The Sun.
London, England, 1848-07-19 00:00:00

MARKET IN TELLIGENCE.

(From the London Neu, Price Current of July 18.)
bUGAR.—To-day there was a falling off in the demand
for raw sugar for all purposes accompanied by a reduc-
tion in the value. West Indian Muscovado was deal
in with caution for both the scale and pan, although
holders were ready sellers at a decline on Friday's
rates of 6d. The to:al purchases are 300 hhds &c..
including a public sale of 145 hhds 5 tres of Bar-
badoes which went flatly at the decline noticed ;
fine yellow sold at 41s 6d to 425, good 40s to 41s, mid-
dling 38s Gd to 39s 6d; 10 hhds of Jamaica sold rather
cheaper, went at 39s to 39s 6(1 per cwt for good yellow.
The market closed with much dulness for both free and
slave labour Sugar. Of Dutch crushed Sugar several
parcels have been cleared for home consumption at the
24s 8d per cwt duty.
REFINED.—To-day home-trade buyers operated with
caution in Refined Goods, and there was a desire to sell
brown lumps at 54s to 54s 6d, and Standard Lumps at
sss. Bonded Crushed is wanted at 26s to 27s per cwt.
MAURITIUS.—This afternoon there was not much in-
clination manifested to do business in Mauritius Sugar.
The public sales of 1,737 bags, and 160 casks went ell
flatly, and a small part only sold at Gd to is per cwt de-
cline on Friday's rates—fine yellow went at 395, good
38s, middling 36s Gd to 375, low 35s to 365, fine brown
34s Gd, middling 325, washed 30s to 365, and syrupy 31,
to 36s 6d per cwt.
EAST INDIA.—This afternoon the market for Madras
was in a quiet state, and supplies are upon an enlarged
scale. At public sale 3,944 bags were all sold, but at a
decline of 6d per cwt—low brown went at 28s, fine 30s,
low yellow 30s 6d to 31s, middling 31s 6d to 335, good
34s to 35s Gd, grocery 36s to 395, good and tine whit•
41s to 435. Bengal met with little attention, and 1,909
bags 4 chsts were only in part sold at Gd per cwt reduc-
tion—fine soft white went at 435, low and middling 39s
to 40s Gd, good and fine yellow 37s Gd to 38s 6d per cwt.
FORElGN.—lmpurters have been ready sellers, and
material increase is apparent in the quantity brought to
market. A good business has been concluded, chief])
for home consumption, but at prices showing a reduc-
tion on those previously current of Gd to is per cwt.
At public sale 2,G75 boxes of Havannah were all sold;
low and middling yellow went at 37s 6d to 39s 6d, good
and fine 40s to 41s 6d, low uEd middling grey 37: Gd to
38s 6d, good 39s to 39s 6d, good and fine brown 37s to
37s 6d, washed 36s 6d to 39s ; 1,077 boxes of white, in
bond, were taken in at 29s Gd to 32s for good and fine,
but sold afterwards rather under these rates. Of Brazil
100 cases and 4,368 bags were disposed of.
Coco/I.—For West India there is yet only a limited
demand, and prices must be quoted is to 2s per cwt
lower. At auction 300 bags of Trinidad were sold—
good red at 41s, middling 39s to 40s, low 38s 6d, ordi-
nary grey 35s to 375, middling and good 38s to 395;
40 bags of Grenada, middling and good bright red Sys
to 40s per cwt. The stock is 5,108 pkgs, and last year
at this time 5,597 pkgs. Foreign is yet little wanted,
and sellers are willing to accept 32s to 345. The quan-
tity here is 8,394 bags, and last year at the same time
3,193 pkgs.
INDmo.—To-day 596 chests only passed the sale, it
having been adjourned at 12 o'clock. 20 chests were
bought in, leaving 476 sold. There is no alteration in
prices; the biddings were animated for consuming qua-
lities, which realise May rates. Up to this period, 8,248
chests have passed, 2,683 withdrawn, and 2,059 bought
in, which leaves 4,106 chests actually sold. The sale
will terminate to-morrow.

THE NEW DRESS FOR OrnoM.—The change in
the dress of officers, the particulars of which were 9ub-
lished a few days since, will not extend to the brigade of
Guards. Patterns of the now attire are now
exhibited
at the military board. The shell jacket, hich will be
substituted for the blue frock, as an article of undress, is
entirely divested of ornament, saw) about the neck,
where there is some lace cording. The grey coat or
cloak, the substitute for the blue mantle, is somewhat
like that worn by the men, though of finer texture. It
is understood that the next alteration in the military
introilitary
dress will be the withdrawal of the military cap
duced by his Royal Highness Prince Albert.
THE Tow ER FORTIFIC A TIoNs.--Yesterdav, by
command of his Grace the Duke of Wellington, the
Head Constable of the Tower, stockades and rairedplat-
forms for the use of their defenders were beings formed
at the west entrance to the drawbridge loading faun
the Tower wharf. The Tower moat is now
dried up, and is used as a parade and (. completely
for the troops in garrison, a portion bcit'iNg(lsi(6,"iised for
covered' with storing, and is at the present moment
The new building'. on the site of the
com-
missariat tents.
is completed
old Armoury, destroyed by fire,
ready for occupation. , and nearly
FIRE IN GREAT QUEEN-STREET, LINCOLN'S INN-
FIELDS.—Last night, about •
out upon the premises
to i
n" O'clock, a tire hr k
and Company, china and glass warehousemene'. No.o e,
ie
Great Queen-street, Lincoln'sssliill-fields ssrs. Gilchrist
e.xteTnhsive ,damag6e
done to the stock and premises
origin of the tire is at present en'svevloerpyed in mystery:hiet
appears that a few minutes before the outbreak some
one was seen to leave the building, and upon making
inspection of the place, several parts of the shop were
found to have been ignited, leading to the supposi-
tion that Come party, haying broken into the shop, had
fired it.

