The Sun. — London, England, 1840-02-05 00:00:00

E ENIN G EDITION. :hose who had shown the greatest patience under the so-eatest evils. Mr. HUME thought that the House should know the nature of the inquiry, and whether it was to extend to the vein' or political condition cf the people. Ele would advise the Noble Lord to give more dafiaite instructions, or to have no Committee at all. His reason for supporting the original motion was, that its object was for inquiring into the political as well as social evils of the country, and into the best means for remedying them. Lord GRENVILLE SOMERSET thought it would be advisable that the House should know what was to be the precise nature of the inquiry. Would the Committee, fur instance, have authority to inquire into the late dis turbances in Monmouth, and into the circumstances which had attended them ? Did the Noble Lord conceive that any Committee of the kind could be conducted with out any allusion being- made to the general political con dition of the country? He should b glad to see a Com mittee appointed with the definite object of having to in- Ruire into questions of a social, political, or economical nature. It would, however, in his opinion, be quite ridicu lous to form a Committee unless it could go into political questions. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that it did not seem impossible to him to inquire into the state of the mining and manufacturing districts .without enter ing in detail into political grievances. He thought, however, that it should be left to the discretion of the Committee to limit the extent of its inquiries. Lord GRENVILLE SOMERSET said he under stood they that the inquiry was to be into everything con nected with the distresses of the country. Mr. LAMBTON objected to the explanation which the Noble Lord had given of the objects of the Commit tee. He should, for his part, confine himself as a Member of the Committee to the words of .the motion, and he should not adopt the course alluded to by the Noble Lord. Mr. SLANE Y then said that he would withdraw his 'notion for the present. He would, h o wever, again bring it forward in a manner to meet the views of Hon. Gentle men who objected to it in its present form. Mr PRESCOTT said that he should strongly object to the limited nature of the amendment before the House. He believed that as much, if not of discontent, at least of distress, existed among the rural population as in the towns. Sir E. KNATCHBULL said that since he had a seat in that House he had not seen it in such a position as it was in at present. The Hon. Member for Shrewsbury had introduced a motion on a subject of great importance, and the Government did not seem to know what course to take on the occasion. If any one had entered the House during the speech of the Meyer, he would have found almost every Member of the Ministry absent, and he night suppose that the business of the Government was conducted by the Hon. Member for Kilkenny and a few others. In matters of this kind it had hitherto been the practice that some Members of the Government should be .present, and that they should take a decided position. Lord J. RUSSELL said that he was surprised at the exprewions which had just fallen from the Right Hon. Ba ronet. The Hon. Member for Shrewsbury had commu nicated to him (Lord J. Russell) his intention of bringing forward such a motion as he had done. He said at the time that he should not conduct the inquiry, but that if its ob jects were limited he should not object to it.—( Hear.) Ha certainly did not see anything in that which could call down on him the censures of the Right Honourable Ba ronet. He thought the Government had done all they were bound to do on the occasion. Under these circum stances he could hardly account for the invectives of the Right Hon. Baronet, had it not been for his recent defeat and disappointment,—.(Hear, hear, and laughter.) Motion withdrawn. SALE OF BEER. Mr. PA KINGTON said that in bringing forward the motion regarding the sale of beer, of which he had given notice, he felt reluctant to trouble the House at any length. It was a motion of the same nature as that which he had brought forward last year, namely, that no one should be allowed to sell beer without the possession of certain qua lifications. Ha now wished that the motion should be postponed till the second reading of the Bill. The Hon. Gentleman then concluded by saying that he would move for leave to bring in a Bill to alter and amend the sale of beer. Mr. HUME submitted to her Majesty's Ministers wheiher it was right to bring in a Bill on the subject in nuestion, after that of last Session bad been introduced. (lc objected nn the ground that it was an unwise meddling with property invested in that way to a great extent. IF there was any Bili to be introduced it would be the duty of Government to do so atter having entered into an in cptiry into the matter. He therefore submitted that the Bill should not be introduced. m r . WA RI3 U RTON thought, if any houses of public entertaiernent ought to be placed under regulation, it should he those in which spirits were sold, and not those in which beer was sold. He should support any Bill sabjceting all victualling houses alike to police regulations, bat be aoul.i oppose a partial measure of this nature in every stage. Mr. WA K LEY wished to know what was the specific object that the lion. Member wished to attain by bringing in this Bill. Mr. P A KINGT ON said his object was to diminish the number, a nd increase the respectability, of beer-houses. After a few words from Mr. ALSTON, leave was given to bring in the Bill. Mr. HE R RIES postponed the motion of which he had _t'v-rt notice, fsr accounts of public income and expend-- t•itc, to Thursday se'anight. :t3IIMMARY CONVICTION BILL. fir EAR[)LrEY WI LmoT moved for leave to bring io a Bill to aut•eorise the summary conviction of Juvenile Offeedars in certain cases of Larceny. After a short paws., Mr. FO X MALT LE seconded the motion, which was eeseed to. TRUSTEES OF GRAMMAR SCHOOLS. Sir E. WILM OT moved for leave to hi leg in a Bill to authori.e trustees of Free Grammar !Schools to enlarge the stet's of education therein pursued, under certain restrietiees. It was net Lis wish to interfere with the fo , i „,T v i ons of those schoo:.3, hit to extend t -sir efficiency. t!lo days when they wet e founded, Latin was tllO of Our loan eel our religion, and therefore was :be key of ail knowledge; but now some measure was ' see „ :,cry to enable trustees to introduce those branches of ortos ei e d ge which were now essential to a good education. ITrustees, by going to the Court of Chancery, might, at a great expense, erila-ge their powers hi s l ob!cet was, by a general public Act, to give trustees the powers which they now could only obtain at great expense ; he proposed to give trustees the power, atter previding for the teaching of the classics, to devote th e f oo d s to the teaching of other branches of useful know- ledge, and to feted exhibitions, provided their proceed ings met with the approbation of the Court of Chancery. Ile would interpose sufficient time between the first and second reading, to enable the House to make itself ac cplainted with the details of the proposed measure.—Leave given. BILL COOLIES. Mr. VERNON :SMITH moved for leave to' ring in a Bill to extend to the British Colonies in the West Indies Act. 5 and 6 William I V., for regulating the carriage of passenge.a in merchant vessels. The lion. Gentleman, who throughout hi; address was heard very indistinctly, was understood to say that in consequence of the number of persons emigrating to the West Indies, it had become t:e eesvary to extend to those Islands the provisions of the Act reenlating emigration to the British Colonies of North Ame rica, and extending them to vessels trading between island and I%llnd. This might have been done by proclamations i ssue d by the different Governors of the islands, but it bad been considered more advisable to effect this be means of an Act of the Imperial Legislature. As it was not likely the motion would meet with much opposition, he should 1 content himself with reading an extract from a despatch from Sir Willistn Colebrook, demonstrating the necessity , of the measure. The Hon. Gentleman theta read the ex tract, not or • word of which was audible. Mr. II UM B said he apprehended the extract which had just been read was for the purpose of furnishing the House I. with some fresh information on the subject. With all the attention he had paid, however, he had been unable to hear it—he would therefore suggest the propriety of de laying the measure for a short time in order that Members might - make themselves accriainted with the facts on which ~ it was founded. He had always opposed these motions, because they held out to persons a hope of protection, where it was impossible from the circumstances of the Me, for protection to he extended to them. Lord J. RUSSELL did not understand the nature of the Hon. Gentleman's objection, nor what he could pro pose to himself to obtain by delay. There was one subject of great importance, as conneceed with this ques tion, on nhieh he would not lose the present opportunity of stating his opinions to the House. He alluded to the emigration of the Hill Coolies. The result of his inquiries int, this subject had been, that although on the whole they bad not materially su ff ere d s i nce their establishment in Demerara, yet the result of the experiment on the whole bad been unsuccessful. There was to b 2 considered the length of the voyage the chance •f their being kidnapped into entering into an agreement to go into a distant country, of which they knew nothing; and then again there existed considerable difficulty in carrying into effect the agreement for their return to their own country when the time of their agreement should have elapsed. For these reasons he did not deem it advisable that any permission should be given for the emigration of Hill Coolies from India to the West India Islands.