The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-07 00:00:00

THE LANDLORDS AND THE THE PASSENGERS ACT.
POOR-LAW AMENDMENT ACT.

(In continuation of a former article.)
TO THE EDITOR OF THE S
SlR,—Thus the moral qualities of the mer-
chant, mechanic, and labourer, had received no
check, but had sooner improved and advanced,
during the season of prosperity created by the
war; and notwithstanding the great debt we had
incurred, in the support of our own armies, and
navy ; and in subsidies for the support of fo-
reigners; its transitions, its enterprize, and
alarms, sooner called fbrth fresh energies ; and
after twenty-six' years of peace, instead of
being, as we are, in a state of despondency,
debt, and heavy taxation, we might have en-
joyed continued prosperity, and been materially
relieved from the latter; since we had the ball
in our hands, had we kept it in motion, and
wisely, not relinquished its possession ; but the
moral and material condition of the landlord
having deteriorated, has prevented it.
If the landlord had not speculated too lavishly
upon war prices, and had not run into expensive
and profligate habits ; but had practised common
prudence and thrift, all his schemes would have
been profitable and successful ; and when prices
were higher than ever known, large and princely-
fortunes might have been secured, which were
wasted in prodigality and splendour; and even
the tracts of poor land which were at this time
forced into tillage at great expense, by the ap-
plication of hihly improved husbandry, would
have still continued profitable, and he might
have fulfilled all his engagements : but the
habits of the squires bad become altered ; in
consequence of which, confiscation, or mortgage
of their property occurred, and poverty has been
called upon to redeem it.
It should not be lost sight of In comparing the
state of the morals, of poverty, and wealth, that
our achievements and victories, by sea and land,
were the work of the former; how often has not
the Duke confessed his infirmity as a General, and
his incompetency to circumstances, over which his
army triumphed with ease and alacrity ; in
short, the Duke would have been no great man,
but for his great army; not in numbers, which
were always defective, but in soul and love of
country; of which in him we have ever had but
faint signs, and his Paisley sympathies will not
aid to establish, or improve his humanity. Upon
this theme, of the noble instances of honest, in-
domitable union and devotion by a nation
hemmed in by a rapacious enemy ; burying its
intestine feuds; and which won every battle, as
if by the blow of a single arm; upon such de-
votion in defence and love of country, we could
dwell with enthusiasm and admiration ; if that
country was not Great Britain.
The morality of poverty is largely drawn
upon, and has always been faithfully answered.
How must we speak of the morality of wealth ?
Let us throw a veil over it, lest poverty should
be corrupted by, and imitate, its baseness ; and
ingenuousness be abashed. The struggles
of wealth, and its miseries, are against,
and produced, by the poison administered
to it, through the fangs of vice, ava-
rice, and hypocrisy. The carrying of the
Reform Bill, was a display of moral power une-
qualled ; nor should be forgotten the moral in-
fluence so recently exerted by the masses, on be-
half of the Dorchester labourers. But it is not
desirable that political causes and conditions of
society, should often exist, to provoke such moral
demonstrations; for, however tempered, they in
this country have always hitherto been, by wis-
dom and judgment, they are to be regarded
as convulsions of the body politic, over which
'its healthful functions may lose their proper in-
fluence.

Thus the moral position of the landlord, and of
the Corn-laws, in relation to poverty and la-
bour, and to the Poor-law Amendment Act,
has been disregarded; but their fiscal and
financial relations, have been freely dis-
cussed, and their relations to the rent-
owner, and the merchant carefully appreciated.
The boon given by the Poor-law Amendment
Act to the landlords, to the palpable robbery of
poverty, is perhaps larger than the Corn-laws,
and comes under this category. The outcry,
servilely raised against the Poor- law, can have
no merit, unless accompanied by a demand
thr freedom of commerce, and trade in corn,
which would enunciate a moral, politic, and
well understood principle ; and if asserted,
would neutralize, if not remove, many of its
errors. Poverty would quickly discern that it
has the greatest interest in the repeal of the
Corn-laws, and restrictions on commerce, which
would enlarge the sources of productive power,
and give him more employment ; and would
treat with contempt the senseless outcry raised
against the New Poor-law, which, although no
doubt effected in bad faith to him, is, and
was always intended, when properly enforced, to
he a law for his benefit and protection ; and if it
gives privileges to the landlord, of which he has
been robbed, it is in consequence of a tacit
compact, well understood on his part, to con-
cede these points; and which, notwithstanding he
cruelly and ironically rails against the New
Poor-law, with the audacity of plunder
and dishonesty, he refuses with a grasp-
ing and monopolizing hold. In this, the land-
lord is treacherous, and his aim can only be
to create a servile social war; since he enjoys an
inevitable monopoly in the very nature of his
property in land, without artificial laws, or pro-
tection ; as from its island boundary, in extent it
becomes less and less, as population extends more
and more.—Your obedient servant, A.