MAGA ZINES.—(CONTINUED).
MISCELLANEOUS.
Motley was not more peculiarly the garb of Signor
Touchstone, when he "fooled it to the top of his
bent" in the Forest of Ardennes, than is the cha-
racter of the different magazines and periodicals
which the want of space in our columns compels us
to enumerate hurriedly together. In the Eclectic
there are sedate chapters—nuts of logic and medita-
tion, such as the studefit might crack with advantage
in the privacy of his study. In the Metropolitan, on
the other hand, there are light gossamer tales, such as
would delect the readers of James and Dumas. The
Belle Assemblee has its usual assortment of grave
and sentimental papers, some of them prose, some of
them poetical, and most of them entertaining, headed
by a sketch of Flora Mac Ivor as a frontispiece.
"Bristol" is pourtrayed both by a pictorial
ard literary outline in the current part of
The Land we Live In; due mention being
made, of course, of the Guildhall, the Railway
Terminus, the Cathedral, College-green, Steep-street,
the Quay, Cumberland Basin, the floating dock, the
Victoria Rooms, Clifton-hill, Saint Mary's, Redcliffe,
and the illustrious poet the boy Chatterton. In
Sharpe's London Magazine there are uudiminished
evidences of care and intelligence, and in Lowe's
Edinburgh Magazine one article at least is worth
perusal, we mean the opening paper on the subject of
" Modern Philosophy and its Tendencies." The
brethren of the occult association will find contribu-
tions fitted for their attention in the Freemasons'
Quarterly; the lovers of the schemes for the line'.
lectuai improvement of the people in the Educational
Quarterly ; the promoters of the sanitary movement
in the Health of Towns Magazine; those curious in
science in Newtoiis Repertory; those involved in the
whirl of gaiety and thsaion in Le Follet ; and those
disposed to take a more philosophic view of their
fellow-creatures in the Ethnological Journal, which,
besides other contributions of merit, has a striking
chapter on " The Destruction of Atlantis." For the
agriculturist there is the Farmer's Magazine, or, if
he is more inclined for a longer retrospect, there are
the able, and sometimes masterly, pages of the
Quarterly Journal of Agriculture. For the religiously
disposed reader there are, on the opposite hand, the
Church of England Magazine, or the sober columns
of the Edinburgh Ecclesiastical Journal. The medi-
cal student will turn naturally to the Journal of
Psychological Medicine, edited by the distinguished
" anatomist of suicide," Forbes Winslow ; the geo-
grapher and the politician to Sharpe's Series of Moe
dern Maps (Part 25, depicting Mexico and Jamaica);
and the devourers of fiction to the Tale of the Little
Monkey, by the Mayhews ; the chapters of Old Lon-
don Bridge, by Rodwell, and those of Social Distinc-
tion, by Mrs. Ellis.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
STAMFORD RACES.—T UESDA v.
Sweepstakes of 20 sous. each, for two-years old, with 25
added; colts, Bst 61b; fillies, Bst 41b. New T.Y.C.
Field-Marshal Grosvener's cby Cotherstono ... 1
Lord Exeter's f by Voltaire, out of Macremma 2
Sweepstakes of 25 soya. each, 10 ft, with 50 added for
three-years old; colts, Est 71b; fillies, Bst 41b. Ono
mile and a quarter.
Mr. Barne's Sotterley
Colonel Peel's lodine...

... (F. Butler) I

Lord Exeter's f by Giovanni ..• •.•
Sir G. Heathcote's fby Velocipede ... 4
The Burghley Stakes of 25 sovs. each, 15 ft, and 5 only
if declared, &c., with 50 added, to start at the New
Mile post, and go once round.
Mr. Lowther's Glutton, 3 yrs...
Lord Exeter's Cosachia, 4 yrs...
Lord Spencer's Dacia, 3 yrs
Mr. Shelley's Watchdog, 4 yrs ...
Count Batthyany's Master Stepney, 6 yrs ...
Mr. Brookes's Luminous, 4 yrs ...
Mr. Wilder's Spem Gregis, 4 yrs
...
Lord Exeter's Hecuba
Fifty Pounds, for three-yrs old, Gst ?ib; four, Bst; five,
Sst slh; six and aged, 9st ; mares and geldings u lowed
31b. Heats, two miles two furlongs and 200 yards.
Mr. Lowther's Black Doe, 3 yrs (Dockeray) 11.
Mr. Wincup's Jenny Lind, 3 yrs
Mr. H. Noel's Queen Mary, 3 yrs
Mr. Stephenson's Rothersthorpe, 4 yrs .. 3 dr
Mr. Sprigg's b g by Birdcatcher, 4 yrs ... dis
The Hunters' Stakes of 5 sovs. each, with 25 added,
were won by New Forest Deer, beating The Morsel,
Lucy Neal, Madame Vestris, Kimblesworth, Cordelia,
Rothersthorpe, b m by The Magnet, Creusa, and The
Worst of Three.

... (Dockeray) 1.

