The Sun.
London, England, 1826-05-18 00:00:00

such knowledge of the secrets of the Russian Cabinet,
as our better informed contemporary, the Times, asserts

possesses.

Both Houses of Parliament met last night. No-

thing of importance occurred in the Lords.
In the House of Commons the Report of the Com-
mittee on the Foreign( Corn Importation Bill was
brought up, and the Bill ordered to be read a third

time to-night.
Sir THOMAS LETHBRIDGE, in a very manly and
proper manner, declared that after the large, respect-
able, and powerful majority, with which this measure
had passed through former stages, . and the sfrong
support it had received in another place, any further
opposition would be only vexatious, and that he would
not resort to such a course. I-le also would not urge
Ministers to give any further pledge that the present
measure should not prejudge the general question of
the Corn Laws ; and would only protest against the
amount of duty now imposed being urged as a prece-
dent hereafter. •

On the bringing up of the Report of the Ware-
housed Corn Bill, Sir R. HERON made some obser-
vations, which he concluded by a remark, evidently
pointed at Mr. HUSKISSON, that the great portion of
the Holders of Bonded Corn, who would be princi-
pally benefited by this Bill, resided at Liverpool. Mr.
HUSKISSON feeling that the remark applied to him, as
Member for Liverpool, very properly retorted, by stating
that he might as reasonably charge the HonOurable
Baronet with opposition to the measure, from selfish
and interested motives, as possessing himself, and re-
presenting very extensive agricultural interests.
On this subject, we must observe that it appears to
us that the practice which some Honourable Members
have resorted to, of accusing the Members of his
MAJESTY'S Government of being influenced in their
high and arduous duties by the petty considerations
which have been attributed to them, ought to be re-
probated by every well-judging person on both sides of
the House. Such charges, when made with re-
ference to their conduct on questions of the magni-
tude of that which elicited from Sir ROBERT
HERON his illiberal insinuation, must proceed
from the grossest ignorance ; for if it were possible to
suppose that a man filling the important Station of
President of the Board of Trade, could allow his opi-
nions and duty as a Statesman to be warped by con-
siderations of favour for a particular class of his Con-
stituents, with the latent object of serving his own in-
terests, still such baseness could not produce any
effect, as no question of State Policy, such as the
Importation of Foreign Corn, can be brought forward
without the deliberate consideration and discussion of
the whole of the Cabinet. It,is not the voice, nor the
secret motives of one Member, which could pre-
vail over the judgment of a Council, composed
of a number of able and disinterested Statesmen.
The charge, therefore, is in itself ridiculous and con-
temptible, I;ut it is mischievous in the extreme, by
the effect it has upon the ignorant and the vulgar; and
it is much to be regretted, that Sir R. HERON should
have condescended to join in so low a description of
attack upon any one of His Majesty's Ministers,
at the present moment, when any insinuation of the
interested motives of others comes with a very bad
grace from a Representative of the Landed Interest.

By an Account published this day, by Order of the

House of Commons, of the Quantity of Foreign
Grain remaining in warehouse at the different Ports of
Great Britain, on the Ist May instant, it appears
that the total quantities of each sort of Grain are as
follows :

Quarters.
20,919
12,042
227,600
2,405
4,288
270,688

Barley
Beansse

Wheat

Grand Total .

547,018

Besides which, there are 69,726 Quarters of Wheat,
Meal, and Flour, being equal to 19,921 Quarters of
Wheat, and a small quantity of Oatmeal.

In another part of our Paper, our Readers will see
the report of the proceedings upon the important trial,
of the King v. Henry Peto, and we are happy to add,
that whilst it imposes a charge of very gross and cul-
pable neglect on certain Agents of the Government, it
clears the character of the above defendant, and saves
him from an imputation of fraud. The simple charge
against Mr. PETO was, that he had not completed the
work according to the terms of his contract, and he,
whilst he admits the truth of this allegation, answers
by saying, that he performed it according to the direc-
tion, and under the superintendance ofthe Agents of the
parties with whom he had contracted. The truth of
this answer the Jury have found, and they found also
that the work was not performed according to the
terms of his contract. The trial thus terminates
in a point of law, viz. whether the direction of
the agent of the parties contracted with can be
allowed to supersede the terms of a written contract,
so as to save the contractor from all liability to his em-
pTlohye
egnd
r srliand operate so as entirely to rescind the same.
fault of the building was in the foundation.
The superstructure raised upon that foundation seems
to have given satisfaction for the most part, except, in-
deed, in certain instances, and it is in these instances that
we think Mr. PETO is to blame. According to the

