The Sun. — London, England, 1845-03-20 00:00:00

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, TUESDAY.—The Vindictive, 50, Captain Seymour, flag of Vice-Admiral Sir Francis Austen, K.C.8., was paid the usual advance wages yesterday at Spithead. The Gallant Admiral rehoisted his flag (white at the fore), this morning, at 11 o'clock, and saluted the Commander-in- Chief, Admiral Sir C. Rowley, as that officer was absent on leave when Sir Francis first hoisted his flag. The St. Vincent turned the salute. The Vindictive is very strongly manned, very few other than able seamen having been entered. She sails this evening for the West Indies. The St. Vincent, 120, Capt. Rowley, flag of Admiral Sir Charles Rowley, Bart., having completed h er refit, received her crew from the Victorious hulk yesterday. The Britannia, 120, advanced ship , has received new fore and mizen masts, her old ones having been transhipped on board the Hibernia, 120, fitting fur the flag of Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., for the command in the Mediter ranean. The Raven cutter, Lieutenant-Commander Stephen, which sailed on Friday for Sheerness with seamen, was driven back by the easterly gales, and did not succeed in finally leaving until yesterday. The Quail, naval lighter, sailed yesterday for Greenwich, with the effects of Capt. Sir W. 0. Pell, late Superintendent of Pembrc.ke Dockyard. The Wildfire steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander A. Darby, arrived on Sunday, with volunteers and supernumerary seamen, and to be docked for repair. She was accordingly docked yesterday. The Drake lighter sailed yesterday, with victualling stores for Chatham and Sheerness. The Comet steam-vessel, Lieutenant.CommanderPretyman, arrived yesterday from Devonport, with volunteers for the Rodney and Ilibernia. Shell practice, from the Excellent gunnery ship, Capt. Sir Thomas Ilastings, was recommenced upon the Swiftsure hulk yesterday morning. DEVONPORT.—The Melampus, 42, just commissioned by Captain J. N. Campbell, C. 8., was docked on Saturday, to have her copper cleansed and examined. She will have a *implement of 320 men. The Devon navy lighter, Hicks, Master-commanding, sailed on Friday, with Government stores, for Liverpool and Holyhead. The Comet steam-vessel, Lieutenant-Commander Pretyman, arrived on Friday, with seamen from Portsmouth to the ships Sttiug out here. Commander W. Cotesworth (1829), recently appointed to command the Grecian, 16, at this port, has resigned that ap pointment, which has been conferred upon Commander A. L. Montgomery (1838). NEWMARKET PROTECTION SOCIETY. (Abridged from the Cambridge Adve, tiser.) At a meeting of the above-named society, held on the 11th inst., It. 1). Fyson, Esq., in the chair, a petition to the House of Commons was agreed upon. The draft of this petition was forwarded to each of the county Members, with a request to be informed if they agreed with the prayer of such petition. Mr. Eaton said he would agree to any measure for the protec tion of the farmer: so would Mr. Allis; but he would " not take a burden off one shoulder and put it on the other:" but the Hon. Eliot T. Yorke would not go the whole hog, and very emphatically demanded proof "to show that the present low prices of agricultural produce, and the distress of the farmers, is owing to the measures of 1842 and 1843." _ . The result of this reply was a request from the Society that Mr. Yorke would meet his constituents at New market, and enter into some further explanation. Accordingly, at 12 o'clock on Tuesday, the Hon. E. T. Yorke, M.P., attended a large meeting of tenant farmers which was held at theßutland Arms Inn, and after wards by adjournment at the theatre, Newmarket, R. D. Fyeson, Esq., in the chair. After the CHAIRMAN had briefly explained the object of the meeting, _ _ _ The Hon. E. T. YORKE came forward, and, in a straightforward manly speech, vindicated his Parlia mentary conduct, and cited numerous Parliamentary statistical documents to prove that the course he had thought fit to pursue was the right one. After several other gentlemen had addressed the meet ing, all condemnatory of Sir R. Peel's policy, a call was made upon Mr. Yorke to resign. Mr. YORE briefly but emphatically said, " I don't intend to resign." REBECCA IN HUTCHESONTOWN EXTRAORDINARY PROCEEDINGS. Yesterday, an occurrence took place in Hutcheson town, in the vicinity of the Nursery Mill, opposite the Humane Society House, which, but for the good humour of a number of the parties engaged in it, might have re sulted in a formidable riot. From what we could learn of the circumstances, it appears that an attempt was made by two extensive iron founders, proprietors in this quarter, to shut up a bye road, which has existed for the last fifteen years, and which, besides giving easy access to the public wishing to cross the river from the Ruther glen-road, by the ferry at the Humane Society House, affords great convenience to the workers in the Nursery Mill, and other works in the neighbourhood. The attempt consisted of a strong wooden barrier, and a gate, which to the surprise of the , corkers attempting to pass that way, had been placed so as completely to shut up the road in question from the u eof the public. Determined not to be thus suddenly cl : t )rived of a privilege which they had so long enjoyed, at arge body of the operatives and female weavers connected with the Nursery Mill assembledabout six o'clock in the morning, and made a regular assault upon the gate; but by their intention being anticipated, by the proprietors in question, a large assembly of the sons of Vulcan,connected with their works, soon appeared to defend the barricade. The result was thata slight skir mish took place between the opposing parties, which was followed by several other encounters, in which, we are happy to say, with the exception of a few bruises, no great damage was done on either side. The operatives of the foundry for a considerable period, forming a compact body, defended the gate against all opposition, until a lad, driving an empty coal cart, was engaged by the opposing party, galloped amongst them and com pletely broke up their square, driving the gate and all other impediments before his well-whipped charger. After this the two forces retired to their usual labours ; but during the forenoon the gate was again set up, and apparently with a renewed determination on the part of the Vulcan people to de fend it at all hazards. The women, however, of the Nursery were not to be baulked in this way, and accordingly they mustered in still greater force, and being headed by several stalwart engineers, Centers, and mill-wrights, and a certain sonny mus cular manager, they charged upon the gate, and after a severe fisticuff encounter between the male portion of the belligerents, succeeded in driving off the defenders, destroying the barricade, and carrying off the gate, which they tossed into the Clyde amidst vehe ment cheering. It is but due to the workmen of the Vulcan Foundry, however, to say, that when the ladies appeared to aid the other party, they gave but a feeble and ineffectual resistance. The taking of the gates of Somnauth was nothing to this. Since the above was written we have been informed that but fbr the timely interference of one of the pro prietors of the foundry, bloodshed would have ensued and probably loss of life.—Glasgow Saturday Post. THE YARMOUTH BEACHMEN.—Statement of ser vices rendered by twenty-one persons of the undermen tioned companies, on Sunday, March 10, 1845 :—" That about 5 o'clock, A.M., observed a vessel aground upon the Scroby sand, the wind being then about E. by N. Rowing boats were immediately launched, and proceeded towards the vessel, but owing to the dangerous situation of the vessel, it being impossible to render any assistance with boats of that description, the Star Company re turned to the shore and proceeded to launch the life-boat, and with the assistance of other companies they succeeded in getting afloat about six a.m., with a crew of 21 men and the assistance of six horses to tow the life-boat to the northward as far as Caistor ; then proceeded under sail towards the vessel, but owing to the flood tide and the wind we could not reach the vessel, to which we tacked to the north ward, and the yawl Water Witch come and took a rope to assist, and after having reached a consider able time to the northward, saw the vessel's mainmast go overboard and again tacked towards the vessel,but could Dot reach the said'vessel, and was c )mpelled to tack to the northward the second time, and reaching in that direction *sufficient distance to enable the life beat to fetch the vessel, and again tacked the boat towards the said vessel, which we succeeded in reaching through much sea and great difficulty. The unfortunate vessel proved to be the schooner Princess Royal, of Newcastle from Sligo bound to London, with a cargo of oats, which we found to have a crew consisting of four men and one passenger, whom we were successful in saving from a watery grave, as the boat had scarcely left the sand when the vessel filled with water and became a total wreck. The crew were landed cn Yarmouth beach about ten, A.M., the same morning. The men in the life-boat were as follows:—Star Company, eleven men; llolkham ditto, seven men; Brock and Denny ditto, three men: Total, twenty-one.—Cambridge "hive, liser. FALL IN THE PRICE or BREAD.—On Tuesday the bakers of Drury-lane, Clare-market, and other places, lowered the price of the 41b. loaf to 5d., being a reduc tion of one penny. There is some bread selling as low as 4d., called oountry bread, but not weighed. The high priced bakers still maintain their prices. This is the first alteration that has taken place in the price of bread during the severe winter. STATE OF TRADE.—Owing to the continuance of severe frosts, and the consequent closing of the canals and navigabla rivets, at home and abroad, the market has been very quiet during the last week. Spinners and manufacturers, however, are generally under contract for some time to come, and consequently not at all inclined to press sales. Prices, therefore, continue steady. —Tun ROCHDALE. FLANNEL MARKET, MONDAY, MARCH 17.