The Sun. — London, England, 1851-06-06 00:00:00

FRANCE. DENMARK AND THE DUCHIES. The Indipendance, of Brussels, has the following from Hamburgh, Ist inst.:— " I have already announced to you the regulation of the succession to the throne of Denmark, and to the sovereignty of the two Duchies, by the adoption made by the King of Denmark of the young Prince Christian of Glucksbourg. It appears that the Grand Duke of Oldenbourg, who enjoys immediate and incontestable rights over these countries, is by no means inclined to alienate those rights, or to have them wrested from him. The Russian Minister, M. de Struve, is endeavouring diplomatically to overcome the resistance of the Grand Duke to that act of succession decided upon at Copen hagen. The threat of armed intervention, simulta neously addressed by Austria, Prussia, and Hanover, to the Senate of Bremen, has at length had for result to overcome the resistance and the opposition of the Legis lative Assembly of the Bourgeoisie, where the demo cratic element was in great majority. The Socialist papers have been obliged to suspend their periodical publications, and their meetings have been prohibited by the police. The Senate is now occupied in drawing up some very stringent Bills on the liberty of the press and on the right of meeting, which will be very soon submitted fir the adoption of our Legislative Assembly." THE KAFIR WAR. We have received Cape papers to the 7th of April, three days later than the last advices. Things remained much in the same state on the frontier, as will be seen by the following extract (From the Graham's Town Journal Eaotra, April 1.) " Advieos were received yesterday from King Wil liam's Town to last Saturday. Since the Governer's return from Fort Hare strong patrols have been sent out in various directions, for the purpose of harassing the enemy and crippling his resources and means of pro tracting hostilities. This is the Kafir harvest time, and if allowed to store his supplies the war may be conti nued to an iudefinite period. "Daring. the past week, a patrol of 600 men proceeded unitise 26th up the Buffalo, and another on the following day towards Perie, in which direction it was understood there were many huts and gardens. Silh;equently ano ther patrol, under MajorWilmot, R.A., has Leer, detailed towards Seyclo's country, for the purpose of opening up Line Drift, the ford of the Keiskamma, on the direct road to this place. The latter has proved himself to be an energetic and able officer. He earned distinction in New Zealand, and he has shown here the value of the experience gained by him in that colony. In our Saturday's issue it was stated that 600 Hot tentots had been armed and permitted to accompany General Somerset to patrol the Kat River, where the liafirs were said to be in force, having attacked the loyal Hottentots at Eland's Poet, and butchered four of Cecil'. One or two errors were made in this state ment which we take this early opportunity of correcting. The number of Hottentcts who were permitted ti ac company General Somerset was 100, and not 600, as above stated. The fact of the enemy having roasted one of these poor creatures is confirmed, and shows what this people may hereafter expect, should they place themselves at the mercy of their Kafir allies. " The Hottentots about King William'e Town say that bandilla has a large camp in the Aniatolas, and liv e s in a house built in the same manner as that of an English person. "Letters from Fort Hare have come in today up to Sunday last, at which date Major-General Somereet was out on patrol, as above stated, in the Kat River. From the accounts received, it appears that on the evening of Thursday the pi,:quets were fired on by the enemy, who appeared to be in some force. The Fingoes and Hottentots immediately went to the support of the sentries, and from the blood spoor seen the next morning, it ie inferred that several of the enemy must have been either killed or wounded. On reaching Eland's Post all was found quiet, it being sup posed that the rebel Hottentots had moved into the Amatols. Several clumps' of Kafirs were seen, but none of them were brought to a c ti o n. Th e G enera l was continuing his movement, and has sent directions for six days' rations to be forwarded to Post Retief." The following comments of the Zuid Afrikaan of the 7th of April are interesting, as showing the opinion entertained by the colonists as to the speedy termination of the war : " The Government notice of the 25th ult. is of a grati fying nature. We say this, inasmuch as the defeat of the enemy, therein recorded, is the first affaietthet we look upon as actually reflecting any credit upon the forces at head-quarters. Hitherto we have been too much accustomed to the old tune of marching and Coun termarching along the high road, and upon being assailed making a charge upon the enemy and marching on again. " We do not, however, estimate so highly the advan tages gained by this engagement, nor do we believe that there is any present prospect of the war being soon brought to a conclusion; but such lessons as the one re cently taught, if followed up with rapidity, will cer tainly prove the only means to lessen the period of pro traction. ' " With the Gaikas at open war—with a reinforcement to their ranks from the 'Slanahies—with the connivance of the Amagalekas—vvith the Tambookies and almost c f ver : every native c hi e f t h roug h out B r i t i s h K a f rar i a an d the igu . ty in arms—and the Hottentot rebellion and de cot f ion in th e arm y to boot—what actual prospect is hoati f itieo "With presume to ask, of a speedy termination of such facts on record, no g eneral order can haveany ®gent. progressive, and The danger is not di m i n ishing, but the may yet h ave to be worst part of th e p resen t ru pt u r e e d nacted. At the outset the Com vsauder.io.chief had of )nly to deal with the Gaika clans; now the number hisheld out, adversaries are tenfold. Let there. be no hope a out, therefore, of approaching P eace, when war is y e t all its horrors, and way inflict calamities up r o e t n ia g with in the pages of its history. e colony never yet recorded ~ The praise bestowed on men w ho have nobly done is well earned, their duty to their Queen and e peril of for the dangers and is, after all, but a poor recomountry their lives; but, whilst this praise, l which they have braved at the t e h t e us r not, in the erhc zults likely whilst trumpeting description of our achievements an h i d yp expectation s I :v y so to flow therefrom, resort to at some distant!' - er doing we unconsciously induce to be realized, or perhaps only and who can estimate the disgust which any reverse produce, or the obloquy that it will entail upon tsheetadaey voted head of him who may, with a mind intim d - e by recent victory, have held ou t such expectations? " Wo trust our own apprehensions may have pictured an aspect to us more gloomy than in reality it is, but the facts before us only strengthen our misgivings." Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial office from the Governor of New Zealand. 14 0NISY MARKET.—The quotation of gold at Paris is about 5 per mille discount, according to the 3 , l l . w ra tari i ff_ . , which, a t th e English Mint price of ' • kild, per ounce for standard gold, gives an ex chane of 25.04 ; shor thein 25.02 gold is 0.06 per cent. rd a th fe erchan h ge at Paris on London at dearer in "'aria than in London. owtat By advices from Ham burgh the price of gold is 425 per mark, which, at the Eng lish Mint price of Si. 17s, lOid. per ounce for standard gold, give 3 an exchanga of 13 4; and the exchange at Ham• burgh on London at short being 13.51, it follows that gold i s 0.29 per cent. dearer in London than in Hamburgh. The course of exchange at New York on London for bills at 60 days' sight is 110} per cent., and the par of exchange between England and America being 109 23-40 per cent., ,itfollows that the exchange is n om i nally 0.92 per cent. in favour of England ; and after making allowance for differ ence of interest and charges of transport, the present rate leaves a profit on the importation of gold from the United States. an aeo FOUR G OOD HABITS.— There wer e f our good nt f habits which a wise and good man earnestlyrecommendedgeill in his coun se l s an d b y hi s o wn example, and w hi ch he con sidered es sen ti a ll y necessar y for the happy m temporal concerns—these are punctuality, accuracy, steadi ness, and dispatch. Without the first time is wasted, those who rely on us are irritated and disappointed, and nothing is done in its proper time and place. Without the second, mistakes the most hurtful to our own credit and interest, and that of others, may be committed. Without the third, no thing can be well done; and, without the fourth, opportuni ,e(advantage are lost which it is impossible to recal. 3....4...k.`..y, J.- • ,- a short dis -4.9t,, .IatSUS NATURZL.—A person residing . . . ?.ante from Troedyhiwgoch-gate, near Llandillo-lasvr, in this ; V•f,d),:li ,4±atiaty, has now in his poss . ession a living calf which l has e t t wo e 044 5v.,; ,,,, , ~o.ia t x i l l d e fou r ro 4,, Ilia& eyes,TpieutanT in p every other . r i es i r; o e t c h t m ik outi t , rjl 4 ; ..4 4 1"5. 'lAlis species . only oe gullet, t i tr a ou ‘ g al h e w s floiocc'h' w ith course passes I.- es* al solp ac h. It is apparently perfectly healthy, and I 0 - ,livt a long time, but is at present only a fortnight ' day.— Welshman. 1.- t e 4 : The Bishop of it.ClaUd;,in the Jura, died on Saturday last. A letter from Chateaurous, in the Eure, cf the 3d inst., states that the party of order has obtained an important advantage in the election of their candidates as municipal councillors of the Canton of Levrous. The demagogues, not daring to offer any candidates, hoped to divide the party of order by proposing some Moderates. Their tactics were defeated. They only polled 60 votes out of 150. The Mayor of the Commune of Channe, in the Charente, has not only refused:to legalise the signa tures to a petition for the revision of the Constitution prepared within his jurisdiction, but, on Sunday last he harangued the people from the door of the church to dissuade them from signing the petition, telling them that if the Constitution were revised wheat would rise to 50f. the hectolitre. The people, how ever, possessed too much good sense to be de ceived by his words. The 20th Committee of Parliamentary Initiative, on the proposition of General Fabvier for raising the ' state of siege of Lyons, yesterday heard the Minis ter of the Interior, who took occasion to defend the Bill for the establishment of a police system in that city and the suburbs. The Committee decided tbat there was no ground for taking General Fab yier's proposition into consideration, and it ap pointed M. Brehiar reporter thereon. The Commit tee on the Bill on the police of Lyons resolved to re commend the National Assembly to adopt it, and ap pointed M. Ferdinand Barrot reporter. An aide-de-camp of the Minister of War has just left for Algiers, with dispatches for the Governor- General ad interim. The Bourse was animated yesterday. and a decided improvement took place in the price of public securities. Tho Five per Cents. opened at 90f. 80c., and rose gradually to 911. 