The Sun. — London, England, 1840-02-20 00:00:00

tion by a Standing Order of the House. The 9th ok April, 1772, it was resolved, nem. con., " That no Bill relating to trade, or alteration of the law concerning trade, be brought into the House until the proposition was first considered in a Committee of the whole House, and agreed to by the whole House, and that the second reading be made a Standing Order of the House." The question was, whether this Bill related to trade ? If it did, the House should adhere to its Standing Orders. NVith respect to the Irish Church Bill, that was a case in point. After the Bill had been introduced, it was disco vered that it was one affecting the revenue ; and not hav ing been founded o n a reso l u ti on of the wole House, it was withdrawn, and a new Bill introduced, founded upon such a resolution, in accordance with the Standing Orders of the House. The reason for such jealousy was obvious. Every matter connected with trade was necessarily inte resting to large bodies of the people ; and, by founding all measures so connected upon proceedings in a Com mittee, it gave every Member an opportunity of speaking as often as he pleased, and so calling the attention of the public to it. This certainly was a matter of trade, and interesting to a large body of individuals. 50.000 persons were engaged in beer-selling, upon whom were many de pendents. The very principle of the Standing Order ap plied in a remarkable degree to the Bill under considera tion. He would therefore move " That the present Bill be withdrawn, as proposing an alteration in laws relating to trade, and was not examined and debated in a Com mittee of the whole House, pursuant to the Standing Or. der of the 9th April, 1772." Mr. HUME was most anxious to support the Standing Orders of the House—(Laughter)—and he thought the point was one which ought to be submitted to the decision of the Speaker. In his opinion the Standing Order was a good and reasonable one, and ought particularly to apply to such a Bill as was then under discussion. Un fortunately a number of Bills had passed irregularly, but his objection to proceeding with this Bill, was that a Standing Order existed by which no Bill for an alteration in the trade of the country, or for taxation, could pass without having previously gone through a Committee of the whole House. Sir J. GRAHAM begged to state, before the Speaker gave an opinion, that he was at least as sincere as the Hon. Member for Kilkenny in a desire that the orders of the House should be maintained, and he by no means under valued the importance of the present question or the in terests at stake, and he thought that if a strict rule could be applied, the magnitude of the subject warranted its application. But the question was, did the rule strictly apply ? He wished to call to the Speaker's recollection that within the last eight years the House had twice legis lated on this very subject; and he had before him the Journal of the Bth of April, IS3O, by which he found that the Hon. Member for the University of Cambridge intro duced a Bill proposing to make an alteration in the trade to a much greater extent than that which his Hon. Friend the Member for Droitwich proposed. The Bill of his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Goulburn) was introduced, not by a resolution of a Committee of the whole House, but on the Bth of April, 1830, " leave was given to bring in a Bill permitting the general sale of beer by retail in England. Mr. Goulburn, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Lord G. Somerset were to prepare end bring it is. He had thought it right to bring those circumstances un der the observation of the Speaker before the decision of the Chair was pronounced.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. BAINES said, that as this was a measure affect ing the public revenue by the imposition of duties for licences, it was necessary, that it should, in the first place, receive the sanction of a Committee of the whole House. The Irish Church Temporalities Bill, in 1833, was a case in point. That Bill had been read a first time, when it was objected that it ought to have originated in a Committee of the whole House, and a Select Committee having been appointed to search for precedents, that Committee, of which Lord Althorp was chairman, reported that ally measure impo sing a bur then or charge on any class of the people, must first be discussed in a Committee of the whole House, on which the was withdrawn and another Bill was intro. duced on the resolution of a Committee of the whole House. Mr. GO ULB URN rose amidst cries of" Chair, chair." He said that the Hon. Member for Leeds had not rightly stated the case as respected the Church Temporalities Bill. That Bill had in the first instance been referred to a Se lect Committee up stairs—( Hear)—but after that, in con sequence of its being regarded as a Bill to tax the clergy, it was thought expedient to refer it to a Committee of the whole House. The consideration in that case was diffe rent from the objection made to the Bill of the Hon. Mem ber for Droitwitch.—( Chair, chair.) The SPEAKER said that in the application of the standing orders, he thought the House ought to be guided not only by the literal interpretation of the Orders, but by the received practice of the House; and if it always bad been the practice that such Bills should be brought in without a Committee of the whole House, then he thought the Hon. Member for Droitwich was right. He found by the precedents referred to by the Hon. Member for Pembroke, that the Bill brought in in 1830 was brought in without being referred to a Com mittee of the whole House. But that was explained by the Right Hon. Member for Cambridge. If he was now called on to decide what ought to be the strict interpretation of the rule, as the practice had not been uniform, he should consider that, strictly speaking, the subject ought to have been referred to a Committee of the whole House before the Bill should be committed.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. PAKINGTON said he had but one course to fol low, which was to withdraw the measure for the present. He complained, however, that while he was endeavouring to remedy what was acknowledged to be a great evil in the country be should have been opposed, not on the merits of the question, but on mere technical objections.—(Cries of " Order, order." The SPEAKER said that he was sure the Hon. Mem ber would sec the necessity of not continuing the observe. Lions which he was making. Mr. PA K INGTON Chen said that he would not be discouraged from the attempt which he was conscientiously making. He would give notice that on to-morrow he would move that the House should resolve into a Com mittee of the whole House for the purpose of considering the Ist and sth of William IV. Mr. WARBURTON should observe, in reply to the allusions of the Hon. Member, that it was only half-an hour ago that it had struck him that the measure was con trary to the Standing Order of t h e H ouse, and that the op position made to th e measure could not have been precon certed. COPYRIGHT. - - - Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD moved the second reading of the Copyright Amendment Bill. Mr. WARBURTON said he must take the same ob jection—(Laughter) —to this as to the last Bal.— ( Laughter.) The bookselling business was peculiarly called by the technical term " the trade"--therefore the Bill clearly came within the terms of the Order, " concern ing trade, or an alteration in trade." He, therefore, made the same motion as in the last case. Mr. HUME seconded the amendment. The House should be particularly careful in measures affecting the pro perty of large classes of people. Sir J. GRAHAM had most cheerfully yielded to the decision of the Chair on the former case, tut he could not but think that it would be a strange construction of the Standing Orders if they were held to apply to the present Bill, as it was not a measure to protect generally the trade in books, but the rights of authors.