The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 2

him. Being exasperated at the broach of faith Mr.
Attwood had committed he went and voted for
Mr. Abdy. Previous to the election it was intimated
that as Mr. Hardy, a grocer living opposite to witness,
had gone over to
.the Abdy side, he would have the
custom of the Tory party if he voted for Sir Fitzroy
Kelly.
The witness's wife corroborated his testimony, and.

The Committee then adjourned till to-morrow morning.

SOUTH YORKSHIRE, DONCAS-
TER, AND GOOLE RAILWAY.—(THIS DAY.)
The first half-yearly general, and also a special or
extraordinary:meeting of the proprietors of this company
was held this afternoon at the London Tavern.
Earl Fitzwilliam was unanimously voted to the chair.'
The report which was read stated that since the pass-
ing of the Act on the 23rd of July last year,
the directors had been actively engaged in calling
in outstanding. accounts, registering the shares,
and consolidating the stock. They had also
been enabled, by careful enquiry iato the future
expenditure, and into the funds that will accrue to this
company on its amalgamation with the River Dun Com-
pany, to make such arrangements for paying interest on
calls, and on moneys paid in advance of calls, as to ren-
der the shares of this company a most valuable invest•
ment. The particulars of the arrangement had been
fully explained, in a statement already in the possession
of the proprietary. At the extraordinary general meet-
ing held on the 28th of last month, the proposal for the
immediate commencement of the construction of a por-
tion of the railway, was carried by a large majority.
The directors had now to report that the land and
working plans had all been prepared, the works had
been commenced, and would be proceeded with as ra-
pidly as circumstances permitted. The directors had
every reason to anticipate that the line from Swinton to
Doncaster would be opened for traffic early next year.
The balance remaining to the credit of the company was
43,6131. Is. 4d. in cash and Exchequer-hills. A large
amount had been offered in advance of calls on the terms
of the circular of the 14th January, and the directors
were confident that this amount would be consider-
ably increased before the time proposed for making
the 'first call; and as the company was enabled
to give seven per cent. per annum upon moneys
paid, in advance of calls, they apprehended little
difficulty in obtaining the full amount which they can
profitably employ. The total expenditure of the com-
pany, which was 70,5231. 19s. 5d., extended over a period
of upwards of two years and a half, during which time
the company was engaged in two very severe Parlia-
mentary conflicts, and involving a double expenditure in
law, engineering, and other charges. During that ses-
sion fifteen schemes were projected in direct
compettion with the undertaking ; proving the
value of the district now occupied by the rail-
way. A sum of 47,2501. had been appropriated
as deposit on 18,000 shares, in the Sheffield, Rother-
ham, Barnsley, Wakefield, Huddersfield, and Goole
Railway, in accordance with an arrangement
-auctioned by a general meeting held in August, 1846.
The•densely-populated district through which that line
passed abounded in minerals, leased to wealthy and en-
terprising companies, and all requiring a more expe-
ditious and economical transit to their respective markets.
To the eastern communication afforded by the South
Yorkshire line proper it would form a most valuable
feeder. In right of the large stake held by the pro-
prietors of this Company in the Sheffield, Rotherham,
Barnsley, Wakefield, Huddersfield, and Goole Corn
party's undertaking. half of the Board of that Company
hap been nominated to the directorship of this Company,
and the management of this Cmpany's portion of the
scheme had been confided solely to those gentlemen.
the amount of revenue accruing to this company, under
the contract with the River Dun Company, to the end of
:he last year was 14,5171. Os. 11d., which sum would,
however, not be payable until the amalgamation by half
the capital being paid up and expended. Out of that
revenue the directors proposed to declare a dividend, at
the rate of 5L per cent. per annum, from the passing of
the Act, for the balf•year ending the 22d of January,
amounting in the aggregate to 2,812/. 10s., for
which, interest warrants would be forthwith
issued, payable one month after the amalgamation.
The dtrectors would hereafter be enabled, out of the
surplus and accruing revenue, to pay a dividend of 61.
per cent. per annum, until the opening of the line.
the extension of the South Yorkshire line to Penistone
was struck out by the Committee on the Bill, and it
appeared necessary to the directors, for the interest of
the proprietors, that the extension to Penistone should
be re-deposited in an altered shape, and a Bill introduced
into Parliament.

