The Express.
London, England, 1853-07-21 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 21, 1853.

Ah! the pod saint little knew
What the wily sex would do!"

(Great laughter.) It had been his (Mr. Drummond's) good
fortune and happiness to have many private friends and
nearest and dearest relations Roman catholic'; and he had,
therefore, every sympathy in their favour. He would go
even further, and say that seeing all ecclesiastical principles
abandoned by the bishops and clergy of the church of Eng-
land doily—all recognition of sacraments, and everything
else essential to the existence of a church given up by
them—be should with infinite delight have seen the
strengthening a church which at least would bear faithful
witness for these things. He should have rejoiced, seeing
that Lord Derby, under a conservative government, bad
knocked down ten bishops at a blow—(a laugh)—..hat there
were other bishops established in this city and all over
England. (Hear, bear.) Bat this was a very immaterial
part of the question. The real question was the secular
power, assumed and never abandoned,
mollified, at any time by Rome, and by all its clergy
in the lowest depths of their seeming prostration. (Hear,
hear.) He would quote protestant authorities, but
he would always take the instructions of the priests them-
selves, and nobody could find fault with him if he en-
deavoured to understand plain English and bad Latin ea
well as they. (Laughter.) The motion before the house
seemed to be a very injudicious one fur the object in view. He
Mr. Drummond) did not deny that these establishments did
immense good by their acts of benevolence ; they were
besides extremely good schools for young ladies. On this
account they were the best possible meant of collecting
money ; and in former times they had proved the very best
pioneers of civilization. As the Pope's nuncio had acknow-
ledged that it was the intention of all of them to deliver
this country from that slavery under which Protestantism
had ground our souls, he was as determined to fight that
' principle to the death as they were. (Cheers.) He was de-
termined to expose the doctrines of the priests, because he
knew them to be subversive of morals, and because it was
impossible for the priests to be loyal to a Protestant Sove-
reign. (Hear, hear.) He had petitioned that house over
and over again against the Roman Catholic Relief Bill ; he
was called a bigot for so doing ; but be had lived to see his
assertions verified. It was now seen by the acts of Romeo
eatholies themselves, not by protestant charges, that it was
utterly impossible for the slaves of the pnesthood to be
shares, with protestant freemen in conducting the affairs of
a free country. (Cheers.)
uldr. P. O'BRIEN yes surprised that • large section of
English liberals should be to forgetful of past obligations,
as to support a measure so repugnant to their catholic 11
brethren.

Mr. E. B. ROCHE, after complimenting Mr. Ball on
his liberal and christian speech, said that the evidence ad-
duced by him had not been at all shakers. Were Ireland
always legislated for in the spirit of that speech, she would
be much more tranquil and prosperous. A committee of
inquiry ;on this bill was asked for. The result would be
that they should get up to their necks in theology, with-
out say result, except that of irritating the people of Ire-
land. The most eminent lawyers agreed that the law was
strong enough as it stood to meet any possible abuse of the
conventual system. It was said this proposal was made is
a kindly spirit; but would it be received in a kindly spirit
by the people out of doors? Would it not rather tend "to
set the people of Ireland against those of England? (Hear,
hear.)
Sir J. TYRELL said the question was one that ought
to be decided hy facts, and facts only. Some had been
stated by Mr. Ball, but there were facts on the other side.
The hon. gentleman seemed to have had the privilege ot
emeriti to the (*events, even down to the coal-hole.
(Laughter.) He knew that Sir Frederick Smith and his
lady had gone to visit the convent at Newhall ; and after
as interview with the lady abbess, the party were denied
access to the convent without some letter ot recommenda-
tion. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) Lady Smith had
visited almost every convent on the continent, end had
never at with such a refusal. He knew that since the
question was agitated in that house contrary orders had
been given, and he believed any member of that bones
would now be admitted to theseplaces. He regretted that
so many Wednesdays should be frittered away in discussing
this matter, without any opinion being expressed by the
government. Lord Palmerston had given an intimation
that he was In favour of the bill ; and if he were to declare
those sentiments he might influence many independent
members of the house.

