The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-27 00:00:00

reasonable ground for hoping that a large quantity of
land would be brought into the market and disposed of
judiciously. Many persons doubtless would be of opinion
that this measure wont a great deal too tar; they woud ba
shocked by the appointment of aCommission, even for a
short period, to supersede to some extent the functions of
the Court of Chancery, and to dispose in a somewhat
arbitrary manner of the property of ♦arious persons.
He could only say to those persons that the proceeding
was justified by the emergency.—(Hear, hear.) The
only mode of providing employment for the people of
Ireland was by enabling a moneyed class to obtain posses-
sion of the land, and the only way in which that object
could be effected was that proposed by the Bill, unless,
indeed, the House should think proper to adopt a
stronger measure and give the Commissioners power to
deal with estates as the Enclosure Commissioners dis-
posed of waste lands. He had now stated the provisions
of the Bill as briefly as he was able to do.—(Hear,
hear.) It would be his duty subsequently to introduce a
short Bill which would contribute to the end which this
measure was intended to achieve. The Hon. and Learned
Gentleman concluded with moving for leave to bring in
the Bill.—(Cheers.)_

Mr. STI:TA HT said, they were all agreed as to the
propriety of affording every facility for the sale of estates
in Ireland incumbered so that they were of no use to the
parties interested in them; but they would not proceed
fur in their work of adopting measures for that purpose
before they found that their labour was ono of a very
difficult nature. The measure of last year had turned
out a total failure, not owing to the circumstances of the
times, but because it was a measure of complicated
enactineats on a difficult subject; not one of which was
understood by lion. Members who so earnestly called on
the House to give it their support.—(Hear, hear.) Be-
fore such a measure should have passed they ought to
have properly understood the difficulties they had to
meet; and what he should have wished to have heard
from his Hon. and Learned Friend on that occasion, and
which he had not heard, was a statement which would
have enabled the House to comprehend what those diffi-
culties were with which they had to deal. He appre-
hended the principal difficulty was, that from the number
of individuals having an interest in those incumbered
estates, with which they were unwilling to part, they
could not proceed to sell them without doing violence to
the rights of somebody.—(Loud cries of " Hear hear.")
They heard the other night, that in a bill filed In refer•
ence to one of them in Chancery, there was no less than
43 defendants, and was what caused the difficulty.
It was not an easy thing to tell the mortgagee who was
ninth or tenth on the list, that they would put up his
property for sale whether he would or not, and hence the
injury to private rights. It was said they had a prece-
dent in the Commission which was appointed to distri-
bute the grant to the Vest India planters, as compensa-
tion for the abolition of slavery. But that was no pre-
cedent at all. Here it was not a distribution of money,
it was an interference with other people's rights, and a
sale of their lands whether they would or not; and, at
all events, the Commission referred to, when a disputed
case did come before it, instantly placed the money in
Chancery, until it was decided who had the proper claim
to it. That ought to be done in the present case. So
far as he understood the measure, he thought it would
meet with no better success than did the measure of last

year.—(Hear.)
Mr. KEOG ii said, as he had been in the habit of
accusing the Government for not bringing forward mea-
sures for Ireland of a beneficial nature, he considered
he ought at the earliest moment state, that he felt a
step had now been taken in the right direction in the
measure which had just been detailed to the House.—
(Cheers.) He had some understanding as to the object
of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman opposite in bring-
ing forward the measure; and he thought his object a
good and great one, it being to relieve Ireland from the
greatest infliction which could oppress any country, the
difficult, complicated, expensive, interminable litigation
of the Court of Chancery.—(Cheers.) The Hon. and
Learned Gentleman who had preceded him bad said that
it was the number of incumbrances of Irish estates
which caused the present untoward state of things, but
that he denied. It was not the number of incum-
brancee, but it was the expensive procrastinating tri-
bunal to which the investigation of those incumbrances
were submitted, which caused the evil.—(Hear, hear.)
