The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian Glamorgan Monmouth and Brecon Gazette

^Forftsn SBitfilltgntr?. FRANCE.—There is hardly a paragraph relative to Ioc il affairs in the Paris journals of Monday. The papers are filled with reports of the debates in both houses of the British Parliament, accompanied with remarks which, however, interesting, would not warrant our devoting to them much space at this moment. The Siecle takes advan tage of the explanation of Sir R, Peel and Lord J. Russell to besto'v a warm eulogy upon English constitutional forms of government, which are held in so much veneration, and acted upon so frankly by all parties. The admirable con- duct of the Queen throughout the late ministerial crisis has won the admiration of our Paris contemporary "As to the Queen of Kngland (says the Siecle), we cannot too loudly express our admiration at her conduct. In a country where royalty is an instituiion, where parties of the most ex- treme feeling profess a kind of idolatry, we are indebted to the young female who sways the seep're tor showing that oeference for public opinion and that complete submission to the parlia- mentary law of majorities. With nations less advanced in the practice of the representative system, kings have been seen to yield but in appearance to the wishes of the chambers, and raise unseen obstacles to ruin the comb nations which they have appeared to accept It has not been the same with Queen Victoria. In reading the letters produced by Lord Johll Russell, it is difficult to know what most to admire, the entlle abandonment made by the Sovereign of her prerogative into the hands of the 1'rime Minister pointed out by public opinion to her confidence, or the decision with which the deposit of such an authority was accepted. Certniitiy a peol,le whose government acts wi: h such frankness is capable of great things." The Toulonnais states that several letters from the pro- vince of Algiers give grounds for believing that Abd-el- Kader has once more succeeded in deceiving Marshal Bugeaud, and that, after the affair of iemcta, inslead of retiring towards the west, the Emir went and made an at- tack upon the Beni-zoug-zougs, who delivered up to the French Ben-Abdallah, the brother of Bou-Maza. IMPORTANT NEWS FROM THE RIVER PLATE. The following is a copy of a letter received at Lloyd's, Wednesday morning, from their agent at Plymouth:- "IMPORTANT NEWS FROtt THE RIVER PLATE, BY H.M. s. CYCLOPS, OF THE ACTION BETWEEN THE COM- BINED FORCE AND GENERAL ROSAS, PRESIDENT. BUENOS AYRES, Nov. 20th, 1845, On the 28th Nov., the Prociel, French hired vessel, arrived at Buenos Ayres, bringing word that on the 20th Nov, the combined Anglo-French forces took up their position at 10 A.M. The Sam Martin bearing the flag of Capt. Frenouard, leading, followed by the Comus, who upon taking up her position, had her cables cut through, and went adrift. One hour and a half elapsed (for want of wind) before the Dolpliin could pass the Sam Martin, which she did inside between her and the left bnnk of the river. The action was kept up with great spirit on both sides, until one p. m. when a shot from her Majesty's ship. Dolphin blew up the Republicano gun brig moored at a tetede pont above the boom. As the fire from the enemy's works did not slacken, Captain Hope manned his boat, and cutaway the chain cables, and vessels comprising the boom, thus allowing the steamers to pass and take the fort in reverse. This service was performed in a most gallant style, Captain Hope being exposed to a very severe fire of musketry. At four p.m., the enemy's fire slackened, and carts were seen to be employed carrying away the dead and wounded from the batteries. The batteries were surrounded by a body ol cavalry 3000 strong, armed as Lancers. At 4,30 the gunners and soldiers in two of the enemy's batteries were seen to run from their guns, and endeavour to pass the line of cavalry; these latter charged upon them, and for a short time a severe skirmish was kept up between the two parties. The gunners were ul- timately driven back to their posts, and another attempt was repeated on their part with the like ill-sucess. At six, p. m., the French Commander in Chief, proposed to Captain Hotham to land and carry the batteries. Cap- tain Frehouard passed up the line of the enemy's fire most gallantly, and landing at the highest fort, carried it, and the enemy precipitately abandoned his position- It ap- pears the guns bad been worked on the enemy's batteries by Englishmen, Americans, and negroes. A son ot Ad- miral Brown made himself very conspicious on the ramparts of one of the batteries and escaped unhurt. The enemy's loss amounted to 120 negroes (gunners, &c.) found dead under their guns, and about 400 whites, killed, and the like number wounded. English loss-10 killed, and 25 wounded. French loss-18 killed, and 70 wounded. "Large quantities of ordnance and stores were found in the works. 19 brass guns were reserved, the rest of the ordnance destroyed. The Fulton, French steamer, had her paddles knocked away, and her chimney cut through, besides one hundred and seven shots in her hull r The Sam Martin had 104 shots in her hull, the Dolphin riddled. Lieu. Brickdale, Satellite, killed Mr. G. An- drews, clerk in charge killed Lieu. Doyle, of the Philo- mel killed. MOST IMPORTANT FROM AMERICA. LiVEurooL, MONDAY NIGHT.