Mr. J. D. FITZGERALD commented on the absurdity
of the view advocated by the last speaker, that any unau-
thorised person might at any time demand admittance to a
convent. He contended that there was no case what-
ever for a committee of inquiry. He could produce
double the number of ewes in the protestant church
where bequest' had been set aside on the ground of
coercion. There remained the question whether any
legislation was necessary to secure personal liberty.
This was originally the sole object of the bill. For this no
ground whatever had been laid; not a stogie tact
or argument had been adduced. The mover of the
bill had gone back to the 18th century, sod quoted
certain writings ; but did the Habeas Corpus Act then
exist ? (Hear, hear.) No matter whether incarcera-
tion took place in a convent or a private house, that act
supplied a remedy. The house had in effect done with the
bill originall, proposed ; but the motion of Mr. Phinn for a
select committee could only tend to keep up irritation, and
to fan religious discord. (Hear, hear.) Charity and
Christianity could not exist along with the demon of secta-
rian animosity. (Cheers.) He entreated the house to
banish this animosity from their debates, and not to keep it
alive by agreeing to the resolution prppeeed. Reference
had been made to the exclusion of Archbishop Whiteley's
book from the national schools ; but would it be contended
that the catholic children of Ireland were to be compelled
to read it? Even in the exclusively protestant schools, un-
connected with the national system, this book had not been
made a class-book in a single school. (Hear, hear.)
Two or three hon. members rose, but

Lord PALMERSTON said he hoped the house would
allow the debate to be adjourned, as the few minutes remain-
ing before six o'clock would enable two or three reports
appointing election committees to be received, which
otherwise would suffer inconvenient delay. He moved that
the debate should now be adjourned.
Mr. C. BERKELEY asked the government to name •
day for its resumption. (Laughter, and cries of " Next
Mr. NIWDEGATE said the *abject was one of intense
interest; there were a great number of facts yet to be
stated, and he hoped the government would 6: a day.
Lord PALMERSTON- said the debate would be in pre-
cisely the same position afar the adjournment as it
wasthen.

Theiintion for the adjournment of the debate wu then
agreed to, and after a convenation it wu resolved that it
should be adjourned (or a fortnight.
ELECTION COMMITTEES.
Mr. BAINES reported, from the general committee of
elections, the committees that had been struck that de,.
ENTRY OF SEAMEN BILL, AND NAVAL COAST
VOLUNTEERS BILL.

air J. GRAHAM postponed the committee on ;theta
bills till Monday, at twelve o'clock.
The other orders of the day were postponed, and the
house adjourned at two or three minutes before

PAIRS. ATV/R/11AV CIRTIPICATI DUTY. -- Mr. H.
Herbert paired for, with Mr. Tufnell against; Mr. Kaight-
ley paired for, with Mr. W. M. Milner against; Bir D.
Honeys paired for, with Lord A. Paget against; Colonel
Freestun paired for, with Mr. Whitbread against ; Mr. J.
D. Fitzgerald paired for, with Mr. Masten against.
Mr. Collier has paired off for the present week with Mr.
H. Lowther ; Mr. Lee with Mr. R. Moors for the 21st and
72nd inst.; Mr. Whitmore in favour of Mr. Balls' motion
on the malt duties, with Mr. Milner, and against the third
reading of the Succession Daty Bill, with Mr. Portman;
Mr. F. Dundaa, with Mr. Robertson, for Thursday and
Friday in this week.
Mr. Banbury was accidentally Ant out of the division
on the Attornies Certificate Duty.
Mr. Oliveira's notice oa Metropolitan Buildiogs is put off
to Tuesday, the 28th inst.

MARIA ANTONIA RAILWAY.—TraiIIo for the week
ending July 7, 1853. 2341. ; carrseporidiog week, 18.2, 2291.

gate erpreois.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.
a 'Snood Z& .t" 71se Expresn" containing On moo ovocilnirs
Casette," G publialed ova, Tooting end Yr.day WO; in tine
low cost
giverucesmanosintniaad for "Ms Tagrens,^Lonica Brenta, papa,
most be at tin Mee, 10, Booveria-stren, by Two o'clock an the
gay of pabliosilon.

DIOR WATER AT LONDON BRIDOIL
Tan DAT—lllandar. lb. Ith. ..—...Afteroxs. fa. 4lce.
T.,-ucesow—!laniag. ils. 6a.. —.....1.11en065. 311. I.

LONDON, THURSDAY, JULY 21.

