The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-13 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

lIOUSE OF COMMONS—THIS DAY.
The SPBAKER took the chair at twelve o'clock.
FINSI3URY ESTATE BILL.

Mr. AYRTON said that he introduced this bill in last
session of Parliament, and on the suggestion of the Go-
vernment he postponed proceeding with it until the pre-
sent period. He had hoped that he should have been
allowed to proceed with the bill with the sanction of the
Government, but he now found that the bill was opposed,
not, it was true, by the Government, but by the Ecclesi-
astical Commissioners. The hon. gentleman then pro-
ceeded to detail the acts of spoliation committed in former
times of property belonging to the Church, which, ho said,
if directed into the proper channel, would have been suffi-
cient to provide for the spiritual consolation and education
of all its members. Instead of that being done, the pro-
perty had boon given to Court favourites, and had become
the foundation of large fortunes. The Barford
estate, the Southampton estate, and others that he
could mention, had originally belonged to the Church, and
at the end of the present year another large estate, for-
merly called the Manor of Finsbury, which had been sold
to tho Church by a very fortunate circumstance, would
pass into the hands of the Ecclesiastical .Commissioners.
The corporation of the city of London at the present time
were in the receipt of the revenue accruing from this estate
under a lease which expired this year, when the property
would fall into the possession of the body he had men-
tioned. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners, he contended,
had failed to carry out the object for which they were ap-
pointed, and had beeii condemned by both Houses of Par-
liament, and instead of attending to the spiritual wants of
the poor they gave all their attention and increased emolu-
ments to the rich. For this reason he introduced the present
measure, which asked for that a certain fund bo set aside
to meet the necessitous cases of spiritual destitution out of
the funds arising from the 'Finsbury Prebendary. The
Ecclesiastical Commission had expended in certain aug-
mentations and other matters a sum of £209,000, but the
expenses in doing so amounted to no less than £71,000.
The object of his bill was to set aside about a third of the
suns thus squandered away in expenses for the benefit of
those who stood in need of spiritual help in the metropolis
Mr. 110 WE S opposed the 'second.reading of the bill, on
the ground that the common fund of the Ecclesiastical
Commission will b. deprived "of a large sum of money,
amounting to £30,000 a year "at the instance of a private
member of Parliament. He denied that the Ecclesiastical
Commission had disregarded .the spiritual wants of the
metropolis, and if it was as a body so inadequate to perform
its functions, as the hon. member stated, he thought that
Parliament would at once interfere. He looked upon the
present proceedings as a scramble to see who could get the
largest share of the common fund of the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners. The metropolis had its fair share of bene-
fit of the common fund, which was created for augmenting
small livings and increasing spiritual help over the desti-
tute portion of the entire country. Ile moved that the bill
be read a second time that day six months.

Mr. LEEMAN supported the amendment. Ho thought
the Ecclesiastical Commissioners had well distributed the
revenues of their common fund. He objected that ono
particularfportion of the metropolis should receive a large
grant from a particular property because it happened to be
situated within the city of London. Durham had contri-
buted largely to the augmentation of the common fund,
and yet they asked for no special favour.
Mr. B. HOPE thought it but fair that half the revenue
arising from the Finsbury Prebendary should bo devoted
to London, which, as it had extended in size, had increased
in its wants of spiritual assistance.
Mr. POWELL opposed tha bill, as he thought the
Ecclesiastical Commissioners well administered the largo
accumulated sum of money called the common fund. Ho
wished hon. members to recollect that crime, ignorance,
and poverty were not confined to the metropolis alone, but
existed in all the large towns in the country.
[ LEFT SITTING.

Railway Traffic Returns for the Week,

Mlles Opened. Receipts.

Railways.

