The Sun. — London, England, 1850-02-26 00:00:00

' V. SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock. LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.-(THIS DAY.) The usual haU-yearly general meeting of the London and South-Western Railway Company was held this d:ly at the Nine Elms Station; Mr. William Chaplin, cl a'rtr al of the board of directors, in the chair. The advertisement convening the meeting having been read, the mlnuts of the past mee ing were confirmed, a-ld the report of the directors submitted to the share holder=, from which we make the following extracts:— " From the accounts that have been for some &Lys past in the hands of the proprietors, it will be seen that the net revenue for the half-year ending 31 , t D,cember, 1849, amounts, after deducting interest on loans, and all o.her preferential charges, to ..........£107,633 14 6 The surplus from June, 1849, to The balance applicable to dividend is, --- then f ,re £110,346 13 2 From which the directors recommend that a dividend fcr the hail. ear, at the rate of 3+ per cent. p:r annum, be deducted, amounting on 6,602,4221. 3s. 4d. to Leaving to be carried over to the next half-year . . 107,289 7 3 £3,057 5 1 The total working expenses for the half-year amourved to 109,4151., and of rates and taxes, exclusive of income-'ax, to 19,0251. " It is to be remarked, that although a large amount of capital is still unproductive, in consequence of tie original intentions of the company not having been carried out, the whole of the interest on such capital is charged to revenue. " From a comparison it appears that the passenger traffic of the last half-year, although twenty-three more miles of railway ase open, is 3,184/. less than in 1848, the goods traffic being 6,8371 more; the whole increase being consequently only 3,653/. It is, however, s stis factory t o perceive, that it has been possible to work twenty-three more miles of railway with an expenditure of 8,354/. less. The net revenue is thus 12,0071. more. " The total expenditure, per mile of railway, 554/., and per mile of train, Ss. 3Ad. will, it is believed, bear com p irison with any metrepolitan railway. " In October, 1849, they reduced their fares within short distances of London, with a view of encouraging , traffic to the suburbs, being of opinion that the true po liay of of the company is to promote in every way the daily extending habit of residence out of town ; and teey believe that when the districts this railway tra verses, and t' e central peeiti ,, n c f the Londo:, terminus are con ;idered, it is able to offer ads aetages, in regard to re al lential traffic, g- eater than any ether railway out t.f Len der. P. is now shown by experience, that every additional house of the better class, inhabited on tl.e line, brings with it a cei tiin increase of traffic to the railway. The directors therefore purpose to establish a low scale of sea son tickets for the suburbs, t be issued for terms vary ing from one to twelve months, and to be renewable at the same rate for seven years ; and they are Etvisfied, that by adhering to this policy, a large additional re venue will be eventually securel to the railway. The maintenance of 207 miles f railway is charged upon revenue during the half-year, the average cost, p. r mile, of maintenance of way and stations, amounting t 283/. per mile per annum. " The charge for locomotive power f the list half ys as was (the price of coke being 21e. 101 per ton) per train per mile, including pilotage, 9•364. " Daring the last half-yt ar 3,3871. has been expended on the locomotive stock on renewals, and is included in the charge of 9-36 d. per mile. It is probable that, in some years, this charge will exceed the present rst,:; but the directors are satisfied that the company is pur suing a safe and sound course in meeting these inequalities out of revenue. The locomotive stock of this company is in excellent condition. is sathfecrory to tied that the earnings for the past year of the seam-packets leased by the company have sufficed, after paying all expenses, to mte, the interest fsr that p ri el on the 50,000/. lent to the New Soteh - Western S:earn Navigation Company, and to pay the 5 per cent. guaranty ed dividend on its paid-ep capital ; a balance of 3,1801. is carried over to the credit of the present halt-year. In November, 1848, it was proposed to confine the open:- tioas of the company t > the completion of certain lines then in progress; these are all open for traffic, a:AI there rem .ins not a single mile of line now under construe ti The directors hose accordingly been anxious to determine and discharge all liabilities and engagements, with the view to the final closing of the capital account at the earliest possible period. It is impracticable sud denly to effect this object, some of these engagements requiring great circumspection in dealing with them; but, it is certain that no creation of new capital can be necessary in this company." The CHAIRMAN said the report of the committee ap pointed to investigate the charges and statements made against the integrity of the directors would be read. It is only necessary, however, to give the concluding paragraph in the report, which was as follows: " The committee having reported upon all the charges affecting the directors, either collectively or individually, which they think it necessary t) bring specifically be fore the proprietors, have only to add in conclusion, that although they have discovered in the course of their inquiries much t blame and to regret, especially in the fit Race department, they are unanimously of opinion that nothing has come before them which afkcts the integrity' or `probity' of the directors." Mr: Cu - nraz;thl Chairman of the committee, moved that this report be rt!c:Aved and for' arded to RAI share,- Mr. MircttorT to,k exception to this, lx..catise the ie.. prt did II• t de,: with the charge against the directors u tnystiFying, and circulating false accounts. Mr. NIANatEs, M.P., one of the committee said, they hal never I:kf)re head of such a charge. . . The CHAiamArr did not alum with all the conclusions of the report, which he had not seen until he came into it room; but on the whole he hal no desi. eto quarrel with i%—(dear, Lear.) The resokti.,n leaving been seconded, was shortly 14-31.a , ed and 11;p - cid to. The CUAIRMAN said the next matter to be disposed c,f w:s the rep.irt of the commitee which had been ap nted to consider the question of audit. Mr. M6RTIMER, the erputy-chairman of the coin- Litt( e, motel the aloption the rep irt and the ap i,,:i:rnent of a committ 'e to confer with the committ , es cthsr companies in procuring an Act of Parliament fur establishing an efficient 83 stem oF audit. A SMAREHoLDIiti suggested that the report should be rr , ,V, ahlch was thecordii,gly done; but as it was pub -1 some wi eks ago it is unnecessary to repeat it. The CHAIRMAN observed, th,,t however desirable it might be to carry out the recommendations contained in the iedorr; it could nut he done to the fullest extent without Vie fiqn ton of an Act of Parliament, and he lherefore hoped the directors would not be calleil upon to carry tie m into effect now. Mr. - Deice:, M.P., said the majority of them could be carrid out under the bye-I.,iws of the comp4ny, but he would suggest that the entire matter should he referrtd to he committee to be appointA to-Jay, to communi cate with the committee of ether shareholders on the ge; eral subj , ,ct of ands. That c.)mreittee might also con'or with the direcora upon the propriety efa:com plishing some of the recommend itions under the bye-. Mr. SAINSBURY objected to ref rring tho matter back again to a committee, and suggested that it hal bt tter be 1; ft in the hands of the directors. He moved an amendment accordingly, that the report be referred to th beard to decide vs hat paint of it was compatible with th , :, existing Act 3 of the company. The CHAIRMAN wished to have nothing to do with the audit question, but to leave it entirely with the shareholders. _ _ . Mr. HELPs, a member of the committee, said that both he and tl.e chairman of the comarittf.e, Mr. Thomas J. Hall, the chief metropolitan police magistrate, were fa vow able to a Government audit. In the event, there fore, of the amendment being rejected, it was his in t ration to move ano:hcr, to the effect that the report be referred to the directors, with instructions to communi cate the opinion of this meeting to the Railway Commis sioners, that railway accounts ought to be audi:cd by two auditors appointed by the shareholders, assisted by a public accountant to be nominated by the Government. Mr. BAKER, another member of the committee, an nouoccd his determination to support anything in the sf , ape of a Government audit. Mr. Sergeant Ga.sELEE was favourable to a Govern &e tt audit, but as diareiciaders were not ripe for that ryetetr, he had no objection to the alternative proposed by Mr. Locke. MooN, of Liverpool, explained the provisions of the Bill prepared by the London and North-Western Company,. and recommended the meeting to appoint a committee, of three gentlemen to assist in carrying it through Parliament. He proposed that Messrs. Locke, Boy es, and Baker, should form that committee. Mr. MANQLE3, M.P., would second that proposal if he could do so with order. They had no right to force upon the board the wholesale adoption of al that the r Tort coni ain, d. Mr. MORTIMER had no objection to withdraw his resolution in favour of Mr. Moon's proposal. Mr. 110 YES wee opposed to a Government audit. The shareholders were the best source whence auditors should emanat Eventually all the amendments, including that of Mr. Helps, were rejected, when the report was received, and Mr. Moon's proposal, now becoming a substantive resc mtion, was put and agreed to. A te3olution waa then passed, reccmmenelitg the di rec,;nrs to adopt the recommendations of the report as far , ley could possibly do so. The CHAIRMAN then moved the alopiun of Ihe s ' report, which was agreed to attar some disco,- - • aid the dividend dt dared payable on an early da3. Mr. ch u oin, , was then re ‘lected as direeter. Thr ether two vacancies which occur at tl,e board this half•year it was resolved should zit be tilled ell% Than , :s were than voted t ) the Chairman, i.nd tLe meetirg termitn.ted ate- a , vt ry 1, te4thened sit;ing. EAST AND WEST INDIA _DOCKS BIRMINGHAM JUNCTION RAILWAY COM. — TES DAY.) ,rdinary half yearly meetit g of tie Pri- Id this Lffernon at the Euston Stntior, , in the eligir. .atcd that the directors had continu:d to Masks u p,. n t h e li ne much as pos.