—( Hear, hear, hear.) With regard to another part of the same subject, the emigration of Hill Coolies to the Mauritius, his inquiries had induced him to come to a different conclusion. In the first place, it appeared that upwards of 20,0 00 Hill Coolies had emi grated from India to the Mauritiug—it did not appear that they. had suffered in consequence ; on the contrary, they had received good wages, and had been well treated. Tracy, moreover, appeared to have heen perfectly aware of the conditions of the contract into which they had entered, and they were enabled to enforce its observance upon their masters. Moreover, there was a constant intercourse between Mauritius and Calcutta, giving the means of keeping up a constant communication between the people in India and their relations who had gone to the Mauritius. Many who had engaged for five years bad expressed their willingness to engage for five years more, after going home to see their friends, but as the prohi bition against Hill Coolies leaving India was absolute, they ware unable to do so. That being the state of the case as regarded Mauritius, he proposed to relax the prohibition of the Order in Council as regarded the Mauritius. It had been proposed to engage them for five years, but to this he objected, as he considered one year a sufficiently reasonable t i me , and be thought it would be L better to renew the con . trac t from time te time rather titan enter into a contract f or a longer period. There was no analogy whatever be tween this case and that of apprenticeship. An ap prentice had to learn a trade from his master, but these me n had no t hin g to learn, they w ere mere l y ' labourers, and therefore there was no necessity fOr a long term of enga gement, and he thou g ht if a P rotector were appointed in India to superintend the contracts, and see t h a t the Coolies were not deceived in the engagements they %se re entering into, was but just that th e y s h ou ld b e allowed to emigrate from India, where wages were small, to the Mauritius where they were large, and to improve then . condition. He was aware that it was also advantageous to the masters to have the services of their labourers, but he considered that the comfort and well being of these labourers who, during the last Session, had occupied so much of the attention and anxiety of Parha- I inert, and most properly and naturally so, shoul d be t h e primary consideration. As he did not intend to bring, in nny Bill on the subject, he thought it necess ar y to make this .statement to the House.—(Cheers.) Mr. HUME objected to this manner of proceeding• a_e_ precluding all discussion on this most importan t subject. .11. a Bill were brought in, the House would have an opportu nity of discussion. Mr. V. SMITH said there was no new matter to lay before the House. Mr. G 0 U LB URN said he thought the Noble Lord would have no riglit to conclude, from t he silerce of Ftheor Home, that they approved of his PoheY.—( Hear.) . part, he really was not preparedß_ut he knew not enough of the to say that the Noble Lord had been wrong. is T own facts to be able to expr ess an y decided o p inion on the subject. The motion was then agreed to. LAW OF COPYRIGHT, Mr. Sergeant TA L FOURD said, in moving for leave to bring in a Bill to amend the law of copyright, ho ap prehended that he was not called upon to say a single word to the House in support of a measure, the principle of which had been three several times sanctioned b) hav ing so many times passed a second reading.—( Hear, hear.) He could not believe, whatever the spirit in which the Bill might be, as it had been, opposed—that those Members who had so often susported him, would leave him now upon the very threshold, and refuse to him permission to bring in another measure.—( Hear.) ' Sir R. INGLIS having seconded the motion, Mr. WAKLE Y said, whatever might be the impres sion which the Bill had produced within the House, it had excited out of the House very great alarm. The Learned Sergeant had brought it forward on many occasions with surpassing eloquence. But there was a broad distinction between eloquence and argument. And he (Mr. Wakley) believed that no two facts had been stated to justify the proposed interference with the law of copyright. What explanation had the Learned Sergeant presented as to the anticipated benefits which would arise from this measure to literature, to the public, and to authors ? There had already been two Com mittees on the subject—one in 1813, the other in 1818. The first had produced the Act of 1814, which added fourteen years to the term of copyright. The Learned Sergeant had never read the evidence before those Com mittees.—(Mr. Sergeant Talfourd intimated that he had. ) Well, then, doubtless the Learned Sergeant was hostile to the appointment of another Committee on the subject? —( Assent from Mr. Serg. Talfourd.) Why? Because the result of the evidence on the preceding circumstances had been to prove that it was unnecessary to legislate further on the subject of copyright. The witnesses who bad the most experience on the subject—such men as Dr. Ciarke, Mr. R. Taylor, and Mr. Rees, stated that expensive works were very rarely reprinted. The House should reflect upon the vast extent of the powers of printing, and the great increase of the intelligence of the people, and should be cautious how they interfered on a sub ject so vitally affecting the information, and the improvement of the nation.—( Hear, hear.) Whatever the sympathy which the eloquence of the Learned Ser geant sad excited on behalf of a few distressed authors— the House surely would not extend copyright to 60 years beyond the life of the author. Why, even that the Learned Sergeant professed to consider a disgraceful compromise, forsooth, of that question.—( Hear, hear, from the Learned Sergeant.) So, after having obtained this slight concession of years, perhaps the Learned Sergeant Tould come down for a pepetual copyright.—( No, from the Learned Sergeant.) At all events, the Learned Sergeant was bound in asking the House for so extensive a measure to prove that literature was declining—that printing was on the decay—that works of merit were no longer issuing from the press. He had mot done so. 'I he reward of an author should be in the appetite of the people for his works. The noblest works ever written bad been produced when COp) - rights were worth least. What did Roger Bacon, or Shakspeare receive for their works ?—( Hear, near, hear.) Tilt) , wrote for higher incentives than the desire of mere coin: . They were actuated by nobler aspirations. Milton, for his immortal " Paradise Lost" had not re ceived so much as the Learned Sergeant for certain poems he had published.—( Hear, hear.) A Select Committee should he appointed to investigate the matter, as the House should not rashly interfere with the property of millions invested in the printing trade.—( Hear, hear.) He would say nothing on that occashan of the disappoint ment of certain authorities, because certain men never would believe the public thought enough of their merits. It was the statement of the publishers that the expense of printing, of late years, had much increased, but the great and serious evil was the increasing rapacity of authors. He hoped, when an examination took place, the matter would be fairly investigated, and he Knew th Hon. Baronet (Sir IL H. Inglis) would do his utmost to make out a case for the introduction of a new Bill; but he hoped the Noble Lord at the head of the Gorernintie. would state his opinion on the subject. The Noble Lord had formerly stated that his opinion was that a case .vas not made out, and that statement gave great satisfaction to an immense number of people out of doors ; at all events, he ceisld not believe the flotue would feel itself justified in acting upon such a creasufe, but at the same time he be lieved there was a strong feeling in the House of the m cessity of inquiry on the subject. Hr should therefore move as an amendmere, " That a Select Committee be appointeil to inquire into the existing laws of copyright, and to report thereon to the Hense." Mr. HUME said it was 21 years since any inquiry ha taken place on the subject. Any man who read the Re port would be convinced that the opinion of the Committee was against any alteration of the law ; and he therefore submitted, after the contests they had had, if tae L (tante Sergeant were so 'stiseed he could make out an over whelming case (which he had not done) in favour of his Bill, he could have no objection to the appointment of a Committee. He was hound to state that the commucics tiers he had had, teid the opinions he had seen since br-t year, proved at least that there was a greet diversity of opinion. What was his own was well known. Al!, then-- fore, he should say was, that i n th e midst of so much deli cultyei with such difference of opinion, and on a question which was of so very much importance, the matter should be examined in Committee. It would not teke Long, and if the Learned Sergeant would not submit to en irquiry, he must submit to opposition, .ni he had stated on a former occasion. Hs objection to the 13;11 was, that it would make hooks dear. He would, therefore, submit to the Hon. Gentleman, that it wouid be better for him to yield on