The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-21 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF COMMONS, March2o,
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock.
Mr. SPOONER presented a petition praying for
leave to bring in a Bill to make a railroad between
Wells and Durham.
Mr. WYSE presented a petition in favour of the
Waterford and Limerick Railway Bill.
Colonel T. WOOD presented a petition from
Staines praying for a better observance of the
Sabbath.
Mr. WYSE presented a petition from the province
of Munster, agreed to at a public meeting held in
Cork, praying for the establishment of provincial col-
leges in Ireland, and the extension of education.
MANCHESTER AND SHEFFIELD RAIL-
WAY.

But it was to the commercial classes of every degree
that railroads were more particularly serviceable.

The manufacturer had thus the opportunity of com-
municating in a much shorter time with those who
purchased from him, and of transmitting the articles
which he produced at a much smaller cost, which was
to him precisely the same as an improvement in ma-
chine. y, inasmuch as whatever diminished the cost of
transit must have the same effect as that which dimi •

nished the cost of production. He could do with
much less stock, and therefore to him it was equi-
valent to so much additional capital ; and both
this diminished cost of production (as it might be
called) and diminished call for capital must be
fur the immediate advantage of the public.
No class, perhaps, would benefit more than the farmers
by lowering the cost of railway travelling. They
would be able to go through the country, and in that
way see the improvements which were being made in
agriculture. The farmers dale west of England, where
agriculture was not so well understood as in Norfolk,
Lincoln, and the north of England, might visit those
counties, and observe the various means of improve-
ment which were applied to the cultivation of
the land. Why was it that in one part of the country
he was found so much less advanced than in another ?
Only because he was not in the hahit, of travelling
from home, and observing the modes of cultivation
adopted by other farmers. It was clear that
there must be cheap conveyance to induce the
farmer to become a traveller to any consider-
able extent. Unless the fares were lowered, the
labourers could not possibly avail themselves of
the benefits of railway travelling, but in a short
time he hoped to see the fares lowered to a half-
penny per passenger per mile.—(Hear, hear.) In
that case they would be enabled to leave those parts
of the country where wages-were low, and go to those
places where labour was permanently high, or
where there was a temporary demand for it.
Fuel and provisions would be cheapened con-
siderably where they were now dear. But the
large towns would benefit even more than the
country from an increase of railway traffic. He
knew of many instances where articles had thus been
brought from a distance to towns better and cheaper
than is hen the supply was drawn from the surround-
ing district. One case he would just mention to the
House. Previous to the introduction of railways the
consumption of fish at Manchester was comparatively
small, hut Captain Lasses had induced the railway
proprietors to reduce the charge of transit, and got
the fishermen on the coast to sell all the fish they could
take at one regular price, whether the catch was great
or small, and the result was, that the best cod was re-
duced from Bd. or ls. per pound to 11d. or 2d., plac-
ing it within the reach of artisans, and the demand
had so risen as to keep a head of the supply. The
former consumption of 3i tons a-week had vs ithin the
last year given place to one of 80 tons ; and the under-
taking answered extremely well to ell perties cor.-
cerned.—(Hear, hear.) '1 he inhabitants of towns
would also derive great benefit in the articles of coal,
stone, and other heavy things.—(Hear, hear.)
If agriculture were to be iniprovad, it must be by a
mixture of the soils; and there was no reason why
lime and other heavy materials should not thus be
transported from one district to another at a halfpenny
a ton per mile.—(Hear, hear.) Extraordinary pro-
gress had been made in railroads already; though the
thing itself was but of yesterday. There was scarcely
a railroad in existence which had not almost entirely
superseded the coaches and wa :eons. The canals,
too, were almost deprived of their whole traffic, and,
except where they were peculiarly circumstanced in
point of local advantages, they would almost cease.
To ba of any use they must become the property of
the railroads, and be auxiliary to them.—(Hear, beer.)
The effect upon the coasting trade was already con-
siderable, and would be greater still in retard to
the transport of coal and other heavy articles. But
there was to be noticed also the diminished opposition
to railroads : formerly landowners opposed them, but
now they were anxious to have the benefit of them close
to their estates, and were becoming liberal shareholders.
Another reason in support of his argument was, that
the expense of constructing a railway was much less
now than formerly ; for instant:e, an old line of rail-
way which cost, say 60,0001., might now be constructed
for 10,000/. or 12,0001. Then again, the expense
of working the lines was much less now than
what it was some years ago, and the expense of main-
taining what was called the permanent way was now
almost reduced to a certainty. There were parties to
be found who would undertake contracts to keep the
lines in repair at a specified sum for a. num-
ber of years, and he could, therefore, see
no objection to his motion on the subject,
for every day brought reductions in this respect.
The whole expense of driving an entire train was
found to be not more than the expense of posting
with a pair of horses used to be—namely, 2s. a miles
and in some cases it was considerably less. The
maintenance of the. way, again, was now reduced to a
certainty. In fact, there was enough ascertained to
ululate-tau Board of Trade (and they might have been
quite as usefully thus employed as in some instances
they had been) to give to the public a table showing
what, according to circumstances as the traffic varied,
would be a remunerating price—whether seven or
eight per cent. interest on the capital, for example ; it
would be a great assistance to Committees in fixing
the fares. Railroads were altogether a commercial
speculation, and perhaps the most sure and certain of
all speculations; the results could be calculated with
much more confidence than in the case of a bank, or
iron or other works, because the great numbers
enabled an average to be depended upon in the traffic.
This was of great importance; as a mercantile_spceu-
lation they were become about the safest thing to em-
bark money in.—(Hear.) They provided for a want
that was. perpetually existing; people must travel, and
therefore the return for the money laid out might he
calculated pretty surely beforehand.—.(Hear, hear.)
All parties connected with railroads agreed that the
advantages were only just beginning to be reaped.
Notlong since the railway was considered as intended,
almost exclusively for the conveyance of passengers,
but it had been of late applied to merchandise,
including minerals, and was daily more and more
thus made use of. But its power to accommodate the
public had never yet been fully tested. The expense
would be very little increased, though the number of
trains should be raised from 10 to 20, or even 40.
There would be the same fixed expense, interest of
money, stations, and so forth; it would merely be the
employment of so many additional persons, end the
use of so much more fuel; and that was a trifle. The
expense, of the locomotive power in the carriage of
goods was only about three-eighths of a penny per
ton per mile ; it could be done at a profit on all goods
at a halfpenny a ton.—(Hear.) The whole subject,
then, deserved to be considered ; it ought not to be le ft to
the Board of Trade along with a thousand other things.
