The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-05 00:00:00

THE SUN,_
_LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 5, 1847;

most unpleasant matter. The Provost made some explana-
tions to the meeting, which were loudly applauded, and
gave universal satisfaction. Few speeches were made at the
meeting. but such of the gentlemen as spoke. expressed their
resolution to support the authorities, and an earnest desire
for the immediate removal of the military.

CASTLETOWIC—On Monday evening several hundred per-
sons assembled at Castlehill harbour, in order to put to sea
a vessel (the " Fisher " of Leith) which had come there to
load grain. They proceeded to hoist the booms out of
the harbour entrance, and to use threats to compel the cap-
tain to leave the port. Mr. Traill, M.P., accompanied by
Sheriff Gregg, the latter of whom happening to be there by
chance, quickly proceeded to the scene of action, but their
presence bad not much effect on the-turbulent mob. Many
were armed with sticks and bludgeons, and having pro-
ceeded on board the vessel, the mate, in attempting to de.
fend himself with a knife, was felled to the deck. This la, t
onset had the effect of dispersing the crowd, as they sup-
posed the man had been killed, and each took to his heels.
Mr. Trail! then, at a late hour, (about 12 P.M. or 1 A.m.),
had his household forces mustered, got the booms replaced.
the vessel secured, and had the mate carried on shore; he is,
however, severely injured. The crew having been withdrawn
no further attempt was made to put the smack to sea.
That such outbreaks should take place in a rural district like
Castletown and Dunnet, is remarkable, and cannot be justi-
fied by any good reason. Mr. Traill is known to have re-
tained in the district more meal and grain than have been
stored there in any previous season, more indeed than can be
consumed before next harvest. The people, too, are well em-
ployed. and want is not known among them.
Tflunso.—A correspondent of the above journal, writ-
ing from Thurso, on Tuesday last sacs—"y We have
had lamentable disturbances here. The populace
have blocked up the road to the river with two
small sloops; one of them was taken up to-night. They
have also planted a ten-pounder on the braehead. About
one hundred special constables have been sworn in, and
everything assumes a most threatening aspect. We have
too much cause to fear serious consequences, unless, by some
means or other, peace be restored." We have learned, in
addition to the above, that on Wednesday evening another
gun was placed on the brae, and that the feelings of the
people continue wound up to the greatest pitch. Assemblages
at night are frequent, and threatenings of violence aro per-
severed in. The peaceable inhabitants are kept in a state of
the utmost terror from these manifestations.

PETITIONS ON PRIVATE BILLS.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
(Room 22, before Mr. Examiner Slunr.)
OPPOSED LIST.
Gloucester and Hereford Rail Way and Canal Purchase (for
making a Railway from Gloucester to Hereford, with con-
necting lines, and purchase of the Herefordshire and
Gloucestershire Canal, with power to the London and
Nerth-Western Railway Company to subscribe to the in-
tended Rsilway, and purchase and make arrangements in
respect of the same).
Opposition withdrawn ; standing orders complied with.
This was the only case on Mr. Smith's list.
(Room 23, before Mr. Examiner MAY.)
OPPOSED CASS.
Midland Railway (Worcester, Hereford, Malvern, and Chel-
tenham Lines, with a Branch to Ledbury), proposed Ex-
tension by the Midland Railway Company from Worcester
to Hereford, with Branches to Ledbury, Malvern, Ash-
church, and Cheltenham, with power to purchase or make
arrangements kith the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire
Canal Company, and Junctions with the Shrewsbury and
Hereford Railway.
This case was opposed by the Oxford, Worcester, and
Worverhampton Company. The opposition occupied the
whole of the day,land was adjourned till to-morrow (to-day).

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
OLD COURT.

(Before the LORD CHIEF BARON and Mr. Justioe COLE.,
RIDGE )
ROBBERY OF DIAMONDS UPON THE HIGH SEAS.
Robert Kerr, aged 28, a mariner, was indicted with steal-
ing two packages of diamonds, value 3,3001., the property
of John M'Millan and others, upon the high seas, within
the jurisdiction of the Admiralty of England, &c.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. BALLANTINE then addressed the jury for the defence.
The Loup CHIEF BARON carefully recapitulated, in his
summing up, the whole of the evidence, and the jury, after
consulting for a few minutes, returned a verdict of Guilty of
stealing on the high seas.
The LORD CHIEF BARON then, in an impressive address,
sentenced the prisoner to seven years' transportation.
This case occupied the court nearly six hours.

