The Sun. — London, England, 1857-02-18 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—(YIisTE_RDAy.) The LORD CHANCELLOR took hi seat on the Weelsack at five o'clock. CHINA. The Earl of CARNARVON wished to ask a ques tion of the noble earl, the President of the Council. lie had seen it stated in the daily papers that at the tim , 3 the l%st mail left China, Admiral Seymour was throwing red-hot shot into Canton. He wished to know whether the Government had received any such intelli gence ? Earl GRANVILLE said there was no reason to suppose that the Admiral commanding in China had proceeded to any such extremities. Lord DERBY gave notice that on Tuesday ho should move the resolution of which he had given notice. He way not at the present moment able to state the exact terms of the resolution, but it would contain expressions of regret at the hostile steps which had been taken in China, and which were not justified by the circumstances of the case. CONSOLIDATION OF THE LAW, The Lord CHANCELLOR said he intended, next weak, to lay seven bills for the consolidation of the cri minal law on the table. Similar bi!ls were prepared before their lordships broke up last year, and were laid upon the table, but as they referred only to parts of England and Ireland it had been determined to send them over to Ireland. On the return of the bills it was found extremely difficult to include in one bill clauses to meet the whole of the different offences. When persons found fault with the Statute Law Commission he only wished they could see one-tenth part of the difficulties wish which they were beset. It had been found abso lutely neces ary by the Commissioners, who were una nimously agreed upon the point to begin their labours by, from the very last year, and proceed section by sec tion through the statute book, to discover what statutes remained in force in order to consolidate them. Lord BROUGHAM defended the Statute Law Com missioners from the attacks that had been made upon them. It was not the fault of the Commissioners that this digest was not prepared before. He was afraid it was the fault of the constitution itself. The nobl3 awl learned lord then bore testimony to the extraor dinary efforts and great disinterestedue-s of Mr. Bellen don Kerr to further the objects of the Commission. CHIEF CONSTABLE;. Viscount DUNGANNON asked the President of the Council if it was intended by the Home Department permanently to rescind the rules relative to the qualifi cations of persons to b 3 chosen as chief constables in the several counties of England and Wales, as respects their age not exceeding 45 years, and their not having bee❑ declared bankrupts, or never having passed through the Insolvent Court. Lord HARROWBY wits understood to say that a bill bad already bee❑ introduced in the other house on the subject by the Secretary of State for the Home D apartment. PRIVATE BUSINESS. Lord REDESDALE rose to move the following re solution :—" That this house will not receive any peti tion for a private bill after Monday the 23d of March of xt, unless such private bill shall have been approved by the Court of Chancery, nor any petition for a private bill approved by the Court of Chancery atter Tuesday, the 19th of May next; also that this house will not receive ai.y report from the judges upon petitions presented to this house for private bills after Tuesday, the 19th of May next. Tho resolution was agreed to. R AMWAY COMPANIES AND COUNTY-RATES. The Marquis of CLANRICA.RDE, in presentinria . petition from certain rat-payers of the county of Galway against empowering railway companies to have interest upon their capital secured upon the rates of counties, exdressed his opinion that, although for certain purposes it might be beneficial that some kind of a guarantee should be given, he did not think that that guarantee sbJuld be on the county rates. The Earl of LUCAN considered that guarantees were not necessary, because as railway schemes had been so much more successful in Ireland than in this country y good project would, in all probability, meet with support. _ _ After some further conversation the petition was or• dered to li3 on the table. Their lordships adjourned at half-past 6 o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.) The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock. NEW MEMBER. Mr. HOPE JOHNSTONE took the oaths and his seat for Dumfriesshire. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a second time and ordered to be committed :—Bury Gas ; East Somerset Rail way ; Lowestoft and Burgh St. Peter Ferry and Roads ; Mansfitli and Worksop Road ; Reversionary Interest Society ; Worksop and Attereliffe Road ; Wycombe %ilway ; and Chester Water. NEW WRIT. A. new writ was ordered for East Sussex in the room of Mr. C. J. Frewen, resigned. SPIRITS. On the motion of Mr. MOFFATT, the following re turns were ordered :—" Showing the total number of gallons of proof spirits distilled in England, Scotland, and Ireland respectively, distinguishing the quantities produced from malt, from a mixture of malt and un mAted grain, arid from a mixture of sugar or molasses with unmalted grain, or from sugar, or from molasses ; showing also the, total quantity of eaTh sort in the United Kingdom, for the year ending the 31st day of Dee., 1856 ;—of the number of gallons of proof spirits (distingukhing the sort=) on which duty was paid for home consumption in each of. the three kingdoms, with the rate per gallon and the amount of such duty ; also, tho total number of gallons and duty in the United Kingdom, for the year ending tho 31st day of December, 1856. Showing, under sepa rate heads, the number of gallons of proof spirits, distin guishing the materials from which male, imported into each kingdom from each of the others respectively; stating also the rate per gallon, and the total amount thereof (in each case), and what portion of such duty was paid on removal of the spirits from bond, and what after their arrival in England ; also what portion was actually warehoused under Excise lock, distinguiehing malt from Fusin spirits in England, for the year ending the 31st December, 1856 ; of the total number of gallons of proof spirits permitted out of distillers' stocks in England, and the total number of proof gallons of British brandy anl spirits of wine permitted out of rectifier.' stocks in Eng land fur home consumption ; also, the total quantity of proof gallons of rum received into rectifiera' stocks for reedfication, in England, Scotland, and Ireland, for the year ending the 3lat day of December, 1856 ; of the total number of proof gallons of spirits distilled in England, Scotland, and Ireland ; distinguish ing the que,ntities in each country delivered, duty paid, direct from distillers' stocks, from the quantities put into bond, for the year ending the 31st Dec., 1856; of the total number of proof gallons of British compounds and spirits of wine permitted from rectifiers stocks in England, Scotland, and Ireland, for exportation to foreign ports under drawback, for the years ending th sth of January, 1355, and clot of December, 1856 ; of the total number of gallons of spirits in bonded stores in England, Scotland, and Ireland respectively, on the 81st day of December, 1856 ; of the total number of gallons of proof spirits (distinguishing grain from coal ) permitted out from distillers' stocks in England, Scot land, and Ireland for exportation to foreign parts, for the year ending the 31st day of December, 1855 : Similar account for the year ending the alst day of Dec. 1856. And of the total number of gallons of methylic alcohol sold by the Excise, and the total number of gallons of methylated spirits sent ont by parsons licensed to sell tho same, under the Act 13 and 19 Vic. c. 33, from the lst day of Ootober, 1855, to the 31st day of December, 1856 (in continuation of Parliamentary Paper, No. 214, of session 1856). SCIIOOLS OF DESIGN. Mr. RICARDO moved for the following return :—The arolunt granted for Schools of Design i n th e years 1853, 1854, 1855, and 1856, respectively ; spe c ifyi ng the amount paid to each school, and to the master of each or any bchool, distinguiThin.; whether the payment to such master LI, wholly fir sal try, or on account of scho larship or otberwise.—Granted. THE TENANT LEAGUE (IRELAND) BILL. Mr. MOORE gave notice that, on 3d March next, he should move to bring in a bill to award compensation to tenant farmers. THE METROPOLITAN WORKHOUSES. Lord RAYNIIAM gave notice that on that day fort night he should move for a select committee to inquire into the state of the poor in the metropolitan work houseg, and the state of the poor generally in the me tropolis. THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. In answer to a question from Sir D. L. EvANfi, Sir C. WOOD stated that 34 soon as the Government Ina collie to a determination whether or not they would send out another txpedition in search of Sir J. Franklin, he *Gold inform the house, and if in the affirmative a vote would be taken in the new estimates. REGISTRATION OF VOTERS BILL (SCOTLAND). Mr. BAXTER. asked the Lord Advocate if he iv tended to bring in a bill this session extending to the s co t c h Counties the v isions of tile Registr a ti ons o f Voters B? 11, passel last year for the Burghs ; and also if it wa s his intention to introduce a Police 13111 for Siotland The LORD ADVOCATE Said that bills would shortly be introduced on bath subjects. THE MEG2ERA TROOP-SHIP. Sir JOUN pAKINGTON asked th e First Lord of the Admiralty w hat was the cause of th e detention of the Megera tro?! ) . B hip at Portsmouth a f ter the time for the Mauritius w i th troops ; fixed 'for her ealliog uphreohsaahilleyd'hijahvee w e h h o i r e t h l y would whether it was true tbatl sprung a 'da;rigerous leak, again undergoing at Ply caused the loss of the ship had the accident occurr e d at a gre a t er di s t a nce from land; whether