The Sun. — London, England, 1847-01-21 00:00:00

P ........ ay nigh t fouse for T ervoies (freed to it into parti however, the °F e- - ideratlon i ns tance?' to make ;B. a ris CeP l4 , t her th e the tibje ha be4l to 1.1 - it gou he r Deol r the Is s d to )inte , h e Co lll ' petition to know the upon!o;,,,Becte" tnight Ye como'; with 1 le regti" nig ht e I w as 430 1 tight lish- .. „.,---- ------ ee.' tts,sao.cia.ted with a Committee for the relief of distress, but in met ti me they h a d never accepted Is. of the Government "eY, becau c they cou ld not set up to the Government in -I,4structions. N 0 one w h o h a d not attended these relief com -1 t ees could un d erstand the anxieties under ,hich these gen ti,c_tmen labo ure d , or the difficulties they had overcome, hot "use who had filled similar situations in other places. and under similar eirce t' e He felt convinced that the best maleth e of meeting rhe s s a e n i c liffi s. eulties would have been to sus cod _ae poor-law for the time being; in fac, he was sure that this ” s far better than the Labour Act, which had turned out th su _ eh „ 4 complete- failure. It was very true that wt , e nee. Member for Strouul had asserted was correct, that In some cases relief ws . The fact w as, that the price Of ti food was so enormous refuse , that d in sorne cases it was impossible ti h stt .PPlY it. For his ow n p ar t, h e th oug ht th a t m a n y hard he n had been brought against those Members who were ,ed with Ir e l an d on t h e su bj ect of the poor- l aw o f th a t 17; but H on . M em b ers s h ould recollect that i t was t h e Doe " -, min, istry which now existed that had introdueed that very h o l i , at e• They were told of many measures for the good of biii-1,--. Emigration was pointed out, public works were est:.- i et i Zr r is and other measures had been stated as a panacea for l .. e evils. There could be no doubt that some one enact suppor t Tao destitute poor but if no one could do so, the Government °f the country were bound to provide some funds for the pur tl)°l,", He had, with great pleasure, heard the statement of th " e e Noble Lord, thrt he had anticipated the subject, and that ate of Ireland would be shortly brought before the house, and the means explained by which Government hoped to avert the evil. The workhouses in Ireland were in an s " ,i ol S tate. Few of them could accommodate more inmates, in the workhouse of Skibbereen, of which mention had bee made once or twice that night; the deaths had exceeded 7 2 %, the amount of mortality in the corresponding period of last year.—(Hear hear.) Numbers of the inmates were cafflicted with fever, and even in the workhouse of which he was airman, t h e daughter of the master and the schoolmaster, ere also afflicted with fever. But it had been asserted that th e u cl . 1 gar tans of the workhouses neglected their duty. He had Stated that two of the guardians of the workhouse in his locality W ere lying ill with typhus fever, caught whilst in the discharge of their daities. In the western part of the county with whi c h he w as connect e d, th e s t a t e o f t h e poor was most a l arm i ng; b ut at be did not wish to say anything that might create a differenc e o f op i n i on i n t hi s d e b ate, h e was w i lling to give ev ery credit t o t h e G overnment f or t h e i r i ntentions with respect to Ireland, but they committed a fatal error when they decided u pon doing away with depsits in Ireland. The Hon. Member for Stroud had stated that a large amount of corn yet re- Malted unt h ras h ed i n t h e f armers ' possess i on. He (Lord Bernard) wished that he could confirm that statement. No kdoubt the farmers had some corn for their own consumption, ut as a proof tat at the pesent moment it was no means Plentiful ;he mi h ght inform r the House that by in the corn market of Cork (the second market of the kingdom), the supply did not exceed the general average of July. As they Would soon have an opportunity of discussi ng thi s quest i on , When they had th e information promised them by Government,_ he would not farth er t respass upon t h e attention of the House, bet before sitting down he might express a hope that some change might be made in the unfortu na t e L a b our A ct , un d er which a vast sum of money had been expended for no possible Wle, and that some measures would be adopted instead, whi c h Would have the effect of inducing the peasantry to attend to the cu lti va ti on o f th e l an d, and they mght then expect that auether year would exhibit Irelandmore i prosperous than the present, awl her sons more contented and happy. Sir GEORGE GREY admitted the fearful extent Of famine under which the people of Irelandwe rethen wsuffoeoldr ing, but whi c h h e h o p e d, th a t tt.e presence of Parliament He knew that no effort anitigate in some degree that calamity. feltuman prudence could create abundance, where their was scarcity. He admitted it was . the . duty . of Ireland . itself of all and every means within its reach, by d ( wh ov ic e h rn i_t could arrest the progress of disease and death, •an . 7, "lA, as had been already stated by his Right Hon. Friend the t e hAncellor of the Exchequer had . given instructions that soup Vrehens should be established where distress was most preva the reach the object being to bring food within of that class who were incapacitated from i ti i 'b . c , o . r,- He would inform d th . e Hon. Member for Stroud, be.,,, t he papers relative to thedistress in Ireland would shortly foielaid upon the table of the House, and he would then per} titent the reasons which had induced her Majesty's Govern ent to advance money to the poor-law unions ir. Ireland. : r e was sorry to say that there was a general disposition on the L it s. t of the board of guardians to shrink from the most onerous e-,`Y,imposed upon them, via.—that of collecting the out -cuing debts ; and when they found that pal ties who were t ar v e o l i l d a iti bl g e to do so proffered the plea of inability as a reason for Payment of the rates demanded for the sup- i 3 , P) 0 11 _, of the blame's he was sure that Honourable M. mbers u'd not he Government fur having exercised due i cautionse would before advancing money for this purpose to the unions. V et ' would instance the Castlabar workhouse, because it had not tiarolleS:lnported out of the public funds, where the people were s fe nne ', away from the doors without relief, and numerous Yet ets were held on those who had died from starvation. e l : that workhouse could accommolate 600 persons, and the i•r;uoirretleof Guardians had so neglected their duties, that not ret ern . c ,n, 130 were admitted into the house. No answer was 1,„ returned ny . them to the repeated remonstrances of the Poor provisiouTTissioners, and as they had refused to make due It ~,,, a . tor the support of the poor in their neighbourhood . ?lice wi t to dismiss them altogether, and supply their "vett 'tit a paid board. Before sitting down he would merely l end. ;the state of distress in the West Highlands of Scot s:4n_ r tl o had been more immediately in correspondence with R„, tiny prietors in the West Highlands, the Lord Advocate of fatth'''lt, 1 and Sir John M'Neil, - and it was due to . the House it should know that the distress in the' West Highlands was e most see '44 made were kind Pleise. The eeergeabl hut the sacrifice; which the landlords h of 'nature to entitle them to the very highest 4 . e in ad almost in every case rendered their estates :eeo created, and onl • sum of nioney for works which they ne% tats to this _ yin one instance had he heard a . n i , gt• d, but he -411t4tio- '1- itexar"leappy wgenehral conduct. Upon this estate two deaths te.uhirltetiSietto'setsi.aultied would struggle successfully e that ssfelly thatt through u p a r i h e t o a r s nowp.rde present en a e s t of others. He had every . conti e occupy more atstvas .natural that the state of Ireland should Without referri ention, but he could not resume his seat Prvsei n _ .. ng to the West Highlands, and the destitution Mc ski. bere. adopts t LAGHAN thought that some means should be c ork to 0 compel the depots'on the coast from Donegal to lisit 3 ° Pen their stores - of food forthesuppy of the people b oo 0 gre at was the d . t is ress of that country, that the s.eork tie 'es we re utt lyunable to contain the numbers which it was eet e t "nr Y ha thru s t ...„ . agers had bust into them,. and it was well known that the lo?lid their rat een keeping back the money that should have % s bi t3 , food fo es, and had been reserving it for their private use Was a l awn r o the %sinter, He did not blame them, though ,1 1 x : i)e r e s t s ed i othwa l t l ite r hi ' l l et i h tims el 1, e country was especially when he saw the state of plunged, for it could not be irnmoney which was required for food should be LtiPeended in th e improvement of their farms.—( Hear, hear.) cant the latt er pre er for which it via:n nkob ned i n the part of the year, the number of paupers adaptedat w Cork as was only 2 , 2 9 , ( 0 ) t o / (,), and whereasat thetlie r0...1:et moment th H . !' s s aee oinino , , e er . e . were ab olutely as many as 5,000 in tae_orpeie_ gtollopzoth pr u e o ssi e nwith any u f a u t el li te i t n the house He would not trouble . . the _everemarks, but would conclude with =- lied where their health feool-id without the necessity of enAling the hom e osinistry Or ii• out the hardship of being thus im av for thetr'reatlinedutY to s ,A I II.I.T o D N and the country alike suffered. thought that he should not be doing jus- Cole,have wished that t to the country, if he did not thank t ,„ ° , ,';'PeCially for the " t° meet the necessities of Ireland, ptablithment of soup-kitchens. He e'zsprrPee,riod, but ate as ht Measure had been adopied at an ear thhave been gladYill classes tot his gratitud e f came,, he would not refrain from "es he c ountry . t uc the boon, for he felt that to all Would h would prove an immense benefit, and rit ei.s e ,, %wen's s pee6i. snrne n otification of it had been given guar fe of out. r i ont , ~ Ho regretted, however, that some uia tte of reli e f' h ad teet er the p oor m . ,_ not been devised so that the lieu, " P r °Viders for !gut have been divested of their cha- W s. eof c oinmon the P e °Pie, and he trusted that the ~,,nn which the s would relieve them from the responsibility sinnersl•foris to i s Y . were invested. The law had clothed the irltta Keratitude Pt.! ° '•'se of -,mriiivoluth supreme power, and it was hoped that the ilty. 11e",.., noteould relieve them from their responsi ee_.