The Sun. — London, England, 1847-03-27 00:00:00

the distillers themselves complained of. He should be as glad as any Hon. Member in that House, if the re ductions sought for by the distillers of this country could be conceded, but he feared that the sanguine ex pectations of the Noble Lord would not be justified by the result. The Noble Lord had represented in very lively colours the fears which were entertained by the home manufacturer for the competi tion which might be given by the colonial producer, but these fears he considered were greatly exaggerated, and without foundation. Ile considered that these fears were exaggerated, yet, with a view to meet the opinions of persons who differed from him, he had increased the differential duty to a higher amount than he had previ ously intended, and one reason for adopting this course was undoubtedly that he might meet less opposition in Committee. If he established that the producer in any part of the country had nothing to fear from foreign competition, then he held that he had established his case in all parts of the country, for the English, Irish, and Scotch distillers stood precisely on the same ground. He had no great faith in the statements put Forth from time to time by parties interested in the manu facture of British spirits, for he thought that they had exhibited great ignorance on the subject. In the year 1830, when the Earl of Ripon was Chancellor of the Exchequer; the differential duty was 18d. per gallon, and the distillers then alleged that they paid 9d. for the ex tra price of corn, thus showing that 9d. was the amount of protection afforded them, and they were satisfied at the time with that amount of protection.—(Hear, hear.) He had received several statements from the distillers of this country, in which they suggested that Is. per gallon would be an equitable amount of differential duty, and he confesses' that he was somewhat amazed to hear his Noble Friend come down and urge grievances of a greater magnitude than even they themselves did. His Noble Friend had stated the " decreases" in the home stock at 3d. 4-10ths per gallon. Now be held an excise return which showed that in the stock of six of the largest distillers the decrease did not equal :11. per gal lon. He held similar returns from Scotland and Ire land. There was still more remarkable evidence on the subject. In 1842 the drawback of malt spirits in Ireland was altogether repealed, and the quantity manufactured increased very much. Scotland had still, however, a drawback of Bd. per gallon, and yet with that drawback they were enabled to compete with—and successfully compete with—the Irish distiller, who had no drawback. In 1840, the quantity of spirit exported from Scotland to Ireland was 427,000 gallons; in 1842 it was 432,000 gallons ; in 1845 it was 507,000 gallons ; and in 1846 it was 524,000 gallons. There were complaints made by England and Ireland as to the loss upon excise restriction. He admitted that there was some loss, but not the extent of 4d. per gallon, as stated by the English, or 6d. as stated by the Irish. The law being the same in both countries, the loss must naturally be the same. He could not, however admit that the loss was anything near the amount stated by the Noble Lord. With regard to the question of de creases, he had the statement of themselves, and it was proved that in England and Scotland, the amount alto gether was 31d. That being the case, he thought it would be properly met by allowing them a differential duty of 6d., but he thought that the distillers themselves would be satisfied with a duty of 9d., which was the maximum duty that would ever be Placed upon rum as a differential duty. In the year 1845, the whole quantity of spirits consumed in the United Kingdom was 26,672,000 gals., and of that 2,400,000 gals. were rum, all the rest being British spirits. Could the duty on so small an article of import materially affect the interests of the distillers of this country ? The fear of such an injury was one of the lamest that could be imagined, for the interests of all those concerned were, as he had shown, to be pro perly protected. Those who would be mostly benefited by the measure were the West Indians, and he did not think that it would be by any means so great a boon to the m as they anticipated. He should, therefore, oppose the motion of the Noble Lord. Mr. CALLAGHAN said that the House should receive With caution the statement made by the Right Hon. Gentleman with regard to Ireland. He wished to re- Mark upon some points of that statement. The circum stances of England and Ireland were such, that if the English distillers were to consent to receive 6d., 9d., or ls. as a differential duty, that arrangement would not do for the Irish, who claimed a duty of Is. 6d. The cost of rum in Calcutta was from is. 7d. to ls. Bd. per imperial proof gallon, and the export was increasing in quantity. From the 31st of October of 1842, to the same period in 1843, the quantity exported from Cal cage was 560,000 gallons, and in the year 1845 to 1 846, it was respectively 600,000 to 706,000 gallons. The Irish di s till e rs had further to complain that this re .,,action came on them suddenly ; on which point the -night Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer did not think at all. Mr. BERNAL did not think the colonial interests had s been well or equitably treated on the present occa t!!.M. He thought the case was one beset with difficul ties; but after the mot careful consideration of every elog connected with it, the greatest reduction which e Chancellor felt himself bound to make was sixpence er gallon. There were just eight proper distilleries in but ;in Scotland the trade was shared by 150 ; in Ireland he could not say how many there here. The trade, however, in England was an tter al Ye With regard to the colonies, he thought , 301 : 1 ; they h a d no thing to do with the pres tinera_ of the fiscal duties on the home dis diatilf If these duties pressed hard upon the home the justic e o t them be removed ; but if they they did not must look to into the grievances the question. And e grievances of the colonic s, he denied their right to look to the pressure of the fiscal duties on the home Wafflers. He protested against sending the matter again to a Select Committee. It bad been investigated over and over again, and he did not see what they could gain by doing so. He did not wish that any injustice should he committed on any class of her Maj est y 's sub- Jects, but he did not think the proposition now made would tend to throw any additional light on the subject. s le begged to ask them whether, last session, it was not argued over and over again, that if the free-trade Principles were conceded on sugar, they would be ex tended to the rum producers of the West Indies? He contended now, that on every principle of justice such st all extension ought to be made. What he w ould sa y to re sister countries would be, show me how much you sailer from the duty upon malt, and by so much, and no more , shall be the discriminating duty charged be tween the foreign and home producer; for as to the case t)f England, Scotland, and Ireland, he must say that the discriminating difference between the liquor there Produced and that produced in the colonies, ought to be th e amount of the duty charged upon malt, independent o the duty on the liquor produced from it. He stood rt epresentative, not merely as an English, or an Irish, or a Scotch 2presentative, as the case might be; he stood there as representative of the colonial subjects also, and he m eLnarided for them equal rights and privileges. r. GROGAN said he would second the feeling eessed by the Hon. Gentleman who had just sat down, for r edd not d rl an Irish ember ask an for the Irish S tiller, over the colonial to producers y preference . Bat what he deprecated M that Hon. Gentleman's speech, was the peculiar burdens : !tder whi c h th e I r i s h di st ill ers laboured, and that was the l i ew to which he (Mr. Grogan) would confi ne himself 1 ,, :'we if every other charge was assumed to be equal in the of the Irish and the colonial producer, the raw materials Om which the liquor was produceci differed most signally in That was an element deserving of attention in the Zelculation. But then, proceeding onwards from the r aw ma.. PIM, the mechanical means and the expense o f p roduction d eserved next the attention of the House; for whatever I t t ence, ingenuity, or wealth could add in assisting to p roduce s liquor, the colonial producer could make use of them all. at was that the case with the Irish distiller ? Why , from t he time the first stone of the establishment was laid down till the i moment when the cask of liquor was sent out, the Excise oeriered and trammelled him in every movement. Yet the ne Gentleman had said that 6d., as it was formerly, and 4 ; :. ! 9d., was not su ffi cient protection. But he begged to re -14'4,1 that Hon. Gentleman that the actual reduction wh „ England would ju st be 9d., and no more ; e ; e b fr . '"t in Irelandgh te reonproposed was . 9 ( 1 ., it actually , turne thou d out h t be 5 du s. cti p 3d. But the Irish tillers conducted their processes at very great risk and very t r eat loss, on account of the impediments opposed in their way t f the excise. They could not brew and distil at the same vials and the loss occasioned by this impediment in the mate -o'4 necessary, which were wasted by the delay, was admitted tu u all aides. Now, again, were they allowed to use those mix %etre: which they believed would be beneficial in working off fr .. processes of distillation. Another great loss arose ' ll2l the waste occasioned in the storing of bonded !putts. He would just direct the attention of the Ilattse to a single instance. A friend of his ! May of the year 1842, stored six puncheons of whisky , 'ataining 660 gallons 25 overproof in the Queen's stores, LuUblin ; and in the month of May, 1846, when duty was paid 4 Pon them, the puncheons had to be filled up and the decrease 1 :..0 found to be just eight gallons upon three of them. That "es a very considerable loss that fell upon the Irish distiller. Mr. BOUVERIE said that as the intention was se to a pportio n the duties that they should not press too severely on +c the measure of the Right Hon. Baronet did not meet object, for it appeared to him to press too severely on the .