The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-06 00:00:00

THE STUN, LONDON, WEDNESDA.Y EVENING, MA.RCII 1844.
.4use_

" The Directors have the pleasure of presenting to
I the Shareholders their Tenth Annual Report.
" The net profits of the past year, after defraying all
the current expenses, paying the income-tax, and
making provision for all bad and doubtful debts, amount
to 51,696/. ss. 7d. Out of these profits the Directors
paid last September a dividend at the rate of six per
cent. per annum, for the half-year ending the 30th June,
and they now declare a dividend at the same rate for
the half-year ending the 31st of December. After the
payment of these dividends, amounting together to
48,000/., there will remain from the profits of the year,
a surplus of 3,696/. ss. 7d., which, added to the reserved
fund, makes the present amount 66,822/. 16s. sd.
" Throughout the whole of last year money was
exceedingly abundant, and consequently cheap. But,
although a low value of money affects most severely
those banks which have the largest paid-up capital, and
which have been so managed as to retain the full com-
mand of their funds, yet the Directors did not suffer
the desire of obtaining a higher rate of interest to
betray them into advances upon doubtful or inconverti-
ble securities.
" As the Speech from the Throne has called the atten-
tion of Parliament to ' the state of the law with regard
to the privileges of the Bank of England and "to other
banking establishments,' the Directors have co-operated
with the representatives of other joint-stock banks in
bringing under the consideration of the Government the
defects of the laws relating to Banking Companies, which
they feel confident the Legislature will not refuse to
remedy.
"` The three Directors who go out by rotation this year
are Frederick Burmester, Esq., Henry Harvey, Esq.,
and Patrick .Maxwell Stewart, Esq., M.P., who being
eligible, offer themselves for re-election.
PROFIT AND LOSS.

rest, resorted to, for the means of recovery, This view of
the matter must, no doubt, as much disappoint and dis-
concert the empirics of Parliament and of the news-
papers, craving something for the day, as the
Bath quacks were disappointed and disconcerted by
the simple plan of Mr. Simpkin B-. This view
is, however, the true one. Rest, without any other
application, would do nearly everything for Ireland, and
without rest from political agitation, all the remedial
measures that can be tried to the end of time will do
nothing. This is a truth, which we would press
earnestly upon such noblemen as Lord Clanricarde,
who, if they are not themselves the destroyers of their
country's rest, at least encourage and protect those
destroyers.

ATHLONE ELECTION COM-
MITTEE.-(THIS
DAY.) .
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
Mr. TALBOT replied. After which the room was cleared.
On the room being reopened. ,
The CHAIRMAN declared that the Committee had come to
the following resolution :—That as it appears that the' sum-
monses for the witnesses were not issued until Thursday,
29th February, and the money to pay their expenses was
not transmitted until the Ist March, it is the opinion of the •
Committee that due diligence has not been used, and there-
fore it cannot agree to the adjournment required.
Mr. TALBOT in relation to the case of Mark Quin, now in
Roscommon gaol, suggested that the Chairman should move
in the House for the attendance of Mark Quin on the Com-
mittee.
The CHAIRMAN thought the fact of his being in gaol ought
to be proved.
Mr. HAMILTON, M.P. for Dublin, stated that on Friday he
received a petition from Mr. Moss, stating that Quin was in
custody, that he was an important witness in this case,
and praying the House to request his attendance. He
had mentioned the subject to the Speaker, who had
told him that the more usual way was for the Chairman of
the Commitiee to order the attendance of the witness. He
understood from the speaker that he had had a previous ap-
plication made to him on the subject.
The CHAIRMAN said that still there was no proof that Quin
was in gaol.
Mr. TALBOT put in the service of the Speaker's warrant on
Mark Quin, in Roscommon gaol, on the Ist of March.
Mr. Ausnx—That was in time, and the only man they
have served in time is the man they knew could not come.
The CHAIRMAN thought that evidence was sufficient to
authorise him to move the House on the subject.
It being now only eighteen minutes to four the Committee
determined that the Counsel need not commence the opening
of his case, and adjourned.

