The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-19 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY _EVENING, FEBRUARY 19, 1847.

Mr. BUNTI said he had ascertained that-the South-
Eastern Company would not go beyond the terms that they
had heard. It was a great disappointment, however, that
no more advantageous terms could be obtained. When
they looked to the prospectus they found that they
had been promised ten per cent. The value of the
land was double what they expected, and the other expenses
also had ex.:ceded their expectations. But not only had the
land and the materials they had to use cost more, but their
traffic, which was estimated at 2d. per mile, was found now
to be at an average of only Id. per mile. Hete, then, they
had the misfortune of doubled cost and diminished rate of
traffic.

Notwithstanding what was alleged about the increase of
receipts that would follow from the diminution of the rate of
charge, he believed that he could not, on a single rail, carry
such an amount of traffic as would pay a remunerating rate
of dividend. Ile would, therefore, move that the agreement
Should be rejected.
Mr. GANKROJER seconded the motion.
After 1 few observations front an Honourable Proprietor,
in support of the motion,
Mr. Manntorr said that, as a merchant of Lynn, he
thought that the advantages of their line had been somewhat
exaggerated with respect to the seal trade, and he would
auport the original resolution.
The CHAIRMAN said, that he had communications with a
large number of shareholders, who had all expressed them-
-Bel yes fully satisfied with the agreement.
The amendment was negatived, and the original resolu-
tion carried by a large majority.
The enatiotax thought it right to state that the proxies
reprenented were 5,911.
The following Bills were then submitted to the meeting
and agreed to without diseusssion—namely, a Bill to con-
solidate the three companies into one company, to be called
the East Anglian Railways Company; a Bill to enable the
Lynn and Ely Railway Company to extend their railway to
Bury St. Edlnuags; a Bill for making a deviation in the
line of the Lynn and Ely Railway, and for forming docks
within the borough of King's Lynn; a Bill to ena'Jle the
Lvni and Ely Railway to make a navigation from Lynn to
Woronegay in the county of Norfolk.
Thanks were, then voted to the chairman and the other
directors, and the meeting separated.

ELY AND HUNTINGDON It A ILWAY COMPANY
A meeting of the shareholders of this company was
then h• hi; H. C. Lacey, Rig., president of the board of
direcoiPs, in the chair. _ _ _

The agreement read at the foregoing meeting was
read and confiumed, as well as the resolutions to the
Immo effect a 6 those ad )pted at that meeting.
The silk wvre then resad, and the meeting se

larated.

LYNN AND DEREIIAM RAILWAY COMPANY.
This was also a supplemental meeting; 11. C. Lacey,
Esq., in than chair.
Trio CitAntitAN said that the agreement which would
be read to them had been rigre..d to at the meeting of
the Lynn and Ely, arid Ely and Huntingdon Compa-
nies, but he diss:nted on h9th Decisions.
The STORETAnr then read ihe agreement; and

Mr. EvERA RD pr .posed a rer:obition, to the effect that
the sgreement should be adopt, d.
Tre resolution being seconeed, was carried unani-
mously.
The CHAIRMAN, in reply to a qtvstion, said, that he
thought, if their bad not bean in such haste in running
into th arm of the South-Eastern Company, they
might have made a better barglin; however, it should
be remernhere(l that that was a solvent company, re-
ceiving 11,000/. or 12,0001. a week.
Resolutions approving of the several Bills were then
agreed to.
Thanks were then voted to the chairman and the di-
rector., aft( r hich the meeting separated.

SOUTII-EASTERN RAILWAY COlll
P ANY.

A special general meeting of the proprietars of the South-
Eastern Railway Company was held at 1 o'clock yesterday,
in the Board-room, London-bridge station, for the purpose
of having submitted to them for approval the drafts of the
following Bills, viz.:-
1. A Bill te) enable the South-Eastern Railway Company
to make a railway to c mnect the London and Greenwich
Railway and the North Kent line of the Seuth-Eastern
Railway with the Bricklayers' Arms Branch Railway.
2. A• Bill to enable the South-Eastern Railway Company
to make a flail may from the South-Eastern, Gravesend and
Rochester Railway at.,Strood. to join the South-Eastern,
Canterbury, Ramsgate, and Margate Railway, at Chilharn
in the county of Kant,' with branches to Sheerness and Fa-
versham Creek.
3. A Bill to enable the South-Eastern Railway Company
to make a railway frem the North Kent Line of the South-
Eastern Railway at Lewisham to Tunbridge, with branches
to Dartford, Sevenoaks, Maidstone, and Paddock Wood.
4. A Bill to enable the South-Eastern Railway Company
to make a railway from the South-Eastern Railway at Maid-
stone to the same railway at Great Chart, near Ashford, in
the county of Kent.
3. A Lill to enable the South-Eastern Railway Company
to make branch railways from the North Kent Line of the
South-Las-teen Railway, near Lewisham, to Croydon and
Bromley.
6. A Bill to enable the South-Eastern Riilwny Company
to make a railway front the South-Eastern Gravesend and
Rochester Railway at Strood, to Maidstone.
7. A Bill to enable the South-Eastern Rail vay Company
to widen the London and Greenwich
Railway, and to enlar
their London-bridge station.
8. A Bill for providing increased station accommodatil
the terminus of the South-Eastern, and London, Brighton,
and South Coast Railway, at or near London-bridge, and for
the arrangement thereof.
And also fear the purpose of making, extending, and alter-
ing bye-laws, orders, and rules fur the management ofthe
undertakings belongttrg to or in lease to the South-Eastern
R.tilway Company.
And also for the purpose of determining whether interest at
any, and what rate, shall be paid on the shares of this com-
pany commonly called the No. 3 shares.
And also whether intt:reet at any, and what rate, clash! be
paid on the amounts paid and to be paid up in respect of the
shares of this company commonly called the No. 4 shares.
Mr. GREGORY, chairman of the company presided.
Mr. Feamate, solicitor, having read the titles, preambles,
and marginal notes of the several Bills,
The Cilillol,tX then said, that the projects which they
were about to promote in this reaaion of Parliament had all
received the approbation of the sharehoide:s, with one single
exception—that of the Lewisham, Bromley, and Croydon
Bill. There had been much public and private discussion
with re turd to the conflicting interests of the South-
Western and Londonland Brighton and East Coast Junc-
tion Railway Companies. Statements had been made
unwarranted by the circumstances, and it would be
his duty to relate 'these circumstances as they
actually occurred. They were aware from the cor-
respondence which had already been made public,
that a conference had taken place, on the 4th November,
between a deputation of the South- Eastern Company and the
Brighton C nnpany's Board, arid misunderstandings having
anima as to what had passed at that conference, in order to pre-
vent atecurrence of the sante error, it was suggested that a
ahort-hand wriier should be in attendance at the next meeting.
The. sh.areholders had had already a verbatim report of what
fore
took place circulated among them, and he should not, there-
'oceepY their time with comments upon the proceedings.
The deputation had had two more interviews since that period
with
and a the chairma and Mr. Shuster, of the Brighton Company,
a endeavOnt
1T `vas settlement the made to bring about an amicable
w,ences existing between the com-
panies. In -eager that
had taken pMe 14,mtleleimeeting might be aware of what
later interviewe he would read to
them the *aft sulenitted the Brighton Company. The
Chairman then proceeded tr,
briefly that threea(lS the terms of the draft
the
Tioriutlitt-Eaatern Company
which were
should pay, for the use of
ptrehiat the Brighton
n antattir of their
the stllll 20,e00/. for five yearsg• t"n Company's
n Bill ;
Company should discontinue the
North Dent projects, the South Easter
withdrawing their Lewisham, Bromley, and eLsre time
that both companies should enter into an agreement not
hoitile to the int to
make or support any line • ereeta of the other •
that with regard to the enlargement of the London-bridge
Station, the arrangement should be left with Messrs. Ste-
phenson and .Cubitt, the engineers, to report thereon
that in the event ;
of the Brighton Company accepting
the accommodation of the Bricklayers' Arms Station
from the South-Eastern Company, any difficulties which
might arise as to the cost of • erecting warehouses, or other
expenses, should be refeffed to other and disinterested
parties; that in the event of an amalgamation being decided
on between the companies, a term of years (to be agreed
upon) should elapse in order that the proportionate amount