THERE is no subject more nationally interesting to
the public, at this moment, than the weather. Every
fine or every wet day may make a difference of
millions in the national income, and come home to
individuals in a rise or fall of ld. or 2d. in the four
pound loaf. We rejoice, therefore, at every fine day,
and lament over every day of wet and windy wea-
ther. The Corn Market yesterday felt the influence
of a bright sun and a calm atmosphere, and, in com-
parison to Monday's market, prices were " dull and
declining." The weather was aided, too, by the re-
ported arrival off the Land's End of nearly fifty
corn-laden vessels, and though the home arrivals
were small, there was no inclination to make large
purchases. We may hope, therefore, that the fur-
ther rise in the Corn Market on Monday is not to be
followed by a still further rise. But this will en-
tirely depend on the state of the weather here, and
on the yield of the crops abroad.
We mentioned, last week, that the harvest news
from the United States was favourable; we have
now to add, that the latest intelligence from Odessa
promises very large crops there, and though we shall
certainly not be overwhe:med with the produce
of Tamboff, we may hope to get from thence a
reasonable, and, if we required it, a large supply. But
the latest intelligence of the condition of the crops
was accompanied by the information that prices were
rising, that demands from Marseilles and Genoa had
unexpectedly come in and disorganised the market.
We have similar news from Alexandria, of July 7,
where the prices of all kinds of breath:tuffs had risen
in consequence of advice, from Marseilles. The
French, therefore, are competing with us in the
Eastern markets as well as in our own markets, and
we are accordingly almost as much interested in the
weather and the crops in France uin the weather
and the crops at home.
We have this week later news also from the
United States, and the information from New York,
of July 9, is that the arrivals of breadstuff' from
the interior and diminished demands had depressed
the price of both grain and flour. From this state-
ment, it is evident that large quantities of corn yet
remain on hand in the States of last year's harvest,
and that these, with the plentiful crops which are
hoped for in the present year, will secure us not only
against famine prices, but even against very high
prices. From Oalatz we have, in the circular of
Messrs. THOMAS Boozes and Co., dated July 7, the
following information :
Our stock of wheat is light, but of Indian corn heavy, I
with but little demand ter either, the great dearth of
vessels and the uncertain de'rsouessest of the political drama I
now being performed having paralysed our trade. The
Rassian troops have crossed the Pruth, and Prince Oen-
ohakoff, their commander, has issued a very conciliatory
proclamation to the inhabitants of Moldavia and Wallachia,
whether commercial or agricultural, enjoining them to con-
tinue their pursuits without fear or molestation. A notice
has been issued from the Russian consulate advising the
public of • fixed tariff being established at Sulina for
lightening vessels at the bar. During May, June, July, and
August the rate will be about 6d. per imperial quarter ; in
September, October, March, and April, about 9d. ; in
November, December, January, and February, from Is. to
Is. 3d. per quarter. The price for wheat is—

Galsis
'broils

Freights, 17e. 9d.., 18a., and 18s. fld. per quarter ; the
latter rate paid yesterday and refused to-day for a mall
first-claw English vessel, the only one he port.
___ _

The shipments were as follows:
May. June.
Qrs. Qn.
Galata, wheat 14,389 18,719
Indian cora 33,626 26,167
Rye
_ - • - •

Wateion the bar at Salina rising.

Before we say anything about the chances
of our future supplies, we must remind our
readers that Russia is bound by treaties to keep the
mouth of the Danube open ; that she fails to perform
her duty, and makes the consequence of her own
negligence a pretext for compelling the merchants
to pay for lightening their vessels to get them
over the river bar which Russia ought to remove.
Now as our future prices for corn will depend on
what quantity of food we can get from abroid, as well
as upon our own harvests, we must look briefly at the
supplies heretofore obtained from various sources.
From a return laid before the House of Commons,
at the instance of Mr. Hann, No. 577, Sess.lBsl, it
appears that the average quantity of wheat and flour
imported into this country from 1828 to 1850
was 1,902,650 qrs. ; but this included the years 1847-
1848, when the coin trade was partially free, and
1849 and 1850, when the trade was wholly free, and
in the two latter years the importations were severally
4,802,475 qrs. and 4,830,263 qrs. It is therefore
plain that the 1,902,650 qrs. is a much higher average
than it would be were these two years excluded.
Now, in these two years the price of wheat was se-
verally 445. 3d. and 40s. 3d., and at these prices we
procured at least 21 times as much corn and flour as
the average quantity imported in the 23 years 1828-
1850.

