The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-23 00:00:00

THE SUGAR DUTIES.

hear.

Mr. CRUM EWING asked the Secretary to the Trea-
sury if he would state at what date the new regulations as
to the amount of drawback on sugar, to be allowed by
France, Holland, and Belgium respectively, as provided
for by the recent Convention, ware to come into opera-
tion.
Mr. HUNT said as soon as the resolutions were passed
by the house the three Powers interested were at once
made aware of the fact, and requested to fix a date for the
reduced duties to come into operation. Onlyßelgium had
yet replied fixing the Ist of March, and in the event of the
other two Powers not signifying their intention beforo
the day fixed in the English bill, a short act would be
introduced, as it was most desirable that the action of all
the Governments should be simultaneous.
BIRTH OF A PRINCESS—ADDRESS TO HER
MAJESTY.

The CHANCELLOR of the KaCHEQUER said he rose

to move an address to her Majesty on the happy event
which had taken place in the royal family—namely, the
birth of a Princess in the direct line. The royal family
lived so much in the eye and the heart of the country that
any event that added to their happiness was a subject of
joy to the whole of her Majesty's subjects, and he felt
_ _

;hat the house would with all sincerity offer its congra-

tulations to her Majesty, and therefore he moved an address

of congratulation to her Majesty on the Princess
of Wales having happily given birth to a princess. (Hear,

Mr. GLADSTONE seconded the motion, and said that
the indisposition that her Royal Highness was suffering
under previous to the happy event was a subject of deep
regret. That Providence would, in addition to blessings
already enjoyed, grant her uninterrupted good health was

the desire of tho wholo country. (Hear, hear.)

The motion was agreed to.
T LIE NEW COURTS OF JUSTICE.
Mr. BENTINCK called the attention of the House to
arrangements that were being made with respect to the
erection of the new courts of justice. He thought the best
mode to be adopted in the selecting and carrying out the
work was most objectionable. He thought that a motion
of such magnitude should be in the hands of
persons responsible to Parliament. The manner in
which the designs had been prepared was very
far from satisfactory, and the cost that was attached to
some of them was enormous. He thought the
whole of the evil arose from the fact that

there was an irresponsible body acting behind the
scenes, who pulled the wires without caring one straw for

the public, and where the funds wero to come from was a
matter of the greatest indifference to them. He thought
the whole matter should be taken out of the hands

of the irresponsible body with which it now rested,
and placed under the control of a responsible
body amenable to Parliament. (Hear, hear.) The sum
originally spoken of as required for the erection of those
courts was £70,000, yet in some of the estimates at-
tached to the plans they amounted to two millions. The
suet at present disposable was £150,000, to which
Government proposed to add £lOO,OOO by way of loan,

- - , - -
and if one of these expensive plans was decided upon
he should like to know where the funds wore to come from.
He moved the following resolution :—" That in the opinion
of this house it is expedient that all arrangements re-

specting the building of the new courts of justice should
be effected under the sole responsibility of her Majesty's

Government."

Mr. B. HOPE defended the architects from the charges
of extravagance.
Sir R. PALMER defended the constitution of the Com-
mission. They had taken pains to arrive at a satisfactory
result, and it appeared to him quite impossible to fix upon
a certain sum as the unalterable cost of buildings of such
an extent as the new courts of justice. There was one
_ _ _

thing,however,that was quite open to be pursued, and tbai
was that the commission could reject the whole of the de.

signs sent in.
Mr. CARNEGIE and Mr. DILWYN supported the motion.
Mr. COWPER said when the sum of £750,000 was voted
as sufficient, the buildings then required were not of so
extensive a character as had been found requisite. If the

_
accommodation was required to be enlarged, the expense

of course must, as a natural consequence, increase.

After a short discussion,
Mr. BENTINCK withdrew his motion.
MYSORE.

