The Express.
London, England, 1860-04-25 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 25, 1860.

Himalaya on the 11th and 12th of February. This batieep,i
with three.fourtlui of the stores,. left Sues on the ma of
February in the Berenice, and arrived at Ceylon on the 15th
of Kara in perfect security. The remaining storm of this
battery were despatched in the Simla on the 30th of
February. The second battery was disembarked tram the
Thmalses on the Ath and 10th of March, and we. plowed
on board the Cliersonme at Suez The Chereassee railed as
the 15th of April. Those were the dates, and the home
would perceive that the detention of the second battery was
ecaiderable. With regard to the powder, Captain Mil-
ward, who commanded the second battery, said that
en opening the limber bores he found that the
deep had considerably damaged the powder, bat
the fuses, which were in a different part of the
.hip were =injured. The total amount of ammunition was
112 monde a gun, and a portion of this might be so damaged
ea to be useless, but sufficient provision hod been made by
and* oat 812 rounds for each gun. Independent of the
ammunition already in China, and what would probably be
sent out from Calcutta, there would be 924 rounds for each
gun of these batteries.
FORESHORE&
Mr. AUGUSTUS SMITH moved for a select committee
to =quire into the rights of the crown aa connected with
the foreshore., tidal rivers, estuaries, and bed of the sea
rotted the cost of the United Kingdom, and the manner ia
which the Woods and Forests were dealing with the MOW
He mid he had brought this question before the house on •
former riceasicn, and hi, motion was met by the hones
=counted out. What he wished to learn was,
these foreshore. were part and parcel at the
promesioas of the crown ; what was the interest of the
public in this property ; and what rights the Commissioners
of Woods and Forests had over it? He hoped he should
have these questions fairly answered by the AttorneyGemeral, and that he should not be met, as he was on a
former occasion, by an attack of • personal character.
The learned Attorney-General had thought At on that once.
eke to allude to him (Mr. A. Smith) as holding some shore
*M—the factsj being these that whereas now all
11 minks were taken possession of by the officers of customs,
these officers had thought lit to make use of his property
for the purpose of depositing wreck thereon, which
be had complained of. He did not know whet e 6
Attorney °entre' had ever been on the seashore, but if be
had, he must surely bare known that the foreshore was not
precisely a spot that would be selected for depositing
wreck upon. lie to thank the house for the patience
with which they bad listened to so dull a subject.
Mr. MORIIIS as reprosenturg a part of the county
(Carmarthen) wherethe lands in question had been on several
occasions the subject of legal proceedings, begged to second
the motion.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, alter • statement of
facts connected with disputes between the commis-
sioners, on behalf of the public, and individuals,
which had been subjects of -litigation, observed that
the motion involved a great principle. The right and
title of the crown, into which the motion Proposed
to inquire, was the foundation of private rights of
individual grantees, and the house would not eisnune such
righta with the view of altering the law of the land. The
other portion of the motion was more legitimate, and if any
ease were established to show that the commissioners had
dealt with the rights of the crown in an improper manner
it would be a fit subject for inquiry by parliament; butt Ik.
Smith had evinced a want of information on the metier.

THE PROCLAMATION AGAINST VICE AND
IMMORALITY.
Lord PROSY brought up her Majeety's answer to the
addrem praying for a revision of this proclamation against
vice and immorality. Her Majesty stated that the pro-
clamation should be carefully cuoired,with a view to its
mitotic.

THE FORESHORES.
Sir F. GOLDSMID denied the right of the crown to the
foreshores beyond the ordinary high water mark.
The bouae than divided :
For thersotion
Against it .

