The Sun. — London, England, 1857-02-25 00:00:00

It might be said that it would b better even to bear those evils than run the risk of aVvar ; but such was not the feel ing of the British residents at. Canton. It is a source of humiliation as it is a constant repron.th, that we have not gained the objec.s of the war, This is felt ne t on l y at Canton but at A m oy, .ani the other ports, whore large numbers of Canton men are; and in 1816 it led to serious riots at Fowchow. My lords, this is a very serious question for all f ore i gn residents, who are in a state of constant app re h ens i on from the anoma lous, nominally amicable state in which they now stand towards the Chinese ; they are without the walls, unable. to communicate with the Chinese authorities in m ,tters of d oily occiirronce, an I are in a at to of con stant apprehensi.m. Hy noble friend says that the late operatiou should n it have been un lertaken without express instructions from the home government. Let me remind hirn of what took place in 1817 under precisely analogous viroutustances. At that time several outrages had been corn irrdted on British subjects, and a number of seamen had been decoyed into the suburbs c f Caaton and nearly mur dered. Sir J. D tvis plaleil the matter in ttiehands of Gen. I) Aguilar. Ile at once took the Bogue Forts, blew up the batteries, and spiked 879 guns. When that had b.3en done Sir J. Davis obtained an interview with the High Commis sioner Keying, and he then sent in a written list of de mands; anion..st them was that of entrance into Canton. The circumstances ire that year were strictly :analogous to the present,. In both cases there was an infraction of the treaty, in both cases a dm - nand for reparation. The only difference was, that in this case there was much more mo deration di sp l ayed than in 1945. Tao conduct of Sir J. Davis and Gen. d'Aguilar on that occasion was warmly anproved of by Lord Palmerston. In his despatch he states : " Foreign-office, June 4, 1847. " Sir-1 received yesterday afternoon the duplicate of your despatch of the 12th of April, purporting to give a more de tailed account of the operations against Canton, undertaken iu the beginning of that . month, than was contained in your previous despatches the sth and 6th of April, and I re ceived at the same time your separate despatch of the 10th of April, e , iclosiug a copy of dnjor-General d'Ag,uillar's report to the Secretary of State for the War Department. But I have not yet received your despatches of the sth and 6th of April. Althroigh, in consequence of tho non-arrival of the previous despatches, her Majesty's Government have not the means of forming a correct judgment of the grounds on which the expedition was undertaken against Canton, or as to the negotiations which preceded that expedition, yet enough appears from the despatches which they have received from you, and from the articles of agreement concluded with Keying, to show that the expedition was undertaken to obtain redress, which had been refused on the several matters mentioned in that agreement, and I have accordingly great sal , isfaction in stating to you that her Majesty's Government, as at present informed, aro of opinion that you were fully justified in having resolved to undertake the expedition, and entirely approve the promptitude and judgment with which the arrangements for it were made, the decision and enter prFi.e with which it was conducted, and the ability and firm ness with which you seem to have compelled Keying to ac cede to all your demands.—l am, drc., "PALMERSTON." My lords, that was the first despatch sent by Lord Palmer ston approving of the proceedings ; another was afterwards s3ut with which I will not trouble your lordships, but I rnay say it was to the same effect. Lord Palmerston was then the colleague of my node friend who sits at the table (Earl Grey), and who, I believe, expressed no disapproval of these operations; on the contra r y, I b e li eve hi s appro bation of th em has been recorded. My noble friend shakes his head, but I have a despatch here which will show that lam right in that statement. I was not aware of its existence until lately, and it is not, therefore, included in the papers which have been laid on the table. If my noble friend has no objection I will read it, although it is only au echo of what Lord Palmerston wrote to Sir John Davis. My noble friend wrote to Gen. D'Aguilat fol lows : " Colonial-office, Nov. 7. "Sir—The Goveraor of Ceylon has c ommun i ca t e d t o me an application which you have made to the Major-General commanding her Majesty's troops in that island, for a re• inforcement of half a company of artillery, with two guns and a proportionate supply of ammunition, to be held in readiness to be forwarded to Hong Kong, should eircum staucee render it necessary to undertake any further mili tary operations at Canton. I have desired the Governor of Ceylon not to send to Hong Kong the detachment for which you have made application ; and I have further to signify ter yeti that her Majesty's Government peremptorily forbid you to undertakeeany further offensive operations against the Chinese without their previous sanction, Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that, although the late operations in the Canton river were attended with immediate success, the risk of a second attempt of the same kind would far over balance any advantage to be derived from such a step. If the conduct of the Chinese authorities should, unfortunately, render another appeal to arms inevitable, it will be necessary that it should be made after due preparation, and with the employment of such an amount of force as may afford just grounds for expecting that the objects which may be pro posed by such a measure will be effectually accomplished without unnecessary loss.—l have, &c., GREY." lily lords, those are the words of my noble friend, and although they do not directly and pointedly approve of what had occurred, they certainly contain no disapproba tion. (Hear, hear.) That the matter did not proceed fur ther in 181(3 was owing to the small force at the disposal of Sir John Davis; he said he should not have felt confident of success had he not been allowed to act immediately, and •to make an attack partaking of the character of a coup-de main; he did so act, and negotiations were afterwards concluded with the Chinese authorities because he could obtain no relief from Ceylon which he had written fur. And this brings me to the letter cf my noble friend which has been laid upon the table at his own request, and upon evitich he says he took the opinion of the late Duke of Wel lington. My noble friend wished it to be understood that no operations could he undertaken against China for any insult to the British flag or an infraction of a treaty with out instructions to that effect from the home Government ; but upon looking at my noble friend's despatch, I find that so far from that, being so, the instructions it contains were not general instructions at all, but merely prudent and necessary orders, which were called for by the exigen tie* of the moment. Because it, was quite clear then that no force could have been sent him from Ceylon of sufficient strength to have enabled General D'Ae,uilar to undertake any further operations against the Chinese with a chance of success, my noble friend, therefore, did not refer to operations ageinst the Chinese generally, but only to those which bad just been concluded, while there was an a clitional reason for the instructions being given at the moment, in the then deplorably defenceless state of Ceylon. (Hear.) Bet, my lords, if the authorities must wait, fur the apt robation of the home government before eireaging in such offensive nperatiens as circumstances may call for, if that is to he considered as the force and wean ing of the order issued by my noble friend, I can only say that nothing would be more calculated to cast dismay amongst the British residents in China—not alone in Can ton, hut throughout the whole of the Chinese empire. (Hear.) If it is once to be established that we give up the right of the authorities on the spot to act with hostilities, if necessary, when our rights are violated or injuries are inflicted —if it is to be lad down as a rule that they must first ask for approbation, which can only be obtained after a delay of throe or four mouths, no British subject will be safe ; and, for the sake of securing his life and property, he will be compelled to renounce his nationality and seek the protection of seine foreign power. (Hear.) My lords, if that were to ho the rule, Ito would be sehject to insult and wrong et the hands of mandarins of the lowest class, and we should - soon hear of outrages being committed, under the authority of Chinese law, similar to that re corded in the blue book, of a foreigner who was tortured for three days, and afterwards hanged, his heart being torn from his body while it was suspended. -But, my lords, only consider the impolicy of such an order; under what altered circumstances weuld force have to be used if it were delayed until the approbation had been obtained? The force which might have been sufficient to insure redress at the time would prove most likely to be insufficient when called upon to act. four months or so atter the wrong was committed. The Chinese would have an oppertuni'y of call acting their army, of ancresu tin' their 11 eats, and burr siva lee; their fits, a:,•1 se f.r from obtaining the redress you rrquir el yea wig et fie f it refused, beceuse it could not ha (refereed. (Hoar.) Ido trust, then, that your lordships will net a 7reo to any reeraletion which can have such en effect• as t o fetter the discretion and tie up the hands of her Majeste is sere ants in China in such a manner as w;11 bring dirksraco on our name an,l fin;, and be rule ons to our commerce. (Hear.) Lord LYNDHUBSE —I have paid grant attention to the eaeera that, have ban laid upon your lo:deb:iris' table, and I am sorry to say that I have come to the painful con clusien that the proceelinge out of which this unf rtunate dispute has arisen cannot be jestitial upon any principles either of law or of reason. (Rear, hear.) After the full, comprehensive, and conclusive arguments which have been a hlie seed to your lordships by ray noble friend the Earl of Derby, and no part of which bar been answered by the noble earl opposite—(hear, hear) --I should not have risen to address your lordships upon this part of the case, were it not that a report has boon cirenlated that I entertained Te, this subject opinions different from those of my noble friend. There is no foundation fur such an observation. I do not feel that I or , ssees any authority personal to my. self upon a question of this nature; and I shall, therefore, state shortly, and la - her in the form of a summary, those arguments and reasons which Lace Lel me to the vote which I ant ehent- to give, and will leave your lord , hipa to judge of their value. It is itopossille to be too precise upon a question of this nature. (Haar, hear.) What is the charge which is on the present occasion preasrred against the Chinese Government? It is that they have infringed the 9th ar ti c l e o f th e supp l emen t a l t rea t y w hi c h has been referred to. By that supplemental treaty they bad undertak en , in the event o f an y Chi nese h av i n g m a de hi 3 escape and concealed himself on board an English ship, t int t should made to the En g li s h a uth o rities, tarl that if it were found that the charge was well founded I hat the persen ao concealed should be delivered up. The very essen ce of this charge that the party has taken re fuge on heard an Tereelr chip. It cannot be pretended ' for a mome n t that, alter' a Chinese culprit has taken refuge on board a Chi n Chinese Dov er „ meat ship an concealed himself there, the ‘ernaren)t h i es not a perfect right to apprehend hits. ( Rear king to ti,al'king the treaty, 1 , h ear) therefore to the language of t very reason of the thing, it must he confin, d absolutely i:relish ship. So the gees tion, after all, reaolves row, within the nssaninig itself into this—was the Ar ,:ol,nrnof this arrangement, an English thin ? I I assert it in the very langua;e of tile Chinese Gover nment— ..o , ,li that in no respect whatever was tho Arrow au p.