The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LON bON, WEDNESDAY EVENING FEBRUARY 13, 1856.

siastical Courts Commission, in which, on one question, five
of the members differed from three ; on another, two from
seven ; and on another, one from all the rest. As a general
rule each of the commissions seemed to take an individual
journey through the statute-book, but all to return to the
same point and with the same conclusion—namely, that the
fortress of abuse was completely impregnable. (Hear.) It was
quite clear, then, that if they meant to succeed with law reform
they must turn to some means which had not as yet been
adopted. What were those means to be He did not rely on
the example of foreign countries, =which the expedient was a
minister of justice, but at home we had a precedent in the ap-
pointment of a Minister of war, who had in a great degree re-
duced the military chaos of which the country bad some-
time since complained to something like eider. They
.had
also a poor law minister who had rendered signal service, and
a minister of health, and a minister of works ; why not then
a minister of justice ? (Hear, hear.) The task of consolidat-
ing our statute law was a great work, and would require the
whole energies of the ablest man we could get. It could not
be made the amusement of dilettante lawyers, or the casual
occupation of busy practitioners; no, it would require the
whole time and attention of a first-rate man; and he believed
that Government would acquire strength by the appointment
of a minister of justice with sufficient qualifications. (Hear.)
Such minister of justice, whether so called or Secretary of
State, should have a competent legal staff, and his office
should be the repository of all the judicial statutes of the
country—a point in which we were at present singularly defi-
cient. That office should be open to complaints of the work-
ing of the various courts, and suggestions of amendment,
it should collect information, and from that informa-
tion it should be the duty of the minister to prepare
measures which the Government could subseprently intro-
duce to the house. In addition to that, the Minister of Jus-
tice might superintend the current legislation of the country,
not interfering with the free action of individual members,
but ready when called on for a suggestion—for he believed
there were few individual members who would not be glad to
refer from time to time to a competent authority respecting
the technical bearing of their measures. They would thus
avoid the errors which were constantly creeping into acts of
Parliament. A very striking instance of the imperfect man-
ner in which some of our statutes were framed had lately been
cited by Lord Lyndhurst. It appeared that some time ago an
act had been passed making it penal to forge a parish register,
and the penalty was to be given, one moiety to the informer,
the other to the parish. During the passage of the measure
though that house an hon. member proposed to add to the
pecuniary mulct, 14 years' transportation, and consequently
it became the law of the land that in such cases the in-
former and the parish should divide the fourteen years'
transportation between them. (Laughter.) He trusted
that the statute-book would be cleared of these absurdities,
and its contents consolidated; and, in conclusion, he begged
to express his opinion that the motion of his right hon. and
learned friend, indicating, as it did, a want which had before
been recognised by Lords Lyndhurst, Langdale, Brougham,
and the Attorney-General, and which was generally felt and
acknowledged, would end in some real and energetic attempt
at a remedy, He did not presume to dictate to the Govern-
ment what that remedy should be, but he thought the remedy
proposed by his right hon. and learned friend an important
attempt in the direction of law reform, and as such ho com-
mended it to the notice of the Government and of the house.

Mr. BAINES said that the pub.ic were greatly indebted
to the right bon. gentleman opposite for taking up the
question, and for the temper and ability with which he bad
introduced it to the house. (Loud cheers.) It would be
impossible to over-rate the importance of the subject
indeed he had himself long had occasion to observe and
lament the state of things existing with regard to the statute
law which the right bon. and learned gentleman had pointed
out so clearly. He (Mr.Baines) believed that not only in that
house, but generally throughout the country, there was a per-
fect concurrence of opinion as to the existence of great evils
in the state of the law, and the necessity there was of hitting
some substantial remedy. The only question left for them to
consider was what the remedy should be. His right hon. and
learned friend had not proposed any distinct remedy, although
he had established to the satisfaction of every one that a state
of things existed which loudly called for a remedy. The right
hon.gentleman spoke merely of a department of public justice,
differing in his views on that point from the hon. and learned
member for Plymouth, who, it appeared, would cast on the
proposed department functions far more extensive than were
contemplated by his right hon. and learned friend. A depart-
ment of public justice for this country might appear easy in
itself; but they must consider what the idea involved.
Some persons believed that the Minister of Justice ought to be
a person having high political functions He believed that that
was the view of the hon. and learned member for Plymouth ;
but his right hon. and learned friend had confined himself to
a narrower issue—namely, whether it would be desirable to
have some authority to assist in the business of legislating, and
to that point only, he (Mr. Baines) should direct his observa-
tions. He had already stated that not only in his own opi-
nion, but in that of a great majority both in and out of the
house, the conviction existed that the present state of our
laws required a remedy, and a confirmation of the general opi-
nion was to be found in the report of the Statute Law Commis-
sion, in which not only was the existence of evils stated, but
the sort of remedy necessary was shadowed forth.' The commis-
sion reported that nothing satisfactory could be expected, until
either a beard or some body was appointed whose duty it. would
be to revise all bills for Parliament. That was the report
of the law commission, and was most deserving of attention,
seeing that it had attached to it the names of Lerd
Chancellor, Lords Lyndhurst, Brougham, and Brougham, the
Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, the Lord Chief Baron,
Lord Wensleydale, Sir W. Page Wood, tte. That being their
view, and the conclusion to which they had come last session,
he might perhaps be allowed to call attention to what they
had done during tie present, since their labours bad been re-
sumed. He was happy to say that most valuable suggestions
had been laid before them, some by the hon. and learned
member for Cambridge, others by the hon. and learned mem-
ber for Suffolk, and a plan had been devised which he be-
lieved he might say had received the sanctien of the commis-
sion. The end of that plan was shadowed forth in the passage
he had read, which, he took it, was ideuti;al with the motion
of his right hon. and learned friend. He was not, of course,
permitted to state that plan in detail, but ha believed it
would embody some most valuable suggestions. The question
then for them to consider was whether it would not be desir-
able to see this plan before they pronounced a dennitive opi-
nion. That, he was authorised to say, was the view of the
1 .arned members for Cambridge and Suffolk ; and, being so,
perhaps it would be concurred in by his right hon. and
learned friend; to whom the house and the country were
much indebted for the ability with which he Lad introduced
the question.

Mr. L. KING said that most of the evils in our laws might
be traced to the military system, which had at one time been
found the most convenient for the Government of this coun-
try, the only change being, that for the savage barbarity of
the dark ages we bad substituted the more refined mischief
and legal subtleties of the present time. The statute laws
were now in such a condition thet they could hardly be un-
derstood by the lawyers themselves; but there was another
branch, namely, the unwritten law, which was in a still more
unsatisfactory state. The law was, in short, the decision of
the judge, and remained so until some subsequent judge came
to a contrary conclusion, and the remit was that a wise man
would prefer submitting to injustice, rather than defend his
right in a court of law. Rpferm might be difficult, but they
must recollect that only a short time since our military was
as bed as our legal system, but taught by the disasters in the
East, we had already arrived at a better state of things. The
right hon. gentleman who had spoken last augured great
things from the report of the commission. He must confess
that he had no faith whatever in that commission, for he re-
membered one that was established in 1830, all the members
of which had since died off or been used up elsewhere, with-
out producing any result. The commissioner who still remained
was a'persenal friend of the -LOrd Chancellor's, and it was to
be regretted that his lordship should have permitted a private
friend to retain as a sioecnre that which should be the most
important office of the day. From the law officere of the Crown
they could not expect much, so much was th«ir time o mupied
with other matters; besides, Lord Lyndhurst had pointed out
that in the commission there had been a want of co-operation
between the law officers and the other commissioners. Neither
could they expect much reform from the Government ; indeed,
the First Lord of the Treasury had intimated as mush in reply
to him (Mr. L. King.) Having quoted a short passage from
Lord Campbell's " Lives or tho Lord Chancellors," the hon.
member concluded by giving his cordial support of the motion.
Mr. WIGRAM supported the motion, and thought that
hii right hon. and learned friend had exercised a wise dis-
cretion in not pointing out the particular lino of reform that
ought to be adopted. One point he thought should be deter-
mined on, namely, that the minister of justice, if appointed,
should have a seat in Parliament. Su:h a minister might,
initiate measures of law reform, a thing which it was hope-
less to expect from a Government. He did not recollect any
which had been originated in that quarter since Sir R. Peel's
valuable alterations in the criminal law. What they wanted
was something done in the same business-like manner. He
did not expect much from codification, seeing that the codifi-
cation of the merchant shipping acts had required a bill of
500 or 603 clauses, but the statutes might be taken up sub-
ject by subject, and thus practical amendments might be car-
ried out. At present Government did not take up the m it-
ter, and when a private member carried a bill through with
great labour ;it was generally found to be unsatisfactory, and
ultimately rejected by the House of Lords. Thinking that
his right hon. friend's motion offered the nearest approxima-
tion to a remedy, he (Mr. Wigram) should give it hTs
support.

