The Sun. — London, England, 1853-03-01 00:00:00

L member that that opinion of the judges had been delivered not on what were the abstract rights of that property, with regiird 'to - which they were.to 'legislate,' but what were , the particular powers of the colonial Parliament under the ex isting legislature. By their recent dealings with that pro perty they had put the colonial Parliament in the same po sition in which the Imperial Parliament then stood. There was one argument, however, which !t eemed to him a cont elusive oiae upon that. In 1840 both houses of Parlia.men e had asseted to a course of legislation, which, uponh principle of the noble earl opposite, must have , been ha the spolia tion and sacrilege. It had been said that so property in question been made the p rop etTenof pledh of England that it was not co mp e te nt If for the Govern ofment of this country now to deal with it. eathoeli appro priation of 1,3691. per annum to the Roman Catholi cs 1840, 03 was an act the most sacrilegious. The measure e nt drawn from opinion, effectually disposed of the am the legislation of 1791. But the n oble earl e had further argued, that having disposed of the clergy reserves of Ca nada by that measure of 1840, and having guaranteed that propertyto certain parties, this countrywas precluded from further interference in connection with it. He (the Bishop of Oxford) fay a dmitted that strong language had been used in support of the finality of the measure of 1840. But what measure had ever passed which sanguine men had not pronounced final with respect to the subject which it af fected ? It was only a few years ago that they had had finality preached in that house, as a reason why they should agree to the Reform Bill, which was now looked upon as anything but a final settlement. Human legislation should be a widely different matter from what it really is, before legislators could hope to make it conclusive in its effects, or to render its change impossible and unjust. He was ready to grant that there might be some risk in leaving to any set of men the power of dealing with a question so important; but there was one thing dearer to him than any result could be terrible, and that was to do justice. On dealing with that, as with all other subjects, he would say — " Fiat justitia, mat culum." He was desirous to see the colo nists possess a direct control over matters in which they were so deeply concerned. Let that power be given to them in the manner in which they would be least likely to to abuse it ; but let them not withhold, through their ap prehensions, a privilege which the colonists had already a right to enjoy. He had the strongest hopes that if the people of Canada were generously dealt with, their lord ships would have no confiscation in the case of the clergy! reserves to deplore. The way to prevent the colony dealing foolishly with this property was for the home government to deal generously with the colony. By telling the colonists that they would not give the property over to them because they would secularise it, was the very way to lead them to think about secularising it. The question had been consi dered. by the Wesleyan body in Canada more suo, and they had come to the conclusion that it was not a national, but a provincial question, and without fettering themselves by any resolution as to what should be done with the property if they got it, they were unanimous in asking for power to deal with it, because they considered that as their right. They could never hope for the Church to flourish in the colony so long as she was held forth to the colonists as a Church which was to be supported against their will, and in certain exclusive privileges, byamajority in Parliament. He said, and he said it solemnly, that he believed that the Colonial Church had a great work to do in this world. He believed that with the strength of our nation, with its language, its institutions, and its people, she had a charg e from God of carrying the purest form of His reveale Word throughout the whole world. He believed that as a member of that Church it was essential that he should do all in his power to free her from every fetter that impeded her spiritual work and disabled her for her high emprise. He believed from experience that to represent that Church to the colonists as an endowed section of the Church in the mother country was the surest way of depriving her of her strength. The history of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States demonstrated to every candid mind that nothing could be so unfavourable to the Church in the colony as any such treatment of her by the Government at home. So long as the Church in the United States was dependent on this country—so long as it maintained the tobacco tithe in Virginia, and its other rights and privileges —so long was it spiritually weak, distrusted by the nation, and timid and feeble in itself ; and he believed that it only regaireed its full vitality when set free. He saw no reason tg doubt—if the minds of the people were not too much alienated by the hostile legislation of this country—that the colonists of Canada would follow the wise example of the United States ; and having received power to deal with the question, would do so righteously and wisely. The Bishop of EXETER wished to say one word with reference to what his right reverend brother had said with respect to himself. His right reverend brother had said that which was not only not true, but which was quite contrary to the truth. So far was he (the Bishop of Exe ter) from having supported the measure of 1840, he had done his utmost to oppose it. In committee he had moved the insertion of the word Protestant in one of the clauses in order to exclude those sects who had no right to the pro perty. He divided the house on that occasion, and was beaten, but he did his utmost to defeat the measure, as he considered it a breach of faith as regarded the Church. His right reverend brother had stated that he had surren dered to the colony all that had belonged to their domestic legislation. But that there had been a reservation with regard to some matters was clearly shown by the colonists asking the Imperial Parliament for the power to deal with the reserves in question. It was because the colonists had not the right that the Imperial Parliament were now asked to surrender it. The Legislature of Canada had already swept away a college which had been endowed with grants of waste land by this country. The right rev. prelate was proceeding in his remarks, but sat down upon Lord REDESDALE rising, and expressing his opinion that, contrary to the rules of debate, the right rev. prelate, while explaining, was entering upon new matter. The Bishop of OXFORD wished also to explain. He alluded to one or two words in the speech of his right rev. brother, which though not likely to lead to a hostile meet ing, yet required some notice from him. (A. laugh.) His right rev. brother had said that what he (the Bishop of Oxford) had stated. was not only not true, but contrary to the truth. Now, with all humility and meekness of spirit (a laugh), he must say that what he had said was not alto gether incorrect, for though his right rev. brother had taken one division on the measure of 1840 with reference to the insertion of the word Protestant, he had assented to all the other stages of the bill, and had allowed it to pass without (as we understood) even a protest. The Bishop of LONDON said that he should reserve what he had to say with respect to the impolitic and danger ous proposals on the subject of the clergy reserves in Canada until the measure was before them. His right rev. brother of Exeter had entered fully into the question, and so had his right rev. brother of Oxford. With respect to one of the ooservations of his right rev. brother of Oxford, on the subject of finality, he must say that in his opinion that if there ever was a question in which finality ought to be observed it was the question before them. The property in question had never been given to the Legislature of Canada, and they had no right ta deal with it. This question, therefore, was not one of those matters whiCh pertained to colonial legislation. If Canada were to be come independent of this country their Legislature might then deal with it ; but so long as Canada was a colony of this country, so long was the Legislature of Canada bound by the conditions of a British colony. One of those condi tions was the maintenance of the clergy reserves as a means of supporting the Protestant Church in the colony. His right rev. brother had spoken of secularisation as if it were a mere shadow and had said that the Legislature would, no doubt, make s ufficient provision for religious instruction. But what confidence could be placed in a Legislature which had acted as in the instance pointed out by his right rev. brother of Exeter ? He would as soon trust a lamb to a wolf as hand over the clergy reserves to the Canadian Legis lature. He could not agree in many of the remarks which had fallen from his right rev. brother of Oxford. It never seemed to have struck him that the terms which he had ap plied to the Church in Canada might be applied by others to the Church much nearer home. He for one could never consent to alienate property which had been set apart for the diffusion of Christianity among Protestants in the colony. Every year vast numbers of emigrants were going to that colony ; and what provision, he should like to know, had the British Government made for their religious in struction ? Other countries did not act in that way ? France never sent out a body of colonists without providing them with spiritual instruction. In Canada, the Church of late years had been making great strides. If the whole of the reserves in question were divided among the clergy of the 550 parishes in the colony, each clergyman would net have more .than 71/. per annum ; and yet they were about to take from them the means which had been pro vided. for the support of the Gospel in the colony. He could not consent to db so, and should vote against any measure having such an object in view. The Duke of NEWCASTLE said he had so recently aldressed,their lordships on the subject, and should so soon have again to address them, that he would only say one or two words. It was unnecessary for him to enter at any length on the question after the able speech of the right rev. prelate near him (the Bishop of Oxford). With re ference to a remark of the right rev. prelate who spoke last, who had maintained that one of the conditions imposed on the colonial legislature was the maintenance of the clergy reserves, he must say that, on looking through the whole history of this question from 1775 down to the present time, he could find no such condition. In referring to the act of 1840, the noble earl opposite had confounded it with the Canada Union Act of 1840 ; and the right hon. gentleman who had preceded him in his present office had stated that there was such a condition in that act, with I.hs view of preventing the Protestant Church in Canada being,. overthrown by the Roman Catholics. The Act of il u o niou preceded the Clergy Reserves Act, but he could find i th r _,Vondition in it. The right rev. prelate opposite t he 'a'i bop of London) had stated that he had no faith in