-iilr, e nk r„ 4o .w,ay into operation at tile earn-.st A. 4 410vite, _ „„ ,- 464-- _l_pf! od. ~:ho hind reqtinei for thr, br , ui , ch to ( i , ' 4 i . ,: ; 01 . 4c1t ltailway h , dibeen agreed for, and as( ntrect A ~, gk i ,, ,iiiiil j p r i i onclude . d for the construction of the brunch, r , v . "rI T Y inf be lost in the commencing and completing .... i t : - ecting the main line with the Fenchurch iiir7 * erminu3. A contract had also been taken for ' NY.— (Tii I,„:"...V . Ptiit-rt ;: rat t)i . 0144, ' 'i't ' aiatjeatt sta :aiNt4 1"6 Tlin SC NT, completing the line of railway to the East and West India docks to Black wall, at a price below the engineer's esti mate. The eff,rts of the directors to enforce payments of Ils had met with little susses. Those arrears ed . to 27,3101. on 693 shares, upon which 7,340 have been paid. The necessary not ces had been given f)r the forfeiture of 460 of those shares, upon which 3,8501. had been paid. The Bill now before Parliament would show that the necessary st.-ps were being taken to obtain legislative sanction for leasing the line to the London and North Western Company. One of the dirctort, Mr. Robert Cotesworth having resigned, Mr. Edward Maxwell Daniell had been elected in his room. The directors who went out of office by rotat'on were Mr. Creed, Mr. Hibbert, Mr. Kelsall, and Mr. Thomas, and with the ex ception of Mr. Kelsall, they offered themselves for re election. Mr. Sweetland, the auditor, who also went out of office, was eligible for re-election.' The total receipts from the commencement of the undertaking t the 31st December last, atnounttd to 627,677/. 19s. 3d., and tne expenditure to 622,368/. leaving a balance of 5,3091. 16.. 10d. The engineer's report stated that the partion if the line between the North-Western Railway and the City might be finished ready fur opening in the present spring. The salts for the different station, had teen fixed, and ►he buildings were now in the course of erection. The sudden fid ing in of seven of the arches of the viaduct, at Camden to sn, in Nose liber last, occasioned much anxiety. The searching inquiry then made, proved that the accident was to be attributed, solely to the peculiar character of the soil of the district, and could not, by any possibility, have been guarde I against. This conclusion was confirmed by the opinion of the engineer of the London and North-Western Railway, who was requested to examine the works and report on the subject. lie stated that the design was most judiciously arranged, that the materials were 0! every description most excellent, the workmanship un exceptionable, and that the occurrence was a casualty which no foresight could have prevented. In conclu sion, he states, that " the loss falls on the contractor, which is to be regretted, as the works have evidently been constructed with much care and honesty!: I . In reply to a question, the engineer (Mr. MARTIN) stated that 130,000/. would be required to complete the works remaining to be executed on the 31st of Decem ber last. The coml•azy was in the possession of surplus land, which was valued at between 150,0001. to 170,0001. After a brief discussion, the report was received and adopted, and the retiring directors and the , : retiring auditor re-elected. Thu proprietors then resolved themselves into a spe cial general meeting to consider a draft Bill intended to e promoted in Parliament during the pre:.ent session. The Somerroit rt ail the heads of tie Bill which is t enable the compiny to make and maintain certain branch lines, to amend the former Act, and to authorise the 1 aieing of their undertaking to the Nurth-Western Company, to create additional stock, and for other pur poses. _ . In reply to a suggestion from a PROPRIETOIt that the North-Western Company would be enabled by their shalt( s to swamp the votes of the other proprietors when they wisbel t carry any proposition, Mr. THOMAS, a director, sad it was provided in the Bill that each proprietor who held no more than twenty shares was to have a vote for each share, but larger holders wer.. only to have one vote fJr five shares; and as twenty shares was about the average number gene rally held, it was calculated that the proprietors would have 2,000 votes, whilst the North Western Company would only have about 1,600. The Bill, with the exception of the clause giving gua ranteed interest upon the additional stock to be created, was than agr,ed to; and after a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the meeting separat(d. THE LONDON GAZEVIE. (THIS EVENING.) BANKRUPTS. Abraham Wheeler, cabinetmaker, Buckingham, to surrender March 12, st half-past eleven, and April 11, at onr, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Johnson, official 2,a n ignev, Basinghall-stret t ; Shuckburgh Risky, Diught) -street, Ilecklenburgh-square. James Starkey, carpenter, Old-street, St. Luke's, Merck 12, at two, and April 16, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Edwards, official assignee, Sambrook coin t, strcw; Hine and Robinson, Charter house•square. Charles Joseph Carltar, solicitor, Greenwich, March 12, at twelve, and March 26, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Stansfeld, official assignee. Nias, Cop. thall-court, Throgmorten-street. John Berryhill Cross, watch maker, Cornhill, March 16, at one, and April 13, at eleven, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Johnson, official assignee, Basinghall street; Kemp, Henrietta-street, Covent-garde n. John Dale Woodcock, calenderer, March 12, at twelve, and April 9, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court. [lope, official assignee, Leeds; Middleton : Leeds. George Matthews, piano f orte seller, Monmouth, March 12, and April 8, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. Acraman, official assignee, Bristol ; Nicholas, Monmouth; Bevan, Bristol. Louis Bernard Chetfin, bookseller, Bristol, March 12 and April 9, at cicren, at the Bristol District Court. Miller, official assignee, Bristol; Strangways, King's road, Gray's Inn; Whittington and Gribb!e, Bristol. MARKET INTELLIGENCE. (From the London New Price Current, Feb. 26.) Stlo.in —Ti:-Jay the market for West India Sugar pre:sewn 1 a mole active appearance, holders were less disposed to realise, and at former rates a fair business was coreluded. The business amounted to 620 hhds.. &c., in cluding Lt auction 133 hhds 8 trcs BarbadoeF, which sold. freely at 61 pc.r cwt advance;. fine yellow realised 41s to 42', and other s its 381 to 40s to 25 ',lids 75 trcs Deme rara, crystal'zad, went at full terms; ord and mid yellow 38s 6d to 41s 61, and good brown 37s per cwt. RL FINED.—To• day home dealers made purchases with more freedom in Refined Sugar, but tet er prices could not be obtained. Saes of brown Lumi s were made at 48s per cwt, and fair to good grocery 48s 6d to 51s. The mark( t is stiil in a dull state for Bonded Crushed Sugar at 29s 6d to 30e 641, and there are free sellers. MAURITIUS —This afternoon the quantity of Maori tins Sugar submitted to public sale amount 'd to 6,000 bags. There was a more active demand, and the whole sold at fully firmer rates; yellow went at 37s to 39s 6d, low :16s to 37s Gd, mid to good brown 32s to 34r, fine 34s Gd to 35s 6:1, inferior 30r to 31s, and eery loud 26s to 274 6d per ewt EAST INDIA.—This afternoon there was a better de mand far Bengal Sugar ; the parcels offered at public sale amounted to 4,620 bags, and nearly all sold at steady rates ; white .Benares at 38s to 404 61, lice 41s to 424, yellow, I ke Mauritius, 35s 6d to 37s 6d, ord 34s to 355, ,and fine strong 3ellow 44s 6d to 45s 6d. Of Madras 928 bags were disposed of at the full value of soft brown at 29; to 30s 6d, and yellow 31s to 33: 6d per cwt. FOREIGN.—To-'ay there was no public sale of foreign Sugar, but by private treaty rather more business was concluded et the former value, and holders display flumes , . Of yellow Huvannah about 5,000 chests have been sold on the spot at 20s 3d to 204 6d, in bond, a carge of 5,000 bags brown Bernams 18s 9d, and 400 chests str( ng white Bahia 23s 3d per cwr. MoLAssEs.—Prices tend downwards for West India, and operati,ns have been small in all sorts by private treaty. Of Demerara 150 puns sold at 153 to 153 6d. At auction 90 puns Trinidad were tak(•n in at 13s 6d, and 91 puns Dem( Tara at 16s. East India Treacle is to be obtained at 126 6d to 14s. Cocos—To-d,y Foreign Cccoa met with little atten tion, and at public sale 971 bags Guayaqui wore all taken in at 30s to 32s fur Grey, which are lower rates. TEA.—Thf re has b2en little desire evinced to operate in common Congou since our last report, still holders are film and r. , quire 941 to 10e1 per lb, whilst several fresh shipping orde: a are expected. Other sorts have been in good demand, and prices are fully as high as on this thy week, hut middling and middling rather strong selling at 10ii to I Id, blackish leap is Id to Is 3d, strong blackish leaf is 3d to Is 5,1 ditto and Pekoe flavor is 5d to Is 9d per lb. For Hyson and Young Hyson the market became dull, and prices have fallen Id to 2d; still other sorts of green have been in good de mand at luli terms. Twankay met with much attention fur exportation chisfly for Canada, and there are no sel lers under 9J. Scented Caper has been purchased with caution at Is 21, and good to Is 7d, but in scented Orange Pekoe a good deal has been dune at Ild to is 2d, and good Is 3d to 3s 3d. CoiFiF.