- -
EAST ANGLIAN RAILWAYS of capital to be paid by either company should be determined
by the amount of traffic on either line, such traffic at the
COMPANY (LYNN AND ELY RAILWAY). present time not having been fully developed. These
A special meeting of the shareholders of this company,n_ suggestions were placed in the hands of the chairman
and Mr. Shuster, and they, after some considera-
waa held yesterday, et the London Tavern; Sir W. 1: wieee,
Bart., the president, in the chair. - tion, returned them with certain amendments, which could
the not be acceded to by those representing the Eastern Counties
convening
The SECRETARY read advertisement
otherwise, a pro-
ting, for the purpose of confirming Lynn,
orand Ely, Ely' and
Company. This as oa Thursda •and Saturday the}'
3, on
meeting,
agreement, for leasing the
Railways, to the metaghin, and a desire for a settlement of these differences
Huntingdon, and Lynn and Derehamll
as to consider Bills, was evinced by all present. It was then suggested by the
Eestera Counties Company, as
resolutions.
chairman of the Brighton Company,that the South-Eastern
which are specified in the
directors hadthehonour should line.
lease that Thepropositionwas well worthy their
_
'd that when the
The CHAIRMAN said
they were empowered to pro- attention, but it was one on which they had no data on which
of meetia: the shareholders to found
to the Eastern Counties Com- a conclusion. If any arrangement should be come
pose terms of 7% per cent.
had not been able to obtain to which they could safely recommend for the adoption of
• They (the directors) .
the shareholders, they would lose no time in convening a
pang. • htto call the atten-
they thought it brit rig at
ten- terms, and .special meeting, in lay the terms of the agreement
order to
übject. A communication
1 reholders to that s
tion of the LAS before them; but whethersuch an arrangement were come to
made to the Eastern Counties
Company, proposing
had been or not, they had the fullest confidence in an impartial hear-
turned, to which no answer was u-
tile terns of the shareholders,.
from which it was .
quite
clear that they did not in- ing before Parliament, and they believed, also, that they
of the s
tend to accede to their proposition. The terms - had the public opinion with them, that their wants would
be submitted to the meeting. be better served by their lines. The Lewisham, Brom-
ment would
ley, and Croydon line was one which the directors would have
The SECRETARY then read the agreement, which was to
the effect that the lease should be. for a term of 999 years, to asked the shareholders to sanction, even if they were already
commence on the day when the lines were completed and united to the Brighton Company. It was a surface line,
with good gradients, and would bring the traffic of Wool-
the annual rent should be such as would pay a clear dividend of ready for being opened. That fur the first year of the term
wich, Greenwich, and Gravesend some seven miles nearer to
C
5 per cent. on 884,000/., the amount of the share capital Croydon. It was their duty to recommend the carrying out
of this project. He would now move that the shareholders
of the three companies, and that fur the residue of
the term the annual rent should be such as would sanction the introduction of a Bill to enable the South-
payEastern Railway Company to make a railway to connect
a clear dividend on such share capital less by 21. per the London and Greenwich Railway and the North Kent
cent. than the dividend for the time being, payahle on the line of the South-Eastern Railway with the Bricklayers' Arms
Eastern Counties share capital converted into 20/. shares, Branch Railway. The estimate for this project was 55,0001. The
tettment further stipulat ed, should in no cue be lthatess ththe L} n 61. pern
and cent.
Ely, Ely The agree
and -
Bricklayers' Arms station had already cost a sum closely
approaching to 300,0004 and he believed that this line
Huntingdon, and Ely and Dereham proprietors should, would, by giving increased traffic, assist in defraying that
until the lease commenced, receive interest at 5/. per heavy expenditure.
cents on all aims paid by them for deposits and
calls en their shares from the day when such Mr.
LEVY said that he had always considered, and had on
every occasion stated his opinion, that the Bricklayers'
aims were respectively payable; but that the Ely and Hunt- Arms station would turn out, as it had done, a failure; and
ingdon proprietors should, on receiving such interest, give unlez,s assured by the chairman that there was a legitimate
credit for the interest already received by them. That the ground for believing that the scheme now proposed would
Eastern Counties Company should pay the interest on all amend matters, he should oppose the introduction of
moneys borrowed by the Lynn and Ely, Ely and Huntingdon, the Bill.
and... Lynn and Dereh am Companies, or any of them to the extent The CHAIRMAN admitted that the Bricklayers' Arms Sta-
of 294,8001., and should indemnify those companies against tion had entailed a heavy expense upon the company; but
the repayment of such moneys. That the Eastern Counties matters were beginning now to assume a brighter aspect, and
Company should provide all further money beyond the said they should not so much look to the past as to the future.
capital and borrowed moneys necessary for completing to The station would be found really useful in times coming, as
their satisfaction the works of the three railways, and that that at London bridge was so circumscribed, and he believed
the Eastern Counties Company should take at cost price the that the line now proposed would be a really healthy adjunct
stores belonging to these companies on the day when the to it.
lease should commence. Mr. Caste hoped the line would pass unanimously.
The Clestastaia—Having heard an abstract of the terms ,
Ile motion was then put and carried.
of the agreement, he felt bound, as chairman, to say that The CHAIRMAN then put the other projects seriatim to the
these terms were such as they should accept. The Eastern meeting, and, after some remarks from the shareholders in
Counties Company would be able to carry on their (the different parts of the room, they were carried unanimous)y.
shareholders) line from them at a much less expense than It was also moved and carried that 5 per cent. interest
they themselves could, and in a more satisfactory manner.
He would submit the should be paid on the shares of the company, commonly
first resolution to the meeting.
Mr. Cuieris seconded the reeolution, which was to the called the Nos. 3 and 4 shares, respectively. Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the meet
effect that the meeting approved of the terms of the agree- ing broke up.
ment, and confirmed the same, and authorised the directors
to take the steps necessary to carry the same into effect.
Mr. LACY, on being called for, said the opinion which he
had expressed as to their throwing away their time by ac,
cepting the terms proposed remained unchanged. They were,
however, placed io cicurnstances which rendered it difficult
to adopt a course different to that proposed by the directors,
and he thought the beet thing that could be done was to ac •
cept those terms.
The CIIAIILMAN, in reply to a question, stated that al
the lines would be completed at the end of the year.

WATERFORD, WEXFORD, WICK-
LOW, AND DUBLIN RAILWAY.
The adjourned meeting of the shareholders was held yes-
terdar, at the offices, 449, West Strand; Lord Courtown in
eht chaisr
Mr. SLADE, one of the scrutineers, then announced the re-
sult of the poll, yesterday, to be in favour of the re-appoint-
ment of the former directors; majority 16,833 shares and
1,620 votes. The report further stated, that certain proxies
tendered by Mr. Boyce subsequently to the last meeting had
been rejected.
Mr. DICKSON questioned the propriety of this rejection.
The CHAIRMAN said such a discussion would be quite irre-
levant, and declared the directors' list carried.
Mr. PERRY protested against the report of the scrutineers
being received, and intimated that the rejection of the proxies
would form the basis of future proceedings at law.
The CHAIRMAN moved that the directors should be em-
powered to apply to Parliament, during the present session,
for a Bill amending last year's Act, in reference to the space
between the 45th and 49th miles of the line, and such parts
of the Act as restricted the compulsory purchase of land, till
all the shares should be taken up, and to enable the company
to pull down the Ferry Carrig-bridge, over the Shirley, and
build a new one.
Seconded by Mr. LEWIS.
Mr. PERRY moved that the directors should be empowered
to go to Parliament fora Bill dissolving the Waterford, Wex-
ford, Wicklow, and Dublin Railway Company. The Hon.
Proprietor then read a printed draft of the proposed Bill.
Dr. GRAY seconded it.
Mr. Ilaymn, M.P., considered that such an amendment
could not he put, no notice having been given in the adver-
tisement making the meeting special for the purpose.
Mr. PERRY handed in his motion, and begged it would be
noted by the secretary.
Mr. REYNOLD moved an amendment negativing the
motion.
The Criain3rAN put the amendment and the original mo-
tion, and declared the latter carried.
A poll was demanded, and Messrs. Slade and D. W.
Harvey were appointed scrutineers, the poll to remain open
till six o'clock last evening, and the meeting to stand ad-
journed from that hour till eleven o'clock to-day.

