The Caledonian Mercury from Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland • 2

CALEDONIAN MEECUE3T, EDINBURGH, MONDAY, MARCH 18 1850- that certain colonies are throwing obstacles SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 1850. ana tha gentlemen who lived oa the -other side of the Tweed had shown their readiness avail ihs.nsei'es of those advances. for out of L.2,000.000, by gau-jf of priority application, they had Jtaken L.I. 000,000. Apptotioas had been made for X.500,0i)O mora than had jos'ii grantej 17 the house.

Ha intended to propose thai s. sum tio; cxcetiit L.2,000,000 should be advanced to Kna-nh and Scotch tgricu'tntists npplyinjr for the same, for land but in order to give Eivilsr.d an opportunity of wearing UcsM with her sister country, he proposed that Urre-e-foattbs of that -amount should be reserved for England, so that both tjarrtri-is might receive an equal sum of li.S.flOOOO. To Ireland he proposed to make advances a'-canting to L.1,000,000 hat he did not propose that the wnolc of that money should he devoted exclusively to the improvement of the land. Tiiese advances could be in the present state of the Exchequer, without any addition to the pa'nEic debt, and the repayments would he available for the reduction of the national debt, He pronosed to apply L.250,000 immediately to the extinction of a part of that deht by discharging the equivalent fund in Scotland, and ho Lord Ashley went further than this he followed the men of evil prophecy through their vaticinations step by step, and showed how completely, how ridiculously, they had been falsified. On Tuesday last, we printed from Mr Leonard Hornor'o report a page from the wages-book of a Manchester house, showing the amount of production on the ten hours' plan as compared with the good old cruelty system and that document alone, presuming it to be an average case, should have been sufficient to settle the question of diminished production.

But Lord Ashley, last night, read to the house tho following brief summary of the statistics of 'the cotton trade for the List four years. This should furnish a decisive reply to such reasoned as Sir James Graham, who presumes that to re-store the act of 1S47 to its originafmeaning would be to tamper with the prosperity of manufacturers. In the two years 18-15 and 1846, being the two years preceding the ten hours bill, the total exports of cotton goods reached 2,107,146. 658yards. Li 1847,1848, being the two years following the passing of the act, the exports of cotton goods were 2,482,406,574 yards, being an increase of 275,259,916 yards, or 12 per cent.

Now, as Lord Ashley remarked, the foreboding voices of the opponents ofthe measure announced to us an impending decrease of Ttts Encumbered Estates Cowhissios. Tho next sab under this court will take place on thn 2(Hh insi. comprising two valuable properties, one in the county of Cavau, and the other in Mavo. Sr.rea Electios. On Tuesday Sir Robert Gore Booth was returned without opposition.

The hon. member was proposed by Mr Cooper, of Markree Castle. DOXCASTER SPUING- MEETING March U. The Ilandicap (Hurdle e) of 5 sovs. each and SO added the second ti save his stake.

Two miles. (12 subs.) Mr Lister's Whnrfdale Maid (Frisby) 1 Mr Gardner's Little Queen Captain Reynard's Jack-irt-the-Onrner The- foflotrirttf fciso ran Mr Perceval's Duneharcb Mr llargrave ns. Chiiils Print Mr J- R- Scott's Good Girl aad Mr Fester's onny. Betting 7 to 4 against Little (Jfitcren, 3 to 1 against Wharf-dale Maid, i t-i 1 against Jack-in-the-Corner, and 6 to 1 against Dunchurch. V-'nnnv made the running beyond the Stand and then bolted Wharfdale JIaid took: the lead, was never hearfed, and won by half a neck.

Bun in 4 tain. SS sec. The Grand Stand Stakes of 5 sots, each arid 30 added, for two year olds 7st. three. 9st.

Red House iu. (7 subs.) Mr Dawsr.n nd. Mark Tapley, (Cartwrigbt) 1 Mr Oesseltine's Timothy 2 Sir Barker's Tnrdesillas The following also started: Mr A. Shepherd's Emma Mr G. Barton's Leonidas and iir Jameson's Tower.

Betting 2 to 1 agnint Mark Tapley, 3 to 1 agtiimt Tories! hs, and 7 to 2 against, Timothy. The favourite waited til: within the distance, when he went up and "cn easily by a length. Ron in 1 niin. 17 sec. The Grand National Steeple Chase Handicap of 15 sovs.

each. 1(1 ft with 100 added the second saves bin stakes. About three milos-and-a-haH. 13 4 of rhom declared. Mr SkipwortVs Rachel (Frisby) 1 Mr Hassall's Lucy Neule 2 Air E.

Thrnrpcnd's Yound Lottery 8 Mr Smith's Teatling 4 Mr Cunningham's Quadruped 0 Betting 7 to 4 against Rachel, 2 to 1 against Lucy Naule, 2 tol against Young Lottery, and 6 to 1 ajainst Pestling. Rachel lay in front throushout, and won a fine race by a short neck. Run in mil. 1 sec. The Municipal Stakes of five sors.

ench, and thirty added the second to save his stake, St Leger Course. Four subs, Mr J. Cnndron's Peasant Girl (Keegan) 1 Mr Slacker's Theory Mr Millwood's Lodona Mr Plumley's Billy from Prigg Won cleverly. The Sheffield and Sotherbara each, ft. ar.d -10 added.

One mile. subs. B. Eddison's Rliza Middleton 1 Mr B. Green's Osbaldeston Several others ran.

Won by a length. THEATRE ROYAL, EDINBURGH. That celebrated Tragedian, Mr Macready, having deter-mined to take leave of the this season, is engaged to perform for a few nights here, and will commence his Fan -well Visit to this City, Tins Evening, in the character of Macbeth, King of Scotland. This present Evening, MONDAY. March 18, 1850, Will be performed MACBETH.

Macbeth by Mr ACRE AD Being the Last Time of performing that Character ia Edinburgh. To conclude with THE SCHOOL FQU DIPLOMACY. To-morro--the Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark the character ot Handel by Mr being the last time of his performing that character in Edinburgh. On Wednesday, Sir Edward Lvtton Bulwer'si Play of Richelieu the character of Cardinal Richelieu by Mr Macheadv, being the Inst time of his ever performing that character in Edinburgh, Nineveh Discoveries. Very late and highly satisfactory accounts have within these few duvs bef-n received from Mr Layard, in Assyria, giving intelligence of new and Important discoveries in the Nimroud Mound.

He has made extensive excavations in parts of the eminence not yet explored, nnd the result has been the finding of nothing less than the throne upon which the Monarch, reigning about 3000 years ago, sat in his splendid palace. It is composed of tnela! and of ivory, tho metal being richly wrought and the ivory beautifully cafved. it seems that the throne was separated from the state apartments by means cf il large certain; the rings by which it was drawn and undrawn having been No human remains have corns light, and everytiting indicates destruction ofthe palace by fire. It is said that the throne has been partially fused by tiie heat. Failures.

Commercial failures have, we regret to record, been rather numerous this week. From Stettin learn that a large house has failed, with considerable liabilities. At Hamburgh several failures are stated to have occurred, owinst to the late extensive speculation in coffee and corn whilst ot Lille, in Franco, we are informed that M. Desruonticr, an extensive bill and stock broker, has absconded with a large sum of money, obtained by fraud, forgeries, and other means. No less than the signatures of twenty mercantile houses have been forged by him, and the holders of such hills are losers to the estetit of several thousands of pounds.

At we have the failure of Messrs Croasthwalfe of Liverpool, in the West India trade) and largely interested in railways. The amount of their liabilities are andersSood to ba farce. Mr Satiers-thwaite. of the Stock Exchange, was on Wednesday declared a defaulter ia a large amount, on extensive speculations in Peruvian, Mexican, arid fjpsnish stocks. On the Oomol account he was a gainer to a small aiiounf.

His tiafiiliites are said to be L.12,000, for which he has only L.IOTO in his banker's hands. Sontag and Tualberg ix Pahis The c-oneefts of Madame Son tag." says a letter of Wednesday, "which in the beginning were all the rage, have become a perfect mania as the series draws to a close, and last night every seat up to the roof, not furgetting the stage, was crowded by eager auditors desirous to pay a parting homage to the most enchanting of singers, and to welcome back to Pari the first of pianists. Mi Thalberg. Both were perfection. Madame Soniag sang a French air well known in every nursery Ah! vous dircr'-je, mnman, With variations by Adam, the execution of which electrified the audience, and the theatre rang for several minutes with the thunders of applauie which fdlowcd Never was brilliant facility and ornament so varied, so exuberant, so elegant carried to such a pitch before recall-', brafoei, and hou-tjnets were thg order of the night.

