The Sun. — London, England, 1847-03-23 00:00:00

Uttition SUN OFFICE, Seven o' Clock RAILWAY COMNIITFEES. (THIS DAY.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. GROUP I. The Select Committe appointed to consider the merits of the Bills comprised in this Group, assembled in Room 30, at the usual hour, this morning, Lord Granville Somerset in the chair. THZ SOUTH-EASTERN SCHEME.% Mr. Bidder's cross-examination was continued. He was cross• examined by Mr. Hope, Mr. Paget, and Mr. Gregory, on the petitions of landed proprietors; and by Sir Walter Riddell on behalf of the wardens of the King's Ferry, on the River Swale, who complained that their interests would be seriously interfered with by the proposed North Kent line to Sheerness. Mr. Bidder was re-examined at considerable length by Mr. ALEXANDER, in the course of which it was elicited that as between London and Alford the cost of the works on the Brighton line would be 250,C00/. more than that of the South-Eastern. The interest of that sum would pay for the locomotive power between Tonbridge and London. He was no advocate for bad gradients where better could be got; they were always expensive and incon venient. For instance, had the Brighton line been made along, the valley it might have been a little longer, but it would have cost less, while the superior gradients would have admitted of the journey to Brighton being per furmed in less time than on the direct line. With regard to gradients there was no comparison between the South-Eastern and the Brighton schemes. Those of the former were immeasurably the best, and as a necessary con. sequence would cost the least and be worked the cheapest. On such an occasion as the Derby day he had no doubt the Brighton Company would be glad to use the South-Eastern Croydon line, in order to avoid the New Cross incline of 1 in 100. _ _ _ -- - —. The Committee adjourned at four till twelve o'clock on Thursday. GROUP XII. This Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock, the Hon. Mr. S. Lascelles in the chair. All the other members were present. NEWMARKET AND CHESTERFORD RAILWAY EXTENSION. Mr. HILDYA-SD summed up his evidence on behalf of this scheme at great length, contending that it possessed far greater general advantages that the competing scheme. Mr. CALVEZT then replied on behalf of the Lynn and Ely Extensions. At the close of the Learned Gentleman's address, the room was cleared for a division. On the admission of the parties, The CHAIRMAN stated that the Committee had decided the preamble of the following Bills to be proved : Newmarket and Chesterford Railway (Extension to That jord). Newmarket and Chesterford (Extension to Bury St. Ed mund's, &c.) Newmarket and Chesterford Railway Act Amendment, &c. And that the preamble of the following Bills were not proved : Lynn and Ely (Extension to Bury St. Edmund's). Ipswich and Bury St. Edmund's (No. 2) (Newmarket and El lps y). wich and Bury St. Edmund's (No. 3) (Bury to Thet ford). The Committee then adjourned till Friday next, for the consideration of the clauses. STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE (THIS DAY.) The Committee met this day at the usual hour for the dis. patch of public business. EDINBUURGH AND PERTH RAILWAY. This was the only case which was called before the atten tion of the Committee. The entire day was occupied in the examination of witnesses. Much interest was evinced to know the decision of the Committee, but it is generally believed that another day will be spent in the further inves tigation of the merits of the case. The Committee adjourned a little before five o'clock. BANK OF ENGLAND, (THIS DAY.) A General Court of this Company was held to-day at the Board Room, to determine whether, in addition to the dividend of 3/. 10s. per cent. for the year ending the sth of April next, a bonus out of the interest-profits be made of one per cent. out of the capital stock of the corporation. There were present the Governor, Deputy- Governor, and a large number of the directors. The advertisement convening the court having been read, the ballot was immediately commenced, but did not terminate till after four o'clock. The scrutineers then made their report, which stated that 253 of the corporation had voted, of which 196 were for the affirmation of the report, and 57 against it. The Court then separated. SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY.—(THIS DAY.) A meeting of the proprietors and shareholders of the above company was held this day at the Nine Elms Sta tion at Vauxhall. The Chair was taken at one o'clock by Mr. Chaplin. The SECRETARY having read the advertisement con vening the meeting, The CIIAIRMAN said that the meeting had been called according to Lord Wharncliffe's Act fur confirming the resolutions which they had previously adopted with re gard to certain Bills in Parliament. The solicitor would read to them the various Bills to be submitted for their consideration. The SOLICITOR then read the titles and preambles of the Acts, which were agreed to, a 3 follows : A Bill to amend the Acts relating to the London and South-Western Railway, and to enable the London and South-Western Railway Company to increase their capital, and to complete various arrangements with i other companies, and undertakings, and for other pur- poses. A Bill to enable the London and South •Western Railway Company to widen and improve the London and South- Western Raiiway from the junction thereof with the Richmond Railway to the terminus at Nine Elms, and to enlarge their intended station at the York road, Lambeth. A Bill to enable the London and South-Western Rail way Company to make railways from Andover to join their Salisbury Branch Railway at Michaelmarsh, and f.om the same branch at Romsey, to join the South ampton and Dorchester Railway at Redbridge, all in the county of Southampton, to be called " The Andover and Southampton Junction Railway." A Bill to enable the London and South-Western Rail-. way Company to make a railway from Salisbury to Yeovil, with branches to Shaftei bury and Wincanton, and to the Exeter, Yeovil, and Dorchester and Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railways • and to purchase or lease the said Exeter, Yeovil, and Dorchester Railway. A Bill to enable the London and South-Western Rail way Company to make a railway from Blandford, in the county of Dorset, to Briton, in the county of Somerset. A Bill for making a railway from Exeter to Yeovil, with branches and extensions therefrom, to bo called " The Exeter, Yeovil, and Dorchester Railway." A Bill to amend the Exeter and Exmouth Railway Act, 1846; and to enable the London and South-Western Railway Company to subscribe towards lease, or pur chase the said railway. A Bill to enable the London and South-Western Rail way to make Railways from Exeter to Truro and Ply mouth, with various branches therefrom, to be called " The Cornwall and Devon Central and Plymouth Railwy." A Bill for improving and regulating the Harbour of Sutton Pool, within the Port of Plymouth, in the county of Devon. A Bill to enable the Taw Vale Railway and Dock Company to lease their undertaking to the London and South-Western Railway Company. A Bill for making a deviation in the line of the Taw Vale Railway, for making branches therefrom to the towns of Bideford and South Molton, for enlarging the dock, and amending the Acts relating thereto. A Bill for enabling the London and South-Western Railway Company to make extensions of the Guildford Extension and Portsmouth and Fareham Railway, near Portsmouth ; and a deviation in the authorised line thereof, near Godalming. A Bill for authorising the sale of part of the Brighton and Chichester (Portsmouth Extension) Railway to the London and South-Western, and the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Companies, and the use by the last-mentioned company of part (Wandsworth to London) of the London and South-Western Railway. A Bill for making a railway from Staines to Woking ham, with branches to the London and South-Western Railway. A Bill for making a railway from Richmond to Wind sor, with a loop line through Brentford and Hounslow. A Bill for making an alteration in the line of the Southampton and Dorchester Railway, and branches therefrom to Lymington and Eling, and for other purposes. A Bill for making a Branch Railway from the South ampton and Dorchester Railway to Blandford, and for other purposes. A Bill tor making a Branch Railway from the South ampton and Dorchester Railway, at Moreton, to Wey mouth, and for other purposes. A Bill for making a Railway from Southampton to Cheltenham, to be called " The Manchester and South ampton Railway." A SusaErtonneas a inquired what was the estimated cost of the execution of these various projects? Mr. LOCKE said about 6,000,000/. The common seal of the company was then affixed to the bills. The Chairman expressed his regret that so little ad vance had been made by the directors since last meeting, but they had been com p e ll e d t o wa i t f or M r. Strutt's bill bein g completed, which would not be until after Easter. A SIIIREKOLDER wished to make a few observations with regard to the Bill in troduced by Mr. Strutt. It was a Bill which had v ery much criticized and handled by the various companies, r ries, and it was consi dered as affecting the interest o f rai l way property in a very material degree. It was criticize d as haying not only a prospEctive, but a retros,;ective effect, and in that shape upon railwa y - it would inflict incalculable injury property. He knew perfectly well that the chairm an , in common with the other directors, had organized an opposi tion against the measure, but in his opinion the opposition should have been carried t o a larger extent. It appeared to him that a petition signed b y the whole of the railray proprietory, would have great influence in Parliament.;The Chairman in the Commit tteep of which he was a worthy m ember, had present e d a petition against the measure; but the view he took of it was—that the proprietary, one a nd all, should have joined in that petition against Mr. Strutt's Bill. It was a measure calculated to inflict serious injury upon vested interests. The Government might as well interfere with their landed properties, for when they had pur chased shares, they bad looked at their rights, under