at the spot, and the additions that were likely to be made.i
'la point of fact there were many valuable objects sent to
the Museum which were not accessible to every body who
wished to see them. The question then arose, if they were
to remove some portions of the collection, which were the
portions which it was better to remove and which were the
pinions that ought not to be removed? At the meeting
which be attended they came to the opinion that the books
aad antiquities formed that portion of the collection which
ought not to be removed. They were the most bulky. end
formed, in fact, the foundation of the Museum. VA,
then, it followed ea a matter of cause, if any part was to
be removed it must be the natural history collection. Then
the question arose, what additional space could beet be
' obtained ? Could it be obtained in immediate contiguity to
the present building, or was it better to obtain it at a more
distant spot ? And, as far as calculations could be formed,
the difference between obtaining the apace which was
esennied to be neceseary in immediate contiguity to the
Font building and obtaining a site at a more distant spot,
for example at Kensington, would be upwards of 900,0001.
Now, he thought that a person who was at all responsible ,
for the expenditure of the public money would not have hir
sitated in giving an opinion adverse to the winseemerp ex.'
penditure of MID,OOOI. He had no sort of objection to the
appointment of the committee which his Don. friend had
moved. He thought it would be a very useful eonemittes,
end if the committee could show that adequate space could
be obtained in immediate contiguity to the present building,
that would be a matter for the consideration of the house
when the report was made.
Mr. JACKSON was tired of voting away the money of
his constituents for metobtan improvements. He
thought these expenses should be paid by a rate on the me-
tropolis, es the expenses for libraries and museums in pro-
vincial town were defrayed by a nate on those towns. He
agreed with the hon. member for Manchester that the GM.
tern of the Museum were very badly paid, and that their
salaries should be increased.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER mid he wee
not willing it should go forth to the country that the caws
of the Museum were paid in a manner which constituted •
grievance. These gentlemen, considering the duties they
had to perform, and all the incidences of their oMoe, were
paid as other classes of the public servants. If their sale-
ries were to be increased, they must be prepared to expect
applications for an increase from other departments. He
did ant hmiude to say that them alma was. eulose of an
exceedingly agreeable character, and the duties vary mode-
rate, and these were circumstances that must always be
taken into consideration in determining the relative state
of supply and demand, for it was, after all, • quution of
=apply and demand. There ware two parts of the speech
of the hon. gentleman who spoke last : one was that the
salaries shopid be increased, and the other well that the
expenditure of the Museum should be defrayed by local
rake. He thought it much more likely that the former
proposition would be adopted than the latter.
The motion waa then agreed to.
Colonel SMYTH moved for leave to bring in • bill to
amend the law respecting the liability of innkeepers, and
to prevent certain frauds upon them. He stated that the
object of the bill was to limit the liability of innkeepers in
respect to goods to 401., and to give magistrates summary
jurisdiction in came where food, drink, or lodging wee ob.
Mined when there was no intention to pay for them.
Leave waa given to bring in the
THE CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT OF
DOCKYARDS.

Mr. JACKSON moved tiltet an humble adds's', be per
seined to her Majesty, praying that she will be graciously
pleased to issue a royal commission to inquire into the
system of control sod roanegement of her Majesty's dock-
yards, the purchase of materials and stores, and the cost al
building, repairing, altering, fitting, and refitting her Ma-
jesty's ships. He said he had thought it better not to ask
for • committee but for a commission, his reason being that
he eat for three years on the contracts committee, and when
it was necessary to inquire into certain defalcations at
Weedon, they found the greatest possible difficulty insetting
the books and the witnemarbefore the committee. They
then reoonunended that a commission should be appointed
to investigate that matter, and a commission was appointed
accordingly with good results. He believed that a committee
sitting fur five years would not get at the facts regarding the
conduct of the dockyards as well as they could be got at
in • short time by a commission sitting on the spot.
Mr. KINNAHID seconded the motion.

Mr. COREY empremeed a hope that, in bringing forward
this motion, the hen.gentleman did not mean any die-
respect to the of last year. (" Certainly not,"
from Mr. Jackson.) The report of that committee was •
most valuable document, and though he did not agree with
all ita suggestions, there was much in it that he should be
glad to see adopted by the present board.
Mr. BENTINCK thought that parliamentary inquiries
wens 19 times oat of 10• mere waste of time ; and in this
case the hoe. methane had committed the mistake of try.
Mg to deal with Abets without attempting to ascertain
mum. The real secret of the abuses in the dockyards lay
in the want of • properly constituted Board of Admiralty.
Mr. LINDSAY said there wmaprevailingopinionamongst
the public that they did not get their money's worth
in her Majesty's dockyards, and that the cost of
labour in the royal 'dockyards was a great deal
more than in private yards. They had been told
also that there was an expenditure of 5,000,000 i.
far which it was impoesible to account. He trusted, them.
fore, that his bon. friend maid allow him, with the me-
anies of the house, to add to the motion the wonla, "aad
the best mode of keeping the amounts thereof." They
Haight then have some more clear idea mto bow this vast
ma of 13,000,0001. was expended.
The amendment was then put from the chair.
Lord C. PAGET said he was extremely glad to find that
the teemsl feeling of the house woe m favour of the fir
tzproposed by the hon. member for Neweastle.under
. He also saw no objection whatever to the introduc-
tion of the words proposed by the hon. member (Mr.
Lindsay). All he meld say was that the Admiralty would
Om every possible facility to the royal commiesion to look
to every department ; but he could not agree to the
penal of of the hon. member foc Norfolk, that this inquiry
should include the Lenin of the Admiralty. Under the
circumstances he should offer no opposition on the part of
the government to the appointment of the committee.
After • few words from M.r. JACKSON in reply,
The motion was agreed to.
PAWNBROKERS ACT AMENDMENT BILL.
This bill pained through committee.
LONDON CORPORATION BILL