—The flannel market is mach the same as it has been for the last two or three weeks; the demand very limited, and prices extremely low. The wool mar • ket has been very quiet ; few purchases have been made at last week's prices. —Manchester Guardian. ANOTHER COLLIERY ACCIDENT FATAL IN ITS CONBOQUENCES.—On the evenine•. of Saturd a y l as t, an inquest was held before the Coroner at Wigan, at the house of Mr. Hill, Robin Hood, Hallgate, on the body of a boy, named Thomas Martindale, who met with an accident at Swinley colliery, about a week previous, in consequence of which he died that morning. It appears that the father of the deceased end his three sons were going down in the basket to their work, when they were all thrown out and more tr less injured. At the time of the accident they bad got beyond the five-feet mine, when the basket IR which they . were descending, from some means or other, was interrupted, by which Martin dale and his children were precipitated to the bottom. The deceased was found to have received several very serious injuries on the head, and parts of his body, the father had an arm broken, and was seriously hurt, but the ;tither two escaped with a few very slight bruises. The jury returned a verdict of " accidental death," with deodand of ss. upon the engine.—Bolton Free Press. SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS. FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDA!. GLOBE.—The "organised hypocrisy" has a way of proceeding amongst its organisers, which is not devoid of a certain sort of poetical justice. Gentlemen, it seems to say to them, you helped us to pull down our predecessors on grounds more or less hollow—so far as addressed to our rabble of supporters. We proceeded, in common, on the great truth stated by Lord Bacon, and quoted by Lord Mahon, that it does not signify whether opinions are true or false, so far as regards their immediate effects on action ; and that any cry, which is but be lieved, will serve its political turn. Abundance of such cries were raised with your assistance, and our (at least) connivance; and, buoyed up within reach of power by these instruments of inflation, Sir H. Peel grandly de clared he would sooner be the leader of the gentlemen of England, than possess the confidence of Sovereigns. We don't hear much—it is sadly recalled to mind— of the gentlemen of England now. They have made a ministry ; and their part in the hive is henceforth — to be got rid of, like the dam es. At a certain epoch the services of these latter are indispensable ; but afterwards the operative partners treat them as Peel does his country gentlemen, or as Jonathan Wild the Great treated his constituency, when they waxed troublesome on his hands. If the gentlemen at the back of the gentlemen now at the helm of affairs had wished to make their terms about county rates, cart grease, or other interesting items, they should have seized that stage of negotiation, which Brass did in bar gaining with Dick Amlet. It is too late for the be trayed, when the traitor has secured his rich wife, and his stolen rank. Accusations of faithlessness to principles, which were pretexts, have no effect on a Minister who has once got a firm seat in the saddle. The repetition of those pretexts only exposes their utterers to hear truths from the lips of the very statesmen who have risen by ac crediting class-delusions. At every attempt above ground, they give unequivocal indications of springing some mine below; at every reminiscence of their old Opposition watchwords, they open one finger of the whole handful of truths, which they have borrowed from their opponents in terrorem of their supporters. Thus Sir James Graham replied to Mr. Miles, and his paupers' plea for relief from burthens, that the agriculturists really had no excessive burthens, from which to be relieved. Well might the unfortunate Mr. Newdegate " whine" forth, " One might think that the Hon. Member for Stockport (Mr. Cobden) was the high priest of free trade, and that the occupants of the Treasury bench were chanting responses to the service." By the way, we are here reminded of an ancestral honour of the Newdegate family. If we remember right, it was Sir H. Newdegate, that some time pillar of landed pre eminence, and perennial patron of Oxford prize poetry, who, under the last unintelligible Ministry of Lord Chatham, surprised the House of Commons into taking one shilling off the land-tax. That shilling off the land-tax was the proximate cause of the quarrel with America. The ministerial leaders had not virtue or courage to call on the House to retract its landed vote. The then Chancellor of the Exchequer was forced on expedients to bring up the revenue ; and, under this dunderhead-duress, he recurred to the project of taxing the Americans, which had been wisely abandoned in its first resisted shape of the Grenville Stamp Act. STANDARD.--Long and earnest as were the de bates in the House of Commons last night, they can scarcely be expected to have any very lively interest save for the few, though highly respectable, persons connected with the New Zealand Colony ; the very fact of the alleged too great favour shown to the rights of the natives, by her Majesty's Ministers, takes away the wider interest by which patriots and philan thropists might otherwise be affected in such a case. As respects the charge of duplicity insinuated, if not directly made, against the Colonial Secretary, we imagine that it does not give much con cern to the Noble Lord or his friends. Were there any possible gain of profit or honour to be obtained by double dealing, Lord Stanley's noble character would be a sufficient defence against the charge of du plicity ; but in a case where the most rapacious, or the most ambitious and least scrupulous man that ever lived, could find no conceivable mo tive for deviating from the straight path, it is surely the most absurd thing in the world to charge such a man as Lord Stanley with resorting to crooked ways. We are persuaded that the very men who make the charge do not believe one word of it, though they, not very fairly, make the pretence in order to furnish matter for a debate to get up a grievance, or to carry a job by the help of Parliament. As far as we un derstand the oharge it amounts to this, that Lord Stanley having come to some agreement with the New Zealand Company, he wrote a letter, marked con fidential, to the Governor of the colony, in which letter were contained, as the advocates of the Company say, some instructions militating against either the terms or the spirit of the agreement. As much weight has been attached to the circumstance that the instruc tions to Captain Fitzroy were marked " Confidential," it may be worth while to say a word upon the point. We believe that all communica tions of the kind, not intended to be published, instanter as state papers, are usually so marked ; at least looking through the Parliamentary reports of cor respondence, from all the colonies from which the correspondence of governors, &c., has been published, we find confidential communications similar to that of Cap tain Fitzroy; and from this it is plain, that the term con fidential imposes no obligation of perpetual secrecy, for every public functionary knows that all his correspond ence is subject to the inspection of Parliament, but simply a present reserve from publication. We our selves, in our own small way, frequently receive commu nications marked confidential, which, nevertheless, the writers would be very sorry not to see printed in a few hours, should the condition that renders their publication desirable arise. The letter that was confidential yesterday may be properly placarded on the walls to-day or to-morrow. There is, therefore, no ground whatever for supposing that a Minister meditates deceit, or even protracted secrecy, it every case in which he marks as confidential his com munication to a subordinate Minister. The inconsis tency of Lord Stanley's instructions to Captain Fitzroy with his Lordship's agreement with the Company, is a matter upon which no rational mats will pronounce a judgment until he shall have, in specie, before him the instructions and agreement referred to in the eharge ; and something more besides, namely, the representations upon which the agreement was obtained. The necessity of seeing the documents said to conflict before admitting their inconsistency must be apparent to all, but we must farther re -member that ministers, as well as kings, may be misled by too sanguine and confident representa tion even of parties who meditate no imposture. These errors have been so common, as to introduce a title '' inconsulto rege" into our old law books. Before con demning Lord Stanley, therefore, of so serious a crime as wilful duplicity, we must ascertain—First, That his Lordship's instructions to Capt. Fitzroy are really incon sistent with his agreement with the New Zealand Com pany. Secondly, That the inconsistency is so unequivocal and apparent, as to render it certain that the Colonial Secretary must be aware of it. Thirdly, That the agreement was obtained upon a strictly fair and un coloured representation of all the circumstances of the case. Here are three questions, at least. to be all affirmatively established, before the slightest shadow of blame can attach to Lord Stanley's conduct in the transaction ; and, granting the first, namely, that there is an inconsistency between the in tructions and the agreement, a concession which we ma":e merely for the argument, the company will, we g :pect, find some difficulty in establishing either of the omers. The agreement appears to have been drawn up by thecompany, and if they drew it up without intending to take more by it than they wished the Government to see, at once they are, we firmly believe, the very first san guine adventurers who ever manifested so much virtue, self-denial, and skill. Not less singular must they be in vitue, self-denial, and skill, if their representations of the state and prospects of the colonies were rigidly exact, and they must be not only more virtuous, de nying, and skilful than all who ever went before them, but much wiser also. The honestest man rimy cheat others by expectations by which he has first cheated himself, and here'we believe we arrive at the secret of this dispute, and at the secret of all colonial failures, as many as there have been. More than two centuries ago, Bacon, who saw and foresaw everything, told that colonies and plantations are not for present gain ; and that, therefore, such heroical works are rather for immortal states than for mortal individuals. We do not pretend to give the exact words of the groat philosopher, but the truth of his ob servation is manifest. Commercial men, and indeed men generally, look to quick returns of profit, however small, rather than distant returns, though never so rich. Miller, the gardener, proves very clearly that an acre planted with chesnuts would be worth one way or another more than 1,0001. at a century's end ; but though Miller wrote a century ago, and his book has been a popular book ever since, how few acres of chesnuts have been planted in the interval. It is just the same with colonisation ; adventurers seek the quick return, and deceive themselves into the belief that such quick return is possible without ruining the colony, which it certainly is not. PROVIDENT CLERKS' ASSOCIATION.