The Sun. — London, England, 1851-05-28 00:00:00

FRANCE. M. E. DucnEun,thedefeated candidate for the Landes, has addressed a letter to several of the journals in which he expresses his astonishment at the remark made by the Minister of the Interior in the Chamber, that if he (M. DUCLERC) had been elected, he would have supported the policy of the Government. The Minister, he says, had opposed him in the Landes because he knew him to be an ad vocate for universal suffrage, and had supported General Dunnizn as the partizan of the c on t rar y principle, and was sure of his political sympathies, while he could not rely on the support of one who had never been subservient to any party, but had al ways followed the dictates of his own conscience. GERMANY. A letter of the 21st, from Vienna, says— " Immediately after his return from Dresden, Prince de Schwartzenberg had a private au di ence of the Em peror, which lasted for two hours. The Prince, it is said, feels convinced that Austria will obtain the en trance into the Germanic Diet with all her possessions, and the Customs' union with all the other states. As to a new Central Federal Government, he confines him self to the formation of a military commission of Prus sia, Austria, and Bavaria. It is said that M. de Man teuflel showed himself less hostile to the vote by a sim ple majority than the Prussian Gazette would lead one to believe, and that the terms on which the Ministers at Dresden separated were so cordial that ao doubt re mains of the Holy Alliance being renewed and esta blished either at Warsaw or at Olmutz. From the pre parations now making at the Palace, it would appear that the coronation of the Emperor was intended to take place very shortly." A letter from Berlin, 24th, says In an article in the Pru ss i an G azette th i s morn i ng, the re-esta blishment of the traditional alliance between Frusa and Russia i s men ti one d as being the principal ob ject of th e C ongress of W arsaw in a conservative interest." In the Chamber of Deputies of Bavaria on the 19th, a Bill for th e P a l a ti n ate was presented, having for object to protect the KING- and all the members of the royal family from insult, there being no such pro vision in th e existing laws. The Prince DE WAL LERSTEIN and 11. SCHMIDT spoke against the Bill. M. SCHMIDT declared that the KING was not more entitled to protection than any citizen. He was in terrupted by the President of the Chamber, who de clared that, as the KING was the possessor of ma jesty, such theories as that of M. SCHMIDT could not be tolerated. The Bill was carried by a majority of 95 to 85. RUSSIA AND POLAND. The Russian Government has resolved to form a railway between the important manufacturing towns of Sgierz and body, and to put them in communica tion with Warsaw by embranchments on the Warsaw and Cracow line. It is also intended to unite War saw by railway with St. Petersburgh and Moscow. Warsaw will s h ortly be put in communication with Berlin by the railway from Lowiez to the Prussian frontier. The Russian Government is at present ne gotiating with the Prussian Cabinet on the prolonga tion of that line. William Speller, plumber, Upper Berkeley-street. Henry Bowdidge, assistant to a livery-stable keeper, South-mews, Manchester-square. J. Baker, iron moulder, Wood Top, Burnley, Lancashire. T. Baker, journeyman chainmaker, Church, Lancashire. T. Emery, grocer, Chorlton-upon-111edlock, Lanes hire. John Forshaw, beerseller, Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire. Edward Lee, licensed victualler, Horsham, Sussex. Abraham Law, percher stiffener, Chorlton-upon-Bled lock, Lancashire. T. Ross, furniture dealer, Strangeways, Lancashire. Thomas Smith, cotton manufacturer, Manchester. W. Sheraton, farmer, Terrington St. Clements, Norfolk. J. Bennett, farmer, Sutton Saint Michael, Herefordshire. Thomas Carver, jun., farmer, North Ockendon, Essex. Henry Falk, dealer in watches, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Absalom Humphreys, bootmaker, St. Asapb, Flintshire. Henry Stait, grocer, Gloucester. James Brocklesby, grocer, Kingston-upon - Hull. Ralph E, G. Johnson, out of business, Worthing, Essex. James Hirst, cloth manufacturer, Holmfirth, Huddersfield R. Morgan, schoolmaster, Talley, Carmarthenshire. John Sykes, Houley, Hudders field. Samuel Walley, farmer , Wi nson- g reen, Birmin g ham. William Duncombe, farmer, Dunton, Bucks. W. H. Hawkins, coal agent, Oswestry, Shropshire. Henry Harris, farming bailiff, Turweston, Bucks. W. H. Leigh, attorney-at-law, Blackburn, Lancashire. J o seph B. Arthy, attorney's clerk, Springfield, Essex. Robert Burton, licensed victualler, Shepton Mallet, Somersetshire. Edward Bussell Ferris, currier, Saint Sidwell, Exeter. William Johnson, stone mason, Bradford, Yorkshire. Nehemiah Jillitt, saddler, Leeds, Yorkshire. H. Leigh, cotton waste dealer, Staleybridge, Lancashire. Thos. Sprod, jun., farmer, Congresbur Y, Somersetshire. Edward Knight, farmer, Dunmow, Essex. MARKET INTELLIGENCE. (From the London New Price Current, May 27.) SLTGAR.—To-day the West India Sugar market presented a dull aspect, and the limited business transacted in Grocery and Refining sorts was at a reduction on Friday's rates of 62 per cwt. A public sale of 160 hhds 13 trcs Barbadoes at tracted little attention, and a part only sold at a decline of 6d to Is per cwt; fine yellow went at 40s 6d to 41s 6d, mid to good 383 to 40s, ord 37s to 37s 6d, very low soft brown at 32i; 6d to 33s per cwt. The total purchases were only 400 hhds &c. of West India. REFDTED.—To-day Refined Sugar was purchased with reluctance for home consumption, and rates are on the de cline, brown lumps selling at 47s to 48s per cwt. The sales concluded in Crushed Sugar were trifling, and former rates are barely supported. biLaunmus.—This afternoon the private operations in Mauritius Sugar were trifling for all purposes, but holders generally were reluctant to sell at any further decline. At auction 699 bags were taken in at 37s 6d to 38s 6d for mid dling yellow. EAST Imma.—This afternoon a greater desire was evinced by importers of Bengal Sugar to sell, and prices declined 6d to Is per cwt. Of 7,319 bags at auction, rather more than half sold. Fine white Benares went at 41s to 42s 6d, low to good 38a to 41s, fine grainy yellow 42s 6d to 445, white ditto -47 s to 48e 6d, date yellow 33s to 36s 6d, low ditto 31s 6d to 32s 6d. Of Ceylon 82 casks sold at 35s 6d to 37s for ordi nary and middling yellow. FORNIGN. —This afternoon there were sellers of Foreign Sugar rather under Friday's rates, still the private opera tions were upon a small scale for all purposes. At auction 117 hhds 127 boxes Porto Rico were only in part sold at rather lower rates—fine yellow went at 41s to 41s 6d, ordi nary to good 3.s to 40s 6d. Of Manilla 253 bags were withdrawn, and 1,380 chests white Havannah in bond were only in part disposed of at is to 2s deline—low to good went at 25s 6d to 295, and damaged 22s 6d to 25s 6d per cwt. MOLASSES. —The demand is better for West India, and pre vious rates have been well supported. About 300 puns have been sold, Antigua fine at 16s 6d to 17s, and other sorts of West India at 14s 6d to 16s. Bengal and Mauritius in small supply and wanted at 12s to 13s. Of Porto Rico 140 casks at auction were taken in at 16s 6d ; there were buyers rather under that rate. Honey from 30s to 56s per cwt for low to fine Jamaica. COOOA.—To-day at public sale 5 barrels St. Vincents Cocoa sold at 35s per cwt. CoFFEa.—This afternoon Coffee was operated in with much caution for all purposes, and lower rates were taken for several sorts. Of Native Ceylon the sound of 500 bags was taken in at 39s 6d for good ordinary ; a few lots of damaged selling at 33e 6d to 38s per cwt. Plantation Ceylon is is cheaper, and 380 bags 100 casks only in part sold, good at 55s to 58s. low middling to middling 48s to 535,j fine fine ordinary 46s to 47s 6d, good ordinary 42s to 435. Of Costa Rica 435 bags were in part sold at ,rather lower terms—fine fine ordinary at 50s, good ordinary 43s to 445, low 365, damaged 42s to 435, 20 casks African went cheaper, and sold at 35s to 35s 6d for good ordinary rather dusty and wormy. 33 bags ordinary Batavia at 36s 6d to 37s ; 50 bags La Guayra taken in at 51s to 53s for fine ordinary; 18 pkgs Mocha sold at 66s for peaberry, and at 40s to 45s for triage. TEA.—Holders of Congou are reluctant to sell at a further decline ; the trade, however, operate with caution, and there is a plentiful supply ; low to good ord can be obtained at lld to Hid, medium to rather strong blackish leaf 1 lid to Is ld, good to fine is lid to Is 7d per lb. Oolong can be had at moderate rates, but only limited purchases have been made. Green is not offered at any further decline ; there is however no decrease in supply, and the business concluded has been small ; the better sorts meeting with least attention. Scented and Pekoe Teas are dull of sale, and rates tend downwards. SPICES. —This afternoon prices declined for Ginger; 212 casks Jamaica at auction selling at 3141 to 31 14s for common to mid ; and 535 bags export Bengal at 15s to 15s 6d. Of Mace four casks Dutch were taken in at 2s Id. Nutmegs are not much in demand, and at auction 13 casks were only in part sold at 2s 4d to 2s 7d for ord and mid brown ; and at 2s 4d for fair Dutch limed. Pimento is rather cheaper, and 150 bags at auction sold at 4?d to 4id for mid to good, and at aid for inferior. RICE.—To-day the private operations in East India Rice were small, and there was no public sales. Of St. Vin cent's Arrowroot 164 packages at auction sold at 34d to sd; and 39 casks Australian at 2d per lb. SPIRITS. —Only limited transactions have taken place in Leeward Island Kum, although there are sellers at Is 5d to Is .W per gallon proof. East India is cheaper, but a good business has been done, and the sales are 500 hogsheads at is 3d proof. Demerara is 2d per gal lon, and about 400 hhds have been sold at 2s to 2s 6d for 36 to 42 per cent over proof. Jamaica is yet purchased with caution for all purposes, and rates incline downwards, low to mid quality can be obtained at 2s 3d to 2s 6d for 30 to 34 per cent over proof; good mid to good 2s 7d to 3s 3d for 32 to 33 over, and fine 35 to 38 over 3s 4d to 4s 2d. On the part of holders a desire is shown to sell Congou best brands of the vintage of 1850 at 4s 4d to 4s 6d, 1849 ditto 4s 6d to 4s Bd, 1.8411 ditto 4s 8d to 4s 10d, 1847 ditto 53 3d to 5s sd, inferior 3s 6d to 4s, and Bour deaux 2s 2d to 2s 3d. For British made Spirit the market is dull at Os 8d to 9s 91 nett cash, and Gin at 8s 2d to 8s 3d for 22 per cent under proof. Only small orders have been executed for Geneva at is 7d to is Bd, and fine at is 9d per gallon. SALTPETSE.