The Sun. — London, England, 1853-02-22 00:00:00

aid not pain and grieve him by the way in which they regarding his appointment. His hon. and gallant friend had also referred to the vice and rear admirals of the fleet ; but the committee considered that those offices bore some analogy to the rank of field-marshals in the army ; and inasmuch as there were only those two offices at all analogous to the office of field-marshal, the salary of one being about 4501. and that of the other 3501., it was thought on the whole advisable that those two offices should not be abolished. (Hear, hear.) Sir G. PECHELL thought the right hon. gentleman had wholly mistaken his observations. The two offices of vice and rear-admiral were sinecures, and what he complained of was that they should be given to admirals of the fleet. Let the officers of the fleet have any sum the country wished to give them —they were two dis tinguished officers at the head of the navy; but those two offices to which he referred belonged to the judicial de partment, and were, he believed, under the Judge of the Admiralty. With regard to the gallant officer re ferred to, he perfectly agreed in all that the right hon. baronet had said respecting him. There was no occa sion, however, to give to those gallant officers situations which should be distributed amongst those who were not so well off. Sir J. GRAHAM said, as far as he was aware of the circumstances, the vice and rear-admirals of England were now, as it were by accident, also admirals of the fleet. The appointments of vice and rear-admirals of England were made by selection, and made he be lieved almost universally from amongst the officers most distinguished in the service. With regard to the admirals of the fleet, they succeeded by senior ity to the top of the admirals' li s t, an d it so happened that the Vice and Rear Admirals of England, Sir Byam Martin and Sir George Cockburn, did, by seniority, get to the top of the list. They were aged men, but most superior officers, and such a circumstance was not likely Again to occur. Mr. STAFFORD said the right hon. baronet had given him advice as to the mode in which he should act, and it was not the first time they had on that side re ceived advice from the opposite side of the house. He thought it would be well if the right hon. littronet had stopped the hon. gentleman in his charge when the Chat ham petition committee was named. It did not strike the right hon. gentleman while the accusation was going on that there was anything wrong in it ; but when it came to be a question of defence the right honourable baronet suggested to him to postpone his answer until the fitting time for it arrived. If it were a proper time to bring forward a charge, it was likewise the proper time to make the defence. The honourable and gallant gentleman who made the charge said he had been premature in his eulogy on the late board, and his censure on that board might prove to be prema ture, also ; it would have been fairer for him to wait until they had heard something more than the opening speech of the counsel for the petitioners before the Chat ham committee. He did not know anything of the pro ceedings of the committee, but he promised to take the ,advice, and mere than the advice, of the right honoura ble baronet, mid, except something was brought forward in a less chaotic form and in a more palpable shape, he would not defend himself from a charge which was not distinctly made. He beggpol to call attention to the fact that a charge that should be in vote 3 was removed to vote I. It had reference to an officer employed on shore, but who was kept on the books of a flag-ship, to perform certain duties which were not strictly within the scope of the vote No. I. He would be glad to hear some ex planation with respect to this arrangement, which affected a most gallant and meritorious officer (Captain Warden), and the situation he occupied in connection With the steam executive of the navy. Sir J. GRAHAM said the services of the officer re ferred to were of the most valuable kind, and he did not think they could be obtained in a more effective manner than at present. As at present advised, he was not pre pared to alter the arrangement with regard to Captain Warden. Mr. OSBORNE said that when the charge was made by the gallant admiral behind him, his right hon. friend the First Lord of the Admiralty had observed to him that it was perfectly irregular ; but the experience of his hon. friend opposite must show him that it was more the duty of the chairman to check the hon. and gallant .admiral than of the First Lord of the Admiralty. So far as the Board of Admiralty was concerned, there was no charge made by them against the conduct of the previous board. Sir F. BARING begged to explain that it was not easy to obtain the services of an officer for a shore ap pointment, unless he was put on the books of some ship. Captain Warden, as well as he recollected, was actually in the command of a ship when he took this situation and abandoned that command. (Hear, hear.) Mr. HUME called attention to the fact that this vote VMS greater by 2,600/. than it was last year. He begged to confirm the statement of the First Lord of the Ad miralty, respecting what had taken place in the commit tee in reference to the appointment of vice and rear admirals. The officers referred to were to retain their sinecure appointments ; and as to the other siuecures, the money was to be laid out in good service pensions. They should see that the money was properly applied. and it was a question whether they had a right to award 1501. to Captain Warden, the last person who had ob tained a portion of that money, for services connected with the Burmese war. He wished to know when an effort would be made to bring the whole Admiralty de partment under one roof, and complained of the apart ments where the charts were kept at present in this country. The charts were kept in a garret, but in Paris they were kept in a saloon. (Hear, hear.) Rethought the timo was come when his right hon. friend (Sir J. 4Graham) ought to turn his mind to the consideration of bow far the Admiralty department might be brought wider one head. Ho (Mr. Hume) greatly admired the French system, where the whole of the revenue depart ment was under one management. The expense was not so much a matter of consideration ; efficiency was what they ought to look to. He also strongly objected t o the practice of changing the Lords of the Admiralty with every change of administration. It was a great evil both to the country and to the service. He thought, too, that it was not to the interest of the public service that the First Lord of the Treasury and the First Lord of the Admiralty should have to come down every day to form a house, and in order, as it were, to make an apetarance. Reverting to the practice of changing the Lord of the Admiralty with a change of administration, he thought it fit and proper that the First Lord of the Admiralty, and the Secretary to the Admiralty, should be changed on a change of Government, but no other meueber of that department. The inconvenience of the present practice had been demonstrated in the case of Lord Derby's Administration. There was no man more calculated to do honour to the service of the navy, and to promote its interests, than the Duke of Northumber land ; but on his appointment to the office of First Lord of the Admiralty, on the accession to power of Lord Derby, he was obliged to have recourse to strangers in conducting the affairs of the department, instead of to the men who had acquired such a considerable amount of experience in that department' under the preceding Government. He (Mr. Hume) hoped this question would be taken into consideration at a future period, and that his right hon. friend (Sir J. Graham) would shortly be able to devise some remedy. Sir J. GRAHAM begged to remind his hon. friend the member for Montrose, that before the committee on salaries lie (Sir J. Graham) had stated not only on his own experience, but from declarations, in which he entirely concurred, made to him by Earl Spencer, who was a most distinguished First Lord of the Admiralty, that it was his opinion, considering the duty of that board, and its constitution, that it was indispensable for the public service that there should be resident at the Admiralty at all times a sufficient number of members to consti stitute a board ; in other words, that there ought to be at all times present there, day and night, at least two Lords of the Admiralty and the Secretary. Communi cations frequently arrived at the Admiralty from the outports, requiring in some cases an immediate answer, and there was great advantage to the public service in having on the premises at all times, or on the shortest possible notice, some members of the board. His hon. friend (Mr. Hume) thought the interests of the public service demanded that the Lords of the Admiralty should be at their posts before ten o'clock in the morning ; but he (Sir J. Graham) would submit that, under the present system of parliamentary government, which required that the heads" of, public departments should be in attendance in that house, where they were frequently detained until one or two o'clock in the morn ing, it was not reasonable to expect that the Lords of the Admiralty could be at their posts at the Admiialty so early as half-past nine or ten o'clock in the morning. Nor did he think it reasonable, considering, the vicissi tudes and changes of political Government, to call upon distinguished officers holding offices at the Admiralty, to cone from the outports and make arrangements for their residence in town. Again, to say that the administration was not to have any of their political friends members of the Board of Admiralty was a condemation of our parlia menially representative system. He agreed with his honourable friend (Mr. Hume) that real efficiency was a sound and true political principle in the management of a public department, He thought also that the concen