—( Hear, hear.) The SPEAKER considered the present Bill very dif ferent from that which had already been decided. In his opinion the Standing Orders could only be held to apply to• Bills directly interfering with trade in general, which the present Bill did not. He was therefore of opinion that the Standing Orders did not apply to the present Bill. Mr. Sergeant TALFOURD then moved that the Bill be read a second time. Mr. WARBURTON said that the Speaker having de cided that the Standing Orders did not apply to the present measure, he felt bound to make a few observations with respect to it, as it was his intention to move that the Bill be read a second time that day six months. He applied to the present measure the same character as he did to the one introduced last Session—it was a measure introduced for the benef i t of authors and publishers, in which the interests of the public were not consulted. The interests of the public, it appeared to him, that the Hon. and Learned Member had taken every opportunity of bolding up to con tempt. In the various arguments which had been made use of in this question a comparison had been drawn be tween the protection given to patent rights and the protection given to the copyright of authors, and it had been endeavoured to draw A distinction between these two classes of rights. It had been said that they ought not to give the same extent of protection to the in.. ventors of mechanical contrivances as to authors, because it would be contrary to the interests of the public to do so. Each invention, it was argued was only a stage between a preceding and a succeeding invention, and if they gave a perpetuity of right to the inventor all sue. cessive improvements would be prevented. Now, as the Hon. and Learned Member had himself acceded to this objection, as regarded the question of patents, he thereby wholly destroyed the principle upon which the present Bill was founded. An author was in fact an inventor, and the Hon. and Learned Member contended that he possessed a natural and indefeasable right the produc tion of his m i n d f or all future time; and if they curtailed them of it they were committin g an act of in justice against the author. Now a mec h an i cal invention was nless the pro duction of a man' s ti me an d intelligence than at book. As far as being the producti on o f a man ' s mind, went, he would ask if the steam-engine, or if Harrison's timekeeper, or if that wonderful invention of Captain Hutt's for making ab an invention which he under s t oo d t h at Gallant Officcerhead perfected during a voyage from the East Indies, without the assistance of any mechanical aid whatever —he would ask if these wonderful inventions were less the produc tion of men's minds than any work of the Honourable and Learned Gentlemen ? And therefore, to be consistent, if he admitted the qualification in a case of mechanical in vention, he was not the less bound to do so in the case of authors' inventions. They should take into consideration the interest the public bad in preventing privileges and natents from being extended to perpetuity, or for so long a period as the Honourable and Learned Gentleman had propns - ed. He found that mechanical designs, which wore as perfect in themselves as works of authors, obtained but little favour front the House. What what was the privilege that drawers of designs for calicoes possessed ? It extended only to three months. It was proposed to prolong it for twelve months; but that was considered too great a period, and it was then recom mended that it should be limited to zix months. A Com mittee bad accordingly been appointed to decide whether twelve or six months was the period to which the patents in question should bo confined. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman proposed,on the contrary, to extend the copyright to sixty years after the author's death, which it might often make that right 100 years in all. Poor mechanics, however, were not so liberally treated, because there were authors in the House, and because authors were respected. He bad called this on a former occasion an author's Bill, and he would call it so still. He would prove that a different measure of justice was to be meted out by the Hon. Gentleman in his own case and in the case of mechanical inventions. On the grounds of public expediency he was willing to give a patent of a very limite period to mechanical inventions, but when he came to his cwn trade, public expediency was to be excluded altogether, end the House was only to look to the indefeasable rights of authors. He knew not in what terms to characte:ise such a proceeding. He did not think in addition, that the matter could for a momeet be fairly discussed, and he was surprised at the very small attendance of Hon. Members on the occasion. Where, he would ask, was the Treasury bench ?—( Hear, hear.) It was there, but where were the Members who usually sat on it ?—( Hear, here.) Ilia, he would repeat, gave him much surprise. In what terms had the Whigs in former days characte. rised Bills similar to the present? The House would re member that in the year 1784, when the famous case of Donaldson came before the House of Lords, it had been decided that no common law rights existed in literary works, it had been decided that authors did not possess by common law the right which they then claimed. A Bill had been then introduced to the House, of a nature similar to the present, and in the debate, in which many Members of great distinction had taken a part, Mr. Burke had advocated one side of the question, and Mr. Fox the other. Mr. Fox then said that he could not allow a Bill so injurious and pernicious, and so flagrant, to pass in any of its stages without giving his vote against it; and his name is accordingly to be found among those who bad given every opposition to the passing of the Bill. It would be easy to make alterations in the copyright law, by proposing an extension of the copyright ; but if they ex tended it in the manner proposed by the Hon. and Learned Gentleman, they should observe that they would thereby have taken a step which, however prejudicial the Bill might be found, it would be impossible for them to redress, and the injury which would thus he done, both to the pub lic and authors themselves, would be irremediable. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman would throw a great part of our literature into law, and net a day would elapse, if his Bill were passed, in which they would not hear of actions for the purpose of deciding a disputed copyright. They would have authors claiming a right to works which bad long been out of their hands, and which bad been repeatedly published since then. He therefore thought that, even for the interests of authors themselves, the Bill should not be allowed to become law. The Bill, he believed, would merely be an advantage to publishers, who would thus renew the monopoly which they possessed in former times. He found that ha the last century the exclusive sale of particular books was de:riled by certain booksellers ; and thst, by an arrangement among the trade, country publishers who printed the same works were subject to prosecutions without end. He found that the publication of such works as " The Whole Duty of Man," and Bunyan's " Pilgrim's Progress," had been usurped by a few. He did not wish to see such a state of things re turn, and he would consequently give every oppcsition in his power to the Bill. He felt, however, that the question could not fairly be discussed with such a House as he had then to address, while there was not, perhaps, sixty Members present in all. He did not know a Bill of greater importance than that under their consideration, and he thought that it should be brought on before a larger House than he then saw assembled. He did not wish to oppose the Bill by any of those proceedings which he had recourse to on former occasions, if the matter should be fully discussed ; but with a House such as the present, he thought himself justified in offering the measure all the opposition which he could. He did not say that for the purpose of intimidating the Hon. and Learned Gentleman, but in order to inform him of the course wjaich he intended to pursue. He would move as an ameßment, that the Bill be read that day six months. Lord MA HON said that he did not think the Hon. Member for Bridport could conceive that the present state of the House was fairly to be imputed as an objection either to the promoters of the Bill, or to the Bill itself. They had found it necessary to choose that time for the dis cussion of the measure, as other nights were occu pied by Government, and the measures they brought forward.