The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-13 00:00:00

but simply to lay before their Lordships a few
statements respecting the constitution of the Rail-
way Board, and the course they had adopted in
arriving at the conclusions to which they had come to
with regard to the South-western projects. It would be
in the recollection of their Lordships that, in the past
session of Parliament, a Committee was appointed, by the
other House, for the purpose of inquiring into their mode
of railway legislation. After a very full review of the sub•
ject, and canvassing the inconvenience and deficiencies
which existed in the prevailing Railway system of legis-
lation, the Committee arrived at the conclusion, that
it was desirable that there should be some Railway
Board in connection with the Government, who should
have powers to institute preliminary inquiries into the
railway projects which it was intended to ask the
Legislature to sanction by Acts of Parliament. The
report was adopted by the House of Commons,
and in consequence of this adoption alterations
to meet the charge were made in the standing order of
both Houses. Arrangements were made to establish a
department for considering the details of these railways,
and the Government, having appointed a Board, consist-
ing of four officers and a president, the details of the
various railway projects were immediately given
The result of these inquiries were laid before the public
so soon as they were known, but the reasons for the
conclusions of the board were deferred to
an after period.. Those reasons would be
laid before both Houses in a general report
From w hat was passing out of doors and in another place
since the commensement of the present session, great ap-
prehension had prevailed as to ss bat was the real juris-
diction of the Railway Board, or what was the authority
to be given to its reports. It was stated that to consti-
tute a Board of this description in connexion with the
executive Government, consisting of five gentlemen con-
nected with the Government, from whom was to issue
a report as to whether a certain railway project
should go on or not ; that to give to any
board such authority would be objectionable and
dangerous in the highest degree. But still further if
the reports were to be adopted on the measures of the
Government itself, the effect would be to substitute the
reports of the Boards of the enactments of Parlia-
ment itself. Now, if such a thing had been dreamt of
for one moment ; if it had been for an instant imagined
that such authority should be given to the Boards any
objection would be reasonable to the last degree,
and no one would urge them more than himself.
Nothing, however, of the kind had entered the
mind of the Government. They hail never supposed
that the report of the Board should be final, and
it was to him a matter of surprise how any
one could have imagined such a stete of things. If the
question had arisen out of doors, he should not have
noticed it ; but as it had been raised in the other House
of Par liament, andinasmuch as erroneous impressions had
prevailed on the subject, he thought it necessary, on the
part of Government, to state what the real character of the
reports were. These reports were only to be considered
as aids to Parliament, in order that they might come to
a proper conclusion with respect to which one of
the competing lines was the best and the most
calculated fur the benefit of the public.—(Hear.)
They had assumed no such authority. Whatever might
be said or thought of the decisions of the Board of Trade,
would not influence in any way those decisions, or make
the members of it a bit more rigid in examining into the
conflicting claims of rival projectors. But there was
another consideration, and that was the powers given by
Parliament. The Board was on no account to consider the
claims of private interests which were reserved exclu-
sively for the Houses of Parliament. Thus private
matters were entirely excluced from their decisions.
The reports issued by the Board were never intended to
he of a conclusive character; they were merely intended
to be laid before Parliament, and there to be used as it
in its wisdom might think fit and proper. He had one
or two observations to make, with respect to remarks
which had arisen in the other House, regarding their
proceedings. The Board had been termed a secret
tribunal. It had been said that they conducted their
proceedings with closed doors, and that their
ordinary mode of conducting the business of
the Board was out of the ordinary course
of other courts of inquiry. But it should be remem-
bered that that Board was not armed with any autho-
rity of a scrims character ; and if they were to hear
counsel, if parties were to be examined and cross-
examined, the grievance to the public would in-
deed be of an enormous character, and the ex-
penses in which parties would be involved, would
be a greater burden than any now compiatoed of.
It had been said that if they did not do so, the least
they could do would be to call the parties interested be-
fore them, and to hear what they severally had to urge.
He thought that neither their Lordships nor the public
could be aware of what must necessarily have happened
in such a case, or it never could have been considered
that this was the most effectual method of eliciting the
truth. He would ask any person who knew the
feelings by which rival railway proprietors
were actuated, what would have been the effect
of their calling before them the proprietors of the Cen-
tral London and York Company, and the directors of
the Midland Counties Company, to discuss at length the
merits of their respective schemes. If that experiment
had been tried once, he was convinced that it would have
at that time been abandoned on account of its impracti-
cability. But it had been said that, at least, they might
have heard all that could have been urged by the vari-
ous parties interested. It had been stated out of doors,
and also in another place, that he (Lord Dalhousie)
had distinctly stated that the Board of Trade
would not attempt to hear the contradictory
statements of competing parties. It had been imputed
to him that he had said that if the Board of Trade were
to attempt such a thing it would be physically impossible
for them to get through their business. Without im•
puting any intentional misrepresentation to any parties,
he could assure their Lordships that he had made no
such admission. What he had stated was, that having
heard the statements of objections to any lines, it was
impossible ihat he could receive deputations to state the
same objections a second time, for deputations had
often sought interviews with them for the purpose
of merely repetaing and reiterating those objections
which had been previously made. Now, if such a course
of proceeding were admitted they could never get
through their business. They could not grant repeated
personal interviews to all those who requested them.
What he had said was, that it was physically impossible
to receive personal interviews, and deputations a second
time. Persons applied at the outset for second and third
interviews, merely to re-argue the same thing. On that
account the Board was obliged to decline those inter-
views, and thus requested parties to address the Board
in writing, if they had any fresh objections to urge.
Now he would take an instance in support of what had
been stated. There was the case of the London
and York, and to supply that district their
Lordships were aware that there were three
schemes in the field. The London and York
he Direct Northern, and the Cambridge and Linclon.
Had the London and York been granted a second inter-
view the other parties, of course, would have demanded
the same indulgence, and thus this might have
given an adtnfinitum with respect to those
schemes. So with respect to the Goole schemes,
the Syston and Peterborough, and Swinton and
Lincoln. Their Lordships must be aware that a line had
to be drawn somewhere, and the line the Board had
drawn was that, that but one interview should be
granted ; and thus had said to the parties, if you have
any fresh matter to communicate, we are ready
to receive it. Their Lordships would not think that
the Board lacked informatisn when he informed them,
that having been in existence but six months, they were
receiving at the rate of 9,000 papers a year respecting
railway schemes. Of documentary evidence, therefore,
they had abundance. He now came to another cluss of
objectionsgto which he wished to direct their Lordships'
attention. It had been said that the Board did not pos-
sess the confidence of the public, nor were they entitled
to have it. It had been asked by way of question, to
which it hnd been supposed that no answer hod yet been
given, whether the Board had not a personal and pecu-
niary interest in railway matters, and whether they had
not, by obtaining previous information as to the deci-
sions of the Board which were forthcoming, enabled per-
ties to go to the Stock Exchange and to speculate
there. Now, if that statement had been con-
fined to the public journals, he could never
have mentioned it in Parliament; but these rumours
affecting the efficiency of the Board itself had been
sounded loudly in the ears of Parliament, and more
especially with respect to one member of that Board.
He (Lord Dalhousie) trusted that their Lordships would
not consider that he was occupying their time
with trifles, if he attempted to vindicate the
reputation of an able and honest servant of the public,
Mr. Potter and Mr. Long, two other Members of the
Board did not possess, and he believed never Lad pos-
sessed a single share. Mr. O'Brien had once possessed
Shares, but he did not now possess any, nor had he
done so since he had been a member of the Railway
Board. He was present when the appointinent was
offered to Mr. O'Brien, and that gentleman voluntarily
stated that he was in possession of a number
of shares. The interview took place on the
6t h of July, and on the 6th of August lie had taken
measures to get rid of his shares, and on the 2d of Sep-
tember he irrevocably parted with every and all his in-
terest in any railway shares whatever. This was on the
2d of September. The Board did not attempt
to go into the consideration of these railway
schemes until the first week in December,
so that Mr. O'Brien did not possess a single
railway share for three months previous to the meeting
of the Board. Then it was said a spirit of favouritism
had been shown by this board in certain railways. This
alagation he need scarcely notice because on the face of
it there it was ample evidence of its utter want of truth.
After one of the Groat Western Company's meeting a
person sent him a paper from the counts',
with a black cross on a paragraph, in which it
was suggested the whole of the Board of Trade should
wear the ticket or badge of the Great Western Railway
Company.—(Laughter.) A charge had been brought
against Captain O'Brien, that he had displayed a gross
partiality for the Dover Company, solely because he had
a brother connected with that line. This was
not a mere rumour, it had been quoted from
public prints in the other House of Parliament.
and it was hardly possible for him to sit still and allow
the character of every one of his colleagues to be im-
pugned in this way. But the charge was as absurd it
was wholly unfounded in truth.
I [LEFT SPEAKING.]
na