this matter with a good grace. He cared not who formed the Committee, and he would rest the whole proceedings with it, because, in his ()pinion, it was impossible to make out a case for the Bill. He should, therefore, second the amendment. Sergeant TALFOiIRD said he hoped the House would allow him on the present oceasion to decline entering into a discussion of the general principle. He considered the proposition made to be only another mode of obstruction, and certainly he could accept no advice from those gentle men after the course they bad taken on a former occasion. There never was a case so weak, so trifling, so nugatory, made out for the llouse to refuse this Bill being hrought before it-. a Bill, too, which it had adopted on three filmier occasions—than that which the Hon. Member for Fin-- bury had presented. His arg ument, so far as it went, was against the appointment of a Committee, for he it , d stated that in 1818 a Committee had fully dir cuesed the question, and given their opinion against it, and that nothing had occurred to change that opinion. Two years ag o, he ( Sergeant Talfourd) had taken the Report of th at Committee as the basis of his Bill, and said he would be bound by the statements then made, and that he was content to admit the evidence then given, end the testimony of the publishers themselves, who were at that time most hostile. The bill had been repeatedly discussed before the House, and in the con-se of that discussion he would venture to say there was not one disputed fact on which the resources of the Committee would be of the least importance. He could conceive their difference was one of principle—it was whe• !her an author having committed to paper the thoughts he had conceived and cherished in solitude, should have env property in them, or whether they should become that of the public. Whether an author communicatieg his inspiratisna to the world should only demand of the public the produce of their immediate sale, or look a', large unto posterity for the reward of works which migit not receive Immediate attention from the public. Those were the principles on which they had to legislate; and were not these matters on which every scholar end thinker had equal powerof forming his judg meat? He felt most deeply the subject of discussion before the House. He had said the Hon. Member should have any facts admitted be liked— that of Mr. Black, who, by the publishing of books, had made a fortune of 200,0001 , end that of Sir Walter Scott, who did not make much more by creating them. The Hon. Member should have admitted, if he plersed, what he had alluded to on a former occasion, in a humo rous manner, that the best works were produced anterior to the existence of copyright. He rested his statement of its necessity now chiefly on the petitions of the authors who had petitioned the House in its favour, and those who had petitioned against it in those petitions,—these were all the facts on which the House could ba called to legislate. He had heard no one of them disputed. Why then were they afraid to do so, when the question was introduced two years ego, not by way of obstruction to its being laid'upon the table of the House ? But when the question was put ,whether it shall be referred to a Committee of the whole House or to a Select Com mittee? which question was pu t by the opponents of the Bill, the Attorney-General and the Hon. Member for Ripon, who then opposed it, but he trusted would ne longer case fo r a r s a o ,bo Selectth s propose only to obstruct the Bill. He did not suppose itb a d i t was only into the consideration of the Hon. Gentleman the degree of embarassment such a propceitio n must ma k e, b ut that was nothing mn the if a ease were mad e out f or a •Co omittee, not on the Bill laid on the table of the H ouse, but Copy-right Laws in general. If those who said no al teration had taken place since the last Committee wore to Prc demand it, then he trust ed t h e Ho use would so far tect the measure as to allow it to remain on the table of the House, and being a question not of detail, not of the examination of witnesses, but a great question of justice, he trusted they would not allow at that stage that course to be taken, but if they did he deemed it his duty to meet the opposition under all circumstances, which he could not but think it would be far bettc r for him to meet before the House than before a Select Committee. He should there fore certainly oppose the amendment.—( Hear.) Mr. WA RBURTON said that what the Hon. Mover of this question contended for was, according to his oven everde—‘. That any invasion of perpetual copyright is a confiscation of property which no pretext of public good can render just." If the Honoureele Member's motion was agreed to, it would act as a complete bar to the introduction of cheap literature. By the Statute of Anne, fourteen years was given to authors, but the Legislature being, even in these days, sensible of the advantage to be derived from the diffusion of cheap literature, made a condition which, it was true, was a very absurd one, that the Archbishop of Canterbury and certain other Commissioners who were to act with him, TH SUN', LONDON. - vvreD :ESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, /840. should fix and limit the price at which the work waste be sold. Now, by an ignoble compromise between the Universities of England and the publishers, in which the public were not at all consulted, a Bill had been smuggled through the Home extending, the copyright of the author to 28 years. If, then, the author lived the full period of 28 years, and in the last eear published an amended edition of his woiks, that amemied edition would secure for him 28 years longer of copyright for his works, so that in reality be had at I resent a copyright of 56 years.—( Hear, bear, hear.) Why, if the principle of the Hon. and Learned Member was good for anything, the original inventor of logarithms, who had published a table containing only a limited num ber of figures, would have, through his executors, pro hibited the introduction of the improved and enlarged tables that. had since been added, and have put a stop to the great and scientific improvements and discoveries to which they had contributed. The Hon. and Learned Member would perhaps except that, but if the principle held good in one case it was good in all, and the heirs and executors of Briggs and Napier might have in sisted upon the original logarithmal tables being still adhered to.—( Hear.) Suppose the original patent for the steam engine had remained in the family of Mr. Watts to the present day, where would be their loco motive engines, their railroads and their steam-boats? Why, these and numberleie other inventions would never have had existence. The principle in its very nature was a monopoly which ought to be resisted. On these grounds ho should oppose at this stage, and every stage, any Bill founded upon the principle of perpetual copyright, and which neglected altogether the paramount interests of the public ; he should therefore support the proposition of the Hon. Member for Finsbury, for a Committee. Sir R. ING LIS did not rise to resist the right of Hon. Members to oppose the Bill, but he would appeal to them whether the course they were now adopting was likely to be attended with beneficial results. On three separate occasions the House had already sanctioned the principle of the Bill, and, therefore, without entering into a discus sion, however much it might have been provoked by the statements that had been made, he trusted that the opposi tion to the Bill would not be renewed as it was during the last Session. He trusted, therefore, that the House would give permission to the Hon. and Learned Member for Reading to introduce the Bill. Mr. O'CO NNE L L had voted before with the Hon. Bart., the Member for the University of Oxford, and he saw no reason why he should nut vote with him again. He would, however, suggest whether it would not be better to allow the Bill to go into Committee, where the whole of its merits might be discussed. Mr. PR YME thought the Bill ought to be allowed to go before a Committee. Lord HOWICK said if it was necessary, he should feel compelled to vote for the amendmentof the Hon. Member for Finsbury, but in doing so he begged it to be understood that he did not wish to obstruct a measure of this kind being carried through the House, provided it contained proper provisions. He thought that the manner in which the Hon. Member for Reading proposed to correct the evil in the law of Copyright would not be productive of the effects he anticipated. He thought if the measure was referred to a Select Committee means might be devised of doing jus tice to the authors on the one hand, and the public on the other.—( Hear, hear.) Lord MAHON thought it would be utterly impossible to amend the provisions of the sill by sending it to a Com mittee up stairs. He would therefore advise his Hon. and Learned Friend to persevere in his motion. Mr. L ABOUC HE RE said that the Bill ought to be allowed to go to a Com7.-aittee, for unless it was most ma terially altered he should be compelled to oppose it, as he thought the Bill as it at present existed would interfere most unjustly with the public good. Mr. HOB HOUSE wished that the whole question should be fully examined, in order that the House might have an opportunity of coming to a just and fair decision on the matter. He w uld therefore vote that the question should be referred to a Committee. Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD did not hear a single suggestion that did not show that the al guments in favour of the Bill were arguments of principle ; and he did not think that those who were hostile to it could advance any I reasonable objection against it in Committee. He would therefore decline acceding to any of the propositions which Hon. Gentlemen had made to him. The House then divided— For the motion Against it Majority Leave was accordingly given to bring in the Bill. Mr. GILLON moved for leave to bring in a B 11 to enable persons holding licences to sell beer, spirits, and other exeiseatle articles in Scotland, to obtain a renewal of their licences from the Excise without application to the Magistrates. Mr. PRINGLE sail that the Hon. Memb: r put this motion on the books from year to year, and then nothing more was heard of it until he nest to Scotland a ,r a i n ._ ( A laugh.) He ( Mr. P ) opposed the Bill, es calculated to take from the local Magistrates their salutary control over the public. houses.. He would take the sense of the House upon the motion. Mr. GILLON said that it was not the object of the Bill to deprive the Magistrates of their salutary control over the public-houses, but to protect persons who held licenses from persecution. He had known instances of persons being refused their licenses in consequence of having given votes adverse to the political feelings of par ticular Magistrates. All he N - VISIMI was, that where a license wa, granted, it should not be taken away, until the , holder of it was proved guilty of some misconduct. Mr. OSWALD, although willicg to allow the Bill to ho introduced, thought that the reasons adduced by the Hon. Member were not sufficient to justify their inter ference with the power of the Meaeistrates. Mr. LOCK HART thought the power of refusing renewal of licenses, was a most important and useful check to guard against immorality. Mr. G 0 ULBURN supported the introduction of the Bill. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER would not object to the introduction of the Bill, although he - was not prepared to concur in all the reasoning of the Hon. Member. Mr PRINGLE, seeing the feelings of the house were against him, wf-Aild not divide thy• House. After a few words from Mr. R. STEUART, leave was given to bring in the Bill. INLAND BONDING WAREHOUSES. Mr. L ABO UCH h:RE said that he should postpone his motion for leave to bring in a Bill regulating steam navigation for a week, but he should now move for leave to bring in the Bill mentioned in the said notice f,:r bland Bonding Warehouses. It was precisely of a similar nature to the one which had pessed that House last Session, and which had been thrown out by the other House, principally on account of the late period of the Session at which it had been introduced. He did not imagine there would be any opposition to his bringing it in, and, therefere, ha would reserve him3elf for discussing it at tome future stage. Mr. HUTT hoped a sufficient delay would be allowed between the first and second rending to allow those lute rested to make themselves masters of the details. Mr. LABOUC EIE RE, although he would not object to t delay of a few days, thought as the Bill was precisely similar to the one of last Session, that there were no grounds for any extraordinary delay. Leave was then given to bring in the Bill. PRINTED PAPERS. Lord J. RUSSELL moved, to nominate the following as a Committee on Printed Papers :—Lord J. Russell, Air. Attorney-General, Lord Viscount Howick, Sir R. Peel, Mr. Warburton, Mr. Easthope, Sir Edward Sugden, Mr. Pemberton, Mr. Solicitor-General for Ireland, Sir Wil liam Follett, the Lord Advocate, Sir George Strickland, Sir George Clerk, Lord Staley, Mr. Williams Wynn, Mr. Solicitor-General, Mr. Goulburn, Dr. Lushington, Sir Fred-rick Pollock, Mr. Tancred, Mr. Villiers, Sir Robert Harry Inglis, Mr. O'Connell.—Agreed to. The SPEAKF, R, at a quarter :dmr twelve, called upon Mr. Brotherton, in accordance with his notice, " To move that no new business which shall be objected to by five Members be brought on after twelve o'clock at night ; and that no discussion shall be allowed on any motion for the adjournment of the debate, on any question brought on after twelve o'clock at night." Mr. BROTH ERTON—Some other time, Sir. On the motion of Mr. HUMS (in the absence of Mr. Leader), returns were ordered of the EUMS received out of the Consolidated Fund by the King of Hanover since his accession to the Crown of Hanover ; as also of the houses, apartments, gardens, and land, being Crown property, now held by the King of Hanover in England. RAILWAYS. Captain WINNING TON moved that an humble Ad dress be presented to her Majesty, praying that her Ala jesty will be graciously pleased to direct that the engineers who have been appointed, in pursuance of the Address of this House of the 12th day of August last, do, in addition to the Report thereby required to be made, report on the merits of the projected line of Railway from London to Port Dineen via Worcester and Newtown. Mr. JERVIS opposed the motion. It was well known that there had been inquiries into the relative merits of the ports in North Wales, and it was evident that upon the Reports on these ports would depend the decision of that question, with regard to the moving of the line of communication between Dublin and London. Therefore, he moved as an amendment, that an humble Address be presented to her Majesty .for the production of these Reports. Mr- HUME seconded the amendment. Mr. PAKINGTON did not see any ground for oppos ing the motion of the Gallant Captain. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the Reports on the northern lines would speedily be pre sented. As to the present question, he thought the House should have before it all possible information. The line had been already surveyed, and he had ascertained from the Commissioners that the line was a favourable one. The inquiry should be a joint one—the harbour need not be conclusive as to the line.—( Hear.) He wished it to be understood that the Government had no wish to take the matter exclusively into its own hands. Mr. M. O'CONNELL thought it would be unfair to exclude this line from inquiry. Capt. BOLDER() said the Hon. Member for Chester nwoi hhiendgtoteedaestwtihtihs the e e q o u ve e r s la ti o e a n r . d. The amendment had Mr. JERVIS had only a sincere desire to promote the interests of his constituents. He would, however, with draw the amendment, on the understanding that there would be a joint inquiry. MEDICAL REFORM. Mr, FRENCH said that in consequence of a oommuni cation he had had with the Noble Lord the Secretary for the Colonies, and understanding. his Hon. Friend the Member for Bridport intended to move for a Committee to inquire into the state of the medical profession, he would not press his motion ' • bnt he hoped h is Hon. Friend would not think he was asking too much if he requested him to name an early day for the Committee. Mr. WA RBURTON said he would move for the ap pointment of the Committee on Thursday next. Mr, GILLON brought in the Spirits Licence (Scot. land) Bill, which was read a first time. Mr. PARKER brought in the Inland Warehouses Bill, which was read a first time. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Twenty Minutes to One o'Clock. MR. THEOD ORE II OOK'S NEW WORK. Just ready, in 3 vols. oost Bva ~ with Portrait of the Author, and Te. n lllust rations by Phiz, PRECEPTS A ND PRACTICE. BY T11.730D 1 )RE HOOK, ESQ., Anibal • of .yings and Doings," &c. Henry Colburn, ‘blisher, , 13, Great Marlborough-street. Orders i •eceivei I by all Booksellers. MRS. TRO LLO] ?E'S NEW NOVEL. NOW READY AT ALL THE LIBRARIES. Jrlre 3 voi s. post Bvo.. TROT .L 0 PE'S << ONE FAULT." By the same Author, I. The WIDOW IL , . \.R.ABY. 3 vol i s. 245. HUS IL The ENGLISH AV:iFE and the OREIGN BAND, 8 Romance of 1 . Tiemna. 3 vols., 245., New Edition. 111. The VICAR of A TREXHILL, with Engravings, price 65., forming she New Vc lume of " The STANDARD NO VELS and ROMANCE: 3," to be published March 1. Richard Benda., r, New Burlington-street. THEATRE ROY AL COVENT GARDEN. UNDER THE MAN AGEME RISNT OF MADAME EST. THIS E\ FEB. 5, Will be .vtapeated the New Driginal Play, in Five Aets, written by James She rid an Knowles, called LO VE. Duke of Carinthia, tool ter; Sir Rupert of Loreh, Mr. J. Vining ; Anon, Mt. Andes son ; the Countess of Eppen stein, Miss Ellen Tree ; Kacthe rine Madame Vestris. mime, entiiled HARLEQUIN AND THE . AIERRIE DEVIL OF ED MONTON ; OR, THE G:r SEAT BED OF WARE. Wtih entirely .N OW Scenery. 3 lachinery, Dresses, and De coratis ms. Har.equin, Mr. C. J. Smith ' • Clown, Mr. T. Ridgway ; Pantaloon, Mr. Morelli ; Merrie Devil, Mr. Gibson ; and Co umbine, Miss Fair brother. Theodore, Mr. J. Vining; B latthias, Mr. W. Farren; Gim blet, Mr. Meadows ; The Bar oness de Serigny, Mrs. Orger ; Celine, Miss Lee; Midame G.imblet, Miss A. Taylor. Dress Boxes, 7s; St !cond P rice, 3s. 6d. ; First and Second Circles, , s. ; Second I' rice, as.. 6d. ; Pit, 3s. ; Second Price, as. ; Gallery, Is. Doors to be opened .at half—past Six—the performances to com-nence at Seven o'Clo. - 1. Tickets and places for the Be •xes to be taken of Mr. Notter, at the Box-office, from Ten tiE l Four, where Season Tickets may be had upon application. Private Boozes to be had solily of Mr. Andrews. bookseller 167, New Bo.cd-street. ROIAL I' THEATRE. In compliance -with the innurner able requests for the Revival of the Original " Jack Sheppard, that popular and extra ordinary Drart la will be acted: every Evening, with the Grand Comic Pantomime, which h as been witnessed by upwards of 100,000 Persoi is, and allowed to be the best in London. THIS EVENING, FEn..5, Will be .acted Ainsw•orth's Drama, entitled JACK S3EPPARD. Embodying all C.;uikshanks inimitable' Tableaux Vivans. To conclude with the New Grand Christmas Pantomime, called THE QUEEN BEE, OR HARLEQUIN AND GOODY TWO SHOES. The splendid Scenery L y Mr.. Brunning—The magnificent Diorama ,by Mr. P. Phillips. Columbine, Miss Sharpe ; Harlequin, Clown, Pantaloon, and Sprite, by the Bolero Family. Mosrs. Sams of St. James's -street ; Andrews, Ebers, and Mitchell, Bond-street ; and St •guin of Regent-street, Book sellers, are appointed to let Pr,Lvate and Public Boxes during the run of the Pantomime. kIIGH-WATEIt AT LONDON ,BRIDGE To- NIO RRO W. Morning...... sti in - mutes after 8 I Ev.cning...... :0 minutes after 42 MARRIAGE HER MAJESTY. HER MAJESTY'S MARRIAGE, IS OF. FICIALLY ANNOUNCED TO TAKE PLACE ON MONDAY NEXT, THE 10TH INSTANT. ON THAT AUSPICIOUS OCCASION, AS ON THAT OF THE CORONA TION, " THE SUN" WILL CONTAIN SOMETHING NEW. ORDERS FOR THE " NUPTIAL SUN" WILL BE RECEIVED BY ALL NEWS - AGENTS AND POSTMAS TERS THROUGHOUT THE KING DOM, AND AT " THE SUN" OFFICE, 112, STRAND, LONDON. Wednesday, Feb. 5, 1840. IL r . 