The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-11 00:00:00

BREAD.

The prices of wheaten bread in the metropolis are from
10d to 101 d; of household ditto, 84d to 91d per 4 lb loaf.

HIDES AND SKINS.
Market hides, 561 b to 641 b, 3id to 3,;(1 ; 641 b to 721 b, 3id
to 3id ; 721 b to 801 b, 3d to 4d ; 801 b to 881 b, 4d to 4id ;
881 b to 961 b, 4id to 4id ; 961 b to 1041 b, Od to Od ; 104
1121 b Od to Od ; upwards, Od to Od ; Horse hides, 5s
tid to Os Od ; calf skins, light, 2s Od to 3s Od ; ditto, full,
6s Od to 6s 6d ; Polled Sheep, Os Od to Os Od ; Keats, Os
Od to Os Od ; Half•breds, Os Od to Os Od ; Downs, Os Od
to Os Od; Lambs, 2s 3d to 3s 6d ; Shearlings, is 4d to is 11d.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY.)

The LORD CHANOELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.
The Earl of BESSBOROUGH presented two peti-
tions against Church-rates, and also a petition in favour
of the formation of a Polish Legion.
Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition from Jed-
burgh, in favour of the Scotch Education Bill.
LEASES AND SALES OF SETTLED ESTATES
BILL.

The Earl of MALMESBURY said he wished to call
the attention of the noble and learned lord on the wool-
sack to one very useful and important bill which had
been withrawn in the present session. That bill was
unanimously accepted by their lordships' house as being
a most useful measure. It was the Leases and Settled
Estates Bill. It appeared that the noble and learned
lord had entrusted that bill in the hands of the Soli-
citor-General, who, after some discussion upon its
details yesterday, withdrew the bill on the ground that
he believed it would be impossible to pass it through
Parliament in the present session. As far as he could
learn from the report be had seen, the noble and learned
lord had not been supported by he members of the Go-
vernment in the other House of Parliament in the way
they ought to do in connection with measures of great
importance. He wished to ask the noble and learned lord
whether it was his intention to re-introduce the bill next
session
The LORD CHANCELLOR quite concurred with
the noble earl that the measure was a most important
one. He did not, however, wish to take the credit of
that measure to himself. It was passed with the almost
unanimous approval of their lordships, and was placed
in the hands of the Solicitor-General, who took exactly
the same view as he had done. As far ae he could hear,
there was a notion abroad in the other house that there

was one particular clause, which would effect what was
- -

vulgarly called the enclosure of Hampstead Heath. Now
the notion was entirely wrong, but to prevent any mistake
a clause had been introduced into it so as to meet
the objection. (Hear.) The bill had been postponed
in consequence of the lateness of the session, but he in-
tended at the earliest opportunity next session to re-
introduce the bill.
Lord CAMPBELL observed that many important
bills which had been introduced by distinguished mem-
bers of that house, and which had met with general ap-
proval, were not supported in the way they ought to
have been by the members of the lower house. He
'thought Sir T. M. Wilson was entitled to compensation,
and that he would be willing to enter into negotiations
with that view.

TREATMENT OF PRISONERS BY THE
RUSSIANS.

The Earl of MALMESBURY drew the attention of

the house to the account which appeared in Blackwood's
Magazine, and other periodicals, in respect to the treat-
ment of English and French prisoners by the Russians.
It appeared from these accounts that the English and
French prisoners, taken in the Crimea, were marched
an enormous distance, about 600 or 700 miles, on foot,
at very inclement seasons of the year. What would be
said, if the Russian prisoners, landed at Portsmouth or
Plymouth, were marched to the north of Scotland. It
was the duty of her Majesty's Government to ascertain
if those statements were true, and, if so, to protest
against the infliction of Bach sufferings upon their sol-
diers. They had plenty of precedents for doing so, and
might refer, for example, to the protests made in the
last war against the treatment of prisoners who had
been taken by the enemy. The Government would not
be doing their duty if it did not protest against the
infliction of such sufferings upon the English prisoners.
(Hear, hear.)
The Inverness Bridge Bill passed through committee.
PUBLIC HEALTH (No. 2) BILL.