tration of the service of the Board of Admiralty in one e difi ce would be an advantage to the public, and fulfil the dictum that economy and efficiency were identi cal. Bis honourable friend had referred to the depart ment of t h e Admi ra lt y in France ; but he (Sir J. Graham would remind him that the Government of France was for the most part carried on in splendid build ings, and by i mme nse establish ments. He believed that,' in the French Board of Admiralty, the y h ad a greater number of clerks than we had. (No, no.) He repeated he was favourable to the idea of having the department of the Admiralty conducted in one edifice, but, before he could give any pledge to carry that into effect., the house must look very narrowly into the plans, and scrutinise the estimates with great care. Mr. VERNON begged to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it was the intention of that depart. ment to make any further use of preserved meats at all for provisioning the navy, and whether any contract had been taken for that purpose ? Sir J. GRAHAM said there was none of GQ.Ziner's preserved meats now in store. There was no fresh con tract entered into for a further supply ; and no pre served meat was now used in the navy, except very small quantities as comforts for the service. He might add, that steps had been taken to proceed against Goldner and his sureties for the penalty. Captain SCOBELL complained that the officers of the navy were suffering a great deal of disappointment, in asmuch as they felt that nine-tenths of the promotions in the nary in a time of peace, under the present system, were filled up from parliamentary or family influence. Sir F. BARING felt it his duty to give distinctly and solemnly to the committee a complete contradiction to the assertion of the hon. member (Captain Scobell). (Cheers.) H e (Si r F. Baring) could assu re th e commit tee most distinctly and solemnly that the promotions in the navy were not made the means of political patron age, either of rewarding one side, or o f ga i n i ng t h e other, during hi s tenure of office ; nor were any pro- THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING- 1 FEBRUARY 22, 1853. motions made from considerations of a political or family kind at all. (Hear, hear.) Captain SCOBELL said he nieant nothing personal to any particular Admiralty. He meant the expres sions he used to apply to all Admiralties since he was born. (Laughter.) Sir G. TYLER defended the "good service" pen sion held by Captain Lambert, than whom, he said, he believed there was no officer in the service who more deserved the consideration of his country. (Hear.) Mr. HUME reminded the committee that when he was a member of the committee on salaries, he laid on the table of the committee a plan for forming the un gainly and unsightly buildings in Downing-street into a regular square, so to comprise the offices of the whole of the public departments ; and he repeated his wish that his right hon. friend (Sir J. Graham) would turn his attention again to some such proposition. Mr. BERNAL OSBORNE said he did not under stand his hon. friend (Mr. Hume) to make any reflection on Captain Lambert. condemned because wages were not sufficiently mei. As to the general management of the dolkyarcls of this country, he had no hesitation in saying that there was not one which did not require a complete re-organisa tion, to accomplish which he knew of no man more cap able than the present First Lord of the Admiralty. Lord MONCK said there was a strong feeling among the artisans in the dockyards that they were not over paid, but underpaid ; and he was sure that no more in judicious proposition could be made than to disfranchise them. Mr. WILLIAMS contended that unless the dock yard men were deprived of the franchise, there would be no possibility of economical management. He attributed to the present system all the jobbing and extravagance which prevailed. After a few words from Mr. PHINN, Sir F. BARING was aware he was open to the ob jection that he sat for a dockyard ; but he might be allowed to say what he thought to be the right prin ciple in the case. The wages ,of public departments could not rise a n d f a ll lik e those paid in private con- The vote was then agreed to. terns ; but at the sam e ti m e, if th ere was a - permament rise or a permanent fall in th e wages o f p r i va t e es t a bli s h- The next was a vote of 34,939/. to defray the salaries I and contingent expenses of the scientific department of ments, those of the public yards must follow. As to the navy, disfranchisement, if attempts were made to deprive Mr. E. ELLICE, jun., complained that the state of the men employed in the dockyards of their electoral our coasts as regarded the hydrograp'iic survey was most privileges, his right honourable friend at the head of disgraceful. The hydrographer himself had stated that the Admiralty would find him (Sir F. Baring) join we knew more of the coast of Otaheite than of that of ing the chorus of the members for the dockyards. Scotland. Since 1844 there had been 37 charts corn- Disfranchisement, in his opinion, was perfectly unneces pleted and sent in to the Admiralty, 18 of which had sary, because. the taking away of the right of voting only been published, and those were six years in course would not destroy the siiteni of patronage. of publication. He really thought that something should Captain BOLDER() called attention to the case of the be done to remedy this grievance. assistant-surgeons in the Royal Navy. In the year 1850, Sir J. GRAHAM said that the very circumstance that the house upon his motion, adopted a resolution declaring there was a large accumulation of surveys taken some that the accommodations provided for these valuable officers years ago, and not yet published, was a justification of was insufficient to secure the full benefit of their services. the suspension of pushing those surveys further. (No, This resolution was carried in hostility to the views of the no.) Besides, what was the use of a survey until it Admiralty, whose feelings were displayed in the memoran dum or or which in conseuence of the re was actually tested ? He remembered some years ago sol ution of der the house. was On issued one or two occasions he had an officer being employed in surveying the river Thames. given notice of a motion to bring the question under the Some years had elapsed, and he found the same officer notice of the house ; but he received from the right hon. still employed in the same service. (Laughter.) baronet the member for Portsmouth (Sir F. Baring), then Mr. HUME reminded the committee that England at the head of the Admiralty, an assurance that he was was the chief maritime power. We had undoubtedly disposed to carry out the resolution of the house in a fair dangerous coasts, and it was a discredit and a disgrace spirit. But he had learned that the assist a nt-su r ge o ns had to b told that we had not surveys of our own coasts. been refused accommodation, even when they were eligible Sir J. GRAHAM deprecated the issue of charts in for it, according to the terms of the memorandum. He that imperfect state in which it was probable they would knew, further, of some cases where superior authorities be issued if sufficient time were not allowed for their having stepped in, these gentlemen had cabins provided for proper examination by the hydrographer previous to m the He had not hadn aopportunity of testing the late Board of Admiralty, buthewas anxious to ascertain their publication. the views of the present board in car r yi ng ou t th e reso l u - Sir F. BARING was of opinion, that, considering ion of the house. The terms of the memorandum he con the great importance to the commertial and maritime ceived to be rather offensive ; for it said the assistant-sur interesteof the country to have an increased supply of geons were "to be allowed cabins when the accommodation charts, additional assistance should be rendered to Ad- on board will admit." He had r ec ei ve d a re t urn f rom miral Beaufort, the present hydrographer, in order to the ships on the Mediterranean station relative to twelve enable that officer to examine and report upon additional assistant-surgeons, all of whom had passed for the higher charts. He thought that all questions connected with rank of surgeon. But of the tw e l ve on ly fi ve h a d rece i ve d the harbour department should be taken from the hy- tin the ward-room. The tre a t men t o f th ese gen cabins ;and out of the fiv e , on ly t wo h a d thi s littl e a d van - age drographer, and transferred to the Board of Admiralty. tlemen was producing its natural fr u it s , f or th e elite o f th e Sir J. GRAHAM stated that he had only proposed candidates from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin, and London to take a vote for six months, in order to enable him to shunned the service. In one or two of the colleges, he be examine the whole subject, and consider what, if any, lieved,they had come to a resoluti on th a t th e y wou ld no t assistance should be rendered to the office of the hydro- enter the naval service until this, which they considered a grapher. moral degradation, was removed. At the present time he Mr. HUME hoped that the price of the Nautical Al- believed there were very few candidates for assistant sur manac would be reduced to half-a-crown, a pr i ce w hi c h geoncies in the n av y. A s h or t per i o d b ac k there were on l y would amply repay the price of its preparation and five, he was Mold ; and he doubted whether they amounted At all events, in the army th e can did a t es were printing, while it would at the same time tend greatly to ten. to increase the sale of the work. reckoned by hundreds, whilst i n th e navy th ey cou ld on l y 4 be counted by units. U n d er these circumstances, he asked Sir J. GRAHAM stated that a reduction in price the house whether it was desirable to continue a system had taken place within the last two years. which was unjust to the men, and Anxious to the efficiency The vote was then agreed to. of her Majesty's service. If the present system was per- The next vote proposed was a sum of 134,2301. for de- slated in, the result would be that the navy would nothave fraying the salaries of officers of the naval establishments a single properly qualified candidate to fill any vacancy as at home. assistant-surgeon in the Royal Navy. Mr. TUFNELL called attention to the low rate Admiral BERKELEY was one of the Board of Admi of wages paid to the shipwrights in the dockyards. ralty in 1850, when the hon. and gallant officer thought fit Neither the pensions allowed to the workmen, to bring before the house th e case o f th e ass i s t an t- surgeons, nor the medical assistance, which, in case f and he thought upon matur e cons id era ti on h e would almost accident, was gratuitously offered them, was, in adulatedaiii)nenat,aafovraltehfedediers rig= having done d i o f n i li e so. [Capt. Bolder° : Not at all.] How _, m w e e e r t e f e t e ne r lo f a cipline of that re his opinion, sufficient to compensate for the low rate gallant gi gentleman said the Y Board of Admi: of wages paid. An extensive emigration was taking The hon, an d place, which would have a tendency to increase the rate ralty had evaded the question, and not carried the resolu of wages, and draw the skilled hands away from the tion which the house had agreed to. But when that resolu royal to the private dockyards. The Government ought tion was affirmed, (the right hon. 