The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON WEDNESDAY MORVINC APR

sweessemess.
the Government would have any objection to furnish
the particular minute under which that regulation
.was
made ?
Mr. WARD said, that the Treasury had the regulas
Lion of the coast guard ; and asked if the Hon. Member
of
had t
hany
authoritiescomplaint
.Such
t o
eahk with regardregulation
dtiode
thei
sct own
hd
eurcet
passengers wished to land with their luggage, before a
proper examination had been made.
Mr. HUDSON did not complain of any particular
incivility ; he only wished to know whether such an
authority existed ?
Mr. WARD said that such a regulation, under the
circumstances he had mentioned, did exist, and the
coast guard were only in the performance of an order
which was enforced all round the coast.
ROYAL COMMISSION.
Sir Augustus Clifford, the usher of the black rod,
here appeared at the table, and summoned the House to
the bar of the House of Peers, to hear the royal assent
given by commission to several Bills (for which see
Lords' report.)
PUBLIC WORKS, IRELAND.
Mr. CORNELIUS O'BRIEN moved that the returns
relating to the Extraordinary Sessions held in and for
the several baronies of the county of Clare, and works
consequent thereon [ordered 9th March] ; and the re-
turn relating to Pu _lic Works (Ireland), and proceed.
ings of Liscannon Committee [ordered 20th April] ;
and that relating to presentmentassed at Corofin, in
the county of Clare [ordered same day], be made forth
with.—Agreed to.
CASE OF CAPTAIN WYNNE.
Major MACNAMARA moved that the petition from
Kilmurry, for inquiry into the conduct of Capt. Wynne,
be printed with the votes, and referred to the Select
Committee on Capt. Wynne's Letters.—Agreed to.
HONORARY MEDALS FOR THE TWEED.
Sir W. JAMES said that he had presented a petition
some days ago for leave to compete for the honorary
medals to be given for the relief of the Tweed.
Lord J. RUSSELL said that a communication had
been made to the Lords Commissioners of the Ad-
miralty, and that the matter was in the hands of Mr.
Wyon, who was usually considered a competent and
satisfactory authority.
NAVY ENLISTMENT BILL.
Sir C. NAPIER said that regulations had been a ale
for the manning of our mercantile marine, which is now
by far the most extensive in the world, but no provision
whatever had been made for the enlistment for the navy.
We had now 6,379 ships above a hundred tons, com-
prising 189,569 tons ; 11,017 vessels under that rate,
comprising 1,355,000 tons, besides 367 registered steam-
vessels, comprising 8,838 tons ; for while there were
some vague provisions—while in the navy we have 100
sail of the line, beside a proportionate number of frigates
and other smaller vessels, not including more than 150
steam vesiels of war, in France there was the system
of conscription and inscription, by the latter of
which every person competent to serve was known,
and by the former it was arranged that every
man in the province was obliged to serve for five
years in the army. There was some similar
provision in Sweden, Russia, and every other country in
Europe except Denmark. But in this country, the
greatest mercantile country in the world, there was
no provision lwhatever till the Bills were introduced
by the lion. Baronet the Member for Dorchester.
The Right Hon. Gentleman at the head of the Admi-
ralty did not pass the Bill without considerable difficulty.
There was a great opposition to the Bill at the time, but
still in the end it was passed. He remembered that a
short time before the Right Hon. Baronet brought his Bill
forward he addressed a letter to Lord Althorp, request-
ing him to introduce some measure into Parliament upon
this subject, but the only answer he received was, that his
Lordship was extremely anxious that the system of im-
pressment should be made fixed; but it was impossble
to bring the subject forward in the House of Commons,
as but few Members took any interest in it. Yet, not-
withstanding that declaration, the Right Hon. the Mem-
ber for Dorchester brought in his Bill and succeeded in
carrying it. In the session before last the Right Hon.
Gentleman the Member for Wiltshire brought forward his
Bill for improving the Registration Bill, and that was also
carried through the House, but not without considerable
difficulty. Now, if people would only have patience
until the registration of seamen was complete, he had
not the slightest doubt that they would find the Bill
turn out to be of great importance. He would now
take a glance at the provisions of the Bill. It would
appear that it gave Government authority to issue a
proclamation calling upon all seamen in Great Britain
and Ireland to come forward within five days from the
date of the proclamation to enter the navy. That was,
they were to be allowed five days to volunteer, but if
they did not volunteer within that period, they would be
liable to be impressed. At sea the man was only allowed
half-an-hour to make up his mind—rather sharp practice.
The power the Queen possessed at the present moment
he did not think was too mach or too little ; for in-
stance, suppose that they wished to increase their navy
by four or five sail of the line, it had been very clearly
proved in 1840 and 1841, when they were desirous of
increasing their navy in the Mediterranean, and bring-
ing it to a force of seventeen or eighteen sail of the line,
voluntary enlistment was then out of the question. None
of the ships in the Mediterranean could receive men from
England, because they were not to be had under any
circumstances. Three or four sail of the line, which
were in commission, were obliged to remain at Benin
for several months without their complement.
Even the guard-ships were inefficiently manned,
and a Gallant Admiral was called home to ar-
range some plan for obtaining the full complement
of men for the ships. Now the Bill of Sir James
Graham provided that the seamen were to be
