The Sun. — London, England, 1853-02-26 00:00:00

port and carriages for the militaryforce that were moved from Martaban to Rangoon, which was to the east of Prome, and was that force withot; the means of trans port ? Lord Dalhousie 'with the energy which charac terised him, went himself and personally gave orders for the assembling Of elephants and for the collection of other necessary means of transport. It had been stated that the elephants were useless, because they had to pass through the Arracan mountains ; but that was never contemplated, the route selected being by the way of Chittagong. Such animadversions should not be made, unless the fact of their being merited was established beyond all possibility of question, and supported by pa pers. Such representations were most mischievous, and tended to paralyse the efforts of those who were employd. The exaggerations had been so preposterous that he must beg the attention of the house while he answered some of them. It was represented that the first expedition had cost 240,0001., but it appeared that the whole of the expenses amounted only to 30,000/. It was said that the war expenditure of the year was 500,000/., but it was not 40,0001. a month. The melancholy scenes that had oc curred during the former Burmese war were to be attri buted to the want of food and clothes, and covering and medical treatment. Lord Dalhousie knew that well, and before the war broke out he gave orders for providing skeleton houses for the reception of 6,000 or 7,000 men, and they were conveyed in steamers to the place where they were required. The result was that the medical returns from the troops during the rains showed the health of the soldier, on an average, to be as good as the health of the troops on the plains of Bengal at that time. It was done with economy, but done effectually ; and, in fact, all that could be effectually done was done by Lord Dalhousie. By his personal superintendence in that province he had established order sooner than it had been established in any province that had previously been annexed to the British empire. (Hear, hear.) There was one consideration of responsibility that pressed upon Lord Dalhousie, and that distinguished officer, General Godwin, who had performed his duty assiduously, and that was the fear of compromising the inhabitants of the district of Pegu. There was an apprehension in the minds of General Godwin and Lord Dalhousie that if they gave anything like an intimation to the Peguese to side with them, and if they were subsequently to retire from Pegu, the state of those men would be wretched if General Godwin allowed them to do anything to assist him, or if Lord Dalhousie had issued such a proclamation until he was sure the ann3mation would take place. Scarcely had the procla mation been issued, when offers were received from two of the leading chiefs, offering to put down the dacoits . and plunderers, and a thousand muskets having been supplied to them, great confidence was thereby given to the natives. (Hear, hear.) Lord Dalhousie had been requested by the court of directors that he would not allow the usual period of five years to be the termina tion of his government, but that he would continue to afford the state the benefit of his services ; and though Lord Dalhousie had strong reasons to induce him to return to his native country, he had acceded to the request, and he trusted that as they had been fortunate enough to have the services of the most distinguished men in the country, they would still longer enjoy the services of the present Marquis of Dalhousie. (Hear.) The subject then dropped—an order having been pre viously given, as stated by Sir C. Wood, to lay the papers moved for on the table. ARMY BREAD. Sir W. JOLLIFFE begged, pursuant to notice, to call the attention of the house to the quality of the bread that was supplied to her Majesty's forces in Great Britain, under the existing contracts. In the union workhouses, in the county gaols, and in their convict establishments, the most unexceptionable quality of bread was supplied, and when it was found that the bread supplied to the troops was not of a good quality, it was natural that it should excite discontent amongst them. (Hear.) Representations had been made at various periods with regard to this evil, and the mode in which it was attempted to be redressed was felt to be ten times more mischievous than the evil itself. Per mission had been most unwisely given that the troops should pay the difference to the contractor to be fur nished with a better description of bread than, he was bound by the contract to furnish. In his opinion, that led to serious evils, and tended to make the contractor furnish a worse description of bread than he would other wise have been able to do, even under the contract. It might have the effect of inducing him to take the con tract at an extremely low rate, by which he might be a loser, hoping to be able to pay himself by what he might receive in addition from the soldiers. The household troops were differently supplied. They were allowed through their colonel to make monthly contracts for their bread. The consequence was, that the burden which had fallen on the line was totally avoided by the household troops, and no charge was made to them for receiving good bread. He thought it was not too much to expect that a wholesome kind of household bread should constantly be in use among all classes of troops in the service. In the event of a bad harvest, which would, of course, considerably increase the price of bread, the most serious inconveni ences might ensue to the service. It was on these grounds that he had felt it his duty to bring this subject under the consideration of the Government ; and he could now only beg that the right hon. gentleman the Secretary at War would give the matter his serious consideration. Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT said, the subject of the mode of supplying the soldiers with bread came before a committee on the army ordnance department, which sat two or three years ago, and in consequence of the recom mendations of that committee, which were drawn up by Lord Hardinge, Sir W. Gordon, and Sir Randolph Routh, it was decided that for the future the quality of the bread which was called "seconds" should be used among the soldiers. It was further decided, on the evi dence given before that committee,. that, upon the whole, what was called the regimental system of contract gave the most satisfaction to the troops individually ; but there was this disadvantage in it, that in case of distur bance or war, that system of contract would break down ; for they would then require an organisation for which they had no preparation. There was also this difficulty ; where a whole regiment was together in one place, the contract would be made very cheap, but where companies of the regiment were stationed in different counties, they were supplied with .bread at a very exor bitant rate. It was not, perhaps, just to describe the bread in use among the troops as bad, seeing that the same kind of bread was frequently used by the aristo cratic classes on account of its exceedingly wholesome and nutritious quality, and generally by the labouring and all other classes who were accustomed to use bread as a principal article of food. THE ARMY ESTIMATES—SUPPLY. The house then resolved itself into a committee of supply upon the Army Estimates, Mr. Wilson Patten in the chair. Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT said, in moving the estimates for her Majesty's forces for the ensuing year, he should, perhaps be best consulting the convenience of the house by refraining from going into any lengthened statement with respect to the number of men which would be proposed for the year. On the first night of the session his noble friend sitting near him (Lord J. Russell) expressed the intention of the Government to make no increase of men for the army, navy, and ordnance upon the number proposed by %he late Government ; and as that statement was received with general satisfaction by the house, he (Mr. Sidney Her bert) thought he would be uselessly taking up the time of of the committee were he to enter upon a statement of the reasons which had induced the Government to retain the number of men now in the estimates. He did not mean to say positively that there would be no alteration in the numbers, because, in fact, there was a slight increase, re sulting from the return of a regiment of cavalry from India, which now augmented the aggregate number pro posed to be maintained by between 200 and 300, and affected the total charge to the extent of about 17,0001. He would just shortly state what were the heads of difference in the principal votes, before he drew the attention of the committee to cer tain points which he thought worthy of their conside tion. The changes on the first vote arose principally from the augmentation occasioned by the return of a cavalry regiment from India, to which he had already ad verted ; and there would be found alterations resulting partly from that reduction of the staff, which the vigilance of the War-office was always endeavowing to eflect, and partly from other causes. The committee would find that the whole charge of the Tower had been transferred to the vote for rewards for distinguished services. The hon. gen tleman the member for Montrose would recollect that in 1834 and 1835 there was a recommendation from the com mittee of the army and navy departments that for the future all governors_ of sinecure garrisons should be abo lished, and that the proceeds of them should be devoted to the forming of a fund which should be distributed as re wards for distinguished services to officers who had been recomm en d ed for such rewards in consideration of their long services, and that that should continue augmenting till the whole sum had reached the amount of 18,0001. The transfer of the vote for the Tower to the estimate b e had mentioned completed that sum of 18,0001., ' and for the future the proceeds of 'that department would be distributed in the shape of rewards for distinguished services among deserving officers. In the meantime it would be necessa r y to place on the staff a small effective force, which should perform the duties of the garrison. The reductions under the head of the foreign staff were effected by the diminution in the troops in Africa, Bermuda, Australia, Canada, and, gene rally speaking, in all the British colonies. The vote for the public departments would be found almost in the same state as it was last year. It included, however, a charge for postage at the War-office, in consequence of calling out the militia, of 5,9001., which he was afraid was an indica tion of the very large increase of business in that depart ment. 