The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-06 00:00:00

TILE NUN, ON WON, WEDNrESTIA'Y EVENINS, M.A.Y 6, IMO,

t.

The accounts from Lisbon are to the 29th ult.

Madrid journals of the 28th ult. have arrived.

ing the laws without prejudice for caQte, or faction or grade
—..by introducing a healthful competition, by inciting the
growth and energies of agriculture, by the infusion of a
spirit of honest emulation. That is the rational—the only
rational—method of maintaining a territorial aristocracy in
a legitimate manner. Before very many days have
elapsed the decision of the Peers will be required upon
this tomentous topic; they must remember that a gene-
ral gaze of scrutiny will then be rivetted upon them—
that personal motives, if there be any, will be detected
and scoutel; they must ponder upon the imminence of their
Position, and decide not in passion or precipitation.
More hangs upon their verdict for or against the Corn and
Customs' Bills than they possibly conjecture. Their decision
will be scrutinized by the present multitude and by posterity.

Letters from Lucerne declare that the statement published
by the Government of the Canton, to the effect that an at-
tempt had been made to assassinate General SONNENBERG, is
generally discredited, and is looked upon as a fiction, devised
by the Jesuit Government of Lucerne, for the purpose of en-
deavouring to bring their opponents into discredit.

The German papers represent the troubles in Austrian
Galicia as nearly at an end. On the faith of letters from
that province, the Augsburg Gazette announces that SZELA,
the leader of the peasants in the circle of Tarnow, had gone
to the head of the Government of the circle, and declared to
him that he had sent home his peasants to their houses, in
order to cultivate the earth, and that everything was
restored to order. All that is known positively is, that
SZELA was allowed to withdraw freely.
The arrests of suspected persons still continues in Posen.
The Cologne Gazette contains the following from thence of
the 27th ult.:—
" In addition to the arrest of Dr. Matecki, of this town, several
other persons have been taken into custody in the provinces, and in
particular five gentlemen of family from the neighbourhood lof
schwiegel, a priest, and a lieutenant. Great sensation was excited
yesterday by the arrest of five prisoners, who, after undergoing
several hours' examination, were sent to the fortress. Amongst
them is Lipinsky, the blacksmith, and an agent from Paris, named
Wodford. They were all arrested in the forest between Wirow and
Komornik, where they had established themselves in a cave, with
plenty of provisions. A forester by chance discovered their hiding-
place, and gave notice of it to the authorities. A considerable body
of troops surrounded the spot, and escape was rendered impossible."

While, however, tranquillity is en the point of being re-
stored in Austrian Poland, another of the provinces of Austria,
viz., Camiola, has been the scene of a partial erneute. The
Augsburg Gazette gives the following intelligence, under the
date of Lay Bach, April 25 :--

" On Sunday last there was a collision at Isola between the inhabi-
tants and the chasseurs of Capodistria, in which seven or eight of
both parties were mortally wounded. The chasseurs are said to have
shown great moderation. At Trieste there has been a conflict be-
tween a police agent and a joiner, in which each killed the other.
The meeting took place at midnight, and a large crowd assembled
round the combatants, but it was dispersed by the patrol. Yesterday
there was a menacing assemblage on the Melo del Sale, but all dis-
turbance was prevented without the intervention of the armed force.
Orders had been given for supplying the troops with ball-cartridges.
But a more important piece of news is that a part of the troops on
the frontier has received orders to march into Italy, as a portion of
the Roman States is to be occupied by Austrian soldiers."

