The Sun. — London, England, 1847-03-27 00:00:00

the distillers themselves complained of. He should be as glad as any Hon. Member in that House, if the re ductions sought for by the distillers of this country could be conceded, but he feared that the sanguine ex pectations of the Noble Lord would not be justified by the result. The Noble Lord had represented in very lively colours the fears which were entertained by the home. manufacturer for the competi tion which might be 'given by the colonial producer, hut these fears he consie.gered were greatly exaggerated, and without foundatiore. lie considered that these fears were exaggerated, with a view to meet the opinions of persons who differed from him, he had increased the differential Ctuty to a higher amount than he had previ ously intended, and one reason for adopting this course was undor;ntedly that he might meet less opposition in CommiV.ee. If he established that the producer in any part of the country had nothing to fear from foreign corepetition, then he held that he had established his (ease in all parts of the country. for the English, Irish, and Scotch distillers stood precisely on the same ground. Ile had no great faith in the statements put forth from time to time by perties interested in the manu facture of British spirits, for he thought that they had exhibited great ignorance on the subject. In the year 1830, when the Earl of Ripon was Chancellor of the Exchequer, the differential duty was 18d. per gallon, and the distillers then alleged that they paid 9d. for the ex tra price of corn, thus showing that 9d..was the amount of protection afforded them, and they were satisfied at the lime with that amount of protection.—(Hear, hear.) He had received several statements from the distillers of this country, in which they suggested that Is. per gallon would be an equitebte amount of differential duty, and he confessed that he was somewhat amazed to hear his Noble Friend come down and urge grievances of a greater magnitude than even they themselves did. His Noble Friend had stated the " decreases" in the home stock at 3d. 4-10ths per gallon. Now be held an excise return which showed that in the stock of six of the largest distillers the decrease did not Equal h 1. per gal lon. He held similar returns from Scotland and Ire land. There was still more remarkable evidence on the subject. In 1842 the drawback of malt spirits in Ireland was altogether repealed, and the quantity manufactured increased very much. Scotland had still, however, a drawback of 811. per gallon, and yet with that drawback they were enabled to compete with—and successfully compete with—the Irish distiller, who had no drawback. In 1840, the quantity of spirit exported from Scotland to Ireland was 427,000 gallons; in 1842 it was 432,000 gallons ; in 1845 it was 507,000 gallons ; and in 1846 it was 524,000 gallons. There were complaints made by England and Ireland as to the loss upon excise restriction. He admitted that these was some loss, but not the extent of 4d. per gallon, as Mated by the English, or 6d. as stated by the Irish. The law being the same in both countries, the loss must naturally be the same. He could not, however admit that the loss was anything near the amount stated by the Noble Lord. With regard to the question of de creases, he had the statement of themselves, and it was proved that in England and Scotland, the amount alto gether was 3/d. That being the case, he thought it would be properly met by allowing them a differential duty of 6d., but he thought that the distillers themselves would be satisfied with a duty of 91, which was the maximum duty that would ever be Placed upon rum as a differential duty. In the year 1845, the whole quantity of spirits consumed in the Hatted Kingdom was 26,672,000 gals., and of that 2,400,000 gals. were rum, all the rest being British spirits. Conl d the duty on so small an article of import materially aff tct the interests of the distillers of this country ? The fear of such an injury was one of the lamest that could be imagined, for the interests of all those concerned w ere, as he had shown, to be pro perly protected. Those who would be mostly benefited by the measure were the West Indians, and he did not think that it would be by any means so great a boon to them as they anticipated. He should, therefore, oppose the motion of the Noble Lord. Mr. CALLAGHAN said that the House should receive with caution the statement made by the Right Hon. Gentleman with regard to Ireland. Ile wished to re mark upon some points of that statement. The circum stances of England and Ireland. were such, that if the English distillers were to consent to receive 6d., 9d., or ls. as a differential duty, that arrangement would not do for the Irish, who claimed fa duty of ls. 6d. The cost of rum in Calcutta was from Is. 7d. to ls. Bd. per imperial proof gallon, and the export was increasing in quantity. From the 31st of .October of 1842, to the same period in 1843, the qus.n tity exported from Cal cutta was 560,000 gallons, ana 1 in the year 1845 to 1846, it was respectively 600,0.00 to 706,000 gallons. The Irish distillers had further t , complain that this re duction came on them suddenly ; on which point the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chan cellor of the Excheqtur did not think at all. Mr. BERNAL did not think the colonial interests had been well or equitably treated on the present occa -8!°11. He thought the case was one beset with difficul ,:rs ; but after the mo-t careful, consideration of every thing connected with it, the gireatest reduction which 'oe Chancellor felt himself boun d to make was sixpence Per gallon. There were just eight proper distilleries in England ; in Scotland the treg le was shared by 150 ; but in Ireland he could not say how many there were. The trade, however, in England was an 4, 1 2 1141 - With regard to I;be colonies, he thought all ; e ‘ they had nothing to, do with the pros tiller c the fiscal duti es on the home di the If these duties press. d hard upon the home stiller let them be removed ; but they must look to into justice o f t h e quest i on . A n d if th e y did not en t er 0 the grievances of the col anies, he denied their right to look to the pressure of tb.e fiscal duties on the home distillers. He protested a gainst sending the matter again to a Select Committee., It had been investigated over and over again, and he. did not see what they could gain by doing so. He did not wish that any injustice should be committed on any class of her Majesty's sub jects, but he did not think the proposition now made would tend to throw any additional light on the subject. lie begged to ask them whether, last session, it was not argued over and over again, that if the free-trade Principles were conceded on sugar, they would be ex tended to the rum producers of the West Indies? He contended now, that on every principle of justice such an extension ought to be made. What he would say to the sister countries would. be, show me how much you suffer from the duty upon malt, and by so much, and no more, shall be the discriminating duty charged be tween the foreign and home producer; for as to the case of England, Scotland, and Ireland, he must say that the discriminating difference between the liquor there Produced and that produced in the colonies, ought to be the amount of the duty charged upon malt, independent of the duty on the liquor produced from it. He stood there, not merely as an English, or an Irish, or a Scotch r epresentative, as the case might be; he stood there as t .i he representative of the clonial subjects also, and he °emended for them equal rights and privileges. Mr. GROGAN said he would second the feeling expressed 9 , the lion. Gentleman who had just sat down, for he did not rise as an Irish Member to ask any preference for the Irish distillers over the colonial producers. But what he deprecated i n that Hon. Gentleman's speech, was the peculiar burdens tinder which the Irish distillers laboured, and that was the Lies'? to which he (Mr. Grogan) would confi ne himsel f ""ri if every other charge was assumed to be equal in the ease of the Irish and the colonial producer, the raw materials fr om which the liquor was produced differed most signally in Price. That was an element deserving of attention in the calculation. But then, proceeding onwards from the raw ma• terial, the mechanical means and the expense of production ceserved next the attention of the House; for whatever ,fleienee, i ng enuity, or wealth could add in assisting to produce the liquor the colonial producer could make use of them ail. ; 3 ,M was that the case with the Irish distiller ? Why, from t he time the first stone of the establishment was laid down till '"e moment when the cask of liquor was sent out, the Excise int erfered and trammelled him in every movement. Yet the 1 7° 1 1- Gentleman had said that 6d., as it was formerly, and 9d., was not sufficient protection. But he begged to re ;wad that Hon. Gentleman that the actual reduction is England would just be 91, and no more; whilstT i n I re l an d, though the reduction proposed • was also 9d., it ac t ua lly turned out to be ss. 3d. But the Irish tailless conducted their processes at very great risk and very great loss, on account of the impediments opposed in their way , the excise. They could not brew and distil at the same rime, a n d t h e l oss occas i one d by thi s i m pediment in the mate necessary, which were wasted by the delay, was admitted all sid es . N ow , aga i n , were th e y allowed to use those mix tares which they believed would be beneficial in working off their t processes of distillation. Another great loss arose "m the waste occasioned in the storing of bonded saiirits. He would just direct the attention of the !louse to a single instance. A friend of his in May of the year 1842, stored six puncheons of whisky, containing 660 gallons 25 overproef in the Queen's stores, Dublin ; and in the month of May, 1846, when duty was paid aeon them, the puncheons had to be filled up and the decrease wks found to be just eight gallons upon three of them. That was a very considerable loss that fell upon the Irish distiller. • Mr. BOUVERIE said that as the intention was sa to llPPortion the duties that they should not press too severely on :In clan, the measure of the Right Hon. Baronet did not meet igi e ls o object, for it appeared to him to press too severely on the t.ish distiller. There were two classes of spirits to stilled in this country, namely, from raw grain and si malt. In Scotland, the great proportion of spirits ia aaafactured was from malt, the consumption being that times the amount of grain liquor. But the Chancellor of snalt E„xchrquer said that the better price received for the an "9 ,1 13 r, as compared with the lesser price of grain, gave ~,Nutvalent for the increased duty. But was this the case ' d ' e lih foreign rum ? If the raw grain distiller was entitled to the fa.r e .t reased duty on his one eleventh of malt used in the mann ecare of his spirit, the distiller who used malt entirely was 'tied to the same decrease an his eleven-elevenths of malt. i'leor these reasons he would oppose the measure of the Right 4r Baronet. Alen• FORBES contended that extraordinary advantages had given to the colonial producers by the measure of the ' 4 Hon. Baronet. The Noble Lord, the Member for Lynn, ago