called out by proclamation from the Queen, and that
they were to receive a double rating, and that all the
othlc
seamen actually in port, at the moment when the
proclamationnrt
omw theetaahs
means
rsvoseurfi toletrodioetfwa entfrli ene2
abh
noa bounty.
additionnt yoalso to receive a double
eGog
th3oevomerr,n3Footfmrmeenqa:ni
mag
nning
two or three ships, but by calling out all the seamen
employed in the merchant s • ervice, and paying them the
sum of 300,000/. or 400,000/. Any gentleman who chose to
take that matter LAO consideration would find it very in-
convenient for the Chancellor of the Exchequer to be
obliged, before he could raise even a single man, to ad-
vance pretty nearly half a minion of money. It must also
be inconvenient, when only two or three thousand
men were required, that they had to issue a pro-
clamation ; and in case it should be a popular war
and should the men feel a great disposition to come for-
ward themselves, as each man knew very well that upon
the expiration of five days if he did not come forward
be was subject to arrest, it was natural to suppose that
all these men had come forward in order to receive the
high bounty which would be given to them. In such a
case twenty or thirty thousand men might come
forward, and not only derange themselves but dis-
organise the whole mercantile marine of the country.
The Bill to which he called the attention of the House
would not be any such expense, it would rather be a
saving. The amendment which he had to propose was
one wich, in his opinion,
_ the Government ought to
agree with, and one which they ought to have intro-
duced themselves. It would have given him great satis-
faction if the Government had brought forward
the measure—(llesr, hear)—but as the Admiralty
had not done so, he felt it to be his duty
to introduce the measure himself. His proposition was,
that her Majesty should call out at any time, in peace or
war, by proclamation, whatever seamen might at any
time be required. They would have to be called on in
rotation, as they had been out of their apprenticeship, for
one, two, three,or four years. They should first try to gain
the number by voluntary means, but, when that failed,
then they should issue a proclamation, calling on those
who had been oue year released from their apprentice-
ship to come forward; then, if these were not sufficient,
call on those two years out, and so on. He
would not have any impressment, but he would
have it so ordered that no merchant ships should be
allowed to take any seamen who were thus called out
into their service. This might be called oppression,
and he admitted that it was, but it was
better oppression than the old system of oppression.
His object was to get a number of men as they might
be required for the services of the country, to be called
out by the Queen's proclamation, and thus pre-
vent the necessity of the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer from parting with a considerable sum of money.
In one of the ships in which he was engaged there was
employed to obtain men an officer who had named a ship
before he was born. He had succeeded admirably in re-
placing the men who wereabout to be discharged. He suc-
ceeded in his object, and when the new men came alongside
those who were to be discharged, he thought that there
were fourteen men. They went below to get their
traps, and their messmates went down to take leave of
them. Of course this was a long business. There
was a regular jollification, and when they came
up he believed that there were not more than six
men in the ship, besides the officers, who were not
more or less intoxicated; And as these, for some cause
or other, were engaged when it was necessary to bring
the ship to, the captain himself was obliged to go forward
to let go the anchor. Such was the case with every other
ship in the Downs, and he believed that, in the case of
another war,such a state of things would never be allowed.
He was quite csrtain this country would never tolerate
the system of impressment again. At all events, he
was certain the seamen would not stand it ; if they did,
all he could say of them was, that they would be great
fools. Then, with regard to pressing men on shore. In the
time of war a man could not walk about the streets of
London without being picked up. No man was safe, no-
body was respected, and had the Speaker himself hap-
pened to be walking near the docks, he would certainly
have been picked up. The House might have been
waiting for their Speaker while the Speaker himself
might have been caged up in the press-room of the
guard-ship anchored off the Tower. The men who
were pressed were denied the use of ink or paper, and
before he could find out where he had got
to, he was shipped off to the Nore.—(Hear.)
There was often what they called a hot press,
when the house of any man was entered by
these press-gangs, and men taken away from their
wives and families to foreign countries, when it might
be years before their friends heard of them. He had
endeavoured to show them the system of impressment
as it now existed. He trusted that the Government
would open theireyes to adopt some course which would in-
duce the men to enlist themselves. Even with all the induce-
ments they could use, they could not wholly succeed. A
north country sailor, who traded to Hull or to Newcas-
tle, regarded the service on board a man-of-war with
horror, and would not, on any persuasion, enter the navy.
He thought they ought to begin at once, and do some-
thing to alter the present condition of things. He be-
lieved that if this amendment were agreed to the seaman
would soon get accustomed to it, and it would
not be considered a hardship. It would place this
country in a position to meet any great emergency that
might arise. He thanked the House for the attention
given to him, and he would now down sit
by asking
have to introduce the Bill.
lip Wail) Patil tit hg would Rol oppoge tube

