The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-23 00:00:00

COLONIAL.

TEA.—The operations during the last day or two have
been limited, and prices have remained without material
variation.
SUGAR.—For good grocery qualities the demand con-
tinued moderately active, and late rate! are well supported.
In the refined market previous quotations were generally
current.
COFFEE.—A decline of about Is. per cwt. has taken place
in Plantation and Native Ceylon. Owing to a pressure of
sales other descriptions remain at about former prices.
RlcE.—A very moderate amount of business has been
recorded, and prices were without variation.
SALTPETRE.—Business has been rather dull, but prices
have remained without change of importance.
TALLOW.—The market has continued dull, and prices
have shown less buoyancy. P.Y.L. on the spot is quoted
04616 d, and last three months' delivery 498 to 49s 3d per
w.

The Weymouth and Portland Railway and Extension to
Harbour Bill was read a second time.
Tho Halifax Corporation bill was read a third time and
passed with amendments.

MUMBEE'S DIVORCE (INDIA) BILL.
This bill passed through committee, and was reported
with amendments.

COPYRIGHT (WORKS OF ART) BILL.

Earl GRANVILLE moved the second reading of this
bill, the object of which was to give to the artist a copyright
in a picture of his production d uring his lifetime, and fur sev en
years to certain parties after the death of the producer of the
work. The protection was only to be given after a written
agreement had been made by the artist and the purchaser of
the work, and in the event of no such agreement tak-
ing place, then the present law was to govern the
case. There was an important provision in the
bill, viz., that it did not interfere with reproductions,
but confined it3elf entirely to the production for which the
protection was given.

Lord OVERSTONE objected to the bill. He thought
it was giving extraordinary and comprehensive powers,
without taking into consideration various conflicting inte-
rests. Their lordships ought to well consider the subject
before they agreed to the second reading. He thought the
best course to pursue was to withdraw the bill for the pre-
sent, and to re-introduce the measure in a more complete
and comprehensive form.

Earl STANHOPE supported the bill, although he could
not see how the principle was to be applied to photographs.
Lord TAUNTON thought the bill likely to give rise to
endless litigation, and one that appeared to him framed
rather towards giving protection to dealers in art in pre-
ference to producers. If the bill was read a secondjtime he
hoped that some very stringent amendments would be made
in committee.

The LORD CHANCELLOR urged their lordships to
agree to the second reading of the bill.
The bill was read a second time.
CHANCERY REGULATION BILL:

This bill passed through committee, the Lord Chancellor
withdrawing his amendments.

Their inrriabitta

HOUSE OF COMMONS—YESTERDAY.
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third tithe and passed :
Dublin and Meath Railway, Greenock and Werny:s Bay,
and North Eastera Railway (Market V/eighton and Bever-
ley Extension, &c.)

LONDON AND NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY
(ADDITIONAL POWERS) BILL.
On the motion for the consideration of this bill,

Mr. BASS complained that there had been a breach of
faith on the part of the promoters of the company, because
passengers travelling on the line were compelled to pay the
full fare from Edinburgh to London, although they might
require to go only to some intermediate stations.
After some discussion the motion was agreed to, and tho
bill was accordingly considered and ordered for third
reading.
THE UNITED KINGDOM ELECTRIC TELE-
GRAPH COMPANY.

On the motion for the second reading of this bill,

Mr. HTJMBERSTONE said that important powers
were taken by this company, and he thought that further
progress of the bill should be postponed for a week in order
that the public might be made acquainted with the details
of a measure that would affect their interests materially.

Mr. HENLEY seconded the motion and contended that
a work like that proposed by the promoters of this com-
pany should be brought forward by means of a public in-
stead of a private bill. (Hear.)
Sir F. SMITH hoped that the amendment would not be
persevered in, as the object of the company was to confer a
boon JII the public. (Hear.)
Lord A. CHURCHILL supported the bill.

Mr. M. GIBSON said that he had received several com-
munications relative to this bill ; but the Board of Trade
had no special jurisdiction in regard to this subject, and
they had no right to interfere with the plans of any public
company that had for their object the carrying out of any
scheme like the present. (Hear,) He thought under the
circumstances that the company had a right to
have their bill read a second time. The bill
came from the House of Lords and recommended in rather
a singular manner any alterations that might be proposed in
committee, if hon. members considered them desirable.
He repeated that the promoters of the bill were entitled to
have it read a second time, and he thought it would Le
undesirable to discuss the bill in its present stage.
After some discussion the amendment was withdrawn,
and the motion was agreed to.
FORCED LABOUR ON THE SUEZ CANAL.

