The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-09 00:00:00

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lordships with more commanding eloquence. A:matte, W.VA.
noble earl has the advantage overtire in having 14iml to. do
with great military combinations in the plains eif,/ndia ; •
but there is one qualification which I trust to brikg=to the
administration of the military affairs of this country, for
which I hope at least to establish a character, and that is
purity of intention in all that concerns the admiuistratifur
of military affairs. I shall endeavour, if I can do nothing
else, at least to give the country this assurance—that no
person shall be employed in the administration of the army
whom I do not consider the fittest for the employment to
which I shall recommend him to my Sovereign, or employ
upon my own responsibility. If in any transaction I
should be called upon to do acts which are painful to my-
self, but still necessary to the public service, I trust I
may be enabled to perform those duties in a manner
which will show that when the necessities of my country
call for it, that I can even sacrifice my awn feelings in
the performance of the duty which I think incumbent
upon me. [ shall eadeavour to do that which I think ne-
cessary for placing the administration of military affairs
upon the best footing as rapidly as I can, and I trust that
too much may not be expected of me. I succeed to office
withmit, any antagonism to my noble friend who has left
it, and I do not know that I can bring to it more zeal,
more industry, or more honesty of purpose, than that with
which his whole political career has been marked. I may,
perhaps bring to it several years of administration of mili-
tary affairs under a former Government, and I may also
bring to it the circumstance of. which I shall never cease
to be proud—that for twelve years of my life I served in
the ranks of the regimental serviceof the army, and having
so served I can give my fullest testimony to the high en-
comium which the noble earl has bestowed up3n the regi-
mental system of the British army; and I would take this
opportunity of stating, that whatever may be the defects
of the British army ;n other respacts, I believe our regi-
mental system to be as perfect and as satisfactory as that of
any army in the world. We may -fail in the .higher
branches of our service throughtho want of proper schools,
and be deficient in what is called the " staff" of the army;
hut, so far as the regimental system is concerned. I be-
lieve it to be placed upon a good foundation, to be carried
on in a perfect manner, and I know of very little which is
required to improve the army. Having made these expla-
nations, and craving that kind consideration the house is
alWays disposed to give to those anxious to perform their
duty, I hope I may not.be out of place in craving from
those oat of doors that forbearance which is necessary to
all who undertake a position so responsible as that which
I have undertaken; and I can only say that, should I find
myself from any circumstances unequal to the task which 1
have undertaken, I will have the honesty atonce to confess
that inequality, and will be prepared at once to surrender
to other and betterhands that important charge, which by
withholding from the hands capable of discharging its
duties would be most injurious to the public servioe and
best interests of the country. (Hear.)
The Earl of RODEN, in expressing his opinion that the
Government, as at present constituted, would receive the
support of their lordships, suggested the propriety of the
appointment of a day of national humiliation and prayer
that the Almighty would crown our exertions with inc.
COBB.
The Fisheries (North America) Bill then passed through
committee, and their lordships adjourned until Friday
week.

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HOUSE OF COMMONS YESTERDAY.
The Speaker took the chair at four o'clock.
PETITIONS.

Petitions were presented by Mr. Bouverie, from Kilmar.
nock, against the distillation of spirits from grain ; by Mr.
Hutt, from the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce, complain.
ing of the manner in which the transport service is con.
ducted ; from a body of Church leaseholders, against a clause
in the bill of Lord Chandos, which they complain was cal-
culated to set aside a pledge given by the legislature for
their protection ; and by Mr. Milligan, from the letter-press
printers of Bradford, for the 'repeal of the stamp duty on
newspapers.

LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY BILL.
Mr. CHAPLIN moved the second reading of this bill.
Mr. HILDYARD moved, as an amendment, that the se-
cond reading of the bill be postponed till that day month.
The question involved was one of material importance to the
house. In the year 1853 the Great Western and Bristol and
Exeter companies proposed to construct a lino running out of
the Wilts, Somerset, and Weymouth, and passing through
Axminster to Exeter. That bill was opposed by the South-
Western Company, whose traffic it would have injured. They,
did not contend that there was no necessity for such a rail-
way; their plea was that the proposed line was not the proper
one either as regarded the local or national requirements, and
they promised that, if the Great Western Bill should be thrown
out, theythemselves would construct a railway in the district.
The hoiL member ,for Berwickshire, who was at that time
chairman of the South-Western Company, went before.the
committee, being authorised by a general meeting of his share-
holders, and distinctly plelged himself to introduce a bill in
the next session for that purpose ; and the witnesses exa-
mined
by the committee, including several public officers,
having stated that the lino proposed by the South-Western
Company would be of greater advantage to the country than
thatprojected by the Great Western and Bristol and Exeter
Companies, ti e bill originated by the latter was rejected.
But at a subsequent meeting ofethe South-Western Company,
the shareholders determined, by a major:ty, not to redeem
the pledge which had been solemnly given by their chairman
to a committee of the House of Commons, and the con-e-
-quenee was that an important district of the country had up
to the present time been deprived of that railway accommo-
dation which they would miquestionably have obtained but
for the interposition Of the South Westei n Ccmpany upon
false pretences. Unhappily, for a long time Parliament
could not get at the wrongdoers, but the day of retribution
had at last arrived, for the South-Western Company was
now driven to apply to the L-gislature for another object,
and the house would not do its duty if it did not take that
opportunity of marking its sense of the conduct of the com-
pany in 1553. He had no wish to obstruct,. the hill
.new
haeava ou the cuntrarY, he 'believed it would
further the object which he had in view,' namely, an extension
in the direction to which the South Western Company pledged
themselves in 1853, hut ho thought it right to Move the post-
pomnent of the second reading for a month, because in the
interim the company would have an opportunity, at their
usual half-yearly meeting, of reconsidering their fm-mer con-
duct, and of saying, that, if the bill proceeded, they would
introduce, into it a clause so worded as to compel them to
redeem the pledge they had given through their chairman.
Ifthey consented to that, no member of that house would
support the bill More readily than ho would do ; but, if they
declined, )1131mA:A the house would do what was becoMing
its own dignity and the great interests entrusted to its
keeping. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. CHAPLIN said he was not chairman of the
South-Western Company when the transactions referred to
took place in 1853. He had no doubt that his predecessor
was authorised to give a pledge to the committee; bnt when •
the time came for fulfilling it the shareholders thought they
would not be justified, under the adverse circumstances which
then existed, in adhering to the promise which they had
given. But he would like to know how an error or a wrong
committed iu 1853 was to be rectified in 1855, when the bill
before the house referred to a different matter altogether I.
Moreover, the feeling which prevailed among the shareholders
in 1853 was five times stronger in 18-.15, and for his own part
ho despaired of effecting any change in favour of the scheme
proposed by the honourable member for Whitehaven. He
should. not give any promise on the subject, because he did
not moan to commit himself; but he thought it hard that a
railway company should be censured at one time for con-
structing new lines and branches, and at another for refusing
to plunge headlong into works of the same description.
otLfoAtaßhsseoeiuStociithE(ißr
Mr. BECKETT condemned the whole Parliamentary cone
South-western
oe:'wjmea scptaisnnugy;pt sh. andiesebdi
lcalledlt.that
t gentlemenupon
hdoumicistre.
II
of character should undertake to conduct the affairs of a com-
pany who had repudiated their engagements, and acted con-
trary to the commonest principles of commercial honour.
(Hear, hear.) He thought that the house would read a very
useful lesson to the South-Western Company, if they told
them that they would not listen to any proposal they made,
without giving them another opportunity of considering what
deserved no other name than a breach of faith ; and he should
therefore give his vote for the amendment.
Mr. DEEDES would vote for the amendment upon public
grounds, and because every promise made by the South-
Western Company'had been violated, and the proceedings of
that house entirely set at naught.
Mr. HUTCHINS did not see what good the postponement
of the bill- would do. Not one word had been said against
it. He had always spoken in the strongest terms against the
transaction of 1853 ; but the house ought to know that an
ex-Chancellor and several of the judge sent their proxies in
favour of the repudiation of the promise given to the commit-
tee. He hoped, therefore, that the second reading of the
present bill, which had nothing to do with the affair of 1853,
would not be postponed.
Mr. HENLEY said that if the house passed this bill with-
out taking notice of the gross breach of faith fin 1853, they
would open' a door for' all sorts of trick, chicanery, and dis-
honesty. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. F. SCOTT said that when ho found the shareholders
were not willing to redeem the pledge which they bad autho-
rised him to give to the committee, he considered it his duty
to resign the office of chairman. He was still, however, A
proprietor in the company, sad in. that character he asked
the house to postpone the second reading of this bill, iu order
that his brother shareholders might have an opportunity of
putting themselves in a position to come clean-handed into
court. (Hear, hear.)

•
Mr. CHAPLIN, seeing that the feeling of the house was
egaint proceeding with the bill at the present moment, begged
to withdraw his motion for the second reading.
for The se
on coed reading of the bill. was accordingly postponed
a mth.

LAW OF PARTNERSHIP,
Mr. COLLIER—Seeing the President of the Board of Trade
in his place, -I beg to ask whether it is still his intention to
introduce a bill respecting the law of partnership, on the prin-
ciple of liMited liability ; and, if so, whether he can give me
any information as to when he is likely to introduce it ?
Mr,-CARD WELL—It is still my intention to move for
leave to introduce the bill of which I have given notice ; but
I cannot say whether I shall be able to do so on Monday or
not.; at all events, I will lose no time in giving the requisite
notice. (Hear, hear.)

LAW .
On the motionPOOß of Mr. BLAND(IRELAND) the following return was
ordered ;—Return of the names of the Poor-law board in
Ireland, as also of the names of the Poor-law inspectors in
Ireland, with the dates of their appointments, as also the
names of the several Poor-law inspectors removed within the
last twelve months, or about to be removed, in Ireland, with
the dates of their respective appointments, together with the
correspondence had on the subject of such removals o )in-
tended removals.

NAVY ESTIMATES.
These estimates were brought in by Mr. COWPER, and
ordered to lie on the table.

Mr. WILSON brought up supplementary estimates for the
military and civil services, which were also ordered to lie on
he table.
'NSPECTOR-GENERAL OF PRISONS IN IRELAND.

Mr. MACARTNEY—Boeing the Chief Secretary for Ireland
in his place, bog to ask whC,ther any vacancy has occurred
in the office of inspector-general of prisons in Ireland, by the
daatit, resignation, or superannuation of either Messrs. Con-
nellan or Galway - and in efoc of such vacancy having oe-
cured, at what date the same has been filled up by the ap-
pointment of a successor?