The Sun. — London, England, 1847-05-14 00:00:00

.1. 1 .. ..,..., ._ N ATIONAL LOAN FUND AND LIFE Lie ASSURANCE zeOCIETY. er. The annual meeting of this society Was held on Wednesday, shortly after one o'clock, et the London ;et Tavern, Bishopsgate-street. T. Latnie Murray, Esq., ay en in the chair. nit The Cuerames called upon the Secretary to corn gn st, . eneuce the proceedings by reading the advertisement convening the meeting. t• lit Mr. P. FERGUSON CLIIROUX, the Secretary, read the advertisement, which stated that the he meetin Al- g was a n annua l one, and that it would be ad n ecessary for the proprietors to elect three Directors in lieu of a* T a John Elliotson, M.D., F.R.S., Clement re bor, Es_ , i.,Joseph Thompson, Esq., period of office whose nt electedcehad expired, but who being eligible to be re c. , I offered themselves accordingly ; and for the ocfonifilremnraytion of the election by the Court of Directors, in Penwick, Esq., as a Director, in lieu of ekj°uhdritorFs,rkh' EN. ; also es for the election of two O. in place of Professor Wheatstone, F.R.S. and Professor G raves,A Al FP S whose period of s- .1 ~ •e• e so ° oe had also expired, but who, being eligible to be re-elected, offered themselves accordingly. The CHAIRMAN then called upon the Secretary to ilt read the report which was as follows, and which was l e listened to with great attention by the meeting : ;° h " EIGIITII ANNUAL REPORT. es eff : r T d -e annual general meeting of the society again le prie, s the directors the pleasure of meeting . the pro -°rs being the eighth time since its institution. t cans . 4 he Paq year, owing to a variety of concurrent ca 96itat!, tending to depress the great staples of o u r na i ir . ie ne in e dustr'y, to augment the ordinary expenses of r- .. r iaand ' the pecuniary difficulties resulting there fra°ro, ha s ~ been one of severe suffering, and but little !,0 s w e li e i ) cr l it : i y 4l e to the progress of life assurance, added to la " partly owing to these causes, and . the unusua of the seasons, the rate of mortality has been g re ater than in the same given perio3 for many years. if If an t, . I eideti c , Y fling vrae required to . test fthleifesoalisdsiutymonfoecails re b e e tie on which the principle o ic W-usuelud.pLtusbvfvictllladas the advantages of the system itself, it If of the in the ordeal through which this branch I. tn ontio economy has passed during the last twelse la It'i e taki ne , evident this impression is more than ever , vatio;l' dee p root amongst the general community. Pri yet it , h woeand euffering have indisputably existed, _ , been allowed to ppear that fewer policies have a lapsed nn i e when In any preceding period, however prosperous, d and ap th p e re b n e i. n . efi , t . s of life assurance ii The appreciated. were less understood a been rho appparroegartel7 of the National Loan . Fund has not it causes. it societ . no Ono . _affected . be' thes i e nst a it d u v t e io rs n e . year since its first 3, has the setae imea m ade . such decided and solid advances. Its . in / t "tY to h , !Nubia two years, doubled; and . it is sausfac :nesseusrcae bet:t:breed:his increase has been owing, I it is , ache appreciation of the principles on which and i n a gteat , patron age which seem to meet encouragement , "T o s th .the more they become known.. UM b e is development the attention of the directors ,en incessantly directed. Difficulties of no ordinary c,thrown in their way. They are happy. 1 s. e r, to be able to state that they have been entirely 1 that 1 bow n r et la i t ea t i te been ll iformer occasion it was stated by the chairman, 1 g beg an to e ciples of the society had penetrated, and 1 a be e n zte • , a i ~,," ekt th at - "ROY appreciated, in other countries. i ha aeftegrt period little more than the commencement , (I:: aaarsr , 0 le but e 4g e h neY had been made in the United States, and ' O of obtained, either in regard to the 1 undertaken, or of the management and 1 0 mar of the agency. The directors found it neces- 1 2 Yto mov e • with extreme • prudence; each - ecees s i, extreme caution and . a c ot]; 30 tehiattepharfdas the result of success on the previous 1. . euee ee oo wh. anything occurred to destroy the con- directora e rt e a l k et in y g m welfare of have been ' e h any arrangement had been built,.. the om .. c or r r . the • in a position to reuretr without compromising the safety 1 Th e society. now be considered as firmly este- e b ee ll i s d h a e d in the Canadas and the United States, under the e bri,, 'ee of directors there of unquestionable station, ' e e ; in sta e nt linee and wealth, and the management has 5 n,d„rero_osa,tnieeerecinffiuntscria(etglnt(!n,facined is at the same time as much . t their n your n directors b i s e o uu t here ).. as any one of i ~ :tisfy the views of the directors appointed to cun- 9 duct ene credit to in New Yurk, and to give stability r to Lo v r e lit to the society, the directors have consented e States, which L a • SUttl of money in the stocks of the United e Sot equal' welch, although at the time considerable, is now " T his te,t h „ eone year's income derived from its business u equal] sum is under a joint trusteeship, and is as t .11',8(Zure as any other investment. f n e f rr t e h de _rectors have been occupied with the extension,. P si.eciety in another direction. The plan of De- e darin g the published by the society has been, b e i ous g th e e „, Past year, under discussion amongst the va- v ,o , ,ee s It willabi'l of friendly and Benefit Societies. It was ~ th is lAP-..y for the benefit of the industrious masses that ' 'of -Deferred Annuities was originally proposed. r to re eee e ,, f °ond to satisfy the wants of these classes, c p re sent i"2 the evils and correct the abuses of the vi a . of e "'P e rfect system. No class stand more i n nee d pre • 0 r esour ce , ' l dent use being made of their spare 0 e ties at „„ s-s tione have to encounter such severe difficul- ! C whose an a dvanced period of life, and yet there are none n C s _ .3e Precept resources are so fruitlessly employed,. or _ linPrOVidently wasted. The conviction (,f this fact is : hatll3ing daily more extended. Experience has . proved r friend,ese institutions, however useful as social and te aly reunions or as sick clubs, can scarcely be relied on as the stay and support of old age. n " In order to connect more closely the society with , o the three principal bodies, composed of about 600,000 y 1 individuals, and to understand the practical wants of b those whose main resource d e p en d s on th e i r own labour, 1 _ • I the directors hav e o rgan i ze d a comm i ttee, composed of 1 t " i . some of the active office-bearers, amongst the se bodies, i ci Ind whose labours have already commenced. d. " The mortality amonest the assured has been greater u i ' n the past y ear th an i e any previous one, with t.he ex ception of the year 1843. Up to the end of 1845, the 01 d ecrement amongst the assured amounted to p: 85 ,757/. 14s. Si nce th en , c l a i ms h ave b ee n paid on s, ' twenty- s i x p o li c i es , amoun ti ng to 10,3121. 3s. Bd., being l e ss, however, than the expected mortality on the theyear " 1 •1' the sum of 5,2541. 16s. 4d., and of the whole ex- tt Pected c l a i ms s i nce t h e formation of the society by f t 16 ,2821. 2s. 4d. was tl " At the date of the 1a5 ,55. These have since a( last meeting the number of Policies th e n issued 3 Augmented to 4,163, exhibiting an increase of policies t i °I 613. The present income of the society is upwards of 46,000/. II e The Directors, in conformity with the deed of settle- it went, have caused the annual investigation into the ft affairs of the society to be made by the Actuary ; and it , I now presented, together with the accounts of the athnditors, and will b_ e read . to the meeting. Following u 5 plan of distribution laid down in the preceding c, Annual division of profits, of taking one fifth of the re- s i serve a r o fund for immediate distribution to the proprietors u Po ' si l ? °ll ey - holders of five years' standing, the prosperous tl rv t : e n of the society enables the directors, after re paer,C,4o per cent. of this sum, to divide amongst the tc sie°yl.-hY."4lders entitled to this distribution, a reversion- f t ter n -° . nU s , variying from 35 to 85 per cent. on the pre en ~ ti t h - : ; and to the proprietors a bonus of 3i per cent. " 5 ee -- „' Past year, in addition to the regular interest of a ~ cent. already paid to them. el b ib ; she following table, prepared by the Actuary, ex- _ v,h• ts the amount of the five last annual bonuses., to beep tt the h o ld ers of policies of five years' standing have C inee entitled, with the option of receiving the same t] of Annu Ca sh, or by addition to their policies, or i n re d uc ti on v al premium s : ---______ EXAMPLES. ii Perms- Sum the t I ; . A nn ua Po li cy ' Bonus in mint ate- Assured S -It. e I : " Pre. 'taken Bonus in duction of in r aLl o w i r: u ,e Z rnium. lout iu o assured. Sum (ash. Annua l Polley. a s•- s . ---, £ a. d. £ a. d. t 1837 243 a. a - a 3 . 112 a S . - , 5 . 18 4 6 , 19 45 4 6 8 1g h I 1838 sly 4 8 99 8 10 15 13 . la 4 :" [I 1839 192 1 10 86 9 , 3 4 13 1 , 9 9 1 346 395 1 2 1 I 2., -- loos 74 341 I 1840 1, 3 4 1 5 4 1 ? 2 ti i 17 6 9 9 2 29f 13 4 u I, 1 18 14 4 2 1 ill . 