—This afternoon there was no improvement in the Coffee market, and both shippers and home dealers operated with much caution, whilst the downward ten dency continurs. At public sale 53 casks 946 bags Ceylon were offered ! Native was taken in at 59s 6,1 to 60s for good ord, whilst a few lots damaged sold at 54s to 56s : of the Plantation a part only found buy ers at rather lower rates ; good ord at 56s 6d to 58a 6d, fine and fine fine ordinary 61s to 655, middling 68s, and triage 52a 6d to 583. the better sorts were taken in at 70s to 80s. Mocha 150 bales were in part sold, fine at 80s 6d, mid 70s, low mid 663, damaged and triage 37s to 665; but 116 bags Madras Nj ere taken in at 565, and the sound of 305 bags Padang at 48s, damaged sold at 39s 6d to 40s 6d, which are lower rates. Of Native Ceylon 2,000 bags were disposed of ft r arrival at 58s per cwt for good ordinary. SPICES.—Tc -Jay Cloves met with more attention, and at public sale 174 bags of Bourbon all sold at 7id to 811 for bold; likewiso 198 cases Bengal Ginger, at 51s to 55s for small cultivated sortr. DlCE.—There has again been much dams in tho market fyr East India. At public sale a part only of t4o,lo9osba6gds, m founadLrbansy:Brso;mlobwayaLdrtmid , 8s to 8 white 3e 6 ti d, gal an 9 d s gocd pit key white 9a to 9s 6J; the value C (4. 1) a g ae o d d ill a te " c i onfit n e ucs wh in exciteßeil to tine 191 t) 18', broken 10i to 113 0, town dressed n en g t ai demand, isi °l)atn to s, 1 1 (. 1 : Carolina 22s to 0 6., and American 193 tiu to 21e. 0' Sago :he quantity &red at public sale hrs been large, and amounted to 1'230 casts, but a part only sold at from 21s 6 to 2.1+ 6 , 1 for low to fine purl. To-day at pi.blic sale 150 b xes I'eari Sago were all taken in at 23s 6d to 24s per ca,-. SPIRITS —L eward Island Rum Law been sold at Is 5d to ls ;id proof, and at Is 6d for fine broa n. East India Is 4'l to Is 5d proof. Of Demerara, sere ral parcels have been eold at from 21 3d to 2s 7d for 30 to 40 per cent over proof Jamaica 9 01029 per ceut over proof, from 23 4d ;0 ad, 30 to 36 over 2 , 9 d to 3; sd, fine and choice marks 3,6 d to 4* 3d. In Brandy opet ation3 have been upon a mon c xt.-ta!ed 'rho value of Cognac', best brands of the vintale f 1848, is 4s 7d to 4a 9J, 1847 do 5s 2d to 5s 4d, inferior scrts 2 s 8d to 4s 2d, and Bordeiux 3s 6d to 2s 8d per gall , m. Geneva is 9d to is 10d, mid fine 2. 3d to 3s 3d. British made Spirit 93 6d net cash. SAM PETRE.—To-day there was a good demand, and at public saLs 821 bags Calcutta sold at full rates, refrac- L NDO N, lion 54 to 2 per cent. realised 27s 61 to 28s 6d, and 12 to 81 ditto 26s per cwt. COCHINEAL.—To-day there was little desire evinced to operate in Cochineal. At public sale not above half of 150 bags sold at Id to 2d decline. Honduras silvers went at from 3s 10 to 4s 53, Bla:k 4s Id to 4s 9d, Mexican 3s lid to 4a ld, and silvers 3s 10d to 3s Ild per lb. OlLS.—There has been a further increase in the de mand for Cod Oil, and higher rates hive been paid, sales having been made at 321 103 to 331 per tun. Seal, pale at 381 to 381 10e, straw and tinged 34/ to 37/, yellow and brown 311 to 331 10s. Whale Oil met with a more active sale. At auction 30 tuns went at from 32/ 5s to 341, for middling to fine, and 50 tuns of Sea Elephant Oil 32/ to 331 10s. Sperm 821 to 82/ 103 for Colonial. Of Ground Nut Gil 34 hhds were takne in at 41s 9d. There is firmness in the malket for Linseed Oil, whilst the rates paid have been 32s 3d to 321 6d on the spot. A fair quantity has been sold for delivery, and the market is firm at 32s 6d to 335. Rape Oil met with little attention, and a desire is evinoed to sell, pale at 41s, brown 40s, Foreign Seined 43s to 445, and brown 425. Palm, salts of good and fine have been made at 31s 6d to 32s 6d. Cocoa Nut, at auction 200 casks wire taken in at 33s t) 365, and ordinary 31s 63 to 325. Fur Olive there are sell rs of Spanish and Gallipoli at 491 t. 501. Barbary, Lev Ant, and Portugal 471 to 581 per tun. TALLOW.—The value of fine P.Y. Candle is 36s 3d t 36s 93 per cwt. For Delivery in the last three months of the yi ar only limited sales have been made, although a desire is evinc.‘d to accept 38s to 38. 6d. Home melted has been operat•cl in vi ith caution and prime malted is to to obtained at 36s to 36s 6d for cash. Ff other sorts of Tallow there nas been an abundant supply, and reduced rates are sub m't•ed to. At public sale 70 casks Petersburg Soap were taken in at 33s 63, 50 cks Taganrog at 35s 63, 183 cks Odessa 35s to 36., 1,130 casks Sydney only in part fonnd buyers, good and fine 35s to 36s 6d, low a. d middling 33s to 34s 9d ; 1,000 pkgs South American, good and fine 34s 6d to 36s 3d, and inferior 31s to 54s 3d per cwt. For auction on Friday 2,000 pkgs of Tallow are declared. Rough Fat is 2id per stone of Blbs IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT, (THIS EVENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woo sack at Five o'clock. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from an in dividuil praying to be permitted to sue for a divo►ce Bill in forma pauperis. He thought that some altera tion ought to take place in the present system, so as to afford to the poor a remedy as well as to the rich. The NOBLE and LEARNED LORD also presented a petition from the Chamber of Commerce in some town in Scotland in favour of the Bill for amending the Scotch law of distress; also a petition from Northampton in favour of the extension of the jurisdiction of the county courts; and a petition from the tenant-farmers of Tyrone in favour of an alteration in the grand jury law in Ireland. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. The Earl of MALMESBURY wished to draw the attention of the Noble Marquis t) the state of the agri cultural population of the parish of Leamington, in Wilts. The farmers had determined to reduce the wages of the labourers to 6s. a week ; in consequence, the labourers riotously assembled, one of them was captured and after wards rescued, and several riotous proceedings took place. He could not blame the farmers for making the reduction of wages to 6s. a week, as it was on ly i n fli e t: ng on the labourer his fair share of the loss accruing from the r( duced price of produce. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE had received no in formation of the circumstances ref,rred to by the Noble Ear]. ENCUMBERED ESTATES (IRELAND) ACT. Lord BEAUMONT presented a petition from Lady Jervis White Jervis complaining of the operation of the Encumbered Estates Act. The estate which she ad ministered, and on which she had a jointure, was an im provable NA .te encumbered to the amount cf 29,0001. The solicitor of the petitioner had lout 1,0001. on it ; he owing to the eA Lte 500/., the 1 etitioner sought to set off the 500/. against the 1,000/. on which the solicitor assigned the judgment of 1,000/. to a person in London, whereupon he was dismissed from his office as solicitor, on which the holder of the judgment petitioned the Commissioners, who ordered the estate to be sold, tuiless the or,- cumbrance should be paid off in twenty-eight days. The petition prayed that longer notice should be re quired before a sale was ordered, and that jointures should not be consider, d as encumbrances. Lord BROUGHAM said that whatever length of no tice bed been given, she could not have appeared under any circumstances. Lord BEAUMONT considered that the Act gale un due facilities to the creditors of persons possessed of encumbered estates, and opened a door to oppression, The whole object of the Act was to sell up and to revo lutionize the landed interest. Al ter a few words from the LORD CHANCELLOR. Earl GREY said that if the owner t f the property had chosen to oppose the sale, he would have been heard; but as he did not oppose the sale, surely no other 'Arson had any right to do so. The Earl of GLENGALL considered that it was un just that a junior creditor for a small amount should have tae power of enforcing the sales of an easte. This was one of the most outrageous and t.rotal cases of which he had ever heard, and he ooly regretted that the petitioner had not in sertcd in the petition the Larne of the agent of the person to whom he had assigned his interest. The Encumbered Est ites' Commission was not a court of ju4tice, or of law, or ( f equity; it was an auctioneer's court and nothing else, aid the Com missioners ought to be compelled to take out a license.— ( laugh.) By the operation of this Act persons were robbed of their estates. Lord CAMPBELL must earnestly request their Lordships to discountenance p et i t i ons suc h as thi s , reviewing . the preceediugs of a court of judicature against the decisions of which their Lordships had decided when they pas: eel the law there should be no appeal. These appeals, therefore, were extra judicial. It was clear that the petitioner had no interest in the estate, f)r if she had she would have had u locus standi in the court and have been heard, and as the estate was encumbered to more than half its an uul value it was clear the Commissioners had jurisdiction, and yet the Noble Earl thought it proper to hold the Learned Judges of this Court up to ridicule as auction eers, because in their zeal to do do the best for the hold ers of encumbered estates, they had themselves sold the estates in this Court.—(Hear, hear.) He had no clout t but that that Court would exLrcise their powers prop rly. The Earl of GLENGALL said the Act was an atrocious and uncctastitution Act, intended to destroy the ..entry of Ireland because they were Conservatives. THE Earl of MOUNTCASIIEL considered that a more arbitrary Act never passed the House than that. Act. It was an Act of injustice and confiscation which had been forced upon Ireland against the wish of the majority of both Houses of Parliameat.