Mr. ENGLAND, a shareholder, complained of the item
in the accounts of 42,993/. 10s. I Id. for law and Parlia-
liamentary expenses, and trusted that the directors would
make some reduction in them for the future.

The CHAIRMAN said he was always extremely desirous
for economy in every thing, but it should be recollected
that this Company had to encounter two severe Parlia-
mentary struggles. It was a matter of regret to him that
Parliamentary contests cost so much, bat if ha had had
the management of railway affairs in England, and if his
advice had been taken some time ago respectiHg the
management and construction of railways, there would
have been no necessity for Parliamentary contests.—
(Hear.) But he would remind the meeting
that when gentlemen embarked in such undertakings
as this, they were, of course, understood
to make up their minds as to the risk and loss that
might ensue, as well as to the advantages.—(Cheers.)
Ile regretted, however, very much that the law expenses
were so exceedingly heavy.
- - -

The report was- then received and adopted.
A resolution having been proposed for reducing the
number of directors to 12,

Mr. ENGLISH said he did not think it proper that any
large coal owner, in the district traversed by the rail-
way, should be upon the directory, because he would be
able to fix just what price he liked for conveying his
coal over the line. This, he said, had been the case
on some other lines, and was an abuse which should
not be allowed to exist by the proprietors.
Earl FITZWILLIAM, wholis one of the most extensive
coal proprietors in Yorkshire, immediately took offence
at the observation, thinking that it was intended to ap-
ply to him, and :said he would not remain a moment
longer in ,the chair or upon the directory, since his
honour :and integrity had been doubted. Tho Noble
Earl then took up his hat, and despite the solicitations
of the ;directors and shareholders, who rose en masse,
proceeded to leave the room. As he reached the door,
Mr. DENisoti,:Chairman of the Great Northern Railway,
took the vacant chair, and intreated his Lordship to re-
consider his determination, which, if persisted in, he
said, would materially injure the property of the com-
pany in the public estimation. The appeal had the de-
sired effect, and the shareholder having apologised
The NOBLE EARL resumed the chair, and said he
never had and never would have shares in any railway
or other speculation merely as a speculator, because he
did not think it consistent with his public position to do
so, and he had only entered into this undertaking be-
cause it would benefit the district with which he was
connected in Yorkshire, and be of great public advan-
tage.—(Cheers.) _ _ .

After some further discussion and explanation,
exculpating his Lordship from having any interested
motives in joining this company, the matter
dropped, and the resolution was carried ; also
others voting 1,2001. to the directors ; ordering a
dividend at the rate of 51. per cent. up to January last,
and other formal resolutions, the meeting was rnade
special and a draft bill agreed to for extending a line to
Penistone ad ordered to be promoted in the present
session of Parliament.

A vote of thanks was then passed to the chairman,
and the meeting separated.

THE LONDON GAZETTE.

(THIS EVENING.)

FORIIGN OFFICE, FEB. 25, 1848.

The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint
Francis Hastings. Gilbert, Esq., to be her Majesty's
Consul at Alexandria.
WAR-OFFICE, FEE. 25, 1848. _

let Dragoons—Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Robert
Smith Webb, from half-pay Unattached, to be Major,
vice Francis Hearle Stephens, who exchanges; Brevet
Major Edward Littledale to be Major, by purchase, vice
Webb„ who retires; Lieutenant Thomas Thoroton
to be Captain, by purchase, vice Littledale ;
Cornet Joseph John Henley to be Lieutenant, by pur-
chase, vice Thoroton; George Campbell, Gent., to be
Cornet, by purchase, vice Henley, Feb. 25.
6th Dragoons—Lieut. Whitehall Dod to be Captain,
by purchase, vice Carrol, who retires; Lieut. Charles
Bill, from the 15th Light Dragoons, to be Lieutenant,
vice Dod, Feb. 25.

