The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-29 00:00:00

SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 29,, ISSB.

ARRIVAL OF THE NEW "BIG BEN"
AT WESTZIIINSTER.

---
Yesterday morning, about half-past eight o'clock,
"Big Ben," the lareeest bell ever cast in this coun-
try, was removed from the foundry of Messrs.
Mears, at Whitechapel, where it was cast, and con-
veyed, under the superintendence of Mr. G. Mears
and Mr. Oliver, the principal moulder. to the base
of the great clock tower at Westminster Palace.
It was placed upon an iron truck, securely bound
with ropes and drawn by 16 horses. The crown of
the bell was tastefully decorated with a flag and a
huge bunch of May. The horses' heads and whips
of the drivers also were ornamented with bunches
of May filwor.i. They arrived at Westminster
shortly before 12 o'clock, followed by numerous
spectators, and, after the work of about an hour,
by the facilities afforded by mechanical contrivance,
" Ben" was placed within the hoarding at the base
of his final resting plaice.
UL like his predecessor the new " Big Ben " is
tastefully ornamented with Gothic tracery in low
relief. On one side of his wail is the portcullis
of Westminster, and on the other the arms of
England, sharp and clear as if chased by the hand.
Round the upper hp is cast in Gothic letters
the following inscription :—" This bell, weighing
tons, cwt., qrs., lb , was cast by Mr. George
Mears, of Whiteehapel, for Ce clock of the Houses
of Parliament, under the direction of Edmund
Beckett Denison, Q.C., in the 21st year of the
reign of Queen Victoria, and in the year of our
Lord MDCCOLVIII."

The precise weigh`, hal not yet been ascertained,
but it is btlieved to be rather over 14 tons, or
tons less than the old bell. Its height is 7 feet 3
inchel, and in diameter at the mouth it measures 9
feet. The weight, if possible, will be tested this
day. _ _

Though there is less metal in the present bell
than in the former, iti dimensions are not less than
those of its predecessor, though its form is slightly
different. The head h more rounded, and the weist
more sloped in. The sound bow, or place on which
the clapper strikes, is also half an inch less in thick-
ness than that of the old bell. The upper parts of
the new " Ben" are as sound as those at the very
bottom. There are no holes, no symptoms of un-
soundness or cracks, and no refuse of the furnace
on the collar to tell that the metal was too rigidly
economised. Everything is exactly as it was wished,
and Mr. Denison has expressed himself satisfied
that both in tone and manufacture it is excellent.
The unexpected thickness of metal in one part of
the old bell caused its note to alter from what it
was intended—E to E natural. With the present
bell no accident of this kind has occurred, mainly
owing to hot air being blown into the mould during
the whole day of casting, thus preventing the sud-
den cooling of the surface of the metal and the
porosity to which large castings in cold moulds are
liable. The new bell is exactly as it was intended
that it should be, namely, with the note E. It is
stated to be so full of sound that a slight stroke
even with a common switch makes it ring with a
tolerable tone, and the vibration, after being struck
with the clapper, gradually set les down like the
sound of a trumpet slowly dying away.
The clapper of the new " Big Ben," which is in
readiness to be attached, is about half the weight
of the one originally cast, being now about 6 cwr.
instead of 12 cwt. as formerly,
This huge bell, when hoisted in its resting-place,
will not ring out in chime with its four neighbours,
but deliberately and distinctly toll forth Time's
succeeding hour.

TIE FAT AL PRIZP, FIG fiT AT
GRAVESEIV D.

Yest rday morning an inquest was held at the Town
flail, Gravesend, relative to the death of Philip Red-
wood, aged 27, who died from injuries received in a
prize fight with Morris, the " Brighton Pet," on Wed-
nesday. An account of the fight appeared in our paper
yesterday. It was proved that the deceased left home
With the intention of fighting. He told one man that
he wad to have 3/. if he won the fight, and 2/. if he lost.
A. surgeon, who had made a post morkm examination,
attributed the death to injuries received in the fight.
The deceased's mother•in-law stated that on Wednesday
night Morris called on her and raid—" Don't blame me
for what 1 have done to your son ; he ..vould have done
the same to me if be could." A verdict of " Man-
slaughter" was returned against Morris.
At the Borough Petty Sessiaug, held at 11 o'clock,
James Donavan and James Oakey, who were assisting
at the fight, were charged with the manslaughter of
Philip Redwood. Mr. Henry Hutchinson was retained
for the defence. Mr. Saperietendent White asked fur a
remand until Monday. Mr. Hutchinson contended that
the magistrates had no jurisdiction, the offence (if any)
having taken place in Essex. The bench, however, de
cided upon remanding the prisoners until 12 o'clock on
Monday next. Mr. Hutchinson' then applied that the
prisoners should be admitted to bail ; but the bench re
fused to entertain the application.

