The Sun. — London, England, 1857-06-06 00:00:00

houid reply when the application was made to them, No, your petition is unfounded, and we challenge you o bring it to trial. If you do not, we wil b l e notcon fo s u e n n d t e t a i pair off our petition, whic h we know to well against yours, which we know to have no foundation at all." It was thus in the power of every person who was conscious that his own petition was well founded to re sist any attempt to induce its withdrawal in this way. It as necessary that petitions complaining of undue returns should be presented within 14 days after the meeting of Parliament. The parties might then con eider that they had perfectly good grounds to proceed upon ; but in the intervening time between that and the appointment of the committee those grounds might have failed—a witness might have died —a wit ness have gone away, or been tampered with by the other side ; or they might have discovered that the evidence they relied upon would not be sufficient to substantiate the charge of corruption and improper practices. They would consequently be injuriously li miting the means of bringing into light practices it was their object to prevent, if they were too strictly to limit the right of parties to petition. But he admitted that the matter was well worth their consideration, and if any plan could be suggested which, while it gave full power to bring under the consideration of the house improper practices with which the house ought to deal, would, on the other hand, prevent those abuses to which the hon. gentleman' bad called attention, he repeated that this would be a fitting subject for the consideration of the house ; but as the power of petitioning and all other proceedings connected with the trial of controverted elections were regulated by act of Parliament, to carry out such an object an alteration of the law would be necessary. (Hear.) The hon. member for Mayo com plained of certain comments and opinions expressed in the newspapers and elsewhere in reference to a petition which had been presented against his return. All he (Lord Palmerston) could say upon that was there was scarcely any case tha - . came before the public tribunals in the shape of atrial upon which opinions were not freely pronounced before the trig', took place ; but he was quite satisfied that those hon. members who might be ap pointed as the committee to try the merits of the peti tion would attend only to the evidence which might be laid before them, and not allow their minds to be preju diced by any thing they might have read in the newspa pers—by anything they might have heard at the clubs, or by anything that might have come to their ears from any quarter. (Hear.) Mr. HILD YARDsaggested that the party petitioned against should, if the petition were withdrawn, be en titled on sufficient cause shown, to have a copy of the petition and to proceed against the party bringing the charge in the same way as in the case of indictments. Lord J. RUSSELL rose to put a question to his right hon. friend the Secretary for the Colonies ; but before doin g so he could hardly refrain from noticing the observations of the hon. member for Finsbury in reference to the Corrupt Practices Act. The hon. gentleman said that he (Lord J. Russeil) bad main tained, when he introduced that bill, that it would cure all corruption, and prevent a'l bribery at elections. Ile must beg to deny that allegation. He introduced that bill in the hope that it might render bribery less fre quent, and corruption less flagrant. But as to any such sanguine anticipations as the hon. gentlemen mentioned, ho (Lord John) had never indulged in them. The bill was sent to a select committee, of which the late Attor ney-General, the present Lord Chief Justice of the Com mon Pleas, the hon. and learned member for Suffolk, and others, who might be regarded as authorities on the subject, were members. Many clauses were introduced, at the suggestion of the hon. and learned member for Suffolk and others ; and it was hoped that the measure, as amended by the committee, would have the effect of rendering bribery of less frequent occurrence. And he was inclined, notwithstanding the statement of the hon. member for Finsbury, to believe that the committee were right in that opinion. The question, however, would soon be tested, for they were about to have a num ber of election committees sitting, and by the result of their investigation the house would be enabled to judge whether the bill had operated usefully, or what further alterations in the law were necessary. But when the hon. member forFinsbury complained of the insufficiency of that measure, and told them that he had a proposition ready of his own to meet the evil of which he complained, he would ask why he did not, like other members of Par liament, submit it to the consideration of the house, in stead of contenting himself with complaining without at tempting to submit that remedy which he seemed to con. eider so effectual and so easy of application. With regard to the suggestion of the hon. gent' eman opposite he (Lord J. Russell) was very much of the same opinion as his noble friend (Lord Palmerston), that though it might be pos. eilde that some remedy might be devised for the inconveni ence to e hich the hon. gentleman Cad drawn attention, they ought to be extremely cautious how they placed any unnecessary lirn't on the right of complaining of bribery and other corns pt practices at elections. There might be cases where the complaint was well founded, but in re spect to which circumstances might afterward arise to prevent its being brought forward for trial, and it would be bard if they were to ley it down that the party peti tioning should in no case be entitled to withdraw the petition. But the question which he rose to ask the C ,lonial Secretary related to a different matter. It would be remembered that a gentleman, a Mr. Stoner, was appointed by the Duke of Newcastle to a judicial office in one of the Australian colonies, but in conse quence of a report that was made in the course of an in quiry before an election committee, which affected his character, the appointment was cancelled. Without en tering into particulars, he thought he might say that there was some mistake as to the nature of the impute- Lion, and that, in fact, there was nothing against Mr. Stonor which should prevent his being recommended to the crown for its favourable consideration in the event of any vacancy occurring in the public service for which be might be thought qualified. He wished, therefore, to ask his right hon. friend whether ho was aware of any circumstances affecting Mr. Stonor'e character that would prohibit his recommending him for any public office to which his talents might be suited Mr. LABOUCHERE stated the reply he made on a former occasion to Mr. Stonor, viz , that tho impression after reading the documents relative to this case was, that he saw no permanentdisqualification for his entering the public service at home, aed his desire to recommend him for employment. He thought that for the bene fit of Mr. Stonor, and the public service, that as Mr. Stonor had been recalled from a colonial appointment be should not receive a colonial appointment, but a home one, and he had informed that gentleman of it, and also that he should he happy to make that statement in the house, if the question was brought forward. Mr. HORSM.AN and Mr. MALINS addressed the house, expressing their belief that Mr. Stonor had been hardly used, and his error, which had reference to elec tioneering zeal, ought not to stand in the way of his preferment. The motion for adjournment till Monday was then agreed to. SOUND DUES. On the mction tor the House going into committee on Ole Sound Dues, Mr. LIDDELL rose to call the attention of the house to the subject of the Dani h transit dues. He said that he was not opposed to the general scheme proposed for the redemption of the Sound dues. He believed that those duos bad long been the subject of great vexation and annoyance to our inercanti:e marine, the detention of our vessels at Elsinore being attended with diffieuly awl danger ; and be believed that it was desirable that an arringement for the redemption of the dues should bs sanctioned by the house, and although it might ho said that the house ought not to be called to pay a sum of a million and a half for such a purpose, that argument had no weight with him as compared with the advantages to be derived to oar valuable commerce with the Baltic. But another important matter was involved in this question, and that was the transit dues levied by the Danish Government on goods conveyed on the in tersecting lines of railways in Danmark. Those dues were first levied in 1838 on the Hamburg and Lubeck line. It was first proposed that they should be levied by weight, at the rate of 9d. for every 100Ibs. weight; but the city of Lubeck remonstrated, and Denmark imposed a duty of 41d. on every 1001 be. The present proposition was that four-fifths of the dues should be remitted. When they were first levied there was% clear under standing that they should be levied for ant protection of the Sound revenue. When the house was called on to voter large sum in order/to sweep away the Sound dues their should consider whether it was not desirable to get rid of the whole of the dues connected with them. The main Danish line over which British commerce passed was the Flensburg Railway, over which three millions' worth of goods were annually conveyed. The number of tons on which duty was paid was 17,000 tons, and the amount of duty was 1,0121. _Reduce that by four-fifths, and 2001. was the amount whiph Denmark would receive for these transit dues under the new proposal. Even if you doubled the amount of commerce, the dues would only amount to 4001., and the redemption of it at 15years' pnrehase would be only 6,400/. That ought to be paid, rn was at once to get r i d of th i s small item of dues. B ut it :.! not merely the duty whi c h was complained of, it was the delay and restriction of trade which its being levied caused. The feeling against it was very stro p ng, not only in Lubeck,b but all the Hanseatic cities. one tariff laid down Russian articls of Denmark was also not a fair one, for Produce, such as hemp, flex, and