The Sun. — London, England, 1847-03-02 00:00:00

--see result would he.ve been also diff eren t, an d w h a t h a d now b een I t o , l !ece ss f u l , - would have been successful. he CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER having r eplied, „ o l ‘ h l% FUME said that they should get the best terms for the they could, and if they had put up the loan so as to rai , .e th'.°lnpetition, they would probably have got better tems. He, ehZefoneere, did consider that the publie did not get a fair 2 ~str. 'WIL LIAMS considered th a t th ere h a d been no corn nee, if it, was not a secret, he would desire to know who thv 'Th e parties were who made the offer for the loan. , he CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said; that it ,„ w !„,ao secret, for that it was probably very well known by the Daring, the that they were the Messrs. Rothschild and the Messrs. -strin g , tbeAr.fter some conversation the resolution was agreed to, and Her resumed. RELIEF IRELAND BILL. rai L ?t o fl rc t i h o e u erPd( e ) r °ol fthe day that the House do go into a corn the Poor Relief Ireland Bill, iet ent •• j° l s sN RUSSELL said that he did not rise with any Hou se of provoking a discussion, but in order t let the ti o , B _anow earlier than it otherwise would what his inten • en Mgr re, he proposed that they should go into committee milt da y next, and that they at present would go into com it 4 ,1 r o forma, With respect to the first clause of the bill, tiei r s,,, u een suggested that although the guardians were that too . to relieve the destitute out of the workhouse, yet, t us• to might arise where owing to the workhouse being filled, Illardi ever ' it would be impossible to fill it, and the „, s _ ve ans, therefore, refuse to give relief. In order to tr such mi stakes from occurring, a clause should be in topitsithZ•t:tehetiitbiialigty of relief to be afforded to the full extent of the alter Yof the union. I n c l ause 9, th e G ov e r nment propose place persons to be rated. They proposed to saseent cha rge of m a i n t a i n i ng t h e p o or up to a certain Gd. Pew . , tll electoral dist r i c t, but that where it exceeded l arge. T m h ,. 4- `•e 'pound it should be charged to the union at guardian. 4S also proposed to alter the number of er-ggicio In agist- In England, all magistrates, who served as of gis 'lles s in the 'on ' were members of the board te artlian In union, however, they were elected I;y"hatli! number of one-third of the board. trues tithe Government propo•ed was, that the magis : Th e y elected to the number of one half of the whole body. 7' ru.',,!aold likewise introduce a clause similar to that in the M e tie r: l ap Relief Bill, giving power to the Government to r!- (ay, er ,,, u ard of guardians for the non-performance of their was Placing paid guardians to act in their stead. There padeneraoutrbither point to which he would allude. The House were hi England poor relief was not given to persons who The ps'Acient means of subsistence of their own. itles. 4 ,lt l Se might recollect that it was proposed by the Hon. pe4..4,47i for Dubli n t h at no relief shou l d b e g i ven to persons rowahove half an acre of land. If they said that iser- Istuld b e o ul d be re qu i re d to possess any l an d w h atever , th ere wouldb then a d anger that some, indeed many, poor persons, !pl ot of e de prived of the oc cu p a ti on of a cottage, or their little I)erse tt f ar tien- On the other hand, should relief be given to banger Prlssessed of any land whatever, there would be a enceuragement to persons of small roe - si w o uld) , would, as had been suggested to him, conto rt '' t u,gerous to the general prospeeity of the t o o ur:th e small holdings had been represented - " C. I; •of i nust prominent evils in Ireland. Between those tb'ev'e. a ! a s ts 01 ding - the Government were undecided, and iiest,,, ,- ,' s ned to take some time for consideration. Her Ma lkin': u°rerntnent, however, felt the necessity of some defini- Wo o l: ! 0 what class of persons should be entitled to relief. He 504 t u In conclusion, propose to go into Committee pro . fol:oto, is 1, e y should then proceed with the other two Bias as quickly ressibi e trb •,„ ss ' said that h e un d ers tood the preposition of the the i t. '-ord to be as follows: With reference to 4 ' ll wh it c lause, he intended to grant relief to ti g h t ° might require it. Now, he would suggest Atto relief would necessitate a law of settlement. ri ß i l P j e sent, the House should recollect, there was no absolute d • to relief existing in Ireland. With regard to the second ihe Perfectly acquiesced in it ; and with respect to Ihle ,Muth e i a use, that no relief should be charged as far as poss. 1414:4,,ur"Ireedi,°efoarlitv' and that where it exceeded a certain sum Cos then it shonld be charged upon the union at large, h . e a . lso such a a n s ti a n t e p ip r l e e s . ent advised he saw no tangible objection • sd ir ,, ll C i llEßT PEEL wished to know whether . the Nob i l n e ,t; Ora the vestry the same right in the union as theyhad e k g i and tl 11 : . SHAW asked whether he was to enderstand by the e which refused relief to those holding land . , if those . in he t "'ion of certain small holdings would be entitled to relief, 40 , that all with large holdings, above a certain amount, should ',be emitted to relief? 1-.°ll J OHN RUSSELL said, in regard to the first question je the I l ion. and Learned Gentleman, in reference to the regency giving the right of out-door relief, the guardians were sso -lretl to give out-door relief when the workhouse was full. ,k g t‘... reit necessary to make this provision, supposing such a ti t ; should arise as that the people might be starving, at a e When they could not be admitted into the workhouse. It n arctian s • to m eet an emergency of that kind, and to empower the l to give r e li e f out of door. As to the question put th e t s he Right Hon. Baro ne t, h e sa id it wou ld no t b e exac tly s li t 'ante as it was i n E ng l an d, f or i n E ng l an d there was t hi s P:recce, that relief was g i ven i n f u ll ; b ut it was. not the otio n of th e G overnment to ma k e i t exact l y stainer in dlr• JOHN O'CONNELL t h oug h t t h at t h e c l ause intro .... Tug ex-officio guardi ans wou ld wor k very badly in Ireland ; t he f eare d, t h at as regarded religious questions and reli tta instructions to th e i nmates o f t h e workhouse, he hoped Zt Government would introduce some means which would trotect the inmates in that respect. Sir DENHANI NORREYS said he was surprised at the Noble Lord in the way he had been guided in introducing the eating clauses into the Bill. That Noble Lord had partially brought the question before the House, and he was bound to have taken the opinion of the House ; but he understood that he had allowed himself to be guided by some of the Irish Members. Had he taken the opinion of the whole Irish Party, perhaps complaint would have been out of place; but he ought, knowing the complaints made from Ireland on the sub- Jed, to have brought it before the House, and given them an 4uPpertunity of akinz their statements and laying down their " t e t ti n upon. it. rn In common sense and justice, the Noble tO--such was bound to have •aken this course, and not to have set -- s uch a question in his private closet. He might say it was ot e settled ; b ut t h e N o bl e L or d h a d made up h i s m i nd, and he House, were forw ar d w i t h hi s op i n i ons an d pressed them upon the hs ile use, and they not likely to be able to c h ange th em . H e ad lost a ll conidence in him as a leader. All the confidence Which had been begotten by his conduct on the Factory Bill, the Maynooth Bill, and other questions. Mr. M, J. O'CONNELL said the Hon. Gentleman wished t o have discussion, and he promised he would have an oppotux. he k Wi tn ts hoped to see the question of rating, uf a uniform rate, • ugh t before the H o use. His opinion was, that any patching a nd tinkering of a measure would be injurious, as they would il nd out ere five years had elapsed. Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN could not allow that opportunity t t e L. P.ass without protesting against the proposed constitution of board o f guar dians. The Noble Lord, it was well known, had the popular support for his Government, and yet he came L6rwa d with proposition to make one-third or one• fourth of whole beard ex officio members, and thereby bade .. for they would be elected by g the ratepayers, and if they did not have C e s eclofidence of the poor and the ratepayers, they ought net er guardians. L e :t. POWLETT SCROPE said that many improvements It e - t u e,ea made in the Bill—many more had yet to be ma must observe that in those made already, rwl thole, allowed that evening by the Noble Lord, Hitt concessions had been made in favour of The raedlord. There was one, however, which he must ti e i w i i i'm with all prnminency in justice to the Noble Lord, via , th e which gave the right of out-door relief, at least, where workh ouse was full. As i n E ng l an d, so i n I re l an d, h e was et.4 -13 PY where th e l aw was t h a t no o ne should be allowed to r ti i"te, for th en t h e poor man m i g h t i n e ith er co untry claim tf le le t under the law. At the same time he did not think that o ne bie Lord would have left it to the guardians to starve theClauseThera was a ver • large concession in favour of the prr. f Was one clause whichgave the Commissioners the right IPordering outdoor relief to g all classes of the poor. That was .Pitt advantage and much in favour of the poor, but he was % r i p' to see it limited only to times when the workhouse was d r e i t cir when it might be considered dangerous to a - Co e n Thre in case of infection from fever. The next d u e , zion in favour of the ratepayer was, the clause intro ,,e'llg the ex officio guardians. That, he considered. was a great p °- , s eeiw ical, and one from which he doubted not but that the biers would suffer. Another concession was, that small far theie should not be allowed to claim relief unless they gave up did r la ud. That was not a provision in the Scottish law, it s ew n, t require the poor farmer to give up his croft before it Jo allow relief. R • MAULS.—It does not allow relief. u2r' 13. SCROPE.