The Sun. — London, England, 1847-05-15 00:00:00

A. I WI en t 'or- Of . not liii. eral 4 1- the Oh rt Of Tilt SUN, LONDON, SATtIeRDAY EVENING, MAY 15, i 847. Captain MANGLES cad the present motion was a most toportant one, and they should consider it carefully ere they gave a decision. fie (Captain Mangles) thought this check °n ery benefi c i a l one, an d h e could not sanction any proceeding the part of the House that would p reven t ca pit a li s ts. or tansthose who had small sum s o f money f rom i nvest i ng t h em i n oon railway undertakings. A f ew years ago th e re was the greatest difficulty in gettingany interest at all, and now, when a benefit was likely to be had, th ey ought to possesa it. With re gard to the r e t urns o f the North-Western Company, he begged t o say, they were sent in to the commissioners on the Bth of April. had A lr h . vi Cl o l n A i P y a LIN wished the H. Member for Montrose year's experience as a railway director, or Chairman, and then he would know more about the question °d ,. l ° he did. F rom his experience the established lines were en obliged to make extensions in self defence. Some few Years ba c k as soon as a line was talked of for Ep;om the e atm "Pheric p ro j ect was started, which, after b e i ng l a id d own !ior few ye ars , was now being taken up. The same appl i ed r) the Reading and Guilford line. Again, they were assailed !ro;ansaterli Direct Portsmouth line,which at last was sanctioned by Leliaraent. Such was the position in which the South- Company had been placed. Whatever was done, full time swhporuld be given for deliberation. The Hon. Member for Her. wickc two schemes lest they might offer a serious check to bnhad !aid the borrowing provisions were a sufficient check Undue progress in these undertakings. So far as private ca pitsliits were concerned this was perfectly true, though I n e 'Rht not b e so of banking establishments. Thus the estab !Zan unless the in every direction assailed by speculators, e former took measures to occupy the ground they a;re,e.‘!ure to be deprived of their legitimate traffic. Now, the He il,ature had supported this system for the last two years. f or 1/ I hope ere the acted on the advice of the Hon. Member to ontrcl i s , e l , i, the s.e H a y o d u . sU would see what the Government had trop oa , ets7d JOHN s t RUSSELL could not give his consent to the Union of the Hon. Member for Montrose. It did not t a l i t ) , Pear , °" t ° him necessary; nor did he see that it would effect s thi_,,leet which was sought to be obtained. Ile did not think that it would be just to the railway companies, or the Me p u blic at l arge, to press such a resolution. The Hon. enftTfor Newcastle, had stated a case which bore strongly whi _r present question. He supposed the case of a main line ~7Wanted to ma k e a branch, which was of great import es:s▪ e, to secure and develop their traffic. Now, according to eioertte_pd.r.ovisi,onns of the present resolution, such a main line could t alth°til e the making of a branch until it was com not e not wise for them to say that, till a "ta th Pwas any made the . main branch w th h e ic y h ' shouldgbe of th e power of making a rann i nd e greatest importance. Unless they did so, perhaps,an ....,Tendent company would be got up to occupy the ground. ...Atefear, hear.) The resolution would not meet the evils n w e °2 ,11 were complained of. Regarding railway enterprise ge „Zia', he hoped the House would not interfere without due : h s o te t l ee d e er z a t t r i e n tn n e • Because they had hitherto acted in a lax p o , it tn, they should take care and not fall into the error of the op- They ought to be cautious how they checked that h ad , !unte application of capital to railway enterprise which the H o bert proved so advanta eous. He did not agree with otti,satin.ognsill;aenmber for Coventry, g that this House should step r interfere to place a greater control upon railway prei had hitherto been imposed. The course prev.i the Y ha" an to appoint Committees, and no Bill could obtain disease sanction fnini:essteden. Th of ere the wa H s ous e e ver w y ithout consideration and o pportunity for the He rein int e nigation if th a t were thought necessary. Mbered, a l so, when such money was sent away an d it anoth:n foreign stocks not very useful to this country, while Americato be `ntle the capital o f thi s country was sent to North mbei , ther e t o ; 'Pent in the cons t ruc ti o n of canals ; and he re al o ne ed the d e b tors of the country who b orrowe d t h at _were not very ready in repaying it. How unwise,_to th e would it ould be t o restr i ct t h e app li ca ti o n of capital th e o trueti on y of railways in th e country, when . by doing so avid , divert it int o channels which would result in injury be p ossi the country. On th e ot h er h an d, however, it might calcul ate " for money to be expen d e d i n ra il wa y s which were bu II t ulated to lead to the ruin of the parties promoting them ; 11" asacaide case edlylike th a t, i t was t h e d u t y o f the eitrehe :to, decinterfere a n d stop the progress of the railway ; but t u rn undertak7 of opinion that Parliament ought to be cola cautious in interfering with the progress of these Upo n sub ! n g 2 . It must be clear to the House, however, that commlottmjects connected with the capital and solvency of Parti a matter eeaPanies' that it required some other agency than a of five Members of that House to inquire into such Or amal s that, or to report upon the expediency of leasing that wornatinc particular lines at high rates of interest ; but h e would d be a subject for discussion on another evening, and be n o d not further detain the House upon it. There could ulna eonbt whatever that the railways had proved highly ad and Laate to the country, and, perhaps, it was difficult to te what future benefits were to be derived from them ; t of io T l :s_et,wllstr:cdietrhtaereingfore, decidedly of opinion that too much eau he'"uld not be used in their endeavours to stop the progress Noble COLLET'., trusted,after biontr o who had just sat down, the lion. Member for would not persist in his resolution. beroLrilipdnr:atG'catic°abitleG, E sup ß p E ns N in T g lNCK said the resolution would ▪ c 'a u er o t the House were to agree to it. sh ou l d one portion of it said one railway company be ee a in llo a wed to sell the line of another. Now he was could es , understand how, by any possibility, one company position to sell the line of another. The tt b - e le L rd at the head of the Government had spoken of "uos, esrpeculations in North America. He could mention h e wnit_ nspeculation which proved no less disastrous, and if tr oa , ot mistaken, with which the Hon. Member for Mon tage bee something to do, namely, the Greek . loans. It would *, • much better had that money been invested in rail ys in this r iatioo, and en uotry, rather than thrown away upon a foreign tak e , _ he trusted the fact he had mentioned would be applieaatsinatiother reason why they should not interfere with the The C H AP capital to works at home, lio n. p . ANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought his goo , hi r l 'end the Member for Montrose would do well to with thegoo ,02;solution ; at the sanie time, however, he thought Mittee s it on u . (r esalt from this discussion. Much of the evil which oft :ntlernan had spoken of was traceable to the Cam irinonsi.d..ered it'twinfuoluise, rather than to the railway directors. He much bet ter if the lion. Member for "se would "be the debat e Postpone his resolution, either by adjourning Air, at; withdrawing it till a future occasion. sio na of "Withdrawing called attention to the difference in the deci- Mis s ' e Committees of the House and the Railway Corn- Mr. 11OR loners, and w of opinion that some means should be ad° Pted to procure uniformity. cure . hA ' RISON said that during the last two years there a. ueee forty millions devoted to railway speculations, and this y Year al so a very large sum was required. When in addition to thi s t he expenditure ou for the famine in Ireland was taken into conside ration,ld be found to be quite impossible for them to go on in it w thatexpenditure much longer. If they proceeded in this way, he would ask how were their manufactures to go on ? The capital would be all abstracted from its legitimate course, and though large manufacturers might be able to carry on their business. small men would be completely ruined. The only remedy which they could apply to this state of things was to reduce the profits of capital invested in these undertakings, to the same level as that embarked in other undertakings. Instead, however, of any measure being taken for that pur- I t uaes every interference of the Legislature was in the contrary direction. Some one must suffer for this in the long run, and t he• soo ner t h ey attempted to arrest the evil the better would i t I C for the country . H e was very i n diff erent w h e th er hi s "°o• Friend's resolution was carried, but he thought the dis cussion it had produced would be of great advantage as it W ould call public attention to the subject.—( Hear.) e Alr • HORSHAM th oug ht that when the immense amount t e ;: . capital whi c h was to be expended on ra il ways was con _ . urillf o ed—being 160 millions within the last few years, and 80 ns the present ea r — s ome measures should be adopted to Prevent so large an abstraction of it from the undertakings in Agislation, he Z hieh it was legitimately embarked. Feeling that the Go iernmet were about to adopt measures in respect to railway could not support the proposition before the Montrose a nd he hoped the Hon. Gentleman the Member for rose would withdraw his resolution. tri ne r' would ATE merely rose to protest against the doe should ropounded by the Hon. Member for Inverness, that they al interfere to regulate the profits on railways. He was 3treshed to hear such a doctrine deliberately enunciated. . of thra,N.IORISON explained. He had never said anything H AIr 4 N 4l p ti. — WDEGATE regretted if he misunderstood the roads entlernen. He considered that the proposition he s ixelli was to reduce the profits on railways to a level with other Ay r, a ,, li ,°n B , and if that did not vra,WLORISON,' interruptincr, slid that what he stated othW' at the profits on railways m should not be larger than any vir sind of speculation.—(Hear, hear, hear. ) fi t MITCHELL said that the expenditure on railways was th,„, from trade and manufactures, and on that account he ate 'got that measures should be adopted for preventing Its rtion front these interests. (l a ir ' S TUART said he was very much struck at the course tt. rgatnent pursued by the Hon. Member for Bridport. Was ue Hon. Member a free trader? Did he not think every was at liberty to divert his capital to what purposes he 'ed ?—(lronical cheers.) What was the course the Hon. le" ether took on the Corn Bill ? Why, it was likely that he „ I t ! t ed just that capital might be directed into particular . l' i ntiels• Now it was evident it was so, for the . Hon.lllem direction now , preferred a course if Legislation interfering with the 'urection of capital.—(Hear, hear. ) Mr. TREL A WNY sa id free trade was good, but carriedthat a parti cular case rested merit c ase too far. Capital on railwaysfre on its own w a s entirely sunk. Nothing could be recovered excep t s ' and they had m the dividends, and in many cases there could be no dividend, because the ca p ital was swallowed up, and was still insufficient for the purposes to which it was applied. Mr. AINSWORT H thought that railways gave employ ment, and prevented the capital from going out of the country. Mr.'HUME replie d—lie was not at all surprised at the speeches of the three Hon. Members who had spoken last, for t hey did not understand the subject.