On the motion that this bill be read a second time,
Mr. AYRTON gave an historical sketch of the copora-
Mon of London from the time when it was • municipality
based upon trading guilds, with • local situation and a local
limit, and was not of the narrow character with wbich, he
said, this bill sought to invest it. When the municipal
corporations were reformed, the city of Loudon was not m•c in the measure. The intention of ref • this
peat corporation had been frequently announced, but in-
tention remained long unfulfilled. At lengths otep wiu made ;
two commissions were appointed to investigate this ovum-
tics, which disclosed its abuses, and, since the establish-
ment of the Board of Works, a new form had been given
to it, and he tusked whether it was not better to utilise this
new corporation rather than attempt to resuscitate the old
one! The details of this effective municipality he wished
to be 'object to examination, and he should move, if the bill
wee red a second time, that it be committed to a
select committee, with instruction to inquire into and
report upon ,the charges and taxes on the met
mid the expediency of constituting the metropolis
county of itself for all purposes of local management,
and for the administration of justice. He die-
ceased at considerable length the several subjects
of investigation, expressing his belief that the result would
be to obtain useful institutions, and to harmonise the cor-
poration with the necessities of the metropolis.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS complained that not one of the re-
conunendations of the London Corporation Commission,
which, if adopted, would maks • satisfactory measure, had
been carried out in this bill ; it effected, be said, no reform
at all of the corporation, which, in his opinion, it would be
better to leave sa it was. The bill contansed none of the
provisions for remedying the abuses in the corporation
which appeared in that of Sir G. Grey.
Sir O. LEWIS, after stating the mamma taken to re-
form the corporation since the year 1831, and the reasons
for exempting the city of London from the operation of the
Municipal Corporation Act, admitted that this bill adopted
fewer of the recommendations of the committee of 1864
than the bill of Sir G. Grey, but observed that the expla-
nation was a simple one ; that hill had been referred to •
select committee, whence it emerged in the form substan-
tially of the present bill, which he believed would be
useful as far a. it went. He could not, he said, assent to
the proposal of Mr. Ayrton, and he suggested various oh.
jections to it.
Mr. JOHN LOCKE moved the adjournment of the de-
bate ; loot, upon a division, this motion was negatived by
82 to 37, awl, after some further discussion, the bill was
read a mound time.

CENSUS (ENGLAND) BILL

On the motion for the'second reading of thin hill,
Mr. CAI RD said that no single improvement had been
adopted in the mode of taking the census in England since
li4ol and suggested that the plan pursued in Ireland should
be followed, with the view of obtaining particulars with re-
sprt to the site of dwellings as well as to agricultural sta.
firms. Ste. He did not wish to press the sub* t, but he
suggested that it would be well to refer the hill to r. select
committee to consider these points and report upon them.
Mr. BAINfr would like to know whether it was intended
to conduct the census on an uniform plan for the United
Kingdom, Or point which he wished to reconirond was,
that the plan adopted should be as much resembling the
former one as possible, and then that it should lie conducted
on an uniform plan. He differed from the hommember who
had just spoken, when he said that no varieties bad been
Introduced since 1801. The census of religious woe-
air was en important nitration, sad he earnestly
herd this inquiry would be continued on the pre-
sent newton. He erred that it was proposed
to ask respecting the " religious profession " of
m.person, -sad the rower re to be given under a
. He objected strongly to as inquiry of this sort
•made a pretty. (Hear, hear.) Man persons would
ablest to sneerer, gradera penalty. It would be remembered
this at the last arms a very painful revelation was evade
of the number at pram who ibd not aired religious wor-
ship at all. He feared that anieret this airs either so
rioter, or eweniadsoures answers might he given. Amongst
the presbyterians there were many subdivisions ; there
were also sections among the methodists. Many of these
persons would return themselves simply as dimentere, and
thusdifficulties would arise. In the last census year the
arrangements were as needy satisfactory se could be

attained, and if they had the same information as was oh.
Mined before he thought it would be amply sufficient.
He recommended that the words he had referred to
should be omitted, and, above all, that there should be no
penalty.
Sir G. C. LEWIS said that up to the present time the
census of England and Scotland had been provided for by a
single bill. But linos 1861 a registrar-general for births
end deaths bad been constitutad for Scotland, and it was
I thought more convenient that a separate bill should be
heneAt in for Scotland. With repzdto behind the census
was taken by the constabulary and there bad been no
tltsoyt at uniformity between the census of England and
The &I! was then read a second time.

