The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-07 00:00:00

BOARD OF TRADE.

It is impossible not to feel the importance of the subjects alluded to
by Lord Howick in the debate on the railway decisions of the Board
of Trade; for, whatever may be the nominal duties or the nominal
powers of the Board, the practical effect of their decisions has been
to throw into the scale so great a weight, that the rejected schemes
appear thenceforth unable to continue the contest, and languish until
they disappear from the Money Market ; while the favoured projects
are regarded as if they had already received the sanction of Parlia-
ment. Practically, therefore, and perhaps necessarily, the Board has
become a judicial tribunal, though utterly unfitted by its constitution
for the exercise of judicial functions. An anomaly .lies suddenly
sprung up—a tribunal, composed of persons neither by age,
station, experience, nor acquirements commanding the re.
spect or justifying the confidence of the public—of neces-
sity condemning unheard—of necessity proceeeding in secrecy
—irresponsible—yet deciding on amounts as compared with
which the subjects of dispute in Westminster -hall are alto-
gether trivial ; making or ruining fortunes by a single insertion in the
Gazette. Surely it is obvious that all this was neither foreseen nor
intended in its origin: Parliament could never have Intended to de-
legate Its power to such an extent. And it is obvious that the
public generally', to say nothing of the rejected parties, cannot •ho
fully satisfied with a tribunal which is the very reverse of every
judicial institution to which they have been accustomed. The im-
mense amount of business which has been suddenly brought Daum
this new tribunal in its very infancy, and before any of its eireete
could have been observed, is a misfortune, yet one which could
scarcely have been anticipated ; but it might undoubtedly, we think,
have been foreseen that a formal notification in the Gazette, isauel
from a Government department, would carry with it greater weight
than would have been due to the mere preliminary inquiry of certain
disinterested individuals. It is this connexion with the Government
which appears to constitute a grave objection to the tribunal. Already,
as Lord Howick observes, some of the inconveniences arising from the
Executive Government taking too much upon themselves in respect
to private interests are beginning to work. Whispers begin to cir-
culate that secrecy has not always been observed; that certain par-
ties have been always right in their speculations. We agree with
Sir Robert Peel that it would be better if tangible accusations were
substituted for these vague insinuations; but we agree also in the
answer of Lord Howick, that it is an objectionable system which
enables parties to set such statements abroad; nor do we desire to
see a Minister compelled to get up to contradict them. It is temark-
able that on the same evening Sir J. Graham should have been called
upon to declare, with reference to. the report on the harbours of re-
fuge, that he knew not by what means the press could have gathed
access to the report, and that he had not the slightest idea in
what manner it had got before the public. Secrecy, therefore, is not
always possible; and yet whatever may be divulged, where the
amount of the stake is so considerable, will undoubtedly provoke in-
sinuations, and cast discredit upon those who should be above suspi-
cion. The only remedy for these mischiefs would appear to be that
suggested by Lord Howlett—that the weight of Government autho-
rity, notwithstanding the report of the Board of Trade, should be
used neither on the one side nor on the other; that the Board should
be as au important witness produced for the assistance of the Com-
mittee, and no more. But that parties should abandon their projects
Wore the reasons of the decisions have been made known, above all,
before it eau be known whether the Board were unanimous or divided
—ivliether the decision may net, after all, have been the decision of
one single individual—is a result which could never have been in-
tended, and which the House of Commons has done well to disco►i
rage, by giving reasonable facility for the rejected lines to state•their

[ADVERTISEMENT.]—A POOR MAN'S LIFE SAVED
BY HOLLOWAY'S PlLLS.—Jeremiah Laughlin, a porter
about the quays of Dublin, was afflicted for years with
shortness of breath, spitting of phlegm, night perspira-
tions, and general weakness of body, a want of appetite,
sick head-aches, besides suffering much from the liver.
This man was in the second stage of- consumition, and
not expected to live three months, when he commenced
the use of Ilolloway's wonderful Pills, and, by their
means alone, he is now as strong, as hale, and is well as
ever he was in his life.—Sold (also Holloway s Oli)t-
-ment) at the Establishment of Professor Holloway,
244, Strand (where advice may be had gratis), and by
almost all respectable vendors of medicine throughout
the civilised world.

