The Sun.
London, England, 1855-07-27 00:00:00

COAL MINES INSPECTION BILL.
__ _ _

On the motion of Lord CANNING, the report of the
amendments on this bill were read and agreed to.
The Bills of Lading Bill, the Dissenters' Marri: tge
Bill, the Stage Carriages Duties Bill, the Convent ion
with the United States Bill, the Turnpike Trusts. Ar-
rangement Bill, the Militia Officers Qualification I
the Treasurers of Counties (Treland) Bill, and the ale
of Spirits (Ireland) Bill passed through committee.
The Merchant Shipping Acts Amendment Bills
the Lunatic Asylums (Ireland) Bill were read a th ird
ime and passed.
The Trinity College (Ireland) Bill was read a sect and
time, and ordered to he committed.
EXAMINERS FOR STANDING ORDERS.

Lord REDESDALE moved that Samuel Smith 71,na
Thomas Erskine May, Esqs., be appointed examiners fo r
Etanding orders for the ensuing session.
The motion was agreed to.
Their lordships adjourned at flve minutes past isok;en
o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-(YESTERDAS:..)

The SPEAKER took the chair at twelve o'clock.

The following bills were read a third time and pass :
Dray's Estate Bill, Earl of Abergavonny's Estate, :i.%11,
Jenkins' Estate Bill.
Mr. WICKHAM presented four petitions from the
inhabitants of the borough of Bradfo:d, Yorkah :re,
praying for the repeal of the Beer Act of last se:* ion
before the expiration of the present one ; also, one f,.oin
the shareholders of the Lancashire and Yorkshire B aii-
way against Accidents on Railways Bill.
LIMITED LIABILITY BILL.
On the order of the day for going into committer) on
the above bill,

Mr. MUNTZ rose to oppose the further progress
of the bill, characterising it as one of the most
objectionable measures that could possibly be conceived.
Every man of business that he had conversed with on
the bill expressed a similar opinion. If the principle of
this bill was a sound one, why not carry it out ? Inet mad
of doing that it would effectually prevent poor -Teen
from deriving any benefit from it, and none but capital-
ists would derive any benefit from the measure. He
had read the speech of the right hon. gentleman, the
Vice-President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Bouverie),
who introduced the bill, and a more theoretical piece
of stuff be had never read. (Hear, and a tau?, b.)
Watt and Arkwright, and other men like them,
had made large fortunes, but it was by their
own energy and ability, and he doubted if t; ley
would have done so had they been subject; to
a limited liability. The Vice-President of the
Board of Trade had said it was well known that in the
Italian States the gentry, who were ashamed of tali ing
an active share in trade, were in the habit of embark in;
their money in trading establishments without letting
their names be known, and that such a result might be
expected in this country when this bill became law ;
but he (Mr. Muntz) believed a greater delusion was
never entertained ; for, take the most intelligent mind
best-intentioned country gentleman, and let him have an
active part in any trading speculation, and he wo ald
ruin it. (Hear.) He would ask the promoters of :he
bill, who had asked for such a measure? What portion
of the commercial classes of England, Ireland, or Scot-
land had demanded this measure ? (Hear.) The bill
would be a fruitful source of litigation. He believed it
was a mere lawyers' job. (Hear, hear.) Therefore 119
thought if the promoters of the bill could not show better
grounds for it than they had yet shown, they ought at
least give time for more consideration than the bill co zlcl
possibly receive at this period of the session. He there-
fore moved that the bill be committed on that day three
months.
Mr. GLYNN seconded the motion. He entree ted
the house to postpone for some time at least so import sot
a measure, until they should have time to consider an-
other subject intimately connected with it—he meant the
law of bankruptcy. (Hear.)
On the question that the Speaker do leave the chair
being put,
Mr. E. BALL rose to oppose the motion of the hon-
ourable member for Birmingham (Mr. Muntz). He
denied the assertion of the hon. member thatevery com-
mercial man out of doors was against the bill ; every
division that had taken place in this house had shown
by majorities of two to one that the house was in favour
of the principle of the bill, and he believed that the
opinions of commercial men on this subject were fairly
represented by the house. (Hear, hear.) He believed
the bill would be a great boon to the country generally,
and he hoped the Government would persevere in pass-
..ag it:
ViMr. W. BROWN said he had had considerable expe-
rience of the working of the limited liability principle
both in France and the United States, and he was con-
vinced that that principle would not be for the advan-
tage of this country.
Mr. STRUTT said the question they had now to con-
sider was, whether they ought to introduce the limited
liability principle to the ordinary trades of the country.
(Hear, hear.) Was there any great want of capital in
this country to enable persons to carry on trade ? He
believed the very contrary was the case. He believed,
if they passed the bill this session, a very great clamour
would be raised against it, and they would have to re-
peal it after it had done a great deal of mischief. He
recollected in 1825 they had new companies starting for
every
conceivable purpose, and the consequence was the
ruin of a large number of persons • and he believed, if
this bill passed, they would have the same evils renewed.
Mr. JOHN MACGREGOR expressed himself strongly
in favour of the bill.

