The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-17 00:00:00

41t1t,

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 1846.

Another majority of thirty-three, by which Lord
WicK-Low's amendment of a fixed duty of five
shillings in lieu of the proposed sliding-scale was
quashed, gives an additional assurance to the country
that our congratulations as to the final settlement of
-these measures are neither injudicious or precipitate.
Slowly, it is true, but steadily, the principles of free
trade are winning their way to the statute-book. A
pure metal has been cast into the machinery of Par-
liament, and despite the casual disarrangement of that
machinery and its occasional clashing and entangle-
ment, the golden metal will ultimately come forth
:stamped with the signet of legislative accordance.
As we have repeatedly taken opportunities to remark,
discussion upon these extraordinary innovations
-tapas our commercial policy, though em-
bellieked with the tropes of rhetoric and
enforced by the inferences deducible from

ltatistic,s, have twverthetr,s displayed a more remark-
able
discursiveness than possibly any previous debate
in the records of the Imperial Parliament. Some
amongst the antagonists of the measure have shirked
evory consideration bearing upon its intrinsic merits :
they have sedulously avoided any direct allusion to a
given point of its application, and have contented
themselves with certain vague inuendoes or rambling
references to colonial disaffection and other extraneous
matters. These orators, and these alone, have been
the utterers of what Mr. DISRAELI most happily de-
signated; as " damnable iterations of stale sophistries?'
They have showered upon the Ministerialists and upon
the nominal Oppositionist3 an appalling shower
of globular missiles—but these missiles have
invariably proved to be nothing more than the
bubbles of a specious and pretended logic. Others
have strayed still further from the question of impor-
tation and exportation duties by indulging in a strain
of vituperative bitterness upon personages whose poli-
tical judgment they had previouslyfollowed as infallible.
But their revulsion of feeling has especially expended
itself upon one whom they had heretofore scarcely
neglected apotheosising. Inflamed with chagrin, and
debilitated by an irreparable defeat, their voices have
mingled tones of reproach and lamentation ; they
oscillated between personal invective and self-com-
miseration ; they directed their ejaculations almost
exclusively to the Prime Minister, and have almost
addressed him, in the very phrases of CATULLUS-.-.

" Nullane res potuit cru delis flectere mentis
Consilium ? . . . • .
At non hzec quondam nobis promisse dedisti
Voce : mihi non hoc miser sperare jubebas !"

Only anxious to avoid any decisive collision upon the
real bearings of free trade, whether upon commerce or
agriculture, and at the same time to ensure, if pos-
sible, the discomfiture of those whom their morbid
imaginations pictured to them as their deadliest ene-
mies, they have snatched at anything likely to prove
a stalking-horse for the ebullition of their excite-
ment—no matter to them if it were as garbled as the
statistics they selected as their first weapons of attack,
or as decrepid as their last weapon of attack
—the language used upon the Catholic Question, no
less than seventeen years ago, by Sir R. PEEL.
S uch has been the behaviour of the advocates for a
perpetuation of the corn-laws in the House of Com-
mons. And, saving the avoidance of anything like
individual recrimination, the Peers have displayed no
inferior versatility. As Lord BROUGHAM jo-
cosely, but truthfully, observed, their speeches
reminded one of " choral symphonies," various
in their modulation, but " attuned to the same gamut."
If we required any demonstration of the accuracy of
this statement, the discussion which ensued upon the
Earl of WICKLOW'S amendment would illustrate its
correctness. What shall be said, for in-
stance, of a debate upon the taxation or non-
taxation of the food of the people degenerating into
a mere theme for quoting from VOLTAIRE, for
quibbling upon a text from " Paradise Lost," or for
jesting at the absence of physiognomical beauty in
the ex-Chancellor, Lord BROUGHAM ? Do these mere
frivolities of boarding- school chit-chat accord well
with the solid and thoughtful reputation which Lord
STANLEY has acquired as a Parliamentary speaker ?
Are they not, 011 the contrary, the:indications of an
incapacity to battle with a solemn and sober earnest-
ness when the tide of defeat has set in ? Neverthe-
less, distressing as is this ill-timed exhibition of
pleasantry upon a question of such infinite importance,
we cannot but regard it as auguring well, and congratu-
late the country upon it accordingly. It is manifest
without question, that after the triumphant majorities
which each division upon the Corn Bill has given in
favour of free trade, both in the Upper and the
Lower House—it is manifest, we say, that this very
display of merriment among the protection-
ists proceeds from the very hopelessness and
helplessness of their position. Seeing that
their ultimate overthrow is inevitable, they appear to
be partially reconciled to their destiny, and prepared
to take the defeat in good part. Conscious that all
arguments upon the mercantile benefits or in-
juries which must follow the adoption of the proposed
policy would be altogether so much useless exercise
of their lungs, they disdain the ancient admonition
of " sparing their breath to cool their porrage," and
digress upon all kinds of subjects saving and ex-
cepting alone the subject under discussion. From
this very insousciance we may perceive the certainty
there is of shortly beholding free trade the law of
the land, and of beholding, moreover, the most in-
veterate protectionists bowing down in acquiescence
to the doctrines of their antagonists, when time and
experience shall have proved to them that freedom of
commerce is the surest means of promoting agricul-
tural welfare.