the rep a i rs whicis.the Me sera was now monthware such as would enahla the Admiralt y to feel confident th a t s h e wou ld b e i n a fit st a te to convey 400 or 500 of her Maje,ty's troops to so distant a part of the w )rld ? Sir C. WOOD said that the cause of the detention of the Mega3ra arose from the officer commanding her hav ing miscalculated the time it would take to get her in order for the troops. It was not true that she sprang a leak, but it appeared that two small screws at the bottom of the vessel were not fastened as they ought to have b:en, and the car.sequeuca was the water came in, but only in so small a quantity that with an ordinary hand bneket she might !lava taken a voyago round the world, These bolts had been stopped, and she was 'now in a fit state to convey troop. Lord A. V. TEMPEST asked the irst Lord of the I Admiralty if a similar circumstance did not happen to the ship when taking troops to the Cape ? He had re ceived a letter from a person who was on board the vessel when she put back to Plymouth at variance with the First Lord of the Admiralty's statement. (Cries of " Order.") His lordship, to enable him to read the con tents of the letter, moved the adjournment of the house. The letter stated that the ship had only been to sea two days when she spracg a leak, and had three feet of water in the cabin. The motion having been recorded, Sir C. WOOD said that he had made his statement on the report forwarded to the Admiralty. Major S. KNOX also put a question to the First Lord of the Admiralty relative to the state of this ship. The motion was then withdrawn. INCOME TAX. Mr. MUNTZ postponed his motion relative to the income tax to that day fortnight. PUBLIC PROSECUTOR. Mr. J. G. PH[LLIMORE asked the Solieito!. General whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Ministers to bring forward any measure founded on the report of the committee of last session on the appoint ment of a public prosecutor ? The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said he was not in a position to pledge the Government to the introduction of such a bill. The introduction of such a measure must greatly depend on the state of public business. THE LORCHA. ARROW. Viscount GODERICH asked the First Lord of the Treasury whether it was true that the case of the lorcba Arrow was not the only one in which the authorities of Canton had recently seized or entered upon boats sail ing under British colours, or furnished with a British register ; and, if so, whether he would lay upon the table of the house any papers relating to such proceedings ; and also, whether he would have any objection to lay be fore the house any instructions which might have been sent by the Home Government to Sir John Bo wring on his appointment as Governor of Hong Kong, or at any sub sequent period previous to October last, on the subject of the exclusion of the British authorities and merchants from the city of Canton ? Lord PALMERSTON said that the papers that had already been presented to the house relative to the China war distinctly showed that on two former occasions lorchas had been molested by the Chinese, and that the papers also showed what steps had been taken by Sir J. Bowring on the subject. There would be no objection if the house wished it to lay the instructions referred to on the table of the house, and he (Lord Palmerston) would undertake that it should be done. THE TWO SICILIES. Mr. COCHRANE asked the First Lord of the Trea sury whether the Neapolitan papers presented to Parlia ment comprised all the despatches from Lord Clarendon to the British Mission at Naples between the 19,h May, when her Majesty's Government recommended the Government of the Two Sicilies to grant a general amnesty, and October the 10th, when the British mis sion was instructed to leave Naples ; also, at what period and on what canditions her Majesty's Government in tended resuming diplomatic relations with the kingdom of the Two Sicilies ? Lord PALMERSTON said, in answer to the first question, that the papers presented to the house did not contain all the despatches that had been sent to the British Mission at Naples, but only such as bore on the matters for which the papers var.) presented. He must answer the second question by asking the hon. gentle man another question, viz., if he had full power from the King of Naples to put the question ? (Laughter.) Be cause, if so, he had better apply to Lord Clarendon in Downing-street rather than in that house. He thought the house would agree with him that this was not a pro per place to enter on the subject. (Hear, hear.) THE RESOLUTE. Mr. ROEBUCK said that it was currently reported that the " Resolute" Arctic ship that had been fitted out by the American Government, and presented to this country, had been put into dock and pulled to pieces. He wished to know from the first Lord of the Admiralty if it were true, and if so, why it had been done? (Bear.) Sir C. WOOD said that his answer must necessarily be short, though not the less satisfactory, viz., that it was not true that the Resolute was being dismantled. THE BOMBARDMENT OF CANTON. Sir J. PAKINGTON asked the First Lord of the Treasury if it was true that Admiral Seymour used red-hot shot in the bombardment of Canton, and if there were any papers or despatches referring to it, if he would present them to the house ? (Hear, Hear.) Lord PALMERSTON said that there was no foun dation for the report. The Chinese set fire to some of the Hong& A number of the Chinese congregated in the spaces between them, and in order to disperse them Admiral Seymour threw some shot amongst them, but not red-hot shot. COLONIAL SHIPS REGISTERS. In answer to a question from Mr. WALPOLE, Mr. LABOUCHERE said that the Government had laid on the table of the house the papers relative to co lonial registers. MR. SHEEPSHANKS' PRESENT OF PICTURES. Mr. G. VERNON asked the First L)ri of the Trea sury to lay on the table of the house the correspondence that had passed relative to Mr. Sheepshanks' present of pictures to the nation. Lord PALMERSTON acceded to the application. The country were deeply indebted to Mr. Sheepshanks for his valuable present. THE IRISH FISHERIES. Mr. IWM.A.HON moved for leave to bring in a bill to a isimilAte the law as to the sea-coast fisheries of Ire- land to that of England. Mr. 1101ISMAN, on the part of the Government, gave no opposition to the introduction of the bill, but if the bill was identically the same as that the house had repeatedly rejected, it was a question for the house to decide. Sir G. GREY said that if the Government gave their consent to the introduction of the bill, they reserved the right of opposing its details if they found it necessary. Mr. G. H. MOORE said the real question involved was one between the salmon fisheries of Ireland and those of England and Scotland, and no doubt the proprietors of salmon fisheries in England and Scotland would be glad to assimilate the law in that respect to that of Ire- Isnd. All his hon. friend asked by his bill was that the law relating to fisheries in Ireland should be assimilated to those of England and Scotland. Mr. F. FRENCH said if he understood the objection of 014 Secretary for Ireland, it was that it bad been in- traduced on former occasions and ha I not received the sanction of the house. He wished the right bon. gentle man would act on that principle with regard to the 'Judg ment and Executions Bill, to which all the Irish members were opposed, and which had been this session intro , diced for the fifth time. Leave was then given to bring in the bill. THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NAVY. Capt. SCOBELL rose to move for a select committee to inquire into the naval administration relating to the lists of officers, the patronage, the promotions, and the retire ments, and the efficiency of the service in all its grades. Ho said when he niade a similar motion list year we were in a state of war, and he felt the force of the objec tion that that was not a proper time to go into an inves- tigation of the state of naval affairs. Now we were at pc,:ce, and no time could be more fitting for such an in quiry as he asked. The gee:Aim did not partake of Ivey ; it was a question of naval administrative reform If the Admiralty was perfect, no inquiry was wanted ; but there was a prevailing feeling in the navy that it was unfairly governed, and that its government required amendment. Naval officers stood in various classes and its, sharing in the hardships which they said precise minated in the navy. He did not mean to attack the present Beard of Admiralty, or any other, but the system. He would probably be told there had been an inquiry into the administration of the navy in 1848 ; but it was an in quiry into all its branchee, and not this one in particular, and all the recommendat:ons made after that inquiry had fai ed. He would show that the number of naval officers on half-pay so preponderated over those on full pay, that great experpe was caused, and there was little opportunity for naval officers to acquire experience in their profession. In the French and American navies there was some limit to the number of officers of the navy appointed, but in this country there was none. The hon. and gallant gentleman proceeded to urge that a sum of 60,0001. a year had been granted for the purpose of al lowing officers of the army to retire on full pay, while there was no such provi,ion for the navy. Tile army, at least, had the advantage of ha , ing a milita'y man at its hoad, whose office was as nea r ly p ermanent as poss ibl e ; but how different was the government of the navy. The head of the navy w as a political officer, and was influenced by politics. lie ir:w came to a mere practical quest'on, that is, as t) the eifference in the situation of nai al officer as celupared with those in the sister service. On the la t occasion wh n he brought the suj ;et b. f , re the house, h 3 &Manse' many oases of men in the r avy who had gainei their first cap from imtenant to post-captain in from three to four years, atd other cases in which that step had not been gained in 1 es than from 30 to 40 years One of the Lords of the Adria ratty was on e o f th ose w h o . got on thus rapidly, and he trusted that gallant officer would not get up and beat down the claims of his brother officers. (Hear.) The' first class of officers to which he would call the attention of the house was the active list of admirals. Teat list contained 100, of whom only 14 were employed, and he believed it would be difficult to find 14 others who could be employed. There were therefore 86 unemployed admirals; and one groat grievance r:specting that list was that the men who were made active admiral* were often older than the inactive admiral , . The total number of active captains was 389, of whom only 112 were employed, the remaining 277 being on half-pay. (Hear, hear.) The number of active commanders was 542, of whom there were 'employed 144, inolnling the Coast-guarJ. Tne number on half-pay was 393. Now, let the house look at the half-pay of these officer!. A naval captain of three years ranked with a colonel in the army. The half-pay of the first, 70 was 14s. 6J. per day ; tl-.e neat 100 got 12s. ; the remaining 228 get 1013. 