The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-16 00:00:00

PAROCHIAL SETTLEMENT BILL.

Mr. TENNENT presented a petition from the Board
of Gunrdians of the Cambridge Union against the Paro-
chial Settlements Act ; also petitions against the Union
of the sees of Bangor and St. Asaph, and against the
grant to the College of .Maynooth.
GRANT To MAYNOOTH.

Mr. DUN DAS presented petitions praying for an
increase of the salaries of paro.thial schoolmasters in
Scotland; also petitions against the grant to Maynooth,
and against Sunday travelling.
Sir R. H. INGLIS presented petitions from the parish
of St. John the Evangelist in Westminster, against
Sunday trading, and the grant to Maynooth.
Mr. BOUVERlE_presente.d petitions from Scotland
against the grant Maynooth.

Mr. SUMMERS pr;sented petitions from several
places in Ireland against the Roman Catholic Bequests'
Bill.

Numerous petitions against the grant to Maynooth
were presented by Colonel Powell, Mr. Buck, Mr. Greene,
and Mr. Arkwright, but in no single instance could we
hear the designations of the petitions.
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.

Mr. DUNCAN presented a Bill from Dundee against
the Statute of Limitations Bill.
MAYNOOTH.

Mr. HAWES presented several petitions against the
grant to Mayncoth, and one in favour of it, signed by a
single individual, the Rev. Mr. Ballagar, which, as it
presented the question so shortly and so strongly, he
should move that it be read at the table.

BIRMINGHAM, GLOUCESTER, AND WOLVER-

HAMPTON RAILWAY.
Mr. SPOONER moved the second reading of the
Birmingham, Gloucester, and Wolverhampton Railway
Bill.

Mr. PAKINGTON said that this was a Bill for the
extension of the London and Birmingham Railway,
and he hoped the House would extend its indulgence to
him whilst he stated his reasons for opposing the second
reading of this Bill. It was not merely on private grounds
that he opposed this Bill, nor would he ask any favour of
the House, but on behalf of other landowners as well as
himself, he should oppose it. This railway would pass
for 2i miles through his own ground, and he would hear
every engine from his drawing•room s indows. When
this scheme had first been brought forward, he had
inquired of his surveyor respecting it, and had been
informed that the standing orders had been violated in a
hundred instances. The Bill had been proposed, and was
then withdrawn, when after two or three months it
was again brought forward by an entirely dif-
ferent company. Last January it was again intro
duced to the notice of the public, not by the original
company, but as an extension of the London and Bir-
mingham line, when one was prepared to oppose it ; and
he should, therefore, certainly take the sense of the
House ou the second reading.
Mr. SPOONER opposed the motion on the ground
that his Hon. Friend had net given notice to the parties
of his opposition. The promoters of the Bill had been
put to the expense of summoning their witnesses and
retaining counsel. The Bill had been referred in one
of the groups to the Committee, and before that Com-
mittee the case of his Hon. Friend would be fully inves-
tigated. _ _

Mr. PAICINGTON explained. lie regretted that
he had not been able to give notice of his intention ta
oppose the second rending, but in c•msequenee of the
period at which the Bill was moved he could not give
notice.

Sir R. INGLIS said he did not understand his Hon.
Friend to object to the Bill, except upon the ground of
surprise, but as he understood the facts, it.was his lion.
Friend the Member for Droitwich who was taken by
surprise, and he would, therefore, support the motion of
his Hon. Friend the Member for Droitwich.

_ -
Mr. SPOONER explained.
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that the Hon. Gentleman
brought the case very fully and fairly before the House ;
but still he thought that his objection to the second
reading of the Bill, merely on account of the surprise
which it would cause, should not induco the House to
refuse the second reading of the Bill

