The Sun. — London, England, 1847-02-20 00:00:00

It% WnS . , • 1;:11. .3e .I\lenlbrl) le .—(Laegh' ye his sup n the community.—( Heat.) Their habits rendered them Peculiarly averse to take refuge in the workhouse, and ?:.. • i - - It was in tins ciass, s es.. But he was at a loss to imagine how any Government csuld have prevented such a state of circumstances. He was (Jute ready to bear his testimony to the exertions which had been made by the landed proprietors and the clergymen of different denominations, as far as their means would permit, to alleviate the sufferings of the poor; at the same time he would take the liberty of saying, that it was the duty of the landed proprie tors, and of the clergy, and of all persons of influence, not to confine their exertions to individual charity, but to do ail they could to prevent the existence of mischievous feeling. He was sorry that the Member for Mayo was not in his place. He was anxious to call the attention of the House to a communication which had only reached him that day, which would at once show the im peratids necessity of strenuous exertions being used to pre vent the people from being made the victims of delusion. The Right Honourable Gentleman then read the following extract : — l 4 I understand that in this county of Mgt) an organised combination exists, to discourage simultaneously the cultivation of the soil. The people are informed, that if they do so, they will compel the Government and Parliament to maintain them."—( Hear, hear.) Now, he did think that be had a right to call upon every person, whether they were landowners or clergymen, to endeavour, by every means in their power, to prevent such opinions being in stilled, and the people from being made the vic tims of such a delusion ; the consequences of which would be,_ that the state of the county Mayo in the next The would be far worse than it was Ei g the present moment. The particulars of this movement we as follows :—‘ body of m en amoun ti ng to about 200, some armed,; A largeraversed the country, swearing al. whim they visited not to attempt to cultivate the soil."—( Hear.) Should this system be carried out to any extent, Mayo will be a perfect wilderness. When Ire • land called, as she bad an undoubted right to call t pon them for assistance, they had also a right to call upon the gentry to co-operate with them, and prevent these poor people from pur suing a course of conduct which would lead to inevitable ca lamity. He would say one word in reference to a subject which had been repeatedly adverted to during the course of the debate, he meant the conduct of the landlords of Ireland, with .regard to the exaction of their rents. He had watched with the most intense anxiety the course adopted by them. He believed that it was true that in parts of the country, especially in the north, there had been a number of civil bill processes for rent due, but these were seldom at the instance of the head landlord, but al most always at the suit of the middle man. He was afraid that in some parts of the country a spirit was evinced which all should regret, but speaking generally, he was bound to say, that in his opinion the had exercised their rights with discre tion and liberality.--( ear , hear.) As regarded the cottier tenants, their means of subsistence having wholly failed, by reason of the potato failure, he was proud to say that the land owners of Ireland had behaved with the utmost generosity. In the county of Cavan, matters had also progressed favourably. he had before him the report of the assistant-barrister, Mr. Murphy, Made to in answer to some inquiries . he (Mr.. Labouchere) had The him as to the state of his county, it was as follows . : last number of ejectors has decrease considerably within the two or three years. In this session not one-half the number of ejectments usually stied out have been so. On the whole, the landed proprietcr s h a d acte d w i t h ki n d ness an d f or bearance, and he would place Lord Farnham at their head. With regard to another class of tenants perfectly solvent, who, be it re membered, constituted a very considerable part of the tenantry of Ireland, in his opinion, they were bound to make them pay their rents, otherwise how could it be expected that . hey Could contribute as they ought to the assistance of their more destitute fellow -countrymen. He would not detain the House at any great length. The element of bitterness had been th rown into the discussion, but he hoped that it would not draw them into a protracted debate.— ( Hear, hear.) With respect to the request of the Member for Fermanagh, the Government had considered what it was their duty to do, and they found that they could not consent to it. Such was the im portance of the Irish business, that they could not postpone it. Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL said that the state of Ireland would not admit of much delay in discussion, but he thought it was due to the Irish Members to say that the bitterness did not originate with them ; and if they were driven by these taunts from the consideration of the feeling which had been manifested by all parties—a feeling which did honour to the county —he could t e ll th e H on . B aronet t h e M em b er for Marylebone, that any state charity which could be given to them by the House did not equal—could not equal—nay, could not approach the amount of which Ireland had been defrauded by the iniquitous Act of Union.—( A laugh.) He knew that there would be a laugh, but he was not there to make such an assertion without be'ng ready to prove it. He would not then detain the House, but ha would take an opportunity to do so. And further, the repeal rent, in the recent prosecution of the leaders of the Irish people, had been found efficacious in securing justice to those whom the Government of that day endeavoured to oppress and put down. They had to wage a legal war against ail the power the Government most unscrupulously employed, but the shillings of the poor peasants defeated all the attempts which were then made. He was not prepared to go into all the items then, but this he would state, the rent had done much in disseminating information among the people, and in securing them justice. The Hon. Member had also attacked repeal as a phantom. It might be such, but this he would say, that the present state of Ireland, brought about by the Government that have ruled that country, was a frightful reality. They had taken away the Irish Parliament; they had oppressed and enslaved the Irish people, and now this fearful retribution had over taken them. The most fearful destitution had overtaken Ire land, and they must rest assured they had not yet seen the end. They would not only have to subscribe large sums of money, but the distressed population would come over in thousands, spreading pestilence among the people of this country ; and all the attempts they might make would not prevent them from coming. It was thus they would suffer for the wrongs they had inflicted on Ireland. Let them read the statements of Lieute nant Caffin, contained in the papers of that morning, as a spe cimen of the condition of Ireland. That was from an Eng lishman, though daily the Irish Members were receiving much worse accounts, bad as that was. He had thought it neces sary to make this explanation to the Honse after the attack Which had been made by the Hon. Member for Marylebone, Mr. H. GRA TTAN remarked that the Hon. Member for Marylebone had said a great deal about the subscriptions got tip for Irel an d i n a manner derogatory to the people of that country,l t entH peal that h ave b een better if he had remained Re ren e t, hanadd also sa My emberh a a t d t subscri ption strong r .Grattan) against m the us t read l ih. e n a igni st self better than several in which the Hon. a electio g n o, eeri been engaged. He recollected, some time an account of a subscription got up fur name a og purpos es, i n which that Hon. Member's own ladies ppeared, and it seemed also that he had seduced four conneeted with himself into subscribing to the same Ir ish neern--( Laughter ) Surely a su b scr i pt i on to l i b erate t h e people was more praiseworthy and laudable than the miserable one with which he (Sir B. Hall) had been con nected. Further, with regard to the repeal rent, he ( Mr. Grattan), did make bold to say, that never, to his knowledge, did he k now o f a single person with whom, he was connected get a single penny of it. It was applied to advance the in terests of the people of Ireland; and this he knew, that ha saw 25,000/, of it paid to defend the leaders of the Irish people when the late Government attempted to crush the by the State prosecutions.—( H ear, hear. The Hon rn . Member for Inv erness (Mr. Bane) had talk ) ed a good deal in a former debate about the exertions of Lord Macdonald and Macleod of Macleod in the isle of Sky. pended, it wa s st a t e d, about 2.5,000/., but not a word They had ex wa; said as to whether or no it h ad been repaid. They had also it appeared, adopted an economical system of cookery, but that was nothing to what was proposed fur Ireland, as there they proposed to cook out of nothing at all. They had written from Ireland to send them over some of the best soup receipts, and he had been supplied with some from the Reform Club that were economical enough. So good, indeed, were they, that in the event of the Noble Lord at the head of the Go vernment resigning he would suggest that Monsieur Soyer should be made Prime Minister. —(Laughter. ) Let him guard the Hon. and Learned Member for Bath of this fact. But what was the case? Why, the whole of the money had been plunged into the Caledonian Canal.—( Laughter.) There Was 1 ,254,000/. given as & grant, not as a loan, but as s grant, and then there was 306,0001. paid for repairs. Yes, this was the answer to the Irish howl. Well did the Ministry know that the best way to get into Scot land was, as in the ' time of the Stew arts, by a bridge of gold, and they had built not less than a th ,, trand bridges in that country within the last few years.--( Hear, boar.) He had always said that he would support the. Noble Lord on‘principle, and he only deeply regretted that the Irish Members had not supported him. He did regret this, and that the unconstitutional threat —for such he should ever con sider it—had been held out of leaving the helm of Government. He would not have said so much, but that this was in all pro bability the last opportunity which the Irish Alereb rs would for some time have of saying a word on the affairs of Ireland. What was the pitiful sum which had been granted between the Ist January, 1846, and the first day of the next year, for the relief of starving multitudes ? It was only 113,0001., out of the 53,000,000 of national income. Then a great cry had been made against the Irish landlords, but how could they help themselves, for he could state, that in one instance, a gen tleman who was entitled to 5,0001. for rent, could not get 1,700/. There were some Irish landlords who did not do their duty, and he would tell them who they were. The absentee proprietors of Queen's county derived a rental of '25 5781., and the property of the resident proprietors was estimated at 4,530/. Now, what was the relative amount of the subscriptions of these two parties? Why, the subscriptions of those who held 4,500/. of property, contributed 4591., while the con tribution of the absentees was only 2081. Such was the contrast offered by those landlords, who did their duty and those who did not. The Right Hon. Gentlemen the Secretary for Ireland, had talked of intraucing 6901b5. of flax seed into Ireland, but what probability was there that such a proceeding would be of any b enef i t to a country where the people were starving. The whole amount of the money granted for the e relief of Irel an d was 3,551,002/ , while all th money which had been adv ance d under Mr.. Labouchere's letter wa 77,000/.; so th a t i n fact, it bad turned out that the psris)fPatje. subscriptions fa r excee d ed the amount of the