The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-15 00:00:00

Tli.E SUN, LONDON, PRIDAY EVENING, JULY

A " DASHING" WEDDING.

BY ELIZA COOK.
(From, Eliza Cook's Journal. )
" Well, if ever we should get married, we shall cer-
tainly adopt the sensible advice of Punch, and make the
affair runaway match with the consent of our friends.' "
This was our fervent mental declaration some fourteen
months since, when, much against our inclination, we
were staying at the house of a young neighbour during
the preparations for her marriage with a good-looking
clerk in the Bank.
This young neighbour was Emily Mason, the eldest
daughter of a retired commercial traveller, who managed
to keep up a very respectable appearance, with a wife and
fiva children, on three hundred a year. We had always
given the Masons credit for being people of good common
sense, and used to quote them as an example of prudence ;
but, alas ! the folly they exhibited at the union of Emily
with George Burleigh quite sapped our veneration for
their mental superiority, and caused us to imagine that
weddings, like cards, were invented to amuse mad people.
We knew that George Burleigh had scarcely two hundred
a-year, and that "comfortable apartments" near Islington,
with a "small domestic," would form the extent of his
establishment ; we knew that Mr. Mason had nothing to
spare for extraneous luxuries ; and of course were con-
siderably startled when we heard of six bridesmaids,
a grand breakfast for forty people, four dashing carriages,
with grey horses and white favours ; that Emily was to
wear a splendid lace veil instead of a bonnet, and that
the whole paraphernalia was to be in imitation of the
style in which the daughter of a duke is married.
Every member of the family seemed bewildered by the
approaching event, and the simple legal contract of mar-
riage was evidently about to be performed in much such
a temporary galaxy of spangles, foil, white tulle, and
blue fire, as one expects to witness in the last scene of a
Lyceum Christmas-piece. The confusion and profusion
of dressmakers, tailors, white gloves, orange-blossoms,
milliners' boxes, confectioners' trays, wine-baskets, and
silver-decked cards, completely destroyed the natural state
of household propriety, and every room and every person
seemed bitten by a matrimonial tarantula. The staid
and stout mamma grew so "puce" in the face amid the
perplexing anxieties and duties crowding on her, that she
rushed about like an anmatel. pickling-cabbage. No
sooner had she tried on a very tight-fitting dove-satin
dress, under the scrutiny of .h.Liss Flouncem, which added
a deeper suffusion to her cheeks, than the cook, hired for
the occasion, begged her most earnestly to look out the
jelly-glasses : no sooner were the jelly-glasses produc(d,
than her presence was demanded in the passage touching
the arrival of " the cake" from Purssell's ; then, where
was the blonde lace she had promised Julia ? in her
private drawer upstairs ; then, where was the parcel of
almonds for blanching ? in the store-closet down-stairs :
Emily begged her to go directly to Regent-street to
match some pink silk, and Maria requested her to be
sure to call in Covent-garden to insure the bouquets.
Poor Mrs. Mason (she might with justice have been
taken for the long-sought realisation of " perpetual
motion") ! but she wanted to "do the thing hand-
somely," and to show her friends that she knew "what
is proper on such occasions," so she endured bravely,
like a maternal heroine as she was, and felt as im-
portant amid her embarrassing duties as a parish beadle
at the head of a charity-school,
It so happened that we wished to indite some business
correspondence, and few would believe how vainly we
tried to get a quiet hour and a foot or two of covenient
space to ourselves. We sought the front parlour—there
was a white silk skirt with seven flounces, three gauze
scarfs, and "a love of a cap" on the large table, and a
pink jacket, with numerous pairs of ethereal sleeves, on
the "Pembroke." We retreated immediately, and tried
the back parlour—there we encountered Mrs. Lovelace,
in close conjunction with Julia and Maria, amid heaps of
delicate materials, sprinkled with ribbons, flowers, and
marabouts, to such a dazzling extent, that one might have
fancied Oberon and Titania, with their elfin crew, had left
their clothes behind while they went to take a bath. Not
an inch of mahogany, not a glimpse of a chair-seat was
visible, and we felt that our epistolary intentions in that
quarter were completely " bonneted." We sought our
own bedroom—there was Emily packing up for her
" tour" to Brighton, and everything was everywhere ;
we peeped into the brother's dormitory—surely a chance
existed there—but, lo and behold ! the toilet-table was
covered with glass and tumblers, and the very floor oc-
cupied by plates and dishes. We cast a sort of longing
look on the landing-place, and when we found that in-
vaded by four bandboxes, Mr. Mason's new blue coat,
and three pairs of dress boots, we gave up our purpose
in despair, and resigned ourselves to helping Mrs. Mason
to cut out some paper ornaments for the breakfast.
Where George Burleigh was during his visits on the
two last evenings of preparation we could not quite
make out. We fancied we caught a fading shadow of
him at the street-door once or twice as Emily gave rather
an abrupt slam to the said door, but certain it is that he
was not admitted into either of the receiving-rooms, and
it is our belief that he was positively ordered out of the
house.

