The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-20 00:00:00

CARD SHARPERS.

At the Manchester Borough Court, on Monday, a
respectable-looking young man, named Patrick
M'Ginnis, was charged with being one of a party
who had deluded a person out of 51. The com-
plainant, Henry Ingle, of Great Heaton, stated that
on Saturday evening he was met in Miller's-lane,
by a man whom he took to be a farmer's servant,
and who asked him what time the train started
for Ashton ; adding that he had come from Stret-
ford about a pony that was stolen. He desired
witness to go into a public-house with him, and he
would give him his master's address, so that if he
should happen to see the pony, he might send the
information to Stretford. They went into the Crown
and Cushion, where there were three men playing at
cards. They asked him to play ;he did not
understand cards, but he played first for 55.,
which he lost. They had three cards, one of
which was a king of some kind, and he who drew
the king out of the three was to win. The man
who went in with him turned up the corner of one
of the cards, so that it might be recognised by wit-
ness, and then told him to bet 21., and he would be
sure to win. He simply did as he was told, and the
card he drew was not a king, and the prisoner took up
the 2/. He was led to try again, but lost another 21.
Perceiving then that the men were all acting in con-
cert, and that the farmer's servant had only been the
" decoy bird," he went and
.informed the police,
but the men were gone when they arrived. Au
officer stated that he apprehended the prisoner, and
found three cards upon him, U. ls. in money, and
three flash coins, being imitations of sovereigns and.
half-sovereigns. Mr. Maude pointed out to the com-
plainant the folly of his being so easily deluded. He
intimated to the prisoner that had the evidence against
him been a little more conclusive, he would have been
sent to the sessions. He was discharged.

THE ADVERTISEMENT DUTY

DEPUTATION TO LORD JOHN RUSSELL.
A deputation of gentlemen, representing some of the
daily and weekly metropolitan newspapers, had an in.
terview, by appointment, with Lord John Russell, at his
official:residence in Downing-street, yesterday afternoon,
on the subject of the repeal of the advertisement duty.
The deputation was composed of Mr. Ewart, M.P.;
Mr. Grant, of the Morning Advertiser; Mr. Murdo Young,
of the Sun; Mr. Francis, of the Athenazan; Mr. W. R.
Spicer, of the Patriot; Mr. D. Pratt, of the British
Banner; and Mr. Thornton Hunt, of the Leader.
Mr. EwAst, M.P., introduced the subject to the Pre-
mier. The question, he said, of the repeal of the
advertisement duty, had been already brought under
the consideration of Parliament, and he (Mr. Ewart)
himself had, from time to time, presented a great number
of petitions from parties aggrieved by the operation of
the tax, praying for its repeal, especially from indivi-
duals coanected with the provincial press. He had reason
also to believe that there was a very strong and
growing feeling abroad with reference to the manner
in which the tax preseed upon the springs of trade and
commerce, and especially upon persons in the class of
domestic servants, who, in order to obtain situations,
were coral:riled to have recourse to advertising. The
deputation would not have taken the liberty of troubling
his Lordship at a time when the duties of his:responsible
office pressed upon him with perhaps more than ordi-
nary weight, but that they considered the subject was
one of general interest, more or less, he might
say, almost every class of the community, from the
great landed proprietor who advertised the sale of an
estate down to the poorest woman who sought to gain her
livelihood in domestic service. When his Lordship took
into consideration the extreme smallness of the sum which
the duty in question raised to the revenue—a sum not
exceeding 157,0001., in connexion with its general pres-
sure upon all classes of the community, without excep-
tion almost, he (Mr. Ewart) would fain believe that his
Lordship would see that the time had arrived for the re-
mission of such a tax. There was another reason why the
tax ought to be repealed, and that was the vast variety
of modes that were constantly being adopted to evade it
—modes more ingenious than honest. For example, all
published books contained advertisements of other
books, but the advertisements of that class which
were chargeable with duty were only such as ap-
peared in newspapers or reviews. He might also
instance a mode of evading the duty which was now
adopted at railway stations. There were many other
ways of escaping the operation of the duty, and of de-
feating its intention as originally proposed. The deputa-
tion thought it hard, not only that those who advertised
their wants or their wares in newspapers, should be so
heavily mulcted, but that others, who ingeniously sought
out other modes of advertisement, should escape
payment of the duty altogether. Perhaps many of
those parties were actuated by the desire to publish their
advertisements in a more conspicuous way than the news-
papers afforded ; but, however that might be, the prac-
tices to which he had adverted, and other kindred ones
did lead to many ingenious modes of evading the duty
itself. He believed there was no other country than this
in which an advertisement duty existed. If his Lordship
had any opportunities of looking at the American news-
papers, he would see the enormous number of advertise-
ments which they contained.

Lord Jour RUSSELL said he had often had occasion
to observe the immense number of advertisements which
appeared in the American newspapers.

Mr. FRANCIS said he could bear his testimony to the
facts which had been stated by the Hon. Gentleman
(Mr. E wart). He (Mr. Francis) held in his hand a
number of extracts from articles in various journals on
the subject of this duty ; and it was surprising to
observe the unanimity with which they condemned it.
Thos.• extracts were taken from the Sun, the Daily News,
the Atheneeurn, the Patriot, and many others of the Lon-
don journals. Indeed, it was next to an impossibility to
add anything to the arguments which the writers of
those articles had used for tha repeal of the tax in ques•
tion. lle might also advert to some of the means which
were now adopted to evade the tax altogether. He held
in his hand, for example, a prospectus just issued by
the North-Western Railway Company. It an-
nounced to the public that they had authorized
the whole of their station-masters at 180 stations
to receive advertisement;, thus constituting themselves
advertising agents, for the purpose of inserting them in
certain spaces that they had allotted at the different
stations for their exhibition; but that Wil3 not
all, they had also appointed an agent in the Strand.
There was no doubt that a similar practice
would in course of time be adopted general?y at the
railway stations throughout the kingdom.
MURDO YOUNG—And by way oc indue?meut to
advertisers tha railway company say that 6,000,000
pet,p!e travelled on their rally:ay in one year, an ad-
vertising circulation which no newspaper can boast of.—
(Laughter.)

