The Sun. — London, England, 1851-07-25 00:00:00

JEWISH DISABILITIES. BARON ROTHSCHILD AND THE CITY. A publio meeting was held yesterday, at the London Tavern, in compliance with the following invitation of Baron Rothschild to his constituents " Gentlemen,—l feel it to be my duty to the highly important constituency which has twice elected me as one of its representatives to take the earliest opportunity, after the rejection of the Oath of Abjuration Bill by the House of Lords yesterday evening, of requesting my con stituents to meet me at a public meeting, at the London Tavern, on Thursday next, at one o'clock, that I may have an opportunity of consulting them on the best course now to be pursued, with a view to insure the success of the cause we all have so much at heart. " Allow me to remind you that the principle of this measure has been five times affirmed by the House of Commons, and five times rejected by the House of Lords. —I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, your faithful servant, `°LIONEL DE ROTHSCHILD. "New-court, July 18, 1851." Shortly after one o'clock Mr. Baron Rothschild, entered the room, accompanied by his supporters, and was loudly cheered. Mr. Alderman Salomons, who subsequently made his appearance on the platform, was received with similar demonstrations of applause. There were present, besides the two Hon. Gentlemen, Lord Dudley Stuart, M.P., Mr. Macgregor, M.P., Mr. M.P., Mr. B. Osborne, M.P., Mr. Anderson, Husephery, M.P, Mr. Forster, M.P., Mr. Sadleir, M.P., Mr. R. Cur rie, Mr. Bennoch, Mr. J. Dillon, Mr. S. Morley, Deputy Peacock, Baron Meyer Rothschild, and others. Baron ROTHSCHILD said he had thought it his duty to call a meeting of his constituents and supporters as soon after the rejection of the Oath of Abjuration Bill by the Lords as possible, and judging from the numerous attendance, and the warm reception he had received, he had no doubt they thought he was perfectly justified in taking such a course.—(Hear.) The Hon. Member then detailed the proceedings in Parliament, which he regretted had not ended in a satisfactory result. Having availed him self of the advice of the best lawyers, he was induced t o consider that his case resembled exactly that of Mr. Pease, and with such a conviction on his mind, he hoped, by taking the oaths in the form most binding on his con science, he should have been allowed to t ake his seat in Parliament. —(Hear.) He had to complain that the Bill of the Government had been introduced at so late a period of the session; whether that was, or was not in tentional, it had the effect of preventing a demonstration of the people's feeling on the subject before the close of Parliament.—(Hear.) This Bill, though rejected by the Lords, had been passed no less than five times by the Com mons, and the question now for consideration w as,whether they should bow to, and obey that decision, or go on ex erting themselves until they succeeded in attaining the great object the electors had in view.—(Cheers.) If the way resignation of hi s seat would in any assist the cause he was ready to place it at the entire disposal of his consticuents—(Cheers, and cries of "No")—but on the contrary, they thought his retaining it was ad visable, he was equa lly ft 6 willing to accede to their w i'hea• — (Cries of " Yes," and cheers.) He would only add, that if they gave up the question and allowed per secution and intolerance to predominate, they t _ would have to encounter much greater difficulties if they at tempted at any future time to renew the contest. He was e xtremely anxious that they should express their opinions calmly and deliberately as to the course which he ought to adopt under the * circumstances.—. (Hear.) There could be no doubt teat with their united forces they would be in the end suceesfal, pro vided their exertions were judiciously directed. After again intimating that his seat was entirely at the dis posal of the meeting, he concluded by moving that Mr. Raikes Currie should be requested to take the chair. The motion having been seconded by Lord DUDLEY STUAKT, was carried unanimously. Mr. R. CURRIE then addressed the meeting, and re peated the observations which he made two yeare ago, when proposing the election of Baron Rothschild, that the electors had thrown down the gauntlet, and pledged themselves to contend, by every constitutional means, against the last remnant of religious persecution, and never to cease from the contest until they achieved a victery.—(Cheere.) It was after deliberation, and with perfect sincerity, that he re-echoed that determination. —(Elear, hear.) There was something in the spirit and unanimity evinced by the meeting which told him that they would not ,alter or draw back, but would, notwithstanding the insults of opponents and the lukewermness of pretended friends, steadily endeavour by their own individ ua l an d collective exertions to achieve a victory.—(Cheers.) Mr. DILLON then rose to propose the first resolu tion. He said they had been beaten by the Lords, but, to use an expression of Lord Castlereagh, or rather to reverse it, they did not stand prostrate.— (Laughter and cheers.) Much had been written on the subject, lawyers had made long speeches on the constrnc tion of Acts of Parliament, statesmen had differed and disputed as to the meaning of the oath of abjuration, and the last words of it were torn to tatters and rags, but the real question laid within very narrow limits, and might be discussed with great brevity. There were two questions before the public—first, whether this remeining religious test should be retained in order to restrict ad mission to the house of legislature ; and, secondly, whether the House of Lords should be allowed to triumph in dictating on the subject of religious tests in opposition to the sentiments and votes of the electors.— (Hear, and cheers.) Ile contended there was nothing in the law to prevent Jaws sitting in Parliament, or if there were, that it was purely accidental and not inten tional, and a technical difficulty or omission of which no person but a pettifogging lawyer would avail himself.— (Hear, hear.) The question was not simply whether Baron Rothschild should sit in the House of Commons, but whether the electors of Eng land should enjoy the right of electing whom they chose as representatives, and whether it should or should not be decided, once for all, what were to be the neces sary qualifications of Members of Parliament.—(Hear.) Ile had great pleasure in proposing the subjoined reso lutiert : " That the House of Peers by interposing their mere privilege to reject measures five times introduced into Parliament with the sanction of the Crown, as ex pressed by Ministers and affirmed by large ma-. jurities, and peculiarly concerning the qualifications of the House of Commons, have strained the powers of the constitution to au unexampled and dangerous extent; that as Ministers have repeat edly declared that these measures are identified with a great public cause, and that it is only by taking advantage of the accident of the letter, in defiance of the spirit of the law, that the oath of abju ration is made a religious test ; they can only en title themselves to the confidence of the reformers of the United Kingdom by being propsred to stand or fall by such measures, and that this meeting calls upon the Prime Minister, as Member for London, forthwith to in troduce into the House of Lords as a Cabinet measure a Bill for the total abolition of the present oath of abjure Lion." The resolution was seconded by Mr. MA.VERS, and carried with applause. Mr. B. OSBORNE, M.P., who was loudly called for, next addressed the meeting. Ho had expected that tho next time he should have the honour of meeting the electors of the city of London was. to toast the success of the great cause in which they wore all embarked; but the House of Lords had thrown out no less than four times the Bill which had repeatedly received th e sanct i on o f t h e H ouse o f C ommons. Th ey had been disappointed, but judgine., from the present meeting, and the unequivocal expression of opinion by a constituency near the metropolis, he thought that, though dis • anOointed they were not dis courage d.— (Cheers.) It had been said the House of Commons was a judicial assembly, but it any distinguished foreigners now present i n L ondon had been present when Alderman Salornons took his and heard the crowing of cock s , the braying of donkies, and the hisses of geese, they at least would have been much puzzled to discover what th e j u di c i al assemblies of this country were composed of.—(Laughter and cheers.) But he de nied that the House had ever acted in a n judicial capa city, becau se t h e quest i on had bee preju`dged by the Prime Minister. Out of th e ablest lawyers in the House ef Commons, eight entertained one opinion and five ano ther, and the Prime Ministe r was like Captain Macheath in the B eggar ' s Opera , v Attorney- G en eral on one side of hi m and tl l, e lthtll Solicitor-Generale on the other, both differing in o . pinion, and dividing is separate lobbies.—(Hear, hear.) The Prime Minister was, in fact, unsupported by any legal as s i s t ance . H o (Mr. Osborne) was of opinion that whatever a man's re ligious opinions might be, whether Mahomedan or Hindoo, as long as he was a good sub ject and p a id the Queen's taxes, was as much entitled to sit in Parliament as the most profess ing Christian.—(Cheers.) He would not narrow the: question to Jews, w ho, though a very intelli gent and in dustrious race, were not more so than any other branch of the community, but would give it a wider a i gn i ficn _ ti° n•—(Cries of " Hear, hear.') He did n ot despair of the House of Lords, because he thought man , of thei r L ordships, more es p e cially the Bishops, werej made e of such s queeza ble materials, that i f the people spoke out boldly they would put their principles into their__ Poeket with many other things, and pass this and ....4Laughter.) They many Other useful Bills of which they now disapproved. the course adopted on former on • would follow . from the casio n , absenting themselees from the House, and quiet' ' of accordance with allowing the question to be decided in did not wish to th e wish of the country.