--The fourth annual meeting of this excellent Institution was recently held at the London Tavern, Mr. John Abel Smith, M.P., and treasurer, in the chair. The report, which was read by Mr. George Thomas, the chairman of the board of management, after stating the result of the system of loans to several mem bers of both the benefit and benevolent departments, the pro priety of relief, and the continued connexion of the Society with the sanatorium, recommended the establishment of a pension of 25/. per annum to a member, and 151. per annum to a widow, and that a meeting should be convened in May to ballot for the same. The balance-sheet of the bene volent department was then submitted to the meeting, from which it appeared that the receipts of the last year amounted to 9171. 13s. 5d., the expenses to 562/. 18s. 3d., besides 84/. supplied to the benefit department, leaving a surplus of 3541. 15s. 2d. It was also stated that the number of members who had joined the Association last year was 177 of which 110 were for effecting assurances , and 67 by subscribing to the benevolent fund. The grail.; in come of the Association in 1844, from both departments, was 2,630/. 16s. 3d. Resolutions were adopted confirming the plan of granting loans, and also that in May next two pensions to the amount above: named should be balloted for, and the meeting separated, after a vete of thanks to the chairman and officers connected with the institution. THE BISHOP OP ELY.—We are sorry we cannot to-day report favourably of his Lordship's health, the affection of the chest having, yeaterday, become worse. —Cambridge Advertiser. At about one o'clock yesterday morning a fir* broke outin the premises N 0.4, Boulevard Beaumarchais, and 3, Quai de Valmy, belonging to M. Thuret, and occu pied by several saw-mills. The fire raged for two hours, and notwithstanding the zeal and activity of the firemen and the military, the buildings and all that they aolP. tained were destroyed. Tho loss is estimated at 200,000 f. Several persons escaped by the windows, almost in a state of hudtti. No lap was lost.—Paris Papers of Thursday. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. HOME Cll?CUl7'.—Lewes, March 18. The Commission for Sussex was opened yesterday. The business is lighter than it lies been remembered for many years, there being only twenty-six prisoners for trial, and common jury cases, some of which were undefended, to be disposed of on the civil side. Both Courts were opened this morning at ten o'clock, the Lord Chief Justice sitting on the Crown side, and Mr. Baron Alderson at nisi prius. The causes disposed of by the Learned Baron were of the most trivial character, and the cause list was gone through by seven o'clock in the evening, none of the cases involving any matter of the slightest in terest to the public. CROWN SlDE.—(Before Mr. Baron ALDERSON.) March 19. Amos Patching, 44, and Thomas Burgess, 44, were in dicted for burglariou-dy breaking and entering the dwelling house of Nathaniel Blaker, at the parish of Edburton, and stealing three gold seals, a writing desk, and other articles, his property. Mary Anne Hounsell, 22, and Jane Reader, alias Gates, alias Burgess, 41, were also charged in the same indictment with feloniously receiving the property, knowing it to have been stolen. Mr. Clarkson and Mr. Cobbett conducted the prosecution. The prisoners had no counsel. This case appeared to create a good deal of interest, on account of the male prisoners, together with a man named Longhurst, also indicted at these assizes, being supposed to have committed a great number of burglaries in this county, there being five indictments against them, in the present calendar, for burglaries at different places ; thel women being charged, in each case, as receivers of the stolen property. The prisoners were arraigned on Tuesday, before the Lord Chief Justice, when the men pleaded guilty to most of the indictments. It became necessary, however, to try one of the cases, in order to include the female prisoners, and the present indictment was accordingly proceeded with. It appeared, from the evidence adduced, that the prosecutor, Mr. Blaker, is a farmer, residing at Edburton, and, on the night of the 31st of December, the premises were all left properly secured, and the next morning, it was discovered that, during the night, they had been opened by some persons forcing open a cellar-flap, and the lower part of the house had been ransacked, and a good deal of property taken away. Nearly the whole of this property was found in apartments occupied by the male and female prisoners at Brighton, and, from the observations made by the latter at the time they were apprehended, and subsequently before the magistrates, there was very little doubt that they were perfectly well aware of the means by which the pro perty had come into the possession of the male prisoners. It appeared that the men had absconded, and very great credit was due to a constable named Biddlecomb, who holds the office of inspector of police at Godalming, in Surrey, for the means he took to apprehend them and to make out the case. After travelling in pursuit of them over a very great extent of country, be at length succeeded in coming up with 4 -t.,e, prisoners near Alton, in Hampshire, and, as he was at this time alone, they would probably have got away, but that he very adroitly hit upon the following expedient to disarm their suspicions. He told them, upon coming up with them, that he was an officer, and that a farmer a short distance off had sent him after them, on suspicion of their stealing some fowls the night before. The prisoners said they could easily prove their innocence of the charge, for they had slept at - Basingstoke. The officer then said they could no doubt easily prove this to the satisfaction of the complainant if they would go back with him, and for form's sake they had better have on the handcuffs. The prisoners consented, and very quietly allowed the officer to handcuff them, and he then told them the real nature of the charge against them. The prisoners, who are powerful, re solute- looking fellows, then said they wished they had known what they were wanted for at first, adding, that if they had, the officer should not have put those things (the handcuffs) so easily upon them, and there is very little doubt that but for the prudence of the officer, the prisoners, from their desperate character, would have made a violent resistance, and the result might have been of a serious cha racter, as the officer, although alone, was a resolute man and determined upon effecting the capture of these indivi duals, who have for a long time been the terror of this and the adjoining counties. Mr. Baron ALDERSON having summed sup, the jury re ' turned a verdict of Guilty against all the prisoners. They were immediately called up for judgment, together with Longhurst, the man who had pleaded guilty on the previous day, and the male prisoners were sentenced to be transported for ten years ; the women were ordered, Hounsell to be kept to hard labour for two years, and Burgess for 18 months. The Learned JUDGE said, that the inspector, Biddle comb, appeared to have acted with very great zeal and activity in the case, and he should therefore order him a reward of twenty pounds in addition to his expenses. He likewise directed that two other constables who had assisted him in his pursuit of the prisoners should also receive a re ward of five pounds each. OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Stafford, March 17. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron PLATT.) Mary Ann Reading, aged 30, was charged with conceal. ing the birth of her female illegitimate child at Kingswin• ford, on the 16th of December. Mr. C. Forster conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Neale the defence. The prisoner, who was attired in deep mourning, was in December last cook and housekeeper in a family of great re spectability at Wordesley, in this county. On the 16th of that month, during the temporary absence ofhis master and mistress, the butler observed a very sudden change in the appearance of the prisoner, and his suspicions being excited, he examined her bed-room, where he found a pair of blood-stained sheets, and on opening an unlocked box discovered the dead body of a new-born child. He immedi ately questioned the prisoner, who at once admitted herself to be the mother of the infant, which, according to her own ac count, had been born dead. No marks of violence were on the body, nor was there any reason for supposing that the infant had experienced a violent death. The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, with a recommen dation to mercy. and the prisoner was sentenced to a month's confinement in the common gaol. James Walton, aged 25, and George Proj/it, aged 33, two resolute-looking men, were indicted for having on the night of the 28th of December last entered certain lands at Tam worth, the property of the Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel, with several other persons unknown, armed with guns, for the purpose of destroying game. Mr. Godson, Queen's Counsel, and Mr. Lee, conducted the prosecution ; Mr. Yardley appeared for the defendants. The preserves of the Right Hon. Baronet had been visited very frequently about Christmas last by poachers from Lich field, who, assembling in large gangs, rendered their capture by the gamekeepers a matter of great