The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-23 00:00:00

Tliti aPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 23, 1867.

three coo. men ' .es courts branches of one great court. I
three ji,. op •to constitute a full c..urt. He would dispense
with the atteralainx of judges at chambers, and transfer
i 0l 111i110! I 11.i...e5, :a chief clerks or masters, and where
I e'e court was overburdened with causes and another in-
sufficiently supplied, a portion of the business of the
former might be advantageously handed over to the
I Ms% H .vir.a made other suggestions of a minor character,
the hon. and learned gentleman proceeded to consider the
next portion of the subject—namely, the appellate juris-
diction ; all here he laid down the two principles that
not more that one appeal should be allowed in any case
decided by the superior courts, and that there should be
but one court of appeal for both equity and common law.
To this court he would transfer the appellate jurisdiction
of the House of Lords, and the legal functions now per-
formed by that branch of the legislature should cease and
determine a. mon as a more effectual tribunal had been
established in its stead.
The ATI% titNEY-GENERAL reviewed the various Bug-
gestiuns of the bun. and learned member, and denied that
they would effect any saving of judicial power that was
worthy of consideration, or that the administration of
justice would be promoted or improved thereby,
After some discussion the subject dropped.
THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE.
Mr. D. GRIFFITH asked the Chancellor of the Ex
chequer whether the government meant to invite the house
to come to a conclusion in favour of the reduction of the
qualification for the elective franchise without at the same
time afforlinga clear indication of what that reduction was
intended to be! The hoc, member in the course of his oh-
servationa was wore than once interrupted by the Speaker,
on the ground that he was travelling beyond the subject of
hi. question. He said the resolutions were open to the
same objection am those taken to the proceedings of the
late government last year. It was then said that the go-
vernment asked them to take a leap in the dark, and
these resolutions seemed to suggest the same remark.
Hon. gentlemen who were then on the other side said the
government ought to treat the house with frankness on
the question of reform. It struck bins that these reso-
lution' were open to the same remark.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER —lt is not
more than ten days since I came down to the house to
suggest that in this matter the heat mode of proceeding
would be by way of resolution. When I made that propo-
sition I was doubtful whether the house would accept it—
indeed formally it has not been accepted, although from
smile intimations I have received I have reason to believe
that the house will not refuse to accept it. I will not
refer to the terms, of the resolution* which my bon. friend
boa referred to so amply—la laughl—l will merely say
that these resolutions lay down certain principles on which
the house will have to proceed. One object of all resolu-
tions is that gentlemen should have the opportunity of
considering their principles and of applying them in the
intoner they may think most expedient. By that course
they often arrive at this most salutary result, that they Boil
many which at the first blush they thought impracticable
and abound, afterwards, when explained by thegovernment,
to become more practicable, and a temper of mind is
created likely to give to those resolutions a calm and im-
partial consideration. Ido nut think that the time pro-
posed for the consideration of those resolutions very
extreme, and I trust that the house has not deemed it
unreasonable. In two or three days the house will be
called on to take those resolution into oonsideratiou, and
of course it will be my duty, in accordance with the pray.
tice of parliament, to show how the government think
the principles laid down in the resolutions should be
applied. During the last ten days a great many questions
have been asked me by members of this house. I have
taken a note of those questions—(a laugh)—and in due
time they will be answered. (Hear, bear.) I have like-
wise taken a note of the question of my hon. friend, and
in due time it will he also answered. (Laughter.)

