The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-01 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

GREAT SOUTIIERN AND WESTERN (IRE-
LAND) OPENING TO MARYBOROUGH.
On Saturday the Great. Southern and Western Rail-
way was opened for public traffic to Mary borough, a
dis ,tive of 531 miles. After the- dispatch of the regular
traffic trail( at nine A.M., the engineer in-chiet, Sir
John Macneil; the vice-chairman of the bosrd of direc-
tors, Edward M'Donnell, Esq.; William Houghton,
Esq., W. Goold, Esq., two of the directors, with a
number of friends, proceeded by an express train at
half-past ten to Maryborough, where they arrived at a
quarter before twelve, and proceeded to examine some
of the works connected with the line—the new road
lead ng into the town under the railway—the site of the
new station at the Golden Croft, Sce. The party next
proceed: d to make trial of the portion of the line thence
to Mountrath, which is nearly completed. Leaving
Maryborough the line crosses the road ltading to Mount-
melba, and also that to Mountrath, over both of which
it is carried on high embankments, by means of lattice
bridges, the former being 52 feet span, the latter 50 feet.
These bridges are quite of a novel character, being the
first of the kind yet built, and after a design of Sir John
Macneil's, for combining the greatest strength of frame
with the least sacrifice of headway, on the lattice prin.

10 p
89 q,

ciplo.
Alter returning to Maryborough, the party adjourned
to 11•Evoy's Hotel, where a splendid deje.uner was pre-
pared.
The Deputy Chairman of the Board presided, and at
his left sat the Rev. 'l'. Harpur, Rector of Maryborough,
and the Rev. 1)r. O'Connor, P.P. There were also
present—George Iloyte, Esq., Vice Chairman cf the
Drogheda Railway Company ; Mr. Newton and Mr.
Alexander, of the Irish South-Eastern : Mr.
Prior, of the London and North- Western Railway of
England ; James Fagan, P. V. Fitzpatrick, Esqrs., &c.
TheCuantstaN proposed the usual loyal toasts, after
which he gave the healths of the Rev. Mr. llarpur and
,the Rev. Dr. O'Connor.

The Rev. Mr. HAarun and the Rev. Dr. O'Cotallort
severally expressed their acknowledgments, and the
latter gentleman took the opportunity of proposing the
heath of " The great engineer, Sir John Macncil, to
whose talent and ability 7 the company and the country
were so deeply indebted."
Sir J. MACNEIL, in returning thanks, took occasion
to state how warmly all his Exertions had been seconded
by the board of directors. It was only fair for him to
sav that he could only design, while the execution was
left to the contractors ; and it had been his good fortune
to have his works entrusted to contractors who had given
him and the company the utmost satisfaction. There
were two of those gentlemen present, and it gave him
much pleasure to propose " The healths of Messrs.
I)argan and Moore."
Mr. DARGAN briefly acknowledged the high compli-
ment paid him. He hid always received the utmost
kindness and support at the hands of the board of direc-
tors ; and holding as he then did contracts for the com-
pletion of nearly the entire line to Cork, and having
that day upwards of fifty thousand men employed in
various parts of Ireland, it was a source of much satis-
faction to him to feel that he might rely upon the same
consideration from the directors, and to feel that they
had confidence in him.—(Applause.)
Mr. MoonE also returned thanks.
The CHAIRMAN then gave "The health of the Deputy
Chairman of the Dublin and Drogheda Railway, George
Hoy te, Esq."
Mr. HOYTE returned thanks, and said the manner in
, which the works had been executed reflected the bigl.est

credit upon all concerned, and he hoped the day was not
far distant when they would be assembled at Cork to
celebrate the completion of this great line.—(Hear,
hear.) He had no doubt but that in a very short time
Cork and Belfast would be brought within a dis
tance of eight hours.—( Hear, hear.) Mr. Hoyte
gave " The health of Mr. M•Donnell, deputy-chairman,
and the re,t of the directors of the Great Southern and
Western Railway."
Mr. M‘DororELL briefly thanked the company for the
honour paid him and the board.
Mr. HAUQIITON, one of the directors, also expressed
his obligation, and gave—" The health of the Chairman
of the Company, George Carr, E,q.," who was absent
in London on important business connected with the
rail way.
Mr. GooLo proposed—" Success to to the Irish South-
Eastern Railway," which would be one of their most im-
portant feeders.
Mr. ALEXANDER expressed his obligations.
The next toast was that of " Mr. Prior, connected
with the London and North-Western Railway of Eng-
land." _ _

Mr. PRIOR, in returning thanks, observed that it was
kis first visit to Ireland. He had seen nothing in the
country which precluded it from rising in industrial
eminence to equal England.—(Hear, hear.) Most cer-
tainly, so far as railways were concerned, he had seen
nothing in England superior to the noble line he had
traversed on that day.—(Hear, hear.)
" The Health of James Fagan, E.,,q ," was proposed
and warmly toasted.
After some other toasts,
The CHAIRMAN gave " To the next merry meeting, he
hoped at Thurles."
This sentiment was loudly cheered, and the company
repaired to the train, which shortly afterwards started,
and arrived in Dublin at half-past eight P.M , accom-
plishing part of the trip at the rate of sixty miles an hour
RAILWAY ECONOMY. •