Mr. GRIFFITH asked the Under Secretary for Foreign
... . _ _

Affairs whether herMajesty'sGovernment would make seri-
ous efforts to prevent the continuance, on the part of the
Packs. of Egypt, of the employment of forced labour on the
Suez Canal ?

Mr- LAYARD said that the matter was entirely between
he Pacha and the Government of Egypt.
In answer to Mr. MALCOLM,

Mr. C. FORTESCUE said that Government had re-
ceived information from a gentleman named Colonel Sleigh,
who represented the company, who stated that the arrange..
ments proposed by the company would be carried out.
According to the statement of that gentleman none but
able-bodied young men would be taken out, and that women
and old persons would be excluded. Under these circum-
stances, therefore, Government thought it unnecessary to
interfere, notwithstanding that the company would not in
their opinion be able to carry out what they proposed. He
believed, however, that the hardships to which the passen-
gers would be subjected would not be of an extent which
young, able .bodied men could not endure.

Mr. ROEBUCK—Has Government anything to do
with it P

Mr. C. FORTESCUE—Nothing whatever, (Laughter.)

CHURCH RATES.

Sir J. FAKING TON asked the First Lord of the Trea-
sury whether it was the intention of her Majesty's Govern-
ment to introduce any measure on the subject of church
rates ?

Lord PALMERSTON said ;that this subject was at-
tended with much difficulty, that Government did not pro-
pose to introduce any measure in reference to it this session,
THAMES EMBANKMENT.

Mr. DOULTON asked the First Commissioner of
Works, whether there was any probability of the commis-
sion on the embankment of the south side of the Thames
making their report before the prorogation of Parliament ?
Mr. COWPER said ho hoped the commissioners would
be able to make a report shortly.

THE INUNDATION IN LINCOLNSHIRE.
In reply to Mr. BENTINCIE,

Mr. FELLOWES said that it was true that no less than
6,000 acres of land in Lincolnshire were submerged to the
depth of two or three feet, but all the means that could be
adopted had been had recourse to in order to meet the cala-
mity, and Mr. Hawksb awe, the celebrated engineer, had
been despatched to the scene of the disaster.

THE INDIAN NAVY.

On the motion for going into committee of supply,

Mr. AYItTON moved that a select committee be ap-
pointed to inquire into the amount for which the harbour
and fortifications at Alderney will be completed.
EDUCATION IN IRELAND.

The O'CONNOR DON drew the attention of the house
to this subject, and said that although unanimity did not
exist in Ireland in reference to this matter, still it was oc-
cupying a considerable portion of public attention in that
country. He then adverted to the great objection in
Ireland to the system of national education, namely, the
disseverance of religious and secular instruction in
public schools. The hon. member next alluded to the gene •
ral principle of Government interference in national educa-
tion, and be contended that such interference should be
limited merely to assisting and not originating any compre-
h.onsivn scheme of education, except under very exceptional
circumstances.

Sir It. PEEL observed that this question had been often
debated in that house without any other effect than to con-
firm the principle and policy adopted in Ireland, and it was
impossible to contend that the system of teaching had not
succeeded. He referred to returns showing the satisfac-
tory results of the national system, and, with respect to the
Queen's Colleges (the main point of the O'Conor Don's
attack), which it was said had not met the object for which
they were established in 1845, he insisted that they had,
on the contrary, been pre-eminently successful, and had
answered the purpose of those who had fouNded them. Sir
Robert entered into copious details to establish his position,
and, in conclusion, expressed regret that some of the Ro-
man Catholic prelates should have condemned the system
of mixed education and stigmatised the Queen's Colleges,
striving to narrow the basis of secular instruction. Ho
hoped that the Government and the Legislature would
scrupulously maintain that system of combined secular
education from the influence of which such beneficial
results had flowed, which had led, year by year, to the
moral improvement and social advantage of the people of
Ireland.
Mr. MAGUIRE replied to Sir R. Peel, and controverted
some of his statements, denouncing the national system of
mixed education as, in many parts of Ireland, a monstrous
sham. The whole thing had failed, he said, in every
he
pro-
vince but one, and there the system did not prodtie
beneficial results which it had the credit of producing, All
that was asked in Ireland was a national system under
which each religious body should have the training of its
own children.
The discussion was continued by Mr. P. 'Urquhart, Mr.
Lefroy, Mr. M'Mahon, Mr. Hadfield, Mr. Macdonogh, and
Major O'Reilly.
Mr. WHITESIDE animadvertedsonie of
upon the intempe-
rance of language in which the speakers had in-
indulged, and upon the attacks made upon the Established
Church, contrasting these aberrations from the question
hadwith
bean
tarensteedr,
baybitlhit3er, O'Conor
moderation with which it
nor Don. lie disputed some

Mr. MONSELL insisted that there existed in Ireland a
restriction upon Roman Catholics desiring that their chil-
dren should have religious instruction without being de-
barred the means of obtaining academical degrees, which
should be opened to all without the sacrifice of conscientious
convictions.

