The Sun. — London, England, 1847-05-05 00:00:00

~........,. E 3A f- lace of mber en and Each aPPIi" LI a re or an al be a card, I only► fiber of balm ced on 1 . to such 1 o 'clock i G.C. t to be nd Eden, r, fold liishoP ru w p Per be e Greg be her 4,at iptCP igrf inen any yne. div. c Mr. ri the f Mr. . L Tha Earl of ELLENBOROUGH was glad to hear :i4t the Government entertained the intention of assem ' 1 1)11 _ 13 g two squadrons in the course of the summer; but e considered that the carrying out of this inten ; .4eti materially depended upon the ships at pre rilt fasteat Lisb on . T hus the navy of this country, b mode being practi se d i n th e ar t s o f war an d i n t h e thest of defe n di ng t h e i r own country, would have e ir time uselessly wasted in the service of a foreign 4 311rIt ry, because he feared much that the practice which . ke eY would b e enabled to obtain by the assembling of I,` 8 9uadron w ou ld b e lost b y the absence of those sh i ps L n Lisb on . No doubt the Noble Earl (Earl ;',_ Auckland) now s i ncerely regretted h av i ng 74 induced by the Foreign Office to send the ps t? Portugal. Had any good been done by sending r ships there ? On the contrary, they had every - r e .aeon to believe that the presence of the squadron at alsbion had postponed the settlement of Portuguese b e r s by leading the Government of that country to 'eye that they could still longer postpone that settle baent with safety to themselves. He deprecated the • Interference of the English Government in this way, and consid ered that no good would result from it. pize did think this question was a subject of grave im etance. Nearly two-thirds of the disposable fleet of the"nri ty ttand wa s at 'Lisbon. He felt deeply in regardeQ to 4,, nlish navy. It was not sufficient to afford them The Marquis of LANSDOWNE did not feel it iordpel; to .interrupt th e N o bl e E ar l, b ut t h ere cou ld IhBt have been a speech listened to. ade more out- of place than t whi c h t h ey had j ro ",ba Earl of ELLEN BOROUGH h ere sa id h e h a d a °tie% to put, and gave it to the Clerk. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said, if the motion 4 48 , of the same character as the speech, it was most h." of place and very irregular, as notice ought to sere been given of his intention to move would not enter upon the speech of the Noble Earl; would now would be delicate and ill timed. But British interests were just those that formed the object th '"e i nterference the Noble Earl referred to, and when • 4 t "lne came to explain fully the reasons that had placed b et where it was, it would be seen that British interests d afo r dictated silence on this occasion. But he claimed lli elself as much interest in the British navy as a th2 l , exhibited by the Noble Earl, and he was happy to t 0 .7 the effect of the disposition of the forces had been \• inspire their own merchants with security and • n ers With respect for this nation. ▪ to: urd BROUGHAM agreed that the subject was far grave for discussion without notice. ,t- , 4 T he subject then dropped. • BANK OF ENGLAND. W IIARNCLIFFE asked whether any applica ▪ ~,eaa had been made to the Bank of England by the uovernment for advances from the former beyond the Banal amount required upon deficiency bills for the en rrent public service during the latter half of the yea 1 846, and down to the present period ; and if so, whether there would be any objection to producing the corres pondence, or written c ommunication connected there- With ? The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said, in the first Place, he had to state that, far from complaining of the question having been put, he thought that at the present tmmoment it wa s a natural and fit question to put. With e Peet to the question itself, he could say distinctly that 7 ond the m ere f ormal and constant correspondence on ths Subjects usually discussed between the Bank and the ellevernment, and which formed part of the usual ma• d e lnery of Government, there had been no correspon ti "ce whatever on the subject of the Noble Lord's gees ?_ll but it was true that the Chancellor of the Ex e.."_equer had had, from time to time during the last 'Plan er , aUbj e personal communications with the Bank on this ct, but none of them taking the shape of written —LreaPondence, and in the courso of these communica zetitsthe Bank has be en constant l y apprised of the de vd:uus---not much exceeding the demands of common icra---that the Government would have to make upon aci er it Of the excess of securities in the Bank, of which eze rn uch had been said, ho might observe, that the se n - n e ri sa 4ad been much more an excess of private O n the than an excess of Govern . m . ent . securities. we 9th of January the private securities in the Bank 4rat4,400,0001., and they had risen on the 14th of 1 01 8 ;627,00a ; and at the moment when the ad 111ces of the Bank to the Government had been the the Bth of April, namely, the amount of pri _te3securities was 18,136,0001., being many millions in- Zre_a r e beyond what it was at the commencement of the ,• 7 „2 1 L . If there was anything to lament at this moment ,a4B the re gard to th e monetary affairs of the eountry, it L., pressure to which the Noble Lord had referred; ,11 c onsidering th e var i ety of causes which had occurred calc ulated to gi ve r i se to that pressure—considering the t raordinary state of the country, the great demand for llr i mportation o f f ood, i nstead of being surprised that B tich pres sure s h ould have come upon the Bank, his Y surprise was th a t it h a d not been felt much soon e r. "'ad p r ecautions been taken at an earlier period the Pressure would h ave b een l ess severe: he trusted, how neer, that i t would soon be overcome, and he could con qvci ntly state that it was the anxious desire of the Go ofnment and the Treasury not to add to the difficulties the country by any i n t er f erence w i t h t h e management the Bank, but to l eave t h at b o d y a sole control over I ts own affairs. ,Lord B ROUGHAM was of opinion, th a t cons id er i ng itue v ery extraordi nar y c i rcumstances that had occurred, :.„ w as not in th e power e i ther of the Bank or the Go- I li/nem to have prevented the crisis that had hap r`tntLed, which might fairly be traced to the failure of the i,P7 t , t° Crop, to the vast importation of f ore i gn corn, an d i h le continual drain on the money-market for supply - hn i capital to the carrying on of railways, which u ounted in less than six weeks to a sum o f 3 , 000 0 00 1 .; these Were circumstances which must necessarily lead to deranged state of the exchanges. • Mere the subject dropped. SANATORY BILL. The Marq uis of LANSDOWNE presented a petition from the m ayor and burgesses of Cork, praying that the provisions of the present Sanatory Bill for England be extended to Ireland. EDUCATION. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a petition in favour of the Government scheme of education from Nottinghamshire. RELIEF (IRELAND) BILL. The Marquis of LANSDO W NE presented a petition from the Poor-law guardians of Limerick, praying that the House would not sanction any laws which would im pose additional burdens upon the tenants. POOR-LAW. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a petition from Stepney in favour of an effective Poor law. LANDED PROPERTY (IRELAND) BILL. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, on moving the order of the day for their Lordships going into Committee on this Bill, observed, that their Lordships having permitted the Bi ll to be read a second time w i thout any explana tion of its provisions, he felt that it was but respectful to their Lordships, although he did not anticipate any objection to the measure, to state briefly its general pur teee and obj ec t. Th e Bill was founded, he need not their Lordships, upon the circumstances which were Peculiar to the present state of Ireland; and after the ' var ious discu ss i ons which had taken place in Parliament Pon the subject of the condition of the people and the agricultural industry of that country, he believed there there but few of their Lordships who had not arrived at re opinion and conviction that vast improvements were cultivation, thrired to be made in the agricultural management of country ; and that, upon an improved system of skinvation, by an increased application of capital and the future state of prosperity and even safety of Irel a tb _, must mainly depend. It was in proportion to Lordships tt c -',.°rrn, and to these undertakings, by the investment of .. 4 1?ita.1 in the cultivation of the land, that they could an ticipate effecting any remedy for the present state of l lgs, or derive any collateral benefit from those other :trmeasures which their Lordships were now engaged in all carrying forward.—measures which it was admitted on hands would require the cordial support of their th _rush ips, in order to their being rendered effectual to de ny .:,promotion of the general interests of Ireland. After " reflection which he had been able to give to this putting aside every prejudice which he did not ,`,7.T 1 3 7 entertaining in favour of that part of the United Kingdom, he was deeply convinced that it was by the a gency of the landed proprietors only that the stimulus Could be applied for introducing an extended system of agricultural improvement in Ireland. If that improve tnent was not to be carried into effect by the proprietors of the land, he knew not by what means that improve ment could be given to the condition of the population of the country which was requisite for the purpose of providing for their subsistence. Their Lordships could hardly think that in the present state of agricultural destitution in Ireland any improvements could be intro duced by the tenants of the land ; and as little did he suppose that their Lordships thought it would he com petent to the Crown itself to undertake, even if autho rised by Parliament, a system of improvement to be carried into effect by the Commissioners of Woods and Fore•ts, whatever confidence their Lordships might feel in the Administration, or however much they might wish to see discharged the duties of applying machinery to drainage, and to the making of improvements of every kind for one great object, and under one authority. The obvious solution, therefore, of the difficulty in which their Lordships were placed was that of giving, under the circumstances of great disadvantage which they at the present time experienced, aid and assistance to the landed proprietors, by which they might have additional Motives for exerting themselves in the improvement of their own estates. Their Lordships were well aware, I°r it had been repeatedly urged in the course of the dis cussions on this subject, that the proprietors of Ireland Were not in a condition, with respect to the possession of capital, to command the means by which they could at °n , ce, and at ono stroke, in one year, commence a system of Z.: improvement. If they were to attempt to do so, it °111 .:1 deprive them of their income, and in case of being 1 . 