'member for Portsmouth, to have the services of the most skilful workmen that who was then First Lord of the Admiralty, said that in con could be obtained ; this, however, they would not be sequence of the majority being so small, and every naval able to secure unless some alteration were made in the officer voting with the minority, he should bow to the deci rate of wages. He trusted that the subject would re- sion of the house only to this extent, that where cabins ceive the best attention at the hands of the Government. could be formed, not trenching on the comforts of the men (Hear.) t.e be built for the assistant-surgeons. and not interfering with the efficiency of the ships, in such since ' n tr a rigthc ia n a t. ) ar e baronet gave Mr. COLLIER believed that a permanent increase in the rate of wages was now taking place throughout the tn vesselste l lh e w s aau cabiner v t h y e o direction rshouldo f country, and it was most desirable that the royal dock- every ship fitting out sin av 4 a where c a a ccommodatrn b o u rtl i i n e yards should be supplied with skilled labour fully equal men was amply provided. By the course which the hon. to that employed in private yards. He concurred in the and gallant officer was taking, he was endeavouring to opinion expressed by the hon. mem b er w h o h a d prece d ed cause th e greatest d i ssatisfaction throughout the navy,b him, that it was necessary t o ra i se t h e rate of wages, in end eavour i ng t o p l ace the assistant-surgeons above their order to secure the necessary supply of skilled labour, superior officers, the mates. Those men were obliged to Sir J. GRAHAM stated that the Admiralty had study quite as much as the assistant surgeons to obtain given a most patient consideration to the subject re- certificates of merit, and they desired to keep quiet in the ferred to, and although he admitted that the workmen a gN h - r e oo w m ar . d. He ra blie l v a ed a t i h e e gun-room was quite as quiet__ ought not to be paid a lower rate of wages in the royal was a fiddler or a fluter—(a ta b u erryou e they n oill o d ffi n ce ot than in ordinary yards, still it must be remembered that practise in the gun-room, because when they were there they ought not to receive 'one farthing more than the they had to study navigation. As to the youngsters, they market value of their labour. He did not believe, not- could not interfere with the studies of the assistant-cur withstanding the complaints which had. been made, th a t geons, because they only used the gun-room to take their ' there was at present a single vacancy in one of the royal meals, and wore in the school-room the rest of their time. yards, and even if there were any they would be imme- He e was sorry to say that the assistant-surgeons' cabin had diately filled. It did not appear, therefore, that they en e a d El t o o urce efir,pniiscif in many conviviality rather hall ships,p purposes g were below the market rate of wages. When he was of study. purposes The assistant-surgeons were remarkably well last at the Admiralty the rate of wages was reduced off, were well paid, and, as to not having any candidates, from ss. to 48. per day. The shipwrights were then fifty-four entered the service only last week. (Hear.) working five days out of six, they were now working Mr. HUME was not aware boforo that every naval officer six days per week, and they had also permission to re- in the house voted in the minority on a former occasion, some; task work. In case of accident the men were and be regretted they should have shown so little consider allowed half their wages, and had medical attendance ation for the service. The question was, ought they, or gratis. After a service of twenty years, they were not, to obtain as able and efficient medical men for the also allowed to retire on a pension ; and if the business navy as for other branches of the service ? At present it of the dockyards were administered without any con- i l f ras h the last place they went to. They came to the navy sideration of political influence, promotion was open to anti in the find ian employment .tii nowhere else. In the army -e z e w ers ere l ' i t a r d eatea as but in the e navy n th s e em ste e a e m every man, from the highest to the lowest. He be-cabins gentlemen, e to lieved that they might safely adhere to the present rate them, whilst it was denied to the assistant-surgeons, and of wages, and neither he nor his colleagues, after giving the best men were thus driven from entering it. He ap the best attention to the subject, was prepared to add pealed to the right hon. baronet the First Lord of the Ad in the least degree to the present rate of wages given to miralty whether men brought up as gentlemen, and not - workmen in the do c ky ar d s . admitted under twenty-two years of age , ought to be Mr. B. OSBORNE said that the subject was one placed with young men very often much inferior in age, which must be regulated by the ordinary rules of supply and, as the gallant admiral said, addicted to the fiddle or 1 and demand, and he could assure the committee that he • the 'lute, and having no place to retire to. Heapproved andgallantgentleman * highly of what the hon. was at present actually inundated with applications for and he hoped he would persevere until justice was done to situations, this important class. (Hear, hear.) , - Mr. M. CHAMBERS considered that some mistake Mr. B. OSBORNE said no Board of Admiralty could had been made by the Admiralty with respect to the bo more disposed to promote the comfort of every rank in rate of remuneration given to the workmen in the dock- the service than the present boards If his recollection was right, the hon. and gallant member (Capt. Boldero) carried yards. He had felt it his duty to make careful inquiries on the subject, and the result was, to convince him of his resolution in 1850, by surprise; the division was taken the urgent necessity of making some alteration in the first and the discussion afterwards ; in a thin house, 48 voted and 40 against it ; and that was a time when the present rate of wages. There were three classes of navy estimates were not so popular to they were heW . , Ile workmen—shipwrights, joiners, and sawyers. The ship- was sorry the hon. member foe Montrose had taken a wrights had nominally 265. par week, and out of that course now different to what he took on that occasion. The sum one shilling was deducted in order to form a super- hon. member said then it was a question of details, which annuation fund ; and a second shilling towards obtaining should be left to the consideration of the Admiralty. In medical attendance in case of accident. The super- fact, the whole question was a questions for the Board annuation Since 1809, annuation fund, therefore, was one to which they were of Admiralty. It was aquestionil space, ea With Which entitled men were alorje .. competent l deal. Since entitled by their own contributions. Medical attendance he was confident there was no c ass of men whose was also paid for by the workmen ; but they were not allowed the benefit of that attendance unless they lived geons. He found that in 1840 a commission sat and within sound of the bell o f th e d oc k yar d. N e ith er of com f o rts were more attended to than assistant iurncinired into this very circumstance , and the commis these privileges ought, the r efo re , t o b e cons id ere d as sinners additions to the wages of the s hip wr i g ht s . H e f oun d, with deference b y th e honer t reble and gallant captain—the sio included men whose opinieli would !Li feCeived also, that in private yards the rate of wages was from Duke of Wellinetod, ee the rink° of Richmond, Lord Mel -365. to 425. per week, so th a t it cou ld no t b e f a i r l y con - bonnie, Lord HM, Sir G. Cockburn, the present Sir tie tended that the wages given in the royal dockyards was Hardinee, and Sir Hussey ie Vivian. ee di tel Ofge e el Y e ;PM the oOok equal to the ordinary market price. Great complaints possibility of removing with the lieutert M ante, atid they Sara in their re had been made of the character of the vessels usually pit trtte messn full consideration 'we fiM iiindidal difnculties sent out of our dockyards ; but if they were anxious to ffee' e " w 4D ev of making any , 'aligements to accomplish turn out good work they must obtain the services of good iil." -- - s eiee s e ee t _ Arid 'uniform manner in all classes of workmen, and this could only be done by giving the t i sin a The aceoManodation afforded of late years to this workmen good remuneration for their services. f ea 1 ' II r*, slops.l of officers is so improved as to render the renioVel less Ship-joiners, who were a higher class of workmen, could e es a se u ntial, and we are, therefore, not, prepared to iiiakO any earn in private do c ky ar d s f rom 30 s . t o 36 5 , per week , representation iu this reepect" IA 1846,heornawveerae while in the royal yards only 21s. per week was paid. given that every ShiP should have Sawyers, working in pairs, could only earn in Deptford cabin fitted tip) it which, if they preferred, post clerks might Atovo a sixth-rate as dockyard, by working from, seven in the morning until mistantesetteons, second masters, n and ith the midshipmen. dusk, sawing hard wood, 355. the pair, or 3.75. 