The Sun. — London, England, 1847-04-27 00:00:00

Mr. HUME trusted that the House would never give its sanction to the motion of the Hon. Member. At the present moment the Scottish schools derived their subsistence from the land of the neighbourhood, and it was entirely owing to that sys tern that the people in Scotland were not in so educated a state as they were forty years ago. He trusted that this system would still be followed out ; for he believed that it would be eminently advisable to follow out that plan ; for he deemed it unfair, that the money of the Exchequer should be sent to Scotland when there was already such sufficient means in exis tence. Mr. FORBES AIACKENZIE thought, if the money was to be paid, that Scotland was as much entitled to a portion of the grant as any other district. Mr. HOPE attached more importance to the measure of the salaries of the schoolmasters than to the reception of the _teacher pupils. Lord JOHN -RUSSELL interposed to say that he had as yet been unable to express any mature opinion, but he trusted shortly to do so; and certainly it would be a matter that would engage his most serious attention.—( Cheers)— and a minute would shortly be framed. The motion was then withdrawn without a division. _ Aftes much confusion in the endeavour to obtain an ad journment. Mr. HUDSON said that he was quite sure that the Chan cellor of the Exchequer would not wish his statements to go forth to the world, without a counter-statement along with it; for he was quite sure that in common justice to the Noble Lord, the Member for Lynn, it was necessary to do so.— ( Cheers, and great confusion.) The Right Honour able Gentleman had, in bringing this matter for ward, alluded only to the quantity of the bullion, now in the Bank, but had said nothing at all of the deposits. In 1841, the amount of bullion in the Bank was only about 2,000,0001. or 3,000,0001. The pressure was precisely that which was now felt in the commercial community. He per fectly agreed in the necessity of granting the assistance to the Irish railroads, and was perfectly ready to vote for the amount proposed. Mr. THOMAS BARING said that in the whole of the observations of the Right Hon. Chancellor of the Exchequer he had not touched upon the real question before the House. That question was not so much as to the amount of specie in the bands of the Bank, as to the facility which the Corporation gave to the operations of commerce. In old times the bank was expected to provide for the contingencies of business, and did do so, and the real matter to be consideree, therefore, was as to the system which it now pursued. Mr. FORBES could not but express his surprise that when the Government had been voting 8,0t)0,0001. for the support of the Irish poor, that se much debate should ensue on a grant of 500,0001., which was certain to return its own interest. Mr. J. A. SMITH wished to say a very few words before the House adjourned. Mr. ABEL SMITH said that a general want of confidence prevailed throughout the country with respect to the Bank of England, and he thought that one of the evils under the exist ing Bank Bill was that requiring a large amount of " rest." He thought that if the Bank were allowed to increare its cir culation it would tend greatly to remove the state of alarm which existed throughout the country. He had never known a feeling of alarm so general and wide spread as the present had been for the last few days, and he must say at the same time that, in his opinion, the alarm was totally unfounded. After a few words from the Marquis of GRANBY and Mr. MARK PHILIPS, Mr. NEWDEGATE said, that in his opinion his Noble Friend the Member for Lynn had been treated unfairly by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. His Noble Friend did not say that a restriction of the issues had taken place, but it was likely that such would take place. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER in answer to a question put to him by Mr. Mark Philips, said that it was his intention to adjourn the further discussion of the measure until this day. The House then resumed, the Chairman reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again. LANDED PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT (IRELAND) RAILWAYS, PIERS, AND HARBOURS (IRELAND, BILL. On the motion being read fur this Bill going into Committee— Mr. HUME wished to know whether the Government . was prepared with any specific stat e m e nt as to what they in tended to do ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied that they were. The House then went into Committee. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that in this Committee his object was to Southern gra nt and a sum not more than 620,0001. The capital of the Great Western Ireland Railway Company was 2,600,000/., of which the paid up capital was 1,400,0001. The y had a power to raise 500.0e0". by w ay of loan, and he was ready to advance another 5000001. at five per cent. in six instalments; and he believed that most of the money would be advanced be fore the w inter. The next railway which he proposed t h e Waterford and Kilkenny R a il way. t T o he assist was capital was 250,0001., of which the paid up ca pital and to that company h e p ropose d to lend the was 125,0001, sum of e3,C00/. The next company was that of the Dublin and Drogheda Company, the capital for which was 150,0001., with a power to raise 100,000!. more, and to that co mpany he proposed to lend 36,000/., the whole of the rest of , the capital to be raised by calls.—( Cheers from both sides.) Thus he did not propose to lend more than 620,000/., which was to bear an interest of five per cent., secured upon the whole of the works. While making this statement he had tl. e greatest pleasure in informing the House that the expence of the public works had been greatly reduced. During the last six weeks it had been reduced from 1,000,000/. a month to 600,000 e, thus making a reduction of more than 400,0001. By the reports for March, the sum paid in wages was 245,000/., while during the next month up to the 24th of April the sum expended was only 125,0001., showing a reduct:on of more than one half. This would unquestionably be a great relief not only to the companies, but to the landowners. Mr. HUME thought 'that great care ought to be taken in granting supplies for such an object as this, and he . believed that Ministers =A surely have forgotten what had passed on a late occasion. At that time, when the Bank bad upwards of 15,C00,000,'. of specie in their coffers, and had been granting discennts at three-and-a-half per cent. but cent. they had refused their assent to such a measure as reduced It affords us sincere epcleß,a,aisorunt.re,ieeayhtdoof G fl ti n lce d .B2d. t , h b a tah t tet .A ah l l ei s er j no o r oo t Several Members—No, no, 9,00 t 1 , 000 /. i t , eu n now, when the amount in the company's hand was to G A e li n w e a ra i, l h S a i s r s i t c G e . ed W e d t Smit h, oth 7,000,0001. the Rifle Brigade, the regiment with which the ea r li er y ears Mr. HUME—WeII he supposed that it was 7.000,0001., but of his professional career were intimately connected.— United if 9,0 )0,000/. the case was still the same. What was the Service Gazette. situation of railways in this country ?or acrosss the Channel ? L oss OF THE TWEED.—We have much pleasure in Could they borrow at five per cent. Could they borrow at announcing that the appeal which was made in our last six per cent. ?—( Mr. Hudson, ~ Yes,")—He was glad to hear week's paper on behalf of the widows, orphans, and others, it ; certainly his information had been different.—( Hear.) dependent on the seamen who perished in the wreck of the He understood that to-day the Exchequer-bills could above vessel, has been most nobly and liberally responded to hardly be discounted. Were these the times when by our fellow-townspeople and other generous benefactors. the Government should propose to make large advances for A committee has been formed for the purpose of receiving works in lrelani which would not benefit the people ? He euhecriptions, consisting of Messrs. Elsmie, Mills, &ebbing, thought not, and lie hoped the hour of the night was such that Tipper, Dunlop, Lamb, Dattill, and Tucker, and Captains Mr. Greene would report progress and ask leave to sit again. Sparks and Hemeley ; and we have mu c h g r a tifi ca ti on i n He moved to that eff-ct. stating that nearly 7001. have been contributed in the short Mr. ROEBUCK seconded the motion of the Hon. Member, s p ace o: one week. We perceive that her most gracious : I .fr. GOUL BURN was of opinion that the lion. Gentle- Majesty the Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert man's motion ought to lie acceded to. have been pleased to head the list with a joint donation of Mr. B. OSBORN P said he felt he was taken by surprise •201., and her Majesty the Queen Dowager also contributed by the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Ex- 25/.—liampshire independent. chequer. He was surprised, too, that before so many Irish represen , atives, there should have been no one to speak SALE OF SCENIC PROPERTY.—On Friday the whole upon the vote but him silentio. He specially repudiated the self. Had he not take n it u p, th e vote of the scenes, wardrobe, and propel ties of the Olympic would have passed , Theatre belonging to Mr. G. Bolton, the lessee, were sold On sub expected that the the premises, by Mr. Furber, under a distress for rent. From bestowment of the money as a boon. He communication made to Mr. Davenport, the proprietor, that Chancellor of the Exchequer would have proposed a sufficient a the wardrobe and musical instruments were the property of sum to be laid out in a renienerative manner. He would not the performers and musicians, the whole of their property say the sixteen millions, for he thought the Noble Lord (G. was restored to them, the articles sold being exclusively those Bentinck) was wrong in th a t ; b u t h e w hi te d th e Ri g h t H on . Gentleman had proposed somethi ng o th er th an 600,0001. , belonging to Mr. Bolton. Five hundred copies of that ger which could do little more than help such a s p er h a p s th e Great tleman's dramatic afterpiece called The Civil War of P oe t r y, South-W es t ern R a il wa y. went for 8.3. ; and 66 copies of Mr. G. Bolton's five act comedy, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER saw that All about Lose and Jealousy, brought 35.; the p ro p er ti es , there wa s lik e l y to b e an I r i s h d e b ate, an d h e wou l d accede 4/. a fairy car, with four wheels, Bs.; two pantomimic , a watch to the H on . M em b er ' s mot i on, unless they would consent to mu ' shrooms, a fairy bower, an adjour ne d d e b ate. box, 2a. 6d.; and the other a railway carriage, and er articles in proportion, the 9 - 4 Mr. ROEBUCK could not consent to any step which would lots realising about 50/. , e , r e r W e understand that liE A. ELESCOPIC 1 UNNEL. — commit him t o a pr i nc i p l e which he repudiated. i Lord GEORGE BEN TINCK said he had no objection to the telescopic funnel adopted in the townsman, Mr Sidon, Blenheim. and the night Ho n . G ent l eman proceedine with the Bill. but there other ships, is the invention of our talented was "more joy ev er one s i nner that l'repenteth.'—(Laughter). William Halls, professor of dancing, son of Captain Halle, He was glad to see t h at the Right Hon. Gentleman had at R.M. We hear that the same gentleman has invented a length come to see the propriety of laying out the G overnmen t percussion fuze, which will secure the bursting of a shell the money] on reprodu c ti ve works. He was wrong in supposing moment it strikes the object.