Railroads were the safest sort of speculation, and their
capabilities to accommodate the public had not yet
?seen fairly tested. The whole question must come
before them at a future time. With regard to rail-
roads, their construction and management had now
become a great national question. They had scientific
power, and the command of iron, more than any
other nation, and ought to construct railroads more
cheaply than any other country. Yet, instead of
having the cheapest and best railways, they were
likely, unless something more effectual was done, to
have the dearest line than any.—(Hear, hear.) Taking
population and wealth together, this country was the
most densely peopled in the world. France had
taken advantage of their experience and their
mistakes; and there were many things in which
they might copy from the French.—(dear, hear.)
He (Mr. Morison) w •ulti not dwell upon the Belgian
because it eneld be said that that was a Govern-
ment undertaking, though he thought that no answer
at all; the average fares upon it were about ld.,
and id. per mile, but it could be worked much cheaper
than at present, for it was used by the Government
as the means of patronage.—(Hear, hear.) But he
would take the (Means Railway. The French had
borrowed our experienced, and taken advent:lee of
our mistakes, ant there was much that might be
copied by us with advantage. The Orleans line
was the model which the French intended to
adopt in all their proposed railways. The tariff
was about 1 ad., ld., and Id., for the three cla-ses ;
10, and 5 centimes per kilometre. Ours
was very generally 31., 21, and Id. Now surely,
under our circumstances, 2.1., and
would be quite an ample remuneration for most of
the new lines; and he himself believed, that a lade
ld., and ad., would be the common charge by and by,
if proper measures were taken by the House for in-
suring to the public the full benefit to which they
were entitled.—(llear, hear.) It_ was remarkable,
that we had gone on enacting tolls to be levied in
every Railway Bill from the very first down to the
end of last session, copying probably from the Canal
Bills, forgetting that the canal proprietors were always
the mere owners of the canal, and not carriers. Those
tolls had never been levied, and, in fact, they could
not. If a person were to claim the right of using any
railroad. in England the company's agents had the
power of determining when it should be, and that
would render it valueless to the private speculator.
On the large lines indeed they could hardly find an
interval for what would be called " the indepen-
dent train---(A laugh)—the time was filled up—
there was not an hour to spare—and, of course, to
passengers it would he useless for the coinpany to
ue.,givei.dsleea, the co
veto runmaptarny train in the middle of the night.
wouldnot allow the use of
their pumps and their stations and other necessary
things. let some lion. Gentleman some three or
four years ago moved that the companies be compelled
to place against the stations along their lines a board
setting out what their charges were under the Act
and this was done. The absurdity of it was evident:
because these were not like turnpike-gates, where- the
charge to be made was truly stated; but this was ft
charge which nave: was, and never could he, Lrought
into practice ; and yet the people looked at the beards
• as if Parliament had been doing something for their

Mr. G. S. WORTLEY brought in a Bill for con-
structing the Manchester and Sheffield Railway,
which was read a first tune.
HUNGERFORD BRIDGE.
A Bill was also brought in for constructing the
Hungerford-bridge terminus, which was read a first
time.
LONDON AND WESTMINSTER CEME-
TERY.
Mr. MACKINNON presented a petition from the
London and Westminister Cemetery Company, pray-
ing to be heard before the Health of Towns Com-
mittee.
BOARD OF TRADE RAILWAY REPORT.
Sir G. CLERK brought up the report of the
Board of Trade on the London and York Railway,
the South Wales Railway, and the projected Rail-
ways in the South of Ireland.
Sir G. GE} Y and Mr. T. EGERTON presented
several petitions against the sale of intoxicating liquors
on the Sabbath.
MIDLAND COUNTIES RAILWAY.
Mr. H. HINDE brought in a Bill for constructing
the branches projected by the Midland Counties
Railway Company.
ABERDEEN RAILWAY.
Sir G. GREY brought in a Bill for constructing
this line, which was read a first time.
EAST DEREHAM AND PRESTON AND
WYRE RAIL WAYS.
Petitions were presented from the promoters of
these projects, praying for leave to bring in Bills.
They were referred to the Select Committee on Pai-
ute Bills.
ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.
Sir It. PEEL, in pursuance of a notice he had
given on a former day, moved that the House at its
rising do adjourn till Monday, the 31st day of March.
—Agreed to.
OPENING LETTERS.
Mr. DUNCOMBE gave notice that he should, on
the Bth of April, move for leave to bring in a Bill for
securing letters from being opened at the Post-office.
COLLEGIATE EDUCATION IN IRELAND.
Mr. WYSE gave notice that he should, on the
Bth of April, inquire the amount of the sums to be
granted for the purpose of establishing collegiate in-
stitutions in Ireland, the extent of those institutions,
and the places where they were to be located.
MAYNOOTH.
Sir R. PEEL gave notice that he should, on
Thursday, the 3d of April, move that the House take
into considecation a grant to the College of May-
nooth.

TBE St , LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 21, 1845.

protection.—(A laugh.) He hoped that, at all events,
this would be done away with.—(Hear.) He believed
that the late President of the Board of Trade had
gone into the Committee of last year in the hope of
snaking some material alteration, but he soon found
that the old companies were too strong for him.
Still he (Mr. Morison) was in hopes that some altera-
tions would shortly be made; but he must say that
the additional accommodation which had been given
to third-class passengers in consequence of the re-
commendations of that Committee were most praise-.
worthy, and he was glad that the result showed, not
only that the-operation of the cheap fares was to in-
crease the numbers who travelled by the line,
and so benefit the Company, but that with di-
minished fares an increase of income was realized.
