The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-12 00:00:00

TILE t,ItUTIC EXPEDITION.

The following interesting letter has been received at
the Ad entre! t y :
" Fort Confidence, Great Bear Lake, Sept. 16, 1848.
" Sir,—l hive the honour to acquaint you, for the in-
formation of my Lards Commissioners of the Admiralty,
that with the boats and party under my charge I
reached the sea coast at the outlet of the eastern branch
of the Mackenzie on the 3d of August, and, having ex-
amined the coast line thence to the Coppermine River,
including almost every intervening bay, found no traces
of any party of Europeans having passed, nor any indi-
cations whatever of shipwrecked vessels. We had in-
terviews with numerous parties of Esquimaux, who uni-
formly declared that they had seen no ships nor any
whitemen, and, from the friendly way in which these
people met us, I have no doubt of their kindness to any
party of Europeans they might see in distress.
"From the Mackenzie to Cape Bathurst, which we
rounded in 70 deg. 37 min. N. latitude en the 10th of
August, the vegetation indicated a comparatively mild
climate, and we saw no ice; the Esquimaux, also, who
were at this time assembling on the various headlands
and islands to chase the black and white wales, informed
us, that during their two slimmer moons they never saw
any ice. But, after crossing Franklin Bay, and round
ing Cape Parry, we had to pass through many streams
of drift ice, which greatly depressed the temperature,
and when we attained Cape Bexley we found the Dol-
phin and Union Straits filled with densely-picked ice,
heaped against the precipitous headlands, and covering
the sea, as far as we could discern from the heights, en-
tirely across to Wollaston Lend.
" Winter may be said to have set in with sudden ri-
gour on the 23d of August, and we had frost, and snow
either falling or lying on the ground for many days
afterwards. From that date up to the 31 of September
we had to work our way round every bay by cutting
passages among the flies of ice, or making overland
portages, according to circumstances, being occasion-
ally aided in our advance by a little open water where
the shore was shelvng. These laborious operations were
conducted by Mr. Rae, to whose sound judgment, expe-
eience, and personal exertioas we were indebted, under
Providence, for the progress we were enabled to make.
" From the experience of four several visits to Coro-
nation Gulf, by Franklin, Deese and Simpson, and m -
self, I had expected, on rounding Cape Kruseustern,'
-bould find an opea sea to the Coppermine; but such is
the uncertainty of the navigation in these narrow seas
that we had the disappointment of beholding the whole
gulf completely packed, and had to continue our poling,
,tutting, and carrying operations with slower progress
'aid augmented labour, as the frost became more sevaaa
ip to the 3d ut Sept' mber, when we were filially arrested
a Icy Cove to the north of Cape Kendall, by the new
ce having so glued the floes together that it was no
anger in our power to move them, while the hummock)
orm of the masses heaped by pressure on the rocky
iiuts precluded our launching the beats over them.
teeing that there was no vrospect of a speedy change of
veather, and that the ground was already covered with
.now. I determined reluctantly on ailitthig the boats and
annmencing our overland march to Bear Lake from that

"Had we reached the Coppermine, as I anticipated
ye should do untitT ordinary circumstances, and as•
,nded the Kendall, we should have been, with tents.
'ores, &c.. in comparative comfort within four easy
Lays' march of Fort Confidence, but it now became ne.
-scary to augment the loads in proportion to the in-
rease of distance.