—The packet-ship Henry Clay, Captain Nye, has arrived, bringing us New York papers to the evening of the 8th inst. In the House of Representatives there had been a good deal of discussion on the Oregon question, and of a cha- racter anything but calculated to promote a peaceful set- tlement of the question. The chief actor is no other than the aged John Quincy Adams, who, in his delining years, has given vent to a reckless silly speech, of a menacing character. This uncalled-for display of Mr. Adams has caused great uneasiness in quarters where none existed before. Mr. Adams came out on a bill being reported from the military committee on the 2d inst., for raising two regiments of mounted riflemen, which same bill gave a discretionary power to the President to add a number of men to the existing regiments of infantry, riflemen, and artillery. The Oregon war question was dragged into this discussion and after some expressions that the giv- ing notice would lead to a war between America and England, which were replied to by Mr. Ingersoll, chair- man of the committee on foreign relations, Mr. Adams took the floor, and the house, which was very much crowded, was in a moment hushed into silence. He apologised to the house for rising to speak at all, re- marking that his physical inability would not enable him to speak more than very briefly. The measure before the house was but one of a great variety of subjects which ought to be brought to the attention of the body, and all be considered together. They were all measures which would add very materially to the expenses of the country, and none of them, he thought, ought to be discussed at this time. During the two, three, and four years past we had gradually been reducing' the army, and in his appre- hension there was no more danger of war now than there was when the reduction was made. With great emphasis, and with all eyes upon liiin ,Nlr. Adams then went on to say, "I do not believe at all in any apprehension of war at this time. 1 do not see any testimonials that there is danger of war at this time, and I cannot now, therefore, consent to vote for any increase of the army. I am ready to give notice to Great Britain that we mean to terminate the treaty between us, and at the end of twelve months I am ready to take possession of the teiritory. I declared my readiness to give this notice at the last session of Congress, and I avow my readiness to give it now (great applause on the floor, and suppressed applause from the crowded galleries). This notice ought to be given at once—this day if it could be done; but such was the value he plaeed upon treaties, and so much did he regard the national conscience concerned in this matter, that he would not vote for an additional soldier, sailor, for any fortification, or even for the sappers and miners that have been asked until this notice was given. This done, at I he end of twelve months he was ready to extend jurisdiction over the whole territory, but from such a result he did not believe that war would come,—he had indeed no appre- hension of war, but if it did come, which God forbid, let it come with all hearts bound together on this subject, and all hands united in the defence of the country. War, he repeated, need not follow from the notice, or from occu- pation we could negociate still, and his belief was, he repeated again and again, that war would not be the con- sequence of the notice. But if war came he was sure that it would soon be terminated, and terminated in a manner for eyer to prevent England from interfering with the United States. Mr. Douglass, of Illinois, had previously said that England would commence a. war upon us at on -e if we would guarantee ty her the safety of her pos.scss.o.is in Canada." Mr. Adams's speech created great sensation in the house. It is said to have given great delight to the western mem- bars, but that it imparted the greatest sadness to his mIre immediate friends, amI. to all those representing the AtLwi- tic states. The position taken by Mr. Adams is a 1U"t absurd one even though he talks and blusters of war. jet he says he will not vote to add one man to the arm;, or navy," nothing for defence or fortifications. It would ap- pear that this old gentleman is himself going out musk t in hand to settle the whole business; at all events, much as he talks of war, it would seem that no one is to have any hand in the matter but himself. He stands among those who have been committed to the propriety of com- promising this question, and now he is against all com- promising, and ready to claim possession of the whole of Oregon. If war come in consequence of America claim- ing that which it has so long shared with others, he is ready for war. He is ready to give the one year's notice, which so many regard as a war measure, and would have given it at the moment he made his speech if he could have done so. At the end of the twelve months he is ready to extend the national jurisdiction over the whole territory, and in the meantime will do something to begin this work. The position of Mr. Adams to us appears very much like that of an old gentleman who has taken leave of his senses. Taking a careful look at this, and the discussions which came on the succeeding days, it is difficult to know how the question really stands. What will be the issue of this Oregon question in Congress, seems every d:iy more and more uncertain. So much error and so much passion, so much dernagogueism and so much selfishness are mingled up with the speeches that have been made, and the mea- sures that have been submitted that we confess our utter inability to fathom the probable conclusion of the subject. We have ceased to remember the number and form ofbilis and resolutions already submitted upon this one subject, and it would appear that the learned senators and repre- sentatives hardly know which bill or what motion they vote upon. The debate was resumed on the following day.