Star. — London, England, 1818-05-23 00:00:00

. .• i . , , tt ' 1 ~' i I , t ). 1 I 1 il , ; • • • • • 1 I ' , i i . , - i • kplr 3 ) . . . 11 , . 1 . , : . ..Ik. --..\ ..,, . ~., • Ra objectiozitf o ot r r Nizble Lord, that the prin cipal cirams Mei kg defended the neces sity of the measure was, as he had stated upon two former occasions, the grant of Loans to foreign coun tries, and particularly to France. Lard HOLLAND called the attention of the House to the preamble of the Bill. He remarked, that if the syllable fore was withdrawn from the word unforeseen, it wou:d afford a more correct de scription of the measure. The preamble recited, that Whereas it was desirable, that as soon as possible the Bank should resume cash payments ; and, whereas the Parliament had passed an Act to that effect ; and then came the extraordinary conclusion from these premises —that, therefore, cash payments ought not to be resumed—(a laugh). Out of three reasons stated in the preamble, two went to prove that the Bill was unnecessary. They had seen a Bill that day, the preamble of which gave a reason for one part of its enactments, but none for the other. Here was a Bill which gave one reason in its own favour, and two against it. He should enter more at large into the subject on a future occasion, satisfied for the present with noticing the curious non sequitur with which the measure set out. After a few words from the Earl of LIVERPOOL, the Marquis of LANSDOWN, Earl GREY, and Lord HOLLAND, with regard to fixing the day for the dis cussion, Tuesday was finally agreed upon. Adjourned till to-morrow (this day). HOUSE OF COMMONS. The East India Marriages Dill went through a Committee, the report of which was received, and the Dill ordered to be read a third time on Monday. The Clandestine Marriages Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Monday. Mr. CALCRAI•'T rose to take the preliminary step necessary before moving for leave to bring in a Bill to ;educe the Duty on Rock Salt, used for agricultural purposes, by moving that the House should go into a Committee on the Acts relative to the Duties on Salt. He gave it as his opinion, that a reduction of the Salt Duties would be foundvery beneficial for our fisheries. la agriculture he did not think Salt would be found greatly to answer as a manure, but in every other respect much good would result from its being more generally used. He now moved that the House should go into a Committee on the 57th of Geo. cap. 49, relative to the Duties 011„Rock Salt. Mr. WALLACE gave no opposition to the motion, but con sented to it from a wish that every encouragement should be given to experiments in agriculture where Salt might be sue ces3fully used. Mr. CURWEN was satisfied the reduction of the Salt Duties would produce beneficial effects. The motion was then agreed to, and the House went into a Committee, in which it was resolved that the Chairman should move for leave to bring in a Bill to reduce the Duties on Salt used for agricuhural pt rposes. The Report of the Committee was ordered to be rece.ved to-morrow. _ The Report of the Highways' Penalty Bill was brought up and agreed to, and the Bill ordered to be read a third time on Monday. The Report of the Irish Grand Jury Presentments' Bill was recommitted. The Report was then received, and the Bill or dered to be read a third time to-morrow. The Irish Paper Drawback Bill was read a third time, and passed The Navy Prize Money Bill, and the Lottery Bill, went through Committees, the Reports of which were ordered to be received to-morrow. The Madder Duties Bill, the London Coals Bill, and the Ex cise licenses Bill, were read a second tints, and ordered to be committed to-morrow. Mr. BENNET presented a Petition from a person of the woe of James Campbell, who had been committed to Hamil ton Jail on a Sheriff's warrant, complaining of hardships to which be Lid been subjected.—Ordered to lie on the table. Mr. BENNET presented a Petition from certain Inhabitants of Brighton in favour of a Reform in Parliament.