The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 24, 1854.

LIT ERA TURE.

Def vtts, Civil and Military, of the Indian Govern-
'ient. By Lieutenant-General Sir Charles James
rapier. Edited by Lieutenant-General Sir W.
P. P. Napier, K.C.B. Westerton.
Al mutes on the _Resignation of the late General Sir
Charles Napier of the Command of the Army in
2ndia. By F.M. the Duke of Wellington, the
Marquis of Dalhousie, and General Sir Charles
Napier, &c. Murray and Blackwood.
-Wellington and Napier. Comments by Lieutenant-
'General Sir W. Napier, K.C.8., and Captain
Rathbarne. A Supplement to "Indian Misgo-
vernrnent," by Lieutenant General Sir Charles
Jam es Napier, G.C.B. Westerton.
A melancholy episode in the annals of our empire
in Hindostan will be found recorded in these three
remarkable publications. It will be perceived from
them how monstrous has been the ingratitude of
the Company towards one of the most illustrious
of those great Captains to whose prowess, whose ge-
nius, and whose sagacity its councils are more pe-
culiarly indebtedfo;the glories of a vast territorial ag-
grandisement. It will be perceived from these deplor-
able pages—pages deplorable for their revelations
of habitual mendacity and of systematic turpitude
—that that most heinous ingratitude has extended
beyond Vie tomb in which the heroic victim of
slander plight be expected at last to repose in tran-
quillity. The holiest dictates of humanity have,
lit this manner, been flagrantly violated. The
sanctity of the grave has been either forgotten or
contemned. Revilings the most unseemly have
been heard in the midst of the awful stillness of
the Death-place. The ordinary principles of honour,
the commonest sentiments of generosity, the cus-
mary impulses of truth, remorse, and magnanimity
have been despised and discarded. After his de-
rasrture from amongst us, when his brave heart
ceased to beat, when the last sigh has
passed. from his lips, when his eyes are closed
for ever, and his voice is silenced, and his hand
nerveless and crumbling into dust—Sir Charles
Napier is dragged, as it were, from his coffin, and
arraigned at the bar of history—there to have
his character elaborately calumniated, his acts per-
versely distorted, and the whole of his glorious
career blurred and clouded over by the most
odious and the most despicable misrepresentations.
There is something in all this so peculiarly de-
testable, that we cannot but lift up our voice,
'without further delay, and in no measured terms,
against the, accusers of the Conqueror of Scinde—
eager for one, at least, among the organs of public
opinion, to give utterance, wever inadequately,
to the general indignation.
During his life-time Sir Charles Napier needed
no one to fight his battles, to confront his antago-
nists, to refute their slanders, to repel their accu-
sations. After his death those duties have devolved
upon a brother eminently qualified to undertake
the office of vindicating that bright and lofty, but
darkly outraged reputation. Even when many
years shall have elapsed—when the very names of
his assailants shall have perished from the national
recollection—when
"The knight's bones are dust,
And his good sword is rust"—
these notable chapters exonerating Sir Charles
Napier from the blame endeavoured to be cast upon
him by the most ungenerous and implacable of his
foes, will survive to attest the purity of his fame,
while evidencing, at the same moment, the logic,
the eloquence, and the affection of his champion
after death—the historian of Scinde and of the vic-
tories won by British valour in the Peninsula.
The vindication of Sir Charles Napier from the
calumnies of his antagonists had been marvellously
facilitated, it must be remembered, by the comple-
tion, shortly before his demise, of his posthumous
work on " Indian Misgovernment." In that mas-
terly production the assailed ex-Commander-in-
Chief of our army in Hindostan had himself consi-
dered the mistatements made by his enemies, and had
refuted them categorically. He had therein himself
analysed most minutely the whole oftheir carefully-
elaborated scheme of mirepresentation. The manu-
script pages thus completed only, so to speak, at
the instant when the pen fell from the grasp
of the Conqueror and Administrator, had the ad-
vantage, however, of being revised by the annalist
of his Scindian Conquest and his Scindian Admin-
istration. The narrative, moreover, was rendered
complete by the addition of a supplementary chap-
ter by its editor—the volume being introduced with
this touching and effective
DEDICATION.
" The Author of this work is dead.
The care of putting it through the press is mine.
And to
The People of England
it is dedicated:
Because it exhibits faction frustrating
A great man's efforts to serve the public:
And shows
How furely the Directors of the E.I. Company
Are proceeding in
The destruction of the great Empire
Unwisely committed to their
Misgovernment.
W. F. P. NAPIER, Lieutenant-General."
Scarcely, however, had this remarkable publica-
tion made its appearance, when a disgraceful and
ungenerous pamphlet was issued from the press by
order of the Directors of the East India Company,
in the name and on the authority of their collective
Government. It is the second production specified
at the head. of this criticism—a pamphlet entitled
" Minutes on the Resignation of the late General
Sir Charles Napier of Command of the Army
in India" a pamphlet giving to the world
after the death of both parties— a censure
written upon Sir Charles Napier by the Duke of
Wellington. Remember (as Sir William Napier
tells us) that this doubly posthumous censure is
literally nothing more nor less than " a memoran-
dum founded upon previous falsehood." It has
already been answered by the brochure mentioned
the third upon our list, crushingly and conclusively
answered by that chapter, briefly, but significantly,
entitled " Comments," but which its distinguished
writer has subsequently and. yet more significantly
designated " A Supplement" to Sir Charles Na-
pier's work on Indian Misgovernment. Wherefore
in these three productions, in this memorable
volume and in these two noteworthy pamphlets
published since as additionally illustrative of its
argument, the whole story is minutely given to the
public in all its details—the narrative of the great
wrongs perpetrated towards an illustrious man,
wrongs originating in unaccountable prejudice,
and in an altogether unp'aralleled ingratitude.
The history of this deplorable episode in the annals
of our empire in Hindostan, is thus recounted from
a period long anterior to Sir Charles Napier's arri-
val at Calcutta to take command of the armies in
India, to a time long subsequent to the date of his
resignation: It shows that all the misunderstand-
ings which occurred between those two occur-
rences, the misunderstandings which immediately
followed Sir Charles Napier's arrival, and which
ultimately necessitated his resignation, originated,
as he himself has observed (p. 10), in the " silly
phantom" of his ambition, which to the last haunted
the mind of the Governor-General Lord Dalhousie.
That such a spectral dread really existed in Lord
Dalhousie's imagination was indicated at Simla dur-
ing the very first interview that took place be-
tween the Governor-General and the new Com-
mander-in-Chief, in regard to which interview the
latter himself has here stated (ibid) that " in ten mi-
nutes he (Lord Dalhousie) told me in substance,
nay the words were, that in letters from England
he had been warned against my endeavouring to
encroach upon his power, and had answered, he
would take damned good care I should not"—
language, one might venture to say, worthier of a
tosspot than of a viceroy. It is scarcely necessary
to remind our readers of the peculiar circumstances
under which Sir Charles Napier had been nomi-
nated to the command-in-chief of the British forces
in Hindostan. It will be remembered that he was
summoned from domestic repose to that position of
supreme responsibility, not by political intrigue,
or by ministerial caprice, or by the aid of Court
favour, but by national acclamation. The occa-
sion was one of great anxiety. According to the
latest accounts from the seat of war there had been
a series of lamentable reverses. Everybody in
England looked for aid then, at that moment of
extreme emergency, to the genius, and the
prowess, and the sagacity, and the patriotism of
one man, and that man, Sir Charles Napier—
a
warrior who had so recently shown his
capacity in Generalship by the almost miraculous
completeness and rapidity of his conquest of Scinde
—a statesman who had still more recently, and if
possible still more remarkably, demonstrated his
skill as an administrator, through th e marvels effected
by his most efficient and tranquillising Govern-
ment. Everybody, we say, looked, as it were, in-
stinctively to him under the emergency. We our-
selves were the first to assert, in the column of this
journal, in the leading columns of The Sun, the
imperative necessity of nominating Sir Charles
Napier, and no other than Sir Charles Napier, to
the supreme command of the British armies in
Himiostan. We did this before his name had been
mentioned in connection with that command by
any other of the newspapers. This requisition of
the conqueror of Scinde spread at once, however,
with the swiftness of an electric enthusiasm through
the whole of our contemporaries. It was the demand
of the time--the cry of a great necessity. All were
unanimous. Saith Sir Charles Napier himself
(p. 7)—" When the Duke of Wellington first
told me of it [meaning, of his appointment], I
objected that my many enemies in India would
mar its usefulness. He laughed at that, pressed
the matter home, and concluded thus : yo„
don't go, I must." Nay, the Duke, already when
requested to write down three names among those
general oftioora he would moat room:awl as the
- -