31 debt would deprive them of the means of paying the Intere s t upon that debt ; in short, it would i m po s e u pon h em duti es w hi c h none but capitalists could undertake to discharge even in this country. If such would be the s - }l te) of things even in England generally, their Lord -I.IPs well knew that it was the case very peculiarly 1:1th respect to Ireland. Their Lordships knew that a d e ry , larg e portion of the property in Ireland was very deriving mortgaged, so that it was impossible for persons from Property nothing but a life income, subject to charges, devote Property which they only nominally possessed, to a sufficient sum of money necessary to introduce co ch ange in the whole system of cultivation of the _ iintry ; to substitute new modes for old ; new i_lachinery for that which has been hitherto in : l e, and so to act upon the industry of the la bourers,e of the country as to effect a total revolution in their habits and social condition. But their Lordships entit reallyus be convinced that nothing short of this would improve Ireland, or would give satisfaction or se ythere; nothing short of this would prevent Ire bir_ f or the future from being what it had unhappily a in the past, a weight and an incubus upon the re- SOUtces Of this country. It would be taking yery \' v ~:: . .~ q ~ `x ,, ` ~ I ;y. ~,' .. . ~. I ~• • THE SUN, LONDON, !WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 5, 1847. narrow view of this subject, if their Lordships were to consider that by passing this Bill they were giving as sistance to the Irish proprietors alone. It was not their interest only that they were considering, but the inte rest of the whole country; for the whole population would benefit by the application of the money proposed to be advanced, and the repayment of which was secured by the provisions of this Bill. It was in the largest sense for the interest of England itself that their Lord ships were legislating, and it was with this view that he now proposed to their Lordships the measure which had been prepared to remedy the evil that so universally pre vailed in Ireland. The Noble Marquis proceeded to state the nature of the provisions of the Bill, the chief purpose of which was to carry into more complete effect the Bill of last session, which authorised the advance of the sum of 1,000,0001. By that Act the advances were made to certain descriptions of estates, whereas this Bill ex tended the benefit of the measure to all kinds of landed estates, care being taken to seeure the principal and in terest, the 1,000,0001. being increased to 1,500,000/. It was proposed that for loans so advanced an interest of 61 per cent. should be charged on the property; and it was hoped that not only the interest, but the principal would, within a few years, be repaid. As this measure was intended to be universal, and to apply generally throughout the country, it became desirable that it should be made applicable to the circumstances of a vast variety of individuals; the provisions of the Bill had been there fore so framed that they fitted themselves to the case of almost every description of property in Ireland, and it would be in the power of every proprietor to avail him self of them. The greatest anxiety was felt in Ireland for the passing of this Bill; as a proof of it, abundant applications had been already made for assistance under its provisions. In many parts of Ireland, upon the speed in which that assistance was afforded would depend the utility of the measure. The Noble Marquis read a letter from a clergyman, who stated that he was almost worked off his legs in the discharge of his official duties as chairman of a board of guardians, and that his only hope of effectual aid to the inhabitants of his parish was in the landlords obtaining as sistance under this Bill. At present not 51. a week was paid in wages amongst a population of 4,000. The object of the Government being that these loans should be spread over as wide a surface as possible, it not being expedient to;confine the advances to any one spot, a clause was introduced which provided that no person should be allowed to borrow more than 20,000 L The Noble Marquis concluded by moving that the order of the day be now read. The Duke of WELLINGTON—My Lords, during this session of Parliament I have contributed my sup port to various measures which have been proposed by her Majesty's Government with a view to apply a re medy to the misfortune which has occurred within the last year in Ireland ; but I must say, that of all the measures which have been proposed by her Majesty's Government that one which the Noble Marquis has just adverted to, and the provisions of which he has now stated to your Lordships, is the one which I be lieve, in conjunction with the Bill the second reading of which was proposed by my Noble and Learned Friend (the Lord Chancellor) a few nights ago, will secure the object her Majesty's Government are seeking to attain—a Bill which appears to me more calculated than any other measure permanently to lead to the improvement of Ireland, and to relieving it from the effects of that great misfortune by which it has recently been visited.—(Hear, hear.) My Lords, I am not at all desirous of throwing any impediment in the way of this Bill, and I am perfectly certain that there are many of your Lordships much more capable than I am of stating the benefits which this measure is calculated to produce. But lam anxious to propose a clause in the Committee on the Bill, which I think would contribute to its good working, and remove a practice in the social system of Ireland which, in my opinion, has tended greatly to aggravate the misfortunes of that country, if it has not been the principal occasion of them. The practice I refer to is that of making land the circulating capital of the country, and pledging the land for the purpose of paying the wages of the labourer. I say, my Lords, that this is one of the causes and one of the greatest aggra% ations of the existing evils of Ireland, and the consequence is, that the Government has been obliged to come forward to give relief by employing large numbers of the labourers of the country upon public works. Such a practice as this is most injurious, for those men who require the services of the labourers let them land, and, instead of paying them wages as la bourers, they oblige the individuals who take the land to work out the rent. The consequence is that the la bourer, who is wholly dependent for his subsistence upon the produce of his land, finds that his labour is mort gaged for the rent, and at the same time, being without assistance, when his strength fails him he has no re source, and is compelled to resort to the Government works. And what becomes of his employer, the farmer or the small gentleman who employs him, under this system of making land the circulating medium of the country and the wages of labour ? When difficulties occur, and his capital fails, and his labourers are in capable of work, he has no resource , he is not in the habit of laying, by capital—he has none—and he can employ no labour. Thus distress, when it comes, affects everybody, and the Government is compelled to employ the labourers of the country, and to give them food. Under these circumstances, my Lords, it appears to me that you cannot apply an effectual remedy to the evils of Ireland unless you enforce the necessity of paying the wages of the labourer in the current coin of the realm, and in the Committee on the Bill I shall propose a clause requiring that all bargains for the wages of labour shall be made in the current coin of the realm, and that the payment of wages shall be enforced in the same, and that the lab•iurer shall have a claim for the Iwi Hill y y payment of hi s wages i n th e curren t co i n o f th e r ea l m , notwithstanding bargain u w se ith ep h o i n s employer Lordships'oyertothi contrary. table, and I will move it either in the Committee or on the T b h r e it m igi a n r g in u i p s of the o t L h A e report. Nso WNE entirely te agr eed with the propNoseebLe but Duke h e w in as t n h o e t p a r t in a c l i l pl s e a o n f guine ame n dment he prac ticability. eton The 'Earl FITZWILLIAM agreed with the Noble Duke, that these measures were very valuable, as far as they went for the improvement of Ireland. He heard with satisfaction the views of the Noble Marquis on this Bill, and he believed that if they were carried out, they would materially mitigate the evils under which Ireland was at present labouring. The Earl of WICKLOW wished to call the attention of the Government to what he considered an omission, but ho hoped an accidental omission. He meant the omission of the landlords, who undertook works under Mr. Labouchere's letter. They were not taken into con sideration at all, and he entreated the Government to comprise ail the sums in this Bill which were expended under Mr. Labouchere's letter. The Bill had his full concurrence, and he considered it a most efficient mea sure, but he thought the omission to which he adverted should be supplied. Lord NIONTEAGLE was unwilling to say one word on the principle of the Bill. He considered it one of great public importance, and one of great public duty. The money was advanced under the strongest security — that of land itself, and he bee ged to call their attention to the smallness of the advances compared with that security. He thought that every effort should he made to render the present income an efficient one, and therefore a pro vision should be introduced against the truck system, but that the parties employed under it, should receive their wages in money. Before sitting down, he had an amendment to suggest in one of the clauses. In the fourth clause of the original Bill, he found that provision was made for the erection of mills in particular districts, which