15th Light Dragoons—Lieut. Henry Keown to be
Captain, by purchase, vice Perrott, who retires ; Cornet
Edward Colston to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice
Keown; Cornet Henry John Wade to bo Lieutenant,
by purchase, vice Bill, appointed to 6th Dragoons ;
James Edwards Vivian, Gent., to be Cornet, by pur-
chase, vice Colson, Feb. 25 ; David Henry Howell,
Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Wale, Feb. 26.
16th Light Dragoons—Captain George Brown, from
half-pay Unattached, to be Captain, vice John Henry
Tonge, who exchanges ; Lieutenant Thomas Folliott
Powell to be Captain, by purchase, vice Brown, who
retires; Cornet 'William Thomas Dickson to be Lieu-
tenant, by purchase, vice Powell; Lancelot Halton,
Gent., to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Dickson, Feb. 25.
Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards—Brevet Colonel
Samuel
mre
w t
Francis Venables Harcourt, from half-pay Unattached,
to he Captain and Lieut.-Colonel, vice William Stewart
Colonel,
voailllotioinauemrl:
who
uuer
I purchase,
exchanges s ;
be Lieutenant
in andtpetnaanta Lieutenant
dCteanpatnaitu
to
vice llarcourt, who retires; Ensign
and Lieutenant Lionel Daniel Mackinnon to be Lieu-
tenant and Captain, by purchase, vice Newton; Robert
Desmond Sulivan, Gent., to be Ensign and Lieutenant,
by purchase, vice Mackinnon, Feb. 25.
9th Regiment of Foot—Major-General Sir Janie
Archibald Hope. K.C.8., to bo Colonel, vice Lieutenant-
General Sir Thomas Arbuthnot. K.C.B. appointed to
71st Foot, Feb. 18.
24th Foot—Ensign Robert Geoffcry Augustus do
Montmorency, from 49th Foot, to be Ensign, vice St.
John, appointed to 94th Foot, Feb. 25.
32d Foot—Major Thomas Hutton, from half-pay.
Unattached, to be Major, vice George Browne, who
exchanges, receiving the difference ; Captain John
Eardley Wilmot Inglis to bo Major, by purchase, vice
Hutton, who retires; Lieut. Charles Thomas King to
be Captain, by purchase, vice l?,obyns, who retires ;
Lieut. Frederick Yard to be Captain, by purchase, vice
Inglis, Feb. 05; Ensign and Adjutant William Garforth
to have the rank of Lieutenant, Feb. 24; Ensign Bowen
Van Stranbenzeo to ho Lieutenant, by purchase, vice
King; Ensign William Power to be Lieutenant, by pur-
chase, vice Yard; Ensign Waiter Lawrence Ingles, from
67th
Foot, to be Ensign, vice Stranbecz:,e; John lied-
Icy. Gent., to be Eusig; n, by purche,aa, vice Power,
Feb. 25.

36th Foot—Captain Richard Dyott, from half-pay
Unattached, to be Captain, vice John Maule. who ex-
changes ; Lieutenant Henry W. Palmer to be Captain,
by purchase, vice Dyott, who retires; Ensign Henry
Keane Grant to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Palmer;
Flint William Stacey, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase,
vice Grant.
_ _

40th Foot—Edward William Clemishow Kingdom,
M.D., to be Assistant. Surgeon, vice Brummell, promoted
on the Staff, Feb. 25.

41st Foot—William Henry Hopkinson, Gent., to
be Ensign, by purchase, vice Willson, who retires, Feb.
25 ; Harley Kingsmill Drury, Gent., to be Ensign,
without purchase, vice Hopkinson, appointed to 62d
Foot, Feb. 26.