`fe Ministry for the could to tit ~ however, sit down, without expressing A for the exertions which they hau miur. stiArt,le , t , : i sf the peopl e of Ireland. b ut heart t h e ' 1 int Ai CRAWFORD said that, feeling deeply reins right that h "es. of the people of Ireland, he thought it e should make some observations on the subject le e re t t h i n e n fi rse. Ele had listened with much attention to the I, r _el li rid oh°. Lae Right Hon. Gentleman, the Secretary for ~elaltitute nu:l,or e e rip e ,' w_..., .a.houchere.) But there were some facts, which ;Il ht, al:111.'01.0e brought under the consideration of Govern ing was more prominent than the state of the door let t h ad beetnanti in connexion with that, the . restrictions placed on the disbursements to relieve the out -1 t hstre ss 1 1 th e w ..,_„. Not a farthing was granted for this purpose. is the of Skibbereen, the place was formed for the b.ner e ,;,,__ :t o. •1100 inmates ; and yet, at the preset moment, mer e no t less than 1,169. The nurse had demanded her Ski m , :I' The apothecary had given notice to quit. The use of unabl e to attend to his duty. In the workhouse of Melts bads seven children were put into two bed s , an d t h ree giottee_ ere put i nto the same number of beds ; and i n one case Pktrieku ad ults were put into sevent een b e d s . I n Down tivio the s ame principle was observed, when the power of ve eta g outdoor relief was denied. He could net deny the ad ti.ltesell of the measure of Government, although he much 'or 1 1 : b ed whether the abuse of the labour-sate had been just, the ' recollected that when that rate was discussed it was at be :" of the session, and but few of the Irish Members could 115.0 t t ogether. If they objected to that rate, inefficient a . ts 111: 11 Owed it had been. they ought to have been in their se ises to state their objections, when the Government thi n ett 'd their assistance and advice. Yet the principal h e - C of which he would complain was the mistake which had et . t e j u o Mad ; , in the wages allowed to the labour e rs f o r th e i r ;- ei ght " on the public works. These men were on ly paid f 4l. enenee or ninepence a day, arid because this was only the eZwat which labourers in general were paid, there were but rt il_ .ho sought the relief. The Ministers of the Crown had not o e 7 n upon the assistance of voluntary contributions, for if they P ded opor? voluntary contributions they would he most nes.miserably deceived. This fact would show, that where the cessity was the greatest the contributions would be the 'etst He trusted that the Government would take warning • it. Y e their i predecess ors , and that, w hil e they adopted I t o principle, they would m l ' a. appeared, by th e returns, prove upo n the practice.that during the ge ed me as many as 1,800,000 quarters oft during were exported natun Ireland, and as many as 92,720 tons of oat and other 'l l e . Why was it that while food was exported from Ireland Intlekpeople were starving ? This was a subject well worth te th u tg to. Then there was another consideration as to the crops. Seed must be provided for these crops; f or if i t W ar -r e e %I v - 1° I.e taken from the produce of the present year it would ne e ' d ,ue reducing the amount of those supplies which were fe et ~.c " , for present subsistence. Such was the . important sub detirwn,ich should engross the attention of Ministers ; but be ees,i,c4 P ar ticularly to impress upon the Government the ne ttle Y °Y Preventing the supply of food from being drawn from I r c . '4 l of the present season. ,vi,ord ,FITZSTEPHEN FRENCH rose to address a few '''e 11 1-tt t he House, solely on account of what haul fallen from I), —.gilt H on. td.tt,,,,_ . Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home • `nt, in reference to an occurrence that had taken ri g h 1 1 ° the es ,_ t y i nfor orkhouse of Castlebar. Now, if he had been .Was totall • Ined, the guardians of Castlebar that d strict,at it. 'Unie of „ i mpossible to collect the rates in that d and h‘ l 'hili ty o'iner.a, therefore, took upon themselves the respon -leans reeding the inmates of the house, and by these ten, the feedi ng t 0th,...... paupers were supported for more than two „Is information of " Hear, hear.") He readily believed 1 Ig ri his n, because a similar circumstance occurred 1 iii.i°Wled-,,weneunnty. There, he knew of his own persoJal e , lt vat e 'l l, ' e ‘ o ll , a e t tthe paupers had latterly been supported at the k e°ll eet th 0 the guardians, and yet because they could pilled t th e e rates, now that their own private resources ;hiehe p , they were to be handed over to the tender mercies ~ °ord.- ,-, . . th e e w aS stro °Tr° htitran, the ,orninisstoners. In the case of the Castlebar issi?ners had already come to a decision, 4 0 Itintsdi lms h ug y inclined to doubt its legality, in so far as hlen in the House who could bear him never refused to act. There were many s?retleteseewted th ey were statementtktr'?ucable ._ att the u n candles t v a v i t i t b h o t whichds—hethweairs cs se we given Itt c i distreup, and still they were unable to relieve every v„,eoti tensions and suffering that came to light. H f n u uld k he could onl assure the -( ear. ) 'AN that e the trou.bt .Y . House, that if they I. a -. 1 ._ e c. to inquire into the matter, it would be ti eouiti7l•l2. wisteria and southern districts of Ireland the- DT Icy possibility be collected; end in many THE SUN, instances the poor were solely dependent upon the privates resources of the euardians and the resident gentry. —( Hear.) Mr. LEFROY felt constrained to bear his testimony to the wretched state of the people of Ireland, and to state that within the last few months he had had ample opportunities of witnessing the anxiety of tete landowners to mitigate the distress with the aid of their own private funds.— ( Hear, hear.) He must say, in justice to the Government. that he had heard their statements in reference to Ireland with the utmost satisfaction. Credit was due to them for the can dour with which they admitted the prevalence of the distress— and the fairness with which they allowed that whatever works had been recently adopted in Ireland were fully autho risedf by the exigences of the times. t Hear, hear. ) The Lord Lieutenant and the Secretary for Ireland, had exerted themselves to the utmost to mitigate the evils, and had entered cordially into all the schemes that bad been submitted to them for the purpose. All those who had the power of co-operating with Government in the present state of Irish affairs, ought readily to come forward and do so. He could bear testimony, with the Hon. Gentleman who last addressed the House, to the difficulty of collecting the rates in Roscommon, and ha bad not the least hesitation in believing that the same difficulty had been experienood, and the reme dies resorted to in Castlebar. The Hon. Member for Bath, on the previous night, suggested measures for meeting the present exigencies, which would have the effect of ex tinguishing the landholders of Ireland.—( Hear, hear.) But would their extinction improve the condition of the Irish people. In many instances the landlords had given up their rents, and others of them had abandoned many of their comforts, and reduced their establishments for the purpose of investing large sums of money in the purchases of Indian corn, for the benefit of the poor. He did not pretend to say that those who thus invested their money, expected it would be a loss, on the contrary he was convinced they would be enabled to remunerate themselves by selling the corn to the distressed poor.—(C, ies of it Hear, hear.") The corn dealers throughout Ireland, however, had been filling their pockets at the t xpense of the people, and steps he had mentioned, as being taken by the landlo:ds, were the only means by which unjust and cruel speculations in food could be put a stop to.—( Hear, hear.) He did hope, therefore, that no more would be heard about extinguishing the landlords, but that suet measures would be adopted for advancing money to the landlords at reasonable rates of interest, to be invested in reproductive works, such as the improvement of the land, and thus enable them not only to meet all the liabilities the mea sures would impose upon them, but to derive some profit from the money so borrowed. ( Hear, hear. ) Mr. P. BORTHWICK promised to give the measures of the Government his careful consideration, and after giving them such partial consideration to decide upon them without reference to party feelit g or party bias. He did not agree with the reasoning that had been advanced in supoort of the violation of the Treaty of Vienna in the suppression of Cracow, nor did he think those were the best friends of the Government of France er of England who were silent upon the subject of the Montpensier marriage, on the ground that the entente cordiale which existed between the Govern ments of the two countries was indispensably neces sary for the preservation of the peace of Europe. It was indispensably necessary that it should be shown to the people and Government of France, that in this country there was a reunion of all sections and parties in the sentiments ex pressed in reference to the Montpensier marriage. it was very desirable, no doubt, that there should be an entente cordiale between the two countries, but it should not be merely between other parties and factions of these two great powers, but be tween the people. Mr. PLUMPTRE expressed his hope that peace would not be interrupted. Mr. EWART was aware that the present subject required the nicest management, but he could not help saying that he hoped her Majesty's Government would introduce some mea sure for the extension of education in this country. He must express his satisfaction at this part of her Majesty's Speech which expressed a desire to preserve unbroken the peace of the world. He was sure that the feeling of the people of this ountry was in favour of peace as long as their natural rights were not interfered with.—( Hear.) Peace was suited to their commercial character, and to the limited monarchy under which they lived. Lord G. BEN TINCK begged to offer a few observations upon what had fallen from an Hon. Gentleman in reference to a Noble Friend of his, Lord Lucan. He had the authority of that nobleman for stating that, during six years, he has con stantly resided in Castlebar, and expended, not only the whole of his Irish rents, but a large portion of those derived from his English estates also, in that part of the country. In justice to the people of Mayo, he must state that they refused only to pay rates on the ground of the extravagant assessment that had been made on them, it being no less than 400,0001. It was levied at meetings where there were numbers of persons with shillelaghs in their hands.—(Laughter.) When the rates were not levied, Lord Lucan himself paid the poor-rates of the parish.—( Hear, heat.) Mr. Pt IULETT SCROPE said that he lead derived his authority from the daily papers. Perhaps the Noble Lord would inform him, as he was on the subject, as to what had been alleged of the landlords sending over paupers in such num bers to Liverpool. Lord G. BENTINCK was informed that it was not the landlords of Ireland who exported the paupers in this wholesale manner. The steamers coming over here every year short of hands, induced the proprietors to bring over paupers to Liver pool, in order to compel the parish to send them back. The Address was then read and adopted. CORN LAWS. . _ Lord JOHN RUSSELL gave notice of a motion for to morrow, that the House do resolve itself into a committee to consider the corn laws. The House then adjourned at Nine o'clock, till to-morrow (this day.) IXI'ENSES OF PRIVATE BILLS IN PARLIAMENT. The effects of the expense of carrying private Bills through Parliament are shown in the annexed quotations from the minutes of evidence taken before the House of Commons last session, and recently issued by order of that House. Mr. E. Chadwick is the first witness : In the visits which you have made to different parts of the country, have you found many parishes and communi ties who have been in want of lighting, paving, or water, but who have been unable or unwilling to come to Parlia ment, in consequence of the great expense now attending it? —A great number of places. In fact, except two or three towns and the county town, I might say that the smaller country towns in the whole country are in that position. The expense of a Water or Drainage Bill, if unopposed, would be 5001. In the small town of St. Helen's, which required a Water Bill, I think the expense of the works was 3,0001., and the expense of obtaining the permission of Parliament to erect those works was 1,0001. Consequently, one-fourth of the money upon whtch the inhabitants will have to pay interest went for the Parliamentary expenses. In fact, the expense of obtaining works for drainage of many villages, and rather im portant small towns, would equal the expense of laying down the house drains ; and the expense of a water Bill would equal the expense of laying down the tenants' water pipes. When the standing orders require that water shall be sought by one Bill, and drainage, or the means of carrying away water, by a second Bill, paving or cleansing by a third Bill, the fees of the House and the professional expenses of these Bills mount up, so as to render the expenses prohibitory; the money expended in procuring Acts under which, in some of the larger towns, only ineffective and expensive works have been produced, might have sufficed to obtain good works. The money expended in Liverpool for the private Act legislation, the results of which have been desc• ibed to the Committee, it may be confidently asserted would have sufficed for the effectual drainage of upwards of 20,000 houses. (T. Greene, Esq., M.P.) Would you propose that communities should have the power of adopting any of those branches, by the sanction of the Secretary of State, or whatever department they were under, on application to him, as is now done with respect to rating? —lt may be a prejudice, but I have rather a disposition that they should he obliged to come to Parliament on those matters; I think it would be more satisfactory to the country at large than that it should be vested in any one individual • and I think the expenses, which are at present complained of so heavily, would be a good deal avoided by having a short Bill, and by having some better mode of settling the question of the standing orders. Would not there be many communities and parishes so poor as not to be able to incur the actual fees of the House, even without any of the other attendant expenses ?