'Application had been made at the War-office for an additional force to meet the pressure of business arising from, embodying the militia, and therefore he was afraid thrt the present apparent reduction in the expenses of the War-office would be, next year, converted into an augmen tation. Upon several minor heads there was no very great change. In the vote for the Royal Military Asylum, there was some. small augmentation, arising chiefly from - • _ _ ( v v ., an increase of the staff for the education of schoolmasters. C , klt l yould be recollected that there had been some complaint ~..7 1 4f ttiliihpup?, when good conduct rewards were first esta k".-,_, .., ‘ 'ord Howick, and augmented by himself (Mr. V ; ,- ,5 1 ,,,_, /F! rt) in 1845, that sergeants were excluded from i nclifret • • y-, r , " -:- on in those rewards. He confessed for .e. ,. :, -r v . 1„7. .. 4 , 6 1 / 2 .47 ught they had no title to share in those re r.,, • e that, as sergeants, they received adidtional ) 741i F . 4 e were circumstances, however, under which 41 17 hugti a: 14 1 -ICexclusion pressed somewhat prejudicially on a it°l-I° ' lB body of men ; and he must say there was no • body of men to whom the army owed so much as to its sergeants, both in the formation ancr the discipline of its regiments. (Hear, hear.) He therefore proposed to increase, by a grant annually of 1,0001. until it _ _ reached 2,0001., the sum that could be distributed for good service rewards among non-commissioned officers. With respect to the vote for half-pay general officers re duced, and widows of foreign officers, there was, as there had been for some years past, a considerable di minution, though this year it was not so large as usual. Although there was a considerable diminution in the half- pay, there was an increase in the out-pensioners at Chelsea of 8,9971., for which it was very difficult to account. It was the first increase of that charge that had taken place for some years, and he trusted it would be the last one. Those were the principal heads of difference between the present estimate and that of last year. His right honour able friend (Sir J. Graham), in moving the navy estimates the other night, pointed out how great had been the dimi nution in the charge by which the country maintained that force in the present times. But that was not peculiar to the navy. Indeed, he (Mr. S. Herbert) thought in the army he could show that a diminution had taken place to a still greater extent. The War-office had been occupied for a long succession of years by some of the most saga cious men who had ever shared in the administration of public affairs, including Lord' Hardinge, Lord Howick, Sir Johli Hobhouse, and Lord Panmure. Those were men who bad devoted great care and attention to all the details of the department over which they presided, and they had especially met with great success in the efforts they made, first, in increasing the comforts and well-being of the soldier • and secondly, in reducing the expenditure of that department. In 1835, which was always taken as the pattern year for economy, the whole estimate was 5,907,782/. ; and in this year it was 6,025,0161., being an apparent increase of 117,0001. odd. But from the latter sum—that was, from the whole charge for the effective and non-effective services—in order to institute a fair com- parison between this year and 1835, those items in the esti• mates ought to be deducted which, on the recommendation of various military authorities, had been added to the esti mates since 1835. Then, comparing the two, he found there had been additional charges placed upon the esti mates since 1835 amounting to 250,0001., in round num bers ; and therefore, if those were taken off, there would be a decrease in the present year amounting to 137,0001. odd. Then it was to be recollected that we had now about 21,000 more men than we had in 1835. It might be said, in instituting that comparison, he was taking off items of expenditure which it was impossible to avoid, and which were necessary for the improvement and efficiency of the army ; but he conk' assure the house that the increase upon the estimate of 1835 had been to a great extent upon the non-effective portion of it. Taking that into account, and the sums voted for schools, for the new system of prisons: for barrack libraries, and many other things intro duced for the benefit and comfort of the soldier, they came to the result that in 1853 they were maintaining 21,000 more men than in 1835 for a less sum than they spent in the maintenance of the number of men in that year. thought he could show that that was not entirely effected by the half-pay reduction, for, upon a comparison between the two years he had mentioned, he found the cost for the bearing of each man on the estimates had diminished since 1835 by 21. Us. Bd. Nor was it attributable to any. less regard being now had for the comfort and well-being of the men ; for he (Mr. S. Herbert) did not believe that the sol dier was at any time so well off as he was now. Whether it was that the short service was beginning to tell, or whether it was owing to the increased comforts which now ob tained among the troops, this much was certain, that the recruiting, both for the militia and the army, had never been more easy than now, nor had it ever before produced a better class of recruits drawn from a better popilation. (Cheers.) What had been the steps taken for the ad vantage of the soldier ? The stoppage of rations abroad had been lowered. That stoppage had been at first pitched too high—a lower rate of stoppage had been substituted, which, was now universal throughout our colonies ; and he believed it had given general satisfaction the men, without occasioning any loss to the service. The good conduct money, too, had been increased to 65,3001. a-year • and li braries had been established to a great extent. They had 150 barrack libraries, containing in the aggregate 117,000 volumes ; the men paid for admission to those libraries, and at present there were 16,000 subscribers. By a late arrangement the officers had been permitted to subscribe, and to have the use of those libraries ; but as it was feared that their presence there might operate as a restriction on the men, that arrangement had been modified, so as to give the latter a perfectly free access to their libraries. Then there were the regimental schools, which were established n 1846 ; and there he must say that he owed a great debt of gratitude to his noble friend Lord Panmure, for the manner in which he carried out those institutions. They originated with himself (Mr. S. Herbert) just before he left office, and they met with a good deal of prejudice at first ; but all those difficulties had been removed, and so far from those schools being objected to by the men, there was a great de sire shown by them to be put under the management of schoolmasters properly trained. There were now a large number of those schoolmasters who had passed their period of probation, in addition to 58 masters who were now em ployed in the schools of the different regiments, and 16 assistant-masters. The recruits were required by a regu lation to attend the schools ; that was the only compulsory attendance there was ; but it only lasted so long as their drill continued, and it was found that many of the men afterwards returned to the schools of their own accord. He had the greatest confidence in those schools working well. They had already contributed, among many other circumstances, to that increased good conduct which was now remarkable throughout all ranks of the army. (Hear, hear.) He would just give, as another proof of the increas ing comfort and well-being of the men, an extract from the returns, showing the amount of deposits in their sav ings' banks. The savings banks were established in 1844. There were then 819 depositors, whose deposits amounted 14,894. In 1852 there were 9,447 depositors, and the de posits had reached to 111,9251. Again, he knew some years ago the facilities given for the acquisition of know ledge were thought by some as likely to lead to a re laxation of discipline. There had been a great di • nlinution of punishment in the army simultaneously with the introduction of the new system. The number of cor poral punishments in 1838 was 875 ; in 1843, 620; in 1846, 461; in 1849, 311; in 1850, 247—(hear, hear, hear) ; and in 1851, 206. The return for 1852 was not yet complete; but for three-quarters of the whole force 96 was shown to have been the number of corporal punishments in the last year. Nor did he find that this change was owing to any relaxing of the discipline among the men. There had been an increase of imprisonments ; but the question was, had there been an increase of offences, and was there an increase in the persons tried before courts-martial ? The returns of military imprisonments, comparing 1850 with 1851, showed the contrary ; it was true there was a slight increase in the number of those imprisonments in 1852, as compared with the preceding year, but that increase was not greater in proportion than the increase in the effective strength of the army last year. Then, again, they must recollect that their object in imprisoning the soldier was altogether different from that of punishing the civilian. There was but one other point with respect to the well being of the army in general to