THE COAST OF AFRICA.
The following is an extract of a letter from a corre.
spondent:-- . _

"Ascension, Jan. 22, 1847.
"The Hydra steam-sloop, Captain Young, went up the '
River Bonny on the 29th of October last. She attempted to
go up the day previous, but grounded inside the bar on a
sand bank for four hours. She was got off after great
exertions by throwing the aftermost 68-pounder overboard,
also a 321 b. carronade, and almost the whole of her fresh
water; however, the Hydra was taken up the river the fol-
lowing day by one of the captains of a merchant-vessel at
anchor, trading for palm oil. Captain Young went up to
inquire into the merchant captains' complaints against the
King of the Bonny; but they could not substantiate them,
for it appeared that the King told them on their arrival,
that he could get no palm oil for trade, owing to his being
at war with the King of the Calebar River. The merchant
captains had subsequently supplied him with powder, shot,
and muskets on tick, but as his memory was rather forgetful,
they thought a little music from the Hydra's 68-pounders
would refreshen it. She proceeded from the Bonny to Lagos,
where she fell in with the Acteon, Captain Mansell, when
she found herself in fur another squabble with the King of
the Bimbia, he having been reported to the commodore as
committing, or having committed a breach of faith. Ac-
cordingly the Acteon, in company with the Hydra and Styx,
steam-sloop, Commander Chads, proceeded to the River
Bimbia, calling at Fernando Po fora pilot. Captain Becroft,
the Governor of Fernando Po, offereallto pilot her. She ar-
rived on the 18th November, and took up a position within
range of her shells, when it was found out that the informa-
tion was false; in fact, the Baptist missionaries have a large
settlement at the entrance of the river, and this would be
the last place fur slavers.
" Whilst up the Bonny it was discovered, although the
kings on both sides of the river did nut sell slaves, yet they
murdered all prisoners in cold blood, roasted, and ate them,
and one of the kings assured an officer that a little girl, with
plenty of salt and pepper, was very nice. So much for the
suppression of slavery, to say nothing of the expense and
loss of so many valuable lives and those who escape being
rendered unfit for further service. There were 2,000 slaves
brought down to the beach at Palma, near the river Lagos,
to be shipped into the two vessels captured last September
by the Hydra. Not having enough provisions to last until
the arrival of other vessels, they took their slaves down to
the beach, murdered them all, and stuck their heads on
poles. Provisions were very scarce on the coast, and must
be brought from a great distance inland.
" From the Bimbia, the Hydra proceeded to Fernando Po,
Princess Island, and arrived at Ascension on the morning of
the 26th December.

" The Devastation, with the broad pendant of Sir C. Ho-
them ; the Acteon, 26, Captain Mansell ; Sealark, 10, Capt.
Gooch, were then here. The Devastation, with Sir C. Ho-
them, and Acteon, left Ascen.9iun the same day for Sierra
Leone and the West Coast. The Sealark left this place about
a week since, with dispatches for Sir C. Hotham, brought
out by the Haddington, a large merchant-steamer, bound to
China, and the Grappler, steam-vessel, Lieut. Commander
Lysaght.
" Captain Hutton took command of the island of Ascen-
sion last Monday, so that Captain Morrell at present remains
a supernumerary, until we hear from the commodore. The
Grappler leaves this place also to-day, for Sierra Leone, to
meet the commodore.

•' The Sealark left her captain behind at the hospital dan-
gerously ill from repeated attacks of epilepsy, in fact, he is
expected to die hourly.
" The turtle are rising very fast, which promises a good
season.

" The Eurydice, 26, Captain Anson, touched here on her
way to the Cape.
" The Wanderer, 14, Commander Sommerville, has lost
her second lieutenant and ten men from coast fever, owing
to her commander sending his pinnace twice up the Rio
Pongos. The lieutenant stated that himself and boat's crew
were completely exhausted from their first trip.
" A vessel is expected in about a fortnight from the
commodore, with orders for the Hydra to proceed home.
She will probably be in England about the first week in
May."

THE RUSSO-DUTCH LOAN.
OPINION OF DR. ADDAMS.
It is obvious that upon the separation of Holland and the
Netherlands, consequent upon the revolution of September,
1830, it ceased to be obligatory on Great Britain to make any
further payments on account of the Russian Dutch Loan, in
virtue of the Convention of May, 1815, according to the letter
of that Convention, though it was said or intimated that
obligation still subsisted, according to the spirit of the Con-
vention. But whether Russia could or could not, founding
upon the spirit, as against the letter of the Convention, have
justly insisted on such further payments, is a question that
merged upon the execution of the Convention of November.
1831, between Great Britain and Russia. And it is upon
this latter Convention that it is now obligatory on Great
Britain (if at all) to make any such further payments.
Now, in the Convention of November, 1831 (executed by
the two Powers), the objection of the onvention of 1815 is
recited to have been, to afford Great Britain a guarantee that
Russia would procure a certain policy on all questions re-
specting Belgium, on the one hand ; and the other, to secure
to Russia the payment of a portion of her old Dutch debt,
in consideration of the general arrangements of the Congress
of Vienna, to which she had given her adhesion—arrange-
ments which (says the Convention) still remain in full
force; and it is in virtue of this special consideration (Con•
vention of 1831, art. 1) that Great Britain undertakes to
continue, on her part, the payments stipulated in the Con-
vention of May, 1815.
It seems to me, that the phrase " arrangements which still
remain in full force," pretty plainly implies that if such
arrangements had not remained in full force, at any rate
through any fault or delinquency on the part of Russia,
Great Britain would have declined to enter into such latter
Convention ; and the language of the whole Convention ac-
cording to the true interpretation of it, in my humble judg-
ment, is identical in import with this—that Great Britain
undertakes to continue the rayments in consideration of
Russia maintaining, or by reason that she does maintain,
those general arrangements of the Congrees of Vienna, to
which she was originally a party at the time of the holding
of such Congress in 1815.
And this being so, it also seems to me that a breach or
violation of those general arrangements in any material part,
though the fault or delinquency of Russia, plainly releases
Great Britain from that continuing obligation which she
took upon herself under the Convention of November, 1831,
in consideration or by reason of Russia maintaining such
general arrangements.
And this reduces the whole question (and as to which I
think there can be no doubt) to a consideration of whether
the reunion of Cracow to the Austrian Monarchy, at the time
and in manner as stated in the case, is or is not a departure
from the general arrangements of the Congress of Vienna, in
a material article, and one to which Russia is a consenting
and therefore a guilty party.
For surely, it admits of no doubt that one of the general
arrangements (and that a principal one) of the Congrt ss of
Vienna was, the independence of Cracow. By the 6th ar-
ticle of the "principal act," an Act consisting of 120 ar-
ticles, of June, 1815, are several following articles. Cracow
with its territory is declared free, independent, and strictly
neutral, in terms the most positive and precise, and Russia,
Austria, and Prussia are pledged to the maintenance of their
freedom, independence, and neutrality. The 6th article is,
"La ville de Cracovie avec son territoire est declare() a per-
patuite cite libre, independante et strictement neutre,
sous la protection de la Russie, de l'Austriche, et de la
Prusse." Again, the 9th article—" Lee Cours de Russie
d'Antriche, et de Prusse s'engagent a respecter et it faire
respecter, en tour terns, la neutrality de la villa libre de
Cracovie et de son territoire, &c." These articles, if no other,
introduced into an " acte principal," commencing with the