"Each man being supplied wilh thirteen days' provi-
•ions, and carrying in addition his clothing, spare shoes,
and bedding, with cooking kettles, five astronomical in-
struments, ammunition, hatchets, and Lieutenant Hal-
(en's portable boat, with lines and nets, we abandoned
,he boats and tents, having previously concealed the re-
naining pemmican, and on the morning of the 3d of Sep-
tember began our march for Back's Inlet, which we
reached the same evening.
" Here we opportunely found a party of Esquimaux,
who rendered us very essential assistance on the follow-
ng morning by ferrying us across a deep river between
300 and 400 yards wide, which they informed us re•
tamed its width far up the country, and without their
neap we should have lost much time in passing so large
party across with Lieutenant Halkett's boat alone. I
nave named this river, which was previously unknown
to us, iu honour of Mr. Rae. On the following day we
crossed the Richardson River, which is of less
width, by means of Halkett'a boat, and encamped in the
evening on the banks of the Coppermine.
" I had appointed James Hope, a half-caste native,
who had formed one of Deese and Simpson's party, to
meet us in the beginning of September with two Indian
hunters on the Coppermine, but, owing to stormy wea-
ther at the time he ought to have set out, he delayed his
march a week, and we missed each other altogether,
having, we suppose, passed one another in a day of con-
tinued fog and snow on the banks of the Kendall.
"Yesterday being the 13th day of our march, we ar-
rived at this place, having for the three last days had the
advantage of an Indian guide, who led us by easier paths
than the direct route across the country.
" The way in which the drift ice was packed into Co-
ronation Gulf and Dolphin and Union Straits, so late in
the season as the 3d of September, and glued together
by new ice, rendered it very improbable that it would
alien again this season to afford a passage for ships, and
I have therefore no expectation that the discovery ships
can have made their way in that direction this sum-
leer, and hope that they have either found a channel in
a higher latitude more directly westward to the open
sea off Cape Bathurst, or that they have effected a pas-
sage homewards by Lancaster Sound. The circum-
stances I have mentioned show that my boats could not
.approach IVollaston Land in this unusually untoward
,eason, but this may be done next summer, and I shall
endeavour to make arrangements for sending Mr. Rae
with one boat and a select crew of active men down the
Coppermine next July to examine the opening between
Victoria and Wollaston Lands. The flood tide, which
.t full and change runs in Dolphin and Union Straits at
he rate of three knots an hour, comes from the east
ward out of Coronation Gulf; and must flaw primarily
lawn the opening I have mentioned, or by the one be-
ween Victoria Land and Boothia, being the only two
!ommunications between Coronation Gult and Lancaster
Sound and its continuation. On this account, and also
or the purpose of aiding a party which Sir James Ross
Top .sed to send towards the Coppermine over the ice,
\lr. Rati'a intended expedition may be useful.
"As the resources of this post are inalt quate to the
support of our entire party, and the ice remains fixed in
his lake till near the middle of August, too late for men
,rinte:itT here to reach York Factory in time fur a
itissage to England the same season, I have determined
n sending thirteen of the men from England up
she Mackenzie without delay, together with six of
qr. Belt's party, to be supeorted for the winter at the
:fishery on the Big Island Slave Lake. I purpose joining
hem myself in the spring, crossing this lake on the
ice, and ascending the Mackenzie when it opens is May,
aking with me the remainder of the English party not
•equired by Mr. Rae for his summer operations. Mr.
Rae will have instructions to return hither by the end of
August, so as to closu the establishment at that time,
and remove the people time enough to ascend the Mac-
kenzie and Slave rivers before the navigation shuts up.
" During our sea voyage we deposited pemmican at
Point Separation, Cape Bathurst, Cape Parry, and in
Pasley Cove, on the north side of Cepa Krusenstern, and
erected signal posts, as agreed upon with Sir J. Ross.
4' I beg that you will be pleased to express to their
Lordships the high sense I entertain of Mr. Rae's valu-
able services during the whole progress of the party,
both on the coast and in leading the men overland, and
also my gratification with the orderly conduct of the
mon.—l have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient
servant,

" J. RICHARDSON,
" Medical Inspector Commanding the Party,
" To tha Secretary of the Admiralty, &c."

NAVAL IN TELLIGENCE.

MALTA, JULY 2.—tier Majesty's steam-frigate Arro-
gant arrival on the 27th ult. from Plymouth. She did
not employ her steam, and under sail has proved a
superior vessel, having realised as much as II knots. On
arriving, she saluted the forts
Tunis. Algiers, yesterday
morning she left us again for Algiers, Gibraltar,
and Lisbon, and conveyed Colonel Irvine, the Admiralty
engineer, who has been employed during his stay here
in making such observations as may one day tend to tha
advantage of the island.
The Racer had arrived at Trieste from Malamocco on
the 14th ult,

The Ripon, with outward India mails, arrived on the
30th ult.

The Medina arrived from Marseilles yesterday after-
noon.

The Oberon carries on the mails to-morrow to Corfu.
A Russian steamer the Sulim, from Lyndon, Fal-
mouth, Oporto, Gibraltar, and Algiers, arrived on the
29,h ult.

Her Majesty's ship Vengeance, the Right Hon. the
Earl of Hardwicke, returned last Light from her long
cruise, having been employed during the difficult revo
lutionary period at Genoa. The Vengeance was re-
lieved by the Thetis, and on leaving Genoa for Naples,
was subject to a period of five days' (we believe) qaaran-
tine at Naples, consequent on the appearance of cholera
in Paris—a stupid imposition, inasmuch as there is
daily communication with the French at Rome from
France, and a tree intercourse between the army before
that city and the Neapolitan dominions.
The Noble Earl, who bas distinguished himself as
much for firmness of character as for humanity during
the late events, saluted as he was entering port, and
having brought up in mid channel, was taken in tow by
the boats of the squadron, and conveyed to his moorings.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's stiiame
Ripon continued her route to Egypt last night, with the
Indian mails and passengers, as well as tho.o received
by the Medina from Marseilles.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
.SQUADRON.
In Malta Barbour—The Caleduaia, 120, Captain T.
W. Carter, bearing the ifig of Vice-Adruirßl Sir W.
Pa,ker, the Convnauder-in-Chiel ; Ceylon, re
Edward
Harvey; bearing th e flag Roar-AdmiraljStirling;
Harvey; Howe, 120,
Captain Sir J.engePaunwe'ee:tBl4l.,
84, Captain the Hon. R. S. Dundas; y
Captain the Rich= Hon. the Earl of Hardwicke; Ter-
rible, Captain W. Ramsey; Rosarnoud, Commander
Fete; Volcano (in ordinary); and Locust (tender to
Triton). Lieutenant Glinn.
Rogent, 99
On a Cruise--rhe Prince Captain Mar-
tin; Thetis, 3G, Captain Codrin.ron7 Racer, Captain
C. W. 13: ddoes; Captain Vansittart; Bull-
dog, Command: r Key; Odtu, Ctiptain the Hon. F. F.
Pdharn; Spitfire, Lieutenant-Commander \Vides; For-
cuplite, Lieutenant E. F. Roberts; Tartarus, Commander
Sir G. Wehstt,r.