—Ordered to be m the table. MEDICAL STAFF. Mr. BENNET, seeing a Noble Lord (Palmerston) in his place, wished to obtain some information from him relative to what he considered a case of peculiar hardship. The persons who had suffered that hard ship were the Medical Officers employed in the army at the battle of Waterloo. By old established prac tice, the Medical Officers shared in all the prize money taken by the army with which they served. By some extraordinary regulation, however, which bad lately been made, the Officers of the Medical Staff, employed at Brussels, who had received not only the whole of the sick of our own army engaged in the battle of Waterloo, but also the sick of the army of our allies, who had been engaged in the dis charge of the most laboriisus duties, and who had seat, during the first six weeks after the battle, no fewer than 50J0 wounded soldiers back to their regi ments, had been deprived of sharing in the prize money which had been distributed not only among those who were actually engaged in the battle of Waterloo and preceding engagements, but all those who joined the army at and previous to the occupa tion of Paris. By this means many persons had slowed General Officers prize money, scho had never mole their appearance at the army in the field—who had never seen a shot fired, or been once in the face of an enemy—who had in fact traversed France at their ease in their post-chaises, and entered Pails to amuse themselves at its theatres, and kip in its other amusements. Many persons of this description had shared considerable stuns, whereas the Officers of the Medical Staff, who had had the most painful duties to-discharge for rshmths and months, by this regula tion which was perfectly new, had been totally de prived of all share in the Prize-money. Lord PALMERSTON said, the Medical Officers attached to that part of the Army which was engaged jr. the Battle of Waterloo, were entitled to Ps sae money, which they shared according to their rank. The Honourable Gentleman was under a mistake in supposing that the Medical Officers attached to that Army did not share Prize-money according to their rank. But the right to Prize-money belonged only to these Medical Officers who were attached to the troops engaged in the battles of the 16th, 17th, and 18th June, and those who were with the troops en gaged in the different blockades and sieges in France, up to the occupation of Paris. But those Medical Officers who were stationed at Brussels, were pre chided from any participation in the Prize-money. The Honourable Gentleman was quite mistaken, if he supposed that this was a new regulation. If he would refer to the distributions of Prize-money con nected with the operations of the Peninsula, he would see that the Prize-money had always been confined to that part of the army which happened to be ac tively engaged, where such Prize-money was obtain-, ed. Here the Noble Lord instanced the distribution of the Prize-money at the taking of Ciudad Rodrigo; and on other occasions in the Peninsula. Many wounded men were sent home from the Peninsula, to the Hospitah at Plymouth, and other places in this country ; alit upon the principles of the Honourable tie:Woman, the Medical Officers at Plymouth would ~'~ - . .. have been entitled to claim Prize-money obtained in the Peninsula. Though, in point of fact, the progress of the army through France, after the battle of Wa terloo, had been so triumphant, as it was described by the Honourable Gentleman, and the advance to Paris was made by many Officers very much at their ease ; but it was to be considered that there might have been a severe conflict before the occupation of Paris, and therefore it was thought but just that those who joined the army before the occupation of Paris, should share in the Prise-money, as if they had been in a severe engagement. Mr. BENNET said he believed the Noble Lord was under a complete mistake in supposing that there was any analogy between the manner in which the Prize-money in the case of Waterloo, and the Prize money obtained at different times in the Peninsula had been distributed. He was aware that Medical Officers stationed on the coast of Catalonia, for in stance. did not share in the Prize-money given to the army serving in any part of Portugal ; but that was quite a different case from the one• to which he had called the attention of the House. Here a Me dical Staff in the immediate neighbourhood of Wa terloo, who had been dressing the wounds of that very army which was engaged in that battle, were precluded from sharing in its Prize-money. He maintained that the Medical Staff engaged in Brussels had a right to share in the Prize-money distributed to the troops engaged in the battle of Waterloo.