The Sun. — London, England, 1847-03-06 00:00:00

on► ovr , of untry ce to them r the air as n of )orrid , od in [n the rn: lr a ; kecked h they ,aisted, ctually out for effect Duke a fro be so/ would Id they would lid n° t eciiilll lid that lon O a to 0 1 was on of th e c hange mos O ° C by A ct be Wi stence. ) pre i Sale Way', Pa t h . P s a nd i singN aci 10 stree t ' ) stild TOi l " which oect *, i',', Oh tb. rour 71:1E RAILWAY CC )11MISSIONERS BILL. rit,lir. MTJNTZ presnter. , a petition from the directors the Iliraringhatn Due ,ley, and Wolverhumpron Rail "Y(lempany against ' ~he provisions of this Bill. I'HE 1 3”: 4 .JA OF SATTARA. Sir D v . _ E LACY VAS presented rt, 'l46i:tater, prayi tip; for an inquiry into the cir?um. 7. 414 [ 1 ces petition from attedant. on the dethronement of the Raja or 4ttara, lard G SPANISH "DEBT. 11 G. " T ' 2 '`l r -riNcK w;..shed to give notice that, on h elt'r e ,",„ n "t- l'e would present a petition from t tc,ilitzin,,a.n(c)l:i.,diteipunusty,u. s c ii h ina i 7an of the Spanish Bond , - 4 debt red the assistance of the House rest from the Spanish Crown, in the roalter sing, a hich they stated was above 7,000,0001. s.er ta t ; 1 11 ' hieh they alleged was principally due t o P RE J jeers. r ENT f i r ' N TNI SESSIONS IN IRELAND. S ecret LI3VERIE. said that, seeing the Right Hon. the hi i , tl s trY for I re l and in his place, he wished to inform th aa ' 4 t he had se.an in the Dublin Gazette sixteen pu , ?- i4 t tis for thr: holding of presentment sessions in th e ; Ti t Parta of Ireland. Now, he understood that . a ‘,ere therelei: ta te fo t r l passed !through the House providing a substi- Itish ed t he Public Works Act passed last session he e to ask whether those proclamations th o t i elid e" to authorise those presentment sessions the urthea u co s iT t af stir r,ivi..n f ro p o, u i blic works as well as ? for to the destitute Irish 48° ' (1 (51:1ERv said, that as the Act which . had , 41 / 1 " substitute 'a for the Public Works Bill had e h i C a l received the sanction of the Legislature,. tl ' ia r t . 7 not been titre allowed for carrying it into kii ou -Lk) could assar ' e the Hon. Member that the ta,44i.! wish of the Government was to reduce and . ekxs -4.t.i.,,r1 the present system of providing public works e "at l , - ;": /3 possible, consistent with the peace of the kj r hd the welfare of the people. t4 ll • " U UE wished to know if any order had been eitt i ed n the Irish Government upon the subject? 4; i s?-;, 130- ETCHERE replied in the affirmative. gavevEg notice that he should move that trai ts b ? °11 . erk against the compulsory Sunday primted With the votes. Lord a 2 -1 0LYITEAD HARBOUR. t he L e 'INWON moved for certain returns showing d () f by h e r a the engineer who has been finally apprfovtlie Pa l i , Cher Itlajesty's Government, with a copy , 44 rses of e e stimated cost of the same, together with the e ° l lsal; _,%uch engineers and nautical men as had been hl r Al and approved of the same. "ea I o ' ;4 OI 3PER stated that these returns had already """ upon the table of the House. br , PUBLIC WORKS (IRELAND). P - at- u'AV • lIVERIE wished to know the course to be by'cork the Government with regard to the public rate ago Ireland, If he remembered rightly, a short 14 n - i tt go there was a letter addressed by the Lord the - ," e n i ant to the relief commissioners, suggesting that 84144,1'4c Works should be effectually, but gradually, P 4 hli —. : (l * He wished to know if any suspension of the k r e 'rks in Ireland had taken place. latwe -.4BOUCHERE could only give a general_ 11.1 th r ia tu the question. He had no doubt that some of the Works had already ' been suspended. It was I l atil l t 4l ,f of the Government to close as speedily as „ J r ," system of public works in Ireland. 1 -aaj' i ,REARS OF RATES (IRELAN.D).POct to - "a_ u NCAN wished to put a question with The 'eo the Castlebar Union. A letter had that morn li g 14,1,e'reulated, written by Mr. Otway, dated Feb. for 14 'a „ a ,, t : 4 ting that two-thirds of the rates iu arrear h r tt ait parties. He fart e i ed , aerateWre uue .rom so vc ' t he tua !ecuri'' e s'itY of the Government making advances .. on the 'Net °f these rates. He wished to a.,k it• itaasthe of tt:°Ti of the G overnment to ma k e any such advances Public money, and what steps were to be taken to fhallre:,tha collection of the rate from the solvent lessors si t ,norn they were due? goeatiu.• GREY said, that with regard . to the first moti on ; )11 01 his Noble Friend he had no additiona t ra ° give beyond that which was already before the "rttl ' e l . "lth regard to the latter part of the questi o o r n, the Ni)e refer his Noble Friend to the 20th page that Ilk,ee4tl9 Which he had referred, where he would find *4l l , I Pgs had been instituted by the C,missioners ktr em . ' i lew to the enforcing the psythent o the rates in 4 , t hY the lessor. t he r r Et V'' S COTT wished to know if Lord Lucan had paid tl ellid e4 d ue from him, and if not, whether he would be Si Q e lfrona his right to vote? a ,hora r — ,', (- -atGE GREY said that the Noble Lord to , 4 1e h - Arl 'ut Hon. Member referred was then in Ireland. Rs Illaced on the table of the House papers in liability to 1 reYhu!trit of those rate g s. p He (Sir George Grey) had liklehht, that if the Noble Lord found that he was 4 : for those rates, he would at once pay them. Ass ' P. SCROPE asked it the Right Hon. Gentleman 1 4 „,_ 4 ware that t h e Government bad advanced large h;aadittylie rates not having been paid up regularly, in an union ? d the ~'3lr G. GREY said "a Papers th-a—t.ahathat, if the . Hon. Member had ‘ t tenti d been laid on the table with tTlisp osi tion to exonerate the rate-payers i„, on he would have seen that there was no t ,ixpense of the Treasury, bututmosta t h e tes rtion would be made ha the collection of the ra_ tt):'ould also appear that there was a power invested in tl, . Lor d - Lieutenant to advance money to prevent h , o f workhouses, and the distress that would ensue illin,naeclilenee• The Cavan Union had no particular f or I ); i t ° favour, an d wou ld form no espi c i a l example, eretk,e Lord -Lieutenant would exercise the same dis beeri),„4 with respect to o th er un i ons as t h a t w hi c h had kr'ttreised with regard to Cavan. dia /lUNIE inquired whether there would be a r an e y , tobraition, on the part of the Government to pass `lfin to the effect that no more money should be '4need for the relief of any union than was obtained the collection of the rates. 1, S ir G GREY did not quite understand the question, , d.":', might remind the Hon. Gentleman that there was th anct motion on the papers of the House, and when 10,7 4 tame on for discussion the whole of the details Ii old naturally be brought under the attention of the %Ise. CRACOW. tr „ - r• STUART WORTLEY wished to ask a question k e V L Noble Lord opposite as to whether any arrange tilt— 46 4 been especially entered into with respect to eo nvention between this country and Russia in 1831, th e 'a tab', w hether he had ar t y objection to lay the papers on tqei J. RUSSELL—The discussion would be re stio on Thursday, w hen he would then answer the n. o SALE OF SPIRITS IN CANTEENS. lb% oranthe motion that the House go into Committee on a' nee Estimates, id,h,e"lei LINDSAY rose to move, that an humbleviii b ss be presented to her Majesty, praying that she itit o graciously pleased to direct inquiry to be mad `r effect that the present canteen system has gt yppil o t ", e , ar _, c aY ; and whether it would not be advan 't uisrApline and to the moral improvement of troops' to prevent the sale of spirituous . Zl;L:airtae'kna.cantecis troop`, the precincts or proximity making this motion, he was only urged d i ,;aire to do his duty in that House and to the c_oun e t r r i y : meat n ot net wish to offer any opposition to the G. Bun the contrary, he thought he could . throw Iv ktao4tggestion which might lead to a reduction in out , th ese % ret l i nired for the estimates. It appeared that ie 'ante e °L . ,45,000/. was derived as rent from t i „ 41. % Ti n - arl `i , washing the sheets. The total number .s _ qopit.:-, 'including the artillery, in the Brit? ,1 744 1 19,862. Excluding the artillery, t e " t 'ri'ved from washing v‘ the sheets was 11.896/. ds as `'ducted f rom the total sum of 65,7391., ou ld ., litts derivable from the canteens the sum of 53,843/. '''tlil tee ns were usually let for a period of three years " i ghest bidder, provided he was a person of good !very harass The tenant had also to pay a fixed sum for 1r hos p ital%arred menintihe bar l rac v k i s, , including also the men in the out of the barracks, and who t hen "copied thebar ib barracks except when on duty, and galled t allowed to go into the canteen. He was also N I% upon to Pay all taxes, rates, and assessments what t4at \ ,l h e result of this mode of letting the canteen e m w o a s s t , 2(7, 1 .1 5 ." Person who occupied it was obliged to b the r his charges. This was not the fault of e° , l3Mand, nor the fault of the Ordnance or ate 15 - "niun ut it was the fault of those whose du y Of :sr rci t t o bring the the notice of the Board subject under „Pou f o ,, t , l a t ev , , through the usual and regular channels "Nem- Purpose. Now, the subject he wished p *as t 9 bring the otice of the Government I niti —alit t heie u c n an e t r eens spirits were licensed to be „ t ititac e - as other articles, and the cdonse t„‘litati,,,°' that license was the general demo h or the men living in the barracks. q„-"m‘cen man had to give such an enormous rent to Pay hrernment for the premisies he rented, that to re ,liliritaTlf he was obliged to lay an extra price on the ~,s " tioCe so ld. His object in bringing forward this i",... t isera tti lv all that spirits, as an article of affairs ',W i l li in these canteens, might be done -44 ir "'""- He had some experience in military tetr u i B t, ' an he invariably found that the young and t h 'was seduced to these places by the old soldiers, 4 Peri n e a e°ll sequenc e was that evil habits were gradually of uteti li ,;,." ll ced, and the young soldier in a short time th, a confirmed drunkard. He, therefore, complained facilities which the canteen presented for this pur -B,que;tiits Proximity to the barracks, and its placing the '-*r err ,'" temptation constantly before his eyes. When thelt-hdAent first constructed eanteens, he admitted that 11 . 4 r - eti l B4 , gocal object in view ; and as somebody must Z`iz in ‘ted tPhr("lt the various articles sold there, they con ° did t h ey might as well have the profit as any one else. 'eras "uink that the distribution of spirits in the can reor, w as Most objectionable, and there would be many _oadnesevenfa,villgs' banks warrants, and warrants for good i ssued, if it was checked. It was perhaps no *hio l ' Out there was an order in existence Of gave r to the comman di ng officer the power wh ere rioting the sale of spirits in canteens,the . he may d eem i t advisable from t h e ill con d uct o f shif, e . But thi s was a privilege of which they never Th e e ' theniselves, as they• did not like to exercise it. tl ifiee, eant een men gave large sums to obtain the metro and there were some can t eens in the te r , Po en lis wh ere the average expenditure of every nth, r t : l exceeded tirten shillings per month ; ho uw varied in the amountsor money, but it never was . fel 8,, t en or eleven shillings. Tii,, canteen was a fruit ttl y-o e rcr a 01, crime, I and ninth of the irregularity and /f t f discipline that prevailed might be traced to it. th t 7 m 4 discipline were to be found iut a state of drunkenness, Ap0411,?!1-eoMinissioned offir,er dare not lay a hand of s,Tni,r but must wait unt il a police-officer or a file sta.,o`.',Tes me to his afis i s t ance . Th e acts of in r,,,rl;'a oinationca generally h anpened a t roll-call f,r the e/lo t ; ss g P ar ade, when the eii2,n were in a state of druids oht o f 8 . 