Whitehall Treasury Chambers, April 22, 1847.

tion of the Right Hon. Gentleman. He had a com-
munication from Lord Ashburton, who expressed him-
self very much in favour of a decimal system. He would
withdraw his motion.—(Hear, bear.)
RAILWAY PIERS AND_ HARBOURS (IRELAND)

troduction of the Bill ; he could not take upon himself
the responsibility of such a measure. It was a large
and a difficult subject, and the course proposed would
interfere with large private interests and commercial
enterprise. He wished as much as any one to see
some measure better calculated for the service than the
present law, still they ought not to do anything without
the fullest consideration. At the present stage of the
Bill he would not say further.
Leave was then given to introduce the 13111.
DECIMAL CURRENCY.
Dr. BOWRING then rose to move, that the adoption
of a decimal system of coinage currency and account
would be a great public convenience. That, in order to
give effect to this object, an humble address be presented
to her Majesty, requesting that she will be graciously
pleased to authorise the issue of coins representing the
value of two shillings, being the tenth of a pound ster-
Eng, and twopence and two-fifths, being the hun-
dredth part of a pound sterling, such coins
to be called Queens and Victorias, or any
other names which to her Majesty may seem beat.
The Hon. Member said that this country was almost the
only one which had not introduced the decimal system
into practice. It existed largely over Europe, and pre-
vailed over the whole continent of America. In his opi-
nion it was advisable that the pound sterling should be
divided into 1,000 parts, and with the assistance of two
new coins, he would be able to make the change without
at all interfering with the other pieces at present in use.
He proposed, therefore. in the gold coins, to retain the
sovereign and the half-sovereign ; in silver, he would
retain the crown, the half-crown, the shilling, and the
sixpence. He would then make the farthing to repre-
sent the thousandth part, the halfpenny to represent the
five-hundredth part, Red the penny the 250th part. As
the system now held, the sixpence represents the fortieth
part, the shilling the twentieth part, and he would,
therefore, require the assistance of a coin
that would represent the tenth part, and this he
would make of the value of two shillings, and
call it after the name of the Queen, in order
to distinguish it and note the time when the change
was made. This would be approaching to the system
of decimes, and he accordingly required pieces to
Somere q urepresent r
detfdohouarf
obtt
uhrti
stehi
rtenth
eann d
expressed th e h
respectingd re d t part h
hoef a
inconve-
nience
pound
g. thea
sslooa
ntstlmeyraalpibuoarupstoi
sveee4rubcaulol
ti nt
oi
ta
ts
hs thehoasut
Ipdwa
nhb
iiesc
hh
recol-
lectedrwinals:
and would pass like the Austrian florin—indeed, be no
more than the Saxon penny, which was in use till the
time of Edward 111. That coin was of the
weight of twenty grains during the time of
the Saxons, during the time of Edward the Con-
fessor, and up to the Conquest, its weight
was 221 grains. In the time of Edward I. it was 22
grains, and so remained until it fell in the time of
Edward 111. to 20 grains. The new coin which he
proposed would weigh 18 grains, so that no inconve-
nience would be felt for_ its size, and he believed that,
both the coins, especially the Victoria, would be
very useful in the exchange with the continent.
In most of the continental countries—in France, in
Lombardy, in Austria and Germany, Tuscany and the
Roman States, the decimal system had been adopted
and it hail not only been adopted with the greatest suc-
ces4, but it had drawn the strongest possible feeling in
its favour. This plan of decimals was in operation in
Switzerland. throughout the Zullverein, from the Baltic
to Kamskatcka, and from the Caspian and the Euxine to
the White Sea. It was the system adopted in the great
Chinese Empire. The Greeks, the Danes, the Portu-
guese, the United States of America, and the nations of
Central Ameriea, all bad embraced it. Nay, the Turks
and Persians had seen its utility, and incorporated it in
their currency. Such was the extent of the system
which he wished to see introduced here, and he would
now sit down by moving the resolutions which he had
just read.
Mr. HUME supported the motion. For the last 22
years the subject had been before the country, and it
was now high time that this decimal system should be
adopted. It would be the means of greatly facilitating
business, and if it were adopted, those who now kept
five clerks, would be saved the labour of one. No great
time could elapse till this change was made. He hoped
the Government, instead of throwing difficulties in the
way of the proposition, would give it every facility in
their power. In conclusion, he had great pleasure in.
seconding the motion of his Hon. Friend.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
there was no doubt that a decimal system of currency
had
a great many recommendations in its favour, at the
same time there was hardly anything in the world on
which the passions of the people were more interested,
or more prejudiced, than on the subject of the old coins
and old constitutions of the country ; and it was
therefore necessary that whatever was done, should be
done gradually.—(Hear, hear.) He was not prepared
to go the whole length of the Hon. Member fur -Mon-
trose. The first step was very easy, namely, to strike
two shilling pieces, but the difficulty would be expe-
rienced when they came to the penny pieces. It might
be advisable that two shilling pieces should be struck.
and he was prepared to agree that they should, and if
the people did not agree to take them up, why, then,
there was no great harm done. But, considering the
confusion which would follow an immediate change, he
would feel it his duty to move the previous question.
Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN congratulated his Hon.
Friend the Member for Bolton on his partial success.
He rose because his friend the Hon. Member for Mon-
trose said that there was an objection among the protec-
tionists to a decimal system of currency. Such was nol
the fact. lie was glad to hear the Hon. Gentleman
express his sympathy with the feelings of the people,
and his prejudices in favour of immemorial usage. Now
he would be glad to have the corn-laws restored, for the
feelings of the people were in their favour, as was also
the argument of immemorial usage.—(Hear, hear.) He
would be glad to hear the Master of the Mint (R. S.
Shell) say something upon this subject, as that country,
of which he was a grace and ornament, had long since
banished the decimal system from their commerce.
Mr. RI EIL said that when he was in Ireland, he
happened to direct his attention to the subjet.t, and he
expressed a wish that the Chancellor of the Exchequer
would consider how far it was possible to intro-
duce the principle of simple arithmetic in the case of copper,
and he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) wrote him an
answer which contained the very same views which he
had just then expressed. He then communicated with
Mr. Trevyllan and Mr. Pennington, who stated several
reasons why a decimal system could not satisfactorily be
carried out. The great difficulty arose when they came
to copper ; as tar as silver was concerned the case was
easy enough. He had no objection that a two-shilling
piece should be struck called a Royal.
After a few words from Mr. BROWNE,
Sir G. CLERIC said that the Government ought
to take care that they did not create great con-
fusion. The two-shilling piece would be like the half-
Crown, and ignorant people might be misled. Consider-
able confusion was created by the introduction of three-
ppeienDreneys.. puioecwesloby roeassadon oftuthetihresiamemilaprtiedty tothfeouprrpoeponnsiy4