SHERIFFS COURT.—(THIS DAY.)
(Before Deputy-Sheriff W. R. KENNEDY, Esq.)
DALY V. NEATS.
This was an action to recover si. due to the plaintiff,
John Daly, by William Neats, publican, Crown Inn,
Seven Dials, under the following circumstances :
Mr. THOMAS, who appeared for the plaintiff, said, he
was instructed to appear in !ether a novel case of debt.
It appeared that his client one night in August last, got
tne worse for drink, in which state he went into the
public-house of defendant. While there he began
foolishly to flourish some money, on which a Mrs.
Langham who was present requested him to place it in
the hands of the landlord for safety until he got sober.
He agreed to do so, and forthwith placed five sovereigns
in the hand of defendant. He then left the house and
went to an adjoining beer-house kept by a Mrs. Connel.
Some time after when application was made for themoney
it was refused, on the plea that defendant did not know
that the plaintiff was the person who had deposited it.
On this refusal defendant was summoned to Bow-street.
but the sitting magistrate decided that he had no juris-
diction, as the money had passed into the possession
of defendant w ithout any force having been used. After
this the defendant agreed to give up the money, provid-
ing the plaintiff would produce a respectable surety, to
bear him harmless. Two responsible housekeepers
were produced, but without avail ; he would take nei-
ther, but still held the money. Hence this action was
commenced to recover the Ll. Mr. and Mrs. Langham,
and Mrs. Connel, were called.as witnesses, who proved
that Daley had deposited the five sovereigns in the hands
of Neats as dt scribed, and that the other steps to recover
the mosey had been taken.
Mr. BALL, for the defence, admitted that Si. had been
deposited in the hands of Mr. Neats by a men one night
in August, while in a state of intoxication, but he main-
tained that Daly was not the man. Daly had not made
application for the money until a considerable time after
it was placed in Mr. Neats' hand, and then only on learn-
ing from a certain party who was present on that occa-
sion that such a sum of money had been deposited. The
party who was present, a Mrs. Langham, and who had
given evidence respecting the plaintiff's identity, had,
there was considerable reason to suppose, an interest in
supporting Daly's claim. He (Mr. Ball) admitted that
she was present in the Crown Inn when a certain indivi-
dual placed five sovereigns in the hand of the landlord,
and was enabled thereby to furnish Daly with the Bee
cessary information to make the application for the money,
after bearing that the real owner had not come for-
ward. Hence, no doubt, this application originated; but he
maintained that Mrs. Langham had given erroneous
evidence, and thus Daly had no title whatever to the
money. The Learned Gentleman then called several
witnesses, amongst others the barman and barmaid, who
deposed that it was a man dressed in sailor's clothes,
with red hair, whiskers, and altogether unlike the plain-
tiff, who had deposited the money.
Mr. THOMAS replied at considerable length in refe-
rence to the subject of identity, pointing out the position
in which the two last witnesses, the barman and bar-
maid, stood in relation to the defendants, and contending
that their evidence was to be looked upon with great
suspicion. This view of their evidence was further
strengthened by the fact that the plea set forth in the de-
fence had never been advanced on any previous occasion,
when application was made for the money. Against
this suspicious evideece,.on the other side, was to be
placed three disinterested witnesses, and the subsequent
admissions of the defendant, all going to establish the
right of the plaintiff to the 5/. Besides, the fact that
no other person had made application—a fact almost
miraculous, if the evidence of defendant was to be be-
lieved—completely established the claim of Daly.
The DEPUTY SHERIFF, in summing up, said there was
only one question for the jury to decide—the identity of
the person who deposited the money.—Was Daly really
the person ? The great difficulty with the defendant's
case was, that no other person had ever claimed the
money. This difficulty was further increased when,
from the evidence of the barman and barmaid, it ap-
pear( d the person who left the money was not so
drunk but that he knew what he was doing. There
wa; likewise considerable difficulty on the other side. It
was a suspicious circumstance that Daly never applied
fur the money until after Christmas, and then in con-
nexion with Mrs. Langham, who, it ought to be ob-
served, was the principal witness of plaintiff's identity.
There seemed a conspiracy on one side or the other—
which, he was not prepared to say; but it would be for
the jury, after fully hearing the evidence brought for-
ward by both parties, to decide on which side the pre-
ponderance lay, and return a verdict accordingly.
The jury retired, and after being absent nearly an
hour, returned a verdict for the defendant.
The hearing occupied nearly three hours, and excited
considerable interest.