There had been several conflicts between the insurgent
peasantry and the troops in the province of Minho, which,
however, had led to no decisive results, and troops were
marching on Minho in various directions. The Government
represents this insurrection of the peasantry as the outbreak
of a Miguelite plot. •

The Gazette publishes CONCHA'S dispatch, detailing the
operations which ended in the capture of Santiago. lle
states that he only waits at Santiago for supplies of ammu-
nition, on the receipt of which he shall at once march upon
Vigo and Pontevedra.
The Tiempo states that a court-martial has been held at
Carral, a town distant three leagues and a half from
Corunna, for the trial of the officers made prisoners at
Santiago. Among these prisoners is M. By scx, President
of the Insurgent Junta, together with several members of
that body.
The Spanish Government appear determined to act with the
greatest severity towards the unfortunate prisoners who
may fall into their clutches. The Minister of War has ad-
dressed a circular to all the captains-general, directing them
to take the necessary steps for forthwith proceed-
ing with the summary trial of all the prisoners
taken by the QUEEN'S troops—to put to death at
once, and without any appeal to head-quarters,
every officer implicated in the insurrection, to employ all the
activity and energy requisite for the security of the state, and
the satisfaction of public vengeance ( !); and to dispense
with consultations and delays that might tend to retard the
speedy and due satisfaction of the laws. The authorities are
only permitted to exercise lenity towards the private soldiers.
The Espanol announces the arrival of General BAYONA at
Burgos, where he supersedes General BALBOA. General
Rowcau, who succeeds General SANZ as Captain-General of
Grenada, had also arrived at his post.
General OBIBE left Madrid on the 28th for the Canary
Isles. It is said that RUBIN ST. CELIa, the chief of the in-
surrection in Galicia, had escaped by sea from Vigo.
The Phare of Bayonne, alluding to the taking of the con-
tract of 200,000,000 of reals in Spain, for the construction of
new roads and cabals, &c., says—

" After a sharp competition between the persons who tendered,
and filially between M. Salamanca and M. .Rivas, the latter was
declared to be the contractor. The power reserved by the contrac-
tor of paying one-third of the loan in works, has been set aside.
Thus M. Rivas has engaged to pay in fl ve years, and in cash,
200,000,000 of reals. Ile will receive in reinbursement in the course
of eighteen years and five months, 276,250,000 reals, which will be
an economy to the Treasury on the original proposition of the Go-
vernment of 14:3,750,000 reals. The result is prodigious. It is
attributed to a rivalry between M. Salamanca and M. Rivas, but
it is just to observe that the new law on the Bourse has had
much influence in the affair. By prohibiting time bargains, tire Go-
vernment has forced capitalists to employ their money in serious
speculations which may powerfully contribute to the vvelfare of the
country. Be this as it may, the adjudication of this loan is a flue
triumph to the Government. For forty years past lenders have not
been found at so low a rate."

Government securities were not quoted on the Bolsa, hut the
Herald° announces that the Three per Cents, were done at 32 IA for
cash, and 32% for time ; the Five per Cents, at 21 for cash, and 211 A
for time; and the shares of the Bank of San Fernando at 310, and
those of Isabel at 185.

We have received the Paris papers of Monday, but their
contents are unimportant. The representatives of the Sove-
reigns of Belgium, Sardinia, Saxony, Wurtembcrg, and
Hanover, and the Ministers of the Hanse Towns, Saxe
Weimar, Electoral Hesse, and Hesse and Baden, had pre-
sented congratulatory letters to the KING of the FRENCH on
his recent escape from assassination.

The discussion on the Western Railway Bill was resumed
on Monday in the Chamber of Deputies, but no division had
taken place up to the hour of post.
According to the Courrier Francaise, the inhabitants of
Algiers are about to petition to have Algeria incorporated with
France. They propose it should be divided into four de-
partments, with Algiers, Oran, Bona, and Constantine, as the
chief towns.