~,..-__......_
1867. 1866. 1867 1866

£ L
Belfast and N. Counties ..... 995 991 1,899 1.825
Belfast and County Down 49 49 607 653
Blyth and Tyne ............. 36 26 2,027 1,957
64 1, t 65 4111
Cambrianßreconßristol Caledonian.anda nd
Exeterer
ScottishthY r Central..."— . 51121! 511 6:101 3 50, .., 4: 96 °.
59 26:. 60
.8
266
378
Cockermouth K & reiarlth .. 314 315 299 332
20 20 - 398 306
Cork and Bandon
Cork, Blackrock, &Passage 65 64 121 152
Cork and Limerick !Arca ..• f,=s 25 193 227
Cornwall • 654 655 1,490 1.396
Deeside l7 17 145 260
Do Extension
Dublin & Belfast J unction.... 63 63 1,471 1.353
Dublir and Drogheda 75 75 1.736 1.5,1
Dublin and Meath
Dub. & Wicklow and Wexld lO6 106 2,965 2,659
Forth and ClydesJimction
Furness, &c B5 85 4,719 4.39
G(lei tri a.eEsagtaotitwer nck
Northern, South-WesternNr fk . , l. Un ol
Great North of Scotland 274
240 294 if. 420
971
i 3318; ',
995
331
594 33
i:5
:,
904 385 435
242 211 1,5 4 7.1,91.
(it. Northn. & Westn. (I rel.) Bll 811 820 795
'34.Soutlin. & IVestu.(lrlud.) 4 .111 4;9 t 87e3 8.4 t 3
Great Western.l3lls 12805 (6. 411 t 1,3 )5
Highland
Hoylok •
Irish North-Western " 145 . 145 1,9 5 1.647
Isle of Wight ....... ....... 12 8 174 100
Lancashire & Yorkshire 463 403 43,090 40,383
Limerick and Ennis.—
Limerick and Foynes 265 265 101 167
Llanelly 465 461 583 497
Llynvi Valley
LLoounddo. nßr&igNhotornth,
4-Wse.seteornas .t 131930 1239045 110.255 109,989
London
dti&tbreocurSprroiuth-Western
8 4 11 , 6147
8 1
315 2931 18,511 17,913.
London, Chatham, & Dover; i 1355 131 1 8,563 7.963
li,st&tallSoEuxthteennsdio.n. 1 412354
and Coleraine 364 34614224 ) 32'3;7:238112 12:L84
DLLiaann.lnl.dii.llSrellnlieni eflield,&Li n co ln s h . . 22476 2217:4 38,2u7137 1 91; 46381 6
Manch. S.Jun.& Altrincham 95
Maryport and Carlisle .. ... 28 28 1,311 1,531
Metropolitan
Midland (incl. N.-Western) 697 6175 50,5 i 19,2V9
Midland Gt. Westn. of hind 2605 2601 40,9,6A1,, ,5t285
Monmoutlish. Rail. & Canal 44 44 *""" -,-
North British, Edin., Penn
and Dundee . 7321 7175 12,756 22,487
_ ._ -

_ • • •
N-Eastern and Stock. & Darl 1220} 1207- 6f.62d ".3"
North London ll it 4,6 hi 4,350
North Staffordshire 258 267 8, 95 V•vg4
Pembroke and Tenby 27i 11. 09 0 95
ithyinney 224 222 1,175 1,101
Scottish North-Eastern 143 148
0 2 1,134 Somerset and Dorset 66 65 1,
South Devon ........... ....„ llOll 98 3,401 3,468
South-Eastern
Tat! Vale
Ulster
... 1051 1051 2,66,5 2.699
.
•"

liilkCn-n; .......... ..-31.
Limerick ..... 77
10 10- 117 109
381 375
31
77 1,20 1 1,251
m‘Vvvvracual.
sttee:orrcift
booL:likwazi
and
id ..
.............• 1
71 _
14 250 234
In rexliam ]fold, J.:c ...... .. 11
IV liarcu,CleatorA Eg mut.. 10 to 11z 589
FOREIGN AND COLONIAL.
828 40.109 32.684
AustrianB2S
. _ _

Bahia and San Franci;eo. ' :::: 761 762 861 1,023
Belgian Eastern ..1 unction.... 264
301 F,151 10.817 264 281 362
Bombay, Itaroda,& Cell. India 306
Detroit and Milwaukic ....... 189 180 4,665 4,407
Dutch Rhenish
.. 1081
Eastern of Prance......_,.... 16.55 166 69,881 ( 9.975
Eastern Bengal ... ..... 110 110 2,1.1 2, 2
East Indian ........... . 11291 11:.9 43,36 '.7,766
... . . ...