— There would not be time in the present.Seision to allow him to bring this subject forward ; but he should, at an early period of next Session, call the attention of the House to this most glarillg act of in justice—(hear, hear.) POOR LAWS. Mr. BROUGHAM wished shortly to call the at tention of the House to the subject of the Poor Laws. He understood that all the measures which the Com mittee on the Poor Laws had it in contemplation to propose were now introduced, namely the Select Vestry Bill, the Poor Laws Amendment Bill, and that which it was proposed to postpone to another Session, the Parish Settlement Bill. Understanding that it was not the intention of the Committee to go farther than these three measures, he could not help saying, that he felt considerable disappointment at their not taking a more extensive view of this great and important evil, and of the remedies which were adequate to meet that evil, than they appeared to have done in these three measures. He was sensible of the great labours of the Committee, and of the im portance of the body of evidence which they had collected on the subject. 'That evidence was indeed highly valuable ; and whatever still remained to be done might well be done on that foundation—(heer.) But seeing that the attempts of the Committee were limited to these three measures, he wished to give this notice, that if the labours of another inquiry would allow him to apply his attention to the subject, he should this Session—at any rate if he had a seat in the House, he should in the course of another Ses sion—lay before the House the result of the consi deration which he had given to this subject. His first plan would have for its object the limitation of the progress of the burden, that is, the affixing, if pos sible, some limits to the progress of the burden. His next plan was for gradually narrowing these limits. His next plan would have for object the discovery of such means as might enable the Legislature to equa lize the burden, so that it might not be thrown, as at present, on the land-owner only, but might affect, in something like an equal degree, the other classes of society—(Rear, hear). These were the three mea sures to which he should call the attention of the House ; and he should bring the subject before the House either in the form of Resolutions, or in that of Bills, to lie over till next Session. If, however, as he had already said, the other inquiry in which he was engaged, should not allow him to do this this Session, he should do so at an early period of next Session. Mr. HUSKISSON said, the House and the Coun try Would be under great obligations to the Honour able and Learned Gentleman if he introduced any practical measures to meet the evils which had grown out of the Poor Laws. Nu subject could be more difficult of attainment than this, from the progress which the evil had already made. It was certainly highly. desirable that some means for gradually re ducing the rates from their present amount could be discovered. This subje;t had engaged a great deal of the attention of the Committee up stairs. The Honourable and Learned Gentleman was under a mistake if he thought that the Committee had no measures to submit but the three Bills before the House. The Committee had not yet seen their way in this most difficult subject as the Honourable and Learned Gentleman seemed to have done ; but it was the sense of that Committee that other measures were necessary to prevent the evil from overwhelming the country. All he wished to state now, was the pro testing against its being supposed the sense of the Committee, that nothing ought to be deae but those measures which they had already introduced. If the Honourable and Learned Gentleman would assist them with his suggestions, it might materially assist them in their present difficulties ; for, as the Honour- able and Learned Gentleman knew, the subject was attended with very great difficulties. Mr. BROUGHAM said, he had been mistaken' . with regard to the intentions of the Committee. As they had been sitting two Sessions, he had hoped that whatever measures they might think it necessary to suggest would have been proposed this Session; and he had, therefore, deferred coming forward till this late period of the Session, when no prospect re mained of having. any other measures front them. He was glad, however, to find that the Committee had not made up their minds that no other measures were advisable—that they were 1. , it for shutting the door to any other measures. With respect to any views entertained by him of what was necessary for arresting the progress cf the evil, he did not mean to say that steps should be taken for fixing a peculiar limit to the amount of the Rates. His object was, to look to more remote means of operation on the sys tem, by which, in time, the same extension of relief as existed at present would no longer be necessary. I He did not contemplate the laying down a maximum, as from the progress of the Rates that would not be an easy matter. MtSCELLANEOVS SERVICES. The House having gone into a Committee of Supply, Mr. ARBUTHNOT proposed the following grants for Miscellaneous Services :—.14,2 . 