—(Hear.) As he would suggest thatcnl) fine the Bill to Jews alone, he mised a measure for the Prime Minister who had pro bers the qualifications of Mem bers should brina in Bill to abolish all kinds of re ligious tests.— ` n Currie presiding. at some fen° Barentive hoped to see Mr. Raikes propose the health of meeting next year, and Rothschild for having suc ceeded in taking his seat in the Rouse of Commons. utthaend carried. The resolution was t p h e e s n eA s Mr. S. MORLEY pro was to the following effect : next resolution, which that l the cause to " That impressed with the opinion which the electors of London stand elections, will be best re turn of Baron Rothschild at two Pad g ed by the laa.:rtOp"l3hsrelYof served by his retaining his seat, this him to dos ; and the citizens of the ' g • ca ll upon confidence upon the support and cooperationwith provincial constituencies for the firm assertion the and maintenance of their common electoral rights." The resolution was seconded by Mr. Bennoch and sup. ported by Lord Dudley Stu art. Mr. Bateman, M r . An. stay, M.P., Mr. Aglionby, M.P., and others. Mr. ScovELL moved as en amendment that Baron Rothschild be requested to take his seat at once in the House of Commons. Mr. Alderman SALMONS, who was egain warmly greeted, said there was this distinction between his case and that of Baron Rothschild—that the Baron was at the head of a great commercial establishment, and posaessed great infloenco in the city of London as well as in other parts of the country. He (Alderman Salomons) had taken his seat and voted, being determined to do whatever became THE SUN, an Englishman who sought to assert the rights of his own and other constituencies.—(Cheers.) Two actions at law were now pending against him, writs having been served upon him for two separate penalties incurred by sitting and voting in the House, and very few could be aware of the danger in which he now stood. It must not be understood, however, that he looked with any degree of fear at that fate. He was ready to meet any number of actions, and whether he forfeited 5001. or more for every vote he gave was to:him a matter of little conse , quence.—(Cheers.)' But if he were found guilty, he would become, in tho words of the statute, " a Popish recu , sant," and would be disqualified from making a legacy, • becoming a guardian for any child, or voting for a Mem ber of Parliament; and be compelled to give up all his public offices, lay down his alderman's gown, and give up hia commission of the peace, and, like a political Cain have to walk through the streets of London a beg gar and a fugitive.—(Cheers.) Could any one suppose that the people of this country would allow a punishment of that kind to be inflicted?—(" No.") So said he, and he was glad that he had been enabled to bring the question to such an issue. He would be quite content to act the part of a Sydney, a Hampden, or a Russell, and throw himself on the sympathies of the English peopla, for the purpose of getting rid of a state of the law which was a disgrace to the country and the age in which they lived.—(Cheers.) If they remained firm and united, and did not carp and cavil on minor subjects, they would carry terror into the camp of the enemy, and finally accomplish the object which every true Liberal had at heart.—(Cheers.) Baron ROTHSCHILD opposed the amendment, consider ing it would be useless attemping to take his seat when he was excluded by an express resolution of the Home of Commons last session. After some discussion the amendment was lost, and the original motion carried by a large majority. A petition to the House of Commons, m praying b ng ee that the resolution excluding Baron Rothschild re scinded, or that h e might be heard at the bar of the House, was agreed to. After a vote of thanks to the Chairman the meeting separated. LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY. The ordinary half-yearly general meeting of the share holders of this company was held yesterday at th e Lon don Tavern; Mr. Laing in the chair. The report, which has already appeared in our columns, having been taken as read, The CIIAIRMSN, in moving the adoption of the report, said that he had but few remarks to make to them, since the principal topics were all alluded to in the report, and this meeting, moreover, took place in the broken part of the year, when the full results of the year were not before them. The increase of traffic in the last three years, since 1843, when the system of lines now in operation was first completed, was of the most favourable description. In 1848 the total income of the company was 450,4794; since then no new lines had been opened of any consequence, and there had been an increase in the receipts during those years of about 100,000/., which had arisen from the development of the regular traffic. As far as he could calculate, the receipts of this year would be about 570,0001., which would show an increase of 120,0001. This, he was happy to say, was the result of the steady progress, and though looking at the receipts month by month it would appear that they were exposed to great vicissitudes, according as the watering places might chance to be full or empty, yet, taking them from half year to half-year, the increase in the receipts had been steadily progressive. He had made out a short abstract of the half-yearly increase in the receipts since the cora mencemeat of 1848, which showed as follows: In the first half-year, 1848, the increase in the receipts was WI per cent. Second half-year ••• ••• 9 ~ First half-year, 1849 Second half-year, 1849 , 9 First half-year, 1850 Second half-year, 1850 „. 7 ~ First half-year, 1851 The increase of the number of passengers had been 40 per cent. in addition to the periodical ticket-holders, in which department alone the increase had been from 10,4201. to 17,0561., showing how greatly the population resident along the line, and travelling to London and back, each had increased. During the same period the dividends alone had increased, and where they were 13s. in the first half-year of 1848, they were 14s. 6d. in the corresponding half-year of 1849, 15s. in 1850, and 18s. in 1851. Therefore,whether they looked at the increase of traf fic or dividend, he thought this was one of the most pros perous half-years which they had at present seen. That increase of traffic was, he was happy to assure them, quite regular, the Great Exhibition, which had produced so great an effect upon many of the Northern lines, had had little or none upon theirs, which was easily accounted for by the circumstance that when those lines were the great communi cations between London and the agricultural and manufacturing districts, this line communicated only with one county, and was, in fact, more an outlet for London than an inlet to it. The Brighton Railway had, in fact, rather suffered by the Exhibition being open, for it had kept in town many persons, and caused them to spend money in London, of which they might otherwise have spent a portion in travelling. Brighton at this moment was unusually empty for the season of the year, and in trains where their receipts had been 8501. per week up to the Ist of May, they had only been 4501. Whether the increase which had marked the last half-year would continue was a matter of speculation. When, however, ho considered that ac cording to the late census returns, the population of Brighton had increased 33 per cent , and that of London 20 per cent. in the last ten years, he could not help thinking, if' this increase went on in the same ratio for the next ten years, they had every reason to expect that the receipts of the company would increase also. One point to which he wished to advert was the establishment of a line of packet-boats between Newhaven and Dieppe, by which the shortest route to the continent by the Brighton line was re-opened. The shareholders would remember that some time ago an attempt ass made by the directors to open this route, which excited great opposition among the shareholders, and the result was, that a decision was come to that the company's capital should not be em barked in a steam• boat enterplise. Efforts had then been made to induce private parties to put steamers on the route, and the result was, that by pri vate speculation this line of communication had been established, and by favourable arrangements with the French railways for a low rate of,faree, a route through to Paris had been opened, which was shorter than any other. Along this they were carrying about 300 passengers deity, with a profit to the company of about 1,000/. per month, and now they had got the thing to work he did not despair of very soon receiving a regular income of 12,0001. per annum. With regard to the expenses ho had not much to say. In all they were about 11,8001. In the car riage department they were much below the average, be cause in the last half-year a considerable push had been mad© to prepare for any additional traffic which the Great Exhibition might bring, and besides that the renewal of a considerable portion of the stock had been delayed until the conclusion of the autumn traffic. As regarded the capi tal eccount, from the report the shareholders would per ceive the correctness of the estimate which was given to them in 1848; and the directors, though they had done even more than they had then promised, had still kept considerably within the margin which they fixed. The increase of stock had been moderate, but