^ On the 5th inst., Mr. C.J. Ingersoll, from the Commit- tee on Foreign Affairs, reported a resolution authorising the President to give the year's notice provided for in the Convention of August GIh, 1S27. We find the matter continued again on the 6th, and at an enormous length. War speeches were the order of the day, and there was an evident rivalry as to who should make the most gunpowder oration. However, the majority of the house, by a vote of 102 to 8:?, voted to postpone all action upon the Oregon resolution, giving the one year's notice, until the first Monday in February. Two-thirds, however, were necessary, and the motion failed—thus bringing the question directly before the committee of the whole. How the game of battledore and shuttlecock was again played it is almost impossible to understand by the doings of these worthy Yankee senators. There ^au be no doubt but that the vote taken ought to have influence with those who are influenced by the proceedings in Congress. Fairly interpreted it means that there is a decided ma- jority in the House of Representatives in favour of delay- ing action upon the notice until intelligence has been received from England of the manner of the reception of the President's Message, and of the fact of the renewal of negociations, or the disposition on the part of England to renew them.

Jmperial flirliamgnt. HOUSE OF LORDS.—MONDAY. The Lord Chancellor brought up her Majesty's most gracious answer to the Address, which was ordered to be inserted on the Journals. The Duke of Richmond wished to know what were the cir- cumstances which could have indllccù thc Government to resign the reins of office one day, and to re-accept them almost imme- diately after? The Duke of Wellington, in the course of his explanation, said that he had been opposed to the proposition of Sir R. Peel originally, but knowing, after a service to the country of fifty years' duration, and after a service of twenty years in the cabinet, the great importance of union of opinion, he had tried to effect it amongst its members on this question of the corn laws. He had failed in doing so, and subsequently perceiving the difficulty in which her Majesty was placed, he felt it his duty to lend his services to the ne.v administration. The Marquis of Lansdowne said that he was originally in favour of a iixed duty, but the time for that, he felt, had gone by, and he, therefore, gave his assent to a total repeal of the corn laws. The Earl of Aberdeen stated that he coincided in the opinions of Sir R. Peel from the commencement. The subject then dropped, and their lordships adjourned. TUESDAY. In answer to a question put by the Marquis of Clanricarde, The Karl of Dalhousie said it was his intention, on Thursday next, to hrin- under their lordships' notice the whole question of the manner in which it would be necessary to deal with the railway business likely to come before the house during the pre- sent session. The house adjourned early. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAY. The Speaker communicated her Majesty's most gracious an- swer to the Address which was presented on Saturday. RAILWAY LEGISLATION. Sir R. Peel then rose to move the appointment of a select committee t,) consider the mode in which the hoase shall deal with the railway bills proposed to be submitted to it during the present session, and said that, in 1844, the number of rail- way bills which received the sanction of parliament was forty- eight, requiring a capiLal for thpir construction of £ 14.708,000. In the year 18to, the number was 118, the capital being no less than fifty millions. It was estimated that it usually took three years to complete a railway and tl^e capital sanctioned to be expended amounting to about £7,),000,000 .it lullowed that in 1840 they would have to lindcapital to the extent of £ 2.>,500,0t)0, in 1847 a further sum of £ 23,50J,000, and in 1848 about £ 1S,000,000, for railways already in course of execution. The lesser sum in 1848 was owing to the circumstance that a por- tion of the capital for those agreed to in 1841 was already ex- pended. This was a large sum, and must be a large drainage on the capital of the country for one particular branch of indus- try but the railways projected this year would create a still larger demand for capital. The number of railway plans lodged with the Board of Trade, of which COG were for England, 131 for Scotland, and 8s for Ireland, made a total of 815. It was true that many of these were rivals to each other, of which it was improbable that the House of Commons would sanction more than one, In several others they wou.d not be able tu proceed for want of compliance with the standing orders; but still a great number would be brought under their consideration beyond what they had to deal with at any former period. It was proposed that 20,087 miles of new railway should be con- structed, and the total expenditure was supposed to be about X'3o0,000,000. It was impossible to contemplate the immediate application of such an amount of capital, and the House of Commons should, therefore, at the very commencement of the session, consider what principle should govern its course as regarded the construction of railways. If they were not pre- pared to meet this influx of business, they must consider the propriety of transferring it to some other tribunal. The first question was, however, as to whether they would permit such an enormous appropriation of capital to (Jne branch of enterprise, and he much doubted whether it would be beneficial to that en- terprise itself to sanction the appropriation of such an amount ol capital. Government had caused a map to be prepared, show- ing the whole amount of railways classified under three colours —one colour showing those completed, another showing those sanctioned by Parliament and in course of construction, and another showing those now projected. This map he proposed to give to the committee, together with all the information of which Government had taken great pains to possess itself; and he proposed that the committee should report to the house the course they deemed best under the circums ances