Sir G. GREY—My right hon. friend (Mr. Baines) has ex-
pressed, on the part of the Government, not only their sense
of the importance of the subject, but their concurrence in the
spirit of the resolutions moved by the right hon. and learned
gentleman opposite (Mr. Napier). They agree with him,
' there are very great defects in the present statute book, and
still greater defects in the mode in which acts are passed year
by year through the Legislature. They agree with him that
it is most important and desirable a remedy should be applied
to those defects, and that, in the words of the resolution,
sonic useans should be provided u for securing the skilful pre-
paration and proper structure of Parliamentary bills, and for
promoting the progressive amendment of the laws of the
United Kingdom." I hope that, having met the proposition
in that spirit, the right lion, gentleman will not ask the house
to pledge itself as to the mode in which the object shall be
attained—viz., by the appointment of a public department, at
the head of which shall be a Minister having a seat in this
houie. (Hear.) I hope that he will, at least, wait until
the subject has received the consideration of the eminent and
learned men who constitute the Statute Law Commission
to whom it has been referred, that we may have the benefit
of their opinion • on some points to which the right
honourable gentleman has called the attention of the house.
(Hear.) The report of .that commission, having been laid
before the Lord Chancellor, will be submitted to the Statute
Law Commission anew, and it will afterwards be submitted
to the Crown and to Parliament. We shall then have the
benefit of the opinion of those eminent men. I hope-the
Government will not be asked to pledge themselves to the
appointment of a New Secretary of State, as he has boon
Failed to-night, and who is to bo invested with functions far
b 1 ,11. c power of any individual, unless assisted by a nu-
merousagreslearned and highly paid staff, While I cannot but
in much that has been said relative to the careless mode
in which acts of Parliament are worded, Jam afraid that no
Parliament abandonswsill
Minister of Justice prevent many of these evils unless
arrangement
or :thing of its free right of legislation
of the inconvenience of wgheincitiet
details which are the cause of much
and its arran
the right hon, gentleman com-
plains. The right hon. gentleman would appear to be dis-
posed to leave many of the detailsofthis would
acts of Parliameot to be
resent
netnts are not madeni in committee,
pr tire.
be diffieult, if not
settled out of this house
ibmi pl opsass iqbelse
which
ht haem
in for there is hardly a
many of them verbal, many important, a any proposed
without notice. These amendments committee
retaially re-4
cause of the inaccuracies and inconvenience to 7,e:ilia:l.°, thetle right
f
hon. gentleman has adverted. The evil may
medied by the draughts of bills being first submitted to the
public department which the right hon. and learned
man proposes to create ; but the house will regard wftret-
treme jealousy the proposal to entrust any department of the
Government with the revision of the bills of independent mem.
hers, and the control over that right of making amendments
in committee which is now so frequently exercised. I agree
with the right hon. gentleman in -thinking it desirable that
the house should support the :Government in objecting to
the introduction of bills which have no prospect of-passing.
Agreeing, also with the right honourable gentreman . upon-the
general question, and regarding this as a subject of great
deprecate Agy hasty steps being taken
-
Imports I must
when a c)rupetent body aKo
W at
L0,94-iiexine_dnt should the .subject, and, I
think it unadvisabie that the- Gobvernm