—(Loud laughter) A body more oppressed than the Irish landlords never were —(A laugh)—and when tLe Bill was extended to England then Noble Lords would understand its opera tion and tyranny. Lord BEAUMONT explained that he had not complained of the Commissioners, but of the opera tion of tl a Act, by which estates had been brought into the Court, which their Lordships, when they passed the Bill, had never intended to be brought into it. Ile thought the Act was a wise Act as regarded those hope lessly incumbered estates to which alone its operations 1 ai been confined. TLe Earl c f GLENGALL explained that be had meant no reflection on the Commissioners, who were most sefpectable men. . - - --- The petition way ordered to lie on the table. RAILWAY BILLS. Lord MONTEAGLE then rose, r:Ccording to notice, to move that the Hou s e do resolve that ten days at least b. f ,re the second reading of any private Bill for mak ing, improving, abandoning, or in nay way affecting or vary ing any rails ay, or for creating, incorporating, or affecting the powers rested in any railway company, or fur the amalgamation of any railway company, or in any other aay touching the same, there may be laid before this House copies of the balance-sheets of every such company, for the years 1848 and 1849, as re quested to be kept by the Bth and 9th Vic. cap. 16, or by any Act incorporating such company, together with copies of the schemes for dividend on which dividends shall have been declared during the years 1848 and 1849 under 120 and 121 of the said Act, or under any Act incorporating the company, and a statement of the amount of dividends declared in pur suance of such schemes, and the date at which such schemes were agreed te, and the dividends declared. (LEFT SPEAKING.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. Mr. WILSON PATTEN moved that, in all cases where notice had not been given in the Private Bill Office of the intention of parties to oppose the second reading of a private Bill, the second reading of such Bill, if op posed, be postponed until the day on which the House shall next sit. CAMBRIDGE AND SHEPRETII JUNCTION RAILWAY. t c a i r Lord G. MANNERS move d t h e secon d rea di ng o f hs mb Li Bi l l.d Mr. A g oW wa s s aid d e oi that d e d t i y h e feeling d t o o f t h t h i s e me i:l as i v u e r r e s . i ty H e e f should oppose the motion of the Noble Lord on this ground, and also on the ground that there was no want of this line, that it had very few share boleti rs, that it tan parallel at an average distance of one mile from another line which ran Le tween the same termini. He should move that this Bill be read a second time this day six months. Mr. P. BENNET supported the reading of the Bill. Mr. SHAFT() ADAIR also sup; orted the BM. Mr. GOULBUIN said, if the Home would give him its attention for a short time, he would lay the facts of the case before the House. The Bill was a Bill for a rail e a;, Leven miles long only, bet%s et n two points which were alreudy provided for by a line which had been al icady sanctioned by the House, and which line would be commenced almost immediately; and, beside, this, this very Bill had been rejected by the House three times already. On grounds tetall) independent of the University he opposed the semi d leading of the Bill, because he Con isiert d incurred theyby sending h oughtn t ot e to Bill a to a Committee allow additional expense until penset they ob knew whether the other line would or would not be completed. Mr. FITZROY said he had a petition, which was most numerously signed by the inhabitants of New- T7 : 141 l7) A V Pi VP, I N P, BTttT A n ' fin , a Warne;, stating that it was of the greateset public im portsmce that the measure should be rased. Tbo real parties who opposed that Bill were the Eastern Counties Company, and the petitioners stated that the New market line, which was in the possession of this com pany, did not afford the people of New market that col - venience and facility which Parliament intended it should give their, and they thought that the present measure would affoid them the accommodation they wantee% It was not strictly the fact that the Bill had been three times before Parliament; and he could assure the House that it was for the sake of promoting the public accom modation that this Bill was introduced. He theref tVe pro.eitcd against the attempt to stop the Bill in limine. Mr. CAMPBELL supported the Bill. Mr. WADDINGTON said it was all very well for the inhabitants of Cambridge to say they wanted a station independent of the Eastern Counties Com pany, but he should be glad to know how this Bill could possibly accomplish that object. The ha stern Counties Railway Company had a claim upon the House. He called upon the House to pause before it sanctioned the second reading of this Bill. - Ct Mr. M. GIBSON said the Committee were e f opinion that for the purposes of the public business the line be tween Shepreth and Cambridge should be constructed, end that the Eastern Count'es Company should make he link between Shepreth and Cambridge within a t fain time, which had not txpire:,?. After a few words from Lord GEORGE MAN. NERS, the House divided, when there appeared— For the second reading ... 98 Against it ... .. 135 Majority --37 The Bill was conk quently thrown out. SECOND READINGS. The following Bills were then read — itsecond time and ordered to be committed:— Copper Miners' Company (England). Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. Malchester Bonding. Victoria (London) Dock. Waterford and Kilkenny Railway. MIL FEARGUS O'CONNOR. A. special report from the Coannitt of Public Peti tions was brought up by Mr. TIIORNELY, which was read by the Clerk at the table. It stated that a petition was presented on the 14th of February by the Honourable Member for Ox fordshire, which was ordered to lie upon the table. That petition was not seen or heard of for some day a afterwards, which had led to inquiries being insti tuted by the Committee, and the result was that the Committee bad discovered that the petition was taken from the table, and kept for many days by Mr. Feargus O'Connor the Member for Nottingham. Mr. THORNLEY thought it right to state that this report was agreed to yesterday morning, but its presenta tion had been delayed till this evening, because the Hon. and Learned Member fur Nottingham was not in his place list night. Mr. F. O'CONNOR said it was entirely through ignorance of the practice of the House that he had taken the petition away. The reason for his taking the petition from the table was to have it published in his newspaper, but a few days afterwards the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Wolverhampton re minded him of his having taken it away, and he at once directed his secretary to bring it down to the House. If, however, he had violated any rules or orders of the House he now bagged leave to apologise to the Speaker for having done so. When ho took the petition ail ay he was not aware that he was violating any of the orders or rules of the House. He hoped he had given a sufficient explanation to the House, and be begged leave to express his regret that he had viohted any of its rules.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. HENLEY rose to explain. He said the petition came from a number of people in his (Mr. Henley's) own county, and he conceived it was directed against the , chcme, and not against the Hon. Member (Mr. O'Con nor) l ersonally. If he (Mr. Hen!ey) bad thought other wise, he should have adopted the usual course of giving the Hon. Member notice.--(Hear, hear.) The petition was then ordered t i lie upon the table. AT I'ORNEYS' AND tit )1 ORS' CERTI FIGAiE DUTY. Sir D. Nortep, Mr. Heilry Herbert, Col. Chatterton, Mr. V. Smith, and Mr. Henley presented petitions pray ing f,r toe repeal of the Attorneys' and Solicitors' An nual Certificate Duty. Sir JAMES DUKE presented a petition from certain respcctatle attornies practising in the city of London pra) log tor a remission of the duty on attornies annual certificates. Mr. AU LIONBY presented a simPar petition from the Law Suci ty of Staples Inn. Mr. CARDWELL presented a similar petition from Liverpool. • Loid ROBERT GROSVENOR presented similar fetitious from the lucorporattd Law Society of Great Britain, and from the counties of Bedford, Hereford, Cambridge, Chester, Cumberland, Durham, Hants, Huntingdon, and others, there being 178 petitions in the whole. .1 tie NOBLE LORD again rose, and said that it had been his duty, before the termination of last session, to bring under the consideration of the House the case of the journeymen bakers of the reetropolis, with a view to re lieve them from the hardships by which they were sur -1-mlw:ed.—(lf( ar, hear.) The journeymen bakers Formed but a small portion of the community, yet the House had given a fair consideration of their claims.