which he would call the at tention of the committee. That was the health of the army. He believed at no former period was the army so healthy as it was at present. Some years ago there was great mor tality among the troops, especially in the colonies, from the situation of their barracks in many places. Lord Howick was at considerable pains to remedy that grievance, and was to some extent suscessful. Taking Gibralter and the lonian Islands, the mortality for the last year had been 12 7-10ths ' in a thousand, whilst the average there since 1846 had been 191-10th in a thousand. In the American colonies—always favourable to health—rthe mortality of the last year had been 14 in a thousand; whilst the average of the preceding pe riod had been 15 in a thousand. Fourteen in a thousand was as high a state of health as was enjoyed in Great Britain. St. Helena, New South Wales, and Van Diemen's Land were all very healthy colonies. The average rate of mortality at the Cape of Good Hope had been of course affected to some extent by the Kafir war. In New Zealand the average was 12 in a thousand ; and in Van Diemen's Land 9 in a thousand. The mortality in the West Indies (exclusive of Jamaica), up to March last was twenty-two in a thousand ; and in Jamaica, owing to the prevalence of the yellow fever, it was exactly double that rate. He did not believe, how ever, that there had been any instance where the yellow fever had broken out among the troops before, in which the mortality had been so small as on the late occasion. At the Mauritius, the mortality was 22 in 1,000 against 43 in preceding years. At Hong Kong, which was one of the most unhealthy of the stations, the mortality in the pre vious year, 74 in 1,000, had diminished in the past year, to 44 in 1,000. The results for the past year, indeed, showed a general improvement in every case. The accounts from India, which he had received but that day, bore out fully the statement of the hon. baronet the member for Honiton, that the troops at Rangoon were not suffering in health, and he found that the mortality had been under four per cent. Throughout India, generally, there never was a time when the troops were in a more healthy condi tion. (Hear.) He believed that this had been the result, in a great degree, of the improvements made in the medi cal treatment and a great deal was undoubtedly due to the improved habits of the men, and the diminution—still . leaving, however, some room for improvement—of the habits of excessive drinking, by which the constitutions of the men were undermined and their health destroyed. (Hear, hear, hear.) Having thus recapitulated the differ ent measures adopted in lett years 'by the Government for ' the purpose of improying the condition of the soldier, it was now necessary that they should pay increased atten tion to the task of making the army as efficient as possible for service in the field. (Hear, hear.) No doubt they had been too remiss in this respect, because they had chosen to use the army, to a degree far too great to be com patible with its efficiency, as a police force. The army had been scattered in minute detachments throughout the world. In Ireland alone there wero as many as 200 stations oc cupied by about 20,000 troops. In England and colonies the same thing to a great extent occurred. It was not reason able to expect that troops could be fit for field duty when they . scarcely ever had the opportunity of seeing even two regiments assembled together. (Hear, hear.) Her Ma jesty's Government entertained a sanguine hope that they would be able gradually to concentrate more troops in this Gauntry, by withdrawing a portion of the army from those colonies which had now obtained the right of self-govern ment, and, with that privilege, the duty of contributing something to their own defence, so far as domestic enemies were concerned. (Hear.) It was essentially necessary that they should make arrangements for concentrating more troops in this country. There was a great difference in this respect between the army and navy. In war or peace the navy led exactly the same sort of life. There was no necessity for any additional preparation in the navy, in the event of war. The navy carried its own bar racks and appointments, and, with the exception of firing abetted guns at the enemy instead of the target, there was no difference in the duties of a man-of-war between war and peace. The army, unlike the navy, was broken up in into small detachments, posted in barracks, and had not the opportunity of exercising large bodies of men. These wore defects which ought to be corrected. (Hear, hear.) It was proposed, therefore, in the present estimate to take a sum—whi c h b y inadvertence had been mis-stated—of 1,0001. for the establishment of stations where there could be ball practice with the Minie rifles, to which non-cona issioned officers and men in certain proportions could be drafted from the several regiments, in order to acquire the habit of using these rifles 3,t different sights and distances, having obtained which, they would go to their regiments, and there impart the instruction which they had acquired, so that there might be throughout the army one uni form system of target firing. Hear, hear.) It was a l so proposed to form encampments in some parts of the country, to which the regiments could repair for the pur pose of instruction. (Hear, hear.) He anticipated good results from these measures, and believed that they were arrangements calculated to give very general satis faction, an d could be carried out Tat a very sm a ll expense. In point of fact, the movements of the men to and from the camp would be no more than the natural movement of qua rters every year, at no additional expen se change of except the wear and tear of the tents and the increased allowance to officers and men when in camp. With respect to arms, Lord Hardinge had made great efforts to procure the best arms which modern science could produce. That noble lord had sent to America and to every continental state and had caused the newest arms to be brought over to this country, and had instituted numerous trials for the purpose of testing their relative merits. The result of these trials led Lord Hardinge to hope that he would be able to produce a weapon lighter and more effectual than the present musket, and carrying equally as fat, but lighter than the Minie rifle, and with as correct aim and as great efficiency. The army would then, he believed, be in a state of great perfection and efficiency. (Hear, hear.) This country must always, no doubt, possess an army nu merically small, but there was no reason why that army should not be drilled and put in a state of the highest effi ciency, and made an instrument quite perfect to our hands, as in other nations. (Hear, hear.) The United States, for instance, kept a small standing army, but the weapons se lected for that army were those which required the highest amount of training, and the greatest time for preparation, in order to be used with efficiency. In the same manner we had in this country a large artillery fOrce, and if our army was small in number, the material of it was un doubtedly good. (Hear, hear.) We possessed Feat wil lingness and good conduct among the men, and, in fact, all the necessary materials for making the most perfect army in the world. The country had a right to expect that the army to which it contributed so largely should be put in a state of the most complete efficiency. (Hear, hear.) So long as he had the honour of occupying the post in which he was then placed, he should feel it his duty to give every assistance in his power to such endeavours on the part of the military boards. At the same time he felt convinced that by keeping that vigilant watchfulness over the expen diture which it was the duty of the War-office to keep, and keeping down as far as possible the burden of the dead weight, which, if allowed to increase, could not fail to be injurious, there was every reason to hope that the country would see the British army in a state of higher efficiency than it had ever yet been seen. (Hear, hear.) He trusted the committee would excuse the length of the details into which he had gone, and hoped that no difficulty or oppo sition would be made to the passing of the vote, which he would•conclude by proposing. The right honourable gen tleman then proposed a vote of 102,283 men, for the effective service of the army. • Mr. HUME thanked the right honourable the Secretary at-War for the very clear and able statement which he had made. (Hear, hear.) Anxious as he (Mr. Hume) had always been to keep down the expenses, no person had been more anxious than himself to see the character of the troops improved, and their moral and social comforts in creased. He believed that no department of the public service was under better management than the army at the present moment. (Hear, hear.) He deprecated, how ever, any increase in the present establishment, and fully concurred in the opinion expressed by Lord Aberdeen, in 1842, with respect to the large military establishments of Europe, and the fallacy of the opinion that the best secu rity for peace was always to be prepared for war. The abstraction of so large a number of persons from the pro ductive industry of this country was now beginning to be a matter of serious import, and to no class was it of greater moment than to the landed interest. Few persons ap peared to be aware of the actual state of our establish ments and the number of men taken away from the in dustry of the country. We had now in the regular army 155,000 men, pensioners, dockyard battalions, and yeo manry, 42,000 coast guard, Irish constabulary and police in England 31,000, and the militia, enrolled last year, 65,000, making a total of 293,000 in arms, or ready to take arms, drawn away from the productive industry of the coun try.swf further hnye theye year r po 2 w 3 w , e OO 0 0 ru ts m hi o an r evc have The Government had th e p ower o f a ddi ng i n th e pre ethaalstmeogtaehikthes up 80,000 in the militia and e a r rm no y t l o o f s