The Sun. — London, England, 1857-07-31 00:00:00

rHE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JULY 31, 857 Naval and Military intelligence. Graham, C. 8., to be rear-admiral of the white, IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. vice A. T. E. Vidal, Esq., to be rear-admiral of the red. The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Mili tary Purchases in the Army met yesterday at No. 1, Whitehall-yard. The Duke of Somerset presi ded. The other Commissioners present were—the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, General Sir De L. Evans, Major-General Sir H. Bentinck, General Wynyard, and Mr. G. C. Glyn. Yesterday General Sir J. F. Burgoyne, G.C.8,, Inspector-General of Fortifications, visited the Royal Engineers' establishment at Chatham, for the purpose of inspecting the field operations now b e ing carried on by the Royal Sappers and Miners and East India Company's troops. In the after .noon Sir J. Burgoyne, accompanied by the staff at present at head-quarters, proceeded to Chatham lines, where the A troop of the Royal Engineers train, under the command of Capt. T. Siborne, with Lieut. L. A. Hale, Lieut. F. A. Marindin, and Adjutant H. Saville, was drawn up in review order. Gen. Burgoyne having ridden up and down the line, the troop broke up into sections and went through a variety of manoeuvres. They afterwards went through the lasso exercise, which has been taught them by Sir F. Head. The troops embarked in the freightship Whirl wind, mentioned yesterday, were the following :- 1 field officer, 2 captains, 4 subalterns, 3 staff, 22 sergeants, 9 drummers, 8 corporal, 225 privates of the 19th Foot. The following were the officers : —Lieut.-Colonel J. L. Rocke, e. 8., Captains H. J. Erniacke and G. H. Warburton ; Lieutenants H. J. Browne, E. N. Kinder sley, A. C. Martin ; Ensign H. Thompson, Paymaster T. Palmer, Adjutant T. Thompson, Surgeon T. Longmore ; also, Captain M'Pherson, Ensign Spooner, and Assistant-Surge oil M'Lean, 3 sergeants 2 drummers, 6 corporals, and 65 privates of the 42d Highlanders. The Whirl wind was to sail last evening for India. She took also vast quantities of stores. The 42d Highlanders went into Portsmouth gar rison from the camp yesterday :—Three field offi cers, eight captains, 19 subalterns, 6 staff, 38 ser geants, 29 diummers, 719 rank and file. As at present arranged 128 of the troops will embark in the James Baines, 159 in the Champion of the Seas, 119 in the Golden Fleece, 122 in the Victor is, and 203 in the Australian. The officers are Lieut.- Col. A Cameron ; Majors F. G. - Wilkinson and E. R. Priestly ; Captains J. C. McLeod, J. Drysdale, G. Fraser, W. C. Ward, J. G. Grove, F. C. Scott, H. H. Moseley, and W. Baird ; Lieutenants J. Wilson, W. Lawson , C. Douglas, W. Green, F. E. H. Farquharson, .W. Cockburn, Hon. R. H. Stewart, A. J. Brarnley, R K. Bayly, P. M. Bos worth, and G. A. Furse ; Ensigns W. James, A. J. Ceely, J. E. Christie, S. G. M'Dakin. F. G. Cole ridge, W. S. H. W . Fielden, and T. Mackenzie ; Paymaster J. A. Bazalgette ; Adjutant W. Wood (Lieutenant) ; Quartermaster A. Macgregor : Sur geon J. S. Furlong, M.D. ; Assistant-Surgeons W. A. Mackinnon and H. Thornhill. The 421 will com mence embarking to-morrow or Monday. The 34'h Regiment arrived at Portsmouth from Edinburgh yesterday fur embarkation in the Golden Fleece for India. These troops co cup rise 51 sergeants, 23 drummers, 701 rank and file, and the following officers :—Lieut.-Colonels R. D. Kelly and J. Sampson ; Brevet Lieut.-Col. J. Gwilt, Major J. Maxwell, Captain M. G. Best, Brevet-Major J. Jordan, Captains H. E. Ball, F. P. Cassidy, D. Stewart, G. W. Puget, A. G. Shaw, Brevet-Major G. B. Harman, Captain C. li. Marsh, Lieutenants A. W. Boyce, J. L. Moore, J. B. O'Loghliu, J. Byron, T. H. Saunders, F. Pell, J. F. Wyse, R. J. Cochrane, E. Jordan, W. M. Dunbar, T. S. ' Holroyd, M. Lauifen • Ensigns T. G. Applegate, L. J. Grier, G. Malcolm, B. Shiffner, J. W. Horne, R. P. Fox, A. W. Gilley, and C. L. Dash wood ; Paymaster C. B. Roche, Lieutenant and Adjutant R. J. Leeson, Quartermaster T. Rowan, Surgeon W. R. Chalmers, Assistant-Surgeons R. J. Worthington, W. _Howard, and W. T. Paliolo gus. They are expected to embark about Tuesday next. The James Baines and Champion of the Seas clipper freight-ships had not arrived at Spithead last night. Th , -) former will embark, as at pre sent arranged, 868 of the 97th Regiment, besides the detachments of the 42d, and other troops before named. The Champion of the Seas is ordered to embark 837 of the . 20th Foot, besides the detachment of he 42d and others before named. The Victoria will embark 286 Royal Artillery, be aides the number of the 42d before given. As soon as the 34th have embarked in the Golden Fleece the 54th Regiment will proceed to Ports mouth from the camp and most probably embark in the Lady Jocelyn. The Himalaya, steam troopship, Commander' Harwell, arrived at Simon's BAy, Cape of Good Hope, on the 24th of May from St. Vincent's, fol lowed on the 28th by the Transit, steam troopship, Commander Chambers, from the same place, which she left 24 hours before the Himalaya, which we are informed has lost many of her crew and soldiers by desertion. The Transit had lost four. One man, a quartermaster of the Himalaya, in attempting to leave the ship on the night of the 2d of June to swim ashore was drowned. The Penelope, 28, paddle frigate, Capt. Sir W. Wiseman, arrived at Simon's Bay from the Mauritus on the evening of the 3d of June, all well, do-ely followed by the Barracouta, 6, Commander Fortescue, from China. The Himalaya left Simon's Bay on the morning of the 3d June at 11 o'clock, and went out of the flay healthfully. She was followed on the next morn ing by the Transit, which disembarked 1 officer, 30 men, 1 woman, and 2 children of the Royal En gineer c )rps on the morning of the 29th May, who proceeded to Cape to wn. The floating battery Terror, 16, Capt. F. Hutton, and the paddlewheel steam-sloop Devasta'ion, 6, Comander E. 'Marshall, arrived at Plymouth on Sunday from Woolwich for the West Indies. The gunnery ship Cambridge, Capt. A. W. Jer niughaw, left, Plymouth Sound on Wednesday evening for Spithead. His Netherlands Majesty's war steamer Gehdi, Commander Haring, from Flelvoetsluys, en.ered. Piymouth Sound on Wednesday for coal. She is armed with six heavy guns, two mor ars, and a long heavy pivot gun, and is bound to Batavia, touching at Rio Janeiro. TheViolic, 16, Commander L. W. Peyton (1856), which was paid off at Chatham yesterday, has been in commission four years, haviug been fitted out at Portsmouth in 1853 by Captain M. S. Noiloth. During the time she bas been in commission she has been employed cruising on the African coast. In 1854 she was engaged in surveying on the coast as far as Namaqualand, and fur a month was searching to discover any of the remains of the illfated Nerburlda, 16, but wi , hout effect. In 1856, i Commander NoHuth having been posted, Com mander Peyton was appointed to-the Frolic, which then proceeded to Quillimane to wait for Dr. Livingston, who was taken to the Mauritius. SI3) was also employed in taking the Bishops of Cape Town and Mauritius on a cruise. In December, 1856, the Frolic sailed to the Chagos Archipelago for the purpose of making inquiries into the bru•al murder of Mr. Hagan, and succeeded in discover ing his mutilated remains at Lubine, one of the six islands. On the sth of April last, the vessel was near the, spot where the Nerbudda was sup posed to be lost, when she was struck by a whirl wind, which nearly sank her. The effect of the whirlwind, which lasted about a minute, was so severe that the sea was tossed into waves 100 feet high. During the time the Frolic has been in com mission, .she has sailed over upwards of 40,000 miles. Fear deaths occu. red on board from dysen tery. On being paid off yesterday, a good conduct medal was awarded to Sergeant Beddington, of the Royal Marines, and a gratuity of 51. to Corporal Weeks ; gratuities of 7/. each were also awarded to William Hewitt, Isaac Day, and George White. Official orders were received in Cork on Wednes day, directing the 99th Regiment to hold them selves in readiness to prOceed to the Curragh. The companies of that regiment in garrison at Spike island, Camden, and Carlisle forts, have been re placed by a detachment of the 14th. - The Carthage ' 1,000 tons, is to leave Kingstown to-morrow with two companies of the 38th ; and the third and last division of the Ist Royals will embark to-day on board the Defiance, which also takes out e.corupany of the GOth Rifles. The Right Hon. Sir C. Wood, as First Lord of the Afluihalty, held his last leiree this season yes terday. The following appointments were madeesteD. day, at . th e Admi ralty : Y Capt. H. Xyres, to the St. Vincent ; Commander J. F. Ross, to the Brubswick ; G. F. A. Drew, surgeo, t the 1 " — "wk • J. H. N. M oss , secon d master n , to o thJaseur ; L. Kell, second master, the Pyladee. to the Jasper; W. Smith ,acting second-master, to A captain's good. service pension alio reverts to the patronage of Sir Charles Wood, on the pro motion of Rear-Admiral Mundy. The senior vice-admiral now is Sir Edward Chetham Strode, K. C. 8.. K.C.H., and the senior rear-admiral is Sir James Stirling. Captain Sir William Dickson, Bart. (1837), is now the senior on the active list ; but as this offi cer and the next in seniority, Captain W. S. Smith, have not served their time as captains, the third on the list, Captain the Hon. H. Keppel, C. 8., is the next officer for promotion to the active flag rank. Captain William Dawson (1841) comes on the 14s. 6d. half-pay list ; and Captain George Brown (1847) comes on the 12s. 6d. per diem list. HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY.) Lord COLVILLE presented a petition from a place in Fife against the Lunacy (Scotland) Bill. Viscount DUNG-ANNON presented a petition from Edesmere in Litchfield, against the Divorce Bill. The Reformatory Schools Bill was passed through committee after some discussion, in the coarse of which several clauses underwent considerable modifications, and others were omitted. The following bills were read a second time :—Boun. daries of Land (Ireland) Bill ; Glebe Lands (Ireland) Bill. The following bills passed through committee : Public Works (Irel Ind) Bill ; Turnpike Acts Continu ance Bill ; Banking Bi 1 ; and the Industrial Schools Bill. The following bills were read a third time and passed : —Militia Ballot Suspension Bill ; Public Health Act (Aldershot) Bill. The Reformatory Institutions Bill was withdrawn. RELIGIOUS BR A.WLS (IRELAND). Viscount DITNGANNON presented a petition from the protestant inhabitants of the parish of St. Ni cholas Without in the City of Dublin, praying that they might ba protected from mob violence, that their minis ters, scripture readers, and school children might have awarded to them the protection of the British law, and that the magistrates and the police force might be com• pelled to an impartial discharge of their duty. Their lordships then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.) CASHEL ELECTION. The SPEAKER announced that the petition against the return of Sir T. O'Brien had been withdrawn. INDIA.