—( Hear, hear.) As it was, he did not see how the promoters of the Bill could have followed a dif ferent course from that which they had taken. He would pass to the discussion of the question. The Hon. Member for Bridport had said more than once that the Bill was an author's Bill, and he believed the Hon. Mem ber had added that it had been devised without any refer ence to the public interest. Now, he could not allow that insinuation, and, for his part, he was not ashamed of the interest which be took in the questiou.—( Hear, hear.) He found himself born to a competent inheritance, and he found at the same time with pain that others, who were far superior to him in merit, industry, ai,d reputation, but below him in the accidental gifts of fortune—he found men. who wc.ro an hon..r to the country, subject to wants and privations which men of such merit ought ne ver to have had reason to expect. The object was to give these men full scope for their talents, and to enable them to obtain that competency which he and others possessed, without any effort on their part.—( Hear, hear, hear.) Was that a course which they were to be reproached with ? If the Hon. Member thought that it was merely an author's Bill which they were supporting, he was very much mistaken, and he (Lord Mahon) could point out to him many booksellers, for instance, who were not merely favourable to the Bill, but who had petitioned for its passing. There was one petition of that nature to which he wished to call the attention of the House. It was from Mr. John Smith, of Glasgow, who had stated that he had for thirty years exercised the profession of a publisher in Glasgow, and that he had by that means made for himself a competent fortune, while the authors who had produced those works which had enriched him, had no longer any interest in their own books. The petition went on to say that lie was decidedly of opinion that the cultivation of na tional literature would be strengthened and improved by the proposed extension of copyrights. He had quoted that petition for the purpose of showing the Hon. Member that it was not authors alone who were interested in the pass ing of the present Bill. He would examine the question, however, on higher grounds. In looking at the past ages of our literature he found that many eminent men of whom the country justly beasts, bad re. ceived far too small remuneretion for their labours, and he thought that they should now try to remedy that evil. He would take the instance of Dryden, and he would ask if it were not painful to find him stating in his old age that he had early planned a great national poem, but that ho had been obliged to relinquish the undertaking in conse quence of his daily efforts for his bread, and that he had been obliged to write, in preference, for the amusement of a licentious Court. Again he wa.uld ask if there were any Englishman who did not feel proud of belonging to the country of him who bad produced " Paradise Lost" —who would not forget the errors of his politics when they reflected on that mighty genius which had enabled him to ascend to the heaven of heavens ? But how had his country rewarded that immortal poet ? He (Lord Mahon) found in the life of Milton, by Dr. Johnson, that the last descendant of the poet had kept a grocer's or chandler's shop, and that when in the year 1750 " Comus" was played for her benefit, she was so much a stranger to public amusement that she did not know what a benefit was. Dr. Johnson added, that the sum then collected was the largest benefaction that the writings of the author of Paradise Lost had ever produced to his descendants.—( Hear.) Were they not entitled to judge of the past by the future? And if the birth of such a genius were not impossible, were they not bound to provide for him a better fate ? Their object was that some future Milton might not be " mute or inglorious;'' but that he might be animated by the cheering prospect that his children after him would reap the fruit of his labours. Was Mr. Arkwright, the inventor of that machinery which had conferred such benefit on his country, told that he should look to fame alone for his reward ? Or trap Marl borough, returning victorious from the field of Blenheim, compensated alone by glory ? Should not those who benefited literature have some public encouragement and reward? Yet all that was asked for authow was that they might have back their own?—( Hear, hear)--that they might have again what their own heads had conceived, and their own right hands had written.—( Hear, hear.) It was said that the Bill would increase the price of books. Was that the effect of copyright ?—(" Hear," from some Members.) He did not think that was so.—( Oh, oh.) He knew works cheaper in this country with copyright than they were published in a country without copyright.— ( Hear.) Moreover, he laid down this position, that it was quite possible works would be cheaper to the public with than without copyright. Let it be recollected that he could only be speaking of highly popular works ; none others would be affected by this Bill.—( Hear, hear, hear.) A publisher having the whole property in a work would be able to supply all the illustrations, all the addenda, &c., for every edition, instead of being forced to supply them separately for each. Would any person, fired with admiration by the rich strains of some second Milton, or some modern Shakspeare, grudge the additional shilling or sixpence, resulting from the copy right being extended, provided he knew thereby the heirs of those illustrious writers would be benefited ?---(Hear, hear, hear.) Therefore, in works not of established cha racter, the price would not be enhanced, the Bill not ap plying. And in books of the highest stamp the readers would never object to paying a little more for their copies, to benefit the heirs of authors who bad achieved a death- ' less fame.—( Cheers.) Again, to elevate the public tast e lnch every Legislature was a n o bl e o bj ect, an d one which should sedulously encourage.—( Hear, hear.) Autkors should be encouraged to look to higher tribunals--to aspire to greater approvals than those of the mere passing feel ings of the day,--( Hear hear.) The course of foreign legisl at i on h ad been decidedly in favour of this Bill, and that was no little presumption on its behalf. In Denmark the copyright was perpetual; in Russia, twenty-five years after the author's decease, and ten years more if the work existed till then. Then in " Liberal" Spain—( Hear hear, hear, and a laugh). —the law was uncertain, but the opinion of the best authorities there Was in favour of the perpetual copyright. So in Prussia, Austria, and ot2ser parts of Germany the copyright was fur a long periedi after the author's death. In France, likewise, the Code Nspoleon gave a copyright of 20 or 30 }cars after the author's death. All this might be taken as indicating a strong current of public feeling in favour of such a measure as this. Seldom had the Ilcuse the opportunity of doing such an act of grace and generosity ; for often had they to object, to curtail, to condemn. Yet was the act of generosity in this case no less, indeed, of justice. Many would wait most anxiously the decision of this night—authors who had written works which would confer honour on their country, yet scarcely now appreciated, and which, without this Bill, would confer no benefit on their heirs. Ay, among the hills of Cumberland would the decision of the House be eagerly looked for.--( Cheers ) Why should he not mention the illustrious names of Wordsworth and Southey—( Cheers)_. writers unhappily not quite independent in circumstances as in mind ?—( Cheers.) On these grounds—on large, on liberal, on public grounds, for the enc..uragement of ii athuirpa.tuhree,efaorrnetsltiley e p n r t o r m e a o t t e i o d n t h o ef House higli and tn a g d e t e v e o t t e n d t it a i u s t B h 0 i1 r 1 ... Mr. STRUTT said, in common fairness he must say the Learned .‘ ember for Reading could not be charged with the thin attendance in the House.—(Hear.) But the Noble Lord was himself unfair in seeming to imply that the opposers of the Bill objected to all copyright. He would observe that property itself was but the creature of law—( Hear, hear)--founded on!public policy, and it there fore lay on the Learned Member to show that the pro perty he wished to establish was attended with such regu lations and results as would conduce to public benefit.