The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-17 00:00:00

TIII4I SUN, LONDON, MOND.% _EVENING, MARCH 17, 1845.

RAILWAY. COMMITTEES.
.(THiS DAY.)
(Cont;nued from our Atterno-,n Edition.)
SOUTHPORT AND EUXTON JUNCTION RAILWAY.
Length of line 14 miles and a half; cost 1,500,0001.
Standing orders complied with.
LONDON, CHATHAM, AND NORTH KENT RAILWAY.
Mr. Hayward appeared for this Bill.
Mr. Burke, Mr. Wahnisley, and Mr. Parker appeared
up)n.seyeral petition, complaining of non-compliance with
the standing orders.
Tire Committee took the unopposed Torts of the case, and
adjourned the remair.ing part of it till to-morrow.
CHURNET VALLEY RAILWAY.
The Committee proceeded in the same way with this case.
The opposition is to be gone into to-morrow.
The Committee adjourned at half-past. Four.

DARTMOUTH ELECTION COM
MITTEE.--(THIS DAY.)

The Cummittec assembled at Eleven o'clock, and immedi-
ately proceeded to busicess. The first witness called was
John Janies, who produced a deed purporting to be a
release.
Mr. Robson, Solicitor to the Admiralty, sworn—Saw a
letter from Mr. Somes's solicitor to the Admiralty in De-
cember last. Got an order from Mr. S) dney Herbert in re-
ference to that letter, and took the necessary steps to cause
the transfer of Mr. Somes's contract to Messrs. Joseph and
Frederick Somes. Applied at their bankers', and found the
answer satisfactory, and so reported to the Admiralty. (This
witness proved the several other documents necessary to
validate the transfer.)
Cross•examined by Mr. Sergeant WRANGIIAM—The deed
was executed on the 20th of December, 1844.

Mr. John Henry Luscomb, shipoWner; sworn —Has one
ship in which Mr. Somes has a share; but has several that
he has no share in. All witness's accounts, &c., come
through Mr. Somes's office.
Mr. Edward Saxton, solicitor to Mr. Somes, sworn—ls re-
lated to Mr. Somes by marriage.
The next question put to the witness was objected to by
the petitioner's counsel, and a long legal argument ensued,
and, at its conclusion, the room•was ordered to be cleared.
On cur re-admission, the CHAIRMAN said that the Com-
mittee had decided that the question could not be put.
The next question was in reference to the deed of transfer.
Witness said he made all the necessary inquiries as to the
state of the contracts; drew up a deed of release, and got it
properly signed and witnessed, &c., conveying the contracts,
ships, &c., from Mr. Somes to his nephews.
Cross-examined—Received the deed back from the Ad-
miralty on the 16th of December; sent the deed down to
Dartmouth on the 17th.
Mr. J. H. Scott, senior clerk in her Majesty's Paymaster-
General's-office, sworn—Produced ready-money bills, drawn
by Messrs. Lackland and M`Leod ; the date of the last is the
Zd of January, 1845.
Mr. Frederick Somes, nephew of Mr: Somes, sen., sworn
—Commanded the Sir Robert Peel ship.for two years; is an
owner of ships also, the accounts of which were kept in his
uncle's office. His uncle, a short time previous to his election,
said that he was going to transfer his Government contracts
and sell his ships to him (witness) and his brother, but the
amount had nut been then fixed ; for there is a difficulty
of ascertaining the value of such without delay.; the
value has been ascertained since the election, some
time in the month of January. There certainly
was no understanding to the effect that if his uncle
should not be returned the sale was to have no effect—the
sale was an out-and•out bargain. When witness came of age
his fortune amounted to about 25,0001. His brother had an
equal share with him. Has since paid the amount of the
value of the contracts and ships sold him by his uncle; paid
cash 10,000/. ; the remainder was paid by the two bills now
produced. Accounts were opined in his and his brother's
names with the Government for the contracts since the Ist
January, and had received payments, no portion of which does
he (witness) consider himself bound, either in law or in
honour, to pay his uncle. Was aware, before the election,
that lie would be liable to a penalty for being a party to any
such understanding.
Cross-examined—Had no conversation with his uncle on

CONSOLIDATED FUND BILL.
This Bill Vk as real a third time and passed.
BASTARDY LAW.

The Earl of RADNOR presented two petitions,
praying their Lordships to amend the present law of
bastardy.
The NOBLE EARL, at the same time, introduced a Bill
to repeal the law passed in the last session of Parliament
on this subject, except that part which repealed the
clauses of the former Bill.
POST. OFFICE.