what ho wished particularly to direct the attention of the shareholders to was that this increase had not been caused by any extraordinary demand, but would have been required from the regular increase which had taken place in the traffic. Before he concluded his remarks, he wished to allude to the position in which this company stood with regard to the South-Eastern Railway Company with regard to the Hastings traffic, The directors of this company certainly did not want to compete, neither did he think that the South-Eastern Railway wanted to compete. He did not wish to impute blame to either party, for the mischief did not rest with them, but with the Legislature which had been so foolish as to sanction the construction of two railways to a town for the traffic of which one would suffice. His experience told him that when this was the case, so far from benefiting the town, as it was intended to do, it generally injured it, for the two com panies, tired at last of competition, entered into some 1 arrangement, and neglected the development of the re gular traffic. This might be the case with the two com panies in the present instance. The last topic to which ho would advert was the opposition which himself and his brother directors had offered to the Railway Audit Bill. The principle of that Bill had been before condemned by an independent committee of their shareholders appointed to inquire into it ; and his own opinion was that no Act of Parliament, as long as shareholders were fools and directors in clined to be knaves, could save the shareholders. The only remedy was vigilance and foresight on the part of the shareholders. He had no hesitation in denouncing any such Act of Parliament as a " downright humbug." The Hon. Gentleman then concluded by moving the adoption of the report. Mr. SCHUSTER seconded the motion. In answer to a question from Mr. LEVY, The CHAIRINAN said that the reason why the directors had transferred their account to the Union Joint-Stock Bank was that they were able there to get larger interest and more extended accommodation. The change had saved about 1,0001. in the last twelve months. The report was then put and carried uaninsously. A resolution, declaring a dividend of 11. 16s. per cent., was also carried ; as were also resolutions for the con solidation into stuck of certain Eighth Shares D, and the forfAture of certain other shares. The meeting then separated after a vote of thanks to the Chairman and directors. IRON HOUSES IN THE FI RE AT SAN FRANCISCO. N so much surpri se , amid the many surprising g g occurred the ni g h t of the great resistance that was offered to th e Nothing thingsexc excited that fire, as the little progress of the flames by the spl en did and could not harm them' 4- o flames were car eer . substantial iron buildings that had been constr ucte d in the f u ll conv i ct i on t h a t firt., at least. E ven when the insati . ing 'wildly elsewher e , laying low to stay their course, rnan 's ingenuity c o u ld devise the fairest fabri cs that those doing b usiness in these iron houses felt an abiding conf i dence that they should escape idea, gene ral ruin. O thers entertained the same and rushed th e i r costliest articles into these warehouses,their and when t h e fire swept out of existence own combustibl e houses, consoled themselves with the reflection that a part at least of their property Was saved. But never was confidence more misplaced. It is true iron will not burn, but destruction as total fell upon all such buildings a s if t h ey had been made Of light wood. We watched the fate of two ele- LOINIJON, FitIDAY EVENING, gant three-story iron houses—one situated at the corner of Washinga on and Sansome-streets, and the other occupied by IV essrs. Berthelot and Cronise, at the corner of Jackson at td Sansome-streets, and never was there a more comple to wreck when the fire had done with them. The zinc roof caught first and burnt as fiercely as if made of pine -knots. The flame was of a deep blue, and looked most s i ngu l a r b es id e th a t w hi c h rose up from surrounding frame buildings. But little smoke issued at first, but the heat was greater than that of a furnace. The iron pillars and plates glowed brightly; in a little while they warped, curled like crisp leaves, opened, let in the flames to the piles of rich merchandise stored within, and in a few moments all was over. With a tremendous crash they fell in ruins to the ground, and long after the wooden buildings around were reduced to ashes these glowing heaps of iron threw out an intense heat that allowed of no approach. And, indeed, when we consider the fierceness of the heat that arose on that memorable night from hundreds of burning structures and piles of costly goods —a beat that no one can conceive w ho was not present—it is not to be wondered at that even iron succumbed before its wither ing power. From the nature of the material, however, a lees degree of heat would have produced the same effect. Its expansibUity will always open the interior of a house constructed of iron to the admission of the flames, and then it is not more secure than if made of wood. In the recent conflagration there were five elegant buildings constructed of plates of cast-iron, three stories high, dtestroyod, besides a great number of corrugated iron houses. The latter offered no check whatever to the fire. They went down as a matter of course. They have proved equally as insecure as wooden houses, and when burnt more expensive, because in their case it does require some outlay to clear the ground of the wreck, whilst in the other nothing but a heap of ashes remains.—San Francisco Herald. SEAI3ORNE MAILS. rti signifies that the mails are sent from the General Post-elites by the night—and M by the morning--dispatch.] When made up in General Post-office 1 London. From what port dis patched. July 27 July 30 July 24 Aug. 3 July 23 . Daily Aug. 12 Aug. 12 . Aug - . 5 . Aug. 3 • July 30 Aug. 5 Tu. 11. S a Aug. 5 Twicedail; July 30 Tues. Sat. Mom. Thur Aug. 5 Twlcedaily !Aug. 23 lAuy, .1 !Aug. 23 PLACES. America (by Brit. pkt,) N July 25 America (by U.S. pkt.) N A ug. 5 America (by U.S. pkt.) 31 J uly 30 .• .• Africa (West coast) N 1 ath of the month Alexandria* ........ N 1 9Lh & 30th of mo. Belgium, .. • . • • NT. tally • • .. .• Brazil .. • .. Mgnh of the month Buenos Ayres M Et4th of the month California(viaChagres)M :al& 17th of month Cape of Good Hope N 14lth of month Constantinople* .. • • N h 17th 27th of mo Central America M 2d' & 17th of mon. Channel Islas • • .. NINE on., Wed., &Fri. Chili .. . 111117 th of the month France .. & N vice daily .. I Greece* •• •• N7thl7th27thofmo Hamburgh N Ti tesday & Friday Holland .. • • .. M W ednes. & Satur. Honduras .. . N I'7 th of the mouth Ireland .. ••M & NI Twice daily India (via Sonthamp.) M'2 oth of the month India (via Marseilles) N 7 tli& 24th ef month . Mediterranean (via Southampton) • • 420 th of the month Mediterranean (via Marseilles) Ninth& 24th ofmonth Mexico .. 2.1i2E1 of the month.. Madeira .. • • .. M,'Stkia of the month Malta* 11 7Z1 0 74 1 1a 0 ,1 f 9111 0 , n 2 t 7 h th Naples* .. • • • • N Li 15th 25th ofmo Papal States* .. N 5 11115th 25th of mo Peninsular.. 331.7'tth 17th 27th of mo Peru .. .. • • • . Mll7th of the month Tuscany* .. NI sth 15th 25th of mo' Nest Indies .. 417th of the month West Indies (except M I Havanna & Nassau) 3,112 d of the month ..ISouthaaapt. Aug.' 5 * The mails to those countries thus marked (*) are conveyed by French packet vI4 Marseilles. *** The Peninsular mail will be made up on the morning of the 28th, in consequence of thus 27th falling upon a Sunday. CALIFORNIA.—MaiIs to tr.nd from California, ma the United States are now despatched and dir. e by every American packet. When due, Liverpool.. Liverpool.. Southampt. Plymouth Dover .. Dover .. Southampt. Southampt. Southampt. Plymouth.. Dover .. Southampt. ,!Southampt. ISouthampt. Dover •• Dover London .. London .. 'Southanapt. Holyhead .. 'Southanapt. ;Dover .. Southampt. I Dover Southampt. Southampt. IDover Dover IlDover Southampt. Southampt. Dover .. Southarapt. 'Aug. 5 Aug. 12 July 28 Aug. 2 ,Aug. 2 !Aug. 5 Aug. 5 , Aug. 2 !Aug. 20 ASSIZE :INTELLIGENCE. NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—York, July 23. CROWN COURT.--(Before Mr Justice WILLIAMS.) Battersby, a ged 22, and Eliza Wilkinson, aged 25, were indicted for the wilful murder of John Wil kinson (the husband of the female prisoner), at Shef field, on the 3d of May last. Mr. Boothby and /dr. Smith prosecuted, and Mr. Overend defended the prisoners. The evidence on which the case rested was purely cir cumstantial. It apptsred from the opening of the learned counsel, supper ted by the evidence, that the de ceased John Wilkinson lived in Wilson's-yard, Sheffield, and teat his family consisted of his wife, the female pri soner, a little girl, his daughter, ten years of age, and a lodger, William Bette rsby, the prisoner, who was a cousin of the female prisoner, and was employed as a porter on the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway. It appeared also that from some cause feelings of jealousy had existee in the mind of the deceased re garding his wife and the prisoner Battersby. On Saturday night, the 3d of May, as late as twenty minutes past eleven o'clock, the deceased was seen quite sober by Joseph Bissett, a hatts.r, who spoke to him, and that the deceased then se,d to him he must get home and get to bed, as he wanted to be up early next morning to go a journey. Ho was also seen by Charles Hatton, a grocer in Dake-street, Sheffield, about the same time, at whose shop he cal'ed. His little daughter, Ann Wilkinson, a very intelligent child, ten years of age, stated that her father and mother and the prisoner Batteraby had. supper together that night, and that she went to be.A atter supper. Battersby was dressed in a fustian