(heers.) T h F., i s the very «yes( nee and foundetion of the , aoow rite to whole ( i pso (Fica ( , hear.) Now, my lord. any privileg ae to a which 110 one will sufficiently eee e, a j ( I 7 v i n s a principle y ou may sir ve any p r:ig l llt s or . th s — . net foreigt]er or to n f o rei" v a l t s"t'gentist yourselvere het not as ag•,inst foreigners t _ answer the case 'lll ettd t;rt) others of he same description to of the Mani • • . fights Ton may give r which the noble earl has rer pass a law for that l---334 ' against yourselves. You tray • riit i s )l to the subject of purposee-* a foreign But you cannot give my count, y by any of your laws as against the country of whi c h be is a su bj ec t. (fl ea , r .) No man can, by possibilifeewieh any sh a d ow o f reason dispute that preposition. Youcan , n ship, owned by a I e therefo re , where you have a for .ei, 1 for, ien sr, nenvert flea ref:eel into an Engoleehh• so ac to brieg it within the terruar of this treaty. (Cheers.) eelo ris, ...Oren we a re t a lki ng o f treaty trauseu ti ons with East ern tratimis, we have a kilid of loose law and loose notion of morality in regard to them. In order the better to ap preciate the question, I will change the situation to Attie rice. I will take the ease of an American subject rrs'ding in t his metropolis, the owner of an American vessel. You may, by a law, allow that vessel to assume the English flag, and give it rights and privileges against your own country, but you cannot alter the character of that vessel as against the United States. You cannot change its character. You cannot prevent the Government of the I United States ex- rcising its ordinary dominion over it. (Cheers.) It is impossible any man can contend for so absurd, so violent a propositirn. (Hear.) I may y refer to Circumstances which occurred lately in illustratioe. By a law recently passed certificates of naturalisation may be granted to foreigners. A foreigner-under a certificate of na turalisation proceeded to the continent, to the kingdom- of which ho was a subject,setting forth under the authority of the certificate that he was a British subject. " No," said the Government, "you are not a British subject in virtue of that instrument of naturalisation; England can give no such right as against us. You are the subject of this coun try." The gentleman returned to England a id complained to the Home-office that he was disappointed as to the effect of the certificate. I dare say your lordships have seen the answer of Mr. Wad lington in the name of the Secretary of State for the Home Department. It said, "As against us, you may avail yourself of the certificate of naturalisa tion, but as against foreigners, as against your own coun try, it confers on you no right whatever." I say, there fore, my lords, on general principles, without resorting ta any particular argument arisingfrom any documents which have been laid on your lordships' taido,—l say, on general principles, this being a Chinese ship, owned by a Chinese, nothing can at all affect the right of the Chinese Govern meet to go on board on any occasion to exercise dominion over it, to take out one or more of the crew, or to do any act which they might be disposed to do in consequence of events brought to their knowledge. (Hear, hear.) If I make myself understood with respect to this proposition and were to pause here it would be unnecessary to proceed further; but what is the next step? What is the instrn went under which it is contended there was a transfer of the character of the vessel, a transfer of ownership which converted this Chinese vessel into an English vessel? It is an ordinance of the Colonial Government. By that ordinance a Chinese who has entered into the colony, who holds land under the Crown, and is the owner of a Chinese ship or any other vessel, may apply for a register, and upon giving c)rtain security the registry gives him a right to use an English flag. A register was granted t o a man admitted to be a Cinese. There is no dispute about the facts that the owner was a Chinese, and the ves sel a Chinese built vessel. Now, by a law of the Colonial Legislature, a Chinese vessel cannot be con verted into an English ship. I will not pretend to say rights may not be given by this colonial instrument, but I say you cannot make an English vessel by that means independently of the general principle I have stat e d —(bear, hear, hear)---you cannot make it an English ship; you cannot give the right to hoist an English flag. That is so clear, so indisputable, that I am quite sure no lawyer will controvert it. An act of the Colonial Legisla ture can have no effect whatever against an act of the Imperial Parliament. The act of Parliament to which my noble friend has referred says in the most precise terms that nothing but what is there sot down shall be deemed a British ship. The act is not confined to England ; it is not confined to these islands : it applies to all our posses. sions, and it says no vessel can be deemed a British ship, or have the character of a British ship, unless it is owned by an Englishman, by a natural-born subject, or by a per son whe has obtained letters of naturalisation—[The Earl of Derby : "And has taken the oath of allegiance "]—and has taken the oath of allegiance. In the face of this act of Parliament the ordinance of the Colonial Legislature is absolutely nothing, and altogether void as far as it relates to the point in question. You cannot in a law of the Colonial Legislature convert this vessel into a British ship. It is said, "True, it may not be a British ship, but she had a British flag, and some insult has been offered to the British flag." Why ! Under the act of Parliament no vessel can by law use the British flag but a British ship, and any one who attempts to use a British flag, except on board a British ship, is by the 133 d section subject to a very grievous penalty. Therefore, both on general prin ciples, and on the particular point of this ordinance, the justification in this case entirely fails. Something was said about some certificate, some license which was granted. A register was granted on the 27th of September, 1855, to expire in a year. The vessel arrived on the 3d of October, six days after the expiration of the license. Thus, when we seek the facts of the original ground of discussion in the case, we find that the license for the vessel had expired, and she was no longer a British vessel. Any Chinese authority could go on board and seize crimi nals, as the vessel hail ceased to be a British vessel, even according to the argument on the other side. I believe the law is to the effect that a renewal of the license must be made seven days before the expiration of the old license, but no such thing was done in this case. Some ex cuse had been suggested to the effect that the vessel was at sea, but there really is no foundation for that suggestion, for during the whole time the vessel was sailing up and down the river, and never was at sea at all. Thus, suppos ing that the lorcha had ever had a license and a British re gister it had ceased, and her legal protection as such had also ceased. Sir J. Bowriog, who is a distinguished huma nitarian as well as plenipotentiary—(a laugh)—himself ad mits the register is void, and that the vessel was not en titled to hoist the English flag. Now, mark what he says— " The vessel had no protection, but the Chinese do not know this ; for God's sake do not whisper it to them." (Hear.) He persevered, too, for he said in effect, "We know the Chinese have not been guilty of any violation of treaty, but we will not tell them so ; we will insist upon a reparation, and a return of the men they have seized in a particular form." If the men were not returned in the form, what was to be the remedy? Why, to seize a junk, a war junk; if that was not sufficient, seize more, until we compelled them to submit, although we knew theyhad the right on their side, and we had no justice on ours—(hear) and although the officerdirecting those measures was the representative of the Sovereign of Great Britain, whose honour he was bound to protect, but which he was compro mising by plunging into a war. Was there ever conduct more abominable, more flagrant, in which, I will not say more fraudulent, but what is equal to fraud in our coun try, more false pretence has been put forward by a public man in the service of the British Government? Then we are told of an insult offered to our flag. Why, the vessel was not an English vessel ; she had no right to carry our flag. If a men hoists a flag without authority to do so it would tie a monstrous assertion to believe that his own wrongful act protects him. Sir J. Bowring, in the second letter, admits it to be quite clear that the Arrow had no right to hoist the English flag. He abandons that part of his case, but adds, "as the Chinese donot know it, we will call it an insult, and insist upon reparation." It is not true that the Chinese insulted our flag. Thera is not the slightest foundation for imputing such an intention to the Chinese. The whole question is one of right. The Chi nese governor, from the first, said, "Itis a Chinese ship. She is in no sense a British vessel ; why do you grant re gisters to foreign vessels ? By so doing you will create dis cord and dissension between tr." I cannot point out just now the particular passages to which I refer; but I pledge myself, Laving read the papers most carefully, that the go vernor of Canton from the first raised the question, and that there never was any intention to insult the English flag. Now, let us go a little further, and see what is urged in juslilicat'on of these proceedings. The men taken from the vessel were to be returner!, and•returned in a particu lar manner. They were returned, but not in proper form, and no apology was made. Just consider what was done. A warjunk eas seized. That was the first step—was that sufficient punishment for the transgression ?' N o , s a id Si r J Bowring, let ns go further, and batter down a small fort. Surely if the case was as it is represented to be on the other side, Sir J. Bowring might have paused at that stage, and have said—" I have punished you enough. I have taken your junks and battered your forts. I will do no more without instructions from my Government." He might have thought—" I will not involve my country in war. What I have done has been for the vindication of my honour, but I will not take any further steps which may lead to war without' the authority