The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-11 00:00:00

THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI.

Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster. —Directress, Madame Celeste.
THIS EVENING, .Arsti. 11,

Will be presented WEBSTER AT HOME, AN ADELPHI FARE
OF-THREE REMOVES AND A DESSERT. Characters by Messrs.
B: Webster, L. Murray, Keeley, &c.; Miss F. Maskell and Mrs. L.
Murray, 140.
After which, never acted, A DESPERATE GAME.
With TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS.
THE PRETTY GIRLS OF STILI3ERG.
PEPINO THE DUMB BOY, AND PUG, HIS MONKEY.

ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE.

Lessee and Manager, Mr. Farren.
THIS EVENING, .&rau, 11,

Will be presented SALVATORI ; or, the, Bandit's Daughter.
Characters by Messrs. H. Marston, Robson, Diddear, Morgan, and
Bender; Mesdames Anderton and H. Gordon.
To conclude with LIFE IN AUSTRALIA. Supplrted by Messrs.
H. Marston, Robson, Diddear, Raiders, G. Cooke, Morgan, and
Bender; Mesdames A. Phillips, Anderton, H. Gordon, E. Turner,
and Bartlett.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE,
Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke.
Unprecedented success of the New Spectacle, 'which nightly in-
• cretriea in liopularity and attraction.—The novel and wondrous
Feats of the Horses, the Passage of the Burning Forest, the Leap
through. Fire, and the terrific spring of Amakosa's Steed trom the
fearful Heights over the Falls of the Umtata are nightly hailed
with perfect enthusiasm. Mr. Cooke has been for months training
the Horses for the astonishing Feats.

Tars EVENING, Assm. 11,
AnS during the Week, the Performances will commence with the
magnificent spectacle entitled AMAKOSA.; or, Scenes of Kafir
Warfare ; with hew and brilliant scenery, costumes, and appoint-
ments.
- To be followed by an entire change In the ever-popular Fcenes
In the CIRCLE, introducing the most accomplished Equestrian and
Gymnastic Artistes of the day.
To conclude with a Laughable FARCE.
Bur-ottea open daily from Lieven to Four. Stage Manager, Mr.
W. West.

.DAILY WEATHER TABLE.

MONDAY, APRIL 11, 1853,

State of the wind and weather at each of the following
places at nine o'clock on Saturday morning. The stations
are arranged in order of latitude.
MuLLINGAR—W., strong breeze—partially cloudy.
IiAsTINGs—N.W gentle :breeze—cloudless.
SOUTHAMPTON IsT.W., strong breeze--cloudless.
FOLKESTONE—N.W., light_l?TeeZe—partially cloudy.

TUNBRIDGE—N.W., strong breeze—pbreeze—partially cloudy.
, gentle breeze—partially cloudy.
aBAREKENNawsiTeo:_NE-7
entla breeze—partially cloudy.
swiNDos_N,, fresh breeze—eloudlesst _ ,
stzong,breeze,partially cloudy.
-The returns-from thit following-pMees indleate the Alta
of the weather on-Friday morning at nine o'clock
HAsTni4s—N.W., gentle breeze—liartially: cloudy.
SOUTHAMPTON—N.4W.,:strong breeze—elomlless.
TUNBRIDGE—N.-W., gentle breeze—partially-eloudy.
BASINGSTOKE-- W,, gentle breeze--partially, cloudy.
GagEivwxoH--N,W„ gentle breeze- OVereaSt.
STROOD—N.W., gentle breeze—overcast.
SWINDON—N.W., fresh breeze—partially clendy.
LEIGHTON—N.W. gentle breeze—overcast.
YARMOUTH—N.W., strong breeze—rain.
HOLYHEAD--N., strong breeze—showery.
LANCASTER—W., calm—partially cloudy.
WHITBY—N., gentle breeze—overcast.
DARLINGTON—W., strong breeze—cloudy.
SHAD—N., gentle breeze—partially cloudy.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
This DAT —Morning 38 min. after 3 Evening 53 min.aft. 3
To-Meaaow—Morning 6 rain. after 4, Evening 22 min.aft. 4

THE WEATHER.--Sus OPFICB, APRIL 10.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
54—highest since noon yesterday.
46—lowest this morning and during the night.
54- this day at noon.

BAROMETER, 30'11.
WIND, N.W.—Fresh breeze, and clouded, sunshiny
weather. There was rain in the night.
APRIL 11.
57 highest since noon yesterday.
43—lowest this morning and during the night.
57—this day, at noon.

BAROMETER, 30.19.
WIND, variable from W.N.W. to N.N.W., light airs
and sunshiny weather, cloudy at times.

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CONTAINING THE
DEBATES IN PARLIAMENT THE SAME EVENING,
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7:1:r „tn,

LONDON, MONDAY, APRIL 11, 1853.