'I v--...,.,,,-....,,,7, ~,n,... t., n .i.,.i...:kkt,,f,...,0,,,,, „ 40 . 4kv .."-, ~.. .t...,... th VTL LONDON: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1.810. The Earl of ABEEDELN last night announced his in tention of asking on Thursday what arc the intentions of Ministers as to the Kirk of Scotland. The Bishop of EXETER presented several petition; complaining of the progress of Socialism, though none of them brought any disorders or crimes home tliSocialists ; and Lord TEYNIIAM presented a petition from a lady declaring that Socialism had been misrepresented, and imploring inquiry. Lord BROUGHAM, in presenting petitions from Mr. nos"' and his companions, declared that the Fifteen Judges did not constitute a tribunal known to the law ; they were merely consulted, and sometimes in their dining hail after dinner. The Noble Lord presented a petition from the Sheriff; of London, detailing all the facts of their cause, and made 7. long speech on the subject of Privileges, in which his Lordship took a view hostile to the claims of the Commons, and indulged in some sarcasms on that assembly. It ended in nothing, as Lord MELBOURNE said their Lordships could not interfere. The Noble Viscount said it was impossible to mistake the nature of his Noble Friend's observations. _ _ Prince ALBERT'S Annuity Bill was brought up from the Commons. On that Bill the Tory Lords car. hardly display their animosity to her MAJESTY. Viscount MELBOURNE, in a neat speech, in which he pointed out the injustice which had been done to the Marquis WELLESLEY and Marquis HASTINGS, implying that by and bye the error of the similar injustice which is now done to Lord AUCKLAND would be seen, and in which he spoko in the most handsome terms of the Indian army, moved a vote of thanks to the Earl of AUCKLAND, to Lieu tenant-General KEANE, and the officers 'and men who had especially displayed such undaunted courage at the capture of Ghuznce. The Duke of WELLINGTON, reserving his opinion as to our Indian policy, cordially joined in the vote. The Noble Duke at the same time said, which will put an end to much calumny, that he had neve known an occasion in which the duties of Government had been performed in a way morer adapted to secure success. A compliment from the Duke of WELLINGTON, who spoke from experi ence, will be properly appreciated by Lord AUCKLAND, the Ministers, and even the misleading Tory scribes. The vote was carried unanimously, and ordered to be communicated to the Governor-General. The Bishop of EXETER moved an Address to the QUEEN, to cause an inquiry to be made into the diffu sion of blasphemous publications, and to take measures to prevent it. The Right Rev. PRELATE did not at all disguise his object, which he said at the end was to cause those blasphemous publications to bo prosecuted. He again entered, with a kind of " sociaphobia," into a long and bitter, and, we believe, exaggerated account of the Socialists and their doctrines ; and if he dis played his orthodoxy, he forgot his charity. He re ferred again to the Society which has been established at East Tytherley, Hants, and spoke of the sermons preached by the governor. To the Right Rev. Prelate, the So cialists feel deeply indebted for the notice he has taken of them. Their doctrines have all at once become extremely popular, and the Right Rev. Prelate will find that he has stimulated curiosity to a most extra ordinary degree. 'Whether or not, it will again seek to rest, and whether the public mind will ever again silently acquiesce in the doctrines taught by the Church, time must show. Men will not now, however, be frightened by unthinking accusations of blasphemy, and we have already heard persons say that they see nothing in the doctrines and conduct of the Socialists so reprehensible as a truculent priest exciting per secution for a difference of opinion. Nor will her Majesty's Ministers lose by the Bishop of EXETER'S attack on the Socialists. It has convinced many of their opponents that from it alone can they look for any protection, though it may even be a feeble protection, against furious persecution ; and they will do all which lies in their power to strengthen it so that it may be able to withstand all the would-be per secutors and inquisitors of the age. The Marquis of NORMANDY entered into an explanation concerning Mr. PARE, stated what he had recently heard of the Socialists, and announced that some of their publications were now under the conside ration of the Law-officers of the Crown. The Archbishop of CANTERBURY expressed his horror at the rapid growth of Socialism. Vicount MELBOURNE believed the opinions of the Socialists to be dangerous, but he doubted the pro priety of the course their Lordships were pursuing. He would not, however, oppose the motion. The Duke of WELLINGTON spoke as if he thought the people would be weaned from their presumed errors by being told that their Lordships were not of their opinion, and that their Lordships' law would punish them if they violated it. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE wisely said that cxpe rienco would do more to undeceive the_Soci alists than the Attorney-General. The Bishop of LONDON took a similar view to the Bishop of EXETER, and held up Alderman BARMER . S paper, the Weekly DiBpatch, as peculiarly deserving the notice of her M:ijesty's Attar ncy-General. The Address, after a few - words from Lord A KJ BURTON, who seemed to think any kind of merriment in company, and even dancing, a sin, and who appears in clined to make the stately and isolated dignity of a Bishop or Peer the rul3 for all other men, was agreed to, and orderei to ,he presented to her Majesty by the Lords with white sta wes. At hall-past ten their Lord ships adjourned. In the Commons, too, petitions were presented for and against Socialism, including one from Mr. PARE praying for inquiry. Sir ROBERT INa las p;ave notice, that on the 18th instant, he would m( we a resolution that it is the duty of the House to pros ide further means of religious in struction for the pee . plc, through the medium of the Established Church. There were ironical cheers at the announcement—w ell there might be. More Church is one of the Tory nc% strums. The motion will open up the whole question, a nd not a few Members will take the opportunity of ant tiling the Church. The time when it was an effective 3 teacher of the people is gone by, and other meth ea Is ought now to be adopted. At present the news i na pers are the teachers of the people. The Church cannot compete with the Press, and if the Legi dature wishes to have the people well taught, it must s+ r+ about placing proper persons to guide the Press. How it can accomplish that we know not ; but if Sir I lOBERT INGLIS cannot control the Press, he will not a ucceed by multiplying parsons. Perhaps it is proposei 1 to place the Press in their hands, or perhaps to pla) ce one of them in every family. More Church—which :means more Priests—however, we are to have, if Sir ROBERT INGLIS can succed. Mr. FROST and his companions were the subject of two questions in the C, unmons, which only elicited the information that they ! bad been sent from Monmouth. Mr. GALLY KNIGH a complained of some Post office irregularities. Mr. LABOUCHERE dc ;dined saying what Government meant to do about colUee which is imported from fo reign colonies into Britis h colonies, and then imported as British produce, by ii 'hick the duties are evaded. Mr. BURTON 1-10.1Y4 ,RD, and his defiance of the House was again the si Abject of a brief conversation, which ended in a motion t being agreed to ordering him to be taken into custody . Mr. SLANEY brought :the discontent of the people in populous districts under the notice of the House, by moving for a Committee to inquire into and provide such remedies as are wi thin the wisdom of Parliament. We have not space now to notice, as it deserves, this interesting subject. _ _ _ Mr. S. O'RIEN see tonded the motion. The ob servations of Lord JOHN .RUSSELL, showing on what he relies, and what has I )een done in London, are worthy of attention. Some objections were made to the form of Mr. SLANE Y'S motion, and that it included the political cause of the discontent, which Lord JOHN RUSSELL alluded to. A. (ter a very brief discussion for such an important matte r, compared to the privilege question, Mr. SLANEY withdrew his motion. Mr. PAKINGTON obtaki led leave to bring in a Bill to regulate beer-houses. Mr. HERRIES postpor ted his motion on the Public Income and Expenditure Bill to Thursday se'nnight. Sir EARDLEY WILMO: P obtained leave to bring in a Bill to authorise summary convictions in cases of larceny, and also to authorise the Trustees of Free Grammar Schools to enlarge the system of education. Mr. VERNON SMITH btained leave to bring in a Bill to extend to the West India Colonies the Pas sengers' Act. In the course of the conversation which ensued, Lord JOHN RUSSELL st tted that the attempt to in- troduce the Hill Coolics in Demerara had not suc ceeded, and it was not advisable to give permission to remove them thither. Ito was of a different opinion as to the Mauritius, and hoped to be able to relax the provisions of the Order of Council as to the Mauritius. The Noble Lord hinted at appointinc , a Protector for the Hill Coolies, but he tlid not intend t to bring in any Bill on the subject. Mr. Sergeant TALrour.:D, in a few words, moved for leave to bring in a Bill to e xtend the law of copyright Mr. WAKLET went at a 3me length into the princi ples of the subject, and rn.ovcd as an amendment the appointment of a Commit tee to inquire into the law of copyright. Mr. HUME and Mr. 