Oa Surveying Duty—The Village, 6, surveying ship,
Capta,n T. Graves; Auxiliary cutter, Lieutenant G. W.
Geary; and Research cutter, Lieutenant LQrd J. Browne,
buth tenders to the Volage.
At Gibraltar—The J tam* steamer, Lieutenant Powell.
At Trieste—The Racer, Lieutenant Beddoes.
At CW9 tantinopla—lione.

At Corfu—Nine.
At Athens—The Sharpshooter steamer, Lieutenant.
Commander Bailey.
Ln route to Lisbon from Malta—The Arrogant Capt.
R. Film-oy.

AIL
At Malta—Thu Triton, LieutenantSTEAM-PACKETS. C. J. P. Glints;
Oberon, Lieutenint Gardner; Antelope, Lieutenant F.
Smyth; Medusa, Lieutenantßathurst; Medina, Lieut. A.
Darby.
En route-to Marseilles from Malta—The Merlin,
Lieutenant J. 11. Turner.
En route from Malta to Corfu-1 he Ardent, Lieu-
tenant Novell (special service).
PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM NAVIGATION COM*

PANT'S FLOTILLA.
At Suutharnpton—The liindostan, Pacha, Euxine,
Erin, Qicen, acid Indus.
En route to Gibraltar and Southampton from Malts
—The Sultan.

At Constantilople—The Tagus.
En route to Alexandria from Malta—The Ripon.
UNITED STATES SQUADRON.

En route to Gibraltar—The steam-frigate Alleghasy,
Captain Hunter ; the steam-frigate Princeton, Com.
mender Eagle.
Spezzia—The Constitution frigate, Captain Gwynne,
Acting- Commodore.

Palermo The Jamestown corvette, Commander
Mercer.

FOREIGN SHIPS or WAR AND PACKETS IN PORT.
The French steamer Leonidas. R. Y. C. Sapphire
and Nautilus, English steamer Water-Lily, Tunisian
gun-boat Dumnigel.
PORTSMOUTH, WEDNESDAY.—The Egyptian frigate
Sharkie, of 36 guns, arrived at Spitheld last evening, at
half. past six o'clock, ue,ler the comma td of Commodore
Heinz Bey, having left Gravesend at three, a.m, in the
morning, thus running the distance of 170 miles at the
late of about eleven miles an hour. She saluted the
Lieutenant. Governor of the garrison with 21 guns, and
the Commander-in Chief of the port with 17, and was
duly answered by them respectively. This ship was
built at Alexandria under the immediate direction of
Mohammed Bey, the chief naval architect in the
Egyptian service, who received his professional educa-
tion in this country, and the best judges of ships say that
she does great credit to that distinguished individual
bhe has been fitted with steam-engines of 550-horse
power by Messrs. Miller and Ravenhill, and with a screw
propeller. Her pa,sage from the Thames to this port
shows her to be an eminently successful result of the
application of the screw propeller to a ship of war; and
both this perfoimatice and her trials iu the Thames have
called forth strong expressions of surprise from nautical
men and engineers, who stem previously to have under-
rated the extraordinary capabilities of the screw.
An accident occurred, we regret to say, whilst salu-
ting. One man was ramming home the charge, and
another, whore duty it was to stop the vent, neglected
to du so in a proper manner. The result was, that the
rammer was blown out of the port, and his remains
nave not been since teuud. Mr. Beattie, the Ottoman
Vice-Consul at this port, dispatched a boat and men to
drag for the remains of the unfortunate man, but with-
out success. Mr. Z trate the Ottoman Consul General,
and the Turkisti Admiral, are expected to arrive this
evening. The triple will embark her splendid state
barge (built by Camptr, of Gotport) to-morrow, and
sail obi Saturday.
Portsmouth Harbour (the watermen's) Regatta coin.
nieteed to day, under Ro)al auspices.
The Ajax steam guard-ship will probably be COM.
missiont d at this port shortly, and report says by Cap-
tam IV. 11. Henderson, C. 13., late of the Sidon.
The Pecenix screw steam-sloop, 260 horse power, 6
guns, is ordered to be commissioned here by Commander
George Wodehouse, 1844.
Tile Fire-Queen steam-yatcht, Master Commander
Allen, was cocked this morning for re-embellish-
ment, &c.

WOOLWICH, JULY 11. The Niger steam-sloop,
fitted with a serer?' propeller, and recently experimented
with along with the Basilisk steam•slooo, fitted with
paddl.--wheels, is ordered to return to Woolwich to be
ie id up for the preseut.
The BAsilisk steam-sloop is to remain at Deronport
as an advanced war steamer.

The Flamer steam vessel, ready for commis-
sion, has beet' examined, and as doubts are eutertained
of her efficiency to be mounted vrith guns as a war
steamer, she is to be sent round to Portsmouth and kept
in readiness as a pseket-boat.