waLscoat and trousers. The waist coat had sleeves. Batimrsby slept in the same garret with her, and father and mother slept in the chamber below. Battersby was washing himself when she went to bed. Next morning she beard some one calling, and went down stairs and unlatched the door which led from the kitchen into Wilson's-yard. The door was not locked. Mrs. Johnston and her mother were standing there. Her mother came tewards her and took hold of her wrist and pushed even the door which led out of the kitchen into an inner room, and then cried out "Oh! dear." Mrs. Johnston went into the house, and then her mother ran out, still keeping hold of her wrist. Battersby had his clothes on whilst washing. She then fell asleep. He had a blue-striped shirt on and no shoes on. Her mother had a gown on and no apron when she (witness) went to bed, and no shoes on. Nothing particu ler took place at supper. A few Sundays before she had heard her father say something to her mother about Wil liam Battersby; and she heard her father say the Friday before this happened that he wanted a new coat, and her mother wanted him to wait a bit longer. Her father told her mother she 'was not to go into the town with William Battersby. From the evidence of Mrs. Eliza beth Johnston, who lived next house but one to the deceased, it appeared that the prisoner came to her house about a quarter past 7So'clock on Sunday morning, the 4th of May, and said that she and her husband had been quarrelling, and that he was in such a rage that she hod run up stairs and jumped out of the chamber window, to get out of his way, as she was afraid of her life. She had then no shoes on, and said she wished she had her boots, and wondered whether her husband had gone to feed the horses. The door and the window she said were as she had loft them; and in answer to a question by the wit ness she said she had not looked to see if the key was in the door. Witness then went to the house of the deceased, by the female prisoner's request, to ask her husband for her boots. She shook the door and called out, and the last witness, the little girl, came down and opened the door. The female prisoner im mediately seized hold of her daughter by the arms and went into the kitchen, and through the inner door into another room. She immediately lifted up her arms and cried out " Oh, do come and look." Witness went into thu room and saw the deceased lying on the floor on his face, with his throat cut. She immediately ran out of the house and gave an alarm, and her husband and Mr. Wilson, the landlord, went in. She returned and looked about for come instrument by which the wound in de ceased's throat could have been made. She found none; but her husband found on the floor a white-handled clasp knife. There was meat and butter on a table in the kitchen, and the things on the table and the walls of the kitchen and the ceiling were sprinkled over with blood. The police were sent for, and the female prisoner then said she wished " she had stood her ground, and her husband had killed her too." Witness asked her what had become of Battersby, and she said ho had gone to Belp (a place about 16 miles from Sheffield), to seehis father about 11 o'clock at night, and that after that she and her hus band had quarrelled, and she jumped out of the cham ber window about 12 o'clock to get out of his way. Witness had been in the yard several times the night be fore, about twelve o'clock, and had heard nothing. Wit ness asked her where she had been after she left her house till next morning, when she called upon her? Prisoner said she had come to her door and tried to wake her up, and had thrown pebbles at the window, and that she then went and sat in the petty till two o'clock; that she was afraid to make more noise lest her husband should follow her; that at two o'clock she was very cold and went to Mrs. Lund's house and sat there till she called on witness. Witness said to her there was a cut on her husband's head. She answered he must have done it as he tumbled down. Witness told her the police were taking William Battersby's clothes. She said she hoped there was no blood on them, and that Batteraby had cut his finger on Thursday. The knife that was found was not bloody. The window out of which the prisoner said she jumped was open. The prisoner appeared to be much distressed after the body was found. Mrs. Lund stated, that about two o'clock on Sunday morning, the 4th of May, the prisoner came to her and awoke her, and asked to be lot into the house, as she was very cold. She said she had been quarrelling with her husband about a new coat, and that he had threatened to cat her throat with a razor, and that she had ran away from him about twelve o'clock and jumped out of the window, and that she had been sitting in the petty since. She had no shoes on. Witness left her sitting by the hearth, and went to bed. Thomas Johnston, the husband of the former witness, examined, said his house was nextdoor to the deceased's, and about twelve o'clock, while in his bedroom, he heard an unusual noise in deceased's house, a kind of rumbling noise, as of chairs and tables being knocked about. lie looked out of the window, but saw nothing. This noise continued three or four minutes. Another witness, named Mary Ann Pearson, who lived in Wilson's-yard, at the other side of deceased's house, stated that a little before twelve o'clock on Saturday night, the 3d of May, she heard a great noise of rumbling about of chairs and tables in the de ceased's house, and heard something heavy fall down stairs. Sh e h eard no vo i ces. Thi s no i se continued three or four minutes. She then heard some one run up stairs to the garret and down again. The house door was banged, and some one ran down the yard about twenty minutes after. It was a heavy foot, and the per son had shoes on. The policeman Rogers, and Inspector Attwood, who took the female prisoner into custody, described how the body was found. It was quite cold and stiff. The walls and ceiling of both rooms were sprinkled with blood. In i the garret were found a pair of fustian trousers and a checked shirt belonging to the male prisoner, spotted Iwith blood. They n'terwarcis apprehended Battersby in Wilson's-yard, on his return from Belp, where he had been. Another police•inspector, named Linley, after wards searched the deceased's house and found a bloody stocking in the oven due, and one partly burnt under the oven, soaked in blood. The chamber window was 15 inches wide, 3 feet from the floor, and 12 feet from the yard. There were flower-pots in the window, which were not removed. A piece of lead was on the sill, and in the opinion of Mr. Rayner, the chief constable, no person could have got oat of the window without remov ing that piece of lead. A poker with fresh marks of blood on it was also found in the ash-hole. The pri soner Battersby, on being charged with the murder, said he knew nothing about it, and came to Sheffield to de liver himself up when ho heard of the charge. When in custody the female prisoner said she believed the de ceased had murdered himself, and that he had attempted to commit suicide before by throwing himself into the canal. The latter fact was proved to be true. Mr. Wright, surgeon, of Sheffield, stated that he ex amined the body of the deceased on the sth of May, and found several cuts upon the head, and the skull fractured, particularly on the back part of the head, which was driven in, and the bone broken to pieces. He found coagulated blood on the right side of the brain, which had produced the death of the deceased. The palm of the right hand was bloody, and the upper surface of the thumb was wounded. There was also a wound on toe inside of the joint of the fourth finger, as if by drawing a blunt instrument through it. The front part of the windpipe was cut through. In his opinion this had been done after death, and the injuries on the head of the de ceased could not have been inflicted by himself. The poker produced might have inflicted them. The trousers produced were marked with blood. The prisoner had a superficial wound on his thumb, which would not, in his opinion, account for the blood on his clothes. The shirt and stockings produced were marked with blood. The deceased might have fractured his skull by falling down stairs, but not to the extent that it was fractured. This evidence was corroborated by Mr. Carr, surgeon, of Sheffield. For the defence, the Learned Counsel for the prisoners urged that there was a total absence of evidence to fix the female prisoner with this dreadful crime. It ap peared that a quarrel bad taken place, and the evidence seemed to show that the deceased had offered violence to his wife. If, then, the prisoner Battersby had inter fered to protect her, as most men would have done, it was possible in the row and struggle which took place that the deceased might have received the injuries of which he had died, and all the appearances would be ex plained. His LORDSHIP, in summing up, directed the jury that they must find whether the prisoners or either of them were guilty of taking the life of the deceased. If they were of opinion that the male prisoner had done this alone they must then say whether the female prisoner had assisted and abetted him. They must then consider whether the offence amounted to murder or to man slaughter. The argument in favour of the latter conclu sion would have been more powerful had the death been caused by less violence. It was difficult to account for that violence on the latter suggestion. They would take the whole circumstances of the case into their considera tion, and say whether, on a careful consideration, they were justified in finding a verdict of manslaughter. It was, however, only on a grave doubt that the charge of murder was not made out that they could arrive at that conclusion. The jury retired, and, after a short absence, found the prisoners both Guilty of manslaughter. His LORDSHIP, in passing sentence, said the crime of which the prisoners had been convicted approached so nearly to murder, that he should not be doing his duty to the country if he did not pass upon them a sentence next in severity to that for murder. His Lordship then sentenced both the prisoners to be transported for life. The female prisoner fainted on hearing the sentence. The trial occupied all day till seven o'clock. HOME ClRCUlT.