In 1851, we imported 5,330,412 quarters of wheat
and flour, with an average price of 384.6 d. for wheat ;
and in 1852 we imported 6,089,606 quarters of wheat
and flour, with an average price of 40s. 9d. No
sooner, however, does the price rise a few shillings
than orders are despatched to all parts of the world
to buy wheat, and the rise makes it profitable for the
merchant to draw his imports from a much wider
area. As we were able, therefore, to increase our
supplies 2i-fold after we had free trade at an aver-
age price of 425., as we have since been able
to procure the enormous quantity of 6,089,606 qrs.
at an average price of 40a. 9c1., we may conclude that
with such a rise as we now have we shall be able to
procure at least one-third more, or 8,000,000 qrs. of
wheat and flour. All the countries of the world are
food-producing ; most of them produce wheat, and the
immense quantities we have obtained since the Com-
ex§ were repealed quantities far greater
than the most sanguine speculators ever anticipated,
and brought from countries that were never before
heard of as exporting wheat,—entitle us to con-
clude that at the present, or at very slightly higher
prices than the present, we shall obtain,—whatever
may be our own harvest,—as much corn as we
require.
Tho few facts we have stated are amazingly encou-
raging. From an average import of 1,902,850 qrs.,
we have risen successively to an import of
4,802,475 qrs., 4,830,263 qrs., 5,330,412 qrs., and
6,089,606 qrs. of wheat and flour alone, be-
sides the large and increasing quantities of
other grain we have imported. On the whole, these
quantities are so large, that before we had experience
of the fact, it was held to be impracticable to find
shipping to bring them into the country. So great
and positive has been the continual increase, and so
much has it surpassed all expectation, that only the
most foolish, not to say criminal, mistrust can throw
any doubt on our future supplies. The great
increase further informs us that our demand

for food has stimulated its production in the
various countries whence we have drawn our supplies,
Now, as they have gone on increasing, it is plain
that cultivation must have been successively ex-
tended in those countries.

The inference, therefore, is, that a greater and a
greater breadth of corn is continually sown and con-
, tinually harvested in those countries. It was greater,
no doubt, last year in Wallachia and Moldavia, in
Egypt, in New Russia, and in the United States,
than the year before, and it will be greater
this year than last year. We have no
bad harvest news from Egypt ; wo have
very favourable harvest news from New Russia and
the United States, and though the harvest may fail
in France, and not be so productive as we wish at
11 home, yet will these facts, and this train of reasoning
lead to the confident assurance that we shall obtain
an adequate supply of food at prices moderate in
comparison to those which, even in ordinary pre-
vailed under Protection. And, lest our readers
should suppose that the great and continual increase
of importation we have mentioned, and which we
hope will go on increasing, should have injured our
own landed interest, we will, in conclusion, remind I
them that our English Lamers were never better off
than at present, and that at this moment land fetches
an unusually high price.

THE first effect of Mr. FITZROI"S Bill has been to
make "confusion worse confounded," in respect to all
transactions in which cabmen and their " fares" are
concernei Vehicular locomotion in London seems
resolved into its original elements. Nobody knows
what a mile is. Grave disputes arise on such ques-
tions as whether a pine-apple is luggage, and
whether a number of pine-apples may be charged
singly, per parcel ? Cabmen and cab-passengers
never know whether their journeys are to bo estimated
per mile or per hour. The provisions of the act are
not yet half fulfilled. There are scarcely any tables
of distances. There are no constituted authorities at
the stands to serve as referees. The consequence is,
that cab-driving London is in a state of ferment. The
thoroughfares are conscious of crowds listening to
grave arguments between cabmen and their passen-
gers on moot points respecting distance. The police
magistrates have the great portion of their time
occupied in settling these disputes. Persons who
set out to the Strand or Fleet-street, instead of stop-
ping at their destination are seen wildly driving back
to the nearest police-office. The great "cab ques-
tion " for tho moment takes precedence of all
others.