6d. per mess together, instead of week each, whereas, if they were to go into an ordinary 850 and that the order for giving timber-yard, they could obtain 30s, per week for mewing on the resolution of 1 the accommodation and space on board deals and other soft wood. Emigratkm was now the those cabins, when insult. He thought, when the The hon. and gallant memb,meresssalidgnothing had been done gal fashion of the day, and he was sorry to hear that meet- would admit, i was 5 _ ings had been held, and disposition evinced on the part gu or compliment, and not the language of of some of the men employed, in the dockyard to emi- i w nsult. BY - a a r g e e turn in May, 1851, it appeared greaterthea nd the grate, in consequence of the low rate of wages ; many of number of assistant -surgeons had these cabins, lent member iisiaa looke d at it dispassionately, he would see that the men, however, were prevented from doing so by the order was carried out whenever space would admit of i shed and gallant circumstance of their having paid many years into the erecting them. le was the last man to offer . an insult to superannuation fund, and did not wish to lose the a Prnfessthu in which were many distinguished hon. member for amount they had so paid. It had been said that the men, and to sum up in the words o dockyard men were comparatively better paid than work men in the country. It should be recollected, however, to the Admiralty. lained, in reply to Admiral that they 'were much higher taxed. In Woolwich and Captain BOLDER() p_ was further from his thoughts than Montrose, this was a question feletail which must be left Berkeley, that nothing Deptford they had to pay parish rates, town rates, create dissatisfaction in the navy. and Mr. health of towns rates, and other local taxes. They had, to ente r avour to a few words from Captain SC he further, to pay high rents. They were obliged, too, to PEACOCKS, the vote was agreed to. live within sound of the dockyard bell, in order that they Aevote of 22,764 1 • for her Majesty's establishments abroad might be ready in case of fire. Altogether, therefore, was also agreed to. t for wages to arti their expenses were much higher than those of make , A vote of 683,6481. was next proposed establishments persons of the same rank in the country, who, though they might receive lower wages, were able to expend at home. to artificers abroad was also their neeney in a more advantageous manner. Aa a A vote of 35,566/. wages 'istra batta reformer, he had been exceedingly surprised at a 7311 agreed to. ficers, &c., employed in her Majesty's able gestion that these men should be deprived of the elects g- which had cost 70,i500/., were cap franchise. Such a measure cos not be justified on any lions, the raising of 9 It hod been stated that they could of working great guns . . ground of policy. Besides, if it were adeopted, the not do anthing of the kind- a ke. said that was quite an sine uld Mr. HUME wished to ask whether the dere. best men would be lost to the public, for they certainly Admiral BERKELEY could not be expected to remain in a service where They b_tti Inan trained to work great guns, - their rights and privileges were taken away. These • es — anage them very well• men knew that they had rights and privileges ; lam e . I The vote was then of 1,023,0111. for naval over, they knew how to use them. He (Mr. Clarnbers) Upon a vote being propose d ld repairs of ships, was an instance of their privileges having I stores, and for the building a to the waste which had Isie t ueen 'used in Mr. HUME called attention contracts for a greater qua a ,n_ti y dependently. (Hear, hear, and a twill.) Under all circumstances, he sincerely - coped that the of occasioned by entering into particularly timber, ailto the dockyard artificers v.: , 0ul , the measurement and delivery d be seriously considered which prevailed in abuses before the project w , s 'js entertained of depriving them agreed to. f of the franchise - 1 Air he was certain that the o coals. men wolo - " best class of of an accusation against to +, ..0 not enter if they found they were to be liable stores had been made the subject Admiralty, but on return -1 ..oe penalty of disfranchisment his former administration of the standard of the principa Mr. HUME learned gentl the way admired the candour of the hon. and big to office he found that the . eman, when he said he was an instance of erticles remained as . in which th right of franchise. man tell the house election ? • edockyard artificers exerted . wnt `Mould the hon. and learned gcntle- f !! g (Hear, andh a had been the expenses of his never during the whole of laugh.)i tronage or the appointment He (Mr. Hume) had yeas, is political life, bad the, pa of a single deck ard car penter, nor had he ever sat for he had fixed it. ( • in tho price of store , Hear hear.) There ' S • and in the 60 000/. Sir J. GRAHAM remarked that the reduction of . the I article of copper the additions l ui ron e also, had risen 70 or 80 per cen 1 expense was , t. within the last two and timber was much dearer._eelv 140,0001. their had been a great increase . The vote was then agreed to, a dockyard ; but he 256,9181. for ne should be conducted was that off supply and dockyard d, knew that the principle u • The increase in the ic as were also the following onto and rep , w works, improvem , airs in on which such establi hits estimates vvotes':— e 65,00,: _ ... 0i . uponfor s mer the yards, e. medicines find medical stores. He contended that the efficiency o the dockyards con. ld 57,4271. for miscellaneous services• only be restored by the franchise being taken awe e ... 1 cep,v, reserved half vote was 687,575/. il for eel Navy and Royal As i • officers of the the objections which had been made to buildin y g . h.p pay, and retirement to o uld be taken by contract, he feared the honourable and learned e I- . 3 Ararines. that steps wo . mein- - The next ressed a hope cal than ber had not enjoyed many opportunities of seeing what Mr. HUME exp Nothing could be more faeci we was going on in the large private building yards. Ther to limit promotion. went on promoting admirals' who he would not find ships cut in two, and made to e Mahe way in which we sent out as commanders-In-chiefman_ere.in. underga .b, ad in the army men three corn d • India, out of all sorts of metamorphoses, regardless of cost, and in Mr. MACGREGOR said this was the first time 1 V ere of no use ; ahe „le ef, not one g had the seat of war, . that a limit had already had heard the policy of the First Lord of the Admi - ' GRAHAMobserved .ralty Sit r • bean fixed to the number of admirals in active service, and that, whatever might bo the case in the army, an admiral could not help being at the seat of war when his ship was engaged with the enemy. Captain SCOBELL observed that 95 cadets had entered the service last year, instead of 75, the number prescribed by the Admiralty regulation. The number of cadets admit ted into the service during the last eleven years had amounted to 1,433, While there had been only 595 mates promoted tb lientenincies, and the number of cadets ad- Mated this year exceeded that of any former year, and amounted to mere than 100. The consequence of this was that there were between 300 and 400 mates, who had passed their examination for lieutenancies, waiting for promotion, whereas there had been only 52 vacant ieu tenancies during the past year. He thought, therefore, that it would be absolutely necessary to reduce the num ber of cadets admitted into the navy. Sir J. GRAHAM entirely agreed with the gallant of ficer that it was necessary to chock the number of those admitted into the service, but the evil complained of had been, to a great extent, cured by recent regulations. The Admiralty regulation limited the number of cadets ad mitted, but there had been what he considered a very pro per indulgence extended to captains on their first appoint ment (as we understood) of nominating cadets, and the ex cess alluded to had arisen from this cause. As far as the Admiralty, however, was concerned, the re g ulation was en forced that the number should not exceed 75. Tho num ber of mates who had passed their examination and were waiting for promotion was 210, and not 300, as stated by the gallant officer. The vote was then agreed to. Two sums, 483,1341. for military pensions and allow ances, and 148,3941. for civil pensions and allowances, were also agreed to. A sum of 152,9501. was proposed to be granted for the conveyance of troops, In reply to questions by Sir F. BARING and Mr. HUME, Sir J. GRAHAM said, that in framing the votes he had endeavoured to leave an ample margin, so as fully to cover the expenses of the year. He wished to explain the cause of the increase in this vote, which, strictly speaking, ought to have been included in the army or ordnance esti mates. One-fifth part of the British army was on ship board, at sea, every year, and it was right to consider what was due to the health and comfort of the soldiers under those circumstances. Hitherto there had been pro vision made of berths under hatches for only two-thirds of the entire number on board, while one-third were obliged to remain on deck at all times, without reference to climate or weather. That was an