The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-20 00:00:00

PRUSSIA.

The official notice, calling on the Deputies of both
Chambers to assemble on the 26th inst., at 11 in the
forenoon, in the White-hall of the Palace, had ap-
peared that evening, putting an end to the doubts
which had for some days prevailed as to whether the
day of meeting-would not be adjourned.
It was believed the King would open the session in
person.
The pending re-organization of the Civic Guard
was beginning to excite considerable anxiety.
The King of Prussia was suffering from indisposi-
tion, and the Court was about to return from Charlot-
tenberg to Potsdam.

Since Monday 160 men have been employed upon
the dock works at Birkenhead. This number, it is ex-
pected, will be increased to 500 or 600 within a few
days.' The impulse which such an event is calculated to
give to business in the township is already felt—Liver-
pool Albion.
The North American mail steam-ship Canada,
Captain Judkins, which would leave New York on the
7th and Halifax on the 10th instant, with the homeward
mails, &c., may be hourly expected to arrive at this
port.—Liverpool Albion.
WAR STEAMERS FOR GERMANY.—The steam-ships
Acadia and Britannia, so celebrated in the British and
North American Company's mail service between Liver-
pool and the United States, have recently been pur-
chased from that company by one of the German Go-
vernments. They are now in the Coburg Dock, Liver-
pool, undergoing the necessary alterations to their being
converted into efficient war-steamers. The passengers'
saloon on the main deck has been cleared off, so that they
will be flush fore and aft. Their armament will be of the
heaviest description.
DANDELION RooT.—An importation has recently
taken place from one of the Prussian ports, of some
packages of dandelion root, which were entered by the
importers as free of Customs duty. As the article is not
specifically mentioned in the tariff, although roots gene-
rally are so, as being free of duty, it was entered by
the parties under the head of unenumerated, which are
also duty free. It appears that chicory, or any other
vegetable matter applicable to the uses of chicory or
coffee, is thus provided for in the table of duties, viz.,
" Roasted or ground, the pound, 6d.; and raw or kiln-
dried, the cwt., 11.; with the additional duty of 5 per
cent." There being reason to believe that the article
is applicable to the purposes of chicory, and although
the dandelion root is the uncultivated chicory root,
that it has been and can be made appicable as a substi-
tute for mixture with coffee, and although the present
parcel was understood to be imported for the use of a
druggist, and is of much more actual value than the or-
dinary chicory root, it has been decided that the rated
duty of U. and 5 per cent. additional is due thereon.
EARL!' CLOSING MOVEMENT IN THE CITY.—On
Saturday, the majority of the most influential manu-
facturers in the City of London closed their several
places of business at one o'clock in the day, in pursuance
of a resolution passed at a numerous meeting of mer-
chants and others on the 31st ofJanuary last. The large
warehouses in Friday-street, Watling-street, Cheapside,
Aldermanbury, and other places in the City, were entirely
shut up as on Sundays. The important effect of this new
system will be that the carrying trade, which, in conse-
quence of the late closing of the manufacturers, has
hitherto been conducted after eleven o'clock on Saturday
nights, and during a portion of Sunday, will now be com-
pleted at an early hour on Saturday afternoon.
The unfortunate man, Johnson Jefferies, whom
we mentioned a fortnight ago as having been buried in
an iron ore pit, on Lindale Moor, is still underground
and a correspondent tells us that there is not the slightest
probability of his body being recovered in less than six
months, even with full sets of men working day and
night. The body lies about eighty fathoms deep,
covered with many tuns of earth and water.—Cumber-
land Pacquet.
NEW COAL-PIT VENTILATOR.—The frightful loss
of life occasioned by the recent coal-pit explosion at
Darley Main has doubtless instigated many humane and
scientific minds to investigate the causes of these cala-
mities, with a view to lessen their recurrence, or at least,
to diminish the fearful loss of life which too frequently
results from them. Actuated by such praiseworthy and
philanthropic motives, our townsmen, Dr. Dunn, has
we are glad to announce, succeeded in completing a
very simple and apparently efficacious invention for
the ventilation of coal-pits. We have been fa-
voured with a view of Mr. Dunn's model which
we could describe in a few words if necessary
but which, for certain reasons, is to be kept secret for
the present; not indeed that Dr. Dunn contemplates any
pecuniary advantage from his invention, but he is de-
sirous that other persons shall not be enabled to make
a profit of that which is intended solely to benefit man-
kind at large. It is well known that in coal pit explo-
sions the great majority of the sufferers lose their lives
by suffocation, only a few comparatively being killed by
the mechanical force of the explosion. It is known,
moreover, that one of the main causes of these explo-
, sions is the imperfect ventilation of the pits; and it is to
remedy this detect that Dr. Dann's contrivance has been
invented. By this machine it is calculated, a constant
and abundant stream of pure air, sufficient for any area,
can be admitted into the pits. At present when a gale
of wind occurs it sweeps over the mouths of the pits and
' forms an eddy therein; this eddy does not extend mere
than six or seven feet below the surface of the earth,
and it has not a sufficiently spiratory motion either to
allow of the mephitic air of the pits ascending or the
purer air to descend—a circumstance which obviously
hastens the danger and increases the force of the explo-
sions when they do occur. Dr. Dunn proposes by his
simple contrivance to convey the atmospheric air to the
bottom of the pits, and, if necessary, thence by a hori-
zontal extension of the machine to other parts of the pit
where it may be required. The advantages of such an
invention are obvious; and when we add that it may be
erected at an expense of 51., we have no doubt the cheap-
ness as well as the simplicity and efficiency of the inven-
tion, will cause it to be universally adopted. The ma-
chine will shortly be tested at one of the neighbouring
' pits, and in the meantime, for the reasons above men-
tioned, Dr. Dunn will aecuro his invention by register-
ing it.
SURSCRIPTIONS FOR, AND ADDRESSES TO, THE
Pone.—On Sunday, in consequence of a pastoral letter
addressed by the Right Rev. Dr. Wiseman, the Roman
Catholic coadjutor, Bishop of the London District, to the
clergy of the diocese, a collection was made in the
various Catholic churches and chapels, to relieve the
present pecuniary distressed position of his Holiness the
Pope. The amount is to be forwarded to his Holiness,
as " an humble tribute of the veneration and affection"
of the Catholics of London " for their beloved Pontiff."
Addresses from the clergy and laity of the London dis-
trict are also to be forwarded to his Holiness. It is
expected that either Bishop Wiseman, or some other
dignitary of the Catholic Church,- will carry these
addresses and the amount of the subscription to the Pope
at Gaeta.

