&Wu null rurraingo in Valiant.

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OF THE WEEK.

HOusz or LORDS. Monday, March 11. Sir Thomas Turton's Defalcations in Cal- cutta; Petition concerning--Oath of Supremacy: Petition from two Peers-Rail- way Audit Bill ; second reading debated and carried-Convict Prisons Bill ; second reading postponed by Earl Grey, from thinness of the House. Tuesday, March 12. Royal Assent to Party Processions (Ireland) Bill-Agricul- tural Distress; Petition for Protection.

Thursday, March 14. Convict Prisons Bill; read a second time, after a speech 17 Lord Grey. Friday, March 15. Privilege ; Inaudible Conversation ; Mr. Nash ordered to ap- pear

at the Bar-Greek Affair Statement by the Marquis of Lansdowne-Abuses in • t-ships.

House OF COMMONS. Monday, March 11. Party Processions (Ireland) Bill; Lords' Amendments agreed to-Easter Holydays-Russian Remonstrance on be- half of Greece-Supply; Army Estimates and Navy Estimate,; Amendments ne- gatived, and Money voted-Chief Justices of the Queen's Bench and Common Pleas ; Bill to reduce Salaries, by Lord John Russell, read a first time. Tuesday, March 12. Expedition to search for Sir John Franklin; Admiralty Statement-Orphan Emigration ; Statement by Mr. Baines-Reduction of Expendi- ture; Mr. Drummond's Motion debated, and negatived by 190 to 156-Parliamentary Oaths, Select Committee agreed to-Process and Practice (Ireland) Bill; clauses 1 to 18 considered in Committee.

Wednesday, March 13. County Rates and Expenditure Bill; read a second time, and referred to a Select Committee-Public Libraries and Museums Bill; second reading carried, after debate, by 118 to 101-Tenements Recovery (Ireland) Bill, to extend the English Small Tenements Recovery Act to Ireland ; read a first time.

Thursday. March 14. Interments in St. Margaret's Churchrard ; Conversation- Greece ; Conversation-The Ten Hours' Act ; leave to bring in a Bill for carrying out the intent of the Factory Acts, given to Lord Ashley-Highways Bill; read a second time-Chief Ju.tices' Salaries Bill, read a second time.

Friday, March 15. Ways and Means : Financial Statement by Sir Charles Wood- Supply : Army and Navy Votes-Estates Leasing (Ireland) Bill, and Judgments (Ireland) Bill, passed Committee.

TIME - TABLE. The Commons.

Hour of Hour of Meeting. Adjournment.

Monday 4h . (m) lh Om Tuesday lib 45m Wednesday Noon .... bh 45m Thursday 4h 12h 45m

Friday 4h (m) 111 SOW Sittings this Week, 6; Time, 41h 45m - this Session,32; -242h45ni

ARMY ESITMATES.

In Committee of Supply on the Army Estimates, Mr. Fox Mums, according to yearly custom, called attention to the general state of the Army. Last year, 103,254 men were voted ; this year, the vote proposed is 59,398 for Home service, and 39,730 for Colonial service ; total, 99,128 men,-a re- duction of 4,126 of all ranks. Mr. Cobden proposed to save 5,823,000/. on the Army and Navy : take for the Army one-third-1,941,000/.-and deduct it from the 3,936,5821. proposed for effective service, and you have 1,995,5821. left ; this sum will maintain, at 421. 15s. 11d, per man, (the cost in 18350 but 50,000 men ; whereas in 1835 the number was 81,272 men. It is con- tended that the Colonies should maintain the forces sent to them as police; he did not altogether repudiate that doctrine; steps have been taken in that direction, and more will be taken as the Colonies increase in wealth and importance. Our army is not the "most extravagant in Europe," nor "kept up specially for officers." Deducting the cost price of the commis- sion, with interest and charges, from the pay received, the net pay is the worst known anywhere,-for a Lieutenant-Colonel, but 107/., a Ijor 93/. 15s., a Captain (rather more) 108/., a Lieutenant 851., and an Ensign 73/. 58. 10d. Since 1835 the increase d officers has been in very small propor- tion: of course a decrease of officers is a very different thing from a decrease of men. It is economy, and a rule well observed, to keep up such a body of officers as enables the addition on the shortest notice of men enough to make the regiments efficient. In the standing army of North America, a small force of 17,000 men, there are 775 officers ; they have therefore one officer to every 21 men, we have one to every 20. As to the whole force, some con- sideration should be given to the times. France has 430,128 regular troops, 23,756 gendarmerie, and an innumerable host of National Guards ; Prus- sia, 325,000 troops, and a Landwehr of 450,000 men ; Austria, an army of no less than 608,634 men. We must uphold our dignity among the nations.

He ran over the many items of charge. Last year the T.mid forces were 3,655,5881.; this year, 3,562,4301.,-a decrease of 93,158/. The Staff was 173,376/. ; on which 8,460/. is now saved. For the Yeomanry-66,2861. last year-there is an increase of 14,714/., because this year that service is to be called out, to keep up discipline. There is a saving of 20,9081. for General Officers, (compared with 1835, a saving of 56,6481.) ; on the half-pay always formidable, a decrease from 400,000/. to 386,000/.-a saving on 183 of 199,6001.; on compensation allowances, a saving of 68,000/. The total decrease on the two services, effective and non-effective, has been, of men 16,530, of charge 501,4381.

The military imprisonment, placed on the Estimates since 1835, has more than saved its cost, and has greatly improved the conduct and character of the Army. Of men under twenty years old, the numbers committed were- in 1847, 1,126; in 1848, 981; in 1849, 589. Of men of two years' service, the committals in the same years were 1,656, 1,690, and 1,000. The health of the Army abroad had very greatly improved in the past year; the health at home remained at the average, for the cholera did not fall on the soldier with half the severity with whioh it visited the civilian. The system of garrison and regimental schools is carried out : returns from eighteen out of the twenty-one schools established enumerate 2,289 non-commissioned officers and men as attendants. The improvement is so great, that when schoolmasters have been trained, the men may possibly be a better-educated body than any in her Majesty's service ; and the Commander-in-chief is pur- suing a course that will extend the same benefits to the upper ranks of the Army. M Hums saw no reason why we should maintain 17,857 more men than in 1835, besides 10,000 Pensioners, 10,000 enrolled Dockyard La-

The Lords.

Hour of Hour of Meeting. Adjournment. Monday bh 711 40m

Tuesday 7h tbra

Wednesday N- o Sitting.

Thursday bh7h 5m

Friday - 811 Ibm Sittings this Week, 4; Time, 10h 26m --this Session, 25; - 59h 44m bourers, and some 10,000 more Irish Police. Ile proposed to reduce the grant this year by 10,000 men, and next year to take off the odd 7,857. Redlictions might be made by consolidating the three regiments of Guards into one regiment of 1,300 men, and by throwing our hundred regiments of the line into seventy-five regiments of 1,000 men each. Six hundred distress-warranta for rates have been issued in Marylebone alone : it is as bad throughout the country, from the pressure of taxation ; and next year the country will be in a worse condition still. Be moved that 89,128 men be voted, instead of 99,128. Sir WILLIAM MOLBSWORTE said, if the people of England have a mind to hold military stations, they must pay for the military expenditure thereon : but he questioned the necessity of our present military esta- blishments in the Plantations ; and as to the Colonies properly so called, reductions ought to be made there. From Canada 5,000 men, from the Cape 2,000, and from New Zealand 1,000 men, might and ought to be spared. Mr. OSBORNE attacked the superior and overshadowing power of the Horse Guards, as the main cause of the present system ; and urged the combining of the Horse Guards, the Ordnance, and the Commissariat De- partments, under one Minister of War, with a responsible seat in the Cabinet He repeated the comparison of our Army with foreign armies, to show the over-officered date of our system ; under which, never- theless, we have no conception of things in the way of manceuvering which the Austrian regiments go through with precision. He attacked the machinery of" clothing Colonels," and the wasteful agency charges- unused in the Indian Army, where you would think they would be're- quisite, if any-where at all. He recommended the employment of half-pay officers in the military departments ; and expressed his gratification at the "contemplated examination of officers "-for one reason, among others, as giving hope that the eyes of the Army itself may be thereby opened to the evils of the purchase system.

