The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-18 00:00:00

OURT OF COMMON COUNCIL.

Court was heldCORPORATION
REFORM
on Tuesday. The summons stated
that the Court would be special, for the election of
various city officers, and on no other business. A great
number of members attended, and the proceedings ex-
cited an extraordinary degree of interest. A Committee
of the whole Court, upon the proceedings of the Corpo-
ration, at which the reply to the Lord Mayor's state-
roent, explaining his reasons for refusing to put the third
reading of the Qualification Bill was read by the City
Solicitor, was previously held, and every one expected
a regular blow up, on the presentation of that do-
cument.

Mr. Joan DIxON, the moment the Lord Mayor took
tle chair, expressed regret that the feeling of some of
the Members had manifested itself in so objectionable a
Manner at the last meeting of the Court.
The LORD MAYOR said he fult much gratified at the
expression of regret at treatment which he was con-
scious he had not merited.

After the minutes of the last Court were read,
Mr. WIRE rose to move that the minute of a former
Court, on the subject of the proceedings on the Qualifi-
cation Bill be amended by recording the fact that s
notice given in open Court by ➢lr. Wood, a member of
the Court, in the following words was handed in and
published by him to the Cuurt :
" Notice of motion for the next Court by Mr. Wood.
" lhat the Bill to declare the qualification of freemen
of London to be elected members of the Court of Com,
moll Council be read a third time.

" JOHN WOOD.

~ef magistrate.
The RECORDER again and again asked whether it was
he pleasure of the Court to proceed to the election.
Mr. WIRE—Yes, we are. Gentlemen, the Recorder
wishes to put us into a court of law. Do not prevent
him. Keep your places. We are ready and willing to
go to the election of the officers, but we wish to have
this paper read first.
Sir PETER LAURIE—The Lord Mayor would, if left
to himself, do all that is required.—(Hear, hear.)
The RECORDER—The Lord Mayor has called a Special
Court, and unless reason can be shown to the contrary,
the Court was bound to take the business in the order
of the day. You cannot disappoint in that matter on
which you are called together. You are not aware of
the consequences which may arise from delay in swearing
the Judges of the Central Criminal Court, the Clerk of
the Peace, and other officers whose duties are of the
most serious importance.
Mr. R. L. JONES said, that at the same time that the
Recorder was advising the Lord May or against putting
a notice of motion upon the paper of business, the
Learned Gentleman knew perfectly well that in the
Commons House of Parliament, the Speaker durst not
refuse to comply with the desire of any member to that
effect.
The RECORDER—I answer that the Court of Common
Council, although a branch of the greatest corporation
in the world, still is not exactly the House of Commons
of the United Kingdom.—(Laughter below the bar.)
Mr. PRENDERGA.ST said it was the law of every delibe-
rative body—of the Committee of Sewers, of the County
Courts, of the Bank of England, of the East India
House, that when a meeting was specially called to
transact special business, that business was settled before
any other was commenced. That was the law, in fact,
of every common club. The Court had a public duty
to perform, and it was bound manfully to assert its
rights, and submit them, if necessary, to be decided by
the law of the land.—(Laughter.) An alternative
which was, perhaps, more eligible than either single
combat or a general battle.—(Laughter.)
A MEMBER—Now, Mr. Recorder, candidly say
whether you would not, if you were Lord Mayor, put
the question ?
The RECORDER—No ; I should, if I were Lord
Mayor, tell the Recorder not to put the question.
Mr. PEACOCK said it would be in the power of the
Recorder to settle the matter by advising the Lord
Mayor to give up what, after all, was but a point of
form.
The RECORDER—Then I should have only to say to
the Lord Mayor, " My advice to you is to give up this
point ; but I hope you will not take my advice.
Mr. BLAKE said the Lord Mayor had slandered the
Court, while they were demanding what was their un-
doubted right.
Mr. MARRIOTT thought the members were fighting
with a shadow, and proposed to them the magnanimous
act of being the first to retire from the contest.—(Loud
cries of" No, no.")
Mr. MARRIOTT then moved, and Mr. WILLIAMS se-
conded the motion that the Court proceed to the elec-

tion of the officers.
Mr. Wins immediately rose to oppose the motion,
and began to read the paper containing the answer to
the statement of the Lord Mayor as part of his speech,
but
The LORD MAYOR, before many sentences had been
read, rose and, ordering the mace-bearer and the sword-
bearer to precede him, retired from the Court.
The gallery was filled during the discussion by per-
sons who seemed to be struck with astonishment at the
state of the proceedings.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
BETTING AT MANCHESTER.—TUKSDAY.
LIVEZWOOL STIIU'LE CIIASE.-8 to 1 agst Brunette, 12 to
1 agst The Roarer (100 to 8 taken)-13 to 1 agst St. Leger-
-16 to 1 agst Avoca.
