The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-03 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Mr S. O'BRIEN presented a petition from Birming-
ham against the Insolvent Debtors Bill.
Mr. HUME presented a petition to the same effect.
Mr. AGLIONBY presented a petition from a meeting
of seamen of the port of London, complaining of abuses
in the administration of the merchant seamen's funds.
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN INDIA AND
CHINA.

Mr. DENNISTOUN wished to know from the Right
Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer whe-
ther he had made any arrangements for increasing th©
steam-boat communication between India and China.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
he had communicated with the India Board on the sub-
ject, and it was their intention that a communication
should be established between this country and Suez, and
a branch communication direct from Suez to China. lie
believed that if the question was not now settled, it
would be shortly, and the arrangements would be com-
plete by the beginning of January, 1845.
ART-UNIONS BILL.

Mr. WYSE moved the "third reading of the Ar
Unions Bill.

➢lr. ESCOTT said that words had been introduced
into the Bill, exempting private lotteries, as well as
public institutions, from penalties. Now he knew in-
stances in which persons made a profit of 10 per cent.
by private lotteries, and he wished to know whether the
House would sanction the words introduced by the
Right Hon. Gentleman, exempting such lotteries from
penalties.
Mr. WYSE said that the only object of the Bill was
to indemnify those societies that had laid themselves
open to the operations of the law, but it hadno reference
to the unions to be established in future.
The Bill was then read a third time and passed.
C USTOM-HOUSE.

On the question that the House resolve itself into a
Committee on the Charitable Bequests and Donations
(Ireland) Bill.
Mr. BROCKLEHURST said he would take that
opportunity of asking the Right Hon. Baronet the
question of which he had given notice, as to what further
evidence and reports may be expected beyond what was
delivered this day, in reference to frauds in the Custom-
house, and what information and assurance can be given
as to the intention of the Government to take more
vigorous measures during the recess, towards the cor-
rection of past frauds and the application of efficient
checks for the future.

Sir ROBERT PEEL, in answer to the Hon. Mem-
ber's question, said that with respect to what further
evidence and reports might be expected in reference to
the frauds in the Custom-house, that he believed the
next point to which the Commissioners intended to turn
their attention was, the control over the legal expenses
of the board. With respect the question, whether the
Government intended to take more vigorous measures,
he was not aware how they could take more vigorous
measures than they had done. Every fraud was not only
a loss to the Treasury, but an injury to the honest
trader, and prompt measures had been taken to suppress
them.

Mr. WILLIAMS feared that the Custom-house de-
partment would not be purified until there was a total
change there.

Mr. lIUME said there was a strong impression pre-
valent in London that, as long as the Custom-house
Board remained in its present situation, it would not
give any degree of satisfaction. There must be indi-
vidual responsibility—that was what they wanted. The
Custom-house and Stamp-office departments should form
a branch of the Treasury, as in other countries. Whilst
individuals, having 4001. or 500/. a year salary, had so
much temptation that they could, without much chance
of discovery, purloin as much in one day as their whole
year's salary, the abuse would be perpetuated. Sonie-
thing ought to be done to prevent the recurrence of it.
Sir R. PEEL considered the introduction of this sub-
ject as very inappropriate.
Mr. WYSE inquired if the Irish Government had
taken any measure for the division of the Union of
Burnchurch.

Lord ELIOT was understood to reply in the affirma•
tire.

CHARITABLE BEQUESTS (IRELAND) BILL.
The House then went into Committee on this Bill.

Sir JAMES GRAHAM gave notice of his intention
to move the following amendment ; in the 6th clause,
instead of the words " that all matters concerning doc-
trine and discipline of the Church which shall be in
question before the said Committee," he would substitute
the words, " that the consideration of all charitable
donations and bequests, and matters relating to them, in
which any question should arise concerning the usage
and discipline of the Churches of England and of Rome."
The next alteration was in the 15th clause, and regarded
the power of leasing : " That it shall be lawful for
archbishops, bishops, and all those in holy orders, in the
Catholic Church to execute leases." He thought these
alterations would meet all the wishes of the Hon. Gen-
tleman opposite.
Mr. WYSE expressed his approbation of the altera-
tions made by the Right Hon. Baronet, and thanked him
sincerely for them. He, however, thought there was a
defect in the Bill as regarded monastic institutions.
Sir JAMES GRAHAM said the Bill would give still
greater facility to nunneries and such institutions in
claiming trusts which had been devised to them.
Mr. P. HOWARD took that opportunity of advert-
ing to certain publications by several clergymen of the
Church of England, especially Dr. Newman, respecting
monastic institutions. Those divines had written in
favour of such institutions, and he (Mr. Howard) thought
the Government ought to have left the law respecting
them where it stood.
Colonel RAWDON expressed his satisfaction with the
Government measure.