He had been informed that on the Grand Junction
line there had been an increase in the third-class pas-
sengers of 308 per cent. while the revenue from third-
class passengers had increased only 70 per cent. There
had also been an increase in the second- class passengers,
so that the increase in.the third class seemed to have
been at the expense of the first class. The attention
of Parliament should be directed to this subject. It
would be manifestly cheaper for the companies to
attach third-class carriages to the fast trains, as they
would thereby carry third-class passengers without
any additional power. They should certainly give
the lower classes the full benefit of the penny a mile
system. It was a great hardship upon them to be
kept 19 hours upon the road when they could be con-
veyed in less time. It certainly seemed singular
that the companies should choose to put
themselves to additional expense, by put-
ting on slow trains, solely for the purpose of
inconveniencing their passengers. The Government
ought to be permitted to give notice of revision or
purchase before the lapse of twenty-one years:
There was no knowing what might occur in that
period. It was holding out a vast temptation to job-
bery.—(Loud cheers.) In fact, the present sys-
tem held out a premium to bad manage-
ment, instead of an encouragement to good
Ile then came to the-question of amalgamation. It
was quite evident that they could not prevent amal-
gamation. He did not know that they ought to pre-
vent it ; but this was an additional reason why the)
should be careful in their legislation on this subject
At present, he believed that railway compenies could
not be amalgamated without coming to Parliament ;
but he observed, that a power to lease and hire had
been granted in many railway Acts of late, and he
thought that Parliament ought to be very cautious
how they allowed that power. Ii the public were to
derive any benefit from the practice of amalgamation,
it must be by Parliament taking care that it should
not take place without a proper security that the in-
terests of the public should be consulted ; but he
thought that each company ought to have the power
to hire or lease, without coming to Parliament. Amal-
gamation, therefore, was an additional reason why
the House ought to be more careful in legislating on
this subject than they had been. Great improvements
had of late taken place in the construction of railroads,
but nothing seemed to be done to give the public the
benefit of any improvement, or any guard against the
impositions that might be practised by the companies.
He believed that they could not guard agTnst annalgsma
tior, but when railways were completed in great districts
of England and Wales combination would undoubtedly
follow. Now, with reference to this point, it must be con-
sidered that the railway companies, would shortly, in
all probability have ramifications to every town in
England ; they would command the services of the
most active persons in life—as for instance the law-
yers; they would always exercise a powerful influence
on the House of Commons; and if the proper mode of
dealing with them were neglected they might become
to-) formidable in the House—aye, too formidable
even for the Right Hon. Baronet, with his large ma-
jority, to contend with. Ile (Mr. Morison) had
said last year that the railway companies should not
be allowed to add repairs to the amount of their
capital. It had been said last year that all reforms
were too late—that all the great lines were finished,
that all the trunk lines were finished, and that it was
pest the time for doing anything with advantage; and
that as to the new lines, the small traffic on them did
not allow of small fares ; and that if these conditions
were imposed on them they could not answer. Now, he
did not exactly know what was meant by trunk lines.
Ile denied that the trunk lines were sufficiently
extensive—in fact there were no trunk lines. They
had no trunk lines to the Eastern Counties,
nor any to Dover. There was no trunk line to
Exeter. The Great Western was a trunk line,
to Bristol, but it could not be considered as a trunk
line to Exeter. They had no trunk line to Man-
chester, or, in fact, to any place that
might be called a great market. Whether
they , got threepence, twopence, or a penny,
he thought that the remuneration might well be
ascertained by the Coma ittee who sat to investigate
the claims of any particular company, and might be
introduced into the special Act. The chances
were, that one-half of the present prices would
be a sufficient remuneration. An impression had
gone abroad, because 10 per cent. was generally
realised on the most prosperous railways, that that
per centage ought to be obtained from ;.
railway schemes. Where the prospects of returns
was uncertain; perhaps 10 per cent. was not an
unreasonable amount of profit to anticipate.
But it should be recollected that railways in England
were not now an experiment. They had become a
system. He thought that 7 per cent. was a reason-
able return, and indeed from the continental
railways 6 per cent. was considered a suf-
ficient remuneration. A great deal of Eng-
lish capital had gone to France for the for-
mation of railways, and it was evident, from
this outlay of capital abroad, that the anticipation of
something like ten per cent. from English railways
was almost universal. Now he thought that six per
cent. from the old lines was quite up to the
mark for profit. On a new line it might not be
sufficient, but the old lines offered a security almost
equal to that of Government investments. By his
plan he would secure to the public the benefit
of all future improvements. At present it did not
mater whether the line cost 10,0001, or 20,000/., or
50,0001. per mile, the company always began charg-
ing the same fares,' whereas the remunerating
price depended on the cost. In every
other instance where improvements took place—
in iron-works, or in cotton-mills—the public always
got the benefit. Why should not the same take place
with regard to railroads. If railroad companies
knew their own true interests they would perceive
that the only way of securing a monopoly to them-
selves would be to reduce the fares as low as possible ;
thus making it not worth the while for others to com-
pete with them. That was the true commercial prin.
ciple, and he was sub they might reduce the cost,
and yet get ten per cent. With regard to the Board
of Trade and their proceedings, that was a subject
which would be fully considered on a future occasion ;
but he might observe, in passing, that they seemed to
have an especial fear of insolvency, and they instanced
the case of the Eastern Counties and the Kent lines.
But why should they carry on lines which they had
reason to believe would not be profitable? They seemed
to think that new lines offered less security to the pub-
lic than old lines; but he would observe that there
might bl insolvency also in the case of the old lines.
If there was any fear of that kind, let them increase the
guarantee, and that would be sufficient. In such a
case, he (Mr. Morisen)-should think it better to have
recourse to new capital to form a new line; hut the
Board of Trade always seemed to think that the old
line would be able to transfer its shares, but that a
new line would be less deserving of public confidence.
The House had the power to take guarantees so as
to give security to the public in this respect. Then
there appeared to be a di position in the- 'Board
to take lines which were not direct lines. Now,
ha thought, as the railway system made pro-
gress, there would be a demand for direct lines.
His constituents complained that in going to In-
verness . they were compelled to go fifty suPes
out of their way. Why should that be ? The
House would in no long time be called upon for direct
lines, and he thought parties, on bringing a project
for a railway before the House, ought to look, not
at the minor object of beating an opponent, but a,
what would be permanently beneficial. He believed
he had said enough to illustrate the effects of the pre-
sent system and its evils, but he felt that they were
creating in the railway department of the Board
of Trade an enormous power, without the control
which ought to be kept over it. He believed
that, as the railway system progressed, there would
be a demand for direct traffic.—(Hear, hear.) He did
not, know why persons should be bound to go fifty
miles out of their way, as they were tinder the pre-
sent system. If he were a director or an influential
person connected with railways, he should advise the
company not to look to their immediate profit so
much as to their permanent interest, and by that
means to endeavour to se sure their interests. He
thought he had said enough in illustration of the
present s) stem. He called upon Hon. Members to
hear in mind that the railroad system hail superseded
nearly all other means of conveyance ; whilst upon
that system itself they had placed scarcely any control.
Some lion. Members had entered into compacts
against certain monopolies, without at the same time
perceiving that they were creating new ones, in sanc-
tioning the present system of railway legislation.