—To-day the market for Saltpetre presented a dull aspect, aad of 850 bgs Calcutta at auction a small part only sold at 27s for strong grey 5 per cent. Immoo.—Since the conclusion of the quarterly sale operations have been trifling for all purposes ; and at the rates of that period merchants are desirous to sell. At auction yesterday 40 chests were taken in at 4s 4d to 5s 6d for ordinary to good. With Spanish the market has been freely supplied ; still the public sales of Guatemala upon the whole went off quite as well as might have been expected, and consisted of 1,369 serons, viz., very low Cortes from is 4d to 2s 8d ; strong hard coppery Cortes, 2s 9d to 3s 2d ; strong good hard Sobres, 3s 5d to 3s 8d; soft and fine Sobres, 3s 10d to 4s 10d ; a large portion consisted of low inferior and mid Cortes, which went at a decline of 2d per lb, the mid and good at par, and in some cases rather above ; the proportion of fine being comparatively small, previous rates were fully main tained. ITALY. In its sitting of the 20th the Senate of Turin passed a Bill for the establishment of an electric tele graph between Turin and Genoa. It also passed the Bill on a tax to be laid on mortmain property and corporate bodies, by a majority of 53 to 39. The Croce di Savouz of Turin quotes a correspon dence from Nice of the 17th, which, besides confirm ing the particulars we gave t wo d ays ago, a dd s that the excitement in that town continues unabated, and that the Municipal Council, in its sitting of the 16th, unanimously adopted the following protest : " The Council, in conformity with the deliberation of the delegated Council, declares that it :protests against the abolition of the free port; it charges the deputation named in yesterday's sitting to assert our rights before the Government and the Chambers, and sends as a docu ment the protest presented in the name of the popu lation." THE FATAL COLLISION ON THE MID LAND RAILWAY. CHESTERFIELD, MONDAT.--We are; happy to state That all the individuals who were injured by the colli sion on the Midland Railway at Claycross, last Monday night, are in a state approaching to convalescence, ex cept Mr. John Todhunter, of Dublin, the gentleman who had the misfortune to sustain a fracture of both legs. He does not improve, and his case is critical. It will be remembered that the conclusions, esta blished by the evidence taken last week, were these:— The evidence of the conductors connected with the two clashing trains clearly established that the express train was 15 minutes behind time at starting from Derby, and that between Derby and Clay-cross there was a further loss of 10 minutes,by stoppages at small stations, at which, according to the official time-table, it ought not to have called. The goods train, on the contrary, starting from Derby five minutes after the express, and 15 minutes behind its proper time, had travelled so rapidly as to reach Clay-cross 10 minutes before the time it was due, having in a distance of 24 miles gained 25 minutes over its proper speed. At the resumed inquest on Monday, evidence of a si milar character to that already adduced was given. After some discussion, Mr. Freston said he wanted to call the passengers to give evidence as to the time which elapsed between the stoppage of the train and the collision, respecting which the evidence was at present conflicting. The inquest was then adjourned to Friday, at eleven o'clock. THE LONDON GAZETTE, May 27. LORD CHAMBERLAIN'S OFFICE, MAY 27, 1851 Notice is hereby given that the State apartments at Windsor Castle will be closed from Friday next, the oth instant, until Monday, the 9th of June. ST. JAMES'S PALACE, MAY 24. Her Majesty has been pleased to appoint Captain 7hornas Parker Rickrord, late of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, Exon of her Majesty's Royal Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard, vice Sir Seymour Sadler, resigned. WHITEHALL, MAY 26. The Queen has been pleased to appoint James Duff, Esq., to be Lieutenant and Sheriff Principal of the shire of Elgin, in the room of General the Hon. Sir Alexander Duff, deceased. ADMIRALTY, MAY 23. Corps of Royal Marines — Lieutenant -Colon e l Robert Mercer to be Colonel Second Command ant , v i ce Hugh Mitchell, dead; Captain and Brevet Major Richard Lyde Hornbrook to be Lieutenant-Colonel, vice Mercer, pro moted; First Lieutenant and Quartermaster Charles Louis to be Captain, vice Hornbrook, promoted; Second. Lieutenant John Vaughn Carden Reed to be First Lieu tenant, vice Louis, promoted; First Lieutenant James 'Pickard to be Quartermaster, vice Louis. Commission by the Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire and Bristol. Royal Gloucestershire Regiment of Hussar Yeomanry _-Cecil Ch ar l es P o l e, G ent ., t o b e Lieutenant, vi ce Hobson, promoted, May 24. , WHITEHALL, MAY 19. -, u 2e Right H on . Si r J o h n J erv i s , K n t., Lord Chief i„e ceof her M a j es ty' s C ourt o f C ommon Pleas, at Ye' stminster, has appointed Willi am Sale, of Manchester, in the countypetual Commissioners of Lancaster, Gent., to be one of the Per of deed mraission ers f or ta ki ng the acknow l e d gments 8 to be executed by married women, under the Act passed for the a b o li t i on of fines and recoveries, and h for the a u staution of more simple modes of assurance, in and for the county of Lancaster. The WHITEHALL, APRIL The Lord ALL, APRIL 30. Browne, of th e has appointed John Rogers Master Extraordi nar of Nottingham, G en t., t o b e a y i n W HITE la.° High Court of Chancery. LL, MAY 16. The Lord Chancellor has pointed James Blenkinsopy of Liverpool, in the county () a l ? utiaancaster, Gent., to be a Master Extraordinary in the th,‘Court of Chancery. BANKRUPTCIES y, street, Soho. orkahire. Richard Ellis, carpenter, isi c h n r ZSEDED. Richard Jackson, tanner, Sells BANKRUPTS. David Barberry, lime burner, Newdigate Surrey, to e, J a:sig.' surrender June 10, at half-past eleven, and d eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Fielde e l/ 1 1 0, at nee, Coleman-street -buildings; Sharp , AC-8013, and Newbold, Bedford-row. Frederick Rodbard, schoolmaster, Croydon, June nue 5, at twelve, and July 11, at eleven , at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Cannan, official assignee, Birchin-lane, Corn. hill; Lowless and Nelson, Hatton-court, Threadneedl e .. street. Charles Chaplinprinter, Sudbury, Suffolk, June 4,. 1 lectures on th , e ._4 at s layand July f en, Bankl,(rruptcy. official assignee; Thorndike i n Friday fast Dr. R D. Allison concluded his ' 3 raith, St l I Stansfeld, William apil* Causes and Cure of Drunkenness," in the Watson,n licensed victualler, Salisbury-court, Temperance. Fleet-street, at one,filled to overflowing, and many per. at June 6, at half-past eleven, and July 11, hall was, a :V rta , Royal Mint-street, Whiteehapel. The large assignee, lithe Court of Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official sons could n o t o b t : m rly4 "4110 AB-street; Holt, Chatham-place, Bl ac k- quently pointed out the ees's. The lecturer forcibly and creased attention attention to education evils of drunkenness, and urged in friars.og B on - ._ cold and warm bath, of an improved character to maker, Red Lion-s i Granville, agricultural implement creased supply o f wat ' a j , k to better ventilated residences, in at twelve, at the s q u are , June June 10, at one, and Jaly 8, loose habits. Dr. Allison., as powerful means of improving assignee, Abchurch-laneo. Bankruptcy. Groom, official and his excellent suggestiownsas loudly cheered several times, don-bridge. ' Tr ipp, Adelaide-place, Lon- sion on his numerous audiencea.PPeared to make an impres- Richard Moore, beer retail posed, seconded, and unanimou 1 quote of thanks was pro , 7 carried to the Doctor for George's-in-the-East, Jane lo er, Sun Tavern-fields, St. his discourses, and the Chairman, in cony • eleven, at the Court of Bank at twelve, and July 8, at qratulated him on the manner in which ZYmg than, con rum of the evening, and added that e had conducted assignee, Abchurch-lane, Lombard- . Groom, official the business . . ur his friends by giving lectures on he would soon Flews, and Boyer, Old Jewry-chambers. ; Lawrence, E* l " other important sub j ects. Robert Craig, tea dealer, Br y nses ; r June 11 and July 9, at eleven, at the 2 Breconshire, 1 FATHER IGtoirATlUs. — We are assured that Mr. Bristol • . ether discarded shoes and • Court. Hutton, official assignee, Bristol; B District Spencer has alto ether . stockings, an d called a few days since James Cobb, innkeeper, Preston, evan. Bristol. attired in this manner, Lancashire' June Cumming, and challenged the Rev. Gentleman to • 6 Dr. a and 26, at eleven, at the Manchester District truth of the Kornish faith. D Cumming, Mackenzie, Court. cussion of the r. Cumming, Mackenzie, official assignee, Manchester; with that zeal for the Reformed Church . for which h e i s so Blackhurst and Son, Preston.invitation of the Romish remarkable, at once accepted the INSOLVENT DEBTORS. father, and we believe that but for the interference of Car- Charles Samuel Heath, assistant to a map-seller, Nor- dinal Wiseman, who has expressly forbid den it, the discussi on thampton-street, St. J o h n - s t r eet-road. would have taken place next week.—Sunday Times. Henry Hall, dyer, Seymour-place, Bryanston-square. QUEEN'S BIRTH-DAY AT EDINBURGH. --Thursday John • Philpot, cheesemonger, Victoria-road, Pimlic o , I was held as a holiday in Edinburgh, in consequence of its Allen Philip H are , sworn b roker, Ri c hmond, Surrey, being the anniversary of the day on which her Majesty was James Black Thoms on , baker, Leadenhall-street. t'orm- The weather was very fine, with a stout breeze from James Franklin, in no business, F rrin don-street. tt :e west; and some of the omnibuses plying in and around T. Castle, horse-dealer,Ed d a g war -square-mews,liensington. • . ~.. . . Etiatiburgh were nicely decorated with branches well clothed wif..h. green foliage. There was a grand promenade at the Thomas Culff, baker, Quaker -street, Spitalfielde. R O 3 , al Zool • William Southin, baker, Cleveland -street, Marylebone. 