The Sun. — London, England, 1850-02-06 00:00:00

CALEDONIAN' RAILWAY. An extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders of t h e Caledonian Railway Company was held at the Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen-street, yesterday, for the following purposes :—To receive the rep?rt of the committee of investigation , to take into consideration the recommendations contained therein, and to come to such resolutions thereon as may be thought fit; to consider and decide as to a proposal fur entering inte a contract with Thomas Brassey, Esq., of London, for working the whole traffic cf the Caledonian Railway and its branches ; and, if the same shall be approved or, to decide as to the terms and conditions of the contract, and as to the securities to be given and taken fur the due performance thereof; as also for authorising a sale to the contractor, on terms to be submitted to the meeting, of the whole, or part of, the working plant or rolling stock of engines, carriages, waggons, &c., with their appurtenances, belonging to the company; and to au thorise all necessary deeds and contracts to be entered into for carrying into effect the resolutions of the meet ing; and to approve or disaprove, in whole or in part, of the drafts of such deeds or documents as shall be laid be fore the meeting: to consider the following Bills, affecting the company, which have been introduced into Parliament, and to give such instructions in reference thereto as may be thought expedient: (1.) A Bill introduced by the Lon don Central Committee, intittiled, "A Bill to repeal, alter, and amend certain Provisions of the Caledonian Railway (Wishaw and Coltness Railway purchase) Act, 1849." (2.) A Bill introduced by the London Central Committee, intituled, " A Bill to repeal, alter, and amend certain Provisions of the Caledonian Railway (Glasgow, Barrhead, and Neilaton Direct Railway Lease) Act, 1849." (3.) A Bill introduced by the Wishaw and Coltness Railway Company, intituled, " A (proposed) Bill for amending the Acts relating to the Wishaw and Coltness Railway." (4.) A Bill introduced by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Company, " A (proposed) Bill to amalgamate the Cale donian and Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Compa nies." (5.) A Bill introduced by the Scottish Central Railway Company, intituled, " A Bill to enable the Scot tish Central Railway Company to Lease their undertak ing.to the Caledonian, Lancaster and Carlisle, and Lon don and North-Western Railway Companies." (6.) A Bill introduced by the Dundee, and Perth, and Aberdeen Railway Junction Railway Company, intituled, " A Bill to effectuate the Leese and Transfer of the Dundee, and Perth, and Aberdeen Railway Junction, the Dundee and Arbroath, and Dundee and Newtyle Railways, to the Caledonian Railway Company :" to authorise the raising of the sum of 66,600/., under the powers conferred by the Caledonian Railway (Edinburgh Station and Branches) Act, 1847 : to consider and decide as to the appointment of a committee of shareholders, to co-operate and advise with the di rectors, during this session of Parliament:—(l.) In relation to the Parliamentary business which may arise in carrying out or opposing all, or any part of the above Bills, and such other Parliamentary business as may arise during the ensuing session of Parliament. (2.) For the purpose of negotiating a reduction of the Guaranteed Dividends. (3.) For the purpose of nego tiating with the Directors of the Edinburgh and Glas gow Railway Company as to the amalgamation of the two companies; and (4.) with regard to any extraordinary business which may occur, in relation to the affairs of the. company; and to provide for the expenses of such committee. The following addresi by the directors was circulated in the room:— "Although the report of the committee of investiga tion has been now several weeks befire the shareholders, the,directors have refrained from offering any remarks upon it, not because they were prepared to aimit the justice of the strictures which it contained a 3 to the past management, but baeause they heartily acquiesced in the sentiments expressed by the committee, that it is essential to the prosperity of the company that an end should be put to the dissensions which have so lung and so unfortunately prevailed, and that an endeavour should be made to secure entire harmony I) , t.veen the share holders and the executive of the company. 't In the same spirit the directors propose, in their present address ' to limit their observations to the matter s requiring to bedecided at the general me tang of the cothpany, according to the terms of the prefixed notice. They deprecate' the revival of discussions which would only tend to prolong the dissensions which have cf late unhappily prevailed among the proprietors, even though persuaded, as they are, that their past actings have been visited with unmerit d censure. Iu so far as relates to their bona fides in effecting the share purchases, the committee have reported tba; they are of opinion that the directors entered into them bona fide for the purpose of serving the interests of the Caledonian Railway Com pany, not for their own - personal advantage, and that they have derived no benefit whatever from those transactions.' " The points embraced in the notice will be save' t:d to in their order. "I. As regards the reception and consideration cif the report, and the suggestions made by the Committee of Investigation, the directors have had several conferences with a deputation from the committee of London share holders (of which the Honourable Captain Plunkett, R.N., is the chairman), and finding it to be the wish of a large body of their constituents that the shareholders should have it in their power to effect an immediate change of management, they have agreed at once to place their seats at the disposal of the shareholders, instead of retiring under the authority of an Act of Parliament, as proposed in the report of the Committee of Investigation, which probably could not be obtained for a year at soonest. With the view of car rying this arrangement into effect, tte following reso lutions have been adjusted, and both parties have agreed to recommend them for adoption by the share holders at ensuing meeting : " RESOLUTIOSfB TO BB PROPOSED UNDER THE FIRST HEAD •OF THE NOTICE. " 1. That the Report of the Committee of Investi gation, which has been circulated among the share holders, and is now laid before the meeting, be received. " I. That the company shall not make any demand against the present or former directors in respect of the sum of 289,175/. 14g. 3d (or of any interest thereon), expended in the purchase cf shares in the following railway companies, and payment of calls thereon, viz.:— Glasgow. Barrhead, and Neilaton Direct £49,020 9 2 Scottish Midland Junction 2 , ... 195,656 15 10 WilsontOwn,Morningside, and Coltness Scottish Central ... ... ... Dundee and Arbroath ... ... ... 3,189 6 11 35,198 12 4 5,110 10 0 £288,175 14 3 " ' And the shares of these companies so purchased shall be held in trust for the Caledonian Railway Com pany till an Act of Parliament authorising the company to hold them be obtained, or till the same be otherwise disposed of. " 3. That in like manner the company shall not make any demand against the present or former directors in respect of the sum of 136,901/. 4s. id., expended in the purchase of shares in the following railway compa nies, and payment of calls and interest thereon:— Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ardrosaan £62,516 19 8 Caledonian and Dumbarton ... ... 18,421 9 6 Dundee and Perth and Dundee and Arbroath 38,000 0 0 Interist therein .£118,938 9 2 17,962 14 11 £136,901 4 1 " But the company may disclaim all concern what evir with those shares, or any propsrty therein. " 4. That an Act of Parliament be applied for by the company in the session of 18:;1, or sooner if possible, for the purpose of obta'ning such legislative sanction as may be necessary to the due carrying out of the fore going resolutions, and, if the said application shall be unsuccessful from any cause whatever, the same shall be renewed during the next ensuing session of Parliament; and, until such Act he obtained, the company shalt de f nd the present and former directors against any actions brought, or to be brought, against them in respect of the above shares adopted by the company, or money ex pended on account of the shares specified in the above resolutions. _ _ . " '5. That the number of directors be now reduce to nine, and that the directors ba now requested to point the following gentlemen as their successors in office. " N.B.—To be filled up with the names to Ee sug gested by the shareholilers at the general meeting.' " The directors .have not yet received from the com mittee a list of the names of the gentlemen to be prc posed as their successors in office. They, however, pre sume that such a list will be circulated by the com mittee among the shareholders before the sth instant, in order to enable them to form an opinion as to the eligibility of the parties proposed for the office. " 11. The second head of the notice relates to a pro posal for entering into arrangements with Mr. Brassey for working the line under a contract, and for an ad vance by him to the company of 250,0001. upon a sale to him of .the working plant. Drafts of the proposed working contract, and deed of sale of the plant, and a deed of trust relating to a deposit of 20,0001, required by the contractor, as a , security for the punctual payment the line, will be laid before of the expense of working t he meeting. " The terms on which it i 3. proposed that Mr. Brass e y shall work the line are contained in the following extract from the draft of the contract: — " The prices for the faest 23,090 miles run per week, to be paid by the' company to tee _contraetor for pas sehger trains, shall be as follow::—Toot is to sae, Ist, for each locomotive engine drawing eleven, or any less number of passenger carr i a g es and waggons, trucks, or other vehicles, is. 9 13. per Mile, and for each locomo tive engine drawing goods or cattle waggons, trucks, or other vehicles loaded up to 130 toes, le. 2;d. per mile. But it is prOviCed, that rr each and every mile run after the lit 2000 miles, the price shall Le 'educed from ls. 3 d, per mile a s above, to Is. per mile. 2d, The charges f or the use Of each carriag e , b e i n g a first-class carriage, shall be at the rate of ore halfpenny for each mile run ; and the charges for the use of each carriage, being a second or third-clais carriage, in ciedlng therein vans, trucke, and horse-boxes of all kinds, shall be at the rate of three -eighth parts of a p e nny for each mile rune and the ch arge f r the use cf w aggon, cf all sin and descriptiote, shall be at the rate of one farthing for each mile run. 3d, If in any o f t h e above rates there shall b e a fraction of a quarter of a mile run, such fraction strait be deemed a quarter of a mile, and paid for accordingly. 