present asked to pledge themselves to one particular mode
of effecting the object: I cannot agree with the
hon. and learned gentleman the member for Cambridge when
he complains of the absence of any attempt to improve the
Tegislation of this country. He has alluded to the important
reforms introduced by Sir R. Peel for the improvement of the
criminal law, and says that nothing has beendone for the im-
provement of legislation since that period. I think he has
scarcbly done justice to some of Sir R. Peel's successors. I
cannot take any credit for myself, but when I was Secretary
of State before, the valuable
.and important consolidation of
the criminal law, known as Jervis's Acts, was effected, and
this is justly regarded as one of the greatest improvements in
modern legislation. The Statute Law Commission have pro-
ceeded in the same course, and we shall soon, I trust, have
the opportunity of passing our opinion upon the labours of
that commission in classifying and codifying the statute law.
If you want a great deal of work done in a short time you
must have a dictator, and whatever the labours of individuals
may be, the bills to give effect to them must undergo a first
and second reading in both houses, and that examination of
the details by independent members, which renders the codi-
fication of the statute law a slower process iu this than in other
countries which do not possess the unquestionable advantages
of free institutions. The subject is one that has engaged the
attention of the Government, and I hope we shall soon be able
to take a decided step upon it. I therefore hope the right hon.
gentleman will not now ask the house to pass a resolution
without knowing what must be the staff, what must be the
expenses, and the duties which the new minister is to be ex-
pected to perform.
Lord J. RUSSELL—I think that the house is greatly in-
debted to the right hen. gentleman (Mr. Napier) for having
brought before us a grievance of great extent and importance
and I think that he has likewise proposed with great mode-
ration a proper remedy. I do not think that the remedy he has
proposed is open to the objection taken to it by my right lion.
friend the Chancellor for the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. B sines) ,
namely, thatit is vague and indefinite. It was the duty of the
right hon gentleman not to enter upon details, or to dictate to
the Government in what manner the new office was to be
constituted, but simply to state the principle upon which he
wished it to be established. .Bat while I think the right hon.
gentleman (Mr. Napier) quite justified in making his motion,
I do not see how the house, aft:r :what has been stated by
the Government, can proceed to adopt the resolution of the
right hon. gentleman, since it appears that persons of great
authority and learning are now assembled for the purpose of
considering the subject, and have nearly agreed upon a report
which is about to engage the serious attention of the Govern-
ment. But while we are bound to wait to see the recom-
mendation of the commission in a mature state and in its de-
tails, there is a great difference between the proposition
of the right hoe. gentleman and that propounded by the
Government. The right hon. gentleman proposes that a re-
sponsible Minister shall be appointed—by what name he is to
be called is not very materi il—but responsible to Parliament,
whose duty it shall be to propose and conduct through the
House of Parliament in which he may sit—and I suppose he
would have a seat in this house—all such measures of legal
reform as the Government may approve. I think the ap•
pointinent of such a Minister would be of great advantage
and convenience, Whatever amendments to his bills may be
proposed, he will either be able to defend his measures, and
to show in what respect they are better than the amendments
proposed, or to give way to those amendments if he sees rea-
son to do so, and this house will be disposed to listen with
great deference to the arguments of such a Minister. It is a
totally different thing to have, as it seems intended to have,
certain officers under the Lord Chancellor or some other Mi-
nister, whose business would be to frame the details and to
correct the language of acts of Parliament. Such an arrange-
ment would be excellent in order to avoid those gross blun-
ders of which an illustration has been given to-night ; but,
with regard to the general principles of our legislation, officers
of that kind, not having seats here, not being able to explain
themselves to the house, and not knowing the wishes of Par-
liament, would have very little weight and authority. They
would, indeed, to a certain degree, improve the language of
bills brought before us, and prevent the introduction of in-
consistent clauses when those bills were about to pass, and so
far they would be useful ;- but for the great objects which
the right hon. and learned gentleman has in view their utility
would, I conceive, be very.little. What I should be glad to
see, and what we have wanted for many years, is a depart-
ment, with an officer at the head of it who should make this
particular sort of reform his business, who should obtain from
Government certain days to bring forward his measures, and
sufficient time for their discussion, instead of having them
brought on at the end of the session, and who should call the
serious attention of Parliament to those measures. There
are instances without end of cases in which such an officer
would have been useful. It is a great many years ago since
I heard the late Bishop of Lincoln—a very learned and able
man—call the attention of that most eminent judge, Lord
Stowell, in the other house, to the defects in our law with
respect to the discipline of the clergy. He mentioned a case
in which a clergyman had been guilty of gross and notorions
immorality, to the scandal of his neighbourhood, and ho had
been obliged to institute proceedings, which had then ex-
tended over four or five years, and had cost him 3,000/. or
4,000/., but had not arrived at a Satisfactory conclusion. Here
was a gross defect in the law which did not apparently re
quire any great effort of legislation to reach it, bat it had
never been corrected to this day. Gross cases of immorality
still occur; bishops are still obliged to institute proceedings
at great expense and loss of time to themselves, and I do not
know that the facility of legislation upon the subject will be
increased by its having been taken into the especial care of
late convocation. It appears to me that if we could get rid
of the ecclesiastical notion, that ecclesiastics alone are fit to
judge of such subjects, a prosecutor or attorney-general of
the Church might be appointed, who Might bring cases of this
kind before a tribunal which might speedily decide them,
and the Church would then get rid of the scandal of having
such notoriously unfit ministers, and the bishops would be
relieved of an unfair claim upon them. There are other in-
stances of the same kind. Many years ago, at the end of a
session, I took charge of a bill for the reform of the ecclesi-
astical courts. Sir R. Peel, who was then in office, was
about to commit that massacre of bills which takes place
every year, and I was obliged to give it up ; and the ques-
tion of the reform of the ecclesiastical courts is still waiting
.r the attention of Parliament, (licar, hear.) Do not
tell me that the law officers of the Crown can prevent these
things ; with thtir public duties and their private practice
they have already a great deal too much ou their hands. The
right hon. gentleman who Spoke last seemed to think that
even a new Minister of Justice would hardly have sufficient
time for the important duties that would be thrown upon
him ; but if a Minister, with 'no other business to occupy him,
would find the task too much, how could it be undertaken
by the Lord Chancellor or the law officers of the Crown ?
Many cases must occur to hon, gentlemen in which measures
involving no party questions have been delayed for years and
years in that way through this house. When I introduced the
Charitable Trusts Bill, I- mentioned that the question had been
under consideration about 30 years ; the question of County
Courts was under consideration about 25 years ; yet I find
that, although the two Houses of Parliament are employed
almost every year upon those subjects, their task is not yet
completed. This house, in fact, appears to be taking a course
the reverse of that which has been taken with regard to the
steam-engine. When the steam-engine was first invented much
of its power was wasted, a great deal of the steam produced
being of very little use ; but Watt and other inventors con-
trivet' in time that nearly all the power generated should be
applied to the purpose for which it was intended, and very
little waste now takes place. But Parliament, 50 years ago, got
through whatever business it bad to do, whereas now, although
you, sir, very often sit in that chair from 12 to 4 o'clock in the
day, and then from 6 in the evening till 2 in the morning,
many bills have to bo given up at the end of every session, and
all the power created by such protracted sittings does not
contribute to the effect of useful and wholesome legislation.
I am perfectly ready to wait, at the request of the Govern-
ment, until new propositions, recommended by learned
authorities, shall be placed before the house ; but I have
already made up my mind upon this point—that of the two
propositions of the right honourable and learned gentleman
opposite, on the one hand, and of appointing a certain num-
ber of clerks to mend the details of bills before they are passed,
on the other hand— the proposition of the right hon. and
learned gentleman is the most philosophical, the most prac-
tical, and the most conducive to that improvement in our le-
gislation which is one of the great übjects to which Parliament
ought to direct its attention.

Mr. DRUMMOND could see no possible objection to the re-
solution, the usefulness of which he thought was self-evident.
Mr. MALINS thought that instead of regretting that so
little had been done, they should rather take credit .to them-
selves that they had accomplished so much. With regard to
the proposition of appointing a minister of justice,he thought
that suck a functionary being removed from the practice of
profession would soon lose the qualifications necessary to the
efficient performance of his duties, and would overlook those
defects in the law which every-day practice brought under
the eye of the law officers of the Crown arid barristers prac-
tising in the courts.

Mr. EWART believed that, whatever the present decision of
the house, the end would be the appointment of a minister of
justice. lie called attention to the advantage which had re-
sulted from the presence` of a minister of poor laws in that
house, and expressed his 'conviction that equal benefit would
follow f:•oin the appointment of a minister of justice and a
minister of education. The hon. gentleman then referred to
several of the valuable improvements which had been made of
late years in the technical process of legislation, and urged
that still greater advantages mightbe obtained by the creation
of a Minister of Justice, which would supply the motive power
of law reform, instead of merely perfecting the legislative
machinery. ,

Mr. WILKINSON had' every disposition to take the word
of the Government that • they would promise something, and
did not advise the right hon. and learned gentleman, there-
fore, topersevere in his motion; but if the motion were per-
severed in, he should feel bound to vote for it. If the scheme
which the Chancellor o 1 the. Duchy of Lancaster had hinted
at was to involve the creation of a department or ministry of
justice, there could be no harm in such a resolution as this
having been passed ; and if not he thought It would fall short
of what was wanted. Not only in framing new laws, but in
the repeal of obsolete statutes, the house required such an
official adviser. He would mention, as an instance, that there
• was a statute of George 11., a hundred and twenty years old,
which imposeda penalty of 5011. upon every man who should
sell stock which he had not got in his own name. Now, if
that obsolete statute were acted upon, it wouldinterfere most
seriously with all the operations of the money market. It
would have this effect, that eveiy man on the Stock Exchange
would be asked, at once, whether he was engaged in any
other business ; because then, since he must sell no stock
which did not stand in his own name, all his dealings would
be unhinged in case of his failing in buSiness, and therefore
he could not be admitted. This was an example of the ano-
malies aid inconsisteneies which were allowed to remain on
the statute book, and which required for their removal the
assistance of such a dePartment as was proposed.
Lord PALMERSTON--Sir, there can be no doubt that this
subject is one of the deepest importauce, and one fully de-
serving the attentive consideration of the house. At the same
time, however plausible the proposition may be of the ap-
pointment of a minister of justice, I think that many of
those who have adopted the notion have perhaps not made
to themselves a sufficiently clear idea of the functions which
such a minister would have to perform ; and that upon
more.minutely going Into it they might find greater diffi-
calties than at first sight present themselves to view. I
do not, however, mean to say that such an appointment
may not possibly be advisable, but I think it is one that
oaghi to be well considered before the house comes to a
resolution, affirming positively and at once that such an
office should be created. Now the hon. and learned gen-
tleman who spoke last on the Other side (Mr. Moline) has,.
I think, adverted to the difficulties which would arise in re-
gard to some of the functions proposed to be assigned to that
office. I apprehend the objects in view are three. One
would be to direct the legislatiOn of this house, while another
would be to originate measures, and the. third would be to
endeavour to reform and improve the existing mode of legis-
lation.. Now, in regard to the first two, it is very easy to
say that a minister of justice would prevent Parliament from
falling into errors in measures that pass through the two
houses of Parliament. We have heard the story, which is not
a very new one, about the penalty of transportation, half
gong one way, and half the other. No doubt there are many
caiCs, In which bills pass into law, containing errors, either
eenaieting to other existing statutes, or errors by which they
do not
may be entertained Whether the appointment of a,
not acaomplish the purpose. in view ; but I think much
member of the Governient, Whoie duty it might be more
esPeei3llY to attend to those matters,' would be sufficient to,
prevent altogether the OCCLUTINIV9 of such mistakes. But it