—Yes ; but it did not make it neces .yfor the small farmer, previous to his receiving aid, to give °la croft ; and for saying that he was supported by the last re vert of the Poor-law Commissioners' inquiry for Scotland. If Ireland th law should be that frmers of hree or fur acres o f land, and s there were several a hundreds t of such in that t s e l wi rY—if it should be necessary for such to give up their the 'ls, if the fell into circumstances of difficulty and distress, 11,freet wo y uld be ruinous, and the law would be most unpo fl,tr- Anoth e r c lause in the Bill worthy of attention, was a...bt.tzhi^h confines the out-door relief to the permanently die he did not know exactly how that phrase. permanently e disabl d might be explained, for it was a new distinction in the le w• Butthis he knew, that it distinguished a very small por tion of the poor recipients of relief in England. The Poar-law Com m i ss ioners in this country had divided all the classes of the Poor into nine, and this class of permanently disabled formed but fee of these. He was sorry to think that this pro vision would offer but very inadequate relief to the class of Persons who ought really to have come under that designation, and he regretted it the ore so as Governmen, by taking Proper steps, and making m adequate provision for t the poor in their own country, would have adopted the best means of pre yenting the crowds of poor that immigrated into this country In search of the relief which they could not obtain in their native land. One thing he was anxious to know from the Noble Lord was, what steps he meant to take for the sup re"luo of mendicancy arid vagrancy ? lie recollected that ; 'n the Poor-law Bill introduced by the Noble —ord. in December 1t037, there were clauses introduced for the ZlPPression of mendicancy and vagrancy. and that the Noble el f " , upon that occasion based the whole Bill upon these au ses, and principle of suppressing these. The clauses in (Itlestien were however expunged after they left the Commons, the Hou se o f Lords, ani passed without them in 1538. tili v a in f g ut s u a r i e d e t e h e u as s i m en uch,he would postpone what he had to say M. LEFROY had a question to 'ask of the Noble . Lord at • e "ead of the Government. It was, how far was it his inten- Potha the workhouse test should be carried out before out was relief was grantet ? lie hoped also that while this matter Zas properly attended to, the subject of union-rating would be considered ; as the system of electoral voting was much de siredNi by the people of Ireland. • r• CALLAGHAN wished to say a few words on the Point of an i on-rating. He had lately presented a petition from we citizens o f C ork fur a more extensive system of rat i ng t h an eTen union -rating. H e was d ec id e dl y o f opinion that unless a Pneral aystern of rating was established, there would be no Peace or satifectie n in Ireland. He also regretted to hear the proposa l of the Government fur increasing the number of intqficio g uar di ans, as it would cause great dissatisfaction, and h aad ed ri :e n e is p te ai r ti es on to th e b oar d s w h o i n man y instances would e ow interest in the raising of the rates they were called on • re—, llr ' 0F IT ZGERALD agreed with the Government in the f rating proposed in the Bill. L i o au dswerJOHN to a R question from Mr. SHAW, co n! i ri IUSSELL said the Government had under erasion a V agrancy Ae' for Ireland. T he House then went itito Commi•tee on the Bill. Bill was agre e d t o pro forma, and ordered to be re etuarnitted on Monday next. L LANDED PROPERTY (IRELAND) BILL. f oe ~° „ r s l JOHN RUSSELL moved that the order of the day e no ZSinst into Committee on this Bill be read, in order to post till Monday next. Thr. SMITH O'BRIEN complained of the postponement „ Rill. and considered great inconvenience would arise — c• As the p rs , nt time the wr.t. en,:age , l o,t in ly of an UtiprodUCtiVet -nature, and every si.4 loss seriou s Settlement of the present Bill would be inflicting a loos injury on Ireland. With respect to the poor-law pro posed, that was not a measure to enrich Ireland. lON. s econ d yridal, steir , o ' ng d ie o al ter )11s. notiC.or; tioo el! 1 of ail venit 4. ,pect Lies. day 1 . 311. not 11' ) ved re" ;a CIO g Cr treSp a* VitiOrtfr )0 0 01°. 00 ; 0: Ott c es, e ' the c s 7, did O A "' po it 'collect" Vita ti°flt fifth ° oPP er t , subj ec- • on d ist ' ea into the P re ' t , 'on t ha tireiiiir nit to '6 THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDA Y EVENING, MARCH 2, 1341. Lord JOHN RUSSELL thought the measure of such importance that he could not agree to its passing without the greatest considerat . on. It should be gone through clause by clause, and all its provisions duly weighed and considered. Their so doing before sending it to the other House was the most safe and practical course, and this would take up some time. The Honourable Member had also complained of the proposed poor-law, and said that it would not be a measure to make Ireland rich. Be (Lord John Russell) d.d not say that it would do so, but it would have the effect of inducing the landed proprietors and the farmers to employ the people instead of supporting ti.em in the workhouse, and thus lead to the improvement of the country.—( Hear, hear.) With regard to the money now spending, it would enable the people to earn something to keep them alive. The most important question for the Go vernment now was, not whether the labour was productive or not, but to enable the people to keep alive. Still he thought that even the roads which had been made, and which were said to be unproductive, would turn out most useful and advan tageous. Ile could further assure the lion. Member that the Waste Lands Bill would be shortly introduced, and that that, with the New Poor-law, would be proceeded with without delay. With respect to the Bill now under conside ration the Lord Chancellor had gone through the clauses, and thought them highly important and practical ; still as the practice; ,f the Court of Chancery in Ireland differed somewhat. from the practice of the English Cou. t, it was con sidered the best course to delay the Bill a little, in order that its provisions might be fully matured, and that it might, there fore, work satisfactorily.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. HUME :aid no one could see the exertions which the Government were making without being satisfied that they were doing their best ; still he could not agree with the Noble Lord that the money now expended was not unproductive. He (Mr. Hume) (IA not see any evidence of its productive ness, while its application was taking the people away from the cultivation of the land. No time should be lost in carrying the Bill, to enable the I inded proprietors to receive loans in order to employ the people on the lands. There was no doubt but that the land would pay for the capital expended on it. Only the other day he learned that land in one of the most distressed counties in Ireland, Kerry had sold for 27 years' purchase. He thought that as so many of the estates in Ireland were in Chancery, a Bill should be passed to enable the proprietors to sell their estates, and apply the results to liberate themselves from their present unfortunate position. Lord G. BENTINCK said he could not agree with the Noble Lord in the picture he had drawn of the benefits which would arise from the roads that were making, as from a report of a meeting held the other day in Ireland, at which Mr. Bianconi, who had been referred to as a great &title - rity in that House, had spoken. That gentleman had spoken at the meeting, represented the roads to be in a most deplorable condition, and of little use for the purposes contemplated. (The Noble Lord read an extract from the report of the meeting to this effect.) Lord J. 'RUSSELL had not said that he was very sanguine of the benefits which the reads; would produce, but that he considered they would heneitt flae country, and be the means of employing the people so as to supply the means of sub- sistence. Sir JAMES GRAHAM entertained a strong opinion that every farthing expended in Ireland, should be spent in a repro ductive manner. He did not, however, rise to give this opi nion, but to express himself that he thought it unfair and unjust to press the Government in this period of awful and unexampled difficulty, or to blame them for delaying to bring forward the measures which they thought necessary to meet the crisis. But he would express his opinion in reference to permanent measures for Ireland, that none would be better calculated to give relief than a measure giving facilities to tenants for life to relieve themselves of their incumbrances by the sale of portions of their land. ( Hear, hear.) Such a measure was absolutely required, and he rejoiced to hear that the Lord Chancellor of Ireland had directed his earnest attention to the question, in order that some relief in this respect might be given to holders of property.—( Hear.) There was a clause to put this on equitable principles, but what was the e.onsequence ? Why, Lord Langdale, Lord Campbell, the Lord Chancellor, and Lord Lyndhurst had all allowed that the principles of the Bill were inapplicable to the circumstances of the country. These principles had been fully agreed to in that House, and yet these great law Lords had all assented to the agreement that the bill was quite un tenable. On the one hand, there was the difficulty which must be felt in the Legislature at passing Bills to which these Lords could net give their consent. Yet he considered that obtaining the consent of the other House to the improvement of the Poor Law was of the greatest possible moment, and he trusted the necessary measures for that purpose would be taken. Mr. L A ROUCHERE could not but regret the opinion that the Right Hon. Baronet opposite had expressed as to the two courses, one of which it was determined that Parliament should pursue. He deeply regretted that the word of his Noble Friend the first Lord of the Treasury had not been sufficiently at tended te. The Right Hon. Baronet seemed to think that his Noble Friend conceived that it was immaterial what works were entered upon, and whether they were useful or unprofit able works ; but if he bad examined sufficiently into the state of the facts, he would find that none of the works on which the public money had been ex.puendewdhcicohulhdabdebeelelnleindaudneprboadducbteievne works. ard that the expenditure of much service in the improvement of property,of the country. In the consideration of this question, they must go to the con sideration of the matters before them, and to save the sacrifice of human life, and to prevent the extent of human suffering, and for that purpose they were anxious to promote this mea sure. But it had been made a charge against the Govern ment, that these people had net been employed upon reproduc tive works, and that if the money were to be expended, this ought to be resorted to. But were not these people already engaged, directly or indirectly, in the cultivation of the soil. He had stated over and over again, that the object of the Go vernment in the planning of these works, was the employment of the people with a view to the preservation of human life. But, as the Right Hon. Baronet bad observed, this could only be attained by the expenditure of a large sum of money. The great question was, as to how this plan would succeed in the improvement of the country. What would have been the circumstances had this grant not been made. Why, the probability was that the suffering would not have been relieved, and yet the money would have been equally expended, and therefore it was that he was re joiced that they bad given their assistance, and that the people had been employed upon public, rather than upon re-productive works. He would not trouble the House with further remarks, but could not help expressing his regret that their. measures had not met with the approval of the Hon. Member for Dor • setshire (Mr. S. Herbert), whose opinion was always of so much weight in that House. Sir D. NORREYS—The Noble Lord was desirous of de veloping the resources of Ireland. Let him do so in a manly manner, and let no man tal• e up a mine or any other public work without the sanction of Government. Would it not be better now, if the Noble Lord has any measure in hand, to submit that to the Board of Works, and see whether it was feasible or not. This principle might be observed as respected either a bank or a public road, Ile would now give an instance of this Act. He had an offer from some gentlemen to erect a mill at an expense of from 14,0001. to 15,0001., but he could not accede to their offer because he could not force the occupants of certain lands to give him aright of way to the entrance to the mill. Then there was another case which had come under his notice. There was a limestone quarry which could not be brought into play, because the original holders of the land refused to grant their assistance to the conveyance of the stone from the quarry, and he was Taite satisfied that unless some measures were taken for expe diting the means for enabling public works to be carried en it would be utterly futile to pass any measure for the improve ment of Ireland. Mr. BAILEY believed that unless there were some mea sures for enabling the proprietors to get rid of their entailed estates, any measures to which the Government might accede would be of no use whatever. Mr. J. O'CONNELL said that a great misunderstanding prevailed on this subject. He had himself been largely en gaged in the appropriation of the means provided for the im provement of Ireland, especially in the most cultivated districts in Ireland. He meant those about Dublin. The great object was, to give employment to the people, and they had found that the making of roads had been of the utmost possible advantage, for they afforded to the most destitute immediate employment. One fault only had, as it appeared to him, been committed, and that was the endeavour to do the work which required 17,000,000 e with a grant of 10,000,000/.