.• • 4
... 0

BETTING AT MANCHESTER.—TUESDAT.
GOODWOOD STARES.-5 to 1 agst Reflection (taken to
2001.), 3 to 1 agst Pillage, 11 to 2 agst Chanticleer (t),
10 to 1 against Gaiety (t), 12 to 1 agst Crozier, 13 to
gst Hydrangea (t).
GOODWOOD Cur.-6 to 4 agst the Hero, 4to 1 apt
Van Tromp (t), 5 to 1 agst Cossack.
300 SovS. STAKES.—EITII on Van Tromp &gat
Cossack.

ST. LEGER.— 6 to 4 agst Surplice, 3 to 1 agst Springy
Jack, 6 to 1 each agst Justice to Ireland and Flu.
catcher.

CUSTOM-HOUSE REGATTA.
The Custom-house (Upper Stairs regatta came o(f yes-
tvr(lAy. The prizes were a new skits and pecuniary re-
ward'. The distance was from off the Custom-house, twice
round the Eel Chain, round the buoy or St. Katherine's
1);:eks, back to the Custom-house, and twice round for
each heat. Six watermen contended for this wager,
which was decided as follows :

G. Maxwell
R. Field ...
E. Barton

J. White...
J. Crew ...
C. Maxwell

;Maxwell

First Heat.

Won easily.
Second Hest.

... (Light Blue) 1
... (Purple) 0
... (Green) 0

(Red) I
(Yellow) 0
(Purple) 0

Bar: on
Field ...
Crew ...

Third Heat.

•.• 1
... 0
... 0
..• 0

Grand Heat.

J. White
G. Maxwell
C. Maxwell

... 1

••• 3

THAMES GRAND REGATTA.
Since the meeting of this Committee on Friday, some
slight alterations have been made in the programme,
and the gentlemen amateurs skullers will row three heats
instead of one, thus adding to the sumptuous bill of fare
already announced. It is not expected that at this late
period the Oxford crew will enter for the Grand Chal-
ienge Cup eight-oared race, and the contest will, there.
fore, be between the Thames Club and the Leander.
Should the former prove victorious, they will be entitled
to retain possession of this elegant prize, but we under-
stand that such is not their intention, as they very hand-
somely intend to restore it. The Thames are the favou-
rites tor this race, and divide with the St. George's the
favouritism for the four-oared contest. Messrs. Parker
and Gibson have the call in the pair-oared race, and
llarpour and Perry are spoken of very confidently in
some quarters for the sculls. The Champion Prize
(100 gs.) race is expected to be one of the moat gallant at
the meeting, and the general impression of those who
have closely watched and timed their training is in
favour of the Coombes's (the champion's) crew. Newell's
and next Manchester, before either the Clasper's, of
Newcastle-upon•Tyno, or the equally celebrated Bell's,
or North Shields crew.

HAIVIBURGH MAIL.
HAMBURG BOUBSE, JULY 14.—Busine►s was slack
to day in exchanges. London in quiet demand. Am-
sterdam, money. Frankfort, bills. Vienna sight to he
had. Berlin, Breslau. and Leipzig in demand. Plenty
of money in the market.

Jots 14.
111114. Afoney.

5 per Cent. . .. .. _
.. .. 100
Hanoverian Loan,
kustrian s per Cents •• .• ••—... . •• .. _
Anglo-Russian Loan •••• •• • • ....., .. 94
Russian 5 per Cant., llamb. Certificate, 89 93%
.._
Ditto Ist series Inseriptiou• • • • • • • ... _
Ditto,7lope and Co., 5 per Cent... „
.. 86
Ditto, in Certificato•• • • •
~., ' • •
Wert 4 per Cent., Hope and Co .• • .
Ditto Stieglitz .. • . ...... „...... ::
.1.77
Spanish .New 5 per Cent . ....... 705, ,
74%
Ditto 3 per Cent • • • • • • • • • • • .
..
.. 0:11
Swedish Loan, 4 per Cent.... ' • 1”4
Ditto, for 1846 .. •• . •••••• • .. --
94%
69