44th Foot—Tamworth George Ferrero, Gent., to be
Ensign, by purchase, rice Parks, appointed to 61st Foot
Feb. 25.

49th Foot—John Augustus Conolly, Gent., to be
Ensign, by purchase, vice de Montmorency, appointed to
24th Foot, Feb. 25.
52d Foot—Captain Augustus Blair, from half4pay
Unattached, to be Captain, vice George Murray, who
exchanges; Lieutenant Robert Octavius Cumming to be
Captain, by purchase, vice Blair, who retires; Ensign
Charles Cornwallis Ross to be Lieutenant, by purchase,
vice Cumming; Charles Anthony Bacon, Gent., to be
Ensign, by purchase, vice Ross, Feb. 25.
60th Foot— Lieutenant Ashton Mosley to be Captain,
by purchase, vice Mansell, who retires; Second Lieu-
tenant John Lambert Edward Baynes to be First Lieu-
tenant, by purchase, vice Mosley; Conyngham Jones,
Gent., to be Second Lieutenant, by purchase, vice
Baynes, Feb. 25.
61st Foot—Ensign David Reid to be Lieutenant, by
purchase, vice Regan, who retires; Ensign James Henry
Haffey Parks, from 44th Foot, to be Ensign, vice Reid,
Feb. 25.

62d Foot—Lieutenant Lennard Barrett Tyler to be
Captain, without purchase, vice Herbert, deceased,
Feb. 9; Lieutenant William F. Dickson to be Captain,
by purchase, vice Tyler, whose promotion, by purchase,
has been cancelled, Feb. 11; Ensign Henry William
Sibley to be Lieutenant, without purchase, vice Tyler,
promoted, Feb. 9; Ensign William Henry Hopkinson,
from 41st Foot, to be Ensign, vice Sibley, Feb. 26.
67th Foot—Robert Philip Arinstrong, Gent., to be
Ensign, by purchase, vice Ingles, appointed to the 32d
Foot, Feb. 26.
71st Foot—Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Arbuth-
not, K.C.8., from 9th Fcot, to be Colonel, vice Lieute-
nant-General Sir Thomas Reynell, Bart., and K.C.8.,
deceased, Feb. 18; Ensign Charles Watson, from 89th
Foot, to be Ensign, vice Brown, who exchanges,
Feb. 25.

73d Foot—John James Vincent, Gent., to be Ensign,
without purchase, Feb. 25.

89th Foot—Eusign Leopold Brown, from 71st Foot,
to be Ensign, vice Watson, who exchanges, Feb. 25.
94th Foot—Ensign Rice Davies Knight, to be Lieu-
tenant, by purchase, vice Frend, who retires ; Ensign
Charles William St. John, from 24th Foot, to be Ensign,
vice Knight ; Henry Vansittart Stonehouse, Gent. to be
Ensign, by purchase, vice Pemberton, who retires,
Feb. 25.

96th Foot—Quartermaster-Sergeant William Thomp-
son, to be Quartermaster, vice Samuel Fox, who retires
on half-pay, June 23.

UNA•iTicnED —LicutPnant Lachlan Hector Gilbert
Maclean, from 49th Foot, to be Captain, withont pur-
chase, Feb. 25.

BREVET.—Major Thomus Hutton, of 32d Foot, to
be Lieutenant-Colonel in the Artly,June 28,)838.

MEMORANDUM. - The commission of Lieutenant
George Coliins, of 4th Foot, has been dated August
27, 1847, instead of July 15, 1845.

Erratum in the Gazette 01 Feb. 11, 1848.

62d Foot—For Ensign William Rudman to be Lieu-
tenant, by purchase, vice Tyler, promoted; read, vice
Dickson, promoted. _ _

Commissions signed by the Lord Lieutenant of Ren.

frewshire.