13th Light Zoolo g i cal Gardens, and the splendid band of the William Beckley Baker, formerly stock brokers' clerk, some select pieces s oTs were in attendance, and performed music. The admission was half-price, Craven-street, Strand. and t he attendanco Reuben Brooks, picture dealer, C bo urn-street, Lei- i _ I monsi rations wereenwas good. The usual pyrotechnic de houot wanting in the evening, and were en outer-square. : joyed to a late comml Illity, who rby the more youthful portion of the ware the °Mittore....Daily Af.s T ALLOW.—Prices for fine Yellow Russian on the spot de clined on Thursday to 36s 6d to 36s 9d, but have since ral lied to 37s 3d to 37s 6d. For delivery few trans actions are reported, and there are sellers at 38s to 385 6d for last three months of the year. Home melted is moderate in price; there has in consequence been a good de mand at 36s to 36s 3d, net cash, but the market is well supplied. Of Australian 340 casks at auction were mostly sold. ()ILL—The supply of Sperm Oil has become plentiful. At public sale 240 tuns went at 841 to 8615 s for good to fine Co lonial; at 821 to 831 for ord, and bagged 1001 per tun. Southern, at auction 60 tuns were in part sold at 281 lOs to 291 5s for ord to fine. Seal pale is to be obtained at 321 to 321 10s, and other sorts at 29/ to 311 10s. Rape Seed Oil is to be obtained at 32s 6d to 335, brown 31s to 325; and Refined Foreign a3s 6d to 33s 9d per cwt. Cocoa Nut 27s to 31s. A fair home trade demand prevails for Linseed Oil: ever still operate with eaution, exporters, how and the rates taken are 30s 6d to 31s. For delivery there are few buyers, with sellers at 31s to 31s 6d. In Palm sales have been small, and the rates taken are 28s for fine; there is, however, no material increase in supply. Olive is operated in with caution—Gallipoli is to be obtained at 391 to 40/, and other sorts at 37/ lOs to 38/ lOs per tun. SMITHFIELD MARKET. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR,—I shall feel obliged by your correcting an error in your report of my evidence given yesterday before the Committee respecting the removal of Smithfield market. You report as my having stated that my salesman's charges for selling cattle is 4d., and sheep 6d. I beg to say that it is 4s. per head for cattle, and Bd. per head for sheep, or a net commission of 6d. per head for sh eeP.—l beg to remain, Sir, yours most obediently, Bell and W. R. BOND. Crown Holborn, May 27. On F. THE SUN, LONDON, Mr. PRESTON said the powers possessed by the Board of Customs, though partially restrained by the Treasury, were too often oppressively exercised. He held in his hand a Customs writ for the enormous sum of 5,0001., upon an old bond given in 1839 for an amount of 41.125., which was in dispute with the poard of Customs; and he was threatened with two other writs for very small sums; so that there might be three separate suits on the part of the Customs for a total sum of less than 101. Every merchant knew that they were sometimes obliged to reduce their packages, and any incidental loss that might be thereby occasioned they might be called upon after the lapse of years to make good. It was in this way that the origin of the present dispute arose:— A cask had been left in bond by a person who had since become bankrupt; and though the application had been met by a full explanation as to the subject of dispute, which was only 16 gallons of refuse wine, the Board of Customs had not condescended to make any other reply than by a writ—a . process to which every merch a nt i n th e kingdom washable, as the law might be enforced w ith the same capriciousness they now exercised ; for they gave no reasons, and it there were any grounds f o r proceedings, those grounds were known only to themselves. The delay, also, occa sioned by appeals to the board in London was a great grievance. Cases were submitted, so trifling that no person of common sense could entertain a second opinion on them ; and of thirteen submitted, where not above a gallon of spirit was involved in each case, the delay had been more than a week, and eleven of the thirteen cases were allowed as the local officer would himself have decided. The memorials from the Customs in Liverpool to the board in London, for the past year, exceeded 3,000. On the article of brandy alone there were, to his own knowledge, upwards of 220. Sir Thomas Fremantle had stated that the committee who de cided these appeals consisted sometimes of one and some times of two. If that were so, how was it that an officer was not allowed to act upon a rule of common sense, but must cause a delay of a week by his vexatious report? It was time there should be an alteration, and if the shoe did not now pinch the whole of the merchants of the kingdom, they might depend upon it every one of them were liable at any moment to be pounced npon with a writ for 5,000/., and perhaps the knowledge of that fact would arouse some of them from their supineness. Mr. Bu it supported Mr. Preston, observing that the board in London seemed anxious to have as many me morials as possible, in order to have the appearance of doing a great deal of business, and to keep up the im portance of the board. Mr. HEATH submitted a resolution to the effect that it was incumbent on the chamber to endeavour to pro mote the establishment of local tribunals having power to adjudicate upon commercial matters. The delay, expense, and liability to be ch ea t e d out of justice by the present c ons t i tution of the Customs were fully entered upon, and an instance was adduced of a case at the last assizes for 411., in which no quib bles or technicalities were introduced, and where the taxed costs amounted to upwards of 1001. on one side and above 804 on the other. Lord Wharncliffe had stated that of 177,000 cases submitted to special com mercial tribunals in 16 foreign countries only 31 per cent. were undecided, while 26 per cent, were undecided out of only 30,000 tried by the ordinary civil tribunals. Messrs. Clint, Shell, Forwood, and Wylie then ad verted to the forwarding trade; and, after much discus. sion, the proceedings were terminated by the usual vote of thanks to the chairman. ATLANTIC STEAM NAVIGATION. We are enabled to announce, that the British and North American Royal Mail Steam -ship Company have decided upon a most important extension of the opera tions of their magnificent squadron of steam-ships from this port to the United States and Halifax. Heretofore, the weekly departures of the fleet from either side of the Atlantic were confined to the summer months; while during December, January, February, and March, the dispatches were restricted to once a fortnight. Under the new arrangement decided upon, however, steam-ships will sail regularly once a week throughout the year with out interruption, calling, as at present, at Halifax, en route, each alternate voyage. We are happy to chroni cle this spirited scheme of extension, calculated, as it is, largely to promote the interests of the commercial community during an important division of the year ; and we trust the enterprise exhibited will be re warded by a degree of support adequate to the spirit evinced. Our communications with the United States have long been maintained by the steam-ships of this service with distinguished regularity, safety, and speed ; but under the proposed plan those communica tions will be carried to a still higher degree of effi ciency; and, probably, when reinforced by the Persia and Arabia, now being constructed on the Clyde, no mail squadron will exist in the world capable of contrast ing with the Royal Mail Company. We trust the new step in advance will meet that degree of support which will insure success. We are also enabled to announce from direct official sources that our statements regarding the selection of Holyhead as the mail station for the New York and Boston Royal Mail steam-ships were entirely correct. We are further enabled to add, that the Lords of the Admiralty entertain hopes that the harbour works at Holyhead will be sufficiently advanced to afford shelter to the steam-ships towards January, 1852, and we believe that so soon as those hopes are realized orders for the alteration proposed will be issued.—Liverpool Albion. THE SUICIDE AT THE SARACEN'S HEAD.—On Monday Mr. Payne held an inquest at the Saracen's Head Inn, Snow -hill, on the body of Mr. J. James Bristow, a gentle man well known on the turf as an owner of race-horses. Deceased arrived at the above-mentioned hotel on Wednes day evening from Epsom. On Friday night he retired to his bed-room as usual. About four o'clock on Saturday morning the landlord was informed by his ostler that he had seen blood running from under the door of deceased's bed-room. On entering the body of the unfortunate gentle man was found undressed, and on the floor. His left hand lay over a six-barrel revolver, and from the general position of the body it appeared as though deceased had shot him self in bed, and then fell to the floor. A policeman was called in by the landlord, and an inspection of the room was made. Deceased's room was flanked by two other rooms, the doors of both of which were fastened. On the table lay a powder flask, a small quantity of bullets, and some percus sion caps. From papers found it appeared that deceased was a gentleman of independent property, lived at Hendon, tiTddlesex, and had been a breeder of horses, but within r b an ese last nine months he had sold off his stock. A memo t,7l. noN a ro s ews Another l t l c (7: in w hisit. I pocket, hav e o f triedwhich to the h i following de i t ffrom o is n I a , e ,op yd time, u .b i n u. one wouldLeger, an think i e n a k ri I e zhoauv fore beenthe F ue e a r r nh llle. and I have succeeded, but my ra D ce e m r is h a great error of my wife acquainted Derby.