aske for the aointen of a committe some six weeks tl l a d and if the Ch an cello r of t the Exchequer e had then granted a e nntrnittee, the question would have been by this time set ti ° St . The Hon. ember felt that an inquiry into the opera th,re M °f the Exc se law i was necessary, and he should support ti nt oti on of the Noble Lord. fr e ,„ l %, MOFFATT said that he had heard many complaints 'tile. Irish Members of the want of protection to distillers t h atth e r r country, but he really thought that they did not know t ee , ,i _nwn interest. He thought that an equalisation of the pro their's! to Irish produce and colonial spirits would be • most for fr om benefit. They ought to be enabled to sell their spirits p o w in the same manner as the colonial rum—as the tm eih of that permission enforced the consumption of a very th e ° 'esorne article, and, at the same time, did an injustice to Le zroducer. o , •„/LkRKLY said that he thought that the English and hadynstillers would have better consulted their own interests osi ßin a_ej consented to receive the protection of 6d. per gallon as • R 0141 ' 4 27 proposed under this Bill. That amount alone— rtil i n 'Ten their annual produce of 24,000,C00 gallons—give l ong rile 0 1'600,000/. A ire:) , considerable revenue after the king they had enjoyed. The distillers of the three h e a l u o tn had long been considered as the supports and strong corepetirtra°n°"lY' and they had naturally tried to hinder any esl y , len by their brother distillers in the colonies. The ,i,ate_iestion that remained for the Hoes. to sseertain WIS. (builio`41,(10111 of d!r , ct , :•1 upon (: h e a r• It, his ovinion iu gallon in . Eu land ix.uia e h tnPle protection tor the — distillers,. l' for he thoug ht that the ftltt e „ ll °.r of the Exchequer had sufficiently shown, in re ° ‘uelm exaggerations, that they did not require any more. THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 27, 1847. They objected to the practice of warehousing spirits. That was to say, that they would not bond themselves, nor allow others to do so ; and yet they came to that House and com plained that they were not allowed to bond their spirits, unless after the payment of duty, which involved a loss of 3d. per gallon. If the allegation of the Scotch distillers were true, they had for some years been suffering—and in silence, too—a great drawback. In 1821 a drawback was placed upon malt, in order to encourage legal distillation ; and in 1831 the Irish distillers complained that the drawback, so placed, opened a door for a system of fraud by distilling in Scotland from a mixture of malted and unmalted graM, which had been sur reptitiously obtained. A Committee was appointed to inquire into the subject, anti the result was the reduction of the draw back. Since that reduction the Scotch distilleries continued to thrive, and they made considerable imports into this coun try. If they found that the burden placed upon their trade was too heavy to allow them to compete with others, they should bring the matter before the House by one of their own members ; but in his (Mr. Barkly's) opinion there was little or ne real cause of complaint. There was one consideration which should weigh with the landed interest to induce them to consent to this measure, namely, that the home-growth of barley was quite independent of the foreign supply, so that their interest could in no way be affected. Ile thought that at the present late period of the session, and in an - expiring Parliament, the reference of this subject to a Select Committee, would be productive of much delay and inconveni ence, and th:refore he should oppose the motion. Mr. SHAW said that he had listened with very great at tention to the difficult and complicated su ject then under the the conside , ation of the House.—( Hear, hear.) tie was perfectly satisfied that his Noble Friend should get the Committee. The subject was a very difficult and compli cated one, and on that ace, unt it was a very fitting one fcr investigation. He would not go into details, but he was bound !o say that he understood' from an eminent distiller, that 5 per cent. was the utmost profit that could lately be made in the distilling trade, and that if this measure passed it would drive those who were engaged in it to give it up altogether. Mr. GOULBURN said, that if the Noble Lord's motion were carried, the forms of the House would prevent him from effl.cting the object he had in view. He did not think, how ever, that a Committee was necessary, as the subject had been already sufficiently investigated. And if the Committee were appointed, the consequence would be that the minds of all who were engaged in the distilling business would be unsettled. The Right Hon. Gentleman then went into some details to show that the diminution on the differential duties on colonial spirits that had been made since 1823, did not cause any de crease, but the reverse in the consumption of home spirits. In 1830, he introduced a measure for the reduction of the duty on rum, Is. 6d. to Is., but owing to the change in the Ministry which then occurred, that reduction had not been made. Even apon the showing, however, of the distillers themselves, the diffetential duty ought not to be more than BL.d. He would not go into the able calculations of the Right lion. Gentleman, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but he quite agreed with him that 6d. was the very utmost to which the distillers of this wintry had any claim in consequence of their increased burden'. But when he reflected on the peculiar circumstances of the ease he thought the Right Hon. Gentleman was right in deal 'ng tenderly with the home trade. Ile could not doubt but Dy increasing the amount of protection they would benefit the producer and the consumer. He might recall the attention of the House to a memorial presented through Mr. Pierce Mahon, in 1830, by the distillers of Ireland, when they said they would compete with the producer of any country, clime, or colour, provided they had the advantages of free trade, and should not be subjected to a corn duty. That was a statement which did them credit. If they spoke to facts in that day, they could have no case at the present moment, and he asked the Right Honourable Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he could say that ninepence was not sufficient protection against foreign competition. But to coma to the Scotch distiller. He doubted whether, if the case were properly looked into, he had a claim for Is. 4d. drawback on the malt. But if the Scotch distillers had a case against the rum producers at the present duty, they had a case s ill stronger against the admission of English cor❑ spirits into that country at the present charge. In fact, however, they had a monopoly as against rum in their own country, and they sent in 2,000,000 gallons of their liquor into England besides. He was amazed at the combination which had taken place that night against the colonial trade with the West Indies. The course which had been pursued would injure not only the colonial producers but the colonial importers who were obliged to make up their cargoes with sugar or to charter the vessel to unload part at Dublin and the rest at Liverpool. Let the House only look at the effect pro duced. In 1821 the home spirits brought to charge amounted to 9,820,000 gallons, and the rum to 2,321,060 gallons ; but in 1845, when home spirits brought to charge amounted to 23,600,000 gallons, rum only amounted to 2,400,000 gallon:•. He felt he mu3t oppose the motion of the Noble Lord. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL said he must support the motion of the Noble Lord for inquiry, and the more that the Honourable Gentleman had made such a speech as perhaps could not be answered on the instant. That showed the necessity of some tribunal of appeal. But he must say that the figures quoted by that Hon. Gentle man to show the quantity of spirits brought to charge only showed that a large quantity had been smuggled But the distillers had been the subject of Parliamentary interference and enactment, which made them more deserving of the con. aideration of the House. Mr. DISRAELI said that the Right Hon. Baronet, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, after avowing himself the champion of free-trade, after preparing them for the adoption of a moderate differential duty, terminated his exordium by informing the House that the Government intended to increase the duty against their colonies. He then entered into items which furnished the duties from which his Noble Friend's re sults had been drawn. They were not aware of the doubts which had prompted the Right Hon. Baronet in his walk from Downing-street to that House, to alter the predetermined duty of 6d. into 9d., but he (Mr. Disraeli) thought the Right Hon. Baronet should not have stopped there. He took it for granted that protection to the British distiller, entered into the arrangement which was come to at the end of the session of 1845, and was also to be an essential in the Right Hon. Baronet's measure, and he would ask if free com petition could exist in this country under the operation of the excise laws? He thought it was agreed upon by all who had taken part in the debate. He thought, in fact, it was agreed upon by all who had considered the question, that compensation should be given to the traders who suffered under the excise system—who were the collectors of the very revenue which they contributed to the Exchequer. The question was what compensation were they entitled to receive from the country for fulfilling that peculiar office. Every one agreed that this compensation should be Oven ' and as the di ff erence between the Right Hon. Baronet and his Noble Friend was only 3d., the House might very readily decide upon the amount of com pensation ? The Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for the University was a great authority, from his past experience and official :knowledge ; and he (Mr. Disraeli) thought that he should be the very first person, under these circumstances, who should be selected as an excellent mediator on the subject. Fortunately they had an Act of that House, passed at the end of the session of 1845, which not only ad mitted, but laid down that the differential duty of Is. 3d. should be imposed. Ncee, in the phrase of the day, that was a great fact. It was an Act - regulating the commercial transac tions of the Channel Islancls, concocted in the secret recesses of the Treasury. He would assume that a fair compensation would be 14d. The Righ,t Hon. Gentleman had told them that at an interview with. certain distillers, they had fixed the amount of duty at 18d.. an d announced that 9d. out of that 18d. was on account of the existing duty upon barley. The Right Honourable Gentleman said there was writ ten evidence of this that the admission was re deced into writing at the time. But the distillers denied that such writing existed, at least, they had never seen it ; but he understood that the substance of the conversa tion whch had passed betor een the Chancellor of the Exche quer and the deputatiori., and had been reduced to writing by three excise-officers, who were present. Thus the three respectable distillers were .changed into three excise-officers. The statement of the Rig ht ion. Gentleman was, he pre sume& an official romance. If three