CHESTER CCP.-22 to 1 agst Medicant (taken freely)-
25 to 1 agst The Lamb (offered)-35 to 1 agst Mickey Free
(taken)-50 to 1 agst Emigrant (offered)-1,000 to 20 agst
Princess Alice (taken)-1,000 to 18 agst Intrepid (offers to
take)-1.000 to 15 agst Inheritress (taken)l,ooo to 15
agst The Conjuror (offers to take). None others named.
kIETROPOLITAN HANDICAP.-14 to 1 agst Lady Sarah
(offered).
DEBBY.-15 to 2 agst Van Tromp (offered)-11 to 1 ag,st
Epirote (offers to take)-13 to 1 agst Planet (offered)-23
to 1 agst Glentilt (otrered)-250 to 10 agst Conyngham
(taken)-500 to 5 agst Bedlam (offered). Nothing else
named.
OAKS.-8 to 1 offered on the field.
oitwltOisoolvbs. each.
BRIXWOR M STEEPLE CHASE.—TUESDAY.
Mr. Elmore's Grlit-yanFcliieczaela,
..... .....(13utler) 1
Lord Strathmore's Walter Gay, lOst 121 b
Mr. Wesley's Gayhurst, lOst 41b
Seven others started. Won by about two lengths, Gay_
hurst beaten about the same distance.
HUNTING APPOINTMENT.
Her Majesty's stag hounds meet on Friday at Maidenhead
thicket, at half-past eleven.

ROBBERY or 10,000/.—Notwithstanding the ex
pose at the Mansion- house on Saturday concerning the doings
of the swell mob in the City, and the caution the LoridhMiaokr
threw out, a robbery of no less a sum than 10,000/.,
in the vicinity of the Royal Exchange. .
the Strand,
of England notes, was yesterday, about one ocloccler,keiffheetthede
service of Strahan, Paul, and Bates, bankers, 11.1
lo'fadthbeeeCn
he carelessly
ty collectinghan ks, in the d
thcourse t of
placetlie morning ni
calledn a t severalat
was
Deacon's bank, in Birchin-lane. On leaving
n otnotes, deposited
in
n hhiiss
coat-pocket,
leatheroat.
p o
ecka
es et containing
withouta
ha boory ea
naym security
yn
being attached to it. It was raining at the time, and,h neighbourhood,
the confusion that existed in that crowded neigb
some of the expert swell mob gentry managed to extract the
case and get clear off. Oa the clerk discovering his loss he
instantly repaired to the Mansion-house, and gave informa-
tion to the Forresters, who in a short time succeeded in ob-
taining an accurate list of the notes and their numbers. They
are as follows :-1,0001., dated June 13, 1846, No. 68,670;
1,0001., No. 68,787 ; 1,000/., No. 68,850 ; 1.0001. No. 70,652 ;
1,0001., No. 70,665 ; 1,0001., No. 70,666 ; 5001., dated March
12, 1846, No. 51,339 ; 5001.. same date, No. 52,276 ; 3001.,
May 11, 1846, No. 57,107 ; 200/., March 10, 1846, No. 38,362 ;
200/., same date, No. 39,888 ; 200/., same date, No. 40,488 ;
100/., May 9, 1846, No. 84,172 ; 501., Oct. 8, 1846, No. 40,152 ;
50/., same date, No. 43,560; 201, Oct. 5, 1846, No. 83,274;
201., No. 83,275; 51., Dec. 2, 1846, No. 35,910; 5/, Jan. 13,
1847, No. 59,650; and 5/., No. 94,426. There can be doubt
the clerk was watched from place to place. Late last night
M*ssra. Bush and Mullens, the solicitors for the Association
of Bankers, forwarded by the mails a list of the notes, not
only to every town throughout England, but also to the
Continent. A reward of 5001. is offered for the restitution of
the notes.
MONEY MARKET.—The premium on gold at Paris is
10 per mille, which, at the English Mint price of 31. 17s.
1016 d, per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of
25.40; and the exchange at Paris on London at short being
25.271, it follows that gold is 0.49 per cent. dearer in Paris
in London. By adyices from Ilamburgh the price of gold
l' i1a:311,2 per mark. which, at the. English Mint price of 3/. 17s.
101,4 d, per ounce for standard gold, gives an exchange of
13.81, ; and the
foexllcoly.m,smaatt
gHoladmbisuro.ghnonpeLrocnedhotn.
daetarsehroirht
being 13.6,
York on
Hamburg
otnhdaonni n L
is
loon6dlo n.
per
eTehne t.
