The Express.
London, England, 1851-03-05 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS.—TCESDAY, 314r.cn 4.
Vie Lobo Csancolt.oll took his scot at 6 o'clock.
STANDING OILDESS.
On the motion of Lord Itrozooxxx atandinz ord, r No.
126, relating to the taxation of coats on appeals and writs of
error was taken into ron4.ler..tion and amsnd

PAROCHIAL ASAESSMENTS.
The Earl of MALMESID.:HY mid that he should, but
for the mete of public badness, have brought the subject
of parochial ammeaneats before the house. lie hoped the
report of the committee of last year on this subject would
not be allowed to remake a dead letter.
TRANSPORTATION TO VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.
Lord MONTRAGLE, on promoting the petition from
Van Diemen's Land, said that it was nurnernmly signed,
and the petitioners said that in consequence of the statement
of the government that they would alter the law of
.secondary punishment. they imported in 11140 and 1841 a
large number of labourers from the neighbouring behinds
to the extent of 7,000 ; but, notwithstanding that
anaouncement, the colony was Mill the chief place
of transportation for omelets, and the condition of the
colonist. was greatly deteriorated, from the number of law-
less and erinsinal persons sent there. in the session of 1848
the government of the colony announced that the govern-
ment at home had some to the final determination not to
✓esume the system of transportation after the expiration of
the two years for which it had been renewed, but this
promise wa. not adhered to. It appeared that the enormous
amount of the convict population eat destroying the hest
hopes of the moral improvement of the colony, and the
effect w.ts to drive the free population and free emigrants
nut of the colony. The petitioners concluded by saying they
would pines no reliance on the solemn engagements of the
government, as the pledges they had given to the colony
had been repeatedly violated. The noble lord complainea
of the uncertainty and variety of the systems which
were adopted with regard to the convicts. Ile
believed all the Australian colonies were determined to m-
end the further tramportation of convicts to that part of
the world. It wee a subjeet of great importance, and he
hoped it would receive the early attention of the govern-
Mena
Earl GREY mid the subject bad been so fully discussed
boa year that it was unnecessary now to go into it at any
length. He d'-nied the accuracy of the statement, that the
government lead expremed an intention to clism.ntinue
transportation to Van Diemen's Land. They had said that
they would put an end to transportation as it hail been pre-
viously carried on there ; in every despatch it had been in-
variably Mated that it was the intention of the ItOtt rument
not to continue transportation as it had previously existed.
Prom the first to the last it had always lain the view of
her Majesty's government that, while a greater portion of
the ntence of transportation ought to he inflicted in this
country, it should always form • part of the punishment
that couvieta should he removed to the Australian colonies,
where they were much more likely to become %awful members
of society, after their term of transportation had e pired, than
they could be at home. Ile stated loot year that 48,1/00 persons
were at lame in the different Australian colonies who had
Men removed from this country am convicts, and were now
earning their livelihood by honest industry. Ile had long
thought that empluying large gangs of awn 16 thousand
miles away from the control of the government was en
emit, and that such a system, however well it worked, must
be liable to abuse ; and, therefore, that that part of the
punishment whirls consisted of penal labour should he
earned on more within the control of the government at
Bermeida and Gibraltar, but ultimately that the consists
should Ire removed further away to o more distant region.
It heel let n thought desirable, instead of seeding out con-
victs as mere sib's, that they 'should have tickets
of leave, which could he withdrnwa if they behaved
awl which would also give the power of die-
peneinit them wherever their labour was neat wanted.
A rerninettee MAI appointed in that house in I 1117; the
sabject, moreover, had been dimuwed in the other
hour, and in both a *Dome opinion bad been ex-
preeeed that there should he some 'acetification of the views
originally entertained by the government. To this express
mem of op iniuti her Majesty's government hail felt !mewl to
pay respect. Ile admitted the hardship and injustiee of the
measure. whim el temente Van Diemen's Land from 1810
to Intl, bur which, however, neither his precheremor nor
home If were as responsible as parliament imelf. An ad-
dress hail hose earned in the other house of parliament to
the crown. railing on the crown immediately to remove
from this country n large number of coteries. Ile thought
that see ...are was .deleted very rashly and inemmiderately,
awl 1.. thought his two 'endive...were should have called on
the 11,..”.• of Common. for a vote of money to make proper
arrange see et• in Van Ihemen's Lund. (Hear, hear.) 11..
regnet..l that it was not done at the tine' hut all
they could do us to past error. was to take a lessen from
them and , mleavour tee cornet them for the future. Ile
thought it ehsirithle that ermviets should be elieleased as
widely as pomade, and he regretted the nret..ity which he
had been under of sending so large .e number to Van
Diemen'. Lend but he firmly believed that necessity
would net much longer continue. '11n• latest accounts
from Van Diemen's Lend preyed that when there
was ass upelnly strong feeling amongst the inhabitants of
that eolony against the reception of convicts, that colony
was riseesg wooly perhaps, but surely rising, Duns that
httle elepresetent into which it had fallen. The
demand for labour hail inereamed, the cultivation of the
land heel improvecl, commerce hail extended, and new
SlWlteet .4 industry heel been opened. (Hear, hear.) Ship
building, from the advantages which that colony enjoyed in
, the eace Hence of its timber and places fur building, had
been fealt to great importance, and was prosetit“l with
great ; and in them eireutnetancee there was the
in. a tr. t advantage in heing able to proeure trained la-
rem mer, The fruits of en improved convict discipline
begot to show themselves in the diminished number of
sonvictions, and one particular proof of the improvement
in the moral and renal condition of the colony to be found
in the eliminiehed amount of information fees received for
conviet at the polite courts ova truly satisfactory.