a latoadaian legislature, and that he would as soon trust Her b g , right rev. ettecTolf as the clergy reserves to that legislature. preia that such strong terms had been used by the deavour to prelat fulfitlebecause they might induce them to en right rev. his prophecy. He knew not on what the very momen the e,..,grounded his apprehensions. At this able sums for th e ,-s e n st ad ab i li an sh l m eg e i n sl t at o ure f a w ch ere or v e o h tin of g cEonozsildeeerd college, and to the ileeyytithin the province for educa tional purposes. believed the question to be one ex clusively colonial in its c h aract e r, place in its legislature near him -said that ha, woad. The right rev. prelate see the colony inde pendent than with these reserves, the power of dealing The Bishop of LOND wasON said that w h at ho had stated with the reserves. was that if Canada independ en t then it might deal the cheered The Duke of NEWCASTLE accepted the r iehtrev. pre late's correction. The noble earl opposite had - right rev, prelate's remark , and that noble earl dis tinctly stated that he would sooner see the Canadi an _ vernment independent of England than see the right of the Imperial Parliament abandoned. The Earl of DERBY said that he had stated that if Ca nada were independent then it would have the right to dual with this property, and that he would rather see th e colony independent and possessing such a right than he. a minister nominally possessing the power of controlling the colonial legislature' and yet compelled to yield te it that to which it had not the right. The Duke of NEWCASTLE thought that that was much the same thine , as that which he had asserted. On that occasion he should not say more, but should reserve any further remark till the measure was before them. The Bail in Error Bill was read a second time. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.) SUPPLY. The house then went into a committee of supply. 4VA - -- 4 Ur. 3 MNSELL, whom it was utterly impossible to rt:t; ,, , , .N,rose to submit the Ordnance estimates for the en , •e' l 'W.S -45 ii:- He was quite sure that though the estimates \P:Pf lQ U'lak 4 ..i ) ,, • ,/-,• . ai l i nm , .... •. Ti e laid on the table of the house exhibited „... ,;;;?,• 7 . t i e ., e 4 t s_.., rim those of last year, he could show to the ......:;„,,,,,.,•a?i t tion of honourable members that the addi ' ceetaug, rilheril,reh Was quite unavoidable. Before pro il in alm 4 o B4 st , se : ite 4 . t n r o e w . li eati?n of the committee which sat e m u e i n u a st ?all attention to the fact, that Al . 'iz: bee arried into effect, even to the cora- THE SUN, )NDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 1, 1853 the Government thought it their o o take a deliberate and comprelkenaive view of the who. subject, to make the best provisions in their power, and to press it forward with vigour, in order to place it on the best footing it wax sus ceptible of, with reference to the interests of the Scottish counties, and indeed the country at large. They were con sidering, in fact, what improvements could be introduced in the manner in which the Ordna survey had been hitherto carried on. Captain SCOBELL said, no man was more deserving of the gratitude of the country from his watchfulness in that house over the public money than his hon. friend, Mr. Hume. The committee should remember that these esti mates were increased in the present year by a sum of from 400,0001. to 500,000/. ; and that it was due to those who had to supply the money that the fullest explanation should be furnished upon the subject by . the Government. He (Captain Scobell) approved of the increase of 5,000 men in the navy when it was proposed last year, regarding that branch of the public service as the natural and proper defence of the country. On the same occasion, however, he objected to the increase in the number of the artillery. Among the items in the estimates he observed one for "levy money on 1,210 recruits, 8,4441.," being at the rate, of 71. a man ; and in the next line, " travelling, marching money, cost of conveyance; and other expenses," for the re cruits, 3,3551., or about 21. 15s. a man. So that in bounty money and marching expenses every recruit cost 91. 15s.— a sum far exceeding what he had ever heard of in any other branch of the military service. Either this amount was too high, or the bounty paid to recruits for regiments of the line too low. Admiral WALCOTT said that at this moment, in the fortresses of Gibraltar and Malta, where he believed they had not a greater number of guns than wore necessary, not more than one artilleryman would be found to a gun, and he understood that the same was the case in many other of our colonies. He was perfectly convinced there was no military force in this country which ought to be kept in a more efficient state than the artillery. The principal ques tion with him was, how we could best prevent the occur rence of an invasion at all ; and he thought that any sum of money which this house could vote that would effect that object, would be a cheap sacrifice in the end. (Hear, hear.) Of the corps of artillery he had been an admirer from his earliest years. Year after year he had watched its increasing efficiency with the deepest and intensest in terest. He was satisfied it was a most important branch of our military defences; and there was no assistance which this house could grant still further to augment its value that he would not gladly concur in. Upon the whole he was disposed to give the present Government credit for a determination to lay out the money which might be voted for the promotion of the best interests of the country ; and until he saw that they took any other course he was will ing to repose faith in them. Mr. MONSELL, in reply to the observations of Captain Scobell, said that the same sum was paid as bounty and travelling expenses for recruits in the artillery as had been paid in the case of recruits for the regiments of the line. Mr. HUME agreed that the corps of artillery was a most important arm of our military service ; but he begged to remind the hon. and gallant member (Admiral Walcott) that in the time of Pitt 4,846 men was the whole number of the artillery establishment of Great Britain. And after the war, from 1815 to 1828, the number of men did not exceed 8,000. In his opinion the artillery had been in creased most immoderately since that period. Mr. LOCKHART, in reference to the ordnance survey of Scotland, expressed a hope that the question of the cost of survey for towns would be reconsidered. In a sanitary point of view he deemed it of much importance. The vote was then agreed to, as was also the next of 807,5071. to defray the expense of pay, allowances, and contingencies of the Ordnance military corps. On the vote of 373,2171., for defraying the expenses of commissariat and barrack supplies, great coats for the army, and clothing for the militia, &c., being proposed, Colonel LINDSAY drew attention to the present system of lighting barracks, which he considered a most objection able one. The practice was for a certain number of candles to be issued to the men, who then got a couple of candle sticks, with sometimes the addition of a ginger-beer bottle, to burn them in. He should be glad to know if it was the intention of the Board of Ordnance to carry out the system of lighting barracks with gas ? The existing mode of letting canteens, too, was not a good one. They were now let by tender, the highest bidder being usually accepted. The result was that the canteen-keepers screwed the soldiers to the greatest possible extent, and occasionally, as was the case not many days ago at Portsmouth, resorted to the use of false weights and measures. He thought a better system, and one more conducive to the comforts of the soldier, might be adopted ; and he trusted the atten tion of the board would be directed to the subject. Mr. MONSELL—The Ordnance Department had under their consideration the question of introducing gas into barracks ; it appeared, however, that in many cases its use was more expensive than candles. With regard to the second point referred to by the hon. and gallant member, he could assure him that inquiries were always instituted into the characters of the persons whose tenders for barrack-canteens were accepted. Mr. HUME said that Government ought not to make a profit of one farthing out of a canteen ; and that coffee shops in barracks were on every account to be preferred to spirit shops. He should like to know how much was de rived from the various canteens of the Government ? Mr. MONSELL.-27,0001. 0 Mr. HUME repeated his condemnation of the system of raising money from such a source; and The vote was agreed to. 73,9691. for the Ordnance-office. 291,6571. for the establishments at home and abroad. 141,437/. for wages at home and abroad. Lord MONCK said it was unfair that the Government property in the borough he represented should not be taxed for local purposes in the same manner as the other property. The accumulation of large masses of men, army and navy, on any point, always produced an increase of pauperism ; this made it all the heavier upon other pro perty subjected to local rates. The Government property in Portsmouth was rated under the local improvement act for the borough, and ho (Lord Monck) did not see why it should not also be rated for the poor, and other local ob jects. Mr. MONSELL said the subject was one of too great importance to be discussed incidentally in committee. The Government had, however, shown its willingness to meet the requirements of the case by submitting to the local act. Captain SCOBELL thought the present was not a time for change. The votes were agreed to. 371,6971. for ordnance stores for land and sea service. Colonel LINDSAY complained of the defective con struction of the small arms of the service. It was an old story in the army that stores served out by the Ordnance were not very efficient. Mr. MONSELL said, the Ordnance had always rectified any defects in the arms of the service when they were pointed out to them, and they would continue to do so. Colonel NORTH suggested that a greater quantity of practice ammunition should be allowed for the troops. Mr. MONSELL said the subject would be considered by the Government. After a conversation, in which Mr. Henley, Mr. Monsell, Colonel Sibthorp, General Anson, and Mr. Hume took part, the vote was agreed to. 695,6551. for works and repairs at home and abroad. Mr. M. GIBSON adverted to the sum allotted for the defence of Alderney Harbour, complained of its amount, and asked for explanation. Only 5,0001. was named for the defence of London, whereas 1601. was demanded for this out-of-the-way place. Mr. MONSELL said, the harbour of Alderney was a harbour of refuge ' • and it was exceedingly desirable, there• fore, to protect it in the event of any war. It was the belief of the most eminent engineer officers of this country that at a comparatively small expense the Island of Alder ney could be made one of the strongest defensible positions in the Channel. Mr. M. GIBSON did not consider the explanation satis factory, and the general opinion was that the expense of fortifying Alderney was undertaken without due consider ation. Mr. HUME would be glad to see a report of the en gineer officers who had recommended