.air. FRANCIS sail at a recent interview with the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer on this subject, he (Hr. Francis)
ventured to state the manner in which the proprietors
of one of the Dioramas in London contrived to advertise
their concern ►i•hout paying duty, namely, by inflating
balloons and attaching to them a great number of tickets
of admission to their exhibition, which tickets, after the
balloon had risen a certain height in the air, were scat-
tered about in all directions, the finders of the tickets
being entitled to admission to the exhibition at half-price
on writing on the tickets the place where they had been
respectively picked up. lle (11r. Francis) had recently
seen an advertising dog walking along the Strand—
(Laughter)—with a bill suspended from his neck, invit-
ing the public to deal with his master, and with a bill at-
tached to his tail giving the address of his master.—(Re-
stewed laughter, in which Lord J. Russell heartily joined.)
That and many other modes of advertising were wholly
untaxed, and they only showed, amongst other considera-
tions, that the time had arrived when advertisements in
newspapers should be untaxed also.
Mr. GRANT reminded his Lordship that a sum of not
more than 158,0001. was derived to the revenue from
this source.—(Hear.) He (Mr. Grant) believed the
result of abolishing the duty altogether would be
that so great a stitaulus would be given to parties
to:advertise exciseable articles, that the increased con-
sumption of those articles, consequent on such ex-
tensive advertising of them would make up fully for
the sum which the Chancellor of the Exchequer would
lose by the repeal of the advertisement duty. In proof
of the extant to which untaxed advertisements would be
published, he knew of his own knowledge that the New
York Courier, and some others of the American news-
papers, contained between 1,800 and 2,000 advertise-
ments daily of articles of all descriptions.

Mr. EWART said the extremely bad principle on which
such a tax was imposed was that it taxed comnnrce in
its communications; in other words, the channels or
conduits through which persons in trade sought to make
known to each other their mutual wnnts. The eminent
political economists, M'Culloch and Mill, and other
writers, were unanimous in thinking that this was one
of the worst and most obnoxious taxes that was ever
imposed on a community. Mill had put the matter in
a very striking light; ho said the Government might as
well tax the town-crier as the advertisements in a news-
paper.

Mr. TrronNToN HUNT said unquestionably the severest
pressure of the tax was on advertisements which
did not exist, that was to say, on those adver-
tisements which might exist to set forth the
industry of the working classes. The working classes
as a body, he contended, were excluded from the benefits
of advertising by this tax.

Mr. PRATT was of opinion that if the duty were re-
duced to 6d. the same, if not aAarger amount of money,
would accrue to the revenue.

Mr. YOTi;othoughttheGovernment bad better re-
peal the duty altogether, for with a small duty the
same machinery and expenses for collection would be
kept LIP. Fie submitted the tax in question was an
impediment to the operation of the principle of
free trade, bef.s.aute it interrupted the communications
between wan and man in all commercial transactions.
Mr. GRANT said, a,
a matter of humanity, the tax
olght to be removed or modified, for it bore with
peculiar hards Lip on the class of domestic servants,
many of whom were compelled often to remain for
we ks out of a situation for want of the means to pro-
cure an advertisment in a
.1107spaper.
Mr. THORNTON said it we.% computed that about
loyitai domestic servants were constantly uut
of
place in

London.
111 r. Fastias also complained of the pressure, of th©
tar on the exertions of literary men. It alio
tended to
restrict the publication and circulation of hooks of as eau,
eltional character and tendency.
Mr. YOUNG said to advertize a hook for children tvenld
cost as much as to advertise " 2.laez.tulay's History of
Entiland.”

Lord JcaN RUSFELL remarked that the duty was uni-
form on all kinds of boAs.

Mr. YOUNG said many booksellers declined to publish
books of admitted merit, by ri;ann of the serious cost of
advertising thorn; and a large sale could not take place
'iiaßout advertising.

t ~r~,

.4f

era fow more observc.tkna from Mr. GRANT and
out; h
said the deputation ad wade
or% case, but he must remind them that there

were other classes of taxpayers who had an equally
strong claim upon him.
The deputation then withdrew, much pleased with the
courteous attention which his Lordship evinced through•
out the interview.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

ROUSE OF COMMONS, March 19.

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)

SUNDAY TRADING PREVENTION

Mr. B. WALL presented a number of petitions against
this Bill.

Mr. W. WILLIAMS moved the second reading of
this Bill. He had undertaken the charge of it at the
request of a great number of bis constituents, but as
it wes materially the same as the Bill of last session, he
should not go at length into the details of it. The first
Act to prevent Sunday trading was passed in the reign of
Charles the Second, and the principle of that Bill was
much the same as the present Bill. The evidence which
had been taken on the subject before the Commit-
tee of the Lords disclosed a stats of circum-
stances which called for some legislative interference.
There were many shopkeepers who did not open their shops
by their own will, but were forced to it by the competition
of their neighbours, and within a few hundred yards of
that House there were no less than 700 shops opened
on a Sunday, and that not for the common necessaries of
life. It had been acknowledged by every age and nation
that an intermission of labour at least one day in the week
was absolutely necessary for the moral, physical, and social
welfare of mankind, even in countries and times where
the Christian religion was not known, and where the
Sabbath was not a Divine command. It was not his
intention to go into the provisions of the Bill, and if the
Hon. Member for Salisbury would consent to the
second reading of the Bill he (Mr. Williams)
would propose that the Bill should go into a
Select Committee and all its provisions be thoroughly
considered. With regard to the principle of the Bill, he
could not see the slightest objection to it; any one who
read the evidence which had been taken on the subject
would see that this system of Sunday trading entailed
upon its victims a slavery more rigorous and -severe
than any other which could be imagined. His object
was not so much to secure the religious observance of the
Sabbath as to allow a day of rest to an overworked popu-
lation.