tadow, were m en ( r t a and it W 43 supposed from t duty on these lines of railway ; the Emperor of Itusatiliwbtebast, justified on the ground that entitled to exemption iu hi, character of heir to I tolstein Gottoir. Ile had e.a.'incl"t9t Denmark as Duke of uansea lZre wan a strone feeling aeainst these dues in the ie t?wns, and he could also state that there was stroyngrepeat feeling against them ie in which ita wa, p l or st t a o te l d the Imperial Council itself, as appeared h perial particularly Council of Penmerk, deeir able to remove the whole of those dues, , this souree of revenue had lost its political importance ieeee of v, iu oa7 - .P , 'fi the si esity hie!' had e b een Uome r anticipated that .two aliB+ , ven; , would b e g l • ven to hi s ar guments by her Majesty s Government. First, that a great number of states were parties to the conventioe which had been entered into, and that any advautag e t 0 b. derived from the abolition of theme cases must b e dc ,.. i i",i by them a ll ; fle d al o that it was not worth while on fiee.Uflt of the; entail sum to re-open the whole of this great question and endanger the success of the etc/ ire scheme. Now, as to taw fin t point ho could say that we were going to pay Denwark for the abolition of oCaer dues, and he only proposed that she should be paid for the doing away of these small ones, the real evil being the delay and vexation caused by the necessity of declaring goods on transit. With regard to endan gsring the success of the whole scheme, the position of Denmark should be . considered ; for she bad been forced into giving up the Sound dues, which she would not have dune but fur the chance of a war with the United States or sem other power. e;There was a precedent for the house ex - tieing before they sanctioned the convention which had been entered into, and asking Denmark to give up this small amount of dues. In the recent case of a convention with France on the subject of the New feundlaed fisheries, the convention was allowed to fell to the ground by her Majesty's Government, on the ground that the col any objected to it. The hon. gentle man referred to memorials which were contained in a correspondence, for which be had moved, from the Northern Navigation Company, and another company as well as 62 firms engaged in the Baltic trade, in which it was urged that the abolition of these dues should be made a condition of the convention. After complaining , that a letter contained in that correspondence addressed to the Treasury in February last had not been noticed until after the convention was signed on the 14th March, but was only sent to the Foreign-office on the Bth May, the very day he moved for the correspondence, the hon. gentleman concluded by urging that this, the only occa sion on which there would be an opportunity of getting rid of these dues, should be taken advantage of, and Denmark compelled to remove all obstacles to commerce in the Baltic. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the hon. gentleman bad taken occasion, on the motion that the Speaker do leave the chair, to bring forward his views on one article of the treaty which was about to be brought under the notice of the house, and he (the Chan cellor of the Exchequer) thought that it would be the most convenient course if he postponed any remarks on the subject till the house was in committee, when he would have an opportunity to explain the general state of the question, and to state the grounds on which the the article in question had been agreed to. He begged to move that the Speaker do leave the chair. Mr. BRAMLEY-MOORE though it would be more convenient if the right hon. gentleman had furnished the house with the information asked, when they were about to vote away so large a sum as 1,120,010/. It might be the opinion of the house that the subject should go no further. He bad himself a strong opinion against the proposed arrangement. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said ho was prepared to state his views on the question to the house before he called on them to agree to a resolution for a grant of money. He proposed that the house s h ou ld go into committee, and then he would go into a statement of the whole question. The house then went into committee. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that although an arrangetnent with respect to a re demption of the Sound dues had been voluntarily con cluded by the Mritish government with the government of Denmark, it was neveitheless true that it was a sub ject to the consideration of which her Majesty's Govern ment had come in a manner somewhat independent of its volition. The question was first raised by the go vernment of the United States. Two years ago the United States of to the legality of the Sound dues, and would not consent that their vessels should pay the dues which for centuries had been levied in the Sound. The consequence of this refusal was that ne gotiations of an unfriendly nature were entered into between the President of the United States and the King of Denmark, which ended in Denmark refusing to remit the Sound dues to American vessels. The govern ment •f Denmark then set itself to consider whether means could not be found for the voluntary extinction of the Sound dues, and in the course of the year 1856 a congress of delegates assembled at Copenhagen to ar range the terms on which the dues should be redeemed. The governments which were represented at the con gress considered the question, but for some time were unable to agree on the terms. The congress began to sit in the autumn of 1855, and in the spriee, of 1856 a proposition was submitted to the British government for the payment of a gross sum for the redemption of the Sound dues. At that time the treaty of peace with Russia was under negotiation, and it was uncertain how long we should continue to be engaged in an expensive conflict, and her Majesty's Go vernment, while recognising the importance of the ex tinguishment of the Sound dues, with reference to our trade in the Baltic, yet for financial reasons felt no eager ness to adopt the arrangements, and their first answer to the preposition was therefore unfavourable. The com mittee would find on reference to the correspondence on the Sound dues, moved for in the last session, that by a letter of Lord Clarendon to Mr. Buchanan of 23d March 1156, the preposition of the Danish Government wag in the first instance not favourably received. He men tioned this for the purpose of showing that her Majesty's Governmentdid not entertain this question with any heat or eagerness, or enter into any arrangement precipitately, but that they gave it a calm, cool, and protracted conside ration. The matter was to be considered in conjunction with other powers, and after peace was made with Russia that country, with other powers, signified her acceptance of *e terms offered by Denmark to herand other powers. The acceptance by a first-claespower like Russia and that of other powers, altered the position of England with re gard to the question, as it was obvious that there would be disadvantages to our trade if our vessels were subject to the Sour d dues, and the vessels of other nations were free. The matter was accordingly reconsidered, and the altered position of this country on the return of peace, and the disadvantage under which this country would labour if there was a partial redemption of the Sound dues, induced her Majesty's Government to determine to bring the subject under the consideration of the House of Commons. Nearly at the end of the last session he moved for the appointment of a committee to consider the ques tion of the Sound dues, and that committee examined Mr. Buchanan and several other competent wi'messes on the subject. The Sound dues were proved to be oppres sive to our trade, not merely from the amount levied upon the vessels, but also on account of the various in cidental charges following them, and the detention of the vessels at the Sound for the necessary purpose of levying the dues. The committee in their report stated it was a matter of much complaint that these charges which were only incidental to the payment of the dues exacted by the Danish government amounted in some cases to double the amount of the dues them selves ; that the dues properly so called amounted only to one-fourth of the charges for which the owners of cargoes wer3 made liable, and that the burde❑ thus im posed on British commerce amounted to between 200,000/. and 300,0001. That was a strong argument in favour of a redemption of the dues, and if the sum on which the redemption was calculated was only 70,0001. a year, it was clear that such a bargain must be advan tageous to the commerce of this country. (Hear, hear.) But in addition to the complaint arising from the amount levied, there was a much stronger complaint re specting the loss caused by the detention of the vessel.; at Elsinore for the purpose of leeying the dues. Some of the witnesses declared that the evils arising from de tention were greater than the evils arising from the amount collected. On that point the committee said— the Sound dues, as they are levied at present, contain in them what is most objectionable, and are most unfair in their operation ; they occasion great loss of time and much needless loss of expenditure in the collection of a small revenue, and tend to impede important branches of trade ' • and the commitfee furtl er d ec l are d t h at t h ey had no hesitation in saying that the dues were the cause of annoyance and injury to British commerce, and they therefore deemed it advisable that they should be abolished. (Hear, bear.) Adverting to the negotiations which were then pending, the ctmmittee recommended that the proposals made by the Danish government to the governments of different stetes interested in the navigation of the Baltic should receive immediate con sideration, and become the foundation of a final and satisfactory settlement of the question. Acting on that report, her Majesty's Government thought the niost ex pedient course they could adopt would be to entertain the proposal of Denmark ; and accordingly, soon after the prorogation of Parliament last year, they communi cated to the Danish government their willingness to accede to the principle of a capitalisation