—J. .0 foran. . Backßlong— . ehmasorandum was as follows :—« The Friday." to do many rash things. W t o been that I have never made my my affairs. I have been driven darling dear wife, whose aim h. fire' M y to conduce to my hap will love and cherish my my Poor relations! Alas, piness. My brain is on alas, what is to become of my darling wife!" dwereuri n ~ Temporary insanity." Verdic— t considerable number of herrings the fishermen's lines on the Banffshire coast during found the e lasta t two weeks. So early an appearance predicts an abundant tijjaing Di the APPr9OlO4iAg seautnew.lisvcnicsi On . . THE LIVERPOOL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. On Monday the quarterly meeting of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce was held in the large Council Chamber, Exchange-buildings ; Mr. T. H. Horsfall, pre sident, in the chair. The attendance of members was ♦ery numerous. The CHAIRMAN adverted to the fact of a committee having been conceded by the House of Commons to inquire into the conflicting statements of the London Docks Board and the Commissioners of Customs. The chamber, he added, had availed themselves of the appointment of that committee to consider what local improvements might be effected by its instrumentality. They had no fault to find with the local officers, for, so far as they could consistently with their duty, they afforded every facility to the trade of the port, nor did they complain personally of the Com missioners of Customs in London—they found fault with the system. The council had adopted a series of resolutions, in which their wants and grievances were set forth; and the first two of those resolutions were in timately connected with the change absolutely required by the mercantile community in the reform of the Board of Customs. He would read them, and a copy would be forwarded to every member of the chamber:— " 1. That the Head Board of Customs in London should consist of not exceeding five commissioners, in the appointment of whom regard should be had solely to their fitness for the duties of their office; that a por tion of the board should be selected from persons of large practical commercial experience, and that one mem ber of the board should sit in Parliament, in order to give answers and explanations to questions relating to this important department of public business. " 2. That the collector, comptroller, and head inspec tor at each of the chief ports should form a board, with power to dispose of all cases of infraction of Customs regulations or of disputed duties, arising within its juris diction, where the penalty or difference of duty may not exceed 1001.; but with the reserve of a right of appeal, on the part of the public, to the commissioners in Lon don, and, if desired, from them to the Lords of the Treasury; and that increased discretionary powers should be committed to the local boards, for expediting and facilitating the Customs business of the port." If those resolutions were brought before the Committee of the House of Commons, the council entertained no doubt that the mercantile community would ob tain the redress they sought. Was it not a remarkable fact that, although there was now ❑o export duty, the same system remained in torte as when it was necessary to collect that duty? Thus, a person who had to take perfectly free goods on board cad co submit them to fourteen or fifteen individuals, each of whom had to pass them before they could be shipped. There was another grievance, and that was in the central authority allowing trifling accounts to re main open for many years, and when the merchant was unable, from the changes in his establishment, or any other cause, to account for the most minute deficiency during a long period cf time, a vexatious demand was made, arising out of some obsolete bond, and litigation ensued, which it seemed impos sible, under the present system, for the most cir cumspect to avoid. The report would now be laid be fore them, and he would conclude by calling their atten tion to the handsome present made to the council by Mr. Graham Gibbert, of an excellent likeness of the late Mr. Canning, which was now suspended in the council chamber. This announcement was received with great applause, and the chairman resumed his seat amid general acclamation. Mr. It. laoxsoN, the secretary, then read the report for the past quarter, which adverted to the abuses of the bonding system and its proposed reform, the forma tion of tribunals of commerce, the defects in postal communications, the abolition of the Russia Company, the inequalities of the charges for forwarding goods, and other matters. Mr. STILL moved, and Mr. ARNOTT seconded the adoption of the report, which was unanimously ac ceded to. WEDNESDAY. EVENING, MAY 28, 1851. PARLIAM F.:NT HOUSE OF LORDS, May 27. The LORD CHANCELLO R took his seat upon the Woo] sack at Five o'clock. PETITIONS. The Earl of CARLISLE presented a petition from Hull, praying for the enactment of a measure to pre vent the absconding of debtors. Lord SAYE and SELE presented a petition from a place in Wiltshire against Papal aggression. The Earl of EGLINTON presented several petitions from places in Scotland with a similar prayer. The Eirl of ENNISKILLEN presented several peti tions from places in Armagh, Wicklow, Cork, Water ford, Tipperary, Queen's County, and other counties in Ireland. to a similar effect. PUBLIC-HOUSES (SCOTLAND) BILL. Lord KINNAIRD presented several petitions in favour of the Public-houses (Scotland) Bill. The NOBLE LORD then moved the second reading of this Bill, which was substantially the same as the Bill which had passed their Lordships' House last session, and had been sent down to the House of Commons, but had not passed in consequence of the lateness of the session. Scotland enjoyed the unenviable notoriety of consuming a greater proportion of ardent r,pirits in pro portion to its population than any other country is Europe, except Sweden. This consumption had decreased among the upper and middle classes, but had increased among the lower classes. Every grocer in Scotland could sell spirits, and in consequence the servants of the upper orders and the wives of the worki•ag men were in duced to drink, and the money for spirit s was put down to the account of tea and sugar. The respectable grocers and the respectable inhabitants and artisans were in favour of this Bill. These persona were licensed, and if the licence was refused by the local' justices, there was an appeal to the sessions, and the writers to the signet canvassed all the justices to overrule the deci sion of the local justice, and thus to gain the licence. This Bill proposed that the court of appeal should b e composed, not of the wh o l e o f the justices but of one justice from each district. It was also proposed that the district justices should state the number of public houses they thought necessary for their district, and that such number should not be exceeded for five years. With regard to grocers selling spirits, they had three years given to them to get out of the trade; within that time they must decide whether they would be grocers or spirit sellers. The Bill also gave Coe power to the police to enter any houses authorised to a ell refreshments of any sort to be consumed on the premises. The Bill had been before the public more than a year, and he hoped their Lordships would give it a second reading. The Earl of MINTO thought the Bill should be re ferred to a Select Committee. Lord KINNAIRD did not see the ne cossity of a Select Committee. The Earl of MINTO considered that any measure of this nature, which tended to cast a slur upon the magis trates in quarter sessions assembled, sh.seild be referred to a Select Committee, in order that •aill parties might have an opportunity of being heard. lie feared that if the powers of the quarter sessions wer a delegated to a committee of magistrates, it would opc In the door to po litical jobbing. The Duke of ARGYLL entirely assented to the principle of the Bill, and thought that the country was greatly indebted to his Noble Friend for its introduc tion; he only regretted that it did not ex t en d to l arge towns and boroughs. He would in thcs a cases give no appeal at all, but would make the deei.sion of the local justices in towns and boroughs final. He hoped the Bill would become law during the pPesent session of Parliament. He would recommend the t the time given to grocers to get out of the spirit trade should not ex ceed two years. The Earl cf EGLINTON supported the Bill. He could hardly conceive a measure which less required the supervision of a Select Committee than this, which ap plied a remedy to an acknowledged ev it. The Earl of MINTO explained. The Duke of RICHMOND supported the Bin, and agreed with his Noble Friend that th ree years was too long a time to give to the grocers to get out of the spirit trade; these shops destroyed some of eh.e best labourers in the country. The Duke of BUCCLEUCH was favourable to the principle of the Bill. Lori] KINNAIRD replied. The Bill was then read a second timo., and ordered to be committed on Friday. The Bills on the table were forwar ded a stage, and their Lordships adjourned to Friday. HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 27. The SPEAKER took the Chair a few minutes to Four o'clock. TE ;. The following PßlV Bills A were read a USINEE; third tima and passed:— Dee Standard Restoration. Great Central Gas Consumers' Compary.y. REPORTS. The reports upon the following Bills; were considered and agreed to:— Great Southern and Western Railway (Ireland). Manchester Waterworks. Maryport and Carlisle Railway. South Staffordshire Railway (Brand:l4i s to join the Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and. Stour Valley Railway, &c.) Stockton, Middlesbrough, Yarm, &c. 