— ( Hear, hear.) Ho denied the existence of any analogy between this question of copyright and that of property. They asked for more than their property, and it appeared to him they were justified in doing so in certain cases; they asked diet persons should be prevented copying their property. The Noble Lord said authors were unjustly treated as compared with other classes of inventors. Was the Noble Lord aware that at present inventors only had their rights secured to them fur fourteen years ? But the Noble Lord went a step further—he stated it was not the effect of copyright to make works of merit dear, but to make works of this kind cheaper rather than otherwise. In this respect the Noble Lord differed from those who had gone before him. He had understood from Adam Smith that the effect of monopoly was to make things dear; if this argument were correct the whole commercial legisla tion of the country was founded in error. The Noble Lord assumed that if there were no monopoly the publisher would be contented with the lowest possible scale of profit, but he thought he had good grounds for dissenting from this opinion. —( The Honourable Gentleman then quoted the prices of various standard works during copyright and afterwards, as disproving this assumption.) He should be happy if the question could be submitted to a Committee, that it might be determined how the law of copyright might be altered, not for the sole benefit cf authors, but that of the public at large. He thought the Bill was founded on erroneous principles, and should therefore, second the amendment. Sir R. H. INGLIS said the Hon. Member admitted that some alteration should be made in the law of copy right. He thought the subject had not attracted the at tention it deserved. He rejoiced the Hon. Member for Bridport had not availed himself of the state of the House to defeat the Bill. It was some argument in its favour that on previous occasions the second reading had been sanctioned by large and increasing majorities. Whatever was the influence of fame on the " clear spirits" who wrote for it, ho thought it was an unfair ar gument to be thrown at them by those who were benefited by their labours. On the general principle that those who had most contributed to the lite rary glory of their country were themselves least benefit ed by it, he contended they ought not to be deprived of permanent benefit in their works. If it was not univer sally admitted that the law required alteration, it was at least so admitted that the subject deserved inquiry ; but if they were agreed upon the principle, but differed in the degree to which it could be extended, be could not see why they should not as well discuss that before the House as in Committee. The aiguments of the Hon. Member for Bridport were that the Bill should be a reader's Bill. He thought it should not be exclusively an author's or a reader's Bill, bat one in which their interests were united, and thinking the present Bill to be such, he earnestly en. treated the House to support it. Mr. WA KLE Y considered that the present state of the House must convince the Hon. and Learned Member for Reading that the present Bill did not meet the wishes of the House. He was sure that Hon. Members would not fail to have been present to hear the Hon. and Learned Member's feeling address, if they were not satis fied, that, with all his eloquence and all his feeling, be had failed to show any ground whatever why the House should interfere to alter the existing law with respect to Copyright He ( Mr. Wakley) for one, was most anxious, if anything was done upon this subject, that the matter should be referred to a Select Committee ; and if the Hon. and Learned Member would consent to the adoption of that course he would refrain from offering any further opposition to the proceeding with the Bill. The Hon. and Learned Member might not be enabled by his pro fessional avocations to attend that Commit.ee, but he could assure him that he would find a vast number of zea lous friends who would be most happy to perform that duty for him. If the Hen. and Learned Member would agree to that course, not only would he (Mr. Wakley) waive all further opposition to the Bill, but he would con sent that he should name half the Members of that Corn mittee.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member was silent, and therefore he (Mr. Wakley) must suppose that ho would not consent to the adoption of his pro position, and he would therefore now proceed to address himself to the subject of the Bill. He thought it was not fair to come forward and try to legislate on a question like the present, without any inquiry. The House was proceeding to legislate without facts, and upon merely the eloquent and learned statements of the Hon. Member for Reading. He (Mr. W.) doubted very much from the statements of some of the Hon. Members whether they had made themselves acquainted with the facts of the Bill. The measure of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman affected to a most oatraordinary extent the trade of print ing and publishing in this country, and if it did not he (Mr. Wakley) must ask for what purpose it was intro duced ?—( Hear, hear, hear.) It had been assumed by the Hon. Baronet and by the Noble Lord that the Bill, if carried into law, might benefit authors of a certain class. How was that proved? Had a single fact been adduced to favour such an allegation ? The Noble Lord had referred to authors of past times—to Milton, Dryden, and others. Why, at the time that Milton wrote, it was presumed that copyright was perpetual. What did that poet get for his splendid work " Paradise Lost ?" The statements as to the sums were various—some said five, others fifteen pounds. Could Hon. Gentlemen fail to perceive the benefits authors themselves derived from the art of printing. Was it fair, then, that authors should have protection, while those who carried on the art of printing had not. No one appreciated the motives of the Hon. and Learned Member for Reading more than he did, and with more feeling. He besought the Hon. Member to rely as to the course he should adopt, upon the evidence that might be brought before a Select Committee, rather than upon those whose feelings might be carried away by his eloquence. He felt sure that the opposition of his Hon. Friend, the Member for Bridport, was founded upon his sense of public duty—(Hear, hear)—and that if he could be convinced that the measure was beneficial for the public, he would at once withdraw his opposition.—( Hear, hear.) If the Hon. and Learned Member for Reading did not ac cede to the appointment of a Select Committee, the result would be that they would go on struggling for two months, and then the Nojle Lord, the Member for Stroud, who was not now present, would come down and say it was a question of great importance ; that he doubted very much whether they ought to proceed to another stage ; that he lamented that a Select Committee had not been appointed; then the Hon. Baronet, the Member for Tarn worth, would get up and agree with him that then there would be an end of the measure. In conclusion, he trusted that the Hon. and Learned Member would agree to the appointment of a Select Committee. Mr. E WART did not consider this a question between authors and readers—he looked upon it as a public ques tion, and therefore one in which the interests of the public) alone should be the basis of their legislation.—(Hear. ) It appeared to him that the Bill of the Hon. and Learned Sergeant would be a very unfair mode of legislation, and unless he saw bis way clearer than he did at present, be would not consent to on alteration of the existing law. He did not think the Hun. and Learned Geutleman would deal justly either with the House or with his Bill, if he refused to con.ent to the proposition that had been made for referring the subject to a Select Committee. - - --- --- Mr. CHARLES BULLER felt — great difficulty in coming to a decision on which side be should give hls vote; but he had come to the conclusion that he ought to vote for the second reading of the Bill, on this simple ground that, balanced as his opinions were, and thinking the House required information on the subject, he was on the whole inclined to let the Bill go on in order that a fuller discussion might take place upon it. The great objection that had been made to the Bill was, that making the copyright perpetual wou'd increase the price of books. He could not agree to that at all. The Hen. Gentleman near him (Mr. Warburton) had referred to the price of wcrks before the expiration of the copyright and after, but other circumstances might have led to that reduction. It was to be remembered that a very great change had taken place in the mode of publication. He was ready to admit that a man who had property did not always use it wisely. The copyright of Gibbnn's " Risp and Decline of the Roman Empire," for instance, might have fallen into the hands of some scrupu lous man, who might hare thought it his duty to suppress it. He did not think, however, the Bill of his Hon. and Learned Friend would secure the object he had in view. He (Mr. Buller) acknowledged it was a distressing thing to see the descendant of Milton in a low and ignoble si. tuation, but then the Hon. and Learned Gentleman ought, by his Bill, not only to create the copyright, but to entail it.