The Sun. — London, England, 1847-03-31 00:00:00

THE ,n eN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENINCT, MARCH 31, 1847. NOW BEADY. day six months. After a short debate, the Hon. By B. DISRAELI, M.P. Member withdrew the amendment. In 3 v 01,., post Bvo., " Tancred 1.9 a brilliant book, abounding in adventure and enter- The House then went into Committee pro forma, filament, rich in descriptions and lively toucheo of character. It and, on the motion of Mr. F. MAULS, it was agreed 'ears the stamp, moreover, •f individuality. It has entertained us more than either Coningsby or Sybil—and, we think, may stand that the Chairman should have leave to sit again bigher in public favour. It Ts, unquestionably, the most brilliant and •nrprising novel of the measen."—Atheumum. to-day. Ilenry Colburn, Publisher, 18, Great Marlborough-street. Ths Irish Waste Lands Bill passed through Com mittee, the report to be received this day. Lord MORPETH then brought in the Health of Towns Improvement Bill, which was read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on the 23d of April. The House adjourned at Half-past One. TANCRED. Now ready, in 2 vols. small 2v0., R EVRLATIONS OF PORTUGAL With a Picture of _ THE PRESENT STATE OF SPAIN. BY T. M. lUGHES, ESQ., Author of " Revelations of Spain." " Mr, Hughes's volumes are full of entertainment, and contain =eh valuable information on thezwl state of the Peninsula. His notices of the Courts of Portugal alTrSpain are agreeable. His fluent and gestipping pen records anecdotes, tales, rumours, and Jests of 11.11 sorts. It lets us into the secret scandal of all the Courts of **Pope." —B Mann! a, Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough•strest. It wanted only the introduction of an organized scheme for effecting an improvement in the sanatory condition of the people to crown the Parliamentary labours of the Government before the Easter adjourn ment. Lord MORPETH, as Chief Commissioner of her MAJESTY'S Woods and Forests, formally brought this important matter under the consideration of the representative legislators. It would be a mere affec tation to say that we are rejoiced at such a proceed ing on the part of Lord Joust RUSSELL'S Administra tion. We have so repeatedly and perpetually in veighed against the lassitude, or possibly the procras tination of the Executive in dealing with this extra ordinary question and we have accompanied those expressions of our impatience with such continual and such earnest observations upon the economy and humanity which are involved in it, that it would lite rally amount to affectation to offer our congratulations to the Ministry upon the course they have at length adopted. Considering that in the passage of some such sanatory measures as those indicated by Lord MORPETH yesterday evening, are implicated the hap piness or discomfort, the health or disease, the mora lity or depravity, the lives or deaths of many millions of our fellow-creatures, we cannot but regard the proposition of the Government with the most pecu liar and absorbing attention. Upon the activity of the Legislature in removing the abuses pointed out by the Noble Lord, the Chief Commissioner of her MAJESTY'S Woods and Forests, de pends not merely the cleanliness, but the bodily and mental health —• the mew sana in corpore nano—of a populous and, so 'to speak, a helpless and dependent multitude. The evils arising from the insufficiency of drainage, from the indis criminate interment within towns, from the squalor and narrowness of the tenements occupied by the industrial classes, from the lack of wholesome water, and the general absence of proper ventilation, are evils of a vast antiquity. They have grown and ex panded and propagated during the lapse of several centuries. Upon the very cinders of the metropolitan conflagration of 1666, upon the very cinders of that conflagration which appeared to be intended not merely for the purification of London from the plague, but for the destruction of its rotten, crowded, and pestilential thoroughfares, rose up again the architectural testimonies of the ignorance of the community and of the short sightedness of the municipal authorities. Since that memorable epoch in the history of our capital its mortality has marvellously outnumbered the average mortality of the rural districts. The disproportion of the mortality between the inhabitants of town and country, making even allowance for the improvements which have been effected in our medicinal know ledge, and taking into the calculation the different facilities afforded for the receipt of medical assist ance, is of such an alarming and enormous character as to render some interference on the part of the Legislature absolutely requisite. Besides which, the causes of that disproportion ed mortality are of such antiquity and multiplicity as to be era dicable only through the gigantic interposition of the Government. Several of the statistical calculations of Lord Moarern in regard to the difference observable be tween the mortality of our intermural and extra mural communities, were so apt and conclusive, as an enforcement of the Ministerial proposition, and as an argument for a comprehensive sanatory reform, that we are induced, even at the risk of repeating many of the facts previously enumerated by our selves, to interpolate the following, transcribed from a statement forwarded to the Registrar-General by the physician to King's College Hospital. The esti mate of that gentleman requires no enforcement : " Population to the square mile, country, 199:; town, 5,100. Annual deaths in 1,000,000. country. 19,300 ; town, 27,073 ; annual excess in town district, 7,773. Rate of mortality, country, 1 in 52; town, 1 in 37." Upon the average mortality of the British island the physician in question regards the subjoined numbers as correct :—" England 1 in 45 ; Isle of Wight, 1 in 58 ; Anglesea, 1 in 62 ; London, 1 in 39; Leeds and Birmingham, 1 in 37; Sheffield, 1 in 33 ; Bristol, 1 in 32 ; Manchester (Union), 1 in 30; Liverpool (parish), lin 29. Thus the inhabitants of London, compared with England at large, lose 8 years of their lives ;of Liverpool, 19. The popula tion of large towns in England being 4,000,000, the annual loss is between 31,000 and 32,000." Is anything more essential to indicate the advisa bility of a legislative effort at a sanatory reformation ? We should opine not. The pollutions of the atmosphere inhaled in the crowded habitations of the poor, the rank exhalations floating like a miasma in the vicinity of our metro politan grave-yards, the foulness and scarcity of the water consumed in household operations and as a beverage, the odious accumulations of filth in con sequence of neglected drainage, the very exclusion of the daylight, with a view to the avoidance of the window-tax,—all these things operate independently to the degradation and destruction of the multitude. For their permanent prevention it only requires the guidance and direction of an enlightened Govern ment. Such practical philanthropists as Dr. SOUTHWOOD SMITH have commenced the whole some crusade against these crying evils ; they have effectually smoothed the way for the Executive ; and the ripeness of the popular mind for enactments like those now promised must act as a generous in ROTAL ITALIAN OPERA, COVENT GARDEN, Erstabllshed for the purpose of rendering a more perfect perfermance 'fate Ly 4 tic Drama than has hitherto been attained in this country. Linder the Direct:on and Management of Mr. BEALE. The Nobility Gentry, and Patrons of Music, are respectfully in formed that the Royal Italian Opera will open the first week in April. It Is proposed to produce, in the course of the Season, come of the artabllsbed works of Cirnarosa, Mozart, Rossini, Meyerbeer, and others N the more modern Italian School. including Operas by Benin', Duni setti, Mercadante, and Verdi, oh a scale of the utmost perfection in eery department ; to which intent the manacement has assembled a Company embracing the greatest and moat varied talent in Europe. Pttt .t SOPRANI.—Madame Grist and Madame Persian' (her itra. appearance in London for three years), Madame Ronconi and kf.dlle. Steffanoui (of the Theatre La Scala, in Milan, her first ap pearance in this couutry). CONTRALTI.—Signora Albonl (of the Theatre La Scala, Milan, awl of the Imperial Theatre la Vienna, her first appearance in this aountry), and Mademoiselle Corbari. TENORL—Signor Mario, Signor Salvator LLVIII. (of the Imperial theatre at St. Petersburgh, his first appearance in this country). Signor Tull! (of the Theatre San Carlo, in Naples, his first appear am" in t his country), and Signor Sal,' (ot the Theatre La Scala, in Wilan, and el tke Imperial Theatres in Vienna and St. Fetersbergh, Ns first appearance on the Italian stage in England). PRIMI BASSI BABITONI--Signor Tamburini and Signor Giorgio Beacon'. PRIMI BASSI PROFONDI—Signor Marini (of the Theatres San Carlo, Naples, La Seale, Milan, and the Imperial. Theatre, Vienna, Ills first appearance in this country), Signor Angelo Alba (of the kheatre Royal, Madrid, his first appearance in this country), and Blernor tglonini (at the Imperial Theatre, Vienna, kis first appear ance in fkls spuntry.) PRIMI BASSI COMICI —Signor Pietro Ley (of the Theatre Royal kladrid, hi first appearance in this country), and Signor Agostino Rover.