The Sun.
London, England, 1850-03-06 00:00:00

JENNY LIND.

Mr. Barnum, the proprietor of the American Mu
scum at New York, has addressed the following cir
cular to the American journals : _ _

" American Museum, Feb. 19, 1850.

"In regard to the engagement of Mdlle. Jenny Lind
for America, I beg to state that I have this day rati-
fied the engagement made by my agent with this dis -
tinguished vocalist. It is true that in engaging Mdlle.
Lind, and the musical associates whom she has
selected to accompany her, viz., the distinguished
composer and pianist, M. Julius Benedict end Signor
Giovani Beletti, the celebrated and famous Italian
barytone of the Italian Opera, of London and Paris,
my agent, to secure such talent, went beyond the
amount I had anticipated paying, but after all, the
sums to be paid these persons, great as they
may appear, are not so much as Miss Lind
has been in the habit of receiving for her services
alone, nor do Messrs. Benedict and Beletti receive
fume me more than their distinguished services are at
this moment commanding in London. Perhaps I may
not make any money by this affair.; but I assure you
that if I knew I should not realise a farthing profit,
I would ratify the agreement, so anxious am I that
the United States should be visited by a lady
whose extraordinary vocal powers have never been even
approached by any other human being, and whose cha-
racter is charity, simplicity, and goodness personified.
It is well known that Jenny Lind has never received
less than 4001. or 2,000 dolls. per night for her
own services, either in Manchester, Liverpool,
Dublin, Glasgow, or E linburgh ; in short, in
all the places she sang ; and that she fre-
quently received 6001., or 3,000 dolls. per night. My
agent saw an offer to her of 6,000/., or 30,000 dolls.,
to sing twelve nights in England, which she declined.
Also an enormous offer for the grand concerts at the
Imperial Court of Russia, an offer nearly double that
of my own, which she for reasons also declined; she
was offered 1,9001., or 6,000 dolls., to sing in one con-
cert, to be given at the Great World Convention of
Arts and Manufactures in llyde-park, London, in
1851. It was further intimated to her from Queen
Victoria that her services would be desired in a con-
templated grand sacred festival, to be given about
the same period in Westminster Abbey, where the
tickets will be held from 25 dolls. to 100 dolls.
each, both of these last offers she was induced to de-
cline, in consequence of her desire to visit America,
as proposed by my agent. Miss Lind has numerous
better offers than the one she has accepted from me,
bat she has a great anxiety to visit America.
She speaks of this country and its institutions in
the highest terms of rapture and praise ; and, as
money is by no means the greatest inducement that
can be laid before her, has determined to visit us. In
her engagements with me (which includes Havana as
well as the United States), she expressly reserves for
herself the right to sing for and give charitable con-
certs whenever she may think proper. Since her
debitt in England she has given to the poor,
from her own private purse, more than the
whole amount which I have engaged to
give her, and the proceeds of concerts for chari-
table purposes in Great Britain, where she has sang
gratuitously, have realised more than ten times that
amount. During the last eight months she has
been singing entirely and gratuitously for chari-
table purposes, and is now founding a benevolent
institution in Stockholm, her native city, at a cost of
350,000 dolls. A visit from such a woman, who regards
her high artistic powers as a gift from Heaven' for
the amelioration of affliction and distress, and whose
every thought and deed is philanthropy, I feel per-
suaded will prove a blessing to America, as she has to
every country she has visited, and I feel every confi-
dence that my countrymen and women will join me
heartily in saying, God bless her "

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
HOUSE CF LORDS, March 5.

THE DUKE OF EOXBUP.GHE V. EAIFISAY AND OTHERS.
In this case the arguments had not been concluded
when the House rose, and the further hearing was
adjourned to Thursday.

ROLLS' COURT, March 5.
SOLOMONS V. LAING.
This case having been already reported by this
journal, is familiar as to its facts to our readers. The
question raised was whether the directors of a railway
line had been justified in applying the funds of the
company to other objects than the objects specified in
their Act of incorporation, and in making calls upon
the shareholders for that limited object. The plain-
tiff applied, under these circumstances, to the court
for relief against the directors, and for an injunction
to restrain this misapplication of the general fund.
To this bill the defendant, the representative of the
railway company, had demurred.
Mr. Malins and Mr. Bovill were the counsel for
the defendant ; Mr. Turner and Mr. Cole for the
plaintiff.
The MASTER of the ItoLLs, in giving his judgment,
said there had been cases cited by counsel which
might have effect upon his ultimate decision. Into
those cases he certainly should look, and if those cases
should induce him to alter his opinion, the case might
be mentioned on Friday again, when his Lordship
would state if his impression were altered. His Lord-
ship reviewed the facts of the case, and after remark-
ing that directors of a company thus incorporated
had no right to divert the funds of the subscribers to
the projected line of railway to any purpose but
those purposes strictly authorised by the Act of in-
corporation, overruled the demurrer.
The cause to be mentioned on Friday.

CAPITAL PUNISIIMENTS (COLONIES).--It appears
from returns moved for by Mr. Ewart, for the purpose
of ascertaining how far crimes for which capital punish.
mint have been abolished in this country, are still capi-
tally punished in the colonies, in addition to the critncs
of murder and arson, attacks with intent to murder,
rape, robbery from the person with stabbing, burglary
with intent to murder, assaults of a nameless nature,
and wihully casting away any vessel whereby lifa is lost,
are severally punished capitally. In several of the co-
lonies, however, those crimes only are punishable with
death which aro so in this country.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT•

HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 5.

NEW MEMBER.
Culootl licmuLY, the new Member for Canterburl•
to{,k the oaths and his seat. The Hon. and GivialS
Merabr introduced by his Learned Brother Sir
Juhr. Itueairy, the Solicitor-General, and Mr. Ord.