• ' a grant which was totally inapplicable to the purpose. Sure he was that if the Government acted consistently they would not find the gentle. men of Ireland behindhand in rendering their assistance. Mr. SHAW was unwilling to say a single word, but he thought that the Bill of the Government might have been sooner brought forward, and he regretted this the more as there was an evident desire on both sides of the House that it should he carried forward as speedily as possible. Mr. P. SCROPE waa anxious to know the result of the Drainage Act of last session, for it appeared to him that it had not been sufficiently followed our. He had had communi cations from Ireland in which it was stated that the land in the neighbourhood of the writers was quite under wa'er, and he felt assured that if that Act had beet) fully carried out, that no difficulty would have been experienced respecting those public works. After a few words from Mr. BAILEY, Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that he should be prepared to answer the question on Monday next, and he could not witheut preparation undertake to answer all the questions respectingrespect thethe measures which Drainage Billhad , of whic r e tied o s tnp t ia h i is nt Hse. W had dbeen madeith by his o is li p o po n ; opportunity had d(Ni r. been S taken er°P e to )' all lnhder he coul d ul d A s c a t y as was tha t avail able as possible, and as there he might say with res p ect to the wqausestt i o on be . f a n h o i t s h e i r o d n i? e F u r s i s e i n on d: that he would then be able to learn what the intentions of Government were. of LINCOLN C of thOs,LuNolinad l i st e e in n b ed er w o i f th s m t much attention to Government to observationstheTheEarl did feel that. the intentions of the Act had not been fully carried out , and that the sanction of the had been fully justifie d . And t he more so that from 130 per cent. of the funds had been applied to the purposes of this Act. Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN regretted that no intimation had been given by the Government of the plan which they intended to adopt ; for, if they had, he felt assured that not only would the system itself have been most satisfactory to the country, but that it would be more eminently instrumental in the pro. motion cf the public welfare. The vote was then postponed until Monday next. ARMY ESTIMATES. On the motion that the House go into a Committee of Supply on the army estimates, Mr. HUME said that he exceedingly regretted that the Government should have taken the course which they had adopted in the arrangement of these estimates, for he saw no reason whatever for the increase of the sum to be voted for these estimates. Since the year 1822 the estimates for this purpose were upwards of 20,000,0 001 . in excess of what they were, and for this he saw no reason whatever. During the years 1835, 6, and 7he found that the whole of the estimates for the purposes of war were upwards of 43.000.000/., giving an average for the three years of more than 14.473,0001 and since the year 1813 they had increased to the extent of more than 3,000,000/. He did not see any reason for this, for the difference was not great between the present year and that of 1828, when the army had been re duced. For his own part he did not see that there was any great necessity for a larger military establishment than that which existed in 1792, and to that standing he thought the army ought to be approximated if it were not re d uce d to that h G e o se ve w rn er m e e m nt atr w te u s i w d e hatlwell deserving allow the of m in a q t u te ir r y, t a o nd pa h s e s eat trusted en. the T without sufficient investigation. Sir DE LACY EVANS could, as he believed, make con siderable pretensions to the character of a liberal Member of that House, but he would never be a party to embarrass the Government by such a reduction of the army estimates as that which had been suggested by the Hon. Member for Montrose ( Mr. Hume).—( Hear, hear.) The wants of this great empire were not to be satisfied by a meagre force. with regard to what had fallen from the Honourable Member for Montrose upon the subject of economy, he could only say, that at no hustings would he ever give a pledge to make any silly or foolish reductions in the public expenditure, and thus jeopardise the defences of the country. Lord GEORGE BENTINCK said nothing could be more rash and silly than reductions at the expense of the security of the country. He had heard with great surprise from free tra ders opposite, that no sooner had they es ablished free trade, then t!ies were oblige i to inerense +lob- rrilitiry operations; tv.- csui , tlie . 'y were once toll, that the effects of free trade would be to produce peace, lay desolate fortifications, disband enemies, and do away with the navy. Now he, as a protectionist, never saw that any of these consequences would arise, nor did he ever believe that free trade would lead to more harmony be tween foreign countries and Great Britain, But it was not be cause free traders were disappointed in that respect that he was disposed not to listen to any unwise or foolish reductions in our military or naval establishment, nor was he inclined in any way to expose the security of the country to the intrigues of foreign nations.—( Hear, hear. ) Dr. BOWRING said the Noble Lord had evidently taken an erroneous view of the opinions of free trailers. He had heard with regret some of the favourable terms of olden times, such as silly and miserable reductions, rash retrenchments. and so forth, for he believed the people entertained a strong hope that the military and naval establishments of the country would be diminished. For himself, he thought our merchants were a far better protection to the country than either the army or the navy, and whatever might hereafter pass on the hustings, he could only say that he had already received more than one strong remonstrance, more than one severe lesson from his con stituents, to take care not to lend himself to any unnecessary augmentation of the funds appropriated to the support of the army and navy.—( Hear, hear.) Unlimited control was placed in the hands of the Government over the finances of the nation, and they ought to show their respect of that confidence by economising in the army and naval departments as much as possible.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. WILLIAMS would make but a very few observations at this period of the debate. Ho was quite prepared to admit that any expenditure, however extravagant, would be defended by professional gentlemen connected with the army and navy, so far as they were concerned ; and perhaps they were justified in doing so.—( Hear, hear.) He had hoped that the Noble Lord the Prime Minister would have followed the example of the Governments of Earl Grey and Lord Melbourne of which the Noble Lord himself was a distinguished member. The first act of Earl Grey, after reforming the House of Corn. mons, was to propose a reduction in the expenditure in the army and navy ; and when Lord Melbourne came in'.o office, he made various further reductions in several departments, till at last they were brought down to something less than eight mil lions. He was surprised to hear, the other night, the Right Honourable the Secretary for the Admiralty, state, that the available arm] for Great Britain only amounted to 20,000 men. Now so far from this being the case in the year 1836, reducing from the aggregate number, the men requirrd for Ireland and the colonies, there was left a force of 77,000 men disposable in Great Britain, which could have been brought down to the coast at any moment, to destroy the French army had they at tempted an invasion —( Hear and laughter.) It was therefore his intention to propose a reduction of twenty thousand men when the Estimates came before them, and still,' after that reduction was made, the army would consist of 32,084 men more than it did in 1835. He should propose that the Horse Guards be reduced to 500 men, and he could not see how the House could reasonably object to this, for no one ever saw so many as 500 guards on duty at once.— ( Hear, hear.) He would also propose a reduction in the Foot Guards of just one half, vie., from 5,260, to 2 630 ; the cost of this reduction would las 105,452 1 .—( Laughter )—the cost of the reduction of the Life Guards would be 115,040/.—(Laugh ter) —making a total cost in the reduction of these two depart ments of 220,4921.—( Renewed laughter.) Mr. B. DISRAELI—Is that the cost of the reduction ? Mr. WILLIAMS—Yes.—( Continued laughter.) The Hon. Member then went on to allude to the dead weight of the country—the pension list. The total amount of pensions was 3,702,0001. A great portion of those who received these sums had done nothing for the public service. He had no ob jection to see merit and services duly rewarded ; he would maintain in respectability every body who had lost his Ile in the public service—( Loud laughter)—or rather his widow and children. The Hon. Member then proceeded to state his be lief that if this country were to reduce its military establish. ments, France would do the same ; and proceeded at some length to show that the financial condition of that country rendered it imperatively necessary for the French Government to adopt that course. Mr. 13ROTHERTON protested against the time of the House being wasted in the manner it had been by the lion. Member who had just sat down. He should feel it his duty, if the course were pursued, to move the adjournment of the House.—(Hear, hear.) It was a great interruption to public business.—( Hear, hear.) He thotight the House ought to go into Committee, and get at once to business.—( Hear,) The House then went into a Committee of Supply. ARMY ESTIMATES. Mr. FOX MAULE said he thought the Hon. Member for Coventry (Mr. Williams) would not quarrel with him if he stated his opinion to the House, that he thought they were much indebted to the Hon. Member fur Salford ( Mr. Bro therton) for the remarks he had just made. It would have been much more convenient to have discussed the several points which had been adverted to by the Hon. Member as they had arisen in Committee, than that he should have made a statement mixing up together the army, the navy, and the ordnance, and thereby rendering it almost impossible to meet at once the Irish police, the Archbishop of Dublin, and the numerous other complaints of the Honourable Member.