The Sun. — London, England, 1850-03-09 00:00:00

4,n ty ' 3 . r '"'t la *by the Right Hen. Memle r for Tae,wo; th 15 I t thsin 71) ite(l ) Vi:4w, and to re tote rt In y "".. prateicaltle_ it Wat; illlllo , Slble ler 441114 t• AleMb r ePr' , wotinr the ill terCat3 t f the coin : - r ) :: at btri,:;ft to reerle h4Ca•,; : euit. these propesitionF. (h !'!"' 11'm• (3 nt! - 1 , 1,) reeeet alte Fatima to elaw a , a ee • ' bereicial to ell el; Sea tiee. 'I 2-;sure, howee,r, Via', POW leka,, m u n all Sitlf.a. d by their havieg, the of felt itsvitur itlty } portion of the llay . ,; ( t t ute of the country in tile t ;,liape of duties. If sta: ll " w ittt the pia )' etent system, they would find what elliged to tel their expenditure beyond tan; censistent with the eeity anti honour of the What had brett the result of taking off the 4::11:;1 4 '''ro import e d from other coon tties ? Did all t. : that they oleaieo , l it ono ferthing cheaper tot, iraca- had a small f1)70 impoted? Certainly 14 ta 7 !'rY mereont imi Y micti a moderate fixed pa, a9 - I, Ptlee would fell by that arneunt abroad, end 'i4ercy by the course they lied adopted they i t,to t at that amount as so much additional pro• Lost:, , r t te pocket' of the foreigner, and took "Joetrithtnir o wn.-(Cheers.) Agin), there was the t- n - the Hon. Moinher for the West Riding, t e il3 Prepared with lihn to take off the daty'upon 414,01''teelluse he c onsidered it a t most uujust tax, as well to the cow , tr ,l at i arg „ which suffered NI E, from that course. By the alterations in the 111 1 1 ,Y 6 thty had d ou bl ed the va l ue o f money , C A ' I bo at had been termed by the Right Hoe. -Baronet Joy had made with the landlords.- k i-eit they must ultimately come to the quo.,- 114 ' Gv " at i 3 Fund ?"- Roars of laughter.) Now ".414t3'in t h the h g the same amount 1 1 4 1 04b i l a d Pensioners and others, when it would pur- I; a a the amount of wheat or any other (mmo -iortnerly ta, l4 'a t inr. and it was clear to him that that v must soonvr or later be altered. The n ot oa it ov ew hot rest satisfisd so long as they saw those it ernaid . Is bile they were deprived of ba!f their w 1181 114,C n alf Of their property. The Right Hon. Bee ebe s aid the other night that be (Mr. Spooner) all t eeta what he was going to say, aed he bad cheered . I t Y aritl Y-(11(ar and a lo.ugh)-because,he cordi e,te t e fi Z t t i re,lY agreed with him. He had told the tithe corn-laws were a delusion-that:t h he t r, Pai ate4 l would slide from under their feet ; and Bill 1),813, ou t to them the effects of the Currency It 'ad e believed that considerable reductions might . ti ta e a„ a ite e t expenditure. For instance, let them tut "of Las dockyards, and they would find a great lib da ::: l4 r a gant expenditure that might be very . safely 4i 4ri qiie; ' g ai n, there was the ordnane!establtshme . n , taet e l 4l4 Pail -mall and in the City-the object labeat e e to increase the expense and render mere 4;41488 Ana difficult the mode of conducting the pub -111„ -e *0414 . 15 :" . 4veu if. the Admiralty was looked into, C it ; ° , fotlnd good ground for reduction. Thp ka t il 'eg l ad 'cle Lords cf the-Treasury. of whom mr: hake e 4 0 , %aid that the only use they were of i w i a in s . t.) .. 1 nett '" e, to keep a House, and to cheer the m is lh " I , ll ll,e ra a was wrong. -(A laugh.) He shoe give "tat the resolutions of the Hon. Member for 1 11 1 , 1 A i t tlill g• t ha tl4 o said he would not follow his Hon. Friend of the currency. He contended that no 1 1%:!kesh 0"f be of given by the Right lion. Gentleman G to k.. 4l4 'de. • his Hon. Friend. The Right Hon. en• 41 t 1 facts to. • le o brought forward . by his Hon. tl i ,„`;,, s noh being the case, it was their duty to kl, 4 4; t h eets a C t lacts. In the first place the Right lion. tditts %t - that the increase in the military es a" le f„,11"110UtItS to six millions since 1835; and 144',,Nh ttt ;,:' w^th© increase amounted only to 2,360,0001. N't; ilah tata . t` % t he flea? Why,. in 1835, the military es ai,heee, el this country, including the army, navy, if! a mounted to' 11,657,000/. This sum had lis la ~ . .,',N)Ori l '' r 'usf , d to 12,000,000 t, to 13,000,000/., up to wee; rs„ Meer, hear.) Tne estimates in this re tte•ek4„3s in t_ t Year 17,645,000/., and proving that . the to n „ 4 ll ta , - ; "" expenditure, as regarded the military a,""•000/`'Illa Lelween n ow and 1835, bad increased to (ue ar, hear.) 'rho Hon Gentleman then p bt ye t reed t h e resolut i on propose d b y th e H on . eipa la th e f a the West Riding, and . asked if any . laia (maid deny the justice of t e pr h m ° ' (lw • I:Pet a h, ain the said resolution? It was e true t at 1 - 1 t 4 ,71 aq ur e the• country had greatly increased to t"Y a s a consequence the taxes had also been P ,ttla n nert itia „ t .„„ ;La It was said that year by year the Go. raneta; decreasing the expenditure of the country, Be t e tl,; er Y effort would hereafter be made to further th.'ltlrop-„...elPenditure. ' What proof had they that the 47eli tu - ' would do sit in its power to bring down the q - ,Ples t „„ ru ? Until the House refused the increase on 1 11 0 1te Q e ' t4 x, there was no manifestation on the tart ut4 ale tt ert intent that they would endeavour to lessen tO k ! i i 4 15 / 1 of the countr , • -(Hear, hear.) It was only we t ak re -e 'll'e refused ) tbe income-tax that the estie f orth , withdrawn and new ones introduced, and it Btit , hat the Ri g h t H on . G en tl e man took credit ) 7 44 41 4altt 1;? . the Government.-(Hear, hear.) The Hon. er , referred to the last resolution moved by ~l4k,t ), f,trt tae , i tin 'her fur York s hire, which ref erred to the aleeittarp' of the which it attributed to the extravagant the country. Ho contended that unless if coul d pledged itself by adopting these resolutions, l e 1831 t ratan. to reduce the burdens of the coun lia ; the number of men in the army amounted l itAn 1 847 the number were increased to , 1 4:',.Idth- T hi4 year the number was 99,127. Why 1471 t y t ,.-Y not go back to the numbers voted in 1835,? ` B4 B - 1 1. the number of men in the navy were 26,841. t it cause p el3 natber increased to 44,900.. .Where was 1 9 "cd this • ? The Hon. Gentleman then t increase Ps ° the staff of the army abroad and at home, if"'lntZi, (4 that while the charge under this head 1 11 11 004 1'4,1835 to 118,000 L, it increased in 1849 to ," "re not all these facts a proof that we ought t k .i h o the state of affairs such as they existed in 4 1 . 1t4 rlit e me Hon. Gentleman then referred to colonial ►r e al -I' and said that this and other expenses would I lw )la htel red ueed unless they acted upon the resolution 414 1 4 t i t) the 'louse by his Hon. Friend. Unless a the ko h 44 of , 4 1 P 1 exercise a discretion in these m ttere, in .4wing the Ministry to continue a system of 17 44. 34 ) . extravagance, the pensions wou ld never be 0 4 fhra l e therefore, urged the House to be just, and t l ' h U eSe resolutions, unless good ground were 441,10 contrary ", 4 , 11 1ES would not have taken any part in this 4. q °-. " 84.1 it not been for what had fallen from the Lie settl the House. That a: 'ta n who last addressed `4:' l tl es 7 "er had stated that no person could be sincere d 1 11,; b tior l '3') to effect a reduction in the expenditure an `toll the country who voted against the motion of ,k , l ", '4 . 4 . 4 11 , 01 1*er for the West Riding. As one who (4fc e IY desirous of aiding to the utmost . of his ';1 1 k l 'eduction of expenditure and taxation, he (4: 11 si' rie4 ) thought it right to state that he could with tc.tl 4te t itY veto against the motion of the Hon. q i n;(1: 1 , 1) ;;;( 1 1enr, hear.) The course proposed It4 ° °tt e „ - " m opinion, no teat of sincerity at all. It lf4 14 to him at all necessary, in order to the ob ,lo ee:,...."rt that the House should recapitulate that ° ' l ,l" 41 41 - '1 e one perfectly knew-namely, that between t h51',, 155 0 there had been an augmentation of public NI tact A They . all knew that but too well; but to state t6 lt ed tleius broadly without note or comment was cal k' le e n 'Y to Mier ad the public, and to impede rather l tt • LIZ -1e the object. The Right Hon. Gentleman kitli*,;Oebere) bad shown, and he had no doubt cor m; li ft e t of the 6,000,0001. of augmentation 2,300,00 to 'rsty " ri sen on, the estimates for our naval an , . ',llis ki "t a,_hlishment s and yet the House was invited ,„ t Hat the whole increase of 6,000,000!. was 1 11 tital)"Y" attributable to that cause. Now, he (M . % : 11 ; : , ) L 11 (1 not assent to that proposition, and h his Hon Friend p . ) w . ould 11 1. 4 /, `° . 11 reconsider . ation, feelhimself justified in as -4t f oe either. He was also called upon to a ffi rm 110 f o • r * t ke est,ol r eigu danger, or necessary cost of the civil le sort, or indispensable disbursements for the sere de psndencies abroad warrant the continuance . isivA lc cr ease of expenditure." Now, he might be dis rntild 48s eht to every word cf this proposition; but_ essent to the spirit in which it was made 11 11 „ 8 ' to " d e11 ,.) If he did he should be induclng the n , i t t :Ps * d eclare that the present state of things _ a , 'oe a s not such as to warrant the maintenance of as t 4 ilita ry and naval establishment in this country to b , ) vtei his opinion, the very reverse was the fact . . N . 1 4 ), •Ile, that there never was a time when this 'ls; ' tit W" in a state of more complete repose than at tt s -1 44: i th the exception of a little episode in the tOoelyrlQpii t 'a(llear, hear, and a la , ugh)-but could at the present state of Euro? and ray it ' ''et a l ey 11 Nth peculiar symptoms of quiet e and tran -111,('N, / to induce us to choose this moment of, all t;,f t ,; ) ,", 1 111 unusual reduction in our naval and 111 ili rth ."jiiSt anents?-(llcar.) The third proposition tit d taZ e y Rouse was called upon to affirm was, " That lobe r equired to mee t th e p r esent expenditure im ▪ r„ • * „Perations of agriculture and diminish the pf employment of labour in all branches of in dustry, &c." He entirely assented to this 1t: 4 ,11 4 1°P ; but wh at occas i on th e re w a s for affirming lo t li on, Yet to learn.-(Hear, hear.) He feared that of. lid Cl entlemen on th e other side of the House th. t tl 'a e lt more of this subject before any great length A , lu () Ph ' a l 3 sed.-(L ou d . cr i es o f "Hear, hear,' , from • 11 '4 34iti cin benches.) The assertion of the resolu kel' cj erf °ot!ar true, and it would be matter for 1 40 1 08 - t r ' s ideration on some other occasion whether or top ' ' l, lll ,l es which bore on agriculture as well as ma (Tght not to be accommodated to the altered P4rt t tl i the conntrye . --(llear, hear.) The Right Ihi;"'d Pnan the President of ' the Board . of . Trade_ Ito fillea - iL l eed to invite the House to a discussion of to lest t ; " of our recent commercial legislation ; but oft 1, 4 0. 