The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-09 00:00:00

DEPTFORD DOCKYARD.

A few years ago Deptford dockyard appeared more
like a deserted village than an extensive naval depot,
but considerable activity is now displayed in it, and the
hammers of a thousand workmen, and the saws and
tools for converting timber for building vessels for the
Royal Navy, are heard without intermission during the
working hours of week days. There are at present five
ships and steamers of war in progress of construction in
this dockyard, and two of them will be floated into the
river about the 25th of the present month, as the slip on
which they are building is different from those from
which vessels are launched. The Sidon, constructed on
a plan of Sir Charles Napier's, is one of the two that
will be floated into the river during the present month;
and she appears a very fine looking vessel, very strongly
put together, and of the following dimensions:—
Feet. Inches.
Length between perpendiculars ... 210 9
Ditto of keel for tonnage ... 185 •9,
Breadth extreme ... ... ... 37 0
Ditto for tonnage ... ... ... ••• 36 6
Ditto moulded ... ... ... 35 10
Depth in hold ... ••• 27 0
Burden in tons 1,328 67-94
Horse power ... ••• 560
Although only two feet longer, and two feet broader
than the Odin steam-vessel building in the same yard,
the Sidon is intended to carry 400 tons more coals than
that vessel.

The Sidon was placed on blocks on the 24th of June,
1845, and in exactly 10 months will be ready to enter
her future element. All the parts of her machinery
above water mark are to be constructed of malleable
iron, and of great power to resist injury during actual
warfare ; and every beam across her decks has been
secured with strong iron kneedbolts to the powerful
timbers of her sides.

The Hound, a 10• gun brig, is the name of the other
vessel building on the same slip, from a design by Sir
William Symonds, Surveyor of the Navy, and will be
ready for her future element at the same time as the
Sidon. The following are the dimensions of the
Hound : Feet. Inches.
Length between perpendiculars ... 95 0
Length of keel for tonnage ... •.. 74 10
Breadth extreme ... ... •• • •.. 30 3
Breadth for tonnage ... .• . ... 30 o
Breadth moulded ... •• • •• • •• • 29 6
Depth in hold ... ... 13 6
Burden in tons ... ... 358 18 94

The Odin steam-frigate, building at this yard, was de-
signed by Mr. Finch am, master-shipwright at Portsmouth
Dockyard, and the whole of her frame is put together,
and she will soon be ready for launching. She was
placed on the blocks on the 19th of February, 1845, and
the following are her dimensions :

Feet. Inches.
Length between perpendiculars ... 208 0
Length of keel for tonnage ... ... 183 8/
Breadth extreme ... ... ... ... 37 0
Breadth for tonnage ... ... ... 36 6
Breadth moulded ... ... ... ... 35 10
Depth in hold ... ... ... ... 24 2
Burden in tons ... ... 1,36 4-94
Horse power . ... 500

The Termagint steam-frigate, constructing from a
design by Mr. White, builder, at Cowes, is a vessel of
the same length as the Odin, designed by Mr. Fincham ;
but 3 feet 6 inches greater dimensions in her extreme
breadth, and will have engines of 600-horse power.
The following are her dimensions:—

Feet. Inches.
Length between perpendiculars ... 268 3 -
Length of keel for tonnage ... ... 181 0
Breadth extreme ... ... 40 6
Breadth for tonnage ... ... 40 0
Breadth moulded ... 39 4
Depth in hold ... ... 25 9
Burden in tons ... 1,540 40-94
The Phaeton, a sailing 50 gun frigate, constructing
from a design of Mr. White's, builder at Cowes, is well
advanced and will soon be ready for launching. The
following are her dimensions:—

Feet. Inches.
Length between perpendiculars 184 11
Length of keel for tonnage l5l 111
Breadth extreme
Breadth for tonnage 4B 9
Breadth moulded
Depth in hold
Burden in tons
Two excellent new shed roofs have been constructed
in this dockyard, and important improvements have
taken place in these sheds for moving the weighty pieces
of timber and placing them in their proper positions.
This will be effected under these sheds by means of
machinery placed across the extreme breadth and
working on railway slides from end to end, similar to
the plan adopted in the factory of Woolwich dockyard
for moving the works of steam-engines, and in
the foundry of the Royal Arsenal for moving large guns
and other weighty materials. About 300 men are em-
ployed by the contractors for these works, and clearing
out the basins at Deptford dockyard. A considerable
number of men are also permanently employed in the
victualling-yard ; and the large sums circulated in the
neighbourhood is a source of profit to the inhabitants of
the town, who are greatly pleased to witness the prospe-
rity of the place. A great number of strangers have
recently visited the yard, to inspect the Sidon steam-
vessel, constructed by Sir Charles Napier, and the other
vessels and works in progress.