new commander-in-chief in Hindostan, had—the
story has long since become a popular one—simply
written as those three : " Sir Charles Napier, Sir
Charles Napier, Sir Charles Napier." Well—we
all know the rest—Sir Charles Napier went. He
went in spite of the an:mosity with which he
was regarded by the Company's Government.
He went not, as they had intended, with a de-
graded command, not shorn of his honours,
but, as he would alone consent to go, namely,
as one of the Supreme Council, like all his
predecessors. He expected war on his ar-
rival. Instead of that he found peace. His
energies were consequently directed, not to the
conduct of a perilous campaign, but to the reorga-
nisation of the forces entrusted his management.
In these efforts he found himself—as he had antici-
pated—everywhere thwarted by the petty spite
and the miserable calumnies of his many antago-
nists—of those who were his bitter and implacable
foes, because lie had never lent himself to connive
at the meanness, the injustice, and the rapacity of
the " Old Indian" system of misgovernment. So
far the evil was, we repeat, only precisely as lie had
himself expected. But it went further than lie
could at one period have reasonably conjectured—
it went further, inasmuch as events showed that
this swarm of miserable little covert antagonists
found in the weakness, or the perversity, or the
ignorance of the Governor-siteueral, Lord
Dalhousie, the willing agent for the grati-
fication of their spiteful malevolence. Lord
Dalhousie, we have seen, had courteously told Sir
Charles Napier, as early as the occasion of their
first interview at Simla, that " lie would take
damned good care" that lie (Sir Charles) should
never encroach upon his power as Governor-Gene-
ral of Hindostan. A delicate intimation, which he
adopted every means to verify. In short—we ask
the reader's pardon, but the phrase is not our own,
it is that of the representative of her Britannic
Majesty Lord Dalhousie took such "damned
good care" to prevent the possibility of this dreaded
encroachment, that he insulted Sir Charles Napier
so very grossly, wantonly, and unjustifiably as to
necessitate the course pursued by that heroic
veteran, when he tendered his resignation as
Commander-in-Chief of our armies in Hindostan.
How ? The tale of this great wrong is soon told.
A mutinous spirit manifested itself in 1849 through-
out no less than thirty Sepoy battalions, battalions
which were either then marching towards, or were
actually in, the Punjaub. The Governor-General
(Lord Dalhousie) was at sea in quest of health—
leaving the Commander-in-Chief (Sir Charles
Napier) the highest in authority and in responsi-
bility in Hindostan. Now everybody at all ac-
quainted with the growth and character of our
power over our Indian possessions is familiar with
the fact, that the greatest of all evils to be dreaded to
that power is the spread of a feeling of insubordi-
nation. A mutinous spirit among our Sepoy
troops, wherever manifest, must, consequently, be
met with vigour and promptitude. It was so
manifested in 1849 in as many as thirty battalions.
The Governor-General was, as we have remarked,
away—he was actually at sea—and the Comman-
der-in-Chief was left alone, and was responsible,
consequently, by his position for the preservation
of the general tranquillity. Precisely at this criti-
cal juncture, a Government order (an order, by the
way, merely locally applicable) threatened to be
brought accidentally into operation—where ? Why,
at one of the very places where the mutiny had
come most plainly to light—namely, at Wuzzeera-
bad. It was an order peculiarly distasteful to the
Sepoys, inasmuch as it tended to the diminu-
tion of their allowances. What happens there-
upon ? Brigadier Hearsey, dreading lest the
operation of this inopportune order might
prove disastrous under the circumstances, by
fomenting the ill-will rife among the discontented
battalions, addresses an anxious communication to
his superior officer, Sir Walter Raleigh Gilbert,
telling him plainly of his fears as to the conse-
quences. Sir Walter Gilbert coincides with the
views of the matter taken by Brigadier Hearsey—
coinciding in those views, the former transmits the
letter to Colonel Grant, ale Adjutant-General, and
the latter officer, agreeing with Sir Walter Gilbert
and Brigadier Hearsey, submits the whole question
of the difficulty to the judgment and decision of
Sir Charles Napier, as Commander-in-Chief. Re-
member that the peril of the time was one of great
magnitude ! Remember that the Governor-Gene-
ral was, at the period, far away on the Indian
Ocean ! Remember that the responsibility of the
crisis rested wholly and exclusively upon Sir
Charles Napier, in his capacity as Commander-
in-Chief ! Remember that the danger of allowing,
the order to come into operation at that pre-
cise moment was recognised and asserted by
three distinguished and experienced officers in
the Company's service—by Brigadier Hearsay, by
Sir Walter Gilbert, and by Colonel Grant, the
Adjutant-General ! Remember, moreover [with
this posthumous censure from the hands of his
Grace, now at our elbow, as recently published by
order of the Directors], especially and peculiarly
remember, that Sir Charles Napier found at the
time the following remarkable passage among the
instructions of the Duke of Wellington :—" On a
station so distant, and of such magnitude and po-
litical importance, you must necessarily act in a
great measure from your own discretion." Sir
Charles Napier did act upon his discretion.
Is it asked in what manner ? By suspend-
ing the perilous order which must otherwise
have been brought into operation at a crisis
of a really extraordinary character. The Com-
mander-in-Chief, at the same time, forthwith,
namely, on the 20th of January, 1850, the date of
the order of suspension, forwarded a report of the
whole proceedings to the Supreme Government.
Thereupon, when the mutiny had been effectually
suppressed by this wise measure of precaution, Sir
Charles Napier was insultingly reprimanded by
Lord Dalhousie—the insult (mark this !) of the
reprimand being directed by him (p. 170)
against " a man of nearly twice his age, with
ten times his experience and service." It is
monstrous to assert, as was asserted by the
Governor-General, that the Commander-in-Chief
had, in the act alluded to, " cancelled a Govern-
ment regulation and 'introduced another." He
had done nothing of the sort—he had merely
suspended an order calculated to prove most dan-
gerous if permitted to come at that precise period
into operation—he had simply suspended that dan-
gerous order until such time as he could contrive
to communicate with the Supreme Government.
That it was calculated to be perilous, if not at
least delayed, was not only the opinion of Sir C.
Napier himself, but also, as before remarked, of
three distinguished officers in the service of the com-
pany—in the opinion (p. 66) of " the Brigadier com-
manding the station, of the General commanding the
province, and of the Adjutant-General of the Com-
pany's army." Let it be borne in mind, moreover,
that as recently as the 18th of that same month of
January, Lord Dalhousie had written these words
to the Commander-in-Chief (p. 185)—" Whenever
anything may occur which requires or would be
benefitted by the support of Government, that
support will be unreservedly given." Such a thing
did occur two days later, and that support was not
only unreservedly refused, but Sir Charles Napier
was even insultingly reprimanded. The Governor-
General forgot his fine promise at Kotree, and
acted only in the spirit of his impertinent threat at
Simla—his courteous threat on the occasion of their
first interview, that he would take " damned good
care" that his authority should not be encroached
upon by the new Commander-in-Chief. The
truth is, that Sir Charles Napier was repri-
manded, as he himself says (p. 174), " because
Lord Dalhousie was personally jealous ! —ln-
tent to find fault, he petulantly, and with bad
faith, seized what he thought a good opportunity,
and made a mistake for his own character." Was
there not bad faith ? Answer this—that hollow
promise of the 18th of January ! To argue, as the
calumniators of the dead hero have attempted, that
the danger of the crisis was in any way exagge-
rated is simply preposterous, when we bear in mind
tthat s
had(pl67)
dl6a7 before
e t)
naelloyr et e
eele o
ni r
rerdd rn os
uf
escue
ss
spiennns
ai suspension, nit
amwuni
Pindee, at Delhi, at Wuzzeerabad, and at Govind
ghur. As to the Governor-General's paltry attempt
to depreciate Sir Charles Napier by representing his
journey to Peshawur as a flight from danger—the
Conqueror of Scinde has condescended to repel the
insinuation thus scornfully and triumphantly (p.
168) : " Peshawur was the
and his (Lord Dalhousiel')
esreal point of danger,
sneer, redolent of
ignorance and bad feeling, coming from a
man who had gone to sea at the moment of
greatest peril, should have been suppressed." If,
however, the Governor-General has failed to sup-
press his atrabilious sarcasm, the Commander-in-
Chief did not fail to suppress promptly and effec-
tually that mutinous spirit which was known to
have infected thirty Sepoy battalions, and which,
if it had not thus been dissipated or crushed out,
must have threatened (p. 165) to involve an
army of 400,000 men in the most disastrous
insubordination. This was effected by three ener-
getic acts, indicative to the whole body of actual or
would-be mutineers of Vie determination of the
then supreme head of the Executive, the Comman-
der-in-Chief. Those three acts—the suspen-
sion of the order consolidating the Sepoys'
allowances—the disbandment of the 66th Regi-
' went for their attempt to seize the fortress of Go-
, ) vindghur—and the filling up of their vacant place
in the line by making the Nusseree Goorka batta-
. lion the 66th or Goorka regiment. Happily Sir
L Charles was throughout impressed with the truth
that " mutinies aro not to be bound with red
tape" (p. 153), that wholesome truth which he has
since in so many words thus axiomatically enun-
ciattd4 It it a melancholy sunuaary of hopes