In spite of the constant irritation thus kept up,
there is no hesitation in asserting that there are
hopeful symptoms. They show that the public, now
that a reasonable prospect is opened to them of cheap-
ness and security from overcharge, are in earnest
about riding. As long as eightpence la the old ta-
riff meant a shilling, and no one knew
whether a couple of miles of distance would
not be reckoned by imaginative cabmen as
three or four, men took cabs only es a pis•eller. All
except the very wealthy and the very bold got into
these conveyances with a shudder, as into shower-
baths, wishing themselves well out of them. Now,
however, that there is an approximation made to some-
thing like certainty as to the amount of fare, it is
clear that the public are desirous of availing them-
selves much more generally than heretofore of the
services of cabmen. Tho great obstacle in the way
of the attainment of all the benefits intended by the
act, is the uncertainty which exists with regard to
distances. Three-fourths of the advantage to be
derived from the new tariff of sixpence a
mile is lost whilst we hare no method, except a very
expensive one, of determining what a mile is. The
book of distances "looms in the distance," and when
it comes out will, we confidently prophesy, be al-
most useless for the determination of at least one half
of the disputes which arise. For it must be remem-
bered that a large number of journeys commence
not at any particular stand, but at some point between
two. The table of distances, however, can only apply
to lengths measured from the various stands, and
will be but very partially available for deciding
measurements from intermediate spots. Disputes
concerning distances of this nature must still be
settled by the old expensive clumsy method of mea-
surement ; and unless some easy plan of determining
such lengths be adopted, there will be every possi-
bility of the recurrence of such acts of flagrant
harshness as that committed by Mr. HENRY, the
police magistrate at Bow-street, on Tuesday. The
facts of this case are very remarkable,
and must have excited astonishment in the
minds of most persons who read police reports.
A Mr. BOND appeared before Mr. HENRY, at
Bow-street police-office, on Tuesday afternoon, to
have a dispute settled between him and a driver
named PHILLIPS. The "fare" maintained that the
distance gone over did not exceed three miles—the
driver stoutly asserted that it exceeded fear. A
charge had been made for stopping, as also
for an extra passenger, and no exception was
taken in either case. The man was perfectly
civil, and confident in the justice of his claim. As
there is as yet no official book of fares, Mr. HENRY
said that the only resource left to the parties was the
old plan of having the ground measured. To do this
it was necessary that each party should pay five
shillings into court. Mr. BOND stated his willing-
ness to comply with the requisition, but the cabman
had not Ls. in his pocket. Upon hearing this, Mr.
HENRY, according to the report, said to the
cabman :—" Then as you cannot pay the
five shillings deposit, I shall take Mr. BOND'S
statement as evidence of the fact, and convict you
of the overcharge, for which you must pay the
penalty of 40e., or go to prison for a month."
Pnlmars, unable to pay the fine, was committed to
gaol, and his horse and cab sent to the Greenyard.
It would scarcely be possible to match any magiste-
rial decision with this in respect to its absurdity.
Mr. BOND is adjudged to be a better judge of dis-
tances than the cabman, because he has as. in his
pocket, while the cabman has nothing. The cabman
loses his liberty and his property because his pockets
are empty. He is fined 40s. because he has not sa.
He is imprisoned for a month because he cannot pay
40s. Who will say after this that poverty is no
sin ? According to Mr. HENRY it is not only a sin
but a cause of intellectual incapacity. It caused
the cabman to err in his estimate of a distance, and
made him guilty of a crime in the eyes of the law.
Listen henceforth to no man on the subject of length
who has not five shillings in his purse. The
man PHILLIPS is punished now, and ruined for
the future, for want of a crown piece. Although we
may not expect to see very many cases so transparently
absurd and thoroughly unjust as this, there is no
reason to hope that the present excitement will abate
until the appearance of a book of fares. That, how-
ever, will only remedy a portion of the eril. There
ought to be provision made in every police-office,
at least, for the speedy adjudication of a question
of distance. This might, until any better plan can
be devised, be easily effected by providing every
police-office with an Ordnance Map of London. I
With this and the small, simple, and cheap instru-
ment that is used by almost every architect and sur-
veyor in the country, and known as an opisometer
any distance could be measured in a few seconds,
The recurrence to actual measurement of the streets
traversed in a cab, is a cumbrous method, and tho-
roughly unnecessary now that London has been so

accurately measured for the last Ordnance survey.
I Whatever plan be adopted, let it be done quickly, or
we shall lose half the benefits of an useful Act.
Meanwhile it is consoling to see that, in spite of the
inconveniences to which we have alluded, good fruits
are showing themselves. Cabmen arc more civil:
their cabs are more in use : there are fewer idle oe
the stands. The present excitement will point out
where deficiencies lie, and after a little time and a
few corrections, the Bill will have the effect of im-
proving the cabs and vastly increasing the number
of riders.

LATEST FROM THE CONTINENT.

DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.
Luc:HAßl:sr, JCL? 10.

The Russians have arrived and established their
head-quarters here. The number in the neighbour-
hood of the city is 5,000. The supplies for the army
arc conveyed up the Danube as lar as to Giurgewo,
and thence by bullock--waggons to this plate.
The Russians have taken possession of Oltenitza, on
the Danube. It was at this point that General
Roth crossed the river in the campaign of ISat, with
40,000 men.