is impossible that this house and the other house or Parlia-
ment should be called upon to abdicate their functions, and
individual Members would not yield their own opinions im-
plicitly at the dictum of the officer in question. That member
of the Government might tsay—" I think that such a, proposal
a bad one; I thitik it liable to -this objection or to that ob-
jection if words proposed are inscribed in the bill ;' but
individual members would persevere in retaining their own
opinion, and the house would very often back them, and so
the minister of justice might find himself, as other members

of the Government sometimes do, left in a minority if a di-
vision should take place upon the question. Therefore you
could not comb'ne the absolute power of a member of the
Government to direct legislation in what he might think the
proper course, with the inherent constitution of a delibera-
tive assembly like this. Certainly there might be some
weight attached to the recommendations and the objections
of such a public officer; that would depend upon the legal
attainments and professional knowledge of the individual who
might happen to have been selected for the office. Now, my
noble friend behind me has quoted the difficulties which have
been experienced, and the length of time whiCh has elapsed,
in passing a great variety of important public measures; but
if he will allow me to say it, I think that those difficulties and
delays depend not upon the absence of each a member of the
Government as that whose appointment is now under consi-
deration, but upon the resistance in Parliament arising from
the variety of opinions, the resistance which always is opposed
to the progress of any great system of improvement in your
laws; and that resistance will always be found, let who may
be the officer of the Government by whom such measures are
proposed. Suggestions for the amendment of the law, andva-
rious matters of that sort, can only be carried through by a
conjunction of the majority of the two houses of Parliament,
and that conjunction may certainly be hastened by the argu-
ments urged by a member of tha,Government ; but the de-
lays which had been alluded to do notarise from the difficulty
or impossibility of framing proper bills' but from the diffi-
culty of persuading Parliament to adopt those bills, when
properly framed and submitted to their judgment ; therefore,
so far as the functions of a minister of justice could consist in
assisting and directing this and the other house of Parliament
in the act of new legisation, I think that somewhat of an ex-
aggerated view has been taken of the advantage which would
arise from the creation of such an office, though I do not
mean to say that there might not sometimes be conveniences
resulting from it. Now, in regard to the other point, viz.,
the reform of the existing mode of legislation, I think that
gentlemen have rather lost sight of what has been done when
they represent that no considerable improvements have ben
made in the direction of legal reform. It is, perhaps, rather
a good tendency of the human mind to undervalue what has
been done, and to fix attention mainly upon that which
remains to be done ; and it is not a tendency that one
would feel at all disposed in the abstract to quarrel
with ; but nevertheless, when we aro endeavouring to fix in
our owe minds the real stets of things, we must not forget
that great progress has been made of late years in the improve-
ment of the law in its variousbranches, although that is rather
a reason for going on, and by no means a reason for objecting
or opposing any' obstacle to measures of great and further im-
provement to be made ! Now, my right hon. friend the Chan-
cellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has told the honk, that the
Statute Law Commission are at the present moment engaged
in considering propositions that are to be submitted for aiop-
tionh My hon, friend who spoke last behind me (lfr. Ewart)
said that it is a question. whether the_proposal which is to be
made is a proposition for continuous or Merely for a tempo-
rary improvement. I believe that very question is under
consideration, and therefore I think that, considering that
those eminent men who have been appointed to the task have
at the present moment under their consideration proposals
which miy eventually go far to meet the views of the right
hon. gentleman opposite, and of the house at large, I think
that right hon. gentleman would do well to adopt the sugges-
tion of my right hen, friend, that is to say to waive for the
' p.resent asking the House of Commons to agree to the resolu-
tion which he has proposed, reserving to himself, later in the
session, if he should find that the result of the labours of the
commission have not been such as the house feels entitled to
expect, are not calculated to lead to any sufficiently satisfactory
result, the right to renew his proposition either in its present
shape or in any other shape that may appear to him to be better
calculated to lead to a practical result. (Cheers.) I can only
assure him and the house,that her Majesty's Government are
deeply sensible of the extreme importance of this matter, and
that they, so far from wishing to throwany obstacles in the way
of the improvement of the law, feel that it is undoubtedly
one of those matters which it is the duty of the Government
to pay the greatest and most earnest attention to. I should
hope, therefore, that the right hon. gentleman will not press
his resolution on the house at the present moment, but wait
and see what shall be the result of those deliberations in which
the Statute Law Commissioners are at the present moment
engaged.
Mr. M'MAHON was not satisfied with the working of the
statute commission, which had coot the country upwards of
100,0001. and no beneficial results had proceeded from it. He
thought that great benefit would result from the appointment
of a minister of public justice, for he could do the same duty
that the chairman of committtees did for private bills, and he
hoped the motion would be persevered in.
Mr. CRAUFURD urged Mr. Napier not to press the house
to a division on his motion, but to wait to see what the Go-
vernment intended to do.

➢ir, ROUNDELL PALMER contended that they could not
appoint a minister of justice without altogether disturbing the
present functions of the Lord Chancellor and the Attorney-
Guneral: It would be a further inconvenience that such an
officer must go in and out with the Ministry, so that they
would not get any eminent lawyer to give up his practice by
taking such an Office, unless they awarded him a large salary
and a large retiring allowance.

Mr. NAPIER replied, offering to amend his resolution by
omitting the words, " securing the skilful preparation of
bills," and substituting generally, " with a view to promote
the better amendment of the laws of the United Kingdom."
-Sir G. GREY could not ,agree to the resolution in that
form, but offered to accept it if the right hon. gentleman
would emit the words, " the creation of a department of public
justice," and allow the resolution to stand thus:—" That in
the opinion of the house provision should be made with a.view
to secure the skilful structure and preparation of Parliamen-
tary bills, and promote the progressive amendment of the
laws of the United Kingdom."
Mr. NAPIER had no objection to consent to that altera-
tion. (A laugh and cheers.)

The resolution was then put, and passed nent. con.
HARBOUR OR REFUGE AT CARDIGAN.