The Duke of ARGYLL moved that as the Public
Health (No. 2) Bill has been unavoidably delayed in
consequence of the withdrawal of the Public Health
Amendment bill, in the House of Commons, and since,
if the said bill be not proceeded with, improvement
works of immediate necessity in the places affected by
the said bill will be prevented or impeded ; and as it
appears that the House of Commons suspended their
standing orders with a view to a speedy passing of the
said bill, the circumstances are of such urgency as render
the immediate consideration of the same expedient.
The motion was agreed to, and the bill was read a
second time.
The standing orders having been suspended on the
motion of the noble duke, the bill was put through the
other stages and passed.

THE CRIMINAL OUTRAGE (IRELAND) ACT

CONTINUANCE BILL.

On the motion to consider the Commons' amendments,
Lord MONTEAGLE called attention to the fact that
by an alteration made in the other house, the Crime and
Outrage Act was only to be continued until next July.
From that he inferred that there was an intention in the
course of the ensuing session to take the whole question
into consideration, and he hoped there would be a dis-
position to dispense with such portions of the law as
could tbe dispensed with, with a due regard to public
safety. He hoped that in the course of the next session
they would lay the foundation for a careful examination
of the circumstances of Ireland, for the purpose of ascer-
taining what course of legislation should be adopted.
Earl GRANVILLE was not aware that any pledge
had been given of the nature referred to by the noble
lord. Hon. gentlemen opposed to the bill having made
a proposition that was unobjectionable, the Government
were glad to accept it to enable them to go on with the
other public business.
The amendments of the Commons were then agreed to.
The Public-houses (Ireland) Bill passed through com-
mittee.

The Public Health Act (1854) Continuance and
Amendment Bill passed through committee ; and the
Diseases Preventio❑ Bill passed through committee.
The Lunatic Asylums (Ireland) Advances Bill, and
Navigation Works (Ireland) Bill, were read a third time
and passed.
The Consolidated Fund Appropriation Bill passed
through committee.
EXCHEQUER•BILLS (7,000,0001) BILL.

On the motion for going into committee on the Ex-
chequer-bills (7,000,0001.) Bill,
Lord MONTEAGLE directed attention to the finan-
cial prospects of the country. He did not object to the
expenditure which had taken place under the circum-
stances. He grudged nothing that was necessary for
the vigorous prosecution of the war, but he grudged
everything that introduced a new and a bad principle
which would in the end fail. The noble lord then ad-
verted to the loans, to the issue of Exchequer-bonds, to
the Turkish loan, and to the Commissariat advances
and expenditure, pointing out objections to the node in
which they were carried on. He admitted the diffi-
culties of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who, he
said, had shown excellent judgment in his arrange.
ments.

The Earl of MALMESBURY retorted the accusation
which he had understood the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs had brought against himself and his
friends for doubting the good faith c,f the French Go-
vernmett in the opposition to the Turkish Loan Bill.
On a previous occasion the friends of the noble lord
had on this ground offered a most violent opposition to
the convention for the extradition of criminals.

The Earl of CLARENDON having explained that
the noble lord laboured under a complete misapprehen-
sion,
Earl GREY entered into a general condemnation of
the Turkish loan, which he regarded as one of the con-
sequences of carrying on war in a spirit of reckless ex-
travagance without check or consideration. In his
opinion the public service might be managed with
greater economy and equal results be obtained from a
more judicious expenditure. He did not blame the Go-
vernment for this. He thought the blame rested with
the Houses of Parliament. The House of Commons,
which ought to be a check upon the Government, and
prevent the public money being wasted, seemed, on the
contrary, to think it had no other duty to perform than
to vote, without inquiry, any enormous sums of money
which might be demanded of it.
The house then went into committee, and the bill was
agreed to.
The Militia Pay Bill went through committee.
LIMITED LIABILITY BILL.

On the motion for receiving the report on this bill.
Earl GREY presented a petition from the Manchester
Chamber of Commerce against the bill.

