The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-09 00:00:00

CHELTENHAM.

The Select Committee appointed to inquire into
the petition presented by Sir IVilleughby Jones,
M.P. for the borough of Cheltenham, met again yes-
terday, in Room No. 3, at two o'clock. Their deli-
berations were conducted with closed doors, and when
they rose it was understood that no definite conclu.
sions on the questions referred to them had been
arrived at.

Mr. Booth, the examiner of election recognizances,
again gave evidence before the Committee.
The validity of the recognizinces attached to the
petition presented against the return of Sir Wil-
loughby Jones is the principal question which the
Committee is called upon to decide ; but the House
has also referred to it the decision of similar points
raised upon the petitions against the sitting Members
for the county of Monmouth, the borough of
Leicester, the city of Dublin, the borough of Bo&
min, the county of Longford, and the borough of
Walsall,
The Committee meets again to-morrow at two
o'clock.

THE NEW HOUSES OF
PARLIAMENT.

The following is a copy of the architect's report of
the present state of the works at the New Palace at
Westminster :

" The carcase works of the building, as far as the
site is available or free from temporary buildings, are
completed, with the following exceptions, viz —the
upper portions of the Victoria-tower, the Clock-
tower, and the Central-tower, which are, upon an
average, 100 feet above the ground ; St. Stephen's
porch above the level of about 60 feet from the ground ;
two bays of the western portion of St. Stephen's-hall,
which are within 8 feet of their intended height; and
the central masses of the building abutting upon the
Central-tower, and the towers of the River front,
which, together with St. Stephen's-hall, are now
roofed in. The scaffolding, stages, and hoisting
tackle for the three towers are nearly completed, and
' contracts have been made for proceeding with the
upper portion of these towers. The, stone groin
over the Octagon hall, under the Central-tower,
is turned, the centring is struck, and the
bosses are now being carved. The stone
groining to the corridors in
communication with
the Central-hall, and other groins in various parts
of the building, including those over the public stair-
case, are for the most part completed. The fittings
and finishings of the Peers' and Commons' libraries,
the Peers refreshment-rooms, and the offices attached
thereto, and the offices for the Clerk of the Crown,
are so far advanced as to allow of those portions of the
building being occupied prior to the Easter recess.
The fittings and finishings of the committee-roems
and corridors in the one-pair story of the river front
are far advanced, and might have been completed by
next Easter if the rooms had not been required for
use at the commencement of the present session. The
finishings of the Lord Great Chamberlain's apart•
ments, her Majesty's robing-room, and the wood
ceilings, wainscot framings, doors, &0., for numerous
apartments, corridors, &c., in various portions of the
building, are in hand, and in part fixed. There are
at present 1,399 men engaged upon the works of the
New Palace, of which number 776 are employed at
the building, 120 at the quarries, 335 at the Govern-
ment works at 'Thames-bank, upon the joiners' works
and wood carvings, and 168 upon miscellaneous works
both at the building and elsewhere.
(Signed) " CHARLES BARRY-
"Feb. 1.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS.
(From the Votes and Proceedings of the Rouse of Commons.)
TIIEBDAY, 7X15. 8.
The following Railway Bills were ordered to be
brought in:—
Taw Vale Railway and Dock.
Edinburgh and Glasgow and Wilsontown, Morningside,
and Coltness Amalgamation.
Edinburgh and Bathgate (Extensi3n and Deviation).
Edinburgh and Glasgow, and Edinburgh and Bathgate
Amalgamation.
Paisley, 13arrhead, and liurlet.
Stirling and Dunfermline (repeal of leasing Powers to
Edinburgh slid Glasgow Railway Company).
Stirling and D.unfertnline (Amendment and Deviations).

DEATH Or MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM G. STRIITT.
—We have to announce the decease of another general
officer, Major-General William G. Strutt, who, with
the exception of Field Marshal Sir George Nugent,
Bart., was the senior field officer in the army, having
obtained the rank of Major-General in June, 1708.
He died on Sunday evening at his seat in Essex, at the
extreme age of 85 years. The gallant deceased had
been in the army seventy years, and had seen much
service. He was brother of the late Mr. John Holden.
Strutt, and consequently uncle of Lord Rayleigh.
DEATH Or MAJOR-GENXRAL EVA/O.—This officer
for so many years connected with the Honourable East
India Company's service, died on the 7th instant, at his
residence in Hyde Park-square, aged sixty-fire years.
lie was Colondof the 37th Regiment of Madras Native
Infantry.