Dr.
Payment of the dividend on the 10th X.
September, 1843, at the rate of six
per cent. per annum, for the half-
year ending the 30th June 24,000 0 0
Payment of the ,dividend now declared
at the rate of six per cent. per annum,
for the half• year ending the 31st De-
cember, 1843
Balance of unappropriated profits

S. d.

24,000 0 0
66,822 16 5

£114,922 15 5
.Z. s. d.

Cr,
Balance of unappropriated profits, on
the 31st December, 1842
Net profits of the year 1843, after de-
fraying the total expense of manage-
ment, paying the income-tax, and
making provision for all bad and
doubtful debts 51,696 5 7

STATE OF TRADE.
(From the Manchester Guardian of this day.)
The market continues in the same quiet and inanimate
state as during the last fortnight. The demand, both
for goods and yarn is limited ; but stocks being gene-
rally low, there is little or no change in prices, except
in printing cloth, which had been relatively higher than
other descriptions of goods, and which has declined 3d.
to 44d. per piece from the highest point.
ROCHDALE FLANNEL MARKET, MARCH 4.—There has
been a change in in the market to-day for the worse ;
goods have been less inquired after ; buyers have been
fewer, and the prices offered unremunerating to the ma-
nufacturer. The wool market has also been dull • there
is not the same eagerness to purchase as formerly, and
the fear of a further advance is much abated. Prices,
however, may be quoted as firm.

£114,822 16 5

Balance of unappropriated profits
brought down . 66,822 16 5
Mr. WALKER moved the adoption of the Report, and
took occasion to compliment the Directors on their able
management of the Company's affairs.
Mr. MAUDSLEY seconded the motion.
Mr. WissAw wished to know from the Chairman,
first, what was the increased value of the reserved
fund, considering the increase that had taken
place in the public securities 7—next, whether
all the branches of the establishment were
paying? and lastly, whether, in urging their'claims to the
privileges mentioned by the Chairman, it would be well
to strengthen the hands of the Directors by a petition
to the Legislature on the subject, signed by the Share-
holders?
The:CErsznmAN,in reply to the first question, said, that
the reserved fund had not been kept distinct and separate
from the other capital of the Company, but was along
with it and other large amounts, well and securely in-
vested. In" reply to the second question, he had to state
that the establishment had five branches, each of which
returned a profit to the establishment—(Hear, hear)—
and lastly, as to the suggestion of the Hon. Proprietor,
if they were not satisfied with the change to be made by
the Government in the banking code, of which they had
not then a knowledge, they would avail themselves of
the aid of the Proprietors.
The question of the adoption of the Report was then
put from the Chair and carried.
The thanks of the Company having been voted to the
Chairman, Directors, and Managers respectively,
The CHAIRMAN acknowledged the compliment.
The three Directors mentioned in the Report as going
out of office were then re-elected, and the meeting sepa-
rated.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

(THIS EVENING.)

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly before Four
o' Clock.
Lord DUNCAN presented a petition from Bath
against certain clauses in the Great Western Railway
Bill, on the ground that they were oppressive arid
uncalled for.

Mr. TROTTER brought in the Croydon Railway
Improvement Bill.
Sir W. HEATIICOTE brought up the Report of
the Committee on the Eastern Counties Railway Bill.
Mr. PRINGLE presented a petition from Selkirk
against any alteration in the corn-laws.
Lord CLIVE presented petitions from Lancashife
against the union of the Sees of St. Asaph and Bangor.
DUTY ON TOBACCO.

Lord SANDON presented a petition, signed' by
between seven and eight thousand persons consumers
of tobacco in Liverpool, praying for a reduction in
the duty on tobacco. Also, a petition from the
grocers and dealers in tobacco in Liverpool, praying
that the duty on tobacco might be reduced to one
shilling per lb.
UNIVERSITIES IN SCOTLAND.
Sir G. CLERK presented a petition from the
ministers and elders of the University of St. Andrew's,
in Scotland, praying the House to give no sanction
to any attempt to sever the connexion between the
Scotch universities and the State.
CORN-LAWS. .