* (of the Theatres Royal, Naples, Milan, Vienna, and Sit. Fe tereburgh, his first appearance in this country). Seconds Donne—Madame Antoinette, llollidori (of the Theatre La Seals, in Milan), Mademoiselle Amalie Linari, Mademoiselle Lulgina DeWitt Seconds Tenere—Signer Emmantrele Slane (of the Theatre Can Carla in Naples). Director of the Music, Composer, and Conductor—Mr. Costa. A powerful and numerous CHORUS of chosen and experienced Singers will complete the Vocal Department. Chorus Master— Signer Bonconsiglio. Prompter—Signor Monterasl. The ORCHESTRA, formed of Artistes possessing the highest executive powers, will comprise among its members Eighty distin guished professors. The Military Band of the Coldstream Guards will be under the direction of Mr. Godfrey. An ORGAN, of extensive compass, has been expressly erected ha the theatre by Messrs. Flight and Son. Organist—Mr. V. Novello. The BALLET, of a brilliant and costly character, will clove the performance of the evening, and no Divertissement will be suffered between the acts of the Opera. The Director has the pleasure to vanetmee that he has concluded an engagement with Mademoiselle fanny Eissier ; and, during the season, the following eminent Danseusea will appear : —Premieres Dansense—Mademoiselle Dumi ',Ars (of the Grand Opera, Paris), and Mademoiselle Plunkett (of the Grand Opera, Paris), Mademoiselle Bertin (of the Imperial Theatre, Vienna, her first appearance in this country), Mademoiselle Neodot (of the Theatre Royal, Madrid), Mademoiselle Marietta Baderna (of the *vatre La *cal*, Milan), and Mademoiselle Fuoco (of the Academie Royale de Paris). Monsieur Petipa (of the Grand Opera, Paris), Monsieur Gontie (of the Theatre Royal, Madrid), Monsieur Ferdinand' Croce, Monsieur Delferier (of the Grand Opera, Paris), and Monsieur Auguste Mabille (of the Grand Opera, Paris). 3iaitres des Ballets—Monsieur Albert (of the Grand Opera, Paris), and Monsieur Blasi' (of the Theatre La Scala, Milan). Leader of the Ballet—Mr. Alfred Mellon. Regisseur de la Dance— Mr. O'Llryan. Conlpeser—Signor Alessandro Curmi (of the San Carlo Theatre, Naples). _ _ _ TIIE THEATRE.—To render the Interior at once commodious, elegant, and comfortable, It has been entirely reconstructed and decorated, under the immediate direction and after designs of lit. Albano, Esq., C.E., with every attention directed to its proper ventilation. The Decorations have been executed by Mr. Ponsotiby. The Management has happily secured the artistic skill of Signori Terri and Verardi (of the Theatre Italien, in Paris), to embellish the ceiling and to prepare a New Drop Scene. The approaches to the Theatre will be found improved, by a carriage way being formed Immediately under the P)rtico in Bow-street, whereby partied can leave or inter their carriages without exposure to the weather ; and by increased facilities for ingress and egress. The Refreshment Eoom will be under the superintendence of Mr. J. G. Watson. Tickets, Stalls, and Boxes, for the night or season, to be obtained at the Itox Office, Bow-street ; and at Messrs. Cramer, Beale, and Co.'s, 901, Regent-street. THEATRE ROYAL DRURY-LANE. OM EASTER MONDAY Will be performed the Opera of MARITAN.i. ♦fter which the New Grand Oriental Spectacle, called TIIE DESERT; or, The Imaun's Daughter. In which the Twe Ele phants, upwards of Sixty Horses, and the Camels will appear. THEATRE itOTAL, HAYMARKET. lf rider the Management of Mr. B. Webster, sole Lessee. ON EASTER MONDAY Will be perfbrmed the new and original Comedy, called THE SCHOOL FOB SCHEMING. Principal characters by Messrs. Far nu, Stuart, Buckstene, Howe, Selby, Brindal, Mrs. Glover, Mrs. Humby, Mrs. Tarnold, Miss Fortescue, Miss Bennett, Miss Hey **ids, &c. After which the Grand Astronomical. Extravagauce, (sailed giver pLA3NET i or, Harlequin cut of Place. THEATRE ROYAL, ADELPHI. l icier the direction of Madame Celesta. ON EASTER MONDAY Will he performed the original Drama, called THU FLOWERS OF THE FOREST ; a Gipsy story. Cheap John, Mr. Wright ; Is;anael, Mr. 0. Smith ; the Kinchin, Mr. P. Bedford; Leybourne, Mr. Woiall) ; Clvithia, Madame Celeste ; Lemuel, Miss Woolgar ; Searlighliliress, Mrs. Fltawilliam ; Lady Agnes, Miss Harding. To c4nclud• with the Fairy Spectacle, founded on the Ballet of LA GISELLE, entitled THE PHANTOM DANCERS ; •r, the Wills Bride, Primelpal characters by Mr. Wright, Mr. P. Bedford, Mr. 0. Smith, Mr. Cullernord,Madame Celeste, Miss Marian Taylor, lUse Emma Harding, Miss Ellen Chaplin, and Mrs. Laws. FR NCfI PLATS.—ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. Lessee, Mr. John Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell begs respectfully t• announce that Mademoiselle XOSE CHERI will make her First Appearance on EASTER MON DAY, In the Comedic-Vaudeville of UN CIIANGEMENT DE MAlNand in an entirely new Corgiody, entitled LA PROTEGEE, SANS LB SA.VOIIt. Boxes, 6a., Pit, 33.6 d. , Stalls, 3a.; Gallery, 2s. Doors opened at kalf-past Seven, sad the performances commence at Eight. Private Boxes, Stalls, and Places may be engaged at Mitchell's Royal Library, 33, Bond-street; and at the Box-of/Ice. ETHIOPIAN RERENADERS, ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. Re-eagagement of the Ethiopian Serenaders. The celebrated ETHIOPIAN SERENADERS, Pell, Harrington, White, Stanwood, and Germon, will give their Attractive ENTER TAINMENTS, at the above Theatre, on EASTER TUESDAY, and will be continued every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Evening ; and a MORNING PERFORMANCE every WEDNESDAY, be ginning on Wecineedy in Easter week. Boxes, 4s. ; Pit, 2e. ; Amphitheatre:2s. ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE, Proprietor, Mr. W. Batty. indw patronage of the Queen, Prince Albert, and other Members of the Royal Family. Will opal, for the Summer Season, with Lord Byron's Equestrian Dramatic Poem of TITS BRIDE OF ABYDOS ; or, THE CORSAIR ♦ND THE AVENGER'S STEED. Introducing Mr. Batty's Living Camels, Elephants, and Stud of Zen., Ponies, &e. THE WEATHER.—Sux OFFICE, MARCM 31. TJERHOMETEIR, Lowest, 90 ; Highest. 46; Noon, 41. BAROMETZR, 29.82.—Wind N.N.E , fine. UlOll WATER AT LONDOMBRIDGE THIS DAY. torn'ng 0 minutes after 1. Evening .. 3 minntei after 2." citement to Parliament and the Administration. The factory women and children are de scribed (and accurately) as yearning for the acceptance of the Bill introduced by Mr. FIEL- DEN. A conviction that such is actually the case has tended as much as anything to carry it so fur through the House of Commons. May Lord Moa- PETII'S proposition prosper in like manner ! for it is not merely a clique that is solicitous for sanatory reform, it is an entire community—it is not the thou- sand that yearn for these improvements, it is the million—it is not a class, it is a nation. Another discussion took place in the House of Commons last night on the question that the House should go into Committee on the Army Service Bill. Although the principle of the Bill was fully sanctioned by the House on the occasion of the second reading, the Gallant General the Member for Liverpool again forced a debate on that principle, repeating the argu ments he had previously made use of, and assuming that the veteran Commander-in-Chief was opposed to the measure, because the advisers of the Crown had refused to state the nature of communi cations of the most strictly confidential character. We cannot, however, regret the occurrence, as it had the effect of eliciting from the Right Honourable the secretary at War a vindication both of the justice and expediency of the proposed alterations, that was perfectly conclusive in their favour. To that speech we confidently refer all those who have fez red to put their own opinions in competition with those of the distinguished officers who have unfortunately been so warped by their prejudices as to offer thnir strenuous opposition to the limitation of the term ta• f enlistment. Every one of the grounds relied on by its opponents were answered in the most clear anvil satisfactory manner, the fallacies detected, and the e;rrors refuted. The speech of the Gallant Member for Carlow was also in the highest degree creditable to his bead and heart, and the astounding fact which he mentioned, that no less than one death out of twevlty in cavalry were cases of suicide, should alone be si tfilcient to in duce a Christian nation to incur any expense And to run any risk to effect an alteration in a sy stem that led to such frightful results. Every consideration of justice well as of humanity calla for the change. It is not fitting that a great nat i on should enter into contracts with lads who have not attained years of discretion, Or an ag e at whi c h any engagements in to which they eriter ed with th e i r fellow-subjects w ould be held binding —.by which they would be bnandfertheir entire lives, —c ontracts in which there is no recipro city, for, although th ese dier eannot...look forward •Jr 1.- llif ! - 1 , .. 4, , . 