—( ronical cheers.) but the Hon. ember Bridport (Mr. Mitchell), and the lion. Member M or f near him (Mr. Trelawny), were perfectly sound. Why, if he could prove that a number of men, who projected a railway, with a capital of 4,000,0001., put a bonus of 3,90 0,000 t. into their pockets, and he could prove, and would prove it, then capital would rapidly run in such direc tion. H e had been challenged that night for not bringing for ward his mot i on earlier. H His motion was presented and laid 1) I°r e a Committee last year, anti but for the time of the '"'sign, it w ou ld h ave b een brought forward He admitted, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with whom he never agreed, "'ls and with a Noble Lord, that the motion was per hapsof too h s i mp l e a c h arac t er , a nd it might be well to post. Z 5 It, that s ome more gen eral Act might be brought in for th' ni ht week. therefore object. He had only proposed this as a step ; he, t t,he must protest against any being formed. 13, proposed adjourning this question to . is g 411 e debate was then adjourned. Committee Da r VAN HUNIE said next Monday he would ask a ques tion „ VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. that on tnt eotion of h th e • e oeorte.e ve a repre th N bl LdhM mber for London, whether it was rresentativ e Van j • en's Land, or any other of the colo n i e system to tem r ..Ma'esti;s Government to gi es, RAILWAYS. Mr. !!ide nce ta ke n E said that he would move for a reof th before the Committee of the Glasgo p w, ort D um e - Irtes, and Aberdeen railway. Lord J, BILL AND PRISONS BILL. Al s-ord j s RUSSELL said it was his intention to Administra tingmove,ori the second reading of the Poor-law an ontctnglanA) Bill before the other orders of the .( " Of the d " 145 Y next he proposed to take the consideration Non' Bill befor e the other orders. c , DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH ROME.n the orde r O f t h e day that the House go i nto Committee ori the Loan Discount Bill, Lord the desired to Crown a question to the Noble ord the First Minister of the , whether the Govern ent had an v intention of placing the Italian States on the °a i r " footin g as other European States, as far as regarded di plomatic relati 3 theLoird J. RUSSELL said that he perfectly concurred with . liberallon. Member's observations as far as they related to the desire Policy pursued by the present Pope; and it was his country to see more formal diplomatic relations between that e and England. He had seen with very great pleasure twilhieevoluhrsee which the present P ope h a d pursue d—( H e ar. Italy, He would very muc h ten d t o th e h a ppi n ess of t hat It He should have no he s it at i on i n say i ng t h at k e t h oug ht 4 wou'd be desirable to have diplomatic relation with the Court of Rome. But the question was one exceedingly in tricate—intricate in point of law, and as to policy, likely to excite considerable discussion. The law, as it at present stands, is extremely doubtful ; there are some words in the Act of Parliament to which it is impossible to give a strict legal interpretation, and, therefore, as the law at present stands it would not be advisa ,le to send an accredited representative to Home. At the present late period of the session, he did not think that they could introduce a Bill to make this law clear. He could not introduce such a Bill, but he did hope at some future time to legislate upon the subject, and he did think that it would be most desirable to establish more formal diplomatical relations. LOAN DISCOUN.T BILL. . Lord JOHN RUSSELL moved that the House do go into Committee upon the Loan and Discount Bill. The Marquis of GRANBY said that he felt that he should make some apology to the House for venturing to address them upon such an important subject. He conceived, however, that the question for discussion was not to be confined to the pro positions of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but that they should take a more extended view, and see how far the law of I f 44 had reference to the subject. It had been admitted on all hands that the distress was excessive. On that subject he would read a letter from Mr. Foster, of York, in which it was stated that the distress in the country was very great, and that not fewer than 9,000 operatives in one part of the country were out of employment. In another 433 mills were working short time. This. distress had taken place under the law of 1844 ; it was said then that it was impossible to foresee what would b._ the evils which would spring from it. It was true that the vessel of the state swam gallantly en when all was calm, but the first moment a storm arose she did not answer her helm. The Bill of 1814 was intended to be the helm, and while there was no want of its guiding power, all went well, but when the moment of peril time, it had been found wholly inoperative. It had been said, how could all these evils be foreseen ? It was asked, could the potato failure be prophesied, the scarcity of corn foretold, and the speculation in railways been prevented. The lion. Member for Shrews bury had presented a memorial on the subject, so had all the eminent bankers of the City, but they did not receive any atten tion. He begged the House to consider the distress the present currency policy would insure. The mills it would stop, the lsbourers it would throw idle, the commercial and trading em. barassments it would occasion. If they did so, he was sure they would see the importance of a change. He had in his possession a return of the raw cotton in the ports of London, Liverpool, and Glasgow in 1845, 1846, and 1847, the bales of cotton were 1,624,744 ; in 1846, 1,576,804 ; and in 1847, only 1,323,944. There had been imported between the months of January and the 30th of April, 1845, 727,784 bales ; in 1846, 501,107; and in 1847, only 487,154. At the present time there were no stocks en hand to meet any extra demand that might spring up, and therefore for some time there was no relief to be expected from such a quarter. What was the function of money but to facilitate exchange? and if so, when population increased, and property enlarged, might not also the circulating medium so expand in the same ratio? But the Bank Act of 1644 pre vented this, and said whatever the exigencies of the country may be, it would not allow the currency to be increased, unless a certain amount of gold was in possession. This, too, was stated by a Government that was obliged to make issues on Government securities.—( Hear, hear.) In 1845, they had heard a good deal about the great benefit the free trade measures would produce. Look at the state of the country now. A great variety of duties had been taken off in pursuance of the free trade theory, and the result was not to increase the importation of real necessaries of life, but to lead to a great im portation of mire luxuries, many of which had abridged the field of labour at home. The excess of such imports in 1817, as compared with 1845, was 4,333,792/., in official value. Such had been the result of their free trade policy, America was enabled to get a higher price for her provisions than any other, and therefore they could not judge of their free trade by the case of America. He considered that the Noble Member for Lynn had spoken out the true policy which ought to be pur sued, when he said—protect your own industry, protect your own manufactures. He considered the truth of that sentiment was daily proved, and no matter what eloquence opposed it.. He hoped that the Government would listen to the voice of the intelligent and industrious people of the country, by extending the currency by repealing the Act of 1814. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the main portion of the Noble Lord's speech was directed against free trade, but he forgot to take into calculation how long free trade had endured with unexampled prosperity to the country. For it was not until last August when they began to import corn that gold began to flow out of the country.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord could not say that their produce was diminished by the Act of last year.—(Hear, hear.) Of course not; well then, he would ask him, how would it stand with them had not these restrictions been taken off. He would not follow the Noble Lord into the extensive field of argument, into which they had been invited to enter The Hon. Member opposite had asked him to give a pledge. that in no case whatsoever would he call upon the Bank for de ficiency bills. Now he would not make any such promise. It is perfectly true that the question on which the country was intereted was that of the currency, the maintenance, or the non-maintenance of the Act of 1844. On that question, the Right Hon. Member for Tamworth stated most freely to the House, that no affeclon for his own offspring should induce him from giving a full consideration to the question, He had not the slightest objection to such a discussion, and no doubt it might be well to bring it before the House ; but the question of re pealing it had never entered, and he trusted never would enter into the contemplation of her Majesty's Government. and when he gave it the most unshaken support, 'he then sat upon the opposite side of the House.—(Hear, hear.) But he did give it his firm support because he had come to a deep seated conviction that the Bill did carry in it the sound prin ciples on which the currency was to be based. He was placed in the situation of Chairman of the Bank Committee, and they had examined before them some of the ablest men in the coun try. There opinions were carefully examined, and he entered the Committee without any prejudice on one side or another, but he did leave it impressed that the principles of the Bill were sound. In that opinion he remained unshaken; and as to the expediency of that Act, he was more and more confirmed by the discussion which had taken place, because nothing could be more apparent then the extraordinary discrepancy of opinion which existed amongst the advocates of its abolition. The Hon. Member for Birmingham said, the measure was indis pensable for carrying out the Act of the year 1819, and if we are to satisfy him we are to repeal the Act of 1819 ; and then we get back to the year 1797. dangerous at T i f e h t em e r y ni h tcs a o d ur ,ndrpo silvereuncertainA Another s os t o t t a thw n he standard oaar what i d o o t hnre. shouldnpse, la nothingl e e sec t(tc:ai recommended rui t eof nbo the he edGm laweotohr e-e -al. adoption of free trade in ba to nk r ing, which means unlimited issue. He ought, however , issue was permitted to . tho case of America permitted with every pos 7u,ard, whenbut unlimitedwhere it is endedthe universal suspension of e Sini a b s il l e s B p 3g ayments, and very general bankruptcy of the Union. tlhtewirasetxiortecfatairtiofootr with regard r G eg e a n r t d lem to en t o h p e posite, when th ey f oun d measure si of 1844 n o t e of the H ouse realised, to turn round to blame th em on his d for holding out expectations directly the converse h rso of what th e y really did hold out. He was very much at the charge of the Hon. Member for lluntingdon surprised with respect to the conduct adopted by Governmet with regard to the loan. If the contractors of that loan were deceived, they must have deceived themselves as the Government had made them perfectly aware of their inten tions. His object was to effect the arrangements connected with the loan, with as little disturbance to the monetary affairs of the country as possible. He did not assent to the proposal of the contractors to spread the loan over a longer period of payment, and to give a larger amount of discount. Circum stances had, however, changed since then, and he had