The Sun.
London, England, 1852-11-20 00:00:00

ING, NOVEMBER 20, 1852.

agreed on, or to make such !other arrangements with such share-
he'ders as may be thought fit.

And it is ago propos;d, if need be, for the several purposes afore-
said, to alter, amend, and extend. all or some of the powers and
provisions of the several Acts following, or some of them, directly or
indirectly relating to or affecting the Great Western Railway Com-
pany : (that is to say) Local and Personal Acts, 5 and 6 William
IV., cap. 107; 6 William IV., caps. 36, 38, 77, and 79; 1 Victoria,
caps. 91 and 92 (1837), and 24 and 26 (1838) ; 2 Victoria, cap. 27 ;
3 Victoria, cap. 47 ; 3 and 4 Victoria, cap. 105; 4 and 5 Victoria,
cap. 41 ; 5 Victoria, Session 2, cap. 25 ; 6 Victoria, cap. 10 ; 7 Vic-
toria, cap. 3 ; 7 and 8 Victoria, cap. 6fs ' • tt and 9 Victoria, caps. 40.
53, 155, 156, 184, 188, 190. and 191 ; 9 Victoria, cap. 14 ; 9 and 10
Victoria, caps. 166, 181, 236, 239, 240, 278, 313, 315, 335, 337,
338, 369, and 402 • 10 and 11 Victoria. caps. 60, 72, 76, 91, 101,
109, 147, 154, 226, and 242: 11 and 12 Victoria, caps. 28, 59, 74,
77, 82, 95, 130, 131, 133, 135, 158, and 159 13 Victoria, caps. 6
and 7 ; 13 and 14 Victoria, caps. 44, 98, and 110 ; 14 and 15 Victoria,
caps. 48 and 81 ; and 15 and 16 Victoria, caps. 125, 133, 140, 145,
147, and 163 ; also the Acts relating to the Shrewsbury and Birming-
ham Railway Company : (that is to say) Local and Personal Acts,
9 and 10 Victoria, caps. 307 and 308 • 10 and 11 Victoria, cap. 80 ;
12 and 13 Victoria, cap. 85 ; and 15 and 16 Victoria, cap. 165; also
the Acts relating to the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway Company:
(that is to say) Local and Personal Acts, 7 and 8 Victoria, cap. 99
8 and 9 Victoria, caps. 42 and 115 ; and 9 and 10 Victoria, caps. 250,
251, 274, and 275 ; 10 and 11 Victoria, cap. 144 ; 12 and 13 Victoria,
cap. 55 ; 14 and 15 Victoria, cap. 131, and 15 and 16 Victoria, cap.
146.
And notice is hereby also given, that on or before the 31st day of
December next, printed copies of the intended Bill will be deposited
in the Private Bill-office of the House of Commons.
Dated the 10th day of November, 1852.
W. 0. and W. HUNT.
R. and W. G. ROY.
HENRY KELSALL.

CONTRACTS for RUM, WINE, and COCOA.
kj Department of the Comptroller for Victualling and Transport
Services. Somerset-place, 17th Nov., 1852.
The COMMISSIONERS for executing the Office of Lord Nigh
Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland do
hereby GIVE NOTICE, that, on THURSDAY, the 9th December next,
at One o'clock, they will be ready to treat with such persons as may
be willing to Contract for supplying and delivering into her Majesty's
Victualling Stores at DEPTFORD, the undermentioned Articles, viz.:

[PRICE SD.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—{YESTERDAY.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at 5 o'clock.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE gave notice that
he would put a question to the noble lord at the head of
the Government, on Monday night, with respect to the
public business to be introduced into this house before
the adjournment.
THE SANITARY CONFERENCE.