of my Govern ment." But, no ; hedid not think so, and then where was he to stop? He had no inclination to s!..op ; he had no wish to do so. Well, my lords, soon after other forts are seized in the neighbourhood of Canton, then the Dutch Folly Fort ; then the French Folly, then the Bogne Forts, then the fleet of junks was destroyed, the palace of the go vernor was bombarded, the wall of Canton was broken down, and the town entered in hostile attitude. Is it p ,s -sible for any inln to consider such proceedings, arising upon such a cause, with any degree of calmn ss ? Is it extraor dinary that Sir J. Bowring should think he had the power of declaring war. I can understand a man in such a posi tion having necessarily a power of carrying on defensive ope rations, but to carry on offensive operations up .n such a ground, upon such a pretence, is one of the most extraordi nary proceedings to be fount in the history of the world. The letter of the noble earl (Grey) to which reference 11:s been made, refusing to al:ow troops to be sent from Ce3lou to China arid in the strongest terms, gave peremptory orders to the Governor in no case to undertake or carry on offensive operations without the direct sanction and authority of the Government at home Those injunctions must have been known to Sir J. Bowling, and the noble earl below me (Lord Malincsbury), having had an opportunity of reading some de sliatelies from Sir J. Bowring, rind becoming acquainted with the tone and temper of those documents, gave him instruc tions in the strongest t: rms not to undertake any hostile measures without authority from the Government at home. It is quite clear from the papers laid on the table yesterday that from the first moment at which Sir J. Bowring was :ap pointed to the station he now fills his ambition was to pre cure what his predecessors had completely failed to effect— namely, an entry within the walls of Canton. (Hear, hear ) It ,roubl also aArear from some of the letters of the Governor the treaty Chinese offenders could not be taken by the Chi use authorities out of British shii s, but an application must be made to the British consul, who would cause them to be apprehended and handed over. In the same way, English offenders escaping into China were net permitted to be fol lowed and seized by the English authorities, but were appre ,iended by the Chinese authorities and handed over. There was no doubt that the Chinese authorities boarded the vessel without first applying to the consul, and the question was, had they a right to do so ? He assumed that the British flag was flying ; that was clear from all the evidence. Yeh, in his first answer on the 10th of October, did not deny it, though l e endeavoured to throw doubts upon it afterwards. He held, then, if the British Government authorised a vessel to '.;o to a foreign country, and to carry the. British flag, that as between Great Britain and that foreign country such ship was a British ship. (Hear.) That was the law of nations. The government might, perhaps, have improperly authorised the use of the British flag, but that would not justify the foreign government in violating that flag or interfering with the ves sel, though it might give a right to demand redress as against the government. If Yell had followed this course and repre sented that the lorcha had no right to carry the British flag, Ind Sir J. Bo wring had refused to attend to that representation, he would have laid himself open to censure. That, however, was not the course the Chinese authorities took, but they proceeded to decide for themselves as to the right of the vessel to bear the flag under which she traded. He urged upon their lordships not to involve themselves in difficulties in re gard to international law, the depth and end of which he de 'led them to foresee. If they admitted the notion that, having entered into a treaty with a foreign country which stipulated that, quoad that country, any vessel under our flag should be treated as a portion of our territory, and then per mit that foreign country to enter that ship by force of arms, consider what difficulties they would open up. He contended that every step which the British authorities had taken in this matter was fully justified by the law of nations. Earl GREY wished to trouble their lordships with a few words in reference to the despatch alluded to by his noble friend (the Secretary of State), which he (Earl Grey) had addressed to the Governor of Hong Kong in the year 1847. His noble friend expressed surprise that he had, with the con mrrence of the Duke of Wellington, sent a despatch prohibit ing the employment of troops against the Chinese under any circumstances, without the previous consent of the home au; thorities. On this subject be would remind his noble friend that what his despatch was intended and was understood to mean had never been doubted. In 1849 Sir George Bonham, writing to the noble lard (Palmerston), recognised the order as forbidding military operations being undertaken against China without orders from the home Government; and in 1853 Mr. Medlicot, writing by order of the Duke of New castle to General Jervoise, for his information and guidance, recognised the order to which he 01.1 Grey) referred. But his noble friend said he should regard with alarm implicit obedience to such au order. He (Earl Grey) confessed ho had heard with alarm the observations of his noble friend on the subject. Let them remember what was the purport of the order. It was not to prevent difensive operations, but merely prohibited offensive operations, and he contended still that subordinate of f icers ought not to be permitted in any case to undertake offensive operations. Nations had no right to resort to hostilities until every other means were exhausted, and ono of those means, which must never be neglected, was a demand for redress by the Government of the country in jured to the Government of the country committing the in jury. That was a principle recognised as part of the law of nations. See the danger of the principle for which his noble friend contended. That which was good in China would be good elsewhere. Were they prepared to authorise every con sul or vice-consul in South America or in any other part of the world, where he might happen to be of opinion that there was a case demanding reparation, at once and upon his own authority to make war? No principle could be more dan gerous; and he thought the statement of his noble friend in creased the necessity on the part of that house of at once putting an effectual check upon the application of such a principle. (Hear, hear.) An unjust war had been com menced in China. Her Majesty's Government were not re sponsible for the commencement of that war, for it was the work of the plenipotentiary there, and that contrary to the orders, so far as the house knew them, of the home Govern. ment. But her Majesty's advisers had advised her formally to approve of that war. I cannot but think that they have given that advice hastily, and that further consideration will induce them to alter their views. The papers relating to the question have been laid upon the table ; and if their lordships took no notice of them, if they failed to record a deliberate vote of condemnation upon them, according to all the rules and precedents of Parliament, they would impliedly be bound as approving them. By adopting the resolution of the noble lord (Derby) the house would remove from itself this respon sibility; while in rejecting it, it would take that responsi. bility upon itself. And this practical result would follow from such a vote—the recall of Sir J. Bowring. But this question ought not to be considered upon mere party ground —and he for one strongly protested against such a course. But considering this question as men, as Christians believing the precepts of their religion, their lordships ought to support the motion of the noble earl, in favour of which he for one should give his vote. (Hear, hear.) The Duke of ARGYLL regretted that the subject had been discussed more in a technical than a philosophical spirit ; a course into which the supporters of the resolution under con sideration had forced the house. He would remind their lord ships, that the ground of our intercourse with China rested not upon the same grounds as au intercourse with European nations, but upon grounds of trade only. And it was with re gard to a vessel, raising important questions as to this trade, that the present discussion arose, It was impossible that our trade with China could be carried on exclusively in British vessels, and hence the necessity for the treaty and ordinance to which reference had been so frequently made. The use of the term British lorcha in the treaty was, it was said, not de fined ; but on referring to the treaty it appeared sufficiently plain that a British lorcha meant a lorcha having British papers. The ordinance proved that Chinese who had settled in Hong Kong should be permitted to take out British regis ters. The object of this was the benefit of the Chinese set tlers, and not to detract from the privileges of China. Now it had been laid down that a vessel carrying the British flag was entitled to be considered a British ship ; but to this the noble earl (Grey) said, supposing a vessel, being a pirate, hoisted our flag, was she protected The answer to this was perfectly simple. If a power believed that a pirate hoisted a false flag, then the power had a right to board the vessel, at the risk, of course, of the ship turning out a bona fide barque. And this was the state of things with regard to the Arrow. The Chinese authorities had a right to board her to satisfy their suspicions, but when it turned out as it did, that she was a British vessel, they ought to have made reparation. [The Earl of Derby —They had no papers.] It was true that she had no papers on board—(hear)—but they were with the con sul, and would have been forthcoming had the Chinese autho rities thought fit to make inquiries for them. The Earl of CARNA RYON moved the adjournment of the debate. (Cries of " No, no," and " Divide." After a short conversation, Earl GRANVILLE assented to the adjournment of the do bate till Thursday. Their lerdship;rose at a few minutes before 12 . HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.) The SPEAKER t )ok the chair at four o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The folio .ving private bills were road a second time and ordered to be committed :—Aldershot Railway ; Black water Bridge and Road ; Bridgwater Markets and Fairs ; British and Irish Grand Junction Railway ; Char ing-cross Bridge ; Dartmouth and Torbay Railway ; East Kent Railway (Strood to Saint Mary's Cray, &c,) ; Great Northern and Western of Ireland Railway ; Ips wich Water; Islington Parish ; Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Railway ; North Eastern Railway (Lan chester Valley Branch) ; Otley and Skipton Road ; Catliam Lands, &c. ; Stamford and Essendine Railway ; and 'Thames and Medway Conservancy. C. lonel FREESTUN preeented a petition from the importers of tea at Weymouth and Melcombe Regis against any alteration in the present duty on tea, but praying that, should it take place, it may be fixed at ls. 4d. per lb. for the next three years. CONSTITUTION HILL. Mr. MACARI'NEY asked the Chief Commissioner of Works whether there wpuld be any objection to re build the wall lately pulled do-An in Grosvenor-place, so as to correspond , vith the portion standing next; Consti tution-hill, and place a railing thereon up to the door way into the park ? . - Sir B. HALL said :hat he proposed to rebuild the wad in the sauce style and manner as it was before. The only objection he bad heard to it was that of a gentle man who lived opposite, and wished to have it rebuilt as suggested id the question. He (Sir B. Ha'l) had no ah j-ction to it if the gentleman would pay 3001., the dif ference in the cost of construction. LAND TRANSPORT CORPS. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE gave notice that on that day fortnight he should cell the attention of the house to the cause of grievance contained in the petitions presented to that house of the Land Transport Corps, and that it be referred to a Select Cimmittee. VOTE BY BALLOT. Mr. H. BERKELEY gave notice that, shortly after Easter, he should call the attention of the First Lord of the Treasury to the necessity of protecting electors at the poll. • _ of Canton that the conviction was strongly impressed upon his mind that that was the ultimate object which the British Plenipotentiary had in view. If oven it had been part of the original treaty that we should enter and carry on trade within the wails of the Imperial city, and if the Chinese Go vernor had refused to perform that stipulation, kill I contend it would have been quite unworthy of us to endeavour to ac complish that object through the intervention of mere local squabbles. The shedding of blood, under the circumstances, by the local authorities appears to me to be a subversion of every sound principle and wholly indefensible. It may be in the recollection of some of your lordship's that Sir J. Davis sti pulated with Keying, the then commissioner, that within two years, in peculiar cases, the admission within the walls snould be allowed. But when Sir Geo. Bonham attempted to make arrangements with the Governor to carry out that stipula tion the answer of the Governor was that such would be the ungovernable rage o f the population on such a propos iti on being made to them that it would be utterly impossible to carry it into effect. Sir G. Bonham considered that was really a well-founded objection, and that wa s th ereason why the stipulation was not b on y , the noh Subsequently , lord nown Sira G insliBs4te6d, Bonham being asked in C. t the head of the Government (as we understood) what would be the disadvantages to commerce if we were excluded from within the walls of Canton, Sir George replied that lie could not say what the Government ought to do in the matter, but he could tell them what they ought not to do, and that was that they ought not to eugage in any hostile act to accom plish the admission. (Hear, hear.) Sir George added that he did not think it would be an object of great importance to our commerce to be admitted, but this he knew, that it would be dangerous in the last degree to make the attempt, more especially if it were made by force of arms. (H ear .) But our present plenipotentiary, disregarding all those re peated warnings, and bent only upon carrying his object of LAND TRANSPORT CORPS. Sir J. FERGUSSON gave notice that he should, at an early day, call the attention of tho house to the conditio❑ of the officers of the Land Transport Corps. gaining admission within tho walls of Canton into execution has, for no necessary purpose whatever, plunged the country into war ;and what is the result? Property to the largo amount of 1,500,000 dollars, belonging. to British subjects, is now impounded its the city of Canton ; and in addition to that our factories are burnt to the ground ; and all this is owing to thcmischievous policy of one of the most mischievous of men—(A. laugh)— ma n, proud ma Drest in a " litA ßut bri ebrief authorityn !, Most ignorant of what lie's most assured, Ills glassy essence, like an angry ape, Plays such fmtarkie tricks before high heaven, As make the angels weep ; who, with our splcer Would all themselves laugh mortal." I I sit down, my lords, entirely concurring in the sentiments so ably expressed by my noble motion, (th e E arl of Derby) and cordially supporting his (Loud cheers.) The LORD CHANCELLOR, that it was con t en d ed motio n by the supporters of this ght to glithat the A rrow was not an English ship, and had no ri privileges, but un less the principles of international la n was sh he had al ways h eard them laid down, were unfounded and iin which his noble and learned friend haittnw said th e vessel st as the question t o dir ected attention had no bearing on the point at issue , was not an English but a Chinese vessel. She might, as was alleged, have been bailt b H y a Chinese, and o wne d b y a Hong, but Ite was a resident at Hon Kong, and h a d acquired the rights of a British subject there, and she was navigated by a Chinese crew, and commanded by all English master, Under TIIE SUN. LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRTARY 25, eluded by suggesting to his hon. friend that it would be better to withdraw the motion. After some observations from Mr. L. Krxa, Admiral BERKELEY, and Mr. WARNER, Sir J. WALMSLEY replied, in the course of which he re. plied to the objections that had been urged against his reso lution, and said that he would divide the house if he walked alone into the lobby. (Cheers ) The house then divided, when the numbers were— For the motion Against it Majority against the motion —ll7 CARLISLE CANONRIES. On the motion of Mr. FRGUSSON, leave was given to in troduce a bill to appropriate the 'income of the • first vacant canonry of the Cathedral of Carlisle to the:augmentation of certain ecclesiastical incumbencies within the said city. RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. Mr. BENTINCK obtained a select committee to inquire into the causes of accidents on railways, and int ) the possi bility of removing any such causes by further legislation. CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS (IRELAND). Mr. DEASY called the attention of the house to the pre sent mode of conducting the examinations of candidates into the civil service, and moved, " That a humble address be presented to her Majesty, that she will be graciously plemed to give directions to have such examinations conducted as in England, by examiners whose character, acquirements, and experience in examinations render them peculiarly fitted for the duty." Mr. NAPIER seconded the motion. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that there was really no difference between the mode of examination adopted in Dublin and in the towns of England and Scot land. It was most important that there should be uniformity in all the examinations, and that uniformity was fully obtained by the existing means. There had been 237 persons who had passed examinations in Dublin for those departments which had central offices in London, while there had been but 47 candidates for civil service in departments exclusively con nected with Ireland There was thus, it will be seen, a great necessity for uniformity in the standard of all the examina tions. The Government could not, therefore, consent to the motion of the hon. and learned member, but he was perfectly willing, on the part of the Government, t o p rom i se th a t if it should be found assistance was really required by Dr. Bell in the discharge of his duties, the subject of granting such ad ditional assistance should receive careful consideration at the hands of the Government. Fully concurring in the spirit of the resolution of the hon. member, he trusted that he would not press his motion. After a few words from Mr. HAMILTON, the house di vided, when the numbers were— For the motion 35 Against it Majority against the motion THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION. Mr. NAPIER then proceeded to call the attention of the house to the communications with her Majesty's Government respecting the Franklin expedition, and the urgent nature of the claim for a further and complete search. The question was one which deeply affected the interests of humanity and of science, and involved the honour of Parliament and of the British Government. The hon. and learned member called attention to a memorial signed by forty eminent and distin guished persons, and presented to the Government in the last session, urging upon them the necessity of a further search. Baron Humboldt had recently added the weight of his autho rity to the opinions expressed in that memorial. He could not conceive how a Government which had already made such noble sacrifices to search for the gallant men who form ed the expedition could now decline to take further steps, since the interesting discoveries by Dr. Rae of some of the relics and memorials of Captain Franklin's brave crew. He would not insult the Government by supposing that any con siderations of expense would weigh for a moment with them if they conceived it to be their duty to make any further search for the long lost Captain Franklin. If the Government did not themselves fit out an expedition, Lady Franklin, with the no bl e courage o f a woman, had an nounced her intention of herself fitting out an expedition from her ownprivate resources. What a stain woull it be for the Gcvernment if such an occurrence were to take place, and that the noble exertions of a lady should succeed in accom plishing that which the Government had declined to do on the petty ground of expense. It would certainly be deroga tory to the high character of the Government if it were left to the private resources of a lady and the energies of an Ameri can officer, to set at rest the question of the position of the brave men who composed the Arctic expedition under Cap tain Franklin. (Hear.) He hoped the Government would not persevere in their refusal to send a final expedition. The hon. gentleman concluded by moving for a copy of the corres pondence which had taken piace since last session on the sub ject of the Franklin expedition. Admiral WALCOTT could not give his support to the views of his hon. and learned friend, as he did not think there was any hope of raising the veil which hung over the fate of Sir John Franklin and his companions. Let them send no fresh martyis on a fruitless and unprofitable search. (Hear, hear.) Let them not bring on themselves the remonstrances of the wives and children of the brave men whose lives would have to be risked in a fresh expedition, or renew to them selves the painful spectacle of British seamen perishing of cold and hunger in those desolate regions where two many valuable lives had been already sacrificed. (Hear, hear.) Sir C. WOOD was glad to have been preceded by the gallant officer who had just spoken, because he heartily concurred in all that had fallen from him, and because he was gratified to have a confirmation of the opinion ho was about to submit— that they ought not to expose to any fresh risks valuable lives in an expedition they felt to be hopeless. The Govern ment would not have been insensible to the appeals which had been made both by Lady Franklin and by scientific bodies o fo f r sa a v r i e n n g e l w iT e e d sr a s r o ch lo i n f g th a e s y th h a a t d h e o n p t e er i t .e a m in a e i d ne t a he n s o li i g ik, h s test n h o o e p x ! pease would have deterred the Government from sending out expeditions. He was happy at the same time to bear testimony to the gallant and generous