The Sun. — London, England, 1857-05-30 00:00:00

RIPERIA proper ones, and they could grant licenses to persons to m uc h d ar k er s h ape. He ought to have stated at first lAMENT. I take on them th e care and coofinementot lunatics, and any that the composition of that commission took away all. i persons who kept lunatic asylums without licenses were suspicion of partiality. It was composed of two gentle -1 liable to a penalty of 2001. for each offence of sending men experienced in cases of hump, and in charge of any lunatic into custody. The sheriffs had to attend to lunatics under the system in England, of a gentleman all matters relating to the length of time during which who was an experienced lawyer in Edinburgh, a sheriff lunatics were confined in any licensed houses, and no one of one of the populous counties of Scotland, who could i could be detained without an order from the sheriff. He not be supposed to set himself against his brethren the could show that, notwithstanding this, the granting of sheriffs of Scotland, or against the board of supervision, licenses was the exception ; that houses of detention were and of a medical gentleman of Edinburgh, and all these opened without licenses, that people were detained as gentlemen seem to have set their mind on giving a fair lunatics without any order or any medical certificate, and impartial account of these things in Scotland. Tee that many of them died, and that the facts of their committee of supervision in their reports of the last four deaths were not stated to their friends and that years only stated that "they had no change to announce they thus disappeared without any notice being in the management of lunatic paupers this year ;" but in taken by the authorities. The statute which regulated their last report they seemed to have borne misgiving, the care of lunatics in Scotland provided that no one and they said they had called the attention of the inspec should receive into his exclusive care any lunatic person tore to the irregularities which had arisen. He thought without a certificate siened by two medical men, and the sooner the B ,and of Supervision was dispensed with that on their reception into a house of detention, within the better. (Hear, hear.) The former statements Of the five days the certificate was to be transmitted to the board were vague, but the last one was an insult to the sheriff; and also, that within seven days of the let of Government, to the house, and to the country. He did January in each year a certificate of tee medical men not ask what measure Government would take to dis was to be sent to the sheriff describing the state of pense with the Board of Supervision next year, but he the lunatics, and any deaths which might have occurred asked what measure they would take now. were to be notified to the proper authorities. Regis- Sir G. GREY was not surprised that his hon. friend, tries and accounts were to be kept, and entries were to as one of the representatives of Scotland, should have be made of the state of health of each patient, and of felt it his duty to take the earliest opportunity of calling, the deaths of any of them, In all cases of coercion not the attention of the Government, for their attention and restraint entries were to be made of the causes of had been called to it before, but the attention of the house such restraint ; and entries were to be made every day to the report which had lately been presented to them, of of the progress of the disorder of such patient, and of the committee appointed two years ago to inquire the necessity, more or less, of restraint. Any keeper of into the care and treatment of lunatics in Scotland, any house who did not keep such books was liable to containing, as the re p or t did , a statement of a heavy penalty. The law, therefore, wou ld seem to f acts and allegations calculated to throw the greatest have done enough. As regarded pauper luneties in Scot- discredit upon that portion of the United Kingdom. land, they were in the bands of the parochial boards, He would not follow his hon. friend through the de which were under the control of the board of supervision tails of that report ;he would only express a hope that in Edinburgh. The law as it stood enacted, that when a the observations he had made would lead hon. members poor person chargeable to a parish became insane, the to read it for themselves, especially the Scotch members, parochial board was to see that within fourteen days he because on them mainly depended the adoption of those was properly lodged in an asylum to be provided for means which alone could be effectual for remedying those such persons. The board of supervision, however, on gross cases of abuse and neglect which were contained proper cause shown them, in particular cases might in this report. In one respect only did he differ from allow a lunatic to be left in the bands of his friends, the hon. gentleman. He said that the state of the law due inspection being made as to his being properly in Scotland was from being defective, and that the de cared for. The asylums for pauper lunatics were also sub- feet was in the administration of the law. He (Sir G. ject to the inspection of the sheriffs, In England there Grey) thought this report showed the greatest defect in was no legal appeal on the subject of the allowance of a the law. Let him call attention to one passage of the pauper lunatic, but in Scotland there was such an ap• report, which was the key, in fact, to most of the peal to the Court of Session, which Court might make abuses :"A curious anomaly exists in the statutes. They an order of maintenance on a parish. Toe power, require that pauper patients shall be sent to public asy therefore, over keepers of lunatic asylums and over lams, while they omit to make provision for the creation the parishes was as complete as it was possible to be. of those asylums." There did not exist in Scotland at The hon. gentleman then read extracts from the reports the present moment asylums supported by local rates, or of the Board of Supervision for 1847 downwards, all of from the public funds, for the reception of this class of which went to show that all the provisions of the patiente. The consequence was, that the only asylums law had been complied with as regarded pauper to which they could be sent were asylums which owed lunatics, and he stated that he should be able to show their origin to the benevolence of individuals, which that these reports were false, and that the condition of were self-supporting, and to which only patients could the pauper lunatics was diametrically opposite to that be sect whose friends could pay for them a sum far be waich was stated in those reports. Three years ago he yond the reach of the class of pauper lunatics. After MILITARY EDLrCATION, brought in a bill for the inspection of parochial boards these came the licensed the poor-housee, r those Sir D. L. EVANS gave not i ce t h at on Thursday, the and pauper, on the ground that the Board of Supervi- Portions •of the poreehous h es ouses, apprepriated to lunatics; and 11th June, he should submit resolutions for the consid e - eion was lax, and that paupers were mach neglected in the se places were of the worst possible description. Then ration of the House on military education. Scotland, but he was met by the reply that his state- there was that numerous class of pauper lunatics who CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS. meats were exaggerated, for the purpose of getting up a were lett to the care of their friends, who were subject to Mr. BASS as k e d t h e C hancellor of the Exchequer case, and if he had moved for a commi ss i on o f i nqu i ry as treatment which in many instances was too horrible to what was the c ourse pursue d w h en candidates for em- to the state of p auper l una ti cs , h e s h ou ld no doubt have contemplate. This report clearly demonstrated a most ployment in th e c i v il serv i ce were nominated by mum- been met with th e same objection. But it was a su bj ec t d e f ect i ve state of the law--a defect which existed at one leers of Parlia men t ; w h et h er a can did ate so nominated of congratul a ti on th a t, t h roug h t h e exert i ons of the Lord time in this country,-but which had been remedied by a was necessarily admitt e d t o exam i na ti on ;w h ether there Advocate, a bill bad bee n b roug ht i n an d passed, under law which required every county and borough in Eng was any comp e titi on f or emp l oyment i n t h e c i vil service ; which inspectors had b een a pp o i n t e d. Th e report had land to contribute by local rates to the erection and whether, in fact, with th e exce pti on o f a s i mp l e exams originated from the i nqu i r i es o f an A mer i can lady, a maintenance of asylums for the reception of pauper nation as to the ordi nar y qua lifi cat i ons f or office, the old Miss Dicks, who came h ere on a p hil ant h ropic mission. lunatics. That being the case, he could only assure She found in the c ourse o f h er i nqu i r i es, that the lunatics his honourable friend that as soon as this report was in system of patronage a n d f avour iti sm did not rema i n i n full force ! in Scotland we r e i n a m i sera bl e state, and at her persua- the hands of the Government his attention was imme•The CHANCELLOR of th e EXCHEQUER sa id siect and instance Gove rnmen t appo i nte d the commission diately given to it ; and he conferred with regard that all the particul ars o f th e regu l at i ons re f erre d to to examine into th e su bj ec t. H e should not be doing jus- to the measures to be taken with the Lord Ad would be found in a n o r d er i n counc il, d a t ed M ay , 1850 , tics to the lady if h a did no t say that all who read that vocate, and he would state generally what steps had which contained all h on . mem b ers s h ou ld report must f ee l grate f u l to her for having been the been taken. But first let him say a few words with know— (laughter)—besides which, if h e st u di e d th e re p or t o f th e means of showin g u p a s t a t e o f things that was disgrace- regard