—HER MAJESTY'S ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS. Lord CASTLE ROSSE, Comptroller of the Household, brought up her Majesty's most gracious answer to the address agreed to by the House of Commons a few nights since on the motion of Lord J. Russell, relative to the present state of India. Her Majesty thanked the Com mons for their loyal and dutiful address, and the assur ance of the cordial support of any measures that might be deemed necessary for repressing tbe distur bances in India, and for restoring contentment and tranquillity in that important portion of her Majesty's dominions. The other orders for the morning sitting were disposed of, and the house suspended its sitting at 4 o'clock. The house resumed at 6 o'clock. MILITARY EDUCATION. Sir J. R MSDEN laid on the table the first report of the Council on M;litary Education. EAST INDIA. (OUDE). The Earl of GIFFORD obtained an order for copies of a despatch from the Governor-General of India in Council, dated the 4th Sept., 1853, together with its en closures, and of the reply from the Court of Directors of the East India Company relating to Oude. THE STENCH FROM THE RIVER. Mr. ADDERLEY asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he had any plan for the prevention of the pestilential stench which comes every evening into every window on the river front of the Houses of Parliament ; whether there is any power to enforce better trapping of the drains, or a removal of the deposits of bones and other refuge on the opposite bank, or whether legislation for the purpose is necessary ; or, if there be redress, whether any plan has been suggested by which the stench may be shut out of the houses by closing up all the windows on the river side, and admitting air from another eUrection ? Sir B. HALL replied that the providing of a remedy for the evil did not rest with the department over which he presided, but with the Board of Works, but in con sequence of the representations that had been made he had seen Mr. Gurney on the subject, and that gentleman had given him this explanation :—That the stench came from the mouths of the sewers, and that the whole neigh bourhood was infected. Another cause of this annoy mace, he was informed, was that the Great Victoria sewers had broken up, so that the sewage was diverted into the Bridge-street sewer, where it had caused a blow ing up of the trapping. Another great cause of the an noyance was on the other side of the river, where certain offensive trades were carried on. And here he must remind the house of a circumstance which occurred when a bill was brought in to suppress nuisances of this kind in large towns, and was referred to a select committee. When it came down from the committee it was in such a state that had it passed as it then stood, ample power would have been given to the local authorities to suppress such nuisances, and there was also a clause to impose a penalty , on the local board if they negleCted their duty in this re spect. But no sooner did this state of the bill become known, than the bone-boilers and gut-spinners— (laughter)—canvassed the members of this house, and the result was that those clauses were struck out. We were thus left entirely in the hands of the local boards, and if it happened that any persons carrying on those trades were on the boards, it was not to be expected that much would be done in the matter. It was a curious circumstance that the hon. member who put the question was one of those who were most instrumental in making the alterations which had left the law in its present state. (Laughter.) REGISTRATION OF IRELAND. Mr. ESMONDE asked the Chief Secretary for Ire land if it was the intention of the Government to intro duce in this or the next session a measure to provide for the general registration of birth., marriages, and deaths, in Ireland I Mr. H. HERBERT said it was not the intention of Government to introduce any such measure at present. THE MILITIA. Colonel GREVILLE asked the Under Secretary for War at what period and bow it was intended to pay this year's instalment of their bounty to the men of the re giments of militia who were not called out for training ? Sir J. RAMSDEN said the precise date had not yet been fieetel. CIVIL SERVICE SUPERANNUATION BILL. Mr. S. FITZGERALD inquired what course the Government proposed to take with respect to this bill, the second reading of which was carried yesterday by so great a majority. Lord PALMERSTON said the Government had thought it their duty to state at considerable length their object one to the bill, which would entail considerable increase of expense to the country, but the house having affirmed the second reading by so full and so large a majority, they thought it would not be respectful to the house, to oppose it any further. Mr. GLADSTONE asked whether it was the inten tion of the Government to have any revision of the sala ries of civil servants in consequence of this bill I Lord PALMERSTON said that as the effect of the bill would be to add from 2 3 / 4 to 5 per cent. to tbe salaries of the civil servants, the revision, if any, would be a re vision by which these salaries would be diminished. THE LATE TELEGRAPH. Mr. STAFFORD asked if the Government were pre pared to give any explanation of the late period at which they had received the telegraphic message from Trieste ? Sir C. WOOD said that he was not able to give any reason for the delay. The vessel arrived at Trieste at 9 o'clock on Tuesday morning. It was the duty of the harbour-master to communicate the intelligence to the consul, who in his torn had to draw up and transmit the telegraphic message to this country. The despatch was ' forwarded by the consul at half-past 10 o'clock, but it was not received here till half-past'l2 on Wednesday morning. Government had no control over the message after it left the hands of the consul, but it was certain that the message had taken 26 hours in travelling from Trieste to London. The East India Company received their message about the same time, after a delay pretty nearly equal. Mr. WARREN asked if any apatication had been made at the telegraph-office for intonation on the sub ject ? Sir C. WOOD replied that he had not received the answer that the telegraphic message had left Trieste at the time he had stated. It was clear that the delay was not owing to any neglect on the part of Govern ment, or of any servant of the Government. PUBLIC BUSINESS. Lord PALMERSTON moved that upon Tuesday ner, and on every succeeding Tuesday during the present session, Government orders of the day shall have precedence. Mr. HADFIELD said that the number of bills ap peared to be increasing jest in proportion to the impos sibility of carrying them. (A. laugh.) He asked what course would be taken with respect to the Divorce Bill, Probate Bill, and a bill for the Relief of Proctors? .Mr. MALINS asked whether the Government meant to make the Probate Bill the first order for tomorrow (this day) ? Lord J. RUSSELL complained that after a session of only three months' duration the Lords should have fixed the 7th August as the last day for receiving bills from this house. In answer to questions from Mr. B. Hon, Sir B. HALL said that the Public Offices Bill had passed through committee with the distinct understand ing that the Govsrnment were not to go on with it till the vote on account had been considered by the house. Lord PALMERSTON said there was no intention to go on with the block plan, which would involve an ex penditure of millions. The Divorce Bill and Probate Bid were of so much importance that he trusted the house would pass them at once. If the former could be dis posed of that evening, the latter should stand first for to morrow, otherwise it would stand next to the Divorce Bill. He asked the house to pass the bills from the Lords for the consolidation of the statutes on the faith of the commissioners that there was no alteration in the law involved in them, but that they were merely for purposes of consolidation. Should the house insist on going into the details, it would be impossible to pass them this session, or, for 'that matter, at any future period. The limitation of the period during which bills could be received from this house by the Lords was not a new practice. The noble lord appeared to take his standard from the beginning of the session, but the true standard was from the end of the session. (Hear.) Doubtless the lords would waive the rule in any case of emergency. Mr. BRISCOE hoped the Government would post pone the Public Offices Bill to next session. A measure involving such large expenditure ought not to be passed without plans or estimates. Mr. HARDY said the consolidation bills .were not mere consolidation bills, but did alter the esesting lsw materially. If not they were useltss, for the text books contained a sufficient digest for all purposes. The motion was carried without opposition. DIVORCE BILLS. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said this bill had been regarded with alarm as being supposed to ioiroluoe new principles. This wos perfectly groundless, as the- bd..: only pruyided a pew aus3Line,y.to c'arry out the principles which had been established for the last two centuries. Before the Reformation, marriage was held to be indis soluble, but when it was no longer held that marriage was a sacrament, a committee was appointed, a d y their rep ,rt marriage was held to be dissoluble in cases of divorce. Unfortunately, however, the ecclesiastical tribunals were left in full force, and this matter was left under their control. It mattered not, therefore, whether the functions in reference to divorce were discharged by a body calling itself Legislative, or by two or three persons sitting is a court of justice. The nature of the theory remained the same, whatever may be the denomination given to it. It was essentially a judi cial proceeding, as the proceedings in Parliament had al ways been judicial, the only difference being thet it was now proposed to discharge the duties by means of an ordinary court of justice. The law had been admi nistered by the House of Lords for 150 years, and it ha I always been open to parties to apply to Parliament for redress. Now, it was impossible to conceal from them that there had always been a law of divorce, well under stood, and that under that law marriage had been capa ble of being absolutely nullified. It has been too much the habit to speak of marriage as by the law a thing in disputable, and when it was known that they were about to establish a court of divorce, it had been thought that a new principle —anew rule--a new law, was about to be introduced into the law of England. Now, what he wished to show was, that this law had prevailed during the last 150 years in the House of Lords. In the course of the application of that law, ithad been laid down that there were circumstances under which a marriage was not indissoluble. For instance, a man having an alul terous wife might obtain a divorce, but not if there bad been any collusion, or connivance. The first step was to obtain a decree from the ecclesiastical court a menu et thoro, and bethen might obtain from the House of Lords a divorce a vinculo matrimonii. But in the case of a woman who could not obtain a divorce for simple adul tery, and precedents-bad been laid down providing that a divorce might be obtained where there was adultery, combined with incest, or under circumstances of cruel'y, the only change this bill proposed to make was to enable a woman to obtain a divorce for adultery combined with malicious desertion, and the transfer of the hearing to a judicial tribur al, where the circumstances might be more conveniently investigated. The form of procedure would be divested of all those circumstances which bad consti tuted the main objections to the present administration of the law, so that while the law remained pretty much the same as it was, the way of getting at it would be greatly facilitated. He would now proceed to consider some of the religious arguments which had been adduced against the principle of the bill, particularly in reference to the question whether the persons who had been di vorced might marry again. Shortly after the Reforma tion a case arose which would ilustrete one branch of this question—namely, the case of the Mayene, of Northamp ton, from which it was clearly established that a divbrce waa a divorce a vinculo matrimonii. This, therefore, being the recognition of the law as it was at the early period of the Reformation, be need not ref,r them to the host of writers who hal confirmed and supported it, but he might repeat that for two centuries that principle had been acted upon in the House of Lords, and after the bills were passed they came down to the House of Commons for confirmation. He did not believe that since the case of the Duke of Norfolk any bishop had objected to divorce on the grounds now taken by those who were opposed to the bill, namely, that by the law of England marriage was indissoluble, and that too on Scriptural authority. If that were true, every dissolu tion of marriage which had been sanctioned by Perlis went was a violation of the Scriptures. (Hear, hear.) If the house rejected this bill, it would condemn every thing that had been done during the last 200 years, and, if it acted consistently, must strike out of the statute book everything relating to the present law of divorce— (Hear, hear)—but if they admitted the principle of di vorce, he held that they were bound to give their sanc• tion to a plan which would render more easy the ad ministration of the law. (Hear, hear.) His attention had been directed to some of the pamphlets which had been written on this subject, and which, for the most part, urged the authority of Scripture as an insur mountable objection to this bill. One of these was at tributed to no less a distinguished person than the author of the "Christian Year," another to a distie guished writer in the Quarterly Reirioe, and another to a writer who was known as well for his legal as his Scriptural knowledge. To these he would briefly allude. By the Jewish law adultery was not the occasion of divorce but of criminal punishment—it was punish. able by death, and therefore the vinculo ma. trimonii was more effectual in those days than now. He did not think that the house would be led away by arguments based upon such a variety of inconsistent and contradictory interpretations. But what was it which really gave force to matrimony, and which made it so highly esteemed in the Roman Catholic Church? It was that solemn assurance, " that in the beginning God cre ated male and female : male and female created he one ;" and, again, that " a man should leave father and mother and cleave unto his wife, and they two should be one flesh." That he 'believed it was that gave force to the holy and Christian character of matrimony. But what was it that destroyed that holy connection I Clearly, adultery. That it was that severed the sacred bond, for it was clearly defined by Scripture as a dissolution of the sacred tie. (Elear.) He had thus adverted to the scrip tural argument because they had heard so much of it an another place, and were likely to hear so much of it again. (Laughter.) His first opponent would be the hon. and learned member for Dundalk, and therefore he might be pardoned for alluding to the decrees of the Council of Trent. [The Attorney-General read extracts from the de crees of the Council of Trent, showing that, according to the canons oftheChurch of Rome, marriage was not held in all cases an in liasoluble tie.] He hoped, under the circumstances, they would steer clear of the scriptural difficulty, and be would advise them to adhere to that interpretation, which had been accepted, not only by the Church of England, but by all the Protestant Churches of Christendom. Dismissing those topics, be came to ano ther which was a fruitful source of objection, viz., inter marriage of the guilty parties, and whether such mar riages should be left to be solemnised in facie ecclesies. They had heard that 6,000 clergymen had petitioned that such a burden should not be laid apex: their con sciences. But those reverend gentlemen had submitted to the law, in times past, and could they fail to regard it as a conscientious objection when there were only two or three cases, and contend that it was so when the cases were likely to be more numerous I He could not conceive anything more danger 'us ti-an to permit the clergy to be relieved from the obligation of obeying the law, and while the Crown was supreme, the clergy must submit to the law of the land, which was the true principle of the connection between the Church and the State. The Church was bound, therefore, by the obli gation of the law. No doubt, therefore, could exist of the desirability of requiring from the clergy absolute and impliclt obedience to the law ; and if it should be the law when this bill passed —as it had been the law hitherto— he trusted that the House of Commons would never en tertain. the question whether or not a portion of the clergy should be exempted from its olvervance. But there was another point to which he might advert. This bill would abolish actions for criminal conversation ; and it had been asked what was to be substituted for it. He knew a case in which a woman who had property ob tained a divorce, and the family lost that which was their sole dependenc-. In such a case the court would have power to give compensatio n , or t o ma k e prov i s i on for famil i es. With regard to the constitution of the court itself, it would be very simple. After a prelimin ary inquiry, the case would be heard before the Will of the L or d Ch ance ll or and one of the Queen's B enc h, th e C ommon P leas, o e o q f u t e h r e . The tribunal would ac com pli s h a il c C hr o i te u hfr judgest e , consisting xE,, the objects desired in this investigation, and render col lusion and connivance between the parties impossible. The other portions of the bill dealt with the proceed. ings heretofore confined to the Ecclesiastical Courts, re lative to divorce a rnensa et thoro, whi c h was nothi ng more than regulating the terms of a mutual separation, and the name of the proceeding would be changed