The Express. — London, England, 1850-03-16 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—FRIDAT, HAscri 16. The house rut at five o'clock. L,,d Luroorma at u speaker. RAILWAY RETURNS. Eel GRANVILLE romplalud that certain raaway n tures whien had been presented were sot properly signed, the 'Armatures of the ehairasa sad seerstary hevlng been Atter a short convenatioa a Mt. Nash was ordered to ap pear at the bar on Monday Rest. APPELLATE( JURISDICTION OF THE ROUSE. Lord BROUGHAM postponed hie resolution on this sub ject until Moseley. AFFAIRS OF GREECE. The Marquis ot LANSDOWNE did not wish to go Into any discus-tan on the general subject, but he would put it to the noble lord who hadli notice on the paper with reference to the attain of Greece, Whether he thought it would be at tenehd with any benefit to enter into a discussion pending negotiations 1" Wien he stated that there was every reason to hope that shortly the results of the negotiations would be made known, the noble lord, he thought, would be of opinion that it could not answrr any public purpose that there should be • dircussion over that table of mitten which M. Tessvesel, Mr. Wyse, and the Greek minister were now dioniesieg over another table, with the hops of writhe( at • satisfactory conclusion. Lord STANLEY said that it was imossible that he Gould be inseasible to the force of the appeal made M the noble marquis, to the yossible injury to th r i:r iar service. and to the amicable settlement of the linnet,' which a dismission of the whole question might accaatin—disputes which, beginning from slight and trivial causes, had been permitted to arrive at a state which seriously threatened the peace of Europe. Whim hi put • question 'o the goverment terly in the session upon the affairs of Greece, he was told that the French government had tendered their " good offices " he must not say "mediation" —(laughter by the Earl of Aberdeen)—and that her Majesty'• government had se , cepted them. From the mom. nt of the acceptance of that mediation, hostilitie.," or, if he must not so tall them, nteseurn 'of aggre , eion " on the part of her Melisty's fleet should have ceased. He understood from the noble marquis oa that occasion, that the acts of revised were strictly limited to vessels of war in the ser vice of Greve. He had learned since, that every petty fi.bing-boat and all kinds of MC* craft had been placed wider strict surveillance. But the noble marquis had stated and it was so understood by the French and Russian govern ments, that from the moment of the acceptance of the mediation of France hastiliiin should cease. It ap by the public papas, la • litter dated from Athens. tra t t n o! the i . b ot February • communication had passed between th.. French mini-ter in this country and Lord Palmerston, in which the latter promised that instructions should be instantly sent to suspend coercive measures. It was stated in a letter from neonatal to M. Londos that, cm receiving the news from Athens of the position taken by the British S e', the French government despatched M. Drotlyn de Mils to London ; and after the acceptance of the good Alen of France the noble lord the Minister for Tornio Affairs communicated to OM. Eh L Hitte, the actual text of the instructions to be despatched to Mr. Wyse. Tale was dated the 21st of February. On the 19th of that month there snivel at Athens a clutter, bringing a private liter from Lerd Peleferven, announcing the acceptance of the pool Alms cf France, and stating that instructions would oh , rtly ha lint to Mr. , Wyee. Oa the following day deepetches arriving from the French and English govern ments, that of the latter being dated on the Bth ot February, pursuant to the declaration of the noble marquis, of the ratement by Lord Palmentoa to the French Minister, and of the e mmunication subsequently made by Lord Nonaanhy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Perim, it was only to be ezpeted that, as the letter of the Sch aonoassed the acceptance of the good offices of France, the despatch of the Bth would have contained instructions to put an end to hostilities ; but it was cot so. (Hear, bear.) The despatch from Lord Palmerston stated that the government approved the courts which had been taken by Mr. Wy'e, but made no reference to the acceptance of the gord offices of France, and tha consequence had been that from that period—the 19 h February—up to the lot of March, the British fleet bad been ergs/red in obstructing the trade and commerce of a weak but maritime state. The correspondent of the Timm newspaper, in a communication dated th, 29 h Feb., said : In the mealtime, the Greek government show no disposition to mke any a losneer towards • settlement. ISsahrrs of Greek ships have hoisted the Brandin flag which tLey are allowed to do by the ClICAlli• of the Cam Tr.de, however, has been courtly parelyeM by the blockade , and the prior of prov ision. Wall the seaports, and here at Athena, has rive to a heiOt hitherto unknown. There see few tambants deny wealth at A the na or the l'ineus, bat the was ter et shirwners is eonsiderable; end even on met the humbler trines their thief mewls of livelihood to derived from chores In ®dl sorting vessels. Upon these latter, and even upon the Asher. men, the blockade h fallen beeriest. Si/I'M the 16th of last Jan., the:r me. - ze of cii.ten 'e have failed, and some of them are *heady suffering severe privations. Tod his risen to famine prices, and death from starvatim thirties, the poor, whilst the ruin of the better climes seems imminent. This was the Mate of things, contrary to the pinkies awn- Mon of the noble marquis, the Secretary of State ter Fore Oa Affairs, and the noble lord the British Minister at Paris, and contrary en the expectation of the French govern nt. Tole was a state of things which bad been 'rowed to go on for 10 or 11 days, daring which time noun-emery and erns' hardships had been indicted, because the noble lord at the head of the foreign department would not tithe the trouble to write a despatch. This he thought required exslustion. (Hear, bear.) He must also cell attention to an alleged deepateb, not on the table of the house, coin =managed by Baron Brunow, as having been received from Count Nerelroda, written is a conciliatory tote, hot with out withdrawing any port of the despatch of the pre vious day; and he must beg the nobl3 marquis to bear In mind that such despatch was written in a more conciliatory tone, in consequence of the toad offices of Fiance having been accepted by this gout .ry, and the supposition that extreme measures would be at once relaxcl. It was clear that France and Russia ex pected the immediate eland .assent of these moue linos. He would now 7•IL the mottle marquis if ho could furnish any Information as to the unforturade and incomprehensible delay is sending the ceder to suspend hostilitits ; and he would postpone the general question to another period, re. serving to himself • discretion ea to whether he would again bring the euhloct under the notice of their lordships. (Hear.) The Maiquis of LANSDOWNE was bound to acknow ledge that which he had certainly expteted from the noble lord, namely, the readiness with which ho had admitted the inezpeibeacy of enteric,: at large into the discussion of • questkm which was still pending. From the momect there appeared • proseen from any quarter end by any means of putting an end to proceedings on the coat of Greece, which whether they were necessary or justifiable he would int then eiseass—(hear, hear)—but which all men must agree it was desirable to terminate u early as possible, froth that moment not a day er an hour was lost in taking the most effectual means for that purpose. (Hear, hear.) He would state the dates of the prooeed:ners which had been adopted, and with regard to which the noble lord had been semewhat misinformed. It was true that the first informa tion which 'nis noble frond at the head of the foreign de p,rtment had received of the willingness of France to offer her modiation was in a conversation on the sth February ; but that was not a formal communication. Oa the con trary, when he was asked, 0-neral de la Hitt* said he was not authorised to woke it in form, and he could not do so until he had received a fur ther communication from his government. His noble friend might have objected to suspend operations : he might have considered that the offer would be made ia terms open to objection, and have waited to see the term in which it yolk! be presented: but so 'coleus was he to put an end to these proceedings, that upon this mere intimation, unarcon. roiled by any land pupate, on that very day, the 6th of February, his noble friend wrote • private lever to Mr. Wyse, tall nghim that he had reason to expect there would be such an interference, and that it would be successful. (these, hear.) Oa the 7.h the French government made a formal oast, and upon its being received, a day did not elapse without (mod instructions being sent to Ms. Wyse— (hossj—so that neither in the one case or the other were 24 hours lost in tranunittirg the mannannication and instructions first of a privets, ar.d then of a