— ( Laughter.) With respect to the remarks of the Honourable Member for Montrose upon the army estimates, to the effect that there was a decrease upon the effective, but a large in crease upon the non-effective force, the Hon. Member should have recollected that he was at least an accessory before the fact, because he was one of those who asserted as cordially as any ether Hon. Member to the remission of the charge upon the poundage of Chelsea pensioners, amounting to a sum of 50,0001. He would not then take upon himself to enter into the question of the general policy of the Government, but would confine himself to the business immediately before the Committee, if the Committee would bear with him for a few minutes while he made the usual financial statement of the military affairs of this country. He thought lie should best consult the convenience of the Committee if lie applied himself to the estimates immediately before the House, and afterwards allude generally to those topics of military interest of which the Committee might be desirous oftearning something at his hand. Upon reference to the estimates, it would appear that the number of men to be voted injhe aggregate for the ensuing year was 138,895, the gross charge for these would be 5,155,8481. The gross charge for the non-effective force during the present year was 2,175,2271., making a total gross charge of 7,331,075/. From that sum, however, there fell to be de ductied the sum paid for 30,497 men by the East India Com pany .... £972,211 Appropriations in aid of the effective force Balance from the Royal Military College Appropriation in aid of the Royal Military Asylum 6,145 Appropriations in aid of the non-effective force 7,137 Making a total to be deducted from the gross charge of Leaving a charge on the present year of 6;275,0741., and the number of men to be voted 108,393, making a small decrease upon the number which was taken lest year. of '2lO men. There were some charges of course in the different arrange ments of this number, and he thought it right to state some of those charges to the Committee. There has been a decrease in the regiments coming from foreign service. Five regiments which will arrive from foreign service, had, during the time they were abroad, borne a strength of one thousand men, those regiments would be reduced upon their arrival at home, each of them, to eight hundred men, That reduction, together with a reduction of some nen. com missioned officers, would cause a total reduction of 1,075 men. There was also another small reduction, amounting to 37 men, which would make a total reduction of 1,111 men. With the exception of 210 men, those diterences were supplied in the following manner, and as it involved a principle, he would make a statement upon that subject to the Committee, in as short a time ss possible. It is proposed to raise a body of 682 men, including officers, for the service of the garrison at Hong- Kong, and it was also proposed to add this body to the Ceylon corps, and in adopting this mode of providing for the service of Hong Kong, the Government would be acting upon a princi ple which had formerly been much discussed in that House, a principle upon which he had very considerable opinions, and that was the mode of applying, wherever it was possible, the colonial corps, for the purpose of taking charge of the colonial povessions.—(Hear, hear.) This mode was more economical in point of administration, and infinitely more economical in a still more essential point of view, he alluded to the preserva tion of the health and lives of soldiers —(Hear, hear)—and therefore it was that the Government had come to the resolu tion that, instead of keeping British troops at Hong Kong, where he was sorry to say that they had fallen a prey to diseases incident to that climate, it would be better, and they had accordingly proposed that the garrison of Hong Kong should be occupied by a corresponding number of men drawn from the Ceylon .orps. Another increase, and this, although the first, he was afraid would not be the last increase, in the Cape corps. The Governor had already added two companies to that corps, amounting to 174 men. But Sir H. Fottinger and Major-General Berkley, who had recently gone out there, had been instructed to add four more companies to that corps, and be would say that it was in contemplation fur ther to consider the means of providing for the de• fences of the extended territory of that colony, by means of colonial corps, so as to relieve this country of a considerable portion of the expense. There was also another small addition of 45 men, making a total addition of 901 men, which taken trom the 1,111 men left an actual de crease for the ensuing year of 210 men. The Hon. Member for Coventry (Mr. Williams) proposed to effect a reduction of 20,000 men ; for his part he would say that if the Government could spare 20,000 men, without reference to the defences of the country, but simply with respect to the general operation of the relief of the burdens upon ticountry, he should be happy to do se. His belief was that if the Government wished to relieve their regiments in anything like a proper man ner—(Hear, hear)—the most effectual manner of pre venting their doing so would be to diminish the force in the mode prescribed by the Honourable Member for Coventry. He believed that there was at the present period no regiment which had not been in India for a period of upwards of 14i years, and he believed that there was now no regiment at home which had remained in this country for more than Luc years, and he hoped that in the course of time (for it would require time to effect it) that the Government would be able to bring down the largest term of absence of any regiment from this country to a period not exceeding thirteen years. He would then pass on to the next vote — the charge for the land forces for the ensuing year. Upon the land force charge there was a decrease to the public theh i cli ,i wasp Cape to ofGood Eiop of 44,151/., owing to appropriations in aid. Had it not been for these appropriations there would not have been any wasof p t , o t c the e d worst i n a w a way s to reduction on this c h arge . The next vote to which he came was the s t a ff. O n t h at vote t h ere was an i ncrease of 8,3431., occasioned doso in abey littleth e and way.forcel tthink nk thee theyT The wereeffect Committee ,et obliged o f the e t w to contrarysi l be e send t o mode of opinion apparentend endeavour o theur ca p t o e s e , t f t o l r e t thhee move ment littleve wars . ment that h a d ta k en ')l Caffres, and h a d laid place had completely paralysed the foundation of the hope of submission. N o corps could than that whi c h was acquit themselves more gallantly On that vote, commanded by C o l one l S o merset. therefore, there would bean stated, of 8,3431. The fourth vote increase, as he had the Public Department, and the on the esti m ate s was in increase en that was 2,0931., which was caused by the increase o f postage, by the increase of work in the department . a r t The e was caused was for the Royal Military Asylum. The estimaten next vote this year was 17,6331., and for last y ear 14,0621., there being an increase of 3,5 71/, for a v o t e to which he would allude more pa rticularl y b y and bye — one for the fur thersnce of a new system of education in that establish ment. but he would at present pass on to the other votes. The next vote was for the volunteer corps, which it was pro posed to increase this year to 3,929'. In the estimates last year a vote of 36,500/• was taken for the unprovided services, hut it wa' not proposed this year to take any vote for them, but to leave them to be paid for as they might arise. Taking, then, the sum of these respective increases, 17.9361. from this 36.500/., the vete for the unprovided services of last year, a balance of 18,5 64 /. w ould be left, which, if added to the de crease on the land force, would make altogether a decrease in the effective services of 62,705/. He new came to the non effective services. The Honourable Member for Mon trose said that there was a large increase on these services. He said there was a steady increase on every vote. Now he (Mr. F. Maule) did not think the Hen. Gentleman studied the-e estimates with the care he usually bestowed upon them, bec a use a comparison of this year's estimates with those of last year, was not a fair one , inasmuch asthe vote of last year comprehended merely three quarters, while the year extended ov e r four. He (Mr. F. Maule) should, there fore, take the account in its various details, and would state it to the House. The first vote was for the reward of distin guished services. On this vote there was an increase of 3,740/. The estimat e d c h arge of last year (four qu arters) had been caleulate4 wou ld have amounted to 16,079 1 .. while for this yesr the vote was 15, 7 74, :1., so that, in point ot I, t: • ''' ' Iwas an actual decrease this year of 339/., though there was an apparent increase. This, however, was not a vote on which the Hon. Member would like to see a steady decrease. Those who had the interests of the army at. hee.rt would not object to an occasional increase of this vote. This year it was proposed to give 1,040/. to offs ters as rewards for meritorious services The next vote was the pay of general officers. In this vote it was proposed to make an increase of 33,000/., but that vote contained the expenses of the arrangements against which the Edon. Member protested—the expenses of the brevet. Deduct ing, however, the extra quarter of last year, which was 16,0001., the real increase over the vote of last year was re duced to 17,000/. And a brevet going to the extent it did with an increase over the ordinary estimate of only 17,000/. was nut a matter which could afford grounds for any dissatis faction. The next vote was for the retiring full-pay. This vote was estimated at 13,0001., while for that of last year it was 15,000/., so that on this vote there was a reduction of 2,0001. He now came to the half-pay, and his Hon. Friend said that this was a vote continually increasing. Mr. WILLI ANlS—Only a part of it. Mr. F. MAULE—IIis lion. Friend said only a part of it. Well, he held in his hand a parer which gave the state of this vote from 1830, from which it appeared that it was going on gradually decreasing from 720.000/. to 420,900/. There was an actual decrease this year of 14,000/. He now came to the foreign half pay. The vote last year was for 50,281/, but for this year it was 49,136 g., so that there was a decrease of 1,1451. He now ewe to the widow's pension. The vote last year was 138,819/., and for the pre sent it was proposed to he 131,8541., so that there would be a decrease of 6,9651. He held in his hand a comparative state ment of this vote from 1830, and it was gradually reduced from 145,000/. to 131,851/. There was also to be a reduction on the next vote. The vote for the compassionate allowances was also to be reduced. Last year the vote was 102,0./01., and for the present year it. was proposed to be 98,000/. On the vote for the pensions fir Chelsea and Kil- mainharn, calculating the four quarters of last year, there was a small increase in the estimate of last year of 1,973/., which went to the establishment at Chelsea. He now came to the out -pensioners, for whom the largest vote 4,8 in 3t3he3t, service the whole charge was r rge h e This in a i,.23 year 8 : o h 7 o 3 w i e . d Lastan in c reaseof 3e charge wos 1,191,315/. It was necessary to explain the cause the of this increase. He found that there were 961 more men ou this list than last year, whose pensions amounted to 14,051/. The commuted pensions amounted to 1,500/., and others, of smaller amount, to 1,7441., which would have re duced this vote, but for the increase of numbers to which he had referred. The House had relinquished the charge formerly made on out-pensioners, on the payment of their allowances, which had led to an increase of 50,000/.; but he thought this was simply an act of justice, to which he was sure no one would for a moment object. Next there was a charge of 60,000/., to which he wished to call particular attention, for organising a body to proceed to New Zealand, under the command of Capt. Tulloch. The object was two fold. They proposed sending, under the charge of 6 officers, a body of 500 men, with their families, for the purpose of being located there, under certain advantages to which he would allude more fully at another period. He would state, however, that they were to be located in settlements, and to perform certain duties for a period of seven years, at the expiration of which they were to be put into possession of the land with the view of their becoming valuable settlers in the colony. They would afford a de fence to the colony, and would be liable to be called out for that purpose by the Governor, in short they would, he was Suite sure, at a moderate expense, be the means of doing great service to the colony in a wholesome and proper way.