The Press.
London, England, 1853-08-27 00:00:00

V rott4ings in V arliamtnt.

THE POST-OFFICE..

A question put by just before the
house was prorogued on Saturday, respecting the de-
ficiency of postal facilities in Ireland, elicited from
Mr. NV IMON some explanations of the present state
and growing magnitude of the Post-office service :
" Compared with 1840, which was five or six years after
the penny postage had come into full operation, the daily
number of letters at present passing through the General
Post-office was 140,00 additional, and of newspapers up-
wards of 40,000 more daily. Taking the three periods of
1841, 1840, and 1853, the number of letters which passed
through the Post-office in the last week in June in each of
those years was:—ln 1841, 3,773,000; in 1840, 5,043,000 ;
and in 1853 they had increased to 7,700,000 ; so that since
1840 the number of letters had increased 2400,000 a week.
Then take the registered letters, which required no less
than four separate entries for each letter, and the signature
of two clerks. In 1840 the number was 27,000 ; in the
present year 01,00. Then there was another department,
the money order department, upon which there was a great
pressure. In 1841 the whole amount which passed through
that department was 900,0031.; in 1854 it was 9,400,0091. ;
and this year it would be upwards of 10,01 OAOI. if it went
on at its present rate. He thought these facts were a
sufficient apology, if any were required, for any deficiency
in the Post-office, but he could only say that the noble lord
who was at the head of the I'ust•oftice and Mr. Rowland
Hill were occupied in endeavouring to give every possible
facility, and especially in the south of Ireland."

TRANSPORTATION.

The new act for restricting transportation will
come into operation on Friday next.
•

After that day no person is to be sentenced to transportation,
except for life or fourteen years or upwards. Any person who
might have been sentenced to transportation' for a tens less than
fourteen years is vibe liable, at the discretion of the court, to be
kept in penal servitude. Persona liable to transportation for
fourteen yearn or upwards, or for life, may still be sentenced
either to transportation or to penal servitude. The following
terms of penal servitude are to be awarded instead of the preeeut
terms of transportation. Instead of transportation for seven
years or less, the penal servitude Is to be a term of four years.
For any term of transportation exceeding seven anal not ex-
ceeding ten years, the penal servitude substituted is to be not
less than four, and not exceeding six, years. Instead of transpor-
tation exceeding ten and not exceeding fifteen years, the penal
servitude Is to be for not less than six and not exceeding eight
years; where it exceeds fifteen years, the penal servitude le to be
not lest' than six 'aid not exceeding ten years ; and instead of
transportation for life, the penal 'servitude to be for the teem of
life; and In every ease where, at the discretion of the court, one
of any two or more of the tenns of transportation might have
been awarded, the court shall have the like discretion to award
one of the two or more term' of penal servitude in relation to
such term of transportation. There are three clauses in the act
with regard to tickets of leave in the United Kingdom, and the
system is new tube tried for the first time in this country. It is
declared to be lawful fur her Majesty, by at: order in writing
under the hand and seal of one of the principal secretaries of
mate, to grant to any convict now under sentence of transporta-
tion, or who may hereafter be sentenced to transportation, or to
any punishment substituted fur transportation by title act, a
li-
eeuce to be at large in the United King:don' and the Channel
Islands, or in such parts thereof respectively as in such licence
shall be expressed, during such portion of his or her term of
transportation or imprbe 1111 l lent, and upon such conditions in all
respects, as to her Majesty shall seem fit, and it shall be lawful
for her Majesty to revoke or alter such licence by a like order at
her Majesty's pleasure. Sot long as such licence shall continue
in force and unreveked such convict shall not be liable to be im-
prisoned or transported by reason of his or her sentence, but
shall be allowed to go and remain at largo according to the tents
of such licence. On a licence being revoked the convict may be
apprehended and committed to prison. After the commencement
of the act, persons convicted of larceny, after previous conviction
for felony, are not to' ho liable to transportation. The set is not
to affect the discrefis n of criminal courts as to alternative pu-
nishment, which n ho in addition to the punishment now sub-
stituted for transp. wit m."