recital of that of 9th of June, 1815, clearly show that the
independence of Cracow is one of the principal arrangements
of the Congress of Vienna; and that the violation of its inde-
pendence and of one of the general arrangements (and that a
principal one) of the Congress of Vienna is one to which
Russia has been a guilty party, is as clearly shown by the
facts of the case.
Under these circumstances it appears to me that if Great
Britain makes any further payments on account of the
Russian Dutch Loan, it must be on political considerations
ionlya ob
obliged thereto
astowilicil
I
give no opinion), and not by any means
by the Convention (into which the former
Convention merged in that respect) of November, 1831.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, March 4.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool-
sack at Five o'clock.
LIGHT-HOUSES.
The Earl of E(LINTON presented a Petition from
Aberdeen, praying that the cost of light-houses might
be defrayed by the State.

JUVENILE COMMITMENT.
Lord BROUGHAM moved for a return of the docu-
ments relating to the commitment of a boy to Tothill-
fields, on the 19th of February last, for felony. The
boy was but five years and two months old, and the
present motion was with a view to the removal of the
magistrate.
Lord CAMPBELL, said the only question to be con-
sidered was as to whether such proceeding should
originate in their Lordships' House or elsewhere, be-
cause the action to which his Noble and Learned Friend
referred was monstrous.
Lord BROUGHAM said, he had conferred with his
friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department,
as well as his Noble and Learned Friend the Lord
Chancellor, and they agreed with him (Lord Brougham).
He agreed with his Noble Friend as to that house not
beir g the proper place for these proceedings: but yet he
thought, under the circumstances, they should be
granted.
motion was then agreed to,
NAVIGATION AND EXPORT RETURNS.

The Earl of ELLENBOROUG H moved for the naviga-
don and export returns Cor the last two years, with a view
to comparison, as there had been a diminution in some
of the most important exports to the extent of 3,329,000 L
In sheep's wool there had been a falling otf to the
amount of 1,500,0001b5. There was a great diminution
also in articles that were necessary to the perfecting of
manufactures ; in dyes and dye stuffs there was a small
increase ; hut in cochineal and madder there was a de-
crease. There was a marked falling off in madder root,
and in indigo to the amount of two-ninths of the
whole usual imports, and in bark to the extent
of 97,000 cwts. There was likewise considerable
decrease in the import of barilla ; in untanned hides to
:he number of 210,000. In cocoa nut oil there was a
slight increase, but in all the other articles there was a
serious falling off. There was a diminution in these
articles of import, but especially in the raw materials,
the subject of our manufacturing industry. He had
been making mention of certain diminutions, but he
must say that the trade of Britain appeared
upon the whole, not going back, but stationary ; that
seemed to be the result. Perhaps it would not be pro-
per for him then to raise any inferences upon the details
which he had just mentioned. He ought to mention,
however, that there had been an increase in the export
of machinery and of metals, to be used no doubt in the
manufactures and the railways of other countries. The
Noble Lord added that perhaps it might be desirable to
have returns, similar to those for which he had moved,
for the last six months of 1844.

The Earl of 'CLARENDON said there could be no
objection to the returns just moved for, as he believed
they would enable them and the country generally better
to estimate their prospects and their present condition.
The Noble Lord, in moving for the returns, had referred
to different details and diminution, but he believed that
satisfactory reasons could be given for these diminu-
tions.

Lord ASHBURTON wished to know from the Noble
Earl whether it was true that there had been a very
4i-eat importation of woollen cloths into this country
from Belgium, in consequence of the recent reduction of
the duties on goods of foreign manufacfure, and whether
this importation had interfered with the manufactures of
this country?

The Earl of CLARENDON had heard of that im-
portation from Belgium, but he had heard of no com-
plaints from the woollen manufacturers of this country
with reference to it.
The motion was then agreed to.
LABOURING POOR (IRELAND) BILL.

