A* AVf,J 



111L J\EW SPAPER. 



their visits to the British Museum, the National Gallerv, and 

 other public places, as a strong reason why this additional 'indul- 

 gence should be granted to them; and, in anticipating objec- 

 tions, declared his strong objection to profaning the temples of 

 peace by the abominations of monuments to military and naval 

 men, surrounded with all the paraphernalia of war. He would 

 transfer them either to some public national building, or, at least, 

 give the Government some control over their erection. It was 

 but fair, he admitted, to the present ecclesiastical guardians of 

 Westminster Abbey, and also to other dignitaries of the Church, 

 to state that there was a considerable disposition on their part to 

 grant the required facilities, consistently with the security of 

 the edifices under their care.— Mr. Wyse seconded the motion, 

 paying a compliment to Mr. Hume for the singular zeal and 

 perseverance with which he has prosecuted this subject, and en- 

 larging on the elevated feelings which freedom of access to our 

 cathedrals was calculated to inspire amongst' the general com- 

 munity. He recommended the example of France to our Go- 

 vernment, in the appointment of a commission or board for the 

 care of our national monuments.— Sir R. H. I.vglis denied that 

 our ecclesiastical edifices were national property; argued that 

 the Reformation had not deprived the Church of its vested right 

 in them ; and, looking to the history of the past, saw that great 

 national intellectual appreciation might co-exist with great 

 moral corruption. He could not, therefore, concede that sight- 

 seeing, even in a cathedral, was an efficient means of Christian- 

 ising: the people. The introduction of trophies of war, figures 

 of heathen gods and goddesses, &c, in our cathedrals was ut- 

 terly incongruous; even the fine statue of Watt, bv Chantrey, 

 in Westminster Abbey, was wholly unsuited to the character of 

 the edifice. For this, however, Parliament was more respon- 

 sible than the deans and chapters. Though opposing the motion, 

 he approved of the suggestion thrown out by Mr. Wyse for the 

 adoption, by the Government, of the example of France, in ap- 

 pointing; a commission for the protection of our national monu- 

 ments ; there was nothing, for instance, but individual character 

 to insure the preservation of Stonehenge.— Mr. M. Milnes, 

 looking to the high purposes for which our religious edifices were 

 "It J c , on8ldered that the receipt of fees at the doors of our 

 cathedrals was gross profanation. The people, when entrusted 

 ■with the care of our national monuments, constituted the best 

 police ; and Westminster Abbey would be as safe with English- 

 men as Notre Dame with Frenchmen.— Sir R. Pkel, having care- 

 fully watched the results of the free admission of the people to 

 our public institutions, was confirmed in his conviction that the 

 sight of works of art had a good moral effect. The argument of 

 Mr R. Inglis as to great corruption co-existing with great refine- 

 ment and civilisation, would, if pushed to its limits, lead to the 

 conclusion that we should set limits to the progress of civilisa- 

 tion. Westminster Abbey was open for divine service on Sun- 

 days ; and by exacting a fee on other days, we held out an 

 encouragement to individuals to visit it, not for religious 

 worship, but from motives of curiosity. He was quite satisfied 

 that, taking the ordinary precautions for the safety of the edifices 

 and monuments, still further relaxations might be made in 

 favour of the free admission of the people, with the probability 

 *l J ?°? be ° efici ^ results. But Mr. Hume's motion sought 

 to effect the object by indirect means. The deans and chapters 

 were the legal guardians of our cathedrals; and there was a 

 growing disposition on their part to concede the desired privilege 



J?«« P >k C ; ,^ ut the ad °P tion of an undefined abstract resolu- 

 tion, without following it up by an enactment, would not only 



l£l r> C hn B! of J J^lousy and resistance, but disparage the 



tnnlri nn^L he H °T; "* h ° ped » therefore ' that the motion 

 Thlfir p be » pr , eBSC .l t0 w. a divi8ion -- Mr ' E»art complained, 

 5K ™l '. Vk WUh , hls °P ini °n s ^ favour of the principle 



did not support the resolution.-Sir W. Jambs concurred in the 



C p ' e - ™l fretted that the authorities of the Church should 



?i„n P , ™ cathed , ra,s closed J but he could not vote for a resolu- 



^n« P h h aU " Upon wmch he thought 1he House of Com- 

 mons had no jurisdiction—Mr. Borthwick said, that if Mr 



wvvn-Tl Dt t0 1 di 7 isi0n ' he WOuld vote with » "-ColonS 

 2i K? HAM u wa sin favour of free access for the public, but 



Sni i°pf i » hat *h he H °, US ? had n ° r, * ht to interfere, h wouTd 

 2£i?J ? n C k " ol 1 u tion.-Mr. Huh. said he had too much 



h1s P moMnn tn R °. bC ? ^ ' °»L nl0n UP ° D thiS Sub J ect *° P"" 



