The Express. — London, England, 1850-02-12 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—MONDAY, FRB. 11. Th. LOAD CMANCILLOR tack hie seat at five o'clock. RATE IN AID. Lord MON TEAGLE moved that the accounts which bed beta k•pt under the ratc•in.aid an should be produced thrthwith. The Menials of LANSDOWNE Imii.l they were in corers Of praparstion, and wculd shortly be laid before parliament AUSTRALIA. Earl TALBOT inquired whether it was the intention of the gorenmeet to trahlielt a postal entrouoicatian with Annusha, and if ea, what routs would be trktu, whether by me) of ffierepore or the Isthmus et Panama ? Earl GREY said, that soma time ago , an advu theguat had then published for leaders for the performance of the etheitre of carrying letters by sterna to Australia. He believed all the tender: had ate yet been received. The ultimate dicisios would parity depend ea the terms which could be speed spots. MASTERS' IN CHANCERY (IRELAND)this bill BILL. Oa the motion date Eel of GLENOALL , was read a Bret time. • BANKRUPTCY CONSOLIDATION BILL. Lord BROUtiIiAM was undelvtod to post2one the othamittee on this bill. AFFAIRS OF GREECE. L2ril STANLEY interrogated the Marquis of Lansdowne t i sug the Greek blockade. He asked whets the mere Oa th lleet would h. Wore the house. Was it trite that the me lithos of Fran?* had bees accepted ? An that unshod. l the dispel was desirable, but the paid= of the coun . ry, with Frame standing forward to a mediator and protector of Geese., would be humi• Beano. Lard LANSDOWNE drew the divinctien between the "mediate...." and the " good offices" of France. elle latter had been offered and cfrecitei in the most friendly spirit. The Rail of ABERDEEN wee glad that the quarrel had sailed by aediatine, but sorry that we had taught Greece to Wei ler napes her pr steic•or nod saviour against England. The Iliaq lie of LA'SSDOWNE repeated his statement and distinction between trienuly offices and arbitration. The eonvereation was continued by Lords Ei4lisbury, Heytesbury, Brennitaw and Canning, when the further descunlun wee postponed until the redo:doe of the Niters. THE ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION BILL. The &Impels of LANSDOWNE, In moving that the bill be read a second time , eel I they wen all amounted with the fact, that ia 1835, ia consequence of any observations made both in sad out of parliament, and of inquirl 's made by her Majesty's government as to the distribution of the reveawie of the church, it was proposed to establish a commission for the purpose of determining is what way than revenues could be more ea dilatorily applied and distributed fu the benefit of the church. Is the same year the commission was appointed, and in the followirg it made a lull report. In col ei queer of the recommendations of that report another tem:mission was established is 1438 f-r the purpose of carrying oat the plans it set forth for ihr better distribution of the church revenue.. That coamieouen included the heads of the shunts and of the stab, and when firs appointed It connoted of 13 nominee, some eceleidaat:cal and some lay. It proceeded te oany into effert the recommoadations of its predecessor, and a *cheme was devised for doing so by means of orders in council. He felt bound to state that he did not tkink the subsequent cLeages; made in that coandation had had the effect of qualifying it be.tet to deal with the subject; but, on the nanny, W.:11 the beet intentions on the part of the :umbels, it had had the effect of diminishiug their aptitude. The alteration made in 1840 in the con stone that commission enlarged the limited number of thirteen to no lees a number than forty-nine, beau :lag the whale bench of bishops. In order to preeide for the contest attention to the pecuniary objects connected with the csainsimion, and not leaving them to the care of perms attuning at one time, and not another, the bill proposed townie three commissioners for the purpose of atterod:ng to the management of the estates of the church, and to be called the Ensue' CollllllliiiiolllM. The committee of the Rouse of Commons which had inquired into this sub jest had recsaineaded the appointment of three paid coals asholoana. It had appeared, on reflection, that it wee not necessary to go to the extent of three, and the government proposed that only two paid commiseinen should be appointed, and it was hoped that they would be able to find some third linty competent to deal with the bonnet, but whom it would not be necessary to pay. The bill provided that then three persons should form an independent committee. One of the two paid commis Sonars was to be appointed by the Archbishop of Canter bury, and the other by the crown ; the salary of the one was to be 1,20)1. a year, and of the other I,OOW. It was proposed that, in order to genus proper attention to the business under their care, two: of these estate commissioners should be pretest at all important meetings and resolu tions of the commission. It was also proposed that the offices of treasurer and secretary should not be held by one sad the same rson, and that the office of treasurer akou:d be discharged by two of the estate commissioners holding that office In common. The bill also provided that for all bishops heriahn to be appointed to that dignity the commission should have the power of giving them a fixed income if they preferred it. The noble lord having referred to the other proe'ni no of the bill for regulating the income of deans rid chaptere, concluded by moving that the bill be and a second time. The Archbishop of CANTERBURY then rose, but was almost wholly inaudible. The right rev. prelate was under stood to express his entire concurrence in what had fallen from the noble marquis. It would appear that it was now donned desirable to make an 'lteration in the constitution of the ecciesintical ertamiseion, he could only say that he wished that alteration bad been made at a much earlier day, but from recent occurrences it was more than ever necessary that it should be lone at once. The tininess of the commission had increased very much; it was of a very intricate nature and was likely to become still more lain mite. lie thought it wee highly desirable that a responsible officer should be appointed to conduct and control the ad ministration of the funds of the commisidoo, and that he should be answerable to the public. While speaking of the funds of the commission, he might be permitted to allude to imputations thrown out against the commission for haying mismanaged them. He could not concede the justice of those imputations, and he saw around him many noble lords who, from time to time, had given their attendance to the business of the commission, and who, he thought, would rapport him in that dean,. It was true that a large sum of money had heea nasppropriated by the late treasurer and secretary, bat it was the sot of the legislature, which placed then two important functions in the hands of one individual. The secretary had certainly robbed the commission cf 8,0001., but snail within the last six months of his holding that office that gentleman had been a faithful servant to the commission, and had discharged his duties with great seal and ability. The Earl of RARROWBY wished to say a few words. by. not in opposition to the bill. lie thought it was impe ratively necessary to the welfare of the church of England that the number of its bishops should be increased ; when ever an facreen wee made in any regiment in the nay ft wee always deemed among to lacrosse the number of its co noels. The some nale,he thought,ought to apply to the elands. The Blew" of LONDON would recommend the govern ment to attend to the suggestion throws out by his noble hind. It was highly desirab:e to make provision intensified superintendence. He wee not quite sathirl se So ZeT il tive position which was to be occupied by the sow mimic/ten under the bill. As the bill stood, the Mak mut always be taken by the crows caramissimeer. Re Wahl wrest that the three estate. commiesionen should poi& alternately, being satisfied that, titian the proposed anew. meat, her Majesty'. commissioner would be everything, gal the two other oosemesionen were clphen. Lard STANLEY weld cot allow that opportunity to pew wittiest saying that, while he ceseuned in the bill, sad believed it to be at excellent measure, he also concurred in the onesnations of his noble hind (the Earl of Hanowby) sod the right rev. prelate who had just sat down, with re gard to that particular provision of the bill, which if it re named in its present state would take away the chance of dons what, if it was not unwary mow, woad entaialy he es hereafter, namely, increasing the number of bishops. By beigiss , In a bill to effect that object, the governinent had y admitted that even at that moms% the number of UnTs . was not sufficient for the wants of the &web. Their lordships might rely upon it that they thin had before then their last chines of preserving the wane of doing in Man for the higher order of the clergy what, for the benefit of all the clergy, it was absolutely essential should be dale. He did nov a the goontosat to ache prod is is the hill ht the atatios of the camber of bishop. Sm. he thought an iwesse most desirable ; all that Ito would sagest, and alt that he dotted, was that they would sot, by the pr visions of the bill, pat it oat of thole own power, sr set or the power of Oak sascessras, for seek would, he was couviaced, be the offset of ads oeseallidadea of the @pie sepal feed and the ammo had, to provide for tie Imo ei hick sight hereafter boom meet upset. The Nankai, of LANSDOWNR, whoa ohs wee nearly lartuditie, was sadareseed to say that astwtheteadiag what the adds had (Lord Stanley) had urged, be still approved al the proposed coneelidatioa, sad odd met held ou t to him any hope of the oadssica el this slams. The bill was that real a woad time, sad that day bat iste:l= fei gning late committee. pia sill _weed at a quarter peat 7. 