The night before the eventful morning the excitement
and confusion increased to an alarming extent ; some of
the most important essentials were found defective at the
last moment. Mr. Mason had discovered that the sherry
was not drinkable, and then doubted if there were cham-
pagne enough. A journey from Bayswater to Fenchurch-
street after 8 p.m. was indispensable, and off he went,
poor man, looking very like an escaped lunatic. Frank,
the youngest son, declared his vest was too short for the
fashion, and flung himself into a severe hysteric of had
words about the tailor's masculine want of attention.
Tom, the eldest, had not been able to get grey horses to
all the carriages, without extra charge. Maria was in an
agony to find that one of the bridesmaids intended to wear
:far more splendid dress than her own. Julia was
loquaciously bitter against a pair of tight shoes just come
from the makers's ; and Emily, the bride, was on the very
precipice of fainting, from the effect of general flurry.
Mrs. Mason, long after midnight, was busied among the
" things for breakfast," and was so lost to reason that
when Mr. Mason asked where his new black trowsers
were, she replied, "They will be brought up with the
custards, my dear." Dresses bad to be altered, trades-
men had to be sent to, servants had to be schooled, and
everything had to be looked for that should have been
found a week before. We suspect that not a member
of the family got one hour's sleep, and for our part we
own to having entertained desperate notions that the
mere " broomstick" system of marrying was preferable
to such a dreadful disturbance in a quiet family.
We can never describe the wedding morning. We
seemed in a sort of mist, and can only distinctly recol-
lect that Emily was dosed with neat brandy, and that
George Burleigh had to go back for the ring ; that the
guests made long speeches while the bride was gasping ;
that the bridegroom looked as happy as a duckling in a
furze-bush ; and that Mr. Mason. between French
champagne, Italian cream, and English sentiment, was
compelled to retire from the public breakfast-table to
the private bed-room.
We were never more glad than when, after an un-
limited amount of tears, and hugs, and distresses, Emily
and her husband left for the London Bridge station ;
and so sickened were we by the foolish wedding display
of the Masons, that we resolutely made up our minds to
abjure any chance of a like infliction in future.
About a month since we paid a visit to Mrs. George
Burleigh under very different, and what most ladies con-
sider very interesting, circumstances ; that is, she was
sitting up in a close bedroom in a dingy-white dressing-
robe, with two dirty basins and ditto wine-glasses on the
mantlepiece, a mysterious looking small panikin on the
hob, a vast amount of untidy all-sorts scattered about,
and something in her'lap which might have been mistaken
for a large wax doll, had it not exhibited a degree of
crimson in the face which no wax doll of the slightest
lady-like pretensions ever displayed. A rather subdued
but very expressive vocal sound issuing from this small
pipe in the grand Haarlem organ of life brought us to a
full conviction of its being a real identity ; and after
congratulating its mamma on her new possession, we
instantly discovered an intense general likeness to its
papa ; within a few minutes we saw a strong trace of
both grandpapas in the nose, with a dash of a maternal
uncle about the chin ; while in the hands we detected
the thumb of the whole Mason family. We nursed the
cabbage-rosebud for some five minutes with such ner-
vous care and practical dexterity that its dear little head
came in contact with the powder-box, and its robe of
innumerable tucks got intimately acquainted with the
cinders. We resigned it to an elderly woman, who smelt
so strongly of "something," that our vivid imagination
immediately saw written under her mouth the Inscrip-
tion often observed on the doors of various taverns,
" Bottle and jug department." At last " the lovely in-
fant fell into an Elysian slumber of beatific serenity," as
we read in a new novel the other day, and the lady of
the immortal " Gamp" fraternity left us, no doubt, to
fall into the Elysium of "Barclay's best."
" Well, Emily," raid we, "isn't George delighted with
his daughter !" " Oh dear, yes," she replied ; " but do
you know it has been a dreadfully expensive time, and do
you know, he says, that as soon as ever we can get rid
of the nurse, we must go into smaller apartments. I
wish we had now what was spent on our wedding. Do
you know," continued she with a confidential, long-
faced whisper, " that what with the carriages and break-
fast, and all those fine dresses which you said I didn't
want, the presents to the bridesmaids, the three weeks
at those uncomfortable lodgings at Brighton, and one
thing and another, that upwards of one hundred and
twenty pounds went ; and where was the good of it ?
but Ma and Pa would have a " dashing" wedding, and
I was very foolish myself in the matter. I only wish
we had the money now. George often gets cross about
it when he thinks of it.
This outpouring of Emily's did not at all astonish us,
for we knew that she possessed some common sense,
although the matrimonial earthquake had shaken it for a
time. She then paid us the compliment of wishing that
she had taken our advice, and got married more quietly'.
" Do you know," continued she, " that I think people in
our station of life are very foolish to waste so much
money on their weddings; and when Julia and Maria ge t
married, I shall do all in my power to prevent such a
stupid set out. Not a soul cares for you a bit the more,
after all the bother and expense, and I'm sure it's no
pleasure to the parties. What do you think ? Mm.
Harley told Mrs. Mitfield the other day, that she thought
the c
Mmrr..Auhlaanarri
Mason had much better have put by the money for
his girls than have cut such a dash for a few hours - amd
as,gllmhenaor,t
beinghas madpeaisdomfoerryuedte,—reamnaarkysetAthoe3ut,
both came to the breakfast."
We smiled at Emily's honesty, and along expatiation
ensued on the conventional absurdity of " grand weddings"
in the middling ranks of society. We summed up, that the
general results are embarrassment, discomfort, and undue
expense. That most brides in such a position are pain-
fully distressed ; that most bridegrooms are either ridicu-
lously " spooney,, ' or unbecomingly excited ; that the
immediate connections are awkwardly anxious ; that the
guests are seldom perfectly comfi rtable, and often tens
o-
rious and ungrateful ; and that the whole affair' inste: id
of being a rational, solemn, and quiet ceremony, bacon les

a sort of Bedlaniite holiday, in which flurry and fainting
carriage and confusion, fine dresses and foolish speeches,
a gold ring and silver card, are the prominent features ;
and that they are by far the wisest who practise the ad-
vice quoted at the commencement of these pages.
At this moment the She Dragon appointed by pre-
cedent to guard the golden nonpareil in the connubial
gardens of Hesperides re-entered, and we left our
young friend with the highest appreciation of her sensi-
ble repentance, and fancying, as we closed the door, that
we still heard her saying something to this effect, and
which, we believe has been echoed by many a thought-
less young couple—" I wish we had the money now that
was thrown away at our wedding."