Lord CAMPBELL expressed his firm belief that un-
less some minimum of capital was fixed in this bill, the
greatest possible injury would be inflicted by its opera-
tion. There was nothing in the hill at present to pre-
vent joint-stock companies being formed and actually
carried out with a capital of 501. The act required only
that there should be 25 shareholders, and that the shares
should be no less than 101. each, the sum of 21. only being
required to be paid up, so that each of the 25 share-
holders, holding one share on which be paid 21., would
be able to avail himself of the privileges of this act. He
confidently believed that bubble companies without
number would be formed, if this act were passed, and he
trusted Government would consent to adopt the prin-
ciple of a minimum in the bill.
Earl GRANVILLE could not conceive upon what
grounds the noble lord's apprehensions of evil from the
want of limitation, which he sought to introduce, were
founded. He (Earl Granville) was at a loss, even 50E,
posing companies should be formed with a ca I
which he much doubted, to know what barrupiat:epuslidd.roep"
snit. How could companies formed witobj,io., i i.
capital of 501., and a nominal capita:, f .;,,
spire persons with confidence in the a
are;:oldldaerrascionl--
ldeicytiidvuealyll,y7hich was not felt for those share
:it in stock com-
diculous that
theErearslhGoußldEbYe allth othueghmtacithineexartrnydeomfeal secretary,Yj and all for
tPhaenYi purpose
wit
ofi r ehd
managinge directors, d
most absurd thing. If it were
capital of 2501. It wasu thoer s; ffairs of a company with a
companies, an alteration of the
and
a ti
desirable to form such
law of partnership !monk' be the best mode of bringing
about such a result•
tl ec y agreed
earl w
ihoortptpeo s i t mast e absurdy of
_seotmtipnagtnhiaest
which alls a en from the noble
in operation
tht
remarks
o. f AhLD E. RtLfEIYI pail
of the Joint Stock Companies Act for
the machinery
very abp.
such small capitals, but in his opinion
surdity was the best security against the establishment
everould be too great to
admit
meniothofeothinspiranbieeieng. Tfohremeexd.pen.ane
adr t ne
withr s h i pi t Mb ilalethroughs butty ' 8 they had
ov
tehhra den
ment bad introduced a P
r-
not been able to procee
house. It was, however, their intention to reintroduce
it in the next session.
Lord REDESDA.LP, wished to know in what man-
ner the revenue would be affected in the case of the for-
mation of companies of that sort carrying on manufac-
tures from which revenues had to be collected I Would

each shareholder in the company be severally liable for
the payment of excise duties ?
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY did not see that
in the event of companies being formed for such purposes
any greater difficulties would arise than those 'which ex.
isted in the case of individual manufacturers.
Earl GREY wished to know whether any persons
holding shares in any company formed under this act,
without taking part in its management, would be liable
for the payment of excise duties to the Crown beyond
the amount of their shares.
Lord STANLEY of ALDERLEY—Certainly not:
Earl GREY—Then the effect would be that compa-
nies would be formed for the sole purpose of defrauding
the revenue. They might put men of straw in the ma-
nagement of the concern, keeping themselves perfectly
free from it, carry on business to a large extent, in the
case of distilling for instance, where frauds had been so
frequently practised, then when the authorities disco.
vered the fraud the company would merely break up,
and the shareholders would be only liable for the nomi
nal amount of their shares.

The Earl of HA RROWBY said that the Mock and
plant in such cases would be liable to be taken for pay.
meat.

After some further conversation,
Earl GREY moved the insertion of a clause providing
for the appointment of auditor by the commissioners for
auditing the public accounts. He believed that by such
a provision only could this bill be prevented from lead-
ing to the commission of great frauds.
Lord STBNLEY of ALDERLEY said that the audit
was for the protection of shareholders, and he could not
admit that it was the duty of Government to undertake
it. He recommended that the consideration of this sub-
ject should be deferred until the revision of the Joint-
Stock Companies Act, which must take place next ses-
sion.

Lord Campbell supported the clause ' • which was op.
posed by the Lord Chancellor and Earl Granville, and
supported by Lord Monteagle and Lord Redesdale
Ultimately Lord Granville promised, in deference to the
strong opinions which had bden expressed, to consider
this clause before the bill passed its next stage.
Earl GREY suggested that it might be desirable to
give the power of appointing auditors rather to the Board
of Trade or the Treasury, than to the commissioners for
the examination of the public accounts, as he had pro-
vided in his clause ; not because that was in accordance
with the provisions of the Railway Audit Bill, which had
passed the house.

_
Earl GRANVILLE guarded himself against being
understood to have promised to assent to this clause.
He only meant to promise to consider it with his col-
leagues, to see whether it could be consented to.
Upon this uuderstanding,
Earl GREY withdrew the clause for the present.
Lord CAMPELL proposed a clause allowing costs
against shareholders, when the company has no assets,
against which execution can be levied.
The clause was agreed to, and the report was then
received, and the bill was ordered to be read a third time
to-morrow (this day.)