the fortification of Alderney. Sir F. BARING said, officers were sent to the islands to ascertain the weak and the strong points, and they had made reports to the Government. It was not, however, deemed necessary to publish these reports. Mr. HEALEY inquired if the hon. Clerk of the Ord nance could state whether any arrangements were in con templation as to the establishment of baths and other con veniences for the soldiers, which the country had a right to expect should be afforded, considering the great sums expended in the - erection of barracks? (Hear, hear.) The right hon. gentleman alluded also to the accommodation of married soldiers. Mr. MONSELL said the complaints as to the accommo dation of the soldiers applied rather to the old barracks than the new ones, in which great improvements had been effected. Colonel LINDSAY admitted that there had been con siderable improvements in these respects ; but soldiers were entitled to a greater amount of accommodation than was afforded to them. At present they only had sleeping rooms, and when these were cleaned out, they had, of course, to resort to public-houses. Surely, if possible, this should be altered, and there ought to be a day-room as well as a night-room. Captain BOLDERO said, large sums had been certainly expended in barrack improvements. Building barracks was exceedingly expensive, and cost at least 1001. a man. In deed, the barracks at Woolwich had cost 140/. a man. Mr. HENLEY observed that if this were so, and if, as he believed, 2,000,0001., had been expended in this way during the last ten years, the soldiers should have greater accommodation. (Hear, hear.) Captain SCOBELL observed the enormous estimate of 225,0001. for improvementsin the fortifications of Gibraltar, which had always been deemed impregnable. (Hear.) Mr. FRE WEN inquired as to the martello towers on the eastern coast, which were in a most disgraceful state. (Hear, and a laugh). Mr. MONSELL said, directions had been given to put them in an efficient state. In answer to a question, Sir J. GRAHAM said there was already a breakwater to a considerable extent at Alderney, and the question was at present pending whether it should be extended further. The vote was agreed to. The next vote was 127,2131. for scientific surveys, upon which Mr. HUME observed on an increase to which he called the attention of the First Lord of the Admiralty, for this reason, that the naval surveys had been stopped, although the access to so many of our ports was not safe. (Hear.) He was disposed to concur in any expenditure necessary to carry on and complete our naval surveys. Sir J. GRAHAM declined to discuss this question, on which ho had often expressed his opinion. He had no in tention to stop the surveys, but was determined to diminish the cost of the work to be done. Sir W. JOLLIFFE asked on what scale the Scotch sur vey was to be completed ? The Ordnance committee had recommended that 25,0001. a year for ten years should bo applied to complete the survey on a certain scale, from which the present estimate of 35,0001. appeared to be part. The sheets of the survey would not correspond if upon different scales. The survey of certain important mining districts in Scotland or England would create such a demand for the maps as to go far towards paying the expense. Mr. MONSELL said the whole question was under con sideration. Colonel ANSON said a committee, composed principally of Scotchmen, decided that the scale should be one inch, and that the survey should be completed in ten years at 25,0001. a year. He himself, however, was in favour of a six-inch scale. The vote was agreed to. The next vote was 171,2151. for non-effective service. Agreed to. Mr. HUME called attention to the enormous sums of money wasted in salutes. (Laughter.) The firing of these salutes was only a nuisance to the neighbourhood, and the money so wasted would go towards scientific purposes, 9 4$ the completion of surveys. (Hear.) Mr. MONSELL agreed as to the necessity for reduction in this respect. Mr. HUME suggested the discontinuance of salutes of bishops. (Laughter.) The Chairman now reported progress, and the house e nulled. TENANT-RIGHT COMMITTEE. On the order of the day for nominating the committee on the Tenant-right Bills, Mr. DRUMMOND wanted to know what course the Government intended to pursue upon this subject? The first of these bills had been introduced by the late Attor- ney-General for Ireland (Mr. Napier), not as Attorney- General, but as a private member. Now several members were received on the committee who did not agree with the principle of the bill which was agreed to on the second. reading. There was every prospect, therefore, of the com mittee being shut up all the summer, and he objected to such a specimen of intramural interment, (A laugh.) He was anxious to know what course the right hon. baronet intended to pursue. Mr. CAYLEY rose, but was met with cries of " order." The hon. gentleman said he rose to complain of the compo sitipn of the committee. The SPEAKER said that the committee was formed. Mr. CAYLEY asked if it would be in order for him to add a name to the committee ? Mr. HUME thought it would be necessary to give notice of such an intention. Sir J. YOUNG was quite ready to answer the question of the hon. member for East Surrey (Mr. Drummond) al though he did not think it ought to have been addressed to the present Government. The hon. member would recol lect, that before Christmas the hon. and learned member for Kilkenny (Mr. Sergeant Shee) brought forward a bill for the acceptance of the house, and that the hon. and learned member for Dublin University (Mr. Napier) also introduced bills, in the preparation of which a great amount of labour and ability had been extended. Those bills had been read a second time, and referred to a select committee. It was the duty of the present Government to carry into effect the order of the house in this respect, and they ac cordingly moved the appointment of the committee. But he (Sir J. Young) did not in the least degree hold himself responsible for the bills of the hon. and learned member for the University of Dublin, or for the bill of Mr. Sergeant Shoe. Undoubtedly the present Government and himself (Sir J. Young) had acted with the sanction of her Majesty's advisers, and he had no doubt that when they got into com mittee, the noble lord would state what course would be pur sued. In his (Sir J. Young's) opinion, the committee repre sented all parts of the house ; and he believed that if they pursued their investigation earnestly and dispassionately, great benefit to Ireland would be the result ; as it was ad mitted on all hands that some settlement of this question should be arrived at, or if some settlement was not arrived at, the statesmen of this country should give some reasons why. For himself, he would say that he should go into the committee with an earnest desire to discuss the ques tion with a view to a. settlement. Let them look at this question in a proper way c let them remember that it was one which had disorganised the public mind of Ireland for years past—that it was a question from which it was con tended most of the grievances of that country had their rise. It would be the duty of the committee to apply themselves to the subject, and endeavour, if possible, to bring the question to some sort of amicable settlement. Mr. LUCAS did not know whether the right hon. gen- tleman rightly understood the question of the hon. Mem ber (Mr. Drummond) ; but it did not appear that he had received a very. precise answer: The question which the hon. member for East Surrey intended to put was, whether the Government acceeded to the principle of the bills, or whether the community were to consider what the princi ple should ultimately be. The principle of the bills of the hon. and learned member for Dublin, and of that of the hon. and learned member for Kilkeiny, were precisely the same. There was a great deal of difference, he believed, ' between the practical arrangements of the two bills, but the principal of each was identical. What the hon. mem ber for East Surrey wished to know was, whether the com mittee were to determine whether the principle of those bills was to be adopted, or how that principle should be carried out. Therefore, he (Mr. Lucas) thought the house should be informed of the intentions of the Government in this respect, whether the committee were to commence de novo, or whether they were to consider that the princi ple was agreed upon. Lord PALMERSTON—The question of the hon. mem ber is plain enough. Certain bills were brought into this house before the adjournment. The house at that time determined that all the bills should be referred to a select committee. A change of Government occurred, and it became the duty of her Majesty's present Government to name the committee which the house had previously de termined to appoint. If the hon, member asks under what conditions the Government will go into the committee, my Answer is, that we shall go into it perfectly unfettered. Mr. MACARTNEY held the right hon. gentleman (Sir J. Young) responsible for the appointment of this com mittee. It would only have been consulting precedent if the late Government had nominated it. (Order.) The SPEAKER informed the hon. member that the house had already determined on the committee. The question now was, whether five members should form a quorum ? The committee was then agreed to, the remaining names being Lord Naas, Mr. Lucas, Sir Robert Ferguson, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Henry Herbert, Mrßoche, Mr. John Fitzgerald, Mr. Fagan, Mr. Robert Phillimore, Mr. Sadleir, Viscount Monck, Mr. Walpole, Colonel Greville, Mr. Napier, Mr. Duffy, Mr. Davison, Mr. Bright, Mr. Drummond, Mr. Mackenzie, Mr. Dunlop, Mr. Vernon, Mr. Boverie, Pollard Urquhart, Mr. Fortescue, Lord Claud Hamilt on , Mr. Whiteside, and Mr. Grogan. The report on supply was then brought up. On the vote for Kilmainham Hospital being read, Mr. VANCE moved the postponement of the vote. R e said that his constituents inpublin felt very strongly up on the subject of the abolition of this hospital. It was one of the few remaining institutions of Ireland ; and the hon. member quoted from a speech delivered by the late Chan cellor of the Exchequer in support of its retention. A few years ago it was the fashion to think of nothing but centrali sation, but a new light had broken in upon the Irish people, who recognised the necessity of preserving and fostering their local institutions. He moved, therefore, the post ponement of the vote until the Government gave a pledge of their willingness to place Bilmainham Hospital on the same footing, with respect to the reception of pensioners, as Chelsea Hospital. Mr. F. FRENCH, in seconding the motion, said that this was not the first time this subject had given rise to debates in the House of Commons. In 1834, the house came to the determination that the hospital should not be abolished, and Sir H. Vivian had declared that Kilmain ham was not only beneficial to the country, but could not be dispensed with without positive injury. Mr. S. HERBERT said that Lord Panmure had formerly proposed the coisolidation of Kilmainham and Chelsea Hospitals with the view to the abolition of the former. In consequence of the opposition which that proposal