`,'Fottish distiller. There were two classes of spirits ritilled in this country, namely, from raW grain and ,° , l l l l _malt. In Scotland, the great proportion of spirits manufactured was from malt, the consumption being times the amount of grain liquor. But the Chancellor of tZ.e,.E.xchequer said that the better price received for the Act liquor, as compared with the lesser price of grain, gave I , 44 7laivalent for the increased duty. But was this the case d e f foreign rum ? lf the raw grain distiller was entitled to the e,Weated duty on his one eleventh of malt used in tbe mann ettt:,re of his spirit, the distiller who used malt entirely was p or , ed to the same decrease • n his eleven-elevenths of malt. For these reasons he would oppose the measure of the Right T. Ba ronet. A e 4ir . FORBES contended that extraordinary advantages had " given to the colonial producers by the measure of the ha_ilit Ron. Baronet. The Noble Lord, the Member for Lynn, th ag u o kilted for the appointment of a committee some six weeks a t and if the Chancellor of the Exchequer had then granted at re c emmittee, the question would have been by this time set ti n ' e t• The Hon. Member felt that an inquiry into the opera. th ° , e t . the Excise law was necessary, and be should support ljaotien of the Noble Lord. f 5 0 , 1 1% AIOFFATT said that he had heard many complaints lb t h e Irish Members of the want of protection to distillers th eir a t country, but he really thought that they did not know tee t e r interest. He thought that an equalisation of the pro their 11 , to Irish produce and colonial spirits would be most for 4 001 benefit. They ought to be enabled to sell their spirits abs er ve nd in the same manner as the colonial rum—as the thee, of that permission enforced the consumption of a very e" e lesome article, and, at the same time, did an injustice to t rod eeer. Iri s r EARKLY said that he thought that the English and had th_di!tillers would have better consulted their own interests consented to receive the protection of 6d. per gallon as noa"Y proposed under this Bill. That amount alone— aq their annual produce of 24,000,000 gallons—give 1 01 47 me of 600,0001. A very considerable revenue after the itieed mendpoly they had enjoyed. The distillers of the three hol d ° Ma had long been considered as the supports and strong. eorn%.tnonopoly, and they had naturally tried to hinder any atly'. lrl ° l by their brother distillers in the colonies. The a ihr auestion that remained for the House to ascertain was, eli st il i solount of direct taxation should he imposed upon the er. In . . e his opinion ls. id. per gallon in England would P e T o protection for the distillers, for he thought that the tat " in.their exaggerations, that they did not require any more. They objected to the practice of warehousing spirits. That was to say, that they would not bond themselves, nor allow others to do go; and yet they came to that House and com plained that they were not allowed to bond their spirits, unless after the payment of duty, which involved a loss of 3d. per gallon. If the allegation of the Scotch distillers were title, they had for some years been suffering—and in silence, too—a great drawback. In 1821 a drawback was placed upon malt, in order to encourage legal distillation ; and in 1831 the Irish distillers complained that the drawback, so placed, opened a door for a system of fraud by distilling in Scotland from a mixture of malted and unmalted grain, which had been sur reptitiously obtained. A Committee was appointed to inquire into the subject, and the result was the reduction of the draw back. Since that reduction the Scotch distilleries continued to thrive, and they made considerable imports into this coun try. If they found that the burden placed upon their trade was too heavy to allow them to compete with others, they should bring the matter before the House by one of their own members ; but in his ( Mr. Barkly's) opinion there was little or no real cause of complaint. There was one consideration which should weigh with the landed interest to induce them to consent to this measure, namely, that the home-growth of barley was quite independent of the foreign supply, so that their interest could in no way be affected. He thought that at the present late period of the session, and in an expiring Parliament, the reference of this subject to a Select Committee, would be productive of much delay and inconveni ence, and therefore he should oppose the motion. Mr. SHAW said that he had listened with very great at• tention to the difficult and complicated sti 7jCUt then under the the consideration of the House.—( Hear, hear. ) He was perfectly satisfied that his Noble Friend should get the Committee. The subject was a very difficult and compli cated one, and on that acekunt it was a very fitting one kr investigation. He would not go into details, but he was bound !or) say that he understood' from an eminent distiller, that 5 per cent. was the utmost profit that could lately be made in the distilling trade, and that if this measure passed it would drive those who were engaged in it to give it up altogether. Mr. GOULBURN said, that if the Noble Lord's motion were carried, the forms of the House would prevent him from effecting the object he had in view. He did not think, how ever, that a Committee was necessary, as the subject had been already sufficiently investigated. And if the Committee were appointed, the consequence would be that the minds of all who were engaged in the distilling business would be unsettled. The Right Hon. Gentleman then went into some details to show that the diminution on the dtfferential duties on colonial spirits that had been made since 1823, did not cause any de crease, but the reverse in the consumption of home spirits. In 1830, he introduced a measure for the reduction of the duty on rum, Is. 6d. to Is., but owing to the change in the Ministry which then occurred, that reduction had not been made. Even apon the showing, however, of the distillers themselves, the differential duty ought not to be more than Bid. He would not go into the able calculations of the Right Hon. Gentleman, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but he quite agreed with him that 6d. was the very utmost to which the distillers of this sonntry had any claim in consequence of their increased burdens. But when he reflected on the peculiar circumstances of the 'are he thought the Right Hon. Gentleman was right in deal 'ng.tenderly with the home trade. He could not doubt but oy increasing the amount of protection they would benefit the producer and the consumer. He might recall the attention of the House to a memorial presented through Mr. Pierce Mahon, in 1830, by the distillers of Ireland, when they said they would compete with the producer of any country, clime, or colour, provided they had the advantages of free trade, and should not be subjected to a corn duty. That was a statement which did them credit. If they spoke to facts in that day, they could have no case at the present moment, ann he asked the Right Honourable Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he could say that ninepence was not sufficient protection against foreign competition. But to coma to the Scotch distiller. He doubted whether, if the case were properly looked into, he had a claim for Is. 4d. drawback on the malt, But if the Scotch distillers had a case against the rum producers at the present duty, they had a case still stronger against the admission of English corn spirits into that country at the present charge. In fact, however, they bad a monopoly as against rum in their own country, and they sent in 2,000,000 gallons of their liquor into England besides. He was amazed at the combination which had taken place that night against the colonial trade with the West Indies. The course which had been pursued would injure not only the colonial producers but the colonial importers who were obliged to make up their cargoes with sugar or to charter the vessel to unload part at Dublin and the rest at Liverpool. Let the House only look at the effect pro duced. In 1821 the home spirits brought to charge amounted to 9,820,000 gallons, and the rum to 2,321,060 gallons ; but in 1845, when home spirits brought to charge amounted to 23,600,000 gallons, rum only amounted to 2,400,000 gallon:. He felt he must oppose the motion of the Noble Lord. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL said he must support the motion of the Noble Lord for inquiry, and the more that the Honourable Gentleman had made such a speech as perhaps could not be answered on the instant. That showed the necessity of some tribunal of appeal. But he must say that the figures quoted by that Hon. Gentle man to show the quantity of spirits brought to charge only showed that a large quantity had been smuggled But the distillers had been the subject of Parliamentary interference and enactment, which made them more deserving of the con- sideration of the House. Mr. DISRAELI said that the Right Hon. Baronet, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, after avowing himself the champion of free-trade, after preparing them for the adoption of a moderate differential duty, terminated his exordium by informing the House that the Government intended to increase the duty against their colonies. He then entered into items which furnished the duties from which his Noble Friend's re sults had been drawn. They were not aware of the doubts which had prompted the Right lion. Baronet in his walk from Downing-street to that House, to alter the predetermined duty of 6d. into 9d., but he (Mr. Disraeli) thought the Right Hon. Baronet should not have stopped there. He took it for granted that protection to the British distiller, entered into the arrangement which was come to at the end of the session of 1845, and was also to be an essential in the Right Hon. Baronet's measure, and he would ask if free com petition could exist in this country under the operation of the excise laws? He thought it was agreed upon by all who had taken part in the debate. He thought, in fact, it was agreed upon by all who had considered the question, that compensation should be given to the traders who suffered under the excise system—who were the collectors of the very revenue which trey contributed to the Exchequer. The question was what compensation were they entitled to receive from the country for fulfilling that peculiar office. Every one agreed that this compensation should be given, and as the difference between the Right Hon. Baronet and his Noble Friend was only 3d., the House might very readily decide upon the amount of com pensation ? The Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for the University was a great authority, from his past experience and official knowledge ; and he (Mr. Disraeli) thought that he should be the very first person, under these circumstances, who should be selected as an excellent mediator on the subject. Fortunately they had an Act of that House, passed at the end of the session of 1845, which not only ad mitted, but laid down that the differential duty of Is. 3d. should be imposed. Now, in the phrase of the day. that was a great fact. It was an Act regulating the commercial transac tions of the Channel Islands, concocted in the secret recesses of the Treasury. He would assume that a fair compensation would be 141 The Right Hon. Gentleman had told them that at an interview with certain distillers, they had fixed the amount of duty at IBd.. and announced that 9d. out of that 18d. was on account of the existing duty upon barley. The Right Honourable Gentleman said there was writ ten evidence of this—that the admission was re deced into writing at the time. But the distillers denied that such writing existed, at least, they had never seen it ; but he understood that the substance of the conversa tion whch had passed between the Chancellor of the Exche quer and the deputation, and had been reduced to writing by three excise-officers, who were present. Thus the three respectable distillers were changed Into three excise-officers. The statement of the Right Hon. Gentleman was, he pre sumed, an official romance. If three virgins were changed into three dragons, the transformation could not be more complete. (Laughter.) The Right Hon. Gentleman admitted the cor rection