4th, In re ef special trains, the prices shall be do u bl e the com a sum Of 103. per..houor,foardola.yfosrhaalni 10 1 7e c g 'i oingp . rice; respective l y , w i t h a right to the pany toload back; and entite day, and 105. per hour for a porte n n be paid, i n res p ec t o f every special engine and t ra i n ordered, whether used or not, until such order is counter manded. sth, The company shall, duly and punctually, et each week' s en d, pay t h e co ntractor the prices afore said, it being hereby admitted and agreed, that, in this respect, time is of the essence of this contract' _ _ _ " Ii the arrangement ;vil Mr. Brassey should be auctioned by the'sharehld,:rs, the present board riQuld not be the parties to carry it out; but they do not cot- Sider the t this relieves them from the duty of stating em phatically the opinion which they entertain, not only as t) the expediency, but as . to the absolute necessity of entering into the contract. "As a difference of opinion existed ha, xeen the Lon don deputation and the board on this subject, it was ar ranged that it should remain an open question for the consideration of the shareholders, both parties being en titled to advocate such course as they migLt think most advantageous for the interests of the company. " The floating debt of the company, a; stated in the committee's report, amounts to 670,7441., of which about two-thirds is secured or already provided for. The sum, therefore, to be received from Mr. Brassey, together with that proposed to be raised at the ensuing meeting under the unexhausted borrowing powers, is fully suffi cient to cover the unsecured portion of the floating debt. "The directors areof opinion that by such an arrange ment alone can the floating liabilities of the company be at present provided for, and taking into account that Mr. Brassey could not be expected to take less than 5 per cent. on the advance which he is to make in pur chasing plant (which is equivalent to lid. per mile on the stipulated mileage ), the directors are advised that the terms are as moerate as any contract of the sort which has as yet been entered into. " The directors are quite aware that contracts of this description are as yet but experiments, their value as practical retrenchments not having been properly tested by experience, unless, perhaps, in the case of the Lan caster and Carlisle Railway, which has been success fully worked since its commencement under a similar contract. _ _ " The arrangement will enable the new board to dis pense with the large establishment which is at present necessary for the repair of the plant, and the working expenses will be capable of nearly exact ascertainment, instead of being undefined and variable. "The proposed arrangement, if carried out, will afford to the debenture holders complete security for the due and continuous working of the line, and so enhance the value of their preferable security over the revenue. " In this point of view, the arrangement will be equally advantageous to the shareholders of the Garnkirk, Wishaw, and Clydesdale Junction Lines, and to the holders of the 101. preference shares. "But the leading advantage which it holds out is, that it will at once re-establish the credit of the company, and effect a great and immediate saving of interest, by putting an end to the cost of discounting and renewing bills. The sum proposed to be borrowed is sufficient to cover the unsecured floating debt of the company, and to enable those in the managemement of the line to pay off the whole of this class of debts, so far as they are not already provided for, or otherwise secured. " The directors have taken . the advice of eminent counsel as ta the legality of the transaction, and they are assured that no difficulty exists in this respect. They have also provided for the contingency of the com pany becoming desirous of putting an end to the con tract, either in consequence of its turning out too ex pensive, or by their being enabled to raise money at a lower rate of interest. It has accordingly been provided, that although the contract is to endure for seven years, the company shall have the option of terminating it at the end of a year by paying 10,000/. to Mr. Brassoy; or, at the end of each succeeding year, by paying a proportional part of this sum. Due care has also been taken to secure to the company, at the same price, on the expiration of the contract, either at the end of the seven years or at any intermediate period, delivery of equally valuable and efficient plant. " The revenue of the line, if not in a perfectly satisfac tory state, is at all events in course of very rapid in crease, the receipts of the past half-year having consi derably exceeded the estimate given by the directors, in the report offered to the half-yearly met ting in Sep tember. The works aro all but completed—the line itself in a most eflicient state—so that, by providing in the manner now proposed for payment cf the unsecured floating debt, the affairs of the ccmpny may be carried on without embarrassment. " Under these circumstance;, and with proper restric tions and conditions guarding the interests of the com pany, the directors, had they remained in the executive, would have had no hesitation in recommending the shareholders to adopt the arrangement; and they feel so strongly on the subject, that they consider it to be their duty to oxp:ess this as their parting advice to the share holden.. although it would have been much more agree able to them to have left the whole queztion in the hands of their successors. ' "Unless this transaction shall be gone into, it appears to the directors that the credit of tLe company will be utterly paralysed. A scheme which has been suggested, of allowing the floating debts to stand over unprovidel for, to be paid out of revenue during the next two or three years, after satisfying working expenses, deben ture interest, and guaranteed rents, is totally im practicable, and could not be acceded to by the creditors of the company, even if they were willing to do so. Most of these floating debts are br furnish ings to the company, under the heads of plant, stores, rails, chairs, coke, &c., and most of the creditors hold short-dated bills, generally of small amount, which have been discounted at Banks, and so a! o not under the control of the parties from whom the goods were pur chased. These parties would, therefore, have no alter native but to sue the company, and enforce payment by following out the usual measures of recovery. The company, therefore, would at once become involved in a multiplicity of harassing and expensive legal proceed ings, if any other course is followed than an immediate provision U>r this floating debt. "111. With regard to the Bills specified in article 3d of the notice, it was agreed between the London com mittee :and the directors, that the former should be at liberty to follow such course as they pleased, the direc tors being desirous that the meeting should deal with each Billl as may be thought proper. It is probable that the committee will in their address inform the shareholders of the course they intend to pursue and recommend for their adoption in relation to each Bill. " IV. The next matter to be submitted to the meeting is the following resolution applicable to the fourth head of the notice, viz.:— " ' That the directors be authorised to raise, on de bentures or mortgages, the sum of 66,000 L, under the powers conferred by the Caledonian Railway (Edinburgh Station and Branches) Act, 1847.' " These are required to cover a part of the floating debt, which will thus be to that extent provided for. "V. The directors do not know whether the proposal by the London committee of moving for the appointment of a committee of consultation, has been abandoned or not." Mr. J. J. H. JOHNSTONE, M.P., Chairman of the Board of Directors, occupied the chair, but the Hon. Gentleman did not enter the meeting till long after the hour for which it had been convened. The delay, how ever, was explained by Mr. Hodgson Ilinde, who in formed the proprietors that their chairman was holding a conference with Captain Plunkett, the chairman of the London Central Committee of Shareholders, on a matter of considerable importance to the company. The CHAIRMAN, shortly after thin announcement, took the chair, and called upon the secretary to read the ad vertisement summoning the meeting, which having been done, The CHAIRMAN proceedel to address the proprietors, commencing with an explanation of the circumstances which had led the directors to tender their resignation. After the report of the committee cf shareholders, the directors put themselves at once in communication with the London central committee, and accordingly one of their body was appointed to wait upon them and solicit their attendance in Edinburgh with the view ofnegotiating a settlement of the differences which had arisen between the directors and the shareholders. In reply to this in timation, Captain Plunkett and some of his friends re paired to Edinburgh, but in the first instance that gentleman proposed that a certain number of Scotch directors should retire to make way for parties who should more directly represent the interest of the London shareholders ; but as the proposal was hampered with the condition that the new directors should have the entire romagemer t and con troul of the line, the directors thought it more dignified, as far as they were concerned themselves, and more just to those proprietors who still reposed confidence in them, that they should resign rather than accept the proposal.