PETITIONS.
A great umber of petitions were presented agaihat
Sunday late ur in the Post-office.
Colonel FREEST UN presented a pttition from the
inhaLitants of the town and borough of Weymouth and
Me.icouile Regis against Sunday labour in the Pow
off es thrcugbout the United Kingdom.
CONDITION OF THE WORKING CLASSES-
(Continued from our Third Edition of last night.) d
Mr. TRELAWNY opp ra—
ke
osed the motion. 11. had
as high a respect for the working classes as anY
in the House, but he could not agree to a motion li
the present, which was calculated to mislead them-
Ho
thought the Honourable Gentleman, by lee
own Showing, had proved that it would ,"
hopeless and delusive to attempt to reran,'
the evils of which he complained bY any
legislative interference, and his request amounted in factte asking Parliament to give the working classes for!d'
thought.—(Hear, hear.) Believing the motion wow,'
not accomplish the object which the Hon. Gentleman ba"
in view, he felt bound to give it his decided opposition.
Sir G. GREY complimented the Honourable Gebrl;
tleman upon the sincerity and temper which le
had shown in bringing forward the motion. tc'
however, doubted whether it was practicable to aril:
out the plan which the lion. Gentleman propounded, be::
Nod ene,v
he did net know precisely what the plan was.
it was important 'hut the information should be em:
lected, as the Honourable Member wished, though ,13°1;
exactly in the manner which the Honourable Member
proposed. The appointment of a Commission 11.34
a Standing Committee of the House would only
lead to Parliament being overwhelmed with a teat
number of reports relative to a distress, the most iraP,Dru
tent causes of which were already well known, but whle."
he did not think it was in the power of any legislaivu_
enactment to remove. Many private mem be
ate
bad attemetA, by their exertions, to mitigw
the distress, and so much was being done
of a practical nature to improve the condition
of the working classes, that there was less ne-
cessity now than there might have been fortethis-
merly for the adoption of such a plan as -
His lion. Friend had endeavoured to draw the line bt:
tween improving the condition of the working clasW,
apart from political changes. He (Sir to
Grey) did not know how it was possible
he
draw such a distinction. Under these circumstances
(Sir G. Grey) really hoped his lion. Friend would 0
.:
press his motion on the House, otherwise he (Sir Ge°
Grey) should be reluctantly compelled to oppose it. believe
Mr. SOTHERON said he could not but elie/
that the proposition of the Honourable Meta-
ber (Mr. Sidney), however benevolent in its cel:
caption, would end in general disappointener
t
He hoped that the Ilen. Member would not be lea-
terred by the ill-success of his present motion, but WO
persevere in his benevolent intentions. Ike
Mr. HUME thought that the objects sought by•
Hon. Gentleman would be much better attained by Pr;
vete associatie n than by a Committee of the House, °rid
Government officer. Upstairs, 1
in the library, be vvott...
find reports of the association, which was set on foot .1,„
Sir Thomas Barnard, which would give him information
of the best manner in which tu proceed. fir hle
Mr. M. MILNES trusted that his Ilenc"g:
Friend who had brought forward the questiond
would not be deterred from bringing it forward again
na d,
again, and urging it upon the Government, nowithsta,c,
meting the reception it had with that night. lie trwt
the Government would take up the subject upon an early
occasion.
Mr. 11. HERBERT—As ti e subject Lai been 1/3:1-'1;
tinned he trusted that the Government would ere
something with respect to savings' banks,t
mild and that they
awaken the public mind to the fact that in
were not responsible for the defalcations
that
thethe
pGarettiTerdn‘rvnheenthoeudghletsttos.deo
these establishments. lio thought, however, Tote
impresdon that they had got the security of the Govern m"umcliPtbheitng
ment. -ot
Mr. CAMPBELL said that if they were to Wel
the reen-
commission for the purposes contexplatEd by 1"- to be •
Member for Shrewsbury, it ought, in his opinwilt,il of
a raid one. Thu experience they had hitherto a
h le to
to remune-the
unpaid commissions was not, he though*, fevourab n
a belief in their efficacy. During the past auto ° tee
most magnificent inquiry had been instituted iner tors
social condition of the working-classes by the conetlbae-
of the Morning Chronicle, the result Of that inquiry
osi
ing been not only the collecitoe of a vast body of of a
valuable information, but also the resuscitation 10
social movement. Now, he believed that no such rent them, under
could ever be obtained from the labours of unpaid CO
of the
missiouers, and he could not, therefete approve .asta-
motion which hal been submitted for their cow'
Lion by the lion. Member for Shrewsbury.
°oleo.
Mr. STANFORD said that he could see no obj ti°lls
to the appointment of unpaid commissioners to e. re,
information upon the subjects to which the
ferred. There could be no doubt but that if a tints
Member of the House were hereafter to introduce a, 90,
sure for improving the condition of the working e's 'tee
he would derive very material support fro°, of
fact, that his proposal had received the sanett?,nhout
such commissioners. Indeed, he believed that v°,ls 00$
that support a measure of that description that
possibly succeed, from a want of a sufficiently str°l3,foes-
terest on the part of Hon. Members in such clues'bicb
He had observed with regret the little attention w
able A
the House had that evening paid to the very hac, bite
and able statement of the Hon. Gentleman ember
enotioicto
brought forward that motion. If the Hon- be
should think proper to press the motion to a division,
(Mr. Stanford) should certainly vote in its favour. tura
Lord R. GROSVENOR said he felt bound to rer for
his best thanks to his Hon. Friend the leterabe wit
Shrewsbury for having undertaken Cie unavailing to
he had performed that evening. Ile did net
oculist
charge the House or the Goverument with anY,Plelief
hard-heartedness, but he should say that in
ashis were
the oftener the sufferings of the working cls"
brought under their notice the better.
r. SLANEY said he felt that, under all the
stances of the case, he should not be doing
justice plies
cause which he advocated if he were to press his kW had
to a division. But he hoped that the subject ",,e their
brought forward under their notice would sink u
int cnoi.
minds, and that they would give to it their bestn,_9o,
deration. The present condition of the working
told
loudly called for some step for the attainment of tod be
he had in view; and he trusted that such a steP r 0 gbtu
taken by her Majesty's Government. Tbanl,epart-
Right lion. Friend the Secretary for the Home or in
ment and other lion. Members, fir the kind rnernt yob'
hich they had alluded to his exertions upon
jest, he begged leave to withdraw his motion. circtlol:o