He therefore highly approved of the plan of the Govern-
ment, which proposed at once to liberate the laud.
It was the land of Ireland out of which they were to
supply labour to the people of Ireland. It was in conse-
quence of that land being bound up and rendered use-
less that so much poverty and distress now prevailed in
Ireland ; and, as he understood the proposition of the
Government, it was to emancipate that land from the
trammels in 'which it was at present held, and render it
beneficial for the people of that country.—(Cheers.)
That was to be done in the speediest way, though with a
due regard to the interests of the parties at present con-
nected with it; and while the House never would wil-
lingly perpetrate an net of injustiee,:yet they had to deal
with a serious case—with a country on the verge of ruin;
and as never yet was any serious reforms effected with-
out some one suffering more or less, they ought not to
withhold their sanction to such a measure as the present,
even though some parties might suffer by it.—(Hear.)
Mr. WOOD said the failure of the measure of last
session was evidently owing to the circumstances in
which Ireland was at the time placed, for who could
have embarked their capital in Ireland at a time when
the general social condition of that country was in the
most disorganiz d state, and when even, at the present
time, they ware obliged to keep upwards of 30,000 troops
in the country for the preservation of the pace. There
was still a danger that the Commissioners might find a
d.fficulty in acting so as to e.irry out the spirit of the
Act, as he understood they were not to attempt to
efFect any sae until application was ma le to them by
the parties interested. He thought that it would be
well to wait for some time to see what the result of

this Commission would be, as he anticipated it woul I
obviate many of the difficulties and delays which at
present attend the sale of property in the Court cf
Cancery. Ho thought that the two important facts
to which the Right Hen. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) had
some time sine,/ alluded in his speech, were very werthy
of the consideration of she House, the first of which had
been also adverted to by the late Member for Kinsale
(Mr. Watson), relative to the duties and expenses of re-
ceivers of the Court of Chancery in Ireland, and the
other which had been fully proved by Captain Hamilton,
relative to the certainty of 27,000 persons, who reside
on encumbered estates, failing on the unions. He (Cap-
tain Hamilton) said that if the landowners had capital to
employ those persons, that there would be no requisition
whatever for poor-rates. He (Mr. P. Wood) thought
that it would be most judicious to accelerate, by every
possible means, such a plan as that before them, to in-
vest this property in the hands of capitalists, and to give
employment to those labourers who were at present on
the laed.—(Hear, hear.) He believed that this
measure would not tend to injure any party;
but would do much service to that country gene-
rally; yet he should say that if any party were in-
terfered with, it would be in a very trifling degree, and
that such a case was not unprecedented, as could be seen
by referring to the 20,000,000/. given to the West India
proprietors, or in the case of railway property, when
parties were obliged, by an Act of that House, to sell
part of their esta'e. Ile also rejoiced that the benefits
to be conferred OA Ireland would not be confined to the
present Bill, but that a Bill for the registration of pro-
perty would bo introduced next session ; because he felt
assured that it was owing to a want of title that much
of the difficulty of selling land in Ireland was to beattri-
t assured,hey g t
notwithstanding it.—(Laughter.) Lalacuut ghl ie
tt
eeu dr)tnow. imnaed:
e intro-
duced .
be hat this
fb
ourt attri-
buted, dt and
onr
England,
hopedncgoina :i
ddt
,he
considered
such a a
was
tßa
stwl l
on
uwvl
very
greatwa les
10l necessity
tb
Commission would hare a power to refer to the. Court
of Chancery, so that the estates in that Court might be
improved, as the mortgagees generally do not care for
the improvement of. the property from which they derive
p provided
feltdt
thatathheoiarumaodndey,
had been said against gentlemen of the' legal profession,
surseiras
Bth.strtEheEnLbefsoaried
e them,
e oausl db ing
assurec
that those gentlemen were most anxious for such a mea-
sure
the condition of that country.—(Hear, hear.)