—I hardly think that there would be, under the circumstances of improvement which I think would attend the passing of private Bills ; because the great expense they have to complain of is not the fees taken in the House, but in point of fact the heavy charges of the agents and witnesses brought up. How would you propose to lessen those expenses of the agents and witnesses ?—With respect to the standing orders, a great deal of expense would be saved if, prior to the meeting of Parliament, some officer of the House were appointed to take the whole of the evidence upon the compliance and non-com pliance with the standing orders of this House ; that officer would have ample time, beginning a few weeks prior to the meeting of Parliament, to make an inquiry of that description ; and he could regulate the time when each party should ap pear, so that it should not be the case, as at present, that wit nesses i m sleicaoret was ekeuini impossible town for a considerable length of time, cosi consideration exactly n ; to but t y he when might particular arrange the Bill time, and the parties would be here a very short period ; and he, siting the whole of the day, would be able to complete the inquiry in a ve r y b r i e f space of time. Do you consider that that would be preferable to any on the spot, wh ere a ll th e w i tnesses wou ld b e i n attendanc e prrf If that appear to be a ch ea p er pl an , I see no o bj ect i on to it - but, of course, in all these matters th e p a rti es promoting the Bill ought to pay the expense of the c om m i ss i oner going into the country, and it would require a vast number of commis sioners in different parts of the country to investigate these matters, and considerable expense must be incurred; and there would be also the objection which I have stated in my examina tion before, that there might be a want of uniformity if we had a vast variety of commissioners in different parts of the country; and that want of uniformity would be a very great evil. . opposing I s it no a t the ßil fact, l in thtihs House actsexp a n s s e a and prohibitiont e inconvenience upon opposi tion, except in cases where parties feel themselves grievously and individually interested?—Certainly. Thewholecon siderable present community sys tem, be worth the while of any one . person that extent, community and yet may it m b a e y injuriously it nt under. a ff t e h c e t e d to a t t o he go ni t ll e ? t_he c e e x r p ta e i n n s l e y. and incur the inconvenience of opposing (J. St. Georpe Burke, Esq.) In the that kind, , c d a n s e s y n o n f e w n a n t s e i d r w e ' r o r t k h s a , t o t r h e g a e s o , r pl i p a a n v e i e n g o w , ithr standing f orders might be proved with less expense on the spot where the works are to be?—yes, it would be a saving, as far as re gards the bringing up witnesses to prove it. It would not be a very large difference, because you must appoint some official person to go to take the evidence, and he would have fees, I suppose, for going and expenses, and I do not know that there would be a great change. The great expense we have been put to in this session and the last, has arisen more from the enormous glut of business which has prevented our Bills being taken in due time, and because we have had to wait for days in the lobbies, w ith h un d re d s of witnesses. Now an immense saving might be effected if one Hon. Member would take the duties of five; that instead of having five Members to investi gate whether plans have been rightly lodged, it should be re ferred to one single Member, who would be just as competent as a committee of five. Then if a plan were adopted by which one person here could take the proofs, or if it could be done on the spot by a pro-. perly authorised person, that would save a great deal of those great expenses for witnesses which are now necessarily in curred ?—lf one Member were to form a committee for the performance of this duty, it would save expense ; except that I do not expect, nor does anybody ever expect, to have a repeti tion of what we have had this year and last. When you speak of the comparative paucity of gas and waterworks Bills, do not you think that the great expense of obtaining Bills acts as a prohibition in many towns with regard to their availing themselves of gas-lights and supplies of water, which they might otherwise find it well worth their while to establish do not think the expense is dependent at all upon the length of the Bill ; that is a minimum proportion of the expense. What is the principal expense?—ln a Gas Bill the expenses are not heavy if it is unopposed ; if it is opposed there are various expenses arising from the fees to counsel, and so forth, which run up a bill to a large amount ; the expenses of evi dence, the shorthand writer, the committee fees, the House Tees, are all increased by an inquiry before a Committee; but ' an unopposed Gas Bill is not a heavy Bill, and would be very little lessened in expenses by having the clauses consolidated ; the cost of printing wauld be somewhat diminished. Speaking of the expense, can you form any estimate what proportion of the expense of such Bills is for witnesses, and what for fees of the House, and what for other expenses ?—I cannot state the exact proportion, nor am J a competent party to do that, for I never see the solicitors' bills ; but I should say that in a contested case, the fees of the House and those which more properly come within my own department, viz., the preparation of the Bill, the clauses, and so forth, form a very small proportion indeed of the large expense which is in curred. Do witnesses form a large expense ?—The attendance of witnesses will be a large sum ; the employment of counsel is a very large sum ; the daily copies of evidence, and the drawing up and preparing it, involve a very large experditure. Have you any means of knowing what Fe the ordinary fee of attorneys attending in London for the sake of Private Bills? —I would rather they would answer that question themselves; they know it better than we do ; it doss not come within my province. There is a regulated fee for the attendanoe of Parliamentary agents ?—lt will vary in cases of opposed or unopposed Bills ; but we do not profess to charge always for attending Com mittees, nnless there are clauses under discussion. I should find it impracticable to attend all the Committees I have, during the investigation of the preambles; and therefore we generally consider that to come under the solicitor's province while the evidence is being taken, and then upon the clauses we attend ourselves, and we vary our charge. Sometimes we get two guineas. If I were there the whole day long fighting clauses, I should charge five. The object of the question is to see whether it is not im possible to form any estimate of what the expenses of a Bill may be without knowing what the opposition may be, and what the duration of it may be?—Quite impossible. c e ,n, naog A i t ei c l tnd t hg s ae; into nththennemece Com missionersssooeel uu c v u rre ees How are the expenses W ot Actifo t n provided intoro A v c i edt execution e d a f use o st r uinom ? on — i na T gr eh that powerep a expe nses td x o t p hb e l eey n v s ty e l ha s .ofn carryinga m e ' een expenses eqr:cntirai:enr: carrying has been effected, and therefore if the Commissioners send down an Assistant-Commissioner to investigate a case which eventually ends without enclosure, his expenses would fall upon the consolidated fund. How are the;expenses of witnesses provided for ?—The parties at whose suggestions they are called pay them. But if the Assistant-Commissioner thinks it right to call IS it nesses, in order to satisfy himself, that would form part of the general expenses ?—Such expenses would be charged to the general account. [ADVERTISEMENT.] PROCEEDINGS of the CLERICAL -- MEDICAL, AND GENERAL LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. (As reported January Bth, 1847.) An extraordinary general meeting of the proprietors of this society was held yesterday at the office in Great Russell street, for the purpose of declaring a bonus out of the profits which have accrued from the general business of the society during the five years ending June 30, 1846. Amongst the directors present were Dr. Moore, G. G. Babington, Esq, Rev. A. B. Clough, Thomas Davis, Esq., Oliver Hargreave, Esq., and Clement Hue, M.D. Dr. Moore having taken the chair, Mr. Pinckard, the 1 .1 5 1 , e 2 a 4 g 2 u L e 6s . s secretary, read the r e p or t o f th e assets and liabilities; the The 484,5 ( 5 1 5 1A I. I O R s m . 5 N d A ., then a former of which amou n t t o 639 , 7 9 71 . 6s. 5d., and the latter to leavingtt stated that his c a surplus of 5 had au thorised him to lay before the meeting the following report : " In accordance with the provisions of the deed of eonsti stitution, the directors have called the present meeting, for the purpose of laying before the proprietors and the assured the result of an investigation of the society's affairs for the five years ending June 30, 1846. "Oa that day the society had been in existence twenty two years. An investigation of its affairs was made first in 1831, being seven years from the commencement ; a second time in 1836; and a third time in 1841. The fourth inves tigation having been just completed, the directors have now the gratification of communicating the result to the meeting. " In order to present a clear view of the progress of the society, the directors will proceed to exhibit the present amount of its funds, together with their state at the last quinquennial division. "I. The society's Income for the year ending with June, 1841, was 97,900/. ; that for the year ending with June, 1846, 116,3004 Thus, notwithstanding the many de ductions which are constantly taking place, on account of policies terminated by death or discontinued from other causes, there is an increase in the annual income of the society to the extent of 18,4001. " 11. The amount of the property of the society, accumulated from the excess of receipts above payments, was in 1841, 418,903/., and in 1846 has reached 639,7971. Under the head of payments are included considerable sums paid for the purchase of policies, and also to annuitants, besides the amount which has become due from deaths and every other demand. " 111. After deducting the sum required to meet the liabilities of the society, there remains a surplus of 155,2421.; while in 1841 the corresponding surplus was only 89,4001. " This sum of 155,242/., has now to be dealt with, being the amount of profit realised by the society. In conformity with the provisions of the deed, one half of the profits is to be divided among the assured for life, and one sixth part among the proprietors ' • but in order to avoid inconvenient fractions. the directors have resolved to recom mend to this meeting to divide the sum of 154,500. This will apportion to the assured, for life, 77,250/., and to the pro prietors, 25,7501. leaving one third of the said profit, amount ing to 51,5001., to be laid by and to accumulate as a reserved fund. " This division will give to the proprietors a bonus of 51.31. per share, and to the assured a sum of 114,0311., being the equivalent in reversion to the above amount of 77,250/. "This sum of 114,031/. will be added to the polices, and be payable at the death of the respective parties, and will form an addition equal, on an average, to more than 36 per cent. on the premiums received during the last five years. " It may be desirable, however, to remind the assured that they have the option of having any one or more of the bonuses to which they are entitled applied in reduction of their future payments of premium. " For the further information of the proprietors it may be mentioned that, by the deed of constitution, the Proprietors' Fund is not to accumulate by the addition of bonuses beyond 50,0001.; all subsequent bonuses being paid over to the Pro prietors. " The effect of that provision on the present occasion will be, that of the above sum of 25,7501., 17,0001. will have to be added to the Proprietors' Fund, which will then have reached its limit, and the remaining 8,750, being 1!. 