The Sun.
London, England, 1838-02-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1838.

; consulted with Dr. Arnott and other gentlemen, who had
been before consulted upon the subject. The Hon. and Gal-
, lint Member then gave notice, that on Monday, March 5, he
would Lring under the consideration of the Howe a proposed
al!eration in the position of the new Houses of Parliament,
which, without materially deranging the general plan, would
much contribute to the convenience of Members of both
Houses.—( Hear, hear.)
[Mr. O'Connell here entered the House, it being about
twenty-five minutes to Five.]
IRISH POOR-LAWS.
Sir R. BATESON presented several petitions from Lon-
donderry, against the Irish Poor-law before the House ; ob-
jecting to taking the power of taxation out of the rate-layers'
bands, and to the Unions being larger than parochial.
NEGRO SLAVERY.
An HON. MP.unart presented two petitions, one from Kes-
wick, and one from another place in Westmoreland, for the
abolition of Negro Slavery.
Sir G. DE LACY EVANS gave notice of a motion for
the 6th of March, the purport of which we could not catch,
owing to the low tone in which the Hon. and Gallant Member
spoke; but it was understood to relate to the part which he had
taken in the late war in Spain.
NEGRO APPRENTICESHIPS.

Petitions for abolishing Negro Apprenticeship were pre-
sented by Lord Lowther, from die City of York ; by Mr.
Sanford, from several parishes in Somersetshire; by Mr. D.en-
nistoun, from Glasgow ; and by another Hon. Member from
Northampton.
POOR LAWS (IRELAND.)
Mr. LITTON presented a petition from Dublin, signed by
upwards of 240 persons, protesting against the limited powers
given to the Commissioners under the proposed Poor Law Act
for Ireland, especially as regarded taxation—the appointment
of officers and the amount of salary to be given to them.
TRADES UNIONS.
Mr. D ENN ISTO U N presented a petition from Glasgow
praying far an inquiry into the systemof Trades Unions.
Mr. CRESS WELL presented a petition from Liverpool,
praying for the abolition of imprisonment for debt.
Mr. HANDLEY presented a petition from some place in
Lincolnshire, it was understood, against the Municipal Boun-
daries Bill.
Mr. BETHEL L presented a petition from Duffield and
the vicinity, numerously signed, praying fur an abolition of
the system of negro apprenticeship.
Mr. WAKLEY presented &petition from the medical prac-
titioners of fourteen towns in East Kent, complaining that the
residence of the medical officer was frequently nine miles
distant from the paupers whom he had to attend, and stating
that proper assistance might be procured much nearer—that,
in consequence of this arrangement, the poor were subjected
to long suffering, and in some cases to the loss of life—and
that some statements respecting the attendance on the paupers,
in the Second Report of the Poor-law Commissioners, was
untrue. The Honourable Member also presented a peti-
tion from the working carpenters of Dublin, denying, in
the most positive terms, that they had entered into any
combination to inflict violence on personal property. They
stated, also, that their combination was really to protect
themselves against the capitalists, who wished to press unduly
on the rate of wages, and that their object was to provide for
the distress of the fatherless and widow, and all who were
incapacitated to work at their trade. They prayed to be
heard before the Committee, and stated that they were
prepared to prove the truth of the allegations in the petition.
A letter had been also formerly written by the Secretary
of the Association, complaining of some reports witieh
had appeared in the public papers respecting some state-
ments which had been made in a certain place (he
must not say that House), that the master was
not allowed to make a free choice of his workmen, but
was compelled to take the first in the list. They denied that
statement, and also another statement, that a master had been
compelled to turn out two orphan children whom he had
taken in as apprentices.
Mr. O'CONNELL said the statement he had made rela-
tive to taking workmen from the books, did not refer to car-
penters but to other trades. The statement with respect to
the two children had been publicly made by a master in
Dublin and had never beea contradicted, although it was now
attempted to be so behind his back.
STEAM NAVIGATION.