committee were held relative to this subject, at the last
of which, in consequence of the present holders of the
property declining to name a price, and announcing their
determination duly to dispose of it by the public compe-
tition, it was resolved, " That it was not expedient to
take any public steps in the matter at present.' It is to
be hoped the property will be secured by some party in-
terested in its preservation.

BILL.
This Bill was postponed till Friday next.
GREECE.

Lord J. MANNERS, m rising to call the attention of
the House to the present condition of Greece, said that
he was aware that the question was rather alien to the
tastes of the House. The greatest hopes were enter-
tained that Greece would, at no distant day, assume a
high place among the nations of the earth. Her long
and arduous struggles to throw off her yoke, the hero-
ism of her sons, the fertility of the soil, all were preg•
nant with promise that these hopes would be realised.
In 1832, when the Icing of- Bavaria accepted the throne
of Greece for his younger son, he entered into a stipu-
lation with France, England, and Russia that Greece
should receive a free constitution, and those guaranteed
a loan of 800,6001., the interest of which was to be re-
paid by quarterly instalments ; but eleven years had
passed, and he grieved to say that neither of these stipu-
lations were fulfilled. The constituted authorities joined
with others in committing the most wanton outrages
in fact he hoped to make such a case as would justify an
English House of Commons to pass a vote expressing a
strong opinion on the conduct which had been pursued
towards that romantic and classical land. The Hon.
Gentleman read a number of extracts to show the cruel- i
ties practised by the constituted authorities. One of the
petitions presented to the king was from Messaline;
which stated that fifty inhabitants of that district were
dragged from their homes without any excuse, and put
to the most fearful tortures; some suspended by their
teeth, others burned, and others whipped; another peti-
tion stated that brigandism was fostered by the employes
of the Government, to serve their own private purposes,
and that even the necessary troops for the protection of
the people were removed. Praetorian bands, for he could
call them nothing else, were kept up, contrary
to the spirit and even the letter of the constitution. The
financial part of the arrangement was not carried out,
and they had therefore a clear right to raise their voices.
The Minister of Finance in the year 1846 admitted that
through the dishonesty of the public servants he was
unable to obtain any knowledge whatsoever of the finan-
oial state of the country. In the budget presented to the
Chamber the debt to England was not even put forward,
o or n
ae e
lecentl a commission had been
as much so as to call for a strong remonstrance from
Lord bnerdn
appointed in Greece to investigate six charges
which had been made against the Minister
of Finance
forelaborate
falsification of the accounts
y
and the averag s
W—eh regulated the import duties on
corn. On the 10th of March that Committee presented
a lg d
report to the Chamber, in which
they found the Minister
guilty of the charges imputed
to him, and a majority
of the Chamber had since re-
fused to agree to the report of the Committee. Unless
such a state of things were corroborated by the testi-
mony of persons of the hi authority it was
g hest
almost impossible to believe that Greece could
be in such a miserable and disastrous condition. He
did not wish to allude at
any length to the course of
policy pursued by the French Government in the affairs
of Greece—he did not consider that the influence
exercised by that Government was either so
great or so injurious as had been very generally re-
ported. That some influence was exercised by France
over that country was evident from the statements of M.
Colletti himself.
An Hos. MEMBER moved that the House be counted,
when there
adjournedtinnot being
40
to-morrow
(this day).
Twelve etetchleocHouse
kt