1, :8 , 3 n ot properly the subject then before . the . declined to follow him. The last proposition %titel/41fishl311rable Gentleman's motion was, "That to pe rk !, .sto ps se evils it is expedient that this House a ttai i•te a b, tq reduce the annual expenditure with all de ed whr e i 31) '-ed, to an amount net exceeding the tk es Pe ta .„.; within the last fifteen years has fctiti',l 4 to be sufficient fur the maintenance of the guilel ''', l : l 4lr, and dignity of the nation." Now, he 1 4 i e s' i ocd to affirm that proposition. It was true tdeteg ti °3s the estimates .weio greatly reduced_,, and 4? to,:: tubs( quint year they were augmented, d to be augmented for several successive tie t eni ell g l- ) it would always be that whenever they is )l ti • 41 naake reductions greater than . w . ere feotbria to4try Litho the sefety, and honour, and dignity ti i nn:mediate consequence would be a return 111,1,. ' c e expeed itine . H e remem b e r e d that the lame tt r e : r 'ed alter the reduction which the Honouiable s,„"`tel i )r .Atontrost+, with the assisteece of the Whigs, 0 5 111 bh nth c-' expenditure of 1822 ; and so it always f ttr 4 *_ Ceusiderrible credit had been given to the k 7 1611144 n that held office fuzes short time in 183 . 4-35 es;ieStituates of that year; but as one of the pCillet e ; bees t ) f that G overnment h e L egge d t o sa y th a t the Ip ee edi a - ~,.Were those which had been framed by the ti k 4 ll t r i Go vernment, and which, having due regard G ut '1 ci rcumstances under which they took office, feetlllo:4tlin et which he (ale. ....Laies) seas a teem the Ru,n.t expediett to telopt.-(Hear, hear.) He , Ouse, instead of agreeing to the motion et the Hen. Member for the Wo4t-lilding, would adcypt tho preposition of the Itight lion. Gentleinan the oeeretary of War, and go into CouiruiAt e of the whole llvu.e to consider the estimate . lie for ono would go into that Committee with as sincere a desire as any Hon. BieutkaT to reduce as far as possible ad - safe the - csairnetce; which were to be proposed to thetr.—(llcar, is aia) Mr. M. 61IBSON fund the 'tight Hon. Gentleman upon this motion pretty much in the setae mind no w as he was last year; and that he hail given a flr grass factory view of the proposition than thu Lon. Gentle the Member.for.North Warwiclishire. The Hon. Mem ber for North Warwickshire hall not fdlen into the error of refining overmuch upon the words c. f . the reso lutions; he did not hypereritatise, but he took the broad meaning of the proposition in the souse in which it would be understood by the public; and being an advocate for the repeal of oppressive taxer, and, therefore; for a re duction of expenditare, he was perfectly consistent Li voting for it. There was no other mode of submitting the proposition than that which had been adopted by his Lion. Friend (Mr. Cobden). if he had deferred it until the estimates themselves came before the blouse, in order that each particular item might be discussed, it would have been impossible to explain his general views, or to propound a plan upon erery minute detail. lie (Mr. Gibson) voted for this proposition mainly because he was desirous of seeing the policy carried out of removing the taxes which impeded production, limited the field for the employment bf labour, and prevented the progress of im provement. Put our taxes upon one side, and our military and naval arnipnaents upon the other; and he would ask what was the preferable course to be taken in the pre sent condition of England, with its vast population and its limited field for the employment of !about? On the .one hand the people were taxed in order to defend them from some contingent danger that might possibly arise, and we limited the field of employment, increased pau perism and crime, and prevented the spread of knon - ledge, in order to have large defensive armaments to pro tect them against remote, imaginary, and contingent evils; on the other hand, to weigh the probabilities of foreign dangers, and consider whether it would not be more rational to risk the remote contingencies, and give the relief to industry which would accrue from the re peal of taxation. On balaucing the advantages upon one side and the ether, with every desire to take that course which was best for the country, ha had cometo the conclu sion that our defensive armaments must be considerably reduced, and the surplus so created applied to the re peal of the taxes which pressed down industry, in creased pauperism and crime, and produced evil results to the welfare of the community.—(Hear, hear.) The Right Honourable Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade had not quite fairly represented the objects of his Honourable Friend. The Right Honourable Gen tleman said, " I will not consent to abandon the defences of the country—l will not leave England unprotected by an army and a fleet." But who asked the Right Hon. Gentlemen to do so? Nobody bed ever asked the House to do more than consider the probabilities of danger from a fair and reasonable reduction in our de fensive armaments. His Hon. Friend had brought the motion forward at a proper time; and by fixing upon a year when the general expenditure of the country was less than it was at present, he called upon the Executive to explain why the increase upon that particular year should become a permanent addition to the national ex enditure. It was not sufficient, upon a question of this nature, for the Government to account for any temporary increase arising out of special causes. What they were asked for was, a reason why there should be a perma nent increase in the expenditure of nearly 6,000,0001. since 1835.—(Hear, hear.) They must show either that the protection and defences of the country in 1835 were inadequate or that circumstances had arisen subse quently which called for an increased permanent ex penditure. It was not enough to talk of Oregon, Tahiti, or Don Pacifico, f .pr they were special matters, and could not be urged as grounds for a permanent annual increase of expenditure. It was on such grounds as these that his Hon. Friend the Member for the West Riding brought forward his proposition. The first question, then, was, were the arma ments of 1835 adequate to the defence of the country, or were they not? He had frequently heard it said that ery hasty and inconsiderate reductions had been made in all the material preparations for warfare; and as such a statement bore materially upon the question of whether our defences were inadequate in 1835, he had taken some little trouble to inform himself as to the real facts of the case. He found, then, that in this year of destitution, 1835, there were in the dockyards 59,671 loads of tim ber; and in 1848, the date of the last return, there were only 56,048 loads. Of another important article, deck deals, averaging 40 feet in length, there were 32,145 loads in 1835, and only 22,311 loads in 1848. He further found that in the important article of hemp there were in 1835, the year of " destitutiou," 7,221 tons, and in 1848, the year of " abundance," only 5,067, being one third more in 1835 than in 1848. Next, as to tar. In 1835 there were 15,250 barrels, and only 8,977 in 1848. Of fitted-rigging there were 52 sets in 1835, and only 47 sets in 1848. Of bawls of yarn there were 5,584 tons in 1835, and 3,554 tons in 1848. But no article was of more importance than chain cables. Ho found then that in 1835 there were 857 chain cables, and 645 in 1848. In 1835 there were 170 lower masts, and 160 in 1848 ; in 1835 there were 237 top masts, and 228 in 1848 ; in 1835 there were 52 bowsprits, and in 1848 54. He had thus gone through a few of the principal articles of naval stores ; and he thought the facts were strong in relation to the argument that the defences in 1835 were inadequate to the safety of the country. The Government would forgive him for reminding them, as they had censured his Hon. Friends for bringing forward this economical proposition, when they were themselves disposed to re duce the expenditure, what might have been their posi tion at this moment, if they bad followed the policy which they indicated to the House in 1848. They came down to the House in 1848 2,000,0001. bchindhand -2,000,000/. deficit, not caused, he admitted, by their own policy, but by circumstances over which they had no control; and they actually proposed, with the ordi nary expenditure exceeding the revenue, to increase the ordinary expenditure. Hai they pursued the policy which they then indicated, instead of having now a sur plus of 2,000,0001., he was prepared to show they must have had a deficit this year of more than that amount. Had they, then, any reason to complain of those who scrutinized the subject of the national armaments, be cause they showed how the expense was growing year after ear? With regard to the army, it was open to question the policy of maintaining the present scale of military force now kept up in the United Kingdom. Af,er the peace, in the sear 1816, the Noble Lord now at the head of her Majesty's Government foresaw that unless great efforts were made to counteract it, the habit of having a large military force would become engrafted upon the peop.le though in a state of peace. What did the Noble Lord say in re. terence to this question? Ile said—" Among the many reasons urged for enormous peace establishments, the most absurd appeared to him to be.the assertion that they were necessary for our own security, in order to avoid a speedy renewal of hostilities. The House cou'd not fail to recollect that for twelve years Ministers had been soothing the impatience of the country by stating that the war was continued to prevent the necessity of an armed peace; yet now they ventured to tell the people, after all the sacrifices they had undergone, an armed peace was all they had acquired." Lord Grenville, too, said the same thing. Just as the war which ended iu 1815 caused the subsequent establishment of what the Noble Lord very forcibly called a system of armed peace, so each successive little military effurt had led to au in crease in our military establishments; and when the oc casion for that effort had pa.sed away we had not returned to the position we had occupied before. The same system still prevailed; and his Honourable Friend was perfectly right in asking, not for the records of all those particular and special occasions, but to ask the Go vernment, inasmuch