danger, if not of entire impossibility. On the night of Friday, the 27th of December, a party of poachers, armed with guns and bludgeons, to the number of 14 or 1 6 , were discovered by four watchers on land of Sir Robert Peel, calla Turnabout-field, and subse quently in the Rough-cover, a favourite retreat for pheasants, in which the Right Hon. Baronet had intended to afford his nests the gratification of a battue on the following morning In compliance with the orders of their master, the watchers made no attempt to capture the trespassers, and avoided a conflict under such disadvantageous circumstances; but one of them recognised among the party the prisoner Walton, whom he had known as " a Lichfield chap" for five years ; and two other keepers were equally positive as to the iden tity of Proffit. A muzzled mastiff, which ran from the keepers into the Rough on the report of guns in that cover, was found dead in the morning, the entire contents of a gun barrel having entered the body of the spirited but luckless animal. Mr. YARDLEY addressed the jury for the prisoners, and on their behalf set up a very plausible alibi, but notwithstand ing all the skill and care with which it had been concerted, the attempt to establish it was frustrated by the searching cross-examinations of the counsel for the prosecution. The Learned JUDGE summed up the ease with great care and impartiality, and The jury, having consulted for about 20 minutes, pro nounced both prisoners Guilty. A previous conviction for a similar offence was produced by the governor of the gaol against Proffit, who was sen tenced to 7 years' transportation, and Walton to an imprison ment of 2 years with bard labour. CIVIL SIDE. The Chief Baron has disposed of one common jury and the first special jury case, involving a matter of account arising out of mining transactions. Neither case presented any de tails of general interest. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. (YESTERDAY.) MANSION-HOUSE. Three men, named Langdale, Payne, and atridge, were brought before the Lord Mayor, upon the charge of having plundered the office of the Saracen's Head Inn, Ahlgate, of a quantity of tea. The Justice-room was much crowded during the investigation, which lasted a considerable time. William Ansell stated, that in consequence of infor mation which he had received he was induced to examine the key of the office in the Saracen's Head Inn-yard, on Thursday last. He found the wards filled with red putty, and reported what he had seen to Mrs. Simrnonds, the wife of the prosecutor, by whose direction he went to the inspector at the police station in Great Tower street, who sent one of the City Force to watch the premises in plain clothes. On the Sunday evening following witness was called out of his bed, at Mile-end, at about eleven o'clock, and informed that the warehouse of the inn had been broken open. On his arrival at the inn, he found that two chests of tea had been stolen from the premises He then made inquiry of Policeman Offer (No. 525), who gave him a description of a cab which he had seen go down the yard. about a quarter past nine o'clock. Accompanied by Offer and another pliceman (Davis, 551), he went to the Blue Boar, Aldgate ; and subsequently Offer took Ettridge, the driver of the cab, into custody at that place, and the other prisoners were soon after lodged in thn station-house. John Shearlock stated that on Sunday evening, be . . t w een seven and eight o'clock, when ho was sitting in his room which adjoined the warehouse, ho heard a rumbling noise at the warehouse doors. He went out and saw Payne standing about two or three yards from the door. Payne walked down the yard, and at a little after nine o'clock witness heard the same noise again, and ho again saw Payne on the opposite side of the yard. He then communicated what he had seen and heard to Mr. Odell, the keeper of the Saracen's need Inn, Mr. Odell stated that he went to look at the warehouse doors, and found that they had been forced open, he immediately left the place to inform Mrs. Symonds, but on his way he saw Davis, the policeman, who returned with him to the Saracen's Head yard, and was stationed in the galleries, so that he might see the warehouse doors. When witness came down stairs he went into his house, and there he saw Ettridge, the cabman, and the two other prisoners in the tap-room. They appeared to be drinking together. He then went up to the gal leries and spoke to Davis, and whilst they were speak= ing together he heard a noise as if a cab-door had been shut, and he saw a cab at the same time start from the stable-door. Langdale was gjose to the cab. Witness and Davis then went to Mr. Anseil's house, in Devon shire-square, to mention what had been seen, and upon their return they found that two chests of tea were m iF sing. Major Shaw, the superintendent of the City police, who attended during the investigation, said, that there never had occurred so gross a piece of mismanagement, and that he had accordingly suspended the officers whose conduct was so reprehensible. A great deal more evidence was heard, ail of which wept to show that if ordinary skill had been exercised, the property would have been recovered. The whole of the tea, howevei, ireG hepn lost, and upon one of the prisoners were found seven soiekeign4, uA (1,94 ht part of the produce of the robbery. The prisoners were remanded for a few days. Tllorn4,F Beckley, a metropolitan policeman of the E division, was charmed by Major Shaw, the superin tendent of the City police, with Willi g l P§erc, l ritga the City police without giving notice to his superior officer, or receiving permission to leave the force. Ihe defendant had, it appeared, formerly been a private in the Coldstream Guards, out of which he purchased his release for 201. He then g a into the City police, by using misrepresentations ; and a short time ago, in consequence of the sudden appearance of his wife, whom he had passed off as his sister, he abandoned the City force and contrived to become attached to the Metropolitan police. Tr ,e LORD MAYOR, amongst other questions, asked the defendant why he denied that he had a wife ? The defendant said that his marriage, which took place at Paddington church, while he was a soldier, was not a legal marriage, as no man was allowed to marry without the consent of his commanding officer. The LORD MAYOR sentenced the defendant to pay the sum of 5/., and as the money was not forthcoming, sent him to Bridewell for one month. CLERKEIV WELL. Our reporter has been requested to acknowledge the receipt of 51. for the poor-box from " Beta," also the half of a Si. Bank note from " T. T." for the same benevolent purpose, the donor promi sing to remit the second half when the receipt of the first was acknowledged in the newspapers. A cheque for 251. was also received for the poor-box, being the legacy of the Rev. William Winthrop. A poor woman entered the Court in a state of great afflic tion, and in an earnest manner besought the assistance of the magistrate. She said her name was Harriette Jesse Nelson— that she lived at No. 3, Cross court, Vinegar-yard, Drury lane. Having read an account of the revolting occurrences alleged to have taken place in Spafields Burial-ground, she became alarmed lest the remains of her husband, which had been interred there on the 23d of March, 1842, should have been removed from the grave. She further learned from the newspapers that Mr. Bird, one of the ma nagers of this grave-yard, had publicly offered to open any grave and show the relatives of deceased persons interred there that their remains had not been disturbed. She accordingly went to the burial-ground on Monday week, saw Mr. Bird, and asked him to open her husband's grave. He declined, saying that ground had not been opened for fifteen years. She went over, pointed out the spot, and begged of him to open it, but he replied, " It shall not be opened," and then walked away. Mr. Conlin—Were you at the funeral ? The Woman (crying)---Oh, yes, I was about the grave on Monday week until one of the grave-diggers came, and I asked him to open the grave for me ; he said he would, but had scarcely begun when Mr. Bird came up and said to me, " I told you the ground was not to be opened," and sent the man away. I fol lowed Mr. Bird down the churchyard, and again entreated of him to show me my husband's coffin, but he replied, " You Lhave got teeth to dig a grave yourself." I went back to the grave again, and having seen three men near the churchyard, an il p i nkcpneected with it, I asked them to dig the grave ; they - I rreasur:A,ali atit 'man had not been more than a minute a, ..ork wn......e stench became so intolerable that he was obliged to leave off; the second and third tried consecu cutively, but the smell became so intolerable that they were obliged to quit the place. Mr. COMBS—How soon did the stench issue? The Woman —The very first shovelful' they threw up. A fourth man took up the spade, but he too was driven away by the smell. I asked him what the charge was ? He said a pot of beer, and I gave him my last 3d. to get it. I went the next day againand made the same request of Mr. Bird—he took down my name and address, and said he would write to me on the following Friday, but I never since heard from him. I forgot to state that Mr. Bird told me that Superintendent Macey, of the G division, had given directions that no more graves should be opened. Mr. Macey (who was present)—l gave no such directions. The Woman—On the Sunday after my husband was buried, I went to the grave-yard with my children and found the grave in which he had been buried open. I asked the grave-digger to allow me to see the coffin of my husband, but he said there was another coffin in the way, and that he could not do so. Myself and my children went every Sunday during the summer to see the grave, at length my children became dangerously ill, which plunged me into such distress that I have not recovered from it yet. _ .. Mr. iVakeling, vestry-clerk of Clerkenwell parish, said he attended there on behalf of the parish, knowing the woman was about to make the statement. It appeared that the ma nagers of the grave-yard had, by an advertisement in a weekly newspaper, expressed their readiness to open the graves at the request of relatives of persons interred there. They had not complied with