—Hampshire Telegraph. that his (Lord G. B ent i nck ' s) plan was an indiscriminate BRISTOL SUGAR MARKET, APRIL 23.—We have system of loan. But that was a fault which he thought cer- no new features to notice in our sugar-market, which con tainly applied to the scheme of the Right lion. Gentleman. tinutea extremely dull, and prices are again lower.—Briatol The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER explained Mercury. that his plan was to lend only in ease of one half of the capital THE SMITHFIELD NUISANCE.—Mr. Ormsby Gore being paid up. And in the particular case alluded to 1,400,000/. gave notice on Friday that he would nominate on Tuesday had been paid up out of a capital of 2,600,000/. the following members on the Select Committee respecting Lord G. BENTINUK said his plan distinctly was not indis. Smithfield Market. It will be seen that the city interests criminate, for he proposed lending to those companies only have been particularly consulted in the selection of Mr. W. where one. third had been paid up of the capital. Ho B. Baring, Mr. Thomas Baring, Alderman Copeland, and found now that his calm lations had been too low. He Mr. Masterman. The following is a list of the proposed would ask what was the state of the money market now ? committee :—Mr. Ormsby Gore, the Right Hon. Viscount Were not Exchequer-Bills at 4s. discount, and would it not be Morpeth, Viscour.t Mahon, Lord Seymour, the Right Hon. necessary for the Right Hon. Gentleman to raise the interest W. B. Baring, Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, Hon. Eliot T. on them.--( Hear, hear.) All he (Lord G. Bentinck) Yorke, Mr. Thomas Baring, Mr. Braniston, Mr. Burroughes, wanted was to raise 4,000,0001. every year for four years, and Alderman Copeland, Mr. Beckett Denison, Mr. Masterman, if his proposition had been assented to three months ago the Mr. W. Miles, and Mr. A. Stafford O'Brien. large expenditure now made on unproductive works ATROCIOUS ATTEMPT TO MURDER AN AGED in Ireland would have been saved. He hoped the COUPLE.—STORE, SATURDAY.—One of the most atrocious Right Honourable Gentleman would give them some attempts to murder a man and his wife were perpetrated on information on the money market, and on the Tuesday night at Fenton, in the Potteries. The following state of trade. He wished to know what would be the effect are the main facts attending the attack :—An aged couple, of the large export of gold that would be still required. He named George and Sarah Bridgwood, both between sixty and wished to know was it railway legislation that raised the dis- seventy years of age, resided in a house in High-street, and count en good bills to 7 and 8 per cent., and th a t re d uce d kept a small provision shop. On Tuesday night they retired Exchequer bills to 4s. per cent discount ? He asked whether to rest about ten o'clock ; on the following (Wednesday) it was the intention of Government to allow things to proceed morning the old man, as he lay in the bed half asleep, fancied on this downright course till the country could ne longer bear it, or whether it was the int en ti on to make some relaxation of he saw a glimmering light in the room, and, b e f ore h e cou ld arouse himself to ascertain from whence it proceeded, he re the rules relative to the currency, by which, after the issue of ceived a blow on the side of his head, his wife the next mo fourteen millions of bank notes, the Bank of England was ment receiving several cuts on her face and arms f rom a k n if e , restricted from is su i ng any f urt h er amount, unless it had gold which it is believed were aimed at her throat. Th e o ld man, in its coffers to meet the issue. recovering himself, sprang out of bed, and being a powerful The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the athletic person, seized a man, whom he got on the floor, and ' Noble Lord had tou c h e d up on a subj ec t which it would be placing his knee on his assailant's throat, succeeded in keeping most inconvenient, at a minute's notice, to discuss, especially at him down, his wife in the meanwhile contriving to reach the that time of the night ; he would, howev er , i n an swer to the door, and call out " Murder." lie a few minutes the police Noble Lard, say that he, with others who took so low and de- were attracted to the house, and on entering the room found sponding a: view of the state of things, took an erroneous view th e o ld man in the position above described. Both were of the circumstances of the case. The fact was that the Bank drenched in blood, and the bedclothes and floor exhibited had not restricted its circulation in the least degree ; and with fearful proof of the murderous design of the ruffian. On respect to the injuriou s effects of the Bank Bill upon that estab- being taken to the station-house, he was recognised to be a lishment, he would also say that that measure had not as yet bricklayer, named William Burleigh. He was in a very come into full operation, and be wa s no t, the re f ore , prepared weak state, his throat being cut ; but bow it was done it to say that any course would be adopted by her Majesty's Go- was difficult to say. There is no doubt that his intention, vernment with respect to the Bank of England. Now, how i n the first instance, was to plunder the house, but being did the account actually stand? On the 29th of August [the disturbed, he attempted to murder the aged pair in order amount of bulli on i n the Ba n k was 16,366,000/. that he might complete his object, and escape detection. The circulation at that time amounted to 20,426,0001. Yesterday he underwent an examination before the magic- On the 17th day of April last (the last day up to which the trates at the Stoke police-court. Mrs.Bridgwood was brought returns had been made), the bullion in the Bank amounted to into the court on a chair, and was propped up by pillows. 9,329,000/., showing a decrease of 7,037,000/. What, how- After several witnesses had been examined, the prisoner was ever, had been the reduction in the circulation ? It would have fully committed to take his trial at the next assizes on the been expected that there would have been a diminution tosome- capital charge . thing like that amount. But instead of that, it appeared that Two ago we rnentioned that a deputation was the circulation was 20,242,0001., thus showing a decrease of in town days i enlent principal vihil otch k panks to endeavour to only 184,000/. Let the House take the facts as they find them, makesome from art. oitladtaroelyrnt fahed:titiciesosrssueitaeyr. the and do not let Hon. Members endeavour to increase an alarm of their purchasing gold from the w which unhappily exists by an exaggeration of the evils. Then, to enable them to expand their paper maculation England, again, with respect to the pressure upon the public, if the Hon. son of the year. The proposal they made was to allow the Members would look to the returns, they would find an enor- gold to remain in the coffers of the Bank of England at their moos increase in the " private securities ' of the Bank, which credit, and save the expense of transmission to their own es every person, acquainted with the subject, knew amounted to tablishments. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, however, an increase of accommodation to the public. It had also has declined to interfere with the law as it stands on the been very generally reported that a gr eat pressure had subject, and an application made to Sir Robert Peel to use been made by Government requiring assistance from the Bank. his good offices with Ministers to obtain the concession met Now, by referring to the same dates, Hon. Members would see with no better success. The ex-Premier told them in a very that on the 29th of August the Government securities held in few words that they must have been aware of the intention the banking department of the Bank of England amounted to of the Legislature in enacting the law, and he considered 12,961,0001., private securities 12,395,000/. On the 17th of th a t it wou ld be altogether inexpedient to int er f ere w ith i ts April the dovernment securities had fallen to 11,677,0001., operation. The amount of gold which will be required in showing a diminution of 1,284,0001.; the private securities on addition to the present stock in Scotland is estimated at about the same day amounted to 17,111,000/., showing an increase half a million sterling to meet the usual expansion of notes over the amount held by the Bank on the 29th of August of in M a y and June; and the Bank directors, with no more no less a sum than 4,716,0004, and on the 3d of April the consideration for their feelings than the present and ex private securities in the Bank amounted to 18,627,000 L, Minister, quietly informed the deputation that on presenting thus clearly showing an increased accommodation Ba n k o f England notes the 500,000 sovereigns were at their given to a t las public of a sum of no less than command, bat that they could not hold them on their ac between 5,000,0001. and 6,000,000',, while the Government count by their lodging securities. The result which fol securities have been diminished by at least 1,000,0001. lowed was the sale of a considerable amount of Public Secu- The Government Securities in the Bank had net been reduced rities yesterday and to-day on account of the Scotch banks by the present yearoacomp are e with l as t 284,00.0 e Th e follow- to obtain the sovereigns, a process which will be extended as ing was a statement of the Government Securities held by the soon as the account of the failure of the mission reaches the Bank in the present year :—On th e 2d o f J an ., 12,824,0004 ; other parties interested in the north.