Mr. NI AC K INNON presented a petition from Mr. Samuel
Hall, an engineer, on the subject of Steam Navigation, of
which the following is a copy :
" To the Honourable the Commons of the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament
assembled—
" The humble petition of Samuel Hall, of Basford, in the
county of Nottingham, and of King's Arms-yard, in
the city of London, civil engineer,
" Shcweth—
" That your petitioner bath invented important improve-
ments on the steam-engine, which, in the opinion of many
competent judges, will form a new era in the history of that
stupendous machine, especially as it relates to its application
to steam navigation, and still more particularly in vessels per-
forming long and stormy voyages.
" That your Petitioner's improved engines have been in con-
stant operation on beard the following vessels, and in some of
them for periods ♦arying from two to four years, whereby the
perfect operation of every part of the machinery has been
most fully tested, and the great durability of the new appa-
ratus, as well as the increased durability of the boilers and
other parts common to all engines, have been ascertained
Vessel belonging to her Majesty's Navy—The Nlagoara, with
a pair of Engines of 140 horse power.
Vessels belonging to the St. George Steam Packet Company.
Horsepower. Horse power.
The Prince Llewelyn.., 70 The Vulture .............250
The Hercules
Thu Sea Horse 250 The Sirius ...............300

The Jul° 250 I
Vessel belonging to the Waterford Commercial Steam Navi-
gation Company.—The Kilkenny, with a pair of Engines
of 300 horse power.
Vessel belonging to the Humber Union Steam Company.—
The Wilberforce, with a pair of Engines of 300 horse power.
Vessel belonging to James Winder, Esq.—The Windermere,
with a pair of Engines of 70 horse power.
Vessel belonging to Messrs. Boardman, Harmer, Briggs, and
and others—The Albatros, with a pair of engines of 70 horse
power.
" That in consequence of the extremely numerous attempts
which have been made to effect improvements on the steam-
engine since those of Mr. Watt, which attempts have failed
to produce the advantages held out, great distrust has arisen
in the public mind as to the possibility of any further real im-
provement ever being made upon the common injection en-
gine ; and that, in consequence of this distrust, it is not only
difficult, but almost impossible, to get the merits of a really
valuable improvement on the steam-engine feirly investigated.
" That your petitioner has been informed, and believes,
that the Hercules was on the 29th of Nov., 1536, similarly si-
tuated (in a violent storm) to the Killarney, which was lost
on the 26th January last, and that the Commander, the
Mate, and the Engineers of the Hercules entertain a confident
opinion that had her engines been common injection engines,
instead of engines with your petitioner's improvements, the
vessel would inevitably have been lost. The AThatros steam•
packet encountered an equally dangerous storm on that me-
morable day, and the Commander and Engineer declare their
otenion to be, that the vessel was saved entirely by the supe-
rior power and quickness of operation of your petitioners im-
proved engines over injection engines.
"That your petitioner has every reason to believe that it was
to the reduced power, and consequent inefficiency peculiar to,
and unavoidable in, injection engines during violent gales, that
the Killarney was unable to make head against the heavy seas
with which she had to contend ; this, therefore, if such were
the fact, was the primary cause (although followed by others)
which led to her destruction.
" That the improved engines of your petitioner are mush
less liable than injection engines to explosions or other serious
accidents which arise from the difficulty of giving an accurate
supply of injection water, and of water to the boilers of the
last mentioned engines, those operations being.
of necessity
left to the mercy of the engineers ; whereas, in your peti-
tioners improved engines those important duties are entirely
superseded, and thereby great additional safety is insured.
" Your Petitioner, from his perfect knowledge of, and con-
fidence in, the important advantages of his improved steam En-
gines, and the perfection to which they are brought, prays for
a full iavestigatien of them by your Hon. House and of the
correctness of kis present statements, as well as of many other
advantages not mentioned herein, which his improved Engines
possess over common Engines.
"'And your petitioner also prays that such investigation may
not be limited to the examination of theoretical gentlemen
only, however talented they may be ; but that the examina-
tionh may be extended to practical and scientific engineers, and
e
baesfor welle m a
ns t
ttoon
ed, the
particularlycommanders to the operative engineers, who have had the management of
t hoo f a
e the
of
severalhis
sengines,erei n
the Hercules and Albatros, on board of which vessels his
improved engines have been put to the severe tests herein-
befeee deLcrit.td,—And your petitioner will ever pray," (te
" SAMUEL HALL."
Mr. HUME presented a petition from the inhabitants of
Bathgate, against the Corn Laws, and praying for their re-
peal. The Hon. Member concurred in the prayer of the pe-
tition, considering that no evil was so great as the pressure of
the Corn Laws.
The Hoe. Meunett also presented several petitions from
Ross and other places, agemst the negro appronticeahip
system.