LAMBETH.—(THIS DAY.)
STEALING A COZ'I'ER.—A lad named Philip Bo!ton,
a well-known thief, a long list of whose various convic-
tions and sentences was handed to the magistrate, was
charged with stealing a copper.
Police-constable 98 P stated that, between six and
seven o'clock last evening he met the prisoner carrying
a copper, in the Walworth-road. On questioning him,
he stated that three young men had given it to him to
carry, and that they were strangers to him. After taking
him to the station-house, he proceeded on his beat, and
ascertained that an unoccupied house in Francis-street
had been entered, and the copper removed. The pri-
soner's shoes exactly corresponded with the marks in
the snow.
Mr. Young, an agent, having the care of the house,
could not swear that the copper was the one that had
been taken, except by some repairs which had been made
to it some time ago. If, however, the prisoner was re-
manded, he should be able to produce the man who had
repaired it, and who no doubt could identify it.
The prisoner, who repeated the story he had told to
the constable, was remanded to Saturday.
A young woman, named Caroline Gaiter, was charged
with having robbed her ready-furnished lodgings in
Martin- street, Blackfriars-road, of some blankets and
sheets, which she had pledged for Bs.
The prisoner stated that she was a married woman,
but was not living with her husband; that she pledged
the articles to purchase a pair of shoes, and that the
house was a brothel.

The landlady denied this.
The defendant repeated that this was true, and that
there were others in the house who obtained their living
by prostitution. She admitted that she was no better
than the rest.

She was fined Eis., the value of the goods, 20s. for
pledging the goods, or in default, one month's imprison •
ment.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

(THIS EVENING.)

HOUSE OF LORDS.