Next to our race of energetic and ingenious men (says
Mr. S) dney, in his Railway System)—next to our trea-
sures of coal and of iron—nothing has contributed more
to the successful rivalry in commerce, and all the arts of
peace and war, which this small island has maintained
with great European states, blessed with a more favour-
able climate and more fertile soil, than our excellent
means, natural and artificial, of internal communication
—what Baron Charles Dupin has so happily called our
pouvoir viable,—while the sea around us forms an easy
highway from north to south, from east to west.
Roads, rivers rendered navigable, canals, and railroads
(the last discovered and most perfect means of reducing
time and space), not only give increased value to our
fields and our mines, but actually create wealth
as much as if they struck on veins of gold and diamonds ;
for means of easy conveyance open the long-neglected
coal-mine, give tuel to the shivering peasantry, employ-
ment to the miner, and unlooked-for revenue to the
landed proprietor—easy means of conveyance bring lime
and manure to be laid down on the reclaimed heath,
which, in return, gives back hay and corn, turnips, milk,
cream, butter, cheese, and fat cattle to be also conveyed
to the markets the new roads have opened. The amount
of this interchange must depend on the price of transport.
A hard turnpike road made that point near which was
out of all reach when pack-horses on bridle-roads were
the only means of transport. The canal still more re-
duced the distance and expense for certain articles ; the
railroad, most of all and best of all, was open to every-
thing a hick it would be useful to transport, from an ox
to a load of manure. Cheap as railroads are, they would
be more useful if they were cheapf-r.
At first sight, this would seem a truism so obvious,
that to prove it, no long array of facts and arguments
drawn from the stores of parliamentary reports was re-
quired ; and yet in this year of 1847, in the seventeenth
session of railway experience, at this moment great and
constantly increasing efforts are being made to saddle
the country with an additional, or rather excrescence,
on our present railway system, which will not only
swallow up all the economies of construction which ex •
perience has effected up to the present time, but also
render railway communication expensive, inefficient, and
unsafe.

There can be no doubt that capital unnecessarily ex-
pended on a canal or railroad must become a tax upon
the public either in increased charges or diminished ac
cornmodation. Thus if, from any cause, a railroad
costs 1,000,000/, which might have been constructed
quite as well for 500,0001., either travellers must pay
higher charges, or the speculative investment will prove
unremunerative, and the road and machinery will fall
into decay and disorder, or the company will be pre-
vented from extending to other and perhaps less wealthy
districts the benefits of locomotive communication. Ex-
perience has proved, again and again, that railways
which are not remunerative will not long be either
efficient or safe. In this country the great streams of
commerce are already secured by our principal trunk
lines ; the districts which remain open for railway pro-
jects are agricultural, rich rather in latent than in
existing traffic ; which, if they are to be well served,
must be cheaply served. Therefore the completion of
an effective railway system—that is to say, a system
which shall base its success on the many—which shall
fill the place, not only of the ship and stage-coach, but
of the carrier's cart—must depend on economical con-
struction and economical management.
RAILWAY PROGRESS ON THE AMERICAN
CONTINENT.

The surplus products of American harvests, and its
transportation to meet the exigencies of the mother
country, render freights on the American lines difficult
to be obtained, notwithstanding that the New Jersey
and other lines run many extra trains both night and
day. The quantity of flour which has been received at
Boston by the Western Railway between Sept. 1 and
April 10 was 182,542 barrels, against 143,647 barrels
for the corresponding period last year. The quantity of
cora received from all points during the same period was
1,353,560 bushels.
VIEW COMMERCIAL ON AMERICAN LINES.—The im-
pressions that at present prevail in America relative
to the ultimate remunerativeness of their multiplying
lines may be taken as a tolerable criterion of the
eventual advantage that will accrueupoi3nritspirh udehtenterprise in connexion with almost all our
rail-
ways. It is predicted in the best informed quarter
at
sthat
every line in America, no matter how unfavourable
ru a el r priid ae
e ev
ne
nn
tt
must
e
good dividends. Nearly every y
more
money in 1846 than in 1845, and so far this year
they have done a very large business compared with the
corresponding period in former years. The activity in
the grain markets has given all any quantity of freight,
and they have been reaping a very rich harvest. Every
road in the country, in gool hands, must improve in
value and productiveness. They are so intimately con-
nected with the trade and commerce of the country, that
they must improve as resources become developed, and
connexions are made between different sections of the
country. The business of the New England
lines is almost entirely of a local character
and they pay better dividends than any other
roads in this country. Railways running in any
direction from New York, or one in any way
connected with it, are more favourably located than
any others in the country. The New Yorkers have ex•
peuded nearly three hundred millions of dollars in works
of internal improvement; come are unproductive, some
in an unfinished state, and some at present perfectly
useless. At the time the immense debts of some of the
States were contracted, the public mind was almost
entirely absorbed by the construction of canals. The
canals built at that time, at such an extravagant rate of
expenditure, will in a few years be almost entirely super-
seded by railways constructed in their immediate '

vicinity. Now railways are in cpmplctlon in et cry
part of the country, and a few 3 errs will suffice
to complete many of the lint s now in ;:n un-
finished state. The cap:tal socks of must have becii
filled up by subscriptions from the ;riddle cLisses.
New York capitalists are very shy, and touch all
works of internal improvement cautiously ; and rich men
are unwilling to part with their money, unless immediate
returns in the shape of dividends are guaranteed. In
consequence of this principle prevailing 14.) generally, the
system of paying interest uron all instalments paid in
upon subscriptions to railroads has been adopted. The
journals condemn this system, as it is not more or less
than paying back to subscribers, in the shape of interest,
part of the principal, tho deficiency produced by these
payments having to be made up by an increase of capital
stock. On the Boston line there has been a general
increase of trade. In fact, the increase of business ott
the railroads already in operation has put all previous
calculations far in the back-grown!. Estimates,
originally deemed to be highly exaggera. ed, have proved
to be far below the actual results. The annexed tablo
exhibits the gross receipts of the following railroads
leading from Boston, in four years ending December 1,
1846: 1843. 1846.

Boston and Worcester $383,367 $554,712
Western
Boston and Lowell
Fitchburg
Boston and Maine
Eastern
Boston and Providence 233,388 360,375

Total $1,918,734 $3,260,725
Aggregate increase on all the roads is 57 per cent.
Fares were generally reduced in 1845. _ _