—(Hear, hear.) Now, with regard to the guarantees and other transactions which the directors had entered into, and which had recently given rise to so much discontent, it should be remembered that they were catered into in a bona fide manner at a time wLea Parliament was almost as mad upon railway matters as the public, and seeing that it was utterly impossible that the money which had been expended could ever be recovered in the mode that had peen suggested, it was much better that the company should act an honourable part and endeavour to get out of their difficulties in another way. He admitted that the directors had taken money out of capital to apply to the purposes of revenue, but had they remained is power it was their intention to have rettored the money which had been abstracted from capital by the sale of property which at the time could not be diFpoFe 1 of wit'i advantage.— (Hear, hear.) The shareholders would perceive by the report that they had beer cal!ei together, amongst other things, to consider a contract which had been Proposed to Mr. Brassey ; and he had to inform them that it was not intended to submit that question to this meeting. It had been proposed to sell the whole of their robing st vie to Mr. Brassey, and to hand the line over to that gentleman to be worked by him under a contract. Mr. Brassey, however, de clined to go 'on with the negotiation, and it must, therefore, fall to the ground. —(Hear, hear.) lie had now simply to urge upon the meeting the neces sity of discussing the questions raised by the report in a calm and dispassionate manner, and with the expression of that hope he would conclude by moving the first reso lution detailed in the report. Mr. CRAM, the chairman of the Committee of titres tiL a tion, entered it, to a defence cf the repot t ma le by that committee, an d in _ slated that its moderation had been admitted and admitel by all parties. They Lai suggested a compromise of the matter, in di<=pute between the share hoiden and the directors, and with what justice they had made that suggestion was f.A. the shareholders to determine.-r-(Hear,lear.) With regard to the Barr heal and Neiliton Bill, the directors had acted with so much want of judgment in the matter, in with drawing the measure, and then reviving it with out tho sanction of the propri€torr, that they could not pass it over without censure, and if any further gipanations were required on the shareholders' report, rir was quite ready to give it.—(llear, her.) Mr. liALL, a Urge proprietor in the Clydesdale Junc tion Line, protested against the legality of the meeting, on Leholf of his own body, and delivered in a formal protest. - Captain PLUNKETT had investigated the whole of tho attars of this concern, and ho was sorry t) find that after payment • of the gu4rantees and pref , .rence shares, no thing would be left fir ts-.e shareholders of tho Caledo nian Railway. Nay, he would go further, and say that Olen was little Prospect 9f their being able to pay on the preference shares. He therefore denounced the combi nation which had been got up by the guaranteed shareholders as an unprincipled act, and told the meeting that if they allowed the list of directors which the guaranteed lines hai got up to be adopted, all that he could say was, that they would be fairly bought and sold.—(Hear, hear.) He did mean to say that the guaranteed lines ought not to be represented at the board; but let every man who was placed in the direction be called upon to pie ige himself to an equit able adjustment of their affairs. (Hear, 11L ar.) The direction must be so constructed that it would act with strict impartiality, and insist upon the meetings being held in London, where an intelligent public would take care that past faults should not be repeated —(Hear, hear.) The address of the Chairman amounted to this, that the directors had done nothing wrong, but with what consistency could the chairman say that, when the company had not only an empty treasury, but a ff_ating debt, amount ing to 853,0001., and a redemption debt of 675,000!., claimed by the Clydesdale Junction Company. No less than six millions had been expended by the company, and yet literally they had no line, and all therefore he could say in reply to the plausible speech of the chair man was simply this, that had the directors managed their private affairs as they had conducted the affairs of this company he very much doubted whether they would ever have got their certificates had they come before the Bankruptcy Court.—(Hear.) Had they ma naged the affairs of an individual in the extravagant manner that they had managed the affairs of this com pany, the Court of Chancery would have compelled them to refund the money they had expended.—(Hear, hear.) Hundreds of families had been ruined by the conduct of the directors, and now they came forward with this information. "We have," say they, " spent all your money; we have pledged your plant— in fact, everything but your rolling stock, and that wo recommend you to put up the spout at once." —(Hear and laughter.) Whatever, therefore, happened under a new board, it could be charged against them that they had ruined the company, and, again warning the pro prietors that: it was very wrong to look for ward to any increase of traffic, he had only to assure them that the salvation of the Caledonian Rail. way depended upon a new and equitable arrangement being made with the guaranteed companies. —(Cheers.) He still hoped it would be possible to form a board that would unite the suffrages of all the Caledonian proprie tors, and conciliate the support of the guaranteed com panies. —(Hear, hear.) With regard to the compromise which had been come to with the director?, the agreement confirming it would be read, and he hoped the meeting would agree to it.—(Hear, hear.) There was one circumstance that came under his notice while he was in Edinburgh which he could not avoid mention ing. A party had a claim upon the company for 1,7001. ground rent, but he could get no answer to his appli cation on the subject from the directors, and ultimately he took law proceedings, and seized some of their engines under execution. Now, a board who managed matters in that way were not fit to govern, and the sooner, therefore, the compromise was ratified and a change made in the management the better.—(Cheers.) The agreement was then read. It was simply an echo of the address. Mr. RUSSELL t3OIK some exception to the fourth reso lution mentioned in the report. Alderman THOMPSON, M.P., said he was quite r;aly to surrender his seat in the board of direction, but he implored the meeting to consider well and calmly the position they were now in, and the steps they in tended to take to improve it. Whatever might have been the mismanagement of the direction, it had come out of the inquiry which had recently been instituted into their conduct, and they had coma out cf it without moral taint. What was their position? They had a share capital of two millions reduced to 400,0001., and engagemerts amounting to four millions reduced in the same ratio Now, unless the obligations of the company coming due were met, there was no help fur it, but the line would have to be ma naged by the Court of Chancery.—(A Voice—" And better too.") He would suggest, therefore, that they should let by-gorses he b3-ones—(Oh)—and that this meeting should appoint a committee in whom they had confidence, to select the names of gertlemen who should hereafter be elected as the new board of directors. A PROPRIETOR asked why the directors did not ac cept such a propoAtl as that, when it was made to them by the committee of investigat:on? . . - Mr. Alderman THOMPSON was not aware that such a proposal had ever been made. The CHAIRMAN would put the difficulty raised at rest, by stating that the directors were not anxious, and, indeed, could not accept a seat at the new board. A SHAREHOLDER wished to know how many board meetings Alderman Thompson had attended. Alderman THOMPSON had no hesitation in stating that he bad attended none; nor was he expected to do so when ho was elected. The SHAREHOLDER said he had purchased his shares because he had faith in the character and honour of the Alderman, but now it seemed the Alderman was no dizector at all. Mr. Alterman THO3IPSON said he had been in vited to join the new direction, but be should only do so upon the understanding that he was to take no w.ltive part in the management. A SHAREHOLDER—Then you are of no use. Alderman THOMPSON did not want to be on the direc tion, and if the shareholders wanted him they must agree to his terms.—(Cheers.) . . Mr. DEABDEN complained that the investigation com mittee had not done its duty. They were appointed to take evidence as to the state of the company's affairs. aud to report the same to the shareholders. Now the report contained not one tittle of evidence ; and he should therefore be glad to know from Mr. Cram if they had searched the share registers of the lines in which this company had purchased shares, to ascertain if any of the directors were interested in the lines? Mr. Citem replied in the negative; but the com mittee ascertained that the shares were bought openly and fairly in the market. Mr. DEARDEN spoke feelingly upon the subject, be cause he was trustee for 5,000/., which ho had advised to be invested in this concern, on the strength of the respectable names on the direction, and the under standing that this line was to form part of the London and North-Western Railway. How greatly he had been deceived, since the holders of the old so/. shares had been victimised from beginning to end, and the directors had illegally managed the con cern from the commencement.