Mr. L. DAVIES rose to move for a select comuiittee to in-
quire into the advisability of censtructing a harbour of refuge
and defence in Cardig in-bay, and whether it may not be ad-
vantageous also to employ convict labour in the said works ?
The hon. gentleman began by urging the great importance of
the subject in reference both to the preservation of human life
and property, and the defence of the country from foreign in-
vasion. He then proceeded to bring forward a number of facts,
which could be authenticated, and on which be founded his
motion simply for inquiry into the matter. He stated that Cos
distance between St. David's-head and Holyhead was. 92 nau-
tical miles, and along that whole line of coast there was not
a single point in which a ship could obtain shelter, -an evil so
enormous that all the shipping going up St. George's Chan-
nel were obliged to be insured at an advance of 33 per cent.
on the premiums, although he admitted that a part of that
large per tentage of insurance had reference to some difficul-
ties of navigation of the Mersey. Looking to the shipping
tonnage that went up and clown that coast, which was in so
defenceless a 'state, he thought that he had only given some
few statistics to induce the house to grant tale committee he
sought. It might be supposed that to mention the shipping
of Cardigan as compared with that of the rest of the kingdom
it would appear very small ; but still there was no less than
210 ships using that bay in the year, with a tonn ige of
11,891 ; while of strange ships- passing by it there was an
average of 710 vessels, with a tonnage of 33,000. The ship-
ping going up and down the Channel was estimated to con-
vey property to the value of 20,000,0001. a year, with a
tonnage of 11,00%000. The honourable gentleman then
stated the numbegef vesseis lost near Cardigan Bay 1(34
year, giving their names and the number of lives lost in
each, and stated the amount of tonnage known to be lost
amounted to 12,000. He also stated the number lost or
injured off Fishguard Bay, and mentioned that in one day in
October last no less than 22 vessels were wrecked or damaged.
He next read a letter from a person whom he said was an
authority, who stated that if a harbour of refuge was este-
blished,on that coast none of the- casualties which had been
described would have occurred, and 'that the cost of its con-
struction need not Be more than 60,0.06. ors' 80,000/. All he
asked for was inquiry, in order to see if some inexpensive
structure might not be erected, with a view to the saving
such a sacrifice of life and property. The hon. gentleman
then treated the subject with reference to the question of
defence against foreign invasion, and referred to the opinion
of the late Duke of Wellington with regard to the defenceless
condition of this country. He also entered into a historical
review of the proposed invasion of this country by Napoleon
in 1797. The hon. gentleman then quoted the celebrated de-
claration of the late Duke of Wellington, in his letter to Sir
John Burgoyne, as to the vulnerability of the south coast.
and urged the importance of attending to onr coast defences
generally. He should be glad to see ticket-of-leave convicts
employed in useful works of this description. In Pentonville
there were 412 prisoners.; the average cost Was 291. Os. 5,} d.,
and the average earnings a trifle over 5L In Parkhurst, where
there were 514 prisoners; the loss was still greater, and the
case was much the same in Millbank. In Portland, where
there were 1,400 prisoners employed on productive labour,
their earnings exceeded their cost, and the case was the same
at Portsmouth. He hoped the noble lord at the head of the
Government would grant this committee; and if it were found
that the project was practicable that. it might be carried out.
For the sake of humanity, some immediate attempt ought t
be made to stop the present frightful loss of life from shipwreck,
as well as to lessen the dangers of invasion. The hon. gen-
tleman then concluded by moving for a, select committee.
The motion being seconded,
Sir C. WOOD said ho would first dispose of those por-
tions of the motion which had no reference to the proposed
object of the committee. Reference had been made to the
threatened invasion of Bonaparte, but ho did not see that any
defensive works in Cardigan Bay would have been of _much
service in such a case. It was true that a descent was made on
the Welch coast, some r;co or 60 years ago, but he believed,
such was the bravery. of the inhabitants, that the invaders
were put to flight by a bevy of Welch women in red petticoats.
There already existed a large Government dockyard at Pem-
broke, which must be fortified, and it was not necessary to
have another fortified place so near. As to the proposed em-
ployment of convicts, ho bad to state that a very large build-
ing hid been erected at Chatham, where they would undertake
to employ as many convicts as were likely to be available for
several years to come. On neither of these grounds was a har-
bour of refuge necessary -to be iormed in Cardigan Bay. It
should also be remembered that since 1846, a harbour of refuge
had been established in St. George's Channel. The attention of
lessthe Governmentth had been called to the subject, -and they de-
cided that Holyhe id was the most-co place on the coast
of Wales. A harbour of refuge had been formed there, and no
the Channel fo
°C;
Ovressels had ;taken refuge in it last year. On
this subject he-had consulted the liydrographer of the Admi-
ralty, and his opinion was that it was not only unadvisable to
do, this, but that it would be a positive injury to the trade of
Cardigan Bay if he could help it. The Trinity House hadne, mariner who knew his business would go
into
taken great pains to light that portion of the Welch coast, so
that vessels might be able to avoid that bay. Lights had been
Specially placed there to keep vessels clear away from that
spot. It was true that thedistanca from Milford haven to Ho-
lyhead was about 100 miles ; but thatWae no great distance
for vessels with bsgood-harlibur 'on each side. With the de-
cided opinion of the Hrkographer to the Admiralty that it
would be dangerous to construct a harbour of refuge in
Cardigan Bay, by enticing vessels there instead of keeping
in
nn
Ctahrediogtahn tayerside of the Chants I, he was not disposed
to accede to the motion; ' thought it would be a mere
waste of public money to construct a harbour of refuge either
or anywhere near it. On that ground he
lights
aia, sreferredMilford-haven
Headtboetbr:aein
age
chyt
should resist the motion.
Mr. L. DAVIES said, that if anything would impress him
with the conviction that a naval man ought to be at the head
of the Admiralty, itwas at the speoah of the right hon. bert.
To talk of
v
nil;refuge
ignorance.
t.
rrafteras i n
sOnouround-
ingchaof ptobSseitt.ion that it could not be soon above 5 days in the year.
It was toe much that the wishes of the inhabitants of the
district should. be controlled by the opinionlof a single offi-
cial. Let the houSe be warned against relying on this by
what had occurred in the late Crimean campaign. He felt
bound to press his motion to a division, even if he went out
alone. uraingpPholtiln' eibl
ooe

Mr; WYNN said had al)Plied to the' Triuity-laouse for

led,Ve to erect a sea-mark add place a light ship on St. Pat-
rick's Causeway—a reef in Cardigan Bay, which was ex-
tremely dangerous to shipping. A promise was given, but
nothing whatever had been done.
Mr. PHILLIPS, though he shared in the anxiety of his
hon. friend for the establishment of a harbour of refuge in
Cardigan Bay, recommended him not to press for the appoint-
ment of a eommittee in the face of the unfavourable opinion
which they hadjust heard from the right hon. gentleman.

The holise divided—
Ayes
Noes • •
The motion was thus lost.
THE IRISH MAILS.

44
118 -74

Mr. M'CANN moved for a' return, for the quarter end-
ing tb.e 31st day of December, 1555, of the number of let-
ters received in Dublin 'by the mail which leaves Euston
Station at five o'clock p.m., and of the number of those letters
which were forwarded by the morning mails from Dublin
to the provinces ; and similar return of the letters received
by the mails which leave Euston Station at 45 minutes past
8 p.m., and of those forwarded by the night mails from
Dublin.

Mr. WILSON would have no objection to the return were
it not that the Post-office accounts (lid not contain any mate-
rials for making it.

Colonel DUrgNE kopecl that tho Government would as-
sent to the re-appointment of tho committee on the Irish
mails.

The motion was then withdrawn.

THE CURRENCY.
➢lr. MUNTZ said that as he understood the Government
intended to oppose the motion of which he had given notice
on this subject, he would not bring it on at that hour of the
night (a quarter to 11). He would bring it on again on Tues-
day, the 19th inst.

ADULTERATION OF FOOD, &c.
Mr. SCHOLEFIELD moved for the re-appointment of
the committee on the adulteration of food, drink, and drugs.
—Agreed to.