9 14,2"'N : s oli 1 't, : i kt ; • J A I r. ' • Irellril , 1• ..:0•4 , • MC '' , ..v . , " '' , '''' 4 ''• - ~ ..: ~., ' -- 1,-_- 1 ...a , ' .2 ~-.:"•„ • . • . ~...... SECOND EDITION. IQ' Attnin LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1847. The Royal Assent was given by Commission to various Bills The Lords re-assembled at Five o'clock. The Waterworks' Clauses Bill, the Gasworks' Clauses Bill, the Markets and Fairs' Clauses Bill, and the Commissioners' Clauses Bill were respectively read a third time and passed. Lord BROUGHAM explained that he had not changed his opinions with regard to arrest on weine process, and he thought that the manner in which the late law, authorising imprisonment for fogy days for small debts, had been overstretched by the Commissioners, would lead to the entire abolition of imprisonment for debt. In reference to a petition frosi Nottingham which claimed for the labourers a 600 of support out of the produce of the land, the Noble and Learned Lord declared emphatically that, in his opinion, the only title which any . able-bodied poor man had to support was upon the produce of his own work. Lord CoLvii.nt then drew the attention of the House to the vote which had been given in the late election of a Scotch Representative Peer, by a person calling himself Lord COLVILLE, of Ochiltree, and moved for a return of the list of voters on that oc casion, which was agreed to. Earl GREY, in moving the adjournment to the 15th of April, announced that on their re-assembling, their Lordships would meet in the New House. Their Lordships then adjourned. The Commons met at Four o'clock. The second reading of the Dublin Improvement Bill was, on the motion of Mr. GREGORY, postponed until after Easter. In a nswer to a question, Captain BERKELEY said he bad every reason to believe that a commission would be issued to inquire into the administration of the Merchant Seamen's Fund. Mr. SPOONER then moved for leave to bring in a Bill to suppress tradin g in sed • uctio n and prostitution, which WaS ultimately grant e d. Mr. G. BERKELEY rose to order. Member to make good his case must The Hon. go into details unfit for publication , and he (M r , c r therefore, called the Speaker's attenti on to the lact that there were strangers in both galleries. The gal leries were ordered to be cleared, and the debate pro ceeded with closed doors. On the opening of the galleries we found Lord Mozmirra moving for leave to bring in a Bill to Im prove the .Health of Towns, which was granted. Various returns on the motion of several Hon. Members were then ordered. On the question being put for the House going into Comatitto on the Army Service Bill, art H. DOVALAS moved that it be committed that to any time when he would be liberated from his part of the bargain, the nation reserves to itself the power of discharging him at any time when it may be expedient to do so. How often have cases occurred of young men, who having lost their health, or even been disabled by wounds received in actual service, have been turned off without provision or the means of obtaining an honest livelihood, to starve in the streets, become mendicants, or have recourse to the tender mercies of the union workhouse. The case of poor COTTON, the man who was brought to Worship street Police-court, during the latter part of last year, for exposing wounds received at the battle of Hyderabad, and by which he was incapacitated from earning his daily bread, establishes the fact that there is little hesitation evinced in getting rid of those persons the moment their services cease to be valuable, and yet they are retained for their life time without consideration of their feelings or wishes, if the State requires them. These contracts are too often obtained in the most discreditable manner. A raw lad of seventeen or eighteen years of age is dis covered by a wily recruiting sergeant ; he is taken to a public-house, plied with intoxicating drinks until he becomes perfectly inebriated ; during that period he is told the most outrageous falsehoods, and at last is induced to take the bounty by means of false pretences and practices that would justly sub ject the perpetrator to severe punishment if he ob tained any pecuniary advantage thereby. As a matter of simple equity, therefore, the claim of the soldier to a limitation of his term of service should be granted. From the statement of the Hon. Member for Wiltshire, it appears that in the year 1845 there were but 2,000 soldiers in the British army who had served more than 21 years ; that the moment they became entitled to their pensions a series of frauds commenced, which never ceased until their dis charges were obtained—that, in fact, the great majority of the soldiers left the army after 18 years' service. It this be so--and we see no reason to doubt its ac curacy—it is an additional reason why they should obtain, as a matter of right, in an open and honour• able manner, that which is now procured by under hand and fraudulent means. It takes from the sticklers for unlimited enlistment their chief ground, their strongest argument. There cannot be that great inconvenience to the public service that is so loudly asserted, when the average service is so little more than that which has been fixed as the period for which the soldiers are to be bound. Every in ducement should be heT.d out to them to re-enlist for the time that would entitle them to full pensions. We would gladly see the amount of those pensions increased, and some little mark of distinction in the shape of a cross or medal, &c., with a small additional pecuniary advantage attached to it, conferred upon soldiers who had served their full time, with credit to themselves and advantage to their country. These tokens of their country's approbation might be conferred for gallant actions in the field, or for undeviating good conduct in the barrack, and would have a wonderful effect in stimulating these whom it was desirable to retain to endeavour to gain them. The objection that the country would become martialised by having among its citizens so many who bad served is quite untenable. Those men will have a direct interest in the preservation of the public peace in the deferred pensions to which they may look forward ; they will also be enrolled in the public service; and all experience has shown that they will form a class whose loyalty may be relied on, and who will oppose the strongest barriers to any in sidious attempts to create public disturbances. The gallant acts of our young soldiers in the Peninsula and at Waterloo prove that even raw recruits, certainly men of very inferior standing, may perform the most brilliant actions, and that the honour of the British name and the safety of the British nation may safely be entrusted to their keeping. The statistical returns quoted by the Secretary at War, showing the increase of mortality in our colonies after men had passed a cer tain age, establishes that, on the ground of humanity alone, if there was nothing else to recom mend it, the measure should be sanctioned and adopted. We trust that we shall see it followed by other regulations for the improvement of the condi tion of the private soldier, that will make him an object of envy to persons of the class to which he originally belonged, and induce them to endeavour to obtain similar advantages by entering into the service of their country. The Berlin correspondent of a Frankfort journal states the receipts of the Zollverein during the last year were much less than in 1845, and attributes the reduction to the dearness of the necessaries of life and the scarcity of money. The writer adds that the Zolllverein has renewed its negotiations with America for a, commercial treaty. A_ correspondent writes from Vienna, on the 22d, to the Journal de Francfort— " In consequence of the continued dearth of provi sions, there were riots on the 20th at Funthans, a village in the environs of Vienna ; the bakers' and other shops were forcibly entered, and a quantity of bread and other provisions was carried off; but a detachment of hussars soon dispersed the mob. No act of personal violence was committed. The Government is taking all possible measures for relieving the general distress. It is increasing the public works, and urgingihe formation of railroads with redoubled vigour. Nevertheless, all the hospitals, prisons, and houses of correction are full, and it is evident that all human re sources will not suffice to remedy an evil so general. Every one is persuaded that, if the next harvest is not abundant, the Government will be compelled to interdict the exportation of corn. At the last market there was a great number of French buyers. The Government has ordered the issue of 500,000 florins in Treasury bills for the benefit of the town of Brunn, celebrated for its industry, and particularly for its woolle❑ manufactories. These bills bear three per cent., and may be paid at any time. A similar issue at Prague has been perfectly suc cessful." The Cologne Gazelle states from Vienna, that it is not intended to make any formal reduction in the Austrian army, but to give unlimited furloughs to 30,000 men. We learn from Breslau, under date of the 23d, that public order had just been disturbed there, in conse quence of the discharge of 500 workmen, who had been employed during the winter on the fortifications. These men, instead of seeking work elsewhere, went through the town uttering menacing cries, and it was found necessary to call out the troops to disperse them, which was done without bloodshed. Madrid Papers of the 24th have arrived. The Heraldo denies, in the strongest terms, that any intention has ever existed on the part of the Ministry to propose entrusting to the KINI-CoxsolT, either alone or in conjunction with the Due DR MONTV - ENSIER, the power of administering the mo narchy in the event of any failure in the QUERN'S health. The same journal suggests the union of NARVAZ, DON, BRAVO MURILLO, and OLIYAN in one Cabinet, as likely to secure the confidence both of the QUERN and of the Chambers. The discussion on the Address still continued. It has outlasted one Ministry, nearly outlasted another, and will possibly never be concluded, as it is more than probable that a continuance of the Ministerial crisis may necessi tate an immediate dissolution of the Chamber. MADRID Boma, MAid 24.