r s e t s h e a rv n e 3s to B, l ooo 2o , , m oo e o 4 in arms. All these were drawn away from the industry of the country, and the expenses of their support saddled upon the rest of the community. With respect to the pay of both officers and men in the army, he did not think that they were paid too much, but considered that the expenses of the staff might be considerably reduced. A considerable saving might also be effected by the union in one depart ment of the army and ordnance. It was calculated that there were in Europe at the present moment 7,000,000 of men capable of bearing arms, and that of these 4,000,000, or more than one half, were in arms, and paid by the rest. Let the house think of the double evil that such a system created—the abstraction of such a number of able-bodied ' men on the one side, and the abstraction of the fruits of the labour of others to maintain them on the other. (Hear.) He would not, however, oppose the proposition, but he would enter his protest against keeping up these large establishments. He admitted the good government of the army ' • he believed th a t it s a d m i n i s t ra ti on was as we ll conducted as it was possible for an army to be ; and he could assure the right hon. gentleman that he folly appre ciated the importance of the improvements he proposed, and he would suggest to him the necessity of still further carrying out those arrangements for the reduction of the half-pay list which Lord Harding() commenced when he was Secretary-at -War. Colonel SI BTHORP said the hon. member talked of the army !interfering with the industry of the country. Ho could tell the hon. member what interfered with the in dustry of the country ; it was the infernal free-trade sys tem. (Laughter.) He was for encouraging native indus try he would not be like the free-traders, and prefer the foreigner to his own count r y men . If the honourable member for Montrose would talk of not interfering with native industry, he would say to him- keep out the foreigner—keep out the free-trade system. He (Colonel Sibthorp) would go so far as to say that he would expel every member out of the house that was in favour of free trade. (Roars of laughter.) Look at the mischief done by the Crystal Palace. (Renewed laughter.) He could not go into the city of London without being told—as he was told the other day by a tradesman, in the neighbourhood of the Royal Exchange—" We can't do anything, sir. Why? Because the foreigner steps in and undersells us—cheap, but nasty." (Laughter, and oh, oh.) He had offered, and he would continue to offer, double, or even ten times, to an English tradesman for an article which he produced, because he believed he was honest—not like your foreigners, who would cheat every body, down to the people who were unfortunate enough to let them lodgings. (Oh, oh, order, and question.) Then he had heard of the Peace Society. The members of the Peace Society would be the first, if there was any danger, to call out for the military, whom they abused, to save their mills, while they themselves would be found either down in the cellar, or below the bed. (Laughter.) The Peace Society were, in his opinion, both directly or indi rectly, the great encouragers of war; they carried fire and fagot with them wherever they went ; and, for himself, he would rather see the devil in his house than one of them. (Roars of laughter.) He thanked the right hon. gentleman for the able manner in which he had brought forward these estimates ; and though he differed from right hon. gentle men opposite, yet they would always find in him not an opponent, but a regular supporter on all questions that would contribute to the security, the welfare, and the dig nity of the country. The vote was then agreed to. On the question that 3,625,7831. be voted for the land forces, 31r. HUME called attention to the vote for recruiting. It appeared that 80,0001. was spent on that branch of the service. It had been suggested, in the committee upstairs, that a saving might be effected by committing that service to the pensioners ; and Lord Panmure promised to consider the subject. He wanted now to ask what steps had been taken in consequence ? Mr. S. HERBERT said Lord Panmure instituted an in quiry into the subject in several quarters, and the result of the whole induced him to decline the alteration. The evi dence he (Mr. Herbert) had seen induCed him to concur in Lord Paumure's decision, as it seemed to be clear that the recruiting could not be effectually carried out in the way proposed. Vote agreed to. On the question that 162,897/. be voted for the staff and hospital departments, Sir DE LACY EVANS called attention to the propriety of instituting a professorship of military surgery in one of the colleges London,instauteandd inals t o he ia co D ll u sg b e lin a , t ofE Edinburgh, w here nature with Sir George Ballingale had instituted a course of l ec tures that were admitted on a ll hands to be eminentl y that n beneficial. He also suggeste d that the museum of prepara tions of military diseases now at Fort Pitt, Chatham, should be removed to London, as in their present position they were all but unavailable to military students. Mr. HERBERT said he had institute d inquiries as to the cost of establishing the professorship s referred to by th e honourable and gallant offic er ; and till these measures leted he could not undertake to give a n answer. were comp , advantage to remove it to London, but be of grea t for it With respect to the museum at Chatham, it would cer tainlyit was difficult to obtain a site or any of the public Mr. HUMS, that the can teenEßßEßT said (as we understo od), offices, which were alread y ever y one of them filled. In answer to a questio n from Mr. H that it was better for th e soldi er s to get drin w ithin the barracks than t o be k m ilit a ry men seen drunk about he streets. system was still continued,_ as it was ,the opinion of (Laughter.) of the or dnance with the military dep artment,' ligation The vote was agreed to. After some remarks from Mr. HUME, tag the conso- On the vote of 98,464/. Mr. HUME wished to knowlia, now t h at the colony wht e eno h soldiers wer t had ob- Austra withdrawn from for public departments, tained self-government? Mr. HERBERT sai d lonies by the late Government, into with the Australian co . tenance of the troops the colonies were top ity all the main exception of the cost of that by an arrangement entered stationed there, with the single their arms. ag reed to. Royal Military College, and a A sum of 16,8881. for the_ al Military Asylum, were sum of 18,020 1 . for the Ro y agreed to. The vote was then On the vote of 88,0001. that young men of rank Mr. HUME ventured to sa yomething to be allowed to should pay the Governmen t s sake of the appearance they would enter this corps, for the hir fine clothes and jackets. for volunteer corps, make at balls and reviews in of the vote, and a preference for regular troo _ps. t Government would Sir D. L. V E ANS hoped the present t of volunteer t to the estabhshmen some encouragemen give He expressed his disapproval N id it was a good plan to do one Lord PALMERSTO do t hat could. They d to do that as well as they thing at a time, an . a militia force at present, and were engaged in erg an iun g any steps for corps throughout the country. corps until the mili tia was or the formation of volunteer the people of this ganised. He placed every rance on . whenever their services were re country volunteering corps, however voluntary, he thought it would be better to postpone quired, some exense. would be attended wi th wr a th the noble lord. They Mr. HUME did not agree defended at as little expense .p as ossible. wanted the country to be aware that the militia was The noble lord seemed n ot but those v olunteer A vear which was taken from s and obliged t em costing the country 100, 00 0 •-•• • h to continue the the industrious classe 1 taxes. Why would not the volunteers ? He thought uldget these noble lord try if he co t the defence as well as to to cont ribu te o every man boun d lf Surrey and Middlesex re ticle taxation of the coun ty . fl men, let the people of thoso • number of ri e soap and other objectionab e quired a certain counties turn out an with hearts and hands ready in would then create a com e s ir country, and one which, in his case of need to defend th better than the paltry, miserable opinion, would be muc h of _ 001• d choose their own officers. They corps at an expense 88 LL nderstood from a ret urn laid Secretary of State for the Home De on the table by the late ber last, that in Kent and Sussex so late as Decena for the militia. He partment, tan nad been raised not one-half the quo ble they should have an amended re thought it very desire Admiral Sir G. PECHE u dais at the present moment. At the actual state of the m le were more afraid of the mi- Brighton, he knew the peop he French. (A laugh.) turn. He hoped the noble lord would give information of litia than they were o ft oN RST said the state of the militia now what it was in December. was very different to asked for the number of men raised Sir G. PECHELL Lord PALME and the various quota. Lord PALMERS TON said the numbers were not yet t THE -STTN, LONDON, SATURDAY' EVENING, FEBRUARY 26, 1853. completed. There was one quota for last year, and another for this year. Sir G. PECHELL would like to know the exact state the militia was in. Air. EVELYN regretted that the noble lord would not afford any encouragement to the formation of volunteer cor p s . He believed that in Surrey a very efficient regi ment might be raised in that way without costing a far thing expense. Lord PALMERSTON did not undervalue volunteer corps, but, being pressed, would admit he could not con sider them as efficient, or nearly as efficient as the militia. That was felt at the beginning of the last war. In 1803 there was a large amount of volunteer force, but after a couple of years that force was diminished, and the local militia was substituted in its stead. The committee would just consider who formed these volunteer corps. Trades