specification of the work, and according to the charges
made against the Government in Mr. PETo'S bill, the
spandrels of certain arches were to have been filled
up with solid brick-work. But Mr. PETO here de-
viated from his written directions, and filled up these
spandrels with rubbish grouted, and poured in
liquid matter instead. It is true this departure from
the terms of the contract was made under the instruc-
tions of Mr. DAY, an employer of Mr. LAING, the
architect, and agent of the Commissioners of the Cus-
toms. But then we ask Mr. PETO wlrr, having this
departure sanctioned by the authority of Mr:,
DAY, did he charge as for arches filled ie . ,
with solid brick-work, and receive the amount,.
for the same. In this instance Mr. PETO was
to blame ; but as he happens in other respects to have
acted with good faith, we are loath to believe that
this charge originated in design more than in mis-
tike. The ground on which this Custom-house was
built was originally apart of the bed ofth e River Thames;
but to get at it was a work of sonic difficulty, seeing
that it was covered, for 12 feet deep, with a loose
marshy soil, no way calculated to sustain the immense
weight which it was in contemplation to erect upon it. •
It became necessary, therefore, to make a good
foundation, either by digging out the marshy soil, and •
setting the foundation at once upon the gravel, or by
driving piles two feet into the gravel. The Wter
mode, in a fit of economy, was unluckily chosen,
although at the same time it must be added, that had
the ground been properly piled, it would have made a
foundation equally as good and substantial as the very,
gravel itself. As these piles were to go two feet into
the gravel, it was necessary that they should be 1'
feet long each; and as the object of driving them %Cd
to raise the building on them rather than the marshy
soil, it eras necessary that when driven they
should be level, and be connected the one with the
other by sleepers, or joists, laid from the top of
one to the top of the other, and so to form
a strong and compact piece of wood-work ; the inter-
stices of which being filled with the marshysoil, would
give it additional strength to resist the immense pres-
sure that was laid upon it. The high importance of
this part of the work may from this be easily con-
ceived, and Mr. PETO appears to have been •
ous that it should have been well performed, and
for that reason desired and obtained an agent.
nominated by Mr. LAING or his servants, but paidhY.
Mr. PET°. In order to superintend the work, one
Mr. MULLENS accordingly attended, and, under his
and Mr. DAY'S joint observation, the piling was done,but so ineffectually that when the building subsequent
ly fell in, it was discovered that not one
-
pile ever
reached the gravel ; that the surface where the piles
were driven, was not level ; that the requisite
number of piles was not driven, and that they
were for the most part of beech wood, which it ap-
,ocid if
pears is apt to rot sooner than - ally other vi ,
.t
not continually under water. In driving these piles '
the
was not unfrequently found, that it drove against
old foundation of some foimer building, ana
it
appears that in these cases the pile'was • cut
it. he
off and another drove along side of
pherotie
upshot of the business was,. that the p
worm c
warnings of some of the leaders of the
ilding would
who drove the piles, viz. that the bu
fell to
not stand tell years, was verified, for
st of 1113
before the month was out. The estimated co
d 12 0001;
building was to have been 165,0001.,, an an
more for piling. The charge since* was 370,000 i.
.1 was
24,0001. for piling. The sum actually polre
324,0001., and yet Mr. PETO affirms that
would have been a loser, had the vo°
t of Nil.'
894,0001. been paid him. On the conduc ,s
because
LAING, architect, we forbear to remark, he
about to be put upon his trial. Certain
tiu slit;
that the public have sustained a very gm!
heavy loss by the negligence or incapacity,,ot suarin
of its Agents. In hunting after economy, as. is us dwe tht.llk
such cases, expence only has been found, and
which
here is a good practical lesson of the mischief de,,
results from deviating from the first 0rigin..1,,,,
sign. Will it be believed that it was in
upon this trial, that in no one single instance wss; uo,
original plan followed ? We acquit the
. oot
vernment of all blame herein—they could
trot.
do more than select what they considered,
the
worthy and sufficient agents to superintend d
've'
work, and it is in this they have been deal
were
Having discovered the fault, they hav©, as
aim the
bound to do, instituted legal procedings ags'n w be,
defaulting parties ; and the result of they' is t") oldv
fore the Public. What has hitherto transpiret,oid
0/f
tends to shew the vigilance of the Government
its 1„
the Commissioners of the Customs, and confirms. this
the opinion we had previously entertained, that t`tl'v
as in other matters, all had been done by the ldoii-
could by good and faithful servants holding the `"
nistration of this Empire.
t

We received Hamburgh Papers this morning'ie
their contents furnish little matter.for reogiric•,:vered
Crown . Princess of SWeden has been safely de"
of a Prince, to the great joy of their Majesties' g
c
To-day, after two o'clock, her Royall lE'i;hwnl'etzd;
this for•
Princess was happily delivered of a Prince. M gg'"
Oc soi'
tents event was known, the sincerest joy was every v—r,o,
fisted. Their 'Majesties the King and Queen, with
the
re
rn
Prince, and a numerous suite, went to the Cathedral, to
young.
thanks thanks to Heaven for having granted their wishes. Tbe Y. he
ce Prin will be baptized on the 11th of this month , Ao6'l' L
oi-0 1 of
Anniversary ofhis Majesty's Coronation, and t
ie`tbe ° be
Charles Louis Eugene. Her Royal Highness is e an

sA!.
;- 0. tb,
The day before yesterday, there were thanksgivings .- ,Aii,
In churches,
which were crowded, for the happy delivery of tttrow---0,
the Cathedral, where their Majesties and the Crown rrii'rli
tended,im service was performed by Dr. Hedren, the princiPal `'.„-liti:e
to the Court, alter which re Deem was perfornol. 'l:rith
evening the national hymn was sung twice in the 0114
the greatest enthu.siasm. s:v° g 'a '`m°
. On the 15th of last month, the English brig Ji'
101 l (1
wrecked on the coast of Scania. •
Our Journals now contain an appeal to the publicin be
the Greeks.

wished.

nzatergt —lt ti
.lug
Their Royal Higlineases, Prince William of Privisia