—The Three per Cents, were done et 30a for cash ; the Five per Cents, at 19 ; the Debt without interest, at 5 3 A ; and the Coupons, at 17. We have received the Paris papers of Sunday. The Journal des Debuts has an article extending over four columns, which is full of the most gloomy forebodings as to the next harvest. It prophecies a failure of all the crops of 1847, and urges the neces sity of taking immediate measures to secure immense importations of corn and provisions during the course of the ensuing year. Speaking of the prospects of the future, the Debuts says— "ln such a matter we can only have probsbilites for the basis of reasoning. But then the subject is of such gravity, that however slight the probability may be, hesitation is not to be permitted, and we must, under the penalty of incurring a terrible responsibility, reso lutely take the side to which the probability leans. Now what is it that probability indicates for the next harvest? As regards grain, properly so called—wheat sad rye,— the abundance of the next harvest is the secret of the future. We ought to believe that we shall have the ordinary quantity. It appears, however, that the recent cclds, which have been late and intense, have injured the rye in some cantons of the south. Let us, however, pass over that circumstance until it shall be better proved. Bat there is another harvest, the fate of which is at present certain; we shall not have this year more than half of the ordinary potato crop. The malady, which came un expectedly to attach itself obstinately to this product, and against which all the art of our farmers, and all the science of our academies, hare failed, has destroyed the potato almost everywhere before it could be sown; and where it has been presorted, it has become so 11110114011Siy dear, that it cannot well be purchased for planting. Ire land, which lived exclusively on potatoes, is threatened next year with a repetition of the frightful scenes which this winter has witnessed. With us, the public alimenta tion, without being anything like so varied as it might and ought to be in the interest of the general security and of health, is, however, far from consisting of one single article. Cern enters into the consumption of every one in France, and yet potatoes are consumed in large quantities. France produces from .00 to 120 million hectolitres of potatoes, in quantity almost as much as wheat. Let us admit that the million hectares de voted to the cultivation of this root will not be left un productive. But they will not yield anything like a quantity of aliment equivalent to what they would have produced in potatoes. In this case, then, the deficiency is, one cannot say probable, but inevitable and certain. It may, therefore, be announced from the present time, that the harvest of 1847 will not be sufficient. Even if the reaction downward in prices, which it is permitted to foresee, daring the next two months, should be very great, we must not allow ourselves to entertain dece.ttul hopes. The decline would prove nothing, except it be that the speculation for high prices had been excessive, and from it nothing should be prejudged with regard to the future. Unless we have an extraordinary production of corn, on which it would be ►ery imprudent to calculate, we shall be under the necessity of receiving supplies from abroad up to, at least, the harvest of the summer of 1848. Must it be concluded from this that the next year will be calami tous, or only that the price of wheat will remain after the next harvest almost as high as it is now? We do not think it. The next season, even with the failure of the potato crop, will be much less bard to pass through than that of which we have almost reached the end. Bat it will be on the express condition that the faults committed in 1846 shall not be renewed in 1847. It is clear to every impartial judge that wheat would not have attained in Europe the high price at which we see it, if a year ago, at the same period, or only to speak of what was practicable, if, from the month of June or July, a better account had been obtained of what the harvest would really be. Au extreme want of foresight has been shown everywhere, in England as in France, not only in June and July, but in September and October, when the facts were known ; and we are now subjected to the consequences of it. With more foresight measures would have been taken of which the effect would have been, not to prevent the high prices (we never flatter ourselves, even retrospectively, with chimerical hopes), but to restrain them in somewhat narrow limits ; the hectolitre would not have remained at 30 francs ; but instead of rising to 401., to 50f., to 55E, as it has done, it a mild, most probably, have remained below 30f," The effect of this article was to produce a panic on the Bourse; the Three per Cents. fell to 78f. 90c., and the Five per Cents. to 1161. 75c., and the prices of shares declined in a nearly equal proportion. The Presse is exceedingly irate with the French Consul at Canton for striking his flag " about a mat ter of money." The article is very amusing, and is as follows : " We received by the last mail from China a piece of news which we hesitated to publish, so extraordinary did it appear; but since we are not the only persons that are acquainted with it, and since other journals speak of it also, it cannot be considered strange that we lay be fore our readers the facts such as we have received them from correspondents whose veracity is beyond all suspi cion. We announced towards the end of 1845 that the French flag, which had for more than half a century been floating in front of the factories of Canton on the same line as those of England and America, was about to disappear, thanks to the inconceivable meanness, if not calculated malice, of our consul, M. Lefebvre de Becour, who rehired to pay about a hundred francs for the ground in which the flag-staff was planted. The re• fleettons which we then made had not been without fruit, for we soon after learned that M. de Lagrenee ha i spon. taneously paid th'e small sum necessary to ensure the French flag to float at Canton during the year 1846. It was the only apparent means of showing that we were present in China, until a diplomatic agent should go there to carry on the labours of our extraordinary mis sion. Well, the year 1846 had riot yet finished, the flag-staff was still standing, declaring to the Chinese people that by the side of England and the United states there was also a great nation which often decided the destinies of the world, when the French flags themselves were already exposed for public sale under a shed, and were afterwards sold for three Spanish piastres (about 161.), with some articles of furni ture from the Consulate included. Once that the tricoloured flags had been sold, it was necessary, in order to be consistent, to do away with the staff thus rendered completely bare ; and this was accordingly done. As soon as the period paid for by M. de Lagrofi4a had expired, the axe went to work, and the su❑ of 1847 no longer shone in China on any vestige of our glory. We do not want to attach to this fact more importance than it really possesses, for we are convinced that on the arrival of the new Chargé d'Affaires, M. North-Rouen, our relations with China will resume that character of dignity and good intelli gence which our embassy had given them ; but it is not less deplorable that in a country where the power of foreign nations is judged of by the brilliancy with which they are surrounded, our agents should hold our display so cheap. The Chinese, we are informed, were shocked and grieved at beholding the friendly flag, which they regarded as a pledge of peace for the future, taken away from the commercial capital of their empire. Amongst the foreign Powers, some bewailed the matter, whilst others laughed at it ; the French Consul has been the only person not to pay attention to the effect of his acts, although, if the budget is to be believed, where he is set down for a considerable sum, he is not paid for advancing the affairs of England and ruining our own." The Moniteur has the following announcement:— "The Pauline merchantman, just arrived from Rio de Janeiro at Havre, was the bearer of dispatches an nouncing that the ship Mutine had brought to Buenos Ayres orders from the Governments of England and France to Messrs. Gore Ouseley and Baron Deffaudis, to sign the treaty concluded between the Argentine re public, President Oribe, and the Envoy, Mr. Hood." The price of corn continues to fall, nevertheless the price of bread will be raised on the Ist of April in consequence of the high prices of . corn during the months of February and March. The price of bread will not be affected by the present fall in the price of corn until the commencement of the second fortnight in April. So much for Government interference in fixing the prices of commodities. Had the baking trade been left free, competition would have brought down the prices at once. The Prince DB JoisvILLE has at Toulon six ships, three of which are of the first class, under his orders. The Governor of Senegal, Captain DE GRAM:VONT, opened on the sth ult. the Colonial Assembly, with a speech, in which he announced that the Colonial Minister had found it inexpedient to accede to the wishes of the assembly for the maintenance of the existing system of free labour by the blacks, as bear ing too great an analogy with the slave trade. The Assembly, in its answer to the speech, intimated its intention to renew the application, believing that it would rather tend to favour emancipation. La Semaine announces the arrival at Paris of one of the directors of the Imperial Bank of St. Peters burgh. It is added that his presence in the French capital is connected with the financial operations lately concluded between the Bank of France and the Im perial Bank of Russia. The Three per Cents. closed at 78f. 90c.; the Five per Cents., 116 f. 75c.; the Orleans Railroad Shares, 1,278 f.; Rouen, 867 f. 50c.; Havre, 6721. 