men, professional men, clerks, app ren ti ces , men accustom ed to a comfortable existence, and to take care of them selves, not men accustomed to rough it. (Hear, and a laugh.) And if these men were called out to live in camp, to sleep in the fields, and to rise with their clothes ringing wet in the morning, they would all be in hospital in a week. Besides, what was to become of the business of the country if men, the most closely connected with it, were to be taken away from their homes and business, and carried to the coast to servo i.n the army? Volunteer corps might be very useful for the police of the district, or no doubt in s ea port towns, as evidence of national spirit, but he did not think, as part of the present system of military organi sation, that they could reckon on a volunteer force with the same confidence as on a militia regiment. (Hear, hear.) Mr. WALPOLE observed that in about three months not less than 35,000 men were raised for the militia, the most extraordinary instance of recruiting an effective mili tary force, as he trusted the militia would become, which could be found in the annals of this country. (Hear.) The object of the militia was to raise a permanent force, and a force on which they could permanently rely. In the event of war, they could never rely on a volunteer force with the same confidence they could rely on a force consist ing of men who could not retire from the service when they pleased. The discipline, too, of a volunteer force was not so effective, because it was not continued for so long a time. The Government which preceded the Government of Lord Derby were applied to to sanction the enrolment of four volunteer regiments. When he succeeded to office he wrote to say they must submit to all the regulations prescribed by the act of Parliament and also to inspection. Three out of the four declined to be embodied on these encourage ment to induce the G overnment to go on an d sanc ti on ve task of rai s i ng a militia. (Hear.) hear.) That was not sufficient loun ire tary a; corps whe n th e y h a d un d er t a k e n the more terms. me ffoeermore iv Sir DE LACY EVANS remarked that the militia would cost a considerable sum, whereas a voluntary corps would cost nothing. Mr. HUME was still dissatisfied. He could not recon cile the statements that volunteers were useless, and the proposal now to vote 88,0001. for volunteer corps. Lord PALMERSTON thought a voluntary cavalry force was useful, but that a voluntary infantry force was of very little use at all. The persons who composed volunteer corps were totally different from those who composed the militia. The bulk of the privates in the militia were fitted for hardships, and for military duty, and were not engaged in ordinary business. If they carried away to other parts of the country those who were engaged in the daily busi ness of the towns where they resided, it would put an end to the business of the country. Mr HUME.said the noble lord was now very solicitous about the business of the country, but on a former occasion he talked of their being plundered and destroyed and all business suspended. The noble lord seemed to him to be blowing hot and cold. (Laughter.) Sir G. PECHELL was still anxious to know the exact state of the militia force. The vote was then agreed to. On a vote of 20,2501. as rewards for distinguished ser vices, Mr. LINDSAY asked if the office of Warden of the Tower was to be abolished ? Mr. S. HERBERT said all existing offices which were sinecures would be abolished. A sum of 55,0001. for the army pay of general officers ; A sum of 50,0001. for the full pay for retired officers ; A sum of 358,0001. for half-pay and military allowances ; A sum of 34,6281. for foreign half-pay ; A sum of 117,6371. for widows' pensions ; And a sum of 79,5001. for compassionate allowances — were all agreed to. On the vote of 28,1491. for Chelsea and Kilmainham Hospitals, Mr. HUME observed that the abolition of Kilmainham Hospital was recommended by the committee appointed some years ago. Mr. S. HERBERT said the recommendation was being gradually carried out, as no new appointments were made. Mr. H. DRUMMOND and Colonel SIBTHORP dis sented from the suggestion of the committee, and hoped the hospital would be kept up for the poor Irish soldiers. Mr. HUME said the recommendation of the committee was in accordance with the wishes of Irish members. If they allowed to the Irish soldiers in their own homes the same amount expended in Kilmainham Hospital, they would be much better off. He did not object to the vote for the purpose of saving the money. The vote was then agreed to, as were two other votes, one of 1,235,8001. for out-pensioners, and the other of 36,0001. for superannuation allowances. This was the last of the army estimates. The house then resumed, and the Chairman reported progress, and asked leave to sit again on Monday. METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENTS (REPAYMENT OUT OF CONSOLIDATED FUND) BILL. On the motion for the second reading of this bill, Mr. BLACKETT hoped that some explanation would be given of the nature of this measure, .which had been said to be a bill for paying off charges on the Crown lands, by payments out of the London-bridge Approaches Fund. He must say, that he could not find any explanation of its nature and objects in the bill itself, and half-a-dozen learned members of the house, to whom h e h a d s h own i t, had said that it was neither Queen's nor lawyer's English. (Laughter.) The 12th clause was simple nonsense. But it appeared that the measure was likely to affect the coal in terest ; and he thought, therefore, that the second reading ought to be postponed until the coal-trade committee of Newcastle and the north of England should have had an opportunity of expressing their opinions upon it. (Hear.) Sir W. MOLES WORTH hoped that his hon. friend would not oppose the second reading of the bill. Not a single farthing of the expense would be charged by it upon the coal fund: Lord SEYMOUR thought that the bill was a very desir able one. It did not in the least degree affect the coal fund. Mr. PHILLIMORE said that the bill was simply unin telligible, and he hoped that the Government would not press it to a second reading for the present. Mr. INGHAM said there existed some misapprehensions in the North of England on the subject of the bill, which he hoped might be removed on its passage through committee. Mr. J. WILSON would briefly state what the object of the bill was. Some years ago a commission had been ap pointed for the purpose of executing certain improvements in the metropolis. Large sums of money had to be bor rowed, and the commissioners had applied to the Bank of England for a loan. The Bank had been unwilling to lend money on the security of the commissioners, and it had been proposed to give the Bank the security of the land revenues. Interest had been paid for many years out of the proceeds of the land revenues, but subsequently it had been found that this was a very onerous and expensive way of raising money. The object of the present bill was to enable the land revenues to be discharged from the obliga tion which they now laboured under, and that the sums borrowed should be paid out of the balance now in the Exchequer, which were at present yielding no in terest. (Hear, hear.) Mr. DISRAELI said that considering the great talents of the present Government, he had to express his regret that this bill had been brought forward in a manner so unsatis factory. It appeared to be the intention of the bill to ter minate what had originally been a very improvident arrangement, by a method which, however desirable it might be in a merely financial respect, would yet result in diminishing the balances in the Exchequer. He should like to know to what amount the balances in the Exche quer would be diminished by this arrangement. It was of great importance that the amount of those balances should be sustained. That was a consideration which the house ought to entertain, and they must not consider that they were terminating a pressure while they were imposing a charge of a far more injurious character. It certainly appeared to him that this bill had been drawn up in a very obscure manner, and that it was founded on a principle which the house ought to look at with very great suspi cion. They ought at least to know to what extent the ba lances in the Exchequer would be affected. (Hear.) Mr. WILSON said that the amount for which the ba lances of the Exchequer would now in the - first place be charged would be 960,0001., which, with interest, would am ount to more than 1,000,0001., and the present state, of the Exchequer rendered the charge rather convenient than otherwise. In the present year there was an income from the coal fund which was applicable to these purposes, of 80,0001., and all duties arising from that source in future years would be applied to the payment of what was now taken from the Exchequer. Mr: PHINN said that this bill was discreditable to the house. If any question should arise upon it, there was no lawyer who could tell what the decision would be. Mr. DISRAELI begged to repeat the question which he had already put. The house had a right to know what was the amount of the balances in the Exchequer, to what amount they would be reduced by this measure, and in what period the sum taken away from the Exchequer would be repaid. Mr. WILSON said that the balances in the Exchequer were about 9,000,000 sterling, which would be reduced by 1,000,0001., or thereabouts, by this measure. This sum would be repaid by the accruing duties on coals, which amounted in the present year to 80,0001. Mr. HENLEY quite agreed with the hon. and learned gentleman (Mr. Phinn), who said that this bill was so drawn that it was impossible for anybody to understand what it provided or what it meant. Mr. WILSON quite admitted that this bill was un usually difficult to understand, but he believed this arose not so much from the drawing of the bill as from the ex traordinary complication of the arrangement itself, which was discreditable to the