MADRAS RAILWAY COMPANY.
A general meeting of the proprietors of the Madras
Railway Company took place yesterday, at the offices
of the company No. 2, Winchester-buildings. Colonel
Duncan Sim in the chair.
The SECRETARY read the following report, which was
unanimously adopted. The following is the substance of
the report:—
" The directors of this company have still to regret
their inability to inform the shareholders that any
material progress has been medo in forwarding the
objects of the company since the last half-yearly meet-
ing. On the 3d of September last, a letter was ad-
dressed to the secretary of the Court of Directors of the
East India Company, with a request that the same
might be submitted for their coesideration.
" No reply having been received to this communica-
tion, another letter was addressed to the India House,
I on the 26th of November last.
" Not having received any answer, the chairman and
secretary waited on the Chairman of the East India
ICompany, at the India House, on the 14th tilt , with a
view, if poss;ble, to ascertain the sentiments of the Court:
it was suggested, at this interview, that the attention of
the authorities at the India House sisould again be called
to the subject, and, in consequence, another letter was
sent to the India House on the 29th ult.
" No reply has been received to this letter up to this
time ; but, from private inquiries made by the chairman,
it is understood that the following is the present state of
the case:—
" From statements which have appeared in the public
ylpers, it is generally known, that tf(e authorities at the
India House, and the Board of Control, have offered
certain encouragement for the construction of a line of
railway to connect Calcutta with the north-west
frontier of the Bengal territories : from a state-
ment made in Parliament by the President
of the Board of Control, it appears that it is not yet 4
decided whether the company, or companies, to whom
this offer has been made, will acceptit, or not. As the
directors consider that our line deserves a preference I
over any other, of the same extent, that can be made in
India, they deem it advisable to await the result of the
negotiation now pending between the Government and
the Bengal lines, rather than to press for an immediate
decision, which perhaps might not, under existing circum-
stances, offer to the shareholders a sufficient induce-
ment to go on with the line.
" The directors are in daily expectation of hearing
the issue of the negotiation with the Berge' lines. And
as soon as they can ascertain the effect of that upon the
prospects of the Madras Railway Company, they will
lose no time in calling a special general meeting of the
shareholders, for the purpose of laying the same before
them ; and offering their opinion as to the advisability
of proceeCieg with the line or taking steps to wind up
the company."
The following is an abstract of the letter sent by the
directors of the East India House :
" The grounds upon which it is considered that the
Madras and Arcot line is entitled to the support of Go-
vernment are the following :
" let. Great facility of construction.
" 2,1. A confident expectation of its proving a remu-
nerative undertaking.
"3d. That the risk incurred by Government in
guaranteeing a dividend upon it, will, in consequence, be
little more than nominal.
"4th. That the construction of a paying line of such
moderate length, as may render its completion within a
short period probable, will be of the utmost importance
in its bearing upon the future extension of railways in
India.
"sth. That the advantages to be derived by Govern
ment from this line, both in a financial and political
point of view, will far exceed those which will accrue 1
from its construction to the shareholders, as a commer-
cial investment.
"6th. That the Presidency of Madras, which has no moans of water-carriage, for the transport of the produce of the interior to the ports of shipment, is so situated as to derive the utmost conceivable advantages from the in-
trbduction of railways.
"From the inquiries of the provisional committee at
Madras, it appears that the cost of this line, constructed
in the most substantial manner, with a single line of
rails, and a roadway capable of admitting a double line
hereafter, would not exceed 4,6501. per mile ; the
opinion of Mr. Simms is, that, although he thinks this
line might be made for 500,0001., or about 7,0001. a mile,
yet he considers that, in prudence, the capital should be
fixed at 600,000/.
" The grounds upon which the expectation that this
r line will be remunerative rests have already been laid
before you in my letter of the 23d of May last. It is
there stated, that the immediate traffic which would
come on the line would yield a net income of about
16,0001. per year, exclusive of mails ; and this would be
sufficient to pay a dividend of 5 per cent. on the
capital which we have estimated as sufficient to make
the line at the rate of 5,000/. per mile. All ex-
perience warrants the assumption that the traffic upon a
railroad judicioudy situated goes on increasing in a
ratio to which no limit has yet been assigned ; it is im-
possible for .-.ny line in any country to be more favour.
ably situated ; it is the road by which a very- large pro.
proportion of the whole produce of the interior must pass
to the only considerable shipping port on the mast, and
there never can be any line of road, or water, to compete
with it. Upon these grounds, then, we think that
the capital invested in the construction of this line may
be expected to yield a return of from 10 to 15 per cent.
when its effects upon the commerce of the country shall
have been fully developed, and the probability is, that,
before the expiration of a year, the profit available for a
dividend would amount to full 5 per cent, upon the
capital estimated to be necessary by Mr. Simms.
If Lelia is to have railways, it appears to be of the
gi.tremaateyst importance that the first undertaking of the
kind should he one that may soon be in action, and that
be a paying line. The Madras and Arcot line
oflsl
o manner,a atzflicient length to demonstrate, in the fullest
long
ase
trheesulitlvoefrthe system in India. It is twice
aerennsdourlaltsnoouowsf pool and Manchester line, the
the constructionpa of which led to the
diervieloprogress
of the system accomplished,
not so long as to require
the this country. It is
e
large capital before it can bo broughte9diture of a very
into actual opera-
tion. There is, probably, no proposed line, of equal ex-

tent in India, that could be constructed in so short a
time, and at such a moderato• cost; and as there can be
little doubt of its yielding a reraunerative return from
the date of its being opened, its influence upon the
future extension of the railway system in other parts of
India would be of incalculable iar?ortance.
" Of the advantages of railroads. to Government, in a
political point of view, it is quite impossible to form a
pecuniary estimate, but upon tiOs ground ; the line
from Madras to Arcot, leading, a. it does, to all the
principal military stations within that Presidency, can
be considered as second in importance to no line
throughout India.

" Of the three Presidencies in. India, the territories
under the Government of Madras are by far the worst
off, for the means of internal transit of produce. There
is a considerable grain trade coastwise; but so little
available is this for equalising the effects of failure of
the crops, that famine is constantly recurring in
some part or other of the Madras provinces ;
there is no means of water-carriage to any extent
wortb speaking, of, for any of the produce from, or into
the interior of the country ; and if ever means of
transport are to be provided in that part of India, it
can assuredly be done by railroads, in a more effi-
cient manner than by the construction of common roads."
The following is an abstract of the account, which was
received with great satisfaction.
Dr. f s. d.
To balance from last half-year 7,938 0 3
Calls paid and interest.
Half- year's interest received from Lon•
don and Westminster Bank..

113 8 6

8,130 6 10

Cr.
By postages, salaries, and stationery £l36 4 10
Office expenses, rent, advertising, and
registry
Balance carried to next half-3 ear's account 7,841 4 7

£8,130 6 10
A vote of thanks was then passed unanimously to the
Chairman, and the meeting separated.

SOUTHAMPTON DOCK COMPANY

The half•yearly meeting of the proprietors of this
company was held yesterday, at the offices of the com-
pany, 19, Bishopsgate-street Within ; Mr. G. E. Pratt
in the chair.
The SECRETARY having read the advertisement calling
the present meeting, anti the minutes of the last meet•
ing, proceeded to read the report, from which we give
the following extracts
" In submitting the accounts for the half•year ending
31st December last, the directors have much pleasure in
calling the attention of the proprietors to the continued
and steady increase of their business, exhibited by the
censparative statement of the half-yearly receipts for the
last three years, and by the return of the aggregate
amount of tonnage of the shipping which entered the
docks during the past year ; the amount of tonnage
which entered the docks in 1845 having been 158,680
tons; in 1846, 228,777.
" The revenue account shows a surplus, which, in the
opinion of the directors, warrants their submitting to
the meeting the propriety of declaring a dividend, clear
of iacome-tax, of one pound per cent. for the half year
(ten shillings per share), being at the rate of two per
cent, per annum. After payment of this dividend, the
revenue account will still retain a credit of 1,514/. 15s.
Bd. It will be for the meeting to determine
whether it
is not desirable to begin to make a return upon the
capital of the proprietors by declaring an immediate
dividend, though small, in preference to awaiting a
postponed one of larger amount—and to deal with this
question as it may think fit.
" The directors have to report that they have executed
an agreement with the Commissioners of her Majesty's
Customs, to build on the Dock Company's !tied, and
lease to the Crown for twenty-one years,a Custom-house
on an enlarged scale ; an arrangement affording greatly
increased facilities and accommodation to the trade of the
port of Southampton generally, as well as to that carried
on through the company's docks. A contract has been
entered into with Messrs. Baker and Son for the comple-
tion of the work by the 30th June next ; and the build-
ing is in rapid course of construction.
" The dry dock•has been in constant work, and has
proved a most important addition to the accomodations
of the company's docks ; but already since the opening,
the Oriental Company have been obliged to send two of
their large steamers to Cowes to be repaired, in conse-
quence of the dry dock having been at the time occu-
pied by other vessels ; and it is apparent that a second
dry dock could be advantageously employed in afford-
ing accommodation to the smaller class of steamers
and sailing vessels, and thus render the large dock
(now at times unprofitably occupied by small vessels, to
the exclusion of the large steamers,) more available for
the first-class steam ships which frequent the Southamp-
ton Docks. The directors propose, therefore, to place
by the side of the other a smaller dock of much cheaper
construction, which, it is expected, may be completed
by the month of November next ; and they have reason
to believe that both docks will be fully occu,nied, and
will afford a fair return on the capital expended on them.
" The directors have not lost sight of the important
advantages which will result to the Dock Company from
the extension of the South-Western Railway to London-
bridge, for which extension an Act was obtained during
the last session of Parliament, and which they have
reason to believe will be carried out with all possible
expedition.
" The directors propose to secure suitable warehouse
accommodation, with a water frontage contiguous to the
London bridge terminus of the South-Western Railway,
and thus realise the object they have long had in view,
of being able to offer to merchants the option of housing
such portion as they may think fit of their cargoes
1
in the company's warehouses at Southampton, and
the remainder in London ; and of transferring their
goods from one to the other by a railroad running from
the doors of the warehouses at- Southampton to those
of the warehouses at London-bridge. The directors
contemplate including in this arrangement the removal
of the London office to the London-bridge terminus, and
than, by means of the railroad and electric telegraph,
place the London establishment and warehouses of the
company in direct and immediate communication with
their docks and Warehouses at Southampton.
" The directors have the satisfaction to repor , that
the boring for water in the docks has been attended with
complete success, and that an abundant supply of pure
fresh water has been obtained at a depth of 220 feet.
Pipes round the whole of the quays have been laid down;
and the company will very shortly be prepared to deliver,
by hose into the hold of every vessel at her berth, any
quantity of pure fresh water that may be required."
The CHAIRMAN, before putting to the meeting a reso-
lution for the adoption of the report, asked if any gentle-
man was desirous to make any observations, or to ask
any questions on the points referred to in it?
A PROPRIETOR then asked what per centage the dry
dock paid?
The CHAIRMAN observed, that it had been only open
for a period of six months, and there hail been two
large ships that had entered and had not been charged,
but the amount it paid for that time was 4 per cent.'
He should say that the most expected from it was
5 per cent., and, in conjunction with the small dock,
it was expected that it wou:d be a great deal more
The great importance, however, of the dock was to
afford- facilities of accommodation, and to bring addi•
tional trade to Southampton.
Another PROPRIETOR asked what had become of the
agreement with Mr. Pitcher.
The CHAIRT,IAN said that that agreement was still in
abeyance.
A PROPRIETOR wished to draw the attention of the
Chairman to a paragraph in the report, which says that
" The directors hale further to report, that they have
entered into an agreement to erect on the Dock Com-
pany's land, and lease to the Royal Steam
Packet Company, workshops on a large scale
for the repair of their ships and machinery."
Now, he was desirous to know if-any agreement had
been made with the I{oyal Mail Steam-packet Company
for a definite term, as it would be desirable to fix them,
as had been done so advantageously with the Govern-
ment.