public, oaten, which it was an desirable Mr. Wyse should (Hear, hear.) Nay, more : when those instra tints came to be sent—the official aocepoinee was dated oa the 12th February—and on the 15:h and lthh, while this communication was being made, it was necessary to draw up the formal approbate to of her Ma jesty ; and an sun as that had been ootalned, and the in. stemmata could be prepared, lest them shoul b' any unne cessary delay, they ware seat out, not by one, but by two different channels of communication, to take the chance sf which would arrive first. One communication was sent by way of Naples on the 15th, and another through Paris and Marseilles, on the 16:11, and it did se happen, owing to the accidents often attendant on such jouracys, that the latter despatch arrived first; but they had both arrived in time to have the whole of the instructions carried into effect on the Ant of this month. So that twenty-three days only elapsed from the time of the intimation from the French government before all hostile proceedings were suspended. (Hear, hear.) In the meantime, however, Mr. Wyse had acted on the private letter which he hod received without waiting for farther iostrutions, sad he found by a despatch on the 24th ?obesity, that Sir William Parker bad maned to make reprisals, and on the first of March he had discontinued the embargo. The statements of Y. Thouvenel were sot inconsistent with the facts as he had now stated them to the house ; and he hoped their lordships you'd be satiafied thet no time whatever WWI lost in Klein effect to the instructions to suspend hostilities. The repel sale to have been taken were limited to the amount required to settle the demand. He was sorry that the commerce of Greece ihould have been interfered with, but no mercantile vermeil had been taken, until it was found that the government vessels were not sufficient. With referents to the documents to which the noble lord had alluded, they were not on the table of the house, and bow they came to be made public Le could not explain. It could only have occurred in consequence of the unpardonable negligence oe oonoivance of s:rne fuec tionary, but he did nut know who he was. It would cer tainly he the subject of rioid inquiry; the publication cf such a document, pending the negotiation, was most unpar donable. (Hear, bear.) Lord STANLEY understood the noble marquis to say that the official communication from Vrance was received on the 7th of February, and being meat down for her Majesty's approval, a delay took place uetil the 15th, at othiels period instructiou were seat out. The private letter of noble lord the Soeretary far Foreign AJfairs was dated the 6th, and a despatch was sent out on the Bth. The noble marquis had not stated weather that despatch had any reference to the n.nntiations. It appeared to Lava been re. envied on the 19:h and 20th, and then the noble marquis weal on to my that on the 24th the sus; erasion of hostilities Not pkw Me found by the eortespondiace in the public papers, dated the 28th February, that the blockade ors dossed had with as much rigour se ever. The Marquis of LANSDOWNE and that Admiral Parker wrote ea the 24th Yebrnuy, Mathis that from tbo 19th he had missed to take reprisals' but the embargo did not tar. esthete until the Ist of Marsh. After a few words Irma Lord Bel /Guam, the selejset , dierted• THE PASSENGERS ACT. The Had of MOUNTCANIELL moved " That there be bid Whom Ws hence, return of all the penalties imposed nod Isoki id owners, warn, esptales, and others, ice hmonshie Of Om we of 6 & 6 Vie., kaowa by the name of ' The Pmeengsoo Act,' sines the said est mane into force ; wee ::51140 4 immenat 1.", the yen when ilia rasitY the period whoa paid, how such penalty wee the name or th e ship, the name of the elionder, and the offense he committed ; to. gather with the name of the port where the party was convicted, and the officer who enforced it On a former occasion he postponed, at the *sprees desire of the noble earl at the head of the Colonial office, the motion whisk he was then abort to submit to their lordahipe. He should say that he entirely amourred with the noble earl Is Making that it was right on that occasion to postpone the main : and he was the more obliged for his s bonus is the interval that elapsed he (the But ofugiaei:ntt euhtil) had examined various documents referring to the rnatear, owl had added consequently to hie previous stock of inhematisa. He felt it to be his dutg to bring before that hemeletke abuse which not ossuimally, but continually sad systemadcally, occurred on board emigrant vessels teethe last ten years; sad it wee astounding to dad what an unease of wickedness and profligacy, as well as muffeting of various triads, the emigrants were exposed to. (Hear.) He should state that his sources of information were an seereas, comprising "blue books," pamphlets, and letters, as well as the authority of many captains sad ship supine; sad he therefore cocsisiered himself competent to bring the matter fully before them. Under the existing system the emigrant female from the time she left her Katie* land until she arrived at her destination, &and, in the majority of cases, neither safety nor protection. The emigrants generally, on leaving home, had to proceed to some out put, where considerable in delay occurred before the vessel sailed. In the lodging - houses these autocue' they were exposed to imposition sad extortion invariably prac tised by the proprietors of low lodging-houses, which practices he h op ed the noble earl at Me heed of the Colonial °film would inquire into. (Sat, hear.) In these place" the youthful female mai,: rust mie the first risk of being bedewed from the path of virtue : I undoubtedly was the first step hi the caner of danger to wbl* they were exposed. (Hear, hear.) When placed on board ship—although the printed regulations were *dual rable—in nine eases out of every ten their comforts, their wants, and, he might say, their safety, was not attencted to. When the emigrant arrived at his or her destination the agent tame on board, and questioned them in presence of the captain, surgeon, efficen, end crew as to whether they had any complaint or charge to prefer. But the emigrant well knew that he was too much at the mercy of them parties, who stela retained control over the scanty stock of luggage possessed by him, and of course he remained silent. Now, he (the Earlofffionntcashell) felt convinced that, but for that system of Went intimidation, the emigrant could speak a great deal of his sufferings, his wrongs, and his bad treat ment in general. The emigration agent, who took them in sharp on landing, generally felt favourably disposed to the eaptsin and officers, who, in the majority el instance., were acquaintances of his, and whose misdoinp he consequently wished to screen and slur over ; for the emigrants, whom be might river see "gain, he felt little concern or interest. Such was the state of things which the emigrant to Aus trans tad to encounter; but the truth of which seldom came out. However, there was sufficient evidence to prove the existence of melt practices, He wished them to refer to a very important matter connected with emigration, namely. il i :riovisioss supplied during the voyage, and in the list he in Ilia water. (Hear, hear.) It was no uncommon Wel Iser einuels to be supplied with impure water, which, est far hem being of use on beard, was only adapted to produce disease. As an instance of the impure nature of the water supplied, he b-gged to say that, on a late oxasion, a barge on the Thames, laden with barrels, was brought alongside an *migrant vessel, and water was apparently pumped as if from the barrels in the barge to those in the emigrant vessel. However, on the men engaged going to dinner on shore, the barge sunk, when on being raised, there was found a large leak in the bottom, through which the filthy and impure water of the Thames was pumped into the casks of the emigrant vessel, ucder pre tence that they were being supplied with pure water from the casks with which the barge was laden. (Laughter.) Ho neat begged to come to the subject of meat, an immense quantity of which of the very worst quality was shipped in emigrant vessels. It was a notorious fact that these vessels were . largely supplied with wet not tel fcr human food. eke emigration agent, when pins or board a vessel, contented himself with examining a few casks cf water and provisions —indeed, he sh-'uld admit that all could mot be ermined witliout injury occurring to them — and took it for granted that all were tipsily unobjectionable. It frequently happened also that captains used the casks of meat and bread in the subsequent voyage which they had left owe and above after the preceding one; and the result in many cases was a great amount of sickness. He had a list of eases, which reflected anything but credit on the parties charged with the control of emigrants. The passengers in the ships Ala sad John Mann, loudly complained of the swearing, drunkenness, gambliuse, open sale of spirits and smoking be tween decks, permitted by the captain on the voyage, es also of the use of firearms, as a pastime on