Mr. BARING WALL thought the Hon. Gentleman
who had just sat down had treated the matter in a very
fair manner, but he contended that he had
made out no case for legislation. Ho did not
place much reliance on the number of petitions
which had been presented, because he knew how they
were manufactured, and they proceeded most from
people who really had not the deepest interest in the
existence or non-existence of Sunday trading. But
if they legislated for London, why should they not le-
gislate for the whole country, if Sunday trading was to
be prevented in the metropolis, why not in the country
districts as well? If the Bill went into Committee he
should move that it be extended to England and Wales.
He wished to call the attention of the Right Hon.
Baronet the Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment to some of the results which the Bill would pro-
duce. The Bill by its provisions prevented the sale of
those cheap beverages which were favourites among the
lower orders of the metropolis, and would drive them to
the beershops. It prohibited also the sale of all un-
stamped publications, amongst which were included the
Family Herald, Eliza Cook's Journal, and other publica-
tions which would bear the most:searching scrutiny. He
could see no reason for the Bill at all, and the only argu-
ment which had converted his Hon. Friend the Member
for Lambeth in its favour was the wishes of his large
constituency. As to the evidence which had been so
much relied on, there was quite as much against the Bill.
The Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr. Mayne, was
decidedly opposed to the Bill, as were also several of
the chief megiatrates of the metropolis. The Hon.
Gentleman concluded by moving that the Bill be read a
second time this day six months.
Mr. LENNARD had great pleasure in vconding the
amendment, and ho was glad to see that in introducing
it no call had been made upon religious feelings for its
support, because seeing what it allowed and what it
prohibited, he thcught great harm would have been
done. Was it possible that any one who had read
the able letters on the condition of the poor in the
Morning Chronicle, had assisted in framing this Bill?
He thought that it was not possible, for if they had they
would never have given their assent to any of its pro-
visions—they would have seen that a great portion
of the working classes in many parts of the
country, but in London especially, could never
cease their occupations until twelve o'clock on
Saturday night, and still more many thousands of
individuals who laboured for the support of their fami-
lies never received their wages until eleven o'clock.
Well, then, what was the case? Why, neither more nor
less than this, that if this Bill were to be passed, those
persons would be altogether precluded from obtaining the
necessaries requisite for the comfort and enjoyment ollife,
and Sunday, instead of being a day of rest and enjoy-
ment, during which the poor man could participate in
the endearments of his family with a cheerful spirit,
would be converted into a day of destitution and misery.
—(Hear, hear.) Were they to make war upon the bar-
bee, whose calling was necessary during the early
part of the day for the ordinary cleanliness of the poor
man, or were they to proscribe the callings of the
cab and the omnibus drivers, who were necessarily en-
gegcd all the day ? The Bill as it now stood was indeed
altogether inconsistent with tln present usages of
society, and he should therefore oppose it.
Sir BF.TiJAIIIN HALL said test the Bill was calcu-
lated to do much good; and as the Hon. Member for
Lambeth was aware that many difficulties must of no-
ce3sity have to b considered, and was willing to refer
the Bill to a Committee up stairs, he hope that Mr.
Baring Well would withdraw his opposition.
To !his the Hon. Member acceded, and the Bill was
read a second time.
EXPENSES OF PROSECUTIONS BILL.

After the presentation of several petitions for and
against this Bill, the House went into Committee.
The first clause was passed near. con., but on the
second clause being put, a long and desultory conversa-
tion ensued, in which Mr. Henley, Mr. Deedes, Sir G.
Grey, Mr. Wakley, Mr. Becket Denison, Mr. G. Bankes,
and several other Members took part, the object being
to prevent any undue expenditure under the authority
of the Bill, Mr. Wakley pointing out especially that the
Bill, if rightly worded, would prevent a great deal of hard
swearing, as many parties who would have to be
paid under the authority of this Bill could not obtain
their expenses unless a conviction of the offender ensued;
while Mr. Bankes conceived that discretion might very
well be left in the hands of the judges with respect to
the patties who were to be paid for their atteudance
upon a trial, and to the magistrates in any case which
might be brought before them. The matter concluded
by Sir G. Grey stating that ho would take care to intro-
duce such words into the clause before the report was
brought up as would effectually obviate the objection on
the one side of restricting too much the power of the
judges, or of enlarging too much the discretionary
authority of the magistrates in granting expenses. Mr.
Aglionby having made a few remarks, Mr. Wakley and
Mr. Deedes explained, and the clause was passed.
On the third clause, which regulated the compensation
and appointed the persons to be paid, being put,
Mr. HENLEY said that some words ought to be in-
troduced to specify the kind of services which ought to
be recompensed, for it was perfectly impossible for the
magistrate to ascertain what expenses had been rightly
incurred before the case came before him.

Sir G. GREY thought that the clause as it stood was
sufficient, but he would reconsider the terms,and render
it adapted for the object which it was intended to serve.
The clause was then passed.
Clause 4 was passed after a few observations from Mr.
Henley, Mr. Deedes, and Sir George Grey, made simply
to elucidate the meaning of the clause.
On clause 5 being proposed,
Mr. A. STAFFORD said that ho had received a
great number of communications from professional gen-
tlemen, who complained that the alteration would, in
their opinion, cause a great increase of the county•rates.
The alteration would certainly, if passed in its present
shape, have the effect of doing a great injustice in de-
priving a valuable body of men of the recompense to
which they were justly entitled fur their protessional
services. The Hon. Gentleman then read a letter from
a solicitor, showing that the clause would very largely
affect those numerous and useful bodies, the associations
for the prosecution of felons. The gentlemen who
acted as the secretaries to those associations, and
who always conducted the prosecutions of felons,
were themselves generally the clerks to the justices, so
that the alteration would evidently have the effect of de-
priving, the country of the services of a most valuable
class of professional gentlemen. He therefore desired to
expunge the clause altogether, and had made these ob-
servations in the hope of raising a discussion, and if no
other Member did so, unless the clause was excluded by
consent, he should feel it his duty to divide the Com-
mittee.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. BROTHERTON said that in all other casea the
change from payment by fees to payment by salary had
worked well and economically for the country, and he
trusted the Right Hun. Baronet the Secretary for the
Home Department would not abandon the clause.
Sir G. STRICKLAND said that he did not conceive
that any injury could accrue to the professional men
who now acted as clerks to the justices.
Mr. CHRISTOPHER said that he conceived that if
the alteration was made it would work most disastrously
for the country. Only that morning, after he came into
the House, he had been waited upon by several magis-
trates for the parts of Kesteven, by whom it was stated
that out of 209 bills presented to the grand jury at Lin-
coln, only three had been ignored, and the expenses
upon every one of these bills was far less than that pro-
nosed by the Right Honourable Baronet, being as lot.
to 4/. If the system worked well why should it be
altered?