The Earl of GLANRICARDE moved the com•
mittal of this Bill.
Lord MONTEAGLE thought that the Government

deserved praise for having attended in this Bill to the
suggestions he had thrown out. He cordially approved
of the principle of encouraging as much as possible
voluntary contributions, rather than the mode of corn•
pulsory payments, in support of the poor. He
would not throw any obstacle in the way of

the further progress Of the present measure. He
hoped that no consideration would have the effect of
causing them to fail in making the present measure as
effective as possible.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY said he was quite
opposed to any compulsory clause on either land or land-
lord being introduced into this Bill. It was his con-
scientious opinion that if such a clause was introduced
it would prove pernicious.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE explained that
the terms of the Act showed that the objection to the
indemnity clause was not justified. It certainly was
largely framed, but it was yet sufficiently explicit and
defined.
Lord BROUGHAM said—lf his Noble Friend had
said that this clause was loosely, instead of largely,
framed, he was sure that everybody would have agreed
with him. The meaning of the Act was to indemnify the
Government, and those who acted under the Government,
from any evil consequence; but in consequence of Mr. La-
bouchere's Act this intention was in a degree frustrated.
The present measure would give an indemnity to all
persons who had acted illegally under the Act, and any
presentment made under the Act were to be indemnified
from all p malties. He looked with great apprehension
on the measure, which gave powers which he did not
think the Government intended to give.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that no doubt
the words of the Act were capable of a very large inter-
pretation, but he did not think they were quite so loose
as the Noble Lord had supposed. The Act was intended
only to afford indemnity to all such persons as had acted
under the authority of Mr. Labouchere's letter.
Lord BROUGHAM thought that power might be
vested in the Lord-Lieutenant to give indemnity to such
persons ag he thought proper ; if it were not so, persons
who had acted with mala fides would be indemnified.
Lord CAMPBELL thought that his Noble and
Learned Friend need not be under any apprehension
that persons acting with mala fides would be indemnified
under the second clause of the Act. It would only
.ap-
ply to those persons who acted bond fide, or who might
have considered that they were acting in a strictly bond
fide manner.
The House then went into Committee. The various
clauses of the Bill were agreed to, and the report ordered
to be bronght up to-morrow (this day).
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE laid on the table
papers relating to the state of union workhouses in
Ireland.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 4.

The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four
o'clock.

Papers from the Ace:mutant-General's office were
presented.
On the motion of Mr. GREENE, the following resolution
was agreed to :—" That in order to give time for the
breviate to be laid on the table one clear day before the
second reading, the York and Newcastle Railway (Har-
tlepool Dock and Railway, and Great North of England,
Clarence, and Hartlepool Junction Railway Lease and
PurchaFe) Bill be read a second time on Friday, notwith-
standing more than seven clear days will have elapsed
since the first reading thereof."
EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY (ENLARGE-
MENT OF LONDON AND STRATFORD
STATION AND AMENDMENT OF ACTS).
On the motion that this Bill be read a second time,
Mr. FOSTER said the title of the Bill did not convey
the exact object of the Bill, which was for the purpose of
raising capital to create a steam-boat company in con-
nexion with the railway; he, therefore, felt it his duty
to move that the Bill be postponed until that day fort-
night.
Lord SANDON seconded the motion.
Mr. A. HAS FIE said he was not aware of the ob-
jectionable clause in the Bill, and consented, on the part
of the promoters of the Bill, to postpone the second
reading for a fortnight.
Lord SANDON stigmatised the Bill as one framed
for the purpose of deceiving the House, as under its title
it sought to vest the railway company with power to
raise capital for the purpose of becoming
steam-boat proprietors. It was the incumbent
duty of the railway department of the Board of
Trade to see that Bills which professed to be simply
railway Bills had not another object in view before they
came before the House, as it could not be expected that
the House could find time to analyse the nature of all the
railway Bills which came before it.

Lora G. SOMERSET agreed with the Noble Lord
that the railway department of the Board of Trade
should revise railway Bills before they came under the
consideration of the House.

The motion was agreed
PROTESTANT DISSENTERS AND GENERAL
LIFE AND FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY.
This Bill was read a third time.
MANCHESTER, BUXTON, MATLOCK, AND MID-
LAND JUNCTION DEVIATION BILL.
Mr. EGERTON postponed the second reading of this
Bill until Tuesday next.
GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY (LINCOLN AND
GRANTHAM).
This Bill was read a second time.
TEN HOURS' BILL.
Sir A. L. HAY presented a petition from millowners
inAberdeen, employing upwards of I 0,000 men, expressing
their alarm at the Ten Hours' Bill, and praying the
House not to consent to any alteration in the present
arrangements between the employer and the employed,
as they considered that any such alteration would be in-
jurious to both.