Sir Michael Robert Shaw Stewart, Bart. to be Deputy
Lieutenant; John Henderson, Esq. to be Deputy Lieu-
tenant; James Richardson, Esq. to be Deputy Lieuten•
ant; Boyd Alexander. Esq. to be Deputy Lieutenant;
John Hall Maxwell, Esq. to be Deputy Lieutenant;
John Harvey, Esq., younger, to be Deputy Lieutenant;
Captain James Stirling, R.N., to be Deputy-Liuutenant,
Feb. 19.

Commission by the Lord-Lieutenant and Sheriff Prin-
cipal of Ayrshire.
_ _ . .

The Prince Regent's Royal Regiment of Ayrshire
Militia—Ensign William Cuninghame Gemmel' to be
Lieutenant, vice William Grieve, deceased, Feb. 18.
WHITEHALL, FEB. 17.

The Lord Chancellt.r has appointed Edward Oram
Gard of Devonport, in the county of Devon, Gent., to be
a Master Extraordinary in the High Court of Chancery.
BANKRUPTS.
Henry Bolton, straw manufacturer, Luton, Bedford-
shire.

Jonathan Bel!chambers, bookseller, Strand.
Robert Hicks, apothecary, Pimlico.
Henry Thomas Stephens, licensed victualler, South.
ampton.
Valentine Francis Strong and William Hosking, coa:
merchants Dye-house-wharf, Clink-street, Southwark.
George Wills, coal merchant, Pleasant-row, Kentish.
town.

Gulielmus Tertius Butterfield, dealer in drugs, Ox
ford street.

Williana John Buckland, licensed victualler, Ear
Greenwich.
William Ask, watchmaker, Wakefield.
William Smith, ship builder, South Stockton, York.
shire.

Robert Hood, draper, Smethwick, Staffordshire.
Edward Rees, carpenter, Marshfield, Monmouthshire.
Thomas Plumley, jun, grocer, Bristol.
Thomas Wilmot, chemist, Moreton in Marsh, Glou-
cestershire.

John Wallace, corn merchat, Liverpool.
John Ridsdale, share broker, Manchester.
Bennett Williams, grocer, Dyffryn, Merionethshire,
North Wales.

William Fallows, coal fitter, Middlesbrough, York.
shire.

The Earl of HARDWICKE presented a number
of petitions to the same effect from London, Shields,
Exeter, Scarborough, Belfast, Sunderland, and other
places.
FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

Lord BEAUMONT and the Marquis of LANSDOWNE
presented petitions from societies of Oddfellows, in
Manchester and other places, praying that the pro-
visions of the Friendly Societies' Act might be ex-
tended to them.
NAVIGATION LAWS.

The Earl ofHARDWICKE then, in pursuance of
notice, proceeded to move for a Committee of Inquiry
into the operation of these laws. The Noble Marquis
(Lansdowne) had kindly intimated to him that he
should not object to the motion for the appointment
of the inquiry he proposed, but as the question
was too important, he felt that he should not dis-
charge his duty if he did not enter into some details.
These laws were so mixed up with a number of
trades, and so much diversity of opinion prevailed
upon the matter, that in that inquiry it
would be utterly impossible to legislate upon
them, because they would thereby be enabled
to obtain the opinion of competent persons.—(Hear.)
Much dissatisfaction prevailed out of doors at the
opinion of the Government with respect to these
laws. As late as the 15th of last March, the Ship-
owners' Society had been informed by the Govern-
ment that it was not their intention to interfere
with the Navigation-laws. But a change came over
the, Government, for on the 23rd of November it was
first intimated that a change was intended. The
intimation was given to the people of this country,
though a correspondence that had taken place at the
time between the Noble Lord (Lord Palmerston) and
Mr. Bancroft, the American Minister. The corres-
pondence was published in the newspapers ' and he
asked them if it was right that the people ofEngland
should have first received information of the intended
change through the columns of a newspaper, and,
further, whether the Noble Lord bad not violated the
laws of the country by the course he had adopted I'

1,100,0001. for the Kafir war, and 245,410/. 19s. 7d.
for the navy excess,
Mr. HUME rose and was

(LEFT SPEAKING.)