met with, it was abandoned, but it was nevertheless determined not to make any fresh appointment. In consulting the views of the pensioners in Kilmaiaham, the committee found that all the inmates were not Irishmen, and that therefore the institution could not he upheld solely on the ground of nationality. Moreover, it was found that a growing desire was springing up on the part of the pen sioners to live with their families, and in this view of the case it would ultimately have to be considered whether either hospital should be maintained. The house having determined that no further appointment should take place to Kilmainham Hospital, he thought it would bo well to pursue the existing system of gradually diminishing the expenses, with a ,view to the ultimate abolition of the in stitution. He strongly recommended the hon. member (Mr. Vane) not to persist in his motion. By doing so,. in stead of augmenting the revenue of the hospital, he might get no vote at all, and the hospital would therefore die of starvation. (A laugh.) Mr. GROGAN would remind the right hon. gentleman, who seemed to take an imperial view of the question, that there was a strong national feeling in Ireland on this subject, Decisions of committees were not always ratified by the house ; and as far as the particular committee to which this question was referred, he believed that only one Irish member (the late member for Clare, he believed) served on it. He trusted that the feelings of the Irish poople would be considered on the subject, and that the last vestiges of their nationality would be left to them. After a few words from Mr. HUME, in support of the recommendation of the committee, The house divided— For the motion 66 Against it 119 Majority against ... •• • --53 SLAVE TRADE (NEW GRANDA AND SOHAR, IN ARABIA) BILL. This bill, as amended, passed through committee. OFFICE OF EXAMINER (COURT OF CHANCERY BILL. The house having gone into committee on this bill, Mr. MULLINGS moved, at the end of clause 2, there be added, " Provided always that nothing herein contained shall extend or apply to any special examiner who may be appointed under the provisions of the said last-recited act ;" which was agreed to. He then moved, in page 3, line 11, to omit the word " such ;" and after " examiner," to insert " of the said court." In moving this amend ment he should observe, that the first act passed to regu late pensions for retiring examiners was the sth of Geo. 111., by which they were entitled to 300/. ; but the Chancery Relief Bill of last session gave a salary of 1,5001. a year, allowing three-fourths of that sum as a retiring pension. He now sought that retiring pension should not be allowed any officer who was in full receipt of salary from any other position. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said retiring pensions would not be given such officers as held other appointments. In the case of Mr. Villiers, when he retired from the office of Examiner in Chancery, and accepted the office of Judge Advocate, he very honourably declined to accept the pen sion attaching to the position of a retired Chancery Exa miner. (Cries of " hear, hear.") " The amendment of the hon. and learned gentleman would, if carried, interfere very much with the action of the statute passed last session, and would introduce the greatest possible confusion. The objects of the act were entirely prospective, whereas the proposed amendment attempted to annex to it the provi sions of a former one, and thereby give it a retrospective character. Mr. HENLEY was very happy to hear from the learned Solicitor-General that it had never been the intention of the hon. and learned member for Wolverhampton to receive his pension and hold an office under Government at the same time. That had been stated in language so unmistakeable as to give great satisfaction to both sides of the house ; for he was sure neither party in that house would wish to see a gentleman permitted to retire upon a very handsome salary, and immediately afterwards accept another office under. Gover nmen t. The only point then which ought to be regarded was , whether ' the question ought to rem a i n determined by th e mere declaration of the hon. memberfor Wolverhampt on —(h e ar, hear)—or, was the house, now that the opportunity for so doing was before them, to make an explicit statement upon the point ? The learned Solicitor eneral said, that whether the act of Parliament allowed of the pension being paid or not, that the lion. gentleman did not intend to demand it. Now, he (Mr. Henley) ventured to opino that, unless some such alteration as that suggested by his learned friend the member for Cirencester were adopted, it would be competent for him to demand his pension. At all events, he thought that the Crown ought to be protected by a distinct provision in the act from any claims which might hereafter be raised by the executors of the hon. and learned gentle man. (Hear.) The SOLICITOR-GENERAL explained that the bill now before them could have nor reference to the hon. member for Wolverhampton, as he was appointed to his office 20 years ago, and he was therefore entirely outside its scope. Mr. MALINS was quite at a loss to know why the learned Solicitor-General opposed the insertion of the pro posed words, as they would only have the effect of relieving the minds of hon. members from an apprehension that it was possible for the learned member for Wolverhampton to be in the receipt at the same time of the emoluments of an existing office and of his retiring pension besides. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL did not believe the matter was at all understood. Hon. gentlemen opposite seemed to be under the impression that some benefit was to accrue to his right hen. friend the member for Wolver hampton under this bill. Now, he would derive none what ever, for by the bill of last session the option was given to the hon. and learned gentleman, as one of the examiners of the Court of Chancery, to withdraw from his office, as its functions were materially altered ; and a provisiori was inserted that h' should be entitled on so doing to a pen sion. Now to that provision no condition whatever had been coupled, that he should be incompetent to hold any other office concurrently. During the present session, however, a new act of Parliament was introduced, which had entirely a prospective scope, and nothing whatever to do with his right hon. friend, who had resigned under a former act. It certainly was not altogether consistent with his (the Attorney General's) notion of justice, thus by ex post facto legislation to interfere with an arrange ment come to during a former session. (No, no, from the Opposition benches.) The house then divided, when there appeared : For the original c1au5e....... For the amendment ... . ..... Majority against the amendment 66 Mr. MULLINGS then moved that in line 12 for "20" , to insert "25" years as the period when the retiring pen sion should become due. Colonel SIBTHQRP must observe on the division which had just taken place. Had he beheld the hon. member for Montrose, the hon. member for Manchester, the hon. member for Salford, those gentlemen who used to be once so load-toned in their demands for retrenchment and eco nomy, divide in favour of such a scheme as this retiring pension ? The whole thing reminded him of the old adage, "Scratch me, and I'll scratch you." (Laughter.) Mr. HUME said that if that proviso ought to be in serted at all it ought to have been inserted in the bill of last year, and not in the one then before the house. Mr. MALINS said he could not help thinking that the whole matter savoured somewhat of a job. He did not be lieve any man had a right to a pension for a small office after he had accepted a higher one ; and that was the posi tion in which the hon. gentleman the member for Wol verhampton at present stood. Mr. COBDEN said that in the course of seven hours and a half they had voted away 15,000,0001. for the army, navy, and ordnance, being at the rate of 2,000,0001. an hour ; and although they had had no discussion upon the votes for that vast sum, a discussion was at present raised on a point that could not involve the saving of one farthing. He understood that the hon. member for Cirencester had no in tention of depriving his right hon. friend the member for Wolverhampton of his right to his pension ; and the only object of the proposal which they were then discussing was the insertion in the bill of a proviso which had no reference to the case of his right hon. friend. They only wanted to compel his right hon. friend, by act of Parliament, to do that which he had voluntarily done last year. Sir J. SHELLEY said he was glad to find hon. gentle- Men opposite so sensitive with respect to the distribution of the public money. Those hon. gentlemen should re member that the Judge Advbcate of the late Government had held that office at the same time that he had also held the office of Cursii or Baron of the Exchequer. Mr. G. BANKES said that no one doubted the good faith of the right hon. gentleman the member for Wolver hampton, but the question then was, whether it was not right that the law should regulate that matter for the future, instead of leaving it to the discretion of any indi vidual. It was true that he had held two offices at the same time, as stated by the hon. baronet who had last ad dressed the house, but he had now received a year's salary for each office. The fact was that he had not continued a year in office, and what he might have done at the end of the year he need not then attempt to decide. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) Mr. C. P. VILLIERS said he could not help thinking that his right hon. predecessor, who was anxious that they should lay down a general principle in these matters, must have had his own course rather than that pursued by him (Mr. Villiers) in view. He begged leave to say that his case was quite a peculiar one, and was not likely to occur again, whereas that of the right honourable gentleman was very like to recur again. The right honourable gentleman had held two offices at the same time. But his (Mr. Villiers') case was a very different one ; and as there existed some misconception on the subject, and some anxiety he should say to misconceive on the other side of the house—(hear)—it would perhaps be convenient that he should make a very short statement of the facts of the case. His position was this :—He had held for up wards of 19 years the office of examiner of the Court of Chancery, after having been appointed to that office in the year 1833 by Sir John Leach, the Master of the Rolls, who had been of bpinion that as some changes had been made in the duties of the situation, it ought for the future to be held by persons who had been called to the bar. He was the first person appointed to that office under that new arrangement. The advantage held out was not sufficient to tempt many to accept of it, for it precluded the holder from enjoying any other office, or from practising at the bar. The salary was only 1,000/. a year. On the other hand, he considered that the office was one for life, and that while he discharged the duties he had undertaken no person could remove him. He also felt that the possession of such an office was not incompatible with a seat in Par