The Sun. — London, England, 1857-07-24 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT• HOUSE OF LORDS--.YESTERDAY. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the wocl sack at five o'clock. COMMUNICATION WITH IRELAND. Lord DUNGANNON gave notice of his intention on Monday next, to ask the Postmaster-General whether say arrangements had been made, or were intended to lee ma de, between the Government and th e Dublin Steam-packet Company, with . reference to an improved postal communi cation, and if so, what was to be the proposed average term for the interchange of communi cation between London and Kingstown. THE LAW OF DIVORCE. Lord DIII4GANNON presented a petition from the clergy of Kißala, complaining of certain provisions of the Divorce Bill, and praying that they might not be compelled to celebrate marriages between criminal parties to whom they had conscientious objections. The Marquis of BREA.DALBANE brought up her Majesty's reply to the addresses of their lordships on the following subjects : THE SLAVE TRADE. Her Majesty's answer to the address on this aubject was as follows : _ _ _ "I have received the address of your lordships upon the subject of the emigration of negroes from the West of Africa, and you may rest assured it will be my ear nest desire to discourage all schemes for the emigration of negroes that are calculated to promote slavery." NATIONAL SURVEY. Her Majesty's answer to the address on this subject was as follows :-- "I have received your lordship's address, praying that a Royal Commission be appointed to inquire into the best plan for a national survey, and into the scale upon which it should be carried out. I have to inform your lordships that having taken the subject into considera tion I have directed a Royal commission to be appointed to inquire into all the subjects to which your lordships r ef erred." THIRD READINGS. On the motion of Lord REDESDA.LE, the following tills were severally read a third time and passed : Great Northern and Western (Ireland) Railway—Great Southern and Western Extension Railway—Westwins tar Terminus Rail vay Extension (oapham to Norwood Abandonment)—L , &lia Railway—lslington Parish Acts (34 amended)—Ryth and Tyne Railway (as amended) Metroliolitan New Streets and Improvements—and Stratford-on-Avon Railway. DIVORCE. L - rd BROUGHAM presented a petition from a gentleman named Wright, complaining of an injunction issued by the Court of Chancery, which prevented him from suing in the Ecclesiastical Courts either for a di vorce or restitution of conjugal rights. PRISONERS REMOVAL BILL. The report of the amendments of this bill was brought up and received. COVIhtONS INCLOSURE BILL. The report upon this bill as amended was also brought up and agreed to. BANKRUPTCY LAWS. Lord BROUGHAM then rose, pursuant to notice, to call attention to the subject of the bankuptcy la-vs: He said that it was not his intention to enter at large, or indeed at all, upon the general subject of the bank ruptcy Jews. The subject, however, to which he wag about to call attention was one of the greatest possitle importance, and he therefore hoped that during the ap proaching recess his noble and learned friend on the woolsack would devote attention to it, with the view of devising remedies for the administration of the bank ruptcy laws, and for the defects in these laws themselves. His reason for calving attention to this matter was the proceedings that took place at the beginning of the pre• pent year, just on the eve of the last session, before the great conference of delega es from all the manufacturing towns, but particularly from the great towns of Man chester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Sheffield, Bristol, and Hull: He mi_ht add that Edinburgh and Glasgow, awe, he beLeved, Belfast and Dublin, were represented a*: that conference, which was assembled under the aus pices of the Law Amendment Society, over which he pre,id d so unworthily. He was called upon to atterd the meetings of that conference, and he must do the gentlemen who attended it the justice to say that during the four days and the four evenings during which the conference lasted he c tall not discover the least ground of objection to any one part of their proceedings. The great number of delegates who were present, the great variety of opinions on the subject which they had met to discuss, and the still greater variety of opinions that ex isted among their constituencies, had no effect whatever in producing any discord or anything like wrangling or contention, or anything other than a calm, deliberate, and businesslike consideration of the highly important sub ject that had brought them together—which was neither more nor less than the grievances which they had to complain of with respect to the state of our mercantile law in general, and of no one branch of it more than that relating to bankruptcy and insolvency. Upon that branch of the law a highly important discussion took place, and most valuable information was communicated from various parts of the country. With respect to toe reality of the grievances connected with the administra tion of the bankruptcy laws those delegates ought to be regarded as judges without appeal. Their te,timoil was entitled to all possible respect, because it was for there and-the communities represented by them that t' e wercuitile law was made. The measures of relief which they proposed might be well or ill-advised, but no one could gainsay their evidecca as to the operation of the existing mercantile law. He believed that some of the measures proposed by them were not at all adapted to give that relief which they sought. He would shortly state the grounds of their complaints, and how far he was disposed to concur in the measures which they sug gested by way of remedy. There was nothing on which the conference was more unanimous than that the ex penses attendant upon bankruptcy proceedings were grievou-ly heavy. Taking an average of the bankruptcy proceedings during the last three years of which returns had be-n made,—namely, 1853 4-5 (and he would omit the names of the towns in which they had taken place, because the delegates averred that the expenses were nit so much owing to the law as to the officers by whom it was administered) he found that under 121 book rnptcies a sum of 00,0001. was collected, while the amount distributed among the creditors was only 44,030/ , the remaining sum of 40,0001. having been consumed by VA bankruptcy proceedings. No person was more stron g ly opposed than himself to the payment of officers of a court of justice and judicial expenses by fees upon suitors. Bit he made a very great distinction between litiga..ion and administration, and while he would not listen to any argument for makin4 the suitors pay for the salaries of the Lord Chancellor, the Vice•C ianc dlor, the MaA,r of the Rolls, and the whole judicial staff so far as they were employed in deciding causes, it was a very different thing when persons were employed in the administration of can=es. In the one case all fees would be contrary to principle ; in the other they might be allo:ved to be pad to a certain extent by those who benefited by the hours of the Court. He thought that the commieeioliers rued the higher officers of the court ought to be paid by salary as in courts of justice, but that the poyme tof the administrative officers ought to be thrown to a certain ex tent upon the creditors. Their lorlsbips would be sur prised to heat that the auto of 25,000/. a-year continued still to be paid as compensation to those Coinnii- , siocers of Bankruptcy who by bid bid of 1831 were dispensed with, and who bad not beed otherwise provided for by legal promotion, and that the whol e of this sum came out of the pockets of the creditors in the Bankruptcy Com t. It was utterly unendurable that after a quarter of a cen tury this compensation should cintiune to be d :frayed by creditnrs in the present suits before the courts. The ex tent of the WI which he had prepared did not go bey ol.d the transfer to the Consolidated Fund of the compen-a tion payable to the commissioners whose services were dispensed with in 1831. He doubted whether the services of the weeeenger could be dispensed with, and, althouen he had framed his bill so as to dispense with the account ant and broker, he thought the messenger should still be kept, subject to the authority of the commissioners in each case whether it were fit that the messenger shoel . --beitnployed or not. He had no doubt that the offiAel assignee had the greatest ground of complaint, and he found that there was among the judges no difference of opinion as to the present mode of paying that most use ful and necessary officer. There was the greatest variety in the emoluments of official assignees. In certaincases his pr-fits, which were paid by commission, barely sufficed to pay the expenses of his office, and he was literally left without emolument. In other cases his profits amounted to several hundreds, and even to thousands of pounds. In two instances the official assignees were in receipt of 3,0001. a-year, and in other cases they obtained upwards of 2,0001. a-year, while in other instances they lied nettling. He proposed that the official assignees • should be paid in a certain proportion by salaries and the rest in fees, which latter mode of payment would whet their zeal and maintein their activity. There ought, however, to be a maximum of income from bath "uroli. Another complaint, which was not a together evithoutfoundation, referred to the irregular attendance of thtztectaltniseionerse He strongly recommended the Lord Chanullor to look into this subject, and after having ill • tained a return of their attendance during the last 12 months be tru s t e d that. his hop, and learned friend wool I and insist upon a more frequent regular attendance u po n the part of the cerninissieners. A was urged to the prese n t system wtahserthoabtj:ni'ni sioners in many instances lived a t too ewhich