4,1 assaulted their superiors. Now ho found that in the 342 corporeal punishments which had taken plan stillordainr°37 last year, 139 of them were for acts of in for druyittloa connected, with drunkenness, and 70 more e ns alone, faking a total of upwards of 200 THE SUN, LONOON, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 6, 1847. for offences connected with drunkenness. In those regi ments which came from India, where, and in the West Indies, drunkenness was known to be more intense and violent, it was a fact that corporal pinishments were more numerous than in any other corps. In the returns it appeared that from one regiment which came from India the punishments were 17 in number, in another they were 20, and in one which came from the Westlndies there were 18 punishments during the year. So inveterate was the habit of drunkenness in the Westlndies, that. it was knOwn.that the men mixed Cayenne pepper with aheir spirits, in order to give them additional pun gency for the stomach, and it was also well known that the drunkenness which arose from "drinking spirits in canteeens was always more violent than that which arose from taking the spirits bought out of them, no doubt, from the deleterious substances mixed with them. Such a system as that, by which large profits were raised from the moral turpitude of the people, was a system which it was the duty of the Government seriously to consider and endeavour to put a stop to, even though they should be compelled to give up thereby some small portion of the revenue which they then derived from the canteens. He did not expect that any iinmediate improvement would take place, but still it was the duty of the Go vernment to adopt some general mode of Improvement, some mode by which the facilities of the young soldiers to obtain spirituous liquors would be taken away, the old soldiers prevented from seducing the young to spend their money at such places, and the habits of both the . young and the old soldiers improved. And this, in his opinion, could be only effected by prohibiting the selling of spirits in any of the canteens.--(Hear, hear.) Besides, all this drunkenness and debauchery lead to an extensive invalid system , and hence the cost of that sys tem was more than would be saved by reforming these abuses. The habitual drinker was also an expense to the country. The habitual drinker was the man, when drunk, who made a con stant practice of drinking his glass at the canteen, and was always in a state of false excitement. He never was reported as a drunkard, and yet this man was a source of far more expense to the country than 'the habitual drunkard, because the constitution of the one fell before that of the other. All military officers agreed that, on the whole, the can teen system should be abolished, as the most effectual way to put an end to crime was to undermine it. The first authority he would mention was one which they would consider of some weight. The present. Governor- General of India, Lord Hardinge, in his evi dence before a Commission said, that before he left the Ordnance, he had a minute under his consideration, with a view to put an end to this system, which he considered a species of tax upon the soldier. The present Adjutant-General, Sir John M'Donald, entertained the same opinion, and commanding officers in general considered that these canteens were a nuisance instead of a benefit to the soldier. Sir Edward Blakeney was of opinion that canteens should be better regulated, and let at a less rate than they were. Colonel Smith said that if he had his will he would not permit the sale of a single glass of rum in any canteen ; and Sir John Campbell held the same opinion. Bnt he would also refer to an authority upon which the House would be inclined to place reli ance. He alluded to Sir George Arthur, who bad been employed in every quarter of the globe, and that also by the present and the late Government, he says, " We encourage the soldier to drink a small quantity of spirits, but we punish him for drinking a large—though a small quantity disarms his power of resistance to the large: The Gallant Officer then cited the testimony of Col. Macdougal and Colonel Macgregor, to show that none but a confirmed drunkard would take the trouble to dress and go oat of barracks to get spirits in a morn ing, as also the testimony of Dr. Ferguson, who had served both in regiments and on the staff to show how inveterate the habit of drunkenness would become, and what hard ships the men would undergo, and to what abomina tions they would descend to get spirits when it was once formed. Dr. Ferguson, who is now high in office, had further stated that beer would not intoxicate a man without the admixture of spirits. Was it not then a bounden duty, on the part of the Government, to remove this temptation from the reach of the men. He therefore thought himself justified in bringing this motion before the House, especially as he thought that of late a great portion of that power which formerly belonged to commanding-by fear had been removed, and that corporal punishment was also considerably reduced, he felt justified in making an appeal to the Board ot Ordnance, and through them to the Chanceller of the Exchequer, to yield up some of their in come e deri vable from these canteens, andthe social and moral condition of the service, and conduce materially to its efficiency.—(Cheers.) The Hon. and Gallant Member concluded by moving the motion of which he had given notive. i a n ra th o the canteense n t wish to 11dIerf.e.FdOiXhefislyAstUemL p E u s r a su id ed th t a o t a h g e r d ea id t n ex ot te f n o t r of the different barracks throughout the country, which had been alluded to so forcibly by the Hon. and Gallant Officer who had just sat down. But he must be allowed to say that the remedy proposed by the Gallant Member, although founded upon the best of principles, would not, he feared, be very easily carried out. It would net, perhaps, be disagreeable to learn that the minds of the authorities had been already turned to the consideration of this question, and that they were at this mo ment considering in what way the canteens could be put upon a better footing, so as to form a part of that system of general amelioration of the whole condition of the soldiers, which both the authorities at the Horse Guards and her Majesty's Government have sincerely at heart. It will be remembered that the canteens, although attended with considerable inconvenience when allowed to be put to improper uses, were a great anvantage to the soldier while in barracks. There were many articles to be obtained in these canteens, which it would be inconvenient, on many occasions ' for the soldier to have to seek without the walls of the barracks. And even with reference to the sale of spirits, the canteen was so I entirely under the control of the commanding officer, that, if he chooses to exert his proper authority, and use a moderate amount of common vigilance, many of those evils, to which the Hon. and Gallant Officer had alluded, might in ordinary cases, be prevented; but still he was free to admit that it was not easy for an officer always to exercise the authority vested in him. He would not detain the House by going into any of the cases mentioned by the Hon. and Gallant Officer ; but he felt bound to .admit, that under many circumstances, the sale of spirits in the canteens might be injurious, but the answer to that was, that total ab stinence from the sale of spirits might also reduce evils in another direction. The Hon. and Gallant Officer did not trace the canteen to its original establishment. Formerly canteens were confined to the sale of spirits exclusively, but they were afterwards extended to other articles. Their esta blishment for the sale of spirits exclusively arose from the re gulation of excluding spirits from barracks. That regulation gave rise to the crime of smuggling spirits into the barracks, and canteens were established with the view of doing away with that offence. With these observations he hoped the Hon. and Gallant officer would not press his motion to a division, but leave the subject in the hands of the Government. Sir H. DOUGLAS said that it afforded him much pleasure to know that the Government was disposed to take the canteen system up, with a view to inquire into its operation, and to remedy the evils which might be found in it. Much of the present system are se from abuses that had gradually crept into the system. In a command which he himself had, and that not lang ago, a sum was paid for wine for the officers' mess, derived from the profits of the canteen system. He believed it would never be placed on a proper footing until both Government and the canteens ceased to derive profit from the quantity of liquor consumed in those places. He would throw it out for the consideration of the i ßight lion. Gentleman (Mr. F. Maule ) whether these canteens could not be made a desirable and moral adjunct to the barrack-roam, so as to become a place of resort for a very different purpose than intemperance. He would not, however, permit the profits of such an institutien to go either to the G o vernment or to the canteen, but to be spent in some wholesome and profitable manner to the advan tage of the soldier; and he thought if they were changed to the fund system, and appoint a canteeneer to superintend the institution in a moral and judicious manner, it would put an end to those pernicious indulgences which he had long seen and deeply regretted. Mr. GOULBURN was exceedingly glad to hear the state ment made by the Hon. Gentleman opposite, but still he must assert that the House were greatly indebted to the Gallant Officer for having given to the House the results of his expe rience and inquiries. Yet, as the Right Hon. Secretary• at- War had stated that the subject of canteens was at the present moment under the consideration of the Government, he would perhaps act wisely in the withdrawal of his motion on the pre sent occasion. Colonel ANSON quite concurred with the Gallant General opposite, that any plan which would be likely to promote the improvement of the soldier it was the bounden duty of the Government to entertain, and, if necessary, to pursue. But he felt compelled to call the attention of the Gallant Officer, by whom this question had been introduced to the fact that so far back as 1838 the Government of the day had expressly stated that they were quite ready to adopt any suggestion which was likely to prove of practical benefit. But it should likewise be remem bered, that by the regulations as they at present stood, the commanding officer had full power to direct the canteens, as it appeared by the regulations now in force. It should also be recollected, that these canteens were taken by tenders, and not only was security given for payment of the rent, but also for the good conduct of the parties by whom they were taken ; and in the event of the orders not being obeyed, the occupier was subject to ejectment. Sir DE LACY EVANS begged to tender his grateful thanks to the Gallant Officer for the pains which he had taken to bring this subject before the House, asubjectwhieh might not be felt to be of inte rest to the House,but which that s of great importance to the profes sion. lie was also ha glad at it was, according to the statem ent of the Secretary-at- War, to be taken In hand by the Government ; yet he must observe that it was plainly evident from the extracts which had been read by the Gallant Officer, that the com manding officers of regiments felt themselves in a difficulty as to the direction of these establishments. He entirely concurred in the proposition of establishing a canteeneer, and it would be much better if no property was derived from the canteen . If a non-commissioned officer was placed at the head of the de partment, and taught to expect promotion if he conducted it well, there would be a great advantage conferred upon the army if such a proposition was carried into effect. Mr. STUART WORTLEY said he was anxious to give his tribute of thanks to the Hon. and Gallant Officer for the zeal which he had shown upon the subject. He believed that nine-tenths of the offences which were committed in the army arose from the crime of intoxication. The Earl of ARUNDEL said that he also felt most grateful to his Gallant Friend for the able exposition with which he had favoured the House, of the ill effects of the distribution of spirits in the canteen on the discipline of the army. Colonel LINDSAY said that he felt most flattered by the p ra i s es which had been been bestowed upon him. Having called the attention of the House to the subject, he would beg lease to withdraw his motion. The motion was then withdrawn. CULTIVATION OF T EIE LAND IN IRELAND. On the order of the day being read for going into Com mittee of Supply, Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL desired to draw the attention of the House to the motion, of which he had already given notice, namely, of his intention to bring under the con sideration of the House the advisability of employing the labouring population, now engaged upon public works in Ireland, in the cultivation of the soil. The destitution which prevailed in that country was frightful ; by the last accounts which they had received, ne fewer than 700,000 persons were weekly employed upon the public works in Ireland. It