deck. These were facts, and matt n thu should be rectified ; end as long as he (the End of Montcashell) lived, he would trot Math to persist in holding them up to public execration, until the atrocities should be put a stop to. (Hear, hear.) He would next proceed to the case of the surgeon engaged is these vessels, who should not alone be interested for the physical well-being of the emigrants, but should also be protectors of these (Hear, hear.) He regretted to say, that the Colonial Office appeared to pay little attention to the character of the men entrusted with the responsible duties of surgeon on board emigrant semcle. It was true the emigration Commissioners required to see their testimonials; but thee being produced, they seemed to care for little else. (Hear, hear.) He was sure the government would be able to account for the appoint ment of a madman, a short time sine', to an emigrant vessel as surgeon. (Laughter.) At page 117 of the Blue Book, the surgeon of the Earl Grey—(laughter) —was charged with want of discretion and judgment, the officers and crew being permitted to have intercourse with some Irish female emigrants, without the interference of the surgeon. Now, when these unfortunate girls landed they were immediately branded and stigmatised as improper characters; conse qaently justice was not done the poor creatures, neither was it done the guardians in Ireland who furnished them with the means of emigration. (Hear.) As regarded those Irish girls that were designated the " Belfast girls," he believed that four out of sixty-four were immoral characters. Yet they were all branded as of the same class. At page 136 they had the improper conduct of the surgeon on board the Bobreon set forth; and at page 163, the surgeon of the James Gibbs was reported as having connived at the inter course of the officers and crew with some female emigrants. At page 193 the conduct of the mingle, surgeon, matron, and officers of the ship, Inconstant, as regarded Irish female emigrants, was strongly censured, and the surgeon de. clued to be incompetent, by reason of such im propriety, to be again employed. (Hear, hear.) He now came to a very serious matter. He referred to page 123, in which there was a stiremeet that six of the females who went to Port Phillip in an emigrant ship, the Manchester, had been hired by the brothel keepers. It was disgraceful to the government that such things should be tolerated, sad he called the noble lord's attention particu larly to this point. In another ship women had been Begged by the surgeon. The rules and regulations were not efficient, and were not likely to answer their objects. These thinrs most be put a step to. Hay int alluded to other cases of a similar eaten, he trusted that he had stated strong grounds for bringing the nutter before the hoots, and for moving for the first return. They had never yet hed a return of this kind, and until they had they never would be able to forma judgment of the real efficiency or activity of emigration agents. He could not ascertain to what extent these penalties had been imposed and he, therefore, now moved the Int resolution, and postponed the snood till Monday. Earl GREY said he thought all their lordship would sires with him that the noble lord bad stated quite enough to show that be had no grounds whatever for the sweeping charges he had made u to the meaner in which Australian emigration had been conducted. What had really been stated by the noble earl ? He had divided his facts into two points ; Bret se to the quality of the provisions served out to the emi grants In ships bound to Australia, and next as to the general conduct of the superintendent himself. As to any abuse with regard to the supply of provisions, he understood the noble earl to mention only one individual ease, and he was carmine:ad that, with the papers on tne table, be should he able to answer that case. The nob:a lord could produce no ens single cue, except In a newspaper arrived overlay from India, before any official intern:mace could be received, and before the complaint could be investigated. Lord 111101JETCASHELL said that he heel est. reed the noble lord to one particular page in the blue-book on the table, mad be stated that it was a gross case. Earl GREY said that the noble lord had found one case where the ship was reported to have been sickly, but the re port in that case stated that the provisions were good. What was the other cam ? It was a mere newspaper report that 35 out of 260 who were embarked had complained of the quality of the provisions which they had between Gravesend and Plymouth. That wet not a government ship ; but he Area bound in justice to the respectable shipowners by whom these ships were conducted to say that he did not (hist there was any difference between their ships and those of the government. lie had himself seen papers stuck up in the, cabin of a ship, stating that if there was any cemplaint to make there was an emigration offieer at Plymouth to whom it might be made, and there were also those who bad char tered the ship. It speared that the complaint was very much with those people who had never beau at sca beers. If the noble lord had painted out one single cam of abase, he (Earl Grey) should have been prepay, d to meet Na ; but, when he made only a general satement, he only met it by a general stateneat. Then came the esse of the surgeon superintendents. The noble lord said that the surgeon auperintendehts had habitu ally eniscoaducted themselves. [Eal Moun.cathell—" Nut at all."); Its had said that good conduct was the excep:ien. He lad thought it his duty, eine**. noble earl bad `-rought this subject forward, to look at the rapers of the ships which I bad arrived since emigration bad taken Meer, and see what had been the conduct of the surgeons. He held in his hands the result of these repro, end he found that the whole num ber of ships from which we had already reports was 124. Of ' 124 surgeons to these shipa, it was repealed that 70 very effi ciently performed their duty. They were 4of whom there Wen nnfarourabla repot% and some 6or 6 wore described THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 18, 1850. ea being lackasat. There were five eemplslaM of fat decked task/dewy. When it was ansidimal their there were six sargeoss to welt sidle, this wee Set *kip he. pet swage. lose at those km, were yet iftel. The elelle Bert had keptissed a lowan* kes ef the selksits he kid OM that the ramose was shargethle with panikkaat. He (Berl Grey) bad disappresed el =4 twin all the arcarestawes ; it was esetaietp an ewer k jarigutent. In investigating a &kW by Ann Sheppard, and other', It was found, ea di. imenkt ia ti bad made we of 'gumless language, dower the of/kr, sad taken a quality sf his. nits sad better: they ware punished with strfgm he Or presence of the metros and aoldien. There wee se heiress offence in inflicting oorporal puniebmsat, firesiss cj: a t stroke, over the shoulder. The noble earl had to make oat a CYO by plating oat the sonlast of the sagas of the ship Grey, sad her quoted • wimp that the of the ship was inedisisnt. The report en ke soh= surgeon which he quoted was from a gskimen whe sever saw the eureka—who never saw the ship t k was the report of the powlaw wannissioner of the jedg men/ lie had formed on looking over ths . paperl before him. Will ;ea Ins *oak, kr.t".': l . ..eri km ainiker t "The surgeon appears to have whined his duties in a vary alined manner, sad states that he re ceived all requisite assistance frees the nester of the ship." He (Earl Grey) believed that the streaks was In tam, these persons from the towns, emigrants who had been asieAed tram the country unions having generally given ooneiderable satisfaction. He hoped and trusted that them statements of the noble lord would eat have the offset af diecouraging those persons who were ow tem*ting emigra tion to Australia. He was pomaded they is%ht very sehly take their passages on board ships chartered by respect able houses, with every certainty that they would be well treated. Lord MONTS/WU wished to bear his testimony on this su►ject. It was now upwards of thirteen plan sines his attention had been turned to this question; he ban had long es/I:rims of many hundred persons who had gone to Aus trails. The letters home were tree from complaints. The Eul of LANESBOROUGH bore testimony to the character of surgeons generally, sad mid that they war men of probity, ability, and chastity. The Earl of MOUNTCASHELL, in replying, mid that it was the duty of surgeons not to suffer an unrestrained inter course to take place between the crew and the females on board. The surgeons in these cases had suffered such inter course to take place, and that was a primd facie proof that they had been neglectful of the duties which they bad undertaken to perform. The noble earl Shen brought forward many instances to sh'w that where the malgraate spoke out when the °Moen on board misoonducted themselves, they were maltreated, and their property wee injured, their luggage, dc., bin; knocked about. Earl GREY said that there was no objection to make the returns moved for, but it could not be d.ne without reference to the colonies, and their lordships would have to wait a Fear for them. CASE OF MR. NASH. Lord BEAUiliiiiisari that the to state that he bad received a communication from Mr. Nub, who will summoned to be in attendance at the bar of their lordships' house on Monday neat, in which he stated that the pipers which had been laid on their lordships' table prvfersed on the face of them to be copies of documents which had been lodged in their lordships' house in the year 1846. lie thought it fair to make that statement, lest the charge of perjury which may have gone forth might do Mr. Nash any injury previously to the tune when he was to be heard in his defence at the bar of the house. Their lortlahips then rase, at twenty minutes peat sight &sleek. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY, Kowa 15. The SPLAIIIi took the chair at ten minutes to four o'clock. NEW MEMBER . Sir GI. BOOTH, the new member for Sligo, to the oaths and his teat. The h 311. member wu introduced by S r Willoughby and Mr. Q. Dick. THE KILRUSH UNION. Mr. P. SCIU3I C if asked ittefirsili;araOf the Treasury whether any measure was in contemplation by the goverment to cheek the wholesale evictions and bouae•levelling which were still in progrem in the Kilruah and other Irish unions, and which threatened to depopulate those district,. On the very day on which he brought firwasd his motion in that honor, relative to the state of the Kilrash Union, 38 houses wire levelled in that union; sod on the seine est►te there had been, within a fortnight, as ler than 70 families evicted, and their house pulled down. Lord J. RUSSELL replied that there was no measure immediately in contemplation by her Majesty's govern meat t a put an end to that of which the hon. gentleman omplained. lie thought it would be satisfactory to the hon. gentleman to know that the last report received regarding Kilrusb, from Capt. Kennedy. dated the 6th March, stated that the land in the union had been better cultivated, and much better grope were expected, and con. siderable tracts of bog land had been brought nailer _ . . SCROPE gay. notice that he would bring in a 11 on the subject. ADJOURNHENT OF THE HOUSE.. . . Oa the motion of Lord J. Rum LL, the home at its ruing as ordered to be adjourned mail Monday. BUOYS IN II&RBOURS. Mr. ANSTBY siud, as the ordnance survey was com pleted, and as certain buoys were marked on the charts, he wished to aok the Secretary for the Admiralty whether that department hid taken measures to have the beep pat down. . Mr. PARKER replied that that wee not the duty of the Admiralty, and he rec uansended the hon. gentleman to apply to the brethren of the Trinity-house. [ I he Chance lot of the Examiner here entered the house, and was greeted with loud cheers from all parts.] SAVINGS BANKS. Mr. REYNOLDS immediately rose, and observed that he was glad to see the Chancellor of the Exchequer again in the hcuse. lie would now proceed to ask him the question of whirls he had given notice,—if it was his intention to move the reappointment of the c^mmittee on Irish and Scotch savings banks before Easter ; and when hewn likely tr lay on the table of t h e house a for the better govern ment and regulation of savings banks in the United King dom ? . The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was under. stood to reply that nothing but his illness had prevented him moving, in an early period of the session, for the re ap imintment of the committee. With regard to the hill, it was prepared, and be would bring it in on as early a day utter Easter as he possibly could, and he should postpone the rc.appointinent of the committee till after Easter. THE LORD , LIEUTENANCY OF IRELAND. - - Mr. REYNOLDS asked the noble 1.4 d at the bead of the government whether he intende I to bring in a bill during the prerent session of parliament to abolish the office of lord lieutenant of Ireland. His encase for putting the question was that the greatest possible anxiety prevailed on the sub ject in Dublin, and as he was determined to off'r to the bill all the opposition in his power, he wished to know when the bill would he brought in ? Lord J. RUSSELL said a bill Iwas being prepsred on that subject, and he would give due notice to the house before he brought it ia. THE HUNGARIAN REFUGEES. Mr. OSBORNE 'fad, no. seeing the Secretary for Foreign Affairs in his place, he could not ask him the question he had intended, but he gave notice that he should call the attention of the house, at the earliest moment, to the ease of the Hungarian refugees. Lord J. RUSSELL said if the hoo. gentleman had been in the house on Monday he would have heard an answer to the question. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The house then went into committee of ways and means, Mr. BERNAL in the chair. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then rose. The right hon. gentleman spoke at first in a very low tone, owing probably to his recent indisposition, but the house being remarkably attentive, be was hea rd tolerably well. He said—Mr Bernal, sir, I must, I fear, ask the indulgence of the house if I am not very able to address them on this occasion. (Hear, hear.) And, in the next plate, I must cx .rt se my sincere gratitude for the kindness and forbear- IlllC3 which they have extended towards me during my ueavoiaable abeence—(hear, bear)—and I assure them that I have taken the earliest opportunity which was in my power to appear before them, to make that statement which the all no doubt anxiously expect. (Hear, hear.) I have now to lay before the house two estimates; first, en es timate of the income and expenditure for the year ending the sth of April next, and subsequently an estimate of the income and exp-nditure for the year ending the sth of April, 1851. I have endeavoured to do so with all the accuracy in my power; and I have availed myself of the as•istance and exertions of one of the best and ablest public sea van.s the country has ever known, and whose un timely death, alter compli ting the budget for me . the other evening , I ant most curry to announe. Theta who have preceded me In the office I hold, and have been connected with the pr.paration of a budget, know that no more zealous savant of the public ever existed than Mr. Brooksbenk. (Hear.) It was only the day beim.e yesterday that 1 received from him the last final figures of this budget; and this morning I received with the greate.t regret the news that he had ceased to exist last night. ( Haar.) Whin I Lid lutire the house an estimate of the income of the yi ar in the e ,unie of lest summer, I estimated it at 62,262,00 W. lion. gentlemen have had in their hies the balance•sheet up to January last, up to which period the receipts, excl.. sive of unclaimed dividends, which ought fairly to be taken into the account, were 62,874,0001. The income up to the 6th April I cannot estimate at quite so large a sum, fur the receipts of this quarter Are not so high as in the corresponding quarter of lest yen. I believe, that the probable income of the financial year ending sth April next, will amount to 62,789,50 W. The estimate elf expenditure was 62,157,6961. The expenditure up to the 6th January was 50,853,822, a considerable reduction, so the house will observe, below what I estimated it at in June ; and I am happy to say that the expendit ure f or the year up to the 6th April will be leas Mill, and will Amount to 50,633,6511. That may be affected, however, by the pay. moat el the sums taken for the nary excesses of last year, thus ; itemis i ng t h e actual ezinn..ituru of this year ; for it sometimes happens that they fall partly in one year and p rtly in another. But, :elusive of that, I t stimate the probable surplus of Income over expenditure at about 21 millions. (Hear, hear.) It will be remembered that the probable surplus I anticipated last June was about 104 0001, and the house must not be led away with the nntion that du re is an increase of income Over expenditure to the amount that appears; because a cer tain portion of the est:mated expenditure, namely, that for azoscesa, was actually paid is t h e year ending 6th Aril lot; sad Ow engine over the estimated expenditure. Including I the wenn Ilisyjcable against the votes this year, and partly 1 fail 4117,0001. lam ham to state, however, that the income we. larger than I nisbed by about 623,6001. ; 1 401 , what I think will be mare grardfft to the house, as I showing that we km not been wamingral ed ear own pre ibisimes, sr of the resommeadatiam to emmemy which the have was geed smog% to give stn--the ezpsadiftre is has then the menet satimated by about 1,625,0001, of whieb sheet 400,6001. may be pat to tits amount of the sites paid is tits pwrioss year; and, by the ezereise of a most rigid sonnomy,_we bared& year kept Wow the estimate by about I 1,200,0001. With regard to the alma for this year, I fear I cannot encourage the house to bps doe SO favourable a state ment. In the first place we mum leek fee • considerable falling off in the customs reverae, mainly from one or two causes. It will partly arise hem a redaction of duty which will take place in July ea =gar, and partly beams than are