Clevstric Tnsanii.—Messrs. Leigh Murray and
comptoe have this week re-inforced the little working
Pv with which the theatre opened last week. Mr.
c(7`)ornmptnoii is exussively amusing in the laughable farce
of His First Champagne.
BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR TIIE ADVANCEMENT
OF SCIENCE.—The eighteenth country meeting of mem-
bers of the association will open at Swansea on Wednes-
day, the 9th of August. The most active preparations
are making in that town under the auspices of the
Mayor, and a liberal subscription has been entered into
for defraying the expenses of receiving the association in
a fitting manner. Among those who have signified their
intention of attending the meeting are the Marquis of
Northampton, President of the association; the
Earl of
Bosse, Bishop of St. David's, Sir H. H. Inglis, Sir Chas.
Lemon, Sir H. 1)e la Beebe, Sir Thomas Arland, Sir
John Lubbock, Sir W. Trevelyan, Sir J. Stephenson,
Professor Miller, Professor Forbes. Professor Graham,
Professor Phillips, Professor Christie, Professor Grox es,
Dr. Buckland, Dr. Lindley, Dr. Pye Smith, 1)r. Carpen-
ter, Dr.iSmethurst, Mr. Airy (Astronomer Royal), Mr.
Carne, F.R.S.; Dr. Wallich, Dr. Sheepshanks, Colocel
Yorke, Dr. Daubeney, &c. Besides these distinguished
persons others are expecter', including the Chevalier
Bunsen and M. Guizot.
APPREHENDED RIOT IN BIRMINGIIAM.—It
much to be regrotted that a good deaf or
been exhibited in consk quenee of the dismissalte ve
o
num-
ber of the hands hitherto employed at an '
ma-
nufacturing concern ie this town, and theemp.cler)ye'a employment
entof.
body' of French operatives in lieu oith
em
will take place
appre-
hensions are entertained that a collision
mornihnogoda
between the men who have beenl displaced and
ranodlicthe were
enew
corners. Yesterday
of the
the works, in Broad-
street,on duty in the neighbour
r ar repressing stihnigat,y'
French-
men.at-tempt which might be
Islington, readyatdoe :oslinstte
There was, however, no disturbance ; but it is to
be feared that there will be some unpleasantness between
the parties. The same opposition would be manifested
against men of any other country or town England
e:.l
from whioh a fresh supply of hands might a bt
brought.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS, July 18.
The LORD CIIA.NCELLOR took his seat ou the Wool-
sack at Five o'clock.
EDUCATION.
Lord BROUGHAM presented a petition from Pres-
ton praying for the extension of education.
FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.
Lord BEAUMONT presented petitions from various
lodges praying for the legalization of their societies.
THE ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS.
Lord CAMPBELL presented a petition from a per-
son named Dugdale complaining of the abuses in these
BiRTHS, DEATHS, AND MARRIAGES REGIS-
TRATION BILL (SCOTLAND).
Lord CAMPBELL moved the Committal of this Bill.
The Bill consequently passed through Committee.
DISEASED SHEEP.
The Duke of RICHMOND, in moving, according to
the notice which he had given on Monday, for a re-
turn of the number of sheep, and the quantity of wool
imported into the United Kingdom in the year 1847,
andnaking what precautionary measures had been taken
by her Majesty's Government with respect to the conta-
gious disease in sheep, supposed to be of the nature of
small-pox, said that the excuse for the last tariff which
had been passed was, that the people of England should
have their mutton cheap. Well, it was true they had
brought in foreign sheep, but with them they had brought
in a disease that would destroy more English sheep than
the whole number of foreign they were importing. It
was the duty of the Government to send over some
medical man to Germany, to study the disease, and
make himself acquainted with the remedies employed
to cure it. Custom•house officers knew nothing of
-beep ; they could not tell a diseased sheep from a
vend one, and the disease was dormant sometimes
for a fortnight after the sheep were landed. He there-
fore thought the Government should either prohibit the
importation of sheep for a time, or should take mea-
sures to enable the veterinary surgeons of this country
to make themselves acquainted with the curative mea-
sures to be adopted for the cure of this disease. The
Noble Dake concluded by moving for a return of the
number of sheep and cattle imported since the alteration
in the tariff.
Tho Marquis of LANSDOWNE was not called
upon to argue the merits of Sir Robert Peel's tariff, for
which he had voted, and of which he approved. He felt
obliged to his Noble Friend for having drawn the atten-
tion of the House to the existence of this disease in
sheep, because it was of importance that farmers should
be put upon their guard against it, affecting, as it did,
one of the great staples of the country. It was
only during the present year that it had given
any just cause of alarm. Instructions had been
given to examine the sheep that were landed,
and in only one instance bad it been discovered
that disease existed ; but he was sorry to say
that it had broken out in sheep after they had
landed, and had infected sheep in this country. In-
structions had been issued to the officers of Customs
to keep the whole cargo of sheep in quarantine, in every
casejin which there was reason to suppose that disease
existed in any one sheep of that cargo, and
those officers were to be assisted by veterinary surgeons
in forming their judgment.
After a few words from Lord BROUGHAM, the
subject then dropped.
BOARD OF TRADE RETURNS.
Earl GRANVILLE gave an explanation of the cir-
circumstances respecting the distribution to the news-
papers of the Board of Trade Returns.
Lord BROUGHAM stated that it was his opinion
that the explanation of the Noble Lord was perfectly
satiafactory.
ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE BILL.
Lord CAMPBELL moved that their Lordships should
go into Committee on this Bill, and stated that it was his
intention to propose in Committee that certain amend-
ments should be printed with the report.
Their Lordships then went into Committee, and the
clauses, with the amendments, having been agreed to,
their Lordships resumed, and the Chairman reported
progress.
THE LAW OF BANKRUPTCY.