the Act of Parliament, and they knew what they were buying; but now came a power under the sanction of the Government, for the purpose o f di sarrang i ng entirely the foundation upon which their p ro p erty res t e d. —(Hear, hear.) His intention was not at the present time to go more particularly into the measure which Mr. Strutt had proposed; but he trusted, however, that the opposition which they had so wisely raised against the scheme might have the success it deserved. The CHAIRMAN said that he believed that the railway world, whose interests were much affected, were unani mous against the Bill, and the reason they had Rot pro ceeded more vigorously up to that moment, was because it was generally understood that considerable modifica tions would be introduced by the Government, when the Bill came again before the House of Commons. The meeting then resolved itself into a special meet ing, for the purpose of electing a new director, in the room of Mr ,'Robert Sheddon, retired. The SECRETARY read a letter from Sergeant Gazelee, declining to become a candidate for the vacant office, according to the notice he had given. The! CHAIRMAN then proposed Mr. Ker Seymer, M.P., and stated that the influence of that gentleman in Dorsetshire would very materially further the views of the company. Lord MORLEY seconded the motion, which was unani mously agreed to. Mr. KER SEYMER having returned thanks in an appropriate speech, A vote of thanks was given to the chairman and directors, and the meeting separated. CLARENCE RAILWAY COMPANY. (THIS DAY.) A special general meeting of the proprietors of this rail way was held to-day, at the George and Vulture Tavern, St. Michael's Alley, Cornhill, to submit to them the draft of a Bill introduced into Parliament this ses sion, to enable the "ompany to amalgamate with the Leads and Thirsk Railway Company. Mr. Blanshard was called to the chair. As the meeting was a formal one, in accordance with the standing orders, the only business transacted was the submitting resolutions to the meeting, approving of the amalgamation, and giving a discretionary power to the committee of directors to act as circumstances may require in carrying out the arrangements, which were unanimously agreed to. The meeting then separated. GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING.—(THIS DAY.) A special general meeting of the proprietors of this railway was held this day, at one o'clock, in the Board room, Paddington Station, for the purpose of taking into consideration the drafts of twenty-two Bills, which the company intended to apply for in the present session. Charles Russell, Esq., chairman of the company, presided. The advertisement, calling the meeting, having been read, The CHAIRMAN then said, that the meeting of pro prietors convened for the 14th of December was for the double purpose of sanctioning the Birmingham and Oxford lines, and for giving approval to other schemes. Many of these were Bills of last sessioa,and it would be unneces sary for him to revert to them, as they had already met the approbation of the shareholders. The present meeting was called for the purpose of giving effect to the long list of Bills submitted to them, and he would therefore take the projects, not as they came in the list, but as they were distributed through certain localities; and he would take first that which was known by the name of the West London Railway, which would give them the ad vantages that were at present, or would be, enjoyed by the London and South Western Railway ; the next would be the Bill f)r making branches to Egham, Staines, Brentford and Twickenham ; and the third Bill he would associate with this group would be one for making a branch railway to Henley and Radstock, to widen certain portions of the Great Western Railway, to enable the Great Western to amalgamate with the Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley Railway, and to purchase the Wycombe and Great Western and Uxbridge Railways, and for other purposes ; and the fourth and last was a scheme to make a line from Windsor, to join the Great Western at Slough, and to be called " the Windsor Railway." Be again r,peateJ, that any information would be afforded to the proprietors on the subject of these lines. 'The Chairman concluded by proposing the first Bill—namely, the West London Railway (the cost of which was 180.0001.), which having been seconded, Mr. MAR RIOTT said that he saw not less than 22 Bills, which were to be submitted for the consideration of the shareholders, many of them lines of great extent, in volving a vast number of branches. Now, he thought that the proprietors ought to know in what financial position they stood already, and he trusted the directors would be prepared to inform them upon that point. The CHAIRMAN said that at the last meeting of the proprietors, a full, and in every way satisfactory, state ment of their finances, had been laid before the meeting, and he Could not think at that time of entering upon a discursive argument involving minute particulars, which had been already deemed satisfactory.—(Hear, hear.) Every Bill, as it would be proposed, would be explained as fully as the directors could, and every question they would endeavour to answer. A SHAREHOLDER thought that these questions should be answered. He did not see that the proprietors should recklessly rush into an expenditure which might involve them in bankruptcy and ruin. The CHAIRMAN again reiterated his former statement, that the majority of these Bills had already received the sanctiqn of the proprietors, and it was really unfair to call upon the directors to enter into particulars which had been at the last meeting fully explained. The first Bill was then carried. The second Bill, for making branch railways from the Great Western Railway to the towns of Egham, Staines, Brentford, and Twickenham, having been submitted to the proprietors, Mr. MARRIOTT asked what the capital estimated for the project was? The CHAIRMAN said 500,0001. - - After a few words from a shareholder against the project until fdlther information were given ; and from Mr. VOUSELY, in favour of it, the Bill was approved of. The third, a Bill to make a railway from Windsor to Slough, was put and seconded. The estimated cost was 110,0001. In answer to a question from Mr. MARRIOTT, Mr. SANDERS (the secretary) said that the company were not liable for 14,000,000/. in addition to the 9,000,0001. which they were authorised to raise by shares or debentures. Mr. MARRIOTT said that the simplest way to meet his inquiry would be to state what the financial position of the company was ? The CHAIRMAN interposed, and begged the proprie tors to remember that Mr. Marriott was the gentleman who urged the claims of other lines, at the recent meet ing at Birmingham, in contradistinction to that of the Great Western Company. He would, under all these circumstances, put it to the meeting, whether his ques tions should be answered.—(Cries of " No, no.) Mr. MARRIOTT denied that he had advocated the claims of other lines, or tried to injure the profits of the Great Western. His sole object was to get the best price for his own shares. The fourth Bill, to approve of constructing a line to Henley and Hadstcck, was, after a few words, acceded tc. The fifth Bill, to make a railway from the Berks and Hants Railway:;at Hungerford, to join the line of the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway at Westbury and Devizes, having been put, (estimated cost 600,0000 was unanimously agreed to. The next Bill was a Bill for making a live from Bridport to export, the proposed capital for which was proposed to be 1,480,0001., which was also unanimously agreed to. The CHAIRMAN then said that the next series of Bills was those in connexion with the Wilts and Somerset Railway, and with respect to the principle of which the Committee of ae House of Lords had, in the last session of Parliameut, pronounced a decisive and favourable opinion. The Bills included under this head were Bills for authorising certain alterations in the line of the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth Railway; a Bill to construct a railway from Bleadon to Blandford, with branches to Glastonbury and Gillingham; and a Bill - for improving the harbour of the town of Weymouth, the whole of which were also unanimously agreed to. . . . The next series of Bills were two in connexion with the South Devon Railway, which were brought forward by independent Companies, and in which the Great Western Company had only interest, by virtue of the shares which they held in them; the first of which was a Bill to authorise the construction of a railway from Tavi stock to Launceston, and to extend the line of the South Devon Railway. to Torquay and Brixham ; and the second, authorising certain alterations and amendments of the line of the Cornwall Railway, passed in the last session of Parliament, both of which were also unani mously agreed to. The next Bill referred to the districts in the neighbourhood of Cheltenham, entitled " A Bill for making a Railway from the:Great Western Railway at Cheltenham, to join the Oxford and Rugby Railway, near Oxford," for which 4 per cent. and half profits were gua ranteed by the Great Western Company. This Bill was also agreed to. Four Bills were then proposed in connexion with the South Wales Railway, which were brought forward by the South Wales Company, and upon the capital of which 5 per cent. was guaranteed by the company, in cluding a Bill for making certain alterations and amend ments in the South Wales Railway; a Bill for making a railway from Ystradgunlais, in the county of Brecon, to Swansea, in the county of Glamorgan ; a Bill for enabling the Vale of Neath Railway Company to make certain alterations and amendments in their line of rail way; and a Bill to autherise the Gloucester and Forest of Dean Railway to construct a dock or basin at Glou cester in connexion with that railway—whieh were also unanimously agreed te. Two Bills in connexion with the Oxford, Worcester, =ld Wolverhampton Railway were then submitted to the meeting, the first of which authorised that company to make a railway from Cheltenham to join the Strat hxrd-upon-Avon branch of that railway ; the second authorising the construction of a railway from Stour bridge to join the line of the