The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-13 00:00:00

!further information with reference to the expulsion
of the English from France ?
Sir G. GREY was most happy to have an opportu-
nity to answer the question of the hon. member. He had
received a list of the workmen who had already ar-
rived at Portsmouth, and a statement of the amount
of wages due to them, which list had been transmitted
to the Foreign-office, in ()Her that a demand might
be made upon the provisional Government of France
for compensation. He had also ascertained that
conveyance for a considerable number of other
workmen, who were being driven from France,
would have to be provided, while he had re-
ceived information from the Lord Mayor, that
large bodies of labourers, who had been ex-
pelled from various parts of France, were
daily arriving in London in a destitute condition.
THE DEE BRIDGE.
Mr. OSBORNE, seeing the First Commissioner
of Railways in his place, wished to ask him a ques-
tion of some little importance. It would probably
be in the recollection of the Right Hon. Gentleman,
he put a question to him with reference to the safety of
the Dee Bridge, on the Chester and Holyhead Railway.
He had since learned that on the same day that he put
one of the girders was cracked by the simple blow of
a four pound hammer; and the state of the bridge
was such that the trains had to pass over it shooting
the steaming off. The other day, however, a trai❑
went over it with the steam on, when the oscillation
was frightful ; and as the stete of the bridge had
given rise to a good deal of alarm in the neigh-
bourhood, and no notice was taken of it at the
recent meeting of the Chester and Holyhead Company,
he wished to ask the Right Hon. Gentleman whether
he had received the report upon the subject, and if so,
whether he should have any objection to lay it on the
table ?
Mr. STRUTT stated that he had received infor-
mation from the engineer to the company that there
was no danger to be feared from the fracture in the
girder, and that it was his intention to replace the
fractured girder by a sound one.
PUBLIC HEALTH.
In answer to a question put by Mr. DIVETT,
Lord MORPETH said that he did not think that
be should be able to move the committal of the Public
Health until Friday se'nnight. It was his intention to
move that the House shouldgo into Committee pro forma
in order that he might introduce several alterations
in the Bill, which he thought would improve the
efficiency of the Bill: At the same time he would
beg to state that it was not the intention of the Go-
vernment to include the metropolis in that Bill, as
that would be provided for by a distinct measure ;
he could not, however, say when that measure would
be ready for introduction.
THE COAL-WHIPPERS OF LONDON.
Mr. GLADSTONE wished to kcow whether the
report of the offer of the body of coal-whippers to
act as special constable was correct ? His object in
putting the question was to render to that body their
due—(Hear, hear)—and to bring in a marked man-
ner befbre the House an example of the beneficial
effect which had resulted from the labours of this
House to ameliorate the condition of that class of
persons.—(Hear.)
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that it was quite true
that the coal-whippers had offered their services as
a body to act as special constables, to the number of
2,500 men.—(Hear, hear.) The offer of those ser•
vices had, he believed, been accepted, and 300 of that
body had been sworn in on Saturday. The magistrates
had received instructions to be in attendance to swear
in any others whose services might be required.—
(Hear, hear.) With respect to the measures alluded
to by the Hon. Member, which were passed by this
House about six years since, he believed that that
measure had been productive of the most beneficial
results to that class of persons.
Sir G. GREY said that he felt bound to confirm
the statements made by his Right Hon. Friend. In
the course of last week the cOalwhippers made an
offer of their services to act as special constables in
any part of the metropolis where their services
might be required, and he most gladly bore
his testimony to the value of the example set by that
body of men.—(Hear, hear.) The next attempted
disturbances had elicited from all classes of persons
the most praiseworthy desire, not only in the metro-
polis, but in the other large cities of England and
Scotland, to give their most cordial co• operation and
valuable aid in the suppression of any disturbances—
(Cries of " Hear, hear")—and in the maintenance
of public order, which was essential to the interests
and welfare not of one class only, but of all classes
in the country.—(Hear, hear.) In Manchester alone
11,000 persons, including a large body of operatives,
were sworn in as special constables in one day.—
(Hear, hear.) In Glasgow a great number, also,
had been sworn in, and he bad been informed by the
Lord Advocate, who had himself gone down to Glas-
gow, that he believed 20,000 special constables could
be obtained should their services be required.—(Hear.)
The same might be said of Liverpool and other large
towns, and he was receiving at all hours of the day
the most gratifying communications upon the same
subject.—(Loud cheers.)
EXECUTIONS AT CLONMEL.
In answer to an Hose MEMBER,
Sir W. SOMERVILLE said that he had not re-
ceived any official communications with respect to the
proceedings which took place at the execution of
Philip and Henry Cody, at Clonmel.
Mr. B. OSBORNE could assure the Right Hon.
Baronet that the accounts as they appeared in the
public journals were perfectly correct.
STATE OF THE QUADRANT.
In answer to a question from an HON. MEMBER,
Lord MORPETH said he had received communi-
cations from both of the parties concerned in the dis-
pute now going on with respect to the eolonade of
the Quadrant, and he had no doubt that ultimately
the affair would be arranged amicably between all
parties.