virgins were changed into three dragons, the transforat iatinn could not be more complete. (Laughter.) The Right Ho n. Gentleman admitted the cor rection of his Noble Friend's statements with two great excep tions ; these were the at nor int allowed on decreases, and the charges of rectifying. Tbe Noble Lord has estimated the de crease at 3id.; while the I tight Honourable Baronet on the authority of the three di: ;tillers gave Id, The distillers complained that the rectifyri ng houses were removed a quarter of a mile from the place as is ere they carried on the other pro eesses of their manufactu re , and that the excise duties com pelled them to manufactui •e an article which they were obliged immediately to part with. The cost price of the article was 2s. 6d., the duty was 7s. I ,Od ~ and they were obliged to pay it before they were permitt , ad to remove a gallon of it. Thus they were forced to sell ail to arils's, article which had to compete with a matured article from the Colonies. His Voble Friend had shown that the decree see were equal to 3iti. per gallon, and that the additional cost for rectifying was as 3d. per gallon. The Rigb t Honourable Baronet stated that these amounts w e greatly exaggerated. Let them judge from the re to rn he had before him. He fouml that from January, 1845, t, ) January, 1846, the amaunt of foreign and of thatgin e n n o t e red ls t f or n h 3 1,2 80 00 g n a TITI on p s ti w on ere w a a l s l 0 9 w , e 3 d 92 f r g o d n e s . , creases," being at the rate a 12 1 ,E per cent. He came now to rectification ; arid here thts Right lion. Gentleman said that the only individuals entitled to compensation were. the Irish distillers. His Noble Frier is I said that the distance of the rec tifying house from the other distilling premises entitled him to sixpence per gallon compen sa.tio n. Now the question was, what amount of compensation shy ould be really given? That question could only be answered by a s' svere analysis in a Committee up stairs. lie could not help thinking that this was a very limited question, and that a CORIr ni ttee mast very soon arrive at a conclusion upon it. His N7o ble Friend had apologised in his opening speech to the Hou is 3 for bringing before them a very dry subject. He had stat e d that it was a question of pence and farthings. It consiste . merely of five or six items—the greatest amount being Is. ;110.—the lowest amount 6d., and the middle course recomm et ided to the Cabinet 9d. He agreed with the Right Hon. Get etlernan opposite that a Committee might, if they worked ev tery day, bring in a report at the end of a week. The R fight, Hon. Gentleman who was as s opposed to Committees ha d - voted for a Committee to investi gate the navigation-laws. . -(Laughter.) He (Mr. Disraeli) wanted to know how tha Committee was proceeding—how it was going on—whether L ey were prepared to give their report before Easter.----(Hear, h ea r.) The Right Hon. Gentleman had offered the House a I snit rate communication upon the sub ject of a deputation. He ha d said that when he was in office many years ago the distillers were then in communication with him, and that the Iri st ; distillers made the following communication to him. They had stated the case in the following way to the Rig ht Hon. Gentleman. They re ceived what they called c , an ipensation, but which in these days was called protection in ~,the existence of that agricultural legislation called the corn-i 'aws, and the only reason urged by those Irish distillers at that ; moment was, that the corn-laws as they then existed, mad e a difference to them of Is. per gallon. That would be 2Os . per quarter, and he held in his great stateh theutmktbieen number o f w I,n he , hand the average pri ces I. if barley a t that time. He had taken it fur r s not a h ad n a sr a s,for the Right Hon. Gentleman d administration, but obnutatitnhethnaut period.mbero barley of ye i da He found that the averag e , pr i ce of ' was Dls and a frac tion. In 1822, it was 215.. 10d., and hewanted to . know from could there was the Right Hon. Gcntlerns.rs bcoouve 8` ) 1, the pri ce b p we ast that a b 2t l 6 e ds .u t h tpy a e t ro a ng u d ba u ar t r y t of 205., for it was a duty, how selling at 21s. 10d. In quarter. The price of ba, •le yin 1822.4sesrt and the average price or tit ity was is have ee beenßo r e g , 2 111 0 st p e r per quarter according to the statement of h Gentleman, and upon ' the average of Administration, it must I rave been ss. 6d. t e o ° n d PerPA of his 1 7,a110n. That had been made ar ' other Right Hon. reminded him also of ano titer statement which had Hon. Gentleman by this Right Hon. Gt int Inman, or by these sub. dentleman. At any rate rit was by a y R.Alio.fh; —Laughter.) —( A laugh)—for he neveir made any ,totes Right Hon . jects unless it came from tb e highes at the rate of co . He found that, according; to the . Ri g Gentleman's statement, the duty on barley 9d. per gallon to the dome et-,, d i st i llers, per quarter, and yet in tl: e average years to which th e e en ßi l6 l s. Hon. Gentleman referrec i---in the year 1830, the price was as high as he had already s tated. At the end of that year, it s could be proved that this Communication which was to decide the fate of the motion ,• .rn its merits, and which had recorded must have been o f .E ; t ' , sessti:s‘ s Le di=pr , cfm if te ,. were granted to the,,...a, i n 1830, 9(1. per gallon, or IGs. her qr., was in effect the which was the foundation for the. com pensation giv o to the danaestic distillers, and the pi ice of barley wasi, then 0, 2 s 7d. 1: left the House to form an opinion what must have been the pried of barley if the quotation of the Right Hon. Gentleman were correct. It only showed how easily statements were made by many great officials ; how they quoted and referred to documents of the dusty ages of 18:30, before even Parliament was reformed. It gave the notion that it was impossible to contend for a moment against men of such experience—who had access to such important archives—who were masters of the price of barley any year during the last twenty or thirty. What a mass of intelligence 'nest be required for such a knowledge—what an embrogiio of statistics—and how these Right Hon. Gentlemen complimented each other over the table—one Chancellor of the Exchequer saying that the other Chancellor's speech could not be answered —and the Chancellor of the Exchequer crying "Hear, hear." The Chancellor of the Exchequer had proved satis factorily to the House that in 1831 barley was selling at ls. 10d. per quarter, and another Chancellor of the Exchequer allowed that barley in 1830 was 16s. 7d. per quarter. The question was to be decided upon these facts, and he asked the House not to consent to any decision upon so limited a knowledge. The question was one which at first sight might not appear of vast importance ; it was very possible that there might not have been meetings in popular halls to call upon the people to advocate their interest. It was only legislating upon a commercial question concerning the interests of a long-esta blished wealthy and loyal part of the population of this country. They had come to them and asked from them nothing but inquiry. If they asked not for an inquiry, and for a favour, he could easily understand a Ministry saying—Do not let us dis turb this old-established state of things ; what you ask may be right, but we do not wish to disturb that which is already settled. What they required was an invettig ition into a matter affecting the commercial industry of England; here were these men asking only for an inquiry into a wrong! The Government had interfered a few years ago very sensibly with the interest of these distillers, and it was so only last year —a year considered a year of settlement of this question, and after the House had discussed one of the most important questions connected with the commerce of this country which had ever been submitted to its consideration. This question never could have been settled except for that first-rate settlement. It had been brought forward, he would say, not too harshly or readily, but in a manner and with an expedition not anticipated at any other time. After corn and sugar, they had taken the question of distillers at the end of the session, without any opportunity of criticising their conduct in the two first instances. They had interfered considerably withthe distillers' interest, and they did not give him time to consider of it. They had taken him by surprise. Like Englishmen, these men had got over the shock—they were again pursuing their trade—again investing their capital—and again came the Chancellor of the Exchequer down to the House with a crude and undigested measure in his mind. They had come down to the House, not in a spirit of faction, but in order to reason against the proposition; but before they could offer a word the Chancellor said he had changed his mind, and said they were going to give them one half of what they were going to ask. He (Mr. Disraeli) should have had more respect for a Minister who had adhered to his original proposition.—(Hear, hear.) They were asking nothing of him but an inquiry into a change respecting a law interfering with a very important branch of industry, which they had changed a few mouths ago, and respecting which the Government had not any defined or matured proposition. Was it reasonable that they must have the injustice inflicted on them when they said that they could find no convenience in any fur ther change ? They said that, considering the import ant change of last year—considering that the Govern ment of the present day had lately shown themselves most fickle and capricious—they did not think it a measure likely to lead to credit or character for consistency of the Government. The Government ought to consider the policy and prudence of a measure before they tampered again with the interest of these distillers—they ought at least to make themselves masters of the facts—they ought at least to inquire before they decided. Mr. CARDWELL said, why was this inquiry demanded? Was it asked fur by any of those interested—by the colonists? No, it vas demanded only by the distillers, who, upon their o.vn admission, had conclutied the case against themselves. The Hon. Gentleman had, much to the amusement of the House, made several attacks upon the Government, and had stated that Chancellors of the Exchequer, by a species of leger demain, converted documents written in the absence of parties into documents written by the parties themselves. He had in his hand a document—a private document—of a Mr. John . Iladleigh, of Wandsworth; where it was marked—" Extra costs arising from the existing corn-law, 9cl."