—(Hear, hear.) In nine cases out of ten, the book seller would buy the copyright out and out.—( Hear.) He had stated that he would vote for the second reading of the Bill; when he had any doubts he thought it his duty to promote discussion. But, at the same time, he thought the suggestion thrown out from that side of the THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20,r1840. house, viz. to refer the Bill to a Select Committee, was a just and fair one, and ought to be acceded to. Mr. J. JERVIS appeared there as the advocate of the printers, and he would press upon his Honourable and Learned Friend to accede to the proposition, because those whom he represented stated that they had some very important information to give be fore a Committee. The printers were an important body in respect of such a question. They had large capital at stake—they were a numerous body, and their interests mould be much affected by it. Why then should they not be heard ? The interests of the public were identified with those of the printers, and it was imperative that the Bill should be sent befere a Select Committee, for Honourable Members were totally unaquainted with what would be the working of the Bill. An instance of monopoly was shown by Clarendon's History, it might very well have been published at 10s. to the public, and would at that price have been extensively read and use fully, but from th- high price of it it was rendered almost useless. The House wanted evidence, for they had not enough before them on which to legislate, and unless there was to be N full inquiry up stairs, lie would find it to be hia duty to oppose the Bill in the fullest manner that the forms of the House would allow.—( Hear.) On the other hand, if it was sent to a Committee up stairs, fairly chosen, and they reported in favour of the Bill after hearing evidence upon it, he for one would withdraw all opposition to it.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. HUME wished to say a few words upon the ques tion before the House went to a vote. The interest , . of the public had been totally lost sight of in the discussion; the Honourable and Learned Gentleman wanted to obtain a class Bill—one merely for the benefit of authors—certainly a most useful class of men, but the interests of the public were not to be sacrificed to theirs. The Noble Lord (Lord Mahon) had cited the case of Russia, and called upon the House to follow their example as they gave a longer copyright. Take the example of Russia I a country which was anxious only for obstructing all information ; and was England to be called upon to take an example from such a dark country ? The discus sion ought not to have gone on ; for holm there hid not been a House.—(No, no.) He said yes; for he had ob jected to counting the House three several times when there were not forty Members present, and in the absence of every Minister. Why were they not present at a time when those on the other side were doing all in their power to throw them back into the ages of darkness-4 Cries of " 06, oh")—by making books so dear that the poor cannot afford to purchase them ? If the Bill was sent to a Committee up stairs, and they could there provo that all the arguments of the Learned Sergeant were substantial, he would withdraw all opposition.—( Hear.) The Learned Sergeant was supported by men whom he ought to be afraid of—they were the enemies of education. —(Oh, oh.) He called upon him to be careful of what he was abcut, for he was leagued with those wbo were most anxious to put an end to the spread of knowledge. He would regret what he was now doing, but it might be too late. If he was not afraid of inquiry, why not go to a Committee up stairs ?—( Hear, hear.) If be consented to that course, and the Committee reported in favour of the Bill, it would then no no longer objected to by him. Mr. Sergeant TA LFOURD then rose to reply. He was not sorry that he had given way to the Hon. Member for Kilkenny, for he had used no argument against the measure, but he had attempted to introduce party strife into a question which, above all others, ought to be free from it.—( Hear, hear.) To make that a party ques tion upon which last year he received the support of the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, now Lord Monteagle, and also, to the principle of the Bill, the sanction of the Hon. and Learned Member for Dublin, by introducing party strife into such a question, was taking from them the only resting-place left them amongst the hostilities of party. That a party question I when amongst the petitioners were to be found the names of Thomas Campbell, of Leigh Hunt, Thomas Carlisle, Miss Martineau, and of Thomas Moore when such names were found petitioning for the measure, could anything be more unjust than to impute party feel ings to those who supported the Bill ? He could assure Hon. Members opposite that they would not deter him from giving an honest vote by pointing out that he was supported by gentlemen on the Opposition side of the House. He was taunted with bringing on the discussion in a thin House, and in the absence of Ministers; but this taunt came from the same party who wasted six hours of the time of that House last Session, when the Bill was discussed in the presence of ten Cabinet Ministers, and in a House of upwards of 150 Members.—(Cheers.) By that party, who, by the most unfair opposition, com pelled him, after an attendance of fifteen nights, to withdraw the Bill. It had been pressed on him from various quarters, to refer ate Bill to a Select Committee. That question was discussed and negatived by the Houso two yi.ars ago. Ha had then the opposition of the Hon. and Learned Member for Ripon (Sir E. Sugden). But he was most happy to say, that he was authorized by that Right Hon. Gentleman to state, that, had he been present that night, he would have voted for the second reading of the Bill. Hon. Gentlemen oppo sive had shown no disputed fact, upon which evidence ought to be taken. The arguments were all hackneyed and stale, and were repetitions of those of former years. It was held by the Hon. Gentlemen opposite, that whenever a book issued from the press, it became the property of the public. Would they contend that an author, who, upon his death-bed might be anxious to blot out any of his wri tings—was he to be prevented because his writings had become the property of the public ? He trusted the House would give all encouragement which copyright could afford to works of a standard character as well as to those of a fleeting and evanescent kind, and that they would then give a second reading to the Bill. The House then divided, when the numbers were For the second reading Against it 29 Majority In answer to a question from Mr. GOULBURN, Mr. GORDON said that the Navy Estimates would be taken in Committee on Friday. Mr. WARBURTON gave notice that on the second reading of the Copyright Bill—(Laughter)—on the mo tion for the Committee on that Bill—( Renewed laughter) —be would move that it be referred to a Select Committee. The House then adjourned at a Quarter past Ten o'Clock. LEAVE or ABSENCE.—To Sir Charles Coote, till Btb March, illness in family ; Sir George Crewe, one month, illness; Mr. Ingham, Circuit; Mr. George Cavendish, one month, domestic calamity. PARLIAMENTARY DIV ISION. (From the Poles and Proceedings of the House of Common%) RIDAY, FEB. 14. FLOUR IMPORTATION (IRELAND) BILL. Order for Second Reading read : Motion made, and Ques tion proposed, " That the Bill be now read a second time : Amendment proposed, to leave out the word " now," and at the end of the Question to add the words " upon this day six months ;"—Question put,—" That the word now' stand part of the Question :"--The Ilouse divided : ➢IAJORITY—AYES, Harcourt, G. G. Hastie, A. Hawes, B. Hawkins, J. H. Ilayter, W. 0. ite.dor, C. J. Hobhouse, Sir J. C. Hobhouse, T. B. Hodges, T. L. Horsman, Edward Howard, F. J. Howard, I'. U. Hnwirk, Lord Humphery, J. Hutton, R. James, William Jervis, J. Labouchere, H. Lambton, H. Langdale, Hon. C.J Lemon, Sir C. Lennox, Lord G. Loch, James Lushington, C. Lushington, Hon. S 1111cauley, 'l'. B. Mackenzie, Thomas M'Leod, R. Marshall, W. Martin, J.' Maule, Hon. Fox Melgu.