LITERATURE.

The Zoist : a Journal of Cerebral Physiology and

Mesmerism.

This periodical increases in interest every quarter.
The present number gives us much characteristic
information, and several articles on subjects of
general entertainment. Among others, a letter to
Dr. Elliotson on " Table Moving," and " Sensi-
tives." The introductory notice by W. Gregory,
M.D., speaks for itself as to the nature of the sub-
ject far better than any criticism. We here sub-
join it at length ; it is well worthy of attentive
consideration, from the importance of the theme
and the able manner in which it is expounded :

" The medical profession has, within the last two or
three years, found it necessary to admit a very large part
of the long and obstinately rejected phenomena of mes-
merism ; viz., all those phenomena which depend on
suggestion. These, so long as they were described by
mesmerists as occurring in the mesmeric sleep, were
scornfully rejected, and it is only since they have been
publicly exhibited as occurring in the waking state, and
absurdly called electro-biological, that they have been
admitted. Yet they were just as true, and as fully de-
monstrated by the mesmerists before, had the evidence
but met with a fair reception.
"But those who now admit the suggestive phenomena
forget the past and, still neglecting or despising investi-
gation, ascribe, without hesitation, all mesmeric pheno-
mena whatever, so far as they admit these, to the in-
fluence of suggestion ; and either deny or disregard all
the evidence which tends to prove the existence of a
transferable influence, capable of acting at a distance,
and of,passing through various media—opaque or other-
wise. The writers now alluded to still reject, precisely
as they once did the phenomena of suggestion, all the al-
leged facts of action at a distance, of sympathy without
suggestion, of vision at a distance, or lucid vision gene-
rally ; and rather than admit such facts, which imply
such a transferable influence as I have above alluded to,
ascribe all the alleged facts to imposture and collusion,
exactly as they did a few years ago in reference to the
phenomena of suggestion. They pronounce the very
idea of such a force or influence to be unphysiological,
unphilosophical and absurd, and begin their researches (!)
with assuming, a priori, the principle that no such in-
fluence or force exists or can exist. _

"Now against this mode of reasoning, a priori in op-
position to alleged facts, observed by competent persons
of good character, I protest, in the name of logic and
science, as altogether inadmissible. I maintain that we
know little or nothing of the laws of nature in such
matters, and certainly nothing to justify such an assump-
tion. Nor can we ever learn anything of the laws of
nature save by observation and deduction from observed
facts ; in no case by a priori assertions.
"I maintain further that there exists a mass of evi-
dence in favour of the existence of a force or influence,
in all probability imponderable but quite distinct
from all the known imponderables—such as heat, light,
electricity, magnetism, &c. ; and that the facts observed
by mesmerists, in which suggestion has no share, can
only be accounted for by the supposition of some such
force. But I hold, that even if we could not account
for them at all in this or any other way, these facts exist
as truly as do those of suggestion, and to deny them
does not annihilate them. They remain, and will ulti-
mately compel recognition.
" I will go further, and say that we have no more nor
better evidence of the existence of the forces or influences
which we assume to be the cause of heat, light, &c. (but
of the true nature of which we no nothing, except that
they appear to be imponderable), than we do of the
supposed mesmeric force or influence. When we are
able to answer the question, "What is light, or heat, or
electricity I" but not till then, we shall be able
to say what is the true nature of the mesmeric in-
fluence. At present, of all these forces and many more
we know only the effects, but not the essence. We
have ascertained by observation some of the laws which
regulate them, but still not their essence. And there is
no reason whatever tol suppose that the admitted list
of imponderable natural forces is incapable of additions
being made to it, from the same source, namely, ob-
servation.
"Be this as it may, it is on this point at present that
the mesmeric controversy hinges. Those who assume
that we know all the forces and laws of nature refuse to
admit a new influence or imponderable ; as if electricity
itself did not date, at the very earliest, from the 17th
century only ; and as if magnetism as a science, and
above all, electro-magnetism, were not of still more re-
cent origin. Those, again, who appeal to observation,
maintain that the facts observed demonstrate the exist-
ence of a new imponderable, or force, or influence as
plainly as do other facts the existence of the causes of
heat, light, electricity, magnetism (ordinary), chemical
attraction, gravitation, cohesion, and any other forces
which may belong to this category. And if it be un-
philosophical to talk of the mesmeric fluid, be it remem-
bered that this is done only in the same sense in which
we speak of the electric fluid or the magnetic fluid, a
mode of expression which arose from the resemblance of
some of the phenomena to the motion of currents of
fluid matter.