thetina distance '' - g from their respective courts ; that i n their anxiety not to m i ss a particular train in orde r t h at they might reach their residences iu good time the business before them was often postponed until the next day, and that greet inconvenience to the suitor was the result. lie ►night also state that he found from return, which bad been laid upon the table of the house that in one town 130 sittih g , in bankrup.cy had been held in the course of a eingie year ; while in another there had been 185; in a Ulm', 151 ; and in a fourth, 705; .lot, inasmuch as there were only 365 days in a year, be had been at a loss to account tor.the last-mentioned number until he found that what Was termed a "sitting" embraced the consideration of only 0120 of the different matters which might have been brought before the cominis•ioner for decision. Toe fact was he learned that those 705 sittings had been held io 54 days, so that not less than 13 cases had, upon an average, been determined daily. The consequence bad I been the accumulation of the business to be done in a given time to an.extent of which suitors complained. He should next advert to the suggestions which had bee., ma le by the committee to whom the bill which he was - about to present to their lordships bad been referred. They hid expressed themselves as being in favour of permit ting the estate of a deceased person who, if he had been rtiß SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JULY 24, 1857 and the contract, or implied contract, under which they accepted office, they were entitled to a corresponding deduction. The next ground on which 1 these impressions had obtained currency in the public mind was that th re had been a breach of engagements on the part of the Crown with the civil seivints, in asmuch as they contemplated that a fund would have been set apart for them, which by compound interest would have produced a surplus entirely at their die peal for any purpose they might think fit. Now, a more grave charge than a breach of engagement be tween the Crown and its 16,000 civil servants could not be imagined, but the question bad been disposed of by the Commissioners, who, in their report, agreeing with the Committee of the House of Commons, sail last year that it had been clearly and definitely decided that there was no breach of engagement. It was the duty of the house to see that the eateries of the public servants had not been settled or reduced by these deduc tions, so as to deprive them of the prospect of a future superannuation allowarac-, and if the ques tion rested on the sufficiency of the salaries paid, he could show that within the last four or five years, there had been a revision of salaries in almost every depart ment of the State. The investigation had been most liberally and carefully made, and the result had been a large increase in the annual charges. The salaries paid in the Inland Revenue, Customs, and Post-office departments in 1852, were 2,167,0001., which had in creaeeel in 185 G to 2,460,0001., making a difference of 239,000/. The right hon. gentleman then proceeded to intrast the salaries and pensions paid by the Bank of England and the Government ; and with reference to the former he said that a clerk of 18 years of age re ceived at the Bank of England 601. a-year ; 19 years of age, 701.; 20 years of age, 801.; 21 years of age, 1001 ; from 21 to 29 years of ge it increased 51. a-year, when he received 1401.; and from that it increased up to 45 years of age, when he received a maximum salary of 2501. In the Government offices a much higher scale was paid. The lowest salary paid was 901. a-year, and in many offices in London it was not lower than 1001. a-year ; and although it might be true that the Bank of England paid pensions to their worn-out servants, without dis tinction, yet if they looked into the question, it would be found that the pnbiic servants were infinitely better paid than the clerks of the Bank of England. Any com plaints that the civil servants had to make relative to their salaries had only to be laid before the beads of departments, when they would communicate them to the treasury, who were at all dines ready to con sider them liberal y and carefully. (Hear, hear.) There was a great difference between a revision of salaries and the indiscriminate increase of salaries proposed by the bill, and therefore it was that he could not accede to its proposition. One complaint against these deductions was that the moneys were not constituted int J a fund, but he could not understand what difference it made to the public servants w betb er these moneys were kept apart or not, because by the Act of Parliament no public offi cer could receive more under a fund than under Govern ment security, and there was no reason for saying any public servant had not received the whole amount con templated, or that could be given under the Act of Par liament. The right hon. gentleman then entered into the statement of the civil servant, that if a fund had bee. establi-hed it would have increased by compound interest so as to leave a surplus. Such he said would not be the case, and in order to prove his assertion, he entered into a calculation he had made, which showed that instead of an increase under such circumstances, there would be a deficiency, and in the course of his re marks, he said, that in 1834 the whole of the pensions paid amounted to 358.0001., and for compensation for abolished offices, 692,0001. Since then, it had gone on increasing, and instead of 358,000/ , a• paid in 1834, it had increased t i 530.0001. this year ; and compensations from 692,0001. in 1834, to 830,0001. this year. Se that so far from their diminishing, year by year, as might have been expected from the diminished rates of pen sions, the amount of pensions had coneiderably increased; and whereas the whole amount of abatement was 74,000/., the increase within the last four years in pensions aline was more than equal to the whole of that amount. In 1851 the pensions of the civil ervants amounted to 509,0001., and last year to 589,000/.. giving an increase in four years of 7P,000/. against 74,0001., contributions which showed that so far from the deduction b3iog more than equiva lent for the pensions paid, they were not equivalent to it. The right hon. gentleman next referred to the dis tinction made between the servants who entered the ser vice before.lB29. and those since 1844, and read extracts trom the commissioners' report to show that it was founded in justice. He contended, on the whole, that no injustice was done the civil servants by the course now pursued, though he admitted there were many ano malies that required to be got rid of. To give pensions to the civil servants of the Crown, without their contri buting towards it, woul I open up a broad and serious question. At present the half-pay of the army amounted to 568,0001., which was a much smaller sum than was paid to the 16,000 civil servants whom it was proposed by this bill to give the right of pension ; and if the latter were permitted to take pensions without contribu tions he thought the army would have a right to demand that their claims be considered. He was inclined to believe that the agitation that had arisen on this question was owing to the pressure of the income tax during the past two or three years, the civil service looking upon their payments in a different light to other men. The amount being deducted from the salaries of the civil service, it was looked upon by them as a deduction of their sala ries, and by others as a portion of their annual expenditure. They would, however, be relieved this year more than one-half in that respect. After some further remarks • the righthon. gentleman said that there were no groundi for the adoption of the present hill. It would leave the present anomalies untouched, as well as introduce more than at present existed, and consequently fail in removing the dissatisfaction that now prevailed. The Government, be admitted, felt that the question could not be allowed t i stand where it was, but he asked the house, whether it was decent, pending an inquiry that bore on this question, to force upon the Government the expenditure of public money without at the Fame time seeing that they secured the removal of all those evils incident to the question. This was a question not against the Government, but between the representatives and and their constiuencies—the tax payers of the country —on whose behalf the Government resisted the proposed increase of exp , nditure. He proposed the second read ing of the bill this day three months. Mr. CLIVE said that this was a question of insurance or deduction from the salaries of the civil service, and added that much of the present dis.atisfac'iou had arisen from the ambiguity of the act of Parliament. He advocated the cause of the civil servants of the Crown, who were only asking f it what was due to them, and he had no fear ct receiving the support of his constituents for the cause he pun.ned. He complained of the Chan cellor of the Exchequer and Mr. Wilson admitting the defective nature of the present act without endeavouring to remedy it, and unless the Government gave an assur ance that they would remedy the complaints of the civil service he should vote for the secend reading of the bill. Mr. WEGUELIN supported the bill, and eondernned the system of deductions from salaries for the forma ion of superannuation funds. He thought the civil service had no oause to complain in strict justice; but it was the duty of the Government and Parliament to see that jus tice was don e to all classes of the civil service. Wbat the civil set vice asked for was an alteration in the Act of 1834. He sail that the average of salaries paid at the Bank of England was higher than had been quoted. The average salaries for 1856 was 1951. Whilst those of the civil servants only amounted to 1471. per annum. Mr. WILSON said he did not take the higher sala ries the Bank of Engirsed into