RUssIA AND TURKEY.
A last attempt was made on Saturday, by Mr.
Mom :tans MILNES, to extract from the Government
some definite statement or reliable hope of the eva-
cuation of the Danubian principalities by Russia
under the pending negotiations. The hon. member
entreated even to be assured that the Ministry had a
" moral confidence" of that result, so that Parlia•
meat might separate without anxiety. At present,
he said, it was to this one point that the attention of
the country was mainly directed
Turd PshituttsroN : The answer as to the confidence of
her Majesty's Government may be given in the shortest
possible space—namely, their belief that Parliament may
be safely prorogued under present circumstances. With
regard to the evacuation of the principalities, I can only
say that I am confident that the Emperor of Russia,
having that due reganl for his honour and character which
even• sovereign of a great country must always be inspired
by, will take the earliest opportunity, after the settlement
with Turkey, and of his own accord will make a merit of
evacuating the principalities without the slightest delay
That is my confident expectation and belief.
The noble lord had scarcely concluded when
" Black Rod" was announced, and summoned the
members to hear the commission read for the proro-
gation of Parliament.

THE PROROGATION SPEECH FROM
THE THRONE.
" My Lords anti Gentlemen,
" We are commanded by her Majesty to release you
from your attendance in Parliament, and at the same time
to express her Majesty's cordial approbation of the zeal
and assiduity with which, during a protracted and
laborious session, you have applied yourselves to the cow
aideration of many subjects of great importance to the
public welfare.


THE PRESS.

" Her Majesty has seen with much satisfaction that, by
the remission and reduction of taxes which tended to
cramp the operations of trade and industry, you have given
fresh extension to a system of beneficent legislation, and
have largely increased the means of obtaining the neces-
saries of life.

" The provision which you have made for meeting the
demands of the public service, not only iu the present but
also in future years, is of a nature to give permanent sta-
bility to our finances, and the►eby to aid in consolidating
the strength and resources of the empire.
" The buoyant state of the revenue, and the steady pro-
gress of our foreign► trade, are proofs of the wisdom of the
commercial policy now firmly established; while the pros-
perity which pervades the great trading and producing
classes, happily without even a partial exception, affords
continued and increasing evidence of the enlarged comforts
of the people.
" The measure which you have passed for the future
government of India has been readily sanctioned by her
Majesty, in tl►e persuasion that it will prove to have been
wisely framed, and that it is well calculated to promote
the improvement and welfare of her Majesty's Eastern
dominions. _ .

" Her Majesty regards with peculiar satisfaction the
provision you have made for the better administration of
charitable trusts. The obstacles which existed to the just
and beneficial use of property set apart for the purposes of
charity and of education have been a serious public evil,
to which her Majesty is persuaded that in your wisdom
you have now applied an efficient remedy.
" Gentlemen of the Hotili of Connnons,
" We are commanded by 14r Majesty to thank you for
the supplies which you have granted for the service of the
present year, and for the provision which you have made
for the defence of the country, both by sea and laud. Her
Majesty will apply them with a due regard to economy,
and consistently with that spirit which has at all times
made our national security the chief object of her care.

" My Lords and Gentlemen,
" lier Majesty commands us to inform you that she con-
tinues to receive from her allies the assurance of their un-
abated desire to cultivate the most friendly relations with
this country.
" It. is with deep interest and concern that her Majesty
has viewed the serious misunderstanding which has re-

ceutly arisen between Russia and the Ottoman Porte.
" The Emperor of the French has united with her Ma-
jesty hi earnest endeavours to reconcile differences the
continuance of which might involve Europe in war.
" Acting in concert with her allies, and relying on the
exertions of the Conference now assembled at Vienna, her
Majesty has good reason to hope that an honourable
ar►angement will speedily he accomplished.
" Her Majesty rejoices in being able to announce to you
the terminatisn► of the war on the frontiers of the settle-
ment of the Cape of Good Hope, and she trusts that the
establishment of rep►esentative government in that
colony may lead to the development of its resources, and
enable it to make efficient provision for its future defence.
" We are also commanded to congratulate you that, by
the united exertions of the naval and military forces of her
Majesty and of the East India Company, the war in Bur-
mah has. been brought to an honourable and successful
issue. The objects of the war having been fully attained,
and due submission made by the Burmese Government,
peace has been proclaimed.
Her Majesty contemplates with grateful satisfaction
and thsnkfnlness to Almighty God, the tranquillity which
prevails throughout her dominions; together with that
peaceful industry and obedience to the laws which ensure
the welfare of all classes of her subjects. It is the first
desire of her Majesty to promote the advance of every
social improvement, and, with the aid of your wisdom,
still further to extend the prosperity and happiness of her
people."