The Press.
London, England, 1857-11-14 00:00:00

Volitttal.

THREE CABINET COUNCILS have been held this
week, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday after-
noons, at the official residence of the First Lord of the
Treasury in Downing street. The, Ministers present
were—Viscount • Palmerston, the Lord Chancellor,
Earl Granville, Earl of liarrowby, Sir George Grey,
Earl of Clarendon, Mr. Secretary Labouehere, Lord
Panmure, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir
Charles Wood, the Eight lion. 11. Vernon Smith,
Lord Stanley of Alderley, the Eight lion. Id. T.
Baines, and the Duke of Argyll.
THE MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.-It has been
resolved to call Parliament together at once, in order
to settle the questions raised by the present crisis,
and to register for Ministers and the Bank directors
that indemnity for which they are obliged to
appeal. A Council will, we understand, be held
next Monday, at which, probably, Parliament will
be summoned to meet at the end of fourteen days.—
The Times.

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NEW COURT OF PROBATE.—It is understood that a
formal application has beer. made to the authorities
that the new Court of Probate, which is to be opened
at the commencement of Hilary Term, 1858, should
be held at Doctors' Commons.
A PARLIAMENTARY RETURN ON RAILWAY ACCIDENTS
just issued includes the number and nature of the.
accidents and the injuries to life and limb which
have occurred on all the railways open for traffic in
England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland, frornithe
Ist of January to the 30th of June, 1857. The
number of accidents to trains was 32; the number
of persons killed, 13 ; injured, 295; servants of the
company killed, 0 ; do. injured, 20—total of persons
killed, 20; injured, 315. Fourteen of the accidents
arose from collision of passenger trains, nine from
trains running off the rails, four from boilers burst-
ing, four from wheels breaking, and one from run-
ning into siding. Of the individuals killed or in-
jured, 31 are put down as having been front
causes beyond control, and 82 as arising from want
of caution or misconduct.
LORD GODERICH, M.P., AND GENERAL THOMPSON,
M.P., had an interview a few days since with the
Earl of Clarendon at the Foreign.office, at d
which
they presented to his lordship the memorial agree
to recently by the Leeds and Bradford Chamber of
Commerce, requesting the Secretary for Foreign
Affairs to use his influence with the Portuguese
Government to secure the free navigation of tho
Zambese river, and to afford that freedoms of transit

and of commercial intercourse in the Portuguese
colonies, on both the west and east coasts of Africa,
which the memorialists think necessary in order to
develop the resources of these colonies as well as of
the native districts. Lord Clarendon listened most
attentively to the statements made to him, and gave
the deputation satisfactory assurances as to the in-
tentions of the Government. Dr. Livingstone, he said,
would proceed to Lisbon with the strcngest recom-
mendations, both to the King and Government of
Portugal, and would receive the hearty support of
our Minister at that Court in his efforts to secure
freedom of navigation of the Zambese, and the
utmost facilities for commercial intercourse with the
interior of Africa. Lord Clarendon entered fully
into the views of the deputation as laid down in the
memorial, and seemed to he particularly impressed
with the necessity of encouraging the growth of
cotton by all practicable means. The deputation
also brought under his lordship's notice the subject
of the recent renewal of the internal slave trade on
the west coast of Africa in consequence of the
proceedings of the French, and Lord Clarendon
told them that the attention of the Government was
strongly directed to the matter, and that they were
in communication with the French Government in
respect to it. He also begged the deputation to
assure the Leeds and Bradford Chambers of Com-
merce that he was at all times glad to receive from
such bodies information as to their views upon
subjects connected with the commercial interests of
the country. Another deputation, from the British
Association, consisting of the President, the Rev.
Dr. Lloyd, the Rev. Dr. Robinson of Armagh, Sir
Roderick Murchison, Mr. M'Gregor Laird, and
Colonel Sabine, accompanied by Dr. Livingstone,
have also had an interview with Lord Clarendon to
represent to him the importance of the Government
sending a vessel to survey the entrance to the Zam-
bese, and to ascend the river as far as practicable for
navigation. Many similar representations, it is said,
have been made to the Government, and though the
answer to the last-named deputation has not trans-
pired, the probability is that an object recommended
by the interests of iscience and of commerce, as
well as on higher grounds, will eventually be accom-
plished.

CAPTAD3 EDWARD BURSTAL, R.N.,has been selected
by the conservators of the river Thames as Secretary.

Mn. ROUPELL addressed his constituents at the
Horns Tavern on Wednesday. He reviewed the
proceedings of the last session, and advocated the
adoption of summary proceedings towards the muti-
neers, and the abolition of the East India Company.
THE report of the "rumoured resignation" of Mr.
W. Hackblock, the member for Reigate, is untrue.
Such a step bcs not been contemplated by Mr.
liackblock. He has been seriously ill, but is now
very much better, and confidently expects to take his
seat at the ensuing session in better health than in
the last.

MR. FITZROY, M.P., who distinguished himself a
year or two ago in connection with the regulation of
cab fares, has, it is said, the object in view to
introduce a measure to secure an equalisation
and systemisation of omnibus fares, but there are
other portions of the proposed bill which will have
for their object an improvement of the vehicles them-
selves, with a view to increased accommodation for
the public.
SIR ALEXANDER RAMSAY, M.P., was entertained
last week by his constituents at a splendid ban-
quet. The banquet was held in a large room
of a new mill, belonging to Mr. Henry Haigh.
From eight hundred to nine hundred people were
present. Mr. A. H. Royds, J.P., and chairman of
Sir Alexander's late committee, presided. Dr. Moles-
worth, in responding to the toasts of his health, and
that of the local clergy, said that the Church knew
no distinction as to political parties—between a Tory
or a Whig, a Chartist or a Radical. She took them
all in her embrace, and wished all to be guided by
her noble, charitable, and Christian principles. Sir
Alexander Ramsay's health having been enthusiasti-
cally drunk, that gentleman addressed the meeting.
After alluding to the petition to Parliament which had
been presented against his return, be proceeded to
review his proceedings in the House of Commons.
In regard to India lie said he hoped that in future,
whatever the form of government might be, the
conntly would be civilised and its resources de-
veloped :

To the wrongdoers he asked for justice—stern, rigid,
and unbending justice—to those taken in rebellion who
had dared to lift their hands against the helpless women
and children. They must be placed in that position
where they could lift their hands no more. To the men
of Lancashire the government of India was of vast mo•
went. Ile had been deeply interested in the question how
cotton could be got solely from America, and India olfcred
a field for raising it. Put the Government, which was the
owner of the land, must offer facilities to the ryot and the
zemindar, by making roads for transit.

in conclusion, Ile advocated u thorough reform in
the Indian administration.