1:1017813 OF COMMONS.—MossAI, Fns. 11. The armadas oak the chair at Ise, RAILWAY DISSOLUTION OA ABANDONMENT BILL. Mr. LABOUCHERZ moved that no bill to authorise tie dimoidlon of a railway company, nor say bill to authorise the abandonment of the vim% or part of a railway sad which does not relate to other objects, be read a emend time until alter Ratner. - - - - TYNE CONSERVANCY BILL. The second reeding of Ibis bill baring bees moved, After some sontersation, Ike boom divided — For the mooed reeding 63 Agaiaet 3l Majority —32 Bill reed smond time and ordered lobe committed. PUBLIC BUSINESS. CORPORATION OF LONDON. Aid. SIDNEY we notice for Thursday ant, to above tar leave to briar is • MU to repeal all eery duties 011 the adatissicat of freemen into the corporal's of Lembo. LAND TAX. WODEHOUSE ramrod eau lost 1111110 i hp WNW rapatag the and tn. F THE EXPRESS, • TUESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 12, 1850. AUffICRALIA. • Mr. F. SCOTT gag moths fa h day %SIM ice metal& mmpco g e sso Maas to theltkaiiha . 010111916 FACTORIES. In mower to Yr. Watraa, Sir O. GREY premised that eistala retain% relative to factories, should operedily be laid ea the table. RCCLESIASTICAL C S LOMMISSI&ON.—Mr. N NOM. MAN'ETTS Lord ASHLEY-Bh, with Menace to the sad Mies whisk stands upon the paper, I will, with *J a m mission of my how. friend, the member for mouth, In for one moment between the buss and his metilm—s liberty whlek I trust I shall be slisersd to take, the lllllre e xially es I enjoy the !Timid* off bath the honourable eassersed, sad can vowel. Nese pew anal knowledge that the most houourable mativas knee always resided lief in both their private and pshils sew duet. (Hear Mar., The hews will, I an ens% levee with as In d eploring that any Menace of *aim disshil haw urine between two of its isenaben who steal so SO I. public sealitlesse and estimation, and who, I sea ewrie, aotwithkanding what hes occurred, still eat stale maul tempest sod kind t. silos for each other. (Rear, Mar) Now I do not think that this differesse of opisies will be adjueted by the method proposed by my boa. Mark who moves for a committee, to which the quo. ties may he submitted. (Hear, hear) How can my noble friend, at this distance of time, charge his meimey with the prods. expulsions he may have used when a qur den was put to him in the came of debate ? and if sees tite maker Gould be precisely established, I de not Weak a smsaittee of this hones the proper tribunal to adjudicate lases what I. es my cot:defuses, believe to have been simply and altogether • misandentanding of the views and intentions of each of the parties con cerned. (Hear hear.) I think the house would be best alle ged and the paths service most advan taged if, without saying more than that we regretted that any difference of opinion should have taken place between the parties, we proceeded at ones to the other besiases on the paper. (Hear, hear.) I trust that the i house will excuse me for having proposed this course. I Mere been compelled to it by my anxiety for the public ser vice, because I eatertaie the very highest respect for b Alt gentlemen, and because I son convinced that nothing but a esieundentanding could have led to such an issue as that which we ars now discussing. I beg to move that the orders of the day be rind. Col. KNOX seconded the motion. Mr. HORSMAN—If I am to understand that the house unanimously aces des to the proposition of my noble friend, I Mat ask its indulgence while I say a few words in justice Ilt=l. If the house is to peas to the other orders, the remains in this state, that I have made a charge Witisk I has not been in , iwl either to prove or retract. I must say that the matter ending in that manner, is not the way in which I should wish it to end in jastke to the noble lord ; and if its ending were not jest towards the noble lord it would not be! satisfactory to my own feelings. (Hear, hear) I therefore think I ought to state to the house, as certain passages in that letter which has been alluded to have been misunderstood, I think 1 ought to state what was the interpretation I intended to be put on them, how far I intended to make any com plaint against the noble lord, and how sincerely and how readily I withdraw any charge against his personal honour. (Hear, hear.) I did not intend Is make sty elk/anon whatever against the noble lord's *lute, air MI I intend that any such construction should M pat epee nay letter. I was fax from intending to es that the noble lord had made any misstatement. I that the noble lord wee annoyed at my having peenesseeed vier this motion, and that he took every oppor- Mink Maheatina how he could dispense with the ordinary eseetesies of the house in the mesa a no , saber who had net • peep at hif hack. I believed further that he had lams =serried on that course to such an extent, as to caw himself, and to justify me in complaining of his eosin& If I am eked whether I thought that at any mamma the noble lord iutendeii to deceive me, I say that there was no such allegation in my letter, and on my honour, that there was no such impression on my mind. (Hue., hear.) Indeed I may add, that so far from deliberate deceit, I thiak the noble lord acted incautiously ; so far from a d:s positioa to deceive, I believed that there was only a dis position to annoy. I admit, for Ido not mean to spare my self in this matter, that I have on some occasions given the noble lord provocaiik. I have only further to say that I withdraw cheerfully every females which could offend either the noble lord or the right hes. gentle man his colleague, with the expression of my sincere regret for baring written anything that could be disagreeable to their feelings, and I have also to apol-glee to the house for the trouble to which they have been put in this matter. Lord J. RUSSELL—I certainly received the impression from the letter which was read the other day, that the hon. gentleman supposed that I Lutended to deceive bins with respect to a measure then before the house, and as I certainly felt unconscious of any such intention, I could :not but be surprised at the allegation. Is appears now, and I cannot but hear it with the greatest satisfaction, net only that he does sot make that charge, bat that he never intended to mks it. (Rear, hear ) Nothing could be mots satisfee tely to my feelings than the hon. member's explanation spa that point. With regard to any other matter all I can say is, as the hon. member hopes that I will only attribute to public motives his alkalies in pressing forward certain questions that I certainly am willing to do him full justice in that respect, and to believe that in pressing forward these questions he has ao object in view but the general benefit of the public and the im provement of the church. (Hear, hair) I am in a some what different position from the hon. gentleman. I think he must feel that while it is competent to him to state hers to the fullest extent his impressions on any sub. jest, I am bound, as a minister of the crown, when I undertake a measure, not only to show I to the hens* that the measure is just, but also to endeavour to communicate such impressions to every one interested in its progress. I believe that this difference in oar positions has been the main cause of the misunder standing. Sir G GREY.