The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-16 00:00:00

EVENING. •Air * 14 le, „MO,. -

IMPERIAL YA kIA A MEN T.
HOUSE OF LORDS, April 15.
THE NEW HOUSE.
The Second Estate of the Realm assembled for the
first time this evening in the Chamber appropriated for
their use by her Majesty, in her new Palace at West-
minster ; and certainly we feel ourselves compiled to
say that it is an apartment %sell worthy of the appro-
priation by the Sovereign for the use of her Peers—one
eminently adapted for the accommodation of their Lord-
ships, and one eminently calculated to add grace and
dignity to their proceedings. If he had done nothing
more, the interior of this chamber would immortalise the
name of Barry. We have already given at considerable
length a description of this most gorgeous apartment,
but we cannot allow so excellent an opportunity as the
first night of its being occupied by their Lordships to
pass by without again calling the attention of our
readers to some of the principal parts of this splendid
building.
The New House of Lords is 50 feet lone. by 45 feet
wide, and it is 40 feet high. On entering this spacious
apartment the stranger will be struck with perfect
amazement. The ceiling will, doubtless, first attract his
attention -;
it is not arched, but perfectly horizontal ;
massive ribs, carved and gilt, divide it into eighteen
compartments, and each of these is subdivided into five
minor compartments or panels, the ground of those
panels being azure, enriched with heraldic devices. The
ribs are supported by corbels and by spandrils, perforated.
At each point in the ceiling where the ribs intersect
each other there are p ndauts, which greatly enhance
the beauty of that portion of the building ; but there are
no depending lights—no lustres, no chandeliers swinging
from the roof, to conceal elegance or cover deformity.
The length of the House of Lords extends from north to
south, and during the day it will be lighted by twelve
windows, six on either side, which nearly reach to the
ceiling, but do not approach within twenty feet of the
floor. These apertures are to be doubly glazed, the
inner portion being stained glass. One of this number
has already been fini-hed, and the completion of the
windows will, doubtless, add much to the elegance of this
apartment. Upon the same level with the windows,
but on the northern and southern walls, are six compart-
ments, three on each extremity of the House, five of
which are now temporarily covered with figureddamask.
They are ultimately to be filled with fresco paintings.
One of these six .which stands immediately over the
throne has been completed ; the subject is the baptism
of Ethelbert. The spaces between the several windows
and compartments are fourteen in number, and they
contain niches which are yet to be filled with statues of
the barons who obtained Magna Charts.
Having now disposed of the upper portion of the
House, we descend to the galleries. That which is in
tended for the admission of strangers bearing Peers
orders occupies the north wall, and contains accommo-
dation for about one hundred and fifty persons. The
throne and the reporters' gallery fill spaces of pretty
nearly equal extent, but at opposite ends of the House.
With the exception of those spaces there is carried round
the entire apartment a light gallery. consisting of only
one line of seats, and capable of containing about one
hundred and eighty persons. This portion of the build-
ing will, be appropriated to a few ladies, and to Members
of the House of Commons. The railing which protects
these seats is a ery beautiful specimen of brass work
and enamel. The only other gallery is that Jor reporters,
which is placed in front of that for strangers, but con-
siderably nearer to the floor, and immediately over the
bar. The situation thus appropriated for reporting is
certainly in the most favourable position that could be
assigned for that purpose, consistently with the accom-
modation of the Peers and the architectural arranginents
of the building.
The floor of the House presents to the eye of the spec-
tator three principal divisions, which extend transversely,
viz., from east to west, each occupying the full breadth
of the apartment, but unequal parts of its length. In
the upper or southern division are the throne, together
with the spaces assigned to distinguished finteigners and
eldest sons of Peers. The boundary of this division is
fifteen or sixteen feet from the south wall. Next comes
the central region, or " body of the House," which seems
capable of containing the four hundred and forty Lords
spiritual and temporal. The table and woelsacks occupy
the middle portion of the floor. At either side of these
are placed, on ascending steps, five lines of benches, co-
vered with scarlet morocco leather, for the use of the
Peers.