—Chelm,lord, July 24. CROWN SIDE —(Before Chief Juitiee Jeaves.) George Crouch Viall surrendered to be tried upon a charge of having wilfully and feloniously set fire to his dwelling-house, with intent to defraud the Essex and Suffolk Equitable Insurance Company. Mr. M. Chambers, Q.C., and Mr. Rodwell were counsel for the prosecution; the prisoner was defended by Mr. Ballantine and Mr. Parnell. This trial commenced on Wednesday afternoon, and was adjourned until this morning, and occupied nearly the whole of the day. It appeared from the opening statement of the Learned Counsel for the prosecution and the evidence that was adduced in support of it, that the prisoner had carried on business in a small way at Manningtreo as a hair-dresser, stationer, and dealer in hardware for several years, and it appeared that in the month of March, 1850, he effected an insurance with the Essex and Suffolk Insurance Company for the sum of 3001. for stock and fixtures in his shop. The fire which formed the subject of inquiry took place about half-past three o'clock on the morning of the 17th of November following, and a few days afterwards the prisoner made a claim upon the company for 2031. for loss of stock in trade, and 331. for fixtures. This led to the usual in quiries in such cases, and in the result the prisoner was taken into custody, and committed for trial upon the present charge. The case would have been disposed of at the last spring assizes, but upon the application of the counsel for the prosecution tho trial was postponed to these assius. The evidence against the prisoner was of the same character usually adduced to sup port charges of this description, and consisted of a variety of minute facts, all tending to show, in the first place, that the fire was not an accidental one, and se condly to occlude the supposition that the act could have been committed by any other person than the prisoner. It was shown that about the time the fire broke out the prisoner and his wife and children were in the garden of their house, and one of them was heard to sey, " They will be suffocated," or words to that effect, and it ap peared that although there were three water-butts nearly full of water in the yard, the prisoner made no use of them, and did not make any endeavour to extin guish the fire, which at that time could easily have been done, as the firemen subdued it very speedily when they arrived. It likewise appeared that the prisoner's claim for loss very far exceeded the value of the property that was destroyed, and it was proved that the prisoner had takeu a sackfuil of different articles to a cottage in the neighbourhood on the morning of the fire, none of which exhibited the least appearance of having been in smoke or fire. In addition to these facts evidence was given that there had been an endeavour to make it ap pear that some person bad male a felonious entrance into the premises, and that holes had been bored in the backdoor, by which a piece of wood had been removed large enough to admit a hand, and by that means open the lock, but it was pretty clearly made out that the greater part of these holes had been bored from the in side, and not the outside, of the house. There were also a variety of other little circumstances, all tending to es tablish the guilt of the prisoner. Mr. BALLANTINE addressed the jury with his usual zeal and ability for the defence, and he endeavoured to show that although they might feel that there was a strong case of suspicion, yet that the evidence was not sufficiently conclusive to compel them to find the pri soner guilty. The CHIEF JUSTICE having summed up, The jury, after a short deliberation, found the pri soner Guilty, and he was sentenced to be transported for ten years. Peter Holden, 39, labourer, was indicted for burgle riously breaking into the cellar of a shop, and stealing some tobacco, cheese, and other articles, the property of Samuel Harvey. Mr. Rodwell conducted the prosecution, and Mr. R. B. Barton defended the prisoner. This case was one of rather a singular character. It appeared that the prosecutor is a grocer at Manning tree, and late at night on the 29th of April a police constable, who was passing the premises, observed the trap-door of the cellar (pen, and this exciting his suspicion, he watched about, and in a short time a man came out of the cellar carrying a bundle. He at tempted to seize him, but the man made a violent re sistance, and the officer vets compelled to use his staff, and struck several blows, as he imaained from the sound, upon the head of the person, and he was some what surprised to find that they did not have the usual effect, and the man at length succeeded in making his escape, leaving his booty behind him. Upon a search being made at the spot were the struggle took place the con stable found a false hand made of wood, which had evi dently received the blows intended for the head of the thief, and which had been knocked from its socket. The constable immediately set about to discover to whom the hand belonged, but here he met with some difficulty, for it appeared that there were other persons in Manning tree who had had the misfortune to lose a hand, and who now wore a wooden one screwed upon a stump similar to that which had been picked up; but at length the officer got a clue to the prisoner, and upon seeing him ho immediately recognised him as the man he saw coma out of the cellar, and he was accordingly committed upon the present charge. A good deal of the evidence for the prosecution, in addition to that of the officer, con sisted of testimony to show that the hand which had been picked up belonged to the prisoner, and one of the witnesses, an old woman, swore positively that she re membered the h an d a great many years , an d that it was the same ho wore, and represented that she knew it particularly by the spring band that was round it. It turned out, however, that this band was one whieh had only been patented within the last three or four years. _ - Mr. BARTON made an ingenious speech to the jary on behalt of the prisoner, contending that his identity had not been sufficiently established, and that the evidence with regard to the hand that was found being that of the prisoner was not sufficient to warrant them in finding him guilty of so serious a charge. A man named Finch was called as a witness, who, it appeared, was one of the one handed men of Manning. tree, and he stated that he had been in the habit of lend ing the prisoner his hand, or, as the Learned Judge facetiously remarked, " lending a hand " to the prisoner on several occasions, since his own had been burnt many years before ; and he said that the hand which was picked up did not belong to the prisoner. Mr. BARTON then called a woman with whom the pri soner cohabited as a witness, and she attempted to prove that he was at home with her on the night of the rob bery, and also stated that she had herself - burnt the pri soner's wooden hand some time ago. This statement, however, was contradicted by another witness, who stated that ho had burnt it; and it was pretty ele ir that her evidence was not much to be depended upon. The jury eventually found the prisoner Guilty; 'and as it appeared that he bore a very bad character, he was sentenced by the Learned Judge to be transported for fifteen years. Dispatches Were sent off yesterday evening from the Colonicl-noffi g. ce, for the Governors of Malta, Ceylon, and JULY 25 1851. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. GUILDHALL. John Henry Priddle, the money-taker of the City and Iron Steam-boat Company at Blackfriars- bridge pier, was summoned before Alderman Sir Chapman Marshall, " for that he did, on the 21st day of July inst., at Black friars pier, in Loudon, unlawfully and unjustly detain the sum of 2d., the moneys of the complainant." A gentleman from the office of Mr. Cattarns, the se cretary and solicitor to the cbmpany, defended. Mr. Henry Ramsey Foster, of 5, Tillotson's-place, Waterloo-bridge, said that on Monday last in the after noon, he went on the pier in question for the purpose of proceeding to Waterloo-bridge. He paid 2d. for a tic ket, and after waiting about twenty minutes, during which time he noticed three boats pass down the river and none up, at length the boat came, and touched at the pier to put some passengers down, but without stopping to take on board a single passenger; although there were about sixty people waiting on the pier, it proceeded on its journey. Complainant then went to the money taker and demanded his money back, as he could not wait any longer, and the ticket was only available for the day issued and from that particular pier. Defendant said there was another boat coming through Southwark bridge at the time, and refused to return the money. Complainant told him he could not wait for it, and de fendant said, " Oh! you're the only person left behind." Complainant pointed to the crowded state of the pier, and told him that there at least sixty others who were also disappointed. The defence set up was that the boat in questio❑ was an extra boat dispatched to clear all the piers, because the traffic on the river that day was greater than usual. On its arrival at Blackfriars•bridge it was too crowded to admit any more passengers, and it accordingly passed on, as there was another boat immediately behind which would have accommodated every one on the pier. The company did not believe complainant could have waited the time he had stated without having the opportunity of going by one of their boats, as they ran every seven minutes. Sir CHAPMAN MARSHALL was surprised that the com pany should have defended such a case; if their regula tions would not allow them to run their boats more fre quently they should not inconvenience the public by misleading them. The complainant had acted with great propriety, and it was only reasonable that, after waiting twenty minutes without being allowed to proceed by the boat when it arrived, he should expect his money. back. He thought it would be a better arrangement if they were to have a kind of telegraph to work from pier to pier, in order that parties might not be kept waiting, when they might, by such means, be informed that tee boat was full and would not be able to take them. Under the circumstances he would order defendant to return the money and pay the costs. 