The Press.
London, England, 1853-05-28 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

respecting the manner in which the principal officers of
the dockyards had executed their duty in this respect ;
but he declined to mention the names of his in-
formants, on the ground that it might lie irkinrions to
them, and stated viiat he bad himself endeavoured to
remedy the injustice. The committee were of
opinion that if Mr. Stafford entertained suspicions
of such a nature respecting the conduct of the dock-
yard officers, and WM induced on this account to
have the order of 1M49 cancelled, he would have been
doing no noire than his duty. the the whole, how-
ever' the committee are unable to discover any facts
which justified the issue of the circular of the 19th
of Atiril, 1552, cancelling the order of 1549. The
committee felt it due to the Surveyor of the Navy to
say that nothing had been stated in evidence before
them which cast the least suspicion on the integrity
of the conduct of tiir 11. Walker. _ . _

Respecting the ciremnstances under which the
letter of Sir It. Walker of the 21st of April, t45►2, to
Mr. Stalibrd, resigning his office, had disappeared,
the evidence given by the several parties concerned
is largely entered into in the report, and the points
shown h► which their statements disagreed, but no
opinion expressed on the subject. ►Pith regard also
to the cancelling of the appointment of Wells to the
smithery at. Portsmouth and the appointment of
Cotsell in his stead, the report enters into a full
statement of all the points connected with it, and the
committee leave it to the house to form its own
opinion.
Adverting to the general results arising front the
order of the 111th of April, POW, the committee be-
lieve that the superintendents who were examined
were justified in saying that those results had been
detrimental to the interests of the public service.
Officers of the highest honour and of distinguished
abilities stated that they had observed the course of
the appointments which succeeded to that order with
feelings of dismay, and even of disgust. The Duke
of Northumberland undoubtedly had the ps►wer to
cheek such improper proceedings, but his grace had
surrendered a portion of the patronage to the Secre-
tary of the Admiralty, and although it was only right
to state that no fault, could be found with those ap
poiutments which had proceeded from the I►nke of
Northumnl►erland himself, yet the committee express
their• opinion that the head of each department of the
public service must be held responsible fin• the system
of patronage acted upon throughout his department.
The committee I►ave restricted their investigations to
the proceedings subsequent to the issuing of the
order of 1847, when a new era might be said to have
commenced ; in previous years it was admitted that
corrupt. practices prevailed in the dockyards. The
committee also limit their report to the question of
dockyard patronage, and are unwilling to pronounce
any opinion on the general subject of patronage by
the Board of Admiralty. With regard to Mr. Statti►rd,
the committee are of opinion that he had acted in
ignorruce of much that he should have known, that
he had sought, counsel from no one, that he had dis-
regarded all precedents, and had rendered nugatory
the regulations of the Admiralty. After some re-
marks on the importance of the system under which
labour in the dockyards is employed, and the conse-
quent necessity ter economy, and the impartial
promotion of meritorious servants, the report con-
cludes with a suggestion that future changes in the
regulations of the Admiralty should be submitted to
Parlitunent without any delay.

THE Queen has appointed the Ear) of Hm Nom to be
Keeper of the Great Seal, mull Lord Patimure to be
Keeper of the Privy Seal, for the kingdom or Sent-
land. Lord Augustus !mints, her Majesty's Secretary
of Legation at Stuttgardt. is transferred toile Secre-
tary of Legation at. Berlin, in the roman of Henry
Charles Howard, Esq., now her :Majesty's Minister to
the Brazils. Mr. It. Murphy is appointed Vice-
Consul at Alexandretta, in the room of Mr. W. B.
Neale, appointed Consul at. the Pira
A llovvt. Commissiox is shortly to 10 issued,
under the lima Seal, to inquire and report upon
the constitution of the city of London corporation,
time only institution of the kind left untouched by
the Municipal -Reform Bill. The chief eommis-
sioneni to whom this delicate inquiry is to be en-
trusted will be the Right lion. John Patteson, ex-
Judge of the Court of queen's Bend); the Right
lion. Henry Labouchere, M.P., formerly President
of the Board of Trade ; and Mr. tieorge Cornewall
Lewis. formerly M.P. for Herebirdshire. fader Seere-
tiwy for the Home Department, and Joint Secretary
of the Treasury.
Two Commcw-w. DrerrArtoxs waited upon the
Chancellor of the Exchequer on Monday, one to re-
quest the continuance of think draft hitherto allowed
at 111 V C 1144101114 oil ory vilest of tea : the other to
remonstrate against the withdrawal of the promised
reduction of per cent. in the duty on raisins. To
• the tir4d• deputation Mr. tilmistime would promise
only a short postponement in the disallowance of the
draft, in order to admit of the clearance of tea
bought under the former system. Dittbrent mem-
bers of the second deputation dwelt upon the loss of