to the origin of the report. He entirely concurred Civil Service Commission, he would fi n d th e manner i n ful to this cou n t r y, Th e statements in that report were with his hon. friend in the tribute of admiration which which that order had been carried out. most horrifying, a nd h e i nv i te d hon, members to read it he had paid to a benevolent American lady who visited CORRUPT PRACTICES PREVENTION ACT. sataatteheofetulmeaus. of carrying home to their minds the this country some time ago. She took a deep interest in s and s t n actua i lly exi f sted. Under i the statute, thiitelfa t r h e of this unfortunate class of persons, and after Mr. CROSS asked the Secretary of State for the the visitation ertv the re i pauper +. lunatics was the . visiting Home Department, whether it was the intention of the duty of the sheriff, m fa h._ 0 h. report stated that only inlaud, where he gave her every facility for inquiring into Government to extend the provisions of the Corrupt onecase that of icl L t ihn—were the regulations the .. condition of the lunatics there. Even before those Practices Prevention Act, 1854, to municipal elections? licensing houses ' for the reception of lunatics drawn up visits of Miss Dicks to the licensed houses and other Sir G. GREY said it was not the intention of the Go- by the sheriff,l and there they had fallen into disuse, It . places where pauper lunatics were confined the matter vernment at the present, at all events, to apply this act stated also that persons were often removed without an y ' had been brought under the attention of Government, to municipal elections. medical certifi ca t e ; th a t t h ere was no sufficient examine. and they thought it desirable that a commission should POLICE (SCOTLAND), tion or supervision ; that in some counties no houses for be is-nod for the investigation of the subject, and his bon Mr. MACKIE asked the Lord Advocate if it was his the reception of pauper lunatics existed, and that the friend only did the Government justice in saying that intention to introduce a police bill for Scotland during greatest abuses existed. Under the provisions of the std- their desire was that that commission should be so cons this session ! tute, it was necessary that records should be kept of all posed as to ensure a faithful and efficient discharge of an The LORD ADVOCATE said it was his intention to that took place in the asylums, but in most of them thi s important duty. After perusing the report he thought - introduce such a bi,l this session. was neglected, and in many of them even the necessary it his duty to send a letter to the Board of Supervision, HONDURAS. books and forms had never been procured, It f o ll owe d with a copy of the report ; and he informed the board Mr. DISRAELI inquired of her Majesty's Govern. if some of these asylums were licensed and some not—if that the statements in the report demanded and would went as to the reasons for the non-ratifi ca ti on o f th e no record was kept, and no supervision took place—ne. receive the attention of Government with a view to re- Treaty between her Majesty and the Gover nmen t of th e glect would naturally arise. And it appeared that the medying the evils that existed, but that independent of United States about Honduras ;as to the present state lunatics were insufficiently fed and clothed, subject to any measure which Government might think it right to of the negotiations ; and whether papers would be laid mechanical restraints ; that they had to sleep on the bring into Parliament, he called the attention of the before Parliament. floor ; were without comfort or medical requirement s , board to the gross cases of cruelty and neglect in the ad- Lord PALMERSTON said that i n th e co urse o f l as t and in some instances there was no separation between ministration of the existing lew• e ived an summer, two two treati es were conc l u d e d— one with Hen. the -exec, and the whole object seemed to be to c row d as di a t e rep l y f rom S i r J. M'Neill, H the rece chairman of the duras and the othe r with th e United States—by the many as possible into a given space. In every house they board, assuring him that the matter should be brought former treaty the Ruatan Islands were ceded t o found handcuffs, leg-locks, and strait waistcoats. And before the board at its next meeting, and requesting to Honduras, under a convention that existed, pro- the commissioners added that on the death of a patient be furnished with information on various points, upon vision being made for the protection of the inhabitants, in one of these asylums no notice is given to the sheriff which he addressed a letterto the Lunacy Commissioners, who were to be a neutral and not a milit ar y st a tio n , under whose warrant the incarceration had taken place, requesting them to place themselves in communication He then referred to the conditions of the though the statute required that notice of the death of with the Board of Supervision, and to give them the Ml treaty between this country and America, one every patient should forthwith be given to the sheriff, lest information. He would not now enter into a defen ce part of whieh was that Great Britain and the United Nobody believed that such a state of things could have of the Board of Supervision—he would only say that he States engaged henceforth to acknowledge thes e i s l an d s exi s ted in any civilised country, especially one that laid thought it right the house should suspend its judgment as a past of the territory and sovereignty of Honduras, especial claims to superior civilisation and enlightenment, until they bad heard what the board had to say. He These treaties had been sent, one to Honduras, The commissioners had experienced great difficulty in believed that his hon. friend had overrated the power of and the other to the United States, for ratifies- obtaining a correct return of the number of persons i n . the board, butTlhsatwbalsamfaer, h fr o o w m ev s e a r, yi w ng as t s h h e a y re w d er by e 'red tion. Up to this time nothing had been hea r d f rom carcerate d i n these places. They applied, therefore, to from blame. Honduras, but the Senate of the United States thought the Beard of Supervision, but they could obtain no in- inspectors, by the :sheriffs, by the clergy, b t justi t he ces proper to alter their treaty, non e o f w hi c h a l terat i ons f ormation that could be depended upon. The returns of the peace, and by the commissioners of supple H be were important, and her Majesty's G overnmen t b a d t h e b oard had were far from complete. They bad no ac. lieved that one defect of the existing law had been that . waived all their objections to the alterations except one, counts of the number of lunatics in the poor-houses, nor divided responsibility which had ended as usual in no The one to which he alluded was that no reference should of the number of lunatic paupers who lived with friends, one taking upon himself the due performance of duties be made to a convention that existed relative to the and were supported by out-door relief. a ealed of this kind. (Hear.) The Lord Adv s o b c o a r t i e ffs at hi l e r request, Ruatan Islands, but that the treaty should simply state to the clergy, and he (Hr. Ellice) was - sorry to say that had also addressed a letter to the that henceforth they would acknowledge these islands as no reliable information could be obtained from them, it attention to their neglect in exercisin theirea calling their 1 powers. When their answers were rgeceived vial / t h a t part of the territory of Honduras, which would have the appearing that the clergy, like the others, were in the appearance of a concession. Her Majesty's Govern- interest of the ratepayers. Ultimately they applied to I hon. friend would know what measures it might be right could not consent to that alteration, and her Ma- the const ibulary, whose returns show e d a v er y large in- per to take with reference to that part of the sub* P ect. jesty's Government had made certain representations to crease On those of the board of superintendence. They He hoped that the Government might not be accused of ' the United States, which it w as h ope d wou l d b e ac- found that the number of paupers in Scotland was 7,403 neglect in the measures they had taken with a view to cepted. He declined producing any papers on the sub- of whom 4,600 we re lunatics. But of these 4,600 pa n . correct, as far as was possible, a gross defect in the ad ject, but would rather wait till the, r ea ty w as ratifi e d, p er lunatic e , only 1,500 were in the chartered asylums, ministration of the existing law. Beyond this, his right and then lay it on the table for the consideration of the In licensed houses there were 426, but in the poor. hon. friend would take the earliest opportunity of asking house. houses and living with relations and strangers there were the house to agree to a bill which it was ho ed would After some further remarks from Mr. Disas.ELl and 2,671, The great majority of the paupers of Scotland were remedy the existing evils. This was not the first time Lord PALMERSTON' the subject dropped. out-door paupers. In consequehce of the want of ac- that such a bill had been proposed to parliament. Lord pr ivate houses have been Rerfur, when he was Lord Ain a The motion for adjournment was then agreed to. comnoodation in th e as yl ums, THE PRINCESS ROY AL'S DOWRY . opened, w h ere no care was taken as to the suitableness bill uth which, d if passed, he believed wo d uld vocate have brought ' prevented The house then we n t i n t o comm i ttee on th i s bill, of the premises, t h e num b er of persons crowded within many of these evils. That bill was read in that house t c la o n na d m pirtetevee,dbfuat fatal lhe to o f p t : On clause 1, granting an annu i ty o f 8 , 0 00/. a-year to t h em, or the fitness of the proprietor or conductor. But with the warm approbation of most of the Scotch mem ber Royal High n es s on h er marr i age, besides thes e asy l ums and private houses, there were the bneresitienit poor-houses, and as to t h em he