—I rise merely to express my entire satis faction at the terms in which the hon. gentleman has retracted the charge made against my noble friend and myself. The subject then dropped. SUPPLY OF WATER TO THE METROPOLIS. Coloael KNOX inquired whether ministers intended to take this emotion into consideration, with the view of in creating the supply and carrying out the sanitary improve- Bent of London ; and also what nurse they intended to adopt in regard to all private bills proposing to improve the supply of water. Sir G. GREY replied that the question of the supply of water woe ander the consideration of the Board of Health, and he had received a communication from his noble friend the chairman of that board, • acing that at an surly period their report would be before the hone., and reef mmuniing that in the interim no bill having a reference to the of water to the metropolis should be allowed to premett was his (Sir 0. Grey's) intention to submit • Nestles to morrow, in seeortissee with that recommendation, that so such bill be allowed to be read a woad time before Easter. AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS. Mr. SAliiiikiniCeZl,pursaaittTsnoties,the President of the Board of Trade whether the government had any in tention of introducing a measure of agricultural statistics dewing the present session, es the Chancellor of the Exche quer eauld not now object on the ground of deficiency of the ways sod means. Mr. LABOUCHERE replied that the subject wee under ' consideration but at present the peat dithailty was In finding any adequate machinery let earniag oat the object LAW (IRELAND AND SCOTLAND.) Mr: DISRABLI iogair• d it the Secretary of State had yet reosived the eeaua► rovrt of the Irish poor-law cos wheianen ; oleo the annual report of the eupervuon of the poor law in Scotland ? Sir 0. GREY had not yet received either of thew, bat would make iariairy on the ottijict. THE INSURRECTION IN CEYLON.—CAPTAIN eat of thildepeekhoy." was then put, Gad speed 1111thout shaththlthr. r In ELWIN than nosed that the following seaben stheillate the assmilass :—Mr. Bailie, Mr. Hume, Sir Arhus Walemiey, Mr ashen Peel, Sir Hogg, Mr. lea Mr. Chad's Villiers, Mr. Disraeli. Mr.'HaLre r s ti Ils Alhiertey,_ Mr. Mhos, Mr. Stuart Wortley, lielksa, Kr. . KTollosb. sod Major Wuhan. liir. SWUM —As ess ethos who had bees 'sleeted to sit ea title comenei_ Ses t ina s a somber of the ememittut of lea/ peer he felt NOW tem that he could not expect that jostle' WORM ~deem th this important question which it wee the area Is insdgele. When th e noble lord objected M the resousesdation that a esuaiselon should go out to Ceylon and there funds" on the spot the parties who were hest ale to give evidesee, he took the opportunity of saying that, es it wan the prayer of the petitiosen— and he had pre sented fur petitions es the subject to the house—that 'mi dmost* prove their 'iterations should be taken by • coo sissies on the spot, because in no other wsy could a full and fair iavestigation of the tuts be obtained, a parliamentary sonusittee only would not be satisfactory. The noble lord how ever Wasted to that, and left it to the committee to send for *MOM* gad then he (Mr. Hume) suggested that if it really was ithesded by the government to have a fair inquiry, the pithy whose conduct was 'spurned should have leave of thseses, or retire from his shalom es Governor of Ceylon, in seder that he and those under his control might not have it in their power to interfere to prevent such evidence beige meat to England as might be neecesory to elucidate the ques tion. (Hear, hear.) 'The noble lord thought that that would have been an imputation against Lord Torrington, but it wu precisely the course which had been followed, he be lieved, in every case where high crimes and misdemeanour had been charged spins a public functionary. Mr. J. STUART did not see how the hones could dis tillingee its duty in the matter unless they obtained some 'serene' that the proceedings of the committee should be se sesdnetied as to elicit the whole truth. (lieu. hear.) More extraordinary circumstances than those under which this committee we. appointed had probably never occurred. Without full power to summon wham's and proper facili ties for the production of evidence the appointment of the committee was but an idle ceremony. The statements et hon. gentlemen who were members of the committee of last year ' and the recorded proceedings of that committee proved that all attempts on their part to obtain the attendance of witnesses whose evidence they considered necessary, had been utterly and entirely baffled. (" No.") He did sot mesa to say that the attendance of all witn'es's had been pretested, bat as his honourable friend the member for Oxfordshire (Mr. Henley) had mid the other day, if it was intended to reappoint the con mitts* in this way, the house would be in the singular posi tion of instituting an inquiry by means of • committee, with charm brought against the government of Ceylon, knowing that that committee would have to enter upon the investiga tion, and have evidence for the defence without having the wer of bringing before them witnesses for the prosecution No," from Mr. Hawes, and "Hear, hear.") The hon. ceder Secretary for the Ctloaies sail "no." (Haar.) Now he (Mr. Stuart) could only go upon the recorded proceed ings of the committee of last year, and he found that on one of the last days on which the committee sat, they passed • resolution, regretting that they were unable, in consequence of the termination of the moon, to carry to • terminative their inquiry into the grievance complained of in the ad ministration of the government of Ceylon, the causes of the late Jeanne:titan, and the means adopted by the government for its suppression ; but, from the gravity of the cir cumstances, recommending that the committee should be reappointed in the next session, and that mesas should be adopted in the interval by the Se eretary of State for the Colonies to insure the attend ance before such committee of the Cionie's advocate of Ceylon, Capt. Watson, and others, whose evidence might be necenary to explain and establish the circumstances tinder which martial law was proclaimed. (Hoar, hear.) This resolution was come to on the 30th July and principally because on the 25 th of July • complaiat hod been made in the house by the chairman of the committee, that without the ionise of • commission for inquiry on the spot the com mittee was of opinion that it could not usefully conduct its investigations. When that statement was made, the right hoe. baronet (Sir J. Graham), interfering with great gravity and dignity, with the view to call attention to the fact that this was • grave judicial enquiry and concurring with the nob'' lard (Lord J. Russell) that a eusenesion at Ceylon, as sug gested by the committee, was not the proper mode of pro »Win, he recommended another course ; such recommen dation being, as he understood, adopted by the noble lord. He found it recorded in the proceeding. of the committee of lest year that the Secretary for the Colonial be requited to attend before it to give certain explanations, and make certain statements on points which he could eluci date, and the committee he found had put the noble earl in posensioa of what the particular object of the se inquiries I was to be, and that what they wanted to know was, fleet, whether he bad readved any copies of the proceeding. of the moutemartial, of the evidence taken by them, and the mode in which thou tribunals were constituted, and, if not, -he thee he bad ordered such information to be furnished to him. The noble earl refused to attend, and, in his reply of the 11th of July, be stated that he did not possess the information required, sod as to any opinion he might have formed on the subject he did not consider it consistent with hi. duty to state it, but the question whether he had ordered the required information to be supplied to him was not 'wagered. He believed as the committee was now constituted they would have the power of ex amining the noble lord on these points, but unless they had oemc assurance that means would the afforded for carrying on the investigation fully and fairly, they might go on to the end of the present session and find themselves then no forwarder than they were at the close of the last. If the committee was to be appointed merely to whitewash Lord Terrington, without going into any evidence as to the charge molest him, it would be better to have no enquiry at all. (Hear, hear.) He charged the noble lord with etretch leg to the utmost his powers over the majority of that house to p t a proper and full investigation by the only means in which it could be had hen, the production of the necessary witnesses—(cheep)—and unless some assurance we. given that such witnesses were forthcoming, he, for one. would prefer to have no committee at all. (Hear, hoar.) Lord J. RUSSELL—Though the questions the hon. and learned gentleman had adverted to had been fully discussed on Wednesday last, he would endeavour