UNION BANK OF LONDON.
The tenth annual general meeting of the proprietors
was held yesterday at the bank, Princes-street, Mansion-
House, Sir Peter Laurie in the chair.
The Secretary, Mr. Walter Lanais:, having read the
minutes of the last and the advertisement convening the
present meeting, proceeded to read the annual report of
the affairs of the bank. It stated that during the last
twelve months the pressure upon the commercial interests
of the country, which was the subject of remark in the
last report, had been continued, and in many instances
aggravated by the political convulsions which have dis-
tracted nearly the whole of Europe; that a low value of
money had ta en the natural consequence of the influx of
foreign cepital and the . ontraction of mercantile enter-
prise; but that, notwitustanding these disadvantages,
the directors were able to refer the proprietors to the
balance-sheet as an evidence of the continued progress
and success of the bank, from which it appeared that the
net profits of the year amounted to 28,617/. 18s. 10d.,
out of which the directors proposed to appropriate a
sum of 25,3741. for the payment of a dividend at the
rate of six per cent. clear of income -tax, and 5001. as
usual, in reduction of the preliminary (xpenses, leaving
en unappropriated balance of 2,734/. is.. .od. to be car-
ried to profit and loss new account. The interest paid to
customers on their current and deposit accounts, during
the last year, amounted to nearly 34,0001. The &coos-
sion of numerous and valuable connexions, valuable not
only as adding to the profits of the bank, but as evincing
th,. stuns ion in which it was held by the public, proved
to the directors the soundness of the cautious and pru-
dent system of management they had endeavoured to
maintain, and enabled them to assure the proprietors of
,he steady and gatitying progress of the company. •
The prepobiti,n of the directors to declare a dividend
of six per cent. was unanimously agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN moved that the report should be re-
ceived and circulated among the proprietors. He con-
gratulated them ou their continued prosperity and pro-
gressive increase of business. As a proof the opinion
entertained of them by the public, he might state that
theirs was the first joint-stock bank that had obtained
the confidence of Government, and they had received
the support of the metropolitan commissioners of reams.
The motion, having been seconded by Mr. PETER
LAURIE, was carried unanimously.
Die following gentlemen, who retired by rotation from
the direction, were re-elected:—Mr. George Webster,
Mr. John Barnes, and Mr. John W. Sutherland.
Tha general meeting then resolved itself into a special
meeting, for the purpose of considering a proposal made
by the directors to alter the clause in the deed of settle-
ment which required each director to be a holder of
twenty shares iu the company; so that, for the future,
the possession of one hundred shares should be required
as a qualification for that office.
Mr. J. BROWN thought that the question was not one
of the qualification of uirectors only, but also whether
e election of them should rest with the board of direc-
tors, or with the proprietors. When he sigued the deed
of settlement he was not aware of the clause, which gave
power to the directors in this matter, else he should not
have signed it.
Mr. W. BROWNE said that when this subject was dis-
cussed at the general meeting last year, a promise was
given that the election of new directors would be left
to the proprietors. At present the directors had virtually
all the power in their own hands, because when any
gentleman was nominated by them to a vacancy the
shareholders felt that they could not, without a bad
grace, oppose tho nomination of their directors, when
asked to confirm it.
Mr. P. LAURIE said that they could not then alter the
clause in question, as that was a special meeting, and
they could not entertain any other measure, except that
One which they had been called together to consider. It
was true that a promise had been given at the meeting in
last July, that if an election should take place the nominee
of the directors should not take his place at the board
until his appointment was sanctioned by the proprietors.
That, he thought, was the same thing as leaving the
nomination to the proprietors.—(No, no.)
Mr. J. BROWN then gave notice that at the next gene-
ral meeting he would move a resolution to the effect that
when any vacancy occa-red in the direction, by death,
bankruptcy, or otherwi,e, the secretary should give
thirty days' notice to t, e proprietors, at the end of
which period they should meet for the purpose of filling
up the vacancy, and that the names of candidates should
be posted on the banlFilporl twenty days previous to the
election.
Mr. RICHARDSON said that the price of their shares
in the market was not so high as might be expecte!d
from the dividend paid by their company.
joint-stock
bank tendon to the fact that theirs was then iy
bank that paid two per cent. interes_teo
posit accounts to customers, and suggested
t a
tnhda
tdei-t
thenea paymentrly34,o o
this of
would n
interest,
est advisablev,hieh to diminishamounted
Wheu the livetstthmeindsiterLo. Bankoutdtak, reduced
rs
cent. they were said to have lost
1 a°srt abolish
year to
etheir inatre,rheesatrio)
consequence of that measure.
The Charnsassr promised t
thein cdtrectors respecting the number of
only ono one per
the suggeattun into consideration.
then put and carried without
runner discussion.
qual Theifinal:trio:pun:a; customer in
was

--A-voto of thanks to the chairman and officers of the
compauy was passed, and thi. meeting separated.