50c., Great Northern, 6301. ; Avignon, 8101 ; Vierzon, 5651. ; Bordeaux, 516 f. 25c. ; Boulogne, 415 f. ; Troyes and Montereau, 290 f. ; Basle, 205 f.; Dieppe, 3251. ; Paris and Strasburg, 4351.; Nantes, 4201.; Paris and Lyons, 437 f. 50c. ; Lyons and Avignon, 460 f. ; Spanish Three per Cents., 3414. BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT TUX LONDON STOCK EXCIIAN GE, ILAsca 30. Boulogne and Amiens, 16 —Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Cetta (Constituted), lA—Narnar and Liege, 4%—Northern of France, 13 —Orleans and Bordeaux, 6—Paris and Lyons, 5 i—Weist Flan ders, It is stated in a letter from Munich, that accounts had been received there of the King of Greece having been suddenly attacked by severe illness. THE Aumr.—Lord Alexander Lennox has obtained a captaincy and company in the Blues, owing to the retire ment of the Hon. C. H. Cust from the Army, and Lord Otho Fitzgerald, son of the Duk• of Leinster, has succeeded to a lieutenantcy. CALEDONIAN RAILWAY—BRANCH FROM ECCLE-. FECHAN to ANNAN.—The petition from Annan to the House of Commons in favour of this branch of railway, adopted at the public meeting, a report of the proceed ings at which appeared in this paper of the 10th instant, was last week forwarded to Mr. Ewart, fur pre sentation, with a request that he would support its prayer. The petition was signed by 625 individuals, in cluding the magistrates, councillors, and, with very few exceptions, the Parliamentary electors, resident within the burgh•—Dumfries and Galloway Standard. Tins EDUCATION MEASURE.—PROPOSED GENE CONFERENCE.—The Patriot of Monday night states that steps have already been taken for calling a general confer ence to discuss the subject of the proposed measure of national education. ------- THE LUNAR ECLIPSE THIS DAY.—If an imaginary line be drawn through the centre of the moon's disc, parallel to the horizon, meeting the left limb or edge of the disc, a point a very little (10 deg.) above this will indicate where the moon enters the earth's shadow at the beginning of the eclipse—eleyen minutes past eight. Previous to this, how. ever, the penumbra, or softened shade which surrounds the true shadow of the earth, may be observed gradually darken ing the left or eastern limb of the moon ; and, indeed, from this cause it is impossible to determine with precision, from observation, the exact instant of the beginning and end of a lunar eclipse. The moon will then enter deeper and deeper into the shadow; the segment eclipsed getting larger and larger, and at the same time progressing slowly round the disc the upper limb, until fourteen minutes past nine, t a o t w wh d i s ch period 2-7 tits of that diameter which lies midway between the vertical and the left or eastern hori zontal radius of the disc will be covered. The moon will now begin to leave the shadow, the segment eclipsed getting gradually smaller, and still continuing to progress round the dis upwards, till at seventeen minutes past ten the moon emerges wholly from flee shadow, the last contact being at the highest or vertical point of the disc. The total duration of the eclipse will be two hours and six minutes. ----- The mortal remains of the late Duchess of Mont rose will be interred this day at Petersham Church, near Richmond. The Duke of Montrose, the Earl of Winchilsea, the Earl of Povis, and Lord William Graham will attend as chief mourners• IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS DAY.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPAR took the Chair At Twelve o'clock. SECOND READINGS. The following Bills were read a second time, and or dered to be committed : Caledonian Railway (Branches to Wilsontown, to Fauld house, and to Biggar and Broughton). Caledonian Railway (Edinburgh station and Branches to Grantee, and to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway). Colchester Navigation and Improvement. Dublin Consumers Gas. London Sewage Chemical anure. Manchester Corporation Waterworks (Power to sell to the Manche ter er! Salford Waterworks Company Manchester Corporation %%rater works (Power to purchase the Manchester and Salford Waterworks). NAVIGATION-LAWS. Mr. BECKETT presented petitions from Leeds and several other places. in favour of the navigation-laws. CATHOLIC RELIEF. Mr. ROUND presented petitions in favour of Catholic relief. GOVERNMENT PLAN OF EDUCATION. Mr. BUSFEILD presented a petition from Eirsdford against the plan, and also one in favour of it. Mr. BECKETT presented a petition, signed by 336 Sunday-school teachers, in favi,ar of the plan. The Hon. Member also presented several other petitions in favour of the plan. Mr. HUME presented several petitions against it, from places in Yorkshire, and said that the petitioners complained that it would interfere with the liberty of the subject. SMALL TENANTS. Mr. ETWALL presented a petition from a person named Saunders, of Andover, stating that the present law materially interfered with the rights of those tenants who were subject to the payment of rates. BANKING LAWS... Mr. SHELL presented a petition from the governor and directors of the Hibernian Bank, praying that the law with respect to stamps which now prevailed in Ire land might be assimilated to that of England. EDUCATION. Lord SANDON presented a petition from the two rectors of Liverpool, praying the House to take steps to improve the education of the middle classes. The petitioners suggested, that as Queen's scholarships had been established for promoting the education of the poorer classes, there ought to be founded Queen's fellowships for promoting the education of the middle classes. Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition against the proposed Government scheme of education. Lord JOHN RUSSELL presented several petitions, one of them from Rugby, in favour of the scheme. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE presented a petition against the scheme. ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL. Captain P.LLHELL presented a petition in favour o! this Bill. LONDON, CHELTENIIAM, AND OXFORD RAILWAY. _ Several petitions were presented against this railway, and referred to the Committee. Mr. HUME moved, that the order made on the 15th day of February last, for referring the London and North.. Western Railway (Ilescot and Wolverhampton Branch, &c.) Bill to the Committee of Selection, be read and discharged.—Agreed to. Mr. GREGORY moved that the Appendix to the Evidence on the Dublin Improvement Bill be printed, together with the evidence.—AgTe ed to. MASTERS IN CHANCERY. Mr. HUME said he understood that one of the Masters in Chaniery had resigned on account of ill health. Now he trusted this vacancy would not be filled up until the abuses, disclobed in the evidence taken before the Chan cery Commissions, wire removed. Lord J. RUSSELL would undertake to say that the vacancy would not be filled up until sufficient time had claps.'d to see whether any improiement could be intro duced into the office. Mr. HUME postpone] his motion for returns con nected with the boys employed in the navy. ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE. Lord J. RUSSELL, in rising to move that the 11 1 %11SP, at its rising, do adjourn till Monday, the 12th of April, taid that he proposed that on that day the House should go into Committee of Supply, when the notices of mo Lion given by the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Liverpool, and the Honourable and Gallant Gen• tleman the Member for Westminster, might be taken, and if there was sufficient time, any other motion upon the orders of the day, to which there was no objection, might be disposed or. He did not, how ever, on that day propose to take any further stage in the Army Service Bill, but postpone it till a subsequent day. On the Friday after the recess he proposed to take the consideration of the third reading of the Irish Poor-law Amendment Bill, and the third reading of the Bill for the Improvement of Property in Ireland. On the question being put fur the adjournment, Lord JOHN RUSSELL, in reply to a question, stated that Government had a Bill under their consideration for the removal of the religious disabilities of the Jews, but he was afraid that it could nut be brought forward in the present session. Captain PECHELL asked the Noble Lord if it was his intention to continue the Poor-law Commissioners at Somerset House for the remainder of the session ? Lord J. RUSSELL said it was his intention to bring in a Bill upon the subject, of which due notice would be given, after Easter. Mr. AGLIONBY said several clerks in the metropo litan Courts of Request had been thrown out of employ went by the establishment of County Courts, and he wished to know if Government could give them com pensation in the shape of employment in another