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.
GLOBE.—We are happy to hear Lord Devon express
himself with so much confidence as he did last night,
that the Commission, of which he is at the head, would
be able to point out the beneficial alterations in the law
affecting the relations of landlord and tenant in Ireland.
The speech of Lord Devon tended to correct mistakes
as to the character of the Commission ; and, at
the same time to vindicate to the Commissioners the
unquestionable right to entertain and report representa-
tions of individual grievances arising out of the present
law and practice affecting the occupation of land-
Nevertheless, we repeat, we are of opinion that there
is this inconvenience in the inquiry—that it tends
to rivet the minds of the Irish people on that one
subject exclusively, on which they are only too much
addicted to brood already with angry feelings, and to
nourish expectations (if disappointed, engendering in-
creased resentment) of something to be done by Govern-
ment which shall render the land all-sufficient to the
people. Now, in the first place, it is impossi-
ble that a people so exclusively dependent on
raising the rudest food directly from the soil
for their daily wants—a people so destitute of
all other employment and capital—so destitute
even of agricultural capital, and so little advanced in
agricultural skill—it is impossible that a people thus
situated, and thus habituated, can be suddenly raised
by any agency confined to modifying the mere occupa-
tion of the soil. The curse of the people is that their
whole dependence is on that mere occupation ;—that
labourers wages, as well as farmers' profits, have no
source but the soil—and are paid in little other currency
(when they are paid in that) but permission to grow
potatoes. This state of things cannot at once be altered
by any measures solely relating to occupation of the
land. The " monster-evil' is the insufficiency of the
land as a sole resource. And let it not be said that the
exportation. of produce deprives the people of subsis-
tence. Ireland exports people as well as produce, in
very great numbers to the sister country. The same
paying-power which attracts Irish produce, attracts Irish
labour likewise. The problem to be solved is not the
finding of means to stop either export—but the finding
of means to create a counter-attraction of English
capital towards Ireland. The moment a current of this
kind should begin to set in (and we hold that it is the
duty of the Government to accelerate that moment), it
would be found that Irish produce would begin to
find nearer markets ;—agricultural production a new
stimulus—labour new resources in arts and manufac-
tures. We have declared our opinion that Government
ought to favour the flow of capital towards Ireland,
and take the initiative in these works which tend
more than any other to render available and acces-
sible the natural resources of such a country. We
hold that Government should set the example of con-
fidence in investing in Ireland our surplus wealth.
Where is that example to come from, if it comes
not from public authority ? Ireland is not in that
condition to which ordinary chreinatistics apply. A
moral impulse must be given, which money calcu-
lations, at the first start, may not appear to justify. The
misfortune of Ireland is, that it is not far enough off—
that its "aboriginal inhabitants" are not savages—that
the mine ignotum pro magnifico cannot be brought to
operate on the speculative mind in its favour. We have
seen calculation set at defiance—millions sunk—thou-
sands self-expatriated—provided the venture were wild
enough. But enterprise at our own doors is, in Ireland,
scared by a lion in the path. It would seem that confi-
dence in new fields can only be raised not inversely, but
directly as the square of the distance.
STANDARD.—In the House of Lords last night the
Marquis of Clanricarde interrogated the Earl of Devon
very closely as to the special objects of the inquiry pro--
wilted by the Land Tenure Commission, and as to the
progress made in the investigation. The Earl of Devon
replied by an explanation which ought, in our opinion,
to be satisfactory, because it indicates that the
Commission does not limit its researches to
any special objects, and that, having exhausted
no department of investigation, it cannot be said to have
made any definite progress, extensive as is the number
of facts accumulated. Now this, in our judgment, de-
scribes precisely the course which ought to be taken by
men to whom is confided so grave a duty as that as-
signed to the Land Tenure Commissioners. It is
true, as Lord Clanricarde complains, that there are
many ignorant persons who, having assumed
that some prompt remedy for the social state
sfei oenl ers
very areim
of Ireland is available, and that the Commis-
sionersappointedat
merely
of to c ha
Thermy,
nd
their Report.this
can be, at least they ought to be,
who give way to such impatience; anrit; as the Noble
Marquis suggests, some newspapers are to f' blame r
o
having encouraged the notion of a remedy for the social
evils of Ireland,
at once effectual and easily available, we
claim not to belong to the numberof the culpable. When
the commission was
• proposed we distinctly stated that it
never could find the imaginary remedy that was to set
all right in a day or in a year, though we gratefully, ad-
mitted that the labours of the Committee could do
much towards creating such a remedy. The case, in
fact, appeared to us, and still appears, precisely that
symbolised in Asop's fable of the farmer and his
sons. The farmer on his death-bed assured his sons
and successors in his fields, that a pot of gold was
hidden somewhere on the farm; the young men, as the,
story tells, turned up carefully with the spade every
field of their patrimony: they found no pot of gold but
they found the worth of many pots of gold
in the increased ' produce of the soil, conse-
quent upon their toilsome search. The story
is old and familiar, but it describes so exactly the good
effect which we anticipate from the Land Tenure
Commission, and exhibits also so well the neces•
sity for the investigation being complete, patient, and
slow in coming to conclusions, in order to produce
the good of which it is capable, that we cannot
forbear borrowing a page from )Esop. If we expect
a more permanent value for the labours of the Land
Tenure Commission, it is because we trust that its aim
goes_ beyond any temporary. object, and because we be-
lieve that the. result of its. investigation will be, not to
add to the pharmacop:.2 9f political nostrums, but to
demonstrate that there is no slii,ci4e remedy for
the social state of Ireland, any more than- there
ever has been for the social state of any country ;
consequently, that if the patient is to be cured,
quackery must be abandoned, and regimen, and above all