—Herald City Article. on the 9th of April, 12,757,000/. ;on the 16th, 12,757,000/, SINGULAR AFFAIR IN HIGH LIFE. On Satur- Compare that with the three corresponding weeks in April, day information was received at the head station of the Dor the Securities were—on 3d April, 11,900,0001.; on the 10th, Marylelmee division, in Marylebone-lane, and was from 13,534,0001. ; and on the 17th, 11,677,0001. In 1846, on the thence circulated throughout the different divisions of both 4th April, the Securities held were 13,136,000 i. ; on the 11th, the Metropolitan and City police, of the following singular 14,437,0004 ; and the 18th, 13,967,0001. ;so that, contrasting imposition and robbery having been committed upon a lady corresponding periods, the difference of the Government of rank residing at the West-end :—The name of the lady or securities was only in the greatest difference 1,584,0004, and her title has not been permitted publicly to transpire, but the in the least 284,000/. This would show that the Government particulars circulated by the police state, that a day or two had not acted in the manner described by the Noble Lord (the before, between the hours of eleven and twelve o'clock in the Member for Lynn). What he rose priacipally to state was forenoon, a Frenchman, fashionably-dressed, drove up in a cab g to the door of a residence in Portman-square, during the tem that his Noble Friend opposite was quite incorrect in asserting that there had been any diminution in the circulation of the porary absence from home of the owner, and by representing Bank of England, or that there had been any diminution in to the servant that he came from a friend of the noble owner's the *Paella on which the carried on their private trade, bY the residing in Eaton-square, he succeeded in obtaining an in- Government pressin g on th em fer - . stance. Such WAS any as .stance. terview with the lady of the house. What was his alleged net the ease, an d if the B an k had not got a larger amount of cieeeeatieit• object in doing so, or what took place at the interview, has it did not arise from than an it had at present, not been made publicly known, beyond the fact that he by or from the fault o r ne„ariom any want of knowledge said this much, be waa t i aztee l of the Government. Having some means or other induced the lady to deliver to him two his observations, trustin Ex.""abips:terbrCidge'• that he had satisfactorily exp n l e ai u n d e e d the case to the House and g a g t o t l a d ch w e a d t , ch es, a gold guard-chain, with a gold watch-key and a shawl of the value of upwards of 501., with the Noble Lord. purpose of aderelsing the Several members here rose for the also 151. in money, the lady receiving fro fe m ot h an im d a in exchange i House, and after some confusion had induced man for an enamelled go . ld f cl , l, trifling valued after and key, very in enor ar i t w o a l o n: n a t n e d d p o e f r Sir J. GRAHAM said that it was probable that h e which he politely bowed himself out of the house. The precisely the same object which 1 Frenchman is described as being about five feet seven or eight ether Honourable Members to be anxiou s se -- r d an y inches high, from 35 to 40 years of age, of florid complexion, the House. He must say that he tho u ght a - 7" ' after the latter part of the speech of the -Noble Lord the gentlemanF.Delan. ca n speak several languages. and is of very plausible manners. i , H e gave the name of Manley to the servant who attended Member for Lynn, it was indispensably necessary that the ! him when he entered the house, but to the lady he signed it Chancellor of the Exchequer, without the loss of a moment k b " y a T s h i e m p il o a l r ic t e ric a k re . aware . that , an individual an should make the reply which he just made to ; h e H ouse , ii ; swerin e description recently obtained 201. from a Spanish must say, that he thought that the statement was remarkable elvidere for its clearness and its perspicuity, and although it might not . ‘ Ll u ae le,, e :e „ re w. al' ASE.—A long investigation took Carter, Es i t, d t l , l l t A s r co t totier for Surrey, at the be in all respects so satisfactory as they could desire, he had no doubt that it would have its due effect in diminishing those ex- ' wife to havoehilla deat'llswol Yarge' 13 aggerated alarms, which had arisen from a misapprehension. cedees w m: i n:ter-btlge, as to the He had listened to that speech with the feeling: which he had just under moat eexetnr wariously inj by mwesumearicegeindfiby his c expressed, but he thought it involved a most important question. ; turned out, however , and novel circumstances. It which it was too late to discuss then, and which, in the pre- ; ; Surrey Dispensary, that that '3;11 the evidence of Dr. Aldia, of the sent state of the monetary affairs of England, it became them ! effects of dropsy and welled:ceased died from the combined carefully to consider, not what were the wants of Ireland, but ; death." tnption. Verdict, . Natural what was the condition of England? When they were failed I s. ;ALL OF A Natural upon to borrow 650,000/.—fo r that was the proposition—to rrort A.Pwri. 23 alarm was caused this afternoon b th advance to the Irish railways after all the immense ad- i "Great in of the tunnel now forming under th e sudden fall' Tarim., which the necessity of the case had compelled them to j flo g undv;ell, for the Dorchester and Southampton ar-etzt and make to that country in the last few mouths—it was too im- i fur space of nearly two hundred yards; twenty menlwaay' portant a question for them to discuss. It was a question re -1 a horses had been at work on the very spot but a few and the most grave and serious consideration of the House. / ten previously, and had it occurred while they were at and he hoped that the Chancellor of the Exchequer would con- minute s n p worknot one of them could have been saved. The principal sent that they should now report progress and resume the eon- sideration of the subject at a future time. own is completely stopped, and th e work thoroughfare of the t .:bleb are situate on t h e Ir. Aslatt, coach-builder, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said th a t h e s hops of 11 . 'e rge of the tunnell, rendered so time& that they are obliged was perfectly williug to ac ced e t o a ll th a t hi s Ri g ht H on . N to discontinue working in them. Friend bad proposed, . BILL. This Bill was read a second time. TRANSFERENCE OF LAND (SCOTLAND) BILL. This Bill was read a second time. THE HERITABLE SECURITIES FOR DEBT (SCOT. _ LAND) BILL was also read a second time. THE NAVAL SERVICE OF BOYS BILL. This Bill was read a third time. The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Half-past One. PRE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL 27, 1847. RAILWAY COMMITTEES, HOUSE OF COMMONS.-(YESTERDAY). GROUP I. - - -- The Select Committee appointed to consider the merits 01 the Bills comprised in this group re-assembled at the usual hour this morning; Mr. W. O. Stanley in the chair. TIRE BRIGHTON MID-KENT SCHEME. The landholders' opposition having been closed, Mr. AUSTIN rose to reply on behalf of the South-Eastern Company. He complained that his Learned Friend's (Mr. Talbot) speech, on opening the Brighton case, was unne cessarily long, embraced useless topics, and dwelt too much upon what was termed the equity of the case. Now the equity of the case comprised the question of who were the original occupants of the county of Kent. It was true the Croydon line was the first projected into Kent, but the Croydon Railway was constructed for lines going to the north, or through the midland divisions of Kent. The Croydon line, indeed, had already accom plished its destiny, and become part of the Brighton and Chi chester Railway ; and it was unjust to the public for the Croydon Company to get up an opposition to the South- Eastern line, not for accommodating the real wants of the county of Kent, but for the purpose of perpetuating a toll of 30,0001. per annum, payable by the South-Eastern Company for passing over the ten miles of the Croydon line. The worn out question of fares he would leave to the Committee without comment, nor would he occupy any time in discussing the parcel matter, because he felt convinced that the evidence he had adduced had fully satisfied the Committee upon those •points. It was evident, from the tone and manner of his Learned Friend, that he did not dispute the right of the South-Eastern Company to make a North Kent Line; in point of fact, in presenting an alternative to the Committee, either to allow his line to be made from Sittingbourne to Canterbury, with power to the South-Eastern Company to work over it, or to grant the South-Eastern line with power to the Brighton Company to work over it, his Learned Friend practically conceded the North Kent line to the South-Eastern Com pany. That impression of the offer was borne out by the testimony of Mr. Wilkinson, the Deputy Chairman of the South Coast line, who stated that the Brighton Company never contemplated going to Dover, and it was, therefore, tv be inferred, that the only object the Brighton Company had in carrying their Mid-Kent scheme from Maidstone to Can terbury was, to enable them to claim the right of making a new station at Maidstone. Indeed, the idea of the Brighton Company ever intending to go to Dover was not only a romance, but a delusion, and he hoped the Committee would treat it accordingly. Now it would seem that the witnesses of the Brighton Company preferred the Brighton line, not so much for its superior merits as from a want of confidence in the South-Eastern Company. Let him just endeavour to ascertain upon what foundation such a feeling rested. It was admitted on both sides that the angle at Reigate was an error. The South-Eastern Company had long discovered that it was a mistake, and that considera tion alone was sufficient to induce them to make their Mid- Kent scheme; but there was a still stronger inducement for their doing so. They had to pay a toll of 20,0001. to the Croydon Company, and of course they were anxious to rid themselves and the public of such a tax. Upon what foundation, then, rested the doubts as to the sincerity of the South-Eastern Company in proposing this Mid-Kent scheme? Now, then, as to the public necessity of this line. Whatever might be the decision of that day, the Mid Kent line must be sooner or later made. The French lines were fast approaching completion, and Paris: would soon, in point of distance, become an easy coast town. Lon don was already in that position ; but still the public exi gencies —not as comprised in local interests, but in a national want—required that London should be brought still nearer to the coast. That end could only be attained by the construc tion of a Mid-Kent line, and until that line were granted, the South-Eastern Company was bound to contest it to the last penny in their cotters. This question had already been before Parliament three years, at an expense of from 70,0001. to 80,0001. per session. Multiply either of those two sums by three, it would give the total expense already incurred in endeavouring to bring this question to an end. That expense must fall upon the public. If this question were delayed the South-Eastern Company would still have to add every session, so long as the present standing orders existed, a sum of from 70,00 W. to 80,0001. to the total, and he put it to the Committee whether this was not sufficiently conclusive premises in support of the proposition, that the present was the best time for ' settling the question ? Well, then, the next point to be con• tidered was, which of the two lines was tue best. In his opinion there could be no doubt that the South-Eastern was the most preferable. A bold attempt had been made to ex • aggerate the local requirements and the local traffic of the Mid-Kent district as traversed by the Brighton scheme, but, whatever might be said to the contrary, there could be no question about it, that a Mid-Kent line must depend for support upon the Continental traffic rather than to supplying local conveniences. But he maintained that the South-Eastern line accommodated the fruit trade, the agriculture, and the population of Mid-Kent in a far better manner than the Brighton scheme. In an en gineering point of view the South-Eastern line was immea surably the superior of the two, while, independently of the better gradients, the lines throughout being under the same management, would enable the South-Eastern Company to work their line more easily and more economically than the Brighton. The Learned Gentleman had not closed his address when the Committee adjourned, at the usual hour, till twelve o'clock to-morrow ( this day). GROUP V. The Committee met this morning at 12; present, Lord Harry Vane (chairman), Hon. M. Gore, Hon. M. Sutton, Mr. Rice, and Sir E. Filmer. GREAT WESTERN (BRANCHES TO =- HAM, STAINES, ETC.) ➢ir. TALBOT, without addressing the Committee on the merits of the proposed line, proceeded to call witnesses in fa vour of the scheme. Mr. Pownall, chairman of the Middlesex Quarter Sessions, preferred the branch which passed Ifounslow, from the posi tion it lay in to that town, and the facility which the tireat Western offered