—(Hear, bran) It was now his duty to bring before the Bowe the claims of another portioa—a still small er , an d, i n point of numbers, a more insignifitcant portion—of the community, but a portion whose power was acknow ledgedly great, and of whom it had been justly said that the citifessions made in all the confessionals in the world were not, put together, half so important in their consequences as those made to the atturnies of this country. How great, then, might be the injury, were they to publish the communications which had been made to them; and yet how few had been the instances of any breach of trust which the members of this body bad committed. The tax was so contrived as to press with all its rigour upon the poor man, while it left the wealthy man entirely free. But, notwithstanding this, should the Noble Lord below him as he hoped he would not oppose his motion, he should trust to the good feelings of the House to carry it out. The origin of this tax was when Mr. Pitt was at his wit's end tor an impost, and had tried several others in vain. Upon the discussion of this Bill, several very facetious and sensible remarks had been wade. It would be much fairer to tax the practitioner according to the amount of business which he did and to his gain, and on the same principle as that on which the income-tax was imposed. His certificate duty at present realised an annual sum r f 120,0001., but the injustice did not end here, for anti attor ney had to pay 1204 for stamps to his articles before he could be allowed to practise, and the annual receipts to the Government from this source amounted, according to the last return, to 68,0001 The injustice of the tax would be apparent when he mentioned that while the rich practitioner paid a tax of only a half per cent., his less fortunate brother in the profession actually paid 12 per cent. on his income. It might be urged against this motion that attorneys levied large contributions upon the public, and that other trades and professions 'were taxed according to the same principle. lie, however, disputed to the truth of the latter objection, since that 'was a profession similarly taxed and circumstanced as that of an attorney, while if they wished to decrease the gains of the attorney or the costs of the solicitor, nothing was more calculated to accomplish that object than this very motion. The time was when attorneys made great profit. , , but those times were gone. The House had, witlin the last year, taken assay from the Attorneys a sum of 45,000/. in hard cash by refusing to allow them any discount upon stamps of upwards of 101. This duty operated in a most injArious manner towards managing clerks in atcornies offices, affecting their morality and their inch pendence.—(Hear, hear.) What the attorneys complained of was, that the odious tax was still continued upon them, while every day they were injured by the Legislature rendering them unable to pay it. He had already shown the House that the tax was not general, that it was partial and unjust; and having done so, he would leave the matter to the decision of the House. The Noble Lord concluded by moving for leave to tiring in the Bill. Sir fiE LACY EVANS seconded the motion. Mr. HAYTER must oppose the motion, as its effect would be to reduce the revenue to the extent of upwards c f 120,0001. The Hon. Gentleman concluded by moving that the further consideration of the motion should be postponed to the 22d March. Sir F. TIIESSEGER supported the motion. Mr. COCKBURN hoped the Government would consider the proposition of the Noble Lord. After a few observations from Colonel CHATTERTON and Sir DE LACY Everts, the motion was postponed to the 22d March. SECULAR EDUCATION. Mr. W. J. FOX then rose to move for leave to bring in u 13111 to promote the secular education of the people in England and Wales, and was (LEFT SPEAKING.) COURSE OF EXCH.? A natemarn 12 2 Ditto, at sigtv.t ...... 12 1 Rotterdam 12 3 Antwerp.. .... .......... 25 75 Hamburg'. ......M.B. 13 13% rarls, 3 danys'sight 25 50 Ditto, 3 months .... 25 70 larsellles ............ 25 70 80urdeavix......... . 25 70 Frankfort on Mains.... 122 Petesl , u/ gh, Sil. Rble 37 3 / 8 Vienna, •! rec. tlo ...... 11 40 Theste, dl tt0.... • • .... 11 40 4tadrid - •......... 49% qadiz 4974 Bilbao.. .• •.. N GE.---( THIS DAY.) G1bra1tar.............. . Leghorn ........•• • ..•• 30 60 Genoa ..•• •• .... .. ••.. 26 0 Venice .. •• • . .. Naples ...... •..... • • 41% I•alermo, per0z........ 121 Messina .............. 12 / Li5b0n.......,„„„„ 53% Oporto .• .• • • .... ••• . • • 53% ktio Janeiro ••• • „ • „• • . Buenos Ayres • • Yew York, 21 days'alght Philadelphia niers OF BULLION, PER OR. Foreign Gold in bars.. £3 17 9 l'ortugal Gold Coin () 0 0 Spanish Doubloons .. 0 0 0 Barcelont, New Dollars ...... 0 4 10% Silverha bars ......•• 0 4 113 SAVINGS' BANKS.--It is another great fact," that those officers of savings' bank::, who have proved de faulters, were persons in excellent stations in life. Trus tees and managers of some of those institutions appear to have had a special likiug iu the appointment cf such persons (a sort of favoritism to worldly-minded men) to the exclusion of competent and upright individuals, to whom the situations would have been a benefit. ana a credit to those appointing them. But the appointments, being not of a personal nature to such trustees and managers but a public concern, why they could serve pet men more easily and more conveniently to themselves. Having done so, the favoured men were left to the almost uncontrolled management of the banks (for it would net do to watch, much more suspect, there) and tl.e result has been what all the world now knows. So much for lavoritism and injustice I STRENGTH OF GUTTA PERCHA. TUBING.-A trial of the strength of gutta percha tubing took place a few days ago at Stirling in presence of a Committee of the Town Council, with a view to its applicability for extinguishing fires, flushing drains, &e. The tubing, which was one•and-a-half inch bore, was at tached to the water-pipes; and, although the pressure of the water is perhaps the greatest in the kingdom (being about 450 feet), not the slightest effect could be 1 er ceived upon either the tubing or the joints, whilst the same amount cf pressure upon strong leather hose scat ter el the rivets in all directions. —Edinburgh Advertiser. MARGATE, FEB. 25.—The Alfred, Calais to London, got on the Ness Rock yesterday, but was assisted off this morning after partly discharging. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, Feb. 25. (Sittings at Guildhall, before Lord Chief Justice WILE' and a Special Jury.) THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY V. BRETT AND LITTLE. This case, which commenced on Thursday last, is one of three actions which have been brought by the plain tiffs against the defendants fur an alleged infringement of the several patents of the plaintiffs. The Attorney-General, Mr. Martin, Q C., Mr. Mon tague Smith, and Mr. Grove were counsel for the plain tiffs; and Mr. Cockburn, Q.C., Mr. Webster, and Mr. Chance for the defendants. The patent alleged to be infringed in this action is a patent granted to Messrs. Cook and Wheatstone in 1837, for "certain improvements in giving signals and sounding alarums in distant places by electric currents transmitted through metallic circuits." This patent, with others, was afterwards assigned to the present plaintiffs. It would be almost impossible to give a Lair description of the respective telegraphs except by means of diagrams; the chief cliffere p ce be tween the plaintiffs' and the defendants being that the plaintiffs' telegraph consisted of five wires, with a dial plate or index containing the letters of the indicating the with five needles for the purpose of the pat ticular letter intended, and worked by means of keys and buttons; while the defendants' consisted of only one wire, with a dial plate and two needles, which by the number of their deflections., i▪ ndicated the parti cular signal intended, according to a telegraphic code and worked by means of a handle. A great many sci entific witnesses were examined on both sides, wh ose ~ evidence was very conflicting, which would be impos sible to give, except in deta il. The plaintiffs all ege d that the defendants had infringed thei▪ r patent in fi ve es sential particulars, viz.:-1. With respect to the needles, and the application of stops to prevent their deflection except in certain angles; 2. With respect to th e cross bar for the purpose of disconnecting and connecting the several wires at pleasure; 3. In the reciprocating principle, whereby the same wires were used iu transmitting backwards and forwards; 4. That the needles worked in planes opposite the ope rators at each end whereby the operator taw th at his message was correctly telegraph e d ; and 5. The using receiving machines at intermediate stations, show ing the same signals at those stati ons as at the termini . On the part of the plaintiffs it w as contended that tte . invention of the defendants was a mere colourable eva sion of the plaintiffs' patent, and that they produced the same effect by a process which, although apparently dif. ferent, wets a . mechanical equivah et. The defendants contended that theirs was an entirely new invention from the same stock of knowledge as the plaintiffs', and, although the effect lc as the same , th e means a d o pt e d were essent i a'ly different from those point, d out in the pliinliffs' specification. 'rho decendaids had only one wire to the distant place, and the electric circuit Ras completed by using the earth as a conductor. It was not discovered until after the plaintiffs' patent that the earth could be used as a conductor; and the plaintiffs' specifi!:.a.. tion throughout relates to a metallic circuit, meaning that the circuit i s t o b e com pl e ted by means of a wire throughout the entire circuit. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL replied, when The Learned JUDGE SUM Ir.ed up, and shortly pointed out to the jury the alleged infringements. The jury found—That the making signals to distant stations was a new invention of the plai▪ ntiffs, as also the making signals to intermediate stations; that the angu- lar motion of the needle, en vertical planes and horizon tal axes ; conjointly with steps, was new; the use of the dial was not new; that the handle of the defendants for the purpose of clanging the circuits was not an imita tion of the cross-bar of the plaintiffs; that the magnetic ring and indicator of the defendants was different from the needle mentioned in the plaintiffs' specification; that the indication of signals at the same time at distant sta tions was not the plaiut ffs' invention; that the defendants' instrument with one wire and two noodles was not the same as the plaintiffs', and that the system of the tele graph was a different system from that of the plaintiffs. The Learned JUDGE directed the verdict to be entered for the plaintiff-, with 51. damages, leave being reserved to the defendants to move on the following points:-1. That the defendants' using the t arth as a portion of the circuit was not an infringement of the plaintiffs' patent, inasmuch as the plait fffs' invention was based upon the principle of transmitting the electric current through a metallic circuit. 