Lord Stanley having been summoned by writ to the
House of Lords, under the title of Lord Stanley, of
Knowsley, was introduced to-day by Lords Redesdale
and Wharncliffe, and took the oaths and his seat.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool-
sack.
Lord CAMPBELL trusted that their Lordships would
allow him to introduce two Bills and lay them on the
table, which he had introduced last session, and
had received the cordial assent of that House, but
which had been defeated in the House of Commons, in
consequence of some misunderstanding as to their ope-
ration in Scotland. The object of the Bill was, that
where persons who were indebted to parties in this
country left it and resided in foreign parts, process
might be served upon them, judgment obtained
against them, and their property secured for the benefit
of their creditors. Now, since last session, he had
had a communication with the Lord-Advocate of Scot-
land, and he had stated to him that he would not oppose
the Bills. One Bill was with respect to England, and
the other to Ireland, and with respect to Scotland one
was not necessary.
The LORD CHANCELLOR trusted his Noble
Friend, before he read the Bill a first time, would give
him an opportunity of seeing the Lord-Advocate of
Scotland.
Lord CAMPBELL—Certainly.
Leave was then given to bring in the Bills.
EQUALISING THE RATES ON RAILWAYS.
Lord H ATHERTON, iu presenting a petition from
various parties in the county of Stafford, praying for
an equalisation of the rates charged for passenger traffic
on railways, said that the subject was one that was
well worth the attention of the Noble Earl at the head
of the Board of Trade, and of her Majesty's
Government. It was a subject which had begun to ex-
cite the greatest attention, particularly in the manufac-
turing districts. It might not be generally known to
their Lordships, that there was a loss of 1,200 per cent.
in the rate of carriage for passengers by third-class
trains as compared with goods ; fur as ld. per mile was
charged for passengers, and only ld. per ton for
goods, and as it was computed that twelve passengers,
with their luggage, constituted a ton, it followed, there-
fare, that there was a consequent difference of 1,200 per
(Tat. He allowed that there must be a difference of ex-
pense in the construction of such carriages as were in-
tended to carry passengers, but if they considered
the incidental expenses which attended the
transmission of goods, they would find that the peti-
tioners bad good reason to complain of the enormous
difference in the rates of charges. If there were a loss
attending the transmission of goods at the present rates,
the petitioners prayed that such loss should not fall
upon the travelling public. He had made these observa-
tions for the purpose of calling their Lordships' attention
to the subject.
The Earl of DALHOUSIE said that, as the Board
of Trade was at present constituted, they could not
enter into the consideration of the question which the
Noble Lord had brought forward. Undoubtedly, the
question was of the utmost importance, and would, no
doubt, be taken into consideration hy the Government.
Beyond that, his Noble Friend would not expect him to
say anything.
OFFICIAL ASSIGNEES.
Lord BROUGHAM moved for a return of the sums of
money which had been lodged in the hands of official
assignees in the Court of Bankruptcy during the two
years ending January, 1845, together with all the sums
at present remaining in their hands.
HEALTH OF TOWNS.

The Mar • Fii01111ANBY; after presenting a
quis
o
petition infavour of the Government Medical Refori.
Bill,etit
petition
egreede notie et
o that
at a
in ,
paufirc days he should present a
p
held at Exeter
Hall, praying the House to take measures
metisures
im-
provement of drainage in large townesa for the .
RAILWAYS AND THE BOARD OF TRADE.
Lord DALHOUSIE said, in pursuance of the DnoEte
he had given on a former evening, he rose to bring under
the consideration of their Lordships, the report of the
railway department of the Board of Trade, re-
lative to the South-Western Railway schemes. He
did not inteud to go fully ;into the, question then,

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The SPEAKER took the chair at a Quarter to Four
o'clock.

PRIVATE BILLS.
A number of petitions were presented in favour of
Private Bills.

DUTY ON COALS.
Mr. H. HINDE presented a petition from the Cham-
ber of Commerce of Newcastle-upon-Tyne praying for
the repeal of the export duty on coals.

THE SUN, LONDON, THU'RSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 13, 1t45.