Sir G. Cr.auK last night brought forward in the
House of Commons five resolutions founded on the
recommendations contained in the minute of the
Lords of the Privy Council of Trade, of the 6th June
inst., and the greater part of-the evening was devoted
to the discussion. We have already alluded at some
length to these recommendations, and approved of
the spirit in which they were framed, preferring
them to those contained in the report of the
Gauge Commissioners. The two first resolutions
were only disposed of last night, and the further con-
sideration of the other three was adjourned until this
day. There is no doubt that considerable evil
resulted from the break of gauge, and that consider-
able inconvenience was occasioned thereby; but the
great question seems to be, is that inconvenience so
serious in amount, and productive of so much injury
to the public, as to make it worth the while of that
public to devote a large sum of money, amounting
at least to 1,000,0001. sterling, for its removal ? We
have already shown that if the change is to be at all
effected, it can only be made at the public expense.
Any other course would be so totally inequitable and
unjust that there would be little prospect of its re-
ceiving the sanction of a British Parliament; indeed,
we doubt if a single supporter could be
found in either House to so monstrous a
proposition as that the great expense of
altering the gauge should be thrown on the par-
ticular company whose line was to be so altered for
the public convenience. Before, then, we come to a
conclusion on this question, it is necessary to con-
sider whether the evil is wholly unmixed, and whether
there is no advantage to the public in the existing
difference. There is little doubt, that in consequence
of the jealousy that has hitherto existed between the
London and Birmingham and the Great Western—the
representatives of the rival systems—each of those great
companies has been stimulated to the utmost
degree of exertion to increase the accommodation
afforded to the public, and to diminish the expense
as much as possible, for the purpose of securing the
public suffrages in favour of their own particular
gauge. By this means the great evil which would
otherwise have resulted from the monopoly exercised
by the companies has been in a great degree avoided,
and the weak have had the benefit of a certain
degree of competition the only one to which rail-
way management has'
hitherto been exposed, and
the great advantage of Which is
so well known and
fully appreciated. Again,
admitted that we are
railway experience; vast it
is al
improvements as yet but '
in every year, and it is quite impossible to say how
far these improvements may be extended,
what new
o f the
advantageresources
that
aotf
scientific
outar
aye maybe e
Should
ud
led.
Itapplicationsis
n o trifling
have an opportunity of observing the workings of the
sptar ens
ee
enst,
asoyds t eimt a
flu.onrddes Nn'r
aariaedddiatinodnadlio.fihearenncet
oc ifrceua
rml ;
discoveriesbeingtherefore,in
smoma de p o
e andints coafr rvi
ieedw :
desirableo e x e c u
that
It is, .
there should still exist a difference in gauges, and
at least, quite sufficient to warrant their Lordships isi
r;
not at present recommending a reduction of tlliteibs broad
to the narrow gauge at the public expense.
impossible to say that some simple and cheap plan may
not speedily be discovered for doing away with, or at
least considerably reducing, the evils at present at-
tendant on a break of gauge. Many mechanical
contrivances, stated by their Lordships to be of great
ingenuity, have already been submitted for that pur-
pose ; and although none of them may be quite suffi-
cient altogether to do away with the evil, yet it
is clear that the inventive genius of the
country is at work: on the question ; and it is
impossible to say how soon the problem may be
solved. This great expenditure would then become
worse than useless, and there is therefore strong
reason to pause before a step of the kind is irrevo-
cably taken, Tt
". being then admitted that the exist-