LIGHT DUES.
An HoN. MEMBER presented a petition from Glasgow
complaining of the excessive charge of the light dues.
Mr. FOSTER presented two petitions to the same effect

RAILWAY TRAVELLING ON SUNDAYS.
Mr. SPOONER presented five petitions from Shrews.
bury, Ipswich, and York, regretting that railway
Acts had been passed allowing the running of
trains on Sundays ; setting forth that the running
of trains on that day was contrary to law ;
and praying the House to repeal the clauses in the
various railway Acts permitting this practice, and not
to pass any railway Bill which contained a similar pro-
vision. He should move to-morrow that the petition
from York be printed with the votes, as it was his in-
tention to call the attention of the House to the question
on a future day.
RAILWAY REGULATION BILL.
The HoN. MEMBER also presented a petition from
the directors of the Birmingham and Oxford Railway
against this Bill.
ANATOMY ACT.

Mr. FERRAND present"d two petitions from places
in the West Riding of Yoriuhire against certain clauses
in this Act.

,

ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIEF E ILL.
An Ilox. MEMBER presented a petition .f.r4mi Wigan
against this Bill.
RAILWAY LEGISLATION.

Mr. ELLICE desired to draw the attention of the
House to the dismissal of two Committees., of one of
which he eas chairman, without any explanation being
❑fforded to the Members. He would, therefore, ask the
Chairman of the Committee of Selection, whether, after
the appointment of Committees, and after having Bills
referred to them, the Committee of Selection would
enter into the consideration of complaints preferred
against members of those Committees?
Sir W. HEATHCOTE called the attention of the
House to the standing orders relating to the selection of
Members on railway Committees, which provided that
no Member should be placed on such Committees who
had any private interest himself in any railway Bill to
be brought before it; or whose constituents had a direct
interest in the passing of any such Bill. This caused
the Committee of Selection last year to proceed with
great caution. But it was not for any of the above
reasons that the lion. Member who had asked the ques-
tion, or the other gentleman selected with him, had been
discharged from serving. The Committee on which
they had been named to serve was one to deal with lines
involving the broad and narrow gauges, and at that
time the question of the gauges excited great interest,
not only in the localities through which the lines passed,
but in towns remote from the routes of the lines. On this
account the lion. Member, as being the representative for
Coventry, which took a great interest in the narrow
gauge, and, therefore, without the least imputation
on the Hon. Member, but in order that there might
not be the least ground for supposing any undue bias, he
was discharged from attendance. The same applied to
the other Hon. Members, whose services were not re-
quired.
Mr. ELLICE was not satisfied with the explanation
given, as he thought, after Members had been selected on
a Committee, and had made the declaration, they should
not be discharged without some good reason for the same.
lie was very glad that his lion. Friend had no other ob-
jection to allege than that his constituents were sup-
posed to be in favour of the narrow gauge, in conse-
quence of 'the railway passing through Coventry. It gave
him the occasion of again pressing upon the consideration
of the House the absolute folly of going on with the pre-
sent system. In order to show that he was disinterested
he would refer to a statement he had already made,
hoping that some member of her Majesty's Government
would propose a resolution by which all competition
between the two gauges should be referred to competent
judges. The Committee had refused to entertain the
consideration of the gauges, on the ground that they did
not consider themselves competent judges. The parties
interested did not themselves consider the Committees
impartial on the question, and it was impossible to find
any one Committee upon which there could not be found
one Member who had not already formed opinions on
the question. 300,000/. had been spent in the discussion
of the question before a Committee of that House, and
when such sums were expended the losing party would
be ready enough to accuse the Committee of not being
so pure as they supposed themseles to be. He hoped
that the House would find a remedy for such a system.
After a few words from Lord G. SOMERSET, which
did not reach the gallery,
Mr. STRUTT said that the Railway Commissioners
had sent round certain returns to be filled up by
the Railway Companies, on this question. Those
returns were afterwards to be reported upon by
the Commissioners to the House. Very likely
early next week this report would be prepared and
in the hands of Honourable Members. With regard
to his own interpretation of the resolution, he did not
know whether his opinion would be of any great im-
portance, but certainly he understood it to mean that no
Bill should be proceeded with till the terms of the reso-
lution had been carried out.

Mr. HODGSON said if that were the case no Bills
would be proceeded with till after Easter. He con•
sidered this was most unfair, and the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman the Member for Coventry was to blame for not
havingbroughtforward the subject earlier.

Mr'r ELLfCE said the reascn why he did not bring
forward this subject earlier than he did was, because he
had felt confident that the matter would be taken
up by Government, and he believed it would have
been taken up by them had it not been for the illness
of his Right Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Ex.
chequer.
Lord SANDON was understood to say that it would be
unwise to proceed with the Bills before the Committees
could have the report of the Cominiisioners before them.
Without the reports from the Comtniisioners, it was
impossible for the Select Committees to understand the
merits of the several questions that were to come before
them. Thus a railway company might be at the ex-
pense of depositing their plans, bringing up their
witnesses, and employing their counsel, and,
after all, the report of the Commissioners
might render all this expense and exertion abortive.
Before he sat down, he wished to ask his Right Hon.
Friend, the Member for Derby (Mr. Strutt), what course
it was intended to pursue with respect to the several
Bills now before the Commissioners. There were
several Bills n..-Jw before them, indeed a whole
tribe of Bills, apparently for slight deviations
from established or granted lines, but which, in
reality, involved an immense amount of capital.
Ile wished to know what restriction was to be placed cu.
the employment of railway capital, and on the liability
of the several shareholders? For his own part, unless
there was to be some special report made to his Right
lion. Friend of the nature a those clauses in the several
Bills which might be reported to the Houie, he would
rather leave the whole matter entirely in his hands
without troublinz the Commission, rs at all.