- The motion was accenclngliwitladrawn.
THE PARLIAMENTARY Frascalo;,, bi,
Lord J. RUSSELL said he wished to submit fester
Hon. and Gallant Friend the Member for egtfras-bl°
that(Sir iDlooshLoahelyd• Ipi:oviatnoso)'n,evitibierththeer it would not be suvn,iell
stood next on the notice paper,Pinveheins name,
for tn7ro-
troductionof
chise in this country. A motion of a soraewhat soiling
character had been brought forward the other e a 1,0
by his Hon. Friend the Member for Montrose, si3nill for
then und.agone cosideralle discussion; and al ed vas
the enlargement oft he number of voters in Ire. 3 „s Li'
tnthame
still before the House. Under these eireinust3ll',-t iv
hoped that his Hon. and Gallant Friend would 11'
sist in bringing forward his motion that evening' 003ent
might be inopportune for the discussion
Sir DE LACY EVANS said that, as the,l33,„etion,
of that, oat
he should not bring it forward upon that occasi.e..nio the
hei wished to give notice that be would submit it to
s
I ouse on an early day after the passing °f
mentary Voters (Ireland) Bill. y.,,17E0
POSTAL COMMUNICATION 851- --
Mr. MACKINNON presented a petition if
coy of
LONDON AND PARIS. L. on the
London, praying that an investigation
merchants, traders, and other inhabitants of th 4 osce
plight tilLotoecu
into the present mode of postal communication urobinte,
London and Paris; and a petition from thefts,e to the
traders, and other inhabitants of Manchfir pew
same effect. He wished to observe that. 1
Similar i The
tiers had already been presented from werpoeci Cow
Hon. Member then proceeded to move for a least ell,:
mittec to ascertain the most expeditious am' '1,00d0"
pensive mode of portal communication betweend aecele.
and. Paris. The advantages of facilitating 111)00° .1
that
tn he
et hnaeteciomn
not
un
dilateie a t i ourpi
own. e rtehsaot upnoiivnetr.s al li,r3te snit teeonttibe ilho
had first been directed to the subject by I Stilehettl°°-
h had seen, to the effect that in the early part et !'b,. Os
of,January last an express sent from PArolo,,,doou-
Pis at half-past eight _oagrne, in about eight hours. That
1 Times newspafer, had reached London, thrones(' Jeq
express Pod hoc`
been print d
e and circulated in London at tbys- a
on the following morning, while the letters so or ba
mail from Paris, through-,Calais,the Ole he Os
o'clock' in the eveneilligtftsoOortilto
at s ~lorli- ell a
not been circulated in London until four 0 '-',nd elarsed
nextb afternoon; so that about eight hours had
,:j•
thew the receipt of th ' ' ' bu.,125e vibili;
CI privabe Lc,
the Times and the receipt of the letter .rhat pli ,0
In former times it had Leal custonairY t,. pri/4„,'s
information should take precedence e' of tbinet',,
information ; but it appeared that state ,e,gol a
state that in moving for that
was at present completely altered. Jie u_vbe bso
corewittbelearo tiro,
not the slightest intention of throwing 907 ~, belielt..
cur Post-cffice authorities; on the contrary, P. id bo bet.°
that nothing could be more ~:aii,,factorY,
ter managed, than our Post-office depurtmen'ot grat'el'o
was sure that it would be a source of verY.grco bad tithe
cation to the country to find that a Comon't.bether twol
appointed for the purpose of ascertaining " f the ,
lots c id be
present communication between the cap I ricicee .. to
greatest and most civilized nations in the vv°_, pove` 0
accelerated. It was true that the rcuto ffoli-.1,, iv:lacer,
Calais was the mode of communication former' 'bad been
between Paris and London. 'Plat, howeive; was rp 06
owing to the fact, that with sailing vessels 1 teanrt)°,ho
But s oa rho
easier to reach Calais than Boulogne. t bad be , yot
had since come into operation; und whall33`l. to
or co!: oat va,
result ? Why, he found that hile in the2oro pole the
les) than 38,000 passengers had gene 11,,,„ne, in. to
Calais, and only 11,000 from Dover to Boulogne' gotwoo
year 1847, as many as 78,000 passengrfeisthougb,t tbo
Boulogne, and only 16,000 to Ca!ais. lie iven wroof
the
titheprefeence which lal in that Y b2en& goal tho
public route by Boulogne was a Pre_ooet tI, to
of its superiority. Since the coname7.,.,'
.fLonnAerras
year 1848, the English Mails were sent fl;_-::lais tor not
Dover, from Dover to Calais, and from ti 'longed byco its
and Paris. By that line the journey was Pre differeo
less thaa 6$ miles; and these 6$ miles made a