public - grants. What then became of th e acer bi ties of the Hon. Memberb Bath? What became of his taunts and his allegations against the Irish Members ? Why it was ev id ent that they were alto • gether groundless, for no man ever came into court with a less knowledge of his brief, no lawyer ever made out a worse eAse than he bad done, and the consequence Was, as he deserved to be on the present occasion, he was nonsuited. The truth was, that this was a Divine visitation, and no doubt they were justly punished for their offences, and no acts of any set of men could have obviated it. The same circumstances had occurred in 1800, when Mr. Pitt had written his celebrated letter, when he ascribed them to the visitation of Providerce, and Mr. Wilberforce had expressed the same opinion. The people of Ireland were s . tarvin g. and the Noble Lord had talked of opening depots for "'Ws but what h a d b een th e case , as it h a d b een s h own b y t h e Hon. Member for Mayo, that between November and January only ten depots had b een opene d, an d th e sma ll sum o f 146, 00 0/. was all that had been spent in providing the pro visions for starving millions. With these observations he should conclude the remarks which he had to make to the Huse, and h e did so w i th a sincere expression of his thanks the patience and indulgence with which he had been listened to by the House. .HMr. ROEBUCK said that when he came down to the ouse he had understood that there was a press of Lusiness be fore the House to-night, and he came down with the expectation that that business was to carry forward certain Bills for the relief tiof the Irish poor. When he came clown to the House, the me M em b er fur Mayo (Mr. Dillon Browne) was stating a thumber of cases of excessive suffering in his county. Then _Toe Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Lefroy) did the same g. Th en some altercation followed, and then came the ;Ne of tions of t h e H on. Member for Meath (Mr. Grattati ), of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Put te • v told that the people of Ireland were strong, ad the ' Ho ' r e e jr e e n re - Cern" had begun by speaking about fire to show dies the People of Ireland were in distress. But if the matter was not tflebe regularly brought forward, it was a pity that the English .I::::ntbreyrmsehnad been brought down to discuss tl e subject under urn c ircumstances. He thought it was due to his oen s and to their countrymen in Ireland, to disems this subject with temper, and to bring it forward as fairly as he could before the House. And in doing this, he thought theret was not one of them who did notmost d eeply lament the distressing circumstances which liad occurred in Ireland ; nor was there one who had risen in his place who had attempted to d eny t h e ex i stence of the distress, or Who Wo u ld refuse to vote for any measure that might tend THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 2O, 1847. to its alleviation, or that refused in any way to act so as to give the relief out of the property of England wherever it . a „ tires be alleviatpd not what was - ^ O ' CO:inell) and the Hon. Aleintgr who had just sat down had asserted the same thing. They said that the distress in Ire lana was chargeable on the English people, and that it had resulted solely as the consequences of the atrocities of the Go vernment of England against that country. Now the Hon. member said this.—( There was an intisna , ion of dissent from Mr. Grattan.)—He (Mr. Roebuck) knew that the Hon. Members did not remember what he said, but he distinctly charged him with the expression, for he had distinctly stated that the sufferings of the Irish people were caused by the mismanagement of this country.—( Hear, and counter cheers. ) Mr. G RATTAN explained that the Hon. Gentleman had mistaken him. —( Hear hear. ) Mr. ROEBUCK—I distinctly charge him with it.— (" Hear," from the opposite benches.) Mr. GR ATTA N—l totally deny it. Mr. ROE BUCK —I accept the retractation. Colonel RAWDON rose to order. The Hon. Member for Bath had agreed to accept the retractation, but had refused to accept the denial. This was clearly a breach of order. Mr. ROEBUCK—WeII, the matter was not worth many words, for he thought that the conduct of the people of Eng land was above the attacks of the Hon. Member, but he felt it was due to his fellow-countrymen, he again said, aye, and he would say, it was due to his fellow.countrymen in Ireland to say that they would not be moved from their benevolentpurposes by such attacks as these, but, on the contrary, they would urged on to higher efforts of usefulness to Ireland by the repe tition of these charges, and that was his inducement to give-an express denial to the attacks. He would now follow out the argument of the Hon. Member for Marylebone. That Hon. Member had said that Hon. Gentlemen came down to that House —and he (Mr. Roebuck) saw such now to be present— who had taken large rents, and yet had refused in any way to relieve the distresses of their country, or had even paid their rates on the property which they held. He had shown that instead of contributing anything, they had, on the contrary, done nothing. Now he would take the case of Skibbereen— that was a fair case—and it should be remembered that there was a poor-law in Ireland. The people in that parish were in the utmost state of destitution, and yet, although the rate levied for the relief of the poor was only fivepence in the pound, the owners of property refused to contribute their quota, and the rate could not be collected. Then he did say that the Irish gentlemen ought to contribute their share when the people of this country were so heavily taxed for the support of their poor; and he was prompted the more to this course, when he recol lected the distress which was at this moment being suffered by the peasantry of this country. He held in his hand a paper which was issued for calling a public meeting in the town which he represented, for taking some measures for relieving the poor in the county of Somerset. Those people were suffering from the utmost deficiency of food, and at the present moment a great portion of the poor in that county were absolutely subsist in; on horse-beans, with only a scanty quantity of the same, while other persons were absolutely picking up the rotten turnips, with the hope of getting a little sustenance out of them. This he threw into the teeth of the Members opposite, and would retort the charge of the Hon. Member for Meath, when, in the face of the fact that 600,000 persons were wholly supported by this country, he asserted that the people of England were acting in a close and niggardly spirit. 600,000 persons had been relieved. The inevitable conse quence, he would answer, was, that the statements of the Hon. Gentlemen could not be sustained. He would now come to the acts of the Government. He was quite willing to give that Government the fullest meed of his approval, if that was of any value to them. They had taken upon themselves a re sponsibility which hardly any Ministry before had assumed. They had spent money to an extent which had never been equalled by any other Government for such a purpose. The very Bill which he held in his hand, and which was then before ' the House, was not a Bill which he could condemn ; on the contrary,lt was a good meaning measure. Now, after all that, he slid think it was very unjust for the Hon. Member for Kil kenny to make the charges he had done, and the com ment he had made, that they had created the miseries of Ireland, and they did not do all in their power to alleviate that misery. He believed that thetas was an amount of misery in Ireland that could scarcely be exagge rated. That was all acknowledged ; but he did say that they (the Irish landlords) ought to come forward arid assist the people of England in relieving that distress. As a representa tive of an English constituency, he did say they should be cau tious in what they did. There was a combination in Mayo against tilling the land. They ought to be cautious that they did nothing to:create such a state of circumstances, or snake it spread. If they took the people of Ireland away from tilling m n t e u o p e o f n i t r h e e la pe nd op t l o e o th r e th s i o s il , , o t u h n e t y ry w . oul T d h b e e y making asked e the them d e g p e e n n t d l e e They Irel and. prevent their countrymen from being depen d e nt u p on this country were their best advisers and the best frie nds of (the people of Ireland) wanted some great man to conduct them. He had often seen -a great name over some old firm, but with out the wealth to conduct its concerns, or a particle of intelli gence to support it. The peop l e of Ireland p ossessed no such c h arac ter as they required. They were led by those who had nothing but a name and a power of vituperation to support them. Though there was the contortion of the sybil, the in spiration was gone. Mr. F. SHAW said he thought that the statements laid before the House of the sufferings of Ireland we exaggerated, but he certainly did think they were inappro priate on the present occasion. He thought, however, that the whole House would agree with him in thinking, that all those gentlemen who had made those statements had said nothing of an acrimonious character. But an Hon. Baronet opposite certainly did depart from his usual caution and temper, and the Hon. Member for Bath was unjust in fixing upon one particular case, and passing over a greater number. He thought also that it was unseasonable in that House to mention the names of Lord Lucan, Sir Wm. Beecher, and others. He had, however, to offer another case. Lady Carberry's was one of the properties that had been neglected. Now, the Carberry estate was in the hands of the Dowager Lady Carberry, arid the greater portion of ber fortune was spent in relieving that distress ; therefore the charge was most unjust. The Hon. Member apposite had said that the people of England had been called ungenerous. Now, he (Mr. Shaw) had never heard the accusation of want of generosity on the part of the people of England. The Hon. Member opposite, and a few of the friends with whom he was asso ciated, had certainly been attacked. They (the people of Ireland) did not deny the generosity of the people of England, but they did say that it was not generous to boast of it on the present eccasion. It was said that 600,000 persons had been relieved at the cost of England, but the gentlemen of Ireland were liable for the money advanced. He thought, therefore, that it was both unseasonable and unjust to say so much on the matter. It was most painful to the feelings of the Irish to hear the charges that were made against them. And after all, what did the speech of the Hon. Member opposite amount to, but that the landlords of Ireland were guilty of a neglect of duty? It was most painful for Irish gentlemen to have such remarks said at a time like the present.—( Hear, hear.) The Honourable Gentleman opposite had said "Do your duty first, then we will do ours." But the poverty in Ireland was ten times greater than in England. Her means were more than ten times less than in this country. When he was in Ireland a short time ago, he found the land lords doing all in their power. assisted by their families, in relieving the distress ; and in their kitchens there was a greater amount of relief administered than would be believed if it had not been witnessed. He thought, therefore, it was most un generous to accuse the landlords of Ireland of a neglect of their duty, and to reproach them with their poverty, at a mo ment like the present. The misery that existed was beyond their resources, and ought they then to be accused of the calamity that had visited their country ? After what , the landlords of Ireland had done, he repeated, that it was most unjust to make these accusations. The Bill before the House, as far as it went, was good, and calculated to work beneficially for the country, and he believed the Government l acrimony. hc a ra d i t m d t oh o ne n y e d ca m , .a u s f c oe h nl t a b s o t u h ne woulddy toha e w fu carried l l deny y what h o u a ot l nd had. without A b l e l e h n e anyhopedsai d of f w furthertahs e, Irish landlords, as a body, of not having done their duty. Lord JOHN RUSSELL sa id—S ir, I wish to sly .a few words before the House go into Committee on this Bill. I m G a e y nt g le o ci has m i j d u e s r t a t s i a o t n d o o f w th n is h m a s a t said, t t h h amt more wish e t e m p w e e t. must say, as 1 agre e en ti re l y i n the spirit of what the Hon. m in au to w th h e o and a more friendly tone towards those from whom we differ. I am very far from boastingof • any generosity on the part of England towards the people of Ireland ; but then we may claim to be ex emp t e d f rom the charge of insensibility to her sufferings.