(Hear, hear.) Those vessels which had been built
under the Navy Board were constructed in such a
manner that they would neither move, tack, or shut.
But at last the feeling of the public became so strong
that the Admiralty and the Navy Boards were
obliged to give way. Sir William Symonds was
allowed to construct a ship, Captain Hayes was
allowed to construct one, and Captain Randall
built another. Those ships were the sapphire, the
Challenger, and the Acorn, and those frigates, with the
Columbine, which was an 18-gun ship, the Wolf, and
others, went to sea. The Sapphire and the Columbine
were the best of those vessels, and the guns of the
weather ship would go under the bottom of the leeward
one, while the guns of the leeward ship would go over
the truck of the weather one. He, in common with many
other persons, wished to see the construction of their ves-
sels improved, and he wrote a letter on the subject on the
Ist of October, 1827, to his Royal Highness the Duke
of Clarence, from whom he begged leave to read an ex-
tract to the House. In that letter he stated that the
naval service of the country would be much better con-
ducted if the Naval and Admiralty Board were ainalgit-
insted, and the whole placed under the contreul of the
Lord High Admiral. It was generally allowed chat the
Navy Board were the last to adopt any improvements;
who disregarded the suggestions of others, believing that
the whole wisdom of the navy was centred in themselves.
For a naval officer to obtain a seat at the Naval Board,
it was m cessary that he should possess interest enough
to get appointed to one of the foreign dockyards, and
after moving about from one to another, lie succeeded to
one of the first vacancic s at Somerset House. But he
had so often expressed his opinion of how the Admi-
ralty was formed, that he need not go into the question
again. When the Right Hon. Baronet came into office,
he (Sir Charles Napier) I allowed up the letter he had
just quoted by a pamphlet, addressed to Sir J. Cheate.
The Right Honourable Baronet, as one of the first
acts of his Administration, broke up the Naval
Board ; and lie highly upproved of that step ; but lie
did not think so highly of the body which had been
substituted for it. The consequence had been, the
throwing of an immense quantity of work on the Ad-
miralty, particularly on the First Lord, to such an ex-
tent, that it was morally and physically impos-ible for
any man to go through the duties of that office, so as to
look into all the subjects of great importance that were
brought before him every day of his life. It was not in
the power of any man to do it. It was perfectly impos-
sible; and if they did not take some steps to change the
system, they would continue to commit the errors which
their predecessors had committed. The first thing the
Right Hon. Baronet did in office ; and for which he gave
him great credit, was, after seeing the ability which Sir
William Symonds had displayed, to give bins an oppor-
tunity of building a larger ship. He had allowed him,
and had taken the responsibility of allowing him, to jump
from an eighteen-gunship to building a fifty-gun frigate.
Sir William Symonds had been commissioned to build
the Vernon, and she had answered pet fectly well. When
Sir William Symonds had built the Vernon, the Right
Honourable Baronet commissioned him to build a large
ship. He thought the Right Hon. Baronet was not
right in so doing, because Sir William Symonds had
never been brought up in a dockyard, and could not be
supposed to possess that practical knowledge of ship-
building which was necessary. After the Vernon was
launched, very favourable reports were made of her qua-
lifications. The Captains who had sailed in her all reported
favourably of her. After that, Sir William Symonds
had built several 26 gun frigates, and several 16 gun-
brigs. All the captains who had sailed these vessels
had reported favourably of them, and they had said that
the brigs' men particularly were against improvement
upon the former 18 gun-brigs. The next ship which
Sir William Symonds had built was the Vanguard.
Much had been said against that ship. But he believed
the ship was a good ship. He had an opportunity of
seeing her tried in the Mediterranean. She had been
tried against the Powerful and the Ganges. lie had seen
her tried in a heavy gale against six ships of the line.
It was at night, and he must admit that when daylight
came the Vanguard was the most leeward ship. He
was much surprised at that, but it could scarcely be con-
sidered a fair trial, because unforeseen circumstances
might have occurred to occasion such a state of things;
and they had had no opportunities subsequently of
giving her a fair trial. But he was free to admit that
the Vanguard was a good, efficient, and seaworthy ship.
But when the model of the ship had been presented to
the Admiralty, it was evident that their Lord-
ships had not sufficiently considered the subject.
The Admiralty did not appear to have sufficiently con-
sidered the model of the Vanguard. As fitted out at the
present moment, she would be set on fire in the very
first hour of action. The Vanguard appeared on the
Navy-list as an 80-gun ship, but she should be only
reckoned as a 78-gun ship, as she lost two her guns in
the Mediterranean. The Gallant Officer condemned the
construction of the Pique, as expensive, clumsy, and
ineffective. On her voyage to the West Indies she la-
boured to such an extraordinary degree, that Captain
Baxter, who was a passenger, told her captain that if
she did not get up her runners and tackle, her course
would be dangerous. Several vessels had been laid down
on the model of the Pique, and six vessels had been laid
down at an enormous expense. The Surveyor
of the Navy had been allowed to build a
three-deck ship, called the Queen, and in order
to build the Queen the Royal Frederic was taken
to pieces. Such was the eclat that attended the com-
pletion of this vessel that the Queen of England went to
Brighton to see her. The Queen was sent to Malta,
under the command of one of the oldest officers in the
service, a man seventy-five years of age ; and in order
that the Admiralty might form an opinion as to her sail-
ing powers fhe Formidable was sent out with her, and he
(Sir Charles Napier) thought that a very wise step.
lie had forgotten to say that, with the example of the
Pique before their eyes, the Board of Admiralty laid
down no fewer than six Queens—(Laughter)—and that
he conceived was extremely blameable in them.—
(Laughter.) He believed it to be the fact, nevertheless.
and it' he could get the papers he had asked for, he would
be able to show the state those ships were now in.
Well, the Queea went to Malta, and the Admiralty
seemed to be satisfied with her sailing powers. Now,
he would read the report of the Board of Admiralty,
as to the sailing powers of the Queen; and here let him
say that he could hardly believe, when he read it, that
such a document could have emanated from the Board
of Admiralty. The document was headed, "Character
of the ship after nine months trial." Here the Hon.
Member read a series of questions and answers from the
repott, which caused loud laughter throughout. Some
of them were, " How does the Queen ride?" Answer,
" Easy." " How does she carry her helm?" " Rather
sly ?"—(Laughter.) " How does she wear her
stays ?' (Great laugther.) "Is she weatherly
on the contrary, as compared with other ships?"—
(Continued laughter.) Answer, " Weatherly." " Does
she lie to easy ?" Answer, " Very easy."—(Laughter.)
"Is she weak built or strong ?" Answer, " Very
strong."—(Laughter.) Then followed a series of ques-
tions on nautical points of every position almost in
which could be placed on a long voyage, to every one of
which, the answer was, " Never tried," which caused a
continuation of the laughter. The lion. Member then
said he would come to another report of the
Board of Admiralty on another trial of the
Queen after tweyty-two months. He then read the
questions, the answers to which appeared to be of the
same nature, many of which were " never tried in that
way," which the Hon. and Gallans Member said, put
him in mind of the grave-digger in Bea t, when he
had taken all the coats and waiscoats off.—(Laughter.)
Now, in order that it should not be said that he wanted
to make " fish of one and flesh of another"—Laugh-
ter)—he had read the report of an officer of the navy,
one of the most clever and talented in the service. He had
set out by praying the attention of the House to this
question, for it was not one either of party or politics.—
(Hear, hear.) Now, he would say, it it was wrong for
the Board of Admiralty to lay down six Queens—
(Laughier)—he certainly could not see why they were
proceeded with. Well, the Queen came home, was sent
into docks, and underwent an examination by the
officers he had alluded to ; and the result was,
that the Queen was a vessel that had been re-
presented in a manner calculated to ruin any ship.
It appeared that the Queen steered so badly that she
was obliged to have her foresail up and her mainsail set
to keep her by the wind. She pitched in such a tre-
mendous manner that her middle-deck guns were in the
water, and lie understood that her rolling was of the
same nature. He had before him the report of the gal-
lant officer commanding her, who could not tell how she
would behave in Malta harbour—(Laughter)—and who
seemed to have had much difficulty in picking up a
gale of wind—(Laughter)—which could not be done
on the coast of Portugal, in winter, but if he had
extended his peregrinations as far as the the Westward
Isles, he would have perhaps found no difficulty what-
ever. It appeared from the reports of this Gallant
Officer, that the Queen found great difficulty in steering
for want of sufficient power in her rudder, and that
under low and easy sail, she could not be well kept to
the wind. The Queen returned to port, and was finally
made an
is
ann .d eighty
tsh sailing,er
paid off, at Sheerness, and was now in the
Dockyard, at Chatham, to have her keel increased,
her stern-post changed, her magazine altered,
and other repairs. This was of course all done with the
appreval of the surveyor of the navy himself. Now, if
this doctrine did not succeed in the case of the Queen,
what was to be done? Were they to return to the system
upon which they acted fifty-five years ago? Were they
to go on building three-deckers and making them
seventy-fours, building seventy-fours and making
ofes
twh he
theem t
ou docorvettes
c withav
en . ?
her?—
1,( ?—(Hear.) e t
The
ship
h. )0i
pn
wyl
af t
was first
ifint
ngse,
itat eslemw8:111140. frigates,
etghaaetwesou exampleldseventy-fourbpil udozifli Iggetnhtetitrhfsrhei predecessorsgippalta.nhoi QefnlylatAdmiraltylaiBenld9ic,na thenmhtoeea
epees
xlgeel
eosnull l3a14:1 dhd:
aftero notv s,
n
igLsi
London.
Symonds,
ship
pnc
dh;
Tn
hgheeefdo into
otio;tienael
left
ft seventywthaesn
agdviu3sn_
gun ships, the Rodney,
the aohh eidtp the
, eightdNe
o)uA'iNpelveaclihrn
three
hh
re ese u vey o r
ninety-two' s present-
eSavrhse
dae
carefule csvasars, ri siceodomftmhaai thirty-two-
pounders
smaller
examination,wl
l.beoyr-
e
p,pAshsarhhoani
hdmeetu
acmen. dis-
patched
ceuvraeodaTesarilsahli
stiydpeoo,
olapu:nrargioai
approved
lye(
good
Parker,
s,hrsdhttoseahbealffiloyial
cltnvabee
werstro.srrot,
hot
rheaote
dnimfoodaafin,
observed,
aysnth
ofeet
there
meen and
r.
her
trqsh quarter-decks
apt
berseroet-
provisions,
esbrci
ook ans
ts seaman.oarsnha
measured 2.626 tons, and her hull cost 67,5504
s
wdastoresSheamt water.
Nrnv
oos
frsn.
whae
exuyrt commandeda therer,a,
was
analdysaws
anso
livelybe yonbettersaitCaptainsieaae
nbssyl
ye] Ilstaohhna
dspue:l
dl
couldos
svfhh ceoo
ucwarb wae
s
rwiehdenhetrhe leivtetteer
Lordsdeck osfevtehreal inches Admiralty
out of
into
office, it was very natural that tey
to build ships on the new shcoaumlde try
principle, which would
bo as good as those built on the old one; and, acecor-
dinghy, the Albion was built, and commanded by Capt.