ThsiVb'erg, however, followed" witli undiminished lustre, fie raised' the enthusiasm of the public to its acme" with tne cxetaiftttt of a-new fantasia composed by him on themes from- 1'Elistr d'Amore, which exceeds anything he has ever yet composed for harmonic combination and brilliancy. These concerts are the redeeming feature of the present season in Parts." The Government and the Savings Bane.8. The following important announcement S3 to the intentions of Government with respect to savings banks appears in the Reporter a monthly periodical devoted to the interests of assnrnnce, provident, and other institutions We are in a position to stite) upon the best possible authority, that the Government intends to Become res-ponaible for al! sutna actually paid into the savings banks. At prc'Scht the Government is responsible fur sums only actually transmitted to them' hy the trustees of these institutions, and s'rould deposits not find their wlfy to the Government, the Government does not hold itself sponsible. According to the new measure, all deposits made the savings bank counter will be equally safe as though paid in at the office of the National Dbt This is a very important alteration but it must be evident that Government, in taking upon itself this additional responsibility, will demand very important alterations in the presum system, the defects of which are so palpably evident by the late lamentable frauds.

It i-i believed that check clerks will be appointed hy the Government to receive the deposits of half-a-dozn or more savings whose remuneration will be defrayed oat of tha profits realised, and a slightly reduced rate of interest Will be allowed to the depositors in consequence. In the Bankruptcy Coifrt oh S.tturday Mr Edward Thomas Dclnfield, late of the Coveut Ganien' Opers concern, applied for his certificate. On bis behalf. Mr Lewfrj strove hard fir a first-class" certificate; intimating that Mr I)e-lafielil bus propects among his wealthy connections, and that his intention is to put aside half of whatever property he may hereafter become possessed of, that the creditors may be paid ten shillings in the pound beyond what they have received. On behalf of the creditors, Mr Lawrence assented to the application.

Mr Commissioner Fane applauded the arrangement for the further payment of ten shillings in the pound, but felt insuperable difrietiltirs in tho way of granting a first class, or even a second class certificate. If such certificntes are awarded in any but meritorious or at lest blameless enset, they will be degraded in the distinction they confer. Upon the whole, he could not certify that the bankruptcy had arisen, in the words ofthe act, "from unavoidable losses rtnd misfortunes," Delnfield had entered business with a very large capital, L. 100,000 had squandered t'nat capital io a very short time, and had incurred L.33,000 of debts, against-which the present assets are but 14s. fid.

cannut be shown that he acted with prudence and a due regard to the interests ot his creditors or that he stopped pay-meet at the proper time, while there were still assets for distribution. If he had stopped even at the beginning of the season 1849, ha would have had 20,000 to divide; hut he went on wilh a clearly losing concern, pay some creditors in full at the expense of those who now get nothing; ami up to the very eve of his bankruptcy he was living in a style of extraordinary and very unbecoming splendour. A certificate of the third class was accordingly awarded. Emigration to America. The tide of emigration to America Beems again to have set in.

for we learn from Liverpool that six vessels for New York alone lay in the Mersey nn Tuesday awaiting the tide. The aggregate number of their passengers was upwards af 3000. Meanwhile hundreds of other persons are waiting to depart in other ships. Chief Justices' Salaries. A bill has been presented by Lord John Russell, and is now prloted; the purport of which is.

to Bis the salaries of She Chief Justice of the Court or Queen's uench and the Chief justice of the Court oi Colli. mon Pics', the first at L.SOOO a year, which was the ualary occepted by Lord Donman on his succeeding Lord Tenterdcu, who received 10,000, and the latter at L.7000. Fisutng for Rats. A new branch of industry has sprung up in lSTewcatle. Juvenile disciples of Isaak Walton the shade of the old angler frowns upon us while we write mny be seen in the streets, patiently reposing by the side of a (irate, with a line and baited hook in the sewer, to catch rats.

Their prey are sold to she jackals of the rat hunterc, men who keep hundreds of rats in store, and sell them to sportsmen. The Rotal to Gibraltar. We hear, from good authority, that the Queen will not extend her marine excur-eion so far as Gibraltar this year, The royal yacht, however, so soon as she is completely fitted with her new boilers, will make a trial trip to the celebrated rock, testing thereby her ability and facility to make the passage, and, in the summer of 1851, her Majesty will undertake the The Victoria and Albert will be ready by the 1st of May, but orders have ben issued to the engineers to expedite, her fittings. United Service (inixite. Sentence of Death.

At Aylesbury, on Thursday, tha Lord Chief Baron ordered sentencs of death to be recorded Against George Arnold for feloniously shooting at William Nixon. The prisoner, who presented the appearance of a resprctable tradesman, was reported to have made seTera! attempts on his own life of late. During the period of his imprisonment he has daily commuted to paper his interspersed with poetical effusions, and written in beautiful characters, and remarkable for the accuracy of tho language in which they are cout-hed. Alter the sentence had been passed on the prisoner, tln'sbookVas handed up to the (earned judge, who was nnderjtood to express it to be his intention to submit it to the Secretary of State. The Gokisam Case.

The Rev. George Anthony Deriiapn, well known for his Tractarian opinions, on Sunday -lodged a protest before the chut chwardens nf East Brent, Somersetshire, in which he expressly denies the fight of the crown to vary, by a final judicial senteace, the decisions and interpretations o'f the toufts of the Church. in matters-cT' docfrine; he asserts that the exercise df'such powrr in such matters endangers-the public maintenance ol tho faith ol Christ and adds, that no decision of the judicial committee of the Priry Council (that is, of the Queen in Council, since it is by her Majesty in person, acting upon the advice of her Privy Council, that the actual decision is made) can be accepted by the Church that the sentence of the Judicial committee (that is, of her Majesty in Council) is necessarily false and that all who, with a full knowledge of the intent, meaning, and purport of such aentence are or shall be concerned in promulgating or executing it, nnd all ivho with a like knowledge, shall approve of, or acquiesce in it, arc, or will be, involved id heresy and that the Church of England should free herself from all participation in the guilt thereof. Mr Dsnisoii in his protest pledge himself to use all lawful means within his reach to assist in obtaining, without delay, some further formal declaration, by a lawful SynoJ of the Church of England, as to what is, and what is not, the doctrine of the Church of England in respect of the holy sacrament of baptism, The Times of Friday characterises the protest as without a parallel in the annals of the Church of England," and 6tates that it exposes its author to the penalties of a prmmunire, or to the rigour ot the ecclesiastical courts. Attempted Escape of Tuhee Convicts.

Shortly before twelve o'clock at noon on Tuesday, three convicts cm-ployed near the Nankin 50 gun frigate, at Woolwich to set hold of some old clothing by the riggers; and so mebtihorphosed1 themselves that they got into a boat without it being observed that they were convicts attempting to escape. They had rowed some distance up the river with tiie tide, until near the Fisgard fl ig ship, when, coming acros3 the hawser, their management of the boat satisfied the waterman named Young, in charge ofthe factory boat at the landing place, that they were not riggers or men belonging to the yard, and he immediately with the aid of another person gave chase, at the same time giving the alarm to the Fisgard, and a boa: of that vessel was also lowered, and gave chase. Tho waterman, Young, succeeded in overtaking and capturing the three convicts when they had reached nearly" to the moorings of the Black Eagle, Rnd brought them back in tow. lauding them and giving them into the charge of the police constables and the guards of the Warrior convict ship, who had by that time arrived. The convicts Would have shown fight at the time of their capture had it not been for the proximity ofthe well-manned boat ofthe Fisgard overawing them; As it waj otle ofthe convicts attempted to strike one of the guards when he was searching him on being brought on shore.

The convicts appeared three determined characters, and muttered loud threats because they were detected. The indulgences thevarc allowed ia being permitted to wear long hair and whiskers renders it a difficult task to detect them when they get hold of any ofthe overclothes ofthe workmen, and they are not scrupulous as to the manner ol obtaining possession of them. A notice was promulgated some time ago that a reward of from L.3 to L.5 would be paid to any person who apprehended and delivered up a convict who "shall have effected his C6cnpe trom a Government prison or hulk," and the admirable manner in which the three convicts from the Warrior convict hulk were recaptured yesterday hy the waterman named Young is, in the opinion of ail who witnessed the chase and capture, deserving ofthe highest reward. In three minutes' more time they would have been able to land at Chsrlton Pier, or on the Essex side Of the river; without detection: A YtJiisG WiTCii. For the last three Weeks an entire quarter of the town of Bordeaux has been thrown into a state of excitement in consequence of a 3eries of occurrences which seemed traceable to no other source lhan witchcraft.

