The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-22 00:00:00

ea would bear testimony to the ability and assiduity
with which his Noble Friend Lord Dalhousie had inves-
Ttzgated the questiene submitted to the C,mmittee under
his management.—(Hear.) The imperfection of the
made in which railway Bill; were investigated
an the House, where the subject was but
little understood, was admitted upon all bands. In l8:39, a
Committee was appointed, the result of which was the recom-
mendation to refer all railway Bills in the first instance to a
Committee of the Board of Trade. The members of the
Board of Trade were subjected to the strong suspicion that
they had encouraged gambling speculations, by communicating
information to certain parties who had speculated in railroads.
Now, he would take that opportunity of declaring explicitly
and solemnly, that no member of the Railway Board had either
directly or indirectly conveyed to any person interested in par-
ticular railway schemes any information of what the decisions
of the Board of Trade were likely to be, till after" he decisions
were publicly made known. The Honourable Gentle-
man referred to the change of value which had
'taken place in the London and York and Cambridge lines.
Why, that was the result of speculations on the Stock Ex-
sehange, totally uninfluenced by anything that transpired from
the Board of Trade. There were three competing lines, and
two of them had coalesced, not in consequence of any sugges-
tion from the Board of Trade, but (as he suppo.ed ) from the
consideration that it would be their interest. This having be-

liaised the reports two months before the meeting of Parliament.
Now, they said that it was not intended that the report ehould
have any effect upon the value of shares. Why, then, was it
published in the Gazette?—( Hear.) What other effect would
the publication have, but to raise some shares and depress
others? And the fact was so. It was known that shares
which had been at a discount rose to a premium, and others
which had been at a premium fell to a discount. If this depart-
ment of the Board of Trade was to exist, he thought the Go-
vernment ought to give it a Parliamentary and
Legislative character, and not the picked up one it at present
had. If the House was to place it under some legislative con-
troal, he had no objection to its existence.—( Hear. )
Colonel SIBTHORP believed that the Board that had been
constituted on the subject of railways, which he destested—
(Laughter)--was most unconstitutional, and led to more
gambling transactions than any institution that had ever been
introduced into the country.—( Hear, hear.) They were worse
than the gambling transactions that took place during the time
of the rage for lotteries.—(Cheers.) He was not sure whether
the people had not gone more mad on the subject of railroads
than they had with respect to 1 tteries.—( Hear, hear.) At
least it was enough for him to say that his experience, and that
was not small, justified him in asserting that on no sulsjeut had
he ever seen so much foolery displayed or so much money
squandered.—( Hear, hear.) He apprehended that the most
serious consequences would result f one these schemes, and
that they would ultimately tend to the injury of every good
proposition.—( Hear, hear, and laughter.) For himself, he
was glad to confess that he was free of railways—( Laughter)
—and he had always been of lotteries.—(Laughter.) He
meant to keep so. He thought that in most cases the
opinion of the Board of Trade with respect to railways had
been, if not most erroneous, at least defective—(Cheers. )
He believed that the gentlemen who formed the Committee on
railways in the Board of Trade were men of the highest in-
tegrity—( Hear, hear)—but if the Hon. Member who had
brought forward the resolution had made a motion impeae ing
the Government for appointing such a Board he would have
supported him.—(Hear, hear.) It might be con-
sidered selfish on his part, but he must confess
he should like to see every Member of that House
brought to the table, and asked upon his solemn oath whether
or not he was connected with railways ?—( Hea-, hear.) If
he thought railroads would benefit the public, no man would
be more forward thin himself to support them; but, believing
that they would have an opposite effect, ha would most deter-
minedly and strenuously oppose the motion.—( Hear. )
Mr. BERSAL considered that great gratitude was due to
the Hon. Member for Finsbury, in bringing forward the present
motion, as he thought that great benefit would result to the
public from it. Much had been said on the constitution of
the Committee on the Board of Trade on railroads—he would
not say much on that subject.—( Hear, hear, and laughter.)
How that experiment would turn out it was impossible for him
to say, but he would express a hope that it would be success-
ful, and that the railway projects it had approved of would be
carried out.—(Hear, hear.) But at the same time he ceu'd
mot but express a hope that the enormous speculations that
were now going on with respect to other lines would be put
an end to ; because it must be apparent to all that in the
speculations that were taking place, nobody contemplated as
they ought to de the ruin that was likely to ensue from such
speculations.—( Hear.) He did not augur so favourably of this
experiment as others thd. He wondered how the Board of
Trade were enabled to do even what they had done. The
Hon. Gentleman then proposed an amendment, that an humble
address be presented to Her Majesty, that she may be pleased
that all documents and statements relating to any railway Bill or
project be laid before this House, and that the proposals of every
such Bill should be presented to the House, and that the coun-
sel and agents connected therein should have leave to inspect
all such statements and documents.
Lord HOWICK agreed with his Pon Friend that they
would he greatly indebted to the Hon. Member for Finsbury for
bringing this motion before the House, as it was one of great
importance and ought to be well considered. He agreed with
the reasons which had been assigned by Hon. Gentlemen for
not pressing the original motion of the Hon. Member far Fins-
bnry, as he (Lord Howick) was of opinion that the Hon. Gen-
tleman had not correctly read the standing order which he
wished to have rescinded. He thought that the offer which
had been made by the Right Hon. Baronet opposite to lay
these documents before the House would be a most valuable
concession, and one which his Hon. Friend shouhl be perfectly
satisfied with. The Right Hon. Gentleman the late President
of the Board of Trade said, that it was premature to dismiss
tho manner in which the duties of the Board of Trade should
be performed. He ( Lord Howick) thought that the reports
of the Board of Trade were calculated to carry great weight
with them, and a great deal of injustice would be done by their
entertaining any prejudices again-t any party. And, in order
to do away with such injustice, they should care ully look to
the conduct of the Board. There was no blame to be attached
to any individual member of the Board. There was no doubt
that they had performed the duties entrusted to them ; and he
would go further, and say that they had shown considerable
diligence and ability in the performance of those duties. But,
notwithstanding that, he was bound to add that those ditties
had not been satisfactorily performed—not from their
fault, but because they had imposed on them duties
which it was physically impossible for them to perform.—
Now, without casting any blame on any individual officer, it
was proper for their own sakes that this question should be
brought distinctly before the House. He would take this op.