POPULATION PER MILE ON THE MASSACHUSETTS
LINES.—From calculations recently made, it has been
ascertained that the population of the towns immediately
adjoining some of the railroads of Massachusetts was as
follows:—viz., of the Old Colony Railroad, not including
Dorchester, 25,976, giving an average of 702 per mile, that
of the Providence road, not including Roxbury, 39,977,
or 978 per mile ; of the Worcester road, 27,159, or 603
per mile ; of the Fitchbury road, 27.353, or 547 per
mile ; of the Lowel road, 28,664, or 1,102 per mile ; of
the Boston and Maine road, terminating at the line of
the state of New Hampshire, 19,865, or 567 per mile ;
and on the Eastern road, terminating also at the border
of the state, 51.967, or 1,310 per mile.
The Boston Traveller states a remarkable fact, if it be
one, or rather makes Mr. Gilmore, president of the
Western Railroad, state a remarkable fact, in his testi-
mony before the railroad committee of the Massachusetts
Legislature, viz., "That the present through travel be-
tween Albany and Boston on the Western Railroad, only
averages 120 to 150 per month." This would be only
five or six for each is orking day.
DIADIMOTH ENGINE.—A monster engine on Stephen-
son's principle has just been completed by Messrs.
Fostar and Co., cf Liverpool. It is intended for passenger
trains. It has four driving wheels (each six feet in
diameter) connected, boiler sixteen feet long, and its im-
mense weight may be estimated by the fact that thirteen
horses were employed to draw it through the metro-
polis. Its destination is said to be the South-Eastern
Railway.
THE Two RAILWAY MISCARRIAGES THROUGS
FRIGHT.—The following is trona a correspondent:—
" Hope disappointed maketh the heart sick of the
railway ~.ommissionership. The Government ought
better to have calculated its own strength, and either
not have created such a mere fiction of commis-
sionership for any public good, or, having created
it, ought to have given it vigorous and decided
support. As the matter, however, now stands, Mr.
Strutt's office is null, and the power of the Whigs against
the railways nugatory. The public are, therefore, anx-
iously inquiring when this expensive, and, as it has
proved, perfectly useless commissionship is to be broken
up? Mr. Strutt having said good bye to his fundamental
Bill, the country (pitying his weakened condition under
two such awful miscarriages from fright), are now
equally desirous of saying good bye to Mr. Strutt and
his whole staff. The puffed-up railway men have, it
appears (like Mr. Borthwick) triumphed over the Whigs;
but let them beware that the now universally spreading
murmurs do not speedily break into a storm of public in-
dignation, which will lead, if not to the total abolition
of the companies, to measures infinitely more restrictive
upon them than those contemplated in Mr. Strutt's Bill."
THE LATE COLLISION ON THE SHEFFIELD RAILWAY.
—Since this occurrence the passing of goods across the
two lines of rails (which was the occasion of the acci-
dent) has been discontinued ; a proper signal post has
been erected, and au additional porter has been placed
at the Gorton station. We understand these changes
are what were required, and they will no doubt be ac-
cepted by the public as an earnest of the directors' care
and watchfulness.—Manchester Examiner.
TOURNAY AND JURBISE, AND LANDEN AND ITASSELT.
—An experimental trip on the Landen and Hasselt line
took place on the 24th instant, when the work of every
portion of the line underwent a strict examination by
the Government engineers, and the official opening is
fixed for the 12th of July next.
EAST LANCASHIRE.—There was a grand ceremony on
Thursday at Helmshore, near llaslingden, on the occa-
sion of laying the foundation stone of the viaduct there
on the main line of this railway. This important work
is a continuous double viaduct, separated by retaining
walls in the middle, skirting the side of the hills, near
Helmshore. There are 15 arches in the whole, of about
30 feet span each, and the total length of the viaduct is
400 yards. The height of the principal arches is about
50 feet, and they are erected on a curve of about three-
quarters of a mile radius. The works on a considerable
portion of this part of the line (fur some length of which
the Act was only obtained in the present session of Par-
liament), and of this viaduct, notwithstanding the fact of
the foundation stone having been postponed till the pre-
sent time, are in a very forward state, one of the arches
of the viaduct, and many of those on other parts of the
line, being already up to the springing poiut.—Nanchts-
ter 7 in/es.
OPENING OF THE BOROUGHBRIDGE BRANCH or
THE YORK AND NEWCASTLE. This branch was

opened on Thursday. Its length is 5a miles, end it forms
a junction with the Gnat North of England Railway on
Pill Moor, south of the Sessay station. Leavinz the
parent line it takes a westerly direction across Pill Moor,
an extensive waste, the junction being on a curse of
forty chains radius, the line runs nearly on a level, and
Shen proceeds on a straight line on towards Brafferton.
where there is an ample station in course of erection.
Passing this station a cutting is entered, in length about
one•third of a mi e, through a loose sand and gravel
strata, the extreme depth being 36 feet- The high road
from Brafferton to Thornton Bridge is carried over the
railway in the cutting by a handsome viaduct of three
arches. On emerging from the cutting a very beautiful
country opens out to the view, the line immedately
approaching and crossing the river Swale, over which
it is carried is a noble stone bridge of three
arches, each of fifty feet span. This is a skew bridge at
an angle of 201 degrees. The village and beautiful
church of Brafferton present, from this point, a beautiful
view in the rear of the traveller. After the Swale has
been passed, the line again takes the level, and proceed-
ing pi rtectly straight, it traverses a beautitul and lux-
uriant country. After crossing the highway from Kirby
Hill to My ton, the line then takes a curve, of three quar-
tets of a mile radius to the south, end then proceeds
straieht for about 400 yards, passing Milby on the right,
with the truly historical town of Aidborough on the left,
then taking a curve of three •fourths of a mile radius to
the north. it terminates in a straight run of about 300
yards to Boroughbridge station. Excepting the Braf-
ferton cutting and the works at and in connexion with
the Swale bridge, the entire line is nearly on the level,
and has been of mo-t easy constructior. It open..
out' a connexion with a very important agri-
cultural district, of which the ancient town of
Boroughbridge, the residence of Andrew Lawson, Esq.,
M.P., is in the centre. The station is situate within 200
yards of the magnificent bridge, being on the wirth side
of the town, in the township of Langthrope, on Earl de
Grey's estate. It is 159 feet long, and designed by G.
T. Andrews, Esq., of York. It is in the Grecian style
of architecture, with an elegant arcade in front. The
fabric, is of brickwork, with stone dressings, and it
comprises first and second class waiting rooms, booking
offices, station-master's apartments, and other conve-
nir nces. There are also immediately adjacent an engine-
house, merchandise warehouse, cattle dock, carriage
landings, &c., the whole establishment comprising an
area of about seven acres. The works at the stations
have been executed by Messrs. Burton, of London. The
contractor of the line was Mr. Richard Cail, of New-
castle. The resident engineer was Mr. Joseph Stephen-
son. The opening day was one of great moment to the
inhabitants of Boroughbride, and the town band attended
each train to the junction.