ORGANIZATION of the GOVERN-
MENT OF PRUSSIA.
(From La. Presse.)
Frederick William IV. was born on the 15th of Oc-
tober, 1795, and has consequently entered his 51st year.
Married in the year 1823 to Elizabeth Louisa, daughter
of the King of Bavaria, born in 1801, he has no children.
He has reigned since the 7th of June. 1840, the day of
the death of his father, Frederick William 111. His
brother, Frederick William Louis, born the 22d of
March, 1797, is Prince Royal of Prussia. In Prussia
the Government belongs to the King exclusively ; he
exercises the sovereign power with the assistance of a
Council of State, of a Minister of State, and of Privy
Councillors. The Council of State is composed of a
president and a vice-president, of the Princes of the
Royal Family having attained the age of 18 years, of
the Ministers of State, of the commanders-in-chief and
presidents of provinces, of 60 officers who attain their I
seats in the Council through the confidence of the Go-
vernment. The Ministers of State are composed of the
Prince of Prussia and of all the Privy Councillors on
duty. The private Ministries are nine in number, viz,
the Ministry of the King's llou.ehold, divided into two
departments; 2, the Ministry of War, divided into two
departments, under the direction of General Von Boyen;
3, the Ministry of Public Worship, of Public Instruction,
and of Medical Affairs, three departments, under
direction of 1)r. Eichhorn ; 4, the Administration of the
Treasury and the Mine, directed by General Von Thile;
5, the Ministry of the Revision of the Laws, directed by
Dr. Savigny ; 6, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of
which the head is Baron de Canitz ; 7, the Ministry f
'.the Interior, directed by Baron Von Bodelschwin„q—
Velrnede, at present Royal Commissioner to the United
Diet ; 8, the Ministry of Justice, under the direction of
the Privy Councillor Uhden; 9, the Ministry of Finance,
divided into four compartments, under the control of the
Privy Councillor Duesberg. There are, moreover,
certain central or superior authorities subservient to the
departments of the Ministry. The first are—the
General Tribunal of Censure attached to the Ministry of
Justice, the Direction of Public Works, the Consulting
Committee of Arts and Finances, the General Direction
of the Lottery, the Committee of Examining Com-
missaries attached to the Ministry of Finance, the
Archives of the State and of the Cabinet, under the
special direction of the Ministers of the Royal House-
hold and of Foreign Affairs. The second are—the
Court of Accounts, the Post-office, the General Admi-
nistration of the Debts of the State, the Commercial and
Statistical Offices, and the General Commission of the
Royal Commands. The Court has likewise its officers—
the grand chamberlain and the grand marshal, the
master of the royal hounds, a general inspector of the
Aulic music, a grand butler, a grand master of the
ceremonies, a marshal of the Court, and inferior officers,
such as prefects of the Castles of Koenigsberg, Stolzen-
felds, Breslau. The State Budget for the year 1847 pre-
sents the most perfect equilibrium. The revenue and
the expenditure amount equally to 64.033,697 dollars.
Direct taxation figures for 19,319,966 dollars ; the
indirect taxes amount to 26,782,334 dollars ; the salt
monopoly to 4,992,200 dollars, and the produce of the
courts of justice to 4,032,215 dollars. In the expenditure
the national debt figures for 7,219,320 dollars, the
Ministry of Public Worship and Instruction for
25,770,502 dollars—nearly one-half the expenditure ex-
clusive of the national debt. The remainder is absorbed
by the other administrations. There does not appear to
be any fund for secret service money. The army on the
peace establishment is composed of the infantry of the
Royal Guard, 11,202 men ; 40 regiments of the line,
63,384 men : cavalry, six regiments of the guard, 3,764
men ; 32 regiments of the line, 19,360 men : artillery, a
brigade of the guard, and eight brigades of the line,
15,651 men: engineers, 2,544 men. Total army of the
line, 115,905 men. To these must be added the Lard-
wehr of the firstclass, 70,648 infantry, and 10,400 cavalry;
and the Landwebr of the second class, 259,561 men. The
l*war establishment consists of 205,000 troops of the line,
130,000 of the first class of the Laudwehr, and every
man between the ages of 32 and 39 of the second class of
the Laudwehr, and, in fine, the Landsturm, which com-
prises every man from 17 to 50 years of age capable of
bearing arms."