spirit which had animated their transatlantic brethren in sending out expeditions for the same purpose. Let the house consider what had already been done. Since Sir John Franklin had sailed—twelve years ago--six expeditions had been sent out. Though he was sure no one had grudged the money while a hope of saving life remained, he thought it right that the house should know that by the country alone, independently of private individuals, not less than 610,000/. had been spent in the expeditions sent Out. It was not the subject of expense which deterred the Government from sending out a fresh expedition. They believed that there was no hope of finding any survivor of that ill-fated expedition, and that, therefore, they were not justified in exposing to such risk as was inseparable from such undertakings, fresh officers and men, although he had not the slightest doubt that they could obtain more officers and men than would for nish twenty expeditious. He believed that the party of 30 or 40 white men who were seen in 1850 by the Esquimaux near the Great Fish River. and who had obviously perished during that year, were the last survivors of Sir J. Franklin's party. He believed he could say that not a single Arctic officer with whom he had conversed on the subject bad ever ventured to state that it was his belief that any survivors could be found. It had been stated that a future expedition would run less risk than previous ones, because the whole coast had been mapped and charted ; but what the hon. and learned gentleman called a limited area of 5 degs. of latitude and 4 degs. of longitude was precisely that part of the coast which was neither mapped nor charted. It was assumed by those who were anxious for a further search that within that area the ships had been abandoned, and that therefore an expedition would succeed in obtaining the records of the voyage. Now, if the vessels had perished, as was not improbable, it was very likely that the whole crews bad perished with them ! and if they had been abandoned, it was not very likely the party abandoning the. ships would not have brought away with them what, after the neces saries of life, were the most valuable things on board—the journals, logs, and records of the voyage. He did not think, therefore, that there was any chance of the objects of the scientific advocates of the expedition being found on board the ships. If, on the other hand, those articles were taken away by the crew in abandoning the ships, he thought it was equally obvious that the last of the survivors would perish with the bags and journals about them ; and where, within an area of 1,200 miles, were they to search for some thing which would not be worth the trouble and danger of the search. He thought the probability of discovering any thing, but such relics as pieces of wood or boats' oars, of which abundance had been already found in various quarters surrounding the unknown district, very remote indeed. The chances were that the ships, if abandoned, had been visited and rifled by the Esquimaux. He did not think, therefore, that they should be justified in exposing the lives of 150 men in discovering all that there remained any probability of dis covering. There was yet a much stronger reason for his de clining t) accept the responsibility of a fresh expedition. Five vessels had been already abandoned iu the different ex peditions, the crews of which had been rescued by other ves sels, The probability, therefore, was that if any more ships' wore sent they would become fixed in the ice, and then fresh expeditions would have to be organised to rescue their crews. He had never felt that the risk of life which Artie voyages involved was justified by :the scientific results which were attainable by such expeditions. Ho bad regretted at the time that Sir John Franklin's expedition had been sent out, and he still entertained the same opinion. He regretted that' the expectations of so many people who were interested in the question should be disappointed by the avowal; but be could only say again that aftermature de liberation he could not reconcile himself to the responsibility of a further search. (Hear, bear.) After a short discussion the motion was withdrawn, SAVINGS BANKS, The house having gone into committee, • The CIIANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose to move for leave to bring in a bill to amend the laws relating to savings banks, and to provide for the establishment of savings banks with the security of the Government. Ho did not think it was necessary to trouble the house with any lengthened state monF „a a 1.., -C 4.1.3 Ti well kuvvVll to all that the law relating to savings banks was at present most inconvenient and most unsatisfactory to the public. The management Ins vested in trustees, who appointed a ma. nager or other officer to conduct the business. The trustees wore not responsible under the law, and the whole security the public had was the bond given by the manager or officer to the trustees. These were altogether insufficient. He might give an instance in the caso of the Bromley Savings Bank, where the actuary, or officer, was deficient to tire amount of 1,0001., and yet it was found that he had only been asked for a bond of 501.. The trustees were not responsible, and the Government were not responsible under the present law. By the b ill he proposed, without interfering with the management of these banks, except for the purposes of in spection, to give the depositors Government security for the whole of their deposits, in all cases where the savings banks complied with certain specific conditions. Of course one great object of these conditions was to secure the Govern. ment against loss; another was to give the depositors secu rity for their deposits. It was the duty of the house, as the guardian of the public purse, to see that the Government did not contract any responsibility in the case of these savings banks, without at the same time obtaining a proper control over the funds and the management. On the other hand, the provisions of the bill did not impose any conditions which would tend to unduly fetter the management of these institu tions, or deprive them of theirlocal and voluntary character, under local management. With these few remarks ho begged leave to introduce the bill. Mr. GROGAN expressed his satisfaction at finding the right lion. gentleman had taken up this question, on which deep interest was felt in Ireland on account of the failures which lad occurred in Dublin and elsewhere. After a short conversation, the resolution was agreed to, and the house resumed. The Carlisle Canonries and the Scotch Commissioners of Supply Bills were brought up and read a first time. The house adjourned at half-past ten o'clock. THE DAYS or My LIFE. —An Autobiography. By the author of " Margaret Maitland," &c. 3 vols.—The gifted authoress of "The Days of My Life" exhibits in a marked manner the first requisites of an eminent novelist—a fertile invention, picturesque power, poetic f ee li ng , an d cons id era b le constructive skill. We are struck, too, with her breadth of manner. The concep tion of the story is both large and simple, and it has the merit of perfect originality. The story is most elo quently written, and is extremely attractive and cheer ful. It glows with the genius of romance—the romance of social circumstances and affection. We cordially congratulate the gifted authoress on the BUCCOSS she heal Achieved,-27g Preis. ~.. THE INCOME TAX. Mr. HEADLIM gave notice that he should on an early day propose a resolution that the income tax should not be continued for more than another year, and that it should be left to Parliament to consider whe ther it should be continued after tbat time. He should move a eitnilar motion in ways and means. THE TEA. DIMES. Lord J. RUSSELL gave notice that in committee of ways and means he should move „in the place of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's proposal, that the tea duties should be fixed at ls. 41. in the pound for the next three years, and that then it be reduced to ls. in the pound. (hear, hear.) CHIEF CONSTABLES. In reply to a question from Mr. PALK, Sir G. GREY said that a magistrate coul I hold the office of chief constable in his own county. CIVIL SERVICE—INDIA.. Mr. DEASY asked the President of the Board of Control whether any reduction had taken place or was contemplate , ' in the number of appointments in the Civil Service in India open to public competition ? Mr. V. SMITE' said that no reductioo could take place in the number of the appointments referred to, nor was it contemplated. The number of officers was fixed by act of Parliament, and they could only be filled up from deaths or removals. THE LAWS RELATING TO MASTER AND SERVANT. Mr. PELLA.TT wished to ask the Attarney-General whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Govern ment to bring in a bill to consolidate the Statute Laws relating to masters and servants, and to masters and work men ? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that the acts re lating to masters and _workmen had been consolidated by the Statute Law Commission, and the bill was now under revision of that body. It would shortly be brought in and laid on the table of the house, and he was not aware that it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to introduce any other measure. Mr. J. G. PHILLIMORE asked the Attorney-Gene ral whether her Majesty's Ministers would object to institute an inquiry (by a committee of this house or otherwise) into the means by , which the distinction be tween suite at law and in equity, whilb had been removed from the jurisprudence of the United States, may be abo lished ? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that he should be exceedingly glad to promote any inquiry likely to terminate in the result of abolishing the technical dis tinctions which now existed between suits at labir and suits at equity—(hear, hear)—which he looked upon as the foundation stone of any effectual reform of our jurisprudence. The Government did not believe this was a subject that could be properly considered in a commit tee of this house. The question mentioned " a commit tee or otherwise," and he had to state that the Govern ment had the question of a public department of public justice, which, if established, would be a fitting depart ment to refer this question for consideration. (Hear.) BOARD OF HEALTH. Mr. PALK asked the President of the Board of Health when he would bring in a Health of Towns Bill; and whether the bill would carry out the recommenda tions of the committee on the Board of Health ? Mr. COWPER said that he bad already given notice for h.ave to introduce a bill to amend the Public Health Act on the sth of March. That bill would be similar to the bill referred last session to a select com mittee. Various suggestions had been suggested in it after mature deliberation, and such as he considered the select committee would have adopted. SARDINIAN MEDALS, &c. Mr. ESNIONDE asked the First Lard of the Trea sury when the issue of the Sardinian medals and the Order of the Medjidi might be expected Mr. F. PEEL said the lists were not quite ready. As soon as they were the medals and orders would be dis tributed without loss of time. THE IRISH MILITIA. Mr. ESMONDE asked the First Lord of the Trea sury whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Go vernment to call