would refer to the case I) w w h a i s ch re w fe a r s re r d ais t e u d a in Scotland select Mr. BOWYER moved an amen d ment to add, provided, however, that in the event of her Royal Highness be- of two houses in Edinburgh. The report stated that at He trusted that this report would lead to a very diffe• the Edi n b urg h c i ty poor-houses and St. Cuthbert's, pa- I rent result with regard to the bill to be brought in by coming Queen Consort' o f P russ i a, the said an- ' nuity shad cease and d e t erm i ne f rom the date ti ents were admitted without medical service—they were his right hon. friend. He trusted that the disgrace which of the accession of his Royal Highness Prince never visited by the sheriff, nor was there any license now attached to Scotland with regard to the care of pau- Frederick William of Prussia to the throne of Prussia, obtained, the neglect in this respect being, it appeared, per lunatics would be thereby removed, and that that In the event of her Royal Highness surviving her hue- consequent nn the desire to save the fees. If such was and the other Louse of parliament would kindly co-oP e band he pr o p ose d th at th e annu i ty should be revived, t h e case in Edinburgh, what must be the condition of rate with Government in the adoption of those measures The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER resisted those receptacles for persons afflicted with the direst that were necessary to attain that end. (Hear.) visitation to which humanity was subject in the more re- Mr. DRUMMOND said when Lord Rutherford had the amendment, and said he wools much rather the mote districts ? And what security was there for the brought in his bill, he consulted with him in order to house had not consented to the second reading of the liberty of the subject ? "Economy wag," said the cone- get some returns giving information on the subject, bill than agree to the present amendment. (Divide.) miesioners, "the rule of conduct, and thus was the state and Lord Rutherford gave him every assistance in Mr. W. WILLIA.MS, who had given notice of a of the accommodation accounted for." With reference his ower • b h similar amendment, supported the amendment of the inaghleewepdertshonnt connected theebjeet in wi Scotland twith 8 e o t ut e was beat by the systematic oppo hon. member (Mr, Bowyer). He thought a prince must to the removal of pauper lunatics to the asylums, or sitiot of ' from one asylum to the other, the commission stated, in land. This ev r e e r p y or a t be a man of mean spirit to accept with his wife au annuity to be taken from the high taxed people of ono- reference to one case, the removal of au ors from t was to care for property and not fur the lunatics. If there ther country. Murray's Royal Asylum, at Perth, to Mus P selbur Is, institution, or a set, of men iu Scotland more Mr. WALTERS could not support the amendment ae that the manner of it was disgraceful, and that from the wason h guilty t . an another, it was the board of supervision. In it now stood. If the annuity was to cease on her Royal want of accommodation and of attention at the latter no one instance had a magistrate gone to inspect these Highness becoming Qaaen of Prussia, the amount place, the patients rapidly sickened and died off. They asylums. Yes, there was one instance ;and they would should be increased. He had no objection to make a also referred too many instances of great cruelty icfiicted not let him in because he was a papist. The Poor-law, compromise, viz-, that if the period of the amou n t was during the removal—in one, that of a woman who was las it stood, had been well limited, the amount should be increased to 12,000/. a removed last year, and was brought with a stick tied in of their e defined as an act to deprive year. (Hear, and laughter.) her mouth and behind her head, the effectof the poor . rights. He would give to the house the pres- three instances. In the first case a poor woman of 64 Mr. DISRAELI oppose I the amendment, repeati ng sure being that her tongue mortified and was lost, He had lost the use of h wasallows right f arm and was afflicted with the argueleute he used on the second reading of the bill, came now to the case of those lunatics who were sup asthma. Sheuowe.- 21. per month, out of which He added that the annuity would not be furnished out ported by out-door relief, and who came more especial( - y 8. deducted for Another case was that of of the taxes of the people, but out of the Crown estates under the superintendence of the board. H e f oun d was deserted by gowns. er husband, He (the hon. given up up by her Majesty, when she ascended the that the number was 1,363, but the commissioners a womandid zof know f m r en) n d i what they allowed her, but she lived Throne, which returned 260,0001. to the Exchequer. said they had only arrived at an approximation of He characterised the present proposal as being a shabby the numbers. The condition of these lunatics was EX- stolen e ou a t y of u a po e n a t turnip l which one of her children bad In the third case, the pauper had one, and said the question whither the Queen of Prus- tremely bad. With regard to them there was no in a:nom n inal ar of per week, but of that the in- should or should not be a pensioner of the country, spection ; they were lett to chance and the mercy of s ectotook allowance ' . r away us. for rent All these • had cakesbeen rested with Prussia and not England. It was ou r pl ace Providence. fee instructions given by the Board of Su- brought before the board f * supervision, _ and it had re to make proper provision for the mar r i age o f pervision were that they were immediately to report to peately refused to interfere, e until at last some persona a princess. The time was come for the them all cases of insanity. Bat those instructions were insisted upon its attending to them. He was glad the house to consider upon the present system of cons- by no means stringently acted upon, Tiany of these subject had at last been brought before the public, but he pelling her Majesty to make such appeals to the house, lunatics lived in remote districts, where removal to warned the hon. member that h• is efforts would fail un and be could not approve of the jealousy o f th e people an asylum would entail great expense. There was, how. less he exerted himself to the utmost. (Hear.) of this country that deprived her Majesty of the ever, so far as the he pectors of the parish were con- Mr. F. DUNDAS • possession • of territorial rights that would enable her cerned, no check of any kind. The sheriffs took no co g• by Mr. Eilice said he in reference to a case mentioned ,had a letter from Professor Ay to make provision for her family, insance of these cases unless they were specially g reported. toun the sheriff of the c - - Sir F. BARING, after some remarks relative to th e It depended on the inspectors of the parishes whether ,- h •ounty in question, who assured ' after i • • hereditary revenue of the Crown, said he should oppose they reported these lunatics or not, and very few con- 'thatiru that 'wo m a n n w st a n s u i ting an inquiry, he was satisfied sidered it their duty to repott them. The commisei the ateouring under a delusion. Still the amendment. oners he (Ur, Dundas) was Mr. ROEBUCK said that, as the "sense" of the said : " The inspectors of the poor practically assume an .- * afraid that so good an answer committee appeared to be against the proposition of the unwarrantable power over poor patients,in keeping them could not be made to all the charges which had been honourable and learned member, as it was against him at home, or in placing them with strangers, or in trans- brought forward; and he was glad, therefore, that an in on a former occasion, he advised him not to divide the ferring them from one place to another, and in transport- vestigation had taken place which was likely to put an committee• ing them, when English or Irish paupers, to England or end to so serious and so grave an evil, (Hear, hear.) After some discussion the amendment was withdrawn. Ireland," As to the general treatment of these paupers, Sir T. COLEBROOKE did not wish to lighten the re- The clause was then aereed to and the bill passed they had a fearful account in the appendix to the report, sponsibility which rested on the local authorities and on through committee. ' ' Zee commissioners said : "The greater part of these the board of supervision ; but be could not eel thinking 1) PA paupers are with their friends or with strangers, the that the primary responsibility was, after all, with the UPER LUNATICS On the order for goin into C n • of S (SCOTLAND.) l generality of them in a destitute condition. Some of imperial legislature. This was ellit the first time the at- Mr. E. ELLICE ro.egtocllaor❑mittee upp y, them are chained, some are locked up in small closets, tention of Parliament had been called to the subject. It the at f tention of the house to the report of the Co call many are confined in their beds, filthy, infested with had been fully traated on in the report of the Poor.l aa , State of Lunatics in scola.doluaenri.3. too Inquiry into the vei win, covered with rags ; some are allowed to remain Commissioners in 1844; but thestep that was taken in Cor i ask what steps the - Government intended to take for immediatelynaked ; some are in straw, and their rooms emit an in- sequence had only increased the evil—the step , "ernely, of securing dividing t o pauper lunatics in Scotland pr , ;per e t teand tolerable stench. Other-, again, are homeless, and al- been the responsibility, instead of leaving in , as it had maintenance He said that hie ru 0 t i i p o e t . was pro founded e c o n 0 lowed to wander about." One instance was given in h till then, [vilely upon the sheriffs. T ' as l a t e L or d the report of the commissioners, b y which it n , which a lunatic had been chained to his bed for 13 years, w ith erford brought forward a bill w}• nee was received Scotland appeared complicity that the laws relating to pauper lunatics •the chain being 2i feet long. There was another case, nts from all the