THE SECRET PRISON HOUSE.
Some workmen lately in taking down an old monastic
building in Hereford, came to a prison, in which there
is reason to believe some unfortunate victim was im-
mured alive. A correspondent of the Hereford Times
gives the following interesting account of the dis-
covery :

" lii taking down the south-east corner the work-
men came to a paving-stone, which, on being re-
moved, disclosed to view an aperture about eighteen
by twelve inches in dimensions ; on further examina-
tion, by removing the walls, it appeared that it was a sort
of niche, five feet six inches high, capable of containing
a human form, broad at the head and tapering
down to the feet, where it was ten inches broad ; it had
been plaistered in the interior on the front, back, and
east side, on the opposite it was closed up with rough
wall stone ; at the bottom was another paving-stone,
and upon it the heap of collapsed bones, a glass bottle,
and an earthen pan, portions of the leather and high
heel of shoes, and a piece of wood which, it has been
asserted, bears the marks of having been gnawed, as
if in the last frenzied effort to sustain a famishing and
desperate nature. The fragments of the bottle and
pan, for we regret to say they were broken, and the
other portions carried away, the leather and the
sole, and the piece of wood referred to, are before you.
Was it in refinement of cruelty that these vessels were
deposited at the feet, where the wretched sufferer, from
the straightness of the narrow cell, could not reach the
viands they contained? What crime could deserve such
awful retribution, or rather what human being might
dare to visit on his fellow sinner such agonising tor-
ment, such accumulation of the pangs of many deaths?
What else could have been the tragedy which these
walls have witnessed—what other the agonies which
they assisted in administering? The very heart sickens
at the contemplation, and the religion of peace and
mercy repudiates the deed as that of demons
rather than the ministers of reconciliation, of salvation
to the sinner's soul. But to proceed. The poor wretch
does not seem to .have been alone in this appalling
exigency; another similar niche at the south- west
corner of the wall was subsequently revealed, built
up in the same manner, but standing sideways to the
other; at the bottom of this, too, were the mournful
indications of the purpose to which it had been ap-
plied—a heap of bones. If a mystery hangs over the his-
tory of this spot as to its material fabric, much more
must this dark deed elude the scrutiny of man. That
such things have been, and under the most sacred pre-
text, is, alas, incontrovertible. I had purposed to have
searched out some of the decretals which touch on
this most melancholy subject; but time has not sufficed
me for the purpose, and perhaps it is well. I shall
content myself with reading to you some extracts from
writers well known to you, and shall then leave the
narrative and its accompaniments to your contemplation,
until such time as fortune or subsequent discovery may