?i* - • , a dlv,81on - He trusted, however, that the 



almost universal sentiment now expressed would have its effect 

 in the proper quarters.-The motion was then withdrawn .-Su- 



th.h ?- -ii K n r ,° Se to . move an address to her Majesty, praying 

 that she will be pleased to confer some honorary distinction on 



in£ rV U nT V, - n ? ° ffiCer8 ° f the Pe ninsular army; Though abstain" 

 ing from giving a general sketch of the Peninsular war? he en- 

 tered into some of the details of the brilliant deeds achieved hv 



nodrand'hafeffe^ ^ *** °°™*«*^$M#l& 

 in 7h„ £■ ► ejected services, to which there was no parallel 



gui hed^fficer- who r ° P h ; and enum erated the names o'SisUn 

 fhJ »!«;! i ' Wh °' thou e h engaged in all the great affairs of 



2*£3 ** Waf ' Were yet unable to cxhib it such a mark ° 

 ?nnn^h? n ^ Wa i- WOrn by any drura -boy who had bee™ucky 

 enough to be within sound of the guns at Waterloo He wrmiri 

 propose that medals should be given to every surging officer of 

 the Peninsular war, and also to the families of thSS wlw had 

 died It rmght be objected that it was now too la^7he time 

 was too far gone by. But it was not as a paltry decoration that 

 he asked for this distinction; all these honours wereTgarded 



^ DO o r H ble H-r^ dS ' and co nstituted the stimulus for fa" he? 

 efforts; and while they were freely bestowed on our Indian arm v 



1 JSI!? t *H tt - ,n ?i th ? ° fficerS ' the mo8t meritorious of those who 

 had shed their blood in the service of their country, should be 



-Si? H H°f° 18ed -~ LOrd ARTHUE Lknnox seconded 7 the motion! 

 —Sir H. Hardings opposed the motion, not because he did not 



appreciate the merits of the Peninsular army, but because^? wouW 

 HtS^ b V° confi " ethe Proposed distinction to Uie surWvo s 

 Snri my * ?!\. Tne 8U ™™™ of the armies of Egypt, America 



iould ££ ~" W haVC alS ° their Clairas to totinction and that 

 the Duke nfVJ^T extension - W^n it was recollected that 

 rn?J?* * of VVellin Kton was at the head of the Army, the House 



S?A™v 8t T"/ e 1 that . CVery Po«»iblejustice would be done to 

 wrfed n;oSnl When th K C difficuJ ties which this motion would, if 

 STi *o™«SS ?£*** borne >. ra ind, the House should pause 

 Sot ion Colon.. % CqUleSCe 5! ,t - Sir C * NAPiER snPPorted the 



drawn ITord Er B 1v^ Wlthdrawal - " was ultimately with- 

 appomtmen o? st nen ri °i- moved . for re turns connected with the 



thr'ee liS ?eaS of th Kmf^ ia Ireland durin& the 



purpose ot di^provint thp imn m K 1Stratl0n * He did so for the 



by Sir J. Graham on a 17 Utat T, Cast u P° n Lord Fortescue 



m ° n a ate occasion, that he had unduly made 



stood, and the committee stood for the 26th, he had determined 

 to move, on the third reading, that certain clauses be added to the 

 Bill, for the purpose of carrying out the amendment he contem- 

 plated. Her Majesty's Government had concurred in that arrange- 

 ment, and had given him to understand that they would arrange 

 the business of the House so that, if the Bill went through 

 committee on Friday, the 26th, the third reading might be had on 

 Friday, the 3d May.— Lord Ashley then gave notice that on the 

 third reading of the Bill he should move the addition of clauses 

 limiting the number of hours of work per day in factories to 

 eleven hours, until the 1st of October, 1847, and after that period 

 to ten hours.— Sir J. Manners gave notice to submit his motion 

 relative to the law of mortmain, on Thursday, the 2d May.— 

 In reply to a question from Mr. P. M. Stewart, Sir R. Peel 

 stated that on Monday, the 6th May, he should bring forward the 

 question of the Bank of England charter.— Sir J. Graham fixed 

 Monday next for the second reading of the Factory Bill, and for 

 the second reading of the Ecclesiastical Courts Bill 5 and Thurs- 

 day next for the committee on the Poor Law Amendment Bill, 

 after the committee on the Factory Bill.— Mr. Pakington, at the 

 request of Sir J. Graham, withdrew the Quarter Sessions Bill. — 

 The County Coroners' Bill was recommitted, and new clauses 

 added by Sir J. Graham— Mr. M. Gibson brought forward a mo- 

 tion relative to Agricultural Statistics. He disclaimed all intention 

 of raising a Corn-law discussion, by anything which would insinu- 

 ate obliquely that wedid not gro wenough corn for our subsistence. 

