Star.
London, England, 1826-03-23 00:00:00

110 USE OF COMMONS.

A Person from the Custom House presented an Account of the
Export* and Imports of the United Khlgdorn for the past, year.
A Return was presented from the Treasury, of the quantity of
Tobacco and Snuff upon which dety had been charged during the
last twelve months.

Sir C. cot; presented Petitions against Slavery, from Cow- I
bridge, and than the Couuty of Glamorgan.
Similar Petitions were presented from Hefted and Spilsby, in ,
Lincoinshirii by Sir W. Isenawr ; front Whitelsaven and Week-
Ington, by_ Mr. Censers; from Godalcaing, by Mr, Mamma' ; from
Brecon, wy Ootonel WOOD; and from Breather and Glkildfurtio
by Mr. ICUTTBRIVORIaI...Ordiffed to be printed.
Mr. CA LCUA FT expressed his wish that the Besoletlcrav•ri-
%terting Private Bilk, &MIS bit'pourrord to afigallifirsamakik,
when, there shooki be a teller House. l . ffr
' LYTTLETON consented to postpone the abject to lite
40th of A priL
Mr. M A DER LY presented a Petition from the town of Abler.
don against the Assessed Taxes, and particularly the Home Tax.—
Ordered to be printed.
Also a Petition from the same place praying the reduction of
Taxation generally.—Ordered to be printed.
Also a Petition from James Barber, praying a repeal et the Win-
dow Tax.—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. DENISON presented a Petition from.certain lalsabitents
of Wandsworth against the Wandsworth Poor Bill.—Referred to
the Committee.

Colonel WOOD presented a Petition from twenty Adjutants of
Militia, complaining against the reduction of their half pay from
eight abillings a day after twenty years' service, to six shillings after
thirty years. He should move that the Petition do lie upon the table,
and in the Committee of Supply he should state his reasons why he
thought an alteration should be made.
Lord PALMERSTON said that the pay had been Meted in
accordance with the general opinion of the House.
The Petition was laid on the table.
Lord PALMERSTON presented a Petition from an individual
named Charles Broderip, praying for in alteration iu the lass relat-
ing to Patents. He was of opinion that too much encouragement
could not be given to science and invention ; and he strongly re-
commended the subject to his Right Hon. Friend the Secretary of
&ate for the Home Department, and his Hon. and Learned Friend
the Attorney General.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL agreed with his
Noble Friend that every encouragement ought to be
given to men of science, and to scientific discoveries.
lie thought ffrat some --
of the matters complained of in
the Petition might be remedied without difficulty.—
The limitation of the number of persons to whom pa.
tents were granted, might easily be removed. The Pe-
tition also complained of the limited duration of Pa-
tents, of their expense, and stated that supeior advan-
tages were given to men of science by the French Law.
He had looked at the French law and found that the
duration was limited to periods of five, ten, or fifteen
years. He thought that the term of fourteen years, in
the majority of cases, was sufficient to remunerate the
discovery of improvements. There might be some
which in justice deserved a longer time, and it would
perhaps be well to leave a discretionary power in the
Crown to extend the period. With regard to the ex-
pense, he found that by the breach law the patent for
fifteen Yeats cost 1,500 francs, or about 761. in this
country, for the term of fourteen years, he believed the cost was
about 1211. The difference was not, therefore, so eery Fat,
although might be worth consideration whether the expense
should not be reduced. The Petition prayed that the time should
be extended to twenty-eight years, because that period was given
to copyrights in publications. But an author was liable to the
pirating of his work in various ways, and the cases were conse-
quently not analagous. He had no doubt that the subject would re-
ceive the attention it deserved. _

Mr. MA BER IA thought it would be' advisable to refer the
whole question to a Committee.
The Petition wau ordered to be printed.
Mr. P. CORBET presented a l'etition from certain Maltsters
Iln Shrewsbury, complaining that by the alteration of the measures,
tht duty on each bushel of Malt being the same, and the quantity,
contained being less, they were exposed to serious loss. They also
prayed for a total repeal of the duty.-i-Ordered to ba printed.
WELSH JUNIN° COMPANY.
Mr. F. MOORE moved the receiving of the Report of the
Welch Mining Company.
Mr. LYT I'LECON said, that this was a Company for
producing Coals and Iron from Mimes in WAles and that
the Bill went to give the power to sue 'and be sued in
be person of a Secret.'ry. He objecteitto this, because
it gove-rhe'CuriSpany an mark advsnitatis over private
bettrests Engaged in this branch . H, tbassibt she not*
ought to reject the Dill if it were only for the porliose of discoun.
tenanting 91..-tgaticinS 'of this natnet% He should therefore move
as an Amendment, that the Report be received that day Oa months.