Mr. sTiturr said that this subject had attracted
the attention of tha Railway Commissioners, and it was
intended to adopt the recommendation of his Hon.
Friend the Member for Coventry, and have a conside-
ration of the clauses before they were placed before the
Select Committees. With that view it was intended,
instead of calling the Committees together on Monday
or Tuesday, to defer their meeting till Thursday, so
that the Committees summoned for to-morrow r..ere, it
was understood, only to meet, and adjourn till Thursday.
Mr. GISBOItNE considered that the course taken by
the Committee of Selection, and complained of by his
Hon. Friend, was most objectionable. The House was
contented that the gentlemen appointed to act on the
Committees should sign a declaration to the effect that
they had no personal interest in the matter, and
that they were unaware that their constituents were
strongly influenced upon the question. The Commit-
tee of Selection, however, was not satisfied that it
should be left to the discretion of the gentlemen
who signed as to their power, but it entered, behind
their backs, into investigation as to whether they would
be able to sign or not. He did not know that it would
have been possible to select five gentlemen in the
House, not Irish Members, whose constituents were
not interested in the question of the gauges.—(ffear.)
Ho hoped there would b 3 some competent tribunal esta-
blished, as he confessed he was more afraid of an incom-
petent than an interested tribunal.
Mr. ESTCOURT did not see any grounds in the cases
under consideration for blaming the Committee of
Selection, as for many years it had been the prac-
tice to erase the names of Members selected to
serve on particular Committees, and substitute others.
The motion was agreed to.

Sir J. Y. BULUIt said, as it appeared to be the
desire of the House that these committees should not
enter on their duties till Monday next, it would be a
saving of expense to the parties concerned in the Bills
if the Committee of Selection were instructed to annul
their order for meeting to-morrow, and summon the
Committee to meet on Thursday next. He should,
therefore, move an instruction accordingly.
The motion was agreed to.
SECOND READINGS.

The following Bills were read a second time, and
ordered to be committed :

Direct London and Portsmouth, Brighton and Chiches.
ter, London, Brighton, and South Coast, and London
and South-Western Railways.
Edinburgh and Northern, a❑d Edinburgh, Leith, and
Granton Railways Amalgamation.
Great Northern Railway (Deviations between London
and Grantham).
Newcastle and Berwick Railway (East Coast Line,
Blyth, Seaton Sluice, and other Branches).
York and North Midland Railway (I.lull Station and
Branches).
York and North Midland Railway (Harrogate Branch
Extension and Terminus).
York and Newcastle Railway (Wearmoutla Dock En-
largement).
York and Newcastle, Newcastle and Berwick, and North
. .

British Railways Amalgamation.
QUARANTINE LAWS.
Dr.BOWRING gave notice that, on this day fortnight,
he should move for the continuation of the correspon-
dence on these laws. To-morrow he should put a ques-
tion to the Hon. Gentleman, the Vice-President of the
Board of Trade (Mr. M. Gibson) on the subject.
FACTORIES BILL.

Lord EBRINGTON gave notice that whet this Bill
was in Committee he should move that clauses should
he inserted, appointing medical practitioners, whose
business it would be to report on the health of persons
employed in factories. Further, that clauses should be in-
serted reqniring the security of drainage and ventilation,
just such as those which iris- were in operation with
respect to unguarded machinery.
Mr. ROSS gave notice that he should move to except
Ireland from the_operation of the Act.

SMITHFIELD MARKET.
Mr. SPOONER, on behalf of the Member for Wor-
cestershire (Mr.Ormshy Gore), gave notice that he should
p -istpone his motion respecting the removal of this
market till Thursday, the 18th, when, instead of mov-
ing for leave to bring in a Bill, he should move for a
Select Committee.

RIOTS IN TIIE NORTH.
Sir A. LEITH HAY rose to ask a question of the
Learned Lord-Advocate respecting a circumstance which
had come to his knowledge through the public press.
He understood that in cons( quence of the delivery of
some grain the military had been called out to Tien a
riot, and that they had fired on the people, and several
persons had been seriously injured. He wished to know
why the civil authorities had not interfered without call-
ing out the military?
The LORD-ADVOCATE said that it was true that
a riot had been created in censequence of the delivery
of some grain, and that the military were
called out and two persons were injured, one
slightly and the other severely, but the civil authorities
were in no way to blame, for they had taken all necessary
precautions the day before in consequence of some in-
structions which they had received of the probability of a
tumult. In the morning of the day the sheriff received in-
formation that a vessel bad been attacked in the harbour,
and that it would be advisable to unship the corn, as
the vessel would be scuttled in the harbour, and that the
crew would be thrown overboard. In consequence of that
information, the sheriff of the county applied for a strong
body of soldiery, and under their protection the cre•