6'. Of commanders who ranked with majors in the army, the senior 150 got 103. per day, but the remaining 392 got only Bs. 61. These sums were all considerably loss w ith numbere captains p only ys 34 got g t o b t e 78 army than the amounts paid to officers of cerreepondicg rank in . the army. The number of active eireuants ranking of 43 per wan 1,133, ' whom 795 were employed, and 343 were on ht f.' ay. Of that average standi r , per day, the nkx . . 820 154 got 64. The ' next . and tuf . ! remaining 120 tal''aeabyll;e7eo.o,maandd during . that period g of ot c o a n d l e 3 t . s4na.dmritrt7eind ear to 1057, the number . o.o3:sl.kid.Ba4yTharji te3se . 34 had an wily 836 lieutenants had of cadets in fifteen years of 964 was such, that of those who ent.ercd onet-third made, an excess :t h e ofda that never th l e navygot beyond the first step. The only cure far to admit a less number of cadets into the navy.evi IN w ro a'' t more than 40 or 50 ought to be adnuited sah during pca2e. But last year the number ailteittedyee-aars 116, whilst in the previous ycay the number was 140 or 160, and the year before that not lose than 200 were admitted. He now came to the class of reserved lieu- tenants—men who were put away out of sight. They were 641 in number. The first 37 got 7s. per day, the next 509 (many of whom were of 44 years' standing) got only 63., the next 80 got 55., and the remaining 90 got 4e, Two-thirds of the men who were placed on the lieu. tenants' list never got beyond it. The commanders, re tired and reserved, amounted in number to 431. Of these the first 96 got Bs. 6d. per day, and there were 245 who got only 7s. Many other men were covered with wounds, and as deserving as any men in full commission. The number of retired captains was 30C. Nearly the wk )Ie of these were senior commanders, of from 30 to 50 years' standing. On receivi ng a s t e p in rank an ad ditional sixpence was given to them. They expressed themselves perfectly indignant at such a pettifogging addition to their pay, which now amounted to only 103. 6d. These men had been from 50 to 60 years in the service, and many of them were 80 years of age. Nearly all the payments to which he had called the attention of the house were less than those received by correspond ing ranks in the army. Another hardship on the navy was that there was no such thing as retiring on full pay, whilst in the Marines no less than 105 officers had retired on full pay. Why did not the navy possess a similar advantage The reason was that the Admiralty was not a fraternal government. In the circular issued to the retired captains offering them the additional 6d. per day it was stated that.tbey must give up all claim to Greenwich, and they were told that if they did not take the 6d. they would never get anything. If the house should consent to the appointment of a committee, he would undertake to submit to them a plan which would remedy the unjust system which now prevailed. He would recommend the Government to get as many able seamen as they could in time of peace. If they could man the ships with able seamen in the propor tion of two-thirds or three-fourths, they might in the event of a war be spread over a large number of ships. He thought it would be desirable to give them a small bounty and a little more pay, and that their wages should be advanced every seven years. The total number of active officers in the navy on the four lists to which he had referred was 2,169. Of that number only 1,065 were employed, having 1,104 on half-pay. The total number of officers receiving half pay and full pay was 3 880 ; and of these the number on half-pay was 2,815. He would now briefly advert to some of the objections which might be urged against his motion. It was said that the- half-pay of the army was larger than that of the navy, because the commis gene in the army were purchased. But it should be re m-mbered that commissions in the army were sold as well as purchased, and that sometimes larger sums were obtained than the commissions were worth. And it should not be forgotten that commissions were not pur chased in the Artillery or Marines and yet the parties retired on the same half-pay as in the army. But beyocd that he had examined the Army List, and had ascertained that one-half of the army offi cers had not purchased their commissions at alt. It was stated during the discussion last year that the increase of 6d. per day would coat the country 11,0001, a-year, but the actual amount did not exceed 6,5001. The right hon. gentleman the First Lord of the Admiralty also stated that these old officers had no pa• culiar claims. Now, he considered the expression of such an opinion on the part of the right hon. gentleman, to say the least of it, as very ungracious and indiscreet. The question now before the house was one which in volved the efficiency of the service. By altering the mode of forming the active list the inactive list might be reduced, and not only would a saving be effected in point of expense, but the officers would become more contented. His only motive was to benefit the suffering officers of the navy, and if the G )vernment would promise to take the matter into their serious consideration, be should be content to leave it in their hands. (Hear.) Mr. TITE seconded the motion. Sir C. WOOD—My bon, and gallant friend has re peated to-night the motion which he made last session. I felt it to be my ,duty to resist that motion, and the House of Commons agreed with me that it would not be convenient to appoint a committee for such a purpose. I do not see that my hon. and gallant friend has laid be fore the house any additional reasons for granting in quiry, and I am therefore relieved from the necessity of troubling them with a long repetition of the arguments which I felt necessary to address to them last year. My hon. and gallant friend really misrepresents the state of the case when he says that every successive Board of Admiralty think things are perfectas they find them, and never take the trouble to make alterations. I wilt ven ture to say that, for the last 15 years—l might go back for.her and say for the last 30 years—there has been no naval administration which has omitted to take some measure or another for the improvement of the condi tion of officers of the navy. Every successive board has made some stop in that direction, and my hon. and gallant friend will forgive me for saying it is a most unjust ac cusation which he has made, not only against me, but against the right hon. gentlemen and noble lords who have preceded me, in alleging that the Admiralty have for years neglected the state of the navy. My convic tion is that the efficiency of the navy in the late war is attributable to the great improvements which have taken place, in consequence of its not being neglected ; and I believe that efficiency has been proved and tested in every rank, from the rank of admiral to that of com mon seaman. My hon. and gallant friend repeats the charge that appointments are influenced by aristocratical and Parliamentary considerations. It is impossible to meet a general accusation of that kind. As far as I am concerned, all I can say is that, if he will be so good as to state any one case in which I have been unduly swayed by Parliamentary, family, or aristocratical influ ence, I will frankly meet it ; but, in the most unqualified manner, I challenge him to name a single instance. My hon and gallant friend complains very much of the number of officers unemployed. No doubt it is perfectly true that in the higher ranks there are more officers than can be employed. It was a subject which occupied the attention of a commission of military and naval offi cers in 1840, and of a committee of this house in 1848. The course of promotions was checked, and the result hag been considerably to diminish the number of officers rank of admiral. A diminution of several years has thus been effected, and the effect is that we have a number of officers on the admirals' list who are more efficient that , they were 20 years ago. My hon. and gallant friend has referred to the case of the retired commander who has 'resented a petition this evening. Tho commission said : " With regard to retirement the commanders have some exclusive ground of complaint. They urge that there is no provision in the establishment of Greenwich Hospital for any officers of their rank, and further that there is no re tired list for the seniors of their class similar to the rank of retired rear-admiral, as opened to the captains, or that