, courseaud t of
he epxacrhg
oafn
exchange
exa Ne
w
York
ht
anegwe
tnhgalta nt e aenxdc
hAamn
geer i
icsalbeing
e;;
ecOes9vn2t
.3-840 a
iphesrt ccen
Eng-
t.,t
Yorkg being fur
antov,s between E
But the quoted exchange at
the interest must be deducted from
bthilelsabat9y6oo difference*
cseight,
.

THE NORTH BRITISH REVIEW. No. XII.
In this sensible and superior periodical there is an
agreeable diversity of subjects—one being a copious
synopsis of " Morell's Modern Philosophy ;" another
about the afflictions of " Deafness and Blindness," as
illustrated by the writings of Dr. Kitto ; another com•
mernorative of " Abraham Cowley," one of the most
undeservedly neglected of our poets ; another upon art,
as visible in the pictures of " Modern Painters;" another
about the " Anglo Normans ;" another about " Watt
and Cavendish," especially as to the manner in which
those eminent men were implicated in the researches
made as to the composition of water ; and a concluding
article—would that it could be a concluding article in
more senses than one—upon the " State of Ireland." A
merely superficial glance at the contents for this quar-
ter's number of the North British Review will be suffi-
cient to render at once manifest the variety and discri-
mination of talents possessed by the contributors and
editor. We are especially gratified to observe the tribute
of praise paid to the Oxford Graduate who penned the
two volumes upon " Modern Painters." Dissenting in
toto, as we do, from the opinions of that eloquent writer,
in the comparison drawn between the old landscape
painters and the modern landscape painters, it would be
ungenerous to deny the extraordinary powers of the
anonymous author. Reverencing the memory of Claude
Lorraine as we do—not from an idle accordance with
any fashionable admiration, but simply because we re-
cognise in him a matchless interpreter of the divine
glories of God's creation—we cannot refrain from
applauding the impassioned panegyrist of Mr. Turner.
The Oxford Graduate is among the most eloquent
writers that have appeared for many years past ; his
pen is immeasurably superior, in the portraiture of na-
ture, to the pencil of that great master whose genius
appears to be the incessant object of his wor-
ship, and the perpetual theme of his eulogiums.
We remember reading the first volume of
the Oxford Graduate's work on "Modern Painters,"
almost immediately after its first publication ;
the remembrance of it is not effaced in any one particu-
lar, nor can it be speedily obliterated. As a specimen
of the author's powers of painting in words, and as a
specimen too of how the most gorgeous diction may be
employed even in profusion, without degenerating into
bombast and hyperbole, we cannot resist transcribing
the following magnificent description of the Slave
Ship :
" But, I think, the noblest sea that Turner has ever
painted, and, if so, the noblest certainly ever painted by
man, is that of the Slave Ship, the chief Academy picture of
the Exhibition of 1840. It is a sunset on the Atlantic, after
prolonged stoma ; but the storm is partially lulled, and the
torn and streaming rain-clouds are moving in scarlet lines to
lose themselves in the hollow of the night. The whole sur-
face of sea included in the picture is divided into two ridges
of enormous swell, not high, nor local, but a low, broad
heaving of the whole ocean, like the lifting of its bosom by
deep drawn breath after the torture of the storm. Between
these two ridges the fire of the sunset falls along the trough
of the sea, dyeing it with an awful but glorious light, the in-
tense and lurid splendour which burns like gold, and bathes
like blood. Along this fiery path and valley, the tossing
waves by which the swell of the sea is restlessly divided, lift
themselves in dark, indefinite, fantastic forms, each casting
a faint and ghastly shadow behind it along the illumined
foam. They do not rise everywhere, but three or four to-
gether in wild groups, fitfully and furiously, as the under
strength of the swell compels or permits them ; leaving be-
tween them treacherous spaces of level and whirling water,
now lighted with green and lamp-like fire, now flashing
back the gold of the declining sun, now fearfully dyed from
above
id get
fiery
ireyi t
fthloy
ntl
the
geindistinguishable
e.
i,urpi images of the burning
recklesswn
w
Purple
clouds., which fall upon them in flakes of crimson and scarlet,
andav waves
blue, the
t haed lduerdi d
the gatherssea cold
, i
ts thin masts
low,
masts written advancing
upon
like
th e shadowtshkeyin
shadowsl motionn e
s 000fff
deathotf h t
blood,eh i
er
hollow breakers are cast upon the mist of the night, which
ltahbaoturfseaamrfaidlathutheewlihgihehtnisniggnost
ugpirodnedthweitghmclotndesmhinpataisonitin
the sky with horror, and mixes its flaming flood with the
sunlight—and cast far along the desolate heave of the sepul-
chral waves, incarnadines the multitudinous sea."
In many respects the last number ofthe North
British Review is superior to its predecessors.