liament. Under these circumstances, he accepted of the office, and held it for about 19 years. A bill was then proposed in Parliament to change the character of that office, and according to the recital of such bill it abolished the practice of taking evidence as heretofore, and greatly enhanced the responsibility of the person holding it. While that bill was passing through the house his atten tion was called to the fact that no allusion was made in it to the officer himself. He did not suppose that the late Government had any intention to do an injustice to him because he was an opponent, or that they intended to act less liberally to him than to any one else. His late col league, therefore, called the attention of the late Secretary of State for the Home Department to that omission, and the right hon. gentleman immediately paid that attention to the matter which he expected he would do. (Hear, hear.) The right honourable gentleman said that if a clause were prepared to meet the justice of the case, that he would offer no opposition. A clause taken from the 50th Georgo 111. was accordingly proposed, which supplied the omission complained of. That clause gave an option to the person whose duties were so very onerous either to retire, or to resume the duties of the office at a higher salary. The bill with that clause passed without opposition—not at twelve o'clock at night, but at twelve o'clock in the day. If he remembered right, the hon. member for Cirencester was in the house at the time, and never offered the slightest objection to the measure. The clause was brought under the attention of the Lord Chancellor previous to the bill going up to the other house, and the noble and learned lord said that he had no objection whatever to its passing. The hon. member opposite wanted to fix on him something like an interested object. (" No, no," from the hon. mem ber.) Yes, there was an imputation made against him that he wanted to got more that he ought to have. The fact was, that though the bill contained a clause to his advantage, he was not very eager for its passing, and he said in his place in house that he did not think the measure had been duly considered, and expressed a wish that it should be postponed. The bill, however, passed. His colleague elected to take the increased salary, and he (Mr. Villiers) the retiring one. He now came to a misstatement of the hon. and learned member for Wallingford (Mr. Malins). This was a serious one, because that hon. and learned gentleman could not but have known that it was not exactly true. The hon. and learned gentleman stated, that, from his knowledge of the fact, the statement he made was true—that charge was that he (Mr. V.) kept the office, receiving the improved salary, until he saw the fate of the late Government. (" No, no," from Mr. Malins.) Why, the argument of the hon. and learned gentleman was founded upon that assertion, and he accused him (Mr. V.) of having waited until he was satisfied upon the present Government coming into office that he would be remunerated for what part he had taken in that house. (" No, no," from Mr. Malins.) Now, he wished to state a fact within his own knowledge, as op posed to that statement - as two things could possibly be. He was in bad health in the course of the summer, and went into the country. He came back in the month of November for the sole purpose of claiming the right of re tiring from his office. This was before the dissolution of the late Government and the accession of the present minis ters to office. Nor had he then the slightest wish to take office. Now, what had the hon. member for Cirencester done ? That hon. gentleman comes down to the house late at night, and he (Mr. V. must say by insidious means he proposes not to repeal the act, but by the introduction of shuffling words in a clause and by the omission of others virtually to repeal that portion of the act which materially affected him (Mr. V.). If he had been absent in the coun try he might be deprived of that to which he was entitled by the insidious means adopted by the hon. gentleman. (No, no.) No man's place or property would be safe if such a practice were permitted. If it were any satisfac tion for the hon. gentleman to know this fact, he (Mr. V.) would inform him that it was on the day he accepted his present office he placed a document in the hands of the solicitor of the fund upon which his claim was charged, which precluded him from receiving it. (Ministerial cheese.) Mr. MALINS, in explanation, said that nothing was more distant from his mind than to say anything personally offensive of the right hon. gentleman. (Ironical cheers from the ministerial side). And he could assure him that the idea of the right hon. gentleman receiving two salaries at the same time was one which never entered his (Mr. M.'s) head. (Oh). He thought the house would do him the justice to admit that the position for which he contended was one which was influenced by the impression that since the death of the former officer, and since the right hon. gentleman's promotion to the office of Judge Advocate, there was but one examiner, and that the successor of the right honourable gentleman had been hanging, as it were, between heaven and earth. (Cries of " oh, oh," in the midst of which the hon. and learned gentleman resumed his seat.) The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said, that inorder to meet the objections that were urged, he would propose this proviso —namely, " That no pension or superannuation allowed is to be granted to any examiner under 65 years of age, unless in case of permanent ill - health." Mr. MULLINGS, having withdrawn his amendment, stated that he had not intended the slightest offence to the right hon. gentleman in making the proposition. The fact was, that, having met the right hon. gentleman in the lobby of the house, he asked him to say whether h e was reall y entitled to a reliring pension ? when the right hon. in reply, said, " Leave it to my own discreti?n. then told him that he would not sanction the principle of grant ing to any gentleman a retiring pension at the same time he was receiving a salary as Judge Advocate. Mr. NEWDEGATE said, that a s soon as it was stated that the right hon. gentleman had declined to draw h' isre tiring salary while he filled the officeo of course Judge-Advo ca te General, they all felt that suc h _ t was highly honourable to him. He (Mr. Nowdega e) never for one moment doubted that right hon. gentlepian's word ; but the party with whom he acted thought it was a very un sound principle to admit that a matte r __ . of so serious a cha racter should be left si m p l y to the discretion of any hon. or right hon. gentleman who happened to be placed in the situation of the right hon. member for Wolverhampton. (Hear, hear.) The Solicitor-General's proviso was then agreed to, and the bill was ordered to be read a third time on Friday. The Slave Trade (New Granada) Bill, the Slave Trade (Sohara, in Arabia) Bill, and the Commons Enclosure (No. 2) Bill, wore severally read .a second time. The Inland Revenue Office Bill passed through coin mi tteo. Mr. DEEDES then proposed to nominate the select committee on the Parish Constables Bill. Lord PALMERSTON said, that as the hon. member for Dover had given notice of the appointment of a com mittee to take into consideration the g eneral question in re ference to the constabulary for ce in England, and as a bill had been brought in, proposing to make a change in the parochial constables' force, he (Lord Palmerston) thought that, inasmuch as it was hardly possible to con sider one of those subjects without the other, it would be advisable to refer the whole of them to the same committee. Mr. DEEDES said that he looked upon the proposal of the noble lord as nothing more or less than a shelving of his bill. The hon. member foi Dover had agreed to defer the appointment of the committee in his own case, indefi nitely ; and it was not improbable that no committee would sit at all to consider his measure. He hoped, there fore, the noble lord would not persevere in opposing the nomination of the committee for which he (Mr. Deedes) had moied. . _ . The following members were then nominated to serve upon the committee :—Mr. Deedes, Mr. Lascelles, Colonel Clifford, Lord Lovaine, M.W4dward Egerton, Mr. Wright son, Lord Hotham, Mr. Fitzroy, Mr. Langston, Mr. Henley; Sir John Duckworth, Mr. Robert Palmer, Mr. Moody, and the Earl of March. DIVORCE BILLS. The following members were, on the motion of Mr. FITZROY, appointed to sit on the select committee on Divorce Bills :—Mr. Sotheron, Sir John Yarde Buller, Sir John Pakington, Mr. Walpole, Mr. Headlam, Mr. Bonham Carter, Mr. Phillimore, and Mr. Vernon Smith—the hon. gentleman having given notice that he would to-morrow (this day) ask leave to substitute the name of Mr. Fresh field for that of the Judge-Advocate, which originally stood upon the list. The remaining business having been disposed of, The house adjourned at a quarter past twelve. bination of the duties of storekeeper and barrackmasta - . His right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Ex chequer had already stated to the house what were the intentions of the Government with respect to the West Indian colonies, and their conclusions entirely coincided with the opinions of the committee. With regard to the subject of stores, he thought he should be able to show to his hon. friend that the recommendation of the commit tee had been carried out, and with the most beneficial effect. In the estimates for the current year, vote No. 1, on the subject of the Ordnance military corps, showed an increase over the corresponding vote of last year of 2,9601. —an increase ascribable to the greater number of men to be recruited than was the case last year. It was right for him, however, to state that the addition which was to be made to the artillery consisted entirely of additions made to the different companies, and that no increased expendi ture would take place either on account of commissioned or non-commissioned officers. With regard to the state of the artillery department, he believed he might state that it was never in a more efficient state than at the present moment. He knew that many of those eminent persons who had visited this country on the occasion of the fune ral of the late Duke of Wellington had taken occasion; since their return to their own countries, to express the highest opinion of the organisation of our artillery, and of its merits as a most effective force. (Hear, hear.) The improvements which his right hon. friend the Secretary at War had alluded to on Friday night with regard to the army department, had been carried out to a consider able extent also in the artillery. The schools which had been created were working most efficiently; and besides the ordinary schools there was one at Woolwich in which geo metry, mensuration, and a theoretical knowledge of forti fication, besides other matters connected with the duty of an artilleryman, were taught; and at the present moment there were 24 non-commissioned officers attending the school. There was also a library at Woolwich for the use .of the grinners and the non-commissioned officers, which contained 3,099 volumes, and to which there were 226 sub scribers. In the gunners' library there