decennial periods from 1792 to 1832, that the increase has been both progressive and considerable. The county rates in 1792 amounted to 303,2671., and in 1832 to 774,833., being an increase of 155 per cent; and as the heads of this expenditure have throughout remained unaltered, the committee have had little difficulty in ascertaining, by an analysis of the returns which have been laid before them, the causes to which the increase may be attributed, and in forming their judgment as to the best mode in which any saving may be effected. From this analysis of the returns it appears that a large portion of the increased amount of county rates has been occasioned by causes connected with, and dependent upon, what may be deemed in themselves evidences and results of the growing population of the country, and of general improvement in its condition. The great extension, during the period above referred to, of improved means of communication throughout the country, has naturally called upon the counties for increased contributions for the erection of bridges; an urgent necessity has at times existed of having recourse to extraordinary expenses in preserving the public peace; the great increase of county business generally has swelled the demand for legal charges; and various other incidental items have also added to the general mass of county expenditure. To that portion, therefore, of the augmented charge the committee do not conceive that they are called upon to advert, as requiring the special in terference of the legislature, with a view to relief from it as a burden, But their serious attention has been directed to another branch of

charge which has greatly increased of late years, and which presses with peculiar severity upon those county resources from which county rates are levied; they allude to the large expense incurred for the administration of criminal justice throughout the country. The crimes, for the repression of which this expense is borne by the landed interest exclusively, mainly affect personal property, as far, at least, as regards many of the minor felonies; and the committee cannot but consider that such a mode of providing for such an expense is no less partial than onerous. They are desirous, therefore, of calling the attention of the House, somewhat in detail, to its nature and progressive amount. It appears to have been, in some degree, occasioned by the altered construc tion, as well as the increased number, of gaols and houses of correc tion; by the system of classification and more strict discipline which has been generally introduced into prisons of late years; and by various regulations of a general nature which have been deemed necessary for the improvement of places destined for the reception of criminals. But that portion of the increased expenditure which is caused by the allowances for the expenses of prosecutions appears to the committee in a far different light, and requires particular consideration. În the year 1792 the county charges for prosecutions in England and Wales did not exceed 34,345l.; in 1832 they amounted to 150,5251., being an increase of 338 per cent. It is true that, during this period, the augmentation of population might fairly account for a part of this excess; but an augmentation of population from 55 to 60 per cent

is insufficient to account for an increase of allowance for prosecutions amounting to 338 per cent; and the committee are of opinion that much of it is to be ascribed to the operation of the 58 George III, c. 70. Previous to the passing of that act the statutable rewards for the conviction of certain offenders operated as an adequate encourage ment for the prosecution of persons guilty of counterfeiting coin, burglary, housebreaking, robbing in shops, warehouses, coach-houses, or stables, or stealing horses, or stealing or destroying sheep or cattle. These crimes constitute the great mass of offences tried at the assizes; and the statutable rewards upon the conviction of the offenders were payable in the first instance by the sheriffs, and were taken, as far as they went, to defray the expenses of the prosecutions, and allowed to the respective sheriffs in accounting with the crown. The costs of such prosecutions to that extent were thus charged upon the general revenues of the country.

The 58th George III., c. 70, at the same time that it repeals all such parts of former statutes as provided that rewards should be paid to prosecutors upon conviction for the above-recited crimes, provides that the county rates shall in future be charged with the allowances to prosecutors in such prosecutions.

To this transfer of payment for prosecutions from the public purse to the county rates is to be added the increased charge arising from allowance of costs in the prosecution of certain misdemeanors, which has been allowed by subsequent statutes. Thus, then, the recent change in the law has thrown exclusively upon the land

the whole expense of prosecutions, in the carrying on of which personal property is equally interested.

It is not immaterial to add, that the allowances for prosecutions at the assizes, over which the county magistrates have no control, are generally three-fold the amount of those which are given for similar prosecutions at the sessions, where the magistrates possess, and exercise a direct and rigid supervision.

Upon a review of all these considerations, the committee feel themselves warranted in calling the serious attention of the House to the equity, not to say necessity, of making some alteration of the law in this respect; and, there fore, strongly recommend that the costs of prosecutions at the assizes should be borne by the general revenues of the state, under such regulations as may effectually prevent all abuse and unnecessary expenditure.

It further appears to the committee, that the county rates, which have hitherto been submitted to with passive indifference, have been rendered liable to many payments which, in principle and in analogy, should be charged upon the general funds of the country.