made the proposal now before the House, to give a larger amount of discount, that there might be a larger balance in the Exchequer before July next. The Noble Lord seemed to think that the pressure might have been foreseen. Now, everybody knew long ago that the pro bability was that there would be a large importation of corn, and that it must to a certain extent cause a drain of gold. But be (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) doubted whether even so late as February or March last any one anticipated the severity of the pressure which was experienced in April. It had been stated that the present contraction in the circulation was occasioned by the existence of deficiency bills. But he should like to state to the House what on former occasions of pressure had been the amount of deficiency bills, and compare it with the amount of accommodation afforded to the public in the way of discounted bills. The House would see that durin g the two severe pressures which occurred in 1837 and 1839 , both being coincident with the payment of the dividends, there was a larger amount of deficiency bills, and a smaller amount of accommodation by the discount of bills, than at present, and yet we never heard of any such extraordinary outcry against the existence of deficiency bills as was now raised. The periods he would refer to were the 10th of January, 1837, the 15th of October, 1839, and the 10th of April, 1817. On the 10th January, 1837, the amount of circu lation, including 1,000,0001. of Bank post bills, was 18,700,0001. Outstanding deficiency bills, 4,800.000/., and private securi ties, 17,900,000'. On the 15th of October, 1839, the circu lation was 17,600,0001.; deficiency bills, 4,300,000/. ' • private securities, 13,000, 0 00/.; and on the 155th of April, 1847, the circulation was 20,400,000/.• deficiency bills, 2,400,030/. ; private securities, 18,000,00J/1 Dating a week later in each of these three periods, he found that in 1837 the circulation was 19,000,000/. ; deficiency bills, 4,300,000/.; private secu rities, 17,000,000/. In 1839, the circulation was 17,700,000/4 deficiency . bills, 4,200,000/. ; private securities. 12,100,000/. ; whereas, in the corresponding week, of April, 1847, the circu lation was 20,242,000/. ; deficiency bills, 1,300,000/. ; private securities, 17,000,000/. Thus, comparing 1839 with 1847, the circulation was nearly three millions higher in the latter than in the former period, the deficiency bills two millions less, and the private securities five millions more. He thought, there fore, that they had attributed a great effect to a very small cause, when they stated that the amount of private accommodation had been very much re duced on account of the existence of these deficiency bills. denied some charges which had been combatted in that House as having been made against the Bank of England by the ad vocates of the measure of 1844, but he denied those charges, as they had never been made by the Government. The Hon. Member for Shrewsbury was right in principle with regard to the circulation of 18;S6, 1839, and 1847, but he thought the Hon. Member for Shrewsbury, and the Noble Lord the Mem ber for Lynn, were inconsistent with regard to the statement of the operation of the measure of 1844. The one said that the Act had the effect of contracting the circulation, and the other said that had it been in operation in 1839 it would be wholly inoperative. Now he did not think that both the Honour able Gentleman and the Noble Lord could bath claim the benefit of the different views they took of that measure. What then was the professed objects of this Bill? It was in tended to regulate the paper in reference to the metallic cur rency. This being the professed object of the Bill, if what had happened under special circumstances, might have happened with a purely metallic currency, then it had effected as much, and even more, than it professed. If, under the same circum stances, which had existed for the last eight months, they had had a pure metallic currency, or if the gold had gone direct from the Mint, and not from the Bank of England, there would still have been a drain of gold, as there had been from the coffers of the Bank, and there would have been no more in the pockets of the people- He was rather surprised at an assertion made by a Noble Lord about the con vertibility of the coinage. lie did not know how to treat it, for it was hardly intelligible.—(Laughter.) Why, convertibility, when used by any one, meant that for a pound note the holder could at any time receive a sovereign in gold. No one who used the word could for a moment suppose that there should always be the same amount of gold. What was meant by it was, that a gold sovereign could be got in ex change for a one pound -note ; and that was the principle of the r o a f n paper teei n g that o ir r t h o l e a r t e i o s o h _cm a l d st ihg b oeo e ual a t irda s on e nb c t ee. u eN r a i le t ent y i nuoa e tbl q el Act of 1844, which was f oun d e d upon t h e A ct o f 1819, gua - b fo u r t t p h r e a c p t a i r c t a i l e -- o itahra views e o r f myiriaeclfrooetrnloyr Birminghamamount of gold when (Mr. Spooner )about the st an d ar d o f: brought forward a measure w hi c h cou ld carry out his views, perhaps it might be possible t o di scuss them. The lion Alember for North Warwickshire, who did n o t hold the opi. nion of the Hon. Member for Birmingham, maintained the standard had been fixed by the Act s o f 1844 an d 1819. The Act o g f oi l d B c 4 oirt 4o a n g ly e ; re t g h u o la A t e ed t of the B rat d io id of not d paperom much more. circulation t F o or th io e 1817 the faith of Parliament was pledged, and the old standard was practically restored in that year. But suppose the Hon. Member's ideas were put to practice ; suppose that 100 grains, instead of 123 grains, were adopted; that a pound should be a dollar; he did nut mean to say it would pass for a pound, because if the people on the other side of the Atlantic agreed to create a currency of 123 grains of gold, they would expect in exchange for cotton, or any other commodity, not what might be called a pound, but 123 grains of gold. o s t n o ookf his se plan, f substanceforgot that for the the s ß h e a a d l o ly w, th a e nd H in o s n e . ek G in e g ntl t e h m e andowhole value of our exchanges would be altered, and that in America not the stated value of g old, but its actual intrinsic Gentleman value as metal, was looked at, and so considered. He stated, in introducing the subject, that no effort on the part of the Go vernment would remove the embarrassment wilic`a existed in trade, by altering the currency. The Government had been stated to have shown rant of decision; but he conceived that they had acted promptly, and clearly stated their views on the subject. The Government had no intention to alter the Act of 1844. What was the cause of the suffering in the coo ntry? There was, for instance, the high price of cotton, which the Noble Lard said an alteration of the currency would retrieve; but this was a most extra ordinary argument. When high rates of interest rendered money scarce, the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Bir mingham (Mr. Spooner) said this was a proof of a derange ment in the currency ; but this was a great mistake, as a large quantity of money and notes had been in circulation at a period when rates of interest were exceedingly high, awl rice versa. If there was a deficiency of capital from any cause, capital would not be supplied by an issue of 1/. notes or s'. notes. Those would only furnish circulation, not clpital. It would be a fraud upon the House and the country to endeavour to show that capital could be supplied by an issue of notes. The great pressure upon the country was the want of food, and the great quantity of money required to purchase it. There had not only been a deficiency in the harvest of this country, but the deficiency had spread itself almost over the whole of the Continent of Europe. The consequence was, that England was not the only customer in the food market, but France and Germany, Belgium, and portions of Prussia, wore looking to the United States for supplies of; corn. Then came the ouestion as to how these imports of food were to be paid. No doubt for a time they must be paid for in gold.—( Hear.) But eventually manufac tures would be taken in exchange, for no country world go on be come The e x t the a i n n t g e e r s e s w t eorfe already America h t e o g imp n nin o g r t t g h o n o ( f l a s importing unless it expo r t e d. I n d ee d i t wou ld very soon o vo a n n v d ah n le ot to go th ld is . country. By the quotations received by the last packet from America the exch ange h a d r i sen f rom 1 06 4 to 107, w hi c h was actual par.—(H e ar,) It had been stated in the early part of the debate that the stock of goods in this country was far from being large. If that was the case so much the better for the manufacturers. He readily admitted that symptoms of improvement had latterly manifested themselves, but he felt hat he should be wanting in his public duty if he did not warn he House that there were hard times before them. The Noble Lord opposite had given it as his opinion that this country ought to be not only independent of foreign corn, but that all exportation of home-grown corn should be prohibited. A greater mistake could not be committed than prohibiting the exportation of corn. So long as those who imported corn into this country were at liberty to export it, so long would this country be the depot of corn for the whole continent. But if, on the other hand, we prohibited exportation, corn instead of coming here would be carried elsewhere, and we would not be able to obtain it when we wanted it, at any price. If, in ad dition to the pressure caused by the late deficiency in the crops of the country, they were to increase it by adding uncertainty in all commercial transactions, by altering the value of the cur rency, they would have an amount of distress and pressure which nobody could calculate, and which would require all the energies of the British people to sustain.—(Hear- ) Mr. HENLEY said the Right Hon. Baronet, who had just sat down, had, at the beginning, in the middle, and at the con clusion of his speech, attempted to direct the attention of the House from the real question at issue, by speaking of the standard of value of 1817, just in the same way that fishermen mudded the water when they did not want people to know what they were doing.—.(!fear and laughter.) He would dispatch that part of the subject with this remark, namely, that a man had now to pay 20s. for what only ought to cost him 15s. Now, with regard to the question of the currency, there could be no doubt that there never was a greater absence of speculation in this country, than was to be witnessed at the present moment, while trade could hardly ever have been more depressed. The people wondered, looking at this state of things, upon what ground Government was justified in locking up nine millions of gold in the Bank of England. ( Hear, hear.) He thought the explanation of the Right Hon. Baronet to the House was very unsatisfactory and confused. He did not make anything like a clear distinction between the issue and the bank ing departments. The real question before them, and which they had to consider was, how to meet the present state of the currency and whether the bank should be allowed to issue any other securities than gold ? A great deal had been said of the danger of runs being made on the Bank of England for gold, if no restriction was im posed. Now, in all his experience, he never knew a single instance of a run upon that institution.