of the retired commander, as opened to the lieutenants. For both of these grievances we should consider it expe dient that redress should be afforded. "The advantages of Greenwich Hospital should be opened to commanders, as they are to captains and lieutenants; and we would therefore recommend that four commanders should ba added to the establishment of that institution. " With respect to a rate of retired pay for commanders we would suggest to your Majesty that the principle adopted in regard to the first lo olientenants should be applied to the commanders. These 100 lieutenants have the option of re tirement as commanders, with the lowest rate of half-pay of that rank, viz., 84. Gd. a day. We would recommend that a precisely similar indulgence should be extended to a limited number of the senior commanders ; and we should consider that it would be fair to allow 50 of the seniors of that rank the option of receiving the retired rank of cap tain, with the lowest rate of half-pay allowed to a captain —viz., 10s. 6J. a day. " It is not in our view to reduce the numbers entitled to the half-pay of 10s. a day as commanders by the proposed boon. We contemplate the institution of a class of 50 re tired captains, with 10s. Gd. a day, to be followed by the same number of commanders, viz., 150 at 10s. a day, as are at present allowed." These are the recommendations of Sir G. Cockburn, Sir T. Hardy, and Sir C. Adams, and they were im mediately carried into effect. Four commanders wire added to the establishment of Greenwich Hospital, and 50 commanders retired with the rank of captain and with the lowest rate of half -pay of a captain. In 1851 my right hon. friend (Sir F. Baring) doubled the num ber of retired commanders, and added 50 to the re served list, thus trebling the number of retired com manders, with the rank of captain. I thought the com manders would be still more benefited by increasing the number of retirements, and last year I added 150 to the retired list of commanders and 50 to the reserved list. I thought it desirable, however, that the 50 should not be added at once, but the result will be that there will be 250 retired naval commanders, instead of se, as recommended by the commission, and there will be 100 permanently on the reserved list of commanders. The larger number has been raised to the 10s. 6d. lis', and the expense of the whole will be about 11,0001. My hon. and gallant friend then comes to the new cadets who have entered the navy. I took the liberty on a previous occasion of stating that the entry of cadets has not been unduly swelled, and that the establishment of mates, midshipmen, and cadets is no less than 600 below the establishment : during the war the number w.,s reduced. The number of lieutenants is not above that prescribed by the orders in Council, but at present the complaint is that the ships have plenty of lieute• nants, but not enough mates. The number of cadets is considerably short of what is wanted at this moment. It must be remembered that a great number quit the ser vice in one way and another. It is not every boy who takes a fancy to the navy who likes the service after he has seen a little of it. The service is said to be unpopu lar, but I should hardly suppose this to be so from the number of applications made to me, which place me in a position of consid era bl e diffi cu lty in deciding upon them. The cadets who entered in 1847 were 196, of whom 83 for one reason or another are no longer in the service. I am, therefore, inclined to think that the entries in the navy have been too much restricted, and certainly if another war were to occur we should have a great defi• ciency of subordinate officers, without whom it is almost impossible to maintain proper order and discipline. It does not appear to me that my hon. and gallant friend has shown any ground for the appoiutment of the com mittee for which he asks. The questions relative to the reserved list and the retired list were inquired into by a very competent commission, which made recommenda tions, and the same subjects were reterred to a commit. tee of this house, under the presidency of the present Duke of Somerset. The combined system recommended by the commission and the committee has since been fully carried out by thesuccessive Boards of Admiralty, and the result has been the gradual diminution of the officers of the higher ranks to the numbers fixed by or ders in Council. Ido not think any better course could be adopted for the attainment of the object which my hon. and gallant friend seeks to effect, and it does not appear to one that his motion is warranted by any of the grounds he has urged upon the attention of the house. Mr. LINDSAY said, in his opinion the navy ought not to be subject to a First Lord of the Admiralty, who was changed with every administration, but should be under a permanent commander-in-chief, as the army was. He should like to see a committee appointed to inquire into that subject. Another subject that ought to be inquired into was the large number of officers on the active list compared with the number employed. In July, 1855, when in .the midst of the war with Russia, and when we had a fleet in the Baltic and another in the Black Sea, we had on the active list 21 full admirals, and one was employed ; 27 vice -admirals, and two em ployed ; staff officers 99, of whom tia were employed ' • captains, 399, 137 employed ; commanders, 555, 192 employed ; lieutenants, 1,122, 883 employed. By this system the country was put to great expense, and the offictre were made discontented. Admiral WALCOTT was of opinion that the patron age which the First Lord of the Admiralty had was far too great for any one man to have. He thought the Board of Admiralty ought to consist of naval officers, and he would make them responsible for the patronage. Captain SCOBELL briefly replied. The First Lord of the Admiralty had alluded to the report of the com mission ; but it sat in 1841, and now we were in 1857. The right hon. baronet alluded to Sir George Cockburn ; but he left a document stating that in his opinion the Admiralty was far too political. It seemed that some times it required a man to die before he could speak the truth. (Laughter.) He had not brought forward the motion without having many cases to relate of offiezrs who had served from 40 to 60 years without obtaining promotion. He had a great many- letters, bat would not read them. The house then dividee— Ayes 76 Noes The motion was therefore lost. ' BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS ACTS. in the higher ranks unemployed, and to facilitate the pro motion of younger officers, thereby rendering the effici ency of the higher ranks much greater than formerly. The argument which my hon. and gallant friend has made use of on this occasion is totally inc insistent with the complaint he generally makesof the want of adequate promotion, because if you considerably reduce the number of the higher ranks which are obtained by promotion, the inevitable effect must be that promotions must be limited ; and, if that be a) ' young and deservi ng offi cers are necessarily deprived of the just reward of their services. My hon. and gallant friend complained last session that on the comtnittes of 1848 there was no naval officer. I pointed out that both branches of the service were impartially treateJ, and no offi cer of the army sat en that .committee. I am not quite clear that officers are fit persons to sit upon an inquiry of the kind. But, I remember, seven years before a commission was appointed, consist ing principally of naval and military officers, for the purpose of investigating this very question, and the recommendations which they made were carried out. The committee of 1843 recommended that there should be considerable means of retirement provided to relieve the active list of a number of officers who were never likely to be employed, and that process has been going on front day to day. An order in Council, that promo tions should be made at the rate of one captain for three who retired, one commander for three who retired, and so on, has been rigidly adhered to, except where great services have been performed. The result is that the cap tains' and commanders' lists, although higher in number than the committee recommended,' aro being gradually reduced. It is perfectly true, although my hon. and gal lant friend seems disposed to deny the fact, that a great number of persons who fill the lower ranks of the service were attracted to it by the inordinate promotions at the end of the war. As many as 1,000 lieutenants were ga zetted in one year, and I made a calculation that if every one had been employed the last would have been 82 Viscount PA.GMERSTON said thatdoubtshad been expressed in the course of last year with regard to the operation of the Bribery Acts. He thought, therefore, that the beet step to adopt would be to appoint a cam mittee, with a view to discover whether any parts of the existing law were defective or susceptible of improve ment. He would therefore move for a select committee to inquire into the operation of the act 17 and 18 Vict., c. 102, intituled "An - act to consolidate and amend the laws relating to bribery, treating, and undue influence at elections of members of Parliament." Mr. WILLIAMS was glad that the noble lord was about to refer the question to a select committee. It was agreed that the measure referred to had been more effective than any other plan that could be devised short of the ballot, for the prevention of bribery and corrup tior. Mr. H. BERKELEY trusted the noble lord would take care that the committee was so constituted as to secure a full and fair inquiry into the act, which was ge nerally spoken of as a pompous profession, but intended to be inoperative. (Hear.) PETTY SESSIONS (IRELAND). Mr. HORSMAN moved for leave to bring in a bill to authorise the payment of clerks of petty sessions in Ire land by salaries instead of fees, and to amend " The Potty-Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851." Agreed to. TURNPIKES ABOLITION (IRELAND). Mr. HORS MAN moved for leave to bring in a bill to discontinue the taking of toll on turnpike roads now ex isting in Ireland, and to provide for the maintenance of such roads ae public roads, and for the discharge of the debts due thereon, and for other purposes. ' Agreed to. EXTRA_ PAROCHIAL PLACES. when sent to sea a's commander. I need not say more to show the utter absurdity of supposing that they could all be employed. 