IMPERIAL PA.RLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS, Feb. 24.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool-
sack at ten minutes after Five o'clock.
ROME.
Viscount STRANGFORD presented petitions
from a place in Norfolk against diplomatic relations
with Rome, and against the Jewish Disabilities Bill.
Lord RODEN presented five petitions against
diplomatic relations with Rome, three of which were
from Ireland.
The Marquis of BREADAL BANE presented a
petition to the same effect.
THE FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.
The NOBLE MARQUIS also presented several peti-
tions in favour of a measure to facilitate the grants of
sites for the Free Churches of Scotland, the peti-
tioners complaining that great difficuties were thrown
in the way of their attaining such sites.
THE " UNITED IRISHMAN" NEWSPAPER.
Lord STANLEY then rose to call the attention of
their Lordships to this periodical. They were, no
doubt, well aware that dissensions had of late years
broken out in the ranks of those who had heretofore as-
sembled in Conciliation Hall, and that they had been split
into sections. The one to which his remarks especially
applied was the Irish Confederation. Two letters of
a violent nature were addressed to the Confederation
by Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Riley, two of its mem-
bers, a discussion ensued upon them, and the
body, on a division of 317 to 188, de •
dared the said letters too dangerous for
publication. Mr. Mitchell resigned, and established
the paper of which he complained, the United Irish-
man, on the 20th of the present month. The
Noble Lord then read a passage from the
speech of a Mr. Meagher, which he delivered at
the meeting of the Confederation, at which.the letters
of Mr. Mitchell were discussed in very excited
language. He seemed to advocate insurrection, if the
circumstances of the country required such a course.
It was the young, whose blood was warm, and
whose temperaments were enthusiastic, that were led
away, and induced to take steps of violence by such
high-flown oratory; and it was the duty of a pater-
nal Government, desirous to preserve the welfare of
the country, to take means to put • a stop to it.
The Noble Lord referred to articles and letters in
the paper, one of which was addressed to " Lord
Clarendon, Englishman, calling himself her Ma-
jesty's Commissioner," in all of which violence was
advocated for the purpose of rescuing the
country from the domination of England; further,
that juries were packed for the purpose of
obtaining the verdicts that were required, and that
the columns of the paper were intended to be opened
for the promulgation of these opinions. The object
of the paper was to create civil war and rebellion,
for the purpose of annihilating everything English.
It might be said by the Government, " Let it pass
by;" but he could not coincide in that opinion. Let
them recollect that these sentiments were not ad-
dressed to the sober-minded and thinking people of
England, for he believed such a seditious article would
be treated with disgust, but to the excited
people of Ireland, who were suffering under many
distresses.—(Hear.) The paper was sold for 5d.,
but he was informed that it was eagerly bought up
in the streets of Dublin on its first appearance for
ls. 6d. and 2s. He had felt it his duty to
call the attention of the Government to the
first number, because it was a sample of what was to
follow. He wished to know if the attention of the
Law Officers of the Crown had been called to the
paper, and if it was intended to prosecute the pro-
prietor f
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that his
attention and that of Lord Clarendon had been called
to the newspaper in question.—(Hear, hear.) It
would not be well, he thought, to fetter the discretion
of the Noble Lord, as he was confident that
he would act as the circumstances of the case
seem to him to require. lie was not,
however, authorised to say that he had
felt it his duty to institute a prosecution against the
parties.
The subject then dropped.
ENCUMBERED ESTATES (IRELAND) BILL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR then moved the
second reading of this Bill, and entered briefly into
its details. It could not fail, be said, to be of the
utmost advantage to Ireland where the land was
deeply mortgaged. This, in fact, was one of the most
fruitful sources of the impoverished condition of the
country. The object of the Bill was to enable the pro-
prietors of entailed estates, heavily encumbered, to
dispose of them. This, he should say, would lead to
the better management of the estates, and to the
profitable cultivation of the land. And why should
not Parliament interfere ? The principle was not
new, for in the cases of canals, railways, and other
public improvementi, they did not hesitate to take
the property required for such purposes. It was dif-
ficult, perhaps, in every case to protect all the parties
interested, but every endeavour had been made in the
Bill to do so. It was a subject of great complexity,
and therefore the matter had been left very much to
the discretion of the Court of Chancery in Ireland.
The Bill would guard as much as possible against the
absence of any one interested in an estate to be sold.
It was proposed that the manager of an estate should
have a right to apply by petition to the Court of
Chancery, to put the powers of the Act in motion
with regard to such estate, and every one who con-
ceived that he had an interest in the property might
enter a caveat, and thereafter be entitled to notice of
any proceeding; that might be taken with regard to it.
Upon a petition being presented, it would be referred,
in the first place, to a master, to inquire Into the
facts of the case, and he would have the means of ob-
taining all the information necessary to see that jus-
tice was done. He would also give notice to all
persons interested in the matter. He would then
make a report to the Court, and recommend what,
under all the circumstances, was the most expedient
course to pursue; and if he thought it desirable that
the estate should he sold, he would be authorised to
sell the whole interest. If the Court thought there
was a doubt that some interest had not been ascer-
tained, and it were subsequently proved, the money
would be refunded. Every means, in fact, had been
taken to prevent the money being paid out of the
court into the wrong hands, as well as to protect, in
every possible way, the interests of the owners, mort-
gagees, and other persons interested in estates ; and
the object of the Bill was to give to the mortgagee his
money, and pay over the surplus to the owner, or
invest it in land. The Noble and Learned Lord,
who was very inaudible throughout, concluded by
moving the second reading of the Bill.
The Earl of RODEN expressed his thanks to the
Noble Lord for the great pains he had taken to ex-
plain the object and details of this measure. Cer-
tainly, without such- a measure, it would be very
difficult to carry out the poor-law now in force in
Ireland. He knew a friend of his, having about
3,0001. a year from land in Ireland, who had to pay
no less than 1,2501. in poor rates. If those rates
should only be trebled they would swallow up more
than his income. He hoped the present Bill might
be a means of rescuing persons so placed from their
existing difficulty.
Earl FITZ WILLIAM thought it might be de-
sirable to guard the public in England from forming
any very exaggerated idea of what would be the re-
sults of this measure. He was far from thinking
slightly of the Bill; on the contrary, he thought it a
very right and wise measure ; but he had a strong
impression that its operation would be very slow.
Men were not over willing to arrive at a conclusion
that it was absolutely necessary to sell their estates;
nor were they always able to sell them when they had
arrived at such a conclusion. If it were a long
time, therefore, before the Bill produced any sensible
effect, their Lordships and the public must not be
disappointed.
Lord STANLEY concurred with those who
thought that the evil sought to be remedied by this
Bill was one of overwhelming magnitude in Ireland.
When men of a nominal rent-roll of 10,0001. or
12,000/. a year in Ireland were really receiving
scarcely so many hundreds, it was clear that they
could not properly do their duty either to the state or
to those who were dependent upon them. But al-
though the evil to be remedied was great, he must
also observe that the mode of cure was one accom-
panied by considerable difficulty. He trusted that
time would be given deliberately to consider the
details of the measure. The principle he did not
now object to ' - but it must be borne in mind that it
was one which might be pushed to a very inconve-
nient extent. To tell a man that it was for the interest
of the state that he should dispossess himself of his
property because he had not sufficient capital to de-
velop all its resources was to establish a principle that
it was at least very dangerous to act upon. Besides
this, he thought that considerable practical inconve-
nience might arise from the Bill. Estates might be
pressed into the market, and the value of Irish pro-
perty might thereby be greatly depreciated. This
was a consequence very much to be dreaded. He
would venture to ask, with reference to one of the
details, if a tenant for life would have the power of
selling ?
The LORD CHANCELLOR said he would be
the party to make the application for sale.
Lord STANLEY said he thought the power of
sale being vested in a life tenant would be open to
great difficulty. He also had doubts as to the secu-
rity given to the purchaser under the Bill. Another
difficulty he felt was, that the Bill ae at present
framed scarcely gave sufficient protection to the
owner. Applications for sale might be made to the
Court of Chancery by an incumbrancer of an estate,
but the entire costs of that application were charge-
able upon the estate, whether the Master in Chancery