2s. costs were then paid, and the 2d. fare returned. LAMBETH. Two well-dressed women, one remarkably fine grown and good looking, and the other rather slight, and not very prepossessing in her appearance, presented them selves before the Hon. G. C. Norton, and the former, addressing the magistrate, said her name was Ann Bailey, arid that she was the person described in the newspapers of Tuesday last, whose disappearance was so mysterious, and who was believed by her friends to be the individual that had been murdered in the neighbourhood of Norwich. She further stated that the person who accompanied her was Mrs. Gooch, another of the alleged missing parties, and that the object of their attendance before his worship was to con tradict the statement that appeared in the newspapers, and remove from the minds of her friends the impres sion that she had met with any violent or improper treatment. Mr. NORTON asked Ann Bailey if she had communi cated with her sister, Mrs. Faucett, who had made the application on her behalf ; and she replied that she bad not ; that the feeling between her sister and herself was not of the most friendly description, and, therefore, she had no particular wish to see her. Mr. NORTON thought it desirable that the parties should be seen and spoken to by Mrs. Faucett, and directed Sergeant Grant to take them to her residence for that purpose. In about two hours after Ann Bailey, Mrs. Gooch, and Mr. and Mrs. Faucett, accompanied by Sergeant Quiunear, P 1, entered the court, when Sergeant Quin near addressing Mr. Norton said, that in consequence of the statement which appeared in the newspapers on Tuesday, on the evening of that day a person named Neeves, who was foreman over Gooch and other work men when employed at the mansion of Baron de Gold amid, at Tunbridge, called at the station in Lock's-fields, and informed Mr. Robinson, the superintendent, that Gooch and Ann Bailey had been seen in the vicinity of the Edgeware-road by a painter in the employ of Mr. Piper, of 42, Eastcheap, and who, he had no doubt, could give some information as to where they could be found. Mr. Rubinson, upon this information, dispatched him (Quinnear) in search of the man in question, whose name is M'Kennelee, who informed him that he had drank with Gooch and Ann Bailey, on Friday last, at a public-house in the Edge ware-road, and that they were living in that neighbourhood, but he could not say exactly where. On that (yesterday) forenoon the young woman, Ann Bailey, came to the station-house and said that she and Mrs. Gooch had called at this court to con tradict the report that had gone abroad about them, and that the magistrate had sent them to Mrs. Faucett, her sister, and that Mrs. Gooch, not wishing to see her sister, had gone home. By direction of Mr. Robinson, his su perintendent, he (Quinnear) accompanied the young woman to the Edgeware-rcad, and took both her and Mrs. Gooch back to the residence of Mrs. Faucett, and requested the attendance of all the parties before his worship. Mrs. Faucett, in reply to a question from the ma gistrate, admitted that her sister, Ann Bailey, and Mrs. Gooch, now present, were the persons she alluded to in her statement to his worship on Monday last. The young woman acknowledged that she had left her place with Gooch, the painter, to be married, as he had represented himself to her to be a single man, but the ceremony bad not taken place, and she dis covered that she had been deceived by him. The rea son, she said, why she had not informed her sister of where she lived and what she was doing, was that her sister and herself had never been ou the most kindly terms. She admitted that she still lived with her seducer and his wife, but was solely under the protection of the latter, and appealed to Mrs. Gooch for a confirmation of her statement, that nothing improper took place between her and the husband of that per- son aitor discovering that ho was a married man. Mrs. Gooch ackuowledged the fact, but said that the sooner she took herself off the better. Mr. Faucett, the brother-in-law of the young merest], offered to take her home and keep her till she was pro vided with another situation—an offer which she ac. cptcd, and thus the matter terminated. Mrs. Faucett expressed her thanks to the magistrate for his kind suggestion, and relieving many menabc-rs of her family from the most serious end unpleasant conjectures; and Slr. NORTON, in reply, said he was very glad the af fair had not turned cut to be of so serious a enaracter as was at first apprehended. HINTS TO HATTERS. Hats are a great nuisance ; no man out of Bedlam disputes that. They are an absurd roofing for the capital of the human column—the noblest member of the human body. In the past history of English costume, we can find no cover for men's heads sq egre giously ridiculous as that which posterity will see to have been worn by the heroes of '5l. In a crowd they are in the way of those behind us if we keep them on and they probably get smashed if we take them off : we have to hold them gingerly, manoeuvre them, have two thoughts for the hat and one thought for ourselves. They are a source of headaches, and in windy weather they call our attention from all other thoughts, because our minds must then be concentrated on the hat. We must press it over our brows tightly enough to cause a deep red nng upon the forehead, and that done, we must be on the alert for any puff of wind which may require us to carry up our hands for its preservation ; because the great surface of a column slenderly supported at its base, renders it very liable to be blown over. . . . The abandonment of hats, with out injury to hatters, is a change row gradually taking place. You shake your head. IVell, we will put by that suggestion for a few minutes, and consider what sort of substitute for chimney-pot hats we, in this country, may be expected reasonably to desire. The Greek cap:is often pointed to as something picturesque. In as far as its shape accords with the wearer's head, and does not caricature the outline of the wearer's body, it is very well. It suits the costume and climate of th e G ree k s , b u t I diffi dently submit, not the English dress and drizzle. A cap of many colours would not match our sober broad-cloth dress, and a so b er s k u ll- ca p, without any brim, would pour the rain that fell on it over our faces in wet we a th er . I n E ng l an d , cer tainly, the brim is an essential portion of a hat : we want eaves to the roofing of our heads ;—not monstrous , .um brella brims, lik e th ose o f th e h a t s see n in the rums department of our Exhibition, but a moderate projection. Th e G ree k, ' wou ld have put brims to their cap s if th ey h a d li ve d under an English sky. Up the 'White Nile, the ICeks are a race of people w ear i ng s k u ll- ca ps. They coat their hair with the Nile mud, letting it dry in the sun, so that they seem to go about entirely bald, with earthen skull-caps. If they lived in a rainy country, it would not need many showers to inform the m that a mud-pie was unpleasant wearing. Every man to his taste ; but neither mud caps, nor Greek caps, would suit London weather. A simple head-cover ing, a skull-cap with a brim, would answer . the exigencies of our case the simplest manner. Such a head-covering was introduced, n o t many years ago, under the name of " wide-awak e ," by hat ters. It was made of felt, and was meant fer garden wear. Such hats have been long worn by our rustic population. Who would have supp ose d t h at hatters themselves, introducing " wide-awakes," began unconsciously to work the hat reform? Our English ladies, with ou t ca lli ng meetings or creating aoy stir, have done what English gentlemen have talked . about, ha ve f or their own parts done away with hat . s . fir th e i r own Equestrian wear. Ladies who nue with cylinders upon their heeds are now no lon ger t o b e seen. They wear the wide-awake;" th e y are emancipated; they ap pear . pear reasonable h a t s, an d never w ill be seen in cylinder s aga i n. Om i tting feathers, an d suc h decorations as become the English woman, but do not become the man, hats of this form can b. adapted to our male costume, and by this change of fasii ? n, there accrues no injury to hatters. The change will 1 not be made by public meetings, or by the Anti-Hat Association. It is a change in progress, slowly but surely, following the current of opinion. The time has arrived when any hatter may perceive the point to which the public taste is tending. The rest of the hat reform is in the hands of hatters ; if they will leave off making cylinders, and offer to the public hats resembling those now worn by ladies—modifications of the wide-awake—they will be well backed by the public.