—(Laughter.) He had also another document, from a Mr. Pierce Mahon—a gentleman high in the confidence of the distillers—which went in distinct corroboration of all which had been stated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. According to him, the allow ance to the distillers was Is. when the corn-law existed. Now that it did not exist, the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed to leave them 9d., and that being the case, was there any party which had a right to complain ? The Noble Lord below him had not drawn any distinction be ween proving and overproving his case. The Noble Lord had proved so much on his case, as to furnish the most con clusive arguments against it. He had proved that the loss by the excise laws was 6d per gallon, and it had afterwards been proved that the whole cost of manufacture—loss on the excise laws included—was only 6d. per gallon. The Noble Lord had proved that a compensation of Is. 74d. was required, and the distillers had for many years been contented with Is. 6d. Lord JOHN MANNERS denied that the facts were so clear, as the Hon. Gentleman, who had just sat down, stated, for they were very differently quoted by the different speakers who had spoken on the question. The distillers and the ex cise authorities might know them, but they were',lay no means well known to that House. He predicted that the sstticment proposed by the Bill before the House, would be no settlement, for even if the distillers and the Excise were satisfied with it, it was by no means certain that her Majesty's Ministers would not come down to make another alteration.—(Cheers and laughter.) He thought a sufficient case had been made out for inquiry, and he would support the motion of his Noble Friend.—( Cheers, and cries of " Divide.) The House then divided, when the numbers were— For the amendment... 6B Against it Majority —ll7 On our return to the gallery we found the House had gone into Committee on the Bill. The various clauses of the Bill were then agreed to, and on the question that the report be brought up, Mr. HUME expressed his regret that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had shown so much vacillation, as to give way to the persuasions of the distillers. He did not believe that he had gained a single vote by such a course. The House then resumed, and the report was ordered to be received on Monday. WAYS AND MEANS. The House then went into Committee, and it was agreed to raise the sum of 18,310,7001. by Exchequer-Bills, for the ser vice of the year 1847. SUPPLY. The House immediately afterwards went into a Committee of Supply. A vote of 5C0,0001. for the relief of the distress in Ireland, up to the 31st March, was agreed to. The vote of 600,0001. for relief of the destitute in Ireland, by means of soup kitchens, for the year ending the 31st March, 1848, was then proposed, and agreed to. The vote of 50,0001. to meet civil contingencies, for the year ending the 31st March, 1848, was then agreed to. On the vote of 50,00/. to defray the expenses of the works on the Houses of Parliament being proposed, Mr. HUME regretted that the building was so unsatisfac tory in its architectural designs and the working management. He hoped they would have a House of Commons without all the frippery which he saw—frippery which belonged to the time of Louis Quatorze, without any of the taste characteristic of that time. The estimate was originally 750,000!., but three times that sum was found would not now finish them. Who, he asked, was the responsible person who managed these works? When and what room were the Members of the Commons to have in the House of Lords ? Lord MORPETH said the room provided below the bar of the New House of Lords was 950 superficial feet, being an increase of nearly 300 feet over that of the old House. The vote was then agreed to. The vote of 20,000/. to defray the charges of the British Museum, till the 31st March, 1848, was agreed to. The House then resumed—and Mr. GREENE reported progress. AGRICULTURAL TENANT RIGHT BILL. On the order of the day for going into Committee on this Bill, gr. NEWDEGATE said he had been one of the Gm mittee on this Bill, and he appeared as assenting to the present form of the Bill. But that happened altogether through an irregularity, for he did not, and he could not agree with it. He did not think sufficient inquiry had been made into the state of agricultural interests, especially the jnterests of the tenant. There was a strong wish in the north to have the tenant-right more clearly defined, and the sums to be ap portioned for compensation. He must say he was not prepared to go on with the Bill. Mr. PUSEY said he was chairman on the Committee, and that the first day they they met they went through the Bill except two clauses. The second day they had proceeded so far that they might have reported that afternoon. They met afterwards ; an amendment was made and carried, and he as chairman put it to the Committee that he should report the Bill as amended, which was carried, and it was also carried that he should lea should be b ro ughtvethechair. ltwatg s e n e o te naturalthragain He d after this id that the Committee not think that the Hon. Gentleman ought to have made the charge which he did, and expected that he would withdraw it. Mr. NEWDEGATE said there was a decided misunder standing among the Members of the Committee. Mr. JAMES thought this Bill had been carried through in a way something like clandestine. It was a Bill which enabled the ill-minded tenant to rob his landlord more effectually than he could before.—( Laughter. ) Mr. ACLAND said that the clauses were most maturely considered, and gone through before the Committee broke up. Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN had left the Committee without understanding that they were to meet again. Sir R. PEEL said that he was not sure that the Bill itself would rio,';,l3e improved if the tenant were allowed to claim a pecur . aary remuneration for the improvements effected, but he th:dught the House could not legislate upon the subject without, in the first place, knowing what the practice and custom of tenant right was in different parts of the country, and secondly, how far and how they . could best give effect to those customs by a legal enactment. The House was much indebted to the Hon. Member opposite (Mr. Pusey) for the pains he had taken and the ability he had shown in placing upon a proper footing the subject of agricultural tenants' rights ; but he thought the Hon. Member would consider that sufficient con sideration had not been given to the measure. Mr. PUSEY said that it was scarcely fair to introduce a discussion upon this Bill night after night, and especially by so practised a debater as his Right Hon. Friend (Sir R. Peel). There were only twelves clauses in the Bill, and the Commit tee had sat three days upon it, giving one hour to each clause. —( Laughter.) He thought, therefore, that the objections urged by the Right Hon. Baronet were scarcely tenable. Sir JOHN TROLLOPE explained the custom as it pre vailed in the county of Lincoln, and contended, that as differ ent customs prevailed in other counties a more extended inquiry should be made into the subject before the Bill was introduced. Sir G. GREY and Sir J. Y. BULLER recommended the Hon. Member to withdraw his Bill for the present. Mr. PUSEY could not consent to any postponement of the measure to a remote period. Mr. HENLEY considered that if any interference were offered to the Hon. Member's Bill he had himself to blame for it. The measure should be placed for a second reading on a Wednesday, when it would be proper)) discussed, but when placed on the paper on a Government night it was sure not to be brought before the House until one or two o'clock in the morning. Mr. PUSEY, after a few words in e. xplanation, postponed his measure to the 21st of April next. DRAINAGE OF LANDS BILL. On the motion that this Bill be read a second time, Colonel SIBTHORP deprecated a ny interference with drainage—let those who wanted drainage , drain for themselves. —(Laughter.) He had done so, and h oped others would do likewise. He also considered that this VI as one of those Bills which ought not to be taken at that lat a hour, but ought to have been fixed for a Wednesday, or sort ,e other day when it could be fully discussed. He concluded 133 moving the adjourn ment of the House. Lord LINCOLN hoped the Gallant Co bond would not pre vent his neighbour from draining his lane because he did so himself. He Lord Lincoln) had brough t forward the Bill at t:i a o . urgent rtvcst of a vast number a landowners. It the Colonel SI BT HORP said he should. pet Ci Clam Cnk0,..1 per ois t e d in should postpone the second 4.° silt in his motion. Sir JOHN TROLLOPE sa id par B. Vi' 115 greatly r,e7 quired by landlords, andwould throw no expense upon the country. Landowners hal long felt the difficulty and delicacy of passing through a neiMbour's land. He trusted the-Gal lant Colonel would not diide the House, and that the Noble Lord would postpone the acond reading. Several Hon. Members irged the Gallant Colonel to with draw his motion, but he was deaf to their entreaties. He would divide. The House then divided when there appeared, For the adjournmen 1 Against it 49 Majority The Bill was then read i second time, and ordered to be committed. COMMONS INCLOSURE BILL. This Bill was read a thin time and passed. Sir W. SOMER VILLE obtained leave to bring in a Bill to enable the Board of Wefts to purchase a site for the erection of a prison in Ireland. Mr. FOX MAULE obtined leave to bring in a Bill to regulate the stations of solders during Parliamentaryelections. Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN ibtained leave to bring in a Bill to provide further facilities fo. the permanent improvement of landed property in Ireland b 7 the owners thereof. Viscount SANDON noninated the Select Committee on our commercial relations with China :—Viscount Sandon, Mr. Francis Baring, Mr. Becket, Dr. Bowring, Mr. Brown, Mr. Cardwell, Mr. Ewart, Mr. Hareourt, Mr. Hawes, Viscount Jocelyn, Mr. Matheson, Mr. Moffatt, Mr. John Abel Smith, Mr. Spooner, and Sir George Staunton. Captain PECHELL moved for returns of slave vessels cap tured since the Ist day of Joinery, 1842, distinguishing those brought for adjudication bqore the Courts of Mixed Com • mission and the several Vice• Admiralty Courts; describing the tonnage of each vessel, and tle . tiag under which she was seized, and whether such seizure tock place in the presence of or with the assistance of any foreign vessel of war, and of what nation ; stating the number of slave, if any, on board at the time of seizure ; the date and decntal part of the sentence f whether forfeiture or restitution, with the amount of proceeds of sale or costs awarded ; also, the expenses of condemnation as distinguished from the charges for breaking up each vessel, and the period when the proceeds for distribution were paid into the Registry of the High Court of Admiralty ; of slave vessels that have been taken into her Majesty's service since the Ist day of January, 1842; stating the tonnage, and the appraised or estimated value of the bull and stores, and the sum or sums which the Commissioners of the Admiralty have deemed a proper price for the same.