The House then divided, when there appeared to be—
For the motien 4l
Against it
Majority in favour of the motion —l9
ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.
Mr. WAKLEY rose to move, " That a Select Com-
mittee be appointed, to inquire into the management of
the Royal College of Surgeons of England : also, to
investigate the circumstances which led to the grant
of an additional charter to the Council in
1843, and into the effects produced by the operation of
that charter upon the interests and professionol rank of
the great body of the members of the college." And should
that resolution be negatived, then to move the following :--
" That in any charter which the Crown may be advised
to grant for the incorporation of the general practition-
ers, those gentlemen are fully entitled to enjoy an
equality of professional station with the newly-created
Fellows ; that a deep and lasting injury would be in-
flicted on many thousands of scientific men if a College
of General Practitioners were to be founded as an insti-
tution inferior to the College of Surgeons." The Hon.
Member said he submitted the motion to the House in
conformity with a great number of petitions which had
been presented to the House from members of the
College of Surgeons resident in every part of the king-
dom, and in consquence of a great number of communi-
cations from the same body of gentlemen on the subject.
But he Was chiefly actuated by the fact that a
petition had been presented on the 31st of March by
him from surgeons resident in the county of Gloucester.
The petitioners stated that, by the charter granted in
1843 by her Majesty, the Council had the power of
electing a certain number of the members of the Col-
lege, who should be entitled to the, general principle of
electing the Council in all time coming; and they added
that they looked on such distinctions as unjust to the great
body of surgeons, and they entered their most indignant
protest against the principle. They also stated that the
charter required that all existing members should
undergo another examination, or be excluded from the
honours of a fellowship in the College. They also
prayed that no Bill should be allowed to pass until
inquiry had been ordered Into the circumstances
connected with the granting of the charter. He be-
lieved that the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary of
State for the Home Department was by that time aware
that he had taken a false step in recommending the
granting of this charter, and the division to
which the House had come the other night
was a sufficient proof of that fact.—(Elear, hear.)
lie was as yet really ignorant of the effect of the changes
which were intended by the Government measure ; and
he supposed—he was under the necessity of sup-
posing—that the Bill which had been formerly in-
troduced was in substance the very same with
that which would be now introduced before the
House, but that they would have soon an opportunity of
examining these alterations. The history of the Col-
lege of Surgeons—the history of the conduct
of the Council rather was characterised as
one of injustice to the professors by the
self-elected governing body. The College was
founded by a charter granted in the year 1843, and from
that year to this the Council had on various occasions
passed regulations extending their own powers, and,
in fact, creating to themselves a monopoly of
the most unjust and oppressive character. In the year
1826, in consequence of the abuse of these powers,
there had been a large assembly of the profession who
expressed great clissatisfactien at the conduct of the
Council. After much discussion the meeting passed
two resolutions, he might say unanimously, expressive of
their sense in the first place, of the oppressive mode inwhieh
the Council had acted ; and, in the second place, that
the regulations which had been passed in 1823, respect-
ing the taking up of diplomas,: were highly detrimental
to the interests of the profession. These resolutions
were passed in a meeting in which nearer 2,000 than
1,500 individuals were present. At the time these
resolutions were passed it was a universal im-
pression that, however energetic their represen-
tations might be, there was little chance of
obtaining attention or redress, except by an appeal to
the House of Commons ; and accordingly the last reso
lotion of that meeting was a determination to appeal to
that House, and they accordingly did so. The result of
that petition was the appointment of a Select Committee,
of which his Hon. Friend the Member for Kendal (Mr.
Warburton) was chairman, and he believed the Right
Honourable Baronet opposite (Sir James Graham)
was a member of it. Before that Committee
a great mass of evidence was taken, the whole
purport of which was to show that the whole
establishment was in a state of disorder. The
museum, a moat valuable one—the Hunterian
Museum—which was allowed to be one of the finest in
Europe, and for which a great sum:of public money had
been paid, was in such a state of disorder that it was per
feptly useless. From that time till .1843 nothing was
done, but in 1835 a great injury had been done to the
Imedical profession by the operation of the New Poor-law.
The profession had every reason to expect that they
would obtain redress from that House ; but in