No stronger evidence could be exhibited of the
undue favouritism exhibited by the Chancellor of
the Exchequer towards the Fundholders than the
nature of the reception afforded to the intimation
that it was Mr. GLADSTONE'S intention to
move for a Committee of the whole House to con-
sider the Consolidated Fund and National Re-
demption Acts, and to the full explanations subse-
quently afforded as to the
.nature of his plan.
While all was still vague and uncertain—while it
was supposed that the highest offer made would
be a conversion of the existing stock into Bonds
or Debentures, with half-yearly Coupons, bearing
interest at 2i per cent., and having twenty years
to run, all was couleur de rose. It was certainly
beneficial to the public creditors, but it Was not
more so, than might have been anticipated from
the well-known partiality of the Financial Minis-
ter to that influential class. The reduction of in-
terest by one half per cent. might be displeasing to
a small proportion of the number. But those who by
the stringent provisions of family settlements are
prevented from seeking more remunerative invest-
ments, and who for present income -would be
willing to incur future risk form but an infini-
tesimal proportion of the class. Nine-tenths,
or rather ninety-nine-one-hundredths, look with
bankers' eyes on the actual values of the new and
the old Securities, and will be prepared to abide
by that which affords the best permanent prospect.
If the rumour, which received general credence in
the money market, and which was endorsed by the
great organ of the " moneyocracy," had been
well founded—the proposition was this, that
the Chancellor of the Exchequer was will-
ing to sell for a present diminution of one-
Italf per cent. in the annual
payment a reduc-
tion from 3/. to V • . 10s per annum for every ery 1001.
Consolidated Reduced Annuities, 16- 2-3ds per
cent. of the entire dividend_a pledae or guarantee
against any further alteration
for 20 years.
This was a tolerably fair
not nt—ye:r present
un-
reasonable barter. Ten shillings
sacrifice for the certainty of the enjoyment of the
remaining two pounds ten shillings, without dis-
turbance or alteration, for twenty years, would
be willingly-made by capitalists as a cheap price
for the contingent advantages that may, and pro-
bably will, arise during that time from the
gold discoveries in Australia and California.
That the proposition would have been beneficial
to the creditors, and therefore that it would have
been freely and willingly accepted by an over-
whelming majority of the Fundholders, may be
gathered from the fact that, on the mere rumour,
-the quotations of the 3 per Cents. rose to j per
cent. There was, in fact, a tendency to an im-
Pruvement of prices so decisive as to show that
the operation could be easily carried 'into execu-
tion ; and perhaps with mutual advantage to the
tax-consumers and the tax-payers.
The rumour was, however, erroneous. The
Financial Minister, like an over-ardent and rather
verdant youth, bidding against himself at a mock
auction, offered so much more than had been an-
ticipated, tat doubts began to arise as to whether

Parliament would ratify the provisional contract
thus recklessly entered into. An alma was ex-
cited because "it was thought there was danger
of an improvident bargain for the country in fa-
vour of the Fundholder." There was no such im-
provement as would otherwise have been. Just
as a usurer doubts the solvency of an acceptor
that offers 201. per cent. discount, when he might
otherwise have obtained the amount he required
at 5 per cent., the Fundholder hesitated as to re-
ceiving 2i per cent., irredeemable for forty
years, with a certain increase of 10 per cent. in
the amount of the capital. It was more than
he had any right to expect ; and the credit of the
nation that would, without any pressing neces-
sity, indeed as a matter of mere playfulness,
add 50,000,0001. to the amount of its obli-
gations, and could even contemplate rendering
a liability, however trifling, irredeemable, must
naturally be deteriorated. The unexpectedly high
offer led to very different results from what had
been anticipated. The second branch of the
alternative--that for the increase of the nominal
capital of the debt—was received with unequivo-
ocarligcinsalgunstot;icae giving n,
di,f:ineagrried out according to the
the option to every Fund-
holder 1101. of the New 2i per Cent. Stock,
would have proved fatal to the entire project.
The limitation of the amount, which on
Saturday we pointed out, might be nearly
44,000,0001., and not merely 30,000,0001.,
as generally supposed, however, in some degree
allayed the apprehensions. It was felt that the
wonderfulnatural resources of the United Kingdom
-could bear the sacrifice of 30,000,000/. or
40,000,000/. ; and every one hoped that he might
be successful in the " scramble" that must ensue
for the favourite Stock. It was felt the addition
of 10 per cent. on 500,000,0001. Stock would
be most unwise and. impolitic ; it can only then be
acceptable to those who hope to participate in the
booty, to obtain a share of the plunder, snatched
from the community in general.
If bad for the entire amount, it must
be bad for the part indicated ; and three or
four millions of pounds sterling is not such
a trifling or unimportant amount as to
be recklessly flung away upon an experiment.
The other branches of ,the alternative are less ob-
jectionable, but still they are open to many grave
and serious questions before they, or either of them

can be accepted by the country. The Exchequer
Bonds, if made for only twenty years, and at
per cent., might be a fair and judicious security,
mutually beneficial to all parties. The proposed
Three-and-a-Tialf per Cent. Stock—if the period
were shortened to twenty, or even thirty years—
might be worthy of consideration ; but as it
stands we can only bestow unequivocal con-
demnation on the new project, in which the in-
terest of the nation is so decidedly sacrificed to
qot of,
,the . • •

ti7hen tr..ttniiiai-ilfMr---W7ll2oLi,boili unite
to empueucl a measure of.,the, Wbig SQ. LICITOR-
GENERAL, we may reasonably hope that it is in. a
smooth coarse towards becoming an Act of Parlia-
ment: And such *as the -good fortune of Mr.'
BErntra, when, In remark's Called forth'hy Mr.
HADFrEnn's-Bill, hie announced the intentions of
the present Government in regard to the Testa-
mentary Jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical Courts.
His proposals had solely respect to that particular
department ; but, as Mr. WALPOLE observed, the
Judges and practitioners of these Courts depended
for remuneration so very largely upon their testa-
mentary practice that, when deprived of it, they
could no longer be sustained in efficient operation.