—(Hear, hear.) He was not quite certain that the frieads and relatives of the directors had not shares and interests in the very lines which they had guaranteed, honourable though the board might be. He knew that one of the directors bad saved between 3,0001. and 4,0001. by allowing his shares to be forfeited, and for aught be knew that gentleman was still at the board. Mr. H. HINDE said, the directors had ascertalned that the gentleman in question, Mr. Dickenson, could not have paid up. Mr. DEARDEN—Who is Mr. James Hope? Mr. H. ETINDE—He is one of the firm of the solicitors to the company. Mr. DEARDEN said that gentleman had been let off 3,488/. by the directors firfeiting some of his. shares. The half-yearly accounts had been falsified, while the guarantees had been given upon grossly exaggerated data, and the annual loss t) this company from them amounted to 134,8951. He, therEfore, protested against the meeting entertaining the question of compromise. Mr. CAMPBELL, a member of the committee of inves tigation, said the shareholders might have the evidence published if they would consent to the expense it would involve. Mr. 11. HINDE admit'ed that the directors Lad pur sued an erroneous policy, but he thanked God that it could not be imputed to them that they had acted from impute motives. There was no chance of the directors being called upon to refund anything like 500,000/. because that was only a paper responsibility, and the company was bound to abide by the contracts which had been made for the purchase of shares. With regard to what Captain Plunkett had ssid, that they had expended 6,000,000/. of money without having anything to show fir it, he would simply remind the meeting that, though they had not showy stations, they had a line that in these dreary months was returning sorceting like 6,0001. per week.—(lleer, ht ar.) In conclusion, be had only to state that the directors were ready wit] willing to perform their part of the agreement made with the central committee, and to vote for those new directors who were best calcuLted to insure the future interest and prosperity of the company. The guarantees that had accrued during the past half year only amounted to 32,4611.; and it was, therefore, preposterous to say that they were not in a position to pay the interest due on their preference shares. Captain PLUNKETT said it was not fair to take the guarantees actually payable—they ought to take the whole for which the company were liable. Mr. 11. HINDE did not think so, inasmuch as many of them depended upon contingencies that were not likely to be realised. Besides the sum he had just mentioned, during the raft half-year the company had paid 9,525/. in dividends to the Scottish Cen tral shareholders, and, with an energetic and economical management, the line might yet get over its difficulties.—(Hear, hear.) He thought it was for the interest of the guaranteed lines to make some abatement, say one or two per cent. of their claims; for it would have the effect of increasing their securities and giving confidence in the value of their stock.—(clear, hear.) With regard to the incident referred to by Captain Plunkett, about the execu tion on the engines, ho frankly admitted that it arose from the want of money. The direc tors had Lean applying the weekly receipts to the payment of the pressing debts of the company, and this italance, alluded to by the Hon. and Gallant Pro prietor, he regre'ted was not an isolated ease, but it would be fir the new board of directors to deal with all these matters.—(Hear, hear.) After some further discussion the resolution was put and agreed to, and the other resolutions pa.sed. Thatiks were then vote I to the chairman, and the meeting terminated after a very lengthened sitting. GERMAN HOSPITAL, DALSTON.—At a meeting of the committee of this useful charity, it vies announced from the report that the number of patients treated ire. the wards cf the hospital silica its opening amounted to 1,855, and the out-patients during the same period mulled .5,726. Dispatches were received _yesterday at the Colonial office from the Governor of Canada; end also from the Governors of the other North American colonie2. - DEATH OF MR. W. M. LOCKHART. — Drowned, in the Wannan, district of Port Philip; Ncw South Wales, on the 3rd of September last, William Mercer . Lock hut, .Esq., fourth son of Robert Lockhart, E-,q ,of Cas tbhill, Lanarkshire. This humane and generous-hearted young gentleman gallantly plunged int) the river (th,:n in flood) on his horse, for the praiseworthy purpose of saving an individual from crowning, but was 1.1a3U C C, 25 5. fel, end unfortunately periActi Lis laudable at;empt. —.Nottli BI WA Nail. THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY (1, 1850. MARKET INTELLIGENCE. (From the London New Price Current, Feb. 5.) SUGAR.—To-day there was a fair business concluded in bright grocery and best refining sorts of West India, for which full rates are paid, but inferior and brown sorts were dealt in with caution, and there were free sellers at the terms of Friday. The total purchases to-day were 500 hhds, including a public sale of 142 blids 12 trcs Bar badoes, which realised full terms; good to fine yellow fetched 39s 6d to 425, and mid 38s to 393. 32 hhds Jamaica went at Ns for good strong grey, and at 3f 65 for good middling yellow. REFIWED.—To-day there was only a limited business con cluded in Refined Sugar by home dealers, and prices further declined, brown Lumps selling at 483 65 to 495, and fair to good grocery at 49s 6d to 51s per cwt. The market for bonded Crushed Sugar is dull at 23s 6d to 30s Gd for British. MAusmus. - This afternoon there was little passing by private treaty in Mauritius Sugar. At public sale 588 mats went at barely former rates; fine yellow realised 39s 6d to 40s 6d, middling 38s, and washed 36s to 39s 6d per cwt. EAST INDIA.—This afternoon there were five public sales of Bengal Sugar, consisting of 6,305 bags and 64 chests, at which not much desire was evinced to operate; still the chief part sold, but generally at 6d per cwt under the rates of Friday ; good and tine grainy white went at 45s to 465, yellow ditto 41s 6d to 43s 6d. Benares, good and fine white 40s to 42s 6d, inferior 39s to 39s 6d, damp and washed 37s 6d to 425, soft yellow 35s to 36s 6d, better sort 37s to 38s, and like Mauritius 35s to 395. Of Madras 5,824 bags all found purchasers, but at 6d per cwt decline; low to good soft brown 28s 6d to 303, fine 30s 6d to 31s, low to fine soft yellow 323 to 365, dry do 37s to 38s 6d, and fine 39s to 41s per cwt. FoaElGN.—Today there was no public sale of Foreign Sugar, and by private treaty only 1,200 baskets good grey Java were sold at 22s per cwt in bond. MOLASSES.—Few buyers of West India are to be met with ; the value is from 15s to 18s for low to fine quality. Bengal Treacle can be obtained at 14s to 14s 6d. COITAE To-day there was no public sale of Ceylon Coffee, and by private. treaty less demand existed for all pur poses, still holders were firm, whilst good ord Native Caylon is not to be obtained under 645, and fair clean Plantation 663. Mocha is still little wanted, and at public sale 165 pkgs were taken in and withdrawn at 70e to 74s for mid and good, and at 55s to 60s for bold yellow Mocha kind. Cocoa.—For West India prices are looking downward. In Foreign there has been little business concluded by pri vate treaty, and none has been offered at public sale, whilst former rates are not to be obtained. TEA.—Green continues in excellent demand, the low sorts especially, but in prices there is no further advance. With ord and good common Congou the market is more freely supplied, and the demand having become limited, prices have declined 1 / 2 d per lb, whilst sales are made at 10d to 104 d. In other kinds a good business has been concluded at Ild to Is 341 for medium, and at is 4d to is 9d for good arid fine sorts. Scented Caper and Pekoe Tea met with less attention, and can be obtained at rather lower rates. RlCE.—East India met with little attention from shippers or home dealers. At public s*le •of 5,300 bags Bengal not above half found buyers; good to fine white at lOs to Ils 6d, mid 9s to 96 60, low 8s to 8s 60, whilst cargo was taken in at Ss; 1,100 bags Madras, cargo 83, but pinky white sold at 9s, and barley grain at 8s 6d per cwt. The purchases made by private treaty have .been trifling, especially in the lower sorts. Cleaned Rice, low, to fine Patna realised 12s to 18s, broken lOs to Ils Od, town dressed Crolina 22s to 265, and at auction 105 tierces of American went at las 60 to 20s for good second sort. SPICES.—To-day two parcels of Pimento were offered at auction, amounting to 354 'bags, the whole of which w ere taken in at 7id to 80 per lb, being above the value. 30 bags of Cloves wen: - bought in at Bid for Bourbon ; and GO bags Ginger withdrawn. CiNNAMON.—The public sales which commenced yester day, finished to-day, whilst the quantity offered amounted to 3,330 bales of Ceylon, and the chief part _found buyers; first sort realised the terms of the last sales, but good and fine seconds went ld to 2d lower, and the fall on inferior sorts was from 2d to 4d per lb. The rates obtained for first sorts were 3s to 4s 63, inferior 25 to 2s Ild, second sort 2s 61 to 3s 7d, inferior ditto Is. to' 2s sd, third and fourth 8d to 2s 83 per lb. SPIRITS. —There are several buyers for Jamaica Rum at former rates, but few parcels are to be obtained. The purchases amount to 100 puns at is 53 to Is Ell proof, and at Is 63 to Is bid for fine brown. In Brandy the purchases made have been small. There are sellers of Cognac best brands of the vintage of 1849 at 4s 41 to 4s 61, 1848 ditto at 4s 6d to 4s 81, 1817 ditto Es 3d to 5s 53, 1846 Cato 4s 7d to 5s Bd, 1545 do 6.3 2d to 63 4d, inferior sorts 2s 10d to 4s 6d, and Bordeaux at 2s 8d to 3s. In Geneva only limited pur chases have been made, crd shipping sort at is 91 to Is 103, and fine for duty at 2s 3d to, 3$ 3d. The value of British made Spirit is still 9s 63, and of Gin 7s 103 to 8s 4d for 17 to 22 per cent under proof. To-day there was less demand for Bum, still holders would not sell but at full rates, and only limited parcels are on offer. INDtho.—There has been a falling off in the demand for East India for all purposes since our last report, and former rates are not to be obtained. As compared with the last quarterly sales, the rise is, however, from 4d to 6d, and a fair business has been concluded. For auction the quantity de clared is 14,369 chests. COCIIINBAL.—Prices are fact higher, but there has been a more active demand, and at public sale 120 bags Teneriffe were sold at from 4s id to 4s 4d, and 9 bags Honduras black 4s 83 to 5s 2d. The value of low to fine silvers is from 3s 10d to 4s 6d per lb. TALLOW.—There has been little disposition to operate in Russian on the spot, and prices have further declined. The value of fine P. Y. C. is 37s 91 to 38s per cwt. For delivery a desire is evinced to sell at 39s 3d to 39s 61 for new; few buyers are to be met with. Home melted has declined to 36s 6d to 37s nett cash, and the demand has been limited. Other sorts of Tallow are depressed in value, and larger' parcels are still on offer. At auction, 480 casks of Sydney were only in part sold at 34s to 37s 6d for lox} to fine ; 800 pkgs South American 34s to 37s ; 20 cases East India 32s 9d to 375, and 150 csks Petersburgh Soap 35s to 35s 6d. For auction 1,800 pkgs of Tallow are declared. OILS.