Mr. PACKE could, from his long experience as chair-
man of the quarter-sessions in his county, give his en-
tire assent to the truth of that which had just been
expressed by his lion. Friend, and should therefore vote
for the amendment.

Mr. COWAN would also give his assent to what had
fallen from the Hon. Member for Northamptonshire.
Si; J. TROLLOVE wished to know what the accusa-
tion was against these gentlemen, and why it was that
they were not the most proper persons to carry on these
prosecutions?
Sir G. GREY said there was no imputation cast upon
these gentlemen, who in many instances were
„gentlemenot
great professional respectability, but still it frequently
happened that they otters took occasion to increase the
expenses of prosecutions, which
pockets. In the Municipal put money in their
Corporations
wasa clause affecting Act there
justices' clerks in
boroughs, in the , same manner as this clause
rnaiv and. no such intention
rhea w d a thruv, 11 out against the Government,
Qatfi'ti' ctccl strates clerks,
wishing to throw imputations ola this clue of gentle- ,

men. For himself, be thought it would be found much
more advantageous that these gentlemen should conduct
prosecutions under the payment of a salary, but as be
intended to propose a clause to the effect that, until their
salaries were fixed, magistrates' clerks should n, -t con-
duct prosecutions unless under the direction of the ma-
gistrates, he should not be disinclined to postpone the
consideration of this clause for the present.
After a short conversation, the clause was then with-
drawn.
On clause 6 being put,

Mr. COLES thought that this clause was so con-
nected with clause 5, that he should suggest that it also
should be withdrawn; but if the Secretary of State were
not willing to withdraw it, he should move the amend-
ment of which he had given notice—after the words
and to his rights in respect thereof," the following
words :—" and that the salary to be paid to any such
clerk of the peace shall not be less than the average
amount of the fees, profits, and emoluments payable to
such clerk of the peace in respect of his office for the
three years next preceding the passing of this Act."

Six...GEORGE GREY'did not intend to withdraw
the clause, and he should certainly oppose the amend-
ment, as he thought it would be found most inconvenient
and unjust.
. _ _

Mr. SPOONER wished to call the attention of the
Right lion. Baronet to the fact that the power of re-
ducing the salary of clerks to the justices in boroughs
was vested in the town council, or other governing
body, who, in most cases, had but little to do with
the jthtiees' clerks; he should therefore suggest that in-
stead of the town council, that power should be trans-
ferred to the bench of migistrates.

Sir G. GREY objected to this course, but ho would
have no objection to insert a proviso that this clause
should not take effect in towns where a commutation had
already taken place under some local Act.
After some discussion, in which Mr. Henley, Mr. T.
Egerton, and Mr. B. Denison took part,
Mr. SPOONER then proposed the insertion of cer-
tain words giving the magistrates a voice in the matter
when assembled in special sessions. Doing so would
enable them in some measure to regulate the salaries ac-
cording to the justice of the several cases.
Sir G. GREY had no objection to the proposition,
which, as he understood it, was not to supersede the go-
verning body, but only to make the justices a concurring
authority, and he would take care so to mould the clause
as to secure that effect.

After a few words from Mr. Bonham Carter, Sir G.
Grev, and other Members,
Sir G. GREY said that the object of the amendment
seemed to make the duty of fixing the salaries of the
clerks of the peace imperative o❑ the justices. If such
was the case he should feel bound to oppose it, but with
the proviso to which he had just referred ho was ready
to meat the Hon. Member's wish.

Mr. HENLEY said that the lion. Baronet near him
was quite right, for a great portion of the fees received
by the clerks of the peace wero derived from criminal
prosecutions, and the Home Secretary might any fine
morning draw his pen through the directions; and thus
the whole of those payments derived from fees would
fall on the unfortunate county rate.
In answer to a question from Sir J. TROLLOPE,
Sir G. GREY said that the object of the clause was,
that the salary granted to the clerk of the peace should
cover all the duties which were strictly attached to his
office, and would in no way embrace those which were
what might be called purely professional.
Mr. MULLINGS wished to know whether the salary
was to cover the cost and trouble of returns to the Home-
office, and of registration, for instance, and other similar
important duties?
Sir G. GREY said that the salary was intended to
cover all official duties.

On the proposition of Mr. B. DENISON, it was re-
solved that so many words should be struck out as would
leave it in the power of the Secretary of State to raise
as well as to lower the salaries of the clerks of the peace.
The clause was then adopted with that understanding.
On clause 7 being proposed,
Mr. B. DENISON requested that the Right Hon.
Baronet would give some assurance that not more than
one clerk should ba appointed for each petty sessional
division; and after a few words from Sir John Duck-
worth, Mr. Henley, and Mr. Coles, the clause was passed
with an intimation from Sir G. Grey that he would at-
tend to Mr. Venison's suggestion.
Clause 8 was passed without remark.
On clause 9 being put,
Sir G. GREY explained that the object of the clause
was to do away with the power now held by the magis-
trates to commit prisoners to the gaol of the county of
the town in which the offences with which they were
charged were committed, and then, by a simple order,
to dispense with the writ of habeas corpus, and send them
to the county prison. That practice had been frequently
adopted, asid had been productive of very great expense
to the county.
Mr. B. VENISON said that the magistrates of the
three ridings of Yorkshire, and he believed of the se-
veral divisions of Lincolnshire also, had a great desire to
he able to commit prisoners to the several local prisons,
from which they might at any convenient time be removed
for trial.
Afier a few words from Sir J. DUCKWORTH,
Sir G. GREY said that was in effect precisely the
object of the clause.
The other clauses were then passed without comment,
the House resumed, and the report was ordered to be
brought up on Wednesday next.
APPRENTICES AND SERVANTS BILL.

The House then went into Committee on this Bill. 7-1
On the first clause being put, which empowers the
judge to inflict the punishment of three years' imprison-
ment,

In reply to Mr. W. MILLS,
Mr. BAINES explained that a discretionary power
was left in the hands of the magistrates with respect to
dealing summarily or committing on the cases brought
before them.