his calculations. Mr. WEGUELIN said the hon. gentleman had a strange way of tae.ing an average for drawing a com parison. He had taken the high salaries in one service, an d t h e l o w salaries of the other. In his (Mr. Wegue lin's) was included th e sa l ar i es of all, includ; ing the porters in the Bank of England. Then the only deducti in made from the salaries was for a widow's fund. He supported the rep in of the commissioners and condemned the conduct of the Government in this respect, which was unworthy that of a Whig Govern ment, and much less that of the enlightened dictator ship under which they at present existed. (Laughter.) Sir F. BARING considered it was time this ques tion should be settled in a fair and liberal spirit. He objected to the bi.l, because it would not : , etcle the question, from its only dealing with a small portion of tee recommendations of the commissioners' report. If it passed it would create great dissatisfaction with the lower classes of the service. Another grave objection to the bill was, that it proposed a large increase of salaries to public servants in a most injudicious manner, and at at a time when it was not required. It proposed an increase of 5 per cent, on the higher class of servants, but only 2. per cent. on the lower class servants. This fact was kept rather in the background, because it did not Utley with what they had heard so much of ltt , ly viz., the condition of the poor public servants. (Hear.) Mr. S. FIrZG ERALD supported the claims of the civil servants of the crown. He thought the bill of the noble lord would increase the efficiency of the pu'elic service, and make it one harmorti ius whole. He was ready to lice his constituents on the question of supper , lug the extra expense the bill would entail for the ex ra advantages it would give the cif rvice. Mr. W. WILLIAMS, amidst cries of divide, said that his constituents would be affected to a large extent by this bill, and added that it was the duty of the Government to have presented to Parliament a well digested s3heme for the settlement of the question. He objected to an increase of 5 per cent, on the salaries of civil servants. Mr. RICH, amidst the impatience of the house, op posed the second reading of the bill. The learned gen tlemen spoke amidst cries of divide, and other expres sions of disapprobation, till ten minutes to 4, when by the forms of the house relative to day sittings the debate was suspended amidst loud groans. TIJR,NPIIZE ACC CONTINUINCE BILL. The bill teas read a third time and passed. SUPERANNUATION ACT AMEND \IENT BILL The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER fixed Wednesday next for the resurnptien of the debate on this bill. The other orders for the morning sitting were disposed of, and the house suspended its sitting at 4 o'clock. Toe house resumed at 6 o'clock. NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr. WARREN gave notice that early in the next session he should call attention to the present state of :eriibliutantayl4l.aw, and its administration by navaland military T 1 EDINBURGH ANNUITY TAX ABOLITION ' T'VOCATE, in reply to a question put ' at looking at the late period of -ce of opinion which thought that -liameet Sir H. WILLOUGHBY objected to the manner in which the house had been called upon to pay the ex- penses of the Persian war, because he thought that. whenever any hostilities were commenced tending to an increase of taxation, the fact should be communi cated by message to the house. Lord PA.LNIERSTON said he had already explained the circumstances under which a communication of the fact had been made to Parliament in a speech from the throne. Whenever a war was undert iken, no doubt it should be communiclted to Parliament before any expenses were incurred. Mr. WALPOLE said that though the Persian expe dition was mentioned in the speech from the Throne, there was no intimation that the expenses were to be divided between the East Indian Government and the home Government. He coull not help referring to the very clever turn given to the debate the other night, when the noble viscount said that on both sides of the house information had not been demanded before. They did not introduce the subj,mt, because at that moment nego tiations for peace were going on; an exception should not be taken because all pressure was avoided at. such a time. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that in the second week of the session he made a distinct allu sion to the arrangement respecting the exemises of the Persian war, and the details of the sum which would be required were shortly after laid upon the table. The vote was then agreed to. The next vote, 590,0001. for the purpose of adjusting the acc mints of the old China war, Mr. WILSON expleiued that this was the sum which, after a long negotiation with the East India Company, had at last been agreed to. There would be a set off due from the Company of 560,0001., which would leave a ba lance to be paid of only 30,000/. The vote therefore was chiefly nominal, and would have little effect on the finances of the country. Mr. WILLIAMS wished to know if this was a final ajeetment, or if more of these accounts were coming ? Mr. WILSON said that this payment was a final ad justment of the matter. Col. SYKES said the East India Company bad made a very bad bargain. Mr. COX wished to know what security there was fur the payment of the 560,000/., as the country was called upon by the vote to advance the full 590,0001. Mr. WILSON explained that this sum would not be rea'ly advanced. It was necessary, accn-ding to the forms of the house, that the sum in full should be put down in the votes. The vote was then aereed to. The next vote was 11,1151. to defray the tx?ensee of the General Board of Health. Mr. WILLIAMS complained of the amount charged in this class of expenses, which were now 634,0001., being 303,0001. over the corresponding class last year. The account was put into his hand only that morning, little more than an hour before he had to come down to the house to atten Ito his Parliamentary duties. As to the vote itself, he had always understood that the Board of Health was to be abolished. It had lost the confi dence of the country, was totally useless, and was only kept up to provide salaries for its officers, Since the aepoietinent of local medical officers under the Metro politan Act, its inutility had been yet more apparent. There was a bill before the house to abolish the board. Sir G. GREY denied that the Board was useless, it had rendered great services, and some such machinery was necessary. There was a bill More the house trans ferring the duties of the board to the President of the Council ; but this obj-ct had not yet been effected. if the proposed bill passed, so much only of the vote would be taken as would be necessary to defray the additional chaiges on the C mncil Office. Atter a few words from Sir J. TRELA.WN Mr. BLACKBURN asked if the board did not ex pire of itself at the end of the year. Sir G. GREY explained that the board did not ex pire till the eiid of the session of 1853. Colonel SYKES said that the course proposed was trifling with their constituents, and an opportunity ought to given of duly considering the matter. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY said that if anyone would divide against the vote altogether, he would vote with him. - INDIA. Oa the motion of Col. SYKES, a return was ordered of "the area. and population of each division of each presi dency of India, from the latest inquiries ; comprising also the area and estimated population of native states." WASHING AND DRYING FOR SOLDIERS. On the question that the Clerk do proceed to real the orders of the day, Col. NORTH rose to move for a copy of any corre spondence which had taken place between the War De partment and Mr. Huthnance, relative to his apparatus for a drying-room to be attached to a laundry ; and copies of any reports which had been made on this sub ject by any officers to whom the question had been re ter red. Sir J. RAMSDEN said the apparatus to which his hon. and gallant friend alluded was one of a great num ber of inventions which had recently been submitted to the War Department, which had been referred to com petent officers to be reported upon. Tae motion was negatived without a division. TETE ORDER OF TUE BAT'. L - tel HOTHANI cal ed the attention of the First Lord of the Treasury to the existing practice of exacting from officers appointed to be members of the military division of the must honourable Order of the Bath an en g agement that the insignia of the Order, which they have received from the S ,vereign in person, or which have been transmitted to them by her Majesty's com mands, shall alter their death be returned. Tne noble lord remarked that from time to time an investiture took place by the S vereign, but directly the person receiving the de ;oration left the Qieen's pre-ence he was presented with a printed form, which he was required to sign, pro• 'riding that the insignia shall be given up to the Crown on his death. In the cage of a knight the star was made of such paltry materials that the first thing a knight had had to do was to go to his jewellers and to provide him self, at the expense of about 141 , with a star which was fit to wear with his unif. rm. (Rear, and laughter.) At Sebastopol there was an investiture, at which French, Sardinian, and English officers received the decoration, and while silver stars were, as they ought to have been, sent out by this country for the French and Sardinian officers, tinselled stars were publicly given to our own officers which it was impossible for them to wear with their uniforms. The noble lord Abided to the orders of Maria Theresa and St. George of Russia, the greatest orders in Europe, the insignia of which were small in free, light in appearance, and convenient to wear. He trusted that Lord Palmerston would tender such advice to her Majesty as would lead to some satisfactory change. Sir