Lockart, an excellent seaman. He believed that the
Right Hon. and Gallant Officer opposite approved of
the Albion, and wrote a pamphlet in praise of the prin-
ciple upon wihch she was built. Well, when she was sent
with the Caledonia on an experimental trip, he
was informed that the Albion rolled in a dreadful
manner, and that it was perfLetly impossible to
keep her lower port holes open. There was an
anecdote related of her which spoke volumes.
NN hen the captain came alongside the Caledonian and
saw how quiet she was, compared to his own ship, he
called out to the Captain of the Caledonian, and said
(he would use his own words), " Damn my eyes,
Jack, your ship's aground."—(Much laughter.) The
Albion was a stiff ship, there was no doubt of it.
If there were no other reason, the :great breadth of her
beam would be sufficient to insure that quality. Her
sails also were better set than that of the St. Vincent.
If he understood the gallant Officer aright, there was,
a serious disadvantage to which she was subject—an ina-
bility to keep her lower ports open when the wester was
rough. During the time she was in company with other
three-deckers and those other ships of the squadron had
the whole of their ports open and their guns
run out the Albion was obliged to keep her
lower ports closed. This was no slight disadvantage,
for if the commanding officer had made a signal for
the captain to open his lower ports and run out his guns,
he must have been placed in this very unpleasant posi-
tion—that he must either have disregarded the signal,
and so disobeyed his orders, or, by obeying them,
have opened his ports, and by bringing them,
through the sway of the ship, below the sur-
face of the water, and thus have swamped the ship.
He might, it is true, have made a r. port to the Admi-
ralty that he was unable to carry on with his lower
ports open, but this would have been, after all, but
mere talk, in which the country could take no
interest, however much it might justify her captain
for his conduct. But all the talk in the world was of no
avail. Another order might indeed have been given, ane
as he saw an old sailor opposite to him—(Loud laughter
as the attention of the House was directed
to the Solicitor-General)—there was some one
who, beside the Gallant Friend to whom he had
alluded, was able to judge of the propriety of the
objection alleged against this ship, and see how
, impossible it was for the Captain of the Albion to obey
L either it or the signal of which he had previously spoken.
One mode by which the true character of this ship might
have been ascertained was by bringing her and the Queen
, into a hostile position with respect to each other. In
, fact, to get them engaged.
[LEFT SPEAKING.]

