The Sun. — London, England, 1850-03-15 00:00:00

CHESTER *AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY. The usual half-yearly general meeting of the pro prietors of the Chester and Holyhead Railway was he ld ld y es terday at the Eastern Station ; Captain Moorsom the chair. The meeting was very numerously attended. The advertisement convening the meeting, and the minutes of the former meeting having been read, the common seal was affixed to the register of shareholders, after which the following report was read by the secretary : " The Tubular Bridge over the Menai Straits having been completed for a single line, the directors have taken measures to avail themselves of it with the least possible delay. It is understood that the Inspector on behalf of the Government will visit the Bridge to-mor row, and on his report, it will bei irraediately opened for public use. For full particulars in respect to this great work the directors beg to refer you to Mr. Ste phenson's report. "Referring to the statement in the last half-yearly report, the directors are not prepared to recommend the creation of any shares in liquidation of arrears of interest on original shares. " The statement of the revenue account shows a net receipt of 42,920 L 13s. 7d. since the opening of the line, and he amount of dividend paid to the preference share holders having been 39,9971. 4s. 103., it appears that (exclusive of some further amount that may be due for mail service and Chester and Shrewsbury Railway toll, under arbitration) there is a surplus of 2,9231. Bs. 9d. The directors propose that from and after the Ist January, 1850, all payments on account of interest and dividend out of capital should cease, and that a separate revenue account should be opened. " The directors are making th e necessary prepara tions for the closing of the capital account immediately upon the completion of the works, and they refer with satisfaction to the statement of the probable cost, fur nished under the attestation of Mr. Coleman, which proves the general accuracy of the estimates submitted to idle shareholders on the 16th March, 1849. The statement of accounts, which is already in possession of the shareholders, has been drawn up by the same emi nent accountant. " The directors, believing that it would be for the in terest of the company, as well as greatly for the public benefit, that the entire communication between Chester and Kingstown should be managed by them, tendered to her Majesty's Government for the performance of the mail service across the Channel, at the lowest rate which they believed would cover the working charges, even when taking into account the peculiar advantages which they possess in the railway traffic to and from the port of embarkation. That tender has been declined; and the directors have therefore to regret that this service may be placed in the hands of other parties, a proceeding so entirely at variance with the Wong opinion 'repeatedly expressed in and acted upon by Parliament to the effect ' that a continuous management was necessary to the proper working of the traffic between this country and Ireland;' and which must result in serious public inconvenience. " The now before Parliament will be submitted for the approval cf the shareholders at this meeting, which ha; been special for the purpose. It will be ob served that the powers conferred by this Bill are merely permissive, and the directors do not propose to take any steps under it without bringing the whole matter again before the shareholders. They are at present enge.ged in communication awith her Majesty's Government (the course of which has been delayed by the illness of the Chancellor of the Exchequer), having for their object such assistance as will enable the company to complete the undertaking at the earliest period; but while a correspondence on this important subject is actually in progress, and the directors are also in communication with other partiee, with reference to the working of the line, and the development of the traffic, it would obviously be in jurious to the interests of the company prematurely to give publicity to the particulars of the negotiations. As they have reasen to believe that these negotiations a ill shortly ba brought to a close, they purpose then to call a special general meeting, to which they will submit the result, -together with measures which the directors may be praparei to recommend. " The arrears of calls due at the last half-yearly meeting amounted to 44,595/., since which 3,928/. 10e. have teen realised, leaving a balance of 40,6661. 10e. The directors have used every endeavour to recover pay ment of the balance, and have been compelled to resort in some cases to legal proceedings, which, as anticipated in tke last report, have only been partially successful. In consequence, your confirmation is require' to a declara tion made by the directors of the forfeiture of certain shares (475 in number), the holders of which are in solvent. 'The directors further request your authority to dispose of these shares in such manner as may be found advisable." " The arbitration upon the amount due for the Mail Service is not yet completed, but the directors have re ceived a payment of 25,000/. on account, and anticipate that the award will very shortly be made. "It was anticipated that the line would have been opened throughout previously to this meeting, in which case an election of directors would have been necessary, but as this has been unavoidably delayed, the present directors will continue in office until the next half yearly meeting!, eccording to the terms of the Act." The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report, was at a loss a hether to congratulate or condole with the meeting on this occasion. Their line had resulted in a saving to the public of somo 60,0001., while commu nication between London and Dublin had been shortened by 'four or six hours. Now what had the shareholders gamed by this ? w;-,y, absolutely nothing--worse than nothing, inded, for they had not even tho, credit which uenally aet :chid to the perform epee of groat acts of pub lic usofulnese. lie could net, therefore, congratulate them upon this aspect of their affairs., bu x t there were ,erns persons who loved a grievance, and ill the Cheater aukl ILlyheni proprietors belonged t ) that class he could congranilete them upon having a grievance which give them a strong claim ti Parli,mentary relief. They had been forced to contribute 200,0004 to the Harbour of Refuge at Holyhead, and to carry the mails for 30,000/. per annum; and whatever difference of opinion might be entertained upon the past policy of the company, there could be no doubt that they had a strong claim upon Parliament for immediate relief from some of their diffi culties.—(clear.) Mr. HENLEY then todk exception to the language of the chairman, a nd accused the directors of having tricked, cheat;d, and robbed the shareholders of their money. Originally the capital was estimated at 2,000,0001., and yet the expenditure had exceeded 4,000,0001. He, therefere, moved the following amend meat r—" That a committee of five persons be appointed froth the general body of shareholders, to inquire into and report upon all matters and things touching and concerning the accounts, contracts, and expenditure since the formation of the company, and especially to inquire and report upon the state of the relations with the Mold Company, and the legality of the proceedings of the directors in relation thereto; and also to inquire into and report upon the expenditure of the money raised from the shareholders of the company under the 10th and, 11th Viet., chap. 238; also to inquire into and re port upon the Bill for leasing the line to the London and North-Western Company, with power to enter into negotiations with that company in regard thereto ; and that a [special meeting be held on Thursday, the 18th of April, to receive the report of such committee, and that the consideration of the directors' report be deferred until such special meeting. This amendment gave rise to considerable discussion, but it was eventually negatived by a large majority. The resolution for the adoption of the report was then agreed to, and the forfeiture of 475 shares upon the calls now in arrear was confirmed. The meeting was then made special, when The CHAIRMAN moved a resolution approving of a Bill for leasing the line to the London and North- Western Company. The Bill was merely of a permis sive character, and before the lease would be entered into the shareholders would ba called upon to confirm, the terms. After some discussion the resolution was agreed to, and thanks having been voted to the Chairman, the meeting terminated. NEWMARKET RAILWAY. The half-yearly general meeting of the proprietors in this company was held yesterday afternoon, at the Lon don Tavern; Lord George Manners in the chair. The SECRETARY read the report of the directors, which stated that, owing to various and unavoidable causes, the working of the railway between Chesterford and New market had remained, during the half-year, in the hands of the Eastern Counties Railway Company, with such results as the accompanying statement of revenue would show. During the half-year, the gross receipts amounted to 3,9031. Is. 93. being less than the average receipts of the corresponding period of the previous year, although the line was then only newly opened. The working charges had been so extravagant, that the directors were com pelled to avail themselves of the arbitration clause in the agreement for working with the Eastern Counties Railway Company, aid to refer the demand for the nine months, from October 1, 1843, to July 4, 1849, for revi sion to Mr. Robert Stephenson, by whom the amount was reduced 1,404/. 