The CHAIRMAN observed that there was a lease for
twenty-one years.
Several other questions having been put, and answered
satisfactorily,
The CHAIRMAN then put the m9'ion that the report
be adopted and circulated, which was unanimously
agreed

The CHAIRMAN then put the next resolution—" That
the dividend mentioned in the report, of los, per share
for the half year, should be declared, and that the same
be paid on the Ist March proximo."
A PROPRIETOR asked, before the resolution was put,
whether from the past proceedings and future prospect
of the company, they might expect that such a dividend
as that now proposed would be continued in future half-
years ; otherwise he thought it was a matter for consi-
deration whether they should not decline making any
dividend at present.
The CuarastAx said it would not be prudent i❑ the
directors to pledge themselves to future dividends, but
if they had not anticipated a probability of that amount
at least, or perhaps a larger amount, they would nothave
proposed the present dividend.—(Elear.)
A conversation ensued as to the working of the com-
pany, and the advantages to be anticipated from the
railways to Southampton, in progress and projected.
he resolution was then unanimously agreed to.
A vote of thanks was then given to the auditors,
Chairmen, and directors, and the outgoing directos were
re•electe I.
The meeting then separated.

PETITIONS UN PRIVATE BILLS.
fIOUSE OF COMAIONS.
(Room 22, before Mr. Examiner Smarr.)
UNOPPOSED LIST.
The cases numbered from 32l to 339 inclusive in the
general list were disposed of to-day by Mr. Smith. The
standing orders were complied with in each case. They
were as follows:
Caledonian Railway (Purchase or lease of Wishaw and
Ccltness Railway).
Wilsontown, Morningside, and Col tncss Railway (Branches
to Banham Coal Works).
Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway (Devi.
ations, &c.)
Strat'any and Breadalbane Extension Railway.
Glasgow and Shotts'-road Act Amendment.
Thorne and Crowle Moor Drainage and Improvement.
Colchester and Stour Valley, Sudbury and Halstead Rail-
way (Purchase of Stour Valley Navigation).
Dublin and Drogheda Railway (Amendment of Acts and
Purchase of Navan Branch Railway).
Southwark Improvement.
Ross, Cromarty, and Nairne District Road Act.
Aberdeen Improvements.
Worcester Improvements.
Shrewsbury and Chester Railway (New Branches).
East Lothian Central Railway.
Cork and Bandon Act, 1845 (Amendment of and Devia-
tion).
Cork, Blackrock, and Passage Ameadrnent Act.
There were no opposed cases in Mr. Smith's HA to-da,y.

THEATRE ROYAL AIANCLIESTER. rs. Butler
:late Miss Fanny Kemble) appeared on the boards of the
Theatre Royal, Manchester, on Tuesday evening, after a re-
tirement from the British stage of more than a dozen years'
duration. It will be recollected that an overture had recently
been made to Mrs. Butler by Mr. Bunn, of Drury-lane
Theatre, to select his house for her first re-appearance, and
that Mrs. Butler declining to play for less than 1001. a night,
the negotiation speedily ended. Mr. Knowles, the enter-
prising proprietor of the Manchester Theatre Royal, anxious
to do honour to that town, entered at once into an engage-
ment with Mrs. Butler, the terms being, we are informed,
5001. for six nights. Mrs. Butler was partly induced to give
'Manchester the preference for her debut from the filial and
affectionate consideration that her honoured father (Mr.
Charles Kemble) had been cordially and nobly tr:ated in the
town in his recent visits for the purpose of giving his read-
ings en ShakEpeare's dramas. Mrs. Butler's reception on
Tuesday evening was in every sense most gratifying. The
play chosen was Sheridan Knowles's Hunchback, and the
part assigned to Mrs. Butler was that of Julia. The house
was crowded to the ceiling, and the audience was not more
liberal than just in their plaudits. On her entrance she was
greeted with rapturous and long-continued applause, and at
tile cicse of the play she was again honoured with enthu-
siastic cheers from all parts of the theatre. She was ably
supported by the company, and the anise en scene Was quite
equal to anything of the kind ever displayed in the metro-
polis. Mrs. Butler is to play Juliana in l'fie Honeymoon this
(Thursday) eYening, fwd Lady Macbeth ou Saturday.

(Room 23, before Mr. Examiner MAYO
OPPOSED CASE.
EDINBURGH AND NORTHERN.
Mr. May was engaged the whole of the day in hearing the
allegations in this opposed case. Several of them were sus-
tained, but the inquiry had not terminated when the exami•
ner rose.

ANOTHER SPANISH MARRIAGE.
MADRID, FEB. 9.—The following is a transcript of
the civil contract between Don Enrique and the sister of
the Marquis of Caste!lane:—
"In the Royal Palace of San Juan, situated in the
royal patrimony of the Buen Retiro, the residence of his
Serene Highness the Infante of Spain, Don Francisco
de Paula Antonio de Bourbon, and with the due permis-
sion of his Royal Highness, was pleased to appear
before me, the undersigned notary public of Madrid,
and in the presence of the witnesses whose names are
also appentled hereunto, his Most Serene Highness Don
Enrique Maria de Bourbon, the august son of the said
Infante I)on Francisco de Paula Antonio, and of the de-
ceased Infanta Donna Luisa Carldta, having been de-
clared of legal age, in virtue of a decree of her Majesty
the Queen Donna Isabel it, his au ust cousin, under
date the 16th of last month, of unmarried condition,
born and residing in this Court; and Donna Elena de
Castellar y Shelly Fernandez de Cordova, native of the
city of Valencia. legitimate daughter of their Excel-
lencies the Count and Countess of Castellane, of Villa-
nuevaof mature age, and ad-
ministering, n ist
earni
nd fin Cartel, deceased,
consequence
tiereof, her own property
on her own account; and they both, by common accord,
said—That as Prince, and as gentleman, his Royal
Highness has contracted a sacred obligation, and
pledged his word, to marry the said Donna Elena de
mutually profess towards each
their free and spontaneous will, they
Castellane, forth he purpose of affiancing honourably and
presents,. which constitute the
poprtehotreitsueaaniadindefengage mutually their faith and word to
contracting, legitimate and true matrimony,
and in accordance with the Council of Trent, on the
12th of the present month; and that neither of the
obligation marry,
in
virtueo con
torfa
parties aforesaid shall contract, directly or indirectly,
betrothal with any other person, unless with the consent
and license of one or other of the contracting parties;
and should either do so, any such contract to be null
and void and of no effect; and in guarantee thereof they
join their right hands; and, in further pledge of faith,
his Royal Highness gives to the said Donna Elena a
necklace of brilliants and green enamel, and the said lady
gives on her part to his said Royal Highness a ring; and
which gifts or pledges are mutually exchanged, and to
which exchange I bear testimony. Also, the said con-
tracting parties bind themselves not to undo this con-
tract ; and though they should attempt to do so, inde-
pendently of not being heard judicially, nor extraju-
dicially, they can be compelled to its observance, as if it
were on the definitive sentence of a competent judge, in
jurisdiction of a matter judged and decreed ; and they
are bound to its faithful observance, in their persons and
chattles, by the competent authorities.
" And this Act is signed and delivered, with the sig-
nature of his said Royal Highness, by his Most Serene
Highness the Infante Don Francisco, in proof of his
consent, in this very heroic city of Madrid, this 6th day
of February, 1847, at the hour of 1 of the clock in
the morning ; and the witnesses thereof are, the
Most Excellent Don Miguel do Ibarrola y Gon-
zales, Senator of the Kingdom, Lieutenant-General
of the National Armies, Marquis of Zeinbrano,
Councillor of State, &c. ; the Must Lxcellent Don Jose,
Santos de la Hera, Count of Balmaseda, Lieutenant-
General of the National Armies, Senator of the King-
dom, Gentleman of the Chamber of her Majesty, with
exercise, &c.; the Most Excellent Don Manuel Munoz
de Vaca, Major General, Knight Grand Cross of San
Hermenegildo, Gentleman of the Chamber of her Ma-
jesty, aid now in the service ofhis Serene Highness the
Infante Don Francisco de Paula Antonio ; and the
Most Excellent Dun Vicente Palavacino, Marquis of
Mirasol. And I, the undersigned notary of his Royal
Highness, and of his Royal house, bear testimony
hereof to the parties contracting and delivering these
presents.

