The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-02 00:00:00

THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES BILL.

DIVISION IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS
YESTERDAY.

The majority by whom the Weights and Mea-
sures (metric system) Bill was curried yesterday in opposi-
tion to the government, incladed some conservative mem-
bers,—Mr. Adderley, Sir J. Hay, Mr. Honda, Sir W.
Joll;ffe, Mr. Liddell, Lord George Mennera, Sir J. Pet big-
ton, Col. Patten, Col. Taylor, and a few others. Birming-
ham, Liverpool, Manchester, and the City of London (by
Mr. ()cachou) were represented in the majority. The go-
vernment were assisted by Mr. Bentiock, Mr. Henley, Mr.
Hubbard, and a few other conservatives ; also by Mr. Cox,
by both the members for Westminster, and Mr. Ay rton ; but
the bulk of the minority consisted of government officials
and their immediate omissions.

PENAL SERVITUDE AND TRANSPORTATION.

The royal commissioners appointed to inquire
into the operation of the Penal Servitude Acta for England
sad Ireland, in lieu of transportation, have oompleted and
signed their report. It contains but 56 peps, but the
evidence and various prison returns make up two thick
volume,.
The

are not of opinion that the want et
efficiency io the present system of punishment in Eng-
lish convict prisons arises from any error of principle;
they consider it mainly attributable to the shortucv
of the punishment, but they are of a decided opinion that
the length of the sentence should not be unalterably find,
but that it should be of a sufficient length to admit of re-
laxation or remission, as the reward of industry and gocd
conduct. " Attempta," they say, "to provide a substitute
for the hope of obtaining en earlier release by granting
various other advantages to the prisoner," have not
" proved so powerful as the prospect of obtaining an
abridgment of their punishment." They "think it would
be right to allow convicts to earn a considerable remis-
sion of punishment." There is a variety of evidence on
the subject of prison diet. Some of the parties examined
thought it excessive ; others did not think it too good, " con.
sidenng the labour exacted from the prisoner. ;" the com-
missioners are not, therefore, prepared to recommend posi-
tively that the rations of the prisoners should be diminished.
There is hut one feature of the Irish system which the
commissioners recommend as worth) of et lion in Eng-
lend, and that is the supervision and disposal of the con-
vict, after liberation. " The want of any proper wrens for
the supervision of convicts released on ticket of-leave, and
of any adequate arrangements for placing them,
when their punishment is over, in a situation in
which they will not be likely to return to a criminal
life" they consider a peat desideratum. The Ditcharged
Prisoners Aid Society is useful and important, but • de-
partment in connexion with the prison would be more effec-
tive. The report recommends that English prisoners should
be encouraged, on discharge, to emigrate to a weater °snot
than they have hitherto done. A great deal has been done
in this line in connexion with Irish convict 'orisons, and it
is to this practice we must attribute the low percentage
of relapses which has been taken on the whole number
discharged, instead of oo those who remained in the
country. The latter and principal part of the ropes t treats
of transportation mid the supposed necessity nod advantage
of sending a portion of the convicts—those with long no-
tenon—to Western Australia. "We have already stated
our opinion that all convicts sentenced for any term of
pan, who labour under no disqualification, ought ulti-
mately to be sent to Western Australia, and we shall show
hereafter that the colony may, by judicious arrangements,
be enabled to receive as EMU OS there is likely to be any
cooraion to send from this country."

SPECIAL Stavrem, WEfframeria ADBET.—The
following will be the preachers at the special Sunday evening
services in Westminster Abbey, in July:—July 5, the
Bishop of Lincoln : 12th, Archdeacon ltenisoct With the
service of July 12 the special services will close for the
present year.

On going into committee of supply on the 17th,
Hr. Base will call the attention of the Secretary of Stade for
the HOMO Deportment to street manic in the metropolis.
CAPTAIN GRONOW AND THE ELLCFORD OF ST•F•
FORD.—The Waterloo veteran, Captaio Gronow, formerly:
M.P. for Stafford, whose first series of recollections and
anecdote., published two or three years ago, were pro-
pounced excessively entertaining, has just published a
semod series. The gallant captain MOMS to have a grudge
against Stafford. When he reached the town, one of
the leaders of the electors said to him in the presence
of several hundreds of others, "Now, Gronow, my
old boy, we like what we have heard about you, your
principles, and all that sort of thing, we will therefore
all vote for you if " Here every man in the
crowd struck his breeches pocket several times with
his open hand. After this expressive pantomime the speaker
continued, " You know what we mean, old fellow! If
not—you understand—you won't do for Stafford." The
colonel candidly adds that be "set to work to bribe every
man, woman, and child in the ancient borough of Stafford.
I engaged numerous agents, opened all the public-
houses which were not already taken by my opponents,
gave suppers every night to my supporters, kissed all
their wives and children, drank their health in every sort
of abominable mixture, and secured my return against
great local interest." Afterward* an extraordinary
petition was presented to parliament setting forth that the
new member had not bribed enough! Roars of laughter
were heard while the petition was being read, and the
Speaker ruled that it could not be received. Ou leering
the house, Cromer met the late Lord Campbell, then
Solicitor. General, who had been M.P. for Stafford, who
called out, "Here cornea the immaculate Gronow. who
did not bribe the electors of Stafford to their hearts' con-
tent." "I replied," says Grooow, " that I supposed they
expected me to give all the wives of electors pianofortes, es
he was reported to hare done ; but that he had been suite
right to bribe, as his election had made him Solicitor-
Generel. Sir John Campbell laughed, and said I must not
talk of bribery to one of his Majesty's principal law officers,
but added, ' There is nothing leather —a rant expression
which ass, sod I believe is still, used by the worthy and
independent electors of Stafford. who are mostly shoemakers.
and who take care to sell their leather at election time at a
highly remunerative price.*