portunity of saying that the manner in which the reports wore
drawn up, and the result of their inquiries, were entirely un-
satisfactory. With regard to carrying on proceedings in the
Board of Trade, they were told that the Board of Trade had
received statements from the parties concerned, and that the
opposing parties had not had submitted to them the
statements of the opponents. They had no opportunity of
pointing out the errors fallen into by their opponents, or
their misstatements or misrepresentations. Interviews had
taken place, in which only one party was heard. Was this a
proceeding which was likely to succeed in eliciting the fasts of
the case? How was it possible that the Board of Trade, re-
ceiving statements them certain parties, not exposed to the
scrutiny and examination of those against whom they were
directed—how was it possible that they could correct the
errors and ascertain the misrepresentations contained in tho e
statements? And if they looked into those reports they would
find that there were direct and palpable blunders in point of
fact of serious importance. Ile would not go through many
instances of the kind. There was a petition en the table com-
plaining of the Board of Trade, with reference to their pro-
ceedings in connexion with the South-Eastern Railway. In
this petition there was a distinct allegation of material errors
fallen into by the Board of Trade ; and the parties were so
confident that they could prove those errors, that all they asked
was, that they should be allowed to have the matter referred
back to the Board of Trade. The Hon. Member for that part
of the country (the Member for Maidstone) made a motion to
that effect; but the Right Hon. Member the President of
the Board of Trade declined all discussion on that point. The
Board of Trade in that instance, in comparing two different
lines, stated that one line had considerably heavier earth-
work than the other, but it was capable of proof that that line
which was represented as being of heavier work was actually
much easier. It had also been stated in the petition that the
Board of Trade had recommended a certain line in consequence
of the cheapness of the fare, but at the same time forgot to
state in the report that another company had offered to
bring the fares still lower. These were facts
which it was essentially necessary to point out to the considera-
tion of the House for its guidance in the adoption of Railway
Bills. They had pointed out to them two circumstances
which should be particularly attended to. The first was—
when a lot g line of railway ran into one having a short
tr ,ffic, as such junctions produced fearful collisions, and was
attended with great danger, there was a recommendation
from the House that a statement of that fact should be
given by the Beard whenever it occurred. There was another
objection—railways passing a public road ; and it was a stand-
ing order that every case of that kind should be distinctly
pointed out to the House, as it was considered most essential
to the public safety. But, notwithstanding these recommenda-
tions, in the South-Eastern schemes, where there existed 25
crossing, of public roads, including in these crossings four in
the town of Deptford, none of these facts were ever
noticed or pointed out by the Board of Trade. He held in his hand
a railway communication from Scotland, in which it was begged
to direct the attention of the Committee to a level passing over
a road which might be considered one of the most public streets
of Glasgow. These were omissions of material facts, which
made the reports of the Board of Trade most unsatisfactory, and
most unfit to direct the judgment of the House. He could not
help observing, on coming to look at several of their
reports on railway Bills, that they were, as in the cases
just mentioned, perfectly inconsistent with each other. What
in one case they deemed a matter of the greatest importance,
in other cases they over passed without the slightest notice.
They very often decided right, but it generally happened that
every point which made against the railway which they recom-
mended, and in favour of that to which they objected, was en-
tirely kept in the back-ground, and on the other hand every thing
which could be urged in favour of the line, and against those
who objected to it—every such point was placed in the strongest
light in which it was possible for an able arrangement to put it.
These were the inconsistencies contained in the reports of the
Board of Trade, and they might be thus accounted for, for he
found in the minutes which were laid upon the table, that the
general nature of their decisions showed that they came
to those decisions long before they made their reports.
The usual course was to publish the announcements of the
proposed lines in the Gazette, and when the Board of Trade
had announced their dei ision, they went on to other cases,
and then drew up their report. and it did so happen that in
many such cases those in favour of the line carried it; and,
therefore, the Board of Trade were naturally induced, in the
absence of all opposition, to report in favour of that line, and
it followed that the Committee reported in the same
way. The Board of Trade must, in all instances, bear
in mind the statements they had received, and on these alone
should they make their reports. He was the more convinced
flit this was the fact because he found that in one of the
ceses reported on by the Board of Trade, that report was
founded upon a speech made by a shareholder at a meeting
entirely in favour of a certain line.—( Hear.) Therefore, he
would say, that he did think that the grounds he had stated
warranted him in coming to the conclusion that the reports of
the Board of Trade had been framed in the fallacious manner he
had endeavoured to describe. However, he was willing to admit
that the blame did not rest quite so much upon the Board of Trade
as had been imagined, for the officers of that Board had re-
peatedly stated, that it was physically impossible for them
to sift out from the vast mass of evidence before them, suffi-
cient facts to warrant them in coming to a satisfactory cenelu-
sion upon any particular case. On these grounds, then, he
would say, that it was wrong in some measure to make the
Board of Trade subservient to that House. He did not mean
to say that there were not faults to be found elsewhere, but be the
fault where it might, greater care should be observed in matters
where the public interests were deeply concerned and that the
views of the Board of Trade should not be hastily or rashly
token up by the House or the Committees of the House.
And he would also contend for it that the House should not
entrust the Beard of Trade te ith such an amount of power and
responsibility as they had hitherto exercised. The House
should have proceeded much more cautiously and guardedly
than they had (lone in such projects. It they intended to make
such changes as had been s ingested by his Hon. Friend, the
sooner they withheld a portion of the authority now vested in
the Board of Trade the better, for it was preposterous to sup-
pose that it ever could have been contemplated to invest the
amountthat
hadas that
hitherto whi chbet he y
Board of Trade with the power of the disposal of property of
th suche ac
ovuarastene db.
by
From
the
nopwurscunrii(ClY
Board of Trade, ithad would appear that the House
been framing rules and regulations to very little
purpose, because the Vice. President
of that Board had ae-
rnitted that they had gone much further in the exercise of
their functions than the Leel
should, but at the same time "thaati
e had ever intended they
state,' that the Board had found its, • Right HOD. Gentleman had
the line marked out by the Legislature.lpossible not to go beyond
reply that there was a limit of authority To this he would
House to ail Boards and Committees conceded by the
beyond which they should not go.
larpi:hoemtegidbye the House,
regulations then all he could say was that tlyris Hourhadd these
snaking rules to very little pureose. He ( Lord Hoewitk
been
) con-
ceived that the duty of a Committee on all subjects•
con-
nected with railway matters was to weigh well the
rea-
sons laid before them that would warrant them in reporting
in favour of the line ; and to report accordingly tot,
House. On these grounds then, he would say, that he
cordially concurred in the mo'ien of the Hon. Member for
Finsbury, and hoped that the House would concur in making
the necessary amendments in the present system.
Lord G. SOMERSET said he entirely concurred with the
Noble Lord opposite, in so far as the present business of the
House in ralway questions should not be transferred to any
other tribunals, but at the same time he should say, that
he ,sever consider the *Wow of the %Um Cvaugittees

come known on the Stock Exchange, it was naturally conjec-
tursd that such coalition would strengthen their claim before
Parliament and the Board of Trade, and this would account
tar the rise in the value of their shares. The Hon. Gentleman
hall gone at great length into the reason for the Board of Trade
living a preference to the Direct Northern Railway and the
Cambridge and Lincoln Railway over the London and York
Iteilway. The reports of the Board of Trade had not been
laid before the House with a view of binding the
House, but merely for the purpose of supplying neces-
rary information, and for the purpose of putting the
tio.use in possession of the opinion of the Board of Trade,
after an examination had been male by them into the schemes
upon which they offered their opinion. These reports were
net to prejudice the interests of private individuals, who would
have full and ample opportunity before the Committee of sup-
Toning their views, and of contesting the opinion given by
the Board of Trade. The decision upon the various schemes
was left entirely to the Committees of that House. The Com-
mittees of the House had dealt with reports that came before
them in such a way as they conceived they were called upon
by the evidence before them • but some allowance should be
made for the great number of Bills that were brought before
them every day, when Hon. Members intended to find fault
with those decisions. Under those circumstances, he did
think that, in furtherance of the views of that House,
he would not be unreasonable in asking the Hon. Member
to define the cases of which he had to complain.
He understood that a charge had been made against the Board
of Trade, of which he was a member, that the reports of the
Railway Department of that Board were not sent before the
Select Committees on the Bills. He (Sir G. Clerk) should
have thought that the Hon. Member for Finsbury, before
making these t harges, had well ascertained the reality on
which lie foun.ted his accusation. He would, with the per-
mission of the House, read to that Hon. Member the standing
order upon this subject, It would be found at page ?5, and
was to this effect, that every report made by the Board of
Trade should be referred to the Committee on the Bill, to
which it had reference. Under these circumstances, he trusted
that the House would give the experiment a fair trial before
they consented to any of the alterations or improvements sug-
gested by the Hon. Member. He trusted,. before the House
gave their opinion upon the question, that they would wait and
see what were the opinions of the Committee upon the sub-
ject. He opposed the motion of the Hon. Member for
Finsbury.