—Dickens's " Household Words." IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, July 24. Their Lordships met at Five o'clock to hear the Royal Assent given by Commission to certain Bills. The Lords COMMiSSiOLICTS were the LORD CHANCELLOR, the LORD PRIVY SEAL, and the Earl Of CARLISLE. The following were the public Bills which received the Royal Assent:— Survey of Great Britain. School Sites Acts Amendment. Landlord and Tenant. Prisons (Scotland). British White Herring Fishery. Common Lodging Houses. Lodging Houses. Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. Highway Rates. Loan Societies. Militia Ballots Suspension. Assessed Taxe.f Composition. Public Wor ks, Fisheries, &c. Apprentices to Sea Service (Ireland) (No. 2), Marriages (India). Turnpike Acts Continuance. Turnpike Trusts Arrangement. Inhabited House Duty. Burgesses and Freemen's Parliamentary Franchise. Chorley's Waterworks. Malmesbury Turnpike Roads. North and South-Western Junction Railway. Manchester Waterworks Taw Vale Railway and Dock. Great Southern and Western Railway (Ireland). Ministers' Widows and Orphans Fund of the Free Church of Scotland. Great Western Railway (Railways to connect the Bir mingham and Oxford Junction Railway with the London and North-Western Railway at Birming ham, &c.). St. Patrick's Cathedral (Dublin). York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway (Branch to West Durham Railway, Eke.). York, Newcastle. and Berwick Railway (Abandonment of part of Bishop Auckland Branch, &c.) Dee Standard Restoration. Midland Railway (Purchase of Leeds and Bradford Railway, and Increase of Capital). Bolton, Blackburn, Clitheroe, and West Yorkshire Railway. Stockton, Middlesbrough, Yarm, &c. Waterworks. Cam Navigation (No. 2). Cork and Waterford Railway. Great Malv,•rn Improvement, Police, Sewers, Water works, and Gas. London (City) Sewers. South Staffordshire Railway (Branches to join the Bir mingham, Wolverhampton, and Stour Valley Rail way, &c.). Birmingham Improvement. Newark-upon- Crant Improvement and Market. Caledonian Railway (Motherwell Branch Extension and Lesmahagow Branches). Brighton Extra-Mural Cemetery. East Anglian Railways. Electric Telegraph Company. Ulveratone and Lancaster Railway. East Stonehouse Waterworks. Waterford and Tramore Railway. Midland Railway (Extension of Time, &c.). Waterford and Limerick Railway. Killarney Junction Railway. Itchin Bricla,e and Roads. Copper Miners in England Company. Dublin, Dundrum, and Rathfarnham Railway. Waterford, 'Wexford, Wicklow, and Dublin Railway. Edinburgh Royal Asylum for the Insane. Bath Improvement, Markets, Waterworks, and Bath Commons or Preemen's Estate. Great Northern Railway (No. 2). St. Bartholomew's Hospital Estate. Cubitt's Estate. Upton's Estate. Ithbridge's Estate. Jackson's Estate. Their Lordships then adjourned during pleasure. On their Lordships resuming, The Earl of ABERDEEN presented a petition from Doaeraile against the Ecclesiastical Titles Assump tion Bill. CIVIL BILLS (IRELAND) BILL. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE moved the second reading of the Civil Bills (Irelaud) Bill. The object of the Bill was to extend the jurisdiction of the assistant barristers in Ireland from matters in which 20/. only was in litigation to matters in which the amount in litigation was 401. The Bill also codified and embodied in one statute all the laws relating to the jurisdiction of assistant-barristers in Ire land. It was a digest of all the laws relating to the civil bill practise and jurisdiction of assistant-barristers' courts in Ireland. It proposed to give to the assistant barristers'courts jurisdiction in all cases relating to insol vency, thus doing away with the necessity for the Commissioners for the Relief of Insolient Debtors going circuit—an arrangement which would greatly facilitate the administration of justice.—(Hear, hear.) The Bill made the Civil Bills Court a court of original jurisdiction, giving the Court the power of awarding costs to witnesses; it also gave the Civil Bills Court ab solute jurisdiction in all cases of legacy under 201., whatever might be the value of the estate upon which the legacy was charged. It gave them power over eject ments in cases of tenants at win, just as if they held under leases from tneir landlords. The result of such a clause would relieve landlords from the necessity of keeping their tenants under a perpetual notice to quit. Under such circumstances the assistant-barristers would be entitled to an increase of salary. At present they received but 4001. a year. In future they would be paid out of the consolidated fund. What their salaries were to be would be best seen from the schedules attached to the Bill. In future, stamps were to be used in the Civil Bills Court, and the revenue de, wed therefrom, it was calculated, would meet all the increased expense. Any objections which might be urged against the different clauses he should be most ready to discuss in Committee. T. e Earl of LUCA N fully appreciated this Bill, which he believed would turn out to be a very useful measure His objection to it was that the jurisdiction of these courts had not been made more extensive. At a future stage of the Bill he would attempt to extend their juris diction to the same extent as the County Courts in Eng land, namely, to 501. He would also move in the Com mittee that the assistant-barristers be allowed to appoint their own officers to carry out their decrees. The Earl of ST. GERMANS would not oppose the second reading of this Bill, but he must lament that it had been brought down to the House on the same day that the appropriation clause bad been introduced into the House of Commons. Had it been otherwise, he would have moved that this Bill, with its 160 clauses, be referred to a Select Committee, where it would be better dealt with than in the House it self. It was quite impossible for the House to go mi nutely through the many clauses of this Bill in the pre sent session. Lord MONTEAGLE observed that the Bill had been very carefully considered elsewhere, and, as far as he could judge, no reasonable opposition could be offered to it. They were all friendly to the Bill, and anxious to carry it through Parliament. He thought that they could get through it in one day in a Select Committee, had drawn with the atsistance of the law officers who up f the hs N Bi o ll h . le He Fr shouldend shouldbe sorry b e of t o o p m in a io lc u e s th u a c t h motion,, it would endanger the passing of the Bill during the pre sent session. The Earl of GLENGALL thought that the jurisdic tion of the Bill should be extended to 504 After a few words in reply from the Marquis of CLANRICARDE, Lord BEAUMONT objected on general grounds to Bills of this importance being introduced into that House at so late a period of the session. The principle of this Bill was admitted on all sides, but it was entirely a ques tion of details, which would have been b e tt er arranged in a Committee upstairs. CHELTENHAM IMPROVEMENT AND HEALTH BILL. Earl FITZHARDINGE moved that this Bill should be recommitted, in order that further evidence might be given against certain clauses of it. Lord ABINGER, as chairman of the Committee, thought the recommittal was unnecessary. Lord REDESDALE considered it would be a bad precedent if, after having ref erred a Bill to a Committee, they did not abide by the report of the Committee. After a short discussion, their Lordships divided, when there appeared— Content 11 ••• •• • Not Content •• 19 Majority against the recom mittal —8 The report was then received. Lord BERNERS presented several petitions from agricultural districts complaining of distress and pray ing for relief. Referring to one of these petitions (from what part of the country we could not hear), the Noble Lord said h e h ad received severa l l e tters fro m t h e chair men and vic e - c h a i rmen o f boards of guardians confirm ing the all ega ti ons o f the petition, that the manufactur bag operatives were beginning to press upo n t h e land, and that great distress existed among them. It was stated in the newspapers that 6,000 of the operatives of Nottingham were thrown upon the rates. He went himself to the relieving officer and found that the state ment was substantially true, and that one-tenth of the population were receiving relief. This wasiinot a state of prosperity, and the condition of Leicester was no better. The last Poor-law returns of the number re ceiving relief were fallacious, because they did not give t he whole numb( r of un i ons and parishes t h at came under the cognizance of the board. These re turns appeered to show a reduction of 60,000 in the numbers relieved, but they did not state the cause of this reduction, or that there was a great decrease in the value of provisions, or that there was a decrease in one portion of pauo'erism, - namfdy, in the 30 000 vagrants. The increase, of crime and the decrease of depositsin saving, -banks Ance free trade was esta blished, could not be controverted. The petitioners ad verted to tho reports of the Select Committee of both Houses which sat last year to inquire into the law of settlement, as proving that this law was the chief grievance under which the labouring classes suffered. For 30 yisrs h" had to irlorlve their e,,edi. .„. tioh, but, when ha thought lie bad achieved some good, thwarted he was met by the law of settlement, which Mr. E. B. ROCHE could not concur in the rococo mendation of the Hon. and Gallant Member. The duty of putting the measure in force could not b 3 en trusted to better handy than the Poor-law Com missioners. The amendment was ultimately withdrawn, anti the clause agreed to. On eh:use 7 being proposed, Mr. VESEY moved an amendment to the effect; that an annual subscription of 11. or a donation of 201. V 3 any of the medical charities to be established under the, Bill should entitle the donor or subscriber to serve an the committee of management. Atter some discussion, the Committee divided, •vs hen there appeared— F,,r the amendment ... ••• ... 