to state the dis tinction which the hon. and learned gentleman appeared to have overlo..ked. As he (Lord J. Russell) understood the right hon. gentleman, the member for Ripon, last year, he proposed that the chairman of the committee should com municate and consult with the Secretary of State for the Colonies, with regard to the witnesses they thought neces sary to have produced. That was the sense in which he un dentoon the sugvestion ' and no doubt that was the sense in which his hon. friend ( Mr. Hawes) understood it. Ac antingly on the next day the committee met, they agreed that two witnesses should be sum mered, and on the chairman, au the proper wean oldie sceamittmi communicating that resolution to the Sear lacy a Mate they were summoned—one of them being Cari tas Wawa. But if his hon. friend (Mr. Hawes), when that sissiation was moved, had been told, " this means that the *Rieman of the committee is to have the power of abso- Map ordering the Secretary of State to summon whatever Mimeos he may choose, and that during the next six maths be must summon whoever the chairman may think peeper, without any discretion on his part," his hon. friend the Under Secretary would n ,as a member of the corn- Weise, have given his assent to it The resolution was un dmthout to area that the chairman should consult with the Secretary of State, not direct him, as to who should be summoned. Mr. ADDERLEY said that no hon. member on that (the opposition) aide of the hones wished to exclude the defence, Ist what they urged was that the defence should not be wade till the chugs was completed. (Hear, hear.) The noble lord put the question more fairly the other night than he did now, for then he said the chairman might have been =roteto consult with or direct the colonial secretary, r he said it was to direct. When the committee me after the discusioa in the house in July lest, two withomes were suggested, bet they were not definitely named. They mentioned two witnesses, but they said there were others absolutely necessary, and especially those acquainted with the operation of the courts-martial, respecting which nothing could be elicited from the two wheelies mentioned. The question wee, how to get those other witnesses. It was stated that it wag impossible to get them without writing to Ceylon. The house had already said they would not allow • sammission to proceed to Ceylon, and thereto» the only alter satins the committee had was the one they pursued, and which at the time appeared to have been agreed to by the colonial secretary, namely, to delegate to the chairman authority to correspond with the loamy, and ascertain the trimness who would be requisite, and then to go to Lord Gm and ask him to have thoee winnows summoned. But the mouth of the chairman had bees stopped at once, for Lord Grey instantly demented to that hos. gentleman's au thority. Mr. DISB.A.ELI said he should refrain, on the present oesesion, from reviving the debate of Wednesday last upon the adze of Ceylon; but as the noble lord at the head of the government had made allusion to the hon. gen tleman (Mr. Baillie) the chairman of the committee, he (Mr. Disraeli) felt bound to say that his hon. friend the ehairmen wee fully justified, upon the authority of the documents in his posseseion, in making the statements he did relative to the affain in question. The witnesses, however, who might have felt aggrieved by the statements would be examined before the committee, and would then doubtless explain. (Hear.) It was his (Mr. Disraeli's) duty also to say that the chairman had himself brought before the com mittee only three whence', two of them gentlemen who filled high o ffi cial poets, and one who had been appointed a member of council. Therefore his hon. friend had not in any way brought forward • case which he had attempted to substantiate W unfair means, or by witnesses whose opinions were not entitled to have great influence with the house and the country. Mr. ROEBUCK said it must be clear to the house from the mount discussion, that the committee was going to its Jabots' under difficult circumstances. (Hear.) Toe hon. member for Buckinghamshire, the hon. chairman of the committee, and the hen. mem ber for Newark (Mr. Stuart), had all said they were couselous—they were sure—that there wee to be • power employed by the government to interfere with the invesdiatiou submitted to the committee, that the official powers of the colonial 'inherit»; were to be employed for the purpose of braving toe investigation. Now, that was the charge. (Hear, hear.) That was the grave chugs broesht against the government at the present moment, and every one of the gentlemen who had made it, with the ex autos of the hon. member for Newark, were members of the committes ; and they all said that they were going into the committee, that they wer e e members o it, and - that they were going to Nuke the estigation. Why, the whole proceeding was one that would be characterised out of doors as incousistent upon their pate. The idea of going into a committee, proceeding it with a charge against the govern ' most, sad saying they scud net do baths, that they were mice to be midaterpnted, and stepped, and that they .0011 not obtain a thorough hiesstigetion, soma Wasp. (Rear, hear.) The mil proseediag M the pert .1 than gentlemen `mitt to be, to m refuse to be ma bore sC the sountaittee. He thought Lord Terriegion's great 'Make had Men, that be ever handled a pm. If he had not written despatches, bet only acted, be might have been a very good ip.vernor ; and he (Mr. Roebuck) did not know whether be bad Written the di totehes himself, but he presumed Es bad. But, beige a governor in the midst of a hostile population, as be wee—and he (Mr. Roebuck) knew the population—be had in reality no mere to do than any other man, to prevent IL. effemLn of blood; and if he bad tampered with the blood of a hostile population of that sort, we should hem had a war in Cs lon, and where we had one man al tin now we might have had a thoutand. (Hear, hear.) Bat, beaus hon. gentlemen with refined feelings bad received representations that certain things bad been done contrary to law, they were frightened. What was contrary to law in Ceylon ? Let this be understood. Ceylon was a conquered depen deng. By the very fact of its being conquered, eke law of Ceylon was a law. The English law wee wily introduced there by the direct intervention of eke Sovereign, or by an act of parliament. Wh devil. the Sovereign chose to do, 'uprising no sat of parliament interfered, went as far as the WWl'. ire desired sae he wanted to know if It were not law—the hon. member fur Newark vim en learned about cons itutional law that he would set him right if he was wrong—he wanted to know if ft were not I constant and well understood, that a conquered di pendt try had the law of a cot quered dependency until it v as &Bend, either by the determination of the 1111011.11feil of England cr by an act of parliament? He wanted some one tit show him the act of parliament which di' prevent the governor Prim proclaiming martial law. (Hear, hear.) He had nen mar: al law pro claimed even where there was a constitution. He had seen that martial law supported in that house. He had known persons under that martial law tube convected and exec uted, and be had found no sympathy tape s-rd to that house it. consequence of that martial law. but ha waned to know whether it was illegal for Lord Torrington to have pro ds med martial law in Ceylon ? It wan not 111. gel, hi. lordshipasight have proclaimed it, to d ho might also nave ap pointed the tribunals which trie I th. prianucts; and though it might be said that he was cruel, trot he was imperious, that he did things which a mild and weeks' man ought not to have done, yet be (Nr. S..buek) judged by the result that peace had bet n nowitnined in that island from that time to this. (Hear.) Any f those honourable gentlemen, then, who believed that by going nto this taveetigation he would be bafilA by toe colonial minister, would do much more tor Lir own chsra-ter and the country if be d. eared that he would withdraw himself from the committee, and not go into 14.1 it quiry with this sort of preparatory means of exculpating Limo. lf, if he failed to support the imputation. (Ilea', bear.) Mr. LULUS said he should not go into the question martial law, in tisane, whether th .t I.w was or was nut justi tiable was not at preemie under discusaiun. The hun. gen tleman who had just sat down a; ated to tie house that crrtaia charges had been made against thr ji veronica:. What were these charges ? The govt rum. n. had indeed been charged with refusing to a red for witurian-, and that hail been proved; but no other impiestions against Diem had been advanced. (lieu, hear) Yeruscuituns were going on