this advertisement, but had opened a whole batch of graves about ten days ago, which were still open, and from which a stench issued that was diffusing itself over the whole 'neighbourhood. The advertisement was inserted as a means for the defence to the indictment which the parish would assuredly prefer against them at the ensuing sessions. He hid evidence to show that the corpses were tumbled out of the coffins in heaps, and thrown upon a mound of clay, then beaten and chopped up with the clay, and when compounded together the whole was thrown to the bottom of a pit dug for the purpose. Mr. Watt, a pawnbroker, who lives in a house in Exmouth street, abutting upon the grave-yard, here remarked, that there was one practice connected with this ground which was not denied, and which there was abundant evidence to prove. A mechanic was in the habit of officiating as clergyman, and per forming the funeral service. He was called in by the managers of this place and received one shilling and sixpence for eaoh service thus performed. He was, of course, dressed in the garb of a clergyman. Mr. Coatax—Who is this man? Mr. Watt—His name is Brown, he is a straw-bonnet maker. We cannot open our back windows on account of this odious stench arising from the place, which has become vastly worse since the graves were opened. A few days ago a coffin plate belonging to a coffin buried last year was found in the churchyard by a friend of his. Where was the coffin ? Mr. Superintendent Macey—l went to the grave-yard a few days ago, and the smell was so intolerable that I could not remain more than a few minutes in it. The effluvia was dread ful ; and Mr. Bird himself said he could hardly stay in the ground. Sixty graves were open. One man, in looking for the remains of his child, struck his pickaxe into a coffin, and its contents poured out in a thick fluid state, emitting the most horrible smell. These graves had net been opened at the re quest of the relatives, but opened on speculation, in order to pacify the relatives of deceased persons. Mr. CoSIBE said the mode adopted by the managers of this place was most unsatisfactory to the relatives of the deceased, as well as most pernicious in its consequences. The magis trate directed that Mr. Vinall should be communicated with forthwith, and humanely direcql a small sum from the poor box to be given to the poor woman, who left the court in the deepest affliction. THE IRON TRADE.—MERTRYR.--The iron trade, which for several years past has been progressively declin ing, is now about to take a rapid stride in advance, and this time we can congratulate our readers upon there being no fear of a retrograde movement. In June last, the men at the various establishments had an advance of 10 per cent., bat the price of iron having soon afterwards fallen, the iron trade has ever since been making but slow progress. The large numbers of railways now in contemplation in England, Europe, America, and India, bespeak a flood -tide of prospe rity, and accordingly the price of iron is steadily, and, we believe, permanently advancing. So encouraging is the as pect of affairs, that the spirited proprietor of the Cyfarthfa Works has not only many hundreds of men employed in erecting a stupendous steam-mill for the manufacture of rails; but last week he freely announced the intention of giving the men in his employ another advance of wages. The manner in which this intimation is conveyed is too cha racteristic of the enterprising, clear-headed, and business-like writer not to merit insertion : "To all the Workmen of Cyfarthfa and Hirwain Iron Works. " London, March 1, 1845. " I have much pleasure in communicating to you that it is my intention to advance your wages after the expiration of the present month of March. The improved state of the trade enables me to do this ; but you must be well aware that some old orders and contracts still remain on my books at of all the ie me trade te before give I myself enjoy a little low prices to be executed , and that the v er y h eav y l osses which I have sustained in carrying on my w or k s f or th e l as t you the benefit of the improvedofofutrhyema prospects' and vil I I n) t have fixed the end of this month as the earliest period at which it will be mutually fair and reason- , able to commence an advance of wages. Trusting that you will adhere steadily to your work, and enable me to execute some of my standing orders without interruption, I am, your friend and master, ' 6 Was. CRAWSHAY." The other iron-masters, as in duty bound, are about to follow the example so nobly set, and we hear upon good authority that the next advance is to be 2s. 6d. in the pound, or 12i per cent.—Cambriun uEsTrorr.--The dock establi s hme n t s I anc T placesoutheerSuGAß Q in which sugar is deposited in bond pre sented a most bustling appearance on Saturday, owing to the new sugar duties coming into operation on that day. Very little sugar had been cleared from bond for some time past, in anticipation of the reduction of duty, and from an early boar in the morning the avenues leading to the docks, and the streets in the neighbourhood of what are termed the up town warehouses, belonging to the St. Katherine and the East and West India Dock Companies, were crowded with waggons awaiting the clearance of sugars at the reduced duties, Considerable delay necessarily took place, as accord ing to the provisions of the ne w Act, not a sing le package of sugar could be delivered until sample lied out of hand a been furnished for the inspection of the landing surveyors , and pronounced by them to be inferior to the standard samples with which the several departments in London and at the outports had been provided by the Commissioners on Friday, as was stated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the House on Friday night. -The additional amount of respon sibility and labour which devolves upon the Customs' officers is very great indeed, at the dock establishments of the dock companies and Customs ; officers remained for some time after the expiration of the legal hour of business in order to facilitate the deliveri es o f sugars f or which warrants had been passed in the Lo ng - room I n th e ear ly part of the day, and as far as possible to prevent complaint or dissatisfaction. It was remarked that, considering the difficulty attending the commencement of the new Act being brought into opera tion, the deliverie s t oo k p l ace w ith very little delay. We understand th a t th e standard samp l es w h i ch have been fur nished to the revenue off i cers at t h e seve ral departments, for the purpose of compar i ng w i t h t h e suga r in bond previous to delivery under th e A c t, h ave b een selected in a very liberal spirit, the s am pl es being of such good quality that scarcely any of the sugar in.aportaa from the West Indies , and very little of the d escr i pt i on usually i m p or ted from the East Indies within the limits of the East India Company's char ter, will, with reference to it, come under the denomination and be liable t o th e duty e qual to white - clayed sugar , "gc , as " white-elayed sugar , or sugar rendered by any process The amount of d u t y received at the Custom - house , on Sa turday, for su gar alone was about 105, 0001 ., a large sum, taking Into consideration the great reduction which had a taken place. IMPORTANT INVENTION.—An invention by Captain Mercer, R.N., superintendent of the packets at Dover, for disconnecting horses from four-wheel carriages, in case of the horifes running away and becoming unmanageable , was tried in a field belonging to Mr. Dray, Chariton-road, a few days since, in the presence of Sir Francis Cockburn, Capt. Washington, R.N., the Rev. Mr. Glover, and several other scientific gentlemen. A stage-coac h , w ith a pair of horses, and the apparatua ilttuhed as a splinter-bar, on the top of which were sev era l gentlemen, was dr i vel; rPilP d t h e fi P id ; when the horses were di sconnected from t h e coac h i n an i n stant, at the will o f t h e person on or w i t hi n t h e coac h . Th e curiage was driv en up and down hill, an d t h e ease an d quid:Peas With whiph the ersonn op the box disconnected the horses, leaving the cnadh quits Ow with ttie 114WPagfOf gave the greatest sa ti s f act i on to the numerous party as sembled, thereby proving the great utility of the invention, ? ,p,.! that its application to four-wheel carriages would be the means of preventing 4Ppifints in the event of the horses run ning away with a curiaga.. At the opplpsion ment Captain Mercer was muck congratulated on the EiLthedia of his invention by the numerous party of ladies and gentle Fl.o came to witness the experiment. ILLNESS OF T. RIDEa,L q r —We sincerely regret to have to state that Mr. Rider-expeiietried on Wednes day last a similar but unfortunately more severe attack th4f; that FFhich ho suffered a year ago. We lament to say that very 'hopes ay? optpligriP4 pf 44 recovery.—Maidstone Gazette. The Chairman of the Excise had an interview with the Chancelpr c 4 the Embitter yesterday. - - IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 19. The House resumed at Five o'clock. Several petitions were presented in favour of Rail way Bills and other private Bills. The report of the Committee on the Aberdeen Railway Bill was brought up, the Committee re porting that the standing orders had been complied with. DARTMOUTH ELECTION. Mr. PAKINGTON brought up the report of the Select Committee appointed to try the merits of the election for the borough of Dartmouth. The Com mittee reported that Mr. Jose•ih Somes had been duly returned, at the last election for the borough of Dart • mouth, to serve in Parliament for that borough. Several Members then presented private Bills. RAIL WAYS. Dr. BOWRING presented a petition against the Berkshire and Hampshire Railway. Col. PEEL presented a petition from Huntingdon in favour of the London and York Railway Bill. Sir G. CLERK presented a petition from Stamford (as we understood) against certain portions of the Peterborough and Syston Railway Bill. GLASGOW POLICE BILL. Mr. LOCKHART brought in the Glasgow Police Bill, which was read a first time. SALE OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS ON SUNDAYS. Mr. H. BERKELEY presented a petition from Bristol praying the House to pass a measure prohi biting the sale of intoxicating liquors on Sundays. Mr. BRIGHT presented petitions from several places in Scotland to the same effect. MERCHANT SEAMEN'S FUND. Mr. LABO:JC HERE presented a petition praying the House to inquire into the manner iu which the proceeds of the Merchant Seamen's Fund were ex pended. Lord DUNCAN presented petitions from places in the county of Lincoln against the keeping open of public-houses on Sundays. _ Mr. MITCHELL presented a petition from several medical practitioners in Bradford, against several pro visions in the Medical Bill brought in by Sir James Graham. Mr. M. BELLEW presented petitions from places in Ireland, complaining of the arbitrary powers exer cised by the Poor-law Commissioners. Lord A. LENNOX presented petitions from various places in Essex and Sussex. The Noble Lord did not, however, mention the prayers of them, where upon there was a ge nera l cr y o f "F or w h a t ?" Lord A. LENNOX (in a low tone of voice) — Against the tariff.