'aterworks. Ulverstone and Lancaster Railway. PETITIONS. Mr. HEYWOOD presented a petitio rt from Burnley. Lancashire, in favour of secular educat ion supported by local rates. Mr. LITTLETON presented a petition from Walsall against the truck system. Sir J. YOUNG presented a, petiti on from Ireland against the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill. Mr. SLANEY presented a petition , From Glasgow in favour of an alteration of the partners) xip laws; also a petition from artizans in the metropolis to the same effect. BIBLE MONOPOLY.. Mr. HUME gave notice that he wc on an early day, move a resolution to the effect the o; it was incum bent on the House to put an end to the .Bible monopoly. ENGLISH PAUPERS Mr. MILES moved for a return of• the number of paupers receiving in and out-door relic fl in 607 unions and single parishes in England and NI rqles during the half-years ended at Lady-day 1850 ai tai 1851 respec tively; together with the average pric es of provisions contracted for during the aforesaid reap x.tive periods by the boards of guardians for the different counties. Agreed to. CLIANCERY. Mr. AGLIONBY moved for a return f the total sum due or paid for salaries and office exp Fuses under the Act 5 and 6 Vie., c. 103, since the pass ing of the Act; and also of the total sum paid for compe esation for loss of offices and profits to officers, under the same Act, since the passing thereof up to the 25th day of Novem ber, 1850; a like re turn of the total sum paid to each of the late sworn clerks appointed taxin; ; masters, for salary and compensation, collective , Ly and to gether, under the same Act, since the passing thereof; and also a return of the a rinual amount of compensation awarded to each of tb ,e said taxing masters under the said Act, in the event of their ceasing to hold the said office, and of the annual sums to be paid to the personal representatives oi each of them as compensation after their deaths, and for what num ber of years after their deaths such pay, cents to their personal representatives are to continue , and out of what funds, and by whom, such payme 'its for salary and compensations are now made and to b o made. Agreed to. PETITION OF ERNEST JO ,TES. Lord DUDLEY STUART moved tha t. the petition of Mr. Ernest Jones be printed with the v otes. Agreed to. SIR JAMES BROOKE. Mr. HEADLAM Zhedtoa Mr. Flume whether the withdrawal by him, on Tuesday last, the 20th day of May, of his motion concerning certain proceedings on the coast of Borneo, is to be considered is an abandon ment of the charges contained in that : lotice upon the character and conduct of Sir James Broo ke? Mr. HUME denied that he had any in' ;entien to with draw the motion, but, on the contrary, since February he had been anxious to bring it forward, and he balloted for it until he succeeded in getting it pl aced No. 1 on the paper. At the request, however, cif several Hon. Gentlemen who wished to make themsel mes masters of the subject, and who were not terriers or bulldogs, like the Hon. Member—(Cries of " Order"). —he consented to postpone it. The SPEAKER said the Hon. Membs er must with draw the words " terriers and bulldogs." Mr. HUME said the Hon. Gentleman ought to have known from what had passed in the Hou so that he had not withdrawn his motion ; and he, there) yore, oould not help feeling that he had been set on by somebody else, but, nevertheless, he had no objection to . withdraw the words. A secon d t i me h e postponed : his motion, at the request of the Noble Lord at th , a head of the Foreign Department; and he therefore has I a right no w to call up on th e G overnmen t to g i ve him a day to bring it forward. In justice to Sir James Brool:,, and in jus tice to the public, Government were bound' to assist him so far, and the Hon. Gentleman might tak.s this for his answer, that so soon as he could get a da y the motion should be brought on. After a few words of explanation. from Mr. HEADLAM, the matter then dropped. WOODS AND FORESTS. I❑ answer to a question from Lord DUN CAN, Lord SEYMOUR said that he should nut, bring on the Bill for the management of the departmi rat of Woods and Forests until an opportunity offered wit en it could be discussed at length. Lord DUNCAN gave notice that he she iuld then move a clause embodying the resolution which h e had moved on the 11th March last, and which had be le.n adopted by the House. AFFAIRS OF CEYLON. Mr. HENRY BAILLIE then rose to ma we the reso lution of which he had given notice on tb is subject: " That this House, having taken into its consideration the evidence adduced before the Select C. ommittee ap pointed to inquire into the affairs of Ce.;T lon, is of opi nion, that the punishments inflicted durir,g the late dis turbances in that island were excessive anal uncalled for: that this House is of opinion, that the execution of eighteen persons, and the imprisonment, tr ansportation, and corporal punishment of one hundr,DA and forty other persons on this occasion, is at varitir, :ce with the merciful administration of the British penal' laws, and is not calculated to secure the future affections and fidelity of her Majesty's colonial subjects: that the is House is of opinion that these seventies are the in o re sincerely to be deprecated as they were exercised after the suppres sion of the disturbances, during which non e of her Ma jesty's troops fir public servants were killed, a nd only one soldier slightly wounded. That this House it ;of opinion that the conduct of the late Governor of Ceylon, in keeping in force martial law for two montl 9, after his Mii• 1 s • are eeetet is dee r , lll jgf P and ourtog which period the civil courts were sitting without danger or interruption, and also his refusal to allow a short delay in the execution of a priest, at the re• quest of the Queen's Advocate, who wished further inves tigation into the case, was in the highest degree arbitrary and oppressive. That this House is therefore of opinion, that the conduct of Earl Grey, in signifying her Ma jesty's approbation of the conduct of Lord Torrington during and subsequent to the disturbances, was precipi tate and injudicious, tending to establish precedents of rigour and severity in the government of her Majesty's foreign possessions, and injurious to the cha ratter of this country for justice and humanity." He said he had to drew very largely upon the indul gence of the House in bringing forward this motion, and he could assure them that it gave him no pleasure or satisfaction in bringing it forward. He was impelled only by his sense of public duty, as Chairman of the Ceylon Committee, and by his belief that a very general feeling prevailed on both sides of the House that the question should not be allowed to remain where it was left at the end of last session. It was no longer a question in which the interests of one colony merely were concerned, but all our colonies alike were involved in it, as well as the honour and character of this country. It was a question, too, to decide whether or not a Committee appointed by that House had duly and pro perly discharged the duty intrusted to them by the House. It was on these grounds that he had felt it his duty to bring this question before them, and in doing so he should feel it his duty to divide it into two parts. The first was to call the attention of the House to the proceedings of the Ceylon Committee. and afterwards to advert to the evidenee upon which he grounded his present motion. Before he proceeded fur ther he would remind the House of the resolution with which the Ceylon Committee had been appointed— a resolution which had been unanimously agreed to, than which nothing whatever could be more explicit or more distinct, owing to the express interfer ence of her Majesty's Government. In its report it had not thought fit to report whether any grievances existed in the island or not; nor, further, to recommend whether any measurea should be adopted for the better government of Ceylon. The question mieht be asked, what had induced the Committee thus to confine itself, and vir tually to defeat the intentions of the House in appoint ing it. It certainly had not thought fit to make any report upon the merits of the case, but a private under standing had been come to at the time with the Secretary of State that Lord Torrington should be re called without any wound being inflicted on the amour propre of the Colonial-office; but in order to prevent their striking too forcibly on the attention of the House it was arranged that the motive of this recall should be given out to be a private misunderstanding, and the Under- Secretary of State pledged himself afterwards to defend all the public acts of the Noble Lord. The Committee came to the resolution not to present their report to the House, but to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whose conduct was under investigation, thus committing a direct breach of the privileges of the House.—(Hear, hear.) The ground alleged for doing this was, that several letters of a private and confidential nature were brought in evidence before the Committee. On these letters Mr. M'Christie, the barrister, founded his charges; he had received them from his constituents in Ceylon, and at first objected to produce them, though ho offered to give the names of the writers; but con sidering afterwards that his veracity was in question, he agreed to present them to the Committee. The Under- Secretary of State for the Colonies did not offer any objection to their production, but was subsequently very indignant when it was proposed to publish them. The Committee came to a resolution that the letters should be adduced in evidence. He had considered it necessary to give this explanation to the House in consequence of the strong language used by the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies; and it would bo for the House to decide whether a public officer was to have his honour and character blighted in this manner without a hand being raised in his defence. With respect to the course adopted by the Committee, he believed it was a right and proper course. The Committee in adopting that course was supported by the late Sir Robert Peel, who consulted Sir John Jervis on the subject, and that learned authority gave it as his opinion that it was impossible for the Committee to have adopted any other course than to compel the production of the documents.---(Hear, hear.) Now he came next to the question of the evidence laid before the Committee. The House was probably aware, from the papers which had been laid on the table, that the Secre tary of State for the Colonies gave his superior approba tion to the measures adopted by the Governor of Ceylon in the year 1848. Hence a question arose of serious importance for the consideration of the House, because if the acts and proceedings of the Governor of Ceylon, and if the manner in which mar tial law was carried into effect in the colony had received the sanction and appproval of the Government, and if by the vote they were about to give this evening it was, furthermore, to receive the sanction and approbation of the House, it followed as a matter of course that those acts and proceedings would become precedents to be adopted on all future occasions by those governors and British officers who might under similar distressing circumstances fancy themselves called upon to proclaim martial law in the colonies which they governed.