7s. Bd., or 25 per cent. The direc tors had endeavoured to terminate this state of affairs by negotiation with the Eastern Counties Railway, but as yet bad not been enabled to effect an equitable arrange ment. Negotiation with the mortgage creditors for a modification of the rate of interest payable to them, and with Mr. Jackson, of Pimlico, the contractor for the con struction of the line, and the principal creditor of the company, for working and upholding the railway at a fixed rental, and these arrangements were so far advanced that the directors had hoped to be enabled, by the ad journment of the hall-yearly meeting, to state to the proprietors that they were definitely settled, and the ne cessary deeds executed. At the last moment, however. the arrangement had failed, and it became a question of importance to consider what course of policy should hereafter be pursued, and looking to the utterly unsatis factory result of working the line through the Eastern Counties Railway Company, and the apparent imprac ticability of effecting arrangements from which creditors (and not the proprietors) were to derive the chief ad vantages, it might probably become expedient to close the' line. The directors had made satisfactory progress in reducing the liabilities of the company. Th e follow ing directors, viz., Cherles Smith Mortimer, Esq., an d Ja nes Wheeler, Esq., retired from the direction by ro tation. Henry Rance, Esq., one of the auditors of the company, who retired by rotation, offered himself for re-e'eation. On the capital account the receipts were 422,9351. 13s. 1,1, and the disbursements 421,9001. Gs. AL -;,,qd. t leaving a balance of 1,0351. 11s. 10d. On the re ud the receipts were 6,87 01 . B s . 4d., and the p,:.- ---- ttr.5 4 2,654/. Os. 4d., leaving a balance o f 4 , 2161. se. , al . `,MANNERS, in moving the adop tion of the report; dle regretted it was not of a more satisfac f, tort' nature, bat hoped they would have a much better ;-, account given of their affairs and preApects at future me e tings. 411 chance of effecting • • - . --' 6 arrangements either with the Eastern Counties Company or with the con- ' tractor for the working of the line was for the present hopeless, and it might be advisable for the directors to shut up the line until the railway system in that particu lar part of the country was sufficiently developed, so as to afford enough traffic to cover the working expenses. Mr. MORTDIER, a director, stated, in answer to a shareholder, that the ultimatum offered by the Eastern Counties Company was to this effect—to finish the line for them as far as Cambridge, to give 1 per cent. upon the paid-up shares—that the unpaid shares should be forfeited, and that the duration of the debentures should be extended from four to ten years, and that the holders of them should consent to a reduction of interest from 51. to 31. per cent. The directors were, therefore, en tirely left in the hands of the debenture-holders, who had refused to accede to the terms, on the ground that they were not sufficiently fair. It was stated, in reply to further questions, that the purchasing of lands and conveyancing would amount to 14,0001., and the construction of the line to 23,000 L, making a total of 37,0001. Six and a quarter miles of the line had yet to be made. The directors would not make a further call until they had exhausted every means in their power to recover the arrears of calls. The report was then received. A resolution was next adopted, directing the board to make every exertion to obtain payment of calls, and t) forfeit all shares in respect of which the parties holding them were not able to pay the arrears. The retiring directors and officers were then re-elected, and after a vote of thanks to the Noble LOrd, the meet ing separated. country in which his future lot was cast. In principle, this part of the plan of conditional pardon was similar to that of the " passholders" created by Lord Stanley, from whose wages a reduction was made. He considered it of importance that convicts should be as much as possible dispersed, as the bringing together a large number was a source of much danger, and with that view the Government had been anxious that they should be dispersed not only in those colonies where they were already sent, but also in as many different colonies as possible. Unfortunately the attempt made to gain that end was frustrated by the opposition of cer tain colonies to receive convicts, and as those colonies had not originally been penal settlements, Government had not thought itself justified in endeavouring to over rule that resistance. New South Wales also must now be considered as in the same position, so large a portion of its inhabitants having gone there since it had ceased to be a penal colony, as to give them a right to have it considered as a free colony. Van Diemen's Land, how ever, was originally established as a convict colony, large sums had been expended on it by the Government with a view to carry out that purpose, and the free in habitants who had gone there had done so with their eyes open, and ought not to expect any extra ordinary indulgence. If they sent convicts to the colonies, they should take the utmost care that it should not bo done to the injury of the colonists. They had altered many and were endeavouring to alter all the regulations respecting the superintend ence and government of convicts that were injurious to them. But their great object was in sending convicts to any colony, that free emigration to the same colonies should be promoted by all means. That would prevent the evils resulting from an exclusive convict element in society. Parliament had voted a sum of money fur that purpose, and they had appropriated it to a certain ex tent in sending free emigrants to New South Wales and other colonies. Tbey had also sent out the wives and families of such convicts as were reported to have be haved well, under certain regulations. In Van Diemen's Land they had adopted measures to secure a superior class of colonists. Persons of that class were thereby enabled to settle there with the greatest possible benefit to themselves. Practically they got their lands fur nothing. Several ships had arrived there lately, and the labourers had obtained employment at once, at wages varying from 101. to 151. per annum. In the northern parts of New South Wales, there were the finest pas toral lands, of almost unlimited extent. He regretted the vote of the colonial legislature at Sidney against sending convicts with tickets of leave there, in conse quence of which they had been preventing these men from going to those parts at present. Free settlers did not like the seclusion and absolute solitude of these regions where wool was cultivated. They preferred the associations of towns. But the growth of wool in these pastoral regions was just the employment for convicts with tickets of leave. In Western Australia Government had determined to establish a very small colony, and they had sent 70 convicts of the best class there. But it was not intended that there should be any large number of coerced convicts in any of the colonies. The con victs would be employed in those works which most developed the resources of the country, in opening up communications between the colonies, the formation of roads, &c. He looked forward ~to the greatness and prosperity of Western Australia, as coal, timber, and other natural resources existed iu abundance. All they wanted was sufficient labour. He now had stated what were the arrangements in progress and in contempla tion, with regard to convicts under sentence of trane portation. •,.11e was aware improvements might be made. He had confined himself entirely to the interests of Great Britain, as the Bill only referred to that. He regretted the gre it increase in the number sent .nced to transportation. It had greatly increased. In 1848 the number was 2,658, and in 1849 above 3,000, while, a few years before, the number was about 600. They had formed several set tlements, but many of them were over crowded. He was sure their Lordships would see that the subject was one of deep importance, and it should be thoroughly under stood. He had avoided matters of a controversial nature, or the motives ascribed to Government, which they did not entertain. A fiundation had boon laid to establish a system of convict renal discipline, deterring to offenders, and beneficial to the country. With these observations he should move the second reading of the Bill. The Bill was than read a second time. STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH GREECE. Lord STANLEY gave notice that to-morrow he should call attention to the state of our negotiations with regard to the affairs of Greece, and that he would ask for information from the Noble Marquis opposite (the Marquis of Lansdowne) upon the questions arising upon recent communications made by Russia upon this sub ject, and also respecting the precise moment when orders were sent out to put an end to coercive measures towards Greece. THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH: l5, 1850. Mr. BLAIR presented a petition praying for the re peal c f all taxes upon knowledge. Mr. GOULBURN presented a petition from Bradford praying for an amendment of the Factory Act. Mr. VERNON SMITH presented a petition from Bolton against the relay system in factories. Mr. F. 0. CONNOR presented a petition, signed by members of the National Land Company resident in Manchester, in favour of the winding up of the com pany; also petitions from places in Nottinghamshire, and from Lincoln's Inn, praying for a repeal of the taxes on knowledge. - Mr. MACGREGOR presented a petition from Glas gow (as we understood) praying for the repeal of the Excise duty on soap and other commodities. Colonel SIBTHORP presented petitions from places in Lincolnshire against the relay system in factories. Mr. HUME presented a similar petition from factory workers in Huddersfield. Mr. BROCKLEHURST presented a similar petition from the factory population in Macclesfield. TEN HOURS BILL. Sir G. STRICKLAND presented petitions from factory workers in Preston and Bolton in favour of the _ _ Ten flours Bill. Mr STAFFORD and Lard JOHN MANNERS presented similar petitions from Halifax and other parts of tho manuracturing districts. Mr. COWAN presented several petitions from differ ent places in Scotland against the Marriage Affinity Bill. Lord JOCELYN presented a petition in favour cf ex tending the jurisdiction of county courts. Mr. BANKES presented a petition from Bolton pray ing for an effective Ten Hours' Bill. Mr. COBDEN presented a petition from the West Riding of Yorkshire to the same effect. Mr. ADDERLEY presented a similar petition from Bolton. Mr. SPOONER also presented a similar petition from the same place. Mr. CARDWELL presented a petition from Liver pool