as the onus probandi lay upon them, to give come rational and intelligible grounds for the permanent increase, mainly caused by our naval and military defences, in our expenditure to the amount of 6,000,0001. a year. Our colonial policy bad heel) stated as an argument for an increase in the army. Fresh colonies had been added to the empire it might be said. That was true ; but it did not answer the proposition of his Hon. Friend, namely, was it reasonable that these colonies, instead of being a source of strength, should be a source of weakness by drawing upon us for money and fir armies? His lion. Friend wanted to know whether the people of this country should be taxed in order to supply the means of defence to colonies well able to defend themselves. Indeed, it was obvious that the amount of the forces wo did send to them was quite inadequate to prevent the invasion of an enemy, whilst they were not entitled to, ask of us that which was merely for their own police purposes, or their own in ternal regulation. Neither was it i•ssonable that we should increase our military establishments for the pur pose of supplying troops to our colonies. He denied, in the next place, that our increased military power was for the protection of trade. Whenever there was any interference with foreign powers, either by our fleets or our forces, he received letters from his constituents im ' ploring him to go to the Foreign-office, because their trade was injured by it. At the present moment we had an immense fleet in the Mediterranean, and the moment there was interference in Greece ho received letters from his constituents complaing of Admiral Parker stopping merchant vessels. And very naturally so, because they knew it was impossible to interfere with them without directly or indirectly injuring our own interests. To tell him, then, that the Mediterranean fleet was thus protecting our traits and interest was a little too mueli. rho American flag wasjust as much unmolested in every port in the Mediterranean to the British flag, though it it as not supported by the same amount of naval force. In 1848 we had 31 ships and 8,000 men in the Mediterra nean. Was it possible such a force could be viewed by foreign powers as anything but a parade of armaments? Could it have any effect on foreign nations but to excite some feelings of apprehension that we had intentions of invading some country, or interfering with its internal affairs? This constant parade of our arms in foreign countries had rather a tendency to provoke hostilities and to excite jealousy and bad feeling in foreign nations. We prided ourselves on having done something with our sword for foreign trade; we . fancied that the Chinese war, which had ended in the necessity of maintaining a large fitet on the Indian and Chinese stations, and keep possession of Hong-Kong, had opened fresh markets, and would very materially extend the trade of the country. What was the fact? Why, that our exports to China and Hong-Kong weregraclually declining every yea; and it was his belief, would go back very nearly to what they were before we interfered at all. We should then find ourselves in this position—that we should have saddled ourselves with the necessity of maintaining a large fleet in those seas, and expensive establishments . at llong-Kong, without any corresponding advantage to the trade and manufactures of this country. If the House were asked to take the only rational course for extending trade, by reducing the tea duties, the answer was thet the state of the revenue would not admit of it, alld exp:..diture was to !a:l,-,o that - 7.e afford to sacrifice so great a branch of the national revenue. Any reasonsble person would infinitely pie. fer_the having a, largereonkumi,ticm of his gceds tilt t would he ontain , -11 by the reduction of thqtco, duty, to tightlit Way with the ~ .iword for his goods into inicrior of Chitin. It vi•ls mat rill to ctunsider with a reduction of the rt.-Eny is this country, we here to increase our tora , , , s in India.. Although theAo were raid Lys the I,f,ast India Conopany, and dui not figure in the e;titnat, Set then swilled the half.ray li, t nod ineffi,c, live service. He vety much doubted whether our military system in India, on which we prided ourselves so - muck], was, after ell, benefiting England to the extent to ,which some persons repro canted. The Hen. Member below him seemed to think that the annexation of the Punjaub had opened fresh markets for our manufactures. He very much doubted this, and suspected that if our military ardour in India had - not berm' inflamed by very large amonets of prize money, we should not have had these constant wars. He thought. the great difficulty we had to con tend with in the reduction ef the military, naval, and ordnance establishments was the excessive zeal which the members of those different professions had fir the interests ef their respective calling.. He did not blame those gentlemen; he would not impute to them in terested motive.; it might be a: desire to ace the particu lar branch to which they belonged increased to what they regarded as its greatest pitch of efficiency; but that was not the point of view in which the House must look at a [natter of this description. He would read a pas sage from Sir Henry Parnell's work on Financial Re form, which expressed the matter much more clearly and forcibly than any words of his own could do:—" Every public dspartment stands prepared to give the most con s fieent leasons why it ie absolutely necessary to keep up the amount of its expenditure to the exact point at which it now is. Every kind t f sophism, insinuation, and assertion is worked up with vast ingenuity int ) case to resist every attempt at effective retrenchment, and not only Government and Parliament, but also the public, sutler teemselves in this way to have their judg ment influenced rather by the personal authority of offi cial men, who toe always endeavouring to keep their re spective services in the highest possible state of efficiency end show, than by the principles of a sound system cf finance, which requires that that portion of the public expense set apart ror purposes of military preparation and protection should be reinlated by the quantity and measure of the danger to bo guarded against." He thought this extract fully expressed the views with which his Hon. Friend had submitted this motion to the House. As to any sudden or 'unforeseen danger arising to this country, from a collision with a foreign power, that ap peared to him, in the present state of the intercourse ha tween the principal countries of Europe, to be quite out of tho question. When we considered the power of the press, of commercial intercourse raising up interests to counteract those feelings that might spring_ up betwixt nations where no such extensive trade existed, it was im possible to suppose that any hostilities of importance could arise between this and any foreign powers without eery long and ample preparation, and a vast deal of pub lic notoriety and discussion. It was not possible, out of any accidental circumstances, to bring great countries into - a state of hostility, and he did not believe we should again see the time when wars would be undertaken for purpotes of conquest, when hostile armaments should be sent forth to establish the ascendancy of one race over another.--(hear.) These were matters that telonged to past ages, and which it would not be wise in that House to make the groundwork of their policy, when considering the amount of force necessary fir the de fence of the country. He found that the whole naval, military, and ordnance expenditure of the country for 1849 was 17,000,6951., and rather more than 11,000,000!. in 1835. He could not understand by what process of reasoning or dexterous handling of figures. it, was con trived to make out that there was an increase in the naval and military expenditure to the amount of not more than 2,000,0001. But even if it were as his Right llon. Friend stated, the question still remained to be answered—Why were we to spend more by 6,000,000/. than we spent in 1835? Why was his Hon. Friend to he represented as proposing to leave the country detenceless, when he con sented t r apply no less a sum than 10,000,000/. to the naval and military defences, a sum more than double the amount of the whole expense of the civil and military go vernment of the United States? Those who supported this motion could not be cherge.l with any indifference to tie security and independence of England, or to the inte rests of the public credit sr. He hoped before the debate closed that some Minister would explain clearly what was the meaning of the policy of reducieg men without reduc ing officers. It was true that the number of seamen em ployed a as to be diminished, and some regiments reduced in force but they kept up the number et officers as a framework upon which the number of men could easily be augmented, and they sent ships to sea with too many officers, but inefficienctly manned. It had been stated over and over again by some of the moat distinguished officers of the British navy, that the number of officers was entirely disproportioeed to that of men; so great was it that many were unable to get employment, and thus prevented from acquiring experience, or obtahring a fair share of the emoluments of their profinision. TWA was ore cf the many reasons why the list of the ineffec tive service was so extremely large. We had 150 ad mirals when there was only work for a (keen; and when the Right lion. Member fur Ripon (Sir .1. Gra ham), in the Committee Moved by his Hon. Friend, asked on what principle this number had been fixed, the late Seeretary for the Admiralty (Sir H. Ward) could only answer that he did not exactty know. The list of captains and commanders were in the same condition; the rules of promotion established were departed from constantly on slight pretexts. He thought these exces sive numbers were maintained through some mysterious interest, which prevented the House from being the fair representatives of the people. He appealed restect fully to agricultural )11 embers not to turn their backs on motions of this description. He could not understand, now that the corn-law had been draposed of,, upon what principle it was that the more possession of land should make a man feel bound to support extravagant establishments. He undertook to say that the share which any landed gen tleman might, at some time of his lire, get in spoil arising from extravagant establishments could not re compense him for the burden of taxation that must be imposed upon his property to maintain them. He called upon them to act up to the professions they had made in the country, to go into the whole question of expenses, and cut down needless offices and places. They could with perfect consistency give their votes for his Hon. Friend, and he believed that by so doing they would be taking the only course open to them to obtain the reduction of the malt-tax. and the hop duties. Ile believed they would thus be conferring an important benefit on the country at large.