Learned Gentleman who had just sat down that he, for
one, never meant to insinuate that the body to which he
belonged were unwilling to co-operate in reforms of the
law. He himself was concerned in attempts at improv-
ing the law by the consolidation of the criminal law, and
other measures which had been brought forward of a
similar nature, and he was bound to say that in general
there was on the part of the legal profession the most
sealous desire to co-operate in the improvement of the
law, at whatever pecuniary cost to themselves.—(Hear,
hear.) Now, without relinquishing any of the opinions
which he expressed on two former occasions, he wished
to reserve to himself entire liberty with respect to the
details of the measure before him. He could not, how-
ever, avoid expressing his cordial satisfaction at the
course pursued by the Hon. and Learned Gentleman the
Solicitor-General, and at the general purpose and object
of the measure which he had introduced.—(Hear.) He
believed that the ordinary courts of law were admirably
suited for the administering of justice between
man and man, when nothing extraordinary cccurred.
Yet when a great social difficulty had to be contended
with, his opinion was that they must step in beyond the
limits of their ordinary rules of justice and establish
some special tribunal untrammelled by the ordinary
technicalities of courts for the purpose of solving these
difficulties. Such was the course pursued on more than
one recent occasion. But three or four years since,
nearly all the counties of South Wales were in a state of
insurrection on account of turnpike tolls. There was
scarcely one in that House who was not familiar with
the Rebecca riots. The Queen's troops were resisted,
and it was found necessary to apply a remedy. They
sent down a commission of inquiry, and they found it
necessary to place these turnpike tolls on a new footing
and peace was restored. A new tribunal was established.
The Commissioners awarded 70/., 601., and in some
cases only 101., instead of 100/. These awards were ge-
nerally acquiesced in. and there wore but two appeals
from the Special Commission. Well, a few years
since, there was also a compulsory commutation of tithes.
The voluntary commutation did not succeed. The Noble
Lord brought in a Bill, the object of which was to in-
form all parties that if up to the 11th of October, 18. 38,
they
made, voluntary agreements as to tithes, they might
do so ; but, if they failed to do so, then provision was
made for compulsory commutation. Al special commis-
sion was appointed to decide between the parties ;th e
questions that came before them were very difficult of
adjudication, but he believed that special tribunal
bad
still
given satisfaction.—(Hear, hear.)
There
ine d was
to abolisha
more difficult question when they determined
slavery in the West Indies. Compensation wast
be
given to the owners of slaves for every slave, and
20,000,0001. was to be distributed. The whole of the
colonies had different usages.
.They resolved to meet
these difficulties. They found it necessary to depart
from the ordinary course of proceeding, and they there-
fore determined that a commission should be appointed.
The ' Hon. and Learned Gentleman the .Member
for Newark said it was an easy thing to do
figs, because it was only ueoesary to allot

Mr. BRIGHT could not allow this discussion to close
without expressing his opinion on its subject. He had
never listened to the deliberations in that House upon
any question connected with Ireland, with half the de-
light which that evening's debate had given him.—
(Hear, hear.) A more beautiful explanation of a mea-
sure than that given by the Solicitor-General of this
most excellent Bill, he had never heard in that House or
elsewhere.—(Hear, hear.) He could not find the slight-
est fault with the proposition, either that it went too far
or that it did not go far enough. There were, as the
Hon. and Learned Gentleman admitted, other things to
be done; but certainly the measure here submitted to the
House was one which had begun at the right point, and
was proceeding at all events to a considerable extent in
the right direction—(hear, hear)—and ho was satis-
fied, further, that though some Learned Gentlemen
opposite and some other persons connected with the land
in Ireland might regard it as a dangerous measure, there
was no class in Ireland whose real safety was more con-
sulted by the Bill than the class of lands d proprietors.—
(Hear, hear.) For himself, he would say that, did he
not conceive it would conduce as much to their safety,
and to the maintenance of their property, as to the
safety and maintenance of the property of any other
class, it would not have the worm support he was dis-
posed to give it.—(Hear, hear.) Ile was of opinion
that nothing could be more fatal than an attempt to
maintain the property of any one class as against any
other class; while measures based on sound principles,
calculated to meet great emergencies, must be, as this
measure eminently was, certain to be advantageous
to all classes in the country to which it referred.—
(Hear, hear.) He had that night fallen under the
displeasure of two Hon. Gentlemen, representatives
from Ireland ; ho was not about to say that
he had not laid himself open to some of
the observations which had been made; but Hon.