Mr. LABOUCHERE thought the mature of the standing
order had been somewhat misunderstood by his Hon. Friend
the Member for Finsbury, as well as by the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman who had just sat down. With regard to the reports of
the Board of Trade, he was not prepared to say whether they
ere really deserving of credit or not ; but of this there could
be no doubt—they would receive the strict scrutiny of a com-
mittee of that House, whose report would be laid on the table
before the end of the session, when they would be able to say
positively whether the reports of the Board of Trade were de-
serving the consideration of the House or not. On that around
be was not prepared to support the motion of his Hon. Friend.
At the same time, he did not regret that his
Honourable Friend had brought the question before
the House, for however ready he might be to admit the ta-
lent and abilities of Lord Dalhousie, an t the other members of
the Railway Department of the Board of Trade, there was no
doubt the Board had committed serious mistakes and errors.
In his opinion. a great error was committed in the constitu-
tion of the Railway Board. It was an anomaly in the constitu•
tion, and in his opinion it would have been much better if the
111 Awl of Trade had taken the authority and responsibility on
itself. He hoped, therefore, Government would give the sub-
j their best consideration, and see whether some alteration
could not be made in the present machinery of the Board of
Trade,. so far as it related to railway matters. It appeared to
him that the Railway Department bad, in some measure, mistaken
the objects for which they were appointed. What was the object?
It was this. They were told last year that railway legislation
had reached that point when it was necessary to establish a
tribunal to go into matters connected with railways, which
could not, by any possibility, or without incurring vast and un-
necessary expense, he brought before a Committee of the House
of Commons. Accordingly, powers were given to the Board
of Trade to establish a tribunal of this nature, but it was in-
tended that the Railway Department of the Board of Trade
should be instrumental in affording information to the Com.
mittees. and not that the Railway Department of the Board of
Trade should take upon itself to pronounce a peremptory de-
cision upon any scheme which might be laid before them. In-
stead, however, of this being the case, he could not help re-
marking that this fault run through all their reports, namely,
that they had adopted a peremptory and decisive tone. In
some instances the Board appeared to have entered into certain
arrangements with particular companies, for he found, in some
of their reports, that one consideration for their reporting in
favour of such and such a scheme was, that the company had
undertaken to charge low rates of fares. Now this was cer-
tainly an important principle, but the Railway Board had failed
to apply it to all railways alike. For instance, in the case of
the Great Western Railway, no considerations of this nature
appeared to have guided the Board in forming their conclu-
sions respecting the branches promoted by that company, not-
withstanding it already possessed a large and powerful mo•
nopoly, which in some respects militated against the wish of
the public. With regard to the motion before the House, he
certainly did think it would be most unwise and injudicious to
pass a standing order in one session and repeal it in the next.
Mr. GLADSTONE hoped the House would agree in the
construction put upon the motion by the Right Hon. Gentle-
man who had just resumed his seat, because they now stood in
this position—every one of these reports had been laid upon
the table of the House ; some of them had actually been re-
ferred to Committees, and others were about to be referred,
and it was impossible they could be of any value whatever in
guiding those Committees if they rescinded the standing order in
question. Generally speaking, he considered these reports
were valuable documents, in so fir as they opened the imme-
diate question which each Committee would have to discuss.
He therefore submitted whether, at the present moment, it
would not be exceedingly injudicious to make any arrangement
which should withhold these reports from the consideration of
the Committee. He regretted exceedingly that the standing
order in question was not passed through the House till 3o late
a period of the last session, but at the some time he must
protest against the assertions which some Hon. Members had
made, that the order was smuggled through the House. The
subject generally extended over the whole session, for he believed
the first motion made was for a Select Committee to inquire
into the best mr'e of railway legislation. That Com-
mittee was immediately afterwards appointed, and,
so soon as its labours we re brought to a
close, a Bill was framed and brought in, founded
upon the report. He entertained a very different opinion to
that of the Right Hon. Gentleman who last addressed the
House respecting the appointment of the railway department of
the Board of Trade. It was quite impossible for the Board
to have taken the duties and functions of the Railway Board
upon itself, because its duties and sphere of action was already
sufficiently extended without adding to it. Then, again, the
a-so:ointment of the Railway Department of the Board was
purely of an experimental character, and if errors had been
committed, they were errors of a remedial tendency, but, at all
events, without the assistance of such a Board, it would have
been quite impossible for Government to have got through the
vast mass of railway business which bad sprung up
within the last six months.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.")
He thcught that the Hon. Member for Finsbury was prejudg-
ing a question which wes not yet in a fit state for decision.-
4 Hear.) 'f he Hen. Gentleman said that they ought to have
hinited a certain company to a maximum of charges. But it
appeared to the Board of Trade, that the case in question was
not cue to which the principle of a maximum ought to be ap-
plied; nor, indeed, could the principle apply equally in all
cases. Every case should be considered on its own peculiar
circumstances; and in some cases it would be for the advantage
of the public to fix a maximum of charges, whereas in others
there could be no limitation without a risk of putting an end to
the works altogether. On the whole, he thought the House
ought not to prejudge the question as to the efficiency of the
railway department of the Board of Trade. It had been ad-
mitted that their reports were drawn up with great ability, and
although he did not agree with them in all their de-
tails, he thought it would be unwise to interrupt
their progress, after all the inconveniences had been gone
thought, and the House was about to reap the advantages.—
( Hear.) He thought that nothing would be more unwise than
'at this moment of time to attack the reports as a whole, in con-
sequence of alleged errors in respect to a particular line ; and
it was admitted that any errors which had been committed
were errort, of judgment, no malversation being alleged. He
thought that any allusion to the reports on particular lines—
such for instance as the London and York—ought to be
avoided at the present time, when the reports were going into
very stringent examination in the Committees, where they
would be subject to the hostile scrutiny of wealthy parties.—
( Hear.) There could be no doubt that when the reports
were against the justice of the case they would be rejected. He
thought that it would be dangerous to go into the subject at
this moment—and he world not express a wish that the House
would rejsct the motion, but that the Hon. Gentleman would
withdraw it.—(Hear, hear. )
Mr. GISBOHNE could not aeree with the defence set up
by the Right Hon Gentleman who last spoke, for the conduct
of the Railway Committee of the Board of Trade. The re»
ports of that department were the lastpatch our patchwork
of railway legislation. The Roar I f Trade had volunteered to
do that patchwork. In the evidence before the Committee of
last session all the wit the Board of Trade stated
that they alone could do this bull': andwo would engross
beieved the con-
sequence would be that the Boar"gbelieuvlddengross the whole
power of railway legislation. He
judgmentse ofwCouolmdmfoilltotewesthoef
would have great influence on thethat the reports
the House, and that in all doubtful eases they
advice of the Board of Trade. But was the manner
n'
the Word detpatched the business sufficient to aennatT.Tle theta which
wra to
that eo- fidecce a—(The lion. Member then quoted from a re.
cently-pubii-hed pamphlet a statement to the effect (rat the
Railway Committee of the Board having 2,500 Bills before
them in s eptember, made up their judgment upon inspection of
plans and examination of surveyors statements, and then pub-
lished the official report in November.) The ingenuity of man
could scarcely devise a more certain means of error.—( A
laugh.) They did not hesitate to decide against the general pt in-
ciple of competing lines.—( No, no,) But the fact was that
the public were already deriving the advantage from the fear of
competition—in reduced fares and improved accommodation—
so much, that we heard very little now of the complaints which
were so general a year ago. He could not approve either of their
decision respecting the ompelsion of parties to complete their
line;, whette w they could or not.—( Hear, hear.) There was
one line, now in existence ten yeas, which had been able to
advance no farther than thirty miles from want of public sup-
port. According' to the Board of Trade, that company should
be compelled to go on, though they might sell to a richer com-
pany able to carry on the works. If they offered the line fir
sale they would be in the condition of the negro pig- dealer.—
( A laugh.) The negro offered his pig for sale to a white,
who would not have it because it was a little one.—(A laugh.)