15i. per share, will be paid to the proprietors in cash at the end of March next. " In estimating the amount of liabilities, it is important to observe that every Policy, together with all other risks, has been valued separately, and with great care; and there has been nn encroachment upon future profits; but that a ino..e of valuation has been adopted whereby a larger sum is re tained to meet such claims as may arise than is usual with most other offices. This will appear by the following examples : Sums set aside as the ♦alue of a Policy for 1,0001. :By Offices, I valuing by the Northampton ' Three per Cent. Table. 'By the Mode adopted by this Office. :]:)lfference In 'favour of tide Office. Effected at the Age of 40, after 10 years - - Effected at the Age of 50, atter 10 year - - Effected at the Age of GO, atter 10 years - -1 X i. d. X 5. d. 158 8 5 6 4 10 215 2 0 17 4 9 326 3 0 43 15 7 X s. d. 152 3 7 197 17 3 282 7 5 "It is clear, then, that the prospects of the policyholders at future divisions are most favourable, partly from the un usually 1.-age sum retained to meet claims, as shown above, and partly from the reserve of so considerable an amount as 51,500/., out of profits thus ascertained. "These facts, which have operated to a certain extent in the diminution of former bonuses, will undoubtedly contri bute most powerfully to increase the amount of profits to be appropriated to the assured at all succeeding divisions. "In confirmation of this view, the Directors need only remind the assured of the statement made at the division in January, 1842, that the two preceding bonuses had averaged 22 per cent. on the premiums ; that the one then divided averaged 28 per cent., and that the future bonuses were ex pected to exceed that amount. "The most sanguine expectations entertained at that time have been fully realised by the amount of the present bonus averaging more than 36 per cent. ; and on precisely the same grounds the Directors conceive themselves entitled to assert, with additional confidence, that its further Increase from time to time is almost certain. "The large and increasing amount of the Society's busi ness, and the proportionate diminution of the expense of management (which is now only 3!/ a per cent. on the income), must also be taken into account in the anticipation of future profits. The Directors have only to add, that they have in structed the actuary to exhibit to any proprietor or policy holder, or to any person who may be desirous of assuring, the details of all the calculations, with a full statement of the assets and liabilities, and balance-sheets of the Society." So far as he (the Chairman) was concerned, any comment was unnecessary, for he believed the report would speak sa tisfactorily, both to the proprietors and the assured.— (Applause.) He would, however, just call the attention of the meeting to a very distinguishing feature of the Insti tution—the economy of its management ; which was not only well known to the proprietary, but to the public.— (Applause ) The directors would be happy to answer any questions which might be put to theta, or to attend to any suggestions which might be offered for the advantage of the Institution.—(Applause.) fot p rrf l oe i ct mul 5b n tsi he e 2e s t i s hp2erl a o,m t and profits, contentsconsisted,t h o e f n t e hoer twore po r o t b , se s n ai,d atio h n e s. Mr FowLEn. after e xp ress i ng hi s satisfaction at the ex sannounced to be the sur pl us ar i s i ng would The sum he conceived, partly of the reserve made and announced upon a former occasiod. He believed that these reserves went on accumulating and incorp orating themselves so as to a certain extent to make up thin amount. If the Secretary could state how much of the amount referred to was composed of the reserve from the former bonus, the meeting would be able to see more clearly the profit realised within the last five years. The SICAETAILY said the sum laid bl n at the last division a thereforethese sutrhpelurseeasl , e s r•e l ar ; s was about 125,000/. made greater by ( o profitn e t realisedhir d of the during last was n 2: LEA—Then it would appear t g h d altogether n depended on the "F ar ° e \l; st successive increase, eachbei (m t ) l r i u e A T lsl2 r i tr i e 6 e .h : e s r E v c e ß f E r o T m a It ch the replied preceding tha that it one. continued increase of profits, about which no fears were en tertained.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. FOWLES wished to know whether any parties had availed themselves of the opportunity afforded of reducing their premiums? The SECRETARY said that a considerable number of persons had applied their bonuses in reduction of their future pay. ments of premium. Mr. WHITEHOUSE apprehended that the sum of 51,5031., which formed the reserve fund, was a basis of future accumu lations. The SECRETARC—Certai nI y . Mr. NEisos (Actuary to the Medical and Invalid Assur ance S ,ciety) congratulated the directors on the very dis tinguished success which had attended the company's opera tions.—(Applause.) Perhaps the Secretary could explain whether the principle of having a reserve fund applied to other proprietary co mpanies. It was well known that this was a distinguished feature of several of the mutual eom panics, and its advantages were obvious. It might be ques tioned, probably, whetherin the infant state of a company the assured would consult their own interest by adopting such a principle; but in a society so greatly advanced as the present !t formed a very strong recommendation to the assurers. If it did not exist, the assured would be deprived of a very large bonus laid out for them in future. There was another point of great importance in the report, and that was the mode in which the liabilites of the Company had been ascertained. He was not in a posi tion to refer to individual instances, but he knew that most serious errors had followed the course of valuation which had been repudiated by the society. He wished to ascertain from the Secretary whether in ascertaining the liabilities attaching to the policies the actual age of the assured had been taken. There was another point in connection with the bonus whiclr was deserving of some explanation. Any holder of a policy might select a reduction of premium in stead of a bonus. Now, suppose a person to select the re duction of a premium on the present occasion, he wished to know whether he would be able to select a bonus in addition on the next, and rice vers(l.—(Hear, hear. He believed the last valuation Wa', made up to the 30th June, 1811, and was anxious to ascertain the number of policies in force on that day, and the number at present in existence. He also wished to know the average age of the assured. lie asked for this information on public grounds—(Hear, hear)—and could not help thinking that the reports of societies of this description would be ranch more"valuable if they en tered somewhat more into the scientific details by which their operations are regulated. He considered economy of management one of the moat honest and safe principles to follow; bin in a Company of the magnitude of the pre sent, a differenee of 1,0001. or 2,0001. a year in tits an nual expenditure was of little int OS CaaPara with She errors which might be caused by adopting exp lod ed systems. The sort of info rma ti on to which he bad entitled would be very useful, and in Germany a noble example had been set in this respect. At Gotha, not only was that done, bat they published the lives assured, the number of deaths, the periods at which the policies were effected, and they even went so far as to give the names of the individuals. He would in conclusion ask one other question—namely, the number of deaths during the last five years, and whether there had been any material difference between the actual number and the number anticipated ?—(Hear, hear.) The SECRETARY felt great pleasure in answering the questions which had been put by the able and intelligent gentleman who had addressed the meeting. With respect to the first question, he was not aware of any other proprietary office which had adopted the principle of laying by one-third of the profits. There could be no question that that principle had been a great drawback to the Company with respect to the bonuses which had heretofore been declared ; and it was a matter of astonish ment to those , who were acquainted with these matters how the Company had got on so well. Notwithstanding this great difficulty, the Company had done its full share of bu siness when compared with other companies which had not adopted this principle. All difficulties had now been got over, and the plan of laying by one-third of the surplus would do more to increase the bonuses on future occasions than any other that could have been adopted. To prove that this system had acted beneficially, he might refer to the report of the Equitable Society, in which, after giving examples of its large bonuses, he found this statement:— "Among the causes which have contributed to these impor tant results is the reservation at each decennial division of one-third of the suplu3 fund for future appropriation." It was, therefore, quite evident that the prospects of this Com pany for the future were pre-eminently above those of all the other companies which had not been obliged to adapt this system, and every person connected with it might look for ward with perfect confidence to extremely satisfactory bo nuses. With respect to the mode of valuation, it was stated in the report that all the policies had been valued separately; and he would state in addition, that all the lives taken as healthy lives had been valued at the increased age at which they had arrived on the 30th of June last. With respect to the diseased lives, the directors had adopted a course contrary to that of every other office which had taken such lives. If they had taken a life at 40, whose real age was 30, they had always, to all intents and purposes, con sidered that life as a life of 40; so that a much larger sum was laid by to meet that claim than would have been laid by bad the same policy been effected in any other office. Now, with respect to the question respecting the reduction of pre mium, he begged to say that the bonus might be taken in any shape, and at any time, that might suit the convenience of the party interested. Another question put by Mr. Nelson was with rogard to the number, of policies. The number at the last divi sion, five years ago, was 3,140 ; and the number now in exist ence was 4,138.