'The naval members of the corn. mission which sat in 1840 were Sir George Cockburn, Sir Thomas Hardy, and Sir Charles Adams —men well acquainted with and devoted to the service. I have only stated what those naval officers asserted. They stated : Mr. BOUVERIE moved for leave to bring in a bill to provide for the relief of the poor in extra parochial places. Agreed to. "It would be incorrect to attribute the inactivity of these officers entirely to a voluntary relinquishment of duty on their part, as there is no doubt that very many of them would have been fully prepared to serve if opportunities had been afforded to them ; but as we have shown that the proportion of the employed to the unemployed is as small as 1 to 11 in one class (captains) ; as 1 to 10 in a second (commanders); and as 1 to 6 in the last class (lieutenants), it must be quite obvious that anyfull-pay employment must have been quite out of the reach of a very large number." The only rule adopted was that which the commission recommended—that those who bad served as midshipmen and mates during the war, who had been in action, or gained medals should receive lieutenancies. It was the commission that reported in favour of the long list of lieutenants of which the hon. and gallant gentleman complained. They said : "Oar examination of the evidence In regard to the rank of 'naval lieutenant' has led to the conviction that a very large number must be considered as having obtained this commission as a provision from the public for service in an inferior station. They did not, of course, obtain lieuten ancies exempted from a liability to be recalled to employ ment, but to many it must have been apparent that this contingency was remote, and they must have viewed the position they obtained as the ultimate station they would hold in the navy. The promotion of more than I,OXI offi cers to be lieutenants in one year at the close of the last war would iu itself furnish a sufficient proof of this." The convenient mode of rewarding these officers and giving them promotion was to make them lieutenants and to give them the had =pay of their rank, withouie of course, a proepect of employment for the greatest portion of that number. It has been calouleted that if all these lieutenants had been employed it would have taken 40 years before the list would be exhruvted, and t'iose at the hott9ta of the list would have gone to sea as lieuten ants at 55 years of ago. Bui; it has been proved that (Before Mr. Frere.) where an officer has been so l ong on s hore it is neither Aberdeen Junction Railway.—A bill fora railway, own' for hie benefit nor f r that of the -service that be should mencing by a junction with the Aberdeen Railway, at into t North-Eastern, arorfanSrtland Railway at Killybewster, a e n f d be sent to sea. The scheme for the retirement of the Ab or eril l een, and terminating by a junction with the Great admirals has at least worked this beneficial change, that IN to Scotland 3nt it has diminished the age of those o ffi cers who have - at- Dundee and Perth, tamed the rank of admiral. It used to be complained et i i : ;ei n with the Gre e a t t h, North Scottish Central, ti an d dl a d l in d b A ur r e b lT and Glasgow Railway that of fi cers were s-nt to sea of an age that rendered Companies.—The standing orders complie I with. he: eu w:T . :l, adjoining them incompetent to the duties of active service. What Richmond and RewExtension Railway.—A bill to snake !lied VI South-Western Railway. was the remedy for that state of things 1 Why, that a a railway commencing by a junction with the line of the certain number of o ffi cers shoed I be placed on the re- North and South-West Junction Railway, in the parish of served list with the rank and pay of rear-admiral, theft- Esling, terminating in the parish of Richmond, in the by accelerating the promotion of captains to the rank of the Windsor line of the London don c a e rd admiral. In 1841 the junior admiral had attained the no t m with. rank of captain 35 years before be attained the rank of Shropsh ire Union R ailways and Canal, London and admiral. The last admiral, appointed two or three North- Western Railway, and Shropshire Canal Company. days ago, had served 22 years, and this was a reduction _The objects of this bill have already been giver. —The of 13 years in the period ofeis attaining post rank. The standing orders were complied with. ' —The standing 6rd second and third vacancy will bring us down to captains The 4 I following bills were alio declared to have complied %ho attained that rank 20 years before they attained the filth the standing ord ers :—Victoria Gas, Dartmouth and SUPPLY. The report on supply was brought up and agreed to. — ROYAL MARINE FORCES BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. The house adjourned at half-past seven. STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Yesterday the standing orders committee met for the first time ; Colonel Wilson Patten in the chair. The committee consists of Sir W. Heathcote, Mr. Henley, Mr. Greene Mr. E. D en i son, Si r R. F ergu son, Mr. Wrightson, Mr. 'Lam ston, Mr. Th orne ly, an d Mr . Lockhart. After hearing the different Parties the committee de cided upon not nesistin ,, upon /compliance with the stbnd ing orders i n respect to the following bills f—; Edinburgh Life Assurance ; East Kent Railway (Strood to St. Mary's Cray) ; Islington Parish; Mid Kent (Croydon Branch) ; Finsbury Park - Newry and Enniskillen Rail way ; Southampt on , Bris tol, and South Wales Railway ; Stockport and Dursley Railway ; and for No. 1 and No. 3 of the railway s proposed by the Eastern Counties Railway Company, os. 2 and 4 were rejected. In the cas e o f t h e Fortmar i ne an d B uc h an R a il way an d Aberdeen, Peterhead, awl Fraserburgh Railway, the com mittee decided that the standing orders were not to be dis pensed with. Consequently the progress of these bills is suspended for the present session. THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 18, 1857. HOUSE OF COMMONS. EXAMINERS OF BILLS —.... FOR NEW RAILWAYS A ND PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. bills : Yesterdsy the examiners disposed of the following Torbay Railway, Otley and Skipton Roads, and Birken head District Gas and Water. The following bills were postponed :—Tho Conway Rail way Bill (to the 26th of February) ; Torquay and St. Mary Church Gas to the 2,3 d of February). (Beforo Mr. Smith.) • - - Doncaster and Wakefield Railway. —A bill to make and maintain a railway commencing by a junction with the main line of the Great Northern Railway, crossing the River Don, in the parish of Doncaster, terminating by a junction with the Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole branch of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, in the parish of Crofton, in the county of York ; and to enable the com pany to be incorporated with and enter into arrangements with the Great Northern Railway Company.—Thu stand ing °niers complied with- Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Railway.—A bill to make a branch communicating by a junction with the Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Extension, to the Taff Vale Railway, in the parish of Merthyr Tydvil, terminating in the parish of Aberdare ; a branch commencing at Llanwonno, and. terminating with the Aberdare branch of the Taff Valeßailway, near the Moun tain Ash station ; and a branch railway, commencing by a junction with the Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Railway, in the hamlet of Cefn, terminating in the parish of Gellygaer.—The standing orders complied with. Liverpool Docks Committee and Birkenhead Docks.—A. bill to empower the Birkenhead Improvement Commis. sioners an t Local Board of Health for Wallasey, in respect to the appointment of members of their body upon the committee ; for the provision for the sub-committee to manage the dock works in Cheshire, and for other pur poses.—The standing orders complied with. Deeside Extension Railway.—The standing orders not complied with. In respect of the following bills, they were postponed to a future day :—New Ross Free Bridge Act Amendment, the Thames Embankments sad Railways, and the St. George's Harbour Act Amendment. The Ipswich Water Bill was discussed at great length, but the arguments were not concluded when the examiner rose for the day, _ The Clifton - Railway, and Tottenham, Hornsey, and Willesden Junction Railway Bills were struck out of the list, there being no appearance of parties to support them. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FEB, 17. NAVAL ADMINISTRATION. Motion made, and Question put, " That a Select Com• mittee be appointed to inquire into the Naval Adminis tration, relating to Lists of Officers, the Patronage, the Promotions and the Retirements, and the efficiency of the Service, in all its giades."