Scoech members,but • It las In had was referred - to a Bel - been greatly disregarded • and hisse _, atsment would omelet of two wretched women. One was confined in a wooden heard of sinem, select committee and it bad never been inwpally of extracts from that report. The state of pr , cage in a corner of a room. She had been so for 13 years, with arose -out of The opposition which that bill had met Ito lunatics in Seetland w as very dif. and was of course furious. Her sister, at the age of 32, mistaken economy, for there was no things with regal . ; fact in medical ex • d perience so well established as that the ferent to that in England an Ireland, In Scotland, became insane :1140. Toe parents whore they lived with chances of recovering instead of a board of commissioners appointedto take care vere described as being in a continual state of intoxica- the same proporteiroing in cases of mental disease were in of lunatic a the charge of them devolved on . the sheriffs thin. And then there was another important matter— remedial. treatmentuveaaa the mental with which the of counties and the board of supervision, which stood in the number of these lunatic women who bore children,s applied. Mr. RINNAIRD the place o f th e p oor -l a w Board in this country. Thou g h (Hear.) It appeared that there were about 120 or 130, hon.thought it . the abuses which existed were perhaps attributable to a as w far as the commissioners could ascertain, of these,gentleman was mistaken, . right to say that the gent • case of h e l e , • ,ti supposing that the atro want of precision in the law, yet in many respects the omen who had borne children, and it was believed there cious cruelty .a described occurred • protection of were many cases which had escaped observation. He asylum. The cruelty •t , in Perth provisions of the law were ample for the • some place elsewhere, ' d out and he charged tc;:iieuld not conceive a more horrible state of things. Tben tient was afterwarhis taken and the pa pauper lunatics, if properly carrie , .to the asylum in question almost c ' - uninissione rs where she was mentioned other cases in which the,reated with great humanit He thought ' the sheriffs and the board of supervision with an alm , lunatics wer e . total neglect of the duties incumbent on them according 1 l They said th left ,without a sufficient supply of food. fluty were greatly indebted to the Government for the was to de- i at in Edinburgh the allowance was only 2s. yilf).ur. and ability with which the matter had been take to law. The power and duty of the sheriffs • a week. The ea taken ride on every matter which was deemed necessary ; 1 &tying that thee°,i-e'.nileioners concluded their report by 1 4) oy the Horne-ofßce. with reference to lunatics ; to aecertain w hether any i ,ave only an imp:4: which had been furnished them • Col. SYKES said that until a recent period the treat andper-ons were confined who ought not to be so confined, I 6 jof the case ; they termed representation of the true state Me at of lunatics had been no better is En l d p an than it to see thl.t all persons were set at liberty if the cm Only a part of the picture of v , misery, and had they been able ias now in Scotland. The royal commissioners were ap. to extend their investi- . curnetaecee of their cases allowed of it. They were genus, it would, they wer e pointed, and now the condition of those unh - appy per. e " Yi lleed, nave :usury - / bound to see that places of coaaement for lunatics were di a ; acne sac in the highest degree creditable to the natio. .., HOUSE OF COMMONS.—{YESTERDAY.) The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock. NEW MENIBERS. Lord IL G. Lennox and Mr. B. Baring took the oaths And their seats. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The following bills were read a third time and p asse d : —The Dublin and Wicklow Railway ; Dumbarton Ice. ; Great Western and Brentford Railway ; and Isling ton Parish. The following bills were further considered and ordered to be read a third time :—Briton Ferry Dacks, Burslem And Tunstal Gas, Glasgow City and Suburban Gas, Glas gow Gas, Kidsgrove Market, Saint Helens Canal and Railway, Scottish Central Railway, Waterford and Tra more Railway. NEW WRIT. On the motion of Mr. HAYTER, a new writ was or dered for the borough of Leeds, in the room of Mr. R. Hall, deceased. RETURNS. Various unopposed returns were ordered to be laid on the table of the house. PETITIONS. Petitions were presented for an equalisation of the poor rates in the Metrupolis ; against the paper duties ; for and against the present beer bill ; against the May no,ith grant ; against the opium traffic in China ; against the regulation clauses i❑ the Savings Banks bill. WHITSUN HOLIDAYS. Lord PALMERSTON moved the adjournment of the house, on its rising, till Thursday next. Mr. HUDSON put a question to the noble lord at the bead of the Government, relative to passing tolls on shipping, whether it was the intention of the Govern- ment to introduce a bill this session for the removal of this charge at Whitby, Burlington, and Hull, and whether it was the intention of Government to deal with the question of local charges on shipping, and also the regulation of pilots The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the question of passing tolls was in the hands of the Vice-President of the Board of Trade, who would, after the Whitsun holidays, if the questions were repeated, state what would be done. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) thought the state of public business was such as to prevent the introduction of a bill this session on these subjects. The motion for adjournment was then agreed to. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. Lord PALMERSTON moved that on Thursday, the 18th June next, and every succeeding Thursday, orders of the day should have precedence of notices of motions, in order to facilitate the business of the session. NE WCASTLE-UND ER-LYNE. The SPEAKER announced that the petition against lbe sitting member fur this borough had been with- , drawn. They had therefore every reason to hope that similar re sult-, would follow the adoption of a similar course in the northern part of the island, Only there must he no di vided authority, and the staff must he pertly a paid one and partly composed of gentlemen who gave their set , vices from purely philanthropic motives. The LORD ADVOCATE was far from regretting the strength of statement employed in the report, and by his hon. fr on the contrary, he rejoiced at it from the very bottom of his heart. The existing state of things had long been a disgrace to Scotland. The attention of Parliament had been called to it several years ago, and an attempt was made to provide a remedy, but that at tempt failed. Every one of the suggestions contained in the commissioners' report had been proposed by his deeply lamented friend, Lord Rutherford, in 1848 ; but there was at that time not a single petition in favour of the measu re . S o f ar from it, his lamented friend's bill was petitioned against by twelve of the largest and most important of the Scotch counties. (Hear.) After the failure of his noble friend he (he Lord Advocate) did not feel justified in putting the subject forward again until circumstances should have brought about a change. In 1854, however, he passed his Valuation Bill in order that assessments might be made at a future time in aid of any public object. In the next year that noble-minded woman (Mies Dicks) came to Edinburgh and visited the asylum. She said that there was something wrong, and wished to be allowed to make a visit at night when she would not be expected. He (the Lord Advocate) felt some difficulty in giving authority to an unofficial per-on to do what she proposed, and she therefore applied to his right hon. friend the Home Secretary. His right hon. friend asked him his opinion, and he (the learned lord) stated that the whole dealing with lunacy was utterly disgraceful, and that it could only be reached by a commission of inquiry, or by immediate legislation. The cemmission which had just sat was thereupon appointed, and he (the Lord Advocate) rejoiced to think that if the mea sure which had failed in 1848 were now proposed, there would be little fear of its meeting any serious opposition in either house. (Hear, hear.) His hon. friend might depend on the subject receiving the best attention of the goverment. (Cneers.) Colonel SYKES said the house should understand that the censures contained in the report were not of universal application. There were asylums in Scotland —that, for instance, at Aberdeen—which would bear comparison with the very best in the country. (Hear, hear.) Mr. J. H. JOHNSTONE observed that their infor mation on the subject of lunacy was now much more complete than it was forty years ago. The government would meet with the general and cordial support of the people of Scotland. (Hear, hear.) Mr. FERGUS hoped the Lord Advocate would bring in his measure without a moment's delay. (Cheers.) The Speaker then left the chair. SUPPLY. 