20c., at which price they closed. The Three per Cents. closed at 56f. 45c.; Orleans Railroad Shares, 825 E; Rouen, 6151.; Havre, 2421. 50c.; Great Northern, 475 f. ; Avignon, 221 f. 25c.; Vierzon, 433 f. ; Basle, 145 f.; Bordeaux, 397 f. 50c ; Paris and Strasburg, 363 f. 75c.; Tours and Nantes, 277 f. 50c. THE SU N, LONDON, LAW INTELLIGENCE. BAIL COURT, June 5. (Sittings at Nisi Prius, before Justice WIGHTMAN and a Common Jury.) THE ARGYLE ROOMS.--JACOBS V. BIGNELL AND OTHERS. Mr. M. Chambers, Mr. Heatly, and Mr. Barstow ap peared for the plaintiff; and the Attorney-General, Mr. Lush, and Mr. Parry conducted the defence. Mr. CHAMBERS, in stating the case to the jury, said, this action, which was one of considerable public in terest and importance, was brought to recover five penalties of 1001. each from the defendants, Bignell, Laurent, Bryer, and others, for keeping a house or room for public music and d anc i ng , w ith ou t b e i ng duly licensed old under the statute. Th e s t a t u t e i n question was as Act of Parliament passed in the 25th year of the l reign h of George the Third, in consequence of the evils which h t i his arose from unlicensed places of entertainmentless subject description. Without due regulations, and unless greatest to some kind of restriction, they held out t became so captivated with the pleasures _ the moans temptations to those who frequentedthaeurnd, aamneduspeemrseountss which they offered as to be induced to supply . practices.o f indulging T in he themA t dishonesth the or r r o e r g p u r , ar proprietorwhich wer e kept public ct entertainment without a p b r y ov a id d e o rt h h )g at licence, should o p r r , i e e n to f r o s r ofrooms, saloons, or gardens, sum of 100 . forfeit to every l for person eaeh who i s t h w o u a l s d s s o u k e e f p o t r o t ph en, u s , a s m n e d t h h e e dis h o e r r d w e i se r ly p h u o n u is s e h s a . b 1 e as The the p la l o a e w u d o i w r e directed r i n o o t o h s e i d c e a r s s e s t o o n f was well known as the Argyle Rooms, in Windmill. street, Haymarket. Some might be old enough to recol lect that at ono time there existed in Regent -street rooms for dancing, called the Argyle Rooms ; they we re burnt down several years ago, and recently, or within the last two or three years, a splendid saloon was erected in Windmill -street for music and dancing. In 1849, the persons who then appeared to be the managers or proprietors were the present defendants. It was opened in that year to the public without a licence. The Act made it incumbent on the proprietor to have written on some conspicuous part of the exterior of the building a notification that it was licensed pur suant to Act of Parliament, and also to produce his licence if any party not seeing such a notice outside might request him to do so. In the present case the defendants did not comply with these requirements of the Act, and the natural inference was that the rooms were opened without any licence. The plan, trick, scheme, or contrivance by which they endeavoured to evade the law was this: they announced that dancing lessons would be given at the rooms, and they charged each grown up lady or gentleman who entered one shil ling, under the pretence of their taking dancing lessons. The defendant Bryer, it appeared, applied at the Michaelmas Quarter Sessions in 1849 for a licence, but it was refused by the magistrates, notwithstanding the rooms were opened at that time for dancing. Charles Emile Laurent, who was once a celebrated cornopean player, took the management of the band, and Emile Laurent, his father, had the general superintendence of the affairs in the interior. There was a regular money taking place, but persons were stationed at the door to prevent informers entering. In the following year, 1850, Charles Emile Laurent renewed his applica tion to the magistrates, and on stating that he bad hired the rooms for three years from Mr. Bignell, a licence was granted to him, and the rooms were now carried on in the reguar way under that licence. He might men tion that Bignell was a well-known sporting gentleman, and the owner of a cigar -shop and saloon adjoining the Argyle Rooms. As soon as the dancing ceased, and the lamps were extinguished, this saloon of his came into requisition, and was kept open until a very late hour in the morning; such ladies and gentlemen who wished to prolong their amusements generally adjourning there after the Argyle Rooms were closed. The penalties now sought to be recovered wero for keeping the rooms open unlicensed on the 4th, sth, 6th, 7th, and Bth of June, 1849, and it would be for the jury to say whether the plaintiff, under the circumstances which would be adduced in evidence, was entitled to one or all of those penalties. Iqr. George Buggard, solicitor and vestry-clerk of St. James's, Westminster, examined by Mr. iIEATLY, said he was instructed by the governors and overseers of the parish to oppose the application for a licence for the Ar gyle Rooms at the Michaelmas Quarter Sessions in Sep tember, 1349. He attended accoreingly on that occa sion, but the counsel who appeared for the proprietors of the rooms withdrew his application. At the next ses sions, in 1850, he again attended to oppose a similar ap plication, but the magistrates granted a licence. Cross-examined by the ATTORNEY- GENERAL—His opposition in 1850 was unsuccessful. The magistrates were almost unanimous in granting the licence; only two or three opposed it out of twenty-two magistrates. James Gregg, beadle at the sessions, gave similar testimony. Mr. John Willis, formerly a police-constable, was called and examined by Mr. CHAMBERS--I was employed by Mr. Bryer on the 19th October, 184e9, to attend the Argyle Rooms to keep out disorderly pennons, prostitutes, and pickpockets, which he did up to last. year. At the time I was employed Mr. Bryer told me that he made the engagement on behalf of Mr. Chris topher Brown whom he represeneed to be the proprietor of the, rooms. I often saw Messrs. Bryer, Laurent, and Bignell in the rooms, but only the former took any part in the active managemena of the rooms. The rooms were always conducted with strict order, and care was taken to observe propriety wad decorum in those who attended. The rooms were open from eight o'clock till half-past eleven o'cicck every night. I recollect a grand ball taking place on Tuesday, the 4th of June, 1849, Messrs. Bryer and Bi gne ll were th ere that night, but I did not hear them give any direction. Cross-examined by the ATTORNEY •GI:NERAL—I know Mr. Christopher Brown. He was the lteesee, but I can't say whether he hod the management td the rooms. I have seen him there, taking part in tlz e management. Mr. Bryer acted as director of the pr(eeeedings, and I believe ho executed the decorations. On the night:of the grand ball the rooms were re-decorated by Mr. Bryer. Mr. Laurent, jun., was the leader of the band. Everything was conducted in the rooms with perfect propriety and decency. Richard Francis—l know the Argyle :Rooms in Great Windmill-street. I am a printer, and. I printed the posting-bills for those rooms. I recollect the 4th of June, 1849. I printed bills for that day, but Ido not know whether they were posted. I have got a bill for the ball, which I printed by direction of Mr. Bryer, bat I saw neither Mr. Bignell nor Mr. Laurent about it. The treasurer of the rooms, Mr. Bryer, usually paid me. I also printed a general bill for the rooms by di rection of Mr. Bryer. I printed for tho rooms between October, 1849, and August, 1850. Cross-examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL—I was employed on behalf of Mr. Christopher Brown, and I debited him with the cost of the bills in my books. Charles Nightingale—l was manager and conductor of the Flora-gardens in the summer of 1850, and dur ing that year Mr. Bryer brought some bills to Mr. Jacobs, who distributed'them about the gardens. Mr. Justice WIGHTMAN—Who is Jacobs? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—The virtuous plaintiff, my Lord. Mr. CHAMBERS—No. He does not come forward for virtue. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—Of course not. He CODAS forward for gain.—(A laugh.) Witness said he had been at the rooms once, but he did not pay to go in. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—You may go back to Flora, Mr. Nightingale; but before leaving us tell us who is Jacobs? Witness—He appears always like a gentleman to me, but I am not clever enough to say whether he has any profession or calling. I only knew him as a frequenter of the Flora Gardens. Mr. James Beresford, son of the late inspector of the C division, was examined by Mr. CHAMBERS, and stated that he plays the double bass in the orchestra of the rooms. Mr. Laurent, sen., paid his salary. Cross-examined by the ATTORNEY-GENERAL—young Mr. Laurent found the music, and that is the custom of the profession. Mr. Christopher Brown is in the rooms every evening. Inspector Wall, of the C division, examined by Mr. CHAMBERS—I know these rooms, and have seen them frequently. In the early part of June, 1850, there were no such words as "Licensed by Act of Parliament." This was the case for the plaintiff. The ATTORNEY•GENERAL then addressed the jury for the defence, and reminded the jury that Mr. Jacobs brought this action as a common informer, which be believed was his only calling. The plain tiff, the jury would remember, assisted to distribute the bills for the ball, in June, 1850 ; an,d yet he brought this action to recover penalties in ref ipect of that very ball. The case reminded him (the A ttorney-General) very forcibly of the well-known case where a publican got up a concert in his house, for the benefit of a friend, and that friend, after receiving the pro ceeds of the con cert, turned round upon his benefactor end filed an infor mation against him for having allovred music to be played in his house without a licence. This case was hot quite so bad as that, but it fell not very far short of verdictoh se fe d r is c t r h e e dit d