4.... PP

disembarked. In their passage through the town
the populace were very violent, and ill-treated them'
Looking at all the facts of the case, there was no re
flection whatever on the civil officers; and the sheriff, in
what he had done—had acted entirely in concurrence
with the magistrates of the county. So far from his
being likely to act in a harsh and hasty manner. he was
well known to be a gentleman of a, benevolent and _kiudlY
character.
CENTRAL RAILWAY TERMINUS, GLAEG°W.
Mr. BOUVERIE moved that an humble addr eas 1;°
presented to her Majesty, that she will be gracrot.isli
pleased to give directions, that there be laid before? 'big
House a copy of the Report made by the Comm"iss uler'r
appointed to consider and report upon the advantagiii
otherwise which might he of by a central rail
terminus in the city of Glasgow.
LABOURS ON PUBLIC WORKS IN IRELAN.I)it
Mr. E. I)ENISON had a question to ask the "tie
Hon. Gentleman the Secretary for Ireland in relatior. °
the relief granted under the public works. It aPPelre
that, according to his statement on the 19th ofJafltla ry:
there were 450,000 persons employed on these WOX
The time for putting the seed in the ground was ;;;I.,abt
and was passing away, and he wished to ask his
Hon. Friend what progress had been made in disband' ng
the large army of labourers now employed upon uoPrei
ductive works ? Ile wished to know what nuilevb,erd
men were employed, and whether his Right IT'sn' r
had any, objection to place on the table of the Nowa
weekly, a return of the number of men employed
ldr
en
these works, so long as the works themselves gieu
tinue in progress. hiection
Mr. LA BOUCHEIZE said that he I.nd no °"." r •
to give his Honourable Friend the info rrnation
he
ens
quired, or the weekly return of the nut giber of Per the
i,to,
the
employ( d upon these public works. Wi regard
other question his Hon. Friend had pi it respect—r'ublie
number of men now employed pon the P
works, he regretted to say that it the
found impossible, not only to- reduce in
number of men, but also to prevent a great incresse,e
that number. He had lately stated the number t° be
450,000. His Hon. Friend must recollect that e;e b
which was to be passed by the llMase, and vi e 9,
did in a certain degree affect the public vwcrhigi
had not yet come into operation, and it 03,
therefore been impossible to prevent the numbers eee
ployed from increasing. Distress had been greadY
the increase lately in Ireland, and the number of for
employed upon relief works, according to a return' to
the week eliding the 20th of February amounted
668,000.—( Great sensation.)
Lord G. BENTINCK (who was almost inaudibie2j
wished tc, know the number of applications which h"-

been made for loans to the Lord lieutenant. el'
Mr. LABOUCIIERE was not able to answer the
Lion of the Noble Lord. All that he could say vas' • 1"-0
power had been given to the Lord Lieutenant tocarry pia
effect the intentions of the Government in the maanreri,
which he should think most desirable. The Lord ill:
tenant had come to the determination of not so
vancing money but of advancing seed, in
quantities, to be repaid is a short time. There d' e
not been a great number of applications Ins, r
The Lord Lieutenant would not advance seed except
wheat, he thought it better to leave the supply °f
seed to come through the ordinary channels, as $ll,
terference would do more harm than good. the
Lord GEORGE BENTINCK wished to know tfhid
Right lion. Gentleman the Secretary for Irelanu-
any objection to lay upon the table of the 11°"—the
return distinguishing the different professions of
persons engaged on the public works. bor
Mr.LABOUCEIERE said he would give a return,s
ing the names of the persons, and distinguishing the
wiss
ferent works upon which they were engaged, but it dif•
quite impossible to give a return, distinguishing thebort,
ferent professions of the persons employed, in the s
time allowed him for making the returns.
Lord G. BENTINCK said he would undertake thsi
the information could be collected within a week. ire
Mr. LABOUCHERE said his only wish was to gid
the fullest information, but it would take a good clefr 00
time to give a return distinguishing the labourer
the small farmer, or the farmer from the mechanic' be
Major MACNAMARA. wished to know swe-ted
might expect the returns he had moved for cony°

with his ilon. Colleae. meets
Mr. LABOUCHERguE said both he and the °1",,,,.06
of the Board of Works were anxious that the reThae
should be made as soon as possible, but sufficient
had not yet elapsed to admit of their preparation.
GAME LAWS. nen'
Mr. COLLETT wished to inquire of the go. st
titman the Secretary of State for the Home DeParlfa:
if the Government intended to introduce, this seid-i°oo
any Bill with respect to the Game Laws, in COe°"-: 31sst
with the recommendation of the Committee 0'
session?
Sir GEORGE GREY said, no such Bill was t ;ab•
paration ; at the same time, he could say that tae
ject was nut'. r < on:ideration.
DRAINAGE AMENDMENT BILL. bla
Lord LINCOLN wished to know if the I-loneucoraila
Gentleman (Sir G. Grey) intended to take the s 00
reading of this Bill before Easter. The :flexion.
he asked the question was this, that he was, 7:been
to ascertain the number of applications which 'la'
fgrthst
made for assistance under the Bill, before it was -ger
proceeded with. He understood that a list of the " the
hers who had so applied, would be shortly laid on
table, so that they could have some means of judging'„J
Sir. G. GREY said he intended to move the see°th-
-11
reading to-morrow night. It was necessarys that
Bill should be proceeded with without delay.
POOR-LAW AUDITORS.
Sir W. JAMES wished to know whether me
Hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for the Orel
Department considered that auditors would be i!isit'h-eir
in refusing to audit accounts submitted to them 'nof the
official capacity in accordance with the decision
law officers of the Crown? acting
Sir GEORGE GREY said an auditor s° erect
would incur great responsibility, but he Wes %In, PC,Nieg
to exercise his discretion as to allowing or
accounts. If the Fartics were dissati.fied with ' da-
law
cision, they had the power of appealing to the lj°°r.
Commissioners.