Mr. COBDEN explained, that though there is an apparent reduction of 4,126 men, yet of these 2,230 are merely transferred to the East India Company ; whose total payments will not secure the cost of half-pay, pen- sions, &c., which the maintenance of that force will ultimately entail. It seems, too, that there are on the list of this year more officers of all ranks, down to Ensigns, than there were last year : so that the apparent reduc- tion of thirty-two officers must have been effected in Adjutants, Quarter- masters, and Surgeons.

Mr. MA.CGREGOR opposed Mr. flume's amendment, as proposing an un- safe reduction. Mr. REYNOLDS could not support it, so long as the Church militant in Ireland is to be maintained : there are 44,000 men in that country, to force on the people institutions to which they are adverse ; and as he had sworn as a Catholic not to employ his power to weaken the Protestant Church in Ireland, he could not vote for the motion. (Loud laughter.) Mr. VERNON Sbirrn approved of reducing the military in the Colonies ; but should not support the motion, as there are no means upon the Estimates of putting a veto on the number of troops sent there.

Mr. flume's amendment was negatived, by 223 to 50. Upon which he said, it was wholly useless to oppose the Government any further ; he would therefore let them take as much money as they pleased'. On the suggestion of Mr. Fox MAME, a half-vote of 1,700,0001. was agreed to.

NAVY ESTIMATES.

At a late hour on Monday night,-Mr. Hunts and other Members pro- testing, from the state of the House,-Sir Francis BA.RING made his state- ment on the Navy Estimates, in Committee of Supply. Deprecating the practice which has grown up in past years, and hoping to avoid it hereafter, he asked first for a vote of 260,000/. to make up the last year's deficit. The total for the effective service will be 4,325,086!.; for non-effective service, 1,388,6371. : with conveyance of troops 156,000/., and packet service 764,236/., the grand total is 6,613,6591. The expenditure of last year was 7 947,376/. ; so that the saving has been 1 333,717/. on the year. Much of this savin: has been rendered possible by e expenditure of former years. It is pro - this year to reduce the marine force by 1,000 men, whereby a saving of ,1,000/. is expected. The cheapness of provisions will be a source of further economy. There will also be reduc- tions on the Admiralty charges, on the Navy Office charges, and in the Docks yard charges, all of them for diminished establishments, on the charge for oak-the monopoly in the supply of which has ceased, and on "new works" -from the completion of undertakings in progress. He moved a vote of 39,000 men.

Mr. Hums said, that voting money at that hour, and with such a House, was a farce. Indeed, so indignant was he, that he was about to quit the House, and let it take its course. He would first, however, record his pro- test. He found, that on the last six years the average of men voted has been 31,459; and he moved as an amendment, that such be the num- ber for the present year- After brief remarks by a few Members, Mr. flume's amendment was negatived, by 117 to 19; and the original motion was agreed to. JUDICIAL &Luaus&

On the motion to read a second time the Chief Justices' Salaries Bill, Mr. ROIINDELL PALMER, as a member of a branch of the profession from which Chief Justices are not chosen, [the Equity branch,] and therefore as a person not partial on the subject, implored the House not to travel too fast in reduction' for it was the most false, ruinous, and unconstitutional policy that could be adopted. Mr. SPOONER and Colonel SIBTHORE; sug- gested that the bill should be postponed till after the recess. Mr. Mut- LINGO also urged this request; and said, he would move in Committee to reduce the salary of the Lord Chief Justice of England to 5,0001. instead of the 8,000/. which the bill proposes. Sir GEORGE GREY complained how little encouraging it is, on bringing in a bill to reduce salaries, to meet such opposition. The bill was read a second time.

AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.

Presenting a petition front Northumberland, signed by 4,700 persons, including most of the landed gentry, and a petition from Worcester, each complaining of the continued depression of agriculture, Lord RBDESDALE reviewed the preient situation of affairs in a Protectionist sense, as a pre- liminary to certain questions which he put to Lord Lansdowne.

Throughout the country there has been a reduction of wages. Not fewer than 10,000,000 of the people have suffered a reduction of 2s a week in their wages-a total loss of 52,000,000/. in their annual income. Mr. Villiers had made an extraordinary statement, that 90,000,0001. a year is saved by the lowered price of corn since the Corn-laws were repealed. But he has taken famine prices as his basis. A fair estimate shows a reduction in price of but 39,000,000/. or 40,000,000/. This leaves a large balance of loss from the re- duced wages of labour, The labourer is told he must buy cheap and sell

deer: but the labourer has always to begin by selling ; yet everything is done to make his market, the labour-market, a cheap and overstocked one. The grower of corn is a manufacturer, as much as the maker of cloth ; and so even is the pasture-farmer a master manufacturer : but there is this dif- ference between both and the worker of cotton, that they cannot check their rate of production, stop operations, and work short time, when there occurs a glut, without bringing their labourers on themselves for support. When- -ever there was an extraordinary glut, the Corn-laws restricted foreign im- portations till the glut was cleared off. The pervading agricultural distress will spread to all other classes, when the tradesmen lose the custom of their best friends, the landlords and farmers of Great Britain. He asked Lord Lansdowne to state his opinion on the causes and probable continuance of the agricultural distress • on our prospects as to the future price of corn, and the possibility of fanning to a profit ; and whether there is any hope of a legislative change to realize an improvement otherwise to be despairedof?

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE recollected, that if there is one subject on which all persons have singularly failed in their prophecies, it has been the price of corn, and the cost of cultivating it, in this country. He therefore declined to name a probable future price. At the close of 1848, the stock of corn was 1,354,000 quarters—the present stock is but 242,028 quarters : in February 1849, the importation Was 384,000 quarters—in the last February, but 184,000 quarters : in March 1849 the importation was 623,000 quarters—in the present March, the im- portation is likely to fall short even of the import for the past February. So that the stock is nearly exhausted, and the importations are still falling. The stock is similarly diminished on the Continent and in France and Bel- gium there is the same coincidence of exhausted sleek and low price ; al- though in France protection is in full force. The depression is therefore due to other causes than glut—to disturbed times, which check consumption and damp mercantile enterprise combined in this country with the moral ef- fect on the holders of a walk harvest. At all events, it is certain that the change in the law has greatly increased the consumptive powers of the country ; information he possessed on the subject led him to believe that in the particular places where wages have been most lowered, there still is an Increased consumption of corn ; and, taking the poor classes ass whole, there never has been a time when their consumption of wheat rose so high as it is now. The consumption of the people of England has increased, is in- creasing, and will continue to increase, till its beneficial effects will be felt in every part of the country ; and though the exact period when every in- terest will necessarily be in a prosperous condition may not be foretold, yet the progress of the nation is not towards poverty but towards wealth.