2. That the defendants' system, con sisting of one wire, was essentially different from the system of five wires and five needlss of the plaintiff,'. By arrangement between the partir s it was arran=t d that a verdict should to tdcen for the plaintiffs upon all the issues except " Nut Guilty." WATERFO:ID, WEXFORD, WICK- LOW, AND DUBLIN RAILWAY. (Couticued from our Third E-Ith n of last night.) The discussion krminated in an amendment, to the Effect that a committee of inquiry should be appointed to investigdto the affairs of the company, and to report upon the most de,irable Fla❑ Ahich could he adopted to rescue the shate'iolders from their present difficulty. It was suggested that this amendment should be with drawn, and that there should be substituted f.r it am.- ther, to the eff ct that a committee c f five shareho!ders should be appointed to confer with the directors as to the expediency of short ming the line and reducing the capital of the company. Upon the amendment being put, 22 were for it, and 1 against it. — The Hon. Mr. PONSONBY demanded a poll. The dissentient shareholders declined to vote, and the amendment was lost by 67 votes of persons present, and 880 proxy VOte.9. Another amendment for a committee was made to in quire into the accounts. This was negatived upon a the dissentient shareholders again declining to vote. The ori;inal motion was then carried, and the meet ing broke up. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 25. ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION BILL. (Continued from our Third Edition of last night.) Lord STANLEY supported the amendment. It the clause passed it would preclude the possibility of in creasing the number f bishops. Besides this, the pa rochial clergy would have cause to complain, inasmuch as if the txo funds were combined, every 4,0001. a year appropriated out of it to new bishoprics would be eon sidered as depri►ing them of 40 additional curates. The episcopal fund was adequate to all the demands upon it, but the common fund was not, and, moreover, there was no chance of any future excess in that fund. He wac, under these circumstances, all the more disposed to keep these funds separate and untouched, except for their own particular purposes. _ _ _ The LORD . CIIANCELL OR said it could not be an ticipated by any one when the nezessities of the Church might require the application of one fund or of the other, and, thr re fore, iu his opinion, to make them efficient they should be united, so as fle.t they could be made available for any emergency that might arise, leaving the discretion of their use in hands competent to exec cise it. He thought this would be to act more wisely, as well as advantage rusly, for the Church and the Country. The Earl of lIARROWBY said if the Noble and Learned Lord had read the amendment he would have seen that this discretion was provided for. The fusion of the two funds would, however, in his opinion take away that discretion, and also decide the question of any further increase of bishops in the negative. Earl GREY did not see on whA principle the fusion of tte two funds could decide the principle of the crea tion of new bishoprics; and he denied, moreover, the t the clause would have any such effect. There was no indisposition on the part of the Government to create new bishoprics. He thought this question, as well as the management of the united fund, might be safely left in the hands of the Commissioners, who he believed had adopted as a principle that in distributing the in come of the Church regard should be had to the local interests of the sees in which that income was raised. lle believed that if the Bill passed a large income would accrue for the appointment of bishops and the endow ment of the inferior clergy. An increase of the epis copal body was highly desirable, seeing the increase of the population, but an increase of the inferior clergy w as much more desirable for the Church and the country. The Committee then divided on the amendment : For the amendment ... 31 Against it ... 26 Majority in favour of theamendment —5 On clause 15, which enacts that the Deanery of York, from and after the next vacancy, shall be endowed with an average yearly income not exceeding 2,0001., and as signs to each of the present Deans of Salisbury and Wells, so long as they hold such deaneries, an averrige yearly income not exceeding 1,5001., and provides that no future Deane of Chichester, Exeter, Ilereg,rd, Lich field, Salisbury or Wells, shall have yearly incomes ex ceeding 1,0001. Thairshop of SALISBURY then rose to move an amendment. He said the Act of 3 and 4 Viet., c. 113, regulated the fund for the capitular establishm,tts of this country; and, as it was not intended by the Legis lature that this fund should be applied in a parti .1 or unfair manner, but in the general service of the Church, he felt bound to call attention to the question. The general effect of that Act was to 'elm.° the income of two deaneries then exceeding 2,000/. a year each down to that sum, while it r&s:d the income of those deaneries which were undo'. 1,0001. to that amount. This left 1,0001. dif fer once between the highest and the lowest deaneries. The amendment which he should propose would have the effect of remedying the in, qualities in the prent system. Their object should be, by endowing the dean( ries with suitable) revenues, to obtain the most assiduous disch ,rge of the duties pertaining to those offices. At present it was competent to hold along with deaneries parochial ben( fives situated at a considerable distance from the deanery. He would gladly see both deans and canons placed in that respect under the same restrictieus as the inferior clergy, attached to the same establishment., and residing more constantly in cathedral cities, at the same time that he would have them ade quately remunerated. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that the object of the amendment scarcely came within the scope of the Bill, the object of which was solely to provide for the more efficient working of the Ecclesiastical Commission, the present clause being introduced merely to do justice to those clergymen who had accepted two deaneries particularly circumstanced, without affeoting the genera! regulations under which all the other deaneries existed. He therefore objected to the amendment. The Bishop ot . SALISBURY said he would divide on the amendment. Their Lordships; dividetl, when there apps ared— For the amendment ... 21 For the clause... ... 19 Majority ... •• ••• ... • ... —2 The amendment Has ac cor di ng l y agreed to. The Bishop of OXFORD moved the insertion of three clauses; the first empowering the Ecclesiastical Com inissiornls to commute any prebend annexed to a dignity or office; the second providing that commuted land. &c., should be subject to similar tries as the lands vested under former Acts; and the third providing that certain benefices annexed to the sees of Bristol, Oxturd, and Peterborough, held not in cornmendam, but under Act of Parliament, and therefore not liable to the opera tion of the Act which severed such benefices, should be :operated from these diocefes. These clauses were agreed to, and the Bill was ordered to be repot ted to the House. Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 25. PARLIAMENTARY VOTERS (IRELAND) BILL. (Continued from our Third Edition of last night.) On our admission to the gallery we found the House in Committee on the Bill, Mr. BERNAL in the chair. On clause 1, Mr. DISRAELI said—The Noble Lord appears t complain very much of the course I have taken, a id ac cuses me of obstructing the public business. The Noble Lord referred to a passage in which the word obstruc tion was used, but did not finish tl ese itence. The per son who used the word said that he was ready, and thought it right, to obstruct all measures that were in jurious to the Constitution of the country."—(Hear.) In my opinion that was a very legitimate description of the duty of a Member of Parliament. But what is the obstruction which on the present occasion we presume to offer? The Noble Lord says that this Bill was brought in, and the: afore we ought to bo well acquainted with it, and that one of the reasons why a Whig Go vernment introduces measures without any intention of carrying them, is to give Hon. Members an opportunity of being masters of the subject in the following year.— (Hear, and laughter) That shows a confidence in the duration of cabinets which only a Mai; Minister could entertain.—(Laughter.) The Noble Lord was also pleased to sirs that I have received my instructions else where.—(Hear.) That is not, let me remark, a very constitutional or a very courteous mode of expression.— (Hear.) The Noble Lord, indeed, has in the course of his political career, received instructions how to conduct himself in Pailiament from many places.—(Hear, hear.) But the Noble Lord calm, t soy of me or my friends that we have ever received inspirations how to conduct our selves in this Ileu,e by consulting seditious clubs. —(Opposition et e.:rs.) The Noble Lord on this .- h ctcd in a manner quite unwort h y ors.) Nt t only ha ; h e c h at ged us o oc f ca l Lon ie:f.— has (C with obstructing the business of this llouie, but most unwarrantably insinuates that we are wilily, of factiou s proceedings.—(Cheers and coucter cheers.) The Noble Lord is the last person from whom such a charge should have come.—(l.lear,hear.) Did not the Noble Lord bring forward a proposition in this Ikuso, on which he made the fate of an Administration depend —upon the appropriation elas:e?—( Hear, hi a-.) Arid )et the Noble Lord, when he took ollice in consequence, had eeither the consistency nor the courage to carry out hi s own policy.