was a notorious fact, that the arable land was lying untilled from the want of means of its proprietors. He, therefore, objected to this system of employment, as the works would not be by any means produe tive of one half the benefit, as the same amount of labour would produce were it directed to. wards the cultivation of the soil. The question, then, was, whether it would not be better to turn the people to its cultiva tion, as it was at the present moment so greatly neglected. In France the amount of food destroyed was tar more that ever anticipated, and the French press held out gloomy eneral prospects for the future. The prospects of Franc e were the g pros pects of the continent. The grand jury of Longford had passed a resolution calling upon the Government to employ the people thus in preference to wasting their labour upon the public roads. He understood that that resolution would be followed up by others from the grand juries of the different counties if the Government refused attention to the demand made upon them. He desired to state that a Mr. Brennan, in the county of Meath, seeing the deficiency of the cultivation of the land, has offered, and given, premiums to such of his tenants as had cul tivated theirs. If the system which he proposed were carried out, some assurance ought to be given the people that they would be insured the fruits of their labour, as the crops would be seized by the landlords. When the people were at present spoken to for not having made some exertion, their excuse was, that if they tilled they would derive no benefit from their. in dustry. If some Members considered that such a scheme was too extensive, they should recollect that the same amoun t at , present expe nded would suffice ; they should also remember they could not retrench their present expenditure—such was the enormous extent of the calamity which had befallen the country. He was very sorry to see that a Noble Lord in another place had been reported to have said that Ireland should look to herself, and that she should depend upon her own exertions. Now he was sorry to say that she was incapable of doing more than she had or was doing. He considered that the expression would be injurious, as it would indispose those who might otherwise be inclined, and prevent them from extending their aid should the necessity of the Irish people outgrow its present extent. There had been some observations about economy, but the people had nothing to be economised about ; their whole stock had been consumed, nay, even their seed for the next year has been wanted to supply their present necessities. Their heaps of manure had even been sold, by which they had hoped to cultivate the soil. There has only been ten millions proposed, to meet this fearful necessity. He could assure the House that one-half rents would not be paid this year. There bad also been a great deal of talk of the amount of money at present lodged in the savings' banks, and much clamour had been raised upon the subject ; but what were the facts? Why, the money placed there bad been placed by those about to emigrate, and ex actly that very class whose loss would at the present pressure be severely felt. But even more than that, the excesses of Great Britain of money lodged in savings' banks ten years ago was fifteen millions ; at the present moment it was twenty-five ; so they might see that the amount of money loded there could not be 30 much. He desired to express his heartfelt admiration at the charity of England towards the people of Ireland, and in doing so he would take occasion to observe that the House of Commons ought to take some steps to enforce the expenditure of tke absentee rents in Ireland. While the resident landlords in certain districts had subscribed about 15s. in the pound to • wards the relief of the destitute, the absentee landlords in many instances bad not subscribed above a farthing in the pound of their rental. What he submitted was wanted in' Ireland was gradually to abstract the people from the public works, anti without breaking up the machinery in operation at present, place the persons so abstracted to the cultivation of the soil. By so doing they would remove all danger in making the transition. If this were done he hail no doubt but that barony presentments would be as readily got for the cultivation of the land as for the construction of public works. Another thing which he would suggest to be done would be a measute to produce peace between the landlords and the tenants, and to secure to the latter the value of any improvements they they might effect in their holdings. There ought, in addition to arrangements of this kind, to, be a law to compel proprietors of land to come and reside on their properties, so that the rents which they receive instead of being spent out of the country might be spent in it. By this step alone 5,000,000/. would be saved to Ireland every year. He hoped that the Go vernment would take these matters into its most serious con sideration as they were of the utmost importance to Ireland at the present time. Air. L A BOUC HERE said it must not be supposed that he was:surprised at, or censured the motion of, the on. Member. The condition of Ireland was so alarming that he was not at all astonished that he should think it his duty to impress the subject on the attention of the House. The Hon. Member would do him (Mr. - Labouchere) and the Government the justice of supposing that if anything more than another would have stimulated them to greater exertion than they had made, it would have been the patient endurance of the suffering people of Ireland.—(Hear.) The Hon. Gentleman had laid before the House certain proposals, and he (Mr. Laboachere) felt it his duty on the part of the Government to state distinctly his opinion on them, so as there may be no doubt and uncer tainty in the matter. He would, therefore, in answer, say it was not merely the duty of the Government not to adopt the course proposed, but that it was impracticable and unprin cipled. The Goiernment had already done that which no Government had ever yet done before; it had attempted to employ the great body of the people—a step which no ' executive could take without risking the greatest risks and abuses. But the Government had not gone blindly into That ; they were aware of the evils and abuses that might arise. They proceeded to the employment of the people with their eyes open, because they thought it was right that they should do so, for had they acted otherwise in the circumstances of the country, a cry of horror against them would have pervaded the land from one end to the other.—( Hear, helr.) But there were various reasons into which at present he would not go at length. Why, they could not proceed with the employment of the people in this way. They were now employing, according to the latest accounts, an organised body of 700,000 on 1 üblic works, a fact unexampled in history, and here he would re mark that justice had not as yet been done to those who had had the direction and superintendence of these works. Those who had had the superintendence, had throughout their ardu ous undertaking shown the greatest ability, zeal, and spirit in carrying out the arrangements of the Board of Works. Had they not done so the greatest evils and abuses would have arisen. Another, and a serious evil, threatened them. The time had arrived when the soil required to be cultivated for the coining harvest, and had they decided to go on with the public works, the consequence would have. been, there would have been no one to cultivate it. But though the Government had deter mined to stop the public works, had they therefore abandoned the people? No ; but they had introduced another system to meet the state of the country. They had decided not to em ploy them, but to give them food. He would not say that this would not be accompanied with great evil, and was a proceed ing also foreign to the functions of a Government ; but he said of this, as he said of the system of the Board of Works, the Go vernment did not adopt it. They did not consider it freo'of evils, but because they thought it freer of evils and abuses than any other. At the same time, every exertion would be made by the relief committees to check any evil that might be de veloped under the system now proposed to be adopted. Yet, though the system of supplying food in this way might be liable to abuse and evils, they could not, as a Christian legislature, and as Christian men, allow pestilence and famine to spread over Ireland without doing every thing in their power to relieve them. But the Hon. Member wanted the Government to go a step further, and to directly interfere in the cultivation of the soil. He Mr. La bouchere) told him that it was impossible for the Government to attempt such a thing ; or, if they did, it would be a deplor able failure.—(Hear, hear.) It would paralyze all individual exertion, and would produce nothing in the country but evil. For the Government, therefore to do so, would be to go en tirely beyond their functions. The same applied to the supply of seed for grain. To supply such seed was a thing which no Government would attempt to do, and it would lead to irrepar able mischief. With respect to the cultivation of the soil to prepare for the coming harvest, that was a question of the greatest importance. I•le rejoiced, however, to say, that he had received intelligence from Ireland to the effect' thA the land was in course of cultivation, though lie regretted to say all districts did not exhibit the same satisfactory results. Still he hoped there would be no difficulty on this head ; and he trusted that the landed proprietors 4lreland—lbough he admitted in many respects they had not the power to do a great deal in the matter—would do every thing they could to assist their poor countrymen. The income of the Government for the relief of destitute persons, he had no doubt, would have the effect of liberating the labour of Ireland, and that it would be now employed in the propagation of the soil.—( The Right Hon. Gentleman here read an extract from a report of Major Fitzgerald, a Government inspector in the county of Clare, to the effect that the people under him were gradually retuning to the cultivation of the land, anti that in one week no less than 1.200 persons left. )—Such were the proceedings n w going forward; and he begged to state that everything would be done by the Irish Government to administer the new law in the way best calculated to advance this desirable movement. Now, a few words relating to absentees. While he knew that seme_of those proprietors had done their duty in subscribing liberally to meet the present crisis, others had shamefully neglected their duty, and left the resident proprietors the task of meeting the difficulties. He must say, that at the present time Ireland was the proper place for Irish landed proprietors to reside • but, at the same time, if public opinion would, not induce them to live there. be did not think a resolution of that House would have the effect. Respecting the law of landlord and tenant which had been referred to, a Bill, as already inti mated, would be introduced into the House on an early day. He would not longer trespass on the House, but conclude with assuring the Hon. Member that the state f Ireland would re ceive the anxious attention of the Government, and if they did not take his suggestions, it was because they did not think they would tend to the improvement of that country.