were in the want of them. There was also store striction as to the amount of the capital to be invested in those mills, or their size. In that shape he was not sur prised that the Bill was objected to, but still he con sidered that some provision of the kind should be retained. The amount, however, ought to be restricted in amount, and he would move a clause in Committee to that effect. He would also recommend, that in addition to these mills, small stores should be erected in particular localities, and the provision in the original Bill re specting the erection of farm buildings, should also be restored. The Duke of RICH MOND concurred with his Noble Friend as to the necessity of introducing such provisions in the Bill as would provide for mills, and the erection of suitable farm buildings. Lord BEAUMONT considered a great improvement would have to be made in the system of tillage, before the landlords of Ireland could take advantage of the provisions of the Bill. The great evil in Ireland was the small farms into which the soil was divided, and the tenacious hold which the peasantry had upon the land. There ought to be something done to alter this state of things and to enlarge the farms. As it regarded the amendment of his Noble Friend (Lord Monteagle), he was astonished that it had not been retained in the Bill, MS he considered it essential to the due efficiency of the Bill. Their Lordships then went into Committee. Lord MONTEAGLE proposed an amendment on the 4th clause, authorising the erection of farm buildings, and in certain districts of corn mills, provided always that not more than 1,0001. was applied for the erection of any one mill. Lord STANLEY agreed with the Noble Lord as to the propriety of the amendment which had just been made. After a few words from Lord LUCAN, The Marquis of LANSDOWNE conceded the im portance of the amendment of the Noble Lord, giving power to erect mills, which he thought would prove of great advantage to the country. The clause, as altered, was then agreed to. On the Question that it stand part of the Bill, Lord MONTEAGLE said he felt strongly the im portance of the clause, and wished to take the opinion of their Lordships upon it. He was certain the Bill would not work without such an addition. The Noble Lord on hearing that the Marquis of Lansdowne would give the subject his attention, said he would not press his amend ment then. After a few words from the Duke of Richmond, and the Earl of Lucan, Marquis of Clanricardo, Lord Redes dale, and several other Noble Lords, the clause was agreed to. Clauses 1 to 5 were also agreed to, without any amendments. b e given s o a t o me few thea m Upon clause 6 b e i ng read, the Earl of DEVON pro posedevttnr, ou d rs m dtes e e n fsr t , s a)mp a p ff To e_ Ai c on t r i ti l e ; ( g si powers it t ia h ni e (?leerj, : t i tiehe A p e r ft o . Afterapr proposed to C l r a r n h r e i c E a r a d r e l , 0 f and sn the A t, T Earl B o u f Ry Wicklow,reported r ort e the progress clause ai Marquis. ( it f originally stood w as agreed to. 1 The House resumed, journed. and imm e d ia t e l y t h erea f ter ad- HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 4. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. CONSERVATION OF THE THAMES. Mr. MASTERMAN brought in a Bill to provide for the conservation of the River Thames, and far the rep loop, management, and improyement thereQf, 9 POOR-LAW RIITURNS. e M s b r o . u F I d E Rmße move RAND gave u n m o b ti e c r e u t that a r t a , t u o r n n s Thursday in next, connexion h with the poor-laws. The IloN. MEMBER also gave notice that, upon the order of the day being read for the second reading of the newPoortimlawe that day six months. Bill,he should move that the Bill be read a second LORDS OF SESSION (SCOTLAND). Mr. HUME moved for a return of the salaries re ceived by each of the Lords of Session in Scotland since the year 1837, in each year; stating also all emoluments and fees each have received in each year in addition to their salary, exclusive of the moneys received by them for arbitrations undertaken by them. Also for a return from each of the Lords of Session of Scotland. of the number of arbitrations undertaken by them, or of pri vate suits or matters referred to them for their decision or award, in each year since 1837, with the names of the parties and of the places where the same were re spectively heard, the time occupied about the arbitra tion, together with the amount of fees or money re ceived or charged for or on account or such arbitration, decree, or award; and also with the amount of all sums of money charged, demanded, or received, for travelling or other expenses in or about such matters, by each of the Lords of Session, in each year since 1837.—Motiou agreed to. REVENUE OF THE ISLAND OF MALTA. Dr. BOW RING moved for an account of the gross receipts, under their several heads, of the revenue of the island of Malta, for the year 1846 ; and a similar return of the manner in which the said revenue has been expended.—Agreed to. POOR REMOVAL ACT. Mr. BANKES postponed, for a few days, bringing in the Bill of which he had given notice, to repeal the Poor Removal Act of 8 and 9 Victoria. ADMINISTRATION OF THE POOR-LAW. Mr. FERRAND gave notice that he would, upon a future stage of the New Poor-law Bill, ask the Law Officers of the Crown, by what authority power was delegated to any body of men to make rules and regula tions equally as binding as Acts of Parliament, and if no such statute existed, then he wished to know, whether those persons who had been committed to prison for dis obedience of those regulations had not been illegally imprisoned. Mr. HUME considered that great benefit would re sult from the proposed inquiry. The motion was then put and agreed to. SMITHFIELD MARKET. Mr. ORMSBY GORE moved that the following Hon. Members be nominated for the Select Committee on Smithfield Market :—Mr. Ormsby Gore, Viscount Mor peth, Viscount Mahon, Mr. W. B. Baring, Mr. Sidney Herbert, Lord Seymour, Mr. Thomas Baring, Mr. Bur roughes, Mr. Bramston. Mr. Alderman Copeland, Mr. Beckett Deniso n , M r . M asterman , M r . William Miles, Mr. Stafford O'Brien, and Mr. Eliot Yorke. On the motion being put, Colonel WOOD moved the following amendment : that Lord Robert Grosvenor, Sir Charles Napier, Sir De Lacy Evans, and Mr. Antrobus, be members of the said Committee. Mr. lIAWES did not consider that the eastern por tion of the metropolis was represented on the Com mittee. The House then divided, when there appeared — For the original motion 25 Against it Majority — 19 There not being 40 Members present, the House stood adjourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock. WESTMORELAND SOCIETY. This benevolent society, for the maintenance and education of children of Westmoreland parents, or of a its one parent, born in or near London, held one hundred and first anniversary, last evening, at the London Tavern. After an excellent dinner, at which about 100 persons sat down, the usual loyal and national toasts were drunk. Lord Lonsdale presided. Alderman TrtomPsom proposed the health of the Pre sident, and congratulated tho society on a patron so liberal, and who for forty years had maintained the interests of the society. lie also adverted to his conduct as Lord Lieutenant of the county, where his services were so beneficial to the county. Lord LONSDALE briefly returned thanks. Alderman THOMPSON, in returning thanks for the health of the county members, took occasion to advert to the fear that was entertained that the Bank woulcl stop payments. He ridiculed the thought, and said that the " old lady," was never so comfortably situate in her life —(Cheers)---nor ought they to grumble if food was dear, so that there w as enoug h, which, he was quite sur e there was for the whol e wor ld. Lord LONSDALE, in p ro p os ing prosperity to the county of Westmorland, o b serve d, that they had now a great opportunity of elevating themselves in the scale of counties, by reason of the railway which had recently been opened.—(Hear, hear.) The NOBLE CHAIRMAN intimated, dating the course of the evening, that it was his intention to renew his subscription of 50/. for this year. Several other toasts, appropriate to the occasion, were then given and ade quately responded to. The amount of subscriptions for the day was announced to be 600/. THE LONDON UNIVERSITY. On Saturday the distribution of prizes in the medical department of this University took place, and on the occasion the hall was filled with the students and their friends. Lord Brougham, as President of the University, occupied the chair, and the proceedings opened with the reading of the annual report by Mr. Liston, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. From that document it ap peared that the number of medical students who atteaded classes during the past year was 290, the number of the preceding year being 292. Their general conduct and attention was spoken of in the most favourable terms, and it was stated that several of them who had taken part in other academical competitions had gained a fair share of distinction. At the first examination for the degree of M.B. in the University of London, gold medals were awarded to Mr. Thomas Littleton for proficiency in anatomy and phy siology; to Mr. Thomas Armstrong Cammack for che mistry, and to Mr. Joseph Burgon for Materia Medica; and both the gold medals annually conferred on success ful competitors by the Society of Apothecaries were gained by students of this college, namely, the medal for botany by Mr. James Morris, and that for Materia Medics by Mr. Thos. Park. The report further stated the retirement of Dr. Taylor from the professorship of clinical medicine; the appoint. ment of two assistant physicians and one additional as sistant surgeon to the hospital from the alumni of the college; and the extension of the accommodation afforded in the hospital by the erection of a new wing to the building. The report concluded by a reference to the success of Mr. Benjamin Hobson, M. 8., as a religious and medical missionary in China, and his efforts to establish a college at Hong-Kong for the instruction of Chinese pupils in medicine and the physical sciences. The following is a list of the prizes awarded, and the names of the successful competitors:— CLASS OF MEDICINE. Gold medal and Ist certificate—Thos. Park of Lincoln. Ist silver medal and 2d certificate—H. Briggs, Halifax. 