1843 they found' to their amazement that a new
charter was granted to the college, in which ex-
traordinary and unconstiutional powers were con-
ferred upon the Council. When it was first re-
ported that such a charter had been granted, he
did not think that a hundred men in the profession
throughout Great Britain, believed that it was true.
But, unfortunately, time showed that it was true, and
that a charter had received the sign manual con-
ferring those extraordinary powers on the Council.
It contained provisions which gave extreme an-
noyance to upwards of then thousand men. In
the last fifty years the science of medicine and
surgery had made greater progress than any other art
or science in the whole range of human knowledge. It
was admitted by every writer of eminence or ability
that medicine and surgery constitute but one science, of
which pharmacy and midwifery are important depart-
ments. But by the extraordinary, provisions of the new
charter those members of the College of Sur-
geons who practise midwifery and pharmacy are
excluded from the governing body of the College.
In fact, the qualifications were looked upon by the mem-
bers of the Coll( ge of Surgeons as inferior and degrading
occupations, and the rules of that institution were such
as cast a slur upon the professional avocations of those
practising midwifery that never should have been cast
upon them. Those rules and by-laws had been made by the
Council of the College of Surgeons, but they had never
been included in any statute or ever received the sanction
of the Crown. One of the clauses in these rules was to
this effect, that no member of the College of Surgeons
should be eligible to become a member of the Council
while practising midwifery or pharmacy, or who
had practised those branches of the profession
for five years, or, in ether words, that any person
who had practised midwifery or pharmacy for four
years, from this time, would be disqualfied for a seat
in the College of Surgeons. This he should call a most
monstrous and ridiculous propcs Con, and such a one as
never would have received the sign manual of the Crown.
Well, the rule went on to say, further, that those who
professed midwifery and pharmacy could net be entitled
to a seat in the College unless they resided within 5 miles
of St. Martin's-le-Grand. Now, he knew many members
of the profession practising those branches who could
not be equalled in Europe, and many of them were
superior to any in the empire, and yet this
disqualification was put upon them by this ridi-
culous rule. The rule went on to provide, that
if a member who had a seat should cease to
reside within the definite distance, then he should be
removed from the Council. This, he would say, was
carrying such absurdities to a most preposterous length.
It was for these reasons that those members of the me-
dical profession who practised midwifery and pharmacy
had sought for the abrogation of those bye-laws. They
sought it by petition to that House, and by public
declarations, and by remonstrances to the Right
lion. Gentleman opposite himself. He (Mr. Wakley)
would contend for it, that no person in the profession
could approve of this charter. The Right Hon. Gen-
tleman himself did not like it, though it was his own off-
spring; and he (Mr. Wakley) could assure theßight Hon.
Gentleman it was looked on abroad as an ugly production.
Two petitions had been presented for an inquiry
into the circumstances which led to the passing
of the charter. The proceedings of the Council
were carried on in secret—no one knew what
motions were proposed, or what amendments a ere made
to them, nor was it known what was decided. The
Right Honourable Gentleman had made them
a representative body, and he should also take care
that the members should know what the conduct of their
representatives was. The language of Mr. Guthrie was
worthy the attention of the House. He stated in his
petition which was presented last year, that though in
his collective capacity he was compelled to accept the
grant of the new charter, a copy of which had been laid
en the table, yet he considered several of the provisions
to be illiberal, exclusive, and unjust. In hispetition this
year he sought for an inquiry into the conduct of the
Council, and states that he was aware of the unfitness
of the charter for the purposes for which it was
intended, and that many of the provisions were as de-
ceptive
and illiberal in their nature as could be expected
from even a purely arbitrary Government. That was
the language of a member of the Council of Health,
and he hoped that such an explanation would
be given by the Right Hon. Gentleman as would
preclude the necessity of the appointment of a Com-
mittee of Inquiry, and that the Right Hon. Gentleman
would be prepared to say that such a charter would not
continue to exist. to the annoyance of the profession.
Even the majority of the Council spoke of the duty
imposed on them by the Right Hon. Gentleman as an
invidious duty. The Government had, therefore, abso-
lutely forced on the Council of the College of Sur-
geons a charter for which they entertained the
greatest dislike ; and, of course, which they
had no desire to. receive. Now the circumstance
was very extraordinary, considering what had been
the conduct of the profession for a long series of
years. In his (Mr. Wakley's) opinion the Right
lion. Baronet exercised, in 1843, relative to this subject,
a very unconstitutional power, and he thought he had
most unjustly exercised that power with reference
to a very large number of deserving professional men.
C implaints had been made by Sir Astley Cooper and
other distinguished men, and all were agreed that the
rule prohibiting men from becoming members
of the College until they had arrived at a
certain period of life was a great hardship.—
(Hear.) These complaints had been laid before the
House, but how were the petitions of these men an-
swered ? Simply by a Minister of the Crown, who rely-
ing on some private representltions, and guided by