Oa clause 3, which authorises some of the parish offi-
cers to visit pauper servants periodically, being put,
Mr. W. MILES suggested that i❑ every case of a visit
a report should be wade to the hoard of guardian.
Mr. BAINES had no objection to such an alteration
in the Bill, and

After a few words from Sir W. JOLLIFFE and Mr.
BAINES, the other clauses were passed.
The House resumed, and the report was ordered to be
brotmht up next Wednesday.
APPOINTMENT OF A

VICE-CHANCELLOR

BILL.

The House then went into Committee on this Bill.

In answer to a question from Sir H. WILLOUGHBY,
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said that the Bill was
only intended to fill up this vacancy, and, of course,
would not apply to future exigencies.
Clauses 1 and 2 were then agreed to.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL then brought up se-
veral additional clauses, which were agreed to without
discussion.

The House then resumed, and the report was ordered
to be brought up to-morrow.
COPYHOLD ENFRANCHISEMENT BILL.

Mr. AGLIONBY moved for leave to bring in a Bil
for the enfranchisement of eopyholds.—Agreed to.
In answer to Mr. F. MACKENZIE,

Sir G. GREY said that the adjourned debate on the
Ecclesiastical Titles Bill would be resumed to-morrow,
as the lion. Baronet the Member for Southwark had
contented to withdraw the motion which he had on the
paper.
The House then adjourned.

STATE OF TRADE.
(From the Manchester Guardian.)
MANCHESTER, TUESDAY.—Although the American
letters which came to hand on Monday reported a fur-
ther increase in the receipts of cotton, as compared with
the same period of last year, and another decline in
prices, ye`, both spinners and speculators have gone more
freely into the Liverpool market, so as to raise the quo-
tations J. per lb.; and, upon our own Exchange, we have
had a somewhat better spirit than that which prevailed
last week, with an upward tendency in moat descrip-
tions of yarns. The large proportion there is said to be
of injured cotton appears to have contributed to this
result. Tho business of the day has been of no
great extent ; but the merchants connected with Ger-
many and Italy have executed a good many small or-
ders for twist and weft, and the home consumers
have added a little to their scanty supplies. The prices
paid for warps, and 20's and 30's water in the bundle
are such as were asked, but not acceded to, last week;
they may be considered practically higher by fully id.
In mule yarns there can hardly bo said to be any change
beyond that of a greater degree of firmness. There is
not much inquiry for these by the Indian buyers, who
have as yet received merely a brief telegraphic noti-
fication, by way of Trieste, of some improvements
at Bombay and Calcutta, and also in China. As
regards goods, we have a less favourable account to
give of them than of yarns. The manufacturers show
some increase of firmness, but the inquiry is limited, and
the purchases are inconsiderable. At the Frankfort fair,
the manufacturers have found a ready sale for their
fabrics; and this would have influenced their operations
in English yarns much more than it has done but for the
news of the fall in the value of cotton.
ROCHDALE, MONDAY.—There has been another ex-
tremely dull market in flannels, with a downward ten-
dency in prices. The wool market has been quiet, and
prices were in favour of the manufacturers.

MACCLESFIELD, TUESDAY.—The improvement in de-
mand for manufactured goods noted in our last, although
barely sustained, has in some measure renewed the con-
fidence of our manufacturers, who are now more sanguine
of a demand for spring goods taking place between
this and Easter. The market for thrown must be
quoted much the same as last week, some holders press-
ing business at the reduced rates now asking, but up to
the present have not been met by consumers with a cor-
responding desire to purchase. Tho dyers complain
much of the prolonged stagnancy of business,many houses
making short time, evidence of the cautiousness of manu-
facturers, with whom stocks are said to be comparatively
light,—an unusual thing at this season, and owing to
the pricaliousncas of the trade throughout the current
year.

- HUDDERSFIELD, TUESDAY.—Business has been gene-
rally flat with us to-day. Not much has been done in
the ball. The merchants have picked up new patterns
for the spring trade. The manufacturers complain of
their heavy goods lying on hand, and at this advanc.ld
period they have no hopes of their getting off. The
wool trade has been better during the week; indeed, a
pretty good trade has been dane at rather easier prices.
HALIFAX, SATURDAY.—The trade in Our Piece Ball
is much the same as reported in our last, with the ex-
ception, perhaps, that there has been a little more in-
quiry for some of the finer descriptions of fabrics. The
tone of the yarn market is scarcely so hopeful as it was;
and, as the limited demand for export has reduced the
quotations below the cost of production, the spinners are
disposed to curtail their operations. There is not much
doing in wool, and the staplers are more ready to listen
to the terms offered by the spinners.
LUMP/ WURIDAT.--ntere 14 no Dew foolgre to

in the woollen trade since last week. The markets have
been dull, and there is not much doing to order. Busi-
ness is also quiet in the warehouses.

THE EXPLOSION AND FIRE AT
STOCKPORT.-THIRTEEN LIVES LOST.

(LATEST PARTICULARS.)
(From the Manchester Guardian of yesterday.)
On Monday afternoon last, a very serious boiler ex-
plosion, and fire resulting therefrom, occurred at the milli
of Mr. Henry Marsland, at Stockport. Mr. Maryland's
premises aro known as " The Park Mills;" they were
built by the late Mr. Peter .Marsland, father of the pre-
sent proprietor, and are said to be about the oldest pro-
perty of the kind in the town. The premises are si-
tuated near Lancashire Bridge, and are hounded
on two sides by Warren-street and King-street
East, and on a third by the river Mersey, which
flows close by the front or greatest extension of
the buildings. The Park Mills ere a very irregular col-
lection of buildings, consisting of four or five almost dis-
tinct piles, and in them all the processes connected with
spinning, weaving, and bleaching, are carried on. The
cotton machinery is driven by both steam and water power,
there being several water-wheels and stea tu-etliginea which
can be used separately or together, in counexi n with the
different buildings. There is no boiler assigned fiy: the
purposes of heating the bowking kiers for bleaching, steam
for that purpose being taken from two or three different
boilers, as the state of work allows. Altogether Mr.
Marsland employed from 450 to 500 hands, about 350
being engaged in the manufacturing department, and
100 in the bleaching. We have said that the principal
range of buildings fronted the river Mersey; this range
was composed of two distinct heights, that nearest
the entrance to the yard being four storeys, and the
other six storeys high. In the latter (which was
about 52 feet long, and 49 feet wide), the cellar was
used fur making a preparation for the stiffen-
ing of yams; the first and second floors were used as
carding rooms; the third was filled with jack frames, the
last process of carding being there carried on; the fourth
and fifth storeys were weaving rooms; and the sixth (or
attic) was a dressing room. In this building about 100
persons were usually employed. At a right angle, with
the further end of this pile, and divided only by a narrow
passage, is another four-storey mill, behind which stand
the bleach works; and at an angle with the other end,
bat at a distance of 10 or 12 yards, is a boiler-house
containing three boilers. The buildings we have de-
scribed formed three sides of a quadrangle, about 40 or
45 yards long and from 15 to 18 yards wide: on the
fourth side was another boiler-house or shed, containing
two boilers, and it is one of these which has caused the
fearful destruction of life and property which has taken
place. The boiler ore the side nearest the mill and bleach
works, was of about 40 horses' power; and on Monday
afternoon, the steam from it was used for heating the
bowking kiers; the other boiler has not been worked for
some time.