—Agreed to. Also return of copies of the bills, disbursements, and fees of the Marshal of the Vice-Admiralty Court of the Cape of Good Hope, relative to the slave-vessels Jehovah and Diana, sold by auction by virtue of decree of condemnation and sale, bearing date the 22d d a y o f F e bruary, 1840, and the 22d day of January, 1846 ; together with the proceeds of sale of said ves sels, cargoes, and appurtenances, and the date when the same was paid into the Registry of the High Court of Admiralty. Agreed te. The remaining orders of the day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Half-past One o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. ,From the Votes and Proceedings of the Rouse of Commons. FRIDAY, MARCH 26. The following Railway Rills were presented, read a full ime, and ordered to be read a second time : Caledonian (Edinburgh Station, and Branches to Granton, and to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway)—" to enable tho Caledonian Railway Company to extend their Station in Edinburgh, and to make Branch Railways to Granton, and to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway." Caledonian (Branches to Wilsontown, to Fauldhouse, and to Biggar and Broughton)—" to enable the Caledonian Rail way Company to make Branch Railways to Wilsontown, to Fauldhouse, and to Biggar and Broughton." STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE. The following Resolution was reported from the above Committee : That in the case of the Westminster and Part of Middlesex Sewers petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill on inserting the Notices for three successive weeks in the London Gazette, and in seine newspaper published in the county ; and that the Committee on the Bill do examine, in the first place, how far such orders have been complied with, and do report the same to the House on the report of the Bill.—Resolution agreed to. NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL-OFFICE. The following Railway Bill is appointed to be read a second time on Tuesday, March 30 : Coventry, Banbury, and Oxford Junction. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commonr.) FRIDAY, DIARCH 26. CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL. Order for Committee read; Motion made, and Question proposed, " That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair Amendment proposed, to leave out from the word " That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words " th e Bill be committed to a Select Committee," instead thereof:— Question put, " That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question." The House divided : - MAJORITY-AYES, 185. Acheson, Viscount Ellice, E., jun. Ogle, S. C.l Acland, T. D. Entwisle, W. Ord, W. Adderley, C. B. Escott, Bickham Oswald, J. Aglionby, 11. A. Evans, William Owen, Sir John Ainsworth, Peter ridden, John Paget, Colonel Aldam, William Fitzwilliam, G. W. Paget, Lord A. Antrobus, Edmund Forster, Mathew Pechell, Captain Archbold, Robert Fox, C. R.: Peel, Sir Robert Arundel, Earl of Gill, Thomas Perfect, Robert Austen, Colonel Gisberne, ThomaS Philips, G. R. Baillie, Col. Gladstone, J. N. Philipps, Sir R. Bainc, Walter Gore, Robert Plumridge, Captain Bannerman, A. Goulburn, Henry Polhill, F. Barclay, David Greene, Thomas Ponsonby, C. F. Barkly, Henry Grey, Sir G. . Price, Sir R. Baring, F. T. Grosvenor, Lord R. Protheroe, E. Barnard, E. G. Hall, Sir Benjamin Posey, I'. Barrington, Viscount Hamilton, W. J. Rawdon, Colonel Barron, Sir 11. W. Hastie, Archibald Reid, Sir J. R. Bellew, R. M. Hawes, Benj. Reid, Colonel Bonbew, John Heneage, Edward Ricardo, J. L. Berkeley. Craven Hobhouse, Sir J. Rice, E. R. Berkeley. Captain Hogg, Sir J. W. Rich, Henry Bernal, Ralph Holland, Robert Romtlly, John Bodkin, J. J. Holmes, W. A'Court Ross, D. R. Botliehl, Berlah Hope, Sir J. itumbold, C. E. Bowring, Dr. Hope, G. W. Russell, Lord J. Bright, John Hoskins, K. Russell, Lord E. Brotherton, Joseph Howard, C. N.G. Sandon, Viscount Buller, Charles lloward, P. 11. Scrope, G. P. Buller, Edward Howard, Sir R. Shell, R. L. Busfeild, William Hume, Joseph Sheridan, R. B. Byng, G. S. liumphery, Ald. Smith, Benjamin Cardwell, Edward Hutt, William Smith, J. A. Carew, R. S. Inglis, Sir It. Smith, Vernon' Cavendish, C. C. James, William Somerset, Lord G. Chichester, Lord J. James, Sir W. C. Somerville, Sir W. Christie, W. D. Jervis, Sir John Stansfleld, W. R. C. Clay, Sir:W. Labouchere, Henry Staunton, Sir G. Clerk Sir G. Langston, J. H Stewart, John Colebrooke, Sir T. Layard, Major Stuart, V. Courtenay, Lord Le Marchant, Sir D. Strait, Edward Cowper, W. F. Lincoln, Earl of Tancred , H. W. Crawford, W. S. Lindsay," • Colonel Thornely, T. Cripps, William Loch, James Towneley, John Dalmeny, Lord Macaulay, T. B. Trelawny, J. S. Dawson, T. V. Mackinnon, W. Troubridge, Si E. Deedes, W. l)ennistoun, J. Dickinson, F. F. Mangles, M M ‘ tr ) s n a i l e , IRI ' W . ji D. A : a m* Villiers, Charles Dodd, George Martin, John Turner, vane,L o E r d d m u u . n d Villiers, Viscount Douglas, Sir 11. Masterman, John Wall, C. B. Douglas, J. S. Manic, Fox Warburton, H. Drax, J. S. W. E. Mitchell, T. A. Ward, H. G. Dackworth, Sir J. Moffatt, Georgo Wawn, J. T. Duke, Sir J. Monahan, J. H. Williams, W. Duncan, George Morpeth, Viscount Wood, Sir Charles Buncombe, T. Morris, David , Wyse, Thomas Dundee, Admiral Mostyn, E. M. Young, John Dundas, F. Mare, Colonel Dundas, Sir David Napier, Sir Charles TELLERS. Dundas, J. C.", Neville, Ralph Tufhell, H. Ellice, Edward O'Conor, Don Craig, W. G. MINORITY—NOES, 68 - Alford, Viscount Grogan, E. O'Brien, C. Arkwright, George H am ilt on , G. A. O'Brien , W. S. Baillie, W. Harris, Captain O'Connell, M. J. Balfour, J. M. Henley, J. W. O'Connell, Jolia Batesort, T. 1111dyard, T. B. Oswald, Alexander Bentinck, Lord G. Ilinde, J.M. racke, C. W. Bentinck, Lord 11. llodgson, - F. Palmer, 'Robert Broadley, Henry Hodgson, R. Rendiesham, Lord Broadwood, 11. J o h ns t one , Hope „‘ Repton G. W. Buck, L. W. Jolliff e , Sir W. G. 11. Shaw, F. Bailer, Sir J. Y. Jones, Captain Sibthorp, Colonel Callaghan, D. Knight, F. W. Smollett, A. Clifton, J. T. Law, C. E. Stuart, Lord J. Cole, Hon. H. A. Lockhart, W. Stuart, J. Disraeli, B. Mackenzie, T. Thompson, Alderman Duff, James Macnamara, Major Trollops, Sir J. Egerton, Sir P. 31'Carthy, Alex. Walsh, Sir J. }schwas, E. Manners, Lord J. Wodehouse, E. Finch, G. March, Earl of Worcester, Marquis Forbes, William Marton. G. Yorke,:E. T. Fuller, A. E. 3: 0 askell, J. M. Morgan, O. TELLERS. Gordon, Hon. Capt. Mundy, Bcresford, Major Gore, W. R. 0. Newry, Viscount Newdegatc , C . N. u ax n w:l 8. , lion. l,r. J. P. PRIMROSE-HILL PARK. - - - (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) The following letter has been received by the Secre tary of the West London Central Anti-Enclosure Asso ciation, respecting an extension of the proposed park, snch extension to consist of the hill, now used as -a reservoir (with paddocks adjoining), and the long field behind each hill, &c.:— " Office of Woods and Forests,March 22, 1847. " have, on behalf of the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods, &c., to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th inst., suggesting the purchase of land at Primrose hill, for the purpose of forming a Park, and I am to acquaint you that it is not the inten tion of the Board to purchase any more land at Prim rose-hill.--I am, Sir, your obedient servant, "J. LINToN." THE COLONIAI B I SHOPRICS. - The Committee for arranging the appointment of Co lonial Bishoprics assembled on Thursday evening, and it was definitively arranged that the followin g c l erg y m en should be nominated to the headship of the newly-formed sees, three being in Australia, and the fourth in the Cape of Good Hope:- 1. Diocese of Melbourne, for the district of Port Philip, New South Wales.—The Rev. Ch ar l es P e rry, M.A., Trinity College, Cambridge. 2. Diocese of Newcastle, northern counties of New South Wales. —The Rev. William Tyrrell, M.A., Saint John's College, Cambridge. 3. Diocese of Adelaide, South Australia.—The Rev. Augustus Short, M.A., Christ Church, Oxford. 4. Diocese of the Cape of Good Hope. —The Rev. Ro bert Gray, M.A., University College, Oxford. To THE LADIES.—The high and universal cele brity which Rowland's Kalydor continues to maintain, as an active yet mild and soothing extirpator of all impurities of the frayrs most restorative, olaerprpt pleasingly application, a n i invi gorating, ‘ef'odi g s i k ' o h i r i n i t i i n s g during ia preparation, equally t the eemPeineondt celebratedlo.)'bf alsamic, spring, for a s r unfailing efficacy in removing all impurities and discolora tions ; and imparting a healthy freshness and transparency of the skin and complexion. Its universally great demand ex cites the cupidity of unprincipled shopkeepers, who give the title of " Kalydor" to compounds of their own manufacture, of the most deleterious character, containing mineral astrin gents utterly ruinous to the complexion, and, by their repel lent:action, endanger health. It is therefore imperative on purchasers to see that the words " Rowland's Kalydor" are on the wrapper. All others are fraudulent counterfeits. NEW POTATOES.—The Arniagh Guardian contains the following, the first announcement of new potatoes:-- " Mr. John Lowrie, gardener to the Lord Primate, sent up a dish of excellent new potatoes to the palace ou Saturday last. they the k i planted on the 6th of bee .1 " Duke Corchil.a ll 0 a &see da t of the Princely 1,7 e ry sof Santa Croce, died at 30 m the early part of the a, peri l eey: month. at as advanced age. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen held a Chapter of the Most Noble Order of the Garter yesterday afternoon, at Buckingham Palace. The Knights Companions of the Order assembled at one o'clock, in the Palace, end were robed in their mantles of purple velvet by Mr. Hunter and Mr. Ede. The Knights also wore their splendid collars. Garter King of Arms called over the names of the. Knights Companions present in the Green Drawing-room, and the Knights and Officers of the Order proceeded into the presence of the Sovereign, in the Throne or Chapter-room. The Queen, who wore the Mantle and Collar of the Order, was seated in a chair of state, Prince Albert being by her side; his Royal Highness also wearing the Mantle and Collar. The Duchess of Sutherland, Mistress of the Robes, and the Countess of Gainsborough, Lady-in-Waiting, were behind her Majesty. The Lord Chamberlain stood on the right of the Queen, and the Lord Steward on the opposite side. The Knights Companions present were his Royal Highness Prince Albert, his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Wellington, the Marquis of Anglesea, the Mar quis of Exeter, the Duke of Hamilton, the Marquis of Salis bury, the Duke of Beaufort, Earl de Grey, and the Marquis Camden. The officers of this order present, were the Bishop of Win chester, Prelate ; the Bishop of Oxford, Chancellor ; Sir Charles Young, Garter King of Arms ; and Sir Augustus Clifford, Bart., Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. The Knights Companions being seated, the Chancellor signified to the Queen that the Hon. and Rev. George Neville Grenville attended at the door, and humbly prayed to be ad mitted to take the oath of office as Register of the most noble Order of the Garter ; whereupon by her Majesty's command, the Register, wearing his mantle, was introduced between Garter and Black Rod, the former carrying on a velvet cushion the Gold Chain and Badge ; the Register knelt on the left-hand of the Queen, and the oath of office was administered by the Chancellor. The Register was then invested by the Sovereign with the Gold Chain and Badge, and having had the honour to kiss her Majesty's hand, retired to his place at the bottom of the table. The Chancellor signified to the Chapter her Majesty's Royal will and pleasure that the vacant stall in the Royal Chapel of St. George, at Windsor, should be filled, and as by the statutes none but a Knight can be elected, the Most Noble Francis Duke of Bedford was introduced between Garter and Black Rod. The Sword of State, borne by Sir William