FRANCISCO 1)E PAULO ANTONIO DE
BOURBON, Infante of Spain.
" ELENA DE CASTELLANE.
" ENRIQUE MARIA DE BOURBON,
Infante of Spain.

" Before me,
" GABRIEL SANTIN DE QUEVEDO.
" I, Don Gabriel Santin de Quevedo, Notary of her
Mujesty,;and of the illustrious faculty of Madrid, have
been present at this act, and in full faith thereof I sign
the said act the same day of its delivery.
" GABRIEL SANTIN DE QUEVEDO."

POLICEi.NTELLIGENCS.,
MANSION-HOUSE.
TIIE ROBBERY AT SAVORY'S IN CORNIIILL—A young
man, who stated his name to be William Jones, but who
is known by the police as Billy Jones, was brought be-
fore Alderman Gibbs, in the custody of George Trew
(City policeman 26), charged upon suspicion of having
been concerned in the robbery of Mr. Savory's shop in
December last, on which occasion watches of the value
of 1,0001. ware stolen by some very expert thieves.
Joseph Bassett, clerk to Mr. T. Cox Savory and Co.,
of No. 54, Cornhill, said at about eight o'clock on the
15th of February, I came to work. At about twenty-
five minutes past nine o'clock I had to go out for a few
minutes, and I came out leaving everything safe in the
shop, and locking the door after me, and taking the key.
I remained away about five or six minutes at the fur-
thest, and upon my return I found the door open, and
that the whole of the property which had been left safe
on the counter had disappeared.
Alderman Ginna—you had nobody in the shop with
vou ? Witness—N.,body whatever.
Alderman Ginns—And at what do you estimate the
value of the watches ? Witness—At 10001.
Trew (policeman 26)-1 have been engaged since the
robbery took place in endeavouring to trace the goods
and the thieves, and I apprehended the prisoner in con-
sequence of information which I received, that two men,
one of whom answered to the description of the pri-
soner exactly, had,on the morning of the robbery, hired
a cab suddenly in the neighbourhood, deposited a heavy
bag in it, and gone off to Bethnal Green. I have two
witnesses here, one of whom has been with me on the
lookouth al%tt ia t
nfnoiprn
Pitta,
oast of m:
°eel
oadebaki
man,
onsa. Wednesday, the 15th D, cem-
o
No. 2,116, stated, that at about
ber, as he was on his stand, opposite to Iron-
monger's Hall door, a man came out from the
neighbourhood of Trinity-square with a black bag under
his arm, and stepping into the cab, desired him to drive
to the Bird Cage public-house, Bethnal-green. Another
man came from Billiter-square, and got upon the box,
and witness's companion drove. There were then three
on the box, and one inside with the black bag, in which-
' there appeared to be a weight. When the cab arrived
at Tysoe-street, Brick-lane, the outside
passengers got
house., the inside fare
got who had hf,
off the box and disappeared, and witness's fellow servant
then drove off to Bethnal-green, where
presently came op and
when the
, after which both
rltihniangtstthihoeerpi'rii saner was the 113311 who
directionfa re
of Pollard street.
gtahroerticovaeubdt
ataott
lookTtll3e.
soßani
tr.
sod
tor Cage a
ifipldit is bwlehi
ocosm-
the black bag.
The prisoner—My friends will, I have no doubt, bring
glvpvioaatiildtkiraie:td.soistartelwheoseausylcttiatwbc;wwe(s,itahthhriel
an action for false imprisonment for this business.
Alderman GIBBS—Do you wish to ask the witness
any question. Prisoner—l have only to say that it is
all false. my wife was near her confinement at the time,
and I was engaged on her business.
Trew said, the cabman, Pitt, before they went to look
for the prisoner, stated that the man who had the bag,
wore the collar of his coat, which was much worked on
the concealed sile, up about his ears, and described him
ir, so accurate a manner, that there could be no mistake
about him.
every man's collar is worked now,
assure you The prisoner's collar was then exhibited. It appeared
to be as it had been described.
The prison
Joseph Cooper said he drove the cab on the seat of
which his fellow-servant, Pius, and the companion of
I o, prisoner, —Why
Lord it
is
all
false.
the inside party, who had the black bag, sat. As soon
as they got to the Bird Cage public•house, the person
the bag inside, and told witness
inside got out, leaving
and his fellow-servant to go into the house and have a
drop of something. They did so accordingly, and the
part}'
witness's comrade on the head, put
two shillings into his hand.
Alderman GIBI3S—Do you know the prisoner as one
arrived, w h
and, gotapping
at
Tysore- street soon afterwards
of the two persons who hired the cab P Witness—I
s
cannot swear to the person who-had the bag, but I can
to him who sat on the box. I cannot swear to the
prisoner as being one of them.
'1 he prisoner—I do assure you, Sir, that lam not at
all acquainted with it. I have not been out of my own
place these three months from night till morning, for my
wife has been in her confinement.
Alderman GIBBS—She cannot
have been in her con
finement for three months,
The prisoner—Well, I am entirely innocent. This
will upset my wife; I assure you, my Lord.
Alderman G/BBS —Have you
got any one here as to
your character ?
• The prisoner made no answer.
Trew—lle was tried at the Old Bailey.
Alderman GIBBS—For what offence ? Trew—For
burglary. Ile was acquitted. The trial took place
when the juryman died.. I had been after him myself
about five or six years ago for what they call " starring
the glaze," breaking a window to get property out.
Prisoner—l am innocent of this here, at any rate.
The prisoner was then remanded.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 18.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY took his seat upol the
Woolsack at Five o'cicck.
DISTILLING FROM SUGAR BILL.
The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from
the landed proprietors, farmers, and others of Dunferm-
line, against the use of sugar in distilleries; also a peti-
tion from the county of Forfar to the same effect.
POOR REMOVAL ACT.
The NOBLE DUKE also presented a petition from the
board of guardians of the Cardigan Union against the
Poor Removal Act of last session.
Lord VIVIAN presented a petition from the board
of guardians of Swaffham Union to the same effect.
DISTRESS IN IRELAND.
Earl MOUNTCASHEL presented a petition from
Kilkenny (as we understood), supplicating the attention
of their Lordships to the famishing state of the poor of
Ireland, and earnestly praying them to devise immediate
remedies.

ELECTORAL DISTRICTS.
The NOBLE EARL also presented a petition from Kin
sale, complaining of the unequal mode of rating 'electoral
districts for the support of the poor, and praying that
the poor-rates might be equalised througllout tip 4 whole
country.

POOR REMOVAL ACT.
The Earl of STRADBROKE presented a petitioi
against the Poor Removal Act from a number of per.
sons in Suffolk.