management from the beginning to the end. Under the ads of Parliament on the subject, the coal tax was charged to the Government not only for the principal sum of the expenditure for metropolitan im , provements,.but also for the interest at the rate of 5 per cent.; and he believed that there was now due to the Go vernment under the act a sum of about 900,0001. as princi pal, and 130,0001. more for interest. Mr. WALPOLE thought it would be remembered that the Chancellor of the Exchequer (who was now in his place) when he introduced the bill, explained that its details were complicated and difficult to understand ; and, there fore, he (Mr. Walpole) would suggest to the hon. gentle man who now had the charge of the measure, that it would be better to postpone the second' reading till Monday, in order that the house might receive an explanation respect ing the bill, for really - nobody who read it could understand it as it stood. Sir ROBERT FERGUSON hoped that an explanation would be given of the security that was given for this money, as the bill referred to other acts, and the matter was unintelligible to everybody. Mr. WILSON said that the details of the bill would be explained when it was in committee. Sir W. JOLLIFFE thought the bill ought to be post poned,oafntdlhtehcaotaalntaxin.quiHryo un sh d o e u r l s d too b d e t i h n a s t ti t t h u e te s d ec i u n r itotythaenature t present rested upon the coal tax and the land revenues of the Crown conjointly, and that the moment this bill passed the whole liability would be borne by the coal tax alone. Mr. ALCOCK also urged the postponement of the bill till the matter could be better explained. Thequestio was then put and the house divide d . The numbers were— For the second reading Against it 102 55 . -47 Majority The bill was then read a second time. OATHS IN CHANCERY BILL. The bill was read a second time. GENERAL BOARD OF HEALTH BILL. This bill, as amended, was considered and agreed to. COUNTY RATES AND -EXPENDITURE BILL. Mr. M. GIBSON moved that this bill be eornmitted pro forma, in order that the amendments might be printed, agreeably to the arrangement that was assented to by the Government on Wednesday. The bill then went through committee, pro forma, and the amendments were ordered to be printed. Mr. M. GIBSON moved that the bill should be ordered to be recommitted on Wednesday, the 16th of March. Mr. HENLEY suggested a longer date for the re-com mittal, as the bill had to be sent into the country. Mr. R. PALMER asked for an explanation of the alters,- tions. Mr. M. GIBSON said that the bill would be put into precisely the same shape as the bill which came out of the select committee of 1851, with the exception of the single provision as to the mode of electing the financial boards. With regard to the recommittal of the bill, he hoped the right honourable member for Oxfordshire would take into consideration the great difficulty a private member ex perienced in passing a measure, and not press for a further postponeinent than the (lay he (Mr. Gibson)' had already named. The bill was then ordered to be recommitted on the 16th of March. INLAND REVENUE OFFICE BILL. This bill was read a second time. SELECT COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION.—MAN CHESTER AND SALFORD, &c. Mr. M. GIBSON moved that tho following members be elected to serve on the above committee : viz., Mr. Milner Gibson, Mr. Peto, Mr. Bright, Lord John Russell, Mr. Pellatt, Sir George Grey, Mr. Ker Seymer, Mr. Christopher, Mr. Miles, Mr. Bowyer, the Marquis of Blandford, Mr. Macaulay, Mr. Cobden, Mr. William Fox, and Mr. Brother ton.—Agreed to. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under the Management of Mr. C. Kean. TIIIS EVENING, FEB. 2G, 7111 be performed the new and original Comedy; in three acts, by Douglas Jerrold, entitled ST. CUI'ID ; or, Dorothy's Fortune (as played at Windsor Castle, by Royal Command). Principal charac ters by Messrs. Wright, W. Lacy, Harley. J. Vining, Ryder, F. Cooke, Everett, and Chester ; Mrs. W. Lacy and Miss Murray. After which, THE SPITALFIELDS WEAVER, in which Mr. Wright will appear. To conclude with the new and criginal Grand Comic Christ mas Pantomime, entitled HARLEQUIN CHERRY AND FAIR STAR; or, The Green Bird, the Dancing Waters, and the Singing Tree. INOLOSURE OF LANDS. Mr. FITZROY moved for leave to bring in a bill tq authorise the inclosure of certain lands, in pursuance of a report of the Inclosure Commissioners for England and Wales.—Leave given. SLAVE TRADE. Mr. WILSON gave notice that he would on Monday move that the house resolve into committee for the purpose of considering certain advances to be made in pursuance of the treaties and engagements mentioned in the Slave Trade (New Granada) Bill, and the Slave Trade (Sohar, in Arabia) Bill LANDLORD AND TENANT (IRELAND) BILL, &c., COMMITTEE. Mr. FRENCH asked when the Government would pro ceed with the nomination of the committee to inquire into this important subject ? Lord J. RUSSELL replied that he hoped to do so after the ordinary business on Monday. The house then adjourned at a quarter-past eleven o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—Fms. 25. ( From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons. ) METROPOLITAN IMPROVEMENT (REPAYMENT OUT OF CONSOLIDATED FUND) BILL. Order for second reading read; motion made, and ques tion put, " That the bill be now read a second time."—The house divided ; ayes 102 ; noes 55. MAJORITY—AYES, 102. A'Court, C. H. W. Graham, Sir James Price, W. P. Bakes, M. T. Gregson, Samuel Wchardo, 0. Ball, John Grenfell, C. Robartes, T. J. A. Bass, M. T. II adtield, G. Russell. Lord J. Bellew, Captain Hall, Sir Benjamin Russell. F. C. 11. Bland, L.. Herbert, kidney Sawle, C. B. G. Boyle, Colonel Hervey, Lord Alfred Seymour, Lord Brady, John Heywood, James Sheridan, R. B. Brotherton, J. Keating, Henry Smollett, A. Browne, V. Kirk, William Stafford, 14 arquis EtrucC, Lord E. Laslett, William Stanstield, W. R. Byng, G. H. Charles Layard, A. H. Stapleton, John Cardwell, Hon. E. Lowe, Robert Strut , , Rt. II on. E. Charteris, F. Lace, T. Strutt, Edward Cheetham, John Milligan, R. Thornely, T. Chriaty, Samuel Mills, T. Tomline, G. Clay, J. Moffatt, G. Towneley, C. Cockburn, Sir Alex. Molesworth, Sir W Tynte, Col. C. J. K. Coffin Walter Monck, Lord Vemon.G. E. H. Cowper, W. F. Monsell, William Fillers, C. Crowder, Richard B. Morris, D. Vivian, Henry H. Drumlanrig, Viscount Mostyn, E. M. Wells, W. Duckworth, Sir J. 31u1.4rave, Earl Whalley, G. H. Duncan, George Norreys, Lord Whatman, James Dundas, G. Osborne, Ralph Whitbr,ad, Samuel Dundas, F. Otwsy, Arthur John Wilkinson, W. A. Ferguson, Sir Robert Paget, Lord George Wilson, J Ferguson, Joseph Palmerston, Viscount Wilson, Mathew Fitzroy, Ron. 11. Patten, J. W innington, Sir T. Freestun, Colonel Pechell, Sir G. Wise, J. A. French, F. Peel, F. Young, Sir John Goldner, R. Pellatt Apsley Gibson, W. Phiilipps, .1. 11. Gladstone, William Philllmore, R. Goderich, Viscount Pl.tott, srancis Hayter, W. G Goodman, Sir George Pilkington, James Berkeley, Granville MINORITY—NOES, 55. • Adderley, C. Joiliffe, Sir W. G. H. Robertson, P. F. Alcock, Thomas Kendall, Nicholas Sanders, G. Astell, J. U. Kennedy, Tristram Scobell, Capt. Baldock, E. H. Knox, W. S. Seaham. Lord Barrow, W. IL. Liddell, H. G. Seymour, W. D. Bell. J. Lindsay, Colonel Shelley, rir J. T. Bentinck, Geo. F. Lovatne, Lord Smijth, Sir W. Blair, Colonel Lucas, F. Stanhope, James B Bolder°, Colonel AT acartney, G. Stanley, Lord Crook. Joseph Mackenzie, W. F. Sull van, M. Disraal, Benjamin Ma..gregor, James Tyler, Sir G. Du Cane, Charles Marshall, W. Vyse, R. II R. Forester, Colonel _Michell, W. Walcott, Adm. Gr.•enall, Gilbert Miller, T. J. Walpole, S. H. Greene, John _Morgan, C. Rodney Wynn, Herbert W. Greville, Col. alullings J. Randolph Halsey. Themes P. Murrough, J. ,-. li amilton, Lord C. North, Colonel Henley, Joseph W. Percy, J. Blackett, J. F. B. Ingham, Robert Phinn, Thomas Phillimore, J. TZLLEILI. TELLERS. SPORTING _INTELLIGENCE. SPORTING NOTES.—No. CCCLXXXI. COVENTRY SPRING MEETING.—The frost having taken its departure, the Coventry Meeting will come off to-day and Monday. It is, of course, superfluous com menting upon to-day's races, as within an hour or so of the publication of these notes, the telegraphic dispatch of-the issue will have reached London. The General and Ringleader are considered good things for the' Craven Steeplechase on Monday, and Friendless is not exactly in the position his name in dicates. Peter Simple, Abd-el-Kader, Victress, and Benedict, do not run. - • The Hurdle Race, it is presumed, will show Maria Bennett, Victress, and Tom Gurney in the three first places. _ _ - The Selling Steeple- Chase does not close until this evening. THE DERBY.