—In Palm few purchases have been made, and sellers are willing to accept 31s 6d to Ws for fine, these are lower rates. Rape Seed Oil has been operated in with caution, and more desire is evinced to sell, Brown at 41s; Pale 41s 6d to 425, and Foreign at 43s 6d to 445. Linseed Oil 31s 6d to 31s 9d on the spot. There are not many buyers to be met with for delivery. In Olive the rates paid have been from 48i to 511 per tuu. Cocoa Nut is not much in demand, and more desire is evinced to sell at 33s to 36s for ord to tioe ; there are also several parcels on offer. For fine Sperm Oil holders ask 821 tb 831 per tun. Seal pale has been sold at 381 to 39/, straw and tinged 34/ to 37/, yellow and brown 301 to 331105. Southern Oil, 3)1 to 331 IN low to fine. Cod, 301 lOs to 31/. Lard Oil, 37s to 40s per cwt. CURED FISH.—An importation having taken place from Holland of a quantity of botargo, and the duty paid thereon as cured fish, the officers of the revenue de murred to pass the entry as such, and considered it to Le liable, as goods manufactured, to the ad valorem duty of 10 per cent. It appears that the article known es bc targo is the roe of a fish (the red mullet), preserved; but in this instance the skins or film had been dipped in melted beeswax for the purpose of preservation, which caused the revenue officers to consider it to be liable, as manufactrred good?, to an ad valorem duty. In cases where botargo is brought in the original state, and with out the praparation added in this instance, it has been customary to deliver it in at the duty of ls. per cwt. as cured fish. It is a luxury, and only imported in small quantities, chiefly for presents, and under the circum stances it has been directed that the article should be passed on payment of the rated duty as cured fish, as desired. QUEEN MARY'S Room IN EDINBURGH CAST LE.. — Additions arc about to be made to this interesting apart ment through Major-General Riddell, commanding the forces in Scotland, to whom etic, public are already in debted for promoting the alterations carried out last year, by separating the entrance altegether from the Cantceo, and renewing the waken panels around the walk, after its original character. A copy of the por trait of King James VI., by Jacobs Jansen, now in the t p a o k s e s n o s s b i y o n L o a f d yW. Monson,Hsy , E tt, n q d , , by of Dense Castle, has been her Ladyship has been generously presented to the Major-G enera l, t o b e placed in Queen Mary's room. J. W. Gordon, Esq„ ILA., hat also presented a beautiful copy from the original portrait of Queen Mary by Fuvino, en Italian artist, which was long in the possession of the Trails of Orkney.—Eolin b-urgh Courant. METROPOLITAN WATER SUPPLY.—On Monday af ternoon a lecture was delivered in 'Willis's Rooms, King street, St. James's, by Mr. John L. Tabberner, on the subject of the supply of water to this metropolis. The It cturer briefly expounded the various schemes of supply u:ow before the public, including the Wandle and tle three "Thames" schemes, yielding the preference to the piian proposed for supplying tho metropolis with water f rom Henley-on-Thames, on the ground (as we under stood) that the confluence of the rivers Loddon • and Kennet took place at that point. The lecturer, how ever, mainly relied on the "Artesian well" system for the purpose of supplying water to the inhabitants of London. He adduced a variety of facts in proof of his position that there is a sufficient reservoir of water in the chalk formation underneath the metropolis, and pro posed to establish an extensive and efficient system of Artesian wells, to be placed under the control of a con solidated public sanitary board. Such, briefly, is the substance of a very long and elaborate discussion. The rooms were but thinly attended, and the delay coca siioned by the non-arrival of the president, Lord de Manley, provoked loud demonstrations of dissatisfaction. SUPPLY OF WATER TO TIIE METROPOLIS.—MoiI= clay evening a numerous meeting of tbe.inhabitants of St. Pancras, convenes by the parochial committee, took place at the Globe Tavern King's.crosv e to consid er th e l)est means of obtaining a supply of the purest water at the cheapest rate. The business having been opened ( l 3 ry on M ea r n . n T an . S na to o c y k el ton a , r easolvuetsitorrtoatt who presid e d, M r . effect, that the pre =sent supply was impure and deficient, and the charge for it exorbitant; which, being seconded by Mr. Warrall, was carried unanimously. Mr. Nicholson, a director of the Watford Company, then offered some observations on the proposed charges of that company, in refer ence to a misunderstanding ore the point, and showed, by reference to the scale of chargee, that the poor man al well as the rich man would be benefited by the charges proposed. Their first principle was to give the public the purest w atcr at the cheapest rate. Mr. Paten cited the opinion of Mr. Telford, Professor Braude, and other authorities, t show the certainty of a continuous supply of water by the means employed by the Watford " Company; he was convince I the supply would average at the rate ( f IL ayear for each house supplied. A resolution to the crest thatthe statement of the Watford Company, as to their capability to supply the metropolitan parishee, deserves the cordial support of the pariehoners was then put, and carried ag&e.st only three dissentients'', and a petition to Parliament feutrled on the i esolutioLs adopted, (trier which the meeting broke up. MARBLE' TlEEs.—The vessel Orion, arrived from Leghorn, has brought, as a portion of a general cargo, nearly 5,000 marble tiles, the produce and reanu- 1 facture of the Italian states. The vessel in which thin :deportation took place belorrcd to Holland, end there fere this is en instance in which a Dutch vessel has been eeiployed in bringing an Italian cergo to this country for ileum use, which would not have been allowable until the repealed laws of naviga:ion nod importation came into operation. A young man named Bralshaw, at Blackburn, on Atoriday last, for a wager, drank a quart of rum. In 'o"sibility SC/011 followed, and ho died the following 7 porniug. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 5. The Lonn CHANCELLOR took seat upon the Wnol3aek at Five o'clock. REGISTRARS' OFFICE.—BANKRUPTCY BILL. The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the second reading of this Bill. After a Lev words from Lord BROUGHAM, the motion was agreed to. PETITION'S. Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition from Ponty pool, praying, for an extension of the jurisdiction of the County Courts. The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from Rutlandshire against free trade, and fur a restoration of protection, also a petition with a similar prayer from the guardians of the poor of Ennis. Lord CLINTON presented a petition with a similar prayer from Devonshire. CASE OF MESSRS. GRAHAM AND ELLIOTT. Lord BROUGHAM said he examined the case of Lieut. Graham and Mr. Elliott fully, and although he agreed that in general the judgments of courts-martial ought not t) be interfered with, yet he thought the case of these young officers was an exception. They had been most ill-advised to plead guilty to a charge of desertion, when they had been guilty of no desertion at all, for they had givea themselves up immedi ateTy after they bad escaped from the tyranny of Commander Pitman, who had been subsequently convicted not only of tyranny but of falsification of ac counts. If these unfortunate young gentlemen had been tried after Commander Pitman, they would never have been convicted. He asked if there was any intention of mitigating their sentence, so as to en:ble them to re-enter the service. He had no personal aAluaintance with those gentlemen. _ _ The Marquis of LANSI)OWNE wished to refer to the First Lord of the Admiralty before gi ving an answer. CLERGY DISCIPLINE BILL. The Bishop of LONDON brought in a Bill to amend Vie Clergy Discipline Bill. Bis object, was to take away from the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council the right of judging appeals from the Court of Arches in certain . cases. He did not object to the apre'late juridicton of tho Judicial Committee on matters of law or of fact, but he did object to giving the Committee the appellate jurisdiction on points of doctrine. He proposed to in stitute ti; new tribunal of appellate jurisdiction in cases of heresy and false doctrine. Ho thought that in such cases there should bean appeal to the Bishop, and from him to the Archbishop, and that the decision of the Archbishop should in - such cases be final. The Archbishop of C NNTERBURY expressed his concurrence in the sentiments of the Right Rev. Palate, and he hoped the Bill would be carried into a law. The Bishop of LONDON had purposely brought the Bill in thus early because he was anxious to do so before the decision of the Committee in a recent case should have been giver. Lord BROUGnAM assured the Right Rev. Prelate that there would be no jealousy on the tof tLe Judicial Committee with regard to the introduction of this Bill, on tl'e contrary, they would be rejoiced at being relieved from the responsibility of giving judg ment in these cases. The LORD CHANCELLOR thought it was contrary to custom to di .cuss the principle of a Bill on its first introduction, and he deprecatNl any deviation from the usual course on the present occa:ion. SCO IC 11 - MARRIAGES BILL. Lord CAMPBELL asked the Noble Earl opposite (Aberdeen) when he intended to introduce the Bill fer amending the law regulating Scotch marriages, which he had promised to introduce last session, when the Registration Bills were defeated? The Noble and Learned Lord then read some letters, showing the abuses which had arisen, in consequence of t' e facility with which marriages might be contracted in Scot! and. The Earl of ABERDEEN admitted the existence of the evil complained of, and would support any measure to prevent the evasion of the law of England by Eng lish persons going to Scotland to be married, but he considered that the Scotch law of marriage was superior the English law, and the Scutch were satisfied with it. He would be satisfied with the law which his Noble and