Mr. P. MOORE said, • that the Company ought not
to be confounded with the common speculators of the
day; that it was already in foil work, employed many bands and
much capital, and that there bad not been established a More havent
or a better Company within the last fifty year,. He therefore biped
I.that the Hon. Member.would not press his amendment.
r•I• WOOD expressed his age that his Hon. Friend the hforn-
ber fee Worcester would persist in opposlog the /3811;
Col. DAVIES supported the
Mr. S. WORTLEY opposed !c, beeaete it wool' be shine an
unfair advantage over individual kw masters who had long been
engaged lathe business.
Mr. P, MOORE explained.
Mr. (MLCRAFT said, that if the Gantlemen belong-
ing to this Company wished toe spend tberr money in
mining, they Desist to do it without coming to Parliament. Mot
that was done only to give an additional value to 'Wee in ttie
market, Ind make them the object of gamblfng speculation. lie
sboold vote against the Bill.
Mr. BARING laid, that this discussion only showed
the defective state of the law upon this subject. It
ought to be slecided by the law whether these Compi.
nies should hive the power of suing and being seed in
the name of limit *gents or not. If the passing such
Bills as the present give a sanction to the Companies to
which they referred, ellen- he thpught it was harsh tit
refuse it to one that. might be good and :mind in its
means and prospects. He had hoped that before now the
Right lion. President of the Hoard' of Trade would have
vlded some general uniform measure to be untied in suck coaqh
without the necessity of Parliament behig called upon to exereise.p
discretion as to what was or was not a fit case for the granting ref
these Bins, He felt embarrassed how to vote, because he 'shoed he
sorry to do any thing which created au ides out Of doors that she
House gave its sanction to this or any other Company.
I. ,rd PALMERSTON sa d there was much in what
had fallen from the Honourable Member for Tatinton
to chew the 'necessity of some measure to determine the
law. Bin he did not apprehend that this Bill would
give to the parties any superiority over individuals engaged In the
same' branch of industry.- On the contrary, he thought it won'
only place them on the carte footing, and give them equal Wean-
cages. It was certainly desirable that nothing should be done
which would go to fetter or impede the application of capital to the
industry of the country.
Tile CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER-4W.
he ktlew too little of this 'Company to say whether
.nr
not it was likely to confer great advantages upon the prlitellpallti of
Wales. But he wished to ask whether the pities had taken ad-
vantage of the measure passed last year, ley which the Crosin was
enabled to grant limited charter, for such purposes ?
Mr. P. 5100 RE said, that the Company already did 1114
good in Wales by the expenditare of its money, and ity enspieyker
three or four hundred people.
Lord A. HAMILTON said. that the granting. Or
Ellis like the present did, somehow or other, produce an les•
slots out of doors that the House sanctioned the Companies to
*bleb they referred. Now he apprehended, that if Hon. hiembesi
had known ibis, they would not have voted for the Mtn whishpse
support to the Companies of last year, and which had been produc-
tive of such disesteems consequences.

••• _ _ -
Mr. HUSKISSON said, the Noble Lord laboured
under a misconception, in supposing that the bubble:
imposed upon the public last year, ever came before
Parliament. He did not believe that even one of them'
had applied to the House. The
_House, however, did
kgrow alarmed at the numerous applications which wino
mada,
Sing
an Act was accortlingly_passed, empciwerinig
•.g
the min Council to graht certain lionted.Chartava;
,with a fee unilt7y responsibility, proportionate to the.
amount of capitals employed intim speculations. Many
applications were then made under that Act, and the
enquiries which it was thought proper to make °eel-
sinned delay at the 'time, to which many of the parties
were now indebted, for saving the experKes of Charters,
as they had retired altogether frOin the field. He un-
derstood that this Company was for tie Working of
mines and minerals in Wales—for coals and hon.—
There was last year a similar application with respect to
Scotland,supported by all the leading capitalist, and pro-
prietors of that country. It was thought proper to re-
fuse that application, because it was consideted, that
such a Company would go to work with great advan:-
tages over those individuals or partners lips already
engaged in the regular business. . The consequence of
the announcement of these Companies last year was A
general raising of wages in all the mining districts, mid
a combination among the workmen, whin was a seridus
injury to the masters at the time, but had now fallen
most severely upon those who engaged in it. Fie
thought this was a Company of the same kilid, and if it
had come before the Council, he should have taken care
that every inquiry was made before a charter had teen
granted. With regard to. the Law of Partnerships
generally, he did hope that some one better acquainted
with legal matters than himself, would undertake to
bring it before the House. He thought it impossible
but a Law of Partnerships more inconvenient, and more
injurious to the interests of trade.-could not be devised
than the one which at present existed. If it happened
that a partner via: absent from the country, the firm to
which he belonged could not be sued until a writ of
outlawry had been obtained against him. The wilt
could not be obtained before the expiration of twelve
months ; and if in the mean time another partner should
have gone abroad, the same process must be pursued
with respect to him. Then when the party had brought
his suit almost to an end, it was sufficient to stay ,11
proceedings that a plea of abutment was put in, stating
that some per:on unknown as a partner had not bees
named, or that all the Christian names had not-been
properly described. If the unfortunate party suing
then. wint*to the issue, and the plea of abatement was
proved, he must submit to a nonsuit. On the other
hand, if he commenced de Ism be would perhaps have to make
thae persons decadent, upset idiom evidence be had intended to
rely, and who could Mot tben be put info the witness's boa. He
thought these matters very seriously called for the Interposition of
the House, and that this part of its law Materially ed the spi-
rit of enterprise and Industry in the country.
After a few weeds Irons Mr. TIMMATIM
Mr. P. MOOR It said he should not divide the House.
The Amendment was ateenneity put and carded. and the
Bill lost

il;ii: WILSON moved foe an account of all Pees payable vr
Clerks of the Crown, Clerks of the Peace, Clerks of Amax,
Clerks of Nisi Prins, and Clerks of ladistmenr, is respect t'• alt
Criminal Proceeding., specifying the autborky under which they
are demanded.
Mr. SPRING RICE °bribed leave to bring la a UR to
etwoolidate the laws co tbeenbject of Told, Ditties, Port Dees, Sta.
in Ireland.

COIIIIITTEI OW SUPPLY.
On the motion of the Csiasemsa of the Facuepsts the Hoeft
resolved 'itself into a Committee of Supply.
In' the Committee, Mr. Goutauas ssoved that 44.1,000 be
grained to the Sudety ter Eshicalos the Poor is Ireland.
Mr. HUME objected to the mode adopted by Minis.
ten of bringing on Estimates of this important n .
upon a dsy on nhich it apptared to be a concession to