BOARS OF .
o_ed
Mr. W. R. COLLED WORKS
TT wished to know whether
House could be furnished with the names and occupsti
of the 11,000 overseers employed on the productive oe
unproductive works of Ireland ? goo
Mr. LABOUCHERE would be quite ready aso3
as the returns of the overseers were received to laY
ould
on the hble of the House. These returns the
comprise the number of the people employed, "'cc atli
with how many were employed inland, and hoe
were engaged in the works of piers and harbours. io
her Majesty's Government received any
furtber
formation, there would be every disposition to ['reduce it
as amply as it was obtained. goof
Mr. J. O'CONNELL gave notice that on the "—that
going into Committee of Supply, he would WO"1 d for
the people now employed on the public works 00 d
the remainder of the term be engaged in
the ttllsg
the land.—(Hear, hear.)

. in
Mr. VERNON SMITEMIGRATION H rose to move--" 1"" to
order to assist and encourage voluntary
the colonies, it is expedient to increase the ianPnrta
and authority of the Land and Emigration Board, tn are
to their agency in Great Britain and Ireland, and and
mote their vigilant superintendence of the passage -tali
future location of the emigrants." In putting -.pi
motion to the House he was not disposed to go intV'ect
long and discursive inquiry into the important 811'2,00
of emigration from the United Kingdom; firstly, b„ee„- be
at no distant period it had been respectively put a
House by the Iron. Members for Limerick,sheffie''' -nri
Liskeard ; secondly, because he had not the eloqtl,e";
ernigrationne
and information to bring the subject before it which tap
Hon. Gentlemen had evinced ; and, thirdly, heea,_ll,a-ollso
hoped to obtain some result by his motiony,,whie';:-fge
Gentlemen had been unable to achieve. But in the
remarks which he had to offer to the House, 11_!„(}
tended to confine himself to the terms of the n'e,:,-it
which he had to submit. This he should do, becatl2oo
was universally allowed that some system of einigeeigs
was necessary, and was in coincidence with the fee'l
of the public and the House. He believed that $O,
system of national emigration would never be ecbtlut,
teuanced either by the House or the Government 'at
on the other hand, there was no doubt but tun'-e-ed
right system of emigration would be countenit'7o.
both by her Majesty's Ministers and the enua...-bfe
He believed that the present time was the most lava,- 0
thatcould be selected for emigration. If Hon. Afellireld
would read the blue books upon their tables, they w) of
find that much disease arose from the over-crowdingot
the poorer classes in certain districts of their townlgbie
cities. In the agricultural districts the most larnen`j of
instances of destitution occurred from the low ra;ed
wages, and the Irish Secretary of State had also itf°,.Ar by
them that the_number of destitute, weekly emPll7, no
the Board of Public Work., in Ireland, amounte -•
impressi"r,
less than 668,000 persons. It was his firm
that the proposed alterations in the system of "Ili/I;i'
tation would have an injurious effect on the honest
grant. By the arrangement of bounties for -5060
gration to the colonies, the honest working up
who had done his best to educate or bringsoU to
his family, if he were desirous of going sage
one of the colonies would not be allowed for the P 5,00
of any of his children under seven years of age.
above
rule was that no bounty should be allowed to those hii
fifty years of age or below seven. And what "'As the
position when he got there? Why that, perhagsrbeen
children of his next-door neighbour, who been
neglected and taken up for sense petty theft, anA"cotee
taken into one of the places for reformation, hau ation
out there at the public expense with every expect
of mending as well as the children of the honest en 01
grant. If that short sketch of the present positio,der
emigration were true, he begged the House to eon'. d,
what were the difficulties against any plan to be anoere
The motion of which he had given notice applied Lion
particularly to what was called the Land and Ernigr3u
is
Board. There was a board of that description°
operation, however little its existence might be k.
_rw,"o
The commissioners wore zealous in the disc" tf
of their ;duties, but they had not the moTtsci
ILI her
properly carrying out their operations. The 'frote
for Liskeard stated, in 1844, that a gentleman, with
Canada wished to make some inquiries in Engee,a
reference to emigration, and although much int r
in this question, ho was not aware of the existence
ho,i,
that board. When gentlemen applied to hunheomn Ito
subject of emigration, he invariably referred t c ,„
this board, but the information given by this boar 10 in
the country was so scanty that it was hardly y.r.r,_`s
having. The Noble Lord was the founder of IT.
commission in 1840, and in a letter written hY_
Noble Lord shortly afterwards, to the members of tnouf
commission, he correctly defined their duties. ManY,ill
these duties, it was true, had since become obsolety:
even
although they had not altogether expired, they ha
whichd
hadvery
induced much
hlimited,im
oand r
itnhgi s
forward was one of
his
pt he
rreesaesnotn
ros
oto
Many delusive emigratory projects bad been sugges.
_a
from time to time, but few bad been carried out ;