CONTRACTORS DISQUALIFICATION REMOVAL.
Mr. T. MITCHELL moved for leave to bring in a bill to
repeal the act 22 Geo. 111., di qualifying contractors from
being elected to, or meeting and voting as members of the
House of Commons. The act in question was of such a
sweeping character that hon. gentlemen were continually
being involved, quite unawares, in its meshes. Ho might
refer to several instances which had Occurred within a very
short period. Amongst others there was that of Sir S. M.
Peto, who had been permanently disqualified from sitting in
the present Parliament by simply undertaking what was
really an act of kindness to - her Majesty's Government. A
yet stronger case was that of Baron Rothschild last year ;
and without pretending to be a lawyer, he must confess he
could not see the distinction which had been drawn by the
committee appointed by the house to sit upon the matter,
between a contract to supply a small quantity of goods and
a contract to supply sixteen millions of money. He always
thought that the constitutional check upon malversation
was to be sought for in the responsibility of Ministers,
and not in bills of pains and penalties. Besides, the
act was really quite useless to prevent that against
which it had been aimed,, for it was perfectly noto-
rious that It could be evaded with the most perfect
ease. Every 4overnment was most ready to transfer
contracts to those members of firms who were not seeking
to enter parliament; and that equally with respect to gentle-
men who were their political opponents, as with those who
were inclined to give them their support. On the part of the
mercantile community he must repudiate all desire to enter
into collusive bargains with the members of the Government.
In the Admiralty all large contracts were put up by adver-
tisement for public competition, and he supposed the same
rule was adhered to in the other departments. The hon. gen-
tleman concluded by moving for leave to bring in the bill.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he had no
ebjeetien to the motion of his hon. friend. The repeal he pro-
posed to effect would have a double operation. First, it
would remove all doubt as to the liability of loan contractors
under the Contractors Act.. That question came before the
committee which sat last session in the case of Baron Roths-
child, The greatest discrepancy of opinion existed amongst
the members of the committee upon the interpretation of the
act with regard to these contractors, but the majority decided
that they did not come under the operation. He should not
venture to express an opinion on the legal question, but he
had no doubt that the committee decidedly rightly in the
view of expediency. There was a great difference between
loan contractors in this respect, that in the case of loan con-
tracts, the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the one hand and
the parties who made the tender for the loan on the other
hand, were merely negotiators and not principals—the one
representing the Government and the others the subscribers
to the loan. The ig,reentent made by theni was merely a pro-
visional one, which required the confirmation of the House of
Commons, and, therefore the act which imposed penalties on
persons contracting with the Commissioner of the Treasury
could not be held to apply to agreements for loans. The case
was different where parties entered into other contracts—as the
supply of coals, for instance,to the Admiral Board or to the
Commissioners of the,Treasury. f anyreasonable doubt existed
as to the exemption of loan contr*ctors, he agreed with his hon.
friend that that doubt should be removed, and that the Go-'
vernment ought to support a bill having that object. With
regard to other contracts, there was some doubt; and whilst
reserving to himself the opthiou he might form as to that por-
tion of the bill, he should not object to its introduction.
Mr. J. G. PHILLIMO RE said that he was unable to under-
stand the ground of the decision of the committee, because
any person who read the debates when the Loau Contractors'
Act was passed, could not fail. to see that it was especially
directed against that very class of contractors which the com-
mittee by their decision declared to be exempt from its ope-
ration. As to the other part of the bill, ho thought the house
should consider well before acceding to them.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL said that if his hon. and
learned friend who had just spoken with so much confidence
studied the question on which he spoke, ho would see that
he was in error in point of fact, for Baron Rothschild had en-
tered into no contract at all, If his hon. and learned friend
had read the Loau Act, which, with great deference to him,
he begged leave to say he had not —(laughter, and " Yes I
have," from Mr. Phillimore)—he would find that it was ex-
prcs:ly framed in such a manner as to operate with regard to
the subject matter of the act as a repeal of the Contract Act,
and therefore if the penes negotiating a loan had entered
into a contract, but which they could not perfect till the
persons competent to do so concluded the contract, till in fact
a loan act was passed, that subsequentloan act was so worded
as to operate as a repeal of the contract act, and exempted
the parties from coming under the penalties imposed by that
act. With regard to loan contractors, therefore, the present
bill was unnecessary, and with regard to the other parts of the
bill he saw great danger from them on public grounds.

Mr. PHILLIMORh said that he confined his observations
to the object which the framers of the Contractors' Act had in
view. He said nothing about the Loan Act.

The house then divided—
For the introduction of the bill ...... .
Against
Leavo was then given to bring iu the bill.

.. 46
~ 43-3

QUALIFICATION OF JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

fir. COLVILLE. moved for leave to bring is a bill to
amend the liws relating to tho qualification of justices of the
peace. Leave was given.
_RETURNS ORDEtED.

laisll Pooa LAW.—On the mothia of Mr. llonsat.m—Re-
turns showing thetotal number of paupers (in-door and out-
door) in receipt of relief on the first Saturday of January,
1855, and the first Saturday of January, 1856, in the unions
of Ireland ; specifying the increase or decrease in the latter,
as compared with the former period. Of the total number
of paupers iu receipt of relief in • the workhouse in each pro-
vince in Ireland, at the closl of the first week (ending Satur-
day) of January, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855,
and 1854, &c.

FEES ON BARONETCIES, &c.--On the motion of Mr. GUINNESS,
Address for return of all fees chargeable upon baronetcies,
Order of the Bath, or othor honourable distinctions confer-
red by her Majesty in reward of distinguished services, and
of any expenses incident to such creations and distinctions.
BANK NOTES. —On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the
EXCHEQUER, Copies of the correspondence between the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer and the Governor and Deputy-Go-
vernor of the Bank of England,-,on the subject of issuing ad-
ditional Bank notes within the limit of the act 7 and S Viet.,
c. 32 ; and of the order in Council authorising the issue in
questi.m.

CHARITABLE USES BILL.
This bill was read a second time.
SUPPLY—NAVY ESTIMATES.
Mr. FITZROY brought up the report of the committee of
supply on the navy estimates. .
JOINT-STOCK BANKS (SCOTLAND) BILL.

On the order of the day fur the second reading of the biil,
In reply to Mr. BLACKBURNII,
Mr. WILSON stated it was not a continuance orally exist-
ing act, but almost an exact copy of a bill which had passed
the house last session. •
The house then adjourned at 20 minutes to 12.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

Portsmouth garrison presents just now the appearance
of a town beleaguered from the sea and the garrison pre-
paring busily for its defence. A large fleet of ships and
gunb•ats is at anchor in the roadstead off the town,
and new batteries and quarters for soldiers are helot;
constructed rapidly within the walls of the fortress. At
the top of the town a large range of 4 -selliog-houses
and the theatre have been pulled down to create more
room for military accommodation,' while at the bottom
a heavy battery of 16 63 pounder pivot guns is in
course of completion, having taken the place of the
old platform of 6-pounder saluting guns. In the rear
of these has been erected a large shell magazine,
flanked by, a. high earth mound to protect it from the
shot of an enemy seaward ; new embrasures for heavy
32-pounders have been cut in the curtain of the ram-
parts at various points commanding Southsea, where
a mud fort has been built near the old atone fortress,
Southsea Castle, to strengthen that 'defence. A new
double drawbridge is in course of erection in lieu of the
old single one at St. James-gate "Point," where a bat-
tery and Royal Artillery quarters in rear have' for some
time been built to protect the mouth of- the harbour on
the right of the entrance. The Government are also
endeavouring to negotiate for a large extent of house
property in Green-row and the rear for further enlarg-
ing the barrack accommodation, and this to the extent
(says military rumour) of 30,000 men ! It so, Ports-
mouth and its adjacent dependencies must become al-
most exclusively a citadel.
The new steam-gun and despatch' boat Lapwing, 4,
was put in commission on Monday by Commander
Thomas Saumarez, and the new class 6.gun screw
despatch boat Pioneer was lint in commission yesterday
by Commander Mends. Iler Majesty's ship Blenheim,
60, Captain W. H. Hall, was undocked at Portsmouth
yesterday after 'refit.
B. H. Pearson, assistant-engineer, Ist class, R.N.,
has been appointed to her Majesty's despatch gun-vessel
Sparrowhawk, in charge of the engine&
Her Majesty's screw steam-;hip Algiers, Capt. Talbot,
from the Mediterranean, was off Plymouth yesterday
afternoon, and, in, consequence of orders from the Port
Admiral Sir William Parker, proceeded up Channel,
steaming slowly.
The screw steam transport Black Diamond, No. 2,
was off Plymouth on Monday it noon, from the Crimea,
for the eastward.
The paddle-wheel steam transport Cumberland, Capt.
Rivers, No. 151, from Woolwich, for the Crimea, put
into Plymouth Sound, wind-bound, on Monday.
Assi,tant Adjutant-Geberal Yorke, commanding the
Royal Sappers. and Miners, with his official department,
having been retained at 114:pol wick until the present mo-
ment in consequence of an insufficiency of room for their
accommodation at Chatham, yesterday removed thence.
Capt. Tilley's sth Company is now the only portion of
that corps stationed at Woolwich.
The gun-boat. Forward,. 2, Lieutenant Commander
Nelson, has arrived off Woolwich Arsenal from Deptford,
to receive her ammunition, &c.,, preparatory to joining
the squadron.
The pontoon •mortar. raft has returned to Woolwich