MARKET NEWS.--(This Day.)

COVENT GARDEN.

Lorge supplies of vegetables were oil sale to-day, and the
show of fruit was on the increase. The trade generally
raled steady, as follows :

FRUIT.

Pine apples, per lb. Ps 0(1 to lOs
Colons a I do., ea. Os 01 to 0,30 d
Grapes, per lb Bs to 12s'
Foreign do 'ls Od to 5s Od
Melons, each Os Od to Os 0(1'
Peaches, p. doz 24s to 30s Od
Nectarines, do. ...Os to Os Od
Apples, p. h. sv. 3s Od to 6s Od
Pears, per doz ...6s to 10s Od
Oranges, per doz.. 6d to is Od
Lemons, p. doz. is Od to 2s Od
Apricots, p. doz. Os Od to Os Od
Cherries, per lb. 68 to 8s Od

Filherts,per 1001 b 308 to 40s
Cobs., p. 100 lbs. 358 to 403
Almonds, p. lb. Oa Od to 00d
Walnuts, per 100 Os to Os Od
Figs, per doz ...... Os to Os Od
Strawberries, per
ounce .......,Os 9d to ls 6(1
Gooseberries, per
half sieve ....2s 6d to 4s Od
Currants, p. h. sv. Os Od to Os
Plums, per do. Os Od to Os Od
Green gages, per b.sv.Os to Od
Raspberries, p.potl. Od to Od

VEGETABLES.
Greens,p. doz.bun. 2s Od to 4s Shallots, per lb Gd to 8d
Cabbages, do. Os Od to Os Od Horseraddisli, p. b. Is6clto4s
Savoy do., p. b. Os 2d to Os 4d Parsley, per do. ... 4d to Gd
Cauliflowers, do.la Od to 2s 6d Celery, per do is Od to is 9d
Brocoli, p. doz. is Od to is Gd Beet, per doz. is Od to 2s Od
Potatoes, per ton GOs to 190 s Parsnips, per do. Od to Os Od
New do., per lb. 2d to lsOd Small salad, p. pun. 2d to 3d
Peas, per puunet 2s to 3s Od Mushrooms,p.ptl.lsodtols3d
Turnips, per bunch 2d to 4,1 Artichokes, per doz 6s to 8s
Carrots, per bunch... Gd to 8(I Lettuces, per doz. 1011 s 3d
Cucumbers, each 108 to 16s0d Endive, per set.. 2s 6d to 3s
Garlic, per lb .... 6(1 to Os 8d Radishes, p.d.han. 8d to 1801
Sorrel, per sieve ......Od to Os Tomatoes, per hsv.oB to Os Chi
Spinach, p. d0...1s Od to 2s Od Walnuts per 100 ...0d to Od
Brussels sprouts, per Chillies, per 100 is 6d to 28 Od
half do ........ 3s Od to 4s Od Capsicums, per 100 Os Od to Os
Onions, p. bush. Os Oil to Os Od Rhubarb, p. b. Os 2d to Os 8d
New do., per bunch Od to Od Asparagus, per bun. 2s6dto 7s
French beans, per Seakail,perpun.ls Od to 2s ad
100........ is Od to 2s 6d Turnip greens, per
Leeks, per d 0......... 2d to 3d bush Os Od to Os Od
NEW-GATE AND LEADENHALL.
Turkeys, 3s tid to 7R Oa ; Poults, 5s Od to 7s 0d; Geese,
5s Cd '
to 7s Od each • Goslings, 5s Od to 7s 0,1 ; Duck-
lings, 2s 6(1 to 4s Od ; tame rabbits, is Od to la 9d each;
wild do., 8d to Os 10d • pigeons, 5d to 10d each ; large
Surrey Fowls, 7s to 10s; barn-doorb do., 580 d to 8s 0d; Chick-
ens, 5s Od to 7s per couple. Capons, 3s 6d to 580 d ; Hares,
2s 01 to 3s Od ;
Grouso, Oa Od to Os Od each ; Pheasants,
03 Od to Os Od ; Ptarmigan, Os Od to Os Od ; Woodcocks, Os
Od to Os Od; Snipes, Os Od to 080 d; Teal, 0.1 to Os Od; Wild
Ducks, 3s 0(1 to 4s 0d; Widgeons, Os Od to Os 0.1; Plovers, Od
to OiOd each; Guinea Fowls, 3s Od to 386 d; Roasting pigs,ss
Od to 8s Od each Ostend fresh butter, —s. to —s Od
English do., Os 11(1 to 18 3d per lb. ; English eggs, 60
Od to Os likl; French do., 5s Gd to Os Od per 120 ; Leverets,
2s Od to 4s Od each.