251,2281. for manufacturing departments, barrack masters, storekeeper s , &c. Mr. SPOONER asked for an explanation of a certain advance, which he understood bad been made to an American lacuna, to enable it to take a contract for small arms, which house had since failed. Sir J. RAMSDEN said it would be in the recollection of the committee that when the war was at its height there was a very great demand for small arms. Orders were in the. first place given to all the English houses which could take them, and then contracts were entered into in Franoe. Still the demand coetinued ; and Messrs. Fox and Henderson, who were then engaged upon va rious contracts for the Board of Ordnance, stated to the Government that they could procure 20,000 stand of arms from an American house. The arms were to be of the very best construction ; but it was statect that in order to enable the American house to set up the extensive machinery that would be requisite, an advance must be made. Under the circumstances, and con sidering the pressing nature of the demand there was for arms, it was considered advisable to make the advance a ked for. The whole contract was for 87,0001. odd, and it was agreed to advance one-fourth, it beiug stipulated one-fourth should be deducted from the payment on ac count of each instalment of the muskets delivered. After a time, however, the Government were informed that more money would be wanted, and it then became a question for the Government to consider whether it would realise the securities deposited with it or make further advance. The latter course was adopted, and the total sum thus advanced amounted to 35,6591. During all this time the muskets were being delivered of a very good quality and with great regularity, but when ten thousand had been sent in the Government received an intimation that thecontract could not be completed. The balance due at that time from the American house was 24,1101., and steps were immediately taken to realise the securities. Tiaese consisted of a mortgage on the Ameri can manufactory and machinery, and of a claim on the estate of Messrs. Fox and Henderson. Messrs. Fox and Henderson had also failed, but it was right to say that not a shadow of an imputation rested on them, they having acted throughout in a thoroughly honourable and straightforward manner. (Cheers.) Mr. SPOONER asked whether it was true that a proof for 2,5001. had been tendered against the estate of Messrs. Fox and Henderson Sir J. RAMSDEN could not exactly say. Of course the Government had no claim against Messrs. Fox and Henderson's estate until the American property had been realised and proved to be insufficient. Mr. NEWDEGATE was understood to assert that the home trade would have been perfectly able to supply any amount of arms required if it bad only been treated with fairness by the Government. It Iwas improper for the Government to employ fureiguere in the manufac ture of arms, when the Birmingham manufacturers were able to turn out 140,000 stand of arms a year. Lord PALMERSTON twitted the hen, member with advoc,aLiog the interest of his constituents. The hon. gentleman had referred to the first year of the war ; but it should be remembered that unless they bad been supplied with arms at the beginning of the war, the Government would have been blamed for the neglect. As to the notion of improved arms being kept a secret, nobody but the hon. gentleman supposed that this could be dune. If an improved musket was brought out in Russia or any other country, it would be immediately induced A t iv r . lo After r te . r SPOONER here. apfoeowNciEu : ( t H iroen e p a sl fe , rdo h .m ea r m . ) Mr. WILLIU(g, Sir J. RAiISDEN denied that any workmen had been enticed from Birmingham to Enfield. It had been discovered that one man, who had been employed at Enfield, had left his employment at Birmingham, and he had been sent back. He denied that the Government were anxious to take the trade into their own hands. After a conversation, chiefly between Mr. SPOONER and Lord PALNERSTON, Colonel SYKES sand that in thirteen years there had been a loss of 500,000/, upon the manufactures carried on by the Government. The change of weapon from the " Old Brown Bess" to the improved Indian rifle occa sioned an extra expense of 3/. Be. 6d. per piece ; and this expenditure would shortly be increased, for an improved musket had been produced, and he contended that the British soldier ought to have the best description of arms. He objected to the manufacture of small arms at Enfield as an infringement on the principles of free trade. Colonel NORTH supported the vote. Mr. NEWDEGATE reminded the house that the Government had not set up this factory at Enfield in opposition to the private trade of England, and asked was it right that the officers of this competitive esta blishment should be made judges of the works of their rivals iu. trade Y To make the competition fair, and pre serve the character of the public servants, they should separate the inspection from the manufacturing depart ment. Lord PALMERSTON. said that the hon. gentleman assumed there was some personal interest in this matter. He spoke of competition as if any person made a profit out of Enfield. That 'manufactory was established to produce the best possible description of weapon for the public service, and the private trod. s were called on to do the same. It was necessary that some person should be appointed on the part of the Government to see that the arms furnished by the trade were equal to pattern, and the proper person to appoint was one acquainted with the process of the manulaoture. Mr. CROSSLEY had originally opposed the vote for this manufactory, and all he had seen or heard since had confirmed his opinion. He objected to have the officers made judges of the arms supplied by the trade. He would suggest that some gentleman acquainted with arms should be appointed to examine those produced at En field, and by private manufacturers. If an accurate ac count was kept he believed the Government would find they were considerable losers. Mr. DISRAELI said the noble lord denied that En field was a competitive establishment ; that was true to this extent, that the manufactory there had not yet pro duced a single rifle, although it had drawn away the beet artificers from the private trade, and had caused many to enter into the service of foreign governments. He con sidered that it was a very great mistake on the part of the Government to make an advance to a private manu facturer with whom they had entered into a contract. (Hear.) But in this case they were not content with an advance. The question raised by the hon. member for Warwickshire that evening was a very important one, and although the present vote might not be a fit occa sion to decide it, the house would before long have to press a decided opinion one way or other. It was Govern mentcon- should en t er i nto competit i on w i th pr i vate traders. I tiel tt r h y e t m o a e n v u er fa y et s o o r u y nd commercial principle that a w t o E rk n i fi n e g ld ag w ains asat proimvapteeti h capital drawn f rom th e genera l taxat i on of the country ; c t t r i a v d e es es w ta it b liehme n t, t h ey were but if it was not a competitive establishment, it was nothing but a normal school of gun-making, and it be came necessary to ask what was the result produced by the expenditure on it. that the Government factory produced Lancaster shells at 1-3 d of the price charged t y -he trade. Toe Enfield manufactory was established to supply a certain portion of the public demand, hut it was never expected that it would meet all the demands of the army from time te time, Mr. D NIMO2`.TD said the hon, gentleman spoke of this manufactory as being contrary to s , nod commercial and political principles, but the most important question was how this country could be supplied with the best possible article. He had heard some advice given to young members that evening : if he might gently offer a hint it would be that they should read the blue-books on the various subjects into which committees had inquired. They would find that to trust to the trade would be to trust to that to which no trust could be given. After a few words from Mr. EWART, the vote was agreed to. On the vote of 221,000/. for artificere' wages, Sir W. CODRINGTON called attention to the desti tution prevailing at Woolwich. He thought some steps ought to be taken to relieve this distress ; be would not say by a direct vote, but by some means which might fairly fall within the means of the Government. The peo le ought to be passed to where they could get work. Sir W. WILLIAMS would urgently press upon the Governm-xit the oensideration of the matter to which the hon. and gallant member had referred. Sir F, SMITH called attention to the email pay which Government artificers received ; he trusted that this evil would be remedied. Mr. BRISCOE and Mr. TOWNSEND corroborated the statements which had been made with reference to the distress prevailing at Woolwich. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the subject had been under the coneiderat on of the Go vernment, which had felt extremely desirous, if they could, to grant a sum to aid those persons to whom refe rence had been made. But it had been felt, if the prece dent were once set, a door would be opened for claims which it would be difficult in many cases to meet. Ho under stood that many of the persons who were now out of employment were mere labourers, who nevertheless had received from Government good wages, almost equal to those of some classes of skilled artificers. Under such circumstances those people, being now discharged, re futed to take work at the wages which they bad formerly received, but endeavoured to obtain similar wages to those paid by the Government. Upon this they had, as might be expected, been unable to obtain employment. From communications which had been received from the Poor-law Board, he had been led to suppose that the dis tress was not so great as the hon. gentleman supposed. The vote was then agreed to. Upon the vote of 228,5701, for clothing, &c., for the army, Mr. WILLIAMS called attention to the fact that the clothing of the Horse Guards cost double that of the ca valry of the line, and with regard to the Foot Guards that the expense was more than double that of the cor responding expense with regard to the line. He also urged that the number of Horse Guards was much larger than necessary ; it had been stated in that house by the Duke of Somerset (Lord Seymour) that 400 men would be amply sufficient for the purposes for which the Horse Guards were required. S r J. TRELAW.NY pointed out that the regulations of the Horse Guards prevented them obtaining a tho rough knowledge of their profession. He complained also of the extra pay enjoyed by the Guards as compared with the line, and that on service the Guards were exempted from detachment duty. At one time during the Crimean war the commander-in-chief, the chief of the staff, and three generals of brigade, were Guardsmen ; this showed that they were favoured more than the line. Another privilege they