The Earl of lisemissneny rebutted the assertion that stocks are low • i asking what the state of stocks in the farmers' yards ? and he quote letters from Wiltshire showing that wheat is cheaper by 33 per cent; that wages are 20 per cent worse, inferior men getting but four shillings a week ; that the deposits in the savings-banks are 3,000/. a year less, and that the paupers in the workhouse are more numerous than they were this time last year.

The sufferings of the agricultural interest have been aggravated by the language used towards it by a man regarded as the champion of the Man- chester school. "The language of that man has been that the people were eaten up by the rents of landowners ; that the object of the repeal of the Corn-laws was to lower rents, that the poor man might have bread cheap, and be saved from the hands of a grasping aristocracy." Indeed, from the language of the gentlemen of the Manchester school, it is plain they think that the 200,000 small farmers must go. The prosperity of the commercial towns is not due to cheap corn—corn was cheaper in 1835—but to the in- crease of our exports. Earl GREY held, that the unexampled prosperity of commerce and ma- nufactures is proof that our "experiment has been most successful" ; pointing out that no attempt has been made by those who think otherwise to take the opinion of Parliament as to whether or not the admitted and deplored agricultural distress is due to that experiment, find might be re- medied by retracing our steps ; and he showed that in reference to glut, the action of free trade has the most obvious tendency to diminish the evil, by promoting an equal and continuous supply.

HIGHWAYS MANAGEMENT.

On the motion to read the Highways Bill a second time Sir WILLIAM 30LIFFE Sir Gzonos STRICELAND, and others, expressed a jealousy of the new system proposed. Mr. HENLEY observed, that the principle of choosing the Poor-law Unions as the areas of management would lead to great inconveniences, from their having been formed with a wholly dif- ferent purpose to the one proposed, and their boundaries often crossing county boundaries. He suggested postponement till after Easter. Sir Joisw PAICTNOTON opposed postponement. Mr. CORNEWALL LEWIS, re-. collecting how often the matter has been considered, called for an im- mediate second reading ; engaging to fix the Committee after Easter, so as to allow Members to confer on its details with their constituents during the recess. Mr. HODGSON moved, and Colonel Sirrnrone seconded, an amendment that the bill be read a second time that day six months. After some commonplace discussion, the amendment was negatived, by 144 to 55 ; and the bill was read a second time.

REDucriox or EXPENDITURE.

Mr. HP-NRY DICUSEMOND'S motion for lightening national burdens by lessening national expenditure was in this form- " That whereas the present taxation of the country depresses all classes, and espe- cially the labouring classes, by diminishing the funds for the employment of produc- tive labour, it is the opinion of this House that adequate means, should be forthwith adopted to reduce the expenditure of the Government." He would avoid the topics lately touched on by Mr. Cobden, and confine his observations to the taxes that diminish the funds of the tenant and la- bourer. The Corn-law was passed as an equivalent for the currency measure of 1819; when it was repealed without equivalent, they were exactly in the same place where they were in 1819. Sufficient time had not elapsed, and moreover common decency required them to persevere in the change there- fore, though he believed they would yet be obliged to retrace their steps, he did not ask that. But they have stopped in the middle, and he would urge them to carry free trade out, and be honest. Take off burdens on raw pro- duce of every kind. Lower salaries. A barrister had informed him that our Judges are paid absurdly high. The Lord Chancellor in 1797 had 9,500/., now he has 14,000/. • the Lord Chief Justice then had 4,8001., now 8,000!.; the Puisne Judges ten had 2,500/., now 5,000/. He was informed that the Lord Chancellor lately reduced his labourers 3s. a week—nearly one-fourth ; and that his carters, who are engaged by the year, are promised a similar re- duction at Michaelmas. Yet he had heard it would be impossible to select a person whose sense of the adequacy, of remuneration was more delicate, or who was more keenly alive to the advantages of a living ! Mr. Drummond's district is mostly fanned by yeomen owning their own land, and one of this class told him that for six years before 1842 he got for his produce 1,061/ • in 1849, 872!.; this year, 673/. Advowsons valued twelve years ago at 1,2601.

are now valued at 800/. Yet the farmer is prohibited from grow- ing tobacco, or from getting rape-seed, rape-cake, and oil, and from growing beet-root for manufacturing of sugar or for feeding cattle ; and an excise is levied on malt, the produce of barley, one of his sta- ples—which has diminished the consumption from four bushels per head in 1728 to one bushel per head at the present time. They must give us) the whole of the duties which press on the labouring populatiô If accused of attacking the means of keepiiith with the public cred14sr, he replied,

that they had taught the public to respect for keeping sue faith. The farmers may say, " We have been faitlnel and loyal, and have p teeted the institutions of the country; but those institutions have not protected our property, and we care not a rush whether they are maintained or not." (Laughter.) They might think it laughing matter, but if those principles were carried out it would terribly confound those who are the bold mockers now. A common remark with the labourers is, that they don't see why there should be so much difference between rich and r. He confessed he could not answer : but it is a fearful condition of • gs when the great masses meditate in this manner • and it behoves us to act justly and ho- nestly if we would avert the thratening danger. Screen not the rich ; put on a property-tax ; but assist impeded agriculture, and relieve oppressed labour.

Mr. CAYLEY supported the motion, with aspirations for returned pro- tection.

The necessities and safety of the Government are one element; the necessities and safety of his constituents another, which he must remember. The impatience of taxation visible is but the beginning of the end. Sin- cerely did he wish that were all. Did they imagine that free trade is este- tablished? Well would it be if in the prosecution of this ruthless scheme to make the rich richer and the poor poorer, the walls even of the House in which they sat were not shaken to their very foundation. Mr. Fox Matrix found the motion so indefinite, that it was almost admissible by all parties in the House ; but the speeches of the mover and seconder contained a reckless attack on the salaries of public men, whose position should be approached with the most careful consideration ; and an attack upon the commercial policy of 1846 and the following years.

Recalling to mind the circumstances under which the ,judicial salaries had been reviewed not many years ago, he further justified the expenditure of the judicial institutions by reference to the purity, impartiality, and re- cosemzed uprightness of those who administer them ; qualities secured by offering the highest rewards for learning and integrity. Retrenchments' to the amount of three millions within the last three years have been effected, and he looked in vain for a fair and legitimate object for further reduction. The motion is an ingenious trap, to catch birds from all parts of the House: but Members would weigh the arguments, and not be caught by the light food which had been used for bait. He moved "the previous question.'

Sir ROBERT PEEL observed, that the motion might be considered in a commercial and in a financial point of view.