—( Hear.) The average age of lives on the books was 48. The number of deaths expected within the last year was 106; but he was happy to say the actual number which had occurred was only 53, being just one-half. —( Applause.) This was rather snore favourable than the general average; but the same sort of mortality bad existed during the five years, with littl e d ev i a tion.—(Hear, hear.) In answer to a question by Mr. STREETER, The SECRETARY said, that in consequence of the enormous competition which had existed between the life offices for the last ten or twelve years, several of the more recent ones had endeavoured to show a great bonus. In order to keep themselves alive, they had, on the first occasion, instead of dividing the profits up to that time, anticipated the future profits from the business upon their books. This was an ex tremely fallacious 'rode of proceeding, and must in time prove ruinous. It would, no doubt, have the effect of mis leading some persons, by giving to the office a highly flourish big appearance, when that was not really the case. This Company had, however, laid by rather too much than too little, and had not encroached on any future profits. Mr. NEISON had not the least hesitation in saying that the mode of valuation which this society had rejected would have had the effect of anticipating future bonuses, and he was justified in that opinion by an essay read before the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh, by one of the most scientific writers on the subject. One feature connected with this Society deserving of great commendation was the mi nuteness of detail with which the valuations were made.— (Hear, hear.) __ He should feel obliged if the Secretary would state the total amount assured by all the policies. The SECRETARY-2,657,0001. .., A PRorittaTon inquired what portion of the accumulated 50,0001. the proprietors would eventually obtaic ? The CHAIRMAN —One-sixth, as at present. The PROPRIETOR—And the assured ? The SECRETARY—Three-sixths, and eventually nearly five-sixths, arising from the reservation of one-third. Dr. REID inquired the average number of proposals for life assurance during the last five years, and the amount of money included in those proposals? The SECRETARY—The average annual number of proposals was 557, and the amount proposed by them was 339,6001. Mr. WHISHAW said the report and the explanations which had been given were so satisfactory, that every one interested in the affairs of the company must feel obliged to the direc tors for the manner in which they had conducted its affairs. —(Applause.) He wished particularly to impress on the notice of the proprietors and tlfe - public the importance of the last paragraph in the report, which invited the assured and the public to examine with attention the state of their own affairs. If there was one mode of inspiring confidence better than another, it was that of giving on all occasions every possible information, and showing no wish for con cealment.—( Hear, hear.) lie agreed in the suggestion, that it would be desirable in future reports to give a general out line of the principles on which the society's calculations were founded. The SECRETARY said the original draft, of the report stated the exact mode; but the directors thought so few persons would properly understand it, that it would - be much better for parties to call at the office, whore every information would be afforded.—(Hear, hear.) The CHAIRMAN, in reply to a question by a proprietor, said that no party would receive the bonus who had not paid five premiums before the 30th .June last. Dr. CitucEnx expressed himself highly gratified with what had takeu place. He was quite satisfied that the di rectors had only one object in view—the good of the society; and if he asked one or two questions, he trusted they would not be considered as arising from idle curiosity. The first point on which he wished to ask a question related to the mode of arriving at the peculiar valuation respecting un healthy lives; whether the calculation bad been taken from the lives received first as such, and bearing a proportion and a relative value; or whether the society had received pr o p er and regular information with respect to those lives, which rendered them more doubtful than the genera l progress of calculation? He also wished t o k now w hether the directors had considered another matter, which he had always thought of great importance—the propriety of an insurer participating in the bonus, instead of its being added to the policy for the benefit of those for whom he might have toiled. An insurer might not be always in a position to pay, and he thought whatever bonus became due should become the property of the insuring party without receiving it bit by bit in the re duction of premium. The SEcarrativ, in reply to the first question, said, that more than u•nal care was always taken in admitting diseased lives, and when they were admitted they were taken at a corresponding premium. With respect to the second ques tion, the directors had no power to act in the sug gested. Dr. Crucefix did not seem to think t he reduction manner i of premium so important as it really was. fo sh ow its effect he would mention one or two instances. In the y ear 1825, P. e mium of Archdeacon Pott insured for 1,000/, paying P. 861. Os. 10d. This, being the fourth bonus, woulu notddein lngy have the effect of extinguishing the premium, but of a the sum of 176/. to the policy.—(Hear, hear.) A PROPRIETOR remarked that this was some what extra ordinary. The SECRETARY, in explanation, said, that the f d o , u i r n bo red nu n s c es . amounted to 400/. By taking an annuity tion of his premium, he would obtain a largine'rtetiamount than would pay the premium. • The Rev. E. G. WrucocEs.—And for the rest •of his life not have a shilling to pay.—(Hear, hear.) The SECRETARY.—Yes, and beyond thatadthalerlendweodu.ld He e the addition to the policy to which he would mention a younger life, the insuranbereernon. 661. ;but place in 1827. The age was 61, and the p would just ad `snother in- would now be reduced to Si. He by applying the bonus in a similar manner, the premium stance or two,. where aged 69, was insured 1832, premium of 1001. That s 6 another6t, was Cßse now two in bonu a ses t a bed been g. A life, n life was 61. The emium premium was now reduced which, in reduced to 411.—(Isar, hear.) .linSel.B32l Dr. SnEaststaer moved that the account and statements motion. Dr.DuNt.ar seconded the . contained in the Report be approved. 'flees, and t h e rel f this with oth er o number of tire position o Mr. FOWLER. said he was desirous of ascertaining th e a o ffices started within the last number had been projected, b ut Mr. NErsos said a g reat five years. he believed that 50 had come ma he was their as con vinced, however, they h ad done once to in mo ore r g e public than harm to th e present society, for they had made individuals P the utility of maturity, such institutions; and w hen minds toinsure, they wo uld naturally choose old offices which gave the best bonus. M o ther offices ha r. FOWLER asked whe ther had been equally successful. The SECRETARY believed that a ma r jo d rit ee the old offices had rather receded than gone forw , a my of the same standing were not doing near so much .h_ b li usiness. Dr. Hua wished to kno w the number of applications for policies, and the number of refusals. _ The SECRETARY said the number of proposals durin g the out of which last five years was 2 , 784, h number 415 were declined. A PROPRIETORHOW many were effected? The SECRETARY—For the five years ending June, 1841, the number issued was 1,83 7 ; for the last five years 1, showing as increase of 55. To show that the Society ,892 ; progressing, he might add that the number issued d • was last year was 401.—(Bear, hear.) uring the The resolution was then put and unanimously agreed to. glßanAdNilwas established, only Or ENGLAND. sled fTHE i En a Europe, one in Holland, A f tu COMMENCEMENTr e gr e a tn t e b t a h n e k Ba e O F one in Germany, and two in Italy ; they were of Arns. terdam, Hamburgh, Venice, and Genoa. All but the Genoese Bank were formed solely for the tmvgenenieenrcael of merchants ; the latter was not only f or purpose, but was also founded for the immediate emolu ment of the individual proprietors ; and, after this model, the Bank of England was established in 1694. The commission was issued in the reign of William and Mary, on the 15th of June of that year. The necessity of some institution of this kind had been long felt, and Mr. William Patterson had travelled into several commercial countries, in 1691, and the following years, to examine into their banking establi -hments. This gentleman had co mmunicated to Mr. Michael Godfrey the progress and result of his disco veries. The original foundation of a public bank is, how ever, claimed by Mr. John Briscoe; and the grounds on which he makes this pretension are stated in a letter pre ceding his " Advice to a Freeholder." It w as in o pposition to the Nnal Land Ban gazet the Bank of England was —Banker's Mine. commenced The Right lion. E. Strutt and M rs. S trutt, arrived in town on Tuesday, from their residence near Derby. LONDON, THURSDAY EVIZN'ING, JANUARY 2l, 1847. REVIEW OF THE BRITISH CORN TRADE. The value of Wheat has risen day by day for many weeks consecutively without a single pause, and prices have now obtained an altitude calculated to induce caution ou the part of buyers. Prudent tradesmen consider speculative investments at present rates hazardous; and parties who purchase only in the regular way of business are gradually restricting their operations, being generally unwilling to take more than just sufficient to keep their customers sup plied. When affairs arrive at this position a reaction usually follows; but, owing to the peculiar circumstances of the present season, we greatly doubt whether such will in this instance prove the case. The fact that large shipments of grain continue to be made from England to Ireland—from which country, in the ordinary course of events, we are in the habit of drawing a considerable proportion of our supplies— is alone sufficient to upset all previously-conceived notions. But the singularity of our position does not end here. The loss of the potato crop in Ireland, and the consequent neces sity of feeding several millions of people not generally in the habit of consuming grain, on so expensive a substitute, is cer tainly ens very powerful reason for concluding that prices can not well recede ; but when to this Is added the present state of France, and other continental countries where the crops of corn have proved so short as to oblige the different Govern ments to have recourse to such expedients as those lately adopted by the French—first altering the navigation laws to encourage importation, by admitting flour under flags of alt nations, and subsequently taking off the duties of grain altogether there are certainly grounds to appre hend that it will be necessary to pay very high prices abroad to induce our continental neighbours to part with a commodity they stand in such urgent need of themselves. We are, therefore, inclined to think that, unless the spring should prove extraordinarily propitious, and the arrivals from the other side of the Atlantic more ex. tensive than we have reason to calculate on, the value of all kinds of food will remain high up to the time of next har vest. 