made an order for the sale or not. An owner might
consequently be driven into a suit against his will,
for which he would have to pay the entire charg:s.
These objections might arise froM his want of ac-
quaintance with the law, but he thought them eery
serious objections, and that time at least sllould be
given for their consideration.
Lord CAMPBELL said the astutene2s of the
Noble Lord opposite was so great that had he been
bred to the law there would have been little doubt
but that he would have sat on the Woolsack. But
the Noble Lord was under a great misapprehension
as to the effect of the Bill, for its effect upon the
owner would be mainly to cheapen and simplify pro-
ceedings of the Court of Chancery to which the mort-
gagee might even at the present moment subject him.
With regard to the security of the purchaser, he
directed attention to the 26th clause, under which
any purchaser would have, not what was now called
an Irish title, but a Parliamentary title established
by the Legislature, and good against all the world.
He very much rejoiced that the Bill had been intro-
duced, and he expressed his confidence that it would
be of the greatest benefit to the sister country.
Lord MONTEAGLE admitted the value of the
26th clause, but thought it might be open to incon-
venience to remedy what was now no doubt a great.
grievance in the partial manner in which this Bill
would operate. He would rather see a general mea-
sure introduced on the subject of title, and he
thought, if this Bill was carried, it would be the
duty of 'Government to see that an equally remedial
measure was brought in applicable to other estates
than those subject to mortgage. With regard to
another point, he felt that this measure, in order to
be effectual, must be accompanied by a measure for
reforming the Masters' offices in which the proceed-
ings under this Bill were to be conducted. He be-
lieved that, at present, it was infinitely easier to get
an estate into a Master's office than to get anything
out of it.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said a few words in
reply, and the Bill was then read a second time ; to
be committed this dayfortnight.
AUDIT 01? RAILWAYS ACCOUNTS BILL.