46/. 12s. to defray the expense of sundry works proposed to Se done at Holyhead ; 3,500/. to complete the repair of the Cobb at Lyme Regis. Mr. GORDON objected to this grant. After some observations from Mr. AutturnNot and Mr. BAN Es, the Resolution was withdrawn. _ 15,000/. for the purchase of Land on Hounslow Heath, for the exercise of Cavalry. Mr. WARRE said, before acceding to this grant, it ought to be made out that there was no waste ground elsewhere. Mr. ARBUTHNOT said, there was no other place where cavalry coulti be exercised except on the ground which had been purchased at Hounslow. Wimbledon Common and Wormwood Scrubs could net be de pended on. It was thought necessary that Govern :nent should possess a spot of ground available for the assembling of cavalry, to be exercised on at all times. The price was very moderate for land in that part of the country. Mr. C. CALVERT knew not whether the ground was necessary, but the terms at which it was pur chased were reasonable. Mr. CALCRAFF said the necessity had not been made out for a piece of grnu rd in that precise spot. Why might not a brigade of cavalry be colleeted in some other spot where ground for exercising was at hand ? Colonel WOOD said, the neighbourhood a/Houn slow was almost the only spot in the kingdom where a brigade of cavalry could be placed in cantonments. The purchase of this place would thus save the ex pense of building barracks in time of war. After a few words from Mr. CALceitre, the Cqpi ir.ittee divided: For the grant, 65—Against it, 23 Majority, 32. A grant of 50,0001. was proposed for the Caledo nian Canal. Mr. BROUGHAM said, the sums which had been expended on this work. the utility of which was so doubtful, might be a warning to the House to avoid rashly embarking in similar undertakings. Thou sands upon thousands had been laid out, and it seemed now pretty generally acknowledged, that but for the invention of steam-boat—an Invention which had not been contemplated when the work commenced, no general benefit would have been derived from it. Lord BINNING said, that though there had been much difference of opinion among the engineers, those who were best acquainted with the nature of the navigation anticipated favourable results from it. Mr. BROUGHAM wished to know how much had been expended on this Canal Mr. ARBUTHNOT answered 700.000/.—(hear, hear). About 40,0001. remained to be voted after the present sum. After a few words from Messrs. W. SMITH and C. GRANT, jun. the vote was agreed to. A Vote of 2597/. was proposed as retired allow ances to the Officers employed on the Military !toads in the Highlands. Mr. F. DOUGLAS wished to know how it hap pened that these compensations were now tor the first time granted, though those Officers had been dismis sed for three or four years. He did not know whether it was connected with the fact, that the name of a gentleman was to be found among them who had lately succeeded to a property that was commonly supposed to influence the Fife district of Burghs, for which the House was indebted to a Noble Lord, the representative of Scots Law. Mr. ARBUTHNOT denied that the grants had at all been influenced by the name ofColonel Anstruther, which was to be found among the persons to whom the compensation` were to be granted. It was only delayed because the Government was anxious to learn the justice of the claim. The grant was, after a few word from Mr. DOUGLAS, agreed to. 120,000/. Contingencies of the Civil List. 45,5001. to make up deficiencies of the Fee Funds. 26,0001. for the Expenses of the Treasury. 5,500/. for the Expenses of the Exchequer. 11,500/. for the Expenses of the Houses of Parliament. 23,5001. for the Saliry and Allowances of ditto. 57,000!. for repairing Public Buildings. 