The Earl of ST. GERMANS rose, according to
notice, to put a question to her Majesty's Government
touching the repo. c and proceedings of the late Sanitary
Conference in Paris, for a copy of which he had
moved in the course of the last session, but
which had not yet appeared. There was an impres-
sion abroad that persons interested in the maintenance
of the quarantine system, had prevailed upon her Ma-
jesty's present Ministers to recede from the position oc-
cupied by their predecessors with z espect to the question,
and, instead of heading the onward movement, to fall
back upon the old restrictive regulations. He also
wished to ask whether any letter had been addressed, by
order of the Privy Council, to the Commissioners of
Customs, directing that certain quarantine regulations
be enforcedln the case of all ships coming from countries
in which cholera prevails ? He also wished to know
whether there was any foundation for the report which had
appeared in the public papers of to-day, with respect to
the West India mail-packet having arrived with several
cases of yellow fever on board, and having been put in
quarantine ? He would wish to inquire, still farther,
what accommodation had been provided for the recep-
tion of the unfortunate passengers, and whether, gene-
rally, medical attendance was provided for persons put
in quarantine ?

The Earl of MALMESEtTRY 'said he was sorry that
as negotiations were pending, to conclude a convention
respecting quarantine regulations, he could not yet lay
on the table the papers which the noble lord had asked
for. Spain and Austria had as yet refused to sign a con-
vention, but he believed that Russia, France, Portugal,
and Sardinia were ready to co-operate with her Ma-
jesty's Government for this purpose.
The Earl of LONSDALE answered the second question
of the noble lord. It had come to the knowledge of her
Majesty's Government that the cholera had broken out
with much malignancy at Dantzic, and it was thought
necessary to give directions that quarantine regulation
should be carried out with respect to ships arriving from
that quarter. With respect to the case of the West
India mail packet, the information alluded to had only
reached her Majesty's Government that morning by tele-
graph, and he (the noble earl) had thought it best to dis.
patch orders for the release of the passengers, and that
medical attendance at once be dispatched to the sick
persons.

- Lord STANLEY (of Alderley) said, he thought it
was scarcely to be expected that her Majesty's Govern-
ment could conclude a convention with respect to the
abolition of the quarantine with foreign governments
when they were enforcing quarantine regulations at
home with more stringency than ever.
The Earl of MALMESBURY, on the part of her
Majesty's Government, repudiated any idea of obtaining
the total abolition of quarantine.
After a few words from Lord WHARNCLIFFE, who
also thought it a preposterous thing for her Majesty's
Government to expect to negotiate a modification of
quarantine regulations when their officers at home had
put a whole shipfull of passengers in quarantine for two
cases of yellow fever, in the month of November.
The subject dropped.

RAILWAY LEGISLATION.
Lord REDESDALE wished to ask his noble friend
the Vice-President of the Board of Trade, whether he in-
tended to bring in any bill for the regulation of railways.
He believed that there was an almost universal opinion
amongst persons in this country not personally inthrested
in railways, that some further regulations should be
adopted, and some further control exercised in regard
to matters connected with these concerns. The acci-
dents whioh had lately occurred, and which had cer-
tainly been more than usually numerous, had drawn
the attention of the public to this matter ; and he be-
lieved that the safety as well as the convenience of
the public really required some attention on the part
Of the Government, and the adoption of some regula-
tions which might enable them to interfere a little in
these matters. He knew that there was some difficulty
in moving in this matter ; because it was urged that to
interfere with the railway companies would diminish
their responsibility. But at the same time he was con-
vinced that there were many points on which the inter-