'WARBURTON supported the amendment. Mr. Sergeant TALFOUR .D and Sir ROBERT INGLIS opposed it. After a brief conversatio o, in which Mr. LABOUCHERE recommended that the lii II should bo referred to a Se lect Committee on a suLssequent stage, otherwise he must oppose it, The House divided ott Mr. Sergeant TALYOURD'S motion, which was carried by 75 to 52, and leave given to bring in the Bill. Mr. GILLON obtained `leave to bring in a Bill to re gulate the licensing of b ouces for the sale of spirits in Scotland. The Bill was ;brought in and read a first time. Mr. LABOUCHERE postponed his motion tor a Bill to regulate Steam Navigati ion, and obtained leave to bring in a Bill to establish B onding Warehouses in certain inland towns. It was br ought in and read a first time. A Committee was ap; ,ointed to investigate the Pri vilege question, en the m otion of Lord JOHN RUSSELL. it was after 12 o'clock. when the SPEAKER called on M. BROTHERTON to Mato his motion relative to busi ness not commencing af ccr [2 o'clock, which he then properly declined to do, so setting a good example of the practice he wishes to see b ecome the rule of the House. The House sat till :twenty minutes before One o'clock. One of-the most serious charges made against the Ministers, by theTori , 3s, during the No-Confidence debate, and one of which the correctness cannot, unhappily, be dallied, is that there exists wide spread discontent amort,gst the people, that strange doctrines pervade the masses, and the Ministers have not taken any severe methods to allay th discontent or substitute truth for error. It is na turally to be expected tl rat the Tories, having had sagacity sufficient to ascertain these facts, proceeded in a philosophical, statesman-like manner, t) point out the causes of evils 'which continually threaten the peace and safety of siociety, and to demonstrate that their system of policy would be an effectual cure. They did no sucl r thing. They asserted, indeed, that the conduct of the Ministers caused the di;scontent, but they shrunk from giving any proof of their assertion. They are the last men to propose an inquiry into . the causes of that discontent, because they know it would end in acquitting the Ministers and convict ing themselves. What has been the great outcry of the people ? A goad day's wages for a fair day's work. What has been, and is the deep seated and wide-spread. ✓cause of their discontent ? The impossibility of getting a good day's wages for a fair day's work. What are the causes of this ? Excessive and misplaced taxation, which :spares the rich and crushes the poor ; monstrous restrictions on industry and taxes on food to enrich the idle, which both diminish the effective demand for labour, and greatly curtail its rewards. What had the Whigs to do with imposing these taxes, or with making these unjust laws? Nothing. They protested against them. The Tories are the authors of them ; the Tories know that an inquiry into the public discontent would bring home this enormous guilt to them, and there fore they were careful not to propose any inquiry into its cause. What did they suggest to cure it? Sir ROBERT PEEL gave a somewhat elaborate account of his own intentions. The larger half of his speech was occupied with an explanation of his proposed policy ; and what method did he suggest to get rid of this public disconteut? He avowed himself an advocate of the Corn-lvws, and, like Sir JAWS GaAHAM, an opponent of every thing like Ex tension of the Suffrage. He will keep up and ex tend the Church, and he will stint and oppress the masses. He declared that he was for the policy which drives them mad ilith hunger and insult ; and he would seize the Government, to make it, more than at present, the enemy and oppressor of the unenfranchised multitude. Boldly and unflinchingly he avowed himself the advocate of the aristocracy and the enemy of the de mocracy. To soothe the discontent, he proposes to put an end to hope, and constitute the Govern ment on the basis of one-fifth of the nation. He is to govern for the sake of the landlords and the priests. Such is the panacea which he and the Tories have for the most appalling public discon tent which has ever been known in Great Britain. As the Tory system is the cause of the mischief, Sir ROBERT PEEL shows his complete unfitness now to administer the national affairs by proposing to cure our evils by strengthening their cause. He might by such means ultimately effect a complete cure, but it must he by mighty desolation and wide spread death. We are not amongst those who believe that the remedies proposed by the Whigs will cure the public evils. At the same time they propose some alleviations. As Mr. O'CONNELL said, they keep alive hope. They would repeal Corn-laws. They do not profess to rely wholly on coercion. They would do something both to relieve distress and extend the franchise, if the Tories would allow them. They waill soothe the ill-temper and sup ply the wa the people, were it not for the Tory landlords. The contrast between what the Whigs allow us to hope for, and what the Tories would do, as the latter shadowed forth their policy in the late debate, will be of im mense advantage to the Whigs throughout the country. All the friends of progressive reform— without which there can be no security—all the friends of public peace and of public safety,—which can only be insured by teaching the people to expect relief from the Government, must hence forth rally round the Whigs. The policy of Sir ROBE:3.T PEEL would increase discontent, and aggravate it by despair : it would add to the dis tress of the people, and would be the parent of strife, revolution, and anarchy. We heartily re joice that we are saved from the Tories. The reported blockade of the Tagus by the British fleet, the announcement of which by Senhor CELESTINO SOARES, in the Portuguese Chamber of Deputies, on the IBth ult., which so electrified that body, turns out to be a clumsy cad ridiculous invention of the slave trade faction in Lisbon. By way of clencher to such a statement Senhor C. SOARES added that a Portuguese vessel, sailing out of the Tagus with regular papers was chased for three days by an English ship of war and only escaped being captured by her superior speed. Unfortunately for the veracity of the Hon. Deputy there happens not to be a syllable of truth in the latter any more that there was in the former statement. The only foundation for it was that on the day the Oriente, the Portuguese vessel reported to have been chased, left the Tagus, the British brig of war the Espoir, conveyed the Admiral down the river as far es Fort St. Julian, and returned irrnmediately ; and the ac cidental circumstance of the two vessels going down the river on the same day, gave rise to the exciting fabrica tion about the three days' chase. The following letter from the commander of the Espoir, now in the Tagus, to the Editor of the Diario do Govern°, the official Journal, dated the 22d ult., sets this question completely at rest : " Mr. Elitor,—Perusing the Correio of the 20th inst., I perceive therein a speech made on the 18th, in the Chamber of Deputies, by Sen. Celestino Soares, one of the members of that Chamber, in which he states that he is not surprised that the port of Loanda should be block aded by the English, when the Tagus itself is so ; and that when a Portuguese vessel left Lisbon a brig of war chased her for three days outside the bar, and if she was not cap tured, it was owing to the superior sailing of the Portu guese vessel. " Her Britannic Majesty's brig Espoir, which I have the honour to command, is the only brig which has been on this station from the 15th December 1838, to the be ginning of December, 1839 ; th ere f ore I beg you will do me the favour to give my contradiction to the above state ment in your paper. " I remain, Mr. Editor, your obedient humble servant, "JOHN T. PAULSON, Lieut., Commander." If the slave trade advocates in the Chamber of Depu ties are thus proved to be unworthy of credit with re spect to occurrences in the Tagus, haw can they have the face to claim reliance upon the statements of what has taken place at Angola? In the list of innocent Portuguese merchantmen chased by the British schoo ners of 'wqr we recollect reading .in the Nacional of the 20th ult. the name of the Ulysses, laden with spices. That vessel has been actually captured, and for the edi fication of our Lisbon ConteMporary we shall subjoin the account of the capture as reported in the St. Jago de la Vega ,Gazette_. of the ; , 14th of December. Our readers will see from it what our Lisbon Contempo raries designate a carg6 of spice : EVEN ENG EDII I lON'. MONEY and COMMERCIAL NEWS. CITY, T WEL T 7 F. 0' CL 0C K. The following important Circular on the State of our commercial relations with China, has just been received. Captain Elliot Feems destined to bring disgrace on the En glish name in the East, and mismanage evcry transaction in which he engages : C031347aL CIRCULAR.