The NOBLE EARL also brought in a new Bill relating to
the stoppage of letters in the Post-office. The Bill was
read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time on
the 17th of April.
PAROCHA L SC HOOLMASTERS—SCOTLA ND.
Ile Earl of MINTO presented a petition complaining
of the intuit quate salaries of the parochial schoolmasters
of Scotland, and of other grievances of that class. The
Noble Elrl thought that the best way of promoting the
views of the petitioners would bo to leave their case in
the hands of the Government.
The Duke of BUCCLEUCII said that the subject
had ' engaged the attention of her Majesty's Go-
vernment, and after the fullest consideration of

the silt ject, they had some to the determina-
tion that the best course would be to have the
whole case inquired into by a Se!ect Committee of the
House. Accordingly he proposed to move this evening
for the appointment of a Select Committee, and to-
morrow he would name the members.

the subject- of the contracts before last December. Did not
recollect that his brother was present at the conversation.
Cannot say that the proposal made any great impres-
sion on his mind, though it was rot one of every-
day occurrence. Did not know what ships were
engaged, or on their voyage at the time of the proposal.
Could not say that he then formed any idea of the probable
amount for which he was about to become liable,
but knew it would be something very considerable.
Believes that he was to pay the debts -to his uncle
that were then due by the Government to him.
Did not know how many ships were under contract. He felt
so much confidence in his uncle that he left the matter en-
tirely to him. (This witness underwent a long cross-exami-
nation as to the particulars of this transaction, the amount
he was to pay, the ships he was to get, the liabilities, ex-
penses, &c.)
To _the CHAIRMAN—Witness understood from his uncle

The Earl of MINTO expressed himself perfectly
satisfied with the course adopted by the Noble Duke.
Th eDuke of BUCCLEUCH then moved the resolution
for the appointment of a Select Cummittee to inquire
into the salaries, & %, of the parochial schoolmasters of
Scotland, which was agreed to.
The NOBLE DUKE then gave notice that to- morrow he
would propose the names of the Committee.
SOUTH SEA EXPLORATORY EXPEDITION.

The Earl of MINTO wished to put a question to
the Noble Duke opposite, to which he feared the
Noble Duke would not be prepared to give a
satisfactory answer. This question was—whether her
Majesty's Government had it in contemplation to
take any measure of it ielf to publish the papers con-
nected with the late antarctic voyage, under the com-
mand of Capsain Ross. That voyage had been undertaken
with the concurrence of the most scie.atitic men in this
country and in other parts of the world. One of the great
objects of the expedition was to ascertain facts connected
with the magnet. Theroyage and the experiments had
been conducted with the utmost skill, and had succeeded
beyond expectation. It had led to the most curious and
important discoveries, and had added greatly to the ad-
vancement of science. Her Majesty's Government had
very likperally contributed the sum of 2,0001. towards the
expensts of the department of botany and natural his-
tory. But the Government had done little towards the
expenses of the more important branch of the undertak-
ing, which was the R 1 agnctical and meteorological de-
partment. It had been in contemplation to publish
that part of the observations at the expense
of the Royal Society, but the means of that insti•
tution were found to be unequal to complete the work.
He trusted that after their Lordships had sanctioned the
expenditure of upwards of 100,0001. for the attainment
of this object they would not grudge the expenditure of
4,0001. or 3,0001. to complete it. The Russian Go-
vernment, he knew, had acted with the most ju-
dicious readiness. Of the great liberality of the
French Government none could entertain a doubt, and

that the debt due to him by the Government amounted to
about 50,000/., and that this sum included the ships then
under contract. There were other ships that were not in-
cluded.

Ireland, praying that they might not be forced to levy a
rate in repayment of the money I orrowed to build union
workhouses.
An HoN. MEMBER presented a petition from Corn-
wall against the sale of intoxicati' g liquors upc n the
Sabbath.

he did trust therefore that her Majesty's Government
would not be behind hand, but would fully enter into the
spirit, and carry out this object to its fullest extent.
The Duke of WELLINGTON said that his attention
had not been at present called to the subject, and that
therefore he was unable to give a satisfactory reply.
But thus much he would say, that her Majesty's Govern-
ment were quite ready to give the fullest and most com-
plete information respecting the matter of the Noble
Earl's inquiry.

Thomas Baring, Esq., sworn—Sat as Member for Yar-
'mouth at one, time; and was defeated on two other occasions.
Was, a candidate at one time with Mr. Somes, but it was not
with his (Mr. B.'s) concurrence.
Mr. Joseph Lackland, ship-broker, sworn—Has a partner
named M'Leod. Has acted for Mr. Smiles, sun., and
Messrs. Somes, jun. Had had conversation with the former
in reference to an assignment of his contracts with the Go-
vernment previous to the 17th December. Received instruc-
tions some time in January from Mr. Somes to make
estimates, but had some understanding about it be-
fore Mr. Somes went to Dartmouth. The estimates
would occupy some time to make out. The estimate was to
be of the money due to Mr. Somes up to the 17th Decem-
ber, and of the contracts then completed as well as those
then existing. The witness then explained the manner in
which estimates are made out, and stated the different pay-
ments made to the credit of Messrs. J. and F. Somes since
the 17th December, and that he never carried any payments
to the credit of Mr. Somes, sen., after that day. Received
a notice from Mr. Saxton, cautioning him not to do so.
In his cross-examination, the witness said it was towards
the close of the month of February that he got instructions
to make the estimate, and not some time in January, as he
had previously stated. It is not at all unusual for a
person, when tendering for a contract with another,
to represent himself as in part owner, when in point
of fact he was not so, but otherwise interested. Made coin-
munications to the Messrs. Somes some time in December
relative to the sums to be paid for some of the ships. ' Be-
lieves the transfer to have been a valid one, certainly not a
fictitious one. Thinks the Messrs. Somes did not get much
of a bargain.
At the close of this witness's examination the Committee
adjourned to eleven o'cic ck to-morrow.