They would exemplify this ob servation by the charges of conveying transports to the places of embarkation. The expenses of transportation from the place of embarkation are charged upon the public purse, and there appear no reasonable grounds for exempting the same from the expense of conveying the convicts from the prisons of the interior to the places of embarkation.

The same observations apply, in principle, to the charge of supporting smugglers in gaol at the county expense; and the commit

tee are of opinion that all such charges should be defrayed out of the revenue of the department

whose laws are broken.

However much the committee may have reason to lament the increase of county expenditure in minor points, and more especially in the payments to clerks of the peace, as well as in the salaries of officers, and other incidental expenses, they abstain from making further direct observation upon them, inasmuch as any abuse in such respects may be remedied by the existing powers of the superintending magistracy.

The attention of the magistracy has been directed to the importance of economy in county expenditure, as has been lately evinced in more than one county,

by their refusal to sanction charges upon county rates for returns made to the secretaries of state or either house of Parliament, which, although generally complied with are, nevertheless, not warranted by law; and the committee cannot but entertain the opinion, that the public revenues should be liable to all disbursements incurred in obtaining statistical, or other information, for the use of the legis lature or any public department.

The committee, having thus stated their general views upon the important matter submitted to their consideration, beg to lay before the House the evidence which they have taken, together with an appendix, and also an index to this, their first report.

"1. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee that a regular and expeditious communication with India, by means of steam-vessels, is an object of great importance both to Great Britain and to India.

"2. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee, that steam navigation between Bombay and Suez having, in five successive seasons, been brought to the test of experiment (the expense of which has been borne by the Indian government exclusively), the practicability of an expeditious communication by that line during the north-east monsoon has been established.

"S. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee, that the experiment has not been tried

during the south-west monsoon; but that it appears from the evidence before the committee, that the communication may be carried on during eight months of the year, June, July, August, and September being excepted, or left for the results of further experience.

"4. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee, that the experiments which have been made have been attended with very great expense; but that, from the evidence before the committee, it appears that by proper arrangements the expense may be materially reduced; and, under that impression, it is expedient that measures should be immediately taken for the regular establishment of steam communication with India by the Red Sea.

"5. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee that it be left to his majesty's government, in conjunction with the East India Company, to consider whether the communication should be in the first instance from Bombay or from Calcutta, or according to the combined plan suggested by the Bengal steam committee.

"6. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee, that by whatever line the communication be established, the net charge of the establishment should be divided equally between his majesty's government and the East India Company, including in that charge the expense of the land conveyance from the Euphrates on the one hand, and the Red Sea on the other, to the Mediterranean.

"7. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee, that the steam-navigation of the Persian Gulf has not been brought to the test of experiment; but that it appears from the evidence before the committee, that it would be practicable between Bombay and Bussorah during every month in

the year.

"8. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee, that the extension of the line of the Persian Gulf by steam-navigation on the river Euphrates has not been brought to the test of experiment; but that it appears from the evidence before the committee, that from the Persian Gulf to the town of Bir, which is nearer to the Mediterranean port of Scanderoon than Suez is to Alexandria, there would be no physical obstacles to the steam-navigation of that river during at least eight months of the year, changing the line of the Mediterranean in every month of the year; November, December,

January, and February being not absolutely excepted, but reserved for the results of further experi

ence.

"9. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee that there appear to be difficulties on the line of the Euphrates from the present state of the countries on that river, and particularly from the wandering Arab tribes, but that those difficulties do not appear to be by any means such as cannot be surmounted, especially by negociations with the Porte, Mehemet Ali, and the chiefs of the principal fixed tribes; and that this route, besides having the prospect of being less expensive, presents so many other advantages, physical, commercial, and political, that it is eminently desirable that it should be brought to the test of a decisive experiment.

"10. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee that the physical difficulties on the line of the Red Sea appearing to be confined to the months of June, July, August, and September, and those of the river Euphrates to the months of November, December, January, and February, the effective trial of both lines would open a certain communication with the steam-vessels on both sides according to the seasons.

"11. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee, that it be recommended to his Majesty's government to extend the line of Malta packets to such ports in Egypt and Syria as will complete the communication between England and India.

"12. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee, that the expense of this experiment by the Euphrates has been, by an estimate which the committee has subjected