BANXING.
Lord EGLINTON said, that on Monday next he
would move for copies of the correspondence which
passed between the Government and the Scotch and
Irish bankers.
DESTITUTE PERSONS (IRELAND) BILL.
The Earl of SHAFTESBURY brought up the report
upon this Bill.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUG H said that he viewed
the Bill with great distrust. It assumed that the
people of Ireland would be capable of giving money for
the food to be supplied. He saw no measure yet passed
by Parliament, or known to be in progress, which would
effect the object to be attained by the Bill within the
limited period for which the measure was to remain in
operation. It was to be substituted, as he understood,
for what was improperly called the Labour-raie Act.
He confessed that he had a feeling almost of despon-
dency with respect to the future in Ireland, from the
reports contained in the large blue book upon the table.
That feeling did not arise from the state of the potato
crop, but from the picture contained iu that large blue
book of the intimidation under which the relief
committees acted, and the jobbing which pre-
vailed in the administration of the law.--(Hear.)
He confessed that be had great doubts as to the suc-
cessful operation of the present measure. It was his
opinion that it would not work as well as the Labour-rate
Act of last session. The landlords of Ireland, he appre-
hended, would not take advantage to any extent of Lilt
provisions of the measure, and the people, therefore, would
not secure those benefits which the Government contem-
plated. Some great measure of public works would be
of far greater use than any of the plans now proposed.
He confessed ho thought the principle of the Labour-rate
Act of last year preferable to the one now proposed.
No doubt the present was a good measure as an
auxiliary to other measures, although standing by
itself it only meant an Act to take from the hard-
earned money of the people of this country, to give
food to the people of Ireland, without any prospect of
a return.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE wished to direct the
attention of the Noble Lord to the form of the Act.
Although a sum of only 300,0001. was specified, yet the
Noble Lord would find in the 17th clause that a power
was given to Parliament to advance other sums as they
might think fit.
'I he Earl of ELLENBOROUGH—The clause says
" granted."
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE—What relief the
committees might think proper to recommend, that the
Parliament had power to advance or grant as thee
might think fit. The Noble Lord had expressed much
veneration for the former Act.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH—" Oh, no."
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE—He was not cer-
tain whether the Noble Earl was present when he (the
Marquis of Lansdowne) had moved the second
reading of this Bill : at that. time he had stated to
the House his own opinion, that it would be bet
ter if they had considered these Bills concur-
rently with the others Eefore the Legislature
on the same subject. He considered that this measure
would stimulate labour in Ireland ; and although the
Noble Earl had expressed an opinion that landlords
would not avail themselves of the Government offer, he
(the Marquis of Lansdowne) entertained no doubt that
they. and especially landlords of entailed estates, would do
so. He did believe that the efforts of the Government had
been of the greatest service in obtaining the advantages
which were anticipated from this Act. The Noble Earl
(Ellenborough) had allowed that there was a great
moral principle in the Labour-rate Act; but he was sorry
to say that the Government had found that great abuses
had been practised under this Act, and that,
above all, great intimidation had been used
for the employment of parties who ought never to have
been engaged. No man could more sensibly feel the
injury arising from these abuses than he (the Mat quis
of Lansdowne), bat he mu-4 say that great advantages
had been enjoyed under the Act, and the efforts
of her Majesty's Government had been very effectual in
putting down these abuses, and great progress had beet,
made in different parts of the country in the prevention
•1 this employment altogether, and, he was happy to
say, that the employment of labour was now being
carried on in the most peaceable manner; and he could
assure the House that her Majesty's Government had
great hopes of putting down this intimidation altogether.
And he did believe, if he might use such a phrase, that
the system would be rendered watertight. Under all
the circumstances the matter was too important not to
secure the vigilant attention of her Majesty's Govern
ment. He proposed to move the third reading of the
Bill on Monday.
PORTUGUESE TROOPS.
Lords BEAUMONT and BROUGHAM both rose at
the same moment, and a slight altercation as to priority
of right took place, but ultimately Lord Brougham gave
way, and
Lord BEAUMONT said, that be rose to put the
question to the Noble Marquis, of which Ee had
given notice the last time the House met. The
question he wished to ask was respecting the treatment
of the prisoners taken by the Queen's troops in
Portugal after the late battle of Torres Vedras.
In putting this question he wishes to guard himself against
any supposition that he desired to interfere with the do-
mestic affairs of any Other coun:ry, except where British
interests were at stake. Whether in a case of war or
otherwise, he conceived that there was no right whatever
to interfere with the internal affairs of any other country;
but in the present case, for the Government to remain
passive was only to increase the difficulties attendant
upon the position of affairs in Portugal. The circum-
stances of the case were as follows: A division of the
Army opposed to the Queen's Government, under the
command of Count Bomfim, advanced to Torres Vedras
with the intention of moving on to Lisbon,
and after a severe battle, which terminated
in the success of the forces of the Queen, the
remnant of the division, under Count Bomfim, retired
into the castle of Torres Vedras. The Duke of
Saldanha; commanding the Queen's forces, called upon
them to surrender,—they refused to do so, but subse•
quently they surrendered on condition of receiving all
the honours of war. To this proposition the Duke of
Saldanha agreed, and the stipulations were drawn up in
writing, and signed by the commander of the
Queen's forces. On the faith of these stipule-
tione the remnant of the division in the castle
surrendered. But, notwithstanding the agreement and
stipulations were drawn up in writing, the officers of
that divisien were marched to Lisbon and taken on
board a frigate lying in the Tagus, where they
were confined, with scarcely any of the necessaries
of life, with scanty clothing, and the poorest
description of food. In consequence of some
rumour that the prisoners were about to escape, they
were taken out of the frigate, and placed on board
a small brig-of-war, and the Portuguese Govern-
ment came to the resolution to send the
officers to Angola, on the coast of Africa.
one of the most unhealthy places on the coast of Africa.
In their passage to that place they endured the greatest
hardships, being crammed into a less space than even
that which was allotted for slaves in the slave vessels.
He believed, that though the fleet was there for the pro-
tection of British interests,the officers in command would,
if the diiision under Count Bomfim had been successful,
have covered the embarkation of the Queen's forces, and
protected them from any injury that might have been
offered to them. IF, then, protection was to be given to that
side, he thought that they were bound to see that the cor-
vettes to which he had adverted should be protested
against, lest the feelings of the country should be ex
cited against the Queen's Government. In order, there-
fore, to preserve their neutrality, the British Govern-
ment should exert their influence before those
officers perished, to induce the iortuguese Go-
vernment to revoke the decree against them, and
to place them in the sameta position they ought
to have been after the surrendered, namely,
as prisoners of war. As some impatience. had been
manifested by the Noble Lord opposite (Lord
Brougham) he would not detain the House longer, but
proceed to ask the Noble Marquis whetherany corre-
spondence had passed between the Portuguese Govern-
ment and her Majesty's Government relative to these
circumstances, and, if so, whether any steps had been
taken by this Government with respect to them?
The Marquis cf LANSDO WNE said the question was
one of considerable importance, and one which ho was
most desirous, and he trusted able, to -give him and the
House a satisfactory answer to. Before giving that an-
swer, however, he could only express that regret
Which he felt in common with the Noble Lord and the
House, that the country to which he had alluded should
be in a state to give rise to transactions to which the
Noble Lord had so pointedly, and not impro-
perly, adverted. Ile regretted that that country which
was connected with this by so many ties—so much
community of interest—so many historical relations and
recollections—should be in the state which Portu
gal was in at the present moment.—(Hear.) And
it would be a matter of the deepest satisfaction
if any effort on the pact of this country, if even par-
partially applied, could promote an amendment of that
state of things. As their Lordships well knew,
in the course of last year an insurrection broke out
in Portugal, which had assumed most decidedly the
character of a civil war, in the course of which, from
the opposition not only of particular factions,
but of particular families, which was deeply
to be deplored, and which were apt, on too many
occasions, to exceed those limits, and those rela-
tions which generally subsisted between nations,
considerable animosity was excited. A body of persons
were taken with arms in their hands, and made pri.
1