There could be no doubt that by and by the railway
companies of the kingdom would unite themselves to
serve their own purposes. They had -a common in-
terest amongst them, and ere long they would come
to an understanding in the same way as water and gas
companies had done in large towns. By this under-
standing they would secure to themselves a great and
extensive monopoly, and it, therefore, became ime
portant that Parliament should take some immediate
and decisive step,e to avert this coming evil. He con-
'eluded by moving the following resolutions:7e .
I. That it is the duty of Parliament, in giving its
sanetioa to the establishment of new railways, to render

them the means of affording to the public the be,t
and safest communication, and the greatest possible
amount of accommodation, at the lowest possible rates.
2. That the clauses heretofore introduce°, into Railway
Bills to limit the amount of tolls to be demanded for
the use of the railway, having proved practically in-
operative, it is expedient to make more effectual pro-
vision against the undue i
enhancement of the cost of
travelling and transportation n every future Railway
Bill, by fixing the highest rates which the Railway
Company shall be allowed to charge for the conveyance
,of-passengers and goods.
3. That for this purpose every Committee on a Rail-
way Bill, introduced in the present or any future session
of Parliament, shall report a table of fees and charges,
the lowest which they shall judge to be consistent, under
the circumstances of each case, with a fair and reason-
able return for the capital to be invested.
4. And that every Commi▪ ttee to which two or more
competing projects for new railways may be referred,
shall require the promoters of each to put in statements
as to the rates of charge for the conveyance of passen-
gers and goods to which they are content to be limited,
and the amount of accommodation which they will bind
themselves to provide for the public at those rates ; and
that, in determining on the comparative merits of com-
peting schemes, regard shall be had to the extent and
nature of the advantages whi▪
ch can be thus reserved to

theON seconded the motion. A
Mr.
publicr.l Nr
Afeiotm elaue a
[tl
first he had been inclined to sanction all the contem
plated railways, believing them to be for the public
interest, and that they woul 1 lead to fair and equita-
ble competition. But since he had read the railway
reports which had come from the Board of Trade, he
could not conceal from himself that they must give
great dissatisfaction to all the established railway com-
panies. Indeed it was a matter of general conversa-
tion and dissatisfaction amongst those railway com-
panies, that these reports were founded upon Conser-
vative principles. That was the expression used, he
believed, by the managers, directors, and proprietors
of old established railways, when they happened to
speak of those reports. The Board of Trade stepped
in and decided on the question, whether those capi-
talists who were going to lay out their money were
doing it profitably to themselves ? Did they act on
this principle with respect to any other investment of
capital ? Had they done so in case of turnpike roads?
There was a turnpike road on both sides of the river
Avon, quite parallel to each other. But he had never
heard that any objection had been made to gentlemen
who were disposed to invest their money in shares in
these 'roads, or that they were impeded from doing so
because it vvoull be an unprofitable investment
of their capital. It appeared to be the de-
termination of the Board of Trade to throw
the extension of railway communication as much as
possible into the hands of the existing railroad
companies. It seemed as if a partial monopoly was
likely to be created, not only by the reports of the
Board of Trade, but by the tendencies of these com-
panies running lines through contiguous districts to
amalgamate, either by the purchase of the interests of
one company by the other, or by scme individual
taking a lease of the line. It was notorious that the
line between Newcastle and Bristol was either leased
or about to be leased to the same individual. It was
necessary that Parliament should interpose some
check to this. Why not adopt the same system as
that of foreign railways, and establish a maximum of
rates beyond which a company could not go. On
turnpike-roads they fixed a maximum of tolls, and
more than that, the Turnpike- roads Act required re-
newal after a certain term of years ; but the public
had no such protection in the case of railway companies.
Extend the time of those leases even so far as ninety-
nine years if they would ; but if they did not inter-
pose some limit, the lines would fall into a limited
number of hands; and it was a matter of apprehen-
sion with him that if this should happen the result
would be that the Government would eventually get
them, and if so, then they would be dealt with, not as
a public convenience but as a means of revenue, and
then they mould be placed in the position of the Post-
office. He begged to apologise for delaying the
House so long, and to second the motion.
The SPEAKER then put the question, when—
Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET rose and said
it was not his intention to allude to all the topics
introduced into his motion by the Hon. Member op-
posite. The Hon. Member had introduced a vast
variety of topics, very few of which had any connexion
whatever with the subject itself. But he (Lord
Granville Somerset) would say he was not pre-
pared to deny that error had been fallen
into in laving down the scale of charges.
It was notorious that when Parliament fixed a maxi-
mum of toll, they imagined that they were protect-
ing the country against any overcharge on the part
of the company, and not lending themselves, as had
proved to be the case to an illusory management.—
(Cheers.) He would not deny that in some instances
the result of the present system had been, to enable
charges of other hwfeoerlrleoPNeurn‘tihetli:ebi cal
aet'o
railroad companies to impose higher charges in the
carrying of goods and passengers than was fair or
of passengers lookedton uslb,teenroinrweoonuetiy(ol.
just.—(Hear, heer.) But he could not help suspect-
ing that hereafter these charges would be regulated
idnleigrn tents 00. k
thetAo
by the same principles as those which regulated the
afford acconnymees.— or any sort to the public. It
grene exact
number terminus
cheapness than thaannotnositdi
Other lines therefore would exert a great • fl in uenee in
regulating the charges for passengers, although per-
haps they might not run to the same terminus. Let
them take the case of "Worcester. There was a direct
competition for railroad conveyance between London
and Worcester, between two companies which were
directly opposed to each other—the London and Bir-
mingham and the Great Western. The charges for
the conveyance of passengers to Worcester would be
regulated by the competition between these two com-
panies. The proposition of the Hon. Gentleman did
not contain any great advantage over the present
system. At the present moment all the matters to
which he had alluded were made subjects of inquiry
nb°andrdla3ii,sialtrloognoarrvemeeeisptieerthui
competing
before the Standing Orders Committee. The only
material alteration he proposed to introduce was, the
fixing a maximum charge. Now, he feared
that if they fixed a maximum charge it would
he an encouragement to railway companies to keep
up their charges.—(Hear, hear.) He did not think
that it would do for the Committees of that House
to adopt the plan proposed by the lion. Gentleman.