THE APPROACHES TO THE HOUSES OF PAR.
LIAMENT.
Mr. BROMLEY rose to cull the attention of the First
Commissioner of Public Works to the condition of the
streets in the vicinity of Palace-yard. Nobody (he said)
would sssert'that those thoroughfares were in • satisfactory
state. (Hear, hear.) He wished, therefore, to call the
attention of the noble lord to sessional order No. 8, issued
on the 10th February last, to the effect that the Commis-
sioners of Metropolitan Police should take care that
the passages and thoroughfares leading loth. Houses of Par.
lianient were kept free and open, so as that no obstruction
should be offered to members going to and from the house.
It could scarcely be denied that that order had not been
enforced, or that the passages were in a disgraceful—at
least, a discreditable state. Let them imagine what
would be the position of some gentleman who had
asked some distinguished foreigner to conic down
and see that house. Possibly that distinguished
foreigner might wish to see the interior of the house and
the working of that administrative assembly, which the
Chancellor of the Exchequer told them would bear com-
parison with any sasembly in the world, whilst the gen-
tlemen of the Reform League told them it was an assembly
of bad characters, and filled with men who had hump-
backs, and one eye only each. The distinguished foreigner
might get with facility as far on his journey aa Trraf gal r-
square, when his nerves would derive their first shuck
from a sight of the national cruet-stand—(a laugb)—to be
calmed immediately after by a glimpse at the lions, which
he might wish, however, had a little larger pedestals. lie
would then get a distinct glimpse of the towers of West-
minster, and would, of course, expect something
gland, but when he came to the crossing
over which he was to be assisted by a con-
siderate policeman, like an Israelite crossing the
Red Sea, with • wall of traffics rising on each side, he
would see a state of things not to be equalled by any gold
diggings or oil city in the world. He would see a huge
bole which had lately been filled up. (Laughter.) It had
been filled up suddenly like the hole in the Roman
Forum. (Oh, oh.) Perhaps her Majesty's ministers had
induced some heroic and patriotic member to jump in and
settle the reform question. (Laughter.) Beyond this the
distinguished foreigner would see a low hoarding, on which
was stuck a placard, intimating that the whole territory
belonged to the Metropolitan Districts Railway Company,
a steam engine, which puffed perpetually into the
faces of bystanders, and he would be puzzled by
a mysterious interrlatory, chalked up everywhere, and
asking him sternly, Who's Griffiths (Loud laughter.)
A friend of his (Mr. Bromley's)who fortunately was a good
horseman, riding up lately received a blast from the engine
which caused his horse to swerve so much as completely to
destroy the equanimity of one cab and cause it to cannon
against another, thus creating a great disturbance and inter-
ruption of traffic. That gentleman, who was much attached
to all our venerablegnstitutions, exclaimed, his eyes stream
ing with emotion, "Only conceive if I had been a bishop."
(Laughter.) If he carried his eyes a little further he would
get • glimpse of an erection behind the low hoard-
ing, which some said was to be a fountain, others
thought it was intended for • different purpose.
With regard to the railway that was being excavated in
the immediate vicinity of the house, he regretted that the
bill for that line had been loosed. He believed it would '
shake the foundations of Westmiaster Abbey—(laughter)--
and that Westminster Hospital, within a few yards of
which it passed, would be rendered untenable, as far eel
the comfort of the patients was concerned, when the rail-
way was in operation. It had left neither the dead nor
the living at rest, for he was told that the bones of our
ancestors had been carted from the burial ground near the
Abbey to Woking Cemetery. He wondered it hail not
struck the directors that Westminster-hall would make
a good terminus, or refreshment room. (Laughter,
and cries of" Question.") In fact, wh he
heard of metropolitan improvement, he shud-
dered, and he ought say that he entertained the
' greatest dread of that inscrutable body the Board of
Works. (Laughter.) He was told that the railway was
waiting for the Thames embankment, and the Thames
embankment was waiting for the railway ; and so between
them they came to a dead lock. The Thames embank-
ment was doing nothing, had done nothing, and intended
to do nothing, and the authors of a report recently
issued congratulated themselves on their having done
nothing. He looked over the bridge the other day and
saw eight men and a boy at work. (Cries
of " Question.") He believed that, generally spoik-
ing, the works in connection with that house
and the neighbourhood had been carried on, according to
the national practice, in the most dilatory manner. That
house had been very nearly as long in building as
the Temple of Jerusalem—(laughter)—and his belief
was that it never would be completed. In cow:lotion, he
begged to call the attention of the First Commissioner of
Public Works to the notice he hail put upon the paper.
THE PARIS EXHIBITION.
Mr. OSBORNE, in rising to ask the Secretary to
the Treasury for a further explanation of the sums re-
quired for particular items in the approaching Paris
Exhibition, said he thought he had seine excuse for
bringing this matter forward, and that if an excuse
• were wanting, he should find it in the language used by
the Secretary to the Treasury the other night, in saying
that when this vote was first brought before him, his
feelings were first those of surprise, then of indignation,
and lastly of resignation. (Hear, hear, and " no, no.")
When the Secretary to the Treasury, a man who was
known to he not generally moved by the common emotions
of the human heart—(laughter)—spoke in those tenni,
the subject must indeed be one demanding the grave con-
sideration of the house. The question before them was in
reality whether that house was to have a veto or control
over the public expenditure. (Hear, hear.) This
was a subject on which be had heard Chancellors of the
Exchequer lecture in former years ; he had heard them
complain that the house was neglectful of the public in-
terests ; and although a few members professed to say,
" We must pus this sub silento, because it is a matter
concerning a foreign government," he thought there was
sufficient public spint in that house even at so late an
hour to endeavour to exercise some control over the public
expenditure. What was the history of this vote of
116,000/. ? It was a curious fact, that no detailed estimate
for that sum had ever been laid before the house. The
first notice of it occurred in the royal commission
of the 2nd May, Is6il, when it was stated that estimates
would be laid buten the house which would be managed
through the department of science and art. The commis-
-14011 consisted originally of 84 members, of whom 20 were
members of the other house, the same number of members
of that house, and 18 had since been added, making the
total number 102. It had been said that that commission
was nut composed of men of business ; he was free to say
that the members of the two houses who were on that
commission were innocent of science, and he believed ince.

