The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-08-14 00:00:00

THURSDAY,

The Royal Conical Flour Mill Bill was read a third time and
passed.—The Nuisances Removal and Diseases Prevention
Acts Consolidation and Amendment Bill was read a third time
and passed.—The Public-houses (Ireland) Bill, the Public
Health Act (1854) Continuance and Amendment Bill, and the
Diseases Prevention Bill were read a second time.

LIMITED LIABILITY BILL.—On the order being read for
going into committee, a smart debate arose upon a proposition
by Lord St. LEONARDS to refer it to a select committee, Lord
CAMPBELL, Lord GREY, Lord MONTEAGLE, and Lord REDES-
DALE all supporting the motion, which was resisted by Lord
GRANVILLE and Lord STANLEY of Alderley.—Upon a division
the motion of Lord St. Leonards was negatived by a majority of
28 to 11, and their lordships, in spite of further remonstrance,
went into committee upon the bill.— On clause 1, Lord MON-
TEAGLE moved an amendment to the effect that the capital of a
company establishedunder the act should be not less than £lO,OOO
divided into shares of not less than £25 each.— After some
discussion the amendment was negatived by 18 to 9.—Earl
GREY proposed an amendment, to the effect that companies
should consist of not less than 25 shareholders, and the amend- '
meat was adopted.—Upon clause 2, Earl GREY proposed to add
in line 35, after the word "liability," the words "after the
affairs of the company shall have been audited by some person
appointed by the Board of Trade, and a certificate from the
said board that the complete solvency of such company has
been established to the said auditor's satisfaction."—The
amendment was agreed to.—Upon clause 4, Lord CAMPBELL
proposed an amendment to the effect that all negotiable securi-
ties issued by companies with limited liability should have
that fact mentioned on them.—The amendment was agreed to.
—Another discussion took place on a motion to adjourn the
committee, which was defeated by 19 to 9.—After clause 8 had
been agreed to, Earl GREY moved to insert a clause providing
that if the directors of any company formed under the bill de-
clared and paid a dividend when the undertaking was insolvent,
they should be jointly and severally liable for the whole of the
debts of the company ; exemption, however, to be allowed to
any director who was proved to have resisted the declaration
of such dividend.—After a short conversation the clause was
agreed to.—Earl GREY next proposed a clause to prevent the
note-of-hand of any shareholder being received in payment for
stock of the company, which was also agreed to.—Lord
MONTEAGLE proposed a clause, providing that, whenever it
should appear that any company had lost or wasted three-
fourths of its subscribed capital, the business of the company
should forthwith cease, or only be continued for the purpose of
winding up the affairs of the company. This was also agreed
to, as were the remaining clauses up to 12, with verbal amend-
ments.—Clauses 13 and 14 were struck out of the bill, and
their lordships resumed.

The Appropriation Bill and the Exchequer Bill were read a
second time, and their lordships adjourned at one o'clock.

FRIDAY.
PRISONERS OF WAR IN RUSSIA.—The Earl of MALMES-
BURY called attention to a statement in Blackwood's Maga-
zine, respecting the treatment of prisoners of war in Russia ;
and said it was the duty of Her Majesty's government to as-
certain the truth of it.

The Public Health (No. 2) Bill was read a second time.
The Public-houses (Ireland) Bill, the Public Health Act
(1854) Continuance Amendment Bill, and the Diseases Pre-
vention Bill passed through committee.
The Lunatic Asylums (Ireland) Advances Bill, and the
Navigation Works (Ireland) Bill, were read a third time and
passed. _ _

The Consolidated Fund (Appropriation) Bill passed through
committee.