in Ceylon against witnesses of the high .at classes, and be feared he should be en der the Deetw•ity of bringing this subject under the notice of the Louse, an order to obtain protection for the wituasses ice question, Mr. HUME said that as lung as he had been in that house he hid never beard a mare efraonie.l speech than that deliver. dby the bon member f th , effield. (" Heir, hoar," and laughter.) The will of Lord Torrington was the law of Ceylon ; and was it not too much, when the haute heard of certain transactions, such an the shedding of human blood, the banishment t f subj. cts, and the confiscation of property, to be told be the hen. member for Bneffield, who bad shown that he, at all event., was no poli.i. ian—(loud laughter)—that those who advocau d the cause of humanity ware pipulsrity-huntiog ? (Hear, hear.) II any man de served to be called a popularity.hunbr is arm' the boa. mem ber himself; and how that bon. g atla nom e. sold reconcile the extraordinary language he had just used with his advo cacy at the bar of the house of those who were called the xis" of Canada, he (Mr. Hume) was unable to say. He complained of injustice. Ha conteuded that fair play tiad not been shown the comma' we with re ference to the production of the witnesses. The bon. member for Sheffield must have been ig ,.. norant of the facts which transpired before the committee, or he could have made such a spa ech as he had now delivered. Was his boo. friend aware that 1N individuals bad been shot upon the evidence given before a 'smut-martial, at which no judge-advocate, or senior officer, was present, and that no utficial document, other roars that in the hive book, bearing upon this transaciaoa, bad b,(11 placed by her Majesty's government before the commit ve Were they in the H.nse of Commons, the great in.quest of the nation, to be told that they wire doing in jury, because they sought to obtain the truth, and to ascer tain facts? (Hear.) He deeply regretted to see the bon. member for Sheffield standing up as the advocate of tyranny —(" hear " and laughter)—as the advocate ut martial law, and then accuaing othin of popularity butitiog, because th'y had shown an anxiety for full and sea:01114 meads& lion. (Hear, hear.) Mr. ROEBUCK said he would 'Wilms the anger of his hon. friend 'o a misapprehension of his (Mr. ILebucv's) intention. his hon. friend had been run led by his own kind fond wishes and fee . ings, which dad not always contribute to clear-sightedoo• —(a laugh) hut he (Mr. Roebuck) had no imputation to b ing against his hen. friend theirs.. He could out swerve from his pa OpOli• tion—namely, that the hen. gentlemen who tad pie-deter mined and pie-declared that there was no chance of obtain ing truth—ought net to become member of the committee. (Hear.) The names were then agreed to. _ PIRATES (HEAD MONEY) REPEAL BILL. . . On the order for the second readiOg of thi. bill, Sir O. CLERK said he apprehended that the object of introducing this bill was because the claims under it amounted to a large sum. If there were cues where the amount of reward to be given was quite dispro- portionate to the sereioes rendered, it might bs highly im proper to modify the bill, by defining the classification under which alone bead money was to be given. The principle of giving a prize of so much a head for every man on board an enemy's tamp woe not a new prise:pie, but was as old as the British navy itself. The act under which 51. a heed was given for every man expired with the last war, and soon afterward*, about the year 1820 an. 1521, on account of the state of anarchy which existed on the South American coast from the Spanish colonies being at that time asserting their independence, a number of vessels were fitted out, which practised the most atrocious acts of piracy, plundering the trading wink', and committingmany barbarsus murders. During that time several actions, in ferior to none for the gallantry which was displayed, took place off the coast of Cuoa, and at a considerable sacrifice of our officers and seamen, we did exterminate and put an end to the system of piracy which existed in the West Indica. Ilia Majesty's government then felt that it was highly expedient to reward the captors of these pirate*. Sir F. T. BARING said by the bill which they proposed to repeal, 201. was given for every pirate made prisoner, and 51. for every' _pirate who was engaged in toe action, and who escaped. Ile hoped that anything he might sate would not cast any reflection whatever upon those engaged in this dangerous service, but the nr.,de in which they were re warded was open to great objections, b..cause it rendered them liable to imputations which. he th.uteht. were highly derogatory to the service in which they were engaged. They therefore proposed to entirely get rid of the distinction between the reward given for the pirates who were captured and those who escaped. It became a consi deration, therefore, in what manner the law should be al tered. The amount was very heavy durirg the last year, which, by en act of parliament, they were compelled to pay. Toe amount wee about 100,0001. ; and he thought that of itself was • reason why the subject should come under re. ------------- Mr. HUME entirely agreed with the First Lord of the Admiralty in the propriety of repealog this act, seal he thought some credit was due to government for the manner in which they had come forward and expressed their disap probation of the system which now exis a. He conceived that the principle on which this money had been given was wrong. It was, in his opinion, are Section on the *orrice that our naval ofithera and seamen would not do their duty if they did not get this additional reward. He agreed with the old adage that the pirate was an enemy to everybody, and ought to be put down. He withed the right hon. baronet to tell him when be could lay on the table of the house the papers he had moved tor, because on them would depend whether be should call the attention of the house to this fraud which had been committed on the country by means of en act of parliament. He could not hold government altogether innocent in this affair, when he knew that they had prompted the officer employed in this service, though there had been no despatches. He hope d that, be fore the house voted this 100,0001., they would inquire how the claim bad arisen, because under the act the men for whose capture the money was to be given were to be brought be fore a court and proved to be pirates. Now, in the whole of the proceedings in this ease they had had no evidence what ever that these men we: e pirates. He supposed the money was awarded by the Court of Singapore. (Sir k'. T. Baring was understood to say, " Yes.") That was a power of drawing on the revenue of this country which was most ex traordinary. Sir F. T. BARING, in answer to the observations of the hoe. gentleman, hoped the house would permit him to say that he had made no observations in reference to the cha t ranter of the service. There would be but little delay in k laying on the table of the house the papers which they bad got. Mr. COBDEN said be bad presented a petition from • public meeting in London, calling the attention or the house to the subject of the Borneo massacres, and now as they were promised papers on the subject, be should not pre judge the cue. But he could not allow the statement of the right hon. gentleman to pass, that they were going I. have • bill brought in to pay 100,0001. for destroying the pirates, as they were called, without his protesting against p it, ra because he contended we had no evidence that these tee troubled our commerce. He might state from the highest authority, that at Lloyd's there had been no ap preciable rise of premium on the insurance of ships to the mist ; and therefore he had primes facie evidence that there was no piney of English aommeres. This money was claimed for services which were net contemplated when the bill was palmed ; for, as the hon. patients" stated, the act was passed to protect our commerce from the buccaneers of the Wert Indies, who were cooking and plundering ships in that part of the world. Hs wished the right honourable gentleman and the government to understand that they must have an inquiry into this matter. He would not enlarge on the matter. There were men in We meta well acquainted with the whole eoeat cf Borneo, ' who wauld asy that Egli* ships were neva molested there. He did not agree with the member for Sheffield that we were not responsible for our ships of war. He believed that if we allowed sets of Wellies to be perpetrated, whether in Borneo or elsewhere,and if we did not take some steps to remedy those ate isjustice, there was an over.rulisg Pro vidence who ruled the world on principles of jostles, and that there would surely bo tebfbotion on this land. Sir H. VERNEY r;fenred to statements la Sir Statarord Raffia's account of Java and Sumatra, that the natives of those 'metrics pranise piracy as a profession, and consider it honourable, and said he was sure that If hon. gentlemen would go into the matter they would be satisfied that if 0011111W00 was to be carried en with Australia and China the exemaination of these pirates was akeolutely necessary. Col. THOMPSON remarked that what they wanted wee evidence. They did not admire pirates; show that these tribes were pirates sad they would he against them. The bill was then read a second time. THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES BILL. The retort on this bell was brought up aud agreed to, ARMY AND ORDNANCE EXPENDITURE. Mr. F. 11AULE said that in the absence of his right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer he would move the resolution of which he had given notice, that • select com mittee be appointed to consider the subject of the army and ordnance expenditure.