" Yee, masts," says the negro, " him be little, but him (1--
Laughter. ) He thought the statement of t e Railway
Committee on another matter was quite as funny.—( A laugh.)
They stated that of two lines to Harwich, which they called
A and B, they preferred A ; but as there was a Peer in con-
' lir- ley sent to the Admiralty, and the Ad-
lid not say whether by a porter, or
wred line B. The Board of Trade
laying seen how the Board did
to pains they took to arrive at a righ.
' to tie ;ilt 'top. Ike {lob

M A YNO.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD
saidOT that he had given notice
that, at some future stage of the Maynooth Bill, he would
move a resolution against all State grants for Ecclesiastical
purposes ; but he found that he could not do so at any stage f
the Bill until it was reported by the Committee, when
would do so.

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, APRIL 22, 1845.

or of the Board of Trade, as binding upon
that House. He (Lord G. Somerset) was willing to admit that
he had been in error in reference to some technical paints,
and, therefore, he would wish to know whether it was the in-
tention of the Hon. Member for Fin-bury to press his motion.
He (Lord G. Somerset) understood that the Hon. Member
intended to withdraw it : if not, he ( Lord G. Somerset)
should certainly say he had a great objection to it.
Mr. H AWES sad he had read one of the reports of the
Board of Trade with considerable care---(ie alluded to the report
on the S •uth- Eastern schemes. A more inaccurate and more
careless document had never issued from any public body ; and
yet they had been told that these documents were intended to guide
the decisions of the 110115 e. Why such documents would only
mislead the House. The Board of Trade had assumed the
position of advocates and partisans. What was contained in
the circular letter that had been issued to the Parliamentary
agents? There was one part of that circular which the Right
Hon. Gentleman opposite hail entirely omitted to notice. The
passage to which he (Mr. Hawes) referred was as follows—"I
am directed by the L•rds of the Committee of the Privy Coun-
cil for Trade to call your attention to the course of
proceeding with regard to railway Bills intrusted to your
care, which will become necessary in order to give effect
to the supervision of the Board of Trade over such Bills
during their progress through Parliament." Why was
it intended that the Board of Trade should have
the supervision of railway Bills, when they were before Par-
liament? He would be glad to have this matter examined into.
By the existing arrangement of the Board of Trade, parties
who wished to submit information to the Board, pending an
inquiry, were prevented doing so. It was quite clear that
such a tribunal as that, acting, as it necessarily must, with
great precipitation, could never give satisfaction. It might
he said to those who objected to the Board of Trade, " What
other course would you propose ?" He did not think it was
necessary to answer that question. He thought that there was
great objection to the transfer of the business of that House to
a Government Department or Board. Another objection which
he had to the Board of Trade was, that they did not make any
reference to the locomotive system on railways, as compared
with the atmospheric system, as in the case of the Newcastle
and Berwick railway. Altogether, he thought the functions of
the Board of Trede were most objectionable.
Mr. BECKETT DENISON said he had been averse to
taking any part in this discussion, simply because the London
and York Railway, in which he took considerable interest, had
been reported against. He would, therefore, reserve much of
what he had to say until after the Committee on the Bill had
completed its labours. He bad the most perfect confidence that
the Committee would do justice to all parties, and if that
Committee should come to the same conclusion as the Board of
Trade he would be one of the first to bow to that decision. His
Hon. Friend the Member for Finsbury hod .nade a pointed
allusion to a conversatii.n which his Hon. Friend the Member
for Finsbury had had with him (Mr. Dennison). He cer-
tainly had said that he was in a condition to prove that four
days before the Gazette came out respecting the London and
York Railway, it was very generally circulated in the City,
and letters went into the country conveying the intelligence
that the London and York Railway would be reported against,
that the Cambridge and Lincoln would be reported of favour-
ably, and t at the Direct Northern would also partially
be reported in favour of. When this was mentioned to him
he said the latter part of the story was a most
extraordinary one ; that the Direct Northern, which professed
to be seven miles shorter than the London and York line, should
be cut off at Lincoln. Why did that company make such an
arrangement if they had not previously known what was to be
the decision of the Board of Trade? It was quite clear that
they had some foreknowleige of the fact. He was quite ready
to prove what he had stated to his Hon. Friend. He was
ready to produce persons at that bar who would state that they
were in possession of this knowledge on the Saturday preceding
the Gazette which announced the decision of the Board.
He could easily understand this, because by going to the
Board of Trade, and putting questions, the answers
to them might give a hint as to the coming decision.
He had been in communication repeatedly with the officers of
the B iard of Trade, and he could safely state that he never
went further than to lodge a statement with them, and he,
considered it to be his duty never to ask a single question re-
specting either the London and York Railway, or any other
railway which the Board might have under their considera-
I He was upon the Railway Committee that sat last year,
and which recommended that Railway Bills should be sent to
the Board of Trail'. His Right Hon. Friend the President o;
the Board of Trade had stated meet accurately that
it never was the intention of that Committee that
the Board of Trade should rule the decision of that House.
He believed, however, that the Board of Trade had far ex-
ceeded the duty which had been intrusted to them. He could
prove that the report respecting the London and York Railway
was inconsistent with itself, as there were contradictions in
various parts of it. He therefore said that it would have been
much better if the Bor.rd had confined itself to considering the
written statements which had been sent in to them by the pro-
moters of the different lines. He believed that conversations
had been held with the Board of Trade, by which a
knowledge could be obtained respecting the decision that
was about to be made. He thought that the Gazette, which
contained the decisions of the Board of Trade, for or against
a railway, ought to be accompanied simultaneously with the
report of the reasons for their decision. After the report ap •
peered in the Gazette, it was customary for parties who had
been reported against to make representations to the Board, to
induce them to make some alteration in their reasons for
coming to the decision which had been announced in the
Gazette. Ile said that it was not fair or just. The report of
the Boat d had in many instances been compiled from state-
men's which had been submitted by the favoured or success-
ful parties. He had been in conversation with a gentleman
with respect to one of tl.ose reports, and upon his doubting its
a...curacy the gentleman replied, " Oh, de not doubt it, for I
drew it up myself."—( Laughter.) The Board of Trade there-
fore were c ,mpelled to become the advocates for or
against a railway. Now with respect to the fu-
tore proceei'le gs of this Bill he should take the
liberty of suggesting a mode by which a great deal of dissatis-
faction which existed with respect to the Board of Trade, might
in future be prevented. He thought the Board of Trade might
perform the duty of the Classification Committee, and refer in
groups, to the Committees of that House, the various railways
that came before them. He believed that if their functions
were confined to this they would give satisfaction, but this not
being the case, his cenvieron was that the reports, as they were
at present drawn up, would, in many instances, puiale the
Members sitting on a Committee, and render them no assist-
ance whatever.