—(Great laughter, and cries of " Hear.") Lord J. RUSSELL presented a petition from the Anti-Slavery Society, numerously signed, against the emigration of labourers into the Mauritius, which emigration, it was understood, was encouraged by the Government. The petitioners further complained that the greatest immorality prevailed in the Mauritius in consequence of this importation. It was prayed that the Government might not advance any loan for the purposes of such emigration as the petitioners said had been contemplated. NEW ZEALAND. Mr. C. BULLER moved that the petition of mer chants, bankers, and traders of the city of London, on the subject of New Zealand be printed.—Agreel to. THE TARIFF. Mr. Alderman HUMPHERY presented a petition from Bermondsey against the tariff.—(Laughter.) MAYNOOTH. Sir R. INGLIS said his Right Hon. Friend at the head of the Government had answered a question the other evening, put to him by an Hon. Member, with respect to the measure it was intended to introduce on the subject of Roman Catholic institutions. His Right Honourable Friend did no more then than state the time when he proposed to call the attention of the House to this subject. He (Sir R. Inglis) requested now to be permitted to ask in what way the Right Hon. Gentleman proposed to deal with this sub ject, whether by an increased grant in the estimates, or whether by Bill? He also wished to ask whether he intended to leave Protestant institutions as they now stood ? He wished to ask these two questions—first, whether it was the intention of his Right Hon. Friend to proceed by Bill in the case of the Roman Catholics, and secondly, whether it was his intention to leave the Protestant institutions to an annual vote and dis cussion? Sir R. PEEL was sorry his lion. Friend had thought it right to ask questions with respect to in dividual points of the measures it was intended to propose : it was a very great advantage to state the objects of the measures generally ; but he could have no objection to answer the question of his Honourable Friend. He certainly proposed to proceed by Bill in the case of Maynooth, and the establishment of other academical institutions for Ireland ; and if the House should be prepared to assent to the proposition of an increased grant to Maynooth, he thought great advantage would be derived in doing away with the annual discussion on the subject. There would be a great advantage in making the grant permanent, that it might not be subjected to an annual dispute. As to the grants to the Protes tant Presbyterians, whether they were to be annual or not, he thought they fell within the same general principle, and he saw no reason why they should not be made permanent. He was not aware of what the Right Hon. Gentleman referred to. Sir R. INGLIS said he referred to the I?egium Donum and the grant to the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Sir ROBERT PEEL presumed the Right Honourable Gentleman did not mean to object to those grants.—(Great laughter.) If he wished for a guarantee for the continuance of those grants, from the great respect he felt for the Presbyterian body in Scotland, he (Sir Robert Peel) was not at all prepared to say it should be refused. Sir R. INGLIS disclaimed having any intention to object to the grants.—(Hear, hear.) Sir R. PEEL—Then it is hardly fair for the Right Hon. Gentleman to raise a prejudice against my proposal with respect to the grant to Maynooth, by appearing to imply from it that the Presbyterian Protestant bodies are to be dealt with on a different principle.—(Hear, hear.) IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT. Lord DUNCAN said an Act was passed last ses sion by Lord Brougham and the Government to amend the law of bankruptcy ; by the 57th section of that Act, the power of arresting for debt, when the amount was less than 201, was abolished from the date of the passing of the Act, 9th August, 1844. The words "except for debts now in subsistence" were, it was supposed, accidentally omitted from the clause. In consequence of this omission, twelve hundred tradesmen in Bath had been gredtly inconvenienced by those who owed them debts contracted before that date refusing to pay them. The question he had to ask was, whether it was the intention of the Govern ment to introduce any measure after Easter to relieve those unfortunate persons from the hardships they were suffering, in consequence of the neglect of the Crown lawyers ? Sir J. GRAHAM condoled very sincerely with the Noble Lord under the circumstances in which his constituents were placed ; however he might state that he was not aware of any general inconvenience that had arisen from the measure passed last year. He only knew it had had this effect; that though, before it passed, the gaols 3f the country were crowded with a large number of debtors in a hopeless state of captivity, the prisons were no longer crowded with these hopeless individuals. Ile wis not prepared to recommend any material alteration in the Bill alluded to by the Noble Lord. Lord DUNCAN, seeing the Right Hon. Gentle man the Solicitor-General in his place, begged leave to call to his recollection that when he (Lord Duncan) waited upon him with a deputation on this subject a few days ago, he (the Solicitor- General) stated that he was perfectly aware that this Bill had caused great inconvenience to the tradesmen of this country. Now he begged leave to ask whether he still remained of the same opinion ? The SOLICITOR-GENERAL thought he ought not to answer the question of the Noble Lord. It was not fair for the Noble Lord to state what had passed during his interview with the deputation. He did not exactly recollect what expressions he did use, but, if he remembered rightly, he believed he stated that he had understood very great inconveni ence had resulted to tradesmen from this Bill ; and he asked the deputation whether they, as prac tical men, were prepared to suggest any remedy. He thought the Noble Lord would do him the justice to say that none of them could suggest any, although he threw out many which did not appear to meet their views. The subject then dropped. SLAVERY AND TIIE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE. Mr. ALDAM begged to ask the Right Honourable Gentleman the First Minister of the Crown, a ques tion of which he had given him notice, and which re lated to a statement that appeared in the laa Message of the American President of State. The statement related to the treatment of liberated slaves in the British colonies, and insinuated that they were no hptter than when jr their former etate of slavery. The President declared that when they were taken to the British colonies they had to serve an apprenticeship, during which they were treated, if possible with Tore severity than when th ey were staves. Now, he wished to 'know whether the Presi dent of the United States of America was correctly , informed when he made the statement that the condi tion of the liberated African in the British colonies was no better than Lavery ? Sir R. PEEL said be was glad the Ilion. Member had given him notice of this important question. It was lath& to be regretted that the President of the United States of America should send over a formal message upon the subject of neroeo who were intended to be reTioyeci fmg state of slavery to comparative freedom, at a great ex pense to this country, without first ascertaining what was the real position of the British colonies. He must also say, that if the President of the United States should think it expedient to appoint a Commis sion for the purpose of going to the West Indian colonies of her Majesty, to ascertain precisely the con dition in which those who had been slaves are now, that every disposition would be shown on the part of her Majesty's Government to facilitate the inquiry of that Commission, and to enable the President and Go vernment of the United States of America to present to their own country the fullest and most accurate account of the condition of the negroes in the West India colonies. The message to which the Hon. Gentleman had referred announced that when a cap ture took place of negroes intended for slavery, they were sent to the West Indian colonies, where they had to serve an apprenticeship for a term of years, during which they were treated with the same se verity as when they were in a state of slavery. Now it was a well known fact that the state of apprenticeship had long ago been altogether abolished in the West Indies. The negro, whether going there voluntarily as a free African, or sent there as a captured negro, was placed in a state of apprenticeship. In whatever capacity he went, he was perfectly free and enti tled to all the rights of freemen. Perhaps he might be permitted to state what was the course pursued by the British Government with respect to negroes captured by the cruisers of this country. If captured on the coast of Africa they were generally sent to Sierra Leone, and when there they were at perfect liberty to determine whether they would go to our West Indian colonies, or whether they would return to the place from which they had been taken ; there was in that respect no compulsion. The treaty with Spain was to this effect :—ln the event of the capture of a Spanish vessel by a British cruiser, the slaves so captured were to be delivered up to the country to which the capturing cruiser belonged. This country had a vessel at the Havannah which received the slaves generally captured in the neighbourhood of Cuba. It was certainly true that every individual slave was not sent to Africa ; for it would be quite impossible to provide the means of conveyance for them. They were, in fact, sent to our 'West Indian colonies ; but they were under no com pulsion whatever as to the labour which they undertook, nor were they placed in a state of apprenticeship. There were persons there who instructed them as to the con tracts into which they might enter ; but whether they should enter into those contracts or not, was left entirely to their own option. Now it was possible that the mistake of the American President had arisen from this circumstance. Our treaty with Spain was entered into in 1835 ; and at that time the state of apprenticeship did exist, and the provisions of the treaty were that the captured negro, on being sent to a British colony, should be placed on the same footing as an apprentice. But since 1835 the state of apprenticeship had al together ceased—(Hear, hear)—and the cap tured negro, on arriving at our West Indian colonies, was in the condition of a free man.