a e b f l e e nd p a r h oc t, e . ed H in e gs 't_„ and he hoped the jury would mark their sense defendants. with strict order case had been, The made out either against the rooms or the m i l l y ' nt a returningi ne d that n a o by the evidence rooms it was admitted were conducted andt decorum, while it had been proved tar. G.veallhir. Christopher Brown was the beer was only a managing director. lessee, and How, then, could it said il that the latter gentleman had kept a disorderl prohibited by the 1 had been no concealment one was advertised as the Act of Parliament, vid e t Z g e e, h as in the matter Whatever; the l e ssee, and the other a s a not do; but the reason 1 manager, and if this notion I were brought for the real bone fide ea'srs. Br7er—,dL.aureut, and Bignell had the p a u e r t f o o n s e broughtot 3ra. tecting tho public , o wrhhyat Wasonot against Brown?f was magistrates f a this mesa n was to shut their re eeeha 0 . sion, or else would have told the jury what the real They were no more than these. Some facts were. been w h y t d h r e a ri g a g m e dte they i e c licence, and itunfortunatelyto the magistrates Mr. Christo pher oa was determined to risk the, opening e e .s t t h ; pher Brown then and these gentlemen h e time ago Mr. Bryer rooms without a licence, . applied and it was preposterou s to say engaged as hi '3 managers, keeping the establishment. that they were the persons So ad m irably, however, were the rooms conducted be. fore th e li cenc e was obtained', that the parish authori ties of St. James's, who repudiated all sympathy with the action, voluntarily withdrew all opposition to this Popular pl aee o f amusement, and the Middlesex magistrates a l mos t u nanimouly, for there was Only one:dissentient, agreed to grant a license to the present proprietors. No injury, therefore, had accrued to the plaintiff from the existence of the se rooms prior to the licence, and as the plaintiff had 'instituted these proceeding s not for the sake of vindicating the majesty of the law, but to put into hi^ own pockets, he money e confi•ienil-relied - , . j upon the verdict of the jury being in favour of the defendants. Mr. Justice Vi r ecerretaer then briefly summed up, and left it for the jury to say whether they thought the de• fendants, or any of them, acted as master or proprietor of the rooms before their licence was obtained. The jury, without a moment's hesitation, returned a verdict for the defendants. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. _ George B. Mayne was brought before Alderman Wire, in custody of Daniel Forrester, charged with having unlawfully attempted to obtain from the Monarch Fire and Life Assurance Company, the sum of 1102 with a view to defraud and cheat the said company. Mr. Henry Eaton said—l am a clerk in the Monarch Fire and Life Assurance Society. The following letter addressed to the manager by the prisoner was received at our office in the usual course of business:— " Otter)* St. Mary, May 5, 1861. " Dear Sir,—On my return home this morning I found the enclosed (which came yesterday) awaiting me. I am very sorry to have to send it, and heartily wish that the insurances on all the thatched buildings in shy agency were discontinued, particularly now that it is likely I shall have some of another and difficult class to insure. I will take Mr. Channon, an old builder and surveyor of some standing, and whose property is in sured in the Monarch, with me to Thoverton, and you may rely on my doing what I can for the office, and will take care to instruct him to value fairly, so that there shall be no more paid than what really ought to be paid. I will write again after the inspection, with the report, &c. I send my life proposal for 1501. Ido not know whether in my last I asked you to send me s copy of my wife's life proposal. If not, be kind enough to oblige me by sending me a copy of it. I have sent the necessary papera in my own case to Dr. Garland and my private referee. " Yours truly , " Gro - : D. MATNic." (Enclosure)—" Sir,—By my aunt, Miss Vinnicombe's, desire, I write to inform you that, by a fire which hap pened at Thoverton on Friday last, three of her cottages insured in your offiee have been much damaged by fire, and she wishes you to come over as soon as you can. " Yours, &c., " Thoverton, May 3, 1851. "M. A. RIDMORE." The prisoner, through whose means the policy bad been effected, was our agent at Ottery St. Mary, and Miss Vinnicombe was the party whose cottages were in sured. The following letter was next received by oar manager:— " Ottery St. Mary, May 8, 1851. " Dear Sir,—Re N'innicombe—l enclose claim and es timate. The latter, in my opinion, is very fair, and the office has had justice done it. Two of the three cottages are entirely burnt; one other very much burnt; the other two have their roofs injured (the thatch, &c., having been stripped off), and have sustained other da mage. Mr. Channon estimates the cost of reinstating at 1121. 103. Miss Nrinnicombe claimed 1301. I offered 105/., and intimated to Miss V. that her claim amounted to much more than. the sum at which our surveyor estimated the damage, and that I was quite sure the office would not give more than what he recommended. This morning Miss Radmore came to me and intimated to me that her aunt, who is very infirm, old, and unfit for much business., wants no more than is fair, and although she had been told that it would cast 1301. to put the same buildings in the same state as they were before the fire, yet she was quite ready to abide by the valuation of our surveyor and sot gi►e any more trouble to the office than was necessary. I told her I had no doubt the office would be mainly guided by their surveyor's ♦aluation, and that I would acquaint you hereof. Subsequently I offered, subject to your appro val, 1101., she to pay the fire-engine expenses, &c., amounting to some 51. or 61. From what I could gather I think she would accept 1101., and we pay the expenses; but she has promised to write me to-morrow, with her aunt's determination. After I have heard I will again write. If, however, she will take 1101. and pay half the expenses, I think it would be better to close, although by holding out I think we may perhaps get her to ac cept 1101. and pay the expenses. Still we shall better see how to act after I hear from her. I told Miss Rad more that I would write her directly I heard from you, and that if the claim were satisfactory very little trouble would be given as to the payment. The fire took place in the evening, and originated in a house adjoining to one of those insured in this office and burnt, and from the same cause from which so many of our fires origi nate, viz., the chimney. I enclose my wife's life propo sal. Perhaps you will get mine and her policies ready as soon as possible, as our birthdays are rapidly ap proaching.—l am, dear sir, yours truly, "To G. H. Jay, Eaq." " GBO. D. MATIM. The enclosure purports to be an estimate by a builder of tho damage done to the buildings, amounting to 1121. 10s. Our office next received the enclosed from the pri soner, purporting to be addressed to him : " Sir,—l beg to inform you that I claim of the direc tors of the Monarch,' late • Licensed Victuallers'- office,' the sum of 1301. for damage done to my cottages at Thoverton, by fire, on Friday last.—Your obedient servant, " ANN VINNICOMBE. " Thoverton, May 6th, 1831." Subsequently the following letters were received by our manager : "Re Vieinioombe s Fire.—Dear Sir—l have heard from Miss Radmore, and she says her aunt will accept 1101., the office paying the expenses ; or if the office will give 1151. she will pay the fire expenses. If you resolve on adopting either of these plans, the latter will not be the most preferable, inasmuch as the expenses are about 61. She positively refuges to accept less than 1101. I believe this is a trifle less than the valuation which you have. Aro mine and my wife's policies pre pared? I wish them to be settled before my wife's next birth-day.—Yours, &c. " GEORGE D. MAYNE. " Ottery St. Mary, May 16, 1851." "Re Vinnicombe.—Dear Sir,—lf the directors have re9olred on paying Miss Vinnicombe 110/., they paying the expenses, or 1151., she paying the expenses, I shall be glad to receive such amount as will enable me to pay her. I shall be going to Thoverton on Tuesday next. re ceiving tithes, and could then settle the matter, if I ant placed in such a position as will enable me to do so. Be kind enough to send me mine and my wife's policies. " Your obedient servant, "GEORGE D. MAYNE. " Ottery St. Mary, May 22, 1851." In consequence of certain information which the office received, suspicion was entertained that no fire had taken place. I accordingly went to Thoverton on last Friday week, taking with me a copy of the policy, and I found on inspecting the buildings insured that they had not been burnt, and that no damage whatever had been done to them by fire. If the 1101. had been for warded to the prisoner, as requested in his la s t l e tt er , the office would have been defrauded of that amount. The prisoner aLimitted to me that all the letters were in his handwriting. _ _ Alderman Wise then asked the prisoner, who was evidently suffering severe mental and bodily pain, and who had been accommodated with a chair during the exa mination, whether he had anything to say in answer to the charge, at the same time giving him the usual caution that any statement he made might be given in evidence against him on his trial. Prisoner handed to the Alderman the following paper : " Sir,—l deeply regret to state that the claim I made upon the office on behalf of Miss Vinnicombe for com pensation for damages alleged to have been sustained by her in consequence of fire to three cottages at Tho verton, was fraudulently made by me, I knowing at the time that no such fire had occurred. I make this ad mission in order to save the office the trouble and ex pense of producing evidence against me, and throw my self entirely on the mercy of the directors.—l am, Sir, your very obedient servant, " GEORGE D. MAYNE. " To J. G. Jay, Esq., Manager of the Monarch Fire and Life Assurance Society." The prisoner was then fully committed for trial. THAMES. THE Ti ncE SYSTEM.