—(Divide, divide.) He saw no reason why the motion should not have the sup port offlonourab'e Gentlemen opposite. If his friends had framed' a clap-trap motion for the purpose of en snaring gentlemen opposite, they would have loft out all the matters relating to naval and military defences, and couched it in some such words as these :—" That in con sequence of. the altered state of circumstances brought about by the repeal of the corn-laws, it is necessary to reduce salaries and establishments."—(Loud ironical cheering from the • Opposition.) Unless Honourable Gentlemen opposite would honestly and clearly join in support of the 'reductions now proposed, it would be im possible to effect that remoral of taxation which they had in view. Mr. HENLEY said that the quostion is to determined was, how they were, most likely to achieve that economy which, he believed, both sides of the House were anxious to procure.—(Hear, hear.) But when the Right lion. Gentleman who had just sat down talked of clap-trap motions—when he recollected the speech of the Hon. Member for Montrose that night, and when ho remem bered the able and temperate speech ef the Hon. Mem ber for the West Riding of Yorkshire—when he found that none of those Hon. Gentlemen grappled with any particular branch of the question, or gave an opportu nity to the House to express an opinion upon it—and when ho heard the Right lion. Gentleman the Member for Manchester mixing up with this question questions of odious and tyrannical taxation, pauperism, and Mine, cheek-by-jowl with the public credit, he naturally asked what did all this mean?—(firer, hear.) Was this mo tion sincerely intended to effect reduction or not?— (Hear, hear:) Now, he was not going to vote upon the speeches of Hon. Gentlemen that night, but upon the motion before the House. The first clause of that motion was incorrect, for he (Mr. Henley) did not admit that the increase of 6,000,0001. was in the army and navy estimates ; 4,000,C00 1 . out of the 6,000,0001. might be so.—(A.. laugh.) In the miscellaneous expenditure there might have been an increase of forty per eerie,- but in the military and naval ex penditure there was not the same proportion. But when he came to the operative part of the motion ho found that, with Chinese exactness, it proposed to go back lo a previous standard of expenditure without reference to whether the course was fitting, expedient, or necessary. He asked therefore whether the motion was intended in sincerity?—(Hear, hear.) Was it a motion which its supporters thought would be carried? The object of the supporters of this motion was this. A party, which ho admitted was a great one, and possessed the means of agitating in the country, having refused to vote the taxa tom proposed by the Government a year ago, and the Government having accordingly taken the hint, were enabled to say to' the country, " See how the Government are reducing taxation," in order that they might go on agitating. That was the A B Cof the present motion. Into no one branch of the expendittire had the supporters of the motion gone to enable the House to come to a rote. The speeches of Hon. Gendemen were temperate enough, but it was impossible to go back to the expendi ture of 1835. The Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for Manchester had given a curious illustration upon the subject of naval store-. To prove that the year of which he spoke was a year of destitution the Right Hon. Gen- tlernan pointed to the expenditure of the year 1835, and then pointed to the amount of stores in 1834. Mr. M. GI BSON—The first vote proposed to Parliament, after 1834, by the Government of the Right Hon. Baro net the Member for Tamworth was a still further reduc tion upon previous ones. Mr. HENLEY—And very natural that it should be. —(Hear, hear.) But to prove his position, the Right t h n a re d t i a n file B d 34 a , b b o n u t t n c t a t bl i e n s l a B n 3 d s. hem ßu p t a if nd a prudentother G t hei Minister s n a :s r ' found his warehouse full, why should he purchase more in 1835?—(Hear.) To do that would be like buying is a second barrel of ale before the first had been *exhausted. But the Right Hon. Gentleman bad not explained why the estimates had been so low in 1835. We had then a decrease in the force of men, and the necessary consequence was an accession of stores. — (Hear, hear.) The Hoe. Member for the Went Riding and the Hun. Member fn. Montrose, in the Motion before the House, declared their readiness to accept the expen diture of 1835 as the minimum; but in their speeches they said they would be contented with the average of the three years. Now between which of the too did they mean to make their election? Tho average of the three years would amount to a million more than the average of the year 1835. The truth was that motions of this kind only • expressed the views of particular. persons, and were intended to effect parti ogler objects. lie dared say it was convenient for lion. Gentlemen opposite to bring ft rward motion', but they knew, at the same time, that they were not prothictive of real inconvenience to those who sat on the Treasury henches.—(Laughter.) if lion. Gentlemen opposite really -watited to er.ect:ielutitions in the public burdens, they would endeavour to effect - their object by to-inging furward spccifit:. and tangible uwtio,r. Ile WR:, hiatilt 7 per pared to vote) for - eduction of taxation io particular direetiOne, and he shoniti renew a motion upon the ttabject larch ht. , had ttnught ft . ir ward hrfore; hut it. Would wit be a general or vague staentent like the one now berore the • Lord J. RUSSELL—The Right Lion. Gentleman who spoke last but one' (Mr. M. Gibson) concluded his speech with a pathetic 'appeal to theme connected with the egricultural interest to vote in favour of this motion; but I menet say that the 'Right Hon. Gentle roan • paid them a' very high compliment ; because he urged that they were nut likely to derive so much ad vantage from the continuance of the burdens to which they were subjected, as from the Share 'they might claim in tflo proposed reducaien 'of expenditure.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) - Sir, I own I' do not think the compliment was a very high one ; and I doubt very much whether the plea used will prove so effective as that cajolery of the ladies of which we heard eo much 'in the debate of last night.—(Hear, hear, aed laughter.) With regard to the question before the House, I must say that, agreeing with the Hon. Member f.)r. Oxfordshire (Mr. Henley), and others who have spoken in this debate, I think the Hon. Metnber for the West Riding has rertele a most judicious speech in sup port of a very injudicious motion.—(Hoar, hoar.) Tt.e motion begins by calling upon this House to affirm that the increase of 6,000,0004 since 1835 has been caused pt iacipally by successive outlays for - duf.nsive aralies. It does net say in terms that that successive augmente tion has continued to the present day, but any one read ing the motion would conceive that if the House of Com- T/10115 affiemed thti motion there had been that successive augnientation. The fact is, however, as my Right Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer said last year, that there was a reduction of 1,400,0001. in the military establishments of last . year, end in tle proposed estimates of this year there is a reduction of 700,0001. making in the two years a reduction of 2,100,0001. — (Hear, hear.) I say, therefore, it is not 'lair to talk of successive augmentations, and not admit that the Government has made reductions is these establishments. But then the Right Honourable Gen demon the Member for Manchester says the Govern meet is bound to show how this increase of 6,000,0001. has arisen. Sir, I should have thought that the speech of ,my Right Hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade had shown to a very great extent how this in. . . crease of 6,000,0001 had arisen, partly in the civil es tubiishments, partly in taking charges which were local charges on the Consolidated Fund, and partly in increase in the military establishments. But the Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for Manchester either did not listen to my Right Honourable Friend, or he requires some further explanation on the subject. With respect to the increased amount on account of mili tary establishments, which, according to the Honour. able Member for Oxfordshire, was upwards of 4,000,0001., there is a great reduction to be made. There are the excesses for establishments of former years, appropriations in aid, which, in 1835, were de ducted from the expenditure. There is then the item for Post-office packet service, which is au increase over the expenditure of 1835, to no less a sum than 737,000/. I beg the attention of the House to these particular items. The Right Hon. Gentleman, the Member for Man chester, says that all this is an increase in our esta blishments. Now, a portion of this sum of 737 , 000 /. used formerly to be defrayed out of the revenue of the Post office; and it never came before the ear of the House of Commons at all.—(Hear, hear.) That course was fre quently objected to by the Hon. Member for Montrose, who at that time, as at others, said that the whole ex pense of the country ought to come before the view of the House; and that if you have a sem taken out of the revenue, that sum should be placed in the eAimates and visotaed fairin e t I h a e i n andus e. Sir, as a matter different Governmentsvoured to comply with the request. But what do we see of h a v have principle, e[idea thst as the consequence? No sooner is it done than the Right Hon. Geutlensanat: e Member for Manchester gets up and says there is an enormous increase in our expen• diture.