2d silver medal and 3d certificate—J. Bailey of London. CLASS OF ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY. Gold medal and Ist certificate—James Morris, London. Ist silver medal and 2d certificate—Archibald P. Childs, of Bungay. 2d silver medal and 3d certificate—Daniel Badcock, of Sheffield. CLASS OF CHYMISTRY. Gold medal and Ist certificate—Nathaniel Clement Wood, of Nurfolk. Ist silver medal and 2d certificate—George Hewitt Bailey, of London. 2d silver medal and 3d certificate—W. M. G. Hewett, of Swindon. _ _ . -- Essay Prizes.-Ist silver medal—Joseph Lister, of Upton. 2d silver medals (equal)—J. Russell Reynolds, of Halstead, and William Payne, of llorselydown. CLASS OP ANATOMY. Junior Class.—lst silver medal and Ist certificate—J. W. Saunders, of Aylsham, 201 silver medal and 2d certificate—W. M. G. Hewett. Senior Class.—Gold medal and Ist certificate—Wil liam Bayldon, of Royston. Ist silver medal and 2d certificate—James Morris. 2d silver medal and 3d certificate—C. D. R. Symons, of Devonport. CLASS OP COMPARATIVE ANATOMY. Gold medal and Ist certificate—Bholanoth Bose, of Calcutta. CLASS OF MATERIA MEDICA AND THERAPEUTICS. Gold medal and Ist certificate—James Rigby , Ist silver med a l an d 2d certificate—W illi am Squire. 2d silver med a l and 3d certificate—Thomas Li m bery, of Appledore, D evon. CLASS OF MI D WIFERY. of Huli. Gold medal an d Ist certificate—Franc i s C or nelius Webb, of E as t Stonehouse Devon. Ist silver m e d a l and 2d certificate—William Bayidol'. 2d silver medal and 3d certificate —Henry Briggs. CLASS OF SURGERY. Gold medal and Ist certificate—Thomas Park. Ist silver m e d a l and 2d certificate—Franc i s C. W e bb. 2d silver med a l and 3d certificate—C. D. R. Sy mons . CLASS OF D ENTAL S URGE RY. Silver medal an d Ist certific a t e —William Bayldon. SUMMER TERM, 1846. CLASS OF BO T ANY. Gold Aledal and I st certificate—Bholanot h Bose.cate Silver medal a n d 2d certificate—W. D. Wi lkes, of Sa lisbury. CLASS OF MEDICAL JURISPRUDENCE. Prize and Ist ce rtificate —Thomas Park. CLASS OF P ATHOLOGICAL ANATOM Y. Gold medal and Ist .certificate —W Cromer. FELLOWES CLINICAL MEDAL. — Gold medal—W. 11. Ransom.• H. Ransom, of PRIZE OP 401. Fon GENERAL PROFICIENCY.—W. Ransom. Lord Bnouomani, when the distribution of prizes had been effected, rose and said, that it gave him sincere pleasure to witness the proceedings of that day, over which he had had the honour of presiding ; and no small portion of that pleasure arose from witnessing the great and just affection shown towards the professors by their numerous pupils.—(Cheers.) It was also to him a very great satisfaction to observe the continued prosperity of that great medical school, great as compared with any other in this country, and he would say, having seen some of the greatest on the continent, and among them the celebrated school at Montpellier, equal to any that he knew of abroad.---(Cheers.) It gave him the greatest satisfaction to observe the truly catholic spirit evidenced so remarkably among them that day. He did not mean Roman Catholic, because he was as strenuous a Protest ant as any man in this country, though he felt great toleration for his erring Roman Catholic brethren.— (Laughter.) Not only had members of every religious denomination won honours, as, for instance, the son of his friend Mr. Childs of Bungay ; not only were there among the list members of the Society of Friends, a body who had very successfully cultivated chymical science ; not only had members of the Church reaped honours, but there were some there who were not in the fellow ship of Protestant or Roman Catholic of sect, or creed, and who belonged to no Christian commu n i ty at a ll . — ' to b es t ow the inestimable bles sin g s of a r efined education i n l etters, (Cheers.) He meant our brethren in th e east, to whom no less than eight different medals and h onours had that day been awarded.—(Cheers.) Nothi ng could to him be more satisfactory than this evidence of th e comp l ete success mu of at instruction,dame to ntal principle, th at we ought to om impart learn in g, arts, and sciences , on p ersons of all denominati ons , whe c ther Jew or Gentil e, Churchma n , or Dissenter, w h et h er th e y were Christians or those who yet wan d ered in outer darkness. — ( nictehis fundamental Cheers.) lle was the more anxious to state this as the corner-stone on which their struc ture rested, because he was living at a time which he thought till lately was the 19th century and not the mid dle ages. H e had, however, recently heard things stated which made him doubt whether they were living in the year 1847. lie would not give any opinion on the controversy which had recently spread over the country and reached the town. Ile would not say whether his old and excellent friends, Mr. Baines and Dr. Hamilton, were right, or Lord Lansdowne, who was one of his oldest friends, but he had seen such things mooted by certain sects, one trying to exclud e or include the other —(Laughter)—that, as he had mentioned in another place, he was obliged to look one day into the Alinanaek to see whether h e really was living in 1847, for he thought he was living in 1837.--(Loud laughter.) It turned out by the Alinanack, from which bi such mat ters t h er e was no appeal—(Laughter) —that lie was living in the year 1847, and he hoped therefore that the diffusion of knowledge among the people would end in a more complete and effectual common education, and that the same progress would be made in the inferior branches as was now made in the high er an d more exalte d branches of learning.—(Cheers.) At the conclusion of his Lordship's address the meet- , ing closed. p yn i had an interview yesterday with Sir George W rgeG i r i g iiiill at the litAue Of2ce. OVER LAND MAIL INDIA. (From the Herald.) We have received by extraordinary express, in anti• cipation of the Overland Mail, our files of papers from Bombay, April 1; Calcutta, March 23; Delhi, March 22. No later dates from China. We subjoin ex tracts:— (From the Bombay Times of April 1.) SUMMARY.—The only news worth noticing that has reached us from the Punjaub is corrective of the errors into which our north-western and eastern brethren had fallen in reference to the state of Seikh affairs in general, and the conduct of the Resident in particular. No at tempt on the life of Tej Singh seems to have been in tended to have been made. The Ihizsreh people have never resisted the government of Ghoolah Singh; they took up arms, on the other hand, against the Seikhs of the plains, and had all but vanquished them when rein forcements were sent from Lahore a twelvemonth since, just before the transfer of the country to Jamoo. Mr. P. Vans Agnew and Lieutenant Lumsden had been sent to make peace, not to maintain war—to use arguments, not force. Ghoolab Singh does not seem a worse or more unpopular ruler than the bulk of the chiefs around him. Since our connexion with him began we have had no fault whatever to find with him. He has at our suggestion cleared his dungeons of state prisoners, restored lands un justly escheated, and abolished suttee and female in fanticide. No attempt to prevent the Durbar meeting on Sunday had been made, or to restrain the movements of the Queen-Mother or her son. No commemoration of any of our victories had occurred in the Seikh capital. Everything throughout the country was tranquil; trade and cultivation were everywhere advancing as the public confidence increased ; and a stern system of in quiry into the state of the finances of the country had been entered on with a view to retrenchment. In Shade the hot weather advances apace, but the country con tinues healthy and tranquil. A good deal of marauding had occurred just beyond the frontier, where the robbers had on one occasion the worst of it ; having been taken by surprise by their intended victims, from five to six hundred were left dead or severely wounded on the field. Two hundred and fifty horses formed portion of the spoil. The remainder of them are hemmed in by Jacob's Irregular Horse, and will, it is supposed, be starved into submission. It is now admitted by the Government official, that the Indus—formerly proclaimed open to the trade of all nations—will not admit of the navigation of vessels drawing so much as three feet of water. Shifting sand-banks, violent eddies, and rapid currents, make the progress of these tardy and perilous! So severe continues the pressure in the money market that discounts have been raised by the banks to from eleven to twelve per cent. About three millions sterling have been raised by the Five per Cent. Loan, which will, it is understood, be kept open for at least twelve months to come. Our expenditure for the past seven years has exceeded our income by above a million and a quarter annually; at this moment the sum just named is yearly absorbed by Sinde. From four to five millions are at present understood to be required by Government. To meet this we have the revenues of the lately-acquired Seikh states, half a million sterling—the saving by the reduction of our armies, about 300,0001. — increased duty on opium, 100,0001.