Sir H. RAWLINSON asked the Secretary for India
whether the Government of India had come to any deci-

sion on the recent appeal of the Maharajah of Mysore with
regard to the succession of his adopted son ; and, if so,
whether he was prepared to lay upon the table of the house
any correspondence that might have passed on the sub-
ject. The hon. gentleman made a strong appeal to the
Government to recognise the succession, contending that
a geaerous and confiding policy was that which would
tend to the pacification of the country and the security of

our rule in India.
After some observations from Sir E. COLEBROOKE in
support of the claim,
Lord CRANBORNE said the Government coincided
with that of their predecessors in office in his opinion that
the rights conferred upon the Maharajah of Mysore would
terminate with his life. It was not, however, their inten-
tion at the prince's death to annex his territory, or to
hand it over to a native prince without check or control.
When the son of the Maharajah obtained majority it might

become the duty of whoever administered the government
of India to consider whether he was a person who ought to
be admitted to rule over all or part of his father's territory.
Meantime care would be taken to give him the advantages
of a European education and to supply him with an esta-
blishment suitable to his rank. With regard to the papers
asked, the Government had no objection to produce them.
DEFECTS OF OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM.

Sir R. PALMER called attention to the unsatisfactory
state of the different appellate jurisdictions in this coun-
try, as exercised in the House of Lords, the Privy Coun-
cil, the Court of Exchequer Chamber, and the Court of
Appeal in Chancery, and other defects in our judicial sys-
tem by which the administration of justice in the superior
courts of law is now impeded. The hon. and learned gen-
tleman, in a speech of singular power and lucidity, pointed
out the various defects and shortcomings of our judicial sys-
tem, and offered prncti,,l suggestions for their amend-
ment. Having commented upon the inconvenience and
injustice arising from the arrear of business in the common
law courts, and indicated the means by which, under a new
arrangement of the business, greater despatch might be
secured, he recommended that the special jurisdiction of
the Courts of Queen's Bench and Exchequer should be
done away with, and the three common law courts become
branches of one great court; that the attendance of judges
at Chambers should be discontinued, and the business bo
transferred to the masters and chief clerks; that the pre-
sent waste of judicial power should be utilised; that the
appellate jurisdiction of the House of Lords should be
transferred to a court of appeal ; and finally, that the legal
functions now performed by the hereditary branch of the
Legislature should cease and determine so soon as a more
effectual tribunal should be established in its stead.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, having expressed his
amazement that so earnest a law reformer as the late
Attorney-General seemed to be should have been so long
in office and yet have done nothing to give effect to his
views, denied that the suggestions which he had offered
would economise the judicial power of the country or pro-
mote the better administration of the law. The House of
Lords had existed for ages as the final court of appeal, and
no case had been made out for withdrawing its jurisdiction.
Sir R. COLLIER was prepared, in common with Sir R
Palmer, to extinguish the exclusive jurisdiction of the com-
mon law courts, and establish one court of appeal, but the
matter which pressed with greatest urgency was the state
of business in the courts of common law, whore there were
nearly 500 remanets.
Mr. SANDFORD thought that the appellate jurisdiction
of the House of Lords was in a most unsatisfactory condi-
tion, as it was practically limited to Lord Chelmsford and
the new Scotch peer, who might have to reverse the deci-
sions of Lord Justice Cairns and Lord Justice Turner.
Sir G. BowYER and Mr. E. JAMES supported the views
of Sir R. Palmer, which were opposed by the Solicitor-
General in a brief speech.
Mr. DARBY GRIFFITH next endeavoured to induce
the Chancellor of the Exchequer to depart from his atti-
tude of reticence in reference to reform, by asking him
whether he meant to invite the House to come to a conclu-
sion in favour of the reduction of the qualification for the
elective franchise without at the same time affording a
clear indication of what that reduction was intended to be.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER declined to
gratify the curiosity of the hon. member for Devizes, but
assured him that he had taken a note of his question, as
well as of many others, and that he would answer them
all in the fulaess of time—namely, on Monday evening.
Mr. BROMLEY made an elaborate complaint as to the
condition of the streets in the vicinity of the Houses of
Parliament, which he described as perfectly disgraceful.
The hon. gentleman was followed by Mr. OSBORNE,
who demanded further explanation of the sums required
for particular items connected with the approaching Ex-
hibition at Paris. He understood that a house (making up
40 beds) had been taken in the Champs Elysees for the
secretaries to the commission, of whom there were 47, and
he asked what remuneration these gentlemen were to get,
and what portion of the vote of £116,000 was to find its
way into the pockets of "our trusty and well-beloved
Henry Cole, C. 8." He also asked how it was that im-
plements of war were to bo forwarded at enormous cost to
an exhibition intended to be confined to objects of "indus-
try, agriculture, and the fine arts."
Mr. H. BRUCE, having been vice-president of the Edu-
cation Board of the Privy Council, when the greater por-
tion of the expenditure was incurred, replied to Mr. Os-
borne, and stated that the requirements of the authorities
of the Exhibition were such as to make a very large out-
lay absolutely necessary.
Mr. BERESFORD-HOPE, as one of the commissioners,
disclaimed all responsibility, and suggested the appoint-
ment of a select committee to get at the facts.
Mr. HUNT (Secretary to the Treasury) promised that
full details of the expenditure should appear when the civil
service estimates were laid upon the table, and
Mr. OSBORNE expressed a hope that the munitions of
war would not be sent to Paris.
In reply to Mr. DILLWYN,
Mr. CURRY stated they had not yet been forwarded.
The Habeas Corpus Suspension (Ireland) Act Amend-
ment Bill passed through committee with verbal amend-
ments; and, the standing orders having been suspended,
the bill was reported and read a third time and passed.
The remaining business was disposed of, and the house
adjourned at half past one o'clock.