Mr. Fox Idauk had chosen to consider that the motion implied an opinion un- favourable to the commercial liey of the past year : Sir Robert was confident

that if his honourable friend so intended, he would have framed his re- solution in plain terms to say so, and not by the use of equivocal phraseology have aimed at an advantage he could not get if he made himself intelligible. His honourable friend's past prophecies, the credit for sagacity which he has claimed for the fulfilment of those prophecies, and his recent declarations, alike bear out the inference that at no period had free trade a more cordial, ear- nest, or powerful advocate, than himself. (Laughter.) His motion recit.a, "that whereas the recent taxation of the country depresses all classes, and especially the labouring classes, by. diminishing the funds for their employ- ment": the legitimate inference is, "that the House is of opinion that the House of Commons acted most wisely in 1842, and in subsequent years in fliminishing the taxes which depressed all classes, and the labouring chines especially." ("Hear!" and laughter.) He might say, " that it will be desirable, as soon as revenue considerations may permit, to remove those other taxes which press heavily on the labouring classes of the community "; but Sir Robert defied him to draw thence any such conclusion as that the House should revert to the principles in force before 1842, and impose duties on the raw materials of labour, still less that it should reimpose taxes on corn, meat, -ovisions and cattle, to their former amount (Cheers and laughter. Judging the commercial policy of the country. by the test to which we must come, the command of the labouring class over those small luxuries which they can purchase, we must pronounce in favour of the change which has been made : it is doubtful whether even the agricultural labourers are not able to command an increased share of ne- cessanes and comforts ; and his honourable friend might depend on it that it is much better to have the necessaries on which life depends at as low a rate as possible, than to gain permission to gather your hops from the hedges, or cultivate your own tobaceo at a loss in your own country. But in the financial point of view Sir Robert could not give his support to the motion. Having been First Lord of the Treasury in 1835, and therefore not disinclined to take the Estimates then pPoposed as a rule, he could not vote with Mr. Cobden the other day, because his principle of bringing down expenditure to that of a particular year is fallacious. The present motion is liable to as many objections. "Adequate means" are of course to be adopted : but no confidence is to be placed in the pushing and pressing economy of the House of Commons, which vacillates with the advance and retreat of prosperity. He preferred the gradual and reflecting retrenchment of the Government, under the watching eye of the House. In what depart- ment of the expenditure is it proposed to make large reductions after the re- jection of Mr. Henley's motion on salaries, of Mr. Hume's motion to reduce the effective military force or his subsequent motion to reduce the number of seamen, and of Mr. Cobden's motion for a large general economy ? There are many taxes that you might remove. In time of peace, you must incur some risk; if you would have every garrison complete, Ansi every fortress in order, there is no amount you might not spend. The advice of merely. military men would hurry you into financial disaster : " bellum pant sa pacem veils" must be received with great qualification; taken absolutely, a more specious or fallacious doctrine never fell from the lips of man. You will best consult the interests of. the country by husbanding her means. Maintain the Ordnance and Navy efficient, and use a prudent economy else- where ; and depend upon it that the glorious people of thie country. will the more promptly rally at the cry of danger, and the more lavishly

i

put out their resources n the time of severe trial. "I trust," Sir Ro- bert said is conclusion, "that Russia, Ftance, Prussia, and Austria, will at length have the good sense to maintain armies better pro- portioned to their relative conditions, and put an end to some of that enormous expenditure in their armies which at the same time would not diminish their comparative strength, but would add much to the happi- ness of the people of those countries. (Cheers.) If those great powers would curtail their military expenditure, I will not say that we should be able to make corresponding reductions, as there would not be an end of all chance of attack, but still to a very considerable extent. These are the reasons which will influence the vote which I shall give. 1 advise the House of Commons to apply itself to economy in a practical way, and not to give votes in the morning by 223 to 60 for an Army af 100,000, and by 117 to 19 for a Navy of 39,000 seamen, 19,000

marines, and 2,000 boys, and say in the evening of the same day, that it will vote a general resolution which will induce the people of this country to believe • that the House is going to carry out some great plan of retrenchment. I say, therefore, I cannot vote for the financial proposition of my honourable friend, which if adopted I believe would end in delusion ; nor can I consent to the House of Commons saying that it has performed a great work in coming to a glorious resolution, and then resting on its laurels, instead of applying to the more active but somewhat invidious duty of attending to practical economy in detail." (Cheers.)

Mr. BRIGHT would evade the difficulties of relying on eminent author- ities, who rule both ways with equal emphasis : reading the resolution

with reference to its intrinsic claims he would not be deterred from voting for it because it had been supported by some injudicious friends and some untenable arguments.

It proposed, that although the Government has lessened the expenditure, it has not lessened it so much as it might do and as the circumstances re- quire : that being his opinion, he should vote for it. The motion is called vague : it is met by that vaguest of all amendments "the previous ques- tion"; a proceeding inconsistent also, implsing that the expediency only and not the truth of the proposition is denied: Last year, a resolution that large sums were expended yearly in needless places, extravagant salaries, and unnecessary works and establishments, was adopted against an amend- ment; and the Government used it honestly to back a circular im- pressing economy on all the departments. If this motion were carried, lie believed they would use it in the same manner to strengthen them- selves against pernicious influences, and to carry out their real desire to push economy much further than they have hitherto been able to push it. Protection is gone for ever : let all therefore combine, not to destroy the institutions of the country, but to cut down with steady and unsparing hand the excrescences which the Government year after year admits to be such by diminishing them to the extent of hundreds of thou- sands of pounds. He supported the motion as a friend to the Government. Mr. STAFFORD criticized Sir Robert Peel's speech, as a striking speci- men of the state of parties : its upshot was, that he would not support the motion because he agreed with it, and would vote against it because he acknowledged its truth.

The time was not far distant when agricultural constituencies would broach difficult and dangerous questions with reference to the great institutions of the country.

Mr. Fox MAULE—" What do you mean ? " Mr. STAFFORD--" I will tell the right honourable gentleman what I mean." (" Hear, hear ! ") When the country has been destroyed by re- cent legislation, be would tell him plainly what is working in the minds of the agricultural classes—that they would not feel their old attachment to the aristocratic and expensive institutions of the country—(" 011., oh ! " and cheers)—of which they had hitherto been the foremost champions.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL made a few remarks on the questionable doctrines as to faith with the public creditor which had fallen from the last speaker, with such warmth in these cool times ; and he put forward the view that his Ministry rather meet difficulty than advantage from finding themselves Sometimes unable to agree with either side. He then enforced the com- mercial views advanced by Sir Robert Peel. Colonel THOMPSON had meant to vote for the motion, till he heard the speeches in support of it, which revealed the hook of protection under the bait of reduced taxation. Mr. PAGE WOOD was influenced by a similar caution : the motion was so simple, and so mere a truism, that he felt a covert intention to be concealed in its abstract terms. Mr. Dim- THEIITON suggested, that the people could themselves repeal the malt-tax and spirit-taxes, without the help of that House.

The other speakers were—for the motion, Colonel Surrnonr, Lord JOHN MANNERS, Mr. HENLEY, Captain HARRIS, Mr. Muss; and Lord DUNCAN, who acknowledged himself " trapped" ; for "the previous ques- tion," Mr. OSBORNE and Mr. LABOUCHERE.

On a division, the motion was negatived, by 190 to 1,56; majority, 34.

COUNTY RATES : REPRESENTATIVE CONTROL OVER LOCAL TAXATION.

On the reading of the order of the day for resuming the debate, ad- journed from the 13th February, upon the second reading of Mr. Milner Gibson's County Rates and Expenditure Bill, Sir Joirs: PAKENGTON moved as an amendment— 'That a Select Committee be appointed to inquire into the present mode of levy- ing and expending the county-rate in England and Wales with a view to ascertain whether any more satisfactory mode of levying the said rates, and of giving to the ratepayers more effectual control over their expenditure, can be adopted."