Lord WiARI4CLIFFE said he rose to present a
petition, of which he had given notice, relative to the
laws of bankruptcy and insolvency, and in doing so he
felt called upon to trespass on the attention of the House
for a short time, while ho meds some observations on
the contents of the petition. Ho regretted that the
matter had not fallen into better hands, and more
especially into those of his lamented Friend Lord Ash-
burton, whose long connexion with the commercial world,
and whose great sagacity on all matters connected with
commerce, entitled his opinion to peculiar attention. As,
however, the petition had fallen into his hands, he would
shortly endeavour to describe the contents of it. This
petition was entitled to peculiar weight, signed as it was
by upwards of 300 of the most eminent merchants,
bankers, and traders in the metropolis, and they came to
that House to ask for an amendment of the law in a mat•
ter which peculiarly affected them. After stating that it
was the peculiar duty of the State to maintain credit
in its integrity, and effectually to discourage and p finish
its fraudulent and wilful abuse, they add—" That c-sm-
rnercial credit, so far from being sustained by the laws is,
on the contrary, almost wholly unsupported by them ;
and that dependence oa the mercantile honour of the
country, which has contributed so much to its greatness.
is, from is. defective system of legislation, almost extinct."
On this matter the petitioners were more likely to be
acquainted than any other class, and after their exten-
sive and long experience of the law they had no hesita-
tation in saying, that they affect the mercantile honour
of the country. It that was the ease under the present
system of the law, and if the effects of its operation mere
such as in any degree to jiraily such observations as
these, surely it was a matter which required the atten-
tion of the House. The petition originated in the
earnest desire of the mercantile classes to attract the
attention of the Legislature to the subject, and
its allegations were founded on resolutions
agreed to at various public meetings held during the
present and previous years. The petitioners state—
" That at a public meeting of merchants, bankers, and
traders of the metropolis, held in the month of February
in the year 1847, it was unanimously resolved, that the
existing bankruptcy and insolvency laws were a disgrace
to this commercial ago and country ; that under their
shelter, deceit, reckless trading, extravagance, disho-
nesty, and every species of fraud might be practised
with impunity ; the debtor was demoralized, and the
creditor unprotected; that this impunity was steadily
and surely undermining the commercial morality of the
country; that it was unjust in reference to society in
general, and to the industrious classes in particular ;
that under this protection, a profligate dealer, after
destroying the fair trade of a district, and ruining all
in his neighbourhood, might, in effect, recommence
business and repeat his course in another or even
in the same district, with scarcely a possibility of
his reckless career being stopped by the arm of
justice. or of any punishment being inflicted upon him
for the ruin he had entailed upon others. That the
opinion then expressed has been unhappily strengthened
by the numerous and disastrous failures which have since
occurred, and which are mainly attributable, as your
petitioners confidently assert, to the absence of adequate
and certain punishment for reckless and fraudulent
traders." He had in his possession certain returns as to
the extent of bankruptcy, and also as to the amount of
dividends; he, however, would not go into them at length,
but would merely refer to• ono or two matters connected
with them. He had before him a list of forty-eight
consecutive cases of bankruptcy, which had been given
by one of the Commissioners of Bankruptcy, in a pam-
phlet which he had published as to the cost of bank-
ruptcy. In these forty-eight cases, the amount of the
debts due to the bankrupt was 154,5571., and of these .
the total amount collected was 41,8264 Before this
sum could be divided amongst the creditors, many
deductions had to be made, such for instance as prefer-
ence debts, the expenses of going before the Court, the
solicitor's bill, the fees to the official assignees, and other
charges. When these deductions were made from the
41,8261., not more than 23,1381. was left to be divided
among the creditors; that was giving them about 3.. in
the pound. He had been assured that these cases might
be taken as a fair specimen of general cases. Ile would
take the year 1844, which he was
informed was a favour-
able year, when he found the total amount of dividends
paid
in the Bankruptcy Court was 1,213,0001. Sun-
posing this to rep i
regent 3s. n the pound, it would
give
8,083,0001. as the amount of debts, end 6,870,0001.
as the amount of the loss. Under the head of insolvency
the loss was much greater. He had,. seen Some
calculations as to the gross amount of bad debts
yearly contracted in this great mercantile country, one
of which stated that the amount was not less than
65,000,0001., while another said that the loss was tintless
than 49,000,000/. On this point the petitioners state—
" That the annual loss sustained by the country from
bad debts has been under-estimated at fifty millions
sterling. That this vast amount is exclusive of the
serious injury to the industrious classes by the reduc-
tion of wages, resulting from the system
wohof se
trust lling at
a loss, practised by dishonest dealers, to
the protection and exemption from punishment now
afforded them. That the present laws appear to have
been enacted for the purpose of dealing with insol-
vency after it has taken place, and not with the
view to prevent that course of trading which leads
tt it—a principle of legislation which your petitioners
consider of vital importance to the safety of commerce."
After this he was sure that their Lordships must admit
that this was a matter which required the serious con-
sideration of the Legislature. Some years ago there
was a strong feeling in favour of an alteration of the law
of debtor and creditor, and Parliament applied itself to
the subject, and applied, as it was thought at the time,
some appropriate remedies. He thought, after the ex-
perience of the last few years, he might express a doubt
as to whether Parliament had taken the propera course.
He did not think that the change which g
advan-
tage to the debtor was at all more advantageous a
than
the old law, which gave the advantage to the creditor.
(Hear.) The petitioners said—" That your petitioners
have long entertained the opinion that where insolvency
has arisen from wilful misconduct or extrava-
gance, or where debts have been contracted in fraud,
dishonesty, or without the• reasonable t expectation of
ability to pay them, the debtor should be subjected to
punishment for the injury he has inflicted upon society,
vy imprisonment in the common gaol; they therefore
bailed with satisfaction the recognition of this principle
in the County Courts Act, and aro most desirous of its
extension to debts of larger amount. That, notwith-
standing certain acts of fraud committed by bankrupts
are by law punishable as felonies or misdemeanours, yet
the difficulties and obstacles in the way of conviction are
such as almost entirely to deter creditors from their
prosecution. That your petitioners are of opinion
that upon nonpayment of his demand, the creditor
Ought to have every possible facility of obtaining an im-
mediate distribution of his debtor's property, without
the risk of further loss by its being made away with.
That the evils which the trading community have