W. CODRINGTON said that these orders had been very greatly improved lately. Formerly a G.C.B. Mr. COX opposed the grant. The Board of Health was as great a nuisance as that which it was intended to remove. He objected equally to the proposed bill of the right hon. gentleman, and he had thought that the Board of Health was to have ceased this year, and be should oppose all continuance of the vote. Lord I'A.LAERSTON said that it was objected that the B , ard of Health was not only useless but mischiev ous. He would not then refer to the exertions of the right hon. gentleman the member for Mary lebone, nor to what he might call the noble devotion of the board during the cholera year ; but there was one of its functions which was productive of so much economy that it ought not to be objected to by the hon. member for Lambeth. It was this, that hitherto when towns were anxious to obtain for themselves powers to make sanitary regula tions, they would have to spend 6001. on a bill if it was unopposed, and double or treble !hat 'dual if opposed. At present they could by means of this board obtain the same advantage at an expense of not more than 601. Tots was the board which they called a useless one. Mr. WILLIAMS saw no means of proceeding except by dividing the house against the vote. After some remarks from Mr. MOWBRAY, in refer ence to the operatic)!ns of the board, Mr. MONSELL defended its operations, and said that the local boards were satisfied with its conduct towards them in reference to local sanitary improve ments. _ Mr. HENLEY said it was E atiafactory to find that the General Board of Health and the local boards worked so amicably together. He was unwilling to vote against the estimate , but he expressed a hope that early next session the Government would introduce a new Tho LORD t,— by Mr. E Ellice, said the sessi , ,n, and qt existed on the subject of this ineasvre, it would be impossible to carry it thromb this session, and therefore he should propose that the cost 2821., and that of Knight Commander was 901 ; measure for the guidance of the General Board of Health. order of the day should be read for the purpose of its but those extravagant charges were now moderated. At Mr. BASS defended the Board of Health. He was being discharged. the saute time he hope I the present tinselled decoration instructed by the mayor and corporation of the borough The order was read and discharged accordineleh woo d soon be su pplied by one which was worthy of the (Derby) he represented to support the measures ef the DIVISION OF THE COLONY OF NEW hon iur conferred by the Sovereign. A star w null not Government in reference to the board. SOUTH WALES. ' seat more than 71. or 81, and not more than eight or Sir 0- PEC HELL wished to see a diminution of this Sir J. PAKINGTON asked the Secretary of State for t-n were conferred every year. In the Crimea ween the , vote. Ile should be happy to support a nuisance bid that the Colonies whether any decision had been come to by Fr nets and Sardinian officers were decorated, their stars would i ()move the Board of Heali b, the Poor-law Board, her Majesty's government on the anbj et of detaching i were placed on their coats, while the tinselled stars were and the B yard of Trade. (Laughter.) f r om the Colony of New South Wales any portion of slipped into the hands of the English officers, while the l After some remarks from Mr. 'IONSELL in exelana the northern territories thereof, an d f o r m i n g the same French and Sardinian officers were standing by. This i time, and also from Sir G. PECIIELL, the latter of into a separate colony, and if any such decision had been i was a source of great regret to him when he was in the ' ehom sail it was the principle he opno.sed, made where the southern boundary of such new colony 1 Crimea. (Hear.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said WAS to be drawn; and whether ;n respect of any portions Lord PA LANIER'S roN did not think that there was : that if the bill before the house proposing te transfer of such new colony as were situated between the 26th anything unseemly in the fact that the honours should ' the functions of the Board of Health to the Privy and 30th dogs. of S. lat., petitions from the inhabitant be returned at death. What were required to be deli- , C iuncil was passed, it would reduce much of the ix householders of the territories so situated had been pre• veree were the rihand and the badge Theetor, which was ' penes of the working of the present board. It w as coin tented to her Ilajesty, as required by the statute 13 and at present purchased by the officer himself, was not re. 1 potent for the house to limit its operations for o ne year 14 Vic., c. 59, s. 34, in order to enable her Majesty to turned. In referenc.e. to the remarks of the gallant gene- !to test its efficiency, but in the meantime it would be include tech territories in th e new colony? Whether rat (Sir Win. Codrington), no doubt it might be consi- necessary to tike a vote for the board as at present con any conditions bad been imposed in order to prevent di red necessary to reconsider the practice of giving a 1 stituted. If the house adopted the bill, then the Go• convicts being sent to such new colony ? What pro- piece of ornamental tinsel which it could. never be ex- i vernment would make such a reduction in th e establish vision had been made as to the form of government of peeled any officer should wear. The expense would cer- went of the board as would be found necessary and the such new colony ? And whether any, and if any, what tainly not be much, and when a mark of honour wee I Exchequer would be credited with the amount saved by arrangement had been made as to the proportions of the given for distinguished services, itought not to be attended 1 the change. 1 public debt of the existing colony to be borne by such with expenses to the individual. It was not correct to ' Lerd 3. MANNERS considered this an extravagant new colony and New South Wales respectively after the say that fees had been abolished. They were now paid vote. proposed separation. by the public, and he did not see why the same prin- The committee then divided, when the numbers were— Mr. LABOUcHERE said that by the act upon which ciple should not apply to the stars and other decorations. Fur tho vote the institutions of New South Wales were founded, the The subject should have every consideration from the Against it 3O legislature of New South Wales had provided for the Government. Majority for the vote lll possible separation of the colony by giving to the Queen OFFICERS ORDERED FOR INDIA. On the vote of 2,548/. for the expenses of the Eeele in council the power to separate the district of Moreton Mr. NOEL asked whether the Government would siastica.l Commissioner'. Bay from the rest of the colony, and to draw such boon- t give to those of her Majesty's officers who are ordered I Sir J. TRELAWNY seid that when they came to dary line as she might be advised, and he (Mr. Labou- to rejoin their regiments in India before the expiration the question of church rates, they would have much chere) having received reiteraeed and strong petitions of their leave on account of the mutiny in that country, difficulty in dea ing with the question if this vote were from the inhabitants of the district of Moreton Bay to a free passage ;or whether they will have to return there passed. He was one of those who had hitherto divided the effect that they desired this separation, thought it at their own expense ? against this vote, the Government was not consistent in his duty to advise the crown to make the separa ion Sir J. RAMSDEN said the Court of Directors would proposing such a vote. He should move its rejection. which the crown was empowered to make by the act of pay the expense. Mr. W. WILLIAMS said the resources of tee church the Colonial Legislature. There arose considerable dif- PAPERS FOR THE HOUSE. were ample, and they ought to be content. The people ficulty as to where the boundary line between the two On a question put by Sir JOHN PAKINGTON, a of this country had been very blameable in this matter, colonies should be ; but his opinion was that what ought discussion arose a s t o the 'delivery of printed papers and the church was unwise in coming to this country for to guide the crown in the matter was the desire of to members, it being remarked that many important do- these votes. . the colonists themselves who lived near the boundary cuments never came into their bands. Mr. WILSON defended the vote. line as to whether they should be included in the The CHANCELLOR of the ExCEIEQuER and Mr. WILSON The committee then divided, when the numbers were — Moreton Bay or in the New South Wales colony, said the matter should again be referred to the printing For the vote and alto the facts as to the acceptability of the port committee. Against it of shipment for Moreton Bay. At first he thought INDIA AFFAIRS. Majority for the vote —93 it would be desirable to carry the line of separation Sir J. ELPHINSTONE sa id that as there was some A vote of 11,0801 for the salaries and expenses of the lower down than he now advised, but it appeared information from. Australia bythemail which hadtouched Charity Commission was agreed to. to him that the weight of the petitions and memo- at Gale, he wished to know whether the Government On the vote of 1,9241 for salaries and expenses of the rials from the inhabitants of the district in favour their had received any additional news front India! Statute Law Commission, being retained as part of the colony of New South Mr. V. SMITE said that no additional information Mr. WHITESIDE said he should like to know when Wales so much overpowered those in favour of their it , - had been received by the Board of Control or the East this committee would come to an end, and what they corporation with the Moreton Bay colony, that he bad I n di a Company, F r om such a c o urse c ommu n ication had been doing. He had no faith in the labours of