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") Now, coming to tho consideration of the question, it was me his intention to enter into any discussion with respect to the advantages or disadvantages which the colony might have derived by a reduction of the duty upon cin namon and coffee.—(Hear.) That question the Com mittee was expressly precluded from inquiring into. Nor would he call upon the House to decide questions that were merely matters of opinion. For example, he would not call upon the House to decide upon the nature of the disturbances that took place in 1848, or whether they had their origin in the injudicious acts of the Government.—(Hear, hear.) Those were matters of opinion, and, referring to the evidence, it- would be found that upon those points most important and most competent witnesses did not agree. For example, Sir Emerson Tennent, the Secretary of the colony, informed the Committee that in his opinion the rebellion was formidable in its nature; while Mr. Anstruther, who for fifteen years was also the colonial secretary, told the House that it was ridiculous to call it a rebellion at all.—(Hear.) It was only an ordinary riot, magnified into importance by incompetent persons. Again, they had the evidence of Mr. Wodehouse, who for twenty years served in the civil service of the colony. He did not express himself in the same manner as Mr. Anstruther, because it would not have become him to do so, but he came to the same conclusion as that gentleman, namely, that there was no necessity for proclaiming martial law.—(Hear, hear.) Now he would not ask the House to decide these questions, bat be would call upon them to express an opinion on the other matter, and to decide whether the manner in which martial law was carried into effect in this colony could nnder any circumstances have been justified—(Cries of "Hear, hear")—more especially under the circumstances of the case, those circumstances being that the disturbances had altogether ceased, that nobody was in arms at the time against the authority of her Majesty, and that the whole country was in a perfect state of tranquillity when the measures he was about to refir to were carried into effect. Upon that point there was no dispute. Before, however, ho related what those measures were, he would describe to the House what the nature of martial-law was.—(Hear, hear.) The Judge- Advocate at the time said that martial law was no law, but ho should differ with that learned functionary. He admitted that it might be truly said that martial law was not a written law; yet the same could be said of com mon law; but he would ask the House, were not the two laws governed by precedents? To explain this, there are two modes by which trials under martial law can be conducted. The system adopted under one of those modes was when hostile armies were in the field, in which case the trials were very summary in their na ture. Persons were tried and executed in the most un ceremonious manner, without any regular trial, and that was what had been done in Ceylon. That he conceived to be nothing less than putting into execution a system of lynch law. There was, however, another mode in which martial law was to be carried into effect, and that was in the case of any town or county, or district, being placed under martial law. In cases of that na ture, it was generally the case that the usual tribunals of the county or district wore allowed the free exercise of their functions, and as a proof of' that, when the Duke of Wellington, in 1814, proclaimed martial law in the south of France, that did not hinder the usual legal tribunals of the country from being conducted in the usual form. What they now complained of was, that the instruc tions issued for the carrying out of those courts-martial had been illegal, and that they had been irregularly car ried out, and that this illegality and irregularity was occasioned by the Governor of the colony and Colonel Drought, who had the command of the troops stationed in it. The first of those Commissions was for the trial by courts-martial of several of the inhabitants of Kandy and persons resident in the surrounding district for high treason, in consequence of the part they had taken in the outbreak. The Commissioners appointed under the act of the colonial officials were three young subaltern officers, who no doubt entered upon their arduous duties with an ardent desire to go through them faithfully and efficiently, but, unfortunately, they were not allowed to do so. They commenced their proceedings with the appointment of a judge-advocate, so that the parties brought before them might have the opportunity of a fair trial, but they were soon stopped in that course of regular procedure by being told by the colonial authorities that such a functionary was not ne cessary, as also that it was not necessary to take down the evidence in detail adduced upon the trial of such individuals, but that all that was necessary was that they should be convinced of the guilt of the parties implicated. Again, there were tried before the Commission five parties charged with murder, three of whom were tran s po r t e d for life, and twofindingfor fourteen years, but the C omm ander-in-Chief on h this out, put a stop to the proceeding, Com mission that as all murder e rs were consideredandtold r te eheels, no l t distinction could be made in the punishm ak e e n n t of them. Previous to that time no executions had to show the history of those proceedings ho w pace, and would read Colonel to the House the orders issued by Drought to the Commission on the subject. The first order issued May, 1848, and was to the by him was on the sth of effect that the parties accused should be tried by courts martial, the parties accused h those instruction s wore a jadge•advocate (appointed in the allowed the ben e fit o f usual form.) O n t h e 16th of August, 1848, however, a. countermanded, and the Commis sd. docate, but th a t v ioners were told th ere was no occasion to appoint a jtl ge they should through with the trials as soon as possible; and in order to do so, that they should refrain from taking the evidence in detail. It could not be said that by taking the evidence in detail the Commission was taking up too much time, for they had the evidence of the Chief Justice of Ceylon, that he had resisted the sys tem attempted to be carried out by every means in his 444. r 1 •ed aie Ntae given by the ehiet Justice, but one vortion of it he could not refrain from stating to the House. Referring to the manner in which these trials were carried on, the Learned Gentleman said that he had served her Majesty for 20 years, that he had every desire to uphold her Crown and Government, but from the manner in which these trials were conducted, he felt that the glory of her name was tarnished, and that the character of the coun try was injured; and he could not silently stand by and see such things done without remonstrating against hem.—(Hear, hear.) He might also state, that at the time these trials were being conducted in the partial manner stated, a detachment of military was sent through the province, who were empowered to confiscate the property of all those who were absent from their homes, such being considered as rebels; but so peace able were the natives, that during the two months those parties were so scouring the district not a single casualty occurred, while Lieutenant Henderson, who commanded the expedition, stated, that during the whole time, the district they traversed, was perfectly quiet. No doubt Lord Torrington had, in the evidence of Colonel Cole brook, a justification of his having recourse to martial law, and he admitted that no one was better qualified to judge of such a procedure; but it must be borne in mind that Colonel Colebrook formed his opinion as to the propriety of that step, not from personal observation, but from information he received at the time; and a week afterwards, when he saw that the information given him had been greatly exaggerated, he did not hesitate to say that martial law should have at once ceased. He would now call the attention of the House Cs another misrepresentation on the part of the Colonial office, which was nothing less than a falsification of the documents laid upon the table of that House, calculated to mislead the Members of the House. From what he had already stated, that House must see that one of the principal charges against the Ceylon officials was, that a number of men had been condemned and executed by courts-martial wrongfully and illegally constituted, and without the assistance of a judge-advocate to enable them to meet the charge preferred against them. In that respect the returns published by the Government are to the effect that Mr. Charles Stewart attended fourteen of those courts-martial as judge-advocate, whereas they had it upon that gentleman's own evidence that he only attended four. What then were they to think of a great public department, such as the Colonial-office, who gave such a statement as that?