—In continuation of my analysis, I shall now proceed to examine J. KENT'S lot at Goodwood. The Duke of Richmond has four Derby horses at work ; three of whom b c DAGIBERT, by lon, dam by Langar, out of sister to Cobweb, nomi nated by Mr. Cooper' a winner once in three runs, and a very useful horse ; b c WILLIAM Rufus, by Touch stone, out of Dnvernay, nominated by Lord Strad broke, the defeated of five fields ; and br c by the Emperor, out of Coral, nominated by Lord Stradbroke, a loser in the only race he has run—are not worthy of consideration as they will not figure in the field at Epsom. The Duke of Richmond's hr c PHAROS, by Touch stone, out of Refraction, by Glaucus, out of Prism, by Camel, out of Elizabeth, by Rainbow, has figured in public twice ; both times, however, in the vicinity of his training ground. His first essay was for the Ham Stakes, which he won very cleverly by a head, beating , Defiance (second) and nine others. His other perform ance was for the Bentinck Memorial Stakes, which he won by half a length, beating Sittingbourne and four others. He was first backed for the Derby on the 30th of July at 25 to 1 ; has been supported very heavily off and on ever since, and is now quoted at 15 to 1. He is a compact, racing-like animal, and admirably adapted for the peculiarities of the Derby course. T. ESKRETT, of Mitchel Grove, bas three Derby animals in prepara tion. Mr. Magenis' ch c SANDHURST, by Chatham, out of Clementina, nominated by Lord Strathmore, has never run. Is a fairish animal, but will not do for the Derby. The same remarks will apply to Mr. Magenis' b c CLAIR DB Lux; by Lanercost, out of Moonbeam, no minated by Mr. Brook. Mr. M;genis' b c PANTOMIME, by Lanercost, out of Burlesque, nominated by Mr. Carew, has run four races, been defeated in all, and will not do for Epsom. JOHN DAY, SEN., of Mitchel Grove, has Mr. Howard's ch c RAT.I.PLAN, by the Baron, out of Pocahontas, at work. He is nomi nated by Capt. Thelluson, and was sold by him at a stiffish figure to his present owner. At Epsom, in the race for the Woodcote Stakes, he was beaten off by Orestes ; at Goodwood was placed in a like predicament by Catherine Hayes for the Nursery Stakes ; and at Brighton beat the Lucy Banks colt easily for a small sweepstakes. Is an improving horse, and will be heard of favourably, but later in the year, I fancy, than the Derby. The b c LASCELLES, by Touchstone, out of Cara, is of no account ; and the ch c by Hetman Platoff, out of Maria, is out of.training. THE PUBLICATION OF " THE SUN" COMMENCES EVERY AFTERNOON AT THREE O'CLOCK, AND THE LATE OR THIRD EDITION, CONTAINING THE DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT THE SAME EVENING, With all other News arriving up to the hour of Post, AT SEVEN O'CLOCK. EXPRESS EDITIONS will be forwarded after the Post is closed by the Latest Trains. THE SPIRIT OF THE TURF, BREACH OF CONTRACT WITH A CABIN PASSENFIR.-- A She v ri e ff ry s' C im ou p rt o r damages for a breach of contract in the conveyance of case his wife, and family from Australia to London. plaintiff, a and d a n s ws as t es r l i l eadn Gurney. aet yesterday ion tot wasin recovert thehe The damages were laid at 501. From the evidence ad lnags t at t A h e te d i a e i f d e e n , d e a o n n t ~ tracted to convey the plaintiff, his wife, and family t o dwhos euced, vessel, sare the ereAd Asia, i t a h , that London as cuddy passengers, supplying them w ith pro aisn then jun l e y i failed, inasmuch as there was a defici enc y o f water and i v n i si o o o n n s, s i 1 e c r . a , t o i o f n t oh fi a rs p t a q y u rn a e li n t t y, o m f e l d 3 i o c l a . l H comforts, e,hew e & ve c r . : medical comforts, there was no milk, an , insufficient supply of bread and preserved tin meats, and other comforts and luxuries to which first-class passengers were entitled, the result being that plaintiff and his family suffered severely, and one of the children, from want of medical comforts, contracted scurvy, and was not yet recovered. Captain Roskell and the cuddy ser vant gave testimony that the passengers were amply supplied, except when interrupted by stormy weather ; the passage had been very tempestuous, and the sheep, pigs, and other stores provided forilie passengers' use were washed overboard, and could xtot be replenished until the vessel had reacheirßahia. His Honou'r con sidered defendant had not fulfilled his contract. Verdict for plaintiff. Damages, 301. A DIGGINif ALkeniNE.—Mr. Samuelson, of Banbury, has recently p ro d uce d and patented a, new machinefo digging. It is simple in construction, goes deeper than the plough by several inches, covering :from two to three times its breadth, and reducing the laud to a tilth equal to several ploughings and harrowings—i n fact, to trench ing. It is equally effective for break log up land for railway and. other public works. . • wr_ - 404104 , •?": c §n4A, *111 4 5,14- i - D i o , o o.ak, I.PJ LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1853. The apprehensions entertained, when the ap pointment of Sir CHARLES WOOD as President of the India Board was first gazetted, will speedily be verified. Unequivocal indications were last night afforded that the " do-nothing" policy would be adopted with respect to the administra tion of the Government of our Eastern Empire. So far as the Government is concerned, it would appear as if the existing abuses were to be perpe tuated, or that the alterations will be of such an infinitesimal character as to be worse than useless. The malign influence of the Ministerial Marplot is thus perceptible. In fact, there was no office in the Cabinet (except that of Chancellor of the Exchequer) to which his nomination would have been so objectionable. - The go-called Charter of the East India Company was rapidly approaching to its termination. It was essential that some decided amelioration should be introduced—an amelioration calculated to remove the well-founded complaints of those who have so long been smart ing under the maladministration and misgovern ment of the company's officers--who objected to juvenile judges, and boy collectors—parties we cannot call them " men"—who, fresh from Halley ' bury, and without a particle of experience --with out knowledge either of the vernacular or of the primary principles of law —are pitchforked into situ ations for which they possess no single qualification. Was Sir CHARLES WOOD,. in whom, perhaps, the pis inertice is more strongly developed than in any other person that could be mentioned, the man to be selected under such circumstances ? Could any nomination have taken place more likely to dis gust and alienate the minds of our Hindu fellow-subjects, nearly 1 60,000,000 of hu man beings—one-sixth of the population of the entire globe ? There will be •no difficulty in framing a suitable response to this in terrogatory. It requires but little argument to sustain the opinion. There will be a general concurrence on the point. The Right Honour able Baronet is however in. He forms a leading feature in the Joint-Stock Administration. It is, therefore, only the more essential that the greater zeal a n d energy should be exhibited in other quarters to stimulate the Anglo-Indian, " Kink Loa," into something like action, or, at least, to provide a suitable substi tute to discharge the duties of the well-paid official, From what fell from the First Lord of the Treasury last night, in answer to the temperate and able statement with which Lord ELLEN BOROUGH introduced the impor tan t petition from the members of the Madras Native Association and other native inhabitants of Madras Presi dency, it is manifest that everything in the shape of inquiry is to be ignored, and that the ridicu lous farce now enacted is to be repeated for an indefinite period, with but little, if any, change. The Noble Earl declared that it was the intention of Government, after much consideration, to . propose a measure on the subject during the present Session, and that he would, " without the slightest reserve what ever, reject the proposal to have a continuing Act for one or two years." This might have suffi ciently indicated the decision that had been ar rived at ; but, as if to make assurance doubly sure, he also stated that " the contemplated measure, although embracing modifications of the Indian Government both in this country and in India, would be founded on the system now exist ing." It is, therefore, but too palpable that ,the Honourable Board of Directors are to be con tinued in the exercise of their anomalous func tions ; that the patronage of the Eastern Empire is still to be vested in the twenty-four elderly gen tlemen who nominally administer the government of India, but who really are cyphers in the hands of the real A u t ocra t o f Hi n d os t an —th e President of the Board of Control—who, although he allows no real power to the body, is yet willing to use it as a twenty-fourfold shield to cover his own pecca diloes whenever an occasion should arise for such cover. But, as if to remove any doubt or hesitation that might exist after hearing the speech of the astute and veteran leader, his youthful and fiery colleague, the Duke of ARGYLL, rushed to the rescue. His Grace, who, with commendable industry, had perused the lengthy statement of existing grievances, commented on the terms in which it was couched, in language that unques tionably betrayed the Ministerial spirit. If Lord NORTH could be resuscitated, and a new peti tion were presented from the North American depend encies before they had ventured on a declara tion of independ ence , grea t er indignation could 11 ° have been exhibited at the impertinence --the audacity that induced_ persons smarting under serious grievances, to eipress their feeling's in strong and unmistakeable language. They should have appeared as serfs— "With bated breath, and deep humility," to represent not their " complaints." What ri g ht had they to complain of anything sanctioned by the collective wisdom—but their modest request s that the matters put forward should be investi gated, and that no irretrievable step should be taken until the result of that stringent inquiry should be ascertained. LEGREB himself was n°, more astounded at Uncle Tones absurd idea , that he was not a slave, in soul as well as in body' , than the Noble Duke at the tone and manner 01 the petitioners. They dared to use such expres" sions as the following Your petitioners submit that it is the bounden duty of the State, which reduces them to their miserable COir dition, and keeps them in it from charter to charter, to spend a far larger portion of the revenues upon the ire' provement of the country whence they are derive d thal ! it does at present. It can find money to carry on wrs for self-aggrandisement, to allow immoderate salaries 1 " its civil service, to pension off the whole of its mem bers on five hundred pounds a year each, and to pay in ters : ten per cen to the proprietors of East India S t t, —all from the labour of the ryot •; and when b e quires roads by which he might find the means of better, ing his condition, and that of the revenue, he is told the' he must make them for himself." This is one of the three selections from a ve xr y long document, consisting of forty-one closely printed octavo pages, and when this is put for' ward as a specimen of the boldness and audac it y that renders their memorial unworthy of we can easily conceive the spirit of virtuous boa: nation that actuated the Duke in his prot est against its reception. a Another point is their objection to support , couple of State Establishments for the pro les ' sore of a foreign creed." This, with their lu r e reasonable and ridiculous appli ca ti on that establishment ' s at Haileybury should .be abolished' or rather that " the educational institutions, r e. quisite for training persons for Government 014 4 might be established and maintained in Indikl: that the money derived from the revenues of t i country by which they are supported, may' est '' spent within it," was characterised as " the to monstrous request ever addressed to a Bri tish Parliament." It is necessary, then, for the frie nds of India to be up and doing. It is clear that the Government measure have to be resisted. Let all, then, "," love Equity an d J us ti ce , w h o d es ire t.