Oxford, Worcester, and 'Wolverhampton Railway s near Dudley and Hales Owen, the capital required for which would be about 700,000/., both of which were also agreed to without opposition. The next was a Bill which was merely a duplicate Bibl of the former ones, and authorising the construction of zi railway from Stourbridge to West Bromwich. The three remaining Bills had reference to the Bir mingham and Oxford Railway, passed in the last session of -Parliament, ea but whi c h h a d b een purc h ase d b y t h e Gr sin g the construct i on of several small branches of aathotrnrestern Company s i nce th e p ass i ng o f th e A c t, railway, and the application to Parliament for power to purchase the Birmingham, Dudley, and Wolver h ara n pto l n a y ß i a n i g lwa t y h . Ithose Bills b e f ore the meeting the which had CXAIRMAN alluded t o the circumstances atite tided the cours e of conduct pursued by the , London and North:Western Railway Conspany, with respect to the Birmingh am a n d O x f or d Railway Company, and the purchase by the former company of a great number of shares for the purpose of obtaining the management of that line in their own hands. The subject was under the consideration of the Court of Chancery, and the directors had also felt it their duty to bring the subject before the atten tion of the House of Lords itself, who had appointed a Committee to inquire into the allegations contained in the petitions which the directors had felt it their duty to present. The members of that Committee would be ap pointed immediately after the Easter recess, and the directors had not the slightest doubt of the ultimate success of the course they had adopted. The Bills he would propose on this subject were— first, a Bill to make certain alterations in the Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway Company, and to purchase the Strat ford-upon-Avon Canal Navigation. The second was a Bill to authorise the construction of a line from the Birmingham and Oxford Junction Rail way, near Warwick, to join the line of the Stratford upon-Avon branch of the Oxford, Worcester, and Wol verhampton Railway, and for other purposes. The third was h. Bill for uniting the Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway Company, and the Birming ham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley Railway Company into one company, and for authorising the sale of the Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley, and other new works, to the Great Western Company. These Bills were severally passed, and the business of the special meeting was declared at an end. After a few words from Mr. VOUSELY, The CHAIRMAN begged to assure the Hon. Proprietor, and all the Proprietors, that every effort would be made by them to come to amicable terms with all their neigh bours. After a vote of thanks to the Chairman and directors the meeting separated. SALE OF RAILWAY SHARES BY AUCTION.—(THIS DAY.) The quotations of Railway Shares, at Messrs. Lamond and Co.'s sale to• day, show a slight improvement upon last prices. The following are a few of the principal sales : London and Manchester (Remington's)...io 5 6 Derby, Stafford, and Worcestershire .... 0 8 0 East Indian Manchester and Southampton 1 7 6 Great Northern ... 3 15 0 Louvain ala Sambre 1 2 6 Leicester & Bedford, Exchange Certificate 0 12 6 Shrewsbury and Hereford Vale of Neath 0 13 0 Northern Counties Union 0 18 0 North British Extension Northern and Southern Connecting Eastern Counties ...... ... 19 18 0 Reading, Guildford, and Reigate ... 4 18 6 Shropshire Union and Canal 1 2 0 Paris and Lyons 6 8 0 COURSE OF EXCH/ Amsterdam .. ....C.F. 12 3% Ditto, at sight • ....• 12 1 Rotterdam .... ••2 U. 12 4 Amtwerp... ...... 25 80 flanaburgh .... • • M.B. 13 10% &Bona . Paris, 3 days' sight .. •• 25 45 Ditto, 3 months.. .. 25 75 Marseilles • . ...... 25 85 13ourdeana. .. .. 25 80 Frankfort on Maine.... 121 Petersburgh, 3 U 5...... Berlin ..... ..... ...... Vienna, effec.flo.... •. 10 3 rrieste, ditt0.......... 10 3 Madrid .... Cadiz • • •.. : ........ 361 i Bilbao.. • • •• .. •• •• •• • • Barcelona •• • .. .. • • •• Seville.. ..... ......... .NGE.-(THIS DAY.) Gibraltar. :........ • • - Leghorn 3O 20 Genoa 25 85 Milan • • • • • - Venice Naples 40% Palermo, per 0z... . Lisbon. Oporto ..... ..... ...... 84% Rio Janeiro ........ •• 26 Bahia .. ........ Buenos Ayres .. • • New York, 21 days' sight Philadelphia .......... PRICES OF BULLION, PER oz. Foreign Gold in bars .. X 3 17 9 New Dollars .... 0 4 10M Portugal Gold Coin .. 0 0 0 Spanish Doubloons .. 0 0 0 Silver in bars ...... • . 0 5 0 % MARKET INTELLIGENCE. (From the London New Price Current of March 23.) SUGAR.—To-day there was not much desire evinced to operate on raw sugar for home consumption, but in the value little variation took place; those parties that were desirous to realise, however, were compelled to take lower prices for brown and inferior sorts, and last week's rates could not be generally obtained even for the better sorts of yellow and grey. West India Muscovado met with little attention, and the private sales did not exceed 120 hhds and trcs, the rates taken were in some cases rather under those that existed prequiously, the quantity on offer being rather larger. REFINED.—TG-day Refined goods were much sought after for home consumption ; but few parcels were to be obtained, and prices are firm. The supply of Bonded Crushed Sugar is far from sufficient for the want of exporters. MAuarrtus.—This afternoon Mauritius Sugar was not much in request; 11,671 bags 216 casks and 37 tierces were offered at auction ; nearly the whole consisted of bright yellow sorts ; for these the demand was !hulled, and a part only sold, in some cases at lower rates, but for brown and grey qualities a good demand existed, and the prices ob tained were equal to those of Friday. EAST INDIA.—This afternoon two parcels of Bengal Sugar were offered at public sale, and amounted to 2,654 bags and 36 tierces; the demand was limited, and the Benares only partly sold at the former value. FOREIGN.—This afternoon 140 hhds and 14 barrels of Sugar from St. Croix, duty paid, were offered at public sale,• a superior parcel of the new crop, and sold stiffly. MotAssEs.—This afternoon there was only a limited de mand privately for West India; at public sale 171 puns De merara were taken in at 23s for middling quality; 125 puns of Barbadoes at 25s for good; 58 puns of St Fitts at 235; and 68 puns 6 hhds St Vincents at 20s, low quality, being about the former value. COFFEZ.-To-day Ceylon Coffee was in limited request privately, and 41e 6 , 1 to 42s is the value of good ordinary pale native. Of Mocha 60 bales were offered at public sale, sold at stiff rates--yood yellow long berry clean garbled 79s 6d to 60s, triage 35s to 50s, sea damaged 36s to 725. In Foreign Coffee a good business has been done privately in all sorts, and at rather better prices. Tat.—The quantity upon which duty was paid at this port during the past week amounted to 492,000 pounds, and the arrivals were 9,000 pkgs during that time. All kinds are cheaper than they were at this period in 1846, notwith standing the large consumption. RICE.—To-day Bengal Rice met with a dull demand. At public sale 5,426 bags of yellow were offered ' • the sound was all takeivin at is to is 6d under the rates of Friday. SPICES.—To-day at public sale 21 cases of Cassia Lignea sold at 57s 6d to 58s for good ord coarse, 68 casks Jamaica Ginger taken in above the value, viz-71 to 715 s fur good, and at 56s to 65s for ord and good ord. 28 cases at 38s for i Bengal. 320 bags Malabar Pepper at 3id for fair heavy, being hd more than it was worth. 50 brla African Pod, in part sold at 81s to 115 s. 40 bags Pimento taken in at 5d per lb. COCHINEAL.—This afternoon, at public sale, 70 bags of Teneriffe Cochineal were withdrawn at 6s 4d, being above the value. 208 bags Honduras sold at full rates for the best sorts. SPiraTs.—Since Tuesday last the home and export de liveries of Rum have been upon a small scale only, whereas the arrivals increased of all descriptions, notwithstanding prices are yet much above those of this time - in 1846. In Jamaica the tendency is still downwards for all sorts. East India is difficult of sale. In Leeward Island very little busi ness has been done. Demerara met with a dull sale. Al though the deliveries of Brandy continue upon a large scale, still the home trade operate with caution, and prices are on the decline. Immco.LThe market is still firm for East India of all de scriptions, and there is only a small amount on offer. A fair quantity has been taken, at prices fully equal to those of the last quarterly sales ; indeed some qualities are fetching a small advance. OILS.—Cod is to be obtained at 2715 s to 271 10s, but the purchases made have been unimportant. Seal has been operated in with caution for all purposes, and rather lower rates are taken. For Sperm previous rates are insisted upon. Lard Oil is selling at 45s to 50s, and is in brisker request, The home demand continues to be extensive for Linseed Oil on the spot, and large parcels have been taken for exporta tion ; prices are still on the advance. For forward delivery a good deal has been done at 29s 6d to 30s. Any further rise in the value of Rapeseed is prevented by arrivals of Foreign. Olive is held with firmness. There are further arrivals of Palm, and holders are inclined to realise at 37s to 37s 6d per cwt. for fine quality, and at 30s to 36s for low to good. Cocoa Nut Oil is in active demand, and brought further ad vanced rates. TALLOW.