Engßah ..
Irish •• ••
Foreign ..

awakened in England to be dissipated in Hindostan.
—that acknowledgment (p.151)—" Expecting war,
I felt strong enough to override opposition when
danger pressed. I found peace and a mean, malig-
nant jealousy, against which, when backed by power,
honourable service is of no avail." The veteran
Captain adding briefly, but confidently, " Lo ! the
proof." Yea, proof, indeed, (literally) with a
vengeance. Proof damnatory of these heartless and
implacable assailants of the late Commander-in-
Chief of the British forces in Hindostan. Writing,
as he did, the record of his wrongs, on the eve
of his lamented demise, Sir Charles Napier, never-
theless, infused into his narrative all the energy of
youth, all the fervour of truth, all the ardour of
enthusiasm. His style never displayed more ad-
mirable or more soldierlike sententiousness than it
has done, here, throughout this noble contribution
to our Asiatic annals, in which the redemption of
the fortress of Goviudghur is thus strikingly cele-
brated :

" Lieutenant-Colonel Bradford, an excellent officer of the
Bengal Army, returning to the old provinces with the Ist
Native Cava•ry, had accidentally encamped outside, and was
ou the parade of the 66th, when their shout of mutiny arose.
Seeing the danger, he hasti y rejoined his men, and led them
dismounted towards the gate ; whereupon the guard, hearing
the tramp of his approaching troops, ran with great tumult to
close the portals, saying the cavalry shorld not enter. Their
European officer remonstrated, was disregarded, and im-
properly abandoned his post to make a report. At that mo-
ment Captain M'llonald, a man of a different character,
arrived, and rushed, sword in hand, upon the mutineers.
They shrank from the sweep of his weapon, and he, grasping
the almost closed gate, drew it back just as Bradford came up
with his men. Thus was the place saved."
- -