throw new light upon the spot :
" In Headley's Letters from Italy, it is recorded that
in the church of San Lorenzo, in the town of San
Giovanna, is the withered form of a man cased in a side
wall. A sort of trap-door is swung open, when you are
shown a human skeleton, perfect in all its parts; it
stands erect and motionless among naked, jagged
stones. This church had been built centuries ago, and
remained untouched till within a few years, when,
in making some repairs, the workmen had occasion to
pierce the wall, and struck upon this skeleton. They
carefully uncovered it, without disturbing its position
or loosening a single hone. A narrow door has been
made to awing over it, to protect it from injury and
shield it from the eye of those who worship in the church.
The frame indicates a powerful man, and though it is
but a skeleton, the whole attitude and aspect give one
the impression of a death of agony. The arms are
folded across the breast in forced resignation, the head
is slightly bowed, and the shoulders elevated, as if in
the effort to breathe, while the very face—bereft of
muscles as it is—seems full of suffering. This unhappy
man seems to have died of suffocation, as he was built up
alive in the wall ; it is evident it must have been
a case of murder, for there are no grave-clothes, no
coffin, and no mason work round the body. The poor
civility of a savage was not shown here, in knocking
off the points of the stones, to give even the appearance
of regularity to the enclosure. He was packed into
a rough wall, and built over, beginning at the feet.
It is difficult to tell anything of the manner of death,
whether painful or not, by any skeleton, for the face has
always the appearance of suffering, but there are cer-
tain indications about this which show that the death
was a painful one, and caused by suffocation.
The arms are not crossed gently or quietly in the
decent composure of death, but far over, us by a painful
effort or by force. The shoulders are elevated, as if the
last strong effort of the man was for breath. The bones
of the toes are curled over the edge of the stone on
which he stands, as if contracted in agony when life
parted. He appears to have been fully six feet high,
with broad chest and shoulders, and strong limbed.
" Again—ln the notes of Sir Walter Scott
)exritt
site poem of • Marmion,' we read (note x
bvrioille their
is well known that the religious persons
vows were subjected to the same
Roman vestals in a similar case.
A small
f e in the mas-
ionr
d pittance of food
sive wall of the convent, suffi-
cient to inclose their bodies, was
e en; pve 1
ty
niche, ss
utffih
ds
and water was deposited
latter times, this punishment was
al.
It is not likely that, isimmuringn
the awful
thecrimv
Valle in pace were the signailnafoi
bum,,among the ruins of the Abbey of
often resorted to ; years ago, discovered the re-
mains of a female skeleton,some
the fiwghuicreh ,
seemed to
shapebe of
the niche and positio.n, of , that
of an immured nun.

THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL
INSTITUTE.
The third meeting of the committee and subscribing.
members was held at the rooms of the Institution of
Civil Engineers, on Friday, April 3 ; Lord Northamp-
ton, President, in the chair. The attendance was more
numerous than on any former occasion.
Among the presents announced, were Mr. Gibson's
splendidly illustrated History of the Monastery of
Tynemouth.
Eight new subscribing members were announced ;
among them the Bishop of Gloucester, and two :cor-
responding members. It was also stated th' the
Earl De Grey and the Bishop of Ripon had respectively
accepted the office of Vice-Presidents of the meeting to
be held at York in July next.
Among the objects of primeval date exhibited on this
occasion, were several
.strings of beads of amber and
vitrified pastes; a spear-head of bronze of unusual form,
and two remarkably small celts; these relics, which were
found in Suffolk, were communicated by Mr. Whincopp,
of Woodbridge, whose extensive collection of antiquities
discovered in the eastern counties has been alluded to in
our former reports of the meetings of the institute.
Mr. Talbot exhibited two gold rings, discovered some
years since at Terling-place, in Essex, the seat of Lord
Rayleigh. These rings, which are of medieval work-
manship, were found in a jar at a spot Where about
three hundred coins of Coastantius Valens and the late
Roman emperors were found. Mr Talbot also exhibited
several ancient brass and leaden matrices of seals, among
which may be noticed tie meal of the bailiffs of Dunwich;
date the fourteenth century.
Air. Farrar sent for exhibition an elaborated deco-
rated monstrance of the Renaiwnce period. The de-
sign of it is architectural, enriched ;Fith statuettes and
relievi. Mr. Farrar observed that it •-•as of German
workmanship, and that three shield-like sajcets in the
base, now filled with pieces of coloured glass, th7yeared
to have been originally destined for armorial escutcheons
in enamel.
Mr. Buckler submitted to the inspection of the Presi
dent a series of drawings by himself of Wells Ckhedrali
and of the Bishop's palace there. The works iittraeted
much attention among the members present.
The Noble President, in calling the attention of the
meeting to the subject previously appointed for discus-
sion and illustration—viz., " The art of design as ap-
plied to the illumination f MSS., and the peculiarities •
which mark the !productions of each country," Welk 0C"
casion to regret the absence of any comprehensive work
on this subject ; and expressed a hope that the instit
might be the means of originating, or at least facilitating
the
production of so desirable a contribution to the his-
tory of the medieval art.
The President then alluded to the succinct treatise by
Sir F. Madden, on illuminated MSS., the only one of the
kind hitherto published in England, and to the works
Mr. Shaw and Mr. Westwood, which had been the :nean....9,
of attracting much attention to this neglected brh: Zeec
inquiry, and after a few remarks on the great work n.
publishing in France by Count Bastarde, Lord Nortlfamp-
ton concluded by directing the notice of the meeting to
the numerous assemblage of MSS. of all dates which lay
on the table, and were contributed by Mr. Holford, Mr.
Hailstone, Mr. Hodgkinson, Mr. Rodd, and other gen-
tlemen. _ _ _