suffered by the abolition, in the year 1838, of arrest
for debt on means process, have convinced them that
process against the person in the first instance is a
remedy which ought to be again accorded, but accom-
panied with precautions against misuse, and with in-
ducements to the debtor to surrender himself to the Court
of Bankruptcy. That it is the opinion of your petitioners
that all creditors whose debts shall have been proved,
and also the assignees, for the whole amount of the
bankrupt's debts, should have the rights of judgment
creditors against his person. That the Court should
have discretionary power to refuse, suspend, or withdraw
its protection, now granted as of course to the bankrupt
upon his surrender to the fiat ;land that such protection
should be absolutely refused or withdrawn whenever the
debtor shall fail to show that his bankruptcy has arisen
otherwise than from fraud, gambling, wilful misconduct
or extravagance, or in case of concealment of, or making
away with, his property or books, contracting debts with-
out reasonable expectation of ability to pay them, or of
his commission of any offences now punishable as felo-
nies or misdemeanours. That inithe event of the bank-
rupt being taken in execution after having been thus
declared unworthy of protection, he should not be
entitled to his release for three years (the maximum pe-
riod of remand possessed by the Insolvent Debtors'
Court), except by order of the Commissioner by whom
his protection should have been withdrawn. That trads
ing by uncertificated bankrupts should be punished by
severe penalties. That the fees now paid to the Court
of Bankruptcy, and which press most heavily upon small
estates, should be reduced. That the fiat, which your
petitioners deem an unnecessary source of delay, trouble,
and expense (and which was declared to be so in the
report of the Parliamentary Commissioners made in
the year 1840), should be abolished. That the remu-
neration to the official assignees throughout the country
should be upon one scale, to be declared by Parlia-
ment; and, as a great preventive of fraud, that they
should prepare the bankrupt's balance-sheet. That
upon the deaths of traders, and in default of appoint-.
ment of executors or administrators, the Court of Bank-
ruptcy should be empowered, after proper notice, to
distribute the effects of the deceased. That where come
positions and other arrangements between debtors and
their creditors cannot be otherwise carried through, the
concurrence of three-fourths in number and value of the
creditors (above 51.) should be binding upon the re-
mainder, provided the arrangement be effected with the
sanction of the Court of Bankruptcy ; and that an
efficient registration of all such deeds, as well as of bills
of sale and mortgages to creditors, should be kept. That
full annual returns should be made to Parliament under I
every bankruptcy, of the amount of the debts and
liabilities, the available assets and dividends, and other
particulars. That a consolidation of the numerous
statutes relating to bankruptcy is most desirable." The
petitioners then stateed :—" That your petitioners under-
stand that the propriety of the union of the laws of
bankruptcy and insolvency is now under consideration :
they beg to submit their opinion as favourable to such a
measare, and to the removal of the distinctions which
now prevail between the trader and the non-
trader, and between the protections respectively
granted by these Courts—provided due and certain
punishment be insured to the fraudulent, dishonest, and
extravagant: at the same time, from the experience
which your petitioners have had of the serious inconve.
niences resulting from the administration ot cases of in-
solvency, where the debts are of small amount, in the
Court of Bankruptcy, they deem it most desirable that
this class of cases should be kept altogether separate
from those of greater importance. That your peti-
tioners, in asking for these improvements, declare it to
be their opinion that the operation of the law of bank-
ruptcy ought to be such as to provide the greatest facili-
ties for the early distribution of the bankrupt's pro-
perty: that while it offers, on the one hand, a
boon to the honest and unfortunate debtor in
releasing him from the obligations he has volun-
tarily incurred, it should, on the other hand,
make it incumbent upon him to prove, as a pre-
liminary condition for obtaining that discharge at the
expense of his unfortunate creditors, that his previous
conduct and course of dealing had been such as to en-
title him to it ; failing which, he should be subjected to
punishment suitable to the wrong he has committed.
Your petitioners consider the above amendments in the
law of debtor and creditor to be absolutely necessary in
order to secure this country against the recurrence of
mercantile panics, which they believe mainly to arise
from the impunity attendant upon reckless trading and
the consequent loss of confidence amongst the trading
classes ; and that this impunity will render abortive all
endeavours by the Legislature to give stability to tho
currency, to protect trade from violent fluctuations,
similar to those which occurred in the years 1825,
1836, 1841, and 1847 ; and will ultimately effect the
destruction of the middle and industrious classes."
He believed that he had now stated the contents of the
petition he was about to lay on the table. He believed
himself, and he trusted the House concurred with him in
opinion, that this was a subject most deserving the atten-
tion of the Legislature, and that nothing could be more
desirable in a great commercial country like this, than
that the law ot debtor and creditor should be placed on
a sound and effective footing. and that this should be
done not only for the protection of commerce, but with
regard to the moral character and conduct of the com-
munity.
Lord BROUGHAM thought that this petition should
be received with the greatest respect, and that it should
be taken in:o speedy and serious consideration, bath as
to alleged matters of fact, and as to the opinions ex-
pressed on points of law, although it contained some
recommendations to which he was nut prepared to ac-
cede. In consequence of the changes recently effected
the law of bankruptcy, no less a sum than 2,400,000/.
had been distributed, which had boon lost si,fht
of under the evils of the previous system, and in
many cases 20s. in the pound had been paid, and
commissions had been superseded. There had, in fact,
been introduced almost a new code of bankruptcy and in-