Or in which occurs this picturesque and startling
description of the heroic death of an Aifreedee :
" Some Affreedees had gathered on a sugar-loaf rock,
terminating a spur from the precipitous hills on our flank.
Being close to the road, it barred progress, and the column.
halted. On the summit a warrior stood, like Fuzeli's pic-
ture of Satan, with legs wide apart and arms high in the ,
air : waving a sword and shaking a shield, he shouted and
defied us ! A young artillery officer—Maister, or Delano
—laid his gun with a shell, and the flying death, whizzing
through th air, burst at the moment it struck the brave
Affreedee ! His head, his legs, his arms, flew like radii
from a centre in the air, and a shout of exultation burst
from the troops. The amusements of the battle-field are
grim. Condemn not that shout. Life was played for in
the rough game, and they who won naturally rejoiced.
It is, however, a painful remembrance."
Brilliant as this work is as a chapter of military
history, it is yet more brilliant as a posthumous
vindication. It is a volume worthy of having
been penned by the Conqueror of Scinde, and not
unworthy of having been edited by the annalist of
the Peninsula. It reminds one of the trophies piled
up over the honoured grave of a beloved and glo-
rious warrior—the dinted breastplate, the un-
sheathed sword, the spotless but broken plume,
the banner riddled with bullets and blackened
with gunpowder, and, above all, the proud and un-
sullied escutcheon.

MARKET NEWS-(THIS DAY.)

CORN EXCHANGE.

Fresh up to-day, the arrivals of English wheat, coast-
wise and by land carriage, were on a very moderate scale.
The show of samples was small, and the attendance of
buyers by no means numerous. On the whole, a steady
business was transacted in wheat of home produce, at
prices fully equal to those obtained on Monday.
The imports of foreign wheat have amounted to nearly
13,000 quarters. All descriptions moved off steadily, and
in some instances the quotations were the turn in favour
of sellers.
Floating cargoes were quite as dear as on Monday.
We were seasonably well supplied with barley, for which
article the demand ruled steady, at full quotations
There was rather more inquiry for malt, at the late
decline.
About an average business was doing in oats, at full
currencies.
Beans, peas, and flour realised former terms. The im-
ports of flour are large.

Wheat.
1,860

ARRIVALS THIS WEEK.
Barley. Malt.
4,13 U 6,160

Oats. Flour.
650 1,870
6,670 —6,460 4,460 sks
20,750 brl

12,7 i; 1 7,-60

SMITHFIELD.
The supply of beasts here to-day being considerably on
the increase compared with Friday last, the demand for
that description of stock was in a sluggish state, and Mon-
day's prices were barely supported. Sheep, the number of
which was seasonably good, moved off slowly at Monday's
decline. The top figure was 5s per 8 lbs. Very few English
calves were on sale ; but the supply of foreign was good.
On the whole, the veal trade ruled dull ; but we have no
change to notice in prices. In pigs very little was doing.
Mulch cows sold heavily at from 141. to 191. each, in•
eluding their small calf.
Per 8113 s to sink the offals.

s. d. s. d.l
Inferior licasts....3 4 to 3 6'
Second quality.... 3 8 3 10
Prime large oxen 4 0 4 4
Prime Scots, ate. 4 6 4 10
Inferior Sheep ...3 2 3 61
Second quality ...3 S 4 4
Prime crse.-wlled.4 6 4 8

s. d. s. d?
Prima Sonthdown 410 5 0
Large crse. calves 4 0 4 8
Prime small d 0... 410 5 4
Large hogs 3 0 4 2
Small porkers 4 4 410
ISucklingcalves ..22 0 29 0
;Quarter old pigs 21 0 26 0

Ir. !Void.

4.1100
0 I 8:

0 all
_3i all

1 I 28

!7il all

2
30

it. 100
it. 100
i() all

!O 112

;0 ,k)'
;5 all

!Zi all
15 all
L 8 all
!O all
'it. all

;t. 100
5
;5 17!

>t. Iwo

it. 100.
l 6 16
16 11
8 all
8 8

c()) luti

1172

!O all.
.0 10
.0 1

ft. 1100

0 2/ 2s
it. 100
it. 100
it. 100
it. 100

0 10
!6i all
3 h all
!O all

;t. 100
all
!O 15

2l 2sl
).5 all

16!,
;t. 100
o 8
;t. 100
15 20

;0 I 17

;0 I 14

0 all
.0 51s,

;5* 20
;5 13n

12:12
12i
25

12A
121
12
St.
St.

10
25
10
1.0.6

SHARE MARKETS.

(THIS DAY.)

BRITISH RAILWAYS.

Closing Prices
this day.

20 - 21

411 - 5i

8 - 9

U. 9 disl

17 - 19
6i - sAti

95 - 97
55i - 553
154 - 16
1:3 -13 f

45 - 46

7i - 84

4~ - ~4~

Eit 7---- Lit,

65 - 67
60 - 61

22 - 23

ii 95
83
129 - 131
99 - 101
83 -

92
122 —13.1 p
12 13 p
672 68
6i 6ict

iii - i,i

84 8
par p
96 97
LO5 - 1051,
P

d
81 -- 83
9 -- 8d
10i -- 9id

224 - 23

64 - 64§
36 - 38

55 - 57
25
X 1
•-• ikt
2t - 3

6 - 8
47 - 50
31 3i4
33 ... 34
8 10

ii —1:
53 5o
k i

Business done I 50
this day. St.

55 i i i 4

I St'
13i g i St
25

•
6 - s;4tl'
8 - 8

34 - 35

89 91
54 - 56
55 - 60

55 60
3 2d

15 - 17
83
11 - 13
31 -

16 17
624 6.32
34A 35:.
2 (1 par
4 5

- 32.

2g -2;
15; 15i
5; - 5i
24 - 26
6 - 7

•.• - ...
6 - 7

70 n
7 • 74 it
4t
494 --

10
20
56 10
d 20
20

E SHARES.