—( Hear, hear.) There are a few matters on which I wish to make some observations. It is impossible to look forward to what may happen next year in Ireland —to which an Hon. Gentleman has alluded—but I believe the sufferings of the people of that country may be very much alleviated. lam very sorry to hear that there is not only a neglect of cultivation of the soil on the part of smaller tenants and holders, but th ere i s not a disposition to cultivate the soil. havel heard to-day from three Roman Catholic priests, that in their part of the country they found the smallertenants saying that not only did they not cultivate their land, but they would not do so that , because they considered they would derive no advantage from doing so.— ( Hear, hear.) This arises from thevery unf or t unate state of society. W e fi nd the landlords andtenants id mu tual recrimi nat i on . The landlords speakprlging in it e conduct o f tenants, whom th e y accuse of concealing their tenants accuse th e la n dl or d of a negle c t of his duty, N much ow, Sir, in this period of g reat ca l amity, when so exists among the people of I re l an d, unless the landlnn suffering the greatest confidence in their tenants—unless they repose ey among t heir tenants, and stimulate th em to increased exertion,go more and unless, on the other hand, the tenants are brought confide in their landlords, and are disposed :0° profit by the encouragement given to th em, i fear the prospects of neat year are very uncertain.— ( Hear, hear.) I also hope that the clergy of the various reli gious denominations will assist to avert the recurrence of the present emergency. Ido not believe that any laws passed in the Imperial Parliament, or that might be passed even in a Parliament sitting in Dublin, will be attended with any bene ficial effect unless this spirit of co-operation exists to carry out these laws, and to infuse a spirit of improvement among the people. There is another matter to which I wish briefly to allude. An opinion is beginning to gain ground among the people of this country, that although they were disposed to make every sacrifice for the relief of the distress which at pre sent prevails in Ireland, yet there is an opinion spreading among them, and I s h ou ld say i n I re l an d a l so , that the distress and the actual state of destitution which ex i sted e in ordinary even were the victims of it ' • a calm for relief on the property of Ireland.—( Cheers.) I believe that •it is the prevalent opinion, that whatever may be done this year to relieve the distress, that in future years, whenever the po or -h ouses are f ul l , an d i n n where they are not full, that there should be, an adequate provision f I have not h eard, myself, or the relief of t h e poor. —( Ch eers. ) warrant me i n believing that from Irish g en tl emen, anyt hi ng to t they or that it w ill meet with any resistanc e f rom them. There may, perhap s , b e some difference of opi n i on as to the details of this measure, b u t with regard there will be no resistance.—(to the p r i nc i p l e i tself, I believe tance there m a y b e at present have the who to ) Whatever relate oestitute placed up on them,l believe hole relief of the ordinary times, th e impression i sfounded th a t t h e I r i s h that, with regar d to u landlords wish to a vo id t h at obligation .—n be lieve they have no wi s h to avoid it—( Hear , (Hea r , h ear.) I ready to give to a m easure o f that kind the hear)— but will be r careful assistance. —( Hear, hear.) The Right Hon. Gentleman relief of the destitution sh ou ld b e placed tinon says that th e that it ought not to b e made a eha all classes, an d ( Hear, hear.) I m us t say, that we th on the position of the Government be ca rr i e d i nto effect h e. pro. to a certain extent, be the case. And th ere w i ll be , t is a will, a from all p arts of the empire. I have not h ear d a single sochrjeeifice tion to this, nor do I believe that any has b een made to it.i do not believe that it will be objected to, but I think it rig ht to say that an impression very generally prev a il s t h at the pro. perry of Ireland, though a poor country, should bear the charge of Irish distress.—( Cheers.) Mr. S. O'BRIEN was in hopes they would be able to dis cuts these measures without the introduction of any topics calculated to excite any acrimonious feelings. The landlords of Ireland had made sacrifices, and he hoped the Hon. Member for Marylebone would be ready to support him when he (Mr. S. O'Brien) was about to call upon another class of landlords to perform their duty. He purposed that a Commit tee should be appointed to visit Ireland, and to see the poor-houses and hospitals of that country, that the true state of it might be. ascertained. He had no objection to form one of that Committee. The consequence of this inquiry would be a conviction that the proposed measures of Govarnraani mould ha otta.h.; .4. 1.% gency. The soup kitchens would be found inapplicable to c h ir a c cl um al s w ta a n y e s e a s d h v a o d ca m te o d re a a p n o d or m -l o a r w e ece H nt e s • ,es# (.” • 1 1- , P , nr. fmorantyhait'aerotsunotfrylr.ealnadndr. could be no doubt that tor some yea.: to coon it 0...u,d be necessary to have recourse to stimulants to employ the surplus labour of that country. The Bills for advances to landlords would, he feared, employ but an inconsiderable portion of it, and what, he would ask, was to be done with the remainder? A good system of emigration would do much good, but no efficient plan for that purpose had been proposed. The system of railways proposed by Lord George Bentinrk would, if laid down, have absorbed all this surplus labour, and conferred the greatest good upon Ireland. He implored the Government to lay down some scheme for the employment of the people in useful works, in order that those painful scenes which were of daily recurrence in that country should be put an end to. Mr. B. ESCOTT said that nothing was further from his intention than to prevent the House from going into Commit. tee on this Bill. He considered it would be much better if these Bills had been considered in the light they were in tended—as temporary and not permanent measures.:There were one or two circumstances, however, to which he wished briefly to allude. The Hon. Member opposite said that the measures proposed by the Government were inadequate to meet the dis tress for which they were intended. Well, be (Mr. Escott) agreed with the Hon. Gentleman, and he would go even farther, and say, that if the Noble Lord, or any one else, had proposed them as anything else than temporary, he would have given them his most decided opposition. He was glad to hear what had fallen from the Noble Lord, for no speech which had been made from the bench which he oc cupied (the Treasury) during that session, or many preceding ones, held out such a beneficial prospect for Ireland. He had promised a substantial poor-law for Ireland, a measure which his Hon. and Learned Friend the Member for Bath, had been taunted for proposing. If he understood his Learned Friend, all that he desired was, that equal justice should be done to Ireland; and they should permit him to tell the Irish Members, that from the Parliament of the United Kingdom they never will get equal rights unless they will consent to bear equal burdens also. —(Hear, hear.) There was much suffering in this country, and were it not for the exertions of the land owners, they should have starvation in England as well as in Ireland.—(Hear.) He wished to impress this fact upon the Noble Lord at the head of the Government, as by reason of some expressions which dropped from him the other evening, he saw clearly that he much under-rated the amount of English distress. He had not the opportunity of seeing it to the extent which he (Mr. Escott) had. The people of England were ground down, and they should not be blamed when they recollected that all grants to Ireland were had out of their hard earnings. Viscount BERNARD said that Honourable Gent'emen should not believe, for truth, all that appeared in blue books. The rental in Ireland was by no means so high as had been stated. The Honourable Member for Winchester had taunted them with an opposition to a poor-law, but he was not aware that there was any disinclination on the part of the Irish gentlemen to an assimulation of the poor-law of Ireland with that of England. On the contrary, he, with many others, were in favour of such a measure. He would warn the Government not suddenly to cease rendering assistance to the destitute through the means of public works. He had received letters which stated that in some instances this was the case, and that great destitution was the consequence. Mr. AIONTAGUE GORE said that he was prepared to give his testimony in corroboration of the statement of the Member for Winchester, that great distress existed in the west of England, but although such was the case, they should not be deterred from sending assistance to their distressed fellow. subjects in Ireland. The conduct of the landlords in tliat country had been strongly animadverted upon, but, as far as he could see, they hail in almost every in stance acted with the utmost generosity.—(Hear, hear.) Ireland in her present distresses required the sincere sympathy of the people of this country, which he trusted would b e be stewed upon her. Whatever view the Government took of a try, they would do no good unless they dea't with the sm all poor- law, or of any other measures for the relief of t ha t coun farms in Ireland, which were a great source of the evils of that country. They must grapple with this question if they meant to provide an efficient remedy. He was of opinion that, great as might be the present suffering of the people of Ireland, it would eventually result in good, and be the means of causing a happier day to dawn in that hitherto distracted country. Mr. FITZGERALD could not remain silent after what had been said by the Honourable Member for Mary lebone (Sir Benjamin Hall), but would not detain the House long. He rose to protest against the attack on the Irish Members which that Honourable Member had made. With regard to the measures of the Government, he confessed he did not think them as adequate for the crisis as they should have been. Considering the vast amount of distress that pre vailed, and the harrowing accounts of the privation and suffering which had been placed before the House, that the Government would have been prepared with some comprehensive system of public works. He considered that the carrying out of rail ways would have been a very desirable course of this kind ; and if the Government were not prepared to carry out so ex tensive a scheme as the Noble Lorgl the Member for Lynn, they might at least have carried out those lines for which Acts of Parliament had been already obtained. Lord C. HAMILTON had wished to delay the progress of the measure, and rose simply to ask the Noble Lord if he could postpone the Committee on the Irish Poor-law Bill for a short time, in order that it might not be taken whilst Irish Mem bers were absent at their respective assizes? Lord JOHN RUSSELL regretted that he could not accede to the Noble Lord's proposition. if he were to postpone it from the day on which it was fixed, he should be met by similar objections on the part of other Irish Members, on account of their desire to be in Ireland at the assizes, which would imme diately follow those to which the Noble Lordhad referred. lie was anxious to have the Bill passed through that House as soon as possible, in order that it might be sent up to the House of Lords without any unnecessary loss of time. Lord C. HAMILTON regretted that the Noble Lord could not act upon his suggestion. However, he begged, as an Irish Member, to express his gratitude to the Government, and to the English Members, for the spirit in which they bad passed the measures for the relief of distress in Ireland.