Mr. PLUMPTRE presented ninety-one petitions
from Canterbury and other places complaining of the•
proceedings of the Anti-Corn-law League, and pray-
ing that no alteration might be made in the corn-laws.
Sir H. DOUGLAS presented petitions against
the Birkenhead Dock Bill.
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE BILL.
The second reading of this Bill was postponed for
a 'fortnight.
ATH LONE ELECTION COMMITTEE.
Mr. PAKINGTON appeared at the bar and
said, he had been directed by the Committee appointed
to try the merits of the petition against the return
for Athlone, to state, that a material witness, named
Mark Quin, was unable to attend to give evidence
before the Committee, in consequence of his being at
present imprisoned for debt, and his evidence could
not be obtained without the intervention of that
House. • The Committee therefore prayed the
House to take such steps as they might think
fit to secure the attendance of the said Mark
Quin before the Committee. The Honourable
Member then moved that Mr. Speaker do issue his
warrant for the attendance of the witness, which was
agreed to. _
NOTICES OF MOTION.
BUENOS AYRES.

Mr. EIVART gave notice that instead of his
question to the First Lord of the Treasury, of which
he had given notice, he should on the motion for
going into Committee of Supply, bring under the
consideration of the House the subject of our com-
mercial relations with Buenos Ayres, and the subject
of the unhappy war at present existing between
Buenos Ayres and Monte Video.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER gave
notice that he would, on Friday next, in a Committee
of the whole House, move a resolution for the reduc-
tion of the interest on the Three-and• a-Half per Cent.
Annuities.

Air. BLEWITT wished to call the attention of
the Right Hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for
the Home Department to a fact of great importance
to Chancery suitors. He was informed that the
whole of the books belonging to the Accountant-Ge-
neral's office were kept in a building which was not
fire proof. He thought this was a matter which de-
manded serious consideration.

Sir J. GRAHAM stated (as we understood) that
orders had been given that no fires should be lit in
the building in question, and he begged to remind the
Hon. Gentleman that ample provision had been made
for the safe custody of these books in the new Houses
of Parliament.