from the improper term of divorce to that of judicial separation. By the bill the hard earned gains of a wife separated from her husband for adultery or cruelty on his part would be protected, and the savage character of our laws with regard to husband and wife in that respect would be remedied. (Hear.) The hon. and learned gentleman referred to the three periods when the question of the indissolubility of marriage was dis cussed in that house, on each of which occasions they negatived that principle, viz., in 1770, when a bill was brought down train the House of Lords ; about fifteen or sixteen years after that time, and finally in 1800 ; and he said that it should be borne in mind in discussing the measures now before the house, that the house inva riably struck out of all divorce bills the clause prevent ing the dissolubility and re-marriage of the parties. Hav ing dealt with the matter in that way for upwards of 150 years, it was desirable that the house sh ou ld b ow to precedent and adopt that principle by affirming the se cond reading of the bill. Sir W. HEATHCOTE moved the second reading of the bill that day three months. On a former oecason, when the right hon. gentleman the member for Oxford. shire brought forward his motion for the delay, the right hon. gentleman and t h ose who supported him were re• proached with preventing the learned Attorney -General from stating to the house the principles of the bill. The hon, and learned gentleman bad now availed himself of that opportunity. He (Sir W. Heathcote) had listened attentively to the learned gentleman's statement, but he had been unable to discover that the bill was based on any principle whatever. The learned gentleman had however assumed throughout his speech what it was possible for him to prove, that this bill only dealt with the existing law of England in reference to marriage and di vorce, but that it put the remedy in a different shape. The bon, baronet contended at considerable length the indissolubility of marriage, and the hardship it would be on the clergy to be subjected to pains and penal ties for not performing an act which iu their con sciences they considered repugnant to Scripture. He also condemned the establishment of the proposed Divorce Court, the powers of which would (if the bid were passed) at no distant period be conferred on our county courts, which would then have the effect of introducing a state of things in reference to marriage *deader to that now existing in Prussia. He consioered this a qnestioe of great importance, so great that a form of government sank into insignificance in comparison with it. It was a measure that affected the sanctity of the homes of every person in the country—the purity of woman and her equal position in the social scale. This the Government were about to accomplish by a-legislative enactment con. trary to our religion , and carry it into effect by the wholesale persecution of its ministers. (Hear, hear.) He earnestly called upon the lioue, to. support his amendment from a conviction that it was not in a pa-i -tion t 3 legislate on the subject. By deferring the mea sure until next seseion hon. members would be able to give their undivided attention to it during the recess, and be in a better position at the commencement of a new session to enns der and discuss iss various provisions. CUBllriteconfieditTfi..mndaieut. Mr. H. DRUMMOND said that this was a subject which all could meet without party feeling of any kind, and that it was one which interested every one equal:y and exclusively in their doineelic relations. I. appeared to him that this bid seemed to do badly, or rather not at all, what it professed to do, and it attempted to d what it had no right to de. The honeurairle gentleman entered at great length into what he termed the hi , - toricel part of the question and also its religious bf ariag, t) show that by the latter, marriage was considered and treated throughout the Scriptures as indissoluble, and that it was treated so in early times by the various nations of the earth, It was only to gratify the avarice of the Roman Catholic priests by the invention of dispensations that the indissolubility of marriage was first hinted at, and at last it got to such a height that the civil power interfered, and they their turn became almost as bad. He ridiculed the conscientious feelings of the clergy, when they could be regulated by act of Parliament. He calls on the house to reject the bill, as being contrary to the law of God and subversive of morality. Mr. LYGON opposed the bill on the ground of authority, on the ground of reason, and on the ground of experience. The authority of the reformatio legum went for nothing, because it was drawn up in the reign of Edward VI., and was rejected in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when the reformation was cmesolidated. Ophlions were disturbed in the former reign, but in that of Elizabeth calm reason was brought to bear, and then the report of the commissioners of E lward VI. was re jected. He contended that the bill by giving divorce for adultery, would be the means of greatly increasing adultery. He implored the house to pansy before it sanctioned a principle which was calculated to produce such a result. Tee experience of America, France, and Prussia ought to be sufficient twrhow the evils which were attendant upon such a principle. If they passed the bill the day would come when they would regret having laid a rude and hasty hand upon a subject which was so sacred. Mr. PULLER said there were two features in the bill which he could not support in committee ; one was the obligation upan clergymen to marry divorced per sons. Where seven thousand clergymen raid it was against their consciences to perform such marriages, it was no answer to them to say that for two hundred years past there had been cases of privilege. Consider ing that there was a secular form of marriage which guilty parties could avail themselves of, he thought they ought not to put open the clergy the powers of this bill. The other feature of the bill which he objected to was the power given to the judge to fine an adulterer. This was making a law for the rich, and he thought they ought to inflict such a punishment on adultery as soul I make it a discreditable crime. As to the indissolubitity of marriage, he should mark his opinion on that subj set by giving his hearty support to the second reading of this bill. The act of adultery dissolved a marriage. Scrip ture said that no man should put asunder those whom God had joined together. After an act of adultery man did not put parties asunder ; they were put asunder by their own act. The moment a woman committed adsl tery that moment she ceased to be a wife, and both the common law and the ecclesiastical law of England pre vided that when a woman committed adul-ery her hus band was not bound to support her. Divorce on the ground of adultery had been sanctioned from the earliest times. It was sanctioned both in the o.cl and in the New Testament. Mr. WIGRAM said there were two reasons for his supporting the hon. member for the University of Ox ferd—the one was that the bill was being argued at a time of the session when it could not receive due con sideration, and he believed that until this session the subject had not really been before the countiy. There was no feeling in the country in favour of this bill to justify its being forced on this session. Another reason for his voting against the second reading was, that this was a bill for dealing with the subject of divorce in Eng land, and he thought was the first time it was proposed to legislate on the subject of divorce, and whenever an alteration took place in the law upon that subject, the law ought to be - an imperial one. If marriage were made dissoluble in England, it ought to be made dis soluble in Ireland. They ought to deal with the subject as a whole, and establish the uniform law, and in that respect he thought the bill was ill-timed, and therefore he should vote against the second reading. Mr. HATCHELL did not think there was in Rig land any urgent call for any alteration in the existing state of the law. Because there was a scandal connected with the law, was it not possible to sweep away that scandal without sapping and undermining the sacred ob ligation of marriage I The hon. member referred to the opinions of Lord Loughborough and the Bishop of Durham in 1798, on the evils which resulted from the facilities for greeting divorce, and explained the laxity of morals among the higher classes occasioned by the grant ing of divorces. He objected to this bit on the ground that it would produce an increased desire among the people of this country in favour of divorce, and this was a circumstance which he would greatly deplore. It was to the notion of the perfect indissolubility of marriage that was due the great social comfort and happiness which prevailed among the homes of the people of Ire land, the peasantry of that country looking upon their marriage vow as one which must no more be broken than the vow of a novice on entering into her life of seclusion. He should feel it his duty to oppose the se cond reading of the bill. Mr. BOWYER called attention to the fact that there had not been a single petition presented in its favour, while not less than 90,000 persons of all classes had re corded their opinions in opposition to the measure. The bill proposed to be a porneman's bill, but that was a most erroneous view of it, and the cumbrous character of the machinery of the court to be founded would never admit of the court being made applicable to the suits instituted by the poor man. But before these considerations arose a prior question was to be decided, which was whether the divine law sanctioned divorce a vincul-) I This was a theological question, and upon