—(Cheer s .) For my part, although I should have been ready to li ttii with respect to the opinion of the Noble Lord on this occasion, I shall not be deterred from the course which it is my duty to take by any speech such as that which the Noble Lord has just made.—(Cheers.) This is a measure of immense im portariee.—Klear" irom, the Mikisterial If it bo a measure of itcmee;:e importance, it ought not to be shuffled through the House. The Gevrnicent have no right to appeal, as the onl, source from which we can derive information of the Bill, to the measure which they brought forward last year, 'without any intention of THE ALLIED PRINCES OF INDIA. Sir E. COLEBIZOOKE gave notice of his intention to postpone until this day fortnight his motion, which stands f)r tc-morrow, t ) inquire into the rights of suc cession of the allied and dependent princes of India. CASE OF CHRISNA RAO WITHUL. Lord DUDLEY STUART postponed until this day fortnight his motion for a Select Committee to inquire into the claims of Christie. ltao Witht►l, of Earode. WINDOW TAX. Lird DUNCAN postponed until this day fortnight his motion on the paper fur to-night---" That, whereas the pres( at mode a assessing, levying, and collecting tax ‘s on air and light in England and Scotland inter feres most prejudicially with the health and sanitary condition of the inhabitants of Great Britain, therefore it is expedient that the window-tax should be rept altd." GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND. Mr. HUME fixed for this day week his motion n• spectiog t::° removal of the Lord-Lh-ut,nant t f Ireland THE FRANCHISE. On the motion of Sic DE LACY EVANS, returns were ordered of appeals from the courts of the revising b misters to the Court of Common Pleas, made up for the year ending the Ist day of March, 1849; also, the judgment in the case of Palmer v. Allen, omitted in a former rcturn. MORTALITY IN THE NAVY. On the motion of Cupt,i❑ HARRIS, returns were or dered of the mortality per cent. amongst the officers and crrws cf her Mejesty's ships employed on the court of Africa during each of the years from 1840 to 1848, loth inclusive. Of all slave vessels, their names and tonnage, captured from 1840 to 1848, both inclusive; specifying the date f capture, the latitade and longitude, and whe ther with slaves o❑ board or not. And of the number of slaves cal tared during the same period in each yt a-, with the number of deaths letween the ch.te of capture ar.cl adjudication, showing the annual per tentage of mortality. LAW OF SETTLEMENT IN ENGLAND. Sir D. NORREYS postponed the question which he had intended to ask of the First Lord of the Treasury - p etieg the law of settlement on this side of the Irish Channel till a future da: . MERCHANT SEAMEN'S FUND. In reply to a question from Mr. CARDWELL Mr. LA BOU Ci I ERE replied that it was not the in tention of Government to take the division on the second readings cf this and the other similar Bills on the days for which they were fixed, and hoped therefore that the Hon. Gentleman would not oppose his postponing them to a future day, in order that they might be rendered as per - feet as possible. THE FRANCHISE IN THE COLONIES. Mr. AULIONBY gave notice that on the discussion of the Australian Representation Bill he should move that the elective system be extended to New Zealand, and, if there was no clause for it, that it should be ex tended especially to the southern provinces of that island. THE BLOCKADE OF ATHENS. Mr. ANSTEY wished to as the Secretary of Stale for Foreign Affairs whether he would lay ou the table of the House copies of the instructions to Admilitr Sir William Parker, mentioned at p. 316 o f t h e " Cone aonrdislinag rtitchualtarolyf any order o f h er Majes ty ficer t o bl oc k ade the ports spondeuce respecting the demands mad e upon t h e G ree k in nocvoeurntienciel th n a t u ," of Greece, and take and detain vessels belonging to Greek subjects or their Government? Lord PALMERSTON said Sir W, Park er h a d re of Admir a lty, an d th a t to make th e s e orders the ht e ei was u subject o r e d t et general lydt he the r e i nB custom o c a o r u d n e il. Mr. ANSTEY wished to know if the Noble Lord would state whether it were necessary, in order to justify such reprisalF, for an order in Council to be issued. Lia.d PALMERSTON was understood to say it was not. Mr. ADDERLEY wished to ask whether a late Sec retaryship in the colonies had not been offered to Mr. Dominick Bailley, formerly Secretary to the Canadas, who assigned as a reason for refusing the appointment that he did not think a stranger to the colonies could discharge the office. Mr. HAWES could not answer the question. REPAYMENT OF IRISH ADVANCES, Mr. MONSELL said, as warrants had been issued against the persons in Ireland to which advances had been made by the Government, under the Labour Rate Act, he wished to know whether, in consequence of the in tei tion of the Government to extend the period fur the repayment of the advances they were prepared to stay those warrants until the decision cf . the House was known ? _ . Sir W. SOMERVILLE said, it was necessary undo. the Act to issue the warrants, but it was not the inten tion of the Government to force their execution. SURVEY OF THE IRISH COAST. In reply to Mr. ANSTEY, Mr. PARKER said, the survey of the Admiralty fr( m Water ford to Dungarvon had been completed, a n d in all probability the survey would be continued to Youg hall. TIPPERARY UNION. In reply to Mr. SCULLEY, Sir W. SOMERVILLE said there appeared to have been consider able mortality in the Tipperary Union, but the last accounts he had received did not bear out the statement that 40 or 50 had died in a week. EXPLANATION OF MR. BRIGHT. Mr. BRIGHT asked the indulgence of the House with reference to a personal matter affecting himself and another Member of the House. It would be in their re collection that on the debate respecting the advances to distressed unions in Ireland be made a statement as to the difficulty of collecting the poor-rate in certain districts. Amongst other statements that be made was, that a large landed proprietor in the west of Ireland, and an HOD. Member of this House representing an Irish county, had made over to a near relative certain goods and chattels, the furniture of a house, for the purpose of saving them from being seized for the payment of poor-rates. At the time he made that statement he had every reason to believe that the information was founded in truth, but he had since hail an opportunity of seeing the Honourable Member on the subject, who had laid befole him l apers and documents from which he w as bound to believe that the parties who had furnished him with the information were mistaken in th e i r v i ew of the purpose for w b l e b the property was made. lie had not h ad time to c,n-o munica:e with them on t h e m atter, but nevertt e l e ss he thought it right to acce pt the statement cf t he Hon . Gentleman, and retract that which must have been calculated to cast an imputation upon his character. Mr. H. HERBERT acknowledged the candour with which the Hon. Member had made this retraction, but had he been aware of the intention of the Hon. Member to make such a statement as they had just heard. he should have availed himself of the opportunity of reading a letter which he had received from a large landed pro prietor in Ireland, controverting other portion s of th e Hon. Gentleman's statement.—{Hear, hear.) The subject then dropped. arf •u:it.--(rr... r, B 11 w,S ; not exactly similar, to that now bJoie us. le my a at non there has ric Ter been a fairer or a more " r '' : h i s t tional appeal tha n th a t ma d e by th e Noble Lord 6e ilt„, side.—(Chee rs .) I t L as b een me t i n a spi;it of br l g th ' 7 ,„ insolence.—(Opposition cl.e rs, and (iistcnt frue er t). other "side.) Fur my part, 1 shall as& I myself fev form the Hous e p erm it s o f opposilie. the present Pr _ gross of this Bill I th ere f ore n-o.e, ' Sir, that you " E P " progress, and ask leave to sit again.—(Loud cheers.) The Committee then dividtd, when there Bpi e-tre d-- For reporting progress ... • • 81 Against it... „, 191 Majority ,„ 10 On the gallery being re -opened, Mr. FORBES ta'.d he felt it to hi his duty to ritor that the Chairman leave the chsir. He couid not bel xpiesiing his surp r is e a t th e cou r s e. pursued bi P e! b Government. The Bell o f l as t y ear had never been e _ pressed on their attenti on , at d t h e p re sent Bill had be " read a second time only on Friday last. lie should 110, be doing. his duty if , he did not resist the tyranuicil course e f the Government. Captain I.3ATEtiON approved of the intentin cf Lb° Hon. Aiem 1 1 her fur Stirlingshir,. It was most ~L l 4' tote! indecent t pr ess a Bill with such haste through the 11 , use. The argument fur postponing 13111 had he'll"; anstwered. He the ught that the Government acre ala rMIL .st the dkision cf Thursda and kit that the tile y last, which tl ey worshipp,d—free-trad 11e—vras in jeopar d j• —* (tie are hear.) Ile had &wins been, and still vrast,,, suprrter ei the uni o n b e t we C a t h e t wo countries; et l the conduct of the G overnment on t hi s oc casion would - be used C.y many as a rt a on for the repeal of thgl union. —(Hear.) Li , . if did not think the Noble Lord qv''' . could advance any one instance as an answer to the Mt' answerable: argument of the lion. Member for the Us'' versity of Dublin. He thought he might s afely ° L i)? the Noble Lord to adduc e a n y i ns t ance o f a Bill of toe importance and length o f th e present h av i ng bLen pressed forward from the second rea di ng on a F r iday to Coal. wit ei on Monday, and th a t w i t h ou t no tice.—(Che e l e ' and cries of " Ni.") It was th e m ore indecent. 2s " Member best qualified to sug gest amendments had de elated that the course tak en b y the Government had cu privtd him of the opportu n ity o f putt i ng to the vote the, amendments he wished to propose. Unless a prccedeo could be shown f o r th e course ta k en h e s h o uld feel Jus tified in availing himself o f t h e f orms o f t he lIOUte to stay procedure on the Bill.