" Up to a recent period, all the evidence in favour of
the existence of a mesmeric force or influence was derived
from experiments made on persons in the state of mes-
meric sleep or somnambulism. But in 1842, Reichen-
bach adduced a vast body of facts, altogether indepen-
dent of the mesmeric state or processes. He studied
the phenomena precisely as those of all the other depart-
ments of physical science are studied ; and, precisely as
is done in all other cases, he gave a name to the new
force, because he found it to differ from all known forces.
"The letters which follow contain a brief and popular
account of his researches, and are, in my opinion, ad-
mirably calculated to show the utter futility of the a
priori argument against the existence of this force. It
is for this reason that I think they will be useful at the
present time, when so much misapprehension prevails as
to the extent and bearing of his researches. None of
the writers who have opposed his views have given proof
of having even carefully read his work. Their argu-
ments are addressed to superficial and erroneous notions
of it ; and I have no hesitation in stating my conviction,
after a very careful study of his writings, and many ex-
periments on the subject of them, that no scientific work
whatever, known to me, deserves to rank higher in all
the qualities which belong to an investigation conducted
on the true Baconian principles. I have met with no
argument which even touches his conclusions. But in
conclusion I would remind the reader that while Baron
Reichenbach speaks of a force or influence as the cause
of the phenomena he has observed, he is not to be under-
stood as using these terms in any other sense than that
in which we daily use them in reference to the known
and admitted imponderables. As we speak of a mag-
netic or electric influence or force, so, and not otherwise,
does he speak of the od force or the odic force—meaning
by this the unknown cause of certain observed pheno-
mena, which is precisely what we mean when we speak
of the electric force.

C°Evidently, then, the important point is the pheno-
mena, and not the name given to the supposed cause of
them. And the reader will find in these letters abundant
proof of the existence of peculiar phenomena, and also,
if he considers the subject fairly, equally abundant proof
that suggestion has nothing whatever to do with them.
The precautions taken to exclude suggestion, however,
can only be fully understood by studying Baron Reichen-
bach's great work, of which the first volume has been
translated both by Dr. Ashburner and by myself.
" Even the present letters, however, contain suffi-
cleat proof to satisfy such as can judge of scientific evi-
dence, that suggestion cannot explain the facts ; and this
is the conclusion to which all have come, who have in-
vestigated these phenomena, and which agrees perfectly
with the conclusion arrived at by the independent re-
searches of mesmerits on persons in the mesmeric state,
it being borne in mind that all the observations of
Reichenbach were made on persons in the ordinary or
waking condition.

" WILLIAM GREGORY."

THE PENINSULAR MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, JULY 14.

By the Peninsular and Oriental Company's ship Iberia,
Captain John Bowen, we have dates from Gibraltar to
the 6th ; Cadiz, the 7th ; Lisbon, 9th ; Oporto, 10th ;
and Vigo, the 11th inst.
The Iberia brought on freight 5 packages specie, value
2,8151. sterling; 64 boxes eggs, 58 boxes 241 half and
35 quarter boxes raisins, 24 packages onions, 6 bags
potatoes, and 20 packages general merchandise.
Among the passengers by this steamer are—the Duke
of Forli, the Marquis of Caraccioli, Sir M. C. Smith,
Baron Gulich, the Baron and Baroness Escharege, Mr.
Campbell, her Majesty's Consul at Port St. Mary's, &c.
On the 7th the Iberia passed the screw steamer Alba-
tross steering to the southward ; on the Bth, the barque
Bullfinch ; on the 10th, the steamer Madrid ; and on
the 120, the steam-ship Great Western.
The news from Portugal brought by this packet has
been anticipated by the arrival of the Tay.
From Gibraltar our accounts are to the 7th inst. The
screw-steamer Teneriffe, ten days from Alexandria, five
and a-half from Malta, touched at Gibraltar on the Ist
inst., on her way to Liverpool. The screw-steamer
Arno, three days from Marseilles, arrived on the 3d,
and cleared for Liverpool. The Peninsular and Oriental
Company's screw-steamer Cadiz, seven and a-half days
from Southampton, arrived on the Bth, and proceeded
for Constantinople. This steamer, after leaving South-
ampton, had to anchor in Yarmouth-roads for 30 hours,
in consequence of a tremendous gale of wind from the
south-west. The screw-steamer Livorno, three and a-
half days from Marseilles, arrived on the sth, and left
on the 6th for Liverpool. At Gibraltar, exchanges on
London are 90 days' date, as quoted, 511 to 511 ; Spa-
I nish Pillared Dollars, 3 to 4 per cent. premium.

PREPARING FOR NEXT CENSIIS.—In the Wick Free
Church, on Sabbath last, no fewer than eleven children
were baptised by the Rev. Charles Thomson. The ma-
jority of them were boys, and, judging from the strength
of their tiny lungs, some of them were evidently very
fine children,

15, 1853.

IMPERIAL PARLIAME NT.

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

COLONIAL CHURCH.
The Archbishop of CANTERBURY laid upon the
table a bill providing for the better regulation of the
Church in the colonies, which was read a first time.

The Duke of ARGYLL presented a petition from
the Chamber of Commerce at Leith, in favour of the
bill for the amendment of the law of bankruptcy in
Scotland.
Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition from mer-
chants and others on the same subject.
ry Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from the

Corporation of Glasgow:praying for an amendment of
the law affecting the arrestment of wages in Scotland.
Lord KINNAIRD presented a petition from mer-
chants and traders of Edinburgh against any alteration
in the law.

Lord STANLEY (of Alderley) presented a petition
from a place in Worcestershire, praying for the repeal
of the duty imposed on the importation of salt into India.

THE CRIMINAL CODE.
A conversation took place between Lord ST. LEON-
ARD'S and the LORD CHANCELLOR, on the subject of the
codification of the criminal law.
The LORD CHANCELLOR was understood to say
that he was giving his best attention to the subject, and
he hoped, before next session, matters would have been
put in such a train as to enable Parliament to pass a
measure for effecting a simple and comprehensive digest
• th• law.
Lord CAMPBELL and Lord BROUGHAM said the house
and the country ought to be much indebted to the noble
and learned lord for the pains and trouble he had devoted
to this important subject., and hoped the learned judges
would render him every assistance in the preparation of
this measure.