Loss Or inc PACKET•SHIP GARRICK The,splendid
E. K. Collins,
she
ersreey coast, at
ship Garrick, Captain Trask, belonging to 1171ri
of this city, went ashore on Deal Beach
about six o'clock on Tuesday night, where up
to eight o'clock yesterday. morning. We learn frommaLaned
mes-
senger sent by Captain Trask that she lies broadside and high
up, with head to the southward, and was making considerablei
water. But a few moments before she struck,
gong
the lead, 15 fathoms were found ;r the vessel was then
at the rate of 81 knots. The weather was so thick that it
was found necessary to keep the lead constantly in use, with
persons on the look out. The Garrick left Liverpool on the
14th of December, having on board one cabin and 358
' steerage passengers, and a valuable cargo, for this port.
Although her position is by no means favourable, yet if the
weather continues moderate, it is thought she may begot of];
She is a noble vessel, and one of our first class packets. Her
measurement is about 1,000 tons. She is valued at 75,000
to 80,000 dollars. She is insured in Wall-street, probably
for two-thirds her value. None of the passengers had quitted
the vesssel when the messenger left yesterday; they were
awaiting a steamer to take them to the city. Two steamers
went to her assistance early yesterday morning; they wl
return this morning witb the passengers, and with what
light
articles can be conveniently taken from the ship.— New York
He, old, Jan. 28.
Mr. Secretary Redington's office, at his family
.h e dutytide
e a t n 4TO O,u oeo2oola.
Tuesday
seat, Kilcornan, county of Galway, was entered on Tuesday
night by burglars, who rifled the desks of some silver.
The late Mr. Byng's estate has been valued for
probate
was higher than on WI pre-
Y 19113 occasion aince the 31st of December, 1840.

PATENT BILL.
An HoN. MEMBER presented a petition from Bradford
complaining of certain clauses in this Bill.
LAW OF SETTLEMENT.
Mr. FARNHAM presented a
_petition from the guardians
of the poor of Leicester and Nottingham praying for the
abolishment of the law of settlement, and that the support of
the poor might be made a national charge.
DUTY ON TEA.
An Hon. MEMBER presented a petition praying, for the
abolition of the duty on tea.
IMr ORTATION OF GRAIN INTO IRELAND.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE presented a petition from the
Drogheda Union, praying the House to cause an immediate
importation of grain into Ireland.
ELECTORAL DISTRICTS.
The HON. BARONET also presented a petition from one of
the parishes in that union, complaining of the present mode
of rating electoral districts.
THE IRISH MEASURES.
Mr. PROTHEROE presented a petition from several in-
fluencial householders in Halifax, expressing alarm lest the
pleasures proposed for the relief of Ireland would increase the
taxation on the people of this country ; and praying for the
abolition of the duty on tea.
Mr. B. B. CABBELL moved for a return of the number
of persons who had received relief in the union workhouses
in England and Wales from 1844 to 1846, together with the
quantity and amount of out-door relief afforded by them
during that period.
EJECTNIENTS IN IRELAND.
Lord DUNCAN said during the ten years he had occupied
a seat in that House he had often had to thank the House for
the indulgence which it had extended to him on various
occasions, and he trusted that that kindness and indulgence
would be extended to him whilst he called the attention of
the House to a subject of a personal nature.
He was anxious to taloa the earliest opportunity of vindi-
cating his character, as a statement bad gone abroad that
some statements which he made in that House a few evenings
ago were brought forward by him for the purpose of casting
aspersions on the conduct of a Noble Lord, a Member of the
other House of Parliament (Lord Lucan). It had been
stated he had acted with discourtesy in not having intimated
to that Noble Lord that he intended to bring forward the
statements lie did. He trusted that he knew his duty to
that House too well to act with discourtesy to any indi-
vidual in that House or elsewhere. It had been stated
that he had made charges against an individual. Now he
begged to call to the recollection of the House, that when
his Hon. and Gallant Friend the member for Marylebone
(Sir C. Napier) referred to some statements in a blue book,
wd
Diutnheraens)p ercots
et oacfteelahi
en
suartiti i odic)).
‘w,
no,rkahnodu sreesa
din I
ther el a
enhda,
rhgee
8( Lor
con-
tained in a blue book, which appeared to him (Lord Duncan)
to be of a most appalling character. lie stated—and he
thought it would be in the recollection of the House that
he did so—that he trusted those charges would be speedily
denied ; but it would be equally within the recollection of
the House that he made no charge against any individual.
He merely read an extract from the blue book, the state-
ments in which were sanctioned by the Poor-law Com-
missioners, by whose assistants they were collected,
and were published upon the authority of the Government.
