The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-23 00:00:00

THE NEW REFORM BILL.

The Cabinet met in Council yesterday in Downing-
street, at one o'clock, and were engaged in discussion
mail half-past six—five hours and • half. Lord
Lrnsdowne war not present. It transpired in the
coupe of the evening that Sir George Orey had
urged the unsatisfactory state of his health as a
reason for declining the proffered post of Home Se-
crettry. This refusal of office rendered it more than
ever desirable that Lord Palmerston should be in-
duce! to re•assume the post he had given up.
Amongst the other persons named u eligible occu-
pants of the vacant Secretaryship were Sir James
Graham (who is much better at the Admiralty);
Sir Charles Wood (who doubting thinks he knows
more about turnpike-law than of Indian administra-
tion); and Lord Panmure. Of course Lord John Rus-
sell's services as Home Secretary would be gladly
accepted, but he (like Sir George Grey) is understood
to have urged a plea of insufficient health as a reason
for the non•assnmption of duties additional to those
now on his hands. And assuredly the chief parentage
of a new Reform Bill is quite enough, both in labour
and responsibility, for any one statesman. To pre-
pare and carry such a measure through parliament
may well be regarded as a sufficiently great teak to
satisfy the industry and the patriotism of any man.
It is said that the question of what the Reform Bill
shall really be has nut yet been decided by the Cabinet
—the plans before the Government being still in the
hands of the Ministerial committee to whom the task
of preparing a complete measure has been en-
trusted. Of course the members of that committee,
being also members of the Cabinet, a general know-
ledge of what the contemplated measure shall in-
clude is possessed by all. But no complete Bill is
ready. The Reform Measure is not yet in that suffi-
cient state of preparation which is requisite before it
can well be laid before the Cabinet collectively
for approval. Such being the case, there is yet
time for urging upon Lord John Russell and his
colleagues any good suggestions in this matter.

Vbe Court.

-4.
WINDSOR, Du. 22.

The Queen and Prince, with the Royal children,
attended by the Marchioness of Ely, the Hon. Miss Suttee!,
Lord Alfred Paget, and Captain the Hon. D. Da Roe, lett
Osborne at 10 o'clock this morning, and proieeded to
Windsor Castle, arriving there at twenty minutes before
two.

A guard of honour frets the Zed battalion of the Scots
Fusilier Guards, with the band of. the regiment, received
her Majesty at the Windsor railway station.
Prince Leopold of Saxe Cobourg is expected to arrive to-
day, en a visit to her Majesty. The Prince will shortly
leave England for Lisbon, on a visit of condolence to hi.
brather the King Ragout of Portugal,
The Earl of Listowel and Mr. Ormsby Gore have arrived
as Lord and Groom in Waiting to her Majesty.
The Mansatonees of Ely has been succeeded by Vie.
countess Jocelyn as Lady in Wasting,

for England bad a
--bitabay:place:

meeting yeitierday at their office in , _
Present: The Archbishop of Canterlaury, the Bishop of
London, the Bishop of Oxford, the Earl of Chichester, and
J. G. Shaw Lefsm, Rm.
Her Majesty's Royal Bounties to a limited number of
aged and meritorious poor, in various parishes and districts
in the metropolis, were distributed in the past and current
week, under the special direction of the Lord Bishop of
Oafurd, Lord High Atomicr to the Queen, wisted by the
Rev. Dr. Jelf, Sub-Almoner, and Joeeph Hanby, Esq.,
Secretary and Yeoman of the Almon', in ordinary.

A Cabinet Council was held yesterday after-
noon at the Foreign-office. The Ministers present
were the Earl of Aberdeen, Lord John Russell. the
Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Clarendon, the Duke
of Newcastle, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir
James Graham, Sir Charles Wood, the Right Hon.
Sidney Herbert, and Sir William Molesworth. The
Council sat five hours and a half.

PORTSMOUTH, Des 22.—Her Majesty, with the
mart, left Osborne House, at 10 o'clock this loom*, In
the Fairy, royal steam yacht, under the orders of the Hon.
Captain Denman, of the Victoria and Albert, and arrived
in this harbour at 11 o'clock, en route to Windsor. Her
Majesty was received on landing at Clarence-yard by the
Coitmeader.ia-Chief, Vice-Admiral Sir Thomu Cochrane,
!C.C.S.; the Lieutenant °oversee, Major-General Simpson;
Captain Coartney, Superintendent of Clarence-yard ;
Lieutenant-Colonel Frau►, of the 35th regiment ;
the gag and star oaken of the port and
garrison ; Mr. Davies, of Clarence-yard, and • guard
of honour from the 35th Regiment, commanded
by Major English, with the band of that regiment.
The garrison, the Victory flagship, and the Neptune, 130,
fired the customary salutes, and the various ship' hoisted
mart-head Wears, manned rigging, and cheered her
Majesty as eke pored. There was a special train in waiting
to convey her Majesty, and which left Clarence yard at
11.15, per South Western Railway, for Beeingenike, where
her Majesty would change carriages, proceeding to Windsor
thence by the Great Western Railway.

A Dublin morning paper states that a conditional
order for an attachment, bearing date 15th Dec., has
issued against John Sadleir, Esq., M.P., one of the
Lords of the Treasury, to compel the payment of the
purchase money of the portions of the Gleagall
estate bought by him on the 11th Nov. last. 'the
amount ig 67,9704, of which 1,0001. has been paid in.
It is understood that Mr. Sadleir only made the pur-
chases in trust, and that his responsibility in the
affair is not of a personal character.

AT 0113RALTAR.

A resident at Gibraltar writes on the 7th inst.:

The sontraetor who supplies the army with fresh beef
has informed the governor that he has not sufficient forage
for the cattle, and that some of them must be killed and
salted.

No provisions or supplies of any kind can come from
Spain, and you can conceive the misery and privation
which must be brought upon this community by the none-
' smeary act of the governor in removing all quarantines
from England. The question of quarantine is a local awe,
while England feels that quarantine regulations place pre-
judicial restrictions upon the freedom of trade, Gibraltar
feels the necessity of quarantines in order to keep open her
free communication with Spain, consequently no quaran-
_ _ .

_ . .
tine on England most seriously affects the people of Gas-
raker, because it cuts off her trade with Spain, and in-
theta great and unnecessary suffering upon the poor.
The governor ha. greatly complicated the question, and
be bas succeeded in making it a national question. His
cordon was a most fatal mistake—it was an act which Lea-
not be defended by our government. It greatly irritated
the Spaniards, and forced them to adopt retaliatory mea-
sures, which will injure the laterals of this place for a long
time to come.

We are now in a dead lock. The Spaniards will not give
way, our governor will not reimpose • five days' quaran-
, tine from England. We, therefore, remain shut up, with
trade suspended, and with the industrial occupations of an
entire population at perfect rest. Distress and misery are
more widely spreading. We have no hope of relief from
Madrid. It is not I kely Spain will change her regulations
on account of Gibraltar. Our relief must come from Eng-
land, and I cannot think that the earnest cries of 16,000
souls will ►ave no influence upon the Secretary of State.
am full Of bops that he will at loco recall the governor.