RAILWAYS.—An interesting return has just been
printed by order of the House of Commons, on the
motion of Mr. Moffatt, viz., a return of the railways for
which Acts were passed in the session of 1848 (11 and
12 Vic.), the length of each line, the proposed capital
stock, and the amount of capital subscribed, &c., from
which it appears that the number of Acts passed
amounted to 85, and may be classed as follows :—Acts
authorising amalgamation, leases, &c., 6; purchases of
canals, 2; extension of time and sundry amendments of
Acts, 12; deviations, extensions, and other works, for
which no new capital is required, 17; new lines by new
companies, 2; branches, extensions, and deviations by
existing companies, 26; stations, 6; harbours, ferries, and
docks, 3; steamboats, 2; additional capital for works
already authorised, 8; total, 85 (two of the companies
have been allowed to maintain steam vessels). The total
increase of mileage occasioned by these Acts is 330
miles, 11 chains. Total—increase of capital, 10,414,8661.;
ditto, loans, 4,205,6051. ; total, 14,620,471 Z Another
return has been printed, by command of her Majesty,
of the number of passengers conveyed on the railways
in the United Kingdom, during the year ending the
30th of June, 1848, showing the different classes, the
receipts from each class, and from goods, &c.; also the
number of miles of railway open on the Ist of July,
1847, and on the 30th of June, 1848; which gives the
following results:—First class, 7,190,779 • second class,
21,691,5091 ; third class, 15,241,5291 ; Parliamentary
class, 13,091,487;
pa
passengers
: Fir5t749,763 class,total 1,9
57,97652,,0573031.
Receipts
3s. Bd.; second class, 2,352,1521. lls. 51d.; third class,
661,038/475. sid.; Parliamentary class, 902,8511. ls, 81d.;
mixed, 11,8971. 4s. 10d.—total, 5,720,3821. 9s.
DREADFUL COAL-PIT EXPLOSION.—We learn that
another of those sad catastrophes which every few
months occur in the mining district of South Stafford-
shire, took place yesterday (Friday) forenoon, about
half-past ten o'clock, in one of dlr. Daniel Round's pits,
known as the Menge Colliery, in the parish of Rowley
Regis. An explosion of sulphur took place in the pit
while the men were at work; and three colliers of the
name of Bate, father, son, and uncle, all living together
in one house, were killed almost instantaneously. uthers
were injured, but we have not been able to learn the
particular!.—Birminyham Journal.
tiu'sE.sciN is to
proceedingilliam
Rennie, Esq., is nominated a member to
doA
Mauritius.
Anderson,
o
ruencldeVeivreteaukthneedtehhreosntoaonouvdreorttnhmaktennig,otiliVo:toh.
of the Legislative
Council of Trinidad.—Observer.
A maker of gold pens advertises that fifteen years'
experience justifies him in asserting that his peni are
tt !Wasting

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, Fell. 19.
The LORD CHANCELLOR. took his seat on the Wool-
sack at Firs o'clock.
CASE OF SMITH O'BRlEN,—tilt,iT OF ERROR.
The Clerk of the Crown handed in a writ of error
from the Court of Queen's Beach, Ireland, in the case of
W. Smith O'Brien and others.