way? Sir G. GREY said that the appointment of the judges rested with the Lord Chancellor, but a provision for compensation in such cases as were thought necessary was entered in the Bill, and he had no doubt that the cases complained of would come under the class of cases to which compensation would be awarded. PRIVATE BILLS. Mr. HUME wished to know whether a private Bill ou the subject of paving, cleansing, and lighting, which had been referred to a private Committee, the evidence upon which the Committee had refused to hear, would be referred to any other Committee? Sir G. GREY had no doubt that under the provisions of the Bill to be introduced by his Noble Friend (Lord Morpeth) all Bills of that nature would be referred to a Select Committee. FOREIGN TARIFFS. Mr. NEWDEGATE wished to know when the re turns he had moved for, on the subjt ct of foreign tariffs in relation to this country, would be laid upon the table of the House ? Mr. HAWES said that the returns would be laid be fore the House as soon as possible. PUBLIC W ORICS (IRELAND). Mr. LABOUCIIERE wish€d to correct a statement which he had made a few nights since with re spect to the reduction of the number of persons em ployed on the public works in Ireland. He then stated that it was the intention of the Government to 'rake an aggregate reduction in the numbers employed, leaving. at the same time a discretionary power with the Lord-Lieutenant as to the numbers to be reduced. The Lord Lieutenant had, however, conceived that no dis• eretion was vested in him, and that the officers of the Board of Works were the only authorities by whom any discretion could be exercised upon the subject. He (Mr. Labouchere) believed that the Lord-Lieutenant in so deciding had acted upon a perfectly sound and correct principle, and he regretted having misled the House upon the subject of the discretionary power to be vested with the Lord-Lieutenant. Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN quite concurred in the opinion just expressed by the Right Hon. the Secretary for Ireland, as to the propriety of leaving the exercise of discretion in the hands of the officers of the Board of Works. ARMY RETURNS. Sir DE LACY EVANS poutpotied his motion re specting the rations of the army mail after Easter. UNIVERSITIES OF OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE, Mr. CHRISTIE gave notice that after Easter he would more an address to the Crown on the subject of the Universities of oxford au: Cambridge. SAVINGS' BANKS. Mr. P. SCROPE gave notice that, on Tuesday, the 20th of April, he would move for leave to bring in a Bill for the establishment of a more extensive system of savings' banks throughout the country. ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE. The motion for the adjournment of the House, at its rising, until Monday, the 12th of April, was agreed to. NEW PALACE AT WESTMINSTER. Mr. HUME gave notice that upon an early day after the Easter recess, he would move for a return of the ag gregate amount of money expended upon the now palace at Westminster up to the last dly of December 1846, and also for an estimate of the whole amount required to complete the building. METROPOLITAN BUILDINGS ACT. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE gave notice that on Tuesday the 20th of April, it was his intention to move for the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into the operations of the Metropolitan Windings Act. ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSIONERS BILL. Lord JOHN RUSSELL postponed until after Easter, the introduction of a Bill for amending several Acts for the appointment of Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England. (LETT SITTING MAUNDY THURSIM.Y.—To-morrow being Maundy Thursday, the distribution of her Majesty's alms will take place at the Royal Chapel of Whitehall, with all the usual state ceremony. The procession will proceed from her Majesty's Almonry Office in Whitehall-yard, at three o'clock, to the Royal Chapel, where it will be me t by th e c l erg y i n their robes, and will proceed down the Chapel to their re.- spectire stations. when Divine service will be performed, during which the distribution of the Maunday takes place. It is not unlikely that her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert will graciously honour the ceremony with their royal presence, as the monarchs used to do in days gone by (especially Queen Elizabeth), and as her Majesty now does at Windsor, at the royal distribution at Christmas. MERCHANT SEAMEN'S SOCIETY. —Yesterday a quarterly court of the governors of this corporation for the relief and support of sick, maimed, and disabled seamen, and the widows and children of such as shall be killed, slain, or drowned in the merchantservice, was held at the board-room of the Society, in Birchio-lane, Cornbill ; Lindsay, Esq., in the chair. The report stated that the pensioners on the books for London and the outports were 1,801 men, 2,746 widows, and 2,740 children. The receipts for the past year from all sources were 23,009/. 183. 10d., and the expenditur e 22,152/. 35., leaving a balance of 8571. 1; s. 10d. The usual business of a routine character having been disposed of, and the court adj ourne d thanks were voted to the Chairman, CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.) The Lord Chancellor sat to-day in the Old Hall, Lin coht's Inn, for the purpose of hearing pqitions, lunatic petitions, and- appeals. No case of any interest came before his Lordship during the whole morning. The LORD CHANCELLOR postponed till to-morrow his judgment in the case of " Chappel v. Purday." VICE-CHANCERY.-(THIS DAY.) (13 , fore the VICE-CHANCELLOR of ENGLAND.) MOSELEY V. ALSTON THE OXFORD AND BIRMINGHAM JUNCTION RAILWAY COMPANY. THE LOATDoN AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY V. THE GREAT WESTIRN RAILWAY COMPANY. This case came before his Honour by spt-eiai appoint- went to-day, upon a demurrer put in by the defendants, to the bill filed by the plaintiffs. Sir Fitzroy Kelly, Mr. Stuart, Mr. Belt, and Mr. G. Russell, appeared in support of the demurr- r; and Mr. Bethell, Mr. James Parker, aryl Mr. Wilcox, wets , counsel for the plaintiff's in the (ems: , . The bill was filed by the plaintiff Mr. Moseley, and three other shareholders in the Oxford and Birmingham Junction Railway Company, against the defendants, who are the acting directors of that company, and against the company itself, for the purpa,e of obtaining an injunction against the defendants, or any of theta, to restrain them from acting as directors ; and also fir the purpose of having the common seal of the company de livered up to certain persons whom the bill stated to be the lawful directors of the company. To this bill the demurrer was put in which now came on for argument. The bill filed by the plaintiffs raised the important question, whether, at a certain time alluded to, accord' :ng to the provisions of the. Act under which the Ox ford and Birmingham Junction Railway was formed, it was necessary that a certain number of directors should go out by rotation and be succeeded by others. The Act of Parliament for the incorporation of the Birming ham and Oxford Junc.ion Railway was passed on the 3d of August, 1846, and by that Act a certain number of directors (twelve) were to be appointed, who were to remain as directors until they were displaced, and sue ceeded by others. There were also provisions in the Bill for meetings, at which the shareholders could either continue the directors, or remove some of them and sub stitute others in their place. It appeared, according to the statements in the Bill, that a meeting was held, pur suant to notice, on the 31st of October last, at which several of tke directors were continued as directors, and others retired, but at that meeting the number of twelve was appointed. Another meeting was then held on the 27th of February, in the present year, which was continued by adjournment to a sub sequent day, and it was contended Ly the bill that at that meeting a certain number of the directors ought to have gone out by rotation. No going out of directors took place, and the twelve gentlemen that had been previously appointed continued to be directors, and under the power contained in the Act six new directors were elected and added to the 12 by the party with whom the four plaintiff's were connected. It further appeared that in pursuance of certain clauses in the special Act of the company, which enabled it to amalgamate with the Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley Railway Company, a Bill had been introduced into the House of Commons for effecting this amalgamation. The complaint contained in the bill was that at the meeting which was held on the 27th of February in the present year, four of the directors ought to have gone out by rotation, and have been succeeded by four others, and that such an arrangement not having taken place, the bill prayed an injunction restraining the directors from acting. Sir FITZROY KELLY, in support of the demurrer put in to the bill of the plaintiffs, submitted, at great length, that such a bill could not be sustained. The plaintiffs in that bill did not sue for themselves and all others, the rest of the company, neither did they sue on behalf of the company, but merely in their own names and against the company of which they formed part. It this bill was maintained, he did not see why a similar bill should not be filed by every member of the company. The