27 Against it Majority The amendment was consequently lost. Colonel DUNNE next moved an amendment re quiring the boards of management to be elected by the ratepayers. Sir W. SOMERVILLE opposed it, as there would' be difficulty as well as expense in assembling the ri payers. - The amendment was then withdrawn, and the clai ISO was ordered to stand part of tho Bill. Clause 8, with some slight amendment, was agreed to. The CHAIRMAN was then directed to report pro gress and ask leave to sit again; and the House having resumed, he did so accordingly. The House adjourned at Three till Five o'clock. The House resumed at Five o'clock. ROYAL ASSENT. The Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod appeared at the table, and summoned the House to attend at the. bar of the Lords, to hear the Royal assent given t( several public and private Bills (for which see Lordi? report.) On the return of the SPEAKER he annoninceid the titles of the Bills which had been so assented to. INCOMES OF BISHOPS. In reply to Sir B. HALL, Mr. GOULBURN stated that when bishops g ave leases to trustees for their own benefit, the full value of the property ought to appear in the returns of their in comes; but he was unable to say whether or no the vsrdue of such leases granted by the bishops appeared in the recent return laid upon the table. ALDEIi MAN SALO MONS. Sir B. HALL thought it advisable to state what course he intended to take with reference to the petitio:a from the electors of Greenwich, The Noble Lord at the head of the Goverirment had postponed his resole-” tion respecting Alderman Salomons until Friday next. N.iw he (Sir B. Hall) would prevent the above petition to-morrow and move that it be printed with the totes in order that it might be placed in thee hands of Members by Saturday morning. He was per mitted by the Noble Lord to say that instead of pressing his resolution on Friday, he would further postpone it until Monday. and he (Sir B. Hall) would then take the opportunity of moving that the electors be heard at the bar of the House, Lord J. RUSSELL said it was his intention to move the resolution on Monday, but he thought it would be better for the Hon. Baronet to move his proposition that the electors of Greenwich be heard at the bar as a sub. stantive motion. PETITIONS. Mr. DISRAELI presented a petition from a parisl . complaining of the tithe commutation. Mr. NEWDEGATE presented a petition from t► place in the west of England complaining of agricultural distress. Mr. MACKINNON presented a petition from certain merchants c.f the city of Li:2l,n, praying for the removal of the obstacles which stand in the way of ex amining the baggage of passengers from France in London. SALMON FISHERIES (SCOTLAND) BILL. The order of the day for the second reading of this Bill was discharged. PAgSENGERS' BAGGAGE. Mr. MACKINNON wished to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, or the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, what obstacles there are to the examination of the baggage of passengers from France in London, i ns t ead of at the outports of Folkestone anti Dover, on th e same principle as is now adopt e d in France, of e xam i ning the baggage of passengers from England at Paris instead of at Boulogne or Calais? Mr. C. LIATIS said the matter referred to was now under the consideration of the Treasury, who were in communication with the Board of Customs on the subject. METROPOLITAN SEWERS BILL. In reply to Mr. FITZROY, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said be hoped there would be no serious objection to this Bill, and if he oould he should proceed with the second read ing to-morrow. REGISTRATION OF ASSURANCES BILL. In reply to Mr. MILLINGS, Lord J. RUSSELL said it was not his intention to proceed with the above Bill this session, but it was with reluctance that he abandoned the Bill, and the sub ject would be renewed at the earliest opportunity next session. Mr. HAWES obtained leave to bring in a Bill for the arrangement of claims of the New Zealand Company on the Crown, and for regulating the affairs of certain settlements established by the said company in New Zealand. The Bill was read a first time, and ordered to be printed. Colonel DUNNE wished to know whether the Go , vernment proposed to proceed with the Irish Bills that stood on the paper for this night, some of which were of greet I • LL) p - _, )r ta n ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that he intended to be guided by such arrangements as he could make with the Irish Members upon the subject. CUSTOMS' BILL—THE NAVIGATION-LAWS. On the motion for the third reading of this Bill, Mr. HERRIES moved as an amendment, "That an humble address be presented to her Majesty, praying that she will be graciously pleased to direct the proper. steps to be taken for giving effect to those provisions of the Act 12 and 13 Vic., c. 29 ((or the repeal of the na vigation-law:.), whereby her Majesty is empowered to adopt towards any foreign country., in which a prefer ence is given, directly or indirectly, to national vessels over British vessels, such measures as may appear to her Majesty justly to countervail the disadvantages to which British trade and navigation is so subjected." He said the Government had vaunted much of the great advantages which already resulted from the repeal of the navigation-laws. The shipowners, who could bear the beat testimony on the subject, had, how ever, come forward to state that directly the opposite effect had been the result. They said they received a much less amount of treight, which showed that their remuneration had bean diminished, and, he must say, that they, in common with the cultivators of the soil, were unremunerated. Freights had decreased by 30 per cent. Freights, from calculation, which, previous to the repel of those laws, had been 51. 4s. in 1850, had fallen to 3/. 13, 6d. Frotn Bitubay, which had been 5/. 16s. 6d,, had been reduced to 21. 155., which was equivalent to a diminution of 38 per cent., but, on a view of the re duction of freights generally, thedecrease was equal to 30 per cent. They not only compliined of a diminution of freight, but also of diminished employment, and not with•ii.o.n4ing, that it was ,IlrigeJ e '& 4 not compete with them, the fact was that the British ships were driven from the market, that English his efforts. An union settlement, would be no benefit but the amendment of the present law of settlement wt is imperatively rt quired, because, in proportion as the or decreast d tip! area in which the poor man could label: ir, they decreased the value of that labour. He agreed wi ,th the petitioners that the relief of the poor was a nat'it as object to which all ought to contribute accordin v; their ability. The Earl of MINTO presented a petition fret 2 the ministers and elders of the General Assembly of th e Church of Scotland, against Pupal aggression. On the motion of the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, the Chimney sweepers Regulation Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. The Earl of CARLISLE presented numerous p s•ti tions from Wesleyan congregations against Papal ag gression. - The NOBLE EARL laid upon the table a Bill:for the better administration of capitular estates. Lord MONTEAGLE gave notice that he would a love, as an instruction to the Clmmittee on the licelesiaa ticel Titles Bill, to except Ireland from the jurisdiction of that Bill. lie should also propose a clause exempting from the penalties of the Bill ecJesiastics of the Bo with Church it they were not styled bishops, &c., of any particular see, but were sty l e d , i n t h e wor d s of the Cha ritable Bequests Act, as bishops, &e., exorcising ; spiri tual funcrions within certain districts. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, July 24- (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterd Is y.) MEDICAL CHARITIES (IRELAND) BIT, L. The House then went into Committee on this "Bat— Mr. BERNAL in the chair. On the 6th clause being moved, Mr. REYNOLDS moved the following pro vi so:-- Provided always, that in every di s p ensar y, di str j et ", an d other charity where only oce medical officer ahal I be ap pointed, every such officer shall be required to p ossess the double qualification of either " physical' a ad, sur geon," or of " apothecary and surgeon." Sir W. SOMERVILLE opposed the proviso. Mr. WHITESIDE supported it. After some discussion the Committee divide Id, when there appeared-- For the proviso ... ... 6 Against it ... ... 65 Majority ... --594 The proviso was accordingly lost. Mr. G. A. HAMILTON then moved the folio+ ring ad dition to the clause: " Provided always,and be it enacted, that in making any order or any rules and reg mlationa touching the qualifications of persons eligible to fill the offices of medical attendants to any dispensary, la ospital, or infirmary under this Act, it shall be lawful for I he said Commissioners, and they are her e by requ i re d t o ca ll i n the Presid en t o f . the King and Queen's College ted Phy sicians, and the President of the Royal College .of Sur geons, Ireland, for the time being, and in all matters touching such order or rules and regulations re 3 peeling the qualifications of such mEdical attendants, h a t on no other, the said Presidents respectively shall hay e a vote. and shall have equal authority with each of the said Commissioners as aforesaid." Sir WILLIAM SOMERVILLE objected to The ad dition, and it was negatived without a division. Colonel DUNNE then moved the omission of the clause altogether ; but the Hon. and Gallant : Wernher said he would consent to its standing part of the Bill if Government would allow the boards of guardians ;to have vie power of selecting and managing the medited dis trete instead of the. Poor-law Commissioners, as title Bill provided.