Mr. HENNESSY called attention to the letter recently
laid upon the table respecting the foundation of additional
scholarships in the second year's course of the faculty of
athrtes
siunb
jthec.
the Queen's colleges, and to the official returns on

Lord PALMERSTON, interposing, expressed a hope
that, considering the lateness of the hour (half-past 11),
and that there was other business before the house, gentle-
men who desired to speak further upon the subject would
defer their speeches till another opportunity.
The discussion was, however, resumed by Mr. O'FER-
RALL, who charged the Government with a breach of faith
in the matter of national education in Ireland.

The motion for going into a committee of supply was
withdrawn.

The report of the committee of supply having been
brought up,
Mr. AYRTON, on the vote for the harbour at Alderney,
said he had satisfied himself that the works could not be
completed for the sum estimated by the Government, and
insisted that it was absolutely necessary to have some dis-
tinct information as to the character and nature of the
works, and as to the sum required for their completion. He
moved for a select committee to inquire into the amount for
which the harbour and fortifications at Alderney will be
completed.

This amendment was seconded by Mr. BENTINCK, who
wished to know what, in the event of a war with France,
would be the effect of the works--the harbour and the for-
tifications—beneficial or otherwise, supposing the works
were finished. He believed they would be not only useless,
but detrimental to the country.

Sir EL WILLOUGHBY asked to what extent the Go-
vernment had been committed in these works.
Mr. PEEL said the plan had been laid before the house,
smd 11P completed for the sum
estimated by the Government, £1,300,000. He saw no ad-
vantage in the appointment of a select committee.
After a short discussion, in which Mr. Monsell, Mr.
Liddell, Lord C. Paget, Colonel Knox, and Mr. Baxter
took part,
Lord PALMERSTON said the Government only asked
the house to enable them to complete a work which they
believed would be of great national advantage. In reply to
Mr. Bentiack he observed that he had already stated that
the harbour would be of the utmost importance, in the
event of war, with reference to the Channel.

Sir M. PETO pledged his professional reputation that
the harbour, as now proposed to be made, would be per-
fectly useless.
Sir H. VERNEY defended the vote.
Upon a division, the amendment was negatived by 174
to 118, and the vote was agreed to.
The Unlawful Oaths (Ireland) Act Continuance Bill
was read a second time.

Several bills were forwarded a stage.
Sir G. LEWIS obtained leave to bring in a bill for
amending the Rifle Volunteer Grounds Act (1860).
The house adjourned at 1 o'clock.

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY OF

CANADA.

The following appeared in a portion of our impression of
yesterday evening :