He disclaimed having made any charges like those imputed
to him. lie said this, and he repeated it, that the constitu-
ency which he represented (Bath) would not be satisfied if
they were taxed to pay poor-rates for the relief of Ireland,
whilst no such tax was levied on those in Ireland who were
in a fit condition to pay it. He trusted the statement would
yet be denied, that wealthy parties in Ireland refused to pay
that tax, which the English people were called upon to pay
in lieu of them. No reflections which might be made in that
House or elsewhere on his conduct would prevent him from
doing what he considered his daty to his constituents and
the people of this country.
POLICE.
On the motion of Mr. FREWEN the following return
was ordered :—" Return showing the number of police con-
stables in each county, or divisionof a county, in England and
Wales, under the Act 2 and 3 Vic., c. 93, distinguishingleach
class or denomination; including, also, a return of the name
and population of every petty sessions district, in the
said couuties, the number of police-constables stationed in each
district, and the amount paid to the county police rate by
each district; together with an account, in detail, of the se-
veral items of espenditure for the year 1846.
SUPPLY. _ _

The House, on the motion of Mr. PARKER (in the ab-
sence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer), resolved itself
into a Committee of Supply, and a Tote of 18,310,700/. was
agreed to for the purpose of meeting outstanding Exchequer-
bills.
The House then resumed, and the report was brought up.
Mr. T. S. DUNCOMBE presented a petition from the
West Riding of Yorkshire in favour of the Ten Hours' Bill,
and also a petition from the members of the United Trades'
Association for the Protection of Industry, signed by 10,860
names, in favour of the same measure.
Mr. DUNCAN presented a petition from the Chamber of
Commerce of Dundee against the principle o !any interference
with factory labour.
ADJOURgED DEBATE ON THE FACTORIES' BILL.
On the order of the day being read,
Sir ANDREW LEITH HAY said, that during the course
of a considerable Parliamentary experience his feelings had
invariably been the same on the subject of any interference
with the manufacturing interests of this country, and he con-
sidered it his duty on that occasion to state his opinion, not
that he had the presumption to consider that his opinion
would have any weight in the House, but having it in his
power to bring forward the opinions of others which had most
probably escaped the attention of this House. The other
evening he heard the Noble Lord, the Member for the city
of London, state that he considered that the question now
had become, not a question of principle, but a question of
degree. He did not consider that such was the case; it was
still a question of principle, and he thought also,
beyond
all doubt, that the interference which took place in 1833
was not considered by the House as an interference which
at all established that the principle was conceded, and
hereafter it must only be a question of degree. What were
the circumstances under which the Act of 1833 was passed ?
It was well known to many Members of that House that a
serious struggle took place in that Parliament,
and in that
year, between the adverse parties as to whether a Commission
of Inquiry on the state of the factories should or should not
be established. By the votes of the House the Commission
was issued, and upon investigation it was found that in all
the factories of Great Britain and Ireland—at least the
cotton factories—the average time of labour was
vente twelve
hours. Some of them worked sixteen, or perhaps se2
hours, and others a lesser number. But they considered th.
twelve hours was not only the average time for lanb9utrhein
those factories, but also a judicious settlement a. a
eared t
gave it as their opinion that twelve hours should be ty hoe
amount of labour sanctioned by Parliament.
It app e
the prin.
him that it was only an adjustment to g
ciple, without interfering, or seeing the riegtra teliseinhad heard
terfere to
any extent to diminish the hours of labour. H
with great regret the declaration of the Noble Lord that ha
It was the ques-
considered it merely a question of degree.
tion of degree which they had settled bane interfering with
the principle, and that in his opinion, n the opinion of
others better informed, would interfere with the manufac-
turing interests of this country. The first authority he should
interference
quote on the subject of the inexpediency (!t
was a name well known in that House--it was Mr. Leonard
Horner, one of the principal Commissioners, who gave the
was passed. Mr.
formation on which the Act of
Leonard Horner was, h information as
in 1837, appolinBt3e3dcwa Commissioner for
the express purpose of giving
might settle the question, and an Act of Parliament
was passed in the same year which established
term for labour in the
twelve hours as the ProP,er. i L Ihi
cotton factories in the United leingdom. Br. eoinnnogarrtuehndooefrrlnirieeirs.
was appointed an inspector undthererthpisaftcto,f hthaev
and: in E'egland. He was sub e
Ire-
charge Scotland, Belfast,
land, and also three coutnhoset
district to another districtain-
quently removed from
England ~ and after he had been the inspector for someeontuimrthoee,f
he wrote from Leeds to the
aeffnecactutehdaftoarntye ilinmteirtfetrheenlcaeb
part of the Legislaturef
whchaialdhood, as they were free.