against Sunday labour in the Post-office. SAVINGS' BANKS. The LORD MAYOR of DUBLIN gave notice that to morrow he should put a question to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the subject of savings' banks. RAJA OF SAT TARA. Mr. HUME moved for a return of the amount of money paid for the maintenance of Shahoo Maharaj, the adopted son and heir of Pertaub Shean, the late Raja of Sattara, of the Ranee, his widow, and the rest of the family, since the Raja's death in October, 1847, and the dates on which the payments were made; together with copies or extracts of all correspondence with the Ranee, and of the orders sent out to the present time by the Court of Directors of the East India Company re specting the future maintenance of the Raja's surviving family. The return was agreed to without any opposition. GREENWICH HOSPITAL. Mr. FIUME moved for a return of the prices of various articles of food, clothing, and household stores bought for the use of the Royal Hospital at Greenwich, and of the rate of wages paid to artizans employed in that es tablishment; together with the prices of provisions at Bethlem Hospital; and of bread and meat bought by the Commissariat Department, during each of the years 1836 to 1849 inclusive (in continuation of a statement in Par liamentary Paper No. 189 of Session 1836). —Agreed to, to suggest an enactment which should remedy the defect in the Act of 1833; and in the following y ear, doubts having arisen as to whether the Act of 184-4 really did prohibit relays, the Secretary of State wrote to the in spectors, telling them that as he interpreted. the law the relay and shift system was interdicted. They had there fore the fullest testimony as to the int entions of the framers of the Bill, but in addition to that toetimony, he recollected perfectly well, that in the year that the Bill was before the House be moved an amen dment, which he carried twice, that the labour of each clay should be from six to six, with two hours for meals. Now let him call the attention cf the House to the reason and neces sity of the Bill. He remembered well that the Act was granted not simply upon the arguments relating to health and suffering, but in order that the working people should have ample time every evening for domestic re creation and moral improvement, so as always to keep their body and souls in a healthful condition.—(Hear.) Now, let the House see the effects of the shifts and relay system. A gentleman writes thus to me...._ Mr. BRIGHT asked if the Noble Lord would give the name of the writer ? Lord ASHLEY said he would not. He would state that the letter was written from Staleybeidge in'Merch, 1849. He would also state, on his word of honour as a gentleman, that the writer was a preen fully compe tent to give information on the subject. The Noble Lord continued—The writer of that let` er said—" I have teen to-dray to see some factories which are worked under the relay systole. * • * In one factory I found 335 young persons and women working by relay. They are set out at different times in the day, so as to bring the actual working within ten hours. They are sent out of the mill without any regard to the distance from their homes (some of them living two miles off ), and without, regard to the state of the weather.—(llear, hear.) The lads of thirteen, up to eighteen, and tb e young girls and women, aro to be seen wande ring about the streets, and to what temptations to vice and profligacy they are thus exposed I need not say." There was another very strong argument against the system of shifts and relays—it was the utter impossibility of de tecting evasions of the law, and the great facilities that it gave to employers to keep the parties elm ployed during the whole time, and so as greatly to ,exceed the ten hours, and sometimes eleven veld twelve. Mr. Inspector Hall said, in one mill an employer had given work to more than 1,000 hands, and stated that if he had the power of distributing his hands, under t he relay system, he should have no difficulty in cheatisag the inspector. The Noble Lord then went through a aeries of state ments by millowners, in order to show that it was per fectly impossible to detect the frauds pre ctised in the system of relays of labour, and then proceeded to say that seeing that such was the case, upon evidence which was unquestionable, he had thought ii; 1;o be his duty to bring in a Bill to reduce, if not to nega Live the evil. In doing this, he would keep to one pa rticular point of the mischief arising from the continuity of labour. —(Hear, hear.) lie would undertake to prove every single assertion that he made from faeits, so that he should have the full concurrence of the whole House in the passing of that Bill.—(Hear, b ear.) They all remembered the prophecies which had been made re specting the Ten Hours' Bill in 1844 and 1847. They all remembered that it had been unhesitatingly pre dicted, that if that Bill was passed, that it would be of the most serious detriment to the manufacturing in terests—that the rate of wages would be most mis chievously raised ; and that the trade would leave the country.—(Hear, hear.) Durirg the debate of 1844, when the Hoe. Member for Bradford was making a most eloquent speech, he had said to a friend who was sitting by his side, " You he ar that glowing eulogium upon the manufacturing intereets—how will it be injured by this Bill?" The reply was, " Not at all."— (Hear, hear, and cheers.) The Eleven Hours' Bill had now been in operation fur three years, and the Ten Hours' Bill for two years short of six months, and yet none of those predicted evils had occurred. The prophecies had all been falsified. He remembered that a gentleman now no longer in the Home, Mr. Mark Phillips, and the Hon. Member for Lancashire, were heard to cry out that if the Ten Hours' Bill passed labour would cease and capital be paralysed in this country—that it would produce a similar result here to that produced by the resolution of the Edict of Nantes on the industry of France. But was that the case ? Since 1848 vast improvements in machinery bad been made, new mills erected, and vast sums of money invested in this branch of trade that were to lead to nothing but ruin. If he were answered in this way, that they were forced by the Bill itself to expend all this capital to meet the changed circumstances, all he could say was that the Ten Hours' Bill was the best Act that had been passed for many years. But these gentlemen were not men to cast their money into the sea without some chance of a return. The third argu• meat was that production would be diminished by one sixth in proportion to the reduction of time. What bad taken place ? In the two years, 1845 and 1846, imme diately preceding the limitation of time, the exports of cotton amounted to 20,000,000 yards. In the two years succeeding that limitation, 1848 and 1849, this amounted to 24,000,000 yards. The same was the case with twisted yarn; the increase in that article amounted to 3,000,000 lbs. A petition which had been presented from Manchester stated, as a plea, that a diminution of produce would take place if this Act passed. He had shown how far this was true. It was also stated that a reduction of wages would take place. He would enter on that subject also. He should show that wages had not been reduced, but on the con trary they had increased. He had said there would be a rise of wages v.ithout any fear of combination, and he would ask any Member of the House if his predictions had not been verified. He should be able to show that very great improvement in the mural, social, and physical condition bad taken place in consequence of the passing of the Act, and it was a matter of astonishment that such beneficial results could have been produced in so short a period. Ho could occupy the House from that time until to-morrow in citing instances to prove the correctness of this statement, but one or two cases would be a sufficient evidence of the vital improvement which had taken place throughout the manufacturing distriete. The first assertion made by the opponents of the measure was that wages would be reduced in many instances to the mini mum of subsistence. Now, he admitted that wages had diminished, continued stationary, and increased. There was not a single instance in which wages had been diminished where the piece wages had been brought down one-sixth, in proportion to a reduction of one-sixth L'of time. In the spinning department of one mill the reduction of time was one-sixth, and the re duct.on of wages one -tenth.—(Hear, hear.) The gentleman to whom it belonged told him that the total loss on a mule, calculating the work at ten instead of twelve hours, was only 5a., but that was to be divided among four parties, and the difference to each would consequently be very small. In the manu factory or weaving department there was an in crease of ss. instead of a loss on a mule, and the manufacturer told him that the general improve ment, in all the hands, was at least 50 per cent. In no instance had the wages beea reduced one sixth ; in some instances they had risen, in others they had been reduced ; but not more than one-seventeenth. He ven tured in the year 1844 to tell the House a few home truths, which be would now take the liberty of repeating, because the life of the working roan was made up with small details. Ile would show that the working man had been more than compensated for any re duction that might have taken place in his wages from reducing the number of hours from twelve to ten, by his improved condition. Now, here was an instance which was given to him by an operative who worked in a factory, and which was a fair sample of the whole state of the factory labourers. Under the twelve hour system there was himself and seven chil dren who worked in the factory, their weekly earnings amounted to 21. 155., and after deducting les. for rent there was left 21. 