About a quarter after five o'clock on Monday after-
noon, the boiler first referred to suddenly burst, with a
very loud noise resembling the report of a large piece of
ordnance. So great was the force of the explosion that
the boiler was lifted from its bed, and carried the
whole length cf the quadrangle; and it struck the
six-storey mil; with such violence, as to pass
through the wall, which was 2ft. 4in. thick,
and fell with about half its length inside the line of the
wall. The consequence was that very near the whole
front of the btelning fell, carrying with it the floors
for about one-half their breadth, and the yard was
filled with a dense cloud of smoke and dust. The works
in the other buildings were instantly stopped, and the
men rushed into the yard, and in a few minutes made an
attempt to get out some of the many unfortunate crea-
tures who were buried in the ruins, and whose shrieks
and entreaties for help are said to have beers most ter-
rific. We have said that usually about 100 hands
were employed in this building; but fortunately about 20
of these, who worked in the three lower storeys, and
who would therefore have been in the most imminent
danger, had stopped work at one o'clock. The manager
(Mr. Hurst) had determined to remove some of the
machinery from those floors, and as at ono o'clock, when
the engine was stopped for the dinner hour, the work
was more forward than had been expected, Mr. Hurst
ordered the 20 haada not to return in the afternoon.
The Park Mills are near the police-office, and Monday
being a " practice day" for the fire brigade, they were
together in the immediate vicisity, and took their engines
to the spot immediately, although the alarm of fire
which had been given did not then appear likely to be
realized. Three nen, who were the only persons on
either of the three lower floors at the time of the explo-
sion, were got out very shortly after an organized at-
tempt was able to be 'made to scale the ruius; none of
these men were at all seriously hurt. As the bricks and
rubbish formed a gradual slope up to the third or fourth
floor, some of the firemen and others scrambled up and
got out a number of men who were only slightly covered,
or who were so much frightened as to have lost their
presence of mind. But when these efforts had been con-
tinued for six or eight minutes, a dense smoke rose from
the ruins, and the whole spot was instantly enveloped in
flames; many of those who had been striving to aid the
sufferers escaped with very great difficulty, so rapidly
did the flames extend. There are some works con-
nected with the Stockport Water Works Company
in or near Mr. Marsland's yard, and several fire-
plugs are laid down there. Jots were at once attached
to six of these, and water thrown upon the flames.
Two of the corporation engines first arrived at the spot,
followed by that belonging to the West of England In-
surance Company, two others belonging to the borough,
and the engine kept in the barracks in Churchgate,
which was brought by a body of men belonging to the
50th Regiment, at present stationed in Stockport. There
was an abundant supply of water, and all the engines
were got into play very quickly after their arrival. So
great was the volume of water thrown (there being alto-
gether twelve jets at work), that all fears of the fire
spreading beyond the building in which it had originated
were at an end within a quarter of an hour. But
the flames continued to burn fiercely, the remains
of the roof and the several floors falling in succession,
until, about nine o'clock, the fire had been so nearly
extinguished that the play of the engines was stopped
and the jets attached to the water plugs only were
used. During the progress of the fire, several persons
escaped in a singular manner. Two men, named Jo-
seph Smith and John Burgess, were working with two
over each other, at the end of
the
ey iinll.twoßysmshalel neerteteogto,
each other, the men agreed
that there was but one chance of escape left to them,
and they resolved each to thow his boy into the
river, and then jump after him. The boys were accord-
ingly thrown into the river, and were speedily rescued
river,bledseemo theseemed
etdo oppositeiems
ri
edasetc.
etehde Burgac
criti-
cal s.;
jbbeuya the
psemd crowdtihe
courage
into
re
aetgmh
oe
t
cal moment of taking the leap—he sprang for-
ward, but only a short distance, struck against
erne projection the wall, and when taken out of
the river fromfeund to bo quite dead. His body
sense
was removed to his house in Turncroft-lane. A boy
he w as
was seen at a window on the fifth storey, near one end
of the mill, to which the fire had not extended, but from
which he could not escape by means of the staircase.
Several ladders were got, fastened together, and placed
against the building, but they only reached a little above
the third storey. A rope was then obtained, and a man
having ascended nearly to the top of the ladder, at very
great risk to himself, commenced to throw it to Worrell.
Once or twice he failed to catch it; but he afterwards suc-
ceeded, made it fast inside, and then descended to the man
who was in waiting for him on the ladder. A man named
James Brown was discovered among the ruins before the
fire broke out; he was deeply covered with bricks, with the
exception of one of his arms, which protruded. A fire-
man seized his arm, and commenced clearing away the
rubbish, but while he was doing so the flames burst
forth; and despite Brown's piteous entreaties that he
might not be left, the fireman was compelled to quit the
spot, or almost certainly lose his own life. Brown's
body was not found until yesterday afternoon. About
a quarter after nine o'clock, when the flame' had been
very nearly extinguished, Mr. Marsland sent for Mr.
Owen, the borough surveyor, and consulted with him as
to the safety of attempting to remove the rubbish, so as
to get at the bodies, which it was known must be buried.
Mr. Owen thought the work might be attempted, and
the firemen and others immediately commenced ; but
they had scarcely done so, when a great portion of one
of the gable walls fell inwards, and a fireman, named
lladfield, very narrowly escaped being buried. It was then
determined—as there could be no hope of getting any one
out alive—that the operations should be suspended until
daylight. Soon after five o'clock yesterday morning, the
men commenced and knocked down several portions
of the walls which still stood, and from which dan-
ger was apprehended; the search for bodies was then
commenced, and was carried on uninterruptedly during
the day. From the position in which most of the
bodies were found, it appears probable that the sufferers,
on finding that the building was falling, ran to points
on the river side of the mill, almost opposite to that at
which the boiler struck • and that they remained there
until the floors fell
The scene presented in the mill yard, yesterday morn-
ing, was a very strange one; from the ruins of the build-
ing which has been destroyed, the singular position and
appearance of the wreck of the boiler, and the manner
in which burned beams, machinery, and rubbish, were
scattered in every direction. The boiler which has
burst was fitted up about six months since, being
then new; but it is said not to have been worked
more than three months. It was made by Mr. James
Morris, of Stoekport, from plans which had been
obtained by Mr. Marsland. The boiler was cylin-
drical, with flat-ends, and was constructed on
.what is
known as " the firebox" principle. It was thirty feet
long, and about seven feet diameter for more than two-
thirds of that length, the remaining portion being eight
feet or eight feet seven inches in diameter, in order to
accommodate the fire-box. As far as we could learn,
the fire-box consisted of a slightly oval flue, about
four feet broad at its widest point, and eight feet or ten
feet long; it was divided nearly in the centre by bars, on
which the fire rested, beneath being the ash-pit. The
bottom plate of the fire-box was 6in, or Bin. from the
bottom of the boiler. From the ilre-box the heat pro-
ceeded through two flues to the end of the boiler, and
then returned through the ash-pit. The flees were cir-
cular, 2 t. -lin. diameter, and about lft. apart. The
boiler svae (according to the statement of Joseph Hyde,
the engineer) fitted with a lover safety-valve, which
would blow off at a pressure of 28lb. to the inch.
When the boiler was being fitted in August last,
some extra stays were put into it by Mr. Morris, who is
said to have then guaranteed that it would be perfectly
safe for 12 months, with a pressure of 30Ib. to the inch.
Four pairs of stays are said to have been supplied for
this purpose. The boiler was also fitted with a spring
steam indicator, patented by Smith of Nottingham: it had
a feed float; and a glass water-gauge was fixed at the
front. In addition to this, a whistle and water gauge had
been recently fixed at the back-end of the boiler, by Mr.
Thomas Lee, lately an engineer in the employment of Ma-
jqr
tdarbland, by wham it was invented. This lastruacut

