Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-31 00:00:00

INDIA.

Mr. Stafford asked for an explanation of the delay in
the receipt of the telegraphic despatches to the Govern-
ment from India.
Sir Charles Wood stated that the vessel bearing the
despatches arrived at Trieste at half-past nine o'clock o❑
Tueeday morning, and the telegraphic message was for-
wardod fromeTrieste at half-past ten, but was not received
by the Government till half-past twelve on Wednesday.
He could not give any reas-m for the delay.

G)VERNMENT ORDERS OF TIM DAY.
On the motion of Ler(' Palmerston it was ordered that
commencing with Tuesday next, government orders o
the day should have precedence on Tuesdays.
DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL CAUSES BILL.
The Attorney General moved the second reading of the
Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Bill, the provisions of
which have been fully made known in the progress of the
measure, through the House of Lords. The honourable
and learned gentleman contended that the bill was not
opposed to the divine law, the cannon law,
or the criminal law, and he thought that the
general tenor of the enactments as between the husband
and wife, would be formed to be an improvement of tge
law in point cf j Lstice. This was but an expression and
embodement of the law which had been in existence for
nearly two centuries, and with confidence, therefore, he
asked the House to give the bill a second reading.
Sir 'William Heathcote contended that the private bills
pr sented to parliament for the purpose of obtaining
divorce, aff.aded sufficient proof that the principles of this
bill were not embodied in the laws of the land. He
objected to the bill, which he looked upon as an atl empt to
level the marriage contract with ordinary mercantile
transactions, and moved that it be read a second time that
day six months.
Mr. Drummond said the bill would not do what it pro-
fessed to do, and professed to do what it could not and
ought not to du ; it professed to give the same privileges
to the poor as to the rich, but he did not think that the
substitution of one Court of Chancery for another would
have that effect. It professed to benefit the woman,
but its effect would be to continue the same tyranny
of the man over the woman which the existing
law authorised. The principle that marriage was dis-
soluable, was opposed to the whole of the Scriptures, from
the first chapter of Genesis to the last chapter of Revela-
tions, and he hoped the house would reject a bill having
for its object to set that principle aside.
Mr. Lygon also opposed the bill, and Mr. Puller sup-
ported it.
Mr.:Wigram gave his support to the amendment, in the
belief that .it would injure the well-being of society to
introduce the principle of the dissolubility of marriage.
Mr. Hatchell, in opposing the bill, stated his opinion
that divorces should be annulled altogether.
Mr. Bowyer argued the support of the indissolubility
of marriage, and in regard to the re-marriage of divorced
persons, quoted the words recorded in the Evangelists,
" that, the man or woman so doing was guilty of adul-
tery."
Mr. Matins thought the interests of society would be
best consulted by considering marriage as indissoluble.
The measure before them was of very great importance,
and they should, therefore, he thought, have further time
for consideration before they were asked to decide upon

it.
Lord John Manners strongly objected to the principle
of the measure, but above all deprecated the imposition
upon clergymen of a duty which was opposed to the Word
of God.
Mr. Gladstone moved the adjournment of the debate.
Lord Palmerston left the question—whether the debate
should or should not be adjourned ?—to the decision of
the house.
The house divided, when the numbers were—
For the adjournment
Against it

Majority
Mr. Henley then moved the adjournment of the house.
Lord Palmerston and Sir George Grey opposed, and Mr.
Walpole and Mr. Napier supported, the motion, which was
ultimately withdrawn.
The debate was then by eonsert adjourned.
The Valuation of Lands (Scotland) Act Amendment Bill
was read a third time and passed.
The Adulteration of Food Bill and the Sale of Corn Bill
were withdrawn.
On the motion for going into committee on the Civil
Service Saperanauation Bill, in reply to Mr. Gladstone,
The Chancellor of the Exchequer stated that it was not
intended to reduce the salaries of civil servants.
After a protest from Mr. Gladstone, the House went
into committee.
A long discussion then took place, and much apposition
was manifested to the progress of the bill, but ultimately,
several divisions having taken place, the bill passed through
committee.
The House adjourned at half-past three.