to be adopted. Sir G. Grey thought it would be better to enable parties to save the expense of going before the standing orders committee, if they were to be liable, notwithstanding having incurred such expenses, to be defeated by the report of the select committee. He was of opinion it would be better to transfer a portion of the jurisdiction of the house in these matters to a competent tribu- nal in which both houses of parliament might be disposed to place confidence. Sir R. Inglis said it was physically impossible for the house to attend properly to this branch of business, and suggested a sort of ambulatory commission as likely to be more satisfactory, and to save the parties three-fourths of the expense. Mr. Hudson thought the house ought to know in the first instance how many of these railways had obtained the requisite deposits, and whether they were likely to pass the standing orders committee, for he was convinced a great number would fail in these particulars. He was not alarmed by the amount of money required for these schemes. The money was not going out of the country. One-fifth of it would go to the landlords, a large portion would go to the iron merchant, and a still greater portion to the labourer. Nothing could tend more to the relief of the distress of Ireland than encouraging this kind of enter- prise. He could not conceive in what way they would limit the amount of money to be spent in railways, and had 110 doubt but enough of means could be found for all useful objects, unless, indeed, the money was sent out of the country in loans to South American states, or to buy foreign corn to import into this countrv. After some discussion, in which Lord John Russell, Mr. H. Hinde, Mr. P. M. Stuart, Mr. Plumtre, and Mr. Ricardo took part. The'Earl of Lincoln said the two questions for the considera- tion of the committee were-First, whether it was not desirable that some limitation of capital should be adopted; and secondly, whether the promoters of railways should go on before the standing orders committee. These points had been carefully considered by the Government, and would not be thrown loose upon the committee. A len"thened discussion followed, which terminated in the adoptiono of the resolution proposed by Sir R. Peel, and the committee was forthwith appointed. The house then adjourned. TUESDAY. In reply to a question from Mr. Miles, Sir R. Peel said it was not his intention to ask the house to express any opinion upon ihe plan which he was that evening about to submit to its consideration. Before doing so he would give several days' time for consideration. ° THE COMMERCIAL POLICY OF THE COUNTRY. The house having resolved itself into a committ;e of the whole house upon that portion of Her Majesty's Speech relat- ing to the commercial policy of the country, Sir R. Peel proceeded to bring under review the Customs Duties, as they applied to the manufactures and produce of foreign countries when imported into this. The house had hitherto proceeded upon the principle that the repeal of prohibi- tory and relaxation of protective duties was consistent with 1 rue wisdom; that, in fact, protective duties were in principle objectionable, and, where imposed, must have some specific public policy to justify them. He was not about to call upon the house to recede from the course it had hitherto pursued, but rather to persevere but at the same time he felt it neces- sary to impress upon lion, members the necessity, even in the adoption of good principles, that they should not be regardless of public credit, which must suffer if they injured the finances of the country; nor should they in anyway prejudice those great interests upon which the welfare of the community mainly depended. It might be that his proposed plan would affect so many interests that it might be deemed rash and indiscreet by those more immediately interested; in which case, when the discussion came regularly before them, they might endeavour to place oa record a counter resolution, declaring the principle of protection to be good. It might be, on the other hand, that his plan might be accepted as a whole, as not unwise or inequitable, but, at all events, in the relax itton of duties he was about to propose. he was not about to select one to make a sacrifice, without calling on all other protected interests to make similar concessions, so that this could not be considered as a separa-e or isolated proposal. Within the last three years the whole of the customs duties had been revised, and the duties on raw materials had been in all possible case-! removed, in order to promote the manufncr.uring interests. Under these circum- stances he felt that he was entitled to call 011 the manufacturer to relinquish the protection he ha.1 hitherto enjoyed. In taking a review of the duties, he proposed still '0 act 0:1 the same principle of removing the du ies on raw materials, aud he knew scarcely any other raw material that was not already imported free of duty, except tallow and timber. With respect to tallow, which was imported chiefly from Russia, the duty was 3s. 2tl. per cwt., lluJ in order to cucjur ig,- Russia to follow the exam- ple of this country in the march of relaxation, he proposed to reduce the duty to Is. Gd. per cwt. With respect to timber, it was an article very difficult to deal wi'h, it involved such a complexity of interests, and he believed the only course practi- cable would be the adoption of a gradual reduction. He would be enabled, however, on an early day, to make known the views of government on the subject. There was lurdlyanv other raw material which was not free oC duty, and therefore he called upon the manufacturer to give a proof of his sincerity in requiring a repeal of protective duties by relinquishing those which pertained to himself. He asked him to submit