EXCHEQUER BILLS (7,000,000) BILL,

On the motion, by Earl GRANVILLE, for going into com-
mittee on this bill, Lord MONTEAGLE took occasion to discuss
thefi
thenanc warialp wasositi conducted,
ed, and thefdutehtecountry, the
moheedne in whichormous cost
which that
cost was defrayed. He objected to the expenditure upon
militaryßills
arcaes a
means of
revenue of
by establishments
the repeal h
wastei stpofaep E r
ae
cxproductiveh
Stampeq u
Act, and the
source
liabilities assumed in contracting the Turkish Loan, which, as
lie urged, would give France the opportunity of escaping from
o of
atthhe home,eN
evher share of the burden, and leaving us to pay the whole interest.
r its money,
—Lords MALMEEBTJRY, GRANVILLE, and CLA.RENDON spoke
upon the Turkish Loan, maintaining the good faith of France ;
but Lord GREY condemned the nature of the contract for
that loan, as likely to lead to misunderstanding with both
France and Turkey, and censured in some detail the profligate
expenditure in all branches of the public service connected
with the war. A time of reaction would come, the interest
on all the money thus wantonly spent would have to be paid,
and not only would there be the same discontent as had fol-
lowed the last war, but the emigration which had made so
much progress of late years would afford a strong temptation
to all who could leave the country to seek one less burdened
by taxation.—The bill then passed through committee.
The Militia Pay Bill also passed through committee.
LIMITED LIABILITY BILL.—On the question that the
report of the committee on this bill be received, a discussion
took place ; several lords reiterating their previous arguments
against the measure.—Lord CAMPBELL proposed a clause to
allow costs against shareholders when the company had no
assets against which execution could be levied.—The clause
was agreed to.—The report was then agreed to.—Earl GRAN-
VILLE said, the third reading had been fixed for Monday, and,
if any peer preferred it, that agreement should be adhered to ;
but it would be convenient, if there were no objection, to take
the third reading to-morrow.—Lord CAMPBELL understood
they must meet, at all events, to-morrow, and saw no objection
to taking the third reading of the bill then instead of on Mon-
day.—Lord REDESDALE did not object, but wished to be
understood as protesting to the very last that sufficient time
had not been allowed for the consideration of this measure.—
The third reading was then fixed for Saturday.
The Commons' amendments to the Dwellings for Labouring
Classes Bill were agreed to, and
Their lordships adjourned at 20 minutes past 9 o'clock.

SATURDAY.

The house met at noon.

The Commons' amendments to

the Charititileinistsliii were—agreedltT.—The Commons'
amendments to the Union of Contiguous Benefices Bill
were agreed to, with the exception of two which were
rejected.—The Inverness Bridge Bill was read a third time
and passed.—The Commons' amendments to the Criminal
Justice bill were agreed to.—The Public-houses (Ireland)
Bill, Public Health Act (1854) Continuance and Amendment
Bill, and the Diseases Prevention Bill were read a third time
and passed.
LIMITED LIABILITY.—This bill was read a third time,
after some remarks by Lord LYTTLETON, the Marquis
of LANSDOWNE, Lord REDESDALE, and Lord CAMPBELL.—
Lord STANLEY of Alderley then moved the insertion of a
clause for auditing the accounts of companies formed under
the bill, in accordance with a pretty general opinion which
had been expressed by their lordships, though he still enter-
tained the doubt he had already expressed, that it was a
matter of extreme difficulty. The clause he proposed was to
the effect that, in the case of any company formed under this
bill obtaining limited liability, and being subject to the pro-
visions of the Joint-Stock Companies Registration Act, where
there was only one artditor, he should be appointed with the
approval of the Board of Trade; that where there were two or
more auditors, one at lext should be appointed with the ap-
proval of ,the Board of grade ; and where there ..as no
auditor, the. Board of Trade should have power to appoint one

temselves, as was now the practice under the Joint-Stock
Companies Act.—The clause was agreed to, as was also another
clause proposed by the Lord CHANCELLOR, to the effect that
those companies should be subjected to the provisions of the
Winding-up-Act.—The bill, in its amended form, was then
passed amidst cheers. _

The Commons' amendments on the Burials Bill were agreed
to; and at a few minutes past two their lordships adjourned
until Monday.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

TUESDAY.

The speaker took the chair at noon.
The Exchequer Bills (07,000,000) Bill was read a third time
and passed, after some remarks from Sir H. WILLOUGHBY
on the large amount of the unfunded debt.