possessed was that they were not called upon for colonial service. The hon. gentleman referred to several other privileges which the Guards enjoyed as compared with their fellow-soldiers of the line. He de nied that there was anything in the argument that the Guards were entitled to peculiar privileges because they paid more for their commissions than officers of the line, seeing that the addition was compensated by extra al lowances. Sir J. RAMSDEN reminded the hon. baronet that they were on the vote for clothing, with which the eye teal of promotions in the army, or the difference between the privileges enjoyed by the Guards and the line re spectively, had nothing to do. Whatever abuses there might he in the system of promotion, or however wrong it might be that the Guards should enjoy privilege. which the line bad not, that was no reason why our troops should go naked. (A laugh.) He advised the hon. baronet to bring the subject forward as a substan tive motion on a fitting opportunity. Sir J. TRELAWNY was proceeding to repeat a question put and replied to on a previous day as fo the good conduct pay of the sergeants, when The CHAIRMAN interposed, observing that the question had no reference to the vote before the house. Sir J. TRELAWNY was still insisting on hie right, amid loud cries of " Question," when An HON. MEMBER rose to order. The CHAIRMAN again decided that the hon, baronet was out of order. General CODRINGTON intimated that when the question was properly before the house he should be prepared to defend the Guards against the statements of the hon. member. Sir J. TRELAWNY thought the hon. gentleman the - Under-Secretary for War would have treated him with a little more of courtesy. (A. laugh.) Sir J. RAMSDEN, in reply to Mr. Henley as to the increase in the charge of clothing, said that under the change that had recently been introduced, all the cloth and material for the clothing was sent to Weedon to be inspected, and it was the development of the new eye- Item. that occasioned the extra charge. The total sum was 174,0001. for the clothing of 69,722 men. The average oost per man was 21. 3s. 63. Mr. E, ELLICE suggested that in future estimates it would be well to have the number of men placed in a column against the cost of the clothing. Colonel BOLDERO doubted whether the present system was more economical than the old one, but he admitted that it was an improvement. Mr. S. HERBERT remarked that it was not intro duced as a measure of economy, but to relieve colonels of regiments from a good deal of odium which, under the old system, was most unjustly attached to them. The vote was agreed to. 617,9001. was voted, in addition to the 319,000/, pre viously voted, for provisions, forage, fuel, and light. In answer to Mr. RIDLEY, Sir J. RAMSDEN said there was no intention of making any alteration in the allowance for billeting. In answer to Sir J. TRELAWNY, Sir J. RAMSDEN said improvements in the system of accommodation in barracks for married women was being gradually carried out. Col. SOMERSET complained of the smallness of the allowance to infantry officers of 2s. a day for the keep of a horse. He also urged that an allowance for one horse to the lieut.-colonel of a regiment was not sufficient. Captain VIVIAN complained that the officers of ca valry had BJ. a day taken from them to pay for the keep of their horses. Sir J. RAMSDEN said that 2s. a day had been fixed after great consideration, and it was thought to be quite enfficient, especially as the general contract price of the keep of a horse was only is. 6d. The stoppage for horses of cavalry officers was under consideration. The vote was then agreed to alter some further con versation. The next vote was 400,0001., in addition to 190,000/. already voted for warlike stores. Colonel BOLDERO said ho saw the other day at Woolwich two monster mortars, made to throw shells weighing 478 pounds. The shells were made in the ar senal at Woolwich. He wished to know by whose au thority those guns were made, whose property they were, and what they cost ? He was informed they coat 12,0001, a piece. They bad not been proved, and he wished to know if they were to be tested, and whether they were for land or sea service Lord PALMERSTON said he was the person who ordered the mortars. (Hear, hear.) In the beginning of the war with Russia these mortars were projected by two ingenious persons, and ordered by the Government. One was intended for the Baltic, and the other for the Black Sea, but there was a failure in the firm which was to make them, and they were not finished till the war was over. They had not been tried, but he had no doubt they would have been very efficient. Colonel BOLDERO—To whom do they belong, and what did th,y cost ? Lord PALMERSTON—They belong to the public. I can't say what they cost. I will give notice when they are to be tested. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY complained that it was not clear that ail the sums specified in, the estimates were spent on the articles on which they were applicable. A sum of 700,0001. was spent last year for !gunpowder. What was the stock now in hand I Colonel BOLDER() said that when we went to war with Russia we had an immense supply of gunpowder ; that supply had been devoured during the war; and be fore the war was over we were get ing deficient in pow. der, and it was quite proper to furnish all the magazines again. The vote was then agreed to. 153,1361., in addition to 82,000/, already voted, for fortifications at home and abroad was the next vote. Sir C. NAPIER drew attention to the insufficiency of the defences at Woolwich. Sir F. SMITH observed that the Portsmouth defences were very effective. Sir C. NAPIER had not said a word about Ports mouth, but urged that a hulk in Portsmouth Harbour would have been as good as the harbour battery. Lord PALMERSTON said the question of the de fences at Woolwich was an important one, and had oc cupied the attention of the government ; that the pecu liar conformation of the ground about Woolwich would always render it difficult to defend it by works on the laud side. Against any attacks by water it might be defended by gun-boats and batteries, but on the land side they must always, he believed, depend upon troops for its defence. Mr. RICH trusted the committee would pause before making any grant for fortifying commercial towns, or raising batteries which might be altogether useless. Sir C. NAPIER had no doubt that a great deal of dependence might be placed upon the army, but it could not do impossibilities. By means of redoubts Woolwich might be put into such a state that it would be impos sible for an enemy to take it by a coup de enema, and he trusted some works would be thrown up there which would be capable of resisting any sudden attack, until efficient relief could be afforded. Lord PALMERSTON said that representations had been made by several commercial towns to the effect that they were totally unprotected against attacks from foreign cruisers. The estimates were so framed as to pro vide for the execution of batteries to defend these ports, but her Majesty's Government intended to proceed gra dually and to erect only such works as were considered the most necessary. lie believed that very trifling out works would be sufficient to defend these towns, and was confident that they would provide such a volunteer artil lery corps as would be able to man the batteries in case RETURNS ORDERED. DIVORCE (SCOTLAND.)—On the motion of Sir E. PERRY, retura of the number of decrees of divorce a viuculo matrimonii pronounced by the Court of Session in Scotland during the present century, distinguishing whether the suit was promoted by husband or wife. SAVINGS BANES.—On the motion of Mr. EBTOOORT, return showing whether any, ano, if any, what defalca tions have been discovered to have taken place in sav ings banks since the Ist day of July 1851, together with copies of any correspondence in relation thereto, between the trustees and managers of such savings banks and the Commissioners for the Reduction of the Natiunal Debt. Lord PALMERSTON feared that a good portion of the discussion turned on the weaning of words ; if the Government were to set up a manufactory of articles to sell, then again that would be a competitive establish ment and a very impolitic proceeding ; but if the ques tion was how the wants of the public service were best to be supplied, in his opinion the more the Government did under the inspection of their own servants the better. Of course no government establishment could be on such a scale as to supply all the wants of the public service. His right bon. friend the First Lord of the Admiralty kept a competition establishment for building ships, but when a great number of gunboats were required, he had to ask the assistance of private traders. Some years ago there was a want of line-of-battle ships, and forty were ordered from the private builders ; but they were so bad that they were called the " forty thieves." The advan. tape of public establishments was, that things supplied were good in quality, and AR cheap as possible. Lord Panraure had lately established at Weedou a manufac tory of clothing for the army, and the result was that the things were much better mad e, and the cloth t,f a better quality than had been supplied by the centractore. The same way with the manufacture of cartridges ; and when he was at Woolwich last year he found ELECTION EXPENSES.—On the motion of Sir J. PAK INGTON for Sir F. a return from each election auditor of the total amount of the audited expenses in curred by each candidate to serve as a member in the present Parliament, especially distinguishing the ex penses, if any, of conveying electors to the poll, the num ber and expenses of the polling places, and of rooms en gaged as committee rooms, the number and expenses of election agents, comm ittee men, clerks, messengers, p a id canvassers, and others, the expenses of printing ad. dre'ses, placards and adverti-etnents ; setting forth also the total number of voters on the registry, and the total number of votes polled for } each candidate. CHEESE.