The Sun.
London, England, 1847-05-18 00:00:00

RAILWAY FINANCE.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER ga►e
notice that, to-morrow, he should move for the appoint-
ment of a Select Committee, to inquire into the finan-
cial position of the various railways in the country,
and the various points touched upon in the debate of
this evening, with relation to railways.
QUARANTINE LAWS.

Dr BOWRING wished to ask a question of the Right
lion. Gentleman below him, the Vice-President of the
Board of Trade. It was reported that a considerable
change was to take place with regard to the quarantine
liws. He wished, therefore, to know if any new regu•
lations were contemplated, and what they were.
Mr. MILNER GIBSON said that, with regard to
vessels from Egypt and Syria, they were to be put under
the same regulations as were applicable to vessels from
Turkey, and they were to be admitted under free pra-
tique, provided they had clean bills of health, and were
not laden with susceptible articles. There were further
regulations under consideration.
BERINGTON'S KNAPSACK AND GIRDLE.

Mr. WAKLEY wished to ask the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman the Secretary at War, what steps have been
taken to investigate the merits of the knapsack and
girdle invented by Mr. Berington.
Mr. FOX MAULE recollected that the subject was
brought under the consideration of the House when the
army estimates were brought in last year, but he did
not recollect that he had said anything which could
induce the Hon. Gentleman to suppose that ho
would subject the knapsack to any inquiry. He himself,
however, had looked at the knapsack, and he had no he-
sitation in saying that he did not think it deserved
the encomiums which had been passed upon it.
It was considered most inconvenient, and in the next
place was thirteen ounces heavier than the knapsack at
present in use, which was eight pounds in weight (as
we understood). (" Hear," from Mr. Wakley.)
,He had
therefore not thought it advisable to advise the use of
the knapsack of Mr. Berington.
RIOTS AT TAUNTON.

Mr. B. ESCOTT wished to ask a question of the
Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for
the Home Department, which had reference
to the preservation of the peace of the country.
lie perceived by the newspapers of this morning that
considerable public violence had taken place in the west
of England, particularly in Taunton, in consequence of the
dealers in corn affixing what prices they chose to their
commodities; he therefore wished to know whether the
Right Hon. Gentleman was able to state whether the
reports were founded in truth or not; whether there
was reason to fear that the alarm which prevailed
in the west of England would extend itself to
other parts ; and whether he had received any
information on the subject, which, consistently with his
duty, he thought proper to lay on the table of the
House?

Sir G. GREY said he hail received information from

the civil authorities of Exeter, stating that disturbances
had taken place on Friday and Saturday in the west of
Cornwall and Exeter, and in one or two other places in
consequence of the high price of provisions ; but al-
though he had seen accounts in the news-
papers of disturbances which had taken place
from this cause in Taunton, he had
not received any official information on the subject ; but
in consequence of the prompt measures taken by the
local authorities, order had been restored in those
parts of the country to which he had referred, and he
I hoped there was no cause for alarm.—(Cheers.)
FOREIGN IMPORT AND EXPORT DUTIES.
Mr. NEWDEGATE wished to know from the Bight
Hon. Gentleman the Vice-President of the Board of
Trade, when the returns ho had moved for with respect 1
to the export and import duties imposed by foreign
countries, would b© furnished?

Mr. M. GIBSON regretted that so much delay had
taken place in the furnishing of the returns which the
Hon. Gentleman had moved for. He feared, however,
that the Hon. Gentleman did not estimate the labour re-
quisite for completing such a return, or the one he had
moved for, as the most detailed information was neces-
sary to render them complete. The Custom-house had
furnished their portion of the return from time to time,
hut he hoped, in the course of a few days, that they would
be furnished to the Board of Trade, when they would be
laid before the House. No unneccessary delay should
take place.
SCHOOLS OF DESIGN.

Mr. WAKLEY said there was a second question, and

he hoped he should have a more satisfactory answer
than to the first. It was with reference to the school of
design, and he wished to know when the evidence taken
before a Special Committee of the council of the School
of Design, as to the state and management of the school,
is to be presented to the House?
Mr. M. GIBSON said that he regretted that such
delay had taken place, but he thought that i❑ ten days
at furthest he might be able to furnish these returns.
Mr. H. BAILLIE said that he had asked the Govern-
ment the other night, whether it was their intention to
restrict the amount of grain in distilleries until the pre-
sent crisis should be past?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that the Government did not think it politic on their
part to interfere with the commerce of the country, by
placing any restriction upon one of its most important
channels. He found that the distillers had stated to the
Government, that they were about to use a large quan-
tity of sugar for the purposes of distillation, and had
requested that several of the preliminary investigations
might be dispensed with. Under his (the Chancellor of
the Exchequer) direction, it had been notified that all
the obstacles that could be dispensed with should be re-
moved, for he considered it exceedingly desirable.
Mr. HUME said that this day week he would put a
question to the Noble Lord at the head of the Govern-
ment, as to whether it was his intention to take any
and other
measures for reducing the prices of tea, coffee,
articles of similar nature? If so, whether there was to be
any reduction of the duty?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that the Government had received notice that a consi-
derable quantity of molasses was required for distilla-
tion ; but there had been a consideration of other arti-
cles, with a view to ascertain whether they should re-
duce the duties on other articles mentioned in the Cus-
toms Duties Act, and they had found that although the
importation of the articles had increased, the prices had

not been raised. Among those especially were the arti-
cles of sugar and tea.
ENLISTMENT OF MARINES. _ _

Captain LAYARI) moved for returns connected with
the enlistment of marines during the last five years.
Mr. E WART wished to know whether the Noble
Lord at the head of the Government had any objection
to lay upon the table of the Reuse the address of the
board of wine-growers, presented a short time back ?
Lord J. RUSSELL repliel that there would be no
objection whatever.