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. P. WOOD thought it right that the countrf should know the nature of the measure and the course taken by the other side. The measure had been un der the consieeration of Parliament for no less than three years. An noel. MEMBER—Fifteen years. h Els Mr. I'. WOOD—For fift een years .—(A meant that the id en ti ca l measure bad be d three years before them.—(Bear, hear.) In Ir c'Eu iri the constituency had been reduced, by unforetion se of misfortunes, to abo u t 140 ,0 0 0 i n a p o p uls t ete r u i about 8,000,000. It was p ro p cee d b y t hi s Lidl to the franchise so far as to increase the number of V °tc ry to 250,000.—(Hear, hea r .) A good deal of ue cessa he machinery would b e p u t in operation by this te first step must he taken in June text, otherwise would be no constitu enc y i n November. The last o f the d it assizes would not terminate till the 10th of April, an b o. Vra.! quite clear that ursless this measure was eess ed d i s . fore the middle of May the Irish people would her ask franchised for another 3 ear. At present 75 ont„, l9l :, s e 105 Memlers for Ireland were in attendance. 1° hie the House to postpone the Committee in order to en: f° r gentlemen opposite t o k eep t h e measure eendie',Ao another year, was a course proper enough for lh l' a - ne e resisted every exten s i on of the suffrage, but it was - the which he hoped the Government would resist le utmost.—(Hear, hear.) f Mr. MILES was a s t on i s h e d at t h e o b serva tions 0 -, ine Hon. Member fir Oxford who had just sat down. ed would suppose from the remarks of the lion. sled Lear Member Member that they on that side were opposed to a"' d $0 tension of the franchise.—(Hear.) The 11°P. e dir Learned Member for the University of Dublin had 011 tinctly stated that though there were parts of t" e is ,, l e . relating to the franchise to which he had some eu e i t i e d tions, he conceded the registration parts, and adrnr that the constit uency o f I reland wag n o' i ti o d satisfactory st a t e .—(H) ar t )If they on that Bid ° the y opposed the p r i nc epl e of altering the fraechis s Nould have taken a di v i s i on on t h e secon d reat. l t to they had tak e n no suc h division, thereby leading Ibina e be inferred th a t i n th e i r op i n i on the franch i se of required to be amended. (Hear.) Ho was est° ll , „ e o t the Noble Lard a t th e h ea d o f the Governme nt ha' yielded to the request made for d e l a y. It was t eas o -n- hie h.. able delay, and the division mi g ht have shown the ~,e Lard that there were many in the minority *be es° fie supported the Government who seemed to think see 0 . trusted if the Nt ble Lord did not consen t to ani e f i ron ment of the questi on i n or d er to gi l t,' time fo r die Members to consult with their constituents, that it , minority would use all th ose means wh i c h it has altar command to resist b e i ng b oun d hand an d f oo t by a - jority.—(Cheers.) si t bef Mr. M. J. O'uONNELL thought the Hon• ii. ect ! i • e g for Sotnersetshire had advised a course of preen which no one ever came out of with either s encess te v iS credit.—(llear.) Ile had come down to attend Te r isb ane did not think that it was the first duty "had Members to set,nd assiz.fs.—(Hear, hear.) Th e y a te already wasted two hours in fruitless u' s- u ti sion. He was quite sure the Government WO od post pone any clause upon which the Hon. Learned M em b er f or the University of Dublin wished to move amendments.—("Oh ° I Oh!") The ~ "e 0 Lord the Me m b er f r!' Tyrone wi s hed t o delay th e - tsi mittee out of d e f erence to the opinion of his constituennot but he thought i t strange the Noble Lord eit eni ,, d ,. e re have consulted his const i tuents upon the Ine'iarl when it was brought forward last year. Parlia men terms would no t a ll ow hi m to refer more partic te' qu l3. the course p ursue d by lion. Gentlemen oPlicsove' they all lereier well enough that it was n new i t t e t that a new c om p ac t an d all i ance had taken plac e ' e , far Lichfield house, p er h aps, b ut at some p l a ce not from it.—(IHAMILTO lear, hear.) tits / Lord C. N thought it was strange, „hi lion. Memb ers tepreleatieg large consituencies!'oe;re. (eject to an Hon. Meual ec wishing to consult steuents with °gird to an important mea sure Pa rt- e y tarty affecting them. lie had - the same right a: a ti gh metropolitan M em b er to consult his con.titu elts, lhire it was not so e as y a matter for him to do it. - the were other Nays of accounting for the opposition to n manner in which the Bill was passed than that tak en the Hon. Member for Kerry, who saw in that opP O- 10 • what he called a "Lew move." This Bill would 01 1 00 great alteration of the Reform Act, and yet it li sd 00 printed on W e d nes d ay, read a secon d tins ° d o Friday, and set down for Committee on the 3f° , l/ ?.... followi ng . W as tl ere ever such indecei t haste (Hear.) He defied the N o bl e L or d an d the G enhem tit opposite t o p o i nt out an instance in whic h all re e h ile ibe ut import ance h a d b een presse d throug mem . House with such indecent precipitation. But the in ieal hers of the mi nor i ty would not submit to so V al tv's mode of proceeding. If the members of her 0 1 Government were so anxious for the speedy Pas' ies d it the measure, why, he would ask, had they not na. t 60 to be print e d at t h e period of its first introductioe, pros that the Hou se m i g h t h ave had time to cons ider its bo l visions? His Hon. Friend the Member for ICe rr f bad expressed his surprise that he (Lord C. i bis not consulted his constituents upon the subject c t e rai Bill in the course of the Last session. But the fs p e , - e selt that he had at that time foiled it unnecessary le e - ae ure them, because he had been well aware that the W e il n et which had then been brought before the House w as of Hamiltoni to have been proceeded with until the comecencepsO the another session. In conclusion, he could as iar tou rer House that he approved of the principle of them e I r ish and that he was anxious for an extension Of the franchise; but he felt that they ought not to Pas s . 0. rn sure of that importance without mature deliberelled Who Lord J. RUSSELL said that the Noble LI . 0 00 had just addressed the House had asked for an L rl " yid in which a Bill had been proceeded with manner which it was proposed that they shoutas,!,,,id upon that occasion. Now he (Lord J. Russell) our . have thought that there was not a volume of tit nets which did not contain precedents of follow been proceeded with in Committee in the we e tinie• ing that in which they had been read a sewnßill 00 in th?_rcioo,ls Moreover, the present measure happened to be S a d bad which th e Noble Lerd and other lion. Members" is i o nft ample opportuniti es o f cons id er i ng its main P i geit Tt,e Bill had been introduced on the Ist of Mfg 00:0 and the main q ues ti on w hi c h i t i nvo l ve d was ''' R e bel° ace been whether th e coun ty f ranc hise of fro should or should not be altered to an 81. ra tin g jai' chile. That was a most important q uestion. I t h a il eeen teamed a good deal cf attention in Ireland; it ha untr y; much discussed in ell the newspapers of that c ; 3 l , had political parties and the community generally and expressed various opinions with respect to i t ' s ub' not only had that main provision been _hawse sect of much debate, but the various ~.;) of the !maim e bad also undergone eonsidera,u..'cod in cussion. Then again it had been re-intrtr_ u eLord the year 1849. But it turned out, certainly to % No ble J. Russell's) great surprise, that although tu . Le year Lord had teen in Ireland, as he believed, both in tie had 1848 and in the year 1849, and although the me" the been a subject of much discussion in that c ountrt' at he Noble Lord h a d o b served so discreet a silence . un til bed never asked a word about it—(Hear , hear) _unht the year 1850, e hen his Right lion. Friend the subject under their consideration. The N e 'L s aid, then suddenly started up from his slumbers an d Lt u f " This is an important question, I never thousgl,l.tinpeo before; I shall ask now what my constituent P;tahi to think about this Bill." Certainly there ari se CO' reasons given from time to time for delaying de deccd sideration of a measure, but the reason to nee,......fr0i0 from that p e culi ar c h arac t er of the Noble Lordpd his extr eme reserve an d tac i turn ity—(Hear , podia° / . 1 . 1 laughter) —i s h ar dl y a su ff ic i e nt ground for and to sa y' to stop a p rocee di ng o f t i e s d esc ription. __ ru dders' "Let us go home teenight—let us deter the .i e h u no re.; tion of the Bill until the Noble ord shall /cr i es 04 • ceived letters from the county Tyrone. '• re to yell " Hear, hear.") The Noble Lord was W e bs( ' one , them whether or not the measure was tic ex ten he:licr or net the Irish franchise ought to e_ do e o!fr ! Another complaint which the Noble Lord heetr the Bill that r Maje,te's Ministers had not brohe_ll . tf osi ,o)p,,e , printed. Now that seemed to him (Lord t a l S h i m ee . lt e be most exti a :rdinary complain'. He „ em itted l a ., when a young Member of the House , e C"; esti b ee ; et ror of brieging in a Bill printed; but b_ id a tha t immediately stepped by the Speaker, and l f e ihe goos e d had been acting in violation of the forms he bed Af er having spent a few years in Parliame n! that t he become aware, and other Members e ere sassesheeld is forme of the House req u i re d th a t a Bill she ered brought in in written shape, and that it was, jes slight tie printed, when it was re a d a fir s t time. h t j 3 th ° lion. Friend could not, therefore, have hr00;-,:in penis: Bill printe I. Now he thought that as themhe peoe sions of the measure had been so long before 1" I i