v3l. Hailstone then exhibibited a series of manu-
scripts
from his own collection, and pointed out some of
the peculiarities of style and treatment which distinguish
the various schools of medieval art. He described such
of them as appeared to be products of English, French,
Flemish, German, and Italian skill, and dwelt upon the.
i
successive changes in the treatment of the border o:
MSS. from the pure to the mixed arabesque, n wch
grotesque:figures are a conspicuous feature. Mr. Hail-
stone also alluded to the great value of such works, as
illustrations of costume, ecclesiastical and domestic
architecture, and of manners and customs. Mr. Hail-
stone's remarks were received with much attention, and
a general conversation took place on the subject, its
which the President, Mr. Holmes, of the ' British
Museum, and Mr. Shaw took part.
Mr. Rodd submitted for the inspection of the meeting
a most valuable collection of illuminations of Italian art,
chiefly collected by the late Mr. Ottley from the spoilse
the monasteries in Italy, and also a beautiful MS. of t.Kc,.
twelfth. century, in the collection of Mr. Holford, cow
taming thirty-two curious paintings, representing the
life and miracles of St. Edmund.
Altogether the subject seemed to have excited the
greatestinterest, and the table was thronged with mem-
bers examining the various MSS., for some time after the
Noble Marquis had left the chair.
It was announced that at the next meeting, on Friday,
May 1, the subject for illustration and discussion would
be " Fictile manufactures ; the earthenware, porcelain,
&c., of all periods."

SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY.

EXETER HALL

Last evening Handers Oratorio, " The Messiah,"
with Mozart's additional accompaniment, was performed
by the above society, (as is customary during pasion
week,) to an overflowing audience, assisted by its power-
ful and efficient chorus, conducted by Mr. Surman and
led by Mr. Perry. The principal professionals were
Miss Birch, Miss M. B. Hawes, Mr. Braham, and Mr.
H. Phillips. The sublime chorusses with which this
oratorio abounds were perfection itself, we noticed pas_
titularly " For unto us a child is born," and the "
lujah Chorus," which although we have heard-so many
times, yet did not lose any thing in our estimation,
given as they were last evening ; but all were alike excel-
lent, and reflect great credit on the members and
assistants of this society. We must not forget
the trebles, they were exceedingly effective in the chu-
russes above mentioned. We were glad to find Mr.
Braham in good voice again ; he seemed determined to
make up for his imperfections at the last concert, when
ho was labouring under a hoarseness. His " ComfOtt
ye " was a splendid effort, and elicited great and con-
tinued applause. We consider the air, "Rejoice greatly,"
Miss Birch's worst effort ; we wish she would pay more
attention to her cadences ; they were at times urtmean-
ing, and marred the effect which she would otherwise
have produced. There was a marked difference in
the style of Miss Hawes, who gave "He shall
feed his flock " in a meat chaste and impressive
manner. Mr. Braham, in " Thy rebuke," %as
very effective, and reminded us of his early days,
" Thou didst not leave," was sung by Miss Birch, in
which she was encored. In the air, " How beautiful Ale
the feet !" the accompaniments west splendidly per-
formed by the orchestra.
The air with which the Third Part opens,

" I know

that my Redeemer liveth," contained some fine points :
Miss Birch sung it excellently. The trumpet obligate,
by Mr. Harper, in "The trumpet shall sound," was per-
formed by that gentleman in his usual able manner.
We never remember to have been more gratified than
we were last evening. The Messiah was never per-
forme I better. _ _ _ _

A performance of Perry's Belshazzar's Feast, Men-
delssohn's 114th, and Haydn's Service No. 2, was an-
nounced for April 24th inst.