Learned Friend had introduced in 1835, and again in 1846, to remedy the evil, but he must decline intro ducing any measure himself. Lord BROUGHAM was sorry to find that his Noble Friend declined tl introduce his promised Bill. He would give up the subject t) his Noble Friend, and would support, as he had no doubt his Noble and Learned Friend opposite would support, any measure to amend the existing state of the law. RAILWAY AUDIT. Lord MONTEAGLE rose, pursuant to notice, to move that certain returns relating to railway accounts, for which he had moved on the 3d May last, should be made forthwith; and to move for certain additional re turns relating to railroads, and to ask the Vice-President of the Board of Trade whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill for the better audit of railway accounts. It was proved that, in many cases, railway companies had paid dividends out of their capi tal, and he asked if such a system could have been pur sued had theta) existed a good system of audit of railway accounts? and-he would contend that had not these frau dulent practices occurred the present depreciation of rail way propertyavould not have taken place. Thepermanent interests of the shareholders and the public had been sa crificed, far the purpoie of keeping up for a few days the price of shares upon the Stock Exchange. The Noble Lord then went into the history of the two Railway Audit Bills which he had himself introduced during the two preceding sessions, which he denied were intended to introduce a Government audit, and concluded by putting the question of which he had given notice. Ile wished before he sat down to draw their Lordships' at tention to the fact that there were 61 applications for railway Bills, and.he would suggest the propriety of a standing order that before any railway Bill should be read a second time the whole financial accounts of the company:applying;for the Bill should be laid before their Lordships. Earl GRANVILLE did not object to the motion for making the returns forthwith. With regard to the Bill of last session, it was impossible to pass it in the Lfaco of the great opposition which it received from railway shareholders. He believed that they were now inclined to introduce a Bill for auditing railway accounts themselves, and he would, therefore, wait awhile to see whether such Bill would be introduced by the railway shareholders themselves, but if such Bill were not speedily introduced by them, or if, when intro duced, it should not prove satisfactory, he would then state what steps the Government proposed to adopt. Earl FITZ WILLIAM was glad to hear tho announce ment made by the Noble Earl who just sat down. He regretted this and the other House of Parliament did not intend to go further, but to leave the =Ur to the directors of these railways. His Noble Friend (Lord Monteagle) seemed to think that the depreciation of railway shares was owing to the malversation of the directors; but believing, as he did, that railway pro perty was, like other' property, and liable to the same changes, he could not agree with him. The directors of the North-Western Railway were entitled to great respect for good management, and yet its shares had de preciated, as well as others. He thought, however, that some measures ought to be taken for the better manage ment of those companies than already existed. In answer to a question from Lord BEAUMONT, Earl GRANVILLE stated it was the intention of the Government to introduce the Bill which did not pass last session, enabling railway companies, which could not proceed with their underaskinge, to wind up their affairs, and that measure would be so introduced early in the next week. . The Marquis of LANSDOWNE laid on the ysio of the House returns from the Poor-'aw Commissioners, showing a decrease in pauperism. After a few words from the Duke of RICHMOND and the Marquis of SALISBURY, impugning their accuracy, their Lordships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 5. The SPEAKER took the Chair a few tniuutes after Four o'clock. RIVER NESS. Mr. CAMPBELL obt tined leave to bring in a Bill for building a bridge over the river Ness. SUNDAY LABOUR IN THE POST-OFFICE. An HON. MEMBER preientei a petition from Bromley, praying far a cessation of Sunday labour in the Post office. COUNTY FINANCIAL BOARDS. Mr. WILSON PATTEN presented a petition from Cheadle, in Staffordshire, praying for tho establishment of county financial boards. • • AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. Lord HENRY MANNERS presented a petition from Cambridgeshire complaining of azricultural distress in that county, and praying for relief. Mr. SIMEON presented a petition from a place in the Isle of Wight praying for an equalization of the burdens upon land or a return to protection. LAW OF SETTLEMENT. . _ Sir DE LACY EVANS presented a petition from VVestminster, praying for the abolition c f the law of law of settlement. CHELSEA HOSPITAL. _ _ Mr. HEADLAM presented a petition from Robert Armstrong, an out-pensioner in Chelsea Hospital, pray ingfns, the better regulation of that institution. SUNDAY LABOUR IN TEIE POST-OFFICE. Mr. CORNE WALL LEWIS presented a petition from a congregation et Wesloyans• in Herefordshire, praying for a cess..tion of Sunday labour in the Post office. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. Mr. TAYLOR• presented a petition teem the county of Kerry, praying for the imposition of such a moderate fixed duty on the importation of corn as would relieve the agricultural distre ss in that county. Lord BERNARD prsented a. petition from a place in Cork; complaining rf agricultural distress , . LAW OF SETTLEMENT. Mr. DISRAELI asked the Chief Commissioner of the Poor-laws when the reports of the Committee on the law of settlement would be laid upon the table of the House? Mr. BAINES said he had had an interview with the Secretary for the Home Depart scot on the subject, and he (Mr. Baines) hoped to be - able to place the reports in question on the table of the llouge tomorrow. NOTICES OF MOTIONS. Mr. DISRAELI fixed his tneCon on the subject cf the poor -laws for this day fortnight'. Kir. P. SC ROPE gave notice that this day fortnight ha should 'call the attention of the House to the exter inication cf Lish peasantry which had been carried pn for some tint( past, under the sanction of the law, and' with the aid o f the executive in the Kilrush and other unions in the vest of Ireland. _ • Sir It A. IN rose to order. lie thought the rule was, that no expression of opiiiiou ought to be con yeyed in any notice of motion. Mr. P. SCROPE thanked the Hon. Baronet for his suggestion, and promised to alter the phraseology of his notice before he placed it on the paper. Mr. HEY WOOD gave notice that, on the 17th inst., he would move an address to her Majesty, praying for the a;:pointment of a Royal Commission to irquire into the state of the universities and colleges of Oxford; Cambridge, and Dublin, with the view to their im provement. Mr. P. WOOD gave - notice that, this day fortnight, he would move for leave to bring in a Bill t ) enable per sons refusing to be sworn to substitute an affirmation. ROYAL PALACES. On the motion of Colonel SIBTHORP, a return cf the sums of money already voted for the different royal palaces for the last three years, the amount actually paid, and the amount due at the present period, and whether such sums already voted will be sufficient to complete the contemplated expenses at the period such were stated to be necessary, was ordered. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. Mr. BRIGHT moved for copies of the petitions and memorials which had been presented since the 31st January on the case of the woman who had been lately executed at Glasgow; also of the petition in favour of Charlotte Harris, who lately had been condemned to death at Exeter; together with the:numbers of the peti tioners, and a copy of tho verdicts of tho juries in each case. POOR LAW GOVERNMENT. Captain PELHAM, seeing her Majesty's Home Se cretary in his place, begged to ask whether her Ma jesty's Government had any intention of bringing in any measures for abolishing or altering the laws of settle ment and removability, and the treatment of vagrants; for altering the rating for the support of the poor, either in reference to the chargeablity, or the property to be assessed; or for transferring any cf the charges now levied upon the poor-rate t) other funds; whether her Mc jetty's Government will bring in any measure for facili tating the borrowing of money from the State, or prila:e capitalists, by landowners in England and Wales, for the purpose of improving the condition of estates; and whether her Majesty's Government will bring in any measure for facilitating the sale or exchange of landed property in England and Wales, in settlement, with a view to the relief or mutual improvem'ent of estates, and the better cultivation of the soil? Sir GEORGE GREY said that the subject of the law of settlement had been long and anxiously considered by her Mejesty's Government, and that it' was now in the hands cf the Chief Commissioner of the'Poor-laws, and thatlthe papers would very shortly beiiid on the table of the House, vhich would give touch. information on the subject. With regard to the second question, he was ena bled to say that the Government had no present inten tion to facilitate the borrowing of capital or of altering the system hitherto adopted on that subject.—(l-lear.) He believed that about two. millions had been set aside for the relief of land, and that a considerable portion of that sum .had already been expended. He would also state that many applications had been re fused, not because they did not come within the specifications of the Act, but because the means had already been disposed of to previous applicants. The Government would consider whether it would be necessary to wake any further advances for this purpose. With regard to the other part of the question, he be lieved that sufficient powers were given by the Bth and 9th of Vict., and if any further powers were necessary, Government would bring in a Bill fir this purpose. Air SADLEIR rose to ask the Solicito - r-deneral, if it was the intention of the Government to introduce, before Easter, a Bill to amend the Irish Incumbered Estates Act of lest session. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said it was not the intention of the Government to bring in a Bill to amend the Iri=h Incumbered Eatete3 Act of last session until the working cf the Act had been more correctly ascer tained. Possibly, after a little experience, some alterations would be required in its provisions ; but the Government had no present intention on the subject. With respect to the particular points men tioned by the Hon. Gentleman, he could hardly with propriety make any observations upon them on the pre sent occasion. REGISTRATION (IRELAND) BILL. Mr. SADLEIR wished to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, if it was the intention cf the Government to introduce, before Easter, a Bill to provide for a national civil registration of births, deaths, and marrigges, in II eland, so as to provide for a better system of vital statistics throughout the United Kingdom? Lord J. RUSSELL replied that a Bill on the subject was in preparation, but was not in a - sufficient state of furwardness to enable the Government to bring it in before Easter. KILRUSII UNION. Mr. P. SCROPE wished to know if the Secretary for Ireland was in a position to give any information tJ the House in reference to the deaths from starvation which had occurred in, consequence of outdoor relief being refused to paupers, at the Kilrush Union, while the guardians were in possession of funds? Sir W. SOMERVILLE was afraid it was not in his power to give his Honourable Friend so satisfactory an answer as perhaps he had a right to expect, and which certainly it was his desire always to giro to questions put to - him of this kind. Ho must throw himself upon the indulgence of the House, as it was quite impossible fir him to procure the information required with only twenty-four hours' notice, but relying upon such information as he had received before nctice of these questions was given, he could state that it was quite true that in De cember last a large number of persons who were in the receipt of daily allowances ceased to receive that allow ance in the Kilrush Union. It was caused by a want of means on the Fart of the guardians, the contractors having, refused to supply them with the necessary provi sions for making the allowances. From the same cause it was equally true that, for a very short time, the necessity was forced upon the guardians of altering the dietary within the walls of the workhouse; but he begged his Hon. Friend and the House to remember that during the time the day allowance ceased to be dis tributed to the paupers there was room for several hun dred persons within the walls of the workhetise. Mr. P. SCROPE—Was the dietary sufficient? Sir W. SOMERVILLE believed it was perfectly sufficient. His Hon. Friend next proceeded to aek whether during that period inquests were not held within the union. Ile was again speaking from memory, whether it was during that period he could not say, but there were some four or five inquests held in the Kil rush Union, and verdicts returned of alleged death by starvation. On one of the deceased, however, there was found money amounting to le. 6d.—(Hear, hear.) As to the mortality in the Kilrush workhouse, he knew that previous to the time when the dietary was changed, the mortality did not exceed, if it was not below. the mor tality of the workhouses throughout Ireland. The next question of his Hon. Friend had reference to the second stoppage of out-door relief by the guardians of the Kilrush Union. Ho had received no official account whatever as to that stoppage, and ho was not able to give his Hon. Friend the reason of that second stoppage; but the guardians bad provided themselves lately with consider able workhouse accommodation, and he (Sir W. Somer ville) thought it probable that that second stoppage was for the purpose of irtroducing the workhouse test, with the view to see which of the pau pers ought most properly to he put upon the out door relief list. The last question of his Honourable Friend related to the dissolution of the board of guar dians. Tlat board had had very great difficulties to contend with. Notwithstanding the liberal advances that were made to them from the rate-in-aid a very large debt was left to them by the vice-guardians on their retirement from office.—(Hear, bear.) The Commissioners had reason to complain of the tardiness with which the guardians had collected the rates. This much he could say, that certainly that second stoppage of out-door relief was not caused from any lack of funds. He had endeavoured to answer the Hon. Gentleman's questions as well as he could, con sidering the short notice he had given him. CEYLON. Mr. FIUME had a petition to present from several inhabitrnts of, Ceylon, on the subject respecting which he had put some questions to her Majesty's Government last night.' The main object of the petition, the sub stance of which was:read by the Hon. Member, was to ask whether Government meant to make any'and what com• pensation for the injuries inflicted upon them by the execution of martial law during the hit, insurrection. TENANT RIGHT IN IRELAND. Lord CASTLEREAGII rose to point the attention of her Majesty's GOvernment to the meeting which had lately been held in the county of Down respecting the question of tnant right, which had been presided over by some Presbyterian minister, and at which very in temperate language had been used. He also wished to know whether it was the intention of Government to Introduce a Bill for the settlement of this question. Sir WILLIAM SOMERVILLE said it was his in tention, on the 18th, to lay a Bill upon the table to amend the law of landlord and tenant. THE BULLION TRADE. In answer toaquestion from Mr. CAYLEY. Mr. LABOUCHERE said it was quite impossible to give an accunt6 account - of the exports of bullion, as so much of it was carried on through private hands. SAVINGS' BANKS—POSTPONEMENT OF THE CHANCELLOR OF, THE EXCHEQUER'S MOTION. Sir G. 611EY said that his Right Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer was unable, from indispo sit'on, to bring forward Lt.-night his motion for the ap pointment of a Select Committee on Savings' Banks, and had eeqnested him to postpone it until Monday. ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION. Mr. HORSMAN then rose to move that a Commit tee of this House, to which was entrusted an inquiry into the composition and management of the Ecclesias tical Commission, having recommended the appointment of three paid commissioners for the management of the property under the commission, it is expedient that effect be given to that recommendation." He said that from the nature ef the Committee, which was appointed last year, he had expect3d that the recommendations which they would send forth would be without bias or prejudice, but he regretted to say that he had been deceived. The events of every succeeding day proved more and more the necessity which existed for placing the temporalities of the Church in safer hands. He was, therefore, compelled, however reluctantly, once more to call the attention of the Home to the subject. It was unnecessary I,r him to state what the Ecclesiasti cal Commission was, ar, unfortunatkly, they were all ac quainted with its character and proceedings. They knew it to be a very powerful body, exercising most important functions, and enjoying the administration of vast funds. They knew there was herdly a county in the courery where it did not exercise control over estates, or a parish where its influence, for good or evil, was nut felt. Indeed, as regards the temporalities of the Church, it wie:ds more power than had be. , a possessed by any body since the Reformation. Then, did it not become PArliament to keep a vigilant eye upon its movements, so as to take pre cautions against possible abuses. It could not be denied that the duties of the Commission cast additional Imrtios *cm ------------- , our ecclesiastical dignitaries, whose shoulders were e rl ub able to bear them. Their spiritual duties vie r° balln ' dent to cccupy the whole of their tim e and at!enOo and when, therefore, they proceeded to ha d thenaselv i' t! , with otter dufea et' an entirely opposite charae!er,, was manifest that one set of duties must be ireperfeet'Y discharged. Therefore it was a matter of iniportaece, iedecd of reeessity, that a choice should be made between these two incompatible duties as as a conviction wss g ai i ' lag ground in the public mind that the more our eee 0: 2irsitical dignitaries confined themselves to the meddled duties of the Church, and the less with its secular concerns, the betterwould theb Another arty le that whilst the cause uhf. , complaint is net so much that eve have not Wilton' enough, as that those we have were not lobo ti e their right vocatior, and that they are in Loud° pee voting themselves to the administration of ' ralitiee in Whitehall to the manifest n eglect.. „, i of spiritualities in their more appropriate sPh er • e Be lt was obvious that that deficiency would Lever b t,st cepted by Parliament as an argument for supPlYing t w o deficiency out of the Church's funds. Then theio 0 another party, and he himself belonged to t hat e P e tir the ' tl-ey inedd.le: who took still higher onerous or es said whetu e e t b f , duties were too onerous or too light ', list. pecuniary] concerns of our Chur ch Bstnentbee ment involving the management , among s to the things, of distant estates, were altogether alien ot , " 11'1 vocation of ecclesiastics.