The throne is a work certainly of great magnificence.
Hitherto this portion of the House of Lords has been
more like a great window with gold lace and velvet cur-
tains than the place intended for the seat of the Sove-
reign, when she appeared among her Peers, and was at-
tended by her faithful Commons, in order either to
prorogue or open the proceedings of the great council
of the nation. It was reserved for Mr. Barry to cast
these tawdry trappings to the wind, and erect
in their weed a throne worthy alike of the
monarch and the greatest nation upoa the earth
Though retaining abundant gorgeousness, the new
throne is distinguished by an airy, light, and graceful
character, which harmonises with the building. The
platform, on which her Majesty's chair stands, is ascended
by four steps, and constitutes a central compartment, on
either side of which, forming two wings, are minor eleva-
tions, where chairs for Prince Albert and the Prince of
Wales are placed, the latter on the right of the Queen, the
former on the left. -The frame work of her Majesty's
chair of state is marital and studded with crys-
tals. Ip other respects the structure of these seats is
conformable with the established fashion of such furni-
ture, namely crimson velvet and gold embroidery. tee
arms of her Majesty are emblazoned on the central chair,
those of the heir apparent on the chair appropriated to
that interesting young personage, while Prince Albert's
is adorned h his own shield, surmounted by the mul-
titudinous crests which Germans of gentle blood are
usually entitled to display.
It is impossible, finally, to conclude our description of
the throne without stating. that in its most elevated and
conspicu us parts there are five niches, in which figures
will be placed, fully armed, each in he costume of one
of the five British orders of knighthood.
The House is lighted by large gas burners placed on the
side walls and on candelabras springing from the floor,
and the effect of the whole, when fully lighted up, is
gorgeous and magnificent in the extreme, such as to defy
description, and such as must be seen, to be appre-
ciated. As a whole the House of Lords forms an ap-
propriate and pre-eminent feature in our great temple
of legislation, and assures us that the work of erecting
a new Palace at Westminster, so ably commenced, and
so successfully proceeded with, under the superin-
tendence and guidance of Mr. Barry, will, if his life be
spared, be brought to as equally successful a termination,
and will, when completed, stand as a monument to future
ages of the liberality of the people of England of the
nineteenth century, and of the taste and chaste designs
of its gifted architect.
It was announced that. the Lord Chancellor would
take his seat upon the woolsack at half after
four o'clock. It was expected that the gal-
leries (more particularly those appropriated to la-
the.) would have been fully occupied, and that there
would have been a large attendance of Peers. The gal-
lery was opened at twenty. five minutes before five. The
Lord Chancellor was on the Woolsack, and there were
not more than a d ,zee Peers in the House. The
only Cabinet Minister present, with the exception
of the Lord Chancellor, was Lord Campbell. The
ladies' galleries were unoccupied, and not more than
twenty persons were in the strangers' gallery. There
was a large gathering of sons of Peers and Members of
the House of Commons at the foot of the throne; among
them Lord John Russell appeared for a short time. His
Lordship afterwards visited the galleries and the other
parts of the House. The carpet (of the old Star Chant •
ber pattern), blue, powdered with stars, was laid down,
in the course of the morning, arid its light appearance
contrasts beautifully with the deep red colour of the
bunches. The coup d'ail presented by the appearance
of the interior of the House is gorgeous. It is indeed
a fitting palace for the proudest aristocracy in the world.
In consequence, however, of the immense extent of the
hall, and its peculiarity- of construction, the echo is so
great that it is extremely difficult to hear distinctly in
the gallery what is said in the body- of the House.
Prayers were read by the Bishop of ST. MANI.
Shortly after the LORD CHANCELLOR had taken his
seat on the Woolsack,
Lord CA MPBELL rose for the purpose of address-
ing the House. His Lordships however, was, by an
accident, deprived or tfie honour of being the first per-
son to bring forward any business in the new House,
for before he could commence his address, the Usher of
the Black Rod anneunced
MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Whereupon Mr. Greene and other Members were
called in and brought up several Bills. This was the first
public business transacted in the new House of Lords.
GOVERNMENT EDUCATION SCHEME.
Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition in favour of the
Government education scheme. The petition stated that
the plan was likely to be of great service to the cauntry.
POOR REMOVAL AND POOR. LAW
SETTLEMENT.
Lord REDESDALE presented several petitions against
both of these laws.
Lord LYTTELTON also presented a petition against
the law of settlement, and in favour of a national rate.
The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from
ao a Aberdeenpetuoiaganinfrsotuaansyuffolk,
alteratiporna)inintghe Navigation Laws;
for an alteration in
the Law of Settlement.
Earl FORTESCUE presented a petition praying for
the abolition of capital punishments.
Lord BROUGHAM rose to present a petition, but
the noise in the House rendered his Lordship's voice in-
audible. He said, addressing himself to the bar, "My
Lords, I shall be under the absolute necessity of having
the bar cleared, in order that the business of the House
may be proceeded with.—(A laugh.) My Lords, I beg
to move that the bar be cleared. I shall certainly persist
in that motion if my warning has no effect. lam about
to ask a question of the Government, but if they cannot
hear my question, and I cannot hear their answer, I
may as well let it alone."—(Loud laughter from the
Members of the House of Commons who were present.)
The Noble Lord then went on to state, that the pours'
rates in various parish s had been more than double
since the Ist of D ceinber, and that a proportion of nine
out of tee of he persons receiving relief were Irish
paupers. Last Sunday 3,714 persons ha I arrived in the
port of Liverpool, and on the next day 2,386 persons,
making an aggregate of about 6,000 persons. The ques-
tion which the Noble Lord proposed to found upon the
subject, did not, however, reach the gallery.
GOVERNMENT SCHEME OF EDUCATION.
The NOBLE LORD then presented a number of petitions
against the Government scheme of education, but was
understood not to support the prayer of the petitioners.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE' made some observa-
tions in reply to those of tee Noble and Learre.d Lord,
but not even their purport could be caught in the
gallery.