•
merely moistening their lips. After fish, come roast Mr. Harnet, the master of the viorkhs„
meats, boiled vegetables, and various delicate prisoner had been formerly an inmate of the svosi .house.
sauces, with which you make your cuisine upon your !The board had obtainecL several situations for b er, but
ownplate ; puddings and game of all sorts follow, amongst I she left them all. She was a very bad character..
which' there is always, to begin with, one ish espe- I Mr. COMBE-But let her be as bad as she can .be, still
cially appropriate to the season. It is to the former if she be destitute she ought to have relief, art 'nl has a
article of diet (puddings) that English children are in- right to demand it. The refusal of relief may force them
debted, it is said, for their excellent health and their to become prostitutes.
magnificent rosy complexions. The cloth is at length The prisoner said that when she applied she- was in
removed, and the mahogany table shines forth in all very great want.
its splendour. Desert follows, consisting of few Mr. Harnet said he could not say whether or not she
sweetmeats or confitures, but abounding in fruits was refused relief, but he knew the windows wer a broken.
from all the five parts of the world, and the Mr. COMBE directed the overseer to be sent I or.
produce of all the four seasons, and including superb In about an hour afterwards the master returned into
pineapples, Portugal grapes, almonds, red nuts of a Court, and said the overseer was so busy in dis charging
delicious flavour, dates, figs, rich juicy oranges, &c., &c. the duties of his office, that he could not attend before
The wine is brought on in glass decanters, ticketed and the Court. The reason assigned by the overseer for not
placed in silver stands. These stands glide along the relieving the prisoner was that she was so insolent.
shining table, which is as smooth as ice, in the midst of Mr. COMBE fined the, prisoner 35., the amount of
crystal or silver vases filled with fruit, &c. The host, damage done, or a week's imprisonment.
after helping himself to wine, pushes about the Five pounds were sent to Mr. Combe yesterday for the
whole battery' of decanters, which going the round use of the poor box of this Court, by an anonymous con-
of the table, soon regain their original situation. tributor, the receipt of which we were requested to ac-
A quarter of an hour elapses, when the mistress of the knowledge.
house rises and retires, followed by all the ladies. It is James and Alfred Stroud, respectable looking trades-
then that the stria de tin begins. The subject of cou- men residing in the Southwark Bridge-road, were
versation soon changer, and political questions are charged with assaulting Mr. Bradley Thornhill, a corn-
discussed. The conversation, without getting stormy, dearer, living in Gray's Inn-terrace, Gray's Inn-road,
acquires that degree of warmth and animation which under rather singular circumstances.
a good dinner, when one is blessed with a strong head The prosecutor deposed that on the 27th ult., he ac-
and a good digestion, generally inspires. Hard companied the defendants to the Old Swan Tavern in
drinking, however, has genorally speaking, fallen Holloway. On their way thither, they stopped at several
into desuetude. It is only foxhunters and country public houses. When they reached the Swan, the de-
gentlemen who remain faithful now-a-days to that fendant Alfred asked him to play at "four points";
ignoble custom. A gentleman who has any self-respect witness did so; he was very drunk,:and lost all the money
never so far forgets himself as to get tipsy, for he he had on his person 7L; he subsequently recollected
would certainly be looked upon with an evil eyo by the having given the defendants a 201. bill, and an acceptance
company, if he were to enter the drawing-room with an for 36/. To the latter document he affixed his name,
indistinct articulation and with trembling legs. Dinner but in an hour after, reflecting on what he had done, he
is over about half-past nine. The gentlemen then rejoin snatched the 36/. acceptance out of the hand of Alfred,
the ladies to take tea and coffee, and the conversation and tore it in pieces. Alfred then knocked witness down
turns as before upon the news of the day." and kicked him until his face was covered with
blood, and his sides sore. Witness endorsed
his name to the 20/. bill at the instance of James, but
was so intoxicated at the moment as to be quite uncon-
scious of what he was doing. The fragments of the
bill were picked up by a friend of the defendants, and
carefully put together, so as to form a whole. Witness
obtained the 201. bill from the defendants by means of a
ruse since the assault.
Evidence was tendered to show that the prosecutor
had himself challenged the defendants to play with him,
that the money was fairly won from him, that he was
not drunk, and that he had struck the first blow.
Mr. COMBE said he would not undertake to decide
the matter then. It seemed to be a very nefarious trans-
action, and it was evident that the prosecutor was
drunk at the time he lost the money. He would bind
over the defendants in two sureties of 401. each to an-
swer any charge that might be preferred against them
at the sessions.