'The trade in wheat has not been quite so excited this as the proceeding week, the very high terms demanded having had the effect, as stated above, of causing all par ties to exercise more than usual prudence in their operations. But, notwithstanding a somewhat. diminished demand, the tendency of prices has been steadily upwards ; in proof of which we shall quote the advance realised at some of the leading provincial markets : At Liverpool on Tuesday there was a good attendance of buyers from the manufacturing districts and from Ireland ; and the quantity of wheat on Bala being moderate, rates 6d. per .701b5., or 3s. 6d. per quarter, above those of that day se'nnight were obtained without difficulty. Later in the week a further enhancement of 2d. to 3d. per 701bs. was established, several parcels having been taken on Friday by speculators, at the price last named. The reports from the leading towns of Yorkshire informs us that business in wheat had been more or less checked by the advance; still, needy buyers had had no alternative, and had been under the necessity of paying the terms de manded. At Leeds, the article was on Tuesday quoted 2s. to 3s. per quarter higher; and at Hull, on the same day, the rise was nearly as great. From Wakefield we learn that a tolerable extent of business was done there on Friday in Wheat at prices 2s. per quarter above those of that day week. At Birmingham, Bristol, and other towns in that direction the upward movement has been equally important, although purchasers have declined taking more than has been abso lutely necessary to supply their immediate wants. In the foregoing observations we have confined our remarks more exclusively to Wheat; but we need scarcely state that all other articles have participated in the rise. Barley has, in many parts of the country, sold at the unusually high rates of 60s. to 651. per quarter, according to quality; and the scarcity of Oats has now become so great that farmers have refused to sell this grain altogether, being well aware that if they were to part w ith th e little hey may still hold, they would afterwards have to pay relatively higher prices to pro procure food for their stock. The advices from Scetland are of a similar character to the reports from other parts of the kingdom. Not only wheat, but all species of grain, is rapidly rising there ; and it is certain that no supplies of oats (the staple article of shipment to the south) can be expected, that article being worth quite as much, if not more, at Edinburgh as in the London market. The accounts from Ireland become from day to day more distressing, and the temporary decline which a large arrival of Indian corn caused last week had again been recovered, the supply having proved inadequate to the demand. With the people starving in many parts of the island, shipments of provisions from thence to England are, of course, out of the question. The arrivals of English Wheat into London have again been moderate, the high range of prices at Liverpool and other northern markets having caused the shippers on the east coast to direct their consignments to those place rather than to the metropolis. The quantity brought forward at Mark-lane by land-carriage samples from the home counties since Monday has also been small ; and the millers' wants having again become urgent, increased anxiety to get into stock has been manifested by buz-ers. The few lots left over on Monday, principally from Essex and Kent, were easily placed on Wednesday at rates rather exceeding those obtained in the beginning of the week. Oa Friday factors again raised their pretensions, which checked the demand ; but having scarcely anything fresh up, needy purchasers ,were under the necessity of paying the terms asked. In free foreign Wheat a fair amount of business has been done during the week, the lower descriptions having been in request for the manufacture of meal for Ireland, and the finer sorts having excited attention for local use. The continued demand from the other side of the Chan nel, and the smallness of the stock remaining on hand, together with the certsinty that no foreign supplies can for a month or two be calculated on, have all tended to give an upward tondency to prices, and the rise since last Monday cannot be estimated at less than, Is. to 2s. per qr. Prices being now as high, if not higher here than in France, the export to that country has ceased ; notwithstanding which, holders of bonded Wheat have con tinued to ask prices within Is. to 2s. per quarter of those of free, for parcels under lock. This can only be accounted for by the supposition that the Legislature may, on the meeting of Parliament, take off the existing duty of 4s. per quarter. The sale of town-made Flour has been more extensive this week than was the case earlier in the month, which has pro bably been caused by bakers having become apprehensive that the millers may again put up the price : hitherto, how ever, the top quotation has remained stationary at 655. per sack. Ship Flour has been in fair request. and has com manded full terms. For American the inquiry has been lively, and a further enhancement of Is. per brl. has been pretty generally realised on the best brands. The arrivals of English Barley have been very trifling ; and though 12,551 qrs. have come to hand from abroad, prin • cipally from the north of Europe (from whence the vessels were dispatched previous to the setting in of the frost), the high rates of last Monday have been maintained. Very thin foreign Barley has realised 465., good grinding qualities 505., and for superior English malting qualities very close upon 70s. per qr. has been paid. Such prices are well calcu lated to draw supplies ; but the Baltic ports being frozen up, with litile prospect of becoming free till March, whilst in the interval nothing of importance can be expected to reach us from other quarters, we see no chance of a material reaction. Malt has moved upwards in value quite as rapidly as Bar ley, and 90s. per qr. has been insisted on for fine qualities. The supplies of Oats during the week ending this (Satur day) evening amounted to only 4,473 qrs. ; and the receipts having for several preceding weeks fallen materially short of the quantity required for consumption, great inroads have been made on the dealers' stocks—indeed, so bare has the market become of this grain, that holders have experienced no difficulty in obtaining very high rates. The extent of the advance will, perhaps, be better understood by giving the quotations obtained for some particular sorts than in stating the rise in shillings per qr. Archangels have sold freely at 365., good heavy Irish at 38s. to 395., and fine Scotch feed at 40s. per qr. and upwards, with more anxiety to buy than sell at these rates. Beans have participated in the general advance; and for floating cargoes of Egyptians 445. to 455. per quarter, cost, freight, sad insurance has been given. Peas have likewise been held at enhanced terms, though the demand for the latter article has not been particularly active. Floating cargoes of Indian Corn have again been much sought after on Irish account, iand important bargains were closed on Wednesday and Friday, on terms hardly procur able in the commencement of the week. THE FOREIGN CORN TRADE. By the Cambria steam ship, we have advices of recent dates from North America. Shipments of wheat, flour, and Indian corn, en rather an extensive scale, were still being made to England ; but the very high freights demanded had interfered a good deal with business. The New York letters are of the 31st of December ; the stock of flour in store was then becoming very small, and as in conse quence of the close of the inland navigation no supplies from the interior were expected till spring, holders had raised their pretensions from 12ic. to 25c. per barrel. The ad vanced rates demanded had, however, been very reluctantly paid, and for some days the actual transactions had been on quite a retail scale ; Genessee Flour had been held at 5 dolls. 56 1 / I c. to 5 dolls. 64c., which with charges added foe buying and storing till spring, and calculated at the ad verse rates of exchange then prevailing, would make the cost on board, in English money, 265. to 275. per barrel. The total exports from New York during the par 1846 had been—Flour, 960,534 barrels; Wheat, 1,200,598 bushels; and Indian corn, 1,243,668 bushels. At Baltimore, on the 29th ult., the flour trade was dull, and prices had then rather a downward tendency; the last sales of Howard street had been at 4 dolls. 75c. to 4 dolls. 87c., and City-mills' had also been sold at the latter rate. The export of flour from that port to Great Britain during the year had not exceeded 50,000 barrels. From Philadelphia the shipments had been much larger viz., 360,844 brls. of flour, 223,947 bushels of wheat, and 272,768 bushels of Indian corn. At the last-named port business was far from brisk; on the 26th of December holders of flour generally demanded 4 dolls. 87i c. per barrel, which being rather more than buyers were disposed to give, only retail sales have been made. Of Indian corn a couple of cargoes of new southern yellow had been bought at 57c. to 58c. per bushel. Owing to the non -arrival of the Hamburgh mail of Tues day last, our advices from the northern parts of Europe are not of such recent dates as usual; we have, however, Dantzic letters of the 9th instant, by the way of Holland, from which it appears that the continued advance on this side had had the usual effect, prices having run up quite as rapidly there as with us. For fine high-mixed wheat holders had refused to accept below 60s. to 615., and for fair high-mixed 58s. to 595. per qr. had been demanded; whilst the most ordi nary descriptions had been held at 50s. to 525. per qr., free on board, in spring. Rye had been much in quired for, and, having come very sparingly to hand, had realised equal to 425. per qr. be extremely small ; and by the most recentin accounts from Ie - At the Lower Baltic ports the stocks of grain arentasaid to Rostock, Stettin, &c., it appears that the supplies little business had been done, though the comparatively growers had been on a restricted scale, consequence th of h the demand had been lively. At the first of these ports and oa rd , i e n t Stettin, cn the same day , 34 5. p er quarbarley was, on the 7th instant , quote d t e r , 3 f 2 r s e . e 0 6 n d. h ,• spring. was then completely The transactions post-day had been transactions in grain since the p se vere,At H an a d mb o u e rgl E e lh o a n the 9th of January, t f h r e oz f e r n os o t ve w r as The very great rise which has corn had further advanced. place in prices here, has placed within the last month taken country above those of Mar seillesquite unimportant, but the prices of both wheat and spring quotations of wheat in this At Marseilles, on the I * ° : March, was obtainable at equal Odessa wheat, deliverable at 58s. January, common Polish and other places in qr. th is e h M o e f di pj t e e ar r n r u a a n then have been bought at Marianopoli, on the spot, might free on board ; and rs of the Bth Jan.; a pur chase we have letters stosss.2ps.erteqs:s., and superior From Leg equal to about 508. per qr. free on there for shipme nt, of e the French markets wheat and flour board. In most further rise, and prices are now too nearly chase of 4,000 sacks o t f Marianopoli wheat had been made have undergone a above the Hamburgh mail of Tuesday has been received, a w l ii Sincet k h e a iri d N t w p a rn i i s tt ai a ng n ge. d that country to allow of business being done Baltic. Wheat was still rising in value ; d a tes from the which We have letters of more recent the o upplica but slow lynotwithetanding which4,larthh ,u e .kru growe xp rs re w s eze bringing forward COURT CIRCULAR. The Earl Forteacue, Lord Steward, and the Earl Spencer, Lord Chamberlain, had an audience of the Llueen yesterday at. Buckingham Palace, and presented to her Majesty the address from the House of Lords, in answer to the Speech from the Throne.. The Queen was pleased to return a most gracious answer. Her Majesty and Prince Albert, accompanied by the Princess Royal, left town at ten minutes past three o'clock yesterday afternoon, in a carriage and four for Windsor Castle. The Equerries in 'Waiting, Lord Alfred l'aget (Clerk Marshal) and Colonel Seymour, followed in another carriage and four. The Lady in Waiting, the Marchioness of Douro; the Maids of Honour in Waiting, lion. Miss Stanley, and lion. Miss Dawson ; and the Lord in Waiting, Earl Dude were in the third carriage ; and th e G room in Waiting, Colonel Berkeley Drummond, and the Master of the Household, Major General Bowles, were in the fourth carriage. Her Msjesty and the Prince were conducted to their car riage by the Lord Steward and Captain Francis Seymour, Groom in Waiting to his Royal Highness. The Royal pa r ty proceeded from Buckingham Palace to the Paddington ter minus, and left by a special train on the Great Western Railway. Wirrnson, WEDNLSDAY.