ASYLUM FOR AGED AND DECAYED FREEMASONS.
—Last eN •
ening the annual general meeting of the above
institution was held at Radiey's Hotel, Bridge•street,
liLckfriars, Brother Wright in the chair. The secre.
tary read the negoti itions relative to the proposed amal-
gamation with the Bo) al Masonic Benevolent Annuity
Fund under one common title. A site for the new
asylum had been selected on Croydon, common, and the
building was rapidly proceeding. The financial report
showed that the receipts were 8931. is. Bd., and the Par
raents, including 3571. 16s. 3d. for the purchase of lend
at Croydon, were 529/. Os. Id. l c eying tendered the re-.
signation of Dr. Crucifix, a resolution highly comPli
tnentary was unanimously carried, requenting the gen-
tleman to continue in the office, „d:spipdoeinntti:dßroetthheerr
John Hodgkinson as joint treasurer tw.itti him. After
Dudley Stuart rt
was
the election of President,
when nearly
officers, thanks were accorded to Lard D
Presiding at the recent leativaL
collected;
The suitors of the Court of Chancery will be glad
and the meeting was adjourned.
to learn that the Lord Chancellor is now rapidly reco-
vering from the effects of his late alarming illness. His
Lordship takes carriage exercise every day, and the
announcement of a resumption of the publio sittings is
teasjoutty expected before the end of the week.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, July 11.
DURATION OF PARLIAMEN T BILL.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. BRIGHT explained that the last person to
whom the remark " pulling at the Treasury"
could be applied was his honourable Friend
the Member for Rochester (Mr. Bernal). Never-
theless, the Government poseeseed mull Church
patronage, which was eqeal he money value, and he be-
lieved that the Treasury exercised much more influence
over Ministers during Parliaments of six or seven years'
duration than they could if they were shorter. Direct
bribes might not be known, but Members were more
likely to attend to the wishes of their constitu-
ents if they appeared oftener on the hust-
ings. It was notorious that since the elec-
tion of the present Parliament greeter deference
had been paid to the popular will than during any
former period. In 1720, Burke, speaking of septennial
Parliaments, said, that annual Parliaments, which he
supported, prevented that corruption of the deputies of
the Minister which must result in Parliaments of longer
duration. There could be no doubt that the state
of mentioned by Burke was in existence
at the present moment. His Honourable Colleague had
alluded to pledges. Many honeurahle men did not ap.
prove of giving pledges; but hustings pledges were
merely the statement of opinions on certain measures.
On the hustings he should not pleige himself
to vote this way upon this metter, and
anoth r way as to that. A Member must, to do his duty
rope ly, b^ eeshickled by p?e Igee. To show the im-
propriety of doing so. he must point to the instances
they had had during the last three years of
Members voting directly in the teeth of the prin-
ciples they had advocated.—(Protectionist cheers.)
Constituents should have a guarantee that their Members
wonl .! appear oftener before them and be informed of
their sentiments. The Member for Surrey generally
acted so eccentrically that when he got up it was impos-
sible to tat which vvey he intended to vote. Ho was
teeth Democratic and Conservative, and says things
which, but for the good humour with which they were
.aid, would doubtless be hard hits. If they would have
large constituencies, despite little cliques in those con-
stitu.nciee, Members who represented them, if they
pursued an honest and independent course in that
House would in the end conciliate the goodwill of those
constituencies. He insisted this House ought to
represent fairly the intelligence, the virtue, and the
industry
.of the country ; he utterly denied that it
did either the ono or the other. Those questions
ought not to be mat in that flippant manner in which
they were too often met, but gradual concessions ought
to be made to public opion, so as to bring the institutions
of the country acre into harmony with that public I
.
_