—Although there are sellers of Russian on the spot upon further reduced terms, still the demand has been limited : 50s 6d to Ms per cwt. are the prices accepted for fine Petersburgh Yellow Candle. For delivery in the last three months of the year, the demand is however good, and quotations range firm at 46s 6d to 46s 9d. Home made is little wanted, and there are sellers at 50s net cash. For other sorts of Tallow the market is in a dull state, and prices are lowering. THE LONDON GAZETTE. (THIS EVENING.) BOARD OF GREEN CLOTH, ST. JAMES'S PALACE MARCH 23, 1847. Notice is hereby given, that the carriages coming to her Majesty's Drawing-room, on Saturday, 27th of March, are to fall into the line at the top of St. James's-street, come down,the left hand side, and enter at the iron gate nearest to the Palace, set down at the Arcade, return by the iron gate nearest to Marl borough-house, and pass through Pall- mall into St. James's square, by George -street. When called, they are to pass from St. James's-square, by Charles-street, into Regent street as before, take up, and go away through Pall-mall. No hackney carriages will be permitted to come within the gates. For all persons having the privilege of the entree, tickets will be delivered at the Board of Green Cloth, on Thursday next, between the hours of eleven and three o'clock ; their carriages are to enter the gate at Constitution-hill, proceed down St. James's Park, through Stable-yard, into the Ambassadors'. court, set down, and go out into Cleveland-row. The car riages of the Ambassadors, Cabinet Ministers, and. great officers of state may afterwards wait in the Ambassadors'- conrt, and those of all other persons having the entrée may wait in Stable-yard or St. James's Park till called; they are then to take up in the same order as they had set down, and pass away up the left hand side of St. James's-street. No carriage will be admitted with company a second time with the same ticket, to prevent which, it must be produced at Constitution-hill-gate, and Stable-yard-gate also, where a corner of it will be torn off by the Marshalmen in attendance ; and no person can be allowed the privilege of the entrée by any other approach to the Palace than the gates last men tioned. FORTESCUE, Lord Steward. FOREIGN-OFFICE, Maaof 22. The Queen has been pleased to approve of Adolphe Baron de Maussion, as Consul at Edinburgh for his Majesty the King of the French. CROWN-OFFICE, MARCH 22. The Peer of Scotland elected and chosen to sit and vote in the House of Peers, in the present Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, viz., John Lord Gray, in the room of John Lord Rollo, deceased. WAR-OFFICE, Mena[ 23. Ist Dragoon Guards—Lieut. Henry Charles Morgan, from 3d Light Dragoons, to be Lieutenant, vice Draper, who ex changes, March 23. 3d Light Dragoons--Lieut. William Gray Draper, from Ist Dragoon Guards, to be Lieutenant, vice Morgan, who ex changes, March 23. 14th Light Dragoons—William Dundas Boyd, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Cornea, promoted in 2d West India Regiment, March 23. 2d Foot—Lieutenant Miles Fisher Monckton, from 66th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Potts, who exchanges, March 23. 9th Foot—Major John Barry Thomas, from 61st Foot, to be Major, vice Douglas, who exchanges, Jan. 13 ; John Frederick Trydell, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Berry, appointed to 61st Foot, March 23. 16th Foot—Ensign Henry Evans Quin, from 63d Foot, to be Ensign, vice Loder, who exchanges; Assistant-Surgeon Benjamin UsherHaniilton, M.D., to be Surgeon, vice Thomas Young, who retires upon half--pay; Henry Fowle Smith, Gent., to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Hamilton, March 23. lith Foot—Eleut. Digby Gerahty, from the 86th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Baxter, who exchanges, Jan. 13 ; Colour Sergeant George Palmer to be Ensign, without purchase, vice King, appointed to the 22d Foot, March 23. 21st Foot—Captain George E. Hillier, from 44th Foot, to be Captain, vice Domvile, who exchanges, March 23. 22d Foot—Ensign Arthur Grueber Welch to beisLieute nant, without purchase, vice Dakers, deceased, Dec. 11,, 1846 ; Ensign William Thomas De Wilton to be Lieutenant without purchase, vice Welch, whose promotion on 29th January, 1847, has been cancelled, Jan. 29, 1847 ; Ensign Francis George King, from 17th Foot, to be Ensign, vice De Wilton, Dec. 14, 1846. 37th Foot—William Pole Collingwood, Gent., to be En sign, by purchase, vice Bennett, who retires, March 22. 44th Foot—Captain William Domvile, from 21st Foot, to bo Captain, vice Hillier, who exchanges, March 23. 46th Foot—Christopher Wright Wray, Gent., to be Assistant Surgeon, vice Langley, promoted on the Staff, March 23. 48th Foot—Lieutenant George Abercrombie Robin Eon, from 60th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Andrews, who ex changes, March 23. 55th Foot—Staff Surgeon of Second Class Samuel Currie, M.D., to be Surgeon, vice Martin, deceased, March 23. 59th Foot—John George Chapman, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Pakenham, promoted in the 30th Foot, March 23. 60th Foot—Lieutenant Francis Andrews, from 48th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Robinson, who exchanges, March 23. 61st Foot—Major Charles Douglas, from 9th Foot, to be Major, vice Thomas, who exchanges, Jan. 13 ; En s i gn James Saint George Lewen to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Burnside, appointed Adjutant, Dec. 14; Ensign Edward Ring Berry, from 9th Foot, to be Ensign, vice Lewen, March 23 ; Lieutenant Henry Edward Hillman Burnside to be Adjutant, vice Bricklade, deceased, Dec. 14. 63d Foot—Lieutenant William James Hutchins to be Captain, without purchase, vice Cary, deceased ; Ensign Thomas William John Lloyd to be Lieutenant, vice Hutchins, Dec. 20, 1846 ; Ensign William Stephens Loder, from 16th Foot, to be Ensign, vice Quin, who exchanges; George Charles Widdringtoin Curtois, Gent., to be Ensign, vice Lloyd, March 23. 66th Foot—Lieutenant Richard Ormerod Potts, from 2d Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Monckton, who exchanges, March 23. _ _ _ 71st Foot—Michael Allen Jane, Gent., to be Assistant Sur geon, vice Reade, appointed to the Staff, March 23. 73d Foot—Christopher Hafison, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Ramsay, who retires, March 23. 86th Foot--Lieutenant Andrew Baxter, from 17th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Gerahty, who exchanges, Jan. 13; Hampden Cole Bowen, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase vice Barclay, who retires, March 23. 97th Foot—Assistant Surgeon Frederic Foaker, from the Staff, to be Surgeon, vice Irwin, deceased, March 23. 2d West India Regiment—Cornet John Cornea, from 14th Light Dragoons, to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Colleton, who retires; William Legge Reid, M.D., to be Assistant Surgeon, vice Macartney, appoint e d t o th e Staff, March 23. Ceylon Rifle Regiment—Captain Albert Watson, from half pay Unattached, to be Captain, without purchase, vice Brevet Major Parke, promoted ; Second Lieutenant Cadwallader Adams to be First Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Tulk, who retires; James Owen Bovill, Gent., to be Second Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Ad ams , M arc h 23. HOSPITAL STAFF.—As!iistant-Surgeon William Leslie Langley, M.D., from 46th Foot, to be Staff-Surgeon of 2d Class, vice Currie, appointed to 55th Foot; Assistant-Surgeon Henry Cooper Reade, from 71st Foot, to be Assistant-Surgeon to the Forces, vice Foaker, promoted in 97th Foot ; Assistant- Surgeon, Christopher Macartney, M. 8., from 2d West India Regiment, to be Assistant-Surgeon to the Forces, vice Robertson, deceased, March 23. OFFICE OF ORDNANCE, MAncrx 22. Royal Regiment of Artillery—First-Lieutenant Robert Corcyra Romer to be Second Captain, vice Torrens, deceased ; Second-Lieutenant George Harrison Ann Forbes to be First- Lieutenant, vice Romer, March 15; Brevet-Major William Furneaux to be Lieutenant-Colonel, vice Sir William M. G. Colebrooke, placed on Seconded List, March 19. Commission by the Lord Lieutenant of the county of Lincoln. Sir John Charles Thorold, Bart., to be Deputy Lieutenant, March 17. Commission by the Lord Lieutenant of the county Palatine Lancaster. 3d Regiment of the Duke of Lancaster's Own Militia.. Walter Charles Strickland, Esq., to be Captain, March 16. •. • • • . - Commission by the Lord-Li eu tena n t of Lanarkshire.. Royal Lanarkshire Militia—William Jolly, Gent., to be Lieutenant, vice William Buchanan, deceased, March 8. Commission by the Lord-Lieutenant of the County Palatine of Chester. The King's Regiment - o " f - 611,esIire Yeomanry Cavaliy— Cornet Hugh Lindsay Antrobus to be Lieutenant, vice Heade, resigned ; The Hon. Hugh Lupus Earl Grosvenor to be Cornet, vice Peter Barker, resigned, March 2; Edward Hyde Greg, Gent., to be Cornet, vice Thornton, resigned, March 5; Samuel Pearson, jun., Gent., to be Cornet, vice Hugh Lindsay Antrobus, promoted, March 10. BANKRUPTCY SUPERSEDED. John Spencer, nurseryman, Sneinton, Nottinghamshire. BANKRUPTS. Henry King, victualler, North-end, Fulham, to surrender April 8, at half-past eleven, and May 4, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Whitmore, official assignee, Basing hall-street; Buchanan, Basinghall-street. Joseph Samuel Robinson, upholsterer, New Bond-street, April 2, at half-past eleven, and May 4, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Belcher, official assignee; Bradley, solicitor, Berners-street, Oxford-street. __ Thomas Williams, maltster, Hay, Brecknockshire, April 9, and May 4, at the Bristol District Court. Acraman, offi cial assignee, Bristol; Sabine, solicitor, Bristol. Richard Benson, sharebroker. Liverpool, April 7 and 23, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Morgan, official assignee, Liverpool; Sharpe and Co., Bedford-row, London; Lowndes, Robinson, and Bateson, Liverpool. Joseph Taylor, grocer, Bury, Lancashire, April 7, at twelve, May . 5, at eleven, at the Manch es t er Di s t r i ct C our t. F raser , official assignee, Manchester ; Clarke, Gray, and Woodcock, Lincoln's Inn-fields, London ; Whitehead, Bury. Wilson Dickinson, saddler, Manchester, April 8 and 29, at eleven, at the Manchester District Court. Hobson, official assignee, Manchester; Wathen, Basinghall-street; Fogg, Manchester. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT, (THIS E VENING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool sack at Five o'Clock. ASSISTANCE TO IRELAND AND SCOTLAND. Earl GREY said that he had to communicate to the House that he had received a letter from the Governor of New Brunswick, stating that the Members of the House of Assembly of that colony bad voted the sum of 1,250/. for the relief of the distressed population of Ireland and Scotland. He (Earl Grey) was sure that their Lordships would r ece i ve w i th muc h satisfaction this exhibition of good feeling on the part of these colonists. EASTER RECESS. Earl GREY said that, on the part of his Noble Friend the President of the Council, he bad to move the adjournment of the House, at its rising on & Tuesday next, till the 13th of April. NATIONAL EDUCATION. Lord STANLEY presented several petitions from Lancashire and other places against the Government scheme of education. LAW 01 SETTLEMENT. The NOBLE LORD also presented a petition from the Manshead board of guardians against the law of settle ment. OUT-DOOR RELIEF IN IRELAND. The NOBLE Lone also presented a petition from Mr. Richard Daly, an Irish barrister, against the system of out- door relief in Ireland. DRAINAGE ACT. The NOBLE LORD also presented a petition from Mr. Rigby Wason, lately i a Member of t h e ot h er H ouse, praying for an alteration n that clause of th e D ra i nage Act which limited the period for considering applica tions. SPANISH DEBT. Lord BROUGHAM then rose, pursuant to notice given on a former occasion, to bring before their Lord ships a subject which required the utmost atten tion of Parliament, or, if it could be done of Government ; but he was aware that there was great difficulty in them to take steps in such a case. Still there was no reason why the justice of Parliament should not be applied in a case of hard ship and injustice like that he was about to bring before them. The petition which he had to present was from Mr. Dempster Hemming, and Sir Thomas Lethbridge, Bart., and they were the representatives of a great class of sufferers. The Noble Lord then proceeded to state that the petitioners were creditors of the Spanish Government, having lent money to that country in its great struggle for freedom which had never been repaid. It could not be alleged that the Spanish Government was in a state of insolvency, for the revenue, which some years ago was deficient some six millions annually, now exhibited a surplus of more than half a million. The Noble Lord concluded by reading the prayer of the petition. The Earl of CLARENDON said that his Noble Friend had, a few days ago, shown him the petition which he h a d j us t p resen t e d, and he believed that the statement contained in it was not at all over charged. He believed that the case was one of gross injustice, for Spain, as the Noble and Learned Lord had said, was not in a state of insolvency. There was no country in Europe whose products were more in demand than those of Spain. She had the means of acquiring wealth, and therefore she bad no right to refuse to pay the just demands made upon her. But he was glad to observe that Spain had never adopted the new word which had recently been intro duced into the vocabulary of England, for on several occasions the debt had been admitted, and arrangements made for payment of the interest. Owing, however, to the succession of new Ministers, the claims of the Spanish bondholders had been set aside. Many persons in this country had invested the savings of a life in these bonds; foolishly, be admitted, for they ought to know that advances of money made to foreign Government s , without the sanction of their own Govern ment, must of course be at their own individual risk. Many millions of the mony of this country had been sacrificed from losing sight of that pre caution. His Noble Friend at the head of the Foreign Department was now communicating with the Spanish authorities, aad be sincerely trusted that the result of the communication would prove successful. The Spaniards, he knew, were an honourable people, and he was quite sure the proceed ings of their Government were not sanctioned by them. He hoped that their Lordships would be of opinion that Spain was not justified in repudiating a debt like the present. Lord BROUGUA SI said that he was very glad to hear what had fallen from his Noble Friend opposite. Perhaps there should be some arrangement to appoint some commissioner. Lord ASHBURTON =do a fiw observations which were inaudible in the gallery. DRAINAGE OF LANDS BILL. On the motion for going into Committee on the Drainage of Lands Bill. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said that he wished to call their Lordships' attention to one part of the pre sent Bill, which he considered defective. He considered that no provision was wade in the Bill for carrying off the water that came from the mountains of Scotland, which would go into the water closets, which would be necestarily flooded. lb thought that provision should be made to prevent that. Now, if what he d.:Trecated were permitted in his own neighbourhood, half the town of Tewkesbury would be carried away. The Earl of ELLENBOROUGII said it would seem that this was a Scottish Bill, on which two and a-half millions were applied for by Scotch proprietors, but half a million had been applied for in England. Lord CAMPBELL replied that this would only show that more improvement was going forward in Scotland than England. After some further observations from Lord Brougham, Lord Ashburton, and the Earl of Minto, the Bill passed through Committee. The House then resumed. Messengers came up from the Commons bringing several Bills. EASTER RECESS. The Earl of WICKLOW said it had been intimated by the Noble Earl the Secretary for the Colonies, on behalf of the Noble Marquis the President of the Council, that he would, on Tuesday next, move the adjournment of the House till the 13th of April, but he (Earl of Wick low) hoped that they would adjourn till the Thursday instead of the Tuesday according to invariable custom. as it would be much more convenient to those Peers connected with Ireland, who might, therefore, have to go to a distance. Earl GREY said he of course could give no answer at present to the Noble Earl's suggestion, but if it should appear more convenient to some of their Lord ships, and if it would not interfere with the course of public business ho expected that the wishes of the Noble Earl would be met by his Noble Friend the President of the Council. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. SECOND READINGS. The following Bi Is were severally read a sec o n d time : Commercial Gas Light and Coke Company. Thnfern3line and Cupar Court Houses. . Runcorn Gas. Rutherglen and Strathbungo Road. Warrington Gas Light and Coke. Westminster Improvements. GOVERNMENT EDUCATIONAL SCHEME. Mr. GREENE presented a petition from Lancaster against the proposed Government grant. SEE OF KILDARE. Mr. SHAW presented a petition from a place in Ire land praying for the restoration of the see of Kildare. SCOTCH REGISTRATION BILL. Sir R. H. INGLIS presented a petition from Forres against the.proposed Scotch Registration Bill. Mr. YOUNG presented a petition from the county of Cavan, praying for an improvement in the present electoral districts. IRISH POOR LAW. Sir W. CLAY presented a petition from Bethnal green, praying that the principle of the English poor law might be extended to Ireland. COTTON IN INDIA. Mr. BRIGHT presented several petitions from Man chester in favour of encouraging the growth of cotton in India. The Hon. Member intimated that he had decided to postpone his motion for a Select Committee on this subject till after Easter. POOR REMOVAL ACT. Mr. REDHEAD YORKE presented a petition from Bridlington, in Yorkshire, praying for the repeal of the Poor Removal Act. INSPECTOR OF RAILWAYS. Major LAYARI) asked the First Commissioner of the Railway Board, why the office of Inspector-General of Railways, so essential for the information and guidance of the Board, had not yet been filled up. It was now five months since Sir Charles Paisley's services were dis pensed with, and the responsibility now rested with the former Assistant Inspector, without any increase of salary. Mr. STRUTT answered that the terms of the Act did not require the appointment of such an officer as an Inspector General. In other respects the statute had been sufficiently complied with. SCOTCH REGISTRATION BILL. Captain GORDON presented several petitions from Aberdeen and other places in Scotland, praying that this Bill be not permitted to pass into a law. LAW OF SETTLEMENT. Lord J. bIANNERS presented several petitions against the existing Law of Settlement. FURLOUGH REGULATIONS IN THE ARMY AND CIVIL SERVICE OF INDIA. Mr. EWART said that, seeing the Right Hon. Baronet the President of the Board of Control in the House, he would take the opportunity of asking him whether the Board of Control had received sugges tions from the Board of Directors of the East India Company with respect to the improvement of furlough regulations in the India army and the civil service, and w 4 hether the Government were prepared to act upon these suggestions. Sir J. C. HOBHOUSE said that in answer to the question of the Hon. Member, he might state that the subject of furlough regulations, both with respect to the army and the civil service, was under the consideration of the Board of Control. He need hardly inform the Hon. Member that a subject so important as a change in these regulations must demand previous consideration. Mr, EWART had asked these questions because con siderable anxiety prevailed upon the subject. FLOGGING IN HONG-KONG. _ _ Dr. BOWRING gate notice that on Thursday he should ask the Secretary for the Colonies whether he had received any account of the discontinuance of the practice of flogging in the colony of Hong-Kong? POOR LAW IN IRELAND. An HON. MEMBER, whose name we could not ascer tain, presented a petition from Sligo in favour of a systematic and equal poor-law rating. BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION (SCOTLAND) BILL. Mr. FORBES presented petitions from several Pres byteries against certain of the clauses of this Bill. NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr. EWART gave notice that next week he would move for certain returns connected with the public works in Ireland. Mr. SPOONER postponed Mr. Muntz's motion re specting the small brewers of the Midland Counties till Tuesday, the 13th of April. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHARITABLE TRUSTS. Mr. ROMILLY moved for leave to bring in a Bill for the better administration of the charitable trusts of the Roman Catholics. It was not his wish to enter into a lengthened discussion on the principles of the. Bill at present. He would with the permission of the House move for leave to introduce his Bill, and reserve the further discussion until the second reading of the Bill. The main object sought from the Bill was to obtain a return of all charitable property of the Roman Catholics in the Court of Chancery, and to ensure a better admi nistration of the funds. Mr. J. O'CONNELL hoped that the Hon. Member would name a long date for the second reading of the Bill, for the purpose of giving the Catholic Members an opportunity of consulting the Bishops and Clergy of Ireland, and ascertaining their opinions upon the measure. The Bill was then ordered to be brought in. REDUCTION OF THE DUTY ON TEA. Lord SANDON presented a petition from Liverpool, very numerously signed, praying for a reduction of the duty on tea. COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH CHINA. Viscount SANDON then moved for a Select Com mittee on the present state of our commercial relations with China. He was very gratified that he was saved the trouble of entering into a lengthened statement of the reasons which made this investigation necessary, as the Noble Lord at the head of the Government had inti mated to him that it was not his intention to offer any opposition to the motion. As he (Lord Sandon) did not wish, therefore, to delay the House from proceeding , with the consideration of the Irish poor-law he would not take up its time at present. He thought, however, that the subject was one which required investigation, with a view to ascertain what the obstructions were to the ex tension of the China trade. He thought the labours of the Committee would be attended with the best results. Their relations with that country were of a recent date, and he might say merely experimental, and the altered circumstances which the recent rupture had brought about made it necessary to inquire what were the obstructions to the extension of their commerce, and by what means they could be re moved. He would not, however, delay the resumption of the discussion of the clauses on the Irish Poor-law, but conclude by moving the appointment of a Select Committee to investigate the subject. The motion having been seconded, Mr. A. HASTIE said if the motion had gone directly to the object at which it aimed, namely, the reduction of the tea duties, he should have seconded it with great pleasure. Looking at the character of the Chinese to the jealousy with which they viewed the proceedings of other nations, he feared that the motion as it stood would not be productive of the good which the Noble Lord seemed to apprehend from it. The committee if appointed should confine its inquiries to the tea trade alone. The motion was then agreed to. PUBLIC WORKS IN CLARE.—CAPTAIN WYNN. Mr. C. O'BRIEN moved the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the conduct of Captain Wynn during .his employment in the county of Clare in the months of November and December, 1846, and January, 1847, as inspector under the Board of Works ; and into the statements contained in the printed letters of Captain Wynn and Mr. S. Gamble, addressed to the Board, and laid on the table of the House, and report thereon ; and also to inquire into and report whether the said Board of Works have, or have not, suppressed certain letters or reports made, or alleged to have been made, by Captain Wynn to them, on investigations held at Ennistymon on the 10th, and at Liscanner on the 17th days of De cember, 1846 ; and also certain letters, in pos session of the Board, connected with these subjects. He said it would be in the recollection of the House, that, on the 11th of February, he moved for the produc tion of papers relating to the conduct of Captain Wynn, in his official capacity ; but they were only laid on the table of the House two days' ago, and he found them so incorrect, incomplete, and confused as to be almost useless. He considered this most unfair con duct towards one who had occupied a seat in that House for the last sixteen years, the more especsally as he and his colleague had during that time supported the present Government ; it was, therefore, m os t improper that difficulties should have been purposely thrown in his way, and that the Government should support a public officer who had charged him (Mr. C. O'Brien) with conduct which, if he had been guilty of it, would have rendered him unworthy of a seat in that House. The character of the House was embarked in this sub ject, and he hoped that the Secretary for Ireland would render some explanation of the circumstances of the ; cs !kr- : • 1, •'! • written oy Captain 10 nne en the 4ta t t l ebruart and the 26th of November, 1847, page 209 of the Blue Book, which stated that the landed proprieturs rendered very inefficient assistance to the relief committees. He would say it boldly, that this charge against the Com mittee over which he presided was calumnious and false.—(Hear, hear.) When he wrote those letters he had only been three weeks in the country, and could not have known the working of even one half of the Com mittees. The only reason for these calumnies was in order to carry out the measures of the Government. An outcry was desired against the Irish proprie tors, and this was the motive by which he was actuated, and he wished Hon. Gentlemen to know that this was a way to get rewarded and to obtain public money. It would appear that the Clare Journal had been purchased with the public money. The next letter was dated on the sth of December of last year, and was written by Captain Wightman, of the board of works, in which they were charged with being assassins. With respect to Mr. J. O'Brien, he could, in his place, defend himself; but he (Mr. C. O'Brien) happened to have a letter from the engineer of the board of works, who was at the same time district engineer and county engineer, and who was, of course, cognisant of all the circumstances, and he had fully stated his opinion that the charge was false. If the Committee which he moved for were not able to prove the assertions he had made, he would not occupy a seat in the House again, but would resign imme diately. It was a most unfair thing for the Government not to allow the Committee to be appointed. He had constantly supported a Whig Government for a period of sixteen years, and this was now the reward which he received at their hands. He hoped, therefore, that these serious charges involving as they did his character, should be investigated before a Select Committee, that an opportunity might be afforded him of showing how utterly groundless these statements were. One of the letters which be sent to Captain Wynn—a most im portant one, to which no answer was returned, but for which he moved—had been suppressed. The Honourable Gentleman then referred to several letters and read extracts from them, among which was the following:—" I have displaced upwards of 9,400 persons chosen and placed upon the relief works in seven baronies; and I have placed upon the list the poor and starving labourers, who had not been attended to be cause nobody had any direct interest in their welfare; and I trust that this course will meet your approbation." He particularly requested the attention of the House to this statement, because when he was asked to furnish a list he declared that he was unable to furnish it, although he referred the board to it, well knowing it did not exist Now this was an imposition on the Government, and was a fit and proper subject for investigation. 11( called for a searching inquiry, he wanted no favour, he wanted nothing but justice, and he did hope that the House would grant the Committee which he sought, 'notwithstanding the indisposition of the Government to grant one. Major MACNAMARA said he would second the motion of his Hon. Friend. He could not help com plaining of the course which the Government had pur sued upon this occasion towards himself and his col league. Mr. LABOUCHERE said that he regretted very much that the Hon. Gentleman did not postpone for a very few days the motion of which he had given notice. for he must remind the House that on the motion of the Honourable Gentleman certain documents had been presented to the house, and were now in the course of being printed, and which, he could assure the House, would be in the hands of every Member in a few days. These documents threw great light upon all these trans actions, and the House would be able to discuss the ques tion with an accurate knowledge of the circumstances. The Hon. Gentleman the Member for Clare had re minded him that the Government of which he (Mr. Labouchere) was a Member had received general support from himself and his colleague, and he had said that it was but an ungrateful and ungracious return on his part and on the part of the Government to hare taken a different course on a question of this description, from that adopted by those Honourable Members. He could only say that•he certainly could have no desire to estrange any supporters from her Majesty's Government —a Government which had not so numerous a body of supporters in that House, as to make him, as a member of that Administration, anxious to alienate the support of any of those who honoured them with their assistance. He must say with regard to a questio❑ of this kind if he wore to alter that course which in his judgment and conscience, he felt himself bound to pursue. When reference was made to the conduct of an officer of that Government—if be shrank from the defence of a man when he thought his conduct entitled to the defence and approbation of the Govern merit, in order to consult any support in the House of Commons, he should feel himself disgraced. As an old servant of the Crown, he had no choice upon this ques tion, and he felt bound to defend the honest services of all acting under him, and to defend in that House to the best of his ability, those whom he believed to have honestly discharged their duty to the Crown. He must repeat to the Honourable Gentlemen that, however much he might regret having been obliged to pursue a course which excited warm feelings in the mind of himself and his colleague, he could not allow himself. In any consideration of the description referred to to alter the-course which upon deliberation he had felt it his duty to adopt. The Hon. Gentleman bad complained of the delay which had been interposed to the production of these papers, and said that the Government did in some way wish to delay the their production. Nothing could be more erroneous. He had repeatedly urged upon the Board of Works the importance of having these papers immediately pro duced, but they were of that complicated and volu minous description, that it was impossible in a shorter time to lay them on the table of the House. They were then upon the table of the House, and had been ordered to be printed, and in the course of two days they would be in the hands of every Member of the House. When these papers were printed, then it would be time enough to consider whether it was or was nut right to grant a Committee of that House as, the Honourable Member wished. In the meantime he would say that he was far from asserting that it would not be right for that House, when it should have had an opportunity of considering the whole case, to assent to an inquiry into the circum stances of this ease. He could not, however, consent to any inquiry which would drive Captain Wynne before a Committee of that House as a criminal, for it would render the public officers in Ireland fearful rather of incurring the displeasure of a Member of Parlia ment, than of doing their duty well to the Crown (LEFT SPEAKING.) CALEDONIAN RAILWAY.