6849 10 710 4 24 7 481 ti " There are now to be elected three directors in lieu of John Elliotson, M.D., F.R.S. Clement Tabor, Esq., "(I Joseph Thompson, Esq., whose period of office has expired, but who are eligible to i b e e re , -ele .ted. and offer fir c tnation of the t hemselves accordingly 7 D a i l r s e o et t or r election by the Court s of Henry FFnwich, - c"cf, as a director in lieu of John Griffith Frith, Esq.; a nd also two auditors, in place of Professor Wheatstone, and Professor Graves, A M., F.R.S.. whose Period of i,tlice has expired, but who, in like manner, offer themselves for re election. "Approved 11 ‘ 1 , L heC A ,lE HURRAY, uiritloDiirßecßt(A)rls, Chairman." The balance-sheet for the year was also read. The CHAIRMAN then rose and said. Gentleme„,_ Ilefore moving that the report which you have just hea rd i read should be adopted, and printed and circu :ted amongst the proprietors, if any gentleman has - ; 11 Y question to put to me with respect to the society 4 t ' b il l ee the last annual meeting, or with respect to any t-Q-444 contained in the report I shall be very happy a nswer hi m. 1,\.11:° P roprietor having put any question, I 'lll -- - e h h e Cn mata lN said—l believe the report itself, 1 . 4 ' 1 15 of unusual length, has entered into a 1 de tail of the operations of the society during the Past c(- ) It may be properly described as being -- `ntly in a state of formation and extension, and Until it has arrived at that point when its progress will St " 1 ) , when it will become stationary, Which 1, fr om the past progress o f t h e so lo Y, I think must be remote, it becomes necessary . ° , r Y me to s t ate to the proprietors from year to year It': proceeding s , W hi c h are annually pu bli s h e d i n 6 newspapers, for the information of those not Present; and therefore it becomes my duty the present occasion to explain to you It i 5 oper a ti ons of the society during the past year. it a duty o f a pleasing and satisfactory nature, as protnotes a better understanding between the liclirectors • and Proprietors, policy-holders, and the pub ._ Ikre, inasmuch as all feel a d e ep interest in iwleties of this kind; and, therefore, as a matter • • involving- the security of so many individuals, we have always thought it advisable to ex plain to the proprietors annually the nature of our operations for the preceding year. This year has ben one certainly of considerable stir`, ring ll nevertheless the profits of this year are nearly double the amount of that of last year.--(Hear, hear.) Another drawback which we have had to contend with is the expense to which we have been put by the establishment of the agencies in the United States referred to in the report, which have fallen entirely upon this year. These expenses are considerable, but the directors thought it would be better, especially as the profits of the society would allow it, to charge them upon the current expenses of the year, instead of spread ing them over several years, as we did in the first instance with respect to expenses of a like nature. The preliminary expenses, in the first instance, amounted altogether to 16,0001.; they have been reduced to 9,0001., and i❑ the course of a few years they will become extinguished. What I particularly wish to direct the attention of the proprietors to is this, tnat every year we have an annual inves• tigation of our affairs—(Hear, hear)—that is one of the original principles of the constitution of this society. Before this society was established the old societies adopted the plan of making an in vestigation of their affairs, and submitting the results to their proprietors only once in five, seven, or ten years. We considered that question very fully, and we thought that by distributing the surplus bonus, if any, every year to the policy holders, and allowing each individual insured in the society to participate in the annual profits, they would derive far more advantage from such arrangement than if the society had adopted the plan to which I have referred, and had waited to the end of ten years before they were distributed. in those societies which make a distribution only once in ten years, the consequence is that some lucky individual may get a very large share of the bonus, whilst those who died before the declaration of the bonus, obtained in their lifetime no advantage, owing to the length of time which elapsed between one period and another. This objection cannot be made to this society, as holders of policies have all the advantages which are derived from an annual distribution. I trust, therefore, that the advantage which the society offers will be made known by this meeting, and that it will induce those who are about to insure their lives to give a preference to this society. A more equable division of the surplus profits is made, so that a policy falling in during the year could only be deprived of the bonus accruing between one annual meeting and another.—(llear, hear.) I wish also to refer to the successful establishment of agencies in the Canadas and in the United States. The result of the experiment has been a source of great gratifica tion to the directors. We felt that the extension of the society abroad was attended by difficulties, and, therefore, we had to exercise a great deal of caution ; but as the principles on which the society is founded had met with the most liberal support in this country, we confidently believed that the same results would attend it elsewhere, and we have not been mistaken, as agencies have been established in the United States; and we feel as much security in these agents as if they were under our immediate control in London.—(Hear.) There is another matter in which I myself feel much gratified—as much gratified as with any other part of our operations. The pro spectus of deferred annuities, early issued, embodied the entire argument connected with friendly and benefit societies. It pointed out the evils and applied the remedy to the existing system. I had made it for many years my peculiar study to trace the exact nature of the evils inherent in these societies, and in publishing the plan of this society I explained my views of the subject, and I find that they have been greatly acquiesced in by those thinking persons who have bestowed their attention upon the subject. I said that the subscribers to those benefit societies did not receive the benefit from them which they professed to afford. It is now six or seven years ago since the plan which I proposed to remedy those evils was published, and since it re ceived, I may say, the sanction of the general public, without, however, drawing towards it any great number of persons belonging to the class to which I have referred. Certainly we have a great number of deferred an nuitants ; but, considering that it was designed to afford to the working classes in general many ad vantages which they could not expect to obtain under n t e old t received s 3 attention may be supportl recently from it them has ate system, at t t of which it seems deserving. During the last year the su bj ec t h as b een much discussed t by the Benefit Societies in England. A committe e , composed of zealou s mem b ers o f Friendly so cieties, was formed. They h a d under consi deration every plan proposed, either by the Govern ment or by the various companies, for the purpose of affording the working classes the best means of providing for sickness and old age, and after this society had requested the fullest investigation, they came to a resolution, which they forwarded to the board of directors, stating that, after the fullest consideration of the merits of other systems, they bad come to the resolution that nothing was so advantageous to the working man, or to the indus trious classes in general, as the plan we had promulgated.--(Cheers.) We had much difficulty in convincing those societies that in fact subscriptions for the purpose of creating a fund in sickness was a waste of means ; and that the sums thus contributed might be much better and economically laid out ac cording to our system than by allowing it to be a sickness fund. The deputation that waited upon us upon the subject wished us at first to expunge that portion of the prospectus which had reference to this subject, the inutility of providing a sickness fund, and after much discussion we intimated to them that the suppression of this argument would amount to a suppression of our principles, and that we could not do so with advantage to the society - (Hear, hear)—but, as many of the working classes are much in favour of a sickness fund, al though they are paying away money for a purpose which affords few of the advantages which this institution offers, the directors considered that two modes of providing for old age and sickness might co-exist, and in fact should exist— namely, a sickness fund, entirely separate from the annuity fund, as the result, too frequently, was this—that a man found, in old age, that although he had been a contributor to the general fund, he was eventually deprived of that advantage which, 'under abetter system, he might have enjoyed Toy con tributions from his labours, at a period in life when he most stood in need of aid. I think, therefore, that the tendency will be that these two departments must be kept distinct. It was stated in the early 'part of the establishment of this society, that our plan of de ferred annuities would destroy reunions. No such thing. In fact, the constant reunion of the members of friendly societies tends to promote the welfare of the productive clashes, to diffuse amongst them the kindliest feelings, and sustain them when the rights of labour are invaded, and I am much in favour of them because I think they are for their advantage. We have not brought into the business of this year any portion of those policies that have come to us from these classes. They are new insurers, and are a body in fact who will require almost a separate establish ment, but when you consider that there are at least between 3,000,000 and 4,000,000 connected with these friendly societies—a very large class to deal with—and sufficient, if they insure to any extent, to pay the expense of a separate establishment, to regu late the receipts and expenditure in connexion with that department. For instance, the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, one of the largest so cieties in the kingdom, has about two hundred and fifty-one thousand members, and their revenue is about 316,0001. a year, but that is only one society. I do not wish to mak e any statement pre j u di c i a l t o that society, or to others of a similar nature, as I have no desire to underrate the good which they unquestion ably effect, but I know from the accounts published by this society of odd fellows, every year shows a considerable waste of means, which I suppose, ac cording to their syst em i s i nev i ta b le. But I ink that the adoption of the proposal, we have submitted to them, will greatly redound to their advantage that their resources will be better economised, and better and more profitably invested, than by systems in force at present. I should say, gentlemen, that I havte never addressed a meet s ing with more pleasure, with more pride, and with more satisfaction than on the present occasic•n (Hear, hear.) I can see now that our society is tak:ng a position which very few societies have ever taken in so short a time.