—( Hear, hear.) Many of the speeches, the tone of which had been complained of, contained much good sense, and he hoped they would strip what was good from what was worthless, and adopt it. Lord CASTLEREAGH said the great object of their le gislation was to prevent thousands from perishing of hunger, and therefore, he thought, no obstructions should be thrown in the way of this measure, and that Hon. M em b ers, un d er the circumstances, s h ou ld reserve their speeches for some other occasion. He had read in the Times of that day a letter from a gentleman, describing the condition of the people on the coast of Ireland.—(Hear, hear.) He feared that this letter was bat a specimen of others which they would continue to receive from day to day. He hoped the Irish Members would sink their differences, and honestly, fairly, and impartially support whatever the Government might propose for the benefit of Ireland.—(Hear, hear.) If the same sort of visitation were again to befal Ireland, he was quite satisfied that the only remedy would be to form a network of railways throughout Ireland, by which they would be enabled to convey food to all parts of the country. But after all, he thought that the best plan would be to suffer the Government to proceed with the other business, and to Jay aside all recrimination, and at once go into Committee on the Bill. Lord DUNCAN said that nothing would have given him greater pleasure than to proceed with the Bill, and he trusted the House would on all sides take the advice which had just been offered, and suffer the Ministry to proceed with the mea sure. With regard to the allegations that had been assumed as having been made by him, all he could say was, that he had drawn his information from the blue book which he keld iu his hand. Mr. SFIARMAN CR AWFORD would protest against any such disposition as was ascribed to the Irish peasantry. The whole of the evil, in fact, was traceable to tke mischief arising from the law of landlord and tenant. He trusted, therefore, that the House would now, without further delay, go into Com mittee on the Bill. The House then went into Committee, amid cheers from all sides. On the first clause being proposed, Mr. GOULBURN said that he wished to draw the at tention of the House to this clause, and this he did, he assured the Noble Lord opposite, not because he objected to the principle of the Bill, but because there was one objection which he could not but offer to it. The measure of the last session of Parliament had pro ! vided for unlimited drafts on the Consolidated Fund. If, from the necessity of the case, the Government were to draw from the Consolidated Fund, it would be quite necessary for them to obtain such indemnity as this Bill provided. In the Bill of last session certain sums were allowed to be drawn from the Consolidated Fund for the completion of certain public works, but it had been necessary to divert a part of the funds for other purposes. The present Act provided for the indemnity of the Government, but it omitted to provide an indemnity for the officers who acted under their orders. It was always the custom in any cases of the violation of the law to provide an indemnity, not only for the Government, but also for the officers who acted under their directions. A case of this kind occurred some years ago, when, in consequence of a scarcity of food in the West Indies, the Government in the colonies, as well as the Government at home, in direct violation of the law, had ordered the admission of food without payment of the duties. Again, in 1826, there had been a scarcity of oats, and the Government had directed the admission of oats, also in that case, without the payment of duty, in direct violation of the law, and they had fully experienced the advantages of the course. In both these instances there had been acts of indemnity for the officers as well as for the Government, and those instances were of much less consequence than the circumstances of the present important occasion. It would appear that the Act of last year had given an unlimit e d au th or i ty to t h e G overnment to draw on the Consolidated Fund for any amount that they might think n ecessary, but in all these cases words were inserted to give to the officers the indemnity which they were entitled those to, and especially for ose officers under whose orders the money h a d been issued from the Treasu r y, an d w h o oug ht to have th e same indemnity as had been obt aine d b y t h e Go vernment. Now, b y the measurest which had b een p asse d d ur i ng the last session of Parliament , power t o d raw money was given in order t o d evote it te p hublficwuorks, and the money was to be issued out of th e C onsolidated Fnd c . lau ß a u e. t th ß er y e appeared to to be considerable ambiguity about the words of the clause it was decreed that it appeared that the sums drawn were to be limited, but the concluding w or d s of the clause seemed to imply that ttheunr e amount to be drawn from the Consolidated Fund sh ou ld unlimited. But th ere and was another principle to be co ns id ered, that was the power given to draw money in this unlimited manner, for it should be recollected that it was but right that because ex traordinary circumstances occasioned extraordinary from the usual rule, they should, on every ordina r y occasion,ns give this power to a Ministry , and it was with a vi ew to point this out to the House that he had made these observa tions. He did say, therefore, that such a clause as this should not be hastily passed, but that some limitation should be placed on the draught of public money from the Treasury, Mr. LABOUCHERE said that he quite agreed with the Right Hon. Gentleman who had just sat down, not only i n the necessity to attend to the suggestion contained in the first part of his observations, but also that the question which he had raised was of the utmost importance. There was no indisposition whatever on the part of the Government to prevent the insertion of such a clause as that which had b een proposed, and in tact it had already received the considerat ion of the Government, and a clause was already prepared which might either be inserted in the pr, sent Bill, or brought forward in some future measure, arid in which they might not only meet the present case, but render the law fit to meet any exigency that might arise. A clause had indeed been pre pared, and it might be introduced now or after as a future clause of the Bill. With regard to the second pr o p osition of the Right H on. G ent l eman , he quite agreed that it was not because a particular exigency had 'occurred that unlimited power should be given to any Ministry te draw money from the Treasury. In this case the Bill asked for an indemnity of the deviation of the money that ought to have been applied to th e public work s , the amount of which, he believed, according to the terms of the Bill of last session, were to be unlimited. He was glad, therefore, that the Right Hon. Gentleman had drawn the attention of the House to the subject, and he could assure him and the House, that whenever the necessity required it, the Government would be ready to in troduce a measure to meet the circumstances of the case. The Bill was divided into two parts, the first clause rendered valid those presentments which had been made under the Act, and the fifth clause in the same way rendered valid all the presentments made under Mr. Labouchere's Act. He had no _ • that there were certain words in the first clause which em- Ipowered the C omm i ss i oners t o ex p en d as much money as they pleased in any pu bli c wor k s. Th e wor d s were , "to corn pt () I ..t uc a e i x i c i l , e t e t x , e s e e L u i . He' te . ' rt tb n rl thin oogb nn that m limito some 0 wa e s ek place doughte to the tob money e established over the Commissioners, in order to secure, as much as possible, economy on their part. There were instances where the public money had been grossly misemployed, and in one case, according to the returns made, it was found that the labourers were earning very high wages, and the child taken from the mother's back and laid down upon a heap of stones were put down as earning a shilling a day. He therefore pro • posed that the cost of the public work should in no case exceed the amount of money given in the presentment. Sir. LABOUCHERE did not quite understand the Hon. Member. If he meant to say that if the money presented for did not cover the expense of the work, there should be no power to raise more. Such a course was likely to be produc tive of inconvenience, but if he meant to secure the careful expenditure of the money the words were unnecessary. Mr. FRENCH then withdrew his ansendwnt to the clause. Mr. GOULBURN objected to the Commissioners having an unlimited power over the funds of the country. A specified sum should be demanded. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that he agreed with the Right Hon. Gentleman that it was of advantage to have a par ticular sum named, but it was not always possible. The Right Hon. Gentleman at the beginning of last session, when in office, proposed a Bill granting 50,0001. to the Irish for public works, and at the end of that session it was found necessary to propose a grant of 450,0001. in consequence of the failure of the potato crop. It would be better to ask an indefinite sum and applying it to the emergencies of the country, than asking a definite sum, and exceeding it five or six times over. He ad mitted the importance of having a specific sum named, but in this ease it was not possible. Mr. GOULBURN said the cases were very different. When the grant of 50,0001. was proposed, and it was afterwards found necessary to increase it, the increased demand did not fall on the Consolidated Fund. The 50,00C1., and no more, was drawn front that source, while the whole demand was to be drawn from the Consolidated Fund at present. After a few words from Lord JOHN MANNERS, Clauses 1,2, and 3, were agreed to. Clause 4 was then agreed to. On clause 5, Mr. F FRENCH proposed an amendment, that the power of appointing the assessment should not be given to the Board of Works. He thought this power would be better exercised by the magistrates and cess-payers. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL defended the clause. Mr. SHAW complimented the Attorney-General on the judgment he displayed in drawing up the measure, and though there might be circumstances which would warrant the mode of procedure proposed by the Hon. Member who moved the amendment, he thought the clause under all the circumstances should be allowed to stand. 