of his Noble Friend's statements with two great excep tions ; these were the amount allowed on decreases, and the charges of rectifying. The Noble Lord has estimated the de crease at 3*d.; while the Right Honourable Baronet on the authority of the three distillers gave Id. The distillers complained that the rectifying houses were removed a quarter of a mile from the place where they carried on the other pro cesses of their manufacture, and that the excise duties com pelled them to manufacture an article which they were obliged immediately to part with. The cost price of the article was 2s. 6d., the duty was 7s. 10d., and they were obliged to pay it before they were permitted to remove a gallon of it. Thus they were forced to sell an unripe article which had to compete with a matured article from the Colonies. His Noble Friend had shown that the decreases were equal to 3id . per gallon, and that the additional cost for rectifying was as 3d. per gallon. The Right Honourable Baronet stated that these amounts were greatly exaggerated. Let them judge from the return he had before him. He found that from January, 1845, to January, 1846, - the amount of foreign gin entered for home consumption was 9,392 gallons, and of that no less than 1,280 gallons were allowed for " de- creases," being at the rate of 12% per cent. He came now to rectification ; and here the Right Hon. Gentleman said that the only individuals entitled to compensation were the Irish distillers. His Noble Friend said that the distance of the rec tifying house from the other distilling premises entitled him to sixpence per gallon compensation. Now the question was, what amount of compensation should be really given? That question could only be answered by a severe analysis in a Committee up stairs. Ile could not help thinking that this was a very limited question, and that a Committee must very soon arrive at a conclusion upon it. His Noble Friend had apologised in his opening speech to the House for bringing before them a very dry subject. He had stated that it was a question of pence and farthings. It consisted merely of five or six items—the greatest amount being Is. 31d. —the lowest amount 6d., and the middle course recommended to the Cabinet 9d. He agreed with the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite that a Committee might, if they worked every day, bring in a report at the end of a week. The Right Hon. Gentleman who was so opposed to Committees had voted for a Committee to investi gate the navigatien-laws.—(Laughter.) He (Mr. Disraeli) wanted to know how that Committee was proceeding—how it going on—whether they vicre prepared to Hon. give their report hear. ) The Rght an was bef oreEaster.—(Hearl had offered the House a private communication upon the sub ject of a deputation. He had said that when he was in office many years ago the distillers were then in communication with him, and that the Irish distillers made the following communication to him. The' had stated the case in the following way to the Right Hon. Gentleman. They re ceived what they called compensation, but which in these days was called protection in the existence of that agricultural legislation called the corn-laws, and the oily reason urged by those Irish distillers at that moment was, that the corn-laws as they then existed, made a difference to them of Is. per gallon. That would be 20s. per quarter, and he held in his hand the average prices of barley at that time. lie had taken it fur a great number of years, for the Right Hon. Gentleman did not state the time of his administration, but the number of years he had taken would, he was sure, contain that period. He found that the average price of barley was 295. and a frac tion. In 1822, it was 21s 10d., and ho wanted to know from the Right Hon. Gentleman how it was possible that a duty of 205., for it was a duty, how could there be that duty on barley selling at 21s. 10d. In 1821, the price was 265. per quarter, and the average price or duty was Is. per gallon, or 20s. per quarter. The price of barley in 1822 must have been Is. 10d. per quarter according to the statement of the Right Hon. Gentleman, and upon the average of the period of his Administration, it must have been Os. 6d. per gallon. That reminded him also of another statement which had been made by this Right Hon. Gentleman, or by another Right Hon. Gentleman. At any rate it was by a Right Hon. Gentleman ---( A laugh)—for he never made any notes upon these sub jects unless it came from the highest authority.—( Laughter.) He found that, according to the Right Hon. Gentleman's statement, the duty on barley, at the rate of compensation of 9d. per gallon to the domestic distillers, must have been 168. per quarter, and yet in the average years to which the Right Hon. Gentleman referred—in the year 1830, the price was as high as he had already stated. At the end of that year, it could be proved that the communication which was to decide the fate of the motion on its merits, and which had recorded the opinions of distillers in their absence, was made, and that emaimunication could be disproved if the Select Committee were granted to them. In 1830, 9d. per gallon, or 169. per qr., was in effect the duty which was the. foundation for the com pensation given to the domestic distillers, and the price of barley was then 325, rd. He left the lime to form an opinion 'sing * of the he 10E 5 loss in )rkmes it w 5 nu 3; ? ,xpeno Irish THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 27, 1847. what must have been the price of barley if the quotation of the Right Hon. Gentleman were correct. It only showed how easily statements were made by many great officials ; how they quoted and referred to documents of the dusty ages of 1830, before even Parliament was reformed. It gave the notion that it was impossible to contend for a moment against men of such experience—who had access to such important archives—who were masters of the price of barley any year during the last twenty or thirty. What a mass of intelligence must be required for such a knowledge—what an embrogtio of statistics—and how these Right Hon. Gentlemen complimented each other over the table—one Chancellor of the Exchequer saying that the other Chancellor's speech could not be answered —and the Chancellor of the Exchequer crying "Hear, hear." The Chancellor of the Exchequer had proved satis factorily to the House that in 1831 barley was selling at Is. 10d. per quarter, and another Chancellor of the Exchequer allowed that barley in 1830 was 16s. 7d. per quarter. The question was to be decided upon these facts, and he asked the House not to consent to any decision upon so limited a knowledge. The question was one which at first sight might not appear of vast importance ; it was very possible that there might not have been meetings in popular halls to call upon the people to advocate their interest. It was only legislating upon a commercial question concerning the interests of a long-esta blished werlthy and loyal part of the population of this country. They had come to them and asked from them nothing but inquiry. If they asked not for an inquiry, and for a favour, he could easily understand a Ministry saying—Do not let us dis turb this old-established state of things ; what you ask may be right, but we do not wish to disturb that which is already settled. What they required was an investigation into a matter affecting the commercial industry of England; here were these men asking only for an inquiry into a wrong! The Government had interfered a few years ago very sensibly with the interest of these distillers, and it was so only last year a year considered a year of settlement of this question, and after the House had discussed one of the most important questions connected with the commerce of this country which had ever been submitted to its consideration. This question never could have been settled except for that first-rate settlement. It had been brought forward, he would say, not too harshly or readily, but in a manner and with an expedition not anticipated at any other time. After corn and sugar, they had taken the question of distillers at the end of the session, without any opportunity of criticising their conduct in the two first instances. They had interfered considerably withthe distillers' interest, and they did not give him time to consider of it. They had taken him by surprise. Like Englishmen, these men had got over the shock—they were again pursuing their trade—again investing their capital—and again came the Chancellor of the Exchequer down to the House with a crude and undigested measure in his mind. They had come down to the House, not in a spirit of faction, but in order to reason against the proposition ; but before they could offer a word the Chancellor said he had changed his mind, and said they were going to give them one half of what they were going to ask. He (Mr. Disraeli) should have had more respect for a Minister who had adhered to his original proposition.—(Hear, hear.) They were asking nothing of him but an inquiry into a change respecting a law interfering with a very important branch of industry, which they had changed a few mouths ago, and respecting which the Government had not any defined or matured proposition. Was it reasonable that they must have the injustice inflicted on them when they said that they could find no convenience in any fur ther change ? They said that, considering the import ant change of last year—considering that the Govern• ment of the present day had lately shown themselves most fickle and capricious —they did not think it a measure likely to lead to credit or character for consistency of the Government. The Government ought to consider the policy and prudence of a measure before they tampered again with the interest of these distillers—they ought at least to make themselves masters of the facts—they ought at least to inquire before they decided. Mr. CARDWELL said, why was this inquiry demanded? Was it asked for by any of those interested—by the colonists? No, it was demanded only by the distillers, who, upon their own admission, had concluded the case against themselves. The Hon. Gentleman had, much to the amusement of the House, made several attacks upon the Government, and bad stated that Chancellors of the Exchequer, by a species of leger demain, converted documents written in the absence of parties into documents written by the parties themselves. He had in his hand a document—a private document—of a Mr. John Hadleigh, of Wandsworth, where it was marked—" Extra costs arising from the existing corn-law, 9d. "—(Laughter. He had els; another documer;i, from a Mr: Pierce Mahon—et gentleman high in the confidence of the distillers—which went in distinct corroboration of all which had been stated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. According to him, the allow- ante to the distillers was Is. when the corn'law existed. Now that it did not exist, the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed to leave them 9d., and that being the case, was there any party which had a right to complain ? The Noble Lord below him had not drawn any distinction be ween proving and overproving his case. The Noble Lord had proved so much on his case, as to furnish the most con clusive arguments against it. He had proved that the loss by the excise laws was 6d per gallon, and it had afterwards been proved that the whole cost of manufacture—loss on the excise laws included—was only 6d. per gallon. The Noble Lord had proved that a compensation of Is. 71d. was required, and the distillers had for many years been contented with Is. 6d. Lord JOHN MANNERS denied that the facts were so clear, as the Hon. Gentleman, who had just sat down, stated, for they were very differently quoted by the different speakers who had spoken on the qoestion. The distillers and the ex cise authorities might know them, but they werelby no means well known to that House. He predicted that the sstticment proposed by the Bill before the House, would be no settlement, for even if the distillers and the Excise were satisfied with it, it was by no means certain that her Majesty's Ministers would not come down to make another alteration.