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. SHAW quite concurred in the opinion of the Right Honourable Gentleman the Secretary for Ireland, that any in terference on the part of the Government would tend only to paralyze the exertions of the people without producing any really beneficial result. He feared, however, that some evils might arise from suddenly throwing out of employment the great number of labourers employed on public works, and upon whose exertions were depending for their maintenance, on a moderate calculation, 3,000,000 persons. He had received se veral letters from Ireland upon this subject, stating that greater abuses would, no doubt, take place under the proposed mode of relief than existed even under the Labour Rate Act, in consequence of the greater temptations which would exist for fraud upon the parts of the persons applying for re lief. He hoped that the Government would adopt speedy means to render the transition from the one state to the other as little injurious to the interests of the people as possible. Difficulties must, no doubt, exist under all modes of relief, but the only alteration the Government could adopt, was either to submit to these difficulties, or to allow the people to starve. Mr. BELLEW thought that an efficient poor-law would be the best possible remedy for the evil of absenteeism, justly complained of by the Right Hon. the Secretary for Ireland. With respect to the public works, he did not think that they had been so entirely useless as they were supposed by some persons to have been. Mr. FITZGERALD thought, as the present was the seeing season in Ireland, the Government should do something, in the present state of the country, to assist the people of Ireland to obtain the necessary seed, and encourage the people in the cultivation of the land. He most cordially tioneurred ifs the opinions ex pressed by the hots. Meniber for Kilkenny (Mr. O'Connell), and he hoped that the Government would yet see the neces sity of adopting the suggestions of the Hon. Member. He thought it a most unfortunate thing that the question of sup ply ing seed to' the people of Ireland, had been mentioned at all by the Government. In his own experience, he had known of many instances of persons having consumed their seed, trusting to Government for a fresh supply. He thought that sLoemgeillsattruovneg, raensdoluhteiadonedshboyultduebespuvaesseeedigbnyhbeovsethlfH, iemuspelsuroifngthnev a commanding u t n h t e i l a t r e e as n ns t ei e sa e tt l nh a na raisingvdvl o e r s a t ta t h o ned g e oot condition live o n ie b v yo of the th n Ihecirrpe peoples a oe nd pniee. : volence and example , could say opinions which had and Lord JOHNremoving the RUSSELLebneoar m u o u enormous express w bu e r s e d d e q n ebi ttehef ore, o w w ti n h an u ng p d otnloi th ee l w a t i o t. h n e . Kil kenny ; but he must distinctly say that the y they were • quite for questionthe whieh Governmenthad db been nat raised th ey byw e r e of w i l e li h n . g wAei t ore were of drtefionrbcyli dined h e d e to undertake the tillage of the land; an d _._ 00 1 7. w De ere r hreeaddygitvoehfoltloowthtehme .strwronbgeewaleerntintyhgeet:cohthlucenhtsrutyli: voted for the improvement of distinctly bad hoped that sum, it asserted that it was of little use. • --- H sw oc so . w th h a i t ch w h o e uld kne a vi cera w e as only applicable would have at least sufficed for temporary the benefit but a Noble .. Lord bad told them. that a ll would onlr sofifiee for wa s the onlpyureahe to partieulabr,nceafisets: farmers were of oats. He deeply regretted to he ar that the inquiries he not prepared with seed; but he belie• red, from the than had made, that tillage would be more extensively resumed Teonoeft,rls,orewlief,ofaorrterist was generally supposed, and that tillage would go on as soon as the proper season arrived. He .would ask it these changes were to be adopted, what was to become of the army of 11,000 auditors now engaged on the supervision of the public works? Not ten times that number would sutlice for the purpose. He believed that the tillage would be extensively resumed; but he founded his hope on the presumption that no false impressions would be spread of the amount of assistance to be derived from this country. Mr. HAMILTON thought sufficient justice had not b een done to the officers of the Board of Work- in Ireland. When they recollected the gigantic task which those gentlemen had to perform, and that they had the management of 700,1,00 men, and the order and regularity with which those works proceeded, they would be satisfied that they had a most onerous duty to perform, and would allow that it was well executed. It would, therefore, be manifestly unjust to impose additional duty upon them. With respect to the propositit n that the Government should undertake the tillage of the laud, he quite agreed with the Noble Lord who had just sat down, that it would be highly injudicious on the part of the Government to undertake the tillage of the lam% for he felt assured that it would have a very paralysing effect. There would, in his oeinion, be no necessity for any strong or imperative measures either upon the landlords or the tenants in Ireland. He mentioned this because he thoughts t but right that other Members should share the responsibility of these statements.—(" hear," from the Minisiei ial benches.) But there was one thing which he thought might be attended to, and it was of great importance, because he believed that many Hon. Members were not aware of the number of acres that were out of cultivation in Ireland. This was very likely owing to a certain extent to the practice that hail lately occur red, of the farmers leaving their farms. In the west of Ireland this was particularly the case, and he thought that some tribu nal might be erected for arbitration betweek the landlord and the tenant. Such a tribunal might give, say six months, for the opportunity (to the tenants) of retrieving their property, or at least give them compensation for the losses and expenses which they had sustained. Mr. B. ESCOTT was more and more of opinion the longer he lived, that not only would the adoption of any ex traordinary measures for Ireland not be beneficial, but would be absolutely injurious. The only two things that could, in his opinion, be done, was, in the first place, to allow the free importation of grain into Ireland, arid the second was, the adoption of a system of strict economy. If these who were in the possession of wealth would set the example of that economy. It was a well known fact, that if the bran were to be ground up with the grain, there would he an in crease of at least one-third to the farinaceous food of the people, and would not only also increase it, but would actually constitute a better and more wholesome food for man. The consequence of this would be, that the dreadful calamity with which the country was now oppressed, would be to an immeasurable extent relieved. At the present time there were large exports of wheat to Paris, and this very day a large quantity had been sold for that purpose ati Mark-lane, at 765. a quarter. The same was done last Monday, and by a little management, all this out-going would be saved. 1 There then was sufficient reason for the adoption of the eco nomy which he recommended. The subject then dropped. DEFENCES OF THE SOUTH COAST. On the motion of going into a Committee of Supply being again read, Colonel RICE begged most earnestly to call the attention of the Government to the important works which were voted for during the last session, and he trusted that in the estimates for the present year that a sufficient:amount would be taken to render the defences of our southern coast secure. It might be alleged that the sum required was large, and that it could be ill spared ; but it should be recollected that if large, it was necessary, and great as it might be, was not larger in a whole year than was now sent in one month to Ireland. The French had, in this instance, set us a worthy example, for they had been active for years past in protecting their coast. But we seemed to have exchanged characters with them, for while we were only talking, they had been earnestly at work. We were proud of our naval superiority, and well had it been sup ported. Yet it should be recollected that even before the days of steam navigation, that demonstrations had been made against the southern coasts of England, and it attention to the state of our defences was necessa , y then, it was doubly necessary now, and he earnestly trusted that the matter would net be neglected bv the Government. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY-ORDNANCE ESTIMATES. On the order of the de., being again read, Sir HOWARD DOUGLAS,_ for himself and his Gallant Friends who had given notices of motions, begged to postpone them to some future day. , '4l The House then went into Committee, and" Colonel At SON said, that in rising to bring forward the Ordnance Estimates for the year, he felt proud to notice the observations which had been made by the Honourable Mem ber for Montrose, who, he was sorry to see, was not then in his place. That Honourable Member had last year stated, that h i was quite willing to suffer the naial and military estamates for th e y ear to be proposed without a word of observation from him, although the several sums were 30 largely increased. He had this year thrown out a caution, in which he (Col. Anson) entirely concurred anii fully assented to the proposition, that it was the duty of ever e b y functionary f o Government, however larg e the sums might at his com mand, to use them with the most sparing economy, and to bring every charge within the smallest possible limit of practi cable economy. But economy consisted as much in the appli cation of the money used, as in the amount to be applied to the purposes for which it was voted. And in considering the great and extensive colonial:empire now under the charge of the British authorities, he conceived that a greater wisdom would be shown in the conservancy of the whole by a judicious expenditure, than by risking a part through too thrifty an outlay. He could assure the House that the utmost endea vours had been used to arrive at accuracy in the estimates, and if they were larger than last year, it was net from any desire to avoid economy, but partly from the circumstance that the last was an irregular year, and so could not fairly be compared with this. The whole amount which he proposed for the ordnance estimates for the three services was, 2,679,1271. For the year 1846-7, it was 2,543,5691., showing a total of increase this year of 135,5581. But if Hen. Members would turn to the first page of the abstract, they would find that there were three different votes—vote 2, vote 4, and vote 9—in which there was a deficiency amounting together to the sum of 67,2991. So that the actual increase was only 68,289/. upon the last year. The sum which he proposed to take for the military ordnance was 673,2391: the sum voted for 1846-7, was 579,6701., making an increase of 41,691/. on the year, These items were to be divided between the engineers, the sappers and miners, and the artillery. On the estimates for the corps of engineers there was an increase of 5,5781., but this did not arise from any addition to the force, but from their having been worn out, and from their more constant employ ment ; and all knew that from the eminent position which the officers and men of that corps were held in by the scientific world, that their services were eagerly sought for Teterwh ver their assistance could be obtained. He would pass Sappers and Miners, and he must say that that body was com posed of the most efficient men. There was no increase in the establishment. He now came to the Artillery. It was found necessary to add 1,2.D0 men to that establishment. They had found no difficulty in getting recruits, butossible th. He ey thought no gentleman would say that the increa se was too great, for, when he considered the extent of the colonies, it must appear a matter of surprise that they should perform it their duties as well as they had done. The next vote was for the commissariat department. Th is y ear was proposed to grant 370,4641. The excess over last i n the year was in consequence of the increas e the price of fodder. The distress in Ireland in s ome degree also contributed to the increase. The actual i ncrease was only 12,507, and it should be remembered th at last year endeavoured to manage as economically as p the votes were only for three-fourths of the year, wh ile at The next present, the estimate was for the whole year. vote was for the salaries and contingencies of the ordnance department at the Tower. He believed there was no body f o men more efficient. There was a decrease in the number o the men employed, which was owing to the substitution of police w i a n s the Tower. The next item to which he would allud number of artifi‘osrs that it was found necessary same was eniwpasoyre - for the labourers employed. The increase was owing to the in repairs at Woolwich and other places where the e . quired. The 6th vote was for ordnance stores. or and was an they asked 368,7121, while last year it was 396• 184C ' f o r shot, actual increase that year of 21,0 xi . The estirnathee T next vote shells, &c., was 4,731/. more than that of last year. sisd to grant was for works at home and abroad, and it was; prone , 611.956. , for that purpose 632,7631. Last year the grant wa , /. A g reet and the actual increase for that year was 22,70 N vessels for change had taken place by the subs.itution of steam take wee sailing vessels; but he thought they were bound to sFmethat year mfg had involve sures to secure their sea-ports, even though an increased outlay. He thought that Government emnit cised a wise