In the park of Malmaison, recently purchased, with
its chateau, by Queen Christina, her Majesty has erected a
Gothic chapel, under the direction of M. Swede, the archi-
tect, in the style of the Sainte-Chapelle, at the Palais de
Justice. The walls are to be covered with mural paintings,
in the fashion of the thirteenth century ; and M. Henri de
Gerente has just finished one of five windows which are to
enrich the arch. The one completed represents SL Augustin,
the patron saint of the Duke de Rianzares. The other sub-
jects will be, St. Christina, the patron of the Queen-Mother ;
the Holy Virgin; Isabella of Hungary, the patron saint of
the Queen of Spain; and St. Louis, the patron of the Infanta.
Louise. The great gate will be surmounted by a rosuce of
stained glass, richly executed. The arms of Castile, of Leo, .
of Grenada, and of France, succeed each other on a ground of
blue.—.Ath;nzrurn.
PIERS AND lIARBOURS.—It appears, from a return
issued by tue House of Commons, that tolls are now autho-
rised to be levied for the maintenance of piers and harbours
arte ltalinef:o—vlllh
owinitgb3p,, Scarborough,laces, on the
ecoaDstaloefr,Grellaatmßagriatatei,n and
Ireland d
Bridlington. At Whitby, the receipts of tolls from sth of
January, 1838, to sth January last, amounted to 21,011/. 95. 4d. ;
and at Scarborough, to 4,0201. Gs. 7d. But in the latter case
(according to the decision in August last at the York as-
sizes, in the case of " Mayor, &c., of Scarborough v. John-
nason") the revenue from this source is lost to the piers and
harbours of Scarborough. At Dover, the receipts during the
same period have been on an average of 9,3001, or 9,400/.
per annum; and at Ramsgate, between 18,0001. and 19,000/.
also per annum. At the Bridlington piers and harbours the
receipts have been between 1,7001. and 1,800/. a year.
Bentley gives us this month among its "leading arti-
cles," " Brian O'Linn ; or, Luck is Every Thing." The
story is well sustained, and the pleasant manner in which it
is narrated adds a charm to it, and occasions a feeling of
regret when the author and ourselves part company. "
perary Hall," is lively, clever, and spirited, and promises to
be a favourite re-union for the readers of Bentley. We have
also "a Memoir of Flora Macdonald," by Charles White-
head, with a beautiful portrait by A. Ramsay. "The Seat
of War, the Sikhs and the Punjab," by Dr. W. C. Taylor,
is a well-timed paper, offering to those who will not, in any
other way, take the trouble to understand, the past and pre-
sent 'position of the Sikh people. The managers of this
Miscellany deserve commendation for leading the public, as
in the above instance, to a more improving style of reading
than is now generally found in the host of monthly publica-
tions launched from the press. We confidently recommend
this month's number to our readers.—Bridgewater Tones.
THE HIOHLANDMAN'S CURE.—A true son of the
Gaelic and the tartan, on a journey last week from his
heather-clad hills to the Fair City, had unfortunately, not-
withstanding the well known capabilities of the Scottish
mountaineer to endure fatigue, broken down when he reached
Bankfoot. A Highlander must be very ill when in pursuit of
a purpose he is compelled to give in, but so was the case with
our present friend. Besides inward ails, one of his feet was
sorely lacerated, and exhausted; crippled and sufferingise-
verely, he took up his lodgings in an inn in Bankfoot.• lla`
g
seated himself by the fire, be engaged a bed ifor theienaig
rad
.
had partlydoffed his habilimentsto get iP
t°
istrf Ttihe rem; edy.
membered his condition, and bethought 'muse. o
than that whisky is the Higland cure for
friend therefore order/4
el
inee
net rubbingc.ssari
external as well as internal.
ryur
applied
a,
at,
in-
aide
one need ask what iet was, for nothingairs.usiaorrteopiraoi‘iieir,abnill
"double." " Ihe halt he ,
holt' a mutchkin of ) ,
his sore foot. While performing.
h th
• his wounds wit e candle, and in (Wilk
required to exanune thislf h
operation,c°n
t caught fire•• and in an instant the
unluckily, the aqua us
so,
side balsam, and with th& other
egmuiosriel
ilnTrt etalsieed. more
Ne hel Nevertheless
to,
D
nd mutehein stoup were in a blaze. Down went
fi ol'ietllnd that was rubbing the foot to dispel the /ow, but,
alas, it took tire too, and carried the dame up his leg. Both
halauisibd:cie the
d at
werelo nttiitili(u‘neput in requisition,
flame
the
his labour, notwithstanding the agovy
iarrnintr of
fot
roared
dk Nevonhuitil Irtmey.
uhra,didehri
s. been
Ile endured, with heroic fortitude, and would have per
siHleavede rnfeaodi
not his
luhytiistgi
anl
ight
nsgpa
Isieet xo
oha
much.zai'd; ote
hurried in, and in a second a couple of buckets of water
were dashed upon him. These extinguished the fiank„s, but
Donald's injuries were such that he had to take a conveyance
to Perth next day, and has not yet been able to take the
road home.—Perthshire Courier.