SEAMEN'S HOSPITAL SOClETY.—Wednesday, the
twenty-fourth annual meeting of the subscribers to this ex-
cellent institution, was held at the Office, King William-
street, City. J. Labouchere, Esq., in the chair, supported .
by several naval officers and other gentlemen. The report
stated that the appeal made at the last annual meeting had
not altogether been unattended to. The report next staled
that the Committee had received from the Spanish Govern-
ment the sum of 201., as an annual testimony of the Queen's
high opinion of the great utility of the hospital to foreign
seamen; also a donation of 251. from the King of Saxony,
&c. The Committee reported five liberal bequests, one
being to the amount of 1,909/., by W. Waters, Esq. ; and
another, POOL, by J. Clegg, Esq. The total receipts for
the past year amounted to 4,2291. 9s. 2d. The expenses
amounted to 5,705 i. lls. Id., showing a deficiency of
1,479/. Is. Ild. Such were the calls on the benefits of the
hospital, that, but for the bequests, the funds would. be in
t- ti 1
ents, ,724 ;
a very depressed state indeed. The number of patients ad-
mitted daring the year was 2,415, miss
na-
tions, who have received the benefits of the institution
making a total of 4,209. The number_ of ors, of all
Lsataniffternorodo-netrthete,
phaowvinagmounts to 71,626. The
been elected, the meet-
osiffincceersthfoer
tchoenunensenuincer
yneti,a
ing separated.
a loud and
DREADFUL DEATEL—On Tuesday
inmates of the house No. 13, Duke-street,
Lambeth, were suddenly alarmed by hearing
piercing scream proceeding from some part of the premises.
The parties immediately instituted a search to ascertain
cause of the noise, when, after going over different parts':loef
the house, they entered the front room o_n___t_h_ e second floor,
which the 7 found filled with smoke.
heard a kind of half-suppressed groan, which
there they
come from underneath the bedstead,
nearly_the wh 1 _"__ 'which appeared to
Beard, with
quarter they discovered a fine yo g woman, named Eliza-
beth Upon looking in that
burnt off her back. The bedstead 9 e of her wearing appirel
having
_been drawn away,
a most frightful spectacle presented Iself th'e 9
,unfortunates
such a
creature being burnt in shockingl manner that her face
looked like a piece of partially consumed leather. A mes-
senger was instantly sent for medical attendance, and Mr.
Menzies promptly attteided, but not in time to be.of anysas-
sistance to the peer exeatuie, for she had ceased to exist.
There is no doubt but that the unfortunate young woman's
wearing apparel by some accident caught fire, and that. in
her anxiety to subdue the flames she had crawled/co the spot
where she was found. Strange as it may appear, the furni-
ture.in the room was not injured.
STATE or TRADE.—The market continues in the
same state as for some weeks past; yarn, being exceedingly
scarce and in good demand, both for shipping and for the
home trade, continues to advance in. price ; and some
descriptions, particularly No. 30 warps, were sold yester-
day about one-eighth higher than on the preceding Tues-
day. For cloth the demand was not quite so good as last
week ; and some qualities of 27-inch printing cloth were a shade
lower. With that exception; however, prices are firm.—
ROCHDALE FLANNEL MARKET.—MONDAY, FE'S. 3. There
has been something. like an average market t9-darres,
but n
manufacturers "re obtaining rather more for theierrp :e.
There
not enough to cover the advance in the raw
thet retaart
t
has been a considerable failure an ou
d atn,>o.ooo4 xs is likely to
day : the liabilities are stateddtemanu
_acumen .
Wool still con-
aflect
both
wool
dealer and manufacturer.
-.-
tinues firm is price.—
'Vest Thursday is fixed "for
APPEAL CAirsEs..---J.
...Qt. in tile Hopp° of Lords, their LOrdk.bipS heginhins
H .PIR-.1 -
urns e4,11y with the }edictal tiustiess of the session.