—(Hear.) Were they to suppose that such blunders could be made by the su bordinate clerks in that office without the authority of their superiors ? But what, after all, were they to say to the chief of that department, who countenanced such conduct. This, at least, they could with justice say— that he was the last man in England who could accuse the Ceylon Committee with acting an unfair part. He would, however, now proceed to state other acts of out rage perpetrated by Lord Torrington. That Noble Lord, in his eagerness to put down what he called re bellion, seemed to have gone beyond the rules even of martial law, for he not only threatened, and in many in stances sacrificed the lives of the inhabitants, but he also attached the goods and chattels of those who were sus pected of disaffection. This led to a general system of murder and confiscation; for vast numbers of the inha bitants, on this being made known, fled to the jungle in order to escape punishment, and the whole country be came a scene of outrage and plunder. In order the more effectually to carry out the work of extermination, Sir Emrnerson Tennent suggested to the Governor that the property of those inhabitants of the district of Kandy who fled from it should be forfeited to the Government and given to a rival tribe. That view seemed to have been adopted, and, in order to carry it out, a proclamation was issued on the Ist of Au gust, 1848, which was signed by Colonel Drought, and was to the effect that those leaving their homes should be considered as rebels, and their pro perty and effects treated accordingly. And on the 18th of the same month another proclamation was issued to the effect that the lands and property of all those absent from their homes for twenty days previous to the issuing of the proclamation, should be forfeited to the Crown, and these proclamations were carried out in the most un just and arbitrary manner. The first case he would mention as showing the manner in which these acts were carried out was that of Dallame De wi Melleme. This individual was the lay head of the Buddist religion in Ceylon. He was a man much respected, and considered to be the principal instrument in putting down the re bellion in 1817 and 1818, in that colony. So soon as the rebellion now under consideration broke out, Mr. Buller, who was in the service of the Ceylon Government, sent him to the disturbed districts, in order that he might use his influence to quiet them.—(Hear, hear.) No sooner, however, had he arrived there than he was seized ny Captain Watson and imprisoned, while all his cattle and property was seized under the proclamation of the 18th of August, and sold by public auction at a mere no minal value. All this time the poor man was a prisoner in the hands of the Government waiting his trial; and while he could conceive a case, where a man's property who fled from justice might be confiscated and sold, he never yet heard of one when such should be done in the case of a man who came forward and was ready to take his trial on the charge preferred against him.—(Hear, hear.) Such was the injustice of the case, that when the law officers of the Crown at Ceylon came to consi der it, they could find no charge against the man what ever.—(Hear, hear.) The proceeds of his property was therefore ordered to be restored to him, after deducting 12 per cent. for expenses, which the old man indignantly refused, and died disgusted, no doubt, with the tyranny and treachery of British rule.—(Hear, hear.) The next case was one very similar. A man, who was also a pri soner in the hands of the Government, had his house entered by a party of soldiers under Captain Watson and stripped of everything of value, clothes, jewels, money, and cattle. The estimated value of the property taken from him was 7,0001. All his corn and cattle were seized, and conveyed or driven to Captain Watson's head-quarters, where they were sold next morning, and purchased by Captain Watson himself, who it seemed had an estate in the neighbourhood, and being in want of stock on his farm, no doubt, found this a good opportunity of procuring it cheap.—(Cheers and laughter.) When the case of this man came to be investigated, it was declared that there were no grounds whatever for bringing him to trial, and he was liberated with the same result, those portions of his property being tendered to him of which he was not to be plundered. It appeared that the Govern ment of Ceylon were not satisfied with the private property which they had seized, but the soldiers were ordered to enter the temples, and to carry off the idols, the gods, the sacred garments of the priests, and everything they could find. When the great temple was plundered, the priests were actually prisoners in the hands of the Government. But whether that was so or not, it is clear that the property seized in the temples was not the property of the priests, but was public pro perty, which ought to have been respected. When these cases came to be investigated, it was found that there was no justifiable ground upon which these proceedings could rest. He had now stated to the House, as briefly as he could, how the trials under martial law were con ducted, and the property of the people confiscated. He would now state to the House in what way human life was disposed of. The case he would now bring under the notice of the House was one that had been often re ferred to, viz., the refusal of Lord Torrington to listen to the advice of the chief law officer of the Crown, who went to solicit him to suspend the execution of the pri soner under sentence of death, for a short time, until it could be ascertained whether he was really guilty of the offence laid to his charge, the Queen's Advocate enter taining the opinion that he was innocent. He did not wish to enter into the exact words that might have been used by Lord Torrington on that occasion, for it ap peared to him that what he did say was really of little importance. The fact of the Queen's Advocate's inter ference was not disputed, and the Queen's Advocate af terwards, at Lord Torrington's own request, drew up a statement of what took place. He sent that statement to Lord Torrington, and it would be found in the evi dence in reply to question No. 1,727. The officers by whom the men were tried did not understand the lan guage which they spoke, and they could only assert their innocence through the medium of an interpreter. That statement was made to Lord Torrington. The exact words used on the occasion referred to appeared to him of but little importance. What was of importance was this, that a human being was hurried to execution without inquiry, contrary to the remonstrance of the chief law advisers of the Crown, and whom those most competent to form an opinion, believed to be innocent. Now, ho would net trust himself to make any comments on this part of the subject. He would only ask the Hon. Gentleman the Under Secretary for the Colonies, whether this was one of those public acts of the Ceylon Government which he was prepared to justify?—(Hear, hear.) Already they found that these transactions had not been without their fruits. Sir Henry Ward, in the lonian Islands, seemed to have followed closely in the steps of Lord Torrington. He, too, received k the approbation of the Government.—(Hear, ear.) And now he must onc e more refer to the speech of Lord Torrington; for he stated that he bad received addresses of thanks signed by a great proportion of the residents in the island. He (Mr. Baillie) did not dispute the truth of this statement. He did not deny that a great many persons in the island would have done so, but he did not attach much importance to the circumstance in any point of view. And now he came to the dispatch of Lord Grey, giving a general view of all these transactions. On the 24th of October, 1848, Earl Grey wrote a dis patch to Lord Torrington, -from m great which satisfaction the fol an extract:—"l have, k incon s veying to your Lord shi p her Majesty's approbation o f the measures taken to restore tran q uil lity, and maintain the authority of the Government; and of the decision, pron3ptitade, and judgment with which you acted in putting down the attempts which were mad© to di s t ur b the peaca of the island, a n d to set up an usurped and t o sevezal dispatches of Lord amongst Other Torrington to Earl g, giving the report of t h e super intend things, in Kandy, w detailed ;he su ccess f ul planhe had ad o pt e d t o keep everything quiet, until an outbreak occurred, which would enable the Government to bring the offenders to ' justice. rhesewdi which also cont a i ne d an accoun t of . she slaugater, was incidental to the outbreak arl n the som e day there h ere was ano t h er di s p a t c h from d E yto Lord Torrington, in whi c h h e said: ,In more than one ct the other dispatches which will reach you by the pMent opportunity, I have expressed the satis faction which I have felt at your prompt and successful efforts to put an end to the insurrection which, unhap pily, has recently occurred in Ceylon. But considering that so much objection has been taken on this occasion to your financial measures, and that memorials have been transmitted to me, ascribing the outbreak to the just discon:e n t th ese measures are sa id to h ave cr e a ted, I consider it due to you to record more fully than I have yet done wino of th e genera l groun d s on which I ap prove of those mea sures , an d on w hi c h they still appear to me to le deserving of approval." Now it was im possible that the House could understand fully, without a minute detail of them, what the difficulties ais eie lie settee-et- ter ei wirese and his colleagues on the Committee had had to submit to in eliciting the particulars of the transaction from the Government. They had been opposed at every step by the whole weight of the influence of the Government. i Tne result of their labour s was now b e f ore t h em , an d t , would he for them to d e cid e w h et h er t h e Mi n i s t e rs of the Crown were justified in giving their approbation to these transactions, and whether they were, furthermore, by their vote to receive th e sanc ti on o f t h e H ouse . He was well aware of his inability to do justice to the ques tion. He was aware how feeble had been his efforts to bring this question fairly before the House. But if he had tailed to do so, he at least had the conscientious re flection to enjoy, of knowing that in spite of misrepre sentation or obloquy he had not shrunk from the per formance of a duty which he had been entrusted with by the House.—(Cheers.) I: now only remained for him to add, that he trusted the House would adopt a course calculated to maintain that character for justice and ha mainly which h a d so l ong, an d , i n modern t i mes at least, so eminently been characteristic of all the acts and pr . o• ceedings of th e B r i t i s h Legislature.