THE IfousELEss POOR.—The asylums in Whitacross-
street .and East Smithfield were closed last week, having
been opened but six weeks, the shortest period of any winter
since their establishment. The total number admitt ; • the
former was 3,471, and to the latter 2,362, being i,4). nen
and 661 women and children.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
ROUSE OF COMMONS, April 8.
INDIAN CORN.
(Continued from our Afteraoen Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. P. SCROPE said he quite agreed in the sentiments
of the Hon. Member who had just sat down. If this House
had any chance of passing this Coercion Bill with the same
expedition as that which marked its progress through the
House of Lords, then there might be some reason for thus
pressing it on; but when the Government saw that the
discussion which had been raised upon the first reading of
that Bill was, in fact, a discussion upon the principle of the
Bill, and upon its merits, they must hare seen also that
they couldnot escape a protracted discussion upon it. From the
moment then that the Government had ascertained that fact
all the responsibility of the delay of the Corn Bill rested en-
tirely upon them—(Hear, hear)—and if that discussion
should be followed up after the recess, he did think the public
would be impressed with the ic:e,a that the Government had
some unexplained and inconceivable reason for protracting
the Corn Bill, and forcing on this Coercion Bill instead
of it.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir J. GRAHAM said he had explained that twice before.
Mr. P. SCROPE said he had heard the explanation
only the day before yesterday.
Sir J. GRAHAM said he had given the explanation
1 m before.
en
HARRIS said he could very well understand the
reason why the Coercion Bill had been brought on at that
particular period, and he should protest against the two ques-
tions being mixed up as they had beer.
Mr. FORSTER would appeal to the farmers' friends them-
selves, and ask them why they persevered in delaying the
Corn Bill? He could assure them that their long speeches
would not have the effect of changing a single vote in that
Rouse.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir J. GRAHA 11, in answer to some question from Mr.
Christie, said that those. questions were questions of which
he had given no notice, and therefore he could not
give them any answer, and he should here observe that
it was extremely 'niconveaient that such a course should be
adopted. In reference to the Wootton Basset union, he
begged to 7.,ay that it was not in the power of the Commis •
skims ,o censure the guardians, but they might point out to
the-as the manner in which the law should be carried out.
Ile communicated with the Poor-law Commissioners to know
what steps they had taken, and on the sth of February they
addressed the letter to the board of guardians from which he
had read the extract. If it were required he would lay the
letter itself on the table.
Sir R. PRICE regretted that the Government should per-
sist in forcing the first reading of the Coercion Bill upon the
House, and he equally regretted the opposition which was so
pertinaciously given by the Irish Members. Neither of them
appeared willing to give way, and the consequence was,
that the business of the country stood still, and that a mea-
sure intended te benefit Ireland in no small degree was de-
layed.
Mr. FITZGERALD begged to eorrect an expression which
had been made by the Hon. Member for Eversham, and
which was calculated to lead to misapprehension of the real
state of Ireland. The Hon. Member had alluded to the im-
portation of potatoes into Wales, and he inferred from that
that there was a surplus over the quantity required. Ile
could as'sure the Hon. Member that in this he was perfectly
mist2:lsen. The fact was that the prevalent disease was on
tte increase, and they were glad to dispose of their potatoes
before they would be utterly ruined. He gave the Right
lion. Baronet credit for the measures he had introduced for
the purpose of giving relief to Ireland; and with regard to
tke Coercion Bill, he could assure the Right Hon. Baronet
that the opposition given to it by Irish Members did not
arise from any desire to throw impediments in the way of
the Corn Bill, but solely because they considered the
Coercion Bill ill-timed and uncalled for. He found that,
during the last assizes in Tipperary there bad been no
capital conviction, and that in the north crime had else
diminished.
Mr. WYSE thought the conduct of the Irish Members in
offering every apposition to this measure could not be im-