NEWPORT.
Beef, from 2s 8d to 4s Od; mutton, 2s I.od to is 2d; lamb,
4s 8I to 5s 8d ; veal, 3s 4d to 4s 6d; pork, 23 10d to 4s Od
por Blbs., by the carcase.

WHITECIIAPEL.
Boaf. from 23 101 to 4s pit
; mutton, 2s 10d to 4s 2,1 ;
lamb, 43 10d to 5s 8d ; veal, 33 4d to 4s 8d ; pork, 33 0,1
to 4s Od per Blbs by the carcase.

BILLINGSGATE..
Turbots, 2a GI to 15s; Brills, 2s Od to 108 each ; Salmon,
180(1 to la 3d per lb ; Cod Fish, ls Od to 4s each ; Soles,4 d
to 2s Od per pair ; Trout, 10d to Per lb • Lobsters, Gd to
2s 6d ; Crabs, 6(1 to 2s Od; Whit.,
; Nanpves2: dd to Gs per doz. ;
Common Oysters, 128 to 16s
ul Os to Os por 13814. ;
Mackerel, 2lis to 30s per 100 ; Smelts, Os 01 to 38 Gd per doz. ;
Skate, Os to Gd per lb; Shrimps, Os 0(1 to Os Od per gallon ;
Bloaters, 4s Od to 8s Od per 100 ,
to 3s per 100; Scotch do., Od
Fresh Herrings, 3s Od
; Sprats, Os Od to Os Od per
bushel ; Doreys, IBOdto 7s each ; Haddocks, 2s to 10s poi
doz. ;Pipe, 61; Sturgeon, Gd per lb; Prawns, 4s 6d to 5a Od;
Mullets, Os Gd to Is Gd each; Plaice, 4(1 to 18 each; Halibut,
6d per lb ; Flounders, is Od to la Gd per doz. ; salt fish,
0(1 per lb ; Eels, 8(1 to 18; Carp, Ii to ;
a Tench, is to 5s
, per brace • Garnets, 4d to Is.

IMPERIAL PAR LIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COM MONS. --(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
CORPORATION REFORM.

The Sheriffs of London and Middlesex (Messrs. Alder-
m tin Lawrence and Alderman Allen) presented a petition
rs'ative to the C ,rporation of London Reform Bill.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The Lords' amendments to the Malvern Improvement
Bi'l were considered and a..treed to.
WATERFORD AND KILKENNY RAILWAY
(CAPITAL) BILL.
This bi.l was read a third time and passed.
The following bills were further considered and
ordered to be read a third time : —Ayr and Dalmellington
Railway, Birkenhead Improvement (Bondholders Ar-
rangements), Cromford and High Peak Railway, Rtst
Kent Railway (Dover Extension), Manchester Corpora-
tion Water, Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire
Railway (Newton to Compstall), Newport, Abergavenny,
and Hereford Railway, and Yar Bridge Bills.
CARLISLE, LANGFIOLM, AND HAWICK
RAILWAY BILL.

Mr. ELLIOT moved that the minutes of the pro-
ceedings of the committee on the Carlisle, Langholm,
and Hawick Railway Bill, in group 13 of Railway anti
Canal Bills, be printed at the expense of the parties
making the application, and distributed with the
votes.—Agreed to.
MANNING THE NAVY.

Lord C. HAMILTON, Treasurer of the Household,
brought np her Mak!sty's Government's reply to an
address for the appointtnert of a royal commission to
inquire into the best means of manning the navy, stating
that her Majes'y had considered the subject and had
given the necessary directions for its issue accordingly.