nut for training the Irish militia, and if so, at what period ? Mr. F. PEEL said that a portion of the Irish militia would be assembled this year for training, but he was unable then to state when they would assemble for that purpose. GENERAL BEATSON. Colonel DUNNE asked the Under Secretary for War whether a court of inquiry, ordered to assemble to inves tigate charges affecting General Beatson and other officers of rank, was to be kept secret I Mr. F. PEEL said that this Court of Inquiry for in vestigating into the conduct of General Shirley relative -to his charges agaiast General Beatson would be like all courts of its class, a closed court. It was a court of preliminary investigation, similar to that of a grand jury in civil cases. The parties interested, and their witnesses, would be'present. INDUSTRIAL MUSEUM (EDINBURGH). Sir JAMES FERGUSSON asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether there would be any objection to lay upon the table a c)py of the report of the Govern ment officer sent lately to Edinburgh to report upon the proposed site of the Industrial Museum I Mr. CO WPER—There was no report. An officer con nected with science and arc had been sent down to Edinburgh to make inquiries rela'.ive to the erection of a building for an industrial museum on a site already pur chased for that ptirpose. It was no part of his instruc tions to inquire into any matter relative to the present or any other site. (Hear.) THE JOINT-STOCK ACT. Mr. WILKINSON asked the Chancellor of the Ex chequer whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce any measure in this session, either by repealing the e xempt i on clause i n t h e Joint Stock Act of last year, or otherwise, which should have the effect of preventing a recurrence of the state of litigation which. had taken place in the cases of the Tipperary and Royal British Banks ? The CHANCELI:OR of the EXCHEQUER said that the Government were prepared with a measure on the subject of joint-stock banks, and it would be intro duced by the Vic e -P res id en t o f the Board of Trade as soon as the prospect of public business in that house would allow of the question being properly considered. ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE—ASH WEDNESDAY. On.the motion of gWG:GREY, the house, on its rising, was adjourned till two o'clock to-morrow, to allow of bon. members attending divine service according to usual custom with the meihbers of the Government. REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM. Sir JOSHUA WALMSLEY, in rising to move for a select committee to consider and report upon the most practical means for lessening the existing inequalities in our represen tative system, and for extending to the unenfranchised that share of political power to which they may be justly entitled, said be was about to call the attention of the house to the case of a class of the population entitled to every considera tion. He was free to admit that tho question would have been much better in the hands of the Government than in those of a private individual. The more so that most if not all of the members of the Government had on a firmer occa sion assented to a measure of Parliamentary reform. But session after session was allowed to pass without any sign the reintroduction of that measure. He would endeavour to show the necessity and object of the present motion. He would ask the house to take the matter into consideration, and by means of a select committee to consider and report on the most practicable means of lessening the inequalities of the representative system, and to extend to unenfranchised classes that fair share of political power to which they Were entitled. The - question was more one of degree than of prin ciple. It was not one which could be deferred. The legis lation of that house was rapidly approaching a dead lock and becoming impracticable. They must either progress like science, ari, manufactures, and everything else in the coun try, or retrograde. There were large masses of the popula tion as well entitled and as well qualified to exercise the franchise as those who enjoyed it. , Out of a population of 28,090,000 of people, of whom 5,500,000 were adult males, and upwards of 4,000,000 inhabited houses, there were only 1,000,000 electors. Of those large cambers were pre vented by bribery and intimidation from exercising their right of voting in accordanc4 with their honest con viction. He was not desirous of yielding the ques tion by the measure of reform which he proposed, but of obtaining an instalment of that which he deemed right. Ho believed a deep-seated conviction existed that the restric tive franchise and unequal distribution of members and the existence of numerous nominee boroughs, and the want of protection to the voters, had been the source of many social and political evils. No one could deny that the aristocratic element existed not only in the Cabinet but in that house to a large extent ; 12 nut of 15 members of the Cabinet were either peers in their own rights or the connexions of peers; not less than 236 meml3ors of that house were either the sons or nominees or connexions of peers. There were 77 boroughs returning 124 members to Parliament, having an aggregate population less than that of one single borough. It had been stated, and never contradicted, that one-half of-the members of that house were returned by 180,000 electors, repre senting 7,000,0001. of property; whilst the other half' were returned by eight hundred thousand electors, represent ing 77,000,0001. of property. The English counties, with 10,000,000 of population, returned 144 representatives, while the boroughs with 8,000,000, exclusive of the large towns, re turned 323 representatives. But carry the question still fur ther, and compare the counties with each other. They would then find one county, with 2,000,000 of population, assessed at 8,000,0001., returning 14 representatives; while another and contiguous county, with 163,000 population, assessed at 700,0001., returned 11 members. There wa s another griev ance; that of 29 large towns and districts, with populations varying from 20,000 to 60,000 each, were totally unrepre sented. Out of 28,000 000 of inhabitants, we had only 1,000,000 of electors. Tho hon. gentleman then quoted from the writings of Locke and Sir Win. Jones, and from the speeches of Burke and Fox in support of the principle of household suffrage, and he sketched tho measures which from timeto time had been submitted to Parliament since the time of the Reform Bill. Tne most important one was that in troduced by the noble lord the member for London, and the people of this country were deeply indebted to the noble lord for the consistent course he had always taken upon this sub ject. The franchise, however, which the noble lord had intro duced into his measure was much too limited. Any qualifica tion based upon assessment must be unsatisfactory. In Lei cester, which he represented, there were 14,000 houses, and at present there were 2 500 house voters Under the bill of the noble lord 61. householders would have been admitted to the franchise, which would have added 610 house voters to the list, but as there wore 1,500 freemen, and as the bill of the noble lord abolished freemen, the constituency by 'that bill would have been reduced by 900, He appealed to the justice, honesty, and good sense of the house to support him in the proposal which he made. If the house would appoint a committee it would be looked upon as a great boon by the public, and would be received with great satisfaction. Mr. HADFIELD seconded the motion. His hon. friend deserved the thanks of the country for the persevering efforts he had made in this cause. Sir GEORGE STRICKL AND, as one of the oldest members of that house, wished to state in a few words why he should oppose the motion. He believed that the motion, instead of promoting the great cluestion of reform and the extension or tne suffrage , would ' retard it. no nau always been a reformer, and in favour of the extension of the franchise, but he could not support the motion, as it was not sufficiently specific. It re f erre d to no definite object. Committees of this sort were petitions for brains by those who moved for such committees. This was to be a commit. tee de omnibus rebus; but had nothing specific in its object. Ho had no fear fora large extension of the suffrage, for he believed that the people of this country were better educated and more enlightened than any other people in the world, and therefore they might be safely entrusted with a large conces sion of freedom. Mr. STAFFORD thought the motion ridiculous. Mr. T. DUNCOMBE thought the motion would rather im pede than assist the cause of reform. Mr. WARREN considered the motion was nothing more than a proposal for handing over the British constitution to the consideration of a select committee. Mr. W. J. PDX supported the motion. Lord PALMERSTON said that ono objection often made to those who proposed a committee certainly could not be made to the proposal o f hi s hod. friend. It was often objected to those who proposed the appointment of a committee, and when they got it t that they were unablo to bring to the com mittee any concurrenc e o f opinion or sympathy on the sub ject; but if he . (Lord Pal merston) were to judge from the success of his honourable friend, in bringing the house to an almost unanimous opinion on tho motion ho had made —(laughter)—such an objection could not be, brought against hi m . He had succeeded on that occasion in ranging in unanimity of opinion those who were most eager for a general and comprehensive reform—those who were com monly called bit-by-bit reformers, from their desire of proceed by stop—and th ose most opposed to reform in the Ho submitted t o h is friend that he should be con that achievement, and not endeavour to produce ta i nebngs con tent s r t a w e ci p with . h a similar concurrent opinio n i u the members of the commit. tee to be appointed. He (Lo r d P almerston) was content to urged io and i s would hon. friendb e fciu , nd viz.,to thatbr e e s tu t on n i a n seemsswe argumentsra a b bl e s uagainstjthate subject might oftoo the b i n motion of f h eh importance, too wide in its range, and involving t,xl many and material interests to be thrown loose on the chance d ec i sion of a committee. He was one of those who wished to see the question embodied in some definite proposal, and brought before Parliament, for the result of which Parliament and the nation should be re sponsible, rather than see it disposed of in the manner pro posed. Without entering int o L is particular objections to the motion, that of dealing with questions of this kind on abstract ioand withoat inqui r i ng whether his hon. friend ' s p p r r o o p p o o s s a it lm n i s ght or might not ba founded on the right princi ples of the British constitution, and whether er not they sat there as he appeared to think, as delegates of a particular district,. than as representatives of the United Kingdom. (ohm%) Attu 00M , fUrther reauuto the Aciple loud Qom I 8 6'7.. From the London Gazette of Last Night. ST. JAMES'S PALACE, FEB. 22. Tho Queen has been pleased to appoint Richard, Lord Crdmorne, to be one of the Lords in Waiting in Ordinary to her Majesty, in the room of Charles Somers, Earl Somers, resigned. FOREIGN-OFFICE, FEB. 20. The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint Charles Alison, Esq., now Oriental Secretary, to be Secre tary to her Majesty's Embassy at Constantinople. FOREIGN-OFFICE, FEB. 21. The Queen has been pleased to approve of Mr. Francis Stacker Dutton, as Consul . for South Australia, to reside at Adelaide, for his Majesty the King of the Netherlands. The Queen has also been pleased to approve of Mr. William Doane Seymour, as Consul at Queenstown for his Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Oldenburg. DOWNING-STREET, FEB. 23. The Queen has been pleased to appoint Charles John Bayley, Esq., to be Governor and Commander-in• Chief in and over the Bahama Islands. Her Majesty has also been pleased to appoint Humphry Sandwith Esq., C. 8., to be Colonial Secretary for the Island of Mauritius. .CRO WN-OFFICE, FEB. 23. MEMBER RETURNED TO SERVE IN THE PRESENT PARLIAMENT. County of Kent— Western Division—Charles Wykeham Martin, Big., in the room of Sir Edmund Filmer, Bart., deceased. WHITEHALL, FEB. 10. The Lord Chancellor has appointed David Black, of Brighton, in the county of Sussex, Gentleman, to be a Commissioner to administer oaths in the High Court of Chancery in England. WAR-OFFICE, PALL-lIALL, FEB. 24. Royal Regiment of Horse Guards.