In a house in the rue Naujnc, inhabited by one Landon, the wiu-dows were shattered by stones launched from an invisible hand; some occasionally fell into the fire, or, in other instances, a quantity of water was poured over i. without the possibility of discovering by what means. The police had already arrested five persons on suspicion, but still the same performances were repeated. At last, howerer, all these mysteries have been explained, and, says the Memorial Bardefoii, the magician has been under lock and key since Saturday. Ha was conducted under the guise of a fresh visaged young girl of filteerr, ly two police officers, before the Procorevr ot the Republic, who discovered the pretended devil to be uo other than the servant of the man L.ind.on, who had been in thu service of a fortune teller, from whom she had probably received a few leaons in the magic att, which she was anxious to put in practice.

The whole mystery was discovered in the following manner: For two days" previous to the discovery peace had returned to the rue Nattjac, and to the family of the anphiji in the contributione. iadireetes. Five persons had been arrest-d, as was already stated, and among their number one or two of the inventors "of the shower of stones were thought to be in safe custody. Nevertheless Lsndon deemed it safe to cause the upper part of the chimney to be grated over. Thanks to these useful precautions, he reckoned upon enjoying a tranquil night, when a fresh volley of stones fell into the chimney-plaee and smashed the kettle which was on the fire.

This time there could he no doubt it was the devil himself, for the apertures of the grating were very narrow and the stones very large. Such was the drcided verdict of ail the gossips ofthe quarter, but the chief of the police de surete was bold ta dissent from it. To arrive at some sati-factorv conclusion, he took thescrvant aside and accused her being alone guilty ofthis prolonged in ystilication, Theyounggir! immediately grew confused, and confessed that ever since a stone had struck one of the panes of glass in the window end had frightened her mistress she had conceived the idea of breaking more, and setting it down to the account of the devil that all the stones which had fallen upon the hearth bad simply come from Iter pocket, where she had carefully concealed them and that with respect to the water which had extinguished the fire, it wai also thrown on by her when her mistress's back was turned, and lastly, in order to give more weight to these devilries of hers, she had struck the head ofthe child that it might be believed a stone had been hurled at its head by an evil spirit. These confessions havi ig been repeated two or three times before the there was no longer any pretext for detaining the previously suspected persons in custody, and they were accordingly immediately liberated. We' hive much pleasure in transferring to our columns the following well-merited testimonial, frotn the pen of Dt Campbell, in the British Banner, to the successful errors our townsman has made in the production nf his new Polyglott Bible M-Fhun, well known in the publishing world, hai tit length stepped forth into the field of Bible publication, ntid mad! a good appearance in the present elegant pocket volume.

The claims of the work may soon ha It possesses the whole of the marginal readings, together with upwaids 50.000 verified referencei to parallel and illustrative passages, with a series of useful tables, intended to illustrate the test the references being thrown into the centre margin, after the manner of Bagster and others. In all such case3, the chief foundation of. claims to preference lies in accuracy, beauty, and cheapness and, thus tested, Mr M'Phun need fear no competitor The typography is beautiful the dryers plates and maps are in keeping with it and the price is such, that it may b3 said to be minimised. While for the pocket of the Prince, the book requires to be nothing better, for the pocket of the peasant it does itot require to be cheaper. One great difficulty in such publications is, to get the appropriate fabric for the paper, to have it at once thin, yet to have no offset, or npt to shine through.

Mr M'Phuu may be said to have attained perfection in this very difficult point, 'i'he paper is as exquisite almnst as that of a Bank of England note, and there is very litsle reflection of the type on the book so that we have never before seen a smaller amount of it than this work presents. The earlier editions of Mr Bagster's Polyglntts show through so greatly as to give a darkened aspect to the whole, considerably impairing its utility. Of that there is very little here perhaps it is impossible to have less. The problem is, how, by thinning the paper, to keep down the size of the volume, and at the same time so avoid its shitting through and this problem Mr ii'Phun has solved. We very cordially commend the book as a great achievement iu its way.

New Work nr the Author or The Crescent asd Cross." Great interest has been excited by the announcement that Mr Eliot Warburtun is about to make his appearance as a writer of historical romance. The pen which produced tho vivid and picturesque Crescent find the Cross," can hardly fail to achieve equal success iu this dissimilar sphere. Hi3 new work bears the title of Reginald Hastings," ami is, it is understood, a tale of the civil wars. Abounding in romantic ititerest, aud pourcraying some of the most remarkable incidents of that stirring time, in which the Cavaliers and Puritans bear an equally prominent share. Almost all the celebrated personages of the age are said to figure in its pages.

Memoius or a Hungarian Lady. By Theresa Pulszky. need hardly inform our readers that the authoress of ths work is the accomplished wife of the gentleman who was originally accredited to the English Cabinet by the Provisional tio-vernnient of Hungary. The private interest attaching to the recital of eveats which bare become so tamous would ensure a wide popularity for Madame Pulszky 's book. But kc should very much nnder-estimate its value if we so limited our praise.

The memoirs, inuc-d, eont lin sketches of social life which are worthy of a place by the side of Madame de Stael fie Lunay and Madame Campan. But they are also rieh in political anri topographical informatiou of the first character. Madame Pulszky was iu the habit of direct intercourse with the foremost and most distinguished of the Hungaiian generals and statesmen, and haa giten a complete summary of the political events in Hungary, from the arrival of the Hungarian deputation in 1848 to the treason of General Georgey on the 13th of August 1849. M. Pulszky haB also prefixed a valuable introduction, which gives tho most complete history of Hungary that has ever issued from the English press.

Globe. tfce way of r.rauiui i-ui. tucse convict prisn-i At-i Ay- ywnfi-iT a1. iiciuuiug Luo huih. cstmu.i.iiu caume, can able of containing 5600 ciimiaals the control had bV Tested in four distinct authorities, which division of p0 was found to interfere with an uniformity of system, an attempt had been made through the Home to centralise tho authority, which being only a temper-.

experiment until a better plan could be devised, had ai, failed. By the present bill, the whole of those prison, are proposed to be placed under the control of visitors or commissioners, who should be regularly appointed an4 held officially responsible. Pentonvtlla prison had" bsea for a considerable period under the management of COa) missioners, including several members of Parliament, the Duke cf Itichmond and Lord lleiicsdnle, and services on the whole had been efficient. The same pritt cipie is to be retained, but only a numerous board of Cp paid and comparatively irresponsible commissioners cr.der-tatiag a duty of this nature amidst their many other cations is to be superseded by a smaller number of viduals specially selected for the task, and giving their whole energies to the supsrvision of the various convict prisons. 1c this manner an uniformity of system wu obtained.

This is one of tho most important subjects tha; can engage the Legislature, and thertfore Earl Grey took the opportunity of going very fully into the general question the best mode of carrying out secondary puniMitneritj at problem that had engaged the anxious attention of sj civilised nations, aud now coming to be pressed in an 3. pedal manner on our own Government and Legislature Since 1838, when the inquiry of the House of Coniaiora disclosed frightful abuses in the system, it has been zn. dually undergoing improvement, but still there hav manifold difficulties from the want of adequate uiacbi. nery, both at home and iu the colonies, for retaining bodies of convicts in a-state discipline. in the five years ending 1840, the male convicts sent to Van Diemen's Land, exclusive of those sent to Norfolk is.

land, amounted to 7942, and ia the five years 1845, tho number was 17,637. Now, this accumulation of convicts ia Van Diemen's Lund, so sr exceeded the existing means of proper oerchn aua discipline as to produce the most frightful demor-ilka. tion. And these results have more confirmed the niou that ponai labour, to be at all effectual ta tho wry reformation, must be carried ont with all the advantages of ample accommodation for the convicts, and under tia control of those who are properly qualified for the supervision. In short, the more that penal can be-conducted under tbe surveillance of the Home Gnveru-uient, the better chance is there that it will succeed the ultimate aim.