—(Cheers.) We had great success at first; we afterwards progressed more slowly, and now it seems that unexampled pros perity hos tumbled upon us; and although last year, as we all know, was one not likely to pro mote that prosperity, yet our prospects have increased in an invene ratio to the distress which has unfortunately prevailed. There will not, how ever, be the same pressure upon our expenses next year as there has been during the last. The difference is, as I have said, 9,0001., owing to the ex penses which have been incurred in establishing agencies ; they will be less next year, and I think we may also expect next year a larger bonus than at present; and I should mention that a proof of the confidence entertained by the insurers in the society, is to be found in the number of policies is sued during the past year on the profit scale, showing the opinion of the public of its great advantages over those societies which only de- dare their profits quinquinally, septenially, or every ten years. I think that is the best proof of public feeling. I should also state that the income is 43,239/.l4s.ld.,making with investmentnearly .50,000/. InlB44the income was 22,695/.,lastyear it was 31,7211. ; therefore justifying the statement in the report, that the income has been really doubled within the last two years. Gentlemen, with great pleasure I will now move that this report be adopted, and that it be printed and circulated amongst the proprietors. The motion was unanimously adopted. The CHAIRMAN then moved seriatim the re-election of the directors, whose term of office had expired, and the re-appointment of the auditors. With respect to the auditors, he stated that no society could possess more careful or more conscientious auditors than those they had the honour to possess. They were well accustomed to the arduous and difficult duties which they had to discharge, and it gave him, there fore, great satisfaction to state that they discharged their duties in an able manner. They were both the auditors of the Royal Society. The motions were respectively agreed to. Mr. ADCOCK said—l beg to propose a vote of thanks to the chairman, and to the directors, for their exertions during the past year. Mr. HINTON seconded the motion. He said—l am sure, gentlemen, after the able report which you have heard read by the secretary, you cannot but be of opinion that our worthy directors deserve the best thanks for what they have done for the society. The motion being unanimously agreed to, The CHAIRMAN said—On my own part, and on behalf of my colleagues who have taken a Part in the labours of the past year, I beg to return you our most sincere thanks. I can assure you that we all feel an anxious desire to make this institution the first of the kind in this country, and I think we have done something already. —(Hear, hear.) I think that all the difficulties which we had to encounter at the establishment of the insti tution, are to a certain extent past. I think we shall get something better every year.—(Hear, hear.) The meeting then separated. SCARCITY OF MONEY. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sia,—During such a pressure as the mercantile com munity is now experiencing would it not be advisable to facilitate the borrowing of money? Ido not know any relief to be compared with the fellowing:—A man may deposit his title-deeds, and give an engagement on a 2s. 61. stamp to execute a mortgage deed when called upon to do so, but he can only be compelled to perform his promi.e by a Chancery suit—suck is the beauty of our law. Why not let a man authorise the party of whom be borrows to enter upon and sell the property after a certain time if the loan be not repaid according to agree ment? Nobody likes to take a security, however good, which is unavailable without a suit in Chancery. I can not see why a man might not as easily pledge his free hold or leasehold property as his watch. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, A REFORMER OF THE LAW. STATE OF THE COUNTRY. TO TIIE EDITOR OF 7HE.SUIV,. Sin—Will you permit me, through the medium of your influential journal, to address a few words to the public. The alarming state of the country, attributable to the scarcity of corn, and grievously aggravated by the insane Bank Bill of 1844, does not appear to attract the atten tion it deserves and demands. With absolute starvation for the masses of the people staring us in the face—a starvation which nothing but the miraculous interposition of Divine Providence can avert—we see large quantities of corn almost daily leaving our shores, under the belief that plenty more is coming ; and Government, with an apathy and ignorance wholly inexcusable, looking on with folded arms. Mr. Editor, the fact I wish to impress upon your readers is, not the self-evident high price of corn, but the difficulty, if not absolute inability, of getting it at any price, before the next harvest can be available. If every grain that can be got is kept i❑ the coantry, and the most rigid economy in its consumption practised, there must still be want—woful and frightful to con template—throughout this and other countries. The next four months will be remembered as a period of destitution and distress unparalleled, and let us not aggravate what is inevitable, by neglecting the ordinary means of self-preservation. I consider it unnecessary to trouble you with my reasons for arriving at this conclusion, as they are clearly shown in the signs of the times.—l remain, Sir, YOUR CONSTANT READER. King's Lynn, May 11, 1847. --_:_ THE SLITN, LONDON, FRIDAY MORNING,__MAY 14, 1847. THE CURRENCY. The following, written twenty-two or twenty-three years ago by Dr.Webb,* has been sent by a correspondent . " PITT blew a bubble of paper curst, To keep up an infamous war; PEEL the damnable bubble burst, To produce greater misery far. By advance, or retreat, we're by trouble beset ; We must ruin the debtors, or injure TILE DEBT; As debtors are MANY and creditors FEW, To give PAPER again 's the best thing we can do." * Every year, every month, and almost every day, prove. this view of the subject to be as true as the rhyme is bad. THE WHITTINGTON CLUB. The Whittington Club held its second soiree at the Crown and Anchor Tavern on Wednesday; Douglas Jerrold, Esq., in the chair. The indefatigable president of the institution was supported by the presence of several ladies and gentlemen, distinguished as friends of the middling and industrial classes, among whom we noticed Mrs. Cowden Clarke, Colonel Thompson, George Dawson, Mr. Bennock, and many ethers; the absence of Mr. Dickens was accounted for on the score of ill-health, as was that of Mr. Macready by a professional engagement elsewhere. If number and good-humoured hilhrity be any sign of success, then does the Whittington Club bid fair to outvie the most aristocratic assembly of the day, for the room was literally crammed with well-dressed ladies and gentlemen; and we learned from the president's speech that the institution, which but a few short months since was but a thing existing in the warm imaginations of its enthusiastic friends, is now a somewhat tangible embodi • ment of what hearty and united co-operation can accom plish ; and it promises, moreover, very shortly to have a locale of its own in some compendious form of " brick and mortar." Sincerely do we wish it success, if this be not a super fluous compliment with an affair that in three short months has increased its members from 1,200 to upwards of 2,000. The entertainment of the evening consisted of a mixture of music and sentiment, and we heard with great pleasure that distinguished caatatrice Miss Maria Ilawes, whose beautiful song of " I'll speak to thee" was sung with great power and feeling. There was an excellent trio by the Misses Bain firth, Bassano, and B. Hawes, and a duet concertante by M. Benedict and Mr. Carte, which called forth repeated expressionsof approbation. The only encore of the evening was the fine old song of Arne's, " Where the bee sucks there lurk I," which was given with great spirit by Miss Bassano. Several well-intentioned and judicious remarks were made by the Chairman,Colonel Thompson, Mr. Dawson, and others, as to the power of the middle classes to combine in such an institution both for amusement and instruction, elegant en tertainment, and useful knowledge; but it struck us that the speeches were wanting in enthusiasm. These, however, were but preliminaries to the brisk and lively dance. This commenced at ten, when a scene of life and vivacity, as well as grace and elegance, presented itself, of which Almack's