The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-27 00:00:00

the Admiralty to take into their consideration the
situation of the masters in the navy.
Admiral DUNDAS concurred most heartily in the
wish which had been expressed upon this subject.
The vote was then agreed to, and the House resumed.
HORSE-RACING PENALTIES BILL.

Mr. WORTLEY moved the second reading of this
Bill, and proposed certain verbal amendments on it.
Mr. C. BERKELEY would not oppose the motion if
the addition he had to propose were acceded to.
Mr. WORTLEY was not prepared to accede to the
addition.

Mr. BROTHERTON moved an adjournment ; but
from a few words that passed, believing the subject
would soon be brought to a termination, the Hon.
Gentleman declined to persist in the motion.
After a short pause, and cries of " Adjourn," and
" Go on,"
Mr. HAWES said he wished the House would either
idjourn or go on.
Mr. C. BERKELEY said, as it seemed the wish of
the House that he should go on, he would shortly state
the nature of his clause. The object he had
in view, was to extend the operation of the
present Bill to the second clause of the 4th and 6th of
William IV., and to the 47th of the 2d and 3d of Vic-
toria ; so that no information should be laid under
those clauses until within three months after the passing
of the present Bill. They should then have the Report
of the. Committee sitting up stairs on gaming, and they
would be able to determine whether certain sports and
games to which those clauses related continued to exist
or not. There was nothing so objectionable as legis-
lation, which it was impossible to enforce, and they
could not enforce the clauses of this Act of Parliament.
If they did attempt to enforce them, they would not be
doing justiee by thus legislating for one class only, and
therefore he would move the insertion of the following
clause:—" And whereas, by the third clause of an Act
passed in the sth and fith year of the reign of his late Ma-
jesty William the Fourth, intituled, An Act to consoli-
date and amend the several laws relating to the cruel
and improper treatment of animals, and the mischiefs
arising from the driving of cattle, and to make other
provisions in regard thereto,' and also by the 47th
clause of a certain other Act, passed in the second and
third years of the reign of her Majesty Queen Victoria,
intituled, An Act for further improving the police in
and near the metropolis,' certain penalties are recover-
able by summary process against parties engaging in
certain popular sports and games therein mentioned :
be it enacted, that it shall not be lawful for the space of
three calendar months from the passing of this Act, to
lay any information for the recovery of penalties under
the said recited clauses of the said Acts."

Dr. BOWRING seconded the motion. They had by
their legislation encouraged informers, by trusting to
them the enforcing of certain laws, and now because
those men turned round upon the rich and powerful
there was this outcry raised Against them. He disap-
proved of the measure itself, and of the clause that was
proposed to be added ; but, from a wish to do equal jus-
tice to the humbler classes of society; he felt bound to
support it.
The clause was then brought up and read a first time.
On the motion that it be read a second time,
Mr. WORTLEY said he thought that the Honourable
Member had not informed the House, nor the Hon.
Member next him (Dr. Bowring), to what sports the
clauses of the Acts he alluded to referred. He would
find that they were directed, not against the sports of
the poor only. but to sports which had received the
highest aristocratical protEction—such as cock-fighting,
and other sports of the like description, which he need
not name. Ills objection to the clause was, that it had
nothing to do with the Bill. The Bill merely suspended,
for a limited time, certain actions brought to re-
cover penalties of so large an amount—an amount
totally disproportionate to any offence the parties
might have committed. Now, the penalties to which
the Hon. Gentleman's clause referred were against sports
of a cruel and inhuman character. He might propose
an alteration in the general law, but this Bill had
nothing to do with that. If those gentlemen had not
been of aristocratical ranks and connections they should
not have had so much opposition to the Bill.
Captain PECHELL denied that there was any ana-
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between the present Bill and the motion he had
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violation of one of the regulations of the Stamp-office.
Mr. C. BERKELEY would not trouble the House, as
he saw, from the number of gentlemen opposite who were
adverse to his motion, that it would be perfectly useless.
After a few words from Mr. PETER BORTHWICK the
Report of the Bill was brought up and agreed to, and
the Bill was ordered to be read a third time to-morrow
(this day).
The House then adjourned at a Quarter to One o'clock.