arrangement so un just, and he might say so cruel to the soldier, that it com manded the attention of th e G overnmen t. The question had been referred to a commission of officers, who decided that due provision should be made for the accommodation of every soldier on board, and hence arose some increase on this vote for the present year. (Hear.) Sir W. JOLLIFFE expressed his great gratification at the statement of the right honourable baronet. A crying evil had existed, which he hoped would now be cured. It was also a matter of some complaint on the part of officers, that sailors received one-third more provision on shipboard than soldiers, and that the latter had not enough to eat. He wished to ask whether any increase had taken place in the provisions allowed to soldiers at sea ? Sir J. GRAHAM said that it had been decided that the allowance of each sailor should be increased from to 11b. of meat per day, and that a corresponding addition should be made to the rations of the soldier. The soldier, how ever, did not undergo the same amount of labour as the sailor, and it was therefore right that the latter should re ceive a larger allowance. The vote was then agreed to. The Chairman then left the chair, and the house re sumed. Mr. WILSON PATTEN brought up the report of Friday night's supply, which was received. GRAND JURY CESS (IRELAND) BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. OFFICE OF EXAMINER OF COURT OF CHAN CERY BILL. On the motion for going into committee on this bill, Mr. MULLINGS said that he had several amendments to propose in the bill, and he hoped that the Solicitor- General would postpone the committee. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL pressed on the house the propriety of proceeding with the bill. Mr. PHI NN would not offer any obstruction to the bill going into committee, but there were several points to which he wished to call his learned friend's (the Solicitor ,General's) attention. It was well known that before the bill of last session, with regard to the Master's offices, there were no means in the Court of Chancery of obtaining oral evidence of any fact before it, and that bill had afforded facilities as contrasted with the former practice; but there were many questions which would arise upon that bill, and he hoped his learned friend would adopt sugges tions for its improvement in some future measure. When parties now went before the examiner there were no particular facts to which his attention was confined, and there were also no limits within which the examination was conducted. Again, the bill of last session gave no power to the examiner to decide on what evidence was material or relevant to the inquiry ; and the consequences were, a great accumulation of unnecessary evidence and great expense to the parties. Again, it was necessary to bring witnesses from different parts of the country; and if the duty of examining these witnesses was imposed upon the different district commissioners of bankruptcy, who now enjoyed the lives of comparative idleness, there would be great saving of expense to the parties and of time to the examiners. There were various matters connected with the working of this bill to which he could call his learned friend's attention ; but there was one vice which seemed to pervade the whole system, viz., that while the power of cross-examining was introduced, one person had the oppor tunity of judging of the demeanour of the witnesses, and another had to decide upon the facts in ignorance of their demeanour thereby destroying the advantage of cross examination. He wished to suggest that an understanding should be come to with the gentlemen who took the office of examiner that they should not be:entitled. to retire, and claim compensation, should it bo hereafter deemed conve nient to impose additional duties upon them, or to render their office rather judicial than ministerial, by requiring them, instead of examining witnesses, to decide points re ferred to them, their decisions being subject to appeal. Mr. WALPOLE thought that the bill ought merely to go through committee pro . forma now, because the third clause, relating to retiring allowances for the examiners, required material alteration. The provision for giving a retiring pension to the amount of three quarters of his salary to a ministerial officer, after fifteen years' service, was altogether new ; and it was unreasonable that a person who became an examiner at 30 or 35 years of age should have the option of retiring upon such an allowance at the age of 45 or 50, a time of life when he was best capable of rendering active service to the country. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said, with respect to the wording of the third clause, that it had been literally copied from the bill of last session. He thought the better plan would be to allow the bill to pass through committee, and ...to consider the amendments on bringing up the report. The house then resolved itself into committee, and clause 1 gab Agreed td, With some verbal amendments. On clause 2 being proposed, Mr. MULLINGS moved that it be omitted. He objected to it becatise it lakepesed to establish an entirely new prin ciple with regard to examiriere. fie was quite sure the Solicitor-General would agree with hint itt thinking that the persons who had been heretofore appointed to these offieek namely, solicitors of good standing, were quite as competent) if net more so, to take examinations of this description as baerletere df isreen years' standing. He thought it desirable to leave the right of appointment, as at present, in the hands of the Lord Chancellor. Mr. MURROUGH also objected to the clause. Ire thoitatt the , attorneys had s ome right to complain whet they Edna Met, OW) by rtep, modern legislation had a tendency to strip them of the resting-places which they had been accustomed to enjoy after an arduous life. They now found that colonial governorships, commissionerships in bankruptcy, and examiners in bankruptcy, were to bo de voted to those paragons of wisdom and discretion, barristers of seven years' standing. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) The committee then divided. The numbers were— For the clause 72 Against it 3O Majority for it —42 MULTANGS felt bound to move that the Chairman repdtt intogtest, belieVing that the clause would establish a precedent vicious in principle and pernicious in practice. The SOLICITOR-GENERAL would not object to re porting progress. The motion was then agreed to, the Chairman left the chair, and the house resumed, NEWSPAPER STAMPS, Mr. BROTHERTON moved for a return of the number of newspaper stamps, at ono penny, issued to newspapers in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, for 1851 and. 1852, specifying each newspaper by name, and the num ber of stamps issued in each of the above years to each newspaper (in continuation of parliamentary paper, No. 42, of session 1852.) He (Mr. Brotherton) thought this a description of return exceedingly useful. It had been granted in former years, and, though discontinued in 1837, was subsequently resumed. On the subject of newspapers it was desirable that they should have a return up to the latest period. Mr. J. WILSON hoped his honourable friend would not persevere in asking for this return. His honourable friend had stated the case quite correctly as to the return being laid before the house year after year, and discontinued from 1837. It had been dropped on representations from a very large number of editors and proprietors of news papers throughout the country, who complained, and he thought with very great justice, that this was not an ordi nary revenue return, but one which would interfere with the private concerns of individuals. It had been a prin ciple observed in ordering returns, that, whilst they gave every inforrdation as regarded the revenue, care should be taken that they should not expose the private concerns of individuals. On this ground this return was dropped in 1837, and when asked for afterwards, it was always refused for the same reason. However, when the committee on newspaper stamps sat two years ago, they called for a return subsequent to the one formerly presented. This was pro duced and laid before the committee, and in the course of last session was printed aft a parliamentary paper with the report of the committee. His honourable friend had now moved for a continuation of the return. There was no hesi tation in laying before the house any return which could elucidate the state of any branch of the revenue, but the house must feel that they were bound to respect the objections brought against returns which interfered with the private transactions of individuals. He thought his honourable friend would see the force of this objection if he applied the same argument to other branches of the revenue, and how much inconvenience would be felt, for instance, if they called for the quantity of spirits made by private distillers, or for the different returns made by indi viduals to the income-tax. He thought, therefore, that individuals interested had a right to complain, and on that ground alone Government objected to give the returns. There could be no objection whatever to lay before the house returns of newspaper stamps arranged in classes, as country newspapers, Scottish, Irish, London weekly, and London daily newspapers, so as not to interfere with pri vate concerns, but he hoped his hon. friend would not per sist in the present motion. Mr. GIBSON said he had been chairman of the commit tee to which the hon. gentleman referred to. This matter had come under its consideration, and they had been unanimous in calling for the return, though perfectly aware of the objection which had been mentioned, and which was one incidental, of course, to all returns, that they might perchance give information with regard to the trade of particular persons. His object in supporting his thosehoour returns,a bl e fr friend h e d i was w a aa publ ic sure thatone ; n o h e