some influence at the Ilome-of'fice, granted a
new charter to the Council, and instead
of punishing the Council for misconduct which they had
committed during a long series of yearg, invested
them with new powers, and enabled them
to exercise such powers to the extreme annoy-
ance of many thousands of their professional
brethren. The profession and the House had a right to
complain ; and, if prerogative charters were granted in
this way, the sooner such powers were extinguished, the
better. He knew the Right Hon. Gentleman would
say that he did it for the best. He (Mr. Wakley)
had no doubt but that was the case, at the same time he
felt quite sure the Right Hon. Gentleman had been mis-
informed by one upon whose judgment he should not
in future rely. But the charter had been granted, and
granted under extraordinary circumstances. Was it
to continue in force? The Right Hon. Gentleman ought
to make some alteration in the standing of the fellows.
The present plan was the most absurd and ridicu-
lous that could be conceived. The Committee
were empowered according to the provisions
of the charter to elect 300 members to the class of
fellows within the first three months of its operation.
Upon the 14th December, 1843, the Council was required
to select from the body of members not less than 250
nor more than 300 members, and these members
were selected in the most arbitrary manner.
Now, the fellows constituted the body frem which the
future Council was to be elected, the fellows themselves
being the electors; and by this system it was absolutely
impossible for the names placed lowest on the list to be
elected to the Council of the College. Could
any one suppose that an arrangement of
this kind could be satisfactory to the pro-
fession? Could it give rise to any other feel-
ings than those of disappointment ? There were im-
mense numbers of men, who had endeavoured to dis-
charge their professional duties with credit to them-
selves and advantage to the public, thus by the
whim of a dominant party placed in such a position,
that they were deprived of their just rights and privi-
leges. The council of the College had seen proper to
give the world an analysis of the mode in which they
had discharged their duty, and the result according to
their own showing was as follows. They had appointed
229 surgeons in the general hospitals in various parts
of the country. They had created fifty-two teachers in
the various branches of recognised science, recognised
as such by themselves. They had created as fellows
ten men, who were distinguished by their contributions
to medical literature. Forty members who had formerly
practised pharmacy or midwifery, were created sargeons
without examination. Then they said that 113 persons
in the country had been recommended by the heads of
the respective departments ; and then, out of thousands
of professional gentlemen practising in the provinces—
men not surpassed for their scientific acquirements by
any body in Europe—only sixty-seven, out of all the
provincial practitioners, were recommended as being ca-
pable of being attached to a general hospital, although
some of their diplomas dated later than 1822. And was it
not apparent, on the face of these facts, that some inquiry
was absolutely necessary? It was impossible to look at
the principle on which the college was governed—it was
impossible to look at the paucity of indi% iduals elevated
—without feeling throughout convinced and persuaded
that such a state of things could not remain in the same
state without occasioning feelings of dissatisfaction and
heart-burning in those who had done no wrong, and
were only guilty of demanding the rights to which they
were justly entitled. Though that statement was made,
not one of the sixty-seven surgeons was chosen, whose
diplomas dated since 1824—a period of twenty one years.
And it was also a fact, which appeared from the analysis of
the list, that thirty were created to the rank of fellows in
the first 300 appointed, whose diplomas dated between
1833 and 1837. The inequalities established, as he
considered, in a thoughtless manner in the Bill of the
Right lion. Gentleman were of an outrageous character.
A feeling of dissatisfaction would prevail, unless the
clause to which he referred was removed, namely, the
clause relating to the present condition of the charter.
The Right Hon. Gentleman excluded those who prac-
tised pharmacy and midwifery from sitting in the Council
if they practised within five years antecedent to the day
of election. There were persons of the highest au-
thority, however, who acknowledged that the
medical practitioners, in order to exercise the
functions of their profession with security to
their patients, ought to be educated in the
whole of
the branches of the profession. The expression of Mr,
cAbernethy,
surgeryin lBw2eBr,e had been
and indivisible
often qu ote.d , thatWba medi-
cine ev
was
the opinion of several men who were examined before
hadmtCommitteeheenwrehfoe
rwreedre to
bixna
tmlbBie3n4ed?
before
eiffo
rt
eh e Right
by theon.
Gentleman
Verakley) did not think that he statementswould made
that
eminentb
gr.
atlt,
chartera Committee,
con-
taining such provisions as wereicn the Bill ill before them.d
Mr. Lawrence, a memberof
the
before that Committee, and what
was his evidence
eenxcaem, examined
was asked, "Is not a large share of the actual practice
of London, surgeon medical practice?" and what was
the answer
arensw perrLiNpVahllyy, it was, " Unquestionably, surgical
treated by means called medical."
Sir Benjamin Brodie was examined on the same subject
and he was asked this question, " Is it not a very im-
portant part of the business of a surgeon to resort to
medical treatment to prevent hemorrhage." The answer
was, "Yes, many cases which are treated as surgical,
may be remedied by medical treatment."
member
Astley Cooper, and Mr. Travers, ancther
of the Council, gave similar testimony.—(hear.)
This testimony was given in 1834, and it was seven