Formerly the castota was to remove-our criminals to the other side of tha aad to care very little as to their treatment, provided the sererui thousand miles of ocean were once placed between them ani this country. Experience itas shewn that mere rctnnvai did not operate as a punishment indeed, th-tt tha-feeling among the class who might one day expect it. was rather that, when the time did corae, it would bean improvoraent in their lot, so that- they might as ky! pursue their crhninal career in the prospect of this issae. Now the attention of our authorities is more closely direct, ed not only to getting rid of onr criminals, but to endeavour to make their punishment subservient to their own-welfare as well as to that of the society among whom thsy may he cast once they are liberated. To this end ths punishment is rendered certain and severe for a period and in time the penal discipline though still ardisens a niinglei with the dement of hope, which supervenes- as a.

stimulant to good conduct. As experience has thrown light on the most efFectne course of penal discipline, it bas been found that the primary step is separate conftneinen a punishment that medical authorities consider human nature cannot endsre beyond a certain liir.ir, and therefore it must be conducted with care and discrimination, the maximum period of its infliction bdug eighteen mouths, and cae year the average. This punishment has been shown by satisfactory evidenca to inspire dread where the ordinary modes of punishment have failed. It for the time subdues the most stubborn and abandoned, and has been found to leave an impressioa as salutary as we can hops to attain over men whose passions have previously been rendered reckless by alternate wast and besotted indulgence, lu Pentonvilie Prison, especially, this mode of punishment proved so efficacious, that tha Government have now decided that all convicts sentenced to transportation shall undergo it for a longer or shorter period, and means have been adopted not only in the convict prisons, but in several of the count' jails, to cany it out on this extended scale. After the infliction of this, the first stage of convict discipline, it is proposed to transfer the convicts to the public works provided in this country, or to those of Gibraltar or Bermuda.

As Earl Grey observed, there was a strong feeling against associating the couvicts in gangs on public works, bat it is easier to-suggest objections than to devise any other substitare. Wc cannot maintain tho separate system bovond a vc-ar or a year and a half, and when that peihr.l is how arc we to dispose of the convict during the several remaining years of his sentence. one would propose to tarn him loose on the colonics tinder a ticket of leave, therefore the principle of coercion must be con. tinued, and there is no other feasible mode of accomplishing this, except by having establishments where they can be employed on works of pnblic utility, such as harbours, roads, and other large undertakings. Earl Grey remarked that a highly useful Method of task woik had been devised by the engineering officers of Bermada which had answered admirably.

The greater number of criminals were a verso to continuous labour, and when they found that the consequences of crime were to subject thera to continuous labour of a much harder character than any to which an honest man was subjected, the consequence could not bat bo most beneficial besides continuous hard: work so fatigued the convict, that at the conclusion of the day he was not inclined to indulge in immoral conversation, but was too glad to take his rest." But in checking the evils which have been found to result from the convicts being thus associated, rnudi wili depend on the surveiUauce-which is maintained, and as Earl Grey observed, on combining their coercion with moral and religious instruction. For ourselves, we have always thought, that one mas: be brought into play, and it is to render both existing treatment and future disposal in a large degree dependent on their conduct to give the full measure of restraint to the virions and disorderly, and to relax the treatment to those who evince decided symptoms of trac-tabiiity and well-doing. Lord Grey truly said, that it was the combination of different ingredients in the sentence of transportation that rendered it really efficient. The consideration that remains, and it is a vital branch of the question, is thedestihatiou of the convict after bavin; undergone separate confiaemeat and a lengthened period of coercive labour on the public works. It is universally admitted, that the convicts should not be throivn bick oa this country still bearing tha taint of their degradation, when amidst the competition for labour there is little chance of them receiving encouragement nri employment.

It is therefore proposed, that the convicts should be finally transported to our colonies-provided not with conditional pardons, which wos'i render a convict a free mm provided he only tops within the limits of the colony to which he was seat, bnt with tickets of leave under which tbay could be to any distant part of the colony which tho author! might direct as suitable and requiring their labour. was also to be provided that a convict before receiving conditional pardon, that is to say, except ia the case c-t those transported for life, an anticipation of the K'gciir termination of their sentence should be pay a certain sum out of his earnings, which go to a fund for the aid of free emigration. Notwithstaadirs til- clamour at the Cape of Good Hope, there is a very fcrcnt feeling in onr Australian colonics as to taking vantage of convict labonr, for thera are instances they have been known to prefer convicts who had S3" dergono a probationary course of discipline at and who were known to have behaved well cn voyage, to free emigrants who had arrived, aad wore readiness to be employed. In Western Australia, wblchh not advanced like the other Australian colonies, in qnenca of making no proper provision to secure the colonists were now soliciting the aid of convicts, sJ iu conformity with their wishes "the Government are to plant a convict settlement. The resources of "vVesS1 Australia are very great, beirs" rich in coal, with extes'1 hence the non-attraciion of capital.

The aava' this colony would reap from the aid of convicts wk is forests affording excellent timber, and a soil capc rivalling that of tropical Bnt ail those sob or wealth have remained rlnrmnt want of labour, PRICES OF STOCKS THIS DAY. BankS-ock IndiaBondsunderlOnn 88pm Dittc tor ISouth Sea Stock Thre per Cent. Red. An. 963 Do.

Old Annuities. Do. New Consols 65- Ac India Stock for Ac 1 hree per Gent Con. An.95 New 5 per Cent. Ann.

96 New per Cent new 3 per Gents hong Atinuities to expire Ja.ii. 5, I860 30yrs, Oct. 10, 1S59 30 years, Jan. 5,1360 India Stock 1000.... Canada (guaranteed Debi -Bills.

L.1000 1 L.500 h1. 61pm 61 61 Small Bank of Ireland 202. Her Majesty and Prince Albert honoured the performance of the French plays with their presence nn Wednesday evening. The royal party consisted of the Viscountess jocelyn, Hon. Flora MacdonaldjLord Dufferin, Lord Alfred Paget, and Colonel Bouverie.

A Cabinet Council was held on Wednesday at the Foreign Office. The Lord Chancellor was absent, being still india-posed, but the noble and learned lord is much betten Tho Council sat two hoars. CAKMSf' Couscil. A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday at two o'clock, at the Foreign Office. There were present the Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord John Russell, the Marquis of Clanricarde, the Earl of Carlisle, Earl Grey, the Lord Chancellor.

Sir George Grey, Viscount Palmerston the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir John C. Hobhoue, Mr Labou-chere, and Mr Fox Maule. It is not, wo believe, intended at present to fill up the vacancy in the Cabinet caused by the resignation of Lord Campbell, the new Chief Justice, his lordship's late seals of office being held by the Earl of Carlisle in commendam with those of First Commissioners of Woods and Forests. Lady John liossell held tho second of a series of three assemblies, on Wednesday night, at the oiUcia! residence of the Premier, id Downing Street. The reunion was attended by a very brilliant'circle of fashionables.

Lord and Lady Broughjm gave, a grand entertainment on Wedtiesdayrevening to Lord and Lady Goagh and a His Grace the Duke of Wellington and Viscount and Viscountess Snrdinge were among the guests. On Wednesday night Sir Robert and tmdy Peel gave an evening entertainment, in Whitehall Gardens, to a very numerous and distiEguished circle, comprising a host ol fashionables, and many eminent, literary, and scientific characters. Tha picture gallery and adjoining suite of rooms, as well as the range of apartments on the ground floor, were thrown open for the reception of company. Mr DTsraeli's illness is likely to prevent, for some time, a resumption of his Parliamentary duties. Nearly two hundred pauper emigra.nts from the Cheltenham union are expected to go out to Quebec in the Corsair, to sail from Gloucester in the month of April.

Rochdale Savings Bank. The trustees of this hank have commenced paying lOsi in the pbil io the depositors, and have promised to give them, at some future time, 2s. more. Pension-. The Queen has bestowed a pension of L.100 a-year on Mrs Bessy Moore, wife of the poet Thomas Moore.