Lord BEAUMON'r coold not trip expressing his con..
currence in what had -fallen from the Noble Lord. If it
was rendered imperalive that the authorised version
f ti a Setiptures should be used in the schools to whieh
Government itid was to lee extended, the Catholic clergy
would not permit Catholic children to attend them.
This being the case, it was necessary that some
In ia-
sure should be adop ed to extend to the Catholic children
the hen' fit of education. He little expected that his
Noble Friend would make the statement he had just
made, as he considered from the opinions the Noble-Lord
had at various times expressed on the subject of educa-
tion, and as he knew the Noble Lord had often expressed
the most liberal opinions upon it, he was little prepared to
expect that the Government would proceed so far as to
exclude entirely one class of her Majesty's subjects from
the advantages conferred by this education grant on the
others. He saw no possibility of there being an uni•
formity of religion, and as long as that was so, perfect
toleration should be given to all.
Lord STANLEY presented several petitions from
Dissenting congregations against the Government scheme
of education, but added that he did not concur in the
petitioners' prayer.
STANDING ORDERS.

The Duke of RICHMOND said, that as a Member
of the Committee of Selection, he begged to call the
attention of the flou3e to a case which had been re-
ported to them by the Railway Commissioners. It ap-
peared that in one of the Bilk which had been sub
witted to them one of the parties had an action
pending in the Court of Chancery. This appeared
to him to be a very dangerous precedent to suffer, and
he should be very far from recommending to their Lord-
ships' House to suffer such a practice to prevail; and he
trusted, therefore, that some directions would be given
to the Committee of Selection not to entertain the Bill,
or any Bill which was affected by such acireutustancc.
Lord LYNDHURST conceived that it would be un-
wise to stop a Bill on that account.

Lord BROUGHAM—Supposing they were to allow
such a proceeding, any man, by filing a bill in Chancery,
would be able to stop any Bill whatever that might come
before their Lordships.