—The works on this great undertaking are proceeding rapidly in the neighbourhood of this city. A number of houses in Ritson's-lane and Caldew Datuside, most of which were occupied by the poorest de scription of tenants, have been removed for the construction of the line in that part of the town. A temporary wooden bridge has been erected across the Caldew, immediately above the present structure, for the convenience of the public whilst the present road is interrupted by the alterations which will be necessary to admit the passage of the railway under A.—Car/isle Patriot. ETHER.—Yesterday afternoon, a very skilful ope ration was performed by Dr. Marsden, the senior surgeon of the Royal Free Hospital, in the Gray's Inn-road (in the presence of the lion. Walter Ogilvy, Mr. T. W. Cooke, and other gentlemen), on a long-standing tumour of the upper lip and jaw -bone, of William Wood, aged sixty-seven, who had travelled up from Guilford for the express purpose of having the operation effected. Mr. Cooke, the resident sur geon of the hospital, administered the vapour of ether, and the tumour was removed without the slightest evincement of pain by the patient, who, on his recovery, very gratefully expressed his thanks, and was removed to his ward with every expectation of a perfect cure. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, March 22. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the `Pooh sack at Five o'clock. DRAINAGE OF LAND BILL. On the motion of the Earl of SHAFTESBURY, this Bill was read a second time. BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY BILL. Lord BROUGHAM rose to move the second reading of this Bill. He said, as the subject was familiar to most of their Lordships, and had the approbation of the Noble and Learned Lord on the WOolsack and other learned Members of their Lordships' Heuse, he did not find it necessary to enter into any long statement on that occasion. But he would merely state his object in moving their Lordships to sanction the amendments proposed in the Bill. Thfir Lordships would recollect that some years ago he had introduced a Bill, which had been passed by both Houses into a law, abolishing imprisonment for small debts. They were aware that that Bill provided that person s apprehensive of arrest, if they chose to appeal to the Bankruptcy court, give up their property, and stand their examination, would receive a protecting order from the Court; and if no hesitation to give up all their property had appeared, or no contumacy, or no extra vagance, a final order was made by the court, which protected him against further proceedings on the same debt. H e (Lord Brougham), how ever, had since seen reason for transferring this jurisdiction to the Insolvent Commissioners from the Bankruptcy Commissioners. He had been 'urged to do so originally, but he found that the Bankruptcy Court worked well, and seemed to have the preference over the other ; for that Court had more stringent power to execute the objects for which the court bad been erected, and, therefore, many more applications were made to that court. But these Commissioners, unusual though it eas for judges, who commonly enlarged their jurisdic tion, had almost extinguished their jurisdiction. The second was a still greater evil than the first. It was extremely inconvenient to mix up two diffe rent codes of laws, each to be administered by the same judge ; and while, to make up the third evil, the merchants and traders of the city of London objected altogether to the insolvent law being administered in the Bankruptcy Court. Now, in addition to 500/., each Commissioner received a salary of 2,0001. There were six of them; but he did not think there would be six long—for, from a return he held in his hand, he found that they did not work more than twenty weeks a year with the insolvent busi ness, and, when that was taken from them by this Bill, the number would be reduced to fifteen or sixteen weeks a year. Now, it was too bad to pay six Commissioners 2,000/. a year each for so small a quantity of labour, besides six regis trars at 1,000/. a sear each, and official assig nees at not less than 2,000/. to 3,0001. a year. He proposed, therefore, that the insolvency business should be taken away from the Court of Bankruptcy, and then the Commissioners would be reduced from six to three. It was theiropinion, he knew, that two Commis- sippers wonld do, F. , ncl perhaps for sllordirsry PorPc ses , wmild . _ . . . . in couna,-ftia,i aihars woi,.,i aibv wfilch 5$ (mid augul'i ls the business. la order to meet any increased busine.ss in the court f rom this circumstance, he thoug h; three would be the best number to proposg- With respect to the Court of Review, it was already cubstartially abolished, and he proposed that t should be altogether, as he saw no reason why the busi ness of this court should not be transacted by the Com' missioners themselves. NV:th regard to the appeals re : Wing to matters of law, they could, as before, be take' before the Lord Caancellor or the Vice- Chancellor. He ought to add that in 1831 the Court of Review was continued by the measure h e p ropose d ; th a t measur e was much opposed, at the ti me , b u t u l t i ma tely it :o b p, carried with the C o urt of R eview . I t was no t re- 1 e foe him then t o pr e di c t th a t th ere wou ld b e no busine ss for this court, as it had so happened. But this rt . suit, he believed, had arisen mainly from the admirable n'e u r: i ing of the system substituted fur the old one. As h e "0 stated, the six Commissioners were to be reduced to thre e ... the vacancies arose from death, resignation, or proino t t This would effect a saving, from the reduction of the C orn sioner, of 6,0001. ; on the Registrars a saving of 3,m:41 a on the official assignees from 4,0001. to 5,00 W. Altoge.,4/, saving of 15,0001, would be effected. Very nearly 2 0 ° , .i s . had been recovered by the working up of these old eels' . e t sions. Another alteration he intended in the Insolvent t o was to abolish the present system of going circuit, whic h p i attended with a great expense without giying, tii . countervailing advantages. M r . Commissioner Phi.V'e, for instance, was appoi n t e d t o go t o C aernarvon to -un . ° ~.t . yet in many places he had but th reeor f our cases to adjeuirth upon. He proposed, theref ore , t o d o away w i t h t h ese eireo of W and place the duty of th e C omm i ss i on i n t h e h an ds Local Courts appointed under the Insolvent Act. The r: 0 ; ciple of the bankruptcy and insolvent laws would, with cleg two exceptions, not be int er f ere d w i t h . N ew t h e e xcepts were in this case. The great difference, their Lordships W ois aware, between the Bankruptcy and the Insolvent Acts 0 0 twofold ; first, where th e p arty was a tra d er, an d w h e re he Tye not ; and the other was with respect to his discharge- , t $ bankrupt's certificate w as no t on l y a persona l discharge. 'lir discharge against his property for the time coming. T he o sly charge under the Insolv en t A c t was one w hi c h a ff e cted ere the person. Now, he was i nc li ne d to t hi n k t h at t here many cases in which it might be requisite to vest in the vi or missioners, before whom the cases might come, a to take into consideration the circumstances of the ret In the first place, the likelihood of the W el d:et succeeding to an estate, and in the second place the con do of ot the party himself, whether he had been grossly extreic, gant, and above all, whether, knowing that be was in an r os solvent state, he def erre d coming forward until all his P perty was expended. He had framed the Act to take cognil ei/ ed Y of such eases as these. In those cases the Bill lo ev e .,„ i "„, r, protection for his future gains. The case of a poor '`' -ig ht which was really a very lamentable one, had lately b e eebre a g on before him. He had been unfortunate and tried to r bo y again, but nobody would lend him a horse or a cow, as did the property would have been seized by his credite,l o That was just such a case whi c h came w i t hi n t h e s pirit of be nd` Act. He had now stat e d a ll t h at h e meant to say, to should now conclude by moving the second reading vi ije Bill, to which he trusted there would be no opposition., by then proposed that the matter should stand over un til after„ b e holidays, when the sever a l c l auses wh i c h i t conta i ne d wee 0 known, and all its weak points would be ascer tained:. pm k is • might then be r e ferred, t oget h er w i t h t h e Bill of Me its and Learned Friend on th e W oo l sac k, to a Select Cemrsined up stairs, and out of th e t wo a measure m i g h t be ob which would give the trade and the people of the country:4;e inestimable benefit of a certain mode of proceeding in tided both of insolvency and bankruptcy. His Lordship COe" with moving the second reading of the Bill. The LORD CHANCELLOR was not di spose d to off er i f i t i l l e opposition to the second rea di ng o f t hi s Bill , espec i a lly aloe course which his Nobl e and L earne d F r i en d i nten d e d to P ijec t, In 1842 he had himself introduced three Bills on this su ir jos but he had not at that time had the opportunity of giri k e fOill investigation to the subject which it required, but the o f which he now had before the House, met, he believed , gr o at the points of the Bill of his Noble Friend. That chiefly to the details, but did not touch the great Prl e- o sds which ought first to be settled, then the details should be d bo th conformable to them. Th- better plan would be to fe n st er, the Bills up to a Select Committee, for it was not to be sicte e posed that the majority of th e i r Lordships could be Ife ( k i e d pot , with the subject whi c h was involved in them. Rel a tes' however, anticipate that th ere wou ld b e any grea t e r 0 . 