id the

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HORSE.
Yesterday a lad, about 15 years of age, in the service
of Joseph Witney, of Henesge-lane, chimney-sweeper,
was brought before Sir Peter Laurie, upon the charge of
having embezzled the sum of one shilling, which he had
received for cleaning a chimney in the house of Mr.
Duff, of Leadenhall-street.
In the progres's of this investigation Sir Peter Laurie
ascertained that the prisoner had cleansed the chimney
by climbing instead of having done the job, as required
by Act of Parliament, with the machine.
Sir PETER LAURIE—How happens it that this boy was
allowed to. work himself up the chimney with his knees
and elbows, directly in the teeth of the statute, which
was intended and calculated to do so much good ?
Why was not the machine used ?—The complainant said
the chimney could not be properly swept with a ma-
chine, and he therefore permitted the prisoner to go. up,
but he had learned from the prisoner previously that he
was twenty-one years old, the age at which people were
authorised to ascend.
Sir P. LAURlE—Twenty-one ! Why, he is no more
twenty-one than he is thirty-one years of age. Any
body would see at once that he was not more than 15.
The complainant—He assured me he was past the age.
The prisoner—Never, your Lordship. Master never
asked me any age, but sent me up without saying aword.
The complainant considered himself bound to take the
prisoner's word, which certainly was passed, or there
should have been no climbing. Besides, the prisoner
had received ls. 6d. for the work.
The prisoner said he had received ls. 6d. for ascend-
ing, but he considered himself entitled to what he got
for sweeping a chimney with himself. Whatever he re-
ceived for sweeping with the machine he regularly
handed over to his master.
Sir P. LAURIE—It is worse than slavery in the West
Indies, to send him up a chimney, and I must not suffer
so excellent an Act of Parliament to be violated with
impunity. I hope this does not often happen.
Complainant—Oh, dear! not at all.
The prisoner—l have been with Mr. Witney three
weeks, and I have be, n up the flue three times since I
have been employed by him.
Sir PETER LAURIE—The Act indicts a penalty of 10/.
upon the party who allows a person, under 21 years of
age, to climb a chimney, for the purpose of sweeping it.
Idischarge the prisoner, on the charge of embezzling ;
but I direct that the person, whose chimney he has
climbed, be summoned before me on Thursday next, to
answer for thus setting the law at defiance. I trust that
the public will give me assistance in enforcing the ob-
servance of this most necessary law.
The summons was accordingly issued.
Several boys, who stated that they travelled to London,
from various parts of the country, to seek employment,
were brought up, charged with having, in a gang, taken
bread out of a baker's shop.
Sir PETER LAURIE said it was well known through
the country that sums of money were sent by benevo-
lent individuals -for the poor-boxes at the police-offices,
and that sort of intelligence was sure to bring up vast
numbers, upon the speculation of distress.
Mr. Goodman stated that as many as thirty-eight
country people had been before the Lord Mayor on the
preceding day pleading destitution. The increase of ap-
plications of this kind were so frightfully great of late,
that it was quite impossible to deal with them. •
Sir P. LAURIE trusted that in the Amended Poor-law
Bill some provision would be made to meet the evil
which entailed such expense and trouble upon the City
of London. He sent the boys to the union.
. About a dozen girls were afterwards brought up,
charged with having broken the windows of the union,
and also the windows of the Mansion-house. They said
their object was to get admission into Bridewell.
Sir P. LAURIE refused to send them to Bridewell, but
ordered a couple of officers to take them to Peckham
workhouse.
It is now the constant practice of the refractory of
both sexes to break
RtSHIP-STREET.he windows of the Mansion-house.
WO
Thomas Burton, an old soldier, who stood charged
with having attempted to obtain various sums from
different individuals, under the pretence that he was
their forgotten relative, just returned from abroad, was
placed before Mr. Bingham for final examination.
The facts of the case have already appeared, and it
may be recollected that the only instance in which he
married actually
woman succeeded m
n a in
named
obtaining
Caroline
Williams, upon whom
he played off a slight variation from his usual stratagem,
and pretended that he was charged with the delivery of
sundry valuable presents from her brother, who was a
soldier in. Canada, and that they were then lying at the
CustOrn.house. The evidence in the above case having
been completed,
officer, said, that among a
great number
Mr. Ilttourcuem inquired whether any additional cases
had been discovered; •
Haywood, the s
edefrauds individuals who had seen
him in prison, he was recognised by an old army sur-
geon upon he had called in prosecution of his swindiing
of d
scheme, and promised to present him with a parrot
which he had brought from abroad, but the gentleman
in question was himself too old a soldier to be so easily
imposed upon, and he sent him off to practise his arts on
persons of greater credulity.
The prisoner here handed :up a written paper to the
Bench, in which it was stated, that he had received
several gun-shot wounds in the head, which rendered
him at times unconscious of what he was about.
Mr. BiNcuem observed that it was rather unfortunate
for the prisoner that he had prepared such a document,
as it furnished indubitable evidence of his being the
same person who had committed a similar series of au-
dacious frauds in the neighbourhood of Liverpool. He
had received a letter that morning from Mr. Henry
Dobson, of Broadwood House, near Liverpool, stating
that a person answering the exact description of the
prisoner, and whose head was scarred from alleged
musket wounds, had defrauded numerous persons in
that part of the country by means of the same artful
device which he had practised in the metropolis. He
should order both the documents to be preserved and
produced in evidence at the. Central Criminal Court, to
which he should commit the prisoner for trial.
The depositions of the several witnesses were then
completed, and the prisoner was fully committed.
CLERICENWELL.
Yesterday two able-bodied men, named Ponter and
Sanglon, were charged with refusing to perform the
work assigned them by Act of Parliament in the Hol-
born Union workhouse. On the previous night the pri-
soners were admitted as destitute poor by Barlow, the
porter. They had their bed and breakfast, but in the
morning positively refused to pick half a pound of
oakum, the task assigned to them.
The case having been proved, Mr. COMBE gave the
prisoners the option of going back to the workhouse and
doing the work. They positively refused, and were sent
to the House of Correction for seven days.
An elderly, weather-beaten looking man applied to
Mr. Comb() for assistance under the following circum-
stances :—He stated that he was a native of Newfound-
land, and had been chief mate on board the ship Thomas,
Captain Grange master, which arrived in London in
October last. On landins here he became very ill, and
was at first confined in St. Thomas's, and subslquently
in the London hospital. When convalescent, he found
that his ship had returned to Newfoundland. and being
wholly destitute, he applied for relief in the first in-
stance to Lord Stanley, the Secretary for the Colonies.
and subsequently to the Lord Mayor, but from neither
received any assistance. He then applied to the Board
of Admiralty, and received an answer from the Secretary,
the Hon. a
si ney Herbert, in which that gentleman stated
that he regretted the Board of Admiralty could hot
assist him, but at the same time enclosing a sum suffi-
cient to convey him to Liverpool, whence he might find
a vessel that would take him back to his native place.
Applicant went to Liverpool, but after remaining there
for a considerable time, and being unable to attain his
object, returned to London. • He arrived here this day,
and he sought of the Magistrate to assist him, being
without money and friends.
Mr. Comne said his better course would be to apply
to the workhouse.
The applicant, whose appearance bespoke great desti-
tution, declared, in the most earnest manner, that he had
not tasted a morsel of food for the last forty-eight hours,
and that he was unable to walk from weakness.
Mr. COMBE observed that he could as easily have ob-
tained a ship from Liverpool as from London to New-
foundland. The worthy Dlagistrate, however, directed
that be should have an immediate supply of food.
Mary Hartwell, aged 20, was charged with breaking
three panes of glass at the Clerkenwell workhouse.
hOth, the porter, proved the offence, which indeed
the
.prisons hp elf admitted. Both her hands were
bandaged, having been eat rap,pgled by the glass.
Mr. Costnu—Why did you break the windows ?
Prisoner—Because I was refused relief or admission this
accruing, when,, applied for it at the workhouse.
Mr. %,OMBEVV BO refgsfd you ? Prisoner—Mr.
Cookse
Y, tile overseer. He said, ‘i What dOCS a pro
tute like you want with relief ?"