The Duke of RICHMOND said that he had no per-
sonal interest whatever in the matter, but thought it
right to call the attention of their Lordships to the
subject.

WASTE LANDS 1N IRELAND.
The Marquis a WESTMEATH brought in a Bill to
restrain the sale of waste of lands in Ireland, which was
read a first time.

The NOBLE MARQUIS also gave notice that he should,
on Monday next, move a resolution to the effect, that in
the present state of the law of landlord and tenant in
Ireland, and after the decision come to the other day in
the House of Commons, it was inexpedient to impose
any further burdens upon the landlords of Ireland.

Several Bills were advanced a stage, and their Lord-
ships then adjourned.

HOUSE 01 COMMONS. April 15.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
Mr. PINNEY took the oaths and his seat for East
Somerset.

BREACH OF STANDING ORDERS.
Sir W. HEATHCOTE stated that Mr. Heneage had
not attended in his place on a Committee, but as he
believed that there had not been sufficient r.otice, and no
doubt he would be in his place on Monday, he did not
think it necessary to make any motion on the matter.
GOVERNMENT SCHEME OF EDUCATION.
Colonel REID presented a petition from the Sunday-
school teachers and others against the plan.
COLCHESTER RAILWAY.

Mr. C. BERKELEY presented a number of petitions
in favour of the Colebester Railway.
ROCHDALE CANAL PURCHASE.

Mr. BECKETT presented a petition from fron manufac-
turers of South Lancashire against the purchase of this
canal. The Hon. Member also presented two petitions
against the North-Western Railway Extension.
SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY EXTENSIONS.

Mr. SEYMER presented forty-eight' petitions in
favour of the Bills for these extensions.

LLANILLGOLLEN AND CARDIGAN RAILWAY.
Mr. MUNTZ presented a petition against the Bill for
this railway.
LONDON, OXFORD. AND CHELTENHAM
RAILWAY.
Captain BERKELEY presented six petitions in favour
of this railway.__

acres under tillage; of the estimated number of deer
kept in the New Forest during each of the said years,
and the number kilted in each of the said years, stating
the cetimated number of deer kept and killed in each
walk ut the foreq; of the numb rof livens, a grant. d,
or ie force, for hunting or shooting in the forest, in the
said years, by whom such licenses are grained, and the
total amount of fees peel, i.: eat h of ,ne said y ears, for
thi satire.---Agreed to,
couitT OF CHANCERY.
Mr. HUME wished to ask a question of the Noble
Lord at the head of' the Gv.,r;tment, a question et'
which he had given notice. It was re-peeling the Court
of Chancery. He had melee; oit a former day !or copies
of the evidence and the report made by the Commis-
sioners wh.. hail been aitpeinted to examiee into
the proceedings of the C,-urt of Chancery. Since
the time of the appointment of the Commiseitmere,
however, it would appear that. no absolute report. had
been made, though certain recoinmendatioes had beta
made by them. What he wanted to keew frem
her MejeAy's Government wtee whether any al-
teration in the plait reeommended by the Coin-
inksi.tners had ben come to, regarding the
abolition of the Master in Chancery, and the other
otfieeN connected therewi, h, and the appointment of
two judges instead. The Act of 4 and 5 Victoria
gave the Lord Chancellor the power of making
the changes, but five years had elapsed and yet no-
' thing was done. Lest year but one a res lution on
the same subject had been come to, and though two
years had elapsed since then, nothing was accomplished.
He wanted to know from the Noble Lord when the
changes would be made ? '
Lerd J. RUSSELL said, in answer to the first point of
the Hon. Member, about the abolition of the Master
in Chancery, the Lord Chancellor had considered the
matter, and the result was the duties of the Master in
the Exchequer had been added to those of the Master
in Chaneery.—(Hear, hear,) This arrangement ren-
dered the original one, recommended now, unne-
cessary. The Honourable Member might thence
infer that it was not the intention of the Govern-
ment to fill up any vacancies that might arise.
He trusted, also, that with respect to the intentions of
the Lord Chancellor, changes of a beneficial character
to the interests of the suitors would be introduced into '
Chancery processes very shortly.
Mr. HUME suggested whether, as no official report
had been laid on the table of the House, any abjection
could be raised to the Lord Chancellor's collecting the
information required, and so bringing it in a tangible
shape before the House.
Lord J. RUSSELL did not think that any objection
could be urged against such a course.
JEWISH DISABILITIES.
Mr. SPOONER, said that, as the answer of the Noble
Lord to the question of the Hon. Member for Tavisteck
with respect to the civil disabilities of the Jews was
very generally misunderstood, he begged to repeat the
question. He wished to ask whether it was the intention
of the Government to remove those disabilities which
prevented Jews flow occupying seats in that House?
The answer of the Noble Lord wae' that it was
not the intention of the Government to bring in such a
measure, but he stated that he did not mean to say that
he should oppose the bringing in a general measure in
reference to the subject. He wished to know whether
it was the intention of the Ministry to bring in a mea-
sure involving the repeal of these disabilities?
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that the Hon. Gentle-
man was quite right in saying that his former answer
had been mit-understood, although at the same
time it appeared that the Honourable Gentle-
man had collected its substance very correctly.
He did not mean to say that the Government
would bring in a specific measure, but if a general mea
sure were introduced with respect to a change in the
oaths, he did not consider that any opposition need be
given to such a measure. All he could say now was, that it
was not at all probable that ameasm e would be introduced
by the Government in the course of this session, but
neither would he pledge himself that such a Bill would
not be introduced.—(Laughter )
EDUCATION