Grand Trunk of Canada.,,,,; ...
Great Centrai of Belgium.... 285 . .
1371 1-77
Great Indian Peninsula....,, 823 624 k 2' ,347 35.21.0
21
Great Luxembourg .......... 172 142 4,452 5,16,
26t,
75630
261,J,2( 97
255
Great Southeen of India . . 79 79 1,, 85 5 u
Great Western of Canada.„... 345 3.5 12,929 1',A97
Madras ....... 645 8:1 6,810 7,9de
Madrid, Saragossadatlicant... 888 778 14,242 15.857
Northern of Canada ..,•,.,, 94 91 1,339 1,276
Northern of France ......... ..
783 26/ 60,_41 59,30
Norwegian Trunk .......... 44 4* 57 449
ottoman •.. ............. •.. . B,t 48} 911 N(.)
Paris, Lyons. & Afediterauean 217 u 2,' 6 64,478 137,0 5
Paris and Orlear 8. ........ ... 18st ,B_S 6 ,369 72,171
Recife and San Fracisco.dic... 771 ;71 1,861 1,8:2
Sc.nde i,,,, 105 2,393 2,0,9
Southern of France ....... .
Victoria
Welland
West & N-Wn. of France .. 1356 1151 40, 43 46,117

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

BIRMINGHAM STEEPLECHASES.—TUESDAY. I
With an alacrity which might only have been expected
to have been attendant on an important Midsummer event
did the racing men turn out to-day, to honour the re-
union at the "handsome village" and seat of industry
—Birmingham. Being one of the earliest of the spring
cross-country fixtures this meeting is fast laying claim
to be looked upon as one of the most important, and
to-day Mr. Sheldon, whose exertions for the success of the
gathering have been indefatigable, saw his efforts re-
warded with a bumper assemblage. The recent heavy
rains laid vast tracts of land throughout the country under
water, but owing to the peculiar conformation of the
course, and the sandy nature of the subsoil, the rain
rapidly drained off, and going was good -certainly much
better than was anticipated. The course is situated at
Sutton Goldfield, Boma seven miles from Birmingham, and
a more picturesque spat could scarcely have been selected
in the vicinity of Birmingham. To show the:ir apprecia-
tion of the sport the "Biums" mustered in large numbers,
and both road and rail were extensively patronised for
conveyance to the course. The weather was particularly
fine, and thoroughly enjoyable. A largo and convenient
stand and enclosure were erected,commanding a large share
of visitors during the day. From the appended returns it
w;!1 be seen that the sport was of an excellent character:—
The Hunt
.Cup of GO sovs, entrance 3 sovs (to go to the
fund), to be paid at the time of naming ; four year olds,
10st ; five, llst ; six, llst 81b ; aged, list 121 b ; winners

of 50 sovs, 71b extra ; about three miles.
Mr. E. Crawshaw's Hightlyer, by Orpheus —dam by
Barnacles, aged, list 41b (Mr. T. Spence) 1
Mr. Henry's Jassy, 5 yrs, list (Mr. Gerard) 2
Mr. C. Hetton's Albrighton, 5 yrs, list (W. White) 3
Mr. St.udd's Georgians, azed, list 121 b (Mr. Thomas) 4
Lord Poulett's Wneldrake, 6 yrs, list 81b(Mr. Edwards) 5
Mr. G. Stevens's Miss Dodson, 6 yrs, list 81b...(Owner) 6
Major Martin's Anus, aged, 12at 51b (inc. 71b ex.)
(Mr. Parker) 0
Mr. T. Gough's Mustang (h b), aged, list 121b(J. Page) 0
Col. Knox's Comber:on, aged, 12st 51b (including 71b
• extra) (Owner) 0
Lord Poulett's Charlemagne, aged, list 21b ...(G. Searle) 0
Mr. W. Wallace's Thane, aged, 12st 51b 71b extra
(J. Knott) 0

Betting - 3 to 1 agst Comberton, 5 to 1 agst
6 to 1 each agst Mustang and Georgiana, 100 to 15 agst
Highfiyer, 7 to 1 agst Albrighton, and 8 to 1 agst Miss
Dodson: At the 'first attempt the lot wore despatched,
Highflyerimmedistely showing in front, followed by Com-
berton, Mitts Dodson, and Mustang. They ran in a. coni-
pact body, Until about half a mile from home, when Arcus
stumbled and fell, Highflyer at the same time took up the
running, attended by Jassy, Georgians going on third.
Within the straight Jassy made an effort to reach High-
flyer, but failing, the former won by a couple of lengths.
Albrighton passing Georgians near home was a bad th'7d,
Wheldrake fifth, and Miss Dodson.-sixth. Nothing else
passed the post; Mustang having cannoned against T bane,
both R ere early out of the race.
The Sutton Plate of 40 sovs (Handicap); winners of any
steeplechase after Pub. 6 (at nine a.m.) 71b extra; the
winner to be sold for 50 sous; about two miles. .
Mr. Blacliee's Risk, by Lambton—Desire, 5 yrs, lOst 81b
(J. Knott) 1
Mr. J. Mal tin's Artist, 6 yrs, lOst 81b (D. Moley) 2
Mr. E. Green's Osterley, 6 yrs, lOst 71b (C. Boyce) 3
Mr. C. Green's Savannah, 6 yrs, lOst 21b (A. Sadler) 4
Mr. J. Page's Pelios, 6 y:s, 10st 61b (J. Page) 0
Betting-5 to 2 agst Risk, and 7to 2 agst. Pelios.
Savannah made play, followed by Artist, Osterley, Pelios,
and Risk in the order named, on passing the stand. Soon
after, however, the leader refused, an example which was
followed by Pelios, who was pulled up after refusing at
the next fence. Risk was consequently lea with the lead,
but was quickly joined by Savannah, who gave way to
Artist in the park, and the pair came into the straight
together, clearing the fence almost abreast, but the favou-
rite drew away and won easily by half a dozen lengths; a
similar distance dividing Osterley from Savannah, who
was eased from the distance, pursuit being hopeless. The
winner was not sold.