Sir G. STRICKLAND said he believed that the Committees
of that House, to whom the management of Railway Bills was
referred, had done their best to lay down rules by which an in-
justice might net be done immediately. He was sorry, how-
ever, to think thst both landed
.proprietors and speculators in
railways had received great injustiee by means of the legi--
lation of that House. The effect of the reports of the Board
of Trade, instead of lessening that ii.justice, had greatly aggra-
vated it; and he trusted the House would, before they seea-
rated, rc-con-ider their rules and regulations, with a view
to their revision. The Board of Trade had lost sight
of the public interest in their decisions.—( Hear, hear. )
The Railway Board had favoured small schemes, which cut up
the country without showing any regard for the interests of the
landed proprietors, and which would never pay any profits.
He would support the amendment of his Hon. Friend below
him, and he hoped that after this session the reports of the.
Board of Trade would be entirely put an end to, or that it
would be differently constituted.
Mr. G. BANKES said that he had come to the conclusion
respecting the Bonet of Trade which the Hon. Gentleman who
hat just sat down had come to. The reports of the Board of
Trade had favoured the large companies who possessed so much
influence, and those persons who felt themselves injured by
their proceedings could not obtain attention to their com-
plaints. He thought the Board of Trade had greatly
exceeded the powers which it was the intention
of Parliament to give them. He lately saw a re-
port of the Great Western Company, in which they stated
that the Board of Trade sanctioned art agreement between their
company and another company ; but he bad never thought that
that Holies had constituted that Board a board of reference. ft
was evident that they were assuming to themselves a regular
and permanent authority. He begged leave to call the atten-
tion of the House to one case of considerable hardship which
had been already brought forward in another place. It was
the case of a lady of rank and fortune, but, unfortunately fcr
her, she was opposed to a powerful company, who had said
that they could command 100 votes in that House. She re-
monstrated against a railroad passing, within 100 yards of her
maroion,• and expressed her dislike at it S but the day after the
agent or'surveyor of the company called on one of her tenants,
and on his declaring that he would be guided by this lady,
this agent or surveyer induced him to sign a paper, giving
his consent, on the representation that this lady had assented
to the railway, which was contrary to the fact.—( Hear, bear.)
Now, he believed there were many cases of that kind. And
in the instance he had mentioned, when a remonstrance was
made, she was told that she must get used to railways as
other persons.—(" Hear," f.om Colonel Sibthorp.) In the
case of another person who had to deal with this very company,
when he found no other means to avail him, he took up the
surveyor under the Wilful Trespass Act, and had him fined 51.
—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") He thought that the Board
of Trade had too much power, and he should vote for the
amendment.
Mr. COLQUHOUN said that it was rather surprising that
not a single Member had risen during that debate to bear
his testimony in favour of the Board of Trails, except,
indeed, the Vice-President of that department—( Hear
who, however, only ask of them to suspend their judgment till
after the reports. He thought that there ought to be either a
preliminary inquiry into the subject, fur he had doubts whether
the Board of Trade was not unwisely constituted. He thought
it gave an impulse to dangerous and imprudent speculations
and to call on the House to say they were sati,fied with the
RailwarDepartment of the Board'of Trade as at present consti-
tuted was unreasonable. He would vote for the amendment
which had been proposed.
Mr. 'l'. DUNCOMBE replied. He would withdraw his
own motion in favour cif the amendment of his Hon. Friend
the Member for Weymouth, which was ane of the resolutions
he intended to propose himself to-morrow. He should like to
get an answer from the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite (Sir
G. Clerk) to the question which had been already put tohim—
namely, what was meant by the power of supervision given to
the Board of Trade over the reports of Committees or that House?
What right haul the railway department of the Board of Trade
to send for documents to Parliamentary agents, relating to
particular lines? When they had laid their report on the
table of that House their functions had ceased, and they had
no right to further interference—they had no right he repeated
to interfere with Committees of that House in any manner
any such interference or supervision was an imp ertinent
assumption of authority, which the Legislature never
intended they should possess. Throughout the discussion
not one Member had attempted to defend the course pursued
by the Board of Trade. On the contrary, it clearly appeared
that these reports were of no more value than the paper on
which they were written. The Right Hon. Gentleman the
President of the Board of Trade ( Sir G. Clerk) had attempted
to defend them, and he could say very little for them. Great
alarm and jealousy had been excited in the public mind by these
reports, the worthlessness of which was now fully ascertained.
The business of the house had been thrown back a full month by
waiting for these reports. He felt obliged to the Hon.
Member for Weymouth for his amendment, which he would
adopt, and withdraw the original resolutiou.
Sir GEORGE CLERK said that, with respect to the super-
vision, it was recommended by the Committee of the House,
in which that department of the Board of Trade had origi-
nated. One duty of supervision was to consider the various
schemes presented; the other to point out to the House the
introduction of any new clauses which might affect the public
interest. Ihe communication of the Board of Trade with the
Parliamentary agent was necessary to prevent clauses of an
extraordinary na ure being introduced into the Bills.
Mr. DUNCOM BE wished to know what right the Board
of Trade had to give such directions to Parliamentary agents?
( Hear, hear.) If orders had to be communicated they ought
to issue from that House, and not from the Board of Trade—
( Hear, hear ) In point of fact, they had no right whatever
to issue such orders—( Hear, hear.)
The original resolution was then withdrawn, and the amend-
ment put, and carried without a division.
Eastern
rnWcAoßunDtiepsresiianitlescdaytw, oaipaietiatnioonths,eronae in
gai.nsftavtohuerEoasftethrne
Union Railway.

Mr. LAW gave notice that, in Conirnittee on the Maynooth
Bill, when the question was put as to whether the approprii-
lion should be made out of the Consolidated Fond, he would
move that the sevoral sums payable for that purpose should not
be paid by the Commissioners of the Treasury out of the
Consfilideed Fund.—( Hear, hear.)
FIELD GARDENS BILL.—THE GAME LAWS.
Mr. BRIGHT said that when the Field Gardens Bill was
in Committee he would move a clause empowering the holders
of allotments to snare and destroy game.—(Laughter.)
Lord GRANIFILLE SOMERSET, in answer to a question
from Mr. Morris, said he would, on Thursday next, move a
resolution respecting the Railway Act, which would quite meet

his views.
MAYNOOTH ENDOWMENT BILL.
On the motion that the order of the day for going into Corns
mittee on this Bill being read,
Sir ROBERT INGLIS rose and said—l trust I shall be
excused for calling the attention of the House to one or two
observations—(Cries of " Petitions")—l am quite in order—tte
question is that the order of the day be now read. I trust I may
be excused for calling the attention of the House to the clock.—
( Laughter. ) I ask, whether it would be right or decorous
to commence so important a measure at the present hour.—
( Hear, hear.) The question at issue is whether the consoli-
dated fund is to ba charged in perpetuity with a considerable
amount for maintaining the College of Maynooth.—(Hear,
hear.) I certainly will resist the discussion being gone into
at the present hour, but hope I shall not be put to the neces-
sity of dividing the House, and that her Majesty's Ministers
will see the justice of what I propose.—( Cries of " Go on.")
It is now a quarter past ten o'clock, and is it, I ask again, a
proper time to go on with a Bill of so much magni-
tude, and upon which the House and the country feel
so deeply interested? He hoped the Ministry would
not, trusting to a mere numerical majority, object to the post-
poneepent.—( Hear, hear.)
Sir R. PEEL rose amid loud cries of "Go on." I sin-
cerely regret that my Hon. Friend makes any objection to our
proceeding with this stage of the Bill to-night.—( He ar, hear. )
I did not expect that,:beginning the discussion at so late an
hour, the House would come to any decision to-night. I cer-
tainly understood from the Hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr.