The pension, as the warrants sets forth, is granted in consideration of the literary merits di her husband and his infirm state of health-" Post Office Notice. All letters for Belgium, intended by the writers to be sent in the closed mail by way of France, must be specially addressed either "via France," or 11 via Calais." The following medical officers will, it is thought, be nominated companions ofthe Civil Order of the Bath Dr Franklin, Dr French, Dr Hume, Dr Sir J. Gram, Dr Woolryche, Dr Gunning, Inspectors-Generals of Hospitals. Mr G. 11.

the Chairman of Lloyd's is said to have sent in his, resignation of tii office, on account of ill health, and Mr Thomas Baring, at the request of the committee, has consented to become his successor. The meeting ot the Royal Agricultural Society of England for 1851, in conformity with the wishes of his Roval Highness Prince Albert, will lake place near the metropolis, to constitute part of the grand exhibition of the industry ot all nations. The place selected for the meeting is Kensington. The failure of Mr John Crosthwaite of Liverpool, a West India merchant, was for the first time generally mentioned today (Wednesday) in London, although it occurred last week. Mr Crosthwaite was at one period possessed of large capital, which has been swept away by losses in the Lancashire and Yorkshire and.

Great Western Railways, of which latter company he was for some time a director. His present liabilities are understood to be considerable. Times. Marriage is High. Life.

We understand that the preliminary arrangements are on the point of cortpletioo, pre-paratory to a marriage which has been for some time on the tapis between Lord Greenock, the eldest son of the gallant veteran Ear! Cathcart, and Miss Crompton, eldest daughter of the late Sir Samuel Crompton, Baronet, of Wood End, near Thirsk, to whose extensive estates in the counties of York and Stafford this elegant and accomplished young lady has succeeded. Tha 'nuptials will be celebrated early in the ensuing month. The Geeat Exiubitiok or 1851. We observe that the Lord Mayor of London has iuvited the Mayors or Chief Municipal Officer? of the principal toronB in the United Kingdom to dine with his Royal Highness Princes Albert on Thursday next. The towns of Scotland, the Chief Magistrates of which have received invitations, are Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Kilmarnock, Kirkcaldv, Paisley, Leith, Montrose; Perth and Stifling.

The occasion ofthe entertainment, is the desire pbich the Lord Mayor has evinced in promoting tiie intended Exhibition of the'lndustrr of all Nations." PCKCHASB OP'LaKD BY. THE NATIONAL FliEfetioiLb LaSD Society. This society has concluded its first purchase, in East Surrey-. The estate is distant from Loudon about nine mtlesj and consists of nearly GO acres of very eligible building land, adjoining the Maiden Station on the South-Western Railway. The terms of the purchase are, we understand, very favourable to the society, and it is probable that a large proportion of the allotments wilLcost the members less than 30, including al! expenses.

It maybe confidently assumed that this Maiden estate will in a short time be the means of adding several hundred votes to the large majority of reformers in East Surrey. Daity ATetcs. Unfounded Humous op Sm Jons Fbanklin haviso Passed Herring's Straits. With reference to a report of Sir John Franklin's expedition having passed through Beh-ring's Straits, and which report name from a person on board the ship Blakeley, dated San Francisco, Dec. 30, we are requested to state that letters had been received by Messrs Leftwich Co.

of Liverpool the owners of the Blakdev, from the commander of that vessel of the same date viz: Dec. 30 in which no mention whatcrer is made ofthe circumstance and who, from his accurate habits of correspondence, Messrs Leftwich are persuaded would never have allowed such news to have remained uanoticed, if it had come from an authentic source. Herald. Revenue of the DucHr op Cornwall. The income of the Duchy of Cornwall for the year 1849 amounted to L.51,S8213s.

2d. The disbursements within the same period were as follows Payments made to his Royal Highness's use, L.29,557 payments to the account o'f the Duke of Cornwall at the Bank of England, L.3750 salaries of the principal officers of the duchy and their establishment of officers and clerks in London, including the charges of management of estates in Surrey, Hertford, Lincoln, Norfolk, and Suffolk othr salaries and allowances L.42 incidental expenses, L.106; salaries of officers employed in the management and collection of the revenue of the mineral property of the duchy in Cornwall and Devon, L.240S law charges, L.1H8; superannuation allowances, L.3217 4s. donations and charities, L.335 13s. repairs, L.I 811 balance remaining at the bankers to the credit of the account of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, L.5254 16s. 2d.

Rotal Litehahy Fond. On Wednesday the annual meeting of this corporation was held at the chambers of tho institution, Great Russell Street, Eloomsbury Sir R. H. Inglis, Bart. M.P.

presiding. The secretary read the report of the" auditors, which stated that the sum of L.1325 had been distributed during the past year among 41 applicants, making a lotal of L.37,865 applied to the relief of distressed authors, their widows, and orphans, since the institution cf tha society. The treasurer's report stated that the permanent fund at present amounted to L.20,500. The fund bequeathed by Thos. aim ine jNewion estate at Whitechapel.pr.odueed an annual rental of L.203.

The reports, as read. harring been adopted, the meeting proceeded to the election of officers for the ensuing year. The Marquis of L9sdoflj.e8s re-elected president' of the council; the vice-presidents were also re-appointed 'and the council, with the addition' of Lord Leigh, Sir George Thomas Staunton, Bart. Sir F. B.

Watson, and Charles Baldwin, Esq. were re elected. After some-further routine business was gone through, a vote of thanks was passed to the chairman, and the meeting separated. The. Powder Mill Explosios at Housslow The Inquest.

Yesterday Mr Wakley, M.P. and ajury of 17 respectable inhabitants of the district, assembled on Messrs Curtis and Harvey's Works, near Hounslow, for the purpose of investigating the cause of the late deplorable accident. Bafore proceeding with the inquiry, the coroner and jury walked through the grounds and inspected the remains of the various buildings destroyed by the explosion. The manner in which tho first catastrophe successively extended itself to the adjoining mills was pointed out by Mr Thomas Curtis, who, with his son, accompanied the coroner and jury. The devastating effects of the explosion have been already referred to in this journal; it will therefore be unnecessary again to allude to this subject; but an instance of its extraordinary force may he mentioned, viz.

that a portion of one of the iron presses conrained in the glazing-house, weighing three ewt. was found embedded in the earth in a turnip-field, fully three-ouarters of mile from the building in which it was contained. The coroner and jury having returned to the room in which the inquest was held, the names of the deceased parties were called over as follows George Goddard, James Bookmaster, Joseph Perry, Robt. Glazier, Henry Strange, Thos. Penlold, Wm.

Burroughs. The jury then proceeded to view the remains, which were lying in one. of the outhouses. Only three of the bodies were in a state to allow of identification. A few remnants of mortality were all that had been recovered of the other four deceased parties, but it appeared from the testimony of witnesses employed in the concern that the most probable cause of the explosion was, the supposition of one of the workmen having ineautiously carried into the dust-house some grit upon his shoes, and that the rolling of a cask of powder over this grit caused the calamity, which was aggravated by the accumulation of powder-dust in the building and upon the men's clothes.

The likelihood of a spark from the railway having created the combustion was negatived, so far as the evidence weut. The coroner said the evidence was inconclusive, End if he were a juryman he should return an open verdict. Ha was bound to state that the conduct of ail parties connected with the works appeared ta him to have been unexceptionable, and every ivuriess had given his evidence in the most honourable and straightforward manners. The jury immediately found that George Goddard died from mortal injuries caused by the explosion of a quantity of gunpowder, but there is no evidence before ihejurv to prove by what means tho said explosion was caused." Six widows and 17 children are deprived ol their natural protectors by this awful calamity. It was stated that Messrs Curtis and Harvey invariably make provision for the families of such as are killed in their service, and that this will be douo ia the present instance.

hoped the house would suffer him to retain the surplus of Ii.500.000 remaining. Sir Charles then moved a vote of X.0.20i,000 towards supply, to he raised by Exchequer Bills. Mr HUME expressed his chajrin that this was the only relief the country was to have, and protested ag-iinst the large establishments, the reduction of which would have left a larger margin fbr diminution taxation. ivlr FiiE WE.V and Jlr HODGES were disappointed at the article of hops hiving escaped the Chancellor's attention. The -Marquis of GKAXBY disputed the accuracy ofthe right hon.

baronet's views in the agricultural portion of his speech, and insisted that effectual relief to the country could only be obtained by reverting to that commercial system under which all interests had prospered. The financial scheme, with reference to the remission of tasafiun, was criticised unfavourably by Mr Newdegate, Lord H. Grosvenor, and Mr French and favourably by Mr Ewart and Mr Mr rhammona, in aa amusing speech, insisted that Sir C. "Wood had adopted his suggestions, made last year, in motion which the Government then opposed. Lord J.

