminished, because suitors would ;cr readily appeal to the Court of Chsncery, when sere would be either two or three judges in that court, 0411 they would appeal to it as at present constituted s'" only one judge. It was hoped, however, that the PO new judges would not only be able to deal with the iSIP; peals in the Court of Chancery, bat that they w enba also be able to afford very valuable service by presi tiel in the appellate court of the Privy Council. With re' spent to the suggestion of his Hon. and Learned Fri end that the number of registrars should be increased 1 , be had to observe that there could be uo objection to the adoption of that proposal, if the present numbei of those officers should be found insufficient. Mr. FRBSBFIELD said, he thought it most imi tar' tent that a sufficient number of registrars should be provided under the new system; and he felt that ;fie motives of petty economy ought to stand in the . War e f such an arrangement. Lord JOHN kW 6SELL intimated that he ive is dill posed to give the most favourable consideration to tt proposal for an increase in the numb.r of registry rs• Sir DE LACY EVANS said he wished to ca. tt attention of the House to a flagrant instance o f abuses arising out of the present cumbersome and yr o trstctsd system of conducting business in the Cow it of Chancery. A lady of the name of Howard had, f locen six or seven years ago, applied a sum of 45,0001. tc ilthe purpose of making a provision for twerey wives or or" phans of officers. But an attorney had thought pri )13er to dispute the validity of the endowument in the a. iftio of a person possessed of no property; and in conseque of the delays in the Court of Chancery no decision 1 isad yet been come to in the matter, while the funds of 1 tie charity were being consumed, and while no portion of them had ever reached the parties for whose bent tf it they had been intended. The lady by whom the dowment had been made had written a letter ts) ,th Lord Chancellor complaining of the great hardship 0 the case, but to that letter she had never received AU) answer. Mr. J. STUART said he would remind the Gall WI! Officer opposite that no such suit asthat which he had sta tet• could ever have boon instituted, without the sanction DI the Attorney-General, so that if it was one that out tilt never to have been allowed to have commenced, it v. ele the Attorney-General and not the Lord Chancellor w ho was blameable in the matter. He would further info, la the Hem and Gallant Officer that if the suit was mat ti• featly a vexatious and improper one, it was the party whom it had been brought, and not the luuds of tl to charity, that would have to bear the expenses of it. Mr. MACKINNON said that as he was one of tl'te trustees in that case he hoped he might be allowed to si a few words with respect to it. He did not blame tl to Attorney-General or the Lord Chancellor for the coun ie which the matter had taken; but he attributed the clan 10 to our absurd Chancery system, which enabled any pe, son who might please to come before the court andi file a Bill, upon which no final decision might be given for many years. In the present case an attorney halt thought proper to dispute the validity of the endowment; in the name of a pauper who bad not the slightest in-- terest in the matter, and it seemed that it was at common practice with certain attorneys to hunt shoat; the country for eases against charities, which cases; were got up in the name of persons possessed of no proa. perty whatever. The attorneys calculated on receiving' their costs out of the funds, and he was informed that the attorney in the present case realised in that way ail; much as 8001. a year. But while the suit was going on many of the ladies for whom the endowment had been intended were reduced to grt at distress, and bad made in vain frequent and earnest applications to the trustees of the charity. He lett the House to decide whether any system more monstrous than that could ever enter the imagination of man.—(ilear.) • The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that he had nothing to answer for with respect to that transaction, because the suit had been instituted long before his ac cession to the office which he had the honour to hold. He knew nothing of the facts of that case, and he could therefore say nothing about them. But he should ob serve that great abuses had been removed in the administration of charities through the instrumentality of private individuals, who had come forward to expose those abuses. He should also, however, admit that in dividuals had done great mischief by instituting unne cessary snits, with a hope that they would get their costs out of the funds of charitable foundations. He had always, during the period he had held his present office, endeavoured to