The Press.
London, England, 1854-04-01 00:00:00

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THE PRESS,

and explained his measure to the house, unexpectedly
found that, without his concurrence, or indeed any consul-
tation with him, Lord Palmerston had given a pledge to
extend the measure to Scotland and Ireland. The origin
of so singular a misunderstanding ueme to be rather
obscure. When the pledge was given there is little doubt
it was under the impression that the President of the Poor
law Board had consented, while it is now very clear that
he had not. The Home Secretary not being able to state
the occasion, or to produce the document in which this
supposed consent was communicated, is said to trace his
own impressions on that point to the statements of the Irish
members at his interview with them. This, certainly,
would be a singular channel of communication to be relied
upon in a very important matter between a Secretary of
State and the head of a great department ; but, if we are
rightly informed, the Irish members themselves are lilt
aware of having pretended to convey Mr. Baines' opinion
on the subject. That gentleman's concurrence, therefore,
has been taken for granted without his authority, and even
without consultation ; and, after he had publicly committed
himself upon a carefully elaborated scheme, he found it
suddenly hampered with a pledge involving a serious
amount of alteration, and risking the success of the mea-
sure in any form. Front first to last here is a series of
errors, and worse than errors."
From the report of parliamentary proceedings it will
be seen that Mr. Baines has withdrawn his resigna-
tion, at all events for the present.
GOLD-MINING OPERATIONS IN NORTH WALES have
been regularly commenced within the past week.
At one place four of Berdan's machines have been
put up, two of which are at work, and are alleged to
be crushing quartz at the rate of a quarter of a ton
per hour, the yield of gold from each ton averaging
more than an ounce.
TENDERS have been delivered during the week
for the navy contracts for hemp, but at such
high prices that the Government did not entertain
them.
IT is stated that Mr. Gladstone has made an
arrangement for " floating " all his new Exchequer
Bills on very advantageous terms.
THE LORD MAYOR entertained her Majesty's Mi-
nisters and a very numerous and distinguished party
to dinner in the Egyptian-hall of the Mansion-house
on Saturday evening.
THE HoN. CAPTAIN BLacxwoon, who was charged
to deliver the British ultimatum to the Czar, returned
to London on Saturday evening from St. Petersburg.
Captain Blackwood arrived at St. Petersburg on the
13th of March and delivered his message, waited
until the expiration of six days, and on the 19th
began his homeward journey, reaching London
about ten o'clock on the night of the 25th.
THE NEW ACT admitting foreign ships to the
coasting trade, which received the royal assent on
the 23rd ult., is now printed. It repeals certain
sections of the 16 and 17 Vict., c. 107, and enables
her Majesty to exercise retaliatory powers as pro-
vided in the same act.. It then enacts that every
foreign ship in the coasting trade shall be subject to
the same rules and regulations as British ships.
Foreign ships employed in the coasting trade are not
to be subject to higher rates than British ships.
With respect to passengers, it is declared to be ex-
pedient to provide for the safety of passenger-
steamers, and declares that every foreign steam-
vessel carrying passengers from one place to another,
on the coast of the United Kingdom and the Chan-
nel Islands, shall be subject to the provisions of the
Steam Navigation Act, 1851. The coasting trade is
thus now thrown open to foreign ships the same as
British vessels.
A MIXED GAUGE is now in course of formation on
the railway between Basingstoke and Oxford to
complete a direct narrow-gauge communication be-
tween Southampton and the north of England.
THE REV. MR. PEROWNF., M.A., the censor of
King's College, has been appointed by the council to
the new professorship in English History, and to the
lectureship of Modern History, vacant by the resig-
nation of the Rev. J. J. Brewer.
THE COMMISSIONERS OF CUSTOMS have given notice
of their intention immediately to commence taking
stock of all the goods at the bonded warehouses
throughout the United Kingdom, in conformity with
the clauses in the Customs Consolidation Act re-
quiring a repetition of that process every five years.
All goods which have been in bond for five years,
and which shall not be cleared or rewarehoused
within one month, will be sold, and the proceeds
carried to the account of the Crown, to abide the
owners' claim.
PERFORATED POSTAGE AND RECEIPT STAMPS have
now been supplied to the provinces.
MESSRS. STURGEON AND SONS, the hay-contractors
for the troops, have published a letter stating that
they have presented petitions to both Houses of
Parliament, praying for an immediate examination
of the bay returned to them by the Victualling-office,
and of the whole of that which they had pressed for
the Government. They assert, with the fullest con-
fidence, that neither water, nor filth, nor any rub-
bish will be found in a single bale. This petition
was presented in the Commons on Tuesday, but re-
jected on account of informality.

SATURDAY,

RETURNS relating to matriculations in the Univer-
sities of Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Dublin, the
Queen's University in Ireland, and the several Scotch
universities, have lately appeared. The number of
matriculations are :—at Oxford, 402 ; at Cambridge,
430 ; at Dublin, 279. The rate of duty on each is
205., making a sum total of 1,1171. No duty is paid
on matriculation at Durham, London, the Queen's
University in Ireland, and the universities in Scot-
land. _ _ _ _ __ . _

THE branch railway from the London and Brighton
line to the Crystal Palace was opened on Monday.
This railway diverges from the main line near the
Sydenham station, and ascends the hill on the sum-
mit of which the palace stands, terminating in a large
and convenient station, which, by means of a glass-
covered way, communicates directly with the palace.
THE ANNUAL BALL for the benefit of an excellent
institution, the British Charitable Fund, in Paris, is
to take place at the Jardin d'Hiver on the 19th of
April, and promises to be one of the most successful
that have occurred for many years. A brilliant list of
ladies patronesses has been issued, at the head of
which is her Excellency Lady Cowley. The stewards
comprise his Excellency Lord Cowley, Marquis of
Hertford, Marquis of Ely, Earl of Pembroke, Lord
Gray of Gray, Hon. Henry Howard, Hon. Spencer
Cowper, Captain Courtenay Boyle, R.N., Captain
Langford, R.N., Joseph Locke, Esq., M.P., Sae. On
this occasion the Emperor and Empress have sent a
liberal subscription to the charity of 2,000 f.