Sir JAMES GRAHAM wished to ask the Noble
Lord at the head of the Government the two questions
of which he had given notice, with respect to the minute
of Council en the subject of education, which had been
laid on the table of the House in the course of the session.
Tire first question was, whether in the minute. of Coun-
cil, it was intended that, as heretofore, Co aid should
be given to schools that are not in communication with
the one or the other of the two societies—the
National School Society, or the British and
Foreign School Society ; arid if the Noble
Lord's answer should be in the negative, that
it was not the intention of the Government to give to
other schools as will, then his next question followed,
occasioned by a statement made by a reverend member
of the Church of England, at a public meeting.
that Government aid was to be confined to
those schools in which the authorised version
of the Scriptures was used. fie wished, therefore, to auk
the Noble Lord whether any such limitation was to be
introduced?
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said, in answer to the Right
Hon. Baronet, in the first place, that there had been no
alteration in the minutes 44f Council of 18416 which had been
laid on the table of the House, to the effect that no grants
should be made except to schools in connexion
with the National or the British and Foreign School
Society, or iu which the authorised version of the
Scriptures were used. But inquiries had been
made in reference to that point by different
parties, and the President of the Council had in answer
referred them to the minutes of Council of 1839. Pre-
vious to 1839, the view was that Government aid could
only be given to schools in c.4nnec ion with these so-
cieties. But in 1839 it was intimated that the
Committee of Council would consider other applications
made, not through these societies, but as special cases,
and they would be considered as special. It had,
however, been intimated by Lord Lansdowne, the
President of the Council, that the Committee w
Council would not insist that such applications should
be considered as special cases, but that if they should
seem deserving of aid, aid would be granted, although
they were not in connection with these societies. Re-
ference having been made to the minutes of the year
1839, when it was made necessary that the authorised
version of the Scriptures should be used in the school
the impression seemei to have been made that that
limitation still continued. But it must be recollected
that Roman Catholics since then had received Govern-
ment aid in their schools. Tnere might be some altera-
tions made with respect to Roman Catholic schools.
Lord J. RUSSELL in reply to questions from Mr.
Duncombe and Mr. Ewart, said that everything that was
required would be found to be contained in the minutes.
With respect to the minutes of 1832, they had long be-
fore been presented to the House.
RELIEF TO IRELAND.