Gentlemen from Ireland would du him generally
this justice, that on all occasions since he had sat in that
House, he had almost always spoken, always voted, in
favour of those measures which had met the approbation
of the Members for Ireland, at all events sitting on that
t
side of the House—(Hear, hoar)—while with respect o
this especial measure, gentlemenfro
from
Ireland might
session of
perhaps recollect that at the close of
there
pp astosition now
Parliament he had made the precise
submitted to the House by
the Solicitor-General—
(Hear, hear.) He had stated en that occasion that, before
uestion of land in
b
anything else was done with t q
cooanpnpecoitendtedw,ittho
Ireland, a special tribunal
itn e
oughsttintnos
which the adjudication of
,
heard of the coedit tince, from what he had
this subject should be rtff d
erre,the Court of Chancery in Ire-
land, he was satisfiedion o
that nothing effective could be
done without the establishment of such a tribunal.—
(Hear, bear.) He would appeal unhesitatingly to the
whole of his conduct, in and out of Parliament, to show
that he had never exhibited hostility to the people of
Ireland, or those who represented theta in that House.—
(Hear, hear.) Ho heartily thanked the Government fur
this measure, and hoped they would exhibit as much
determination in pressing it through the Howie as they
had exhibited wisdom in conceiving it and laying it
before Parliament.--(Hear, hear.)
Sir J. WALSH had Octi heard any attack made upon
the Hon. Member by Irish represtntatives. The only
fierce attack that had been made that evening was not
upon the Hon. Member, but upon the Bill before the
House, and this was by the Hon. and Learned Member
for Oxford, who denounced it has not being sufficiently
Confiscatory.
Mr. J. O'CONNELL said that the Act relative to in-
eutnbered estates which was passed last year had ren-
dered the expenses of the transfer of landed property in
t Ireland much greater than they had been under the law
ats it formerly owed. At the same tinso.he WA express

to each owner the amount of money due. The Hon. hie satisfaction at the manner in which the present urea.-
and Learned Gentleman thought it an easy thine to de- sure had been brought forward.
tern:lino the value of each slave in Jamaica and Trinidad Mr. HORSMAN also exereseed his approbation stf
and to apportion it to the owners. If that was correct, the manner in which the Hon. and Learned Soliciter-
it would be a good answer to the Hon. and Learned Gen- General had brought forward the present Billewhieh he
Cowan the Solicitor-General. But these were not the greatly approved of. lie must say that if there wits
duties of the Commission. They had a most compli- any fault to be discovered it was that the Bill stood lan-
ceted duty to perform independently of this. They had lated, and was in danger of being completely marred in
to investigate and decide upon the interests of " married consequence of the inefficiency of the other measure by
women, infants, lunatics, and persons of insane or un- which it had been preceded.
sound mind, and all other persons labouring under either Mr. HENLEY rose to observe that the Right Hon.