— (Hear, hear.) The general charge, of which this was an item, was 291,0001., making an increase of 61,6771., for which 16,939/. had to be deducted, so that there would be an increase in the vote of 45,000/. It had been stated that there was an increase of 9,0001. in the superannuation allowances ; but this was not the case, as the expense of this year would be similar to the last. These were the details of the non .effective service, in which there was a gross increase of 254,890/. ; but there was to be set against that 218,9711., which really reduced the increase to only 35,911 ; but if that was taken from the de crease in the effective service 62,617/., it would show a de crease upon the revenue of the year of 46,860/., (as we under stood). He thought the Committee would admit that the War-office had paid attention to economy in framing the esti mates for the ensuing year. Before, however, he closed this part of his statement, he wished to allude to one ob servation—to an observation which had fallen from the Honourable Member for Montrose—a statement which he believed he made somewhat accidentally—h e said every department seemed to think it their duty to make their estimates as high as possible, but for his department he (Mr. F. Maule) might say, that its object was to make the estimates as low as possible, and if he would consult those who were in the service ( f that department, and those who were seeking to gain anything from it, lie would find that his statement was entirely erroneous.—( Hear.) With regard to the efficiency of the army, he would not say another word further than this— that its efficiency was such as it always had been, and such as he trusted it would always maintain. With respect to the un healthy state of the barracks in the West Indies, and in Jamaica and other parts, he might state that black troops were in the habit of doing duty in many of these places, instead of the white troops ; and he might state that the mortality in these islands, and unhealthy islands, it app eared that in the Mediterranean, r w r i o tl m i th a e re e t x u c r e n pt w io h n ie , h pe h r e ha h p e s l , d oinf his hand, s sh l ow 3- in l g Oth th s e pe h r ea c l e t n h t y . up to the 31st of March, 1846, the mortality was.l-30th per 1836, 2 1-10th ;in New South Wales and the Cape of Good cent. Canada,; a n a d nd in H th ar e m y u e d a a r , 18 t1 6 , , t 2 o .3 A lt a h r s eh ; , 1843, U 1 ri s it . e i s o l t S ha ta ; te i s n , Hope, in 1846, it was l 4-10111 s, and nearly the same in 1836 ; in St. Helena, the Mauritius, and Jamaica. in 1846, it was soof the 1 9-10ths per cent. ; and in 1836 it was 111 men in every 1,000. But t r e the n e improvement the improveim p improved h e d e c a o l n tl; n of the troops. In the unhealthy stations, in Ce y lon, for in stance, he might state that the whole mortalit y was g reater ba barracks k ofs h a thed donerations, n mu , ch an to s r od than could be wished at the present moment, as it was 4 4-10ths per cent. ; but, in 1836 it was 7 5-10ths per cent. In Hong-Kong it was also considerable, but he hoped, by the aid of colonial troops instead of British troops, that less sacrifice of life would take place. He had all the means of knowing the mortality in India, but he had little means of con trolling it. He hoped, however, that it would be considerably reduced by the introduction of improvements No man was more impressed with the importance of those improvements than the Noble Lord who held supreme com mand in India, and he hoped when his mind was less occupied with the condition of India, that he would realise the intention he had often expressed of introducing improvements in the barracks, and that before he retraced his homeward steps, he would have formed acme plan of residence of the troops in India, whilst not required in the field, in barracks erected in healthy situations, in the highlands, and particularly in the mountains above Madras, for those in that part of India. Wish respect to the moral training going on in the army, he proposed t.a.kitnhgea;iiltie of 2,000/. for establishing schools in connexion h ci le of training of schoolmasters --a model school—on the p h rin or p han the regimental schools, and an infant school for t e p h. tart' Asylum. They proposed establishing a school for the children of British soldiers. This grant was proposPd by is years the army would look on him with gratitude. 11 h • of children, lieved it would lead not only to the education Noble Friend who had preceded him in his office, and in future be the means adult soldier, which, perhaps, might old but be the means of imparting education to the of enabling him to do something for his support i ns old 5 a ag e, whether pensioned or not pensioned. The army librarie u h r. a n d g he was happy to state, been increased by 10,000 volumes similardi the year, and he proposed taking a vote of 2,000/. for a head purpose. With regard to the discipline in the army, , " only to state, and he experienced satisfaction since January last up to the close of the year, oann. he cases of corporal punishment had occurred ; d . tice of in exnected to see, in a short space of time, the prac , inflicting such a punishment d •altogether.Cheerg'i The dying away , army prisons were working well—as well as could p ld pos reat sibly be wished. There were nine of these prisons i in Britain and Ireland, of which four were in Ireland and A one the Scotland, but there were cells in all the barracks, an- from he in doing no, thatfive returns he had received, which were most satisfactory, was found that their effect upon the morals of the soldiereson.a most important, as the soldiers were separated from the t • mination of the civil gaols. The improvesnent in this - el arrn• one of the most important ever introduced into the !S nth,,under whereas it took days and weeks, and sometimes regiment. the old system, to make a man available tonhis leastde- There is no one instance of any soldier being i the' lent they gree injured by the punishment ; and however vw . whereas, were, going in, they in all instances came out better respect was plaints were made against it, but he VMS g and com came out better. The labour in'the prison was severe, disposed to under the old system, the soldier going into the civil ' aol never The attend to them, as long as it did no injury to the e m reise _, d that labour was so severe, and such was the rig for ex for the por no soldier was known voluntarily to go into noteh. pose of shirking duty, and there was no InaPnri'ohno' owhis hest not to did not come out, most heartily intending to d , its to which go in again. Those were the were other to which he would at present allude. There were other m by degrees. ,the attention of the Government would be turned the barracks. more particularly to the comfort of the soldieryrei of making for The proposal which he should have the pleasure went in that soldiery,would prove the Government over to the army at large the anxious care of up what he saw the purpose of limiting the service of the their interests, and he did trust that, following the pinny was a to be the feeling of the House —namely, that service the interests of whi ch in some respects to ith eir d been too comforts long overlooked — they would attend with a greater mn u t en ess, for let the House believe him wh en he assured it, that the more the y took ease of the soldiery in o erve them faithfully in the tim e of s the time of peace the m ore disposed theywould be t He did war.—(Hear,hear.) had inculcate, that they the duty of the Government to and welfare ef would be able to promote the happiness would induce the people the soldiers, and that they . trust that consistently with the maxims d refuse of society—to enter of the country—not the outcasts which it was to embark, in which at they might encourage their :n t aot hadenmy e l e a f t t w h h e i eh debate. had been lii 8 oral training, and from which tention will be paid to their m uddbraeonnnourahle profession in which roved and , worth members nip Y the service, to estee t m he i tn t as an 1 they would receive of society.—( Loud cheers.) was Hon Gentleman the clearest and most made by the Right • ever had the pleasure of hearing since h 6 ableexposition which he had the •ng a seat in that House honour of hays , . He id Mr. WILLI Aal S but, on consulting with . . his friends, he had received men, ver little said t hat un th s e ealr s f, g no possibl e chance of success encouragement, and seem the h he intend to have proposed a reduction of twenty thousand did not intend to interrupt h. friends around him, and he great confidence that Government would be in office next . the present . year, when would he again voted, arid that then ' these estimates a very ' ald be made. great reduction svi(;E LACY EVANS said General Sir he experienced ' faction indeed from the statement made very great sans He hoped that by the Right • Hon Gentleman. ttention to the establish the Government would turn their a ment of discipline d in I hich hail been one a most all other • companies, w• Dint the attention of the Governmentservices. He would also point to the the soldiers ' accommodation afforded toin barracks, which was not exceedingly deficient, there ofbeing more than one foot be. most them.--s re each of the beds in s ssear.) tween HERBERT said he Mr. .SIDNEY HER.B . was very well pleased de by the Right Hon. at the statement ma the Government Gentleman his suc cessor in office. He hoped that the Government would en deavour to introduce sore extensively the system of rewards anti examination , disappointed Mr. ETWALL s aid he was to find the small amount of eight or nine thousandpounds voted for th e p urpose of education in the army. He would express his hope that a far larger sum would be set apart next year for that purpose. He was sorry also to perceive that there was only required a sum of 2,000/. to pay interest upon moneys lodged in the regimental savings' banks. He for one, as a Member of the British Le g islature, would ever seek to , advance the interests of the army intellectually. Mr. GOULBURN said, after the observation s which had fallen from the Hon. Gentleman in regard to the reduction of the colonial corp s, he felt he must decidedly enter his protest against any such proposition, He would grant that in particular colonies, where the expenses fell heavy on the British subjec', a reduction might be effected without injury ; but against the proposition of a l genera re duction of the colonial corps, he would certainly test • for that might be done in a time of peace enter his pro small saving of expense, but, in a time of war,pditfleeeul with some hl arise in collecting sufficient force to meet necessitiesthe tieswould such a time which would more than balance any trifling saving of saviug they could effect. But another point which he wished • • - 1 ,- ITeese ...-e , is, C ,.,,,, ~,„,;,, of to impress ,i , . 1 n t h e trry , Taq. wherever they might be located, in Australia, Canada, or anywhere else, should be looked upon and treated as an integral of the imperial army. He said this, that the forces, wherever they might be found, might be always maintained throughout every company in an effective state. The vote of 108,393 men for the land service for the ensuing year was then agreed to. The vote of 3,728,737/. for the payment of the land forces of Great Britain and Ireland and the dependencies, except East India, for the ensuing year, was then agreed to. Sir C. NAPIER said they had now proceeded with two votes for the army, and agreed to them ; he hoped, according to the promise of the Noble Lord, that the Government would now proceed with the navy estimates. There were several Hon. Members besides himself who had waited the whole of the night in the hope that the Noble Lord would fulfil his pro mise, and he trusted that even yet he would do so. Mr. FOX MAULE said that would he mere waste of time. Sir C. NAPIER did not see that it would be any waste of time. Several lion. Gentlemen had been waiting for the ex press purpose in the House the whole night, and he himself had been waiting anxiously, and he hoped they would proceed im mediately to the navy estimates. He had to go to Portsmouth, so that it was impassible for him to be present if it were to be postponed ; indeed, it was not fair to postpone it. He could not accede to it. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he had hoped that the army estimates would have come on at an earlier period of the even ing, but he was afraid that at that late hour nothing could be done if they should turn new to the navy estimates. Sir C. NAPIER said he would not agree to this. He would not accede. A promise had been made that the navy estimates would have been taken that night ; unless that were done, he must beg that Mr. Greene would report progress. Mr. WILLIAMS objected to the House going that night into the navy estimates He could not agree to it, and thought it would be but wasting time. Sir C. NAPIER said it was not a waste of time at all. Why, he supposed that eight or ten votes might be got through. He had much to say upon them, and business would not allow him to be present if they were postponed to another night. Mr. FOX MAULE—The Gallant Admiral is bent on delaying the public business. Mr. WILLIAMS objected to their going into Committee on the navy estimates. Sir C. NAPIER. said he had reason for acting thus. He bad the promise of the Noble Lord that the navy estimates would come on that night, and he could not be present on Fri day night. LordJ. RUSSELL said he might meet both parties. He promised that the ordnance estimates should come on en Friday night after the army estimates, instead of the navy. Sir C. NAPIER agreed. The following votes were then agreed to: — The vote of 177,7781. for the expenses of the general staff officers for the ensuing year. The vote of 96,532/. for the Public Military Department for the ensuing year. The vote of 17,6331. for the Royal Military Asylum for the ensuing year. The following votes were also agreed to :- 86,304/. to defray the expenses of the volunteer corps. 15,7401. to defray the expense of rewards for distinguished services. 82,000!. to defray the charge of the general officers in her Majesty's service. 59,000!. to defray the charge of the retired officers of the land forces. _ _ 420,0001. to defray the charge of the half-pay of the military officers of the land forces. 49,136!. to defray tlae charge of the half-pay of foreign officers who have been engaged in the British service. 131,b59f. to defray the charge of the widows and orphans of those who had been engaged is land forces. Se,oool. to defray the charge of the royal bounty. 36,623'. to defray the charge of the Chelsea and Kilmainham Hospitals. 1,236,7321 to defray the charge of the out-pensioners of Chelsea Hospital. On the vote of 35,000/. being proposed for the charge of the public departments of the land forces of Great Britain and Ireland, _ . Sir DE LACY EVANS complained of the way in which the Government bad acted in respect to the granting of medals, ind hoped the matter would be attended to, in order to remove the impression which existed in the army on the subject. Lord JOHN RUSSELL, in some observations which were very nearly inaudible, was understood to say thst the Govern ment had it under their consideration to issue medals to all those alive who had been engaged in any engagements on be half of this country. Sir R. PEEL wished to know whether or not the Govern ment had come to any decision with respect to a public monu ment to the memory of Sir Robert Sale, General Nott, and the other eminent officers who had distinguished themselves in India ? Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that he understood that it was the intention of her Majesty's late Government to erect some testimonial to the memory of all the officers who had fallen in India, and the present Government intended to carry out the proposal. Sir R. PEEL thought, instead of having a separate statue on each, it would be best to have some public record of the two battles, which should commemorate the actions, and at the same time to have a separate medallion for the specific services performed at each battle. Sir C. NAPIER said that as medals were to be given to the officers who had fought in India ; he wished to know why the same honour had not been granted to the officers who had behaved themselves so well in Syria ? The taking of St. Jean D'Acre was considered at the time a very wonderful achievement. He saw nothing wonderful in it, but still he thought if medals were givers to officers in India, the same ought to be given to the officers engaged in Syria. He did not care for these things himself, but still the officers and men naturally asked what was the reason that, when others were rewarded, they were forgotten? Lord J. RUSSELL reminded the Hon. and Gallant Mem ber that no decorations had been granted for the battle of Algiers and of Navarino. Sir C. NAPIER said that the persons engaged in these battles ought. to have been rewarded. Algiers was one of the strongest towns in the world, and it had been taken by four or five sail of the line, and probably there was no other man besides Lord Exmouth who would have undertaken the task. With respect to the battle of Navarino, that was a very differ ent thing ; but even there the officer in command had taken an inferior fleet into a narrow harbour, and defeated a force superior to his own. It vim no excuse, therefore, to refer to these instances. The vote was then agreed to. A vete of 60,0001. for the half pay pension to the army serving in India, was, after a few words from Mr. WILLiAms and Sir Da Lacv EVANS, agreed to. The House then resumed, and the Chairman reported progress. CONSOLIDATED FUND (8,000,0001.) LOAN BILL. This Bill was read a second time. DRAINAGE BILL (AMENDMENTS). _ _ Lord J. RUSSELL postponed the notice which stood for to morrow (this day), respecting the constitution of the Ecclesi astical Commission Bill, till to-reiorrow weak. ' Sir G. GREY brought in the Drainage Act Amendment Bill, which was read a first time. LIMITED ENLISTMENT BILL. Mr. FOX MA ULE moved the first reading of a Bill for li miting the period of enlistment in the army. He did not pro pose to enter into details; he would simply state that the period in the infantry would be limited to ten years, and in the ca valry to twelve years. Mr. HENLEY hoped that a week, instead of twenty-four hours, would be given to the person enlisting to consider. The House then adjourned at Twelve o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. From the Votes and Proceedings of die House of Common s .) MONDAY, DiARCII I. The following Railway Bills were presented, read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time : Great Indian Peninsula—" for incorporating a Company, to be called The Great Indian Peninsula Railway Company,* and for giving powers to the East Indian Company and the Governor-General of India in Council, to enable the said Railway Company to make a Railway from Bombay to Alleh, with Extensions to Mhuse and the Pera River, and Branches or Extensions to Sholapoor, Hyderabad, Randeish, , Indore and Hoshungabad."_ Colchester, Stour Valley, Sudbury, and Halstead (Lease to the Ipswich and Bury St. Edmund's Railway Company)— " to enable the Colchester, Stour Valley, Sudbury, and Hal stead Railway Company to grant a Lease of their undertaking to the Ipswich and Bury St. Edmund's Railway Company." Leeds, Dewsbury, and Manchester (Ossett Branch and Dewsbury and Morley Stations)—" for enabling the Leeds, Dewsbury, and Manchester Railway Company to make a Branch Railway to Ossett, and to provide additional Station Accommodation in the Town of Dewsbury, and at or near Morley, all in the West Riding of the county of York." Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton (No. 2—Exten sions and Amendment)—" to enable the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway Company to make a Railway from Stourbridge to join their Railway near Dudley, and to Halesowen, with certain Branches therefrom, and for other purposes." Mold (from Mold to join the Chester and Holyhead Rail way)—" for making a Railway from Mold, in the county of Flint, to join the Chester and Holyhead Railway, in the parish of Hawarden, in the same county; with Branches, to be called,' The Mold Railway.' " Birmingham and Oxford Junction, and Birmingham, Wol verhampton, and Dudley Railways Amalgamation—" for uniting the Birmingham and Oxford Junction Railway Com pany, and the Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley Railway Company into one Company, and for authorising the sale of the Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley Railway, and other new works to the Great Western Railway Company." The following Railway Bills were read a second time, com mitted, and referred to the Committee of Selection : Eastern Union and Hadleigh Junction (Sale to the Eastern Union Railway Company). Ipswich and Bury St. Edmund's (Extension to East Dereham and to Aylsham). Ipswich and Bury St. Edmund's (Branch from Ipswich to Woodbridge). Herne Bay and Canterbury Junction. Royston and Hitchin (Extension from Royston to Cam bridge, &c.) Royston and Hitchin (Sale or Lease). Caledonian (Branches from the Clydesdale Junction to the Douglas and Lesmahagow Mineral Fields, and to Strath avon). Caledonian (Extension of Motherwell Branch of Clydesdale Junction Railway to Auchinheatk Mineral Field, with Branches to the Wishaw and Coltness Railway, Candor side, and Hamilton). Caledonian (Purchase or Lease of Wishaw and Coltness Railway). Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction (Deviations be tween Duntocher Limeworks and Bowling, &c.) Strathtay and Breadalbane Extension. Wilsontown, Morningside, and Coltness (Branches to Benhar Cealworks and Edinburgh and Glasgow Turnpike Road). Newry and Enniskillen.. - Colchester, Stour Valley, Sudbury, and Halstead (Extension from Lavenham to Bury St. Edmund's). Colchester, Stour Valley, Sudbury, and Halstead (Extension to Melford, Lavenham, and Clare). Colchester, Stour Valley, Sudbury, and Halstead (Stour Navigation Purchase). Taw Vale Railway and Dock (Deviations and Bideford and South Molton branches). Ay Isla 1 ro and North Walsha m. East Lothian Central. Duffryn Llynvi, and Porth Cawl and Llynvi Valley Rail ' ways Amalgamation. Guildford Extension, and Portsmouth and Farnham. London and South-Westem. NOTICES GIVEN RailwayHE PRIVATE BILL-OFFICE. The following Bills are appointed to be read a second time:— FRIDAY, MARCH 5. Taw Vale Railway and Dock. London and North-Western (Lime-street, Liverpool, Station Extension, &c.) London and North-Western (Portobello and Wolverhampton Branch, &c.) Cambridg, St. Neot's, and Bedford Junction. Ipswich and Bury S. Edmund's (Branch from Stowmarket to Sudbury). Edinburgh and Northern (St. Andrew's and Newburgh Barron,, Branches, and Road Cr,,ssings, Newport Railway Extension). Blandford and Bruton. RAILWAYS. Select Committee on Group No. 12. Sir John Guest discharged; Colonel Paget seledel, and added to the Committee. The Committee of Selection have discharged the Select Committees to whom the Groups Nos. 5 and 6 have been severally referred, and have postponed the meeting of the Select Committees on those Groups to the weak cAnmencing Monday, March 15. SMALL MEASURES FOR IRELAND TO THE EDITOR OF ,Z7HE SUN. SIR,—At a moment of almost un p a ralleled difficulty, when the lives and properties of millions of the people of this great empire hang, with a painfiiul importance upon the measures of the Government, arid upon the fiat of the Legislature—when the heart must