—Agreed tD. THE MERCHANT SERVICE. r. LABOUCHERE moved that the house go into com mittee on the I , llowing bills—for improving the condition of maestro, mares, and seamen in the merc",ant service; for the regulation of the Merchant Seamen's Fund; and for the regulation, &c. of the admeasurement of the tonnage and burden of merchant shipping. The hone , havit g gone into committee, Mr. LABOUCHERE said he felt that it was quite unneetneary 1.. r him to detain the home by urging on them the immense importance of questions of this dre cripti tn. It nu true that they possessed little of party in. terest, they excited little discuesinn, but they affected a dais of her Majesty's ttutikets than whom none could be better en..ttled to the care of that house. He was sure he should altogether miseaderstand the feelings, which he trusted sweetie ever an it..ate a British House of Commons, if he thought it necessary to descant on the value of that clue, and to show that they deserved the attention of the house. Tne three questions of which he had given notice, and which it would be his duty to state in detail, the view. of the government upon sena first of all the measures which might be expedient to improve the condition of the captains, mates, and sews in of the merchant service. In the second 'shier, the state and prosp , :cta of the Merchant Seamen's Fund, and what measures it might be necessary to pan thereon, in order to place that filed in • more satisfactory condition than that in which, he lamented to say, it now was and bad ler is 1 nig time been ; and, lastly, what improvement might be made in the system ofmeasuring tre tonnage of ships. Terse questions were dealt with by three separate hills, which he proposed to ask authority from the committee to bring in. Two of the .• subjects—the general improvement of the mates and seamen in the merchant navy, and the present situation and prospects of the Merchant Seamen's Fund —were closely connected; but as each measure em braced a great tunny of details he thought it would be more satistactory to the house that he should make a distinct state ment on eacb. On the tint subject it would net he necessary for him to detain the house at such great length se it the subject had been entirely new; !or he had felt it his duty, on the part of the government, at the cud of last session, Lot merely to state the views he t ntertaiued upon this most important subject, but to embody them in a bill, that they might be circulated throughout the country daring the recess. The bill he now proposed to introduce, though ma terially altered in many very important &tells, and in con 'toluene of cominueications he had received from various parts of the country, and he trusted considerably amended, and the objections greatly diminished or abated—yet reposed eel. vainly and fundamentally on the same priuci p'es he had then endeavoured to urge, of the soundness of which further reflection sad experience hid only convinced him. He was bound to ri peat the belief he had expressed last session, that, taken upon the whole, the merchant service of this country did greatly suffer nom the not rrious incompetency and miseon duet of some individuals exercising the important charge o commanding vessels, and entrusted with the care of the lives as well as properties of their fellow subjects. (Hear.) That was one evil he proposed to remedy. With this, the next head of mischiefs was closely connected, namely, the want of dtecipline in the crews, which prevailed to • fatal extent in many portions of our mercantile main,. Unless a captain and mate were fit to command a mercantile vessel, and such men as might be safely armed with the necessary power of to restrain the misconduct of the crew and check evil practices, the discipline of the crews could never be in • proper state. Lutly, much hardship and injustice was prac tised on the general body of seamen when they entered into contracts engaging themselves in the maritime service, and when they were discharged from that service. He would now recapitulate the remedies he Disposed. The first was to constitute a department of mercantile marine as a part of of the Board of Trade, which should be responsible to the canny and to parliament for the era perly ca.rying into effect the provisions of this bill, d she uld e :wise a general superintendence over the mercantile marine of the country. He also proposed to establish • system of examination for masters and mates is the merchant service ; then to make provision for the im provement 01 the condition and discipline of the crews ; and lastly, to constitute shipping officers in lieu of the present quern of licensed agents. First, as to examination, he pro posed to leave thus now engaged in the merchant service tree toy :excise their calling without the necessity of under goii g any examination, believieg that it would be the height of hardship and injustice to require that men who had been brought up under a system perfectly different should be depr.vsd of the yower of exercumg their calling unless they would pass an c ximinatioc. The measure would in this respect be wholly pronective, not retrospec tive. But it was most important to establish • system by which no man should be allowed to undertake the serious duty of commanding a merchant vessel, without its having been asetrained, as far as it could be, by the previous ex amination of a competent authority, that he was not at any rate grossly and completely ignorant of the duties which his office required. He proposed that, for a captain or mate who livislre..dy served in the mercantile navy, it should be sutli. cleat tt, obtain a certificate that he had so eetved, which, without any examination, should enable him to command a vessel. But it a man having one of those certificates of ser vice should so grossly misconduct himself as to prove, either from his moral habits, or utter ignorance of his pro fession, that lives and property could not safely be entrusted to his charge—and that were established before the proper authority—he would be deprived of his certificate, and not allowed to exercise the calling of master or mate in the merchant service. He proposed that a first class cert.ficate should be given to persons command ing firs:-class vessels, and another to persons command ing vessels of a smaller size. He proposed to have a second class certifisate tor the coasting service (which was • change in the present bill), believing that there were many men, with very little science indeed, who were yet perfectly fit to command coasting vessels, though not proper persons to be trusted with a vessel engaged on the long voyage. It was, therefore, moat proper to keep the coastiug certificate distinct from the other'. As to the second division of the subject, the greatest evils existed in the manner in which seamen executed their contracts with their employees, and in their discharge on returning from a voyage, to prevent which the system now in force had notoriowly and completely failed. He was not seeking to establish, for the first time, a system of interference between employers snd employed ; for the system now in operation was one of interference, which had been established from experience of the evils resulting from a less degree of interference. In 1836, the right kon. member for the University of Oxford (Mr. Gladstone) then president of the Board of Trade, had brought in a bill establishing the system of licensed agents, by which a con tract between the sailor and his employer must be super intended by some one licensed by the Board of Trade— to prevent crimps and other persons of bad character from rain hold of and inveigling sailers. That bill worked in the °met unsatisfactory manner; for it was extremely