The Sun. — London, England, 1847-05-04 00:00:00

COMMITTEES, HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.) GROUP V. The Committee met at twelve—present, Lord Harry Vane (in the chair), Colonel Gore, Hon. M. Sutton, Mr. Rice, and Sir E Filmer. G m t z AT : -..Arsca'r:are,,AT (BRANCHES TO WEST TaO3DON, Eke.) Coun.sel for the South-Western opened their opposition this youraing to the proposed extension, and called Mr. Locke, Mr. Bidder, and Mr. Smith, who gave evidence against the pro priety of granting the Bill. Mr. KENNEDY then addressed the Committee against the Bill for Sir Walter Riddle, a landowner on the line. The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow. GROUP VI. "IsISBUIET AND , AND EXETER, YEOVIL, AND DORCHESTER. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Mr- Brueres, superintendent of the Euston-square station of the London and North-Western Railway, was examined as to the desirableness of a through communication on an unbroke gauge with the eastern and western districts of England, and the evil inseparable from a break of gauge. Mr. Spein, traffic-manager of the Bristol and Birmingham nil ) way, at the Gloucester station, stated that upwards of Viol) tons of goods were transhipped weekly at that station. Cireat delay took place in consequcance, amounting, on an average, to four hours in each goods' train. The expense of removing these goods, amounted, on an average, to 9d. per ton, and the company had had to make good upwards of 2,000 cases of damage during the last year. Other evidence, of a similar nature, was adduced, and the Committee adjourned till twelve to-morrow. GROUP VII. The following Bills are comprised in this group : Southampton and Dorchester (New Forest Deviation and Branches). Southampton and Dorchester (Weymouth Branch). London and South-Western (trom Andover to the Bishop stoke and Salisbury Railway). . _ _ .., . . The Committee was summoned for twelve o'clock, but it was one o'clock before four members had taken their seats. Lord C. Hamilton is the chairman. The first and third lines are unopposed; the third is opposed by the Andover Canal, and by the Corporation of Southampton, for whom Mr. WHEELER. appeared as counsel. The corporation had petitioned against the first. Thera were some other petitions, but these are the only important ones. The unopposed line was referred to Mr. Greene. Mr. VENABLES objected to the appearance of Mr. Wheeler. for the, Corporation of Southampton, with respect to the first mentioned line, on the ground that the petition did not specify the short title of the Bill, as required by the standing orders, but another unlike that mentioned above. Mr. IVHEELER, on the other hand, contended that the pe tition clearly specified the line, and could not he mistaken for any other. The objection was purely a technical one, and could not avail. The Committee decided that the petition should be re• ceived. Thg next objection urged against the petition was that those from whom it emanated had no locus standi, as they had no property which could be affected by the line. Mr. WHEELIR was heard in favour of the locus standi claimed, and urged that the petitioners possessed it on public grounds, though he admitted that they possessed no property which would be affected by the line. Tho Committee. however, considered that the petitioners had no locus standi. The Bill became, therefore, unopposed. Mr. IraNanuts said he had a host of witnesses to show the advantage of the lines, but he only proposed to call Mr. Jones and the engineer. Mr. Jones, solicitor to the Southampton and Dorchester at Ringwood, deposed that the proposed deviations were abso lutely necessary; in fact, the deviations in the New Forest had been made, the consent of the Woods and Forests hav ing been obtained ; but it was necessary to have the consent of Parliament. The tramway to Eling would be half a mile in length, and would be worked by horses. The branch to Lymington would be four miles in length; its object was to form a connexio❑ with the quays at Lymington. The traffic would be considerable. Cattle would then be brought direct from Lymington to London. Adjourned till to-morrow at one o'clock. GROUP XIII. TILETPORD AND YARMOUTH. (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Evidence of a general nature, in favour of the line, was continued until four o'clock, when the Committee adjourned till twelve to-morrow. GROUP X VI. The Committee on thin group met at the usual hour this mornin: , :, Mr. Kemble in tke chair. HERTFORD AND =CHIN, AND GREAT NORTHERN. Mr. Sergeant WRI.NOHANI was occupied the whole of the day in replyi ng to the case of the Eastern Counties, but the Committee declined giving their decision until the R ailway Commissioners had made their return. The Committee adjourned at four till twelve to-morrow. GROUP XTIII. CHELTENHAM AND OXFORD. The Committee on this group —the Earl of Lincoln in the chair, with Capt. Jones, the Hon. Mr. Smythe, Mr. M. .J. O'Connell, and Sir Walter James —met this morning at twelve o'clock, and the evidence was resumed to show that the con struction of the proposed line would be highly injurious to the town, by the abstraction of the water from the reservoirs in consequence of the lowering of the deposit in the sand bed. Mr. Wilkins, a chemist at Cheltenham, and several other witnesses intimate with the locality, deposed to the inconve nience that would be suffered, and the danger that would arise from sinking the excavation. Mr. Robert Stephenson, the engineer, was under exami nation during the remainder of the day on the expense and difficulty of taking off the water from the excavation, which, he said, would be 31. to au inch, and that there being more room required for the station than that, which the pro m.ters proposed to take, the difficulty would be proportion ably increased. GROUP XX. LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN (LEAMINGTON EXTENSION). (Continued from our Afternoon Edition Of yesterday.): Mr. 'dmatorr then addressed the Committee on behalf of the opposing landholders, but the Learned Gentleman did n , t call anv witnesses. BIRMINGHAM AND OXFORD JUNCTION (DEVIATION). This case was then gene into, and the evidence in its favour occupied the attenion of the Committee during the remainder of the day. The Committee• adjourned at four o'clock till twelve to morrow. GROUP XXI. The Committee met at the usual hour this morning ; Sir James Graham in the chair. EIRMINGECAM, WOLVERHAMPTON, AND STOUR VALLEY (No. I.) The Committee were occupied the whole of the day in hear ing- general evidence in favour of this line. The Committee adjourned at fiur till twelve o'clock to morrow. GROUP XXIII. This Committee met to-day at the usual hour in Room B; Mr. Mackinnon in the chair. All the other members present. Only two Bills are referred to this group, being the Swan sea Valley and Swansea and Amman Junction. SWANSEA. VALLEY. This Bill was the first taken. The whole of the sitting was taken up with general evi dence on behalf of the line, and its superiority to the opposing scheme. The Committee adjourned till twelve to-morrow. GROUP X_XVIII. The Committee on this group, comprising Mr. T. D. Ac land, in the chair, with the Earl of March, Sir R. Lopez, Captain Harris, and Lord Edwin Hill, met this morning at twelve o'clock. PETERBOAOTIGH TO TOILIC.X.NGHAIKE LINE, Mr. SANDERS called Mr. Boys, who occupies Fletland Mill, an extensive mill, which has ten pair of stones, capable of making from tour to six hundred sacks per week, who stated that he already sent a considerably quantity of flour to Lei cester, and would, if this line were made, be enabled to send a considerable quantity to Nottingham and Manchester; al though, it this line was not made, he would be excluded from all advantages of this trade, and would indeed be in capable of competing with the millers who had greater faci lity of railway transit. At the present time he paid upwards of ninepence per sack for the carriage of his flour to Peter borough, and would have to pay the same expense for its carriage to the station of the Great Northern line. He was aware that a line had been sanctioned from Ambergate to Manchester, so that, by the proposed line to Folkingham, he would get there on the most direct line, by the Ambergate to Boston. He bought his corn chiefly at Bourn, Stamford, and Peterborough, and for the transit of corn the line would, therefore, afford him the only facility which he required. To Mr. DENISON, who examined on behalf of Earl Fitz william, the witness replied that he was not aware that on the Great Northern line the charges were to be made on the geographical principle, nor did he believe that there were many places, within the triangle described by the main and loop lines of the London and York, and the Ambergate and Boston lines, which were within the distance of five miles from railway accommodation. To Mr. ADAMS, who cross-examined for the London and York, the witness replied that, in his opinion, the line from Market Deeping, by the Ambergate line to the north, would be shorter than by the Direct ).orthern, and so on by the Stamford and Spalding line, but he bad never measured it. To Mr. SANDERS, on re-examination, the witness replied, that on getting to Peterborough he came to London either by the North-Western or the Eastern Counties line, just as he happened to hit the trains th a t were starting, although the former was ten miles further round. But there was, in addition to that, the advantage of a terminus at Shoreditch, which was o f great advantage to those who had business to y transact in the City, With respect to the Svston and Peter borough Railway,. the Vi property of the Midland Company-, it was in reality worked P by Eastern Counties. Mr. G. J. Heathcote eldest son of Sir G. Heath cote, Bart., stated that his faPtlyerand himself held property in every parish, more or lees, along r the i line, and that the traffic otiral districts in country was one of the richest a had always