The Press.
London, England, 1853-09-03 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

the happiness of our country. (('heers.) It 114 by know-
ledge that man is enabled to coerce to his service the
elements of nature. It is by knowledge that he iii able to
make the wild winds of heaven conducive to the purposes
of commerce, and to reduce the almost indescribable
power of steam to serve him like a slave. ( Cheers.) It is
by knowledge that he has lately been enabled to bring in
the destructive element of lightning to our service and
make it conducive to the most ordinarily daily purposes
of human existence. (Ilear, hear.) Ilut there is one
power which knowledge gives us which is, if possible, of
still more importance than those to which I have alluded—
! mean the knowledge which gives to man power over
himself. I Laud cheers.) It is by knowledge that men
are enabled to control their passions, regulate their con-
duet, and devote their energies and exertions for the
welfare of their families, of their neighbourhood, and of
their country. (Cheers.) Therefore, of all the power
which knowledge affords to man, there is, perhaps, none
more valuable, there is none comes more home to our
bosoms and to our business, than the knowledge which en-
ables us to govern and regulate ourselves."

OFFICIAL. APPOINTMENTS.— The Queen has ap-
pointed Earl Craven Lord Lieutenant of the county
of Warwick, in the room of the Earl of Brooke
and Warwick, and Lord Lovat Lord Lieutenant and
Sheriff Principal of the county of Inverness, iu the
room of the late Earl of Seafleld. Mr. N. Winston
Barron, now paid attache to her Majesty's mission at
Stutgardt, is appointed paid attaché at Brussels. The
Hon. C. Eden, now paid attache at Brussels, is ap-
pointed to the same position at Stutgardt. Mr.
James Egan Rosser is appointed assistant govern-
ment surveyor and engineer at Sierra Leone. Mr.
ltichard Savage Reilly, barrister-at-law, is appointed
Secretary to the Commission of Inquiry into the Law
and Practice of Bankruptcy, of which the Right Hou.
Spencer Walpole is the head.
CommissiosEits, under the convention be-
tween her Majesty and the United States of America,
for the settlement of outstanding claims by a mixed
commission, are—Mr. Edmund Hornby, on the part
of Great Britain, and Mr. Samuel G. Upham, on the
part of the United States.
THE COMMISSIoNERS to inquire into the system
and practice of education in the College of May-
nooth are—The Earl of Harrowby ; the Right Hon.
David Robert Pigott, Chief Baron of the Exchequer
in Ireland ; Travers Twigs, Esq., D.C.L. ; Montifort
Longfield, Esq., LLD., Professor of Law in the Uni-
versity of Dublin; and Mr. James °Terre&
THE NEw FACTORY ACT came into operation on
Thursday last. The alterations made by this
statute are important with respect to the em-
ployment of children. It is now enacted that
no child shall be employed in any factory before
six o'clock in the morning or after six o'clock in the
evening of any day, save to recover lost time ; and no
child shall be employed in any factory, either to re
cover lost time, or for any other purpose, on any
Saturday after two o'clock in the afternoon. There
is power given to employ children, under certain
regulations, between seven o'clock in the morning
and seven in the evening, from the 30th of Septem-
her to the Ist of April. Children, however, are not
to be employed in recovering lost time after seven in
the evening ; and the times before six in the morn-
ing and after six in the evening, during which any such
child is so employed in any day, shall not exceed
together one hour. The act is to be construed as
one with the other factory acts, and nothing is to
authorise the employment of children in any factory
for any longer time in any day than is now autho-
rised under the recited acts, or to interfere with or
affect the provisions as to meal-times or holidays,
or any other provisions, save so far as the same
may authorise the employment of children between
any other hours of the day than are limited by this
act.
THE REVISION OF THE VOTERS' LISTS for the
city of London will be commenced on Monday, the
19th inst. Mr. T. Y. M'Christie is the revising
banister.
A STRIKE AMONG THE LIGHTERMES has occasioned
much trouble and delay during the past week.
Business has been considerably impeded, and the
mercantile community harassed to a frightful extent,
involving great pecuniary loss to the wharfingers and
shippers, as well as to numerous poor men whose
daily bread as labourers at the foreign and sufferance
wharves depends on the operations of the lightermen
remaining undisturbed. The master and working
lightermen are an exclusive class, both being free-
men of the Watermen's Company, whose charter ex-
pressly provides that none but freemen thereof, who
have duly served their apprenticeship, shall, under
heavy penalties, be allowed to navigate craft on the
Thames for gain or hire. By this arrangement it
will be seen that the navigation of the Thames is a
monopoly. The working lightermen complain that
though they earn 21. a week, yet they find that
amount insufficient to support them, inasmuch as,
from the nature of their calling, they have to main-
tain themselves abroad, and keep a home for their
families, often being engaged twenty-four hours right
otf. They declare that they would much rather work
daywork for 30s. than earn present wages and work,
as nowt day anti night.