1 Clauses 5 and 6 were then agreed to. The remaining clauses of the Bill were agreed to. The House then resumed, and the Bill was ordered to be reported on Monday. POOR RELIEF BOARD. In answer to a question from an Hosr. MEmaEn, Lard .1. RUSSELL said the other two Bills relating to Ireland, would be brought under the consideration of the House on Monday fo, tnight. With regard to the Bill for the " appointment of a Board for the supervision of the administra tion of the laws for the relief of the poor in Ireland," he would simply, at this late hour, ask for leave to introduce it, and make his statement respecting its provisions on proposing the second reading. nßoTof thoTt The manufacturers objected neabu H yde fea O t fncoo U trdui ti ß tr:hec S reuas ' Ae O l ysit n rdi.oi t snL h e e suEisi o sAo l e : Ddl e .dE r second l teehnvaetgd readingrdto the ,loyadf at a thisvaiattacked li kn ß b euo i dl but being read, last Wednesday was an unfair division. Such an important qu should have been taken on some other evening, when it could be ful by the Hon. Member for Knaresborough, and full time should be given for those who differed from, and were against the Bill, to be heard. He would suggest, that as many Members had left to-night, under the impression that the question would not come on, that the second reading be put off till next Wednes day—(lronical cheers)—he meant to some other future night, when the matter could be fully gone into. He knew it was difficult to get a night, at present, for the state of the Govern ment business ; still, he thought, something should be done to allow the House to come to a fair decision, which it had not as yet.—( Hear, bear.) Mr. FERRAND said the Hon. Gentleman had stated that he had called the manufacturers the most detestable persons on the face of the earth. He begged to state that no such ex pression ever fell from his lips, and that if he had made such a statement, he should have been ashamed of it. For years he had been attacked in this off-hand manner. Now no one had a higher respect for the manufacturers than himself. Many of them—and he appealed to the Hon. Member for Oldhare—were his most intimate friends. There were many manufacturers in his immediate neighbourhood who were a blessing to that part of the country. Mr. B. ESCOTT explained, that on Wednesday he had no intention to oppose unfairly the will of the Howe, in per sisting in his motion far the adjournment of the debate on the Factories Bill. He begged to give notice, that on the motion that the Speaker do leave the chair, he should move that they should go into Committee on the Bill that day six months. The Bill was then read a second time. POOR-LAW SUSPENSION BILL. Lord .1. RUSSELL obtained leave to bring in this Bill, and it was read a first time. Capt. PECHELL wished to know whether the Noble Lord )roposed to make any alterations in the eonstitution of the 'oor- Law Commission ? Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that he had stated that he could not take the consideration of the poor-law at the present moment. The Honourable and Gallant Officer must be aware that the House had been engaged, and neces sarily engaged, in the consideration of the measures necessary for the relief of Ireland—not only in the consideration of those measures which had been brought forward by Government, but also by those which bad been proposed by the Noble Lord opposite. He (Lord John Russell) had already stated that the sums necessary for the relief of Ireland should first be voted, and then be might take the other matters into consideration. In the first place, with respect to the measure which he had introduced for the alteration of the poor laws in England, he had to say that that law would not be founded on any report of the Andover Commission. The Hon. and Gallant officer seemed to think that this law was affected by that Commission , and therefore he wished it to g o out distinctly that such was not the case, and that he thought it was but right that it should be under stood that the Poor-law Commissioners had not lost the con fidence of the Government. The Hon. Member for Andover, Mr. Etwall, might bring forward his motion, and it would be for the House to affirm or deny it , but he must emp haticall y repeat that he saw no reason for saying that the Commissioners had lost the confidence either of the Government or the House, but it was necessary that the law should be modelled on other principles. Mr. S. O'BRIEN trusted that the medical charities in England would not be placed under the administration of the Poor-law Commissioners. I'lr. ET WALL said that as it was the intention of the Noble Lord to postpone the improvement of the poor-law, he wished to ask when it was his intention to bring the amend ment of the poor-law forward so far as it effected England. Lord J. RUSSELL had already stated that he could not postpone the measures for the relief of Ireland on any consi deration, but as soon as they could be disposed of , he would move the seco n d reading of the Bill which he had just brought in. _ RAILWAYS (IRELAND) BILL. Mr. TUFNELL drew the attention of the House to the misstatement of the Members who voted the other night against Lord G. Bentinek's Bill, and stated that the number for the Government was 332, and not 322. He moved that the return should be altered. Lord MARCUS HILL apologised, and threw himself on th I t indulgence of the House. was ordered that the Clerk of the House be directed to alter the return. The other Orders of the da we re then disposed of , and The House adjourn e d at y One o'clock to Four o'clock on Monday. COURT CIRCULAR . Hon. The A. H. Gordon.QueenandPrince Albert took their usual early walk yesterday in the royal gardens of Buckingha m Palace. His Royal Highness Prince Albert rode o ut on hor s eback yesterday, attended by the Equerry in Wa i t in g , Captain the The Royal Family took their accustomed walks and rides -....- yesterday in the royal gardens. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent visited her Ma jesty yesterday, at Buckingham Palace. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Mary, accompanied by his Serene Highness Hamme- Prince Frederick of Hesse, and attended by Baroness stein and Baron Knesebeck, visited the Zoological Gardens yesterday. A Cabinet Council was held at three o'clock yesterday afternoon, at the Foreign-office. The Ministers present were—Lord John Russell, the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of L a nsdowne, the Earl of Minto, Sir George Grey, Viscount i‘ P l a a l r i n q e u r i s s t o o f n ' c ian Earl ri e G a r r d e e y : the Earl of Au ckland, Sir John Hobhouse, Viscount Illorpeth, the Earl of Clarendon, the the Right Hon. T. B. Macaulay, and the Right Hon. H. Lahouchere. The Chancellor of the Exchequer was prevented from at tending the Council by indisposition. The Council sat one Kveonnigngand Ceylon, from the Col • hour. Count de St. Aulaire, th© French Ambassador, transacted business yesterday at the Foreign-office. Count Schimmel 3pA, e effs n sat n ieir i rr n s:N. c a k y , tahte the ooffice Netherlandsco of te s Minister, ecre t e a r l y s o o t f r transacted business Foreign 'm. Ireatlicote had an interview with the Right Ho E. Strutt yesterday, at the office of the Commissioners n of - al street. aosntg e Colonial for the Lord High Commissioner of the lonian Islann' c it s nd also O R l a l l ic l i l svPa f a3 o .t r sc, I t : 1 eine3 Great ' G v e o r v e er Governors George(o.ffl THE CONNAUGIST RANGERS.— proverbially full of interest, and where for a hero, the reader ma • • • 3 anticipate there is an Irishman . and adventurous • remarkable work, just pub lished , what then may M i li t a r 3 u narratives ADVENTURESus a ly f • 4 h o o f u t, thetthe Connaught peninsul a Peninsular somethingh expected from the doings of a whole regiment of Irishmen ? n A a T e heciuestion is answered b • William ra,., an esteemed officer in Rangers," 3 "adventures fough . throt t celebrated corps, under the ti a: t r l rae e r w i o n h f g o thatwar, with his daring dashing brothers in arms , passed and, perils, and met with so manysingular narrative of I • in cidents, as to render the n his and their adven turesf ct library of romance. Nevertheless, the autho • a per e rity is unimpeachable , rea d er and while the be is entertained with scene after scene that would marvellous enough were the actors not Irishmen, he will possess one of the best and fullest records of our victories in Spain that has yet issued from the press. THE NEW NOVEL HT THE AUTHO R OF " SUSAN HomEy."—Considerable interest has been excited by the announcement of a new novel, called " Lilly Dawson," by the author of " Susan Hopley," (Mrs. Crowe). We ought not to be surprised at this circumstance when it is recollected that the author has had the honour of being compared to Defoe, to Mrs. Centlivre, to Richardson, and, lastly, to Dickens, and half-a-dozen other celebrated writers. The truth, however, we think, will be found to be, that Mrs. Crowe writes like nobody but herself: :the author's object in " Lilly Dawson " is, we understand, to develope the ha racter of her heroine wholly by her affections, and in doing so she has sought to avoid, as much as possible, both the false sentiments of the Minerva press, and the red paint and blue fire of the criminal school. How seldom do we feel, perceive, or think of the small beginnings of disease which surround and operate upon us in our enjoyments and intercourse with the world. "The young disease, which must subdue at length, Grows with our growth, and strengthens with our strenth." An improper regimen acting upon a p art i cular kind o f con stitution, late hours, both of retiring to rest and rising in the morning, lay the foundation of intestinal as well as skin diseases. To all such we would recommend first a change of system, and, secondly, as a powerful assistant for the re- ' covery of health, that efficacious Family Medicine, Framp ton's Pill of Health, which has procured the approbation of PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. (From the VOles and Proceedino of the House of Commons. FRIDAY, FEB. 19 The following Railway Bills were presented, read a firs time, and ordered to be read a st;cond York and Newcastle and Newcastle and Berwick Amaiga. mation—" to authorise the consolidation into ona undertak , ing of the York and Newcastle and the Newcastle and Ber. wick Railways." York and North Midland (Harrogate Branch, Borough. bridge, and Knaresbcrough Extension)—" for enabling the York and North Midland Railway Company to make a Railway from their Church Fenton and Harrogate Branch to Knaresborough and Borouglibridp." York and North Midland (Knottingley Branch)—" for enabling the York and North Midland Railway Company to make a Railway from their Line at Burton Salmon to Knot tingley, with a Branch therefrom, and for other purposes " York and Newcastle 0 3 elaw Tyne Dock, &c., Branches)— " for enabling the York and Newcastle Railway Company to make certain Branch Railways in the counties of Durham and York, and for other purposes. York and North Midland (East Riding Canals Purchase) — "to authorise the purchase by the York and North Midland Railway Company of the interests of the Shareholders in the Market Weighton Canal; anti the purchase of the Canal communicating therewith, called Sir Edward Vavasour's Canal; of the Pocklington Canal ; and of the Leven Canal ; all in the East Riding of the county of York." London and South •Western—" to amend the Acts relating to the London and South Western Railway, and to enable the London and South-Western Railway Company to in crease their capital, and to complete various arrangements with other Companies and undertakings, and for other purposes." Northampton and Banbury Raliway—" for making a Rail way from the Northampton and Peterborough Branch of the London and North-Western Railway to the town of Ban bury, to be called "fhe Northampton and Banbury Railway,' and for other purposes." The following Railway Bills were read a second time, com mitted, and referred to the Committee of Selection : Dundee and Newtyle. Dundee and Perth (Alteration and Extension and Inch. ture, Polgavie, and Inchmichael Branches). Cheltenham and Oxford. Edinburgh, Leith, and Granton (Leith Extension). Edinburgh, Leith, and Granton (Union Canal and Caledo nian Railway Junction). Eastern Counties (Spalding to Newark). Braintree and Halstead. Eastern Counties (Wisbech to Spalding). Eastern Counties (Peterborough to Folkingham). Midland (Erewash Valley, &e.). Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle-upon-Tyne Junction (Alteration of Main Line and Hawes Branch). London and South-Western (Andover to the Bishopstoke and Salisbury Branch, &c.). Boston, Stamford, and Birmingham (Peterborough and Thorney Line). Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle•upon- Tyne Junction and Northern Counties Union Amalgamation. South Staffordshire (Cannock, Wyrley, and Norton Branches, &c.) I DAY NIGHT'S GAZETTE. WHITEHALL, FEB: 17, 1847 The Queen has been pleased to direct letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal, constituting and appointing the Hight Hen. L' rd Langdale, the Right Hon. Lord Beaumont, • Joseph Humphry, Esq., one of her Majesty's Counsel, Henry • Bellenden Ker, Esq., Barrister-at-Law Walter Co u l son , Esq., Barrister-at-L aw , G eorge Frere, ' Esq., and Francis Broderip, Eq, her Majesty's Commissioners for inquiring whether the burdens on land can be diminished by the esta blishment of an effective system for the registration of deeds L and the simplification of the forms of conveyance. WHITEHALL, FEB. 18. The Queen has been pleased to present the Rev. Henry • Rogers, 8.A., to the rectory of Melverley, in the county of s Salop and diocese of St. Asaph, void by the death of Doctor • William Carey, late Bishop of that see. WAR-OFFICE, FEB. 19. • Bth Light Dragoons—Major Frederick George Shewell to be Lieutenant-Colonel, by purchase, vice M'Call, who retires ; Captain Rodolph de Salis to be Major, by purchase, vice Shewell ; Lieutenant Henry Francis Gust to be Captain, by purchase, vice de Salis ,• Lieutenant George Chetwode, from the 4th Foot, to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Cust, Feb. 19. 14th Light Dragoons.—Samuel Kerr Ibbetson, Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Buller, who retires, Feb. 19. 17th Light Dragoons.—Lieutenant William Morris, from 16th Light Dragoons, to be Lieutenant, vice John Stephen son, who retires upon half-pay of 16th Light Dragoons; Lieutenant John Elphinstone Fleeming to be Adjutant, vice Stephenson, who resigns the Adjutantcy onlygeb. 19. 29th Foot—Ensign William Septimus Simmons to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Henderson, deceased, Nov. 25, 1846 ; Ensign 'Charles Hugh Levinge to be Lieu tenant, by purchase, vice Simmons, whose promotion, by purchase, has been cancelled ; George Henry Nevill, Gent. to be Ensign, without purchase, Vice Levinge, promoted, Feb. 19. 56th Foot—Captain John James Bull, from 57th Foot, to be Captain, vice Warre, appointed to 57th Foot, Feb. 19. 57th Foot—Captain Henry J. Warre, from 56th Foot, to be Captain, vice Bull, appointed to the 56th Foot, Feb. 19. 61st Foot —Lieut. John Josiah Hort to be Captain, by purchase, vice Brickdale, whose promotion has been can celled, Dec. 29. 82d Foot —Ensign George James Ambrose to be Lieute nant, without purchase, vice Harrison, deceased, Nov. 5. 67th Foot—Colour-sergeant James Anderson to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Breeden, promoted, Feb. 19. 74th Foot—Lieutenant. James Whitshed De Butts to be Captain, by purchase, vice de Saumarez, who retires ; En sign John Jago to be Lieutenant, by purchase,vice De Butts; Charles Thomas Lindow, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Jago, Feb. 19, 88th Foot—Ensign Thomas Gore to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Lucas, who retires ; Jackson Wray, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Gore, Feb. 19. 91st Foot—Ensign John Trotter Bethune to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Paton, who retires; Henry Veitch, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Bethune, Feb. 19. 94th Foot—Lieutenant George Noble Bredin from 98th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice G.D. D. Cleveland, who exchanges, Dec. 1. 93th Foot.—Lieutenant George Dowden Dickson Cleve land, from 91th Foot, to be Lieutenant, vice Bredin, who exchanges, Dec. 1, 1846. 2d West India Regiment.—Molesworth Sackville Eaton, Gent., to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Shower, de ceased, Feb. 19. BlLEVET.—Captain William Robinson, of the Royal En gineers, to be Major in the Army, Feb. 19. Erratum in the Gazette of the 29th December, 1846. For Ensign Richard Gunn Brackenbury to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice "Brickdale," promoted, read, vice "Hort," promoted. MEMORANDMIL—Lieutenant Granville Levison Proby, of 43d Foot, has been superseded, having absented himself without leave, Feb. 19. The Christian names of Ensign Berry, of 9th Foot, are Edward " Ring," not " Hinge," as previously stated. The Christian names of Ensign Bertram, of 41st Foot, are Charles "Pelgn4," and not Charles Palgud," as previously stated. Commission by the Lord-Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire. Courtland Skinner Shaw, D:q., to be Deputy Lieutenant. Feb. 9. Commission by the Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and the City and County of Yo r k. William Busfield Ferrand, Esq., to be deputy-Lieutenant, • Jan. 5, 1847; Commission by her Majesty's Commissioners of Lieutenancy for the City of 1, op4on. Regiment of Royal London Militia--aeOrse Platt, Esq., to be Captain, Feb. 9, 1847. Commissions by the Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire. Royal North Lincoln Militia—Dudley Heneage, Esq., to be Captain, Feb. 13, 1846 ; Gervaise Tottenham Waldo Sibthorp, Esq, to be Captain, Feb. 13, 1847; John Pearson Robinson, Gent., to be Ensign, Feb. 7, 1846; William Bal dack Shepherd, Gent,, to be. Ensign, March 4, 1846 ; William John Graburn, Gent., to be Ensign, March 26,1816. Royal South Lincoln Militia-George Baker Tathwell, Esq., to be Captain, May 15, 1846 ; John ilaruth ,Lousada, Gent., to be Lieutenant, Feb. 7, 1846; Edmund Haworth Peel, Gent., to be Lieutenant ; Henry Hopkinson Tennant, Gent., to be Lieutenant, March 4, 1846 ; IVilliam Simpson Clark, Gent., to be Ensign, May 15, 1846. Commissions by the Lord-Lientenant of Warwickshire. Warwickshire Regiment of Militia... William Fulke Lucy, Esq., to be Captain ; Marmion Edward Ferrero. Etq., to be Captain; Henry Arnold. Esq., to be Captain; Feb, 2, ADMIRALTY, F. 16. Corps of Royal Marines—Edward Joseph Ridgway Con nolly, Gent., to be S.cond Lieutenant; Edward Ralph Horsey, Gent., to be Second Lieutenant. WHITEHALL, Fan. 12. The Lord Chancellor has appointed Abraham Greenwood En:wood, of Eastwood, near Todmorden, iu the county of York, tieeit, to be a Master Extraordinary in the 11414 Court of Chancery.____ wHirrEiay,L, FEB. 18. The Lord Chancellor has appointed Nathaniel Cowdry, of Bath, in the county of Somerset, Gent., to be a Master Ex traordinary in the High Court of Chancery. BANKRUPTS. John Buchanan and Francis Ede, merchants, Calcutta, to surrender March 3, at two, and April 9, at twelve, at tka?. Court of Bankruptcy. Pennell, offi s cial assignee; Tokenhouse-yard, City. Jerome Fitzgerald, cheesemonger, Sheerness. March 3, at one, and March 30, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Belcher, official assignee; Sparham, Chancery-lane. John Storer Flaxman, tailor, Ludgate-street, City, March 3, at half-past one, and March 30, at one, at the Court of Bank ruptcy. Belcher, official assignee; Law, Chancery-lane. Guiseppe Quarto Sandrinelli, merchant, Bishop's-place, Brompton, Feb. 26, at two, and M arc h I) , at h a l f-past one, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Belcher, official assignee; Buchanan, Baeinghall-street. William Neep, carpenter, Colchester Feb.. 26, at half-p as t twelve, and March 29, at halt'-past eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Turquand, offi c i a l assignee, Old Jewry-cham bers; Milne, Temple. Richard Hamlin, tailor, Blenheim-street, Oxford-street, March 1, at two, and April 1, at twelve, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Graham, official assignee, Coleman-street; Dickson, Old Jewry-chambers. Abraham Daniels, merchant, Alexander-square, Brompton, March 2, at one, and March 30, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Edwards, official assignee, Frederick's-place, Old Jewry; Mansfield, John-st ree t, B e df ord-row. James Alackay, tailor, Liverpool, March 2 and April 6, at twelve, at the Liverpool District Court. Turner, official assignee, Liverpool ; H o l me and Co., New Inn, London ; Yeates, jun., Liverpool. John Jones, tea dealer, Birkenhead, Cheshire, March 2 and May 4, at twelve, at the Liverpool District Court. Bird, official assignee, Liverpool ; Gregory and Co., Bedford-row, London ; Green, Liverpool. John William Hance, architectural 'ornament and figure manufacturer, Liverpool, March 5 and 26, at twelve, at the Liverpool District Court. Cazenove, official assignee, Liver pool; Cornthwaite and Co', Old Jewry-chambers, London: Pemberton, Liverpool. David Davies, coal master, Lydney, Gloucestershire, March 5, at one, and April 9, at eleven, at the Bristol Dis trict Court. Hutton, 'official assignee, Bristol ; Treherne and White, Barge-yard-chambers, Bucklersbury, London ; Sabine, Bristol. Jane Anley, milliner, Exeter, March 4 and 25, at one, at the Exeter District Court. Hernaman, official assignee, Exeter; Floud, Exeter; Pearson, Essex- street, Strand, London. Edwin Cook, tailor, DursleyrGloucestershire, March 11 and April 8, at one, at the Bristol District Court. Miller, official assignee, Bristol; Bishop, Dursley. DIVIDENDS DECLARED. J. and J. Boyd, hop merchants, Wellington-chambers, Southwark—first div. of ls. Id. in the pound, on any Wed nesday, at the office of Mr. Graham, Colem an - s t reet, City. A. A. Mackey and N. J. IV. Holt, merchant., Bishopsgate street—first div. of 4s. 6d. in the pound, on any Wednesday, at the office of Mr. Graham, Coleman -street, City. E. Cawdell, toy dealer, Hull —second div. of 2s. Bd. in the pound, on any Wednesday, at the office of Mr. Whitmore Basinghall-street. J. Russel, jun., builder, Whittlesea, Cambridgeshire-- first div. of 4s. in the pound, on any Wednesday, at the office of Mr. Whitmore, Basinghall-street. R. Crompton, M. Price, and T. Crompton, Shrigley, Cheshire—first div. of 83. 10d. in the pound, on any Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Pott, Manchester. S. Hague, cotton spinner, Manche:.-ter—a first div. of 3s. 5 1 ,4 d. in the pound, on any Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Pott, Manchester. J. Phillips, cotton spinner, Manchester—first div. of 4s. Bd. in the pound, on an y Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Pott, Manchester. W. E. Oldham, commission agent, Manchester —second div. of ls. 1 /d. in the pound, on any Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Pott, Manchester. S. Hawley, grocer, Ashton-under-Lyne—first div. of ss. 9d. in the pound, on any Tuesday, at the office of Mr. Hobson, Manchester. • J. Hindmarsh, woollendraper, Liverpool—first div. of 6s. in the pound, on any Thursday, at the office of Mr. Cazenove, Liverpool. S. Reading, button manufacturer, Birmingham—first div. of 4s. 10d. in the pound, on any Thursday, at the office of i Mr. Christie, Birmingham. DIVIDENDS. At the Court of Bankruptcy, Basinghall-street. C. Pullman, hosier, Strand, March 12, at two—M. Good ale, builder, Rutland-terrace, Hornsey New-road, Holloway, March 12, at half-past one—A. Henderson, tailor, Old Bur lington.street, March 22, at twelve—A. Colvin, W. A. Basett, D. Colvin, T. Anderson, and D. Ainslie, merchants, Calcutta, March 12, at one—C. Carpenter, grocer, Basins stoke, March 12, at eleven—A. S. Tucker and G. M. Bid well, grocers, Melcombe Regis, Dorsetshire, March 12, at eleven—J. E. Green, house agent, Whitecross-street, Crip plegate, March 12, at eleven. In the Country. T. Taylor, bookseller, Liverpool, March 12, at eleven, at the Liverpool District Court—W. Whitley, merchant, Liver pool. March 12, at twelve, at the Liverpool District Court-- R. Elliot, agricultural implement maker, Liverpool, March 16, at twelve, at the Liverpool District Court —G. Byford, grocer, Liverpool, March 16, at eleven, at the Liver pool District Court—J. B. Oram, brewer, Birmingham, March 19, at twelve, at th e Bi rm i ng h am District Court-- IV. Bellamy, horse dealer, Haseley, Warwickshire, March 17, at twelve, at the Birmingham District Court —J. Smith, grocer, Stratford-upon-Avon, March 25, at twelve, at the Birmingham District Court--T. Suter, corn merchant, Hull March 24, at ten, at th e Town-hall, Hull —W. W. S a lf or d , builder, Stockport, Feb. 22, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court—S. Archer, woollen manufacturer, Rochdale, March 16, at twelve, at the Manchester District Court. CERTIFICATES to be granted, unless cause be shown to the contraryron the day herein mentioned. C. Carpenter, grocer, Basingstoke, March 12—W. H. Osborn rch , 12— jun., silversmith, St. J ames - street, Piccadilly, MaW. . Collins, brewer, Wood -street, Westmin ster, March 12—W. Locks, timber merchant, Leonard-street, Curtain-road, Shoreditch, March 12—J. Smith, brewer, Ed monton, March 12—I. Sharland, jun., tailor, Bath, March 12 —T. I. Hellawell, dyer, Halifax. March 13—J. Gemmel, jun., ship broker, Liverpool, March 12—M. Maclean, cloth factor, Basinghall-street, March 12—W. S. Dorsett, iron dealer, West Bromwich, Szairardshire, Marsh 12—J. Woodhams, plumber, High-street, Portland4own- March 19-0 T STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE. The following Resolutions were reported from the above Committee : I. That in the case of the Caledonian Railway (Extension of Motherwell Branch of Clydesdale Junction Railway to Auchinh4ath Mineral Field with Branches to the Wishaw and Coltness Railway, Canderside, and Hamilton) petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill, on the inser tion of a Clause restraining them from taking a house and garden adjoining numbers 8.5 and 86, in the parish of Hamilton. 