discretion in the manner in which they had acted before. ex. in reference to this particular ; for, instead of, " intended to pending large sums of money on their colonies, they out large employ them at home. It was thought right to lay They had sums on such places as Sheerness and Plymoutinh there were also to expend large sums on barracks, of wh . was very volu -38 new ones established. From the list, whichn Er, land, and minous, it appeared there were 205 barracks e i oe lessg than in had exer -167 in Ireland. The vote for surveys was 3, Considerable Ordnance survey would be shortly the previous year. The Government eau Considerable expended in Ireland complaints had arisen as to the sum reasons existed as compared to Scotland, but very good completed. The for desiring that the Irish survey should be wa _ ,65,3301., vote for civil and military non-effective service 5 ' of last ear• which was an excess of 46,000/. over the vote in y the This vote would be accounted for, by the increase had military service, and by the fact, pec 7 ted that the Irish that many departments r, • t this excess, the additonal tns tages service he would obtain in the artillery, and the advan oceu He had also a right to set off a g ainst i fallen into this estimate w hich did not formerly _ he would gain in the obtaining additional forage. v aw sm. Mr. WILLIAMS said tha t they were called on to vote , House • and his best there were only twenty-nine Members in the ,_ hisof Friend, course, therefore, might be to folios,/ the example h k and remain t lie tan ed Mr. Flume, upon a former occasion, Friend for furnishing a comparative de nt . stement, as the millions of money, and during the statement of the Gallant Officer his Hon. tlie reason of the i had been maintained. Ile could not se h e was togo th I n r e e a ri pay no attention to the matterp.er lalnodu s h e e h e a ,, e r ed uctio cou r l o d ug b i e t n ie ad t h; mates, he would be able to sh n ow er d present c circumstances it was e every item; but he knew, , AS' in answer to the Ilon. Member, ob served Sir HOWARD DOCTUL , Ordnance Department being toe that, so far from the as still tar too weak. Tile N. anous increased, he he considered it w country and the colonies, were not half manned dllet,illefroerbyana:ptltaetriamtieoa:.s of ilidg lig of the economy which t the increase of 1,200 men. ' and he therefore rejoiced a thought the estimate was not too much. Under Mr. GOULBURS t s of the country, it was necessary that this branch the circumstan ce should bcharg e cient as possible. He defned the late of the service House wouldu tl at while i or improper experiments d any expensive . nance „ ONT briefly explained. The new barracks at the ftGeecortiNle-yesr uibloettlehensotsf. from thTisi 1 ca°°nuy i noIII c e hey - Colonel AN h , I tiled that the whole of Dr. HOWRIG comp a the ordnance esti itly increased at a period when the mates had been grai people of led upon to make the this country were cal greatest sacrifices, in s ary n e countr ir t 1 e • order to afford relief tows 3 meri. He complained, nts e made out in the way the also, that the accou y were, and last occasion i • Tower would be completed as soon as possible. would be the n which they would be lan There were deducttcns for appropriations made out on such a p • the • were rendered and other matters ; thus yunintelligible, and the ith dM It liture arrived at w . .cu y. The money Ought to go exact eXpen, • in the ordinary course. through the Treasury sera the vote was agreed After a short convern, then agreed to • to. hoped that that 370,4;;41. for the commissariat, including barrack supplies, cloth 6Tiii7e,2fsoollio. Mg, great coats, 8;c. ‘Toirngal'i-o°l‘t?asnCeso!' the ordnance ' military corps. 95.4441. to defray the salaries of persons employed In the Ordnance- office. employod ht the Or 1- nance barracks in the . coloni 228,1301., salaries and al t i h o ce6 7 s e t t o o f la persons bour The sum of 632,i • -651 was then granted for the expense of the Ord nance barrack works and repairs. Captain PLC, 1.1 1, • , 'LL said that he observed a statement in the " Times," that a high wall had been erected around the Woolwich in connexion wills the rdnanco Military Academy, for the purpose of keeping the cadets from walk -0 r 3 1 d 3 6 4: 8 1 7 1 5 c 1 2 e 2 1 1 d . . department r c o t t the stores. colonies. ing about the streets of the town. Ile wished to know if there was any truth in the rep ort. Colonel ANSON said that no report had yet been made to the house with respect to the Woolwich Academy. He recommended (ion. Members not to believe all they saw in the newspapers. (Laughter.) The fact was, that a palisade had been erected for the proposed of 168,5321., fur the purpose of preventing improper persons getting in, but not to pre vent the Cadets getting out. The vote was then agreed to. purpose of defray ing, the expenses of the non-effective military and naval servi, for On the vote being next year, The Howe then proceeded to consider the navy estimates. Sir 11. DOUGLAS expressed his regret that the Government had not taken measures to secure an efficient naval reserve force similar to that which existed in France. The whole establishment of the F re nch fleet consisted of 29,000 men, and they had established fleets at the five principal ports. The establishinents of the gun nery department at each of these five ports, beside the gunnery frigates, were such that they could put 6 000 men on board at any moment. Never had any country made such progress as France had since the war. At the close of 1815 her commercial as well as her royal marine was completely destroyed, and yet never was she in such a position of power as at the present moment. At Cherbourg, L'Orient, Toulon, Marseilles, and Bourdcaux, she had the most complete establishments, and the officials could put a most com plete armament on hoard at any moment, and he trusted that no false, no inferior notions of economy, would prevent the Government from putting the navy into such - a state of preparation as—although we never would commit any offensive and injurious acts that should lead to a war—would enable us to inflict in the first instance such a dreadful blow as would give a whole turn to the contest. Dr. BO WRING said that the Gallant General had held strange language, for while he had been extolling the increase of the French navy, he had altogether overlooked the advance of our own, with which the advance of the French navy was, indeed, tardy. He did not hesitate to say, that as compared with the English navy, it was totally in a state of weakness, and utterly unable to compete with our own. He was glad to say that it was universally con fessed that the British navy was, beyond all comaarison, superior to that of any other in the world. What was thecase? Why, while the two successive Administrations had been gradually reducing the burdens on the people of this country, the French Government, on the contrary, were, year after year, getting deeper and deeper into debt, until, after thirty years of peace, that country was so deeply involved, that the Ministry were afraid to meet the Chambers. Whether in political influence, commercial success, warlike power, or finaneial position, there was no comparison between the two countries.—(Hear.) He could not sit down without adverting to a most admirable change in the dockyards which had been made by the present Government, which was likely to keep the navy in a still greater state of efficiency thin ever it had been before. Sir HOWARD DOUGLAS—Had the Hon. Gentleman read the pamphlet of the Prince de Joinville ? Dr. BOWRING—Yes, certainly; and it was a confession of their Weakness. Mr. WILLIAMS was not quite so satisfied with this increase of the expense as some Hon. Gentlemen appeared to be. He found that the estimate taken for the whole of the cost was 5,661,0001., and, upon a comparison with late years, he found that there had been an increase of not less than upwards of 3,000,0001., and that, too, in a time of profound peace. Sir CHARLES NAI'IER perfectly concurred in all that had fallen from the Gallant General (Sir Howard Douglas). He did not, how ever, at all agree with the statement of the Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Williams)—(Hear and laughter)—because if they were to take his advice, the defence of the country would be impaired, and perhaps an opportunity thereby afforded to the French of passing 50,000 or 60,000 men into this country should they feel inclined to do so. He wished to bear his testimony to the way in which the Hon. Gentleman the Secretary to the Admiralty (Mr. Ward) had brought forward the questions so interesting to the navy. It had been admitted by every Secretary to the Admiralty, and by every Lord of the Admiralty, for some years, that jobbing to a large extent had existed in our dockyards. Now he sincerely wished that the Hon. Gentleman had been authorised to go a step further than his predecessors had gone ; and, in addition to making such an admission, had issued an order like the one recently issued by the Custom-house, which he supposed was issued by the permis sion of the First Lord of the Treasury. It stated that the friends of clerks, employes, and others, making use of private interest for the purpose of raising them from their different stations, would find that a very opposite result would take place. Now he confessed he should like to have seen a paper issued by the First Lord of the Admiralty, stating that those connected with the navy must only expect to attain promotion by their own exertions, and that if they applied to " Lord this " or " Lord that " for such a purpose, that their progress would be effectually put a stop to.—(Hear.) The workmen in the respective dockyards wanted better superintendence, and this might be effected if the superintendents and ether officers were strictly honest, which he regretted was unfrequently_• the case. —(Hear and laughter). The mode in which persons were :appointed was pregnant of evil. If the names of three persons were brought to the Admiralty, two of whom were Witigs and the, other a Tory, no doubt the Whigs would stand a far better chance of being ap pointed than the other.—(Laughter.) Why, it needed no ghost from the grave to tell them that this was the invariable practice. ( Mr. Ward dissented.) The lion. Gentleman shook his head, but the statement was correct. The great fault of the management of the dockyards was that a superintendent was not allowed to man his yard as a captain manned his ship, and to discharge the men if they neglected their duty. If this power were vestedin him he would " keep a good look out," and prevent a continuation of this jobbing. He (Sir C. Napier) had been endeavouring for five years to impress the neces sity of a thorough revision of the dockyard system upon tbe Govern ment; but he had never received any assistance in his labours until the present session, as he found the Secretary to the Admiralty stating that the " Government did not get a fair day's work for a fair day's wages."