one or two other items idyllic& I cannot anticipate so loge an Importation as has taken place last year. The decrease on sugar from April, 1849, to the 6th of March last, is so lees than 626,0001. I do not think that will b. the am ;_s runlet. veer, ow ia to tbk eed A ,T I resolutions which . n moved in "leh h t. the effect of bringing In a large quantity within a week or ten days in the month of July. That was brought to market over a long period, and caused a decrease in the amount of foreign susses imported paying a high duty. Then there will be a farther alteration on the 6th of July la the duty on foreign and colonial rams, and we cannot cal culate on the same amount of receipts. Those who talked of our colonial producets being rained by this measure hare been altogether mistaken; for the increased entry of sugar is entirely of colonial sugars; and I find by papers from Dutch Online that extreme distress prevails in that colony, and the remedy they areproposing to apply is the abolition of slavery. (Rear, hear.) pr Upon another item there has been a large increase of consumption is the course of last year, which I do not anticipate can be maintained, the article of brandy. The increased consumption is the year end ing Jan. 6 last, over that of 1848 was no Ices than 677,000 gale. producing an increased duty of 433,0001. This has not been accompanied by any reduction in the quantity of other spirits consumed • the gin and British spirits entered for con sumption have likewise increased during the same period. This Increase in brandy is attributable, I am told on the most trustworthy authority, to the alarm which was caused last autumn by the prevailing disease • and its Ming thought that the consumption of • better des c ription of quits was likely at any rate to counteract the alarm. It is nct pro bate:* therefore, that this increased consumption will be maintained to the same amount. Nor do I think it at all likely that we shall receive the same quantity of corn next year as we have received this. I stated, in the beginning of February, the enormous decrease in the ireportat.cn at the close of last year and in January last ; and by the weekly returns from the customs, I find the same decrease went oa through February. For instance, of whcat and wheat flour there were imported in February, 1849, 485,000 quarters, against 146,000 quarters in the same month of this year; being a decrease of 339,000 quar ters in the month. Of grain end flour of all sorts there were imported in F. 'wary, 1849, 950,786 quarters ; in February lest only 268,875—a decrease of 681,000 quarters in the month. It must be obvinne, if the price is not remun. retire to the importer, that nothing like the same quantity of grain will be imported. Tekirg these circumstances into contd. deration, I think we must be prepared for a coati !crab's reduction in the cu•toms . The receipt'., op to the 6th April, I estimate at 201 million, of which 475.0001. is from corn, leaving on other articles • receipt of 20,025,0001 Looking at the probable lose on sugar and brandy, estimated at between 400,000/. and 500,0001., end anticipating some increase on other articles, probably on all except corn, the receipts from the customs I estimate at 19,750,0001. I believe the estimate I formed last year of the probable import of corn may be taken as tho estimate for this year, 230,0001.. making the probable receipts from the • customs duties, 20,000,0001. On almost all the other items of revenue, I am hippy to state, we have the best founded expectations of an increase. The excise, I believe, will produce this ycsr, 13980,0001.; in the coming year I am warranted is taking it at 14,015,000/. The stamps will, I believe, produce this year, and the same next year, 6,860,0001. The assessed taxes, 4,320,0001. The income tax will produce, I believe, this year, 6,408,0001. ; I take it for the ensuing year at 6,410.0001. The posteoffiee I take the same as last year, 820,0001. The crown lands, 160 0001. ; in this ease I am estimatine the same as if the recent bill had not passed, because it sane, to the same thing. The m scel lantous I take at 200,0001.; and the old stores at what they have produced this year, 410,0001. ; making a probable in come of 52,285,0001. On the expenditure side of the account the interstt and management f the funded debt I take at 27,700,0001. ; interest on exthequer bills, 405,0001.; making together a charge of 28,105,0001.; the civil list and other charges on the consolidated fend 2,620.0001. ; the navy estimates already on the table 5,840,1231.; for the packet service 764,2361., making 7,613,071. for the navy service ; army estimates already on the table 6.01J,2171.: the militia I take at rather less then it was lest leis 110,00 01. • the commissariat at 30,0001. less than last year, or 500,1/001., making the army expenditure 6,629,3471. ; the ordnance 2,434,4171 ; making the navy, army, sad ordnance together 16,677.4231. The miscellaneous estimates last year, were 3,900,8901 ; I take them, in round numbers, at four millions. The estimate for naval e um amounted, in the preceding year, to 211,1591. ; making the total expendi ture, with the estimates on the table of the house, and taking the miscellaneous estimates at four millions, 50,613,5)2e I do not, however, think that this can be taken as the whole probable expedienre I propose, in compliance with a very lee neral wish expressed in toe house last year, to increase the vote for the new houses of parliament. (Hear, hear.) It the bill of my right hon. friend, the President of the Board of Trade passes, hfor regulating the merchant seamen service, it will ampoee a charge en the consolidated fund of about 30,0001. It is particularly desirable, also, that we should at least commence some building for the reception of p•-bliii records. (Hear, hear.) If the gements are com pleted, which are now in progress for the regulation of the packet service, that may entail an increesed expense. The re will, of course, be some vote for the Arctic ex,-edition. (Hear, hear,) And there are other points of that kind which do not appear in the regular estimates. I therefore think it desirable to take a margin of 150,0001. to 200,0001, to cover these possible items of expenditure. Taking them at the lesser amount, 150,0001., the probable expenditure will then be 50,763,5821., leaving a surplus of 1,521,418/ ; if, on the other hand, this item amount to 201,0001., the proba ble surplus will be 1,471,4181. ; I may fairly state it in round numbers at a million and a half. The general features of this balance-skeet were made known on the meeting of parliament both in the house and out of it; and the result has been that everyone seems disposed to save me the slightest trouble in disposing of this surplus. (Hear, heat.) We had hardly got this balance-sheet out, when my noble friend and myself received a very large deputation who were interested in the redaction of the duty on tea. They stated, and I believe with great truth, that it would be • great advantage to the consumers of this country if the duty on tea were reduced ; that it would very largely increase the trade with China; and that after some time, in all proba bility, the ue would rise nearly to its present amount. I am not disposed to deny that there may be much truth is those positions; and indeed I believe that, in ordinary cir cumstances, the wisest course that could be punnet by • statesman would be to reduce those duties which interfere with the consumption of the articles on which they an laid, it being clear that after a time the exchequer receives the same amount as before, while the consumer derives benefit. (Hear, hear) And if the house would have the patience to allow the surplus to accumulate for that to be done with the different duties the greatest benefit would result to trade; and I think when the period has arrived many duties may be advantageously reduced in that way. But to attain this end it is absolutely necessary that we should have such a surplus as will enable us to dispense, in the first instance, with the whole amount of the duty. The next proposition we re ceived was a remonstrance, stating that it was ut terly impossible fur us to be sincere in our professed anxiety to promote sanitary measures, unless we were prepared to repeal the duties on windows, on bricks, and on asp. The total amount of these duties is 3,275,0001., being rather more than twice the surplus we reckon on for next year. The window duty produces 1,830,0001. ' • the duty on bricks, 465,0001. .3 that on soap, 990,0001. Well, sir, various propositions for the repeal of taxes of smaller aucunt have been made. It has been proposed to repeal the duty on paper, amounting to 745,0001. ; on adver tisements, amounting to 157,0001.; on attornies' certificates, , amounting to 120,0001. 