of the Sound duos—namely, redemption for a fixed sum of money, time payment to depend on the ultimate decision of Par liament, the arrangement of the Government being one of a arovisional nature. The negotiations con tinued, and after the original amount demanded had been diminished, her Majesty's Government ac ceded to the arrangement, which the Government of Russia bad in the first instance agreed to, and which the other powers of Europe ultimately adopted—namely, the paymen; of 30,476,325 rix-dollars, by different States, Greg Britain paying one-third of the whole amount ; Russia nearly the same amount ; Prussia, 4,430,000 rix-dollars ; Austria, France, the Hanseatic Towns, and ether parties to the arrangement contribut ing their various proportions. Her Majesty's Govern ment thought they could not fairly adopt the course taken by the United States. Those States were not par ties to the internationel law of Europe, and therefore stood in a different position from this country. It was not for him to say how far the objections of the United States were well founded, or whether the ground they took was justifiable according to the law of nations. However that night be, her Majesty's Government con sidered themselves precluded from the adoption of such a course. England was a part of the European family of nations, and had been a party to treaties which clearly recognised the Sound dues. A treaty was concluded between Groat Britain and Denmark in July, 1670, in the reign of Charles the Second, which was renewed in 1810 by the treaty of Kiel, which treaty declared that the duties for passing through the Sound should be paid according to the hrinted tariff or book of rates—that book of rates having been agreed to between Denmark and France in 1645. There was, therefore, no reason to doubt that the Sound dues were regularly paid ex cept at the time when we were at war with Denmark. But in the year 1811 the dues were revised, and in many instances reduced, aed a convention was signed in Lon don by Lord Palmerston introducing a new tariff of Sound dues. Nothing could be more plain than that thi s country was bound clearly by a recognition of the le gality of these payments. Her Majesty's Government, therefore, came to the conclusion that if Denmark did not voluntarily abandon these dues, but was ready to give them for a picuniary payment, unless an agree ment could be made with Denmark for a voluntary re demption, they must continue to be paid by British vessels navigating the Sound. Under these cireurn ellleegm and looking at the general assent whieh had been given by the great northern Powers to the arrangement proposed, they felt justified in signifying the acceptance of the terms. But before those terms were filially accepted, an attempt was made in concert with Prussia to come to an other arrangement, ley which the detention of vesstb; at Eleiuore would have been Prevented by levying the -toll at the ports of departure and arrival in the Italie. It appeared, however, that the plan, which had Le en suggested by Prussia, could not be carried out, and then nothing remained but to agree t o t h e terms proposed by Denmark, or to refuse to enter into that arrangement. After a long consider ation, h --e r •-•eteiesty's Government a rr i ve d a t th e conclusion that it would be beneficial to the trade of the country to pay the sum stipulated by Denmark, 4.larnountin,g in English currency to 1,125,206/. In co ns id eration of the payment of that sum, Denmark had agr ee d i n the fuilest manner to ex tinguieh the dues levied at the Sound, to maintain lighlhonees and other inctitulie ns for the convenience of commerce, and to reduce the transit dues levied ee the lines o f c ommunication in the Danish territory, and leading into the Baltic, by four-fifths of the amount col lected. That (potion was riot embraced in the original negotiations, which were confined entirely to the Sound dues. The importance of the remission or reduction of ' the transit dues, however, was brought under the notice of the house by the report of the committee, and our minister at Copenhagen was instructed to make the concession of those dues a part of the negotiation. More difficulty was experienced on that point than on any other, and the consideration of the question led to a crisis in the Danish capital and the resignation of some of the members of the Government. He had mentioned this fact for the purpose of showing that the British Go vernment considered the reduction of the transit dues a sine qua non, The Danish Government, however, considered it inconsistent with the dignity of the King and the independence of the coun try to give up those dues. Now, provided it could have been established that the transit dues were levied merely to protect the dues at Elsinore, the re mission of those dues would have fairly entered into the negotiations for the redemption of the Sound dues. But there was great difficulty in proving that fact, and the utmost admission made by the Danish government was that to some extent the transit dues possessed that cha racter ; but they said they had conceded as much as we were entitled to demand, and that those dues formed a portion of their revenue which no foreign government had the right to question. It was not the function of the British or any government to criticise the ways and means of Denmark, and the right of the government of that country to impose such taxes upon the people as might be necessary, and so far as these tolls were merely sources of revenue levied on the internal traffic of the country, they were beyond the purview of the negotiation. It was said that the amount of the tran-it duty was not objected to. Why that was giving up the strength of the whole case. He trusted that the com mittee would consider that her Majesty's government had obtained as fair terms as they were entitled to with respect to the transit dues. Looking to the whole of the arrangements—looking to the importance of pre venting a hostile collision between the United States and Denmark—looking to the importance of redeeming these dues, and freeing our vessels not only from the dues paid by our vessels, but from the incidental charges following in their train—looking to the neces sity of preventing the detention of our ships at Elsinore —and finally, looking at the fact, that four-fifths of the transit dues across the Danish peninsula had been con ceded, he trusted the committee would virtually ratify the treaty which had been entered into,. All the con tracting parties, including amongst others, England, France, Austria, Prussia, Russia, Belgium, Meck lenburg, Oldenburg, the Netherlands, Sweden, were satisfied that the terms were fair and reasonable, and ho trusted the committee would approve of the discretion which the government had exercised. There was one other point to which he wished to call the attention of the committee, namely, the pro visional arrangement which had been made with respect to the payment of such a large sum of money. No other course could have been adopted which would have left the hank's of Parliament more free or more unfettered in the conclusions to which they might think proper to come. If the power of making treaties were vested in Parliament, still it would be necessary to confide to a Minister at a foreign court a discretionary power to nego- I tiate the details of those treaties. In the present case, although the ratifications had been exchanged, no final arrangements for fulfilling the treaty could be completed without the consent of Parliament. (Hear, hear.) The treaty was intended to take effect from the Ist of April ; but a protocol was signed by which the Danish Govern ment agreed to take bonds provisionally from vessels passing the Sound after the Ist of April, on the under standing that the dues were not to be exacted if Parlia ment should ratify the treaty. A separate convention had been entered into with the Danish Government, by which the British Government undertook to pay the amount agreed upon at once, within three months after the assent of Parliament had boeu obtained. He would state why the Government had preferred that arrange ment. The time fixed by the treaty was twenty years ; but they c insidered it much bettor to pay the amount down than to agree to a terminable annuity of twenty years, and accordingly an arrangement had been made with the Bank of England, by which they were willing, in case it should be required, to advance the sum imme diately on a terminable annuity of thirty years, at an annual charge of 64,7001., or an annuity of thirty-five years at 60,00141. Now, when he made his finan cial statement in February, he stated the esti mated income at 71,885,0001., and the estimated expenditure at 78,000,0001. ; and he calculated that the improvement in the balances at the end of the financial year would be, as compared with the balance at the end of the previous financial year, 1,384,000/. The actual income had turned to be 72,334,0001.; being an excess over his estimate of 449,000/. ; and the amount of expenditure was 76,588,0001,, being 1,412,0001. below his estimate. Taking the excess upon the income and the deficit, if he might so call it, upon the expenditure, There was a sum of 1.861,0001, in fewer of the public. The result was that the balance in the Exchequer, in stead of being 1,384,0001, was .1,645,000/., showing the amount to be 1,861,0001. larger than he had calculated upon. In the estimate he had made he had incleided 2,000,0001. for the payment of Exchequer Bonds falling due in May. That 2,000,0001. had been paid off. After even that large payment there would be a large balance in the exchequer, owing partly to the circumstances he had mentioned, and partly to the fact of the fall in the duty on tea having caused the payment of a large por tion of those duties to be withheld in the quarter ending the let of April, and which bad been paid since. Toot payment fell into the ways and means of this year in etead of the preceding year ; and, taking all the circum stances into consideration, he did not feel justified at the present moment in asking for any borrowing power; and he proposed, therefore, that the whole of this sum should be paid out of the balances in the exchequer. It would be possible, no doubt, to create a loan