—Ship Fort William. Hong Kong Bay, Sept. 3. Dear Sir.—We have had the pleasure of addressing you, through our circular from Macao, under date of Aug. 24th, wherein we informed you of the uncertainty of the British being much longer permitted to remain at that settlement, in conse quence of the pi ivations and threats from the Chinese authorities to which the Portuguese were becoming almost daily exposed by our protracted residence among them, and that as a prepara tory step towards a removal, we had already sent our books on shipboard for better security. New and threatening edicts having shortly after been issued by the Commissioner, chiefly directed against the British, a large body of troops having also assembled in the vicinity, for the avowed purpose of expell ing the English, it became apparent that an early with drawal from slacao was necessary for their safety ; and ac cordingly on the 26th of August the whole of the British community were embarked on board vessels in the Tyra, with the intention of removing to this anchorage. 'hie first use which this force was applied to was a joint attack by the frigate's pennace, attended by the Superintendent's yacht and a private armed schooner, upon three unoffending junks, anchored in Couloon Bay, in the immediate neighbour hood of tke anchorage, on the alleged ground that they, by their presence, deterred the country people from bringing down fresh provisions for the fleet, which, after an irregular light of some hours' duration, ended in disabling one of the junks, and the loss of many Chi nese , i nc l u di ng a Madarin of rank. An act of aggression, in as much as it was wholly unprovoked, admits of no palliation, the object sought only not having been obtained, but compelled to be relinquished, by the ultimate retreat of the English before the Chinese. This affair excited, as might be supposed, an universal feeling of regret and dis satisfaction, as calculated to excite the bad feelings of the na tives against us, and as leading to no possible good. The setsond use to which her Majesty's ship Volage has been appointed was that of imposing, at the requisition of her Ma jesty's Superintendent, a sudden blockade of the river and port of Canton on the following grounds—( which appeared in last Saturday's Paper). On the 19th ins'ant it was resolved, by a large majority, " That considering by public edicts all protection had been withdrawn from us by the Chinese Government, supplies of food stopped, and the vv.,ter on shore attempted to be poisoned, considering also the severe and sanguinary orders issued against our persons, and the menaced attacks on the fleet by fire ships, we may consider ourselves on an enemy's coast, and many policies of insurance effected in India and China, not covering risks from acts of the Chinese Government, it was imperative of the British merchants to consider the best means of placing in better security the large fleet and immense amount of property now assembled at the anchorage, pending a reopening of th e t ra d e , an d th a t a deputation of Ihreo persons from the meeting now assembled be akointed to confer with her Majesty's Superintendent and the chaplain of her Majesty's ship Votage, on the subject; and Ito enter 'generally on the precarious and extraordinary po sition in which our interests are placed by resent events.' As one of the parties deputed, we regret to be compelled to record that the interview was far from satisfactory (Captain Elliott persisting that the interests at stake justified him in withholding the full nature and objects of the alleged nego ciations, all that could be extracted from her Majesty's Super intendent was, that the object of the negot'ations was the opeiling_ of the lawful trade outside the rogue • that the com munication was made direct from hi m t o the Chinese Go . velment, but that he does net consider it expedient at pre sent to - afford information as to the party through whom the communication is made, or whether the Imperial Commis sioner acknowledges the existence of the negotiation. Our own impression is, that the negotiation in question, or rather overture for one, has been attempted through the Go vernor of Macao. This document is signed BELL and COP. THE FUNDS. Consols opened this morning at the quotations they left off yesterday, 9lh i for Money • 91i for the Account, with scarce any business doing; Exchequer Bills 10-12 prem. ; India Bonds par 2 6 prem. ; Bank Stock 1791; India Stock 249 250. Most all the Foreign Exchanges were lower yesterday after noon, and a scarcity of bills prevailed in the market. In the Foreign Market most of the prices are as they closed yeSterday. Spanish Active shade better, 263 3 ; Passive, 63 -7,.; 'Dtiferred, 12i e; Portuguese, 341 5 ; Three-per-Cents., 231; 24; Columbian, 27i ; Mexican, 294 1; Dutch Two-and-a half pei• Cents., 521 i ; Five per Cents., 1001 101. PatICES OF SHARES Thad DAY" AT ONE O'CLOCK. Paid. ' Per Share. British Iron Company united Mexican (issued at 2/. pin.) Bristol and Exeter Railway Company 4O 16 London and Birmingham Railway Company , 110 157 North Midland Railway Company 35 Ditto New lO 15% Australasia Bank Ditto New * 1 1) Union Bank of Austr a li a Aisam Company 5 6% 6 COURSE OF EXCHANGE YEzTiERII.AY. ......C.!''. 12 5 ......... Ditto. at sight /2 2 Lec•v_rorn ........ Rotterdam *) U. 12 5% 1 .. .. Antwerp.. 419..• H.Amburg. 1 ........... ........ 12% :,„plea.., • . ..... . Paris, 3 days' 5ight........ t - 25 40 - :rater - no ................pei 1 .11. :•234 Ditta.,..... ........ ...3 Ms. I 5 70 1..i31,nn ~....... ..........,. 5 , Ws:elites. Bourdeaux Frankfort on Maims, E i.. M. 150% 1 3aPi4...........—..................... V 6 PcsPrshusgh, ruble... 3 Us. 37h Stsen. - .I Ayics .................... —, Berlin Vienna, effective ii... 3 M 10 5 phija,k.oria ~... ~..,... in rritsto ditto !0 7 rttiC"...'. sit 8Z.A.L.L...? N._pe. OZ• Madrid 36 , 4 eortu,a. I iv -21, z9tn.......tfl p. 4 Cadiz..... 3O • 1 ry.T.gri (4..1 ..• cmie.„ ,1. ; Gilboa ..... - Il r 0 Bnrcelana tkville 'A Sliver _.. i. 171 .{....••.... C I 0 0 lIALF-PAST ONE. We ;have received accounts from the Brazils, though not of a later date than previously received. They possess some interest : " The last news from Santa-Catharina is to the 17th No-- vember, stating that the advanced guard of t he rebels bad been defeated at Eneantaila, by the forces of Colonel Fernando, who already occupicti Villanora, and Morio de Jacque, which is one league from Laguna. Nothing of importance had taken place at Rio Grande and Porto- A llegre. The Augsburg Gazette has accounts from Constantinople that Prince Kamram of llerat, celebrated for the defence of his capital against the Persians, has acknowledged the supre macy'of the Shah of PerAia. LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, TUESDAY.—The sales to day are 2,500 bags, at our last quotations. Owing to there having been so few arrivals this morning, and no Colonial news of consequence, little b us i ness h as b een done in the British market, and Consols .nay be quoted as in the early part of the day, 91* a for the Account ; for Money 9l %; Exchequer Bills 10 12 prem. ; India Bonds 3 prem. par. ; Bank /Stock, 178, 1 India Stock, 249 k. In the Foreign Market the only transaction worth noticing is Spanish Active, which has improved in consequence of their coming higher from Paris, and may be quoted at 26k 4 ; De ferred, 12k ; Portuguese, 34 35 ; Three per Cents., 234; Colombian, 27a ; Mexican, 29 ; Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents. nothing done ; Five per Cents, 100 g. Money not quite so plentiful this morning in the House, bet , out of it easy. CLOSING PRICES. sztrristi FUNDS Rank Stock 17814 India Stack 249% 3 per Cent Ned 9I % Ditto Bonds 3 1 :,r Cent Cciv. (ll%' Ditto Old Annuities -- 3! , 4 per Cent, Rcd - New 3 1 ,4 per Cent , 9 4:3 , ;. Billy, I MU/ 'A 12 10' Nen , 5 per Cent — I Ditto , 500/ --_.......1L' PI n; Long Annuities to expire I Ditto Smat I Jan. 1!;:f;' 1 - Oct 1559 Jan ISCO ..... FORERIN FUNDS Austrian, 5 per cent — Portuguese Bonds, sper cent. —^ , Belgian, 5r 2; cent — Ditto, New Ditto Brazilian Bonds ' Prussian, 5 per cent ,, BUCIIO3 Ayres, 6 per cent — R uss i an B on d s , 5 p ar cen t . ...114N (Milian, 6 rer cen 4 — Ditto, Metallic - Colcmh:a» ' 6 per cent 25 Spanish, 5 per cent --_, Ditto, '524 — Ditto, D e f erre d Danish, 3 pe; ma' ... 77 1 4 Frenen, sper cent. —f.