—and the indemnity promised by the Seikh Government during our occu pation of the Punjaub, 220,0001.; to which we must add a saving of about 120,0001. from the improve ment of the customs produced by the suppression of smuggling on our new frontier; this will give a grand total of 1,240,0001., leaving a deficit to be pro vided for by future retrenchments of 210,0001. a year. The death of Akbar Khan, of Caubul, has been confirmed. It was at first stated that he had died of delirium tremens; it is now asserted that he has been poisoned at the instigation of his father, Dost Ma homed! The Governor-General and Commander-in- Chief have by this time reached Simla. The disturb ances in the Goomsoor districts, and disorders in the Nizam's dominions, continue as formerly. With these exceptions, India in general continues tranquil. The Criminal Session in the Supreme Court of Bombay terminated on Tuesday last; it occupied eight days, and was the heaviest, both as to the number of prisoners and nature of the crimes, ever known in Bombay. The Parsee, who so cruelly murdered a Hindoo lad for the sake of his ornaments a couple of months since, has been ordered for execution on Saturday next. The seaman Cole, after having been tried by a navy court martial at Bushire for the murder of an Arab, and found guilty of manslaughter only, was indicted the second time for murder on Monday last, but owing to an omis sion in the indictment the trial was quashed by Sir E. Perry, and the man set at liberty. He had been in con finement nearly eighteen months. The case of Lieu tenant E. Bowles, of the 23d Bombay Native Infantry, who was tried for an aggravated assault on a native policeman in the execution of his duty, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment in- the common gaol, and to pay a fine of 501., has given rise to a considerable amount of discussion—the sentence of the Court being universally condemned as unnecessarily sever•. The ship Mars, bound for Dundee, was totally destroyed by fire in the Calcutta river on the 19th ult. Within the past month nearly 6,500/. have been subscribed in the Bombay presidency for the relief of the destitute Scotch and Irish; 2,4001. were sent home by last mail, and that of to-day takes 3,0001. more. Sir J. Jejeeblioy has given a second donation of 5001. The Calcutta sub scription, opened about the same time, amounts to 5,0001, 4,0001. of which have been transmitted home. At Madras the amount subscribed has reached the sum of nearly 2,0001. By May 1, it is probable not less than 20,0001. will have been sent home from India. The Mussoorie Asylum for the reception of the children of European soldiers, which owes its existence to the Resi dent at Lahore, has met with the most cordial counte nance and support from the Court of Directors. Its founder has contributed to it 1,0001. as an original sub scription, and gives 2001. a year as a donation—a princely sum for a Major of Bengal artillery. The steamer Queen, - with the London mails of the 24th February arrived yesterday afternoon; she has been eleven days, on her passage from Aden. The Victoria with intelligence to the Bth March, is expected this day week. MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. Casualties by death in the armies of India reported sine' the departure of the mail of 15th March : Her Majesty's Troops Ensign Smith, 95th Foot, at Ceylon ' • Lieutenant Chapman, 84th Foot, drowned on pas sage to England. Bombay—Major J. St. C. Jameson, 18th NJ., at Bombay on the 23d March. Madras—Lieut.-Col. C. F. Smith, Ist Native Veteran Battalion, at Madras, on the 9th March; Lieut. W. C. Law, 21st N. 1., at Malacca, on the 3d Feb. _ Bengal—Major-Gen. J. Alexander, commanding the Be nares Division, at Benares, on the 11th March ; Col. A. Spers, resident at the Court of Nagpore, at Janina, on his way to Bombay, on the 18th March; Lieut. D. M. Shand, 54th N. 1., at Lahore, on the 7th March. THE BOMBAY MARKET. (From the Chamber of Commerce Overland Price Current.) BOMBAY, Arius. I.—The import market manifests con tinued and increasing dulness. The scarcity of money generally felt has checked business, and there seems to be very little inquiry for transmission to the interior, while local wants would appear to have been satisfied by the purchases made in February last and in the early part of March. The offers for nearly every description of goods are much lower than they were lately, and many parties, in consequence, are actually refusing to show their stocks in hand. Metals—Any sales in these during the past fortnight would be within the range of our quotations; but we are only informed of a sale of 200 boxes of tin plates at 15 1 / 4 re. per box, and have only heard of a sale of some British bar at 31%rs. per candy. Sales altogether must have been to a very small amount, partaking of the general dulness Cotton Manufactures—The abse nce o f demand ' in the Bazaar, and the approaching termination of our business season, make dealers reluctant to increase their stocks, and there now seems almost no inquiry from without. The sales of the fortnight, therefore, are limited in amount, and show a general decline in prices. Grey Jacconets and Madapollams of low quality, upon which a slight advance was obtained in the early part of the month, have again receded in price, and indeed, with the exception of Domestics, particularly 40 inch widths, which are still saleable from the presence of a few Persian buyers in the market, there is scarcely an article in either *taple of fancy goods that can be sold so as to remit the present manufacturing costs. The Marwarries are still buying nothing, and in their absence we can only expect a very limited inquiry for lappets, mulls, book muslins, &c. Indeed for the present such fabrics are almost unsaleable. Turkey red goods also are in a depressed state , the regular demand having been lately more than sufficiently supplied. Woollens —Nothing reported, and it is believed nothing doing in these. The Bazaar is well supplied. Cotton Yarns—ln these we are only advised of the follow ing sa l e s Twist, No. 20, 7,5001b5. at 6%; No. 20, 14,0001b5. at 6 1 4 ; No. 50, 15,0001 W. at 10; N 0.50, 12,9001b5. at 9 3 A annas per lb. Water Twist, No. 30, B,ooolbs. at 8% ; No. 20, 10,2001b5. at 714; No. 30, 8,0001 b.. at 8%; No. 30, 10,5001b5. at 8 1 / 8 ; No. 20-26, 64,0001b5. at 7:y 3 annas per lb. Other sales in these, if there have been any, would be within the range of our quotations. A sale of orange, Nos. 40 and 50, the bundles being of full weight and sold as 3,0001b5., is reported at 1 1 ,! 2 ra. per lb. Beer—Have nothing to report, none of the new having yet arrived. Spirits—A sale of 15 hlids brandy, at 3% rs. per gallon, is reported to us • but the inquiry for this article continues to be very limited, and only trilling sales can consequently be effected. Some gin in cask is said to have been sold as low as 1 1 / 2 rs. per gallon. Marine Stores—Without change as respects prices, and generally in very limited demand. Saffron—A sale of 441b5., ati rs. 17 per lb.,' is reported, and that is the market price of good quality at present. There is still a considerable quantity of inferior at market. Cochineal —The remainder of the parcel that arrived early in the month ha s been disposal ' of at rs. 4 3 A per lb., and the market is again quite bare of the article. c o tt o r t —Transactioo in this staple are daily illaying effect notwithstanding the continued high rates of freight to England, and prices are high. On Saturday, the 20th, there was a Government sale at the Custom-house of 500 bales of cotton, the growth of the Southern Mahratta country and cleaned by American Saw-Gins,---part of a lot, going h ome by order Of the Court of Directors, which was sold here at the recommendation of the Chamber of Commerce in order more immediately to ascertain its value —and the prices brought ran from rs. 107 to ra. 124 to 125 per Surat candy of 7841 b.—one parcel of 42 bales from the hhandeish Col lectorate having brought as much as rs. 132 per candy. These prices, having in view the present high rates of ship freight, must be considered very encouraging to Govern ment and the native growers. Ordinary market prices are as follow : Broach and Jumbooseer, New, rs. 96 to 98 per candy ; ditto, old, 72 to 80 ; Surat, new. 98 ; ditto, old, 78 to 80 ; Dhollera, new, 86 to 88 ; ditto, old, 72 to 74 ; Oumrawutty, sew, 88 to 89; ditto, old, 70; Compta, old, 68. Coffee—Nothing doing. Opium—No alteration since our last. Freights--These are again firm at 7/. per ton to Liverpool. Since our last as much as 71. 58. has been paid, but this very extreme rate has not b een sus t a i ne d ; an engageme nt or two haying been made on the arrival of two or three vusels at once at 6/. 178. 6d. To London, engagements have been mace at Cl. 10s. to 61. 15s. To China, rs. 23 to rs. 24 per candy continues the rate. MONEY-MARKET. The Money-market is becoming exceedingly tight, and ac cordingly there is a slight decline in the late nominal values of public funds. This tendency is yet on the increase. We quote as follows :-5 per cent. Loan of 1825-26, Rs. 103 per 100 Sic Rs.; 4 ditto of 1832-33, Rs. 92 per ditto ; 4 ditto of 1835-36, Rs. 87 Co.'s Rs. per 100; 5 ditto of 1841-42, Rs. 99% per ditto; 5 ditto of 1842-1843, Rs. 87 ditto; 5 ditto of Transfer Loan, no quotation. Bank of Bombay, Rs. 35 to 36 per cent. pm. Oriental Back, 21 Rs. ditto. Agra Bank, 50 Rs., exclusive of the bonus divisible on June 30th, 1847, of 40 Rs. per share. Divi dend for the half year ended Dec. 31st, 1846, to 12 per cent. Commercial, 4 to 44 pm. Exchange—The rate of six months' bills on England is down to 2s. OV i d. to 2s. 0 3 ( t d., at both of which rates trans • actions have had effect. The fact of the Government an nouncement of their intention to make large advances on India produce this season consigned to England has not yet been well ascertained. It would seem to have caused a decline in the rate of exchange already. Price of Bullion—Sovereigns, each II rs. 1 anna; Bank of England notes, per ea-I], 10 rs,B annas. THE CALCUTTA MARKETS. (From the Bengal Hurkarn of March 20.) Our budget of commercial intelligence is of rather more than usual interest. The news brought by the last mail from home of an increased demand for rice, and the in tention of Government to permit and encourage the use of sugar in brewing and distilling, caused considerable activity in the market for those very staples, which was checked only by the very scanty supply of tonnage and consequently high rates of freight. The Government has announced its intention to extend its advances on the hy pothecation of goods from 800,000/. to 1,255,000!., during the current official year and the next, with an additional um of 600,0001. for the supply of the ensuing year, as far as its requirements are at present known. The advances are, until further orders, to be made as before at 2s. per rupee. Exchange has still, however, had an upward tendency, and may be quoted at 2a. lid. to 2s. lid. The money market has again become exceedingly tight, and the banks have rai se d their rates of interest on private bills to 12 per cent., the legal maximum, and on Govern ment acceptances to 8 per cent. per annum. This state of things has, of course, a depressing effect on company's paper of all kinds ; and even the paper of the New Five per Cent. Loan is to be had in the bazaar at a discount of about 1 per cent. Freights are still rising, and there being little likelihood of a large or early accession to the amount of available ton nage, will probably yet go up. As much as 8/ 103 to 8/. 