The Sun.
London, England, 1850-02-12 00:00:00

FEBRU AR Y 12, 1850

or if they asserted their independence, that eviction
wont! f,llow. -
Mr. GROGAN approved of the principle of the Bill;
but he thought it was introduced at an improper period.
Either he should take the present valuation, or wait un-
til the new valuation, prepared by Mr. Gritlit!is, which
was a reasonable and lair one, was brought into opera-
tion.

Mr. SCULLY was glad to see that the Right Honour-
able Gentleman was determined to pass a Registration
Bill at last, and hoped that he would persevere with it
until it was passed. As to the objection, on the ground
of the valuation, he did not see why any man abould be
prevented from having a voice in sending to that House
those who represented hies, even it the poor-law valu-
ation was incorrect. It was, in fact, merely a question
whether they would have a constituency or net. It came
to that at last, and he hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman
would not postpone this measure. It was a question upon
which a strong opinion existed among all parties of
Irishmen, an.l Le hoped that a discussion would imme-
diettly t .ke plate in that Heusi., as to the measures la.)
which Ireland might be raised from its present condi-
tion, b nth politically and socially.
Lord CLAUD HAMILTON said he regretted that
the Right Honourable Baronet, in adopting what he
a 'spitted to be a seve-e principle, had not accompanied
it with some statement of the measures by which they
might have had a uniform rating, and the injustice and
inequality of the present system obviated.
Leave was then giree to bring in the Bill, as was also
for leave to bring in a Bill to shorten the duration of
elections, and for establishing additional places tr
taking the poll thereat.
R tarns were orderer', on the motion of Mr. FIUME
of the number of editors of the public press that have
been expense l during the year 1849, from the lonian
Islands, swing the names of \public writers and of the
editors so banished, the titles of the papers they edited,
the offences for which banished, acrd whether tried and
sentenchd by any Court, or banished by the Lord High
Commissioner's authority; of the number of persons
tried by courts-martial, during the existence of military
law in Cephalonia, and the sentences awarded, stating
how many of those sentences have hem carried out; also
the number of persons flogged in Cephalonia, in the year
1842, and by what tribunal seatenced, stating the greatest
and the smallest number of lashes inflicted, and the total
number of lashes inflicted.
Sir G. GREY moved fur a Select Committee to inquire
into the rules and discipline established with regard to
the treatment of prisoners in gaols and houses of correc-
tion in England and Wales.
Mr. C. PEARSON said, if it was understood that this
motion was meant to take the matter out of his hands,
he would take the sense of the House upon it, unless he
was distinctly given to understand that the Committee
would not be composed of parties who were pledged to
any of the existing principles and systems of prison dis-
cipline. The slightest intimation on the part of the
Right Hon. Baronet that the Committee would have the
widest scope of inquiry would cause him to give way.
But if not, he wished it to be distinctly understood that
he was not precluded from bringing forward a separate
motion for an independent Committee at an early day.
If he had pressed his motion last year he should have
succeeded, and he woull not now relinquish his position
unless he had a distinct understanding that, between this
time and that for appointing the Committee, the Right
Honourable Baronet would, according t') the courte-
sies of the House, communicate with him as to its
composition. He boldly affirmed that the criminal
population of this country could be maintained without
costing the country one shilling of expense, and he
pledged himself to prove this before any fairly consti-
tuted Committee of that House.—(Hear, hear.) He
was prepared to become a member of this Committee,
provided he would not be called on to compromise one
principle- that he previously avowed, and was therefore
determined to act on. He expected that there would be
a resolution passed by the House, f,r the purpose of in-
quiring fully into the present system of prison discipline,
and for that object he was prepared to lend his aid, and,
with the few Honourable Members whom he required to
act with him, would represent all matters debated in
that Committee to this House.
Mr. MONSELL said, that he considered that the
plan was a very beneficial one, but the only objection that
he hal to it was, that the gaols in Ireland were excluded.
When he considered the character of the criminals in
Ireland, who were driven by distress to the commission
of crime, he thought it monstrously unjust to have those
unfortunate people subject to such distress and priva-
tions in the gaols in Ireland.
Sir G. GREY said, that he considered that the prin-
ciple of the Hon. Member (Mr. C. Pearson) woald not
be at all subject to any compromise by his own motion,
but, on the contrary, thought that the Hon. Gentleman
would be able to effectuate much good in co-operation.
Lord NAAS said, that the state of the prisous in Ire-
land was of a most frightful character, and that nothing
tended so much to demoralization as the present condi-
tion of prison discipline. He felt assured from the state-
ment of the Right lion. Gentleman that the state of Ire-
land would be attended to. He should move as an
amendment, that the gaols of Ireland should be attended
to by the Committee.
After a few words from Mr. Palmer, Sir D. Norreys,
and Mr. Henley.
Mr. HERBERT said that he felt assured that the
system of herd labour, combined with the separate sys-
tem, as carried on in the Belfast Gaol, was worthy of
being looked upon as a model, and that sufficient in-
tern:lotion could be procured from the superintendent of
that establishment, which would be well worthy of the
attention of the Committee.
Mr. M. O'CONNELL said he fslt pleased with the
Right lion. Baronet (Sir George Grey) fur the manner
in which he intended t i improve prison discipline in
Ireland.