—(ileac, hear.) But, in point of fact, the ex pense to the country is the same, although the mode of voting is more regular. Now, Sir, the observation of the Right Hon. Gentleman applies not only to this charge, but to many other charges in the shape of in crease since 1835. No doubt there has been an increase of expense in the packet service since 1835, but the ob. jeot with which that expense was incurred, whether wise or not is not now in argument, was to facilitate trade, and the communication between this country and its colonies,. as also with' foreign countries. So that it is altogeter a misrepresentation to say that this increase has been on account of our military establishments, when it has been incurred for the purpose of facilitating our oernmerce and communication with other countries. These various sums reduce the whole amount of increase in our military establishments in 1619, as compared with 1835, to 2,365,0001. With regard, again, to the army, which is the first of those questions which we should propose to enter on to-night. The army bee had in created duties to perform since 1835. I will not at this moment enter into the important question, whether or no, it is wise to defend our colonies; but it is certain that: the army has been called upon to perform various duties of that kind, and that in every duty they have had to per form, whether against the enemy irt the field, or in ex hibiting temper and good ,conduct it home, they have preferred ail that eneegy and good conduct which have always distinguished Vattn.—(Cheers.) But the whole amount of increase since 1835, on account of the rainy, has Lean only 111,0001.; and that amount, considering, the increase in, the empire, and the situations in which hints b"en placed, is asz.uredly no extritrigant or extraordi e nary increase. With regard to anotheit Of the 'gums with respect to which it is rt3tqd that an increase has occurred, and which has taken place, it is contended, on alcount of the aristocracy, and to ficilitate private pa teenage. I mean the pensions of soldiers. Formerly the soldier was only entitled to receive his pension at the end of the year. By an arrangement effected by Lord Chatham there was a deduction of 5/. per cent. in these Tensions, but there is now a different arrange ment, and as a matter of fairness not of right, the whole of that deduction has been taken off, amounting to no less than 50/. a year. But the Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for Manchester also wishes to know why there is not a diminntion made in the number of regi ments and officers? That, Sir, I think is a matter of detail which my Right Hon. Friend the Secretary of War will explain; but in the course of the present year . the second battalion. had been reduced, and, although officers are retained at the "present moment, it is not intended to fill up the vacancies, and there will, conse quently, be a reduction in the number of officers: If we pass to the navy, we certainly see agreat increase in the expenditure on aceouut of it. But that, again, is a subject requiring very full consideration when it comes before us. lf, however, the Hon. Member for the West Riding has any ration a l re d uc tion to propose in these estimates, let him Propo se th e m at the proper time.—(Hear, hear.) I, Sir, do not mean to find any fault, although the Right Ilun. Gentleman the Member fur M an chester seemed to think that we should, with the estimates of 1835. I votel for those estimates when out of office. Some of them I concurred in moving whoa I was in office, and I sea no reason to fled fault with thetu in the circumstances of that year. But this I know, Sir, that after these estimates had been reduced there was a constant pressure out of doors and in this House to increase them. — (Hear.) And I remember that when my Right Hon. Friend the Chancell or o f the Exchequer, then Secretary to the Admiralty, s h owe d the increase self on the ground that the Go vernment h a d no t suffi cientlywhich was tfterwarde made, increased the navy or mad e su ff ic i en t provision he was able to defend }dea fer that noble branch of the service for the defence of the country. If that was the case, Si r , succes sive Governments have been so m uc h t o blame for in creasing the naval expenditur e o f t h e country. A ga i n , w h a t- may ever advantage this country Ido not think y derive by means of steam must be participated in by other countries; and it is absolutely necessary that WC should hale a steam navy to cope with a force of the same kind which an enemy might bring against us.---(Rear, bear.) I think it impossible that the steam navy could be set on foot without some errors in the commencement of so new an enterprise. Ido not think it a subject of regret that we should have a steam navy so very efficient, and so well calculated to form a d e f ence f or . the country.—: (Hear, hear.) In the ord nance, aga i n , no doubt we. h av e made a considerable increase; but we stated at the time the reasons of that i ncrease; we s tated that the artillery and engine er i ng f orces requ i re d longer ap prenticeship to science t h an t h e cava lry and infantry, and that it was desirable that a force which could not be so easil v made perfect should not' be allowed to fall 'too low. I believe that principle is a sound one. It is one which has been confirrie I in this House, nod I do not think that any person whose' opinion on the 'subject is' worth listening t o would recommend a reduction in th ese friend Lion g a greateru ckland numbergn a n a which rd A departments. Wi t h regard, h owev er, to on e p ar t o f our naval expendit ure , t h ere has b een a practic e w hi c h pre veiled for m an y years, nd Right Ron. Friend l as t year carr i e d into complete effect, by hav by the Rouse of C ommons . Now, before I turn to the civil expendit ure , I w ill j es t l oo k a be a u p o o fr m ss ee ' hfn borne than is vot e d a i r c my late lamented y at the proposal of the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Yorkshire (Mr. Cub den), as he stated it to the House. He 'proposed that 5,800,000/. should be reduced from the military esti mates, and 600,0004 from the civil estimates.—(flear.) That was the,result, no doubt, of very great deliberation on his part, and he of course mast have considered in what manner these estimates were to be reduced, and how the service of the country could bo efficiently per formed. But there is one thing that he has entirely lost sight of. He said, " I will g i ve you ten millions for the purposes of the military services, and no one can com plain that grudge you the means of defence fur the country." ltutit so happens that those estimates are divided into effective and non-affective services, and with regard to "a great portion of them, n amely, almost the whol e o f the non effective, you ate bound either by 'law or by good faith not to diminish these sums. It 'is impossible that Parliament, with any regard to honesty or its own, credit, can touch the sums voted to these men. But these heads amount in the present year to no less than 3,784,000/., and' the sums voted for the effective service amount to no more than 10,518;0001.; and on that sum the Hon. Gentleman proposes to reduce no less than s,Boo,oool,—(Hear, hear.) I should like to know what the Hon. ~iember for Warwickshire (Mr. Spooner) means to do.' Unless ho is bound' . to nothing more than a general resolution--unless he bai a plan of his own, he is bound to reduce to such 'an t'xteut the naval and military forces of the country, that I really do not know how any one can possibly say that an effective force for the defence of the country can be kept up. I should• like to hear his particulars. Does . he mean to re duce 30,000 or 40,000 men in the army ? Is it 10,000 or 20,000 men in the navy that'he means to propose to have reduced?—because without some such reductions as these it is pito impossiblo that 5,800,000/. •ca,a be tr.!: - Lear.) Ho we fer - ,. — o - th - er - Hon ourahic Gentleinen may say that it is certainly not a roinctiim -of the naval and military means of the country that is to li,qiroposett, but that no doubt the civil servic-s rill afford thnmeans' of that reduction. But I must, again ask, whether - or not it is advinable; without looking et thece several items, to say_ that you will go hick .t estimates of 1835? With regard to many of these sub jec:6 public opinion has been such that the Government Igoing with that opinion have propostal a very large in creme of expense. - There has been a very grot in. crease on the subject of education ; I helieve not less tan 00,0001.• or 200,000/. Now ,do Honourable. Gnu `amen who de not go to these extreme lengths abuts' , reducing• the-military expenditure . propose 'to cut off that increase? There has been another very considerable . sum, amounting altogether to 570,0001, all of which hp br-r-n increased for the constabulary force in Irelsnd, and other expenses of a Similar nature. Why, that was pro posed =a great part of it—by the Right Hun. Gentleman the Member for Tatnworth (Sir R. Peel), when he pro posed the repeal a the corn-laws, and when he put that which had hitherto been a local eharge—a charge • mainly atfectirg the landed interest, upon the con. sotidaced fund. Now, does the Honourable Gen • tleman mean to transfer that back again from the consolidated fund to the local rates ? Does he in tend to reverse the motion of the Hon. Member for Bucks (sir. Dinraeli), and instead of transferring a large • ,sum from the local rates to the consolidated fund, do they irtzal again to transfer these large sums from the consolidated fund hack to the local rates? I should like to know if any of those who voted for the motion of the Honourable Member for litieltinghamshbe are going to vote for thi:: motion, % hieh is a direct contradiction f the other.--e(" Holt., hear," from an Honourable Member, and laughter.) The Honourable Gentleman cht era that sentiment. 'certainly voted a4a4ist the me tiou of the Honourable Member for Bucliingha,mshire, for giving 2,000,000/. to the real property of the coun try by placing local charges on the consolidated fund; but I certainly cannot ogres to the repeal of that Act of 1846, to which; I think, we are bound in honour to adhere. Well, thee, the sum of 6,000,0001. is indeed very much reduced. With regard to upwards of two millions of it, it consists of charged that were formerly taken in diminution of votes, or that were on the public revenue, or that were in, some other way net an actual increase c,f expenditure. That accounts for nearly 2,000,0001. There is another portion which has in creased in the civil expenses, which I know is a portion that this House will hardly wish to diminish. But if Hon. Gentlemen do wish to diminish them on the occa sion of the miscellaneous estimates being brought for ward, every one of those votes not on the consolidated find may come under the revision of this House; and at that time Hon. Gentlemen inay propose their. motions for reductions. There remains, therefore, but a small part of the 6,000,0001. on which reduction can fairly be made; and I put it to the House whether it will agree to a general resolution that seems to pledge us to reduc tion of 6,000,000/., when perhaps by refusing to grant money that would be requisite for the public service, and not agreeing to votes which the Government should think necessary, it might afterwards be found that two millions was the utmost that could be reduced in the ex penditure.