in its beet days might have been proud to boast. There will be great benefits accruing from this institution, and its gene ral gatherings will amply compensate the trouble inciden tal on all such large assemblages, if they only present opportunities where youth of both sexes can meet to p ass a leisure hour, free from any of those b a l e f u l i n fl uences w hich tend to debase and degrade our common humanity. We have rarely seen a more cheerful company, or been in so large an assemblage, where so few symptoms of weariness appeared. There was a goodly sprinkling of persons of ma tore years, but the most part were youths and persons in the prime of life. Again we say, success to the " Whittington Club," may the anticipations of its most sanguine friends be speedily realised, and the metropolis studded with societies 1 av;og for their main object the providing healthful recrea tion and appropriate literary food, in unison with every social and physical comfort. TESTIMONIAL TO LORD DUDLEY STUART. —Wed nesday a deputation, composed of the Members of the Com mittee of the Polish emigrants in Great Britain and Ireland, accompanied by several of their countrymen, waited upon Lord Dudley Stuart, at his residence, St. James's-place, to present his Lordship with a gold watch, as a token of grati tude on the part of the whole Polish emigration, for the ser vices rendered by his Lordship to the cause of their country The watch, which was made by Messrs. Patek and Co., o Geneva, their fellow countrymen, is a splendid piece of work manship—the dial ornamented with various emblematical devices of the history of Poland, and on the back are en graved the arms of his Lordship, and the words, " Dinnino Dudley Coutts Stuart, illi assiduo libertatis Poloniie defensori ; ejesque liliorum patria orborum adjutori. Di e 3 Maii, 1847." Several distinguished persons, among whom the Lady Frances Sandon, the (lon. Miss Rider, Mrs. John Alel 'Smith, the Marquis of Northampton, and the Lord ' Beaumont, were present on the occasion. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF (.OM.IIONS, May 13. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. THAMES CONERVANCY. On the motion of Mr. MASTERMAN, the following Members were appointed as the Select Committee on the Thames Conservancy Bill:—Viscount Jtorpeth, Mr. W. Cowper, Mr. Ward, Mr. Masterman, Mr. Pattison, Mr. A. Chapman, Mr. Hume, Mr. Alderman Copeland, Sir James Duke, Mr. Brewster, Sir E. Filmer, Mr. An trobus, Colonel Thomas Wood, Mr. A. Smith, and Mr. Thomas Baring. THIRD READINGS. The following Bills were read a third time and passed: Bingley Gas. Eastern Union and Hadleigh Junction Railway (Sale to the Eastern Union Railway Company). Ewell Rates. Kingston-upon-Thames Small Tenements. Terrington Marsh Division, Allotment, and Inclosure. REPORTS. The reports on the following Bills were brought up:— Birkeninad Commissioners Dock Acts Amendment (as to Construction of Sea Wall along Wallasey Pool). Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway (De viations between Duntocher Lime Works and Bowl ing, &c.) Dublin, Dundrum, and Rathfarnham Railway (Exten sion to Stephen's Green). Dunfermline Waterworks. Ea,tern Counties Railway (Spalding to Newark). Eastern Counties Railway (Peterborough to Folkingham). Gloucester and Dean Forest Railway (Construction of Docks). Great Western Railway (Branches to Egham, Staines, Brentford, and Twickenham). Imperial Continental Gas Association. Kingsnorton, Northfield, &c. Rates. JM•Leod's (Dalkeith Glebe) Estate. Newry and Enniskillen Railway. Norfolk Railway (from Thetford to the Lowestoft Rail• way ! near Reedham, with a branch to Hatesworth). Payne's Patents Assignment. Preston and Wyre Railway. Windsor Railw ay. Windsor, Staines, and South-Western Railway (Rich. mood to Windsor, &c.) Windsor, Staines, and South Western Railway (Staines to Ascot and Wokingham, with Branches). CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS. The reports on the following Bills were considered and agreed to:— British Commercial Insurance Company (No. 2). Caledonian Railway (Glasgow, Garukirk, and Coat bridge Railway, Branch to Glasgow Station). Cork, Blackrock, and Passage Railway. Cork and Bandon . Railway _ _ Eastern Union and Ipswich and Bury Saint Edmund's Railways Amalgamation. Southampton and Dorchester Railway (Weymouth Branch). HEALTH OF TOWNS BILL. Petitions in favour of this Bill were presented by Mr. C. Berkeley from medical practitioners in Cheltenham; by Mr. St insfield and by Mr. Aglionby, from piano forte makers in Dudley. MEDICAL REGISTRATION BILL. Petitions in favour of this Bill were presented from a medical practitioner in Wolverhampton, by Mr. H. Berkeley, from Cheltenham; by Mr. Villi ers , f rom Wol verhampton; and by Mr. Ainsworth, from Bolton. TENANT RIGHTS. Two petitions were presented by Hon. Members in favour of due compensation being afforded to tenants for improvements. PUBLICATION OF NIARRIAGES. Lord IL VANE presented a petition from the guardians of the Stockport Union, stating that more publicity should be given to marriages, as a great means towards preventing the laws of affinity from being broken. MR. OVEREND, THE SHEFFIELD MAGIS- TRATE. Mr. T. S. DUNCOMBE presented a petition, agreed to at a public meeting at Sheffield, which was called by a requisition signed by almost every house. holder, over which a member of the town council pre sided (the mayor having refused to preside), and signed by 17,000 persons, stating that the prosperity of the country, and safety of the industrious classes, was only to be promoted by the proper administration of the laws, and complaining of the conduct of Mr. Wilson Overend, one of the magistrates of Sheffield, in whom they stated they had no confidence, as his decisions were not consonant with justice ; that he had con victed many persons under the Combination Act, and sentenced them to three months' imprisonment and hard labour, and that nearly all his decisions had been subsequently quashed; that recently three respectable working men were brought before him under the Com bination Act, that he sentenced them ; to three months' imprisonment with hard labour, but that his decision was quashed at the ensuing quarter-sessions; that he had invariably decided in favour of the employer and against the employed, and had in consequence given the greatest dissatisfaction in the town. The petitioners therefore prayed the House to order a return of the number :of convictions under the Combination Act in Sheffield since Mr. Overend became one of the magis trates of the borough, particularising those which had been quashed, land further praying the House to insti tute an inquiry into Mr. Overend's conduct. The Hon. Gentleman concluded by moving that the petition be printed with the votes, and giving notice that he should call the attention of the 'louse to the subject on Tuesday. COUNTY TOWNS BILL. Mr. HOPE presented a petition from the inhabitants of Southamrton in favour of the County Towns Bill. hEALTH OF TOWNS BILL. Dr. BO%VRING presented two petitions from the in habitants of various districts in London in favour of the Health of Towns Bill, and praying that the House would pass it into a law. RAILWAY BILLS. Mr. lIUME said that as he did not see any of the embers of the G overnment i n t h e i r places, he would postpone until to-morrow the following motion, of which he had given notice:—That in all railway Bills, where railway companies apply for p o wer to raise addi tional capital to p ay for the completion, extension, pur etthe ex u i n st t i i e l g th A e et. chase, or amalgamation of railways and canals which have been sanctioned by Parliament, it be a condition, that such additional capital shall not be raised or bor rowedcapital shall be actually realised according to the provisions raised in shares or by loans shall be applicable to any proposed extension, purchase, or amalgamation of rail ' whole t such of previous the p r c e a v p i i o t u a s l , ways rind canals, and that no new capital shall be raised under such new Bill until the whole of the previously sanctioned capital shall have been realised. whether Mr. ENT WISLE begged that the Hon. Member would give the railway companise a little more time. They could not understand the entire object of the motion. Mr. to is, very simple, it will not take fi ve minutes to understand, and I can not consent to a further postponement.nt. 111 r. MACKINNON said that he would, on next Thursday, mov e t h at no railway company, w h os e Bill had been passed thi s session, and who, as yet, had ma d e no call, should b e empowered to do so until the f i rst day of January, IBso . — (Laughter.) AN DOVER INQUIRY. Mr. FERRAND gave notice that he would put a question to-morrow to the Right Hon. Baronet t h e Home Secretary, wh et h er certain letters to the Poor law Commissioners h a d been printed by the Govern meat and circulated i n the country, and, if so, was that expense to be borne by the public ? And if it was to be at the expense of the country, he desired to know what the amount was. CAPTAIN WARNER'S INVENTION. Mr. AGLIONBY wished to ask the Hon. and Gallant Member for Liverpool the question of which he had given notice, with reference to Captain Warner's inven tiou. He wished to know if it was the Hon. and Gallant Officer's intention to follow up the returns, which he had asked for, by any motion upon them? Sir H. DOUGLAS said that it had been found upon examination that this new destructive power proposed by Captain Warner was entirely an illusion, and, there fore, it was utterly unworthy of the further attention of the House. DUTY ON FOREIGN WINES. Dr. BOWBING rose to bring forward the motion of which he had given notice; that it was expedient that this Ho use s h ou ld immedately resolve