Frank Leslie says :—The last effusion of the re-
nowned Artemus Ward we have not yet seen in
print. It is said that A. W., being at one of the
New York churches, lately edified the audience by
his unexpected reply to the preacher's text, which
was as follows :

"How are the mighty fallen ? How are the
mighty fallen ?"

After a short pause, Artemus looked up inquir
ingly, and said, meekly, " I give it up."

RAILWAY IN TELLIGENCE.

WATERLOO AND WHITEHALL.

The adjourned half-yearly meeting of the 'Aare-
holders in this railway was held yesterday at the
offices of the company, 7, Westminster Chambers,
Victoria-street, Westminster, under the presidency
of Mr. Parsons.

The report has already appeared in our columns.
The CHAIRMAN said the company was in need of
£30,000 more capital to complete the works, and
the result of an appeal to the shareholders was that
only £9,000 had been raised. He at the same time
expressed his conviction that if the company could
succeed in getting its tube laid down there could be
no doubt of its being ultimately successful, and
becoming one of the best paying lines in the metro-
polis. As the required capital was not obtained, of
course there was no alternative but for the works to
be stopped. Looking at the circumstances, he deemed
it advisable to confer with the contractors as to the
best means to be adopted to get the tube laid.
A discussion ensued, in which several shareholders
expressed their entire concurrence in the views of
the chairman, and their confidence in the board, as
well as their conviction that within a short period
the company's affairs would be in a more satisfac-
tory condition.
At the conclusion of the discussion, the following
resolution, moved by the CHAIRMAN, and seconded
by Mr. SUTTON, was unanimously adopted :
" That the report of the result of the application to

the shareholders and season ticket holders of the
South-Western Railway Company now made to the
meeting be received and adopted and entered on the

minutes."

A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the
proceedings.

LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN.
The half-yearly meeting of this company was
held yesterday at the Euston Station—Mr. R. Moon

in the chair. The report (which has already ap-
peared) was taken as read.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the
report and half-yearly statement of accounts, said
it was with disappointment and regret that the di-

rectors came before them to recommend a diminu•
tion of the dividend as compared with last year

But they were bound, like everybody else, to bow
to circumstances. They knew what a collapse there

had been in the trade of the country, and that their
expenses of all kinds had increased. He regretted
to state that the result of the half year's working
showed that the expenses had increased 10. per
train mile as compared with 1865, and as much as
2d. per train mile as compared with 1864, while the
earnings had remained about the same. The board
hoped that as the trade of the country returned, the
arrangements they had made, anticipating the con-
tinuance and growth of that trade, would become
remunerative to the company. It would be in the
recollection of any proprietor who had been present
12 months ago, and to any one who read what

passed on that occasion, that he then pointed
_ _ .