which the opinions of the clergy should be taken after careful deliberation. The measure was not a mere winding-up act, or one for legalising partnership on limitejs liability, but it leas one which was in direct opposition to the divine law, and the passing of which involved moot serious responsibility, and the gravest consideration. The hon. member proceeded to refer to the evils which re sulted from fealty of obtaining divcrces, instancing the state of things which existed in Prussia at the present time. If the bill were passed, it would lead to universal immorality, by permitting men to get rid of their wives, and the principle of the indissolubity of marriage, if once admitted, it would never be possible to confine the grounds of divorce to adultery. The hon, member then proceeded to argue at some length that the divorce a vinculo was not permitted, either by the divine law, or the Christian law, which was part and parcel of the law of this country, and supported his opinion by quota tions from the Gospels of St. Luke, St. Mark, and St. Mathew, and contended that the apparent inconsistency bet seen the texts he had cited did not in the least de gree affect the validity of the argument, that the divorce a vinculo was against divine law. If there was ever a doubt as to the construction of the Divine law, and surely no one will contend, on the other side, that there was not a doubt, they ought not to compel clergymen to act in violation of their consciences. He could not agree with those who invested the law with infallibility, He referred to the text "Give unto Cm , ar that which is Caesar's, and to Wod that which is God's," as showing that there limits to the authority of Cmsar. Where there was a doubt they ought to abstain, and not to pass a law which peradventure might be a violation of the law of God. Mr. MALINS, who rose amid cries of "Divide." said he could not give a silent vote on this question. Ho must admit that some difficulty:did arise from the course the legislature had taken during the last century and a half. No doubt when the Roman Catholic religion was established in this country, and marriage was considered inviolable, expedients were resorted to, not to dissolve a marria, ; ;e, but to declare it to have been void from the beginning. The Government treated this as so great and crying an evil that they must press it on now in the dog days, when there was no time to discuss it ; but the average of divorces was not more than three in a year. He thought the interests of society would be best served by making marriage indissoluble under any and every circuinetance. His hon. and learned friend had said it was a great blot on the legislati in of the coun try that a rich man could get a divorce while the poor man could not. If that argument were worth anything, his hon. and learned friend ought to show that this was a poor man's bill. But the court would be as high a court as could well be constructed. No man under this bill would be able to get a divorce for less than three, four, or five huedred pounds. What, then, was the use of calng it a poor mati's bill I (Hear ) The present law considered marriage as indissoluble, for to dissolve it required a special act of Partiament. But this bill would hold out to all who were married that their marriage was not indissoluble, fur a court was created expr ess ly to dissolve it. This might be expedient, but if so, it ought not to be done at this period of the session, and in such haste. But he wou'd not put it on such narrow ground. He took the broader ground that it was best for society that marriage should be indissoluble. In Pur port of this view, he quoted an opinion of Lord Stowell. He contended that the passing of this law would hold out an inducement to infidelity to the marriage tie. There were many specious arguments in favour of the bil! ; the principle, indeed, was undeniable, if the pre sent exceptional divorces were to be allowed, but he objected even to them. If there was a strong feeling in the house in favour of the bill, it had not been shown in this debate. He complained of the course taken by the Government in forcing on the bill at this period of the session. Lord J. MANNERS said they were told a few nights back that there was ample time to discuss the bill—that the house was full of life and spirit. But not one speech had been made in favour of the measure which showed that life and vigour. He maintained that the arguments of the Attorney-General were sophistical. The harried Attorney -General said that the bill had made no change in the law of the land, which he after wards qualified by saying that it made no material change. He said that the human dissolubility of mar riage was the accepted law of the land, but his own speech showed that thehurnan indissolubility of marriage was held till the time of Charles 11., but that was not a favourable period in point of rtligion or morality. The fact that since that period two or three divorce acts per session had in auras way slipped through Parliament, was no rea , on for passing a sweeping measure like this. What struck him as the most painful argument was, that the two houses together were to be considered as a sort of judicial - tribunal. Was any judge able to refuse to consider a ease, and kick it out of curt altogether ? One of he bi , hbps had been asked why he did not oppose all these exceptional acts, and had replied that he would d• so for the future ; and a member of this house had given a similar pled `e that oight. Coull that he if this was a judicial procEedit g ? At this late hour he would not enter into the Scriptural argument. A portion of this house who were•unconvinced by the arguments of the late Attorney-Chum], would clutmue of opinion that this bill had reversed the law of God. It was said that the principle of the bill was settled by the discussion in the Hen ie of Lords, but he thought that, on a subject which affected the daineetic happiness of the great mass of the people, they were not to accept the dictum of any assem bly. Tit, re were indeed in the upper house grave and reverend prelates, whose authority he was willing to ac cept, but their authority was against the bill. It wag opposed to the Divine law, and also struck at the roots of all human law. If the house was to reverse the 7th, why not also the Bth Commandment I If they were to allow the man who robbed another of his wife, for the payment of a small fine, to enjoy full gratification of his wishes, how could they maintain penal establishments to punish the man who stole his neighbour's worldly goods ? This measure would encourage a woman who was disappointed in marriage to believe that if she only had the bad courage to commit herself entirely to sin, years of worldly happi nrss were in store for her. He referred to the frequency of divorces in Pru4sia to show the evil effects of the law. The Catholics were not sheltered from the evil effects of the litv, for in one case for instance a man had been married and divorced six times, and had six wives living. Not only was the adulterer allowed to live in worldly happiness, but also in worldly respectability. The learned Attorney-General had said on the part of the Government that he would never consent to relieve the clergy from the terrible hardship of being compelled to remarry persons under this act. It was impossible fer any body of men to be more tightly bound than were the clergy. More consideration was shown for anyether class or profession. The rule was adhered to that persons who had undertaken solemn obligations upon certain condi tions should not be burdened with obligations they could not have foreseen. It bad been said that the clergy must learn to obey the law, but be said the learned At torney-General ought to protect the cErgy. He regretted to hear the taunts which had been thrown out againetthe clergy, who in their petitions had merely prayed that, in the event of this bill passing into a law, they might be relieved from the onus of whet they considered adulter ous marriages. (The noble lord read ei'racts from seve ral petitions which had been presented as a confirmation of his view of the case.) He thought that no claim could be more just or more moderate than the claim preferred by the clergy, and he did not see how the house could resist it. Parliamentarily they might do it, but morally it was impossible. (Hear, hear.) Twice in the history of this country the clergy had been driven from their livings, and been compelled to retire into private life, but this was not a bill involving the question whether episcopacy was an integral part of the °lmre!), or whether one or two monarchs should have the allegiance of the clergy, but whether that body of men should give way to the lust of adulterers and the tyranny of Paiiiament. (Cheers-) Bdieving that this bill would introduce a fatal change in the principles of the Church, and be fraught with danger to the country, he should studiously resist it. air. GLADSTONE moved the adjournment of the debate. Lord PALMERSTON expressed a hope that the I house would come to a decision o n th e bill th a t n i g ht. Mr. NAPIER supported to the adjournment. He should coneider it to be his duty to state fully the rea sons upon which he should record his vote. The house divided, and the numbers were— For the adjournment 125 Against it Majority —63 The motion for adjournment was therefore lost. Mr. HENLEY moved the adjournment of the house. Lord PALMERSTON thought the house should be bound by the majority jest announced. (No, no, and divide.) Mr. WALPOLE apprehended that all his right hon. friend meant to imply was that a further discussion should be taken upon a question of so much importance. As far as he was concerned, he intended to support the second reading of the bill. Sir G. GREY thought he bad never seen a more lan guid debate. The right hoe, gentleman the member for the University of Oxford (Mr. Gladstone) might have addressed the house at any period during the evening. He was unwilling to divide again. (Cries of " Oh, oh," and " Divide, divide.") After some further discussion, Mr. HENLET withdrew his motion, and L )rd LOVAINE moved the adjournment of the debate. The motion was agreed to without a division. ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION BILL. On clause 20, having reference to leases, Mr. HENLEY objected to discuss a clause of such great importance after the house had sat for 13 hours. After some discussion, this and some subsequent clauses were agreed to. The Constables (Detached Parts of Counties) Bill was read a second time. The Boundaries of Burghs Extension (Scotland) Bill was read a second time. The County Court Judges (Falconer and Yates's Salaries) Bill passed through committee. The Valuation of Lands (Scotland) Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. The orders of the day for the second reading of the Adulteration of Food or Drink Bill, and the Sale of Corn were discharged. The Lords' amendments to the Registration of Long Leases (Scotland) Bill were agreed to. The General Board of Health Continuance Bill was read a second time. SUPERANNUATION ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Lord NAAS moved that the House resolve itself into committee upon this Bill. Mr. GLADSTONE said thetas far as he personally was concerned he was prepared even at that late hour (20 minutes to 2) to proceed with the discuasion of the de tail. of the Bill, but he thought that the subject was of such importance that notwithstanding the decision at which the house arrived the day befere, and the adhesion of the Government to the measure, it ought not to be paseed em hurriedly. His object was to ascertain cleaey what was to be the position assumed with respect to the remuneration of the civil servants. The Secretary of the Treasury had announced on a previous occasion that the financial effect of the measure would be by its direct effect and its probable results an increase to the public expenditure of from 200,0001. to 300,0001. a year, and that appeared to him to be a serious matter. He wished to remind the House that they had been sedulously told that in voting for the Bill they were not voting for an increase of the public burdens, and he believed that the noble lord who had introduced the measure had put it to the House that they were not called upon to decide as to an increase of salaries to the public servants, but simply as to the question of the abolition of the deductions of the superannuation fund. Now, what was the position of the house with re gard to the legislation proposed? Why, the bill, in poi n t of fact, rested neither upon the report of the Parlia mentary committee, nor upon that of the Royal commis sion, for the Parliamentary committee recommended a uniform revision of the salaries of the public servants with reference to the amount of deduction remitted, and the commission looked upon the charge upon the revenue as being of merely a temporary character. He asked the Government for explanations of their intentions with respect to the revision of public salaries. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was now 2 o'clock, and the house would meet again at 12. Therefore, without answering the righ hon, gentle men, he would suggest the postponement of this stage of the ball, that there might be an opportunity of coming to a clear understanding what it was the Government was expected to do if the bill passed, because the bill simply repealed the reduction without conditions. Mr. AYRTON moved that the house do now adjourn. Lord NAAS would not accede to that motion. Toe time of the house was entirely in the hands of the Go vernment, and it was impossible for him to bring on the discussion on the bill early in the evening. The Govern ment lead promised not to oppose its further stages, and to postpone it, as suggested by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, would have the effect of defeating the bill altogether. There was nothing in the bill to prevent the Treasury revising the salaries as they might, think proper. He hoped the Government would adher . e to their promise. Mr. HENLEY said they had many of th em been there 14 hours. The right hon. gentle - man (Mr. Glad• stone) very naturally asked for explanations. The Chan cellor of the Exchequer intimated that to give those ex planations would occupy some time, and suggested the postponement of the bill. That could hardly be regarded as opposing it. (Hear, hear.) Mr. S. FITZGERALD complained that upon the faith of the noble lord's statement that the Government would not oppose the bill many of its supporters were gone home. Advantage was to be taken of the hour of the night to defeat the bill by delay. A s a matter of justice and as a matter of honour the bill ought to be permitted to go through cjmmittee, and if it were not no dependence could henc forth be placed upon the as surance of the Government or of the leading members of the house. (Hear.) Lord PALMERSTON suggested that the right hon. gentleman (Mr. Gladstone) should make his speech on bringing up the report. Mr. GLADSTONE said it was only fair that be should know what the Government intended to do before the bdi passed through committee. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he did not initiate any objection or any opposition. He was asked a question, and he did not think it desirable to go into the discussion at that hour of the night. To prevent misconception and, perhaps, a reversal of the policy once adopted by the house, of which there was more than one example, there ought to be a clear under standing what the consequences of the bill would be, and what course the Government was to take upon it. Sir J. PAKINGTON said that as the question stood it seemed to him a question of good faith—whether the promise of the noble lord to his noble friend not to op pose the bill was to be kept. (Hear and No.) Mr. GLADSTONE said he gave notice at 6 o'clock that he should raise a discussion on the bill. Lord PALMERSTON suggested that the bill should be put off for another day. Lord NAAS declined to accede to the suggestion. The galltrie3 were cleared fora division, but none took place. On the question that the Speaker should leave the chair. _ Sir H. WILLOUGHBY asked if was the intention of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to introduce any clauses into the bl ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER.--As I understand the decision of the house yesterday it Wa s that the clause in the Superannuation Act should be simply repealed. — The effect of that will be to add 5 per cent„ to the salaries of those civil servants under that Act who have wore than 1001. a-year, and 2. per cent. to the salaries of those who have lass than that amount. My right hon, friend (Mr. Gladstone) explained to the house that as this was technically a repeal of a tax and not a grant of additional salaries, the noble lord had a right to make this proposition. Substantially, however, 1 1 i t i s a grant of additional salaries to the civil servants. In that sense I take it, and if the Government were ! THE ATL‘INTIC TEL gGRAPH. The alteration from the original plan of laying down the Atlantic telegraph cable though it will delay for a short time the completion of the com munication between the two continents, has the advantage of enabling us on this side the Atlantic to know from hour to hour how the work pro ceeds ; and in the course of a few days we shall most probably be able to report progress. One end of the cable will be connected with the tele graph station at Valentia, and then the Agamem non and the Niagara, with their two at tendant steam-vessels, will start together, and proceed in company to Newfoundland. When one of the large ships from which the cable has been paid out has been disburthened, the end of the first half will be connected to that coiled up in the hold of the other ship, and by that time the success or failure of the undertaking will be almost certainly known ; for the greatest of the difficulties will then have been encountered. Objections have been taken to the machinery for paying out the cable as too cumbrous for the work, and as likely to break the line ; and it has also been stated as a serious mistake that the twist of the two halves of the outer wire rope are different ; but from neither of those circumstances need there be much apprehension • and the second objection is indeed quite insignificant. The most formidable difficulties are those which pertain to the very natur e of the enterprise ; the difficulty of maintaining psrfect insulation in so long a wire, and of dis charging the residual electricity. What effect the pressure of the water at great depths may have on the elastic insulating materials in the first place, remains to be seen. At a depth of two miles the pressure will be upwards of two tons on every square inch of surface, and the effect of that amount of compression on an elastic body may be conceived when it is stated that a gallon of air would be reduced within the compass of a walnut-shell ; and at a depth of three miles air would be denser than water. The grab percha and the tarred rope that cover the thin cord of copper wires, when subjected to such enormous pressure, may be squeezed into one-tenth their pre sent thickness, and the insulated wire will be com pressed within the outer casing of wire rope, as if it had shrunk from it, leaving a water space be tween them. What effect this compression of the gutta percha on the inner wire may have on the insulation remains to be proved, but we are in c'ined to think that the compression of the insulat ing material will be beneficial