immediately, and that a reduction of 50 per cent. on the
duty should be allowed on bricks already made.

Lord J. RUSSELL stated that Lord Seymour, who had
accepted the office of Chief Commissioner of Woods and
Forests, was to have the usual salary for his office of
£2,000 a year; but he would take that opportunity of
stating that, after Easter, he intended to move for a
committee to inquire into all Judicial and Diplomatic
Salaries, as well as those of ministers themselves. This
announcement was received with loud cheers.

Lord J. RUSSELL stated that a bill would be brought
in, during the present session, for settling Marlborough
House upon the Prince of Wales, and that her Majesty
had signified her consent to allow that building, for some
few years to come, being devoted to the reception of the
Vernon Gallery of Paintings, and other works of similar
character, and thrown open to the public as an exhibition
of art.

Mr. TRELAWNEY moved for a select committee to
inquire into the extent of the public interest, present or
prospective, in the property appertaining to the Duchies
of Cornwall and Lancaster. He supported his motion
by ample details of unthrift and extravagance in the past
management of these and other appanages to the public
revenue. To the argument that the duchies in question
were the private property of the royal family, he replied
by showing that the parliament, in the days of George III.,
had purchased the right of interference with the estate
of the princedom of Wales, by repeatedly paying the
enormous debts of the then heir apparent. Other
conditions of the administration of those properties also
gave them a quasi-national character.—The SOLICITOR-
GENERAL contended that the legislature had no more
right to interfere with these than with any other private
properties. He showed, nevertheless, that many improvements
in the management of both duchies, tending to
increase the net income by many thousands a year, had
been effected since the accession of her present Majesty.
The charge of oppression towards the tenants was a loose
accusation, which had not been fairly substantiated by
evidence. No case was, in fact, made out to justify the
interposition of the house by the appointment of a select
committee.—Sir R. PEEL doubted whether it could be
proved that the jurisdiction of the House of Commons
was not wide enough to warrant its interference with
the management of the duchies. He was, however,
convinced, by a review of the recent administration of
their affairs, that it would be most prudent to allow
matters to remain as they were. It was altogether
irrational for the legislature to adopt violent measures
in consequence of hypothetical charges.—After some
further discussion the resolution was negatived without
a division.

On Monday, the 26th, Lord DUNCAN renewed a
previous motion respecting the Encroachments on the
Green Park, caused by the new buildings going on at
Lord Ellesmere's mansion, and wished to know who
had permitted the encroachments.—Mr. BANKES
thought the public were much indebted to Lord Ellesmere
for the splendid palace he was raising there,
and pointed to the former disgraceful state of this
portion of the park, contrasting it with the
condition into which it was now brought by so many
mansions being erected in its neighbourhood.—Mr.
LUSHINGTON and Sir B. HALL complained that their
constituents felt aggrieved by these encroachments.—
Lord J. RUSSELL admitted that if the strict letter of
the law were to be enforced, no doubt the wall must be
pulled down; but, in that case, he doubted whether
the public would not be the losers rather than gainers.
—Mr. HUME, while he gave every credit to the Earl of
Ellesmere for his liberality, in throwing open his collection
of pictures to the public, contended that the
encroachments were illegal, and that the Attorney-
General ought to be called upon to take measures for
their removal.—Mr. HAYTER and Mr. S. WORTLEY
denied that this was any encroachment. It was a
question regarding a breach of covenant; and though
the public had a right to have the covenant enforced,
yet they were sure the enforcement would be to the
injury rather than the advantage of the public.—After
a few words from Lord DUNCAN in reply, his motion
was agreed to.

Mr. Hume moved for the production of papers
connected with the Receipts and Expenditure of the Royal
Academy, and complained of the illiberality of that
body in refusing to open their exhibition to the public
after a certain time, notwithstanding the privileges they
enjoyed of being allowed apartments in the National
Gallery, free of rent, in which to exhibit their pictures.
And now it appeared a sum of money was to be voted
to them for the erection of a new building; but he for
one would vote against any sum being granted till the
house had before it an account of their receipts and
expenditure.—Lord J. RUSSELL regretted the decision
the Royal Academy had come to in refusing to allow
the public admission to their exhibition; but it was to
be remembered that the pictures were their own
property, and it was for them, therefore, to decide the
question. With regard to the grant of money, it was
open to the hon. member to object to the vote when it
came before the house; but he brought it forward
because George III. having granted the Academy
apartments for their pictures, he thought the government
was bound to continue that privilege.—The motion was
negatived by 47 to 49.

The house adjourned till Monday, the 8th of April.

PROGRESS OF BUSINESS.

House of Lords.—March 1. Umpire's Appointment Bill
withdrawn.

4th.—Railway Audit Bill read a first time.—Party Processions
(Ireland) Bill read a second time.—Ecclesiastical Commission
Bill read a third time.

7th.—Sunday Trading Bill read a second time and referred
to a select committee.

8th.—Party Processions (Ireland) Bill read a third time and
passed.

11th.—Railway Audit Bill, read a second time.

14th.—Convict Prisons Bill read a second time.

15th.—Statements respecting the Greek Question.

25th.—Master's jurisdiction in Chancery Bill read a first time;
adjourned to April 11.

House of Commons.—February 28.—Parliamentary Reform;
Mr. Hume's motion negatived.—Leave to bring in Enfranchisement
of Copyholds Bill.

March 1.—Parliamentary Voters (Ireland) Bill considered in
Committee.—Regulation of Deeds (Ireland) Bill read a second
time.

4.—Parliamentary Voters (Ireland) Bill considered in
committee.

5.—Social Condition of the Working Classes, Mr. Slaney's
motion withdrawn.—Select Committee on Postal Communication
agreed to.—Mr. Mitchell's motion respecting Duties on
Wood used in Shipping carried.

6.—Affirmation Bill read a second time.—Marriages Bill read
a second time.

7th.—Ecclesiastical Commission Bill read a first time.—
Kilrush Union, Mr. Scrope's motion negatived.—Vote by Ballot,
Mr. H. Berkeley's motion negatived.

8.—Supply, Mr. Cobden's resolution debated and negatived.—
Real Property Conveyance Bill read a second time.

11.—Committee on Army and Navy Estimates.

12.—Mr. H. Drummond's motion for reducing National
Expenditure negatived.

13.—County Rates and Expenditure Bill read a second time—
Public Libraries and Museums Bill read a second time.—Leave
given Lord Ashley to bring in bill to amend the Factories Act.

15.—The Budget.

18.—Parliamentary Voters (Ireland) Bill in committee.—
Brick Duties Repeal Bill read a first time.

19.—African Squadron, Mr. Hutt's motion negatived.

20.—Small Tenements Rating Bill, Summary and Larceny
Jurisdiction Bill, in committee.—County Rates Expenditure
Bill, select committee re-mended.

21.—Mutiny Bill read a third time and passed.—Succession
to Real Property, Mr. Locke King's motion negatived.—Pirates
Head Money Repeal Bill passed through Committee.

22.—Australian Colonies Bill, Process and Practice (Ireland)
Bill, and Factories Bill, considered in committee.—Stamp
Duties Bill read a first time.

25.—Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster, Mr. Trelawney's
motion negatived.—Chief Justices' Salaries Bill in committee.—
Brick Duties Bill in committee.

26.—Adjourned to 8th April.

THE election of Colonel Frederick Romilly for Canterbury,
on the 4th, was unopposed; Mr. Vance, the
protectionist candidate, having retired from the contest
on the previous evening.

A very large meeting was held on the 7th, in the