—The Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by the Princess Royal, arrived at the Castle at a quarter past four o'clock this afternoon, from the Slough station of the Great Western Railway, escorted by a party of the Ist Life Guards. The Royal suite consisted of the Mar chioness of Douro, Hon. Misses Stanley and Dawson, Earl Ducie, Major-General Bowles, Colonel fierkeley Drummond, Lord Alfred Paget, and Colonel Seymour. Earl Spencer arrived at the Castle this afternoon, on a visit to her Majesty. The Royal dinner party at the Castle this evening will in clude her loyal Highness the Duchess of Kent, the Lady in Waiting to her Royal Highness, the Baroness de Speth, and Earl Spencer. The band of the First Life Guards attend during dinner; her Majesty's private band afterwards attend in the Castle. A deputation from the Society of Friends, headed by Mr. Foster, had an interview with Lord John Russell yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-street. Earl Spencer and Earl Fortescue had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday at the Home-office. Mr. Musson had an interview with the Earl of Clarendon yesterday at the office of the Board of Trade. Lord Ingestre, and a deputation from the Staffordshire Railway Company, had an interview with the Right Hon. E. Strutt yesterday at the office of the Commissioners of Rail ways. The Earl of Devon had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday at his official residence in Downing-street. The Lord Advocate of Scotland had an interview with Sir George Grey yesterday. Earl Cawdor bad also an interview with the Right Hon. Baronet yesterday at the Home-office. Mr. S. D. Patch and Mr. Simmonds bad an interview with the Right Hon. T. Milner Gibson, yesterday, at the office of the Board of Trade. A deputation relative to the Mauritius, had an interview, yesterday, with Lord John Russell. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England had a general meeting, yesterday, at the office, in Whitehall-place. The Marquis of Lansdowne had a dinner party, yesterday at Lansdowne House. Lord Thomas and Lady Sophia Cecil left Farrance's Hotel, yesterday, on a visit to the Marquis and Marchioness of Exeter, at Burghley, Stamford. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. NORTHAMPTON RACES, 1847. Handicap for the Great Northamptonshire Stakes. Lightning, 6 yrs, 9st 21b-Sweetmeat, 5 yrs, 9st-Wolf dog, 5 yrs, Bst 111b-Dulcet, 5 yrs, Bst 91b--Lothario, aged, Bst Slb-The Best of Three, 6 yrs, Bst 71b-Sting, 4 yrs, Bst 71b-Annandale, 5 yrs, Bst 61b-Norpeth, 6 yrs, Bst 61b -Mendicant, 4 yrs, Bst 21b-Lord Saltoun, 6 yrs, 7st 121 b -Doleful, 5 yrs, st 101b-Red Rover, 6 yrs, st 10Ib- Princess Alice, 4 yrs, 7st 101b-Refraction, 5 yrs, 7st 101 - Rufus, 4 yrs, 7st 91b-Emmeline, 4 yrs, 7st 91b-Miss Burns, aged, 7st 91b-Chamois, 4 yrs, 7st 71b-Mildew, 5 yrs, 7st 71b-Roebuck, 5 yrs, 7st 71b-Counsellor, aged, 7st 71b-Jenny Wren, 5 yrs, 7st 71b-Arthur, 5 yrs, 7st 6lb -What, aged, 7st 61b-Captain, 5 yrs, 7st 61b-Valentis aimo, aged, 7st 61b - Bokhara, aged, 7st slb - Best Bower, 6 yrs, 7st 51b-Roderick, aged, 7st 51b-Alvanley, 6 yrs, 7st 5113-Humdrum, 4 yrs, ist 51b-Campanile, 531 s,7st4lb - Sheraton, 4 yrs, 7st 31b-Diomed,4yrs,7st 31b-St. Demetri, 4 yrs, 7st 31b-4iiselle, 4 yrs, 7st 31b-Marquis of Conyng ham, 4 yrs, ist 31b-Duke of Richmond, 4 yrs, 7st 21b- Lady Cecilia, 4 yrs, 7st-Romance, 4 yrs, 7st-Leopnrd, 5 yrs, 7st-Ennui, 4 yrs, 6st 121b-Morocco, 4 yrs, 6st 121 b -Hydrange, 4 yrs, Est 121b-Camera Obscura, 4 yrs, Est 121 b -Turpin, 4 yrs, Est 12b-Magnet, 5 yrs, 6st 121b-Sister to Pedometer, 5 yrs, Est 121b-Komager, 5 yrs, Est 111 - Alliance, 4 yrs, 6st 111b-Princess Royal, 5 yrs, 6st 101 - Pal, 4 yrs, 6st 101b-Buttress, 4 yrs, Est 101b-Icicle, 4 yrs, 6st 101b-Secundus, 4 yrs, 6st 101b-Punch, 4 yrs. Est 91b -Flitch, 4 yrs, Est 91b-Trojan, 6 yrs, 6st 91b-Idolater, 5 yrs, 6st 91b-Sat e }r, 6 yrs, Est 81b-Queen Anne, 4 yrs, 6st sib-Sister to lambeau, 4 yrs, Est 81b-Fort William, 4 yrs, 6st 71b-br g by Young Cadland, 5 yrs, Est 71b- Blackatrap, 5 yrs, 6st 71b-Tit-bit, 4 yrs, Est 61b- Golden Bee, 4 yrs, Est 51b - Headsman, 4 yrs, 6st 51b-Chatterbox, 4 yrs, Est 51b-Caprice, 4 yrs, 6st 51b -Milliner, 4 yrs, 6st 416-Wild Roe, 5 yrs, 6st 41b-Polka, 4 yrs, 6st 31b-Tragical, 4 yrs, 6st 21b-Spur, 4 yrs, 6st 2lb -Fugitive, 4 yrs, Est 21b-Projectile, 3 yrs, 6st- Reminiscence, 3 yrs, sst 101b-Devil-me-care, 3 yrs, sst 61b- Crozier, 3 yrs, sst fib-The Premier, 3 yrs, sst 51b-Queen Mary, 3 yrs, sst 51b-Comme it Faut, 3 yrs, sst 21b- Daughter of the Star, 3 yrs, sst 21b-Credential, 3 yrs, sst 21b-Moodkee, 3 yrs, 4st 121b-Vampyre, 3 yrs, 4st 101 b -Watc'hdeg, 3 yrs, 4st 101b-Palma, 3 yrs, 4st 1 °lb-- Brother to Stitch, 3 yrs, 4st 101b-Halo, 3 yrs, 4st 101 - Mirmillo, 3 yrs, 4st 101b-Moonlight, 3 yrs, 4st 101 - Lancer, 3 yrs, 4st 101b-Typhon, 3 yrs, 4st 1 Olb -Mistress Jean, 3 yrs, 4st 71b-Ch c by Euclid, dam by Taurus, 3 yrs, 4st 71b-Wee soy, 3 yrs, 4st 71b. Forfeits to be declared on or before the Ist day of February. EPSOM, 1847. Acceptances for the Metropolitan llandicap. Wolfdog, 5 yrs, Ost 31b-Dulcet, 5 yrs, 9st I lb-Annan dale, 5 yrs, Bst 131b-Ingo, 4 yrs, Bst 121b-Queen Mab, aged, Bst 91b-Pine Apple, aged, Bst 71b-Red Rover, 6 yrs, Bst 51b-Dexterous, 4 yrs, Bst 31b-Lord Saltoun. 6 yrs, Bst 11b-Refraction, 5 yrs, Bst-What, aged, 7st 131b-Best Bower, 6 yrs, 7st 1216-Gannet, 5 yrs, 7st 121b-Milden, 5 yrs, 7st 111b-Torn Tullock, 4 yrs, 7st 1 °lb-Little Jack, 5 yrs, 7st 101b-Diomed, 4 yrs, 7st 91b-Magnet, 5 yrs, 7st 91b-Gwalior, 5 yrs, 7st 91b-Driflield, 4 yrs, 7st 91b-Alliance, 4 yrs, 7st Blb-False Report, 6 yrs, 7st 81b-Rufus, 4 yrs, 7st 81b-Bourton, 4 vrs, 7st 81b-Marquis of Conyngham, 4 yrs, 7st 81b- Ajax, aged, ist 81b-Buttress, 4 yrs, 7st 71b-Icicle, 4 yrs, 7st 7113-Humdrum, 4 yrs, ist 71b-br c c by Amateo, 4 yrs, 7st 71b-Duccan-durras, 5 yrs, 7st 7th-Sir Simon, 4 yrs, 7st 71b-Binnacle, 4 yrs, 7st 71b-Finvaragh, 4 yrs, 7st 71b- Flahowlagh, 5 yrs, 7st 51b-Jenny Wren, 5 yrs, ist sth- Sherator, 4 yrs, 7st bib-Camera Obscura, 4 yrs, 7st 51b- Lady Sarah, 6 yrs, 7st 31b-.Cherry, 4 yrs, Est 131b-Heads man, 4 yrs, Est 121b-Correct Card, 5 yrs, Est 121b-Pimento, 6 yrs, Est 121b-Hannah Raine, 4 yrs, Est 91b-Ferney, 4 yrs, 6st 51b-Projectile, 3 yrs, 6st 51b-Crozier, 3 yrs, sst 131 b Devil- me -care, 3 yrs, sst 101b-Comene-it-faut, 3 yrs, sst 101b-Agnes, 3 yrs, sst 51b-Mirinillo, 3 yrs, sst 1-Laner cost filly, 3 yrs, sst llb-Meance, 3 yrs, sst llb-Pink Bon net, 3 yrs, sst llb-Bro to Stitch, 3 yrs, 4st 121b-Vampire, 3 yrs, 4st 121b-Euclid colt, 3 yrs, 4g 121b--Elis filly, 3 yrs, 4st 121b-Emerald Isle, 3 yrs, 4st 121 b. TUESDAY NIGHT'S GAZETTE. DIVIDENDS DECLARED. R. Perry, hatter, Leeds—first and final div. of B'/d. in the pound, on any Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Hope, Leeds. J. B. Hellawell, dyers, Thornhill Briggs, Yorkshire—first div. of Is. 1 1 ,4 d. in the pound, on any Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Hope, Leeds. W. H. °shun, stock broker, Bradford, Yorkshire—first div. of 9s. in the pound, on any Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Hope, Leeds. J. Stonehouse, mercer, Scarborough, Yorkshire—first div. of Is. 6d. in the pound, on any Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Hope, Leeds. W. Beckitt, money scrivener, Doncaster—second div. of Is. 10d. in the pound, and a first and second div. of 4s. 4d. in the pound on new proofs, at the office of Mr. Hope, Leeds. DIVIDENDS. At the Court of Bankruptcy, Basinghall-street. B. Calway, draper, Tooley-street, Southwark, Feb. 5, at half-past eleven—R. Mitchell, merchant Lime-street, City, Feb. 5, at eleven—J. Graham, stationer, Jewry-street, Ald gate, Feb. 9, at one—Tring, Reading, and Basingstoke Rail way Company, New Broad-street, Feb.ll, at eleven—H. A. Douglas, merchant, Old Broad-street, City, Feb. 9, at one— E. Brentnall, builder, Cold Harbour-road, North Brixton, Feb. 9, it two—J. C. Johnson, merchant, Laurence Pount ney-lane, City, Feb. 9, at two—T. Oakley, farmer, St. Albans, Feb. 10, at two—A. Stocken and W. Utton, coach makers, Halkin-street, Belgrave-sqare, Feb. 11, at two—A. V. Leaman and W. Andrew, mahogany dealers, Fenchurch street, Feb. 10, at one—W. Brewer, grocer, Kensington- Nravel -pits, Feb. 11, at one — ft. G. Newby, harness m a k er , orwich, Feb. 11, at half-past twelve—F. Tatham, sculptor, Newman-street, Oxford-street,Feb. 11, at half-past twelve -1 D. Arnold, pipe -maker, St. Mims, Feb. 11, at twelve—J. F. Burness, baker, Twickenham, Feb. 11, at eleven—E. Crofts, 1 bricklayer, Castle-street, Southwark, Feb. 11, at twelve—J. B. Oram, clerk to a wine merchant, West-square, St. George's-road, Southwark, Feb. 11, at half-past eleven—J. Adams, rope maker, Malden, Essex, Feb. 11, at half-past eleven—B. H. Stevens, smith, Wimborne Minster, Dorset shire, Feb. 11, at one—S. Cowell, comedian, Walcot-place, Lambeth, Feb. 11, at eleven—P. Stewart, clerk in the Ord nance-office, Craven-place, Old Kent-road, Feb. 11, at one— W. Blake, linendraper, Bromley, Essex, Feb. 11, at eleven— J. Sawyer, attorney, Goulden-terrace, Barnsbury-road, Islington, Feb. 11, at half-past eleven—G. Harling, butler, Brighton, Feb. 11, at twelve—D. Allen, spirit merchant, High-street, Southwark, Feb. 11, at hale-past twelve. In the Country. J. Massey, engineer, Etruria, Staffordshire, Feb. 9, at half past twelve, at the Birmingham District Court—T. Crane, brewer, Kegworth, Leicestershire., Feb. 12, at twelve, at the Birmingham District Court—A Baldock, grocer, Notting ham, Feb. 12, at twelve, at the Sixchange-rooms, Notting ham—F. Shaw, eating-house keeper, Manchester, Feb. 12, at twelve, at the Manchester District ourt. CERTIFICATES to be granted, unless cause be shown to the contrary, on the day herein mentioned. H. Mayhew, printer, The Shrubbery, Parson's-green, Feb. 11—W. Reeves, live stock dealer, Horseferry-road, Limehouse, Feb. 11—R. K. Payne, grocer,`,Brighten, Feb. 12 —A. Burton, coal merchant, Pimlico, Feb. 5--H. Newton, ? chemist, Northumberland-street, Strand , e Feb. ir l o i n —F founder, Farley, hatter, Liverpool, Feb. 9 W Wolverhampton, Feb. 11—J. ta ilor, Payne:Pry , Weymouth, Feb. 10—C. Malpas, victualler, Manc h es t er,Feb. 12— W. Wells, coal merchant, Bankside , Southwark, Feb. 9—J. Fryer, stock broker, Birchin-lane, Southwark, Feb. 9—II. Copner, mercer, Ludlow, Shropshire, Feb. 9—W. Hildrow ' grocer, Darlington, Durham , Feb. 9—J. Birley, card manu facturer, Eccles, Lancashire , Feb. 9—G. F. Kerscher, licensed victualler, Holloway, Feb. 9. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. J. and F. Symonds, surgeons, Oxford—G. Lenox and W. Metcalf, wine merchants, Liverpool—W. Webster, and C. Johnson, merchants, .Sheffield—S. Duke, C. Duke, and S. Duke, jun., tailors, Hastings—J. and C. B. Warner, brass founders, Crescent, Jewin-street, Cripplegate—J. Crowther and J. Brook, stock brokers, Halifax, 1 orkshire—J. Stafford and J. Johnson, bleachers, Foggbrook, within Offerton Ch es hire—lL and G. Allen, mercers, Birmingham —J. Kinder J. and J. Sorrell, attorneys, Jewry-street, Aldgate—W. and Shawcross, worsted manufactu rers , S tockport —R. Kay and M. Owen, molasses manufacturers, Bolton-le-Moors, Lanca shire—W. Barker and W. Puckey, tailors, Manchester—S. Myers and E. Guigues, patentees for improvements in print ing on leather, Bermondsey.....G. W. Peel and T. Allen, mer chants, Wood. street, City—T . and J. Reeves, coal merchants, Whitstable, Kent—T. Dawber and M. Middlehurar, Aspull, Lancashire—R. K. llabgood and W. Wakefield, drapers, Fairford, Gloucestershire—J. Wade and D. Crowther, cloth finishers, Huddersfi e ld —W . Ingham and I. Lockwood,' fang manufacturers, Lepton, Y or k s hi re—S. Davis and J. B. H i?