legal or natural incapacity, or inability.' They were Baronet the Member for Tasnworth had cited an instance
also to lay down rules and regulations which, if ap- of a transfer of land which had been impeded by a
proved of, were to have the force of law. But, besides technical difficulty, whereas when the real facts came, out
this, the slave partook of the real property to which he the difficulties were, first, that there was a mistake of
was attached. Whenever the one was mortgaged the 1,200 acres in the quantity of land; next, that the pro-
other was mortgaged also. How did that differ from the perty instead of being freehold was leasehold ; and
case before them? Any person having any claim or inte- thirdly, that when the lease came to be examined it was
rest in any mortgage judgment, &c., upon any slave or found to contain some very ugly covenants. And yet,
slaves so to be manumitted, should prefer such claim be- upon the strength of such a case as this, the. Court of
fore the commission, who were to decide upon it. Such Exchequer in Ireland was to be set aside as incompetent.
were the duties of the Commissioners, and he did not see Sir R. PEEL stated that be had not put the ease in
how they differed in the present case. In dealing with the way the Hon. Member had imagined. What ho
this complicated question of landed property he believed said was that technical difficulties had been raised to the
unless they appointed a special tribunal—observing all making good the sale and transfer of the estate in 1838,
the rights and principles of law and equity, avoiding when it was originally sold under the authority of the
doing injustco to any man, but unfettered by technical court, and that those technical difficulties were admitted
rules—they would not got at the root of the social diffi- and received by the court. Whereas the difficulties
culties of Ireland.—(Hear.) The great and main object which the Hon. Member for Oxfordshire had described
was to give a clear, simple, Parliamentary title.—(Hear, were real difficulties, from which the courts of law failed
hear.) No person would now purchase an estate in Ire- to relieve the purchasers of the estate.
land, and with it a loss, as he knew to be the case, and, Mr. MONSELL had never heard a speech with- a
in addition, perhaps, a duel, for anything the purchaser greater feeling of disappointment than that of the Noble
might know.—(Loud laughter.) If they gave the pur- Lord in bringing forward his poor-law amendment. He
chaser assurance against indefinite charges for poor. had a thousand times rather that the Irish poor-law re-
rate—if they promised that he should not be trou- mained as it was than that it should be thus amended.
hied by incumbercd proprietors, who had nothing Mr. BANKES said it was Lord Strafford who first
but a nominal existence—(Laughter)—if they promised proposed to dispense with the law courts in Ireland, and
to the new purchaser, who proved that he had capital to appoint a court of commissioners to examine into and
and that he could repay 4 per cent. interest for ad- adjudicate upon all matters connected with the transfer
vances made for improvement, and 2 per cent. as a of land in Ireland. And this was one of the acts for
sinking fund, keeping at the same time a power of which he was impeached. He (Mr. Bankes) was anxious
seizing the land and selling it if the money was not paid to give every attention to any proposition of the Govern-
-these three inducements—a simple title, a guarantee went on this difficult matter; bet, when he found such
against an indefinite poor rate, and a possible share in uniform supporters of a Liberal Government as the Hon.
advances for permanent improvement on the land, Member for Cockermoutb, and the Hon. and Learned
would, he thought, offer inducements for the pur- Member for Oxford, pointing out difficulties which oc.
chase of land in Ireland which never existed before.— curred to them in the way of its working, he might be
(near, hear.) It appeared that many persons were excused if he doubted whether they could hope for any
shocked by the invasion of the old property system. beneficial result to accrue from this measure.—([Lear.)
One fact was better than a thousand arguments. He Sir H. W. BARRON inquired whether the Commis-
therefore asked the Honourable and Learned Gentle- sioners would have the same jurisdiction where proceed-
man (Mr. Stuart) to accompany him in an excursion ings had commenced In the Court of Exchequer as where
through the Court of Chancery in Ireland. And he they had commenced is the Court of Chancery?
would then ask whether, while such a state of things pre- The SOLICITOR-GENERAL replied that the equity
'railed, whatever the apparent pecuniary advantages, it side of the Exchequer and the Court of Chancery would
was likely that there could be any purchases effected of be excluded in the provisions of the Bill.