pugned. They felt bound to do so in compliance with the
wishes of their constituents, and because they considered the
Bill an odious and unjust one. The Government had it in
their power to adjourn the measure, and thus they would
secure the good wishes and hearty co-operation of the Irish
Members in the future stages of the Corn Bill.
Colonel SIBTHORP said he fully agreed with the Hon.
Members who had just sat down. He gave the Irish Mem-
bers all credit for the open, manly, and straightforward,
and he would also say the consistent manner in which they
had opposed the Coercion Bill.—( Hear, hear.) He wished
the present measure of her Majesty's Government was one
calculated to conciliate the people of Ireland. He wished to
see the people of that country prosperous, and he
.was
compelled to say that the measures brought for-
ward for the last twenty years in that House
were not calculated te promote the welfare of
the country.—(Hear, hear.) The Government should
introduce a measure that by its beneficial results,
would restore peace and plenty to the peasantry of Ireland.
—(Hear, hear.) Such a measure would always meet with
his (Colonel Sibthorp's) concurrence and hearty support,
for he considered it would be more adapted to the condi-
tion of the country than the Coercion Act proposed by her
Majesty's Ministers.
The papers were then ordered to lie on the table.
THE ART-UNIONS BILL.
On the question of the orders of the day for the House going
into Committee on this Bill being put,
Mr. WYSE said he wished to know from her Majesty's
Ministers the nature of their opposition to the measure.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the op-
position to the Bill was grounded upon the fact of the
power sought to be given to the Government, namely, that
of being empowered to declare the Art-Unions legal. Now
this was in amount reviving the system of lotteries, for the
Art-Unions were founded upon such principles, and to de-
clare them legal would be most impolitic.
Mr. WYSE would, after this explanation, postpone the
consideration of the measure till that day fortnight.
THE RAILWAY DEPOSITS BILL.
The House then went into Committee on this Bill.
The whole of the clauses were agreed to, and the House
having resumed the Chairman reported accordingly.
Report to be brought up on the 24th of April.
RAILWAY LEGISLATION".
On the question being put for the House going into a Com-
mittee of Supply,
Mr. LABOUCHERE rose, and said he wished to call the
attention of the House and the Right Honourable
Baronet opposite to a most important subject. They were
about to separate for the Easter recess, and yet no Bill or re-
solution had been introduced into either House of Parliament
with respect to the railway measure the Right Hon. Baronet
alluded to the other night. Now, it was important that
something should be known with respect to that Bill imme-
diately, or great loss would ensue to some of those parties
who were engaged in promoting railway schemes, and he
wished to ask th e Right Hon. Baronet the First Lord of the
Treasury whether he would put the railway world in posses-
sion of the principle, if not of the details, of the measure?
Sir R. PEEL was much obliged to the Hon. Member for
calling attention is this important subject, and he could
assure the Hon. Member and the House that no time bad
been lost by the Government in considering this measure. It
however involved the nice details of the law of partnership,
and it was, therefore, important that the measure should
be considered by tke highest legal authorities before it was
introduced to the Legislature. The highest authorities had
accordingly their attention directed to the subject, and no
time would be lost in bringing in the Bill when
it was finally settled. He was strongly, however, in-
clined to think that it was desirable for the Board
of Trade to issue a circular addressed to the different railway
companies, informing them, without going into the details,
of the general principles which the Government were dis-
posed to agree to in introducing this Bill. He should, there-
fore, advise his Noble Friend the President of the Board of
Trade to give some public notification to that effect.
METROPOLITAN BUILDINGS ACT.
Mr. TUFNELL wished to ask the Right Honourable
Baronet the Secretary for the Home Department when he
intended to proceed with the Bill.
Sir J. GRAHAM replied, that it was impossible for him,
in the present state of public business, to give a positive
answer to the question of the Hon. Member. In the first
place, there was the important Bill relating to the law of