- Mr. WILLYAILS was opposed to any definite period
for the duration a Parliament; but he would support
the second r: .ding of the Bill on the ground that seven
years was too protracted a period for the duration of
Parliaments, and that if Members were oftener remitted
to their constituencies than at present, there would be
le ,a room for the existence of bribery at elections.
Mr. HENRY BERKELEY said he should vote for
triennial Parliaments as a part of that system which he
thoeght onel-t to be accorded to this House.
Leal DUDLEY STUAItr thought it did little credit
to the Goverhotent to oppose such a measure as this,
and some day they would find out the very great mis-
take they bad committed, and that it was not safe long
to disregard the loudly expressed wishes of the people.
He knew that occasionally they awoke a little from their
apathy, and pr >mi.ed some concessions to the people;
bat still all that could be got out of them was a slight
glimmer of their future intentions. There must, how-
ever, be something more than shadows. The working
cla ses of the country must have the pledge of a
measure, and thy woul 1 never he satisfied
nail Government came forward pith a Bill for im •
proving the representation of the country. It ha -1 been
stated by the Right Honourable Baronet at the
bead of the lime Depirtment that the Triennial
Bill only provided that Parliament should meet
once in three years, a statement that betrayed
either great ignorance of hieory or great carelessness;
fir, so far from that being the case, the Bill provided
that Members of that House should be re-elected every
three years. The Hon. Member for Truro had fallen
into a mistake in supposing that this Bill enunciated the
principle that the duration of Parliament ought not to
EX ,etti three years. It only declared the principle that
at prk sent the duration of Perliameet was far too long a
p-ricd, but for his part, althOteh he admitted that the
redec:ien of years would be an improvement in the sys-
tem, he was decidedly in favour of triennial Par-
liaments ; and if the House wished to make
the representation of the people full, free, and
eff, cCve, they must reduce the duration of Parliament
to that extent. Of course such a measure ought to be
accompanied by other reforms, such as the ballot and an
extension of the suffraee, and in supporting this Bill he
was quite reedy to give the people all the rights which
they had so jils thy demanded of Paliarnent.—(Hear.)
Colonel SA TAVEY said nothing had been so painful
to him, as a consistent Liberal, as witnessing, as he slid
last night, the contrast between the professions of the
Government while its opposition, and their practice while
in office; To him it was painful in the extreme to see
them abandoning the principles and the people who had
placed them in power, and much as he disliked Toryism,
he despised still more that spurious kind of Whiggism
which profe,sed liberal opinions when in opposition,
but when in office, was regardless and wanton an the
expenditure of the country, and took no sort of
interest in the wishes of the people.—(Hear, bear.)
So thoroughly did he detest such a mode of proceeding,
that he thought no honest Liberal ought to sit on the
Government side of the House.--(Hear, and a laugh.)
The establishment of the Septennial Act was the
most daring act of usurpation that had ever taken
place in this country; it was the seat of all the
evils that attached to our representative system;
it had promoted bribery and corruption at elections,
and in all departments of the State, and he considered it
had been the means of' enormously increasing the na-
tional debt; it allowed Honourable Members six years
for sinning and only one for repentance, and with these
views ho should give his most cordial support to the
Right Hon. Gentleman who had introduced this motion
to the House.—(Cheers.)
Mr. KERSHAW adverted to the necessity of the
measure, and said it was a melancholy sight to witness
the Government abandoning those principles which they
had previously adhered to. He cordially supported the
motion of the Right Hon. Gentleman, and he trusted
the Liberal Members of the House would support the
principle of it.
Mr. CAMPBELL denied that the Noble Lord at the
head of the ievernment had abandoned the principles
which he advocated when in opposition, and defied the
Hon. Member for Montrose to prove that such was the
case by any documentary evidence.—(Cries of "Divide.")
Mr. D'EYNCOURT said the simple question before
the House was, whether or not they should return to
triennial Parliaments. He agreed in many of the ob-
servations that had been made, for the debate had taken
a far wider range than he had anticipated. The policy
of the Reform Bill had been discussed. When the
Noble Lord had stated on his motion in 1837
that five b ears was a fair duration for Par-
liaments, how could the Government justify the
course they were adopting? The Right Hun. Baronet
(Sir G. Grey) treated his observations in the same
flippant way as he had done when he spoke upon the
second reading of the Bill. It was true, the demise of
the Crown and political changes had reduced
the duration of three septennial Parliaments ; but
that was no argument against his motion. Me de-
clared that long Parliaments induced Members to be
more easily seduced from their allegiance than they
would be if they were shorter.
The HoUse then divided, when there appeared—
For the amendment ... 132
Against it ... 57
Majority ... _75
SMOKE PROHIBITION BILL.

On the motion for going into Committee on this Bill,
Mr. ROEBUCK rose to oppose the motion. He said
he represented a great number of the manufacturers of
Sheffield, Rotheram, and other places. Science had not
arrived at such a state as to enable large manufacturers to
consume their own smoke. The Act said that proceed-
ings should be taken on information against manufac-
turers from whose chimneys opaque smoke was seen to
issue, provided it was proved injurious to the neigh-
bourhood. Why, could they conceive that anything
could lead to more litigation, or be more harassing to
manufacturers than this? Speaking on behalf of a large
number of manufacturers, he felt it his duty to move
that the House go into Committee on the Bill this day
three months.
Mr. Alderman COPELAND condemned the Bill, and
considered that a proceeding of this kind should emanate
from the Government. If there was a valuable patent by
which the inconvenience of smoke might be prevented,
let the Government purchase it and try it. The Bill
would be. found most injurious to the manufacturers of
this country.
Sir G. STRICKLAND said no one was more desi-
rous than he was that the Bill to effect the abolition of
smoke should be passed; but the plan which would be
applied under it having been tried, had not been found
so susceptible of advantage as had been predicted of it.
He trusted that the Hon. Gentleman would withdraw
his Bill for the present, because, as the manufacturing
interests were now much distressed, it would not be ad-
yisaVe to put them to any additional expense in
altering, their furnaces. He would himself, how-
ever, advize him not to abandon it alto-
gether, but to: bring it forward again next year,
for he admitted that it was necessary to prevent as much as possible the emisal •
I
on of smoke from menu-
factories.

Mr. BANEES should certainly
come vote in fa-
vour of going into Committee, because he
thought the time hid now
ought to look to the health of thosewh who they
most seriously injured by the smoke nuisance, were
Not
only then, bit every day they sat, they were pa -
large sum of money for having air pumped iltion,hae
House which was adulterated and made unwholesome
by the manufactories on the other side of the water.—
(This created a laugh, owing to the House being at the
time full of smoke.) He might mention as an instance
of tha injurious effects of smoke that a fine row of trees
attache I to the grounds of the Westminster School had
been almost entirely destroyed owing to its vicinity to
the manufactories in the neighbourhood,—(Hear.)
Mr. FORSTER deprecated such an interference with
manufactories, and said the House might as well attempt
to prevent expectoration in the streets.—(A laugh.)
Sir CHARLES BURR LL supported the motion.
Mr. BRIGHT' said there were two or three reasons
upon which ho should object to the measure. The first
clause was objectionable in a legal point of view. In
tho I ~t three lines there was the word opaque, and if
this B it pissed a good deal of annoyance and incon-
venience • would result to parties engaged in manufac-