were nearly 4,000 volumes, with 698 subscribers, and both together received of public money only 711. ith regard to the general health of the artillery, he was happy to be able to state to! the committee that within the last few years there had been a considerable improvement in this respect. In the year 1849-50therehadbeen 174 deaths for every 1,000; in 1850-51, 16i; but in the present year there were only 12 deaths. With regard to corporal punishment, there had been also a re markable diminution in the number of cases within the last few years. In 1849-50, there were, amongst 10,000 men, 23 cases in which corporal punishment was inflicted ; in 1850-51, 17 cases amongst 11,000 men ; but in 1852 there only were five cases amongst 12,000 troops. As regarded the professional education of artillerymen, which was a subject on which the officers at Woolwich felt very anxious, it was certainly quite true that the men had no proper ground on which to practice firing ; and though additional accommodation had been afforded them at Sheerness and elsewhere, it was still far too limited. He thought it right to state this matter to the house in order to call forth their opinions especially with regard to it. Under vote No. 2 there was an excess of 71,5281., which was caused by hav ing to find forage for 1,000 more horses than last year, and that at a very increased price ; together with 50,0001. for the clothing of the militia, against nothing last year. Under the next vote, that for the Ordnance-office, there was presented an increase of 1,6111. over the sum voted last year. The next vote was on account of the various establishments in the United Kingdom and the colonies, and it showed an excess of 3,4441. over the vote of last year. There was an excess of 16,0911. under vote 5, which was caused in great measure by the additional works which were going on at Woolwich, though there was a small decrease in the expenditure for . the same objects in the colonies, and that decrease was ascribable to the cause alluded to by his right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer when speaking of the Rideau Canal. Great dissatisfaction had been expressed by the committee df 1849 at the manner in which obsolete and unserviceable stores accumulated. Returns, however, had been ordered to be sent in, and the result was that a great check had been put on the old practice. On examination of the stores at Gibraltar, Quebec, Portsmouth, and Dublin, he found that there were scarcely any old stores remaining, so well had the new system worked. Vote 7 showed an excess of 246,6271. over that of last year. and was chiefly the re sult of the additional outlay on fortifications. One of the principal items in the account was on account of the forti fications at our great naval arsenals, which were not other wise safe from the desultory attacks of an enemy ; and to the expenditure under this head, therefore, he did not think any hon. gentleman would object. Perhaps it was as well to inform the house that the average of our expen diture since the year 1815 amounted only to 13,0001. a year ; and since 1846, when the subject began to be more attended to, it was at the rate of 32,0001. a year, though he (Mr. Monsell) believed that in foreign countries in finitely larger sums were spent upon a single work. The amount necessary for the fortifying of the arsenals was 57,4021.; for other works, 60,0001.; and the whole charges under this head reached to 236,3511. The snm of 10,000/. was rendered necessary for the enlargement and improve ment of Wellington Barracks, consequent upon the expira tion of the lease of the barracks in Portman-street. 7,8481. was required for the store-houses at the Tower. The store-houses there having been burned down in 1841, the necessity for rebuilding them increased every year. There was at present a great quantity of valuable stores suffering damage for the want of those store-houses. 3,0261. was required for rebuilding the barracks which had been burned in Quebec. 8,9511. for rebuilding the barracks at Halifax. It was necessary to expend a considerable sum of money in order to put the fortifications throughout the kingdom in a proper state. If even a comparatively trifling sum had been expended annually for this object there would be no occasion whatever to make application now for so large a sum. For the scientific branch of the service there world be an excess of 19,3061. over the votes of last year. There was great skill and energy now en listed in the management of the surveys. The excess in the expense of the surveys beyond that of last year was 8,000/. There was an increase also at the Chatham estab lishment. 3,3111. was required for the Royal Military Academy for the several non-commissioned officers. The non-effective was less than that of last year by 1,1411. The hon. gentleman then concluded by apologising to the house for his inability to render himself as intelligible to the committee as he would have wished, from the circum stance of his then suffering under a severe cold. The CHAIRMAN then put the question that 17,590 men—commissioned and non-commissioned, including en gineers, sappers and miners, artillery, &c.—compose the Ordnance military corps. Mr. HUME complained of the increased amount of the estimates beyond those of previous years. It was idle for the country to expect any reduction of taxation so long as the Government were permitted to expend such enormous sums in what he considered useless works. The house was now called upon to vote the sum of 3,053,5671. for the Ordnance estimates, which was a considerable increase upon past years. From the year 1829 to 1833 these esti mates were only 1;700,000/. From 1821 to 1838,1,200,0001. From 1839 to 1843, 1,800,0001. From 1844 to 1848, 2,400,0001; He protested against this system of increasing the estimates without any substantial cause. He thought that the best course they could take would be to put the whole vote at once, and not to go through the mockery of considering the different items. He objected to throwing away the public money upon worthless brick and mortar. For one place they were endeavouring to protect, they were leaving 500 unprotected. It was not by brick and mortar the country was to be protected, but by measures of a much more rational and less expensive a character. Sir G. PECHELL hoped that the committee would take the adviceaof the hon. member for Montrose, and vote the whole sum at once. Many of their fortifications were only objects of ridicule, particularly those in the neigh bourhood of the Isle of Wight. If they wanted to have the country really defended, as it ought to be, it must 'be by the instrumentality of an efficient navy, and not through brick and mortar. In 1849, when there was a demand for an increase in warlike stores, ho asked for a return of the number of guns lying in the different arsenals of the country. After considerable delay and 'difficulty he pro cured that information, and he then discovered that they had 14,961 serviceable guns in the arsenals of Woolwich, Chatham, Portsmouth, Davenport, and Hull. In fact, they had in those four places 23,963 cannon large and small. He observed an item of 8,0001 for gunpowder. He supposed that this increased demand tor gunpowder was in consequence of the quantity expended ifi firing over the graves of military men. There *ere also 50,0001. for great coats for the militia ; also 41,0001. for accoutrements, colours, &c., for the militia. (Hear, hear.) They had 100,0001. called for more than when the militia vote passed the house. He had no objection to their defensive mea sures in the Isle of Alderney, as they appeared to be so much afraid of the port of Cherbourg, but he altogether objected to the expenditure of the public money for forti fications above Rochester Bridge and at the Isle of Wight. Colonel NORTH asked the hon. and gallant officer whe ther the report which was prevalent was true, namely, that the 'season why the roll in Sussex for the militia force was not filled, was owing to what he must call, if the statement be correct, the extraordinary and improper con duct on the part of the large proprietors in that county, who held out the threat to'young men anxious to serve in the militia, that if they did join that force they would never under such circumstances give them employment ? (Hear.) Sir G. PECHELL said the hon. and gallant colonel asked him to account for what was done by the land owners in a country 100 miles long and 41 miles wide. Now, he had heard it stated that there were 100,000 men ready to march in that country to Manchester or to Bir mingham. He could inform the hon. and gallant officer that every man in that county was employed, and ivas well satisfied and contented with his situation. They were determined to put no more trust in Protectionist landlords, but to rely on their own resources. And they were ready to come forward whenever the enemy dared to invade their hearths and firesides. General ANSON said that when the hon. member for Montrose on .a former occasion proposed that the estimates should be voted in the whole, he (General Anson) concurred in opinion with the hon. member. Mr. HUME.—I never made the observation before this evening. General ANSON had certainly heard the hon. gentleman - say something very like it when he (General Anson) had the honour of holding office in the Government. The hon. member had said that these estimates were such a mass of confusion that it was impossible to separate one item from another, and he (General Anson) thought he said that it would be better to pass them at once without any discus sion. He (General Anson) then observed that unless hon. members themselves took the trouble to analyse them, he agreed with the hon. gentleman that it wasimost difficult for the committee to understand them. He was anxious to prevent a statement going forth to the public, that there was wasteful extravagance in any of these departments. A careful analysis of the different items would, he was sure , satisfy the mind of every reasonable man that no such charge was at all applicable to those estimates. He was glad that the new musket was to be generally adopted throughout the service, as it was 21b. lighter in weight than the old musket, al o t ra h y ough it carried as heavy a ball. exactly in thereference same could as that eertainl large additions to t s h eaf e y t th h_e at remarks upon the gunpowder vloa t t l s i et a ; t the sytei lal r: he quantity uwa Therea s n t ity inclined to thin they were w as y ow w , er h e o most of theta requisite. He should Ord w n e a v n er, what it was that had induced e gla ß d o t :rd of t b h e the survey of Scotland, th e e to down 35,000/. for put the whole survey upon a scale of upon to complete ten peals being the sum of 2 o one inch to the mile within estimate. 5,000/., or 10,0001. less than Colonel BLAIR said the people of Scotland g reat interest in the completion of th e Ord felt very that part of the kingdom and he had no dO l u a t ee ttl su ; vey cf a gree with him that the object was n ow likel y to b would e effected. He approved of the vote. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that was the conviction of her Ma j est y 's Government that if the t Ordnance survey of Scotland was to go on, it ought to be pushed with rapidity and efficiency. At the same time, h e was anxious that it should not be taken for granted that it would be carried out exactly on the same system as had e several counties in which heretofore prevailed. There wer adhered to, but PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. SOI SE OF COMMONS.—FEB. 28. Prom the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons. ) SUPPLY REPORT. Fifteenth resolution—" That a sum, not exceeding 2g,1491., be granted to her Majesty, for defraying the charge of Chelsea and Kilmainham Hospitals, and the in pensioners thereof, which will come in course of payment from the lst day of April, 1853, to the 31st day of March, 1854, inclusive," being read a second time. Motion made and question put—" That the said resolution be post poned." The house divided—Ayes, 66 ; Noes, 11g. MINORITY—AYES, 66. 8011, John Greville, Col. Napier, J. Bellew, Captain Grogan, E. North, Colonel Bland, L. Gwyn, Howel O'Brien, P. Booth, Sir R. Henchy, D. O'Connor O'Flaherty, Anthony Bower, G. i Henley, Joseph W. Pollard Urquhart, X Brady, John Heroert, Sir T. Robertson, P. F. Brooke, Sir A. B. Higgins, G. G. 0. Bolt, P. Butt, Isaac Kennedy, Tristram Sandars, G. Cairns, H. M`Calmon Ker, D. S. Scully, Francis Cogan, W. Kirk, William Stafford, A. Corbally, M. Knatchbull, Wm. F. Stanley, Lord Davison, R. Lindsay, Colonel Still van, M. Disraeli, Benjamin Lucas, F. Swift, Richard Duffy, C G. Macartney, G. Tyler, Sir George Esmonde, J. Mackenzie, W F. Vausittart, G. 11. Fagan, W. M'Cann, J. Verner, Sir W. Fitzgerald, W. R. S. M`Mahon, Patrick Walcott, Adm. Forster, Sir G. Magan, W. H. Wyn dham, General Fox, R. M. Maguire, J•hn F. Fraser, Sir Wm. A. Malins, Richard Freshfield, J. 4 W. Mandeville, Viscount Good, W. Mullings, J. R. Grace, 0. Murrough, J. P. Greene, John Naas, Lord TXLLE/tS. Vance, J. French, Fitzstephen MAJORITY-NOES, 119. A'Court, C. H. W. Dundas, F. Osborne, Ralph Alcock, Thomas Elliot, John Otway, Arthur John ♦nderson, Sir James Fitzroy, Henry Palmerston, Viscouni Baines, M. T. Forster, M. Patten, J. Ball, Edward Fertescae. Chichester Pellatt Apsley Barrow, W. H. Freestun, Colonel Percy, J. Berkeley, Admiral Gibson, Thomas M. Peto, S. Berkeley, C. L. Gladstone, Captain Philllmore, R. Bethel], Richard Glyn, George Carr Pilkington, James Biggs. William Goderlch, Viscount Pinney, William Bonham-Carter, J. Goodman, Sir George Price, Sir R. Brisco, Musgrave Gower, F. L. Price, W. P. Brotherton, J. Graham, Sir James Ricardo, 0. Brown, William Greenall, Gilbert Sawle, C. B. G. Browne, V. Grenfell, C. Scobell, Capt. Bruce, Lord E. Hadfield, G. Seymour, W. II Bruce, H. A. Hastie, Alexander Shelley, Sir J. V. Butler, Charles Hastie, Archibald Smith, John B. Cardwell, Hon. E. Herbert, Sidney Stapleton, J. Cayley, E. S. Hervey, Lord Alfred Sitting, W. Charteris, F. Hume, W. Fitzwilliam Strutt, Edward Cheetham, John Hutchins, E. equal t, Lord D. Cholmondeley, Ld. H. Kendall, N. Tancred, Henry Wm. Christy, samuel Kershaw, James Thicknesse, R. A. Clay, Sir William Langton. B. G. Thornely, T. Clifford, Henry M. Laslett, William Towneley, C. Cobden, Richard Lockhart, ♦. E. Villiers, C. Cockburn, Sir Alex. Lovaine, Lord W almsley, Sir J. Coffin Walter Mackie, John Whatman, J. Collier, Robert P. Macgregor, James Wickham, H. W. Cowper, W. F. M'Taggart, Sir J. Wilkinson, W. A. Craufurd, E. H. J. Michell, W. Wilcox, B. Crook. Joseph Michell, T. Wilson, J. Crossley, Frank Mills, T. Winnington, S ir T. Denison, J. E. Moffatt, G. Wise, J. A. Dering, Sir E. Molesworth, Sir W Wyndham, W. Drumlanrig, Viscount Monck, Lord Young, Sir John Drummond, Henry Morris, D. Duckworth, Sir J. Muntz, G. F. TELLZIB. Duke, Sir J. Norreys, Lord Hayter, W. G. Duncan, George Oakes, J. H. P. Mulgrave, Earl OFFICE OF EXAMTNER (COURT OF CHANCERY: BILL. As amended, considered. Amendment made. Another amendment proposed, in p. 3, 1. 11, to leave out the first word "such." Question put, " That the word ' such' stand part of the bill." The house divided—Ayes, 127; Noes, 61. MAJOR' ry -AYES, 127. A'Court, C. Glyn, George Carr Peto, S. Alcoa, Thomas • Gooder.ch, Vis. Thillimore, R. J. Anderson, Sir James Goodman, Sir G. Pilkington, James Baines, M. T. Gower, F. L. Pinney, W. Ball, John Graham, Sir J. Pollard-Urquhart, W. Bell, J. Greene, J. Price, Sir R. Bellew, Capt. °reason, Samuel Price, W. Berkeley, Adm. Grenfell,( 'J. Rich ardo, 0. Berkeley, C. Hadfield, George Robartes, T. J. A. Bethel', Richard Ramie, Alexander Rumbold, C. E. Biddulph, It. M. Hastie, A., chibald Sawle, C. B. G. Bland, L. Herbert, H. A Bcoliell, Capt. Brocklehuret, John Herbert, Sidney Seymour, W. D. Stotherton, Joseph Hervey, Lord Alfred Shelley, sir J. Y. Brown, W. Higgins, George Smith, John Benj. Browne, Valentine Hume, Joseph Stanstield, W. It. Bruce, Lord Ernest Hutchins, E. Stapleton, John Cardwell, E. Ingham, It. Strut , , Rt. lion. E. Ciaarteris, F. Kershaw, James Stuart, Lord 1). Cheetham, John Kincaird, Arthur F. Tattered, H. W. Clay, James Kirk, William Thicknesse, R. A. Clay,. Sir W. Laslett, W illi am Thornely, T. Clifford, H. Lawley, F. C. To wneley, C. Clinton, Lord Robert Lowe, Robert Tufneil, B. Cobden, Richard Mackie. Joint Vernon.G. E. H. Cockburn, Sir A. Matheson, A. Villiers, Uon. C. Collin, Walter Mills, T. Vivian, Henry 11, Collier, Robert P. Miner, W. M. E. Walmsley, Sir J. Corbally, M. E. Moffat, G. Wells, W. • Cowper, William F. Molesworth, Sir W. Whatman, James Craufurd, E. %i onck, Viscount Wickham, Henry W. Crook, J. Monsell, William Wilkinson, W. Dering, Sir Edward Morris, D. . Wilcox, B. Drumlanrig, Viscount Hostyn, E. M. Wilson, James Duke, Sir James Muntz, G. Frederick Winnington, Sir T. E Duncan, G. Murrough, J. P. Wise, d. Dundas, F. Norreys, Lord Wyndham, WIL lain Dunlop, A. O'Connell, Maurice Wyvill, M. Elliot, J. E. Osborne, Ralph Young, Sir f Fitzroy, Hon. 11. Otway, A. J. litzwilllam, G. W. Palmerston, Via. Frerstun, Colonel Patten, J. Gibson, T. M. Peel, F. Gladstone, William Pellatt, A TELLERS Hsyter, W. G. mulirave, Earl MINORITY—NOES, 61. Ball, Edward Jolliffe. Sir W. G.H. Ossulsion, Lord Bankes, G. Jones, David Peacocke, G. M. W, Barrow, Wm. H. Kendall, Nicholas Fercy, J. William Blair, Colonel King, J. K. Robertson, P. F. Booth, Si: R. Katchbull, W. F. Holt, P. Bremridge, Richard Knox, Col. Sandars, G. Unser), Musgrave Knox, W. S. Sibthorp, Colonel Brooke, Sir A. B. Liddell, H. G. Stafford, Augustus Burghley, Lord Lindsay, Col. Stanley, Lord Cairns, IL M 4 Calmont Lovaine, Lord Stephenson, Robert Carnac, Sir J. IL Al acartney, G. Tyler, Sir G. Child, Smith Mackenzie, W. F. Vance, J. Cholm ndeley.Ld. H. Macgregor, Jas. Vane, Lod 11. Duckworth. Sir J. Mathis, R. . Vansittart, George Forster, sir G. M. Mandeville, Viscount Verner, Sir W. Fraser. Sir W. A. Manners, Lord J. Waleot, Adm. Freshlield, James W. Mitchell, W. Wyndham, b en. Greenall, G. F ass, Lord Grogan, Edward Napier, Joseph Gwyn, Howel Newark, Viscount Henley, Joseph W. North, Colonel Herbert, Sir Thomas Oakes, J. TELLERS. /Wings J. Randolph Newdegate, Chas. N. ROYAL INSTIIUTION. Plougl'4 and ploughing, ancient and modern, formed the subject of the lecture on Friday evening, which was delivered by Mr. John Wilson. The object to be at tained by ploughing, as every one knows, is to break up the soil and expose it t o th e i n fl uence o f the atmos phere ; and though this is best effected by digging, yet it appears that man has, from the very earliest times, availed himself of the means of saving labour which the plough affords. The application of animal power in turning over the soil has not, indeed, been much im proved in principle since the days of the patriarchs, though the construction of the implement, which origi nally consisted altogether of wood, has undergone great improvement ; and much advantage is derived from having ,every part of the plough made of metal. Mr. Wilson explained, and illustrated by drawings and models, the forms and constructions of many of the ploughs used by the ancients, who, though far inferior to the moderns in mechanical skill, contrived with their rude implements to plough their land in a manner that should put the English farmer to shame Among the requisites of good ploughing, perfectly straight and parallel furrows were insisted on, and the curves and irregularities observable in most arable lands in England would have been regarded by the ancients as indications of mental aberration. The deep plough ing of the ancient Greeks and Romans was also dwelt upon by Mr. Wilson, as proof of the superior attention they paid to the preparation of the land. A depth of twelve or fourteen inches was not uncommon in former times, but now it is seldom that the ploughshare enters the ground to a depth of six inches, and far more fre quently it only scarifies the surface. Otte of the points to which the ancients paid particular attention was, that the animals yoked together to the same plough should be of equal strength, by which means the regularity of the ploughing was increased. Little attention appeared to be paid to this point at the present time, so little, indeed, that a recent traveller on the Continent had observed an old woman and an ass yoked together to a plough. Mr. Wilson dwelt at some length on the attempts that have been made to introduce a superior implement to the plough for cultivating the land, and on the probability of applying steam power successfully to that purpose. Among the most promising in ventions ps a substitute for the plough, he mentioned Parsons's digging machine, of which a model was exhi bited. By that machine a number of spades are driven with an alternating motion into the ground, and on being drawn out they turn over the earth on each side. So far as the action of the model could be observed the plan promises well, but it has not yet been tested by experience. With respect to the application of steam power, Mr. Wilson was decidedly of opinion that it is incompatible with so rude an implement as the common plough, as steam power has never been found available as a direct moving force without the aid of machinery. He adduced many unsuccessful attempts that had been made to propel ploughs by steam, and finally brought under notice Usher's steam ploughing machine, which he thought might prove, successful. This machine is lo comotive, and as it moves along the ground at the rate of three miles an hour, it keeps in rapid rotation a wheel armed with a number of inclined cutting blades, whicn penetrate the soil and turn it over. This machine would plough seven acres a day, and the calculated cost of working it is 2s. 6d. an acre, Mr. Wilson said it was estimated that this steam ploughing machine would save 75 per cent. on the present cost of ploughing land, which would be equal to a total saving of four millions and a half sterling per annum on the agricultural expenditure of the kingdom. At the close of the lecture many of the company crowded round the table to examine and to hear further illustrations re specting the action of the ploughing machines exhibited. Among the objects in the library was a highly finished model of Mr. Appold's centrifugal pump, which threw its minature cascade of water from the top of an elevated tank. A " nugget " of Australian gold, valued at 3501., was!, on another table, tempting gold seekeexhrs to the diggings ; and M. G. Winiwarter, of Vienna, i bited his patent gun primers and composition for fire arms, occasionally startling timid visitors by explosions. The peculiarity of the explosive composition consists in the,employment of a solution of gun cotton, or collodion , aoa *cement to combine together the different fulmi nating substances, by which means the power of the composition is increased, and it is rendered impervious to moisture. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. SPORTING NOTES-No. CCOLXXXIII. A telegraphic communication received from Liverpobol this morning reports a slight fall of snow last night, Liverpool not of sufficient consequence to put the course out of running order ; and without there is a severe frost or au increased downfall between now and to-morrow, th e ground, though heavy, will be in a tolerably fit state for the engagements to be run off. The first stake on the card is the Trial Stakes of 5 sous. each, 30 added by the Earl of Sefton, for three- • years-old and upwards (one mile and a quarter). This stake closed on the Ist of January with five subscribers, . . who must name to-night at seven o'clock. The second stake on the card is the Liverpool Sprig Cup of 100 sous. in specie, by subscription of 10 soil. each, h ft, with 60 added (one mile and three-quartet Weathergage, the pride of the contented party , Ile a ' the list with Bst 71b, and, moreover, heads the bettisig list, and being in good form will run very fora y l Cariboo's starting I consider doubtful. War Hawk an Chaseaway, I presume, will give place to Lalag e * Trousseau and Richmond will probably stay at hon.' Kitefiyer, at Est 131 b, ought to be in a proximate P°Bl - to the winner. Stebbing's lot will probably be rt presented by Timid Fawn. Bellewstown, with 6st 121,", looks very formidable, and should the ground be h ea l', —which is almost certain to be the case—he and Del l ' a will doubtless struggle home in the first and see ° places. Little Davie's chance, at Est 61b, is put cow ; pletely out by the two animals just mentioned. Happ y Joe has some admirers, and so have several others alm /- ' the light weights ; but, with the exception of Monsoge?, they possess no chance of victory. Master Norton ils'r very favourably at 4st 101 b, but, having done no to will not run. In short, the race will be confine d _ e Weathergage, Kitefiyer , Bellewstown, Doubt, and -5 1 1 11 ,, soon (if he runs)—BELLEWSTOWN and Doubt being T.' most likely occupants of the leading positions. The Grand National Steeplechase of 20 sovs. ft, &c., with 100 added (about four miles), has °,7; tained sixty-two subscribers, thirty-four of whom 0 4 ,,'" accepted. About a score will, in all probability, eof the post. Sir Peter Laurie carried the top weight l 81b. His party are uncommonly confident, ancl_''A. Holman will have the mount. A. couple from 33 '61", shaw's stable in the shape of Vainhope, steered W to Stevens, and Bourton, with S. Darling up, will hell ) ,„ farm the field. The money is entirely on the latter , upon a large outlay, has advanced to the position Of DI:, favourite. They say they have got the measure of e'l e , j 4 horse in the race, and book the matter as a foreg ° ", conclusion. Both of Dockeray's horses run. Both W., 0 figured in the position of first favourite, and both hs', been backed to win a large stake ; but so little of the' owners' intentions have become known beyond the bolo; dary of the stable, that until yesterday it was by,.,0 means certain which would be the horse. The vor ipo seems to be decided, however, now, and Oscar, ri dden by Mr. Goodman, is to be the animal. lam giv e g - n f o understand that the jockey originally named for Mowbray is to be superseded by Mason. Lucy N e t: although in first-rate form, and having Frisby's 2 ' 13 , 8 ' tance, is getting much too stale to win a race like J11:1 Tom Oliver has the guidance of old Peter Sis Peter's day has passed away. Maurice Daley, Charley Boyce up, will, no doubt, finish as he did las t t year—very close to the winner. Victress has b e h e backed for a large stake by her owner, and, unde r management of Tasker, will, it is expected, g o threugg her lesson very well. Duc-an-Durras, I presunle, r l . 1 • be the only one started to represent the Emerald bo and I consider Lord Waterford's chance with him w oo l. the best he has ever hid with any horse at Live*" o r The Duck, as he is called, will be ridden by BY 311 , 1 „ r . Wynne—the former most probably, the latter being 10 '14 stood to be engaged for Abd-el-Kader. The last-i1a m .,,, / horse, although reported to be very short of work, in 7 0 humble opinion is game enough to run most of the other° r . a stand-still. View Halloo will be ridden by W. 4- re lb; but, notwihstanding this, will finish in the crovra• hire rest require little or no consideration, Betsy prig l ' - hirs perhaps the best. Crabbs, ridden by W. Fowler, .ct,o been backed for a good deal of money ; and Ben ech t chance has also been invested on to some e xtent low price. White will be his jockey. Tipperary..l7 will be ridden by T. Ablett, and the General by irr_,e„v, In conclusion, in my opinion, Oscar, Maurice Drlii Duc-an-Durras, and Abd-el-Kader ought to finish be. front, OSCAR being the actual winner. A good rac e tween the other three for second place. The betting this morning is much the same a s the re' turn from Tattersall's last night. THa DERBY.—Messrs. Greville and Payne have Il; horses engaged in the Derby at Littleton, under the care of W. DILLY, tit one of whom—Mr. Payne's br PINDUS, by Epirus 0 of Wapiti—is out of training, or soon will be—at least t fancy so—his legs being very indifferent. Mr. Payne's b c WAR WHOOP, by Lanercost o ut _ . ° l Valentine, has appeared five times b e f ore th e pu blic Pi , not obtained a single victory. Will not go to Epp' presume. 1 .400 0 Mr. Payne's 1) c SPEED THE PLOUGH, by CothB.- 01 - e s, out of the Farmer's Daughter, has run three,„ t o . 7o, winning once. His first appearance was at . `"i t irood' where he finished a good fifth to Orestes for the s oot cote Stakes. His second essay was at the Ne ic f n the Houghton Meeting, where, carrying Bst 71b, be 100 Criterion by half a length, beating West 1 1 - 11 , 9 "„ th), (second), Filbert (good third), North Pole (good nolo Sittingbourne with 6 lb extra (fifth), Amazon an d r ace (half-distanced.) He owed his victory in th i is f:10 entirely to the badness of the pace and groun u • Gisg' last appearance was two days afterwards, for thed„,be gow Stakes, for which—the pace being very g °° l l .9o ° finished a bad third to West Australian. Thi 9 t will probably represent the stable at Epsom, have very little chance. out Mr. Greville's b f EXHIBITION, by Bay Middl . i et °l3 ; f it) of Industry, has run once, and divided a st a ke License. She will not figure in the Derby fray. out Mr. Greville's b o DON PACIFICO, by Don Je" .4 0 : 0 of Dispatch, was sold some time ago, and /0 8 abroad, I believe. he 0 00 The following nominations are disposed of in th e jell decisive style :—THR LION, nominated by Mr. 1. 4 , 1 _ 1 gr , being out of training ; ST. DENIS, nominated hi .0, Carew, having died in December • THE CONP1 01 0 ,00? nominated by Mr. Cookson, broke his leg in last October, and was immediately destroyaVs e cpli: Batson's b c GAROTTE, by Cotherstone, out of rtiv Isll dilla, nominated by Mr. Pedley, trained by 300 ,, Du Horseheath, and but a third-class horse ; at" . `„f the Ayling's ch c RATTLE, by the Fallow Buck, ollt:i ro oll Rambler, may be as bad as the rest, for what his whereabouts being, on my part, undiscovera l3le. - H. WADLOW, of Stanton, near Shiffnall, has Lord Caledone's coot of Simoom, out of The Queen, and b c by Simoom' 1 . ,10 Fortress, und er hi s care. I k now no thi ng favolo l t 0 the latter, b u t th e f ormer is well worth a long g in " very good outsider. Neither have run as yet. P t ' On Thursday I s h a ll conc l u d e , with King's ann"erbf ; Dawson's l o t s , my A na l ys i s o f th e Seventy-fourth r till and on Thu rs d ay procee d t o a summ i ng u p, gi val loser names of tho se mos t lik e ly to figure as starters, class according to their presumed pretensions, with a govraiett view of the present state of " the case," and rol, l " fo ring / which is, or rather will be, founded on the best I D tion obtainable. THE SPIRIT OF THE - so b ' MESSRS. HOWARD AND CLINTON request theireboo• scribers to back No. 25 for Doncaster SteePl e oing , They should get on at once. This is a goo d s titb l !, and, barring accident, sure to come off. The Eros money is on. Liverpool events no Chang yesterday's advertisements. They hope 5 1 ) cti ° well on No. 9 for Metropolitan, and on their se eoliocof ts* for 1,000 Guineas and Derby. Fees to metrot_ 1/. is ; to Derby, 2/. 2s—Address, H. & C., Fos ° Coventry-street, Soho. e rs ° WETHERBY, FEB. 28.—The following - ho h oe • d scratched in the Wetherby Handicap Steep l e c cf s. , •o l3 ' Labereth, Lizzy, British Yeoman, QuicksteP, a n Lottery. th to as COVENTRY STREPLECHASEEL —Th i s me eting , o n cancelling of all bets, unless mutually renewed' adjourned to the 18th of April. aft er ; DESPERATE ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE.—YeSter.,-,. 0 i, noon the most intense excitement was created °' neighbourhood of Clare-market, in consequeZceohoPe; rumour that Mrs. Elizabeth Stringer, 61, oide street, Lincoln's-inn-fields, had committed stl i t ' be car cutting her throat with a razor. On ineinirAb a t Ni t lowing facts were ascertained :—lt appeare" " Ar ah ° ",! Stringer (the husband) on coming home to aln,P„n half-past one o'clock, was horror struck at als` — e ut his wife extended on the floor with her threator 16 three_ several places, and her clothes and the 11°00 rally saturated with blood that flowed from the S i be ing and having a razor firmly clenched in her hal' the l°" perfectly unconscious and unable to stand frail R OO of blood. Assistance was procured, and thetarwberee nate woman carried to King's College 14osp 0, she was placed under the care of 1- t he lr r i house surgeon • but from the extensiven ature °bores juries which she inflicted, there are very little " t , her recovery. Her husband states that she bas t oot s e a r a very desponding way for the last few days, , On h much so as to requir e a strict watch to be 013" mo T v E em u e , GRAVEYARD REFORMER. — T he Aft ' former always comes at last; and to d a y Of o tb iffe' l Walker, the Churchyard Reformer, it has ct o org_ . „ ria ittet_ . , been petit to witness, during his lifetime, the triumph b e eu 11/ 0 t Long, and persevering, and disinterested have , but I ' oo labours, and fierce and bitter were his opPerol lts t he 0° 11 . 4 , a whisper of opposition or dissent was heard I ' l see retyle Lord Palmerston, proclaimed . the of Commons, on the 11th inst , when the Howe Lo pe _i.„Aa ell; 0 be—as Mr. Walker has year after year asserw — wa i s en s . O to the metropolis of the empire--a pest and a - 1 3 . 0 0 1 1; 01 . be tolerated no longer. The upholders of the!! ot their prototype in Shakspere's gravedigger. house last churchyard officials, compares the grave to " graveyards of e ejecting " poor Yorick," and other tenants, w„ is 00 11,, ing till doomsday ;" c while, at the very nr vi iii e t at - e reTu for newcomers ! In most of our large t0wn5e,_:1,.....004" name that the dead " rest" in consecrated 3"'".. head Obsenrer. I / i