Learned Counsel, in support of this proposition, cited the cases of Foss v. Harbottle, decided by the Vice-Chancellor Wigram, and the Attorney General v. Wilson, decided by the present Lord Chancellor. If these directors were unwilling to xercise their functions, the company had an ample re medy in their own hands. The company might institute a suit in their own persons, though the corporate seal might be in the bands of some particular persons. The Act which established this was the Bth and 9th of Victoria. The 70th section of that Act provided that a certain number of shareholders might at any time, by writing under their hands, require their directors to call a special meeting. The Learned Counsel here cited the 74th sec tion of the Act, and continued: —Therefore it was quite evident that a meeting called for the appointment of directors, or any other purpose, would have effected all bus Honour was called upon to do then. He would refer to a portion of the prayer, to illustrate the peculiarity attendant upon the proceedings in this case. The petitioners prayed that his Honour might order the seal of the Birmingham and Oxford Railway Company, together with all the funds and pro perty of that company, to be transferred to the hands of lawful directors. Now who were the lawful directors? Here were four shareholders requiring this, and per haps these four shareholders might not have 201. interest in the company. If there were any ground for the present proceedings, a mandamus from the Queen's Bench would have been the proper means to have adopted. (The Learned Counsel here read the 16th sec tion of the Act, which provided that the directors were to be elected at an ordinary meeting, and that the first ordinary meeting should be held six months after the passing of the Act.) Now a meeting was held in pur suance of that Act, and there was an election or conti nuance in office of the directors named in the Act. The special Act referred to the general Act with respect to the election of the directors, and tt:at Act clearly intended that the directors .hould remain in office for one year, and that the rota test should not take place till the expiration of that period. The Learned Counsel here quoted the 83d sec don of the general Act, which he contended literally provided that the election of directors should be for a year. If this interpretation were not adopted there could be no consistent construction put on the Act. It was found that the intention of the Legislature was affirmed in different other parts of the Act. Mr. STUART followed on the same side. The Learned Counsel directed his observations entirely to the allega tions of the bill. A meeting was held on the 13th of March. That meeting was held in the day-time, but was adjourned till five o'clock on the same evening. At the adjourned meeting Mr. Muntz presided, and a resolution was moved that such of the directors as were in office previously to the 27th of the preceding February should retire. That re solution the chairman refused to put to the meet ing, and the proceedings that took place then was one of the grounds for the course which had been adopted by the petitioners. The bill s t ate d th at at t h at adjourned extraordinary meeting the rotation of the re tirement of the directors was determined upon by the shareholders present. A petition to Parliament war also agreed to, praying that the directors should be pre vented adopting any further proceedings in the affairs of the company. To that petition the chairman refused to affix the common seal of the company, upon which it was further resolved that six of the shareholders should be authorised to do the same. Here were six new directors appointed, who forthwith' assumed to them selves the functions of the governing body. The bill then alleged that the directors brought before Parlia ment Bills to which the company were opposed. After some other allegations to the same effect, they came to the prayer of the petition, which prayed that all the pro perty of the company should be transferred to the six directors appointed at the extraordinary meeting re ferred to. That appointment could not be shown to be in conformity with the company's Act. If the prayer of this petition were acceded to, what a ridiculous po sition would the company be placed in ? Why, there would be no other human beings comp ( t en t to act as directors except these ' six directors appointed at the adjourned extraordinary meeting. The Learned Counsel proceeded at great length to argue on the inconsistency of the bill. How could four share holders (real with the whole property of the company, When it cou ld not b e shown who authorisei the present proceedings? They had not even the six new directors there as complainants, they were actually in court as defendants. The Learned Counsel then proceeded to contend at great length that the elec tion of directors in October, 1846, continued them in office for twelve months, according to the sections of the Special, and the Consolidation, Act. His HONOUR—Between the 13th and 88th sections there is a variance as to time. If you put such a con struction on the 13th section as fixes the word " then" to the time ,expressed in the 13th section, then you have only to follow the mode of election prescribed in the 88th section, and there is a reasonable construction of both sections. BETHELL said, that was the construction made by the best opinions in the land. Mr. STUART said, if so, they were about a very idle matter. Re thought they were trying against one of the best opinions in the land. Mr. BETHELL--That was the decision of one of the best opinions in the land. Mr. STUART—If that were Mr. Bethell's opinion it might be one of the best in the land. There is less dif ficulty in his (Mr. Stuart's) solution than that presented to his Honor on the other side. His lIONOUR—I only threw it out as one solution. You are not to treat it as entirely under the 88th sec tion, wholly disregarding what is said about time. The time. beyond question, is to be at the first ordinary meeting. Mr. 13Ernitu.—The Ist section gave express po wer for the election of directors. His HoNouß—The first ordinary meeting was in February. Was there to be an election of directors then, or not ? Mr. STUART—I :,ay not; but, if such was the case, they m ight be el, cted, but could not enter into office. Hi s Ilorionit-1 want to put some construction upon the two clauses The question was as to what was the best construction with tae least rigilence to language. I wish to see what is the intention, and what was said. Mr. STUART then resumed. (The case was proceeding when our report left.) CLERKENWELL.-(THIS DAY.) Two respectable youths, named lawland and Perry, were brougnt before Mr. Combe, charged by William Jackson, a W , sleyan Methodist preacher, undur the following circumstances:— The complainant stated that he rested, for the put , pocet. of pubiic worship, some pr raises adjacent to Old St. Pancras-road, and usually had a kind of Sunday-school there. Last tinr,ht, about halt past seven o'clock, he was preaching in the chapel, w hien was, as usual in such places, open crTmoiately to all persons who chose to enter, when he was mach annoyed by a number of boys in the body of ti, clta.pel, who were behaving very irreve• rently ; and as he had been before frequently annoyed in a similar mamer, he gave the tut) \prisoners into custody. Mr. Comin:—You must state more definitely wh° those two lads have done, as yet I can see nothing to criminate. them. The conlp!aibi,nt—Why they were there, and there was Treat noise and contusion, and one of them rasa. faces at me h d said I should not put his brother out. Mr. CoomnE—As yet, I can seo no grounds for the charge. 'The compluinnnt—Befor e the living God I have stutel th, Mr. ComnE (with f emphasis)—You are alrtudy sworn' Sir. Such vrpet,ll :.re unbecoming. Y , e compkinum—What I have said is a Scriptura l phrase. Mr. COMBZ—That may be, but it is unreceslarP We are nut i!i tiu habit of ; -, eating such contiimatiop s of statements whet the witness is sworn upon the TO' tame,t. Another witnes, a Sunday school teacher, was sworn; but ts us unable t.