existed. Lin colnshire, through which a greatgtrae Turning by Stilton from the Great North a -orc,agieaford to the highway held on by Peterborough, Folkingha m , a Lin coln, and thence northwards to the Humber o was a continual traffic of mail coach es , post cn haises there ich as of waggons and every other kind of agricultural c;trars i awg e well go great, indeed, that fifty years ago his fath er had built a very large inn at Folkingham for its accommodation, and it had always been well supported. To Captain HARI:I3, Mr. Heathcote replied that there was a great traffic which absolutely required railway accom modation, and that the route of this road was separated from the loop line of the London and York Railway by a great deal of high ground, and from the main line by several parks and the want of roads, so that it could oily be reached at two points. To Mr. DENISON, the witness would not allow that every ' place within the triangle was within five miles of an estab lished railway. To Mr. ADAMS, Mr. Heathcota replied that he conceived the line to be traversed between Bourn and Grantham was difficult, both from the interposition of high land, and the circumstance of there being a great number of gentlemen's houses in that part of the country. He was aware that a con siderable quantity of the corn grown about Bourn was sold at Grantham, but it was not without great cost and labour, the trains being frequently out all night. On re-examination, Mr. Ileathcote replied that he be- THE SUN, 1 s TIE SDA EirkNING, MAY S, 1641 lieved there would be plenty of traffic to remunerate the pro— r Mr. Hawkesby continued under examination nearly all the prietors ; for, in fact. this was the main road through Lin- day, and, the Committee adjourned at four o'clock. colnshire, but the formation of the rival lines would abstract much of the business. Mr. Glover, the engineer of the line, showed the bearings of several points which have already been previously given in other ways. Mr. Elderton, who had taken the local traffic, was then placed before the Committee, but an objection was taken on the part of Mr. Denison, and it was ultimately decided that the gross amounts should be taken, and the traffic tables were put in as a portion of the evidence. Mr. Borthwick, the engineer, subsequently gave evidence as to the engineering qualities of the line. The Committee then, after a brief consultation, stated that they were not in a position to give a formal decision without a reference to the Railway Commissioners, but that on Wed nesday next they would state the conclusions at which they had arrived. The Committee adjourned at four o'clock. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF QUEEIV'S BEACH, May 3. (Sittings in Banco, before Lord Chief Justice DasmAN and a full Court.) MORGAN V. SOMES AND ♦NOTitER. This case was tried in the Bail Court last week, and was brought by the plaintiff, who had been engaged by Somes and Co. as steward to the ship Adelaide, trading to Hong- Kong, to receive certain money, the balance of wages due to him for his services on board of the said vessel. The claim was resisted by the defendants on the ground of negligence, dirty habits, and incivility on the part of the plaintiff. A verdict for 111. Bs. was .returned for the plaintiff, the jury being of opinion that he had not been regularly dismissed from his situation until the return of the ship to this country. Mr. WATSON, Q.C., this morning moved for a new trial, on the ground that the verdict was against evidence and on the ground of misdirection. The COURT reserved its judgment. GROUP XXXIII. This Committee met today at twelve o'clock, Mr. Hope in the chair. LEEDS, DEWSBURY, AND MANCHESTER. BAH, COURT, May 3. (Sittings in Banco, before Mr. Justice ERLE). IN RE WILLIAM MARTIN. (EXTENSION TO WAXEVIELD, dce.) Evidence on behalf of this scheme was resumed. Several witnesses were examined in the course of the day, mainly bearing on the mineral traffic, which was represented to be very great in the district; the line, it was alleged, would be the great means of giving these minerals accommo dation It will be remembered that the defendant in this case was a short time ago committed by Mr. Commissioner Sheppard for not satisfactorily answering questions put to him, with reference to the loss of certain money which appeared upon his balance-sheet. He was brought up this morning by writ of habeas corpus, in order that a motion might be made fur his discharge. Mr. CHAMBERS said that he understood that his Learned Friend, Mr. Sturgeon, who appeared for the defendants, in. tended to dispute the authority at times exercised by the Commissioner of Bankrupts, in committing individuals to Newgate; and also that the warrant of committal was not a valid instrument. He, therefore, prayed his Lordship to refer the motion to the full Court. GROUP XLI. Mr. Justice EILLE said that if there were any new point to be raised, the case had better go before the full Court ; he would, however, hear the motion. Mr.STURGEOX then addressed the Court at some length in support of the motion. The COURT, however, decided that the committal was a valid one; and the applicant was removed to his former custody. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. WE Shortly after Mr. Broderip had taken bis seat upon the beach, Mr. Donegan, an inspector of the B division, addressing him, said, that considerable excitement had been occasioned that morning in the neighbourhood of Lillington-street, Vauxhall-bridge-road, in consequence of some workmen having discovered a number of human bones amongst a heap of rubbish which they saw two men shoot from a large cart. His (the inspector's) at tention had been immediately called to the circumstance, and on examination he found that they were the bones of a human foot and a human arm and hand, with the fingers complete, connected by a sort of encrusted fibrous substance. The hand from its delicate formation ap• peared to be that of a female. There were other bones, small and large, which appeared more advancing to decay, completely free from any connecting matter, and evidently belonging to other bodies. The whole had been taken by the police, and ware at present in their possession. Mr. BRODERIP inquired whether any of the bones ap• peared to be those of a person recently dead ? Mr. Donegan replied,:that he should think not. From the dry incrustation the hand and arm generally pre sented, he should say they were not the bones of a person who had died recently. The arm and hand, on the contrary, had the appearance of having been preserved. Mr. BRODERIP asked whether they had the appear ance of having been practised upon in the usual way at an anatomical school? Mr. Donegan replied in the affirmative, and from the fact of having found some admission cards of the King's College Hospital amongst the rubbish, he had every reason to believe that the bones had been brought from there. The workmen who had seen the rubbish shot, little thinking that such a discovery would be made, had not paid any attention to the name and address on the cart, and therefore it was difficult to discover the actual persons who had deposited the bones there. Mr. BRODERIP observed that he was sure the autho rities at the King's College would not for a moment tolerate such indecorum. He desired Mr. Donegan to communicate the circumstance to the heads of that establishment, in order that such a violation of common decency—% hich he felt certain must be the act of some of the subordinates employed about the establishment— might not be repeated. Mr. Donegan undertook to make the required com munication personally. LAMBETH. A person of gentlemanly appearance, whose name did not transpire, entered the witness-box and said he waited upon his worship, by desire of Lord Brougham, to re• quest his advice and assistance under the following cir cumstances : The applicant proceeded to say, that some time ago he gave his acceptance for 100/. to a person who had pro mised to discount it and let him hare the money ; but from that time to the present he had not received a farthing for it, although he was now being sued fur the amount of the bill, as if he received the cash. Mr. ELLIOTT.—IIas the transaction taken place in this district ? Applicant—l myself reside at Coventry ; but the person who had my acceptance has his letters addressed to Mount-street, Lambeth. Mr. EmAoTT—You hare said you came here by desire of Lord Brougham ; pray, how has his Lordship become acquainted with the transaction ? Applicant—l had written to his Lordship on the subject, and he asked me to call on him. I did so, and, after stating the whole of the circumstances, his Lordship recommended me to come to this Court, and apply to the magistrate. Mr. ELLIOTT—It is not a matter in which I have juris eiction, and cannot, therefore, interfere. You gave your acceptance voluntarily, and the matter is altogether of a civil, not criminal, character. The party has broken his agreement with you, and now that an action is brought, your defence, and a good one I think it will be, will be, you received no consideration for the bill. At all events, the matter is altogether of a civil character, and I cannot interfere in it. The applicant politely thanked his worship for the at tention he had paid him, and then left the Court. description the others coieerned in the offence, was di rected to use every exerticn in taking them into custody. On the application of Mr. Roberts, the Magistrate consented to accept of bail for the prisoners' appearance at the next examination, of themselves in 2001. each, and two sureties each of 1001. IMPERIAL. PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS, May 3. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool sack at Five o'clock. Messengers from the Commons brought up several Bills, praying their Lordships' concurrence. The Earl of EGLINTON presented a petition from the Earl of Sutherland, praying to be put on the roll of Scotch Peers. ELECTION OF SCOTCH PEERS. The NOBLE EARL also moved for a return of all those who had voted at the election of Scotch Peers since the year 1800 ; also, for the number of those who had been placed on the roll, and for a copy cf the rules and re gulations adopted at these elections. ENCUMBERED ESTATES (IRELAND) BILL. On the motion of the LORD CHANCELLOR, this Bill was read a third time and passed. Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition in favour of local self•government from the Mauritius; also a peti tion from Preston in favour of a ten hours' Bill for miners; and a petition from Tyrone against the clause for imposing on tenants only the rates for the relief of the Irish poor. IRISH POOR-LAW BILL. The Earl of ST. GERMANS wished to ask a ques tion relative to the rating of tithes under this Bill. At present the occupier of the land had a right to deduct tor every IL rent one-half the poundage rate, and the landowners had a right to deduct from the titheowners the whole poundage. What he wished to ask was, whether, as the rating of tithes was now to be separate, the titheowner had the right of making a deduction in respect of outgoings, and, it so, what the amount of de duction was to be ? The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that the subject should be carefully considered before the Bill passed. ARMY SERVICE BILL. DREADFUL WRECK OF AN ENIIGRANT SHIP. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FIVE LIVES LOST. One of the passengers of the Modern Athens, arrived at the Broomielaw from Islay yesterday, gives the fol lowing awful account of the total loss of the ship Ex mouth, of Newcastle, from Londonderry, with one hundred and sixty-eight passengers and crew, for Quebec From what we gathered from the above referred-to gentleman, as well as the three survivors, it appears the unfortunate vessel sailed from Londonderry on Sunday —had her canvass all blown away during the severe storm on Monday and Tuesday—that she became per fectly unmanageable, and at half -past twelve on Wed nesday morning drifted on the rocks at Ballanavie, on the west coast of Islay, with so great a force that she went to pieces in ten minutes after she struck. The captain, crew, and passengers were all lost, with the ex ception of three sailors, who were in the shrouds, and who were thrown upon the rocks. The Modern Athens passed the wreck on the afternoon of Wednesday, when there was a considerable number of bodies being washed on shore. The survivors came here with the Modern Athens yesterday, on their way to South Shields, to which place they belong. Their names are John Stevens, George Lightford, and William Coultard. The captain's name was Isaac Booths, and the owner, John Edons, Esq., of South Shields.—From a Third Edition of the Scotch Reformers' Gazette of Saturday. Earl GREY—In consequence of the amendments that had been made, he would propose to their Lordships that the Bill should be committed pro forma. The Bill was then committed pro forma. LAWS OF LANDLORD AND TENANT. The Marquis of WESTMEATH then rose, pursuant to notice, to move the adoption of the following motion : —" That the existing laws of landlord and tenant in Ireland are not calculated to regulate equitably the duties, reciprocal obligations, and interests of the parties in those relations in that country, and, under actual circumstances, require immediate revision and amendment ; and that the imposition of increased burdens and new responsibilities on land render such revision and amendment urgent and indispensable." It was not his intention to bring forward a Bill embodying his sentiments, but he hoped to be able to bring forward facts with respect to the existing condition of landlords and tenants, which would induce the Government, who were the proper parties, to take the matter into their own hands and to bring it forward in accordance with his recommendations, In 1824 before he had the honour of a seat in that House, he gave evidence before their Lordships' House on this subject, in which he pointed out the treatment which landlords received at the hands of tenants, owing to the state of the law which regulated their relations.—(Here many Noble Lords relapsed into inattention, and the buzz broke out with renewed force.) It was excessively difficult to deal with so important a matter, and he hoped their Lordships would give him their attention. He stated, also, that the state of the law prevented proprietors from properly managing estates, and that unless they were altered the time- would come when the country would sink into a deplorable condition; and he thought, there fore, that the sentiments of one who bad predicted the state of things which had actually occurred, were entitled to some weight. During the time the late Ad ministration held office he introduced a Bill for the purpose of improving those laws, and which would have prevented that dependeece of tenants upon the pro prietors of the land, which had since led to so great a drain upon the resources of this country, but he did not succeed in his object. The Noble Marquis then read an extract from the letters of Mr. Forster, the Times' commissioner, whose letters he characterised as ably written and as honestly intended to give the people of this country a true representation of the state of the occupation of the soil in Ireland, setting forth, that the small tenants who had no manure, cut sods from the surface and burnt them for the purpose of making manure—that they sometimes got two crops of potatoes by the aid of it, then a crop of corn, or anything else, as long as it would produce anything, when the same pro cess was renewed, and that afterwards no crop could be produced for cattle for some years. He proposed that Bill upon a principle existing in the law ; he thought that the principle which prevented the destruction of houses might and ought to be applied to prevent the destruction of the soil. But the Bill was not acceptable and, therefore Irelend was still without a remedy. The law as it existed regarding landlord and tenant placed them in disadvantages which their Lordships could not conceive. It Was a system which rested upon deceit and trick. He begged to be understood that he did not wish a law which did not provide for the interest of the tenant in the first place. But he thought that where leases existed, and the tenants did not fulfil their obligations, they ought to be compelled by law to surrender their land. He prayed the increased attention of his Lordship, as if he did not attend he might not be able to follow his argument. In England a man had a right to bring an ejectment if he had six months' rent owing to him ; such was not the case in Ireland. f, r an ejectment could not be brought for less than a twelve month's rent; and if a tenant owed eleven months' rent, if he came before the twelve months' rent had accrued due,and offered six months' rent, the landlord was obliged to accept it. He wished the Noble and Learned Lord on the Woolsack would give him a little more of his attention—(Laughter)—[This was the third time the Noble Marquis begged for attention] —otherwise he would be unable to reply to the arguments which be (the Mar quis of Westmeath) had advanced. The Noble Marquis then cited several cases of tenants in Ireland in proof of his views, and said that what he stated he did of his own personal know. ledge, and he challenged contradiction of their accuracy. He would not trouble their Lordships much longer.— (Hear, hear.) The rent might fall due in November. The landlord might apply in May for his rent; but he would be regularly floored till that time twelve months. Then, again, no tenant was obliged to state the nature of his defence when proceedings for an ejectment was taken against him, until he did so before a court of justice, when his case was under adjudication, and he was not compelled to lodge any thing towards defraying the expenses in the event of his losing his case. The landlords were only allowed 9/. 12s. for their expenses, and had to defray the costs, which were frequently ex pensive, of lawyers and others. This was not the case in England, and he saw no reason why the law of the two countries should not be assimilated. In short, all the expense of the processes fell upon the landlords. Then there was no relief when barristers gave wrong decisions; and he must be allowed to tell their Lordships that bar risters often gave wrong decisions, which he attri buted, in some degree, to the want of a central court at I)ublin,where they might meet and arrange their decisions. He hoped he had said enough to show that the law in Ireland required reconsideration. Ile then referred to the oft-quoted case of crown property, where no rent had been paid or the land surrendered. The Noble Mar quis concluded by stating that his object was to make the law suited to mankind, and not mankind to the law ; and he implored of her Majesty's Government not to permit it to continue to victimise every one connected with land as it does at present. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that the objec tion which he felt, and which he did not doubt that their Lordships would feel to this motion, was that it was an f abstract motion, denouncing ge nerall y the state of the law in Ireland, without pointing out an y remedy or the evil which it alleged. There were at p resent under the consideration of the legislative,laws relating to the state of Ireland, and which would shortly come under the consideration of their Lordships. A Bill with refer ence to the relations between landlord and tenant, was at present under the consideration of the other House of Parliament, and that measure was in every way calculated to remedy the abuses which the Noble Lord had described in bringing forward his mo tion. He was not inclined to dispute the fact that many abuses existed, but, before they were brought forward, some remedy ought to be provided for them. He was not for condemning the House in which they lived before they had seen the House in which they were in future to be. He should be extremely glad to listen to any proposition which could be made by the Noble Marquis, and which came in a specific form and calculated to remedy these abuses of the law. He was not desirous of giving to the motion of the Noble Marquis a direct negative, and he should, therefore, move that the orders of the day be now read. The Marquis of Westmeath then withdrew his motion. Their Lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. May 3. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. REPORTS. The reports on the following Bills were brought up and agreed to, and the Bills ordered to be engrossed:— Cornwall Railway. Ewell Rates. Great Northern Railway (Brauches to Sleaford). London and Brighton and South Coast Railway (Kent Railway to Maidstone, Canterbury, and T un b r id ge). Lynn and Ely Railway (Extension to Spalding and Ho'beach). Shipowners' Towing Company. South Wales Railway. Terrington Mar +h Division Allotment and Inclosure. Vale of Neath Railway. CLEVELAND-SQUARE IMPROVEMENT. On the motion of Mr. 11. DRUMMOND the Cleve land-square (St. James's, Westminster) Improvement Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed. Mr. GREENE moved that the order made on the 12th day of April last, referring the petition of the Commis sioners of Sewers for Westminster and part of Middle sex. aginst the London Sewage Chemical Manure Bill, to the Committee on the Bill, be discharged, and that the petition be withdrawn.-- Agreed to. The Hos. NIEstnER also moved that the order made on the Ist day of February last, for referring the Sun derland Markets, Bridge, Ferries, and General Improve ment Bill to.the Committee of Selection, be read and discharged : that the Bill be withdrawn. REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, &c. Sir R. INGLIS presented a petition from Aberdeen against th e R eg i strat i on o f Bi rt h s , M arr i a ges, and Deaths Bill. Mr. lIASTIE presented similar petitions from Paisley. Mr. S. CRAWFORD presented a petition from the parish of All Saints, Donegal, in favour of the legalisation of tenant right, and extension of it to all parts of Ire land ; and against the elAuso for rating tenants only, for the support of the poor. Sir GEORGE STRICKLAND presented a petition from Preston in favour of an amendment to the Poor law, and also in favour of the Health of Towns Bill. DUBLIN IMPROT FV.ENT BILL. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL moved that the Dublin Im provement Bill be rca.l a 6tcond time to-morrow, which was agreed to. Mr — W. PATTEN presented a petition from Chester against the Health of Towns 13'11. WATERFORD, WEXFORD, WICKLOW, AND DUBLIN RAILWAY COMI'A NY. Mr. OSBORNE movt:d that the report from the Standing Orders Committee of the 15th day of March last be read ;- that leave be given to bring in a Bill for the dissolution of the Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow, and Dublin Railway Company ; and that Mr. Osborne and Mr. Grogan do prepare and bring it in, which was agreed to. MALTA. Dr. BOWRING gave notice that on a future day Fe should move for a return of the gross receipts of the island of Malta for the year 1845, and the manner in which they were expended. A PUI3LIC PROSECUTOR. Mr. B. ESCOTT presented a petition, signed by Mr. Pinney and several other magistrates in the county of Somerset, praying the Government to appoint a public prosecutor, and to authorise the payment of the ex penses by the parish clerks of the localities in which the services of such an officer might be required. REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, DEATHS, AND MARRIAGES (SCOTLAND). Sir G. CLERK presented a petition from the Pres. bytery of Edinburgh against this Bill. DUAL= AND DROGHEDA (BRANCH PROM NAVAN TO KEW'S). (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) The first witness examined was Mr. Rothwell, a gentle man possessing landed property at Bells, who gave general evidence in favour of the branch. It was of the utmost importance to the district to have such a branch as the one proposed. Sir W. Somerville, M.P. for Drogheda, gave an interesting I account of the stream of traffic which flowed from the inte rior of Ireland to the ports. Drogheda was the port for the rich agricultural district of Keils, Cavan, and the county of Meath. Two lines would not pay. The one to Drogheda was important for the conveyance of thee gricultural produce of the district towards the ports, from which it was conveyed to England. Mr. Keane, the solicitor to the company, was examined at some length with respect to the affairs of the company pro moting the line, and to its progress. He described the line as in rapid progress. The CHAIRMAN then intimated that, if they should pass the Bill, the Committee would feel it its duty to insert a clause to allow any line or lines from Dublin to Navan, or from Maynooth to Navan, power to work over this branch. The tolls mentioned in the Bill were higher than those he had met with in any Bill he had ever passed; and, unless they were reduced to the same rates as those adopted on the majority of lines, he should feel it his duty to take the matter into his own hands, and if the Bill were passed, to revise those rates, and to reduce them to reasonable amounts. He merely threw out these suggestions for the consideration of the promoters, and should be happy to hear their opinion upon them to-morrow. The Committee then adjourned. GROUP XLII. WATERFORD AND WEXFORD. The Committee on this line met to-day at twelve o'clock; Mr. Tollemache in the chair. The Committee took the Enniscorthy Branch of the line, and Mr. Talbot opened on behalf of the promoters, but Mr. RowE, who was retained for a minority of the share holders, replied, that the Bill could not be proceeded with, on the ground that the deed of settlement had not been signed by a sufficient number of the shareholders to enable them to proceed. A long argument ensued, Mr. TAL➢OT objecting to the op position, and the room w•as at length cleared, when it was decided that it ought to be heard. Mr. TALBOT then entered at great length on the question of the meaning of the Act of Parliament which had been obtained last year, and the Committee adjourned at four o'clock. GROUP XLIII. This Committee met to-day, fur the first time, at one o'clock ; Mr. Protheroe in the chair. The following are the Bills referred to this Committee : Cork and Bandon. Cork, Blackrock, and Passage. Wexford and Valencia (Killarney to Valencia). Waterford and Limerick. The whole of the day was spent in preliminary matters and receiving appearances on petitions; after which they ad journed till to-morrow at twelve o'clock, when the first Bill on the list will be taken. GROUP XLVIII. CALEDONIAN, GLASGOW, GARNXITL/C, and COATEILIDGE (BILANCII TO GLASGOW STATION). (Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) Mr. M‘Guffie, contractor, of Glasgow, gave evidence to the effect that it would be difficult to make the works across the tunnel, on account of the strata, which was a strong tenacious clay, full of large foulders, and apt to slip in large quantities. Mr. Miller was examined at some length in support of Mr. Adie's evidence. He also submitted that the danger com plained of might be got rid of by a deviation. Mr. HOPH objected to any evidence respecting a deviation unless the witness had a detailed plan of his proposal. The CitaxamAx, after having cleared the room, intimated that the Committee would hear the evidence for the deviation, and attach such importance to it as they thought it was worth. Witness was here cross-examined at some length on the deviation, in the course of which his answers were very general, as he said he was not prepared with the details. The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock. GROUP L. The Committee met at twelve ; Mr. Banker in the chair. GLASGOW, 82IAVIA.3LN 0 C3L, AItI3ROSSELVt. Mr. Robson, engineer, stated that, instead of the line ap proaching the town of Kilmarnock near the Ayr station, they proposed taking powers to deviate and proceed into Portland-street, having part of their station on both sides of the street. He considered the necessity of this ex tension arose from the gradient being 1 in 75, at which the main line approached the town. Mr. WHITELY, who cross-examined the witness for the Duke of Portland, intimated that he would discontinue his opposition if the company consented to stopping short on the near side of Portland. street. The ClfilliMAN intimated that the Committee were of opinion that the extension must stop short of Portland-street. The consideration of clauses were postponed till to-morrow. GLASGOW, EARRHEAD AND NEILSTON DIRECT. Mr. HILDYARD opened the merits of the Bill, stating that it proposed connexion with the Barrhead Railway and the town of Paisley, with Lesmahagow, and with the Renfrew Railway, The whole length was eighteen miles, and the estimated cost 350,0001. Mr. Henderson, late provost of:Paisley, gave evidence in support of the line as a great advantage to the town of Paisley, and to the surrounding district, for coal. The Committee adjourned till to-morrow. GROUP LI. CALEDONIAN. The Committee met this morning at twelve o'clock. Present, Sir John Yarde Buller (chairman), Lord John Manners, Mr. Tollemacho, Captain Plumridge, and Mr. Newdegate. John Chantler, superintendent of the goods traffic depart. ment on the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway—He knew the carrying trade of the district well, and he considered that Annan was more peculiarly the port of Newcastle on that side of the island, as it had many advantages over the rival ports. The class of vessels trading to Ireland ranged from 70 to 200 tons, and Annan could accommodate the largest of these. He calculated that 100,000 tons per annum would be shipped if the communication were opened to Annan, to Belfast, Drogh e d a , D u bli n , and the north of Ireland. Kirk cudbright' would not compete with