solvency. The mercantile law with regard Co debtor
and creditor had undergone so great a change within the
last sixty years, that if Lord Mansfield were now to rise
from the grave, he would hardly know that he was in
the same country. The new law was, however, like all
human legislation, to a certain extent experimental, and
different opinions prevailed as to the success with which
the experiment had been attended. Some persons
thought the new law perfect, which was not in the nature
of human legislation. He (Lord Brougham) held that it
was more perfect than the old one; that it had done a
great deal of good; and that it came as near perfection as
any reasonable man could expect. He agreed with his
Noble Friend, that it was desirable that the petition
should be referred to a Committee.
After a few words from the LORD CHANCELLOR,
which were totally inaudible in the gallery, it was ordered
that the petition should be laid on the table, and referred
to is Committee.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, July 18.
HIGHWAYS BILL
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. BROTHERTON thought this Bill a great im.
provemeat upon the present system. The measure was
simple, and not expensive, and he trusted the House
would allow it to proceed, as he had no doubt it would
be acceptable to the country generally.
Mr. BUCK supported the amendment, considering the
Bill highly objectionable. This measure, like all that
were introduced into that House, added to the burdens
of the agricultural interest. He trusted that his Hon.
Friend the Member for Oxford would persevere in his
amendment.
After a few words from Mr. Davies, Mr. C. Lewis, Sir
J. Duckworth, Mr. Slaney, Mr. B. Spooner, and Mr.
Ormsby Gore,
Strangers were ordered to withdraw, and the House
divided, when there appeared—
For going into Committee BB

Against it 34
Majority for going into Committee -54
The House then resolved itself into Committe on the
Bill.

The preamble and clause l were postponed.
Clause 2 (the interpretation clause) was then pro-
posed and agreed to, with a slight amendment.
On clause 3 boing proposed,
Capt. PECHELL proposed after the words "Knights
of the shire," to insert the words " the Members for the
several boroughs."
Sir J. TROLLOPE opposed the amendment on the
ground that the majority of Members for the different
boroughs had very little connexion with the localities
which they represented.
After a short discussion, the Honourable and Gallant
Member consented to postpone his amendment.
Mr. GRON'E proposed that the words in the clause
appointink ckte/iord-Lieutenant, and Deputy-Lieutenant,
and the M.Sers for the county ex-officio members of
the connt'Tboard, should be struck out.
After along desultory discussion, the amendment was
agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN then reported progress, and ob-
tained leave to sit again.
MESSAGE FROM THE LORDS.
The House was informed that the Lords have agreed
to the followingßillst—County Cess (Ireland)—Newry
Navigation (Amendment of Acts), without amendment—
Plymouth Great Western Dock Act Amendment, with
an amendment—Middle Level Drainage Acts Amend-
ment—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway
(Humber Ferries Improvement at Hull and New Hol-
land, &c.)—Chester and Holyhead Railway (rower to
purchase, &c.), with amendments.
The House then adjourned to Five o'clock.

The House resumed at Five o'clock, when an Hon.
Member observed that he did not think there were forty
Members present.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and there
being only thirty-one Members, the Speaker adjourned
the House till Twelve o'clock to-morrow (this day).

THE " COUNT OUT" LAST SIGHT.
The following Members were present when the House
waii counted out on Lord G. Bentinck's motion:—
Lord G. Bentinck Mr. Frewen
Mr. Robinson Mr. Clive
Dr. Bowring Mr. Sturt
Mr. J. Haywood Mr. Pilkington
Mr. F. Mania Mr. Wodvhouse
Mr. Wakley Mr. Godson
Mr. J. A. Smith Mr. Pattison
Mr. Kershaw Mr. Rice
Mr. Jackson Sir R. Ferguson
Mr. G. Thompson Mr. Hamilton
Lord Lincoln Mr. H. Russell
Mr. W. E. Gladstone Mr. Wrightson
Mr. P. Wood Mr. Moffatt
Lord R. Grosvenor Mr. Boyle
Mr. Brotherton Mr. Packe,
Mr. Thornely

_-- -
The pitmen at Monkwearmouth tolliery are now
on a strike in consequence of the owners having re-
solved to make a reduction in their wages.

PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS.

(From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.)
TUESDAY, JULY is.
HIGHWAYS BILL.

Order for Committee read ; Motion made, and Question
proposed, " That Mr. Speaker do now leave the Chair."
Amendment proposed, to leave out from the word " That"
to the end of the Question, in order to add the words " this
House will, upon this day six months, resolve itself into the
said Committee," instead thereof :—Question put, " That the
words proposed to be left out stand part of the Question."
The House divided :