4 10 lion obtained by the C o m m it tee , or t h at any b e tter Saco would be arrived at than those obtained by the Cer °l : s o l which sat in 1828. It s h ou ld b e recollected that tn e, 'oer already a machinery in existence • there was now thre e yen' missioners, each of w h om took three circuits e each, from which m uc h goo d was to b e esP - rek, and, at least, by w hi c h muc h expense was ice „ _,," r io tes He said by the recen t ac t j u d ges h a d b een aPr o iles throughout the country to every district of about seve ko e. .20 1 . extent ; so that a man m i g h t now b r i ng a d e b t wit"' amount to court within seven miles of his residence. ri! duties devolving upon these judges might likely be.., ll ,,t a icel they had still the pow er b y act o f P ar li ament to Pl,OlllO but how their time might be occupied the Governteen.: n ;ioess not arrive at any defi n it e op i n i on. I f, h owever, the "-aeeec should happen to increase too much, it would become soa nary to make addit iona l appo i ntments. N ow , hi s plob& er n Learned Friend had proposed to give these Small Deb te r ostl power in Bankr u pt cy . Wh y ? did t h e i r L or d s hips uncl e k so the state of the Bankrupt laws at that moment ? Did they bri that a bankrupt in Norfolk must come up to London' all his witnesses, and attend his several examine°, u pon, an immense expense. A deputation had recently Waite him to represent the great impediment which this ne o e e '.._,:ier coming up to London to Basin hall - street furnished t tf t to ceedings between debtor and creditor. They reprert incur him that the expense was so enormous, that rather tna. s _4ol it, they would not cane to London. The same renter.] r jript to Yarmouth, which was the limit of the London distric_r ue , of fi a debtor could find a competent judge within seven: m or ose his residence, it was not likely that he would incur the 0 et her of coming up to London. Besides that, there we re greet points in the law of debtor and creditor, upon ezt ais seri* complaints had been made, and which required tbt o intss ous attention. He would not then remark upon the'l ha n to nor had he said samuch as he had with any either the than impress upon their Lordships the great importance 01 to ject, and the necessity of appointing a Select Coraln""" take the Noble and Learned Lord's Bill into consideration . b le Lord ASHBURTON said he was not aware that the i l l e k ts and Learned Lord intended taking the second reading f o ol. Bill that night. He had a petition to present to their 1e, 4 , ship signed by most of the large firms of the city of 5 1.1(f . : 6 bearing on the law of debtor and creditor. He we. n e v i f o lt however, to hear that the Noble Lord had determined alter E l a s .sfir' a course as that the subject would come on again and that the Bill would be referred to a Select Committee when the as might be heard. These ge ntlemen wo r k . s ; them that as much as 24 , 0(10,0001. a year was lost by batlnro He was afraid th a t th e gill wou ld en courage to a frig P o s extent frauds on tradesmen. Before such a measure so o agreed to, he hoped that th e N o bl e Lord (Lord Brl e l b bet would consult not only those who were learned in thein es p also the great commercial interests of the country.. cons ider ing with a question of such magnitude they ought i'' an d Oa, the propriety of resuming arrest on mesne process , to , aria the distinction which ought to exist between bankr% ti i' in sioe insolvency. He submitted that there was a great r'_ i oicu itieh between an individual in business, who got into di .T o sion. and a person who contracted debts for his own gran" d e o!! The law, therefore, as applied to each case should he_ Ai kiph distinct. He th r e w ou t t h ese suggestions to their LO7O ihs and hoped that when the H o u se went into Committee °a all its provisions would be fully considered. Lord BROUGHAM w as m os t anx i ous th a t the _,P re o lis° p or i of the Bill should be as f u lly cons id ere d an d disclos e " tb s sible. With regard to the other matters, alluded 10 dsbe Roble Lord, he was also quite willing that they ob i .' g ite' reconsidered. If any e r ro r h a d b een ma d e i n abolisb i re a lriel prisonment for d e bt, it was b ut r i g h t t h at t h ey sheuh t „„ s sib„l e ' their steps, though he f e lt hi mse lf t h a t to go b ac k w as ilti to It' The Bill was thee read a se con d ti me , an d order e d committed after Easter. BOARD OF WORKS. The Earl of CLARENDON laid on the table certa i n the respondence with the Irish Board of Works, Wove months of January and March last. DRAINAGE OF LANDS BILL. Bil l, Earl MINTO p ro p ose d th e secon d rea di ng o f this s oul which, he said, h e wou ld say b u t li tt l e , as t h e Bill bad e $ l , met with such gener a l c oncurrence . Th e o bj ect of "" o tb• was for the advancement of loans ,by the Governmee'elo' proprietors of land f or th e purpose of drainage and oth.• cots' provements. As its details could be better considered ii! Ons mittee than now, he wou ld reserve f urther observatid 'lO6 then, and he would now move that it be read a secee re • arid as the mea sure was i mportant, h e would furt h er nle it be committed to-morrow. 0 Or Lord EGLIN TON would not do anything to delay cellent a int asure. Still there was a p o i n t or two to cel e A" would call attention. Th e fi rs t was , t h e li m i ta tioe.,ts,: years. This would b e very i nconven i ent i n severa l reel'i;" B se in many cases the improvement on the land could neLitstS carried out in that time. Th e secon d p o i n t was , the n noeS of the sum to 10,000/., w hi c h h e th oug h t was a ulat'A.ollo- venient arrangement. He conside re d th e sum a dreel'- be in proportion to the rental of the land. flr d Earl MINTO said, whateve r a d van t ages m i g ht errinere, the proposed alteratio n s, th ere wou ld b e cons id era ble i o s ife in meeting the suggestion s o f th e N o bl e E ar l. It lige e f portant that the Bill should be got into operation as arty possible, considering the distressed condition of meg P i o& of Scotland ; therefore no del a y s h ou ld, if poss ibl e , take Ppirl, Lord STANLEY agre e d w ith th e N o bl e E ar l (the se Eglinton) that the li m it a ti on o f 10,000/. was an une"o ofbs position. It wa s a d e p ar t ure f rom t h e or i g i na l i n t e nd° r otle, o Bill, which was, as h e un d ers t oo d i t , to i ncrease the! be tiveness of the soil. H e cons id ere d th e a d vances s hoal u proportion to the rental of the estates. eee sii , o l Earl GREY said that it had turned out that the l ej ? for relief was mach greater than was at first apprehen e -;1 04 6 the question then arose how was the money to be ell; s ser,, On inquiry it was ascertained that the great propriet? 01_1' in a much better position than the small owners of late' Saito"' was accordingly resolved to give the assistance to t ue fle ° / 0 and leave the former to drain the lands themselves• dbe not understand the Noble Earl to say that there sher li o ld power given to barrow more than 10,0001., but that eb to th o the limit in general cases, and that there should be 1 0 5de,,,, limitation under that sum, so that the relief might h e t he a: general and as extensive as possible. With respect se'' ! a ny ! it ', tricts in Scotland h e did not conce i ve t h at there '4 of elusion whatever to forbid their p ar t a ki ng o f the bene ;0 Ire grant. There was ev id en tl y th e same d est i tu tion 0 e 4" es l land. The people were th ere f ore en ti t l e d t o relief „ of with the proprietors in the si s te r coun t ry . After a few words from the Earl o f M • INT°, su P r„ft the Bill, it was read a second time. LA I4P ei SALE OF ENCUMBERED ESTATES IN IBS The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the first re o d .e v the Bill for the Sale of E ncum b ere d E states i n housed' ae r i e' doing so said that the re b a d b een some d e l ay i n the l i n u re '", of this Bill, but not mo re th an was necessary to consu l 0 „ machinery of the Bill. Leet e be Lord hTANLEY wi s h e d t o as k hi s N o ble and, t re Friend when he p ro p ose d t o ta k e t h e secon d reading„ t he , 0 Bill? As it wa s o f very considerable importance, an ble were few of the Irish Peers in town, it seemed ad' iea postpone the s e co n d rea di ng till after the Easter recess. ' t scauio be The LORD CHANCELLOR said that as r asp s ' necessary to circulate the Bill in Irel a nd before it ver i iesi, second time, he did not propose to t a k e it till after the ! d or The Bill was then read a first time, and their Le" adjourned. HOUSE 01 COMMONS. March 2 2 . ARMY SERVICE BILL. ti On the order of the day for the s ec ond reading °- Bill being read, k'ng Sir H. W. BARRON ro se f or th e purpose of ral l- h i iio come explanations rel a ti ve t o a statement made bY i r r ioll in the House on Friday night, on the subject of the is Poor-law, which had been, however, misrepresen w :m some of the public journals. What he had stated " 0 that the val ue o f t h e property i n E ng l an d assess e d o f the poor -rates amounted to 62,000,0001.; the sup r a, which it was assessed was 5,000,0001.; that, i ce fair ing to th e ca l cu l at i ons o f t h e P oor -l a w Co o3 ""ja sioners, the number of paupers in Ireland n o, ordinary years was between 2,300,000 and 2,40°,"" lie to Itone their dc Wes, ou earth, req It Was sai a volunta Friend br not at ti subject. 0: ot l )4 making I°l'l latehthbihlin°freiedansneiredeaella..ekueiraadsfretesoanriVttoltheaSny‘invee:tuederwgaedraofanidytrrnefStdhrtiYagiUrtltsii: Very readi the future ranch tient of a !midi+ !' 430 oftei THE SUN, LONDON, TITES . DAY EVENING, MARCH 23, 1847.