it, because the carriage cost of coals to that port would be so much greater, the increased charge from Kirkcudbright being at least 3s. lid. per ton greater. He did not know that Kirkcudbright had any independent trade with Ireland. The Belfast exports would be sure to be landed at the port of Annan. The prin cipal exports were flax and linen, and pigs and limestone, the latter being used not for agricultural but for alkaline purposes. The witness detailed the different quantities of coal sent from the different pits lying between Newcastle on the east, and Carlisle on the west, to Ireland, the aggregate amount of which was about 40,056 tons per annum. Cross-examined by Mr. ANDlimvs—He knew nothing of the navigation; he was not at all a nautical man, and de rived his information principally from others. The whole of the evidence he had given as to the respective advantages of Annan and Kirkcudbright were founded on calculations contingent on this branch being granted. He did not think that the passengers from Carlisle to Newcastle would be in creased even if a railway were opened front Dumfries to Port Patrick. After some general evidence had been taken which in volved no new points, Mr. Errington, C.E., was called to prove the advantages of the Caledonian Company's branches as compared with the rival companies. We need not enter into the evidence ad duced on the small branch under consideration, as the whole scheme must be afterwards examined before the Committee. The witness gave general evidence in favour of the junction between the companies at Annan, instead of Springfield, because Annan was the larger town, and trains would necessarily require to stop there more frequently than at the other place, Springfield being framed for nothing but the blacksmith's residence, who welds the bands of Hymen as well as the bands of iron. He also entered into the rail way history of the south of Scotland, detailing the progress of the commission of 1840, and the appointment of Messrs. Locke, Errington, and Miller, to survey the line; the recommendation of the Royal Commissions that the line should be carried through the centre of the country in stead of round by Annan. If the Dumfries Company had the whole of their line free to Gretna, and the Brampton branch, they would be able to compete directly w i t h t h e Caledonian Company for the traffic of the west and north of Scotland. The Caledonian line had been constructed and laid out on the principle laid down by the Royal Commissioners in 1844, as the best scheme for the accommodation of Scotland. If the Caledonian had the line between Annan and Spring field their interest would necessarily consist in promoting the traffic between these places, and to Galloway and Ireland , Annan had always as yet been set forth as the most impor tant place ; Kirkcudbright till the present time had not been I mentioned. The distance between Edinburgh and Annan by the and __te carry ,r i roy the Caledonian would be 86 miles; by the Nithedale, 924 : and by the North British, 103 miles. The arrangement of the trains could be better done at Annan than at Springfield. The latter was not a place requiring a station on the main l ine, and the Nithadale Company could not expect them t w h :ao e am y :i Ipwaa,onsueyml send id, put aud a l shol the minerala nbuepyoen ? storp ns there anti take on carriages, and re-arrange . pit atoy AnnanGlasgow _ l Io 4acg w ow a s of that importance to make stop ping there always troper. It had been suggested that therho:Kgiohl on to Kilmarnock n t oh it.cekp o ir rt a h ti oe l f c c t Aa o lnend aonn Annan,Annan. , and so to Annan; but the Caledo -10 to the ß w ra it m nes t s o w n as An agreement had been concluded The further examination of with the CarlisleP .. agreement Railway that they adjourned till to-morrow at twelve o'clock. _____ on EEs ATE BILLS. LIVERPOOLIT WATERWORKS. Committee on the Liverpool. Waterwot-•iS. metyesterday I COMMITT EES morning at twelve o'clock ; Sir J. Johnstone i a nth Mr. Hawkesby, the engineer, gave evidence eacsilltir. e quantity and the quality of the water in the several streams streams which supply the reservoirs of the corporation waterworks, and underwent a long cross-examination as to the different sources of the supply, and as tO the correctness of the gauge which he had used. SOUTHWARK. John Jenner, the landlord of the Yorkshire Stingo beor•shop in Blackfriars-road, and Thomas Wyatt, were charged with being concerned in stealing a cheque on Meiars. Prescott and Co. for 197/. 10s., the property of Mr. Edward Bansly, of the Star Inn, Bawdsey, near Woodbridge, Sufi, On the - termer examination the complainant did not attend to prosecute the charge, in consequence of, it was alleged, his having received back the sum of 197/. 10s., of which he had been plundered in the manner al• ready described. The magistrate gave directions that Mr. Ransly should be compelled to attend this day, and in compliance with those instructions the complainant accordingly presented himself in court, and intimated his readiness to follow up the charge. He admitted that, on Tuesday last, after the investigation concluded, and he had left the court to go into the City, when ho was passing near the Town-hall he was accosted by two men, who addressed him on the subject of the loss of his money. They induced him to enter a public-house, and when there one of them, whom he had seen on the day previously at the Yorkshire Stingo, asked him if he would forego any prosecution if the whole of his money was restored to him, adding that there would be no oc casion for his appearing again before the magistrate, Subsequently to this conversation, both the men wanted to quit the house, but he insisted that the one whom he met at the beer-house should remain, threatening at the same time to give him into custody if he attempted to go away. The other man, Wyatt (now at the bat), then went out, and returned in a few minutes with a bag, and placing it in his (complainant's) hands, said, " There is your money; you'll have no further trouble in the matter, and you can get into the ountry now as soon as you please—the sooner the better." He then reckoned the contents of the bag, and finding it contained 191 sove reigns, at the desire of the prisoner Wyatt he gave him a receipt for that amount, and they then separated. The complainant added, that he was rejoiced in gettin g b ac k so muck of the money, which he thought was gone for ever; and that acting under the impression that he was not doing anything contrary to law, he left town and went into Sutiblk. The complainant then produced the bag which contained the sovereigns, given into his hands by the prisoner Wyatt. Mr. COTTINGHAM here inqnired of the complainant whether he had any recollection of having seen Wyatt ' in the Yorkshire Stingo on the evening he was playing there—whether he was amongst the persons who were tossing with him for money ?—The complainant replied, that he had not seen that person until the Tuesday he handed him over the bag of sovereigns as already de scribed, fie also said, in answer to further questions, that Jenner, the landlord of the Yorkshire Stingo, did join in the play himself, and that before he gave him the cheque for 1971. 10s., he (Jenner) did lend him some money, to the amount of 31. or 41., and that that person, he had no doubt, was actin g i n co ll us i on w i th the other parties to plunder him of his money. Mr. COTTINGITAM remarked, that it was clear Wyatt had engaged himself in the offence of compoundin g a felony, and that that offence applied to the complainant as well as it did to him; that the latter person had throughout the affair acted most improperly, for instead of calling for assistance and giving, at all events, the man he had seen at the Yorkshire Stingo into custody, he received back his money, and permitted him to go at large, and also absented himself from this court on the day he was directed to be in attendance at the re • examination of the charge. As regarded Wyatt, it was certainly a favourable point in his behalf that he was not identified as being one of the parties present at the Yorkshire Stingo on the evening in question. Wyatt said, I wish to give my explanation of the mat ter. I don't want to conceal anything. lam a shoe maker, and work very hard at my trade; and on Tuesday last I met a young woman that I know, and she gave me a bag containing sovereigns, and asked me to give it to Mr. Ransly in the public house. I took the money, and accordingly gave it to that person; and that is all I know about it. Mr. COTTINGftAM-WhO is the woman? Wyatt— She is in fact a woman of loose character, that I have met at the Surrey and Victoria Theatres; her name is Mary, but I don't know her surname, or where she lives. Mr. Burton, a clerk in Messrs. Prescott's bank, who cashed the cheque, was then examined, and he stated that Wyatt was not the man who came there and had the money. Mr. COTTINGLUM, at the conclusion of the examina tion, said that he should bind over the complainant to prosecute, and that it would be left with the judge before whom the trial took place, whether it would be considered necessary to include him in the indictment fur com another w ea k, i n orderer pounding th e f e l ony with the other prisoner Jenner. At all events, h e should remand both the prisoners for e th he for tra as the apprehen s i on of the- action; and Ber ry , an active policeman, who knew from HEALTH AND MORTALITY OF ENGLAND. A return has just been published by authority of the Registrar-General, containing an abstract from the tables of mortality during the quarter ending March 31. From the prefatory remarks relative to the comparative state of the public health during that period, we quote the following interesting extracts:— " The returns are obtained from 117 districts. Thirty six districts are in the metropolis, and the remaining 81 comprise, with some agricultural districts, the prin cipal towns and cities of England. The population