— (Hear, hear.) In addition to the treaty with Spain, there was one with Brazil and another with Portu gal. By the treaty with Brazil it was provided that the captured slaves should be delivered up in the ports of the country near which they were cap tured. There' was a difference between the treaty with Brazil and that with Portugal. It was the manifest intention of the treaty with Brazil that the captured slave should become a free man. But Brazil insisted on keeping the captured negro in a state of slavery, and declined to fulfil the treaty en tered into with this country with respect to the future disposal of slaves. Such being the case, the Government of this country signified to the Govern ment of Brazil that the slaves which were cap tured should not, in future, be delivered up unless Brazil consented to place them in a state of freedom.—(Hear, hear.) And when slaves had been captured near Rio Janeiro by the cruisers of this country, instead of being sent to Brazil, they were taken to the West Indies, it being found impractica ble to send them back to Africa. He must again ex press his regret that this subject should have been noticed in the Message of the President of the United States.—(Hear, hear.) With respect to the allega tion that both the subjects of the United States and those of this country were concerned in carrying on the slave trade, that was a subject for serious conside ration. He was not prepared to deny the fact. He hoped that if the law did not reach this applica tion of British capital, the Legislature would be pre pared to apply a remedy.—(Hear, hear.) In answer to a question by Sir D. NORREYS, Sir J. GRAHAM said it was not the intention of Go vernment to propose any measure with regard to medi cal charities in Ireland, nor to propose any measure with regard to the railway system in Ireland. THE BOARD OF TR ADE—RAILWAY DE PARTMENT. Mr. B. DENNISON said he wished to put a question to the Right Hon. Gentleman the Vice-President of the Board of Trade. He wished to know whether the rail way department of the Board of Trade, or some one of its officers, had not, with a view to a favourable report, negotiated between various companies projecting rail ways between London and York, for the purpose of in ducing them to make concessions to each other, but with out any invitation, or even any intimation being made to the London and York Railway Company to take any part in such negotiations ? Whether the Cambridge and London and Direct Northern Company were not invited and did not attend at the Board of Trade in the week previous to the publication of the Gazette of Tuesday, the 11th of March, with reference to a condition of their being favourably reported upon? Whether the Board of Trade had not negotiated with the Newark and Sleaford Company, or suggested nego tiations, with a view to require its pledge, that in the next year it will apply to Parliament for leave to make a railroad from Newark to Sleaford, to join the Cambridge and Lincoln line ? Whether such a course of proceed ing on the part of the Railway Department of the Board of Trade was not, in the opinion of the Vice. President, exceeding the powers recommended to be delegated to that department by the Select Committee on Railways, as set forth in their Fifth Report of 1844? Sir G. CLERK said it was not surprising that the House should express its surprise at the last question of the llon. Gentleman, but the answers which he would give to the other questions would embody the answer to the fourth. He begged to state most distinctly, that no ne gotiations of any kind whatever had taken place be tween the Board of Trade and the promoters of the Direct Northern and the Cambridge and Lincoln Rail way Company—that no facilities were given to them to make any statements they wished to lay before the Board of Trade that were not equally given to his Hon. Friend and the promoters of the Lon don and York line. With regard to the second question, all that had occurred was this :—On Saturday afternoon, after the Gazette was published, some person connected with the London and York Railway had called at the office of the Board of Trade, and stated that a coalition had taken place between the promoters of the Direct Northern and the Cambridge and Lincoln line, and he stated that a communication to that effect would be sent to the Board of Trade on Monday morning. That com munication was made, but at that time the Board of Trade had no knowledge whatever of any intention of coalition. With regard to the third question, he begged to state that there was no negotiation going on respect ing the introduction of a Bill next year for a line be tween Newark and Sleaford, nor had any such been ever contemplated by the Board of Trade. The Hon. Gen tleman would find that the Board of Trade had not ex ceeded the instructions laid down for their guidance ; and at the proper time it would be found, on a reference to this matter, that they had acted in full accordance with those instructions. Lord HOWICK said that an answer had not now been given to the most important question which had been put to the Right Hon. Baronet. He (Lord Howick) would therefore wish to know whether a coalition had not been suggested. He wished to know whether such a suggestion had not been thrown out by the Board of Trade to the two railway companies? Sir GEO. CLERK—He had intended in his answer to the Hon. Member for the West Riding of Yorkshire to intimate his assurance that the desire for such a coali tion had not emanated from the Board of Trade. Lord HOWICK said his question was still unan swered. He wished to know whether the suggestion of that coalition had not been given to the comp tnies, be cause such an intimation from such an authority was sure to be attended to. Sir G. CLERK said that to the best of his belief no such intimation had been given to those Companies by the Board of Trade. In answer to an HoN. MEMBER, Sir G. CLERK said that the House should have an opportunity of seeing that the Board of Trade had acted independently of any private interest. Mr. HORSMAN wished to know;whether there would be any objection that the letter written by Mr. Lefevre to the Secretary of the Treasury, and his answers thereto, should be laid upon the table. Sir G. CLERK said that if the Hon. Member referred to the Minute of the Board of Trade of the 6th of August, which had been laid upon the table of the House, he would find there all the information relative to the oorrespondenc with the Treasury. Mr. lIORSMAN said, that all he had asked was, whether there was any objection to lay the letters on the table of the House, Sir G, CLERK said he wonld make an inquiry on the subject, and answer the question to-morrow. NEW ZEALAND. Mr. G. W. HOPE laid on oP the House cer tain papers with respect to New Zealand. Mr. C. BULLER understood that the Government limited the papers from the Colonial-office to the period of the present session. Mr. G. W. HOPE said the whole correspondence was Wore the House, and if any of the papers were required he had no objection to produce them. CAPTAIN WARNER. Lord INGESTRE, in answer to a que,tion from Mr. Somes, with respect to the invention of Captain Warner, said, that he had re ceived a letter from that gentleman, in which he stated that with respect to his discovery he had no desire that any direct application should be made for a further com mission, as they led him to nothing but disappointment. He was willing to abide by the challenge that tr,d been given him, and to demonstrate q his own• expense the efficac' of 14 - 4 to hliu cLos4 Ingett:v), the Master of the Ordnance, the Prime git c i r ' the Commander-in. Chief if it should be wisn, - '01 1 ; no others.—(Laughter.) his only desire was, t' s t y e c fficacy of his powers might be made known t s •c g, And he would then leave it to the% t c o t tbs; • ether an invention that would blow up anY •tsio attempted to invade such an island as Gr l, ea t t - 0 5 10' would not be of service to the Government air' s e b O icb b e That was the substance of the letter, art of w had read, and, therefore, there was no, part °f hi 5,0 04 l h irg further on the subject. But while he was , u tilti l e• e would just take the liberty of asking the Pieter; Baronet what had become of the two or three co' that a had been addressed to him on this s ubject 1 1.„„ t iott tin Warner ? He hoped there would be no obr to lay them on the table fros i letter s Sir R, PEEL said that . he had received nn Captain Warner which he could have the los t °lj b le Do t r o ri l e ar id before . the House ; and, therefore, if r l n s co bs le had given him notice of it, he would at ° ~s s oc: made the letters official, for he believed thel,eb.e bed ish of any department to them • but suppress Warne r heard that one or two letters from Captain " bcen Mislaid.—(lTear, hear ) ago Lord INGESTRE said that the letters he 1111 . 