15s. have been given for su gar an d r i ce to England . CAPT. WARNER'S LONG RANGE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR,—Finding that much comment is made on an alleged admission of mine, that the recent experiment to exhibit the powers of Captain Warner's long range was a failure, I beg leave to enclose you the copy of a letter I wrote to Lord John Russell, shortly after that experi ment, which will show that my deliberate opinion is of a very different character, This will perhaps be sufficient for me to say, until an opportunity is afforded me of delivering my opinion in Parliament. Your obedient servant, INGESTRE. May 4, 1847. " Curraghmore, Carrick-on-Suir, Dec. 12, 1846. "My Lord,—l am in receipt, by post this morning, through Lord Anglesey,of the report of the officers appointed to examine into Captain Warner's inventions, and avail myself of the permission given me to offer a few remarks upon it. "In the first place I am bound to say that the course adopted by the Government in this matter has been open and straightforward, and every reasonable facility for arriving at a proper decisiost has been afforded. " Not having the journal by me kept by the committee, I can offer no observations upon it; but there can be no doubt that it is a correct history of facts as they occurred. "As regards the conclusion arrived at by the committee, that the trial proved a failure, I must say I cannot concur. It is perfectly true that Captain Warner had the choice of the place of operation, and that a certain direction was pointed out as the one most desirable, as affording the fur thest scope; but that he ever pretended he could send the missile in that direction, unless the wind proved favourable, I must entirely deny. " The secresy necessary to be observed, the vast amount of personal labour, the immense weights to be moved, the lateness of the- season for continued out-of-doors operations, all concurred in making the task one of considerable difli culty, which was not diminished by having little more than two points of the compass in which the desired range of five miles could be obtained. None of these difficulties would occur in real service, where you would operate from a steamer, and choose your time and your position, and, more over, would have all the necessary ingredients always at command, instead of having, as in this case, to erect a large and heavy battery, from which to make the necessary gas. " In the late experiment tie day was nearly a calm—once or twice in the course of it pilots had been sent up, and indi cated that the current of air was in the desired direction Captain Warner had the day before received a communi cation from the committee, urging him to go on with the experiment, or to move everything (an obvious impossi bility) to some other place, ►•here he would have a scup.: with all winds. This made him most anxious to operate, and he summoned the committee, and said that if a pilot, w hich he would send up immediately before the main machine, went in a proper direction with sufficient range, he should start the machine, and asked if he could not get the entire range, if that would be considered sufficient. It is capable of proof that the pilot was so started; that the wind proved to be north-west instead of north, as was wished ; that Captain Warner, at the time, asked what range there was in that direction ; was answered that there were four miles, and accordingly let the machine go, having first arranged the fuse for that distance. " I regret very much that the Committee did not stay to satisfy themselves that the number of shells—namely, 30 of 10Ib. weight each—had been sent, and that they had been ' sent at the proper intervals in a direct line, which was all Captain Warner ever pretended to do. "Seeing, then, the terrible power of these missiles, I would humbly suggest to your Lordship that proof be called for of the facts I have alluded to, that Capt. Warner should be directed to show that he cPn send these machines one after another in a steady unifolin line, and that he can move one of con siderable size about in any direction, so as to ensure having a favourable wind, and that he can bold it over the place to be attacked, till it has discharged its missiles, and also that he can measure the force of the wind, and set his fusees cor rectly, so as to drop the shells at the right moment. All this can be done without further expense, and almost at any place that might be selected, and with very little loss of time. Without trespassing further upon your Lordship's time, I may add that Captain Warner would, I am sure, readily give the required proofs or attend any summons you might wish to make, it a personal interview is thought expedient, and that I shall return to Ingestre by the end of this month, where I shall be most ready to attend to any directions you may think proper to give me. Your most obedient humble servant, INGESTRE. P.S.—I have sent this to Captain Warner, for transmission, and that he may subjoin any comments of his own. The Lord John Russell, &c., Downing-street. DECIMAL COINAGE. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Stu,—Permit me, through your pages, and in answer to many communications with which I have baen favoured, to state the outlines of the plan which I submitted to the House of Commons for the introduction of a decimal system •f currency and account. It was my object to interfere as little as possible with the names or values of the existing coinage, and to show that, by dividing the pound sterling into 1,000 farthings, and issuing two silver coins, one representing the 1-10th of the pound sterling-100 farthings—the other the 1-100th-10 farthings—a perfect gold and silver de cimal coinage would be ready at our bands. The only alteration of value would be to the extent of four per cent. in the copper coinage, by making the farthing the 1-I,oooth, instead of (as now) the 1-960th part of the pound sterling. ' As the new coin, which I propose to call a Queen, is about to be issued, representing 25.-24d.-1-10th of the pound sterling, the only additional coin required is thel-10th of the 25.-2 4-10 d.—to complete the decimal currency, which will stand as follows : In Present value. Farthings. account. Gold Sovereign £1 0 0 representing 1,000 1,000 Half ditto 0 10 0 500 500 Silver Crown ... 0 5 0 ..• 250 250 Half ditto. 0 2 6 ••• 125 125 Queen,new 0 2 0 004 100 100 Shilling... 0 1 0 000 60 050 Sixpence.. 0 0 6 ••• 25 025 Victorian. 0 0 2 4-10 ... 10 010 Copper... Penny ... 0 0 1 ••• 4 004 Half ditto 0 0 0% ... 2 002 Farthing.. 00 04 ... 1 001 The penny would probably be hereafter superseded by a coin of five-farthings. The issue of the Queen will lay the foundation of a sound decimal system.—l am, Sir, your obedient Athenaeum, May 3,1847. JOHN BOWRING. MONETARY SYSTEM.--A meeting mittee-room ta ' held in the corn con vened by Mr. 'l'. C. Salt, was W. Sc chair, Esq., in the merchants, manufacturers and tradesmen of this town, con- ' the Town llall, on Friday last, . of bankers, ment of our monetary system, and on , ariably been the con chair, for the purpose of "advising d o o n n th t which have ins . the presentthe l d rn e e r a a n n s ge Of averting the calamities Goddard, J. Harlow, G. Edmonds, Messrs. D. Ledsam, S. A. sequence of such a state of affairs." There Isere also present •t.tt, E. Taunton, T. C. Salt, F. Blyth , _ E. Blyth, W. Middleton , C a p tain Ho p kins, R.N., G. v. Blunt E J. Webster, F. Match M. Martin, W. Harris, T. Barker, 11. Knight, and several other gentlemen. The meeting was addressed by the Chairman, Messrs. I'. C. Salt, S. A. Goddard, and 3. Barlow; and resolutions were passed condemning the pre sent monetary system, and advocating the necessity of form ing a society to be called "the Birmingham Currency Re form Association." A committee was then appointed, and the meeting was dissolved.--Birmingham Gazette. Among the many discoveries that characterise the present age, nothing has contributed so much to the comfort and ease of the community, nor conferred such a boon upon suffering humanity, as that important discovery and never failing remedy for gout and rheumatism, Blair's Gout and Rheumatic Pills. Thousands would join in the observation of an elderly female, as made to Mr. Fogget, the agent at Thirsk—" that she would rather be without butter to her bread and sugar to her tea, than Blair's Pills." This_iip portant medicine is sold by all medicine venders. Price,,„ , 2s. 9d. per b ox . Ob serve t h e name o f "Thomas Front, 2u Strand, London," on the Government stamp. GENERAL POLICE BILL Mr. BOUVERIE wishedtoask the Hon. and Learned Member, the Lord Advocate, whether there was any in tention to introduce a Bill for general police purposes applicable to Scotland, similar to the one for England. The LORD ADVOCATE, who was very indistinctly heard in the gallery, was understood to say that such a Bill was in contemplation. JOINT STOCK BANKS. Mr. NEWDEGATE wished to know if the Govern ment shortly intended to introduce a Bill relating to joint stock companies. Mr. M. GIBSON replied that such a Bill was at pre sent under the consideration of the Lord Chancellor, as to certain points of law which were rather complicated, and that as soon as the legal features of the measure was settled, it would be introduced without delay. METROPOLITAN BUILDINGS ACT. Mr. DUNCOMBE then proposed the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the operation of the Metropolitan Buildings Act ; and also to move that the petition of John Todd Merrick, paper-stainer and manu facturer, New Oxford-street, which was presented on the 29th of March last, be referred to the said Com mittee, to report their opinion thereon, with the evidence, to the House. He said, as he understood the Noble Lord (Morpeth) intended to introduce a Bill to amend the Metropolitan Buildings Bill, he had no ob jection to withdraw it. Lord MORYETH said it was his intention to do so; but he had no objection to bring forward the Bill in the shape of an amendment to the Hon. Gentleman's motion. He said when he came into office, he found that ob- jections prevailed against this Bill, and it was referred to a learned counsel, under whose supervision an amended Bill had been prepared ; and he, therefore, begged to move, as an amendment, that leave be given to him to introduce a Bill to amend the Act for regu- lating the construction and the use of buildings in the metropolis and its neighbourhood. Mr. DUNCOMBE then withdrew his motion, and trusted that the amended Bill would remove the ob- jections of which the persons mentioned in his motion complained. The petitioner was a paper-stainer, and if the provisions of the Act were carried out, he should be wholly unable