—Francis George Augustus Fuller, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Bulkeley, promoted. 11th Light Dragoons.—Lieutenant Arthur Lyttleton Annesley to be Captain, by purchase, vice Dallas Yorko, who retires; Cornet William Cuninghame to be Lieuten ant, by purchase, vice Annesley; William Edward Shaw, Gent., to be Cornet, without purchase, vice Dimsdale, deceased. 16th Light Dragoons—W. R. Corballis, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Duffield, appointed to the sth Dragoon Guards. MILITARY TRAIN. To be Captains—Capt. T. Rowland, from half-pay Ist Foot ; Capt. H. Hope A'Court Inglefield, from half-pay 14th Foot ; Lieut. T. Penton, from 12th Light Dragoons. To be Ensign—Cornet N. Burslem, from the Land Transport Corps. Royal Artillery—Staff-Surgeon of the 2d Class Matthew Combe, M.D., to be Surgeon. Ist Foot—Lieutenant Charles J. Tuffnell Oakes to be Captain, by purchase, vice Kirk, who retires ; Captain Thomas John Gregory, from half-pay Ist Foot, to be Cap tain, vice Oakes, placed upon half-pay. 14th Foot—Edward John Briscoe, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Beami s h, promoted ; Lieutenant George Bridges has been permitted to retire from the service by the sale of his commission ; Ensign Iver M`lver to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Mathews, promoted. 18th Foot—Ensign Chas. Norris Fry to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Shaw, whose promotion on the 9th Jan. has been cancelled. 21st Foot—Lieut. Wm. Cairnes to be Instructor of Mus ketry; Chas. Robin Hammond, Gent., to be Ensign with out purchase, vice Cook, promoted. For John Urquhart, Esq., late Paymaster British Swiss Legion, to be Paymaster, vice Ha.wker, appointed to a De pot Battalion, which appeared in the Gazette of the 30th ult., read Capt. John Urquhart, late Staff Paymaster British Swiss Legion, to be Paymaster, Sze. 24th Foot—John Moors Gurnell Tongue, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Birch, promoted. 30th Foot—Lieut. Henry L'Estrange Herring to be Ad jutant, vice G. H. Sanders, who resigns the Adjutancy only. 43d Foot—Lieutenant Robert Coke Glover to be Captain, without purchase, vice Bruere, deceased; Ensign Thomas Elmes to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Glover ; Ensign Jdhn Evelyn Kingston Morley, from the Rifle Bri• gade, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Elmes, pro moted. 46th Foot—Captain Richard Lluellyn, from half-pay, 46th Foot, to be Captain, vice Womwbell, whose Brevet Rank has been converted into Substantive Rank, under the Royal Warrant, Oct. 6, 1854. 54th Foot--Dudley B. COppinger, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice F. A. Campbell, appointed to 60th Foot. 56th Foot—Julius Lovell, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur chase, vice H. H. Taylor, promoted. 60th Foot—Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class George Waterloo Pennington Sparrow, from half-pay, to be Sur geon, vice Eaton, placed upon half-pay. 66th Foot—Lieutenant Richard Thomas Hughes to be Instructor of Musketry. 67th Foot—Serjeant-Major John Staniforth, to be Quartermaster, vice Crispin, who retires upon half-pay. 73(1 Foot—Serjeant-Major Jonathan Gortly Scott to be Quartermaster, vice Carson, who retires upon half-pay. 79th Foot—William Henry M`Causland, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Adcock, promoted. 90th Foot—Lieutenant Leonard H. Lloyd Irby to be Captain, by purchase, vice Close, who retires ; Ensign George Edward Perryn to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Irby; John Williamson, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Perryn. Ist West India Regiment—Ensign William Alexander Dobie, from the 79th F oo t, t o b e Li eu t enan t , b y purc h ase, vice oote promoted. 2d Weal India Regiment—Charles Edward Russell, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice D'Arcy, de ceased. Cape Mounted Rifles—Walter J. Wyatt, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Rorke, promoted. STAFF—Veterinary-Surgeon George Western has been permitted to resign his commission. PnovlsioNAL BATTALION (Chatham). —To be Majors.— Major A. Wombwell, from half-pay Unattached ; Major H. D. Ellis, from half-pay Unattached. UNATTACHED. Captain and Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel W. Sankey 47th Foot, to have the Substantive Rank of Major, under the Royal Warrant of Oct. 6, 1854. Brevet-Major A. Wombwell, 46th Foot, to have his Brevet Rank converted into Substantive Rank, under the Royal Warrant of Oct. 6, 1854. HOSPITAL STAFF. - - Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class Patrick Joseph Clarke, from half-pay, to be Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class; Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class William Thomas Black, from half-pay, to be Staff-Surgeon of the Second Class, vice Reynolds, appointed to the Military Train. To be Assistant-Surgeons—Assistant -Surgeon John Wood, from the Military Train; Assistant-Surgeon Wil liam Henry Muschamp, from the Military Train ; Assis tant-Surgeon Samuel Pratt Woodfull, from the Military Train. BREVET. Brevet-Colonel Godfrey Charles Mundy, upon half-pay Unattached, to have the local rank of Major-General while in the command of the troops in the Island of Jersey. The undermentioned Quartermasters, retired on half pay, to have the honorary rank t of Captain, under the Royal Warrant, 17th Dec. 1855: Quartermaster George Crispin, half-pay, 67th Foot. Quartermaster John Carson, half-yay 73d Foot. ADMIRALTY FEB 20. _ _ Corps of Royal Marines.—The following promotions have taken place, under her Majesty's Order in Council of the 13th Soptc.nber, 1851, in consequence of the death of Lieut.-General Sir John Owen, K.C.8., on the Fixed Establishment of General Officers of the Royal Marines, viz. ;—Major-General S. B. Ellis, C. 8., to be Lieutenant- General ; Colonel-Commandant F. Graham, C. 8., to be Major-General, vice Ellis, promoted. BREVET. In cong3quence of the promotion of Major-General Graham, the undermentioned officers, on the retired full pay list of the Royal Marines, to be Major-Gener a l s Major- General . Graham having stood b e l ow th em on the effective establishment of the corps when they retired ; viz. :—Bre vet-Colonel James Clark, and Brevet-Colonel John Tothill. ADMIRALTY, FEB. 20. Corps of Royal Marines.—Colonel Second Commandant Thomas Hurdle, C. 8., to be Colonel-Commandant, vice Graham, promoted ; Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Ander son to be Colonel Second Commandant, vice Hurdle, pro moted ;. Bravet - Lieutenant-Colonel George Colt Langley, Assistant Adj utant-General of the Corps, to be Lieutenant- Colonel, under the provisions of Her Majesty's Order in Council, 13th September, 1854; Captain George Walkup Congdon to be Lieutenant-Colonel, vice Anderson, pro moted. COMMISSIONS SIGNED BY LORDS-LIEUTENANT. County of Surrey--John Labouchere, Esq., to be De puty Lieutenant. Castlenlartin Yeomanry Cavalry—Decinsns Williams Byers, Esq., to be Lieutenant, vice F. L. S. M. Baron de Rutzen Frantz, promoted. King's Own Light Infantry Regiment of Militia—Capt. Frederick John Parry to be Major, vice Walker, resigned. Warwickshire Militia-Ist Regiment—Harry Hazlett Ramadale, Esq., to be Ensign, vice Ensign Charles John Sale, resigned. 2d Regiment—Ensign Stephen Troughear Cragg to be Lieutenant, vice G. W. Plevins. resigned. Northumberland Regiment of Infantry Militia—Lord C. Beauclerk, late Captain in the' Ist Royals, to be Major, vice Browne, resigned. Worcestershire. Regiment of Militia—Charles Ed ward Hopton, Esq., late Captain in the 23d Fusiliers, to be Captain, vice Winnington. Royal Aberdeenshire Regiment of Militia—George Mo rison, Esq., M.D., to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Balfour, deceased. BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED. Robert Ashworth, cotton-spinner, Newchtfrch, Rossen. dale, Lancashire. BANKRUPTS. Edwin Shepherd and Walter Shepherd, lozenge mann facturers, 12, Crane court, Fleet•street, City, to surrender, March 6, at half-past twelve, and April 9, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Bell, official assignee, Coleman street-buildings; Chidley, Basinghall-street. James Griffiths, builder, Bristol, March 9 and April 7, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. Acraman, official assignee, Bristol, Prideaux, Bristol. Thomas King, licensed victualler, Spalding, March 10 and 31, at half-past ten, at the Shire-hall, Nottingham. Harris, official assignee, Nottingham ; Brown Lincoln. Robert Graves, corn merc h ant, Gravesend, ' March 6, at eleven, and April 17, at half-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Canaan, official assignee Aldermanbury ; Crafter, Blackfriar's-road. William Smith, licensed victualler, Mansfield, Notting hamshire, March 10 and 31, at half-past ten, at the Shire hall, Nottingham. Harris, official assignee, .Nottingham ; Boiley and Ash well, Nottingham. Joshua Downing Stanbury, draper, Richmond, March 6, at half-past one, and April 3, at two, at the Court of Bankruptcy. - Whitmore, official assignee, Basi.ngliall street ; Mason and Sturt, Greshatn-street. Sleater Geoghegan, stationer, Palso ' Tave-place, Strand, March 13, a t t we l ve, an d A pr il 20, a t eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Pennell, official assigness, Guildhall chambers ; Brisley, Cheat side. Robert Spendlove, horse and cattle dealer , Sheffield , March 7, and April 4 , at ten, at the Council-hall, Sheffield. Brewin, official assignee, Sheffied; Marsh, Rotherham. Frederick F. Shaw, ironmonger, Blackfriars-road, March 13, at eleven, and April 20, at one, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Nicholson, official assignee, Basinghall-street ; Linklater and Hackwood, Sise-lane, London; Hodgson and Allen, Birmingham. Thomas White, jun., ship - builder a nd en g in eer , Ports! mouth, March 11, at two, and Apri l 7, at one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Plews and Boyer, SOtladnBJfeelwdr' official assignee; Lawren ce , Jewry Chambers. Samuel Smith, iron merchan t, Derb y , March 10 and 31, l'iTv°atdatiDwgrthm ; ,Nottingham. at half-past ten, at the Shire-hall, p H e a r r b r y is ; ' official Wad s w a o s r s t i h g n s e n e d , Fm i or t o k m o w, 6000 and Ppico morciogit 2 Dumitir, oottrt, Mincing-lane, City, March 7, and April 7, at twelve, at Court of Bankruptcy. Sfansfeld, official assignee; 1 ., 1 , 1 :-.0 and Hiboert, Tokenbouse-yard, City. Sadgrove, jur. and Richard Ragg, cabinct mekere, Eldon-street, Finsbury, Middlesex, March 10, at Lalf-pagt `vvo, and April 7, at two, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Lee, official assignee, Aldermanbury; Spyer, Broad-street-bm , ldings. Francis Bee, knife manufacturer, Sheffield, March 7, and April' 4, ai; ten, at the Council-hall, Sheffield. Brewin, official assign , ? o, Sheffield; Ryalls, Sheffield. James Armstr ong , liuea, draper, Berwick-upon-Tweed , March 10, at twelve, and Apt..l 21, at eleven, at the New castle-upon-Tyne District Conn. Baker, official assignee , Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Moore, Carlisle; Hoyle, New castle-upon-Tyne. Lorens Theodor Wang, ti m b er m erchant, Durban ], March G, at twelve, and April 8, at hall-Past twelve, It the Newcastle-upon- L'yne District Court. Baker, official assignee, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; 'Young, Ifarrison, and Young, Sunderland. THE LATE COLLIERY EXPLOSION SEAR BAhNSLEY. TUESDAY AFTERNOON.