SATURDAY,

'IIIE GOLD COINAGE made at the Mint during the
three months ending J une 341 ainouuted to
4,703,82411. 3s. Id., consisting of 4,471;242 sovereigns
and 5e5,167 half-sovereigns. The silver coinage in
the same period was 155,1001. Is. cousisting of
1,141,563 florins, 717,763 shillings, 194,3444 sixpences,
and 15,840 threepences. Of copper coinage the
return is ad.
THE BhIL liNGIIAM BonouoH GAOL. INQUIRY has
been commenced by the commissioners—Mr. Welsby,
Recorder of Chester ; Capt. Williams, Inspector of
Prisons ; and Dr. Baley, Medical Superintendent
of Milbank l'enitentiary. Mr. it. kettle, of the ox-
ford circuit, has appeared on behalf of the governor,
Lieut. Austin. The commission originated in a me-
morial from the inhabitants to Lord Palmerston,
severely censuring the conduct of the governor. A
number of witnesses have already been examined
relative to the alleged cruel treatment of a prisoner
named John Dodson, who complained that, though
affected with diseased chest, he had been put to hard
labour, and compelled to work a crankwheel, and
was otherwise treated harshly by the officers, the
effect upon his mind being such as to lead him to
attempt suicide. The inquiry is still proceeding.
AT ST. PAUL'S AND WESTMINSTER SCHOOLS a
week's additional holiday has been granted to the
scholars, at her Majesty's desire, on the occasion
of the birth of his Royal Highness Prince
Leopold.
:314 PETITIONS for private bills were, during last
session, deposited at the Private Bill Office of the
House of Commons.
THE SITTINGS of the Commons last session were
held on 100 days. The number of hours was 1,193
and 14 minutes. The house sat 1331 hours after
midnight. There were 11,738 entries in the votes,
and the average sitting was 7 hours 27 minutes and
37 seconds.
Tim FALKLAND ISLANDS COMPANY held a meeting
on Tuesday, when a report was read which stated
that the colony at Stanley was gradually rising in
importance. The company had transmitted sexes
for the supply of shipping to the extent of 3,5001.,
and had sent over 120 sheep, which had thriven
amazingly. 4,000 cattle were imported during the
last season, of which 1,570 were slaughtered, and the
remainder were taken into stock. The agent at
Stanley had shipped 100 tierces of mess beef, and a
large quantity of hides and other produce, to this
country. In 1852 the arrivals at the port were 03,
and the tonnage 22,059. From the balance-sheet it
appeared that the cash received by the company was
44,393/. 17s. 3d. The balance at banker's was only
1,630/. 18s. ; but a large amount of produce was on
the way for sale in this country.
As LORD PALMERSTON is to accompany her Majesty
this year on her visit to Balmoral, it is in contempla-
tion to present his lordship with the freedom of
Perth on the return of the royal party from the
north, provided his lordship expresses a willingness
to accept of the proffered honour.
Is THE ORDER OF THE THISTLE three vacancies
have occurred in rapid succession, through the deaths
of the Marquis of Huntly, Earl of Brooke, and Lord
Saltoun. It is understood that the Earl of Redding-
ton has already received the ribbon of the late Lord
Huntly, and that the other two ribbons will be con-
ferred on the Duke of Argyll and Lord Panmure.
THREE NEW INCLOSURE ACTS were passed in the late
session—the last on the 20th ult., by virtue of which
" Chobham," the scene of the late encampment, is to
be inclosed.
THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE LONDON AND NORTH-
WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY, so unsettled since the
retirement of Mr. tilyn, will, it is now stated, be
accepted by the Marquis of Chandos.
THE DEATHS of 1,0'21 persons were registered
during the last week (August 21.7) in London. The
number is below the average of the corresponding
week in previous years, even if we strike out of the
calculation the week of 1849, in which 2,796 persons
died from epidemic cholera and other causes.
THE GREAT INDIAN PENINSULA RAILWAY COMPANY
have received authority to raise 1,500,0001. additional
capital (making in all 2,000,0001.), for which the
East India Company will accord a guarantee of 5 per
cent. on 500,000/., and of 41 per cent. on 1,000,000/.
The former stun is for the purpose of continuing the
line to Shawpoor, which will make the first section
fifty-three miles in length, and the latter sum is for
the commencement of two main lines, one to proceed
to Poonah, and the other to Khandeieh.
AT THE GENERAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY'S
_Merrise, held on Tuesday, a dividend of 14s. per
share for the half-year was declared, being at the
rate of 10 per cent. per annum.
THE NUMBER OF ELECTORS entered at the last regis-
tration for England and Wales, according to a return
.just completed, was 421,413, of which 409,958 were
on the lists of England, and 11,455 for Wales. There
• •were in England and Wales 55,879 freemen or mem-
bers of the old corporations, 331,534 were registered
• AS 10/. householders, and 10,844 in both capacities.