to carry on his business. The motion was then withdrawn, and the Bill was brought in and read a first time. FEES IN THE COURTS OF LAW. Mr. WATSON moved the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into and report to the House on the taxation of suitors in the courts of law and equity by the collection of fees, and the amount thereof, and the mode of collection ; and the appropriation of fees in all inferior courts, and in the courts of special and general cessions in England and Wales ; and as to the salaries and compensations and fees received by officers and retired officers of those courts ; and whether any and what means could be adopted, with a view of superintending and regulating the collection and appro priation thereof. He said. the question was one of the greatest importance to all classes of suitors, but particu larlytot h c a h t i i d t r t e l en orand marriedob jection w o w m o e u n l d ; b b e u t o ff a s e r h e e d u t o n d t e h r e stood motion, he should briefly confine himself to the object. for which he sought the appointment of this Committee. At every step a suitor was called upon to pay fees which often were not levied for any specific object, but which had simply grown up and tolerated from time to time, and in this way the greatest injustice was frequently perpetrwed. Over the four hundred or five hundred persons allowed to collect fees in Westminster Hall, no check or control was placed. Often they were col lected by the parties for themselves, bat in some instances they were handed over to the Consolidated Fund. At any rate there was no efficient check, and suitors often scarcely knew for what they were paying. The moment a person set his foot in the Court of Chancery ho was compelled to pay fees, and he was compelled to do so at every stage he took, and they had cof n clrwt euheof o ceinentrtid p dh:ei r (Ceie o clpaore p sdanielun o siidlddi rrro:s:tr,lstoir:ohBueoflno4entt:2sf.h:stoseoucmfofctooih,tahrtotuvoehhkoartreieiconhtscnsel.c:ecgqaet-wwfiemuorjeeinaraohtsr.ssyfuateotuonwcnttoadaul pai d ,vr o h fss i va c ,:n h 2 50d70r5N theretBtwaths the a mo u nt ten s : ha O ds me n tfo g ahool h reul e e t nsotuhtffit t . iee o tcdcoseor b eirlsn e s: expended ixcdTepalheti Vice-Chancel l ors, Consolidated Fund, dF anduinn salaries dihobe o tuh f tpe ar t ty h h mo e e ffiee l cn i tor r ros d .; molls sum 0 the salaries of persons connected with those courts, and as there was no check, the officers were allowed to col lect the fees, and to pay themselves and others just what sums they pleased. In 1846 a considerable reduction was made in the fees, but still the fee fund amounted to 137,9951, and the suitor's fund to 112,276/., still making a total of 250,0001., which was spent upon the officers, a great proportion of the money being extracted from the pockets of suitors. Fees were also collected in the common law courts; but more were levied than were required to pay the expenses for which they were avowedly collected, and to such an extent had this sys. tern proceeded, that there had been collected, over and above all the expenses, including salaries, and other de mands, and paid to the Consolidated Fund by the Queen's Bench, for the three years ending in 1843, 50,128/., by the Exchequer, 46,127/., and by the Common Pleas, 4,7311., snaking 100,9861. in the course of three years.— (Hear, hear.) Yet they had not a greater number of judges now than during the reign of Elizabeth; and whilst these large sums were collected and expended in the way he had pointed out, they had not a sufficient number of judges to dispose of the great quantity of business which came before those courts. The suitors who paid these large sums, had a right to speedy justice, but they were now denied it. Then the question naturally arose how far it was right and proper to levy fees for the purpose of carrying out the administration of justice, and whether it was not the duty of the nation to dis charge the cost of dispensing it. To him no principle seemed so obnoxious as taxing the suitor for the dispen sation of justice. Another part of his motion proposed an inquiry into the fees and salaries of the various officers in the courts of justice. Ile considered that they should have necessary officers, but he deprecated the paying of enormous sums to persons who held useless offices, or those who were enormously re munerated for th e p er f ormance of insignificant duties. Inquiry was t h erefore necessary in order that the duties . of the different officer, in the various courts might be all easily defined, arid specific salaries fixed for tho du ties they had to perform. At trials by jury, criers and other officers of the court levied fees. In his opinion there could be no more objectionable thing than paying officers in the courts of justice by fees.—(Cheers.)- If he were to refer to the salaries paid, and the fees re ceived by marshals, criers, and judges' clerks, the House , would be astonished. Fees were also collected in the Court of Session, and the criminal courts, and as abuses existed in them all, inquiry was absolutely necessary. He had, on a previous occasion, brought forward the question of compensation, but many objections had been raised to the appointment of a committee to inquire into the mode in which persons who had been employed in connexion with the courts of law were compensated. On that occasion Le brought forward an outrageous case of compensation—namely, the receiving of 7,5001. a year by a person for simply taxing costs ; and also that between 70,0001. and 80,000/. a year was paid in the shape of pensions to parties whose ages were between thirty and forty. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman concluded by proposing the appointment of the Com mittee. Mr. ROMILLY seconded the motion. It is a com mon thing to suppose that those who received the benefit of courts were to be the only parties benefited. It was the country at large who derived the greatest benefit of the cheap and accurate administration of justice. If the subject were searched into, they wonld find the benefit of such by the improvement to which it would lead by the protection of the suitor. Cases in which there was a belief that there was no moral wrong committed by them, and it was not till the legal opinion on the question was obtained, that parties saw it in its proper light. It was necessary to have in this country, a minister of justice to look after the administration of the law, and to see from time to time such reforms as were necessary ; for the system would always require improvement. He considered that an officer, such as he described, who would devote all his energies to the subject would carry the law into effect properly. Lawyers were not competent to make laws on this subject , and that was an evil that was incident to their avocation.—(Hear, hear.) It was a notorious fact that upon the death of an officer of the Chancery Court, his successor was in the haLit, without any increase in the business of the Court, of handing in a considerable increase in the fees to the Consolidated Fund. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—It was nut his in tention to offer any opposition to the motion of the Hon. and Learned Member, though lie did not wish it to be understood that he assented to the principle of the . Hon. and Learned Member in reference to the fees. HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Mademoiselle Jenny Lind made her debut here last even ing, and has surpassed—far surpassed—the highest expecta tions that could have been formed of her powers. As early as four o'clock, persons began to assemble around the pit and gallery doors of the theatre. At five o'clock the passage through the Opera Arcade was completely blocked up by the crowd (among whom were several ladies) assembled around the pit door. Minute by minute that crowd con tinued to increase, until half-past seven o'clock, when the doors were opened. The crush was terrific, and those who had waited for hours, thought themselves fortunate if they could secure standing room within sight and hearing of the stage. Her Majesty, accompanied by his Royal High ness Prince Albert, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, and their respective suites, entered the Royal box before the commencement si the over- ture, and when Mr. Belle entered the orchestra, there was not a place is the house from which it was possible to get a glimpse of the stage unoccupied. The opera was an Italian version of the chef-dceurr e of Meyerbeer, Robert le Diable, or, as it has been Italianised, Roberto Il Diavnlo, I with the following cast : Alice Mademoiselle Jenny Lind. Isabella Madame Castellan. Robert Signor Fraschini. Bertram Herr Staudigl. Rambaldo Signor Gardoni. Sacerdote --Signor Bouche. The overture was magnificently given, as was the opening chorus of cavaliers, one of the finest compositions in the opera. Rambaldo then enters, and the reception of Gardoni was most flattering. It was not until after this period that the audience recognised Staudigl, who of course had been on the stage from the commencement of the opera, but the instant his clear rich bass tones were heard, the applause was enthusiastic. Then came the beautiful air, "Regnava un tempo in Normandie," which was most tastefully given by Gardoni, and which would, doubtless, have been honoured by an encore but for the impatience of the audience to hasten forward the great event of the evening —the debut of Jenny Lind. At the conclusion of this air, Jenny Lind, undoubtedly the prima donna of the world entered. She was re ceived with shouts of applause, and with waving of handkerchiefs, that lasted several minutes. Of her personal appearance the recently published portraits, which are to be seen in every print-shop window, convey as good an idea as portraits can convey, of the personal appear ance of any living being ; but there is an intellectual g beauty in her animated countenance, a mobility of feature, and a beauty of expression about the eye, which set the limner's art at defiance, and to which words cannot do adequate justice. So highly had Jenny Lind's musical powers been praised, that we went almost prepared to be disappointed. We ex pected to find her a second Sontag from the descriptions we had read, but we certainly were not prepared to find, as we did find, the beautiful tones of a Sontag, united to the powers of a Grisi, the compass of a Malibran, the more than flexibility of a