otherdesiredformtowhoauTde give such satisfactory information as the one propo sed. If, incidentally to the production of this return for public purposes, certain information of a more private kind were given, they had at least this satisfaction, that it would give nothing but the plain truth as regarded the circulation of particular papers. That was his object undoubtedly in supporting this motion. It would make the truth known, and there could be no objection on that ground, for adver- tisers would have the opportunity of judging in what pub lication it would be best to insert their notices, arid they had a right to require the means of forming this judgment, having to pay a tax for their advertisements. (Hear, and oh, oh,) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER quite ad mitted that this return, of all the returns relating to the revenue, was the one commonly read with the greatest interest, At the same time he hoped that the house would pawie before acceding to the motion. He thought it a strong objection to begin with, and one that called for some con sideration, that the production of this return, which had boon at one time usual every year, was a practice delibe rately abandoned by the house. Having been thus aban doned in the year 1837, it had never since been resumed by authority of the house, and the subsequent production of returns on this subject ordered in 1851 was the act, and perhaps the hasty act, of a select committee of the house — at any rate, an act which neither the Government nor the house had an opportunity of considering, and a proceeding which took the proprietors of newspapers completelyaby surprise. This much as regarded the practice of the house up to the present moment. The right hon. member for Manchester argued that this return ought to be made be cause it would reveal nothing but the truth. Now, first, if this return should reveal nothing but the truth, that was not of itself a conclusive reason why it ought to be made. It was not the practice of that house to make revelations, without some very strong overruling public interest, as to the private affairs of individuals. He was told that they did not scruple to give information respecting insurance com panies for public purposes,. though that information might incidentally involve the exposure of their affairs. But it was forgotten that the case of insurance companies belong ed to a class totally different, and ono with which the house had always dealt on distinct and opposite principles. The principles followed by the house had always been to respect the secresy of private affairs, but to exercise strict vigi lance and make close scrutiny into the affairs of joint stock companies. It was on that ground that their affairs were sometimes inquired into, and for his part he did not scruple to say that it would be better if this inquiry were more extensively pursiied. But the questidn now was, were they to subject the proprietors of newspapers, per sons engaged in private business on their own account, and carrying on private speculations, to an exposure of their affairs, for which there was no precedent in the course of policy acted upon by the house ? He thought the house would not consent to deal with them on any exceptional principle, which might be justly complained of as inflict ing needless hardship. (Hear.) Undoubtedly the return would make known the truth, but the same remark would apply to publishing returns made under schedule B and D of the income tax, which might give information as to the solvency of particular persons that,would be very valuable to other parties dealing with them. [An hon.' member said there was no stamp in that case.] He could not ad mit that the existence of the stamp made any difference in this point, and what he wanted to impress was the unfair ness of subjecting one class of private traders to the hard ship of an inquisition from which every other class was exempt. Nor could he admit that the convenience of ad vertisers formed any valid reason for inflicting this hard ship. He did not assent without considerable qualification to the doctrine that this return would show nothing but the truth: Had it been required from year to year, on a long series .of years, undoubtedly it would show nothing but the truth, but to call for such a return upon a particular motion, and with very . short no tice given, undoubtedly held out an opportunity to par ties who desired it, for laying in an extra stock of stamps, and thereby getting up a false appearance of circulation. Whatever, therefore, might be the case as regarded the particular moment of the return, it would be very far from the truth to say that it might be depended upon for giving an accurate view for any length!ned period. (Hear.) But he hoped the house would keep in view the fact of the return having been formerly dropped, after ex perience of its results, on the petition of the p arties affected, and the, injustice of publishing the affairs of those who, after all, were strictly private traders for the supposed benefit of the world at large. (Hear, hear.) Mr. HUME was quite surprised at the opposition of the right hon. gentleman, and he thought the Government had offered no good reason for opposing the return. If the Government taxed advertisers, they had a right to know where they could get the best credit and the best value for their money. . The motion was then, by leave, withdrawn. MANNING OF THE NAVY. Mr. STAFFORD moved for copies of the reports and evidence taken,by a committee appointed by the late Board of Admiralty on the subject of manning the navy. Sir J. GRAHAM said the report had only been placed in his hands last Monday, and he had not yet had time to consider it. It was, therefore, pr6mature to call for its k production. Mr. STAFFORD said he would not press the motion under those circumstances, and it was accordingly with drawn. The LORD ADVOCATE brought in the Sheriffs Court (Scotland) Bill, which was read a first time. On the motion of Mr. WILSON, the house adjourned. PARLIA MNTAR I DIVISION. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRa. 21. OFFICE OF EXAMINER (COURT OF CHANCERY BILLS. (In the Committee.) Clause 2—Any person to be hereinafter appointed to the office of Examiner of the High Court of Chancery, shall be a practising barrister in some or one of the courts of law or equity, of not less than seven years' standing in the pro fession. Motion made, and question put, " That the clause, as amended, stand part of the bill. ' The committee divided—Ayes, 72 ; Noes, 30. • MAJORITY—AYES, 72. A'Court, C. H. W. Fagan, W. Osborne, Ralph Adi'erley, C. B. Ferguson,; Slr Robert Palmerston, Viscount Ball, John Ferguson, Joseph Phillips, John Henry Bedew, Captain Gibson, M. Phinn, T. Berkeley, C. F. Gladstone, William Price, W. P. Bethel., Richard Goderich, Viscount Richard°, 0. Bowyer, George Goodman, Sir George Robartes, T. J. A. Boyle, Colonel , Graham, James Russell. Lo r dJ. Biotticrton, Joseph Greene, John Russell. F. C. IL Browne, Valentine Gregson, Samuel Sawle, C. B. G. Bruce, Lord Ernest Herbert, H. A. Scobell, Capt. Byng, G. H. Charles 'Jerboa, Sidney Stafford, A. Cardwell, H. E. Hervey, Lord Alfred Stanley, Lord Charteris, F. Heywood, James Stapleton, John Christy, Samuel Hume, Joseph Vernon, G. E. H. Clinton, Lord Robert Ingham, Robert Walpole, S. H. Cobbett, J M.- Kershaw, James Warner, Edward Cockburn, Sir A. Kirk, William Wilkinson, W. Cowper, W. F. Knatchbull, Wm. F. Wilson, James Craufurd, E. La , lett, William Wilson, M. . Crossley, F. Lowe, Robert Crowds ,Richard B. Milligan, It. Druinlanrig, Viscount Moncreiff, James TELLERS. Duncan, George Mostyn, E. M. East, Sir J. Musgrave, Earl Hayter, W. G. Elliot, John More, Col. Berkeley, Granville MINORITY—NOES, 30. Annesley, Earl of Knox, IV. S. S.lrllng, W. Barrow, Wm. H. Langton, W. H. Sullivan, M. Brooke, Sir A. B. Macartncy, G. Tyler, Sir G. Butt, Isaac Mackenzie, W. F. Vausittart, G. H. Crook, Joseph M'Cann, J. Waddington, H. S. Fitzgera'd, W. R. S. Macgregor, James Walcott, Adm. Forbes, William M'Mahon, Patrick Grogan, Edward Manners, Lord J. Hamilton, Lord C. Mitchell, W. TELLERS. Henley, J. W. Montgomery, Sir G. Hudson, George calmer. Robert Mullings J. Randolph Joliffe, Sir W. G. H. Spooner, Richard Murrougli, J. P. ELECTIONS.—A bill, now printed, has been introduced into the Rouse of Commons "to limit the time for pre ceding to election" in England and Wales. By its pro visions the election is to be held, with the usual for malities, in the counties not later than the 10th and not sooner than the 6th day after the receipt of the writ ; in the boroughs within the period of 6 days. The polling for the Universities also is limited to 5 days (Sundays, Good Fridays, and Christmas Day excepted), to begin at ten o'clock in the morning and close at five o'clock In the afternoon of each day. Powers are like wise given for altering the number of polling places. FRIGHTFUL DEATH OF A BOY, THROUGH FALLING INTO BOILING WATER.—Yesterday a fine boy, named Joseph Somerville, aged six years, and whose parents reside at No. 27, Castle-street, Long-acre, expired in Charing-cross Hospital, after having endured for 15 hours the most acute agony from injuries received under the following melancholy circumstances :—lt appears that on Sunday evening Mrs. Somerville had boiled a large kettle, containing several gallons of water, which she emptied into a capacious tub, for the purpose of washing her children, when, having occasion to go down stairs for something she required, during her absence the deceased, with another child four years old, got playing round the steaming tub, and, in endeavouring to reach across to Ms brother, overbalanced himself, and fell head foremost into the boiling fluid. His piercing screams brought his m,otiter and the neighbours to his assistance, and the poor little 11111 ow was taken out in nearly a parboiled state. He was Listantly conveyed to Charing-cross Hospital, where he was F .laced under the care of Mr. Adkins, house-surgeon, who rendered every assistance that surgical skill could suggest, bi 3 owing to the extensive nature of the injuries, he lingziied in the most excruciating torment until death termhzated his sufferings. FOREIGN WOOLLENS.