If full and complete inquiry should show that the County Boards could be more popularly constructed without interfering with the duties of the magis- tracy, he should not object to the motion; - but he could not consent to the second reading of a bill of objectionable details for the sake of some principle Supposed to be involved in it. The bill may suit Lancashire, whence it comes, and where it arose out of a mere local squabble about a lunatic asy- lum; but it would suit no other part of the country. In that county the twentv-seven unions are coterminous with the county, but in every other part Of the country there are unions partly in two or more counties ; and in these the machinery for electing Guardians and Magistrates would act un- equally in favour of the former, as no Magistrate could act for a district out of his own county. It would be unjust to oust the hundreds of Magistrates in favour of some dozens of Guardians paving a less amount of the rates. Let not the House be carried away by the fallacy that the Magistrates exer- cise arbitrary and irresponsible power : they impose taxation under Parlia- mentary powers, and in raising money they act in open court. Beware of tampering with the present system of voluntary exertion. Mr. Witsow Ever-EN would vote for the second reading, on the ground that the bill recognizes the principle that the ratepayers should have some control over the expenditure. But he thought that popular control might be established without interfering with the judicial functions of the Ma- gistrates. Mr. Hume explained, that the bill had not come originally from Lanca- shire. A special Committee sat on the matter in 1835; and in conse- quence of the report then made, he introduced a bill, in 1837, to the same effect with this.

Sir Jamns GRAHAM supported the principle of the bill ; meeting anta- gonist arguments, and advancing reasons, with emphatic effect.

The objection that the proposed change is one of great magnitude and im- portance, is a strange one to raise in the House of Commons. Was that House unaccustomed to changes of great magnitude and importance ? (" Hear, hear 1") "Whys was not the change of the Municipal Corporations throughout the whole of the country, by which the whole of the town ex- penditure was placed under the control of the ratepayers, a great change ? The principle of combining representation and taxation was deliberately affirmed by the House in that instance." Is not the principle of the New Poor-law the introduction of a body annually elected by the ratepayers to check and control the expenditure ? The principle of this bill is, that the

ratepayers should exercise some control over that power of taxation now exercised by an irresponsible body of gentlemen. It is argued that the Ma- gistrates, as great proprietors, have the greatest interest in keeping down the expenditure ; an odd argument in the House of Commons, for on the same principle the Lords should have the power of taxation, instead of the Com- mons. These are not the times when the ratepayers will be content with seeing ma local newspaper the way in which their money is spent. At a meeting in Willie's Rooms last year, Mr. Bennett, a tenant-farmer, said dis- tinctly, that a road bill of Government was quite indefensible because it gave the power of taxation to the Magistrates, who are quite irresponsible. After a second reading,.the bill might go up to a Select Committee impartially con- stituted, to have its numerous imperfections corrected, and be brought down again in a form worthy of the attention of the House. Sir ROBERT PEEL brought the weight of official authority, and much attention to the subject, in support of the principle of popular control through elected representatives over the expenditure of county funds.

The principle, indeed, seemed conceded ; and with this admission of the principle, it was impossible to say that the time for inquiry has not come. He did not care which motion was adopted, so long as the principle were affirmed that there should be some concurrent control with the Magistrates upon the principle of representation. Without implying the least suspicion of the fidelity and care with which the Magistrates had hitherto performed their functions of managers of the county expenditure but giving them the fullest credit for the manner in which they had discharged the duties in- trusted to them, he should vote for the second reading of the bill.

Sir GEORGE GREY had no hesitation in concurring in the general prin- ciple of the formation of financial boards based on the representative principle. But there are great difficulties in the way of carrying that principle into effect; and the bill could only be carried into effect after due inquiry, and with great caution. It must be clearly understood that the bill goes to a Select Committee for thorough investigation. Mr. HENLEY criticized the bill, as having no discoverable principle but that of removing the powers of the Magistrates without taking off their responsibility ; contrasted its faltering and inconsistent arrange- ments; and objected that such a bill ought not to have been left by Go- vernment to the responsibility of any private Member. Government had shrunk from their responsibility, and if the amendment were pressed he would support it. Mr. ROBERT PALMER deferred to the high authority of Sir James Gra- ham; and advised Sir John Pakington to withdraw his motion, in hopes that the bill would assume a -very different shape in Committee. The other speakers were Mr. HODGES, Mr. SPOONER, and Mr. Aram:e- n; in favour of the second reading, and reference to a Select Committee afterwards ; Mr. PACKS, Sir GEORGE &masts:as Mr. BECKETT DENI- SON, Sir HENRY WILLOUGHBY, and Sir HENRY HALFORD, in favour of the amendment.

Bowing to the high authority before and behind him, (Sir James Gra- ham and Sir Robert Peel,) Sir Joins. PhisfisoroN, with leave of the House, withdrew his amendment. The bill was then read a second time, and re- ferred to a Select Committee.

RAILWAY AUDIT.

The second reading of Earl Granville's Railway Audit Bill having been moved, Lord STANLEY stated that he should not oppose that step, unless it were intended to press the bill precipitately forward. Apologizing for interference with the subject at all, as he never held a railway share in his life, and was not conversant either with the merits or the abuses of the system, he observed that a deputation had waited upon him, consisting of delegates from nearly every company in the country, and representing 119,000,0001. of paid-up capital : speaking as if in their name, he entered on a friendly criticism of the Government measure, with an explanation of a bill wIrch they have prepared. The Government bill is objectionable on the seround of centralization. No three persons should have that authority over all the railroads of the country which the bill proposes to give. The auditors are to be selected by delegates ; but when so chosen, the Government can control them by its power to main- tain them in office in spite of the shareholders, and by its power of fixing the salaries of the auditors and all their officers. The idea that 10,0001. will be sufficient for the expenditure of the bead is wild and extravagant ; but on what principle is even that sum to be levied from the companies ? By the amount of capital, or of dividend ? How is apportionment to be made between those companies with large capital and no dividend, and those with small capital and large dividends? The accounts are to be made up every year to the 31st December, the annual meetings are generally held on the 15th of February : how any three gentlemen could go through the accounts of a hundred and eighty-three companies—with their eyes open—in that in- terval, passed his comprehension.

By the measure which the shareholders propose, the audit will be taken out of their own hands and put under the control of Government. The committee of audit would consist of five shareholders qualified to be direc- tors, but not being directors, or in any sense of the word officeholders, and in their choice no director should have a vote. The committee should recommend two auditors, who should examine accounts and report in the first instance to the directors ; and if the directors took no notice of reported irregularities, the auditors should report to the general body of shareholders. Twenty shareholders should be able to call for a special audit ; but at their own expense, unless a general meeting afterwards approved of the step. Of retiring directors only one should be reeligible—as with the Bank of England Directory. Proxies should not be held by directors at the expense of the company ; twenty-one days' notice of meetings should be given, and the business to be transacted should be specified. Directors not paying up calls, to be ipso facto incapacitated for their office. Lord Stanley trusted, that though the second reading now moved might be persisted in, that step would not wholly shut out the considera- tion of the bill of which he had given the outline, and which he introduced.

Lord MoirrEscms rejoiced that Government had taken up the subject. Parliament must insist on the appointment of one auditor in three by the Crown. In the bill of last year, it was provided that not more that 50 per cent of the legal and Parliamentary costs should be paid before taxa- tion; remembering that 10,000,0001. have thus been spent, this provision should not be dropped. He suggested, that if both the bills went up stairs for examination by practical gentlemen conversant with financial matters, a better bill than either would be sent down, and one more likely to pass the other House.

Earl Gessisvissz explained, that 10,0001. was thesirst sum to be paid up ; he had very distinctly stated that the expense might amount to 20,0001. As to the suggestion that it would be difficult for three auditors to get through such a mass of business, six Commissioners already audit the whole of the public accounts of the country. He certainly would not hurry his own bill, and he would allow full time for judging of Lord Stanley's. The suggestion of a Committee he approved of, upon the whole ; but he would consider it.

The Government bill was read a second time.

THE TEN-HOURS BILL: ABOLITION OF THE RELAY SYSTEM.