The marriage of Viscount CASTLEREAGII with Viscountess
POWERSCOURT was celebrated on Saturday at the British
Embassy.
IBRAHIM PACHA was present at the trial of a prisoner on
Saturday, at the Palais de Justice. He took great interest
in the proceedings, which were minutely explained to him by
his son. After the summing up of the President, and before
the decision of the jury was made known, his Highness retired
and visited the other parts of the Palais, the works
at the Sainte Chapelle, and the Archives. The
different curiosities contained there were success-
sively pointed out to him, and amongst other things, the mi-
nutes on parchment of the trial of the Maid of Orleans, the
trial of Damiens, and the clothes worn by that criminal when
he made the attempt on the life of Louis XV. On Laving
the Archives he was shown the famous picture, preserved by
the Jesuits in their principal college, which represents HENRY
IV. thrown into hell while RAVAILLAC was ascending to
heaven.

M. PIERRE LArFirrE, the last surviving brother of M.
JACQUES LAFFITTE, died last week at Luciennes, near Paris,
aged 81.
The Three per Cents. closed at 84f. sc. ; the Five per Cents, 120 f.
50c. ; the Orleans Railroad Shares, 1,252 f. 50c.; Rouen, 1,042 f. 50c. ;
Havre, 765 f. ; Great Northern,.77lf. 25c. ; Avignon, 933 f. 75c.; Vier-
zon; 6821. 50c.; Bordeaux, 632 f; 50c. ; Boulogne, 5171. 50c. ; Troyes
and Montereau, 410 f. ; Basle, 226 f. 250.; Paris and Strasburg, 518 f.
75c. ; Tours and Nantes, 542 f. 50c. ; Paris and Lyons, 5771. 50c. ;
Spanish Active, 32% ; Spanish Domestic Debt, 315.
The following are the quotations in other lines .

Lyons and Avignon, definitives, 535 f. ; Bordeaux and Cette
(Mackenzie), 501E75c.; ditto (Espeleta), 506 f.; ditto definitive, 318 f.
75c.; Charleroi, 490 f.

BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, MAY 5.
Boulogne and Amiens, 12%—Dutch Rhenish, 7%—East Indian,
1% —Great Indian Peninsular, %—Luxembourg, .2%—Namur and
Liege, 44—Orleans and Bordeaux, 11%—Over Yssel, 2 dis.—
Paris and Lyons Constituted, 8 4—Paris and Rouen, 4034—Rouen
and Havre, 30 %—Sambre and Meuse, 5%.

packed up
THE NEWS TRADE.—We have recently ascertained
that a system prevails at the News-hall of inserting printed bills,
advertising various publications and remarks, in the newspapers
the papers are inclosed are made the medium of publishing adver-
for post there, and in some instances the covers in which
tisenaents of quack medicines, or notices of publications, which
could in no other way be presented to public attention. It be-
hoves the managers of the News-hall to put a stop at once to
this nefarious system, which . threatens destruction to their
Own business, and disappointment to their customers
Parties who have evidently no right Ito admission to
the News-hall, have obtained access there, and by bribing
some one in authority, have been allowed to distribute printed hills
and notices to be circulated by being folded in and round the news-
papers. It cannot be too clearly understood that the insertion of any
printed bill or paper In any newspaper to be forwarded by post, or
any writing or printing on the cover except the address of the party
to whom the paper Is sent, and the name of the newsvender by whom
it Is forwarded, renders each newspaper liable to the payment of the
full postage, according to the weight of the said paper. There is no
doubt that the authorities at the Post-office are fully aware of these
attempts to defraud the revenue by publishing bills through the
Post-office, and we have no doubt that many of the delays
complained of have been occasioned by the necessity of examining
the newspapers, with a view to detect this disgraceful fraud.
The remedy is in the hands of the newsmen connected with the
News-hall ,'and If they do not at once and without further delay take
the necessary measures for effectually prohibiting all printed or
written bills from admission to their hall, we shall feel it our duty
to publish the names of those newsmen who use that establishment,
and suffer the interest and convenience of their customers to be
sacrificed by such a system. We are authorised to state, that the
fhll postage will be charged on all papers found to contain any
printed bill or writing, or any printed or written statement on the
envelope, except the address and the name of the newsvender. In
conclusion, to avoid fraud in any department through which the
Wakley, M.P.,
newspapers for the country may be transmitted, we strongly recom-
mend the name and address of the party to whom the papers are
sent to be written on the newspaper. This protection has been con-
ceded by the Post-office.—Times-
fatal.
FATAL ACCIDENT AT AN HOTEL.—On Tuesday Mr,
the body of Thomas Wells, aged 53 years. The deceased was head
waiter at held an inquest at the London University College, on
Hicks's Hotel, Duke-street, Manchester-square, and bore a
most excellent character. About half-past eleven on Friday night
he was about to descend the kitchen stairs, when, being seized with
a fit, he fell, and was precipitated to the bottom, striking his head
against the stone floor, and he sustained an injury which proved
'hovel to the hospital, and he was forthwith taken thither, but A surgeon was immediately called, who recommended his re •
ex-
pired in a few minutes after his admission. The hofise-surgeon
proved death to be the result of the inJuries consequent upon the fall.
Yerdlot-7" Accidental death."