- ton, confectioners, Grange-walk, Bermondsey—M. Tyrrell and J. Alford, coach painters, Little Grove-street, Portman square—J. Bulniforth, D. Smith, and J. Booth, engineers, Leeds—C. Webb and W. Leapingwell, apothecaries, Oxford —D. G. Clarke and E. M. Macklin, warehousemen, Gresham_ street, City—.J. Bradley and T. W. Hanson, upholste rers , Halifax, Ycrkshire—J. J. Foquett and L. Worsley, atte rnevm , Newport, Isle of Wight—G. and S. Rooke, jun., br ass '. founders, Birmingham—De Prez d'Hers and C. Bradley, importers of foreign goods, Lower Thames •street—W. and H. Milks, painters, Hull—G. Parrott and E. J. Cornock, tanners, Chipping Sodburv, Gloucestershire. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATION. . . _ _ _ _ Robert Logan, baker, Paisley, Jan. 25 and Feb. 15, at twelve, at Fraser's Goorge Inn, Paisley. COURTS OF ALDERMEN AND COMMON COUNCIL. Yesterday about 120 members of the Common Coun cil assembled in the Council Chamber, for the purpose of receiving the suggestions of the sub-committee ap pointed by them to consider the most advisable mode of proceeding on the next Common Council day, with re spect to the Bill, the third reading of which, at the last Court, the Lord Mayor refused to put. It appeared, Mr. Ashurat said, desirable to the sub committee, and they recommended accordingly, that at the next Court a committee of privileges should be moved for, bef 're they proceeded to call upon the Lord Mayor to put the question of the third reading of the Common Council Qualifications Bill, in order that the objection that they were not a legally constituted body might not be started against them, &c. It also appeared to them to be advisable to assert their light to have the question put the moment after the committees were appointed. Mr. R. L. JONES supposed the case of the departure of the Aldermen, which was a very possible contin gency, upon the motion for the appointment of the Com mittees of Privileges, and asked what ,in such a case, would the Court du ? He suggested whether it would not be preferable to have the committees appointed in the first instance, and then to move for the appointment of the Committee of Privileges. If the Aldermen then chose to depart, the Court would be convinced they went away for the purpose of avoiding the question, and they could determine upon a mode of settling the difference. The time was exceedingly eventful, and he thought it necessary to caution the Court not to plunge itself into a vortex in which great danger might be apprehended. Mr. ASHURST said he no more than stated the recom mendation of the sub-committee. There was no resolu tion proposed. Every member would, when the time arrived, act for himself. Mr. R. L. JONES asked whether the sub-committee had taken into consideration the fact that the notice of the third reading of the Qualification Bill was n o t u p on the paper of the business of the next Court ? Mr. ASHURST answered in the affirmative, but ab stained from discussing the subject, a course which seemed to be approved by the meeting. Mr. HARRISON said he thought it necessary to state that it was his intention to move upon a subject in which he believed he had the sympathy of all the members before the third reading of the Qualification Bill should be put. He meant the distressed condition of the Irish, to contribute to the relief, of which as soon as possible, he should move that the sum of 2,0001. be voted. He intimated so much to the members, in order that it might not be supposed that he meant to throw any diffi culty in the way of the Qualification question. Mr. R. L. JONES put the case that the Lord Mayor should refuse to put the question. He wished to know in what condition the Court would be in that event? No distinct answer was given to the question. Mr. DE JERSEY believed that the motion for the ap pointment of a committee of privileges, would be an interruption to the proceedings which the Court bad commenced. Mr. KING said the reading of the minutes of the last Court, would be the first part of the business of the next. Those minutes were to his knowledge improperly re corded, and would prejudice the question if permitted to pass. If, therefore, they found that there was existing inaccuracy, it would be advisable to move a committee of privileges upon that matter. The CHAIRMAN said that he had been merely in structed to state the recommendations of the sub committee, and having fulfilled his instructions, and advised that the meeting should make no resolution, but proceed with unanimity to the attainment of their object, he considered the business of the committee at an end. Mr. Ashurst then vacated the chair. BREWING AND DISTILLING FROM SUGAR. The following most important petition was presented to the House of Commons last night from the bankers and merchants of London, more influentially signed than any similar document which ever proceeded from that important body. The presentation of this petition was most appropriately and judiciously entrusted to Mr. Charles P. Villiers, as a mark of the confidence which the commercial world has acquired in the Hon. Member's support of a liberal and enlightened commercial policy TO THE HONOURABLE THE COMMONS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED. The Humble Petition of the Undersigned Merchants, Bankers, Brewers, Distillers, and other Traders of the City of London, Sheweth,—That inasmuch as your Honourable House has repeatedly declared, more particulary at the passing of the Canada Corn Bill and the late opening of our markets to the sugar of foreign plantations, that her Majesty's subjects in the Colonies ought to be placed on a footing of equality with the subjects of the United Kingdom, particularly with regard to commercial and industrial privileges, including more especially the fair and free disposal of the produce of their soil and lit boor, and Inasmuch as the present dearth of every species of food in Great Britain and Ireland, and most other coun tries of Europe, renders all legitimate efforts for pre venting needless or premature consumption of the existing scanty stocks of grain, a paramount duty of humanity and policy, and Inasmuch as the present high and still advancing prices of barley and malt, threaten a partial if not total smcpcn sion of brewing and distilling, as well as a material defalcation in the public revenue derived from those sources. We, your humble Petitioners, for these reason, pray that your Honourable House will immediately be pleased to rescind the penalties to which Public Brewers and Distillers are at present liable for using Sugar and Mo lasses, and allow henceforth the free and unrestricted use :of those commodities : whereby your Honourable House will greatly encourage and benefit the Colonists, and concede to them the right, as British subjects, to di-pose of their produce in a more enlarged and better market ; cause a considerabl e sav i ng i n th e con sumption of Barley and other Grain : secure to your Pe titioners, and her Majesty's subjects generally, the con tinued enjoyment of their usua l b everage a t a cheap rate; protect, and probably augment, the public revenue, and extend the shipping and commerce of the British empire. And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray N. M. Rothschild's Sons i'd'hotnson, 1-I . anke,y . and Co. Magniac, Jardine, and Co. Heath, Furse, and Co. Forbes, Forbes, and Co. Frederick Huth and Co. Fletcher, - Alexander and Co. Hibbert and Co. P. ar.d C. Van rotten and Co. Davidsons and Co. Thomson, Bonar, and Co. Sir J. N. Lubbock and Co. Finlay, Hodgson and Co. Bodilington and Co. Barclay Brothers and Co. Reid, Irving and Co. Cockerell, Larpent and Co. John Thomas, Son and Lefevre Palmer, MMckillop, Dent and John Henry Deffefl and Co. Bosanquet and Co. Anthony Gibbs and Sons Archibald Hastie Samuel Dobree and Sons Co. Morris, Prevost and Co. John Henry Schroder and Co. ITruernan and Cook James Pattison and Sons Arbuthnot and Latham Gregson and Co. A. A. Gower, Nephews and Co. De Lisle,Janvrin and De Lisle A. Colville Gledstanes and Co. John Hubbard and Co. Crawford, Colvin and Co. Scott, Bell and Co. H. D. and J.Blytland Greene. Cavan Brothers H. and R. Thornton and West And nutnej, •ous others. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, JAN. 20.—The Hyacinth, 18, Commander Scott, was paid off in this harbour to• day. The Athel troop-ship, Master Commander Pearne, em barked a company of Royal Artillery last evening for Malta, and was towed to Spithead to-day by the Rocket. WOOLWICH, JAN. 20.—The Dragon steam-frigate, under the command of Captain Ramsey, with the officers and crew of the Terrible steam-frigate, left Deptford on Saturday last for Ireland, with a cargo of meal and other provisions for the famishing inhabitants. The Terrible steam-vessel was brought up to Woolwich on into dock afternoon from Sheerness, and will be taken dock here to have her bottom examined. ___ The Amphion steam-frigate, Captain Williams, has had twe powerful anchors prepared for her—one of the common kind, of 57 cwt.; and one of Porter's patent, of 52 cwt. The anchors have been tested, and are now ready to be put on board. The Wildfire steam-vessel, Second-master George Brock man commanding, went up the river yesterday from Sheer ness to Deptford. The Ondine steam-vessel is in the harbour at Woolwich, having been offered for sale to serve as a packet for Govern ment service. sa C m a a p r t a a n i g n s S u i r r v } e : 3 d i w n g ar . d v e ß s s e e l er, visitedC . B late WoolwichcommandD o ck e 3 r .a o r f d the on Monday. It is c ontemplated to appoint an additional comptroller of the steam machinery of the Royal Navy, and Captain Ellice will aid as the practical engineer i a n pp t o h in is te d d ep se a c r o ttu nd e . n a t s . sist M an r. t Lloyd, chief engineer at Woolwich Dock y ard, is named for t h e appointment of the steam machinery branch, with offices to et the the c chief Admiralty.en gine Rigby is Woolwich Dockyard, the increase of the works requiring the addition of a second-a.ssistant to the department. p p g a ,: r v ic i k sio f N ro s m FROM THE Stephen Baldwin from New STATES.--The Orleans, and Anglo-Saxon from Alexandria, which were St. U NIB re ported at the Custom-house, Liverpool, on the 19th instant, bring 5,735 barrels fl our, 2,000 quarters ' wheat 2,450 bushels and 3,120 sac k s I ndian corn, 100 barrels Indian corn meal, 166 barrels beans, 100 casks rice, and 1,510 packages cheese. The Courrier de Lyons states, on the authority of a correspondent who left Odessa on the 12th ult., that there were at that port 3,000,000 of hectolitres of corn, and 200 vessels taking in their lading, most of them Greek, Austrian, and English, and only four French. There were besides, he says, 2,500,000 hectolitres of corn ready for exportation in the different ports of the Sea of Azoff. We hear the Ministers of Austria, Russia, and Prussia did not attend the opening of Parliament with the rest of the corps diplomatique, in consequence of the formal protest contained in her Majesty's Speech against the recent annexation of Cracow. No doubt this step was taken by their Excellencies as a mark of deference and respect to an opinion so forcibly entertained and expressed by the Sove reign and Parliament of this country, with reference to the violation of the treaty of Vienna by their respective Courts. —Times. THE ROYAL VISIT TO GUERNSEY.—The subscrip tion for the memorial which it is proposed to erect in Guern ,ey, in celebration of her Majesty's late visit to that island, is already announced to exceed the sum of 1,2601. A sub scription has also been set on foot among the inhabitants for the relief of the distress in Ireland, in furtherance of which benevolent object nearly 6001. has been contributed. the I anY I i I