1 .1irsr . were those which were of importance to CeP tAID ner,.and in some measure affected his character. the Sir R. PEEL said it was not his fault ast ir t here letters had not been laid upon the table ; b ut ad. were any to be found they should he brought 1.1,,,,w-rneii long C. NAPIER wished to know did Captain ;' Lord range" define any distance 7— (L atl g hter.' O Wll° INGESTRE understood that Cap tain $t ad°. would undertake that he c ould destroy a si " r tance of five miles. night 11°n. Sir C. NAPIER then would hope that the Baronet would per m it C a ptain Warner to trY rimc:nt, at his own expense, behind the Geodwi e l l ca p Sir tain it. R. PEEL had no doubt but that ',Lo tile ws Warner did intend to make the experiment 00 expense he would g e t permission to do an Board of Ordnance.—(Laughter.) In fact, there 5 , 4 0 scarce a week passed that he did not receive sortsletters si parties propong destructive missiles of all & ft' (Laughter)—and at various amounts, from 200,01 to 50/.—(Lauothter.) • relita' c°^ The motion that the House do then g° 113 Or B mittee on the Customs' Duties Bill was th en t he which , t Mr. MONCKTON MILNES understood thll! r - wf ita present stage of the measure he could not bring 1°. 0 14 ; tbe his m motion on the subject of basket rods. B elo ley of ••-,, Member, and not well acquainted with the rti vir ",; ilouse, he had thought that he might doily. li vi t i be however, more the alteration in the Btse proper time. PENANG SUGAR. poi° Mr. HORSMAN, seeing the Noble L ord °P het' ec (Lord Jocelyn) in his place, wished to ask hi m P r ess lls any measures had beea adopted for placing of the sugar on the same footing as sugar the growlihreeta East Indies ? The sugar growe rs ° f SO ° were subjected to very great hardshP:importr years since an Act had passed authorising th.,! s, a t th e . tion of sugar, the produce of 'the East Ina t h e o lowest rate of duty. The planters of Penang the tw it induced to invest a large amount of capita l ot t be ri l • vation of sugar in consequence, imagining t . that Ic e sugar would admitted at the same rate, but rods" the PRepte vilege had hitherto been confined to sugars of the territories of the East India Corne,ttrou°l2 sentations had been made to the Board of P r r a i i the subject, and the heads of that departineu,r_Geee 0 mised to send out instructions to the Gov era g l o h u t of India on the subject. This was a Yes r yet, the merchants of Penang had received n° the el er r :i cation on the subject. A deputation fr °l2l t he Pto chants and planters of Penang had w aited on wee . % of Trade, and on the Board of Controul, in reifedt„:se the subject. They had been graciously had been dismissed with assurances ala i, ' w ish , '" o f ee • tbe ir lto should be taken into consideration. No w ' ' e reb lints tbe ask the Noble Lord if the case of the nt. oo of . ec t Penang had been taken into the considern't'be sa,b. l o . Board of Control, and if any instructions °n of I"' he had been transmitted to the Governor-Gena ()Pear Lord JOCELYN said that on comity'. '„ ve riso r. ,, of had found the draft of a dispatch to the tbQ nett]. in Council, strongly recommending,h; ecerth e ich, the merchants and planters of Pena , „ 0 "ci r g iras tion of the Government of Bengal. ''Tbe - b e g s' - o et. were set up were, as the Hon. Gentleman f t hose hie h permission to introduce sugar the produn:otage, the Clements into that country, on the same Witl' A • in other territories of British India en.K ew reee il -1 — is last few days a communication had been Geier which it was stated that the Governor-L-oeurie Council had taken into consideration therefer tr o• tion of the Home Government, and be , t the ' ll e er matter to the Governor of Penang, to prerliartber duction of sugar of foreign grovvth. I ' l° munication had been received. 01 0 CUSTOMS' ACT. the C u't The House then went into Committee on Act. Mr. Greene in the chair. or' On the article of grease being read, - oe to het Mr. BRA MSTON said it was his read,, o f the o ie that the article of grease should be taken en h ij rid of duties to be repealed, and that the dutY sh ° b e con it as at present. He would move that gretl e ty•f ree ,;eo 6 from the tariff ; Ist cause, if it were let pr e t Pi" would injure the protection which the farm er enjoyed for his butter.—(A laugh.) dont Cer Sir JOHN TYRRELL seconded the in Fit WO. le rtic Sir GEORGE CLERIC felt sure the Itigi is t he g ° . demists did not understand the n ature an d i l i a " grease." It was a thing mixed with tor , froto ther unfit for human food.—(lronical obe .A er ibe 0 ;„ us ed Opposition Ix nches.) The importation `" ni eck ; l ee to the farmer, for such grease wai ~r e. . 11 to P re icerf in the dressing of sheep, i n e re. the e ~,e r s them from the injurious influences of the w e , a ous e precaution would be taken by the Custom "t ha t cc° o e that no other grease should come in bu t t he 01100 plated by the tariff.—(" Hear, hear, from oPreao don.) He could not - tell what Hon. g eM ht ibe xe meant by their cheers, for which he thoug Dee: no good reason. ro ot 6-4 o f Mr. WARD said that the Right Hoo.f a d i e W e t ,' ea to have altogether mistaken the nature 01 " n clic e- h t ing his llon. Friends on that side of the llouse,s Piro to argue quite unconscious of their tendeucla'tee i be could be more delightful than the exP ls , ll e ssanieb, Right Hon. Baronet. He (Sir G. Clerk) ib ieg i l o v oc i et House,with the greatest earnestness, tha t tbe P could by any possibility be converted int n be er.) be the poor man would be admitted.--01Phr'eggejtoet°001' one connected with land, he (Mr. Writ/ f l o p. P., were, spared such advocacy as that of the sir) . " i f the; pea When Hon. Members treated Eng ialld he ders b os talking of a beleaguered town, he could we' nu el Pe r to them, and though he might ondemn• h e !".e 0198 0', admire their boldness, bute when h e i r) ' , these miserable dirty monopolies--'O-00• ,03,'"dis. —he felt thoroughly disgusted at suc h n i erh (Ne e obl e opposition. The ancient feudal barons laid trots under contribution. There was sld D ow I - 0N in that; but the conduct of those who re o' sent the sneak" agricultural interest, rese"ool an ",area—the most contemptible a" dern civilisation,—(Hear, and cheers.) Mr. BORTHWICK said the Members on his side of the House toThicti;lienillii?let!t4):ll;i duty on those articles would bring bii tempt, and he hoped those sweet little chetahs(eirrf,_oe in the gallery above, would, like little birds , proti'd sentiments to the country.—(Great laughten'oisition„'eeld could be more unreasonable than such ° P r who there was not a single farmer in the country f t he support the Hon. Member in Isis motion., ef f e ct ° t he Sir JOHN TYRRELL said the whoL s . ur ieus t %pf proposed change in the tariff would be 0 1 1 h to 4 0 ot agricultural interest: but he did not w s u ovo l so bs PrOtla who their attention with frivolous discussions, V .lOll , ge b id% divide the House on this occasion. Th e s p eech fi erY for Evesham had, however, fired of the st se ht lo st he intended to discharge the other night tin Ch ef t e t he but this " explosion in his rear" did n° o3o ,;er r ot, disturb him.—(Great laughter.) The Ho n a 000 15 address had then congratulated the countrY;,,, the sr -. that pig iron had risen to 16/. a ton, but 1 ,!".. 5g . !ne w t") Hon. Baronet wished to lower the price or_la'i or (Laughter.) If pig iron had risen, pig T il l, t his o to r reduced, and he confessed he did not th h ; lot coil fair result. But there was now a rnue" .. ,4paogther ° Lion for conservative articles generally.,_Ll es 00 . r. wouldld not inflict a speedh upon the esat t t e hiel be other opportunities of discussing 1 Da one r foe Mr. BRIGHT said, that while the 1 1( '"" gonh e ve rr, spoken in a tone of lamentation, the 11°°.the G° s ieo Evesham (Mr. Borthwick) had come to be tro 1.10 rnent's assistance, with an earnestness whiebter•lotelf would be fully appreciated by them.--(L$ "l i t so confessed there was nothing which be th° o ll -feire to bring the agricultural interest into s o i; tipp el t ri es arguments that were advanced by it he 0 : 14 , 1 ,1 03 (Hear, hear.) In another place, to which perhaps be allowed to allude, one noble 1 , ti o l t re iyidu o l !„ e is arrogated to himself the title of a coronet.,,"_ Geetlierlioee and in this House, among other Ilonouranieb t he 1,101 they had one who came forward to represen' , r ict ll ob • interest.—(Laughter.) He thought tha t ;n th te e r :s & O, lli e supporters greatly mistook their own .7 . Thei - .400 . jetting to the importation of a little buttetr. g e e. other persons having cupboards besides nu_ his el_ . . fe re ber for Essex, and unlike him there wer: r i T he int e e.' fr ies but little to put into them. Why c ation , • ;, be f with the cupboards of the poorer poPn l os eess ? de 01 the few comforts they might otherwise p t o o_ might rely upon it that without an iner e c ti r; v erli e %igb! would soon have the miseries and the ,u meatieso an increased pauperisHar, ben ee e„ r ico l ; Hon. Baronet at the head o f the ‘-": r t he tej oi l b. always been looked upon as the friend Go pest turists. They had placed him in the Pr ° _, bee Pi' then occupied, and a little a dvice fr7 o Aio to therefore be expected to do svona induce 00 0 , 1 ; die ) If he would but take himself, and „. 1 , 1 3 r ighv e to. take a step in the right dirt ction, he ( I `l`.. s i.etco lu e e 0 1$ thought that on all those questions they ,ableP thej satisfactory conclusion—to a result cre,rosted House and pleasing to the country. Ile, ows? Hon. Member for Pontefract (Mr. 11 " . ' res°' t P v ft)t allow the question to go on vviteou toon u. i tb s amendment. Mr. M. MILNES said that it was not s ide Hon. Members on that (the Conservative) „cot; House to reprove Members on the otlwr f""ol„asiniogeO brought forward questions referring to in, rer c h ing interests, He did not see that lies hotnu oh w la rfer ee because he had brought forward a rnatt e h r ie h iO e ip tej supposed he knew something, and ‘," 01 0 5 ee e with the labour of some thousands 0! - P ‘sb i e ct growing districts. The Hon. Member s r Y it.y . , bY,l er g to be to gain some small degree of polln in fees ing obloquy on Hon. Gentlemen, wbc' se /11° 1 ii rtiv w" tl O pure as own. Mr. A his GLIONBY thought that instea d ° tre :o s ioe the resolutions in this Bill, they w ere p 0 ..,/ tev aA settlement of the question by their pers°l7teci i e erl He trotted that Hon. Members w ho sePP°„;co g cultural interest would concede the admit)* i THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 20, 184&