DIPERIAL PA RLI ARENT.

(THIS DAY )

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The SPEAKER took the Chair at Twelve o'clock.

Mr. I'. HOWARD presented petitions in favour of the
Roman Catholic Relief Bill from Carlisle and several other
places.
The Dublin Markets' Bill and the Dublin Cemetery Bill
were severally read a second time, and ordered to be com-
mitted this day week.
The Committee on the Danish Claims was postponed.
Lord J. MANNERS presented a great number of petitions
in favour of the Roman Catholic Relief Bill.

The Bristol and Birmingham Railway Bill (Ashchurch,
Tewkesbury, and Malvern line) was read a second time, and
ordered to be committed.

Sir W. SOMERVILLE presented a petition from the
Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dundee in favour of the
Roman Catholic Relief Bill.

Oa the order of the day being read for the House to go
into Committee on the
ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL,
Mr. COLQUHOUN objected. The Bill contemplated al-
terations in the established laws of the realm, alterations of
the most important and fundamental laws, which had been
opposed for many years in that House. He wished to say to
the Hon. and Learned Gentleman opposite, that if he would
confine himself strictly to the points in Committee which he
had proposed on a former occasion, he (Mr. Coiquhoun)
would withdraw all opposition, and would give every assist-
ance in his power. He trusted theywould not alter those esta-
blished laws which had passed for the protection of the public
against ecclesiastical encroachments. He distinctly charged
all the responsibility of this measure upon her Majesty's
Government. The first great change would be an alteration in
the Act of Supremacy. The proposed measure would take away
all the penalties for denying the Act of Supremacy. It
would do away with certain oaths that parties holding high
and responsible situations were now obliged to take. If all
penaltieslor denying the Act of Supremacy were done away
with, it would become a mere abstract principle, and worthy
no longer to be on the statute-book. It was found necessary
in the time of Elizabeth and William 111. to protect the con-
stitution from ecclesiastical encroachments by stringent
laws. He would ask, was ecclesiastical power and ecclesias-
tical ambition less now than it was in those days ? He found
by the Emancipation Act of 1829 that several great officers
of State, and also the Sovereign, could not hold their
station if they were Roman Catholics. If a Roman Catholic,
the Sovereign could not sit upon the throne. By the Act of
1829 it was provided that no' Lord Chancellor, Lord. Lieu-
tenant, Lord Commissioner, or Regent, could, if a Roman
Catholic, hold any of those offices. Suppose a Lord Chancellor
should take the oaths of supremacy, and then afterwards,
in imitation of many clergymen of the Church of England in
the present day, take up with the principles of the Church
of Rome, what security would there be for the public if all
the penalties attached to such an offence were done away with?
Well, then, the case of laymen being as dishonest as church-
men was not an impossible contingency, and yet they were
about to abolish one of the Acts of Parliament, the Act of
Charles 11., and they would afterwards repeal the important
Act of William and Mary, and thus the oath which was now
applied as a test would be then of no avail. Would the
Right Hon. Baronet affirm that the fears entertained by him
were groundless? Let the Right Hon. Baronet tell him how
these fears were to be allayed. They had now the oath of
supremacy, which had been and stilt was defended
by some of the greatest minds in the country
as part and parcel of the constitution, but they
intended by this measure to repeal it. He wished
to call the attention of the House to one remarkable fact con-
nected with the Act of 1829, which enacted the oath at pre-
sent taken by Catholic Members in that House—the oath