in the nature of terminable annuities, which woul I impose a charge of 60,0001., or 64,0001., for either 30 or 35 years, at the end of which time the debt would be extinguished, and if that arrangement were adopted, provision might be made for the payment of that annual sum by a special customs duty upon the articles imported from the Baltic, colon lated to produce a sum ofan equal amount. That was a plan which the government had carefully considered, and no doubt some arguments might he adduced in favour of it ; but it seemed to him to proceed, to a great extent, on an assumption which was of very doubtful validity, namely, that the Sound duos were a charge on persons engaged in the B dtic trade, whereas it appeared to him that they must be considered as ultimately falling on the consumer in this country. They were an addition to the charges of navigatiou through the Sound. Mer chants engaged in that trade no doubt obtained the average pr )fits upon their capital. They were subject to occasional losses owing to capricious detention of ves sels, and he had no doubt they frequently suffered beyond what they might fairly reckon upon ; but still it did appear to him that whatever inconveniencies were sus tained and losses suffered in consequence of the Sound dues, they all ultimately fell upon the consumer in this country. If that were the case, would any particular benefit arise from imposing duties upon tallow, timber, corn, or other articles imported from the Baltic, with a view to indernnfy the nation for the sum laid out to pro cure exemption from the Sound dues ! It appeared to him that the amount, if it were raised lay means of ter minable annuities of 60,000/. would hardly justify the imposition of a class of special customs duties on the articles to which he had referred, and it was net his in tention to make any such proposition to the hou e. At the same time, if the house had any insuperable objection to making this charge on the general revenue of the country—if they concluded that those who used arti cles of such general consumption as the exports from the Baltic were not benefitted by the remission from the Sound dues, it would he competent for them to resort to the contrivance he had alluded to. It was not his in tention to propose it, but he had thought it necessary to mention it, in order to show it had been under the con sideration of Government. He was afraid he bad de- i tained the house at considerable length, but he thought it due to them to lay before them the terms on which the arrangement had been made. The grounds of it had been carefully considered, and notwithstand ing the magnitude of the sum by which this benefit had been purchased, nevertheless be could scarcely doubt that upon a careful investigation of the subject the committee would come to the conclusion that the bene fit was of the greatest importance to the commerce of the country ; that it would remove harassing restrictions on an important branch of their trade and navigation ; and although the price that they gave was considerable, nevertheless it was not larger than tke value of the ex emption which they purchased. He thought they should be consulting the lasting and solid interest of the trade and navigation of the country by authorising the Crown to complete the arrangement which had been provision ally entered into. He moved that a sum of 1,125,2061. be granted for the purpose of giving compensation to Denmark the remission of the Sound dues. Mr. WEGUELIN congratulated the Government upon the conclusion of this important question in so sa tisfactory a manner. The loss arising from the payment of these dues formed not the only ground of complaint on acceunt!of them. On the average, every vessel trading in the Baltic was detained on account of the Sound dues ; and taking into consideration loss of wind, and other accidents consequent upon such detention, three days en her voyage were lost, and there was a conse quent loss of three days interest upon the amount of property in the vessels, which amounted to a consider able sum. He should have been glad to have heard more of the genetal principle on which the amount of compensation payable by this country had been arrived at. With regard to the transit dues for goods carried by railroad through Denmark, ho thought the right hon. gentleman bad laid down the correct principle. There was one subject to which he wished particularly to tall attention. The ageLti and others at Elsinore who were employed in the collection of the Sound dues would lieve their livelihood completely swept away when their present offices wcref abolished, and be thought there ought at least to be some expression on the part of the Government of this count r y i n f avour o f th e i r rece i v i ng compensation from the Danish Government. Mr. BEARLEY-M.0012E maintained that in this instance they were,called upon to vote away 1,125,0001 on iiisufficient grounds. As a member of the committee upon the Sound dues, he could say mos t di s ti nc tly that the evidence went to show the principal complaint was of the detention of vessels, and not the payment of the dues. jeHe held the present bargain to be essentially a bad one, for we bad a sum of 1,125,0001. at stake, and what was the object ? It was to redeem a passing toll of 70,0001. per annum. All experienc e wen t t o s h ow that we had a diminishing tracte in the Baltic—that our tonnage and exports had diminished. In 1849, British vessels to the number of 6,846 passed the Sound, and in 1853 only 4,665 British vessels passed, showing a falling off of 2,181. In 1849, 1,356 Russian vessels passed the Sound, and in 1853, 3,472. Of ships belonging to Nor way and Sweden, 5,013 passed the Sound in 1849, while in 1853 there were 5,387. Of vessels belonging to the Hanle Towns, 311 passed in 1849, and in 1853 the num bers were 743, Our exports had decreased in a similar rate, while those of the other Powers had increased. That fact ought to be borne in mind in any arrangement and the arrangement ought to embrace transit as well as Sound dues. Mr. W. WILLIAMS said the proposition of the right hon. gentleman would, no doubt, be highly accept able to the Baltic merchants ; but he thought it was most unjust to impose a tax on the people of this coun try to the amount of 1,125,0001. exclusively for the bene fit of those merchants. The right hon. gentleman had given no reason whatever why America should not bear a part of this gross amount. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY did not exactly understand how the right hen, gentleman proposed to pay this 1,125,000/. He thougbt that this arrangement, which would inflict ail this amount of 1,125,0001. on the pub lic, would be unjust and unfair. Mr. ADAMS thought this not a bad bargain, for it was made according to the policy which frees commerce without further consideration of the policy, but, indeed, that public were after all the parties in any case who must sustain the burden, be it placed where it might. America had not joined in that treaty, perhaps, because she was not in the family of European nations. Besides, she had always resisted the legality of the tax, which we bad not done ; but by paying it we had subjected ourselves to the necessity of paying it still, unless we were to make use of force in clearing ourselves of the ob ligation. On these grounds he was disposed to sustain the treaty. After a few remarks from Mr. CLAY and Mr. RIDLEY in favour of the arrangement, Mr. J. WILSON said, as to the incidence of this tax, it was quite clear that whether it fell immediately upon the shipowner or the public, the public, as the consumers, would be the parties who would ultimately have to pay it, and not only to pay it, but for all the loss of time and disadvantages incurred by the shipowner, if be pay it in the first instance. The same observation applied to the question whether the amount was to be charged on the parties immediately relieved orlon the Consolidated Fund. Besides, if the house considered that the goods received from the Baltic were the raw material of our manufac tures, they would see that any toll or tax on tbem was not only al charge upon the consumer, but an impedi ment to our trade. He thought no better or more econo mical plan could bealopted than that devised by his right hon. friend. As to the transit dues, he explained that a deputation of merchants interested in the question waited upon him, and that he in consequence requested the FO - through the Treasury, to press the Danish Government for a removal of these dues. But when they received the letter of our Minister at Copenhagen (Mr. Buchannan) they saw that the matter was closed, and that it was treading on delicate ground to press it fur ther upon the Danish Government. The Danish Minis ter in his communications to our Minister gave substan tial reasons for not acceding to the request of the Eogli-h merchants ; for besides the fact of the amount of the dues having been reduced four-fifths, it was evi dent that a concession of the remaining fifth on this one railway would necessitate a similar concession on all the railways that passed through the Danish territory. The Danish Minister, however, showed every disposition to free the goods in transit from all unnecessary delay, which appears now to be the chief ground of complaint. He (Mr. Wilson), being desirous to contrive some plan of classifying the goods on this side of the water so as to conduce to their easy transit on the other side with as little delay as possible, wrote to the merchants interested in the matter, but they bad taken no notice of his com munication, as if they bad resigned all further interest in the question. The Foreign-office, after the decisive terms of Mr. Buchanan's letter, thought it better not to push the matter on the Danish Government. Mr. LIDDELL believed that a strong feeling existed in the Danish Council itself in favour of the entire abo lition of the dues. The small amount which the Danish Government received was nothing as compared with the great advantage which would accrue from their entire abolition.. He thought that the arrangement was in complete and unsatisfactory. Mr. G. DUNDAS agreed with his hon. friend that there should be an entire abolition of the dues. He could not help feeling that the treaty was very incom plete. Mr. BRAMLEY-MOOP.E said it was not true that Russia and England were placed upon the same footing. Russia was entitled to a re - ,urn. The dues in this case did not fail, as was generally the case, upon the con snmer, but upon the producer. The CHANCELLOR >f the EXCHEQUE R said that the sum upon which the redemption money was calculated was the amount of shipping bills paid by the vessels passing through the Sound. 