ing br,sad gauge lines are not to be disturbed, the
next question is, what course can be adopted to re-
duce the inconvenience to the minimum—so that the
public should suffer as little as possible ? The reccm-
mendation of the Commissioners seems well calculated
to effect the object.

It appears reasonable that all new lines should be
constructed on that gauge which is in the most ge-
neral use throughout the country, unless they are so
closely connected with existing lines on the broad
gauge as to cause a great inconvenience by a differ-
ence therefrom. We, however, fully concur
in the justice of the reasoning which
sanctions the construction of the South
Wales line on the gauge originally approved of and
sanctioned by Parliament. The importance of a
second continuous line of railway to Ireland cannot
be overrated; besides the direct communication from
London with the Government dock-yards, near
Pembroke, and with Milford Haven and Fishguard,
will be a great public benefit. It cannot be forgotten
that the speediest route to the whole of the southern
district of Ireland will be thereby effected. The sea-
voyage from Fishguard may be made in little more
than four hours, and if a railway be carried on to
Valentia, the distance from London may be regularly
travelled in about twenty-four hours. By this means
our communication with America will be • greatly
expedited ; and it is scarcely too much to say that,
ere long it will become the high road for all
travellers to the western hemisphere, not
only from England, but from the entire
of Europe. The first resolution was agreed
to without a division, with the addition of the words
" and South Wales Railway" after the words " Great
Western Railway," by which the inconvenience of
short lines of a few miles, emanating from the South
Wales line being constructed on a different gauge
from the parent line, will be avoided. The second
resolution was altered in its terms, the House having
no power to bind parties by their mere resolution. It
would appear ridiculous to vote that which they had not
power to enforce. It was therefore, in place thereof, re-
solved, " That it is the opinion of the House that
provision should be made by law to prevent the direc-
tors of railways from altering their gauge." This is
perfectly just, and we doubt not a Bill will speedily
be introduced to give effect to the resolution of the
House. The remaining three resolutions respect
the different lines that should be made on the different
gauges, and we have already expressed our approba-
tion of the manner in which they have been selected.

Intelligence from Portugal of the 10th inst. has been
received. The PALMELLA Ministry was still in power;
but it was considered not improbable that they would
have to give way to SA DA. BANDEIRA and his friends.
The juntas were dissolving themselves throughout the
country, except at Santarem, where the junta, headed
by MANOEL PASSOS, had under their control a force of
from fbur to five thousand armed men. His proceed-
ings, however, were sanctioned by the QUEEN, who had
expressed her approval by a royal decree. There were
a thousand men under arms at Villa Franca. The
peoplehad retired from before Oporto, and had in most of
the districts returned to their homes.

The Augsburgh Gazette states that the Sardinian Go-
vernment had proposed to Austria to submit the ques-
tions in dispute between them, on the subject of the
wine and salt duties, to the arbitration of some third
Power, to be chosen by Austria. The same paper an-
nounces the arrival in the port of Ancona of two Aus-
trian men-of-war, and states that the city itself is
guarded by Austrian troops.
The Emperor and Empress of Russia arrived at Cra-
cow on the 4th instant.