—(Hear, hear. ) There was, therefore, no danger to be apprehended in that direction. What they wanted was an issue of what might be called small change, for the real circulation of the country were bills of exchange and cheques. By these all the great operations of the country were conducted. Now, to limit this note or small change circulation to fourteen millions was per fectly absurd. Supposing there was another bad harvest would the Government still cling to this restriction. Depend upon it the country would soon call on them for an explanation and they must be prepared to look the question fairly in the face. With a second bad harvest they would be forced to break through the provisions of this Act. He opposed the Bill in 1844, when it was proposed, and he had looked with great doubt upon its workin g ever since. Still it was passed by a very strong vote of the House, and be submitted to it ; but now he called on the House to reconsider the step it had taken, and act on a more liberal policy. Mr. SPOONER moved the adjournment of the debate. After the pointed reference which had been made to him, it was impossible he could allow the question to pass without oc cupying the House for a short time. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had no desire to deprive the Hon. Member of an opportunity of speaking, and if the House agreed, he had no objection to an adjournment till to-morrow. It was important that they should go on with the Bill as quickly as possible, in order that it might pass the other House of Parliament before the holidays. Lord G. BENTINCK thought that the Government were not entitled to throw upon his friends the responsibility of postponing the discussion on the poor laws, fixed for Monday. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCIIEQUEII did not mean to throw any blame upon Hon. Members on the other side of the House ; all he meant to say was, that if the debate were resumed on the Monday, it would be necessary to take the Poor law Bill on the same day. Mr. BANKES said an opinion was very strongly enter tained by many Hon. Members on both sides of the House, that this Poor-law Bill might be, without injury to the country, withdrawn altogether; he saw no reason, therefore, why they should g et on with this Bill. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that if the House consented to take a stage:that night they might bring up the report on Monday, and the discussion might take place on the third reading on Tuesday. Mr. SPOONER was satisfied. One day was the same to him as another. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that he would endeavour to bring it forward at an early hour on Tuesday. The House then resolved itself into Committee, and the several clauses of the Bill were agreed to. The House resumed. In answer to a question, Lord J. RUSSELL said he thought Government was pledged to bring on the Poor-law Bill on Monday. Mr. WAKLEY said the beet course would be to withdraw the Bill altogether. Lord J. RUSSELL said he certainly should persist in pro ceeding with the Poor-law Bill on Monday. The Bill was then passed through committee, and the report was then ordered to be brought up this day. The reports of the Turnpike Roads (Ireland) Bill, and the Lunatic Asylum (Ireland) Bill were received. York and Newcastle and Newcastle and Berwick Railways Amalgamation, Newcastle and Berwick (East Coast Line, &c.) York and Newcastle and Newcastle and Berwick Railways and North British Amalgamation, Newcastle and Berwick (Cramlington, &c., Branches). The Select Committee to meet on Tuesday, June 1, at half-past twelve. A Committee consisting of—Mr. T. Duncombe (Chair man), Viscount Milton ; Mr. Alitcalfe, Mr. Goring, and Mr. Gardner, to whom they hare referred the ißills comprised in Group No. 32, viz.:— Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire (Station at Sheffield —No. 2), Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire (Branch to Chapel- town, &c.) Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire (Sheffield Canal Purchase), Midland ( Masbrough and Normanton Stations Enlargement), Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Wakefield, Huddersfield, and Goole (partial Alteration of Levels, &c. The Select Committee to meet on Tuesday, June 1, at one. A Committee consisting of—Mr. Young (Chairman), Mr. M. Milnes, Marquis of Granby, Mr. Grogan, and Mr. Hastte, to whom they have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. 8, viz.: Liskeard and Launceston Branch, Sutton Barbour Improvement Company (power to the London and South-Western Railway Company to sub scribe thereto), Taw Vale (Deviations), Taw Vale Railway and Dock, South Devon ( Extension and Amendment), Cornwall and Devon Central and Plymouth. The Select Committee to meet on Friday, June 4, at half past twelve. A Committee consisting of—Colonel RoHeston (Chairman), Mr. Horsman, Mr. Gregory, Hon. J. Lindsay, and Mr. Hussey, to whom they have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. 14, viz. : Lynn and Ely, and Ely and Huntingdon, and Lynn and Dereh am Amalgamation, Eastern Counties (Lynn ;and Ely, and Ely and Huntingdon, and Lynn and Dereham Railway Lease), Norfolk (Norwich to Aylshatn, with a Branch to North Walsham). The Select Committee to meet on Friday, June 4, at half past twelve. A Committee consisting of—Right Hon. 11. L. Corry (Chairman), Mr. Pusey, Mr. A. B. Hope, Sir G. Smyth, and Mr. Halsey, to whom they have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. 30, viz. : Great Northern (Isle of Axholme Extension), Great Northern (Deviation between Grantham and 'York), York and North Midland (East Riding Canals Purchase), York and North Midland (Knottingley Branch), York and North Midland (Hull Station and Branches), Axholine (from Leeds and Selby Railway, &c.) The Select Committee to meet on Friday, June 4, at one. A Committee consisting of—the Hon. E. P. Bouverie (Chairman), Mr. R. Clayton, Sir R. Price, Mr. Hollond, and Mr. Rashleigh, to whom they have referred the Bills com prised in Group No. 38, viz. ;--- North-Western (Skipton, Casterton, and Sedbergh Diver- - . mons), Wharfdale (Skipton and Cayley Hall Deviations), Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle-on-Tyne Junction (Alteration of Main Line and Hawes Branch), Northern Counties Union Railway Deviation. The Select Committee to meet on Friday, June 4, at one. A Committee consisting of—Viscount Clive (Chairman), Mr. llugdale, Sir W. Feilden, Mr. Ewart, and Mr. Walker, to whom they have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. 10, viz. : Eastern Union (Manningtree to Harwich), Eastern Counties (Ilford to Tilbury Fort and Southend), Ipswich and Bury St. Edmund's (Branch from Ipswich to Woodbridge), Eastern Counties, Purchase of the North Woolwich Rail way, icc. Harwich and Eastern Counties Junction Railway, &c. The Select Committee to meet on Friday, June 4, at one. Select Committee on Group No. 29. ... Lord E. Bruce and Lord A. Conyngham discharged ; Mr. John Neeld and Mr. Dickinson selected, and added to the Committee. Select Committee on Group No. 37. Hon. 0. Duncombe discharged ; Sir J. Winnington selected, and added to the Committee. Select Committee on Group lco. 46. Mr. Adderley and Mr. E. Heneage - discharged ; Lord E. Bruce and Hon. O. Duncombe selected, and added to the Committee. HER MAJESTY'S STATE BALL. The Queen gave a State Ball last evening at Buckingham Palace, which was very numerously and brilliantly attended, the company including the Royal Family, the Members of the Diplomatic Corps, the foreigners of distinction at present in town, the Ministers and Officers of State, the Ladies an d Gentlemen of the Royal Household, and the principal nobility and gentry. The splendid suite of State saloons and the picture gallery were all opened for the reception, and were most brilliantly illuminated with magnificent lustres of cut glass filled with wax lights, and also with chandeliers and candelabra—the two ball-rooms exceeding the other apartments in splendour and brilliancy, each of these rooms containing numerous gold branches with wax lights round the aides, in addition tos several large cut glass lustres. Choice exotics, and plants of the greatest beauty and rarity were arranged in the recesses of the different saloons. gwhetreedpur prepared a a r n e d d the for li b b e r ary,s al p t ure The ggallery,randand grand accommo dation of the company. Soon after nine o'clock the guests began to arrive at the staircase Palace. The Royal Family alighted at the private entrance in the garden, and were conducted to the yellow drawing room, where her Majesty and Prince Albert received their il lustrious visitors. w h 'a a s l The Foreign Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, Ladies and Officers of the Household, and Privy Councillors, alighted at a temporary entrance in the garden, extending across the terrace of the Palace, i and leading into the library. The general company alighted at the Equerries' entrance in Pim lico, where an enclosed platform had been erected in front of the lonic portico sufficiently capacious to admit of three carriages setting down at the same time. All the visitors (with the exception of the Royal Family) were conducted up the grand staircase into the grand draw ing-room and the picture gallery. The Ladies costumes, new for the occasion, were composed of the richest and most costly fabrics in silk and satin of the most elegant design, many of them remarkable for the ex. seeding beauty of the material in texture and colour. Some wore i,h e dresses s e s o f were e e of n s t t h e s p g l e re n a d t i e d s l t y beauty, and most enormous value. ornamented with diamonds, pearls, and precious stones, a nd the head-dresses almost universally displayed magnifi cen t ornaments of the same valuable a n d b r illi ant description. The Queen w ore a very o b f r i l r l o i e n s t , s. s m H d e a r r M t o a j etshtoys'es head-dressnmag n ifi ce nt costume. The dress was of blue g auze , over blue silk, and tulle, and was trimmed with roses pan ac he es, white and pink. Diamonds were in serted the roses, an d t h e dress was also ornamented with silver, and velvet, t s , trimmed baving e with scb i ofr red them velvet a with diamonds. Her Royal Hi g h ness the Duchess of Kent appeare d i n a very spl e ndid costume. The dress was of white figured silk, with of red elv r e 0 the dress , w a a s n f d o r a n l 'send ornamented of a wreath The front, fr o m th e top to thet w as ornamented with bows diamonds in the ndsilver centre; the stoma c h er was composed of brilliants. H er R oya l skirt, lace. Highness's head dress consisted of feathers, red velvet and silver lace, and diamonds. The gentlemen appeared in uniform or in Court dress. The Diplomatic Corps wore their respective national cos tumes ; the memb ers o f the Ad • istraio , officers of n and the offirs ann of the Royal Household, their gala costumes,covered with gold embroidery; the Officers of the Army and Navy, the Lords- Lieutenants of Counties, the De " and the uty-Lieutenants, Officers of Yeomanry, in their Pdifferent uniforms. In all cases the members of the several Orders of Knighthood wore their respective insignia, and several of the principal knights displayed their ensigns set in brilliants. His Royal Highness Prince Albert wore a Field-Marshal's uniform, with the ensigns of the Most Noble Orders of the. Garter and the Golden Fleece. His Royal Highness also wore the stars of the Orde r o f S t. Patrick, the Thistle, and the Bath. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge was habited in a Field-Marshal's uniform, and wore a brilliant star of the Order of the Garter, and also a diamond George of great value suspended from the riband. The Royal Duke also wore the ensigns of St. Michael and St. George, of which Order his Royal Highness is Grand Master. His! Serene Highness the Prince of Leiningen wore the uniform of a Bavarian General of Blue, turned up with red velvet, embroidered with gold and a baldrick of silver. His Serene Highness wore the ensigns of the most noble order of the Garter. 