—The House divided ; Ayes 76, Noes 97. AYES-76. Acton, J. Forster, C. Otway, A. Anderson, Sir J. Fox, W. J. Parke, C. Barnes, T. Gladstone, Capt. J. Peellell, Sir O. Bass, T. Goderich, Via. Pigott, F. Baxter, T. Grenfell, Chas., Pilkington, J. Biggs, J. Gwyn, H. Pollard-Urquhart, W. Bignold, Sir S. Hadfield, G. Reed, J. Blakeniore, T. Hankey, T. Smith, J. B. Bland, L. Hastie, Alex. Somerville, Sir W. Buck, Col. Keating, H. S. Stanhope, J. Burghley, Lord. Kershaw, J. Stracey, Sir H. Chambers, M. King, J. Stuart, Captain Child, Smith Laslett, W. Taylor, Col. Cholmondeley, Lord Lindsay, Col. J. Vivian, H. H. Clay, James Lindsay, W. Walcott, Admiral Clive, G. ➢lacEvoy, E. Walmsley, Sir J. Cobbett, J. M. Mac Mallon, P. Warner, E. Cobden, R. Maguire, J. Warren, S. Codrington, General Meagher, T. Weguelln, T. Crook, J. Miall, E. Whitbread, S. Dillwyn, L. Michell, W. Williams, W. Duncan, G. 11107 e ,G. Yorke, E. Dunne, M. Mullings, J. Evelyn, W. Muntz, G. Ewart, W. Napier, Sir C. Ewart, J. North, Col. J. Ferguson, Joseph O'Brien, P. TELLERS. &obeli, Capt. G. Tile, W. NOES-97. Agnew, Sir Andrew Fitzgerald, J. M on crelfr, J. B di, J. Fitzroy, Hon. H. Montgomery, Sir G. Baring, Sir F. Follett, B. Morris, D. Beaumont, W. Fortescue, C. Mowbray, J. R. Beckett, W. Frecstun, Col. Naas, Lord Berkeley, Sir M. French, F. Nisbet, Robert Berkeley, Hon. ii Graham, Sir J. Oliveira, B. Berkeley, F. Grey, R. Osborne, R. Bethell, Sir R. Grosvenor, Ld. R. Palmerston, Vlset. Blackburn, Peter Gurney, J. Philipps, J. Blandford. Marquis of Hall, Sir B. Phillimore, J. G. tiouverie, Hon. E. P. Heneage, Geo. F. Ramsden, Sir J. Brand, H. B. W. Herbert, S. Ricardo, 0. Brocklehurst, J. Holford, R. Rice, E. Brockman, E. D. H ors f a ll, T. Russell, F. C. Brown, W. Hotham, Lord Sandars, G. Bruce, Lord E. Hughes, W. Shea, Sergt. W. Buckley, Gen. Hughes, H. Sibtliorp, Major Castlerosse, Viscount Butt, W. Smith, R. Cochrane, A. Ingram, H. Spooner, R. Corry, H. T. L. Johnstone, J. Hope Steel, 3. Cowper, W. F. Johnstone, James Stirling, William Craufurd, E. H. J. Labouchere,Rt.Hon.H. Thornely, T. .Denison, J. E. Langworthy, Edward Villiers, C. Dent, J. Lewis, Sir G. C. Watkins, Col. Da Vere, S. Liddell,H. G. Wells, W. Drummond, H. Lockhart, A. E. Mulgrave, Earl of Wickham, H. w. wood, Sir C. Wortley, J. S. TELLERS. Hayter, W. buncombe, F EFF Ferguson, Duncan, l:nllclu.:lneomin . : V m, 1 iiillaus Sir . j c noo o . rart u . a. A. t mit .1 Massey, W. a: . . t A. s: r Viscountj J. POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Feb. 17. MARYLEBONE,—Mr. Broughton was engaged for. some time in an investigation in reference to the case of the widow Allsop, who, as alleged by her, had lost fire sons in the service of their Queen and country—three of them at Cabul, and two in the Crimea. The widow, who had been ordered to attend, was pre sent at 2 o'clock. Soon after that hour she was called in, and was seated near the attorney's table. She was dressed in half-mourning, and seemed to be somewhat be y. d 60 years of age. Mr. Broughton—l have sent for you to be here to day, Mrs. Allsop, for the purpose of putting some questions to you which I consider it my duty to do in consequence of a great deal of money having been for warded to me since the publication of your case in the papers. It is now necessary that there should be a clear understanding in the affair before you have aoy money handed over to yon. Mrs. Allsop—Will you allow me, sir, to speak to you privately, for there are many letters that-- Mr. Broughton—No, you cannot have an interview with me in private. The inquiry must be in open court. Now, answer my questions. Are you a widow ? Mrs. Allsop—l am, sir. Mr. Broughton—ln what regiment was your husband an officer Mrs. Ailsop—ln the 44th Regiment for a long time in India, and he exchanged into another regiment. We then came to England, my husband selling off the half pay awarded to him, and he received for it 1,400/. I had after his death a little income. Mr. Broughton—From what source was your income derived ? Mrs. Allsop—Don't ask me, sir, for the sake of, those who are dead. Mr. Broughton—Now, be careful as to what I am ask ing you. . Had you any sons at Cabul ? Allsop—l had three there ; they were born while my husband was in the 44th Regiment ; two of them, who were twins, were christened one in the name of James, and the other David. Mr. Broughton—ln what way did they meet their death ? Mrs. Allsop—They were blown up into the air. Nearly the whole of the regiment was killed. Mr. Broughton—Did you receive any intimation from the War-office that your sons had been destroyed at Cabul ? Mrs. Alleop—Yes. Mr. Broughton—Have you. received any r ay that :night have been due to them ? Mrs. Allsop—No, sir. Lire. Allsop here turned over a number of papers, some of which were handed to the magistrate. • Mr. Broughton—When did you first send in a peti tion Mrs. Ailsop—ln 1843 ; that was to the Queen . and I di I not send to Prince Albert until after the Queen, de nied me. Mr. Broughton—When you petitioned the Queen why did not you mention about your eons, who, as you allege, were killed at Cabul Mrs. AlliDp (after some hesitation)—l did, to the best of my belief, Etate it. M. Broughton—l have a well-authenticated letter that you did not do anything of the sort in your petition to her Majesty. Can you bring forward.any witnesses who knew that you had sons in the army, and who were killed ? Mr 3. Doug'aF, living in Nutfoit-place, kunwg Mr. Broughton—ls she here 1 Mrs. Alliop—No, sir. Mr. Broughton—Are you aware that when applica tions have been made at the Horse Guards none of the names of either of your sons were found entered there Mrs. A'hop—Yes, but although I could hot get jus tice where I had a right, as I thought, to look fc , r it, I still met with a friend. Mr. Broughton—Who was he ? Mrs. Allsop—Lord F. Somerset. Don't ask me any more questions about it. Mr. Broughton- -.Can you refer me to any one who ever saw either of your sons, knowing them to be in the army Mrs. Allsop—l cannot now, sir : but I might be able to do so upon another day. Mr. Broughton—ln 1855 the greatest e xc it emen t pre veiled in regard to the Crimean war. IVill you tell me why you never made mention about your sons in the pe tition which in that year you say you sent in I Mrs. A.11;op—I did make mention of it. Mr. Broughton—Now, I have the petition here (the magistrate produced it and read it), in which you make no allusion at all to any sons in the Crimea. Have you ever applied to the parish ? Mrs. Allsop —I have, sir ; and have been in the rc ceipt o f 33, 61. per week, but his now stopped. Mr. Broughton—Before that allo ance was made'to you , you were, no doubt, questioned with regard to your circumstances by the proper authorities of Maryleboue? Mrs. Allsop—Yes, I was (3c-twined by them. Mr. Broughton—And did you not ted them you had three sons only and two daughters ? Mrs. Allsop—They did not ask me any of those ques tions. Lord Raglan was a kind friend to me and ae sist( d Mr. Braughton—Have you any letter stating that Lord Raglan Ever afforded you aid ? Mn'. Allsop—l have it not here, sir, but it can be pro laced some other time —perhaps I have it now. (She here looked over a larga packet of papers, but could not find it) But, why am I put to all this pain and ex posure in court, when Mr. Jenner, of Doctors'-commons, could, if he liked to come forward, explain at once all about my interest in my late husband's property ? Mr. Broughton —Do you remember any inquiries be ing rm.de respecting you by the Mendicity Society ? kris. Allsop—Yes ; they have injured me. They get a great deal of money from the public, and the poor peo ple who ought to have it get little or nothing. (It had been ascertained that Mrs. Alliop has been well known as a begging letter writer for some time.) Mr. Broughton (a letter having been handed to him by-Mr. Franklin).— Were you ever at Bradford Mrs. Allsop—Brontford,' did you say ? I don't know the place. Mr. Brbughton—Bradford, and not Brentford, was mentioned. Do you know that town ? Mrs. Allsop—Certainly not. I am an il'-used woman, and have put my case in the hands of a lawyer, who will lay everything fully before the public at large. After some further questions to Mrs. Allsop the Ma gistrate, addressing her, said—lt i s now unnece ssary for me-to keep up this inquiry any longer. I did at first entertain a favourable opinion of you, but my impression has since been altered. I believe that your story with regard to your five sons having last their lives in the service of their country is a fable. If it be not so, it is a most extraordinary thing that clergymen and others whose names you have made use of in various ways, and who, as stated by you, have kno wn y ou f ora l ong w hi le, know nothing respecting your children, the young men who you state have perished in battle. You told the guardians and directors of the poor that you bad three sons and two daughters on'y, and the letter which I have by me, addressed by you to Cohnel Phipps, is dated March, 1850. When I re ceived it from you it bore the date 1856. The Prince caused inquiries to be made, and they turned out to be unfavourable—hence arose the letter declining assist ance to the widow. I (ad led Mr. Broughton) have also made the most diligent inquiries, and they are equally unfavourable as regards your claim for assist ance. After a careful investigation I come to no other conclusion than that you (Mrs. A'lsop) had no eons killed either at CAbul or in the Crimea, and that your story in your aiplications to Royalty was not founded in fact. lam anxious that it should go forth that, feel ing as I do upon the matter, the rersons who have con tributed sums for the widow under the belief that she was a deserving object may bare them returned in the event of Mrs. Alison not being able in the course of a few days to establish a proper claim to public sympathy and aid. Sheull the donors not be desirous of having back their c mtributions, I shall devote them to the poor-box, from which many deserving and distressed persons will derive assistance. Mrs. Allsop then left the court, Baying, "I'll have the whole of my case put into all the papers." WORS IP-STREET.