The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-03 00:00:00

SUMMARY.

Their Lordships met at Five o'clock.
Several petitions were presented, praying fur protec-
tion to agriculture, from Mallon, Seacombe, and several
other places.
Lord MONTEAGLE moved for certain returns with
respect to local taxation, which was agreed to.
The LORD CHANCELLOR laid on their Lordships' table
a Bill to relies e her Majesty's subjects from certain dis-
abilities with regard to religious opinions, which, after
a short discussion, was read a first, and ordered to be
read a second time.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock•

NEW MEMBERS.
Mr. STUART took the oaths and his seat for the borough
of Newark upon-Trent.
MosTYN took the oaths and his seat for the city of
Lichfield.
Mr. Svaxema WA.L.PoLE took the oaths and his seat
for Midhurst.
Mr. R. YORKE presented a petition for the better
supply or water to the city of York.
RAILWAY PETITIONS.
Mr. HUDSON presented several petitions in favour'of
the York and North Midland, and Leeds and Rugby Ex.
tension Railway Bills.

Mr. MILLS presented a petition for the County Down
Railway.
Mr. SPOONER withdrew both the notices of motion
which stood in his name on the paper, with respect to

the Belfast and County Down Railway and the Ncwry
and Warrenpoint Rail ay.
Petitions were presented for the Somerset and Mid-
land Railway and the Wilsoutown Railway Bills.
NEW WRIT.
A new writ was moved for the city of Chichester, in
the room of Lord Arthur Lennox, who has accepted the
stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds.—Ordered.
Petitions were presented against any alteration in the
present corn- laws.
Lord J. RUSSELL presented a petition in favour of

the Ten Hours' Bill. -
BOSTON, NEWARK, AND SHEFFIELD RAIL-
WAY.
Mr. STEWART presented a petition, signed by the
High Sheriff on the part of the inhabitants of Mans-
field, in the county of Nottingham, in favour of a rail-
way from Boston to Newark and Sheffield.
NOTICES OF MOTION.—RIGHT OF SEARCH.
Captain PECHELL gave notice, that on a future day,
he should ask 'whether any communication had been re-
ceived by the Board of Trade, or the Commissioners of
Excise, relative to the thirteenth article of the convention
with France, which regarded the right of search in
French fishing-vessels. He should also put the same
question to some member of the Board of Admiralty.
CUBA SUGARS.
Dr. BOWRING gave notice that, on Thursday, he
would put a question to the Right Hon. Baronet, the
First Lord of the Treasury as to whether he had received
from the Spanish Governteent any intimation of their
intention to visit with retaliatory measures the com-
merce of Great Britain, if the duties on Cuba sugar
vero not reduced.
ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS.
Mr. REDHEAD YORKE wished to know from the
Right Hon. Baronet if it was his intention to bring in a
Bill with reference to ecclesiastical courts?

Sir R. PEEL said that he was not prepared on the
part of her Majesty's Government to answer the ques-
tion put by the Hon. Member.---(Hear, hear.)
THE TARIFF.
Mr. REDHEAD YORKE might, perhaps, be per-
mitted to ask another question, although he had given
no notice on the subject. He wished to know whether,
in the arrangement of duties proposed by the Right Hon.
Baronet, watches were included in the reference made to
clocks. Some doubt existed among his constituency on
this point.
Sir R. PEEL said, that if he recollected aright,
watches were separately classed. The duty on clocks
did not apply to watches.
TIMBER DUTIES.

Sir R. PEEL said that he was not aware whether it
was exactly regular, but the importance of the question
to which he was about to refer was such that he felt it
necessary to take that opportunity of announcing the
intention of her Majesty's Government with respect to
the proposed reduction of the duties upon timber. He
did not propose to make any immediate reduction upon
the differential duties upon foreign timber. It was the
intention at a future time to reduce the present duty
of 255. by 155., with the view of insuring as great
benefit as possible to the consumer. The demand
for timber was now very great and the supply
was hardly sufficient. He therefore proposed, that from
the sth of April, 1847, a reduction of ss. should be made
on hewn timber; and on the sth of April, 1848, a fur
ther reduction of ss. upon hewn timber should take
place. He chose April, as that was the time of the year
when a reduction was likely to be attended with the

most beneficial results. With regard to sawn timber, a
reduction of Cs. should take place from the sth of April,
1847, and a further reduction of 6s. at the same
period in 1848. With respect to the smaller de-
scription of timber, such as spars, &e., he pro-
posed to make some reduction, but he did not
know if it would be done immediately, and he would,
therefore, reserve his opinion on the subject. In the
course of the evening the resolutions on that subject
would be laid on the table.
An Hos. MEmBER inquired if any alteration in the
duties would take place before 1847 ?
Sir R. PEEL said that the duties would remain the
same until the sth of April, 1847.
TURN PIKE TRUSTS.

An HoN. MEMBER wished to ask whether the Govern-
ment were satisfied with the operation of the Act which
was passed in 1844 respecting the law of Turnpike
True ts.
fir R. PEEL would be glad if the Hon. Member
would put his question when his Right Hon. Friend the
Secretary for the Home Department was in the House.
THE GOVERNMENT COMMERCIAL