The Committee on this Bill was postponed until
Tuesday next.
The House adjourned at twenty• fire minutes after
Seven.

ROUSE OF COMMOAS. Feb. 24.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'cloc•k.
STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE.

Sir W. IIEATIICOTE brought up the report of
the Standing Orders Committee.
SUSPENDED RAILWAY BILLS.

Mr. FARRER moved—" That the Sessional
order of the 17th of December last, requiring that all
Railway Bills be referred to the Committee cn Rail-
way Bills before being pesented to the House, be
suspended so far as it relates to any Railway Bills
which were suspended in the session of 1847, by
virtue of the resolutions of the House of the 1011 of
June last."
Mr. WOOD seconded the motion.
After a few words from Mr. STRUTT, in opposi-
tion to the Bill, the motion was withdrawn.
MORLEY GAS-LIGHT BILL.

This Bill was read a second time, and erdered to
be committed.

NATIONAL DEFENCES.

Mr. WILLIAMS presented a petition from 11Iid-
dle.diteh, in the county of Cheshire, against any in-
crease in the military establishments of the country.
Sir T. BIRCH presented a petition from Liver-
pool to the same effect.
Dr. BOWRING presented a petition from the Isle
of Wight to the same effect.
BANK ACT.

Sir H. DAVIE presented a petition from Had-
dington, praying for a modification of the Bank Act.

JEWISH DISABILITIES.

Mr. D. DAVIES presented a petition frcin Car-
marthen in favour of the admission of the Jews into
Parliament.
CHARITABLE TRUSTS BILL.

Mr. LOCKE presented a petition against the
Charitable Trusts Bill from a place in Yorkshire, the
name—of whit/T. did not reach the gallery.
Sir G. STRICKLAND presented a petition from
Chorley to the same effect._