done so, but, have allowed her MajeSti' 1116irsters- te
carry on the Government of the country without dis-
turbance. The right hon. gentleman's speech appears to
me to proceed on an endeavour to show that during the
three months which have elapsed since the present Go--
vernment took office they have brought forward such
measures, and pursued such a course in relation to
foreign affairs, and likewise to India, as ale=ereed and
commanded the confidence of this house, and if not of
this house, certainly of the country. This proposition,
I think, ought to he examined into a little closely. We
cannot do this without examining, in the first 'dace, into
the relations cf the Government with the goverrmente
of foreign countries', for almost the very first &element
that I find in the right hoe. 'gentleman's speech is the
following :
"Ie is well now for us to think lightly of the s,rilfe we
have passed through—even to forget them ; but when I
tell you, and tell you seriously, that the question of
peace, or war when we- aecedel to office was not a ques-
tion of weeks or days, but of boors, I am sureyou will
remember that peaceehas been preserved, %Orli the hon-
our of the country has been vindicated.'
(Cheers anti counter cheers.) How is it, I ask, that our
relations with France were in such a condition that the
qhestion of peace or war was not one of weeks but of
hours. (Hear.) I cannot find from any member of the
late Governtnenn—and I took the opportunity of asking
the Earl of Clarendon in pa. rtiCnlate—that when they
were in office there was any apprehension of an imminent
war. Toe only question, as far as lam aware, on which
it was supposed that any mieunderstanding cduhl Lave
arisen between this cour.try and that great empire ith
which we are in alliance—an alliance, whiCh I hope w.ll
be long mainfained—(cheere)—was in refehence to the
residence here of perions who conspired against the ide
of the sovereign of that country; and the Conspiracy Bill
which had been introduced into this house. I cannot be•
lieve that a Prince of Bitch great sagacity as the Emperor
Napoleon, who has been so firm to the English adiarce,
who has been one of the beet, if hot thehvery best, hly
to us of any French Sovereign, would have taken any
step which should raise apprehensions of war, simply he-
cause we refused" to alter our laws' and to charge the
ancient spirit of our domestic legislation at the desire, of
a foreign Government. (Hear.)
_lf the right hone gin.
to imply that, then . I should have much
less reliance on the security and etabditi of peace than I
have at the present moment. (Hear.) If this is his mean-
fig, I should not rely so firmly on the jastice and on the
peelc policy of the French Government as I am dis-
posed' to do. But above all, I can hardly believe that to
be true, because we are even. now going into committee
tb consider the army estimates—the plan of which is,
that 20,000 militiamen, well armed and disciplined, are
to be disbanded, and we are to rely solely on our recruits
and newly-raised troops, the greater part of our effective
force and our veterans having been sent to India. I can-
not imagine that any such plan would be proposed by a
Government which was of opinion that peace hung
upon a thread, and that we were inh3uch danger that
when the late Ministers went out and the present Mi-
nisters came in peace or war was a question not of weeks
but of hours. (Hear.) There is anothei part of this ques-
tion. which, in my opinion, is of great importance, bet
to which the right hon: gentleman has not called atten
Lion. Every one will recollect that when the Csuepiracy
Bill was brought into this house the right hon, gentle-
man, in this house, and the Earl of Derby in the other
house, expressed their approbation of it. (Hear) We
who voted against that bill-99 in number—were sup•
posed to be very bad patriots, and certainly I for one
had no beeps that we should be able to defeat it. But
afterwards, when we came to the second reading, those
who had swelled the majority of 299 embraced most
readily the proposition of the right hon. member for
Ashton, the obvious effect of which teas to throw that
bill over altogether. (Hear.) It was tuntrured that the
then Ambassador of France complained that he had rea-
son to expect that the gentlemen opposi e would have
supported the bill when they came into effiee---tbat -it
would have been carriedthrough both houses, and that
his expectations had been disappointed. I cen conceive
tbat there might have been a great deal ,I irritation ex-
isting if that were the case, not against this country but
against the present Administration. The French Govern-
ment might have felt aggrieved at the conduct.cf our
Government, but that is very different from the two
countries being on the brink of war. (Hear.) I believe
the people of this couiitry, and tee people of France,
taking them in the mass,h are cordially disposed to keep
up relations of peace. (Hear.) They both see that peace
is necessary to commercial prosperity and to the progress
of civilisation, and they both are aware that the break-
ing out of a war must be attended with greiit evils and
must impose burdens on their resources which would be
deeply felt by both. I believe, therefore, that the two
nations are both inclined to peace, and that the difficulty
would be either in France or in England to induce the
people to take up arms upon any petty matt, r or with-
out some serious cause of quarrel. (Hear.) The Empero:
of the French in one of his despatches desired his
Minister to say that peace could only be maintained if
the honour of both nations were kept intact—a sentiment
worthy of him, which we ought always to hold"ia re-
spect. I should be glad to hear, there& re, from the
right hon. gentleman an explanation of the passage
which I have quoted from his speech, and I hope be
will tell us, too, how it is that if we were within a few