The Maiden Hunt Plate of 40 soy; for horses that have
never won a steepl chase value 20 soya ; 12st each
half-breds allowed 71b ; the winner to be sold for 100
soya; if entered for 50 soya allowed 71b; 30, 141 b;
about throe miles. Horses running for this race are not
liable for the racehorse duty. To close and name on

Monday, Feb. 11, at eight p.m.
Mr. Hem,/ Violet, list (X5O) (Mr. Grimshaw) 1
Mr. A. Dabbs's Lady Melbourne, 6 yrs, list 71b (Z3O)
(Mr. Dabbs) 2
Mr. W. Plimmer's Reveller, aged, list 71b (cm
(Mr. J. S. 'Telford) 3
Mr. Beaufoy's Lawyer, 6 yrs, .list (Mr. J. Jones) 4
Mr. W. IL Phillips's Colleen Bawd, aged, list 81b (X3O)
(Mr. Millward) 5
Mr. Bunting's Utcheter, aged, lOst 71b (£3O)
(Mr. W. Bond) 6
Mr. Webb ns Carbine, aged, £lOO, list 81b (car. list
131 b) (Mr. Bond) 0
Mr. Gerard's Basquine, list (ao) (Owner) 0
Mr. C. Baltord's Juliet, lOst 71b (ao) (Owner) 0
Betting-3 to 1 agst Violet, sto 1 each agst Lady Mel-
bourne and Colleen Bawn, and 7 to 1 agst Lawyer. Violet
jumped away in front, followed by Reveller, Utcheter, and
Juliet, Colleen Bawn bringing up the rear to the first
fence, where Violet was headed by Reveller, Utcheter, and
Juliet, but the trio, who ran in close company, only main-
tained their advantage into the park, for Violet again
assumed the lead and passed the stand slightly in advance
of Reveller, Colleen Bawn, Basquine, Lady Melbourne,
and Carbine ; Utcheter lying last; This order was main-
tained with but slight variation- into the ploughed land
for the second -time, when the lot became somewhat widely
scattered. Coming into sight from the park, Violet was
still in front, and Reveller had given place to Lady Mel-
bourne, who was close up to the leader. After clearing
the last fence a good race home ensued between the pair,
ending in favour of Violet, who was resolutely ridden, by
two lengths; three lengths divided Reveller from Lawyer;
Colleen Bawn was fifth ; Utcheter sixth, and nothing
else passed the post. The winner was bought in for 65
guineas.

The Erdington Plate (handicap) of 100 sovs ; winners
after Feb. 6 (at nine a.m.), 71b ; twice, or of 100* soy;

101 b extra; about tbreo miles.
Mr. T. Iran's Sir William, by St. Martin, aged, list 21b

• (W. White) 1
Mr. T. Colby's Ace of Trumps, aged, list (Wheeler) 2
Mr. E. Brayley's Ibex, list 131 b
Lord Uxbridgo's Marble Hill, aged, list 91b (J. Knott) 4
Mr. T. Jelly's Brandy Apple, aged, lOst 91b (J. Forster) 5
Colcnel Knox's Stiff, 6 yrs, lOst 81b (W. Reeves) 6
Mr. M. Clark's Cure All, 6 yrs, list ...(Mr G. Walker) 7
Captain Key's Omen, aged, lOst 61b (Captain Inge) 8
Mr. Carew's Jacob, aged, lOst 121 b (A.. Sadler) 9
Lord Poulett's Genievre, aged, lOst 71b...(Mr. Edwards) 0
Captain Tempest's Bird of Passage, 6 yrs, Est 101 b