-d, Lord ,Morpeth, Viscount Muntz, G. F. Murray A. Muskett, George A Nagle, Sir It Noel, Wm, H. Not reys, Sir D. J. O'Brien, W. Smith O'Connell, D. O'Connell, J. O'Connell, M. J. O'Connell, M. O'Ferrall, More Oswald, James Paget, lord A. Palmerston, Visct. Parker, J. Parnell,: Sir H. Pendarves, E. W. Pigot, D. R Alsercromby, G. R Adam, Sir Charles Aglionhy, H. A. Aglionby, Major Anson, Hon. Colonel Bailey, Joseph Baines, E. Baring, F. T. Barnard, E. G. Beamish, F. B. Berkeley, Hon. C. Bernal, It. B we 3, T. Blake, NV. J. Briscoe, J. I. Brocklehurst, J. Brodie, W. D. Brotherton, J. Browne, R. D. Buller, E. Busfeild, William Callaghan, D. C'ainpliell, Sir J. Chapman, Sir M. L. Clayton, Sir W. Clive, E. B. Collier, John Corbally, R Cowper, Hon. W. F. Craig, W G. Dalmeny, Lord D'Eyncourt, C. T. Divett E. Donkin, Sir Rufane Duff, James Duncombe, T. S. Dundas, Frederick Elliot, Hon. J. E. Ellis, Wynn Evans, W. Ewart, W. Ferguson, Sir Robert Fitz:,lan, ..ord Fitzroy, Lord Charles Fleetwood, H. Fort, John Gordon, Robert Greene, T. Greg, It. H, Greig, D. Grey, Sir C. Grey, Sir G. Guest, J. 154. Pinney, W Pryme, Ramsbottom, J. Reid, Sir John Rae Roche, E. it. Russel!, Loid John Rutherford, A. Salwey, Colonel Sanford, E. A. Scholefield, J. Seymour, Lord Shell, R. L. Shelburne, Earl of Smith, B. Smith, R. Vernon Somerville, Sir W. Standish, C. Stansfield, NV. R. C. Staunton, Sir G. T. Strickland, Sir G. Strutt, Edward Stuart, Lord James Stuart, Villiers Talfourd, T. Noon Tattered, H. W. Tcigninouth, Lotd '1 hompson, Ald. Thornely, Thomas Tollemache, F. J. Troubridge, Sir I'. Tufnell, H. Verney, Sir H. Vigot s, N. Villiers, Charles P. Vivian, John 11. Vivian, Sir It. Wakley, Thomas Wallace, It Warburton, H. White, A. Williams, W. Williams, W. A. winnington, T. E. Winnington, H. . Wood, C. Wood, Sir Matthew Wood, B. Wyse, Thomas Yates, J. A. TELLERS. Stanlsv, E. J. Steuart, N. Alston, Rowland Archbold, Robert Archdall, General A ttwood, M. Bagge, W. Bart ington, Viscoun , Barry, G. S. Bentinck, Lord G. Blackburn e, I. Blackstone, W. S. Blair, James Blake, M. J. ' " 13'1.innerhassett, A. Bodkin, John James Bolder°, H. 0. 13rabazon, Sir W. Bramston, T. W, Bridgman ' Hewitt Broadley, H. Butler, Colonel Cantilupe, Lord Cochrane, Sir 'l'. Cole, Viscount Cooper, E. J. Corry, Right Hon. 11. Courtenay, Philip Creswell, Cresswell , Darby. George DLk, Q. D'lsrdeli, Benjamin Dowdeswell, W. Dunbar, George Duncombe, W. Duncombe, A. Du Pre, George NORITY—NOES, Eaton, EL J. Ellis, J. Fellowes, Edward Miler, Sir Edward Fitzroy, Hon. H. Follett, Sir William French, F. Gladstone, W. E. Gore, 0. J. IL Grimsditch, Thomas HaHerd, 11. Holmes, W. Hop, Hon. C. Hope, G. W. Jackson, Serjeant Johnstone, Hope Jones, Theobald Kelly, Fitzroy Remble Henry Kirk; Pe-er Knatchbull, Sir B. Knightley, Sir C. Knox, lion. T. Litton, Edward Lowther, J H. Lygon, on. Gen. Lynch, A. H. Mahon, Lord Meynell, H. Miles, P. S. Neeld, Joseph Norreys, Lord Ossulston, Load Packe, C. IV Pakington, J. 3. 102. Palm er, Robert Parker, R. T. Perceval, Colonel Percceal, G. J. Pigot, R. Polhill, Frederick Praed, W. T Redington, T. N. Richards, It. Roche, W. Rolleston, L. Round, John ushbrook, Colonel Rushout, George Sandon, Lord Shaw, Frederick Shieey, E. J. Sibthorp, Colonel Smyth. Sir H. Somers, J. P. Somerset, Lord G. Spry, Sir S. r, Stanley, E. Sutton, Hon. J. Tyrell, Sir J T. Vere, Sir C. B. Verner, Colonel Waddington. H. R. Welby, G. E. Westenra, Hon. J. Y.sag, Sir L. W. TELLSRII. Contilly, E. Tennent, J. E. COPYRIGHT BILL. WEDNFBIDAY, FEB. 19. Order for Second Reading read ; Motion made, and Ques tion proposed,—" That the Bill be now read a second time : " and an objection having been taken to the further proceeding upon the said Bill on account of the subject, being a matter of trade, not having been considered in a Committee of the whole House. pursuant to the Standing Order of the House, before the Bill was ordered to be brought in, and Mr. Speaker having been desired to give his opinion whether the said Standing Or der applied to the subject of the said Bill, stated, that, in his opinion, the Standing Order which had been referred to applied to those Bills alone which interfered directly with trade, and that the Bill now before the House, not being one of that de scription, had been properly ordered to be brought in without a previous consideration of the subject in a Committee of the wh o l e House :—Question again proposed, " That the Bill be now read a second time :"—Amendment proposed, to leave out the word " now," and at the end of the Que s ti on t o a dd t h e words " upon this day six months :—Question put, " That the word now ' stand part of the Question :"—The House divided, 'MAJORITY—AYES, 51. Acland, Sir Thomas Gordon, It. Parker, R. T. Acland, T. D. Goulburn, H. Figot, D. a Aglionby, Major Grimsditch, T. Plumptre, J. P. Arbuthnot, Hon. H. Grimston, Lord Pringle, A. A ttwood, NV. Handley, H. Pusey, Philip Bagge, Wm. Henniker, Lord Round, C. G. Bailey, Joseph, jun. Howard, P. H. Round, J. Barry, G. S. Ingestre, Lord Shaw, F. Blair, J. Inglis, Sir R. H. Sibthorp4Colonel llroalwood, H. Jernayn, Earl Stanley, Edward Buller ' C. Knatchbuil, Sir E. St r i c kl an d, Si r G . Cole, Lord Knight, Henry Gaily Stuart, W. Vi•lien Conyngham, Lord A. Lincoln, Earl of Sutton, H. T M. Darby, George Lowther, J. H. Teignmouth, Lord Du Pm, George Mackenzie, Thomas I Turner, E. Eastnor, Viscount M ac k enz i e , W. F. I Wood , G. W. Ekiot, Hon J. E. Maunsell, V. P. 1 Wyse, Thomas Filmer, Sir E. Milnes, It. M. Frcslifield, J. VV. Mordaunt, Sir J. Gaskell, J. M. Pakington, John S Gladstone, W. E. Baines, E. Blake, W. J. jrotherton, J. Bruges, W. H. L. Dennistoun, J. E xart, W. Greg, R. H. Grote, G. Hawes, B. Hector, C, J. Hobhouse, T. B. :NORITY-NOES, .Jervis, J. Lushington, Charles Marshall, :Mintz, G. F. Pryme, G. Salwey, Colonel Smith, Itenjamin Stock, Dr. Strutt, E. Style, Sir Charles Thornely, Thomas TELLERS. Talfourd, Serjeant Mahon, Lord 29. Turner, W. Villiers, Charles 'I. Wakley, Thomas Wallace, R. White, Andrew William,, W, Yates, John A. TELLS Warburton, H. Hume, Joseph TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SJa,—Having read in The Evening Sun a denial of the truth of the forthcoming opera at Drury-lane being the production of the musical genius of his Royal Highness Albert, Prince of Saxe Coburg Gotha, I venture to en gege your attention for an instant to the real state of the case. I have had for some months in my possession a numerous assortment of vocal music, embracing almost every species of melodic composition, from the cantata and the preghiera to the simple ballad. The name of his Royal Highness is affixed to these publications, and the poems are contributed by his illustrious brother Prince Ernest (himself a composer), and many of the most dis tinguished German poets. It having been suggested to me that the ♦ariety and excellence of these compositions afforded ample and appropriate materials for the construc tion of an opera, they were placed by me at the disposal of a musician of eminence, who, with the assistance of one of our most popular dramatists, produced an opera, which was immediately approved of by the Drury-lane authori ties, and consigned to them in consequence. I felt it my duty to trouble you with this statement, in order that your readers may have the truth of the report imparted to them in your valuable columns. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, JOHN LIMBIRD. 143, Strand, Feb. 19, 1840. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Ste-I find in the Times of Thursday last, the 13th instant, the following " Distressing Family Bereavement," when four children were carried off by croup in fourteen day. How was it that no inquest was held in such a dreadful case ? Was it because the sufferers had been treated according to art ? Is there no power on earth capable of showing up such murderous professional prac tice in medicine—not even surpassed by the Druidical human sacrifices of our forefathers ? Yet the members of the m7dical profession unblushingly come before Parlia ment, praying to have the people enslaved to their odious doctrines.