hours of_war greater prepare ions have not been made
for the defence of the country than aro proposed in the. e
army estimates. (Hear.) The right hon. gentleman
went on to make another statement in reference to the
question of peace or war which is of the greatest import-
ance. In another part of his speech he says :—" A war
between Naples and Sardinia, which would have been a
war that would have set the whole world iu flainee, was
nearly precipitated in order to incoaveciecop and perhaps
upset a Government which was the choice, after doe
reflection, of the Queen of this country, and which was
honoured by her confidence not formally, but sincerely
and cordially, because they were the only party who
would come forward and incur the responsibility of
carrying on the Government." Now, that is another
subject with respect to which I , ask for explanation.
There must have been great forbearance in this house
on that subject. Those who sit on this side of the house
were anxious that we ghoul') not betray, er desert, or
abandon Sardinia. An hon. member gave notice of a
motion to the effect " that this house trusts that in the
difficulties which had supervened between Sardinia and
Naples this Government will act in concurrence with
that of Sardinia." I think that was a motion which it
was perfectly competent to an hon. member to make,.
and in which, unless an explanation bad been given, he
should have persevered. But as soon as this house un-
derstood that a proposal had been made to the Govern.
meet of Sardinia which that Government had accepted,
and that negotiations had began, there was no in-
discreet interference with the Government. There
was above all no wish whatever to commit Naples and
Sardinia to hostilities. On the contrary there was
every disposition to await the result of those ne-
gotiations. I might, if I should say anything on
that subject, say that the house has shown over much
patience upon it, because, although we profess to sup-
port Sardinia, we do not find that that concurrence has
produced that which we might naturally expect it would
have produced—an immediate concession on the part of
Naples, at least of the ship and the crew that were
seized —(cheere)---but that, on the contrary, there is
every dadger that the crew of the Cin liari—notaith-
etanding that, according to the statement of Lord
Maltnesbury the law officers of the Crown are of opi-
nion tbat the capture was illegal—or at heist a great
part of the crew, may have to suff..r in the pestilential
dungeons of Naples during the most ushealthy part of
the year. (Cheers.) So far, therefore, from being impa-
tient on that subject, or showing a disposition to destroy
the Government, this house has been willing to accept
Any intimation, however brief or incomplete, which her
Majesty's Government might make upon it. Then there
is another subject upon which the right hon. gentleman
prefers a charge against a large portion of this house.
I read with great surprise the statement which be made
upon our policy in India. The right hon. gentleman
says that the question was whether, or not we should
pursue in India a policy of extermination—whether we
should maintain there a fence of Europeans four times
greater than ever was maintained before—whether there
should be no mercy shown to the inhabitants of India,
and we should attempt to rule by force alone—or whe-
ther there should be a discriminatieg amnesty with the
view of affording ud a chance of restoring peace in that
country. Now, I wish to know who has ever proposed
tbat policy of extermination I (Cheers.) •Let us know
where it was proposed. Did the late Government send
out instructions that no mercy should be shown, that all
persons who were taken should be put to death without
exception, that there should be a general massacre of those
who had been our subjects because they had rebelled I
Or was it Lord Canning who issued such instructions
Has Lord Canning, contrary to all that we have seen of
his policy, proposed a policy of extermination, believing
that we can rule in India only by force I . Where is the
information ? I conceive that there is no statesman,
whether here or in India, who has proposed such a policy.
(Hear.) But I must admit—and I admit it with sorrow
—that, great and cruel outrages having been perpetrated
upon the mutineers at the commencement of the mutiny,
and indeed for some months, not only upon unarmed
men, but upon. women and children, a spirit of resent
-
m
-
eet and revenge took possession of those who had arms
in their hands, and that in many cases more persons
were put to death than the van
quishingof the mutineers
necessitated. I believe that Lord Canning in lndia and
the Government in this country—whether in the h ant s
of the late or the present Ministers—deplored that there
should be any excess of revenge, and a ere anxious that
at the first moment possible, when resistance Lad been
put down, to act in a mercy,spiritofov with them and
and to show to the
races of India that we wished t ogern
for them, for their benefit and welfare, and not to govern
by force the manyas' million inhabitants of India. That
, I believe, our policy;
i and yet the right hon. gen-
Tan who expected to be believed by his constituents,
aneisdw— who, I dare say, was believed by them—(laughter)
—said to them that there are now in this country men
who are bent upon a massacre of all the native races in
India' and who are determined that we ought to govern
them by force ' • and the right hon. gentleman took great
credit for the Government for having sent the orders of
March 24—orders founded, doubtless, upon htmanity
and good policy ; but I have not the smallest reason for
believing that any Government would not have adopted
a pol ey of a similar character. These are the observa-
tions which I have thought it my duty to make with re-
spect to the statements of the right hon. gentleman upon
foreign affairs and the affairs of India. I cannot but think