Irish land. If the Right Hon. and Learned Gentleman Leave was then given to introduce the Bill.
felt indisposed to follow him in this excursion, perhaps LEASES (IRELAND).
the circumstances—the purchaser's name in the parti- The SOLICITOR-GENERAL then moved for leave
cular instance was Mr. John Stuart—(Laughter)— to bring in a Bill to enable persons having perpetual and
might induce him to listen to the story. He would read limited interests in land in Ireland to snake grants in
Members an abstract of the account he had received, but fee or demises for long terms of years. The object of
be had the original letter with him, and should be most this Bill was clerly explained in its title. He proposed
willing to show it to any Hon. Gentleman who might to give power to persons having perpetual and limited
desire to see it. The gentleman from whom he derived interests in land to make leases of a portion of their
it mentioned that feeling bow careful the House should property for terms of 99 years, for building or improve-
be in the reception of statements from out of doors, he able purposes. As it was desirable that these leasei
had not forwarded the like without having previously should be all made in a certain form, it would be re-
submitted it to his solicitor, a gentleman well acquainted cessary in a few days to introduce another Bill upon the
with the facts, and who had entirely confirmed the mu- subject.
racy of the statement made. The statement set forth an Mr. J. STUART said it was not his intention to op-
account of what was called a sale under the Court of pose the Bill ; but he could see no reason why one prin.
Chancery in Ireland. ciple should be applied to England and Scotland, and
" A receiver was appointed over the estate in 1813. another to Ireland.
The estate was sold, under a decree of the Court, in Mr. SADLEIR trusted that the measure which the
1838. After most tedious proceedings and great costs, Hon. and Learned Gentleman was about to introduce
it was di,oovered that there was a technical defect in the would be calculated to improve the system of tenant
title, and the purchaser was freed from the purchase. tenure; for nothing would so much add to improved
The estate was resold in 1313, under an amended decree. agriculture in Ireland as such a measure.
The present purchaser (his informant) thought that, Leave was then given to bring in the Bill.
after the previous investigation, purchasing under the LEAVE OF ABSENCE.
amended decree, he should be safe.—(A laugh.) He paid On tho motion of Sir J. HAMILTON, leave of absence
his purchase money into court. In Juno next six years was given to Mr. French for a fortnight, in consequence
would have elapsed since he paid the money. Ho was of the illness of a member of his family.
not in possession—(A laugh)—and would not be for two POOR-LAW (IRELAND).—RATE IN AID.
years more.—(Renewed laughter.) It was discovered, Sir W. BARRON hoped this Bill would not be pro-
on examination, that the estate was less by 1,200 acres ceeded with at that hour of the night (ten minutes past
than the quantity stated in the rental; that parts of the twelve).
property stated to be fee-simple were leasehold, Sir G. GREY said that, in compliance with the
with a power of re-entry and reservation of the wishes of several Hon. Members, he consented to post-
royalties. That leases stated to have been made pone the Bill until to-morrow (this day), when it would
without powers were made with full powers, and stand as the first order of the day.
were binding and valid. In 1843 it was discovered ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE (METROPO-
that several reversionary lessee, not set out in the rental, LITAN DISTRICTS) BILL.
were in existence and also valid. On these objections On the motion of the ATTORNEY•GENERAL, this
the Remembrancer decided in favour of the purchaser— Bill was read a second time. To be committed on Friday
that is, that the rule was invalid, and the purchaser week.
thought he was released—and reported to the pur- The House then adjourned at a Quarter past Twelve
chaser that he should be released from his purchase. o'clock.
The vendors objected to the release. The Barons de-
cided in their favour, and reversed the decision of the
Remembrancer. The result had been that the pur-
chaser had neither received the interest of the purchase-
money nor the rents of the estate—(Laughter)—so
far as to individual wrong." Now look at the social
evils:—" All the evicted putters of adjoining estates had
crowded into it. In the course of the proceedings
the widow of the vendor became the inheritor of
the estate on the death of her youngest son.