Isear.)
The house• then adjourned at a quarter past sit o'clock.

THE REfitrarNTATIOS Or OREENdlefl.—The
Kentish Memory says We understand that during the
past week two private meetings had been held at the offices
of a legal gentleman in Greenwich, to secure the return of
Admiral Duna., our present member, and another gentle-
man. The latter is an inhabitant of the borough. but we
refrain from further remark until another opportunity."
As a matter of coarse Mr, Barnard retires. and it is re-
ported that Mr. Alderman Salomon, anal Mr. Alderman
Wire are to contest the borough against the gallant admiral.
It is undeniable, however, that Admiral Dumbu is too
great a favourite with all parties in the borough to have
any fear for his own seat, and any opposition to him wall
sot only be a costly but an unsuccessful one.
R EtitfiseSTATlON take SOUTH WILTS.—Me. &melt
in a loiter to the Salisbury and Wiltshire, Herald, says.. "I
now think it due to my constituents to inform them thus
publicdy. that whenever a dissolution of the parliament
shall tale place, I shall not again solicit the honour which
I have enjoyed anal priced so highly during upwanls of
:12 years." A full meeting of the committee of the Salis-
bury and South Wilts Podective Association was held on
Tuesday, at which it no. resolved to circulate a requi ai a ion
to It. P. Long, Esq., fur signature throughout South Wilts,
without delay.
LtOY RANkI.II,'S ARCTIC EXPEDITION.—The
intense interest and anxiety still felt in the safety of Sir
John Franklin, and the heroic crews of the Erebus and
Terror - in particular the anxious solicitude of Lady Frank-
lin, and probably the tart of the government reward of
20,000/. for the discovery of the missing voyounrs being still
obtainable, have led to the undertaking of another expedi-
tion to soil front this port. It will be recollected that the
Prince Albert- a manageable little craft—arrived here iu
October last, after about three months' absence in the Polar
New.. During the period she was in these northern regions,
much, in the circumstances, was accomplished, traces of the
raining expedition (the only distinct and unmistakable ones
that had care been found) baring been discovered. Circum-
stances, however. and chiefly, perhaps, the slat. of the its,
pre vented Commander Forsyth anal hiserew from fully :imam-
plashing what had been intending in the way of a search for
Franklin and his assciates. An attempt under hopeful
auspices, is, however, to be made this season to effect, if
possible, a search in the same quarter and to the full extent
as proposed last year. The Prince Albert will again be
fitted out and manned, and will proceed to l'rince Regent's
Inlet, where the ship will Ixe laid up in such safe and con-
venient harlsouragc as can be found. The party will then
proceed in boats In for as can be reached by open water
they will cross the Isthmus of Boothia, and follow out their
search as far to the westward as possible. Where boats
cannot be worked kyachs " will be used, which, with
tho assistance of the Esquimaux, will enable the party to
proceed 100 or 200 miles further than boats could carry
them, OA the kyacks " can be rolled up and dragged
over the ice. It is proposed that the expedition
shall remain out one season, and, if the state of the
weather and the ice be favourahle, it I. expected that a
very extensive &comb will he effected. The Prince Albert,
',huh has lain here all winter, will be got ready as soon
as possible, anal it is hoped she will be able to reach Lan
easter Sound by the middle of June. The expedition will
be under the command of Captain W. Kennedy, who
has come here from America fur that purpose. Mr. Ken-
nedy has a very intimate acquaintance with the Arctic
regions, having served for a considerable period in the
employ of the Hudson's Bay Company. He wintered
eight years in Labrador• and was the UM European who
euplored the northernmost point of that icy coast. He
proceeds to Orkney. probably on Thursday (Feb. 27), to
engage landsmen for the expedition. Tbose who hare been
in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company will be chosen.
They will be twelve in number, and, with the six able-
bodied seamen and the commander, will complete the ex-
pedition.—Aberifern Journal.
WARRINGTOIL—NEw CONGREGATIONAL. CittPßl-
-On Monday the ceremony of laying the foundation stone
of the new building, to be denominated the Wycliffe l'on-
gregational Chapel, took place in Hewn"' street, shortly
after 12 o'clock at noon. Amongst the ministers present
we noticed the Rev. Dr. Vaughan, the Rev. Dr. Rages,
the Rev. E. J. Hartland, de., and there was a numerous
sossenstaage of spectators. The Her. Dr. Vaughan com-
meneed the proceedings by lining out a hymn. A suitable
sad Appropriate address was aftemeards delivered by the
doctor, who at the conclusion performed the ceremony of
laying the stone. This being completed, 'a
short prayer
was offered up. and the slowing of the doxology terminated
the processlinp. A collation was provided by Mrs. Char-
ley. at the Nag's Heed Hotel, at one o'clock ; and in the
evening a tea meeting of the fro ads and congregation was
!meld in the large room of the hotel.