be permitted 0) bring her dictates tat the wiee/tom ofohe head —may so :humble an individual as I am be — permitted, through :tour kind courtesy, to Offer a few remarks upon the all important subject of legislating for Ireland, to bring my feeble taper to the blaze of light which is now, through the columns of an unrivalled press, thrown over her wants and her misfortunes; and to crave your indulgence while I take a short notice of the ungenerous tone which has, on this subject, been adopted by what I may call the great history of " the Times." Feeling, Sir, with other Irishmen, very grateful for much that this influen tial journal and its talented commissioner have done, from time to time, to rouse our I: ish landlords to a sense of the duties and responsibilities of their position, and assured that it is often impelled to do or say what may wound by a stern sense of public duty, still I can find in these sentiments little to palliate, nothing to justify, the recent most unfair, violent, and sweeping attacks, in the t paper, upon Irish landlords, but am very reluctantly obliged to join in the almost universal feeling of painful indignation with which these statements have been re ceived. No one is more aware of the high, and often onerous, duties which the press has to perform in wield ing for the public good the enormous power which its own talent, and public confidence, may place in its hands—no one more anxious to bear humble testimony to the wisdom, moderation, and justice, in which it has generally upheld this sacred trust, no one more ready to admit that where strong feel ings are aroused, it is difficult to stay the pen of an honest and enthusiastic writer ; still I would ask, in all courtesy, if, while the dark clouds of a mysterious and deep affliction, still hang over this ill-fated country, while the hand of the Almighty has let loose upon it the withering scourge of famine and of pestilence, while we know not where His mercy may place a limit to our sufferings, if, it is only, Sir, at such a season the Times can strike with such cruel and unrelenting blows the already overtaxed, overtoiled, and overa bused Irish gentry, why is it that in this instance, as in that of the Court-martial, in the seventh Hussars, last Septem ber, we find the bulky influence of this journal thrown so readily and so recklessly into the scale of public prejudice and misconception—defeating only the noor ambition of the writer? Colonel Whyte and Lord St. Laurence, the Adjutant of that distinguished regi ment, in the strict and proper performance of a most painful duty e carried with them in a great degree the sympathy of a right-minded and intelligent public, when the Times assailed them and made that feeling universal. My present object, however, in addressing you, Sir, is not so much to offer a feeble vindication of my gallant brother officers of the British army, or to Irish landlords, as to express my grateful admiration of the manner in which my talented countrymen have met their ungenerous assailants; they have replied to empty words by energetic action, they have met irritation and anger with forbearance and manly temper, they have borne down prejudice aril opposition, by an eloquent and earnest vindication of their character and of their rights ; they hare appealed in enlightened argument, in a high spirit of confidence and courtesy, to a noble public, end they have been met with universal sympathy and respect. Their time, their money, and their health, are freely sacrificed to relieve their starving fellow-countrymen, and God will bless them for it. Most truly have they proved themselves worthy to cope with the great and afflicting exigencies of their unhappy country—they have fairly won the admiration of a world, and can well afford to pass by such statements as some of those in the Times and House of Commons, in the consoling convic tion that such must ever carry with them their own best refutation, their own.. most • complete condemnation. Having thus performed a pleasing duty towards the great Irish party—a noble confederacy in a noble cause—you will, Sir, I tun sure, permit me once more to assure you of the regret I feel in being obliged thus strongly to ex press my disapproval of the unmeasured length to which this paper has carried its condemnation of Irish land lords, a vast number of whom are not to be surpassed in the civilised world for every feeling which can adorn their position or benefit mankind—enlightened, gene rous, and humane, the condition of their properties best attest their worth ; while I must now join in deep dis approbation of another class of Irish proprietors, from whose "penny wise," short-sighted views, reckless or rapacious conduct, spring up, in my opinion, the chief sources of Irish discontent, poverty, and outrage. A man comes to one of these gentlemen with 4001. in his pocket, to take a farm of a hundred acres. The really needy, or habitually im provident landlord, asks him what fine he is prepared to pay him, as there are many who wish for the farm, and he cannot afford to let it without one. The man offers one, or even two hundred, but the previous infor mation of an agent or bailiff gets from him finally thy , third hundred pounds, and he goes into the farm a san.. guine but a ruined man. Glad to get a respectable wile and family settled, the poor hard-working fellow struggles on for years, perhapc in want, privation, and in waning hope, to inevitable beggary, when the exasperated land lord enters the house with an execution in his hand, and drives out upon a cold world an intelligent, respectable, nod industrious, but heart-broken man, involuntarily to swell the number of those homeless and forlorn beings who goad and sting our unhappy country into madness, - misery, and crime, while the wretched landlord loses in the non-payment of his rent, and deterioration of his land, four times the sum for which he blindly sacrificed perhaps an entire family ; all the high rewards of his position, and all the be 4 feelings of his heart. In this, Sir, and in small holdings, below the yearly value of 101., lies the master evil which afflicts this country, and until this class of Irish pre prietors recognise their duty and their interest to be identical with the great principle of " Live and let live," we can hope for little to amend, little to ameloriate. How great is the contrast, how different the results on the properties of such landlords as Lord Farnham, Lord Erne, Lord Besborough, Mr. Sharman Crawford, Lord Devon, Lord George Hill, Lord Abercorn, Mr. Fortes cue, Sir A. Brook, Col. Bruen, and, thank God, an hundred others. Here you will see the reciprocal duties of landlord and tenant wisely and warmly recognised. Here you will see men protected, contented, and happy, whose sole ambition is in all things to evince their gratitude to their landlord, and to hand down to their children a fair farm and a fair fame. When such feelings spring from the heart, you may feel assured that the moral and social condition of that people is sound. Which is best—l would ask of Irish landlords—the shot of the midnight assassin, the howl of the starving incendiary around them, or the long loud shouts of joy which welcome back to his home the friend, the benefactor, and the guide? Surely, it must be such sounds as these which make the happy man happier, the good man better ; it must be such sounds as these which open wide the fountains of the heat t, and sends the glad current of life bounding in joy and triumph over the cares and crosses of a fickle world. I agree very much with Mr. Hamilton, that it is a series more of " little measures " which we require than of great and sweeping changes ; but as few have pointed any such out, or seem willing to do so, I am sure I will be allowed to offer one or two suggestions which may at all events lead to a better and more practical considera tion of this important subject. In the first place, I cer tainly think an "absentee tax" would be only a fair instalment of the compensation due to this country for the money yearly drawn and spent out of it ; and, al though I also concur with Sir G. Wood, that some of the absentee landlords are among the very best, and might naturally enough strongly object to be thus taxed to swell the public Exchequer, cause the funds so raised to be spent on their own several estates, in giving pre miums for green crops, cattle, and cottages, draining, farm servants, and fencing, and I will answer fur it you will annihilate their opposition ; for this reason—that although these enlightened landlords do at this moment spend, and have for years done so, large sums in the advancement of agriculture and improvement of their estates, they will have simply to withhold such portion of that sum as may be equivalent to the new tax. They are thus no sufferers in their in come, and all their best objects are equally attended to, while the like benefits are compulsorily conferred on the poor tenants of the thoughtless, the reckless, and the improvident, and to give them still a direct and pleasing interest in the benefit accruing to their estates, they could point out six names of their most respectable farmers to the nearest deputy-lieutenant of the county, who should nominate three of these as judges for the year, for the distribution of such prizes as the tax on the property may yield. In the next place, Sir, I propose that money be at once, and for many years to come, perhaps, advanced in loan from the Consolidated Fund, for the purpose of giving a stimulus to manufactures in Ireland—" the steam-engine, the loom, the print work, the mill, the manufactory—these elements of wearth, this issue for an over agricultaral population," as the talented Member for Dublin, Mr. Gregory, justly terms them ; these are, indeed, what we really require, and although warmly and gratefullyrecognising the g enerous and manly sympathy of 'Lord George Bent i nck, and with ardent best wishes for his success, I did fear that there were some pints in his measure, e by in the moment and manner of b rin g in g it before the country, which would cause it to be ob j ected to the , sent chief Minister of the Crow n, situated as Lord pre John Russell is, and I still think every enactment t of the kind he proposed must be imp erfect, unless aided and illustrated by the important auxiliary one of encourage ment to manufactures, which must always afford the most certain security for the discharge of interest and the repayment of capital if something like the following very simple plan could be adopted :—When an indivi dual, or a company, lay out, in raising mills or manu factories, say 8,0001., and when this outlay is duly certi• fied, by accounts furnished to, and attested by, a board composed of the three nearest magistrates, the execu tive, on receiving the same from them, accompanied by a policy of insurance on the property so far completed, may surely think themselves safe and well secured in advancing an equal sum to that already expended. In doing so a generous and enlightened Minister justly claims for himself everlasting honour in thus becoming the happy medium through the high influence of which is infused into an impoverished country some small share of surplus English capital, in return for the hundreds of thou sands annually drawn from poor Ireland, and squandered in rich and happy England ; and for the repayment of which I can imagine no better security than what is here proposed. I would earnestly recommend, also, that money be advanced on the same principle, as nearly as can be, to encourage the construction of a capable and strong description of vessel, and thus make deep sea fishing- what it is not, and ought to be. a great sous4. l B of national profit and employment. The next point consider most essential is, to infuse a more healthy tone irto the rural population of the country, by stimu lating industry and self-reliance, by the gradual aboli tion of small