62i
34i i 1

xd 5O
1
20
35

30
20
15 i 1
1

70 4
12i
50 i

1
10
1
1

99 1- 101

GA -- 611
3 -- 3i
4 -- 4
P
1 -- lip
1 --
13i -- 14ip
22i 23

21 pm 110
Pm 28
1

2/ - 31

19 - 121

LO9 - 111
- S p

8 - gi

64 -
98 -
90 -
93 -

id
137

part
139

1101
10,i i

20
50
20
25

.• • - ~

2i - 3

12 -

6i
9
par

136 -
Ili -

138
id

• • • --

102 -
i -

104
1 4p

105 4

OA --
161 --
10 --
13 --
id --
23A --

10
16'
10
15
}p
24

50
50
2
100
1
25

17 -

ii :::

94 -
3 i -

Shr. Paid. RAILWAY!. Leasing Closing Prices Business
Company. this day. this day.
50 all Bedford and London &
}Ketchley.... N. West
St. 100 Buckghamsh. L&N.W 99 101
50 all ClydesdaleJc. Caledon 48 —5O
St. 100 E. Lincoln gr.
GBlar BreaeinT. & al
t.
Cit.dNoln.lihann 138
142
25 all
Neils. Direct ••• •••
25 all Do. New...... Do
25 all Glstr.4;Dn.Fr It. Westu 30 32
100 all •Irtlpl. Dk. & Yk, New.
Railway & Berw.
50 all Hull & Selby V. &,IstAld 104 —lo6xd a d
25 all Do. A Shares. Do- 52 —53 „ x d
12 all Do. a Shares. Do 26 -27 , d
134 all Lon.&Greenw 3. Eastern 13 13,6
20 all Do. Preference Do 2IA d
20 100 Lowestoft gr.
4 per cent. Norfolk —
20 WO Do. 6 per et.
53 all Manch. Bxtu. L&N.W.
and Matlock & Midld. 21 3
50 all Nliddlesbro' & itckton&
Redcar . Darlingt. a d a d
100 all llidld.Bradfd :+lidlaud 9B 100
50 all Northern and
Easterusp.c. E. Count. 59 61
50 Do. 6 per et. Do —
50 all Do. Fixeds pF Do —
25 all ?rest. &Wyrt L. &N.W
12i 12 Do. A Shares. Do —
St. 100 Roystn.k Hit. 3tNorthu 138 142
St. 100 Do.Shepth.St Do —
25 18i: BheLltoth.an(. Lancash&
Goole g. sp. c. York sh.
12 .3. Staffordsb. Nl.MClean 2 11
50 all WearVallcygi stockt. &
6 per cent... Darlingt. xd a d
25 all Do Do 3O 31„ x d
St. 100 Wilts&Somrst ChWestn 95 -- 97 ,

3L— 3d
1 14
4j; 3id

par i p

..• 3t -24 P ,1
21 - 2ip

11 - i PI

..?
52 42c1

21 d
P
1 p

dis
6t
41 4t
1 14
1 14
1

i d par

... -

71 - 7i

ioi = ioi

74 -8;
12i -

42 —44
34 —36 ad
281 -- 28
—pm*i
d

ld par
d
n 81

- pm

3i - - 4.1
--ii _ n ,

.6 i'd

ES.

all A.gua Fria
all Anglo Austrin. Gold
11 Anglo Californian
2 Australasian
6 Australian
all Australian Cordillera
all Australian Freehold
all Ave Maria
all Baden (Gd. Duchy of)
all Blacuarvon Ir. & Coal
all british Austrin. Gold
13.5 British Iron
24?, Brazilian Imp .(i.ssue d

- at £5 pm.
all Do. Cocaes & cuiada
15 Do. St. John Del Rey
Carson's Creek
4 Clarendon Con. Mill
Co. of Jamaica
all Cobra Copper
1 Colonial Gold
15 Copiapo
all Copper Min. of Eng
all Do. Pref. 7A p. cent
all English and Austrin
Copper Smeltg . Co
all General
all Great Nugget Vein
all Do. Registered
all Great Polgooth
all Liberty
all Linares
all Lond.&Californ.Gold
Quartz Crush. Co.
all Hariquita
9 Mexican&S.Amerien.
all New Granada
all New Linares Mining
and Smelting Co
all Nouveau Monde
all Pontgibaud Silver
Lead Min. & Smelt
1 Port Philip
all Quartz Rock
all ithymney Iron
15 Do. New
104 Santiago de Cuba
all 'outh Australian
7 Tin Croft
all United Mexican
all Waller
all West Granada
all West Mariposa
12s. Worthing Mining of

7 61

[id Pd
par— R p
1 d
2i
id
Hcl
id
9 11
—d:
7 9xd,

- 53
- 2t
28 - 30
-

29.} i i

42 44xd
Ad— AP
10 -12
60 -70
4 6p

13 - 21
15

id Par
li li
i il d
11 12

221 i

28} i

all lAustralia
Yuba

JOINT-S'

-
6# 61d
#d

...
.i. icl P

81 .

6i i

all A.ustralasia
all British Colonial Bank
and Loan Company
all British N. American
5 Chartd. Bank of Asia
2 Chrtd. Bnk. of India,
Australia, & China
25 Colonial
20 Commercial of Lond
10 English Scottish and,

Australian
15 Loud. Chart. Bk. of

Australia
20 London and County
10 London Joint Stock
20 bond. & Westminster
35 National Provincial
of England
10 Do. New
222, National of Ireland
all New South Wales
all Oriental Bank of
Corporation.
5 Do. New
25 Provincial of Ireland
all Do. New
1 Royal Australn.Bkg
& Gold Imp Co
all south Australia
all Union of Australia
2i Do. New
10' Union of London

MISCEr

17 19
- d
28 4
—30 P
8 10
34 44
d
4 5
3 34

BANKS.

7G - 78

... a

77i 61 71

2 lid

... '-' ..

31 2id
i id

43 -.7-- 45

44 - 46

40 - 42
67 - 69
7 - 7i

:01:Ts

all Aubin Coal and Iron
17i Australian Agricult.
14 Australsn. Pcific. Mail
8 Australn. Royal Mail
2i Berlin Water Works
386 Brit. American Land
1 Brit. & Coln. Smeltg.
and Reduction Co..