of communicating with the manufacturing districts of the north. Several other witnesses were examined on the traffic along the route, which, with the engineering evidence of ➢lr. Brunel, closed the case for the promoters. The Committee adjourned till twelve to-morrow. GROUP VI. SALISBURY AND YEOVIL, AND EXETER, YEOVIL, AND DORCHESTER. The Committee met this morning at twelve; Mr. Deedes, chairman. The first witness called on behalf of the promoters was the Rev. Rowland Huisb, vicar of East Croker, near Yeovil ; he was also vice-chairman of the board of guardians of the Yeovil Union, which consisted of between 30 and 40 pa rishes, and his knowledge of the wants of the locality led him to believe that the construction of the lines before the Committee would prove of great service to the inhabitants of the district comprised in that anion. Several other witnesses from the neighbourhood of Yeovil were called, who gave evidence in favour of the facilities which would be afforded by the proposed lines for the trans- mission of agricultural produce to the metropolis. The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow, at twelve o'clock. GROUP XI. COLCHESTER AND STOUR VALLEY (LA- ITENNADI AND BURY EXTENSION). The Select Committee appointed to consider the merits of the Bills comprised in this group re-assembled at the usual hour this morning; Mr. Forbes Mackenzie in the chair.: The engineering evidence in this case having been brought to a close this morning, the Committee consulted together for a few minutes, and afterwards decided that the preamble to the Bill had been proved. The remainder of the day was occupied with the clauses. GROUP XVI. ' EASTERN COUNTIES AND GREAT NORTHERN EXTENSXONS (HERTFORD AND =TM:UN). The Committee was occupied during the whole of the day in hearing evidence in favour of the line as proposed by the Easter Counties Railway, in opposition to that proposed by the Great Northern Railway. The Committee adjourned till to-morrow at 12 o'clock. GROUP XVIII. the Committee on this group assembled this morning, at twelve o'clock ; the Earl of Lincoln in the Chair, with Mr. J. O'Connell, Sir W. James, Mr. Smythe, and Capt. Jones. CUELTENTLANL AND ONMOND LINE. A variety of evidence was taken to show the advantage of this branch to the traffic of the South-Wales District, by way of Reading and Tring, to the Valley of the Thames. Mr. Paul described the several gradients oa the line, and he underwent a long cross-examination by Mr. Alexander, upon the subject of the drains of Cheltenham, the construc tions of some of which had had the effect of drawing off the waters from the shallow wells of the town. To Mr. M. O'Connell the witness replied, that the average distance of the sewer from the broad gauge line was fifteen chains, and the sandbed near the line would be deeper than in the High-street, but the cutting would cross the sewer near that street. Mr. Brunell stated that he was the engineer of the line, and that the principal reason for taking the north of the Mar borough Downs, on the Great Western line, was a desire to accommodate Cheltenham. The Cheltenham ,and Gloucester line was also constructed by him, but the company by which it was designed was a dis tinct company, he being the only person connected with both that company and the Great Western, in an official capacity. The Bill for the Gloucester and Oxford line was obtained in 1836, and was shortly after commenced, and part of it to Swindon made. But in consequence of the mercan tile difficulty of 1838 and 1839, the Company was obliged to stay their proceedings, and the Great Western Company early in 1845 obtained an Act to purchase the line. The works had been subsequently. continued but an interruption of a violent proceeding, in consequence of a body of individuals to the number of seventy or eighty coming down forcible, deporting the men engaged on the works, and carrying them before the magistrates at Glou cester. The several works had, however, been shortly re sumed. and were now far advanced. Since the arrangement with the Gloucester and Oxford, the Gloucester and Ifereford Company, and the South Wales Railway Company had ob tained their Acts, and as a great portion of the traffic of those lines would come upon the new line, it was determined to conic up to Parliament far an Act to go direct from Chelten ham to Oxford ' • especially as the Worcester, ‘Volverhamp ton, and Oxford Bill was then passing through the Legis lature. With respect to the station at Cheltenham, the company had been for several years in communication with the inhabitants, and it was at the desire of a Committee that they had selected the site which they wished to adopt. That was one of the chief rea, , ons for going so near to the centre of the town. After leaving the station, which would occupy part of the market-place, it would pass under High-street, and thence under the other streets, and so pass out of the town of Cheltenham, in its course affecting property generally of very small value. It was intended that the line should be carried through the town in a cuttirg under walls, but where the none was likely to prove inconvenient, at the desire of the committee, the cutting would be covered over from North-place to Winchcomb-street. This was in Mr. Brunch's opinion the best mode of passing through a town, and it saved tunnelling to a great depth. There is indeed hardly a large town in England which is not, or which will not shortly be traversed in this way. It was the case at Bath, and at Teignmouth, on the Great Western line. The distance of the transit through Cheltenham would be between fifty and sixty chains. He was aware that a great outcry had been made respecting the line affecting the sup ply of water, but he believed that it was all a mere groundtes to alarm ; but his attention had been drawn it, but but there would be no difficulty whatever in the matter. a ro A great p art of the town of Cheltenham stands on of sand, but the cutting would be formed with an invert and side walls, which will be so that draining likely. Then as thetoperfectly watertight, theat.er down to its level was not at all the east of the town interception of the water—the Ike to and did not rea ei. las far above the water level, street, and, from th e it came near Iligla naauctron of the line, there would be no obstacle whatever to its flowing down freely both on i the North and South sidee, as the water flowed east to west, and where there was the slightest chance of a stoppage in one small portion it was intended to lay the line on in. verted tiles. In fact there was no engineering difficulty, and it was merely a case of every-day engineering experience. As to lowering the wells during the progress of the works he apprehended neither difficulty nor inconvenience in either, saving the loss of water. Indeed, in order to allay the apprehensions which bad been excited he had requested three professional gentlemen, unacquainted with the railway, to go down to ascertain the facts of the case, and they had de cidedly agreed with him. After leaving Cheltenham he went direct by an inclined plain to the summit of the Cotes wold Hills, which has attained, first, a small distance on a gradient of 1 in 113, then for four miles and eight chains, to Dowdeswell by an incline of 1 in 60, then on to Northleach (which is at the summit) on an incline of 1 in 100. The Cheltenham and Triug Company placed their station on an elevation then descended, going a little circuit outside the town by a gradient of 1 in 100, then rose on an incline of 1 in 90, then 1 in 100, and 1 in 132, and 1 in 175. The distance being somewhat more than eleven miles. To the CHAIRMAIT—Mr. Brunel replied that the distance on his own line was seven miles and a quarter, there being a few intermediate bits of gradients. He proposed to work this incline by assistant power as after passing Northleach the highest gradient would be only 1 in 200. No difficulty was to be apprehended from the incline of 1 in 60, as there was 1 in 60 and 1 in 75, the whole distance was about four miles long; on the present Cheltenham line, he tween Swindon and Stroud, in which they were constantly working; but, in order to ascertain the real fact of the case, he had several trains running constantly up this incline, and the results of the experiments were, that with one of their large eight-wheeled engines they carried SP:, trains of 50, 63, and 70 tons each, at a rate of from 25 to 35 miles an hour. Seventy tons was about equal to a train of 14 carriages on the narrow gauge line. With a common goods' train engine they had taken up 140 tons and 110 tons at 25 miles an hour, which is taste, than the usual speed. Neither did he apprehend any difficulty in going down into Cheltenham, for they constantly did co on their Swindon and Stroud incline, and stopped with ease at the bottom. On the Birmingham and Gloucester narrow gauge line their is an incline of one in thirty-six, which has for years been worked. The distance saved between Gloucester and London would be five miles, and between Cheltenham and London nineteen miles„ and twenty-one miles if they went into Cheltenham. Between Gloucester and Oxford the saving would of course be greater. On his own line there would be no tunnels whatever between Cheltenham anti Oxford, and there were none between Oxford and London. Nor were there any roads either turnpike or others crossed at a level, while on the other hand the Tring line would have four tunnels between that place and London, and it passed seven turnpikes, and lei ty•eight other reads on a level. The formation of this line would give greater opportunities of sending trains frequently to the South \Vales district, and, on the whole, he conceived it to be the natural completion of the works which had aiready been begun. Mr. lIILDYARD cross-examined on the alteration made since the project of last year, and the respective advantages cf the rival projects. The Committee adjourned at four o'clock. GROUP XX. The Committee appointed to consider the railway schemes in this group, assembled for the first time this day in Room N 0.35. Present—The Right Hon. Henry Goulburn (Chair man), Lord Dalmeney, Mr. Trotter, Earl Jermyn, and Colonel Rawdon. The Bills submitted for consideration were— The London and North-Western (Kenilworth, Learning. ton, &c.) Birmingham and Oxford Junction Amendment (Deviation of line). Ihrniingbam and Oxford Junction (Warwick and Stral ford line). _ Birmingham and Oxford Junction, and Birmingham, `Yo: verhampton, &c., Amalgamation. Midland (Cheltenham, Warwick and Leamington Line). Oxford. Worcester and Wolverhampton (lco. - i). Mr. %VIIATELEY, QC., for the promoters of many of the lines, proposed that the Committee should ajourn until Thursday, is the Lord Chancellor had to give judgment in a cause (the broad and narrow gauge question), which would materially affect the conflicting interests which the Commit tee bad to consider. Mr. CocKnonXand Mr. AUSTIN had no objection to this comae. Mr. POOLE, in the event of the Committee rising, wished to know in what order the Bills would be taken ? The CHAIRMAN replied, in the order in which the Bills would be read a second time. The Committee then adjourned until Thursday. GROUP XXI. ( Sir J. Graham, Chairman.) OXFORD, WORCESTER, AND WOLVER• 7 /AMMON, AND STOUR VALLEY EX. - - TENSION AND BRANCHES. The Committee, this morning, after hearing the arguments of Mr. Cockburn and Mr. Austin with respect to the mode of proceeding with the Bills, came to the following resolution : " The Committee call upon