—(ilear, hear.) But then the lion. Member ler the West Riding has a most convenier,t proviso with respect to this motion. There seems to be on the face of it somewhat of imprudence, in saying, that whatever might be the state of the country—whatever the danger that may arise iu three months, or a year, or .two years, that you will fix beforehand what will be your exact ex penditure on the military forces of the country. But then, tho Honourable Gentleman says, "Oh, yes! but in the case of a'sy circumstances requiring extra military prepaiaionf , , of course this resolution will be neglected, and a larger sum will be readily voted." But if this is really to be the case, I cannot see the use of the re iolu- tion - I;it alt. It the House is to retain its discretion after the resolution is passed, why should it not keep its dis cretion as it is now ? 'Why' not retain the power to say, " There is an increase of expenditure absolutely necessary fir the safety of the state ; ne are not fet tered by any resolution, and thercf ,re shall at once pro ceed to vote the amount?" Really, if it were not that the Gentleman can't he accused of views c f that kind, the might suppose that the Hon. Gentleman w.s open to the accusation . sometimes made against Members of this House, believed to be ambitious of office, namely, that they wish to escape while in effice froth the votes they have given before—(Laugttsr)—because with this proviso, if the Hon. Gentleman were to become Cl ancel fur of the Exchequer the very next month, he might rise and say, " that the circumitsnees of the country were quite changed; there is no longer either a necessity or justifioaiion for the resolution I formerly proposed, and I must ask the House tor exactly the same votes as were granted in previous Government.." But without accus ing the Honourable Gentleman of anything of that kind, I think he has rather committed himself by some of the speeches he has mtv!e in the country—(Cheers and laughter from the Protectionist benches)—tn which he said the t xpenditure has increased ten millions since 1836; it is a most profligate expenditure, and it is kept up for the promotion cf the suns of the aristocracy— (ttenewed cheering from the same side)—who ought to be otherwise provided f.r, and we are bound to refuse it any_ longer. The Honourable Gentleman has frightened hunselt a©d the country very much with that declaration. —(A laugh.) • He .htis not taken the pains to look into these items; he had not found out that many of these - charges were charges that have been on the revenue— that many of them were for the increase of education, and other votes for science and art, which he, as well as others, would have been ready to assent to. And hav ing so done, he fin& hiraielf committed to bring before this House the consideration of this subject. I think it would have been much better if be had made a more practical proposition, after a carsiul examination of all these different cAitnates, and had somewhat retracted the accusation that 12,000,0001. were spent in this pro ff gate way, end especially that the officers of the army and navy were guilty of the mean practices that he charged them with.—(Protectionist cheers.) Well, Sir. having said this, I however wish to say also what I think is really due to the lion. Member, that I believe his calling the attention of the country to the general expenditure of the nation has been productive of very useful results, by enabling the Government to make reductions which otherwise it might have found itself unable to effect; and I don't mean to deprive the Honourable Gentleman of any credit that may be due to him in this respect. But, Sir, when I say this, I must altogether protest against the, view of the Right Honourable Gentleman the Member for Manchester (air. M. Gibson). I will not follow the Righti Honourable Gentleman through his views 'with regard to Greece or China; but he laid down, as it were, as an axiom, that if any injury were done to a British subject in any part of the globe, the proper course for a Minister to take is not to resent that in jury, but to disarm altogether, and propose some reduc tion in the tea duties, or some other tax—(lesughier) aod to leave British subjects altogether without protec tion.—(lllr. M. Gibson here interposed a remark that was inaudible in the gallery.) The Right Hon. Gentle tuna says that this does not imply his meaning; but he must recollect the old saying," Nec army sine stipendiis, nee stipendia sine tributtt." And bow, again, are British subjects to obtain redress, unless we maiutain a sufficient force to sustain our claims, I really cannot imagine—l douht whether any Minister of this country, if he were obit, ed to say, " We don't mean to resort to force in any case, end we have not the means of resorting to force," would be likely to obtain that redress for injuries ofrered to British subjects abroad, which I must tell the Right honourable lientleman they demand, and dementl, too, in no very soft terms; because, in that very case of China, when the British merchants were obliged to pay two millions, and threatened with imprisonment and durance, they were not slow in transmitting com plaints to this country, and the friends of the British merchants at home were not slow in milking representations the-A . - some redress ought to be obtained. But really we have been told to night that as we have low prices we must hare low establi6hmentt; and, in deed, it appears that some think we must have low views as well--(Cheers and laughter)—that we are, in every case where injury may be done to our commerce by any interruption of our amicable relations with - foreign Powers—and such an interruption ha any case I sin cerely regret, because I well know how mischievous it is—but we are told that we must comply with every ..leaaand that the Governments of those countries may think it necessary to make, while redress has been asked for and refused. Sir, we have had no Government in this country that has adopted that principle, no states man who has ever swayed the destinies of this empire ever since the Revolution—not even that most pacific of Ministers, Sir R. Walpole, believed that when British subjects were injured, and had a right to ask for redress, that that redress should be enforced, if necessary, even by recourse to arms. It would be quite a new policy in this country for a Minister to pursue any other course. —(Cheers.) Sir, with regard to this motion, I believe the House will not interpose a resolution of this kind in the way of going int ) Committee of Supply. The Hon. Member for the West Riding, who brought forward this motion, is fond, I believe, of political predictions — predictions which are not always justified by the event —(Loud laughter)—and some of those predictions he lately mace in a speech delivered in the country. I read that speech with some attention, and I found that in one part of it the Hon. Gentleman says, " Oh, the Govern ment will nut adopt our proposals for reduction. They will reject all real economy. Some apparent diminution may be made, but anything of the sort will be followed by a subsequent increase." In another part of his speech, the Hon. Goatleman told his auditory—" You will see that Government in course of time will go back to the estimates of 1835. They will reduce the estimates to that scale, but they will not do so when we bring for ward our motion, because if so wo should be Ministers in their place."—(Laughter.) Well now, but these two predictions seem so opposed—they are so contradictory in themselves, that it would appear as if one of them must come right—(Hear, and laughter.) But I can assure the House that we shall not, in the first place, refuse to make reductions. We have been making re ductions since 1848. I stated that, in our military estimates alone, in the course of two years, e e effected a reduction of 2,ooo,oool.—(Hear, hear.) As to offices—in the course of last week alone, two offices fell vacant which will not be filled up, and another ocric9 I propose to reduce next sneak, in point of salary. Whenever occasions happen—whenever we find that an office can ho reduced, or that the salary is ex cessive, we shall be ri a'ly to seize these opportunities of retrenchment.— (Hear, hear.) As to the second predic tion of the I. (3e ltleman that we mean, although vi e will not proles it, to go back to the scale of 1835—why, I must say— Mr. CO3DEN—WiII the Noble Lord tell me when I mode the epee eh to which he is referring? Lord J. LUSSELL—The rie:ch—l read it in a newspiper—(Laughter)—but I will have the news Paper looked fir, and bring it down to the House and read it. —(Lati A hter and cheers.) I assure the Hon. Gentleman that I paid great attention to his speo.3l3.—(Eli ar and laughter.) However, I was going on to say that, not I denying but that the estimate of 1335 might have been upon the proper scale for that particular year, we do not tanik, for various reeeines, seine of which I have stated, that there has been any undue increase in the naval and ordnance estimate::; and as rer the general estimate:, it is evident, from the facts which I have stated, that it is impossible, in respect to them, that we can go back to the stale of 1835 without an undue re duction of our military end naval forces, end the refusal of many votes for the promotion of education and other useful purposes —ea course which it would be mo4t inexpedient to adopt.—(llear, hear.) We, therefore, do not propose to go back to the estimates of 1835. We shall be ready, whenever opportunity serves, to make reducione, but we will not fir the sake of popularity, or for any other purpose, pretend to make reductions which we think would be most injurious to the interests of the empire. The House of Commons, of course, has its duty to perform, and that duty would not be per formed by affirming the resolution of to-night. When ever the Minister of the Crown brings forward estimates, it ought to be the duty of the House to weigh and con sider these estimates, and to vote them, not according to a previous and general resolution, but according to the wants of the different services of the country, and their general view of what the interests of the country. require. —(Hear, hear.) Such is the obligation which rests on. the House of Commons. There is also an obli gation resting on us, to bring forward no extravagant and excessive estimates. But there is also an equal obligation upon , us, not to reduce the estimates below the point which v e think necessary for the mainte nance of the honour, the dignity, and the seety of the empire.