The ordinary half-yearly meeting of the proprietors in
this undertaking was held this day at the London Tavern.
The chair was occupied by Mr. F. S. HEAD.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the directors'
report, referred to that document, which showed that the
receipts on capital account amounted during the last half-
year to £5,202 17s. 6d., making the total receipts, on the
31st of January, 1862, £5,218,300 ss. Od. The expenditure
amounted to £5,019,662 12s. 6d., including the
cost of renewing the wooden bridges in stone and
fresh jointing eight and a half miles, during the
last half-year, There were still remaining about 90 miles
to undergo the same operation, which will, in future, be
harged to capital, and the item of expenditure includes a
sum of £14,618 9s. 4d. The revenue account showed that
the gross receipts were £265,951 lls. 11d., the working
expenses to £125,424 17s. 10d., leaving a balance of
£140,526 14s. id., fr,,m which had to be deducted for in-
terest on Government loans, and other charges £89,249 6s.
5d., leaving £53,277 7s. 4d. as a balance of the half year's
working, out of which it was proposed to pay a dividend of
3 per cent. per annum, the balance to be carried over to the
account being £14,054 6s. 6d. The account showed a
balance of £21,500 above the sum required for the
payment of the dividend; but the directors had
thought it prudent to write off Is. 3d. of the sum
of £22,000 owing to the Detroit and Milwaukie Railway.
The traffic was most satisfactory, the through traffic to the
east being enormous, while that to the west was not so
large, and the local traffic was in a very good state, but the
number of through passengers had been diminished by the
American war and other political causes. Various renewals
had been made at a reasonable rate, although it was in some
quarters thought that too large a sum had been laid out
but the proprietors would find—on comparing the sum paid
by the North-Western, the Great Northern, and the Lon-
don and South-Western—that that was not the case. With
respect to the Detroit and Milwaukie line, he was of opinion
that it was a good investment, and that it was calculated
to be of the highest importance to the company in the way
of business. The directors asked the proprietors to give
them power to spend £lO,OOO in the construction of a short
branch line of railway of about 12 miles to the oil springs,
From recent circumstances it was evident that such an out-
lay could not but prove remunerative to the company, As
to the position of the company with the Commercial Bank
their legal advisers in Canada had informed them the Bank
had no case, and they hoped that no discussion would take
place on the question, as it could lead to no good
but most likely be productive of evil—the chair-
man then stated that the accounts of the Council
of Investigation had been paid in full. The
amount being £8,816. He had to ask the forbearance of
the meeting to arrangements under consideration with re-
spect to the Grand Trunk line. He trusted the meeting
would not at that time insist on a discussion of the subject,
but that they would place the greatest confidence in the
board of directors, resting satisfied with the assurance that
nothing would be finally agreed to until the shareholders
had had the opportunity of fully considering and deciding
upon the point. •

Mr. 110 YES seconded the adoption of the report.
Mr. H. SMITH asked if the details of the arrangements
with the Grand Trunk would be laid before the proprietors
some time before the shareholders were called upon to
assent or dissent to the proposal, in order that they might
come to the meeting familiar with the provisions of the
arrangements.
The CHAIRMAN said he would see that that was done.

Mr. CAMERON said if the union with the Grand Trunk
was carried, it would be found that the shareholders of the
Great Western would be literally swamped.
A PROPRIETOR asked whether the bill in the Canadian
Legislature was for an amalgamation, or merely a traffic
a rran gem ent.
The CHAIRMAN said it was not an amalgamation, but he
could not give the information required without telling the
whole of the arrangements.
Mr. M'EwEN said he had received from Canada a copy
of the bill of the proposed arrangement with the Grand
Trunk Railway, which had been presented to the Canadian
Parliament. He read extracts from the bill to show that
the nature of the agreement was an entire amalgamation.
The CHAIRMAN said the directors in England had not
yet received a copy of the bill.
Alderman DAKIN thought the shareholders ought not to
be left in tha dark respecting the terms of the arrangement.
There was a bill before the Canadian Legislature, and the
directors ought to have given the ahaieLulklit, every haw._
mation.
ho
Mr. BRAITHWAITE supported the Course ta keil byu be
ld the
directors.
Mr. j
3rr
eSvOeNryinhoVaerdehtohladtera,
and then. a meeting called copy of the bill s
tou consider its its provsisions.

Mr. ILsuatsoN seconded the proposition.
The CAAIRMAN said the provisions of the bill could give
no idea of the arrangement. The measure was simply one
to carry out a certain agreement. He could have no object
in holding back information, and when the time came he
should defend the agreement, and he confidently expected
to receive the approval of the shareholders. If it should
bo thought the directors had erred, then he would cheer-
fully consent to its being cast to the winds. The arrange-
ment must be considered as a whole and not in
parts, and in about six weeks he thought he should be in
a position to place the whole matter before the assembled
shareholders. He begged to remind the meeting that the
bill was merely a permissive one, and would be totally in-
operative without the consent of the shareholders.
Mr. CAMERON moved a resolution stating that the meet-
ing, having heard that day for the first time of the bill be-
fore the Canadian Legislature, strongly protests against it.
In accordance with the wish of several of the share-
holders the secretary read the provisions of the bill in ques-
tion, after which a number of questions relating to arrange-
ments about to be entered into, were put by several
speakers.

The CHAIRMAN repeated that which he had already
stated, namely, that, having entered upon the subject at the
present moment, at the proper time ho should be in a posi-
tion to give the fullest information.
Mr, HUGHES, the solicitor of the company, said the pro-
posed bill would require the consent of three-fourths of thso
shareholders before it could be enacted.
Mr. CAMERON repeated unless the meeting protested
against the bill they would be swamped by the proxies of
shareholders who knew nothing about the matter.
Mr. JAMIESON thought the proprietors ought to be fur-
nished with a copy of the heads and substance of the pro-