—(Cheers.) The Hon. Gentleman then concluded by moving the resolu tion given above. Mr. HUME having seconded the motion, Mr. Sergeant MURPHY said he trusted the House would make allowances for him while they listened to the reasons which induced him to rise at so early a stage of the debate. I t so h appened that oefore the departure of Lord Torrington for Ceylon he was honoured with his Lordship's personal friendship. He had heard of the accusations which were made against the mode in which. the Ceylon Govern ment was conducted. He had hear d that grave accusatio ns were brought against the Noble Lord, and as an old friend, he felt aggrieved at it. 1 - I ,e resolved, therefore, th a t at the earliest period at w hi ch the House should have investigated the subject, he him self would endeavour to arrive at a conclusion respecting it. In the end he did arrive at a conclusion, which con clusion he felt it his duty to communicate to the Noble Lord. That conclusion amounted to this, that though there were certain acts of Lo r d Torrington's which cou ld 1 , not be completely justified, still upon the whole, he 1 1111 been much misrepresented and abused. The Governmen t asked him afterwards whether he would have any objection to state his views publicly in that House, and he said he had none. He on ly t h oug h t i t necessary that the Nob le Lord should show that he had been actuated by proper motives,and with that reservation he was prepared to stale his views. For that reason he had appeared thus early d in the debat e , an d h e would first observe as to Lord Torrington, that h e was not i nstructed on behalf of his Lordship to compl a i n o f t h e course of the mover 0 f these resolutions. Lord Torrington believed that every person who had entered into this investigation had done so from a sense of public duty. But while Lord Tor rington yielded that concession freely, he asked th e same concession for himself. The House should recols lect that it was now engaged in a strictly judicial in quiry, and it was not because they were anxious that the Government might be stable or unstable, as the ease might be, that they were to wound the character of 11 nobleman, and to fix on him the stigma of a capital fe: lony or a judicial m ur d er . Th at much he required, an ° had a right to, at their hands. The period of their in quirt' ranged b e t ween t h e 29t h of July and the 10th 01, October, and when the Hon. Member opposite was cow' pelled to give to the House whatever there was upo ll which the Noble Lord could be blamed, it ought 1 0 fairness to have been stated that in financial and general government the Noble Lord had been eminently sue ° eessful. So truly was that the fact, that in May, 1847,, when Lord Torri ng t on un d ertook the government 01 Ceylon, there was an excess of 80,000/. a year expen: diture over receipt s , an d w h en the Noble Lord retire(' from his Government he left a surplus of 25,000/.-- - (Hear.) That ought, in fairness, to have been stated. The Hon. Member had referred, amongst others, to the testimony of M r . W o d e h ouse, who was a member 01, Lord Torrington': own council. He was not present at the first proclamation of martial law, but he was present on a subsequent occasion, when the whole proceeding was submitted to him, and he then expressed himself satisfied with the reasons which induced the Noble Lord to proclaim martial law, and sanctioned it w i t h hi s sig nature.—(Hear, hear.) The Advocate-General was himself one of the parties who were consulted in the first instance, and it was he who drew up the procla mation which was afterwards sent to Kencly. That proclamation was dated on the 21st of July. It was immediately dispatched, and it was admitted that tran quillity ensued immediately. But how was that proved? He should like to know whether Mr. Selby was in communication with the agents in the several districts, who sent to the generals commanding in Ceylon ac counts of what passed? When he was sifted on those points, be merely concluded by giving as a reason why he thought martial law should be put an end to, that it was a surmise of his founded on what was passing about him. With regard to Colonel Braybrooke, it was natural that he should have felt some disappointment in not being appointed to the command of the Ceylon contingent sent up to Kandy. To that command there was attached 300/. of additional pay, and a house to reside in. Moreover, there was a coffee estate of the colonel's in the neigh bourhood. Therefore, though Colonel Braybrooke was at first so warm a supporter of the proclamation, he after wards saw reason to change his opinion, as soon as he was not employed. Colonel Drought, of the 15th Foot, was sent to the scene of insurrection, as to the existence of which he said there could be no doubt, and for the quelling of which he said it was necessary to act with considerable vigour. Lord Torrington did that at first which any wise man would do—he sent for Colonel Fraser, an old officer, for his advice. That officer briefly reviewed the strength of the native Kandians. It was an extremely serious outbreak, and his experience dic tated an immediate appeal to martial law. He felt that all depened upon promptitude of action. The British dominion and government of the island depended upon the result. Martial law was proclaimed, and it was not to be taken and measured by military law in times of peace. They had, then, that testimony to the necessity of martial law. Well, then ho would go on with Colonel Drought. Both civil and military officers concurred in advocating the adoption of most strenuous measures. Many of the inhabitants of the colony were panic,- struck and fled from their homes. They were satisfied that was an extensive rebellion. There was an armed outbreak, said Colonel Braybrooke, of between 60,000 and 70,000 men. Their grand object was the possession of Kandy. They advanced to within 15 miles of that capital. A pretender bad been proclaimed king, and portions of the country fortified. Their force to meet this outbreak was very inadequate, but they en countered the pretender and dispersed his troops. Sub sequently he himself was captured. It was said that during these scenes many acts of atrocity were com mitted under martial law, but it appeared that sudden ness of action and certainty of punishment quickly fol lowing crime was absolutely necessary. It disabused the minds of the Kandians that there was no power of punishment from those sent in pursuit of the rebels. Colonel Drought fully described what took place in the evidence. Thu rebellion was not a mere riotous out break, and could not have been suppressed by the ordi nary civil authorities, assisted by the troops. When it was said that Lord Torrington refused to listen to the remonstrances of one member of his council, it should be remembered that his Lordship was supported by the advice of the other five members, one of whom was a major -general, and well qualified to give his advice. It was not true that the officers in command, and the members of the court. martial, were young and inex perienced. They were mostly all of lengthened service, and some of them of great experience. Nu merous persons were taken into custody for treasonable practices before martial law was proclaimed, and upon trial no less than seventeen of them were condemned capitally for that crime by the Lord Chief Justice, Sir Anthony Oliphant.—(Hear, hear.) It was true they were not executed, but the tact showed there was a re bellion. They had that from the testimony of the Lord Chief Justice himself, who, while he stated the fact. added that they were recommended to mercy. Lord Torrington pardoned them, and that was another fea ture in his Lordship's favour. He thought that exam ples sufficient had already been made. The Hon. and Learned Member here recapitulated certain evidence from the evidence before the Committee. It was stated by the Lord Chief Justice that the headmen had driven the common people into rebellion like sheep. They ltahwous,ghatudthtahtatthetrheeywawsonuold o h th e er tri l f a; but the t .h h e e Court. ThtehYe.rehawdormanyemboldened courtsfte etanescaped t_ Supremecommon them to t trial—thatthat a t trial them. But when y they blished which brought justice, they were the ordinar forms of t o r ehel o er n nn . tmi r ee teo Thats ut b p e ct e o n tp means cla t o i rmesa s sri r tn le a k l en with a panic, and nt. pression of the rebellion g law proved a most efa firm and energetic was the testimony tns uopfp measures w of as the w a g ve of Mr. Wilmot, and other gentlemen equally COM et tl l en to form an opinion upon the subject. He should now call attention to an accusation to which he Should be prepared to give the fullest contradiction. He referred to the trial of the Kandian priest. This was a most important charge, not only of recklessness and indifferentism highly discreditable, if not criminal. Now, what were the facts? The trial of this priest took place in open court. The proctors were present, and among them Mr. Selby, who had raised all this obloquy against Lord Torrington. With respect to his own profession, upon whom the force of public opinion was so strong, and where a dereliction of duty was visited so severely iu this country, it became an advocate to be very careful in his public conduct, but if that was so in this country, with how much greater care ought his conduct to be guarded in a distant colony, where no such checks existed? In Kandy he saw that the Queen's advocate had graduated in the office of an attorney-general at the Cape of Good Hope, where he had rung the changes of copying precedents, and he gave up his situation of clerk in a public office in the colony at the Cape, and because he thought he could gain the approbation and favour of the Chief Justice, he went to Kaudy with him, and without a regular education or a legal call, so to speak, he thrust himself into the bar of that place, and he thought he might be justified in saying that if his antecedents had not been such, ho would have conducted himself differently. The prisoner was leistandng at the b ar, and an appeal was g gcestilnengile: apdrveoseonattewionulodouonr-t d m e a r d ta e k s t , h h a i t s butodneefeoutcteh,e n a o l t a would undertake his advocacy, because they said there was not money forthcoming. phy) saw before hi m advocates li fr e o (Mr. • Serge a a r li t t o M f t u h r e - Unitel Kingd om , and m evs ry p e i asked them t they over heard of such a ease of repudiation?—(Haar, hear.) It ap peareda that the prisoner was sentenced to undergo puahnt the next morning, anti the evidence was sufficient to satisfy any human being. Among others he could refer the House to the testimony of a gentlemen who was a member of the established Church, who was in court the whole of the time, and who con sidered himself competent, from his education and pur suits, to form a correct opinion on the subject.—(Hear.) This gentleman had never had an opportunity of wit- I