the drawn the line nearer to Moreton Bay than he had w ould go to the Colonial Department, but he had ascer- commission, from which he expected no results. He originally intended, between, he believed, the 25th and tained that no news from It dia had been received. pointed out the advisability of imperialising the statute 26th degrees of latitude. As to the second question, he Tho house then went into committee of supply. la w, so that the same 1 iws should a pp l y to England and could not say it was the fixed determination of the SUPPLY—PERSIA. Ireland. He should not divide the house on the ques government not to (lend any single convict to Moreton The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER pro- ti , n, but he hoped that the promises held out would Bay, but there was no desire tc do so, and he should ceeded to move hie estimates on the Persian war, and ultimately be fulfilled. consider it a gross breach of the pledge given to Sydney, s aid he should not think it necessary to revive the die- o.i the vote of 4,9241. for selarie , and expenses of the if convicts were introduced into the adjoining colony mission which bad taken place in reference to the causes civil service commission, from whence they cou ld so eas ily pass into t h e co l on y of of the hostilities which had taken place. He would refer Mr. WILLIAMS inquired what were the duties of Sy provision as to the form of government for the new vote. If it had not been fee. the disasters which had taken The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER ex colony, he found that in the act which the legislature of place in India, neither the Indian Government nor her plained. 1 Sydney had passed it was provided that the constitution Majesty's Government would have asked for the vote ; Aster some further discussion, in which Mr. Ridley, I of the new colony should as nearly as possible resemble but in consequence of the Indian revenue at this time— Mr. Wilson, and Mr. W. Williams, took pert, the vote that of Sydney, and, therefore, there was no option but the losses suffered by the Indian Treasury, and the was agreed to, to give to the ne x colony the ordinary constitution of a certainty there was that the land revenue and On the vote of 3,5241. for the salaries and expenses of British col iny. To the last question, his answer was the taxes would suffer a great reduction, they the temporary commissioners, that he had written to the Governor of New South would not have asked for the vote, which he thought, Mr. WISE said it had been reported that the report Wales, calling his attention to the subject of th e pudic un d er the circumstances, the house could scarcely refuse, of the commissioners on the national grant was not to debt, and requesting him to bring the matter b e f ore th e H e would now only revert to the remarks of the chair- be acted upon. He offered no opinion, but wished to legislature of New South Wales, by whom a proper man of the East India Company, who seemed to think know whether that was true ? division of the debt caul lbe made- there was some reluctance to discharge obligations to the The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had not THE NEW MILITARY HOSPITAL AT East India Company. Government had no power to bind seen the reptirt, and the Government had come to no NETLE 1 7 , the house, and all they could do was to proMise to ale decision whatever. Mr. WILCOX asked the First Lord of the Treasury th e h o use to rei m b urse th e com p any f or h a lf th e ex t ra or. Lord J. MANNERS inquired whethe r the salaries if any circuuestauc..s bad arisen to induce her Majesty's dinary expenses. He thought the hon. gentleman used had been fixed ? Government to suspend their intention t o build th e new a t,, rrn which he was not ju-tified in using, w h en The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it military hospital at Netley ; and, if so, whether he had he characterised it as a debt due from the house for he was impossible to fix them till the proceedings were ter any objection to state them ? considered that the house exhibited no reluctance, but minated. Mr. STAFFORD, bef ire the question was answered, on the contrary, acted with great liberality and justice, , Mr. BERESFORD HOPE called attention to an in wished also to ask whether there was any objection to having given the subject ample consideration. The hoe, consistency in the printed copy of the votes. publish the complete correspondence upon the subject, gentleman concluded by moving that a stun not exceed- Mr. WILSON ex p lained. for some important correspondence had been withheld ? ing 4 0 0, 0001 . be granted to her Majesty as repayment to After some conversation, in which Sir Denham Lord PALMERSTON, as to the last question, said the East India Company in regard to the e xpe n ses o f Norreys, Colonel Sykes, and the Chancellor of the that he did not know what the correspondence referred the war with Persia. Exchequer took paw, to wan, and therefore he was unable to answer the ques- Mr. W. WILLIAMS inquired whether any further Mr. WISE said his question bad not been fairly tion on that occasion. With respect to the spot selected sum would be required in connection with the war with an wered. He wanted to know whether it was intended for the hospital, the Government were quite satisfied, Persia ? to act on the report ? and he himself was entirely convinced from local know- Toe CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the Sr G GREY had seen the report, but had not read ledge that it was very healthy, and totally free from any total amount of expenses calculated by the E est Indi a it, and there was some further documentary evidence to objection on sanitary grounds , . He had also received a Company was 1,865,0001., but until the accounts were be added to it. Tee other members of the Government letter from a medical gentleman in the neighbourhood, made up, the matter could not be settled with the Com- bad not seen it. who stated that don, g2O years' employment in the pany. The Government would pay one moiety of the Mr. WISE again asked whether, when it had been localay he had not kno wn any cases of ague or diseases extraordinary expenses of the war, towards which the read, it would be acted upon ? of that kind, amount now proposed would go. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said FIRE INSURANCE AND MUTUAL COM- Col. SYKES said that no exact calculation could at that when completed it would be taken into considera- PANIES BILLS. present bo made, as part of the troops were now in Lion. Mr. COWAN asked whether it was intended to pro- Persia. After some further conversation, pose con-ideraele alterations in two bills recently intro- Mr. COX inquired when it was likely that the troops Mr. AYRTON asked if it was intended to remove duced —namely, the Insurance Companies and Mutual would return ? the National Gallery. He hoped it would not be done Companies Bills; and if it was also intended to confer The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said without consulting the house. limited liability upon such companies ; also if new prints that the Government had heard of the arrival of the Eu- Lord PALMERSTON said there was no such inten of such bills, with the alterations proposed, would be ropean troops in India. As toe the native troops, tion. The question almost answered itself. delivered to members, and notice given of the intention there had been no advice , . Mr. CON - INGHAM said that unless something was of the Government to proceed with these amended done to make the Royal Academy vacate the premises measures. He also wished to ask another question. they occupied at the National Gallery, he should take His hon. friend had been chairman of the committee on the sense of the house on the question. insurance companies which eat four years ago, and on Altar some further conversation the vote was agreed to. which he (Mr. Cowan) had also served. Among other On the vote of 20,9881. for salariei, expenses, and things recommended was one that no insurance (tom- compensations under the Patent Law Amendment Acts, pany should be allowed to be constituted without lodg. Mr. 'WILLIAMS complained of the items as being ing 10,0001. iu order to demonstrate the bona fides of excessively high, and hoped the committee would not the promoters of such companies. lie wished to know sanction such a vote, the most extraordinary he had ever whether the Government intended to introduce that heard of. He moved the reduction of the vote by provilen among the other alterations proposed. 5,4101. Mr. WILSON had to state that it was thought very Sir J. TROLLOPE pointed out that the surplus over desirable that this bill should be passed in the coerce of the expenses was 10,000/ , which was a tax on the inge the present year, especially as an act passed last year nuity of inventors. The Government ought to be inadvertently repealed the only act which has governed ashumed to take more from the pockets of inventors insurance offices ; but no doubt his hon. friend was than the actual costs. aware that a measure on such a sul.jmt must raise many Mr. WILSON said that the whole matter was settled questions as to different interests, and be had cense- by act of Parliament, and it was hard to blame the Go quently had great difficulty in meeting the numerous ob- vernment when so large a reform had been made, and jections. He had received yesterday a deputat,on re- when the fees of the law officers of the Crown hail been pr e senting all the London offices and most of the Scotch reduced from 16/. to 31., notwithstanding the onerous officers, and he had come to this understanding, to read 'fluty of examining all the specifications. It was quite the bill a second time to-night, and to-morrow night in c g h o v a e m r e n n m d e m n e t n t tos assent a s h e t t o h . o u g H h e t time that the charges ought to be no more than would pay the expenses, but the increased cheapness had so M etrecreased the demand that the income exceeded what wa s it was. in the P committee te ii , , , t w ro e d r u o c f expected. It was impossible to adjust it exactly. also undertook that the bill should not be comaitted in PEASE ccenpleined of the hardships to w h ich in order to go on with those amendments until those gentle- Mr. men out of doors who were intsrested in the matter had ventore were exposed, which he thought was a great bad four days to consider the alterations. check upon inventive eeeitai. VENTILATION OF SHIPS. In reply to Mr. HORSFALL, who was almost wholly Mr. ADDERLEY asked th e Fi rs t L or d o f the Adrni- inaudible, Mr. WILSON sail all the specifications were pub . - ralty whether the Adm ralty had approved of a fan and lilieti, and sold at a vary low price fo r the benefit of the ventilating machine for ships, invented by C. H. Brece bridge, Esq., called a blower, whether any ships had been public. Colonel SYKES said notwithstanding the ingenious fitte I with them, and whether its success had led to any general order for theiruse? and deprecating defence of the fee s, t he y did certainl y continue to be a check upon the inve ntive g enius of the Sir C. WOOD was understood to say that it had oc curred to the Admiralty that all ships going out to China country. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY thoueht t he hon. member should be ventilated , het he was not Sure that Mr. Brace for Lambeth would hardly divide the committee, but bridge's plan or some other w o uld b e adopted. . asked for Exolanatiou on some points. INDIA. Mr. SPOONER also asked for explanation. General WINDHAM wished to know whether the Mr. WATKIN said that the house hardly gave the Horse Guards authorities had any objection to produce Government credit for the valuable purposes accom a report on India which it was understood had been plished by this expenditure. At the same time the fees made some years ago by the late Sir C. Napier, at the oueht to be moderate in amount Some of the best Ma request of the late Duke of Wellington ? provereents proceeded from the brains of the poor man. Sir J. RA. AISDEN said it w as qu it e t r ue as the gal- Mr. WILSON explained. lent officer bad stated, that there was a report of this Lord J. MANNERS said that this was the old story nature, which had been drawn up by the late Sir C. of the Government spending money and the n comin g to Napier and sent home to the late Duke of Wellington, the house for votes. but it did not enter into details as to the Bengal army, Sir D. NORREYSecompleined that under the present and merely referred to the military occupation of the system a part of the salaries of the officers of the crown country, though it gave details of great importance to the military government. He thought it would not be was charged nn the invent re. desirable to lay the report upon the tibia. Mr, SPOONER wished to know how much was esti- THE SURVEY OF SCOTLAND. mated end how much was already exoended, and also why Kensington was chosen fo r the exeibition of the Sir D. NORREYS inquired whether there was to be any supplemental estimate to make up the deficiency in models ? Mr. WILSON said Lord J. Manners was q uite right the amount requir d for the survey of Scotland ? Mr. WILSON said there would he such an estimate in saying that the money w as ex,iendel THE DIVORCE BILL. the sum of 7,0001., voted last year, bad been exhausted, but it was since , Kensington wee selected because there was no room In reply to a question from Lord J. MANNERS, anywhere else, The 1,0001. was spent in furnishing and Lord PALMERSTON said it was still the intention filling the rooms, not on any new buildings. of the Government to proceed with the Divorce Bill on 111 r. LYGON asked by whose authority anything was the following day, being transferred to Kensington? (Sensation). Atter a few words from Mr. CROSSLEY, Mr. MOWBRAY compeined that this was money spent without the sanction of Parliament. He moved the reduction of the vote by 2,000/., the cast of the mu eeum at Kensington. Mr. WILSON said that when the vote of 7,0001. was vote), the whole estimate was ready, but that suns was taken on account. Mr. SPOONER , said that when the vote fur 7,0001,, was taken, he distinctly asked whether any portion of the money would be spent at Kensington, and was as distinctly toll that it would not. The house then divided on Mr. Mowbray's amend ment, when the numbers were — For the amendment Against it Majority —B3 The vote was then agreed to, On the vote of 8,843/. for the expenses of the Board of Fisheries in Scotland, Mr. WILLIAMS said that two years ago he was assured that this vote would be discontinued, and last year the assurance was repeated. It was a vwe fir the benefit of the landlords, ac it was said that many of the poor could not, but for its help, have tee means of pay ing their rent. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) He ob jected to the taxing of the people of England, and of Ireland too—(cheers from the Irish members) —tor such purposes. Toe Scotch fisheries were in a most pros perous state. He should divide the house on the re duction of the whole vote. No, he would allow the pensions which amounted to 2,1651., and he should move the reduction of the vote to that sum, striking off all the other items. Mr. WILSON said that be was quite prepared to say that the present was he last year in which the vote would appear i•• its present shape. Sir JOHN TRELAWNY complained of the p resen t plan of fostering the herring trade by what was neither Wore nor less than a system of protection. After some observations from Sir G. Pechell, Mr. Black, Mr. Blackburn, and Mr. Wise, Mr. WILLIAMS withdrew his amendment, and the vote was agreed to. On the motion of Mr. SPOONER the chairman re ported progress, and the house resuined. ECCLE -lASTICAL COMMISSION BILL. Tee house went into committee on this bill, and the various clauses were agreed to with setae slight altera tions after a brief discussion. The remaining orders were disposed of, and the house adjourn Mr. E. 3. Salisbury and Mr. Townsend Mainwaring have paired for the session on the Divorce Bill. blive, would come under the operation of the bankruptcy law, to bo adminietered under that law, and had CAD- plained that under the present system a right of appeal was given from the commissioner before whom a came bad been beard, and who, having seen both the bank rupt and the witnesses, was likely to be the best judge as to whether a certificate ought or ought not to be granted, to the Lord Justices of Appeal, who would be in posses ion of no such advantages. The committee had therefore suggested that an intermediate court of appeal should be constituted which should consist of the commissioner before whom the case bad been tried and two of his fellow commissioners. He might add that another great objection which had been urged against the law as it stood was that it made no distinction between traders and non-traders—an objection in the justice of which, however (the noble and learned lord was understood to say), he could not alto gether concur. A very general feeling against a resort to imprisonment in the case of a bankrupt bad also found expression in the committee, and he himself was of opinion that, except in cases of absolute nece-sity, it was not desirable that such punishment should be in flicted. He bad, he believed, submitted to their lord ships' notice some of the chief defects which existed in the present law, and in the hope that the bill which he was about to lay before them would in some degree ob viate those defects he should conclude by moving that it be read a first time. (Hear ) The LORD CHANCELLOR said it would appear from the statement which had just been made by his noble and learned friend that the attempts to amend the bankrupt laws from 1831 up to the present mo ment bad been productive of no very beneficial re sult. Before 1831 the administration of the estate of a bankrupt had in reality been a mat'.er of private arrangement, inasmuch as in the country districts the parties concerned bad the power to name their own commissioners. The result of that system, however, had been found to be extremely unsatisfactory, and his noble and learned friend had in consequence in terposed and created a new machinery, which he (the Lord Chancellor) could not help thinking experience bad shown to be far too comprehensive for the duties which it was meant to discharge, and which had consisted of a certain number of commissioners and a Court of Review. The Court of Review had very soon been dispensed with, and its functions were now discharged by the Lords Jus tices of Appeal. In 1842 another change in the law bad been made, and commissioners for the principal towns throughout the country had been appointed to a ge ater extent than he deemed to be necessary. The consequence had been that he had two or three years ago obtained the assent of the Legislature to a measure providing that in case any of the country commissioners should from any cause cease to hold office it should not be incumbent upon the Crown to supply their places until their numbers should be reduced to that point which might be consi dered adequate to the proper discharge of the duties which they bad to perform. The bankruptcy law had in deed several additions made to it since 1842 —as, for in stance, by the passing of the bill commonly called Lord Dalhousie's Act, the Winding-up Act, and the Bank ruptcy Consolidation Act; but notwithstanding all those enactments, the law, according to the statement of his noble and learned friend, still continued to remain in a most unsatisfactory position. One of the main objections which was urged against it was the amount of expense which it entailed, and he was not prepared to contend that some mode of obviating to a slight extent that ob jection might not upon investigation he discovered. He had, for instance, ascertained during the present session, from returns for which he had moved, but which had not as yet been