cheerfully to a remission of the protective duties on woollen, linen, and cotton manufactures but with respect to articles made up. such as shirts and stockings, he would propose to treat them with more forbearance. Upon these latter he should propose to reduce the duty from -0 to 10 per cent. He was the more anx- ious that the manufacturers should make this sacrifice, for it was they, an 1 not the agriculturists, who first made a demand upon the legislature for protection. Woollen goods, made up, now paid a duty of 20 per cent. This he proposed to reduce to 10 per cent. With respect to silk he would observe that the existing duties did not operate as a protection for there were houses in Paris which would guarantee the delivery of any silk goods in London for one half the duty. The silk manufacturer was therefore under the delusion that lie enjoyed a protection, of which, however he was robbed by the- smuggler. He sup- posed that he enjoyed a protection of 30 per cent., though in many instances, such as caps, crape, plain velvet, fancy silk net, and turbans, the duty was as much as 11") percent. Those articles, however, paid no such duty. They were, it was true, in common use, but that was owing_to the industry of the smuggler. He should propose a new principle, that of levying a duty of so much per £ 100 value accurding to the nature of the article, but in no case exceeding lo per cent. The duty oil paper -hangings also was no less than shilling on each square yard, while its intrinsic value was in some cases only one far- thing. This disproportionate duty he proposed to reduce to twopence. With rpspcct to the manufactures of metals, he proposed to reduce the duties from lo per cent, to a maximum duty of tO per cent. The duty on foreign carriages he also proposed to reduce from 20 to 10 percent. The duty on im- ported candles he proposed to reduce one-half, and the duty on foreign hard soap from 30s. to 20s., and on soft soap from 20s. to its. There were a great many other articles upon which the duties were so puzzling that, without detaining the house by their enumeration, lie would simply say that he proposed to re- mit the duties upon them altogether. The duty on the importa- tion of raw hides had been already remitted, and he now proposed to remit also the duty on dressed hides. He would be, therefore, justified in diminishing the duties or, foreign boots "3 aud shoes, and should propose that the duties on boot-fronts be reduced from 3s. 6d. per dozen to Is. 9d.; on boots from £ 1 8s. per dozen to 14s., and on shoes from leis, per dozen to 7s. On straw-plat he also proposed to reduce the duty from 's. fid. to 4s., and on straw-hats from 8s. 6d. to .ii. Ttie duty on brandy and other foreign spirits, in which, as in the case of silk, the protection was only apparent not real, lie proposed to reduce from Js. 10d. to los. With respect to sugar, he also intended to propose a reduction of the differential duties in favour of our colonial produce; but this relaxation should not extend to sugars the produce of slave manufacture. He proposed to re- duce these differential duties from 93. 4d. in the case of musco- vado to 5s. 10d., and in the case of clayed sugars from lis. 3d. to 8s. 2d., a reduction of 3s. 6d. in the protection of our colonial produce. lie now came to articles connected with agriculture, and would iu the first instance allude to tobacco, the duty on which did not, he thought, operate prejudicially, and at all events the house would bear in mind that it should do nothing calculated to break down the revenue. lie proposed, in the first instance, that all seeds of grasses and other seeds should be imported at a considerable reduction of duty, which he consi- dered to be a great benefit conferred on the agriculturist. In future he proposed that on all seeds the duty should be os. per ewt. In some instances it was at present as high as 20,. Looking upon the fattening of cattle as a branch of agriculture, the importance of which it was impossible to over estimate, he should propose to admit, duty free, an article admirably adapted for feeding cattle,—he meant maize. He also proposed to admit bnckwheclt and the flour and meal from this as well as from maize at a nominal duty. He was not depriving the agri- culturist of any benefit by this remission, and he proposed to leal in the same way with linseed cake, rape cake, and rice meal. In fact, he looked upon their remission as a positive advantage to the lauded interest. He now came to articles connected with food and here his object was to effect some adjustment which should put an end to the controversary which existed on the subject, or at least to lay the foun- lation of its final settlement. He was not about to propose in immediate repeal, but rather an immediate reduction of the luties on these articles. He proposed to reduce the duty on mtter from 20s. to 10s. the cwt.; on cheese from 10s. to 5s. per cwt., on hops from X4 10s. to 9 2 os., md to reduce the duty on cured fish to Is. the cwt. He proposed to repeal ahogether and forthwith the duties on jacon, fresh and salt beef, pork, and all sorts of meat, and also H1 potatoes and all other vegetables, so that everything of vegetable and animal food should be at once admitted duty free, LIe thus proposed to deal with the agriculturist as with the nanufacturer, and having given him increased facilities for -earing his cattie, he would admit all animals duty free. He vould not propose all immediate repeal of the corn laws; but, n the hope of effecting a final settlement of the question, he vould propose a modification of the existing law, with a guaran- ee that at a certain period the duty should be only nominal, rhat period he proposed to limit to three yetrs -that, in short alieu of the duties now payable on the importation of corn, [rain, meal, or