The Sun. — London, England, 1847-03-30 00:00:00

which it was stated that the return could be easily famished. (The Noble Lord here read the letter stating that the number of deaths could be sup plied, and even the names of the par.ies, and that the deaths this year were twenty to one as compared with those of any former year.) He would wish to know whe the Government were prepared or not to send round a circular, asking for the mortality returns which had oc curred in those periods which he had before named. Mr. LABOUCHERE said that on a former occa sion he had stated that he was not prepared to deny that a great mortality had taken place. He had also promised that, as far as'ane correct information . could be obtained, it should be afforded. The Govern ment had consented to returns of the coroners' inquests, and they had also resorted to other means to obtain in formation. The Noble Lord had directed his attention to a method, namely, by means of the registry kept by the clergy of the Established Church, and in conse quence of the suggestion he wrote to Mr. Redington, who had made the requisite inquiries, and it was the opinion of many Protestant clergymen that the registry s in the parishes could not be relied upon, for they were only kept of those who were buried in churchyards ad joining the church, and not in open churchyards. The Noble Lord had now called his attention to a new method, namely, through the medium of the Roman Catholic priesthood. Now, he apprehended they had no power to enforce such a return, but he could assure the Hon. Gentleman that lie would again inquire, and if it was possible to obtain them, and if they were to be relied upon, the Government would cheer fully consent. After a few words from Lord JOHN MANNERS, Lord JOHN RUSSELL begged of the House to re member, that already the public officers of Ireland were taxed almost beyond their power in preparing these re turns, and therefore some allowances ought to be made for delays ; until the returns which had already been ordered had been more advanced than they were at present, it was not advisable to call for other retutns. After a few words from Mr. DISRAELI and Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN, Mr. P. SCROPE recommended that there should be taken an accurate census of the destitute of Ireland. Mr. LABOUCHERE was understood to say that such a list had long ago been ordered. POOR RELIEF (IRELAND) BILL. The House then went into Committee on this Bill. Mr. P. SCROPE moved the insertion of a clause similar to clause 10 in the Destitute Persons (Ireland) Bill, for enforcing performance of the guardians' duties, and also a clause enlarging the maximum extent of land which the guardians of any union are empowered te purchase or hire and occupy with their workhouse, from twelve to two hundred acres, and likewise that any buildings hired or erected by them upon or near to such land, be considered a part of such workhouse. This system had been tried in England, where it worked well, tending very materially to reclaim the bog land of the country. At Charlton-upon-Medleck, the guardians had attached a large portion of chat moss to their work house, and set their able bodied paupers to work upon it, and the result had been that land which was origi nally not worth a shilling was now valued at 50s. an acre. Now, could not some of the bogs of Ireland be reclaimed in the same way ? The plan was economical and fair, and he could see no objection to its adoption. Mr. W. S. O'BBIEN thought the guardians ought to have the power suggested by the clause of the Hon. Member for Stroud, and he thanked that Hon. Gentle man most cordially for having brought the matter forward. Mr.. SHARMAN CRAWFORD agreed with the principle of the clause, and trusted Government would allow it to be inserted in the Bill. Mr. SHAW deplored as much as anybody the con dition of the labouring poor of Ireland, but he thought at the same time that to pauperise the whole of the people, would render their condition even more into lerable than it was at present. Colonel RAWDON thought that the great difficulty was how to employ the paupers; he thought, however, that a system of labour might be obtained from the paupers in the cultivation of land in such a planner as to provide for their own necessities. Sir G. GREY considered that the Bill, as it at pre sent stood, was the best that could be devised to meet the circumstances of the case ; he should, therefore, feel it his duty to oppose the introduction of the clause. Ile hoped that by carrying out the system of the re clamation of waste lands, and the other measures of the Government, that ample employment would be found for the pauper population of Ireland. Mr. P. SCROPE thought that if this clause were not adopted, the workhouses would be filled with able-bodied Paupers able to work, but no work at all provided for them. He thought that those persons who considered that, to the people of Ireland, that country would be come a land of Cockayne if the workhouse dietary were to b e thrown open to them without labour, placed but little reliance on the vast resources of the country. After a few words from Sir. G. GREY and Mr. SHAW, Sir H. W. BARRON said that the poor labourers of Ireland were almost entirely ignorant of the principles of agriculture so common both in England and Scot land, and he thought that the establishment of model farms in connexion with the workhouses of Ireland Would be of great service to the people of that country, and by compelling the paupers to work on those farms, a great portion of the expense of their maintenance Would be saved. The plan would also be useful as a test of poverty, for it could not be supposed that a ila an would continue longer in dependence upon the parish by being compelled to work, than if he were m aintained in the house without work. Lord J. RUSSELL thought that this measure ought not to be treated as a measure for more than one dis tinct object. When the Government proposed a mea sure for public works it was their duty to make it as effectual as possible, and when they proposed a measure such as the present for the relief of the poor, it was also 14 their duty to make that measure as effectual as possible. I Fith respect to the establishment of model farms, he sat did not think they could be carried out effectually in connexion with a measure for the relief ?f the pauper. Colonel ROLLESTON said, if the proposition of the lion. Member for Stroud were carried to the extent be proposed, he questioned whether the beneficial results e anticipated would follow. He thought, however, that ni a modified form it would be productive of good. Sir W. JAMES thought the measure *as a necessary experiment, but he considered it was accompanied with considerable danger, and if care were not taken in car rying it into operation, very different effects from those Contemplated might be the consequence. This he thought was particularly the case with regard to admi nistering relief to the destitute, when considerable im position might be practised. Mr. LAWLESS hoped to see the time when not a aingle able-bodied man would be seen enclosed in a work house, and that pauper labour would find employment from other resources. After a few words from Sir 11. W. BARRON, Mr. CURTEIS objected to the clause, as it might enable landlords to play into the hands of each other. After a few words from Sir George Grey, Lord John .'canners, Mr. Shaw, and Mr. V. Stewart, Mr. P. SCROPE withdrew his amendment. Mr. GREGORY then moved the following clause:— And be enacted, that if it shall be proved, to the satis faction of the board of guardians, at any time, that any occupier of land within such union, rated at a net annual Value, not exceeding 51., shall be willing to give up pos session of the said land, whether held under lease or as tenant-at-will, and to emigrate together with all persons Who may be dependent upon him for their support and maintenance ; and that such occupier shall have been approved by her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies, or such person as he may appoint for that purpose, as a fit and proper person to be admitted IS an emigrant ; and that the immediate lessor of such occupier is willing, upon the emigration of such occupier and his family, and upon the surrender of the land occupied by him, to forego any claim for rent which he may have upon the said occupier, and also to provide two-thirds of such fair and reasonable sum as t shall be required for the emigration of such occupier and °is family; then, and in such case, it shall be lawful for the board of guardians of such union, upon payment of Such last mentioned sum, to charge upon the rates of the electoral division, and to pay over to such person, and in such manner as shall be directed by the Poor-law Commissioners in aid of the emigration of such occupier, any sum not exceeding one-half of the sum Contributed and paid by such immediate lessors as afore said, notwithstanding that any sum or sums so charged and paid may exceed in any one year one shilling in the Pound on the rates of such electoral division, and not-. Withstanding that such occupier and his family may not be, nor have been, inmates of the workhouse of such Union. The clause was read a first time. Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN wished to move the following manses, in substitution of bat of his Hon. Friend ; he Would not, however, press them upon the House : And, " whereas it appears that in the formation of elec toral divisions pauperism has been so allocated, in re spect of the property liable for its relief, as to cause the Pressure of poor-rate taxation to be very unequal :" be i t therefore enacted that the Poor.law Commissioners shall revise and reconstitute the electoral divisions of the several unions in such a manner as that the Pauperism of each district shall bear to the property liable for its relief, as nearly an uniform proportion throughout each union as circumstances will allow. And be it enacted, that for each electoral division there shall be formed a relief committee, consisting of the Justices of the peace residing or possessing rateable pro terty in such electoral division; of the Roman Catholic , piscopalian Protestant, and Presbyterian clergymen usually officiating in the churches existing in such electoral division; of the guardians of the poor elected for such electoral division; and of wardens elected in the proportion of one for every inhabitants of such electoral division, according to the census of 1841; which Wardens shall be elected at the same time and in the s ame manner as the gaurdians of the poor are elected. And be it enacted, that the relief committees, consti tuted as aforesaid, shall consider and determine who 516 the persons entitled to receive relief in the several electoral divisions for which they act, and shall certify their opinion with respect to the claims of each Such person who may apply for relief to the board of guardians, and shall state whether, in their opinion, the Perso n so applying ought to be relieved in the work ',ease or out of it. And " whereas much inconvenience ', 411 been found to result from the great size of several of re unions of Ireland ;" be it enacted, that the Poor :I! Commissioners shall revise and reconstitute the h undred so that no union shall contain more than one been and fifty thousand acres. And whereas it has cast found that the rate required to repay the original :St of building the workhouses presses very unequally 1) " property in the several unions of Ireland : be it e 2 acted, that the repayment of the loans borrowed under dir ection of the Poor-law Commissioners, for the construe t ef the workhouses, shall be defrayed by means of a rate leviable according to the net valuation, as an uniform Ppuudage upon all rateable property throughout Ireland. g od whereas it has been found that the standard of YftillatiOu differs very much in the several unions of Ireland ; be it therefore enacted, that the Poor-law Commissioners shall take immediate steps for obtaining an uniform valuation of rateable property throughout Ireland, in so far as the same may be attained by the Acts now in force relative to Ireland. And be it enacted, that persons receiving fixed incomes from rateable pro perty by way of jointure, rent-charge, or any other an nuity, not being created in satisfaction for debt, shall be liable to all rates levied for the relief of the poor in the same manner as if the incomes so received were re ceivable as rent. And be it enacted, that it shall be lawful for the guardians of any union, if they shall so think fit, to put out to nurse and to con tract from half-year to half-year for the maintenance of any orphans or deserted children whom they may consider fit objects for relief, and to order payment out of the rates, and charge against the union at large such sums as may be agreed upon between the guar dians and the persons so contracting for the main tenance of such orphans or deserted children: pro vid,d always, that no such contract or payment shall continue after any orphan or deserted child, for whose maintenance such contract shall have been made, shall have attained the age of thirteen years; and provided also, that such children shall be brought before the guardians at least twice in each year during the sub sistence of such contract; and that in entering into such contract, due provision shall be made for their educa tion and training in habits of industry, during the period of such their maintenance out of the workhouse. And whereas it is expedient to remove the existing restrictions which tend to prevent boards of guardians from assisting emigration, be it therefore enacted, that it shall be lawful for the guardians of any union, sub ject to the regulations of the Poor law Commissioners, to be made with the consent of her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonial Department, to assist any poor person who is a fit subject for relief, and who shall have been approved by the Commissioners, to emigrate to a British colony, and to charge the ex penses of such emigration on the union, or electoral division, to which such person would be chargeable if relieved by the guardians. Sir G. GREY said he preferred the clause of the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Gregory), which tended to promote what was very desirable, namely, emigration. He had a few verbal objections to tke clause, which he would suggest at the proper time. Mr. P. HOWARD said that it would be quite a new principle to afford money to parties for emigration out of the poor•rates. He would suggest that after the word emigrate there should be inserted " to any British colony." Mr. HAMILTON considered that there would be many cases were such words would inflict a positive hardship. Lord J. RUSSELL said he had no objection to the clause as it then stood. Mr. P. HOWARD said that if a man emigrated out of his own private resources, he had a right to go where he liked, but where he received public money he ought to go to a British colony. Mr. TRELAWNEY hoped that the words would not be inserted. The clause was then agreed to and inserted in the Bill. Mr. GREGORY then rose to move the following clause :—" And be it further enacted, that no person who shall be in the occupation, whether under lease or agreement, or as tenant at will, or from year to year, or in any other manner whatsoever, of any land of greater extent than the of a statute acre, shall be deemed and taken to be a destitute poor person, under the pro visions of this Act, or of any former Act of Parliament ; nor shall it be lawful for any board of guardians to grant any relief whatever, in or out of the workhouse, to any such occupier, his wife, or children ; and if any person having been such occupier as aforesaid, shall apply to any board of guardians for relief; as a destitute poor person, it shall not be lawful to such guardians to grant such relief until they shall be satisfied that such person has bona fide and without collusion absolutely parted with and surrendered any right or title which he may have had to the occupation of any land over and aly;ve such extent as aforesaid, of one quarter of a statute acre." Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN said that as the Government seemed prepared to concede the clause, it was almost useless for him to object to it; but he could not allow it to pass without entering his protest. An applicant might only require relief for the time being, but the effect of the clause would be to render him perpetually a pauper. Mr. CURTEIS said he would be sorry if the Go vernment would accede to the proposition which he would tell them would be very unpopular in this coun try. What was a quarter of an acre?—it was nothing; and supposing a man had a lease of the land it might be impossible for him to render it up in order to qualify himself for relief. Sir G. GREY said that a number of persons had been applying for relief who were small landholders, a class of persons who were a principle source of the poverty of the country. The subject had attracted the most serious attention of the Government, and they considered that the principle was good, as it would be a method to remedy the evil to which he had alluded. There must be some limit placed. They could not oblige a man to give up his cottage c,r garden-ground. As the clause then stood, it would come into operation immediately after the passing of the Act, and the difficulty would be met by inserting after the word " that" the words " from and after the Ist of November next." After a few words from Mr. NEWDEGATE, Mr. BELLEW said that he conceived this clause most essential to the well-working of the Act. There were an immense number of holders of land in Ireland where farmers were under five acres, and who by retain ing them, and still becoming entitled to relief, would most seriously injure the country. The Bill could not be complete without such a clause, Mr. POULETT SCROPE said that the Bill would cause a most serious social revolution in Ireland, and if it could effect its object quietly, it would be desirable ; but if in the event of another famine, all these small holders were to be compelled to give up their farms, how could they be provided with labour or subsistence when the crisis was passed. lie would wish to know if the Right lion. Gentleman considered it consistent with the principle of the Bill, that a man who might suffer from temporary distress or sickness should be compelled to give up his farm to obtain relief. He thought it would be far better to leave the matter to the discretion of the board of guardians to give relief or withhold it in cer tain cases. Unless some such power were given, the Bill would have a most ruinous effect. Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD was not disposed to deny that some limitation was necessary in the case of holders of land, but still he could not agree with the clause as it then stood. Suppose a man were overtaken by sickness or any ether casualty, and was compelled to seek relief, was he to be deprived of his land or cottage and the well-earned fruits of his labour ? Could not some relief be extended in such cases in the way of loans ? He thought that the board of guardians should have a discretion in such a case. Mr. BELLEW said that in the case of a man being sick, there was the sum of 100,0001. per annum levied in Ireland for hospitals and dispensaries. The poor were as well taken care of in the event of sickness as they possibly could be Mr. YOUNG said that the Hon. Member for Stroud had said that this clause would produce a sudden revolu tion in Ireland by suddenly reducing men from being landholders to paupers. There was nothing in the clause that would at all accelerate a man's fall. It merely pro vided that, in the event of his becoming chargeable upon the poor-rates, he should no longer retain the land which he could no longer cultivate with benefit to himself or to the country. Mr. NEWDEGATE said that he wished to explain what he had said. lie had strenuously impressed upon the Government that in no instance should the tools of a man's trade be taken from him. The operation of the present clause was so stringent that a man's tools were taken from him, and he had wished to provide against any such fact under the present law. After a few words from Mr. WILLIAMS and Mr. VILLIERS, Mr. S. O'BRIEN thought the clause was neces sary for the welfare of the agriculture of Ireland. There never would be a system of money wages introduced into that country, except by a provision of this kind; and he was therefore glad the Government had given their sanction to the principle of the clause. Mr. S. CRAWFORD said there was this difference between the poor labourer in England and Ireland, that whereas in England he had a cottage built for him, in Ireland he built it himself on land which he held at will. This ought to be taken into consideration in dealing with a question of this kind. Mr. GREGORY replied to some objections urged by previous speakers to the clause. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL thought the clause would be a very useful one. It would do away with that class who were half labourer and half farmer, but nei ther the one nor the other. He gave the principle of the Bill his decided support. After a few words from Mr. CURTEIS, Colonel RAWDON supported: the clause, which he thought would prove a very useful provision in the Bill. Mr. ARCHBOLD said he had known holders of twenty acres of land applying for work under the La bour-rate Act, and there were cases in which the chil dren of holders of ten acres actually were employed, and employed, perhaps, even to the present day. He would support the clause under the impression that if such parties would continue to ask relief, the sooner they were off the Land the better. Mr. SHAW supported the clause. Mr. Alderman HUMPHERY thought it would be too bad to deprive such small holders of land of the relief which the Bill would give them. He would suggest as an amendment th a t holders of five acres, instead of one half acre, should be excluded from the benefit of the Bill. Sir GEORGE GREY said he thought the Hon. Mem ber did not understand the nature of the clause. Ac cording to his amendment, a person might hold four and three-quarter acres, and yet be entitled to relief. The original amendment was then agreed to. On the motion being put that the clause as amended stand part of the Bill, Mr. P. SCROPE objected to it as severe and uncalled for. The Gallery was then cleared for a division, when there appeared. For the clause ll7 Against it Majority for the clause --110 The clause was, therefore, ordered to stand part of the Bill. Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN then moved that the follow ing clauses should be added to the Bill:—And " whereas it appears that in the formation of electoral divisions pauperism has been so allocated, in respect of the pro perty liable for its relief, as to cause the pressure of poor -rate taxation to be very unequal:" be it therefore enacted, that the Poor-law Commissioners shall revise and reconstitute the electoral divisions of the severe,' unions in such a manner as that the pauperism of each district shall bear to the property liable for its relief, as nearly an uniform proportion throughout each union a t circumstances will allow. And be it enacted, that for each electoral diyitsiva there shall be formed a Kelief ccitzrAalit4 ailf, [Ur: Le u• had the PIIE tJ N, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING-, MARCH 30, 1847: tee, consisting of the justices of the peace residing or pos sessing rateable property in such electoral division ; of the Roman Catholic, Ep'scopalian Protestant, and Pres byterian clergymen usually officiating in the churches existing in such electoral division ; of the guardians of the poor elected for such electoral division ; and of wardens elected in the proportion of one for every inhabitants of such electoral division, ac cording to the census of 1841 ; which wardens shall be elected at the same time and in the same manner as the guardians of the poor are elected. And be it en acted, that the relief committees, constituted as afore said, shall consider and determine who are the persons entitled to receive relief in the several electoral divisions for which they act, and shall certify their opinion with respect to the claims of each such person who may apply for relief to the board of guardians, and shall state whether, in their opinion, the person so ap plying ought to be relieved in the workhouse or out of it. Sir GEORGE GREY thought it would be actually impossible to act upon the principle laid down by the lion. Gentleman in his first clause. Mr. HAINIILTON said the disapprobation of the dis proportionate relation established by the electoral divisions between the population and the property was universal. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL corroborated the observa tion of the Hon. Gentleman. Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN said the divisions into unions were most unequal. In Ratbdown Union, for example, there were 69 000 acres, while in other unions there were so many as 495,000 acres, and 320,000 res, an ine quality for which there was no assignable reasons. Some change was clearly very desirable in this respect. The clauses were negatived without a division. Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN then moved the following clause :—And " whereas much inconvenience has been found to result from the great size of several of the unions of Ireland ;" Be it enacted, that the Poor-law Commissioners shall revise and reconstitute the unions, so that no union shall contain more than one hundred and fifty thousand acres. Mr. ‘ - TESEY trusted that some measure would be taken to subdivide the unions, and he hoped also that the electoral districts would be so arranged as to bear some proportion to the local properties. Sir G. GREY said that the Commissioners bad the power of reconsidering and arranging the limits of the electoral districts, and he saw no reason why the same rule should not apply to the unions also. Lord G. BENTINCK had always advocated the ex tension of the unions. The districts at present were immensely disproportioned to the population, in some instances the applicants for relief having to walk seventeen miles, and in a very great number of cases the distance was equally great. The district compre hended in the Ballina union was very extensive, and what made the evil the worse was, that the union was situated at the one extremity of the dis trict, and the western, or more populous part of the district, was some forty-six miles distant.— (Hear, hear.) He believed that the system of union government, and more especially of that part of it which referred to the care of the sick, was capable of very great improvement. Perhaps it might be within the knowledge of the Hon. Gentleman the Solicitor- General for Ireland, that in the year 1843, when Mr. Gulston was in Galway there were upwards of two thousand persons lying ill of fever 1,500 of which number were in the streets and lanes of the town, and many of them were exposed before the doors of their houses, with scarcely a rag to cover them. In the course of 48 hours Mr. Gulston constructed a fever hospital, at an expense of 30G1., capable of contain ing one thousand inmates. The result was, that out of the 2,000 persons that passed through the fever hospital, only 17 died. Now, if this principle had been adopted in the present session, the Government might have saved an enormous sum of money, and the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. He was sure that in the year 1847 not less than 4.000,0001. would have been saved to the revenue of Great Britain. The expense of the public works for the year ending the 13th of March instant, amounted to no less than 13,142,0001. The ex pense of the staff alone was 1,193,0001. Now, he was in a condition to show that if they had extended the work houses—if they had built 400 workhouses upon the same principle as that upon which Mr. Gulston con structed a similar building in Galway, and supported in them the 2,200,000 paupers of Ireland, they would not only have saved 4,000,0001., but they would have in creased the comforts of the poor, and avoided all chance of demoralising the peasantry. There would have been no forsaking the land for being employed on the public works ; and, had recourse been had to this system, hundreds and thousands of lives would have been saved, while the general condi tion of the people would have been greatly improved. Government could tell them the number of potatoes which Ireland had produced, but they would not give them a return of the number of poor wretches who had perished under the foolish system of free trade. When Government, in the month of August, knew that the po tato, the only food of the people, had failed, they ought to had taken decisive steps to supply the wants of the people with another description of food, but instead of doing so, Government had shown an utter indifference for the sufferings of the people, and now they boldly refused to supply the House with any infor mation upon the great misery of Ireland ; but he could tell them that the time was coming when it would be wrung from them by the united voice of the three kingdoms. Mr. LABOUCHERE was anxious that the House should proceed with the consideration of this important Bill, and he should not then intrude himself upon the House had it not been for an assertion of the Noble Lord. He owed it to himself, to his own character, and the feelings of the Government with whom he acted, to make seine reply to it. The Noble Lord had said that Government were indifferent to the sufferings of the people of Ireland ; and he should content himself with giving a contradiction to that assertion as explicit and as complete as his respect for the House would allow him to give.