RUSSIA.

UKASE TO THE HOLIEST GOVERNING SYNOD.

The Empress Catherine 11., of sacred memory, our
most beloved grandmother, following the wise pre-
cepts laid down by our immortal ancestor the Empe-
ror Peter the Great, the founder of the present great-
ness of the empire intrusted by God to our rule, ob-
serving in the very beginning of her reign how little
it behoved the clergy to be weaned by worldly cares
from their real and holy duties, and, considering that
the management of extensive estates could only prove
a burden to them, whilst it produced no advantage to
their serfs, ordered such estates to be transferred to
the direction and government of the Exchequer, pro-
viding at the same time for the maintenance of the
clergy regular salaries, according to a scale sanctioned
by supreme authority. In the sequel, the western pro-
vinces have been re-annexed to our empire by the just
dispensation of Divine Providence, in which, owing to
peculiar temporary circumstances and insuperable ne-
cessity, the estates and immoveable property were left in
the hands of the clergy until further inquiry into the sub-
ject. Now, however, when all vestiges of a foreign and
temporary rule in that part of the country have totally
disappeared, when those provinces have been again
so closely and so inseparably reunited to Russia that,
in the year just closed, it has been found of unavoida-
ble urgency to introduce laws uniform with these of
the rest of our dominions ; when, lastly, merciful God,
conferring innumerable blessings on our dear father-
land, has given us means to consolidate it and advance
it to a higher stage of good government, it has ap-
peared meet to us to emancipate the clergy also in the
western governments from avocations inconsistent with
its calling. Having, therefore, decided upon carry-
ing into effect in those provinces enactments intro-
duced for this purpose in other divisions of our empire
by our great ancestors, we have, at the same time, de-
termined to give a fresh pfoof of our anxiety for the
amelioration of the condition of the clergy. Where-
fore, having appointed additional provisions over and
above the income of church property now to be
transferred to the administration of the Exchequer, as
well for the maintenance of the clergy as for the
better organisation of establishments belonging to it,
in order to raise and to secure to them an advanta-
geous existence for the future, we order as follOws :
L All immoveable property heretofore belonging
to the orthodox clergy in the western provinces shall
henceforth be transferred, and remain under the ma-
nagement and direction of the Ministry of the Crown
Landi, with the exeption of the property in the hands
of the proper parochial secular clergy, which does not
enter into the present composition of cathedral chapters.
g. Scales and regulations for dioceses, cathedral
chapters, and monasteries, are to be drawn up ac-
cording to the wants of persons and establishments,
and with due regard to the dignity of the first and the
rank of the second, and submitted to our approbation.
Hence, as the actual inoome from the church pro-
ptrty in the western division of our empire has been
found insufficient for an easy and respectable mainte-
nance of the ohm sins its establishments, we appoint
foi that purpose additional provisions, which shall be
,::-)lained by corresponding orders given to our Mini-
ster of ILC
Exchequer and the Crown Lands.
(Siggeti, pr cmria mane) NICHOLAS.
St. Petersburgh, Dee, 4'4 141.

The following distinguished persons have travelled
by the BrightonOtray during the last fortnight:—Baron
anJ Lady Park, Lady Freemantie, Sir Thomas and Lady De
TodLrd, Hon. Mr. and Miss Stanley, Sir hap Opld•smid,
Captain Aral:frog, Dr. Holland, Sir James and Lady Clarke,
Lady Norbury,
co,r,el Bentinek, Lady Elizabeth Parsons,
Captain Lucas, Duchess of Beaulowt, lion. Mr. Melville, Sir
George and Lady Cooper, Earl of Carnarvon, pp.rlpf Poi The-
ater, flan. Dudley Ward, Sir Walter and La y Parneornhet
Count and Countess Aulaine, Earl of Aberdeen, Sir Heiketh
na Ledt Fleetwood, Hon. Charles Murray. Si. Robert Peel,
Hon. nzl • =ix, Lord 11Ieuntcharles, Sir Edward
Bowater. Sir am gad Lady Graham}, Sir Roger and
i,ll,,Palraer, Lint onion, *Pgl Polintess PC 1)911!?wrc,
"lull. Lady Clinton, Sir Horace and Miss Seymear,
General Wellesley, Lady Jane Peel.
Since the failure of the Tortnes Bank the woollen
inatluilizt9ry at Harliertonford has dpclined working, in conse-
uence wili4ll gii!zt number pfirstris are out of employ-
--
"."" iniluluiv village art: vleStiiite
ment, and many funnies I:
of breadr.. Wester n Times.