75,7301. was the amount received every year, which amount when capi talised was calculated by tte Danish Government at 60 million rix dollars. Of this sum the amount falling to the share of Great Britain 7 , 1 as 1,893,6001., but the total claimel by the Danish Gorernment was afterwards re duced from 60 million rix dollars to 35 million rix dol lars. and the amount pavaole by England was reduced from 1,893,3001. to 1,125,000/. If the Government, fol lowing the suggestions of the hon. member, were to re fuse to ratify the treaty, tilt consequence would be that England would be obliged to negotiate singly instead of in concert with the other powers, and Denmark could not consent to grant us 'otter terms than bad been granted to them. The consequence of refusing to assent to the treaty would be to transfer their Baltic trade from Great Britain to the other ?owers. He found that the average anneal amount of dues paid by America was 911 ex dollars, while the amount paid by Great Britain was 35,373 rix dollars, so that Great Britain was much more concerned in the matter than America. The num ber of English vessels passing the Sound in 1845 was 3,645 ; in 1349, 6,800 ; in 1850 51-52, there was a di minution ; in 1554.55, during the war, the number fur ther decreased to 2,424 ; but in 1656, the number was raised to 4,772. He believed that the treaty into which the Government had entered was as beneficial as could be obtained, and the house must either assent to the terms agreed upon, or continue upon the sane footing as at present. . . The resolution was then agreed to. SERGEANTS' GOOD CONDUCT PAY. -- - On the order for going into committee of supply upon the army estimates, Sir J. TR,ELA.WNY asked the Under Secretary for War, whether the Minister for War had any intention of taking into his favourable consideration the case of certain sergeants who appear to be accidentally excluded from the intended benefits conferred upon non-commissioned officers by the order of 16th Jan., 1857 I He explained that, previous to that order, private soldiers were entitled to ld. a-day for every five years of good service, but when they were made sergeants they did not obtain the benefit of their good service. The object of the order was to do away with this anomaly, and to give sergeants tke fort benefit of their previous good conduct ; but by some ac cident. he believed, in the wording of the order, it ap plied only to sergeants who were created subsequently to the order, and not to those who then held that rank. He hoped that the attention of Government being drawn to the matter they would take care to remedy the griev ance. Gen. WINDHAM confirmed the statement of the hon. member. He himself knew several cases in which men who had been sergeants with goud conduct stripes, for upwards of 16 years, got no addition to their pay for good service, while men who were raised to the rank of sergeant since the issuing of the order were receiving 3d. per day additional. 500/. a-year would correct this ano maly. Sir J. RAMSDEN said the hon. baronet the member for Tavistock han only done justice to the feelings of the noble lord the Secretary of State for W ar i n express i ng an opinion that it was hisintention to do that which was right to all parties. It was acknowl e d ge d b y a ll h on . gentlemen that the subject was a very difficult one to deal with, in consequence of the various regulations under which these things were governed. He thought be could venture to say that all the anomalies caused by the regulations would be taken into consideration and rectified. Gen. CODRINGTON hoped the position of the ser• geants would be favourably considered. Those sergeants who had served long and exhibited good conduct were now placed in a lower or worse position than wen re cently wade sergeants. This was a hard case, and re quired attention. Col. NORTH said he wished the house to consider this case : —Two men joined the army at the same period. Before lacing five years in the army they were made ser geants, and continued so until after 10 years. One man c.)mmitted some fault and was reduced to the ranks again, but having served 10 years as a sergeant he be. came as a private entitled to 2d. per day extra pay, one penny of which would be deducted for a time for his bad conduct. Having exhibited good condnct for a year, the penny would be restored, and at the end of 15 years he would be made a sergeant, and receive his 3d. a-day ;he would thus be paid his ls. 10d. a-day and the 3d., while the man who had exhibited good conduct throughout his career would receive only hie pay of is. 10d. a-day. These regulations were evidently a mistake at the time they were made, and ho now hoped they would be rectified. Gen. WILLIAMS said the anomalies of the case had been so fully stated by the gallant officers that he would merely express his conviction that they would do right by raising the moral conduct of sergeants to the highest position they could. He trusted their case would have a favourable consideration. Lord V. TEMPEST ;id they had only the opportu nity of starting this question annually, and when they did so they received a courteous and favourable answer, but it was shortly after forgotten. The house then went into a committee of supply, Mr. FITZIWY in the chair. ihNiiii THE- SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY E . TENING, JUNE 6, 1857. ARMY ESTIMATES. On the sum of 462,453/.7in addition to the sum of 231,0001. previously granted on account) being proposed to he granted to defray the expenses of barracks at home and abroad, Ccpt. VIVIAN complained of the vote proposed for the camp at Aldershot, the amount of which he con fessed struck him with txtreme surplice. Chobbarn proved a much better place than Aldershot for the eol diers to learn the rudiments of their military duties. He should like to know wh) was the person responsible for seLcting the site of Aldershot ; but it seemed that no body could be found to take this responsibility upon him.aThe young pottier would liter ally learn nothing of his military duties there. (Hear, hear.) If the Go vernment reduced the army to a pence establishment, they would not require permanent barracks. He ob jected to Aldershot both in a strategical and economi cal point of view, and also as a point of policy, and therefore, he should move to reduce tbe vote by 50,000/. 1 for this year, and next year ho shouleimove to refer the matter to a select committee. Sir F. SMITH considered that it would not be wise to arrest the progress of these large bTaildinge at the pre sent moment. Aldershot was first occupied with a view to bringing together the greet body the militia of the country. Ho believed that 30,000 of the militia volun teered at Aldershot to proceed to the, Crimea. Great good had resulted from the establishment of the barracks, and their completion was a matter of siund policy. Gen. WINDHAM was understood to sly that be ob jected t.) a permanent barracks at Aldersho►, but pre ferred hutting the soldiers. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY would support the reduction of the vote. It was most extraordinary when they con sidered what uiasses of money they had voted dur ing the last; seven years for barracks ; 513,0001. was voted last year, exclusively of the sum of 143,0001. voted for the Crimean huts. The barracks at Aldershot at first were estimated to cost 250,000/., but now they were asked to grant 150,000/. more. Were the committee serious in hying out this large sum upon Aldershot He felt strongly upon the matter, and should therefore vote for the reduction. Mr. DRUMMOND said the house ought to have some one man, with a name to him, who was responsible for this expenditure. Money was voted on account, and the house never know how it was expended, nor who was responsible for it. The most frightful mistakes had been made in the drainage of Aldershot, in the first in stance, and then it turned out that there was no water. (A. laugh.) Then they began to complain that they had no water, and they got 10,000/. more for it. But so little did the Secretary for War profit by his experi ence, that in last November cavalry were sent to Alder shot without any place having been prepared for them ; and the consequence was that the men got dysentery and the horses died. In addition to this, the camp was becoming such a cesspool of immorality, that it would be necessary in another year to build a wall round it, if they wished to preserve discipline amongst the troops. (A laugh.) Gentlemen might laugh, but he be lieved that an estimate would be presented to them next year for such a wall. The fact was that no good would be done until they had some responsible person to ap peal to. Lord PALMERSTON said that he was responsible for Aldershot, and that Lord Hardinge had entirely con curred with him in the propriety of its establishment. It was urged that they should have chosen Chobham, but Chobhain was enclosed, and Aldershot also would have heen enclosed had not the government purchased it at the ♦ery low rate of 131. the acre. He accepted the responsibility, and he believed that nothing could have been more calculated to make our army acquainted with every branch of its duty. It was also intended to build barracks there, as it was a military station of im mense importance, with a ♦iew to the defence of the country, should such defence ever unfortunately become neceasary. Therefore it was part of the original inten tion to build barracks for 4,000 infantry, 1,500 cavalry, and two or three batteries of artillery, and if these bar racks were more expensive than formerly, it was through the recommendations of that house, in favour of greater comforts and amusements for both officers and men. As to the health, he believed that Aldershott was the most salubrious station in the kingdom ; and with respect to morality, of this he was sure, that