THE HARVEST—POTATO CROP.—AII the reports
of the grain crops are most favourable, and nine out of
ten of the accounts of the potato are of the same gratify-
ing character, especially those which have reached us
just now. In the county of Carlow, for instance, we are
assured that potato fields that had been considered
affected, three weeks ago, appear quite flourishing, and
a notion begins to prevail that there had been no real
ground for alarm—in fact, that the blight of the two past
years has not yet made its appearance at all. We must,
however, mention, that a communication has been re-
ceived from one of the most experienced farmers, and
certainly the most extensive potato cultivator in the
midland counties, expressing fears for the safety of the
general crop, and stating that signs of disease have
appeared in the roots and stalks in his fields.—Dublin
Evening Post.
TILE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.-...Mr. C. R. Wold, a
connexion of Sir J. Franklin, states that all the alarm
which has been created respecting the Arctic adventurers
is groundless. " Sir John," be says, " was provisioned
for the summer of 1848, and when he sailed no one con-
templated hearing from him earlier than October or No-
vember, 1847, unless some unforeseen accident should
compel his earlier return. If he succeeds in passing
Behring's Straits at the end of August, or in September
or October, 1847, we shall not kern his success earlier
than January or February, 1848. There is, therefore,
no cause as yet for flying to his rescue. His absence
has not yet equalled that of Sir E. Parry on his second
voyage; and there does not, in fact, exist at the present
moment more reason for apprehension than there was
when the expedition sailed. The not having heard from
Sir John is to be looked upon as more an earnest of
success than of failure."
REDUCTION IN TUE PRICE OF BREAD.—Tuesday
there was a general reducti n of one halfpenny in the
price of the 41b. loaf throughout the different metropo-
litan districts, the high-priced bakers charging 11d.,
second quality 91i-d., household 9d. and Sid. the 41b. loaf;
rye bread is 7d. the loaf, and Indian corn 2d. the lb.
CONSECRATION OF THE NEW COLONIAL BISHOPS.
—Tuesday the four new Bishops of Melbourne, Ade•
laide, Cape Town, and Newcastle were publicly conse-
crated in Westminster Abbey, previous to their depar-
ture for their respective dioceses, in the presence of a
numerous assemblage of persons.