—(lTie Lordship resumed his seat amid prc longed cheering.) Colonel SIBTLIORP (who arose amid the cries of a division) said that he should not -support the party of the Hon. Member for Manchester, or the party of the Noble Lord, thinking that it was six of one aad halt-a dozen of the other—(Laughter)—lull not having the slightest confidence in cider.—(Laughter.) He was curious to know how far the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth would go in supporting the man of "unadorned eloquence," but as he had no confidence is either of the contending parties —as ho believed that they were all rogues and jobbers tog,ethrr—(Graat laughter)—he therefore thought the best thing he could do was to take up his hat and tike his leave. [The Gallant Colonel immediately suited the action to the word, took up hie hat, bowed ceremoniously to the Speaker, and then walked deliberately out amid per fect peals of laughter.] The House then divided, when there appeared-- For the amendment ... ... 89 Against it ... 272 Majority against the amendment ... --183 The House then went into Committee, Mr. BERNAL in the Chair. Me. F. MAULE then said that at that late hour he should merely propose the' vote for the number of men for the service of the year, without entering into any lengthened details in justification of that var. Last year the number of men proporel had amounted to 103,000 ; and his Hon. Friend the Member for Mon trose had then moved that the number should be reduced to 100,000. Bat the present vote was merely for 99,128 men. Ile had further to observe that the vote did not always show the actual amount of the force to he maintained ; and the fact was, that 'the estimate r f the present year showed a reduction of 14,719 men, as com pered with the number in 1848-49. It was said, how ever, that while they reduced the number of men they made no reduction in the number of officers. But in the present estimates there was proposed a reduction of not less than 128 officers, with a reduction of 4,000 men. He had further to observe, that so tar war, it from being true that the number of officers had been mere than proportionably increased as compared with the increas e in the flambe; of men, that the fact was, that while in 1835 the proportion had been one officer to 17 men, the proportion at present was one officer to 20 men; and since 1835 there bai been au increase made of only one officer to 150 mile. was no advocate for keeping up an undue number of officers; but he was still lessen advoetee for reducing them: to.the number barely sufficient fur commanding tl e men in existence at the time; because it should be apparent to every one that the must econo mical mode of maintaining the force at all times was to keep it in such a position that if al exigency arose it could be increased in the shortest possible time at the least possible expense. The Coromit:ee would find that the estimate under that bead at present, as compared witi the estimate of hst year, consisted of a reduction of 4,12 G men. In efneting that reduction they had struck off the second battalions crea AI in the year 1815; and they bad adopted that course b,caase they had f mad that the second battalions did not completely au• swer the objects for which they had been formed, and that the men in those battalions lacked the comforts which it was desirable that every member of the army should possess. With these few brief explanations he should move a vote of 99,128 men for the land service during the year. The vote having been put foam the chair, Mr. HUME said he thought that his Right Hon. Friend had shown no reason why they should then vote a number of men so much larger than that voted in the year 1835, and in the three or four subsequent years. He felt, however, that the subject was one which they could not fully discuss at that late hour, and he should therefore move that the Chair:nal should report progress and ask leave to, sit again. Mr. F. MAULE said that ho was prepared at any moment to justify the vcto. Mr. B. OSBORNE said he she•uld he prepared to show that a considerable reduction might be effected in the pro posed number of men. But he felt that they had arrived st too Eta an hour to render it possible for them pro p«rly to discuss the question that evening, and he there • tore supported the proposal of his ion. Friend. Lord J. RUSSELL intimated that be should not ob ject to the motion. - The CHAIRIIAN then reported progress, and ob tained leave to sit again. The Turnpike Road and Bridge Trusts (Ireland) Bill passed through Committee. In reply to a question from Mr. GROGAN, Lord J. RUSSELL said he should leave t`)e Parlia mentary Electors (Ireland) Bill on the paper for Monday evening; but ho should not bring it on at a late hour. In reply to a question from Mr. GOULBURN, Lord J. ILUS7 - SELL said be should bring on the Navy Estimates after the two first votes on the Army Esti mates should havo bocn disposed of. The House ndjourncd at 1141-past Twelve o'clock. COWES, ISLE OP WIGHT. (raoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) COWES, MARCEI 9. ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE. RESIGNATION OF TILE VICE-CONIMODORE.—Sir Bellingham Graham has resigned the office of Vice- Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron, and notice has been given to the members that another will be elected at the May meeting. C. M. TalhoP, the Marquis of Conyughatp, and G. H. Acker, Eiq., are mentioned es likely parties to be elected ; each have sp!enclid yachts. That building for Lord Conyng,ham is to be ready fir sea early in May, and is considered to be the finest sea beat White has built ; she is 225 tons, and ] is to be schooner-rigged. Be the gentlexnan selected to fill this high and honourable office who be may, he cannot do more than the late Vice-Cuinmodore did to torward the itverest of the Squadron. Tne Flirt was the first afloat, acid the last to l up ; her worthy owner was always Rt the station; there was hardly a day passed but he was at the Squadron-house, and he always conducted himself in so agreeable a manner to all that he was a general favourite TuE EAST COWES PUBLIC HEALTH Ranger, the superintendent-inspector, opened his court at the Medina Hotel, on Tuesday, and has been since daily inspecting the state of the town, and hearing evidence. He seems the right sort of gentleman for the office ; he will not quarrel with anybody, nor allow anybody to quarrel with him, and thoroughly understands the business he is sent on. REDUCTIONS IN TIIF ARMY.—A number of men are daily passing through this town, discharged from the different regiments at Parkhurst Barracks. Men of good character get 2/. given m, and their passages paid home. The Hermann American steamer is just repoeed in sight. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE . PORTSMOUTH, FRIDAY.—The Fairy yacht, Captain Lord Adolphus Fitzolarence, G.C.H., embarked his Royal Highness Prince Albert, Major-General Bowles, and Colonel the Hun. C. B. Phipps, at the Royal Clarence Victualling Establishment, Gosport, this morning, at a quarter-past ten, and conveyed them to (Morrie, to inspect the progress of the works there, returning with the royal party at four o'clock, when a special train conveyed them back to London. The royal standard was not hoisted, nor were any of the usually attendant ceremonies of guard of honour, salute, &e.. observed. Admiral the lion. Sir Bladen Cape!, K.C.8., the Commander-in- Chief, Major-General Lord Frederick Fitzclarence, G.C.8., the Lieutenant-Governor, and their respec tive staffs, were in attendance. Commander Bedford, cf the Lily, came down to day and took up his commission to the above vessel. IN PORT AND FITTING. In Harbour—The Victory, Illustrious, Blenheim Excellent, Rolla, Fairy, Fanny, and Echo. In Dock—The St. Vincent, Winchester, Fox, Fan. tome, and Penelope. In the Basin—The Lily. In the Steam- Basin—The Blazer, Birkenhead, Pike, Asp, Flamer, Comet, Elfin, Victoria and Al bert, Hecate, and Termagant. PLYMOUTH, MARCH 7.—The Philomel brig was paid wages on Tuesday, and sailed yesterday for the coast of Africa and the Falkland Islands. The Linnet brig sailed yesterday for Falmouth, to take the next mail to the Brazils. The Phaeton, 50, which arrived on Sunday after noon from Portsmouth, was paid wages yesterday, and will probably sail tc-day (Thursday) for Lisbon. The Conflict screw-steamer will accompany the Phaeton to the Tagus. Wind—S.W , very light. WOOLWICH, MARCH 8. APPOINTBIENTS. Clerks—John F. tharris, to the Blenheim, 56, steam•guard ship, at Portanouth ; William L. G. Drew (1847), to the IlluEtrious, 72, depot-ship of ordinary, Portsmouth. The Nankin, 50-gun frigate, built from a design by Mr. 0. W. Lang, assistant to the master-shipwright at Chatham, is to ba launched on Saturday, the 16th inst., at Woolwich Dockyard. The gates or the dock.. yard will be opentAl fur the admission oftho putlic to , ... 6 . , view toe' lalltlen at 2 o'cl.vck r.m , but it is no: ex pect( dto take place blore'balf-past o'dyck pzarter before 3. The Nankin has had her ilratot n "PlY'r , "l to the height of eight feet fore, • and f..ct,, aft from the keel upwards, autl con siderable progre:;r, has been made in laying the ways over which She is to pass when launcbiug - . The galleries for the accotoinodation of:visitors ore also in a forward state, and will accommodate A consider able number. The Sulphur and Nymph bulk vehstls are to be Moved from their present rnooring to make that part of the river clear until after the launch. A large quantity of stores, mos tly o ld i r o n , and.* considerable number- ©f useless boiler•tubeF, were landed at the dock-yard to-day, having been brought home frOm Malta in the Hercules store-ship, and brought up the river in lighters from Greenhithe, where the Hercules remains at moorings, in conse quence of her great draught of water. The Asper stearc-ves:M, Master-Commander 11'il liara Bryant, has been placed under orders, to ai,st, in towing the Nankin, .50-gun frigate; to Chathat. l6 irnMedistely after the launch takes place. PARLIAMENTARY 1 VISION 8. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of ar FRIDAY, MARCH S. . SUPPLY,,REDUCTION OF ,EXPF.NDITC/RE. - Order fitr Committee read ;• Motion made, ond questi on proposed, " That Mr. Speaker (10 now leave the (;hair:", Amendment propmed,•to: leave out .from the teem! " That" the end of the questier, i r order to add the word s ~ the net Expenditure of the Government for the year in:: (Par liamentary Paper, No. 26 , 1547) amounted to .44,421,1,004 ; that the net Expenditure for the year ended the'isth day January, 1850 ( Parliamentary Paper, No. 1, 1650).1nruninted to 50,a51,000/.; the increase of upwards of 6,900,0004 having been wailed principally by successive 4ugmentaticno of our warlike establisbniznts, and outlays for defensive armament - 8: - " That no foreign danger, or necessary cost of the Civil Government, or indispensable disbursements for the services in our Dependencies abroad, warrant the continuance of this increase of Expenditure : •"That the Takes required to meet the present Expendi ture impede the operations of agriculture and•manufactures, and diminish' the funds for the, employment, of labour in all branches of productive industry, thereby tending to produce pauperism and crime, and adding to the local and general burdens of the people: " That, to eiminish these evils, it is expedient that this House take steps to reduce the annual Expenditure, w'th all practicable speed, to an amount not exceeding the suet which, within the last fifteen years, has been proved to be sufficient for the maintenance of the security, honour, and dignity of the Nation'," instead thereof:— . Question put, "'that the words proposed to be left out stand part of the- Que.stiou." The louse divided:— MAJORITY—AYES, 272. Milner, Sir E. Kuntz, G. F. Foley, J. U. Inure, Colonel Forester, G. C. Naas, Lord Forster, Mathew Newdegate, C. N. Fortescue, J. W. Newry, Viscount Fox, S. L. Norreys, Lord Freestun, Colonel Ogle, S. C. French, F. Ord,; William Fuller, A. E. Oswald, A. Glyn, G. C. Owen, Sir J. Goddard, A. L. Packe, C. W. Gordon, Admiral Paget, Lord C. ()minium, Henry Paget, LordiGeorge Grace, 41. J). Palmer, Robert Graham, Sir J. Palmerston, Via. Grenfell, C. Pascoe Parker, John Grenfell, Charles W. Tee!, Sir Robert Grey, Sir G. s Peel, Frederick Grey, Ralph W. Pelham, I). A. Grogan, Edward Pinney, William Grosvenor, Lord R. Plowden, W. 11. Grosvenor, Earl Plumptre, J. P. Guernsey, Lord Portal, Melville Guest, Sir J. Power, Nicholas Hallybarton, Lord Price,.Sir Robert Halsey, T. I'. Prime, Richard Hamilton, G. A. PuseY, Harcourt, G. G. Rawdon, Colonel liatchell, John Reid. Colonel Hawes, 11. Repton, G. W. J. Hayter, W. G. Ricardo, Osman Heald, James Rice, L. It. lleatheote,(G. J. Rich, Henry Mileage, Edward Robartes, T. J. Henley, J. W. Romilly, Colonel • Herbert, 11. A. Romilly, Sir John Herbert, Sidney Rumbold, C. E. ferries, John C. Russell, Lord John Heywood, James Russell, Edward. S. Illidyard, T. B. Russell, F. C. Ilobbouse, Sir J. Rutherford, A. llobhouse, T. B. Scrape, G. P. Hodgson, W. N. Seymour, Lord llogg, Sir J. W. Shell, IZ. L. Itollend, Robert Shelburne, Earl of Hood, :dr A. Simeon, Jelin Hope, A. Slaney,.ltobert A. llornby John Smith. J. A. Hothatn, Lord Smollett, A. ' Ilowitni, Lord E. Somerset, Captain Howard, C. W. Somerville, Sir W. Howard, E. G. Sotheron, T. H. S. Howard, P. H. Spearman, 11. J. Inglis, Sir it. statrsrd, Augustus Jennyn, Earl Stanford, J. F. Jervis, Sir John Stanley:E. H. Jocelyn, Viscount Stanstleld, W. B. Johnstone, Sir J. Stanton, W. S. • Jolliffc, Sir W. G. Staunton, Sir G. .Tones, Captain Stuart, li. Kildare, Marquis of Sturt, 11. G. • Knox, Colonel Talbot, J. H. Labouchere, Henry Taylor, T. E. Langston, J. IL Tennent. R. J. Lascelles, W. S. Thesiger, Sir F. Lemon, Sir Charles Thompson, Aldermas Lewis, G. C. Towneley, John Lewisham, Visc. Townley, R. G. Lindsay, Colonel Townshend, Capt. Littleton, E..R. Trevor, G. Loch, James Turner, George :Locke, Joseph Tynte, Colonel Lockhart, W. Vane, Lord H. Mackenzie, W. F. Verney, Sir H. Mackie, John Vesey, lien. T. Mahon, O'Gorman Waddington, H. S. Mahon,' Lord Wall, C. 11.-- Manners, Lord J. Walsh, Sir J. B. Marshall, William Watkins, Colonel Martin, C. W. Wellesley, Lord C. 'Masterman, J. West, P. R. Matheson, Colonel Westhead, J. I'. Mamie, Fox Williamson, Sir 11. Maxwell, Hon. J. P. Wilson, James Melgund, Viscount Wilson. Matthew Miles, P. W. S. Wodehouse, E. Milner, It. M. Wrightson, W. B. Monsen, William Wyvill, Marmaduke Morgan, 0. , Morison, Sir:W. Mulgrave, Earl Mundy, William Abdy, Thomas N. Acland, Sir T. ' Adair, li. A. Arhou, Colonel Arekdall, Captain Armstrong, Sir A. Armstrong, it. B. Arundel, Earl of Ashley, Lord naives, M. T. Baring, 11. B. Baring, Thomas Baring, Francis Barnard, E. G. Barrington, Lord Bateson, Thomas Bellew, It. M. Berestord, William Berkeley, Admiral Berkeley, LI. F. Berkeley, C. L. Bonsai, Ralph Birch, Sir T. Blackall, S. W. Blair, Stephen Bliindforil, Marquis ilcildero, 11. G. Bowles. Admiral Boyle, Colonel Bramston, T. W. Brand, Thomas Breinridge, Richard Brisco, M. Broadley, Brockiehurst, John Brockman. E. D. Brooke, Lord Buller, Sir Y. Banbury. E. 11. Burrell, Sir C.' Burroughes, H. N. Busreild, W. Buxton, Sir E. Campbell, W. F. I lardwell, Edward Carew, W. P. Carter, John B. Cavendith, C. C. Cavendish, W. G. Charteris, Francis Chatterton, Col met Chichester, Lord J. Childers, J.' W. Christy, Samuel Clements, Charles Clerk Sir George Clive, It. H. Clive, 11. B. Cobbold, J. C. Cocks, T. Cole, lion. H. A. Coivile, C. It. Compton, 11. C. Corry, Henry Cowper, W. F Cubits, William Cartels, li. M. Dalrymple, Captain Dawson, T. V. Deedes,tir. Denison, Edmund Denison, J. E. Dodd, George Douglas, Sir.C. Douro, Marquis of Drummond, Home Duckworth, Sir .1. Duudas, Admiral Dundas, G. Dandas, Sir David Dunne, F. P. Du Pre, C. G. Ebrington, Viscount Edwards, 11. Elliot, John E. Enfield, Lord Eatcourt, J. B. B. Easton, Earl: Evans, William Farrer, James Ferguson, Col. Ferguson, Sir TELLERS. Tuthell, Henry 11111, Lori M. MINORITY—NOES, 89. Adair, Hugh r, . Hail, Sir B. Filkington, James Aglioaby, H. A. Ilardcastle, J. A. Rendlesham, Lord Alcock, Thomas Harris, Richard Reynolds, John Anderson, Arthur Basile, Alexander Ricardo, J. L. Baillie, H. J. Henry, Alexander Salwey, Colonel Bennet, Philip liastie. Archibald Sidney, Alderman Blake., M. J. Heyworth, L. Smith, John R. Blewitt, It. J. Hop, , , henry T. Spooner, Richard Bright, John Ilutnphery, Ald. Stanley, Edward Brotherton, Joseph Ilutt, William Strickland, Sir G. Brown, W. Keating, Robert Stuart, Lord Dudley Cayley, Edward S. Kershaw, James Sullivan, Michael Clay, James King, P. J. Tattered, 11. W. Clifford, 11. M. Lacy, li. C. Thicknesse, IL A. Cole, 11. B. Leonard, T. B. Thompson, Colonel Currie, Raikes Luilinwton, C. Thompson, George Devercux, J. T. Meagher, Thomas Thnruclr, T. Dick. Quintin 31anglcs, JC• 1) . Tollemache, F. J. Duncan, Lord Mar .luill, J. G. Trelawny, J. S. Duncan, George Martin, J. Wokley, Thomas Ellis, Juhn Milm,r, W. M. IN'almsley, Sir J. Evdyn, W. J. Milton, Viscount la - awn, .I.'l'. Ewart, William Morris, David WiCcox, Brodie Fagan, NVilli am 3towatt, Francis Williams, John Fe.-ris,J , ,hn lklull.tigs, J. R. Willoughby, Sir H. Fitzwllliara, G. W. :Nugent, Lord Wood, W. I'. N'orlyee, A. D. D'Flahcrty, Anthony Wyld, James Fox, W.,J. Osi , orne, Ralph Frewen, C. 11. Pei:hell, Sir U Gilson, 'l'. M. Greene, John Pet:, Samuel M. Pigott, Francis TELL/.:80. Cobden, Richard Hume, J. RAILIVAY 5H.A11.1 , . (VIA KKETS. BRISTOL, MAxcit S. Stock EXCIIANOE.—The market to-day has been acme what depressed. The tran , actions were is follow: - Bristol and Exeter, JNe.,v Shares, ON dis.—Great Western, Quar ters, 1 _ ________ _ LivEßrooL, MAICII A. STOCK EXCIIANCIE.— C experienced a slight depression in our 811111 T market to-day, and the value of the chief stocks and leading shares is quoted lower than yesterd,y. There was a god business, however, done, the market closing rather firmly at the quotations. The transactions were as follow; Lancashire and Yorkshire, Consul. Fifths, 81 4 dis. Ditto, Preference, 12t4—London and North- Western, 165—Ditto, New Quarters, 14 dis.—Ditto, Quarters (C), p.—Midland, 4CN —Ditto,Halves, 94'. 13s. 9d. die. ---alisbury and Birmingham, 9/. 12s. 3d. (B), 6 dis.— Shropshbe Union (Railway and Canal). 3',4 South- Eastern and Dover (No. 4), 6—York, Newcastle, and Ber wick (G. N. E Purchase), 6 per cent. till 1850, 6 1 ,4 dis.—York and North Midland,.lB . %=Dutch Rhenish, 6/. la. 3d. MANCHESTER, MARcii 8. STOCK EXCIIANGE.-Our share market was very heavy to-day, and the amount of business done was limited. The prices remain stationary, at about last quotation. BIRMINGHAM. MARCH P. STOCK Excetiacem—Basiness on our Stock Exchange to-day was better. The transactions were Ps follow :—London and North-Western, 105 ": 1 Midland (Birmingham and Derby), 19 —North Staffordshire, 10 3 4 dia.—Shrewsbury and Birmingham (A', 7z,'i dis.—Litto (r,), d:Y a die.—bbropshire Union, 3t. 8;. 9d. dis.—South Staffordshire, 3. YORE, MAacit 7. STOCK EXCRANGE.—The transactions to-day were as follow: York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 14/. ]Os. 3d.— Ditto (Newcastle Extension), 9—Eastern Counties, el. Bs. 9d. —Midland, 391>i. BANK OF _ENGLAND. (From last night's Gazette.) AnAccount, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth of Victoria. cap. 32, far the Week ending on Saturday, the 2d day of March,•lB3o. 18$111 DXPAITYINT. •C• tcotes issued— ...... 30,374,160 Government debt • • 11,016,10 Other securities .. • • 2,984,900 Gold coin and bullion 16,092,0 , 3 Silver bullion • • • • • • 277,017 Z 30,376,160 I £ 30,876,160 31. MARSHALL, Chief Cashier. Dated the 7th day of March, NANKING DEPAITIMI T. Proprietors'capital • • 14,553.000 Rest •• -••••• • •• •• 3,552,14 Public deposits (In eluding Exchequer, Commissioners of - Government securl. ties (including Dead Weight Annuity).. 14,419,752 Other securities • • 10,4 i5.0: 4 0 Notes • • • • • • • • • • • • • • l I ,Bfi7,Fias Gold and silver coin— 749,7C0 National Debt, Say ins-banks, and Di vidend accounts) • • 7,838,2n8 Other deposits ••• • • • 4,881,899 Seven any and other b111s•• •• •• •• 1,06,306 £36,952.347 £36,962.317 M. MARSHALL, Chief Cashier.., L. 54. Dat , cl the 7th day of March, IA: REMARKABLE FAMILY HISTORT.—On Friday last Mrs. r.:ainin Clarke. o f llushmere, mar Ipswich, died at the advanced nc- c ( f 9',), l eav i ng her lisband , who is " 1 Y 95 3ea 7 s of ago, to lament the loss clan affe ctionate partner, to whom tio had been manied no lees than 70 yews. T bore are 10 e'iildren now livinp, and. it is gu t .- posed, at least one h un d re d grant'-children, but at pre scot the number is not accurately known. Sixty-eight y€ars sinco th e y lost one cliill, since which 1- .n gthened period there has not been a death in the f:raily l Th e oldest child is now 68 yi'ars of a;c; t h e you n gest is 47. —.lpsuich ,Express.