The Public Improvement Bill was read a third time and
paned.
The Duchy of Cornwall (Limitation of Actions) Bill and
the Petition of Right Bill were read a third time and
pawed.
The house adjourned at tea minutes to one o'clock.

tato inttiligence.
COURT OF RICCHRQITER.—Arm 2&
Sittings in Banoo.—(Before the Lord Chief Baron, and
Berens Martin and Bramwell.)
ISOMER r. TAUNTOIC—LIBEL.
This was an action brought by the plaintiff to recover
damages from the defendant for two libel published in the
Midland Express. The libels complained of were that
Mears. Homer and Everard, of Earl Shelton, had reduced
the wages of the work knitters in their employ, and had
made such alterations as would render their already dis-
tressed condition worse. The newspaper also called on the
men to resist this encroachment on their rights, and desig-
nated the plaintiff a truck-master, which was, in fact, the gran
of the alleged libel. At the trial at Guildhall the
Lord Chief Baron told the jury that the word
" truck-master" was not ao English word, and that the
buy must plate their own construction on it. The jury
found a verdict for the plaintiff, with damages of 51., and
ralisequently a rule nisi was obtained to enter • verdict for
the defiV and tore arst judgment, or for a new trial,
on the of misdirection.
Mr. undlial and Mr. D. D. Keane now appeared to
show cause againri the rule; Mr. Edwin James and Mr.
Henry James appeared in its suppmt.
Kr. Mundell submitted that the direction of the learned
judge wa right. Independently of the word " truck-maa-
titer( wee ruScient to constitute a libel.

Yr. Baron Martin—ls it ssidtbat'6ucji-master" Li un-
intelligible?
Yr. Mundell—Yea, my lord.
Yr. Baron Martin dted a judgment of Lord Denman in
• came in which an old lady had been called "a frown
snake."

---- Mr. Edwin James—When she warmed into life she stung.
(laughter.) I believe, my lord, in that case there were
attendant circumstances which constituted the libel.

Mr. /Lundell continued to say that if the word was not
an ascertained word then the jury should have been ex-
pressly told so by the judge, but if it was an ascertained
word then it did not require explanation.
Mr. Baron Martin—Does the word occur in the act of par-
liament

Mr. H. James—The word " truck" occurs in the repeal-
ing act ; but the word " truck•master" does not occur in
act.

Yr. Blundell mid that the evidence showed that the de-
fendant had imputed to the plaintiff an offence against the
l'ruck Act.

Mr. Baron Martin said he believed it had been held that
to call &person a "daffy-downdilly" was actionable.
Mr. IL James—That is a floricultural expression. It
would not be libelous to call a man a polyanthus, or •
woman a rose. (Laughter.)
Mr. Mundell, in conclusion, submitted that the Lord
Chief Baron bad ly directed the jury, and that the
rule should be disc ed.
Mr. Edwin James submitted that the rule must be made
absolute. In order to establish the libel it was necessary to
show that the words complained of were calculated to
socially degrade a man, or imputed to him some offence
spinet the law. The word "truck-master," per se, might
be a very innocent expression, and could not be taken as an
imputation on a man unless it was explained by the
evidence.
Mr. Henry James having followed on the same side,
The Lord Chief Baron said the court would take time to
consider their judgment.
Judgment reserved.

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

(Before Mr. Bodkin, Assistant-Judge.)

Morris Raphael, 18, was indicted for having stolen a
scarf, value 71. and two other scarfs, the property of Lewis
Henry Bralman;. He pleaded guilty.
Mr. Salton, for the prisoner, said the ease was a some-
what peculiar one, the prisoner being of the Jewish persua-
sion, and the robbery having been committed in the Sync.
segue. The prisoner had no father, but his mother was
still living, • well respected and honest woman, and the
prisoner had got associated with • set of companions who
had led him into very bad habits, and he had been unfor-
tunately tempted to purloin these scarves, which were used
in the service of the Synagogue in the Synagogue itself.
The wardens d the Synagogue had felt bound to prosecute,
but beyond that they had no feeling in the matter, but
rather wished that, consistently with justice, a lenient
course could be adopted, as there was every hope of this
being his last as well as it was his first offence, seve,al
gentlemen of the same faith being willing and
anxious to give him immediate employment. The pri-
soner's family had been members of the Synagogue
for about 40 years, and were much respected. The learned
counsel remarked that this was not only an unusual ass,
but, speaking from an opinion formed from his own expe-
rience, it was very creditable to the Jewish body that so
few of them, comparatively, were brought before the crimi-
nal courts.

7'hreeWitnemace were then called, who gave the primmer
• good character, and said him connexion were very re-
opectable, and they wore ready to find him employment at
once.

The Assistant Judger after giving the prisoner a most
kind and feeling admonition, sentenced him to • month's
imprisonment, the first and last weeks to be solitary, and
said, under the circumstances stated, the court was most
anxious and willing that every means should be afforded to
carry out the generous offers that hail been made, with the
view of rescuing the prisoner from the course of vice upon
which it was too evident be had entered.