 Free trade was a sort of civil right, and did not rest on the ques- 

 tion of sufficiency or insufficiency; for, if we grew ten times 

 more corn than we did, the argument for freedom of intercourse 

 would still be perfect and complete. He placed his motion on its 

 own independent grounds, that of its practicability, its import- 

 ance, and its necessity to the advancement of that portion of 

 statistical science connected with national progress. All statis- 

 tical writers deplored the absence of the information which he 

 sought, and pointed out the evils which this omission in the 

 machinery of the Executive led to. M'Culloch, Porter, Tooke, 

 the author of the " History of Prices," the Speaker himself, in a 

 pamphlet which he had published, and other authorities, had 

 pointed out the advantages which would ensue from the collec- 

 tion of agricultural statistics by some department of the Govern- 

 ment. It would solve the interesting problem of the relation 

 between food and population ; would enable us regularly to 

 trace the connection between produce and price ; would put an 

 end to the controversies arising out of conflicting statements, 

 based on conjectural estimates; while the farmers, if it were 

 properly explained to them, and backed by legislative authority, 

 would have no rational objection to the returns from which 

 the information would be derived. For Excise reasons, we 

 required returns from the growers of hops, and also ef the 

 sales of grain, and therefore he hoped that the Govern- 

 ment would not oppose his motion, which was :— «' That an 

 humble address be presented to Her Majesty, representing, that 

 in the opinion of this House it is desirable to obtain authentic 

 information upon all matters connected with the agriculture of 

 the United Kingdom ; that this information is altogether deficient, 

 so that at this time even the extent of land under cultivation 

 and the amount of its produce, are subjects only of vague con- 

 jecture ; that the total absence of all statistical knowledge in re- 

 ference to this important subject, has at various times proved 

 detrimental to the public interests ; and praying Her Majesty to 

 devise measures for supplying to Parliament, from time to time, 

 statements of the breadth of land under cultivation for each species 

 of produce respectively, and the amount of produce derived from 

 the same, togetherwithsuchotherinformation as will exhibit.as far 

 as practicable.a perfect view of the agricultural capability and pro- 

 duction of the United Kingdom."— Mr. Gladstone admitted the 

 importance and the desirableness of the objects contemplated by 

 the motion. Perhaps, of all parties, the grower of corn would 

 be the one most benefited by a good system of agricultural 

 statistics; and the Government had the subject much at 

 heart and were actually engaged in ascertaining to what 

 extent it was practicable to carry it into effect. It would 

 therefore, be imprudent in the House to pledge itself to the 

 motion before they had really ascertained how and in what man- 

 ner it could be best carried out. He hoped, therefore, that Mr. 

 Gibson would rest satisfied with these assurances, and withdraw 

 his motion.— Mr. Christopher was assured that it would be a 

 very desirable thing if the farmer could know authoritatively 

 the actual quantity of produce grown in this country, as it would 

 tend still farther to promote steadiness of price. He, for one, as 

 the representative of a purely Agricultural district, had no ob- 

 jection to the motion, but he thought that it would be best left 



mJSL w w° f r,-S e Governm ent—Mr. Brotherton recom- 

 mended Mr. M. Gibson not to press his motion, on which Mr 

 Gibson consented to its withdrawal. 



Friday.— After several petitions had been presented, notices of 

 motions were given, among which was one by Mr. Roebuck that 

 m committee on the Factory Bill he should move that it be an in- 

 struction that no clause be agreed to that would have the effect of 

 limiting the hours of labour of parties above 18. The Irish Corpo? 