2. That in the case of the Caledonian Railway (Branches from the Clydesdale Junction Railway to the Douglas and Lesmahagow 'Mineral Fields and to Strathavon) petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill, on the inser tion of Clauses restraining them from taking any part of a small piece of land between Number 8 and a road excluded from the limits of deviation, at the corner of a field, Number 6, in the parish of Blantyre; and also any part of a field between a road, Number 14, and a field, Number 10, in the parish of Dalserf ; and also the part of Numbers 23, 2, 23, in the parish of Stonehouse, adjoining the occupation road Number 19; and obliging them to prolong the road Number 202, in the parish of Lesmahar;ow, and to carry the same under the Railway by an arch of legal dimensions, if required so to do by the Trustees of the said Road. 3. That in the case of the Newry and Enniskillen Railway petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with : That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill, on forthwith giving such Notices, and depositing such Plans and Sections with reference to any proposed new works as are re quired by the standing orders for Bills of the second clas.i. 4. That in the case of the Newmarket and Chesterford Railway (Extension to Bury St. Edmund's, with a Branch to Ely) petition, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :—That the parties be permitted to proceed with their Bill, on making the Plan deposited in the Private Bill-oflice agree with the Book of Reference, by inserting on the Plan the Number 6 b, in the parish of Gazeley, and Number 5, in the parish of Westley; and on striking out of the Book of Reference Number 55, in the parish of Sham ; Number 5 a, Number 25, and Number 27, in the parish of the Holy Trinity, Ely ; Number 12, in the parish of Kenford ; and Number 6 a, in the parish of Gazeley ; and on the insertion of such Clauses with respect to the height and span of the arch over the river Ouse, as the Commissioners of the Ouss Navigation may consider necessary. That the Committees on the tour preceding l3ills do exa mine, in the first place, how far such orders have been com plied with ; and do report the same to the House on the re port of the Bills.—Resolutions agreed to. NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL-OFFICE. The following 'Railway Bill is appointed to be read a second time on Wednesday, Feb. 24 : Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Wakefield, Huddersfield, and Goole (Partial Alteration of Levels, &c.). THE WEST INDIA MAIL. Sourruafierow, FEB. 19, Srx O'CLOCK, e Royal a M r r a i Mail e s d t e a thisrn- a p f a t e e k , n e t o T o n av a l t o t , t C h r e e m e m o 7 1 d o c e k rJames 9 Ful days l e r fromßuxton, s t Thomas's, and six from Fayal, with 25 passengers and no cargo. The small number of passengers she has brought, and the want of any cargo, is to be ascribed to th e circum stance of her Majesty's steam-vessel Hermes bringing the mails from Jamaica, not having accommodation fir Heil latest dates are—Jamaica, 23d January; Trinidad, 22d January; Demerara, 21st January; Barbadoes, 26th January; Grenada, 27th January; St. Thomas's, 31st January; La Guayra, 21st January; Fayal, 13th February. The Royal Mail Company's ships were as follows :—Eagle, at St. Thomas's on the 31st .January; Reindeer, at Barba does on the 26th January; Tweed, at Grenada, en route to Jamaica, 27th January; Tay, at Grenada, en route to Trini dad, 27th January; Thames, on Spanish Maine route, 23d January; Medway, in the Gulph ; Severn, sail e d from Ja maica for England, 16th January; Larne, at Grenada, en route for La Guayra, 27th January. MEN or WA n.—Her Majesty's steam-sloop Hermes, Com mander Carr, arrived at t. Thomas's with the mails from Jamaica, on the 30th January, and was to sail on her return on the 2d February. The Salamander, Captain Harnand, arrived at Antigua, disabled, in January, where she would wait the disposal of the Commander in Chief. The Vesuvius was also at Antigua in January. VESSEL SPOKEN WITIL—On the 10th February, in lat. 34 30 N., long. 38 30 W., passed an English ship; she signalised from Canton to Cork, requesting to be reported. The number shown at first was the first distinguishing pennant over 4,251. Afterwards she hoisted the second distinguishing flag over 109, signifying "Affiance." Wind at the time from the eastward, and apparently had been set in from that quarter for several days. (From the Jamaica Times of Jan. 23.) The state of the colony, generally, still continues un - usually depressed ; and little or no confidence exists between either the banks or the merchants, and the agricultural interest. Instead of nearly doubling our last year's crop of sugar, as many were led to expect, considering the extraor dinary favourableness of the season, we shall do well if we succeed in increasing it by even 10,000 or 12,000 lffide. This, with the concurrent increase which is expected is nearly every other sugar producing country, must necessarily re duce the price very considerably unless the resolution is at once passed, admitting our sugar and molasses into the breweries and distilleries. This concession granted, and the duty on tea reduced, thereby increasing the consumption, and by a necessary consequence the demand for sugar; and we may yet hope to obtain a remunerating price for our produce. If Government, on the other hand, refuses to open up these additional channels of consumption, the enormous supply which must flow in, as well from the free as the slave states, will inevitably have the effect of reducing prices much be low what we can afford to receive ; and thus consummate the ruin of the remaining sugar producers in these colonies. With a suitable command of labour both as to quantity and quality we have little fear of yet being able to drive the slave-holder out of the market; but to attain this end two things are es sential, first, that we should have additional labourers from the coast of Africa ; secondly, that the slave-trade should po sitively cease. It is in the power of Great Britain to effect both of these objects. If she do not, she can never hope to see free labour prosper in her own colonies, or become the choice of any other Government. (Irom Decordova's Mercantile Intelligence). of Jan. 23.) There has not been any change in our markets since our last worthy of particular notice. The active demand for con sumption has decreased the stocks of most articles, without advancing prises. The arrivals during the past fortnight have been rather heavy —especially of the articles of flour and codfish, which have undergone a decline, in consequence of the abundant supply. There does not appear to be much speculative demand. A collection of remarkably fine Italian sculpture is to be sold by auction, on Wednesday and Thursday next, at the Mart. It embraces numberless rare specimens o f th e sculptor's art, copied from all the most renowned models in the various galleries, which, as objects of decoration, cannot fail to please the most fastidious. The collection is rich in beautiful figures, and the marble tazzas and vases are well calculated to adorn the mansions of our nobility. The freehold estates in Texas which have been sometime announced in our columns for sale by auction, by Mr. Robins, seem to offer strong temptations to the emi grant, indeed, far greater than those in the more northern part of America. The climate, soil, and water communica tion, with steam navigation, present great inducements for the employment of capital in this almost new countrw, whilst the various estates to be sold are in immediate proximity to several large and thriving towns. The distance, also, from the point of landing is trifling, which to the emigrant is fre quently a serious loss and evil, but which is happily here not to be encountered. ALARMING OCCURRENCE.—The Coburg (Canada) Star has a letter from Grafton Steam Mills, Grafton Harbour, Jan. 9, which states that a most singular phenomenon oc curred at that place on the afternoon of the Bth, about three o'clock. The lake was calm and the wind in the north, when suddenly the lake receded from the shore in one im mense wave, upwards of 350 feet, leaving the beach per fectly dry for that distance; it seemed to gather itself into a vast cone, and immediately returned in one unbroken wave, e tl i t ,c e r u y s t t l i; i i i l lg b , ) b u e n n d , a re rie i s t, u a p e w m a i r il d p s ai o li f ed a four feet higher than it usually i', burying the wharf corn - bfreturn fro ev rn ei T li e n :a l s 7. " B a i b lb it el o T r y ta T k l i l n u:a l l a ill g oesisfigee°.:vPii'llnl'gghis happened eight or nine different decreasing in violence until the lake re le papers on Texas in consequence of DEATH OF MR. CHARLES HOOTON.—We regret to announce the death (at his father's house in Nottingham) of n es k , 1 - I a o n t d o then oi , f, er several since authorl,ahl his sa o allayCh arl h e Charles s l s l u o ft o .e t r o i t: g h s ,a he e s u h tf a e s r , b tl e efirloimn the ague,h whi l c a h te Colonel terminated i e his the swamp fever, which lie caught in the country, and to doses of opium and morphia. On i\londay various,A, l c . ol F n h Cari magazinesil mistake, took an over-dose of morphia, existence, in the 36th year of his age. Major-General T. Cunningham, the corps of Royal Engineers, died on the 17th intant, at his residence in the metropolis. H e entered the service Margaret-street, Cavendish-square, March 12—P. F. Page bnilde-, King's-road, Gray's Inn-road, March 12—J. G. Ufford, brewer, Holloway, March 12—A. J. Francis and A. Percival, slate merchants, Liverpool, March 12. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. W. H. Bates and H. B. Fox, hardware merchants, Liver pcol-0. C. Lane, R. B. Giles, W. Knowles, and R. Hazard, ironfounders, Bristol (so far as regards W. Knowles)—R. Ainsworth and J. Warburton, cab proprietors, Bury, Lan cashire—R. Clabburn, J. Clabburn, and E. Sparks, general dealers, Norwich—J. S. Taylor and J. Houghton, linen drapers, Junction-terrace, Edgeware-road-- W. .ingley, W. Owen. W. Dyson, and W. R. Bayliffe, jun., ironmongers, Rotherham, Yorkshire—W. Hitchins, S. Hitchins, and 14. H. Heginbottora, drapers, Coventry—J. Dixon, jun., M. Whiting, jun, H. Whiting, and T. Havers, jun., tanners, Manning-street, Bermondsey (so far as regards T. Havers) — E. Cooke and J. Green, carpet manufacturers, Kidder minster—T. B r o wn , J. Callon, W. Bromilow, and J. Jones, coal dealers, Parr, Lancashire—H. T. and C. C. Smith, drapers, Liverpool—J. Hunter and W. Falconer, lucifer match manufacturers, Wellington-place, Pollard's-row, Bethnal-green —J. W. Garthside and G. Altham, surgeons, Chorley, Lancashire--N. G. Cockman and F. J. Scott, zinc manufacturers, West-street, Walworth-road, Newington—W. E. Humphreys and T. Ballard, surgeons—A. Aubert, J. H. Thompson, and S. Edwards, ship brokers, Trinity-square, Tower-hill (so far as regards S. Edwards)—J. F. Mason and J. H. Knocker, drapers, Dover. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATION& John Bryce Glassford, commission merchant, Glasgow, Feb. 24 and March 17, at one, at the chambers of Drew and M‘Clure, Esqrs., Glasgow. James Crawford, spirit dealer, Glasgow, Feb. 24 and March 16, at two, at the Crow Hotel, Glasgow. PRICE OF SUGAR. The average price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar, computed from the returns made in the week ending February 16, 1847, is 368. per cwt. POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION. On Wednesday Dr. Bachhoffner commenced his annual course of lectures on astronomy, giving in his introduction a most eloquent and comprehensive description of the matured views of our modem astronomers. The clear and compre hensive style of the learned Professor, aided as he is by the gigantic apparatus of the institution, renders the course a most valuable and instructive one, not only to the rising generation, but to those of more mature growth. In the chemical department Dr. John Ryan has commenced a course of lectures on general chemistry, ever watching amid his brilliant experiments for some opportunity of showing how beautifully his favourite science explains the wonders of the creation and demonstrates the wisdom and goodness of the First Great Cause. We are astonished to find that the interest attached to the explosive cotton remains undiminizhed, and the Doctor is compelled by the pressure of applications to give a lecture on this engrossing subject three times a week. In speaking of the rapid action of the cotton during an explosion, the Professor showed a most remarkable experiment. He took a few grains of the cotton and screwed it up in a soft piece of paper ; after making a few holes in the paper with a common pin, he placed the paper in the barrel of a pistol, the cotton towards the breach ; he then fired it off, and although the cotton ex ploded with force enough to expel a bullet, yet the paper remained untorn • and uninjured. At first sight the result seemed the effect of some sleight of hand, bat the Doctor referred it to the rapidity of action, the newly-formed gases escaping through the pin-holes, without tearing the paper in the least. We cannot overlook the musical department of this estab lishment. Dr. Wallis is most happy in the selection of his music and most effective in his expression of the great masters. In the arrangement of the airs for the present series of dissolving views (mostly original compositions by this gentleman) he deserves great praise, as it gives a most pleasing accompaniment to the pictorial illustrations. IRELAND. THE GOVERMENT RELIEF MEASURES. DUBLIN, FLU. 18.—The Reproductive Employment Com mittee assembled yesterday at their rooms in College-green, to consider the Goverment measures for relief under the Bill now before Parliament. Mr. Bolton Massey presided. Very strong objections were made to the construction of the new commission, on the ground that five out of seven were Eng lish officials, already occupied with their own official busi ness, and all of them unsuited for such a duty. A memorial to the Lord-Lieutenant was adopted, praying that unpaid members, selected from the Irish resident gentry, should be added to the commission. This day the following gentlemen, comprising the deputa tion from the committee. waited upon the Lord-Lieutenant with the memorial :—Mr. St. George, High Sheriff of Gal way ; Mr. Cole Bowen, High Sheriff of Queen's County ; Sir W. Cox, Sir T. Staple, Colonel Dunne; Messrs. Stanley, Monk, Vernon, Bolton Massey, Pierse Mahony, and Kern mis. After the memorial had been read, His EXCELLENCY stated that the appointments of the Commissioners had been made in England, and those selected were heads of departments, considered to be the most com petent for the duties. His Excellency observed that he had caused to be prepared a circular to the Irish country gentle men, containing queries to which he requested answers, by way of advice and suggestion as to the reconstructi on o f th e relief committees, which was a matter of vital importance in the administration of the new system of relief. Mr. Bpuroli biASSEY, as chairman of the committee, took the opportunity of assuring his Excellency that their sole desire was to support the Government on this occasion with their zealonp g9-operation ; but lest they might afterwards be tauntgt with at). acquiescence in those appointments, they deemed it necessary thus respectfully to protest against them. The deputation Soon after withdrew. THE FAMINE. The provincial journals . the most heartrending ac countsiiiiag reached us to-day contain County, and fever in King's and private communications that 01"t4c rayses of famine o Tipperary, Coili, o‘.errY, gai , r Sli g o, The unfortunate'peasantry really horrible. counties. Some of the Beta la 4re . tion by hundreds.. s quarters, in ;various , Waterford, of famine. Mr. Joc3 e, of ,for.cottins, to inter the v ictims are dying of an d sta o rv th a e f Mden, county of Galway, The most eager applications place who . l y i ng in fever. The straw on which i n areu letter made, o the Lublin Evening and il Car Ch e ad in i:a 3 : inders. The they lay cads-. W e ; t fes - cr hospistals are cr,,.. -h4all 'h Bs t n "tileell ati d C t d h h e o d th: f 4 ;e ct r m e th o b t c h u r e d n r e e a d t t o a fearful extent. EVICTION OF TENANTRY. ..... It is really lamentable to think that the system of eviction should be in op erat i on at such a time, when famine is deci- Mating the pop u l at i on. We take the following from the Limerick Chronclyes terday :—" O n T uesday, William Smith, Esq., sue ofb-sheriff, with Captain G ranville and detachments of the 55th and ath Hussars, from this garrison, and a strong party of police, under head-constable O'Malley, proceeded to Ballinacariest to take possession of land from James Hanly and six ahem, for non-payment of rent. This property belonged to the Rev, Charles Dawson, who was murdered on those lands in the yam' 1835. There were great crowds assembled, but no breach of. the peace was attempted." There are further accounts of ejectment proceedings in Mayo. It appears that some of those turned out have emi grated, and the land they held is lying waste. None of iel neighbouring farmers will take the land. '1 he Mayo Telegraph states that some of the landlords II that county are proceeding to enforce the last .li'ovembeg rent, even " before a spade or plough has been put in re, quisition by the husbandmon." That journal states that the November rent has actually been paid in some instances, whilst money is sought from the benevolent English pen,a " for the sustenance of those , upon to pay the N ovem b er rent.starving tenantry, now called OUT-DOOR RELIEF. The cork Examiner states that the Rev. Dr. Collins and the Rev. Justin M'Carthy have left that city for London, as a deputation from the Roman Catholic clergy of Cloyna and Ross, in order to watch the progress of the Irish Pour. door Bill, and to secure the enactment of a system of out door relief, which might be " interfered with or cushioned by the manoeuvres or intrigues of an Irish party or Irish landlords." GALWAY ELECTION.—RETURN OF THE SOLICI TOR-GENERAL. The Solicitor-General, Mr. Monahan, is now Member for the town of Galway. The following appears in the Dublin Evening Post of this afternoon:— " GALWAY, WEDNESDAY. --.The followinglis the third day's poll, as officially declared last evening :-- Monahan... ...................... 28 ................... .•• O'Flaherty ............. .. ............................. GROSS POLL. 16 so Monahan Fi ah ert y . .. . .................................... •• • 5 .8 ......................................... Majority f or th e S olicitor -General 501 -7 " The booth s were all closed, and the successful candidate will be declared to-morrow, the 17th, as soon as some dis puted votes shall be decided upon by the assessor. "Possibly the majority of 7 may be lessened ; but I have no doubt: the Soli c it or -G eneral will be the man for Galway,' and a better man, or a more useful representative, the good old town could not have chosen. " WEDNESDAY, HALF. PAST ONE.—The arguments on the disputed votes are in progress, and will not be closed until long after the departure of the mail." HARVEST PROSPECTS.--The Limerick Chronicle of Wed nesday says—" The young wheat crops look remarkably well in all parts of the county. The farmers are sowing potatoes more generally." FATA L ACCIDENT AT WESTM/NSTER-BRIDGE. An inquest was held yesterday by Mr. Payne, at St. Thomas's Hospital, on the body of Michael Hayes, aged 65, a carpenter, of No. 1, Mason-street, Cornwall-road, Lambeth. On the 18th of December last deceased was at work assisting in " shoreing up" one of the arches of IYestminster-bridge, when in handing up some wedges to a fellow-workman his haiehachaefrowldas beneath.holding, hand and b he 1 t i .e p l p l e a d d fr e o p m th t o h f e a i p x i e t c e e e n o f fe ti e m t timber t w o From the scaffold he fell into the water, but was speedily got out. His left leg and nose were found to be broken, and his shoulders dislocated. He went on well for some time, but mortification of the leg caused his death on Monday last. Verdict—" Accidental death." ROBBERlES.—Yesterday information was received by the police of the folloNwei.n4gs,dwariensgternrobberies ;--Froni the house of Air. Andrews, silveran other spoons,articlesof eight plate dessert the e r p o e a o d n , s, P se a l d ,e d a in t g e t a on e , pe set,table Villas,Bloomfield road, o h f a b e l t r i . eg Sto .w v a in t , eh, No.will Duchess -street, Portland place, of a M p r s a . dd ß ia r g o t w e n a , e o m f ni N b o. 249, gold chain ; from the s p ci e u rs a i r nl e, li a bb o o te lta s n t d . two pa Dorset-street, Dorset us, a double-cased gold watch, withth a Cathedral b lack gold seals attached ; and from gold pin, with a cameo head",l' a s ed Ch a t fi tr a c g h e y r a r r i d 4g a . gold watch, a DEATH FROM A TTENDING A l'lJNEßAL.—Yester day, Mr. Baker held an inquest at the King's Ar ms, Mill wall, Poplar, o n t h e b ody of" Ellen Mah 3 aged forty years, of Paradise-row, Poplar, whose death was accelerated by attending a funeral. It appeared that the deceased had for some time past been suffering from a cold and cough. On Sunday last she was invited to the funeral of her deceased cousin, who was to be interred in the Catholic chapel of Poplar. She was advised not to attend, but she persisted in doing so. After her return she appeared very unwell, and retired to rest. On the following morning she was found dead in bed. She was much affected by the dampness of the chapel and the coldness of the weather, which no doubt accelerated her death. The jury returned an open verdict of "Found dead." CONVERSION TO THE CHURCH Or ROME. --We have to announce the conversion of another clergyman of the Establishment to the Roman Catholic Church, in the person of the Rev. Edward Caswall, M.A., of Brasenose College, Oxford, who made his profession of faith at Rome, about three weeks ago, according to letters received from that city. Mr. Caswall's brother, a member of Cambridge University, was received into the Roman Catholic Church a few months back. The number of clergy who have joined the Church of Rome during the last eighteen months, is now about seventy ; the converts from the middle and upper ranks of the city considerably exceed that number. We understand that the Queen has decided that the Gartstr_ trarmo.. 1... '''. ll l. ME M