Ward ), that he would not bring forward the motion after ten
o'clock.—( Hear, hear.) I will net give my Hon. Friend the
Member for the University of Oxford ( Sir R. Inglis) any ad-
vantage over me, by saying that I hurried or attempted to press
forward this measure. At the same time I repeat that con-
cerning the measure now introduced, and which has received
the sanction of the House in so decided a manner, I consider
it to be one of vital importance, and that. n.ehing shall he
wanting on my part to bring it to a successful issue.—(Cheers.)
It was a question of great importance to the public, and he
would throw no obstacle in the way of its speedy settlement.
He would, however, in the fufilment of a pledge given by h m
to a Scottish deputation, proceed upon Friday to state the
measure which the Government intended to introduce with
respect to banking in Scotland. He now regretted having
given that pledge, but he trusted that the House would agree
in reserving any discussion upon it until a later period. This
question might be taken on Wednesday, but Government, at
the same time, had not the power of compelling Gentlemen
who had notices on the paper to postpone them for another
day. It they were, however, willing to waive their right to
precedence, he should be perfectly ready to allow the subject
to be at once brought forward, but it they were unwilling to
yield that right, he would bring it forward immediately after
the statement on Friday. He was most anxious, feeling the
great importance of the measure, to bring it to a speedy
conclusion.
Mr. HINDLEY thought the Hon. Member for Sheffield
would be injuring his own cause if he gave way on this
occasion. Those who opposed the Government on that ques-
tion had been charged with bigotry. He (Mr. Hindley)
thought they bad an equal right to charge the other aide with
robbery. —( Hear, hear, cheers, and laughter.) He was
obliged to support his own chapel and to endow his own odlege
—( Hear, hear)—and he asked what right the Government
had to put their hands into the pockets of the Dissenters of this
country. He did not wish to speak ciisrespectfully of his Roman
Catholic fellow-subjects, and at all times, in that House, lie had
promoted with his influence, and by his vote, the cause of the
Irish people--the cause of the Roman Catholics. He meant
their civil rights, but he thought it extremely uncivil—
(Laugh'er)—when they wished in return to put their hands
into his pocket.
Sir R. PEEL hoped that no discussion would be raised upon
a question not bsfoee the House.
Lord HOWICK expressed his sorrow that the question
would not then he taken.—( Hear, hear.) He would suggest
one thing to the Right Hon. Baronet. The Right Hon.
Baronet hail informal the House that he meant to begin and
end upon Friday his exposition of the Scotch banking measure.
He ( Lord Howiek ) could not help suggesting to the Right
Hon. Ba:onet that the gentlemen of Seotlind would be willing
to relieve him .of any necessity for bringing the measure for-
ward—( Hear, hear)—and if he postponed it till another ses-
sion, it would not disagreeably disappoint them.—( Hear, bear. )
He could not help thinking that the measure might, with great
benefit, be considered next session, after the House had had a
little experience of the acting of the Right Hon. Baronet's
measure in England. Such a course would, he was convinced,
facilitate the passing of the measures with respect to Scotland
and Ireland. They all knew that when Gentlemen in that
House began to speak of paler-money, it was very difficult to
limit the discussion—(Laughter)—and looking at the subject
of Maynooth, and other questiocs which it was absolutely ne-
cess:ry to have disposed of in the present session, he would
urge on the Right Hon. Baronet the adoption of his suggestion.
Mr. HUME joined with the Noble Lord Sin recommending
to the Right Hon. Baronet a postponement of his Scotch
banking measure till another session. The Right Hon.
Baronet should allow well to remain well. If he took till next
year to introduce his measure, he would be better able to judge
how far he might go on this question. The Scotch Members
and the commercial men of Scotland were opposed to his
system of currency, and it might save trouble if the Right
Hon. Baronet would allow his banking measure to stand over.
Sir R. PEEL hoped that Hon. Members would give no
opinion on this measure of Government until they knew what
it really was. The measure was intended not to apply to
Scotland alone, but to Ireland also. It would be advantageous
to give Government an opportunity of stating the details of the
intended measure.
Mr. WARD said that he had stated to the Right Hon.
Baronet that he was willing to bring forward his motion at
any reasonable hour, but he thought half after ten too late to
enter upon the discussion, and would, therefore, rather post-
pone it till Wedesday as suggested by the Right Hon. Baronet.
Mr. COWPER thought the question one on which it was
advisable to have the opinion of the House as soon as possible,
had a precedence.
notice
Mr. and he should be very happy to give way with his motion upon
fer that day on the subject
of arrestment of wages in Scotland. If there were no epp'-
Wednesday.
Lord ASHLEY had a motion on the paper relative to calico
print-works, but he also would be glad to give way, and allow
thefilaDynuooNthc question nt
tion he would press the second reading, but, if it were oppose
he should give way to the Hon. Member for Sheffield. -
The LORD ADA ()CATE said that he should feel it his
duty to oppc,so the measure of the Hon. Member for Finsbury.
Mr. WATSON expressed his willingness to postpone 'a
motion of his on the paper for that day.
The Committee of Supply on the Maynooth grant was then
postponed till Wednesday.
Mr. WARD presented petitions praying that the sums of
money for defraying the Government grant to Maynooth be
taken out of the revenues of the Irish Church, instead of out of
the consolidated fund of the country.
Sir R. PEEL presented a petition from Belfast, signed by
the most influential inhabitants of that town, mag'strates,
bankers, and merchants in favour of the grant to Maynooth.
Also similar petitions from Antrim, Hartlepool, and Dublin.
Sir R. Inglis, Mr. Hume, Mr. Law, Mr. Bankes, Mr.
Dundas, and other Hon. Members, presented petitions against
the grant.
Mr. B. ESCOTT presented a petition from Bridgwater in
favour of the Government measure. The petitioners believed
that the measure was calculated to promote the peace and
happiness of Ireland.
CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved the
third reading of the Customs Duties Bill, and said,
that as
the principle of the Bill had been already agreed to, he hoped
there would be no dispute about the Bill.
Mr. HUTT said that he had received many representations
from merchants in Australia respecting the duties uirsn
and hit had testate- that they deeply regretted, that suffieient
difference was not made between home' and colonial and foreign'
wool
Mi. HUME wished to know on what principle the Govern-
ment allowed the present remission of duty on sugar and denied
it upon staves.
PEEL said that the Government made no
Sir ROBERT
difference between small interests and great, as the Hon. Mem-
Iser for Montrose had supposed ; but it should be recollected
that the duty on sugar was an annual grant, while the remission
of the duty on staves was intended to be-a permanent mea-
sure.
Mr. KEMBLE, in presenting petitions for the remission
of the duty. on.ataves at present in the Queen's bond ware.
houses, stated that the dealers in that article were not anxious
to relieve themselves from the claim which the Government had
hitherto made upon them, but they thought that in the re-
mission of the duties on sugar there was a certain rule
laid down, and that the same reasons which had induced the
remission on sugar would apply to them. The petition parti-
cularly expressed a peculiar principle which the wholesale
dealers conceived affected their interests. It was this :—They
were always obiiged to keep a much larger stock on hand than
any other dealers, and as the loss to the revenue was incon-
siderable to the Government, he trusted their case would be
taken into consideration.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that
the House would recollect, that when he had introduced the
measure respecting the Sugar Duties, he had stated that he
anticipated many persons, in different lines of business, would
make similar claims to this.