tories from the disputes which must necessarily arise
upon the meaning of the word " opaque." Smoke
might be made opaque by the colour of the
sky above it, but he had another technical
objection to the Bill. One chime, for instance, provided
penalties in cases of irregular lightings of fires; but the
House, perhaps, was not aware that in most of the ma-
nufacturing districts the fires of the furnaces wore never
allowed to go out, and the clause might produce great
annoyance to the manufacturers, but certainly it never
could be carried into operation by any bench
of magistrates. Some centuries ago, in the time
of Charles the Second, a book was written upon
the smoke nuisance, a copy of which he held in his
hand, and if the House would give him leave he would
read some very amusing extracts from it. The Hon.
Gentleman then proceeded to read some of the contents
of the book, which represented London at the
period to be so continuously enveloped in smoke
as to render it dangerous to live in, and then
went on to contend that this smoke nuisance
had always been a subject of dispute, and to
dety the Howe to prove that London was worse off now,
so tar as smoke was concerned, than it was in the time
of Charles the Second. The manufacturers were as
anxious to prevent the atmosphere being poisoned with
~moke as any one, and they had long been encouraging
scientific experiments to discover some means fur con-
suming smoke. Instead, therefore, of crowding the
statute with useless, mischievous measures like the.e,
it was far better to leave the matter in the hands of the
scientific men who were now engaged in endeavouring
to devise some means for getting rid of the nuisance
this Bill was intended, but could not get rid oft The
Bill, however, which the Hon. Member for Lymington
seemed anxious to pass without reference to the
parties whom it would mire immediately affect,
if adopted by the House would lead to
endless disputes, and in the end prove a miserable failure.
For instance, the parties to be liable to its penalties
were to be the owners of fires producing the smoke.
Just eonsider for a moment that in the manufacturing
districts there were such things as chimneys used by fur-
nace owners in common, and the smoke of each furnace was
conveyed to the chimney by a common tunnel pasting
under ground. Now, how could it be decided in such a
case as that which furnaces had produced the smoke?--
(Hear, hear.) Well, then, the House might depend upon
it that the best course for them to adopt was to leave
the matter to science. He and other manufacturers
were as anxious as any one to get rid of the
nuisance, but it was just as impossible to
get rid of smoke: as it was to prevent some portion of the
population of the country from occasionally suffering
from want; and he hoped the House would not allow the
desire of getting rid of the smoke nuisance to induce them
to pass the Bill.
Mr. CUBITT was as anxious as any man, and so was
his brother, to do all in his power to purity the atmos-
phere of London, but he felt that he could not carry on
his works, and at the same time consume his own smoke.
He should be happy to support any
.practicable measure.
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that if the Hon. Member
who had introduced this Bill felt himself justified in
proceeding with the measure at the present late
period of the session, aed proposed to go into
Committee on the Bill, he should feel himself
bound to vote for that motion. He had
formed his opinion with respect to this Bill from the
report of a Committee appointed at the suggestion of
the Noble Lord the Member for Falkirk, knd the evi-
dence produced upon it. Without pledging himself to
all the provisions of the Bill, considering it founded
upon the report of the Committee he had alluded to, he
thought the Bill ought to be allowed to be further pro-
ceeded with.

Mr. THORNELY objected to the further proceeding
:pith the Bill, unsidering that the matter should be left
to the suprvision of the local authorities.
Mr. SPOONER contended that there were different
local Acts now in existence which woxi!d effect all
that was contemplated by the present an asure,
and that, therefore, th present Bill was unnecessary.
They might put their machine in the best possible con,
dition, yet its operation was left to their workmen, and
they could not get those workmen to attend assiduously
to the working of the machine. The smelting of metals
depended on a cex tain heat, and any inattention on the
part of the working men irreparably damsged ad the metals
under the process of smelting. Again, this Bill not only
applied to towns, but it applied also to the mines of the
country. It would be a thorough waste of time to go
into Committee on this Bill. Lie should, therefore, vote
against it.
Mr. PARKER hoped his Hon. Friend (Mr. Mackin-
non) who had brought forward the Bill would post-
pone its consideration for another year ; for after
all that had been said respecting it by the several Mem-
bers who had spoken on its merits, it was quite clear the
Bill ought not to pass in its present shape. Before the
/louse legislated on this sut,ject it would do well
to consider what they could and what they could not do
in relation to it.—(fLar, hear.)
Mr. G. SANDAItS cited the opinion of an eminent
engineer in Lancashire to show that the smoke preven•
lion clause in the Manchester Local Act worked ad-
mirably well. It would be desirable, in his opinion, that
the House should go into Committee on the Bill.
Mr. BONHA tL CARTER had no steam-engine of
his own, and he lived in an agricultural district; but
the other day he saw an enterprising miller wr.o
had erected a stationary s•eana-engine on his farm.
Any man who had a spite against the miller
might lodge an information against him for work-
ing hislsteam-engine, which he thought a very bard case.
He thought this was not wholly a manufacturing question,
and he would vote against the Bill in its present shape.
Mr. W. PATTEN said he would vote for the House
going into Committee on the Bill, but he did not think
that much good would result from that course.
Mr. MACKINNON replied. To the manufacturing
gentlemen this was merely a question of pounds, shill
ings, and pence. When it was said this Bill was ob-
jectionable on the score of expense, the Hon. Gentleman
who made that remark spoke of furnaces generally, and I
not to furnaces which fed steam-engines only. He
(sir. Mackinnon) thought that that distinction should
be borne in mind. There could be no question that
the smoke could be wholly prevented in furnaces which
supplied stationary steam-engines, and that too at very
small expense. He concluded by saying he would Tote
for the House going into Committee.—(Divide.)
After a few words from Mr. LACY,
Mr. BRIGHT said it was impossible for any general
law to work so well as a local municipal Act.
After some observations from Mr. DUNCAN,

The House divided, when there appeared—
For going into Committee 83
For the amendment 64

Majority for going into Committee...-19
The House then went into Committee on the Bill.