If they once got into the habit, while Bills were
passing, of listening to offers from companies as to
which should carry passengers cheapest, he was afraid
that, not only would the accommodation afforded to
the public be lessened, but that serious danger would
ensue. Now, with regard to the Honourable Mem-
ber's motion, they would have to consider how far
their present standing orders were sufficient to effect
the object which the Honourable Member had in
view. Many of the existing standing orders
would have to be struck out and others sub-
stituted, for it could not be supposed that the
Committees would be bound by these resolutions.
With regard to the mode in which the Hon. Gentle-
man proposed to carry out his proposition, he must
say that all the railway Bills contained clauses carry-
ing out the proposition of the Honourable Member.
Whether they were useful or not he had already
stated his opinion, but they did state what ought to
be the principles of the maximum of tolls. He
thought it much better that the line from London to
Exeter should be under one Management than under
many. As it was now, people travelled in five
hours from Exeter to London; but he thought
it would be very different if it was in many hands.
For these reasons he would advise the Hon. Member
to withdraw these resolutions. But if he could de-
vise any other mode of attaining the object he had
in view, so much was he impressed with the
importance of the principle, that he was quite
ready to go with him. For instance, if he would
propose some alteration of the standing orders of the
House, which would have the effect of obliging rail
way companies, before their coining to Parliament, to
lay down some rate of charges, it might accomplish
the end desired. But us great inconvenience would
arise from passing the resolutions in their present
shape, he trusted that he would now withdraw them.
Lord HOWICK said that he had heard with great
satisfaction the declaration of the Noble Lord (Lord
G. Somerset) that though he did not coincide alto-
gether in the terms of these resolutions, yet that he
was prepared to accede to the principles which they
contained. And if the Hon. Member should be in-
duced to withdraw them, he hoped that her Majesty's
Ministers would adopt some other mode, and that
speedily, to accomplish the object at which these
resolutions aimed. At any rate he trusted that the
Government would take up the matter, and give it
their best attention, before the great mass of railway
Bills which had been introduced this session were
committed, so that some general rules might be esta-
blished to give the advantage of cheap as well as
speedy communication between different parts of the
country, without having any check imposed upon the
exorbitance of railway directors. His llon. Friend
(the Member for Inverness) had said that the attempt
to establish a maximum of tolls on railways had
proved altogether nugatory. This he believed, and
he thought the time was come when Parliament
should interfere to protect the public against the ex-
cessive charges, both for passengers and goods, to
which in many instances they were subjected by
railway companies. It was well known that a re-
duction of fares generally produced an increase in
the receipts. But in many instances a larger reduc-
tion of tares did not produce an immediate benefit.
The income was at first somewhat reduced, and
railway directors naturally felt a great inclination
to try fresh experiments. On the Great Western and
Birmingham lines the charges were considerably too
high, and he believed that a reduction in their prices
would be advantageous to the companies as well as
to the public ; for experience had shown that such a
result almost invariably occurred. He knew that it
was difficult to interfere with companies which were
already established, but ha thought that in the new

Bills such clauses might be introduced as would im-
pose a low table of rates; and those low rates, as they
would be levied by companies possessing in some
respect lines competing with the old ones, would tend
to bring down the rates of the old lines. Perhaps it
was hardly fair to put the new lines under less advan-
tageous circumstances than the old ones ; but it
should be recollected they were formed at less ex-
pense, and with greater probability of traffic. In
France high fares were not necessary, to secure a
fair remuneration for the proprietors. There were
two plans by which railway proprietors looked for
their returns, either by charging a considerable rate,
and depending for remuneration on their first-class
passengers, or else by very low fares to very largely
increase their traffic. They could not, as the Noble
Lord said, put up railways to auction, and knock
them down at will. Their interests, he knew, were
to be considered, but so also were the interests of the
public. This was a very material element in deciding
upon the rates which railways should be entitled to
demand. lie deeply lamented that something had not
been done long before this, and he hoped, therefore,
that, though late, the present occasion would not be
lost. There was one point which had been mooted
by the Hon. Member, and which well deserved the
consideration of the House. The French lines, by the
Acts which authorised their formation, reverted, after
a certain period, to the Crown. Now he thought some
principle of this kind might be adopted with advantage
He would not state any particular time ; he would
give to the railway companies a sufficient time to
realise their property, but after that period they
should revert, like the French, to the State. He
might name the ordinary terms for building leases,
ninety-nine years. Now ninety-nine years was a
long period in the lives of individuals, but it was
but a very short period in the life of a country.
They must recollect, as one reason why he would
apply this principle to the new lines, that though
several lines had already been formed, a great many
more would, to a certainty, be hereafter constructed,
and they must look to the future and legislate for
posterity. A heavy debt had come down to posterity,
and it would be a sort _of set-off hereafter if these
railway lines should become the property of the
public. He had always felt a facility in communica-
tion was one of the very great necessaries—one
of the indispensible requisites in a high state
of civilisation.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") They
were in a crisis of railway legislation, and he hoped
that her Majesty's Government, before the Bills now
in the House went into Committee, would take the
subject into their serious consideration, for the doing
so would, he was assured, be a great advantage to the
public.
Sir R. PEEL said, this was a subject which the
more it was considered was seen to be surrounded
with the greatest difficulties. On the one hand, it
was impossible not to feel that competition in the case
of railways did not give that perfect security as to
charges which was afforded by competition generally
in other undertakings. In the case of stage-coaches
and of post-horses an effectual check was given to
high charges by competition ; for, if one innkeeper
charged 2s. a mile for a pair of horses, and another
ls. 6d., the latter would be most likely to secure the
patronage of the public. But, in the case of railways,
a long period must elapse before any check in the
form of competition could be brought into operation ;
for, if a railway company now establshed, knd having
a monopoly, adopted exorbitant charges, a long prepa-
ratory system of concsrt and consideration was neces-
sary before a competitor could enter the lists. A com-
pany mest be formed ;. subscriptions must be obtained;
then there was great uncertainty as to the grant f a
Bill by Parliament; and, before a Bill could be passed,
the monopolising company might have reduced its
charges, and the necessity of competition would conse-
quently be materially diminished. He agreed with
the Noble Lord the Member for Sunderland that it
was difficult to overrate the importance of this sub-
ject. It was of the highest importance that they
should increase the facilities of communication, and
that they should diminish the charges of locomotion.