55. Now this family re quired in the course of the week 26 meals,—that was four meals for five days, and three meals for two days. Twenty-six meals at Is. 84d, a piece, con sumed the whole amount after paying the rent. Now look how it was under the ten hours. The very same parties were now working under the operation of the Ten Hours' Act. Now, allowing for various reduc tions, which amounted to about an average of 71 per cent., the total receipts of the family were 21. Us. a week. Deduct, as before, les. for rent and other expenses and it left 21. Is. The saving in the meals amounted to 4s. ed.; and then came another consideration well worthy of the attention of the House, Bd. a week was saved, because the eldest daughter, being no longer re quired at the: mills, can make the gowns of the family. The positive saving, therefore, was ss. 4d. a week. That operative, and others like him, were better off under the operation of the Ten Hours' Act than they were with higher wages under the Twelve Hours' Act, and were, besides, vastly more improved in health. T he clerk of the St. John's Female Society had informed him that the number of, members of the society was 300, ofwhom 17.20ths were factory workers. In 1846 and 1847 the aggregate deficiency in their amounted to 41., but in 1848-9 441; t c h o e n t rt to l oons e s of income over expenditure amounted year; and and they expected an equal surplus th.sistksta great that officer also reported --e` My opinion saving has been effected here, and the general health of improved the population has been considerably since the Ten Hours' Act came into operation." The Odd Fellows in connexion withirhathtoofNilrtseesli leyan Methodists bore similar testimony. was a sufficient proof that the system was good, the recreation thus and it was ascertained obtained proved instrumenthatolhianst prolonging the working pin the o n a e s r e s , instead of being life of the operative, and the at the age of 40, superannuated, as was formerlyksfor many years longer.— are now kept off the fa llen there was the assertion that (Hear, hear.) Well, then, the ve ' d would use the time thus the persons thus surcehl,ehowever, was not the case, for allowed badly. reports from clergymen, he had letters and school masters, and other persons in similar capacities in great numbers, and the whole of them concurred in stating that the leisure timo was most usefully employed.— ( l acer, hear.) The young women were known to go to the evening schools in order to learn reading, writing, and needle-work, and they who were formerly unable to darn a stocking or mend a petticoat, were now enabled not only to mend, but to make their own and their c hildren's clothes ; so that the expense which had for merly been incurred for this object, and which WAS a serious drain upon the resources of the family, was now all saved.—(He hear.) By the r e p or t i f Mr. Homer, who was engaged in one of the most important of the manufacturing districts, he found that the subscriptions to the burial clubs had very greatly decreased in his neighbourhood, and that chiefly in consequence of the reduction of the deaths of children under five years of age.—(Bear, hear.) And this be ascribed solely to the opportunity of the woman being able to attend to their domestic duties, and fulfil the duties of wives and mothers. The NQ ale Lord then proceeded to read a letter from THE GORHAM CASE. The following protests were read in the vestry of the parish church of East Brent, in the presence of the churchwardens and other witnesses, and copies delivered to the churchwardens, and transmitted to the bishop on Sunday last : " In the name of the most Holy Trinity.—Amen. " Whereas the Universal Church alone possesses, by the commission and command of its Divine Founder, the power of defining in matter of doctrine ; and subject to the same, the Church of England alone possesses, within its sphere, the power of interpreting and declaring the intention of such definitions as the Universal Church has framed ; And whereas a power to interpret formularies of the Church by a final judicial sentence, the synods of the Church not being, in practice, admitted to declare the doctrine of the Church, becomes in effect a power ti de clare and make such . interpretations binding upon the Church ; " And whereas by the suit of Gorham v. the Bishop of Exeter, as well as the ease of Escort v. Mastin, in the year 1842, it appears that the Crown, through a Court constituted by Act of Parliament alone, claims and exercises a power to confirm, reverse, or vary, by a final judicial sentence, the decisions and interpretations of the Courts of the Church in matters of doctrine;— " And whereas in the present state of the law nothing hinders but that an interpretation which shall have been judged to be unsound by the courts of the Church, may be finally declared to be sound by the said Judicial Committee ; or that a person who shall have been judged to be unfit for cure of souls by the spiritual tri bunal, may be declared to be fit for cure of souls by the civil power ; " And whereas the existence of such state of the law, cannot be reconciled with the divine constitution and office of the Church, and is contrary to the law of Christ;— " And whereas the exercise of power in such matters, under such state of the law, endangers the public mainte nance of the Faith of Christ;— " And whereas the existence of such a state of things is a grievance of conscience; — "And whereas no judgment pronounced by the Judi cial Committee of Privy Council, in respect of matters of doctrine, can be accepted by the Church;— " I, George Anthony Denison, clerk, M.A., vicar of East Brent, in the county of Somerset, and diocese of Bath and Wells, do hereby enter my solemn protest against the state of the law which empowers the Judi cial Committee of the Privy Council to take cognizance of matters of doctrine, and against the exorcise of that power by the said Judicial Committee in each particular case; and Ido hereby pledge myself to use all lawful means within my reach to prevent the continuance of such state of the law, and of the power claimed and exerci.sol under the tame. (Signed) " GEORGE ANTHONY DENISDN. " East Brent, 4th Sunday in Lent, March 10, 1850." " In the name of the most Holy Trinity.—Amen. " 1. Whereas the Church of England is a branch of the One Catholic and Apostolic Church, and, in virtue thereof, holds, absolutely and exclusively, all the doc trines of the Catholic faiLh;— " 2. And whereas George Cornelius Gorham, clerk, B.D„ priert of the Church of England, has formally de nied the Catholic faith in respect of the Holy Sacrament of Baptism;— " And whereas the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council has, in the case of Gorham v. Bishop of Exeter, reversed the judgment of the Church Court, and has pro nounced, by final sentence, the said George Cornelius Gorham to be fit to be instituted by the bishop to a benefice with cure of souls;— " And whereas such sentence is necessarily false; " And whereas such sentence gives public legal sanc tion to the teaching of false doctrine, and therein and thereby has a great and manifest tendency to lead into error of doctrine, or to encourage to persevere in error of doctrine, or to plunge finally into heresy, all such as are tempted, in or • deeree or another, to deny the faith of Christ in respect of the Holy Sacrament of Baptism;— " And whereas such Bente' co does injury and dis- honjur to Christ and to His Holy Cburcli; " And a hereas all, who, with a full knowledge of the intent, meaning, and purpose of such sentence, are, or shall be, concerned in promulging or executing it, and all who, with a like knowledge, shall approve of, or ac quiesce in, it, aro, or will be involved in heresy;— ' And whereas it has b?,corne necessary, in conse qaence of such sentence, that the Church of England should free herself from any participation in the guilt there,f by proceeding, without delay, to make some further formal declaration in respect of the Holy Sacra ment of Baptism;— " I, George Anthony Denison, clerk, M.A., vicar of East Brent, in the county of Somerset, in the diocese of Bath and Wells, do hereby enter my solemn protest against the said sentence of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, and do warn all the Christian people of this parish t) beware of allowing themselves to be morel or influenced thereby in the least degree; and I do also hereby pledge myself to use all lawful means within my reach to assist in obtaining, without delay, some further formal declaration, by a lawful Synod of the Church of England, as to what is, and what is not, the doctrine of the Church of England in respect of the Iloly Sacrament of Baptism. (Signed) " GEORGE ANTHONY DENISON. East Brent, fourth Sunday in Lent, March 10." THE COUNTRY MARKETS. LOUGHBOROUGH, MARCH 14.—We had a small supply of wheat at to•day's market, whieh was taken off at fully the rates of this day week. Barley, oats, and beans slow sale at last week's currencies, with a good supply. BOSTON, MARCH 13.—Wheat, red 27s to 3430 d, white 351 to 383, extra 41s ; barley 19s to 21s ; oats lOs to 16s ; beans, 18s to 24s ; peas 20s to 25s per quarter. LYNN, MARCH 12.—Wheat 30s to 345, fine 36, to 40s • barley 13s to 20s, fine 22 s to 25 s per q r. NEWARK, MARCH 13.—Wheat, white 41s to 425, extra 445, red 36s to 335, extra 39s ; barley, malting 24s to 265, extra 21s, second and grinding 21s to 235; oats, feed 16s to 17s, seed 211 to 23s ; beans, 25, to 265, seed 273 ; peas, white and blue 30s to 325, seed 341 spring tares, 36s to 40s per qr. DERBY SMITHFIELD MARKET, MARCH 12.—Our mar ket continues to be well supplied with fat beast ; those from the North of England, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Notting hamshire, were decidedly good in quality, varying in size and weight, and well adapted to suit the demands of purchasers. The sale for the best things was brisk, while those of the middling sort were not so much in request. The supply of sheep was large and extensive, and the quality generally good, with a decided improvement in the demand. Fat pigs were plenti ful. The number of fat and store calves in an increase. Beef made from 5d to sid per lb. ; mutton, 50 to 6d ; veal, 5d to 50 per lb. ; pork, Ys 6d per score. Rough fat, 3s 64 Per stone of 14Ibs. Hides, 10 per lb ; calf skins, 2d to 30 per lb. EDINBURGH GRAIN MARKET, MARCH 13.—Wheat—The quantity of wheat brought forward to-day was 503 qrs, being 339 qrs less than last week. Top price ls, and the average lOid up-31 qrs unsold. Barley—The quantity brought forward was 630 qrs, being 253 qrs more than last week. Price on the top is up, and the average 9d down-133 qrs unsold. Oats—Of this kind of grain we had 1,425 qrs brought forward, or 341 qrs more than last week. The top price 2s, and the average 7d up-257 qrs unsold. Means —The quantity of beans to-day was 257 qrs, or the same as last; week. Price on the top the same, and the average 54 up-71 qrs unsold. Top of Wheat ..