—On the motion of ir P. G, EGERTON, ac count of tne quantities of cheese imported into the deve. at ports of Great Britain, in tact' nihnth of the year 1856, distinguishing the European, united States, and colonial. produce ; and of all European cheese, exclusive of Bzi tish cheese, exported froavEogland in the year 1856 (in t . ~.. A!Y EVENING, MAY 30, 1857 of need for the def , ,nce of their own property. AU that was requisite in such cases was praper defences and sufficient - nurn!,er of piec...es of ordnance. Sir J. TRELAWN Y was afraid that the vote, if agreed to, woul , l lead to consi&rable additional expendi_ tore. In toad of 300,0001., the amount woi:ld probe!) y exceed 1,000,0001. Mr. AYR TON thought the Government ong.ht to mention the harbours on which the sum of 13,500/. was to be expended. It certainly mint be intended for only two or three harbours, and he thought it not at all de sirable to commit the houseto an expenditure oi 300 0001, Lord PALMERSTON was not in a position to state the particular towns on which the money was to be ex pended. If the proposal was to begin fortifications ob which 300.0001. must be expended it might be argued that it would he necessary to complete them or all the money would be thrown away. Bat the intention was to fortify a number of paces, each of which would c.:st only a small sum. It did not follow that it would be necessary to proceed with all the fortifica , ionk; contem plated. He might state that Liverpool, Hull, and Sun derland were three of the places from which applications had been received. General WILLIAMS supported the vote, and was of opinion that the contemplated works could not be com menced at too ear:y a period. To show the importance of fortifying our seaports he might state that during the French war the ports of France were so wtl.l fortified tbat Nelson could not put a stop to the French coa-ting trade. After some further discussion, in which Sir Ver ney, Mr. Rich, and Sir C. Napier took part, the vote was agreed to. On - the motion of Mr. WILLIAMS, the chairman then reported progress, and the house re,umed. MINISTERS' MONEY (IRELAND). On the order of the day for going into committee on this bill, Lord J. MANNERS objected to going on at that hour with the bill. Certain returns with respect to the pro perty of the ecclesiastical commission affecting the v4-ry basis of the bill had been moved for, and he submitted, therefore, that the measure ought not at present to be proceeded with. Sir G. GREY denied that the returns which the noble lord referred to had any direct bearing on the bill. Mr. HORSNIAN explained that the income of the present year was 143,0001 , and that of the last year was 93,0001. The balance, after payment of ministers' money, would amount to ab.,ut 2,0001. Ha thought that these facts would afford all necessary information?, to the house. Mr. HAMILTON said that this bill was giving to the owners and inhabitants of certain towns i❑ lrtland an advantage to which they had no right. Sill, after the division of the other night, he felt that the house had decided on abolishing that payment ; but with respect to the fund out of which that payment was to be made good no decision had been arrived at. It was therefore necessary that the returns to which his noble friend had referred should be before the house before any further steps were taken, Mr. BUTT felt convinced that this bill did not affect the security of church property in Ireland. He looked upon ministers' money as a mere tax, and nothing more. He believed that the proteAants in Ireland were desirous to have the tax abolished. (Hear.) Not one petition bad been presented by the protestants of that country in favour of the tax. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY objected to this measure as it was pressed on by reason of certain corporations in Ireland setting themselves above the law. Sir A. ELroN objected to the measure, because he thought one great measure ought to be introduced for dealing with all the religious questions in Ireland. lie objected to non-members getting up first upon one side, and then upon the other, and attacking the creeds and advantages enjoyed by those opposed to them. The house went into, aad the bid passed through, committee. SAVINGS" BANKS - BILL. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER with drew this bill, in order to reintroduce it with certain amendments. Leave was then given to bring in another bill. CINQUE PORTS ACE AMENDMENT. This bill was read a third time and passed. JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Mr. LOWE (in corainittee) asked f.r leave to bring in a bill to amend certain technical difficulties which had arisen in the construction of the act of last year. Agreed to. MR. BERTOLACCI. Mr. CONINGEIAM moved that the petition of Mr. Francis Robert Bartolacci, auditor of the Duchy of Lau caster, praying the house to appoint a select committee, to inquire into the statements set forth in hi, petition— [presented May 19], be printed with the votes. The hon. member read a long extract from a speech of Mr. Strutt's, explaining the circumstances under which Mr. Bertolacci received his appointment. He intended to ask for a select committee on the suhject, and his object in moving that the petition be printed was to put the house in possession of the main outlines of the case. Mr Bertolacci was dismissed from his office for doing his duty too faithfully to the crown and to the country. Mr. WISE, on the part of the select committee on pnblic petitions, stated that they did not think it ad visable to print the petition, because it contained sixty folio pages, and would cost 251. to print, besides that it charged some noblemen and gentlemen with serious offences which they would have ne opportunity of an swering in that house ; and therefore, according to the rules laid down for their guidance, they could not print it. _ Mr. BAINES knew nothing personally of the trans actions referred to, but be admitted the charges contained in the petition ought to be investigated. Hu was autho rised by the two noblemen who had preceded him in his office to say that they were most anxious to meet these charges, and only wished to have the inquiry as prompt and complete as possible. Mr. FORSTER suggested that the petition, instead of being printed, should be referred to a select commit. tee. (No, no.) Sir. G. GREY said that any hon. member who pre sented such a petition ought to have at once taken some steps to act on it; and the hon, member for Dover ought, instead of his present motion, to have asked at once for a committee. He would suggest it be referred to a select committee of five members. If this motion was with drawn the Government would give their support to the appointment , if a committee. Mr. CONINGHAM, on that understanding, would withdraw his motion. The motion was then withdrawn. HOP DUTIES. _ On the motion of Mr. DODSON, the following were nominated the select committee on these duties :—Mr. Dodson, Viscount Pevensey, Mr, W. Martin, Mr. B. Hope, Sir E. Dering, Mr. Bass, Mr, Hanbury, Sir John Shelley, Mr. J. Locke, the Chancellorof the Exchequer, Mr. Brand, Mr. Beach, Mr. Bail, Mr. Blakeruore, and Mr. Knight. TURNPIKE TOLLS (IRELAND). Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD obtained leave to bring in a bill to discontinue the taking of toll on the turnpike roads now existing i❑ Ireland, and to provide for the maintenance of such roads as public roads, and for the discharge of the debts due thereon, and for othtr pur poses relating thereto. PROTECTION OF YOUNG FEMALES EXTEN tsION. Lord R. GROSVENOR. obtained leave to bring in a bill to extend the law for the protection of young fe males between the ages of 12 and 14, and of young fe males of unsound mind. ECCLESIASTICAL REVENUES (IRELAND ) Mr. J. GREENE moved for returns of the revenues derived from lands by the archbishops and bishops of Ireland, distinguishing the amounts received &cm rents and amount received from fines, and the gross and net amounts ; the number of acres of land from which the rents and fines are derived ; the average value per acre of those lands, and total value ; of the revenues derived from the lands of the church in the hands of the Eccle siastical Commissioners, distinguishing rents anti fines, and statin4 to what extent perpetuities have been granted under the Act 3 and 4 `VW. IV. ; of the num ber of acres of ecclesiastical lands in the hands et the commissioner ; of what leases have been lead° in per petuity by archbishops and bishops under the Act 3 and 4 tYil. IV. c. 37 ; of thenumber of acres of chur c h lands in Ireland, whether held by the archbishops and bishops, or by the ecclesiastical commissioners ; of the rents and fines of all such lands, and of the total value ; of the total ecclesiastical tithes of Ireland as now pay able under the last Commutation Act ; of the total Jay tithes of Ireland ; and of the value of church leases for 21 years, as ascertained from sales in the Court of Chan cery and Incumbered Estates Courts, in years' Purchase. Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD feared it would be almost impossible to give the information required, and there fore requested the hon. member to postpone his motion till Thursday nest, to give him an opportun i ty of com municating with the authorities in Ireland ou thesubject. Mr. GREENE said that his request for a similar re turn had been assented to in 1856, and he should there fore press his motion. The motion was negatived without a division. SAVINGS BANK (No. 2) BILL. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER brought up this bill, which was read a first time. continua'ion ParliAmontary Paper, No, 249, of ses. star , 1856). ARMY PnomoTroNs —Or: the motion of CA NionTx., t , tor,, of tl ie tiaim-a of all nothccmituissiAteci oftic.rs of the army who were•promoted to commissyns whil , 8• rv' i ,, the Hell with the army of the East, between May 1 . 1854. and Aug. 1, 1856 ; stati!:g the r; giment to which they belonged and tae regiment or corps to which they were promoted ; and speciling if they received appoint ments as acjatant, or quartermasters, and if now sere' ing on full or half-pay. BARRACKS, &c.