agents,
persons over the age of childhood,
of the
t ofatateln
eheonlusercisnewnocuefsd,eriubwdehiacoth-f
and stating that
labour in cotton faCtoeriest
,cwaistsoes. That was
tended with the
would be first felt byul°tahe working
minent persogn
er cum
then-
opinion of that very
aba ee
' toldau d wastahlle thepractically
since ncci
conversant with ell the 4ete.taihseofmtilgiehct
stances connected
alteredwithi
his opinion.
lie would give a
that gentleman had . Ho could show that
for
relve years after he
rapid alttfenrattsio4L
it was not a very
of
:the factories.
tnentorandunt from his
had been made an inspectorreper
He (Sir
A. L. Hay) had got his opinionhosetwelve
his favour for twelve
years, and he would chargeof the 16trofyears against their
opinion. In his report May, 1845, he
gave an account of
an experiment
of labour touade at Preston
by reducing the hours eleven, and the re-
sult
of that experiment did not justify any further legislative
restriction of the hours of labour—on the plea that if the
hours were shortened the amount of produce was lessened
and that in a large proportion of the manufacturing t '
if the hours of labour were reduced, the wages would also be
reduced. He thought that the experiment would certainlye
be fraught with danger to the manufacturing interests oftl ie
country, and danger not only to the manufacturers, but to the
agriculturists also. The manufacturers at that
moment in
the part of Scotland to which he belonged—and where '
the
manufacture of cotton was carried on to
extent, were only working ten a great
hours a day_
bat why ? it was from the depres •
sion of trade,
and not having markets for the greater quantity of
That such a state of depression existed was well knownproduce.
all, and it was a fact that these manufacturers had for years
to
together carried on their business, and kept their
going, for the purpose, not of emolument, but in " machinery
Fetter times for their trade. That was the the hope of
things, and he felt convinced, that if they disresent state of
pass this mea-
sureor
as proposed by the Hon. Member f
would,lin the first place, stop altogether Oldham, they
a
the owners of which would not number of mills,
their while to go on under such think it worth
and would thus inflict a great ' circumstances,
manufacturing interest of this country. lienjury upon the
a mill-owner in that part of the count had a letter from
IT, which contained a
statement that this measure would be
very
interests.—(Hear, hear.) With regard'y injurious to their
of these mills, it appeared rational tot suppose
the working;
if the hours of labour were reduced from twelvetrto ten hours, tbours,

it was absolutely impossible to suppose but that a reduction
of wages must follow, and it would injure the agricultural
interest by throwing a number of men out of employ-
ment, and making them dependent upon parochial relief.
There was another point to which he would refer. It was
impossible that a general Act of this kind could operate be-
neficially on all the manufacturers of England, Ireland, and
Scotland. There would, therefore, be considerable hardship
imposed on many of those parties. Till he had seen other
reasons to alter his opinion, he must vote against the Bill.
This was, of all other times, the most dangerous for trying
such an experiment. It was not a time of prosperity, when
it could be tried with impunity. He thanked the House for
listening so attentively to him, and, on the part of the manu-
facturers of his county, as well as on behalf of the interests
of the agriculturists of the empire, and the people generally,
he must oppose the second reading of this Bill.
Mr. BERNAL thought that, whatever side Hon. Members
might take on the present question, they ought to express
their opinions without exaggeration or prejudice. He for one
had always been consistent on this subject; he had never
altered his opinion of its merits. Still he desired to state
that he had no sympathy with any of the illiberal or vulgar
attacks which had been made on the master manufacturers
of the country, who, he believed, had generally acted with
the best intentions towards the operatives under their care.