10,000!. for altering the Road between Bangor and Crick. 15,000/. to the British Museum. 5,650!. for Improvements in Westminster. 40,000/. for a Chain Bridge near Bangor Ferry. 1,000!. to the Veterinary College. ' • 75,058!. to Sandhurst Military College. 100,0001. to Queen Anne's Bounty for the Augmentation of Poor Livings. Mr. W. SMITH gave his negative to this Vote, as he could not consent to vote sums to the augmenta tion of the Church Livings, without an inquiry into the means of the Church. 10,0001. for the Augmentation of small Scots Livings. 13,0951. to make np thieDeGliency of Exchequer Fees. fe5.:),686/. to make up the Deficiency of Grants of 11117. 18,000.000/. to pay off I'xchequer }EPA. Mr. ARBUTHNOT took this opportunity to men tion, that the further expense of the repairs of henry the Seventh's Chapel would be about 9,000/. Mr. TIERNEY wished to know whether provision was made for the repayment of the three millions which the Bank had give notice that it should de- mand the repayment uf ? Mr. LUSIIINGTON said, the repayment of that sum would be delayed, until arrangements could be made in the Exchequer for appropnating the balances as they accumulated, to the public serv►ce. Difficulty had been found in making this arrangement; and it would not be submitted to Parliament. Meantime the Chancellor of the Exchequer would negotiate with the Bank to obtain some advantage to the public for the continuance of the balances with them till the next Session. A short conversation took place between Mr. I !US KISSON and Mr. TIERNEY, and Sir J. NEW PO/Ir, in which the latter Gentlemen contended, that the Bank would have an advantage in this negotiation, by its being deferred till the separation of Parliament. As a law was necessary to enable the Chancellor of the Exchequer to take the balances out of their hands, they Might impose on him what terms they pleased. Mr. HUSKISSON said, that the difficulties which had arisen did not originate with the Bank. 850/. was voted for the purchase of a piece of ground adjoining to the Military Asylum at Southampton. NIVNt. TRENCH INDEMNITIES. The House resumed.--On the question that the Report be received, Mr. WAHRE said, that this was a proper oppor tunity for calling the att , :ntion of the llow:e to a sub ject which it was Lot fit should escape their notice. Ile held in his hand an account of the sums received by Great Britain, under the nanitruf indemnity, from France. It was to be recollected, tla.: by the Treaty of the 20th November. 181. T. Frarce wa , pay an indemnity to the Allied Pcseert, certain portion was to be received by this the object of which, as he might ccileet words of the Noble Lord (Lord Castlere moving the Address on that Treaty, was " people of this country, as far as it s.eut, a their exertions during the war." By a eu'a Treaty, fifty millions of francs a ye:.ise, priatesi to the expense of an army m i ore be maintained in France, of which a ce:te to be appropriated to the British army, were two distin c t agreements —one fo r :I'.l another for the support of the army. A N , of his had at the time stated, in another the sum apprsprinted to the British army be nearly sufficient. This had at the. tin tried; but when he had recurred is had appeared that a dotation of din surn of sterling, which had never before been nivr been called in aid of the allowance of t } So far it was manifest, that the sere whicl, calculated on for the support of cez Artn) pation had been insufficieat. lint ti r e for from the Paper which had bear. iaii House it appeared that great part of the I which the Noble Lord professed to have r the English people, in return for t:r.eir the war, had also been applied to :hi' A cupation. The sum of 125,000.000 of tr. be paid to this country, of which Gl,O, been received. Of this 14,500,000 frani paid into the military chest of the Army Lion; 8,000,000 francs had been paid as Prize-mosey voted by Parliament to the . about 52,000,000 had been remitted t, which produced 1,4.00,000/. When he hi this part of the account, he had flattered! this sum, at least, had been applied to the the year, as the sums had been brought ti my. But then followed a statement v s's whole sum had been sent back again. ' 104,0001. was paid to the Paymaster i.' ordinaries, and 595,000/. for the Ordin. Army in France, and the rest for Pri7, that Army. It was to be recollesited, was not merely a donation on the part . by the Treaty of 1815, this