from Shoeburyness, having gone through the second
series of experiments with Colonel Ci.ahners' 10 inch
howitzer gun. Since the pontoon metal has been
strengthened all the experiments have turned out satis-
factorily, consequently th"c-raft has been pronounced in
perfect service condition.
A curious experiment was on Monday tried in the
Arsenal marshes at Woolwich with a new description of
shell, being the invention of a Mr. Stevens. A piece of
wood fitting the bore of the gun was attached to a shell,
aecordinc, o
to the inventor's contrivance, to accelerate its
flight, which ho expected would be a very long one.
Several of the shells were then fired from a 6-pounder
gun, and in each instance the wood was shattered in
pieces, and the shelf rolled to a distance of about 200
yards. In fact, the experiment completely fade.%
The following promotions and appointments were
made yesterday at the Admiralty

Tne-Rev. W. W. Campbell, Chaplain to the Dragon;
J. G. Barnes, Paymaster to the Archer ; A. _Rowe, C.
W. Harris, T. J.'Ley, T. C. H. Shears, H. Gilpin, A.
Ocey, A. T. M. Roberts; and B. Lusmore, Assistant-
Paymasters, promoted to the rank of Paymasters.

Dividend Amount
Name of Company. per of raid. Price.
Annum. Share.
, X s. d. £ s. d.
British •• •• •• •• •• •• •• —. i
Ditto Provincial .. .. 71. 120 0 0 20 0 0 24%
Brighton —••..• • • • ~ 5/. 20 0 0 20 0 0 13
City of London .. •• •• 41. Os. [lOO 0 0 1:,0 8 0
Continental (4th Cap.) . 50 0 0 20 .0 0
Equitable.. •• •• .. •• •• 2/. 10s. [5O 0 0 all I as%
Great Central ....... al per cent. ,10 0 0 all 111 A
Imperial ............101k bonus. 50 0 0 all 85
Independent ......... 51. i 40 0 0 •• I ......
London•• •• .. ••••• • •• .- 50 0 0 •• . .-..
Do., Parl. Preference 61. per cent. ' 25 0 0
phce nix . ............ 41. per cent. ;60 0 0 52 'Ci 0 j
Rateliff .• •• • ...• •• • 51. .100 0 0 16 0 0 16
United General ...... 21. 10s. 50 0 0 all 10X
Westmitister Chartered 4,1 per cent. 50 0 0 Of 55
Ditto, New ........ i5O 0 0 10 0 0 10

Do., Path Preference
ph(enix .•• •• •• •• ••
Ratcliff •• • • • .. •• •• .
United General ......
Westminster Chartered
Ditto, New ........

Name of Company.

WATER-WORKS.

Dividend
per

Annum.

East London
Grand Junction .... • • , 4 . per mt.
Kent
Lamhett .........•
New River Company 2l. 10s.
Southwark & Vauxhall Si. per ent.
West Middlesex • • • •

Name of Company.

I Amount

Share.

s. d.
Stock.
!SO 0 0
100 0 0
100 0 0

100 0 0
161 0 0

BRIDGES.

Dividend Amount
per of

Annum.

Paid.

Share.

£ s. d.
100
all

Price.

Paid.

Price.

. .
.£ s. d. £ B. d.
Hungcrford....•• ..•• 12
Southwark ......•• .. 110 0 0
Ditto New of 7% p.c. 1/. per cent. ZO 0 0
Waterlo, .. ..... 100 0 0
Ditto Old inn. of 8/. 11. 14s. Bd. CO 0 0 ___
Ditto NW ditto of'7l.- 11. 10s. 40. 40 0 0
25
Vauxhall .......... •• -98 s. 70 10 3 20 ,14
DOCKS.
Dividend Amount
Name of Company. per of Paid. Price.
Annum. Share.
--- ---
X s. d. .£ s. d.
Commercial ...• ...... 51. pr cent. Stock. Stock. .
East and West *lndia.. , 6'. pr cent. stock. 119%
East C•untry• • .. ...... 20s. per sh.
London ... • ... •• : 3/. pr cent. Stock. 100
,
Ditto Bonds •• .. •• ••1 41. per cer.t.
at. Katnarino •• .• •• .• 4 per cent. Stock. , 84
• onthampton .• —.••• , 3'. Os per c. 50 0 0' 50 0 9 ,
Victoria .. •• •• -•!
.... 1 51. per cent. '2O 0 0i 10 0 0 173.

JOINT-STOCK BANKS.

Dividend Amount
Name of Company. per of
Annum. share.

Australasia. • •
British NorthAmorican
Commercial of London.
Colonial .. • • • • • • • • • • • •
lonian.... • • • •
Loud. Char. Bk. of Ans.
London and County • •
Londn and Westininstr
London •loint•Stock . • •
Frovinetal of Ireland..

Ditto, New. • • . . • • • •
Natiour.l of Ireland.—
Nat. Provincial Of Ping.

Ditto, New •• •• • •
Orlentui Bank Corpora.
South Australia • • . • ..
Union of A ustralia • ,• •

Paid.

1201.
per cent.l
Si. per cent.
10/.per cent.
51. per cent.
161. per cent.

N. d.
40 0 0
50 0 0
100 0 0
100 0 0
25 0 0
X2O II 0
50 0 0
100 0 0
50 0 0
100 0 0
10 0 0
50 0 0
100 0 0
20 0 0
25 0 0
25 0 0
25 0 0

Z a. d.
all

10/. per cent.
IV. percent.
12/ per cent.
81. per cent.
8/.per cent.
61. per cent.
81, per cent.
Si. per 'cent.
p. ct.&bs.
!IC p.et.&bs.
30!. per cent.
301. per cent.
'2O!, per cent.