rather than other wise ; .and as to the outer casing of wire rope, its separation will be of no consequence as regards the security or the insulation of the wire. It is questionable, indeed, whether it has not been from the beginning an unnecessary, as well as a costly, appendage. Assuming, then, that no disruption occurs in the laying down, and that the insulation remains in tact, the question to be proved is, whether distinct electric signals can be sent successively through the submerged wire with sufficient rapidity to be available for telegraphic purposes. In the expo riments of Mr. Whitehouse, at Greenwich, through 1,600 miles of wire, the signals were transmitted at the rate of four in a second, though the time occu pied in passing from one end of the wire to the otter was three-quarters of a second. It thus appeared that two or more separate signals ware traver-ine the wire at the same instant. ° Another experiment, which told in favour of the arrangements made for discharging the electricity from the wire after each signal was this. When an instantaneous charge of magneto-electricity was given to the wire, it re mained charged with electricity for several seconds, and the shock, if received on the tongue, instead of being violent and instantaneous, became a pro longed electrical sensation, indicating clearly the detention of the electricity in the wire. But by reversing the direction of the electric current after each instantaneous charge, that sensation ceased ; from which it may be inferred by reversing the cur rent after each signal the wire will be sutficieutty discharged to transmit another signal instanta neously. It must be observed, however, that in these experiments at Greenwich the battery which communicated the signal and the instrument which received it were close together, at the two ends of the thousand miles of insulated wire, and it is well known that very different results may be obtained when the telegraph instrument is placed iu the middle of the circuit. Fears may, therefore, be still rationally entertained that when the cable is safely deposited in the bed of the Atlan tic the wire may not be discharged of electricity with sufficient rapidity after each signal by merely , reversing the electric current. Should this diffi culty occur, it will begin to show itself after about 400 miles of the cable have been laid down, and we shall look with much anxiety for the reports of its progress after that distance has been com pleted. Those not acquainted with telegraphic opera tions may be at a loss to know how, with a single wire, a voltaic current can be completed. In tee early stages of the electric telegraph it was cus tomary o employ a second insulated wire to bring back the current to the voltaic battery, but it was afterwards found that the moist earth is so good a conductor of electricity that it will serve the pur pcee better than a wire. It is now usual, there fore, at all telegraph stations, to bury a plate of copper in the ground and to connect it with the voltaic batteries by a wire, and that metal plate keeps rip the electric communication through the earth with all the other stations where similar plates are buried. In the Atlantic telegraph the return current wilt in the same manner be conducted through the sea by communicatirm with immersed metal plates on each side of the Atlantic. A few days ago an eagle struck dead a foal some days old, near Lord Elcho's shooting-box, where it was pas turing with its mother. —Alta o'Groat's Journal. THE TRANSFER OF LAND.--Two separate bills have been presented to the House of Lords by two ex-Chan celiors for the simplification of the transfer of reel estate. The one drawn up by Lord Brougham and Vaux, makes provision for the registration of the titles of land by the appointment of a registrar-general and a corps of registrars, whose duties are clearly defined, and by whom devisees, heirs-at-law, trustees, tenants-in fee, and recently enfranchised persons may be registerel. The country will be divided into districts by order in Council for the registration of assurances of real estate. A. second bill, emanating from Lord St. Leonard's, re stricts executory devises, shortens the time of the limita tion of actions against purchasers without notice, &o. Just published, price 33. 6d., letter to Viscount Pal merston, K.G., on the political importance of the Euphrates Valley Railway, and the necessity of the financial support of her Majesty's Government. By W. P. Andrew, F.R G.S., &c., Chairman Euphrates Valley Railway, with reports by Major-General Chesney and Sir J. Macneill, and memorandum, &c., by Sir Justin Sheil, K C. 8., and map. Also minutes of evidence before the House of Commons on the establishment of telegraphic communication with India through Turkish Arabia. By Sir W. B. O'Shaughnessy, T. K. Lynch, E.q., and W. Ainswcrtb, E-q., &c., &e., &c. Kur rachee, by the Euphrates, is 1,400 miles nears to Eng land than Bombay is by the Red Sea'—Sir Justin Sbeil. London. W. H. Allen and Co., 7, Lea lenhall-street [ADVERTISEMENT.]—It is with pleasure we notice the daily in 2rease of cures without medicine of indigestion (dyspepsia), flatulency, constipation, nervous, bilious, and liver com plaints, cough, asthma, consumption, and debility, by Du Barry's delicious Revalenta Arabica. We quote the follow ing : —Southwick Park, Fareham, Hants, Oct. 31, 184 S Gentlemen, I sincerely thank you for your kind attention. When I began taking the Revalenta I was in as deplorable a condition as can well be imagined. I was confined to my bed, and so weak that I could neither stand nor walk, suffering severely from flatulency, constipation, and indigestion, and being compelled to have recourse to aperients every second or third day; and, upon one occasion, I swallowed no less than seven doses within twenty-eight hours, under medical advice. There was a giddiness in my head, and a singing in my right ear, that when I turned my bead on the pillow it resembled the sound produced by a light touch on a musical glass. I had a pain and rort of fullness across the chest, a sore throat —...-- and a slight cough ; but the pain around my loins was so great that I could not remain in the same position for t en DEATH opt ADMIRAL SIR - Ru Ga piGo T, minutesall night long. The principal seat of the pain seem e d K. C. H. AND K. 0.13. to be just below the ribs on my left side, and about three We regret to state that this venerable and tail inches from the backbone. I commenced taking Du Barry's gallant and distinguished flag officer died Str eet; Alandßeventa Arabica morning and evening, boiled in water and Y salt in less than a fortnight my appetite was greatly evening, at his town residence, in Ebury-street, it, unpr ove d , and flatulency and constipation so far vanished the 82d year of his age. • that: I have not tasted a pill or drug of any kind The following advancements an d p romo ti ons are tn s :e iike I a d a r m unk m on uc m h n st , r sc on c.g_ er j , eiciNattvAwssa,lkLansdtea.stdeiewra, rda.7.d consequent on Sir Hugh Pigot's decease : Admiral of suPPorted b test i monials A from the celebrated Professors cf Campbell ;* Dr`rreClttrikreer; To be Admiral of the Blue.—Vice • vice Sir s p L t o i r ia r . a rt ;s mtuaiatotr.teenDle c h i eg •, th e ' Dowa . Chemistry, y D r Db.. r ShVand ; Dr. Harvey ger ur eo ze u r n ; te D es r. the Red Sir Edward Tucker, K.C.8., Lucius Curtis, Bart., to be admiral of the white, of Castle ./ Tice Sir Hugh Pigot, deceased. persons, whose he h er h aas Bing, and many other respectable To be Vice Admiral of the Blue. —Rear Admiral means of cure had failele. been restored by it, after all other of the Red Sir Houston Stewart, K. C. B. corn- stractions. In canisters, libtly packed with full in- Ile ; 121 b, 225. The 1 21b canister; 9adr. ; 21b, 4s, Exl. ; 51b, wander in chief on the North American an.l West on receipt of Post-Office order. —...Bar s t n u t ean is e' fr , eo, India station, vice Robert- Wauchfme Es ,to be 77, Regent-street, L ond on. I strORTANT C Barry, ; 13c Co " Tic 9 admix al of the ice John Brett ' 'Di • AUTION aga.nst the white, lice ..1. ury :s, fearful dangers of spurious imitation s : Dm ,to he vice admiral of the red. lor Sir William Page Wood granted a n 1 ' —The V' Ch 1 ce- ance,- _To tallear Admiral of the Blue.--Capt. Ge orge .10th Xarch, 185 i, against Alfred Iloopor ii : ; i i nnetiou on the " D Barry ^ Revalenta Arabic - a Food.' , • i i• f c ) r-imitatng Rodney Mundy (Januari 10, 1837 . . )--, nee Charles uWY - . _ - subsequently to revise those salaries, so as to make a diminution in them corresponding to this increase, they would be indirectly defeating the vote of this house. In the bill of last session there were words which imposed upon the Treasury the duty of revising the salaries, hay' log regard trim tne amount of the deductions which were remitted. Had there been similar words in this bid the Treasury would have known upon what principle they were to proceed, but their express omission seems to nie, owing to the rule omissuee facia cessare taciturn, to indi cate the intention of the Louse that that principle should not be acted upon. I therefore wish to state distinctly that if the bill passes in its present form the house rno 4 consider that it has of its own free gift, without all addition to the duties of the civil servants, and without reference to individual merit, made them a present of the additions to their salaries which I have mentioned. Her Majesty's Uoverrouent will act upon that under- standing of the measure, and will take no steps to revise the ealaries of the civil servants. It must therefore be understood that the house had done this against the CO"- s oit and advice of the executive Government and be ri also placed the Treasury in a position in which it may not be easy to