SHAKSPERE'SHOUSE.
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, APRIL 24.
The annual festivities in celebration of the birthday of
the Bard of Avon took place in this his native town to-
day. Although many parties came from a distance
there were, perhaps, fewer present than on some former
occasions. There was also little public demonstration.
Save a peal of bells from the tower above the poet's last
resting place: and a banner floating above the Shakspere-
hall, everything was quiet, peaceful, and unpretending.
The meeting of the members of the Shaksperian Club
was held in the morning, at which the question of pur-
chasing the old house in which Shakspere was born was
brought under discussion. The venerable and tottering
edifice, by the terms of the will of the late possessor, was
to be sold at the death of his wife. That lady expired
in October or November last, and consequently the pos-
sibility is, that unless some party interested in the pre-
servation of this relic—a relic, by the bye, of some little
pecuniary interest to some of the trading inhabitants of
Stratford—it will fall into the hands of those who may
unscrupulously appropriate its site to more profitable
building speculations.
In the circumstances in which they were placed, the
committee of the Shaksperian Club deemed it advisable
(seeing that they were not in a stuation to purchase the
was consequently trans-
of Woods and
property) to draw the attention of Government to the
sioibtrjteeescdtts. ht eh
ef ICI ohwi nf g
oe tmt emi
r

" upon-Avon, Nov. 19, 1846.
" My Lord,—
as chairman of the com-
mittee of the Stratford-upon-Avon Shaksperian Club, to
address your Lordship upon a subject, the general into •
rest of which it is hoped I may be permitted to plead as
some apology for the liberty of so doing. The house in
which Shakspere was born must shortly be disposed of,
ISt artn Stratford
deputed,.
in conformity with the will of its late possessor, and the
Shaksperian Club is most anxious that an opportunity
for securing the preservation of a relic so peculiarly in-
teresting should not be lost. The Shaksperian Club is
not in the possession of funds at present, but it indulges
the hope that an appeal to the country for such an object
would meet with a liberal and efficient response. An
opinion has, however, been expressed by some of the
papers of the day, in which also the Shaksperian Club
entirely concurs, that a property that has on it a stamp
so essentially national, and to which is attached such uni-
versal interest, should, if possible be placed under the
protection of Governmen_t.. The committee is, therefore,
desirous, before proceeding further in the matter, that
the circumstance of the property being in the market
should be brought under the notice of your Lordship,
and at the same time respectfully to offer to communi-
cate whatever information they may be able to obtain
relative to the subject, either by letter or by deputation,
as might be agreeable to your Lthe hodship.
" I have n to be," &c.
To this letter the following answer was received
Nov. 22, 1846.
am extremely obliged to you for the commu-
nication you have been good enough to make to me,
upon the part of the Shaksperian Club, respecting the
approaching disposal of the house in which the greatest
of our poets was born ; but upon the whole, the Mem-
bers of the Government are disposed to think that tho
acquisition Of so interesting a property pertains still more
to the people of England than to the Government.
"I have the honour to be, your very dutiful servant,
"MORPETII."
After thc receipt of this letter severol 02e0Dse of 014

L 28,

PUBLIC INCOME AND EXPENDITURE.--BALANCE- SHEET.

An Account of the Net Public Income of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in the year ended the sth day of April, 1847 (after abating the Expenditure thereout defrayed by the several
Revenue Departments), and of the actual Issues or Payments within the same Period, exclusive of the Sums applied to the Redemption of Funded or paying or Unfunded Debt, and a the Advances and
Repayments for Local Works, &c.