All he asked of those manufacturers was, not to let prejudice
affect their minds in the condemnation of the present mea•
sure, for he believed an end to the question must come
ere long by the concession of what was now sought.—( Hear,
hear.) He felt certain that three years would not go over
their heads till a ten hours' Bill would; be carried.—(hear,
hear.) The Bill now before the House proposed to limit
the labour of young persons between the age of thirteen and
eighteen, and all females, to ten hours a day for five days in
the week, and eight hours on Saturday. That was to make
the week's labour 58 hours, instead of 68 hours, as at pre-
sent. Now, in discussing the advantages that would result
from the proposed change, he would deal only with plain
arguments and matters of fact, and discard all poetry. He
admitted at once that the arrangement would also limit the la-
bour ofadults in factories. This being the case, he would address
himself to one or two of the leading arguments employed by
previous speakers against the Bill. It had been stated that
if the hours of labour were reduced to two hours a day,
there would in consequence be a reduction of wages in the
same proportion; and it had further been stated that the
factory operatives were not prepared for that. He conceded
the first proposition, that there would be a reduction of wages,
but he must tell the House that the operatives had over and
over again expressed themselves willing to take the measure
and abide the issue. He recollected two years ago having a
two hours' conversation with delegates from the manufac-
turing districts, and when this subject was named to them their
answer was,"We are content to encounter the risk, and abide the
chance of reduction."—(Hear, hear.) But he did not con-
cede the point that there would be a necessary reduction of
wages to the extent named by the opponents of the Bill. He
would call the attention of those who differed with him in
opinion on this subject to the figures, the data, the facts, that
illustrated this point. Had the Acts passed during the past
year, for the regulation of the textile manufactures of the
country, reduced the rate of wages? Between 1813 and
1833 seven distinct statutes had been passed on the subject of
factories, and for the reduction of the hours of labour. He
appealed to the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite, the Member
for Dorchester (Sir James Graham) if such had not been
the case. To talk, therefore, of the principle of the
present Bill being new was absurd. The details he had
collected on the rate of wages at the different periods, he
had collected from the evidence contained in the large blue
books up stairs. As he had already observed, from 1813 to
1833, seven distinct Acts had been passed bearing on the
question of factory labour. What, then, was the rate of
wages in the different years? In 1833 Air. Holland Hoole
gave evidence on the subject of wages, and his authority was
the more important as he was well known to be opposed to
measures of the kind. He states what were the wages in eight
years, and the result is that the average wages of young per-
sons in Manchester was Bs. 4d. a week, while in 1833
they were Bs. 10d. a week, so that though the
hours of labour were reduced, the wages of those persons
had not been reduced, but rather had increased. And the
advantage would appear still greaters,when they considered the
prices of provisions in relation to wages at the different periods.
He begged the House to grant him its attention while he
proceeded to read the scale of prices which prevailed in the
articles of food, anti other necessaries, in each of these re-
spective years, and the House would remember, that in the
intermediate period enactments had been passed limiting the
hours of labour in factories. He found, then, that
the price of oatmeal was in 1813, 555., in 1833, 255. ;
butcher's meat, in 1813, 6d.; in 1833, 3d. ; soap, in
1813, Bd., in 1833, 6d. ; candles, in 1813, 110.,
in 1838, ad.; coals, in 1813, Bid., in 1833, 3,4 d.
Salt, they were aware, was considerably reduced, and there
had been a reduction generally in calicoes, articles of dress,
cheese, and potatoes, amounting nearly to 50 per cent., so
that while the young women in 1833 got nearly the same
average wages that they did in 1813, they could supply
themselves with articles of food and clothing at 50 per cent.
less. Now, if the House took the average weekly earnings
in 1844 and 1845, they would find that the same facts were
exhibited. In a speech of the lion. Member for Durham,
in which he entered at some length into the question of
wages as existing in his own and other factories in Lanca-
shire and Yorkshire, the Hon. Member stated the number
of his workers at 518, and their average earnings per week
as 9s. Id. ; Mr. Ackroyd employed 745 workers,
at an average weekly wage of 9s. 3d., while the
workers in Messrs. Eccles' and other manufac-
tories averaged 10s. 7d. He alluded to these facts
merely to show that wages in 1844 and 1845 had not been
reduced, although from the year 1833 they had passed two
other enactments limiting the hours of labour in factories.
Ile had, therefore, the right to assume that a doubt might be
cast on the assertion, that the reduction of the duration of
labour would be followed by a reduction of wages. He
believed it would not, and he conceived that he had as good
a right to prophecy as his opponents. When they were told
that the health of towns was a subject of vital importance to
all classes of the commuinity—when this subject was being
forced upon their notice, in terms which could not be disre-
garded, could they, when considering this question, forget
that the artizan was worked for 12 or 14 hours in a heated
and unwholesome atmosphere; that women (workers also in
factories) were torn from their domestic relations, and inter-
rupted in the midst of those maternal duties which nature
had pointed out as imperative? Let the House look to the
facts elicited by Mr. Fletcher, a most intelligent surgeon of
Manchester. He, writing to the Honourable Member for
Oldham, stated that he was startled at the statistical
details set forth in various authorities; but after he had him-
self tested their accuracy, he was obliged to acknowledge
that in no single instance were they overcharged. He had
not taken one town or district, but had compared one with the
other throughout the textile manufacturing counties. He had,
for instance, taken one district in the town of Bury, and com-
pared it with another district in which a different species of
manufacture prevailed. First, in the town district of Bury,
which he had examined, he found that great mortality pre-
vailed in consequence of defective ventilation, and that
the number of years which each worker was employed
in the factories did not exceed on an average eight years,
while in some other kinds of factories the period exceeded
fourteen years. Ile found that the deaths of infants in the
towns averaged siety-one per cent., and in other
districts thirty-two per cent. The Hon. Member
(Mr. Milner Gibson) seemed to doubt this, but the
facts were accredited, and could be substantiated to the satis-
faction of the Hon. Member. Now in the district of Bury
North he found the mortality as 91,‘ years compared to 19
years in other districts, and the deaths among infants as
54 per cent. compared to 33 per cent. in other dis-
tricts. Now they had heard a great deal of the
necessity for the construction of parks, and schools,
and athenasums for the working classes, but he should like to
know what period the workman had to give, or what phy-
sical energy he had left, to enjoy these walks in
the parks, or that intellectual recreation in athenaeums.