—The Customs authorities have, on the application of an eminent firm, with reference to the 39th section of the act Bth and 9th Viet., chap. 91, allowed plain woollen barege shawls to be taken out of bond for the purpose of being blethed, dyed, and printed, upon seourity being given to return the goods into ware house within two months, an account of the lengths, qualities, and descriptions of the shawls being taken before removal from the warehouse in a book to be kept at each station for the - purpose of identifying the goods, as far as practicable, when examined on their return, agreeably to the regulations of April, 1850, respecting milk goods. dyc a z y b wi l i o eoe u a rli t t l the D p i o P rt AßT o u f ß L E o g n F d o o ß n AUSTRALIA. s —The l. the past week have again been numerous, but they have principally consisted of vessels of small tonnage. The number to Sydney was four vessels, with an aggregate T al h ia e n d c e o p l a o rt ni u e r s e d s u fr rin om g burden of 1,418 tons ; six to Port Philip, of 1,462 tons ; and one to New Zealand, of 597 tons. Their total capacity was consequently 3,477 tons. Large ship ments continue to be made of manufactured goods and general merchandise, but the quotations for freight show a further tendency to decline. MELANCHOLY AFFAIR. —A Southampton solicitor named Phillips, has been missing from his home for nearly a fortnight. It was stated that his mind was tt eair afternoon e Bw oatsh f mr o o f emn yesterday ifl a e werey st superior Ipoe(rifoaonorr trandledsl, affected. The general impression in Southampton was that he had been murdered while wandering about the country and his body concealed. No intelligence reached Southampton concerning him till Thursday last, when a policeman arrived with the news that the unfortunate gentleman had been found in an outhouse at Droxford, in Hampshire, about 16 miles from Southampton, perishing from cold, hunger, and distress of mind. OXFORD V. MANCHESTER.—The sculler's race between Cooke of Oxford and Ault of Mancheoinsftgetrht,hefeoirert2,aesmilaionsuidoeef ca a O x i nl i f i o i e l r e d o a . t in he tb l e s ir is d , different localities, l u o l c t al t i h ti e es c , t C a o m o p k i e on be ahead, ihd latter eea, d7whoicnh gradually the i s c ratherhi n o c i choice eeaansoef increased dt hr ae sides, n t distance,ag e and . aotnhdthe Berkshire ff ndT i in the eq t ud h ai e sr off together, but after turning the first corner Cooke shot by at 'least 50 yards. In fact Ault had not the least chance of winning. The style of Cooke's rowing was the theme of admiration of the thousands of spectators on the banks of the Isis. The time occupied was 10 mi nutes. The stream they had to contend against was a very strong one, TIIEATRP ROYAL, HAYMARKET, Farewell Season of Dlr. Benjamin Webster as Lessee And 711anager. THIS EVENING, FEB. 22, Will he performed the new end, original Comedy, in !tee acts called NOT sO BAD AS WE SEEM ; or, Many Sides to a Charae: ter. Supported by Messrs. B. Webster, Barry sullivail, Keeley, Buckstone, Leigh Murray, Stuart, Howe, Miss hiosa Bennett, Mists A. Vining, Mrs. Leigh Murray, &c. After which (first time at second price), the Comedy of MASKS AND FACE - A; or, Before and Behind the Cuttain. ROYAL LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Vestris. THIS EVENING, TEL 22, Will be performed A PHENOMENON IN A SMOCK-FROCK. Characters by Messrs. C. Mathews, F. Matthews, and . .ilorticastle ; Miss F. Baker and Miss C. Mitchell. After which, the popular new Fairy Extravaganza ea titled THE GOOD WOMAN IN THE WOOD, in which Messrs. F. Matthews, Suter, llorncastle, and Templeton ; Madame Vestrim, Mi. is Julia St. George, Miss Robertson, Miss Martindale, Miss Ellis, :lies Wynd ham, Miss Eglinton, and Miss Rosina Wright will appear„ To conclude with LITTLE TODDLEICENS. Sole Agent for the Private Boxes, Mr. W. Allcro:1, 15, New B,nd•street. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPTIL Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster. —Directress, Madame C eleste. THIi EVENING, FEB. 22, Will be performed THE CHILD OF THE WRECK, by Messrs.• mery, l'arselle, and CuHanford ; Madame Celeste and 3 trs. Keeley , After which, at second price, the Drama of SLAVE LIFE ; or, Uncle Tom's Cabin—by Messrs. Alfred Wigan, 0. Smith, S. Erne!, • Madame Celeste, Miss Woolgar, Miss Keeley, Miss Collin s, and Mrs Keeley. To conclude with the Comic Ballet of THE DANCING , SCOTCH MAN. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STI :EET. Under the Management of Mr. C. Kean. THIS EVENING, FEB. 22, Will be performed the new and original Comedy, in th ree acts, by Douglas Jerrold, entitled sT. cUPID ; or, Dorothy's :Fortune (as played at Windsor Castle, by Royal Command). Princi pal charac ters by Messrs. Wright, W. Lacy, Harley, J. Vining, Ryder, F. Cooke, Everett, and Chester ; Mrs. W. Lacy and Mrs. C. Kean. After which, THE SPITALFIEL DS WEAVER, in which Mr. Wright will appear. To conclude with the new and criginal Grand Cot nic Christ mas Pantomime, entitled HARLEQUIN CHERRY AND FAIR STAR; or, The Green Bird, the Dancing Waters, and the Singing Tree. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and ➢tanager, Mr. Farrell. Second Night of an entirely new Drama. THIS EVENING, FEE. 22, Will be presented LIFE IN AUSTRALIA, FROM , OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT, supported by the whole strength ed* the Esta blishment. After which, the celebrated Tyrolese Singers will give their Na. tional Entertainment, as, by command, before her Majeidy. To conclude with A DEED WITHOUT A NAME, in which Mr. Compton will appear. Doi-office orCeii from Eleven till Fiye, under the supe.rintendence of Mr. E. Chatterton. ASTLET'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE. Proprietor and Manager, Mr. W. Batty. LAST WEEK BUT TWO of Mr. BATTT'S MANAGEMENT. THIS ETENING, Fez. 22, And during the Week, the Entertainments will commence with the superb Spectacle of MAZEPPA AND THE WILD HiyitsE, reproduced with all its splendid and startling effects. After which, a brilliant Routine of Scenes in the Arena, sup ported by the first native and continental talent. To conclude with a Laughable Farce. Doors open at Hall-pstat Six o'clock. To commence at Seven. Rox-office open daily from Eleven to Four. btage Manager, Mr. IV. West. lIIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS Dar —Morning 0 min. after 1 1 Evening 22 min.aft. 1 To-Moaaow—Morning 45 rain. after 1 1 Evening 6 min.aft. 2 THE WEATHER.-Strx OFFICI, FRB. 22. THERMOMETER, IN THII SHIDB. 33—highest since noon yesterday. 21—lowest this morning and during th• night. 32—this day at noon. BAROMETER, 30'03. WIND, W. to W.N.W.—with a heavy fall of snow. DAILY WEATHER TABLE. TUESDAY, FEB. 22, 1853. State of the wind and weather at each of the following places at nine o'clock yesserday morning. The stations are arranged in order of latitude. HASTINGS—N.E., strong breeze—cloudless. SOUTHAMPTON—N., gentle breeze—cloudless. FOLKESTONE--N., fresh breeze—partially cloudy. TUNBRIDGE—N.W., strong breeze—partially cloudy. GREENWICH--N., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. STROOD—N., getle breeze—cloudless. SWlNDON—N.,_light breeze—cloudless. CAMBRIDGE—N., gentle breeze—partially cloudy. YARMOUTH— N., storm—partially cloudy. HOLYHEAD—N.E., gdntle breeze—frost, snow. THE PUBLICATION OF " THE SUN" COMMENCES EVERY AFTERNOON A T THREE O'CLOCK, AND THE LATE OR THIRD EDITION, CONTAINING THE DEBATES IN THE SAME EVENING, With all other Hews arriving up to the hour of Post, AT SEVEN O'CLOCK. EXPRESS EDITIONS will be forwarded after the Post is closed by the Latest Trains. , (L b §llll, LONDON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1853. We rejoice to find that the petition of the Madras Native Association, to which we have on more than one occasion directed the public atten tion, will be speedily brought under Legislative consideration. It is, indeed, a remarkable docu ment, fully warranting the demand for inquiry so temperately, but firmly put forward, and also justifying the application that the Charter of the East India Company now rapidly approaching to its termination, may not be renewed for any pro longed term, but merely continued from year to year, until the close of the investigation, and the final report of the Commissioners be obtained. These are reasonable requests, such as we believe it to be impossible for the Imperial Parliament to slight or despise. The petition itself exposes a state of affairs such as that, if but a tithe of its allegations be established by evidence, must prove an insuperable impediment to the continuance of power to those by whom it was so flagrantly abused. It is, indeed, difficult to understand why such a system of misgovernment should be for a moment tolerated—where matters are so ingeni ously involved that none are really responsible for the welfare and happiness of one hundred and fifty millions (1) of our fellow-subjects who owe allegiance to the British Throne. Why should the Charter be continued t We are abolishing legal fictions. Even JOHN DOE and RICHA.RD Ron, time-honoured phantoms, have been exterminated. JOHN THRUSTOUT is no more. And yet these whilome potentates were known and respected for ages before the East India Company sprung into existence. If they have been swept away, why, we again ask, should we sanction the absurdity of the Govern ment of our Anglo-Indian Empire being nominally pL , tced in the hands of 24 elderly gentlemen, the representatives of a supposed company of "mer chant adventurers" (1) who have no commercial t raiNac tions, and who can neither be benefitted nor injured by any changes in our Eastern dominions. Government, forsooth, risum teneatis amici. The real Government is vested in the Board of Con trol, which is empowered to set aside