ference of the Government would be most useful. His
reason for drawing the attention of the house to this
subject, arose partly from the responsibility which
the house had cast upon him in the office in which
they had placed him as their chairman of com-
mittees. It was supposed that that functionary should
exercise an almost complete control over the regulations
to be introduced with regard to private bills. Now, un-
questionably from the manner in which the house had
always supported the chairman of committees, he had
considerable power, but still no chairman of committees
could presume to lay down on matters of this kind a
principle of legislation which he would feel justified in
imposing on all railways whatever. This could only be
done by Parliament acting legislatively at the instance of
the Government. It was perfectly just for the legislature
to interfere with railway companies in this way because
for the last thirteen years a clause had been inserted in
every railway act subjecting the companies to the operation
of any general act which might be introduced withrespect
to railways. He thought that advantage should be taken
of the present session for the introduction of a mea-
sure of the kind to which he had referred ; for if it was
allowed to pass without this being done, their power of
obtaining a control over railway companies would be
materially diminished. It was also most important that
such a measure should be introduced on account of the
character of many of the bills likely to be introduced—
bills to effect important amalgamations. Now, it was
impossible for any person to look to a great extension of
amalgamation without some apprehensions as to the con-
sequences that might arise from them to the public in-
terests. To a certain extent he entertained no objec-
tion to the amalgamation of companies, but he thought
that proposals for that end should be taken up only with
the greatest caution. Measures should be taken to pro-
tect the public against the consequences which might
naturally be expected to follow from some of these amal-
gamations, if they should be carried out, for they would
certainly partake in a considerable degree of the nature
of monopolies. It was only, therefore, in proceeding by
a general measure, assuming the necessary powers of
control, that they could expect to give the public confidence
in the administration of railway business. There was one
point as to which he thought it highly expedient, with
reference to the opinions of the eountry, that some
power of control should be taken ; there should be
some authority able to insist in having certains trains
run on the lines. At present, the manner in which the
companies managed their trains was not for the public
advantage, but their own. There was one common
practice by which frequent inconvenience, delay, and
expense were produced ; the companies, by taking care
that trains should start at particular periods, in fact
compelled the public to use particular lines. He thought
there should be a power of revision vested in a Govern-
ment board, which could oblige companies to attend to
the representations of the public of a district, and start
trains at particular times. There should also be some
stringent rule to compel punctuality, when trains were
advertised to start at a particular hour. It wats noto-
rious that when accidents occurred, they were in most
cases occasioned by want of punctuality in the train not
starting at the proper time. A reform in this respect
would be more beneficial, and would affect more persons
than a reform in the Court of Chancery. He hoped some
safe and efficient measure would be brought forward on
this subject, the urgency of which was increased by the
number of new bills which there was reason to expect
would be introduced in the present session. He would
suggest that some general clauses should be framed,
directed to the objects he had specified, for the purpose
of inserting them in all new bills.
Lord COLCHESTER was ready to acknowledge that
this was a matter which ought to be brought before Par-
liament, with a view to the public safety and convenie-
ences. He was afraid the answer he had to give to the
questions put might not be quite satisfactory to
enobble
friend. The attention of the department to w h
to this
had the honour to belong was constantly devotedbe
in a state
subject, but was not yet considered to
which rendered a new legislative measuallwinadisy pensable.
bills that
With respect to the number of new
might be expected to be introduced in rthe present ses-
sion their information was at present necessarily very
imperfect. They had only the official notices by which
to judge of the probable number, and the entire number
would not be known until the 30th of November, the
last day for depositing the notic.es, and even then it
must be remembered that many intended undertakings
probably would not be carried out. At present, the
number of bills for which notices had been given was
42, 15 of which were for the incorporation of new com-
panies, 13 for the construction of new works, eight for
continuations, five for amalgamations, and one for ex-
tension of powers. The whole subject in the opinion of
Government was of such difficulty and importance, as
only to be adequately dealt with by a select committee,
and, therefore, Government had come to the determina-
tion of moving the appointment of a select committee to
consider it. At present he was not able to give a more
decided answer to the questions addressed to him, than
that the subject was engaging the earnest attention of
Government.

Lord BEAUMONT thought that what was wanted
was a general code of laws respecting the management
of railways,tbat would apply equally to railways which
'nigh obtain their bills in future, and to railways also

