The Express.
London, England, 1867-11-26 00:00:00

OVIIRLAND MAILS.

BOMBAY (HEAVY) MAIL.-8017THAMrZON, Nov.
26.—The Tanjore passed Hunt Cutle at 7.35 a.m. to-day.

BompAY Nov. 25.—The Baroda,
from Bombay Nov. 14, arrived this aftarnoon.
OUTWARD CALCUTTA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN
htsity.--GuntturAß, Nov. 2.s.—The Pen, from South-
ampton 220th inst., arrived to-day at 6 am., and left at
10 a.m. for Alexandria. All well.

ASSOCIATED CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.

CONFERENCE.-(THIS DAY.)

This morning a conference of the Associated
Chambers of Commerce, which is to last till Thursday
evening, was commenced at the Westminster Palace
Hotel, Mr. Lunn, of Birmingham, the president, in the
chair. Delegate' were present from Leeds, Hull, Brad-
ford, Sheffield, Birmingham, Nottingham, Macclesfield,
Huddersfield, Newcastle, Kendal, Falmouth, and other
towns. The subjects upon the notice paper are chiefly
those which were considered at the sitting in
the spring, including bankruptcy law reform, tech-
nical education, patent law reform, government
control of telegraphy, postal reform, the Mer-
chant Shipping Act, Ito. This conference (se the
chairman explained) will not supersede the annual meeting
generally held in February, but it was called in conse-
quence of some of the members of the standing committee
urging that the views arrived at by the Associated Cham-
bers should be laid berme the government earlier than the
actual commencement of the session.

The first question considered was bankruptcy law reform,
upon which there were resolutions from the chambers at
Birmingham, Leeds and Macclesfield. The resolutions
were brought forward and discussed, and ultimately the
following was unanimously adopted :—" That a thorough
reform of the English law of bankruptcy is urgently needed,
with a view both to the more speedy and economical realisa-
tion and distribution of the estate, and to the repression
of fraud. That in the opinion of this association, the pro-
visions of the Scottish law of bankruptcy (19 and 20 Viot.
c. 79) have proved eminently successful in accomplish-
ing these objects • and that in any measure for the reform
of the law of bankruptcy, those provisions should be copied
as closely as possible. That this association regrets the
great delay which has taken place in the settlement of
this question. deeply, and would therefore strongly. urge
17;ohretrhile aßliseastYpa miniandsters
oef ri necessity
nst;:e paaremp:rafoyas
parliarnett immveealely after' its assembling; and further,
that every exertion should be made to pt the
same passed into law during the next session.
That in training such bill, it be strongly recom-
mended by the association that it should contain
provisions to enable the creditors themselves, or persons
appointed by them, to realise and distribute the meets of
bankrupts, with as little interference on the part of officials
of the bankruptcy courts as possible ; but giving to the
courts jurisdiction in all cases where the bankrupt or any
creditor may deem himself aggrieved or injured. That it
is desirable that the law of bankruptcy be divided into two
bills ; one providing for the civil part, and the other for
the criminal part of the law. That it is also desirable that
provision be made for winding up and distribution of the
estates of deceased insolvents in bankruptcy."
A resolution from the Macclesfield Chamber was added,
proposing a deputation to wait upon the A.ttoruey•General.
Mr. MURPHY, of Belfast, hoped that the deputation
would bo instructed to press upon the government the
necessity of at the earliest possible opportunity extending
the provisions recommended for England to Ireland.
(Hear, hear.) This was added to the resolution.
The next question was that of registration of partner-
ships, and four resolutions respecting it were upon the
notice piper, each urging the necessity of a law providing
for compulsory registration. After some conversa-
tion, Birmingham, Leeds, and Nottingham, with-
drew their motions in favour of Huddersfield.
The proposal was opposed by the representatives of the
Hull Chamber, because they considered it utterly imprac-
ticable, and Mr. 51 atstead , of Hull, moved. and Mr. H. Pease,
of Darlington, seconded, an amendment, urging that firms
might he able to use their trading names in courts of law,
without the names of the individual partners being of
necessity required. After discussion the amendment was
rejected, and the following motion was passed :—" That
her Majesty's government be respectfully requested to in-
troduce a bill providing for the compulsory registration of
partnerships ; and in the event of their refusing that this
association ask some member of parliament to undertake the
introduction of such a measure, and promise its support in
carrying it to a suczeesful issue."

Captain Hall, the Arctic explorer, has advised
his friends in New York that he will winter at Repulse
Bay, sad in April neat will start with eight men for King
William's Land on his search for Sir John Franklin.

The Pacific Railway has been constructed across
the American continent as far as the eastern base of the
Rocky Mountains. The contractors will soon cease opera-
tiara for the winter on this section, and on the other
which is being built eastward from San Francisco to the
Rocky Mountains. It is confidently expected that this
great railway will be completed by the spring of 1870.

M. de Keratry's work entitled " The Emperor
Maximilian, his Rise and Fall," has appeared at Leipzie,
but has been stopped on the French frontier. Several
chapters of this work have been already published in La
.Flerise Cuntemporaise.

It will not be forgotten that when the French
Genera Dumont went to Rome last summer the Muniteur
of the Ist of August, in answer to some criticisms of the
press, spoke of it as • sort of pleasure trip, of quite •
private character, during which he was exclusively to
ascertain the cause of certain desertions from the Antibes
Legion, and it gave it to be understood that the official
mission attributed to him by the journals was but an
" arbitrary hypothesis." There is now no further reason
for denial. The Bine Book heads one of its para-
graphs " Mission of General Dumont to Rome," and
speaks thus of it:—" A general officer of infantry,
General Dumont, was sent to Rome to ascertain the
causes of this discouragement (in the Legion), and to re-
animate the spirit of the corps," &c,

The Danish press is highly satisfied with the
sale of the West Indian Islands to America. All parties
agree in wishing that the 2,000,0001., when received, may
be pat by plait the next war.