the opponents of the Bill to proceed with their case, on the undcrst :riding that if the preamble of the two Bills, now under consideration, should be held proved, and if the clauses permitting the construc tion of the mixed gauges be inselted in the Bills, the Com mittee will make a special report to the House, calling its attention to the resolutions of the House of Commons of the 19th of May, 1846, and the Gauge Act of 1816, and also a statement of the reasons which mai have induced the Com mittee to come to that In consequence of this decision, evidence in favour of the STOUR VALLEY BILL (No. II). was given. The first witness called was Mr. Foster, a proprietor of extensive coal and iron works, paying upwards of 30,0001, per annum for the carriage of iron and other materials, who gave evidence in favour of the su periority of the proposed line over that of the rival line. Other evidence of a similar nature was gone into, and the Committee adjourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock. GROUP XXVII. This Committee met to-day at one o'clock, in Room 33 of the New Houses, Mr. Cardwell in the chair. The following are the Bills referred to its consideration : Lynn and Ely Railway (Extension to Spalding and Hol beach). Eastern Counties Railway (Wisbech to Spalding). Great Northern Railway (Branch to King's Lynn). Lynn and Ely Railway (Lynn and Wormegay Navigation). Lynn and Ely Railway (Deviation and Lynn Docks). Boston, Stamford, and ; Birmingham Railway (Wisbech to South Bridge). Boston, Stamford, and Birmingham Railway (Boston and Wisbech Harbour.) The list of Bills having been read, with the petitions, and the usual preliminaries gone through, it was arranged to take, first, the EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY (I.VISBECR TO SPALDXNG). This branch was opposed by the Great Norther nßailway Company, which bas a competing branch in the group. Mr. HoPE opened the case, stating the general advantages which the line would give to the public. It was about 20 miles in length, and intended to connect togeth er th e im give an outlet to Mr. Stevens, Mayor of Wisbech, was called and e x a m i ne d, t p h o e r t a a g n r t c p u o l r t t u s r o a f l I p V r o i s d b u e c c e h o a f n the S pa l d districting a n d with the object of showing the advantages of the scheme to the town of Wisbech. A question was here raised as to the Boston, Stamford, and Birmingham Railway (Boston and Wisheach Harbour Branch) being considered as a competing line. The Committee, after a short consultation, decided that it should be so considered. The evidence of Mr. Stevens was then resumed, and shortly after the Committee adjourned till to-morrow (this day),' at twelve. GROUP XXVIII. SZEAFORD BRANCHES. The Committee on the contest between the Great Northern and Eastern Counties Branches in this Fart of the country, comprising Lord Edwin Hill, Sir R. Lopez, the Earl of March, Captain Harris, and Mr. T. D. Acland in the chair, met this morning at twelve o clock. Mr Shepherd, an assistant of Mr. Gibbs, was called to prove the distances of the table given in to the Committee, and stated that be had ascertained the several distances from the Ordnance map. The respective distances from Spalding to Newark is 37 miles and 1 chain, while the distance by the Eastern Counties line is eight chains further, measuring the Great Northern to its own junction, and to the junction of the Not tingham and Lincoln, from the Eastern Counties respec tively. The distance between Sleatord and Grantham is shorter by the Ambergate line than by the Great Northern, but the distance to Manchester would. be shorter than by the Eastern Counties line by a mile and a half, being only 98% miles. The transit between these two places would be on the Great Northern line to Newark, so on to Sheffield, and over the Sheffield and Manchester line, which they had a right to use. To Leedslthe Great Northern Company would get to Newark as before, thence by the main line to Dunces ter, and so on to Leeds. Mr. GARTH, on behalf of the Eastern Counties, objected to the reception of this evidence, as being unexpected. . Mr. Towel!, a corn-merchant, who had been for many years in business at Lynn, testified that a large quantity of malting barley, for which there was a great demand in the neighbourhood of Newark, would be sent down by this line from Norfolk. Kr. Hulton, a timber-merchant, who resided at Lynn, stated that several timber ships came to Lynn, the cargoes of which were called fur in Sleafurd and its neighbourhood, but allowed that both Boston and Wisbeach were ports which had easy access to Sleaford. Mr. Edis, an assistant of Mr. Cubitt, the engineer, put in the list of the assentients and the dissentients on the line; and this closed the case of the London and York Company. Mr. JAMES then rose to address the Committee on behalf of the Marquis of Bristol, and contended that the line pro posed by that company was quite unnecessary, in conse quence of the lines which had already been sanctioned by Parliament ; secondly, that it traversed a tract of coun try which did not at all require it; and, thirdly, that there was no certainty whatever that it would ever be made. The Learned Gentleman entered into an examination of the evidence of Mr. Bartley, a witness who had formerly, in the London and York Committee, testified in favour of the loop line of that company, as to the transfer of Scotch cattle and otter stock and produce from the north. If it went, then, by the loop line these branches were quite unnecessary, and they had no right whatever to snake them, and cut up three miles of the Marquis of Bristol's property for that purpose. He contended that the Grantham and Sleaford branch would only compete with the Ainbergate line. As sertions had been made that it would save a quarter of an hour in the transit of corn to Manchester, but, even allowing this ,there would be a more than concomitant disadvantage in the transit of passengers roundabout to London. And were they to sanction the expenditure of 400,0001. for such an insufficient project as this? Certainly not; and he said, therefore, on the part of the Marquis of Bristol, that there was no public advantage whatever, either north or south. It seemed as if the company had some doubt of the success of their loop line, for they in the first instance claimed the whole of the traffic for that line, and now they came and claimed the whole of the ' same traffic for the branches. Let them first make the loops, and then should it not pay let them apply to Parliament for a new route, unless the country should be previously provided. The Learned Counsel then went into the financial portion of the question, and complained that landowners were placed in a false position by the inability of companies to purchase the land over which they had obtained a Parliamentary right; for, as in one instance in a neighbouring Committee, there was a case in which the company had held that right for four years without passing the money. Land thus claimed , could neither be sold nor leased. At the time the Bill came before the Commissioners of Railways, in February last, the two companies had spent 511,3011, of which more than 432,0001. had been paid for Parliamentary expenses, while for land they bad only paid 2,3381. at the same period. He was aware that there were engagements for extensive pur chases, but be was not aware that a ny had actually been completed; he believed that, at least, there was no evidence to that effect. Mr. James then read an extract from the report, showing this; but Mr. ADAMS stated that he had not the least objection to have the whole of the report read. Mr. JAxEs thin react the extract, and stated that the amount of the capital of the London and York for the whole of the projects would be upwards of 10,600,0001., and he contended that in the present state of the money market it never could be raised, and cited the authority of Mr. Ste phenson for the assertion that their original projects would cost upwards of 8,000,000 t, instead of 5,000,0001., as the ex pense was stated to be by the company. And this bethought was a very fair position for the Marquis of Bristol to take. The Learned Gentleman then went into the topic of the Par liamentary contract. Mr. Bates and Mr. Broth, both of Spalding, were then called to show the advantages of the other line, and the Committee then adjourned. GROUP XXXIII. The Committee met for the first time inßoom 27, at one o'clock; Mr. Hore, chairman. MATZCHrSTER AND LEEDS (ALTERATION °FAMES OP BROITGII /MOUSE BRANCH). LEEDS, Dmvsserunix, AND MANCHESTER (OSSETT BRANCH). These were unopposed Bills, and were, therefore, referrer to Mr. Greene, the Chairman of the Committees. LEEDS CENTRAL STATION. - - Mr. BikarEs, Q.C., opened the merits of this Bill, and stated the object of it to be to erect a great central station in the heart of the town of Leeds, for the accommodation of the following four line, of railway—the Leeds, Dewsbur y, and Manchester Railway, L e eds a n d Thirsk, West Riding Union, and when they have got their Bill for an extension to Leed , , the Great Northern. The proposed station, 400 feet wide and about 1,100 feet long, would afford separate and distinct accommodation to each of the companies, and would cost in all 320,0001., to be contributed by each of the companies in equal proportions. Witnesses were called by the promoters to prove the public advantage cf the proposed station, and the details of the nature of the works. They were cross-examined on behalf of the Leeds and Bradford Railway, and private proprietors. The evidence had not been finished when the Committee adjourned till to-morrow (this daS). GROUP XLVII. This Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock; the lion, Eliot Yorke, Chairman. AIRDRIE AND DATEIGATE JUNCTION (DEVIATION AND AMENDDIENTS)• The Committee, after meeting for a few minutes, on ac count of the Railway Commissioners' Report on this Bill not being forthcoming, adjourned without transacting any busi ness. GROUP L. This Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock in Room 31; Mr. Bankes in the chair. All the other members of the Committee were present. GLASGOW, PAISLEY, KILMARNOCK, AND AYR, AND GLASGOW AND BELFAST UNION (No I.) The postponed clause of this Bill was considered and agreed to, and the Chairman instructed to report the Bill with the amendments to the House. GLASGOW, PAISLEY. KILMARNOCK, AND AYR (No. XI.) The evidence on behalf this company was then resumed. Mr. Hamilton, factor to the Duke of Hamilton, generally deposed to the superiority of the Ayrshire Company to Lon don coal-fields, as compared with the competing branch of the Ardrossan Company. It would have access to three ports, whereas the other would only have an outlet at Ar drossan. The Milton and Bushton branch would also be of great service in opening up the minerals on the estates of the Duke of Portland and Lady Montgomery. He also gave si milar evidence on the Fenwick branches. Mr. P. :1-4, urrock, civil engineer, of Kilmarnock, gave evidence similar to the previous witness. The Ayrshire Company branches would not only accommodate the mineral produce better, but offer a far inure eligible access with the sea-coast. Mr. Geddes, mining engineer,' gave evidence to a similar effect. Mr. Mitchell, a magistrate of the county of Ayr, and a landed proprietor, gave evidence on behalf of the West Col liery Branch of the Ayrshire Company. It went through a line of iron district, and would enable the proprietors to ob tain supplies of