The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-14 00:00:00

SCOTLAND.

In answer to a question from Lord BROUGHAM,
The Earl of ABERDEEN said it was the intention of
her Majesty's Government to institute a commission to
inquire into the Law of Partnership ; and that the sub-
ject of the assimilation of the mercantile laws of Eng-
land and Scotland would form a fit subject for inquiry
for that commission. •
PRIVATE BILLS.

On the motion of Lord REDESDALE it was re-
solved, that the house do receive petitions for private
bills on the first sitting day after Easter, provided that
such petitions shall be lodged at the Private Bill-office
on or before Monday the 21st of March.
MERCANTILE MARINE.

Lord COLCHESTER rose to move for a return of
the number of persons who passed their examination for
masters and mates of merchant ships between the Ist of
January, 1852, and the Ist of January, 1853 ; also for
copies of any correspondence between the Board of Trade
and the Committee of Council on Education, relative to
the establishment of schools for merchant seamen and
apprentices. The noble lord proceeded to enter at some
length into the subject of the mercantile marine, and
was

{LEFT SPEAKING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(THIS EVENING.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
CRYSTAL PALACE COMPANY BILL.
On the motion for considering the report on this bill,
Mr. SPOONER said the bill had been read a second
time, and was now brought up from the committee, and
it was his intention to move that it be re-committed. He
did not wish to raise the question as to whether the
Crystal Palace should be opened on Sunday ; his objection
to the bill being that it was introduced to confirm an
agreement entered into between the Crystal Palace Com-
pany and the Brighton Railway Company, although the
house was in possession of no information as to the
nature of that agreement. There was a clause in the
bill which enabled the railway company to receive moneys,
and hand them over to the Crystal Palace Company, and
the effect ofit would be to enable the latter company to evade
the provision in their charter which prevented them re.
ceiving moneys or opening the building on Sundays, un-
less by sanction of Parliament. He thought such an
important question as to opening the building on Sun-
days ought not to be decided by a side-wind, but by a
substantive motion brought forward on the general
principle.
Mr. LEACH said the object of the bill was to divert
certain roads, and delay in passing it would occasion great
inconvenience to the company, as they were anxious to
open the building in May, in order not to disappoint the
public. He fully admitted that it was not desirable to
discuss or settle the question about opening it on Sun-
days by an indirect motion ; and if the hon. member
would withdraw his motion, he would undertake that
the clause to which he objected should be struck out
on the third reading.
Mr. DEEDES observed that if the house passed the
bill, it would sanction an agreement of which it knew
nothing.
Sir R. H. INGLIS recommended Mr. Spooner to
adopt the suggestion of Mr. Leach.
Mr. W. PATTEN said it was incorrect to suppose
that the agreement between the two companies had not
been before the committee. He had looked into it him-
self, and taken legal opinion upon it, and he believed
there was nothing which would, either directly or indi-
rectly, enable the Crystal Palace to be opened on Sun-
days. He, however, entirely agreed with Mr. Spooner,
that it was not desirable to sanction an agreement
which was not in some way before the house, and
he should, therefore, suggest that Mr. Spooner should
withdraw his amendment, on the understanding that the
clause in question should be struck out on the third
reading.
Mr. LAING disclaimed any attempt on the part of
the Crystal Palace Company to smuggle a clause into the
bill for the purpose of enabling them to open the build-
ing on Sundays.
After a few words from Mr. WIGRAM, Mr. SPOONER
withdrew his amendment, the report was agreed to, and
the bill ordered to be read a third time.
PRIVATE BILLS.
The following bills were read a second time and ordered
to be committed :—.Carlisle Canal and Port Carlisle Rail-
way ; East Anglian Railways ' • East Kent Railway ;
Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee Railway ; South Shields
Improvement ; West London Crystal Palace Railway.
PETITIONS.
Mr. FREWEN presented a petition from Sussex
against the admission of Jews into Parliament.
Mr. HINDLEY presented a petition against opening
the Crystal Palace on Sundays.
Mr. DEEDES presented a similar petition.
AN HoN. MEMBER presented several petitions from
Down, and other counties in Ireland, in favour of tenant
right ; also, a petition from Down complaining of the
corrupt practices at the last election for that county,
and praying for the protection of the ballot.
Mr. CRAWFORD presented a petition in favour of
the abolition of University Tests in Scotland.
Sir R. H. INGLIS presented several petitions from
working men, and others, against opening the Crystal
Palace on the Lord's day.
Mr. GOULBURN presented a petition from the
University
tof Cambridge against the admission of Jews
Parliament.
Mr. EWART presented a petition in favour of the
libemrar.tironlio&ALlr. Edward Murray.
mouth. -N presented a similar petition from Ply-
Mr. MIALL presented a petition from working men at
Sundays Sheerness, in favour of opening the Crystal Palace on
.
Sir J. PAKINGTON
Pre:re:et a petition from Ryde,
complaining of the corrupt es at the l.ast and pre-
ceding elections for the borough, and Praying
for fur-
ther investigation.l
Mr. _HUME pEesented several petitions m places
in Scotland, praying for the repeal of the Test Acts ;
with
also a petition front merchants in Glasgow
the West Indies, complaining of the irregularities
postal communication with the Colonies ; also the
a petition
from the British and other Christian inhabitants of
Cal-
cutta and the lower provinces of Bengal, „pressin
their opinion respecting the future government of Indiag
and praying for inquiry respecting the same.
Mr. FRENCH presented a petition from the Guar-
dians of Carrick-on-Shannon Union, praying for an
alteration in the Annuities Act.
Mr. COBDEN presented a petition from a place in
Yorkshire in favour of the reveal of the taxes on know-
ledge.
Mr. T. EGERTON presented several petitions
against the admission of Jews into Parliament, and the
opening of the Crystal Palace on Sundays.
Mr. BANKES presented a petition from a place in
Dorset, praying for the enfranchisement of the London
University.
Mr. COWAN presented a petition from the Scottish
Reformation Society, praying for the repeal of the May-
nooth grant.

CORRUPT BOROUGHS.
Mr. PEACOCK gave notice that, on Thursday, he
Should move that Mr. Coppock be called to the bar to
explain a statement which he made before the St. Albans
Election Commission on the subject of corruption in
"pocket" boroughs.
COUNTY FINANCIAL BOARDS.
gentlSirem an, t j PA G
. KINTON wished to ask the right hon.
he member for Manchester, if he was die-
.