'(II. States) 0
Capt. Brabazon's Agnes, aged, list 31b (Capt. Hatiord) 0
Betting-5 to 1 each agst Ibex and Marble Hill, 6to 1
Agst Cure All and Jacob, 7 to 1 agst Ace of Trumps, 100
to 12 agst Stiff, and Bto 1 agst Sir William. Marble Hill
assumed a clear lead immediately after the fall of the flag,
and cut out the work at a rattling pace, followed by Curo
All, Ace of. Trumps, and Jacob, Sir William heading the
tack, which was whipped in by Bird of Passage and Ge-
nievre. But slight variation occurred in the respective po-
sitions of the competitors as they traversed the ploughed
land, but when they got fairly into the park Cure All went
to the front and took up the running, have in close attend-
ance Marble Hill, Ace of Trumps, and Jacob, Sir William
lying well up iu the field, which was straggled and whipped
in by Geneivre, Agnes, and Bird of Passage, who gave up
after going about half the distance, at ,which point they
wore hopelessly beaten. Proceeding along the back stretch
the four leaders took close order, Sir William being about
four lengths in the rear of Lord Usblidge's horse. After
about two miles and a quarter of the journey had been
traversed, Sir William ran through his horses and took
up the running, clearing the last fence in advance
of AC3 of Trumps, and from that point a flue race took
place, ending in favour of Sir .William by two lengths.
Ibex was beaten four lengths for second place ; while
Marble Hill, who was eased at the distance, was a couple
of lengths behind him ;.Brandy Apple was fifth, a dozen
lengths behind Marble Hill; Stiff sixth, Cure All seventh,
Ornen next, and Jacob was the only one of the,others that
passed the post.

The Hunters' Plato of 40 sous, and 10 sovs for the second ;
four year okis, lOst 71b; five, list 71b ; six, 12st llb
aged, 12st 51b; to be, ridden by gentlemen, farmers, or
tradesmen, who have never ridden for hire ; those who
have ridden the winner of any handicap steeplechase,

61b extra : about throe miles.
Mr. Btudd's Sylph, 5 yrs, list 131 b (Inc 71b ex)
(Mr. Thomas) 1
Mr. Wilson's Makeshift, aged, 12st 51b ........ (Owner) 2
Mr. Brook's Round Text., 6 yrs, 12at llb ... (Mr. Parker) 3
Mr. T. Gough's Mustang, aged, 12st slb ... (Mr. Dabbs) 0
Mr. Hoathcote's Woodpecker, aged, 12st 51b .... . . (Owner) 0
Sir 0. Rushout's Oakball, aged, 12st llb (Mc Gib ex)
(Mr. Cove)try) 0
Mr. Cooper's Wetherby, aged, 12st 51b ....... Bond) 0
Mr. Audiawood's Milford, aged, 12st 51b...... (Owner) 0
Mr. Rupert's Newcastle, aged, 12st 51b (Mr. Crawshaw) 0
Mr. Willshire's Swindler, aged, 12st 51b ......... (Owner) 0
Mr. J. Do If. Chadwick's Ethel, 5 yrs, llst 13113 (Inc
61b extra) ......................... ............. (Mr. Edwards) 0
.
Mr. Wyman's Toni Thumb, 5 yrs, list 71b
(Mr. Goodwin, jun.) 0
Mr. Le Blonde's Jamaica, 12st 51b (Capt. Holyoake) 0
Mr. J. Swan's Chance, 6 yrs, 12st 111 b ...... (Mr. ()alley) 0
Mr. R. Adams' Bereave, 4 yrs, 10st 71b (car llst 41b)
(Mr. leer) 0
Betting-5 to 1 each agst Sylph and Newcastle, 11 to 2
agst Makeshift, 100 to 15 each ag,slr, Oakball and Swindler,
and 10 to 1 each agst Mustang and Chance. Round Text
and Makeshift wore in front for the first two miles, when
Makeshift drew away, but was joined at the last fence but
one from home by Sylph, Round Text, Tom Thumb, and
Wilford. Close order was maintained until the last field,
when Sylph and Makeshift singled themselves out, and the
former woe cleverly by a neck; two lengths separated
second and third; Tom Thumb was fourth, -Wilford fifth,
and Wetherby sixth.

LIVERPOOL SPRING MEETING.
THURSDAY, March 7.
•
Acceptances for the Liverpool Spring Cup of 200 soya in