which allowed the civil supremacy of the Sovereign, but was
silent as to the spiritual supremacy of the Pope. Would the
Hon. Member for Winchester inform him where the distinc-
tion was drawn between these powers—where the civil su-
premacy of the Sovereign terminated, and the spiritual su-
premacy of the Pope commenced ? This was a matter which
agitated all the Courts of Europe at that very time,
and it was then a claim of the Court of Rome,
that her right to dictate to the Roman Catholic subjects of
this country should be recognised. Lord Beaumont, a Roman
Catholic for whom he (Mr. Colquhoun) entertained the most
sincere respect, said that the supremacy of the Court of Rome
in civil matters ought not to be acted on by her Majesty's
Roman Catholic subjects, and the Noble Lord was supported
Icy a most respectable proportion of those hold-
ing the same religious opinions. The Honourable
Member for Winchester alluded to the objection
taken by the Bishop of Malta to the oath, and he drew an
inference altogether erroneous from that fact. The Hon.
Member was in error as to the real facts of the case, and
therefore wrong in the inferences he deduced from them.
The objection of the Bishop of Malta was not to the Act of
Elizabeth, which it was now proposed to repeal, but to the
Act of 1829, and what was his objection ? Why that he, in
1835, referred that oath to the Church of Rome, and the reply
was that it was inadmissible. What security, then, had the
Right Hon. Baronet that the Roman Catholics of England
and Ireland would not adopt the same opinion as the clergy-
men of the Church of Rome did? Was he not, indeed, certain
that the unity of that Church would compel them to do it.
The House would observe, that by this Bill there would be
an alteration in the oath of supremacy, and the Bill repealed
the statute of Elizabeth, which forbade the introduction of
Papal bulls or other instrtfments from the see of Ronie.
When this Bill was passed anything in the shape of Papal
rescripts might be s; nt into this country, and they would
become binding on the Roman Catholics. Was there a
single state of Europe that allowed the laws of Rome to be
sent into the country without being examined ? No Papal re-
scripts were admitted into France or Spain without being first
examined. This Bill would give increased power to the
ecclesiastics of Rome, which power would be superior to the
state. Tke very parties to whom it would give increased
power were those who were the most prominent in the
movement for the severance of one portion of the empire
from the other. He could not contemplate this increased
power being given to the ecclesiastics of Rome without the
most serious alarm. If they repealed the oath of supremacy,
they declared that the Queen's jurisdiction was not entire
over the ecclesiastics of the Church of Rome. This he
could not support. He thought it would be fatal to
their policy, dangerous to the peace of the empire, and
would be giving a premium to those men who wished to
carry on that agitation which had been so effectual in
France and in other parts of Europe. He could
not give his consent, therefore, to such a Bill as this.
The Hon. Member then quoted the opinion of the French
Parliament in 1762, which was, that having extr..etcd
certain passages from 147 Jesuit authors' works, and ha ring
them .aolbitad •thrw onne;flornii that +1,4, inpr-
jury, and licentiousness of every kind ; and they
moreeiver stated, that these passages were approved of
by tlse Jesuits of all classes, by their theologians and
principals. He would appeal to the Right Hon. Baronet at
the head of the Treasury to prevent such an enactment, for
it proposed very serious changes in the Act introduced by
the Right Hon. Gentleman himself—he meant the Roman
Catholic Relief Bill of 1829. As for himself he would enter his
protest as repealing the Act of Supremacy, and endangering
the best interests of the State; he would,ltherefore move
that the House do go into Committee upon this day six
months.