tete spent in the communication between the two
tallf not less than two hour,. Now, v. a, iit not, he
Ilesedais,k, of vast impertance that that communicati▪
on
rtrre ° aceel,ra.o? He did not care, he should ob-
ttbillh‘ stlitr the ;ads were forwarded by Folkestone
outer upon that point he had no preference t).
'le had ere-y reason to believe that the rout,
talre,,,'Roe would be found preferable to that by Caleb.
‘viplected to the former route that when the wind
tale a partieular gear ter it would be impossible to
tiehs°habeur of Boulogne. while wo could make
Ifeio'"Dar of Calais. But he found that during a space
,l'eleses)(l,ra the night-null between Folkestone and
`htles:',"tle, nal missed the latter harbour thirty-eight
"ere that during a similar period the mail between
10(41,111 Calais had missed tee latter harbour t wenty-
a• Tb
less • e difference, therefore, between the numbsr
"Iles, la which either harbeur had been missed was
qVith'tai 4111 could not be put in competition with the
'))11", gel), e' having the mails delivered two hours
4)4 7at tuere was another advantage attending tue
414 tt tte:eßcullogne. When a steamboat could not
hrlealuarbour in consequence of the prevalence of
iltit • Or
°TI to Cal tith-Westerly winds, the mails could be
Llleft. an:, and would arrive there in the same
NI be anne which was at present required to carry
,rt'Lletire"e'le direct route; while, if a boat could not
4re "rbour of Calais, it should return to Dover.
eber trhe, therefore, greater chances of missing a1t0.41
.41 by Passage to France by the Calais
they°t3 to Boulogne line. The mail boats had
'each Boulogne six times only in the year
'o4leetale the number of times they had failed
1,11144'4'4s- Now, he only ailed that they
the ewe 4 Committee which would sift those matters
INittee4l3; and surely the investigations of such a
Otee e could do no harm, and might be productive
tyieh eured• Let them look at the incenvenience to
kloet; great commercial towns were exposed from
4:i.eterre'afttroof tile present route. When a mail ar-
tt „o raris it vial too late to be sent by. pale.
,reats,fees; and the consequence was, that the Intl t
tenchester, Liverpool, and our
.other gee!
lcete,' towns lost ono day in the receipt of their
eottiell ordere from the East Indies, from France,
ear whole whole of the south of Europe. But if the
I,',te hseTrwarded by Boulogne, and were to leave
to"doe 4t"-Past seven in the evening, they would reach.
Nttiling t11):11 Sufficienty early hour on the following
It tor • my of their being sent off to the country by
rellsl4:,s mail. That was an advantage which
se"onneitlY most desirable that they should if
u'ese--(Heae, hear.) The Hon. Member con-
tigt,l4,,,nrlng for the Committee.
et'oHERTON seconded the motion.
AVFEIi. said he bad no objection to the
‘:ter4l,)2trriheiciat °I. the Committee for which the Honourable
S 'tee • n'nred. But he certainly did not entice.
kPt, r Its ;
14 PA es_ inquiries any very important results, ex-
b3, etr.a, that it would sift many of the statements
that 4411 e non' Gentleman. He believed that the
ii,:ksre,:lnan attached far too much importance to
kit lion Which he had stated was the foundation of
411:4_
_lie believed it would he shown to the Com-
: lie, another express had been forwarded by the
IteeYetleZtut;t was to say, by Calais—and had been
11; °cell :`r the
his
within sixteen minutes of the
Pled
Pre,
eatable°res the transmission of the one to which
to' to
lltslikPres,flaider in that matter was, not by which line
lkotSilstetefeesetinolnd he conveyed with the greatest rapidity,
atee:Was by which line could the greatest
q. New rultY be maintained throughout the whole
,tite'aref-}3't had been found from the peculiarity of the
War tee°nlolene that there was the greatest uncer-
at solltl°o period at which the mails could be received
'bera'epevese and it was surely of greater value to those
ho=edeete letters that those letters should reach
1 ?.i" u Periods, than that they should reach them
ors earlier or a few hours later. During the
the mails were forwarded by Boulogne it
B,b°lt,aci necessary to allow five hours and a half
lettoie Joureey; while by the Calais route four
k'tsseoY were n
eaeowsd for the see voyage—that was to
+oPtwet ur
"ism a half less. It appeared to him that if
i,ttlieelitie° have that Committee it would be as well
,klpD 9th 0 7 also direct its inquiries to the communica-
eoiag thtlntl, becense there were many reasons for
40 by 1,4' the mails could be carri▪
ed to the north of
sg tee ranee without any additional expense, thus
Of ‘.w? lines into one, and insuring the same
Ant to Puhty as at present. He would therefore
tiNe " lion. Friend the propriety of aiding the
11" .'"la to his motion—" and to tie north of
'
r
145hilaciljelor:-41-1. said that as the lion. Gentleman
tle't wish addressed the House hal said that he
Ytt .;',to oppose the motion, he (Sir G. Clerk)
t,e`i, 144'1411d to object to it ; but at the
ke" rare " thought that that question could be
k°ol.itiese satisfactorily settled by the Government
ritM totha by a Committee of that House. It
etektls him that it was a question which ought to
toed upon the principles laid down by
leileaot te"L, eniber for Hertford, and that they
d at the time spent in conveying spfeciea-1
le' 'at tai
the With all the preparations made beeciiere.
time spent in conyeyregtetremofu
Ni,!tidr. of the your, and in all weft-
eY ought to endeavour to have a postal
Ile? " conducted with the greatest regularity;
s''Sk4've enraparativele unimportant matter whether
p;lsbeter.ieci eived an-hour earlier or an hour later.
Ntl'sadel,„_'" tile interest of the merchant to have his
t11„1„!hi e"'" arrive at a fixed period. But that was a
4thctie: es°,ll,gbt he thought, to be arranged by the
N at the post-office arid at the Admiralty, and
,;41t.05reeitraittee of that House. He. admitted that
ree,Rhestrable that the merchants in our cammer.-
I'itotllbicatenalti, if possible, be enabled to receive their
Lt 4 Lona"rOrn the Continent. on the day of their
`eta ,-,en°n• But the attention of the Committee-
'etjsceeftecially directed to this point, what accele
Or? This subject
in the transit between London
Osei 'puts subject engrossed the attention of
eke seat cif Trade when he had the honour
he there,
and formed part of the able
b 80ar eseritee ' • of Lord Dalhousi▪
e.
,r, under the direetion
N4'lo Of la Trade at that time pointed out the im-
''vn avin • communication between
-Point g a direct
Leth,"erts insteadB,. of continuing to follow the present
e'Vaats" Inconvenient route by Reigate, and the.h
'18:114 Company proposed a scheme by which
that Th,"'"t have been conveyed by that mere direct
Pvarrj's Was 6ve years ago, and nothing had been
I,le/I l4stPose ne,4rrYing it out. A petiti▪
on for a Bill for
atop': executing that scheme, he was hap to
, 12,41 before Parliament this year, which..
it 4,4 e'illoefeP('' in its progress by a technical objection.
ei‘ei.are -e'er, he remembered, that in a line of this
t by of the journey was performed by land
Pk,111'44 h'eth Yon could not always take the shortest
Is4,lelllier-ItltiP, but must take into consideration also
~varter `4 of harbours and the ports or arrival
Viae) and the most circuitous line by land
e. Yon to avail yourself of the shortest sea
itk'n'ttit
wand wish was that the inquiry should be as
thatihellu as ample us possible, because he felt con-
' tltilejr, fever question might arise as to the re-
sale eLe'',/ of Boulogne or Calais on the other
e-"o be no doubt whatever that the port of
,t:aabess
tlre %it great advantages and facilitie.s, which
ksNv. 144 at all times to be selected as a pelt of d
l'ips,ra a:Pendently of that, Parliament determined
e'lit'Vkl•e°2 to construct most important works there
tleb ;),' expense, which were not yet completed,
c„`ll‘,ell'li.ace° they were so, would give Dover advan-
lOVltoe; to itself. It would then no longer be at
Mine accessible only at particular hours, but.
k: .0' fees months be accessible at any time o
rtference to Calais, independently of its
‘'4 'Oa :4 from the westerly gales, works had re.-
a;11 e 'instructed there which rendered it accessi-
letterl ens; It was considerations such as these
ty'Sceee"P'aion, justified the Admiralty in saying
:"I not to look so much to quickness of com-
-1411.`" tee-3 to that which would give security and
mae,
kit'eC Nit
!leknowledged the importance in a corn-
-0014 ta get view of facilitating•quick postal commu-
-I°,le 43er eseneral, aad seagested that it would be well
ht h"uether the benefit of the penny postage
1110'ileXtended to the colonies.
I,l)lti,ted ") a e rejoiced that the Government had co.n-
eaetier,s4lusit'ee, fur he felt, that by means of
.its
1: It, 01 the Ron. Member opposite would be dis-
e'llas. ",,n,Y of the opinions which he ha stated to
bt'i'te,said the passage would he shortened by
lepoe'a 42 tet,oe real difference, he believed, aas not
le,-‘l,‘L'ene e'Lenotee. The incr.ase or the passengers
Vtt ;".!e 6474,1 been commented on, but that increase
ftnediately aft, r the establishment of steam-
-I,,Zremi,Ple 4' re the construction of railroads, and for
er,"",,,atiel'nrlt that people wished to avoid the three
jai°r diligences between Calais and Bou-
leiNs;alsetAse, however, was very different since the
~penotaC re of railroads. South-westerly winds pre-
tle;°°l.ha in the year, and during the preva-
VI; Tlae Winds the approach to Boulogne was very
411. Ze'ts ee°ll,lY time when there was any sea at
45,,10 4C' if, 'ring the prevalence cf a north-easterly
klu.llder such circumstances, you could not
lbit te.:tiAe Boulogne would be accessible. The
1k by bas "'s ever had said that Boulogne must
he ao te-' communication for passengers, but
o,l"taZeeCtie followed as a matter of course.
St 4e,'" liete'ime, for instance, it was dangerous to
isik„,e- keep-4,900, for the shore was steep and there
Oof With reference to the direct line
hi.111,;(41 and Dover, to which reference had
11;ear,Pelet".could only say there never was a railway
thdr through which it was 's;111;i110te te There was not a landowirr, he be..
that ir whole line who was not noxious for its
Tut ,was. very sorry that it was put off till
oelievel it would not be delayed beyond
1:14,14, L A
hag
n'keir EVANS only rose f the purpose
lof s;4l (/'s observation with reference to the direct
e''i.shetioeeTill°,ll to Dover. This he conceived to
'4."115-"alat- °hied- and he hoped the public spirit
kkt 44701.11'u% with the assistance of the. Honourable
‘ki over, would secure the passing of the Bill
1,
110
floe
bkil tk
15, If
t) , TON thought the change would be of
d~illQ
forty minutes were gained ; al-
hl 11ts 4144" f
make very little difference in London,or
1%,t,` the difference of a day in the northern
, I,tl
1,,,.kt '41'14 sngeested that the two hours might be saved
li•i,oeirxPrPas from Dover.
the 'IN NON proposed to amend his motion
10. N tql.,words and the northern parts of Eu-
e:se,ll' tee re been informed that: the South-Eastern
41setetirar,° willing, if the Government chose, to enter
t,l/44,04:! tectfro° carry the mails either from Dover to
,41 to Ink re Folkestone to Boulogne, at a very
3? °I; ezPense to the country; he was almost
titter
no
much, but he believed it to be 200001.
kes'ald "1". Be hoped the representatives for
'easeauot be so alarmed about their harbour, for
Adtßach zaalfold Advantages, they would no
,