0111 Mk,

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF COMMONS, June 30.
The SPEAKER took the chair at Twelve o'clock.
SECOND READING.
Dollar Institution (Mylne's or al-Nabb's) Estate lii
VAS read a second time, end ordered to be committed.
REPORT.
The report on the Southampton Gas Bill was brougL
up and agreed to.
THIRD READINGS.
The following Bills were read a third time and passed
—Bingley Improvement Hodgson Hinde's Estate
Legh's Estate ; South Devon Railway Extension am
Amendment; Wolverhampton Cemetery; Constantine's
Estate; and Leigh's Estate.
LORDS AMENDMENTS.
The amendments made by the House of Lords to the
following Bills were considered and agreed to:—
Boston, Stamford, and Birmingham Railway (Peter
borough and Thorney- Line).
Derbyshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire Junction
Railway.
Dundee and Newtyle Railway.
Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ardrossan Railway:(Amend-
ment, Deviations, aid Branches).
Liverpool, Crosby, and Southport Railway and Branch).
London and North• Western Railway (Newport Pagnell,
Olney, and Wellineborough Branch).
London and North-Western Railway (Atherstone aid
Whitacre Branch).
London and North-Western Railway (Coventry and
Nuneaton Branches).
London and South-Western Railway (Andcvcr to the
Bishopatoke and Salisbury Branch, &c.)
Parkgate and Chester and Birkenhead Junction Railway.
North Staffordshire Railway (Alterations and Branches).
South Wales Railway.
THE SURREY AND KENT COMMISSION OF
SEWERS BILL.
Mr. KEMBLE moved the third reading of this Bill.
Mr. BARNARD opposed the motion, and moved that
the Bill be read a third time that day six months. There
was no necessity for the measure, and he did not see
why it should pass into a law.
Mr. KEMBLE could assure the House there was
great necessity for the measure, and be believed every-
body but the Hon. Member in Committee were unani-
mous in favour of the Bill.
Mr. HAWES said that many of the objections he bad
entertained to the measure had been removtd, and
trusted that the Hon. Member for Greenwich would not
persevere in his opposition to the Bill.
Mr. BARNARD withdrew his amendment, and the
Bill was read a third time and passed.
SPANISH BONDS.
Lord G. BENTINCK gave notice that, cn Tuesday
next, he would move that an humble address be pre-
sented to her Majesty, praying that she would be gra-
ciously pleased to direct such steps to be taken as would
secure to the holders of unpaid Spanish bonds redress
against the Government of Spain.
THIRD READINGS.
The Masters in Chancery and the Naval, Military,
and Militia Ballot Suspension Bills were severally read
a third time and passed. They stood on the list of
dropped orders.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL gave notice that, on Friday
next, he would proceed with the Bill for the suspension
of the navigation-laws, at twelve o'clock, and as a great
portion of the private business had been disposed of, he
proposed that the public business should commence in
future at half-past four.
NAVIGATION LAWS AND FOREIGN CORN.
Lord G. BENTINCK said, that on Monday last he
had put a question to the Chancellor of the Exchequer
relative to a return that had been made to the House
with respect to the quantity of foreign corn imported
since the suspension of the navigation-laws. That
return gave a total of 538 vessels, which were stated to
bring in 95,000 tons of provisions. Now it appeared to
him, and to the half of the country, to be a most myste-
rious return, and he wished to have some explanation
with regard to it.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER defended
the accuracy of the return, and read the following ex-
tract from a letter of Sir T. Fremantle with reference to
it We are prepared to maintain that the ships, so
far as London goes, do mean foreign ships bringing corn,
which could not have brought it but for the suspension
`of the navigation-laws. The return for •Lotidbn was
136 ships ; tonnage, 8,757 ; quarters of corn and rice,
72,846 ; and bags of rice, 9,160." And he believed the
returns from other places were equally accurate. He
was quite sure, however, that his Noble Friend would
not postpone the second reading of the Bill for the
further suspension of the navigation-laws till the returns
were amended, even supposing they were inaccurate.
Lord GEORGE BENTINCK said that the returns
might be investigated, and a report made in a few days.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that the object of the
return was to show the operation of the suspension of the
navigation-laws, but whatever might be the case with
regard to the importation of corn, as stated in the return,
he did not propose to postpone the Bill for the further
suspension of the navigation-laws till the Ist March.
ABUSES OF THE RELIEF FUND IN IRELAND.
Sir DENHAM NORREYS called attention to the
report furnished by the Relief Commissioners, in which
it was stated that in some of the electoral divisions a
greater amount of relief was actually charged than bad
been expended. This ought to be looked into, because,
if true, it was highly disgraceful to Ireland, and if not
true, then he called upon the Government to take mea
sures to set this right before the world. He called upon
them to lay upon the table full extracts, to show how the
relief fund had been expended, in order that they might
lay this disgraceful transaction at the door of the proper
owners.
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that the name of Sir John
Burgoyne was appended to this report, and that alone
was a sufficient warrant for its authenticity. lie re-
gretted that the fact of these disgraceful transactions
should have been so well established, but he denied that
the report of the Commissioners was intended to convey
a sweeping charge against the gentry of Ireland. So
far from that being the case, Sir John Burgoyne and his
colleagues, in many of their reports, distinctly wished
it to be understood that they believed that the
abuses which did exist were the exception, and not the
rule. The Hon. Baronet sought a general investi-
gation into the whole operation of the relief fund, in
order that they might understand who had done their
duty and who had not. He could not recommend to the
Government to accede to this suggestion, the effect of
which would be to set neighbour against neighbour,
priest against layman, the common people against the
gentry. He trusted that his explanation would be satis-
factory. and that the House would deem it necessary
not to sustain the suggestion of the Hon. Member for
Mallow.
Mr. B. OSBORNE said that if the explanation of
the Right Hon. Gentleman was satisfactory to the Hon.
Baronet the Member for Mallow, he (Mr. Osborne)
trusted that it would not be satisfactory to the House.
The Right Hon. Gentleman had tried, with great
ingenuity, to prove that the reports of the Relief Cim-
missioners were intended to compliment the people of
Ireland, and the impression which was conveyed to his
(Mr. Osborne's) mind was, that the whole was intended
as an insult to that country, and sorry be was to see that
to these reports an Irishman's name was appended. The
Government had acted throughout in a wrong manner,
for they had sent down to different parts of the country
to report upon them, officers just returned from India,
and other parts of the world, who were absolutely igno-
rant of the districts they were to report upon. If gen-
tlemen in Ireland were supposed to be guilty, the Go-
vernment ought to institute a rigid inquiry into the cir-
cumstances, in order that those who were guilty of these
things might be held up to reprobation.
Mr. ROSS was afraid that they were guilty of these
practices.—(Hear, hear) There were, doubtless, many
gentlemen in Ireland who exhibited great generosity;
but there were others who placed their dometic servants
upon the funds of the Relief Committee, and for the
purpose of securing their rents, exerted their influence
to get their own tenantry upon the same lists. Bnt be-
cause he believed that this was true, he was the more
inclined to support his lion. Friend's motion, and to
pray the Government to sift the matter to the bottom.
Mr. BERNAL said he could hardly believe that many
landowners were in the habit of placing their servants
for support on the sums voted by that House, still from
information he had received he believed that such prac-
tices did prevail, and he should support any Hon.
Member who would move for the production of the
names of those who had neglected their duties.
Lord CLEMENTS drew a picture of the sufferings
of the destitute Irish poor from famine, and blamed the
Government for not having attended to his advice
at the beginning of the session—not to entrust the
responsibility of selecting who should be relieved and
who should not be relieved to a local board and commis-
sioners. He thought the Government had acted
not only improperly but criminally in passing
a Bill which did not properly define who
should be relieved and who should not. The
name of Sir John Burgoyne could not be men-
tioned in that House without respect—(Hear, hear)—
but Sir W. Rolfe, Colonel Jones, Mr. Twizelden, the
Poor-law Commissioner, and Colonel Macgregor, at the
head of the police department, who had instituted secret
inquiries by the aid of constables, had had more work
assigned to them in either department than they could
adequately perform, and consequently they could not give
that attention to the starving masses which theydemanded.
Far more blame was attributable to the law than to the
landed gentry of Ireland. He considered that the Irish
Poor-law could not be carried out, and would not, there-
fore, be of the advantage claimed for it.
Mr. LABOUCHERE said whenever the Noble Lord
thought proper to bring forward any charges against
Colonel Macgregor, who was an able and intelligent
officer, he should be ready to meet them.
Mr. AGLIONBY considered that the Government
had acted properly, considering the great responsibility
which had been cast upon them. He thought that some
further inquiry was necessary, as the charges
which had been made should not rest upon
mere allegations. He regretted, therefore, that
the Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Labouchere)
had declined to produce the papers. It was but just to
the. parties that they should produced, in order that
F innocent might be discriminated from the guilty.
The Commissioners could not be blamed, as they were
placed in the most difficult circumstances, and were com-
pelled to rely upon the statements of subordinates.—
(Hear.) The members of many of the Relief Com
littees had been charged with fraud and favouritism,
and an
inquiry was, therefore, due to Ireland, as well as
to England.—(Hear.)
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said it would be seen by the
report that the distribution of rations amounted to
between three and five millions daily ; and, looking at
thhe ediffi ?t duties the relief committee had to perform,
could not help thinking that a groat degree of credit
was due to them for the systematic manner in which they
had fulfilled their functions.
several
than was to be expected from the magnitude of the system