The subject then dropped.
SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY (CANTERBURY
AND WHITSTABLE, &c.) BILL.
The Earl of VERITLAM moved the third reading of
this bill.
Lord MONTEAGLE said the petitions against the
bill presented an enormous amount of national inte-
rests—one being from persons interested in 100,000 tons
of shipping, and working with 4,000,0001. of capital, and
the others being from large steam navigation companies,
and they were, therefore, entitled to their lordships' at-
tention. The first ground of opposition taken by the
petitioners was, that if they gave this railway company
possession of the port at which the terminus was for
steam-boat purposes, they gave them in effect the com-
mand of the steam navigation of the place ; next, that
Parliament proposed to give this particular company
limited liability, which they had for many years invari-
ably refused to other steam-boat companies. There was
at this moment pending a commission of inquiry into the
law of partnership,
.expressly including the principle of
limited liability which they were thus going to anticipate
—in a case, too, which was full of danger. They had
often objected to the grasping monopoly of railway com-
panies, but they were now going not only to confer on
one of them the control of the steam-boats at the termi-
nus, but the possession of the harbour of Folkestone. In
the case of the Brighton Company the house refused the
powers which they now were asked to give, and the Duke
of Wellington, whose interest in the Channel communi-
cation they all knew, in 1848 drew a distinction between
a railway bill to enable a company to make a railway
and a bill to enable them to build steamers, with the
construction of which he conceived a railway company
had nothing to do. But if it ever could be desirable to
grant such powers at any time, it must be to a company
which came before them with clean hands. Now, in the
present case the company admitted they had been guilty
for years past of a violation of the law, and of mis-
applying the funds of the railway shareholders to the
establishment of steam-boats. Let their lordships not be
led away by the argument that by giving those powers
they enabled the company to give them good boats across
the Channel. The case of the petitioners was, that they
had provided those good steamboats already. He did not
propose to reject the bill, but he certainly would propose
amendments of the clauses conferring those powers.
Lord BROUGHAM said, this case went before a select
committee as an opposed bill. Different opposing com-
panies were heard against it by counsel, agents, and wit-
nesses, and the committee after all came to a resolution
in favour of the bill ; and it now appeared before their
lordships for a third reading. He strongly recommended
their lordships to pause long before they departed from
the principle of giving their confidence to the reports of
their committees acting impartially, and be would say
judicially, on the questions referred to them.
After a few words from the Earl of BANDON and Lord
COLCHESTER,

The Earl of HARROWBY said, that the principle
was not to give persons the advantages of limited liabi-
lity except in cases of such magnitude as should make
the risk too great to be undertaken on individual respon-
sibility. In the present case no such amount of re-
sponsibility had been shown ; he therefore hoped their
lordships would not pass the bill. The present was
merely an attempt on the part of a steamboat company to
obtain an advantage over a competitor by acquiring cer-
tain privileges under the cover of being connected with
and forming part of a railway company. He saw no
reason why their lordships should depart from the prin-
ciple which they had usually followed in reference to such
cases, which was, not to give an advantage over their
competitors, which advantage was not at all requisite to
the carrying out of their undertaking.
Lord STANLEY (of Alderley) did not think it was
quite fair to apply the same principles which regulated
the steam navigation of this country with foreign
nations to such a description of steam navigation as that
which was contemplated by this bill. There was a great
difference between the steam navigation which carried
on the trade between all parts of the world and that
which conducted trade between local ports. So far from
its being the fact that there was no instance of Parlia-
ment having given its consent to a similar undertaking,
he believed there was hardly any case in which a similar
application was refused. The principle laid down in the
report of the committee of 1848 was, that it was not
politic to grant a charter of limited liability to any
persons undertaking a private enterprise, and that such
charter should only be granted when the undertaking
was of sufficient magnitude to make it of national im-
portance. But the report drew a distinction which
appeared to be applicable to this case. They thought
that under circumstances similar to those which here
existed a limited power might be granted. If a mini-
mum of fares were established, and if certain regulations
were adopted, it was their opinion that the powers now
asked for might be granted. He did think that, such
having been the recommendation of the committee under
the peculiar circumstances of the case, their lordships
ought to grant the powers now asked for. The course
pursued by their lordships' house, and by the other house
of Parliament, was, when such matters were referred to
a committee, and that committee reported that it was
desirable that the power asked for should be granted, to
concur with the recommendation of the committee, and
he thought that much stronger reasons should be adduced
than had been advanced by the noble lord (Monteagle)
before their lordships should depart from that principle
by refusing to pass the third reading of this bill.
The Earl of WICKLOW thought their lordships
ought to have better evidence before them previously to
their coming to a decision upon the bill. He would,
therefore, recommend that the third reading should be
postponed until the report of the committee was printed
and laid before their lordships.
The Earl of GALLOWAY opposed the bill. The
object of it could not be carried out without a great
outlay, which outlay could not be met without granting
preferential shares ; and he knew that many of those
who were now interested in the company were opposed
to granting any preferential shares.
After a few words from Lord KINNAIRD,
The Earl of POWIS expressed a fear, if this power
were given to the South-Eastern Company, that Parlia-
ment would be called upon by other railway companies
for similar privileges, and he instanced the case of a
railway company at Great Grimsby, which was partly
projected for the purpose of engrossing the trade with
the north of Europe.
Lord MONTEAGLE explained that all he wished
was, that their lordships, when discussing the bill,
should have the evidence taken before the select com-
mittee on the table, and he was quite ready to withdraw
his amendment.
The Earl of WICKLOW then moved, as an amend-
ment, that the third reading should be postponed for the
production of the evidence.
The house divided—
For the third reading 34
For the amendment lO
Majority —24
The bill was then read a third time and passed.
The Taxing Officer, Common Law Business (Ireland),
Bill passed through committee, and was ordered to be
reported to-morrow (this day).
The Battersea-park and Westminster-bridge Bills
were read a second time.
CHURCH BUILDING ACTS AMENDMENT BILL.
On the motion for bringing up the report of the
amendment made in this bill in committee,
The Earl of HARROWBY asked leave to withdraw
the bill for the present session for the purpose of pro-
curing further information on the subject.
The bill was accordingly withdrawn.
The Metropolitan Building Acts Further Amend-
ment Bill passed through committee.
JUVENILE MENDICANCY (No. 2) BILL.
On the order of the day for considering the report of
amendments on this bill being read,
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY was understood to
say that he proposed to limit the operation of the bill
to children under the age of 10 years. He regretted to
find that some remarks he had made on a former occa-
sion with reference to the President of the Poor Law
Board had been misunderstood. He was most anxious
that no misconception should exist as to his intentions,
for he would be sorry to say a word that could be con-
sidered disparaging of a gentleman of such amiable dis-
position, and who had so satisfactorily discharged the
duties of a most important office.
Lord CAMPBELL observed, that there were in this
metropolis a number of children, both boys and girls,
most of them under the age of 10 years, who were em-
ployed ostensibly in sweeping the street-crossings, and
who then asked remuneration for what they had done,
but who were, in fact, beggars. Some of the female
children employed in this manner were certainly not
more than seven or eight years of age, and there could
be no doubt that if they continued such a course of
life they would become prostitutes, and that the boys
who followed a similar calling would become thieves.
He would suggest to the noble earl whether a clause
might not be introduced into this bill to meet the case
of children placed in such a position.
The Earl of SHAFTES.BURY was understood to say