itself into a Committee for the purpose of reducing the duty on foreign wines. This country had already made great alterations in the import duties, and he considered that they should extend their liberal policy still further. The best method of carrying out the principles of free trade, was by admitting the products of foreign countries on such terms as they should like the products of this country to be admitted abroad. It was a remaltable fact that several hundred years ago the im portation of wine into this country was greater than it was now. In the fourteenth century no less than 200 vessels loaded with wine brought car goes from the Bordeaux district into England. N ow, if they reduced the duty and increased the suppl y, h e could this apprehend , that the price would be e n h ance d or the supply be reduc ed. It w as a remarkabl e f act as bearing on this point , t hat no twithstanding th e l arge exportationh e of ir' fruit t o tea af neither fr e o every r y wastheChina, price i ncreased, temperate Europe, great as is its production, that pr o d uct i on may be increased to an almost unlimited extent, and placed within the limits of the working classes. He belie ve d that no limit could be placed to itsainmapeorttaotok pl ion. All will in o s i w . n eetlsrhdee.di in France ,i. eo b amr t , tt 7 l l bottle of duty. 3d. paidwd th u oe t s 3 n s ' s ; s .t6hdAe change on wi ne wash . a gall on , or about 6d., while S pan i sh and Portuguese wines we re raised fro m 4 s. 10d. t o s s . 6 d . per gallon. The consumption, singular to say, was less now than it had been twenty years ago. In 1803 and 1804 the revenue recei ved and the duty receiv e d was 1,900,0001. was 2,500, 000 / . for wine a l o ne, the consumption bei ng about 6,000 ,000 or 7,000.000 gallons. In 1845 the consum wine was so cheap as to he within the the wines which wer e a b ove the com pion was qualities paid a duty of 3,000,00 0/. sterli ng . Wi nes history. The • afforded a curious hist ) found that of the limitsml6 I , l 7 ol B l e r , a o on o fc o ea, g l wla classes, h l l o ae n rs e s s , e s , did not ap proach consumed in t his countr y wit h i n the last two cen turies, the consump tion was, from 1728 to 1744, one twelfth of the whole consum p tion ; f rom 1744 to 1785. the duties levie d on French wines exc ee d e d n On the wines of other d u ties levied on French w i nes had not been one seventeenth of the whole which had b een co ll ecte d. Neriw, t no ca . e, he 7 no t but feel great int erest i u our con nexion with France , and he w as e oe hlper6 within countries, 6 t c h couldee cent. t. 0 n the andhe importationorthe whole demand. Since happy to be in strumental or commerc iall y , our connexion with the country, and which mig h t promote the consumption of in tiny legislation which p romoted, e i t h er politically French wines. Much had been done by the southern provinzes of France, and he might instance the exertions or the Chamber of Commerce of Bordeaux, who had in their memorial peessed upon the Government the neces sity for taking some measures to promote free trade. It appeared from the statement of the French Excise, by whom he had been favoured with due information, that upwards of 800.000,000 gallons of wine were annually produced in France, of which not more than one thirtieth part found its way to foreign countries ; and of the gross quantity thus produced, the greater quantity was sold in France, at sevenpence per gallon, or rather more than three halfpence per quart ; and he did think that there were strong reasons for allowing some altera tion of the duties on the introduction of French wines. A considerable quantity of wine was produced in the Austrian dominions, as they found from the statements of Dr. Springall, who said that 2,300,000,000 gallons of wine were produced is that coun try. In Hungary there were 300,000,000 gallons of wines produced, and in Wes tphalia 700 gallons per annum. No doubt if they took th e wines of these coun tries the inhabitants would take t.tieir manufactures in returm. Important statistics innc cted with the trade had been laid before the House. Wine might be obtained at 3/. per hogshead, which might be retailed at an equally low price. There was no country in Europe which had not the mealis of uffordiug this country a great supply of wine. Though they could not taste the ancient Scian and Talernican wines, still the land where these were produced existed, and they had still an opportunity of tasting the vintage of that land which was so much prised. There were excellent wines to be obtained in Tenedos, in Cyprus, and in the islands of the Archipelago, provided the absurd regulations of hostile tariffs were broken through. He did know any better mode by which friendly relations between those countries could be strengthened than by receiving the commodities which those countries could produce. In 1801 the consumption in this country was half a gal lon per head; in the present year it was not more than one-fourth of that amount. In ^France the consumption was stated- by some persons to be 19 gallons, by others 25 gallons per head. In a state of vassalage, the slaves of Rome were reported to consume 68 gallons per annum. If England consume only one-fifth of the quantity of wine used in France, namely, five gallons per head, the sum which would be raised for revenue at ls. per gallon of duty: would amount to 7,000,0001. And,; looking to other countries, the diminished consumption of this country is made the more striking. In the Nether lands the consumption was twenty-four times greater per head. In the Hanseatic towns it was five times greater. In Denmark, with a population of two millions, there was as much wine imported as into Great Britain, with twenty.eight mil lions. The facts to which he had drawn attention with regard to wine were borne out also by a reference to the consumption of other articles in this country. With reegard to tea, it was a most remarkable thing that in 1821, when the price was ss. Bd. per lb., the con sumption per head was only one pound, and from 1831 down to 1841, when the prices fell to 4s. 2d. and 4s. 4d. per pound, the consumption was increased to lib. 40z.; and in 1846, when by a combina tion of circumstances the price fell to 3s. 9d. per lb., the consumption increased to lib. looz. Now, what was the effect of the reduction of duties on the revenue? In 1821, with a duty of 2s. 10d., the revenue on this article amounted to 3,738,000/4 in 1841, when the duty was reduced to 2s. 20. per lb., the revenue amounted to 3,978,0001., and in 1846 to 5,100,0001. The results of this reduction of the duty was as strikingly apparent on the com forts of the people. In 1811 the total consumption was 23,000,0001b5, in 1821, when the price was reduced to ss. 2d.. it was 27,000,0001b5., and when it was re duced to 4s. 3d., the consumption was 31,000,0001b5. In 1841, when the duty was 4s. Id., the consumption was 36,000,000 lbs. ; in 1843, at 3s. 4d., it was 39,000,000 lbs. ; and the latest test which they had, viz., the year 1846, it was 47,500,000 lbs. He could not but think that matters like those must make an im pression on the House and the country. What, again, had been the case with brandy. That had been one of those experiments ; they had reduced the duty from 225. 10d. to 15s. per gallon. In 1841, when the high duty was in operation, the consumption was 1,164,000 gallons, and the revenue receipt was 1.329,000/. ; in 1844, the consumption was 1,023,000 gallons, and the revenue 1,167,0001. ; in 1845, it was 1,000,000 gallons, and the revenue 1,200,0001. It did not require a certain number of years for the revenue to rise to the same condition it was in before the duty was reduced. The same year was sufficient to reinstate the revenue in the same condition; in 1846, the quantity of brandy imported was 1,500,000 gallons, and the re venue now was as much as it had been when the duty was at 225. 10d. This gave them great encouragement to pursue the same course. The article of coffee bore out the same result. In the year 1841, the consump tion was 28,000,0001 b., and in 1846 it was 36,700,0001 b., and the reduction of duty had been at the rate of 50 per cent., or nearly. The duties were one time 6d. and 9d. a pound, but now it was 4d. and 6d. What, then, had been the effect of that reduction ? In 1841 the revenue was 987,000/. ; and now, with so great a reduction, it was 757,0001., a much greater amount than was returned in the year, 1843, when the duties were 4d. and Bd. To take the result still later, the months of the present year showed the amount. For the first three months of the year 1846 the sum was 186,0001, and for the corresponding months of the year 1847, 213,0001. So in the matter of brandy. For the first three months of this year the quantity entered was 362,000 gallons; in 1846 it was only 214.000 gallons ; but in 1847 the consumption during these three months had been 271,000 gallons. Wine ought to be an article of universal consumption in this country, but the duty imposed on the article was so excessive that it was practically excluded from consump tion in England. He wanted it to be accessible to the poor man. Ile wanted to enable him to purchase a bottle of wine at the same price he would give for a bottle of beer. It appeared to him that he had made out his case. He thought he had proved to de monstration that if Government would only make the experiment upon a large and liberal scale the .article of wine might be in universal demand for home consump tion. He believed it would improve the public health. It would augment popular enjoyements, increase the revenue, extend trade, and altogether give general satisfaction. On these grounds, without troublin4the House further, he took the liberty of moving that the YousP should ;m -mediately resolve itself into a Committee: to consider the desirability of reducing the duty on foreign wines. Mr. EWART seconded the motion. He thought his Hon. Friend had made out a case in favour of a modifi cation of these duties. If they were informed of the quantity of wine consumed in other countries; they would be perfectly astonished at the small quantity con sumed here. In Denmark, for instance, the popu lation did not exceed that of London, yet the consumption of wine was far greater than the quantity consumed in this country. The consumption of wine in Holland was about a gallon for each of the population, but by a calculation made by the free trade; association of Cologne, it appeared that not more than a quarter of a gallon was consumed by each individual in this country. He did not see why the same consumption should not take place in this country as in Denmark. But there was a time when there was a great consumption of wine in this country; and no doubt his lion. Friend the Member for the Uni- versity of Oxford (Sir R. H. Inglis) could recollect the time when port wine was not the orthodox beverage of Oxford.