Mr. HAWES presented a ilispa,ch from British
Guiana, in which it was stated that 1,2001• were col-
lected for the distressed Irish; also another tram Barba.
does, where 2,000/ w,is collected tor the smm. purpose.
WRECK OF THE THETIS.

Viscount INGESTRE moved for a Select Committee
to inquire into the circumstances relative to the re
tovery of treasure and public stores sunk in her Ma-
jesty's late frigate Thetis, off Cape irl 1830
He would preface the observations, which lie was about
to make, by stating that be did not want the trea-
sury to pay away money as a gift, but to ren. ler
up that which had been unjustly obtained from
a body of men who exerted themselves most
laudably in saving a vast amount of treaiur.
from the wreck of ht.rMajesry's frigate Thetis. She wis
sunk in water from six to thirteen fathoms deep, and had
it not been lor the exertions, bravery, and mechanical
skill of Captaiu Dickenson. 157,0001. would have
been lost. It was his intention so long ago
as 1844 to have brought this subject under the attention
of the House. But he was prevented by his Hon. and
Gallant Friend the Member fur Ripon, who was of
opinion that discussion might prejudice the
cause, as he believe I that the Board of
Admiral:), would do justice to these brave men.
In the correspondence which had taken place upon the
subject, when several officers had volunteered to recover
a quantity of the treasure, it was stated that no expense
would he entered into on the public account, beyond the
use of the crews of those ships on the station who might
not otherwise be engaged. That permission having peen
given, it was most unfair to charge the expense of the
provisions of the crews and their pay upon those who
had attempted a public service. It was shown that
there was no other service in which to employ
the crews, and it was merely a little extra work.
It was said that the treasure in the ship was 157,0001,
and the stores were estimated at from 2,000/. to 3,000/.
An adjudication was made on the question in 1834.
after a long investigation by the Commissary Ge-
neral, that the decision did not give satisfaction.
In this case there was recovered not less than 157,0001
and there was scarcely anything like a fair proportion
given for the recovery of it. lie did net wish to press
any particular course on this, but he did suggest that a
Committee of inquiry should be appointed in this
matter. He must say on behalf of those hardy seamen
employed in the service that tht it remuneration was
miserablyinadequate to their services, notwithstanding
their praiseworthy conduct and the hardships endured.
He thought it was bad encouragement to those who had
risked their lives to recover property, and save human
life. He thought 161. or 17/. a head would not have been
tout great a remuneration for their services. He hoped
that the House would not sanction such an unprece-
dented act as the present. The Hon. Gentleman con-
cluded by moving for a Committee of Inquiry.
Captain PECHELL thought this to be of all the
cases he had ever heard the most extraordi-
nary. One of her Majesty's ships, when on a
cruise, was wrecked on a dangerous coast, and
the stores and specie on board were at risk.
The admiral on the station gave orders that every exer-
tion should be made to save the specie an: I stores, and Capt.
Dickinson was the officer who had the duty in charge, and
who had exerted himself in a manner the most exem-
plary. After several months' suffering and privations
of the extremest kind endured by the crew
at work on the wreck, a very considerable
sum of money was saved from the ship.
The Board of Admiralty handed over one third of the
whole to Captain Dickenson and his officers, who felt
in some degree satisfied with the decision. But now
came a most extraordinary charge : the board sent in
a bill, which the Admiral did not tax. The other night
the excessive charges and extortion of the Admiralty
and Ecclesiastical Courts, had been exposed, but he
would say, this bill of the Board of Admiralty, of 1831
and 1832, he did not know who they were, was
of a worse character. It was not only abo-
minable extortion, but gross robbery.—(Hear, hear.)
Thirteen thousand pounds was charged for the wear and
tear of these vessels, and they also charged for the time
the ships were employed on other service for the vic-
tualling of the men. The ships were back-
wards an 1 forwards, and on other duties, yet, not -
withstanding, they were charged for. He disputed
the principle of charging at all. 2,1934 was charged