Mr. H AWES said that he should not have said a word on
the subject, but that he thought it was due to the sugar dealers
to say that the lowness of the duty upon staves in no way
affected their position, and he thought that the objection was
entirely met by the clause in the Bill.
Mr. HUME said it had been the custom to remit all duties
upon goods when any large measure was passed. He thought
the customs' duties a large measure, and he trusted the Govern-
ment would not forsake their character in such a measure as
this.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it had
been the custom never to demand the increase of duty when
the duty had been raised, and that it was therefore unreason-
able to expect that the duties should be remitted on the stocks
in hand whoa it had been reduced.
Mr. HUME denied this statement, anti said that, for forty
years, it had been the custom to imposXe these duties.denied the
The CHANCELLOR of the ECHEQUER
assertion, in which he was supported by Sir Robert Peel.
ittr. GLADSTONE conceived that the Hon. Member for
Montrose bad entirely misconceived the question, and that
there was no analogy between the present topic and that to
which he referred. In the case of former years, the parties
who had obtained a remission of the duties, were individuals
who had been led to suppose that the duty would be continued.
They had con,equently accumulated stocks in bond, upon which
the duties were chargeable, and which impost the Legislature
had remitted when those duties were removed.
After a few words from Mr. HAWES and Mr. HUTT,
Sir ROBERT PEEL remarked, that if the importers of
foreign commodities would not accept the increased trade
which would result from the re moral of duties on particular
articles, as a compensation for any slight loss they might sus-
tain from having goods in bond, there would be great in-
jus, ice done to the public revenue. He hoped, therefore,
Pvliament would always have a right to deal with customs
duties without being shackled with the claims of
parties who held goods in bond. True, in the case
of sugar, they allowed a drawback, but the House
must remember that the duties en that commodity were regu.
hated annually, and parties who held quantities of that article
in bind at the time of the change were entitled to the draw-
back, because the Government proposal took them by sur-
prise, inasmuch as it was submitted to Parliament some time
before the annual duties had expired. Now, the duty on
staves had been permanent, and the same right to a drawback
did not, therefore, apply to them as it did to sugar.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER brought up
the following clause :—" And whereas it is expedient that cor-
rect accounts may continue to be taken of the value of the im-
ports of certain goods upon which duty has hitherto been
charged according to the value thereof, but
be uponit which goods
the duties have been repealed by this Act; f en-
acted, that, upon she entry inwards of any sueh goods, the
,sense tenor hgl be ;Weil the wry, ad shall be draid

by the declaration of the importer or.his known agent, written
upon the entry, and attes'ed by his signature ; and, if iddh dee
claration be false, the person mining the same shall forfeit the
sum of 2 1. ; and it shall be lawful fe• the landing waiter, or
other officer appointed to examine such goods, to call for the
invoice, tells of parcels, and such other documents relating
thereto, as may be deemed necessary for ascertaining the true
value of the same ;" which was read a first and second time,
and then committed.
The House having resumed, the report was brought up and
received.
The clause was added to the Bill by way of rider.
The Bill was then read a third time and passed.
MEDICAL REFORM.
On the reading of the order of the day for the second read •
ing of the Physic and Surgery Bill,
Sir J. GRAHAM said that he had informed the Noble Lord
the Member for London that he had alterations to propose in
this Bill, and also in the Colleges of Physician= and Surgeons
Bill, of which he would give the Noble Lord notice. He was
not yet in a condition to propose those alterations to-night, but
as he was desirous to lose as little time as possible in carrying
the Bill through, he hoped the House would allow the
Bill to be read a second time on Friday, even at a
late hour. He would then fix a day, certainly before
Whitsuntide, for taking the Committee pro forma,
when he would state the alterations which he should propose.
The Bill as altered would then be printed ; and at least a fbrt-
night would be allowed for the profession to eonsider the
measures as altered, before the details were considered in
Committee.
Mr. WAKLEY did not offer any objection to the present
arrangement, as it was the promise of the Hon. Baronet to
have the amended Bills printed, and to give the profession
and the House a fortnight to eomider the amendments.
After a few words from Mr. HUME,
Colonel WOOD said the Hon. Gentlemen the Member for
Finsbury ( Mr. Wakley )had a motion on the paper for to-morrow
night, respecting the constitution of the College of Surgeons,
and he hoped he would postpone it. He should regret any
measure that would estrange the great body of medical prac-
titioners from the College of Surgeons.
Mr. WAKLEY said he should postpone his motion.
Sir J. GRAHAM said the Hon. Gentleman had done right
in postponing his motion, beause existing circumstances ren-
dered such a course necessary.
Mr. ACLAND s.id, if medical men would do their dory
they would not be aggrieved by the acts of any persons over
whom they had no control. He thought the College of Sur-
geons had done their duty, and ought not to be aggrieved by
violent and intemperate language such as the Hon. Member
for Finsbury had used towards that body. He hoped, when he
brought forward his motion, he would be able to prove some-
thing more substantial than the words he had uttered conveyed.
Mr. HUME thought it unfair that his Hon. Friend should
be charged with using intemperate language. If abuses existed
in the constitution of the College they could not be remedied
without inquiry.--( Hear, hear.) They wanted to arrive at the
truth, and the be,t way was to deal fairly with the subject.
Many persons were in the habit of charging others with using
intemperate language with regard to matters of which they
were ignorant.—( Hear, hear.) If, on inquiry. the College of
Surgeons were found to have conducted their affairs in a proper
manner, he should be the first to praise them for it.
The House then went into Committee, and the Bill was read
a second time.
Dr. BOWRING moved that Mr. Richard Yorke be sub-
stituted for Mr. P. M. Stewart on the Committee of Colonial
Accounts.
The motion was carried, and the House adjourned at Twelve.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
TATTERSALL'S.—YESTe RDAY.
Although the room was kept open yesterday for nearly
half an hour beyond the usual time of closing, we may, with-
out hesitation, return it as one of the dullest afternoons ever
known within five weeks of the Derby. We cannot say
that there was a scarcity of hackers, but so inconceivably
shy were the layers that not one quarter of the commissions
were executed. The bets laid on the Somersetshire Stakes
were small amounts, and are scarcely worthy of a quota-
tion; nor did anything new arise out of the few engagements
made on the Two Thousand Guineas Stakes; at the close
the field had a decided call. The Chester Cup betting was
confined to a moiety of the horses that have so long been
included in the auotations, and of the few mentioned only
Olndurity, Ould Ireland, and Ratan, were in force; 9 to 1
was taken freely, and at the close 8 to 1 in hundreds about
the first of this lot, and 9 to 1 and 10 to 1 about the Irish
nag. Ratan opened at 35 to 1, had several friends, and left
off at 25 to 1, taken. The highest offer against Cataract
was 5 to 1.
THE DERBY.—Ides, Alarm; Newsmonger, and Cleat-the-
Way, as before, and very little doing, except on the last
mentioned horse, against which 20 to 1 was laid two or three
times in fifties. An immense number of inquiries after Wea-
therbit, but not an offer above 12 to 1. Eager takers of the
olds quoted against Pam and Kedger, and several scores
and ponies laid out on Old England at 30, 28, and 25 to 1.
THE OAKS.—The decline of Lancashire Witch is accounted
for by a report. that she has broken down ; the other mares
mentioned below were backed with some spirit.
CLOSING PRICES.
sOMERSETSIIIRE STAKES.