—(Cheers and laughter.) He thought a sufficient case had been made out for inquiry, and he would support the motion of his Noble Friend.—( Cheers, and cries of " Divide.) The House then divided, when the numbers were— For the amendment... 6B Against it Majority -117 On our return to the gallery we found the House had gone into Committee on the Bill. The various clauses of the Bill were then agreed to, and on the question that the report be brought up, Mr. HUME expressed his regret that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had shown so much vacillation, as to give way to the persuasions of the distillers. He did not believe that lie had (yawed a single vote by such a course. The House then resumed, and the report was ordered to be received on Monday. _______ "WAYS AND MEANS. The House then went into Committee, and it was agreed to raise the sum of 18,310,7001. by Exchequer-Bills, for the ser vice of the year 1547. SUPPLY. The House immediately afterwards went into a Committee of Supply. A vote of 500,0001. for the relief of the distress in Ireland, up to the 31st March, was agreed to. The vo'e of 600,000/. for relief of the destitute in Ireland, by means of soup kitchens, for the year ending the 31st March, 1848, was then proposed, and agreed to. The vote of 50,000'. to meet civil contingencies, for the year ending the 31st March, 1848, was then agreed to. On the vote of 50,00/. to defray the expenses of the works on the Houses of Parliament being proposed, Mr. HUAIE regretted that the building was so unsatisfac tory in its architectural designs and the working management. He hoped they would have a House of Commons without all the frippery which he saw—frippery which belonged to the time of Louis Quaterze, without any of the taste characteristic of that time. The estimate was originally 750,0001., but three times that sum was found would not now finish them. Who, he asked, was the responsible person who managed these works? When and what room were the Members of the Commons to have in the House of Lords ? Lord MORPETH said the room provided below the bar of the New House of Lords was 950 superficial feet, being an increase of nearly 300 feet over that of the old House. The vete was then agreed to. The vote of 20,0001. to defray the charges of the British Museum, till the 31st March, 1848, was agreed to. The House then resumed—and Mr. GREENE reported progress. AGRICULTURAL TENANT RIGHT BILL. On the order of the day for going into Committee on this Bill, NEWDEGATE said he had been one of the Com mittee on this Bill, and he appeared as assenting to the present form of the Bill. But that happened altogether through an irregularity, for he did not, and he could not agree with it. He did not think sufficient inquiry had been made into the state of agricultural interests, especially the jnterests of the tenant. There was a strong wish in the north to have the tenant-right more clearly defined, and the sums to be ap portioned for compensation. He must say he was not prepared to go on with the Bill. Mr. PUSEY said he was chairman on the Committee, and that the first day they they met they went through the Bill except two clauses. The second day they had proceeded so far that they might have reported that afternoon. They met afterwards ; an amendment was made and carried, and he as chairman put it to the Committee that he should report the Bill as amended, which was carried, and it was also carried that he should leave the chair. It was not natural after this that the Committee should be brought together again. He did not think that the Hon. Gentleman ought to have made the charge which he did, and expected that he would withdraw it. Mr. NEWDEGATE said there was a decided misunder standing among the Members of the Committee. Mr. JAMES thought this Bill had been carried through in a way something like clandestine. It was a Bill which enabled the ill-minded tenant to rob his landlord more effectually than he could before.—( Laughter. ) Mr. ACLAND said that the clauses were most maturely considered, and gone through before the Committee broke up. Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN had left the Committee without understanding that they were to meet again. Sir R. PEEL said that he was not sure that the Bill itself would not be improved if the tenant were allowed to claim a pecuniary remuneration for the improvements effected, but he thought the House could not legislate upon the subject without, in the first place, knowing what the practice and custom of tenant right was in different parts of the country, and secondly, how far and how they could best give effect to those customs by a legal enactment. The House was much indebted to the Hon. Member opposite (Mr. Pusey) for the pains he had taken and the ability he had shown in placing upon a proper footing the subject of agricultural tenants' rights ; but he thought the Hon. Member would consider that sufficient con.. sideration had not been given to the measure. Mr. PUSEY said that it was scarcely fair to introduce a discussion upon this Bill night after night, and especially by so practised a debater as his Right Hon. Friend (Sir R. Peel). There were only twelves clauses in the Bill, and the Commit tee had sat three days upon it, giving one hour to each clause. —( Laughter.) He thought, therefore, that the objections urged by the Right Hon. Baronet were scarcely tenable. Sir JOHN TROLLOPE explained the custom as it pre vailed in the county of Lincoln, and contended, that as differ ent customs prevailed in other counties a more extended inquiry should be made into the subject before the Bill was introduced. Sir G. GREY and Sir J. Y. BULLER recommended the Hon. Member to withdraw his Bill for the present. Mr. PUSEY could not consent to any postponesneat of the measure to a remote period. Mr. HENLEY considered that if any interference were offered to the Hon. Member's Bill he had himself to blame for it. The measure should be placed for a second reading on a Wednesday, when it would be properly discussed, but when placed on the paper on a Government night it was sure not to be brought before the House until one or two o'clock in the morning. Mr. PUSEY, after a few words in explanation, postponed his measure to the 21st of April next. DRAINAGE OF LANDS BILL. interference with wanted drainage, drain for themselves. drainage—let those who and hoped others would do ColonelO n the m s o o fl n T t H h that R t this s deprecatedßil Bill bere ad a a ny second in te r t f i of tose Bills which ought not to be ta ken other day when it have been fixed for a Wednesday, or so me . tahstaot,ththatislawteashoonuer, but ought to likewise. ( ug h t e n r . e ) a s He e consideredha done Gallant Colonel would not pre cmoeuLniodtrodbfeLthflueNtlhcodouisLsceuN.ssheodp.edHtehceoncluded by moving the adjourn ment himself.nt h e ( neighbour erd from Lne drainingL i ncoln ) h ad his land because he did . so forward the Bill at the urgent request of a vast number of landowners. If the Gallant Colonel persisted in his motion, he should postpone the second reading. Colonel SIBTHORP said he should persist in his motion. Sir JOHN TROLLOPE said the Bill was greatly re- (paired by landlords, and would throw no expense upon the ' country. Landowners had long felt the di ffi culty and delicacy of passing throu g h a neighbour 's land. He trusted the Gal lant Colonel would not divide the House, and that the Noble Lord would postpone the second reading. Several Hon. Members urged the Gallant Colonel to with draw his motion, but he was deaf to their entreaties. He would divide. The House then divided, when there appeared, For the adjournment 1 Against it Majority The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed. COMMONS INCLOSURE BILL. This Bill was read a third time and passed. Sir W. SONIEP VILLE obtained leave to bring in a Bill to enable the Board of Werks to purchase a site for the erection of a prison in Ireland. Mr. FOX MAULE obtained leave to bring in a Bill to regulate the stations of soldiers during Parliamentarvelections. Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN obtained leave to bring in a Bill to provide further facilities for the permanent improvement of landed property in Ireland by the owners thereof. Viscount SANDON nominated the Select Committee on our commercial relations with China :Viscount —Viscount Sandon, Mr. Francis Baring, Mr. Beckett. Dr. Bowring, 111 r. Brown, Mr. Cardwell, Mr. Ewart, Mr. Harcourt, Mr. Hawes, Viscount Jocelyn, Mr. Matheson, Mr. Moffatt, Mr. John Abel Smith, Mr. Spooner, and Sir George Staunton. Captain PECHELL moved for returns of slave vessels cap tured since the Ist day of January, 1842, distinguishing those brought for adjudication before the Courts of Mixed Com • mission and the several Vice- Admira!ty Courts; describing the tonnage of each vessel, and the flag under which she was seized, and whether such seizure took place in the presence of or with the . assistance of any foreign vessel of war, and of what nation ; stating the number of slaves, if any, on board at the time of seizure ; the date and decretal part of the sentence, whether forfeiture or restitution, with the amount of proceeds of sale or costs awarded ; also, the expenses of condemnation as distinguished from the charges for breaking up each vessel, and the period when the proceeds for distribUtion were paid into the Registry of the High Court of Admiralty ; of slave vessels that have been taken into her Majesty's service since the Ist day of January, 1842; stating the tonnage, and the appraised or estimated value of the hull and stores, and the sum or sums which the Commissioners of the Admiralty have deemed a proper price for the same.