is said to have given an alarm whenever the pressure of
the steam was more than 2Slb. to the inch, or when the
water was above or below a certain level. A still fur-
ther supposed means of ensuring safety had been
adopted. Over the fire-box a safety cap had been fixed,
six inches in diameter, and projecting 3 inches into
the boiler. The Are acted directly upon this cap,
in the top of which was a lead plug; the result an-
ticipated being, that whenever the water had become
so low as not to be at least several inches over the
cap, the plug would melt, the steam and water escape
into the fireplace, and an alarm be thus given. At the
proper working level the water would be 8 inches
above the top of the cap; and the steam whistle was
so regulated, that it would give an alarm of want of
water before the water had been reduced five inches
from that level. Hyde says that he was close to the
boiler not more than five minutes before the explosion
occurred; and that, at that time, Steith's indi-
cator showed a pressure of 251 b. to the inch, while
both the water gauges indicated a sufficiency of water.
Hyde also says that, about an hour before the explosion,
he hard the whistle make a slight noise, which he be-
lieves resulted from a little too much pressure. The
supply of water was obtained from a distance of about
thirty yards; it was first thrown up a certain height, by
means of a water-wheel, and then got into the boiler by
means of an ordinary force pump. Hyde says that
there has never been any trouble in working this
boiler, and that he never knew any of its many fittings
to be in other than good working condition. The boiler
now lies in a sloping position, one of its ends having
fallen some distance into the basement storey of the
mill. At that end, from the force with which it struck
the wall, it is twisted and torn in a most singular man-
ner; but the extent of the damage there cannot be as-
certained until the boiler has been removed from its
present position. At the firing-up end, the tearing of
the plates is very extensive. The bottom plates of the
fire-box aro split on each side, for a distance of three
or four feet inwards, and about two feet upwards,
the metal being thrown outwards and turned back.
The fire-box also appears not to be split further in, but
this could not he ascertained with correctness yesterday.
The doors and bars of the fire-box were, we believe, blown
in an opposite direction to the boiler, and were found at
a distance of ten or fifteen yards. As to the cause of
the explosion, after so many precautions had been
taken, scientific men only can pronounce with an ap-
proach to certainty; but we were informed that the
bottom of the fire-box was not stayed to the bottom
of the boiler, and that, if there could have been
said, before the explosion, to have been an insecure
part, it was this. It will be seen from the proceedings
at the inquest that Professor Elton Hodgkinson and Mr.
James Lillie, engineer and machine and boiler-maker,
both of Manchester, hare been selected to examine the
boiler, and report to the jury their opinion us to the
cause of the explosion.
The body of John Fuller, the fireman of the boiler, was
found almost immediately after the explosion, about six
or eight yards from the back end of the boiler. He was
much bruised and scalded, but was alive when taken up.
He was immediately removed to the Infirmary, but died
before reaching that place. Up. to one o'clock yesterday
afternoon, only six bodies had been got out of the ruins,
but by four o'clock five others had been found, making
eleven in all; it is believed that there were then at least
two or three bodies still remaining buried. As they
were taken out, the bodies were placed in the lower
room of one of the mills. It is scarcely necessary
to say that all were frightfully burned and crushed,
so as to render identification difficult; in the case of two
or three cf those last recovered, utterly impossible—
except it be by means of something not easily affected
by fire, which may be found among the charred and
shapeless mass which the remains of these poor crea-
tures presented. The following is a list of the sufferers,
as nearly as possible in the order in which their bodies
were recovered:—

DEAD.
Ann Filde, middle-aged, unmarried woman.
William Bardsley, 14, wearer. . .