'The Duke of Wellington appeared in a Field-Marshal's uniform, wearing the Riband, Star, and Jewel of the Garter, the Riband and Badge of the Golden Fleece, and the War terloo Medal. The Yeomen Guard lined the Grand Hall and Sculpture Gallery, under the command of Captain Sadler, the Exon in Waiting. The other Officers of the Corps present were Sir George Houlton, the Ensign ; Captain Kincaid, Exon ; and Lieutenant-Colonel Fitz-Maurice, K.iL, Clerk of the Check. Iler Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent arrived soon after nine o'clock, attended by Lady Augusta Bruce, Baroness de Speth, Sir George Couper, and Lord James Murray. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cam bridge, and Prince George, were attended by Lady Augusta Cadogan and Colonel Sir William Davison. The Royal Family were received by the Hon. Misses Stanley and Dawson, Maids of Honour in Waiting; Admiral Sir Edward Codrington, Groom in Waiting ; Lieutenant- Colonel Hon. C. B. Phipps, Equerry in Waiting; and Captain the Hon. A. 11. Gordon. Among the earlier arrivals were the Bel g i an Mi n i ster and Madame Van de Weyer, and Mr. Charles Drouet, the Ne therlands Minister and Mr. Stratenus, the United States' Minister and Mr. Brodhead, the Portuguese Minister and Baroness de Moncorve, M. de Moraes Sarrnento, Chevalier de Ribeiro and M. de Soveral, the Spaaish Minister, M. and Madame de Tacon and Chevalier de Pedroreus, the Brazilian Minister and Madame Marques Lisboa, the Danish Minister and Countess Hilda de Reventlow and M. de Bielke, the Wurtemberg Minister and Baron and Baron ess d e Linden, the Prussian Minister andhis Serene Highness Prince Lowen stein, the Sardinian Chargé d'Affaires an d Count d'Ail. the Swedish Chargé d'Affaires and Baron ess de Rehausen, g the Buenos Ayreau Minister, the Peruvian llinister Madame Iturregui , the Russian Minister and Baroness de de B ru nnow and Mademoiselle Olga de L ec h ner, the Earl and Countess Delawarr , Captain t h e Hon. Mortimer Sackvilleld West, the Earl and Countessof Shrewsbury, Sir Harry Smith, G.C.8., the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk, the Earl and Countess of Morton, Lady E. Dougla s , Vi scount Mahon, Sir Henry and Lady Wheatley, the Misses Wheatley, Viscount and Viscoun • tess Combermere, Hon. Miss Stapleton Cotton, • the Attorney-General and Ladyand Miss Jervi s , L or d and Lady Beuvale, Sir James and Lady Clark, Earl of Arundel and Surrey, the Countess Spencer, Viscount Sandon, Sir Thomas. 11. Acland, Lord DalmenY, M r . T ufnell, M.P., Countess of Minto and the Ladies Elliot, Sir Edward and Lady Disbrowe and the Misses Disbrovre, Mr. an d L a d y Blanche Balfour, Visconntsly, George an d L a d y Grey, Duke and Duchess of n Beaufort, Mr. Culling Smith, Earl and Countess of Rosebery, the Ladies Primrose, Earl of Radnor, the Ladies , Beaver ie Right Hon. J. C. and Miss Herries, Sir de Lacy and Lady Evans, Sir Frederick and Lady Pollock, and the Misses Pollock, Earl and Countess of Haddington, Earl Somers, Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe, Earl and Dountess Howe, Viscount Beresford, Lord and Lady Marcus Hill, Lady C. L. Gower, Earl and Lady Clementine Countess of Jersey, _ Villiers, Viscount Duncan, Hon. Sir Edwar d and Lady Cust, Sir Edward and Lady Bowater, Earl and Countess of Kinnoull, Lady Sarah Hay, Earl of Cawdor, Marquis of HuntlY, Earl and Countess Brown low, lo Duke and Duc hess of Buccleuch, Si r G eor ge , Anson, Lord and Lady Sondes. Sir Frederick and Lady Thesiger, Mr. and Mrs. Thorne, Earl of Liverpool, Lord and Lady Langdale, Sir James and the Misses Wigram, the Issniel. Mayor and the Lady mayoress, EFI de-Grey, Lord HeSies bury, Mr. H. Reeve, Right lion lox Mettle, Lord and Lady George Lennox, Right Hon. W. E. and Mrs. Gladstone, Lord and Lady John Ilay, Colonel Cav en dish, Hon. C. C. and Lady Catherine Cavendish, Mr. and Mrs. Brand, Earl of Warwick, Marquis Headfort and the Ladies Taylour, Sir John and Lady Macdonald, Mr. N. Macdonald, Colonel and Lady Catherine Buckley, Lord Elphinstone, Colonel and Mrs. Bouverie, Hon. Mr. and Mrs. John Talbot, Viscount Falkland, Earl of Lincoln, Sir Lancelot and Miss Shadwell, Lord Frederick Fitzclarence, Marquis and Marchioness of Exeter, Lady Martins, Sir Andrew Barnard, Major Hon. Robert Boyle, Earl Fitzhardinge, Marquis of Anglesey, Lady A. Paget, Earl and the Ladies Fitzwilliam, Sir John and Miss Hobhouse, Earl and Countess of Wilton, Mar quis and Marchioness of Ailesbury, Sir Augustus and Lady Clifford, the Misses Clifford, Lord Cantilupe, Lord and Lady Byron, Honourable Frederick Byng, Earl of Aberdeen, Sir Robert Gordon, Colonel and Mrs. Corn wall, Honourable Mr. and Miss Lyttelton, Right Honourable T. and Mrs. Milner Gibson, Sir James and Lady Parke, lion. Miss Parke, Hon. Charles Howard, Earl and Countess of Fingal, and the Ladies Plunkett, Marquis and Marchioness of Douro, Earl Ducie, Lord and Lady Granville Somerset, Right(Hon. H. Geulburn, Viscount and Viscountess Jocelyn, Sir James Macdonell, Colonel Sir William Davison, Mr. and Mrs. R. Ormsby Gore, Captain Meynell, and the Earl of Sheffield. At a quarter before ten o'clock the Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by their loyal Highnesses the Duchess of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George and his Serene Highness the Prince of Leiningen, left the Yelloil Drawing-room and entered the Grand Saloon, which was nearly filled with company. The august party was preceded by Colonel the Hon. C. 13. Phipps, Equerry in Waiting; Captain lion. A. H. Gor don, Equerry in Waiting to the Prince ; Sir Edward Cod rington, Groom in Waiting ; Captain Franck Seymour, Groom in Waiting to the Prince; the Master of the House hold; Lord Waterpark, Lord in Waiting; 'Viscount Clif (len, Lord in Waiting to the Prince; the Groom of the Stole to the Prince; the Lord Steward, and the Lord Cham berlain. Passing through the Grand Saloon, the visitors dividing on either side, her Majesty and her Royal Consort en tered the Ball-room, the quadrille band playing the Na tional Anthem. The Mistress of the Robes and the Lady and Maids of Honour in Waiting followed the august party, and, with the distinguished party, also entered the Ball-room. The Lord Chamberlain, by her Majesty's command, formed a quadrille, and at five minutes before ten o'clock the Queen opened the ball with his Royal Highness Prince George. His Royal Highness Prince Albert and the Duchess of Sutherland were the opposite couple. His Setene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar was also in the quadrille. Mr. Henry Barnard's quadrille band, who were stationed in this apartment, played the "Nino" quadrilles. This band afterwards performed the following pieces:— Quadrilles—" Bondman," "Matilda," by Coole ; "`estate," " Exiles de Siberie," by ,Basisio ; " Cavendish," composed expressly by Tinney. Waltzes—" Orientalen." by La bitzky ; " Goodwood," " Caroline," " Rachael," by Tinney ; " Queen of the Ball," by D'Albert. Polkas—" Evelyn," "Belfast," by Tinney ; "Helena," by D'Albert; " Narcia serf." by Labitzky, &c. The company continued to arrive without intermission until half-past ten o'clock, thronging the whole of the spa cious saloons, upwards of one thousand visitors being present, the invitations exceeding thirteen hundred. After dancing had been continued for some time in the Ball-room, it was commenced in the Throne-room, which was also prepared for dancing, and in which a second qua drille band, that of Mr. Weippert, was in attendance. The following quadrilles, waltzes, and polkas were danced in this ball-room :—Quadrilles—" Les Canatiens Parisiens," Basisio ; " Tantiv'," Weippert ; " Sappho," Jullien. Waltzes—" Jenny Lind," Basisio; " Les Perles," Labitzky ; " Rita," Earl of Belfast. Polkas—" Princess," Weippert; "Bruce," Oakey ; and Galop, "Beaufort Hunt," Weippert. . Refreshments were served to the company during the even in in the Green Drawing-room. The supper was served soon after twelve o'clock, in the State Dining-room. The range of tables displayed a gorgeous assemblage of gold plate. and in the centre of the end of the apartment was a buffet also filled with articles of gold plate, but of a rarer and choicer kind—more of the class that would be properly denominated objects of taste and vertu than applicable to the purposes of the banquet. Along the tables were massive centre pieces, candelabra, vases, wine coolers, and epergnes. Some of them, from the designs of Flaxman, displaying forms the most classical and beautiful, all of them of great elegance and the most admirable work manship. To relieve, as it were, the mass of magnificence, at certain distances along the tables were placed the most beautiful flowering plants, in golden vases. The appearance of these bright flowers among the mass of gold plate had a most charming effect. On the buffet surrounding the centre shield were ranged vases, cups, chalices, tankards, and salvers in profusion, some of them glittering with precious stones, others enriched with exquisite carvings, all of them objects of great interest independently of the costly materials of which they were formed. Wax lights were skilfully interspersed on the buffet and contributed much to the brilliancy of the dis play. Amidst this most superb collection, in which the ge• nine of the artist and the utmost skill of he workman were concentrated in a material the most beautiful and valuable, were placed two simple water lilies, in reduced copies of the Warwick vase in gold, with an effect which it is very diffi cult, if not impossible, to describe. COURT4CIRCULAR. Ms Royal Highness Prince Albert presided yesterday af teinoon at a Committee of the Commissioners for Promoting and Encouraging the Fine Arts in the Rebuilding the Palace of Westminster. His Royal Highness arrived at the New Palace, attended by Captain the Hon. A. H. Gordon, shortly before three o'clock. The commissioners present were the Earl of Aberdeen, Viscount Mahon, Mr. Hallam, and Mr. Wyse ; the secre tary, Mr. Eastlake, was in attendance. The meeting broke up at six o'clock, when Prince Albert took his departure. The Duchess of Kent visited the Queen at Buckingham Palace yesterday. General Prince Castelcicala, the Neapolitan Minister, was prevented attending her Majesty's Ball, in consequence of the death of the Archduke of Austria, father of the Queen of Naples. Mr. Thomas Brown had an interview with Earl Grey yes terday at the Colonial-office. Mr. G. C. Lewis had an interview with Sir George Grey, at the Home-office yesterday. Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-office from the Cape of Good Hope. Mr. Watson had an interview yesterday with Lord Cla rendon, at the office of the Board of Trade. NEW ZEALAND. PORTSMOUTH, FRMA r. By the arrival of her Mjesty's steam-sloop Driver, Com mander C. 0. Hayes, we have news and papers from New Zealand to the 23th of January, and Rio to the 27th of March. We extract the following from the Ncw Zealander of January 23d, a paper published at Auckland : " Since our last publication his Excellency the Governor has returned from the Bay of Islands, but the particulars of his , visit we have as yet been unable satisfactorily to learn. It would appear, however, that Heki was afraid to confront the Governor on board the steamer, and consequently, no personal interview took place between them. We understand fears were expressed by Heki, that if he went on board the Driver, he might not be able to come ashore again when be pleased. We trust the settlers, who had an opportunity of seeing him, disabused his mind of any such wrong impres- Sion. The natives generally who were along with him be trayed considerable feelings of alarm, and the sudden appear mice of her Majesty's ship Castor a day or so after the steamer's arrival tended to heighten this apprehension. Some little speechifying took place among the natives themselves, and Heki dealt largely in scriptural quotations; the burden of his song, however, was peace. As he found, after remaining some four days, that no notice was taken of him, and that he failed to attract the Governor to his presence, the follow ing morning at break of day he and his followers launched their canoes, and took themselvess oft It would have been more satisfactory had Captain Grey and the fanatical Master lleki met ; but the latter personage, finding that lie is no longer the man of importance he was, thought he might acquire a little spurious fame by having it in his power to say the Kawana came to him. lie has been disappointed, and, like a petted child, behaved accordingly. Our loyal and most excellent native friend, Thomas Walker, is now re siding at Russell, a substantial house built for him by the , Government." Our Wellington papers are up to the 6th instant, and it appears from them that the southern settlers are unanimous in their approbation of Captain Grey's government. The same feeling prevailed at Auckland, where a congratulatory address, couched in the most flattering terms, had been pre sented to the Governor, on the seventh anniversary of the foundation of the colony. The rate of exchange at Rio, when the Driver left, was 28%. SMITHFIELD MARKET. On the motion of Mr. 0. GORE the following Members were nominated as the Select Committee on Smithfield Mar ket :—Viscount Mahon, Lord Robert Grosvenor, Mr. W. B. Baring, Mr. Sidney Herbert, Mr. Manners Sutton, Mr. Eliot Yorke, Mr. Kemble, Sir Edmund Filmer, Mr. Bramston, Mr. Alderman Copeland, Mr. Masterman, Mr. William Miles, and Mr. Stafford O'Brien. Mr. G. CRAIG obtained leave to bring in a Bill to increase the number of the trustees for the herring fishery, and to direct the application of the funds granted for the promotion of manufactures and improvements in Scotland. The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at Half-past Twelve o'clock till Twelve to-day. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons. FRIDAY, MAY 14. STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE. The following Resolutions were reported from the above Committee : I. That in the case of the petition of the Ambergate, Not- tingham, and Boston and Eastern Junction Railway Com pany (presented 7th May), against the Great Northern Railway (Deviations between London and Grantham) Bill, the Committee on the said Bill ought to entertain the same, when it shall have been referred to them, provided that there be no other objection to the said petition than that arising from its having been presented after the time limited by the House. 2. That in the case of the Inverness Harbour and Na vigation petition, fur additional provision, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with .—That the parties be permitted to introduce such additional provision, if the Committee on the Bill shall so think fit. 3. That in the case of the London and North-Western Railway (Purchase of the Earl of Ellesmere's interest in the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway) peti tion, for additional provision, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties be permitted to intro duce such additional provision, if the Committee on the Bill shall so think fit. 4. That in the case of the North-Western Railway (Diver sions at Skipton, Casterton, and Sedbergh) petition, for ad ditional provision, the standing orders ought to be dis pensed with :—That the parties be permitted to introduce such additional provision, if the Committee on the Bill shall so think fit. 5. That in the case of the North Staffordshire Railway (Alterations and Branches) petition, for additional provision. the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties be permitted to introduce such additional provision, if the Committee on the Bill shall 60 think tit, if the same shall contain no power to take lands compulsorily. 6. That in the case of the Blackburn, Darwen, and Bolton Railway petition, for additional provision, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties be per mitted to introduce such additional provision, if the Com mittee on the Bill shall so think fit—Resolutions agreed to. NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL-OFFICE. RAILWAYS. -- The Committee of Selection have nominated the following Select Committees on Railway Groups : A Committee consisting of—Mr. 11. Johnstone (Chairman) Mr. R. Yorke, Mr. Watts Russell, Mr. Marsland, and Mr. I:. Fox, to whom they have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. 2, viz.:— Direct London and Portsmouth, Direct London and Portsmouth and London, Brighton, and South Coast Railways Amalgamation, Reading, Guildford, and Reigate (Deviations, &c.) London and South-Western. The Select Committee to meet on Monday, May 31, at one. A Committee consisting of—Mr. G. Vernon (Chairman), Slr. G. A. Hamilton, Sir 11. Fleetwood, Mr. G. lleathcote, *ad Mr. James, to whole, they have referred the Bills com prised in Group No. 3, viz.:— South Eastern ( North Kent and Bricklayers' Arms Junction), London -bridge Railway Termini ( General Enlar gement) , L on don and Brighton and South Coast (London - bridge London Station andßrighton Enlargement and au d A r r s a o n u g t e h m ent Coast s) (Extension to , London -bridge), Sout h-E as t e rn (Widening of the Greenwich Railway and A rrange ment and Enlargement of London - bridge Station), South-Eastern (London -bridge Station Arrangement and Enlargement). The Select Committee to meet on Monday, May 31, at one. A Committee consisting of—Sir J. Pakington (Chairman), Mr. Ross, Mr. Wodehouse, Mr. Brisco, and Mr. Farnham, to whom they have referred the Bills comprised in Group No. . 40, viz.:— FLANDERS MAIL. BRUSSELS, MAT 11.—Seventeen ships arrived in Ant werp yesterday, twelve of which have cargoes of Corn. The Prccurscur informs us that the refiners of foreign sugar at .Antwerp have just addressed a petition to the Minister of Finance on tho subject of molasses, which have lately arrived from Mantazas, and which are no longer imported at the duty of 6. 36. In this document, which we are sorry that we cannot place before our readers at full length. The petitioner requires that the member, before deciding on this admission, will be pleased to order a trial to be made with the molasses, in order to ascertain the quan tity of sugar fit for exportation which these contain. For the purpose of making this trial, the refiners have placed their manufactories at the disposal of the Go vernment. The Senate opened and closed the general discussion of projects of law for granting supplementary credit to the department of the Interior andof Foreign Affairs. The sequel of the general discussion of the projects of law relative to the redu c ti on o f th e tollson the Sambre, which opened at the end of the sitting, was adjourned till the evening. The Monitetor of this day contains a Royal ordinance, promulgating the law, by which the Chambers have fixed the expenditure and revenue of the kingdom, ac cording to the account presented by the Minister of Finance. Art. 1. The ordinary and extraordinary expenses of 1839 are fixed at the sum of 124,293,314 f. 74c. The payment of the expenses which have been made for the same period till its close, is fixed at 123,934,849 f. 33c.; the remaining to be paid at 138,495 f. 44c. Art. 2. The receipts of the budget of 1839 are fixed at the sum of 115,885,823 f. 15c. A sum of 48,612 f. sc. is to be deducted from the revenue. ANTWERP.-ASPECT OF THE ITARTEST.-A letter from Grammonde says, the country presents at this moment a delightful prospect from the fine appearance of the cole seed, which have not, for a long time, been so strong and so full covered with flowers. There has, indeed, been some delay in the flowering as in vegeta tion in general this year, but this delay will not be pre judicial; next to the cole seed the rye presents the most beautiful appearance. It is long since it has been so fine, and only ono fear is entertained, namely, lest the abundance of seed should be lost in the plant, and leave only their ears. For this reason, several farmers at the beginning of last month, have sent their sheep into the rye field to weed the plants, and they have suc ceeded admirably. The wheat is not so favourable, and in general is slightly attacked with blight, which, how• ever, begins to disappear. A considerable quantity of wheat suffer from the want of manure, which many of the smaller farmers have not been able to procure this year. The planting of potatoes is completed, but the farmers have generallyadvice of the news , -papers to pass the harrow over the plantations. The flax looks well , a nd, u p on th e whole , the state of the h arv est is favourable in our neighbourhood VIENNA, MAY 4,—At one o'clock this morning the remains of his Imperial highness the Archduke were laid in state in the llofberg Chapel. The walls were hung with black cloth, upon which are suspended the various armorial bearings of the deceased. Th e Imperial Duke, lying en the state bed, is at tired in a marshal's uniform, his hands crossed on his breast, surrounded by a hundred burn. ing wax•tapers. At his feet lie his field marshal's staff and his hat and sword; at his head, a crown; on his right and left, the Gold Fleece. the Grand Cross of the Order of Theresa, and -several other splendid deco rations. The heart of the hero is now (three o'clock) being con ve y e d t o th e Chur c h of St. Augustin, and his entrails to the Church of St. Stephen. In two hours the remains of the Duke will be deposited in the imperial vault of the Capuchins. Thousands have been assembling since an early hour this morning to witness the interment. This morning a letter was addressed, by his Majesty the Emperor, to the chief military councillor, Count von Ilardeyg, imforming him that the army should partake of the court mourning for six weeks ; that the Field Marshal's sword shall be de posited in the Imperial Arsenal ; and that both: the Regiments of which he was commander should for ever retain the name of the Archduke Charles. llis Majesty likewise states his desire immediately to erect a splendid monument to the memory of the deceased. On the an niversary of Napoleon's death a solemn mass will be celebrated for the departed Duke. The theatres are closed for some days. DEARTH IN GERMANY. PRAGUE, MAT 2cl.—Private letters state that there have been riots in Kommotan, and also in Eger and Leitmeritz, directed against foreign corn dealers. They were pursued out of Eger with showers of stones as far as Waldsassen ; and in Leitmeritz a speculator in corn had both his ears cut off. Disturbances were also apprehended at Aussig. In the Riesengebirge the people mix flour with wheat straw, and where this cannot be obtained, they are com pelled to use hay ground to powder, which they mix with rye, flour and oatmeal. BERLIN, MAY s.—Several cargoes of corn arrived here to-day, and others are expected. The importation of corn by land has also been considerable, so that the sale in our market to-day might be called dull. Rye was sold at 102 dollars to 110 dollars per whispel (24 bushels), and oats from 46 dollars to 50 dollars. I❑ consequence of the prohibition of the distilleries, such a large supply of potatoes has come from the wealthy landowners, that there is sufficient, not only for planting sod supporting the inhabitants, but also for feeding the cattle, so that we may hope for a great reduction in the price of this article. PRUSSIAN DIET. BERLIN, MAY 4.