•
Alk_ +iv

•-:.• :::

ii‘c.
)
Ns\
V, -
. _:. ,=:',.'-•'• , -44%. -
~.
- • ;:,, '.
~,
..'k:-'gt....;
• '.%,- cs"--'
-1
• • -..rf;-Th-,:.5.

s
' years since this had occurred. The surgeons ret
stigmatised at that time, but Mr. Travers. steted'Nrit
though he objected to the system, yet he had suffered no
inconvenience, for his colleague was too gentlemanlike
a person to interfere with his cases. Now, it was seell-
k! own to all who had paid any attention to the subject
that it was the surgeon who was the complete me-
dical man. The physician only practised in a part of
the profession. He could, it is true, cure all the evils
generally called medical evils, but the surgeon
had not only to heal the abrasions of the flesh,
but also to quell the fever which so frequently
attended upon wounds. From these circumstances
he trusted the Right Hon. Gentleman would see that he
had taken a backward step, and that he had been misled
by the information of persons who were either inte-
rested in making erroneous statements to him. or too de-
ficient in knowledge to direct him rightly. The medi•
cal practitioners were another of the stigmatised parties.
Mr. Lawrence, who was one of the Council, had stated
that midwifery was a subject which ought to be espe-
cially attended to, and he did not believe that it was
possible for any man to become an able midwifery prac-
titioner without examination and instruction by persons
who attended to that practice only. Sir Astley Cooper,
who was also one of the Council, had borne testimony to
the same effect, and expressly stated it as his opinion,
that unless instructed by individuals engaged solely in
the practice of midwifery, he would never be able to ful-
fil his duty properly in that branch of the profession.
He thought the best constructed Board would be formed
of those men who had studied midwifery almost exclu-
sively. Ire was sure the Right Hon. Gentleman could
not be aware of the danger he was creating by the pro-
ceeding he was adopting. It ought to be the duty of
the Legislature to find competent medical practitioners
for the million. The wealthy would never do it. The
Government was bound to take care that among the
million there was not one unqualified practitioner.
Cases had taken place, in consequence of inexperienced
practitioners, that were disgraceful to the House and
disgusting to society. The poorest classes of the people
were the most interested in the proper education of the
general practitioners. The middle classes also had not
less anxiety for the welfare of their families than the
highest aristocracy in the land. And he was able to
state that the great body of surgeons in this
country were competent to the discharge of their
duties, and they ought not to be placed on a lower
scale than persons younger in years and prac-
tice, and not superior in academic attainments.
If the Right Hon. Gentleman granted the Committee
he would prove that the number of the parties who had
been elected to the clans of fellows had obtained no dis-
tinction whatever, and were unknown as practising sur-
geons, but who in general practice had attained, per-
haps, a considerable and a high moral character. LTuder
the circumstances. he would ask the Right Hon. Gentle..
man if it were his intention, in the first place, to refuse
this inquiry, and, if he should refuse it, he would, in the
second place, ask him if it were his determination to
maintain the charter in its present odious aspect? As
medicine was but a science, was it fair that they
should have so many medical corporations ? If
such, then were the facts (and it was now admitted that