out that the half year they were considering
might be taken as almost an exceptional one ; and
though he did receive from a gentleman a note to

say that he had bought his shares on the faith of
progressive dividends, he did not think it necessary
to answer him by saying more than that the board
were also bound up with the prosperity of the
company. On that occasion he was anxious they
should retain in hand the 4 per cent. they paid
additional, and if they had done so the dividends
would have been equalised. Of course it made no
difference to the proprietors if they retained their
shares, but he thought they ought to have a surplus
sum in hand so as to secure at all times an equal divi-
dend. The result would not be in the dividend itself,
because in either case the proprietors would put it in
their pockets sooner or later, but it would have the
effect of making the value of the shares more uni-
form. Several proprietors, however, strongly ob-
jected to this course, and in deference to their opi-

nions the board gave way. During the past year
there had been exceptional circumstances which for
a moment depressed their dividend, but he hoped
when the prosperity of the country returned they
would be able to do something better. lie did not

know that anything more could be done than had
been done during the past year. They had watched
the expenditure very carefully, and were continuing
to do so ; but it would be a great mistake on their
part if, because of the temporary panic in the trade
of the country, they supposed it was corning to a
dead stand, and were to make a diminution in the
number of trains, which they might afterwards re-
gret. The board recommended them to bear the re-
duced dividend as patiently as they could, in hope
of better times hereafter. Then coming to the ac-
counts of the company, he said, with reference to the
capital account, that it was very accurately recorded
and carefully got up, showing so clearly as it did all

their liabilities in reference thereto. The total capita'

of the company and its leased and guaranteed lines
was about £70,000,000, the loans being about
£19,000,000. They were paying dividend this half
year on nearly £2,000,000 of capital which was al-
most unproductive. Only a few lines had been opened
during the half-year which had not yet come into
play. With regard to the revenue expenditure, the
maintenance of way had been very exceptional ; but
they had every reason to believe they had reached
the culminating point of their expenditure; in fact,
it so happened that, not quite the last year, but
nearly the last year, of the Lancaster and Carlisle,
and the Chester and Holyhead fell with the first
Year of the St. Helen's Canal renewal ; and when
this company took these lines their permanent ways
were in a miserable condition. Another thing was
that the heavy engines of the Sheffield Company
running over the Stockport and Warrington had
compelled them to relay that line sooner than they
should have done. There was also £4,000 for
steel rails put into the account. In the last half-
year they had relaid 37 miles of double line ; and
they had now forty lines of double line laid
with steel rails. With reference to the locomotive
account, if they took off a great m any exceptional
charges, the extra price of coal for instance, thetotal
extra cost in this departinentwould be about£l7,ooo
or £lB,OOO for the extra miles run, but there wa s
no real addition to the cost per train mile. They
had put for stock nearly £22,000 of steel—that was
to say, beyond what the tyres, axles, &c., would have
cost in iron. Then there were a few exceptional
things, which the fluctuations of a half year would
sometimes give, accounting to a considerable extent
for the difference in the cc st. They had reached such
a point of economy that they did not see their way
to make any material reduction of expenditure ;
on the contrary, wages, materials—everything
had been growing against them during the half
year. If they went further down the accounts they
would find an item for compensation for accidents.
They had been very unfortunate during the year.
The total amount they had paid for compensation
in 1866 from the 15th Jan. was about £llB,OOO,
but that included compensation for loss of goods and
delay to markets, bad debts, and so on. The total
amount paid for personal injury and what might be
called " fright" was about £54,000. He did not
know what more could be done. People said they
should have more signals and flags, but there was a
strong impression on the minds of the board that
the company was rather over-signalled, and the diffi-
culty was to hit the happy medium. The more
signals they had the more they confused their drivers
and staff. Therefore the matter was to be left to the
discretion of the directors to do the best they could.
They must expect accidents. If they took the whole
sum for injury to passengers during 1866, they would
find it was not a half per cent. of the receipte for
the past half-year. The law expenses were, he
believed, nearly cleared off. During the last five
arrears which
yheaadrsbetehneyalllioawdeldiadtotaoc levui
and an immense sum for maintenance of permanent
pmetiolaffteminatnhe law expenses, many
way and other things ; so that they might look for-
ward to a better state of things in these respects in
the future. If they looked to steamboat expenses,
he might say that after buying new steamers and
replacing their boilers, and doing everything to keep
them in order, they were still £lB,OOO in hand.
With regard to rates, the cattle plague rate was
about £l,OOO against them in the half year, and the
parish rates and assessments generally were increas-
ing in the country. This was a thing over which
they had no control. Questions had been asked the