He, therefore, thought the Government must bring
in a much larger measure. To us it appears,
however, that all the remaining work of the
Ecclesiastical Courts may be easily disposed of.
It is nearly all of it just that work which has made
them stink in the nostrils of the country, and
which has brought unmerited odium upon the
really efficient Testamentary and Admiralty Courts
in Doctors' Commons. Cases of tithe and defa-
mation, and especially of Church-rates and
brawling, ruinous and interminable suits
for trifling amount's, a Churchman enacting
both judge and jury against some re-
cusant or scrupulous Dissenter, a worthy
man made to do penance, to gratify some
malevolent neighbour or parson—all this the re-
spectable part of the practitioners at the Court in
Doctors' Commons are more than prepared to

discard. They dislike it as the black spot of
their profession. Indeed, merely ecclesiastical
matters have sunk to the lowest ebb in these
Courts, while their practice has increased to a
great extent in matters connected with the laws
of marriage, testacy, and intestacy. There is,
we hope, little doubt that the chief recommenda-
tions of the Commissioners will be acceded to,
a

nd that a distinct court will be instituted for the
trial of all matrimonial cases. Church-rate cases
will, we trust, come to an end by a very short
and easy process, which, in common with Mr.
BETHELL, we have already recommended, and shall
do again ; tithes, defamation, brawling, and
scandal are surely proper subjects for the secular
Courts only ; there remains only " the Correction
of Clerks," and as the Bishops appear to feel
great interest in that subject, and were all once
simple Clerks themselves, we are sure Mr. BETHELL
and Mr. WALPOLE may leave that subject in
such apostolic hands. The lay public will care
but little how the Reverends and Right Reve-
rends adjust this matter, provided they keep
the Courts for their 'own correction, and do not
make them scourges of scorpions for the laity.
The grand feature of Mr. BETHELL'S plan is to
establish one Court of Probate, to take effect
throughout the whole of England and Wales upon
all subjects of contentious jurisdiction, and that
that Court should be the Court of Chancery,
or perhaps we may term it a branch of it. The
" Courts Peculiar," with all their abominations,
are, it appears, sustained at present only by an
annual Indemnity Act, and that Act is to be re-
fused this year, leaving them to the sentence of
annihilation passed on them by 6th and 7th
WILL. IV., chap. 77. The Diocesan Courts are
retained, and are to be permitted to prove wills
" in common form"—that is, when they are un-
contested—and no examination of witnesses is
required to the amount of 1,200/. They will be
required, however, to provide legally-trained offi-
cers, and to transmit all the wills to the Metro-
politan Court, only retaining official copies for
themselves. All contentious jurisdiction is to be
transferred to the Metropolitan Court, and all
questions about wills in common form to be re-
ferred thither too, if needful. A certain extent
of jurisdiction is to be granted also to County
Courts in administering and controlling the estates
of intestates • and most 'of our unprofessional
readers will doubtless think that the more that
can be entrusted to these Courts the better ; and
we think with them. We do not see why a ma-
chinery for registration could not be connected
with them, and all put into 'their hands
which it is proposed to continue in those
of the Diocesan Courts. The latter lie at most
inconvenient distances about the country. Lon-
don itself is more accessible to the greater part of
a province than its Cathedral city. The County
Courts are at hand everywhere.
Sometime ago there was a just objection to the
Court of Chancery becoming the Court of Wills
and Testaments. Sir NicuoLAs TINDAL and Mr.
FRESHFIELD gave evidence against it ; but the
late reforms in that Court have done away most
of what was objectionable, and its great reformer
has promised us that it shall be ultimately as re-
markable for economy and dispatch as it once
was for cost and delay. It is a gratifying con-
sequence of the proposed change, that the Testa-
mentary Court will now
tbie in as well as in
a Queen's Ctiurt
fact,
a lough somewhat singular
that its presidingwasJudge,
commonlyll to the early part of
the 17th century,
dE,:nccleeesiastic.
aT To
er suns
so nu
hp
at v
ih the
having
oar k
fixedng ofp theace whole—o;
reasnishouldWhenever
die testate within the limits of any existing
Diocesan Court, provided the estate should not
exceed a certain amount, the will might be
proved in the Diocesan Court of that diocese.
But if any question should arise touching the
proof of, or any litigation, affecting the will, the de-
cision of that question and of the litigation would
be removed to the Court of Probate--the Court
of Chancery—in London." In that Court