-0., the motion of Col. NOBTF.r, return of the, several barracks encatcpments occupied 1 1 troops on the I , t day of January, 1857, with the natal' ber of rank and file they are each calculated to contain ; showing, in a tabular form, if the barrack rooms and pas , ages are light, d wilt gas ; if separate quarters 01 provided for marrid private soldiers, aA distinguish" ( from families in b arrac k rooms ; if ovens, or men" (' roasting, are proviied in the kitchens ; and if ovens for instrucing soldiers in baking bread are attached ; if fi ves courts, skittle grounds, or the means of practising 10 °3 ' Tustin ezereir , es are provided fir soldiers ; if any cricket ground is attached to the station or provided at the el* per.se G.ivernnoent ; and alsothe amount of accolon °. dation for librari, s and reading rooms m each barrack. CHIEF JUSTICE DRAPER.---On the motion of g r LABOUCHERE, cop of the iet,.er addressed 6y Mr, C hief Justice Draper to her Maj,-:;sty% Secretary of State fr, r the C do;iies, bearing d a t a the. 6th day of M a y, 18 5 " together with a copy of the memorandum therein r e ' ferred to. WROUGHT IRON ORDNANCE.—On the motion of EWART, copies of the corre-pondence which has tooie place between the War Ds -, oartineut and the Mersey Shot aTid Iron Compa,y on the ~ü bject of the 12-inc b wrought iron gu n manu f ac t ure d b y them an d pre,sote d to her Maj.-sty's Government ; of all correspande ce t which has ta k en p l ace b etween t h e War Departm en a and other manufacturers of wrought iron ordnance; 30 amount of public money paid to private manufactur er : for a periments in the con,tzuction o f wroug ht or it m ordnance, with particulars of the amount paid t° each firm or private individual. The house adjourned at half-past one. Country Markets. WAKEFIELD-MAT 29. COAL 4A RKI Prices of Coals per ton at I:T.—MAY 29. the close of the market. d. s. Longridge's Wst Hartley 16 0 t'aulield Moor l4 3' T:infield Moor Butes 14 3 Wylaan Bates's West Hartley .„,13 6 Howard's West Hartley Netherton l6 0 Hastings' Hartley l6 0 North Percy Hartley l3 6 Buddle W. Hartley l3 Davison's West Hartley 16 3 Ward's West Hartley _l4 3 Wallaend, Sze, Cassop 15 6 , Russell's El e ttou 16 0 West Kelloe 15 0 Ships at market COURSE OF EXCHANGE.-YESTERDAY. tmsterclam 1l 18 Gibraltar .. .... rc,o Ditto, three months .. 12 Leghorn .. •• •• •• Rotterdam ............ 12 S Genoa Antwerp .............. 25 55 Milan .............. •• Brussels • • ........ 25 55 Venice ...• Elamburgh ............ 13 Naples asp, Altona ...• ............ •• • Pal erm 130% .... 25 30 Ditto, three months .. 25 75 Marseilles 25 77% Bourdeaux Frankfort-on-Maine ••.. 119 Berlin 1: Vienna.• •• •.•• •••• ••.. 10 P 5 trieste••••• ••• •• ••.... 10 37 Petersburg ............ 361 i siadrid 48 7 Cadiz •• 49% Barcelona .• •• •• •.•• • • Seville.. • • •••• ...... .no .• •• i M ess i na Lisbon .. Oporto .............• •• 527 Rio Janeiro ..... .• • .... "- Buenos Ayre5.......... "-- New York,6o days' sight Philadelphia .. . ... --.' PRICES OF inurox, ?xi 0 1 0 Foreign Gold In Bars f 0 0 0 Portugal Gold Coin Mexican Dollars New Dollars ,Silver in bars , 0 0 " L SHARE MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, MAT 29. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The market has been without ° 3i matiou, and closed quietly to-day at the following O te n : Caledonian, 36i— Chest,;r and Holyhe a d, 18—E a st cashire, 974 -- Lancashire and Yorkshire, 101 s—Lon( ll9 d and North Western, 1014 1--114nchester, Sheffield, ' t' , Lincoln, 4'2 —Midland, 834 - -South Eastern, 2211 6 Dutch Rhenish, 11 di s . —G ran d T run k o f C ana d a, 151 MANCHESTER, MAY 29. an d STOCK EXCHANGE. -- . There was not much b us i n ess, - s prices were rather l ower .—Bl ac kb urns, 8 15-16 Shefflelu 42j—Midlands, 831—Leeds, 1004 /--Great Western ° a Can.id N 231 G ran d Trunk-, 1151—Preston and Virf (No. 2), 71—East Lancashire (Fifths), 7-16 p. 3.3IRMINGIIAM, MAT 29. STOCK EXCHANGE. —This market was inanimate to-c 11 1; and prices a sh a d e l ower . Cl,,sing• prices : Stour 1 73 , sharp-s 84- 9—Great Western, 66 &A—London and Nort e Western. 1014 il—Manchester, Shoal°ld. and Lincolusbil 424 43—Midland, 83k i—S ou &affords, 94 i—Warvile and Binningliarn Canal. 24 25—Stourbridge and Kid i", r ' ininster Bank, 15. 164—Birmingham Old. Union Ml"' 14ii 154. DUBLIN, MAT ?$ STOCK EXCHANGE.—Throe per Ce , ,t. Consols, 92 Do. for June Account, 92g —New Three per Cent. Stec" 92 A A 92—Do. for June Account, 92i :3. are uni-quail e d i n t he i r astonishing [ A.DVER TISEMENTJ—HoIIoway's Oi ntmen t and Pi)11 effects in all pain°, and serious c ases o f u l, ;erations, being as penetrating t`" powerful, ex -rcising a wonderful influence over the diseased system. But " one established fact is worth thousand theories. Charles Croft, of Chepstow, w. afflicted with an abscess in the side ; •baf3lng all mcdlc a l, de pairing of relief, h e was p ersua d e d to use 0% li)way's Ointment and Pill s ; h e did so , an d i n a shor t time the healing pr,cess commenced, and the perfec t cure rapidly followed.—S o ld by all medicine vendor s throughout the world ; at Professor Iloilo way's Eqto' l° lishments, 244, Strand, London, and 80, Maiden-W e : New Y..rk ; by A. Stamps, Constantinople ; A. Ge' dicy, Smyrna ; and E. Muir, Malta. 13IRTHS. OF A SON. On the 29th inst., at 43, Glocester-place, PortrcaP : square, the wife of W m. Ri c h ar d Fi s h er, Esq., barr i s ter' at-law. On the 29th inst., at Wickham-place, Clapt on ,t he Wife of R. S. Thornhill, Esq. OF A DAVGUTER. On the 26th inat., at St. Leonard's-on-Sea, the Mt" - (lioness of Queensberry—twins, prematurely. On the 29th i ns t., at Bedfordhouse, Tavistock-squf 4re ' the wife of Nathl. Powell, Esq. MARRIED. On tho 28th inst., at tho parish- church of St. Georg. ° the Marty r , Q ueen - s qu are , G eorge, youngest son of Ow late Thomas Hart, Esq., of North W ea ld- p l ace, Essex, O f Fanny, youngest daugter of kra nc i s Edwards, Esq., ° Hart-stieet, Bloomsbury. On the 28th inst., at King's Pyon Church, H e reford' shire, Thomas M. Croom e , E sq ., e ld est son of T. C. Croon Esq., of Caine-cross, Glocest ers hi re, t o N ora Maria, se c°ll daughter of tho Rev. J. B. Webb, of King's Py o n DIED. On the 2 , th inst., at 2, Gray's-inn -place, Joseph Sm ith, .b.sq , barrister-at-la a w,aged 83. (In the 28th inst., righton, Archd. Paris, Es 4•9 of Abdale House, Hefts, aged 65. D o rsett , On the 27th i ns t ., at Pentonville, Mr. Henry D o es°- age:l 2. - '- - On the 27th inst. at St. Ann's-hill, C um berland, R e a l. nald Grah a m, Esq.,, aged 81. Ou the 27th inst., at Blackheath, Wm. Seager, B fIc l" aged GO. On the 27th inst., Mr. Wm. Henry Arnold, of London' street, Fenehurch-street. On the 28th i ns t., a t P or t uga l- s t ree t , G t osvenor-sql ucre, Sarah, Dowager La.iy Dillon Alassy. Robb Ott ih e 28th inst., at Tandrid g e P r iory, Godstone , ..Veltsank, Esq , Capt. H.E.1.C.5., and one of the Ejc_i_e!. Brethren of the Corporati o n o f the Trinity House, 14v" don, aged O. -- - - LONDON Printed and Publighed by LILTED° YOUP", of No, 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, N ° 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the count' . of Middleatx, Saturday, May 30,1357. LIVERPOOL—MAT 29. To-clay there was a thin attendance of the trade, o il : showed some di spos iti on to b uy, but the great advs 9l s asked by holders for the most part caused them to abets!, from making purchases. Wheat may be quoted 4d to G I per 701bs, and flour is per barrel dearer. Oats and oato3 o a were in fair request, and id per 451 b and 6d to 9d per to more money was generally realised in the sales made. P 6r ley, beans, and peas met a slow salo, at about late pricei Indian corn was at fi rs t h e ld for our extreme rates ; a t tll , close, however, it gave way 6d per qr., 39s per 4801bs Ire re a accepted fur yellow from the quay. ExceedinglY weather prevails, and the growing crops are reported unexceptionable. A fair supply of fresh wheats. Holders are very firms and demand an advance on the late rates, which rath er d checks trade, but nevertheless a moderate business pa , s e , at fully is per qua' ter dearers. Barley unaltered. -1- „, 1311 sale for beans is hardly so active as recently. Oats and • other articles as before. Average prices of grain —Wheat, 59s 6d ; barley, 4 , 34 , 9d ; oats, 333 3d ; beans, 40s ld ; peas, 45s rye, —s. 01. EXETER—HAT 29. r CORN.—Wheat, 7s 9d t o 8 s 3d ; b ar l ey, 5 s to JS 6J; grinding do., 0 , Od to Os Od. Oats, 3s 3d to 38 v Beans, Os 0,1 to 0 Od. Peas, 008 Od to 00s Od. FLOUR. —Fine, 45s Od to 46s Od ; seconds, 43s Od to Od per sack. CATTLE. - - There was a small supply of bullocks. ef3 beef, from lOs to 11, 9d per score ; inferior, 9s 6d to 11s P ° 3 score ; fat calve s , 6itl to 6d per lb ; b arrenners , O s Od t°f Od. per score ; cows an d calve:, 121. to 201. t 3 ; butche s y calves, Od to 7d p er lb ., rearin. calves —s to s ° c ol sheep, ewes an d l am b s, 2/ . O s to 3 1. —s per couple; evies.,# to 8d; wethers, 8d Nd; lambs, —to Od per lb. I) '' large size, —s to —5; second size, —s to —s : to —s ; suckers, —s to ---s. Rough fat, 43d per Pork carcases from Os Gd to lOs 6d per score. BRISTOL SUGAR—MAY 29. We hive had a quiet week for both raw and tnaut lf6 d c ; turgid sugar s , en d, w ith th e excep ti on of a b out 300 ll , ' o t West Indi a , w hi c h sold at Ms Gd to 583 tid, we aro 11- aw.ro of any tnnsactions. The refined in..rket is steady, with very little offering;ol Ruin is much want e d, b u t this recent arrivals are not Yet ready fur the market. Wal!send, acc s u 6 Eden Acorn Close Braddyll g 6 .wramwellgate i 4 " 9 [Lough Hall 17 3 17 .Jaswell 3 'itewart's Riddell l4 5 0 15 Whitworth , 1 0 lietton Lyons Main .....'' Hartlepool l6 , 0 Trimdon 16 '6 Harton Lyon's Stone Coal l9 0 , eaham l6 Eden Main l6 ° ;, 56; sold, 37. a •‘. ' J • rl • I • . - P' G, lo 1 Tc a .7tl . ne C ~~~ ==~... 2 t hi A I) am tnn st;l the all(