—The affair of the address is not yet settled, and we shall, therefore, soon find it again brought forward. The continuation of the projects of law in the sitting of to day did not produce anything important. We may add, that in the last sitting of the preceding week the determination, according to which those persons are to be considered as exceptionable, who according to article 4 of the Royal ordinance of the 20th of July, 1843, in the Courts of Honour, have been con demned to the penalties prescribed (e.g., for wanton conduct in duelling), was rejected by a majority of 260 to 205. MEETING OF THE DEBENTURE HOLDERS OF THE LYCEUM THEATRE. A meeting of the debenture holders of this theatre was held yesterday in the sal oon o f t h e t h eatre, for the pur pose of considering the best m eans t o b e a d opted for recover ing the arrears now due to them on their debentures. There were present Mr. ‘1 arrington, Mr. Brookes, Mr. Lumley (who attended as the solicitor and agent of the Marquis of Aylesbury), Mr. Chilton (who attended as the representative of Mr. Wallace), Mr. Powell, Dr. Jay, Mr. Amyott, the magistrate, Mr. Gilbert, Mr. G. Moore, Mr. W. Cox, Mr. Wagstaff, and Mr. J. Strutt. Mr. WARRINGTON having been called to the chair, Mr. Srnurr said that he called this meeting of his brother debenture holders in order that they might consider the steps proper to be taken under the circumstances in which they found themselves placed. As a debenture holder he had, on the 25th of April last, written to Mr. Walter Arnold, as the representative of the trustees of the Lyceum Theatre, requesting that gentleman to furnish him (Mr. Strutt) with a statement of the accounts of the theatre. (Mr. Strutt here read the letter, which stated, that as Mr. Arnold had received a sum amounting to upwards of 5,0001. as rent for the theatre, from Messrs. Keeley and Strutt, he (Mr. Strutt) as a debenture holder, requested to know how that sum had been applied.) In his answer, Mr. Walter Arnold said that as Messrs. Grisell and Peto had a mortgage upon the property, dated 1834, which took precedence of the debenture deeds, and not one shilling of which had been discharged, he must decline furnishing any accounts. (This letter was also read in e.rtenso.) He (Mr. Strutt) had paid to Mr. Walter Arnold, as rent, for the theatre in 1844, 2,2031., in 1845, 2,3071., exclusive of 400/. deposit; in 1846. 2,6991., and up to the 13th June, 1847, 5574 making a total of 7,7664, which he knew himself had been paid, and, which spread over an extent of three years, gave 2,313/. a year. From 1836 to 1846 there had been re ceived as rent of the theatre, 22,4001., and as rent of the houses included in the same trust, 3,3601., making a total of 26,2601., giving an average rental for the theatre of 2,073/., and for the houses of 3571., showing a total annual average rental during the 11 years of 2,224/. When the mortgage was given to Grisell and Peto there was a sum of 1,4451. due to the Marquis of Exeter. The following had been stated by Mr. Walter Arnold to be the amount of the average annual liabilities of the theatre :—Ground rent, 7041.; interest on a mortgage held by the Marquis of Exeter, 232/. ; interest on Grisell and Peto's mortgage, 560/. ; taxes, 2501.; insurance, 120/. • repairs, 100/. ; sundries, 254 ; and Mr. Walter Arnold Charged for himself, for the trouble of receiving the moneys, 1501. a year. Ile left it to the meeting to say how far they thought such a payment ought to be sanctioned in the present state of their affairs. But even this account showed that there .sight to be a balance in hand of 3,300/. available to the payment of the debt due to the debenture holders, but he had ascertained that there must be a considerably greater balance unaccounted for. The ground rent was two years in arrear, which would increase the balance unaccounted for by a sum of 1,4004, and be would ask, if Mr. Walter Arnold, or the trustees, have received this money, why did they thus place the property of the debenture holders in jeopardy? The lUar quis of Exeter might at any moment enter upon the pos. session of the theatre, and get rid of them altogether by an action of ejectment. If Mr. Walter Arnold could not give some better account of this transaction than he had done, it was high time that the debenture holders should look to themselves. In July 1836, Mr. Walter Arnold had written a letter to the debenture holders, stating that the debt due to Grisell and Peto was 5,9964, and that it would be liqui dated by an annual payment of 8001. The mortgage debt now returned as due to Grisell and Peto was 9,237/., nearly double what it was in 1836. It could not have amounted to this sum even if the 2,2391. guaranteed to the Marquis of Exeter on the execution of this mortgage were included in it. This debt ought to have been reduced instead of baring been increased, inasmuch as there was a surplus of revenue over expenditure, which might have been applied to its gradual liquidation; but, notwithstanding the receipts show a balance for the last 11 years of 300/. a year over the expenditure, making a sum of 3,3001., which might have been applied to the liquidation of this debt, notwith standing there was a sum of 1,400/. arrears of ground rent unaccounted for, this debt of Grisell and Peto's had nearly doubled. There was besides a sum of 1,650/. ' which during that period had been drawn by Mr. Walter Arnold for re ceiving the moneys belonging to them. Mr. POWELL—That is not the only benefit Mr. W. Arnold has derived. Ile has, I believe, besides this 150/. a year, the best box in the theatre. Mr. STifurr said such was the case, and not only had he the privilege of giving that box to his friends, but he used to let it through the booksellers at 21. a night, clearing 61. a week in that manner, and it was in consequence of his (Mr. Strutt's) refusal to let Mr. Arnold use his privilege in that manner to the injury of the lessees, that Mr. Arnold had chosen to refuse any terms that Mr.. Keeley and himself might offer to take the theatre. But as that was a merely personal matter he would not go into it. Mr. POWELL-By what authority does Mr. Arnold hold that box? We do not benefit by it. Mr. STaurr—Certainly the debenture holders do not profit by the box. - Mr. PowELL—It is a very bad bone, certainly; but Mr. Arnold seems to be the only person who gets any picking off of it. In answer to several questions, Mr. Sriwrr said that he did not know who had a right to let the theatre. He had taken it of Mr. W. Arnold; he paid Mr. W. Arnold the rent ; and Mr. W. Arnold was the only person he knew as the representative of the debenture holders. He believed that the mortgage of Grisell and Veto had been assigned to Mr. Walter Arnold, who had assigned it to Lord Cecil, the Marquis of Exeter's son. He had learned from Mr. Warneford, the agent to the Marquis of Exeter, that there were two years' arrears of ground rent due, and until that was paid up they might be refused permission to walk into the theatre. The taxes had been returned as 250/., they amounted to less than 2001. The insurance in the West of England had been returned at 2501. a Year, He had inquired, and found that the sum paid to the West of England Office was 657. a year. The repairs had been estimated at 100/. During the three years of his tenancy he himself had done all the repairs, and during the last eleven years not 3001. had been spent on the theatre ; and, with re gard to the 1501. a year to Mr. Walter Arnold for collecting the money, all he could say was, that he, Mr. Strutt, paid his rent into the bank of Messrs. Cock burn every Monday morning, and all the trouble Mr. W. Arnold had was to draw it out again. He gave Mr. W. Arnold notice of this meeting in order that he might attend if he thought it desirable. He had also writtea to the trustees, Lord Saltoun, Sir Andrew Barnard, and Mr. Hallett. Th e two former replied that they had never interfered in the affairs of the theatre, and the latter that he had never received any money available to the liquidation of the claims of the debenture holders. He had written to Mr. Arnold, sen., and his answer was to the same purport as that of Mr. Hallett. A conversation ensued on the conclusion of Mr. Strutt's address, and eventually Mr. LUMLEY (acting on behalf of the Marquis of Ayles bury) moved the following resolution : "'Resolved—That the debenture creditors having received b no payment whatever on account of the debentures granted ao y: the trustees of the Lyceum Theatre, nor anysatisfactory coun i t t s a i p n p c e e a t r h s e tgnraatnttihnegporfeptheret3s,ahmaes in b e ,18.35, .productive notwithstand ing to aconsiderableforthwitham o td n u i r a i d n e g tthae the trustees, and for th l net o production rents and pro o fi thetss l ine f e std deeds, s,of and debentures, th res, e fo other accounts and papers necessary to ascertain the parti culars relating to such net rents and profits." The resolution was seconded by Mr. BROOKES, and carried unan imously. cir e e l d de ta , t wh M o e h ss a r ‘ s . . e S k tru ind tt l , y l\ u 'a n r d r e in rt ton e;iatnh d e P sa o m pw e re , l lj, be authorised debenture h to mak e such application, and to examine such deeds, trusts, an d accounts, on behalf of this a o report the 4 t h Juneresul t t next, e ( x ) t t , halts onem e eet, o'clock, n l o g c , k , l‘ ti to l e: held iis a d i l ns mitohue e e r tni s en a cig lO t o oto n F o rre f idp tSis theatre, for the purpose of receiving their resolution was second e d b y Mr. (..'nturaii, and carried report. l,h The unanimously. rslßu M , - rr that then moved X copy of these resolutions be advertised an d sent to such of the other debenture creditors brr. _ A a G s may be c onven i ently found. W STAFF seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously. Dr. JAY, in proposing the thanks of the meeting to Mr. Strutt, said that if the debenture holders had any chance of ever getting anything, it would be entirely owing to the ex ertions of that gentleman. The motion was seconded by Mr BROOKES, and carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr. WAGSTAFF, seconded . Ulm. by _Mr. POWELL, thanks were voted to the chairman , and We in separated. WATERFORD AND KILKENN RAILWAY COMPANY. The half-yearly general meeting of this company held yesterday, at the London Tavern; P. S. Butler, M.P., President of the Board of Directors, in the chair. Mr. FAGAN said he would wish to ask the Chairman, fore the reading of the report, whether it was intends elect directors at the present meeting The CHAIRMAN explained that three directors were to 0 4 out by rotation, and might be re-elected. Mr. FAGAN said he objected very strongly to that ast i o being menti oned in the advertisement. Afters o nsu conversation t as n Mr. EDW ARDS , the solicitor of the company, thought though it might tbe u ont the subj necessary subject t v i t t h ewtae was m a s rr o a f n g t he e; Act that such specification should be made.. that, if it should be th e wish of the company, the election of the directors should be postponed. The SECRETARY then read the report, which stated that in consequence of the Board of Works in Ireland havin refused to lend the company any assistance in their und g ertakin except upon impracticable conditions, and the motion in Par liamentg for an advance of money for Irish railways havin g failed, the directors applied to the Pri me Minister, by whom they were referred to the Public Works' Loan Commissioners, and on the 21st ultimo, as they announced, they succeeded in obtaining a premise of a loan of 8 3,0001. T h i s loan was to be advanced or. the following conditions, viz. : " The whole of the property possessed by the Company, both real and personal will have to be mortgaged as secu rity for the money advanced, and this preliminary Sr _ of rangement perfected, a sum 23,000/. will be immedi ately paid to the Company, to be pex ended on the works of the line, and concurrently therewith, they will be required to expend a like sum of 23,0001. from their own funds, this (and more the directors trust)will be met by the arrears now in course of payment; upon the loan commissioners being satisfied of the Clue application of these two sums, amounting in the agregate to 46,0001., a further advance of 30,0001. will be made under similar conditions, which will (in October or November) involve the necessity of a call of 21. 