SATURDAY,

the etyma crop last year, the reappearance of the
blight in the present season, the high price of the
fruit., the certainty of a sufficient supply under the
lower duty, and the injustice that would be done to
growers, merchants. and retailers by rescinding the
reduction after the lapse of a period during which it
had been extensively acted upon. It was also stated
that there were at the present moment in this
country not less than 9,000 tons of low and damaged
fruit, which at a duty of 10s. per cwt. would be taken
for home consumption, but at 15s. would be re-ex-
ported for use in the north of Europe. If this o,otat
tons of raisins (which, though of inferior quality,
are perfectly fit for use) could be tempted into the
English market they would yield 60,000/. to the
revenue, whilst the amount surrendered by the ss.
reduction upon the consumption of last year would
be but 57,315/. These facts and arguments appeared
to produce a strong impression upon the Chancellor,
who asked that a statement might be sent him, pro-
mised to reconsider the subject, and said that, at all
events, opportunity should be allowed for a full
discussion upon the duty in the house. The depute-
tuna,having promised to send the facts in writing, with-
drew, satisfied that Mr. Gladstone had obtained a new
view of the matter, and that means should be taken
to bring it under the especial notice of members.
Ax influential public meeting was held in the Vic-
toria Rooms, Bristol, on Monday, to consider the im-
prtant question of the future government of India.
Mr. It. G. Barrow, the mayor of Bristol, presided, a
number of gentlemen of local rank and influence oc-
cupied the platform, and Mr. Bright, attended
as the representative of the Indian Reform Associa-
tion. Several addresses, and an elaborate statement
read by Mr. Bright, resulted in the adoption of reso-
lutions to the following elect
That the question of government of India. involving as it does
the WClfitre of P.M millions of her Maienty's subjects, and the
rcial interests Of two great empires, is a tmestion of vast
importance. *mil one whirl' demands full inquiry and deliberation
previous to auy permanent legislattbei thereon. That committees
of both Houses of Parliament are now sitting, to whom have beet.
referred petitions numerously signed by both the Christian and
native popdations of India In nil the presidencies. alleging
heavy grievances; and, therefore, it is highly desirable that the
reports of the said committees be receivisi before tittering upon
any proposition for the permanent settlement of the Adore go-
vernment .v 1 India. That to the system of government now in
I' owe has been attributtsl much of the imperfect. administration of
justiee, the neghs.t of public works, the insuttiviency of plice,
the increvew of the public debt, the deficiency in the public re.
ve •. the oppressive nature of WIWI of the taxes, and the gene-
ral poverty afflicting a large portion Of her Majesty's eastern sub-
jects.
A petition in accordance with the ,-entiments of the
several resolutions was afterwards drawn up for pre-
sentation to Parliament.
x the week that ended last Saturday the deaths
registered in London numbered 1,095, being nearly
the same amount us in the previous week. Lt the ten
corresponding weeks of the years 1843-52 the ave-
rage number was 900, which, if raised in proportion
to increase of population up to the present time,
would give a mortality of 090. Hence it appears
that the actual number of deaths last week exceeds
the estimated amount by l 0
Tile Lord Chancellor has appointed James Losh,
Esq., to the judgeship of the Northumberland
County Court, rendered vacant by the resignation of
Mr. U. H. Wilkinson.
THE MAttNETHI TEMiIIAPH CoMPANY effected their
communication between Scotland and Ireland on
Monday. when their new cable between Donaghadee
and Portpatriek was successfully laid down.
THE SticlETV tot: THE FItIENDS IrAtx held a
meeting on Wednesday evening at the Music-hall,
Store-street, under the presidency of P. A. Taylor,
Esq. M. Kossuth wits upon the platform.
A Novo en Ammess M H mart. Bl Eeneit
STowe was presented on Wednesday evening at a
?whir held in Willis's Rooms, St. James's-street, at
the instance of the British and Foreign Anti.
Slavery Society. There was a crowded attendance.
The room wag elegantly decorated with festoons of
roses and leaves, and on a pedestal at the back of
the platform was placed a bust of Mrs. stowe.
beautifully exeettted by Mr. 'Bement in white
marble. Mrs. Stowe, who was loudly cheered, was
aceompanied by her husband, the Rev. Professor
Stowe, and there were also on the platform a muul ter of
ministers of religion of various denominations.
Joseph Sturge, Esq., presided, in the absence of the
Earl 44 Shaftesbury, from whom a letter was read,
regretting his unavoidable absence, owing to an
engagement at Chatham to lay the foundation of a
church and to open a rag,geil school. A similar letter
was read from the Earl of Carlisle.
.11t1.7.txt is stated by his friends to have arrived
safely in England. 1: is added that he was in
Milan three months before the outbreak. his errand
being known to hundreds, !mid yet his presence not
betrayed. He remiit ed in that city for a month
after the ins= ecti in had been suppressed, and then
left. Baty in safety for London.
TitE proposal to aces pt new 11 per cent. stock for
the 90,000/. forming tl e Fitrwilliant Fund, and now
invested in St nth Sea Annuities, has been rejected
by the Senate of Camhrutge University. The votes
were—Placetsp 9 ; non-Owls, 4.

V

WT.
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1

MAY 28, 1853.

LOCAL BOARDS OF HEALTH are empowered to open
burial-grounds by a bill which Lord Shaftesbury has
introduced in die House of Lords. By the pro-
visions of the Public Health Act, burial-grounds
Odd be closed, but no power was given to the local
bOirdt to profile new places for interment.