—John Walker, a haberdasher, in Shaftesbury-Areet, New North-road, was brought up for re-examination upon a charge, preferred by the parish authorities of Shoreditch, of neglecting, ill-feeding, and cruelly u ing his orphan niece, eight years of age ; and a boy Limped Charles Gleed was charged with wilfully smashing the other defendant's windo JO' The ca-e of the boy came on first, and in that Collard, a constable of the N division, stated that while on duty in Shaftesbury-street on the preceding evening he saw the boy fling something at the first•floor window over the haberdasher's shop, and directly after heard a smash ing of glv-s. There was a great mob of people collected round the house, but he went in am9ng them and took out the boy. Mr. D'Eyncourt—What was the cause of the mob collecting ; did you ascertain ? Constaie—Yes, sir ; a person named Walker, now under remand from this court, and out on bail, for ill using a child, lives there, and ever since the first exami nation a scene of excitement has been exhibited there which is perfectly indescribable. The police are on duty in the neighbourhood in numbers, but a mob of from 700 to 800 people, and of all ages and both sexes, collects, and the consequence is that business is prevented, and the shops near are closed. I never saw such a disturb ance or display of feeling ; the windows of the house are broken, and, although the shutters are up, the pannel ling beneath them has been kicked in and splintered. A great amount of damage has been done to the premises, and I reaily believe that Walker's life will be in danger if the mob get hold of him. A gentleman present—l can bear witness, sir, to the scene in the street being as described by the officer. I never saw such a 'disturbance or destruction in my life ; at least 101. worth of damage has been done to the house. Mr. D'Eyncourt—l must express my strong disappro bation of such a manifestation of feeling as this. The object of it is now under examination here, though oat on bail, and has been perhaps himself fearful of personally applying for a remedy, but the persons who so assail him may rest assured that if either he or any one on his behalf applies to me for redress I will grant a process against them immediately. Mother of the boy—Why, sir, my boy is only one among a thousand; this pelting sometimes goes on till 12 o'clock at night. Mr. D'EyncO - urt—l have it in my power to send your son to prison in default of paying a 40s. penalty for throwing stones in a public thoroughfare, but, as you appear to be a woman in distressed circumstances, and the boy to have acted more from an evil example than anything else, I will in this instance only sentence him to ply the amount of damage he has inflicted, and allow the officer to receive it and refund it to the owner of the premises, The woman gladly paid the money, and the boy, after reproval from his mother, was discharged. Walker afterwards appeared in discharge of his bail, accompanied by Mr. Heritage, his solicitor, and, the evi dence previously taken having been read over, aad the witnesses cross-examined by Mr. Heritage, be was again remanded upon bail, himself in 1001. and two sureties in 501. each, a slight increase upon the former amount of bail. This amount he could not procure, and the officers, therefore, took him away in a cab, to save him from the indignation of the mob, who had assemlied outside the court to the number of several hundred persons. CLERKENWELL.—A large body of unemployed artisans and labourers who had formed part of a meeting in a field near Agar-town, St. Pancras, marched up in front of the court, headed by the chairman of the meet log, who acted as spokesman. He stated to Mr. Combs that they had applied to St. Pancras parish for relief, and having been refused they came peaceably to seek advice and assistance from his worship. The poor persons now attending were starving with their families and had not tasted food all day. Numbers of the per sons present confirmed this fact, and Mr. Combs hu manely ordered that bread should be procured and dis tributed to them, and the station-house yard next to the court was immediately crowded by the 'hungry multitude. Mr. Bayliss, the chief usher of the court, ordered an immense quantity of loaves of various bakers in the neighbourhood, and they were handed over by Mr. Superintendent Martin of the G division, and other officers in quantities according to the distress and wants of the recipients. THAMES.—Two strong and able-bodied fellows, of ruffianly appearance and manners, named Joseph Lee, aged 19, of No. 30, Devonshire-street, Commercial -road east, and James Sadlier, of No. 12, Star-street, Commercial-road-east, plumber, 22, was charged with seizing John Duhm, of No. 6, Lower Pelham-street, Spitaffields, by the neck, throwing him backwards, and attempting to rob him of his watch and money. The prosecutor said—l was returning home about 2 o'clock this morning, and while passing along High street, Whitechlpel, I saw the two prisoners with another man and a woman. Sadlier came up to me and said, " What have you been insulting my girl for ?" I replied, "I have not seen her or you before." Upon which Lee seized me by the throat and nearly strangled me. He threw me down and held me fast while Sad lier, who acted in a most violent manner, tore my waist: coat open, anu put his band in one of my pocket., but there was nothing in that pocket. He then made a snatch at my watchguard, By a desperate effort I par tially released my-elf, and got upon my feet, and was enabled to call "Police !" The policemen came up, and the two ruffians threw me on the ground and ran (away. But for the policemen arriving as they did I should cer tainly have been robbed of all I had. They struck me twice, and hurt me very much. Mr. Yardley—Are you sure those are the men who attacked you ? theit Mr. Duhm—l am, sir ; I can positively swear to Margaret English, a young woman, said,—l was pass. ing and saw the prisoners together, and one of them caught the prosecutor by the throat and threw him down. There were three of them, but one ran away, and got clear from the police. Police-constable Woodward, No. 187 11, stated that he saw Mr. Dam in the hands of the prisoners, and on running to the spot the men ran away. He followed Sadlier and overtook him close to the Red Lion and Spread Eagle public-house on the north side of the High street. On apprehending him he said he had just come out of the public-house. He took the prisoner to the prosecutor, who at . once said, "He is one of the men who attempted to rob me." Police-constable Burgess, No. 190 H, said he also heard the prosecutor crying " Pace, police I" and pur sued Lee and succeeded in apprehending him. Police-sergeant Foay, No. 7 If, said he knew both prisoners well as the associates of thieves. Lee bad been in custody, and was once summarily convicted at the Worship-street court. Lee pleaded guilty. The other prisoner said nothing. Mr. Yardley said he was not going to dispose of this case summarily, an d comm i tted the prisoners for trial. LAMBETH.—George Collins a smart young fellow, who gave his add ress 54 , Queen-street, Palace-road, Bir mingham, was charged with the following attempt at highway robbery and violence : Mr. Wiliam Harvey, of 19, New-street, Kennington road, traveller, said—About 12 o'clook last night L was passing along the Kennington-road and overtook and passed the prisoner. ItninediatJy after I bad done so I received a severe blow on the back of the head, and on turning round I saw the prisoner, who said "he would have my money ; that he had none, and would have mine." He then put his hand into bis pocket, and took out something which I thought was a knife. To avoid him I ran into the road, when I was followed by the prisoner; and at thiJ moment Mr. Moss, a gentleman who is now present, fortunatrly came up. I told him what the prisoner had done to me, and he endeavoured to secure him, when a policeman came up, and took hi m a clerk in the War-office, residi ng at N I ) Kennington, deposeithlae tprhisone sree sawinto custody. 11 , r.. Joseph 6, New w Mora,Bt street, t, the prisoner chasing the p rosecutor, and the la tter asked him to assist him. He did so, and pushed ti back while he w as strikin g at the prosecutor. Ther go ner said he would have the p rosecu tor's move ey uo P h r oi l s ; life, and was ve r y violent indeed. Mr. Elliot — Are yo u s ure the prisonere-i violent when m those expressions ? Mr. Moss — Quite sure, and ho was y he said so. Police-constable Jcseph Kneel; 115 Psaid—Last night, wkile on duty i,t the liennin&t9r- -10, d, I heard a scuffling muse at some diaance off, and op tho prisoner was my custody given into" going to the 1 y by Mr. Hai:- vey, who told me what he had done. Lasked him bow he came to attack the gentleman, and ho replied, "111 have his money er his life." I then took him to the station, and from what was told me then by the 1 3 “" c.. cutor I went back t ) the spot where the assault had been committed, and there found this knife. Cook, the gaoler, recognised the prisoner as an 01 ,1 customer, and the prisoner himself acknowledged to having been committed from this court for two ntontbo on a charge of picking pockets ; but Cook was of opinion that that was not his only visit, The prisoner, who offered nothing in defence, Wal l fully committed for trial. Country Markets. - LIVERPOOL--FEn. 17. At to-day's market there was the usual attendanc e I) , town dealers and several millers from the interior. Wbl; met with a fair inquiry from our local dealers, as well ",,,; for shipment to Ireland, and a moderate extent of bueirl'i resulted at Tue.day's prices for American red and fin" ' qualities of white, but at a decline of ld to 2d per bush% on middling and inferior qualities. Sack flour slow ,ret sj a sale, at barely last week's prices. Oats must be noted to Id lower, and for oatmeal no demand. Beans a nd bar; ley unchanged. Indian corn in good demand, at 31 P i e ) , qr. advance on y e ll ow an d mixed, and 9d on white, t„,„ two former readily brin g i ng 31 s and 355, and the latter.," 6d to 37s per 481 be. ; the export demand still continue' LEEDS, FEB. 17. We have a fair supply of wheat : good dry qualitieslD held very firmly at full prices, while inferior and sorts are as difficult to sell as before, and the business I P7 I - ing only limited. Barley ma k es l a t e ra t es. Beaus ~. as dear. Other articles as before. Average prices of grain—Wheat, 56s 3d ; „ 1 411 ! 