holdings, and by a better and more com pact allotment of tillage land to farmers, all rearly of which may be accomplished through a wise system or encouraeement to emigration, and which Might be thus cried into effect:—Let a man, desirous to go to our North American Colonies, obtain a certificate from his landlord, clergyman, and nearest local magistrate, stating his desire to emigrate, with a wife and so many chil dren, and that he has only part, or no part, of the money requisite for that purpose, the Government agent at the nearest port of embarkation should, on such st• voucher being handed to him, be empowered to provide them wi h a passage, enclosing it again with a state ment of the expense incurred, to the secretary of the grand jury, to be by that body assessed on the county at large, or, as I should much prefer, to the chairman of the elcctorial division to which the emigrant belongs, to be recovered by an additional rate, because it is better for the rate-payer thus to get rid of a whole family of paupers by at once paying a certain sum, than for them for ever to be a burthen on the union, while the evil of small holdings is pointed out in a most intelligible manper—through their pockets —to the rate-payers and public, doing more to undermine and make unpopular the system, than all the speeches, writings and enact ments of the last half -century ; the landlord, of course, in the first instance, having bound himself in his certifi :ate that the holding will not again be let to a separate tenant, hut will be added to the farm of the nearest and most improving tenant. The late Chancellor of the Ex chequer does not think that any Government ought to be intrusted with power to draw for an indefinite amount on the Consolidated Fund, but that the Minister should come to tho House of Commons from time to time for the sum, however large, he may require. There is a cold propriety in this which will gain some little popularity in the day-book and ledger portion of a community ; but in it we can all perceive a holding back, a paralysing of the hand of succour to be held out to Ireland, and a clogging of the machinery for her relief. No Minister will come down to the House of Commons, day after day, or year after year, with demands upon his liberality, knowing the long and vexatious debates, and, perhaps, divisions, to which he will be subject, and with which money Bills are indeed so sure to be assailed in that House, and especially in certain quarters of it. The time I may hope is past when Ireland can be legislated for in such a spirit, which seemingly confers what it in reality withholds; better far to fix at once a largo and liberal sum as the nnximum to which the Minister may proceed, when all that the most pinching economist can require is a full statement, from time to time, to be laid before the House of the monies expended to benefit the country ; I would reiterate the necessity of a revision of the Grand Jury Laws, especially as regards the great power of assess ment, and of those relating to salmon fisheries, as I can not help thinking that almost all recent enactments in regard thereto have much tended to oppress and embar rass the proprietors, while no one else is in any intelli gible degree benefited, unless, indeed, such people as would grasp and poach a property they well know they have no other right to than what is conferred by an unfair and unwise law. If some early enactments do not throw these people further from the entrance of salmon streams, this description of property will, in a few years more, be little worth legislating for. Lastly, Sir, I would draw the attention of Irish M:mbers lo a force which this country has to support—the reVentic police— the existence of which I cannot help thinking an indig nity to Ireland, which, happily, she 'does not at this moment afford a satisfactory pretext for having in flicted on her. Reduce the duty 2s. -a gallon on whiskey, and then to assert, as some grhvely will, that such a force is more required here than in England or Scotland, is in my mind exceeding a formal imbecility? Thanks to Father Mathew, and the great aid given to that good man by the clergy and gentry of all creeds and classes, it is indeed not so ; but it affords large patronage, and will consequently find many friends and arguments to uphold it ; but I shall still hope that the day is not far distant when justice and sound policy will assail the existence of a most ex pensive and unnecessary force ; far be it from me to say one word which can pain or disparage a body of men which in zeal, efficiency, and good conduct are hardly to be surpassed by any in the service of her Majesty. I should simply rejoice to see them absorhed by the Irish constabulary or the army, where I am certain their services would be of some greater value to the state, and somewhat less irksome to themselves. It is a fallacy to assert that the greater portion of spirits ma nufactured in this country is consumed by the lower orders ; it is not so, and its consumption, therefore, is not attended with a demoralizing effect. Consequently there will bo no materially increased demand, and no ill effect to be apprehended in doing away with the re venue police, if the duty on whiskey is wisely reduced. I would at the same time reduce the duty on West India rum, in such a degree, as while it did not interfere with the Irish distiller, would at the same time operate to prevent any attempt at an exaggerated profit, and a consequent revival or extension of an illegal competition. Should, however, old prejudice still hang around the minds of some, or a real apprehension that as " the pledge" wears away with time, and Providence sheds a greater abundance on the land, illicit distillation may once mare gain ground. I would say, reduce still more your duty; I would still implore you to abolish the principle of inculcating sobriety by the bayonet, or of upholding morality by hunting the people like wild beats upon the mountains. Depend upon it such a course is unwise, as it is degrading to the country—as uncalled for as it is detestable. Let me beg of some Honourable Member in his place in Parliament, to move for returns of all stills, whiskey and malt, taken or de stroyed by the revenue police within the last five years; also, for returns of the sums expended in the maintenance of the establishment; and I would then ask he Government and the country if the amount of the one is at all an equivalent for the ex penditure of the other, furnishing as it does one of those many channels which divert the Irish revenue from the Imperial Treasury, and resulting only in those cruel taunts against our country, that in our union with England we are her degradation and her bane. Do away, I beseech you, with such a force, and spend the money it costs this country in a well-digested system of agricultural, religious, and moral training of the rising generation, and you will reap a rich reward in the sti mulated industry, happiness, and wealth of a grateful and a regenerated people. If I have, in thus trespassing upon your valuable space, overcome a painful reluctance and owe to you, Sir, and the public, some apology, I feel assured my only motive will be permitted to plead one for me, better than any words I can offer. I am, Sir, your very faithful and obedient servant, JAMES HENRY TODD. Buncrana Castle, County Donegal } 22d Feb. 1847. ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. FRENCH PLAYS. A new contedai vaudeville, entitled Le Mari qui se derange, was produced here last night. It is e i ther a revival of an old French vaudeville, or a new play written to an old plot, for we remember that some twenty years since a comedy (confessedly an adaptation from the French) by Poole, was produced at the Haymarket, in which Farren acted the part of Mr. Dorrington, the plot of which was precisely similar. That plot may be told in a very few words, Maurice Durosel (M. Lafont), the Mari qui se derange, is married to a delightful woman, but still he has his bachelor propensities, and he deter mines to go with his friend Berthollin (Cartigny) to a masquerade, and make a " night of it," leaving his wife at home. The wives of this precious pair also determine to go to this entertainment, and each husband unwittingly makes love to kis own wife. After a certain series of regular misadventures, the plot is dis covered by Maurice, who has engaged in a flirtation with a fair masque, refusing to carry the affair any far ther, on the plea that he has " a wife whom he adores." She unmasks, and he discovers that he has been making love to his own wife. The admirable acting of Lafont, as Maurice, made this trifle go off very agreeably. clie was excellently supported by Mdlle. Vallee, as the wife, and by Cartigny, as Berthollin. The vaudeville was preceded by Le Demon de la Nuit. The house was well and fashionably attended. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen and Prince Albert honoured the performance of the French Plays with their presence yesterday evening. The royal suite consisted of the Marchioness of Douro, the Hon. Miss Paget, the Earl of Listowel, Colonel the Hon. Charles Grey, and Colonel Bouverie. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, a tt e nded by Lady Fanny Howard and Sir George Couper, also honoured the French Plays with her presence last evening. His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on horseback_ yesterday, attended by his Equerry in Waiting, Colonel Bouverie. Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of . Wales and th . e Princess Alice took their usual walks and rides yesterday in the royal gardens. Viscount Clifden less succeeded Lord George Lennox as the Lord in Waiting to his Royal Highness Prince Albert ; and Colonel Bouverie ha relieved Cin the Hon. Alexander H. Gordon in the dut s ies of Equerr Captain i a n Waiting to his Royal Highness. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge and his Serene Highness Prince Frederick of Hesse arrived at Ca shiobury-park, Herts, the residence of her Majesty the Queen Dowage , r yesterday morning, having travelled from town by the L o n don and i'orth Western Railway. Lady Augusta Cadogan and Mr. Edmond Mildmay were in waiting on her Royal Highness. The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Frederick of Hesse partook of a dejeune with the Queen Dow ager. I n the after noon the Royal Duchess and his Serene Highness took their departure on their return to town. Lord John Russell and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, accompanied by the Lords of the Treasury and the Secre taries of the Treasury, received yesterday morning the gen tlemen from the city of London, on th e su bj ec t o f th e new loan of eight million s. Mr. J. B. Heath, the Governor of the Bank of England, and the Dep uty-Governor, attended the meetng. Lord Macdonald and Mr. H. J. Bailie, M.P. had an inter view with Sir G eorge Grey y esterday at the d ome-office. A deputatio n f rom the S outh Lancashire coal proprietors, consisting of the Hon. Colonel Lindsay, M.P., Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Darlington, and Mr. Watkins (solicitor), had an inter view with the Right Hon. Edward Strutt yesterday at the office of the Commissioners of Railways, in Great George street. Mr. Colquhoun, Diplomatic Agent for the 'Tense Towns, had an interview with the Right Hon. T. Milner Gibson yesterday, at the Office of the Board of Trade. A deputation of the Directors of the Waterford and Kil kenny Railway Company, consisting of Mr. P. S. Butler, M.P., Mr. George Anderson, Mr. George Emery, Mr. Charles Hulse, and Mr. M. J. Currie, had an interview with Lord John Russell, yesterday, at his official residence in Downing street. ' His Excellency Prince Callimaki, Ottoman Minister, was among the company who visited ber Majesty's Theatre on Thursday last. Ili i .1 IN 3 . . J l. olle' 0 let• Cel la of all h rth e ,o ge t t th.