coal, and clear their minerals to the various iron works at Glengarnock, Portland, and Blair. Mr. Cranford, a landed proprietor in Fenwick, near Kil marnock, gave evidence similar to the previous witnesses. He had carefully considered both schemes, and gave his de cided preference to the Ayrshire scheme, as better calculated to serve the mineral produce of the district. Mr. Craig, manager of the Portland ironworks, was exa mined, with the object of showing the advantages of the branches in bringing supplies of iron there to the works. Mr. Cunningham, a landed proprietor, gave evidence briefly in support of the Ittington branch of the Ayrshire Company. The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow (this day) at twelve o'clock. GROUP LI. The Committee to which this group of railways is re ferred met at twelve o'clock ; Sir John Yarde Buller in the chair. GLASGOW, DUNZIMIES, AND CARLISLE. The CHAIRMAN announced, that as one of the Committee was imperatively required to attend another Committee, it would be either necessary to adjourn or to proceed with four members on the Committee. Mr. Sergeant WRANGRAM suggested that the preferable course to be pursued would be to take a small branch line from Gretna to Annan, which the Caledonian Company were empowered to lease by a clause inserted in the Bill of the Glasgow, Dumfries, and Carlisle, of the last year. His Learned Friend and the Glasgow and Dumfries Company sought, by a clause in one of their present Rills, to repeal that clause altogether. Now, it was apparent that, morally as well as Parliamentarily, the Dumfries Company bad no right to appear there as opponents; but if the Com mittee thought that the case should be opened, he trusted that it would be considered as a separate question, and that no other matter should be mixed with it. Mr. AM:MEWS said that the application made by his Learned Friend was an icgenious attempt to confuse the case. His Bill could not be entered into without opening up the whole case. The Committee decided to hear the opening of Mr. Andrews, with reference to the Glasgow, Dumfries, and Car lisle Railway Company. Mr. ANDREWS said that he appeared on behalf of the Glas gow, Dumfries, and Carlis!e Company, and the Glasgow, Pais ley; Kilmarnock, andAyr Company, who had amalgamated themselves, and were jointly the promoters of the Bill. which was now on their table. The line was one of considerable length. running through coal and mining fields of almost unlimited extend. It was absolutely necessary that such a line should be formed in order to accommodate the rapidly increasing commerce and population. It afforded the easiest means of eom• munication between Renfrew and the English border, and would be also, if carried on to Port Patrick, formingthe;chain of communication between the whole of the north of Eng land and the north of Ireland. When he spoke of Renfrew shire and Ayrshire, he spoke as the Committee well knew, of a part of the kingdom which was most rapidly in creasing in commerce and population. Kilmar nock was the centre of the district to which he referred, and the grand central depiit, in a great measure, of all the extensive mineral field which surrounded it. In Kil marnock alone there were 40 houses engaged in silk mercery and haberdashery, the goods sold in the district amounting to 200,0001. annually. There was a large trade in leather, and an import and export trade amounting to 500,0001. per annum. The Committee was also aware that there was a very large trade in cattle between these districts and York shire, Lincolnshire, and the London markets. The Com mittee would find from the evidence that the trade in these animals was of such an extent as to be not only of great importance to the district, but to the country at large. There would be be a very large trade carried on from the north of Ireland, by way of Port Patrick, to Kircudbright, the harbour of which was an admirable one, and freed from all the shifting sands which so much impeded the navigation of the Solway. The distance from the port of Kircudbright was no greater dis tance from Donaghadee than Holyhead was from Dublin. There was an absolute necessity for an easy communication from the north of Ireland and [lie north of England, and there were only two obstacles to that communication, namely, the want of a direct communicatior. from Springfield, and also a clause to which his Learned Friend had referred, and which was brought forward at the eleventh hour—that clause, which took from the possession of this compa n y a portion of a line, and the operation of which would not only be very injurious to the Glasgow and Dumfries Company, but to the trade of the country at large. He would state to the Com mittee that their Bill had three objects—one of them to give a branch to Canobie, the second to give a connexion be tween the Dumfries line to Newcastle and Langholm, and the third to repeal a clause which was inserted in a former Act, which • would seriously impede that direct communication which was so much desired by every one connected with the districts through which it was to pass. There was also an intention to give the large trade which he had described the advantage of a second line. Evidence would be laid before the Committee to show that the Dam fries line should be an integral line, and not in any way mixed up with the Caledonian Railway Company. The Caledonian Railway had already several branches running nearly parallel with the proposed course of this new line, and he would take that opportunity of giving the Committee a statement as to the way in which this obnoxious clause was introduced. When this company was, after many re fusals, sanctioned, they were refused the line between Canobie and Springfield, and the Caledonian by some means contrived to get inserted into this Bill a clause which in fact gave them the line. The House of Commons was expected to rise almost every day, and there was, therefore, no time for them to attempt to dispute the clause which had been so ungraciously forced into their Bill. A feeling of considerable alarm was created by the insertion of this clause, not amongst the promoters of this measure, but amongst all those who were most interested in the district being benefited. They at once perceived the great importance of the clause, as the portion of the line from which they were excluded would receive the best part of the traffic from the coast of England and Ireland. The injury which would be created by this clause would be of a moat pernicious character, • and very seriously extensive in its effects. It was necessary for Renfrewshire that the mode of communication should be an uninterrupted one, and under the control of only one company. There was no doubt, from the evidence, that the Caledonian Company and the North- western Company were allies, offensive and de fensive, and their interests were very nearly the same. The North-Western had assisted in every way the opposition to the Caledonian Railway Company to this line, and they had on every occasion a director at the board of the Caledonian Railway to represent their interests. That director was the late Mr. Patrick Stewart, and was now the Honourable Member for Perth, the Hon. Mr. Fox Maule. The first use that the Caledonian Railway would make of their power over this portion of the line would be to send all the immense traffic of Kilmarnock round to Glasgow. The Committee, he thought, would see the points upon which the evidence ought to be directed. He would briefly direct the attention to the Canobie branch, which they would perceive was abso lutely essential to the speedy ccnveyance 01 the immense/ raffic froniKilmarnock, Renfrewshire, and Ayrshire. He did not think it necessary to make any further statement. He had touched upon the principal points to which their attention would be directed, and he would conclude by thanking them for their kindness in hearing him th en , an d for adjourning the Committee the other day on the occasion of Ins indis position. The Committee then, after a little discussion, proceeded with the evidence. The first witness called was— The Duke of B ucc l euch, who was examined by Mr. BURKE—LES Grace stated that the line passed for more than twenty miles thr oug h hi s property, and he considered that the interests of the district required its formation. He was so convinced of this that he had withdrawn his opposition. He did not conceive that the Caledonian interests would be affected by the formation of this railway, for in that part of the country in which the lines ran parellel there was a ridge of bills which completely divided the two companies. His Grace gave general evidence in favour of the line. The Committee adjourned till twelve o'clock to-morrow (this day). LAW INTELLIGENCE. HOUSE OF LORDS, April 26. The House sat to-day to hear Scotch and English appeals. The Peers present were the Lord Chancellor, Lord Brougham, Lord Campbell, and Lord Vivian. CLELILND V. WEIR. This case came before their Lordships upon appeal from the decision of the Court of Session in Scotland disallowing a bill of exceptions tendered by the appellant to the verdict of a jury, finding him guilty in part of wrongfully excluding the respondent from the possession of certain property be longing to a deceased lady of the name of Williamson, who at her death resided at Scarborough, in Yorkshire. The case, which app ars likely to occupy a day or two in arguments, possesses no point of interest except to the parties concerned. VICE-CHANCELLOR'S COURT, April 26. The Vice-Chancellor of England heard exceptions and further directions to-day, none of which were of any public interest. ROLL S COURT, Apra 2n. ATTORNEY- G EAAL V. WIND° U 11N SCHOOL. This was a petition iu the suit, praying that the Eccle siastical Commissioners might be admitted as parties to the suit. His LonDune.' delivered judgment this morning. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners sought to administer to the charity of Queen Elizabeth's school at Wimbourn, in the county of Dorset. It appeared that the Attorney-General had laid before the Master to whom the sutject had been re ferred, a scheme respecting this charity upon which the master had not expressed any opinion. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners prayed that they might be at liberty to be heard before the Master. These Commissioners were first incorporated in the year 1836, it was their duty to lay before her Majesty in council schemes in reference to charities which, when ratified by the consent of the Crown, were to have the same force and effect as if contained in the Acts. In the Act of this charity there was a clause providing for "the better provision of the poor of the parish." He appre hended that the ecclesiastical commissioners had no vested trust direction or control over any portion of the property of that charity, the powers which the commissioners claimed in those petitions was not to be conceded. In the matter of charities they might give, from their position, judicious ad vice, and render considerable assistance, and there could be no objection to receive such advice and assistance ; but the question was not, whether or no it would be desirable to have' the advice and assistance of the ecclesiastical commissioners, but whether or no they had the right which they claimed? And they made an application to the Attor ney-General to be present at the inquiry before the Master, it was not likely that they would be refused ; but instead of that they think they had a right, and litigate the matter with him. It was contended that the ecclesiastical commis sioners were independent of the jurisdiction of this Court ; but it was clear that all they were competent to do was to lay a scheme before the Queen in council, which scheme they could not ratify. What powers of the Court might be opposed by her Majesty in council might be urged by the Attorney- General, but it was his (Lord Langdale's) opi nion that it should not be urged by the ecclesiastical commissioners. It was not likely that the Crown would oppose the Court, or act contrary to the law laid down by that or any other Court. It seems, that having instituted an inquiry respecting this charity, the ecclesiastical com missioners were informed that there was property for the collegiate church of Wimbourn Minster; but it did not ap pear that it was intended by the Act that it should, as was contended, .rest in them. That must depend upon the Court, according to the principles by which it was governed in such cases. The ecclesiastical commis sioners, it must be admitted, had a very important duty to perform; but in the present case they had no trust that the case could be recognised in this Court. They had in this suit, the Attorney-General, the governois of the charity, the Bishop of Bristol, who was said to he a visitor, together with other parties, so that there were quite sufficient to give the Court all the information and assistance requisite ; and he trusted they would be able to proceed wit h. ent any conflict with the Queen in Council. If the ecclesias tical commissioners would not consent to act in the way he had pointed out, he would dismiss the bill with costs. On the application of Mr. TURNER, the case was ordered to be mentioned on Friday nest. JORDAN V. YORTESCUZ. This cause turned upon the construction of a will. IL ap peared that the testator by the last codicil to his will be queathed t. sum of 5001. to the plaintiff in these terms:—" I give and bequeath to John Jordan 5001., in addition to 1,500/. which I have bequeathed him by my will." It ap peared, however, that the testator had by his will, to which he alluded, left the plaintiff but 1,000/., and it was contended by the defendant consequently that the plaintiff was entitled to only 1,500/. His LORDIHIP decided that the plaintiff was entitled to the 2,0001., and overruled the demurrer of the defendant. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH, April 26. Sittings in Banco, before Lord Chief Justice DEN MAN and a full Court. JURISDICTION OF THE COURT IN THE CHANNEL ISLANDS. In this case, in which two boys had been brought up to this court by writ of habeas, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL applied for a further postpone ment, in consequence of the insufficiency of the return to the writ. Mr. CROWDER urged that the case ought to be proceeded with, as ample time had been given to obtain all the neces sary returns on the fart of the Crown. Mr. Justice ERLE wished to know whether there was not enough on the face of the returns to warrant the removal of the parties from the country? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that they had been sen tenced to be transported for seven years, and had been brought over to this country from Jersey and placed iu the Penitentiary, by the order of Sir G. Grey, until the legal decision upon the case should have been given. The case was then ordered to stand over until Thursday. TILE QUEEN V. BATEMAN. The defendant in this case, who had been convicted of stopping up an alley in the city of London, was brought up to receive judgment. Mr. Justice PATTESON said that he had been convicted of stopping up an alley, upon the order of two magistrates, which order was not valid. The sentence was that he should pay a fine of 51. to the Queen, and remain in custody until the fine was paid. _ _ No other case of any importance occurred during the day, COURT OF EXCHEQUER April 26. (Sittings in Banco.) COON V. SMITH. This was an action tried before Lord Denman, at Kingston, when a verdict was entered for the plaintiff f o r 3061. 4 3 . Mr. Sergeant CHANNEL now moved for a rule to show cause why that verdict should not be set aside and a new trial had, on the ground of misdirection and the verdict being against evidence. The plaintiff was a lithographer, and the defendant, registered proprietor of the Brighton, Lewes, Gravesend, Tunbridge Wells, and Eastern Counties Junction Railway Company, and the action was brought for work and labour done. The plea was that defen dant was not indebted, and a set-off. The Learned Counsel contended that the company, who were connected with defendant in the projected railway, and not the de fendant alone, should have been made liable, and that, therefore, the Learned Judge, in putting the case to the jury, had on this point given a misdirection.—Rule refused. WAINMAN V. KINMAN. Mr. Lusts moved for a rule to show cause why the verdict in this case should not be set aside, and a nonsuit entered or a new trial had. The action was brought on a promissory note and an account stated, and the pleas were a denial of the making of the note, of due notice having been given, and of the account stated, but the material plea was the statute of limitations. The verdict was entered for the plaintiff for 2421. lls.—Rule granted. POLICE INTE).,LIGENCE. MARLBOROUGH-S7REE7'. Samuel Johnson was placed at the bar for assaulting Mr. H. Hunt, landlird of the Duke's Head, No. 10, Little Pill , teney-street, Soho, and threatening to take his life. Mr. BINGIIAM fined him 55., and held him to bail in one surety to keep the peace to all her Majesty's subjects for three months. John Dixon, a man of colour, and John Randall, two stout well-fed fe.lows, were charged, with being found begging is the public streets. It appeared that on the preceding evening, about five o'clock, as police-sergeant Newman, E 9, was proceeding along Oxtord-street, lie observed the two prisoners lying on the pavement, on which they had chalked the words, " We are destitute and etarving," he watched them for a few minutes, and saw them receive several pence. He then took them into custody, and conveyed them to the station, where, on being searched, 2s. Bd. was found on Randall, and 2s. 7id. on Dixon. The prisoners, who denied the charge, were committed for one month to the House of Correction, and the money found upon them to go towards their subsistence. Francis Shipp, a gentleman residing at Finchley, Was charged with furiously driving, and knocking down Frances and Elizabeth Pric4 thereby endangering their lives. It appeared, that about twenty minutes past nine ,o'clock, the defendant was driving a phaeton and pair of high-spirited horses, at a furious rate along Leicester -street, and, after coming in collision with a cab which was much damaged, ran against the two females, who were crossing the end of Cranbourne-street. The complainant, Francis Price, re ceived such injuries that she was picked up in an insensible state, and conveyed into the nearest surgeon's, where it was found that her arm was ,fractured, and her leg severely grazed by the wheel. \ The other complainant was also much injured. James Dymes, cabdriver 2,021, proved seeing the de fendant driving at a great rate, and that he ran against his (witness's) cab, the springs of which were broken, and other wise so severely damaged as to be unfit for service. Police-sergeant, C 20, and constable, 53 C, also proved tl.e furious rate at which the defendant was driving, and that he was in liquor at the time. The defendant denied driving at such a rate as had been described, and called his groom as a witness to the same, who endeavoured to prove that the accident was owing to no fault of the defendant, who was a most experienced driver. The horses became restive through running against the cab. He did not think him much the worse for liquor at the time. The defendant said he would make ample compensation fur the damage which ho had caused. Mr. BINGHAM fined him 40s. for furiously driving, 30s. for damage done to the cab, and recommended him to pay 104 each to the females. WORSHIP-STREET. George Lucas, proprietor of a respectable eating-hou-e in Bath-street, City-road, was charged with steali ng a quan tity of mortar from some building now in the course o:erec tion in Shepherdess-walk. Sergeant Raveney, 26 N, stated that he was proceeding on his round, when he obser ve d t h e defendant, whose hands were covered with mortar, carryi ng a b ox of that material, con taining abouth three stone weight. Being satisfied, from its being so early on Sunday morning, that the prisoner had stolen the mortar, he stopped him, and the defendant ac knowledged that he had taken it from a heap of mortar which was lying in one of the branching avenues in Shepherdess-walk. The prisoner expressed his sorrow and contrition for the offence, which he said he should not have committed but for a sudden rupt ure h av i ng t a k en pl ace i n his oven. Mr. BROUGHTON replied that it was not the first individual moving in a respectable sphere of life who bad been brought before him for such petty, paltry thefts. The prisoner, if he pleased, could have gone to several bricklayers in the neigh bourhood, who, for a small recompense, would willingly have lent their aid to him under such circumstances. He (Mr. Broughton), however t did not desire to fi x the stain of felon / upon the prisoner, as it might . have the eff ec t o f ruining hint for the remainder of his lite. The prisoner was discharged but he would perhaps put something in the poor-box before he left the office. The prisoner did so, and was allowed to depart. ALICIA EATH of LAD Y A GORDON.—We have to announce the demise of the above lady, which took place on Saturday morning, at her residence in Hertford-street, May fair. Her ladyship was born in 1788, and was only daughter of the late, and sisttr of the present, Earl of Aberdeen. The deceased lady was for many years Lady of the Bedchamber to her late koyal Highness the Princess Sophia Matilda, MARKET NE WS.-(YESTEI IDAY4 CORN EXCHANGE. During the last week the arrivals of English Wh e at for our market, coastwise, were so mew h a t on the increase , b ut by no means extensive, whil e th ose o f all other articles of Grain of home produce were very s mall. From Ireland and Scotland next to nothing came t o h an d ; but the imports of Foreign Wheat, Barley, and O a t s —th ere being h earty 30, 000 quarters of the latter—were large; thoss of other G rain small. A fair quantity of Fl our was rece ived. Fresh up , a fair supply of Wheat came to hand from Kent, but that fre na Essex and our various other districts was small. On the, whole, therefore, the stands were seasonably well suPP lleu with samples of both Red and White. At the cow' mencement of business the factors demanded extravagan t ' , high prices for all kinds of Wheat of home produce , se, much as 945. having been asked f or E ss ex white; but which' however, the millers were not inclined to give; hence we must consider the trade rather slow than otherwise, at the currencies paid on Monday last, and at which a clearance was with difficulty- effected. There was an in crease in the show of Foreign Wheat, owing to which, at ,d there being scarcely any foreign buyers in the market, the trade vine somewhat dull, yet previous rates were paid in every instance. Only about 100 qrs . c h ange d h an d s for shipmen t. With English Barley we were scantily supplied, but t he quantity of foreign w a s l arge . S e l ec t e d parce/s for malting purposes commanded, in some instances, a trifle more money; but in the value of grinding and distilling warts we have n a f improvement to notice. All kinds o f M a lt,. the supply which was rather limited, moved off slowly, "but prices WI fairly supported. Th ere was a goo d quantil y of Oats °. show, yet the transactions were good. at fully - last Monday currencies. The whole of th e E ng li s h, Sc i t c h, and 1r '5l -amples were sold, but several quantities of f, remaht on hand. Beans, the quantity of which on offer Was „, 6 limited, sold freely at Is to 2s per quarter mot money. • sale for Peas was fi r m, an d w hit e parce l s rose- I s per qnarter En Indian Corn n o sa l es were reporte d . Fl our was firm at last week's figures. CURRENCY ERIAL Wheat—Essex & Kent , PER IMP Malt—Chevalie ß r- • • • • • '"' to —1 Red, New.... 798 to 86s Oats—Yorkshire and 31d pitto,White, New 81s 89s Lincolnsh., Feed. 30 s 34 , Norfolk and Lin-' Potato .