6d ; oats, 25s 5d ; b eans , 41. 10d ; peas , 403 v" rye, —s. Od. HULL-: To-day we had a short sup met slow sale at the rates of wheat very dull. Barley, change. Linseed very firm, o altered, crushers resisting the Ft B. 17. 'Ply of English wheat. fiws ti f last market day. For" - (1 all other articles with e t o , oil dearer, and cakes ) decline. Wheat, English, red 56 to 58 1 Ditto white 6O to 63 Dantzie and Konigs berg 65 to 70 PomeranianandHam " I Peas, grey and black to Linseed, Black Sea Ditto Petersbnrgh , 54 W Ditto Rigaand Arch- 0 angel Ditto Konigsberg and " Memel 5O , A Por iLins.o., Hull 0/ Os to lit 1 ° 5 0,1 Ditto fine for. 91 Os 11' O Aj IDitto iuf. for Ol Oa Od to ni go Rapeseed OOl Os to Ov pd t 130'.A Rape cakes —s o Tares, English W. Of IDitto foreign .. , 00s :TO I Guano OOl Os ... tolo` o o3 Bones Flour, per brl. ......350. burgh Danish, Holstein, and Friesland 5l to 58 Russian and Odessa 58 to 631 Oats, English Ditto Danish Ditto Friesland Ditto Russian 27 to 30; Barley, malting Ditto grinding 35 to 381 Beaus Ditto foreign Peas, white and yel 4O to 42, _ COURSE OF EXCHANGE.—YEsnaDAI, _ imsterdam .. .. .. • • .... 11 16 Gibraltar .. ....•••• •• '• 204 1 , Ditto, three, months .. 11 18% L eg h orn .. •• • . - .• 5 Of' .. aotterdam .......• •• .. 11 18% Genoa ...... .. •• •• •• ••0 •••• Antwerp .............. 25 42% Milan .• .• .• .. .. .. •• • Brussels .............. 25 42% Venice •• AA Altana Elamburgh . ..... ...... 13_7% Naples •• •• .. .. .... •• •• 1 30fi • • • • •• •• •• •• • • • • , Palermo •• • • ...... •• •• 13 0 Paris ................... 25 25 i M e s s i na .. • •• • • 61 4 Ditto, three months .. 25 65 ; Lisbon • sl% Marseilles ............. 25 67% Oporto .............• " .•• Ronrdeaux ............ 1 Rio Janeiro ..... .•••• ** ...• Frankfort-on-Maine .• .. 1195 y 'Buenos Ayres.... ••• • LI •••• Berlin •• •• •• •... •••• •• i N ew York,6o days' eau Vienna .......... • • .... 10 30 ' Philadelphia •• •• ........ ok rrieste •••••••••• •• .• ... 10 32 !ALOES Or ItTLIIII,T, l ~ , Petersburg ............ 37% ,Foreign Gold in Bare X,, 3 1 0 . 0 Madrid .........., .... 49% Portugal Gold Coin •• ,' 0 1 Cadiz ......... • • ...... 50 Mexican Dollars .... v n 0 . flucelona ............ New Dollars .....• t„' 0 0 Swine...—. ...... •. • • • Silver in bare .. ... •• 0 LOCAL SHARE MA:11KBTI LIVERPOOL, FEB. 17. 0 410 STOCK EXCHANGE.—The mark e t was active i clesing at its best point. Caledonian, 311 2li 2 j 9 Eastern Counties, 10—Lancashire and Yorkshire, 60 London and North Western, 107i—Ditto, halves, e! f o o ldr 3d. dis.—Blackb arn , 91. ls. 31—Manchester, SP a e itiebi and Lincoln, 351 —Midland, 2/ c. 3i—North 3 9 6 101. Bs. 9d.—S ou th E as t ern , 22i i—Dutch Rheel soo dof C 9d. p.—Great Wester n , 68 i—G rea t W estern of hd, 258—Great Southern a nd W es t ern, 55I—Birken Lancashire, and Cheshire, 69. MANCHESTER, FEB. 17. STOCK EXCHANGE.—This market was doing A d en moderate business, with prices unchanged. IdiarDitto , —Leeds, 99k—London and North Western, 1" 71 Sq -- Eighths, 5-]6 die.--Blackburn, 9 1-16—Sheffiel d, 00 4 District Bank, 11j p.—Caledonian, 321—Rochb 81. LEEDS, FEB. 17. t e als!' STOOK EXCHANGE.—An average business cion e t 311 Midland, 83—North Eastern, (York capital stock ), Victoria Mine, is. dis. BIRMINGHAM, FEB. 17. 0 1 STOCK EXCHANGE.—The mark e t continues fir r f ri dosl Lc, little business doi ng , a t a b ou t yesterday ' s rates. Itol4 and North Western Stock, 1071 I—Great Western ir, 67i—London and N or th W estern, Eighths, _ mingham Guaranteed, 76 I—Birmingham Pref., Birmingham Canal, 921 3l—Birmingham and lA° shire Gas, new, 11 12 pm. , o r SHOCKING SUICIDE BY STRY CHNINE .—A pail' 1 fl at sation was created in Newp or t l as t we ek by the r e r lo e, of the death of Mr. Willi am G ummow f ro m grit% of administered by his own hands; and the fatal *1 144 importance to the world on account of the di gtr ; 6 0 symptoms which exhibit e d th emse l ves for se°l-iieor hours previously to his death. On proceeding to ogee the body the coroner's jury found deceased in t ile ta d 0 position, in bed, in which he di e d, an d be prei l tburst most fearful sight. His eye-balls seemed ready _Aw. the from their sockets ; his teeth we r e ti g htly ciao' ' o pt& features drawn and contracted, and the whole 10111 nance frightfully distorted; his fists, too,' wer e , loth clinched ; hi s f ee t f orce d out b eyon d the f oo t oft and his limb s i n a state o f f i xed rigidity. The poi se' ec ol , bought by the servant o f t h e su i cide. The druggistAredi lected the latt er com i ng to h i s shop and asking for o,—ide. to kill rats. He gave bins three grains of strY°" n r otO ‘ I have sold the same (said the druggist) for killisg t ; o rti for four er five years to many persons. I writel - el. ° ' 4) o l a sc v oo e nr o' a noe p nr r i ma n ny t e d packages,djuryolabel.b s e a rTv n he d ed it have w deceased a n u o l t d a printed bemuch ..hole Thet oh took the " tr ied three grains. The doctor who attended him fir st , a ' sr strong emetics, which produced no e ff ect. He tme i foli plied the stomach-pump, but his mouth was s° ;: e en fixed, and the spasms and violent paroxysm° w h ;loOf powerful as to shake the gaslamps in the room:" ofi and he could not in any way apply it. His b °4 ool) bent in a curved form as in lock-jaw. They We re .„ l , or such symptoms as would be p ro d uce d by strynh °l- feeto hydrophobia. The spasms contracted and bent the o f and the hands were clinched t oo , and he died i n °n and those convulsions, quite bla c k i n th e f ac e. From m it _. el hour to two hours is the lo nges t ti me k n own in such veto after spasms have commenced. Half a grain is enongli of destroy life. The right side of the heart was found f° o blood, and the left empty. It h a s b ee n a disputed P o oi. (in the cases lately before the public) as to whether by side should be full; or empty in cases of poisoning 0, strychnine, but there have been instances both W . ;pe The lungs were blacker than usual, but the other oil heal ,hy. Hants A drcrtiser N m r. ed ] — icin A e mo e n ti g eet t e h d e b n y um p e u rouseatraor d_ t in i :l o Barry's clelici° cures h e a E A l t :: i E . without e a s i. t i o s i E E n g Revalenta Arabica. Food of Indir;ed (Dyspepsia), Flatulency, Constipation, Nervous, Bilioushiv, Liver Complaints, Cough, Asthma, Consumption,andp, e „ b q - /1. the following are not the least remarkable :—Cure No. *" 1 - 09 6 ertisss Elizabeth Jacobs, of Nazing Vicarage, Walthat u ri • ri gh I ll ow. : . a cure of extreme nervousness, indigestion. Pt"' )11 0 spirits, and nervous fancies. Cure No. 48,31 4 . -- f tell Elizabeth Yeoman, Gateaere, near Liverpool : a nu re h lftl. years' dyspepsia and all the horrors of yons irritt; l ot 12, Pat r i c k- street, C ork, 4th mo., 4th, 1849.-1315A:0e Friend,—l have given your Arabica Food to a girl 43' Wit Abe who during the last seven years has n o t b ee n a day lf" Os vomiting fifteen or sixteen times, and sometimes oftene r ' ea sed fourth day after she commenced your food vomiting c ho itis altogether, and she has not thrown up since ; her hp is improving wonderfully. WILLIAM MARTIN, ' 11 %4 or Supported by testimonials from the celebrated Prof .:oll.-.i Chemistry Dr. Andrew Ure ; Dr. Shorland ; Dr. 11411 Dr. Campbell ; Dr. Gattiker ' • Dr. Wnrzer; Dr. I „,t1 Lord Stuart de Decies; the Dowager Countess of ' , A stuart; Major-Gen. Thomas King, and many other resP ee Tber, persons, whose health has been restored by it, afterall o _,. e w means of cure had failed. For further particulars r esl ;4 lug this invaluable food othe r e urparrteaodf this e paper . sare refer red to Loll BP'' advertisement BIRTHS. Or A SON. Chr the 17th inst., at Herne-hill is" , Surrey , Mrs. pher North Graham. of On the 17th inst., at Claph am-park, Surrey, the W ife Sydney Laurence, Esq. OP A DAUGHTER. rift Oa the 16th inst., at 12, Sassex•gardens, ErYd ela the wife of Captain Hansard. gr h On tho 15th inst., at 2, Regent's-park-terrace , Robert Clay, On the 17th inst., JoPoir, Haute, MARRIED. toJessie Mary, m Cl a if r ton t , h E e , et i M ajor - General H. Lech y m'ere Worrall, of the , 13 e - '' Cavalry. On the 17th inst., at St. James's, Westbourne - t e-41 1' y th re ir C d " su te rv'iv E in i g " d: 4lfo n h ol ° Hudson, M.D , of 11, Cork-street, Burlingto„. 2 l.. dens, t o Louis, Grover, of 22, Cambridge-streeto Pi park, daughter of the late Captain Grover, F.R.S. D I E D. litio On thecyottherbo inst. the aged 6 theVe 9. ry Rev. William Rowe DI Dean of wara ° On the 17th i ns t., M r . J ames W e ll, o f H ea ton 11 P üb• of 25 y ears ass i stan t to M essrs. W m. T egg an deo., P lishera, Queen-street, Cheapside, aged 58. __., l ef o rsto On the 16th inst., at Horsham-park, Robert i'll• m Esq., aged 69. the yoinger son of the late Sir Edmund Filiner, Bart. , 31 -. - , On tin 15th in s t., a t H o dd es d on Heits, Arth ur, . 13crt On the 15th inst., at Grantham, George Whi t e, aged 88. On the 14th inst., at 8, Harley-place, Bow - roa d o 3- f l'a4 rl than Arnold, Esq., formerly of the Stock Exchange, " , 78. tile On the 14th inst., at 2G, Upper Grosvenor - str eet, Rev. Arthur Atherley, vicar of Heavitree, Dev0n_......, LONDON : Printed and Published by MURDO Y010:' of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Otto, •L'‘ ). 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the S'avoy, in the coup I (4 Middlesex, Wednesday, February 18, 1861*