She died lately of a broken heart, without the common
necessaries of life. On her death fresh proceedings
had to be taken, news bills filed, new decrees pro-
nounced, and now we have to discover her heir in Ame-
rica. That such a system must prove ruinous to all
parties, the vendors, the purchasers, the mortgagees,
and the tenants, is evident. The capital I had intend,d
to expend in the improvement of the property will all
be spent in law costs, in a fruitless attempt to obtain
that which was profess.d to be sold to me. This is not
an uncommon case. Two friends of my owe purchased
two estates the same dry I did, under the courts; Mr.
—, at the end of four pare, was forced to take what
his counsel pronounced was not the title under which he
bought; Mr. —, at the end, I believe, of six years,
has been treed from his, after most expensive proceed-
ings, during which, I believe, the tenants have pail no
rents, and have, by their !awl( at proceedings, endan-
gered the peace of the neighbourhood."
This was a statement of simple facts, and he would put it
to the House whether such facts should be allowed to
continue possible—(Hear, hear)—especially when the
possibility of their recurrence could be prevented, not
only without injury either to the nominal or to the prac-
tical proprietors of land in Ireland, hut with the utmost
benefit to all parties?—(Hear, hear.) Certain it was in
his conviction that unless some distinct remedy was ap-
plied, and that speedily, the whole of the now solvent
property of Ireland would certainly be involved in the
same catastrophe with the insolvent property.—(Hear,
hear.) He would ask any Hon. Gentleman who still
had doubts on the subject to read the conclusive evidence
given before the House of Lords by Colonel Gore, of
Mayo, and Mr. Martin, of Galway—evidence which
manifested the masterly acquaintance with the condition
of Ireland which the exact and laborious inquiries of
those gentlemen had given them.—(llear.) For himself,
he required no further re-examination of the question to
induce him to give his hearty support to the Hon. and
Learned Gentleman opposite,whose whole conduct during
his Parmentary career, whose high principles of action,
whose well-natured and soundly tempered efforts to re-
form the laws of his country, were worthy of the great
name he bore.—(Cheers.)

THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH
COMPANY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir,—ln your paper of the 14th inst. I find an extract
from the Builder, in which an accusation is made against
this company calculated to do very great injury to tho
undertaking.
The Elcc•ric Telegraph Company have established a
system of no ordinary complication and extent. Their
wins stretch from Glasgow on the north to Dorchester
on the south, from the east coast at Yarmouth to the
west at Liverpool. They have brought upwards of 150
towns into instant communication with each other.
They have a central office in Lothbury, London, and
live branch receiving-houses in varioui parts of the
metropolis ; and from the main nation at Lothbury
their wires (carried at a great cost in iron p,pes under
the stret ts) diverge to every town of importance in the
country.

In the metropolis alone they bare upwards of sixty
persons in their employment, and at each of their country
stations they have, independently of messengers, not lyss
than two, and in many canes as many an ten signal clerk.;
all of them skilled in manipulating and interpreting the
telegraith.

The wires which Or y have set up for the use of the
public alone are upw Ards of 9,800 miles in length, and
extend over a distance of 2,06 U miles, and, exclusivo of
those running under ground and through tunnels or
rivers, are stretched on n.) lees than 61,800 posts, vary-
ing from 16 feet to 30 feet in bright, and of an average
square of eight inches, a ith an expensive apparatus of
insulators and winders attached to each.

As the most trifling derangement of the wires or ap-
paratus will stop the communication, it is obvious that
the utmost care and watchfulness is requisite to prevent
and detect accidents, and when a derangement does oc-
cur it requires the nicest combination to ascertain the
exact point of the mischance, and great ingenuity and
outlay to repair it without delay, and in such wise as to
maintain the free passage of the electric current during
the operation.
Accordingly the whole distance is divided into dis-
tricts, each district having a superintendent, and under
him several inspectors, and a staff of workmen, battery-
men, and mechanics, more or less numerous, according
to the extent over which he presides.