• 63i1b. 44s Od „ Barley •.. 58 lb. 27s Od ~Oats ... ••• ••• 45 lb. 24 s Od Beans €6*lb. 30s Od EDINBURGH CATTLE MARKET, MARCH 13.—The supply of cattle this morning was 750, being 202 more than last week. On account of the large supply, and the dull state of the London market, sales were very dull. Top ;price, 6s 6d ; current, 6s to Os Od ; middling and inferior, 4s 6d to 5s per Dutch stone. The supply of sheep this morning was 2,222, being 405 more than last week. Sales were slowly effected at prices a shade down from last market, and at the close a good number were unsold. Top price of best wether mutton , nearly 6d per lb ; current, from 5d to 40 ; inferior, 40. DurriAa, 111sacis 1 2.—Wheat, weighing 641bs, brought 38s, and prices to 31s. Barley, weighing 5511b5, brought 21s 6d, and prices to 21s. Oats, weighing 44Ibs, brought 20s, and prices to 135 6d. Beans and peas, weighing 001bs, brought 275, and prices to 245. Coax MARCH 13.—Flour —First 12s to 1330 d ; extra 14s; seconds, ' los 6d to 12s ; households 93 to 10s 6d; thirds, 7s to 83 per cwt. Oatmeal 10s to 1036 d; Indian meal7s to 7s 34 • wheat meal, lOs to 00s Od per cwt. Indian corn 13246 d to 1354er ton-. Bran 3/ 17s 6d to 4/9s:per ton. Hay—Farmers 2Ss to 355; average I:,;(kidetaloer2373sosotdo;4oasveOrda;gaeve2,ra3fe; 36 d s ea p l e e r rs ton oo . s S o tr d aw t — o 00 F arsmoder: average o 001osof0d5pdertoton5. Bread4-Ib7hea ten loaf butter,6d to 8 6 d 0 to ; N lO o d wpo pe r r t 1b 153 ; Eg L g y s d — o 3 ey s 10 1 d 7s to ;L 4s Od per ndre ß d o . C N oa ett ls— th a 11 d o r e F r esh l u s ; Culm 14s per ton. Tallow 40s Od to 00 3 p er A c ie w a t t . Whisky, 25 0. p., 55 9d per impe rial galon • —Beef 4d to 6d; mutton 44 to 6d; veal Od to Od; pork 4d to Od; bacon 6d to 7d; sausages 5d per lb. Hops 131 Os per cwt. Bangor slates 3/ 2s 6d to Si 5s per ton. Bark—Barbary 7153 to 8/ ss; Valonia 141 to 01; French 7/ ss; English 01 per ton. Fleece Wool 10, to 125 per ?tone. Hemp 32/ toCOI per ton. Fish— Scotch herrings 16s to 173; re d ditto 20s to 22s per barrel ; Newfoundland 9' Os to 11/ per ton. Timber—Memel, 85s per ton ; deals, first quality, 18s, second quality, 16s per 100. Hides—Market 14s to 20s; salted 15s to 21s per cwt ; calf skins 2d to 2d per lb. Potatoes, white 8d to 90 ; Minions 12d to 13d ; Guano— Peruvian, 111 10s; Icbaboe, 91 per ton; Tar—Archangel, 19s per barrel. CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAY.—Traffic for the Week ended;March 10, I850:—C. and H. Main Line, 1,1961. 18s. Od.; Mold, 7-11. 2s. lOci.; steam boats, 791. 121, Od.—Tots), 1,3501. 12s. 10d. IRIS ti MAGISTRACY. Mr. F. O'CONNOR wished to ask the Noble Lord, the Prime Minister, if he had any objection to submit to the House copies of the correspondence which had passed between him and Dr. Grattan, who bad lately been deprived of the commission of the peace in Ireland for presiding over a public meeting. Lord J. RUSSELL had no objection. Mr. F. O'CONNOR gave notice, thee, that on an early day he should move for its production. CHURCHYARDS OF THE METROPOLIS. Mr. e. LUSHINGTON wished to put a question to the Noble Lord the Member for Bath, a question of which he had given him only a momentary notice belause the cause which gave rise to it had only come under his notice within the last half hour. When he came to the House this evening he passed through St. Margaret's Ourchg ard, and under the tower of that church, and within a few yards of that House, he saw an open grave ready for the interment of a corpse. Now it being in evidence that interment in St. Margaret's churchyard was injurious to the health of the Members of that House, and also to society in general, he begged to ask the Noble Lord whether he had any power to check or put an end to a nuisance which was not only injurious to Hon. Members and to society in London, but also con demned by the general voice of the community at large? Lord ASHLEY hoped that Hon. Members would give their attention to the report which had 'bee❑ laid on the table of the House, in order that they might see in its length and breadth the enormous mischiefs that arise from the system of intramural interment. Under the Nuisance Act he and others attempted to close some of the graveyards in the metropolis ; but the magistrates thought they had exceeded their powers, and that they had no means of interfering with graveyards, beyond ordering now and then that certain disinfecting substances should be scat tered over them. Mr. GOULBURN said that when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer he was informed by the churchwar dens of St, Margaret's that they were then about to buy a piece of land for a burial-ground away from the church. G. GREY said, with regard to the question of the Hon. Member for Westminster, the report had not been long in the hands of the Government. That re port was now under their consideration; a Bill had been prepared on the subject, and very soon after Easter the Government expected to bring in a Bill founded on the report.—(llear, hear.) THE CENSUS. In reply to a question from Sir JOHN WALSH, Lord JOHN RUSSELL said, that although it was desirable that a Bill for regulstirg tho taking of the census should be introduced this session, yet that so many objections stood in the way that it seemed to be better to delay it for another year. RUSSIA. Mr. ANSTEY wished to ask the Noble Lord at the head of tho Foreign Department a question with re spect to the withdrawal of the excess of the Russian troops which at present occupied the Danubian provinces. The Noble Lord had stated that, in accordance with the convention, that excess of number would be withdrawn. Would such be the . case? If so, would any portion of Sir W. Parker's squadron be withdrawn? Lord PALMERSTON had already declared that h• had received the most positive assurances of the Russian Government that the troops would be withdrawn. With respect to the latter part of the question, the conduct of the squadron would depend upon circumstances. Mr. ANSTEY wished to know whether it was the intention of the , Noble Lord to withdraw the squadron, or any part of it from the Greek waters? Lord PALMEgSTON—The service on which they were engaged would prevent that. BLOCKADE OF ATHENS. Mr. G. BANKES wished to ask the Noble Lord whether the blockade of Athens had actually ceased? Lord PALMERSTON said that a blockade, properly interpreted, meant the prevention of any vessels going into or coming out of a port. The squadron before Athens bad only prevented the passing of Greek vessels from the Piraaus. Sir W. Paiker, on the Ist of the present month, had withdrawn a portion of the squadron, on receiving instructions from her Majesty's Government, and an in timation that they had accepted the good offices of the French Government. Mr. HUME wished to know who it was that would have to pay the value of the ships which had been de tained by the British squadron. Lord PALMERSTON said that the ships had been detained in pledge for certain sums duo to English sub jects, and would be detained until those claims were satisfied, but no longer. TEN HOURS' BILL—RELAY SYSTEM IN FACTORIES. Mr. AGLIONBY presented a petition is favour of this Bill. Mr. T. M. GIBSON presented a petition signed by a number of manufacturers and musters of Manchester as sembled in a public meeting. The petitioners stated that it was understood that it was the intention of the House to pass an Act to restrai❑ them from working their hands by relays. The petitioner stated that the system of relays enabled them to give more employment to young children and females, and that a suspension of it would interfere with the proper employment of capital. They prayed that the House would not sanction any al teration in the existing law, but that if they did make any alteration, they would also extend the limits of the time now allowed to 11 hours a day, or 63 hours a week. Lord J. RUSSELL presented a petition in favour of the Bill. Mr. BRIGHT had a similar petition from the hands employed by Mr. Mayne, of Dewsbury, but an infor mality in it prevented him from presenting it. FACTORY ACTS. _ _ Lord ASHLEY rose to move for leave to bring in a Bill to declare the intentions of the Legislature in re spect of the hours and mode of working under the Factory Acts. The circumstances which led him to do so, he said, were very simple, and he would be brief in stating them. In 1847 a Bill for regu lating the time of labour in factories was introduced. By the Act of 1845 it was enacted that labour in factories should be confined between the hours of half-Fast five in the morning and eight in the evening—a period of fifteen hours; but by a clause it was provided that the labour of all young persons should be calculated from the time when they first commenced in the morning, and that none should work for more than ten hours. The result was, that under the interpretation of that Act, the system of relays and shifts were alto gether impossible. After the passing of the Act of 1847, it was discovered that the section limiting the labour of young persons was not so stringent as to entirely exclude the system of relays. Great discontent was consequently produced among factory operatives, cross and contradictory decisions were given by magistrates on the clause, and no one knew exactly what the clause was. To prevent further litigation, a case was referred to the Court of Exchequer for its decision, and the result was, a decision ad verse to the interpretation put upon the Act by the factory inspectors ; and Mr. Baron Parke declared that the words of the Act were not sufficiently strong to carry into effect what the Court strongly suspected was the intention of the Legislature. —(Hear, hear.) Believing himself that the object o tL e Legislature in passing the Act was to interdict shifts and relays, he now asked for leave to bring in a Bill to more effectively carry out that object. Mr. Baron Parke gave it as his opinion that the in tention of the Legislature was that relays and shifts should not be allowed, but