MAJORITY—AYES, 88.
Abdy, T. N. Fertescue. Chichester Parker, John
Adair, R. Shafto Freestun, Colonel • Perfect, R.
Alcock, Thomas Greene, Thomas Finney, W.
Armstrong, R. B. Grenfel , Charles W. Pusey, P.
Barrington, Viscount Haggitt, F. R. Ricardo, Osman
Bernal, Ralph Hardcastle, J. A. Rice, E. R.
Bow ring, Dr. Hastie, Alexander Rich, Henry
Boyle, Colonel Hawes, Benjamin Russell, F. C.
Brotherton, J. Hay, Lord J. Seynser, 11. K.
Brown, W. Hayter, W. G. Shell, R. L.
Browne, R. D. lleathcote, Sir W. Shelburne, Earl of
Buxton, Sir E. Hobhouse, Sir John Sheridan, R. B.
Campbell, W.F. Hobhouse, T. B. Simeon, John
Cavendish, G. H. Hood, Sir A. Stoney, R. A.
Childers, J. W. Howard, P. 11. Thicknesse, R. A.
Christopher, R. Ingestre, Viscount Thompson, Colonel
Clifford, Henry M. Jolliffe, Sir W. H. Townley, R. G.
Compton, H. C. Kershaw, James Trollope, Sir J.
Davie, Sir Henry Langston, J. 11. , Tynte, Colonel
Deedes, W. Lascelles, E. Verney Sir U.
Drumlanrig, Vis. Lascelles, W. S. Villiers, Viscount
Drummond, Henry Lewis, G. C. Villiers, F. W.
Duckworth, Sir J. 3l'Cullagh, W. T. Wawn, J T.
Duncan, George Ma, heson, Colonel Wilson, Matthew
Duncuft, John Milner, W. M. Wood, rir Charles
Dundas, Sir D. Moffatt, George Wyvill, Marmaduko
Elliot, John E. Moody, C. A.
Emlyn, Viscount Morison, Sir W. TELLERS.
E wart, William Morris, David Tiffnell, Ilenry
Foley, J. H. Nugent, Sir Percy 11111, Lord Marcus
Forster, Matthew Paget, Lord Clarence

MINORITY-NOES, 34.
Arkwright, G. Farnham, E. B. Newdegate. N.
Bateson, T. Floyer, John Palmer, Robert
Bentinck, Lord G. Frewen, C. H. Pechell, Captain
Bentinck, Lord H. Fuller, A. E. Pigott, Francis
Beresford, William Galway, Viscount Pugh, David
Boldero, Henry Gore, W. R. 0. Stafford, Augustus
Bremridge, Richard Gwyn. Bowel Waddington, H. S.
Buck, L. W. Heald, James Willoughby, Sir H.
Carew,lW. P. Heathcote G. J.
...... _____

HenryColes, HB. Hodges, T. L. TELLERS.
Cubittt, William Hudson, G. Henley, J. W.
Davies, D. A. Keogh, William Spooner, Richard
Egerton, W. T. Manners, Lord C.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
WESTERN ClRCUlT.—Winchester, July 17.
(Before Mr. Justice COLERIDGE.)
Edwin Turner and Henry Turner were indicted for
unlawfully and maliciously setting fire to a stable be-
longing to one Henry Holloway, with intent thereby to
injure the said Henry Holloway.
Mr. Missing prosecuted, and Mr. C. Saunders defended
the prisoner.
The principal witness for the prosecution was a girl
named Mary Ann Amos, the daughter of a dairyman in
the service of Lord Palmerston, and who resides within
his Lordship's grounds at Oatlands, near Romsey, in the
county of Southampton. The witness swore that she
resided with her father, and that her duty was to milk
the cows and attend to the dairy. On the night of
Sunday, the sth of March, or rather at one o'clock on
the following morning, she was out by herself in the
streets of Romsey, when a policeman named Hammond
came and spoke to her, and told her to go home. She
thereupon moved towards her home, and when she got
to a bridge which she had to pass on the way,
she loitered about there for a considerable time ;
at length the policeman came up to the bridge, where
he reproved her for not having gone home, and
advised her to go at once. At some little distance
from the bridge, and nearly opposite the lodge gate
leading into Lord Palmerston's grounds, is an inn called
the Fox, kept by Holloway, and to which is attached
the stable in question. When being spoken to by the
policeman on the bridge, the girl said that she bad seen
some one lighting some lucifer matches and placing
them under the .thatch of the stable. The policeman
told her that he did not believe her, and desired her to
go home. She then went to the lodge gate, let herself'
in with a key which she had, and went home; but whilst
she was at the gate she again saw two men, whom she
swore to be the prisoners at the bar, setting fire to the
stable with lucifer matches. She knew the prisoners at
the bar; they were both dressed in smock frocks.
Cross-examined by Mr. SAUNDERS—I was not out at
this time of night on my father's business. I decline to
say whether I was out with his consent. He knew I
was out. I was not dressed in this fine dress then. I
was never out so late before. I decline to say for what
purpose I was out. I let myself into the grounds with
a key which I had. I decline to say how I got the key.
I have said all which I mean to say.
Hammond, the policeman, to considerable extent con-
firmed the evidence of Mary Ann Amos, but it appeared
from his evidence that although he told her that he did
not believe her when she told him that she had seen some
one placing matches under the thatch of the stable, he
forthwith went to the Fox and examined the premises,
without discovering anything suspicious at that time.
It further appeared from the evidence for the prosecu-
tion that the the broke out about half-past two o'clock.
Mr. SAUNDERS in his address to the jury contended
that the young woman was entirely unworthy of credit;
and that she could not have spoken the truth, as the po-
liceman must have been examining the premises about
the time when, according to her evidence, the second act
of incendiarism was committed. He also called evidence
to show that Edwin Turner was in bed before one o'clock,
and that he had not a smock-frock on that night. It
further appeared, from witnesses who had known them
many years, that the prisoners had borne good charac-
ters as amiable and kind-hearted men. They were the
sons of a man who had been one of Lord Palmerston's
gamekeepers for nearly twenty•nine years, and Edwin
had for some years heel an assistant gamekeeper under
his father.

The jury immediately acquitted the prisoners.
Nothing of the slightest interest has occurred in the
other court, where they have been occupied all day in
trying a case against the Southampton and Dorchester
Railway Company for having diverted water from the
premises of a Mrs. Pilgrim at South%mpton and other-
wise injured her property there.