Persiani, and the correctness of intonation of the most perfect of musical instruments. It is impossible by language to convey any idea of what the voice of Jenny Lind really is, because it is so surpassingly beautiful—so superior to any other voice, uniting, as it does, the perfection of all voices, that there is no standard to which it can be compared. It is, in fact, itself the standard, as being the nearest approach to perfection of any voice ever heard, and hence the difficulty, nay, the absolute impossibility of doing justice by description to the powers of Jenny Lind. Truly has she been called the nightingale, for she possesses in the utmost perfection the " jug " note of the bird, and also that marvellous power of throwing, as it were, the warble into distance—now dying away, and now swelling again, even as an organ does—a power possessed by no other human voice that we have ever heard. She first brought this marvellous power into play in her scena d'ist trata '‘ V anne dense al figlio mio," and the audience were hushed into admiring silence--they seemed almost afraid to breathe; and at the conclusion there was one loud burst of enthusiastic applause. This possession of this marvellous power was still more distinctly manifested in the second act, in the far-famed Quand Je quittais La Normandie, the Quando lasicar la IVOrmundia of the Italian version. Never has this, perhaps, the capo d'opera, been so exquisitely given. Those who have not heard Jenny Lind sing this air can form no idea of what it really is. The beautiful nightingale•like richness and clearness of her tones the immense power and compass, and the marvellous flexibility of her voice—the lavishness and exquisite taste of her fioriture—the perfect purity of her intonation are such, that it is impossible by words to convey the remotest idea of the reality. In her manner of reading the prayer to the virgin, with which this air concludes, there is some thing indescribably beautiful. It is as though a nightin gale were endowed with the power of warbling in articulate syllables. Jenny Lind is far and away the greatest singer who has ever yet appeared, and loudly as fame has spoken in her praise, fame has in this instance been guilty of no exag geration. We wonder not at the enthusiasm she has ex cited, wherever she has appeared. She was called for at the conclusion of the first act, and also at the conclusion of the opera. It is a world of supererogation to praise the Bertram of Staudigl. It is one of those performances which have be come classical, send which are ranked with the Coriolanas of Kemble, and the Sir Giles of Edmund Kean. Madame Cas• tellan was in excellent voice, and sang and acted Isabella exquisitely. Never has the far-famed " Oh, Robert ! oh toi que j'aimic," (Roberto o tu the adoro of the Italian version), been more correctly, more feelingly, or more beautifully given. Henceforth that aria (at least in this country) is Madame Castellan's. Fraschini was the best Hubert we have seen in England. His tine, powerful, and rich chest tenor is excellently suited to the part, and he acted it admirably. The dining song in the first act has never been bet ter given. Gardoi is Rambaldo is beau . . tilul. We have already alluded to his scene el intrate in which he was much applauded. His duet with Staudigi in the second act was also exquisitely given, in fact, Gardoni has made the character of Rambalio. The cho ruses were splendidly given, and the manner in which the music of this, perhaps the finest opera in the world, was given by the orchestra, was a perfect triumph for Balls. The opera has been put upon the stage in the most perfect manner possible. The scenery, by Marshall, is superb. The effect of the resurrection of the nuns was quite novel, and was admirably managed. The mysterious and gradual appearance during the incantation was quite dioramic. Carolina Rosati was the principal nun, and if anything cculd excuse Robert's sacrilege, it would be the fascinations of such a tempter. A divertissement, embracing the talents of Cerito and St. Leon, and Lucile Grahn, concluded the evening's enter tainments. The Queen and his Royal Highness Prince Albert were present. They were accompanied by her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent and his Serene Highness the Duke of Leiningen. The Royal suite included the Countess of Desert, Lady Augusta Bruce, Hon. Miss Kerr, Hon. Miss Cavendish, Lord Waterpark, lion. Colonel Phipps, and Col. Bouverie ;• her Majesty the Queen Dowager, accompanied by his Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, and attended by the Earl and Countess Howe, Viscount and Viscountess Barrington, lion. Miss Wheatley, and Captain Somerset ; and her oyal Highness the Duchess of Cam bridge, attended by the Ladies Augusts and Ilonoria Cadogan, and Baron Knesebeck, were also present. Amongst the general company were the Prince Louis Napoleon, the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort and Lady Blanche Somerset, the Duke and Duchess of Montrose, the Duke and Duchess of Cleveland, the Due de Melfort, Marquiss and Marchioness of Ailesbury, Marquis and Marchioness of Douro, his Ex cellency the Baron de Brunnow, the Baroness Brunnow and Adlle. Olga de Lechner, his Excellency the Hanoverian Minister, Marquis of Huntley, Marquis of Conyngliam, Marquis of Donegal, Earl Cadogan, Earl of Strathmore, Earl and Countess of Wilton, Earl of Warwick, Earl of Arundel and Surrey, Countess of Jersey and Lady Clemen tine Villiers, Earl of Munster, Earl of Chesterfield, Earl of Falmouth, Countess of Blessington, the Misses Power, Earl of Cardigan, Earl and Countess Granville, Countess Dowager of Essex and Miss Johnson, Earl of Belfast, Countess of Dalhousie, Earl and Countess of Powis, Countess Grey, Viscount Cantalupe, Viscount and Viscountess Maidstone, Viscountess Falkland, Viscount Canterbury, Viscount Re nelagh, Viscount Castlereagh, Viscount Clifden, Lord and Lady Willoughby de Eresby, Lord and Lady Macdonald, Lord and Lady Ernest Bruce, Lord Alexander Gordon Lennox, Lord and Lady Seymour, Lord Brougham, Lord Brooke, Lord Gardner, Lord Sandys, Lord Saltoun. Lord A. Fitzclarence, Lady Glentworth, Baron and Baroness Botha hc h a t i i l ge d, n .B Baronaron and i co l3 m a i r , o Baroness Baron LionelK olKoller, e r 12 , c&husne Count Rothschild, 1 0 , rsa ß ayr,onß Counte.- de Berke, Count de Courcy, Count . de Maces, Hon. G. L.Hon. Smythe, Mrs. R . Curzon, D y c e SliorbreV, Mac donald,.HWond.lßou.gLhabwnlelly,onliojn..Mr. Dillon, Sir R. and Lady Peel, Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore,, Sir George Talbot, Lady Palmer and Miss Palmer,__ Sir SmYt b e 'Ho n. Loftus and Lady Otway, Sir Alexander and Lady Wood ford and Miss Woodford, Sir Fitzroy and Lady Kelly, Sir Charles Lemon, Lady Colbourn, Sir Wm. Fremantle, Sir Henry Webb, Sir H. Willoughby, Sir Andrew Barnard, Sir George Wombwell, Sir Bellingham and Lady Graham and Miss Graham, Lady Slade, Sir Henry and Lady and Miss Meux, Lady Douglas, General Upton, Colonel Tynte, Colonel Merrick, Mrs. Colonel Powell, Colonel Bowers, Major Butler, Major Baring, Major Colgreave, Captain Reynolds, Captain. Greville, Captain Smith, Captain Laing Messon, M. C. De Koudriafsky, Mr. and Mrs. Hodgson, Mr. and Mrs. Hubert de Burgh, Mr. and Mrs. Trelawny and Miss Trelawny, Mrs. Cunningham, Mr. C Packe, M.P., Mrs. Packeißeading, Mr. Leader, M.P., Mrs. Grote, Mr. Barry Baldwin, M.P., air. G. Delafield, Mr. W. Delatield, Mr. J. Hankey, Mr. Hucksley, Mr. W. Williams, Mr. Montagu Gore, Mrs. Capel, Mr. and Mrs. G. Phillips, Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler, M iss Gyles, i,ifr . Miss.. Gee, Mr. Clarke, Mr. H. Villeb ois, Mrs. M h Barclay, Mr. Amory , Mr . Howard, Mr. o or, Mrs. H 11 d Perry, Mr. B. Lindo, Mr. R o b er ts, &c. (F ro m the Times.) experiencesfrequent we may safely say, and our pertaining to " first e n nig h ts," y d several hundreds of her Majesty's of the excitement ap pertaining such a scene of enthusiasm opi W ni e on have wil l l i i j a e d b f a r c ee k %, subjects, that we never . mademoiselle Lind's debut as Alice in an Italian version of Robert as that displayed .. last night on the occasion • Jenny is Diable. The uproar which followed her entrance is some thing to be remembered, not described. The whole crowded mass displayed a power of lungs truly astounding, and hats and handkerchiefs waved from all parts. It was not like the encouragement given to a delitanfr, but the welcome given to an established favourite—a declaration of an existing sympathy. For a moment Mademoiselle Lind was a little overcome by her immense reception, but it was for a moment only, and as a singer and an actress she had perfect posses sion of all her powers throughout the evening. If the ex pectations were great, we must say that they were more than realised. People came prepared to admire, but they admired beyond the extent of their preparation. The de licious quality of the organ—the rich gushing notes were something entirely new and fresh. The auditors did not know what to make of it. They had heard singers over and over again, but here, that wondrous thing, a new sensation was actually created. The conversations in the hox.lunhies were all indicative of the highest gratification and the highest wonder, were all variations in the o!e 'lotheme ise of " Did you ever hear such a t hin g in your life?" andYhadoppor tunity rhapsodizing, but all that were there, know an what that we of our readers who were not in the house ma • fancy we are of joining io general conversation,_fact. notes, swelling with full richness, and fading down to the are stating is a Inure unexaggerated The sustained softest piano, without losing one iota of their quality. being delicious when loud, delicious when whispered, dwelled in the public ear, and reposed in the public heart. The shake mezzo race with which she concluded the pretty air " Quand je quittai ma Normandie" was perfectly wonderful for its rapidity and equality. This air was rapturously encored with the most enthusiastic will-0g of hats and handkerchiefs, Even the way is to be slry- - g ned ; Med ; I, pro' ing of pan/ „ /40 ban" le 15, tficil l fames book ne 15, ,acisl Stria' t til t/ Too. q 16, urt of 6 Ose 10, £ coos treat} to, S t tc 14, 3auk "ortoit lne 3 ' i g nee, And WO' strict dd. ar.d oar ,treaty and sow , I 109 Joi 3 l fads' nuts• lball' t the "Col n the rook- 5 1 j2d: luel" , en d. R It .... i ner.. s trict no 2, isoli, t ° gig pg. ne. lid