—Agreed to. Also return of copies of the bills, disbursements, and fees of the Marshal of the Vice-Admiralty Court of the Cape of Good Hope, relative to the slave-vessels Jehovah and Diana, sold by auction by virtue of decree of condemnation and sale, bearing date the 22d day of February, 1840, and the 22d day of January, 1846 ; together with the proceeds of sale of said ves sels, cargoes, and appurtenances, and the date when the same was paid into the Registry of the High Court of Admiralty. Agreed te. The remaining orders of the day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Half-past One o'clock- PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Comtnons. FRIDAY, 3iAltell 26. The following Railway Bills were presented, read a firs' ime, and ordered to be read a second time:— 6ledonian (Edinburgh Station, and Branches to.Granton, and to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway)—" to enable the Caledonian Railway Company to extend their Station in Edinburgh, and to make Branch Railways to Granton, and to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway." Caledonian (Branches to Wilsontown, to Fauldhouse, and to Biggar and Broughton)—" to enable the Caledonian Rail way Company to make Branch Railways to Wilsontown, to Fauldhouse, and to Biggar and Broughton." STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE. The following Resolution was reported from the above Committee That in the case of the Westminster and Part of Middlesex Sewers petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill on inserting the Notices for three successive weeks in the London Gazette, and in some newspaper published in the county ; and that the Committee on the Bill do examine, in the first place, how far such orders have been complied with, and do report the same to the House on the report of the Bill.—Resolution agreed to. NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL-OFFICE. The following Railway Bill is appointed to be read a second time on Tuesday, March 30 : Coventry, Banbury, and Oxford Junction. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commom.) FRIDAY. MARCH 26. CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL. Order for Committee read; Motion made, and Question proposed, " That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair:"— Amendment proposed, to leave out from the word " That" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words " the Bill be committed to a Select Committee," instead thereof:— Question put, " That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question." The House divided : , - MAJORITY-AYES, 185. Acheson, Viscount Ellice, E., jun. Ogle, S. C. Acland, T. D. Entwisle, W. Ord, W. Adderley, C. B. Escott, Bien= Oswald, J. Agllonby, H. A. Evans, William , Owen, Sir John Ainsworth, Peter Fielden, John Paget, Colonel Aldan), William Fitzwilliam, G. W. Paget, Lord A. Antrobus, Edmund Forster, Mathew - Pechell, Captain Archbold, Robert Fox, C. R. Peel, Sir Robert Arundel, Earl of Gill, Thomas Perfect, Robert Austen, Colonel Gisberne, Thomas Philips, G. R. Baillie, Col. Gladstone, J. N. Philipps, Sir R. Seine, Walter Gore, Robert Plumridge, Captain Bannerman, A. Goulburn, Henry Polhill, F. Barclay, David Greene, Thomas Ponsonby, C. F. Barkly, Henry Grey, Sir G. 4 Price, Sir R. Baring, F. T. Grosvenor, Lord R. Protheroe, E. Barnard, E. G. Hall, Sir Benjamin Pusey, P. Barrington, Viscount Hamilton, W. J. Rawdon, Colonel Barron, Sir 11. W. Hastie, Archibald Reid, Sir J. R. Bellew, R. M. Hawes, Benj. Reid, Colonel Bonbow, John Heneage, Edward Ricardo, J. L. Berkeley, Craven Hobliouse, Sir J. Rice, E. R. Berkeley, Captain Ilogg, Sir J. W. Rich, Henry Bernal, Ralph Holland, Robert Hominy, John Bodkin, J. J. Holmes, W. A'Court Ross, D. R. Botfleld, Berlah Hope, Sir J. itumbold„ C. E. Bowring, Dr. Hope, G. W. Russell, Lord .r.. Bright, John Hoskins, K. Russell, Lord,.K. Brotherton, Joseph Howard, C W.G. Smtndon, Vistount Buller, Charles lloward, P. 11. Scrope, G. P. Buller, Edward Howard, Sir R. Shell, R. L. Busfeild, William Hume, Joseph Sheridan, R. B. Byng, G. S. Humphery, Ald. Smith, Benjamin Cardwell, Edward Hutt, William Smith, J. A. Carew, R. S. Inglis, Sir It. Smith, Vernon Cavendish, C. C. James, William Somerset, Lord G. Chichester, Lord J. James, Sir W. C. Somerville, Sir W. Christie, W. 1). Jervis, Sir John Stansileld, W. R. C. Clay, Sir:W. Labouchere, Henry Staunton, Sir G. Clerk Sir G. Lan gs t on , J. II Stewart, John Colebrooke, Sir T. Layard, Major Stuart, V. Courtenay, Lord Le Merchant, Sir D. Strutt, Edward Cowper, W. F. Lincoln, Earl of Tancred, H. W. Crawford, W. S. Lindsay, Colonel Thornely, T. Cripps, William Loch, James Towneley, John Dahneny, Lord Macaulay, T. B. Trele)vny, J. S. Dawson, T. V. Mackinoun, W. Treubridge , Si E. Deedes, W. M4Donnell, J. M. Turner, Edmund Dennistoun, J. Mangles, R. D. Vane, Lord H. Dickinson, F. F. Marshall, William Villiers, Charles Dodd, George Martin, John Villiers Viscount Douglas, Sir H. Masterman, John Wall, C. B. Douglas, J. S. Maule, Fox Warburton, H. Drax, J. S. W. E. Mitchell, T. A. Ward, H. G. Duckworth, Sir J. Moffatt, George Wawn, J. T. Duke, Sir J. Monahan, J. H. Williams, W. Duncan, George Morpeth, Viscount Wood, :dr Charles Duncombe, T. Morris, David Wyse, Thomas Dundas, Admiral Mostyn, E. M. Young, John Dundas, F. Mitre, Colonel . Dundas, Sir David Napier, Sir Charles TzrzElte. Dundas, J. C.: Neville, Ralph Tufnell, IL Ellice, Edward O'Conor, Don Craig, W. G. MINORITY --NOES, i I I N HlG O raai normßgar H enley, ial elslnt,Toj, Captainn l E.J_ ' — l. . c l. J.H. v. N A. O . ES • 68 . A Ai r f k o w rt aVhits,c Georgeouli Viscount O'Brien, C. 1 1 :1 0 d l d g y s a ,o r n d : I . T.B. O'Brien, NV. S. O'Connell, lki: J. B i 31 Sl3 e aa la n ti fie : ic i su n c 4 :jV , .. T. M Lord ' G . Bentinck, Lord 11. O'Connell, John Oswald, Alexander Packe, C. W. Palmer, 'Robert Broadley, Henry Hodgson, R. Rendlesham, Lord Johnstone, Hope Broadwood, H. Repton, G. W. Buck, L. W. Jolliffe, Sir W. G. IL Shaw, F. Buller, Sir J. Y. Jones, Captain Sibthorp, Colonel Callaghan, D. K n i g ht , F . W. Smollett, A. Clifton, J. T. La w , C . E. Stuart, Lord J. Cole, Hon. H. A. Lockhart, W. Stuart, J. Disraeli, B. Mackenzie, T. Thompson, Alderman Duff, James INlacnamara, Major Trollope, Sir J. Egerton, Sir P. 31`Carthy, Alex. Walsh, Sir J. Fellowes, E. Manners, Lord J. Wodelionse. E. Finch, G. March, Earl of - Worcester, Marquis Forbes, William Marton. G. Yorke, - .E. T. Fuller, A. E. Maxwell, Hon. J. P. Gaskell, J. M. ' Mor gan , O. TELLERS. Beresford, Major Gordon, Hon. Capt. Mundy, E. M. Gore, W. R. 0. Newry, Viscount Newdegate, C. N. PRIMROSE-HILL PARK. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) The following letter has been received by the Secre tary of the West London Central Anti-Enclosure Asso ciation, respecting an extension of the proposed park, snch extension to consist of the hill, now used as a reservoir (with paddocks adjoining), and the long field behind each bill, &c. : " Office of Woods and Forests,March 22, 1847. " SIR,—I have, on behalf of the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods, &c., to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 17th inst., suggesting the purchase of land at Primrose hill, for the purpose of forming a Park, and I am to acquaint you that it is not the inten tion of the Board to purchase any more land at Prim rose-hill.—l am, Sir, your obedient servant, "J. LINTON." THE COLONIAL BISHOPRICS. The Committee for arranging the appointment of Co• lonial Bishoprics assembled on Thursday evening, and it was definitively arranged that the following clergymen should be nominated to the headship of the newly-formed sees, three being in Australia, and the fourth in the Cape of Good Hope:— 1. Diocese of Melbourne, for the di s t r i ct of Port A Phil , T N ri e n w i ty S c ou o t l h ieg W e, a c le a s. ro — b kh ig e o. Re v. Charles Perry, 2. Diocese of Newcastle, northern c ount i es of New South Wales. —The Rev. Will iam Tyrrell, M.A., Saint John's College, Cambridge. 3. Diocese of Adelaide, South Australia. —The Rev. Augustus Short, M.A., Christ Church, Oxford. 4. Diocese of the Cape of Good Hope.—The Rev. Ro bert Gray, M.A., University College, Oxford. s s t t o o r a i maintain,ve, To TIIE LADIES.—The high and universal cele brityactive yet mild and soothing extirpator of aplileiameipnugrilytieesvionfctehde. which Rowland's Kalydor coniii:nou;teand as an invi gorating, r Thisna , t is, ng duringis preparation , equally eminently period celebrated o f balsamic, spring,afor ams a fety in application, as for unfailing efficacy in removing all impurities and discolora tions ; and imparting a healthy freshness and transparency of the skin and complexion. Its universally great demand ex cites the cupidity of unprincipled shopkeepers, who give the title of " Kalvdor" to compounds of their own manufacture, of the most deleterious character, containing mineral astrin gents utterly ruinous to the complexion, and, by their repel lent action, endanger health. It is therefore imperative on purchasers to see that the words " Rowland's Kalydor" are on the wrapper. All others are fraudulent counterfeits. NEW POTATOES.—The Armagh Guardian contains the following, the first announcement of new potatoes:— " Mr. John Lowrie, gardener to the Lord Primate, sent up a dish of excellent new potatoes to the palace on Saturdaylast. They were of the ash leaf kidney kind, planted on the 6th of January, and were perfectly free from disease " The Duke Corchiano, a descendant of the Princely House of Santa Croce, died at Rome in the early part of the month, at an advanced age, COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen held a Chapter of the Most Noble Order of the Garter yesterday afternoon, at Buckingham Palace. The Knights Companions of the Order assembled at one o'clock, in the Palace, and were robed in their mantles of purple velvet by Mr. Hu iter and Mr. Ede. The Knights also wore their splendid collars. Garter King of Arms called over the names of the Knights Companions present in the Green Drawing-room, and the Knights and Officers of the Order proceeded into the presence of the Sovereign, in the Throne or Chapter-room. The Queen, who wore the Mantle and Collar of the Order, was seated in a chair of state, Prince Albert being by her side; his Royal Highness also wearing the Mantl e an d C o ll ar . The Duchess of Sutherland, Mistress of the Robes, and the Countess of Gainsborough, Lady-in-Waiting, were behind her Majesty. The Lord Chamberlain stood on the right of the Queen, and the Lord Steward on the opposite side. The Knights Companions present were his Royal Highness Prince Albert, his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Wellington, the Marquis of Anglesea, the Mar quis of Exeter, the Duke of Hamilton, the Marquis of Salis bury, the Duke of Beaufort, Earl de Grey, and the Marquis Camden. The officers of this order present, were the Bishop of Win chester, Prelate ; the Bishop of Oxford, Chancellor ; Sir Charles Young, Garter King of Arms ; and Sir Augustus Clifford, Bart., Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. The Knights Companions being seated, the Chancellor signified to 016 Queen that the Hon. and Rev. George Neville Grenville attended at the door, and humbly prayed to be ad mitted to take the oath of office as Register of the most noble Order of the Garter ; whereupon gy her Majesty's command, the Register, wearing his mantle, was introduced between Garter and Black Rod, the former carrying on a velvet cushion the Gold Chain and Badge; the Register knelt on the left-hand of the Queen, and the oath of office was administered by the Chancellor. The Register was then invested by the Sovereign with the Gold Chain and Badge, and having had the honour to kiss her Majesty's hand, retired to his place at the bottom of the table. The Chancellor signified to the Chapter her Majesty's Royal will and pleasure that the vacant stall in the Royal Chapel of St. George, at Windsor, should be filled, and as by the statutes none but a Knight can be elected, the Most Noble Francis Duke of Bedford was introduced between Garter and Black Rod. The Sword of