flour, there shall be paid until the lst day of •Y'bruary, 1849. the following duties, viz. If imported from any foreign country- WHEAT. rVhenever the average price of wheat. made up and published in the manner reauired bv law. shall be for every quarter — s. s. s. d. Under 48 the duty shall be for every quarter 10 0 48 — 49 ditto ditto 9 0 49 — 50 ditto ditto 8 0 50 — 51 ditto ditto 7 0 51 — M ditto ditto 6 0 52 — -r)3 ditto ditto 5 0 53 and upwards ditto ditto 4 0 BARI-EY, BEAR, OR BICGS. Whenever the average, Sic., Under 2f; the duty shall be for every quarter 5 0 26 — 27 ditto ditto 4 6 27 — 28 ditto ditto 4 0 28 — 29 ditto ditto 3 6 29 — 30 ditto ditto 3 0 30 — 31 ditto ditto 2 6 31 and upwards ditto ditto 2 0 OATS. Whenever the average. &c., Under 18 the dun' shall be for every quarter 4 0 18 — 19 ditto ditto 3 0 19 — 20 ditto ditto 3 0 20 — 21 ditto ditto 2 0 21 22 ditto ditto 2 0 22andupwards ditto ditto 1 6 From and after the 1st of February, 1849, there- shall be paid the following duties:—Wheat, barley, bear or biggs, &c., Is. wiieatrneal, barleymeal, oatm?al, &c., for every cwt., 4,1d. He proposed to accompany these alterations wltll. other reforms which could not fail to be beneficial to the agriculturist. The highways of the country were under no less thm 16,000 ditTe- rent jurisdictions, there being a surveyor appointed by every parish. A great saving might be effected by compelling a union of parishes into districts, the effect of which would be to reduce their supervisional jurisdictions from 16,000 ta 000. He also proposed that the law of settlement should be so far altered that five years' residence should give a settlement; so that a man might acquire a settlement in the parish which had the benefit of his labour without his being referred back to his original settlement. lie also proposed to encourage agricultural im- provement, by enabling the loan commissioners to make loans for the purpose of drainage, &c. He meant also to propose that the state should take upon itself some other burdens which at present were borne by the land. Ilalfthe expenses of the prisons and lunatic asylums had already been taken by the Government, and he proposed that it should now take the whole amount, to be provided for by an annual grant from Parliament. He likewise proposed that the expense of prosecutions in England, instead of being defrayed out of the local rates, should be borne by the Treasury; and that in Ireland, which he always felt would suffer most by the withdrawal of protection, the expense of the police force should be transferred from-the land to the Treasury. He also proposed that the charge for medical relief to the poor in the unions should be borne by the public. In Scotland the expense of the prison of l'erth was borne by the land, and this also he proposed to transfer to the Treasury. In union work- houses the provision for education was very inadequate, and he proposed that a grant of £ 30,000 per annum should be made to provide competent salaries for competent schoolmasters for those unions. He hoped that both par ies would weigh well :he plan he proposed before rejecting it. He asked for no expression of opinion th:tt night, and he hoped when the mat er came to be discussed hon. nnnnbeis would come to that discussion in the same frame and temper of mild which had hitherto distin- guished lion, members on both sides of the house. Sir R. II. Inglis said that the right hon. baronet had not stated any part of his financial proposition, although as a large pro- portion of revenue must be lost by these proposed alterations, some additional burdens must be placed upon the people. Mr. Stafford O'Brien thought Wednesday fortnight would be the earliest day on which these measures could be discussed. They were measures which should not be hurried through the house. Mr. Hume hoped the right hon. baronet would not accede to such a delay. Sir R. Peel hoped he might be allowed to conduct his own business in his own way. He was desirous to give the fullest opportunity for consideration, but he thought he gave sufficient time for the purpose by naming Thursday week. Mr. Miles said it was necessary their constituents should have the opportunity for consideration, and for this a fortnight was not too much. Sir R. Peel said that he would accede and name Monday week for the consideration of the plan, and would then propose that they should proceed de die in diem. With respect to the ques- tions put to him by his right hon. friend (Sir R. H. Inglis,) he could not well estimate the loss to the revenue, but it might amount to £ 514,OJO. To the other question he would not then give an answer. o In reply to a question from Lord J. Russell, as to whether he would take all the resolutions together, or in the first instance take those relating to manufactures. and afterwards those relat- ing to agriculture. Sir R. Peel said he would consult the wishes of the house, and take either the corn-laws first or the manufacturing reduc- tions, so as upon either to invite the decision of the house upon some great principle. Mr. Liddell said he had always hitherto firmly supported Sir R. Peel; but he could do so no longer, being impelled by a sense of duty to oppose the project announced by the govern- ment that evening- A desultory discussion followed, in the course of which Sir J. Tyrell addressed the house from the opposition benches, condemning the proposal of Sir It. Peel. Amongst the speakers were, Mr. Sidney Herbert, Lord March, Mr. Newclegate, Colonel Sibthorp, Mr. Wakley, Mr. Benett, Lord G. Bentinck, &c. THE INCOME TAX. In answer to a question from Mr. Grogan, inaudible in the gallery, Sir R. Peel said -I do hope that, from the reductions that are made, there will be increased consumption. I do not wish to anticipate the statement that must be made in