check that evil by exercising his discretion for the prevention of any suits which he might think, on inquiry, ought not to be instituted. In the present instance he should say that the Lord Chancellor had acted very properly in not answering a private letter with respect to a case which was under his considers.. don in his judicial capacity; but if, instead of addressing the Lord Chancellor, the lady in question had memo rialised him (the Attorney-General), he should have taken the liberty of stopping the suit immediately, if he should have found that it was an oppressive and une reasonable one. Mr. E. ELLICE said he wished to take that opportu nity of expressing a hope that his Right Hon. Friend the Member for Ripon (Sir J. Graham), and the Hon. Member for Oxfordshire (Mr. Henley), would take their Lull shale in the deliberations of the commission for in. quiring into the state of the Court of Chancery, for he believed the public had more confidence in his Right Hon. Friend and in the Hon. Gentleman than in all the other members of the Commission. Sir G. STRICKLAND said that the great grievance of which they complained was the excessive delay, the excessive expense, and the total denial of justice in cases which would never come to an appeal. No person but a madman would go into the Court of Chancery for 4001. or eOO/., for he would be sure to lose every shilling of his property, and be an inmate of the workhouse for the remainder of his life. Sir J. GRAHAM said the Noble Lord at the head of the Government had done him the honour of recom mending that he should be added to the Commission. Although his attendance could not be constant, and his legal knowledge was most inadequate to grapple with such a subject, nevertheless, it the Noble Lord thought that he could render any service to the cause, he was willing to place his services at his disposal.—(Hear. hear.) He must say he believed that this Bill was a very great improvement upon the former one. At the same time his impression was strong that they were beginning their amendments at the top instead of at the bottorn• They had glanced the other day at the way business was conducted in the Masters' office. No person here was pre pared to defend that system. They did not, however, glance et the Examiners' office. He did not believe that there was any civilised country in which these abuses would have been permietsd to exist fur so long a period. Atter their experience of te enty years he thought that the prediction uttered by Sir S. Romilly in respect to the appointment of Vice-Chancellors still held good. That eminent individual said that the appoint ment of subordinate assi.tants to the Lord Chancellor would be attended with fatal consequences, that the cha racter of the office would be degraded, end never again would England see such names as Somers, Camden, and Hardwick holding the Great Seal. He (Sir J. Graham) believed that the office of Lord Chancellor would hence forth be primarily political, and secondarily judicial; whereas it should be vice versa.—(Hear, hear.) He thought that there was infinite danger of such a conse quence from their present legislation. He was, how ever, quite aware of the many difficulties that stood in the way of any effectual amendment in the law. The office was overloaded already with business from circum stances which actually created a large arrear; but he was of opinion there could still be found a man pre-eminent in his profession, enjoying health and strength for, vigorous discharge of the duties—still competent to perform all the duties connected with the office of Lord Chancellor.—(flear,- bear.) Such an eminent individual had been bound in recent times, and be could not but think that a g reater misfortune could not fall upon the country than for the Government to be placed in a situation of being unable to procure the ablest legal assistance, but were compelled to place men of second rate abili t y in the office of Lord Chancellor.—(Hear, hear.) He was aware of the great difficulty of passing an efficient m easure for a reform of the present system, an d y e t avoiding the danger to which he had jest re ferred. He could not say that he was opposed to the present Bill, but he thought it his duty to state frankly to the Committee the apprehension which he entertained respecting it. He believed that these appellate tribunals would be found effibient, and would exercise their func tions to the satisfaction of the public. They would be particularly important in respect to their colonies. The arrear would soon be reduced by them, and their effect would . be to diminish the number of appeals. When this arrear was reduced then he thought there would not be sufficient work for these tribunals as well as the Lord Chancellor, and then the danger was inevitable of reducing