MANNERS, like 'Mr Drummond, was gratified to ftn.i in the speech of the Chancellor ot the Exchequer for first time, a frank, unqualified admission of agricultural iiijtriiss, the relief of could not be effected, nor would the agricultural interest he satisfied, by the two reasissions of ttsx itioo. Mr SIVSTZ donbted whether there would be any real surplus. C. Wood would have done better had he tidisn off no taxe. Mr SAJJDARS slave some details respecting the prices of r.p corn, in refaction of what he alleged to be mis state--aunts of Mr J.

Wilson; to which the latter gentleman replied, r.nd the discussion took a corn law direction. Mr liAXKES pictured the dsvn distress ot agricnltare, and i'tve warr.inii that large reductions of expenditure would be paired by the landed interest. Mr M'GEEGOl! reproached that interest with ingratitude, sin'-a all the rotidssiuiis of taxes were in its favour and DVS'SE nut forward the distress of Irish agriculture, video was loft one ol the scope ofthe proposed bona. Mr MACKENZIE complained dtat Seotiand was unfairly t--ued in the apportionment of sum to be advanced for I-: testimonial to the merits ot Mr Brooksbank (whose very decease bad been announced by Sir C. Wood) was jred by Mr Go'ithnrn.

After an invective from Colonel SI3TH0RP against the Teriimen. Mr HEALD regretted that surplus revenue had not W-ii always applied to the diminution of our debt; and Mr HESLEi' protested against the remissions of dntv beiDir cort--si-tared a special boon to agricultural interest. The vote was then agreed to and reported. The house then resolved itself into a committee of supply Pa ara and navy estimates, when several votes on account were ag-ecd to and reported. Trie house then went into omiuittea npoi the estates leas-int (Irelaufi) hiil, which underwent sundry amendments.

The remaining orders of rhe day were disposed of, and the iouse -adjourned at half past one o'clock. USANCE. ihc p-vcl-rnnticn of the reprnspntitives, just elected for "ait5. fto rsado at the Hotel de Viilu on Friday evening, ws cxi-eircd to bo, with lit'le diff-renee, as fellows: Socialise Caniot, 132.7S7 Vidal, 12S.439 De Eiotte, I25.9S2. Moderates Toy, 125,643 De Lahitte, 125,472 Soman 2 The -number of registered electors is 336,943.

The number of votes ascertained as given up to Thursday is 45574. The Monite.nr dn-Siir announces the result of 27 out ofthe 30 including those of Pari. It gives 1 1 in fitvonr of the Government, and the rest as having returned Socialist candidates. The II alluded to cnmp.ise four departments V.i-herto remarkabie for their extreme opinions. As yet, however, the Government has published no official nc-connt of those returns.

The Socialist journals recommend the people not to be present in the Place de 1'Hotei da Ville during 'the ceremony of proclamation, us they say an occasion would be taken to force them to a mKision. In the National Assembly on Thursday evening, the discussion on the education bill was continued, and the clauses tin to 73 were voted. The house adjourned at half-past six o'clock. The unfavourable result of the elections has shown that the present Ministry have not sufficiently the confidence of the country or of the Assembly to conduct affairs to advantage, and a change in the Cabinet is now in operation, M. jDupTn the President of the Assembly, was summoned on Thursday to advise with (he Presi of the Eepuhlic on the state of affidrs; and in the course of the day various negociations were on foot for the formation of a new Ministry.

The Government papers are silent on the subject of the' crisis. The Opposition papers say that the negociations are going on, but nothing is settled. The Uuivers publishes a list, which it is to cornirose the new Ministry. It includes M. L.

ns Mioister of the Interior M. Piscatory, Foreign M. Fourtal, Public Instruction General de War the Duke de Monchy, Works M. iehceuf, Finance and M. Caaliatica, Justice.

The National says, only three out of tiie present Ministers are to retire 'iil. de Lahitte, E. Barrot, and Rouher. I A X- Y. Tat Itisorgissento of Turin states from Borne that a strong cs-op is fonainj at SpobMo.

A small French is to ieu.tin at Casteilo. A Swiss colonel passed through on the Sth cn bis way to Portici. He was supposed to '-he person entrusted with the ro-organisation of tbi Papal Colonel Armandi, lately in the service of the Venwian Government, has returned to Home under the safeguard ofthe French authoriti-s. Letters from Naples of the announce that at a secret consistory held at Portici on tht day, it v.as finallv decided the Pope should retora to Puns. The 2d of April is the 5sed A oncntcatioa to tUt effect has been made to esrps diplomatique.

setters from Turin of the 11th insr. state, that the Count Huhentiial had arrived in that capital, charged, on the part he of Saxony, with an extraordinary mission, v.nng for its object to negodats the ntarriage of the of the King-, the Princess Maria Elizabeth, with the Diu-te of Genoa. HUNGARY. The Catholic Bishop of Grosswardein (Baron EemerJ has just been condemned by a court martial at Pesth to dea'h bv banging, and the confiscation of all his for having executed the orders of the revolutionary Government, and taken part in the proceedings of the Hungarian Ilayoan, however, has commuted the "sentence of -Jcath to 20 years' imprisonment in irons in a iorsresE. TURKEY.

Letters from the frontiers of Bosnia, in the Oestarreiscbische Correspondent, state that the small fortress of Bihaczhas been quoted by the Bosnian insurgents. The garrison of 150 cij.iitthttd, and wnttllmred to withdraw toBai.jalfca. The p-cet ledy of the in--cr-rnts was, on the Sth inst. preparing to march from Tudoro to Bihacz and Banjalka. THE TEN HOURS' ACT.

(From the Times.) Lord Ashley has taken the first step towards rendering justice to the factory operatives, by obtaining leave to bring in a bill to declare the intentions ofthe Legislature. Long as was the Parliamentary debate that arose upon this important question last night, we have discussed it so fully of late, and have been so careful to point out the physical and moral evils that have arisen from the las wording of an ambiguous statute, that it is no wonder if Tve find little cf novelty even in the speech of Lord Ash-ey. That nobleman was vorv successful in showino- that the object ofthe law of 18-17 was to afford to women and young persons engaged in factories opportunities for instruction, recreation, and hettilh. It is difficult enough to prove mature of pnblic notoriety in the face of op-pononts ts-fao are determined not to be convinced; but fortunately the question is now removed from the precincts of a coni-t of law to an arena in which evidence jf qatte another kind will be received. We are no longer bonnd by the four corners of a defective statute, bin may twn at our discretion to the Parliamentary disenssioos previons to the passing ofthe Saw.

as as to the testimony of persons who were consulted nponthe subject while it was being framed. Such testimony 3S this js the evidence of Mr Homer, the factory inspector, which we quoted on Tuesday last, and which will be found again in Lord Chiefs sticeeh cf last night. Hansard would in itself t.o-th nia.iirir.fs to the question twenty times over be it observed, the question now is, not whether it is wise or politic to limit the labonr ot women and voun" I'-ersons employed in factories to a Itrna fide ten hunrs a That question was settled in the year 1817 after a very contest, and in the teeth of a very determined 'position. The real point at issue is what was -i ii! tha T-ctsiat lire in rf i e-! 0 i-orn Ashley does not ask the house to re-open the whole Question tuat would be merely fighting the battle of the UBmate miliowrters but singly to interpret its on-n sayingS, to expouod its own oracles. Acts of Parliament are proverbially somewhat obscure and roundabout in their phi-feolcgy, but lie not willingly suppose mat our legislature consctonilv fratiios its dicta upon the irode of that celebrated reoly that got Crcesus into able.

We KM not follow Lord AsWey through the pointed foreiole sentences ia wW.h Lo stlQd lne beneficial the operatives in conseqnenae the passing of the law of iS47. We bave onr3eives too recently over the Mlnc selves snrw express, nmcnc" 1 6 per cent, should the obnoxious measure pass into law. In cotton, twill and yarn again there has been a great increase. This result has been attained partly by greater velocity in working the machinery, but still more by the increased attention which the operatives can bestow upon their tasks while they are actually -employed. But if the mas'ers have been benefited by the change, so have the even as far as wages are concerned.

I will show," said Lord Ashley last night, that in this respect no injury bas occurred to the workpeople; aud that in a vast number of cases wages have not been reduced th-tt in some cases they have been raised and that ia all where they have been reduced they have been met by some compensating circumstances." We must refer oar readers for the details, by which Lord Ashley makes out bis case, to his own speech and if that wili not convince them, they must remain' for ever without any sane conviction upon the subject. We trust that the line taken by the great bulk of iie speakers last nigh: affords an index by which we may ridge of the ultimate decision of the Houses of Parliament. Besides tho proposer and seconder, Lord Ashley and Mr Edwards, we find politicians of ali classes and parties coming forward to say Let us be honest in the matter." Mr Banltes and Mr F. O'Connor. Sir Tf.fth,.t Itiglis and Mr IV.