psble of art. (Laughter.) The duties of the commission had
been stated by the hon. member for Stoke-upon-Trent.
He believed about d 0 of the members met once every two
months, some unseen hand prepared resolutions—be
believed it was that of our trusty and well beloved Henry
Cole "—(laughter)--and as the commission discussed
nothing they passed whatever was laid before them. He
found that in June, 186.5, the house voted 5,000/. for
preliminary expenses on account of the management of the
British department of the Universal Exhibition at Paris
for 1867. Not a word was then said. The next vote was
one of 120001. in 1866, fora similar purpor, and that also
passed without remark. But the other night the house
was taken by surprise by seeing a sum of 30,000/.
included among other things in the supplementary esti-
mates, not for preliminary expenses, but for real business
connected with the exhibition. Some discussion occurred
upon that, and upon that occasion the bon. gentleman
opposite (Mr. Hunt) gave them for the first time the esti-
mates. Now, in 18.14, the estimate passed for a similar
purpose was 50,6001., and strange to say only 41,0001. was
I spent, and the remaining 9,00 U/. was returned to the ex-
-1 chequer—a strong contrast to the present arrangement.
I (Hear, hear.) The estimate given by the hon.
gentleman the other evening was 90,0001., of
which 16,1001. was for internal fittings, '13,06.W.
for supplementary buildings, 11,500 f. for ancient
and modern art, and 14,755 f. for management. With re-
mud to management, he understood that • large house
had been taken on the Champs Elyaies, in which 40 beds
were made up. There was said to be a large staff of 47
secretaries to that commission. (Laughter.) The next
item was one of 17,1507. for house and office expenses.
Now, he should like to know what were the salaries given
to the 47 secretaries, and especially how much was given
to "our trusty and well-beloved Henry Cole." (Laugh-
ter.) Then there came another very singular item of
8,2501., which brought the hour to • very
curious consideration. He wished to know whether
it was true that it was designed by the commission that
there should be an exhibition of blue books in Paris.
(Laughter.) The home might laugh. but he was informed
by the librarian of that house that that officer hail received
an intimation that it was the wish of the commission that
all the blue books and parliamentary publications of that
house and the House of Lords should be sent to Paris to he
exhibited. (Loud laughter.) He believed it was only
through the exertions of their respected Speaker that that
profligate waste of money bad been prevented, and that only
• few specimens of the blue books had gone. (Hear.)
If this extravagant, lavish, and foolish expenditure was to
go on in this way, where was it to stop! (Cheers.) The
'next item was " Royal Commissioners, 2,750/.." and then
came another extraonlin ary amount—" Exhibition of im-
plements of war, 11,4001." Why, that was contrary to the
very title of the Exhibition, which was an " Exhibition of
industry and agriculture as well as of the fine arts." He
had no objection whatever to send over articles of that
kind, or even to let them have • few blue books; but to
send over our big guns was not only ridiculous, but a waste
or the public money to which he hoped the house would
never consent. (Cheers.) In the former Exhibi-
tion the jurors got nothing but a bronze medal
each; but here was a charge of 12,0001. for them. Now, he
found that there were 85 jurors, and be was to'd by one
of them that they were each to have 501. That would
give 4,250/. ; and he should like to know what was going
to be done with the rest of the 12,000 f. ? (Cheers.) This
was • very serious matter. The money at present asked for
would only carry the commissioners to the opening of the
Exhibition. Whoever was Secretary to the Treasury at its
close would then come down to parliament and auk for
60,000/. or 70,000 f. more ; and then the Chancellor of the
Exchequer would say, that unless hon. members wished to
imperil the peaceful relations between the two countries
they must agree to his vote. He trusted, however, that
the house would support him (the hon. member) in his
resistant* to lavish expenditure, and equally lavish waste.
(Cheers.)
Mr. BRUCE explained that the conditions laid down by
the French government were, that if a certain extent of
space were allotted the English commissioners must bear a
certain proportion of the expense of the structure, of the
roads leading to it, and even of packing and unpacking the
articles.
Mr. B. HOPE said the commissioners had nothing put
before them but certain resolutions, which were in print.
The real business was done by unseen persons in another
room. He suggested that a select committee should be
aPrred.
HUNT promised a detailed account.
Mr. OSBORNE gave notice that he should move that
the implements of war be stopped.
The Habeas Corpus Act Suspension (Ireland) Con.
thiamin) Bill passed through committee, a clause which
was proposed by Mr. BAGWELL, and which caused much
discussion, that the prisoners should be treated as untried
prisoners being inserted.
The standing orders were then suspended, and the bill
was read a third time and passed.
The Sugar Duties Bill passed through committee.
The house adjourned at half-past 1.