Sir J. GRAHAM was anxious that the Hon. Member
who had charge of this Bill should postpone it until the Bill
which was now before the other Ilouse of Parliament was
before them. The Bill now before the House was founded on
the report of the Criminal Law Commissioners, but the Bill
before the House of Lords, and which was now awaiting its
second reading, went much farther than that. Upon that
Bill several suggestions had been made in the other House,
and those suggestions were now under the consideration of
the servants of the Crown. On these accounts he trusted
the Hon. Member would postpone the consideration of his
Bill till a future period.
Mr. WATSON could not accede to the suggestion of the
Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home
Department. This Bill had been, in fact, brought into
the House in 1843, and in 1844 a Bill had been
passed which comprised many of the clauses of this Bill,
but the effect of it was totally lost ; and he had, consequently,
brought in a Bill in 1845, which, although it had been stated
that the matter of it should be considered, the
session had passed over without any member of the
Government giving an opinion whether they were favourable
to this Bill at all. This Bill had been introduced early in the
session, and whether the Bill in the House of Lords was in-
troduced at all, the House would certainly have to come to a
decision on several of the clauses in his Bill; and it appeared
to him that there could never be a better opportunity of
coming to that decision than the present moment, and he
must therefore press on the Bill.
On the motion being put,
The Earl of ARUNDEL and SURREY said that not
having been present at the last discussion, he wished to say
a few Words on the present occasion. He should not have
entered on the subject of the Jesuits but for the last observa-
tion of the Hon. Member who had moved the amendment. '
He believed that there was no order of men who had been
more ill used than the Jesuits, for he felt assured that they
were as high in intellect, as glorious in virtue, a; any body
of men upon earth. Go to Rome, and anywhere and every-
where, and see the Sisters of Mercy, those angels upon earth,
and observe whether, under the trials of life, they were not,
like all the other regular orders, promoting the cause of
religion and charity. He could not have conceived a greater
mistake than that which it was evident prevailed respecting
his religion, from the speeches which had lately been made
He would not go into the other parts of that Bill, they could
be better defended by other persons, who had more extensive
legal knowledge than he possessed. He would only offer his
thanks to the promoters of the present measure, and promise
them his hearty support.
Sir R. PEEL regretted that the Hon. and Learned Gen,
tleman would not accede to the proposition of his Right Hon.
Friend. It was very unusual for any Member of Puha•
ment to persist in a proceeding upon which the Government
had stated that they were not prepared to give an opinion. The
Hon. and Learned Gentleman required that the Government
should express their opinion before their own Bill, which was
before the other House, was brought into that House.
It would not be just to remove from the statute-book disabil-
ities affecting the Roman Catholics, while the Protestant
Dissenters were to be left unprovided for. He acknow-
ledged the justice of that principle, and a Committee was
appointed to inquire into the matter. The Government were
unwilling to throw any delay in the way of the Bill. lie
thought the proposal made was so reasonable, that unless
the Hon. and Learned Gentleman agreed to it, he should
certainly dissent from entertaining his Bill.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL thought if the two Bills were be-
fore the House, the proposition of the Right Honourable
Gentleman should be acceded to. On one part of the
subject, the Criminal-law Commissioners had
Bo d
nh oa
dopinion.referred— the( II
subjectea r. )
et lcierßirei
ominvexatious
they reported that they had found several very
ua
that the
eed
wasf Act
enmto t ofa
proposed a mode
penalties under various statutes, and they _
the
whichbwl37Bh29c perfect and
statute book, and the law be rendered more.
uniform. But when they came to existing penalties
ginhati_Hiaownocarable
Commissioners
which came properly beneath their notice. It involved
a w forcess a mightid underbbaetexthp
pointpolitical considerations, and was a subject that should be
referred to the Government. It was a question for the house
to consider whether the penalties imposed by the Act of 1829
which
t hwteheerseeCommissioners vexatiousfu I
l
should be modified or repealed.
SirJAMES GRAHAM said, he was not prepared to agree
cit
noe
entotlnei evmerepeal
to
oifn
dttilhsiceeucslpsarutehssesee
npti
rnßovitlilscoßnAsi ltol
fopft'riellseSe 2nß9tit hliill. Iveta
shwwo:
ueverylrde
be necessary to take the sense of the House upon thes clauses.
If the course he had proposed was acceded to by the lion.
and Learned Gentlemen opposite, the Government Bill
would be brought in, and would be discussed fully in con-
junction with the Bill of the Hon. and Learned Gentlemen.
He must say that the course he had proposed was qiiite con-
sistent with the rules of the House, and, if agreed to, would
give the House the opportunity of fully discussing the
matter.
Lord J. MANNERS thought that alterations proposed by
the measure before the House would not a'ect the general
question.
Mr. WATSON had no objection, if they went into Com-
mittee, to discuss the clauses contained in the Bill of 1829.
He should, however, persist in his motion for the House to go
into Committee, and should, if necessary, take the sense of
the Ilouao upon the subject.

