The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-20 00:00:00

AMERICA,

(BY MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.)
(FROit OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
ARRIVAL OF THE ASIA.
LIVERPOOL, MONDAY.
This afternoon the Royal Mail steam-ship Asia,
Capt. Lott, arrived in the Mersey, with the usual
mails from the United States and British North
America. The Asia sailed from New York at 6
a.m. on the 9th inst., and has brought, besides
the mail, 40 passengers, but no specie.
An extensive and destructive fire had taken place
amongst the shipping at New Orleans on the 4th
inst. The shipping destroyed included no less than
seven steamers. In the course of its progress 30
lives fell a sacrifice to the devouring element.

Advices have been received from California to
the 15th January, but they contain nothing of
much interest. The Sierra Nevada had sailed
from San Francisco with one million dollars' worth
of gold on board. The markets continue to be re-
ported as still dull from overstocking.
At New York the Stock Market had rallied, and
was exhibiting an upward movement.
The market for breadstuffs was firm, with an ad-
vancing tendency.
Cotton was quiet, and had not exhibited any un-
usual movement.

An active demand existed for provisions.
Freights were inactive.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS—(THIS EVENING.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his scat on the woolsack
at 5 o'clock.

On the motion of Lord AiONTEAGLE a return was ordered
of the despatches of the Governor of South Australia, re-
specting certain recent geographical discoveries in that
colony.
REFORM OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS.
In reply to the Marquis of CLANRICLRDE,
The LORD CHANCELLOR, said the bill which he had
introduced for the reform of the ecclesiastical courts only
applied to England ; but if the same necessity existed in
Ireland for legislation, and he believed there did, he had
no doubt the Government would propose to extend the
provisions of the measure to that country. The matter
was now under his consideration, but until he had inves-
tigated it further, he could not undertake to say whether
such a bill for Ireland would be introduced.

The Duke of ARr.l4 VIA, presented a petition from a Free
Church congre!:7atio;t in Scotland in favour of a system of
rational education in that country.
THE EASTETIN QUESTION.
Lord L'EALTMOINT;rave notice of his intention to move,
on Friday next, a resolution to the effect that it appeared
that the efforts of this country and her allies to re-
establish friendly reLtions between the Sultan and
Russia hid failed, and that it was the opinion of this house
that the honour and best interests of this country required
that immedilte and effectual measures should be taken to
repel the unjustifiable aggression of Russia on the territory
of the Sultan, and that the power and influence of this
country should be exerted to place the relations of the
Porte, with the rest of Europe, on such a foundation as
might appear best calculated to secure a durable pence, and
afford the Ottoman empire a fair opportunity of developing
its natural resources, and of proceeding to administrative
reform.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(THIS EVENING.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
NEW MEMBER.
Mr. PALK took the oaths and his seat for South Devon
in room of Sir It. Lopes, deceased. ,
PRIVATE BTJSINESS. •
On the motion of Mr. Brio i'HERTON, leave was given to
bring in a number of private bills. The bills were after-
wards brought in and read a first time.
SECOND READINGS.
The following bills were read a second time, and
ordered to be cenraitted. - -Ban;;or Waterworks ; Barns-
ley Local Board of He,llh ; 1.1.-dhseda and -Llanlleched Im-
provement ; Bi lefe }fowls; rkethea.l hail way
(Lease and Trail: Arrangements) ; Birmingham
Improvement ; Birmingham and Midland Institute ;
Bolton Imor,vement ; Balder Counties Railway ; Brad-
ford, Wakefield, and Leeds Railway ; Burnley im-
provement; Caledonian Railway (Lesmaltagow Branches,
&c.) ; Catholic Law and General Life Assurance Company ;
Cork and Waterford Railway ; Darlington Local Board of
Health ; Dowlais Railway ; Dudley, Halesowert, and
Brotnsgrove Roads ; Eastern Counties R.tilway (Station
Enlargement, &c.); Edinburgh Police and Improvement ;
Furness Railway; Great Western Railway (Berks and
Hants, &c.) ; Ipswich Corporation Water-works ;
Lanark Police and Improvement ; Leeds, Bradford, and
Halifax Junction Railway ; Leitrim Coal and Iron
Company ; Londonderry Port ; Londonderry and
Coleraine Railway ; London and Enniskillen Rail-
way •, London, Tilbury, and Southend Railway ;
London and North-Western and Midland Railway Com-
panies (Traffic Arrangements); Manchester Court of Record ;
Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland ; Newcastle-
upon-Tvne and Carlisle Railway; Norfolk Railway; Patti-
ham Waterworks; Potteries, Riddulph, and Congleton
Railway; Saint Mawes, Port, Harbour, and Pier ;
Selkirk and Gallashiela Railway; Severn Valley Railway;
Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway (Leasing) ; South
Eastern Railway (Lewisham to Bornley, &c.); Stockton,
Middlesbrough, and Yarns Water; Sunderland and South
Shields Waterworks ; Torquay Railway ; Trowbridge
Roads ; Wells and Fakenham Railway • West
Bromwich Improvement, &c. ; West London and Crystal
Palace Railway (Amalgamation, Salo, or Lease) ; West-
minster Terminus Railway ; Yeovil Improvement.
PETITIONS.
Mr. E. BALL presented a petition from the Guardians
of the Newmarket -Union praying for an amendment of
the law of settlement.
Mr. FAG AN presented petitions from the proprietors
of several Irish newspapers, praying for the repeal of the
Pa pp. duty.
• FOX presented a petition from the inhabitants of
"...cutout in favour of vote by ballot.
ofT4. COLLIS presented a petition from the Guardians
ment.
'Mouth Praying fur the repeal of the law of settle-