Martins, Gentleman Usher, was presented to the Queen by the Lord Chamberlain, and her Majesty was graciously pleased to confer the honour of Knighthood upon the Noble Duke therewith. His Grace, rising, kissed the Sovereign's hand and retired. The Knights Companions proceeded to the election, and the suffrages having been collected by the Chancellor, were presented by him to the Queen, who commanded him to declare that the Most Noble Francis Duke of Bedford had )seen duly elected a Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. By the Sovereign's command, the Duke of Bedford was received at the door of the Chapter-room, by the Marquis Camden and Earl de Grey, the: two Junior Knights Compa nions present, and was conducted between them to the Queen, preceded by. Garter (beari ng the ensigns of the order upon a crimson velvet cushion) and by Black Rod. His GrAce knelt near the Sovereign, and Garter King of Arms, on his knees, presented the Garter, and her Majesty, assisted by their Royal Highnesses Prince Albert and the Duke of Cambridge, the two Senior Knights Companions present, buckled it on his Grace's left leg, the Chancellor pronouncing the usual admoni tion. Garter King of Arms presented, in like manner, the Riband and George ; and her Majesty, assisted as before, put the Riband over his Grace's left shoulder, the Chancellor pro nouncing the admonition. The Noble Duke again kissed her Majesty's hand, and passed round the Chapter-table,receiving the congratulations of each of the Knights Companions. His Grace then withdrov. The Chapter being ended, Garter by her Majesty's com mand again called over the Knights Companions, who with the officers of the order retired from the presence of the Queen with the usual reverence. The Court was attended by the Lord Steward, the Lord Chamberlain, the Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gen tlemen at Arms, the Captain of the Yeoman Guard, the Master of the Horse; the Marquis of Londonderry ' Gold Stick in Waiting; the M arqu i s o f O rmon d e, L or d in Wait ing; the Vice-Chamberlain, the Treasurer of the Household, the Comptroller of the Household; Viscount Clifden, Lord in Waiting to Prince Albert; Sir George Philip Lee, Lieute nant of the Yeoman Guard; the Groom of the Robes; Mr. R. Ormsby Gore, Groom in Waiting ; Captain Francis Seymour, Groom in Waiting to Prince Albert; Colonel the Hon. Charles Grey, Equerry in Waiting; Colonel Bouverie, Equerry in Waiting to Prince Albert; and Messrs. Gordon and Forbes, Pages of Honour in Waiting. A guard of honour of the Yeomen Guard lined the grand hall, under the command of the Exon in Waiting, Captain Sadler. The Queen's guard of the Foot Guards, with the band of the regiment, was on duty on the Palace lawn during the Court. His Royal Highness Prince Albert presided, yesterday afternoon, at a meeting of the Commissioners for Promoting and Encouraging the Fine Arts, in rebuilding the Palace of Westminster. The meeting was held in the new Palace. The Prince arrived shortly before three o'clock, attended by Colonel Bouverie. The Commissioners present were the Earl of Aberdeen, the Earl of Lincoln, Lord Ashburton, Lord Col borne, Viscount Morpeth, Viscount Mahon, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Robert Peel, Sir Robert H. Inglis, Mr. H. Hallam, Mr. Vivian, and Mr. Wyse. The Secretary, Mr. Eastlake, was in attendance. Mr. Barry, the architect, attended the Commissioners during their inspection of portions of the new buildings. The meeting broke up at six o'clock. The Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal took an airing yesterday in an open carriage and four. The Royal dinner party yesterday at Buckingham Palace, included the Archbishop of Canterbury and Mrs. Howley, the Duchess of Sutherland, the Countess Granville, and the Right Hon. Sir James Graham, The Band of the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards, under the direction of Mr. Tutton, attended during dinner, and performed the following pieces : Overture—" Stradella,"—Flotow. Selection—" Huguenots."—Meyerbeer. Waltzes—" Nur Lieben,"—Strauss. Finale—" sth Symphony—Beethoven. March—Lord Westmorland. The Duchess of Cambridge visited her Majesty the Queen Dowager yesterday, at Marlborough House. Yesterday was the birthday of his Royal Highness Princo George. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cam bridge and the Princess Mary dined with her Royal High. ness the Duchess of Gloucester, at Gloucester House, late evening. _ . . . . . . . A deputation from the Mauritius Association, consisting of Mr. D. Barclay, M.P., (Chairman), Mr. Hunter, (Deputy Chairman), Mr. A. Steele, Mr. Edward Chapman, Mr. Samuel Baker. Mr. Rowlandson, Mr. Clifford, and Mr. B. Greene, jun., accompanied by Mr. Dennistoun, M.P., for Glasgow, had an interview with Earl Grey yesterday, at the Colonial•office. The following Members of the New Bishopricks Commis sion yesterday attended a meeting in Whitehall-place :—The Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord John Russell, the Bishops of London, Durham, Winchester, Chester, and Lincoln, and Sir George Grey. The Chairman of the Excise had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday. Lord James Stuart had also an interview with the Right Hon. Baronet. FRIDAY NIGHT'S GAZETTE. WHITEHALL, MAucit 26, 1847. The Queen has been pleased to grant to the Hon. ana Rev. Henry Montagu Villiers, M.A., the place and dignity of a Canon Resideatiary of the cathedral church of St. Paul, London, void by the death of the Rev. Doctor Frederick William Blomberg. FOREIGN- OFFICE, M.A.Rcw 23. The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr. Saul Solomon, as Consul at St. Helena for her Majesty the Queen of Spain. BANKRUPTS. John Hutchison, wine merchant, Lloyd-square, Middlesex, to surrender April 8, at eleven, and May 7, at half-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Cannan, official as signee, Birchin-lane, Cornhill ; Messrs. Lawrence and Plews, Old Jewry-chambers. Richard Beaumont, woollen draper, Deptford, April 10 and May 1, at half-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Green, official assignee, Aldermanbury, London ; Messrs. Norton and Son, New-street, Bishopsgate. Francis Claridge, wine merchant, Southampton-row, Bloomsbury, April 6, at twelve, and May 7, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Edwards, official assignee, Fre derick's-place, Old Jewry; Walters, Basinghall-street. William Denyer, plumber, Littleliampton, Sussex, April 5 and May 6, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Furquand, official assignee, Old Jewry-chambers; Edmunds, Worthing. William Smith, mercer, Uttoxeter, March 30, and April 27, at eleven, at the Birmingham District Court. Valpy, official assignee, Birmingham; Cattlow, Cheadle; Motteram and Knowles, Birmingham. Samuel Brown, wollen cloth manufacturer, Trowbridge, April 9, and May 7, at twelve, at the Bristol District Court. Miller, official assignee, Bristol; Valiance and Beioley, Old Jewry-Chambers. James White, joiner, Stanley, Lancashire, April 13, and May 7, at twelve, at the Liverpool District Court. Turner, official assignee, Liverpool ; Johnson and Co., Temple : Snowball,:Liverpool. Richard Kitson, tow-spinner, Cleckheaton, Yorkshire, April 9, and May 1, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court. Hope, official assignee, Leeds; Mitton, Scott, and Edwards, So u thampton-buildings; Dunning and Stawman, Leeds. Matthew Johnson, spindle maker, Leeds, April 12 and 30, at eleven, at the Leeds District ourt. Kynaston, official assignee, Leeds; Singleton, Great James-street, Bedford-row; Barret, Leeds. Jeremiah Scott, share broker, Leeds, April 22, and May 6, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court. Young, official as signee, Leeds ; Sudlow and Co., Chancery-lane ; Naylor, Leeds. Isaac Hall, machine-maker, D o b c ross, Yorkshire, April 9, and May 11, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court. Pott, official assignee, Manchester; Richards and Walker, Lincoln's Inn-fields; Buckley, Ashton-under-Lyne. Jesse Francis, grocer, Holywell, Flintahire, April 12, and May 3, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Morgan. official assignee, Liverpool; King, Furnival's Inn; Cunnah, Chester. 'Towson Dutchman, merchant, Liverpool, April 7 and 27, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Cazenove, official assignee, Liverpool; Holme, Loftus, and Young, New Inn, London ; Yates, jun., Liverpool. DIVIDENDS DECLARED. J. F. Burness, baker, Twickenham—first div. of 11 3 / 4 d. in the pound, on Monday, March 29, and two following Mon days, at the office of Mr. Cannan, Birchin-lane, City. C. Pullman, hosier, Strand—first div. of 2s. in the pound, on Monday, March 29, and two following Mondays, at the office of r. Cannan, Birchin-lane, City. S. Archer, woollen manufacturer, Rochdale—second div. of 4 1 Ad. in the pound, on Tuesday, April 13, or any subsequent Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Fraser, Manchester. T. Boyle, muslin manufacturer, Manchester—second div. of 3d. in•the pound, on Tuesday, April 13, or any subsequent Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Fraser, Manchester. A. Dale, butcher, Liverpool—first div. of Id. in the pound, on Thursday, April 4, or any subsequent Thursday, at the office of Mr. Cazenove, Liverpool. G. Tremble, grocer, Liverpool—first div. of 6,1. in the pound, on Thursday, April 4, or any subsequent Thursday, at the office of Mr. Cazenove, Manchester. G. Byford, grocer, Liverpool—second div. of 3d. in the pound, on Thursday, April 4, or any subsequent 'Thursday, at the office of Mr. Cazenove, Liverpool. R. C. Lloyds, plumber, Liverpool—first div. of Is. 7d. in the pound, on any Wednesday, at the office of Mr. Morgan, Liverpool. J. Fearnley, stuff manufacturer, Bradford—second div. of 83%d. in the pound, and on subsequent proofs 25.8 3 / 4 d. in the pound, on any day after April 9, at the office of Mr. Young, Leeds. DIVIDENDS. At the Court of Bankruptcy, Basinghall-street. F. H. Bourquin, watch manufacturer, Northampton-street, Clerkenwell, April 16, at one—S. L. Latham, baker, Dover, April 16, at one. In the Country. G. Johnson, merchant, Liverpool, April 20, at twelve, at the Liverpool District Court—A.. Huddleston, farmer, Bram ham, Yorkshire, April 22, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court—ll. J. E. Saffron, cloth merchant, Huddersfield, April 22, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court—F. Ward, rag merchant, Batley, Yorkshire, April 22, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court—R. Evans, April 22, at twelve, at the Liverpool District Court. CERTIFICATES to be granted, unless cause be shown to the contrary, on the day herein mentioned. J. Johnson, grocer, Chelmsford, April 16—J. B. Elworthy, draper, Bridgewater, Somersetshire. April 16—G. M. Mason, potato dealer, Whitechapel- road, April 16—C. M. Browne, schoolmaster, Newchurch, Isle of Wight, April 16—J. Gil liam, jeweller, Frith-street, Soho-square, April 17—J. Wen man, wine merchant, Birkenhead, Cheshire, April 16—J. D. Parry, share broker, Man c h es t er , April 9—G. Mosely, innkeeper, Bakewell, Derbyshire, April 16—C. Sneezum, licensed victualler, Old-street, April 16—S. Page, currier, Nottingham, April 16—R. Mann, chemist, Huntingdon, April 16—J. P. Moore, chemist, Plymouth, April 16—W. Everton, turner, Bunhill-row, St. Luke's—J. Dredge, hotel keeper, Liverpool, April 16—S. G. Burton, gas manufacturer, Sidmouth, April 16—F. Clark, jewel-case maker, George street, Adelphi, April 16. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. S. Whitchurch and S. Whitchurch, jun., wine merchants, Speenhamland, Berkshire—D. R. Clarke and S. C. Tennant, Havana—C. Brocklehurst, J. Lowe, and R. Walsh, cotton spinners, Heaton Norris, Lancashire—J. Murray and A. Carson, tea dealers, Nantwich, Cheshire—G. R. Wales and W. Ellis, auctioneers—W. Hunt, A. Morris, F. Clarke, and W. Stones, lacemen, Manchester—W. Brown, J. Shipley, F. A. Hamilton, J. M. Priestman, J. Brown, S. Brown, S. Nicholson, and W. E. Bowen, Liverpool (so far as regards J. M. Priestman)—W. Cameron, D. Bowdin, W. Werry, T. Jones, 0. Thomas, B. Gribble, P. Floyd, A. Fleming, and T. Millican, grocers, Ulverston, Lancashire—T. and H. Burton, Aldersgate-street—G. Glover, jun., and J. K. Suter, warehouse keepers, Liverpool—G. C. and E. Smith, drapers, Blockley, Worcestershire—R. Gething and G. W. Jones, Newport, Monmouthshire—J. and W. B. Barnes, clothiers, St- John-street, Clerkenwell—W. and E. Watkins, shoe manufacturers, Thorn ton-street,Horsleydown—W. Brewster and B. T, Seabrook, surgeons, Brighton—G. Coward, W. Green, jun., W. Taylor, and M. Taylor, slate merchants, In gleton, Yorkshire (so far as regards W. and M. Taylor)—J. Posnett and J. Thomas, stone masons, Lower Tranmere, Cheshire—J. and R. Readdy, coopers, Backchurch-lane, St. George in the East—J. Evans, T. Casson, and R. Mitchell, coach builders, Liverpool (so far as regards T. Casson)—J. Turton, G. Turton, and W. Turton, manufacturers of fancy goods, Kirkheaton, Yorkshire—H. Thompson, sen., and H. Thompson, jun., grocers, Framlingham, Suffolk—P. Cheadle, M. Cheadle, J. Wilson, and J. Windram, farmers, Coventry -T. T. Smith and G. J. Steer, stock brokers, Old Broad street, City—M. A. Gladstone, A. Hannay, and J. M. Glad stone, sail makers, Liverpool (so far as regards A. Hannay)— A. and J. Wilson, carpenters, Back-road, St. George in the East—G. and R. W. Fuller, auctioneers—H. Broadwood, R. C. Mundell, W. Huggins, E. Huggins, and T. C. Broad wood, brewers, Broad-street, Golden-square (so far as re gards R. C. Mundell and T. C. Broadwood)—D. &tenser and T. Jenner, attorneys, Rye, Sussex. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS. William 111 6 Culloch, cheese merchant, Greenock, April 1 and 26, at twelve, at the White Hart Inn, Greenock. James Anderson Dobbie, laceman, Glasgow, March 29 and April 19, at one, at the office of Mr. Adam, Glasgow. PRICE OF SUGAR. The average price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar, computed from the returns made in the week ending March 23, 1847, is 325. 11 3 / 4 d. per cwt. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. ROME CIRCUIT.—Lewes, March 26. The commission for the county of Sussex was opened on Monday, but in consequence of the state of the business in Kent it was found necessary to postpone the commencement of the Sussex assize business to Thurs day morning, when both courts were opened. On the civil side there are only fourteen causes, several of which were put down as undefended, and four of them are special jury canses. The number of prisoners for trial is somewhat greater than usual, there being forty-nine on the calendar. CROWN COURT.—(Before the LORD CHIEF JUSTICE.) Edwin Rickman, a farmer, near Hailsham, was in dicted for feloniously uttering a bill of exchange for 2001., with intent to defraud the London and County Bank. Mr. Russell Gurney and Mr. Johnson prosecuted, and Mr. Clarkson defended the prisoner. It appeared that the prisoner was very respectably connected in the county, and carried on the business of a farmer to a large extent at Hailsham. He kept an account with the London and County Branch Bank at Lewes, and the bank had discounted bills to a con siderable amount for him. In the month of November last year, a bill for 300/., drawn by the prisoner, and which purported to bear the acceptance of a Mr. Thomas Barton, the brother-in-law of the prisoner, and a man of considerable :property, living at Ben hill, became due, and the prisoner wished to have it renewed, but the manager of the bank declined to renew the bill to the full amount, but offered to take a fresh bill for 200/., accepted by Mr. Barton, if the balance was paid in cash, The prisoner consented to the arrange ment, and a bill for 2001. was drawn, which the prisoner took away for the purpose of getting the acceptance of his brother-in-law, as he represented, and a few days afterwards he sent the bill back to the bank apparently , accepted by Mr. Barton, with cheques and other securi ties to the amount of 500/. When the bill became duo it. was dishonoured, and the acceptance, upon inquiry licing made, turned out to be a forgery. The prisoner appeared to have borne a very high character for integ rity up to this' transaction, and it would seem that he had involved himself in difficulties by experiments in farming, and had also recently suffered much mental distress by the loss of his wife. Mr. CLARKSON made a very feeling and enegetic ad dress to the jury, but the evidence was of too conclusive a character to allow of any hope of a favourable result to the prisoner. The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and sentence was deferred. IVORTHERN ClRCUlT—Liverpool, March 25. CIVIL SlDE.—(Before Mr. Baron RoLFE.) Mr. Baron Rolfe was engaged for the greater part of the morning in trying undefended causes, and two or three causes, after being partly heard, were referred. 'The business came to a stand. still at half-past three in the afternoon from parties not being prepared to go on. The causes in the list were called over in their order, tnd no one being ready to go on, his Lordship proceeded to try some of the prisoners. There are 132 causes in the list, viz., 32 for the Salford, and 100 for the West Derby hundred. Among these there are twelve special jury causes ; and one in dictment, the Queen v. Selby and others. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron ALDERSON.) John Miller, 34, was charged with having, on the 26th of January last, at Warrington, feloniously stolen a mare, the property of Isaac Henshall. The prisoner had pleaded guilty to another charge, oat of stealing a number of American clocks, the pro perty of his master. Verdict—Guilty. Sentenced to be transported for fifteen years. William Bannister, aged 15, was charged with having, at Heaton Norris, feloniously set fire to a quantity of cot ton, belonging to James Leece and others, the cotton ng then in progress of manufacture. Mr. Monk appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. C irainger for the defence. The prisoner had been employed in the throstle room o f Messrs. Leece and Company before the time of the a lieged offence. David Inglis, another lad in prosecu t. 3r s' employ, while engaged'at work in their factory, p er ceived the prisoner standing at the door of what is ca 11 ed the carding room, and on coming into the lobby, he , saw him fling a lighted match into the carding room, and then run up a flight of stairs. Inglis went into the • carding room, and there found some cotton, in a cal :ding machine near the door, on fire. By the as sis tame of a man, who immediately came, the fire wf is soon put out. It appeared further, that the pr is( mer on his way to the factory that morning had sp oh :en to some other boys going to the some work, sa yit fg, " Well, we are going to this happy hole again;" adclii fg, that he wished the mill might burn down bef of T night. One of the boys said that would be a pit y., as it would throw so many hands out of employ, bu t the prisoner said he did not care if it did. He saA there was no cotton on the ground, and one of the boys replied that there was a load under the gate wa- tr,. But the prisoner said that was nothing for such a mill as that. seeing, however, several more loads waif ng there, he observed, " Well, I suppose we must set o• n.' _ _ It v was further shown that, at about the time when the fire n lust have been set, another boy, who could not be idon .ti fled, was seen to run from the door of the room whc :r( the fire was, and to run up the stairs. I [Li LORDSHIP here stopped the case, observing that altl - ion , gh all the witnesses for the prosecution might have stal ;ed what they believed to be true, the case depended on evi( len ce of personal identity, and that sort of evidence was . of a kind in which witnesses were peculiarly liable to ma ke mistakes. With respect to the words attributed to the pr isoner, such loose expressions were entitled to but lift lQ weight.—Acquitted. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. ITAINING CHARITY BY FRAUDULENT REPRESENTA TIC ,N 1 3.—Mo rris Lotez, a Pole, aged eighteen, in the att ire • of a female, was put to the bar, charged with haN vir ,g solicited charity at the Synagogue in Duke's pla, -.te on Thursday, twice as a male and once as a female. The:: prisener, who could not speak a word of the Eng lish: 1 anguage, had, as might well be imagined, a great nut ash er of Jewish followers to the justice-room. 3 fir.. Oppenheim, secretary to the Jewish Synagogue, sta tei 1, that as the Feast of the Passover was approach ing he had been, on Thursday, occupied in delivering Pa is over bread to the poor of that persuasion, between 600 . and 700 of whom received reliet, and amongst those per :se ms who presented themselves was the prisoner, wt xi appeared at first dressed like a man, and was handed a ticket for 71b. of bread, the customary allowance to a si agle man. Soon afterwards a person, also in the dress of s• man, presented himself as a claimant, and ono of th a men in attendance at the Synagogue called at te siion to him, as an individual who had been se wed before. As witness was not certain of the fat it was determined that the applicant should ha ye the benefit of the doubt, and a ticket for 71b. of bread was accordingly delivered to hi n, the man in attendance at the Synagogue be in g positive that he was the identical party who had be er , served previously. In the latter part of the•evening the t prisoner at the bar appeared in the bonnet, shawl, an. I . gown with which he was covered at that moment, an d said he had a husband and two child ren, the one two, :the other four years old. Witness upon that repre ser eta tiou delivered to him a ticket for twenty P bre at 1, believing that it was correct , and thetprisoounndsf prisoner left the 3 •oonn, but upon going to theouhtaenrcfead eNlias recog nis, . t d by one of the porters, who him in, and sai A, " Here is a man you have relie ve d tw ar once as a woman.' There was then not ice atshea man, q eLei,`ion as to the p r i soner ' s identity with the three 1131mants upon the charity, and he was delivered into kw. hands of a policeman. 'The LORD MAYOR —Did he say anything upon being 41A:toted? Mr. Oppenheim—He begged to be allowed to go off, and did not deny that he had been imposing upon the charity. As itis our practice to give indiscriminately to poor applicants of the Jewish religion, we are, no doubt, immensely imposed upon, and as considerably more is to be dispensed, we dread still greater imposi tion, unless your Lordship will make an example of this person. The LORD Maroc.