The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-17 00:00:00

also been embarked at Dover, and within forty-eight hours
had encountered a heavy gale in the Channel. The sea
stores and stock belonging to the officers were placed on deck
in a most disgraceful manner, and from the want of proper
caulking the water poured into the vessel in a most unusual
manner. The ship had arrived at Madeira, and by private
letters which he had received, he learnt that this defect con-
tinued throughout the voyage, to the great discomfort and
annoyance of the troops. He wished to ask what amount of
ordnance stores were on board, and to whom the blame of the
inconveniences complained of attachel?
The Earl of MINTO (who was all but inaudible in tke
gallery) was understood to say that the ship had been fitted
up with more than the usual care; that inquiry had been
made as to the number of men she could take, and the autho-
rities at Sheerness stated that 702 men could be conveniently
accommodated in her; that 677 officers and men were sent
on board; and afterwards, when the Birkenhead was fitting
out to convey troops to the Cape, the Admiralty suggested
that 100 of the rifle corps should be transferred to that ship,
but the answer was, that the officers preferred remaining to-
gether. The ship was fitted up with every comfort; she
sailed in bad weather; and if the master had done his duty,
he would have taken shelter, and completed his stock at
some other port than Plymouth.
Lord COLCHESTER did not think it had been sufficiently
explained why the troops were embarked at Dover instead of
in smooth water ; and he thought that an officer of greater
rank than a master in the navy should be appointed to the
command of ships conveying troops.
The Earl of MINTO made some observations, which were
inaudible, but was understood to agree to the suggestions that
an officer of higher rank should take the command of troop-
ships.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGII would recommend the
Noble Duke by and bye to move for the doctor's report,
which would be the true test of the conduct of the Admi-
ralty. It was inure important that 400 troops should be
landed in a state of efficiency than 600 suffering from the
effects of the voyage. This subject had been brought under
his attention by the expedition to China, when the 98th Re-
giment fell to pieces as soon as it landed from the want of
proper accommodation on the passage. The Megmra must
have been overcrowded. Her burden was 1,400 tons, from
which the machiaery had to be deducted; and there ought
to be one ton and a half, if not two tons, to every man. He
should move for a return of the number of persons on board,
6 including the crew, consisting of 200 persons, and the women
and children. _ _ _

Earl GREY had no objection to the return, but would ad-
vise the Noble Earl to wait for the doctor's report.- He had
the satisfaction of stating that all the regiments which had
hitherto been sent out to the Cape had been landed in a most
sal

tisfactory state.
The Duke of NORTHUMBERLAND defended the con•
duct of the master of the Megtera, which the Noble Ear
(Minto) had impugned.
THE PATENT LAWS.

Lord BROUGHAM said that he would recommend their
Lordships not to adopt two or three of the amendments made
by the other House of Parliament in this Bill last session,
giving to the patent agents a perpetual monopoly; but,
setting aside those amendments, he hoped their Lordships
would agree to a measure embodying the clauses in the Bill
of last session; and such was the measure which he had
introduced the other night, and which was read a first time.
He wished to make this explanation because the Noble Earl
the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, who brought in a Bill on
the subject last year, was not present when his Bill was read
a first time the other night.
Lord STANLEY, of Alderley, said the Government Bill
of this year was very similar to that of last year.
SECRETARY OF BANKRUPTS' OFFICE ABOLI-
TION BILL.
On the motion that this Bill be read a third time,
Lord BROUGHAM said it had been stated in the other
House that this Bill was a job of Lord Cottenham's ; he
could only say it was a job to get rid of 3,0001. a year now
paid by the public.
After a few words from the LORD CHANCELLOR,
who said the officer who held the appointment was quite
ready to give it up, the Bill was read a third time and
passed.
The House then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 16.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at a tew minutes before
Four o'clock.

NEW MEMBER.
Captain DUNCOMBE took the oaths and his seat for
East Retford.

PRIVATE BILLS.
The following Bills were read a second time, and
ordered to be committed:—
Aberdeen Boys' and Girls' Hospitals.
Athlone Markets and Customs.
Barnstaple Markets and Fairs.
Belfast Gas.
Birkenhead Docks.
Birkenhead Dock Trustees and Birkenhead Dock Company.
British Empire Mutual Life Assurance Company.
Deeside Railway.
East Anglian Railways.
Exeter Roads.
Forth and Clyde Navigation.
Frome, Yeovil, and Weymouth Railway (No. 1).
Frome, Yeovil, and Weymouth Railway (No. 2).
Great Western, Shrewsbury and Birmingham, Shrewsbury,
and Chester, Shrewsbury and Hereford, Birkenhead, Lan-
cashire, and ,Cheshire Junction, and Hereford, Ross, and
Gloucester Railway Companies.
Ipswich Dock.
Kingston-upon-Hull Dues and Docks.
Leeds, Bradford, and Halifax Junction Railway.
London (City) Improvements.
London (City) Small Debts Extension.
Londonderry and Coleraine Railway.
Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway.
Patect Solid Sewage Manure Company.
Retford and Littleborough Road.
Skipton and Craco Road.
South Staffordshire Railway.
South Wales Railway.
Sunderland Waterworks.
Ulverstone Waterworks.
York and North Midland and East and West Yorkshire
Junction Railways.
RAMSGATE ROYAL HARBOUR BILL.

On the motion for the second reading of this Bill,
Sir F. BARING requested that it might be postponed,
as the Admiralty were in negotiation with the parties
upon the subject.
Mr. HUME said the Bill ought to be taken up by the
Government, n order that the obnoxious tolls which
were levied upon the British shipping going from the
north to the south might be abolished.
Sir F. BARING said that was the object of the post-
ponement.
Mr. WAWN said it was the bounden duty of the
Government to repeal these tolls, since they had abo-
lished the navigation-laws.
The Bill was then ordered to be read a second time
ou Monday next.