Lord ASHLEY moved for leave to bring in a bill "to amend an Act of the seventh year of her present Majesty relating to Labour in Factories." Lord Ashley explained the nature of the difficulty arising from the verbal construction of the act of 1844 [the Eleven-hours Act] as applied under the act of 1847 [the Ten-hours Act]. The object of the law was to provide that in any factory the limitation of time for any class of workers should be counted from the moment when any one of that class began work, and should be continuous, with the exception of specified intervals—in the whole an hour and a half—for meals. By the relay system, to which a minority of manufacturers have resorted, chiefly. in Lancashire and Scotland, different parties of workers in the same class, in a given factory, have been permitted to commence work at different times, each party professedly working for no more than the fixed limit of ten hours. By the shift system, transferring the work of the hands whose time is limited to different parts of the day, their cooperation in the proceedings of the mill has been extended over a longer period. Lord Ashley stated, how attempts had been made to enforce the intent of the Legislature ; how the Factory Inspectors, excepting Mr. Leonard Homer, had been permitted to abstain from a strict enforcement of the act ; and how it had ultimately been decided by the Jedges, that the terms of the act were not such as to sustain a conviction. The consequence has been, that in many instances—he particularly noticed Staleybridge—the purpose of the act has been frustrated. Under the shift-system, the young persons and women are detained in attendance at the mill, exposed to fatigue and to the temptations of idleness. Under the relay system, it is impossible to prevent evasion of the act. The _predictions as to the ruin which would fall upon the manufacturers, or the decline of wages, have been com- pletely contradicted by. experience; the manufacturing districts exhibit an increased number of mills, increased exports, and wages in many cases in- creased and never reduced ; on the other hand, the anticipations stated by the Mends of the measure have been completely realized. The change in the moral and social condition of the operatives has been perfectly marvellous. In Leeds alone, fifty night-schools have been established ; at Keighley the number of persons attending mechanics institutions, &c. has increased from two hundred to four hundred; the women attend to their domestic avoca- tions. Similar accounts from Bolton, Stockport, Preston, Dundee, &c. The evidence is supplied by cleigy men of the Established Church, Roman Catho- lic priests, magistrates, mill-owners, and working men. If the relay and shift systems be suffered to extend, those advantages will have to be aban- doned again. Lord Ashley concluded with an eloquent exhortation not to thwart the noble effort which the people are making to promote their own social and moral reformation. "It thews that our people are desirous of availing themselves, of every opportunity of intellectual culture, and that they seize every occasion to advance in the paths of religious progress and of domestic virtue. It does give me hope in a time of many fears for the future welfare of this realm. Nay, more ; it fills me with confidence that we shall not only see this great nation an example to all others, but that by such ex- ample the advancement of mankind will be promoted. Her Majesty has in- vited the people of all nations to flock next year into this country to witness the exhibition of all the world can produce. Every class, every profession, every trade, every calling, every art, will contribute something to show its peculiar industry and genius. Let it be the grand result of the industry of this House to show the contentment, happiness, and virtue of a well-governed people. You are not called upon to begin the work afresh. The work is al- ready more than half accomplished, and you are only supplicated not to de- stroy it. Sir, I formerly appealed to the humanity of the Legislature. I do so no more. I stand upon Magna Charta. 'stand upon our accorded rights; and, feeling convinced,as I do from the bottom of my soul, that this question concerns the temporal and eternal welfare of thousands of our fellow sub- jects, I appeal in the name of the Almighty God, to the justice and to the honour of the Parliament of England.' (Loud and prolonged cheering.) Sir GEOB.GE GREY admitted that the intent of the Legislature had been frustrated in the practical working of the law, and that the law ought to be enforced ; but he threw out many doubts as to the force of Lord Ash- ley's arguments.

It is the very subject of complaint that the bill has only received a partial application ; and the proofs of prosperity therefore cannot be applied to the complete working of the measure. The act of 1844 contained a provision that no woman or child of any age should be employed for more than twelve hours of consecutive labour. From the omission of that provision in the act of 1847, he concluded that its framers had a different object from that en- tertained by the persons who framed the act of 1844- and in the view of all these doubts, he could not presume that all they had now to do was to carry out a distinct intention. There should be a new enactment to amend the defect of the existing law ; but as to the nature of the remedy he should offer no opinion until he saw the bill.

In the debate that ensued, Lord Ashley's views and statements were supported by Mr. BANKES, Mr. O'Conivon, Sir ROBERT LYous, Mr. AGLIONBY, Lord IONN MANNERS, Mr. W. J. Fox, Lord ROBERT GROSVE- NoR, and Colonel Tnoneson—the last an opponent of the measure formerly, but now unanimously instructed by his constituents of all classes in Brad- ford to report the admirable effects of the measure when thoroughly Worked out.

Mr. Muses. Gusson expressed utter doubt as to the representations of Lord Ashley ; which, deeply tinged with Socialism and sentimentalism, described the conversion of great sinners into comparative saints in one year. Mr. BRIGHT maintained that the improvement of the working classes commenced in 1843-5, so that it could not be ascribed to the act of 1847: and he argued that the working classes would derive much less benefit from extorting the limit of an hour or half an hour from their employers, than by some measure which would conciliate opinions of all ela sees and engage the employers to coOperate in a generous spirit, Mr. WTT:TJAM BROWN 'S'S() opposed the bill.

Sir Jemns Gaanam, who held the office of Home Secretary in 1844, stated that his object in adopting the terms of the Factory [Eleven-hours] Act, was absolutely to prohibit the shift and relay systems in any form whatsoever. He objected to interference between workpeople and their employers ; but, finding that the Factory-law was working unequally, he directed Mr. Homer to frame the restrictions on the employment of shifts and relays : in the progress of the bill, the original phraseology became altered—he thought not intentionally, but accidentally ; and before the second reading of the present measure, he would refresh his memory as to the diserepancy between the first and second draft of the bill of 1844.

In a brief reply, Lord ABIELEY stated that in practice the breach of the law has hitherto been carried out only by a small-minority of millowners —only 200 out of 3,000 in Lancashire and West Yorkshire.

Leave was given to bring in the bill.

SECONDARY PUNISHMENTS.

In moving the second reading of the Convict Prisons Bill, Earl GREY• addressed the House fully on the general subject of secondary punish- ments ; reviewing the past policy of action, pause, inquiry, improved ac- tion, and gradual progression through temporary expedients towards a more satisfactory and permanent system. The bill applies to the juvenile prison at Parkhurst, the prisons at Penton- vile, the h - and the establishment at the Isle of Portland. These pri- sons contain 5 convicts; are under four separate and distinct au- thorities,—Visiters appointed by her Majesty in Council, Commissioners ap- pointed by the Privy Council, and Commissioners appointed by the Home Secretary of State it is proposed to bring all under the control of one board of Visitors, who shall carry out a uniform system.