ROBBERY AT CHATHAM DOCK-YARD.—Thomas
Fox, one of the apprentices at her Majesty's dock-yard at
Chatham, and a pupil of the dock-yard school, was brought
before the bench of county magistrates sitting at Rochester,
on Monday, charged with having stolen from the school a
quantity of mathematical instruments, the property of her
Majesty. James M'Ganahan deposed—l am the school-
master of the dock-yard school, appointed by the Lords Com-
missioners of the Adinirality. I have 144 youths under tui-
tion, and to 129 of them I have entrusted mathematical
instruments for use—the property of her Majesty. I pro-
cured them from the storekeeper. 'I never allowed any one
to take the instruments from the school. Some had instru-
ments of their own. In consequence of information I re-
ceived about the 21st of February last, I made a search and
discovered that some of the instruments were missing. The
prisoner has been a pupil since May last. Henry Pemble
is a pupil, and had a pair of compasses and a drawing pen,
the property of the Queen. Henry Pemble examined—ls
an apprentice in the Dockyard. I missed my box of instru-
ments from underneath my desk on the 20th of February.
There were a pair of compasses and a drawing pen in it
belonging to the Queen ; and a wooden mould, two pen-
holders, and some steel pens, my own property. Do not
know whether Fox was at school that day. Elizabeth Cliff
deposed that the prisoner pledged the box of instruments
produced by the constab'e at her husband's shop at Chatham,
on the 22d of February, for ls. 6d. Pemble identified the
box and instruments produced as those lost by him. Three
similar eases were fully made out against the prisoner, who
was remanded till Wednesday, to give the dockyard authori-
ties time to substantiate a fifth case. The value of the in-
struments stolen from the school amounts to upwards of
seven pounds.
ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS BILL.—Lord Lyndhurst,
the Lord High Chancellor of England, has introduced into
the Upper House of Parliament a Bill entitled, "An Act to
consolidate the jurisdiction and improve the practice of the
Ecclesiastical Courts of England and Wales, and for other-
wise altering and amending the law in certain matters eccle-
siastical." It consists of as many as 101 clauses, and appears
to be founded on the Report of the Ecclesiastical Commission.
By the provisions of this Bill, all peculiar jurisdictions are
abolished, and merged in the respective archdeaconries and
dioceses. The Archidiaconal Courts (with the exception of
Cornwall, Leicester, Nottingham, and Suffolk) are deprived
of the power to grant- probates or administrations and mar-
riage licenses. The diocesan Courts, however, are allowed
to retain their full powers, it being optional with the judge,
or either of the parties to the suit, to send to the Court of
Arches. Licenses are abolished, and compensation is pro-
vided for loss of emoluments, &c. Acting deputies are all to
become principals, and to be paid by salaries, to be fixed by
the judges of the respective Courts, out of a fee fund, to
which all fees, &c., are to be carried. The amount of salary
is subject to the approbation of the Lords of her Majesty's
Treasury. The Act is not to extend to tithes within the
City of London.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 5.
COLCHESTER AND IPSWICH RAILWAY.