that he would endeavour to carry out the views of his
noble and learned friend.
The report was then agreed to.
The Convicted Prisoners Removal and Confinement
Bill and the Chancery Suitors Further Relief Bill were
read a third time and passed.
MANNING THE NAVY.
Lord COLCHESTER begged to ask, in consequence
.of measures which had been brought forward in the
other house by the First Lord of the Admiralty with
reference to the manning of the navy and the formation
of a body of naval volunteers, whether her Majesty's
Government would object to lay upon the table of the
house such portions of the evidence taken by the com-
mittee of naval officers appointed by the Board of Ad-
miralty on the 6th of July, 1852, to inquire into the
present system of manning the navy, or of their report
as related to a system for the establishment of a coast
militia, and to the training and subsequent employment
of the boys educated in the schools of Greenwich Hos-
pital ? He thought it was very desirable that these por-
tions of the evidence should be laid before the house, but
if it would be inconvenient to the Government to pro-
duce them, he would not press the matter.
Ilhe Earl of ABERDEEN believed that the report of
the committee to which the noble lord referred was con-
sidered to be of a confidential nature, but he would com-
municate on the subject with the First Lord of Admiralty,
and, if there should be no objection, the documents
asked for by the noble lord should be laid on the table.
He must say, however, that he inclined to the opinion
that the papers ought not to be produced.
The house adjourned at a quarter to 8 o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-(YESTERDAY.)
UNIVERSITIES (SCOTLAND) BILL. _
._

Lord ELCHO moved the second reading of this bill.
Sir B. H. INGLIS contended that the measure was
neither more nor less than one to dissolve a solemn con-
tract entered into between England and Scotland at the
time of the union. He denied the truth of the alle-
gation in the preamble that the present law was
unsuited to existing circumstances in Scotland, and said
he could only attribute the bringing forward of the bill
to those who believed that whatever is is wrong ; be-
lieving that, if it passed, it would be hazardous to the
existence of the Established Church of Scotland, he
concluded by moving as an amendment that it be read
a second time this day six months.
Col. BLAIR seconded the amendment.

Lord ELCHO opposed the amendment, believing that
the bill was reasonable and just, and the opposition to
it unreasonable and unjust. He looked upon the main-
tenance of university tests as a snare and a danger, rather
than a bulwark to the Church—a snare because it would
induce the Church to rely more upon legislative enact-
ments for its security than on its hold on the feelings
and affections of the people, and a danger because it
would embitter sectarian, differences, and unite those
who were not in communion with the Church in oppo-
sition to it. He considered not only that the majority
of tho people of Scotland, but also the majority of
Churchmen in that country, were in favour of the pro-
posed change. In his opinion, the bill was conceived in
the spirit of the age, for i 0 object was to extend the
benefits of education, and to remove religions disqualifi-
cations. He felt quite confident that the measure
would receive the sanction of Parliament.
Mr. FORBES intimated that he and his friends would
not oppose the second reading, lest the Government
should in that case force the bill through the house in
its present shape and without any alteration. They did
not intend to vote at all ; but they would reserve to
themselves the right to propose certain amendments in
committee.

Viscount DRUMLANRIG supported the bill, the
principle of which he considered had long been recog-
nised by the house.
Sir A. CAMPBELL supported the amendment.
Mr. NEWDEGATE opposed the bill, and expressed
his fear that it was intended to apply its provisions to
the universities of England. In Germany the same
system had been in operation which it was now pro-
posed to introduce into Scotland, of separating religious
from secular education, and it had proved a miserable
failure. If the bill passed the effect of it would be to
make Papists and infidels to hold the chairs of pro-
fessors in the Scotch Universities.