If these things be considered in conjunction with the
central staff of engineers and secretaries in London, the
continual replacement and renewal of instruments conse-
quent upon improvements in their mechanism, or their
daerioration from wear and tear, accident or neglect ;
the immense quantity of stores always on hand to meet
contingencies, the great consumption of stationery, fuel,
lights, &c., the rents, taxes, and other details, too nu•
merous to mention here—l submit that a maximum
charge for a message amounting to ld, per mile cannot
fairly be considered as an exorbitant demand for the
accommodation afforded to the public is keeping open so
many receiving stations, and the maintenance of the ex-
pensive establishment to which I have adverted.
The telegraphic system is designed for important and
urgent messages, and could I violate the secrecy which I
feel bound strictly to observe, I could show that not one
dispatch in a hundred has been forwarded which has not
been worth many times the amount paid for it by the
sender.

A commercial house at Liverpool will scarcely grudge
Bs. 6d. for a communication by which a necessary pay-
ment may bo made, an important order given, or a pro-
fitable operation facilitated in London; and the message
from Glasgow, which traverses a distance of 620 miles
in au instant, to summon a son from the metropolis to
the bedside of a dying parent is scarcely to be judged
overpaid at a charge of 14s.—considerably less than id.
per mile.
A lang and expensive journey is prevented, or a neces-
sary one hastened—a bill accepted or protested—a re-
mittance made—a purchase effected or countermanded—
an important witness is summoned—the arrival or the
loss of a ship is announced—an insurance is effected—
advbe is asked, or orders given—in fact, an endless
variety of important announcements, questions, and re-
plies pass daily through our numerous receiving-houses,
and, I can honestly aver, have for the most part effected,
and have been acknowledged to have effected, an eco-
nomyconvenience far beyond the ld. per mile of
our tariff. and
ta riff.
ewsseasgte
esnedn t
of
ty t porters
no:
_bsys y a
fcraohmktehmis
th
eAen
te; p
tree s
the
office to the House of Commons, a distance of four
miles, will cost 2a. 6d., and if the same message can be
sent from Manchester to Liverpool, a distance of 30
miles, for the same sum, and in a shorter time, it cannot
surely be deemed an extravagant demand.
This letter has gone to so great a length that I will
not further trespass on your space in corroboration of
receipts
conclusion, uf stiho: ,
commercialtoexpl
youto
oy statement,that
fur and
long
h taivmeeothe
r,
p
telegraph were not equal to the
current expenditure, and
that though the undertaking is now
od remunerative, yet
umanyous employment,
pol
ouyr
mwei
or et
andare in far fromis
completeenttn you a
to point
oint
state-
ments which may have the effect of prevtehnatitcnognttihn
public from making the full use of the telegraphic ac-
commodation provided for them are calculated not only
to impede an extension of that accommodation, but to
preclude the company from diminishing the cost at
which it is provided.
1 am, Sir, your obedient servant,
J. LEWIS RICARDO,
Chairman of the Electric Telegraph Company.
Lutbbury, April 23.

DEATH OF CAPTAIN SIR THOMAS BOURCEIIES,
K.C.B.—We regret to state that Captain Sir Thomas
Bourchier, K.C.8., Superintendent of Chatham Dock.
yard, died at his official residence, yesterday morning,
at throe o'clock. He was a gallant and highly distir•
guished officer, and had seen a great deal of service. His
hea!th and constitution were broken at.Chinaduring the
war, in which he commanded the Blonde frigate. He
married a daughter of Admiral Sir E. Codrington, and
was 58 years of age.
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAlLWAT.—Traffic for
the week ended April 21, 1849 :—Coaching traffic, 8961.
16s. 4d.; parcels, 351. 7s. 2d.; goods and cattle, 2781.
9e. 3d.; steam-boats, 1501. Os. 6d. Total, 1,360/. 13s. 3d.,
exclusive of toll from Shrewsbury and Cheater Company
and payment for couireywne of mu.