He (Sir R. Peel) did not look merely at the pecuniary
saving to be effected, but he could not conceive a
greater political advantage—anything more likely to
improve the social character and habits of the people,
than the extension of the means of intercourse be-
tween different parts of the country. He would make
no reference to any individual railway schemes ; but
he thought they ought to look forward to the result
of mechanical itnprovements as applied to those
schemes, and they might depend upon it—speelting of
ultimate results—that the shortest lines would be pre-
ferred.—(Hear, hear.) The tendency of the im-
provements which were almost daily introduced
WAS decidedly in favour of the shortest lines. He
(Sir R. Peel) had expressed this opinion in the
year 1839. They chose to establish a railroad
between Liverpool, Manchester, and London,
and it was thought desirable that the line should
go round by Birmingham. It was said, " Include
Birmingham by all means in your line between Liver-
pool and London ;it is use to take a shorter line
through a oeuntry much less productive." He (Sir
R. Peel) then ventured to predict that the people of
Liverpool and of Manchester would not be sent round
ten or twelve miles out of the direct line in their
journey to the metropolis. In 1845 it was found that
the shortest line was the best, and that Birmingham
ought not to be included in the route ; but 170,0001.
had been expended in testing the merits of the scheme,
and, without in any degree undervaluing the legal
profession—(A laugh)—he must say that so large a
sum spent in such a manner was worse than thrown
away. Now, in order te save a distance of nine miles
between Liverpool and Manchester, this new line,
making a cut from Rugby to Stafford, was about to
be established with universal consent. This ought,
in his opinion, to be a lesson to the House. He did
not wish to refer to any particular line of rail% ay,
but speaking generally, and contemplating ultimate
results, he was certain that when they were estab-
lishing communications between different parts of this
country and between Scotland and Ireland and this
metropolis, whatever course they might now take,
many years would not elapse before the shortest
lines would be preferred. It must be under-
stood, however, that he did not mean the
shortest line merely in respect of distance. lie
thought there was too great a tendency to adopt
the shortest lines, without reference to gradients.
Though in recent instances unfavourable gradients
had been overcome by the construction of new en-
gines, he doubted whether there was not an unprofit-
able expenditure of power in such cases—whether the
mechanical power of locomotive engines was not ma-
terially interfered with by unfavourable gradients ;
and whether the exertions made to diminish the gra-
dients, and to run as nearly as possible upon a level,
would not be amply repaid. He was alluding not to
the shortest lines merely with regard to distance, but
to the shortest lines in point of time. Though the
question of controlling the charges of railway com-
panies was one of great importance, it was encom-
passed with numerous difficulties. Suppose that two
companies undertook competing lines, and that one
of them said, "We well efford the public most ample
accommodation; our carriages for every class of pas-
sengers shall be most convenient, end our third-class
carriages shall be constructed with a view to the
health and comfort of the poor who travel by them;
but in order to do this we must make certain charges."
Then suppose another company said, " We will un-
dertake the line at a lower rate of charges;" surely
it was not fair to assume that a decided pre-
ference shoal be given to the latter ?—(Hear,
hear.) They ought not to disregard altogether
the advantages held out by the former. But all
the check that was to be imposed was a pecuniary
check. [Lord Howick was understood to say,
that was not the oily check thet ought to be im
posed.] How were they to provide against imperfect
vigilance, ill-conducted establishments, inconvenient
carriages, and disregard of the public comfort and
accommodation ? He did not see how this check
could be made perfectly effective in these respects.
It was difficult to say what was the proper cheek,
and to reconcile the difficulties by which the question
was encompassed. It must be remembered, that it
was necessary to hold out inducements which would
lead men of capital to embark in such undertakings
as railway schemes. It was very well to say, " Look
at the profits of the London and Birmingham and
Great Western Railway Companies—are they not
extravagant ?" Hon. Gentlemen must recollect the
risk of those persons who invest'id money in these
speculations ; they must remember how uncertain
was the return upon the millions invested in the Lon-
don and Birmingham Railway, and what must have
been the consequences to the shareholders had that
undertaking proved a failure. Mr. M'Culloch, writ-
ing in 1834, said, "It is true that the railway between
Liverpool and Manchester has answered, but the cir-
cumstances of that railway are so peculiar that it is no
criterion of the probab'e success of other railways."
That eninent man, writing only ten years ago, ex-
pressel his belief that profitable lines of railway
communication could not be established to any
great extent. Yet the proprietors of the railways he
(Sir R. Peel) had mentioned, when the result of the
speculation was so uncertain, committed themselves
to the extent of 6,000,0001. ; and was it to be said
now, when railroads could be conducted at se much
less expense, that 4 per cent. was enough to remune-
rate them for their enterprise, while, had the capital
they embarked been lost, the country would have
made them no compensation ? The Noble Lord
(Lord Howick) scented to think that if a maximum
rate of charge were prescribed in the case of new
railways, the old companies would be induced to adopt
a similar scale of fares ; but of that he (Sir R. Peel)
was by no means certain. It Might happen that, on
a railway where only 10 trains were now run daily,
it might become necessary in a year or two to run
20; and, while the public called for this increased
accommodation would they provide by an inflexible
rule that, under no circumstances, should the Goni•
pany charge more than a certain amount of fares ?
He (Sir R. Peel) wished that the influenee end

POST-OFFICE ESPIONAGE.
Mr. WAKLEY gave notice ti at, after the Distil
recess, he should move for a copy of any warrant or
warrants issued by any Secretary of State, for oPeire
ing or detaining any letter or letters sent through the
n
Post-office, and addressed to Thomas SlingshY Du.
combe, , the Hon. Member for Finsbury.
The remaining orders of the day were then d.
u.es
's
posed of, and the House adjourned at twenty min'
to Eight o'clock.

authority of the Government'could be clearly exerted
for the purpose of insuring a good principle of action ;
but the more he considered the subject the more was he
convinced of its difficulties. In order to achieve a
temporary object, in order to reduce the extra-
vagant charges, it was now proposed to act
upon a principle with regard to railways which
Honourable Gentlemen who suggested it would hesi-
tate to apply to ordinary commercial legislation.
They did not say to the dealer in ordinary coinmo-
dities, " Such is the maximum charge you ought to
make for your goods." The present case might be
rather special, but he doubted whether it was so
special as to justify them in departing from the rule
applied in other cases. He thought that it would
not he desiiable to lay down any general rue for the
conduct of the Committees; but he trusted, as their
number was limited, that each would feel that it had
a public duty to discharge, and that each would do
its best to turther the public interest. He did not
know how the Government could interfere, except
by the expie,sion of a hope that the Committees
would do ali in their power for the benefit of the com-
munity.--(Hear, hear.) Ile did not wish to notice
the resolutions in detail, but he trusted that the Hon.