and cancel the resolutions of the Directors, and even to take steps, in their name, but without their pre vious knowledge, or any intimation being given of the intention. This is a farce too ridiculous to be longer enacted by, or with the assent of, the British Legislature. If the Directors are to retain the semblance of Sovereignty, they should be allowed something of the reality. If, on the other hand, that reality be taken away—the tinsel should also be removed. They should not hold the name when the sub stance is gone. Nor should they be permitted to shelter the real delinquent from the castigation he may merit by his maladminstration of our Eastern affairs. But, why, it may be asked, complain of those respectable dowagers, if the power be so com pletely removed from their hands and vested in a department of the Government ? Simply because, though powerless for good, they are too potent for mischief ; and because the arch4lelinquent may shelter himself under their authority from the censure that would otherwise be inflicted. The Council of Directors are used as the shield uneler cover whereof the President of the India Board may discharge his shafts with impunity ; and so long as Sir CHARLES WOOD holds the im portant office—so long as the MARPLOT of the ABERDEEN Cabinet be the virtual sovereign of British India, extraordinary vigilance will b e essential. It will also be necessary that every functionary should be responsible for his own actions—that there should be r o scape-goat (1 whom the well-merited censure may be trans' ferred. Again, we ask, why should the Charter be at all renewed ? The Directors aro only the repre sentatives of the Proprietors of East India stock. Their only duty should be to guard the interests of their constituents, and these interests Aro neither more nor less than matters of X. s. cl• The Directors certainly made a good bargain in that respect. They stipulated that interest after the rate of 101. 10s. per annum should be paid on every 1001. stock for a long term, of which 21 years are still unexpired. This was a handsome remuneration. The veriest usurer would rejoice at such a bargain-101. 10s. per cent. on Govern ment security. Verily, those who obtained such a return for their investments would have nothing to complain of, although the Government or plis" government of 71 liindoos were not attached to the ownership of each pound sterling of stock. But even this was not all ! When the hour of redemption so lone, postponed at length arrives, 2001. in hard cash must be paid to the t fortunate proprietor of each 1001. in stock. the administrative talents of the Directors Wer e as remarkable as their bargaining powers, the Native Associations would have nothing to een" plain of. But in addition to these enormous pectullari profits, there is the patronage of our fairest de* pendency thrown into the scale. The prosperity, the happiness of the Ryots mainly depend on th e will, we shall not designate it as the capr ice ' of those appointed to the Civil Serv ice• It is notorious that these appointments are not e given to the most worthy—to those who wen' most efficiently discharge the onerous duties , the situation, or who, from the services of the ir parents, possess the strongest claims on the eon" sideration of the Directors. It is notorious tha t ' with some honourable exceptions, of which Car tain SHEPHERD is perhaps the most remarkable' the appointments are given to the nearest relaa tions of Directors, or, perhaps, from a worse 111°- tive, as a return for the votes given at the oleo' tion. There is either nepotism or c orruption of the most flagrant character, and we know 110 t why either should be continued a moment longer than is necessary. The matter is now placed in competent hand s ' Lord ELLENBOROUGH will not suffer an instrum ent so formidable as that which has just been plac ed within his reach to remain inactive. An avengi n g Nemesis will strengthen his arm, and in detailing the wrongs of the Hindoo Ryots, he will asel i f: the injuries and in su lt s inflicted on himself by the Honourable Board of Directors. The proceedings on Election Petitions 1111 , ce o commenced, and the favou re d gen tl eme n of w it long rob e h ave th e i r time fully occupied w i .rv t business of th e mos t l ucrat i ve d escr i pt i on. Bribery and corrupti on appear t o b e t h e b ur d ens o f eve r ) song. Votes obtained by undue influence - 1 purchase or intimidation—form the general gro om of complaint ; aid already have two elections-e'd those for Canterbury and Lancaster--been direla r null and void u n d er c i rcumstances that pro ve t' ,o existence of habitual venality on the part of coer tain classes of Ele c t ors . Th e very strong me as ur e of suspending th e wr it h as b een resor t e d to , order that the mi nu t es o f ev id ence may be laid 49 ' the table and fully considered before the final f ate of the delinquent borough should be finally de tel ‘ mined. It is by no means improbable that Core ; missions may be issued un d er t h e recen t statute to inquire into the pra c ti ces a t El ect i ons in th ee 0 peccant constituencies, and th a t severa l oth er boroughs will be placed in equally u nenviab le positions. Indeed, a numerous body of Co re ; missions may be anticipated. Startling re volati% ll l will be brought to light—revelations that w' s prove, beyond the possibility of doubt, the i lly perative necessity for the adoption of the ballot' the only guarantee for the purity of e lection --- 4 the touchstone that can alone insure the bolle:',1 and patriotic exercise of the franchise—that or, protect the needy voter from se lli n g his birthrig ht for a few paltry p ou nds, an d the humb le voter from the tyrannical i n fl ue nce of a des' potio master. Whatever doubt may hitherto have existed on th e po i nt must b e re moved by the testimony th a t h as already apPea red' and is forthcoming duri ng th e pen di ng to investig lv tions. It is a humili a ti ng f ac t , b ut it is a fact which it is impossible t o c l ose our eyes , or ,„`" feign ignorance, that, in a large proportion of CO to lY stituencies, many voters are indifferent the proper discharge of their most sacr e d duties. They have accustomed themselv to to think that the franchise was bestowed solely g enable the voter to wallow in drunkenness dn rin _ the elections, and to obtain money— more or 107 according to the custom of the district—in return for his most sweet voice. How could they 00,r pose that the man to whom they wilfully an d d it e . liberately sold themselves would a b s t a in from ing them in turn, when the fitting opportol ll v arrived—that anything good for the commu te in general or the district could come of such quitous transactions. S uc h considerations were 0; however, disregarded. Mon e y or d r i n k, dri o o f money, were more thought of than the fitness e a the candidate ; and " What will he give?" alW ee i , r o to be an interrogatory far more i m portant t' fof " What aro his opinions and qualifications _ _ Parliament." This gross abuse—this " aged vice"--w '„ e r. p ie mated be speedily obliterated, an d no longer O a° mated to remain the disgrace a n d re p r oach of British nation. As we have stated,. it could be got rid of by the use of the balloting - hl i % •ti and not me re ly th e r i g ht, b u t the need of secret s voting. If, as ma n y well-disn - a is persons have suggested, it was allowed to rel o t optional with th e vo t er w h et h er h e wou ld be s his suffrage openly before his brother electo rs tec l in private, stringent measures would be adOPOO to preve n t persons li a bl e to un d ue inlio e ' jt from exercising the franchise privately t he would be announced that the use ° f ballot-box would be considered i nst‘ a ho objectionable as voting for the wrong man, 311 00 productive of as many untoward results• t he tradesman who refused to vote according t ° ho whim of a wealthy customer—the tenan t r ai• disobeyed the imperious behests'of his land°, i l ls or the artisan or operative who did not le ss te a employer know how he voted, would all be tr as if they had acted in the manne r opposed , wishes of those whose fav our th e y were desiro oe re of seeking, an d b e t rea t e d accordingly 10 4 1 cannot, then, be any exception to the rule. be optional f o r me n t o wear w h a t co lours an d 7 -- the for what candidates th e y thi n k proper, h ll O franchise must be exercised in such a manner _t be only according to a man's own cons ciences air by such means alone can we avoid s uch & ill graceful transactions as those which are 1 149 ' being brought to light in the Committee -re°3o the House of Commons. arras There is one matter to which we have an tiot looked forward---one power which has f O . P yet been resorted to. Under the New, / r 00 1 ; deuce Act, members or petitioners WI 00 111 u selves be examined as witnesses, and tile ' olf e. tha r surely give the best information as a dios' participation in the objectionable prose Vita None, however, have as yet been called ° r i ds th e shall hope that this p r i v il ege , which 84.4.% best means of eliciting the whole t roth, v itif no longer be disregarded, but that Tt sac tioll°, find persons en gage d i n Election tr Wl eir willing to com e f orwar d an d -vindicate the oaf • h characters from th e re p roac h es to whie— otherwise be liable. friends to W© i nv it e i o liar i°l3 the attention of our SO `,_ 000 most d some facts which ought to interest 00, selve eeply. We scorn indeed to vindic6tcirre -1 inion s , from the charge of irreverence an d , 8 0 make because we totally reject all attenlP:oooi. men religious by law, yet we beg the people dera e tion of the clergy and s ome other good- _ t oe to _an exem set the which the sabbat. ilav e Plification of the best possible :vrios --ey as religious men and as can take. They must see plainly that theYseilve working classes against both the' 3l t iwee and the Sabbath, and if there be danger of il 0 classes being misled by Popery one with " ,