the standard of the men who were really competent to fill the office of Lord Chancellor. Th ey knew that by reducing the standard of such men, the efforts of men to raise themselves to that would be considerably diminished. Now; it would be a great calamity if the Bill unintentionally produced that effect. He was not disposed to offer any objections to the further progress of this Bill; but entertaining doubts as to its results, he thought it his duty frankly to express them. He would give every assistance in his power to further the reform of the Court of Chan cery, and as he had before observed, his services were at the disposal of the Noble Lord. Nothing, however, would induce him to serve on the Commission if be had not the most unbounded confidence in the other members of it, who were gentlemen of the greatest learning, reputation, and the highest rank—gained by fair and honourable competition in their professions. He esteemed it a high honour to be asked to serve upon a commision composed of such men.— (Hear.) Mr. AG LIONBY thought there was a great improve ment of late years in the mode in which the business was disposed of in the Master's offices. He hoped the pre sent measure would prove effectual for its object. Mr. HENLEY concurred in the observations that had fallen from the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Ripon, and thanked the Noble Lord for the honour he had done him by appointing him a member of the commission, composed as it was of men of such great eminence end ability. He wished to ask the Hon. and Learned Solicitor-General whether it was intended to confer upon those judges any original jurisdiction. If they were to hey° this as well as an appellate jurisdic tion the effect would be to make them a second Court of Chancery, and then the tendency would be to make the office of Lord Chancellor a political one without; those high judicial functions and abilities that it was so neoes, eery he should possess. the fou,r)rthigicnl4siu.c:; lhorol latt t t aho a ea h nesoe k teL e T tddeft i tireoh nh : a ieryoonr ge e c u. vodm:g c l ! sLt , S j d rtialuvrson : . i w n raroeß .; : dob t ntio : l i i c tocisknosei a a l E :hdrd, mr a ai teti oheadwourciauoatutpsayhieit authorityeplaa yp t denrnt o ybee, n auwdnmi c t itmitrit c eidianiotpdhcidn a roeiht Further amendu getted. w; the objections of of the appoints before Parham watenaent of t the Lord Cha appeal 9 s. Novi, ablest men in th Lord Chancellor would have the lar eminence. the Court of C ~c a ses, and worth Ile would still t c olleagues in ths °f law. It woi procure the ye, and he saw notl obstacles in the would give the : vote to the qui, to do justice to vote the utmost deration of them M ao, however a alltorilY a those rea gavet t hat th e best wa re form was to h f oundation was such a person, take such a cou , rende r it mince e rPense and Inc of Chancery? e P d Ch LE a o ncery nothinghhilllTosl ':annrre.cae i .ee n eenjtl lexri l o al i ea: r n ur6hu i. eNseg, cool: e reuse amongst Mr. BE"[ rattly. The SOLICI Were oal to hi nets aceid-n was intended t mastgil e o uni li z i r rp r e e ier r r i lut:i i i iaTnnd n e ls3ed g n 4il cisete c 4Putrs e rTi : d neswhl lagu i whee n eEs alone of d a ec r i , d h i Th .br e z u o.t: tha e s tt e l st a a s ii:t u cuoiw A cnr a t o tioo: 'ls`a-t tg etteg h r l Ln w Mr e e4t e ad y ll p Pes c rr te :ii: h .dl r n r : ees ßit u ;: ., l:e i Lk p a . d PBl. e o lri erl ß:i v u v rYlali l et 'f°e l r ttl JudicialM • fae 'eteess o f th a t° rY ra an ne tho u eraber of The SOLDPresent great toast a_ satisfac the clause as Mr. have H. PA ye a large I leitt ee 80 th the colonies. Lord J. Ri %newly made tinclicial Corn ° tight to be g Were to make to make °the] 4 8 that they toittee. He I rise, that the for hearing of the legal p they should i b ig in attend • Mr. BET being." Words ut T hisec lolinelolacerinbc,t small a ‘ c oels ‘ na l aesn a e saut u e x pdl s p6 c eort E Clause 18 In answer The SOL] itl the clans, should not t fund, but or owance give Of 10,000/. a oe. clause The SOL 4 410 n to prop du ne a , salaries of Provision fo u e t u c k He stoned r of b e allowed 1 1001 • a yeas I .e th e appo allowed far e° . urt-keepf ' Mr. A G _ he did not risin g Was Paid out 01 , es h e Le e fund, aura of 20 ,° 1 the su i "° lll semi According !P t% ago, al, it api salari es as Court of Another sworn cIE Passing o 2 11,0861. tain the s clerks, ns beyond it Would an receive n be 174,0( solidatcd suitors thi nk it the suit( The S eonsistes court, aso l that to regal tio e of Oe the f we e k s a char ge , niched st ill fur Sir r. state of a pplica The Was r a j Maclair to one th e lot who in tre ated tu rn ollar g( Propos Which Mr. O ught "'lee t Dendi Ilts c h Exch sto c k ateou char t not ()U g h to th and !nevi sho o fu n d jeoti