The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-12 00:00:00

" 31. That this board be empowered to levy a rate, limited
to a faced poundage, for public works of general metropolitan
utility, over the metropolitan district.
" 32. That no works be executed by this board unless the
plans have been approved by a Committee of the Privy
Council.

" HENRY LABOUCHERE.
" J. PATTESON.
" G. CORNEWALL LEWIS.
" J. D. COLERIDGE, Secy."

MANNING T_HE NAVY.

A bill has just been introduced by Sir James Graham
for " The Encouragement of Seamen, and the more ef-
fectual manning of her Majesty's Navy during the pre.
sent War,"

The preamble recites the proclamations granting gene-
ral reprisals against Russia, and giving the captors the
benefit of all prizes, and declares the objects of the act
to be the encouragement of the officers and crews of her
Majesty's ships-of-war, and to induce all British seamen
now in any foreign service to return to the kingdom and
become serviceable to her Majesty.
Clause 5 enacts that the entire value of all ships and
merchandise taken by any of her Majesty's vessels dur-
ing the present war shall be distributed amongst the
officers and crew, according to the proclamation ; and
that in case any vessels of her allies shall be present at
the capture, they shall share in proportion to the num-
ber of men.

Clause 6 declares that if a ship of war take any fortress
on land, all stores, &c., found in it, or vessels in her har-
bours protected by it, shall be the prize of the captors,
and be distributed amongst them.
By the 7th clause, whenever the army and navy, act-
ing in conjunction, make any captures, the proceeds are
to be divided between the two services, as her Majesty
shall direct.

The Lords of the Admiralty are empowered to pur-
chase any naval stores found on board captured ships.
By clauses 9 and 10, British ships recaptured from
the enemy are to be restored to owners on payment of
salvage of one-eighth of the value, unless they have been
used as vessels of war. If re-captured before being taken
into an enemy's port, they are to be allowed to prosecute
their voyage.

Clause fl grants, in case of the capture or destruction
of any vessel of war or privateer, belonging to the
enemy, a bounty of 51. per head for every person on
board at the commencement of the action. The suc-
ceeding clauses relate to the proceedings for condemna-
tion in the Admiralty Courts. All prizes when brought
into port are to be immediately delivered up to the
marshal or officer of the court. The master, mate, and two
others, are to be examin ed in interrogatories, and all papers
found on board delivered to the registrar. If no claimant
appear, the court is within twenty days to proceed to con-
demnation. All claims must be verified on oath, and se-
curity given for costs. Persons claiming as joint captors
must also give security. The property may be sold pen-
dente lite. The judges may order a prize to be delivered
to a claimant on his giving security, and may also order
the captors to give security. The proceeds of all prizes
are to be paid to the account of the paymaster-general,
and by him handed over to the Admiralty for distribu-
tion. All parties interested may apply to the High
Court of Admiralty, in England, for decision on any

point.
By clause 32, any captor retaining any part of the
proceeds is to pay interest of one per cent per month.
An appeal is given in all cases to the Judicial Com-
mittee of the Privy Council, and her Majesty may ap-
point additional members to hear appeals in prize cases.
By clause 39 all prize goods and merchandise are de-
clared haVe to duty.
Under the succeeding clauses no deserter from her
Majesty's service is to be entitled to any share of bounty
or prize money. Any officer in charge of a convoy
who leaves his convoy to capture or carry into port a
prize, forfeits his share. Masters of merchant vessels
under convoy disobeying the orders of the officer in
charge, are to forfeit a penalty not exceeding 5001.
Any officer in her Majesty's service making a collusive
capture is to forfeit a sum not exceeding 1,0001. A
penalty is imposed on any person who shall attempt to
ransom any ships or goods captured by the enemy, and
all contracts for such ransoms are declared void.
By clause 49 hired armed vessels are subjected to the
same rules as the vessels of her Majesty's fleet.
The concluding
section of the act authorises her Ma-
jesty to appoint judges of prize causes, grant them re-
tiring pensions, and regulate the fees and practice of the
courts.
The Secretary of State is authorised to grant licenses
for the importation and exportation of goods, and the
act is to continue in force during the present war.
The short title of the act is " The Prize Act, Russia,
1854."
In connection with the above bill another has been
introduced, "To Facilitate the Payment of ber Ma-
jesty's Navy, and the Payment and distribution of
Prizes, Bounty, &c., and the Regulation of Accounts
relating thereto."
The proceeds of all prizes and all salvages, and bounty
moneys, are to be handed over to the paymaster-gencral
to the credit of the " naval prize account. All costs
awarded by the court arc to be paid, and the balance
distributed as directed by the Admiralty. Then follow
provisions as to the auditing of the paymaster-general's
accounts. Clause 13 empowers servants to join the
navy though their term of service has not expired. The
short title of the act is " The Naval Pay and Prize Act,
1854."

RETURN FROM AUSTRALIA.—Mr. Alfred Patten, who
went from Goole to Australia last year, returned last
Thursday on a visit to his father. He states that the
Melbourne markets continue glutted ; prices unremune•
rstive, but wages high.