—It was reported on Sato" day evening that it had been decided not to fill the mile with incombustible gas on Goldsworthy's plan, but ie; stead to allow the water to accumulate in the pit, el u , to tbrow in steam by means of a steam jet connee tea with the boilers by which the colliery was worked. TO arrangement has been carried out, and the re will copse* queutly by this time be a large accumulation of water in the pit, from which while the pit was tat work from 200 to 300 gallons per minute was pumped. It is loin' cipelly upon the prevention of ventilation by keeping the shafts closed and the accumulation of water, that the hopes are rested of the speedy extinction of the fire. It is not considered that the introducti on of stelae will have any considerable effect. Thee gentleme n left upon the spot, to whom the management of the pit has been intrusted, have very ax e : fully carried out the decisions of the email tee who met on Saturday evening, mid have hi° the sal.faction of finding that the temperature 113;0 1 the pit has gradually diminished. When the therm`" meter was first suspended 20 yards down the pit, on t I afternoon of Friday, the temperature was 1 05 deg. 4011 , Saturday afternoon it had deeoendcd to 85 deg., an; when the last experiment was tried this morning it ihsa got to 75h deg., being 10 deg. lower. Th e gentian ea managing cn the spot are in constant communication by telegraph with Mr. Wood, the colliery viewer front the north, and the other gentlemen who have been cos ' suited on the subject. Steam is introduced int, the pit by a pipe 1 inch in diameter, and the moot) of the ventilating shaft bas been entirely closed as well as those of the downcast shafts. Mr. Nicholas Wood, el' eminent mining engineer, Mr. G. Elliott, Mr.Woodhousv of Derby Oleo eminent mining engineers), meet the local ( committee at 2 o'clock to-morrow (Wednesday) to consieee what further steps may be necessary. It is admitted that great care will be requisite on the opening of the pile as in case it is opened too soon the fire may again blaze out and another terrific explosion result. It is, hoe'. ever, thought not improbable that the fire may be ere thoroughly extingu:shed as to permit of the pit being o • opened towards the c:ose of the present week. There ire. however, no probability that any of the bodies in the pit I Rill be recovered, at all events before next week, as S' considerable time will be required to pump the We' quantity of water which will have accumulated in the pit, and a considerable further time to renew the 'ventila tion. During the last few days the proprietors of the 0 01 " liery have had the most diligent inquiries made with ib view to ascertain the exact number of persons still is the pit, and of course dead, and the number turns out to be no less than 182. It L 9 thought probable that some ; few more names may still be ascertained, but there lilt' doubt that 182 is within a very few indeod of the reel: number, if, indeed, it is not the exact number. Country Markets. LIVERPOOL—FEL 24. At to-day's market there was a good attendance of 010 dealers and millers from distant parts of the country. Yaw ll met a moderate consumptive demand at Tuesday's Price' for fine qualities, but at a decline of ld to 2d per bushel 01 middling and inferior. Sack flour was rather more inquired for, but American continues neglected ; prices, however, are nominally the same as last week. Oats brought late rates iII the limited business done, but oatmeal was more saleable the low prices now current having attracted country buyers' Barley, beans, and peas without change, Indian corn was less inquired for, and the extreme rates obtainable during the week were not supported to-day. Mixed may be quoted from 33s 9d to 34s ; yellow, 34e 6d to 35s ; whito, 36s to 36e 9a • per 481bs. LEEDS, FEE. 24. Our supplies of grain are small ; good dry wheats continuo scarce, and are readily taken at rather over Friday's rates' other sorts without alteration in value. Pine barley fully dear. Beans are not plentiful, and rather improve in price' Other articles as before. Average prices of grain—Wheat, 56s 3d ; barley, 47g 6d ; oats, 25s 5d ; beans, 41s 10d ; peas, 40s Od; - rye, —s. HULL—Fiat. 24. There was a moderate supply of wheat from the fat-Merit t 0• day, in somewhat improved condition, and for which there was a fair sale at about last Tuesday's rates. Foreign a slow demand. Barley for seed is inquired for, but not much offer ing. Beans and other spring corn unaltered. Linseed dun , and cakes hare again Reclined ; but hare now reached a which attracts attention, and we are looking for an isiProieu. demand. 11 8 t s. No Wheat, English, red 56 to 58 1 Peas, grey and black --- to - Ditto white Elea 68 to "60to 63 Linseed, Black ... ~, Dantzic and Konigs- Ditt o Petersburgh ... "56 W w berg 63 to 70 Ditto Rigaand Arch- . ' Pomeranianand Ham- 1 angel burgh Danish, Holstein, and Memel 5O to 55 Friesland 54 to 58 1 Per Ton Russian and Odessa 58 to 63ILins.c., Hull 010 s to 11110' 011 „,. Oats, English Ditto Danish Ditto Friesland Ditto Russian 27 to 30 Rape cakes —s Od to 130 s ed Barley, malting Ditto grinding 35 to 38 Ditto foreign Beans Ditto foreign Peas, white and yel. 40 to 421F10m., per brL . 3ss. 38i COURSE OF EXCHANGE.—YESTXRDAY. • im5terdam............ l6 Gibraltar.... 11 •••••••••• ••.• Ditto, three months .. 11 18% Leghorn ..... ..... •••• 29 42 Rotterdam ............ 11 18% Genoa ........ •• .. .. .. 25 7b Antwerp •••.•••• • • • • • • 25 47% Milan ••••.••••• •• •• •• • '-- Brussels .• •• • • •• •• •• .• 25 47% • Venice • • • • •• •••• •• .... Liamburgh ............ 13 8 ; Naples ................ 43% Aliens •.•••••••• •• • • •• - 'Palermo .....•.... •••• 129% Paris.— - ............ 25 27% Messina .. ••• 130 Ditto, three months .. 25 67%. Lisbon ...... ..... -.. •• b l % Marseilleld... •• •• •• •... 25 67% Oporto .. ••••••• • •• • • •• b 2 Bourdeaux .. • ......... - 1 Rio Janeiro ..... ....... •-• • i Frankfort-on-Ilene •• .. 119% Buenos Ayres..... • .... -'' Berlin ................ - New York,6o d a y s ' si g ht Vienna .......... • • .... 10 30 Philadelphia .......... -..- >' Trieste.. •••••• • • • • •.... 10 32 IMICEM Or 117LLION, P2l Orm • ' Petersburg ............ 37% Foreign Gold in Bars £3 17 1 Vladrid .........., .... 49% Portugal Gold Coin .. 0 0 0 Cadiz ......... • • ..., ... 49% Mexican Dollars .... 0 0 0 Barcelona ............. - New Dollars ...... 0 0 0 Seville- .. - .......... - Sliver in bars ...... 0 0 0 COURT OF COMMON COUNClL.—Yesterday a special court, which had only been summoned at a few hour t notice, was held. The doors of the court were closed to strangers whilst the 'ubject of the River Thames and , Med way Conservancy Bill, now before Parliament, was dismissed. [Anvitarrsemitxr.l—The greatest happiness of a journalist is to introduce to his readers some new discovery calculated to benefit that vast portion of our fellow -creatures which has the strongest claims upon our sympathies. It is with this feeling that we call the attention of invalids to the ' following extracts from Du Barry's interesting Report of Cures without medicine of Indigestion (Dyspepsia), Flatulency, ; Constipation, Nervous, Bilious, and Liver complaints, Cough. Asthma, Consumption, and Debility, by Du Barry's Reva' lenta Arabica Food. Cure No. 180.—Twenty-five years' nor. vousness, constipation, indigestion, and debility, from which • I had suffered great misery, and which no medicine could remove or relieve, have been effectually cured by Du Barry'S food in a very short time.— W. R. Reeves, 181, Fleet-street, ``; London. Cure No. 1,784.—N0t expected to live six days longer, I was cured by Du Barry's admirable Health-restoring Arabica Food.—Magdalena Purvis, Moffat, Scotland. Cure • t No. s,46l.—Sixty years' partial paralysis, affecting onto-half `' of my frame, and which had resisted all other remedies, has I yielded to Du Barry's Health-restoring Food, and I now eon.; sider myself a stranger to all complaints excepting a hearty old age.—Wm. Hunt, barrister-at-law, King's College, Cambridge. Supported by testimonials from the celebrated Professors of , Chemistry Dr. Andrew tire ; Dr. Shorland ; Dr. Harv e y ; Dr. Campbell; Dr. Gattiker ; Dr. Wurzer ; Dr. Ingram; Lord Stuart de Decies ; the Dowager. Countess of Ca s tl e . stuart ; Major-Gen. Thomas King, and many other respent a bl s persons, whose health has been restored by it, after all other means of cure had failed. For further particulars resp ec t. • ing this invaluable food our readers are referred to Du Barry's advertisement in another part of this paper. BIRTHIS. OP A SON. b -square th e w if e o Robert On the 22d inst., the wife of the R ev. Baden Powell. OF A DAUGHTE R. n er t t h c o un 2 i 3 i cl ffe, in Es st q .,. at i 4l, Torrington On the 23d inst., at Severndroo g Vill a, Shootor's-hill,•the wife of Thomas Martin, Esq., of Graceehurch-street solicitor. On tho 24th inst., at Fort-stre e t , Spital-square, M rs. John Martin. MARRIED. On the 23d inst., at Leamington - , Lieutenant-Colonel I. Ireland Blackburn, to Emma, widow of the late Viscount Herefort On the 24th inst., at St. George's,!Hanover•equars, Tuff nell Samuel Barrett, Esq., of Court Lodge, Shorne, to Louisa, daughter of Fr e d. C owper, Esq., of Harley-street,'Cavendish square, and Carleton-hall, Cumberland. DIED. On the 24th inst., at 3, Garford-street, Poplar, William Miteheson, Esq., shipowner, aged 74. On the 18th inst , the Countess of Huntingdoa, aged 40. On the 20th inst . , at Boulogne-sur-Mor, Capt. John Rose, R.N., aged 87. On the 24th inst at Sutton-place, Hackney, Mr. Jas. H. Levin, aged 77. On the 24th inst., at 19, Michael's-place, Brompton, Mr. William Moore. On the 22d bast., Mr. James Watkins, for 53 years con. netted with Gun and Shot-wharf, Southwark. On the 22d inst James Swaine Alport, Esq., of 8, Astey' 0 row, Lower Islington, aged 76. LONDON : Printed and Published by MITRDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun 011ie% No. 1 12, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the county of Jlliddloiox, Woclizolidsiyarokruary 2IS, 18671 • •