The Marquis of SALISBURY presented petitions
against the Marriages (Scotland) Bill, and against any
change in the navigation-laws.
CORRUPT PRACTICES AT ELECTIONS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the second
reading of the Corrupt Practices at Elections
Bill. This Bill had last year been intro-
duced into the other House, and was founded
on the report of a Select Committee which had taken
evidence on the subject, and which evidence was in pos-
sessioa of their Lordships. The Noble and Learned
Lord then proceeded to detail the history of the various
laws which had at different times been enacted for the
purpose of putting a stop to corrupt practices
at elections of Members to serve in Parliament, and
explained the amendments proposed by this Bill to be
introduced into the existing law, and the necessity for
those amendments.

Lord DENMAN thought the Bill of last
year was open to great objections. He thought
that the Commissioner was armed with powers
which no officer ought to possess. He thought
that Parliament possessed already all the powers
with which it was proposed to invest this Commis•
sioner, and he proposed that the Bill should be referred
to a Select Committee.

Lord BROUGHAM felt that the objections of his
Noble and Learned Friend were very grave. He
thought the proper remedy would be to endeavour
to raise a better feeling on the part of those who
were candidates at elections. He thought, above all
things, that some measure should be adopted to put a
stop to the present system of corruption and perjury.
Lord DENMAN explained.
Lord STANLEY thought this was a measure not to
be lightly dealt with, and although he would not oppose
the second reading of the Bill, he thought that the
House should not legislate without further in-
quiry. During the course of the last session
various accusations had been brought against Members
of the other House, some of whom were connected with
Government, of corrupt practices. Several private
Members introduced measures for the purpose of investi-
gating those charges; those measures were dropped,
and the Government undertook to introduce a measure on
the sukject. The measure was introduced in July; it was
brought up to the House of Lords in August, and Par-
liament was prorogued before the Bill was passed, and now
they proposed to introduce a new measure to prevent
corruption for the future, which forced the Committee
appointed to try an election petition to proceed at once
to the investigation of any possible charge of corruption,
which either by the evidence of a witness, or the speech
of a counsel, might be brought before them; and the Com-
mittee might, if it chose,recommend that the case should be
referred:to a commissioner to be sent down to the place
where the corruption was alleged to have taken place on
a fishing inquiry, and when he shall have made his re-
port to the House of Commons, may adopt such steps as
to them may suem proper—a course of proceeding which
they may adopt at the present moment. He objectee to
the inquisitorial powers proposed to be given to the com-
missioner. He would not oppose the:secoud reading of
the Bill, but he thought it ought to be referred to a
Select Committee, and he was of opinion that
if their Lordships consented to the second
reading, it should not be understood that they
were therefore, to be precluded from throwing
it out ou the third reading if the evidence to be taken be-
fore the Select Committee should fail to show the neces-
sity for the measure.
The LORD CHANCELLOR replied; and