the morality would be much higher in bat racks than at billets. It was intended in summer to have a large body of troops, chiefly of mi litia when out for training, there, and the object would be to teach them to move and act in large bodies. The huts were not the remnants of the last war, but had all been erected for the purpose. He trusted, therefore, that the house would not be led away by vague decla mation about the defects of Aldershot, but wool look upon it as what it was, an expedient for making our army practically efficient. He had stated that we were the only great power in Europe that did not encamp our troops ; but how did they do it ? By hiring ground, which in this country would soon be found too expen sive to be satisfactory to the house. Aldershot had been bought cheap, and was admirably suited to the purp se intended. Major WORTLEY briefly alluded to the defects of Aldershot, and supported the amendment. Mr. S. HERBERT supported the vote, and defended the selection of Aldershot. As to the quality of the Rater, it should he recollected that all the good ground in England was under cultivation, and that therefore it was only a dry, sandy scrub, like Aldershot, that was available for the purpose. All they could do was to get the best land possible and make the best of it. Neither had they barracks enough in England, and hence the number of diseases to which young sol tiers were sub ject. On every ground he thought that the establish ment of Aldershot would tend greatly to increase the efficiency of our army, His only hope was that the Government would not make their staffs too large, and thus raise an outcry against what was a very great im provement o❑ the present system. Lord H. V. TEMPEST supported the amendment. He should be prepared to support a motion for refusing the vote altogether. Mr. TITE considered that the land which the Go vernment had purchased at Aldershot was worth a great deal more than had been paid for it, and the mistakes that had been committed in the hutting and drainage wore natural under the circumstances. The contracts had been properly entered into, and, upon the whole, be could see no reason for finding fault with reducing the vote. Mr. HENLEY complained that the noble lord had not answered the question of the hon. member for Surrey (Mr. Drummond), what the , expense of Aldershot was to be, or whether this 400,0001. would be the whole cost or not, nor did he believe that the noble lord, the admi nistrative reformer; who had just spoken, or any member of the Government, could say bow many hundred thou sands the country would be called to pay for it. Unless further information were given as to the extent of the scheme and the ultimate expense, he should be disposed to vote for the amendment. He thought the house re quired also some information in reference to the charge of 20,0001. for a site for its army clothing depot at Weedon. That was a large sum for a site, and he should like to know what further sum was intended to be spent in buildings. Lord PALMERSTON repeated the statement as to the number of troops for whom the permanent barracks were to be provided. Mr. HENLEY—The noble lord has not now said any. thing about the expense. Lord PALMERSON was not able to say what the whole expense would be, but the sum stated was the amount of the contracts for the construction of all the barrack accommodation it was intended to provide. Sir H. VERNEY supported the vote. Colonel KNOX thought the extravagance that had taken place with regard to Aldershot was extreme. Ho wisbed to know whether, when the barracks were com- pleted, the huts would be retained, seeing that they would occasion a constant expense. He called a' tention to the Portman-street barrack, which he said was a dis grace to the department. The London barracks, beyond all others, ought to be carefully kept in order. The bar racks of Aldershot were complete in all their arrange. ments, and he hoped they would be made the model of all future barracks. Sir DE LACY EVANS concurred in thinking that before new barracks were constructed at vast expense at Aldershot it would be as well to look to the state of the barracks in London. Before this enormous expenditure is incurred, Portman-street barracks ought, at leait, to be put in a proper condition. He had been surprised to hear from the hon. member for Buckingham (Sir H. Verney) that the barracks at Aldershott were of the greatest possible importance—that they were designed for the defence of the metropolis, and indeed of our southern coast. (Hear, and a laugh.) The hon. gentle. man was evidently mislead by the brilliant oratory of the noble viscount (Lord Palmerston), who had dilated on the transport of troops from Alderihot to Ports mouth and Plymouth, until any one would have fancied our shores on the eve of being invaded. That, however, was altogether a delusion. If we were really in danger of invasion, undoubtedly some central spot, perhaps at Aldershot or some large tract of land near Sendhur: t, would be convenient for the assembling of a large body of troops, and if a seeps d'armee were placed there capable oebeing transferred rapidly from one point to another a valuable strategical object might be gained. But when this was made the excise for demanding 400,0001. to build barracks for some 4,000 or 5,000 men, he said that this was trifling with their juegment. (Hear, hear.) Whnt could such a small corps do The accom modation which was not sufficient for the concentration of a larger body than that could only enable our troops to play at soldiers. (Hear, hear.) The hon. member for Lambeth had recommended that the whole of these esti mates should be submitted to a committee, a course which might be advantageously adopted without neces sarily tying the hands of the Executive in the mean time. The noble lord spoke of the purchase of ground for practising our troops in large divisions, but that was only a diminutive item in this charge. It was very doubt ful whether the large outlay that had been made for huts erected of fragile material was a prudent expenditure. For this purpose alone , up to the middle of last year, no less a sum than 400,0001. bad been spent. Other items raised the outlay to nearly 800,0001., and the aggregate charge would probably approach to 1,000,0001. sterling. This expenditure had escaped the proper scrutiny of Parliament, because everybody's attention had been en• grossed by the war in the Crimea ; but now that peace was restored come curb ought to be put upon it. He had supported the Government the other night in their proposition for putting our great maritime depots in the best possible state of defence—not that he seriously con templated any danger of invasion, that was entirely out of the question—but because those establishments ought to be secure against all accidents. It the country were really in any danger it could not be protected by a small force of 5,000 men from Aldershot. No sane foreign Go vernment would venture to assail this country with less than 200,000 men, or without a conviction that but a small proportion of their army would ever return to its native shores. (Hear.) The noble viscount was all powerful in that house, and would doubtless be able to re ject this amendment; b u t, if t h ere was any consi derable manifestation of feeling that night aisainet this reckless expenditure, th e Government might - be induced to prac• tice greater circutuspectian and economy. The retention of our troops in huts during the winter months could only increase the difficulty of recruiting the army, with. out serving any useful purpose. lie was glad, therefore, that it was to be discontinued. Sir J. PAK INGTON mid that he felt very much disposed to vote with his lion. and gallant friend the member for lledmin, unless the Government gave some assurance as to what was likely to be the cost of the barracks at Aldershot. He, as a civilian, was very much disposed to doubt the propriety of having barracks at Aldershot at all. There was another entry to which he would call the attention of the committee. 150,0001. was the original estimate for the hospital at Netley, whereas it appeared by a marginal note that the real ex pense would amount to 260,0001. Here was an increase of 110,0001. He cited this instance to show that the estimates could not be relied on. Again, there was an entry of 6,000/. for draining at Aldershot. He would ask why was not this expense borne by the soldiers themselves? Ife found another entry of 40,0001. for building barracks ?,t Dover for 40 officers. Mr. DRUMMOND—Medimval barracks. (Laughter.) Sir J. PAKINGTON—His hon. friend spoke of their being mcdkeval, but he thought the country required some ether explanation. Sir J. RAMSDEN said that the sum of 400,0001. was the entire entry for works at Aldershot. The first esti mate for the works was 250,000/. Teat was voted by Parliament in 1855. During the following year it was considered desirable to instizute an inquiry into the best method of constructing barrack accommodation, and the result was a recommendation that separate barracks should be built for married men, quarters of a better de scription for the staff-sergeants, and that covered places should be made for drill, parade, and the use of the troops in rainy weather. Consequently the estimate had to be increased from 250,0001. to 360,0001. But the total estimate amounted to 400,0001. The additional 40,0001. arose from the circumstance that difficulties oc curred in making firm foundations for the barracks. That was an expense that could not be foreseen, arising from unexpected causes. He believed, however, that, consi dering the number of men that were accommodated at Aldershot, the average expense per man had been less than usual. He was informed by military authorities that the erection of barracks for 1,000 men usually cost 95,0001. They had bad, moreover, the high authority of the right hon. member for Droitwich, and of the hon. member for Bath that the contracts were entered into in the fairest manner by the Government. The right hon. member for Droitwich had complained that the men were not employed in the construction of works at Al dershot. He (Sir J..Ramsden) held a return in hishand, from which it appeared that the numberof men employed in draining the parade grounds, in fortifications, and in preparing ranges for rifle practice, amounted to 720 daily. The right hon. gentleman had also inquired into the reason of the vote of 20,0001. for a clothing depot at Rotberhithe. At present ti.e central depot was at Weedon, and as great inconvenience had been experi enced, from the necessity of carrying everything to Wee don by land transport, the depot at Rotherhithe has been established. Lord C. HAMILTON remarked that now, at five mi nutes to . ll, for the first time, they had heard some ex planation from the Government as to the discrepancy of 40,0001. in the estimates. (Hear, hear.) If the house were asked to pass over this irregularity, what might tbey expect next year. He was never anxious to hamper the proper expenditure of money for the purposes of the army, but this was a proceeding which, during his Par- liamentary exoerience of nearly 20 years, he had never seen paralleled. Unless some snore satisfactory expla nation were offered, he should consider himself bound to vote for the amendment. Mr. LOCKE said he was Extremely glad to find that this discussion had taken place, as he bad frequently had reason to complain of the loose way in which the esti mates were framed. After a few words from several hon. members, the committee divided— For the grant.. Against it . 