—.l ate, Sir, yours, &c. JAMES MORISON, the Hygeist. Paris, No. 2, Rue des Pyramides; and British College of Health, New-road, London. Feb. 15, 1840. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF EXCHEQUER, FEB. 19. (Sittings at Guildhall, before Lord AEINGER and a Special Jury.) EXTRAORDINARY CASE— UNEXAMTLF.D DAMAGES. MAY V. HUSBAND AND OTHERS. This was an action for maliciously issuing a fiat in bankruptcy against the plaintiff without reasonable or probable cause. The case lasted all day Tuesday and great part of Wednesday. Sir F. Pollock, Mr. Erie, and Mr. Bulls, for the plaintiff ; Sir W. Follett, Mr. Crowder, and Mr. Butt, for the defend ant. It appeared from the lengthened (and very contradictory) evidence that the plaintiff had been engaged with a person named Malachy, in some extensive mining transactions • in Cornwall ; that Malachy became bankrupt. Mr. Husband, an attorney, and a gentleman of considerable property and station in Devonport, was solicitor to the assignees, who were two respectable burgesses of that town, and were the co-defen dants in this case. The assignees, on investigating Malaehy'e complicated accounts, deemed that there was a clear balance in favour of Malachy, against May, of 16,0001. or 17,0001. On this proceedings were taken to procure a fiat against May, which, however, the Chancellor subsequently annulled. May's son and others now came forward, and swore positively that during some period previously he had kept at his banker's ba lances of from 2,0001. to 11,000/. ; that he had paid cash for the stock in his trade as a spirit seller; and was in quite solvent circumstances. On the other hand it was contended that the accounts fully justified the assignees in believing the debt, and that the disposal of the business of May, to his son, a youth then not of age, while the father was absenting himself from Devonport, was a presumption of bankruptcy, added to his dis posal of a house of his, on deeds, to procure a loan of money. The plaintiff met this by alleging that he had left Devonport to fill a situation of 5001. a year in Glamorganshire, which, he said, he had lost by reason of his necessary stay in London to oppose the bankruptcy proceedings, which he further declared had cost him 200/. or 300/. The Learned Junca declared that these facts being put in evidence, he could see no evidence at all of the bankruptcy, and little if any presumption of the debt. In law the " malice" which was necessary to sustain an action of this nature might be inferred from the entire absence of reasonable and probable cause, of which the Jury would judge. In the course of the defendant's case, Sir War. FOLLETT, having called on a Mr. Gilbard (who had acted as May's at torney) upon his sabpeena to produce a deed, which Sir Willi am thought necessary to throw light upon the transfer of the pro perty. Sir F. PoLtocx contended that the witness should go into the box. Sir William objected to this, saying that the sub poena was only to produce the deed, and declining to examine him. Gilbard refused, and Sir William appealed to his Lord ship, who, however, refused to interfere, leaving the parties to their remedy by action, could it he sustained. Sir William then formally called on Gilbard to deliver the deed, and he again refused. The Learned Juno r: in the course of his charge, commented on this, stating that he did not think Gilbard at all bound to produce the deed unless he was allowed to be examined. The Jury retired for about half an hour, and then came into Court with a verdict for-2,5001. ! COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, FEE. 19. NEW SERGEANTS-AT-LAW AND QUEEN'S COUNSEL. The fllowing Counsel were called within the bar as Ser.. rleants-at-Law :—Mr. Ch anne ll , M r. W rangham, Mr. Shea, 'and Mr. Holcombs. And Messrs. Turner and Bethel were also admitted as " her Majesty's Counsel Learned in the Law.', We beg to direct the attention of our readers to the following extract of a letter addressed to A. Rowland and Son, '2O, Hatton-garden, London, from Hamburg, dated Feb. 15 :—" I have also the pleasure to inform you of another de cided proof of the efficacy of your celebrated Macassar Oil. Dr. Boding, of this place, had a patient who was bald for several years, and who had tried several articles for the recovery of his hair, but without effect, until he was advised by the doc tor to make use of your oil ; after using three bottles he entirely recovered it, and has now a much finer head of hair than for merly. Dr. R. felt so gratified at its success that he made a drawing of the recovered hairs (magnified) which he herewith sends." Rowland's Macassar Oil prevents hair from falling off or turning grey ; changes grey hair to its original colour, frees it from scurf and dandriff, and makes it beautifully soft and curly. In dressing hair it keeps it in curl, &c., unimpaired by damp weather, the dance, or in the exercise of riding. Ask for " Rowland's Macassar Oil " DESTRUCTION OF DR. RAFFLES'S CHAPEL AT LIVERPOOL.-LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY.—It becomes our melancholy duty to announce the entire destruction this morning, of the Rev. Dr. Raffles's chapel by fire. It was si tuated in Great George-street, and formed one of the most at tractive and ornamental edifices in the town. It contained, on each Sabbath-day, within its walls, the largest dissenting con gregation in Liverpool, and under the Christian instruction of a pastor justly esteemed throughout England. The fire broke out at eight o'clock this mornin-, and was first discovered by the children who were assembling at the school. Upon their entering the cellar, which was used as a school-room, they dis. covered it to be on fire, and gave the alarm; but long before engines arrived, or any effective assistance could be rendered, the whole building was an entire mass of flkme, which in a few hours reduced this beautiful place of worship to an entire ruin. Dr. Rallies had just left Liverpool for Manchester previous to the fire breaking out. The property was insured to the amossat of 4,000/.—much below its value. PERSECUTION OF THE POLES.—The fury and cruelty of the Russian Government towards the unfortunate Polish nation seem on the increase rather than the decline. To the numerous inflictions on the inhabitants of unhappy Poland lately published, we are enabled, by a private letter from Paris, and from an unquestionable source, to add one, the pretext for which will 'nardly be admitted by the warmest Menus of Russian alliance. The ion of Count IVliontzynffski (a retired officer of distinction) was lately returning from college, is Germany, to his father's house at Warsaw. His luggage wu searched at the fronti er w i t h t h e usual strictness; unfortunately there was found in one of his trunks printed portraits of Kos ciuszko, Poniatowski, and Skrzyneeki. The poor lad was in stantly taken into custody, and sent to Warsaw under a guard. On his arrival there his father was arrested, byorder of Marshal Paskiewitsch, who, after a brief inquiry into the affair, sea tenced Count Miontzynffski to be imprisoned in a fortress, and his son, a Siberia for 0 20 years. uth of 16 or 17 ye ars o f ago, to be transported to CORY AVERAGES. THE MARKETS. COAL MARKET. d. Atlair's Bell, Robson St Co. Hartley 18 6 Holywell Main 209 Original Windsor's Pon top 19 0 Tantield Moor 29 0 Townley l7 3 Willington 9l 6 Wvlain. Walls end Heaton .. 22 II Walls End Killingworth ... 22 0 Walla End Perkins l9 3 Wall, End Walker 9l 6 Walls Endflradslyll'alletton 2:5 r Waits End Haswell 24 4 Walls End Hetton Walls End Lambton .... Ships arrived sinee Braintree B ighton Cambridge Dunmow Grantham Grimsby Hai!sham Hitch in Ipswich Lewes COUNTRY CORN MARKETS. Wheat. jßarley. I Oats, Per Quarter Boston 5. to s. 58 63 64 7t 66 76 Beans. Pene. a. to m. 33 38 36 48 44 47 to A. 39 43 40 44 40 8. to I. J. to a. 19 26 35 40 28 34 38 44 26 29 44 46 26 35 h 8 29 43 44 26 33 36 44 20 30 41) 22 26 42 44 22 24) 46 24 32 25 30 24 28 38 40 22 29 34 40 25 31 38 44 26 32 40 50 28 50 42 44 20 24 46 24 32 24 42 27 34 33 45 24 30 40 42 28 50 44 45 28 34 38 46 26 32 38 40 , MARKET.