—In the case of the man named Hutchinson, who was charged by a ballast hearer named Cullen, and three others, with attempting to foist un wholesome and disgusting meat upon them in lieu of their labour, and who was ordered on Wednesday by Mr. Yardley, whe expressed great indignation at the case, to pay 245., the amount claimed, together with ss. eacb, Cullen came before Mr. Ingham, the sitting ma gistrate, yesterday, to complain that though Taplin, a summoning officer of the court, had gone with him and his mates, Hutchinson refused to abide by the magis trate's decision. His language to Taplin was of the moat defiant character. " I'll be -," said he, "if I pay a shilling for all the magistrates in the country. My goods are in the hands of the landlord, and they may do their best or their worst." Mr. INGHAM, on hearing this statement, immediately issued a distress warrant, and it remains to be seen whe ther between Mr. Hutchinson and his landlord the deci sion of the magistrates can be set at defiance. ATTEMPTED MURDER AT WANDS- W()RTLI. On Wednesday night, &boat half-past ten o'clock, W. Walker, 98, V division of police, having received infor mation that a man living at Point Pleasant had mur dered his wife, ho wont to the house of William East wood, a man about 40 yearli of age, who is an ex-police man of the V division, and bad latterly obtained his living as a broker's man. The constable went to the prisoner's house and knocked at the door, which was opened by the prisoner, who had a baby in his arms, and asked what the constable wanted. He told him he bad come to make inquires about his wife, and he said he would tell him all about it. He then said, "I was sit ting down at the table eating my supper, when my wife made use of some words, and as she was leaning over me the knife ran into her, and there is the knife," point ing to one on the table. Mr. Browne, of the firm of Finch and Browne, arrived at this juncture, as also Mr. Bicknell, the superintendent, and the constable then took the prisoner to the station, and charged him with the attempt to murder. Mr. Browne continued the most assiduous attentions to the dying woman during the re mainder of the night and morning, and Walker, the con stable, remained in the house to insure to her quiet and proper attendance. t s e ta n b o b ' i c ia lo g c h k i , s. th w e if p e ri E so li n z er h w i a l s bro ught . up from the cells wi.tih,hir: morning, on the opening of the court, soon after and placed in the dock before Mr . Beadon, charged with Sarah Taylor was w the be being nine table-knife , it intent to murder her. e fi t rst E w a i s t t n w e o s s o d examined, inthel e ft an b d re breast worn said—l live at the Point . Last night, be tweenine and ten o'clock, heard Eastwood's children l t s e n c e e: doo r, e a d lnn w g b . e u n t tlnionwteoontntheteoewEammasshetbwood's house and knocked at and as the door was not w as the matter with the child , l s a e r ,maa arms. I t h h e e r answered, pri soner with a young child in his she said Bh. Eastwood what was the I asked him what n s s a w w e rtehde, 'lMrs e was stabbed . I asked can't say." I then asked icn:rt t twe who owi by,th her, ad and she said by from unde r the lef t the room at the time, but I fohr;ert whetannediheHmeawdeasanin remark. Myself and another woman undr esse d M rs Eastwood, and found her bleeding FRIDAY EVENING-, JUNE . 6 2 1851. breast. We saw no blood till we took her clothes off. The wound was about an inch long and deep. We sent for a surgeon. The prisoner said he had not done it; she had run against the knife. I saw a knife on the table. It was a broad table-knife, with a round point. Police constable Walker hero produced the knife. Mr. Francis Browne—l am partner with Mr. Finch, the surgeon. I was called on about eleven o'clock last night. A man came to oar house and said a woman had been stabbed. I found a wound about three inches below the left nipple; the woman was in a state of collapse, and had fainted. I thought it necessary that what she might have to state should be taken down, as she was in very considerable danger at this time, and there was little probability of her recovering from such a wound. It was an inch long. Mr. BEADON—Do you think if we were to take the prisoner down to the house, so as to take the woman's deposition in his presence, it would be too much for her? Mr. Browne—lthink there can be no objection whatever, as reaction has set in. Mr. Beadon, the magistrate, with Mr. Alfred Taylor, the chief clerk, and Mr. Browne, the surgeon, accompa nied by Mr. Bicknell, the superintendent, then proceeded to visit the injured woman, police-const a bl es W a lk er an d Oatley, and the primer. Mr. Beadon then administered the oath, and the poor creature said—My name is Elizabeth Eastwood; I am the wife of William Eastwood. We live at the Point. I was sitting in my rocking chair between nine and ten o'clock last night on the opposite side of the room to my husband. There was nobody else there. S ome angry words passed while he was eating his supper, an d h e h a d his knife and fork in h is hands; he ran at me and stabbed me. I said, "You have killed me;" and he said, "Oh Elizabeth, don't say that." As I expect to d i e, that is the truth. The wounded woman then signed her deposition, and the prisoner was taken back to the court, from which he was remanded till Monday next. UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE. OXFORD, JUNE 4 , -PRIZE FOR AN E NGLISH POEM ON A SACRED SUBJECT. —A benefaction of 1,0001. Three per Cent. Consolidated Bank Annuities, having been offered to the University, the interest to be given as a prize for an English poem on a sacred subject, which shall be awarded, under certain regulations, once in every three years, and the same hating been accepted by convocation on February 15, 1848, the following sub ject is proposed for the year 1854:—" The Dedication of the Temple." The compositions must consist of not less than sixty, nor more than three hundred lines. The candidates must be members of the University, who at the time when the subject is announced shall have passed the public examination for the degree of B.A. The compositions aro to be sent under a sealed cover to the Registrar of the University on or before the Ist day of December, 1853, and the prize is to be adjudged on the Ist day of June, 1354. The author is required to con ceal his name, and to distinguish his composition by what motto he pleases; sending at the same time his name and the date of his public examination, sealed up under another cover, with the same motto inscribed upon it. The composition to which the prize shall have been adjudged is not to be recited; but printed copies aro to ba sent by the author to the Chancellor, heads of colleges and halls, the proctors, the judges of the compo sitions, the professors, the founders of the prize, and to the Bodleian Library. CAMBRIDGE, JUNE 4.—SIR WILLIAM BROWNE'S MEDALS.—Sir William Browne having bequeathed three gold medals, to be given annually to such resident un dergraduates as shall compose the beat Greek ode, in imitation of Sappho; the best Latin ode, in imitation of Horace; and the best Greek and Latin epigrams; the first after the model of the Anthologia, and the second after th&t of Martial; the medals for the Greek and Latin odes have been adjudged to Mr. F. V. Hawkins, of Trinity College, the late successful candidate for the Camden medal. Subject—Greek Ode—Oraculoruni defectis. Subject—Latin Ode—Carolus AMertus Sardinia Rex. The medal for the epigr a m w as uu t a dj u d ge d. DIVINITY.—The Norrisian Professor of Divinity will commence his lectures for Michaelmas term, 1851, on Saturday, November 8. MR. EMERSON on SLAVERY in AMERICA. The :ollowing letter was sent by Mr. R. W. Emerson, in answer to an invitation to attend the annual meeting of an Anti-Slavery Society held at Concord, United States, on the 3rd ult.:— " New York, 18th March, 1851. " Dear Friend,—l bad more reasons than one to regret leaving home at this time, and, if my present engage ments were not of two seasons' standing, I should have made every effort to relieve myself. For your liberty meeting, I thing it has a certain importance just now; and, really, at this moment, it seems imperative that every lover of human rights should, in every manner, singly or socially, in private and in public, by voice and by pen—and, first of all, by substantial help and hospi tality to the slave, and defending bins against his hunters, enter his protest for humanity against the detestable statute of the last Congress. I find it a subject of conversation in all cars and steamboats, and everywhere distributing society into two classes, according to the moral feasibility of individuals on one part, and their habitual docility to . party leading on the other. I do not know how the =3°HOof today will be found to decide. Sometimes people of natural probity and affection are so wrapp-d by the habit of party, and show themselves so unexpectedly callous and inhuman, that it seems we mast wait for the Almighty to create a new generatio❑ a little more keenly alive to moral impres sions, before any improvement in institutions oan be looked for. But, as far as I have observed, there is, on all great questions, a tide of undulation in the public mind, a series of actions and re-actions. The momentary interest carries it today; but, presently, the advocates of the liberal principle are victorious—and the more entirely, because they had persisted unshaken under evil report. And, as justice alone satisfies everybody, they are sure to prevail at last. " If the world has any reason in it, it is for ever safe and successful to urge the cause of love and right. I know it is very needless to say this to you, and others like you, who cannot, if they would, help serving the truth, though all the world be gone to worship Mam mon. But it is the only answer I know how to make to our mathematical compatriots. So, wishing you a day of happy thoughts and sympathies on Thursday, I remain, yours respectfully and gratefully, " R. %V. EMERSON." SEABORNE MAILS. [1; ffignmee that the mails are sent from the General Post-ofilet by the nlzht—and M by the morning---dispatch.] rums& When made up in f From what when GeneralPoet-odic. port dis - due. London. patched. • ) America (by Brit. pkt.) N JIM 6 Liverpool • • June 9 America (by U.S. pkt,) N June 10 .. Liverpool "' erica (by U.S. Pkt.)M Jane 18 Southampt. Juno 12 Africa (West 04)&10.. N 14th of the month Plymouth June 3 Ale'ab des * ••••• • • • N 19th & 30th of mo. Dover • • June 1$ Belgitan • . .. •. N Daily . Dover .. Daily Brazil •• • •• M 9th of the month Southampt. June 12 Buenos Ayres .. M 9th of the month Southampt. June la California(viaChagres)M 17th of month Southampt. Jane 5 Cape of Good Hope N 14th of month Plymouth.. June 3 Constantinople* .. •• N 7th 17th 27th of mo Dover .. Jane 10 Central America .. M2d k 17th of mon. ,Southampt. June 5 ' Channel Isles .. .. N Mon., Wed., &Fri.lSontkampt. To. Th.Ba Chill " •• •• • M 17th of the month Southampt. Juno 20 , France ••3I N Twice daily .. Dover .. Twicedaily Greece* • N 7th 17tia 27th ef mo Dover .. June 10, Hamburgh N Tuesday k Friday London .. Toes. Sat. • Holland • • • • .. M Wednes. & Satur. London Mos.Thcr Honduras . lreland N 17th of the month Southampt. Jane 20 N Twice daily .. Holyhead • . Twicedaily India (via Southamp.) M 20th of the month Southampt. Jane 23 India (viaMarsailles) 17th& 24th ofmonth Dover • • June 18 Mediterranean (via Southampton) M , ,2oth of the month Southampt. June 23 Mediterranean, (vi a I Marseilles) .. N 7 th&24thofmonth Dover .. June 18 Mexico .. M9d of the month.. Southampt. Jane b Madeir a " • • •. M 9th of the month Southampt. Jane 19 Malta* N C 7 0 4 1 7th,19t11,27th Z Dover Jane 10 k 30th of month Naples* .. • • ~ N bth 15th 25th ofmo Dover .