resist the claims of that portion of the civil servants who do not now receive tuperannuatioe allowances, which will entail a prospective addition is the same diree'ion. I hope that these consequences are distinctly in the contemplation of the house, and wit h ' that explanation I am quite ready, after the vote of yes terday, to assent to the bill of the noble lord. Sir J. TRELAWNY moved the adjournment of the debate. Mr. WHITESIDE said that after the speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer everything seemed to be settled. The house divided, when the numbers were— Ayes 18 • Noes Majimrity —s9 Tho motion for the adjournment of the debate scs'' therefore lost, and the house went into committee. On the question that the preamble be postponed, , Mr. GLADSTONE sa id h e would not attempt to se: feat the bill by su ccess i ve mot i ons for adjournment, tit!' he protested a ga i ns t th e i r being compelled to paes.ijs through committ ee w i t h out discussion. He thougu ' that the Government were now as much responsible t° r the bill as if it had originated with them. Lord PALMERSTON denied that the Governmen t. were responsibl e f or t h e bill . They had stated w hat they thought go o d o bj ec ti ons to i t, but the house , a large majority, had overruled them. Having stat e in the ea r ly p ar t o f t h e evening that it was n_ k their intention to oppose the bill, they could not Is fairness now resort to any proceeding which would he" the effect of defeating it by delay. Mr. AYRTON thought it was strange that the G° . vernment could not muster more than 70 me mber° against the second reading of bee bill. The only 8%01 nation of the smallness of th e m i nor it y was th a t imi'" opinion of the house had not been fairly taken. Set Q ' the necessity for further discussion. Sir J. TRELAWNY had no intention to offer a i l, factious opposition to th e bil l, but hoped that WS' would be given for further consideration. Lord NAAS said the bill had already been fully a, l : cussed, and, conside r ing th a t it was very simple in to character, he trusted that no fu r th er d e l ay wou ld ts' place. ( 1 The CHANCELLOR o f th e EXCHEQUER IS'i o t that the simplicity o f th e bill was one of his stron ge objections to it. It t ouc h e d only a small part o f 'P 4 i o question of superann ua ti on . H e thouht that too 0 0 0 haste—more than the Government durst venture attempt —was e x hibit e d i n push i ng it throug h Ibe House. Mr, HANKEY eaid the principle of the bill was, t he : in future no deduction should be made from the salar l d of civil servants. It did not enter upon the subjest,, future sal ar i es , an d i t would be quite competent for ' 0 Chancellor of th e E xc h equer to introduce a claus e meet the difficulty which he appeared to anticipate. ) Sir H. WILLOUGHBY wished the noble lord (106:0 to explain the operation of his bill, which, consisting 0 it did of a sin g l e c l ause, negat i ve d au existing stet,,tios which gave sup erannua ti on to certain officers. If tu o , act were repealed would not these claims to superans ot tion allowan c es b e weakened ("No.") The Chanoe'„ of the Exchequer i n d ee d m i g ht t a k e th e power to reel s the salaries. (Hear.) b° Mr. WALTER was i n f avour an d h a d advocated t removal of the system of deductions, which he belier 4 to be altogether unsoun d i n pr i nc i p l e, b ut be had voo, against the second reading of the bill because he sty ceived it did more than assert a principle. If the s s oi lord had simply intended to assert a principle he o iof have moved a res o l u ti on con d emnatory o f the exieto) system, and he (M r . W a l ter ) wou ld h ave supported s"0 a motion ; but the effect of the present bill would b i bs add from 2i t o 5 p er cent , i n di scr i m i nate l y to 13 0 sa'aries of 10,000 public servants. (Hear, hear.) o r he could not g i ve hi s suppor t to a measure the irP be diate effect of which would be to tax the public &P r o knew not wh a t ex t en t . (H ear.) The proper CO would be for the G overnmen t t o i ntro d uce a proP si c tioe iii stating that th ere s h ou ld b e some rev i s i on of the sats.ym of the civil servants, in order that the unsound priacir of deductions might be abolished. ' Mr. AYRTON proposed to add a recital to the'e ff p ec t: that it was advisable the salaries of the civil say s should be revised. a not The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER div 00 . think the words su gges t e d by the' hon. and learned,_g t be tleinan would meet the cas e . Th e T reasur y h a d naw,o power of revi s i n g sa l ar i es . (H ear , h ear. ) Wh a t it h e t material to understand was w h e th er it was intendedo, salaries should be diminished rateably, in the earn e ictO portion as th e H ouse was o f op i n i on now they ongs'y be increased. If so, that principle should be distinc er inserted in the ac t, o th erw i se th e Treasury, in the elrio cise of their prerogative of revision, might hereafter o 0 accused of contrav en i ng a so l emn d ec i s i on o f the 11° of Commons. OV 9 Lord NAAS said it was i mposs ibl e t o i n t ro duce i 0 the bill a cl au s e f or rev i s i ng th e sa l ar i es, as t h a t c° 4 4 alone be done by the Tre as ury, w h ic h a l rea dy posfieP the power. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUEII• e o . the Treasury c o uld no t t a k e up th e case o f each isutib-ol dual whose salary wou ld b e a ff ec t e d b y t h e bill, as would be virtually to repeal the bill. Mr. NICOL moved that the chairman report prog The committee divided, when the numbers were.e' For reporting progress Against it 49 Majority a ga i ns t it -18 r : Sir J. TRELAWNY sugges t e d t h at a l l the c i v il s i e , b ot vants who were a ff ec t e d b y t h e bi l l should res i gn offices, and go in again on the competitive systenr• On clause 1, Mr. AYRTON moved to a dd the words—" Tha t ll at o salaries of the civil s ervan t s s h a ll b e rev i se d , h av ing regard to the amount of reduction hereby made." o il The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER opr i ol the amend men t, b ecause pract i ca ll y i t would put the r,Ol, servants in a worse position than they were at pre Mr. AYRTON withdrew his amendment. fo? Sir J. TRELAWNY moved the addition of the o f lowing words—" Provided it can be proved that t so individual ha s l os t an y a d van t ages which withouttioe act he would ha ve en j o y e d, h e s h a ll rece i ve compens ate to an equivalent extent." The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER s a nd tbat time amendment could not be considered, as it eiv ri f not be competent f or th e h ouse t o ma k e suc h a el old ' upon the Excheq uer w ith ou t a comm i t t ee o f t h e. house. Sir J. TRELAWNY w as ver y unw illi ng to pr° c ,tolo with the d e b a t e a t suc h an h our i n t h e morning oil minutes past 3. The house was to meet again at 19. 1 :0 the pressure was exceedingly heavy up on th e Spes d upon members, and upon the gentlemen who b3 ,hot report the debates. He moved as an amendment oe the chairman report progress, a n d o bt a i n l eave t 0 again. - On a division there appeared— For reporting progress Against it Majority The clause was ultimately agreed to, and, the bo having resumed, the bill was rep n-ted amidst cheers' d' The other o r d ers were di spose d of, and the hong ° , journed at Calf-past 3. Mr. TOLLEDIACIHE has paired off for the rest o ( tb session with Mr. M. T. SMITH. DEATH OF MRS. BEECHER STOWE'S SON,"'" Courrier des Etats Unis mentions that Mrs. Be e° ,ll Stowe, who was staying at Brooklyn, had receiv e 0 0 telegraphic message announcing that her son, a 9 ° , /l oi man of 18, had bee n d rowne d, w hil e on a pa rk' pleasure. BIRTHS. OF A SON. *IP On the 27th inst., at Bl en h e i m C o tt age, Southsea; the ' of George Mowbray, E sq., P aymaster of the Royal ebi Victoria and Albert. 03 the 29th inst., at 7, Glengall-terrace, Mrs. o°4 Dettmar. Oa the Sth April, at Melbourne, Victoria, Lady Barl OF A DAUGHTER. ' 4l On the 29th inst., the wife of H enry S pencer Pete/ 1 Esq. of On the 2ith inst., at Heavitree, n ear E xe t er, the 0."" Captain Otho Travers, late King's Dragoon Guards. MARRIED. lA 4 ' On the 28th inst., C B eddington Church, the Rev. to ot Ilillyer, son of the late W. T. Hilly er, E sq., o f K e nsitig w o, to Ellen, daughter of Joseph Laurence, Esq., of Boddivg" Surrey'. tle i° On the 29th inst , at Beckenham Church, Kent, CAA, Robert Anstruther, Grenadi er G uards, eldest sou of A. Anstruthcr, Bart., of Baleaskie, N. 8., to Louisa, of daughter of the Rev. Willi am Knox Marshall, prebends " Hereford. DIED. icle° l On the 30th in s t . , at Isliugton,',GeorgeWilkie, son of the late Ge , r , e Wilkie, of Paternoster-row, and hill, Enfield, aged 37, On the 2 ith lust ,at 7, Chatham-place, Hackney,l l l, widow of the late W. J. Frodsham, Esq., F.R.S. aged the On the 2Sth i nst., at 32, Upper Harley-street,, V1° 1:I 6 6 ' wife of Sa mue l G regson, E sq., M.P. for Lancaster, egplocf' On the 2 -,th inst., Sir Charles Dcdsworth, Bart., of laud-park, and Thornton Hall, Yorkshire, aged Si. vock , Oa the 25th inst., at Hastings, Thomas MacEntecry barristerat 'q -law. dor ° • 0,, the 2h iust., at Camden New-tow n , M r . F. 113 den., aged 63$ On toe 17La April, at Melbourne, Elizabeth Helen ; : i e :o °4 Sir Henry Barkly, K._ C. 8., Governor of Victoria, and Alder (laughter of the late J. F. Timins, Esq., of Hilfield, t yea ham, Herts, aged: 37 ; and, on the 3Cth April, Hub er ington, her infant son. aglo LONDON: Printed and Puhlhhed by HURD° ,t Vo+ of No, 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Ottic ° ' Sieund, in the ProcinaS . of . the Savoy, in the c° cf .11id4leser, Diday, July 31, 18.57. di _ i A ! ',fei Past ram and Oen in tl the UPoi nlen ruen The Ing chol