which had already obtained their bills, and had no oeca-4
sion to oome before the legislature. -
The Earl of DERBY thought, however desirable theo-
retically it might be that there should be one code of
regulations which should guide and govern all railway
companies, past, present, and to come, and that Parlia-
ment should by an ex post facto regulation lay down. rules
for the guidance of a railway company, thus interfering
with its internal management, not only would it be im-
possible for Government to carry any measure through
I parliament, but if it were possible, it would be an ex-
traordinary interference with the internal regulation of
railway companies, which were most of them much bet-
ter judges of what was conducive to their own and the
public interest, than any government could be, and
which were still more capable of attending to it. He
could not, therefore, hold out to the noble lord who had
just sat down that it was the intention of Government to
introduce any measures of railway regulations which
might tend, according to the sanguine views which the
noble lord took, to render impossible the occurrence of
incoveniences and accidents to the public, or which
would seriously interfere with the powers and privileges
conferred by Parliament on existing companies. He
would not, however, hesitate to say, that as experience
showed from day to day the necessity of regulations for
particular purposes, and as opportunities arose for deal-
ing with particular questions, lie thought it exceedingly
desirable, and indeed necessary, that they should avail
themselves of the fresh references to parliament that
would become requisite on the part of the companies for
the purpose of introducing such modifications of the ex-
isting system as might be thought just and expedient.
The question raised by his noble friend near him of the
connection of trains on different lines of railway, was
one on which it would be exceedingly desirable that there
should be some power of revision and reference to a rail.
way board, with a view to prevent railway companies
from adopting plans or rules that might be most incon-
venient to the public, for the purpose of adding to the
traffic on their own lines. At the same time that was a
subject on which the interference of Government would
be matter of great delicacy, and the object was one in-
volving the necessity of very complicated management.
Their lordships must recollect that in every line where
- particular time being observed,
Parliament must beCon'te responsible also for the incon-
venience and danger which might be introduced by run-
ning corresponding trains on other lines, and which, if
great attention were not paid, might be of a very serious
description. There was another subject to which ho
wished to call the attention of the house, and with re-
spect to which he considered that a great mistake had
been made by neglecting it at an early period of the ex-
istence of the railway system, he meant the provision
fob the conveyance both of mails and troops by the dif-
ferent companies. He believed that at present Govern-
ment was absolutely and entirely in the power of a
railway company as i(3 the terms not on which the mails
would be conveyed indeed, but on which other conditions
most essential to the public service, in the conveyance of
troops and similar objects, would be performed. There-
fore, when railway companies came to Parliament for
new and amended bills to extend the powers they already
possessed, he thought the opportunity should be taken
of introducing such fresh regulations for the purpose of
facilitating the conveyance either of mails or troops, as
might be found expedient. His noble friend the Post-
master-General had very carefully considered this subject,
and prepared clauses which would be submitted to Par-
liament for its approval, and which, if adopted, would
provide greatly increased facilities for the transmission
of mails and troops by railWareompanies.
_ _

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE had heard with
great satisfaction the remarks of the noble earl. He was
aware of the great inconvenience to which the Post-office
and other departments were put by the present system.
The sum paid by the public for the conveyance of mails
was now of enormous amount, and exceeded when he left
office 400,000/. a year. He was sorry the noble earl had
not held out greater hopes that the subject would be
considered by Government. He did not approve of
ex post facto regulation. It would be very unfair to
resort to any measures of that kind, except when railway
companies came to ask for some boon. He thought,
however, there would be no hardship whatever in taking
measures by which redress would be afforded in case of
the breach of public engagements. It was very desir-
able that consideration should be given to the subject,
with the view of remedying the present imperfect state
of legislation.
The Earl of HARROWBY thought it was not correct
to say that the post-office was entirely at the mercy of
railway companies. It would be recollected that we re-
quired from these companies an amount of duty vastly
exceeding what had ever been performed ,by former car-
riers, as now an immense quantity of newspapers,
periodicals, and books was conveyed. He thought all
experience pointed out that the surest guarantee of
improvement was the amalgamation of railroads, but
what was most to be desired was that they should be
amalgamated under wise and proper regulations. They
could not compel parties with opposing interests to work
together, or bring them into harmonious action, but
every one must observe how often gas, water, or railroad
companies, after starting on the principle of competition
and testing it to the utmost, found means to reconcile
their differences, awl ended by exclaiming, "Brother,
brother, we are both in the wrorg." Amalgamation
and regulation he considered as offering the only just
clue to the settlement of the question. If they had
carried out the policy of Lord Dalhousie, when that
noble lord was at the head of the railway board, he
believed they would have had a much more efficient and
economical settlement, and thought that that policy
should be kept in view as much as possible by Parlia-
ment. _ _