J. Fox, were of one mind about this i factory question. -With them were Mr Aglionbv, Lord I J. Manners, aad Lord E. Grosvenor.

On the other side we find Mr M. Gibson and Sir J. Graham, Mr Brightand Sir G. Grey. With Mr Bright we have no quarrel upon the subject just now.

He is extensively concerned in mills he i frankly tells us so. His object is of course to screw the ut most possible amount of profit out of the concern, and so he stands before us as a sample of the class against which this act of legislation was directed. It is perfectly natural that he should wish the question to be referred to a select committee, and burked at the end of the session. But with I regard to Sir George Grey it is a different matter. He speaks authoritatively as the organ- aud mouthpiece ofthe Government of that power to which the people of this country are ia the habit of looking up for justice and fair play.

What fair play the factory operatives may expect, I so far as the Home Office is concerned, may be judged by Sir George Grey's most, disingenuous speech of fast nigut. it wm oe remembered that the first ground taken by the Home Secretary was, that he aud his colleagues were not prepared to introduce any measure to amend the defective statute. But now the pressure from without has been too strong. He will be happy to concur with Lord Ashley ia amending the law in such a manner as would avoid collision between classes whose interest ia this matter were intimately combined. Now, what is it ia point of fact that Sir George Grey was about when he was pronouncing those words with the true self-complacency of the Whig school Nothing more nor less than making the people aware that Parliament was quite ready to break faith with them on the first convenient opportunity.

A statute without a flaw, or the occasion for a quibble, would be a rare phenomenon indeed, and such weapons the Home Secretary can condescend to employ when his courage fails to do justice the presence of a powerful antagonism. His conduct to the operatives will not improve the position ot Sir George Grey and his colleagues, nor add stability to tueir power. THE PROTECTIONISTS' CAT'S PAWS. (From the Examiner.) The tactics ot the Protectionists are clear enough. They reckon upon splitting the free traders upon questions of retrenchment and if by these means they overthrow the existing Government, the power will fall into their hands to play own separate, game for the re-imposition ot duties enhancing the prices of food and creating artificial This is the snare they lay for free traders, and into which free traders walk with their eyes open.

Upon any verbal pretence of economy they combine with the enemies of free trade against the Administration, which stands in front of the battle in defence of the common cause. They proclaim themselves ready to be duped, or rather to play the part of dupes without being dupes, to be gulls with a full consciousness that they are gulls they avow that they will not extend their views an inch beyond their noses, that they will search no bait for a hook, that they will bite like gudgeons at whatever is offered to them under the pretence of retrenchment, no matter to what it may lead, and though it may lead to the re-imposition of the protective imposts, or to partial taxation in lieu of it. It is the old story of the dog losing the substance in snatching at the shadow. These gentlemen have accomplished a saving, upon the most moderate calculation, equal to the interest of the national debt, in the abolition cf duties on food the proceeds of which went to no public accouut. The Protectionists, from whom this has been wrung, propose to indemnify themselves by an equivalent removal of burdens, aud Hiis is the shadow ofthe substance at which the Free Traders of the Brag, instead of the Holdfast Breed, are ready to snatch.

For this we find Mr Cobden voting side by side with Mr Cayley, Mr Bright with Col. Sibfhorp, Mr Gibson with Lord John Mansers, Mr Hume with Mr Spooner, Lord Dudley Stuart with Mr Plumptro, Sir Joshua Walmsiey with Sir John In such an unnatural coalition as this there must be dishonesty somewhere; dishonesty in the motion upon which men of the most opposite principles agree, or dishonesty on the one side or the other in the vote. Upon Mr Brammoiid's motion the old birds were caught by chaff, aud expressly because it was chaff, and therefore so innocent that they could not refuse to take it. What means a resolution for retrenchment corning from a party whose complaint is that the country has been relieved from a tax equivalent to more than twenty millions a year on articles of food not accruing to the Treasury; and the object of all whose manoeuvres is either, under favour of the cry for economy, to shift from of taxes, and transfer the burden to the rest of the community, or to re-establish the pernicious impost from which the country has been so happily and beneficially relieved. the very previons night the army estimates had been carried against Mr Hume's amendment for a reduction of 10,000 men by a majority of more than 4 to The Protectionists are in troth only for cttttingdown one thing, and that is the Free Trade Administration, by destroying which they reckon npon either re-establishing protection, with the certainty of convulsion, and the risk of worse, or of relieving, themselves of their share of fourteen millions of and shifting them to the shoulders of the pnbiic at large.

If they cannot get back monopoly, they propose i Hi kjl ii yaiiatu iraa-ttiiuu tuiu whu view to one or both of these objects, for both they seem to contemplate like tho spoiled child with the oplton of two dainties, who answered "both's best" they swell the cry for retrenchments upon the calculation that they will, upon some clap-trap occasion, get some of the Free Traders serve as cat's paws, throw the Government into a miuo rity, take its place, dissolve Parliament, and in the break up of parties, and disunion of Eeformers, obtain a majority, and find their path to their own ends. In perfect consistency with such views, they refuse to vote for a reduction of ths forces for a party which contemplates trie enhancement of the price of food, and the substitution of comparative scarcity for the blessing of the present abundance, must make the sword its main stay, and not a bayonet can it afford to dispense with in anticipation of the opportunity for this perilous work. Between the Protectionists and their cat's-paws amongst the Free Traders, the Imperial Parliament is becoming more and more like the National Assembly of France in maintaining expenditure, while it fights tooth and nail against the taxation by which it must be defrayed. The Free Trade economists are sincere in their proposals for large reductions, but they are weak in numbers and unsupported by the Protectionists on the other hand, they sivell the Protectionist minorities in motions professing economy, but aimed solely against the existence of the Ministry. It is curious enough that the great demand for retrenchment has immediately followed the greatest relief from taxation that the country has ever experienced in the abolition of the corn duties.

It is upon the removal of this mighty imposition that the discovery is made that the nation is crashed by taxation, and the very men who most strenuously resisted that great measure of relief now contend that the people are unable to bear the diminished burdens which remain after it. vommxttee of Council os Education. By a retara just presented to Parliament, by her Majesty's command, of grants made to schools upon nonditions not involving the acceptance of management clauses, it appears that 444 schools have received grants of that description to the amount of 10.601 Os. alfeady paid, and L.17,228 conditionally due. The return does not include the numerous class of schools which have obtained grants to enlarge end fcrnish them with fixtures -ng already held in trust for educational purposes at the ie of applying to the Committee of Council on Education.

4-3- Tho Hekc-cey is published on Mondays aud Thursdays Price, annum, 2 4s. cfedir 2 paid in advance. Hali Tear and Quarter io proportion. Calekmian lllcrriirg, EDINBURGH. MONDAY.

MARCH IS. 1850. We do not think the budget of tha Chancellor of the Exchequer ought lo disappoint any reasonable expectation, apart from tha clamorous competitors for the surplus. The Chancellor of tho Exchequer calculated on a surplus of L.I, 500,000 for tha year ending Sth April 1851, and ho was beset by applications, which, if they had all been conceded, would'have abridged the estimated revenue by L.18,222,000. Well might the right hon.

gentleman say, that if ha listened to tho varied multitude of counsel lors, he would not have tho slightest difficulty in finding out a way for the disposal of his surplus, for their pro-, positions would Inve absorbed about nine times the amount. The country may, however, congratulate itself on the fact that there is a surplus, a result very different from that presented two years when the variation was about four millions the adverse way. In June last the Chancellor of the Exchequer estimated the revenue for the year ending Sth April 1850, at L.52, 262,000, and he has still to form an estimate for tho current and last quarter, but taking the produce ofthe first nine months, ending 5th January, and making al towance for contingencies, especially the redaction of the sugar duties, which wilt considerably affect the present quarter, be calculated that the revenue of the present rear will reach about L.52, 785,000. The expenditure of the year ending 5 th April 1 850 was estimated at L.52, 157,000. and its real amount will, be about L.