32i Canada
5 Crystal Palace
4 Do. New..........
2 Crystal Pal. of France
3 Eastern Steam
20 Electrit Telegraph (A)
all Do. (B)
1 Electric Teleg. of Ir.
14 Gen. Steam Navigat.
18 General Screw Steam
76 Irish Beetroot Sugar
10 Nlagdalena St. Navig.
all Nat. Pat. Steam Fuel
3 Netherlands Laud
1 N. S. W. Coal & Inter.
Steam Navigat. Co.
all N. B. Australasian...
Do. Now
10 Nrth. ofEuropeSteam
all Peel Rr. Ld. & Miurl.
all Peninsular & Oriental
30 Do. Do.
all Portland Iron Co
6() Royal Mail Steam
all Scot. Austral. Invest
25 South AustraLLand
all Submar. Telegraph
all 1)0. Registered.
28t Van Diemen's Land

41 - 42

73 . I 75

6 7

75 80
1f
11 —lap

671
71

1
74 31 t

i -=lid

... _ ...
3 2 d

par— P
i 1

. ••

••
id PI

6 I
s#i

i - iP

3S - 3,1

par
ip '
id —x,
13 14

The Hanoverian Minister, Count Kielmansegge, enter-
tained her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge,
the Duke of Cambridge, and a select party at dinner on
Wednesday evening, in Grosvenor-square.

.‘".1110.4..•

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

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

COUNTY COURTS.
Lord BROUGHAM brought in a bill for the purpose
of extending the operation of what is called the " optional
clauses" in the County Courts Act, in order to extend
the jurisdiction of these courts over all actions, irrespec-
tive of the amount in dispute, or the nature of the
question involved. The bill was read a first time.
UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.
The Earl of DERBY desired to call the attention of
their lordships and of the Government in particular to a
short statement that he wished to make. He had no
intention of doing this until to-day, and he did so in
consequence of a conversation that had occurred last
night in another place with reference to the university
with which he had the honour of being connected. The
question that he was about to put might influence the
convocation to be held to-morrow ; he hoped, therefore,
the noble lord would excuse the shortness of the notice
he was obliged to give, inasmuch as, if he were not to
put his question this day, it would be impossible that
any effect could be produced either by his (Earl Derby's)
question or his lordship's answer. He had perceived
that a declaration had been made by her Majesty's Go-
vernment, that it was not their intention to advise her
Majesty to assent to the petition that was to be sub-
mitted to convocation with reference to the proposed
alterations in the governing body of the university.
Their lordships were aware that the only mode by which
the Carolian statutes could be altered was by the special

license of the Crown. To effect this a petition must
be presented to the Crown, and, in the first place,
this petition must have received the assent of the uni-
versity at large ; by the university at large he meant
convocation, which included all the members of the
university, whether they were resident or non-resident,
above the rank of a master of arts. Convocation conse-
quently included all ranks, classes, and denominations,
and therefore an expression of opinion coming from
it must be taken, if anything could be taken, as an ex-
pression of the voice and opinion of the university.
Shortly after the report of her Majesty's Commissioners
had appeared—he would not say anything on the mode
in which these commissioners had been appointed, or
offer any opinion as to the ex parte evidence that had
been submitted to them—but, shortly after the appear-
ance of the commissioners' report, her Majesty's Go-
vernment announced that they did not intend to pro-
ceed immediately upon it, as they were desirous to know
in the first instance, the course the university was pre-
pared to take, and shouldl therefore postpone any attempt
at legislation until they received the opinion of the uni-
versity. The University of Oxford did not lose any time
in taking into consideration the very important questions
raised by the commissioners' report, for during the course
of last year they considered the whole of these questions
ser:atira, and examined upon them viva voce, but chiefly
by written statements of questions and answers, some
of the most distinguished members of the university.
The opinion of the hebdomadal board on several points,
together with the whole of the evidence, was printed on
the sth of December, just at the end of term, and before
the commencement of the vacation. He hoped that
some of their lordships had seen this evidence, which
was contained in a thick Bvo. volume, in which he thought
the whole question had been entered into in a most impar-
tial manner. This book was printed, as he had said, on the
sth December, and on the 13th or 14th he (Earl Derby) re-
ceived a circular from the Secretary of State for the Home
Department, in which it was stated that her Majesty's
Government were desirous of ascertaining what measure
the university contemplated as necessary for its altera-
tion and improvement, and the particular alterations
that might be desired by the several colleges in which
they would require the interposition of Parliament. He
immediately acknowledged the receipt of this letter from
the Home Secretary, giving the noble lord his (Earl
Derby's) individual opinion, and expressing the hope
that the measure introduced by the Government would
be of such a character as to give great latitude to the free
action of the university. The letter he had referred to
stated that the Government were anxious to receive the
information they required at this time, and hoped to give
the greatest consideration to the demands that might be
made by February. He received this letter either on the
13th or 14th of December, just at the close of term, and
lost no time in transmitting it for the consideration of
the hebdomadal board. On the 19th December he was
officially communicated with, and forwarded, without
delay, a letter from the hebdomadal board to the Secre-
tary of State for the Home Department, in which they
promised, at the earliest opportunity, to take the required
subjects into consideration. In January he (Earl Derby)
received, either from the Vice-Chancellor or the colleges
themselves, the various plans and modifications tliey
were desirous of obtaining the assistance and co-opera-
tion of Parliament to introduce. The whole of these
communications were transmitted for the information of
the Secretary for the Home Department and her Majes-
ty's Government.. As soon as was possible, the hebdo-
madal board met to consider that which was the ba-
sis of everything else—what alterations in the constitu-
tion of the university they should recommend to convo-
cation for the purpose of being sanctioned by her Ma-
jesty's advisers. Had this matter been postponed their
lordships would perceive that would have come to be
last considered which ought to have been first. The
decision of the hebomadal board was arrived at on Sa-
turday, the 11th of this month, and her Majesty's Go-
vernment had expressed the hope that they would in
February be able to take the matter into consideration.
He thought that their lordships would he of opinion
that the hebdomadal board could not earlier have come
to a decision than they did on questions involving such
important changes, without giving to it an appearance
of undue precipitancy. The Government having an-
nounced their measure for Monday, the 20th, he (the
Earl of Derby) thought it was of the greatest importance
that before this measure was submitted fur considera-
tion the university should have an opportunity of ex-
pressing a free and unbiassed opinion on what altera-
tions they might deem advisable. Before the subject
could be brought before the convocation it was neces-
sary that the hebdomadal board should promulge the
petition they recommended, so that the members of con-
vocation might become acquainted with it ; and from
the Friday, after the decision of the hebdomadal board
had been arrived at, to the Monday, was the shortest
notice that could be given. On the Monday, before he
had received a copy of the petition, he (the Earl of Derby)
was called upon by a most eminent professor of the uni-
versity with whom he had had no personal acquaintance
for 40 years. He had already called on the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, with whom he was on terms of inti-
macy, and he stated to him that the object of his
visit was to obtain a short postponement of the Govern-
ment measure, until the decision of convocation on the
petition that was to be submitted to it fi om the hebdo-
madal board could be obtained. The Chancellor of the
Exchequer consented to this reasonable request, and
gave an intimation that the university should not be
placed in any worse position than it then stood, in con-
sequence of their having, in giving notice, lost time in
communicating with Government. Tnis gentleman had
no poser to make any stipulations with regard to pre-
vious communications ; and he (the Earl of Derby),
being desirous that no concealment should be attributed
to the university, took it upon himself to make the pro-
position, that, if the university petition was placed in
his hands forthwith, that petition should by him, as
Chancellor, be communicated to her Majesty's Govern-
ment, not as being the petition of the university, but as
that of the hebdomadal board. He (the Earl of Derby)
had asked for a week's postponement, in order that two
or three days might elapse previous to giving notice to
convocation, which was summoned at a week's notice,
that expires toonorrow. On Monday evening, at nine
o'clock, the Vice-Chancellor called on him and brought
with him the petition, and he (the Earl of Derby)
communicated with the Secretary of State for the Home
Department on Tuesday morning. On the following
Thursday, after he had retired from their lordships'
house, he received a long letter from the Secretary of
State for the Home Department, informing him he had
taken into consideration the proposed petition, and ex-
pressing regret that they were compelled to dissent from
the scheme set down, and that her Majesty could not be
advised to assent to it. He felt compelled to notice—as
he had been careful in communicating with the Secre-
tary for the Home Department to abstain from asking
any opinion either of approval or disapproval on the
petition of the hebdomadal board—that this letter con-
tained objections on the part of the Crown, not stated
in detail, but objecting to the plan generally. Upon the
following morninr, he forwarded to Oxford that commu-
nication from the Government, and he also wrote a
short answer to the noble lord the Secretary of State
for the Home Department. Last Friday that
amendments
emilii
was taken into consideration, and sobmute atimmeend
was then
the form of a petition were made
pressing, and it was necessary
notice for
that peti-
otice for its
tion upon Friday, and to, give
considera-
tion next Friday. Consequently, the hebdomadal
board received the intimation of the dissent of her Ma-
jesty's Government from their proposition, without
any statement of their own views, upon the Friday
morning on which it was necessary to promulgate their
petition. It was, therefore, impossible to withdraw
the notice which had been given, and the petition had
to be promulgated -in its then form. But the very ob-
ject which he had had in view in asking for delay was,
that convocation might be enabled to pass their opinion
upon the merits of the plan upon their own independent
sense of what was best for the interests of the university,
and unbiassed by the assent or dissent of the Govern-
ment. That object was now frustrated. At all events,
if the Government thought fit, in the first instance, to
intimate their dissent to what was proposed, and their
intention to proceed with another measure, giving the
convocation rig power to frame a scheme of its own, he
did not think it was too much to expect that they should
have intimated what it was which they wished the uni-
versity to ask, and for which, if they did ask it, they
would obtain the assent of the Government. At any
rate, such a course would have preserved to the univer-
sity, at least, the appearance of independence of ac-
tion. (Hear, hear.) Convocation was now to decide
to-morrow upon the petition which had been agreed
to unanimously by the hebdomadal board, and they
were to go to the consideration of that question, to
which they must say " aye" or " no," not with a know-
ledge of what the Government desired, but with the
knowledge that, whatever they agreed to, would not re-
ceive the assent of the Government. He contended that
that was not the fair way of putting the question before
the university, or of obtaining the independent judgment
of the university upon it. He did not suppose that such
had been the object of the Government; but certainly