was 6,612,800 in 1841. " Winter appears to be the season in which it is most natural for man to die. For many years the number of deaths in England had been highest in the winter and lowest in the summer quarter. In the summer quarter of 1846 the reverse was ob served; the mortality was greater than it had been in any quarter of the seven preceding years; and in the last winter quarter ending March 31, 1847, fifty six thousand one hundred and five persons died. in the districts which make the returns ; a number greater than has been registered in any corresponding quarter, and six thousand and thirty-five above the corrected average. The deaths in the quarter in all England and Wales may be estimated at 120,000. "The published tables show that the mortality was considerably above the average in the winter quarters (ending March 31st) of 1840, 1841, 1845, 1847, and much below the average in the winter quarters of 1839, 1842, 1843, 1844, and 1846. The registrars in their notes ascribe the increased mortality generally to inflammation of the lungs and air tubes, to typhus, and other diseases, and the effects of cold on the aged. The high price of provisions is also mentioned. " The disastrous effe; .7 the immigration of the Irish poor on the health of English towns, was dwelt on in previous quarterly returns. The evil increased during the winter quarter ; and the deaths of Liverpool, where the mortality has always been high, were 3,063, or 1,134 more than in the winter quarter of 1846, and nearly 1,000 above the average of ordinary seasons. " Fifteen thousand two hundred and eighty-nice deaths were registered in London during the first thir teen weeks of the year; a greater number than has been registered in any previous winter since the weekly table commenced. The district of Lewisham, and the sub district of Hampstead, united now to the London dis• triets, have only added 171 to the deaths. Upon the whole, the health of London, like that of the rest of the country, has been below the average; and although the causes are to a certain extent accidental, and, as we may hope, transitory, it is evident that the health of towns in England is at present stationary, not to say retro grading. " A new Bill for improving the health of towns has been prepared and brought in by the Viscount Morpeth, Lord John Russell, and Sir George Grey. As this Bill is likely to occupy the attention of Parliament in the present session, it may be useful to introduce here some extracts from a series of calculations, based on the cen sus returns, and the deaths registered during the seven veers, 1838—to 1844. From these results the duration of life can be deduced. Corrections have been made for the increase of populatioa, deaths in hospitals, and other disturbing causes. " The mortality in Liverpool, Manchester, and some other places, has been before adverted to. The subse quent tables show the mortality of all the districts now included in the London tables of mortality. They afford ample materials for reasoning; but I shall here only direct attention to a few of the points bearing more im mediately on the great question of the health of towns. London contained 1,950,000 inhabitants in the middle of the year 1841, and 342,000 deaths were registered within its limits in the septennial period, of which 1841 was the middle year. The deaths on an average were 48,857 annually. To 1,000 females living at all ages, 23 died ; while to 1,000 males living at all ages, 27 died yearly. The mortality of females in the neighbouring counties, during the same seven years, was from 18 to 20 ; of males 19 to 21 in the 1,000 ; the mortality of females in London was 5, of males 8 in the 1,000 more than in the healthiest county. Out of an equal number of males living, there were three deaths in London for every two in the healthy counties. Out of 1,000 boys under five years of age in Surrey, and 1,000 in Sussex, 48 and 50 died annually ; out of 1,000 in London, 93 died an nually. The mortality of children under five years of age is twice as great in London as in the adjacent coun ties, including several towns. " The excess of deaths in London is not the result of climate, for the climate differs little from that of sur rounding counties ; and some of the London districts are not more unhealthy than many country dis tricts. Take Lewisham, for instance, comprising Black heath, Sydenham, Eltham, and Lewisham itself. The annual mortality of females was 16, of males 18, in 1.000. Th© actual deaths registered in London during the 7 years 1838-44 were If the mortality during the period had not been greater than in Lewisham, the deaths in Lon don would have been about Excess of deaths in London Here are 97,000 deaths in seven years from causes peculiar to London. Other districts may be taken in the place of Lewisham, but the result would be the same. .. . " A considerable part of the population of London is recruited from the country, immigrants entering chiefly at the ages of 15 to 35, in a state of good h ea l t h. Th e sick and weak probably remain at home ; many of the newcomers too, unmarried, when attacked in London by slow consumption—the most fatal disease at the ages of 15 to 35—return to their father's house to die ; so that the mortality of the great city is made to appear in the re turns lower at those ages than it is. If we take child ren under 5 years of age, where neither these disturbing causes nor occupation interfere, the deleterious influence on health, of London in its present state will appear un disguised in all its magnitude. The deaths registered in London under 5 years of age were 139,593 The deaths, if the mortality had not been higher than in Lewisham, would have been . 80,632 Excess of deaths in London among children... 58,961 "Here are more than 58,000 children destroyed in London within 7 of the last ten years. "In these plain and appalling facts—in the detailed statements of the mortality at each age of life in the several districts—or in the circumstances of the several parts of the population, it is difficult to discover any valid reasons for excluding London from the operation of the measure of her Majesty's government for ' Im proving the Health of Towns in England.'" SINGULAR SNOW PHENOMENON IN ORKNEY. In the current nunll;ercTitTel -; liilesciphical Magazine Mr. Clouston of Stromness, relates a curious circum stance, which, it appears, not only astonished and per plexed the neighbourhood in which it occurred, but tilled the superstitious with great c onsternation. During one night a heavy fall of snow took place, which covered the plain to a depth of several inches. " Upon this pure carpet," says the writer, there rested next morning thousands of large masses of snow, which contrasted strangely with its smooth surface." These occurred generally in patches pf from one acre to a hundred in extent, while the clusters were often half a mile asunder. The fields so covered looked as if they had been scat• tered over with cart loads of manure, and the latter covered with snow ; but on examination the masses were all found to be cylindrical, like hollow flute d rollers or ladies' swan-down muffs, bearing a strong resemblance to the latt er . Th e largest measured was three and a half feet long, and seven feet in circumference. The centres were nearly but not quite hollow, and by plac in g the head within wh en the sun was bright, the concentric structure of the cylinder was apparent They did not occur in any of the adjoining parishes, and were limited to a space of about five miles. The first idea as to the origin of these bodies was, that they had fallen from the clouds, and portended some direful calamity. But had they fallen freni the atmosphere, their symmetry and loose texture must have been destroyed. The writer having examined theta, was soon convinced that they had been formed by the wind rolling up the snow, a: boys form snow-balls. Their round f irm, concentric structure, fluted surface, and position with respect to the weather side of eminences, proved this. And also from the fact of their lying lengthways, with their sides to the wind ; and sometimes their tracks were visible in the snow for twenty or thirty yards in the windward direction, whence they had evidently gathered up their concentric layers. This seems to be the most singular example ever recorded of Boreas making snow-balls. -- OPENING OF THE EPSOM RAlLWAY.—Yesterilay the branch line of the London and Brighton Coast Railway to Epsom was completed, and will be opened on Monday next to the public. This direct railway to Epsom i 3 within ten minutes' walk of the course. LAW OF MARRIAGE. Lord G. BENTINCK presented several petitions against the Bill before the House relative to the ex istent law of marriage. HOLYHEAD RAILWAY. Mr. P. HOWARD presented a petition against the Holyhead Ruilwa) Bill. CAPTURE OF AN ENGLISH OFFICER. Mr. GROGAN desired to ask a question of the Noble Lord the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether the Government had received any intimation respecting the capture of Henry Billing Graham, Esq., off the coast of Africa. Lord PALMERSTON stated that no information had been received at the Foreign Office relative to the disd appearance of Henry Billing Graham, who was supposed to have been captured by the natives off the coast of Africa, but instructions had been sent to the vessels cruising on that station to make every inquiry. LAW OF ENTAIL. Mr. HUME presented a petition from North Berwick against the present law of entail. RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS' REPORTS. Mr. HUME also gave notice that, on Thursday night, he would bring before the notice of the House the re ports of the Railway Commissioners, which he thought, judging from their present character, were of no use. HEALTH OF TOWNS. The Earl of LINCOLN wished to call the attention of the Noble Lord to the Health of Towns Bill, which stood on the orders of the day for the 10th of May. As there were several other motions for that day, he was anxious to know whether it would be proceeded with on that day, or on what day after ? Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that at present there were many parties opposed to the Bill, who had appointed deputations to confer with the Chief Commissioner of Woods and Forests. Till the result of these interviews was known, he could not say the exact day on which it would be taken. THE POLICE BILL. Mr. SPOONER wished to know whether the Police Clauses Bill would be proceeded with to-night. This ought not to be the case, as the Bill had only been put into the hands of Members that day. Sir W. SOMERVILLE said it was not? the inten tion of the Government to proceed with the Bill that night. AFFAIRS OF PORTUGAL. Mr. P. BORTHWICK wished to call the attention of the Noble Lord the Foreign Secretary to a report which was current, about a joint interference of the Go• vernments of England, France, and Spain with the affairs of Portugal. This was said to proceed on the basis of the treaty of the Quadruple Alliance, which treaty, he submitted, from recent events, was defunct. Lord PALMERSTON replied that the first part of his question could have no reference to the quadruple treaty, as no dispute had arisen about the succession to the throne, the only point about which any interference could be required. With respect to any actual inter ference, he could inform the Honourable Gentleman that they were desirous of effecting a peaceable and satisfactory settlement of the dispute between the contending parties. Nothing would be done beyond an endeavour on the part of the Government to accomplish this object, and to protect the person of the Queen. POOR-LAW FOR ENGLAND. _ _ Mr. FERRANI) wished to know if it was the inten tion of the Government that night to introduce the New Poor-law Bill, provided the factory debate finished i❑ time ? Sir G. GREY said that it was. Several Bills were brought down from the Lords, and ordered to be laid on the table. RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS. Mr. GOULBURN said, that seeing that there was a charge of 1,300/. in the Railway Department of the Board of Trade applicable to this department, he thought that the House should be made acquainted with the statutes of that office, arid he wished to know whether there was any objection to lay a copy of those statutes o❑ the table of the House?, Mr. PARKER replied that there was not the slightest objection, although he believed that the report would not be of much service. POOR-LAW. Lord JOHN MANNERS said that, as he was second on the list for the amendments, he wished to know whether the Right Hon. Baronet intended to bring on the moth!' for an amendment of the poor-laws. Lord JOHN RUSSELL (for Sir G. Grey) said that as it was intended to go into Committee of Supply, in the first instance, he was afraid that the Noble Lord's mo tion would not come before the House to-night. BREAKWATER ROUND THE GREAT BRITAIN. Mr. 11. BERKELEY said that a breakwater had been constructed by Captain Claxton of faggots, after a sug gestion of Mr. Brunel, round the Great Britain, and he wished to know whether it had beau brought under the notice of the Admiralty? Mr. WARD replied that the matter was under the consideration of the Admiralty. JUDGESHIP 61' CEYLON. Mr. B. ESCOTT wished to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the papers would be laid upon the table of the House with respect to Mr. Langston, the late Judge of Ceylon. Mr. HAWES said that no delay had taken place in laying the papers before the House. They were of a very voluminous nature ; they had been placed in the hands of the printer, and would be laid upon the table of the House as shortly as possible. FACTORIES BILL. Mr. FIELDEN moved the third reading of the Fac tories Bill. Mr. TRELAWNY rose to move that the Bill be read a third time that day six months, and in doing so said that it would no doubt be agreeable to the House to hear that it was not his intention to make a long speech, but simply to confine himself to the support of the clauses which he had moved upon a previous stage of the Bill. The present Bill was an experiment, and some of the classes for whom it was intended, saw that they were prepared to risk the evils of the measure. He considered it as experimental legislation in the shape of a penal measure levelled at the labouring classes. He did not know what crime they had committed to deserve such a penal enactment. Certain it was that the mea sure was a penal one. The House had come to a con clusion in favour of it in a must summary manner, and all the arguments used in the debate showed that the House was not satisfied with itself in the course it had had adopted with respect to this measure. He proposed to do that by this clause, which would re lieve the anxiety which was felt upon this measure, and which was at least likely to be dangerous in its effect and uncertain in its operation. He proposed to limit the Bill in its operation to a period of three years from the time in which it would first come in force. The reason why he fixed upon the period of three years was this : in the first year of its operation there might be an unusual in i crease of business, and in the next year a decrease, so that the third year would perhaps afford a fair criterion to go by. The period of three years wolud enable the people to know the measure in its operation better than they did at present. It was admitted to be a purely experimental measure, and, therefore, would be much better if passed for a limited period than if passed permanently; so that, if its operation were defective, the people would be not saddled with a disagreeable and hurtful measure. Mr. LEADER seconded the motion. Mr. GRIMSDITCH said, that this matter hav ingeuld b een a l rea d y su ffi c i en tly discussed, see no reas on w hy it s hould be further c e o h i t. sid , c i e , r h e e d y . The questi on a t i ssue h e thought was selt-evident. id had, from 1837 t o 1847, been proceeding under a former Act, and, taking all the working hours intothmt a ccount, he ten :years' found that each day's labour .n experience, amounted only to ten hours per day. Why should they, then, oppos e the p assing of this measure ? Mr. Grimsditch, amid muchdecdontte'useioanil, the e d a l tt , e u e d tie c n rie e s f of " Divide, divide," the Hon. Member in the to the number of the men . the manufacturing . districts were hours which required to occupy with labour, and then went on to say that he believe that the restriction to the ten hours work would be a great benefit to the working men, while it could be no detriment whatever to the manu facturers. Mr. LABOUCHERE said, upon that occasion the words he should address to the House would be but few, because he had been permitted on a former occasion to express at large the reasons which induced him to view with apprehension the step the House was about to take. It was no agree able task for him to express opinions at vari.ince with those entertained by many of his friends, with whom he had long been in cordial coopera tion, and for w hom he f- It the greatest respect. He felt bound to state to the House that, after carOully reconsidering the opinions he had always entertained upon this subject, his objection to the measure remained unaltered and unshaken. He felt that the House was about to make a most perilous experiment, while he was no less convinced that it would not pro duce the results that were expected of it, but, on the contrary, he thought it would result in deep disappointment to its promoters, He could not say that h e h ad listened ith any great favour to the proposal of the Hon. Member for Tavistock. The Hon. Gentleman who had just sat down proposed that if th ey passed the third reading of this Hill its operation should be continued for only three years, to try it as an experiment. Now, one of his objecti ons to thismeasure was that it could not be tried as an experiment. He must do those lion. Members who had supported the Bill the justice to say that they had not sought to conceal se ee eee eeeseereseee eee ese,,,---e., ~.ee ep e eesee e e eeee from the House that the effect of this measure would be to limit the factory labour for adults to ten hours a day. He could not bring himself to believe that, at a time when all other descriptions of labour were left unrestricted, and when those foreign natioes who were our competitors in industry were working more than twelve hours a day, that the present was a step for the country to take, or that it would produce any thing else but embarrassment to our manufacturers, and wide spread distress among the working classes ofthe country.—(Hear, hear.) He could not agree with the opinion that it was immaterial whether the question discussed, were discussed as a question of prin - (epic or one of degree, he believed it to be very important in whatever view it was discussed. He could not discuss it as a question of abstract prin ciple, he had supported interference in factory labour so long as it should be done safely and wisely, but the present question was different from all others which he had supported with reference to factory labour. The w for the limitation of labour in factories to ten hours was to be inflexible. The manufacturers were not to be allowed to make up for short time by working longer hours, and whatever should happen to b e the state of the market, or whatever might be the demands for labour, the manufacturer was n et to be allowed to employ labour for more than ten hours a day, and it was his opinion that the present measure if passed into law would be productive of the most disastrous results to the manufacturers and to the working cleeses of the country! An Hon. Friend of his, the Member for Belfast, had said that if this measure were passed into a WV ' that Ireland ought to be exsmpted ?rem it. Con sidering the pre s ent s tat e of th e people of Ireland, he thought that this measure would lead to the most un fortunate results, for the lengthened hours of labour were by no means the worst evil to ahich the people of any couutry could be subjected.