—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) Then again, the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Portsmouth (Mr. Baring) admitted that many ships were not built in a proper manner, as mis takes had been made from time to time in their construction. We had also the published statement of a gentleman who was connected with the Admiralty during the late Administration (Mr. Corry), that, " considering the large expense of br.ilding and preparing ships, the most careful revision of the practice and proceedings of the dockyards is urgently required, as much for the purpose of saving expense, as for the purpose of promoting regularity." He should like to know from the Secretary of the Admiralty whe ther those thirty-three iron vessels were in his opinion adapted for war or not ? There was one other question also which he wished to ask him. He was desirous to know it he lute nded to revise the articles of war with a view to make them more humane ? In these days of modifying and abolishing corporal pm aliment, he thought the Admiralty should take this subject into their consideration. Before he sat down he also wished to impress upou the Admiralty the propriety of increasing the number of ship-carpe •ters in their employment. The pay of this class of persons was so small that they were obliged to employ joiners to carry on the works, and he hoped that, aa soon as a vessel was out of commission, they w ould lay on the table a statement of the expenses she incurred while in commission, as he believet such an account would be extremely satisfactory. If the Admiralty would follow these few hints which he had thrown out, he had no doubt but they would be attended with the best results. With regard to those iron vessels, it was proved, if they were struck with a shot, the effect was just the same as if " you put your finger through a piece of brown paper." Now, what would be the consequence, he would ask, if one of these vessels was struck with a 32 or a 68-pounder? If the Ho nourable Gentleman did not know, he (Sir Charles Napier) would tell him, she would go to the bottom like a stone. Capt. BERKELEY thought that the Gallant Admiral (Napier) should not have alluded to the iron vessels, as the Secretary for the Admiralty had already stated that iron vessels were not fitted for the purposes of war. He himself did not think they were adapted for such a purpose. Mr. CORRY would only make one or two remarks on the subject. The Hon. Member for Wiltshire seemed to think that a good deal of jobbing had.beea practised in the appointments in the dock yards, but he could assure the Hon. Gentleman that while he (Mr. Corry) was in office, no such jobbing was carried on. The appointments of the late Government were founded upon the merits of the parties ap pointed, and not with the view, as the Honourable Member would seem to insinuate, to secure sinister support. With regard to the fitness of iron for steam vessels he would not contend that iron was suited for the purposes of vessels of war, but with regard to vessels to be employed in services of a general character, he entertained an entirely different opinion, and in support of that opinion he need only mention that he had received a letter from Captain Hosken, wherein he stated, that had the Great Britain been made of wood instead of iron she must have gone to pieces long ago. He maintained, therefore, that iron was the best material for constructing vessels to be used for general purposes. When they said so much of the de fects of iron vessels, they should recollect that wooden vessels were not able to resist the effects of shot, but they bad otten been burnt from the shots fired into them. That was an inconvenience to which iron vessels were not subject. It was said that a shot fired into an iron vessel passed through one side and entered the other, but this must have arisen from the slight scantlings of the iron, and the same con sequences would result to wooden vessels, if made up proportionably slight. It could not be denied, however, that if they were objection able as war vessels, they would make very good troop ships. Captain HARRIS said that it would be most advisable that a sum of money should be voted as a supplementary estimate for the pur pose of raising the pay of petty officers, and that such l a measure should go part passe with secondary punishments. Captain PECHELL desired to know what votes the Government were anxious to obtain, as he wished to hear the observation which the Right lion. Baronet (Sir James Graham) intimated he would make ? Mr. WARD said that he could 'not expect the House to enter into the whole question of the estimates, as Hon. Gentlemen would have another opportunity of addressing the Rouse. Sir J. GRAHAM said he was afraid that any observations which he might make in reference to this vote, and the paper which had been laid upon the table, would be of little value, because his expe rience at the Board of the Admiralty, was not of very late date. But he must say that the idea of the patronage of -the dockyards being monopolised by the Secretaries of the Admiralty was altogether unknown in his time. In fact the Secretaries exercised no patronage, except in the appointment of chaplains. He said that he had held the office of Secretary to the 'Admiralty for two years, upon the general election after the Reform Act, and before he left that board, he could perceive the operation of the right to return Members to Parliament for Chatham, Ports mouth, and other places ; and he must say, that if these political feelings prevailed further in the service of the Government, he feared se re must resort to the old usage of the statute in reference to their servants, which was, that all who were employed in the collection of the revenue, should not possess the qualification of voting. He instanced the coast-guard as a case nearly analogous to the present. Still, he thought, this plan brought forward by the Admiralty was such, that it ought to have a fair trial, and therefore he would give it his support most gladly, in order that the experiment might be made. If the experiment of the Admiralty fail, then he would most certainly recommend the extreme remedy of disqualification. Mr. WARD was extremely gratified at the favourable opinion ex pressed by the Right Hon. Baronet, and he could assure him that everything would be done to give effect to the plan which he had spoken of so highly. He was also of opinion that the officers in the dockyards would co-operate in giving the plan a fair trial. Should it, however, fail, he had no objection to the extreme remedy of dis qualification recommended. Sir HOWARD DOUGLAS expressed himself in favour of the plan. Mr. T. BARING begged the Right Hen. Member to be watchful of the proposed plan, else he would find that he had only removed the evil from the inferior to the superior officers. The greatest care, therefore, was necessary, in order to give the measure a fair chance. If that were done, a benefit might be realised ; but whether or not, he had grave objections to the extreme remedy of disqualification which had been recommended by the Right Hon. Baronet the late Rome Secretary. The vote was then agreed to. _ The following votes were then agreed to :- 25,5571. to defray some expense in connexion with naval establish ments abroad. 811,3041. to defray the wages of artificers and labourers in con nexion with naval establishments at home. The House then resumed, and the report was brought np, and or dered to be received on Monday. DRAINAGE OF LAND BILL. On the motion that this Bill be read a second time, Lord LINCOLN objected to some of the provisions of the Bill, and complained that its object had been slightly altered by the Government from the one introduced by their predecessors. The 7reat advantage contemplated by the Bill of last year was to convert the instalments into a loan. The large proprietors would h av e no great difficulty in obtaining these loans trom insurance com panies. The small proprietors could not do so, for where the sums amounted only to 4,000/. or 5,0001., there would be a difficulty ; but when the sums amounted to 30,030/. there would, he conceived, be no such difficulty. He would not be invidious and read the names of the persons on the paper before him, but he observed that there were applieitions for sums of 32,100/., of 47,0001., and, in one in stance, of 70,0001. ; and although the grant was 2,000.0001., there were applications for 700,000/. beyond that sum ; so that it was evident that the whole of the money, if this system were to be pursued ;would be absorbed by the large landowners. Then, again, he objected to the term which was adopted of three years, for in England; there were seven-course systems, and in Scotland four-course systems, so that the money never could be repaid within the threw years, and he would therefore advise that they should at once be dropped, and take a five year system, for that would be much better both for the drainage and. for the cultivation of the soil. Again, if the money was thus to be expended, he was afraid that it would never prove of any great value in promoting the general improvement. He did hope therefore that the Government would give this Bill a little more attention before it was definitely passed through the House. The Bill was then read:a second time, and ordered to be com mitted on Wednesday next. CONSOLIDATED FUND BILL. This Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. GODSON obtained leave to bring in a Bill to encourage per sons to effect insurance on lives. The Bill was subsequently brought in and read a first time. The LORD ADVOCATE obtained leave to introduce the following Bills :—A Bill to amend the law and practice in Scotland as to the Service of Heirs ; Bill to amend the law and practice in Scotland with regard to Crown Charters and Precepts from Chancery; a Bill to facilitate the Transfe rence of Lan ande Transfer tooth Heritages er in Scot landin facilitate th not held BUTgAge Ten e ure ; es in Scotland held in Burgage ence of Lands and o ther nse Tenure ; a Bill to facilitate the Constitution and Transmission of H e ritable Securities for Debt in Scotland, and to render the same more effectual. Captain PECHELL moved for a return of all veszl u s di t n h g at th ha o v s e e been ti c to the Slave Trade, stating the purchased, since 1830, in the Royal Navy, condemned under the Acts re a v price Ta r id for each, distinguishing the amount tonnage and the th e e the stores ; also tor a return of the paid for the hull o f d first and second class for general number of boys on beard the several flag-ships at Ports service received during the several months of August, Sep boerre, 13 . 4 u 6, en d e lis f ti th ng e ui o s d h m ing t. Sep mouth and Devonnerl tembcr, October, Novem beeLieraednd those who have not been 25th day a May, 1841, with the number u D nd ec er em th rally memorandum of the slop clothing.— of boys so entered, who have been supplied with Agreed to. o rder sof the day we re then disposed of, and the The remaining t 0 o'clock. H o use adjourned at One . -___------,---_—_—__ SALE or L A ND IN TEXAS.— Thursday, 16,273 acres of freehold located land, situate in Texas, under the dominion, and in the southern part of the United States of North America, were submitted to public competition, at the Auction-mart, by Mr. Robins. The land comprised nine estates in the counties of Harris, Liberty, Galveston, and Bexar, the size being from 320 to 4,605 acres, all a them surrounded with thriving farms, and from three to eight miles from the capital city, Houston. The lands , located in the vicinity of Houston, &c., produced ss. 6:Y 4 d. the acre ; the unconditional certificates, entitling the holder to select land in any part of Texas, from 320 to 1,280 acres each remaining unallotted, going at nominal P rices. An order bas been issued that an appt2al shall he 7 lodged in the House of Lords against the decision of the Queen's Bench, in confirming . the senteace passed at Ennis, of execution on P tarick O'Bri cleen, for the murder of his w ife at Kilkee.—Lmeric Chroni. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. • • HOME ClRCUlT.—Hertford, Mewl, 5. The as-;zes for this county concluded to-day about one o'clock. The following are the only cases that possessed any feature of public interest that have been disposed of during these assizes. CIVIL SlDE.—(Before Lord DE NM ter and a Special Jury.) MILES V. MUIt.B.AY. This was an action to recover damages for an assault al leged to have been committed by Sir Robert Murray, a • ma gistrate for this county. Mr. Montagu Chambers appeared for the plaintiff; and Mr. Sergeant Shoe was for the defendant. This case arose out. of an action that was tried at the last assizes, and which has since been several times heti re the public upon the application for a new trial. A man named Beadel brought an action against Sir Robert Murray for false imprisonment, on having given him into custody on sus picion of stealing some fowls; and the result of that action was a verdict for the defendant. It appeared that, shortly after the trial Beadel and some of his friends, among whom vas the present plaintiff; had been regaling themselves at a rublic• house in the village, near Sir Robert's residence, and is they were passing by one of them blew a horn; and some ,they discordant noises were made, and it was alleged that Sir Hobert had come out, accompanied by some ol - his servants, Ind made an attack upon the party, and comm.itted the as sault complained of upon the plaintiff. . Lord DENMAN, in summing up, said he lamented that a' gentleman in the position of the defendant should have acted in the manner alleged, even although he might have re ceived some provocation. That was no excuse for an act of violence from a gentlemah who, by his position, ought to set an example of forbearance. The jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict for the plaintiff.