—(Cheers.) Ile felt too deeply the responsibilities which rested upon him, as a Minister of the Crown, to lose his temper in die cussing a question of this magnitude, and no provoca tion should induce him to do so, and nothing but the provocation the Noble Lord had given could have called from him the declaration he had made. He trusted that he had not expressed any sentiment in opposition to the principle of the Bill, or that he had not displayed a spirit which was not in perfect consonance with that which the Government desired to display, but if he had it had been elicited by the charge which the Noble Lord had so unjustifiably brought against the Government. Sir G. GREY trusted that the observations which had been made were not in consonance with those which bad been evinced by the enunciation of the Noble Lord's views ; and it should be recollected that the cases which had been adduced were in contravention of the principle which he had propounded. There would be ample opportunity for discussing them in the Com mittee, when the clauses were brought under the notice of the House. He sincerely hoped that the Hon. Mem ber would not press any of his suggestions to a division. Mr. REPTON had not the slightest wish to detain the House from the discussion of the clauses, and must say that he gave the greatest credit to the Government for their exertions to relieve the distress in Ireland. Mr. S. O'BRIEN had, no more than the last Member, a wish to detain the House from the consideration of the subject before them ; but he believed that in the doc trines of free trade, to which they professed their adhe rence, there was a remedy to be found ; and if they had acted up to those principles, he believed that it was not necessary that a single life should be sacrificed in Ire land. He trusted, therefore, that they would not now depart from their principles, but that they would recol lect what was the amount of distress that was likely to ensue from a too astringent adhesion by them. On the clause being put by Mr. GREENE, Mr. NEWDEGATE said that it was very possible that the Noble Lord had used expressions stronger than the meaning which he intended they should bear— (Laughter)—but while saying this, he was quite ready to give her Majesty's Government credit for every desire to relieve the distress in Ireland, but to do that they must depart from their rigid construction of the princples of political economy ny which they seemed to be bound. The clause was then negatived without a division, and on the proposition that the original clause should be brought tip with the report, Mr. HAMILTON and Mr. Small O'BniEN expressed doubts as to the way in which it was likely to work. Sir GEORGE GREY explained that it would not depend on the guardians so much as on the Act itself. Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN proposed the insertion of the following clauses :—And whereas it has been found that the rate required to repay the original cost of building the workhouses presses very unequally upon property in the several unions in Ireland ; be it enacted, that the repayment of the loans borrowed under direc tion of the Poor-law Commissioners, for the construction of the workhouses, shall be defrayed by means of a rate leviable according to the net valuation, as an uniform poundage upon all rateable property throughout Ireland. And whereas it has been found that the standard of valuation differs very much in the several unions of Ire land; be it therefore enacted, that the Poor-law Com missioners shall take immediate steps for obtaining an uniform valuation of rateable property throughout Ire land, in so far as the same may be attained by the Acts now in force relative to valuation. And be it enacted, that persons receiving fixed incomes from rateable property by way of j o i n t ure, rent - c h arge, or any ot h er annuity, not being created in satisfaction for debt, shall be liable to a ll rates l ev i e d for the re li e f o f t h e poor in the same manner as if the incomes so received were receivable as rent. And be it enacted, that it shall be l aw f u l f or t h e guard i ans of any union, if they shall so think fit, to put out to nurse and to contract from half-year to half-year for the mainte nance of any orphans or deserted children whom they may consider fit objects for relief, and to order payment out of the rates, and charge against the union at large such sums as may be agreed upon between the guardians and the persons so contracting for the maintenance of such orphans or deserted children. Provided always, that no such contract or 'payment shall continue after any orphan or deserted child, for whose maintenance such contract shall have been made, shall have attained the age of thirteen years. After a short discussion, in which Sir G. Grey, Morgan J. O'Connell, Mr. Bellew, Sir H. W. Barron, Mr. Shaw, and Mr. Archbold took part, the clauses were negatived. Sir GEORGE GREY introduced a clause, removing the restriction of a three months residence in the union workhouse previous to establishing a claim to emigration relief, which was agreed to. Mr. VILLIERS STUART moved the following clauses :—And whereas in many districts in Ireland, from the local position of the county infirmary, the poor, who from accidents or other causes may require surgical assistance in an hospital, are unable from the distance of the said infirmary to obtain it, and it is desirable that this evil should bo remedied : he it enacted, that it shall be lawful for the guardians of any union for the relief of the poor in Ireland, to attach to the poorhouse of the said union, provided such poorhouse be at least six miles from any infirmary, such buildings or wards as shall he approved of by the Poor-law Commissioners, for the reception of destitute poor persons requiring surgi cal assistance ; and it shall be lawful for the iguar diens of the said union to charge the expense incurred in the maintenance and medical treatment of the said destitute poor persona upon the rates of the said union, or of the electoral division to which they may belong. And whereas great advantage would arise, were wards for surgical cases made available in the different poor houses in Ireland for the reception of the poor, ece., be it enacted that surgical wards be provided fur such poor persons, &c., upon receiving security for the expense in. cnrred in the maintenance and medical treatment of such persons. And be it enacted, that it shall be lawful for the guardians of any union to pay out of the rates the expense incurred in conveying any destitute poor person to any infirmary or hospital, who from accident or otherwise may require surgical assistance, and in maintaining such destitute poor person iu such hospital. Mr. LABOUCIIERE objected to the clause, as it would interfere with the Bill for the regulation of the medical charities. After a few remarks in support of the clause, from Sir H. W. Barron, Mr. P. Scrope, and Mr. M. J. O'Connell, the clause was negatived without a division. Sir GEORGE GREY said, the Hon. Member for Kilkenny (Mr. J. O'Connell) had given notice of a clause to be inserted after clause C, section 10, for the appropriation of a separate apartment for the religious worship and practice of each denomination of Christians among the paupers, and also giving the appointment, control, and dismissal of the schoolmaster and school mistress of each denomination to a sub-committee of the board of guardians, to consist of the guardians of such religious denominations. He thought that cases might arise where such regulations would be necessary; at the same time that he did not approve of a heavy expense being incurred for the erection of separate places of worship where they were not absolutely re quired. He bad, therefore, prepared an amendment to the clause of the Hon. Gentleman, giving the Poor.law Commissioners a discretion to carry out these objects where they should think necessary, and he would beg to propose it to the House. The clause, as amended, was agreed to without dis cussion. Lord G. BENTINCK then moved the addition of the following clauses:—" And be it enacted, that, save as hereinafter provided, it shall not be lawful for any occu pier of rateable property holding under any lease or agreement to be made or entered into after the passing of this act, nor for any tenant at will, or from year to year, after the Ist day of January, 1849, to deduct from the rent to which he may be liable in respect of such property any amount whatever in respect of any rate which may be imposed at any period subsequent to the date of such lease or agreement, or subsequent to such Ist day of January, as the case may be. And be it enacted, that all the provisions of the Act 6 and 7 Vic., c. 92, intituled, " An Act for the fur ther Amendment of an Act for the more effectual Relief of the Destitute Poor in Ireland " for the charge and reco very of rates upon property rated to a net annual value not exceeding four pounds, shall be deemed and taken to apply to the like property rated to a net annual value not exceeding five pounds. Provided nevertheless, and be it enacted, that no immediate lessor holding under any lease or agreement to be made or entered into after the passing of this Act, shall be authorised to deduct from any rent by him payable under such lease or agreement to his superior landlord any amount whatever in re spect of any rate which any be imposed at any period subsequent to the date of such lease or agreement." The Noble Lord then► proceeded to say, whilst the rental of Ireland was 13,187,4701. sterling, the rack-rent was 17,000,0001 ; the effect of this was, that the landlord paid 2s. sd. of tho rate. Such a state of things kept down the disposition of the tenant to re duce the rate, for his poor relations gained more than he lost by his assessment. The million of heads of fami lies in Ireland, representing five millions of people, lived without any regular means, or knowledge of how they were to provide for themselves or their families. Nearly one-half of them lived in houses or cabins with only two rooms; and ninety thousand of them lived in mud cabins, without either windows or doors. With such a state of things, the poor rates, when the Act came into operation, would be 20d. in the pound. He thought it would be for the advantage of all parties to throw the whole burden on the rate-payers generally, instead of on the land lords, for it was surely better that the poor should be dependent on 500,000 or 600,000 tenant-farmers, in stead of but 16,000 landed proprietors. This was the object of his amendment, which was in entire conformity with the observations of the Noble Lord at the head of the Government in introducing tho present measure. Though in some particular instances, as had been objected to, his clause might operate injuriously on the middle-man ; generally speaking, its operation, he was firmly persuaded, would be beneficial. The effect of his first clause, then, would be this— sup posing Bs. to be the rate paid by the landlord, the land lord would deduct 45., namely, half the rate, from the tenant ; or if he should be debarred from that, he would be at lib3rty to enter into a new contract with the tenant. That would