Sir G. GREY expressed his gratification that the
principle of the bill had received the general assent of
the representatives of Scotland, on both sides of the house,
and denounced the attempt of the hon. member to impute
to them an act, the effect of which would be to admit
Papists and infidels into the Scotch professorial chairs.
He considered that the bill would remove a repronteh
which now rested on the Universities in Scotland, and he
hoped the house would now affirm its principle, and
settle once for all the question of tests.
Mr HENLEY said that as an English member he did
not feel himself at *hefty to assent to a measure which
he had good grounds for believing was against the wishes
of some of the most eminent authorities in the Church of
Scotland. He could not conceal from himself that it
was a step towards separating religion altogether from
education.

Mr. LOCKHART supported the amendment.
The house then divided, when there appeared—.

.... 17
... 106
...--89

For the amendment.
Against it
Majority
The bill was then read a second time.
The house adjourned shortly after half-past three until
six o clock.
The house resumed at six o'clock.
CONSOLIDATED ANNUITIES.

In reply to Mr. F. SCULLY,
The CHANCELLOR, of the EXCHEQUER said that
ho would to-morrow move for leave to bring in a bill for
the remission of the Consolidated Annuities,

SAVINGS BANKS.

Mr. OLIVEIRA wished to know from the Chancellor of
the Exchequer when it is intended to proceed with the
Savings Bank Bill; if the Government intend to carry that
measure as now amended, or whether any alterations will
be made in those clauses which relate to the liability of
trustees, rate of interest to be allowed to depositors, !Ind
some other points to which he (Mr. Oliveira) had called the
attention of the right hon. gentleman.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
he proposed to proceed with the committee on savings
banks on Thursday next, at twelve o'clock. With regard
to the rest of the question, it was the intention of the Go-
vernment to proceed with the measure, but whether it
passed depended not entirely on the Government, but on
the house also. The Government had now brought the
measure into that form which they thought it desirable
that it should assume. Ho did not, of course, wish to ex-
clude any comments or discussion on the bill, but the
alterations made in it represented the present views of the
Government.

INVALID SOLDIERS.
Col. KNOX wished to know from the right hon. gentle-
man the Secretary at War whether it was true that 40 sol-
diers, 30 of whom were invalids, had been embarked on
board the Oberon at Malta without sufficient provision
being made for their health and accommodation. It ap-
peared that the space allotted to these soldiers was much
too small, that they were exposed on deck for 24 hours,
that the wet penetrated the vessel, which was obliged to
call at Gibraltar in order to have the deck caulked ; that
only ten hammocks had been provided, of which six only
could be hung in the space allotted for these 40 soldiers. If
these facts were correct, he felt quite confident that the
right hon. gentleman would not allow them to occur again.
Mr. S. HERBERT said that the usual practice was to
send borne invalids in transports. But as the Oberon was
returning home for the purpose of being repaired, the
Admiral thought that it offered an opportunity for sending
home invalids, and he offered a portion of the space in the
vessel for that purpose to the officer in command at Malta,
which he thought would afford additional comforts to the
invalids, and especially to women and children. He be-
lieved it was correct that in consequence of the state of
the vessel the wet had penetrated. With regard to the
hammocks he had received no information, and he could
assure tho hon. and gallant gentleman that everything
would be done to prevent the recurrence of such inconve-
nience in future. (Hear.)
SALT MONOPOLY IN INDIA.

In reply to a question by Sir J. PAKINGToN,
Sir C. WOOD said that he would have no objection to
lay on the table of the house a letter from the junior secre-
tary in the province of Bengal, and some other papers re-
lative to the salt monopoly.
CHOBHAM CAMP.
Lord J. RUSSELL said he had stated in answer to the
hon. member for Montrose, that all the expenses had been
voted on the motion of the Secretary-at-War. He had
since found that there were some expenses connected with
the Ordnance Department which were not included in the
expenses mentioned, but if the hon. gentleman wished
there would be no objection to the production of the addi-
tional expenses.
Mr. HUME said that it would be better for the Govern-
ment to bring forward an estimate in the ordinary way.
PUBLIC BUSINESS.

- -
In reply to Lord H. VANE,
Lord J. RUSSELL said that he proposed to proceed
with the Charitable Trusts Bill on Thursday.
Mr. WILLIAMS said they were now in the eighth
month of the session, and he saw by the paper that six new
bills were to be introduced that night, he presumed at two
or three o' clock in the morning. He should like to know
from the noble lord how many more bills would be likely
to be introduced in this surreptitious manner ? (Laughter.)
Lord J. RUSSELL said that if the hon. gentleman bad
given him notice of the question he would be able to give
him a more precise answer. But most of the bills on the
paper were bills for the continuance of Acts of Parliament
which would expire. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. GIBSON said that some of the bills were not con-
tinuance bills, but altogether new measures. (Hear, hear.)
At a certain period of the session a process was usually re-
sorted to with regard to bills which was commonly known
as the "massacre of the innocents." (Hear, hear.) It
would be greatly for the convenience of members if the
Government would have recourse to this process as soon as
possible, and inform the house what bills they intended to
proceed with, and what bills they meant to withdraw.
Lord J. RUSSELL said it was quite true that about
this period of the year a number of bills were usually on
the paper which it was found impossible to carry through
before the end of the session. But he trusted there were
very few bills of that nature in the list at the present time.
(Hear, hear.) If the right hon. gentleman would ask him
with regard to any particular measure, he would state
what course the Government intended to pursue with re-
gard to it. At a future day he would state what measures
the Government intended to give up, but he hoped there
were very few of that description. (Hear, hear.)