Lord Grey ran over the history of convict management since the year 1838, when a Committee of the House of Commons opened the eyes of Parlia- ment to the existence of an enormous mass of unsuspected evils : the dis- continuance of the assignment system in 1840—perfected in 1841 ; the regula- tions made by Lord Stanley for giving a certain amount of freedom to the con- vict proportioned to his good conduct, which failed front want of adequate Co- lonial means for erecting the necessary buildings, and from the enormous influx of convicts consequent on the resolutions of the Commons in 1841 against the retention of convicts at home ; the suspension of transportation to Van Diemen's Land for two years ; the adoption of the plan of penal la- bour and separate confinement at home; the device of sending out the

ma- proved convicts not as convicts but as "exiles," with conditional pardons,- the final arrangement, now in operation, of sending out the exiles with tickets of leave, and obliging them to take service in remote districts of the colony. He dwelt on the advantages of the last improvements ; especially defending the use of the separate confinement, as a stringent means both of reforming the criminal and of morally deterring those who contemplate crime—its terrors are seen in the fact that recommittals after it are compa- ratively few in number. In addition to Pentonvillc and Millbank, solitary cells have been fitted up in several county prisons ; so that 2,000 cells are now at the disposal of Government, a number adequate to the average yearly demand. It is meant that all convicts sentenced to transportation shall un- dergo a greater or less portion of separate imprisonment. After that sepa- rate imprisonment, the convict will be employed on penal labour, in this country, Gibraltar, or Bermuda. A system of task-work has been applied in Bermuda with the best result in stimulating the convicts to a beneficial in- dustry; and in the Isle of Portland, where the labour in raising atone for the great works of the breakwater is severe, and the discipline perfect, there has occurred only one instance of necessity for giving corporal punishment to any of the regular prisoners. The riotous and profligate conduct of some men brought from the hulks, and immediately removed again, forms at once the exception and contrast to the general conduct of the 800 convicts in the island. For a small percentage of convicts on whom neither separate impri- sonmentnor any other secondary punishment makes the slightest impression,

Norfolk Island is reluctantly assigned i; there no other resource. For the rest, transportation must form the ultimate part of their sentence : the chain of former habits must be broken, and a new scene opened, where labour is in great demand, where the stain of tarnished character is not indelible, and where honest industry will be rewarded by independence. The convicts sent out with a ticket of leave will be bound to take service with private indivi- duals in the remote districts where they must remain ;. and Government will.. retain an equivalent for that property which it has in the services of the transported convict, in the shape of a portion of the wages he earns. Thus, security will be taken for the new system of discipline established; and a fund will be provided to promote free emigration, so far that in no convict colony shall the convict element predominate. With the object of further promoting free emigration, it is intended to relieve the colonists from any expense of public works for convicts beyond the cost of the necessary super- intendence and tools. In addition, special advantages in the purchase of land will be held out in the convict colonies. Two ship-loads of convicts who arrived in New South Wales were engaged by the free emigrants "on the instant" of their arrival ; so well had the convicts been disciplined at home and on the voyage, and so eligible do they appear for service in the remote parts of the colony. It is hoped that the stationary condition of Western Australia may be changed by the founding of a convict establish- ment there : the cheap labour thus afforded will be of the highest value in developing the resources of a country possessing forests of the finest timber, and a climate and soil capable of yielding every Tropical production of the earth.

Lord Grey touched, with the slightest reference, on the late sending of convicts to the "Cape of Good Hope and other colonies in that direction." It had been done from a feeling of the importance that the convicts should be dispersed in the "remote parts of the Colonies," but was defeated by the "reluctance of those colonies to receive convicts." It is felt that they should not be compelled ; and that in New South Wales,—especially as so many emigrants have gone there since transportation thither was abolished in 1840, the pledge given must be adhered to. But.to Van Diemen's Land the free inhabitants have gone with their eyes open, and the large expendi- ture we have gone to gives us a right to send our convicts thither. If it should in future be found necessary to send convicts thither, the practice will be continued with the least possible injury, loss, and expense, to that colony. For the present circumstances render the application of the intended ar- rangements to convicts from Ireland, impracticable. A great and unforeseen calamity has prodigiously increased the number of persons there sentenced to transportation. In 1847-8-9, the average was 2,628; in 1849 the number was 3000; a grave difference between that part and this part of the empire. No other speaker rose. The bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed.

Pume LrerisniEs nr Towws.

Mr. Ews.nx moved the second reading of the Public Libraries and Mu- seums Bill. Its simple object is to give a permissive power to Town- Councils to levy a rate, not exceeding one halfpenny in the pound, to rent rooms or buildings suitable for the establishment of libraries and mu- seums in municipal towns. A similar act as to museums passed about four years ago : all that is proposed is to extend the principle to libraries. Colonel Snersione saw in the bill a trap to catch him and others ; for if giving a hundredweight of coals to the poor is corruption, giving a few. pounds for a public library must be gross bribery. He moved that the

be read a second time that day six months.

The second reading was opposed by a number of Conservative Mem- bers, headed by Mr. Gov-Lamm and Lord JOHN MANNERS, on the ground that it would do more than enable the Town-Council to pay for a building and furniture ; it would favour the establishment of mere political clubs, and would tax the poor for the benefit of the middle classes who are bet- ter off. Mr. Bum objected, that it would tax the landed property near small towns more heavily than it would benefit the owners of such pro- perty. Mr. ROUNDELL PALMER would make a stand against the substi- tution of the compulsory for the voluntary principle. The bill was supported by Sir Cezoaez GREY and Mr. LABOUCHERE ; and by Mr. Hums, Mr. Sessae, and other Liberal Members, as a help towards the extension of popular instruction.

On a division, the amendment was negatived, by 118 to 101; and the bill was read a second time ; Colonel Burmese giving notice, that on the motion to go into Committee he would again make a motion to throw the bill out.

GREECE: THE NFSBELRODE DESPATCIL In reply to questions by Mr. G. A. SMYTHE and Mr. EVELYN Darer/fox, Lord PALMERSTON stated, that, though not exactly the same despatch, yet despatehes to the same effect as the published one from Count Nes- selrode, have been communicated to her Majesty's Government by Baron Brunow. Ministers had no accounts so late as the arrival of the French negotiator at Athens ; and until the negotiations are brought to a close he could not enter into discussion, nor lay on the table a continuation of the documents on the subject of Greece.

Mr. ANSTEY raised a conversation on Thursday.

He asked, when the British squadron would be removed from the Greek waters ? Lord PALMERSTON—"The state of matters at Athens requires the services of the squadron, and there it is engaged. Its natural place will be Malta, when the service in which it is now engaged shall cease." (Laugh- r. Barricrs inquired whether the blockade had actually closed, or not ? Lord Peesteruerox thought his honourable friend ought to know that there never had been what was strictly called a blockade of any of the ports of Greece. Only Greek vessels have been prohibited from leaving the ports; but that measure was discontinued by an order of Sir William Parker on the 1st of the present month, in consequence of a communication which he re- ceived from her Majesty's Government announcing the acceptance of the good offices of France. Mr. Bc.xxas—" Then the prohibition with regard to Greek vessels is now at an end ? " Lord PALMERSTON—" Yes."

Mr. }Erste asked why there was a detention of so many ships; amounting, he believed, to 150 ? Lord Pci.sureferoe said his honourable friend was wrong in his arithmetic : he had taken it for granted that there were 150 ships detained ; but they fell short of 50, and they were held by the law of nations in pledge.

PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS.

Papers relative to Emigration to the Australian Colonies. (Presented by com- mand.)

A blue book of 233 pages ; the dates, December 1848 to January 1850. Amidst the official and statistical matter some racy incidents are intermixed; such as the discovery that a batch of Irish "orphans," 203 in number, war- ranted on shipment of good character, and tolerable workhouse education, contained 56 "women" whose ages were nearer thirty than nineteen, some of them married and flying from their husbands, and others exhibiting ha- bits and dispositions the reverse of decent or orderly. On the arrival of the vessel at Sydney, inquiry was instituted, and one of the witnesses stated that many of the interesting " orphans " were "swept from the streets into the workhouses, with a view to their being thence swept out to New South Wales." Two of them admitted that the workhouse authorities had induced them to assume the names of females who had died in the workhouse, so as to invest them with the necessary qualification for a free passage.