4 to 1 agst Mr. Wreford's Worthless—taken
6 to 1 agst Mr. Osbaldestane's Sister to Devil-among-
the-Tailors
6 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's St. Lawrence—taken
. 7to 1 agst Mr. A. W. Hill's Sweetmeat—taken
8 to 1 agst Lord G.Bentinck's Pug—taken
• TWO TIIOUSAND GUINEAS STAKES.
Even between Idas and the field.
7 to 4 agst John Day's lot—taken
5 to 1 apt Colonel Anson's Kedger—taken
5 to 1 agst Mr. Wreford's Worthless
THE CIIESTER CUP.
5 to 1 agst Mr. W. Scott's Cataract—taken
8 to 1 agst Mr. A Johnstone's Obscurity
9 to 1 agst Mr. Irwin's Oald Ireland—taken
10 to 1 agst Mr. Jaques's Semiseria—(No backers)
17 to 1 agat Mr. W. 1-1. Johnstone's Era—(No backers:
20 to 1 agst Mr. Isaac Day's Portrait
25 to 1 agst Mr. Meiklam's Trueboy—taken
25 to 1 agst. Mr. Ilutchinson's Ratan—taken
25 to 1 agat Mr. Belt's Winesour
30 to 1 agst Lord G. Bentinck's Pug. •
DLRBY.
4 to 1 agst John Day's lot—take 9 to 2
sto 1 agst Lord Stradbroke's Idas—take 6to 1 •
8 to 1 agst Mr.. Greville's Alarm
12 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's Weatherbit
15 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Pam—taken
16 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Kedger—taken freely
20 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Newsmonger
20 to 1 agat Mr. Ferguson's Clear-the-Way—taken
25 to 1 agst Mr. Wreford's Winchilsea—taken
.25 to 1 agst Mr. Gully's Old England
25 to 1 agst Mr. Mostyn's Pantasa—take 27 to 1
40 to 1 agst Mr. Gratwicke's Doleful
50 to 1 agst Mr. Wreford's Worthless—taken and after.
wards offered.
OAKS.
14 to 1 agst Lord G. Beatinck's Longitude—taken
16 to 1 agst Mr. Worthington's Lancashire Witch—t
16 to 1 agst Mr. Newton's Sister to Ma Mie—taken
25 to 1. aget Mr. Osbaldeaton's Sister to Devil-among
the-Tailors
NEWMARKET FIRST SPRING MEETING.
MONDAY, APRIL 26.
501. for 4 yrs old, Tht 10lb ; 5 yrs, Bst 91b ; 6 yrs and aged,
9st 41b. D.M.
Handicap Sweepstakes of 20 soya. each, h ft, if declared
for 3 yrs old and upwards. T.Y.C.
Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each, for 3 yrs old colts, Bst 71b ;
and fillies, Bst 41b. T.Y.C. The winner to be sold for
2001.
Sweepstakes of 50 soya. each, for foals of 1842, out of mares
that never bred a winner ; colts, Bst 71b; and fillies.
Bst 31b ; those by stallions that never got a winner,
allowed 31bs. A.F.
Duke of Bedford's Eleazar, Lord Exeter's Tunick, and
Lyons, Mr. F. Herbert's Silver Spur, Lord Orford's cby the
Grand Duke, out of Miss Julia, Mr. Osbaldeston's f by the
Saddler, out of Miss Etty, Colonel Peel's f by Slane, out of
Seakale, Lord Verulam's c by Sir Hercules, out of Christina.
Sweepstakes of 50 sovs. each ; for three yrs old colts, Bst 71b ;
and fillies, Bst 41 e T.Y.C. Those by stallions or mares
that neveebred a winner allowed 31b,s s • •
Scaimenta:do,,c by Economist, out of Billow (31b)—f by
Bay Middleton, out of Impertinence (31b)—Lyons (31b)—
Secutor—b c by Royal Oak, out of Minx's dam.
Produce Match of 300 soy& each, li ft ; for colts, Bst 71b;
• fillies, test 41e. D.M. One to the post.
Lord Albemarle's Tisiphone and Zadig (dead) agst Lot d
Exeter's Golden Fleece. et, and Deodora.
The Jerry Stakes of 100 sovs. each, 11 ft ; colts, Bst 7lb ;
fillies, Bst 41b. D.M.
Mr. Booth's New Year's Day—Lord W. Powlett's Energy
—Lord Sandwich's f by Jerry, out of Legend.
MATCHES.
• Lord Glasgow's cby Velocipede, out of Amulet, eget Lord
Maidstone's Cockamaroo, Bst 71b each. Al?. 100 h ft.
Duke of Bedford's Espoir, 9st, agst Lord Glasgow's Sister
to Pathfinder, 7st. A.F. 325 to 300, 150 ft.
Duke of Bedford's Panther, Bat 101 b, agst Lord Glasgow's
fby Retainer, out of Purity, Bst 71b. D.I. 200 h ft.
Duke of Bedford's Captain Phebus agst Mr. Greville's Ste
Francis, Bst 71b each. D.M. 200 h ft.
Duke of Bedford's Minotaur, Bst 10Ib, agst Mr. Ramsbot-
tom's Pine Apple, Sst Ilb. D.M. 100 h ft.
TUESDAY.
The Queen's Plate of 100 guineas, four yrs old, Bst 91b ; five
yrs, 9st 81b; yrs and aged, lOst. h.c.
The Two Thoueane Guineas Stakes by subs. of 100 soya.
each, h ft, 3 yrs-old colts, Bst 71b; and fillies,Bst 41b. R.M.
Scarmentado, Kedger, Leopard, Merryman, Golden Fleece,
Wood Pigeon, Adrianople, Lyons, Weatherbit, Moulton, b c
by Economist, dam by Ishmael, c by Slane out of Cobweb,
The Prior. c by Royal Oak out of Cowslip's dam, Idas, Win-
chelsea, Worthless, Seaman.
Sweepstakes of 300 sous. each, 100 ft, for 4 yrs old colts,
Bst elb ; and fillies, Bst 21b. B.C.
Robinia, Panther, Antenor.
The Coffee-room Stakes of 50 soya. each, for 3 yrs old colts
Bst 71b; and fillies, Est 41b. A.
Lyons, Prologue, Refraction.
guke of Bedford's Oakley agst Mr. T. Westley's Coun-
sellor, 8.3 t, T.Y.C. 200, h ft.
Sir J. Hawley's Comrade, 3 vrs' Bst 71b, agat Lord Exe•
ter's Dr. Hill, 4 yrs, Bst 41b. First half of Ab.M. 100, h ft.
WEDNESDAY.
50/. for 4 yrs old, 7st 81b; 5 yrs, Bst Illb ; 6 yrs and aged,
9st 31b. B.C.
Handicap Sweepstakes of 20 soya. each, for 3 yrs olds,
&c. A:F.
Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each, for 3 yrs old, 7st, and 4 yrs,
Bst 101 b. D.M. Winner to be sold fbr 100/.
The Burghley Produce Stakes of 100 sovs. each, h ft; colts
Bst 71b; fillies, Bst 31b. D.M.
Leopard, Pilgrimage (31bs), The Wryneck (31bs), Zadig
(dead), f by Camel out of Arsenic (dead).
Sweepstakes of 100 sow. each, h ft, for four yrs old. A.F.
Red Deer, Bst 71b; Welbeck, 7st 71b; Boarding School
Miss, 6st 121 b.
SweepstakeS of 50 sovs. each, It ft. T.Y.C.
Garry Owen, aged, Bst 81b ; Knight of the Whistle, aged,
Bst 71b ; Bishop of Romford's cob, 5 yrs, Bst 2lb ; Prince of
Wales, 4 yrs, 7st.

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