State, borne by Sir William Martins, Gentleman Usher, was presented to the Queen by the Lord Chamberlain, and her Majesty was graciously pleased to confer the honour of Knighthood upon the Noble Duke therewith. His Grace, rising, kissed the Sovereign's hand and retired. The Knights Companions proceeded to the election, and the suffrages having been collected by the Chancellor, were presented by him to the Queen, who commanded him to declare that the Most Noble Francis Duke of Bedford had keen duly elected a Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. By the Sovereign's command, the Duke of Bedford was received at the door of the Chapter-room, by the Marquis Camden and Earl de Grey, the: two Junior Knights Compa nions present, and was conducted between them to the Queen, preceded bv.Garter (bearing the ensigns of the order upon a crimson velvet cushion) and by Black Rod. His Grace knelt near the Sovereign, and Garter King of Arms, on his knees, presented the Garter,and her Majesty, assisted by their Royal Highnesses Prince Albert and the Duke of Cambridge, the two Senior Knights Companions present, buckled it on his Grace's left leg, the Chancellor pronouncing the usual admoni tion. Garter King of Arms presented, in like manner, the Riband and George ; and her Majesty, assisted as before, put the Riband over his Grace's left shoulder, the Chancellor pro nouncing the admonition. The Noble Duke again kissed her Majesty's hand, and passed round the Chapter-table,receiving the congratulations of each of the Knights Companions. His Grace then withdrew. The Chapter being ended, Garter by her Majesty's com mand again called over the Knights Companions, who with the officers of the order retired from the presence of the Queen with the usual reverence. The Court was attended by the Lord Steward, the Lord Chamberlain, the Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gen tlemen at Arms, the Captain of the Yeoman Guard, the Master of the Horse; the Marquis of Londonderry, Gold Stick in Waiting; the Marquis of Ormonde, Lord in Wait ing; the Vice-Chamberlain, the Treasurer of the Household, the Comptroller of the Household; Viscount Clifden, Lord in Waiting to Prince Albert; Sir George Philip Lee, Lieute nant of the Yeoman Guard ; the Groom of the Robes ; Mr. R. Ormsby Gore, Groom in W a iti ng ; Captain Francis Seymour, Groom in Waiting to Prince Albert; Colonel the Hon. Charles Grey, Equerry in Waiting; Colonel Bouverie, Equerry in Waiting to Prince Albert; and Messrs. Gordon and Forbes, Pages of Honour in Waiting. A guard of honour of the Yeomen Guard lined the grand ball, under the command of the Eson in Waiting, Captain Sadler. The Queen's guard of the Foot Guards, with the band of the regiment, was on duty on the Palace lawn during the Court. His Royal Highness Prince Albert presided, yesterday afternoon, at a meeting of the Commissioners for Promoting and Encouraging the Fine Arts, in rebuilding the Palace of Westminster. The meeting was held in the new Palace. The Prince arrived shortly before three o'clock, attended by Colonel Bouverie. The Commissioners present were the Earl of Aberdeen, the Earl of Lincoln, Lord Ashburton, Lord Col borne, Viscount Morpeth, Viscount Mahon, the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Robert Peel, Sir Robert H. Inglis, Mr. H. Hallam, Mr. Vivian, and Mr. Wyse. The Secretary, Mr. Eastlake, was in attendance. Mr. Barry, the architect, attended the Commissioners during their inspection of portions of the new buildings. The meeting broke up at six o'clock. The Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal took an airing yesterday in an open carriage and four. The Royal dinner party yesterday at Buckingham Palace, included the Archbishop of Canterbury and Mrs. Howley, the Duchess of Sutherland, the Countess Granville, and the Right Hon. Sir James Graham, The Band of the Royal Regiment,of Horse Guards, under the direction of Mr. Tutton, attended during dinner, and performed the following pieces : Overture—" Stradel I a,"—Flotow. Selection—" Huguenots."—Meyerbeer. Waltzes—" Nur Lieben,"—Strauss. ' Finale—"sth Symphony—Beethoven. March—Lord Westmorland. The Duchess of Cambridge visited her Majesty the Queen Dowager yesterday, at Marlborough House. Yesterday was the birthday of his Royal Highness Prince George. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cam bridge and the Princess Mary dined with her Rovhl High ness the Duchess of Gloucester, at Gloucester House, la: to evening. A deputation from the Mauritius Association, consisting of Mr. D. Barclay, M.P., (Chairman), Mr. Hunter, (Deputy Chairman), Mr. A. Steele, Mr. Edward Chapman, Mr. Samuel Baker, Mr. Rowlandson, Mr. Clifford, and Mr. B. Greene, jun., accompanied by Mr. Dennistoun, for Glasgow, had an interview with Earl Grey yesterday, at the Colonial•ofice. The following Members of the New Bishopricks Commis. sion yesterday attended a meeting in Whitehall-place :—The Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord John Russell, the Bishops of London, Durham, Winchester, Chester, and Lincoln, and Sir George Grey. The Chairman of the Excise had an interview with the Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday. Lord James Stuart had also an interview with the Right ion. Baronet. FRIDAY NIGHT'S GAZETTE. WHITEHALL, Maucii 26, 1847. The Queen has been pleased to grant to the Hon. ana Rev. Henry Montagu Villiers, M.A., the place and dignity of a Canon Resideatiary of the cathedral church of St. Paul, London, void by the death of the Rev. Doctor Frederick William Blomberg. FOREIGN-OFFICE, MARCH 23. The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr. Saul Solomon, as Consul at St. Helena for her Majesty the Queen of Spain. BANKRUPTS. John Hutchison, wine merchant, Lloyd-square, Middlesex, to surrender April 8, at eleven, and May 7, at half-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Cannan, official as signee, Birchin-lane, Cornhill ; Messrs. Lawrence and Plews, Old Jewry-chambers. Richard Beaumont, woollen draper, Deptford, April 10 and May 1, at half-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Green, official assignee, Aldermanbury, London; Messrs. Norton and Son, New•itreet, Bishopsgate. Francis Claridge, wine merchant, Southampton-row, Bloomsbury, April 6, at twelve, and May 7, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Edwards,• official assignee, Fre derick's-place, Old Jewry; Walters, Basinghall-street. William Denyer, plumber, Littlehampton, Sussex, April 5 and May 6, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. rurquand, official assignee, Old Jewry-chambers; Edmunds, Worthing. William Smith, mercer, Uttox.eter, March 30, and April 27, at eleven, at the Birmingham District Court. Valpy, official assignee, Birmingham; Cattlow, Cheadle; Motteram and Knowles, Birmingham. Samuel Brown, wollen cloth manufacturer, Trowbridge, April 9, and May 7, at twelve, at the Bristol District Court. Miller, official assignee, Bristol; Vallance and Beioley, Old Jewry-Chambers. James White, joiner, Stanley, Lancashire, April 13, and May 7, at twelve, at the Liverpool District Court. Turner, official assignee, Liverpool ; Johnson and Co., Temple : Snowball,:Liverpool. Richard Kitson, tow-spinner, Cleckbeaton, Yorkshire, April 9, and May I; at eleven, at the Leeds District Court. Hope, official assignee, Leeds; Mitton, Scott, and Edwards, Southampton - buildings; Dunning and Stawman Leeds. Matthew Johnson, spindle maker, Leeds, April 12 and 30, at eleven, at the Leeds District dourt. Kynaston, official assignee, Leeds; Singleton, Great James-street, Bedford-row; Barret, Leeds. _ _ _ Jere . miah Scott, share broker, Leeds, April 22, and May 6, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court. Young, official as signee, Leeds ; Sudlow and Co., Chancery-lane ; Naylor, Leeds. Isaac Hall, machine-maker, Dobcross, Yorkshire, April 9, and May 11, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court. Pott, official assignee, Manchester; Richards and Walker, Lincoln's Inn-fields ; Buckley, Ashton-under-Lyne. Jesse Francis, grocer, Holywell, Flintshire, April 12, and May 3, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Morgan. official assignee, Liverpool ; Bing, Furnivars Inn ; Cunnah, Chester. Hewson Dutchman, merchant, Liverpool, April 7 and 27, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court. Cazenove, official assignee, Liverpool; Liverpool Loftus, and Young, New Inn, London; Yates, jun., Liverpool. DIVIDENDS DECLARED. J. F. Burness, baker, Twickenham—first div. of I I /(1. in the pound, on Monday, March 29, and two following Dion days, at the office of Mr. Cannan, Birchin-laue, City. C. Pullman, hosier, Strand—first div. of 2s. in the pound, on Monday, March 29, and two following Mondays, at the office of Mr. Cannan, Birchin-lane, City. S. Archer, woollen manufacturer, Rochdale—second div. of 4 1 4 d. in the pound, on Tuesday, April 13, or any subsequent Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Fraser, Manchester. T. Boyle, muslin manufacturer, Manchester—second div. of 3d. in the pound, on Tuesday, April 13, or any subsequent Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Fraser, Manchester. A. Dale, butcher, Livcrpool—first div. of id. in the pound, on Thursday, April 4, or any subsequent Thursday, at the office of Mr. Cazenove, Liverpool. G. Tremble, grocer, Liverpool—first div. of 6d. in the pound, on Thursday, April 4, or any subsequent Thursday, at the office of Mr. Cazenove, Manchester. G. Byford, grocer, Liverpool—second div. of 3d. in the pound, on Thursday, April 4, or any subsequent 'Thursday, at the office of Mr. Cazenove, Liverpool. R. C. Lloyds, plumber, Liverpool—first div. of Is. 7d. in the pound, on any Wednesday, at the office of Mr. Morgan, Liverpool. J. Fearnley, stuff manufacturer, Bradford—second div. of 8 3 / 4 d. in the pound, and on subsequent proofs 2s. 8 3 / 4 d. in the pound, on any day after April 9, at the office of Mr. Young, Leeds. DIVIDENDS. At the Court of Bankruptcy, Basinghall-street. F. H. Bourquin, watch manufacturer, Northampton-street, Clerkenwell, April 16, at one—S. DL. Latham, baker, Dover, April 16, at one. In the Country. G. Johnson, merchant, Liverpool, April 20, at twelve, at he Liverpool District Court—A. Huddle ton, farmer, Bram , ham, Yorkshi re , A pr il 22 , at e l even, at the L eeds D i str i ct I Court—ll. J. E. Safrran, cloth merchant, Iluddersfield, April 22, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court—F. Want, rag merchant, Batley, Yorkshire, April 22, at eleven, at the Leeds District Court—R. Evans, April 22, at twelve, at the Liverdool District Court. CERTIFICATES to be granted, unless cause be shown to the contrary, on the day herein mentioned. J. Johnson, grocer, Chelmsford, April 16—J. B. Elworthy, draper, Bridgewater, Somersetshire. April 16—G. M. Mason, potato dealer, Whitechapel- road, April 16—C. M. Browne, schoolmaster, Newchurch, Isle of Wight, April 16—J. Gil liam, jeweller, Frith-street, Soho-square, April 17—J. Well man, wine merchant, Birkenhead, Cheshire, April 16—J. D. Parry, share broker, Manchester, April 19—G. Mosely, innkeeper, Bakewell, Derbyshire, April 16—C. Sneezum, licensed victualler, Old-street, April 16—S. Page, currier, Nottingham, April 16—R. Mann, chemist, Huntingdon, April 16—J. P. Moore, chemist, Plymouth, April 16—W. Everton, turner, Bunhill-row, St. Luke's—J. Dredge, hotel keeper, Liverpool, April 16—S. G. Burton, gas manufacturer, Sidmouth, April 16—F. Clark, jewel-case maker, George street, Adelphi, April 16. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. S. Whitchurch and S. Whitchurch, jun., wine merchants, Speenhamland, Berkshire—D. R. Clarke and S. C. Tennant-, Havana—C. 13rocklehurst, J. Lowe, and R. Walsh, cotton spinners, Heaton Norris, Lancashire—J. Murray and A. Carson, tea dealers, Nantwich, Cheshire—G. R. Wales and W. Ellis, auctioneers—W. bunt, A. Morris, F. Clarke, and W. Stones, lacemen, Manchester—W. Brown, J. Shipley, F. A. Hamilton, J. M. Priestman, J. Brown, S. Brown, S. Nicholson, and W. E. Bowen, Liverpool (so far as regards J. M. Priestman )—W. Cameron, D. Bowdin, W. Werry, T. Jones, 0. Thomas, B. Gribble, P. Floyd, A. Fleming, and T. Millican, grocers, lilverston, Lancashire—T. and H. Burton, Aldersgate-street—G. Glover, jun., and J. K. Suter, warehouse keepers, Liverpool—G. C. and E. Smith, drapers, Blockley, Worcestershire--R. Gething and G. W. Jones, Newport, Monmouthshire—J. and W. B. Barnes, clothiers, St. John-street, Clerkenwell—W. and E. Watkins, shoe manufacturers, Thornton -street, Horsleydown—W. Brewster and B. T, Seabrook, surgeons, Brighton—G. Coward, W. Green, jun., W. Taylor, and M. Taylor, slate merchants, In gleton, Yorkshire (so far as regards W. and M. Tavlor)—J. Posnett and J. Thomas, stone masons, Lower Tranmere, Cheshire—J. and R. Readdy, coopers, Backchurch-lane, St. George in the East—J. Evans, T. Casson, and R. Mitchell, coach builders, Liverpool (so far as regards T. Casson)—J. Turton, G. Turton, and W. Turton, manufacturers of fancy goods, Kirkheaton, Yorkshire—ll. Thompson, sen., and H. Thompson, jun., grocers, Framlin g h am , SutToll—P. Cheadle, M. Cheadle, J. Wilson, and J. Windram, farmers, Coventry —T. T. Smith and G. J. Steer, stock brokers, Old Broad street, City—M. A. Gladstone, A. Hannay, and J. M. Glad stone, sail makers, Liverpool (so far as regards A. Hannay)— A. and J. Wilson, carpenters, Back-road, St. George in the East—G. and R. W. Fuller, auctioneers—H. Broadwood, R. C. Mundell, W. Huggins, E. Huggins, and T. C. Broad wood, brewers, Broad-street, Golden-square (so far as re gards R. C. Mundell and T. C. Broadwood)—D. Manser and I'. Jenner, attorneys, Rye, Sussex. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS. William M'Culloch, cheese merchant, Greenock, April I and 26, at twelve, at the White Hart Inn, Greenock. James Anderson Dobbie, laceman, Glasgow, March 29 and April 19, at one, at the office of Mr. Adam, Glasgow. PRICE OF SUGAR. The average price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar, computed from the returns made in the week ending March 23, 1847, is 325. 1131 d. per cwt. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. ROME CIRCUIT.—Lewes, March 26. The commission for the county of Sussex was opened on Monday, but in consequence of the state of the business in Kent it was found necessary to postpone the commencement of the Sussex assize business to Thurs day morning, when both courts were opened. On the civil side there are only fourteen causes, several of which were put down as undefended, and four of them are special jury canses. The number of prisoners for trial is somewhat greater than usual, there being forty-nine on the calendar. CROWN COURT.—(Before the Lonn CHIEF JUSTICE.) Edwin Rickman, a farmer, near Hailshana, was in dicted for feloniously uttering a bill of exchange for 2001., with intent to defraud the London and County Bank. Mr. Russell Gurney and Mr. Johnson prosecuted, and Mr. Clarkson defended the prisoner. It appeared that the prisoner was very respectably connected in the county, and carried on the business of a farmer to a large extent at Hails-ham. lle kept an account with the London and County Branch Bank at Lewes, and the bank had discounted bills to a con siderable amount for him. In the month of November last year, a bill for 300/., drawn by the prisoner, and which purported to bear the acceptance of a Mr. Thomas Barton, the brother-in-law of the prisoner, and a man of considerable :property, living at Ben hill, became due, and the prisoner wished to have it renewed, but the manager of the bank declined to renew the bill to the full amount, but offered to take a fresh bill for 200/., accepted by Mr. Barton, if the balance was paid in cash. The prisoner consented to the arrange ment, and a bill for 2001. was drawn, which the prisoner took away for the purpose of getting the acceptance of his brother-in-law, as he represented, and a few days afterwards he sent the bill back to the bank apparently accepted by Mr. Barton, with cheques and other securi ties to the amount of 5001. When the bill became due it was dishonoured, and the acceptance, upon inquiry being made, turned out to be a forgery. The prisoner appeared to have borne a very high character for integ rity up to this° transaction, and it would seem that he had involved himself in difficulties by experiments in farming, and had also recently suffered much mental distress by the loss of his wife. Mr. CL - ARKSON made a very feeling and enegetic ad dress to the jury, but the evidence was of too conclusive a character to allow of any hope of a favourable result to the prisoner. The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and sentence was deferred. 0 RTHERN Clf?CUlT—Liverpool, March 25. CIVIL SlDE.—(Before Mr. Baron RoLrE.) Mr. Baron Rolfe was engaged for the greater part of the morning in trying undefended causes, and two or three causes, after being partly heard, were referred. The business came to a stand still at half-past three in the afternoon from parties not being prepared to go on. The causes in the list were called over in their order, and no one being ready to go on, his Lordship proceeded to try some of the prisoners. There are 132 causes in the list, viz., 32 for the Salford, and 100 for the West Derby Hundred. Among these there are twelve special jury causes ; and one in dictment, the Queen v. Selby and others. CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron ALDERSON.) John Miller, 34, was charged with having, on the 26th of January last, at Warrington, feloniously stolen a mare, the property of Isaac Henshall. The prisoner had pleaded guilty to another charge, that of stealing a number of American clocks, the pro perty of his master. Verdict—Guilty. Sentenced to be transported for fifteen years. Wjthem Bannister, aged 15, was charged with having, at Heaton Norris, feloniously set tire to a quantity of cotton, belonging to James Leece and others, the cotton being then in progross of manufacture. Mr. Monk appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Grainger for the defence. The prisoner had been employed in the throstle room of Messrs. Leece and Company before the time of the alleged offence. David Inglis, another lad in prosecu tors' employ, while engaged at work in their factory, perceived the prisoner standing at the door of what is called the carding room, and on coming into the lobby, he saw him fling a lighted match into the carding room, and then run up a flight of stairs. Inglis went into the carding room, and there found some cotton, in a carding machine near the door, on fire. By the as sistance of a man, who immediately came, the fire was soon put out. It appeared further, that the prisoner on his way to the factory that morning had spoken to some other boys going to the some work, saying, " Well, we are going to this happy hole again;" adding, that he wished the mill might burn down before night. One of the boys said that would be u pity, as it would throw so many hands out of employ, but the prisoner said he did not care if it did. Ile said there was no cotton on the ground, and one of the boys replied that there was a load under the gate way. But the prisoner said that was nothing for such a mill as that. Seeing, however, several more loads waiting there, he observed, " Well, I suppose we must set on." It was further shown that, at about the time when the fire must have been set, another boy, who could not be identified, was seen to run from the door of the room where the fire was, and to run up the stairs. His LORDSEIIP here stopped the case, observing that although all the witnesses for the prosecution might have stated what they believed to be true, the case depended on evidence of personal identity, and that sort of evidence was of a kind in which witnesses were peculiarly liable to make mistakes. With respect to the words attributed to the prisoner, such loose expressions were entitled to but little weight.—Acquitted. POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE. __ OBTAINING CHARITY BY FRAUDULENT REPRESENTA TIONS. — Morris Lotez, a Pole, aged eighteen, in the attire of a female, was put to the bar, charged with having solicited charity at the Synagogue in Duke's place on Thursday, twice as a male and once as a female. The prisoner, who could not speak a word of the Eng lish language, had, as might well be imagined, a great number of Jewish followers to the justice-room. Mr. Oppenheim, secretary to the Jewish Synagogue, stated, that as the Feast of the Passover was approach. ing, he had been, on Thursday, occupied in delivering Passover bread to the poor of that persuasion, butween 600 and 700 of whom received relief, and amongst those persons who presented themselves was the prisoner, who appeared at first dressed like a man, and was handed a ticket for 71b. of bread, the customary allowance to a single man. Soon afterwards a porion, also in the dress of a man, presented himself as a claimant, and one of the men in attendance at the Synagogue called at tention to him, as au individual who had been served before. As witness was not certain of the fact, it was determined that the applicant should have the benefit of the doubt, and a ticket for 71b. of bread was accordingly delivered to him, the man in attendance at the Synagogue being positive that he was the identical party who had been served previously. In the latter part of the evening the prisoner at the bar appeared in the bonnet, shawl, and gown with which he was covered at that moment, and said he had a husband and two children, the one two, the other four years old. Witness upon that repre sentation delivered to him a ticket for twenty pou n d s o f bread, believing that it was correct, and the prisoner left the room, but upon going to the outer gate was recog nised by one of the porter s , w h o h anded him in, and said, " Here is a man you have relieved twice as and once as a woman." Th ere was then not the e l a man, question as to the p r i soner ' s i dentity with the three claimants upon the charity, and he was delivered into the hands of a policeman. The LORD MAYOR —Did h e say anything upon being detected? Mr, Oppenhei He begged to be allowed to go off, and did not deny that he had been inipoving upon. the charity. As it is our practice to give indiscriminately to poor applicants of the Jewish religion, we are, na doubt, immensely imposed upon, and us considerably more is to be dispensed, we dread still greater imposi tion, unless your Lordship will make an example of this person. The LORD Mlron—lf lie happened to be a strict Jew, and to hare required the bread, would you have dis pensed it to him? Mr. Oppenheim—Certainly. The LORD MAYOR—WeII, Mr. Lotez, what have you to say in answer to this charge of disgraceful imposi tion? The prisoner put on a crying face. The Loup MAYOR—Have you got any friends in the crowd behind you? The prisoner turned round, and several Jews who were standing close to the dock fell back amidst much laughter, evidently terrified at the idea of being claimed as an acquaintance. He shook his head. With the assistance of a gentleman who acted as in terpreter, the Lord Mayor learned that the prisontr was no Jew at all, but a Protestant; that he had applied ut the Synagogue before, and baring reel R ith a repulse, he determined to be even with the officials, and accord ingly adopted that mode of revenge. Some persons present recognised the prisoner as the associate of a set of bad fellows in the neighbourhood of Wentworth -street. The LORD MAYOR —For the protection of charitable institutions like the one which has been thus thr, e times imposed upon by the prisoner, twice as a man, and once most disgracefully in the dress of a woman, I sen tence him to imprisonment and hard labour for three months as a rogue and a vagabond, for endeavouring to procure charitable contributions under a fraudulent pretence. The prisoner was then taken from the bar. MARLBOROUGH -STREET. DARING HIGHWAY ROBBERY.