• state the slightest fact showing th'" the pri.oners Lad ini , conductec themselves. f 511., COMBE :sa:d, before a p art y t uc k t h e lib er ty - o giving another in charge. as wa. dune in this case, bJ which those two per boy s were locked up all night in a felet.'s cell, he should be prepared to suppert his chaV i with evid e nc e . N ot one tittle hail been shown by either 0 , the witnesses to e s tabli s h t h e accusat i on against e i t h e r 0' those lads , and he should th e r e f ore or d er t h em to be at, once discharged; but he sh ou ld, a t t h e same t i me , tell Mr. Jackson that if th e b oys ' parents or next f r i e nds chose to bring an action against him for false impris° ll ; ment, he must take th e consequence, f or i t was too 104 that boys of respecte bl e c h aracter like the accused should be locked up all night in the cold cell of a station-hous e ' and then in the morning their accuser not have one Ps" tide of evidence to offer in support of his charge. The hop then left the court, accompan i e d by their parents, who expressed themselves fully determined t° take legal proceedings against Mr. Jackson for false int' prisonment. WORSHIP-STREET—(THIS DAY.) John Price, late a collector in the service of The Cool rnissioners of Pavement of the Whitechapel district, v l4l placed at the bar before Mr. Broughton, the sitting magistrate, for re-examination, charged with bawl embezzled various sums, amounting to 701., which be had received in the capacity of collector, appointed by them. • Mr. Jennings, clerk to the C omm i ss i oners , s t a t e d th at the prisoner ha d filled the situation of collector about six years, but, at a meeting of the board on the 19th of February last, was discharged from his situation. ' was the duty of the prisoner, annually, to send in a re turn of his accounts to be audited, hot upon this occa sion he only produced his books, mom an examination of which, it appeared that there was a balance of 61 14s : due from him to the Commissioners, for rates he bad received. As the p r i soner tacitly admitted that to b. the amount of his liability, by handing over that suni few days afterwards. It was discovered by his sun' cessor, however, upon going to the rate-payers, ° a d rates to the amount of 701. h a d b een rece i ve d b y him, 513 he was given into custody. The officer who had taken the prisoner into enstodP said that on the way to the police station, at the Pr i " sonar's request, they went to Mr. Jennings' uffi c k e t where the prisoner sen t f or one o f hi s sureties, witu„; view of inducing him to enter into an additional security for the amount of his defalcations, but the witness 0 ! that occasion refus e d t o b e a party i n any com proinis° in the matter, and he took him to the station-house. Mr. Jennings stated that there were, in additioof several other cases of a similar description against th e prisoner. The prisoner's solicitor contented that the eviden ce adduced was wh o lly insufficient to establi s h any really criminal conduct on b e h a lf o f t h e pr i soner, who h a d o° t had sufficient time allowed han to account for the amount s in dispute. Mr BROUGHTON, however, thought th a t h e wa s bou nd t( commit the prisoner on the score of embezzlemen t ' but took bail for hi s a pp earance at t h e sess i ons, himself in 4001., and two sureties in 150 L each. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE• (RECEIVED THIS DAY.) BETTING AT MANCHESTER—TuEsDAY. NEWMARKET HARDICAP.-4 to 1 agat Euclid colt-5 to agst Sting (taken freely)-8 to 1 agat Footstool (taken ) 7to 1 agst Vanish (t a ken)--13 to 1 agst Kesheng (t 49"„, —lB to 1 agat Queen o f T yne ( ta k en ) -20 to 1 agat 1,6 " - 1 pinile (taken)-20 to 1 agst Discontent (taken) -25 to agst Humdrum (taken). 2,000 GUINEAS Z•TAICES.-3 to 1 agst Planet (taken)-- 6 to 1 agst any other (offered). THE DERBY.-6 t o 1 ags t V an T romp (offered) --a , t° 1 agst Planet (taken)-12 to I agst Epirote (off ered) --25 to agst Glentilt (offered)-60 to 1 agst Wanota (offered) 2,500 to 100 agst Wanota and Will-o'-the-Wisp (WOO' OAKS. -200 to 25 agst Clementina (taken). LLOYD'S SHIPPING—(THIS DAY') LONDON, MARCH 31.—Wind E.N.E., light breeze and flue. DEAL, MACH 31—Wind N. W. to N.N.E.— Arrd. Anne , Raw, China ; Baboo, Parker, China ; Franklyn ' Abbott , Batavia ; Aurora, Ry an , C a l cu t ta; S amarang, Calcutta; Kingston, Neeve, Callao for Leith ; Polly, Barnice, Callao for Leith; Camerons, Charles, St. Domingo; Cambrian, 5t Domingo ; Thorwaldsen, Stage, St. Croix ; Stakkodder,Boy e, Cbarb ston, and sailed for Hamburgh ; Valhalla, Thacker , New York. Sld. P au li na an d A gneta , Batavia; oken, Ne vr Orleans ; Resolution, Quebec ; Lauret, Quebec. Arril• from the River, Justine, for Madras; James M'Queem, St' Lucia. DAYLTMOUTH, MARCH 30 —The Helen and Sophia, Yar mouth to Dublin, put in here this morning with loss of bovi° sprit and other damage, having been in contact with I schooner off the Start. CARDIGAN, MARCH 29.—The Whitehaven, from Cardiff; stranded on the Bar yesterday, but is expected off should the weather moderate. HULL, MARCH 30.—1 t has blown a succession of hesvf gales since the 28th instant, from N.N.W. to N.E., but 11 °A more moderate. - GLOUCESTER, MA acx 30.—Ths Menapea, from Newrorkt drifted on the rocks this morning, and is in a dangerol Le position, _ _ CLYDE, Meacm 29.—Arrd. Indian Chief, Noble, Ma!l - Put back, Harriet, Walsh, for Matanzas; Acadia, Ritchie, for Halifax, with part of cargo thrown overboar% t. CASTLETUWN (BEARHAVEN).—Arrd. Tamarac, CooPero John's, New Brunswick, for Liverpool, leaky. MARKET NEWS.-(T HIS DAY•) CORN EXCHANGE—WEDNESDAY Since Monday the arrivals of English Wheat for our ralirt t have been but li m it e d, consequently, the stands were bY means heavily filled with samples. All kinds met a v e t ` e dull inquiry, at a d ec li ne i n t h e quotations of is. per qu,lt,tis for the most inferio r qua li t i es. I n Foreign Wheat so d'A, was doing that prices w ere a l most nominal. The Barley trd il was in a very depress e d s t ate; nevertheless holders volilt, not submit to furth er re d uce d fi gures. Superfine A Malt was quite as dear, but all other kinds might have ',— Flour purchased on easier terms. O a t s , B eans, Peas, and - were a mere drug. English r. cgs Wheat. 2,(.70 qrs. ARRIVALS. ' Earlay. Oats f ilour, 440 qrs. 1,560 qrs. I 2,7 00 "..„.• . 310 I ----- 12,370 I ...... 5,100 5,610 Malt. 1,290 Qrs. lATNITECIIAPEZ. There was oaly a moderate supply of each km • of 81 e44 81 while the demand was fi rm , at hi gher rates. Beef, fro m Vim' to Ss 8d; Mutt on , a s 6d to 4s 6d; Lamb, 53 to 6s; 4s 2d to fis 2d; and Pork, 34 10d to 4s 10d per Slbs by th e carcase. The King of Prussia has conferred the &stip' guished Order of the Black Eagle on th e re i gn i ng Landgrae, of Hesse Homberg. The Queen of Pru ss i a h as quite recovereu from her recent severe indisposition. UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.—OXFORD, MA SC ., I ! 30.—Congregati ons w ill b e holden for the purpose of granti," graces and conferring degrees on the following days ni the ensuing term, v i z.: — A pril : Wednesday, 14, 'Thursday, o" Thursday, 29. May : Thursday, 6, Saturday, 22. No pers °- will, on any account, be admitted as a candidate for the de- gree of B.A. or 31. A., or those of 8.C.L., or B. Med. without proceeding through Arts), w h ose name i s not entere d on the bock kept for that purpose at the Vice-Chancellor's house, on or bt fore the day preceding the day of congregation. REPRESENTATION Or EAST SUSSEX..-...Lord Can' telupe has announced himself as a candidate for the eastern division of S usses , i n p l ace of M r. Frewen, who has signified his intention of retiring from the representation. PLANTATIO N BURNED Dowse.—On Tuesday, a fox cover, extending to about forty acros, belonging to his Grac e the Duke of Bu cc l euc h. on L anton Moor, was burned down. The fire is said to have been accidental.—Edinburgh Witness. SUPPOSED A TTEMPT AT C HILD MURDER.-- O n Monday night, about twelve o'clock, as police-constable 70 ‘- 1 was proceeding on his beat in Gilham's-fields, Worship street, he heard f a i n t cr i es o f a ch i ld, and presently h e es pied " e in a niche a f ra il basket, which proved to contain a live male child, about th ree d ays old, with its feet uermost. I": poor little inf an t, on b e i ng taken from the basket, pp was bleedi ri profusely f rom t h e mouth and nose, and nearly suffocated. Its hands w ere a l so nearly covered with blood. The child, who was rnost respectably dressed in long clothes, was sent s : by Mr. I nspector Gravestock to St. Luke's workhouse, w here it was p rompt l y attended to, and the little foundling i s no s going on favourably. BIRTH. On the 2Gth of M a r c h, th e w if e of EL 'S F. Walter, Esq., of a Ou the 18th of March, at Florence, the lady of 11. J. r• head, Esq., of a daughter. Ou the 85th of March, at Bennet-street. St. James's, the wirli Smith, Esq., of a son. On the 26th of March, at Puckeridge, Ilerts, Mrs. George Larkon, of a son. On the 27th of March, at the Vicarage, Entloid, Middlesex, the Wife of the Rev. J. M. Heath, of a son. On the 27th of March, at the parsonage, Lickerstaff, Orrnskirk, the wife of the Rev. T. E. Abraham, of a son. Levy, O On the a son,e2Bt of March, at Norfolk-str e et, Strand, Mrs. Morr is. Ott the 2sth of March, at High-street, Borough, Mrs. New"' F ' Houle, of a son. - Ou the 28th of March, a t North Brixton, the lady ofJames wuck worth Wln , tanley, Esq., of a datghter. Ott the 28th of March, a t Bl ac kh eat h , M rs. S pen cer Shelley, o f 3 daughter. MARRJtD. On the 30th of March, at Redruth, by the Rev. J. W. Hawksley, Mr. John Fell Baker, of London, to Caroline Mitchell, youngeo daughter of the late Mr. Nicholas Andrew, of the former place. 0,1 the 39th of 31arch, at West Hackney Church, Frederic, young to son of (ie .rge Bramwell, Esq., of Artillery-place, rlusbury-square, to Harriet, youngest daughter of the late Joseph Frith, ESQ. DltD. On the 24th of March, at 13oulogne-sur-Mer, Charlotte Catherine, second daughter of the late John Scudamore, Esq. On the 26th of March, at the Vicarage, LlansantlTraithyn•Mech an, Montgomeryshire, Grace, the wife of the Hey. R. H. Mathews ilu;rhes, M.A. On the 26th of March, Philip Whitaker, Esq., of Bretton, near Westbury, Wilts, aged al. On the 27th of March, at Sutton, Middlesex, Mary Ann, the wife of Mr. F. Finlay, ag'ed 31. Ott the 2.th el _March, at Greenham, Berks, Mary, the widow of the late William Graham, Esq., aged 83. On the 28th of March, at Chester-terrace, Regent's-park, Eliza beth Cat h youngest dour titer of voter Trezees.nt, Esq., aged 31. London: Pribt, Vubli.R. , e , by WURDO YOUNG, of N.. 1116 : Ric .. t r Is the Preo!set ' 4l `roY. n i.r. COOULY of Middlesex, Wednesday', M*XI 31, 1847.