Mr. C. PEARSON said that it should not be con-
Aidered as a motive 14 opposition to his plan that prison
discipline did not succeed in Ireland, owing principally
to he late distress in that country.
S'r G. GREY said that he would have no obiection to
the amendment of the Noble L,rd (Lord Naas), yet he
woull allow the House to divide.

After a few words from Colonel DUNNE, the House
divided—
For the amendment ... ... 18
Against it

Majority ... —5
The motion was then agreed to.
The other orders f the thy were then disposed of,
and the House adjourned at 114lf past One o'clock.

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
At length we are enabled to announce to the sur-
vivors of the expedition to Egypt, in March, 1801,
under Admiral Lord Keith, in which the gallant
Abercrombie lost his life, that the grant of the war-
medal has been extended for this gallant and distin-
guished service. Among the surviving officers noted
in " Allen's New Navy List," just published, and
corrected up to January last, we find Admiral Sir
Charles Ogle, Bart., who commanded the Greyhound,
and deserved the companionship of the Bath for his
services ; Admiral Hugh Downman, who commanded
the Santa Dorothea, 42, and captured General
Desaix and the staff of Bonaparte; Vice-Admiral
Sir Thotnas Briggs, G.C.M.G., y.io commanded
rife Salamine, 16, and was posted :)r that service;
Vice-Admiral Dick, who commantlPil ;.:e Cynthia,
18, as senior officer of the block-,ling squadron ;
Vice-Admiral R. Jackson, who ecmtnanded the
Banne Citoyen corvette ; Vice-Admiral Lord William
Fitzroy, K.C. 8., who was lieutenant of the Pene-
lope 46 ; Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Richardsin,
K.dß., who was lieutenant of the Kent, 74, and
served in the battle of the Bth March; Vice-Admiral
the lion. F. W. Aylmer, C. 8., lieutenant of the
S wiftsure, 74 ; Vice-Admiral IL M. Ooamanney,
liautenant of the frigate Active ; Vice-Admiral A.
Duff, commander of the Mondovi brig ; Vice-Admiral
Sir J. Coghill Coghill, Bart., lieutenant in the litter-
lem, 64 ; Vice-Admiral Ayscough, commander of
he Inconstant; Vice-Admiral Sir T. J. Cochrane,
K.C.8., midshipman of the Ajax, 80; Rear-Admi-
ral Sir W. B. Procter, Bart., lieutenant of the
Diana; Rear-Admiral W. Croft, midshipman of the
Foudroyant, 80; Rear-Admiral C. J. Hawtayne,
lieutenant of the cireyhound ; Rear-Admiral
J. W. Dans Dundas, C. 8., M.P. (senior
Naval Lord of the Admiralty), midshipman of
the Kent, 74, which ship conveyed Abercrombie from
Gibraltar to Egypt ; Rear-Admiral E. W. Hoare,
lieutenant of the Northumberland, 74 ; Rear-Admiral
Fisher, acting lieutenant of the Foudroyant; and
Retired Flag-officers J. Prevost and 11. T. Davies.
The patent constituting the new Board of Admi-