doubt be eFtzblished beFore the Committer, and ir, on
the other hand, it should be ealblished tl at Folkestone
could be made equally gcod, he trusted thy would not
resat ita being made so.
The motion WAS then agreed to, with the addition pro-

posed.
FINES ON THE ADMISSION OF FREE NIEN.
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY motel for leave to bring. in a
Bill to abolish the payment of fines and stamp duties
on the admission of freemen into corporations of cities
and boroughs in England and Wales. His first in-
tention was to introduce a Bill applicit'lle to the
city of London alone, bat he was informed by the Right
Honourable Gentleman in the chair that such a men-
cute would come under the dcnominaton of a private
Bill, and he had now brought within its scope all the
municipal towns of England and Wales, and ho rejoiced
that he had taken this course, f.:eling assured that there
was much to be amended. The fads on enrolments
ranged from 6s. to 38s. 4d., which inflicted great injus-
tice•on those who were compelled to pay them, many of
whom were extremely poor. The evil was more severely
fat in London, because there the system of imposing
fines on residence, abolished by the Municipal Act of
1835 in other corporate towns, still prevailed, and im-
posed a great hardship upon the small shopkeeper, while
the large merchant, the wholesale dealer, and proLesional
man escaped. A few years ago the City Solicitor had to
proceed against 3,000 persons for not taking up tieir
liberty, and there %ere now 2,000 persons who refused
to pay the fine on residtnc-'. Last election many hun-
dreds of pounds were paid for fines on taking up the
freedom of electore. Ia London, with a Parliamentary
roll of 20,000, there were only 6,000 entitled to the muni-
cipal franchise, and these were divided into 25 wards, five
cf which consisted of between 70 and 100 individuals,
and many of which on an average Ind a!rout from 100
to 120 electors. Was this the proper tt ite for a corpo-
ration with funds to the amount of upwards of 200,000/.?
In Manchester the municipal would be double the amount
of the Parliamentary roll, in Leeds three or four times
as numerous, and Birmingham and Sheffield exhibited
about the same proportion. He had hoped that the Go-
vernment would not have opposed the introduction of the
Bill. The principal argument against it, ho believed,
was that it would affect a revenue of from 600/. to 800/.
a sear; but thin, he submitted, ought not to form any ob-
jection, when it was considered that the tax was imposed
on a puor, hard-working class. He asked nothing but
justice; and with these observations he asked permission
to lay the Bill on the table.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL was satisfied that the

House would be only waiting its time in allowing this
Bill to be introduce.). Ile thought -they had some rea-
son to complain of the course pursued by the Hon. Mem-
ber,for he hal admitted that his.original intention was
to imit the operation of his Bill to London, and then,
finding that in such a shape it fell under the category of
private Bills, and therefore would require notico to be
given to the Corporation of London, and the various
companies whose interests were to bo affected, 11-2 got rid
of the difficulty by altering his Bill into a proposition
for confiscating property throughout England and Wales.
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY—No,

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—The Hon. Cantle-
man admitted that he had applied to the Speaker.
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY—Not as to confiscating pro-
perty.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—StiII the Honour-
able Member ascertained that, in its original shape, the
Bill would have required notice to be given to those with
whose vested rights it proposed to interfere. The lion.
Member hal instituted a comparison between the muni-
cipal roll in London and that of Liverpool, Manchester,
and other places, but the remedy for that was very simple.
Let him bring in a Bill to make the London constitu-
ency like the Liverpool constituency, instead of pro-
prosing to increase the constituency by taking away
the property of the Corporation. Let the Cor-
poration of London bring in *a Bill to apply the Muni-
cipal Reform Act to themselves. What was the history,
of this Bill? It was brought fsrward by the Hon. Mem-
ber from his knowledge of the city of London. He
moved, in the first plane, for the amount of fines and fses
payable in every city and borough in England, and then
before grtting any information he brought in his Bill
affecting the property of all the corporations throughout
England, without the consent of the inhabitants, with-
out any application frem a single member cf any town-
council, or from elsewhere. If such a thing were re-
quired, if the old corporations wished it, the town coon-
cils could abolish fines to morrow. Why, then, come
with an Act of Parliament and take away their property,
and deprive the corporations of the right of self-govern-
ment? No petitions had been presented in favour of the
Bill, and the Hon. Member had not inquired into the
subject except in reference to the city of London. The
Common Council of the City was a body elect el an-
nually, why not leave the matter to the corporation it-
self ? Did the lion. Member mean to say that the Bill
was in accordance with the wishes of the inhabitants of
London or the Corporation?
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY—Of the inhabitants gene-
rally.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—They have pre-
seated no pc titions.
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY—I presented one.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL.—I know that the
Corporation do not entertain that opinion.
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY—Many do.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL—If they had that
feeling they might do it to-morrow. They first invested
those bodies with the principle of local government,
and the subject was submitted to them, and because
one of their members happened to be also a Member of
Parliament, he sought to defeat their decision by
making Parliament a Court of Appeal. The Munici-
pal Reform Act abolished freedom by purchase, but this
formed no part of the Hon. Member's project. The
Hon. Member had estimated the loss to the revenue at
about 600 k He was mistaken ; it was between 2,0001.
and 3,0004
Mr. FORSTER admitted the abuses which the Hon.
Mover had detailed to the House, but objected. to all
piecemeal Corporation Reform. He admitted the re-
forms which bad boon introduced into the Corporation of
London within the last forty years, but still thought it
not creditable to the Government to have excepted the
city ef London. Ile could not, however, concur with
the Hon. and Learned Attorney-General in thinking
that they ought to wait till the Corporation itself stirred
in the matter.
Colonel SIBTHORP would be willing to assist in re-
moving fines and penalties, but he regarded this as a
8.11 for the city of London alone, and as a sort of party
motion. He thought it extremely hard that the City of
London should have been excepted from the operation ,
of the Municipal Refirm Act; but as long as that city
had Prime Ministers fur their representatives such
a state of things was to he expected. He complaind
that the Honourable Mover had given so little
notice of his motion. He, for instance, had bad
no opportunity of consulting his constituents on
the subject, and he agreed with the Honourable and
Learned Attorney-General that it was unjust to affect
the property of panics without their concurrence. He
recommended the worthy Alderman to withdraw his mo-
tion. It appeared to him to be a milk-sad-water sort
of motion, aed not worthy the consideration or support
of the House.
Mr. HUME said the Hon. Member and the House did
not appear to be aware of what ha I taken place with
reference to the city of London. The Hon. Member
opposite said there ought to be an inquiry, but there bad
been already one of the most searching inquiries that
ever had been instituted with reference to the city of
London by Mr. Blackburn and Mr. Palgrave. The
Hon. Member merely wished to place the cit:zens of
London on the same footing as the 'citizens of other
towns. He asked the Government whether it was not
their duty to do so, seeing that they had pledged them-
selves to bring in a reform Bill for the city of London.
Ho thought their doing so would be only an act of jus-
tice equality, and fairness.
Sir B. HALL said, after what had fallen from the
Right Honourable Gentleman, he could not suppose
that the motion was likely to meet %LI any great
success. He did not think, however, that the time
consumed in the discussion had been entirely
thrown away, because the question had been brought
bef ire the House of the unreformed state of the Cor-
poration of the city of London. When the reform of
municipal corporations had been undertaken by the
Government, the city of London was not included; bu
there was a most distinct pledge given by the Govern-
ment that a Bill would sbo:tly be brought in for that