After a few words from Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN,
the preamble was agreed to, the House resumed, and the
report was brought up, and ordered to be further consi-
dered to-morrow.

DEBTORS' AND CREDITORS' BILL.
This Bill passed through Committee, and the repor
ordered to be received to-morrow.
TRANSFER OF PROPERTY BILL.
This Bill passed through Committee, and the report
ordered to:be received to-morrow.

ARMS (IRELAND) BILL.
This Bill passed through Committee, was reported,
and ordered to be engrossed, and read a third time to
morrow.

PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS BILL.
This Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be
committed on Monday.
SAVINGS' BANKS.

Mr. HUME then rose to move that the House would,
early in the next session, take into its consideration cer-
tain resolutions respecting the savings' banks of the United
Kingdom, in doing which he said that his object was to
place the resolutions on record, so that on a future
day they might be referred to.—(The resolutions were
of an enormous length, and the Hon. Member said he
Would not trouble the Speaker to read them.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that if Hon. Gentlemen would print pamphlets at the
public expense, he did not think it was incumbent on
the House to read them. He could not believe that the
Hon. Gentleman could suppose that the House would
agree to such enormous resolutions being carried.
The resolutions were then negatived without a division.
The House adjourned at Half-past Seven.

SUMMER ASSIZES.
HOME CIRCUI T.—Guildford, Aug. 2.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baroa GURNEY.)
.ARSON.—George Elderfield, 28, was indicted for
feloniously setting fire to a stack of straw, the property
of John Bicknell.
In another count, the stack was said to be the property
of the Right Hon. Arthur Earl of Onslow.
Mr. Clarkson and Mr. Knapp conducted the prosecu-
tion, and Mr. Charnock defended the prisoner.
Mr. CLARKSON having briefly and candidly detailed
the facts of the case, called the following witnesses. The
case was of rather a singular character, and appeared to
create a good deal of interest.
Mr. John Bicknell examined by Mr. KNAPP-4 hold a
farm called the Wilderness farm, about a mile from
Guildford, and which is the property of Earl Onslow.
About half-past ten at night, on the 17th of May, I was
awoke by an alarm of fire, and I got up immediately
and found a straw-rick on fire. The fire very soon com-
municated to the other buildings, and before the horses
and cattle could be got out, several were destroyed.
Fifty quarters of oats and two of beans were also burnt.
On the next morning the prisoner was brought to my
house in the custody of an officer.
Charles Hollington—l am inspector of police at Guild-
ford, and upon my receiving information of the fire, I
sent for the engine, and proceeded myself to the spot.
I also, for particular reasons, sent a constable to the
prisoner's lodgings, and afterwards went there myself,
but we could not find the prisoner. We searched for
him on our way to the Ere, but could see nothing of him
at that time. We again went to the prisoner's lodgings
after this, and he was then at home. I asked him where
he had been, and he replied, " Laying eel-lines ;" and he
added that he had met a young man at the water side,
and remained with him until eleven o'clock at night.
I told him to show me where the lines were laid, and
took him to the river, and he pointed out several places.
Ho said he did not know the young man he had
been with. I then, in the prisoner's hearing, instructed
a constable to watch the river, and told the prisoner I
should detain him until I found whether his story
was correct. The prisoner said be was thirsty
and I gave him some refreshment. While he
was eating it he told me it was of no use
for the constable to watch the river, for there
were no eel-lines there, and he said he would tell me
which way he went. At this time Mr. Bicknell's name
had not been mentioned. The prisoner then took me
over several fields towards Mr. Bicknell's farm, and
showed me the track of footsteps, which I have no doubt
were made by the shoes of the prisoner. As we were
going along the prisoner pointed to a wide hedge, and
said he had lain down there and gone to sleep, and that
ahbeoduitd
five
ot
in the
morning,
bsoimm.e blovyes :I,g'oertetcolotshe
the by,
farm b
and I told' Mr. Bicknell I had a man in custody who had
ut
confessed 'that he caused the fire. Mr. Bicknell asked
him if he had ever injured him, and he replied that he
had not, and on his asking him how he came to commit
such an act, the prisoner said the fact was that he was
not right in his head, and that at times he did not know
what he was about. Mr. Bicknell then walked with me
and the prisoner, and the latter again showed the track
of his footsteps, and I afterwards traced them by myself
nearly up to the prisoner's lodging, and the way he ap-
peared to have gone was more than a mile round. The
prisoner afterwards told me that he took three lucifer-
matches from his coat, and the first he tried to light
broke. The second ignited, and with it h© set fire to