After a few words from Mr. COLQUHOUN,
Mr. O'CONNELL claimed the right to say one or two words
before passing these clauses, as he had been personally at-
tacked by the Hon. Member opposite (Mr. Colquhoun.) The
Honourable Member had taxed him with having been
in error with regard to Galileo's connexion with the Court of
Rome. lie admitted that he was inaccurate in some of his
details, but he did assert that in the main facts he was perfectly
correct. Leo the Tenth had patronised Galileo, and he
it was that had been mainly instrumental in publishing the
Copernican system of the universe. He again asserted that
Galileo was only in prison for some three days. So much
with respect to that charge. He would now glance at the
Hon. Member's remarks with respect to the Roman
Catholics. The Hon. Member suggested that they should
take the example of France in religious matters.
Mr. COLQUHOUN—No, no.
(Tarr Annum.)

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.
(TB IS DAY.)

GROUP IV,

The Select Committee appointed to consider the merits of the Bills
comprised in this group, re-assembled at the usual hour this morning,
and proceeded with their labours.

. .
It was arranod that each party should, before to-morrow morn-
ing, put in a report, in compliance with the resolutions of Mr. Dun-
combe.

Mr. HILL said he had an application to make to the Committee.
He appeared for a landholder in opposition to the Aberdeen, Band;
and Elgin line, and he should be prepared to show that it was tainted
with fraud tram beginning to the end. Before he could go into his
opposition, however, he wished to be funiished with copies of the
reports and documents required to be put in by the resolutions of the
House.

The Committee directed the parties to deliver the required infor-
mation before four o'clock to-morrow, and appointed Friday for going
into the opposition of the landholder in quebtion.

GROUP XIII.

The Committee met to-day at twelve o'clock ; Sir William Clay in
the chair.
GLASGOW, DUMZ'RIES, AND CARLISLE.
Evidence in support of this line of railway was this morning
resumed.

Mr. Christie, mining engineer, was examined, at some length, as
to the mining i esources of the district through which the line passed,
which he represented to be considerable. The largest field, however
was that in the direction irom Old Cumnock to Muirkirk.

GROUP XVIII.

The Committee met at the usual hour, Mr. B. Denison, chairman,

SOIV/ERSETSHISLE MIDLAND.

Before commencing the business of the Committee, the CHAIRMAN
announced that he had had a communication with the Speaker, who
had informed him that it was not competent for counsel to cross-
examine upon the statement of the petitioners, until a petition shall
have been presented to the House, stating that in the opinion of the
petitioners, the statement made to the Committee, in accordance
with Sir. Ituncombe's resolutions was erroneous, and praying that
counsel might he allowed to cross-examine the witnesses on the
points referred to in the petition. The House would then,
if it thought proper, grant the prayer of the petitioner, and allow
the cross-examination to be made. It appeared, therefore, that we
were wrong in allowing Mr. Sergeant Kinglake to cross-examine
witness on the statement yesterday. It was merely an act of in-
dulgence granted by the Committee, at the request of Mr. Kinglake.
The Committee are not, however, at liberty to allow any cross-exa-
mination by Counsel upon those statements until a petition shall
have been presented to the House, containing allegations that the
statements made to the Committee are erroneous.