The Bill was read a second time.
MARRIAGES (SCOTLAND) BILL.
Lord CAMPBELL rose to move the second reading
of a Bill for amending the law of marriages in Scotland.
He observed that in every well-governed country mar-
riage was a contract of which there should at all times
be satisfactory evidence, and that the status of the wo-
man should be one with respect to which there ought to
be no doubt. The present law of Scotland did not af-
ford this satisfactory evidence, because marriage might
be contracted in various ways—by a clergyman, by a
simple declaration of marriage between the parties, by
a promise in future followed by cohabitation; and the
consequence of this was, that the woman was placed in
' a very degraded position, and the state of things itself
was productive of an infinity of evils. Their Lord-
ships had all heard of Gretna Green mar-
-1 riages, but marriages were not alone celebrated
by a functionary at Gretna Green, that person
had rivals all along the borders; and he was told
that the late parson at Gretna Green had married no
less than 30,000 couples. Marriage was frequently gone
through as " a lark;" those who entered into that state
did not deem themselves to be bound by it, and they
fancied that at the end of the year they might make a
new excursion. What was desired was, that persons
entering into the marriage state should, for the future,
be married either by a clergyman of their own persua-
sion, or in presence of a public functionary, signing
their names to a document by which they declared them-
selves to be Man and wife, and which document should
for ever after be evidence of the fact. The Bill he pro-
posed proceeded upon the same principle as the Mar-
riage Bill of 1836. In England a person might go before
the clergyman or the rgistrar. The latter was seldom
resorted to in England. Such he believed would be the
case in Scotland. Persons would go before their pastor,
who would bestow upon them the nuptial benediction.
This Bill would prevent clandestine marriages, and, as
such, he trusted it would meet with the support of their
Lordships, as it was most desirable that whenever a mar-
riage did take place there should be evidence for all
future time of the fact.
The Earl of ABERDEEN observed that notwith-
standing the confidence expressed by the Noble and
Learned Lord on this subject, it was with some regret
that he felt bound to state some objections that he enter-
tained respecting it. His opposition to this measure
arose from the fact that he considered it uncalled for,
most impolitic, and likely to lead to most injurious re-
sults. Everybody admitted that it was desirable to have
a complete registration of births, marriages, and deaths;
but what he objected to was, that the Noble and Learned
Lord made a very great alteration in the law of Scot-
land, as a means of perfecting a system of registration.—
(Hear.) If the Noble and Learned Lord considered
the marriage law of Scotland defective, let him intro-
duce a Bill to amend the law; but to adopt such a
measure as this for the purpose of perfecting a system
of registration, was, in his opinion, a proceeding that
was quite preposterous. In England and Scotland
the cases were not similar. Hero a Bill had
been introduced to relieve the Dissenters from what
they considered a grievance imposed upon them
by Lord Ilardwicke's marriage law, and which for the
purposes of marriage compelled them to repair to the
Established Church. In Scotland nothing of the kind
occurred. Every one was married by the minister of
the sect to which he belonged, and he could say that
this Bill. The marriage law had often
they
clandestine marriages were very few in Scotland, and
t might occur no adequate remedy
been the subject of discussion among all ranks of men
in Scotland, and some alteration in the law had fre-
quently been recommended by some of the greatest men
in the country; but who ever asked for such an altera-
tion as was proposed by the measure of the Noble and
Learned Lord?—(hear, bear.) The uniform opinion
of the country, pronounced two years consecutively by
numberless petitions, while there was not one pre-
sented in its favour, deserved some attention from
their Lordships, and particularly in a case affecting,
or which might affect, the social condition of every
man in the country. The existing law had
worked well, and to the perfect satisfaction of the
people of Scotland. For centuries there had been no
complaint of the law, and the people living under it had
been distinguished for social and religious qualities.
The Noble and Learned Lord had stigmatised the people
of Scotland as living in la state nearly approaching the
"more ferarun. Their condition had been described
as very different by another Noble Lord, who had said
that, taking it altogether, Scotland was the best-condi-
tioned country on the face of the earth. Those Noble
Lords would not both support the Bill. As the measure
was one of restriction, he did say that the feeling of the
country was deserving of the attention of their Lord-
ships. Let their Lordships look at the 18th article of
the Union with Scotland, in which it is especially said
that laws affecting civil government and policy might be
made the same in all parts of the United King-
dom ; but the laws affecting private right should
be only altered for the evident utility of the people.
Now, the innumerable petitions against the Bill did not
show that the people thought the proposed alteration
would be for their benefit. He would entreat their
Lordships to consider that they were not legislating for
England, nor for a people governed by the same laws or
feelings as themselves—they were legislating for a
country the people of which were actuated by feelings
and prejudices, it, might be, altogether different from
those of the people of this country; but to those feelings,
and even to those prejudices, it was their Lordships'
duty to give every attention. The law of Scotland was
the law of the whole of civilised Europe. They were
constantly borrowing from it, in order to render the
English law more perfect, and therefore it deserved all
respect and honour. The Bill proposed by the Noble
and Learned Lord imposed new restrictions upon the
constitution of marriage in Scotland. He held that it
was essential to the happiness and for the morality of
the people that marriage should be rendered as
easy as possible. Holding the opinion which their
Lordships naturally did it was difficult for them to
place themselves in that situation which it was necessary
to do in order to legislate for the people of Scot-
land. In England they held that the marriage tie was
indissoluble, however much their practice differed with
the principle. They said it was indissoluble, but they
almost daily dissolved it, not as a legislative act, but
acting as judiciaries. Nothing could be more incon-
sistent or more unjust than that. Although they held
marriage to be indissoluble, still they did not hold it to
be a sacrament; and in times shortly after the Reforma-
tion the tie was dissolved, but now there was no court
to pronounce such a judgment. He had been given to
understand that marriage being made a sacrament in
the Romish Church arose from a mistranslation—that
that which was properly translated "a great mystery,"
was translated in the vulgate " a great sacrifice;" but,
at all events, England was the only Protestant country
where marriage was indissoluble. He trusted the law of
Scotland would not be altered in that particular, because
he considered it was preferable to the law of England.
There were only two causes for which the law of
Scotland allowed a divorce, viz., adultery and wilful de-
sertion for four years. If it was essential that marriage
should be rendered easy, so was it equally necessary that
divorce should be difficult ; but as the law now stood, he
thought it was upon a rational and the best foundation.
4. Noble Lord had warned their Lordships, upon a late