—:-1--- ------- •
INCOME OR REVENUE. - - Total. EXPENDITURE.
------. .
£ s. d. £ L d.
ORDINARY REVENUE AND RECEIPTS. X S. d. Funded Debt.—lnterest and Management of the Permanent Debt
23,730,544 8 0
Customs ............................................................................................................. 21,086,264 15 10 Terminable Annuities
Excise ........................................................ . ...................................................... 13,958,390 12 9
7,638,765 8 8 Total Charge of the Funded Debt, exclusive of 9,7001. 7s. ld., the Interest
4,257,159 7 5 on Donations and Bequests.
'taxes
5(.1,..a..1;d..;.d . .A.;;55d).......,.......................................... .... .
5,464,580 12 4
Property -ax .................................. ..
Exchequer-bi 115....... ........................................ 393,221 4 8
Post Office 419,007 18 6
856,000 0 0 UnfundceidviDl Debt.—lnterest n.t.e..75.t...0. n......
...............
531,81$ 8 5
Crown Lauds ........................... : ...... ... . . ...i.a„.
Annuitiese‘c. ,
char aVdPbeyn sviaornisontsb rAc
ts Civil,of
ParliamentNav l , Military,
on i 1 1
eacn.,
Consolidated
Judicialsol
id ate d Services,
28,055,202 3 6
Is. and 6d. and 4s. in the .£ on Pensions Andf
ah
Cries 4,437 11 3
Small Branches of the Hereditary Revenues o t e rown 27325 2 5
—__--_. Salaries and Allowances
Surplus Fees of Elulated Public Offices
53,626,177 13 3 Diplomatic Salaries and Pensions
•, ... 265,273 19 3
175,14`2 12 7
Courts of Justice ........................................................................
OTHER RECEIPTS. ~ 221,254 2 7
Miscellaneous Charges on the Consolidated Fund 942753 17 10
498,832 14 10
•
18-19 Army
667,644 9 7
Imprest and other Monies
Navy
Money received from the East India Company 60,000 01 Ordnance
Unclaimed Dividends (more tha* paid) . ........................ . ........... .... ......................... 17,106 10 2 Miscellaneous, chargeable on the Annual Grants of Parliament (including
550,0001. on Account of Distress in Ireland)
-----3,957687 6 9
.34,473,761 19 10 --- 20,846,325 15 1
Excess of Income over Expenditure 51,708,570 16 2
••• ••• 2,765,191 3 8
54,-------
473,761 19 10
54,473,761 19 10

An Account of the Balances of the Public Money remaining in the Exchequer on the sth daz of April, 1846; the Amount of Money raised by the Additions to the Funded or Unfunded Debt in the Year
I appinidedthteowßaarldasnetehse
inR etdheemEptxiochneqouferth, the
tuhnededst-hodraypaoyfinAgproiffi,
lUBn4f7u.nded Debt; the Total Amount of Advances and Repayments on Account of Local
endedNv the
orks,& sth day of A
c„withthe Differencepril, 4 187
; the
accruing
An
thereon;
eo n

X s. d. X a. d. ;ISSUED. X s. d. £ 5. d.
BALANCES in the EXCHEQUER on the sth day of April, 1846 6,507,463 4 9i To the Commissioners for the reduction of the National Debt, to be
applied to the redemption of the Public Debt :
By issues, per Act 10 George IV., c. 27
By interests on donations and bequests 9,700 7 1
MONEY RAISED IN THE YEAR ENDING THE STH DAT OF APRIL, 1847, BY
2,709,793 8 0
THE CREATION OF FUNDED OR UNFUNDED.DEBT . Deduct sum applied not in redemption of Funded Debt, but of Con-
solidated Fund Deficiency Bills
589,793 8 0
FUNDED DEBT. To the Paymasters of Exchequer bills for payment of Unfunded Debt :
,
Contribution to the Loan of 9,000,0001., pet AA. 10 Vict., c. 9 960,000 0 0 Money out of Consolidated Fund in payment of Public Works Bills
Money out of Ways and Means, Grantspvtrainpopsrlikesd. to payment ovafr:onups- 6,700 0
ply Exchequer Bills 208,000 0 0
UNFUNDED DEBT.
Exchequer-bills, 18,380,200/., per Act 9 Victoria, C. 15, charged on
To Exchequer-billstal amount forof Advances payment of
for Supply
iLocal
0c a l
18,139,500 0 0
Supplies
-------- 19,099,500 0 0 Acts of Parliament (including 4,000,0001. to Ireland, by Act
9 and 10 Vict., c. 107) 5,086,421 16 9
Total amount of Repayments of Advances for Local Works, &c.,
under various Acts of Parliament 1,118,095 18 8
Excess of Income over Expenditure
Balances in the Exchequer on the sth day of April, 1847
••• •.• 5,459,835 2 41
28,372,154 8 5i
428,372,154 8 51

J. PARKER.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

Pox-rsmoum—The Herefordshire troop-chip arrived here
last night with her Majesty'a 89th Regiment of Foot on
board, from Halifax, Nova Scotia. They disembarked this
day (Tuesday).
COAST OF AFRICA.

Advices to the 16th ult. have come to hand by her Ma-

)esty's sloop of war Star, arrived at Portsmouth. She has
brought no invalids. The squadron employed under Com-
modore Horton in looking out for slavers were keeping up a
very strict blockade of the coast, especially at those places
where shipments were most suspected to be practised. The
squadron was healthy. This is the vessel which re-captured
the prize taken by another cruizer (her name we have for-
gotten) whose crew rose upon the prize master, a young mid•
ahipman, and his men, nine or ten in number, all of whom
were murdered, and their bodies thrown ovarboard, for which
the pirates were brought .to trial at Exeter, convicted of
murder and piracy, and sentenced to be hung, but who were
afterwards liberated by the humane law of England upon a
writ of error, and set at large to commit further atrocities.