Earl GRANVILLE doubted whether the country
would have been better served if Government were
invested with greater powers and greater responsibility
in railway management. He would suggest that if a
committee were appointed, the government should select
and prepare the points to which the committee's atten-
tion should be directed.
The Duke of MONTROSE thought co-operation be-
tween railway companies hardly to be expected, unless
a controlling power were vested in Governments. To
show the necessity of an improved system, they had only
to look to the frequency of accidents at present. He •
remembered on one occasion travelling to Scotland by
express train. An accident occurred ; but as no lives
were lost he supposed for that reason the circumstance
was not noticed in the newspapers. The cause was that ,e,"
trains of different railways passed along one line ; and ,•
while such a state of things existed it was fraught with
the greatest danger. He understood that an inspector
from the Board of Trade went down to examine the line,
and that he recommended the erection of a bridge ; but
the recommendation was disregarded by the railvfty, p.pd •
the Board of Trade had nb power to enforce it. -

Lord COLCHESTER, alluding to the case referred to
by the noble lord who spoke last, said it was but just to
the engineer of the railway, Mr. Stephenson, to state
that when the matter was represented to that gentleman,
he undertook to make a bridge sufficiently wide 'to pre-
vent accidents.
The conversation then dropped. , •
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a petite's .
from the parish (as we understood) of St. Stephen s
Exeter, praying that Convocation may not be allowed to
resume its active functions, the petitioners regarding the
measure as one that interfered with the prerogatives of
the Crown, and the rights of the laity. The noble mar-
quis explained that the petition was agreed upon at a
public meeting presided over by the churchwarden,
ardbeyn,hibuiy
whom alone the petition was signed, but signed
on behalf of the meeting.
THE FUNERAWLEOLFLITNHGETOLNA.TE DUKE OF
The Earl of DERBY rose and said—My lords, I rise

to move the adjournment of the house, to put myself
strictly in order in addressing a very few observations to
your lordships. My lords, lam anxious, before we
adjourn, to express before your lordships the deep satislt,
faction and deep thankfulness which I experienced,`ani
which I am sure your lordships must also ITD.Nre ex-
perienced, at the more than satisfactory result that
attended the great solemnity of yesterday. (Hear.) My
lords, I think it is matter of public thankfulness to
Almighty God, that an event which brought together such
masses of persons as never before congregated in
this
metropolis under any circumstances whatever should
have passed over its final result not only without any
signal calamity, but without being attended by any casu-
alties, or rather by but very few of those casualties which
are attendant upon every great assemblage of persons
even ni)on a much emollor ecalc, and which were ren-
dered the more probable by the necessarily hasty and
hurried manner in which many of the preparations were
made for the accommodation of this great multitude.
My lords, I may say that, slight as the circumstance
may appear, the providdntial change of the weather in
the course of yesterday was no little advantage, not only
in adding to the comfort of the vast number assembled,
but also in diminishing to a great extent much of the
risk of confusion and danger which all ceremonies of this
kind must necessarily more or less involve. My lords,
most unjust would it be if I were to withhold—and if I
were to do so, I am sure that your lordships would no
withhold—the tribute of your admiration and satisf
tion at the excellent organisation, the perfect a nge-
i
meats, and the entire discipline with which the whole of
atth that great
ceremonyseretion
andjudgmentraarshal was marshalled d
carrying and conducted,
it
outwhich
a nd
were manifested by
all those civil or military authorities
who had to do duty
or to take part in that great proces-
sion. My lords, nothing could
have been more admir-
able than the temper and
patience
with which both the
troops and the police conducted themselves—the troops

having been under arms, and the police on duty, many
of them, for a period of eleven or twelve hours at least,
and engaged for the whole of that time in the most unre.
mitting exertions in preserving the peace. But, my lords,
we must not be unjust to other classes, without whose
signal co-operation and admirable conduct I will not say
the efforts of the military and police would have been
unavailing, but they undoubtedly rendered their task,
arduous as it must have been under any circumstances,
a matter of comparative ease and safety.. My lords,
when you consider how large a portion of the population
of the United Kingdom was for that single day crowded
in the streets of the metropolis—when you- remember,
ou its whole length—.t
those at leasttowo
see it
hoselotthritoufgelhl to take a part in that
procession, and to
when yoti remember that throughout that long line,
extending, to about three miles, from Grosvenor-place
to St. FMll'O Cathedral, there was not one single gROQ

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~,.