Sir WM. HEATHCOTE, in presenting a petition from Sir
Robert Harland with respect to the course pursued by the
Committee on the Standing Orders in regard to this Bill, wished
to have the opinion of the House as to the course that he
had pursued with reference to this measure,ras Chairman of the
Committee. In that character he had refused to hear the soli-
citor for some of the parties, on the ground that he was not a
Parliamentary agent.
Sir GEORGE GREY thought that the decision that had
been come to by the Committee was a correct one, but, at the
same time, he considered that it would be better that the peti-
tion should lie on the table, in order that it might be ascertained
what the practice was.
Lord G. SOMERSET considered that the only party that
should be excluded was a paid barrister, but that any other
agent, whether Parliamentary or not, was included in the
Standing Order. .

Mr. STRUTT thought if the Committee had power to ex-
clude counsel they had power also to exclude solicitors. He
was, however, willing that the matter should be adjourned to
consider the subject thoroughly. For his own part he thought
that the word " agent" meant " Parliamentary agent."
Mr. GREENE considered that Parliamentary age.nts could
only be heard before the Standing Orders' Committee.
Mr. A GLIONBY said that when he sat on Committees on
private Bills, they always considered that the word " agent"
signified " Parliamentary agent."
Mr. STRUTT said that he had been referred to as having
allowed a solicitor, not a Parliamentary agent, to appear for
parties in the Committee on the Lancaster and Carlisle Rail-
way Bill. He could only say, that if such was the fact, it had
occurred withont his knowledge.
The SPEAKER said he agreed with the opinion expressed
by the Hon. Member for Derby. When he (the Speaker)
held the office of Chairman of the Standing Orders' Committee,
persons not being Parliamentary agents were not allowed to
appear before Committees of that House for other parties. He
was decidedly of opinion that Parliamentary agents were the
only persone ad nitted by the Standing Orders to appear before
Committees of that House.

Mr. ESTCOURT fully concurred in the opinion expressed
by the Speaker.
After a few words from Lord G. SOMERSET,
__ _

The SPEAKER said that the agents were responsible to
the House for the fees ; under those circumstances no person
ought to be before the House, except through a Parliamentary
agent.