-of relief. It was asked, why not have a general inquiry?
He confessed that he did not think a general inquiry-
would be productive of good—a general inquiry over all
Ireland, to ascertain who had and who had n per-
formed their duties with regularity and efficiency in
the relief committees, would give rise to a
good deal of amongst the gentry, would
necessarily lead to acrimonious statements and counter-
statements, and he therefore did not think it at all ex-
pedient to institute a general inquiry into the conduct of
the magistracy throughout Ireland. It would be much
better, he thought, to leave. it to the officers of the
Executive Government to eradicate these abuses than to
resort to a general inquiry. He could not sit
down without referring to what had fallen from
the Noble Lord opposite, who designated the
system of relief afforded by the Government as a general
scramble. No doubt many of the landed proprietors of
Ireland had erroneously looked upon it in that light,
and had felt that they were justified in availing them-
-elves of its aid to the utmost extent.
Lord CLEMENTS said he described the relief to be
a general scramble, because the Governmei t did not
define the parties who were to be entitled to relief.
Lord J. RUSSELL did not think the Noble Lord
had mended his statement a$ all by the explanation
ho had just given, but he would not pursue the sub-
ject further, and he would sit down, expressing his
belief that generally the magistracy and gentry of Ire-
land had performed their duty with cheerfulness and
efficiency.--(Hear, hear.)
Mr. HAMILTON was unwilling to throw any blame
whatever upon the Relief Commissioners for publishing
these charges, but they ought to have pointed out by
name the parties who bad been guilty of the dereliction
of duty complained if. He was, however, not disposed
to support a proposition for a general inquiry, but he
would gladly support any motion which should have the
effect of supplying them with further information on
this painful subject.
Atter a few words from Mr. WILLIAMS,
Sir R. FERGUSON said it was difficult to recon-
cile the report of the Commissioners with the letters of
Sir John Burgoyne, and he thought, therefore, that
the suggestion of the Hon. Baronet the Member for
Mallow ought to be agreed to.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. I'. BORTHWICK also thought it was the duty
of the Government to supply the House with further
information of the charges of the Commissioners.
The subject then dropped.
MESSAGE FROM THE LORDS.

Messengers from the Lords brought down several Bills.

MINES AND COLLIERIES BILL.

Sir G. GREY expressed a hope that before going into
the order of the day for the second reading, the Hon.
Member who had charge of the Bill would not press it
upon the House then, for many lion. Members had left
town upon the understanding that the Bill would not be
proceeded with in the present session. The Govern-
ment intended in the course of the ensuing session to
take measures to prevent the frequent occurrence of
accidents which took place in these mines and collieries.

Mr. T. S. DUNCOMBE said that he was very
anxious that this Bill should be read a second
time, even if it should proceed no further, for it
was one in which a very large and influential
body of gentlemen in this country took great
interest. Many accidents—and those of the most serious
nature—were constantly taking place, and he did think
that it was quite time that some interference on the part
of the Government was put in force. In many of these
instances it had been proved that these accidents arose
from neglect, and from the waist of a proper system of
inspection on the part of the Government. Besides this
evil, it was well known that the grossest impositions
were practised upon the men, by a system of making
them work by measure instead of weight, and this was
particularly the case in Staffordshire and Lanca-
shire. The Acts which had been framed to
supersede the payment of wages at a public house had
been evaded by putting the men in classes, and paying
them by a money order, which they would only get
changed at the public-house, and by each man paying a
certain sum for beer, as the charge fur changing the money
order. He could see no reason why an adequate protection
should not be afforded to the labourers in mines as well as
to the labourers in factories. He hoped that the House
and the Government would allow this Bill to be read a
second time, as its rejection would disappoint a great
number of the industrious labourers of Great Britain.
Colonel, SIBTHORP had had great satisfaction in
hearing tha Speech of the lion. Gentleman, and be only.
regretted that, in spite of all the opposition offered by the
Government, he did not trust to the support of the
House, which would carry the measure through all its
stages. The Hon. Member had brought before them
the accidents which were liable to take place in
mines and collieries; he might have added to these the
accidents which had taken place, and were daily taking
place on railways, and if the Government refused to in-
vestigate the causes of these accidents, he could only
say that it would prove his opinion correct, that they
were utterly unworthy of the position they occupied.
Ile tendered his thanks to the Hon. Member for Fins-
bury for his Bill as far as it went, but he should have
wished that he had carried its provisions further. He
did not always agree with the Hon. Member for Fins-
bury, but where the interests of the people were con-
cerned he trusted he had never been found backward in
coming forward.—(Laughter.)
Mr. LIDDELL felt called upon by a sense of
duty to move that the Bill be read a second
time that day three months. He was not less
anxious than the Honourable Member for Finsbury
to adopt measures which would prevent accidents in mines
and collieries, but he would wish that measures for that
purpose should be introduced by proper authority. This
Bill of the Hon. Member's was one of the most ridiculous
in its provisions that it had ever been his fortune to see,
and it required no great discernment to see that the Hun.
Member had made the accidents that might happen in
mines and collieries the peg on which to hang; measures
for the furtherance of his other objects. The Bill pro-
vided that three inspectors should have the power of
superintending the working of mines and collieries in
England, to examine into petitions, and to exercise
a very extended authority under the operation
of this Bill. Now there were three great coal
fields in England—the Northumberland and Durham,
the Staffordshire and part of Yorkshire, and the Welsh
coal-fields, and there was, besides, the extensive coal-
fielis of Scotland. If Scotland was to be taken into
consideration, one of these districts would require to be
a supernumerary one. He was unprovided with docu-
ments, and could not, therefore, say at that moment
what was the number of mines and collieries in Eng-
land, but he believed that in Northumberland and Dur-
ham alone there were between two and three hun-
dred. Could it be expected that one gentle-
man could pay that attention to this district which
was contemplated by the Bill? The other portions of the
Bill wore equally defective. He thought that the course
to be adopted would have been to have a Select Com-
mittee appointed on the subject • then, when they had
certain and established facts before them, the Govern-
ment could bring in a Bill which would receive the at-
tention of the House, and be calculated to be of some
real utility. He would more as an amendment that the
Bill be read a second time that day three months.
Mr. BERNAL said, that whatever absurdity was in
the Bill, as the Right Hon. Gentleman who had just
sat down had stated, it could be remedied in Committee.
He did not think that the number of commissioners ap-
pointed should form the entire ingredient in the conside-
ration. The Bill was intended to give protection
to the lives, limbs, and fortunes of those who were
engaged in these mines and collieries, and he thought
that an attempt to remove the causes of those accidents,
which were of such frequent occurrence in these places,
was deserving of their best attention. He did not think,
however, that it would be of any use in his Hon. Friend
to pre-s on the Bill to a Committee this session, but he
was of opinion that he had acted rightly in bringing it
before the House, as it would attract public attention to
the subject, and be the means of getting a measure passed
with reference to these evils in a future Parliament.
Sir G. GREY said that his Hon. Friend who had just
sat down asked what peril would there be in reading the
Bill a second time? He (Sir G. Grey) asked of what
advantage it would be to read it a second time if it
proceeded no further ? (Hear, hear.) The Go-
vernment were fully alive to the importance of the
subject, but he did not think it right that they
should interfere so sweepingly as this Bill pro-
posed to do, for they would' be entirely preventing those
who were most interested in the prevention of those acci-
dents from adopting such steps as it was their duty to
take, and as they would take, in the absence of legislation.
Ile begged the House to suspend its decision on the Bill
at present, as he believed such a course would lead to
great public advantage, and while he admitted the duty of
some Parliamentary interference, he thought the course
he proposed would be the most judicious one under pre-
sent circumstances.