1 do not say that there are not very good arguments to be used in favour of the reduction of those and of many other duties ; but looking, as I think we ought to do in the first instance, to the interests of the great body of [ the working classes of this country, I must say I do not . think these are the duties which have the fleet claim to be reputed. (Hear, hear.) Well, air, an hon. friend of mine—l do not know whether or not he is in the holm—has given notice of a motion for the total repeal of the melt tax. (Laughter.) Now the malt tax produces 6,250,0001., and it must he obvious to honourable gentlemen that, unless some substitute of very considerable amount be provided, it is utterly impossible that any Chancellor of the Exche quer can part with so large an amount of revenue. (Hear, hear.) I will not say more upon the subject, as we are, I understand, to have a distinct motion in reference to it. The same considerations apply to that as to the other large reductions which have been thought of. Unice. hon. gentlemen are prepared to vote for seine substitute, it is utterly impossible, with due regard to public faith and public credit, to consent to a reduction of taxation so large in amount. (Hear, hear.) Well, sir, the next proposition to which I shall refer is one which has eke I•cen made in this house by an hon. gentleman whose absence I am very sorry to observe on this occasion—a proposition to transfer to the charge of the geaeral revenue a very large amount of that which is now levied by local taxation. Sir, I cannot estimate the probable amount of the additional charge involved in 'hat proposed reduction et !CPI than from 2,000,0001. to 3,000,0001. I will take it at 2,500,0001. Hav ing looked at the matter dispassionately, though 1 was not able to take any part in the debate, I think it would certainly not be lees than 2,500,0001. I wait sorry to see that the proposition had been supported by such numb. , rs and by each names—(hear)—for, after looking" at the subject dispassionately, perhaps mote dis passionately than hon. gentlemen who took part in the debate were able to do, I cannot regard it in any other light than as a step towards • decided reversal of that policy which has prevailed for the last twenty ytars. (Hear, hear.) I have stated that the probable surplus is 1,500,0001. Therefore, at lent 1,000,0001. would have to bo imposed in the shape of new taxes. Well, now, whet are those taxes to bet The noble lord whose loss we have all la mented, and who took • most prominent part on the other side of the house, always avowed his opinion that a general system of import duties ought to be resumed in this country. The bon. gentleman who has succeeded to the same prominent position on the side of the house which that noble lord occu pied, has stated, both in the halm and out of it, that that Is the opinion of himself and of his party. dir,l repeat that I be- Hue that if hon. gentlemen who voted for that proposition I had duly couidered, not its distant, but its almost ins- I mediate offset, they would have hesitated before . they gave that vote. For it is my firm convio. tics that the msjority of this house is not premed to reverse its resent policy. (Cheers.) lay belief is t ha t that policy was most jut. For the last three or four =drone aircumetaasse have prevailed—the famine in , the &stria in this country and the universal in corruption of the ordinary state of tends with foreign noun triee—bat I hope we are now beginning to reap steadily and surely the fruits of the goad seed which was sown ; and I believe that that general wellbeing which nowvails throughout the country will so reset as to lift up f rom ill temporary pressure that interest which is at present alone suffering. Well, now, I can assure hon. gentlemen who represent that interest, that whilst I think the proposal which have made forts i relief is not a wise one, or one which tends to the benefit of the country at large, I do art say that because I am ignorant of, or insensible to, that pressure which I tally admit is at hand, if it be not already felt— (hear, hear)—l confess, and I hope they will forgive me foe saying r. Om I think the onnelete.- ••• intriy madethroughout die !let autumn were both a preasturs and a little exaggerated. (Hear, hear.) I mut admit however, that the prise of corn has bean lower than I had anticipated it would be—(hear, hear)—and the low price has been continued for a time beyond, 1 think, what was expected by those who were disposed to take a less sanguine view than I was. Bat, at the same time, I think it is pretty clear that the prrent prise can hardly be attributed to the importation of foreign core. I referred on a former occasion, and I advert again tonight, to the enormous extent to which the impertation of foreign porn bas fallen off ; and I have stated also before that the fall in France—a country in which the corn laws have not been altered, and the people of which have had the benefit of our demand in addition to their own—has been greater than in this country. I saw only yesterday that re ports have been presented to the President of the Republic from the council of agriculture, manufactures, and com merce which speak of the state of agriculture in that country in language as despairing, I think, as soy which has been used at the meet despairing county meeting in Eng land. (Hear, hear.) They state that agriculture in that country is subjected to revere trials in consequence of the low price of grain and of almost all the produce of the soil ; and they go on to speak of the intensity of the privations which the agriculturists of that country are suffering. Now it is obvious that the low price in that country cannot be attributed to any importation of corn. I be lieve it is chiefly attributable to unusual plenty. Nevertheless, sir, I fully admit that the change in the law has imp osed upon all thou who are concerned in agriculture the necessity of making great exertions in order to maintain their position. (Hear, hear.) I believe myesll that the energy and exertions of all classes will be required to meet that distress. (Hear, hear.) I em firmly convinced that the 'skill and energy of the British agricul turist will enable him to surmount the difficulty for the most part ; but I cannot deny, and I do not think that any one who is acquainted with the position of agriculture will be disposed to deny. that in that great difficulty there may be many who will fail. (Cheers from the triotectionists.) Sir, I hava never denied that such was my feeling. (Hear, hear.) I have said before, and I now repeat, that I know of no great improvement I might 'latest say of rat ' great improvement in this world, but cer tainly of none in trade or commerce, the carrying out of which has nit been accompanied with loss and distress to some class or other. (Hear, hear.) Take a familiar example. Is it not notorious that the esta blishment of railroads displaced a great number of persons from thee forme r occupations? Have not all who live at a great distance from London been acquainted with great esta blishments which, hoviog once employed a Lumher of people on the great lines of road, are now shut up, whilst those who were engaged in than have been compelled to ' resort to some other means of obtaining a subsistence ? (Hear, hear.) But would any one on that account have stcppod the progress of railways? (lieu, hear.) Now, air, I have stated the surplus to be about 1,600,0001. ; and I c.nfess that, looking back upon what has taken place in the course of the last two years, the first olitct which I had in view was that of effecting some reduction in our debt. (" Hear, hear," end cheers.) Ido not mean now to iotrodues the great question of reducing a large amount of the debt. (Hear, hear.) Hon. gentlemen are aware, however, that by the falling in of what are called the ter minable annuities considerable relief will be afforded within the next twenty years; and, in ordinary times, it might be worth while to consider whether some further measure of that kind should not be proposed. But I will at present confine myself to more recent times. I will not even go back to the proclamation of the general peace, when measures were taken with a view to the winding up of tke accounts of the extraordinary expenditure which had been incurred ; but if hon. gentlemen will refer to what has taken place during the last 20 years—to the sums which have been borrowed on the one hand, and on the ether to the sums which have been applied to the reduction of the debt-1 think they will see p-ound enough for not making any material reduction in the taxation of the cannery. (Rear, bear.) To simplify the matter, I omit all question of calling in annuities or funding Exchequer Bills, but pro pose simply to take on the one side the amounts of money borrowed, and on the other the sums applied from surplus income to the reduction of the debt. In the first place there was borrowed, in 1933 and 1931, a sum of 20,000,0001. for the West India slave compensation money. To cover a uceessivo deficiencies upp 941, we borrowed five millions in that year. More t the o rec y e a re_t.y l ,in 1847. I was obliged, by the necessities of Ireland, to borrow 8,000,0001.; and again, when the house refused the government proposition for increasing the income-tex in 1818, I was reduced to the nece-iity of borrowing to meet a deficiency and to cover an expendVure which, though extraordinary an any one year, when extend ing to a series of years, as no more then ordinary, of 