purpose. Since then many years had' passed; and,
although ample opportunities had been afforded to them,
no measure of that kind had yt t been introduced. He
was glad, therefore, that the present conversation bad
taken place, because the attention of the public would he
thereby directed to a subject which he thought should
have been long since brought forward for discussion. It
was stated by the Hon. Member that the fends of the
Corporation cf. London amounted to 200,0001. per
annum, over which neither the Parliament nor the
public had any control. That alone was a sufficient
reason why the question should be taken into considera-
tion, with a view to introducing some measure of re-
firm which might giro the Legislature or the public
some control over that large expenditure. He did not
mean to say that tt e Corporation of London was cor-
rupt, but they kept it as close as possible; and when
the Honourable Gentleman, and others in his situa-
tion, put on the aldermauic gown, the election being
fir life, they became as conservative of the privileges of
the City as it was possible to be. With regard to the
motion of the Hon. Member, he did not think it was
worth noticing. It might be a good Bill for the Mem-
ber for Stafford to introduce, but it would not effect the
necessary c dorms in the Corporation of London. He
recollected having been invited some years since to stand
for the borough of Stafford, and one of the conditions
was that he should pay certain fees of freemen of the
borough to enable them to vote. He had declined to
stand on such conditions.
Mr. Alderman SIDNEY replied the motion had been
termed paltry because it referred to the case of poor men,
but what was paltry in the eyes of that House was of
all importance to the humbler classes. He should with-
d► a a. the motion for the present, and re-introduce it when
the returns to which the Attornes-Gencral had referred
were laid on the table.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL objected to the motion
being withdrawr, and would not sanction the principle
of its being again introduced.
Mr. REYNOLDS suggested the propriety of bring-
ing in a 13111 simply to place the ratepayers of tho city
of London on the same footing as those of other towns
and cities of the kingdom, and give them thereby a
voice in the municipal elections.
The motion was then negatived.
DUTY ON TIMBER.

Mr. MITCHELL moves, pursuant to notice, " that
this House do resolve itself into a Committee to take
into consideration the duties on wood, with the view of
remitting the duty on all wood used in shipbuilding."
Hp regretted to see so f.:w Hon. Members on the Oppo-
sition side of the House, because when the repeal of the
navigation-laws was discussed in the last session they
had hoard many eloquent speeches from that side of the
House, pointing out that the effect of
_that measure