50, 533,000. Taking round numbers, tha surplus revenue this year is therefore expected to be L.2,250,000, whereas the whole surplus that the Chancellor of tho Exchequer calculated upon in June last was only L. 1 04,000, the lortunate discrepancy being of course hero accounted for by his anticipations proving wrong both as to the income and expenditure, the former exceeding his estimate by upwards of half a mil- lion, and the latter being reduced by L.1,025,000, partly by savings, and partly by the excesses carried from the former year, proving L.400,000 less than had been calcu lated. Taming to the prospective, the estimates, for the year ending Sth April 1851, of the income, as compared with that of tha year about to terminate, a decrease must be looked for on certain items of the Customs the importation of grain, which has been very productive to the revenue for the past year, even at the nominal duty of one shilliug, is rapidly diminishing; indeed, parties at Liverpool are preparing to export wheat, to obtain a better market abroad the sugar duties suffer another re action on the Sth July next, which will have a corresponding effect oa the revenue, and the produce of foreign spirits will be less than the current year, in which the consumption has been very considerable, the cholera causing a great demand for brandy. As to the Excise, Stamps, Taxes, and Post Office, there is no reason to apprehend any diminution.

As far as the data can be relied upon, the Chancellor then estimates tho total income of 1850-51 at L.52,285,000, and the probable expenditure at L.50,618,582, thus giving a surplus of L.l, 072,000. From this surplus a margin must be taken for the Arctic expeditions, an annual cost of L.30,000 for administering the merchant seamen's bill, supposing it to pass, and other probable purposes, for the total of which the Chancellor allows himself L.200,000, bringing his surplus a trifle below, L.l ,500,000. Ofthis snrplus one. half goos to the reduction ofthe national debt, it being wisely resolved to sustain the credit of tho country at least to the extent of making some impression on the portion of the debt more recently contracted. Of the remaining half.

will be allowed for tho remission of the excise oa bricks, which yields about that sum, and tho rest to the modification of the stamp duties on the transfer and mortgage of land when the purchase money or loan is under L.1000. The stamp duty on transactions above that sum is to be. aa a new ad valore.it and rather increased scale and tho stamp on leases is to be fixed at an uniform rate of one half per cent, on the rental, or 5s. on L.50- These remissions are expected to dispose of the L.750,000. The remission of the brick duty need takp no on by surprise after tha recent speech of Sir Robert Peel, in which he kid such emphasis on this proposition, both as facilitating the improvement of farm steadings and also the erection of dwellings for the poorer classes.

The Chancellor ofthe Exchequer 'mada the following significant allusion to that partial and most oppressive burden the income tax, and on which we would recommend the largo class who, here at least, are directly affect -crl, to ponder and be up and doing before tho time comes. There is another consideration that deserves the attention ofthe house, and that is, that in the course of the ensuing year, the important question will be brought before the house as to the renewal of the income tax (loud cries of bear, hear, Iu what disposition men may find themselves next year with regard to the income tax it is not for me lo point out bnt it must ho obvlons to those who object to that tax, or any part of it it nnst be obvious to them, that if ia the case of every sarpl'as there is to be a corresponding reduction of raxatior must make up their minds to the continuation of thk ta, Earl Grey on Thursday moved the second readin" of the convict prisons bill, tho object of which is to wovide an improved adrmnisfratioa of those prisons, and also the hulks, although the latter will in time be abolished. Tb is a question that is aiming a more important aspect, IRELAND. Lcmfr Lonbosderrt and the PiresBTTEaiAx Misisteks. The Marquis of Londonderry having felt it his duty to bring the state of the county of Dm, and the character of some of the proceedings which have aided in producing that state, officially under the notice of the Lord Lieuteriatif has received a reply dated Dublin Castle-, March 1, und signed by Mr Secretary Reddington, which, after acknowledging the receipt of Lord Londonderry's communication, says His Excellency has observed with much regret that the public mind in the county of Down ha3 of late been agitated upon questions connected with the relations of landlord and tenant, and that ngrarian outrages have recently increased in that jienerally pescoable and tranrjuil district.

The Lord Lieutenant cannot but fee! surprised that a ounty hitherto considered the most favourably circumstanced, and the inhabitants of which were regarded as the most contented in Ireland, and where there appeared to have existed between the proprietary and the tenantry that mutual confidence which is so essential to the prosperity of each, should, at the present moment, be the scene of angry discussions, which can never lead to a satisfactory settlement of any differences which may exist between owners and occupiers. "'i'he Lord Lieutenant has read with pain the speeches which have been reported to have been delivered at some of the meetings referred to by your hlrdship and his Excellency sincerely laments that those who, by their position, mny be considered capable of giving a direction to the feelings and opinions of their hearers, should have permitted themselves to advocate principles which are subversive of property and order hut the Lord Lieutenant feels assured that your lordship will, on reflection, concur with his Excellency in opinion, that he would not be justified in callius the attention of the General Assembly, or any other governing body of the Presbyterians, to such secular matters. "On more than one occasion, the Lord Lieutenant bas had to regret tho use of language by ministers of the Gospel of different persuasions in this country, when taking part in proceedings unconnected with their duties; but experience bas prove 1 to him that the example of the great majority of the clergy of all Churches in Ireland, and the disapprobation wiih which they view the violent interference of clergymen in secular matters, operate as the most effectual checks upon a. course which most always bs injurious to the cause of truth and social order." The Lobd Lir.t; tssantcy. The excitement" created by the announcement of the abolition of the sham court has considerably decreased within the last- tew days.

The Government organ at Dublin (the Evening Post), fairly admits that it almost stands alone in its antagonism to the project, and that the weight of public opinion, even ia Ireland, goes contrariwise to its views. The Freeman's Journal still keeps up the semblance of opposition, and one or two provincial repeal papevs, along with tha Banner of Ulster, the independent organ of Presbyterianism, are to be found in tha ranks of the oppositionists. All, h.nvever, agree the remonstrance is unavailing, and that Ireland has seen the last of her Viceroys. It-was reported in Dublin on Tuesday night, that tha aides-decamp to the Lord Lieutenant, also the extra aides-de-camp, had received orders to hold themselves in readiness to join their respective regiments early next month. It was stated also that his Excellency would leave before Easter, but ihe plan of abolishing the ofifee of Lord Lieutenant will certainly not be matured so soon: The Dolly's Bkae Homicide.

Government have been a second time foiled in their intention' to' make' amenable to the law any of the parties implicated in the atrocities perpetrated at Dolly's Brae. Mr Justice "Crampton's definition of what constitutes an illegal assembly has. it seems, been accepted by the grand jury of tho county' Down 'that body having on Tuesday announced, through the Clerk of the Crown, that no bills" were found against John Jardine, James Baxter, William John Wilson, Jis. Tate' Robert Green, Robert Truesdaie, William Peters, Jos. Laif'en' William Wallace, David Murphy, and; William John Henry', against whom the Crown had preferred bills of indictment for unlawfully assembling at Duib's Brae on the 12th of July last.

"True bills" for a riot, however, were found against John Wilson, Joseph Laffen, William Peters, William Wallace, and William John Henry, on the 12th oi Juiv, at the same place." Agkscultuual Education is Ibblakd. The Northern Whig has tho following Wo are glad to be able to state, for the information of tin friends of agricultural im-provement, that it is in contemplation to make an application to Government to afford additional inducements to tha study of scientific and practical agriculture in her Majesty's Colleges in Ireland. We obserte in the address of tho President of The Belfast College, that among the various arrangements contemplated in the agricultural school, a course of instruction is about to be provided, under the care of the Professor of Agriculture and the Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Economy, specially adapted to prepare young men for tha profession of land agent. Since the coaimeneement of the session, Dr Hodges, the Professor of Agriculture in the Belfast College, redelivered several popular addresses on the history of Lish agriculture, and the obstacles to its progress." Mail Comshjsicateos with Esolake. The Board of Admiralty, it is announced, have entered into a contract with the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company for the convey-aace ot the mails between the pr.rts of Quecnstown and II.

lv-nead. The arrautrements of the future hours ot despatch are not yet notified. In consequence of this unexpected decision of their lordships it is manifest that the Chester and Holyhead Company have no other course left hut to succumb for' aft-r their spirited but profitless strugSla with the board, it is not to be expected they could much longer play the losing game. They have, however, been the first to establish a 12-hours communication between the two capitals, and their new rivals to be successful cannot well make a retrograde movement. Leaving Dublin at the reasonable hour of half past in the morning, and reachi ig London before supper time on the same night, too obvious a luxury to be lightly loregone.

The public have become familiarised with it. and "the City of Dublin Company must make (heir dispositions accordingly..