THE TRAFFIC REGULATION BILL.

ANTI-RITUAL MEETING IN DORSET.

A great meeting of protestant laymen, resident
in the county of Dorset, was held on Thursday iu the
Shire-hall, Dorchester, fur the purpose of protesting against
" recent ritualistic innovations in the church of England."
Lord BRAITZBBURT presided, and amongst others present
were Lord Portman, Mr. G. W. D. Digby, Shcrhorne
Castle ; the Hon. W. W. R. Portman, M.P., Mr. Gerard
Sturt, M.P., Mr. John Floyer, M.P. The hall was
crowded to enema, the large landowners of the county
being very strongly represented. There was also a very
numerous sprinkling of the clergy of the diooem, promi-
nent amongst whom Lord Sidney Godolphin Osborne
("S. G. G.") was recognised, and very cordially
greeted. The chairman, in opening the proceedings,
said it was not necessary he ,hould enter at largo
into the causes that had called them together in order to
incite them to a deep and active interest in the object for
which they were asse.ubled. The thing had been long
before them, and the requisition they presented to him,
together with their presence there in such numbers,
sufficiently indicated the principles they entertained, and
their solemn decision to carry those principles into
effect. This was a matter far too serious for mere
indignation, or for mere expressions of misgivings
and doubt. That was a question which came home
to their very bosoms, to their deepest interests, and
it was for them to solemnly resolve that they would
maintain the precious gift of the establishment of which
he knew they were devoted followers, and transmit it,
without blot, or stain, or diminution, to the latest pos-
terity.—Mr. G. W. D. Digby moved the adoption of the
following protest :—" Resolved, that we, the protestant
laymen of the county of Dorset, have watched with deep
anxiety the increasing introduction into the churches
of our land of ornaments sod ritualistic practices
almost identical with those of the church of
Rome. These ornaments and practices were re-
jected by our forefathers as inconsistent with and
repugnant to the scriptural simplicity of protestant
worship. We have beard with deep alarm the assertion
of sarcedotal claims and doctrines essentially at variance
with the principles and teaching of the Reformed Church
of England. These opinions have been openly professed,
and especially in our own diocese, by men who at their
ordination pledged themselves to maintain the pure
doctrines of Gospel truth. Impelled by these convictions
we hereby publicly and solemnly protest against such
ritualistic novelties, such priestly claims and such un-
scriptural doctrines, as tending to undermine the pro-
testant foundations of the established church, and endanger
within these reabns the very existence of the Reformation it-
self." The resolution was seconded by Mr. J. H. Calcraft,
the high-sheriff of the county, and supported by Lord Port-
man, Mr. John Manuel, Mr. J. Gundry, Mr. Eliot, county
magistrates, and on being put to the meeting was carried
by acclamation. The Hun. W. H. R. Portman, M.l'.,
moved a vote of thanks to the noble chairman, which was
seconded by Mr. Floyer, M.P., supported by Mr. H. G.
Sturt, M.P., and carried unanimously.