Mary Makin, 24, weaver, married woman, child five
months old.
[These three persons worked in the same "alley,"
on the fifth storey.]
Esther Fildes, weaver, a deaf and dumb girl—worked on
the fifth storey. (This girl was sister to Ann Elides,
and both of them were aunts to Bardsley).
William Bracegirdle, weaver, 26, married man, wife and
three children; worked on the fourth storey.
Alice Forrester, a girl, worked as a weaver on the fourth
storey.
Birehonough, single woman.

iil;zabeth Merrion, dinglo woman.
Jane Chapman, 43, married, but no children.
A body, supposed to be that of James Brown, but not
identified.
A body of a female, which can only be identified by
a purse containing 2s. found among the remains of the

dress.
The excitement of those whose relations or friends were
missing was very painful throughout the whole of yes-
terday, and the neighbourhood of the calamity was
thronged by factory operatives and others. In the
room in which the bodies were placed, one poor woman
vainly endeavoured to identify the remains of the
female mentioned above, as those of a friend named
Sarah Wylde, an unmarried woman; but she con-
fessed at length that she believed she had failed.
No idea can be formed of the number of persons who
were bruised more or less severely, not only by the
fall of the mill, but by the rush to escape from other
parts of the premises when the explosion took place.
The following is a list of those in the Stockport Infir-
mary, Wellington-road South:—

WOUNDED.
Sarah Chapman, 42, a wound on the right foot.
Mary Brown, 44, wound on the calf of the right leg, left
leg broken, ticalp wound, and other injui iei.
Martha Dareoport, 33, wound on the scalp, and severs
bruises.
Samuel Hart, 25, a rib broken on the hft side, aoalp
wound.
Meredith M'Convell, 42, broken rib.
- -

James Worrall, one of the boys thrown from a window
into the river, was taken to the infirmary, but he was
only slightly injured, and left again yesterday morning.
It will be seen from the list given (with the addition of
Fuller and Smith) that at least thirteen persons have been
killed, and five seriously wounded.
The origin of the fire is uncertain. It may have been
caused by a portion of the fire which remained in the
fire-box, or by some few gas-lights which were burning
in the lower storeys, aided by the escape of gas which
must have taken place when so many pipes were suddenly
broken. The amount of damage done in the destruc-
tion of the mill is calculated by Mr. ➢iarsland at from
4,0001. to 5,000!. Both the building and machinery
were insured to some extent; but all we could learn
was, that the loss would not be nearly covered, and that
the insurance office concerned was the West of England
or the Atlas. A great deal of glass was broken
in the four-storey mill mentioned above, and the
machinery must he much injured by dust and water;
but no portion of it, we believe, was destroyed. In
the mill adjoining that which has been destroyed,
similar damage was sustained, as well as in other parts
of the premises. All the manufacturing operations
will be necessarily suspended for some time (throw-
ing 350 hands out of employment), hut the bleach-
ing processes will be fully resumed this morning.
During the progress of the fire the police, under Mr.
Sadler, the chief constable, kept off the crowd from the
premises, and also kept order among the thousands of
persons who had assembled. When the fire had been
somewhat checked, the soldiers left their engine, and
gave their assistance to the police.

THE INQUEST
On the bodies of the sufferers was commenced at half-
past four yesterday afternoon, before Mr. C. Hud-
son, coroner for the Stockport division, at the Infir-
mary; Mr. Thomas Waterhouse was the foreman of
the jury. The following evidence was given:—
Thomas Buffy said—l ern a fireman at Mr. Henry
Mareland's, the Park Mills. I knew John Fuller, who
was also a fireman in the same employment. I had to
attend to the boilers of the 45-horse engine; John Fuller
had to attend to the other two boilers, one of which has now
burst. I saw Fuller yesterday afternoon, and stood and
talked with him opposite to the boiler which had burst; I
had not left him more than two minutes when the explosion
took place. When I saw him he was wheeling cinders from
his fireplace. I afterwards found his body near the cinder
place, about six yards from the front of the boiler. He
lay on his hands and face, and seemed as if he was re-
turning with his barrow when the explosion took place.
Fuller seemed to be very much bruised about the neck
and head, and when I took him up there was a good deal
of clotted blood upon the ground. He was afterwards
removed to the Infirmary, but he died on the way. The
deceased was about twenty-four years of age; he was
talking to me a few days since, about gettieg married.
I have seen a body in this house which I identify as that
of Fuller.

Mr. James Rigby, house surgeon—The deceased John
Fuller was brought to the Infirmary yesterday, about
half-past five; he was dead. He had sustained a com-
pound fracture of the right jaw, his right arm was
broken, and both his legs scalded. There were two
lacerations of the scalp, and several contusions on tho
back. He was so much injured that he could not pos-
sibly have recovered.

The room was then cleared, and a consultation took
place between the coroner and the jury. It was after-
wards announced that they would view the body of Smith,
at his house in Turnerott-lane, and then proceed to the
Park Mills and view the eleven bodies lying there.
In each case, evidence as to the identity would be taken,
so as to allow of immediate interment; and in case
other bodies were found, the jury would meet for a simi-
lar purpose as regarded them. The full inquiry into the
case would stand adjourned until Wednesday, April 2,
in order to allow Professor Elton llodgkinson and Mr.
James Lillie ample time for the examination of the
boiler, and the preparation of a report as to the cause of
the explosion, which the coroner would direct them to
make. _

The adjourned inquest will be held at the Warren
Bulkeley Arms, near tho Park Mills.

MONEY MARKET—The quotation of gold at Paris is
about 3 per mille discount, which, at the English Mint price
of 31. 17s. 101 d. per ounce for standard gold, gives an ex-
change of 25.10; and the exchange at Paris on London at
short being 25.021, it follows that gold is 0.30 per cent
dearer in Paris than in London. By- advises from Ham-
burgh the price of gold is 4251 per mark, which, at the Eng-
lish Mint price of 31. 17s. 10 d. per ounce for standard gold,
gives an exchange of 13.51; and the exchange at Ham•
burgh on London at short being 13.6 h, it follows that gold
is 0.47 per cent. dearer in London than in Hamburgh.
The course of exchange at New Vork on London for bills a
60 days' sight is 110 per cent., and the par of exchange
between England and America being 10;1 23-40 per cent.,
it follows that the exchange is nominally 0.42 per cent. in
favour of England; but, after making allowance for differ-
ence of interest and charges of transport, the present rate
leaves no profit on the importation of gold front the United
;Au.