TAT TERSALL'S.—THIS EVENING
Six o'CLocK.

CHESTER CUP.

9 to 1 agst Semiseria
16 to 1 agst Era
25 to 1 agst St. Lawrence
28 to 1 agst The Pride of Kildare
30 to 1 agst Celeste
30 to 1 agst Zanoni
30 to 1 agst Winewur
30 to 1 agst Extempore
40 to 1 agst Trueboy
50 to 1 agst Foig-a-ballagh.
DERBY.

10 to 1 agst Alarm
13 to 1 agst Cobweb colt
15 to 1 agst Kedger -
16 to 1 agst Idas
20 to 1 agst Pam
25 to 1 agst Newsmonger
33 to 1 agst Old England
33 to 1 agst Miss Whip colt
44 to 1 agst Ironmaster
40 to 1 agst Laird o' Cockpen

AMERICAN NE iii S.

Extracts from the American papers brought by the Queen of
the West.

In congress, upon the Oregon question,
Mr. Allan rose to ask whether the Senate was inpossession
of any information in relation to the correspondence between
the Government of the United States and of Great Britain,
relative to the Oregon Territory.
Mr. Archer replied that no information had yet been re-
ceived on the subject, but that he would probably be able to
give the information to the Senate in a few days.
Mr. Allen stated that he had a petition from citizens of
Fairfield, Ohio, asking Congress to establish a Territorial Go-
vernment in Oregon. The people of Oregon complained, with
reason, that their interests had been much neglected. Last
year when the subject was pressed on the Senate, we were
told that Lord Ashburton had come over specially charged
with the settlement of this question. But when he arrived
here, it was found that he had no power over the subject, and
it did not appear that he had done anything. The people
of Oregon did not wish to be trifled with any longer on this
subject. He desired the petition to be referred to a Select
Committee. But it was referred to the Committe on Foreign
Affairs.

ANNEXATION.
Mr. Burke, of N. H., asked leave to introduce joint resolu-
tions for the admission of Texas into the Union.
This proposition was committed. It is similar to Mr.
Forster's plan. It gives the assent of Congress to the crea-
tion of the territory known as Texas into a new State; the
constitution of said State to be laid before Congress by the
proper authorities of Texas, before the 4th of July, 1846 ; the
territory to be divided into new States, when its popula-
tion shall be sufficient.; those States south of 36 degrees
30 minutes north latitude, to be admitted into the Union with
or without slavery, as their people may desire ; the boundaries
to be adjusted by treaty; Texas to pay her own debts, and
keep her own lands, but to order to the United States her
navy, dock-yards, ports, forts, harbour, public edifices, arms,
armaments, &c., pertaining to the public defence; all claims
to be adjudicated by courts of Texas, subject to the juris-
diction of the federal courts; said State, when admitted, to
have two senators and two representatives, until the next
Congress. . . _ .

The House resumed, in Committee of the Whole, the
consideration of the Resolutions for the annexation of Texas.

Mr. Bowlin, of Mobile, spoke in favour of the measure,
contending that it was necessarily constitutional, because
the acquisition of territory was a right essential to national
sovereignty. We have been continually acquiring territory
since the adoption of the Constitution. Nine States put the
Government in operation, and nine States elected General
Washington President, but we had since added seventeen
States.