tato Nuttllignice.

EQUITY COURTS.—Fis. 22.
(Before the Louis Juirtioes.)

GAMOW= V. LONDON, CHATHAM, AND DOM RAILWAY

COMPANT.-DRAWBRIIIGt V. KAYE.
This petition, which stood over from last Saturday in
order that the court might be informed whether the parties
were willing that the matters in question between them
should be decided upon petition, was placed in their lord-
ships' paper this morning.
Mr. Martineau, on the part of the plaintiffs, stated that
they were willing that it should be disposed of upon
petition, but the debenture-holden dissented, and insisted
upon a bill being Med.
Their lordships said that the only order which they
could now make would be that the receivers keep separate
accounts of one variety of the receipts from traffic passing
between stations on the Kent Coast Railway and stations
on the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway, and between
stations on the Kent Coast Railway, without prejudice to
any question, renewing also liberty to the Kent Coast
Railway Company to take such proceedings as they may
be advised to take to establish the validity of the arrange-
ment of Dt62.

Mr. Ferrero appeared for the Kent Coast Railway
Company, and Mr. Kekewich for the London, Chatham,
and Dover Railway Company.

(Before Vice-Chaneellor Sir .7. Stuart.)

THE SCI N DE, PI: NJAU 8,._ AND DELHI BANE CORPORATION

__ _
(wimp).

This corporation, which was established in December,
1862, for the purpose of carrying on the business of banking
in Scinde, the Punjanb, and Delhi, was voluntarily
wound up in 1866. Its paid up capital was 418,2511., and
now, after paying all the debts, there was in the hands
of the liquidators a surplus of 215,0001., to which it was
anticipated there would be 53,000/. more to be added.
This petition had for its object the determination of the
question how was the surplus to be distributed, having
regard to the feet that the shareholders were divisible
into two classes as regards the money paid by each on shares
of the like nominal amount, viz., 201. Upon 37,500
elutes 101. per share had been paid, end upon
• third issue of shares (8,961 in number), 5/.
per share had been paid on 8,443 shares, and 21. per
share only, leaving to be paid • further sum of 3/. on the
remaining 518 shares. The shareholders who had paid
10/. per share contended that they were entitled to receive
M. per share before those who had paid only W. received
anything, and when they had been paid such 51. the re-
sidue of the surplus should be divided among all the
shareholders in proportion to their shares.
Mr. Bacon, Mr. Greene, Mr. C. T. Simpson, Mr. Crack-
nall, and Mr. Conybeare appeared in the matter.
His Honour thought the shareholders who had paid 101.
per share were entitled to be paid 51. per share before
those who had paid only :it. received anything. The latter
shareholders were debtors to the former in that amount.
Coats of all parties out of the surplus.