158 99 Majority for the grant 52 The grant was then agreed to, and the house resumed BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY (IRELAND: BILL. The house went Into committee on this bill. Mr. S. FITZGERALD objected to proceeding with such an important measure at this early hour of the morning (five minutes past twelve) ; besides nearly all the hon. and learned members who represented Ireland were absent. He should move that the Chairman report progress. Mr. MALINS did not wish to offer any factious oppo sition to the bill, but as he felt quite incompetent to dis cuss the details of it without the assistance of his hon. and learned friends he must join in making a request not to proceed to-night. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRELAND re gretted the absence of his lion, and learned friends ; but as they did not take any part in the former discussion of the bill, he thought some progress ought to be made. After further observations against proceeding with the bill by Mr. Vance, Mr. Malins, and Mr. Henley, The ATTORNEY-GENERAL for IRELAND said the bill contained about 400 clauses, and he saw no rea son why some progress should not have been made ; but, under the umstances, he would propose to report pro gress and resume the committee on Monday. Mr. MALINS suggested that the Government should take a morning sitting for the purpose of going through all the clauses. The house resumed, and immediately afterwards (at a quarter-past 12) adjourned to Monday. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION. HOUSE OF COMMONS.-JUNE 5. SUPPLY. (In the Committee.)—•Motien made, and question pro posed, " That a sum, not exceeding 462,4531. bo granted to her Majesty (in addition to the sum of 231,0001. already voted on account) towards defraying the charge of civil buildings and barracks at home and abroad, which will come in course of payment from the Ist day of April, 1857, to the 31st day of March, 1858, inclusive :" Whereupon motion made, and question put, " That a sum, not exceeding 412,4531. be granted to her Majesty (in ad dition to the sum of 231,0001. already voted on account) towards defraying the charge of civil buildings and bar racks at home and abroad, which will come in course of payment from the Ist day of April, 1857, is the 31st day of March, 1858, inclusivo."—The committee divided; Ayes, 99, Noes 158. AYES-99. Adams, W. Foley, J. Napier, Sir C. Adderley, C. Forde, Colonel Newdegate, C. Alcock, T. Gallwey, Sir W. Norreys, Sir D. A rchdall, M. Galway, Viscount. O'Donoghoe, The Ayrton, A. Gard, R. Packe, C. Baring, T. Garnett, W. Pakington, Sir J. Barnard, T. Gilpin, Charles Peel, Sir R. Bernard, W. Goddard, A. Rich, H. /taster, W. Goderich, Vis. Robartes, T. Beale, S Greenall, G. Russell, Sir W. Beaumont, W. Greene, John Salisbury, E. Bennet, Capt. P. Grogan, Edward Sclater, G. Black, Adam Ilackblock, W. Smith, J. B. Blackburn, Peter Hamilton, Lord C. Smith, A. B. Bovill, W. Handley, J. Spooner, R. Bramston, T. W. 'Lessard, M. Stafford, A. Caird, James Henley, J. Stanhope, J. Charleaworth, J. Hutt, W. Sykes, Col. Child, Smith Johnstone, J. Hope Tempest, Lord Christie, Samuel King, L. Thompson, Gen. Cl fford, H. King, E. Townsend, J. Close M. Kinglake, A. Trelawney, Sir J. Cobbett, J. M. Knox, Col. B. W. Vance, J. Cole, H. A. Langton, H. G. Vivian, H. H. Collins, T. Locke, J. Walter, J. Cowan, C. Locke, John Warren, S. Cox, William Lowther, Capt. Watkin, E. Diilwyn, L. Lygon, Hon. F. Welby, W. Du Cane, C. Maguire, J. Williams, W. Egerton, E. Malin% R. Willoughby, Sir IL Ellice, E. Manners, Lord J. Woods, H Elt in, Sir A. Melgund, Viscount TELLERS. Evans, Sir Dc Lacy Mao-e, G. Wortley, Major Farquhar, Sir W. Mowbray, J. B. Vivian, J. C. - • NOES-158. Adeane, Henry Foljambe, W. O'Connell, D. Anderson, Sir J. Foster, W. Osborne, It. Atherton, W. Fortescue, F. Paget, C. Babies, Rt. lion, M. Fortescue, C. Palmerston, Viset. Baring, T. Freestun, Col. Paxton, Sir J. Bass, T. Gifford, Earl of Peel, Gen. Beach, W. Glyn, G. Perry, Sir E. Beamish, F. Greenwood. J. Philipps, R. Bethell, Sir R. Greer, S. Pinney, W. Biggs, J. Gregson, S. Portman, W. Bouverle, lion. P. P. Gren ell, C. Powell, F. Briscoe, John Grenfell, Chas. Price, W. Brocklehtirst, J. Gray, Captain Pryse, E. Bruce, Lord E. Grey, Sir G. Puller, C. Buchanan, W. Grey, R. Ramsden, Slr J. Buckley, Gen. Grosvenor, Ld. R. Rebow, John Buller, J. W. Gordon, B. Ricardo, 0. Byng, G. Hall, Sir B. Ridley, O. Calcraft, J. 11. Banbury, Robert Seymour, Danby Castlerosse, Visco ant Hankey, 'F. Sheridan, IL Cavendish, C. ilaamer, Sir J. Smith, R. Cavendish, G. Harr s, J. Smith, Sir F. Clive, G. Hustle, A rchd. Smyth, Col.; Codrtngton, General Herbert, 11. Smollett, A. Colebroke, Sir 'l'. Herbert, P. Somers, J. Cowper, W. F. Hope, A.. Somerset, Col. E. Cross, R. Horsman, E. Somerville, Sir W. Crossley, F. Howard, C. Stapleton, J. Cubitt, W. Ingham, R. Stuart, Colonel Dalglish, R. Jervolse, Sir J. Thornely, T. Davie, Sir H. R. F. Johnstone, Sir J. Tile, W. Denison, W. H. Keating, 11. S. Tollemache, Fred. De Yore, S. Kingseote, Capt. R. Tillman, C. Dodson, J. Kinnaird, A. Turner, J. A. Drummond, 11. Knatchbull-Hugesscn Vane, Lord 11. Duncan, Viscount Labouchere,ltt.lion.ll Verney, Sir li. If undas, F. Laurie, J. Villiers, C. Dutton, R. Ugh, G C. Waldron, L. Egerton, Sir T. Lewis, Sir G. C. Warburton, G. Etch°, Lord Liddell,ll. 0. Weguelin, T. Emlyn, Vis. L 0,.. e, R Wickham, 11. W. Ennis, John 111`Cann, J. Willcox, B. Evans, T. W.' Mackie, J. Williams, Sir W Ewart, W. Mangles, C. E. Wilson, J. Ewart, J. Massey, W. Wingfield, R. Fenwick, 11. Matheson, A. Winnington, Sir T. Fergus, J. • Matheson, Sir J. Wise, J. Ferguson, Col. Merry, James Wood, Sir C. Finlay, A. Mills, Arthur Worsley, Lord Fitz Gerald, W. R. S. Moffatt, G. Windham, Gen. Fitzgerald, J. Mon crelff, J. Fitzwilliarn, C. Monsell, W. TELLERS. fitzwillianl, G. North, Col. J. Ilayter, W. Foley, 11, North, F. Mulgrave, Earl of LOCAL SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, JUNE 5. - - - - STOOK EXOHANOE.—The market is dull to-day, and prices aro a shade lower. Eastern Counties, 114—East Lancashire, 97 Great Western, 63 :I—Lei - Mon and North Western, 103 i 4—Midland, 824 i—North Eastern, Berwick, 22A—South Eastern, 224 i—Manchester, Shef field, and Lincoln, 424—Grand Trunk of Caada, 15,1 — Groat Western of Canada, 23j —Ditto, now, 1i pin. BIRMINGHAM, JUNE 5. STOCK EXCIIANGE.—This market was slack again to-day, but in prices no alteration. The chief transactions have boon in local stocks, prices of which aro firm. Birming ham Banking Co., 32. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—Tho greatest happiness of a journalist is to introduce to his readers some new discovery calculated to benefit that vast portion of our fellow-creatures which has the strongest claims upon our sympathies. It is with this feeling that we call the attention of invalids to the following extracts from Du Barry's interesting Report of Cures without medicine of Indigestion (Dyspepsia), Flatulency, Constipation, Nervous, Bilious, and Liver complaints, Cough, Asthma, Consumption, and Debility, by I)u Barry's Reva lenta Arabica Food. Cure No. 180.—Twenty-five years' ner vousness, constipation, indigestion, and debility, from which I had suffered great misery, and which no medicine could remove or. relieve, Lave been effectually cured by Du Barry's food in a very short time.—W. It. Reeves, 181, Fleet-street, Loudon. Cure No. 1,784.—N0t expected to live six days longer, I was cured by Du Barry's admirable Health-restoring Arabica Food.—Magdalena Purvis, Moffat, Scotland. Cure No. 5,461. —Sixty years' partial paralysis, affecting one-half of my frame, and which had resisted all other remedies, has yielded to Du Barry's llealth-restoring Food, and I now eon cider myself a stranger to all complaints excepting a hearty old age.—Wm. Hunt, barrister-at-law, King's College, Cambridge. bupperted by testimonials from the celebrated Professors of Chemistry, Dr. Andrew Ure ; Dr. Shorland ; Dr. Harvey Dr. Campbell; Dr. Gattiker ; Dr. Wurzer ; Dr. Ingram ' • Lord Stuart do Dccies ; the. Dowager Countess of C as tl e . stuart ; Major-Gen. Thomas King, and many other respectable persons, whose health has been restored by it, after all other means of care had failed. For further particulars respect. ing this invaluable food our readers are referred toDu Barry's advertisement in another part of this paper, LAW INTELLIGENCE.