 ations Bill was read a second time, and the second reading oFXe 

 Irish Registration Bill was fixed for the 29th, to be taken imme- 

 diately after the Budget Sir J. Graham fixed the County Court- 

 Bill for Monday, to be then considered in committee. Oil the mo- 

 tion far going into a committee of supply, incidental discussions 

 arose on different topics ; Mr. Hume objecting to the expense? of 

 the House of Lords, and Sir C. Napier to the systen? of dockvard 

 management. The House then went into Committee of ' Sun nW 

 beginning with the Colonial Estimates. " IU "^e 01 bupply, 



c cuiwaua.ment or me Thames. The folio™ * of 

 en were present :-Mr. Masterman, M P r^ 8 ?^ 

 .P., Colonel Wood, M.P., Mr. H m! M P 5 ^ 

 .P., Lord H. Vane, M.P. Sir aN&H 



CITY. 



nr ii?%^ ark ^ rida ^- C ^oh for account closed 

 at 99 j ;5 Reduced Three per Cents, 98f ; Three-and-a-half 

 ^r Cents Reduced, 102; New Three-and-a-Hal^per 

 Cents. 102|; Exchequer Bills, 74,. to 76*. prem P 



Trow, Camomile, 

 ■rmyn-meet, St. 



field, Derby, grocer-J. Ot «VL7ver"p«£f ' SSr-5f r i£ NAtt », . Ch "'"- 



cubiumary manner. Un the previous dar C • "* m *• 

 day of Easter Term, agreeably to Jci'J^ tbe 5 

 Lord Chancellor gave a 1 breakfa. tr M CU8t <>*,t2 

 and to the different Members of ' thVL™,*** JaS £ 



New Coal.Ta*.-A P^^T^^i 

 Crown and Anchor on Tuesday, to opnose th * * *• 

 tax on coals for the purpose of defrayfn^ 5J LP** 

 the embankment of the Thames. The fo WW Pttle of 

 men were present :— Mr. Mast*rm nn itr T,^ n * 8a>Ue- 

 M 



M _ _ 



Barclay, M.?:; *?*£% m/p.^ Batem» & 5 

 chairman of the chartered gas company^ ff r r^ 

 M.P., and others interested in the coal trade Mr u' 

 terman, M.P., having been placed in the chaij J** 

 resolutions were proposed and carried the «„..! * 

 dwelling upon the impolicy and injure 0I 2et?* 

 petition, embodying the sentiments of the meeting / 

 agreed to, to be presented to the House of Com 2ns £ 

 the chairman, and the co-operation of the eieht ™I» T 

 pohtan members was requested to support it. A ,w" 

 tion, consisting of the members of Parliament present Ji" 

 then requested to wait upon Sir R. Peel on the subiert 



Royal Mail Steam-Packet Company.^ Zt , 

 meeting of this company was held on Thursdav n 

 report stated that the fleet of the company was in a hlh 

 state of efficiency. The working account for the first i£ 

 months of 1843, showed a balance, subject to msuraiS 

 and wear and tear, of 34,341/. 15*. 7rf., and the balanaS 

 the present account for the whole year was 94,219/. 9* • 

 so that the last six months produced 59,877/ 13* hi. 

 The company have claims against the estate of Acramin' 

 and Co. for 34,189/. 17*. 7d„ which, if recovered, will be 

 in reduction of the costs of the Avon and Severn steamen 

 Not a single casualty had occurred in the last twelre 

 months, and every outstanding claim, arising out of put 

 transactions, having been satisfied, the service of the pre- 

 sent year will commence free from all past liabilities. 

 25,000/. was to be set apart annually as a fund for insur- 

 ance. The sum remaining due at this time for loans is 

 70,000/. The directors were clearly of opinion that, 

 during the current year, there would be a considerable 

 sum applicable to the liquidation of debt, to the replace- 

 ment of capital, or to the payment of a dividend. The 

 report was unanimously adopted. 



St. Stephen's Walbr 00k ;— On Thursday a vestry meet- 

 ing, convened by the Rector, was held for the election of 

 churchwardens. Dr. Croly, having taken the chair ani- 

 madverted upon the conduct of Alderman Gibbs, whom 

 he charged with having opposed the wishes of the 

 parishioners, and with having allowed the church to fall 

 into dilapidation. Mr. Rock and Mr. Flight were unani- 

 mously elected churchwardens for the ensuing year, and 

 Mr. Crosby was elected vestry clerk. Mr. Howett said 

 that Mr. Pearce, their late vestry clerk, had not as yet 

 been paid his salary ; and that the rector's stipend was 

 also unpaid for the past year. — On the following day the 

 select vestry, convened by Alderman Gibbs, also assembled 

 for the election of churchwardens, when, finding that the 

 church had been taken possession of by the opposite 

 party, it was proposed to hold the vestry in some other 

 place ; in consequence of which, they proceeded to the 

 residence of Alderman Gibbs, where the Alderman and 

 Mr. Whitaker were elected. There are, therefore, two 

 sets of churchwardens for the ensuing year, and the 

 question of the legality of their election must now be 

 settled by the court of Queen's Bench. 