they were facts), was the Right Hsn Gentleman pre-
pared to say to these professional gentlemen that
though they were members of the college they should
not be admitted to a seat at its councils, because they
practised certain branches of that profession? The
Right Hon. Gentleman admitted that those members
had rights, but yet they would not be permitted to enter
their own college. In fact, the Council acted as if the
college were their own private property; but he looked
upon them as a public body, and acting only in the ca-
pacity of trustees for the members and the public. They
were appointed by law to perform certain important func-
tions, and he would ask how had they discharged their
duties? He denied they had discharged their duties in any
thing like a satisfactory manner ; for if they had, so
long ago as .the year 1815, the members would have
been in the possession and full enjoy went of their rights
in this institution, and when they attempted upon a for-
mer occasion to assert their rights they were turned out
of doors. And, now, when a law was about to be pro-
posed affecting them, the Right Hon. Gentleman oppo-
site tuld them still that they should not find a home in
their own institution, but that be would provide them
with another establishment which would not be per-
mitted to enter into high and honourable and distin-
guished rivalry with the present one. He (Mr. Wakley)
did think that those gentlemen had great cause to com-
plain of the treatment they received is that House, for
it was there that laws were made affecting them, and it
was there that care should be taken that competent
professional persons should be provided for the public.
In whatever point of view he looked at the con-
duct of the Council, be could observe that it
presented but one characteristic, and that was a neglect
of the duties imposed on them by their obligations and
by the law ; in feet, he could not point to any one act
that that body ever did for the advancement of the
medical science. The Hon. Member then alluded to
some instances, where individuals who were highly de-
serving and meritorious had been suffered to live in
neglect, and were kept out of the Council, though they
possessed all the requLites that constituted a claim to a
place in it. He then went on to illustrate the bad effects
of keeping back members of the profession in this way.
He belonged to the profession himself, and, had had
many opportunities of witnessing them in the persons of
some very talented men in some of the greatest hospitals
in the world. lle looked upon the profession as the
noblest that the mind of man could be devoted to, and
therefore he did think the House was bound to
confer all the honours upon it that it deserved.
—(Heer, hear, and cheers.) Before he concluded
he wculd entreat, he would implore, the Right Hon.
Gentleman to retrace the steps he had taken on this.
subject. Never did he (Mr. Wakley) make an appeal
with more earnestness for its success than this one.—
(Hear, hear.) He would beg of the Right Hon. Gentle-
man not to listen to the prejudiced representations of
interested parties, but to act for the benefit of the public
at large, and enable himself to say that he thanked God
he had been instrumental in passing such a measure.—
(Hear, hear.) He had two resolutions before the House
and it was upon the second that he intended to take the
sense of the House.

The SPEAKER was then about to put the question,
when an Hon. Member moved that the House be counted,
when it appeared that there were not forty Members
present, and the House adjourned.

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.
(YESTERDAY.)