—(A laugh.) At the beginning of this session claret was the common beverage there ; but the Uni versity, headed by the Dean, petitioned the House against the high duties imposed on the importation of wine, and subsequently some alteration was made, and port wine became the favourite beverage. Wine was a great and beneficial stimulant, and if the duties were modified, instead of having the adulterated wines of Portugal, they would have the more wholesome and nu tritious wines of France. No doubt, like the question of the tea, tobacco, and other duties, which still re mained upon the statute book,: the repeal of the wino duties would be loudly demanded by the people. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that when a reduction had been made on wine the consumption had greatly diminished. He feared, then, that he could not calculate on in in creased revenue by a reduction upon' that article. It was quite clear that this country had reduced its duty on wine ' irrespective of any concession by any foreign power. He would not, however, be inclined to make a large experiment, and under these circumstances he must - objact to the Hon. and Learned Member's motion. Mr. I. : . BENNETT was surprised at the Hon. Member for Bolton proposing to repeal the duty on wine, when so many other articles might be better considered. If any duty was to be removed, why not that on tea, coffee, or that most oppressive tax, the malt•tax. Mr. FIUME could not see any objection to the reduc tion of the duty, when it was quite certain that the revenue would not suffer. The reduced duty would occasion an increased consumption in the ar ticle, and the aggregate duty would be quite as much, if not more.---(Hear, hear.) He called the at tention of, the House to a recent dispatch re ceived from Mr. Pakenham, in which it was shown that in America, with a reduced tariff, in one year the revenue had increased one million of dollars. Were the duty on wines reduced one half, the revenue, he was persuaded, would not suffer. It would also be the carrying out the free-trade principle, to which the 'louse was pledged. Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN denied that the mere reductio❑ of a dray would constitute free trade, which meant the total abolition of duties. He thought that if any aleration of duty was made to benefit the labouring classes it should be in the malt tax._ Dr. BOWRING replied, and said, after the expres sion of opinion elicited he would withdraw the motion. LAW OF MARRIAGE. Mr. STUART WORTLEY presented several peti tions from various pluses in the north-west on the subject of the law of marriage, praying that some alteration might be made. Among the petitioners were 123 clergymen, 126 solicitors, 6 mayors of towns, and 24 common councillors, and taking the whole of the petitioners together there were not less than 1,062 members of the board of guardians. In the presenta tion of these petitions he would not disguise the truth that he was personally desirous of effecting some change in the law of marriage. But in doing so, he was per fectly aware that he was approaching a subject in which there was much delicacy and difficulty involved, and on which many arguments had been stated quite irrelevant to the subject. Now, with respect to the object of the motion which he had to submit, he would say that the House had been pressed in 1841, by one, whose absence from that House all would regret, if it were not known that he was now engaged in a better place. His Friend Lord Ellesmere—(Cheers) —had again, in 1842, renewed his motion, and in a House when only 290 Members were present lost his cause only by a ihajor the ityof q t u w e e s n ti t o y n . Since that time five years had passed, and had every day been gaining ground, and was now even stronger than ever, for it was necessary t.ssetat rest the kb) did not wish anxiety of a great number of families. . 4 in the slightest degree to disguise the matt er before the House. He did not desire to disturb the general law of marriage, but he would not be dealing fairly with the House if he did not state that his object was the same as that which had been advocated by Lord Elleauirre, for he desired to obtain the repeal of the law which prohibited a marriage with the sister of a deceased wife. But under whatever circumstances that Act might have been passed, it had totally failed to effect the object for which it was framed. Its effect, instead of rendering the law more certain, had the effect of rendering the law still more uncertain than it was before. The object of the Act intended by Lord Lyndhurst was to make void . those marriages. And, upon a subsequent occasion , his Lordship said that it was not his intention by that Bill to set the question at rest. This Bill was brought into the House of Lords by Lord Lyndhurst in June 1835 , the Bill, as originally introduced, enacted, that where marriages had taken place, they should be held good and valid, but with respect to marriages which might afterwards take place, it was enacted that they should be held as actually void. No discussion took piae upon the stages of the Bill in the House of Co:Drawls. Subsequently, however, the second clause was rest( rtd. Now that was the history of the Act ; and if Hon. Gentlemen would take the trouble to look into the de bate which arose on the occasion of its passing, they would find that a feeling then prevailed in the House that the subject ought to be more minutely diteussed and considered in another session. A number of re spectable persons made an inquiry in some districts of the country, which occupied them three months, for the purpose of obtaining some statistical information on the subject, and they found that 1,648 casts had oc curred, exclusive of the marriages amongst the work ing classes, which were within the prohibit. d degree, as specified by the Act of 1845, 196 took place before the passing of the Act, and 1,364 since ; and out of the whole number 1,501 were with deceased wives' sisters. One of the highest civil authorities had in formed him that he had induced many persons not to marry on account of the objections which might arise owing to their relationship ; and, with the exception of one case, he had invariably succeeded. Amongst these marriages, there were seventy contracted by magistrates, barristers, and physicians, thirty by the middle classes, including merchants, manufacturers, tradesmen, &c. ; and it had been calculated that there must be at least 6,000 of these marriages prohibited by the Act now existing, which affected, at least, 1,300 persons. The principal object of the framers of the Bill of 1835 was to render the law certain and final; but the introduction of the clause rendering many mar riages invalid, had counteracted the benevolent inten tions of the authors of the Bill, and had caused the ut most unhappiness in families, the heads of which had married in opposition to the Act. The number of these marriages amongst the lower classes was small, but this might be accounted for by the fact, that many lived to gether in a state of concubinage. Every effort had been made to expose the evils which existed from the Act, and to bring about a healthier state of the law. Many of the facts ascertained were laid before that eminent judge, Mr. Justice Erle, whose elevation to the bench had given the utmost satisfaction, and after devoting much attention to the subject--for he was one of the counsel in the Sussex peerage case—he stated it as his firm opinion, that notwithstanding the Act of 1835, marriages of that kind then objected to were valid,—(Hear, bear)—and many other eminent men bad supported the same view; but still great uncertainty prevailed, and great doubt hung over many marriages, and a man named Chadwick, who had married his wile's sister, and who was charged with bigamy, as he had married during the life of his wife, was acquitted on the ground that it was an invalid mar riage in accordance with the Act of 1835, and the case was now pending at the Court of Queen's Bench. Then great diversity of opinion prevailed with respect to mar riages contracted abroad. Some said a marriage solemnised abroad between narties who had gone abroad for that purpose, and who immediately afterwards came back to this country was a valid marriage, while others entertained an exactly opposite opinion, and that such marriages were illegal. The question was one which affected both rich and poor; but as the rich pos sessed property and held titles that were exposed to much danger, and the transfer of property was sur rounded with difficulties, litigation, and interminable expense would be the result. One object of the Act was to relieve children from the suspense they were in dur ing the lives of their parents, who had contracted mar riages not strictly legal, but the Act had not accom plished the good for which it was designed; and at a distance of a century hence, the descendants of persons who had contracted a marriage of this nature, might be called upon to show that their ancestors were domiciled in Holland or Germany at the time of their marriage, so that they had not violated the law of their own country. Thus every title in this country was insecure. In Scotland, for instance, marriages within the prohibited degrees, if they had taken place in England, were ralid.