diffi salt to find persons of sufficient character to be entrusted with this very delicate operation. They had laid down and were able to observe the rule, not to give these offices to slop-sellers or publicans; but they could not help giving them to lodging-house keepers, not finding a class of re spectahls persons come forward to undertake these offices. (Hear, hear.) The proposal he had to make was essentially unaltered from that of last year, though improved in some of its details. It was to establish, is the various seaport towns in the country, shipping Akre, under shipping officers, who, for a moderate lee—much less than the sour now gave to the crimps, and not more than was paid in those admirable institutions, the Sailors' Homes, in Liverpool and London—(hear, hear)—should superintend the contract between the sailor and the employer, explain its provisions, and superintend all that related to the ship. ping of seamen. In the same manner, on the return home, the ship would be paid off in the shipping office, and the officer would superintend the whole process. Last session, be proposed that these shipping officers should have the power of determining disputes been the sailor and the employer, on the paying oft of ship, where the sum was below a certain amount. Much objection had been raised to that provision; and he propoeed so substitute one which would be perfectly safe—only to allow the shipping officer to decide disputes in regard to money, in cases where both parties agreed to refer to his determinetien. There was hardly a port in England or Ireland from which he had not had repeated complaints, that in Quebec the sailors eltserted in numbers, that they were utterly demo ralised, and the masters lost all power over them. This state of things had continued till 1847, when the colonial legislature passed an act establishing a public shipping office, precisely on trie principles of those he sought to introduce ; and two years' experience of the working of that system had shown its results to be most satisfactory and encouraging. De sertion had fallen off one-half. In 1847, more than 3,000 sailors had deserted in Quebec; in 1849, not more than 1,300 So far from wishing to supersede the functions of such establishments as the Sailors' Home at Liverpool, he had purposely intro- dared • clause into the bill enabling the government to adopt those Sailors' Homes, to make them their shipping offices, and to apply the fees to the general objects of the institu tions. 0.. the question of the registry of seamen, he proposed to take power to abolish the present sys tem of registry, not at once, but after pro- viding some substitute for it ; and they proposed to take power for engrafting it on the new msohinesy of the Board of Trade and the shipping offices. He was more strongly impressed now than last year with the necessity of some ngistersd system; there were many things which could hardly be done without some means of identifying the seamen; and this would be particularly available for the purpose of putting the Merchant Seamen's Fund on • proper, satisfactory, and useful footing. On the subject of advance notes, Ms views had undergone a material change since he addressed the house on a former occasion. Ile proposed to abolish all advance notes not payable in one month. At present thlt were mvoirair tw months. He believed that nothing could be worse than te a present system, because the legal proem by which t h e amount o thus advance notes was recoverable war so t, dip /is and expensive that practically they were not r, err ara ta o at all. The coneiguenos was that the persons who lent 'nerdy on them did so at a great risk end at a very usurious eatereq, He knew of instances where 50 per cent. had been olritoed ;or strooey :rzt = advance notes.allear, hear ) H, e au Lot prepared to abolish the system altogether, be cause he belielfd it necessary that seamen shuutu cave ens 'p o sit ' , of , t ifi t money to buy their kit ; but as it was meat desirabl e to i t prove it, he proposed to make their advance notes recov er . able by legal process, which would enable the Staino . 4 obtain money on raider terms, and to deal with a mare. respectable class of persons than wa possible under :hi present system. He now MSS to the third great the subject, that relating to the government a u ) discipline of the seamen. He believed that it,„ would go a great way to narrow) the di, a ; p iii e of the crew, if they took security as to the moral ew ria . ter of the captains and masters. But hev.ng done all that they could in that respect, be felt that *tine altetat.im the present law was necessary, in order to secure au i t . proved discipline on board the merchant marine. The p,,. visions in the bill of last year were sti l a.lh.red to is its present one. lie proposed still to give ea t o,;" had obtained a Mu class certificate end Cal hr..... class vessels the power of imprisonment I,r offences. 1:11a general power of now, but captains were afraid to erercio t it, , ..; cues of mutiny, because even god ant Loma •e men had ozonic. d the power in otter caste, had hien great hardship and di-agreerble view geo on th,ir logbook,returnhe, tie pto. n t t o isn w hi t m h b i c:oshut the c e contained un a t cYt., competentd infl i cte d , ie should a th l m e t f i ib 7 s e ° l t P Ti i, nt:p tii * 0 l e t ot th hrd s ee c r ai.duct of the mast.r was proper or improper. 1...• also contained various sanitary regulations, w;•:th h • , ; not enter upon at that time. But he had also r , t.uc• and importont provision in the bill of the pre ..•• , which he believed would produce a very - alytar, Great inc ;nvenicnce had heretofore been Lit tr .re ,•,. of competent authority to ..djudicote i ilistent ate grave cases which might ari.e in the coa, .; voyage. He propcsAl, therefore, that rot : to a consul or the commander of r what he • euld call a naval court eh to be composed of not more Chan ye whom two were to lie captains of and the others a justice of the aa, sul, au! mender of a queen's ship, lle hoped :lug a , kind might be safely entrusted with a pow, r ot t1.1..1..• • , cases et emergency, and it that was also the ~ .pinion . , house he ttuited it would correct the mi.chiet oti from the want of any competent authority to deal ni... case. Ha had also ustrouuced peevish,: 3 into the Li,. : r purpttee of checking desertion. The right hon. gentleman concluded by moving a resolwion on which to otiou Mr. CARDWELL said that he would bey. ill los t the spirit in which the right hon. gentlaman hs,i e the measure, it he rose 1... r !he parpoie „ criticism upon it at that time. Ile would • occasion, r, guest that the r• ght l.on. gstitii.men , e name a day for the second re..liog till St , . C: - .II*TV 1 - to form an opinion on the various prueirions the m.a - ------ • • • -• ' Mr. HUMS said that the bill mi a ht b. et produce great mischief, according to the 1313 r yr :r, its provisions were carried out. But he was cert. with the abAition of the registration which I found to answer to the rips etations which a• from it. (Hear.) The right hon. geotlemai r e anxioue with regard to the edus•o'i,n of those • sea. That wes a me et important of , j- ot, :a.." well if the right hon. gentleman co :s e:, !, pediency of establishing chools for that seaport towns. Mr. RICAILDO begged to observe, in r.;.:v ts fall, n from the hon. g• ntlemin uppesite • .11r C . that if there was a single point on woe. ehv . under a disadvantage in ecinp . sritan countries, it was the notorious ancompe r masters and seamen. Mr. LABOUCHEILE said, that ample time ee given to consider the previsions of Use second rea.ing was tired. With referer, had fallen from the hon. gentleman, the =unser ,•a• he did not wish to encumber the bill with the &tilt question of naval schools, but the I) -or I would have the power of meeting those , :sport the inhabitants desired the formation of scl. Leave being given to bring in the bill, Mr. LABOUCHERE said he then had to a;,;- subject which was one of great diffeulty, of • •. he was fully conseicros, namely, the con iao . el of the merchant seamen's fur d, and the measure may be desirable to introduce in emenem thx. begged to state briefly to the house what had 4•e. history of the Merchant Seamen's Fend. It la back as the year 1746, previous to which reri•ai chant seamen contributed sixpence psi. month to Ci 7. Hospital, from which institution they received whatever, it beirg exclusively devote d to meat.. f Royal Navy. (Ilene, hear) In 1746 some c t the pal merchants and shipowners formed a company an hospital similar to that of fireenwich, but wti, be ahogetber confined to the use of members of the n. marine. The government of the dayonoved by moti• es • benevolence, and, doub:less, ittfueneed by the et. occurred at that critical period of English history—. the year succeeding tnat in which the ',relit rel.,. Scotland took place—coneulted the feelings of the this country, amongst whom great dissatisfaction ; and they finally co operated with the merchant , ins owners in establishing the me reheat seamen's tat same time passing an act of parliament :or its ite.or... The object of the government and merchants : the institution was to give to the members ot • - cisll service that which the royal service already e. • s —a, pital. (Hear, Lear.) They, accordingly, ple s i• 0 • an hospital, to give pensions and gratueuee •o • • maimed, or diseased; and also to give pets. he : widows and orphans of those sailors wno w, re killed or drowned in the mercheLt seamen's serri,e. were the objects for which the society was (Hear, hear.) A power w s also elven to seecra. c.. thins, the main features of which was that ls. shoo, paid by each captain, and 6i. by each sumo, -- the fund, in addition to what ti.ey alma.