• •-•• • • • • 315 coin, Red..... 751 80s Y°ll '°h 255 ill Ditto, White ••• • • • 80s 86s Black. &lal a -1 • C f• r • k • P 28s 3I s Irish, Red..... •• • —s —s Cork, White •• • " " 361 Ditto, White. ..... • —3 —s Scotch, F e ed. •• • • 33s 431 Rye—Old ...... _ New. •••••• • • • • .. 45e 54s Pigeons ... -• ••• • • 50s 345 Harley—Grinding . .... 42s 45s Pease—Grey. ........ bOis 34 Malting . ........ 49s 54s Maple. ........... V: ;70 Chevalier .... ... 54s 56s White. ——•- • • • ',„"; go 1 alt — Suffolk and Nor- B o il ers ...•• • • • • '' 60 ' O folk 71s 75s Flour—Town-m ade • .. 51 Brown... ...• • • Kiugstonand Ware 75s 7Ns St oc kt n & .7 i or folk 50s SMITHFIELD. f Since Monday last, up to Saturday evening, the import s live stock into London was composed o(1:02 Oxen , '— Cows. 1,020 Sheep, and 96 Calves, chiefly fifom Rotterdac! and Harlingen. At the outports, about 100 Sheep, and 35 Calves, have come to hand, in, for the inosi: part, fair average condition. The last-mentioned nrr iv : rf have been dißposed of in the various local markets, a t full prices. To-day there were on sale here about 250 Betii i 200 Sheep, and 40 Calves. from Holland, the -whole of wl e found buyers at enhanced currencies. Notwithstanding t supply of home-fed Beasts on offer here this morning : o r seasonably good, and of excellent quality, and the wea somewhat unfavourable to slaughtering, the beef trade, Beasts, 22n_ ing from the large attendance of both town and coup lf t buyers, was bri,k, at an ad vance i n t h e curren cies obta in e ; on this day se'nnight, of quite 4d. per Blbs.. The Pri n g l oo d Scots freely produced 4s. 6d. per Blbs., and at: which a gild clearance was effected. From Norfolk, Suffolk, EsseXt hi ., - do, Cambridgeshire, we received about 1,200 Sco.ta, li crne-; te, and Short-horns ; from the Western and Midland distrie 800 Herefords, Runts, Devoc s , & c. ; f rom of her 1 31 , 1 , 145 2 ;0 England, :50 of various bre e d s ; an d f rom ; Scotlacu.„' bars and polled Scots. For th e ti me o f year the c c i" All of Sheep were small, though of fall average qUalitY• dy breeds, especially the primest old Downs, commeinded V il n a sale, at an improvement on l as t wee k' s pr i ces of fulli 81bs. Downs in the wool sold at 5 s Bd, th o se out of the rt.,. 5a per 81bs. Previous to the clo se o f th e ma rket nearly , the whole of the supply was cleared off. In Lamba - the basilic" passing was trifling, yet previous rates were :mostly reo; ported. The Veal trade was firm at an improven3eo' value of from 2d to 4d per Sibs. Pigs were in mode rate su P P and steady demand at very full prices. Per Sibs. to sink the offal. s. d. to I. d , nferior Beasts-- 3 0 3 4 -*gond quality ••. 3 6 3 8 ['eine large Oxen.. 310 4 2 Prime Scots •• .. 4 4 4 6 Large coarse Calves 4 2 4 8 Prime small ditto .. 4 10 5 4 ~ uckling Calves —lB 0 29 0 Inferior Shee •• •3 10 4 2 0. Al, WO A 8 Second quality ditto 4 4 C oars e-woolled ditto 4 10 D Southdown NVet)ler 6 9 11 Ditto out of the ' , col Large Hogg 3 8 ; 0 Small Porkers • • 4 6 Quarter old Pigs 0 "36 4 Lambs .. • • 3 4 Reasts. 3,369 rgs• I 41$ SUPPLY AT MARKET. I Sheep. I Calves. 19,040 1 140 BOROUGH HOP smastimr. There is much less business passing in our me,rket t han usually the case at this period of the year; yet. last week s prices are generally supported. BOROUGH AIVD SPIT.B.ZWZIEIGHtS. The supplies of Potatoes on sale here were very' swap, while the trade ruled firm. ATEIVITGAILMI AND LEADEN Aran. Since Monday last the arrivals of country-killed Meat have been on a very moderate scale, viz., about 100 carcases of Beef ; 300 ditto of Mutton ; 350 ditto of Lamb; 140 ditto of Veal ; and 360 dito of Pork. The supplies slaughtered in aov f e b a u p si p n e c a s r s ed ha o s n b s e a e l n e d a o b i o n u g t a 3 t o a o bo c u a t r s c t as at es io.naryy_ rices ,... t h e m etropolis have been tol e rably good , yet a full averlige aTßmeheeofru,enMbt u tton, and Veal in good conditi on . of torwa-- At per atone by the Carcase. Al• 6 ' t". •- 3 3. d. to 9. d. 3 10 Beef, Inferior...". 10 0 Mutton, Inferior 4 s o 4 2 -- middling •• • • 3 2 0 3 3 2 middling.- 4 4 4 -- prime large •• 3 4 3 6 pr i me •• •- A 4 6 - prime small .• 3 6 3 8 Pork, large ••• • • • - 5 0 Veal. •••••• • • • • • 4 0 5 0I - small .. •..... 4 8 Lamb. 6a 4d to 6a 4d 00. Very moderate import s W of W o ol have taken place in the port of London durin g th e past wee k . Privately, the amount of business doing is trifling, yet prices are generally sup' ported. TALLOW. There is a very inactive demand for all kinds of Tallow , and the quotations are still tending downwards. Town Tallow is heavy, at 48s 6d. nett cash; Rough Fat , 95 aid p er 8 lbs. ties T i h m e o K se i d ng on of Hanov er m h ea a t s , corn, as pressing heavily on the labouring classetnet are to be replaced by new taxes, the nature of which is yet stated. NNAig' CONFLAGRATION OF BRANDESTON HA LL, j h and flonboltishchegrdinthdeinig delloy:f ture, the seat of Mr. Austin, Q C., situate on prt._' WooDBRIDGE.—Th's fine specimen of Elizabethan ararcloneoeeca hai near the road side between Cretin ham and Frei:lllg Suffolk, fell a sacrifice to a fearful conflagration on th ea rT ei ing of Thursday last. It was built about three a _ 1 7 1 0 ( since, and was very capacious, having a noble fro a te a of upwards of 150 feet, with picturesque gardens cha Up to within a few years the mansion was ten: eu_ l 7, family of its founder, from whom Mr. Austin p c e 3 7 1 :r o u g sin estate, and it was at the time of the accident " uiries ineti. elaborate restoration and alterations. Prom ii_ re of the contractor, who had the management of the wo eau . tuted, it appears the hall was placed under the r _ w ith assistant he workmen slept on the building. About twelve o'clock on the morning named, a boy , e n ass 0 , , he the contractor, discovered smoke issuing from one of sitting rooms over the library in the east wing. It had been used by the contractor since he had t h . ad the care the the building, and was the only apartment in whic h had been a fire for several days prevn . ms. awoke Mr. Sillett, the principal, who be-. mediately came so alarmed that, instead of ascertaining the nature a g arter after and extent of the fire, he leaped out of the window', and stui• tamed sore severe injuries by the fall. Two or three work men, who slept in so me attics in a distant part of the house , h a st e ned to the apartment , and endeavoured to extinguish the flames, which were issuing from the floor in fraat ot the hearth ; but owing to the dryness ot the wood, t h e fire 4pread with such rapidity that their efforts were tut.ansuccess savingTthhee e edifice elaborately iflce w as carved l o s t. Mounted ceilinged expresses of th e w er library e iow had caught, and it se ems f rom t h at moment all hope 0 ' diately dispatched to Framlingham and to Ipswich for en' 4ines and assistance. Crowds of persons from the villages around flocked to the scene, and on the arrival of the en' pries exerted every nerve to master the raging el anent, „_ lOl in vain. Th e i n t er i or of the noble structure wa s one bow of flame. About half-past two the roof and gable-end of the north front fell in with a fearful crash, and in the space" three hours from th e di scovery o f the fire Brandestou He was a total ruin, on ly th e sout h wa ll rema i n i ng . The loss cannot accurately be learned. It, however, is very cotter derable—it is said about 20,000/. The mansion was n° l ' to , urea.— Observer. BRITISH AND FOREIGN INSTITUTE. --The Seve nth soirée of the season was given at th e e l ega nt rooms of alwll; stitute on Friday evening last, and c onsiderable i nterest iin the s excited by the presence of a party ofHungariall 0. v° picturesque national costume, who have just arrived i o n . this_ country, after a brilliant career in Paris, and who are t_ the honour, it is said, of performing before her Majesty eD, the Palace this evening. They possess the peculiar talent. 0 _L imitating by the voice different wind instrument!, so th at person hearing and not seeing them would imagine the sounds_ to proceed from a select military band. The oboe, clerical horn, and trumpet, were are all admirably imitated; their performances, which were loudly encored, were recei'M d with the most enthusiastic applause. Gardoni, Miss Ite,"' steilgdo,orMhoinasr.rasL.a3viigr.nlev, hlkitlwr.oOrthhe,rsthiguor,orllclandsaernti,oi tort', Miss Salmon, Mr. Dorrell, Mr. Hancock, Mr. Mullis/7 and others contributed a variety of vocal and instruill„, ‘ „, & s ht pieces. After the concert the proceedings of the eves were wound up by a vivid and glowing description of the te resting region of the Decapol is and theAuranites,Reetee fi c° l flies beyond the Jordan, in Palestine, delivered by Mr,•„„.' st- r ° ingham, the resident director, which afforded great pl ed 6 to the numerous and brilliant assembly. fliser.ileßeSnto°eetairt, BIRTHS. rAu lger J. On the 19th inst., at Ealing, Middl esex , M rs . G. •- of a son. On the 20th inst., at Muswell-hill, M rs . Joseph Oldhair jun., of a daughter. of Captain On the 21st inst., at Gillingham, Kent, the K. St. George Ord, of the Royal En g i neer s, of a I° . Shahs' iiri On the 22d inst., in South Lambeth, Mrs. "'"r: peare, of a son. . 0 Kerr. On the 23d inst., at Richmond, the LadrFrede of a daughter. Whiting* On the 23d inst., at Norland-square, Mrs. George of a son. On the 23d inst., in Queen-street, Cheapside, Mrs. Charl es Attwaters, of a daughter. MARRIED. On the 21st inst. at Brasted Church, Kent, th e Rev. t Webb, to Maria Elplinstone, daughter of the R ev. Dr. Mil On the 24th inst., in Hertford-street, DIED. • Gordon. On the 7th inst., at Castle-hill House, Readinr, Thorns, Jesse, Esq., aged 85. Isle of Man , the Lord On the 21st inst., at Bishopscourt, Bishop of Sodor and Man, aged 50. May -fair, Lady On the 22d inst., at Clifton, Miss Honora Spiller, daughter of Major Spiller, of ttie Artillery. f on On the 22d inst., at Vauxhall, John Fitzgerald, only of Dr. Charlton, Royal Navy. On the 22d inst., Mr. Heary Choveaux, of Melcon3ber place, Dorset-square. On the 23d inst., Ann, the wife of Lewi s Gomperta, Esc., of Kennington-oval, Surrey. On the 23d inst., George, son of Mr. Richard Wets% of Cld Chapel-row, Kentish-town, aged 15. Oa the 22d inst., at Markham - place, Chelse a, Ur. Samuel John Grell3t, aged 33. London: Printed and Published by 311/11.D0 YOUNG, of NO. 11 2 Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office No. 112, Strand. In the sp of the Savoy, in the COW,' Mlddleabz, Tueedarr Argo "" 1847. ( eani, 'rb 1.44 k, tt N 11090 Coi Toi of not Wl] tr St( aud ina