THE SUN,

LONDON',

would be to throw the whole of the shipbuilding trade
o f the country into the hands of foreigners. The ques-
tion he Nall about to submit to the House was simply or.e
regarding the interests of shiebuilders and shipwrights,
and hail nothing whatever to do with timber-merchants.
Ho would premise that he was himself a wood-merchant.
He begged to remind the House that in 1844, when the
Right Hur. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) brought forward his
proposition for the reduction of the duties on foreign
timber, the price in the English market was 105 s. the
load—at the present time the same description of
timber was selling for 655.; the duty was formerly 55*.,
and it had been reduced by the Right
Honourable Baronet to 155., so that the public
had got the entire benefit of the reduction of the
duty in that case. By the Bill of last year the duty on
all foreign ships a Imitted to home registration had been
entirely taken off, and if a British subject now chose to
buy a foreign ship, that ship was at once edmined to all
the privileges of British-built vessels, without the pay-
ment of any duty whatever. At present hewn timber
paid 15s. duty, sawn timber, 20s. ; masts and spars, the
smaller size, 245., and the larger siz 48s. Now it was
known that every ship built was entered on Lloyd's Re-
gister according to a certain classification—the highest
class standing, thirteen years in the A list, and the
lowest class f ;ur years. The difference arose from the
difference in the materials of which they were con-
structed. He would now state to the House what was
the per centage which the duty on foreign timber bore
t the gross cost of the construction of the ship. Lie
would take it according to the most accurate calculation
that had been made, that the cost of a 12 A ship was
about 141. per ton; and he had assumed that as mach
foreign timber was put into that ship as would be re-
quired, according to Lloyd's rule?. He found that the
per centage of a 12-year A ship upon the quantity of
foreign timber, masts, spars, &c., was, as compared with
the gross cost, about 9-16ths percent. The per centage
of the cost of the 11 A ship was 5-Bths per cent.; on
the 10 A ship it was on the 9 A ship it was 4
per cent.; on the 8 A. ship it was 6 per cent.; on the 7
A ship, 12 per cent.; on the 6 A ship, 13i per cent.; en
the 5 A ship, 15k per cent.; and on the 4 A ship, 17
per cent. Beginning at the 9 A, and down tr the 4 A,
a very large per centage was given to the foreign ship-
builder. He admitted that the English shipbuilders were
remarkable for building ships of a superior class. Those
from A 12 to A 9 were ships generally employed in the
East India and China trade, and that trade required very
superior veesels. It was admitted that the per centage
with regard to vessels of that class was a mere bagatelle,
as those ships were built regardless of expense. The
second class included 8,7, and 6 A ships. These were
acquired to bring home corn from the Mediterranean,
hemp, flax, and corn from the Baltic, and cotton from
the United States. Now two kinds of the cotton brought
to this country were brought home in American ships,
and if superior ships were sent from this country the
freight would not pay, there being the greatest compe ti-
don in that class of ships. The question was whether the
trade could go on intilasterily it' the present burden was
continued, and he did not think their ship-builders
could compete much longer with the Americans. With
regard to the third clasp, 6 and 5 A, they were em-
ployed principally in bringing home timber, and they
came into competition with the ships built in Canada.
He did not see why so enormous a premium should be
given to Canadian-built ships. He admitted that it was
not the intere it of the country to encoarage the building
of ships of a superior class as it told very heavily upon
the growth of English oak. At present a party must go
at least twenty miles from a ship-building yard to pro-
cure oak, and it was already telling upon it, so that it
was generally thought that young oaks were touched too
soon. In no other case was a ready-made article
admitted duty free, and it was in the present case a gross
infliction on the industry of the country. With regard
to the practically carrying out of his plan, he believed
'here would be no difficulty in ascertaining the amount
of the drawback upon the timber used in ship-building.
A gentleman of great experience in the trade had told
him that there would be no difficulty whatever—the
ship was built under the survey of Lloyd's surveyor,
who took an accurate account of the timber used ;
and, in addition to his report, they might have the
certificaae of the building of the ship. The annual
average tonnage of the ships built in this country was
140,000 tons—the proportion of foreign timber used was
about one-fourth, and the number of loads was about
squat to the number of tons. The fourth of 140,000
tons then was 35,000, and the entire amount of the
duty he asked the Government to remit, averaging it
at 20s. the load, was'l3s,ooo/. For that sum a stimulus
would be given to the industry of a class which had
lately been exposed to severe competition. He hoped
the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Labouchere) would not,
in his reply, quote the case of some foreigners who had
purchased ships built in the north of England, which
had been already sufficiently explained. The price of
all descriptions cf shipbuilding materials had never
been so low as at the present moment. He hoped the
Right Hon. Gentleman would, under all the circum-
stances, take the matter into his consideration and do
justice to the claims of a most important and useful
class of the community.— (Hear, hear.)
Mr. HEADLAM seconded the motion. The present
system was not in accordance with either the maxims
of policy or of taxation which had been recently laid
!own by the Government.
Mr. LABOUCHERE :complimented the Honourable
Member for Bridport on the tone and temper in which
he had brought the present important question before
the House. He had stated the case of the English ship-
builders not only with his accustomed ability, but with
the clearness of one who had a thorough knowledge of
the subject. He did not intend to enter into a contro-
versy with the Honourable Gentleman as to the general
principle, and he must say that he addressed the House
under very considerable disadvantages, and he should be
mistaken if ho left upon the Honourable Gentleman the
impression that he either concurred in, or disapproved
of, the proposition to take off 35,0001.—(A laugh.) The
Rouse would bear in mind that they would very shortly
have the financial statement of his Right Hon. Friend
'he Chancellor of the Exchequer laid before the House,
and he hoped the Hon. Gentleman would not attribute
to any want of respect his giving expression to any
opinion upon the subject. As the financial statement
would be laid so much earlier than usual before the
Howe, it would not ,be advisable for him to
ex press any decided opinion upon the subject.
!Ie hoped that the House would accept this as a
reason for saying that he could not advise the House
At that moment to agree to the motion of the
Honourable Gentleman. As to the higher classes of
vessels, the duty upon timber was very irnma-
erial. The burden, he admitted, was much more
considerable upon the smaller classes. He thought that
QvAa with these duties their shipwrights were fully able
to contend with those of any f weign country. That,
aowever, did not furnish a sufficient reason why, if they
Found it convenient with their interests, this duty should
not be removed.—(hear, hear.) Although their ship-
wrights were subject to great disadvantages by reason of
;his impost, they enjoyed countervailing advantages. In
Prussia, for ins.anee, in respect to the article of iron, the
Prussian shipowners paid far more for their iron in the
construction of their vessels than the British shipwrights
had to pay for theirs. While no saw that these ship-
vrights did not fear foreign competition, he did not
mean to say that it would not be desirable to remove
',hese duties if it were convenient to do so.—(Hear, hear.)
A.s reference had been made to Sweden, he had to in-
awns the House that he held in his hand an extract from
a letter received from their Consul at Stockholm on this
subject. This gentleman stated that since the altera-
tion in the English navigation-laws he took every
'pportunity of watchirg the effect produced upon the
shipbuilding in Sweden. He said that from what he
had seen it did not appear that the English ship-
builders suffered in the slight est degree from the
competition that was treat-d, and he had been in-
formed by ono of the principal shipowners there that
he invariably imported all his cordage and other
articles connected with ships from England, which
onabled him, notwi hstandine the duties upon them, to
have a much superior vessel than could be fitted up at
Stockholm—([dear, heir.) fle (Mr. Labouchere) felt
the importance of giving the greatest encouragement to
their shipbuilding, feeling that it am a matter of na-
tional importance to do so, yet he was unwilling at that
moment, for the reasons he had stated, to assent to the
motion of the Hon. Gentleman. He hoped the House
would consider how very soon the financial statement
would be before them, and would therefore see the im-
propriety and imprudence of discussing this question on
the present occasion. Ho thought that the House would
involve itself in some difficulty, and would not do its
duty to the public as fairly as it ought, if they assented
to this motion before they were able to take a survey of
their whole financial affairs.
Me. CARDWELL thought he might congratulate the
Right Hon. Gentleman for having maintained that equi-
poise upon this subject which he had promised to ob-
serve in the commencement of his speech. lie thought
that the principal object which the Right Honourable
Gentleman had in view was to conceal the intentions of
the Right Honourable Gentleman the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, which were to be revealed in the speech to
be made in about ten days hence. He believed that this
veil of secrecy as to futurity had never been drawn more
closely by any Minister of State. It was a speech
which did not even enable him to perform the part of a
prophe`, in anticipating any of the propositions that
would be made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in
his budget speech. If ho were to venture or surmise
upon that subject from the speech they had just heard,
he would be disposed t r say that the Government would
not be unfavourable to the proposition now made.—
(Hear, hear.) At the commencement of this century,
they imported a great quantity of timber from the Baltic.
He was, however, happy now to say that they could
compete successfully with Prussia, particularly in iron.
If they saddled this article with extreme duties of 15 or
17 per cent., they would be only exposing the capitalist
here to great disadvantages. Had they not exposed the
shipowners of this country to a competition with the
world by their recent legislation?—(Bear, hear.) Since
1842, had they not, as far as they could, made it the
great principle in their commercial legislation to set free
from duty the raw material, in order to give the greatest
scope to industry?—(Hear, hear.) Having done so, they
also exposed their shipbuilding to general competition by
the measure of last year. He asked them to show a sin-
gle instance in the whole of their tariff where they had
taxed their raw material and at the same time had not
protected the manufactured article. If this be the case,
where; he would ask, was there either justice or ex-
pediency in refusing to remove these duties? He, how-
ever, thought that the Right Hon. Gentleman was cor-
rect when he said that it would be most inconvenient if
they discussed such subjects as this Mere the budget
was revealed to them, which was so soon to bo brought
under their consideration, when the general taxation of
the country would be reviewed. He hoped that next
we:A they would have the pleasure of congratulating
the Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer upon his return to his health and to his duties
in that House; and he hoped that they would be also
enabled to congratulate him upon a large surplus, which
could be made available to the remission of those duties