% p with Hospital. (Hear, hear.) 'lle fund was sun, ra most liberal contributions from the merchaute • f ibOrurttstt. war n e v er vt, h e awenvde p i r vut o cae receivede e sr: .n d h ru i atir ge i tt uon o ann . e rciyhts s e • ownersaccurate des e asno.t funds, records os l : b tueht a b eh ade t c p btr e yitw r ph i l ieuorrdoyee hospital ns s ced be their n by - However, prl which no c-implaints were mink by the merchant s. because the funds were dispensed for the relict of tL, the maimed, and the nisabieed as alto for the relict : widows and orphans of those who were drowned er 0.., the merchant service, which diepersation of the Is .'e in strict accordance with the rules of the society. li Subsequently, however, a great change came over , • tiun and management of the institution, until I. tee,,• years 1820 and 1830, owing to an exchange of she; p., prietary from a higher tog more middling class. t.., •: tiODI very materially fell off, when the state of the to:. :s the cemplaints consequent thereon became such 1b33 a new act of parliament was passed, and which tided the fund and its management at present. • The principal provision ot the new act required e• captains should each contribute two shillings in.te el shilling per month, and each sailor one shilling erne eizpenee per month, it being enacted that the orphans of ell contributing members should be en* pension. It was thought that by raising the cor.:r.l'e • in that manner all classes could be supported by et, : to that, as they might perceive, the constitution 0f ciety was altogether altered. (liege. lie r. to say that the funds under the new institution ha,: s. gether failed ; that the institution might be said :.• bankrupt, and that the pensions were ism& elute and zr. - • unequal in several ports. No matter what the p.rt :c the sailor resided, he contributed the same amount is fund, whilst the pension he received is Lis old age vsrc accordance with the tort in whica he had tient the pro . five years of his existence; te that the dimestistortior. • preseed by the sailer was laud, and in his (11r.Lshouchr , opinion, most just. As an instance, he begged to Tel . the house the names of four ports, and to state their :once: as also the number of recipients in each port. k Hear. t. In Liverpool the tonnage was 407,00 toes the r e , .• 1,014; in Newcastle, the tennage was 311.000 tom -• capients 2,680, or nearly three times what they ere Liverpool. In Sunderland, the difference was v.: . striking, for the tonnage there was l9l,othi hut, ••, number o: recipients was 2.053 ; and in Wbitelise , r. tonnage was 38,000 tore, and the recopientsuuli ; , hear.) That would show how unequal the les:, ni l s. sr that the more they extended the port to lb 11. ell the wir.. reaorted in his old age the smaller the swat.- pensions received be hint. For instance. ie _ t'' ... l the pension was 71. 10.. ; in Liverpoo l, Dundee, 61, per annum ; whilst he believed the age pension in Newcastle was it. 165.; mid haven 11. 10.. From Sunderland he had no return. a ~ deebted not the pension there war ex tremely low. At rte... of the aggregate fund, the widows and orphacs 36,8001., whilst seamen peosioners tee. t eed ••• 18,0001. ; so much for the inequality ot the • . ~! sent system, and the way it werlecel climes. (Rear, hear.) Ile next came to tle wsss, ' serious evil, which was—he could not use a mild, r ts. s the absolute insolvency of the fund. The hove collect that he bolore stated all private contribution' ceased. It might therefore he coetidered o s 5 „ te;• • • •, ,..: society, and examined be the principles applicsibld , , With that test applied to it it was tor d its the fund was insolvent, as well upon the aggregate. Or less upon all its parts However, ins nue Owes were more or lees in a better and more prosperous.pcs than in others. He was not willing to go into &tato subject, and would only read the result that bad be," tamed on careful examination of the assets and the Ist of December, 1846. The state of the whole were, value of existing an 506,000/. ; inyesst , tr , 202.0001.; balance on hand, 29,0001.. nuking 20— , balance against that, 273.0001. In that poet tb , the funds under the corporation of pewit:um were 162,0001. ; investments, 63,0001.: Irlarou7„, hand, 187,0001 ; helium against, 107.0 001 . Is fund the existing pensions were 344,0001.; in . t 148,0001. ; balance in hand, 20,000 f. bsia nce tor ....d alti rh ' s 166,0001. (Hear,) He thought it only necus ery .. soc sta i te et m y e , n if t l to eft th t e o h iw ouse lf. to(eilheaibr,it hear.) e ar h l opoless pole i ow t en .ta ,l e tb , ; the ac'ri'un jar a the President of the Bused T tthi° h inn e g r s i o l; f h u t Parh h e on lhian . a butia d of Tr WI introduced a bill to remedy this sons few years ego e be nt fo .. re t,sii sa t iid, o li f adsuscottrisscile:sle dmiaist ~d r.! j-r: o' p r tn-Jc:11 WATSON'B PROCLAMATION. Lard J. Difiriiii: had to req nesttiti ind u ltam. of the hove with Menses to a etatement which bees mad. in the howls, will* had occosiond considerable pain toss km. sad gallant officer, who, it would be remembered, had been glinted to in the soon of the debate as Wednesday lasi, is reference to the affairs of Ceylon—he anent Capt. Watson I —who was the sou of a distinguished Oka, end who had himself been for more than 20 years is saw is the fumy, and who w a now attached to the Mem OM Ifrigade. TM statement, as reported lathe le irebeta made by the honourable =mbar ICC Velmete.shire Alb. Bsiilei, on the caesium be rellmeed twine : "We have heard leash from the hen. Milibillt in the West Riding of Yorkshire about the wage pair I maim of Field Marsha+ Reynaa and othen. Bat UMW Wen preskinstion las about to read—a prociamatis• of me .1 her Majesty's oille.rs in Ceylon, entrusted at the doe ebb the hill and rearesible power of deciding the gneellen el WI sad death with respect to the subjects of that Men. The presientenen I. se Wows : ' That unless all thew wile WOW anseeled the effects of Golehella Beta Mbar. Inns, dislim ever to me such pcsperty, or rite infamelien about the Moe without delay, each persons smellbe held end their preweiny °anthem d —A Watson, Caplets sommimas Mg.' Now, Opine Wet on was a patktrasa whits, mien the' lunation of the hon. member for Bockiughame (rt. I Disraeli) had been mimes .ned as a witness to give evidenee before the Ceylon constant.... and being onesegeently in Ws essatry, he hiW an immediate opportunity of seeing the statement of the boo. motion, and having reed it in the public papas, he had written to Lard Grey a letter, meta. I sting the charge made emainst hint in that statement, which l letter having been forward. I to him (Lord J. Russell) by kis noble Mewl, he felt bound, in justice to Captain Wows, to reed It. His lordship .hen read a letter from Captain Wate son, declaring that th- Ceylon proclamation, alluded to so tregeently to the debate on Wedinaday lest, was altogether I swam Mr. MULLIS said the answer that he had to give to the letter was that h. had node. d two of*. original pendants ties% basing what purported to b.. the *same at Captain Wanes attached, and from, the source Ikea whisk the den mate were transmitted t.. his he goad tot 'appose them to be lergerise, be' should they turn out to be so, ass one would regret the reference which he had made to then men than bdoonelf. (Hear, hear.) The qualm on the adjourned debate en Mr. llawee's minkm. "Thee a alio , . committee be appointed to inquire kW the giewsesse complumed of in Copies, in oonnezien talk Ile einieheretion aid `newsman of that colony, and In eiffeettbeir opinion wheth. r any measures can be adopted be the rearm of any grievances of which there may be imara lad reams to complain ; and also, whether any sane ogres leg be adopted for the better ededastrake and