2,000,0001., making in the whole, daring 20 years of peace, no less than 3 , 5,000,0001. of money borrowed. (Hear, bear.) But, when I tura to the ether side of the question, I find that all the money which, during those 20 years of peace, has been applied from the surplus income of the country to the reduction of the public debt amounts only to 8,000.0001. Se that during 20 years of profound peaoe there has been an actual increase of debt of no less than 27,000,0001. (Hear, hear.) I confess, sir, it appears to me that ttia is a statement which should make us careful as to what we do in repaid to reducing the income of the country by taking off taxation. (Hear, hear.) Wren in the year 1849, tho house refused my proposal for an in creased income tax for three years, in order to defray the deficiency in the income as compared with the expenditure, I was certainly in hopes that they would not instantly, the moment there became a surplus, express a wish that the whole of that surplus should be devoted to the reduction of taxation. (Hear,' hear.) What should we thick of a private individual who borrowed money when he found his income fell short of his expenditure, but never thought of paying his debts when a fortunate turn in his affairs took place? And, it we desire to maintain that character as a nation, which, as erivate indi viduals, we bold to be indispensable, we should, in a time of profound peace, endeavour to reduce our debts, and not go cn year after year adding to them. There is ano ther consideration which you ought not to lose sight of— there is a most important question which must, in the course of next year, come under the consideration of the house— vie., the renewal of the income tax. (Hear, hear.) What may be the disposition of the house on that subject when that question is brought before them, I of course cannot foretel • but it is quite obvious that those who object to that tax by pressing upon us the reduction of other taxes to the extent to which they may be successful in effecting, contribute to the necessity of re enacting the income tax. (Hear, hear.) I feel that, under the peculiar circumstances of the country, it is desirable that some relief from the existing burden of taxation should be given—(hear, hear)—and that, If possible, some measure should be adopted which, to a certain ex tent, at least, should relieve those who are now undoubtedly suffering much distress. (Hear, hear.) Now, sir, the first measure I shall have to propose is one which I hope will be of some benefit to those who have b. en represented—and truly represented—as amongst those who are not the least distressed in this country—l allude to the small holders of land. (Hear, hear.) I confess that I cannot recognise that community of interest by which mea sures which may be required for the relief of this class, are identified with those which have been claimed for all parties connected with the land-owners, occupiers, and labourers, (Hear.) I stated my opinion l ast year, and still believe that so far as the occupiers are coact reed any re duction in the shape of rates that might be made, would not be of permanent advantage to them, and that the result of such a me sure would be that if a reduction of rent were made by the owners of property it would not be so great as though relief, in the shape of reduced rates, had not been give., and that, therefore, the benefit of any reduction in the rates would ultimately go, not to the occupier, but to the owner. (Hear, hear.) I believe the landlords would say to tho tenant, " though you are not able to pay the rent you have hitherto been paying by ts. or 4s. an etre ; yet es you have been relieved from the payment of the rates which formerly were paid by you, in addition to your rent, I will not reduce your rent to the whole extent of that 3s. or 4s. an acre, but will deduct the amount you have saved fa the rates. If the rent was reduced to the whole extent, I admit that the remission of the rates would be a practical relief to the occupier; but I apprehend no one ac quainted with the cultivation of the soil will deny that, ex cept perhaps for a temporary period, as during the " would relieve the occupier, it must he by a re. 111 th li e llodwCnr,Orf, and lease, an y to , y ta r e ed oot uc o ti p o t n of er tt h i e r a a r t , es h is taa a benefit . ltyo t n o duction in the rent, or by improvements made by the landlord in the land—(hear, hear)—and that I believe is the wisest course fo r the landlord to take for his own interest. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the labourer, he has already obtained the advantage of cheap toad, and now circumstances I stated at an earlier period of the session all he requires is constant em p lo y ment. (Cheers.) The show, 1 think, indisputably, that, taking England through out, employment has been more general during she present year than in the corresponding period of the previous years, and I have no reason to believe that circumstances are likely so to alter during the remainder of the year that, comparing the whole of it with previous years, employment will not be found throughout England (I am speaking of the agricultural districts) to be more general. (Hear, hear ) I em equally convinced that, by an improved system of cul tivation on the part of the occupiers, a further impetus will be given to agriculture, and the employment of labour be still twitter increased—(cheers) ; and still more if that be done which is the interest as well as it is the duty of the owner—viz., the adoption of meteor's for encouraging and promoting such improvements in his land, and for cheapen ing and encre.ising thee. productions on which, as I believe, his welfare depends. (Hear, hear.) Of course sus h a re sult can only be obtained by an outlay of capital on the part of the owner or tenant ; and, as the hon. gentleman the member fur Bucks has told us capital can only be raised, tho party has It not in his polemic; ek---'—..i'.------- "-"mb ole r ar 7 l ll l Utff ear l portion of the property or borrowin g , I fully concur in the statement that the small owners of lana in this country are as much d i stressed as sty interested in it —and that to any means which might be adopted by them either for selling a part of their property in order to improve the remainder, or for borrowing money ter the same p is no ebetacle ought to be interposed. That obstacles do exist to the transfer of small portions of land Wails country cannot, I think, be denied. Hon. gentlemen are aware that motions have been made in this house with r view to exempt sales of land from the stamp duty under certain cir cumstaacee—and I recollect when each a prepositive was made on ens occasion in regard to Ireland only, the lima. gentleman the member for Oxford (Sir. Heal, y ) obierved that such a measure should not be pertial, but should be made equally applicable to the whole country, (H eap hear.) I fully concur in that view o f t h e qufetinn, an accordingly the first proposal I have now to make is, that there should be a considerable reduction in t!-.e stamp duty on the transfer of property up to the amount of lAN., and above that amount that the duty should be made more fair in its operation : e , .• osaehino as lieu lie nq,ib'c so in 're" • equable per centage. t•Ltar, hear. 3 !tut i ROW that property under 1,0001. should be considerably rei tae d and to avoid the fractions in the stamp+ it is intended to proceed by steps, as 251., 501, 1001, ,ee• I pre pose also to adopt a similar course v.ith regard to the stamp duty on mortgages and bonds—(cheers)—t:“.c is, to reduce the stamp duty on all such deeds given as securities for sums under 1,0 01. ; and I am sorry to be comi, e g e d to add that I shall have to make a proportionate lac, use on larger amounts. (Hear, bear.) For here ktainthe existing system operates most unjustly as agsinet the sms!br tri g . ,actions, the rate of duty being exceedingly heavy for smell sums, and exceedingly light for large sums. I proy,.., to make it as nearly equal as possible in all. (Loud eta, n.) propose to go by steps in this, as in the stamp out, on sales, commencing with 251., then going to 40‘. and soon. There is a third item to which, I know, ro an . persons attach considerable importance, as connected win the tenure of land—the granting of leases. I confess Ido not attach so much importance to this matter as may where do, but I admit that, in cases where the landlord i• ••ot dis posed to lay out his own capital, and the tenant is prepare,' to do so, by obtaining a more permanent tenure of hi, Lo:ct. ing, that facilities should be given for that purpose an d there:ore I propose to reduce the stamp duty on i• me g . (which, on low amounts, bran, as in the other Ch, unequally and unfairly,) to an uniform hall p.r rent in all cams. (Hear, hear.) At present a keg, of 201. a year pays a stamp duty of 11. Ipr •• that oft leases not exceeding 2.51. a stamp duty of 2s. I,i. ud ha charged, and that on knell of 1,0001. and ut,ward • then should be an ad eolorens duty of a per cent. (Hear., I ro w come to the agricultural !stoma r. I have stated t.:at what I as most anxious to provide for