which were so unjustly p. easin; upon the netiveindustry
of the eountre.—(fleas, hear.)
Mr. HUML said, that havieg &ull himself to use his
best efforts ou every ecca,,ien to remote a 1 peetrictive
duties that prevented cyfital heving a free scope, he was
of course faveurable to this proposition now brought
forward by the Hon. Mernher for Bridport. Frern the
speech which they had just heard feoln the Right
Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Labouchere) he should be dis-
posed to say that there wes no kt melon on the part of
the Government to take off these duties, for he said that
the disadvantages which these duties creat'd to the
British shipwright were more than counteracted by the
advantages which they gained in another way. The
House of Commons should decltre itself in 'favour
of the present motion, in order thae any doubt
which might remain upon the minis of Members upon
this su'oject might be temoved, and the Government be
strengthened in their efforts to deal satisfactorily with
this question.
Mr. HENLEY should like to know where they were
to stop if they assented to this motion? It was no doubt
very easy for the shipbuilders to try and nibble out of
this tax. How did the general taxation of the country
bear upon every interest? How did the presstir6 of the
national debt bear upon every interest?—(llettr4hear.)
He should like to know how, for instance, they,w,ere to
get rid of the malt tax? Upon the raw prochice they
paid a tax of IGO per cent. I: they wished to go through
all the items of that tariff, where were they stop?
The next question which they had to consider was, what
was to become of the public credit?—(llcer, hear.)
They should have made a bargain with them before
they exposed their shipbuilders to those difficulties in
which they now admitted they were. How could they
reconcile the statement they had heard as to foreigners
coming bore to buy timber cheaper than they could get
it in their own country with the demand now made on
them to reduce these dudes? If they affirmed the pre-
sent proposition now, they could net stop short when
they were asked to remove any other particular tax
which was sail to press hard upon a particular portion of
the community.
Mr. SANDARS said that the smaller class of ship-
owners had suffered dreadfully by those duties, and he
thought that their abolition would be a great benefit to
that class.

Mr. CLAY wished to remind the Honourable Mem-
ber for Oxfordshire that their particular case here was
this, that their raw material was taxes, which, in a
manufactured state, would be allowed to come in free.
lie did not think that aay similar CLIS3 of injustice
existed.

Mr. WYLD said that tin continuance of this tax was
sin a great injustice to the mining interest, which was
exposed to the competition of the whole world,
Mr. MITCHELL confessed that he did not wish to
press the question to a division, after what the Right
lion. Gentleman had said. At the same time, as these
duties were felt to he a great injustice to a large and im-
portant cliss, he thought it was only due to them to press
this motion to a division.

The House then cliviled. The numbers were—
For the motion ••• ••• 45
Against it ... , ••• ••• 32

Majority against thy Government... —l3
Mr. MITCHELL then namad this day fortnight for
,ho House resolving itself into a Committee.
AUDIT OF RAILWAY ACCOUNTS.

Mr. STANFORD said he had given notice of his in-
tention to introduce a Bill far the more effectual audit of
railway accounts. It might be in the recollection of the
House that he had inquired, early in the session, whe-
ther it was the intention of the Government to bring in
any Bill relative t the audit of railway accounts, and
that the President of the Beard of Trade then stated
that the Government were not disposed to introduce any
Bill on the subject, bat that if no measure was proposed
by any independent Member on behalf of the share-
holders the Government would be prepared to take up
the question. It might be recollected that a Bill relat-
ing to the audit of railway accounts had been originated
in the other House in 1818, but had been rejected by
that House; and last year a nearly similar Bill, which
had bcea introducel in the House of Lords, had also
shared the same fate when it came down to the House of
Commons. He did not believe that any system of audit
which was tainted by Government interference would
have the confidence either cf the railway shareholders
or cf the country; and ho thought that iu this case the
trite quotatica was particularly applicab'e—
" Timeo Danaos et dons ferentes."
He understood that a Bill for establishing an audit of
railway accounts had been introduced last night in the
other House, and he believed, from what he had heard
of its nature, that it was a measure to which he could
give his support, as it very closely resembled that which
he had intended to submit to the House. He was con-
vinced, a'though there was an almost unanimous opinion
against Government interference, yet that the opinion
was equally universal that it was high time some steps
were taken to establish an effectual swift with regard to
the vast amount of capital embarkei in railway specula-
tions. It was unnecessary to recal to the recollection of
the House the painful disclosures which had been made
as to the west', extravagance, misappropriation, and
frauds which had occurred in railway concerns, a-id it
had beets a matter of surprise to every man acquainted
with business that some measures had not been taken
earlier to protect the bona fide investers in such specula-
tions. He considered that, to render any system
of audit efficient, it must be continuous in its
operation, the accounts must be published half-
yearly upon a uniform model, and the audit
must Le untainted by what was called Government in-
terference. Ho had had six or seven years' experience
as a shareholder and bondholder in most of the large
railway companies, and bad become familiar with the.
ill consequent es resulting from the want of an efficient
control over the fine scial departments of those corn-
paniee, and, having applied his attention to the subject
he had framed a Bill, which he was ready to lay on the
table, with the view of establishing an efficient system of
audit. He considered that any measure that might be
adopted on this subject should be framed in a spirit of
courtesy towards railway direct )ts, bccaase, although
there Lai undoubtedly ben much extravagance, and in
some cases gross frauds, yet he believed that, with some
few exceptional cases, the directors were honourable
men, who exerted themselves to promote the interests
the shareholders. He must say he thought the President
of the Board of" Trade had not quite kept good faith with
him.
An Hon. GENTLEMAN moved that the House be
counted ; and there being only 31 Members pt esent,
The SPEAKER, at Ten o'clock, declared the House
adjourned.

PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS.

From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.'

TUESDAY, MARCII 5.
WOOD USED IN SHIP BUILDING.
Motion made, and Question put, " That this House do
resolve itself into a Committee to take into consideration the
Duties on Wood, with a view of remitting the Duty on all
Wood used in Ship Building." The House divided:—

MAJORITY—AYES, 45.
Adair, Hugh E. Greene, John Ricardo, J. L.
Aglionby, 11. A. Headlam, T. B. Salwey, Colonel
Anderson, Arthur Henry, Alexander Santini's, J.
Bass, 31. T. - Hayworth, L. Scho'acid, W.
Cardwell, Edward Hume, Joseph Stuart, Lord D.
Chichester, Lord J. ilutt,;Wllliam Thompson, Colonel
Clay, James Jackson, William Thornely, T.
Clive, H. B. Kershaw, J ulnas Wakley, T.
Cobden, 11. Matheson, Colonel WalmsleY, Sir T.
Cocks, T. S. Moffatt, George Willcox, Brodie
Duke, Sir J. Morris, David Williams, John
Duncan, George O'Flaherty, Anthony Williamson, Sir H.
Edwards, H. Palmer, lloundell Wyld, James
•
Fagan, William Pechell, Sir G. TELLEIS.
Farrer, James Pigott, Francis Mitchell, T. A.
Forster, Mathew Pllkington, James Gibson, T. M.