so hers, on the understanding that they would
he treated as prisoners of war. A great num-
ber of this party consisted, he understood, of
principal officers, and numbering about 40, were placed
stream a smell brig in the bay of Lisbon, for the pur-
pose of being transpnted to Africa, but many of them
were too unwell or too sick to undergo the voy-
age, and a representation was made to that effect
by the captain and the surgeon to the Government.
From the moment the conduct of these persons was
made known in Lisbon, great interest was excited, and
her Majesty's charge d'affaires, :Sir G. Seymour, who :Jr-
rived immediately after the resignation of Lord Howard,
as well as the representatives of the French and
of the Belgians, who acted separately, made
similar representations, and he (the Marquis of Lans-
downe) hoped that these representations would
not be without avail, and that they would he
sent to a more unexcerionable place than Africa. He
was in a condi7ion to state that that was the
case ; but he entertained a confident belief that
the destination of the ships had been altered, and
that their prisoners would be sent to a place less fatal
to their health, and more consonant with their position.
fie had been informed that in no instance had anythieg
like ade pate punishment been inflicted, and he
argued, therefore, that the sentence would be re•
versed, which would be a source of great satisfection to
her Majesty's Government, who had sent a force to
Oporto anti the Bey of Liston—but their object in
sending that free had been in no way to interfere in the
eontest, but to til.lerd protection to British enterprise.
ft would be a satisfection to that force, if they were also
enabled to give a refu-ation to such persons as
were in danger of their life and it would be, above
all, their duty to give protection to the Queen,
it she would require it, as long as the contest lasts.
Maintaining the character which it now holds of
a civil war, it could not be the inclination of her
Majesty's Government actively to interfere, nor was
there, tinder any existing treaty, a justification for
:heir so doing, but circumstances might assume a
different character, and if 1)om Miguel, or a
party acting for him, should appear, a new state of
things would arise, which would revive former treaties.
Such a course might strengthen the Portuguese Govern-
ment, and tend to allay the existing dissension& It
must be the earnest wish of this . country to see peace
established in that country, at present so much disturbed.
The Earl of ABERDEEN said that he was not quite
satisfied with the course to be pursued by her Majesty's
Government. It must be the desire of every person, as
much as possible, to mitigate the calamities attendant
upon a war, and therefore it was perfectly praiseworthy
and necessary that all persuasions should be used to
produce a humane and merciful conduct on the part of
these persons. But if the Noble Marquis had made
up his mind to make an official representation
from the Government of this country to the
Government of Portugal on the subject. He (the Earl
of Aberdeen) begged to differ from him. As far as
private solicitation and perstation, and personal
influence could be employed there could be' no ob-
jection ; but if once, -in a contest of this descrip
tioe, the Government should officially interfere with
the course the Portuguese Government might
think proper to adopt, it was to establish a
precedent exceedingly dangerous, and to the prin-
ciple of which he had a great objection. It might
be s!ated to the credit of the Portuguese Govern-
ment, that in the various disturbances which had
taken place of late years in that country, there'had been
very little cruelty exercised, and there was very little
appearance of a sanguinary disposition in any parties.
That furnished a very strong contrast to the people of
the neighbouring nation, where they had seen acts of
vengeance and bloodshed committed on all sides. An-
other reason why the Government should be particularly
cautious at present in any interference of that description
was—he knew not how it had arisen—but the bslief
was strong and general in Portugal, that the cause of
the insurrection possessed the good wishes of her Ma-
jesty's. Government. He could not believe that to be
the case, but he believed it to be indisputable that the
persuasion of the generality of Uheneeople in Portugal
was such, and therefore it was incumbent upon her
Majesty's Government to be very cautious in any
act that might lead to confirm that opinion.
The Government undertaking to protect the lives and
property of British subjects, and the personal safety of
the sovereign was a legitimate course ; but he
submitted that the naval force in the Tagus, was
more than sufficient for that purpose. That force
was overwhelming, and he did not know the
cause of it, but from the feeling regarding it which pre-
vailed in Portugal, it seemed to strengthen the belief
which he had referred to. Several years the Government
of this country had taken an active part to place
the present Queen on the throne of Portugal, and
having done so, he thought they would be
justified in supporting the Government with that moral
force which would at least convey the impression that
they disapproved of the insurrection, instead of appearing
to countenance it. One party of the insurgents were
against the monarchy, and in favour of the
republic, and the other were supporters of des-
potic power. Ile thought the presence of the
large fleet at present in the Tagus gave countenance to
the insurrection, whereas it might be made to operate
otherwise and in favour of the Queen's Government.
The Marquis of LANSDOIVNE replied that the
anxious wish of her Majesty's Government was to main-
rain the Queen on the throne, and he knew not o.
any act that, gave ev,dence to the contrary.
le defied any one to point out a single
instance wherein they had countenanced the insurree•
don. The Noble Earl must be aware that it wouh'
,cession the greatest dissatisfaction if it were knee,vr.
that the Government supported one side in preference te
another. tindeubtedly rumours such as those rel;neeid
to may have circulated, but they were false rurnoure. It
was not, however, on the Queen's side alone that such
rumours prevailed, but on the other side, it had been
surmised that the leaning of this Government Wa3in
favour of the Government of the Queen of Portugal.
He did not wish to pronounce an opinion on the dis-
sensions that at present preveiled in that country,
but this he was bound to say, that there had
been no instructions to the admiral, to the
Minister, or to the Envoy sent to that country, that
had not for their object the preservation of a
perfect impartiality, and in any advice re-
spectfully tendered to the Portuguese Government
the object had been to conform strictly to these in-
structions, and such friendly councils could only have
been given with the view of proving that
the English Government would not in the slightest
degree, tither directly or indirectly, lend its
support or influence to the insurgents. It had bee n
thought expedient that (under circumstances such
as those which existed in Portugal) a squad-
ron superior to that which any other power would
be likely to send, should be placed in the Tagus,
for the preservation of the interests of England;
but the officer who had been appointed to the
command was not only one of the most able in her Ma-
jesty's service, but one remarkable for
_judgment, dis-
cretion, and the care with which he carried out his
instructions. He believed that that officer would pro
serve a sirict impartiality, and he believed that he had
not in any the slightest degree deviated from the matter
of his instructions, or that anything he had done weeld
militate against that which was the anxious wish of her
Majesty's government, namely, non•interference whh
tie civil contest in that country. He trusted that that
contest would be brought to a speedy termination, and
without any necessity for the intervention of this coun-
try. England would only interfere in one case, and he
hoped that that important.exception would not arise.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGII did not consider
the measure a very constitutional one, by which the
Queen of Portugal had commenced this civil war.—
(Laughter.) Her Majesty's course of proceeding was this.
She imprisoned the out-going Ministry—(Laughter)—
and reinstated the old ones. The newly constituted
Government had violated every principle of personal
liberty to a greater degree than had been known under
the worst of despotisms. All representation to the
Government of Portugal was a mere farce if they had
nothing to support it, if, instead of asking that Govern-
ment to release the unfortunate sufferers on the coast of
Africa, they had given instructions to Admiral Parker
to demand it ; if it were to be understood that in the
event of these representations not being attended to,
that Sir William Parker would leave the Tagus, he had
not the slightest doubt but that they would receive im-
mediate attention.—(Hear, hear.) So far from the
British squadron having been in any way instru-
mental in the support of the insurrection in Portugal,
there was no question whatever in his mind that, but for
the presence of the squadron on the coast of Portugal,
the Queen would have met Dom Miguel in London, and
that the victorious troops would have marched as they
had done before, from Oporto to Lisbon.—(llear.)
CRIMINAL LAW—JUVENILE OFFENDERS.
Lord I3ROUGHAM did not intend to take any part
in this very irregular conversation, and he was glad that
it was at last brought to a close, but thismuh h
say,
that
Noblehe Friend who agreedquite h
awithd
the
just
satdown, that
concludingobservation e
pih
e
of his
sense
insurrection, ofth e squadron,had
so far from
main m
havingeans f
encouraged ec
the g
been the
the Queen of Portugal upon the throne. He would now
important beg to present the very petition from Liver-
pool of which he had given notice. It was not
usual
to give notice of the presentation of petitiots
but he had taken this somewhat unusual course, and had
given notice, because he wished to express his ()Orden:,
on that very important subject.—(Hear, hear.) He
esteemed it a high honour to present this petiiion,
which was signed by the Mayor of Liverpool, by elr.
Rushton, the official magistrate, and nineteen other ma-
gistrates. He should feel it his duty to bring the heads
of this long and very important document before the
louse, not perhaps in the chosen terms or the apt
nhraseology of the document itself; but as well as he was
able to do it. He had taken the pains to make himself
acquainted with the subject on which it treated, not only
by reading the communicatiens of the Government, but
also a variety of other papers which bore on the subj,
c.
of this petition ; he meant the report of the Prison In-
spectors—the reports made to those benevolent and use fui
societies whose attention had hem. turned to the impor-
tant subject of the criminal law, not only in this country
but also in France, Germany, and Holland, and wherever-
this matter had been examined. He had also received ri
report front Mr. Hill, the Recorder of' Birmingham..
whose experience in the working of the criminal law had
been very great. He had also received another report
from Mr. Tidd Taylor. It was impossible to underrate
the importance of it. It was no less than the structure'
of the criminal law, and its operation on the criminal
lie would now go over the heads of this
important subject, so far as they bore or
the petition before him. The petitioners spoke
as practical men—as magistrates administering the tae
over a population of 300,000 persons—as the tribune,
before whom offenders were tried, and they came before
their Lordships as the last tribunal—the last resource
—to unbosom their difficulties, to prefer their corn.
plaints, and to warm them of the consequence of ne-
glecting to remedy the evils which they disclosed. The.