DEATH OF SIR DAVIDGE GOULD, G.C.8., SENIOR
ADMIRAL OF THE RED.
It is with great regret that we have to announce the death
of the senior admiral of the red, Sir Davidge Gould. G.C.8.,
Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom.
This gallant and venerable officer, who has long been in
a declining state, and for the last six months confined to his
room, sank at last, full of years and of honours, into the long,
quiet, calm sleep of death, without a struggle and without
pain, at his seat in Herts, on the evening of Friday, the 23d
instant. He was in his 90th year, upwards of 70 }ears 01
which had been spent in the service of his country.
This distinguished officer served under, and was the friend
and messmste of Nelson, Rodney, Hood, Hotham, Hyde
Parker, kc. His late Majesty William IV., with whom he
had the honour of serving, was ever the most kind and
gracious friend of his old companion and inessmate. For
some years past he has been the last serviving captain who
commanded a line-of-battle ship at the glorious battle of
the Nile.
By his deceasi the post and place of Senior Admiral of the
Red Flag. the Vice-Admiralahip of the United Kingdom ef
Great Britain and Ireland, and a Grand Cross of the Bath,
are vacant, and also a good service pension of 3001. per
annum. The gallant Admiral was not only " the last of the
Nile," but the last male descendant of the ancient and
honourable knillstly Segmersetsh ire family of Gould, of Sharp-
barn Park. Besides enumerating among its members two
distinguished} udges, and other persons of eminence, the
mother of the celebrated author of Tom Jones" was Sarah,
daughter of Sir Henry Gould of Sharpbam I'ark, where the
author was born, in 1707. She was the wife of General
Fielding, nephew of William, third Earl of Denbigh.
Sir David had no steam promotion in his time. His com-
mission as a lieutenant is dated 7th May, 1779 ; C, mmander,
June, 1782; Captain. March, 1789, and Rear-Admiral, Oct.,
1807. He became Vice-Admiral, July, 1810, and Admiral,
May, 1325. He became senior Admiral of the Red at the
promotion in November last. As a midshipman he served
in the Phoenix, in the first American war, and as a lieu-
tenant served in the Conqueror in Rodney's action in April,
1782. As captain he commanded the Bedford in Hotham's
action off Genoa, in March, 1795, and in Frejus Bay in July
of that year. At the Nile he commanded the Audaciou.,
and also at the blockade of Malta, and subsequently had the
proud satisfaction of commanding the Genereux, which ship,
when a French vessel sneaked away from the Nile, and was
recaptured some time after she and her cowardly consort had
pounced upon the Leander.
The deceased Admiral married Harriet, eldest daughter of
the late Archdeacon Willes, son of the Bishop of Bath and
Wells, and nephew of the Lord Chief Justice Sir John
Willes, but by whom he leaves no issue. Her ladyship sur-
vives him.
By the decease of Sir Davidge Gould, the following flag
promotions will take place:—
Admiral the Hon. Sir Robert Stopford, Bart., G.C.8.,
S.C. M.G., Rear Admiral of the United Kingdom, and Gover-
nor of Greenwich Hospital, becomes Vice-Admiral of the
United Kingdom, and senior admiral of the red. Admiral of
the White Thomas Le Marchant Gosselin becomes admiral
of the red% Admiral of the Blue, John Coctet, becomes ad-
miral of the white.
Vice-Admiral of the Red, Hugh Doownman, becomes ad-
miral of the blue, leaving the Hon. Sir Thomas Bladen
Capel, K.C.8., senior vice-admiral. Vice-Admiral of the
White Henry Hill becomes vice-admiral of the red ; and
Vice-Admiral of the Blue, John Dick, will be vice-admiral
of the white.
Rear-Admiral of the Red, Charles Bayne Hodgson Ross,
C. 8., becomes vice-admiral of the blue ; leaving Sir Charles
Malcolm, Knt., senior rear-admiral. Rear-Admiral of the
White, Hanway Christian, will be rear-admiral of the red,
and Rear-Admiral of the Blue, Hyde Parker, C. 8., Superin-
tendent of Portsmouth Dockyard, will become rear-admiral
of the white.
The flag-officers having been thus reduced to 149, the first
promotions from the captains list will take place. Captain
Henry Prescott, C.B. (1810), the senior, will be promoted to
the rank of rear-admiral, thereby giving up a captain a good
service pension, also to the patronage of Lord Auckland. Sir
Nesbit Josiah Willoughby, K.C.8., K.C.H., then becomes the
senior on the diptain'i list.