—Damages, Is. His LORDSHIP, subsequently, upon the application of Mr. Chambers, certified that there was ground of action, so that the plaintiff will receive his costs. ME QUEEN V. STURT. This was an indictment preferred at the instance of the justices of the borough of St. Albans, against the defendant, who is a banker in that town, for a libel. Mr. Sergeant Shee and Mr. Hawkins were for the plain tiffs; the defendant conducted his own case. This action was also connected with one tried at the last assizes, in which Mr. Blagg, the town-clerk, and clerk to the magistrates at St. Albans, was the plaintiff, and Mr. Start the defendant, and he was charged with publishing a libel concerning him. The libel was contained in a letter addressed to Sir J. Graham, while Home Secretary, and charged the magistrates and Mr. Blagg with some irregular proceedings in reference to the examination of two persons tor embezzlement the latter particularly, as having acted as clerk and professional adviser to the magistrates, and also as attorney for the prisoner. The present indictment was preferred by the magistrates for the attack made upon them in the same communication. After the case had proceeded some length, it was put an end to by the defendant consenting to make an apology, and pay the costs ; and upon this understanding a nominal ver dict was recorded. CROWN COURT.—(Before Chief Justice WILDE.) Caroline Brown, aged 24, a good-looking young woman, was indicted for the w►lful murder of her illegitimate child, by casting it into the waters of a mill-stream, and thereby suffocating and drowning it. hir. Hawkins conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Ryland defended the prisoner. From the evidence adduced it appeared that the prisoner was in the service of a gentleman at Hitchin, as cook, and for some time prior to the month of January there: had been a suspicion that she was in the family way, but there was no positive evidence upon the point. On the 9th of that month the body of an infant was found in a mill-stream which ran at the bottom of the premises of the prisoner's master, whence there was access to it by a gate or flap. It appeared in evidence that there was a grating above the spot in question, and the inference was that the child ;oust have been thrown into the stream at the place where it joined the residence of the prisoner; and there were some ,ither circumstances of suspicion, tending to fix the guilt upon her, but the evidence was very far from being conclusive. The jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty. WESTERN ClRCUlT.—Winchester, March 4. CROWN COURT.—( Before Mr. Justice Wimialts,) George Pink was indicted for burglariously breaking int the dwelling-house of Frances Covey, on the 24th of Jul; last, and stealing therefrom . 270/. Mr. Greet, wot,d and Mr. Edwards conducted the case for the prosecution; and Mr. Cockburn and Mr. Massey defended the prisoner. It appeared from the evidence, which in detail was of very great length, that Miss Covey is a maiden lady, 85 years of age. She lives in New-street, in the town of Basingstoke, keeping one servant maid. The prisoner, who is a respec table-looking man, 28 years of age, lived as shopman in the service of Mr. arton, a butcher. Miss Covey and her servant went to bed about 10 o'clock on the night of the 24th of July ; both of them slept in the same room. They were awoke about two o'clock in the morning by some noise, and instantly perceived a man standing by the bed with a candle in one hand and a pistol in the other; they also saw that his face was covered with something resembling a piece of muslin. Although alarmed, they were enabled to take notice of his dress, and they stated that he had not any coat.on, but that his waistcoat was of such a pattern that they could re cognise it. The man said, " Money I want, and money I'll have." The old lady wanted to get out of bed and attack him, but the maid held her down and spoke to the man, who said if she was not quiet he would blow her brains out.. s The servant then told him she would give him her mistr e s s money, and she hoped he would spare their lives. He was then a little quiet, and then the servant took a purse from under the pillow and gave it him. This did not satisfy him, for he said that was not what he wanted, and he desired her to give him the keys of the drawers. The woman was so much frightened that she gave him the keys; there were several purses containing money in the drawers, and among that was a Queen Anne's sixpence. The prisoner having the keys, went to the drawers and opened them, and took out all these purses with the money. He then tied the hands of the servant with a cord which he took from his pocket. He then went away, but in an instant he came into the room again, and told them if they did not lie still he would blow their brains out. Ile then went out of the house. Imme7 diately after this the servant opened the window, and ob served the same man who had been in the room walking in the street. She then gave an alarm, and a person who lived on the opposite side of the street hearing it procured a police man, and, accompanied by him, went to Miss Covey's house. They proceeded to make an examination of the house, and found a back window open and a pane of glass broken. They also found a hammer and chisel near the drawers. Miss Covey and her servant gave a description of the man, and particularly alluded to his waistcoat. In the course of the morning the policeman went to Barton's, and in the pri soner's bedroom he found a coat and waistcoat and a pair of trousers, and upon taking the waistcoat to Miss Covey she identified it as that worn by the man who was in the room. The policeman then examined the rest of the clothes, and he discovered that one of the pockets of the coat had been torn off. He then proceeded to examine Mr. Barton's pre mises, and under some sawdust he discovered a sort of bag, hich, upon inspection proved to be the pocket of the pri soner's coat, and it contained all the property Miss Covey had lost, and among the money the Queen Anne's sixpence was discovered. In the privy they found several bullets and a lucifer match- box. The hammer and chisel found at Miss Covey's were identified as the property of Mr. Bar ton. They had been placed in the slaughter-house the night before, and the prisoner was in that slaughter-house about nine o'clock that evening. The mother of the pri soner lived next door to Miss Covey, and a chair had been taken from the premises adjoining Miss Covey's, and placed against the wall of her premises. Mr. Barton had two other men in his employ, and they and the prisoner slept in rooms outside the dwelling-house of Mr. Barton, but the two men had to pass through the room of the prisoner to go to bed. On the night of the robbery the prisoner was not in his room when they went to bed at eleven o'clock. A large dog was kept on Mr. Barton's premises, and no stranger could have gone there without the dog making a great noise. The dog, however, on that night was perfectly quiet. A short time before the robbery the prisoner had purchased a brace of pistols, and on Monday last those pistols were found in a cess-pool on Barton's premises. The cord which had been tied round the hands of the servant of Miss Covey was stated to be similar to those used in slaughter-houses. The pri soner was apprehended on the day of the robbery; he had only been married a short time before, and had intended set ting up in business on his own account. No one could have got to the back part of Miss Covey's house but by means of the chair put against the wall. Mr. COCKBURN addressed the jury, and called several wit nesses on behalf of the prisoner. The Learned JUDGE having summed up the case, The jury returned a verdict of Guilty. Sentence -15 years' transportation. John Parry, the black, convicted yesterday of uttering a forged 201. note, was sentenced to seven years transpor tation. NISI PRIUS COURT. —(Before Mr. Justice CRESSWELL and a Special Jury). Lartx.a.siza V. COUPLAND. Mr. Crowder, Mr. Cockburn, and Mr. Slade were counsel for the plaintiff ; and Mr. Sergeant Kinglake, Mr. Barston, and Mr. Saunders for the defendant. This was an action brought by the plaintiff, an ironmonger, against the proprietor of the Hampshire Advertiser, for a libel imputing to the plaintiff misconduct in his character of Com missioner of the Improvement Act for Southampton, relative to making a road. The Learned JUDGE characterised it as an extremely dull case, except to those interested in the politics of South ampton. The jury eventually gave a verdict for the plaintiff, with 40s. damages, at the same time stating that they did not consider the defendant was actuated by any malicious I motives. t I OXFORD ClRCUlT.—Reading, March 5. CROWN . COURT.—(Before Sergeant Gamuts.) CUTTING AND WOUNDING. — CharIes Smith was indicted for cutting and wounding Jane Morris. The trial did not close till one o'clock this morning. The undisputed facts were these :—The prisoner, a young man, of about twenty two, was the son of a gentleman, who was a respectable solma i- citor at Bridgnorth, in Shropshire, and a clerk to the gistrates there. The iorosecutrix, a tolerably well-looking young woman, twenty-one years of age, of small figure and sharp features, and who gave her evidence to-day with great firmness and presence of mind, was the daughter of a journeyman plumber and glazi er at Bridgnorth. About six years back they became acquainted with each other, and about four years back a connexion commenced, the conse quence of which was that she became a mothesr. After this event this event he went to live at B ur y , near Mancheter. lowed him, and he took apartments for her at Manchester, and supported her there for some months. After some time his pecuniary advances to her began to diminish, and at length he abandoned her without giving her any notice of his intention to do so. After undergoing some considerable privations, she learned that he was at Reading, and by the assistance of an acquaintance of his at Bury was enabled to follow him to this town, where he at the time had a situa tion in the tax-office. On her arrival here, on the last day of last year, she took a lodging under the name of Mrs. Smith, at the house of a Mrs. Cray, in West-street—he lodging at the house of a Mr. Martin, at No. 26, in that street. They met—their acquaintance was renewed—he visited her as his wife, and they spent the night before the day in question together at her lodgings. On the evening of the 20th of January she found means to get into his lodgings about six o'clock, and stopped there till he came home. He was, of course, anxious that she should leave. She refused. Some bickerings and reproaches took place. At length, between eight and nine o'clock, the people of the house suddenly heard screams and cries of " Murder !" They ran up, rushed into the room, and found her lying on her back on the floor, at some distance from the fire - place, in a state of unconsciousness, and bleeding profusely from a wound on the right side of the throat, and and fac i ng prisoner standi ng a t her feet, in a stooping position, an lying on the floor, three or four yards from hfromer,h a er nd le a ftside and th c prisoner's right, bloody n the handle and the b si l ig a r de e , an a s ud w t e h re e esaeraptetfonre, wh o stained with blood from it. d h r a e a ssed the wound. Ile was asked how what was seen. happened, and replied that she had done it cowe,Ths... and herself. She, on recovering her 95 0 '. b eing asked who did it, said it was he. The neighbours assembled and sent for a constable; but Mr. May, one of the surgeons, with singular tact and presence of mind went down stairs and forbid the con gable .to interfere till he should know on what charge the prisoner was to be apprehended, and then returned up stairs sivl, in the presence of the prisoner, Mr. Rusher and Mrs. Maitin said'to her "It is an unfortunate thing you did this. What could be your motive for doing it?" To which she epiied, appareptly in amazement at such a statement , " I xlid it!" and then added, "It was he did it," Thereupon the prisoner went up totthe head of the bed, and said, "Jenny, will Nou swear I did it?" and she said " Yes, I i 611." Mr. May then• told her to be cautiots as to what she was saying as the charge was a serious one against Mr. Smith, and told the latter that a constable was waiting to take him into cus tody; whereupon he observed, " This is a sad job for me;' to which Mr. May replied that if he was innocent of the charge . he would have no difficulty in proving himself so before the magistrates. He was then conveyed to Bridewell. She remained athis lodgings confined to bed till the next Monday, when she left to attend before the borough magis trates. 