Mr. V. SCULL• also agreed in the principle of the
bill, but believed it could not receivea that consideration
which its importance demanded at this advanced period
of the session. He entertained
paper—the
Partnership
same opinion on
another bill on the
Amendment
Bill—which was of equal irnportanicie,:tlotitPto which the
same objection existed—namely, that it could not receive
due consideration at this period of the
efatonu.se not to
Lord PALMERSTON entreated the
:
waste time in discussing whether they ought or ought
not to go into committee on the bill, but to
com-
mittee at once, when hon, members couldg°dincto Caotr
merits of the bill. (Hear, hear.) He himself believed
this was a question of free trade against
(Cheers, and counter cheers.) He did not sai:ot`'uhlYii;
offensively ; but he was determined the country
see who it was that wasted the time of the house bylond,
speeches, and thus retarded the progress of this • '
impo,
taut measure. (Cheers.)
Mr. SPOONER supported the motion of the boa.
member for Birmiughain (Mr. Muntz)„
After a few words from Mr. Bass,
Mr. MITCHELL, who rose amidst loud cries of
' Divide," said he was not to be restrained from any
expression of his opinion on that bill by what had
fallen from the First Minister of the Crown. He was
in favour of the bill before the house in a general sense,
and his only objection to it was the same as that enter-
tained by the hon. member for Kent, namely, as to the
mode proposed of carrying out the principle of the mea-
sure, though the principle itself was pretty well ap-
proved. (Hear.) Now, with regard to the remarks
which had been made by the noble lord at the head of
the Government, he must confess he had never
beard__?bservations more uncalled for or improper from
anya class
~inister, (Hear, hear.) They had been applied to
of hon. gentlemen who had certainly never done
anything to
(Hear.) The noble
the appellation of destructiveq.
e noble lord forgot that, although the bill wasintroduced before
Whitsuntide—a bill which was to
tem of commercial c
whether for good or evil, the whole s ys-
to sleep whilst redit the noble lord had allowed it
nother characterhis attention was occupied by two bilk of
which he had thrown
—"le being the Scotch Education Did,
over without any compunction—
(hear, hear)—and the othertml:ihe Irish Tenants Com-
pensation Bill, which the lord well knew could
never_ he passed. (Cheers.) Theun'tirle lord had occupied
himself with theso two bills
26th July, when
all the while to
he endeavoured, 'although professing
by
`holding
to intiruidato
wish that the bill should be fully discussed,
the house to allow it- to progress
4, or "1g out a thr.e-t
bill, but
of a protracted session. (Cries of o oh; ,) ... i. ,
not wish to offer any factious opposition to ) ''''" aid
he protested against the use of such language,
Mr. L. DAVIS supported the bill. ' '
Mr. FOSTER did not object to the bill in p • ,'
ill''i
but he could not record his vote in favour of it without°
observing that he thought it required much alteration in
a practical sense.

Mr. MLLINS expressed his unqualified approval of
the measure, and sincerely trusted that its progress would
not be delayed longer than necessary.
Mr. HENLEY maintained that the question involved
in the bill Was not one of monopoly or free trade, as had
been stated by the noble lord (Lord Pahnerstqn). Tie
did not object to the principle of the bill, but he consi-
dered it too late to go into a calm discussion of its uteri If .
}le was by no means affected by the threat made use of

by the noble lord to sit until September, and he should
under these circumstances vote against the further pro-
gress of the bill. (Hear.)
Mr. LAING considered that the debate up to that
point did not fairly represent the opinions of the house
upon the measure under discussion, inasmuch as those
who were in favour of it, and had reasonable hopes of
its going into committee that morning, had permitted its
opponents to speak against it one after another, without,
with one or two exceptions, offering anything in reply.
The hon. gentleman then went on at some length to re-
ply to many of the objections which had been urged
against the bill, and illustrated the arguments he brought
forward by statements of the results of his experience and
observation in commercial affairs. These, he said, were
practical instances why the existing law of partnership
ought to be altered, and that at once. At the same time he
thought the details of the bill ought to receive the deep-
est consideration, and should be well digested before
they were adopted.
Mr. HASTIE, at some length, opposed the further
progress of the bill, and cited various instances in which
its operation would prove injurious to the interests of
commerce. He believed that these bills would lead to
nothing but evil, and he hoped, therefore, that
the noble lord at the head of the Government would
postpone them to another session.
Mr. W. WILLIAMS thought the present was a most
unfavourable moment to bring forward so important a
measure as the one now under discussion, and while he
admitted the great benefits that might be derived from
the passing of such a measure, he could not but depre-
cate the time at which it had been brought forward,
considering the present state of the session.
Mr. BOI7VERIE thought the question of going into
committee on this bill was one of great importance, and
that was the reason why be had put the measure forward
as the first order of the day. He believed that it was
necessary that this measure should pass, and he trusted
that no further opposition would be made to its further
progress. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. CARDWELL wanted to know how it was that
if those bills were of such importance they had not had
an opportunity of discussing them ? It was well known
the standing orders of the House of Lords precluded the
further progress of them. The course that had been
pursued with respect to these bills compelled him to
vote in favour of the amendment.

Mr. DILLWYN, although he saw great benefits in
the principle of the bill, thought that at the present
period of the session it would not be pressed forward
with any good result, and that the labours of the house
would bo in vain. (Hear.)
The house then divided, when there appeared—
For going into committee l2l
Against it. 4O
Majority for going into committee —Bl
The house then resolved itielf into committee on the
bill, Mr. Fitzroy in the chair.
Mr. CAIRNS moved that the chairman should report
progress. The noble lcrd at the head of the Govern-
ment was alone responsible for the delay that had taken
place on this measure, which he now considered of so
much importance. He should like very much to know
when the light of the importance of the measure first
broke in upon the noble lord. (Laught^r.) The Gov6rn-
meat bad not been sincere in this matter. They had
seen that the measure was popular out of doors, and at
the last hour they had taken it up for the purpose, and
that alone, of popularity.

Viscount EBRINGiON believed that the Govern-
ment was not to blame for the non pas-ing of the bill,
but it was attributable alone to the mode of proceeding
in the house.
The CHAIRMAN then reported progress, and ob-
tained le.we to sit again to-morrow at 12.
NAVIGATION WORKS (IRELAND) BILL.
The committee on this bill was postponed till to-
morrow.
LUNATIC ASYLUMS_(IRELAND) ADVANCE