The Sea Bathing Infirmary. — The annual meeting 0' 

 the supporters of this charity was held last week ; Mr 

 Cabbell in the chair. After the preliminary business, tb 

 Rev. Dr. Russell, chairman of the committee, said ths 

 they had been unable to prepare a report. Theyhal 

 submitted eight questions to the treasurer, Aldermai 

 Gibbs, but had received no answer except to the first, ana 

 even that was not given till the previous day. Under these 

 circumstances, the committee had nothing to report 

 The Rev. J. Hodgson, of Margate, complained of tW 

 way in which Alderman Gibbs had treated the committee. 

 He had himself come up to London, a distance ot i» 

 miles, in order to promote the objects of the chanty, 



l. ii . ? r .- »,i r'iKV.c nrnmlSci 



he could get no information. Alderman Gibbs P« ,nu 



- eek, bn 



it appeared that the committee were as much in thedar 



to answer the questions submitted to him in a we J k ' 



sealed—Sir J. Graham a dmS;.H eJfilfL h " Go y ernment 



Huhne, .Manchester, aSSC^^SSSSS^ JS% ^'^ *T' 



field, currier— J. Dow-m, Chepstow, -; -- ^"'"r : r °thk*v, \tak«- 



was 



of debate, made one'wtwo"^ 



Sn the main imputation , thaT Lord fV^ tements « bQt Persisted 

 unusual number of iwb .nL^f 1 ? !!- 6 had made the 

 trates, betwixt the FebTS^KrraSirtTs^hV/ "^h" 

 four new offices-and had made the Sntln t~ c / eated 

 on the very day on which the Whlff^SmlS ^^ f!S2 

 power.-A debate followed, in which Mr. B AR 7nc SSluS? 

 Mr. Labouchkrb, Lord Stanley, ana Sir R. Pekl took ni^ * 

 and the motion was agreed to. ' t0ok part ' 



Thursday-Lord Ashley stated the course he proposes to take 



i?r^i« a T r ^ BiI1 - Hehad intended « he ^/toVovel, 

 struction to the committee on the Government Bill, but the 



Speaker had given him to understand that it would not be con 



sistent with Parliameurary"law to do so. The Speaker had like" 



wise informed him that he would not be able to move the inser" 



in hand, and Alderman Uiodb w- 

 no liabilities, but he had since discorei 

 3007. due to Mr. Mercer, builder, 01 » 



Metropolis an* its Ffrinftp. 



thaf SirT PoUocrS n T ^ J * bein * ^rstood 

 that Mr ±. Pollock, the newly-appointed Lord Chief 



Baron, would take his seat, the Court of Exchequer was 



densely crowded. The seat within the bar was crowded 



to excess, and the leading Queen's Counsel were present 



The Barons entered the Court in the following o?der 



Mr. Baron Rolfe, Mr. Baron Alderson, the Lo r J L Chirf 



Baron (Sir F. Pollock), and Mr. Baron Pa k . The who e 



of the bar rose and bowed simultaneously to the bench 



which was returned more particularly by the Lord ChZ'f 



Baron. After the recognition betwee'n tL bench and the' 



as ever. He regretted to say that the institution was 1 

 state of bankruptcy, and the governors could not oe 

 pected to continue paying up their subscriptions w 

 such a system of management was followed. L*J J 

 they had 150/. in hand, and Alderman _ Gibbs told J° 

 that there were 



that there was 800/. v.«^ «.« *.*.. — , - . - 



gate, and that the institution, in place of having a 

 capital, was 1000/. in debt. Unless an institution enjo 

 the confidence of the public, it could not P r0 JPj; f 

 could its objects be efficiently carried out. Ai 

 Gibbs said that, after 32 years' devotion to the chary 

 was not prepared for the speech of the rev. gen 

 It was quite true that he had at the last meet ' Dg io/ 

 that there were no outstanding claims upon tne 

 tion ; but what he meant by that was, that there 

 debt on the building account Whatever claims re 

 would be settled like all other bills, when the en air 

 ascertained to be correct. After some discussio 

 resolved that the institution should be again open 

 that the investigation into the accounts should 

 tinued. Alderman Gibbs was re-elected treasure 

 which the Rev. Mr. Hodgson resigned his seat as a 



Suppression of Art- Unions. —The Art-tmonj^ 

 after having been tolerated for eight years, hAve 