TnE VAR.—On the order for the third reading of the
Consolidated Fund (Appropriation) Bill, Lord J. RUSSELL
called attention to the prospects of the war, without wishing,
he said, either to aggravate or diminish the responsibility of
ministers. With regard to naval operations, as it was evident
that the enemy did not mean to meet us in that field, it could
not be expected that the war would be terminated by our
fleet. There was danger, in his opinion, upon the Asiatic
frontier of Turkey, and the large allied force collected in the
Crimea would be met by a large Russian army from Poland
and other parts. He could not but think that these were
matters for very grave reflection. Serious questions might
also arise with reference to propositions for peace. The
Turkish Ambassador at Vienna was perfectly satisfied with
the terms proposed by Count Buol, and if the Ottoman
government should be of opinion that terms of peace had
been proposed which afforded sufficient security, and the war
should be still carried on, not for the security of Turkey, but
for the maintenance of the military reputation of France and
England, the position of these two countries would be very
much changed, and we must then subsidise Turkey. With
regard to France, the Emperor of the French, he observed,
had been not only so faithful, but so prudent and just an ally,
that he was disposed to pay great consideration to any opinion
of his as to negotiations for peace ; but, if an opportunity
should arise, and safe and honourable terms were offered, he
hoped the war would not be prolonged. He then proceeded
to review the condition of Italy, and especially the kingdom
of the Two Sicilies, where he said the best men were pining
in imprisonment, and Tuscany, where the old plan of religious
toleration and mildness had been exchanged for a tormenting
system of persecution which was a disgrace to the country.
And what aggravated the matter was that these evils were
taking place because one of the principal states of Italy—the
State of the Church—was in part in the occupation cf Austrian
troops, while its capital, Rome, was occupied by those of
France. The Pope must be dependent upon one or other
of these foreign states, and there was no symptom that the
Papal authority was gaining ground, or that, if the foreign
troops were withdrawn, it would not give place to some irre-
gular authority. If this was the case, what prospect was
there that either the Emperor of Austria or the Emperor of
the French would withdraw his troops ? And if the occupa-
tion continued indefinitely, the Pope must cease to be an
independent prince, and there would be a disturbance of the
balance of power in Europe.—After some remarks by Mr.
WILKINSON, who said the speediest mode of obtaining peace
was by a vigorous and successful prosecution of the war,
Lord PALMERSTON said he did not find fault with the course
taken by Lord J. Russell, and assured him and the house
that the government were deeply sensible of the gravity of
their responsibility. His colleagues, however, were not of
the same stamp with that man who, after full and mature
consideration, concurred in commencing and carrying on the
war, and then changed his opinion, and declared the war
unnecessary and unjust. They were prepared to take upon
themselves the responsibility which belonged to their posi-
tion, and would not be afraid to face parliament again.
Lord J. Russell had intimated doubts as to the opera-
tions of the war. The government could not enter
into any explanations upon that subject, nor as to the
terms of peace. The former must depend upon cir-
cumstances, and the conditions of peace upon the
results of the war. With respect to the remark of Lord J.
Russell, that the Turkish Ambassador had been of opinion
that the Austrian proposal ought to have been accepted, and
that he had been overborne by the opinions of England and
France, he had no reason to believe or to suppose that the
Turkish government differed from England and France as to
the propriety of not accepting that proposal. But the objects
of the war were wider than could depend upon the decision of
the Turkish government. The protection of Turkey was
means to an end ; behind the protection of Turkey was the
greater question of repressing the grasping ambition of
Russia, and preventing the extinction of the principles of
political and commercial liberty. He should not therefore be
prepared to say that it ought to be left to Turkey to decide
the conditions of the future peace of Europe, the governments
of England and France having as great or a greater interest
in the matter. With reference to the condition of Italy, he
thought he could answer for the government df France—he '
was sure he could say for that of England—that their atten-
tion would not be withheld from this interesting matter.—
Mr. HENLEY regretted that the matter should have been
brought up at all, as he did not see what good could arise
from this discussion, while it tended to introduce another
apple of discord. As we were now in the war, he thought
that fighting it out was the only mode of securing peace.—The
bill was then read a third time and passed.
The Militia Pay Bill was read a third time and passed.
PUBLIC HEALTH (No. 2) BILL—On the motion of Sir
B. HALL, the standing orders were suspended, and this bill
passed through all its stages.
The house then went into committee on the Charitable
Trusts Bill, commencing with clause 22, which, after some
discussion, was omitted. Clauses from 22 to 87 were agreed
to, when the CHAIRMAN reported progress.
The Schools Grants Security for Application Bill passed
through committee.
In answer to a question, Sir W. MOLEsWORTU said that
the acts conferring constitutions on New South Wales and
Victoria were despatched to those colonies on the 4th of this
month.

FINANCES or INDIA.—The house, having resolved itself
into a committee upon the accounts and papers relating to India,
Mr. V. SMIrK proceeded to give in detail the items of the re-
venue and expenditure in the several presidencies. In the year
1852-1853—the latest periods up to which the accounts were
made up—the extra surplus of income over expenditure was
£421,227, being £200,000 less than the estimate formed by
his predecessor Sir Charles Wood. A deficiency of £3,000,000
might be anticipated for the years 1854 and 1855, and to make
good this a proposal had been made to lay an additional tax
upon salt ; but this was a proposal which could not be enter-
tained. The mode by which the income and expenditure
might be equalized would be a matter for the serious consi-
deration of the Indian government. He concluded a speech
of considerable length by moving a formal resolution em-
bodying the results of his statement.—Mr. BRIGHT, after some
remarks condemnatory of the government of India, moved a
series of resolutions recommending that the annual accounts
of the finances of India should be made up to the 20th of
October, and the annual statement made at an earlier period
of the session.—After a lengthened discussion these were
agreed to.
The Charitable Trusts Bill passed through committee, and
the house adjourned at a quarter-past two o'clock.