be a most stringent means of get ting rid of the middle-man, who must be allowed to , be the bane of Ireland. Such was the effect of the first of his clauses. The first object of the second clause was to reduce the small rate-payers, and the second to withdraw from the inducement to sub-let small farms to small holders The object of the proposed clause would be to improve the character of the rate-payers by removing from the tenant who was rated under 51. the liability to pay poor rates. The effect of the measure would be to remove this liability from the shoulders of 76,027 persons, while there would still remain of persons rated above that sum 509,726. The guardians would, when thus elected by a better class of rate-payers, be more likely properly to fulfil the duties which might devolve upon them by virtue of their office than when chosen by the lower class of rate-payers. Sir G. GREY did not believe the statement of the Noble Lord would lessen the alarm felt on the subject by the Irish landlords. The rental of Ireland was 13 millions, and the landlords were rated at present at 17i millions; but the proposition of the Noble Lord would increase that rating by half a million more. The adop tion of the proposition of the Noble Lord would inter fere with the working of the project, and he considered, therefore, that it would be better to postpone it for the present. Nothing could be more mischievous than to hold out to the people of Ireland any expectation that, because the potato crop had failed, there was to be an end to all exertion on their part. The Bill would afford to meet an emergency, but not to encourage a deficiency in the individual exertions of the Irish people. He should, therefore, oppose the clause. Mr. SHAW said the clause would assimilate the law of Ireland with the law of England, and he could not see what sufficient reason could be urged against its adoption. He would quite agree with the principle of his Noble Friend if he would act up to it. His Noble Friend had said that the sacrifice would be of the 13,000,0001. a yearoii—thepiWtof the landlords for the sake of the labourers, and if the 1,500 were to be sacrificed for the 700,000 now engaged on the public works, he was also ready to agree to it; but it should be recollected that they were not prepared to give the English poor law in its entirety. When the Hon. Member for Northamptonshire had first stated his scheme to the House, he had dissented from it ; but he was now of a different opinion, and if they would give the English I poor-law in its entirety, he was quite ready to agree to it. The effect of the law would be, as he conceived, that the poor-rates would be thrown on the small occupiers, and if they would give the English poor- law in its whole effects, he thought that it would be a boon to the coun try, and a motion which he could readily support. BROTHERTON moved that the Speaker report progress, and ask leave to sit agaiu.—(Cries of " Go on, go on," and Mr. Brotherton refrained from press ing his motion.) Captain HARRIS felt that the Noble Lord was en titled to the highest credit for the introduction of this law, but he thought that it was insufficient for the pur pose.—(Loud cries of " Divide, divide.") Sir W. JOLLIFFE thought the system adopted in this country should be applied to Ireland—namely, throwing the burden of the rates in the first instance on the occupier of the land. It would then be the interest of the farmers to find work for the labourers for the purpose of keeping them off the rate. Mr. M. J. O'CIONNELL said the tenantry of Ireland did not call for this arrangement. It had existed for centuries in England, but it was quite unsuited to Ire land. They might as well talk of extending it to Siberia. Gentlemen seemed to forget that in Ireland half the rate was now paid by the landlord, and the other half by the tenant. 'This, therefore, was but another sample of the extension of English laws to a country of whose existing laws they were utterly ignorant. Ile warned the House that a more dangerous experiment could not be tried than that now proposed by the Noble Lord. By adopt ing it they would do more to unsettle the state of Ireland than all they had done beside would tend to settle it. Mr. P. SCROPE opposed the clause. It was objected to by the tenants of Ireland, and, upon every ground of reason and justice, ought to be negatived by the Com mittee. . Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD protested that, pro posing this clause at such a time, w as taking the peop l e of Ireland by surprise. The tenant s o f Ireland were i n a very different position to the tenants of Eng land, and, therefore, the law of the two countries could not be assimilated; at all events, if the Committee passed the clause, he could assure them it would create disturbance and discontent in the sister kingdom. The House then divided, when there appeared— For the clause 76 Against it 9 Majority ............... 3 - - - Sir G. GREY moved the following clause: And whereas by the said first-recited Act the Poor-law Com missioners are empowered to purchase or hire land not exceeding twelve acres, imperial measure, to be occupied with the workhouse of any union in Ireland, and it is expedient so to extend the said provision as to enable the guardians of any union to occupy for certain pur poses an additional quantity of land not immediately contiguous to any workhouse, or to the site thereof: be it enacted, that it shall be lawful for the Poor-law Commissioners to purchase or hire laud not exceeding three acres, imperial measure, in addition to the twelve acres aforesaid, to be occupied by the guardians of any union, any portion of the said land so to be oc cupied being either contiguous to, or detached from, the site on which any workhouse stands, as shall be found most con►enient in each case, and it shall be lawful for such land to be used for the site of a fever ward, or as a cemetery for tho burial of deceased inmates of the workhouse, or for any other purpose which the said Commissioners shall approve ; and the Poor-law Com missioners are hereby empowered to erect such fever ward on such land to be so purchased or hired as afore said, and to direct the guardians of the said union to raise or borrow the sum necessary to defray the expense of hiring or purchasing such land and erecting such building, and to chay'ge the same, with interest, on the poor-rates of the ti,/ ion, in the same manner as the said Commissioners are empowered by the said first recited Act to purchase and hire land, and to erect a workhouse or additional workhouse for any union, and to direct the guardians thereof to raise orborrow the necessary :urns to defray the expenditure so incurred. And be it enacted, that all the provisions of the said first recited Act, which relate to the purchase and conveyance of land for the erection of workhouses, or for the purpose of carrying into effect any of the provisions of the said Act, shall extend and apply to the purchase and conveyance of land under the provi sions of this Act. The clauses were agreed to without discussion. Mr. SHAW proposed several clauses relating to the mode of voting clergymen to the relief of the poor, which were also agreed to. The preamble of the Bill was then agreed to. The House resumed, and the report was ordered to be brought up on Wednesday. ARMY SERVICE BILL. Sir HOWARD DOUGLAS was sure that the House would nor, st that hour, enter upon the Army Service Bill, and he hoped it would be put off till after Easter. Mr. FOX MAULE objected to the Bill being post poned till after Easter ; and said, if it could not be taken immediately, it would be necessary for the House to meet at twelve o'clock this morning (Tuesday), to take the Bill into consideration in Committee. Lord J. RUSSELL thought that as the opponents of the Bill had declined to come to a division upon a former occasion appointed for the Bill, he did not think it fair that a postponement of the measure should now take place; he thought the arrangement he had proposed was the most desirable that could be effected. Sir IL DOUGLAS was understood to consent to the suggestion of the Noble Lord. Mr. S. HERBERT thought that no good could result from the House meeting to-morrow at twelve o'clock, as most of the Members would have left town under the impression that the Irish measure was disposed of. Lord J. RUSSELL said that if the Bill did not come on at that period, he would propose that it should be taken after the notices at the usual hour this day. Colonel SIBTHORP considered that the Govern ment wished to smuggle the Bill through the House, or they would not bring it forward at so late an hour as the present. Lord J. RUSSELL, on the suggestion of Sir 11. Doncw, fixed the Committee for this day (Tuesday) at five o'clock. Lord J. RUSSELL said that, in order to suit the con venience of Irish Members, he would fix the third read ing of the Poor Relief (Ireland) Bill and the Landed Property (Ireland) Bill for Friday, the 16th of April. The report on the Customs Duties Bill was brought up and agreed to. The Marine Mutiny Bill was read a third time and passed. The remaining orders of the day were disposed of, and the House adjourned at a Quarter-past Two o'clock. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the Rouse of Comnunts.) NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL-OFFICE. The following Railway Bills are appointed to be read a second time on Wednesday, March 31:— Caledonian (Edinburgh Station, and Branches to Granton and to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway). Caledonian (Branches to Wilsontown, to Fauldhouse, and to Biggar and Broughton). PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS. :From the Votes and Proceedings of Me House of Common!.) MONDAY, MARCH 29. POOR RELIEF (IRELAND) BILL. (IN THE COMMITTEE.) Clause (And be it further enacted, That from and after the first day of November next, no person who shall be in the occupation, whether under lease or agreement, or as tenant at will, or from year to year, or in any other manner what soever, of any land of greater extent than the quarter of a statute acre, shall be deemed and taken to be a destitute poor person under the povisions of the first recited Act and the Acts amending the same, or of this Act; nor shall it be lawful for any board of guardians to grant ary relief what ever in or out of the workhouse to any such person until they shall he satisfied that he has bona fide, and without col lusion, absolutely parted with or surrendered any right or . title which he may have had to the occupation of any land over and above such extent as aforesaid, of one quarter of a statute acre):—Motion made, and Question put," That the Clause, as amended, be added to the Bill." The Committee divided : MAJORITY-AYES, 117. MINORITY-NOES, 7. Crawford, W. S. 111`Carthy, Alex. TELLEILL Escott, Bickhain Scrape, G. P. O'Brien, W. S. Evans. Sir Be Lacy Williams, W. Cartels, IL B. Humpliery, Ald. Clause (And be it enacted, That, save as hereinafter pro vided, it shall not be lawful for any occupier of rateable pro perty holding under any lease or agreement to be made or entered into after the passing of this Act, nor for any tenant at will, or from year to year, after the Ist day of January, 1849, to deduct from the rent to which he may be liable in respect of such property, any amount whatever in respect of fitly rate which may be imposed at any period subsequent to the date of such lease or agreement, or subsequent to such Ist day of January, as the case may be) brought up, and read a first time ; Motion made, and Question put, " That the said Clause be now read a second time." The Com mittee divided : MINORITY—AYES, 76. Acland, T. D. Gaskell, J. M. Masterman, John Adderley, C. B. Gladstone, J. N. Maxwell, Hon. J. P. Antrobus, Edmund Gore, W. B. 0. Mundy, E. M. Baillie, W. Goulburn, Henry Newdegatc, C. N. Darkly, Henry Grogan, E. Newry, Viscount Baring, Thomas Halsey, T. P. Norreys, Lord Bateson, T. Hamilton, G. A. O'Brien, A. Stafford Bennett, Philip Harris, Captain Patten, J. W. Bentinek, Lord G. Ileatheote, Sir W. Reid, Colonel Brisco, M. Henley, J. W. Repton, G. W. Brooke, Sir A. B. Herbert, Sydney Rolleston, Colonel Bunbury, T. Ilildyard, T. B. Sibthorp, Co:onel Cardwell, Edward Hill, Lord E. Stuart, J. Crew, W. 11. Pole Holmes, W. A'Court Sutton, 11. M. Chandos, Marquis of Hope, G. W. Taylor, E. Chute, W. L. W. Jocelyn, Viscount Thompson, Alderman Clerk Sir G. Jones, Captain Tollemache, J. Cole, Hon. 11. A. Tier, I). S. Vcsey, Hon. T. Corry, Henry Knight, F. W. Villiers, Viscount Cripps, William Law, C. E. Vyse, Darner, Colonel Lefroy, Anthony Walsh, Sir J. Disraeli, B. Lennox, Lord G. H. Young, John Douglas, Sir 11. Liddell, 11. T. Douglas, Sir C. B. Lincoln, Earl of TELLERS. Emlyn, Viscount Lindsay,: Colonel Jolliffe, Sir W. G. 11. Fineh, G. Manners, Lord J. Shaw, F. Fuller, A. E. March, Earl of MAJORITY-NOES, 79. Aglionby, H. A. Evans, Sir De Lacy O'Brien, W. S. Aldam, William Fitzroy, Lord C. O'Connell, M. J. Anson, Colonel Gore, Robert O'Couor, Don Archbold, Robert Grey, Sir G. Ogle, S. C. Arundel, Earl of Hall, Sir Benjamin Paget, Lord A. Bannerman, A. Hawes, Benj. Pechell, Captain Baring, F. T. Heneage, Edward Perfect, Robert Barron, Sir 11. W. Hobhouse, Sir J. Philpotte, John Berkeley, Captain Holland, Robert Rawdon, Colonel Berkeley, H. F. Howard, C W.G. Rich, Henry Bodkin, J. J. ~: Howard, E. G. Russell, Lord J. Bon-ring, Dr. Howard, P. li. Russell, Lord H. Brotherton, Joseph Howard, Sir R. Scrope, G. P. Buller, Charles Jervis, Sir John Sheridan, R. B. Christie, W. D. Labouchere, Henry Somerville, Sir W. Collett, John Lambton, H. Stanley, W. 0. Cowper, W. F. Macaulay, T. B. Stuart, V. Craig, W. G. M`Carthy, Alexander Struts, Edward Crawford, W. S. M'Donnell, J. M. Thornely, T. Dickinson, F. F. Maitland, Thomas Warburton, R. Dodd. George Mangles, R. D. %Ward, H. G. Dull, James Mar;hall',lVilllaua 'Wilshere, T. W. Duncan, George 3laule, Fox Wyse, Thomas Dundas Admiral Mitchell, T. A. Dundas, Sir David Moffatt, George TELLERS. Dundas, J. C.: Monahan, J. H. Hill, Lord AL Escott, Bickham Morpeth, Viscount Tufnell, 11. Evans, William Morris, David AMERICAN WHALERS. MR. BROWNING'S EVIDENCE BEFORE THE NAVIGATION-1 4 ANS COMMITTiE, TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sits,—ln The Sun of the 24th insCAr. Browning is reported to have said, before a Parliamentary Committee on the Navigation-laws, that " the .American whalers wero generally of an inferior class of vessels, and could not follow the whales into high latitudes, or huok on to them in rough weather." Happening to be an American myself, and, indeed, to have been " raised"—to use a Yankeeism—in a little town called Nantucket, which is somewhat famed for its enterprise and success in the prosecution of the whale fisheries ; and being, moreover, familiar with the modus operandi of the whaling business otherwheres, the above statement somewhat amused me. Now it so happens that the one thing for which our American whalers are pre-eminent, is strength, a quality more necessary than any other to success. In fact, the length of their voyages (averaging over three years), and the great cost and inconvenience of getting repairs while abroad, makes it of prime importance that such should be the case. I can assure the Committee aforesaid, that the Nantucket and New Bedford merchants (and they do seven-eighths of the whole business) never send a vessel from their ports until, after a thorough overhaul ing. she is found to be every way seaworthy. The com monest self-interest would warn them from any other course. The statistics show that fewer vessels are lost on other. As for the difficulty whaling voyages than any of " hooking on to whales " in stormy weather, one scarcely knows what Mr. Browning means. The whale is always attacked, captured, and " hooked on to," from comparatively small boats—of which every ship carries from four to eight—and is not brought alongside till he is in a state of most harmless quietus; and it must be a " stormy " time indeed, when either an American or a British whaler loses an opportunity to " hook ou to him. Really, testifiers before such Committees should be more cautious in their testimony. On looking at another part of Mr. B.'s statement, we find the following : shipwrights repairing her (meaning the Ameri can ship), and other artisans fitting her with stores, take their chance of the profits arising from her fishing. The same arrangement was made with those who navigated her, the ordinary seaman receiving one-sixtieth part of her net prcfits, and the captain about one-twelfth." The whole of this is wrong. The shipwrights and artisans have nothing to do with the voyage, and the " lay" (as it is called) of the sailor and captain is net a given proportion of the profits, but of the cargo. The owners may sink thousands of dollars, and yet the sailor make ono or two hundred, and the captain much more. Dundee, March 26, 1847. C. [The writer of the above has sent us his name and address.—ED.] LONDON AND NORTII-WESTERN RAILWAY OF FICERS, &c.—The officers and servants of the London and North-Western Railway Company having, much to their credit, opened a subscription for the relief of the distressed Irish and Scotch, have collected the sum of two hundred and eighty-three pounds, which has been paid to the account of the National Relief Fund. Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial office from the Governors of Hong-Kong, Ceylon, the MauritiuF, and Gibraltar. COURT CIRCULAR. The Queen held a Court yesterday afternoon at Buck ingham Palace. Senor Isturitz, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenii otentiary from her Catholic Majesty the Queen babella 11. of Spain, had an audience of her Majesty to present his credentials. Senor Mora, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Ple nipotentiary from Mexico, had au audience of the Queen to present his credentials. Their Excellencies were respectively introduced by Viscount Palmerston, G.C.8., her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and conducted by Colonel the Hon. Sir Edward Cust, K.C.H., her Ma jesty's Master of the Ceremonies. The Queen was attended by the Marquis of Ormonde, Lord in Waiting, and Mr. R. Ormsby Gore, Groom in Waiting. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited her Majesty and her Royal Consort yesterday. His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode out on horse back yesterday, attended by his Equerry in Waiting, Colonel Bouverie. The Royal Family took their accustomed walks and rides yesterday. The Earl of Lincoln, Lord Edward Howard, and Mr. G. E. Anson, had the honour of joining the royal circle at Buckingham Palace at dinner yesterday evening. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited the Queen Dowager yesterday. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge also visited her Majesty yesterday, at Marlborough House. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester visited the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge yesterday, at Cambridge House. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary, attended by Baroness Hammer stein, left town yesterday evening for Kew. A meeting of several of the Cabinet Ministers took place yesterday at the residence of the Marquis of Lansdowne, in Berkeleysquare (the Noble Marquis continuing indisposed). There were present—Lord John Russell, Sir George Grey, Viscount Palmerston, Earl Grey, the Marquis of Clanricarde, the Earl of Clarendon, and the Right Hon. Henry Labouchere. Count Schimmelpenninck, Minister of the Nether lands, left London last Sunday morning for the Hague. His Excellency is expected to return in about a month. During his absence M. Stratenus, Counsellor of Lega tion. will act as Charge d'Affaires. Mr. Bancroft, the American Minister, left town: cn Monday, on a short visit to Paris. Baron de Brunnow, the Russian Minister, transacted business yesterday at the Foreign-office. Sir John Pelly had an interview with the Earl of Clarendon yesterday, at the office of the Board of Trade. Mr. IL Galt had an interview with Earl Grey yester day, at the Colonial-office. Lord John Russell had a dinner party on Saturday, at his residence in Chesham-place. Among the company were M. Van de Weyer, the Belgian Minister ; Baron de Moncorvo, Portuguese Minister ; the Chevalier Bunsen, Prussian Minister ; Senor Isturitz, Spanish Minister ; the Duke of Norfolk, the Duke of Bedford, the Earl Fortescue, Viscount Torrington, Lord Lilford, the Earl of Minto, Mr. Villiers Stuart, and Lord Wriotheslev Russell. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sat yesterday to give judgment on au appeal, " Sidney Stephen v. the Judges of the Supreme Court of Van Diemen's Land." The Lords present were the Master of the Rolls, Lord Brougham, Lord Campbell, and the Judge of the Admiralty Court. Judgment was given by Lord Brougham. The Lord Chief Justice Wilde and Lady Wilde arrived at Farranco's Hotel, Upper Belgrave-street, yesterday, from Lewes. Her Majesty the Queen has been most graciously pleased to :appoint Mademoiselle Dezboroff (successor to Madame Thomas), of 35, Rue Neuve du Luxembourg, Paris, to be her Majesty's milliner in that capital. Mdlle. Dezboroff has also the honour to hold the appointment of milliner to the Princesses of the French Court. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S-MONDAY. The Newmarket Handicap excited a good deal of attention, its interest being chiefly derivable from the business done on the three favourites. We have quoted Vanish at 7 to 1 ; this was her closing price, but in the course of the afternoon she was backed at all sorts of prices, from 10 to 1 up to 6 to 1, from which she receded near the last to 9 to 1, was backed at that figure, came again and settled finally at 7to 1 : 9to 2 was at one time taken currently about each of the two favourites, but offered at the finish. Some other horses were backed for small sums. Nothing fresh on the other Spring races, and not much done on the Derby ; we should mention, however, that 9 to 1 was taken freely about Planet, 30 to 1 to about 1001 about Liberator, 2,500 to 100 about Glen tilt, 1,400 to 50 about Conyngham, 50 to 1 to 2001. about Bingham, and a few other bets of minor importance. Glentilt and The Liberator, although backed, were not in good odour, and Epirote was entirely friendless. Latest prices : NEWMARKET HANDICAP. 9 to 2'agst Mr. Gregory's Euclid colt 9 to 2 agst Lord E. Russell's Sting 7 to 1 agst Sir C. Monck's Vanish 10 to 1 agst Lord Orford's Footstool—taken 12 to 1 agst Lord Stradbroke's Lynceus—taken 14 to 1 agst Mr. Wigram's Keslieng— taken 20 to 1 agat Sir .Shellev's Campanile 20 to 1 agst Col. Anson's Tom Tullock 100 to 6 agst Sir J. Hawley's Iliumll um—taken Watch-dog is scratched. THE PORT STAKES. Offers to back the field at even, or take 6 to 4 about Sting. METROPOLITAN If ANDICA P. 18 to 1 agst Mr. John Day's Bourton—taken 20 to 1 agst Mr. G. H. Moore's Wolfdog—taken 25 to 1 agst Mr. Herbert's Odessa filly—taken 25 to 1 agst Mr. liainsbottom's Fire Apple Finvarrigh is scratched. TWO THOUSAND GUINEAS STAKES. 5 to 2 agst Mr. Mostyn's Planet—taken 7 to I agst Mr. O'Brien's The Liberator—taken 8 to 1 agst Nr. S. Conway's Christopher. CHESTER cur. 20 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's Mendicant 25 to 1 agst Lord E. Russell's Dulcet—taken 25 to 1 agst Mr. B. Green's The Lamb 25 to 1 agst Captain Pettat's Newcourt 28 to I agst Mr. Wilson's Punch 40 to 1 agst Mr. Skerratt's Intrepid—taken 1,000 to 15 agst Mr. A. Johnstone's Annandale—taken 750 to 25 agst Lord Eglinton's two—taken 600 to 20 agst Mr. Collett's two—taken. DERBY. 700 to 200 agst Kent's lot—taken 14 to 1 agat Forth's lot—taken 6 to 1 agst Lord Eglinton's Van Tromp 9 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Planet—taken freely 13 to 1 agst Mr. Bowes's Epirote—no backers 25 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Glentilt 28 to 1 agst Sir R. Pigot's Conyngham—taken 30 to 1 agst Mr, O'Brien's Liberator 40 to 1 agst Mr. Irwin's Horn of Chase—taken 50 to 1 agat Colonel Anson's Bingham—taken to 2001. 50 to 1 agst Mr. Stephenson's Black Dwarf 50 to 1 agst Mr. Holmes's Pavilion 2000 to 40 agst Mr. Payne's Sister to Cobweb colt—taken 60 to 1 agst Mr. Bouverie's War Eagle 66 to 1 agst Mr. Fuller's Oxonian—taken. OAKS. 8 to 1 agst Mr. J. Day's The Farmer's Daughter—t. Hornet is disqualified for the Derby, Oaks, and St. Leger, and some other engagements, by the death of the owner, Mr. Corbet Smith. MANCHESTER RACES. The Master of the Horse has been pleased to transfer the Queen's Plate from the old course to the new one, and it will be run fur, as usual, at the forthcoming meeting. NEWMARKET CRAVEN MEETING.—FIIIDAY. Mr. G. H. Moore's Wolfdog, 9st, agst Lord E. Rus sell's Reminiscence, 6st 71b; A.F., 200, h ft. SECOND OCTOBER' MEETING.—FRIDAY. Duke of Bedford's Leopard, Bst 9lb, agst Mr. G. 11. Moore's Watchdog, 7st 71b; D. 1., 200, hft. It has been stated in a Marseilles paper that the Government of Great Britain had definitively decided upon adopting the route to India by Marseilles and Alexandria, and had abandoned all efforts to procure an other mode of transit. This statement has been copied into the London papers. The mistake of the French journals has arisen from the fact of the Ardent (Govern. ment steamer) having been taken from the other route, and ordered back to Malta. But, in fact, the Ardent had been only lent to our enterprising country man, Lieutenant Waghorn, fora series of experimental trips, six in number, which have now terminated. A sum of money was also placed at his disposal by our Government to . carry out the r ema i n i ng port i on o f h i s experiment, which is now for the present concluded. No opinion as to its working has been come to. Indeed there has not as yet been time to arrive at a conclusion. But oven should that conclusion be adverse to the route by Trieste, in the present state of road travelling, it by no means follows that the way by Marseilles is to be de finitively settled upon as the best, or that our Govern ment should be debarred from seeking another—and if possible a better—mode of transit tor our Indian mails, or from giving all due encouragement to every enterprise calculated to establish so desirable a result.—Observer, 28th March. SCHOOLS FDIC THE DESTITUTE AND NEGLECTED. — A very numerous meeting to forward the above object was held last evening in the school-room, Chapel-place, Suffolk street, Borough. Lord Ashley occupied the chair. After a report had been read detailing the operations in connexion with a school lately established in London-street, London road, his Lordship congratulated the promoters of the meeting in having, to some extent, met the claims of this large and unfortunate class, and expressed the hope that in connexion with this effort a daily industrial school might be established, as the best means of counteracting evil associations. He encouraged the committee to persevere in their labours, assuring them that his experience in the working of ragged schools warranted him in telling them that success was cer tain, if the work were carried on with benevolent intentions and in a kindly spirit. Resolutions were passed setting forth the claims of this hitherto uncared-for class, and calling for the increased co-operation of the Christian, the philan thropist, and the patriot. The meeting was addressed by the Revs. C. Wall, J. Branch. and J. Stevenson ; J. Payne, Esq., J. Browne, Esq., and other gentlem en After a vote of thaks to the Noble Chairman, the meeting separated. ROBBERY AT KNAPTON.—On Saturday, Inspec tors Scott and Aldis apprehended W. Lark and George Lark, both of Knapton ; the one for stealing, and the other for receiving, a quantity of linseed, the property of the Rev. W. L. Barnes, of Knaptun. George Lark was stopped with a quantity of linseed in his possession; and the house of the other prisoner being searched, a quantity of linseed meal was found concealed there, which corresponded with that found on the prisoner George. ' They were brought before the magistrates at Cromer, and fully committed by W. IL Windham, En., to walsin g ham prison. — Norfolk Chronicle. GLASGOW PIG IRON MARKET, MARCH 23.—The market is firmer this week, mixed Nov. having been sold as high as 71s. cash, and little iron on Glas - gow Saturday fast. THE MURDER at CHESTERFIELD. OIONFESSION OF PLATTS. This criminal, since his conviction, has been placed in the condemned cell of the county gaol, under the cus tody of Mr. Sims, the governor. He was visited by the Rev. George Pickering, the chaplain of the prison, who urged on the convict the propriety of making a conkssion of his guilt. On Sunday he attended Divine service, and in the after part of the day he wrote to his mother, sister, and brother, previous to which he made an unreserved and full confession of the murder. He stated that he was present when it was committed, and that he was the principal party concerned, althsug,h he did not strike the blow by which the unfortunate man, George Collis, was stunned and rendered insensible. He next proceeded to implicate Morley as taking an active part, and divulged the name of a third person, which, as a matter of course, has not been suffered to transpire. The circumstances he narrated were as follows : Platts and Collis, the deceased, spent the Sunday after noon with M or l ey, C oll i s was plied w i th dr i nk and in veigled into Platt's shop in the shambles under pretence of settling the account, and he was then murdered. The object of Platts and Motley was plunder, for it was conjecture d that as Collis was about to marry Ellen Beresford in the West Bars, I:e had saved a sum of money for this purpos e , w hi ch he carried about with him. This young woman gave testimony on the trial. After the perpetration of the murder the body was mutilated, and on Monday night was de posited in a sack by M or l e y and the convict, and carried across the market-place to the cesspool, where s ay it was accidentally discovcreu. Muir,g. the d Platts had proceeded to the house of Mr. Franks, the land lord of the Old Angel, and not many yards distant from the shambles, and told Mrs. Frank, at the time the corpse was lying in the shop, that he fully expected to meet Collis at the Angel, in order to settle their partnership accounts. This statement, made by Platts on Sunday, would make it appear that after the blow inflicted on the victim, he was strangled to prevent the moaning noise, and which noise, it may be remembered, wa s sworn t o as having been heard by several persons on passing through the shambles on the Sunday evening of the murder, and which attracted the a tt en ti on o f t h e passers -b y . The convict admitted that he then proceeded to rifle the dead body of his victim, and divested it of his shoes and part of the dress. Platts then went