'These gentlemen having heard her evidence, and that of the medical men and of the persons who were in the house at the time of the occurrence, and the prisoner's state ment, which was to the effect that she had inflicted the wound herself, dismissed the charge. This decision did not tgive universal sati s f ac ti on, an d a su b scr i pt i on was ra i se d in he town to conduct the case to a hearing before a jury. A true bill was found by the grand jury on Tuesday; and the prisoner, who was at large, and pursuing his employment in the tax-office since -his release by the magistrates, at once surrendered to take his trial. The facts in dispute must be gathered from the following report of the evidence bearing upon them : Mr. KEATING, in opening the case for the prosecution, said, that as the only object of those who instructed him was to elicit the truth and to vindicate justice, he would call every witness whom he was aware of as knowing anything of the matter, and even put in evidence the statement made by the prisoner in his own exculpation before the m • - trates, though it could not be submitted to the jury by him under any circumstances in the present inquiry. Jane Morris, after stating the circumstances of her con nexion with the prisoner up to her arrival in Reading, said that after she had found him out here, and met him, they had remained on good terms till he went to his lodgings on the evening of ednesday, the 20th of January last. At first," said she, "he did not speak to me. Afterwards he asked me, had I got a lodging at Caversham ? I told him I could not. He then wanted me to take lodgings at an inn for the night, and wanted me to go early. I complained of being faint. He ordered up a glass of water. I said he ought, knowing my weak state, to have ordered a cup of hot coffee. He said the water was good enough for me. I said, this is the way you wanted to starve me at Manchester, but a friend enabled me to find you out. He pressed me to tell him who the friend was; I told him it was Mr. Bradbury, who lodged in the same house with him at Bury,and who gave me money to come up to him. Some time after that he said, lam determined you shall go.' I had put my bonnet on the table before then. On his saying that, I said nothing. He then attempted to put on my bonnet; I would not let him, but told him I would go presently. He said nothing, but took my glove and cuff off the table, and threw them on the fire. The glove was burnt. I took the cuff off. It was then a quarter past eight o'clock. He said he had no doubt it was nine. He then put his arm across the mantelpiece, and laid his head upon his arm. I was sitting at the time. After a time he turned round and said twice, Will you go?' I arose from the chair. He seized hold of me and threw me backwards. I felt some- thing pass across my throat. He afterwards thrust a hand kerchief into my mouth. I felt something pass across my throat a second time. I struggled and moved the handker chief from my mouth with my left hand. I felt blood trickling down my bosom, and cried out. On my crying out he dragged me from where I was standing, near the fire, and threw me on the floor, and knelt on my chest. -- I should say it was impossible for him to ring the bell. I saw no razor in the room. I heard the prisoner say I did it myself. Upon my solemn oath that is not true." Cross-examined—The prisoner left a dressing-case and razor at Manchester. I brought the razor to Reading, be cause it was his favourite razor, having been his grand father's. 1 brought the strop and other articles also.' I gave him the razor a few days after I first met him. He gave me 30s. since I had come to Reading. He did not put any ;,money that evening in my basket. There was a half crown, a sixpence in silver, and fourpence in copper in it. With one hand he seized my right baud at the wrist and pressed it against my chest, and threw me back against the table, and then inflicted the wounds. The witness was cross examined at great length as to the mode in which the wounds were inflicted, but no material contradiction was elicited. She gave very firmly and unhesitatingly point blank contra dictions to questions as to whether she told a Mr. Martin that she kept the ravr to protect her, or a Mrs. Cray that she kept it to cut her corns, or that she once flourished it in the presence of Mrs. Cray, with a menace that if she found a Mrs. Smith, or any other woman, at Mr. Martin's, she would —, meaning she would use it; or that she told Mrs. Mar tin that he had tied her hands behind her back before he cut • her throat, or that he cut it while he was putting on her handkerchief, or that on the Saturday subsequent to the Wednesday in question, after Mr. May had come to see her, she told him she had a pain in the head from having been thrown back on the floor by the prisoner, and in the chest from his having knelt on her, and that when that gentleman left she burst out laughing, and told Mrs. Parr, the nurse, that the fact was she had been out on the landing to over hear what they were saying about her, and, hearing some body coming, she ran into bed, and in doing so knocked her head against the boards. Re-examinekl--The prisoner in holding her wrist hurt it. The mark was there when Mr. May came. William Martin, a tailor, residing at 26, West-street, proved that on going into the room he saw the prosecutrix lying on the ground with her eyes closed, and apparently unconscious. He afterwards heard her say " he did it ; He did it." ; He was not sure he heard the bell ring. Eliza Martin, the wife of the preceding witness, confirmed him generally. Cross-examined—Heard the bell ring. Oa going into the room found Jane Morris lying on her back. There was a holland spread over the carpet. The blood from the wound was already on the holland. She wished to save her carpet, and therefore begged of the prisoner to-apply a handkerchief to the wound. He, at her request, pinched up the wound with his finger. She could not say whether there was blood on his hands when she went into the room. Jane Morris afterwards told her that the prisoner had tied her hands behind her back before he cut her throat, and afterwards, again, that he did it while he was putting on her handker chief. She saw blood on one of Jane Morris's wrists. Reexamined—She could not say when or where she first mentioned the statements made to her by the prosecutrix. James Robert Cotten, an apprentice to William Martin, on going into the room, saw blood on the prisoner's hands. Could not say whether this was before or after the prisoner had been stanching the wounds. Mr. May, a surgeon in Reading, after proving what we have already mentioned above, went on to state, that when he observed the prosecutrix on the ground there was no blood - on her hands, nor was there any when they undressed her. He observed it particularly, as his attention was called to her ring. Nor was there any blood on either of her wrists. There was blood on the prisoner's hands. Two days afterwards he saw a bruise on her wrist. It was a bruise of about two days' standing. A bruise does net show itself at first. This was such a bruise as might have resulted from an injury inflicted two days before. On dressing the large wound they discovered a second, slighter than the first. , This had not cut much deeper than the skin. The large wound was on the right side of the throat, and made by a cat from right to left, and was deepest at the right or upper end. It was improbable, but not impossible, that this wound was in flicted by herself. It was more probable that it was in flicted by anether. She appeared to be in a weakly state, independently of the wound—such a state as a person would be in who had recently miscarried. Had examined her feet. There was no appearance of her ever having had corns. Cross-examined—lf the prisoner held np Jane Morris in his arm while inflicting this wound it would be very difficult for him to inflict it. Re examined—But, supposing that he m s ith his left hand caught her by the right wrist, and, prng it against h . sr chest, forced her backwards -against a table, and he, while so fiwing her, had a razor in his right hand, there would be no difficulty in inflicting such a wound ; and, as there was no spring or purchase at the back of the razor, lie would cut rather backwards —from right to left—than forwards, from left to right. Mr. Rusher, a chemist and druggist in Reading. on going into the room saw the prosecutrix lying on her back. The razor was three or four yards from her left-hand side, and bloody on the blade and on the handle. There was blood on the floor near it—such a quantity as might be supposed to fall from a bloody razor thrown there. He took up the razor and placed it on the pianoforte, and was, he believed, the first person that touched it after it left the hand that inflicted the wound. He particularly observed Jane Morris's hands. There was no blood on them. There was blood on both the prisoner's hands. The prisoner was holding a handkerchief to the wound. When the prisoner, in the bed-room, asked her would she swear he did it, her answer was, " You know you did it." The razor was produced, and the prisoner's statement be fore the magistrates was put in and read. The substance of this was, that he repeatedly begged her to go away—that she herself threw her glove and cuff, and also a handker chief, on the fire; that she wanted to get back the razor ; that he refused to give it; that she at last promised to go if he would give it back to her; that he at last, after much ' importunity, gave it; that she stood for a while before the fire, apparently preparing to go ; that he suddenly heard her scream and cry " Murder," and saw her falling; that he met her, supported her in his arms, rang the bell, laid her on the ground—that the persons in the house then came in, and that the wounds were inflicted by herself. At the close of the case for the prosecution, was aft. Selfe) put Mr. Sergeant TALFOU RD (with whom . in her examinations t aken before the mawg cross - exam ined her on discrepancies beteisetnrahteesr, asntadteamgeanint then and to-day. Mr. KEATING having re-examined the witnesses, jury Mr o . n Sergeant oft Tthaeixproiusoanner.thenrhperLoceeuerudeedd tSergeant's the Mr. ead dress occupied nearly two hours. d the pro of Stehveerirauleuvettotnuesss toes w w h e i r o e h th N e v n e ca ha l v le e d a to re p a r d o y ve s t t h at e o affirmativ e secutrix, in her cross•examination , had given con t ra dictions. These witnesses were all i h Not one of them was s haken in cross-exam in ation. One of point-blank om hloli life. Not them, Mrs.ns,as given h Parr, proved d e the affi rma tive of the last of those ques tions, poNinetvederbytoMldriMr.aiatyo wathteantdthase nu Cross o - u exami the n p ed ro — sec V u ns trix " . phreoesuecauhtlreixtohuaedo s h o im stat t e il d l ltasot Saturday, he anr, because shedhten couldand never notsince speak to him. She went on the m heS a a d t e ur t d h a a y t after st ate t m h e e n S t a t t u o r d h ay y r on which the prosecutrix had to his house, and saw his servant, but could not see him. Was certain she had not seen him since that Saturday, the 23d of January, till last Saturday. At the close of the evidence for the prisoner, Mr. May was recalled, and swore that he was attending on. the prosecutrix on the Sunday and Monday after the occur rence, while she was at Martin's house, and saw Mrs. Parr there in attendance as usual, and that Mrs. Parr never said ini s Fi statement e eu Do m nne e etrndhet replied to hwiui shdh summing u m l ne . this eas e case. on ßA e l w rr.. o KEs rd er a Ag b eT o asni u nn t tol t pT h rAe i c s p: His LORD up by observing, that though he would not presume to say that the magis trates were wrong in dismissing this case, yet thanks were due to those who enabled the prosecutrix to bring it before a jury ; for, of all the cases he had ever seen, it was the one which was most proper for decision by the verdict of a jury. His Lordship having read through the evidence in detail, and commented upon it, The jury consulted for about five minutes, and then re turned a verdict of Guilty on the second count—for cutting and wounding with intent to disable. His LORDSHIP after observing that the verdict me t with his entire approbation, sentenced the prisoner to ten years' transportation. \ ,zor ElkilGßATlON.—Yesterday the New York packet ship Northumberland, R. H. Grisvrold,;left the London Dock with 100 passengers and a very large cargo of British manu factured goods. The emigrants consist principally of small farmers and agricultural labourers from the home counties and a few =wee of Ireland. cOrl' He Wales. short eier e late .ment enced it into period a him hough er the Land , He , oa perel me o f tt the It for sl ed vner i f °- 0W ? tin% i, 10 ,10 4 tics• as 'gel so, sd° ble MN { r