the words of the Act were not sufficiently stringent to prohibit them. But that was not all, for Mr. Inspector Horner, in his rep ort of own know ledge stated led l g B e 49, thatita that at the framers of the Bill of 1844, that the working by s hif t s, as h a d been practised in 1833, should be prohibited. In 1844 the inspectors were citagcl pon e intention c o f f the THE TEN HOURS' BILL. Lord STANLEY presented a petition ;torn Rochdale, in Lancashire, with respect to the Ten Hours' Bill, which had beau passed by the Legislature to restrain the labour of children and women in factories. The petitioners prayed that their Lordships would vote for a Bill intro duced into the other House of Parliament, with the view of giving eff,ct to the intentions of the Legislature in passing the Bill, which were likely to be frustrated in consequence cf a recent decision of the Court of Ex chequer upon a technical point. lie was not one of those who originally pressed forward the Bill, but find ing that it had worked well both .for the manufacturers and the workmen, he thought it would be most lamen table if the benevolent intentions of the Legislature should be frustrated upon a mere technical construction of the Act. The petitioners prayed that their Lordships would support a Bill for giving t`iem the benefit intended by the Act. LAWS RELATING TO BURIAL CLUBS. Lord MONTEAGLE said he wished to draw the at , tention of their Lordships to the laws relating to burial sock ties, and to ask a question of the Noble Marquis (Lansdowne) although he had given no notice on the subject. It had been proved of la'e that a crime of the most horrible atrocity had been making its way in those districts of the country in which burial clubs were established. Poison had been administered to parties by those standing in domestic relations to wards them, and they had been cut off by those bound to them by the dearest ties of nature. This horrible crime had spread , in consequence of the m e nteb y whichof t e h y e e s n e clubs, thedeath of a child was madewho mad e p ecu niary pay profitable to its parents, who had been induced fur this reason, in some instances, to sacrifice their own offpring. He hoped that the Government would deal with this question without delay, and that it would not be re tarded by being mixed up with the la rger an d more dif ficult question of interme n t . Government might deal with the subject by a single enactm en t, f or biddi ng th e payment of money by these clubs to surviving relatives, and rendering it c ompulsory on the societies themselvesto bury the deceased. His question was whether any measure was contemplated by the Government on this subject? If not, he would feel it his duty to introduce a Bill himself without delay. , The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that the ques tion was of a difficult na ture. It was, doubtless, true, that frauds of the most iniquitous colour bad been per petrated, in connexion with these clubs, to a degree which must be surpr isin g to the ir Lordships. There could be no doubt but that the subject ought to receive the attention of Parliament, but as it required great con sideration, he feared that he could n o t un d erta k e, on t h e part of Government, to introduce a mea sure thi s sess i on . Any Bill, however, introduced by th e N o bl e L ord, shou l d receivemost and, w se o r u i l o d u s s up co p n or si t d o e r ra in ti t o r n o ,ducesome short probably, the Government mea sure on the subject. Lord MOUNTCAS. HELL said he would postpone the two motions of which he had given notice until to morrow. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 14, The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. THIRD READINGS. The following Bills were read a third time and passed : Birkenhead Improvement —Liverpool Cattle Market— West Bromwich Rates. The report on the Buckinghamshire Railway Bill was considered and agreed to. iu. g r e e A of PRIVATE Acts, and New PRIVA TE BUSINESS. Mr. BROTHERTON m oved that i t be an instruction to the Committee of Sel ection to tre at the Newcastle upon-Tyne pt Streets yßni Bill, T s p a r n o v o e p na p e o n s e t , Amendment dB to. Mr. BROTHERTON also moved that it be - an instruc tion to the Committee on the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Im provement, Amendment of Acts, and New Streets Bill, to entertain the petition Q f Sir John Jervis, her Majesty's Attorney-General, against the said Bill, not withstanding that the same was deposited in the Private Bill office later than seven clear days after the second reading of the said Bill. Referred to the standing order Committee. PETITIONS. Several petitions were presented against Sunday labour in the Post-office. Mr. MUNTZ presented a petition from Birmingham, praying for an amendment of the Factory Act. Mr. HAMILTON presented a petition from Longford praying for agricultural protection. Mr. DUNCUFT presented a petition from Oldham praying for an amendment in the Factory Act. Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition to the same effect. Mr. W. J. FOX presented a similar petition from Oldham. Mr. ELLIS presented a petition from Leicester-pray ing for the extension of county courts jurisdiction. Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from a place in Scotland:praying f,r an amendment of the Factory Act. Mr. MUNDY presented a petition in favour of pro tection to agriculture. Sir R. H. INGLIS presented two petitions against the Marriage Bill; also a petition from Bolton praying for an amendment of the Factory Act. Mr. HENRY BERKELEY presented a petition pray ing for the amendment of the Factory Act. An Hox. MEMBER presentA a petition from Derby praying for protection to native industry. Mr. SPOONER presented two petitions from the me dical gentlemen of Birmingham, praying for an amend ment of tie law, so as to enable medical practitioners to receive compensation from railway companies whenever their services were called into operation by accidents on railways. As the law now stands, the party injured is liable for the fees of the medical man. The lion. Mem ber gave notice that to-morrow he should move that the petition be printed in the Votes, with the view of found ing a motion upon it. Lord BROOKE presented a similar petition from Warwick. Lord ASHLEY presented several petitions praying for the amendment of the Factory Act. One of them was signed by 14,000 persons. Sir JOSHUA WALMSLEY presented similar peti . Lions. Lord ROBERT GROSVENOR presented similar petitions. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT . HOUSE OF LORDS, March 14. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the Wool- sack at Five o'clock. The Archbishop of YORK presented a petition from Selby against a Sunday delivery in the Post-office. Lord PORTMA.N presented a petition from Somer setshire in favour of the Bill authorising marriage with a • deceased wife's sister. Lord BROUGHAM moved for certain returns relat ing to the practice of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The NOBLE and LEARNED LORD also presented a peti tion in favour of an extension of the jurisdiction of county courts. CONVICT PRISONS BILL. Earl GREY moved the second reading of this Bill. At present the prisons for the reception of persons un der sentence of transportation were Millbank, Park hurst, Pentonville, and Portland. They were calcu lated to accommodate 5,600 prisoners, and were under four separate authorities. With a view of introducing an uniformity of manage ment, the same gentlemen had been appointed as in specters by ell those authorities. It was intended by this Bill to place all those Fersons under the autho rity of visitors appointed by the Crown. The difficulty of devising an efficient system of secondary punishments was great, and the utmost that could be expected was, that they could only arrive at a satisfactory result after a long series of ex r aliments, all tending to progressive improvement. A Committee of the House of Commons sat on this sub ject in 1838, and opened the eyes of the public to the existence of many evils, and soon after the report of that Committee Pentonville Prison was erected as an experimental prison. A reformation took place in the year 1844, in the plan of punishment adopted for convicts in Van Diemen's Land, by which the assignment: system was done away with and a system of discipline under the superintendence of the authorities substituted for it. The measures then adopted failed for want of adequate means in Van Die men's Land for carrying them out, and from the large number of convicts sent out. It had been the intention of Lord John Russell, when Secretary of the Colonies, to transport only a small proportion of convicts, and to keep the greater portion at the hulks, but in consequence of a resolution of the House of Commons in 1841, condemning the retention in this country of convicts sentenced to transportation, a number of convicts were at once thrown upon Van Diemen's Land amounting to 7,942, and in the three subsequent years, 17,637 male convicts were transported there. The consequence was a most extensive system of demoralization, to remedy which his predecessors had determined to stop transportation for two years. The present Govern ment had approved of that measure, and had determined that penal labour in this country, Bermuda, or Gib raltar, should always precede transportation to dis tant lands, such penal labour to be always pre ceded for a certain period by separate confirtment. At the same time it was determined to adopt a system of sending out persons under sentence to the distant colonies not as convicts, but as exiles, with conditional pardons. This system had not succeeded as its framers could have wished. It bad always been found that mere removal without penal labour was not effectual, and it was found that it was impossible to organize a system of penal labour and co ercion in the Australian colonies. Hence it was con cluded that that part of the sentence which included coercion and penal labour ought to be inflicted at home, and that a portion of that punishment should consist of separate imprisonment. There were some who held that separate imprisonment was efficient because they looked only to the physical condition of the convict. It had however been found