Madrid papers of the 10th have been received. The
arrival of GONZALES BRAVO in Madrid, from Lisbon, is
announced by El Clamor Publico. This is the only
article of intelligence in these papers.
MADRID BOLSA, JUNE 10.—The Three per Cents.
closed on the 10th of June at 33 9-16 cash, 331 paper;
Five per Cents., 20:1 cash.

We have received the Paris papers of Monday. The
opening of the Great Northern Railway took place on
Sunday. The papers state that the announcement of
disturbances in the Pontifical States, published in the
Marseilles journals, was premature. A rumour was,
however, prevalent that two Cardinals had died, and
chat a third had been murdered.

The Presse says—" The Central League, which de-
sired to establish itself at Paris for the furtherance of
free trade, having demanded permission from the
Minister of the Interior to constitute itself, has been for
the present refused such authorisation."

General LAMORICIERE has arrived at Port Vendres
from Algiers.
A courier from Madrid passed through Paris for
London, with the funds necessary to pay the half-year's
interest on the Spanish Three per Cents., due at the end
of the month.

The approaching recal of M. BRUAT from Oceanid is
announced in the Armoricain of Brest.

The Three per Cents., closed en the Paris Bourse on
Monday at 83f. 10c. ; the Five per Cents., 120 f. 30c. ; the
Orleans Railroad Shares, 1,245 f. ; Rouen, 1,0151. ; Havre,
742 f. 50c. ; Great Northern, 7351. ; Avignon, 8801. ;
Vierzon, 6221.50 c. ; Bordeaux, 600 f. ; Boulogne, 4871. 50c. ;
Dieppe, 415 f. ; Paris and Strasburg, 503 f. 75c. ; Tours and
Nantes, 517 f. 50c ; Paris and Lyons, 538 f. 75c.
Lyons and Avignon Definitives, 5151. ; Bordeaux and
Cette Definitives, su9f. 75c.

BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, JUNE 16.
Central of Spain, 159—Dutch Rhenish, 6—East Indian, —Lou.
vain and Jeinappe, lie ex d.—Luxembourg, I%—Orleans and Bor-
deaux, 1014—Paris and Lyons Constituted, 614—Paris and Rouen,
39 —Tours and Nantes Constituted, 5 . Rouen and Havre, 23.

EAST INDIA HOUSE.-(THIS DAY.)
A quarterly General Court of this Company was held at
the Company's House, in Leadenball•street.
Mr. Hoca took the chair at twelve o'clock, and reported
that the company had taken proper measures to secure that
the pension granted to Lord Hardinge should be paid.irrespec-
tive of his salary as Governor-General of India.
The former directors were then re- elected.

An Hoer. PROPRIETOR. rose to bring under the attention
of the Court a motion of which he had given notice, namely :
—" That adverting to the charge of the Lord Bishop of Cal-
cutta on his recent departure from Bengal, and now re-
printed in England ; and also to the printed statements of
the Rev. James Peggs, late a missionary in Orissa, it be re-
ferred to the Honourable Court of Directors to consider
whether the time is not arrived when such rites and usages
as contradict the law of nature and overthrow the first prin-
ciple of our common humanity, may not be terminated con-
istently with the amelioration of the natives and the security
of our Indian empire." The sacrifice of human life which took
place in India, and the idolatrous worship which existed
there, ought, in his opinion, now to be put down. Such was
the opinion of the Lord Bishop of Calcutta, and such, he
conceived, would be the opinion of every Christian in the
country. lle would, however, withdraw the motion, as he
did not conceive that he had sufficient information from
India to lay before the Court.
A letter was read by the CHAIRMAN, from Mr. Thompson,
stating that his health would not permit hlm to attend the
Court, and begging leave to postpone his motion in reference
to the case of the deposed Raja of Sattara. Leave having
been granted,

k.J •
The CHAIRMAN declared that the business of the Court
having been concluded, it stood adjourned.
Some disappointment was manifested that the notice re-
specting Lieut. Waghorn's services was not brought forward.