• CRA:tj
!FORD presented a petition from the corpo-
ratit c?!...Fo_r ar in favour of decimal coinage.
tionm TltaTp_SON presented a petition from the Na-
newspaper l'aiarre Society praying for the abolition of the
Mr. E smlTTl'Presented a petition from Stratford pray ing for the abolition of existing system of taking coasting
11 Mr. HEADLAII p„, atm
upon-Tyne in favour of amow a petition from Newcastle-
foreign ships. throwing open the coasting trade to
PARLTA.mEN-T A ,''''x „
Sir E. DEARING gavo REFORM.
minneotl the
that on the second
the
reading of he bill to
t
representation of
people of England and Nvalets,elie should move a
resolution to the effect tint the state
for the 11.-
Cons renders the present moment inopportune of our foreign reform. (Cileers.)
dis-
cussion of any measure of Parliamentary
.mkrtf3erence to the
Mr. G. E. H. VERNON wished
rd J. Russell
Parliamentary Representation Dill, to
Co unties has
represented
whether the calculation of the population
been made exclusive of the population of in
all
towns and places ' ; such as, for instance, the
Bassetlaw, in the Northern Division of Nottinghal:1111(1:ml of
Lord J. RUSSELL said sonic returns had been moved
for by the hon. member for Mcmtr.,,c, and which were in
preparation, would supply all th, fo!muLtion ;,eked for.
Mr. TIITHE asked when the 1.:A..a.1a Bill would be de-
livere(l.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL roplie.l immediately.
THE WAR, QUESTION.
Mr. COBDEN wished to 33k the noble lord the mem-
ber for the city of London whether the Government
had come to any decision with reference to blockading the
commercial ports of Russia. He asked this questien in
consequence of the order in council which had just been
issued with reference to the exportation of arms and ma-
chinerp.
Loral j- RUSSELL replied that nu decision had come
to
or order given upon the point.
wished to ask the noble lord a question
uponj_i_..gub4slA of the procLitaation referred to by his
honorlzeta ffier.d. p—t •.;
,machinery, tro..;laraltion refe=ed
riotilp large contracte.for machinery Manned !