printed, that those officers of the Court of Bankruptcy who were known as "messengers," and in whore considerable trust was reposed with reference as the estate of a bankrupt, received in the shape of emolu ments a sum amounting to 1 6001. or 1,7001. per annum, or nearly one and a half the annual salary of a county mart judge. Now, it was in his power to eff-ct a dimi nution of the emoluments of those messengers, and be was in communication with the Lords Justices upon the subject, hut he could not at the same time hold out the hope that any reduction which might in that respect be made would tend materially to diminish the expenses consequent upon a proceeding in Bankruptcy Courts, er in any very appreciable degree lessen the difference be tween the sum realised and that which was distributed. His noble and learned friend had also adverted to the mode in which their ditties were discharged by the bank ruptcy commissioners in the country towns, but upon that point he should observe that his attention bad been called only in one instance to any negligence upon their part, and that in that. case ho had taken steps to remedy the inconvenience which bad been occasioned. He might add that he had never heard any complaints made of the mode in which the business of their courts was transacted by the commissioners in London, but he must also observe that the whole metropolitan establishment was, in his opinion, much larger than was necessary With regard to the question of the residence of the com missioners, there was no doubt that they ought to reside at such a distance from the scene of their judicial duties as to enable them at a short notice to be present and perform their duties ; but even if he bad the power it would not be in accordance with ordinary usage to corn pel the comrnissinnees in such towns as Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, and Thrmingharn, to reside within those towns. The whole subject was oae which had been underthe consideration of the Government, and he woul I give his most careful attention to the bill of his noble and learned friend. He could not be expected at pre sent to do more than to give that assurance, but he trusted that it would not be impossible to devise some scheme to make the proceedings in bankruptcy less dile tory and expensive than they at present were. The object of the Court of Bankruptcy was to realise the assets, and to distribute them in the shortest, and simplest, ar:d fairest manner, and no doubt that object could be at tained better than it was at present. His noble and learned friend had made some observations on the sub ject of appeal, in which he could not co-cur. He, as one of the lords justices, had had an opportunity of witness ing the effect of the appeal which at present existed, and he sheuld be sorry to see it abolished. He must also in form his noble friend that he was mistaken in supposing that the lords justices had no power to examine wit nesses, because not only had they such a power but they frequently exercised it, an-I be certainly should be sorry to see the establishment of a system by which the refusal of a certificate, a calamity so serious to a commercial man, was made to depend absolutely upon the judgment of one commissioner, without any appeal to a superior tribunal. He would not further detain their lordships, but would only repeat that he would give his best atten tion to the bill of his noble and learned friend, and en deavour to cull from it all that might tend to improve the unsatisfactory state of the bankrupt law. Lord BROLTGHA\I, in a few words of explanation, pointed out the greatadvantsges which had resulted from the act of 1831. So unsatisfactory was the state of the law at that time that the only wonder was that seine change had not been made in it before that period, and Lord Eldon, than whom no man had been slo ver to en courage rash alterations in the law, had agreed th it some alteration was not only necessary but in fact an possible to be avoided. What were the immediate eff -cts of the change then made ? Why, property to the extent of nearly 3,000,000/. was distributed within a few m inths which ought to have been distributed years before. It hart been admitted by one bank that it realized 5,0001. or 6,000/. a-year from the money left in it by assignees in bankruptcy, whereat after the A 3 of 1831 such a thing became an impossibility. That Act, however, althnueh a great improvement upon the old system, was itself capable of amendment, and it was with the view of amending it that be asked their lord ships to give a first reading to the Bi:1 which he had the honour of laying on their lordships' table, Toe Bill was real a first time. Several Bills were brought up from the House of Commons, and read a first time. The .use adjourned shortly after half-past 6 o'clock. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YzmuDA.y.) The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. 'The Lords' Amendments to the Backwater Bridge and R)ad Bt 1 and the Cork and Youghal Railway Bi t were considered and agreed to. The Hereford Cathedral It!storation Bill was read a third time and paPsed. ELECTION COMMITTEES. The C.,nomitt,es appointed to try the validity of the returns for Great Yarmou h and G 1 )ster (C,ty) w••re sworn at the table of the house. Tne Couptuttees will sit to-morrow morning (Friday) at eleven o'clock. BATTERSEA. NEW BRIDGE. Mr. FORSTER pre-Lenten a petition from the Vaux'lall Bridge Company, and another from shareholders, praying to be heard by connsel against the proposed bill for al)olishinv, the toll on foot passengers using the Batter. sea new bridge. - MUSEUMS, &o. Several petitions were pre4ented praying for the opening of the Crystal Palace, the British Museum, and other museums on Sunday. SUPERANNUATION ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Lord NA.A.S moved the second reading of this Mr. WILSON said that he never rose with greater reluctance to perform a great public duty in the house than on Vale occa,ion, when, afzer five years close con nection with a body of men whose merits bad been acknowledged by all, and the discharge of whose duties bad been such as to secure for them not only the respect, but the admiration of every one associated with them in the public service, be was compelled to oppose the second reading of the noble lord's bill, which, at first, eight, ap peared to be an enactment highly important and bene• ficial to the public service. He acknowledged that the course he was pursuing gave him great pain, but, nevertheless, he should shrink from the important duty he owed to the house if, in his official position, he were not to take every care and trouble to bring the whole of the facts that ho considered necessary before the house for a perfect understanding of the question, in order that whatever decision the house may arrive at it may be done with a full knowledge of the circumstances. The impressions under which this 'pee. tion had arisen into one of great public importaece, and had become what might be termed a great public grie vance, were, he believed to be traced in the first in stance to a b e li e f t h at the contributions of the &ell ser vants of Parliament towards the siuerably larger than wa pensionslent w they e ct w,'r entitled of to the ul necessary to provide for that fund, and that ind• treaty the State had already een'l and would in future make, ter • t ain deductions fr ni these contributions. Wn.a I contract entered i n t o bei.svaeovuer t h was the natur e o f th o civil s ervants o f t h e Crown and the Crown it se l f, he was P if that charge was establi s h e d, that itreve prepar e d o admit g on the part of the house to r e li nqu i sh the cha e as the rates were concerned sufficient only troe P rso ° .fal e r for these pensioes. If, therefore, it could be shown that the charges now made were tee high, be considered that whatever were the terms of the act Gf 1831, Country Markets. BOSTON-JULY 22. We !kayo again to report an extremely dull market, and a small supply of ‘‘lie,kt ; the few sales effected must be noted is to 2s per qr. lower. Spring corn unaltered. Prices :- 2 -Whoat, red, 50s Od. to 6ls Od; new, —s to —s ; white, 60s r, ko (its Od extra, t;ss. Barley, 40s Od to 473 Od. Om, 25s to 31s. Peas, 40 to 443 O. Beans, 463 Od to 49s Od per qr. NEWAB K-JULY 22. A good attendance and a plentiful supply of wheat, which experi'need a dull sale, at fully is to 2s decline. Other grain at last wcek's prices. Wheat, white ti 3s to 665, red 60s to 635; barley, malting to --s, grinding 35s to 365; oats, 24st. 31s to 369, 229 t, E 4 31s to 33s ; beans, 4 - to 52s ; malt, 73s to 80s ; peas, 46 , to 43s ; tares, 41s to 48s por qr. LOUTS -JULY 22. Our market this morning was thinly attended, and there was little business transacted, at about 5s under the rates of last week. Other kinds as before. Wheat, 558 to 59s ; extra, 6tis ; barley 419 to 44s ; oats 94s to 28s; beans, 44s to 48s. MANCHESTER--JuLy 23. good attendance to-day, but a very limited business doing, owing to the holders refusing to make a concession equal to the requirements of buyers, at a decline of is per qr. since this day se'nnigbt on English wheat, 31 to 4d per 701bs on American, and is to 2s per sack on flour. Oats and oatmeal unchanged. Indian corn the turn dearer. GLASGOW-Jury 22. At this day's market a mere retail business doing at a decline of is per boll on wheat, and 61 per btu rel and is per sack on flour. Oats neglected. Oatmeal is per load cheaper. Barley, for malting, saleable at a reduction• Beans, peas, and Indian corn hold for full prices. EDINBURGH GR,AIN.--.Tuur 22. The supply of grain of all kinds to-day was pretty fair for the season. Wheat considerably back. Barley and oats better. Beaus same as last week. Sales were dull for all kinds. Wheat, on the top, .2s 01 down, and on the average 13 ld down. Barley, is Od down on the top, and Oa up on the average. Oats on the top is down, and an the average is 8,1 up. Beans on tho top 4s Od up, An a on the average la down. AVERA.GEB PER IMPERIAL QUARTER. Wheat £2 2 4 0-12ths. Do. new Barley Oats 1 12 4 6-12ths. Beane Total Supply and Sales. Wheat 1732 qrs sold 1238 grs Barley LI9 qrs ..sold 107 qrs Oats 557 qrs sold 437 qrs Beans 73 qrs gold 63 gra DERBY SMITHFIELD.