The Sun.
London, England, 1851-05-06 00:00:00

OPENING OF THE GREAT EXHIBITION.

Amongst the aristocratic circle surrounding the throne,
the Mandarin fleeing of the Royal Chinese Junk,
" Keying," was conspicuous. The Mandarin arrived at
the Crystal Palace at about half-past ten in a carriage
and pair, attended by his secretary, and on his entrance
he was immediately introduced into the circle reserved
for the great officers of State and the Royal and Foreign
Commissioners.

He was quickly recognized by a number of the dis-
tinguished occupants of the State circle, and amongst
them his Grace the Duke of Wellington shook him
warmly by the hand.
After the gracious reply of her Majesty to the
address read by his Royal Highness the Prince
Consort on behalf of the Royal Commis-
sioners, the Mandarin Hering was especial])
noticed by her Majesty, and the important functionaries
between him and the Queen having separated on either
side, the Mandarin approached the Throne and had the
high honour of saluting her Majesty by a grand salaam,
which the Queen most graciously returned. The Man-
darin was also much noticed by the young Prince of
Wales and the Princess Royal.
On the formation of the Royal precession round the
building, his Royal Highness Prince Albert, at the sugges-
tion of the Queen, was pleased toconvey to the Mandarin a
special request that he would form part of the procession,
and he accordingly took his place between his Grace the
Archbishop of Canterbury and the Comptroller of her
Majesty's Household, and accompanied the Royal Pro-
gress throughout the inaugural procession. It is worthy
of remark that his Excellency the Mandarin Hesing was
the only representative, at the opening of the Grunt
Exhibition, of the vast Empire of China, possessing a
population numbering one. third of the whole human race.

FLAY MARKETS.
SMITTIFIELD.—BIeadow Hay, 31 Os to 41 101 Od ; Clover
ditto, 31 5s to 41 10s; anti Straw, 1/ Is to 11 88 per load.
A steady trade, at late rates.
CUMBERLAND.—Meadow Hay, 31 Os to 4/ 108; Clover
ditto, 31 38 to 4/ 10s; and Straw, 1/ 4s to 1/ 118 per load.
Trade firm, at our quotations._

WurrEcHAmm.—Meadow Hay, 31 Os to 4/ 103; Clover
ditto, 315 s to 4/ 12s; and Straw, 11 2s to 11 lOs per load.
Supply toleracly good, and trade firm.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

ROUSE OF LORDS, May 5.
PE rnioNs.
Lord CAMPBELL presented several petitions from
places in Scotland against Papal aggression.
Lord REDESDALE presented several petitions from
P_rth and other places in Scotland against Papal
aggression.
MERCANTILE MARINE BILL.
(Continued from our Third Edition of last night.)
The Eafl of HARD ICKE thought that if this
Act had been introduced previous to the repeal oF the
navigation laws it would have been effictive. He was
not at all surprised at the obj etion taken by old masters
and mates to subject themselves to an examination before
their juniors. It was painful to a man who had con-
ducted ships on long voyages, with success for twenty
years, to be compelled to come before men younger
than himself to ask them for a certificate of competency.
although he might not be compelled to undergo an ex-
amination The system of registering tickets was more for
enabling the Government to have some knowledge, and it
might be control of the seamen than for providing them with
badges of good service. Those tickets were, in fact, like a
cabman's badge, and enabled one to find out any man that
might be wanted. There was no reason, in his opinion,
why these registry tickets should not be made more accept-
able to the men by being made to testify to the good charac-
ter of the possessor. He thought it unwise to interfere by
provisions in an Act of Parliament with the minor discipline
on board of merchant vessels. Educated and experienced
masters might well be entrusted with such matters. With
regard to the desertion of seamen at Quebec and elsewhere,
he thought registrars would find some difficulty in deciding
as to the character of the applicant, because they had no
other evidence to guide them but that of the man himself;
and in all probability the sharp fellow who could trump up a
plausible story would have the advantage. The Noble Earl
opposite seemed to doubt whether the fees amounted to
so large a sum as that stated by his Noble Friend near
him—viz., 130,0001. a year. In the port of Liverpool
alone the fees amounted for 1850 to not less than
13,2001, and it did seem absurd that that money
should all be spent in keeping up a large boarding-
house. He quite agreed with the petitioners that it
would be better ,to appropriate it to the erection and
endowment of schools for the children of sailors. He
thought the complaints of some of the seamen as to the
way in which the consuls at different ports were paid
entitled to consideration; and he was also of opinion that
some of the fees collected at the port of London might ad-
vantageously be applied for the purposes of the Dread-
nought Hospital.
Earl WALDEGRAVE said a few words in praise of
sailors' homes, which he regarded as institutions well
calculated to promote the comfort and improve the morals
of sailors.
The petition was then ordered to lie on the table.
The Earl of BANDON presented several petitions against
Papal aggression, from Cork and other places in Ireland;
also petitions for a grant for Church education.
The Larl of ZETLAND also presented several petitions
against Papal aggression.
Lord LYTTELTON postponed his motion on the subject
of transportation to Friday next; and presented petitions
from Stourbrielge, praying for an alteration in local rates;
and other petitions, the purport of which we coud not
catch.
The Earl of CARLISLE presented a petition from Bury,
for a general system of secular education, and from a place
in Cum. erland, against Papal aggression.
The Earl of HARBOWBY resented a petition from
Maplestead, against Papal aggression, and from other places
to the same effect; also a petition from Scotland, against the
Beer Bill.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, May 5.
MINISTERIAL EXPLANATIONS.
PROPERTY AND INCOME-TAX BILL

(Continued from our Third Edition of last tight.)
Mr. BANKES said that they ought to consider the par-
ticular year this was as regarded the tenant.farmer. At the
opening of the session her-tllajesty was advised by her Mi-
nisters to state that the tenant-farmers were in a great and
peculiar state of distress. The Ministers, notwithstanding,
had refused up to the present moment to offer any alleviation
for that distress. Atter these circumstances, it surely was
not too mush to grant to this suffering class the power of ap-
pealing against an unjust assessment. The assessment
might have been good when it was first proposed, but at
that time the tenant-farmers had protection.— ( Hear, hear.)
Their dis,ressect state being now universally acknowledged,
he called upon the Government to give them at least the
benefit now demaided. If this appeal be net assented to
now by her Majesty's Ministers, he predicted that it would
be forced upon them.