Texas was a fine cotton growing country, and should she
make a treaty with Great Britain for the admission of her
cotton at a rate of duty a farthing less than ours, our staple
would be excluded from the market. The exportation of
cotton now nearly equalled our importations of foreign goods
If that exgortation ceased, it would destroy our commerce.
If Texas remained independent, slavery would be perpetu-
ated in her limits, and her limits would soon inc;ude Mexico.
and Central America. But if Texas were admitted, her
boundaries would be permanently fixed, and the limits of
slavery would necessarily be defined. He preferred Mr.
Dromgoole's plan, but would vote for any other. He adopted
the motto of the people of Missouri, " Texas honourably.
'texas for ever."

Mr. Hamlin and Mr. Severance followed against the mea.
sure.

When the last named gentleman concluded, there was a
tremendous rush for the floor. I never witnessed such a
scramble. At least 40 members were up, and eager to speak.
Among them was old Mr. Adams. Mr. Hammett obtained
the floor and will speak to-morrow.
Mr. Adams offered a resolution calling on the President to
state the bounds of the territory of Texas, as commonly un-
derstood by the people thereof.
PENNSYLVANIA.—In the Pennsylvania House of Represen-
tatives on Wednesday, the Committee of Ways and Means
reported a Bill appropriating the funds in the Treasury to the
payment of interest on the Ist of February; which, after some
time was taken up, and passed in Committee of the whole.
The Bill, says a corespondent of the Pensylvaniax, meets
with considerable opposition, but that opposition is not strong
enough to endanger its passage. The debate upon the ques-
tion has been interesting and instructive, and generally has
been strongly in favour of expending our last dollar in pay-
ment of our debts.

DUTCH AND FLANDERS MAIL.
BRUSSELS, FEB. 10.—On the night of the 6th of this
month, the Eliza, Captain Sharp, an English ship, bound
from Rye to Nieuport, with a cargo of wool, not being
able to enter that port on account of the violence of the
wind, was obliged to go to Ostend. The night being
dark, and the sea running very high, it missed the en-
trance, and run aground on the beach. The cargo is
being taken out. It is not yet known to what extent the
ship is damaged.
The severe frost that we have had for these three
days has again interrupted the navigation in the canals
of Charleroy and Willebroech.
The King has gone into mourning for eleven days, on
account of the death of her Imperial Highness t.
Grand Duchess Elizabeth Machai Lowna, Duchess o
Nassau.

The Chamber of Representatives continues the dis-
cussion of the budget of the Department of the Interior.
The Senate has agreed to all the articles of the budget
of the Marine and to that for establishing a new mode
of sanctioning the laws.—Brussels papers, Feb. 11.
THE HactrE, FEB. B.—We learn that as soon as our
Government was informed that a Netherland ship had
been captured and carried into Palama, which was bound
from Antwerp to Marseilles, and had a chest of arms on
board, instructions were immediately given to his Ma-
jesty's Minister at Madrid, and that be had already taken
the necessary steps. The Consul of the Netherlands, at
Barcelona, has also done what belongs to his functions.
THE lIAGHE, FEB. 9.—The sections of the Second
Chamber will resume their labours to-morrow (Monday).
They will examine the new regulations on standing or-
ders of the Chamber and the project of law for modify-
ing the 9th chapter of the budget for the year 1846-
1847.

Theft to for the celebration of the 270th anniversarj
of the foundation of the University of Leyden, on Sa
turday, the Bth, passed off in the most satisfactory man
ner. The masquerade, representing the entry of Coun
Floris V. with the Knights of the new order of S
James, just instituted by him, was extremely brillian
DUTCH FUNDS.—AmsTEnnear, FEB. It.
Money. Bills.
Actual Debt, 234 per Cent............ 64 641,(
Ditto, 3 per Cent •• .• . • ...... 78 78%
Ditto, 4 per Cent........... • • • • • • 9834 99
Ditto, 5 per Cent 99% 100
Amort Syndic, 434 per Cent. ... • • 99% 100
Ditto, 334 per Cent .• ••. . • • 91% 92%
Commercial Company, 4% per Cent • • 1473 148
East India Loan, 4 per Cent.
Exchange on London, one mouth ••• • • • 12 17
Two months.....
At sight. ..... .............
On llamburgh ............
Two months
On Paris
Twomonths.. ...... .......
—Dutch Papers, Feb. 12

35 62.5
35 37.5

lIAMBURGH BORSENHALLE, FEE. 4.
Bills. Money
113

Austrian 5 per Cents
Bank Shares . 1655
Anglo-Russian Loan
Russian 5 per Cent., Ilamb. Certificate. 105% 105%
Ditto Ist serieslnscription............ 105%
Ditto, Hops and Co., 3d and 4th series.. 993
Ditto, in Certificate. . • . .
New 4 per Cent., Hope and Co. ...... 92
Ditto Stieglitz ..........
—Hamburgli Borsenhalle, Feb. 7.

MR. STAFFORD SMITH O'BRIEN, M.P.—This gen-
tleman arrived at Kemp Town on Sunday, and in the evening
was taken s o ill, that it was deemed necessary to call in medical
advice. The lion. Gentleman, we arc happy to say, is now Much
better.