—(Hear.) The handloom weavers in Irela n d were in a most destitute and distressed state. By weaving a web of fifty or sixtl yards they could only earn 2 s . 6d. to 3s. per weea and in many instances they sat up two or threo nights of the week t o provide food fo r their families ; under such circumstances, could it be said that if a well-regulated cotton factory were set up in Relent! that it would not be a benefit t o the people, even though they should be compelled to work 12 or 13 hours a dee' : Such was the state of things in Ireland, and the ques tion tion came to this, how would they deal with oth er trade if and branches in connexioniwith the cotton trad e ? they legislated for those in factories, they would also have to legislate for fustian cutters and similar branches. He confessed, however, that as between a ten and an eleven hours Bill, he w as i n f avou r of the letter. He was absent on a former occasion, when the Ele ven Hours' Bill was under discussion, else he s hould ha ve supported it, and would do so to-night, were another op portunity afforded. At present, however, be wo uld j e t) for the amendment bef o r e the H o u se .—(Divide, The' of Mr. H. STANSFIELI) rose amidst loud crie s " Divide, divide." He culled on them to pause ere they passed the Bill, which would seriously ,endanger twelve millions of capital invested in the cotton trade, and abstract two millions of money from the revenue.-- (Great confusion.) Mr. HUME was surprised to see such impatie ec° manifested; interfering as the Bill would with the whole industry of the country. He knew the many Hon. Gentlemen were desirous to get to dinner , still that was no reason why they should sum manly dispose of the present question. lie had al so been in favour of the rights of the industrious classes, but he could not consent to the present Meas ure ' It was extraordinary, that in a free-trade Parliament' that a motion for the destruction of free trade :haul" been receive so much support. He had always a friend to the working classes, and he might appeal to the House for a confirmation of the assertion, that he had invariably voted for an improvement the those classes, they should recollect that of all tut; articles which were employed in the furthera nce . the manufacturing interests, capital was the most dee', cate. Land would remain, and the labourers would remain, but in the event of the resources Wile he would remind the country gentlemen that t 7 whole of the tax must be upon property, a nd j et!, H t in proportion to the want on the one side woul d be the tax on the other. Ile should, therefore, vote for Jo reading of this Bill on this day six months. Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, the Hotta * divided, when there appeared— Se For the amendment Against it 3 Majority for the third reading Upon our readmission we found Mr. TRELAu e' e f moving the insertion of a clause limiting the duration. wench the Act to three years, from and after the day on it should have be c ome law. Strangers were again ordered to withdraw; no diTie sion, however, took place, the clause having been with drawn, and the Bill was read a third time without & division, and passed. THE GREEK LOAN. On the order of the day being read for going into * Committee of Supply, Lord J. MANNERS rose to move for a return of all moneys paid by Great Britain on account of the interest of the Greek loan, up to the Ist day of January, 1847 ' The Noble Lord after glancing at the conditions 011 which England had guaranteed to pay i n terest on part, of the loans, and contendi ng t h at they had been v iolated, and this country absolved from continuing the payments, proceeded to read a lengthy report on the subject from Committeea h te subject, appoin and byted to re the Frenchportu pon Chambers to in vestigatepon so Hs went on to say that the unworthy Finance Minister of Greece had resigned his trust, and although his conduct had been proved to have been base in the extreme, yet they were told by this Committee of the Chamber of France that they gave their entire confidence to such a Minister. He (Lord J. Manners) had no wish whatever in lei inging forward this motion, to cast any imputation on the diplomacy of this country, or to ask the Noble Lord (Palmerston) to take any hasty course to wards France, or towards the Government of King Otho. He was willing to leave the whole matter in his hands—to his own discretion. He did not ask him to make any threats or menaces towards Greece, to obtain the payment of the loan which England had advanced ; but what he asked the House to do was this—to give an expression of opinion, on the determination to which the Chamber of France had come, to support our Minister in whatever part of the world he might have to act on the part of his country ; and to act with pre deuce and with due regard to the liberties of the people of Greece. He asked the House to express an opinion favourable to the independence of the people of that unhappy country. Lord PALMERSTON said, it was necessary for him to state, in the first place, that he had no objection to the production of the papers for which the Noble Lord had moved. He had no wish to make an address, which might interfere with the business which was more properly the business of the evening ; but at the proper time he should feel happy t o enter more frilly into the merits of the whole question at issue. With regard to the general view the Noble Lord had taken of the affairs of Greece, he must say that he, in a great degree, concurred with him. The House well knew that the independence of Greece was achieved by the interposition of England and of France and Russia—an interposition which was exercised after a struggle of five or six years between the Greek nation and the Turkish Government—an in terposition wrung from the Government of that country, and with the approbation, not only of this country, but of almost the whole of the civilised world. The object thatin s to p p o l a s e a f tu o ha r et woanhe itendeared n i t t n so t e mo r f p a o nt s kh i ie t l i ii o rd nfboytroeancientplace s recollections—by aby positionthessehe was mueta, ns at entitled the t o sara oecupy ; to put th a t p eo pl e in independence, e etiommeetrt, increas happiness, e which thtemrgphrtosbpyeriy and civilization ; f or t h at end the Powers concerned that a constitutional monarchy would prove favourable to internal tranquillity, and that it would at the same time promote the industry and in crease the wealth of the country; but he was obliged to confess that heretofore the benevolent intentions which influenced the three Powers had not been accomplished. for it was perfectly true that the internal condition of Greece was far from that which its well wishers would like to see; it was also, he was afraid, true that the existing Government of Greece was carried on upon a principle of peculation, and by those who one would have thought would have been the last to have acted in such a manner, and that corruption existed amongst those who ought to have been the representatives and guardians of po pular rights.—(Bear, hear.) It was too true, also, that acts of great atrocity were, From time to time, committed by persons in the employment of the Government — (Hear) —that violence, terrible in its character, had been exercised in a manner which he would not shock the feelings of the House by explaining. Terrible punish ments had been from time to time inflicted upon unof fending persons, for the purpose of compelling them to make disclosures of the places where criminals had taken refuge, or where conscripts, who had fled from the ranks had concealed themselves—extorting confessions such as these from innocent persons.—(Hear, hear.) He la mented to say that this frightful punishment was in flicted upon an lonian, who, being a stranger, was entitled to protection and succour. The statement of the Noble Lord with respect to the Minister of Finance was perfectly true, that the revenue was em bezzled in its progress to the Exchequer. and what was expended was misapplied in its application, and in a way wholly adverse to the public service ; and it was stated cpei.ly in Parliament by the Minister of Finance that the greater part of the revenue of Greece was de rived from contributions in kind—of grain, for instance, and that in one district in which the average quarters of grain to which the Government were entitled was 180,000 kilos., out of this no more than 8,000 kilos. were sold—(Hear, hear)—as the remainder were embezzled by the parties intrusted with their collection and sale. It was also proved that the documents with respect to the finances, which had been laid before Parliament, professing to set forth the amount of revenue received had been falsified, and it was charged, and he (Lord Palmerston) believed it was admitted that that falsification took place for the pur pose of concealing the amount of the revenue actually received, because it was said if the whole amount was publicly acknowledged, it would have been evident that there was a large sum of money over the expenditure, and that the surplus would have been claimed by the three powers who had granted the loan, whereas by a false document they would be enabled to keep the money in the country, although the Britieh Government in connexion with the Governments of France and Russia guaranteed the inde• pendence of the mixed States, yet he did not hold that that guarantee gave to any one or more of the guaran teeing parties any right to interfere in the internal administration of the affairs of Greece beyond the point of requiring that the treaty by which Greece bound herself to pay the loan should be faithfully observed. But, however they might deplore the mode in which the affairs of Greece were administered—however much they might lament the lot of a free people whom they d e r e , Al