into lengthened details of the part he had sustained in the murder and the cir cumstances. After this confession the prisoner appeared more sociable in his manner, and conversed with the attendants. He was then, at his request, furnished with writing materials, and wrote the following letter to his mother:— " Derby County Gaol, March 21, 1847. " My dear Mother, Sister, and Brothers,—With trembling, i rite these few lines to you—i hope you will not fret about your unfortunate son, for i hope we shall all meet in u better world than this ; i hope the Lord will forgive us all our sins ; i am shure he will if we due ask the Lord (jeus) jeues Criced our Savor dear mother ; i hope you will pray to the Lord to pardon your sins i am sure be will if you pray to heaven for pardon my dear sister remember what i say to you pray to heaven to pardon all your sins dont delay my dear Brother remember what i say dont delay pray to hevon to pardon all your sins; bles the Lord for it and i hope he will forgive me for i know we bay all to die therefore i will not lose no time i have praid nite and day to the Lord Jeseus our Savor to forgive me all my sins and to blot out all my old offences my dear mother pleas send word if you are coming to see me for I should like to see you all I am going to rite to my dear friend Mr. Hotham rite to me with speed pleas to show this letter to Mr. H. Ilotham and you will oblige your unfortunate son, "JOHN PLATTS." The above letter was forwarded, at the convict's re quest, to Platt's mother, at Chesterfield. At an early hour on Monday, upon being visited by the chaplain and governor, his conduct was very indecorous. Shortly before noon Platts had an interview with several of the visiting justices, and was then interrogated relative to the confession which he bad made on the preceding day, and was asked, if the confession was reduced to writing, he would sign the document ; to the great surprise of all present the convict contradicted the statement made on the preceding day, and denied that he had any part in the murder, but implicated other individuals. He made another statement to the justices, which was full of inconsistencies. On Tuesday it was communi• cated to the convict that the High Sheriff bad fixed Thursday, at neon, April the Ist, for the sentence to be carried into effect. On the announcement by Mr. Sims, the convict turned deadly pale, but evinced no emotion. During the week the relatives of the convict had an in terview, and his mother and sister will take their final leave on the Tuesday preceding the day of execution. RUBlNL—Thirty years past, at Bergamo, by a singular contrast, the Opera company was very mediocre and the chorus excellent. Amongst the chorus-singers at this period there was a young man, very poor, very modest, and much beloved by his companions. This young man (to aid his aged mother), added to the functions of a chorus singer the more lucrative one of a tailor. One day, having taken a pair of pantaloons to Nozari, this celebrated singer looked at him earnestly, and said to him, with kindness, • 4 It seems to me, my boy, that I have seen you some where ?" " That is very probable, Sir ; you might have seen me at the theatre, where I sing in the cholusses." " Have you a good voice ?'' "Not particularly, Sir; I ascend with difficulty to G." "Let us see," said Nozari, at the same time approaching the piano; "sing the scale." The chorus-singer obeyed, but, having sung G, he stopped, quite out of breath. " Sing A—courage ; go on." " Indeed, Sir, I cannot." " Sing A immediately, I say, un fortunate." The A was sung. " Now sing If." "Really, Sir—" " Sing 11, I say, at once, or by my—" " Oh, do not be angry, Sir, and 1 \\ill try." GAI; C was sung. " You perceive," said Nozari, with a triumphant voice, "and now, my boy I shall only say to you, it you will work, you will brews() the first - tenor of Italy." Ni.zari Was not de ceived. The poor chorus-singer was the renoveued tenor liebini, who now possesses a colossal fortune. A few days ago the following tnaeeacre was com mitted at Nedonchel (Pas de Calais). A father strangled his two children, one six and the other only four years old, in order that he might become the uncontiolled possessor of some little property which they inherited. OBJECTION TO THE TAKING OF AN OATIL—A tall, stout man, rather respectably dressed, appeared before Sir Joshua Walmsley, on Saturday, to make a charge against James Welsh, of having stolen a pair of picks, being utensils used in making roads and excavations. The prosecutor, on being handed the book, preparatory to being sworn, slid,—l refuse to he sworn ; I cannot con scientiously take an oath. Sir Joshua Walmsley—What are you? Are you a Quaker? Prosecutor—l sometimes go to the Quakers' meetings. Sir Joshua—What religious denomination do you belong to? Prosecutor—l believe in Christ, and have been told not to take an oath. Sir Joshua—Who told you ? Prosecutor The Word of God. Sir Joshua—Are you a member of the Society of Friends? Prosecutor—No. Sir Joshua—Are you a Moravian ? Prosecutor No. Sir Joshua Are you a— What are you? Prosecutor declined to answer. A Voice--lie doesn't know what ho is. Sir Joshua—ls it lon religious grounds that you object to be sworn? Prose , cutor—lt is. Sir Joshua—Well, it is very wrong that the ends of justice should be defeated in this way. I feel that I have a power to send you to gaol, but I hesitate to act upon that power. It may be that your repugnance to take an oath is based upon conscientious scruples, but I certainly doubt it. lam obliged to discharge a man who, in the face of the public, is all but proved to have been guilty of stealing your property, and he must now be let loose upon society to practise the same deeds with impunity. You see the result of your refusal. Prosecutor—l do, but I cannot help it. Sir Joshua—Let the prisoner be discharged.— Liverpool Mercury. LIVERPOOL—DISGRACEFUL CONDUCT OF A CAP TAIN.—On Tuesday, Captain F. Brown, of the ship Bemires, appeared in answer to a summons charging him with ill treating and placing John Duff; a seaman, in irons. From the complainant's statement it appeared that during the voyage from Calcutta, for some alleged misconduct, he had been put in irons and placed in the water closet for ten days, where there was neither room to lie down, nor, when the door was closed, scarcely sufficient air to sustain life. During this time he was fed on bread and water only. From this he was removed, and fastened down under one of the hatches, where again he had great diffi cu lt y i n b reathing from the insufficiency of air. The defence was, that he had neglected the captain's orders, was careless and in dolent, although at the end of the voyage he had exerted himself to the utmost. Mr. Rushton said he never heard a case of greater hardship. For a slight offence the man was placed in irons, and kept in solitary confinement for ten days : this in a tropical climate, and in a place where he could scarcely breathe, and sufficiently close to put an end to life in twenty-four hours, or to produce a fever. Cap tain—We had no other place to put him. Mr. Rushton—l do not think I should be doing my duty if I did not make an example of you, and send you for trial. Had such a thing occurred in the army or navy, we should never have heard the last of it. Let the evidence be taken. The case was ad journed, and the captain held to bail. The defendant, who was held to bail, appeared yesterday, when Mr. Rushton said that the magistrates had gives the matter their serious con sideration ; and, while they thought that the punishment I intended to be inflicted was not so great, still they could not but consider that that kind of punishment in the tropics was calculated to do serious mischief—it was highly reprehensible —and there was great doubt whether him to trial. They would , however, otnhi7 inflict d a n p o e t n s a e l n ty d of sl.—Liverpool Mercury. steamer m o ;e Leghorn, belonging iihaving i n t g o the French Government, On the 17th the of London. The two steamers Lad Navigation Company,. Rham te s r e e s d tl a ie in tow the Tiger, one of en the vessels of the Oriental Ste previous night, owing," it 't in watching of the crew of the Tiger, is said, to the neglect was somuch broken that she run against each other during the and one of the Tiger's wheels . was obliged to be towed to Leghornfor repairs. H er pan.. sengers took their departure for Naples the same day, by the Ville de Marseilles. FUNERAL OF COLONEL GORE UNGTON, M.L . .-_. (Abridged from the Bath Herald. )—Thursday being the day appointed for the lying in state of the deceased gentleman. Newton Park was the resort of many thousands of persons anxious to obtain a view of the ceremonial. The chamber in which the earthly remains of the:lamented deceased lax was hung with black cloth, in the form of a canopy, from the centre of which depended a chandelier with ground glass shades, which, together with six flambeaux on either side of the entrance to the room, cast a sombre gloom over the whole, presenting a scene at once solemn and imposing. Friday was the day fixed upon for the interment of the body, and long before the hour appointed for the procession to start from the house, a vast concourse of persons, the ma jority of whom were habited in complimentary mourning,, assembled to pay their last tribute of respect to the memory of the departed estimable gentleman. At about half-past one o'clock, everything having been arranged with the ut most regularity, the procession moved from the house. Oa arriving at the church, which was hung with black cloth. the corpse was met by the Rev. C. Holland, the curate, who read the appropriate service in a very impressive manner, during which the body was lowered to its last earthly tene ment in the presence of the deceased Colonel's relatives, friends, and tenantry only. At the conclusion of the service the mournful cortege returned. JAMES SHERIDAN KNOWLES. — Dur in g the p act few days a memorial to Lord John Russell has been ill course of Mr. James Sheridan Knowles, as a reward signature in Leeds, in favour of a pension being granted to and iel , b tfillts Or for his genius th talent as an author. The memorial has received A ' signatures of many of the most respectably ...a 1...... the bucligh, —Leeds Xercuri. ■