settlement, which involved the whole question of removal,
and then there was the Highway Act, and the Militia Act,
all of which had to be disposed of, as well as the third read-
ing of the Corn Bill, bef•'re this measure could be brought
forward. He did not, however, despair of being able to pro-
ceed with the Bill in the course of the present session.
Mr. M. GIBSON hoped that the third reading of the Corn
Bill would be got through before they pro-
ceeded with the other measures sanctioned by
the Rig'at Honourable Baronet. Government might
very easily have had the Bill read a third time
before the Irish Coercion Bill came on, had they resisted the
c 4 ercive policy of the protectionist party.—(Hear, hear.)
He for one strongly objected to Honourable Members being
placed under duresse in this way—compelled, as-they were,
to dispose of one Bill before they could proceed with an-
other.—( Hear, hear.)
Sir W. JOL LIPPE said, that as he had been alluded to in
this discussion, he felt himself compelled to deny that he
had offered any obstruction to the progress of public busi-
ness. He certainly had stated that he would offer his de-
cided opposition to the Turnpikes Bill, which he conceived
would be highly detrimental to the public if it were allowed
to pass in its present shape.
Sir R. PEEL, in answer to what had fallen from the Hon.
Member for Manchester (Mr. M. Gibson), denied that there
had been any understanding whatever between the Govern-
ment and 'Hon. Members on his side of the House
with regard to the Corn and Coercion Bills.—(Hear,
hear.) lle might state that it was the intention of her
Majesty's Government to proceed with the Corn Bill, and
not to introduce any Government business of any kind
whatever, until the sense of the House should have been
taken with respect to the passing of that measure.—(Hear.)
If the arrangement to which the Hon. Member for Man-
- Chester had alluded had been entered into by the Govern-
ment, it would have been a most unworthy proceeding on
their part.—(Hear, hear.) But there had been no such en-
gagement—(Hear)—and he believed that the Noble Lord,
the Member for Lynn, ( Lord G. Bentinck) had distinctly
stated the other night, that there had not been any such
arrangement entered into between the protectionists and the
Government.
Mr. M. GIBSON.—I did not say that there had been any
arrangement.—(llear.) I stated that I had seen in the
public papers that there had been such arrangement.
METROPOLITAN BUILDINGS BILL.
Mr. B. HAWES said he must complain of the delay
which the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for the
home Department had occasioned with respect to this mea-
sure. When the first Bill on this subject had passed this
session, that Right Hon. Baronet stated that there was an-
other amended Bill which he should introduce at a very
early period during the present session, and it was with that
understanding that he (Mr. Hawes) had voted for the former
Bill.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM begged to assure the Hon. Mem-
ber that every exertion was being made to mature the Bill in
question, and lie promised that it should be introduced on an
early day after the Easter recess.
Mr. JOHN O'CONNELL said that as he had been up to
t hat moment engaged in a railway Committee, he was not
a ware of the proceedings that hid taken place during his ab-
sence ; bat he wished to take that opportunity before the
Home rose of once more repeating, on the part of himself
and those Irish Members who sat on his side of the
House, who were opposed to the passing of the Irish
Coercion Bill, that while they were determined to perse-
vere to the last, and the very uttermost, in their opposition
to that measure, they were at the same time anxious not
to cause any delay to the progress of the public business of
,he House, and they were therefore willing to withdraw any
notices of motion which they had fu: such days as might be
fixed for the discussion of the Corn Bill, to which as lie and
they had already stated they were prepared to give their
cordial assent. They were prepared to support the repeal of
• the corn-laws, but they felt it to be their imperative duty to
oppose, in every stage, the progress of the Irish Coercion
Bill

Mr. P. SCROPE gave notice that he would, on an early day
after the recesst .e4ther Majesty's Government whether, if
the tenants
,00i quit the farms which
litifed_at theliadAng of their landlords, under circum-
oances-similar fo tltdse which occurred in the other pro-
Tvilicira of Ireland, it woulctbe lawful for the proprietors of the
/ laid to can ill- the aid of the military to compel a surrender