----(Hear, hear.) Now, this was an intolerable state of things, and ought no longer to exist. A petition in 1841 was presented to the House of Lords, signed by 75 solicitors, complaining of the anomalous state of the law ; and another to the same effect had been presented from a large body of the clergy. It was under these circumstances that he asked the House to give him the means of making an inquiry. He thought he had made out a case for inquiry. —(Hear, hear.) With the exception of some cantons in Switzerland, no Protestant country save this allowed such a state of things to exist. For instance, George 111., whilst many marriages were prohibited in this country, was in the habit of giving dispensations for the solemnising of simi lar marriages in Hanover, a portion of the British domi nions. The only objection which I shall venture to meet upon this occasion, is that a Committee upon this sub ject would raise a great feeling of doubt in th 3 minds of families. With respect to this objection it was futile, inasmuch as doubts already existed ; but, even if it di-;, it was nut, nor ought to be, a valid abjection. —(Hear, hear.) He had numerous cases where he could prove that a young woman could not live under the same roof with her deceased sister's husband. The breath of scandal was too great for her to do so, even if her care was necessary for the welfare of the children. He had established that there was very great doubt upon the subject, and he had also proved that there were many cases of flagrant evil, he therefore considered that he had made out his case for a coin - mission. The Noble Lord then read a petition from Lin coln, signed by all the clergymen in that diocese, stating that great and enormous evils arose from the present state of the law. His first intention was to seek for a Committee, but, from the lateness of the session, and from a variety of other motives, he was desirous to ask for a Commission. The high character of such a body, the seal of confidence under which they could obtain evidence, all imparted to such a plan the requisites so much to be desired.—(Cheers.) Sir G. GREY said that he was anxious to rise early in this debate, after the able speech of the Hon. Mem ber, in order to express his full concurrence in his pro position. He considered the law to be in a most unsa tisfactory state, and he, therefore, was of opinion that an inquiry should take place ; at the same time, he desired that it should be distinctly understood that he did not express any opinion as to what ought to be the state of the law.—(Hear, hear.) He also was of opinion that the very best course to be pursued was that one proposed by the Hon. Member, as they would be able to place upon a commission many men well qualified to act upon such, and who would be able to devote a much greater portion of time to the subject than any Member of the House. Sir ROBERT INGLIS was sorry that the Right Hon. Baronet had consented to the proposition of the Hon. Gentleman, as the concession went to prove that some change in the law was absolutely necessary. The Hon. Gentleman said that the grievance extended to six thousand marriages in the year. Well, what was the amount of marriages celebrated throughout England in the same period ? Why, one hundred thousand ! (Hear, hear.) It was, therefore, in favour of a fractional portion ; they were about to change their existing law, and not in favour of the majority. The Hon. Gentle man said that the law had already, in a thousand in stances, been violated, and he therefore argued that it should and ought to be repealed. Now this was a rather extraordinary method of argument, for he considered that those who disobeyed the law, ought to be punished instead of rewarded.—(Hear, hear.) , Sir BERNAL OSBORNE said that he would not enter into the question. He only arose to tender his thanks to the Hon. Member for having brought forward this Bill. He formerly did not record his vote upon this question, as he had not sufficiently made up his mind upon the subject, but every day convinced him of the necessity of doing something. Dr. NICHOLS said the same difficulty attended mar riage both within the prohibited degrees of consan guinity and affinity, and the law of England always con sidering the law of marriage to be in the region of canonical disability, had never interfered. He could not agree to the motion. Mr. W ATSON thought the state of the law was such as to demand inquiry, and he would therefore support the motion. The motion was then agreed to. IMPROVEMENT OF FISHERIES (IRELAND). Sir W. BARRON rose to move for a Select Committee to inquire into the means of improving the fisheries of Ireland, and thereby affording profitable employ ment. He said there were 400,000 individuals connected with the trade, but the want of capital had rendered these fisheries unproductive. His reason for making the motion at present, was that the House had voted large sums of money for the Scotch fisheries, which were fostered, while the fisheries of Ireland were left unaided. The consequence was, that the Irish fisheries were worthless, while the Scotch were selling their fish at a very high price in Ireland. No thing would more efficiently benefit the people of the country whose fisheries were to be the subject of the in quiry which he proposed ; the best proof of which was the success that had attended the advances to Ireland and to Scotland on this head. The Hon. Member con cluded by moving for a commission of inquiry. Mr. FREWEN seconded the motion. Mr. LABOUCHERE said he would not express an opinion different froth that expressed by the Hon. Baronet, t, who had cmfiusophvi fisheries dr d i e for ss ucocf e t h el e dr ei nl Comte, agndG. m o i v t let e ri%n, ma s a e s na t t cis o_ ua t e h ns e d. . t ion which importance hadef the o c the House for many years, and there had been com missions of inq u i ry , so nu merous, that th ere inofnormathtieon tablepon of the H ouse s w u e ffi re cien d t ocum fo e r nts H growth of e believed th a t t h e the subj ec t. II - the fortunes o f Scotland wer e to beattributed to the private enterprise, and not to any encouragement derived from same time, Government. At the s he was not p re p are d to deny that th ese were the modes in whi c h G overnment might twit a n d benefic ial ly employ its influence, and he would instance t wo Onemethods orb these e w s h e ic h modes h e w t a h s o , thought votingt. thi grants ofthis benefit mi g h t b e had. money to the building of fishery piers in diffe rent parts of the coast of Ireland, where they were much wanted. The l a t e G overnment had devoted a sum 0t50.0001 to this object, and the present Government had , in like manner, voted 40,000/. for the same purpose. The. second mode was by erecting curing stations, a means wh i c h ha d been only lately adopted in thought the Hows had a right to antifipatiNerery cess. These stations had b-en irectetrita7#iff;trent parts of the coast, where " th- tak-s " werenhe , .‘roost dant; and where, therefore, the fish cettiti-iriTr,bq posed of in their fresh state. There haiil `alioadY erected six staions in that country, nod the success which had attended them. was beginnine to attract the attention of private speculators. Onlv that day IS letter was put into his hand, aunouncii,g the fact that a vessel had arrived on the west coast of Ireland, from Gravesend, sent out by an intelligent person who wished to try whether his enterprise would be repaid in that country. The writer, a most intelligent man, dee cribed the vessel as well supplied with ail the necessary articles, as nets, trawls, &c., supplied, indeed, to an ex tent altogether unknown in that country. This was the enterprise the Government wished to encourage, and they believed that such examples would he of more use than any commercial exertions on their own part. Ile did not apprehend any good from a Committee of Inquiry, as already they had every information on the subject the House c, , 01d desire. It would further be the means of eating r, way t hose teL I:, 11 required at present 10 Ite%f,d. I3e;or c the er:d of the session he misted to lie able to lay on t 0 table of the ll w as o important infurnr.:thm the cur i i , g . of fish, and the progres ut the 11.4:ere4 Irelar:d, L od cu the present oeca,icn the lion. Mernhcr would Withdrew his motion. t fils o t ug i jo h ,iL t l l e le rc P. as lg ur l ,ts t IL T ;n ° . I. G I et t i l4 tlTna ll n G h E ad ll g E iv N ei T i the o 4o the cuthotity of Mr. ma r t r e e r fu i a i s s i n b g the &.t,re m t c h e e i e House. Ie a e i ci pAr re lie nt ie ' t , o d ti ;hire those e i %e 1 % , I r B e r. 44 end yet in that year, according Randolph,the most the clumsylawla n ti n e d g to the f l] c i t s o li ry lisheriesl.as in character. eitherH e denied ndo wereto t en e t o a r ll e pursue that mine of wealth which had been so much gation indisposed tlle to o Th a e o l i r n i t s o h i fi h s e h d e e r e m p en sens alluded to, and there ought to be a Select Committee to inquire into_ this matter. He would support the motion, and divide with the