— William Wynn and Louisa Higgins were brought up for further examination, charged with having committed the following highway robbery on Marshall Jones, a carpenter, living at No. 8, Blackhorse-yard, Oxford -street. The complainant, who exhibited marks of the violence he had sustained, said he was walking homewards on Mon. day, about one o'clock in the morning, when he was sud denly surrounded and hustled by several persons. Th female prisoner threw her arms around him, and the male prisoner thrust his hand into his (complainant's) pocket. He struggled with Wynn, and was thrown down on the pavement. The parties then left him, and witness tried to rise, but before he could regain his feet the prisoner Wynn came back and kicked him violently on the head, with the remark, " You , I know you have some money." The kick was sufficiently vi•lazi to deprive witness of his senses for a short time. A police-constable came up on hearing his cries, and he told him what had occurred. Witness afterwards went to a house with the police, and there found the two prisoners, whom he immediately recog nised as the persons who had been the most active in robbing and ill-treating him. Witness had about 11. 14s. in one of his pockets, which escaped the notice of the prisoners. Witness recollected having been at the Land of Mischief public house, where his boother lodged, just before the attack on him, and in front of the bar there, was the prisoner in company with some other men. Witness recollected that he pulled out his money when in the public-house, in the presence of the prisoner and his companions. It was apparently this money which led to the attack on him. The pocket in which he had placed the money was not ransacked, but a pocket in which he had some keys was torn from his coat, and it was afterwards picked up near where he was kicked. The constables proved finding the witness a s d escr ib e d, and taking the prisoners into custody. The male prisoner said he was not the individual who had committed the offence. He had not been in the Land of Mischief public-house that night, nor had been in the woman's company at all. One of the constables said he saw the prisoner and the woman come out of a public-house together just beforo the occurrence. • Mr. HanDwicK said he should commit both prisoners, but it would be advisable to get some additional evi dence. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTSMOUTH, FRIDAY.—We understand the Admi ralty have awarded annuities to two of the daughters of the late Lieutenant W. P. Green, R.N.; and that the same boon will be conferred upon the eldest daughter of the deceased veteran. his Excellency Lord Howden, the newly-appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the River Plate, and suite, arrived at Gosport this afternoon, by the express train on the South-Western Railway, and put up at Pettet's Railway Hotel, where his Lordship dines and sleeps this evening. The suite and personal baggage of his Lordship have been em barked at Spithead in the Rattler steam-sloop, Com mander Moorman, the vessel appointed for his Lordship's mission, which will sail to-morrow it is expected. Admiral Sir Charles Ogle, Bart., the Commander-in- Chief, accompanied by his Flag-Captain, Milne, and Mr. G. B. B. Collier, Flag-Lieutenant, paid an official visit this morning, at half-past eleven, to the Saltnrander steam .sloop, whose crew had been previously mustered and inspected by Captain Milne. The Admit al was received with manned yards by the crew of the vessel (the band of the Victory on the poop playing the usual salute as he passed to and from her), and the other ceremonies incidental to official visits. John Barton, the marine recently condemned to suffer death for a viola tion of the 22d article of war, in abusing and striking whilst in the execution of his duty his superior officer on the quarter-deck of the Salamander, was then sent for, having been previously brought aboard from the Victory in custody of the Provost-marshal and a guard of It:laxities. The Admiral having ordered every one in the ship to be called aft en the quarter-deck, and all being a•seinbled, Captain Milne read an official letter from the Lords of the Admiralty, stating that the Earl of Auckland, First Lord, having laid the case of the con. demned John Barton before her Majesty, it was the Royal command that the sentence of death passed upon him (.John Barton) by c urt-martial, be commuted to transportation for seven years. Sir Charles then ad. dressed the culprit in a very feeling and impressive manner, enlarging on the enormity of his offence, the necessity for its suppression and punishment, &c., and hoped the prisoner would show by his future conduct his gratitude for the mercy the Queen had been gra ciously pleased to extend to him in consideration of his former good character. The Gallant Admiral took oc casion to admonish the crew generally against similar conduct, animadverting on its dangerous tendency and the necessity for preserving rigidly proper order and subordination, concluding with these words:—" The strength of the navy consists in discipline." The pri soner was then taken back to the Victory, where he will remain until disposed of by the Secretary of State The St. Vincent, 120, Captain Milne, was got all atoll - again yesterday, having been very smartly newly rigged in the basin, the short time occupied in doing which reflects great credit u p on t h e officers and ship's company. She will be dock e d on th e Fairy coming out, and be quickly refitted for sea-going service. Contracts were taken yesterday at the Royal Clarence Victualling Establishment, Gosport, for 1,000 quarters of barley, at 48s. sd. and 48s. Bd. per quarter, and 1,000 sacks of biscuit-meal at 50s. 9d. The establishment is in work all day to keep up a supply for the navy, and all night for the " relief service." The Talbot, 26, Captain Sir Thomas Talbot, was paid off this afternoon all standing. Her sails are unbent, topgallant -masts struck, and as much of her runnitio• rigging and stores returned as could be dispensed with. She will be docked without delay, and refitted with all dispatch for the relief service. We were led into an error about a fortnight since in commenting upon the fact of Captain Thompson having brought home two freights in succession from the Pacific. Sir Thomas was sent home with the first involuntarily, being ordered home with important dispatches; the freight did not amount to more than 1,000,000 dollars; the one just brought home only amounted to 60,000 dollars in specie, and was, therefore, anything but adequate to the loss sustained by Sir Thomas by the America bringing, home freight out of her turn. which fact has deranged all the intentions of the Commander-in-Chief in the Pacific, and greatly disappointed those officers who expected to benefit by the usual train of the proceedings on that station. Sir Thomas Thompson, although a baronet, is not a rich man, as might be supposed ; quite the con trary, and has a right to expect restitution of that of which he has been unjustly deprived. PLYMouTH, MARCH 2:,.—Her Majesty's sloop Mari ner, 12, Commander Mathison, returned yesterday morning with loss of jibboom, bowsprit sprung, stern boat stove in, and ship leaky. She was bound to Ascen sion and the coast of Africa, and put back to this port some weeks since, damaged under similar circumstances. After being refitted she left again on the 13th instant, and will now require a thorough repair. The Mariner is overmasted and sparred; she consequently rolls heavily, and in stormy weather always incurs damage. The emigration barque Belle Alliance, Captain Van• del berg, which put back on the 23d, after reaching 17 deg. 30 min. W., carried away her maintopmast and mizyn, sprung her mainmast, and damaged her rigging, and will now require a complete refit. She was bound to Adelaide, and has about 240 emigrants on boare. ROYAL ARSENAL.—The works in this great naval and military depot, at Woolwich, are carried on at present with great vigour, the number of guns of modern construe. Lion to replace those previously mounted on the variousillalueer.gt: for tifications at home and abroad in the colonial possessi. this country being considerable; and the additional numbers()f of large pieces of ordnance for the new fortifications at home stations has required a 'number of workmen tioeacoam them within the time they were ordered to be ready r for use. escoeontlloyadssuPtio) deliver f(a qTuhaentiquantity, contractors a tid have a fo v r e timberupwards h a o \ f 'e 4 r , and limbers making ship and gun carriages, and carriageslng and carriage fer field ordnance. The works i ni t t i h t , h s e t b ea power, instead of de partmentshorses, tbe arefi,r former r w l a effected bori ollso N a v . the horses are now em ployed in the open air in carting. timber and moving large pieces of ordnance to and from te proof butt and to the de partments where the various works are carr i e d on to ma k e I t \ h . it t i n i 5 0rs and gu perfect. nn e Aboat horses are required every day, drivers o of the Royal Artillery for the work in the Royal Arsenal, and upwards of 100 men of the Royal Artillery* are daily empl oye d i n ass i st i ng to un l oa d th e timber from the barges which convey it by canal from Yorkshire. SUDDEN DEATH AT THE TOWER.—A young man, named Houghton, while on Thursday engaged in the works going on at the Tower, was seized with a tit and fell to the ground. lie was immediately conveyed to the regimental hospital, and was attended by the surgeon, but death ensued almost immediately. The body now awaits an inquest at the canteen. WESLEYAN CONFERENCE FOR 1847.—The Wesleyan Methodist Conference will be held in Liverpool this year, in June or July. The meetings will take place, as on former a b t y th w e e ß sl r e u y n a s n wi rai ek n C is h te a r p s el f , ro Moss street, soterceaesti,oannsdolwailisi parts of the kingdom. To some of the Conference meetings bemi si milar attended kind, the ministers belonging to that denomination only are ad mitted; to others the public generally are adrai,s,kible.