Group F.
The Committee re-asssembled at twelve o'clock this day,
the Right Hon. F. Shaw in the chair, and proceeded with the
inquiry into
THE LONDON, WORCESTER, AND SOUTH STAF-
FORDSHIRE RAILWAY.
Mr. Waddington, examined by Mr. HOPE—IS deputy
chairman of the Manchester and Birmingham Railway Com-
pany. Was of opinion that the change of gauge on the
Gloucester line caused great inconvenience in the tranship-
ment of goods. Great delay was occasioned by the change of
gauge. Could have no great objection to the broad gauge
being extended to Bristol, provided there were the narrow
gauge to return bv. The traders at Gloucester were strongly
opposed to the alteration of the gauge on the line.
Cross-examined by Mr. TALBOT—The extension of the
broad gauge to Bristol would be most inconvenient. It
would be effected with more safety and facilitv, provided
there were no narrow gauge to return by. The limed gauge
could not be brought back again, in consequence of the break
occasioned. With this exception, there could not be the
slightest objection to the broad gauge.
Re-examined by Mr. HOPE—Read the report of the Board
know the exact rate of speed
of Trade in reference to the rate of speed on the Great
Western Railway. Does not
en that line.
Mr. Haine, examined by Mr. HOPE—IS a carrier at Glou-
cester. Sends goods to and from Bristol and other parts. Had
great cause togcaoumgeploaninthoef
Gthisenieneecotenrvleinnie. eneeThoceetasraiodue front
dobuly
Gloucester by railway was rather insignificant.
ic
Baits examined—Superintends the business of
thei Bristolrl a
John ntog e
Gol f
o
Messrs. Hutton and Co., carriers, at Gloucester. The
change of gauge on the Gloucester line caused great
delay in the transit of goods. The change of the gauge caused
universal disgust to the traders on the line. The transit of
wool from Bristol was by water ; the railway had been tried,
but in consequence of the great irregularity, the preference
was given to the water carriage. Was not of opinion that the
change of gauge on the Bristol station would alter this
difficulty.

Cross-examined by Mr. TALBOT—Was of opinion that the
small trucks would answer better than the large. For the
through trade (long distances) the large would answer well,
but for local traffic the small trucks were decidedly superior.
Though so favourable to small trucks, could not carry out
his liking to a band-box. There was a great difference be-
tween a small railway truck and a band-box.—(Laughter.)
Mr. Joseph Chester, examined by Mr. HOPE—Lives at
Leicester. Is engaged in the wool and coal trade. Believed
the water-carriage for wool better adapted than the
railway under the present arrangement of the line. The
break of gauge on the Gloucester line was very inconvenient to
the traders on the line. The inconvenience arises from the
great and unavoidable delay occasioned by the break.
Mr. W. R. Lloyd, examined by Mr HOPE—IS a merchant
at Birmingham. Trades with Gloucester, Bristol, and Hull,
and other places. A meeting of the merchants of Birming-
ham was held on the 20th of December last. The meeting was
convened by themselves. It was a very important meeting,
and its object was to consider the propriety of having a con-
tinuous gauge from Birmingham to Bristol. , The first reso-
lution was moved by Mr. Muntz, M.P.
Cturnmax-,-Here comes the Hon. Member to answer fQr
himself.
lflluntz here made his way to the table amid much
laughter.hi
Examination continued,—The resolution was favourable
to a continuous gauge. The meeting was unanimous for an
unbroken gauge.
Cross-examined by Mr. TALBOT.—One gentleman named
Chance, who attended the meeting, wrote a letter by desire
' of the meeting to Mr. Laing of the Board of Trade, in favour
of a continuous gauge from Bristol to Birmingham. .
Mr. Chance spoke in favour of the broad; gauge, but the
meeting did not approve of it ; their immediate object was
a continuous gauge, and not as to whether it should be
broad or narrow. Was himself in favour of the narrow
gauge, though if the gauge were to be continuous the
inconvenience would be materially diminished.
Re-examined by Mr. HoPE.—Competition would be
very beneficial if it could be kept up where two
lines ran together. This would. however, be very
soon got rid of by the two Companies combin-
ing. Would prefer a Government regulation to any
other for the security of fair rates. There would be
more trouble in loading the trucks on the broad gauge than
on the narrow ; the loading would be far more inconvenient.
The small gauge would be generally more compact' and un-
objectionable.
wollulvdtghievCe trnaleirp..3r
he indl-,igence of
Mr. Mori~ said he would have to claim
lAefesr—enOcen
further general evidence,
ini an consequence of the witnesses
not Committee. He would,
ttohtehwe
smallhole, if
aughe had his choice, he
being under examination her
inthe tables of
ttraffic.
therefore, propose to pu
the Committee. At that moment he was unable to call any
who were briefly examined as to their general
The tables of traffic were then put in, and a few witnesses
called,were
accuracy.