couate: iuJ claim, on the part of its subjects, c t . sir a half of rentes—a claim equal to francs. The claim so sum rendered, claim as ever was made out ; a certain given for the British claimants, but waved a claim of 7,000,0001. sterling of prisoners of war. It was therefora to that from the expense of the Army o whatever France had lost, we had gai remained for the Noble Lord to erplab his erroneous calculation. Lord CASTLEREAGH said, it le calculated that the twelve millions of which were to be paid by France to th of the Army of Occupation, would cot of its expense. All that was reckoned that the whole of the sums received from cover the expense of the Army of (k the erection of fortifications on the tr. Netherlands. The sum which was to be those fortifications, was to be deemed those valuable Colonies which had from Holland at the peace. It had been . be on the whole a d v i sea bi e th a t the Brit' should .receive a certain sum. The a thought ho h favourable and reasnnabe which this country claimed for prisoners of we not the balance on the account, but the sum toe our claim. The French had to plead a set off Ig. 2 this—and they might not admit the jusitce whole of our demands ; indeed, on the pn7c . c the former French Government, in ne . rocite..s this sort, very little, if any, balance woad I.;:it maimed to us. tLe \ '~leLtr Mr. TIERNEY observed, tits_ obviously not very provident in his ar..angeraln, according to his own allegations; kr if oar Army was to be maintained in France agreeably to t;e:x:: of the Treaty, why was not suitable to rescue this country from that incnnthra-. - e f7:l which all the other States cone::-.1,..1 is were exempt ? After sonic remarks from Mr. IVA e. nr. i I 7!I CASTLEREAGH, the Motion WasagTeetito.—T . ::e}lc.e resumed 4 the Report to be brough Some converraition took place is C:c C irr.na att. 7 Ways and Means upon the d: - It yin pre.:o,...ag Ira accounts with respect to Irelaaid, in ; •, NEWPORT, Messrs. TIERNEY, LUsIIINt•T•i!-. SON, and ARBUTHNOT took part, M. 1. -- !•:%••• -71 stating, that in consequence t;f Treasuries, these accounts ,t'ould he p r e:e:11...... earlier in future.—The Report n : the Com -- orJrred to be brna:.;lit tip to-marrow. A short convers..iti..m arose between Mr. G 071770 and Sir S. Itositi.t.v, siith i._•spect to cer upon the subject cl the Tmstmeut of N.:1 2 Island of Dominica, in which Mr. Go:: plained contact upon the gneation ALIEN BILL. Ip Lo r d CASTLEREAGH nno7cd of the Mr. 1;110 t.:(: I movc ordered out of tl.e country to any country he pleased, if a s! i ready for his cionvcy7toce to sqrh I. •1 cl ; to al Lord CASTLE!: EA , ;II chyx because it was likt and to subject tl:e Lord (I)3ll)TiiN t!: .u, he deemed el:tn:niely P_;~ ry c.,11,;,,q114 ti.c .:.%. 131:()I ii.s not a nece:._ ment should I;,iy the _ any country odour he wool.: pveier. I;111 seemed determined t.) elevate thci,, 7 c , sir nourable situation of the police .:1: street runners of Europe:. There wt , he would submit u, the House. reigncrs, who were exarnir,ed this Bill before :tie Ptis_-y Council, allowed the ptivile:ze et legal assistance; • they were allowed, but it was ot%eu points of law, which required the • es. lie renieitiber,z4l a case.% -v•-* an Alien, who could have offered a stror *Lion to the course in which the Privy l'oanc::1? proceeding with respect w him, if kc hati of seo, to :;! CtICT C ftw .o. g iC I; ad the 'lc tht Gc of :6 I kr , un d 1 ; (.1 uL,h titi‘ ca - Jary.., As [leo. 1.-um ;L e bk lereaftl.l ties die “ ~t t, are k r TA:te 4 " were ; pm . C C occupatif. s ir4g.- 4 - 1/ r'y. Yu 10 th ee • an intfunci t co Xnbltir:r;i vas trie :jut ttg ' m y *Gum! co serf time been de. den col s * , i t bee of 11.40 .00 , :p Fla , Lent,ure..l,Lad (/ 01 tiro an nT der hid* Lasi'Leto srcl. miiriOccu. nOt he ec . bet p fc . e i„l fit etr .ueritice ! u das Arm; cf 141 f franc ..7t , up runes 1:-d hea Of MY Of OCCGO- WO ai pact C. rh, r r i NA the Army. le t d to C0i.:40, eLC2 ie had rto •ed 14. /egi the v:rvios 1:t to tits crc r y pro co :114 %.1 of II t 1.. con :or 1: .‘ LT 7:- Cie 'ri7c-r.: !a Jis SISt , 0-4 ft el Witt an fit 120 ; C:10.07o • hoc .i.cc a sum aga v:e, for ch.: rti•t-se ere p;..c :o be wad Uu As h , 1.1 12d ne7:l b•e3 ifrAdr, sea he British t up( :itl4 Ire I tra 1— au n F a 161 .i a-1 br erilc... , 2.•:das tsle 1 its been :e::frol ind een thoughts the shish ere1..23 the :ccspromice t ur ] ble. The ors of war re Fl l