Copies or Extracts of Despatches respecting the State of Cephalonia in 1849; the Proclamation of Martial-law, and the Punishments inflicted under it. (Mr. Hume, with continuation moved for by Mr. Hawes.) A readable account of the insurrection of August 1849; the atrocities com- mitted; the measures adopted to put it down ; the apprehension, depositions, and trial of the ringleaders ; their execution ; terminating sith expressions of thanks to Sir Henry Ward from the Ionian Senate for the energetic part he had acted, and of full approval from Earl Grey of all Sir Henry had been doing and authorized to be done.

Return of the Duties paid upon Bricks, in the several Excise Collections in Eng- land, in 1849. (Mr. Cocks.) The " collections " or districts are fifty-three in number ; and if it could be assumed that the bricks upon which duty was paid were used within the respective localities, an idea could be formed of the benefit which the con- sumers would experience in the event of the duty being reduced. The tax in 1849 amounted to 448,8261. 193.3}d. (farthings even are claimed.ales, a stony- country', contributes only 11,4801. Cornwall, 981.; Plymouth, 3701.; Manchester, 32,0341.; Rochester, 32,2841.; Stourbndge,'25,988/. ; Surrey, 37,283/. London, 26,014/. Railroad-making must affect largely the amount of duty 'realieed in particular collections.

Statement of Excess of Expenditure for the Navy for 1849. (Presented by com- mand.) Last year it was objected that the departments were in the habit of taking the responsibility of ordering payment of such excess as might occur in the expenditure, and thee applying. to Parliament to sanction the act. With the view, apparently, of removing this objection, a vote of 211,1591. 3e. 7d. will be asked for, to defray the excess of the Navy expenditure over the vitiate made for the year ending March 1849.

EASTER HOLIDAYS.

At the request of many Members of the House with the encourage- ment of the Speaker Lord ROBERT Gaosvmeon ventured, on Monday, to express an anxious wish, if compatible with the interests of the public, to have the week immediately preceding Easter week as free as possible from the turmoil of Parliamentary business. Though many Members of unquestioned piety and strong religious feelings do not commend, but even dishke, the use of special seasons for devotion, yet many Members do commend such usage ; and surely, Members rejoicing in their own liberty would be gratified that business should be so conducted as to avoid inflicting pain on those labouring in the same arduous duties with themselves. In the last twenty years tho longest Easter vacation has been twenty-two days, the shortest nine; the average, fourteen, would have in- cluded the while of Passion-week. Would it not conduce to the despatch of public business that greater certainty should prevail as to the commence- ment and termination of Easter recess ; and might it not be thought that we could annually afford the fourteen days which have been afforded on the average ? If so, by adjourning onFriday those days might become six- teen, and include three Saturdays and Sundays instead of two, without the loss of one more working day. year it might not be possible to adjourn till Monday the 25th; but as until tomorrow [last Tuesday] no notices could be given for the Tuesday in Passion-week, and as no one would risk a motion

importance mportance for the chance of a House on that day, the House might con- sider it could adjourn on Monday the 25th.

Lord Jolla RUSSELL said, that adjournment on Tuesday will be one day earlier than usual : to fix Monday, would be exceedingly incon- venient; he would therefore adhere to Tuesday. The proposal regarding the recess of future years will be considered by Government on its own grounds, when the occasion arrives. An Account of the Revenue of the Dutchy of Cornwall, for the year ending Rs December 1849. (Presented pursuant to Act.) The income from all sources amounted to 51,8821. 13s. 2d. The expendi- ture consists of 29,557/. paid to the use of the Prince of Wales ; 3,7501. stands in the name of "The Duke of Cornwall" at the Bank of England ; and 5,254/. remains at the banker's to the credit of the Prince's Council. The other branches of expenditure relate to the management of the property.

Estimate of the Sum required to complete the New House of Commons, Libraries, and all other requisite Offices. (Mr. Spooner.)

The sum specified by Mr. Barry, is 102,1801.; but it does not distinctly appear whether the completion can be effected in time to allow the House of Commons to be occupied this session. The wording seems to imply that such occupancy may take place provided the money is forthcoming ; and it is not unlikely that the impatience of Members to luxuriate in the new hall may induce them after much ado to vote the money.

Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation, for the month ended 5th February

1850.

Tables of imports, exports, and vessels employed in the foreign and coast- ing trade of the United Kingdom; signed "A. W. Fonblanque." The re- suit is favourable as regards exports ; 4,069,4311. being the declared value for the month ending the 5th February 1850, whereas the corresponding months of 1848 and 1849 were 3,373,713/. and 3,211,1461. Cotton, linen, woollen, and silk, all share the improvement ; also machinery., in which case the value of the "steam-engines and parts of steam-engines" exported ex- ceed the value for February 1849 by 46,0007.; earthenware, glass, haber- dashery, cutlery, gloves, saddlery, stationery, all show an increase. As to the imports, the balsam is largely in favour of the agricultural interest. In the article of wheat, the quantities are-346,652 quarters for February 1849, and 138,627 quarters for February 1850; of Indian corn, 211,944 quarters and 52,825 quarters ; of flour, 647,341 orts. and 258,064 cwt.& ; of Indian meal, 34,759 ewts. and 535 evrts.

Betmn of the Towns and Districts which have asked for Inspection under the Public Health Act; and of those which have embraced and are placed under its provisions. (Mr. Slaney.)

Applications for inspection have proceeded from 192 towns and parishes, with an aggregate population of 1,969,915; 32 of them (including the con- siderable towns of Gloucester, Lancaster, Leicester, Warwick, Windsor, Wors cester, Taunton, Loughborough, Kendal) have already been placed under the act.

Metropolitan Police:: Accounts showing the sums Received and Expended for the _ ye ar ended 1849. (Presented Pursuant to Act of Parliament.)

There was received from assessment 333,6957., and 26,1931 from the Cons solidated Fund to meet special items of expenditure. The reoeipta, including a former balance, amount to 422,4001., and the expenditure to 373,640/. On the let January, the strength of the force was, 140 superior officers, 583- ser- geants, and 4,769 constables.

Bank of England Returns, as published weekly in the Gazette Monthly Average Amount of Promissory Notes ; Weekly Average Price of Grain, from January 1846 to January 1848, and first six months of 1849; the Quantities Imported in each month, from January 1846 to June 1849. (Mr. Newdegate.) These details may be useful for reference, especially as regards the eventful money and food crisis of 1247; but they possess no special interest at the present moment.

Accounts of Bounty on the Exports of Wheat, 1748 to 1752; on Imports, 1798 to 1801. and Quantaties of Wheat Imported and Exported, 1810 to 1814 inclusive. (Mr. Wodehouse.) It is to be presumed that the object of this return is to supply links to a great chain of argument to be adduced at some agricultural debate. Mr. odehouse is a steady Protectionist ; and if he can convert to intelligible and practical use what he has induced the House of Commons to supply and to ,print, he will accomplish a feat. The following are some of the salient points. In the five years enffing 1752, 671 quarters of wheat were imported and 3,219,804 exported; the mean average price during the period was 338. 114 The rate of bounty on the export of wheat was at that time 5s. per quarter, when the price was at or under 438. During the six years end- ing 1801, 2,067,644/. was paid as bounty on the importation of gram and flour into Great Britain. In the five years ending 1/314, 3,605,533 quarters of wheat were imported, the average price in England during that time being'99s. 5d.