- - -e Greek Bo • ~N!,. i 52,% fine , : c.;. Exchange —f. --c Me:, icak, 5,7 r cent. - Di. -- to,(i •ler i.csif6., 1825 — Dutch, 214 par cent. 50 Pei a 7il-".” '525 ; G per cent 165 Ditto, 5 per cent. 101134 SEA Iristol and Exeter Eastern Counties Hallway Great Western Ca•lwav . l7 Ditto New Shaves.. London and Eri: , ,htoit its i iwty... London and Bla::kwall Ilvilwav London and Birmingnam railway ILI Ditto Quarter Shares .. Ditto New Share• North Midland [1 ;ilwav Ditto New Shr_res IZ%. CAPTURE OF ANOTHER SLAVER. On Thursday last, her Majesty's schooner Skipjack, Lieut. Wright, brought into this "port the• Portuguese brigantine Ulysses, slaver, with 529 slaves on board, which she captured off the Isle of Pines, on Sunday last, after a chase of twelve hours, from three in the morning till four in the afternoon. The slaver made to the shore with an intention of running her high and dry, in which the partly succeeded, and tore the copper from the bows in several places. An attempt had also been made to cause the masts to go by the board, and the main was so much cut and injured, as to cause the captors to fish it near the deck. Several marks of the hatchet also appeared on the foremast, but the time did not serve for this purpose. The master, Fernandez, a Portuguese, it seems, escaped with eighteen passengers, chiefly captains of captured slavers, and six negroes. It seems Fernandez had taken with him about 8 000 dollars, which was ascertained by bills of parcels, and other documents left on board. To the sordid slave-traffickers of Portugal no smell is so aromatic as that of gold, and hence a cargo of 529 slaves is designated a cargo of spice. But they will soon find it a losing game. The resolution of Great Britain to put down this infamous traffic, at all hazards, is not to be shaken by the threats of Poi tuguesc men-stealers ; and though the cost of the suppression mny make a large item in the Navy. Esti mates of this country, it will not be grudged by a people who have made so many sacrifices in the cause of humanity. Nor will the expense be wholly lost. We shall improve the discipline of our marine, and in a school sacred to the liberty of the human race, rear up a race of naval heroes, to shed lurtre upon the future annals of Old England. The French Journals of Friday have all been re cei vcd. They bring very little news of any general in terest. The National, which is always snarling about England, has an article on Scriber CELESTINO SOARE'S speech in the Portuguese Chamber of Deputies against the activity of our marine in putting down the slave trade, which is as ill-natured as it is calumnious. Hav ing already put an extinguisher upon the incendiary blaze emitted by the slave trade orator of Portugal, we shall not stoop to notice the nonsensical ribaldry of the National. The Constilutionnel devotes a couple of columns to the marriage of Queen VICTORIA, and the curious position in which Prince ALBERT will be placed as the husband of her MAJESTY. That the position of the Prince will be the reverse of enviable, is the general opinion in France. Of the progress the electoral Reform question is making some idea may be formed from the fact that 947 petitions have been presented from the inhabitants of the department ofthe Sarthe alone, praying for an exten sion of the suffrage. The following news from Af'riea includes what little else there is in these Journals : The Algerine Moniteur of the 25th January has reached us to-day. It contains in its official part the following do cument : GENERAL ORDER Head-quaff ters, Algiers, Jan. 20, 1840. The territory of the province of Algiers shall be placed under the command of a General Officer, who shall cor respond directly with the Marshal Commander•in-Chicf, and shall have under his orders, 1. The fortress of Algiers and the forts depending on it. 2. The troops comprislng the garrison of Algiers and the forts. 3. The corps out of the line. 4. The depot of the corps stationed in the province. The authority of the Commandant of th 4 territory shall extend successively to all the parts of the province where the troops of the divisions shall cease to be cantoned. The Commandant of the fortress of Algiers shall have under his immediate orders the corps out of the line, and shall exercise over them all the authority of the chief of a corps. The authority of the Commandant of the province of Algiers shall be purely military, and shall not extend in any manner to the civil service. There shall be for the corps of troops assembled in the province of Algiers only two Councils of War and one Council of Revisal, which shall sit at Algiers, and tho members of which shall be nominated by the Commandant of the territory. The general officers commanding the divisions and the reserve, and the chiefs of the several branches of the ser vice, will therefore address to the Commandant of the ter ritory the complaints against ;the military who are to be put on their trial. That general officers will refer those complaints to the reporter of the Council, who will take cognizance of them, and will direct him to proceed. In the provinces of Constantine and Oran, whatever be the number of divisions organised, there shall likewise be only two Councils of War and one Council of Revisal in each province. The members of these Councils shall be nominated by the Commandant of the province, to whom the complaints shall be addressed, in the form above pointed out. The Marshal of France, Governor. General of Algeria, Count VALLEE Major-General Corbin is appointed Commandant of the territory of the province of Algiers. The same number of the Algerine Moniteut says— No important event has taken place this week in the pro.. vinee of Algiers. Abd-el-Kader's troops are still at the foot of the southern side of Mount Atlas. The boats from Oran and Bona have arrived at Algiers. They bring no important news from those two provinces, where all was quiet when they left. Feb. 3.—The Moniteur has now official part.—Le Constitutionnel. AUSTRIAN FUNDS.—Vinnkra, JAN. 25 rive per Cents. Metalliques • 109% Four per Cents. Three par Cents. Bank Shares Zatung, Jars_ 30. HAMBURG 80112. EN HALLE, JAN. 31. Bills. Meney. Austrian 5 pa . Cents. Bank Shares 1685 1680 _ _ ~.... An,lo-Russian Loan lll% 108! ‘ 101% 104 103% —.. '' ' Cent. Hop: and Co. :Id and 4th Rustian 5 per :e i r st C se en i t i 2 ,, st series, Certificate IN -- I n n u , " r i l 4 ri n tio s i i i &tics D Ditto in Certificates Dutch Actual Debt, 2% pe Cent Ditto s per Cent.. ..... . Polish Bondi ... 143 New I icket In 156% Anglo.. Danish Loan, 3 per Cent Norwegian Loan, 1834, 4 per Cent — 101 Spanish, New 3 per Cents. EXCHANGES o'4 LONDON. Mamma, JAN. 31.-13. 7—Two months, 13 b. 15 r: WAN, JAN. 28. —Three months, 6. 21, SrocKnotm, JAN. 21 —Seventy-live days, 11. 42. PETHRSNUAO/1, JAN. 2:.—Two months, 38% 11-10, A CituEL CASE.---011 Monday an application to be discharged on sureties was made in the Insolvent Debtors' Court on the part of a lady named Jones, who is at present in Presteigne gaol. The insolvent was in custody under singular circumstances. She bad brought an action for the seduction of her daughter, and on the trial was nonsuited, on the ground that her husband was living at the time of the s eduction. She was in prison for the costs so incurred, and her only other cre ditor was for her own costs in the sante action. The Court allowed the bail, and ordered the insolvent to be liberated until the 2d March, the day appointed for her hearing. SILVER TEA and COFFEE SERVICES. Drawings of the newest patterns, will be forwarded to an/ part of the country, in answer to a paid letter, with full parti culars of size, weight, and price ; or Purchasers will And & most extensive assortment of the Silver Services in the Sho w Rooms. Either Tea-pot, Sugar Basin, Cream Ewer or Cone" pot, may be had separately. T. COX SAVORY, Silversmith, &c., 47, Cornhill (Seven doors from Gracechurch- street), L•ndon. SHEFFIELD MADE PLATED DISH C ,°4, VERS.—A. B. SAVORY and SONS, Goldsmiths, No. i Csselection,Li n o n th d e o i n r , s opposite m tl: 7 e a Bank a o r f ae n v g a l r a i e n t d y , osubmitE, n f FIELD SILVER-PLATED DISH COVERS, from Fif teen Guineas the set ; they have sliver ed ges an d h andles, ant' silver shields for engraving the crest or coat of arms. Double Dome Pattern. The Melon Pattern • Size. £ s. (1. Size. £ d. 1 Plated Dish Covers, 20 in. 5 13 1 , 1 Plated Dish Cover, 20 in. 5 ' „ Dish Cover, 18 in. 47(i I , Dish Cov e r, 18 in. 4 14 2 „ D '„ Dish Covers, 14 in. 512 0 2 Dish Covers,l4 in. 6f 0 Per Set £ls 13 0 Per Set Xi . ' '" 4 Plated Curri e or H as h Dishes Seven Guineas the Set. - Price Current, Stamped as a Newspaper, containing drawil and every i n f ormat i on relative to the purchase of silver or field plate, may be had on application, or will be sent into t"' country, free of posta.e in answer to a paid letter. B R On the 22d u l t., at High I TB .7. -street, Pontypool, the wife of 3- 1 ' Richard Greenway, of a son. On the lst inst., at Upper Glocester-place, the lady of Cal"' tain John Paterson, Hon. Company's Service, of a daughter . On the 2d inst., Mrs. Calvert Toulmin, Lodge-place, B e. gent's park, of a daughter. MARRIED. On the 30th ult., at the Catholic Chapel, and afterwards st St. John's, Waterloo-road, Mr Michael Clark, of Limeric ir k , to Adele Cusack, youngest daughter of the late Richard Cusa` e Kearney, Esq., of Dublin. On the 21st of November , at the Cape of Good Hope , bi special license, at Westbrook , ROndeboseh, the house of Lie t , nant-Colonel Low, C. 8., Resident of Lucknow, Li c utenow Colonel N. Alves, of the Madras army, and agent to the Go' vernor-General for the states of Rawootansh, and Cont ols ; sioner of Ajmere, to Emily Elizabeth Eleanor, eldest (laug h° e of the late William Dodd Greaves, Esq., surgeon, of the 5,0, " army. I) 1 le 11 On the 31st ult., in his sth year, of croup, in the short 511 co of twenty.four hours, Thomas James, only son of Mr. 112° . i ti o as G r eenway, Pontnewynidd I nn , near Pontypool. His prec°_..l i o ideas and engaging dispositi on h a d endeared him t') all knew him. .On the 29th ult., at Brighto n , M rs. D ar b y, re li ct of %oh Darby, Esq., late of Woburn-place and Hampstead -he aged 84. On the 29th ult., in Lo n d on , C aptain Wesley Doy l e , late the Ordnance barrack department. Robin - On the 30th ult., Ma r y A nn, the wife of Mr. Edwin son, of Aldgate, aged 39. of London: Printed and Published by AfTIRDO No. 11'2, Strand, at The Sun (Mee, No. 112, Strand ' county of Middlesex , -Wednesday, February 5, 1440. .1 I