—Jun 5. HOUSE OF LORDS-Juza 5. LEY'S DIVORCE BILL. Counsel were caled in to support the petition in this mutter for the second reading of a bill to dissolve the marriage of Edward Ley and Rosannah his wife. Mr. Macnamara and Mr. John Martin appeared at the bar as counsel for Mr. Ley. There was no appear• ante for Mrs. Ley. Mr. Macnamara stated the nature of the complaint, and the position and condition of the parties. Mr. Ley is an oil-cooper. On the 20th of January, 1852, being then 28 years of age, he was married to Rosannah Sarah Meadows, the daughter of his partner, Meadows, the young lady being at the time under 16. The mar riage was solemnised at St. Mary's, Newington, Sc. cording to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England, and the parties lived happily together till 1854, and had two children, one of whom, a daughter, is now living. In December, 1853, Mrs. Ley was prematurely confined, and she continued after that in a state of 6@ much weakness and debility that the medical attendant advised the husband to occupy a separate bed. Mr. Ley complied with this intimation, and they lived together under these circumstances till September, 1854, when a house was taken by the laey's mother, at Twickenham. It was furnished by the husband, who allowed a sum of 355. a week for his wife's maintenance. Mr. Ley occasionally visited his wife at Twickenham, and requested her to 'return to his house in town, but she continually refused, and at length the estrangement, which had arisen and was increasing, came to an open rupture, and Mr. Ley discovered, in March, 1856, that his wife had been carrying on a criminal intercourse with Mr. Lancelot Blagden Shute, a clerk in the Cus toms, and that she was living with him in open adultery, at 33, Deddington grove, in the county of Surrey. Oa tho 11th of March Mr. Ley brought an action against Shute in the Queen's Bench, a verdict was taken by con• sent for 1501. damages, and those damages were ulti mately paid. In December last proceedings were taken in the Consistory Court, and in January, 1857, Mr. Ley obtained a divore a menses et thoro. He now applied to their lordships to grant him a divorce a vinculo matri monii Witnesses were examined, who proved the principal facts stated by counsel. The Lord Chancellor advised their lordships to read the bill a second time. There could be no doubt of the adultery, and although there was no very satisfactory statement on the subject of the continued separation, yet there seemed to be no reason for suspecting any collusion. The bill was read a 8.41)nd time accordingly, and the house adjourned during pleasure at halt•past two o'clock, Country Markets. LIVERPOOL-JUNE 5. To-day there was a thin attendance of the trade, who showed some disposition to buy, but the business was flat, and of a retail chai acter, at a decline of 2s per 70Ibs. Oats and oatmeal in moderate demand, and the 'atom of Tuesday not obtainable. Barley, beans and peas dull , and nominally unchanged. Indian corn scarcely inquired for, and must be quoted at about previous rates. WAKEFIELD-JUNE 5. A poor business done in corn to-day, but the market Ws' higher. Wheat must be noted is to 2s per qr. lower. Barley and oats at last week's prices. Beans the turn lower, and nothing doing. EXETER-JUNE 5. -------- - -- CORN.—Wheat, 7s 9d to 8s 3d ; barley, 5s to 5e 6d; • grinding do., Os Od to Os Oct. Oats, 3s 3d to 33 64 ' • Beans, Os Od to 0 Oct. Peas, 00s Od to 00s Od. FLOUR. —Fine, 45s Od to 46s Oct; seconds, 43s Od to 4/ 1 Od per sack. CATTLE. —Moro was a large supply of bullocks. goat beef, from lOs to Hs 6(1 per score ; inferior, Os 6d to lls pe r score ; fat calves, 5d to 6d per lb ; barrenners, Os Od to 0 - Od. per score ; cows and calves, 121. to 201. Ls ; butcher s ' calves, Od to 7d per lb., rearing calves —s to s each; sheep, ewes and lambs, 21. Os to 31. —s per couple; ewes,, ' to 8d; wethers, 8d 80; lambs, —to Od per lb. PlSA,large size, —s to —s ; second size, —s to —s ; slips, to —5 ; suckers, —s to —s. Rough fat, 4id per 1 6 * Pork carcases from 9s 6d to 10s 6d per score. BRISTOL SUGAR—JuNa 3. The sales since our last are confined to 1,200 mats err''' . talised Mauritius and 200 hhds. West India, at rather: easier prices. Early in the week the market was very dol l, but during the last clay or two it has again assumed a 'ref firm tone, and prices close on a par with those current !- week since. In refined there is more doing at prices not. obtainable a few days since. Enna inquired for, with bob . little offering. COAL MARE Prices of Coals per ton a' LT.—JUNE 5. the close of tho market. s. d.l Haswell Ga 5.......... l3 6 Tanfiold Moor Butes 14 0 Wallsend s tio. s d' Framwollgate l5 a l. 16 Hough Hall l5 " 0 Eden Main Gosforth . 14 3 a B ra ddyll l6 w Hatton l7 , Q 6 Hatton Lyons Main l4 South Keno° 16 6 Wallsend, &c. Russell's Hotta!). 15 9 Haswell 17 6 Cassop 16 61 Whitworth l5 6' Wayne's Merthyr 21 0 Ships at market 49 ; sold, 41. RAILWAY TRAFFIC RETURNS. TRAFFIC RETURNS FOR THE WEEK. NAME OF RAILWAY. Receipts._ 18 57. 1856. __.• Milc a opened, 1857. BRITISH. Aberdeen .• •• •• •• •• •• • • •• •• Belfast and Ballymena . • •••• • • •• •• •• Belfast and Comity Down•• •• • • •• •• .• Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire 80l ton, Blackburn, and West York .. Bristol and Exeter • • .... Chester and Holyhead... •• •• • Cork, Blackrock, and Passage •• •• •, Cork and Bandon Dublin and Belfast Junction ....... Dublin and Drogheda.... • . ........ Dublin and Kingstown ............. Dundee and Arbroath ............. Dundee, Ferth, and Aberdeen Junction Dundalk and Enniskillen.• .. •• • •• .• East Lancashire • • ..... . ... ••••• • •• Eastern Counties and Norfolk.. • • .. 1 Eastern Union ...... .. .. ........ .. Edinburgh and Glasgow Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee •• • Exeter and Creditors.. •• ........ •• • Furness Railway •• • •• .. •• Glasgow, and South-Western..••.... Great Northern.• • .. Great Southern and Western (Ireland Great Western •• •• •• •• •• •• •••• Irish South Eastern Lancaster and Car1i51e.............. Lancashire and Yorkshire.... • ....... Leeds Northern .. • • .. •• •• •• • • • • •• .. Liverpool, Crosby, and Southport• • • • London and North Western ... • ..... London and Blackyr all.. • ..• ...• London, Brighton, and South Coast.. Lnndon,and South We5tern......... Londonderry and Enniskillen • • • • •• Manchester, Buxton, and Matlock, &C. Manchester, Sheffield ,end Lincolnshlrc Ma , ichestcr and South Junction • .• Maryport and Carlisle • • • • •• • • • • • • .. 'llidland Groat Western (Irish) ...... Monklands •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• Newcastle and Car1i51e........ North British ••.• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• North Staffordshire ••. • .. North-Western •• .. •• •... Scottish Central Scottish Midland •• •••••• •• ......., Shrewsbury and Birmingham . Shrewsbury and Chester Shropshire Union • • ••••••• • • • • • •... South Devon .•• •• •• •• •• •••• •• •• •••• South Eastern •• •• •• •• • • • • • , „ • „ „ „ South Wales ...... •• •• • • .......... South York., Doncaster, and Goole .. Taff Vale •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• '• •• •• •• •• Ulster. •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••• •• •• •••• •• Waterford and Limerick • .......... West Cornwall .• •• •• •• ....... Whitchaven Junction ...... York and Newcastle, and Berwick & York and North Midland & Leeds.. FOREIGN. Dutch. Rhenish .• • • •• • • • • •• •• • • .• • • Lyons and Mediterranean .......... Montereau and Troyes .. •. .. Namur and Liege .. • • .............. Northam of France .. •............. Orleans and Central .. Paris and Lyons • Paris and Rouen. .................. Faris and Strasburgh .............. Rouen and llavre ••• • • .. West and North-West of Franca • • •• BIRTIIS. OF A SON. On the 4th inst., at Bulmershe Court, Reading, riol Catherine Wheble. On the 3d inst., at 7, Chesham-place, the wife W. Gronfell, Esq., M.P. OF A DAVOLITER. On the sth inst., at 150, Piccadilly, Mrs. Marsh N elsit On the 4th inst., at 5, Southwick-crescent, Hyde-pars, the wife of C. Darby Griffith, Esq., M.P.— stillborn. MARRIED. On the 4th iust., at St. John's, Paddington, WIWO, W. Fawcett, Esq., eldest son of Colonel Fawcett, of C r ven-hill, to Caroline Elizabeth, only daughter o f Itober t , Stafford, Esq., Hyde-park-square, and Millbank, W es minster. On the 4th inst., at St. Mark's, Myddelton-square, Woodfine, Esq., of Bornchurch, Essex, to Julia, yotrog e l daughter of the late T. Davies, Esq., M.D., New BO' street, city. • DIED. sir O w n t il he liam 3d Le i l List vis ., in Ffe Errieesl,tKon.-est.rriee.,t,cL.Bio.,lttceit oialonne? o e f n e t To l 68th Rogt., aged 72. On the 3d inst., at Kentish-town Mr. Richt]. 1 10 1 )101r5 ' formoily of th e B roa d wa y, DoptforCl, aged 78. On the 3d inst., a t Idli co t, W A r w i c kshire, the Rev SSr. Godfrey Huet, M.A., rector of Idlicot, aged 86. of On the 2d inst., at Hastings, Wm. Hammond, Escl•' Camden-ro a d Vill as , a nd Scott's-yard, London, and 0 t l fling, On Suffolk, aged 63. The deceased was one of the 159 linea descendants of Shakesere. the 2d inst., at the Min p ories, Newcastle -upon -113 ' 0 ' Williairi Armstrong, Esq. alderman, aged 80. Es formed f t o h r e m 3 e l r s l t y u o l f t C Fiche sgate-street-within, agheacsi6,• On the 31st ult., at Brighton, Charles Edmund -Mu," or Yarmouth. bold, Esq., of Pieston Candover , Hants, late M.P. LONDON: Printed and Published by KURD() YOlnsiv of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Tice Sun Office, 14 ' 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the cent" of Middlesex, Saturday, June 6, ISii7• ~~,,. 36,990 34,076 I 30,; 01 31,60 0 :29,630 1 big in mend, Ing th 30ft tl Intro 10s. 6, CA LAND+ and tl Sol, timer! 16i 637 51i 183% 277 173 N 28 • 267 177 2 78 4 149 233 5784 301" 17134 27 12 682 2614 117 108 q 904 ~.6x., 1833( 283 203% 452 25% 90 286% 39,327 37,954 11,66 319 3,244 1,051 6,238 13,368 5,392 289 1,088 1,577 1,888 716 1,101 449 1,010 6,574 25,627 5,838 6,441 1,629 7,029 21,874 6,227 31,659 316 5,935 24,373 65,406 1,443 22,681 18,141 714 10,875 1,228 1,021 32,568 3,633 1,568 3,316 5,320 7,7'30 801 3,426 24,934 2,3 6 ! 23,3 k 34, 55 rule' Morn Stalh Poly, had n 111 will I GAL' at 8. 2s. Leak eess ( of Fo M. B The 1 daily, of Jri At Disor past ' and ratios Gentl logos Supra (Iran in wt Hugh Pictu Equel Caret open N.] S' and Al Recur their their per ce reimoi per cc NO in Hill 10th t Jur Train 9 a.m after Far 7s. 6( Wo Necon On attain 6.5 an the tr 3.45, Th( train : days. Lor Stand On with r and vi Far Or, Spe, days. Londc Snit Train, The from 1 June 1 Ordini ettsper At th Mandl and a Oresh 'Mina SUB, Charh 90, H Wa Thee tion, ailing Scurf In the Jects the 1 south Tic West lactsn Strat Mini Tt Any I port: their pkll3 seve tribe snits tae: por Eisb catic Rev. tons,