The Committee then adjourned till twelve o'clock to•
marrow.

ROYAI; VICTORIA THEATRE,
TRIS EVENING

- .
Will be repeated a New and Original Nautical Drama, entitled
THE YELLOW ADMIRAL ; or, The Perils of the Battle and the
Breeze. Supported by the whole Company.
After which, an Original Laughable Farce, entitled WILFUL
MURDER. Mr. Cons,l, Mr. Ersser Jones; Pythagoras Sphoon,
Mr. J. Herbert ; Frank Featherly, Mr. T. H. Higgie • Rhoda, Mrs.
G. Lee ; Whiskers, Miss E. Terry. •
To coaclude with an entirely New and Original Drama, entitled
THE ,JLD TOLL ROUSE ; or, The Carrier and his Dog. In which
Messrs. Cony; Blanchard, and the Dog Hector will perform.

A DIFFERENT SUBJECT EACH SEASON !—GRAND OPENING
FETES.
Exhibition of the Colossal Pictorial Representation suggested
by IT. 11. H. PRINCE. ALBERT. Under the Patronage of her
most Gracioni MAJESTY, her Majesty the QUEEN DOWAGER,
H. R. H. PRINCE ALBERT, &c. &c.
ROYAL SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.
A magnificent modelled Representation of EDINBURGH, the
pride of Scotland mid of Scotchmen, and the immortal Scott's "din
Romantic Town," introducing the Old and
wTo'swn, the Nor'
Monument,
Loch, as it formerly existed, the Calton Hill e,Nelson
Arthur's Seat, Salisbury Crays, the Castle Sir'
Monu-
ment, the Royal Institution, Holyrood Palace, andalallterthS:omtto'sstMonu
inter-
esting features of " Auld Reekie."
The Proprietor had the honour of submitting the Model to his
it met with
Royal Iflghness Prince Albert, and he is delighted to sa
his most decide and perfect approSval, and from the I:ore
usual
care wind' has been observed in its execution, he points it out as as the
happiest production of Mr. Danson's pencil. The drawings were
made by Mr. Damon on the spot, and present a bird's-eye view of
the principal objects of the Old and New Town, the Firth of Forth, &c.i
The PROMENADE CONCERTS,. so decidedly popular at this
Establishment, will this season:be on an unusually effective scale. Mr.
GODV,REY has been occupied spice the close of last summer, in com-
posing and arranging a var4l, and pleasing succession of superior
Novelties, which will be ~prbdueed in rotation, including some Ori-
ginal Pieces by Foreign (Roses, not yet performed in this country.
At Dusk 'will take,.place the most extraordinary Exhibition of
FIREWORKS ever:Altterapted. The entire of the Gigantic Model
will be RluttilhatOd. The different devices In front of the houses, the
fires on the'„Calton 11111, Arthur's Seat, and the surrounding Moun-
tains, the iihitaination of Nelson's Monument, and all the rejoicings
which toot place on her Majesty's Visit will be accurately pour-
bayed. And, as a Finale, a grand Aquatic Royal and Patriotic
Tableau, Fifty Feet ill Height, will be exhibited in the centre of the
Lake ! The Portraits of her Majesty and Prince Albert, surmounted
by Fame, arid surrounded by emblems and other devices will be In-
troduced. The Tableau designed and executed by Mr. Denson.
Mr. Southby has been occupied for months in giving effect to this
matchless and superb design, which combined with the Faux D'Arti-
See, the Salute and Discharge of Rockets from the Castle and sur-
rounding heights, will form the most brilliant Pyrotechnic Display
ever witnessed.
Feeding of the Carnivore, at half-past Four ; Pelicans, &c., at
Csencert Six; and Pyrotechnic, Display at Nine,
Admission, One Shilling.