The following is an abridgment of the Colonial
Land and Emigration Commissioners Bill, adapted by
Lord Stanley, for the amendment and enlargement of
the existing Passengers Act :
The number of passengers to be carried in each
vessel is limited. Vessels proceeding from the
United Kingdom or the Channel Islands to any place
out of Europe, not being within the Aleditteranean
sea, shall carry no more than one passenger for every
two tons of the registered tonnage. In the lower
deck or platform, ten clear superficial feet are to be
allowed for each passenger ; or if the ship pass within
the tropics, the voyage not being computed at more
than twelve weeks, twelve feet are to be allowed ; at
more than twelve weeks, fifteen feet. One passenger
may be carried under the poop for every thirty
passengers. The master incurs a penalty of 5/. for
every passenger in excess of the proper number.
Every ship must have a lower deck or platform
above, or level with the top of the lower beams,
properly secured to them, and of an inch and a half in
thickness. There must be a height of at least six feet
between the upper and lower decks. There must be
only two tiers of berths, the lower six inches from the
deck.

A supply of not less than three quarts of water
must be issued to each passenger per day, and seven
pounds of bread-stuff per week ; of the latter, one-
third may consist of potatoes, reckoned at the rate of
five pounds for one of bread-stuffs. No ship to be
cleared out without having on board sufficient supplies
of provisions and water.

The length of voyages is to be computed according
to the following rule :—to North America, 10 weeks ;
West Indies, 10 weeks ; Central or South America,
12 weeks ; West coast of Africa, 12 weeks ; Cape of
Good Hope, or the Falkland Islands, 15 weeks ;
Mauritius, 18 weeks ; Western Australia, 20 weeks ;
other Australian Colonies, 22 weeks ; New Zealand,
24 weeks.

Two children under 14 years of age to be reckoned
as one adult passenger. The emigration agent at the
port which the vessel leaves, or, in the absence of such
a functionary, the officers of the customs are to ex-
amine the provisions and water, as to quantity and
quality, and the allotment of space; and to ascertain
that there is an ample supply of water and stores for
the crew of the ship or other persons on board, over
and above what is provided for the passengers.
The Commissioners of Customs or the Colonial
Land and Emigration Commissioners to have the
power to detain vessels until rendered sea-worthy.
Every ship of 150, and under 250 tons must carry two
boats ; under 500 tons three boats ; more than that
four boats.

Masters to carry two copies of the act, open to the
perusal of passengers.
With every ship carrying 100 passengers a medical
practitioner is to sail ; in every ship carrying a
smaller number medicines of sufficient amount and of
a proper kind to be carried.

Spirits are not to be laden on board by way of
stores, except for the master and crew and cabin pas-
sengers, or as medical comforts ; but the sale of spirits
to any passenger during the voyage i 3 absolutely pro-
hibited, under a penalty of not less than 501. nor more
than 2001.

Written receipts for passage-money to any place in
North America are to be given to steerage passengers,
according to a given form, under a penalty of 21.
Passage-brokers contracting for passages to North
America are to be licensed by justices in the petty or
quarter sessions of their district ; and will incur a
penalty of 101. for every passage contracted without a
licence.

In case vessels are detained beyond the appointed
day of departure, lodgings and rations are to be pro-
vided for each passenger, or he is to be allowed Is. a
day as subsistence money. At the close of the voyage,
persons are to be entitled to remain on board for 48
hours after the arrival in port, and are to be provided
for in the same manner as during the voyage ; " unless
in the ulterior prosecution of her voyage, any such
ship shall quit any such port or place within the said
period of 48 hours."

The 25th clause enumerates many of the foregoing
regulations, to the breach of which special penalties
have not been affixed, and enforces them under a pe-
nalty of not less than Si. nor more than 501. •
essels not carrying more than twenty passengers,
and ships in the service of the Admiralty or East
India Company, ships of war, or transports, are ex-
empted from the operation of the Act.
The Act is extended to the carriage of passen-
gers by sea from any of the British West Indies (in
whith term are included the British 'West India
islands, the Bahamas, and British Guiana), from
Malta, British possessions on the west coast of Africa,
and from Mauritius, to any other place whatsoever ;
and with certain exceptions, the Act is extended to
voyages from the West Indies of less than three
weeks' but not less than three days' duration, except
as relates to the construction or thickness of the lower
deck, the height between decks, the surgeon and me-
dicine chests, and the maintenance of passengers for
48 hours.

Foreign vessels engaged in any voyages specified
in the Act are to be subject to its provisions. The
term " passengers" in the Act is not held to include
cabin-passengers.