Mr. BECKETT DENISON was not opposed to the
principles of the Bill, but would suggest to the lion.
Member for Finsbury to adopt the suggestion of the
Right Lion. Baronet the Home Secretary, and withdraw
the Bill for the present.
Lord HARRY VANE concurred in that suggestion;
for, by those means, time would be given for more
mature consideration and more deliberate inquiry; and
by believed his Hon. Friend would exercise a wise dis-

eretiou in adopting it.
Mr. WAKLEY did not know how his Hon. Colleague
could adopt that suggestion. Every one admitted the
principle of the Bill, and yet, because it related to the
interests of the House, there was an extraordinary hesi-
tation manifested to incur the expense of carrying it
into effect. If a Noble Lord lost his life by an explosion
in a mine, he believed it would cause such a sensation
that legislation would take place with regard to such
accidents in the earliest part of the next session' and he
was not sure but that it would not be mentioned in the
speech from the throne.—(Laughter.) He thought they
should not hesitate a moment to legislate upon this
subject, for the cause of humanity demanded it. It was
said there was not time to consider it. He would ask
why there was not time? He saw no necessity for the
House rising on any particular day, and he trusted that
this plea of want of time would not be made with regard
to this measure.
Mr. NEWDEG ATE thought the subject was too im-
portant to be disposed of at the close of the session when
there was not time to discuss it properly, and he quite
concurred with the Hon. Baronet the Home Secretary
in the propriety of withdrawing it fur the present.
Mr. AGLIONBY did not agree with the observations
of the Hon. Gentleman the Member for Finsbury. If
the Government and the coalowners opposed the Bill
the Hon. Gentleman would be placed in a must
unfortunate position. He thought, therefore, as no
good could arise from proceeding with it in
the present session, that it would be better to
withdraw it, and that the Government and the Hon.
Gentlemen should well consider and revise the measure
during the recess, and bring it forward in an amended
state next session. He had withdrawn the Medical
Registration Bill notwithstanding so many petitions bad
, been presented in favour of it, and he could only regret
I that, on this occasion, he did not adopt a similar course.
P. LIOWAIID alao considered that the lion.