CRIMINAL COURT.-(THIS DAY.)
OLD COURT.

(Before Chief Justice TINDAL and Mr. Justice PATTFSON.)

Mr. PRENDERGAST applied to have the case of Dr. Ellis, who is
indicted for manslaughter in a case of hydropathic treatment, post-
poned till Saturday, which the Court allowed.

Louisa Baptiste, a'decently-dressed young woman, 23 years of age,
was indicted for feloniously coining a half-crown.
William Binney, inspector of the G division of police, said, he went to
a house in New-court, Duck-lane, Westminster, on May 23, between
four and five o'clock in the afternoon. On going up stairs to the
front room second floor, he found the door fastened outside and in.
The door was fastened inside by an upright plank, and a bar
barricading that from the floor, and similar obstructions
were used on the outside, giving the house the appearance of ht ing
unoccupied. When the police went in they saw the prisoner stand-
ing by a large clear fire, having a plaster of Paris mould in her right
hand, and a large iron spoon, containing white metal in a fluid state,
in her left. When she saw them she laid down the spoon on the
hearth, took half-a-crown from a "get" on the chimney-piece, and
threw it Into the spoon, and then dashed the mould in her
right hand into pieces, stamping on it with her feet.
When they had secured her they found three Britannia
metal spoons on the chimney piece, one of which had been partly
minewitedth,earnoodni pp
a 1141reo,t.he teeth of which were filled with white metal.
On being secured, she said, " You b-, you thought to have me to
rtnl gi
ghht I,ll=
eyo hadu haveme notyo u;
oughtif you t had andacvoemb e
ee Iniasi
searched
aarne h
ed hourhe
fboerfeo re eoinh
, coming
whetg
with
as you enter."
Conetable so G produced
lying on the tat
bhlien Some fluid, and a piece of silver leaf
co.ndh
had
fluid
in
tli ienin the neighbourhood of two galvanic
attached,batteries
of plaster of Paris in the eupboad." ,trretime. He found also powder
mould which she had in her
hand was hot. The batteries were produced w
in Court, together with
a pot of silver sand, two plate brushes which had been used on
plaster of Paris, and several other articles.
Mr. Field, inspector of the Mint, examined the pieces of metal pro-
duced,
and the half-crown, and said they were Britannia metal. The
batteries used were Slime's batteries; the liquid contained in cne
bottle was a solution of salt of silver, and another bottle produced
was full of a weak dilution of sulphuric acid taken from the
batteries. He said the silver sand was used to give a polish to the
coin after being taken from the mould, and the " get " spoken of by
the officers was the superfluous metal, which must be detached from
the edge of it.
Mr. Bodkin and Mr. Ellis conducted the prosecution, and Mr. T.
ND • L summed the evidence, and
Chief Justice Ti: `D
against
returned a verdict the prisoner of aiding and
consultation
personally present.
abetting, and being
ea
her to seven years' transportation.
The Court sentenced
to have the Post-office cases fixed to come
day would best suit the convenience of the
Payne
defended the prisoner.
Mr. CLARKSON applied
lication.
The Court agreed to the app
at the bar, indicted for the wilful murder
Joseph Carter was placed .
the belly, on the 19th of May, in
A° 1 it
t oornn ey Friday,er'e r aals.
legate.
the parish of St. Giles's, Cripp
the case to the jury, and called
Mr. lII7DOLEsToNE introduced
inter, who stated that he was at
that
of John Oddy, by stabbing him in
Henry Mathews, a copper-plate pr,
There were several others
present; and Carter, after the witness had been there some
when witness entered.
time, Caine in. Oddy was ther-,,drinkQf a pot pf
the Crown public-house at the corner of Union-street, about nine
o'clock on the evening of t
Carter, 04 cotiiin in, wialuct to