—lf he happened to be a strict Jew, and to have required the bread, would you have dis• pensed it to him? Mr. Oppenheim—Certainly. The Loan MAYOR—WeII, Mr. Lotez, what have you to say in answer to this. charge of disgraceful imposi. tient The prisoner put on a crying face. The LORD MAYOR—Have you got any friends in the crowd behind you? The prisoner turned round, and several Jews who were standing close to the dock fell back amidst much laughter, evidently terrified at the idea of being claimed a s an acqua i n t ance . He shook his head. With the assistance of a gentleman who acted as in terpreter, the Lord Mayor learned that the prisoner was no Jew at all, bt a Protestant; that he had applied at the Synagogue before, and having met with a repulse, he determined to be even with the officials, and accord ingly adopted that mode of revenge. Some persons present recognised the prisoner as the associate of a set of bad fellows iu the neighbourhood of Wentworth -street. The L . onn Maron--For th e p rotect i on o f c h ar i ta bl e institutions like the one which has been thus three times imposed upon by the prisoner, twice as a man, and once most disgracefully in the dress of a woman, I sen tence him to imprisonment and hard labour for three months as a rogue and a vagabond, for endeavouring to procure charitable contributions under a fraudulent pretence. The prisoner was then taken from the bar. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. DARING HIGHWAY. ROBBERY.— William Wynn and Louisa Higgins were brought up for further examination, charged with having committed the following highway robbery on Marshall Junes, a carpenter, living at No. Blackhorse-yard, Oxford-street. The complainant, who exhibited marks of the violence he had sustained, said he was walking homewards on Mon day, about one o'clock in the morning, when he was sud denly surrounded and hustled by several persons. Th female prisoner threw her arms around him, and the male prisoner thrust his band into his (complainant's) pocket. Ile :struggled with Wynn, and was thrown down on the pavement. The parties then left him, and witness tried to rise, but before he could regain his feet the prisoner Wynn came back and kicked him violently on. the head, with the remark, " You , I know you have some money." The kick was sufficiently violent to deprive witness of his senses for a short time. A police-constable came up on hearing his cries, and ho told him what had occurred. Witness afterwards went to a house with the police, and there found the two prisoners, whom he immediately recog nised as the persons who had been the most active in. robbing and ill-treating him. Witness bad about 11. 14s. in one of his pockets, which escaped the notice of the prisoners. Witness recollected having been at the Land of Mischief public house, where his boother lodged, just before the attack on him, and in front of the bar there, was the prisoner in company with some other men. Witness recollected that he pulled out his money when in the public-house, in the presence of the prisoner and his companions. It was apparently this money which led to the attack on him. The pocket in which he bad placed the money was not ransacked, but a pocket in which he had some keys was torn from his coat, and it was afterwards picked up near where he was kicked. The constables proved finding the witness as described, and taking the prisoners into custody. The male prisoner said he was not the individual who had committed the offence. He bad not been in the Land of Mischief public-house that night, nor had been. in the woman's company at all. One of the constables said he saw the prisoner and the woman come out of a public-house together just before the occurrence. Mr. HARDWICK said he should commit both prisoners, but it would be advisable to get some additional evi dence. NAVAL IN TELLIGEN CE. PORTSMOUTH, FRIDAY.—WO understand the Admi ralty have awarded annuities to two of the daughters of the late Lieutenant W. P. Green, R.N.; and that the same boon will be con:erred upon the eldest daughter or the deceased veteran. His Excellency Lord Bowden, the newly-appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the River Plate, and suite, arrived at Gosport this afternoon, by the express train on the South-Western Railway, and put up at Pettet's Railway Hotel, where his Lordship dines and sleeps this evening. The suite and personal baggage of his Lordship have been em barked at Spithead in the Rattler steam-sloop, Com mander Moorman, the vessel appointed for his Lordship's mission, which will sail to-morrow it is expected. Admiral Sir Charles Ogle, Bart., the Commander-in- Chief, accompanied by his Flag-Captain, Milne, and Mr. G. B. B. Collier, Flag-Lieutenant, paid an official visit this morning, at half-past eleven, to the Salamander steam -sloop, whose crew had been previously mustered and inspected by Captain Milne. The A.dmii al was received with manned yards by the crew of -the vessel (the band of the Victory on the poop playing the usual. salute as he passed to and from her), and the other ceremonies incidental to official visits. John Barton, the marine recently condemned to suffer death for a viola tion of the 22d article of war, in abusing and striking whilst in the execution of his duty his superior officer on the quarter-deck of the Salamander, was then sent for, having been previously brought aboard from the Victory in custody of the Provost-marshal and a guard of Marines. The Admiral having ordered every one in the ship to be called aft on the quarter-deck, and all being assembled, Captain Milne read an official letter from the Lords of the Admiralty, stating that the Earl of Auckland, First Lord, having laid the case of the con demned John Barton before her Majesty, it was the Royal command that the sentence of death passed upon him (John Barton) by court-martial, be commuted to transportation for seven years. Sir Charles then ad dressed the culprit in a very feeling and impressive manner, enlarging on the enormity of his offence, the necessity for its suppression and punishment, &c., and hoped the prisoner would show by his future conduct his gratitude for the mercy the Queen had been gra ciously pleased to extend to him in consideration of his former good character. The Gallant Admiral took oc casion to admonish the crew generally against similar conduct, animadverting on its dangerous tendency and the necessity fur preserving rigidly proper order and subordination, concluding with these words:—" The strength of the navy consists in discipline." The pri soner was then taken back to the Victory, where he will remain until disposed of by the Secretary of State The St. Vincent, 120, Captain Milne, was got all ataut again yesterday, having been very sniFtlt newly rigged in the basin, the short time occupied in doing which reflects great credit upon the officers and ship's company. She will be docked on the Fairy coming out, and be quickly refitted for sea-going service. Contracts were taken yesterday at the Royal Clarence Victualling Establishment, Gosport, for 1,000 quarters of barley, at 48s. sd. and 48s. Bd. per quarter, and 1,000 sacks of biscuit-meal at 50s. 9d. The establishment is in work all day to keep up a supply for the navy, and all night for the " relief service." The Talbot, 26, Captain Sir Thomas Talbot, was paid off this afternoon all standing. Her sails are unbent, topgallant-masts struck, and as much of her runnin. rigging and stores returned as could be dispensed with. She will be docked without delay, and refitted with all dispatch for the relief service. We were led into an error about a fortnight since in commenting upon the fact of Captain Thompson having brought home two freights in succession from the Pacific. Sir Thomas was sent home with the first involuntarily, being ordered home with important dispatches; the freight did not amount to more than 1,000,000 dollars; the one just brought home only amounted to 60,000 dollars in specie, and was, therefore, anything but adequate to the loss sustained by Sir Thomas by the America bringing home freight out of her turn. which fact has deranged all the intentions of the Commander-in-Chief in the Pacific, and greatly disappointed those officers who expected to benefit by the usual train of the proceedings on that station. Sir Thomas Thompson, although a baronet, is not a rich man, as might be supposed ; quite the con trary, and has a right to expect re stitution of that of which he has been unjustly deprived. PLYMOUTH, MARCH 25.—Her Majesty's sloop Mari ner, 12, Commander Mathison, returned yesterday morning with loss of jibboom, bowsprit sprung, stern boat stove in, and ship leaky. She was bound to Ascen sion and the coast of Africa, and put back to this port some weeks since, damaged under similar circumstances. After being refitted she left again on the 13th instant, and will now require a thorough repair. The Mariner is overmasted and sparred; she consequently rolls heavily, and in stormy weather always incurs damage. The emigration barque Belle Alliance, Captain Van det berg, which put back on the 23d, after reaching 17 deg. 30 min. W., carried away her maintopmast and miz-n, sprung her mainmast, and damaged her rigging, and will now require a complete relit. She was bound to Adelaide, and has about 240 emigrants on boare. ROYAL ARSENAL.—The works in this great r naval ese n t and military depot, at Woolwich, are carried on a t with great vigour, the number of guns of modern rconstruc tion to replace those previously mounted on the variousfer nsiuomnsboerf for tifications at home and abroad in the colonial i this country being considerable ; and the additlloionsltels of large pieces of ordnance for the new fortifications at home stations has required a ''number of workmen to complete them within the time they were ordered to be ready for use. quantity, and have upw ar d s o f 4 ,500 l clasupplied a large The contractors for timber h ave recently for field ordnance. Th e works in the carriages and limbers ds to deliver for making ship and gun carriages, and partments are now e ff ecte d steamboring p power, e d r a i r n r s i t a e g a e d d o e f with horses, the forme r l a b or i ous plan ; the horses are now em ployed in the open air in carting timber and moving large ifiecesof tovorNdhnearnecetheNar and ,i from the proof butt and to the de partments one works are carried on to make them perfect. About 100 horses are required every day, with 50 gunners and drivers of the Royal Artillery for the work in the Royal Arsenal, and upwards of 100 men of the Royal Artillery are daily employed in assisting to unload the timber from the barges which convey it by canal from Yorkshire. SUDDEN DEATH AT THE Towitn.—A young man, named Houghton, while on Thursday engaged in the works going ou at the Tower, was seized with a fit and fell to the ground. He was immediately eenveyed to the regimental hospital, and was attended by the surgecTs.,but death ensued almost immediately. The bod; now wal-tel.l inquest at the canteen. WESLEYAN CONFERENCE rozl347.—The Wesleyan Methodist Conference will be held in Liverpool this year, in Juno or July. The m eetin g s will take place, tut os' farmer occasions of a similar kind, at the Brunswick Ch-Mosa street, and will be attended by Wesleyan minisOrilrom all parts of the kingdom. To some of the Conferencemeetings the ministers belonging to that denomination only are ad mitted; to others the public generally are &di:W=lle.