°. we should ad m i n i s t er th e affairs of our (9rl ; ental Empire with a mild and benefic e % rule, look to th e p e titi on of th e M a dras Na t i is Association (which has been referred to the s elet r w , committee on the aff a i rs o f I n di a ), an d see hol g ,' l r , 3 0 the statements the re i n con t a i ne d w arrant w t demand for further inquiry, and a postponera ° f of any permanent legisl a tio n u ntil the result ° that inquiry be ascertained. Embroiled as the 'Viennese Government /1 7, recently become with th e G overnmen t of Constant tinople, it is essenti a l th a t amongst ourselves, a te least, there should be n o m i sa pp re h e nsion wil a bete ever as to the real origi n o f th e quar rel bet e 0 .. the KAISER and the SULTAN-CALIPH-131 0 re a s P, cially seeing that the contention referred to ceo o f stitutes a new and very formidable source les anxiety to the rulers of Christendom. It bell° every conscientious Journalist to submit the ora truth in this important question to the call* 11 10 deliberate, and conscientious judgment of Jo British population. Such, moreover, we ccon c :o should be done at the very earliest opp ortnn .i y ti and with the utmost possible degree of luel w , and explicitness. Fortunately it no leng er ,,,,e' - mains to be averred that the people of tuoB islands are at all times required in Pr uci • er7 o to' keep a wa t c hf u l eye upon the relab o o o maintained b e t ween th e various coun t r ies of European Continent. The day has long f t]; passed by wh en it was d eemed rational only for eiP" community to restrict attention to whatever ° I I: cerned its inte rna l we lf are, l eaving the out, dated system of foreign affairs to its official co g T it dians, the diplomatists. Historians have tal l y us the lament a bl e consequences flowing from ve-t habitual negligen ce on th e part of the intelll/0 multitude. Among - the latest illustrations w was the atrocious war which for twenty-two 37 : 0 0 deluged the eastern hemisphere i n blood, and l e this nati on an- immense increase of its alre 0001' enormous debt—that i ncrease o f 500,000, isi f sterling, of which we have within the la st e of weeks be en so very forcibly reminded by the most gifted of the popular repretble Lives, as h e i s a l so one of the most reratu.;ii of livin g pamphleteers. No rePe s lO W there, h app i ly, does not remain no t,4 any necessity f or expla i n i ng that the i n h a bit of a fre e St a t e, l i ke the United Kingdom/ 115 p ro' direct and p ecu li ar i nterest i n observing tlientiei, gress of events" b eyon d t h e waters o f the Cha•rog supposing even that th ose even t s are tran B P / e ta (as in th e p resen t i nstance ) i n one of the reali' corners of the C on ti nen t, Th e f ac t has beie, ad' to milted by ou r s t a t esmen . It h as come at ' es ,o 4 be universally appreciated. England P ° , a , o si' advantages, no do u bt, i n h er geogra phical ll 'oet tion, advantages insulating her from direct,l s ter with the res t of the civilised peoples of C ilr n . so dom— but the c i rcums t ance o f her the island does not exonerate ler inhabitants fr cin osi duty of scrutinising whatever occu rrence s Hea l take pl ace of a purely external or internaorot character. How far the community i u , its Britain has already contrived to apprO la h oe r esponsibilities in this 15articular, not igl i ' been. lately ena bl e d t o recogn i se c learlY th e from the extraordinary interest shown ' fa ' humbler and less educated classes in tb° Or n tlY ments of distant, and un til very re° OW' them) but vaguely comprehended naticorida That a bett er un d ers t an di ng s h ou ld be sP o 0 up amongst us, as to the inalienable rig or nw Wh it immediate ne i g hb ours , th e F renc h, could alone have been reasonably anticipa ted ' se ph o was inevitable that the descendants of til° 0 0, 1 " were deluded towards the close of the lot c a by the rhetorical ran t o f M r . BunKE, 3 hon fiuite derstand at length that the French hav e " 6 . tov erlr much right t o se l ec t th e i r own form O f per ment as we had to select ours, and s il° •„„,tics s l ceive, in spit e o f p re j u di ces a nd Prev a iiber s the honesty and manliness of tb° s° t for arguments which have been lately P o ll ing l e ; e ase r ev ward in the exquisitely logical r as v ae i t Mr. COBDEN. But, while all this wa s b il e • ted, if it I F , what might have been expec was in a manner, so to speak, inev itable :l3o e' encouraging, it was exhilarating, it was every:l: justifying the pride and admiration 0 0 0 triotic observer when weremarked the o a th CO with which the industrial masses of our ° 10 33- 0 nity participated in the hopes and f eara _t a l than one of those far-removed cont in o ' li " tio l IY of who, in 1848-49, wer e s truggling for P d eon°, o f provements, for social ame liorations, aL l i them even for th e highest boon of ne t national indep en d ence 1 Yes--we ~..e 1)0 0 - readily forget th e manner i n w hich the tha , 1 t or•eg population of E ng l an d displayed au 0 1 t° : ofl ous period so muc h anx i e ty in rerthevlsl dreams of Italian Unity, in regard tow the of Hungari an F ree d om, i n regard t he o r gl pirations of the sons of Germany f°r Fa ther l9ll o l nisation of a grand and homogeneensthe peoP le t he Yes —we remember with joy how, oc i e ty United these islands, the humbler ranks °I s ell i n g o' iie d the op they vrit toP ,es Kingdom, exulted in Congress of imperial Frankfort --bow . fort uP i tt tua'ng with breathless solicitude the flue e fir ALI3O .a of the heroic and patriotic CABLO- reel/ Oa" they followed with a profound and. sca e f tll°,, se lt able admiration the dauntless arm . ' es • on s e t lel flce A u strian__ ' l ' o2 , p toe , gyars as they drove the (paralysing their strength by )9 0 ;_ e g victories gained in rapid succession) w e es , zin to the walls of Vienna. Yes •llna til 0 1 startling 1 in recollection yet more _ , 00 ,0 f. 0 P.- How they execrated the treason of Lir .t es barbar l 1 they loathed the unnatural THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET. Farewell Season of Mr. Benjamin Webster as Lessee and Manager, THIS EVENING, FEB. 26, Will he performed the new and original Comedy, in five acts, called NOT SO BAD AS WE SEEM; or, Many Sides to a Charac ter. Supported by Messrs. B. Webster, Barry Sullivan, Keeley, Buckstone, Leigh Murray, Stuart, Howe, Miss Rosa Bennett, Miss A. Vining, Mrs. Leigh Murray. To conclude with, at second price, the Comedy of MASKS AND FACES; or, Before and Behind the Curtain. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. 'Under the Management or Madame Vestris. THIS EVENING, FEB. 26, Will be performed A PHENOMENON IN A SMOCK-FROCK. Characters by Messrs. C. Mathews, F. Matthews, and llomcastle ; Mks F. Baker and Miss C. Mitchell. After which, the popular new Fairy Extravaganza entitled THE GOOD WOMAN IN THE WOOD - , in which Messrs. F. Matthews, Suter, Homeastle, and Teinpleton ; Madame Vestris, Miss Julia St. George, Miss Robertson, Miss Martindale, Miss Ellis, Miss Wynd ham, Miss Eglinton, and Miss Rosina Wright will appear. To conclude with LITTLE TODDLEKINS. tole Agent for the Private Boxes, Mr. W. Allcroft, 15, New B itti-street. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPIII. Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster. —Directress, Madame Celedte. THIS EVENING, FEB. 26, Will be performed THE CHILD OF THE WRECK, by 11fessrs. Emery, Parselle, and Cullenford ; Madame Celeste and Mrs. Keeley. After which, at second price, the Drama of SLAVE LIFE ; or, (Jade Tom's Cabin—by Messrs. Alfred Wigap, 0. Smith, S. Emer), Madame Celeste, Miss Woolgar, Miss Keeley, Miss Collins, and Mrs. Keeley. To conclude with the Comic Ballet of THE DANCING SCOTCH- ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Farrex. THIS EVENING, FEE. 26, Will bo presented LILIAN GERVAIS. Supported by the entire strength of the Company. Atter which, the TYItOLESE SINGERS will give their National Entertainment. To be followed by the Farce of A DEED WITHOUT A NAME. To conclude with CHAMBER PRACTICE. Box-office open from Eleven till Five, under the superintendence of Mr. E. Chatterton. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Proprietor and Manager, Mr. W. Batty. LAST WEEK BUT TWO of Mr. BATTT'S MANAGEMENT. THIS EVENING, FEB. 26, The Entertainments will commence with the superb Spectacle of 31 AZEPPI AND THE WILD HORSE, reproduced with all its splendid and startling effects After which, a brilliant Routine of Scenes in the Arena, sup ported by the first native and continental talent. To conclude with a Laughable Farce. Doors open at Halt-past Six o'clock. To commence at Seven. Sox-office open daily from Eleven to Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tais DAY --Morning 42 min. after 3 I Evening 0 min.aft. 4 To-Moaaow—Morning 20 min. after 4 Evening 40 min.aft. 4 THE WEATHER.-Strx OFFICE, FEB. 26. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 37—highest since noon yesterday. 29—lowest this morning and during the night. 38—this day at noon. BAROMETER, 29—a fall of half an inch since yesterday. WIND, W.S.W.—Strong breeze, and cloudy, (