Hon. Member who proposed it, if he pressed it to a di v i s i on . Mr. HUME sa id t h at year he i ntended to visit the west coast of Irel an d, b ut h e was detained, and his col league went. He was sorry to say, that from his infor mation, the fishing stations were in a most imperfeet condition, and he thought the Government ought to take the question and provide a remedy. He did expect that ere now the Government would have brought in a Bill to effect the improvement of the fisheries all round the coasts of the country. He was not sure whether a Com mittee was necessary, but he considered the subject was one of such importance that the Government ought to take it up and appoint a competent officer to superintend all the improvements carried forward by the Government. Mr. M. GORE entered into a number of dwells to show the advantages of establishing fisheries in Ireland. Mr. WATSON thought it of great importance to the interests of both countri. s to promote as much as pos sible the fisheries in Ireland. Ile represented the town of Kinsale, and he wished to impress upon the Govern ment the necessity of assisting the poor fishermen of that town, either by means of boats, or by huts, or by establishing drying stations fur there. and also by a cheap and ready means of conteyance of the products of their industry. He hoped that the effects of this dis cussion to-night would be to induce the Government to adopt some means to assist the poor people of that country in carrying on their trade. It his Hon. Friend should press his motion to a division, he should cer• tainly vote with him. Mr. F. FRENCH said that he opposed the Bill of the Noble Lord the Member for Lynn, for the construction of railroads in Ireland by a grant of 16.000,0001, on the ground that not one sixpence of that money would have been expended in the employment of the poor in the west of Ireland. Mr. HUDSON thought it was hardly fair for the Hon. Member to say that the western districts of Ireland were not provided for by that measure. If the Hon. Member would loOk at the Bill itself, he would see that special provision was proposed to be made for the districts of Roscommon end Galway. He thought that the appoint ment of this Committee would be a wise one, and the in formation which it would give to the House as the result of its inquiries, would, no doubt, be very valuable. Sir H. W. BARRON thought that a very strong case had been made out for the appointment of a Committee, so strong, indeed, that he believed no Government could or would resist ; and, feeling as he did, that the Go vernment were bound to push forward the encourage ment to fisheries, he thought that he should be only im pedingmotion t t h o e a co d u i r v s i e si o on f ._ the c_ G ri o i v s e o rn f m ,, e p ilt iv i i f d,., h d e i p vi u d s o hy , d ) his lie thought that he should now best consult the interests of the Irish fisheries by leaving the subject in the hands of with drawThehims t ( h C e r n ie p s o o t f fr ` o ` m No t „ h n e ee.")air. tile Government. He, therefore, begged le ave to The galleries were cleared for a division ; no division, however, took place. On our re-admission to the gallery we found Mr. AGLIONBY urging the Noble Lord opposite and his friends to withdraw their opposition to the motion. He thought the subject was not one which should be treated in the jocose manlier with which they appeared to regard it, and that, under all the circum stances, they should permit the lion. Baronet to with draw it. Mr. B. DISRAELI was rather surprised to hear the charge made by the Hon. Meunier for Cockeraloulh, that the Noble Lord, the Member for Lynn, and his friends on that side of the House, had trkaitcl the moil, n of the Hon. Member for Wae word joeuse:y. Ile do nied that there was any foundation whatever for such a charge, and he considered the course now propos; d to be pursued by the Hon. Baronet the Metribur for Water ford was exceedingly strange after the private volieita lien he made to die Noble Lord to come down to the House and support his motion. He had asked the Noble Lord to be present at the debate, and vote for the 'notion for a Committee of Inquiry, and the Neale Lord at once assented to the proposal of the Hon. Boronet, and along with his friends did suptort the motion with that frankness and sine. rite which were characteristic of them. They had actually made a House for the oceasion.—(Cries of " No, no," from the Ministerial bench.) Well, if they did not make a House, did the Governme n t make the Hous ?—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) Was it nut a fact that, even on Govern ment nights, when the most important measures were brought forward, the present Government had the greatest difficulty in making a House. It was too bad, however, that they should be accused of treating the subject jocosely after the inconvenience to which they had been subjected in making a House, and the support they had given to the motion of the Hon. Baronet. Mr. AGLIONBY explained It was to their oppo sition to the withdrawal of the motion that he applied the term " jocose." Colonel RAWDON was opposed to a division. as after the explanation they ree , wed it could lead to no useful result, more especially at this late period of the session. He hoped, therefore, the 11. el. Baronet, the Member fur Waterford would be allowed to withdraw it. Mr. TRELAWNEY moved that the words, " and Cornwall," should be added to the motion, as he con sidered that that locality had as gocet claim as any ether to be included in such an inquiry. llr HUME seconded the motion, and suggested that the words " South Sea and North Sea whale fisheries" should tie added—(Laueliter)—tor if the in vestigation was extended to these quarters be believed the best results would follow.— ( lig titer ) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought it would be well if the Noble Lord opposite would give way and allow the motion to be withdrawn. Atone period of the evening there were only two my-three members present at the debate, and he did not think, therefore, that the present House was in a condition to form a correct judgment of the merits of the case —(Hear, hear.) It was not true that no eucouragemeet had been given to the fisheries of Ireland, as grants vad been voted for the purpose of promoting them, and further aid was to be given for the erection of piers ; and in the cours of the session he ,had moved a grant of 40,0001. for th e pur pose of erecting curing stations in various parts of Ireland ; but if discussions were to take place with respect to the requirements of every seaport in the United Kingdom, the time of the House would be wasted to little purpose. The practical effect of the ap pointment of the Committee would be to Impede the very object which the Hon. Baronet had in view, as the officers now engaged in superintending the erection of evidence for e , that b o u r n e . the G en t lem o en mi ttee Cm. onp,e)td,urgtheetrhee piers and cu r i ng -h ouses, would ee required here to give e H w e oul h d lion. Baronet to press his motion to a division ; but 'leave the course which he might feel disposed to adopt with respect to it to his own discretion. Mr. DISRAELI was not surprised that the Hon. Gentleman, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, had been mistaken as to what had been said by those on that (the opposition) side of the House, because he was absent - during a considerabl e p or ti on o f the debate , and he (Mr. brief Disraeli) was nut sure that he had lust much by absence from the House so brief, that he had heard every speech—(Hear, hear) —if he had not had the good for tune the to hear the whole oration of the Hon. Baronet Member for Waterford (Sir IL Barron)—(Laughter)— but he was reconc i led to the proemium, as he understood that the catastrophe was to be omitted. He did not recom mend the House to proceed to a division, because his Noble Friend (Lord G. Bentinck) had attended the House that evening, but what he did say was, that the Hon. Gentleman wished his Noble Friend to attend, because the question was one of great interest ; and he, therefore, appealed to him to be present to support him. hear,) But t h ere was a moral tale drawn from this. If Irish Members thought right to make speeches in order to receive a " flashy" demonstra tion—if they were in the habit of going te the Treasury, and accepting just as much or as little of their propositions as the Government thought proper to give them,—(Hear, hear, and laugh ter)—they must take the consequence when their motions came before the House.—(Hear, hear.) He and his Noble Friend, and those around him, had, as he had said, attended because the motion had reference to a subject of considerable importance, but when these ad c a pt an d um mot i ons were made, which Hon. Members on his side of the House, from their previous conduct, could not avoid the discussion— (" Hear, hear," from Lord G. Bentirck)—they must abide by the result. He wished it still a real d e b ate, and that it should lead to a real result. Those on his (Mr. Disraeli's) side of the House had, as the House would perceive, no desire to inconvenience the present Government—(Hear) — but when the term "jocose" was d applie • to them he considered that it was wholly unde served—that it could not apply to them, and if i t w as not addressed to th em i t must have been ad dressed to the Hon. Gentleman in the chair.—(Laughter.) But if such Members chose to put their faith in the Go vernment, were they responsible for the ridiculous posi tion in which they got themselves ? He thought that the Government should grant the Committee. He was told that they might anticipate a dissolution, and the best way for every Hon. Member to do, in order to se- 3.1 ,I tt ) S IT r - 71