• June 12 Papal Statue , N sth 15 th25thefmo Dover .• Jane 12 Peninsular .. • • .. M 7th 17th 27th of mo Southampt. June 16: Pe • M 17th of the month Southampt. June 20 Tliscany* N l sth 15th 25 th of mo Dover • • June 12 Neat Indies .. M' 17th of the month Soathaiapt. June 20 'rest Indies (exsept Havanna & Nassau) M2d of the Month Southanapt. June 5 * The mails to those countries thus marked ( 0 ) are conveyed by French packet via Marseilles. CALIFOILXIA.—MaIIs to and from California, via the United State are now dispatched and due by every American packet. MENIrIcENT DONATIONS TO THE ROYAL ORTHO PAPIo HosPrraL.—Her . Majesty the Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert have subscribed 1001. to the Royal Orthopedic Hospital, in addition to which the committee have received many other donations, including 501. from the trus tees of the Cholmondeley Charities, 501. from Quarles Harris and Sons, and a promise of 5001. from " Anonymous" when 9,5001. shall have been subscribed towards the building fund of the institution. THE CoPYRIGHT QUESTION.-11l 8 prospectus of the forthcoming "History of the Restoration," by Lamartine, circulated among the booksell ers o f near l y ever y E ur opean capital, the associated proprietors, Messrs. C. Gosselin, Pag nerre, Fume, Lecon, and Lippert, call the attention of their confreres to the fact, that from the number of piratical houses each one can sell but,a comparatively small edition, and that by means of a large edition from one setting of the types, they will b e a ble t o su p p l y cop i es o f th e original and authorised editions of works at such a price that the pirates cannot successfully compete with them. If the European publishers will assist them in the good work of this experi ment, the copyright question, so far as the piracy of French books in E uro p e i s concerned,' will be settled without thein terventiontn of diploatists or ministers. —Lit wary Gazette. - - BalnitzoN.--It is stated in Lyell's Principles of Geology, that in the reign of Elizabeth the town of Brighton was situated on that tract where the Chain Pier now extends into the sea; that in 1665 twenty-two tenements still re mained under the cliffs; that no traces of the. town are per ceptible; that the sea has resumed its ancient position, the site of the old town having been merely a be ach abandoned by the ocean for ages. On referring to the "Attack of the French on Brighton in 1545," as represented in L the engraving in the Archceologia, April 14, 1831, I find the town standing apparently just where it is now, with " a feldi in the mid dle," but with some houses on the beach op posite what is now Pool-valley, en the east side of which hou sex the French are landing; the beach end of the road from Lewes.—Notes and Queries. VALUE OE TIME TO "CHEAP TRAIN" TRP,VELLERIS. —The York, Newcastle, and Berwick Company A re said to have had a clause introduced into a recent, Parliamentary Bill of theirs, authorising the company to reduce the speed of "cheap trains" from twenty to twelve n tiles an hour. It seems to be considered that time is "of no , consequence" to those who cannot afford to pay high fares, whereas it is pre cisely these to whom time is, in most case a, vitally valuable. A man. with independent means could aff ard to journey lei surely, and to defray the increased expen ,diture incidental to lengthened delays, but it is far otherwise 3 with the usual oc cupants of "cheap trains," and such checks on speed as those just alluded to, can only tend to re-contra ►ct the public habits of locomotion within the narrow limits c if the old jog trot coaching system, and to render " che ;al) train a" themselves profitless. to the companies, because iseless to. the public.— Builder. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, June 5. Their Lordships sat to-day shortly before Five. The following Bills this day received the Royal Assent by Commission;— Property Tax Bill. Sale of Arsenic Regulation Bill. Royal Naval School Bill. London and Blackwell Railway Bill (Branch to Ilaydon square, Whitechapel, Dritfield and Sheffield Turnpike Road Bill. Mayfield Railway Bill (No. 2). Leicester Waterworks Bill. Shrewsbury and Bridgenorth Turnpike Roads Bill. Whitby Waterworks Bill. Scottish Central Railway Bill. Regent's Canal Company Bill. Halesworth, Beccles, and Haddiscoe Railway Bill. North British Railway Bill. London and Blaokwall Railway Bill (Extension of Time for Widening). Melton and Driffield Junction Railway Bill. Derby and Ashborne Road Bill. Aberdeen Public Records Bill. Richmond and Lancaster Turnpike Road Bill. Hereford, Ross, and Gloucester Railway Bill. Manchester and Ashton-under-Lyne New Road Bill. The Lords Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, Lord Cranworth, and Lord Stanley of Alderley. Their Lordships resumed shortly after Five o'clock. Several private Bills were, on the motion of Lord REDESDALE, forwarded a stage. Lord MONTE AGLE postponed the presenting of the petition from Australia on tho subject of transportation, of which he had given notice. WHITSUNTIDE HOLIDAYS. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE gave notice that he should to-morrow move that the House at its rising do adjourn to Monday se'nnight. PETITIONS. The Earl of HARROWBY presented several peti tions in favour of the Absconding Debtors Bill. COUNTY COURTS EXTENSION BILL. On the motion of Lord BROUGHAM the County Clouts Extension Bill (No. 2) passed through Com- Mittee, when divers amendments were introduced. The Bill, as amended, was ordered to be printed, and to be re -committed on the 17th. PETITIONS. The Earl of CARLISLE presented a petition, signed by thirty ladies, members of the Woman's Rights Asso ciation of Sheffield, praying for a repeal of the taxes on knowledge. MARRIAGES (INDIA) BILL. The report on this Bill was brought up. AMENDMENT OF THE LAW OF EVIDENCE BILL. On the order of the day for the committal of this Bill, Lord BROUGHAM signified his disapproval of cer tain parts of the Bill, and suggested that it should be referred to a Select Committee, but at the same time he was understood to protest against the Bill being re ferred to the judges. The LORD CHANCELLOR was in favour of re ferring this most important Bill to a Select Committee. Lord CAMPBELL considered that the Bill would greatly improve the administration of justice—(" Hear, hear," front Lord Brougham)—and his opinion had been greatly confirmed by the letter which had been published by his illustrious predecessor, Lord Denman.—(Hear.) He thought the judges ought to be consulted, and that their opinion was entitled to great consideration. He would consent to refer it to a Select Committee, and had no doubt that it would there receive every consideration. Lord BROUGHAM had only intended to object to calling the judges as witnesses before the Committee. He thought the opinion of the judges entitled to every respect. The Bill was then committed pro forma, and ordered to be referred to a Select Committee. Lord BROUGHAM said his Noble and Learned Friend, who was not then present (Lord Lyndhurst) bad, in a recent speech, made a statement respecting the Bill passed some time ago for the improvement of the Court of Chancery in Ireland, the result of which he said had exceeded: all their expectations. He had not then compared that Bill, which was framed by the pre sent Master of the Rolls, with the provisions of the measure he was now about to lay upon the table of the House. That was the same Bill which ha:had introduced to that House in the course of last session, and which had passed through all its stages then without any oppo sition, with the exception of some doubts expressed by the late Noble Master of the Rolls. These doubts were, however, subsequently so far removed that the Noble Lord had waived any further objections to the measure. In consequence of the lateness of the session when it went down to the other House it was dropped. Now this Bill was almost identical with the one which it appeared was so successful in Ireland, and the facts mentioned by his Noble and Learned Friend respecting the Irish Bill applied with equal force to his measure. He had stated the provisions of the Bill oa a former occasion. It had been most carefully prepared by a learned relative of his, and was intended to supply the defects of the dead men's clauses, as they were called, in Chancery. Lord CRANWORTH said that the Bill, no doubt, deserved their most serious attention. He did not think that the case of England stood in the same position as that of Ireland. He recollected that Lord Cottenham, about twelve, months ago, had proposed an alteration in the proceedings of the Court of Chancery, abolishing the netessity of petitioning. By these new orders the system was, he believed, made as inexpensive and expe ditious as could well be expected. If the Bill had worked so well in Ireland, he (Lord Crsnworth) was surprised that his Noble and Learned Friend had not adopted that feature of it which referred to the petition ing part of the subject. Lord BROUGHAM said it was owing to the expense of petitioning, which was 151. alone, that he did not pro pose to proceed by petition. Lord CRAN WORTH said that that fact showed the propriety of saying nothing on the Bill until it was actually before them. Lord BROUGHAM said that when his Noble and Learned Friend saw the Bill he would find that it did not interfere with the new orders. The Bill was then laid on the table and read a first time. Lord BROUGHAM haying proposed the names of the Select Committee to which he referred his former Bill, Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, June 5. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) The SPEAKER resumed the Chair at a Qu*rter before Fire o'clock. ROYAL COMMISSION. Sir A. Clifford, the Usher of the Black Rod, ap peared at the table of th© House, and summoned the Speaker to attend in the House of Lords, to hear the Royal assent given to certain Bills (tor which see Lords' report). The SPEAKER, on his return, announced the names of the Bills which had been assented to. METROPOLIS WATER BILL. On the motion for the second reading of this Bill, Mr. COCHRANE rose to move an amendment, that it is the opinion of this House that no Bill for the supply of water to the metropolis shall be proceeded with, unless the works required for an improvei and r complete supply of water to the metropolis shall be put up for competition as to the terms on which they shall be executed and maintained, upon a contract for a term of years, on a general rate. ' The Honourable Gentleman, after relating the history of the existing metropolitan water companies, from the establishment of the New River Company down to the present time, proceeded to state that he op posed this Bill because it would increase monopoly in the water supply of the metropolis. The history of the existing water companies was perfectly incredible, and he was very much afraid that the present state of the company and the conduct of their managers was equally reprehensible. Many years ego there was a water mania somewhat resembling the railway mania of 1846, and things reached such a pitch that the Legislature was compelled to interfere. Then was established that monopoly which the public now complained of, and he for one thought very properly complained, for a more disgraceful System could not be conceived than that which regalated the water sup ply of the metropolis. Within the last few weeks he had personally gone over London to make himself master of this very subject, and then sights met his eyes that per fectly astounded him. Nothing could be more horrible than the scenes which he saw, and he believed M. Leon Faucher, who had performed a similar tour of inspec tion, had publicly declared that our water reservoirs were a stigma to a nation boasting of its civilization as England did. (rha Hon. Member read his personal notes of a visit to places in Bermondsey, Knightsbridge, and other districts, showing that diseases of the worst character always existed where the supply of water was either deficient for impure.) While the average duration of life among the higher classes was 42 !years, among the poor and industrious people, who were more particulary subject to the misery and discomfort of filthy and unwholesome water, it was only ten years, and that fact alone he thought was sufficient to stamp the present system with the condem nation of the House. If a different system were adopted he should be prepared to show that water might be sup plied at 2/d. for each house in London instead of ?id, as at present. There was, however, never a greater piece of jugglery attempted on the House than the Go vernment 80, which would place in the hands of the different water companies a larger profit than they now derived. Simultaneous with the Bill had ap peared the prospectus of a company, which, with a capital of two millions of money, pro posed every house in London at a penny a week each with d a . to supp l y capital, pure, soft water at high pressure. Add to th o a s t t l o _ as compensation for the present companies, water would be only half of that which it was alone pre sent. The saving in washing with soft wa ter Napier would be a quarter of softhad swhaotwern the atc a m i llion a year. Mr. c th ou a l t d s7 be rni o ll b i t a hiril of what the cost would not be much more than r obtained ned gallons f rool perF Farnha m , of ro the an d purest that were sufficient to prove the inefficioeron7anies. (Mr. it was at present. The scenes ofh9rro awasitnweeselledasdatihlye He inhumanity of the existing nopoly of water, one of the ? Cochrane) wanted to know w w fi a h r t y e st r sh n c o ec u e ld ssa th r e ie r s e o b f e li a fe, m o o n . In conclusion, he (Mr. the part of water companies Coehraue) quoted from M. Leon stronglyr a o uc o h l e i s r the een presentcondemna tory e m n a the Prime Minister of France , a passa g e tory of the sanitary state of m of the local a dministration, and p condemnatory of the monopoly of water b y Thet B hen ii i i necompanies in posses sion of that privilege.bef ore t he House bore on its face the approved tYrey compani e s of I the i t G " o 7 s tam to p k o n f ow th t e h s a e , v bu e t n ie e n zi t, f urlin measureli to conclude that it wou ld give no sa tisfaction to the public. Under these cirouunt uces h e moved his amendment. • - Sir 11 HALL should not vote for the proposition of the Hon. Gentleman— he could not understand it Mr. B. COCHRANE said he would withdraw the r amendment to give way to the' amendment for a second reading that day six months. The amendment was withdrawn. Mr. MOFFAT then rose to move as an amendment, that the Bill be road a second time that day six months. It was clearly and distinctly proved by the Board of f Health that the supply of water to the metropolis was in sufficient by reason of its defective distribution; that it was inferior in quality, an containing vegetable and or ganic matter in solution; and that its cost was higher ' tha❑ it ought to be. The cost was now about 430,000/. per annum, but it had been shown that it could be ob tained for half that sum, of a much more useful and effi cient character, sad of a greater economy in the article of washing. The total cost of washing in the metro polis was five millions yearly. There was a graver ob jection to the Bill, inasmuch as it proposed to take the whole property of these companies at a fair and liberal valuation. But the value must be taken at the present value—the value of monopoly; not such a value as open competition would have settled. He also objected to the mode in which the machinery of the Bill was to be worked. If the Bill passed he believed there would be no material benefit to the public as far as a pure supply of water was concerned. Nor was the Secretary of State the proper person, even if ho had time to spare, to look after this important sanitary matter. He did not believe the Bill would lower the rate to the public gene rally; for he found that by the Bill the rate was still to be 6d. for every 1,000 gallons. Now, in Whitehaven he knew that the inhabitants were supplied for id. per 1,000 gallons. He thought the Government ought to do with water the same as had been done with gas. This would serve to protect the public against combination. He thought Government had neglected the interests of the public in the step they had taken; for it appeared to him the only effect of the Bill would be to substitute one great monopoly for several smaller ones. He begged to move his amendment that the Bill be read that day six months. Sir B. HALL had no hesitation in declaring from his knowledge of the feelings of the inhabitants of the me tropolis, from the east to the west, that they unanimously desired the Bill should not be proceeded with. The effect of this Bill would be to continue the management of affairs in the hands of the existing directors, and the result would be that competing companies could never be again established. He objected also to the mode proposed for valuing the property and the shares of the existing companies, because if persevered i❑ it would be impossible to expect that the public would have any im mediate reduction of the present cost of water to them. The Bill was a Bill entirely for the benefit of holders of shares in water companies, and before they granted this boon the House ought to see what good these compa nies had done to deserve it. Had they carried out the conditions upon which they obtained their powers from Parliament?—(Hear, hear.) He would prove from documentary evidence before the Board of Health that this was not so. It was impossible to get the Legisla ture to interfere effectually on behalf of the public, be cause the water interest was too strong in that House. He had been told that no less than seventy-five n-m -hers of that House were holders of water company shares, and therefore, as they bad a direct interest in keeping up monopoly, he considered they ought to ab stain from voting on questions in which their private interest was opposed to the public interest. To show the variation in the charges to the pub lic, in one company the price was charged Bd. per 1,000 gallons, in another the charge was 3id. per 1,000 gallons, showing a difference of 128 per cent. between the charges. Pamphlets had been written on bath sides of the question—one by the Hon. Member (Sir W. Clsy). i❑ which it was stated that the Grand Junction, of which he was the chairman, drew water at a place where there was no sewerage. Now he (Sir B. Hall) believed it would be found that there was a great deal of sewerage in the district from which the Grand Junction drew its supply. Another company drew its water from Battersea, but hero there was the disadvantage of drawing the supply of water between two sets of sewers. It was this system that the lion. Member (Sir W. Clay) wished to be left undisturbed. He could quote numerous other instances to show that it was necessary the supply of water should be taken out of the hands of those who at present had the entire mo nopoly secured to thorn. The Hon. Member here read the chemical analysis of several descriptions of water supplied by different water companies, to prove that all the supplies were more or less loaded with impurities, enimalculas, and other things injurious to health and domestic purposes. The Hon. Member (Sir W. Clay), however, said this was the kind of water the public ought to have, and which his company would go on sup plying if Parliament would not interfere. He would just show that the proposal of Government would fix on the public a higher price than the New River Company charged. He would first mention, that from a return recently made of the price of shares of water comps flies, he found that a 1001. share of the New River, we understood, was valued at 17,3001. For each 1001. share the directors get a large income, nearly 9001. he believed. He would show that the scale proposed by Government for the rata of charging was higher than the present scale of the New River Com pany. For a 7-roomed house the :Sew River charge was 245.; the Government charge, , .24s. 6d. For a 9-roomed house, New River charge, 303.; Government charge, 31s. 6,i.; and fora 10-roomed hollow, New River charge, 36a.; Government charge, 40s. Ile said Government ought to place the whole management and control in the hands of the rate•payers.