--JULY 21. There was but a moderate supply of fat beasts to-d 4, the greater part of the middling sort, and a flat demand- The supply of sheep and lambs was fair, and in good 1 1 ; quest. A large supply of fat calves, and a heavy sale. large number of fat pigs. The following were the quotations :—Beef, 6irl to 7 ,1 ; mutton, 7d to lid ; lamb, Btl to rid ; veal, 6.1 tc 6ld 1!9 lb. ; Od to 10s 6.1 per score; rough fat, 5s 31 to per 1411. ; hides, 4.0 to 6,d per lb ; calf-skins, 41d to 65 , per lb. • , , 4,q EXECUTION FOR MURDER --CHELMSFORD, July -" The culprit, Michael Crawley, was ( xecuted this more: leg, at half-past nine o'clock, upon the drop erected it` the top of Springfield Gaol. The prisoner, it will be 1.61 collected, was convicted at the last sessions of the OW tral Criminal C urt before Mr. Justice Williams, o f the murder of his wife, under the most brutal circumstan ce ! The prisoner was 62 years old, and wa, six feet height, and appeared to be a robust, hr arty man. was lamental ly ignorant, not being able either to re,7, or write, and was not acquainted with the least 0% merits of education. Oa Wednesday afternoon the t bre, sons of the prisoner, all fine young men, took their 1 1 leave of him in the presence of the Rev. Mr. Last ell . Mr. Neale, the governor of Springfield Gaol. WO The adjourned meeting of the Dutch-Rhenish Rai t, Company was held at Amsterdam on the 20th i v° The report was adopted, and a dividend of ls. 3 11 1 share declAre'l, but great dissatisfaction was exprees% at the fiscal arrangements of the governments of and Holland, which, it was argued, seem framed 0 : 3 1 ,i a view to damage rather than encourage railway Ill y takink s FIRE AT BERMONDSEY.—A. fire brolce oat yeste- tr , morning on the premises of Mr. Maintellepress, wi The glass manufacturer, No. 6, Bermondsey-street. „i v house and contents were nearly destroyed. The pe t s of hours intend to get up a subscription for the purl 3 l,. presenting George Cooper, one of the firemen, v" testimonial for his ceurageous conduct on this occee d i e p [ADVERTISEMENT.] —The salutary effect of Du Barry cious Revalenta Arabica Food in removing Indigestion tr iv et pepsia), Flatulency, Constipation, Nervous, Bilious, and .t'Aor complaints, Cough, Asthma, Consumption, and Debility T o o out Medicine, is admirably displayed by the following " Ridlington Rectory, Norfolk, Juno 10, 1850. No. Eight years' dyspepsia, nervousness, debility with eraliit spasms, and nausea, have been effectually removed hi of Barry's health-restoring Food. shall be happy to any inquiries. Rev. J. W. FLAVELL." " Bury, Laneasu al Aug. 17, 1851. Gentlemen,—For a considerable time 1 ,1101 suffered severely from a violent pain in my left side, 01 14 : 3 4' flatulency, accompanied by au intolerable sensation of h_ . %01 burn, and other disagreeable symptoms of dyspepsia. Ta i ra remedies, alleged infallible, were tried in vain, and for ts . L time I was never twenty-four hours without violent fr'-; oto -1 indeed I was unfit for the performance of my (111-, ;Iv. (1 fo I was induced to try your food. In less than an ho ur I Web relief, and my recovery was very rapid. The duties ; b p previously had been an intolerable burden became a de v et) ful exercise, and I have since accomplished more labotlx; less fatigue than I ever expected to be able to perforni• never hada return of my complaint.—l remain, die., P. o f Supported by testimonials from the celebrated Professo/f! Chemistry, Dr. Andrew Ure ; Dr. Shorland; Dr. 031 100 Dr. Campbell ; Dr. Gattiker ; Dr. Wurzer ; Dr. 1 1, „1 3 ;ty Lord Stuart de Decies; the Dowager Countess of "O stuart ; Major-Gen. Thomas King, and many other respeco'ibef persons, whose health has been restored by it, afters% Ie means of cure had failed. Suitably packed with f u . 61Ih structions. In canisters, 11b, 2s. 9d. ; 21b, 4s. 6d• 'OP lis ; 121 b, 21s. The 1:21b canisters are sent carria"o co,f ~ on receipt of Post-Office order.—Barry Du Barry , 'il , " 77, Regent-street. London. IMPORTANT CAUTION aga tU p ie fearful dangers of spurious imitations :—The Vice-C a ' for Sir William Page Wood granted an Injunction tool 10th March, 1851, against Alfred Hooper N ev iil, for iluiv '‘Du Barry's Revalenta Arabica Food 01 of I ADVRRTir3BMCNT. j —SPORTSMEN AND GENTLEMEN Ai I ARMY AND NAVY —S. and ti. Solornons, opt;cians, 3. ' n t Arofr made-street, Piccadilly West. Observe—opposite tb e fiei (l l Ftotel.—Portability, combi n ed with gr oat power je, „ibt Racecourse. Opera, and general out-door day anu.. o . .bio ) powerful waistcoat pocket Perspective Glasses, wel'coo: only four ounc..s, eac h co ntai n ing 12 add 18 lenee s ',. s oo c ' strutted of German glass, will show distinctly a 1 4. 6 0 1 ' countenance two and a half and three miles. The)" 0 6 every purpose on the race-course, and at the opera 1.1 °,i10 1 country scenery, and ships are clearly seen at Bto 1 0 ne hey are also invaluable for shooting, deer-stalki oo yachtine. Single ones, the size of a walnut, possessilikiii% same great power. Her Majesty's Coast-Guards are t iv .:neP' use of them as day and night glasses, in genera use bf oo l tlemen, of the Army and Navy, and by sportsmen, gai t 'lloo gamekeepers, and tourists. The most powerful and telescopes, possessing such extraordinary power that ' l ,Ol three and a-half inches, with an extra astronomical ei e 'd wil' show distinctly Jupiter's moon's. Saturn's ring, se r soo t double stars ; with the same t3lescope can be seen aP e b jec i countenance three-and-a-half miles distant and a n ° ,4 o ` from 14 to 16 miles. All the above can be had of large, tl all sizes, with increasing po a - ers, and are securespez Her Majesty's Royal Letters Patent. Newly-invente d e oltv tacle Lenses of the Brea est transparent power. r: tt9 i°S able advantage derived from this invention is, that At becomes preserved and strengthened ; ver y age d Pers' v ia/ f enabled to employ their sight at th e mos t m i nu t e oceui , % o o, can see with these lenses of a muc h l ess magnifY li ' g t ; ° „0 —and they do not requi re th e f requen t c h a nges v ",rOP A dangerous effects of further powerful assistance. geil can be suited at the mo, , .remote part of the world h er, tal c in, one of the glasses out o f th e i r s p ec t ac l es is a lett pit stating the dist ince f rom th e e y e th e y can re ad se l3 '"i e s with it, and those wh o h ave no t ma d e us e of spect ae oe P stating their age. Deafuess.—A newly-invented ins t o , o r for extreme cases of deafness. called the Sound 31 .!': 4to' Organic Vibrator, and invisible Voice Conductor. " into the ear as not' to be in the least perceptible ; sant sensation of singing noises in the head is ent l „ re s , moved It affords instant relief to the deafest per', °- as ser; enables them to hear distinctly at church and at pub ll° . bl(e.. 3t, AU emarle-street .Piccadilly.—Opposite tb Hotel W. BIRTHS. OF A BON. ile of On the 21st inst., at Croydon, the wife of Marano ~,, Johnson, Esq. bt 9 On the 23d inst., at Leigham Court-road, St re3 the wife of Edward Bailey, Big. OF A DAUGHTER. ll lye On the 21st inst., at 7, Bristol-gardens, Itiaida-b1 , wife of Thomas Shepherd, Esq. 13 0: , On the 21st inst., at Addeistone House, No rtlo land, the wife of Captain Gustavus Coulson , R.1` . .T.; to fl Oa the 22d inst., Mrs. Greaves Walker, ci, gam place, King's-cross. MAF,RIED. On the 23d inst., at St. Peter's, Eaton.squart%,, C P d ji the Hon. George Cadogan, C. 8., second son of n." 01 P Cadogan to Emily, eldest daughter of Lieut. -Gelg- Frederick Ashworth. a PII On the 23d inst., at St. Mary's, Bryanston-squa,V,:relr Riley, Esq., of the Middle Temple. to Marl il ar r Elizdaeth, aughter of John Laurie, Esq P. .t park-place. - . ro• . DIED. ° f bo n ( On the 22d inst., at 12, Cl aren don-terrace, St• be e" ,1, woon, the Rev. Willi am B ec kf or d F au lk ne r, inoul e- of the Temporary Chu rc h, Belaize-road, St. , J° lll3'r a d' aged 42. f o ° o On the 22d i ns t., L ew i s G eorge Dive, Esq., 0- , 9 i0 til ford-street, Bedford-square, and of Millwich-/A" 0 county of Stafford. ; St' ll On the 2d iust., at Weybridge, the Rev. Wil l ' i“33 •ls Conybeare, aged 42. tol t to o ~.,i s On the 21st iz:-t , at Granville-lodge, 11 031 , 0 0 1 " Mr. John Edward Evans, late of Snow-hil, and. -i" -- - it I, West Smithfield, aged 73. of 'naiad ' On the 20th lest., Mr. Wm. Forsyth, Hon -1100154' late of Hauov•r-square, aged 58. On ti e 19th in.t., at Kilduff, East Lothian, s 6. , b io the Dowager Lady Maxwell, of Calderwood, age d Car t On the . 23d April last, at Melbourne, Australia, R. ff. Banbury, R.N., aged 44. ---/ _. C' I rov ii e LONDON : Printed and Published by hilill„„ ,-1 ,ti ti of No, 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun `-'—c°ololl 112, Strand, in the Frecinct of the Sa vo y , in tll e of Middlesex, Friday , July 24, 1857. 1%1 ° met th e event 've Welk) h -,9giected Ca br• germ biTtAci ievri L L see 3 , : se li b taae ll er n t ° : ) : ; n : 1,, s, scrofula t oe geared a , b _sta o ; ect e a cT nd rttl i ,ut-stre tt. t kel Dt orPost ta e y —RE No• At : a r .44!NC'4 Ann ir 1.10,; 'or t 7,,atler k %tillin ,1 0 ‘ • • oezir,Alrred CY t°44: 4C 00 'Thu 4 r l Hop 44 Jacks Annua IDeci nioolved, lipe r eed of ba, usabstitt b ti ; hiect t e O 4 at p re , Eltelst C Spi l " b s kik, ra ai n ? , ai e fu Paid ,kpae ,secu innt terest tal, 414 n , c c :(l , u a e , itrikl4li. Ca b in th e Ere,tles tscout kr •• • . -r oe , Premises Dfor e nd at th e h 12 4 , 1 1 - l e a n d l p It t th e 64 " hate of 1 3 , t: l nd 1, 8 e ca. tixi cl 73,2' t4la n brc THE b t , Nl llle n e t ' Per ai ta.); Dlietn4saft' NTgE ted sEc Just DUbl SELF 11 1 . 1 t, 1 O Vi I ti?!4. l , ° , 4 ' i n it ttkrnark„ tirl" te ries to,„-Yell ;fr.,