him is employment, and tat can only be secured by enablingtheowner oftbeland tores•em.r.ey • in one way or the other for the imoroy meat cf his estate. But there is one particular is whim. by legislation i think we may improve his condition a.,d comfort in its small de s gree, that is, in the character of his dwelling. (Loud cheers.) I might here refer again to the Gocument of which I have already spoken—the report of the I commission appointed to acquire i••to th, law e t e. r tlementa, as well as to the mischievous effect t•• /dueed f on the condition and morals of the latourer, by the present • law of settlement—but that is not the qutatiGn we have now to deal—as the deter,orati..d ets c• ie phy sical condition and moral character, AT d that o! I'. ~.mi:y, I of the dwellings which he is comp, li• dto iobal,;:. • I never was more struck than by the evident chi ': •l••re appears in detail on this subject. I know it aible to build good cottages for the poor and oh•ain a,,-•,uate • interest for the outlay. I believe th a t many lad) r•:- • .ro f expended money In providing better doelli do p t labourers which pay fair interest ; Lu• it is to expended.t ez therePeetitehat Whether that o th u t re n a t oi re nan ni t t bs s ee k r iat ' a r t ‘ ;:v in c ' o p Ti i : s a b t r e e ll d r .:: n r r.. ;:i::: : :: ; ::: t l ) under all circumstances is a matter of daunt ; but ; certainly we ought not to impose arty a stacle. (Hear, hear.) My honourable ermnd the ctr.i.er t for Montrose submitted a motion the other day : r !••• a allowance of a drawback of the duty on bricks r:r.p••••p• •a r building such cottages. I need not here repeat tie . c. t Cone I thin stated to that measure, and to drat,' e•-•.• , general; but I may say, that I believe that re.., •! , .3 • mode he proposed, would be utterly Lat a there are other considerations attaching to this outier.. 'ism t use of bricks is n-,t confined to the bueldiag ot c.,l•.gee f.r r the pone, hot extends to other purposes equally hen. . them, and important to the health of the country. N •••r. am prepared to concede the total repeal of the diary ' e:ca , . I (Loud cheers.) I find that this sub) , uccupied r.- t Lion of the House of Lords' committee on to. .r -_ dens of 'And, end they state in their ... r;oor the removal of the duty on bricks Irettli act nniv the more rapid impro;ement of real prow th,ir vicinity, but what is Walla' re impor: u for!' of the poorer clam, imp!: v' habitations." I believi tlat, r in rienticat ot which I consider of paramount impartane.:.. this duty will have no inoonsidtrable eft ••• agricultural improvement. Ile taxis or.e tarts operation, for it is not of universal applir.ei parts of the country, as in the district where I rc build of sane, and have nabrick duty to pay : Ir.y lei mlny other, and more especially In those sitiit. I to be most distressed at pre ant, 63 _ clay *oils and in the eastern etnntier, wt. V 3 it is admitted the distress is very s, v.! . • r.e buildings are almost universally composed cf r.,:t Ile repeal of this duty, therefore, will be of great acs. - B>e :7 the landowner in such districM, in enable g hint to ir • - re and add to the present :arm building,. Meer, he r I i know not if this s one of the Improvements contem...t:e the hen. msmbtr tor West Surrey, but I believe rely admitted to be most advisable to rttea• . t . . . accommodation of farms in this respect, and in wt agricultural improvements may be named uut, I wi!l be necessary Lurely to increase th. inns. (Hear, near.) I know of which I can onstribste to th r effectually then by this r( ( Now, sir, the amount of loss to the rev. -ce pate . froit these two proposals is—cn 't • 0 p little wider ; and bricks, 450,0001., or r ..1. c', • Ira (II: -J together a total lou to the revenue of •. • . ; . a •?. malcag m+n- be'rs will °teem that these two items 01 3:ae II:" :• !".111 r 1 ca. the sum which I anticipate as surplus for the ye... tainly was not aware, when I came to the de:, divide the surplus between resluvion .•: itb. a: r • .on of taxation, that the surplus was not larger than I: is : hut, in any case, I think it a fair arrangement to apore:ntato one half to the relief of taxation and the other to thr r• •lue don of the funded debt of the country. (Hear, tea r Bat hon. members must not suppose th 4 tho amounts hive specified wil be the only relief from taxation which the people of this country will receive in the course of the preset t esr ; b cause by the operation of the Ws - inc Sager Act the duties on certain closes of foreign and colonial suga.s wili be re duced from the s:h of July tem. affordirg a to the calciume r, taking the average sf the country, to the extent of 3.50,000/. Therefore, the actual relief to the people of this country well be about 1,100,0)01. (Ileac, tear. I have another measure to propose to the house, to which I confess I attach considerable importance, and which ts, in my (Tinier, calculated to promote what I consider t t h • of paramount importance at this moment, I mean a measure tending to ilciitate the outlay of capital in lard. , hear.) I believe that ro be, not only an aericultur .l, hzt a sati• nal object. It can answer no purpose that any great 'Al tercate! the e..untry should be .. l estroyed std., it is sten tial that the food of the people should be cheap, it is 't ',vial Importance that that cheap food should be grown boom, and not abroad. ;Cheers.) If, then, as I believe it may !a done, we can, by facilitating the outlay of capitol on land, and by stimulating the induery ant skill ot the 7*, increase the amount of production at home, I is, lie se that not only will the agricultural interest be benefited. but that the interests of the entire people of this country he ad vanced. (Cheers.) The proposal I intend to m the house is to do that which was dons in IS4O, name's, no ...se advances for drainage and for other land Morro e,..e.:. ' o ' have the most satisfactory accounts es to the titre..• or duced by the advances already made, not only in couragement and employment of the labouring p p during the time improvements wore in progress, t the profitable return made after those improvsnt , i been completed. It will be unnecessars so to go into any details upon the s ubject could read, as I have done upon former of in reference to Ireland, letter after letter trom psfllsr have taken the money, Mating how beneficially the alvsiees had operated in the improvement of their estates. Bat it would be uselessly taking up the time of the how -the advantage is confessed on ale hands—and it is thercler: :hst I propose now to make similar advances for the fa'-'' pur pose, and I am willing to believe that the pecun.sry assi-t -ance derived by agriculture will not be confined t • the Aci• vances made by government, but that other parties w li,nter tain propositions for advances, and the knowledge dr. st.ss • ffl ment is about to come forwardwill uo doubt act as an d lir: •nal inducement. The last advance for these purposes to Eng land and Scotland was two millions; and certainly the c. -.- denten on the other side of the Tweed showed a very to.r amount of readiness to avail themselves of the chance, for cut of the whole they appropriated in c snsequenc• of priori , y of application no less than 1,600,0001. (Great laueht.r 1 The sum appropriated to England was 372,0001.; the balance being reserved tor any unforeseen demand that might occur. I prop we now to advance the sum el 2.000,0001. to Enels - d and Seo'land, but I hare thoug`.• it only fair to reserve for Eugl innt an opportunity of setting herself square wish the sister country as to advances ' and therefore, although I. do not mean to refuse to Scotia , d what England rime not want, I propose, in the tirot instance, to reserve en Coal sem for each country. I prop ac to advance t' It. I.vbi 3 similar sum of eno Wllion, hut I do not prom , that it should be entirely exhausted in land improvement,. Ire land has already had for land improvements, I e rho • - •01 of 1847, one million and a half, and by the bll of 1549 300,0001., makieg in the whole 1.5 0,0(101. I pr,pofe to add 20(1,0001, making up 2,0t.)0,000/., and thus pudica Ireland on au equal footing with England and Scotland. But there in another purpose for which rdvarees cosy he necessary in Ireland, and which, in my opinion, is still more imp wtant than land improvements-4 wan what is called arterial drainage. (Hear, hear.) I belt. re that vast improvements may be effected in Ireland b ans of arterial drainage, and I know that large works of that nature have been commenced, which, for their cow, will require a sum of SfiS,ooo/. A cortaid, table portion of tho money required for them works has 11,thorto b eo sup plied from private sources, but, through recent enruT stanees in Ireland, these resources here fallen off • worn , have been checked, and, in consequeoce of the here suffered great injury. Great aud.tienal expense incurred. a .d much trier and other dimwse have or: the vicinity of the works, in consequence of their ineome.llem-, nese I believe that no greater benefit coal/ rect. , t. land than the completion ot them works, and for that remelt, .e CI- wationo, I