the budget, bLtlt will relieve any apprehension there m1)" be un the subject 0 dIe income-tix by saying that it is not the intention of hrr Majesty's Governmjnt to make any proposition wilh respect to the income-tax—(hear.) Fortified by the experience of the past, although there will be a temporary effect UiJùll the revenue- yet I have that confidence ill its elasticity, ia consequence of the abundance of employment, tlut I 110 hope it will 1)[' possible to m ike all the reductions I propose without the imposition of any new tax. (loud cheers.) Mr. Greene (the Chairman oC the Committee) then reported progress, and it was moved and agreed to that the house resolve again into the same committee on Monday the 9th of February, The other ord us on the paper wr;re then disposed of, an1 the house adjourned at 12 o'clock, WEDNESDAY. The House of Commons met this (hyat 12 o'clock, and sat for a short time, hilt nù busiuesj of any gieat public interest was brou"ht under consideration. It was agreed that the h01lse should adjourn from Thursday till Monday, but the Committee on Railway Bills had power to sit.—[The House of Lords did not "it this day.]

central iftisccUntil?. MONEY MARKET.—THURSDAY EVENING.—Public se- curities have varied very little. Consols have been last sold for money at 9-tt, for the account at 93. Reduced Three per Cents. 95 j. The per Cents. New, 97~, and Exchequer Bills, 26 28 pin. Bank Stock has been sold at 203, and India Bonds are 32 p.n. There has been no decided feature in the market. doubts being entertained as to the precise effect which the measures proposed by Sir Robert Peel will ultimately have on prices. LATEST. -Consols for account 941 5. • In England and Wales the value of household ^furni- ture is £ 130,000,000, of wearing apparel £ 16,00),000, and of plate, jewels, &c., f 31,000,000. CONTRACT FOR BRITISH COAL BY THE FRENCH G04 VERNMENT. -On the 10th instant, the Minister of Marine in Paris closed his contract for 2,000,000 lbs. of English rock coal to be delivered at the ISLANDL^J^Martinique. M. 1 homas, jun., idow Durdesiaux, a^Liorsounour, of St. Malo, set in tenders at. the rate of -ts^Jd. the cw;s, andthcywerecontracters. The highest price asked was 5s. lOd. It is expec'ed that some very extensive contracts will be entered into, during the present year, by the Minister of Marines and Colonies, for British coat and a great competition is likely to take place between Messrs. Jackson of London, and the Newcastle eontracters, with those of Havre, Nantes and Bordeaux, who are all stri- ving to outdo the English, in the contract market, at the lowest prices possible. Accounts from Stockholm, of the 30th December, state that Sweden is suffering severely from the effects of scarcity of provisions. The greatest alarm lest a com- plete famine might ensue was felt iu many parts, parti- cularly in Upland. The Government had made Luge purchases of corn from Russia, and had likewise afforded pecuniary relief to the suffering peasantry. So urgent had been the distress, that the troops had been employed to break the ice, for the sake of facilitating the approach of corn-laden ships. The Chemins de Per says, it is well known that for a fleet to pass from the Mediterranean to the Straits of Dover, that is to say, from Toulon to the port of Cher-* bourg, the Straits of Gibraltar must be passed which arecomptetety commanded by England, by reason of her possession of Gibraltar. This necessity, which in case ot war would be extremely prejudicial to France, has induced M. Guillemon, of the engineers, to turn his at- tention to the subject. The carriage of a whole fleet overland" appears possible to this gentleman and he proposes to carry out his design in the following manner. A railway to be constructed across France, uniting tha two ports a submarine creek to be opened at each end the railway to he carried into this creek, which might be constructed as a canal, and a slight incline being given to the rails would bring up the ship to the run of the level of the rails. REMARKABLE FACT.—COMPETITION.—The situation of secretary to the Manchester Athenamm having become vacant, no fewer than 4l0 applicants sent in their cre- dentials !—Salary only £15G, But what is most curious in the matter, is the fact, and it is stated on the autho- rity of one of the directors, that out of 80 large a number there was uot a single application from a resident of Manchester.—Manchester Courier. W AR.—England spent 6o years in war, and 62 in peace, la*-6 ye;irs previous to the close of the last war in 1815. In the ^yar 0f we spent 36 millions ster- ling; in the war of the Spanish Succession, 62 millions; 111 the Spanish war, 54 millions; in the Seven Years War, 112 millions in the American war, 133 millions in the war of the French Revolution, 464 millions in the war against Buonaparte, 1159 millions; thus forming a total expenditure for war, in 127 years (from the Re- Vf on °n to ttle downfall of Napoleon in 1815), of 2023 millions of pounds sterling. M. de Pradt es- timates the loss of life sustained by the French forces in the six campaigns of the Peninsular war at six hundred thousand men. The loss sustained by the Spaniards and their allies was probably as great. Daring the war, many districts of the Peninsular were from time to time laid waste by the contending armies, and the inhabitants were victims to all the calamities and horrors thus pro- duced. The total destruction of human beings in this last war must have amounted to one million two hundred thousand. Poor RACE ion FORTY POUNDS.