On the first clause being proposed, a lengthened dis-
cussion took place as to the meaning of opaque smoke,
Mr. Mackinnon describing it as smoke that could not be
seen through, a definition which Mr.Villiers, Mr. Bright,
and several other Members thought very vague.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL thought it ought to
be required that the smoke should be such as to consti-
tute a nuisance, and that it should also be required that
informers or other persons who complained of it should
give notice to the parties to stop the emission of smoke
trom the chimney before any proceedings could be taken.
Mr. ROEBUCK said, as it would require the
dtaughtsman of the Bill to remodel the whole of it
before he could introduce the suggestion of the Attorney-
General, he would suggest that his Hon. Friend should
withdraw the Bill for the present.
Mr. MACKINNON said it was unfair at that late
period of the Bess on to ask him to withdraw the Bill.
ale thought he was bound to press it, and could not
assent, therefore, to the recommendation of the Hon.
Gentleman.

Mr. RICARDO thought the Hon. Gentleman' (Mr.
Mackinnon) when he sought to get rid of opaque smoke
should consider whether the getting rid of it was not
more mischievous than its going off by the chimneys.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM had looked at this subject
repeatedly, with a view of devising a method of getting
rid of the smoke nuisance, but he had come to the con-
clusion that there was no remedy but such as was pro-
vided by the common law. A Bill more absurdly drawn
than this was he had never seen in the course of his ex-
perience, and if a motion were made for the rejection
of the clause under the consideration of the House,
he would vote for that motion ; and if no
such motion were made, he would vote for the amend
ment of the lion. Member for Sheffield, that the Chair-
man should report progress.
After a few words from Mr. E. DENISON and Mr.
MAcs.DlNox, who said he was decidedly opposed to Mr.
Bernal's leaving the chair,
Mr. WALPOLE called the attention of the House to
the report of the Committee which sat on the subject of
smoke nuisance, in which the proposition was laid down
that opaque smoke might be so managed as to be no
longer a public nuisance. He thought a clause might
be drawn for the obviating of opaque smoke which
would work well.

Sir J. GRAHAM was sorry to hear that the Bill had
emanated from a Committee of this House; and also
that the Hon. Member (Mr. Mackinnon) adhered to
the original form of the Bill, though it had been for some
years before the House, and he bad obtained so much
experience in the meantime. The clause could not be
amended extempore, and, therefore, he was at a loss to
see why the Chairman should not report progress, in order
that this defective Bill might be amended. Wherever life
was endangered, the person injured had a right at common
law. Smoke was necessary for the carrying on of the
manufactures of the country, and the House should be
careful how it interfered with them, and opened a door
to the common informer.—(Hear.)
Mr. LA BOUCHERE expressed himself in favour of
Rill, believing, on the faith of Dr. Lyon Playfair and
sthire
Delabeche, that manufacturers in large towns
could consume their own smoke, and that such a
course was necessary for the health of the
inhabitants. But he had never disguised from him the
difficulties that stood in the way of legislation upoa the
matter. His Learned Friend the Attorney-General
having assured him that the Bill was defective,
which had
been he
ad-
vised the Hon. Gentleman to take the advicead
been tendered to him from various quarters, and with-
draw she Bill until another session.
Mr. C. VILLIERS said the moment they read the
Bill the difficulty of dealing with the subject presented
itself, and it had been renewed in the course
yindfi?oscrmuisieserion that
couldhad taken place. How
prove
co of
eu
hl theinann e tnhoet i
obtain
suing
po
of s
saens s eiof gni to; y
it fromand
hprisodunceosittr.—ils(Lahuyghtear.)
sidWe.hwyi,nid. it might be
Hbebornoouagrhahttioe
Member for Dorsetshire said that a disagreeable
effluvia had to-day found its way into the House from
the process of Dr. Reid. Why, it might happen that a
manufacturer at Lambeth might be indicted by an infor-
mer in that House for an effluvium which might have
got into it from his works, or, perhaps, from that of
somebody else.—(Laughter.)
After some observations from Mr. MACKINNON and
Sir G. GREY, it was agreed that the Chairman should
report progrese.

The I.louse then resumed, the Chairman reported
progress, and obtained leave to sit again on Wednesday
week.
___ ___ ___ ___ . _...... ____

STOCK-IN-TRADE BILL.

The second reading of this Bill was postponed till to-
morrow.

POOR-LAW UNION CHARGES ACT AMEND-
MENT BILL.

The House then went into Committee on this Bill, when
Captain PECHELL moved that the Chairman should
report progress.
This motion was agreed to without any discussion.
The CHAIRMAN then reported progress, and the
House resumed.