Would any Hon. Gentleman who knew anything of the
physical energies of the human frame tell him that any
man or woman had sufficient bodily energy at the end of
six days' work in a factory to enjoy themselves in a park or
an athenaeum? It was truly said that manufactures at the
present moment were depressed. Now, what was the cause
of it ? Why, it could be traced to the working of that mag-
nificent demon (if he might be allowed the term), the steam-
engine. By the aid of its powers the manufacturers of this
country had overstocked every market in the world, and
that was the cause of the depression in manufactures. The
consequence of all this was that all the mills throughout the
kingdom were working short time, and as there must neces-
sarily be diminished production in future, what harm was
there in passing this Bill?
Mr. DENNISTOUN was understood to remark that over-
production was an increase of good; it was not an evil.
Mr. BERNAL denied that it was an increase of good, and
maintained that over-production was a decided evil. In
America they managed things better than in this country,
and while the wages there were 15s. a week, ss. more than
in this country, the hours of labour were much shorter.
Still America was enabled to compete with British manuface
tures. In France and Belgium the wages were lower than
in this country. But it was urged that if this Bill were
passed the price of manufactures would be increased in the
home market. Well, perhaps it might, but only to the extent
of a halfpenny a shirt. Then, again, it was urged, that if
factory labourers objected to their present hours of labour
they could combine or turn out. This, he thought, was un-
generous, for in his opinion the operatives of Lancashire and
Yorkshire were deserving of the highest eulogium, and were
entitled to credit rather than odium for not having
long ago resorted to a turn out or a combination.
Now, why should the operatives be compelled to work more
hours a day than the mechanic? There was not a mechanic
in any mill who worked more than ten hours a day—not a
smith, joiner, or carpenter upon the average worked in a
mill more than ten hours per day, and why should the fac-
tory operatives be compelled to work longer ?—(Hear.)
He did not think that five hundred men, employed together
beneath a large shed, with this " demon power" urging them
on, could be said to be men with free will. It was a very
common thing to talk of educating the people, but he wanted
these men, who were standing upon the soles of their feet,
in an atmosphere of from 70 to 80 degrees, to have a little
repose as well as education. A person occupied all the day
in such occupations could not be supposed to turn to his
scholastic duties, or afterwards take a pleasant walk in the
park, or pluck flowers in the green fields. It had been said
that the agricultural labourer was worked as severely as the
manufacturers ; they were, however, always healthy,
owing to the continued blessings of air and light.
If the Government dist not grant the request of those who
were peacefully agitating for the measure, sooner or later
they would be compelled to do so. But it had been said
that if this measure were passed other concessions would be
required. He begged, however, for himself to state that
the present was a Ten Hours' Bill, and as such he sup-
ported it, but if the operatives should come forward and
request a limitation of the hours of labour to eight,
he should most certainly oppose it. He found that there was
a clause in the present till proposing that from the Ist of
May, 1147, to the Ist of May, 1848, the hours of labour
should be reduced to eleven; but, that, after that period the
time should be reduced to ten hours. He did not approve of
the eleven hours' measure; he thought that it either went
too far, or not far enough. He hoped that the manu-
facturers would not leave themselves open even
to the charge of suspicion of avaricious grasping of that
which they should. notit maintain, and which the duties of
morality and Christianity forbad them to hole.
Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD said that he attended a
meeting held in the, Town-hall of Rochdale, numerously
classes of that town, convened fur
attended by the working
their oinions uon the subject of
the purpose of expressing
peaked
B i
lthem h what
r t was
e 3
the Ten Hours' Bill,
their wishes with respec and
thhea
ve any reduction of wages
desired him to support the measure. in that House, and whe-
ther they were willing
the passing of that measure? ;One
to receive
which might arise from
part of the hall was
appropriated to females, and lie asked
these subjects, and received the most
them their opinion upon
affirmative. And, although the
enthusiastic ans
R
operatives of woecrhdale did not constitute the whole body of
the electors of It ochdale, still he felt it his duty to pay
a due consideration to the wishes of that large body, and he
considered that be as acting in conformity
Bili with their opi-
nionsby ng, hi': vote in favour .
Mr. IDENNIsTOUN said that the Hon. Member (Mr.
Bernal) had challenged him to disprove his statement Of
facts, but before he (Mr. Dennistoun) did so, he must
say that he was somewhat surprised that the Noble
Lord at the head of the Government found fault
with hie honourable Friend, the Member for Durham, be-