The room was then cleared, in order that the Committee might
consult as to the best course to be adopted under those circum-
stances. A large amount of evidence had been obtained during yes-
terday's proceedings, and it now appears that this was contrary to
the resolutions of the House.

(The Committee had not announced their decision up to the tirce
of our going to press.)

GROUP XIX.

BRIDGEWATER AND TAUNTON CANAL,

RAXIAVAY, ALUZI 111LitlIOUR.

The Committee met this morning at twelve o'clock ; Lord Harry
Vane in the chair. _

Mr. Hale, the engineer to the line was re called and examined by
the opposing counsel and the members of the Committee, with
respect to the general features of the line, in the course of which he
repeated a great portion of the evidence given by him yesterday.
Mr. Ware, dock-master, at Bridgewater, was called and examined
by Mr. WELLS, with respect to Bridgewater Bay, the plan of which
displayed on the walls of the Committee room was perfectly
correct. The ships which came up the bay were exposed
to great dangers, casualties happening every month, which he ap-
prehended would be greatly, if not wholly obviated by the construc-
tion of a commodious harbour at Stalford ; and besides, it would
materially increase the traffic between that part of the country and
Wales, which could only now be approached by a circuitous and un-
favourable road. Shipowners had now to pay heavy dues, from
which they derived no benefit, Inasmuch as the receipts, in the shape
of dues, were devoted to the improvement of the river Barret.
The witness, in his cross-examination by Mr. FITZIIERBERT,
stated his belief, that if the dues were taken away
from the corporation, they -would yet have sufficient money
from the interest of money they held, and from the increased trade
to 'Bridgewater, when the harbour was constructed, to meet any ex-
penses which they would incur for the next thirty years ; and might,
in fact, pay for all the improvements they had made during the past
thirty years. Was not aware that the Corporation had wily 1,000/.
in hand, or that they had ever expended money in raising wrecks.
He believed that a great portion of the timber trade with Bridge-
water, would come by Stalford, where the harbour is proposed to be
made. Never knew bricks or tiles exported from Bridgewater in the
shape of ballast. They were made on the banks of the river. Could
not say whether they would go to Stalford or not. The exports and
imports were not considerable at Stalford, principally because there
was no harbour there ; but if one were made, he considered that they
would be great.

GROUP XXX.
This Committee re-assembled to-day at twelve o'clock. Present,
Lord Charles Wellesley (chairman) and the other members.

AYLESBURY AND THAWED JUNCTION.
It was arranged yesterday that the case for this Bill should be
entered into, when the evidence for the same might be considered as
rebutting the evidence in favour of the Cambridge and Oxford line,
its competitor.

Mr. CaLciterr, on behalf of the Bill, called
Mr. Robert Stephenson, engineer, who stated that he had turned
his attention to the Aylesbury and Theme Junction line, and con-
sidered it with respect to engineering facilities, population, and
traffic. It was superior to the Oxfbrd and Cambridge in these points.
Mr. Sergeant CLARKE said. lie must interrdpt his Learned Friend
in this line of examination. Ile should restrict himself to the intrinsic
merits of the line before the. Committee without instuting any com-
parison to the disadvantage of another line.
CaLcsarr contended that he was perfectly justified in adopt-
ing the present course.
. _

discussion here followed between counsel 011 this point, which
was terminated by tie room being cleared.
On our re-admission in about three-quarters of an hour the CHAIR-
MAN announced that the Committee were of opinion that the evi-
dence she'd be limited to the Bill before the Committee.