—Feb. 1& les 1.41 to 111.6 d. 10 4 11 0 9 0 9 10 0 9 Foreign OATS, English, Welsh, and Scotch 9 0 12 ti , per 451 b 3 5 4 0 Irish Foreign 0 0 0 13attLr.Y, English, Malting, per Imp. quarter 44 0 48 0 Scotch and Irish, pet 601bs -- Feeding 6 40 4 . BEANS, English, per Imperial quarter 46 0 51 0 Irish, Esc Foreign 44 0 48 0 EngliSh, per Imperial quarter 44 0 451 0 Foreign FLOUR, English, per 28018. 56 0 52 0 Irish 44 0 56 0 OATMEAL, English and Irish, per 2401bs 33 6 35 6 INDIAN COSH, per 480111. RYa, per Imperial quarter MALT, per Imperial quarter Lynn Maidstone Norwich , l'et worth Rom ford Sandwich Thetford .. Wisbeeh 65 72 60 70 66 70 53 70 CO 72 CA 70 62 70 62 70 60 63 PO 76 C. 76 6,3 74 54 74 56 77 67 60 54 • 72 64 75 62 70 I V ERPOO. ish, White, Yarmouth L WHEAT, Engl. 38 44 38 51 28 35 35 39 26 32 34 46 36 32 28 46 36 39 35 43 28 35 38 45 34 43 39 42 36 42 34 47 133 25 , L CORN per 701 b. Scott. Irish, 'Red .. :h, Welch, , White..., Red and Manx HULL CORN MARKET Wheat, White (per Quarter) 6ls. Ws 725. Bed Ws. 6es. 646. Foreign Arley, Malting .....8, .--6. -B. Grinding los. 31s. 345. Oats, British Foreign (in bond) Beans Pease, Grey Blue and White Linseed Flour (per sack)... . 50s. 556, Rapeseed (per 10 quarters) 221. 241. 251. CHELTENHAM MARKETS. Per Bushel. a. d. to s. (Li Per lb. d. to d. Wheat 7 3 901 Beef 6 7 6 darley Beans Pease Hay 3/. 10s. to 51. Os. Od. per ton. CANTERBURY MARKET. Wheat, white--- 615. to 705.... old-............ -a. to -I. - red--......-. 565. to 68s. ...... Old,-.......„ 68s. to -I Barley, Malting-. :355. to 45.. -. Gri . nding.. -s. to -a. Oats -01 a........-.. -s. to -6. Beans ..................... 42a to 445...... Old*. 436. to -s. Pease --....-.. 38s. to -5...... Grey......... 40s. to 495. CHELMSFORD MARKET. Wheat, White 7U to 75 Oats 93 to 32 Red Barley Chevalier 4l 44 Beans, Tick '3 32 Grinding We regret to hear that Mr. Caylev, M.P. for the north-riding of Yorkshire, has been for some months la bouring under severe indisposition. He came to town at great hazard to record his vote in favour of Ministers, but has re mained ever since in a state of ♦ery great suffering, and to tally unable to attend to business of any kind. SWALLOWING MONEY.—A soldier of the garrison at Valenciennes, a few dap ago. swallowed a five franc piece. At first he was very uncomfortable, but appeared soon afterwards to become quite at ease, and now walks about gaily with the money in his stomach. On this occasion a local paper `states that a medical raan of Valenciennes relates that about forty years ago an old invalid died in the hospital at Lille. As soon as the breath was departed some of his rela tions came, and begged his body might be opened, as when he was engaged in the Hanoverian war he had swallowed a crown piece, then worth six francs, which might still be recovered. The operation was performed in their presence, and the crown piece was foand lodged at the entrance of the intestines, and given to them. They went away rejoicing with the only inhe ritance that fell to them._.. pans piper. PRIZE CUPS.—New and Second-hand SILVER PRIZE CUPS are offered at very REDUCED PRICES, and seleltiot may be made from a great variety, both of Sizee and Pattvrns, at T. COX SAVORY'S, Goldsmith and Watchmaker, 47, Cernhill (Seven Doors front Gracechurch-street), London. Drawing s o f C ups will be forwarded in answer to a post paid application. It is desirable Letters for Drawings should mention either the size or about the price of the Cup or Cups that may be required. A Pamphlet, with a detailed List of Prices and Drawings of various articles, and also with drawings of the above Services, may be had gratis, or will be sent post free, in answer to a post-paid application. SILVER PLATE of LONDON MANUFAC.. TURE.—A. 13. SAVORY and SONS, Working Gold smiths 14, C;ornhill, Lo n d on , oppos i te the Bank of Englead. The best wrought SILVER SPOONS and FORKS, Piddle Pattern, 71. 2d. per ounce; the King's Pattern, 7s. 44. pa** ounce. The follo7:ing are the weights recommended, bet the artam; may he had lighter or heavier at the seine pries poroureil. 12 Fid , ile Pattern Sil ver Table Spoons ez. s. d. AL s. d• 30 at 7 L.. 10 13 I 1:1 d tto 12 ditto Dessert ditto 20 7 L.. 7 4 12 ditto 'fable Forks 3O 7 IL. 10 It • Desert ditto 49 7 2... 7 8 4 2 ditto Gravy SpOolla 1 ditto Soup Ladle 10 7 L.. 411 $ 4 ditto Sauce ditto lO 7 R... 3 10 • 4 ditto Salt Spoons (gilt strong) 1 0 I 12 1 ditto Fish Slice ditto Tea Spoons lO 7 5... 3 Id 11 I pair ditto Sugar Tongs (strong) 12 King's Patter i Silver Table Spoons Oat T 4... 14 18 4 12 ditto I.),esert ditto 21 7 4... 911 1 1 2 ditto Talye Forks 4O 7 4... 14 IS 4 12 ditty D essert ditto 34 / 4.. 910 1 2 ditto Gravy Spoons 1 ditto Soup Ladle 12 7 4... 4 II I 4 ditto Sen - n iiitto 4 ditto Salt Spoons (strong gilt) 12 1 ditto Fish „ lice ditto Tea Spoons .14 7 12... 0 9 1 1 pair ditto S ugar Tongsl 4 0 N.B. A P r i ce C urrent, Stamped as a Newspaper, Gentian ing drawings, and every information rclatiye to the pttrohase cif silver or Sheffield plate, may be had on application, or will be cent into the country, free of postage, in answer tea paid letter, .8 IR Tlt I. On the 17th inst., in Manchester -square, the lady of Freda.. rick I). Goldsmid, Esq., of a son. On the 16th inst., Mrs. John G. Reynell, of Chancery-lane, of a son. On the 16th inst., in Baker-street, the lady of William La nergan, Esq., of a son. On the 14th inst., Charlotte, the wife cf Mr. Ponten, Bucklersbury, was safely delivered of two girls and one boy. On the 16th inst., at Croydon, Mrs. Francis Fuller, of a daughter. On the 18th inst., Mrs. J. Cary, of Ebury.street, of a son. On the 19th inst., Mrs. Oriel, of Alfred-place, Bedford. square, of a daughter. On the 19th inst., the lady of J. Bowen May, Esq., Queen square, Bloomsbury, of a seven months' son. N.41/Z On the 18th i nst . , at St. James's Church, John Neale Nott, Esq., Commander, R.N., to Mary, eldest daughter of Sir William Burnett, K.C.11., Physician-General of the Navy. On the 18th inst., at Hendon, Middlesex, the Rev. John Richard Bogue, of Denbury, Devonshire, only son of the late Captain Bogue, Royal Horse Artillery, to Sophia Eliaat , eth r youngest daughter of Lieutenant -Colonel Mudge, Royal Engi neers, of Beechwood, in the same county. On the 18th inst., at l%lelcomb Regis, Henry George Hop kins, Esq., eldest son of Henry Hopkins, Esq., of Hubborne Lodge, Hants, to Sarah, youngest daughter of Joseph Bond, Esq., of Tours. On the 7th inst., at Amsterdam, Robert Melyil, Esq, her Britannic Majesty's Consul at that place, egad 60. On the 16th i n at Leamington, William Hampson Morri son, Esq., Queen's Clerk and Clerk of the Papers of her Ma• jezty's Mint. On 16th inst., Joanna Harriet Maria Fitzpatrick, eldest daughter of N. Fitzpatrick, Esq., M.D., of the Lodge, near Bedford, and granddaughter of Sir William Long, aged 19. On the 18th inst., in Lower Brook-street, Sir Jeffry Wyat. R.A., aged 74. On the 17th inst., at Hastings, Frances Ursula Pellew, eldest daughter of the Hon. and Very Rey. the Dean of Nor wich, and granddaughter of H:nry Viscount Sidmouth. On the 10th inst. , at Putney, Patrick Hu n t er , som o f P. Charles, M. D. , aged nine months. Os the 14th inst., at Chichester, Frederick Vigo., Zap, aced Oa the 16th inst., at Marine Cottage, Brighton, Sarah Anne, relict of William Holloway, Esq., late of Cowes, Isle of Wight, aged 55. On the 17th inst., at Torquay, Mr. William Amble, of the Stock Exchange. On the 17th inst., Elizabeth, the wife of Joh* Rolland. EmPt of Clapham-common. London; Printed and Published by 111fURDO YO UN O. et Nu. 119, Straus!, at O. 112, Strand, ia the county of Middlesex.—Thurrday, February 20, 1'640. ~_ GEN - F2RAI, AVERAGE PRICES OF BRITISH C3R.T. , 1 ,jor the Week ended Feb. 14, /840, made up from the Returns of the Inspectors in the different Cities and 'fawns in England and Wales, per Imperial Quarter. Wheat 6ss 3d. I Oats Barley UI s. 3.1. Rye IMPERIAL •OGRIGATZ AVERAGES OF THE VE•wERICE FRECKDING. Wheat rss. sd. 1 Oats Barley 3o a. 0.1, l Rye --- DUTIES ON FOREIGN CORN. Wheat 2ls. Sd. I Oats Barley 's. 4d . I Ity e s. 1. Walls - End Russell's Hatton id Walls Esid Stewart's 25 0 Wails End NVhitwell Walls End Hartlepool 92 0 'Walls End Barrett 'Walls End , arrington Tess 19 9 IWalls End Clarence Hatton 20 lWalls End Clavering Tees .8 0 W.lls End Coundon 22 6 Walls End Evenweiod 26 0 Walls End South Durham , 29 0 Walls End Tees 2ll Walls End Victoria Tees 2l 9 Walls End West Fees . lt 6 Blythe l6 0 Howard's Netherton Main 16 $ last market day, 160. T - 7 -,7-4 41 42 42 45 - 40 38 42 92 94 38 45 33 40 3S 40 44 44 40 44