20 0 0
25 0 0
25 0 0

Price,

Union 1:f London .....
Union of Madrid ..r..

ail 0
20 0 0
20 0 0
10 0 0
25 0 0
811
22 10 0
35 0 0
10 0 0

INSURANCE COMPANIES.
Dividend Amount
Name of Company. per, of Paid. Price.
Annuin. Share.
Xs. d. X s. d.
Albion. .... ••••- .• .. 3/. 10s. 1500 0 0 50 0 0 83
Alliance M:. end For. 71. 14s. 6d.bs.'loo 0 0 11 • 0 -
1 ntto Marine ... .... 61. p.c. & bs. 1100 0 0 25 0 0 40%
Anchor .... • . •....... 6 per cent. I 5 .0 I 6 0 -
Atlas
argue life ......... • • 41. per cent. 100 0 0 25 0 0 -
British Commercial .. 7i. iOs. 50 0 0 5 0 0 6
ClericLaied.& Gen. Life spr ct. & bs. 100 0 0 10 0 0 21%
County .... ... •••••• • • 4/. 100 0 01 10 0 0 120
Crown .... ...• ...... 17s. 0d 50 0 0 50 0 18%
Eagle
Equity and Law...... 4% per cent. 'lOO 0 0 5 0 0 53/
European Life l/. 20 0 0 , all 18%
General .......... .. .• 61. 5 0 0
.• 5%
Globe
~ 104%
Guardi/.n ............ 51. per cent. ,100 0 0 47 5 0 51%
Imperial Fire......... 12/. per cent.lsoo 0 0 50 0 0 , 340
Impalal Life
Indemnity Marine-. 11.33 & 3/. 100 0 0 , 20 0 0 I 77
Law Fire .......... •• 25.& 2s. be. 100 0 0 210 0 -
Law L.ite............. - 100 0 s 10 0 0 61
Legal and General Life - 50 0 0 2 0 0 b
I,ondon ' . ...
London :-..4hip.... -
1tfarine......... • . •... 18.i.per share 100 0 0 28 0 0 40
Med.-fel-lid& Gen. Life 4% /..per ct. 50 • 0 2 0 0 3%
51inerva ........ •• .. sp. et. & bs. 20 0 0 2 • 0 6
Monarch. - .... •• •.• - 5 0 0 1 0 0 -
National Loan Fund.. 51. per cent. 20 0 0 210 n -
1 Palladium Life".
45%
51. per cent. 50 0 0 2
_lO 0 3%
Pelican ............... - - 178
Phoenix - - -
•
Profess:enal Life."... 5/. per cont. b 0 010 0
Provident Life.- ..'.. IL ss. & be. 100 0 0 10 0 0 38%
Rock Life ........ •• • • 75* 5 3 0 010 0 8%
all 228
Royal Exchange ....•. 10/.
Sun Fire .. .. per cent. Stock.
6/. 10s. - ,IP 248
Ditto Life .• • •• It 14s. - -
United Xingdem '•• •• H. p et. & bs. 20 0 0 47/ 0 4N
Universal Life ....... • .
51. per cent.s 1 . per cent. 100 0 0 10 0 0 -
Victoria Life ..... .
. - 412 6 531
. -
MISCELLANEOUS.
______---, .............-
Dividend Amount
Name of Comps.i.y. I per of Paid. Price.
Annum. Share.
~........____
___ X
a. d. X s. d.
Assam lea •••• •• •• •• M. 50 0 0 20 0 0,
•• .. 2% per cent.' 50 0 0 '
Auction Man..• ••
Australian Aarlculturl li.
Is. 100 0 0 17 10 0 2i3'
Australian Trust ...
• 4.
8/. pet cent. - 25 0 0 -
.
Austrajtan Royal Mail Si. 10 0 0 all 4
Anglo-Maxicare Mint.. 11. 10s. 10 0 0 all -
British American Land 15s. - 40 0 0
Canada • • • ...•
•• •• •• 61. per cent.,, 100 0 0j32 10 0 131
Do. 5 per cent Bonds 5/. per cent. - _ -
Ditto, 6 per cent. • • 61. per cent. - -1077 i
City N4vigation Bonds - _ -
Electric Telegraph . 6 per cent. ,25 0 0 24 0 0 20
Ditto .. •••.•• •• • • - 1
' 1 - - -
Equitable Tteverslonry 71 pr. cent. ;100 0 0 'lOO 0 0 -
'Atte New ...,....• - 150 00,17 10 0 -
Gen. Revers. & Invest. 5 P.C. & bs, 100 0 0 100 0 0 --
en.SteamNigation 10,p et. il5 0 0 14 0 0 27%
Hudson'a Bay. ay...... - 1 Stock. 1 - -
flungerford - ...• ••,• 21. ss. 'lOO 00 - ,100 0 0 -
London Institution .•• 1
- -
Londonßeversionary 5/per cent. 15 00 I -all
Russell institution.. ..• - ll 10 0 -
Pricc'g Patenteand.Co 101. percent. 20 -0
0 ; 17 10
Reversionary Int. Soc. 14%/. pr cent.] 100 0 0 100 0 1 90
Royal Mail Steam....- 1 41. p. where, 100 0 0 60 0 0 ' 78%
South Australian Land 6/. pet cent.l 25 00 I all
Trust and Loan Cemp. , ....'
Upper Canada .... - j2OOO j 5 0 0 -
-----------

LIST Oft SCOTTISEI. COMPANIES' PRICES.
Name of Company. 1 Dividend Amount
per of Paid. Price.
Annum. Share.
..—..---.
, .
a. d. £ 15. d•
Bank pf Scotland :. •• 7/. per cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 ,184/ 0
British Linen Company 81. per cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 '220/5s
Caledonian Bank ....• . 8/. per cent 10 0 0 210 • 0 3/. Ifs
City of t-;laszow Bark ti. per cent. 10 0 0 10 u 0 11/145
elycleSdnle Bank .... 51. V. p cent., 20 0 0 10 0 0 12,14 s
C ,mmercial Bank .. 71. per cent. [5OO 0 0 .00 0 0 223/0s
Eastern Bank .. .'. e/. per cent. 25 0 0 10 001 1 3s
F.dinb. & Glasgow...; 3xl. p cent. 5 0 0 5 0 0 4/.lBs
Exchange Bnk of Scot.. -- ••••
National Bank ...... 5% per cent. 1100 0 0 10 0 0 17110 s
North of Scotland Bank 5/.par cent 20 0 0 210 0 11. 17s
Royal Bank of S cotl. .. Si. per cent. 100 0 0 100 0 0 132110
Union Bank of Scot. 81. per cent. 100 0 0 50 0 0 921 5s
Westerr. Bank •....... 71. per cent. 50 0 0 1 50 0 0 751 Os
Alliance Fire and Lwe.. 0% 1. Pr cont. 100 0 0 i 11 0 0 181105
British Guarantee . .. 4/. per cent. II 0 0 1 2 0 0 I/. lOs
Caledonian Fire Incur. 10‘. per cent. 100 0 0 110 0 0 25110 s
City of Glasgow Lite , el. per cent. 0 0 2 0 0 11. 8s
Co ordal Li .......... 51•Per•cent. 50 0 0 1 0 0 51. 75
I,_;,llnl)urgil Min Insur; 61. percent. 100 0 0 15 0 0 27110 s
En,f. & Scot, Lav• Life 51„Icr cent. 50 0 0 3 5 0 4/. 8s
Liu; Ass,,e. e 14cei,and Gl.per cent. 10 0 0 1 10 0 5/ 105
Nations./ Fire and Life 61. per cent. 10 0 0 1 0 0 21. Os
North British ;mar... 71. per cent. 200 0 0 20 0 0 321 !Os
Scottish Union Insnic. NI. precut. 20 0 0 1 0 0 'l/. 10s
Standard Life •• •• ..•• 51. per, cent. 50 0 0 7 0 0 201108
United Doi, A.4oUraUge li. Pez,' cent. 10 0 0 1 a 0 •

Country Markets.

LIVERPOOL-FEB. 12.

- - - ---
A good attendance of millers and dealers to-day. At
the beginning of the market holders of wheat required an
advance over Friday of ld to 2d per bushel, which checked
business, and only a moderate one wan effected. American
red wheat sold at 103, 103 3d, to 103 6d per 701 be. In flour
no change. Indian corn declined 6d per qr., and in slow
demand„ No alteration in the value of other articles of
the trade.

LEEDS—FEB. 12.
The show of wheat is only moderate, and in consequence
of the damp weather the condition generally is defective.
For best dry wheats there is a fair sale at rather over Fri-
day's rates ; other descriptions move slowly at former
prices. The supply of south barley is rather beyond the
demand, and the ♦alue recedes. Oats and beans, with
other articles, without material alteration.