in practice anything but a light punishment; the great fault was that it could not bo carried out for a sufficient length of time. Human nature could not bear it beyond eighteen months, and the evidence of medical authorities went to show that it ought not to be continued beyond twelve months. It inspired great horror and dread in cri minal persons who had undergone it and were again convicted than of those who had undergone any other secondary punishment. A criminal would rather undergo any discipline than suffer separate imprisonment. It was therefore proposed that all persons sentenced to transportation should undergo a certain period of separate imprisonment, and the means now existed for applying it. A considerable portion of Millbank had been fitted up for that purpose, and in certain county gaols cells had been fitted up, so that there was now accom modation for the separate imprisonment of 2,000 per sons. It was proposed that afterwards these convicts should be employed for a certain period on penal labour or public works in Gibraltar or Bermuda, or other places. It was certainly necessary to devise some punishment additional to eighteen months' solitary confinement for great crimes. He thought a useful method had been devised by the engineering officers of Bermuda, who bad devised an excellent system of task-work, which had answered admirably. The greater number of criminals were averse to continuous labour, and when they found that the consequences of crime were to subject them to continuous labour of a much harder character than any to which an honest man was subjected, the consequence could not but be most heneficial; besides, continuous hard work so fatigued the convict, that at the conclusion of the day he was not inclined to indulge in immoral conversa tion, but was too glad to take his rest. He objected to the hulk system as at once inefficient I and costly, and be preferred employing convicts on public works. There was a convict prison at Portland; the situation was such as to enable the authorities to keep the convicts completely isolated, and they had there at present 300 convicts employed in the construction of that most useful of public works the Portland Break water and harbour of refuge, and the experiment had hitherto been attended with the most complete succem He had aft-r grave consideration come to the reluctant conclusion that it was necessary to maintain the convict settlement at Norfolk Island—to that settlement a small portion, and a small portion only, of the worst convicts should be removed. He thought that the dread of transportation to Norfolk Island would produce a wholesome effect upon the other convicts. It was with great reluctance he had come to that determination, and he was aware of the objections which existed to sending the worst de scription of convicts to a distant land, but still he was led to believe, that the sending of that class to a distant place, where they would be under the severest restraint, would exercise a wholesome influence on the remainder, and tend to maintain discipline among those who were employed on the public works. It was also essential that there should be some place to which convicts in the colonies, having tickets of leave, could be removed and placed under the control of Government in case of mis conduct. As he had before stated, it was desirable that removal to a distant colony should form part of the sen tence of transportation, for various reasons. It had been found by experience that punishment should con sist of a combination of various elements. To ono class of men a sentence of transportation from their native land to a distant place would strike the utmost terror— whilst to others it would be an additional incentive to crime. To a man of sensitive feelings the idea of being compelled to labour in company with the worst of cha racters, in a convict's dress, and in the public view, would be the severest torture, whilst others would be callous to all sense of shame. Some would prefer the comparative comforts of a prison to the precarious sub sistence they obtained out of it—whilst to others the deprivation of freedom would be acutely felt. It had, therefore, been deemed advisable to combine these elements. Another reason why it had been determined to retain removal to a distant colony as a part - of the punishment, was to give the convict a better chance of retrieving his:lost position in society, by placing him in a colony where his having been a convict would not ope rate as a bar to his finding employment. In this coun try he had no such chance, as, even if animated by the most earnest desire to gain an honest livelihood, his con viction was an insuperable obstacle to his so doing, while if he went to a spot where he was unknown, he was liable to be discovered at any moment by some one of his old associates, and again driven to crime for a liveli hood.—(Hear, hear.) In :a penal colony, on the con trary, he might rise to respectability, and even wealth; and this was proved by the number of former convicts who, according to calculations made at the Colonial office, were now subsisting by their own exertion, there being in New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land no fewer than forty-eight thousand persons who had gone there as transports, while the number of " ticket-of leave men" made an addition of twenty thousand. But for this system of transportation all these persons would now have been at large in this country, having no resources except crime, and the result of that might have been guessed, by looking at a neighbouring country and its army of forcats. He believed that under a proper sys tem of management the colonies might receive convicts, after they had emerged from the discipline which they had undergone, not only without injury to those colonies, but with positive advantage. At present the convicts were sent out with tickets of leave instead of conditional pardons. The difference being this, a ticket of-leave man might remain about the tour, and so fall in with his old associates, and under the present system of allowing certain gratuities to men of good conduct while on the public works, a man so situated, if posses sing any money might be robbed, and induced by want to resort again to crime. But a men having a conditional pardon might be required to go at once into the more distant regions of the colony, and to accept employment from any respectable settler, who might offer a fair re muneration.—(Hear.) These conditions, it was pro posed, should be invariably insisted on. They should also be required to pay a certain sum of money out of their earnings before they should be entitled to an un conditional pardon, the motive for requiring such pay ment not being any desire to obtain a sum of money, but to carry out the system of punishment and die ciplice under which the convict was placed. Ever since transportation had been a punishment the Crown had a property in the services of the convict. Under the system of assignment those services were transferred to the master, who had a right to make him work in return for certain specified rations and a supply of clothing; that is, they were neither more nor less than slaves. Ie o'den times they were literally slaves. In the early days of transportation to Virginia, the convicts were sold by public auction far the term of their sentence; and the pictures which were drawn by Defoe in one of his works of the nature of transportation to the plantations were so near to truth that he would content himsel with referring t ) them as an exemplification of what transportation was is those days. The system of assignment had been found productive of many evils, and it had, therefore, very properly been abolished. By requiring a sum of money as a condition to e ntire freedom, they also ba lievcd that they gave the co nvict an additional stimulus to industry and good conduct. The sum thus raised ffrviceetim emigration, hseu, by a w n o d ul w d ou be ld a t p h p u l s ie i d nd t i o re t c h t e io ly p b r e o n m e o fi t tt n t h econ assisting in the development of the resources of the the Vicar of Leeds, e x pr ess ing his full approbation of the Ten Hours' Act, and stating that since the passing of that Act fifty night school's had b e en opened, Which were would all be closed if the relay system permitted to remain in force. He (Lord Asli, l ??, contended that if the House, after reeel v `ir'; favourably the proposition of the Hop. Member io Oldham solely on account of the principle that soit additional education was needs), were to permit thid A Ten Hours' Act to be made null and void,wee,t hereafter be chargeable with hypccrisy ion• began to talk o f the necessity of educat The Ten Hours' Bill also had given greater faeil siiY, t 0 „d the manufacturing labourer to cultivate patches of ae for himself. Sanguine as ho had been of td t o measure, it had done more than he expe,. • when and no one could say that the reople in the facto districts were not in the highway to social facto) tivation and improvement. The Noble Lord then ! s a l: statements from different parties, both lay and cleric . in the factory districts, all of whom bore testimonY t;e., t hat the good effects of the Ten Hours' Act, and stated belief that the relay system would undo all the geed t . ea „, bad been hitherto ffeeted in the factory di stric t by the Ten Hours' Bill, and would reduce the people 13 0 that state of semi-barlarisin in which they were b that beneficent measure passed. He had now P -1 ; before the House the state of the poor, the band the legislation that had taken effect that was likely to be produced by amt istake tent had been made, and which he was anxious o rectify by the measure he sought now t introdue'a The Noble Lord concluded by moving for leave to brig in the Bill of which he had given notice. claime d Mr. EDWARIJS seconded the motion, and T►iat Place, aud the indulgence of the Bettie f,r a short time. " 1 " question mightily affected the neighbourhood in t he resided; and to show the interest felt in the subjee he called on the House to witnese the men in the ga der o y —(Laughter.) Ile maintained the working ehissesa his district were against the relay system; it was i;to which would Lever answer, and be never submitted io by the people of England. Besides, be conten ded it an! ec tf . impracticable, for unless they employed new inspa ti he could not see how persons working 1 5 hours a could be discovered to have worload more than 10 hoin e consecutively. The speed of the machinery bad bedeubscu. much increased, that sery little difference exi'tel2 tween the present system and the former system °h ire hours labour. The men of Lancashire and Yorksh wanted the Act of 1847 to be carried out in its trutoa spirit and integrity, and it was their determ ination urge the Government to do so—a task, he believed, tlie4 would accomplish, seeing that they had been 30 yes i l e struggling to obtain the boon already granted thew'. de had always been a Protectionist; but since free tl a ee came into operation ho bad not opposed it; and this in% could say, that in Bradford thousands of the vio l t l classes who two years ago were starving in the stn eye were now fully employed.