EDUCATION BILL.
Lord J. MANNERS said that the noble lord, although
he signified his intention of not proceeding with tho Edu-
cation Bill this session, declared that he would still ask
the house to assent to the principle of the bill by moving
the second reading. (Hear.) He believed that almost
every member of the house would agree with him that it
would be most inconvenient to ask the house to enter upon
what might be a troublesome and annoying discussion of
the principle of a bill which it was not intended. to pass
into a law in the present session. (Hear.)
Lord J. RUSSELL said that his object in proposing the
secnd reading of the bill was to ascertain the nature of
the objections that might be urged against it so that ho
might be able to introduce the bill next session after a full
1 consideration of those objections. (Hear.) He should still
reserve to himself the right of considerinr, whether ho
should proceed with the second reading, but if ho brought

it forward it would be only for the purpose ho had men-
tioned.

REGISTRATION OF ASSURANCES.
Mr. HUME wished to know whether the Government
intended to proceed with this bill, with regard to which
members were every day receiving a great many letters?
Lord J. RUSSELL said that the bill had been referred
to a select committee, and without some communication

with that committee it was not for him to say what would
be done with respect to the bill.
Sir G. GREY said it would greatly facilitate the public
business if hon. members, who had bills for Wednesday,
would give up the sitting on that day to the Government.
(Hear.) The Factory Dill had been fixed for a late day in
July—(laughter)—and he wished to know from the noble

.. - - ---
lord opposite whether it was intended to proceed with that
bill.

Lord J. MANNERS said that the right hon. gentleman
had better put the question to the hon. member for Old-
ham (Mr. Cobbett), who was mora intimately concerned
with the bill than he was.

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.
Mr. DlSRAELl—Reforring to the question I addressed

to the noble lord (Lord J. Russell) on Monday, with ro-

spect to the circular dispatch signed " Nesfelrode," which

reached the metropolis that day, I then mentioned it ap-

peared in the dispatch that the occupation of the Turkish

parts by the combined English and French fleets was consi-
dered by Russia as a naval occupation analogous in cha-
racter to the military occupation of the Turkish principa-
lities by the Russian army. I also mentioned the dispatch
stated, when that complete satisfaction was given by Turkey
to Russia which was its due, and when the pressure which
the attitude of the two maritime powers in the ports
alluded to had ceased, then the Emperor of Russia would
withdraw his forces within their own limits. The noble
lord on that occasion, while he justly felt it to be his duty
to question the propriety of the first allegation I alluded

to—namely, that the presence of the combined fleets was a

•
wal occupation of the dominions of the Sultan, said,
with reference to the second statement, his impression was,
t _tat I was not authorised in the interpretation I put on the

circular dispatch. It has since been mentioned in another
place that the observation of the noble lord was inadvert-
ently made—a pardonable inadventure, certainly, as the
document had only just arrived, and the noble lord's atten-
tion had only been just called to it. But, sir, it is not for

that purpose I rise to address a question to the noble lord.
The Secretary of State, in another place, took the oppor-
tunity of declaring the determination of her Majesty's
Ministers that they would not listen to the onditions
pressed in that dispatch in so peremptory a manner, and
that they would not for a moment—in the management of
this important affair—admit as a primary condition that

he combined fleets should leave the Turkish ports alluded

to. Assuming, as I do, that now negotiations are only

formally, not virtually pursued—and that they aro arrived

at what is called a dead-lock—and believing that advantage

to the public serviee will arise from a discussion of the
question in both Houses of Parliament—l wish to know if
the noble lord has any objection to fix a day on which the

hon. member for Aylesbury can bring on the discussion in

this house ?

Lord J. RUSSELL—In answer to the right hon. gentle-
man, I must refer to the circumstances of the answer
given by me on a former day. The right hon. gentleman
asked me a question with regard to the circular dispatch
which only reached this country that day—and as I only
had an opportunity of reading it in the newspaper in a
cursory manner, and had not made myself completely
master of its contents, I therefore answered the right hon.
gentleman with respect to my impression of the interpreta-
tion to be put upon that part of the document which said
the Russian troops would be removed from the principali-
ties if the pressure from the combined fleets in the Turkish
ports were taken off. I alleged I could not believe it was
intended by the Russian government to make that a condi-
tion of the evacuation of the principalities. I did so, not
only because it did ne: appear to me that that position was
quite distinctly laid down, but also because I could not con-
ceive that no account of two things so totally unlike the Rus-
sian government would think itself justified in demanding
that the English and French fleets should leave the Turk-
ish waters before the Russian troops evacuated the princi-
palities. Because, in the one case, the English and French
fleets were only in the waters of an allied power, and
only there for the purpose, not of putting a pressure on
that power, or urging that power in any way, but to be
ready iu case that power should call for the assistance of
its allies, in the event of actual invasion of its territories.
The other case was that of an actual occupation of the prin-
cipalities belonging to Turkey by Russian troops. I could
see no similarity or comparison between the cases, and I
could not think that a person of the experience and saga-
city of Count Nesselrode could have affixed his signature to
a document which declared to all the world that such was
the opinion and determination of the Russian Government.
At the same time, admitting that the words bear on the
face of them the interpretation the right hon. gentleman
gave, with respect to the question asked by the right hon.
gentleman I have to state he is mistaken in supposing the
negotiations have come to a dead-lock; on the contrary,
both the English and French Governments have considered
whether there are not propositions which might be acceded
to both by the Russian and Turkish Governments, which
would afford the means of obtaining a pacific termination
of these unfortunate disputes. Whether or no these hopes
will be justified we cannot know immediately. It must
take some time before we learn what is the view taken by
the Court of St. Petersburgh of the mode in which Eng-
land, France, or Austria may have entered upon these
subjects. And while such is the state of the negotiation,
I think it is not desirable to have it a matter of discussion
in this house.