Gentleman opposite, after the discussion that had
taken place, would consent either that the previous
question should be moved or withdraw his motion.
In the first place, he thought it was very unwise for
the House to agree hastily to any resolution laying
down what it was "the duty" of Parliament to do.—
(Hear, hear.) Then, as to the " maximum charge,"
he had already-stated his reasons-for not hurrying on
to a conclusion as regarded that paragraph of the re-
solution ; at any rate, he was 'sure that before the
House sanctioned the principle of establfshing a
maximum of charge the subject ought to undergo a
much fuller consideration than it had received in the
course of that discussion.—(hear )
Mr. J. E. DENISON said that the Right Hon.
Baronet, in an early part of the ses-ion, had stated
that the reports of the Board of Trade were by no
means intended to be final. He (Mr. Denison) was
of opinion that, when a report was issued by the
Board, the grounds upon which it was founded should
be discussed in that House before such report was
sent to the Committees, as a guide to them in the
decision they should come to.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. J. S. WORTLEY (West Yorkshire) did not
exactly see how the suggestion of his Hon. Friend
who had just sat down—though he agreed that great
inconvenience had arisen from the present arrange-
ment—could be carried out. He did trust, however,
that the Committee would not consider the decisions
of the Board of Trade final, though an opinion, he
believed, had gone abroad, amounting almost to a
belief, that their decisions were to be regarded in that
light. He (Mr. Wortley). was ready to concede to
the Board of Trade every credit for the manner in
which they had conducted the business which had
been intrusted to them; but, notwithstanding, he
should he very sorry to have it assumed that their
reports were final decisions, when they were, in fact,
merely preliminary inquiries entered into with the
view of assisting the Committees; and he did hope
that the Committees appointed by that House
would be sensible that with themselves still rested the
responsibility of sifting the merits of every scheme
brought before them, and that they would express
their opinions freely and independently, both as to the
merits of the schemes and of -the suggestions of the
Board of the Trade. With regard to limiting the
charges on railways, he must admit that that part of
the question was full of difficulties ; but that was no
reason for abandoning all attempts to overcome it.
Originally he believed that Parliament had intended
to have applied some limitation of the description pro-
posed, and though it had failed hitherto, he did not
know but that the principle would be consistent with
the practice of Parliament and advantageous to the
public. He hoped if his Noble Friend (Lord G.
Somerset) could see any means of meet ng the propo-
sition, that he would not fail to act upon it.
Lord G. SOMERSET was understood to say that
he would direct his attention again to the subject.
Sir G. GREY was of opinion that the best plan
that could be adopted was that which the House had
acted upon lately—viz., to establish as competent a
tribunal as possible for the examination of the details
of the Bill, and to discourage, as much as possible,
any appeal from that tribunal to that House ; but
there were certain great principles which must come
before Committees,in the course of the session, affect-
ing the guidance of railways, which, though it was
difficult to determine how they should be disposed of,
were, he thought, worthy of the consideration of the
House. It would be extremely unadvisable, and it
would be a blot in our railway legislation, if there
were to be a great want of uniformity -in- -the Bills
and in the decisions of the Committees. Let them
look at some of the principles which the Committees
would have to decids upon. First, there was that
great and important principle which had occupied a
prominent place in the reports of the Board of Trade
—the principle of " competition," to which also the
Right Hon. Gentleman had referred. Were the
railway Committees to act upon the principle that
competition was undesirable, or were they to trust to
competition for the purpose of secaring to the public
the benefits which might be supposed to arise from
it ? Then again, there was the subject of " gra-
dients,gra-
dients,'.'which had been also referred to by the Right
lion. Baronet. Let the House look at the report of
the Board of Trade upon the West Yorkshire Rail-
way. They entered there very fully into the sub-
ject, and took exactly an opposite view to that which
the Right Hon. Baronet had taken of it. They jus-
tified their preference of a line which had worse gra-
dients than another that was before them, by saying
that the improved power of locomotive engines now
was such, that it was not worth the while of com-
panies to incur a great expense in looking for good
gradients and good curves.—(Hear, hear.) That
report would go before a Committee of five gentle-
men, and would naturally have a great influence with
them. These were subjects which he thought it was
desirable that the House should determine on.—
(Hear, hear.) With reference to the principle which
had been introduced in the resolution of his Hon.
Friend, he would say, that Parliament had from the
first proposed to limit the charges on railways, but
that it had been attempted in a way that was per-
fectly illusory. He repeated, that Parliament having
originally felt that monopolies might be created by
railway companies,_ did attempt to guard against '
them, but that in that attempt they had utterly failed.
—(Hear, hear.) He quite agreed with the Right
Hon. Gentleman that the country was greatly in-
debted to those companies and gentlemen who had
originally risked their capital upon railway schemes,
and whe had brought the railway system to its pre-
sent state; but looking at the great number of Bills
to be brought in this session, and considering that
a short time railways would supersede every other
mode of travelling, he did think that the Government
ought seriously to turn its attention to the question
whether some more effective method might not be
adopted with the view of preventing the evils which
had been referred to in the course of the debate, and
to the existence of which it was impossible that they
could shut their eyes.—(Hear, hear.) He bad risen,
however principally to state his opinion that there
should be some uniformity in the decisions of the
Committees, to insure which he thought that great
matters of principle should be discussed in that
House.—(Rear, hear.)
Mr. PARKER had no doubt that every. one was
desirous, or that it was the duty of the House to see
that the public should be carried at as low a rate as
possible upon railways; but if the House laid down
any plan for limiting the charges, founded upon the
supposition that acting upon that plan every railway
company would receive a fair and just remuneration
for their entvprise and the outlay of their capital, had
the House not also a corresponding duty to perform
on the part of the comp-lilies ? Should not the House
in such a case guarantee to the companies an amount
of remuneration somewhat approaching that which
their enterprise merited?—(llear, hear.)
Mr. MORISON then contented to withdraw his
motion, and it was withdrawn accordingly.
LIGHTING THE HOUSE.

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.
OXFORD CIRCUIT.-ad ford, March 19.)
CROWN COURT.-(Before Mr. Baron PLAIT .