—(Hear, hear.) It vv " is same in his own neighbourhood, but it was not s°. Lancashire, and he had been ii.f e•meel that the fora' markets were absolutely glutted with Engl ish man 0 tures. He believed the matter should be settled at o . and fn. ever s , and the working classes would then P e : . satisfied. He would implore of those in that Wh. ii ho?e families, like his own, had arisen from the indir: try of the working classes, to show their gratitude lobe that occasion, by supporting the Bill brought in by Noble Lord the Member fur Path. The moton having b en put from the Chair, ha Sir GEORGE GREY said that although certainly had indulged in the hope that after the repeated !no protracted discussions which had taken place on question of the reduction of the hours of labour on e L e a ' a tain classes employed in manucactures, althoug h : he d hoped that after those repeated discussions, they ha eel arrived at a satisfactory result, and that it vi°ll,_ therefore be unnecessary to revive what cou ld not °a; carried on without the clashing of interests in the gra d branches of national industry, between whom it was tie withstanding all this, i. so much importance that h ar mony should ex ist — and f the law, were such that he thought his Nob the present state of eircunastseabei4 Friend was justified in coming to this House and to ing a legislative remedy for what he believed to say existing evils. He (S ir G e orge Grey) ho d u eed ld, in o i nothing of the natur e o f that remedy ; tp Noble Lord himself said n o thi n g of it, for he rather f!: formed the House wh a t th e purport of the Bill woula for he, than the particular detail s of it; but eptaa's'e, rhe oe himself, and looking ba c k to tho part he (Sir Gac ) ; Grey) had taken in supporting the existing restrietio on the hours of labour of those employed in, factories, he believed an amendment was expedient, "Ina' should as soon as possible be proposed and adopted, vi.t! the concurrence of those reasonable and moderate anwe''s who, on former occasions, entertained conflicting vi! e _ on the subject.—(Cheers.) Though that was his d still he was not prepared to say, after the part he a dvise taken, that he would consent to the proposal, or e " Yl ia the adoption of any amendment of the law which woo be inconsistent, he would not say with the letter, 1 2; the spirit of the Act of 1847, or against the object 0! of protecting women and children for which it was ton proposed.—(Hear proposed.—(Hear, hear ) It may be desirable, in e9u,:, sod ring the question, to recur briefly to the existnT , state of the law, without going back to the Act of 183 d , the 3d and 4th of William 4, which enacted that n young person should work at night, or, in other wohelse from half-past eight in the evening to half -past hv in the morning, leaving fifteen hours, and excledieg females from its operation. The second S (c ; tion limited the hours of labour to twelve 011 ; of the fiftceu, leaving an hour and a half for each wee': It was lawful to employ young persons from half-pas" five iu the morning provided the working time did not exceed twelve hours; to - half- past eight in the eveuing, and then came the 7 and 8 of Victoria, p assed by which women were classed with and young person a subject to the seine restrictions. By the 30th a 3 15 sections of the Act, the hours of lsbour for children 1A.,: tween the ages of eight and thirteen, were regulated and they were worked by what was termed " t' .e sP tera f relays," as authorised by that Act. The 26th sec,: tion limited the time of night, as he had already eu t served, from half-past five in the morning to alPa s _ in 184 7, eight in the evening, provided they did not exceed tea hours at continuous labour. No doubt the conflict in g t decisions given with regard to the constructio n of clause had led to a great deal of confusion. The in - Spector of factories entertained the same oPini°ll Bath, regarding it as his Noble Friend the Member for and he was bound to say that successive Gov ernments, his Right Honourable Friend opposite, the Member for Ripon, and himself, and the law advisers of the Crowe, agreed in that opinion. But his Noble Friend must be aware that the opinions of secretaries of state and legal advisers of the Crown were of no authority."'" that opinions which were binding could only be de ' clared by competent courts of justice, by the aeg o f is tes, add ultimately by one of their supreme judicature. After the co ns t ruc tion put upon it by th e judges of the Court of E xc h e quer—a construct ion fte ar r proved of by the Lord Chi e f Baron—and of which, a. reading it aitintively, h e (Sir G. Grey) had not a wora to say—it did, in his opinion, render that clause , instead c ourts tra of being a benefit, as it was intended, a positive injury. The fact was, that section fixed the same hoar for the commencement of their work of all parties in the facto ries, bnt under the working of the system, and the inter vals of rest allowed, the period of terminating it might vary, provided the whole time employed did not e xceed ten hours. That construction was open to great and se , rious objections, not only t the operative cla sses but to the employers of labour ; and it was, therefore, desirable that the law should be made clear and distinct and unim pechable, to prevent the inconvenience w hich must ne cessarily follow to both parties, if they d id not adhere strictly to the law as now laid down by indisputable au thority. The objects of the limitation of hours of labour were two ; first, a physical object ; for one of the many grounds laid down during the discussion of the Bill by his Noble Friend and others was, that such a system as applied to young persons and females was physically injurious ; that it deteriorated their health, shortened their lives, and altogether destroyed bodily vi gour.—(Hear, hear.) But he (Sir George Grey) differed with his Noble Friend in saying that the s ystem of relays or shifts was necessarily inconsistent with the attainment of that object. Relays wee analogous to a case where a young perion was employed, nominally, at continuous labour with the same set, as it was termed, or, in other words, the set was engaged to work—but all connected with it did not do so at the same time. Some were therefore set to work at six o'clock, others at eight, and so on; but those who went to work at six leaving elf two hours earlier than those who wort to work at eight. The " shift" system was, however, different, for the same persons may be employed throughout the whole range of fifteen hours, and may come at half-past five o'clock in the morning and go away at half past eight iu the es enieg. They may also not work more than ten hours, and his Noble Friend had overlooked the fact that the phySical objects may be at tained under either system. On that account he did not object to the system of " shifts" or " relays" on the phy aical part of the question; but when he came to the moral objection it was quite a different thing.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") He (Sir George Grey) con fessed, however, that his Noble Friend, in speaking of the state of the law, lost sigh; of the distinction betwe el the different classes in the factories, and that whatever might be tho intentions of Par• liainent towards women and young children, no doubt existed that legal restriction was never intended on adult labour. Many of his Noble Friend's observations ap plied to the adult system, and although he (Sir George Grey) did not say his N o bl e F r i en d h a d no cause to do so, yet it was hardly fair to say that restrictions were necessary, when it was the clear intention of Parliament in passing the Act to impose none whatever. But it moral h good of women an d young persons, that the y was avowedly its intention to promote the social and should get proper r e ligi ous an d mora l instruction , and enjoy prop e r r ecrea ti on , an d that women sh ould bo enabled to attend to their domestic affairs; and he was bound to state—and he did so with great satisfaction —that the results in that view had been all that the most sanguine advocates of the principle could wish. — (Cheers) From the reports he received from ministers of religion, and indeed from all quarters, he was bound to say that young persons and women had shown that they duly appreciated the benefits they derived from the Ten Hours' Bill.—(Cheers.) Schools had been opened, instruction given on religious subjects, industrial pur suits—such as needle-work—taught, so necessary to the domestic comfort and convenience of the poorer classes. and every aaticipat: on realised to such a degree, that all who supported the Bill had great reason to be thankful. He remembered a prediction which was uttered during the discussion, that the employers of labour would not give the Bill their hearty concurrence after it pils 3 . ' d into a la,. Now, he must say, in justice to the mal oa ne~s, that the results he had described wer e in a g . re as measure owing to the cordial concurrence they had given in carrying it into effect. It was competent fur them to keep time in their mills from half-past five in the morn ing ur til half-past eight, without, of course, su b j ecg them to more than ten contipmous hours' libou r, and it was because they allowed time for instruction that these great benefits had been derived to the working classes. ... 1% go 1