country. _
Earl GREY agreed with the Noble loud who just acl"

results of their experience were these: That in a pore
lation of 300,000 persons there had been commits
and tried, during the last seven years, 51,0
persons !—ln the course of seven years ! ! Of tiles!
persons, no less than one-tenth, or 5,500 odd, ho
been offenders uneer seventeen years of age; and thll
of those, not less than one-fifth—(he meant of the whale.
51,000, not of juvenile offenders)—no less than one-0
or 10,000 upwards had been committed during thee
seven years five times on an average. Consequenail
with respect to those offenders, the immediate, ill
inevitable result was, that those offenders bad bee!
punished four times after their first conviction,.!
undoubtedly efficacious had been the punishment wlnlal
their laws had inflicted.—(Hear, hear.) Those magic'
trates went further. They had made investigatiod.
which he thought was .of incalculable value, and !
trusted he might be permitted to tender them the thane'
of their Lordships for them. They had examined fee
teen cases taken perfectly indiscriminately, out of thel
number of juvenile offenders —(he wished to direct eat'
titular attention to those offenders, because he Wisheelo;
reform the discipline with respect to them—not to tretti
to punishment, but trust to reforming them,
because after offenders became a certain age, al'
became hardened in wickedness, that reformater{
principle ceased to possess the principle of arnendmen
to the same extent ; he therefore looked to the younger
offenders, and he wished to direct attention to the sett;
ments put forward in the petition—statements, which.
was merely embedying in his own mind. They select,
as he had said fourteen juvenile offenders at random, 0.11,.
carefully examined their circumstances. He should CI
only two or three instances out of the fourteen, but he shore
observe that, the whole of the fourteen had been aPPr
hended on the average fifteen times each.
Earl FITZ WILLIAM—There were not 51,000 per
sons convicted ; that number only represented the ogr
mitments.
Lord BROUGHAM—Certainly he bad not sal
otherwise, but they had all been frequently discharged
without beingeommitted to trial. They had been commit7f
on an average, nine times each, during that period
seven years. He would single out three persons in 2r.
der to show the good effects of the prison disciplito
The first case was that of a boy twelve years of age ;
could neither read or write; he was first apprehended:la
September, 1838, and for the last time in January, 18_11
In three years he was apprehended sixteen times, 7,
he was committed for trial nine times. se
tences were for various terms of imprisonment is
the common gaol, and he was convicted no 17.
than three of those eight times in three years and she"
and ended by being transported for ten years. The...
cond case he would bring under the consideration of the
House, was the case of a boy aged ten years. He 11d
been fourteen times apprehended, and eleven times cos'
victed. The third case was that of a boy only sw
years old, who, in the space of two years, was apprej
hended sixteen times, and convicted four times,
ended by being transported for seven years. He hadloef
been engaged in the study and administration of lawsoi
he was, however, bound to open his ears to the voice
wisdom, and not to shut his eyes to such a fearful stri
of things as this. What were the expenses
this state of things? Why, the expense of ,convieth)
these 14 individuals, amounted to 8891. In consequence
the admirable arrangements of the magistrates of Liver
pool, they were enabled to convict at much less cost sham
in most other places, but even with their good arrang
ments the cost of those convictions amounted to sy
Was it not time then seriously to inquire into this stll,
of juvenile crime. Were the Government dealing rigewh"
with human beings, even according to their knoWlmof
of human nature, in always appealing to the fears
the prisoners rather than to their hopes, their feel
hegiv„
their capacities, and their wishes. He would call and
tion to the prayer of the petition, and request It t;
Lordships to appoint a searching inquiry into rho
subject. The present state of the law was to take e
criminal, place him in the prison and convict hits, anted
when convicted he was either imprisoned or transpor
o
—that was the only alternative. He was no friend 4
transportation. It was neither. economical to kPro
country, nor justifiable to the colonies whew
the convict was sent. His principal objeetl,e,
to that species of punishment was, that it was not en't-t,
ciently appalling ; it did not terrify the persons about, g
commit crime. All the persons who knew anythtrie
about the feelings of prisoners, concurred in saying
imprisonment had far more horrors for them than 17b:
portation. Then again look at the cost of this poribis
ment ; 4000 persons were selit out every year from
country to the penal settlements, the cost of which 7,0
half a million a-year ; the expense of keeping the ss:o
number of persons in prisons in this country, fort:
years, would be only 300,0001. The system of trmg.
portation was therefore inefficient to the end, sod a „ NlZee
pensive in its machinery. Their lordships should,
care that if they could not deter others from °Zs
mitring crime, they should at least take care woo
the prisoners did not come out of prison lee 4.
than when they went in. The total number of canto
tions in each year were 100,000 ; of this number, 96,""-ees
remained in prisons at home. Did not imprisontne,
actually make these persons worse ? Did not theyeire
99 cases out of 100, come out of prison infinitely 131U_...
demoralised than when they entered ? And what wool
the poor convicts to do when they came out ? Was
their character gone ? their family attachments gone
Were they not debased in their own eyes, and disgrars:
in the ee es of their friends, upon whom their own die'
grace was reflected ? They carried with them, whetire r
of
they went, the sad effects of the bad system
at
punishment. Was it then to be wonder,—
they should again go on to pursue a coures
of crime? Short imprisonments he denounced
on the authority of Mr. Pitt Taylor, and numerous
other authorities, as highly improper. The criminal
thought but little of the punishment, it was but a fer
days, they thought only of passing the time the hest
way they could, and made no efforts to improve their
mural condition. What, then, could be done to make
punishment reformatory, and to prevent these persons
at die end of their sentence from falling into the salve
course of evil which had brought them there? He Wss
proud to say that there were establishments calculate"
to produce that end near Hamburgh, and in the depart'
snout of the Loire, at Metteray. He would call the
attention of the House to the mode of proceedings':
Metteray. The establishment was opened in the Yes:
1839, since which period 521 persons had bee,:
received. No person was admitted but 040
e
convicts under sixteen years of age.
establishment was conducted by one master and two
assistants, called brethren, chosen to that situation by
the convicts from among themselves, the fear of bet_irit,
g
sent back to prison was over the prisoner as a cheeael
their bad conduct. The inmates were educated in ages'
cultural and other pursuits. What was the result
this system? Of 521 persons admitted, 17 had died, 12
were sent back to prison, 144 had been placed in valeta
situations, and 128 were still remaining in the establish.
ment. He did not envy France its Algeirian coleenfr
its Spanish marriages, or the glories of •L‘v
poison and Turenne, but he did envy them.
their model establishments, and he hoped the,
soon this country would join in laudable rivalry
with them in the establishment of those institutions'
He would not enter further into details, but proceed to s
report which was made by the Rev. John Clay, the
chaplain of the Preston prison. The Rev. Gentleman
stated that there were in that prison 1,050 prisoner*
562 of whom were utterly unable to read, and 226 who
could write a little. Now, just let their Lordships loolgf,
to the effects of that ignorance. There were 514
nee
them who did not know the names of the months, sf.
slid not know the Queen's name, and 490 of them were
unable to understand the plainest words addressed to
them, and did not know what the words virtue and vice
meant ; 62 of them could not count one hundred, 241
could read and write a little ; and of the whole thousand
there were only twenty who had received anythin4
like an education. Those who were able to vs°
a little had read all those wild, detestable
and disgusting productions which issued from the press
of this country, such as histories of bandits, highway'
men, murderers, thieves, and every species of disgusting
crime, with which the press of this country and of rang
was polluted. All these persons had perused such i'
famous productions as these, and made him (Le'
Brougham) almost think that the ability to read was *
ckrse to them rather than a blessing. The proportion
of persons convicted to the population of North Lancs.
shire was as one to eleven hundred, but in South Lan'
cashire it was as one to five hundred. He maintained
that they could not go on as they did at present. Times
had changed since the days of Sir Richard Ark-
wright. The manufacturing population then numbered
only a few thousands, but now it amounted to 800,000•
and when any portion of this large population was out
of work, they had no provision made for a bad day, and
the consequence was, that they fell into criminal courses.
That was a reason hy their Lordship's should interfere
to reform the criminal law, that these persons should
escape the evil influences to which they were now sub-
jected. It was with these views that he brought the
subject before them, and if they agreed with hive,
and should think that the time was come to
apply in good earnest to amend the administration
of the law, not only as regards the law itself, but the
prison discipline also, they would be prepared for a pro-
position, that he intended to submit to them shortly for
the appointment of a Select Committee to investigate the
whole subject.
The Duke of RICHMOND concurred with his Noble
Friend, that their thanks were due to the magistrates
who had called their attention to this subject, and to
the Noble Lord who had presented this petition. No-
thing could be of more importance than the subject of
criminal law, and he also believed that prison discipline,
under a judicious system might do much to effect a rO-
- in juvenile offenders. They might at present send
a child of about nine years of age to prison, and keephim there for six weeks or two months before trial, and
if convicted, the county magistrates, did not know what
to do with him. If they stamped on his brow
the word felon, they precluded him ever after obtaining
employment. He should like to know whether in the es-
t ebbs hment at Metteray, which had been referred to, they
had been taken as they came, or had been selected•
l'he prestige of this country was greatly against gitingf
mployment to any one who had been once convicted o
t crime, and any one so situated had no chance what'
ever of employment. He knew an instance of this,
where a man who had been sentenced to be transported
eel was afterwards sent to Pentonville prison, in con-
e quence of his good conduct there, he was, after 8003?
me, liberated. He subsequently obtained employment
reom a railway company, and, by his good conduct Pi
its situation, obtained promotion; but some busybody
made a complaint to the directors, and informed them
int be had been a convicted felon. Ile was, therefore,
lisinissed from his situation, and was now starving:
If, therefore, they sent a boy to Parkhurst prison, and
eterwards got him a situation, they
might get them-
elves into a scrape, from such cause as that to whichle
low referred. He should be very glad if his Noble
_e
Friend would move for an inquiry into the subject, as b
bought the result would be highly advantageous to the