Gentleman should withdraw the Bill. At the same time
he considered that the mines ought to be subjected to a
more rigid supervision ; and ag this could only be done
properly by the Government, he trusted that they
would support the principle of the Bill, and if he 11,13 a
seat in the next session, he promised them his earnest
support.
Mr. FORSTER considered the Bill a most absurd one.
Everything that science or art could supply had been
taken advantage of by the owners of mines for the pur-
pose of protecting those in their employ from injury.
They were not to blame, because nineteen out of every
twenty accidents that occurred were caused by the care-
lessness of the workpeople themselves, and how could he
prevent by this Bill carelessness on the part of
workmen? Whenever an accident occurred the owners
of mines lust several thousands pounds, and this was
surely far greater punishment, if they were guilty of
neglect, than the fine of 1001. Coalowners did not obj( ct
to inquiry.—(Einar.) In fact, he thought that inquiry was
necessary in order to set the public mind right in the matter.
But if any interference was necessary it should be in
the hands of the Government.--(Hear.)
Mr. B. OSBORNE said if the Government weuld
give a pledge that they would bring in a Bid on the
subject, no doubt the Hon. Gentleman would vvithclrave
his Bill.
Sir GEORGE GREY admitted that interference was
necessary, and that it might be advisable to recommend
legislative measures on the subject. The subject had
received the attention of the Government, and would
continue to receive their attention ; and if, en inquiry,
they found that legislative measures were necessary, the
Government would bring theta forward. Many of the
coalowners had shown the utmost desire to aid the
inquiries of the Government.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said it appeared that he had
to contend against a great body of coalowners, against
nearly as large and as powerful a body as the cotton
lords.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member for Durham
(Mr. Liddell) ridiculed his Bill, but he represented the
coalowners—he was a coal-field in himself—(Laughter)
—but when he did so he ridiculed the report of the
inspectors appointed to investigate the causes which had
led to the loss of 73 lives in the Barnsley colliery, who
recommended such a measure as the one he had brought
forward. He had only done his duty in introducing the
Bill; it contained no extravagant provisions, although
some parties might think so. After the statements of
the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the Home De-
partment he would cheerfully leave the measure in the
hands of the Government.
The Bill was then withdrawn.
LUNATICS BILL.
Mr. I'. DUNUUMBE moved the second reading of
the Lunatics Bill.
Sir G. GREY trusted that the Hon. Member for
Finsbury would not press this Bill at the present moment,
as it contained provisions so absurd that the Hon.
Member himself would object to be a party to them. It
proposed, among other things, to place the care of luna-
tics in the hands of the bishops.—(Laughter.)
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE must confess that he was not
so confident with respect to this Bill as to the last, but
still the measure contained some excellent provi-
sions, and such as he felt convinced were much
required. No one could doubt that the present
lunacy law was most defective, and that under it many
persons were confined as lunatics who were no lunatics
at all. The present Bill was intended to amend the
law, but he was afraid that at the present
period of the session it would be useless to press the
measure. He should, however, keep his eyes fixed on
the commissioners under the present law, and if he
was a Member of the House in another session, he should
introduce a similar measure.
Lord SEYMOUR defended the conduct of the com-
missioners.
Mr. WAKLEY thought his Hon. Colleague had
acted wisely in withdrawing the measure, and his only
wonder was where he got it.—(Laughter.) The idea
of placing the lunatics of the country under
the care of the bishops was absurd.—(Laughter.)
It was well known that religion often caused insanity.
He was ready to admit that in some, nay in a great
number of instances, lunatics had been improperly, if not
cruelly treated, but he thought nothing of the sort had
occurred since the present law was in existence.
He thought that private lunatic asylums were objection-
able, and he hoped shortly to see the day when they
would Ise abolished altogether.
Mr. V. SMITH said that the paid commissioners
under the present law had ever since their appointment
had their time constantly employed in visiting lunatic
asylums, and he believed had, by their great exertions,
effected considerable improvement. He agreed that the
sooner private lunatic asylums were abolished the better.
The Bill was then withdrawn.
SEDUCTION AND PROSTITUTION SUPPRES-
SION BILL.
Mr. SPOONER moved the further consideration of
the report on this Bill.
Mr. C. BERKELEY asked the Secretary of State for
the Home Department if he allowed this Bill to pass ?
Sir GEORGE GREY said it was not his intention to
offer any opposition to the Bill.
The report was then agreed to, and the Bill ordered to
be engrossed.
HOLYHEAD HARBOUR BILL.
On the question being put for going into Committee
on this Bill,
Mr. WILLIAMS expressed a hope that the Bill
would not be persevered in during the present session,
because it would involve a useless expenditure of public
money, without producing the desirable object the pro-
moters of the measure had in view. He begged to move
that this Bill be committed that day three months.
Mr. WARD said that he should very shortly answer
his lion. Friend, for really the subject had been so re-
peatedly discussed, that it would be unnecessary to tres-
pass at any length on the House. It had been proved that
the harbour was a good one, and from the reports of the
engineers, he believed that the termination of the ope-
rations would be satisfactory to the public. Those evils
which had been complained of by the Hon. Member
were founded in error, and perhaps existed only in his
imagination.
The gallery was then cleared for a division.
On our re-admission we found—
For the motion
For the amendment
Majority for going into Committee —Bl
The House then went into Committee upon the Bill.
The various clauses were agreed to, and the Bill was
ordered to be reported to-morrow.
THE WELLINGTON STATUE.
Lord G. BENTINCK wished to put a question of
some importance to the public, and which, he believed,
that every man in the country would feel interested in.
He wished to know whether the Noble Lord and her
Majesty's Government had not the strongest reason
for knowing that the removal of the statue from the
arch, and the retractation of her Majesty's grant of that
site for it, would be in the highest degree distasteful,
and be felt even as an indignity to the illustrious per-
sonage, whose great military deeds it was the intention
of those who subscribed to that memorial to comtne •
morate.
Lord J. RUSSELL—I certainly received information
from a gentleman who called upon me in Downing-street,
that the Duke of Wellington had expressed to him in a
letter that the removal of the statue from the arch would
be considered by others as injurious to his reputation—
or words somewhat to that effect. The letter
was written a considerable time ago— in
February—and since that time her Majesty has
been pleased to order not only that a more fitting
pedestal should be placed for the statue whenever this
House should grant the funds, but also that
whenever this House does grant the funds for that
purpose, that the arch should be ornamented after
the more approved manner in which triumphal arches
were formerly ornamented, and ornamented in honour of
the Duke of Wellington, and, in fact, to make it an arch
dedicated to that illustrious personage. I cannot suppose
that the Duke of Wellington can any longer entertain
the feelings which he has expressed in that letter.
Lord G. BENTINCK begged also to ask the Noble
Lord whether he had not seen, under the hand of that
illustrious personage, since the time when that noti-
fication was given to that House. an intimation
to which he (Lord G. Bentinck) had before referred,
and whether he did not know that a letter had been
written, which left no doubt that the feeling of that
illustrious individual was that the arch should remain
unchanged.
Lord J. RUSSELL said that since the intimation re-
ferred to by his Noble Friend had been first received
from the Duke of Wellington upon this subject, they
had received no further intimation of the feelings
of the Noble Duke ; and, in fact, he did not
himself believe that such was at present the feeling
of the Noble Duke. It was always in the power
of any person to ask the Duke of Wellington what were
his feelings upon the subject, but he believed that the
Noble Duke would consent to that site being made for
the statue which her Majesty's Government thought
most fit for it.
Mr. Wakley, Mr. Hume, and Mr. Newdegate ex-
pressed their belief that it was the opinion of the public
that the statue should be allowed to remain where it
was. The subject then dropped.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of,
and the House adjourned at Six o'clock.

THE " NO-HOUSE" ON TUESDAY.
The following Members were present when the Speaker
took the chair, and the House stood adjourned in conse-
quence of there not being 40 Members present :
Barnard. Greene.
Thornely. Hamilton.
Brotherton. Pattison.
Duncan. Christie.
Bowring. Ward.
Htndley. Wakley.
R. Yorke. Trelawny.
Kemble.

_ -
FATAL ACCIDENT ON WESTMINSTER-BRIDGE.—
An inquest was held on Tuesday by Mr.Bedtord, at the
Red Lion, Princes-street, Westminster, on the body of
Charles Barnett, aged 63, clerk to a wine merchant.
The evidence went to show that about nine o'clock on
Friday morning last a cart laden with timber and drawn
by one horse, belonging to Mr. Chamberlain, of the Bel-
vedere-road,LAmbeth, was crossing Westminster bridge,
when. in passing a distiller's waggon, the horse became
restive, in consequence of a loud rattling of tins on the
vehicle. The driver, who had hold of tho animal's
bridle, did all in his power to stop and quiet it without
effect, and at length, overpowered, he let go his hold of
the animal, which ran on to the footpath on the left hand
side cf the bridge. The deceased, who was walking
along, was knocked down by the shaft, and the off
wheel passed over both his legs. He was conveyed to
the Westminster Hospital, having received a compound
fracture of the left thigh; he sank and died on Saturday
evening from the shock arising from the accident. It
was stated this was the second person who had been
killed by the same horse, but there was nothing to show
that the animal was anywise viciously inclined. Verdict,
" Accidental death."