—(Hear.) Do not let the pub lic be subject to all the schemes. and extravagances of the present directors, especially when they fAind that the chairmen of two companies had put forward a pam phlet to say the public ought to be satisfied with the system as it existed. The public •would be content to buy the plant and property of wa tor companies at its own price—(Hear) —but that pric I must be a very low one. If the ratepayers were entrirsted with the matters they would be found fully capable of managing their own affairs. He felt bound, thor e fore, to resist the Bill to the uttermost.) Mr. W. WILLIAMS said the 'quantity, quality, and price of water were complained ci t from one end of the metropolis to the other. The BP IA was only intended to create a job for the perpetual sum my of impure water to the public under the sanction of Ii er Majesty's Govern ment.—(Hear.) To show the wcl king of the system he would ; ust notice that in London vand Southwark, where there was competition, the averal t. 3 price per house was 20s. In the districts supplied by • the seven companies the average price was 355. per ho 'vise, and in West Mid dlesex the average per house was 58s. Here was a dif• ference of nearly 300 per cent. in ch eirge. Now, did Govern ment mean to pay the companywh ich sold its waterat3id. at the same rate as the compai ty which charged 15d. for the same quantity? He was i.atisfied that the Bill, instead of putting an end to mono poly, would only con centrate the present seven monopolies into one gigantic monopoly. Wby did the Right Hon. Gentleman not leave the power of managing the ir own affairs to the ratepayers. It was only by giving; the ratepayers this power that they would get good, water at a cheap rate. There must be something in the background, for the present Bill certainly contemplated something more than the public good. At public meetings the universal feeling ing was that the ratepayers should. have the management of this question plaoed,wholly in tb,eir hands, as they were the best parties to look after the ir own interests. He was of opinion that the power so tight by the Bill ought not to be confined to the Secret i.ry of State. He was satisfied it would bring that bigl t functionary into con stant collision with the inhabiter Ls and ratepayers of the metropolis. He should give his decided opposition to the Bill. Sir G. GREY was anxious to h leer all the objections that could be urged on the subjec tt before he addressed the House. He had listened witl i attention to the dis cussion, and he was now prepare(l to address the House on the question. The Hon. Mem her for Bridport, on the second reading of the Bill, had b rought forward some amendments which he afterwards withdrew. On that occasion he did not labour to p )VO that which was distinctly admitted —the defects of the present supply of water to the metropolis. :He had, however, re ferred in general terms to the various inquiries which had taken place on Coin mittees by the direc tion of the House, and the evidesi ice taken before the Board of Health; and he amnia, I d that it could not be disputed that souse essential char go was necessary to se cure to the public the beet pose Me supply of water at the lowest possible rate. The 13 ion. Member for Mary lebone had dwelt on the characte r of the present supply and the expense, as if ho (Sir G e Grey) were disposed to contravert that position, when in fact the Bill before the House was founded oa those admitted defects. He was not bound to enter upon the defence of the existing water companies. Hon. Membov. s connected with thorn might do so if they thought fit; bi it as far as the tenour of the statements made to the Hee se went, he was pre pared to admit the present sour et Is of supply were de fective—that the quality was bad --and that the expense of supply had been greater than was necessary. Another point insisted on was that competition had failed to accomplish the object attributed to it. Now, the Bill was framed on the prin eiple that competition could not be relied on for the au pply of water to the metropolis, and the facts alluded to in the report of the Board of Health supported that vi raw. He did not think the House would act wisely in ex elouraging competition in the hope that it would produc :o the results desired. p ad: The Hon. Member for Mar y lebo n e thou ght that some control control should be given to the ratepayers, expressed a similar o p inion, bu.t h ad stated d that $© had expressed cu li ar reasons existed in W mete repel's which did not apply to other large towns, and which for the prese nt i t was not easy to overcome. After a competition among he nine water com panies so severe that many shareh eiders were ruined, a combination was effected, which n , " enjoyed a com pl ete m onopoly in supplying the metro, )c.l Government had carefully conside cd the report of the s with water. Th e i B o ard of Health, with th e whole t :of the evidence, and the effect it had produced on h . Go vernment would not b e j ust ified -11 kindwas,that the in assuming as proved that the existing sources of supply should be abandoned, or that the sources of be adopted. The Governmentsupply sited by them ought to Indic he d. selected three gen tlemen to report on the subject, an d the inquiry was still pending. The Government might have taken advantage of that inquiry to have said that e bile it was pending they would not support any measu re on the subject. But after the various inquiries that had taken place, they had thought it to be their duty to pr npose an alteration of the present system, reserving the right of taking new sources of supply, and also of clo sing any of the exist ing sources which should be proved to be unfit. The principle!of the Bill, therefore, was not the perpetuation of an irresponsible monopoly, but tl to substitution in its place of a combined management, which he believed would be productive of a great saving of expense. It was proposed to consolidate the bet ads of management ut the nine exinting compauiez; into o ne, with reAric tions as to dividends, and limitations as to the amount of the rates, and subject to the tlontrol of the Go vernment as to the ;sources I'm= wbioll water f might be derived, and as to its mode of sup- I ply. Another provision of the Bill would enable the Government to keep the interest of any of these com panies at a fixed rate, and to transfer it as Parliament might think fit. To a certain degree he believed the charge, that the companies had abused their trust. The remedy proposed was to take away the irresponsibility of the companies, and to place them under such a con trol as would prevent the recurrence of abuse. Some of the recommendations of the Board of Health report were, in his opinion, well founded. He thought it was a sound recommendation, that whatever might be done in superseding the existing companies, a fair and adequate compensation should be awarded to them, either by ar bitration or by a jury; but he did not approve of their suggestion, that a board of salaried officers should be ap pointed for the purpoae of taking on themselves the ma nagement of a supply of water. On the part of the Government he had declined to ask for those powers which the Board of Health had recommended. All the power they proposed to take was for the purpose of exercisiog some efficient control over those trading bodies to whom was entrusted the supplying of the me tropolis with water. Ho was not at present prepared to controvert the opinions of Mr. Napier on the subject, but looking to the contradictory opinions of the Board of Health on the subject, he thought he should not be warranted in saying that the whole supply of water should be dr awn f rom t h e sources i nd i cated i n th e re port. It had b een assume d t h at the expense o f th e Go ernment plan would b e greater to t h e consume r than he expense of the present system. It was difficult to enter fully upon such a point on the second reading. The schedule now proposed was not to be regarded as final, but as a subject for discussion in Committees The present expense had been stated at 450,0001. a year. The result of the inquiries bad been stated in the schedule, and there was every reason to believe that the expense would be reduced, as stated, by at least 100,0001. a year. Last year, in the Bill for providing a supply of water from Watford, the expense was stated at 478,000/., being an increase on the present amount. It had been assumed that an extravagant compensation would be given. It had been thought advisable not to lay do wn an y a b so l u t e p r i nc ipl e o f compensat i on in the Bill. They had for their guidance the principle adopted in the local waterworks Acts, under one of which the . Corporation of Liverpool had effected the purchase of the water companies in that town. It was a mistake to suppose that the Government guaranteed to these comps.' nies 5 per cent. whatever might be their malversatton or extravagance. On the contrary, the complaint on the part of those water companies who had expressed an opinion on the Bill was, that it guaranteed no dividend at all. The 31st clause contained a provision by which the Lords of the Treasury, after inquiry, would be env' powered, although the company might not be receiving 5 per cent., if they thought it was neglecting its duties, to reduce the rates, and to charge such rates as they thought might remunerate the company. As to control by ratepayers, he might remark that a Bill had been printed that day to tno introduction of which, though he had not yet read it, he bad given his assent, as he did not object to its principle. That Bill proposed to buy U. under certain circumstances, the existing companies, and to supersede the management of the nine companies by entrusting the management to a body to be appointed by the ratepayers. If the House thought fit to refer that Bill to a Select Committee, he should offer no objection to such a proceeding. The Hon. Member for Maryle bone seemed to doubt the efficiency of Government con trol, and had referred to the conduct of the Board of Health with respect to the Interments Act. The Board of Health had been most anxious to come to some amic able arrangements with the different cemetery companies in order to obtain possession of their grounds, but tbey had failed in every one instance, and were now about to take the ultimate steps pointed out by the Act, and to bring the terms of compensation either before arbiters or a jury. —(Hear, hear.) Without pretending that the present was a perfect Blil, he hoped the House would read it a second time, so that its details might be sifted in C .mmittee. If the House agreed to the second read ing, he should propose to refer it to the Committee of Selection, in order that they might name a Committee of five Members to consider its details up