LABLACIIE—The Courrier de Paris says that the state
of health of Lablache is such as to cause great apprehension
to his friends. He has become quite thin that journal
declares, and is about to proceed, by order of his medical
advisers, to Mont-d'Or.
WONDERFUL EFFECT OF TRAVELLING ON A RAILWAY.—
Among the very miscellaneous articles left in the carriages
of the Aberdeen railway, and sold in Castle-street under
the sheriff's warrant the other day, were, we understand
a pair of crutches. The -remarks of the bystanders were
more varied than conclusive. " Weel," said one, "is na
it surprisiu' thatony lamiter wad na hae missed his staves ?"
" I'll tell ye," said a second, " it's been some chiel that
lane, pail his fare, and has had to rin."— Aberdeen Journal.
SIR PETER LAURIE AND OBSCENE PUBLICATIONS.--Sir
Peter Laurie attended before Alderman Cubitt, on Monday,
at Guildhall, to inquire what steps had been taken in
reference to an abominable practice resorted to by a dis-
reputable class of persons who gain a subsistence by vend-
ing obscene prints and publications. Sir Peter drew at-
tention to a letter in a morning paper from a naval chap-
lair, in which the writer taxed him with neglecting a
communication made to him with the view of suppressing
the system. Sir Peter expressed his surprise at such an
accusation, because it was so utterly groundless, as upon
receipt of the chaplain's letter containing the circular or
list of obscene prints and publications, he sent both to this
office, and placed them in the hands of Mr. Martin, the
chief clerk, to ascertain what could be done in the matter.
Mr. Martin said he wrote to the Secretary of the Society
for the Suppression of Vice, and a gentleman from that
office waited upon'him. He handed all the papers over to
that gentleman, who undertook to institute proper inqui-
ries, and to prosecute the parties if it were possible to get
at them ; but he (Mr. Martin) had not beard from the
society since. Sir Peter Laurie said he supposed that, like
many other officials, the gentleman received his instruc-
tions, and did nothing beyond. However, he wished it
to be known that he had placed the matter in the proper
channel, and that no blame on the score of negligence was
attached to him.
THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE PREVENTION OF STEAM
BOILER EXPLOSIONS.—The usual monthly meeting of the
committee of management of this association was held
on Tuesday last, at the office of the secretary, Mr. Henry
Whitworth, 13, Corporati )n-street, Manchester, when the
chief inspector, Mr. R. B. Longridge, presented his monthly
report, from which we have been furniahed with the fol-
lowing extracts :—During the present month, 357 visits
have been made to members of the association, 940 boilers
inspected (46 of these internally), and 65 engines indicated.
The following are the principal defects which have been
observed, viz.:—Two boilers dangerous from fracture of
plates or angle iron ; one ditto, injury resulting from
deficiency of water ; seven boilers injured from the same
cause, but not immediately dangerous ; three boilers
injured from overheating of the plates, owing to defective
circulation ; six boilers defective from corrosion of plates ;
six safety valves overweighed ; four ditto, out of order ;
five water guages out of order; three pressure guages
incorrect. From the above it will be seen that, with
few exceptions, the boilers inspected during the present
month are in good working order, the defects generally
being of such a nature as could be immediately remedied.
Several of the engines indicated are defective in the
valve arrangement, but offer no peculiarities worthy of
remai k.
FEARFUL RAILWAY Couosmen—On Friday last, as the
4 30 p.m. express passenger train from Hull was pro-
ceeding to Beverley, it was run into by a coal train,
whereby one person was killed, and several others were
severely injured. At about half a mile from Hull station
the trains cross the rails'at a point where the Victoria
branch joins the North Eastern mail line. The passenger
train was punctual to its time, and the driver, observing
the approaching coal train, pushed quickly forward far
the purpose of getting clear of the crossing ; but before
this could be accomplished, the engine of the coal train
ran into the latter portion of the passenger train, smash-
ing several carriages. The collision was terrific, as the
passenger trr,in was running at a speed of about forty miles
an hour. Immediate assistance was rendered to the
wounded passengers, and it was found. that Mr. Yates
ns: oe Qin
grocer, of Cottingham, was so much injured thattiva
he
'toile being removed. The other persons injured—=some
1 of whom are not expected to live—were Mr.
(Eeverley), Mr. Wake, merchants' clerk (H "all), Mr.
Brocklehurst, Mr. Pekton (Pat ington), 'Airs. Kidd
(Charles-street, Hull), and several others, most of whom
were conveyed to the Railway-hotel. T',ie cause of the
accident appears to have arisen from the negligence of
the driver of the coal train, who did re,ot pay due attention
to the signals,