ralty was formally read yesterday, when Captain
Houston Stewart, C. 8., took his seat, and entered
upon the duties of his new office.
Vice-Admiral Sir John Louis, Batt, is ordered to
strike his flag on board the Agincourt, depot ship, of
Devonport ordinary, on Wednesday night, and the
new superintendent of the dockyard and second in
command, Commodore Lord J. Hay, C. 8., will hoist
his red broad pendant in the same ship on Thursday
morning.
PORTSMOUTH, MONDAY.—Captain Horatio T.
Austin, C. 8., proceeded to London this morning to
commence the superintendence of the fitting out of
his expedition to the Northern regions. He will be
borne upon the books of the Fisguard guardahip at
Woolwich, pro tem.
The Hermes steam sloop and Dart tender got under
weigh from Cowes this morning, and proceeded for
the Cape of Good Hope. As strong gales have been
blowing ever since it is probable they have got no
further than Yarmouth.
The Winchester, .50, was hauled into the basin this
morning to be docked, in the room of the royal
yacht Victoria and Albert, which • will go round to
the steam-basin to have her boilers put in and ma-
chinery refitted.
The crew of the Illustrious depot ship, Captain
Yates, ware paid six months' wages to-day.
Wind—S.W., strong gales and rain.
PLYMOUTH, FEB. 10.—The Jackal steamer, tender
to the Gladiator, for the safety of which some appre-
hensions have existed, arrived this afternoon in the
Sound.

IVooLwirca, FEB. 11.—Captain H. T. Austin,
C. 8., arrived in town at an early hour from eons-
mouth, and remained at the Adiniral:j for iftonsi-
derable time making arrangements for accelerating
the dispatch of the vessels about to proceed on the
Arctic expedition in search of Captain Sir John
Franklin and the officers and crew of the Erebus and
Terror. The anxiety of officers to be employed on
the new north-west expedition continues unabated,
and the number of applications increases.
It is now considered certain that Captain Ellice,
controller of the steam department, will succeed
Captain Houston Stewart, C. 8., as controller of the
coast-guard, and it is expected his appointment will
be announced to-morrow. The situation of conk
troller of the steam department will not be filled
up if the present intentions are carried out, as it is
contemplated to place the entire steam department
under the control of Sir Baldwin Walker, K C. 8.,
surveyor of the navy.
Captain Henry J. Matson (1849), having studied
steam at the factory at Woolwich dockyard, wag
examined on Friday last, by Mr. Trickett, assistant
to the chief engineer, and having passed satisfactorily,
received the usual certificate.

Lieutenant John A. Sanford (1847) joined to-day
to study steam at the factory in this dockyard.
The Niger steam-sloop was taken out of the basin
today at high water, and immediately left Woolwich
for Greenhithe, where she is to have her compasses
adjusted, and will then proceed round to Portsmouth;
She is under the charge of Lieutenant-Commander
Parki, of the Dasher steam-vessel, who has the whole
of his own crew, with several of the riggers, &c., of
Captain Austin's steam department, making a total
of about 75 men, to navigate her. Mr. Allen (addi-
tional), master of the Black Eagle, proceeds in her
to pilot her to Portsmouth, as Mr. Stuart, the Go-
vernment •pilot, will le.are when she passes through
the Downs

strong shears, upwards of GO feet in height, and
capable of supporting 50 tons weight, was put up
this morning by ➢lr. Newbury, boatswain, and the
men under his direction, in the slip on which the
Agamemnon, 80 guns, is in course of construction,
for the purpose of raising the stem of that vessel. The
stem is already formed, and. weighs 12 tons. A por-
tion of the frame timbers in the centre of the vessel
has been put up, and the workmen are proceeding
rapidly in order to have her frame ready, if possible,
by the time specified.
The Simpson, steam•frigate, is under the E hears
in the inner basin, having her new boilers put on
board.

Toe Alecto, the Dasher, and the Minx steam-
vessels are also in the inner basin.

The Inflexible steam-frigate, the Prometheus, the
Lizard, the Rocker, and the Monkey steam•vessels
are in the outer basin, the latter having been taken
in on Saturday last to have new boilers and new
engines.

The Jasper steam-vessel has been placed in charge
of Mr. Bryant, master-commander of the Monkey,
until that vessel is again ready for service.
Tne Harbinger, from Moulmein, with a cargo of
teak, having a considerable portion of it for Deptford
dockyard, was towed up the river to-day by a hired
tug, and the timber for Woolwich will be unloaded,•
and taken down to this dockyard in li;7t-it,7.rs.
Tne Megrera steam-frigate, 350-horst power, is in
King William IV. Dock, having her bottom covered
with a composition to -preserve the iron, and prevent
the adhesion of barnacles, coral, and other sea shells
and weeds.