M tTDER.- John Though, aged 39, farmer, a
athleticbruthir,mTahn poiverft.o
Thomas
ss indicted for tßheidliu.iilpfuhl,
January last. I, e
Mr. Yardley and Mr. Iluddlestone appeared for t-
prosecution ; Mr. Allen conducted the delence. irk
Th..particulariof this offence, which happened at -led
dulph, a very wild district of Staffordshire, en fucOP-A;,
by a very primitive class of inhabitants, were l, 'A';
tailed in The Sun at the perbel of the inquest. The -.
ceased, a person of sating habits, but of passionate tens;
per towat di his relatives, resided at High Bent, where
illonirttibeerldhlesi
he had acquired several small estates, one o hehich 5... r.
prisoner.
oHciesupied by his mother and her second sun,t
stoned the lamentable catastrophe which produced his
violent cl,ath by the hand of his brother. A 11. or
rent, amounting to 261., was due from his Willer t
wits put
these premises, to recover which debt a distress
us on the 31 of January, when two boxes of weariefqr;
parel belonging to the prisener and another hr°l"
to the rest;ors
James Brough, were seiz •d, and carried alvs)
deuce of the deceased by his bailiff, in spite of the tee.
andri entreati, s-of the mother for time and f'orbettral •
'Phis adverse proceeding appears to have prodllee;„
collision betivi en the deceased and the prisoner, ,t.d io
of mild and affectionate distiesition, who had j,,,°,9"-teto
his parent's int ffectual appeal for mercy. --Lue (ter
brothers quitted their mother's presence together,kBl ci,
the removal of the boxes, and Thomas was killed.
according to the statement of the prisoner, by & 1-ut' the
the back of the head with a stone-hatneler, at
distance of 120 yards from the house, where the - The
of blood were discovered by several witnesse.,• r the
prisoner communicated the fatal c 1 s• quences °' A• st
blow to his brother James, who s'l3led with a farol'r-_,
TP..I, .. whom ,
four miles from the 1
p ace of the murder, and from
_a James
heß requested assistance in concealing the b"4- and the
Brough refused to comply with this request" 5,,- dee?
corpse was found on the Saturday morning ill " of
es dente •
pit, about three-quarters
of a mile from the morning
- . •
the prisoner. Thep ria.
The trial was of a most painful character. , narest
cipal witnesses against the prisoner, being tts ;once
relatives, presented the most distressing eqeo,eis)ll
when called upon to give their evidence ; mere at
Ole
his aged mother and h's brother James, vvlio was to be
time so completely overcome by his feeling? ss •
hunt
obliged the enslot
obliged to leave the box. The wretched
self, wl:o appears to have borne acharacter for g..-
wing
mildness of temu to te dof his cotton 14 to
the dreadful deed, , seemed, aPseri he stood ill the d(lc fill
•
be utterly crushed by the consciousness of his fear
situation. with i
Mr. ALLEN, in a speech which was listSned tfor the
great. attention, urged that the oldn&
..dict of
prosecution was more consistenrwith the letior the
manslaughter than murder; attributing the dee brothers
deceased to a blow in a sudden conflict, after the diotion
had quitted the house, and not to an act dreg°
' ed
on the part of the prisoner. , %Ph°
The Learned JUDGE, in his summing ;11-9 e d or °-
to the jury the distinction between niuraer and
slaughter, cautioning them against allowing th riii,,bt 1
to be led away by those natural feelings of the Ilrat"
Le t
well have been excited by the speech of the ,_. fee
Counsel who had just sat down. Ills li°r"gst Ore
through the whole of the evidence with the gre-
wid re;
and minuteness. . ,rjiet, oe
The jury r .t. el L ire- to consider their T'-' reler
mained in consultation for flvehours et'ore they i, Ole
acijotirrb"eits in-
with their verdict. The Court was
meantime,_ but Mr. Baron Platt returned
verdict Os--
formed that they were agreed. Their vernlisti°ll W
Guilty of wilful murder, with a recoMele
ea
&Ire°
mercy. nd 0 the
His LORDSHIP assumed the black car, a'iconer a" and
„a
the prisoner to the following effect r "of car es" t
bar, the jury have given your case a degree
nd 1
tales
attention hiis,hly creditable to theinselvei, a:., ,--eisietu
say that I fully concur in the justice!o tel...
Your case is a sad proof of the fearfu co e 1...
domestic feuds, and of the ills attendant tll
diencc to parents. The words of the Pet
roother.
these, " honour thy father and thy
days may be long in the land." The wree,
his
of your crime brutally spurned frorn him
iv,
parent in her agony of distress ; his uffree 'eas
with the vengeance of the Almighty 'SeePe
ft'r
his sins, for he was not permitted to
eet
° au
But you, who were made the instrum
wrath-you, who must have cherished in
in,l,
the seeds of wickedness and revenge-31°u ,:
by-your death the horrid deed you have v_leurii
outraged laws of your country cannot otu ,
0 o°'
tisfled. And may the God of mercy have
-
upon your unhappy soul. 13 ill
His Lordship passed sentence of death
terms. he d:
The Court was ..rowded to excess all t .
great number of young women of respectable f
eon - ,
were preicht, whose levity of condut, disereol
most distressing scenes of the trial, was
the highest degree.

Mr. HUME called attention to the mode of light-
ing the House. The Hon. Member moved for a
copy of any report of experiments for lighting the
House of Commons in the last and present year,
with a copy of a plan for altering the existing lights,
and an estimate of the expense of the same.
Lord LINCOLN said the lighting of the House
did not belong to the department over which he had
control, hut slene experiments for lighting the new
Houses of Parliament were in course of being made
under his sanction, and with the concurrence of Dr.
Reid. Economy would, of course, be duly considered
in any decision the Commissioners of Woods and
Forests would come to. In the lighting of the pre-
sent Houses of Parliament, he did not contemplate
any change. He could not furnish the Hon. 'Mem-
ber with any documents relative to the subject matter
of his motion, for none existed ; but if the Honourable
Member wished for a report of any future experi-
ments, he could have it with pleasure.
The subject then dropped.
SUPPLY.
The report of the Committee of Supply was brought
up and received.
RAILWAY CLAUSES CONSOLIDATION
(SCOTLAND) BILL.
The LORD ADVOCATE brought up several
amendment clauses for insertion in this Bill, whiek
were severally real a first and I.:et-lurid time, and then
committ ed.
The -.douse then resumed, and the clauses were read
a third time•and passed.
The Bill was also read a third time and passed.
LANDS CLAUSES CONSOLIDATION
(SCOTLAND) BILL.
The Lord ADVOCATE brought up several new
clauses for insertion is this Bill, which were com-
mitted and agreed to.
The House then resumed, and the Bill WO3 read a
third tir),,e and passed.

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