no course could have been taken which would have been
more effective for rendering it impossible for the uni-
versity to agree upon a petition for any scheme of re-
form, and thus for enabling the Government to say that,
as the university could not agree, it had been necessary
for the Government themselves to prepare a measure.
Had it not been for the announcement which had been
made by the Government, he should have been quite con-
tent to have left the question in the state in which it stood.
The hebdomadal board had made known what they were
about to propose ; the convocation would have been
asked whether they assented to it; the petition would have
been decided upon by the independent voice of convoca-
tion, and it then would have rested with the Crown to
have decided whether it would assent to the petition or
not. At all events, we should have had the independent
opinion of the university, and Parliament and the Go-
vernment would have been free to act upon that opinion.
But the course which had now been taken rendered it
necessary that he should put a question to the noble
earl at the bead of the GoVefnmenf. The university, he
believed, had not been slow in their desire to meet the
wishes of the Government, and they had afforded to the
Government every information which it was possible for
them to give, both with regard to the university and the
colleges. That information with regard to the colleges
the Government bad been in possession of for nearly a
month ; and they had also been informed that the main
object of the university was to obtain a permissive
power to alter the three Carotian statutes. As the
Government had thought tit to dissent from the pro-
posal which was about to be made to convocation,
and by anticipation to condemn the scheme, he was
entitled to ask if the Government would undertake, be-
fore giving publicity to their own scheme for any all era-
tion of the statutes of the university, to make 811 official
communication to the university, so that the univer-
sity might, in an official and recognised manner, take
such proposal into consideration, in order to see how far
it would, in their opinion, conduce to the benefit of the
university ; or would they leave it to the university to
learn, for the first time, from the reports of what took
place in Parliament, what the scheme of the Govern-
ment was for the reguLtion of the future government of
the university, and for effecting a change in all thein-
stitutions, habits, and mode of government of that body ?
Was the noble earl pi epared to state that, having disap-
proved of the measure which had been submitted to them
in the first instance, the Government would communi-
cate to the university, p:.eviously to bringing it before
Parliament, the measure which, in their opinion, should
be introduced to effect these great changes ?
The Earl of ABERDEEN was understood to reply
that the Government would not pledge themselves offi-
cially to submit to the hebdomadal board the plan which
they might think it desirable to propose for effecting an
alteration in the constitution of the university, before
submitting it to Parliament: At all events, he believed
that it was not the present intention of the Government
to do so.

THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. •
The Earl of CARDIGAN was anxious to put a ques-
tion to her Majesty's Government on a subject of great
importance, at least to the profession to which he be-
longed. He could assure the Government that he did
not put it with any hostile feeling towards them with
regard to the present posture of affairs in relation to
peace or war • for he thought they had acted with the
greatest prudence and wisdom in carrying on negotia-
tions till they came to the inevitable decision of pro-
ceeding with the greatest energy. (Hear, hear.) He
had, however, seen with great surprise and regret a
statement that her Majesty's Government did not intend
to take advantage of the inventions and discoveries
which art and science had lately brought to bear in this
country, and were not going to send out every branch of
the expedition to the seat of war by the aid of steam
navigation. He had been informed that the horses
were to be sent out in sailing vessels. Their lordships
were aware that during the Peninsular war it was often
a month before horses reached their destination ; and
as the seat of the war, which was apparently about
to take place, was about three times the distance of
Spain, there was reason to fear that the voyage would,
under unfavourable circumstances, occupy three months.
He knew it was said that it was impossible to find
a sufficient number of steam-vessels to convey so
many horses, but he thought this objection was not
well founded. He had not the slightest doubt that a
sufficient number of steam-vessels could be found ; and
he was confident that neither the House of Commons
nor the country would grudge the expense. He wished
to ask the Government whether they did not intend to
take advantage of the steam navigation of this country
to send every branch of the proposed expedition to the
seat of war in steam-vessels, instead of incurring the risk
of danger and delay, which was incidental to sailing
ships.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said the question which
the noble earl had put was a vary important one, and
he could assure him that the subject to which it had
reference was one which had occupied the attention of
the Government. He quite agreed with the noble earl
that the country would not grudge any additional ex-
pense which might he involved iu the transport of horses
in steam-vessels. It was not from the expense, but from
the flourishing condition of the steam navigation of the
country, that the difficulty arose ; and though he could
not assert that it was absolutely imposible to obtain the
requisite number of steam-vessels, yet he believed it
would bo impracticable without entirely deranging the
postal arrangements of the country, which her Majesty's
Government desired not to interfere with, unless a great
emergency should arise. (Hear, hear.) When it was
first determined to send an expedition to the Mediter-
ranean, among those with whoir. lie put himself in con-
tact there were persons who assured bins that he would
find it absolutely impossible to transport so large a
force as 12,000 men in steam-vessels, unless the ar-
rangements of the different companies were entirely
deranged. That representation had not proved cor-
rect. It was due to the companies that he should state
that the difficulty, such as it was, had been overcome
by the patriotic readiness which they had all manifested
to assist the Government. (Cheers.) He knew that
by the arrangements which had been made they had
already been put to serious inconvenience, and he be-
lieved the payment which they were to receive would
by no means indemnify them. Inquiries had been made
as to the practicability of obtaining a sufficient number
of transports for the horses already ordered, namely,
1,500, without taking into account the additional num-
ber which in all probability would have to go out before
long ; and he was assured that it was totally imprac-
ticable. When the noble earl recollected that, besides
the immense amount of space that was required by
horses, a large proportion of the vessel was taken up
by steam machinery, and that, besides the horses, it
was necessary to carry a large amount of provender,
and a large quantity of water, which was very bulky,
he must see that the number of steam-vessels required
would be very large indeed. He was afraid, therefore,
that the suggestions of the noble earl could not be
carried out ; but he thought the difficulty would be ob-
viated to a considerable extent if a certain number of
of steam-vessels were provided to take sailing vessels in
tow in the event of the winds being adverse. (Hear,
hear.)
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH said the difficulty of
sending horses in steam-vessels was very great. He be-
lieved every horse would require ten tons, and if that
were the fact 1,500 horses would of course require 15,000
tons. As regarded postal arrangements, he must say
that however important they might be, the efficiency of
the army was still more so. If there was not a suffi-
cient number of cavalry, the expeditionary force must be
chained to the shore—it would bs quite incapable of
acting in the interior. In considering this question, it
must he recollected that steam vessels could make two
or three trips while sailing vessels made one, and that a
steam tonnage of 5,000 would serve the purpose, as well
as 15,000 tons in sailing vessels. He feared it was
not sufficiently considered that the task undertaken by
her Majesty's Government and the government of France
was one of enormous and unparalleled magnitude, and
one which it was scarcely possible for any exertions on
the part of the Government to effect. It was quite im-
possible that the French Government should design to
send less than 6,000 cavalry, besides which there must be
3,000 artillerymen and 1,000 officers of the staff. There
would be required 100,000 tons to send to Constanti-
nople the horses necessary for these forces ; and they
were to go to a country where it would be impossible to
obtain means of transport or to replace the horses when
they should be worn out or die. For his own part, he
should not rest satisfied with having been told that he
could not get the requisite steam tonnage ; he should
himself try to get it, because he believed the efficiency
of the force in a great degree depended upon it.
Lord DE ROS believed that, if sailing vessels were
properly ventilated, horses might be conveyed in them
without sustaining any injury.
THE TENANT-RIGHT BILLS.
Lord BROUGHAM would suggest to the noble duke
opposite that it was impossible to proceed with the im-
portant bills respecting the law of landlord and tenant,
which were on the paper that evening, as they had not
yet been even delivered. He would recommend their
postponement for the present.
The Earl of WICKLOW said the bills were before
Parliament ten months during the last session, and the
reason why they did not pass was, that they came up
from the other house at so late a period.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE deprecated haste
in the progress of such measures, and joined in the re-
commendation of postponement.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE was ready to accede to
any demand for reasonable delay, but as they were now
approaching the end of the first month of the session, it
was desirable that, if the bills were to be referred to a
committee up stairs, the second reading should not be
delayed unnecessarily. It was the almost unanimous
desire of their lordships in August last that the bills
should be re-introduced as early as possible in the present
session, and they now came before the house ipsiaimis
verbis. Perhaps the best course would be to postpone
them till next week.
The Earl of DONOUGHMORE and the Earl of MALUES-
BURY concurred in this arrangement.
Lord CAMPBELL thought it most desirable that
these bills should be carefully considered. He would
intreat their lordships on both sides of the house most
deliberately to consider where the line was to be draw&
between legislation and contract. Let all be done that
was practicable to improve the law of landlord and ten-
ant, and there were no doubt several particulars in
which it might be greatly improved, but when they
went beyond that., and tried legislation upon that which
ought to be governed entirely by agreement between
landlord and tenant, he believed they would do mischief,
and instead of benefiting tenants, very much deteriorate
their condition.
WEST INDIA ISLANDS.
The Earl of DESART wished to put a question to the
noble duke (the Duke of Newcastle) of which he had
given him notice. Their lordships were probably aware
aiatarbbaaido ietsa ,
to
that
rc
apthat the smaller West India Islands had been garrisoned
pby detachments from Jam
the witharmal vi thane dawa
tcpech ndTuen