10s. per :hare, to meet the outlay as before explained of an equivalent sum on the part of the company—this call, however, may be reduced in amount, in proportion as the arrears now duo shall be paid—satisfaction being again adduced of the expen diture of these sums, amounting to 60,0001., a third and last advance of 30,000!. more will be made, to meet which, a fur ther call of 2/. 10s, will be required about a twelvemonth hence; and it is much to be desired for the benefit of the best interests of the company, that these calls should be responded to in such a manner as to enable the directors to embrace the full advantages of the loan now conceded." The line between Kilkenny and Thomastown would have been completed as far as earthwork, bridges, &c., in March last, but for the backwardness of the shareholders, but those eleven miles, under all disadvantages, were in a very forward state, and would be ready to receive the traffic from Carlow to Dublin before the Irish South-Eastern Company would be in a position to avail themselves of it, whether the company would open their line between Kilkenny and Thomastown before the Irish South-Eastern Company opened their line between Carlow and the Waterford and Kilkenny line. The Government engineer, J. Walker, Esq., who bad been sent over by the Loan Commissioners to inspect the line, had reported most favourably of the portion of the works already executed, and in reference to a portion between Kilkenny and Thomas Town, that there would be a clear revenue to pay the interest and repay the capital, not only of the first instalment of 23,0004, but of the whole loan of 83,0001. The engineer's report stated that since November last no new works had been entered upon on that railway, excepting some small works at the Kilkenny station, which were necessary for making that station sufficient for traffic. The surveys had been completed as far as Waterford-bridge. The contracts already entered upon were proceeding, and every effort would be made to complete the works. From the financial statement, it appeared that the amount of deposits was 12,500/., that there was a balance of loan from the Carlow Extension Railway. The Parliamentary and law expenses amounted to 12,002/. Ils. Ild., and the balance at the bankers was 1,8755. The CHAIRMAN said that the report they had just heard read was so full as to leave him but little to notice. The specula tion in which they were embarked would turn out far more lucrative than was expected some time back. That be had received from the highest authority, and ha would take the liberty of reading to them a passage from the speech of Lord George Bentinck on the subject of an advance of money for Irish railways. The Hon. Gentlemen here read the passage in question, in which the Noble Lord stated that there was a bona fide traffic of 1,500/. on the Great Southern and Western Irish Railway, and which spoke of the present line very favourably. As far as the direction was concerned, the directors were most anxious to promote the interests of the shareholders, and expedite the works. The Chairman concluded by proposing the adoption of the report. After an irregular and protracted discussion, Mr. LAYAim seconded the resolution, which was agreed to. The following gentlemen were then re-elected as directors, viz.:—Mr. Colman, Mr. Greene, and Mr. Leconabe ; and Mr. Webster was re-elected an auditor; and a resolution was passed reducing the remuneration of the auditors to 10i. per annum. A special meeting was then held for the purpose of consi dering the confirmation of the forfeiture of sundry shares in arrear of calls. The SECRETARY read a statement, from which it appeared that the directors proposed to forfeit 1,692 shares, which was confirmed by that of the meeting. Thanks were voted to and acknowledged by the Chairman. The meeting then separated. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, MAT 14. STOCK EXCILOIGE.—The sales are—Eastern Counties, 19— East Lancashire, New 1 SA dis.—London and North-Western. Quarters 14 1 / 4 p.—Ditto. New, Quarters, 9 1 / 4 p.—Manchester and Leeds, Fifths, (late W. R. U.), 3s. 9d. p.—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, Eighths, 2 1 / 4 dis.—Midland Stock, 114 3 %—Ditto, New, 2 p.—Leeds and Thirsk, 6 dis..._ Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire, 14 dis.—North Staf fordshire, 134 p.—Shropshire Union Railway and Canal, 2 dis.—Dutch Rhenish, 3 1 / 4 dis. MANCHESTER, MAY 14. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The sales are—Ambergate, Notting ham, and Boston, IN—Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Che shire, 1 3 4 dis.—Birmingham and Oxford Junction, 63d c. p. —Fleetwood, Preston, and West Riding, I i dis.—Leeds, Wakefield, and Midland, 1 dis.—London and North-Western, (Manchester and Birmingham), 66 1 A —Ditto. Quarters (A), 5% c. p.—Manchester and Leeds, llalves (H. and S.), 5-16 p.—Ditto, 32/. Shares (late Extension), I A ; p.—Ditto, Fifths (late IVest Riding Union), , A 1 p. —Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, Quarters, No. 2, 20;.,j—Ditto (Grimsby), 201. Spares, dis.—Ditto (Sheffield and Lincolnshire ), 3 1 ,4 i dis. —Manchester and Southampton, 28s. 6d. dis.—Newcastle and Berwick, New, 13% p. North British, Extension, 13'4 — North Staffordshire, i S tc ta h ff i no,rdpshairr_e,slot—h.NEoarstther-Ze!4st dis..—South k u d t i h s.— yo l r l k o: h s i t r o ts n Doncaster, and Goole, a/ dis , 4 LEEDS, MAY 14. STOCK EXCHANGE. -The sales are-East Lancashire, New, % n. die.-Ditto, New (scrip), par-East and West York shire, 1% dis.-Great Northern, 303. n. dis.-Leeds and Bradford, 43% p.-Leeds and Dewsbury, par-Leeds and Thirsk, Preference, 43. p.-Leeds, Wakefield, and Midland, 19s. dis.-London, Brighton, and South Coa s t, Fif teent h s, Is. p.-Talton and Driffield Junction, 173. 6d. dis.- Man chcster and Leeds 321. Shares (late Extensions), bs. p.- Ditto, West Riding Union, 2s. 6d. n. p.-Midland, Pre ference, 2 p.-North British, Thirds, 19 p.-Ditto, Exten sion (scrip), 23. 6d. p.-North Staffordshire, 13a n. p.- Northern Counties Union, 234 dis.-North-Western, IN di,. GLASGOW, MAT 13. SrocK EXCHANGE.-The sales are-Aberdeen, 25%-- Caledonian, New, 375. 6d.- Dundee and Perth, New, 10 1 4- Ditto, Quarters, 525. 6d.-East Indian, 23. 6d.-East Lo thian Central, 395.-Edinburgh and Glasgow, Halves, 22/.- Edinburgh and Northern, Newport, 71. -Edinburgh and Perth (New Co.), llalves, 9s. 6d.-Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr, 1181.-Ditto (5 per cent. guar.), 35 1 ,‘-Ditto, Halves, No. 1, 61. 45.-Ditto, No. 2, 51. 25.-Great Western of Bengal, Is. 6d.-Kilmarnock and Avr Direct, 205.-Man chester and Southampton, 10s.-Monktand and Kirkintilloeb, 261.-North British, New Quarters (scrip), 18s. BANK OF ENGLAND. (From last night's Gazette.) In Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth of Victoria, cap. 32, for the Week ending on Saturday, the 6th day of May, 1847. 18.90 E DIFAATMENT. 4. Notea issued.. .. . • .. 22,788,655 422,78.,8,55 Government debt .. 11,015,100 Other securities •• • • 2,984,900 Gold coin and bullion 7,3 0 7,616 Silver bullion ••• • • • 1,481,239 22,768,855 3f. MARSHALL, Chief Cashier. Dated the lath day of May, 18 'LATEEN T. (Government securi ties (including Dead Weight Annuity).. 10.308,1 (1 Other securities •• . • 16,311,7/41 Notes •••••.• • • • • • • • 3,196,636 Gold and silver coin • . 799,904 #30,615,361 :. MARSHALL, Chief Cashier. S `"I~t~ MM. ar S 1r ' w `-%-:.:1•• • .::-.,- . Esq., iz , ..; led to \,...._\;Z:-Ifft):-' BANKING D: Proprietors' capital . • 14,553,004 Rest ••..•••• • • • • • • 3,449,1(34 Public deposits (in eluding Exchequer, Vommissioners of National Debt., Say- Ings-banks, a.nd Di vidend accounts)• • 2.870,109 Other deposits .• •• • • 8,930,328 Seven day and other bills • • • • • • .• 813,760 £ 30,616,361 Dated the, 13th day of May, 164' A HINT TO PAPER MANUFACTURERS,--We copy the following from a recent number of the New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, (Dec. 9,) published at Wellington :—" We must apologise to our readers for being obliged, from the unusual scarcity of printing paper in the colony, to publish the Spectator on blotting paper. We are in the e da n i e ly x t ex ar p r e iN c . t a a ls t , ie w n h o e f r e w c e e i h v o i n p g e t a o f b r e e s r h eli su ov p e p d ly fr o o f in pa t. p h e e r in by . convenience of our present dilemma." et: a ory Pic of n t fgro itl nl e n d ctiole ‘ n . 7, E .er v l t WT L f r eiNmt N ,hepse lf ,t,aatc A (ici n oin c mis o p u loi n arh T e ,i authores; b'e' O e f nN t p° b u o vb s E e liLs s h t e r? e i ni someratu r o e, Gas coigne). It combine s Irtem v h S t e asal c i r re y h k - o° bau a bep t el t eap r e ac frrou t cr i mi v rsc e poluier t s,ri e et a dea t an u tdh re pao s at — r . t hdttWhiaaeevriApefeejo'dtusfboNsPtmeiexresrii cha r acte rsosti in g 'iwg i n n aht a enisc l r s ehsta i el n rt:l e i e xisting isting personages. Possibly this may be true as regards the Duke of Shetland and Lady Truro; nor is it at all unlikely that Mrs. Harry Erridge, the lady who has remained so long abroad as to have forgotten how to speak her own language, has also been drawn from the life. CALEDONIAN ASYLUM. —We are glad to understand that the Anniversary Ban will be celebrated with more than usual splendour; for though there have been co many urgent calls, owing to the dearth prevailing in some parts of Scot land, upon the patronesses in extending the charities of pri. Tate lite, they are determined by a well sustained benevo lence to aid the directors in maintaining this admirable in stitution in the fullest efficiency. It possesses peculiar claims on the consideration of patriotic Scotchmen, and we trust they will come forward with hereditary zeal, and contribute to the furtherance of a beneficent and national object. The Bosjesmans, or Bush People, t on whom a Exeter Hall, on Lecture is to be delivered by Dr. as human telescopes. Pro fessorcaptured near the Kafir country , i,ork Monday on eightda y that next ,they a re havesaid to be have en us e s d u such extraordinary t n h o e x' a British A ; acuteness t w e n h e e s n s on Southern Africa, published Lichtenstein ' , in .tThhetenirfrsoigmhte is g re at rendered heightso aafctuetretbLspying , p sa : r E l F‘ d -e objects , clearly at a distance which no could see without the European, with telescope. Of this I have witnessed frequent proofs, continually assist ance of a b tla y a C t °l t b h u e I have seen them discover „ flocks of antelopes at a distance as mile-and-a - half. of a The Handelian Operatic Concerts," announced the best e) e, by Mr. Rophino Lacy for next week are already making ' some stir among the numerous Handelian devotees in, and out of, the musical world. They certainly hold forth the attraction of novelty ; for half the world are Ne ignorant ‘ of Handel having writt e n Italian operas how ever, remember two beautiful specim e ns Songs, whic h Viz,w eadapted 9 rd to sacred words, though originally , remember David," and " Holy, holy. Ye ar, !lent I the i the a t at but h he stop y for awn lie bout some nog' itai° Pi ca here ;Id nee are "~1 ~•p.