—(Cheers.) It waern 9 °coca bishop's vocation to be " a server of table t. w ere tion wet of a higher order, and the calls on his ti Id more sacred and more imperative, and he shotilatt was f to other men the intricacies of secular biliiilleSF. i6_4o, er him to be familiar with the concerns of every Pr iog ~ cognizant of the character of every clergy man , s uds his all . wants by his energy, controlling all shwa; his • ea . . vigilance, encouraging all thct was good bY ni ong .1 his people, spreading around pimrpl was for him to live as a fathe r a he re an st o S ol) 10 , of love, and rever e nce, and religior. IT; of its earliest days, was the Church's nal st ick - whit a Christian bishop ought to h e ' e t ? than he wished to see her practice again. - -- , t ete( ' to was a third and mote numerous party who Pei" .. iir. • the Ecclesiastical Commission, and said that ig iv7d.r. competent to discharge the duties that i L h or i e u to th e ' tilcen to discharge, and to the enormous s' ,-r- nag' Church's re; en es which had resulted from its m e ,, s i o ns ~ ment. It would appear, then, that from the . esP re d - b e en .. which had been used, and from the protest whe h ,: bli e gied entered, as well as the expressions which had then against the continuance of a system that an P e „ 0 " o gh" ' with nothing but evil, that there W 33 no body tut eiej sy out the country more opposed than the ce cf of the Church of England to a continua? theta their hierarchy in a pos i t i on which piseead their so invidiously before the people '!they wi sh e whin , diocesans to be removed from this board of consul eithe r because they felt that their resence there w as li it teal creditable to them nor beneficial to themselves* oottro ' owe or of 'r a j el been hoped that either a sense f • • c justice se les ,see , ,y would have induced these members of the Paee' ;Og WI tamedw that oLi l would. produceat each o n f o itsthusac such Commission to have been sensible of their dni'll' ut ege et tp talents rtian lcoinp c tl o se m ; thet . . was at that no sense of justice, no influence of prineiPle'oa test all likely to alter their fature line of conduct!, % r oils the only remedy that could possibly be adoPte° l bieve 9 .) so loudly and justly complained ef, and so tn,r e , c N obe l in their tendency, was to compel the:seserat 'Th s ioe% • e m bou i u t t t l d e i d t 1 ntWoosyse theirn es so 30 es or, ~.: of the bench of bishops to retire from the Cont.ece as and he could only, therefore, appeal to the in nil es tair -'• intellect of that House. This Commission ant it e ats l t i h s e bed in 1836, or rather he ought to say t,h e " 00 1 result of Commissions previouslY cled• Ove n iti by which its constitution had been roc ° t oe Consisting only of thirteen, the Commission eoishop course of time to give great diseatisfac:ion. T b ,f,f,,etien . of London assigned as a reason , for this dissab t " be e to that there was not in the beard a sufficient nletsjoite represent the Episcopal Bench. The neP a si lu te r j oissi ne e however, was son - eavhat differert. The le a- f solnv ' was charged with matters that were r e ett eeb i t a i consequence not only to the interests of the v'i l. A" general, but of the Bench of Bishops a n vie ' Vl * ' , f Ws 0 matters connected with the incomes sa wog f with the building of r 'slam, the nel.s the estates, and many little things releting ; ere 0 convenience and comforts of the bish e P 9 the the hands of the Commis s io n.A °eat ori or 'deed • 1 1, Commission came at last to be copal 300 of the great prizes of the Church, and a violent I t t heir was get tip by the excluded bishops ag i a t coel l n e re thrall, whom they called monopolists ; an° 410'0' of time the doors a No. 5. Whitehall , we jeoft open, and in rushed the whole Episcopal Ben no ' g et; it was that the deans nod canons did, ° w ader' in too had always boon a matter 0 t e j o y 10 . ; The Commission consisted originally of n i g"' been isl e, and five ecclesiastics, but the number had sinc e „m a ,th e- crewed to 29 ecclesiastics and'eight laymen; - t ersl had been the result of their proceedings? Poor P g ool lo pi " left half starving, and poor congregations wer e e ts essn r e , - 8 go untaught, while vast sums of the Church 'e "i. v or 0 were spent in palaces and luxuries. o f 0 1 bishops. The alteration in the onstitutel' era c , w ha_ A A. Commission had resulted in no gooa e foun" a ea' and • as if to render confusion worse ea ffi . s aion a - o r they had no permanent chairman. The Co h t - e l hairt il ;o present who was highest in rank occupied tu t i e d VI it happened that when a junior bishop pr os ic e w e ' t() hardly warm in his seat before he had t og .,,te st..tir s a senior bishor, and thus a series ai r , o ber( Lions took place until the Archbishop ° f. 'fair cf tiel m tb a n de his appearance, and jumped over the with s s ocb 0 rest. Now, he would like to know, w o ' eo o inisli:e systtem as this, how the business o f the vs - e ta ; eV s .: could of be properly carried on? Could the Pr e- eper -1. to' h that House, for instance, prosper, if th e jied • ~• , ad no fixity of tenure, and was e i f to boy leave his seat every few minutes? But, as ...." wen to' the matter worse, a number of select CO 0. „,. • been appointed, every one of which was coree'doe7 greater number of members , than the ha - eoa te a which i formed the average attendances of t eeit k; t l i t i j ut this was only the beginning of the sib b ; further they went the mole absurd they fe a „ 00, 6 ;0 ready m he had observed that, in conducting "1 jettets, t e , Members of the House, parties with perse ne o joteu w e were strictly excluded from the Committee aPP. aeill • eera tie ,„,este. make the inquiry, but this was the donee w ove ot of his Hon. Friend pear demoralised tbe Member for gv et . n th o such innovation had the proseevibiot the . Ecclesiastical CoMmissioners. With th e j:: esPe c ,,i Pt ) : any bishop had an interest in the matter ht o ^ - ,t On iir he nt -e teS ° summoned on the committee ' , and when d 0 0' ~ if ;di deliberations he was permitted to speak a - o minis" tit as much as though' he were a member of the eosoOP to But not only was that so, but every of thas one , ,,,,, Bench may attend any committee,tereek an u o nt o , e aeln'' I' fact at any time they could swamp the othereir T ote ! i ' of the committee by the number of t h t oen th : --(Hear' hear .) li had • a son ie hie ' e Ile directed 0 n 511 deliberation to it, but he had never bee ao , realise for himself the advantage f a O st • °e°l. o such . he y bel e ' tt Bishop of St. Asaph told them that a tunr;to roi e jot versant with the subject to be inquired Pa ate oF's io lel best party . to give information and forlu,ioion 'he upon it, while the seer t the Cool' - ' tioo , e ary to ques 0„ them that any bishop took up whatever e allY at had a mind to, and as he Pr ncl ' i n teit t. t ee pressed it, "ho worked it h Vl° a' ring a through ; airec• took So that, whenever there was any quest. ° jesbo_P the interest of any particular bishopric, the a ir th e it and worked it through in every nell.whe! t he ' word. In the palmy days of TorYin„ lic :,toef Or working-through system was well unu e c e th e o oll workings-through could not surpass thus a sP be ar clesiastical Commission, Under such to jer' the House would not be surpr 4e ' vo t 1 0 % -l a ro i : that the business of the Commission is I . - be 9. 00 °.• of f rly well transacted, but it could nns bit joo d i ,e) , ' the revelations of carelessness, Pe ca ... 19 t'. waste which the evidence exhibited so ld ( l e i What did the House think cf estates being be Coo t an y valuation being taken or authorised bY t wit boll' ar est' sion, n or of large estates being boug h ete nt r et ort ; i m p. tois ow toe , d ray precautions of a survey, or of bei executed without the architect of the Ca ei s eolSi t lad supplyingandcfthem, suns eyors being employed without 01 1/ e de wl cetr e tees' tion cf the remuneration they were to re they sent JP* consequence had been that they charged an, ' l a 0, 4 6 0 and the taxation of a bill which the sob ei The '''3e some years ago still remained unfinished. • 1 05 aa' le nsis ~ ha eo , committed to their charge were gro.oee , thee e '1" • The Commission met once a weelc, butt oe - er ,oew 011 much to do as could well cccupy them for a f",,, t Well to Bishop of London stated that the secretarY `'- ft is tilir party who know anything about its affairs. ' tlit h #eo° tbe r • know that the Board had a secretary, or rn loo P or" ter t he • h secretary had a board of commissioners une e op e nto in fact, did everything. It was he who drrieoitletjoge dory in council. Did any one require an L e e t he le r a rae l l r the commissioners, it was ho who arrangeue, I'a bon 0 ,11 0 ‘; Was it required to mystify or banioaz,'`,,eas "WO With regard to the incomes of the bishoes, it ~ens t or , "cooked up the accounts." When any I P ivb ° P s -c bje, to be made in the House of Lords, it wan lien tb,e, was' ted the Archbishop of Canterbury, and ! y e - e e se Pa (oo ors of the Commission came before that it e : e e ' qut tie: who supplied the Primo Minister with t"'" f 0 - s t. h formation. Ile never gave notice ° OP the s upon the subject in that linanneb in the did not see the usual parsgrarry to the th e ' newspapers. " Yesterday the se m - ctn .:o w vita., eta Neck siastical Commission had a long joterrresoenoed. First Lord of the Treasury, at his of•fict o e renl, tit ° , Downing-street."—(Laughter.) It bad - o d fo pr thy, that the history of uatiohs might be I°° ' ` the history of their eminent men, and is Bienh.„ol ta ct ' io is history of the Commission might be kna wil f fhe C °- titil ceedings of their secretary. The affeirs 0 the 0011,00 sion spread over all parts e f the c ountry i ene eier o o did all. He had to select persons for ell Tio bay ov when anything was to be done, and he aPP4 gus i 0 relations. It was thought that Mr. inig" tit busi ee o tiV, gaged the Commission in law in order to P__,,,areett Ter" the hands e f his brother. Ile went to tilt:37oooy 'iity. geuted . his brother acted as solicitor, sad cati 6e l ;at h tl ; ties, with his wig on, steed as counsel in ticion teat , would ask, was there any truth in the f or t he be l l e, n t4 plunged the Commission into litigation _ as to ot: f or his relatives? He was as fortunate ash ~w e t, w oulo: ‘o eed found friends where he little thought L' / t ..‘eo to D e o oc ci e , up. When be came before the Coen it'' t° be er ho D ei r3 , entitled, they were much surprised. _, 1 1 14 3 7.A0 60., teas not a servant during pleasure, 1 31 , 1 _ 1 e0 jet'; D ot e " his appointment for life. A Bill had dials ao , t eo f 9; for remodelling the revenues of the cattle" , re lent, 1 7 .00 or I,o' lcosiate churches, which bad no convex n, ._ Ol , La the scerc:ary of the Ecelesiattical CoLe,"':_ oc a is P igi bi V o p some chance or other a clause was introo_uf . r.,0 0 . , i9 b .0, sta,_ eof its progress through the Ilousf,,u The P e e e t made the secretary's appointment for ine' d ;a tbo n e ': vs IS •ither ^ 19' 1 of London knew nothing about it, De to the s''tl s tars, and it remained a profound secreet dere d i l inr; o itt I moment who was the kind friend who r another I fit ePs service. —(Hear.) Ile now came h o 9 1 tAt . - which would . meke every jagir .9A $ 10) - - . • I I