—Last week, the run- ing match between Jeukinson, better known as the London Stag," and Handley, of Nottingham, was decided near the Swan Inn, at Mitcham. They were matched to run three hundred yards of road. In betting, the men were backed at evens, respectively. Notwith- standing the uupropitious state of the weather many hundreds were attracted to the race. After several ineffectual stuarts, the men got away, and after a desperate struggle, Haudley succeeded the winning flag first by several yards, and carried off the honours. The 300 yards of road were covered by the winner in 42t seconds. GREAT FOOT RACK.—The foot race for £50 aside between Butler and East, two well-known pedestrians, came off on Monday at Hayes. In consequence of the presumed superiority of Butler, his backers gave East live minutes' start, in a distance of twenty miles, but not- withstanding these great odds, Butler wa3 the favourite in sporting cribs. Both men had been in active training for the last month, and considerable sums were bet at 5 to 4 on Butler; but, in consequence of a report which had gained circulation on Saturday night, that he had been taken ill, a change took place, and East enjoyed the favouritism at about the odds above quoted. The men appeared at the twelfth milestone on the U xbridge road, to walk to the thirteenth and back, at a little before two o'clock. Preliminaries having been arranged, East went away with his five minutes' start, at a smart, rattling speed, and was followed after the stipulated interval by Butler, at an equal, if not superior pace, and he gained twenty seconds in the first mile. In the second and third miles, however, he lost ground, but then, with slight variations, began to mend again and at the end of the tenth mile he had reduced the five minutes' start to four. East continued to pursue his course in capital style, and so obvious was it to men acquainted with such matters that Butler could not win, that 4 to 1 was freely ottered on East odds which increased in many instances to 6 and 7 to 1. In each succeeding mile East improved his advantage, and at the end of the eighteenth mile Butler resigned, his opponent being at the time nearly a mile a-head of him. East walked the remainder of the distance in order to claim, and completed the twenty miles in three hours fourteen minutes and ten seconds. Butler, it was stated, was attacked with cramp in the stomach two or three times during the race. TIIE IRON TRADE.—All branches of the iron manu- factures of South Staffordshire continue in undiminished activity, and it is expected that a further impetus will be given to the trade before the expiration of the present quarter. During the past week contracts for 120,0(10 tons of iron rails for the Great Western Company have been taken, a large proportion of which has been con- tracted for in our own district. This immense order- which, it must be borne in mind, is only a small portion of those that may be looked for from the railways which are all but certain to pass in the present session is re- quired for the Great Western main trunk and its numer- ous branches, including the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton line, the operations of which have already commenced at various points. Of these 120,000 tons, 45,000 are taken by tha Colebrook Dale Company 40,000 by the Plymouth Works, Glamorganshire 20,000 by Messrs. Malins and Rawlinson, of West Bromwich and 15,000 tons by the Chi'.lington Iron Company. We understand that these contracts have been regulated subject to the fluctuations of trade, but at the present prices they will realise more than £ 13 per ton. Taking, therefore, into account thp large supplies which will be required to meet the demand for British rail- ways, and the orders which may be looked for from the Continent, to complete the great lines under con- tract, we may, without indulging in any very sanguine speculations, safely conclude the present price of iron will, under any circumstances, lie fully maintained. There is not now, we are informed, a single ironworks of any description in South Staffordshire which is not in, constant operation, or if not fully employe 1, the circum- stance is attributable to the want of the ra v materials of manufacture, coal, and iron stone.—Hirmi tr/ltam Journal In the debate in the House of Commons on Fiiday night, Mr. Colquhoun having referred to Sir Robert Peel's professions "of a strong attachment, to the Church a strong regard for education, as connected with the Church, a strong regard for an aristocracy which he had not then found proud, and a very strong and deep attach- ment to the Crown, the maintenance of which he had not then found incompatible with a reformed House of Com- mons," Sil- Robert in his address to the house gave an explanation "I spoke of an ancient monarchy, a proud aristocracy, and a reformed House of Commons. Well, perhaps that was an inadvertent expression, and I wish I had the power, in matters of this importance, to weigh carefully every word which 1 might use. But I do assure the hon. gentleman, on my honour, that when I used the words proud aristocracy,' I meant to refer merely to those qualifications which entitle a great body to feel a just pride. It is not the pride of birth or the arrogance of manner to whic.i I wished to refer, but the superbiam quaeutam meritis. It was the pride founded on great services, on the exhibition of great talents, and on the exercise ot high functions, that I had in view and the last tiling which entered into my mind, was to use any expression at which the most sensitive person could pos- sibly take offence. I regret, however, that 1 did use the words; but I again declare, on my honour, that I never meant, by employing them, to convey the slightest insult." BRISTOL SUGAR MARKET, Jan. 28, 1846.- The trans- actions in Sugars have been so very trifling as scarcely to call for any remark or quotation, and there is little probability of any business of importance occurring until the great commercial policy of this country is settled. The few sales made have fully supported former prices.