stairs. Sir J. JOHNSTONE thought some measure was re quired to compel landowners to lay on water for their tenants, where it could be easily done. His objections to the present Bill were, that it proposed to do away with the rights and privileges of the existing water companies of the metropolis—that it proposed to amal-1 gamete them, without taking into consideration the dif ferent districts they supplied and the different sources from which they derived their supplies of water; and that it contained no prin c ipl e o f com p ensa ti on . e did not think that the saving anticipated would be such as to justify amalgamation, nor could amalgamation be jus tified on the ground that there existed a source su perior to all the present sources of water supply. The Farnham scheme was a one-sided affair, and had been originated by persons not of the highest authority in engineering matters. He denied, on behalf of existing water companies, that there would bo anything equal to the supply alleged to be required for the metropolis from the Farnham districts; and that assertion wee borne out, he contended, by the reports of Mr. Napier and other scientific persons who had been employed to examine the locality. Whatever might have been the approved quality of the water, the supply could never be sufficient for this city. The Board of Health at one time complained that the companies did not send enough of water; and at another, that they sent double the quantity required.; so that the companies were at loss to comprehend exactly what it was that was meant. If the Government were determined upon legislating on that subject, lot them appoint a Committee to examine into everything connected with the present water supply, and let that Committee report to the House on every point bearing upon it. They should take into consi deration all the schemes started to supply the present alleged deficiencies of the existing companies in their respcctive works, the capabilities of the districts from which they now derive their supplies, and the powers which they might possess of increasing them ; also the liabilities of each company, the amount of compensation they might require, their scales of rates, whether rear sonable or otherwise, and then let them come to the con clusion that all the existing companies were to be de stroyed, and one large company established in their place for the supply of the metropolis and its neighbour hood. On the report of such a Committee they would have a basis upon whkh Parliament might fairly legis late. He thought he had stated sufficient to show why they should object to the present Bill. That any com pany could give the supply demanded under the existing arrangements he did not think possible. As for those whom he represented he could say they courted inquiry. They had sustained a considerable quantity of abuse, and yet the complaines made against them were not well founded. They only asked for an opportunity of meeting face to face those who were so ready to accuse them of so many faults. He had only to observe, in conclusion, that he would oppose the motion for the second reading of the Bill before the House. Mr. MO WATT said he need take up but very little of their time in demonstrating that which was already ad mitted on all hands—namely, that the supply of water to the metropolis at present was bad and vicious in the ex treme. It was bad ia quality, deficient in quantity, and excessive in price. Indeed, the Right Hon. Baronet the 6ecretary for the Horne Department, from the very fact of his attempting to legislate on that subject, proved that the nature of the supply was bad, and some legislation necessary. Therefore he (Mr. Mowatt) would only deem it expedient to apply himself to the Bill before them. Now if legislation weal necessary for the procuring of a better supply, the question arose, whether the proposi tionde of the Right Hot!. Baronet would go remedy those ra dical to meet the - ticiency? He would ask, did that B se sse dH and fatal e d ffi maintainedcti e thats whichit didt e not, a: systemthe poscon trary, the effect of his measure would be to perp e t ua t e through all time those very evils and abuses which he said had induced him to legislate on that subject. When ' like a great many other denizen s o f thi s vas t city, he had discovered the impure quality of the water supplied for the use of the inhabitants, he had b ee n glad to find that the Gover nment had come for ward to legislate on that question. The succession of Committees which had been appointed to inquire into the matter had led him to expect a much more comprehensive measure than the one now proposed? What was the character of that Bill ? Did the Government propose that they should go to better sources for a supply than those impure aad deplorable ones which all the existing companies were obliged to use? No such thing The Right Honourable Gentleman did q n u ot al p it r y o . pos N e e t i o t h d e o r any thing pr t the cost of th e present supply; re duceohpenoseastotodothaenyquthainntgitytoand consolidating ve a r ll y t a h h e a p c e onapanies so thatbut htheacoanytielma whichplated existed shape and form would continue in perpetuity. So far from rendering any service to, the public, or bettering the supply of water, he thought the Right Honourable Baronet would inflict the greatest ca lamity on the metropolis which it was possible for legis lation to devise. The only advantage which would be derived from thus amalgamating together all those Qom" panics would be, that their general management might be thereby simplified. Now the public did not want that consolidation of the existing companies, seeing that all their plant was connected with the present impure and deficient supply. He did not object to those com panies making as much as they could of their respect ive speculations; but it was requisite that the publics exigencies should be met at some time or other It might be said that Government reserved to themselves the power, after consolidating the companies, of re quiring that it the water be not pure, and the supply sufficient, recourse should be had to other sources for a supply better in quantity and quality. He (Mr. Mowatt) however, considered that they were al ready beyond that part of the question. It bad been long admitted that the supply was inadequate, the quality bad, and the price too high. The Right Gentle• man, therefore, was doing a great injury to this metro polis, in deferring a decision on that subject one day after the Bill was brought into that House. If the Right Hen. Baronet was riot prepared t o say to t he water companies at once, " You must go to certain good sources for a better supply than you new procure, ) 36 had better not have attempted to le g i s l ate at all on that most important question. Re did not think the Right Hon. Baronet was justified in denying whit the HO- Baronet the Member for Marylebone had said with re spect to the ef&ct of his Bill on raising the rates on the inhabitants. Sir G GREY said it would not have that effect in th aggregate. Mr. MO WATT continued—After all, the amount of rates was of minor consequence, when the necessity of g i supply of good water for the health of the public wax taken into co ns id eration. It was in a sanitary point o f view that the question was to be looked at most partv eularly. The Hon. Member hero went into a brief de seription of some experiments which he had made ^ l ', the water supplied to his uwu premiet4, winett he b , "" belt a thi c k, s li my deposit every month iu th ° cisterns ; and this used to cause the w ater, after running in, to be muddy and dark; but that, 'lF'.. :Posit, however, of month, and 171b 4 e4 1 11: Would , ) :41 i : e r to pir e :: etdasaireo;tl b elieved I:l:o:eugtif/Inhilt.:o?etotal that I: g loil b aaw i. o ; t1 T n o least 10 r car the People of ti burden for th miserable and hesitation in stt , Could never cat poular o!the 1 :; 55 p . lie could zaronet the Set /utroduced such sure of buiiness unable to give t i tioo . Ho had sect; but he we . 4 1 e l h i a telt that unknowns t tal:t e ihid r ei j a stn6 t og e x6 - : : :: : that the corpor 44d that the G further propost Il Ppointed, for 1 of the Act. I Power of levyi Feuce in the teetropolis. 11 course of thirti right to a gl elusion, he had decided opposit Alr. HUME trernely desirat the metropolis, triode of carryi before them toi stances he wot referred to one Course were to lions() to ussen then under the Sir GEORG to have the t,vt( ltittee ' provid, eluded from th Mr. LABO Gentlemen wh, ease of the Bill Stowatt), the s They could no had only that certain parties meant to oppo: atandinsr, order: Sir W. CLA the people et t best and the e consistent will: believed the ready to allow in the hands c board, if Purl courses was th couvinced that refuse to grant held property of an Act of site (Mr. B. C rnalversatiou. Mr. B COC raalversation. had not perfor Sir W. CLL Gentleman Is companies. aware of the e ply water at a tricts to whirl was he aware been frustrates houses in thos supply of watt said that the s was at prese would hare to fact was, that ject to a paym asserted that t sideraile dimi water in the to abuse; but further, and what they out not only mu: Paths, but the nary loss, for power of atop intentions hot assumed that for, but the E companies to called on by t anent, he bein He contendec diminution in of water to Li even at prese Board of Hea any such rest] poly, he &nil applied to th( edly, all wat could not, w Works . and or cality. The ought to trusted, and I berate was, solution of E be solved. ' pose it, ever Bible from ministering the Bill wou with certtit would distrit and on the 1 that he conic into which the temper c these compa: sation. Thei be to create with them, a rates so low bably to rais pitch. His oircumstancs and solution think the a companies, s they abused who had em mentary sat policy, and Lions those 1 tice of Parli spirit of enti land had be the most pe If they did put off to a suable. H justice of tl the necessit: bad taken s lions could quiries had water of th be obtained going to th Viscount port of thi prove the health of tl the rate of the Theme was ten tin Kew. It a of the grea 2,250,000 be licked i: ration of tl of a consta .a moot poi constant E also the In it was a m kept down tion shout , the occups the houses poses wou 160,000/. 400,0001. teal cost company people sill the mono' nies in e: ranee of did not tard the c water; if a hasty t against t Mr. CV on either (Sir G. C ported. had been ' refused; fused; al and the t tion did people at reply de long per • was idle the evil- But the Mr. Nal cellent but they public, were res with a € then). •