The Sun. — London, England, 1837-03-18 00:00:00

CAPTUR VIXEN. TO MESSRS POLDEN AND MORTON, LONDON. GENTLEMEN-- Since my l ast , un d er date 17th Jan. last, I have not had an opportunity of addressing you, and therefore embrace the present. On the 25th Jan., the Admiral sent us the hlorning Cltroniele of the 20th Dec., in which it is stated that the cargo of the Vixen was chiefly composed of gunpowder, and appears to me to be the leading cause of the capture and condemnation of the schooner. On the follow ing day I was verbally told by the Admiral that she was a l egal prize to the Russian Government, the Russian flag was hoisted; and that his Imperial Majesty had graciously par doned myself and crew as being ignorant of the vessel having Zhnpowder on board, and allowed us to take out of the Vixen all our private effects. On the 28th, we were ordered on board the Russian brig Ajax, with all our pri vate property. This was a trying moment for me thus to be torn from the command of a favourite schooner. I had no alternativ e but to submit to this cruel persecution and insult, an d without being allowed to go on shore, was transported in t h e Ajax on the, 29th from Sebastopol t o Odes. We have been above fifty days prisoners, and must ept.ftinue so during the pleasure of our captors. After the she Ajax had been knocking about most lubberly for eleven days was obliged to put back to Sebastopol; during which R i .„,lase she ran ashore, and was detained four hours. Mr. Bell, Morton, and myself, were then informed we might, if ,wetlsthought proper, proceed by land at the expense of the sfan Government, to which Mr. Morton would not con .Beor, but preferred waiting till the ports were open. Mr. the and myself, However, agreed to travel by land, and on 14th of Fr;bruary commenced the dreadful journey, and reachedzrl Odessa on the 20th, at midnight. On the following h•Grilint I waited on Count Woronzoff, and was informed by C4 lll :Ye should bo made comfortable till we could be sent to ons tantinople, and for the present must return to our lodg ings, arid he would send to us. Shortly after this interview, the officers of police called up on us , and ordered us to another hotel cl ose to the police guard-house, with orders to make our rooms d agreeable, an d t h at t h e G overnor had most generously allowe Mr. Bell and myself each five rubles per day, and htwo rubles for the servant, for provisions. I have called on a s . James, his British Majesty's Consul. Count Woronzoff ins acquainted me that his Imperial Majesty has extended his I,nuolgences by sending us to Constantinople. I have there -I.,(;re desired the Consul to inform his Excellency that I am a bfritish subject, and no Mussulman, but have not received any 1. 9 11 Y. This morning (23d Feb.) a Mr. Carruthers came to US fr om the p o li ce , an d d emanded a document binding our ina rives not to attempt going anywhere without the know edge of the police. We replied, he must give us this de nd in writing, which was refused. The Captain of police ea ni c and told us that if we did not furnish him with such "%mew s as were demanded, he would place sentinels at ri ° lir doors; therefore under the circumstances, we were corn- Sled to accede. Yesterday my heart was a little relieved hia sight of Galignani of the Ist, 2d, and 3d instant, in ell I saw your letter, and also that some stir was making l'especting this illegal business. I hope this harbour will be Z e h in the course of another week ; we shall be sent to onstantinople, and so soon as Mr. Morton joins us we shall raake the best of our way to England. Trusting you are i d 'erre ntlY satisfied with my conduct, and that I have done my 14,1 remain, Gentlemen, your most obedient, Od essa, Feb, 23, 1837. T. T. CHILDS. LLoy D'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.) (aplipEAL, MAR CH 17.—Wi n d N. E., moderate.—A l arge s hi p o the are ntlY Netherland) passed to the Westward at the ba c k f Goodwin Sands at 11 a.m. HEAD , MARCII 17.—Arrived off port the Molly, brols from Rio. Ii n 'h AL MCUTU, MARCH 16.—Wind E. N. E.—Arrived the i ll it:erd e a l m ernents ' from Lisbon; and Twee, Gcbroders, from , leaky, pumps choked, and must discharge ; out 156 dam, to New York. 14; 4 1 , n 1i t . ) MARCH 16.—Arrived the Albert, Alexander, from y?V?s, MA RCH 17 . —Th e Ali ce , f ro m Hamburgh t o N ew hark "as p ut into this port with damage, and must discharge, fl g Struck on the Galloper, and been run foul of. Nlmicii 14 —The Elizabeth, from Dundee to Ne w " Pro v '•" Put into this p or t, w ith sails split, &c., and short of oill°ns and water, having been out 11 weeks from Cowes. C ranof l rn, MARCH 15.--The Head, from Leith to pat n 0 ha s b een towe d i n h ere f rom. Dunbar Bay, w h ere the cargo was landed. wauct, MAacii 13. The Equity, —, from Helmsdale to bourterford, got on shore on one of the islands forming this bar , on the 19th ult., but came off after discharging the cargo. V Eas f ° ll adl . R" SPOKEN WIEII.—The Elizabeth, from New- Apop and to Li s b on, on the 2Sth ult.: lat. 42, lon. 14 ; an d ' ins t . from Liverpool to Newfoundland, on th e 7 t h Nohj„ a t. 49, lon. 13, by the St. John, arrived at Dublin ; lat. from Cork, to New York, on the 26th ult. 6 ' I ° ll . 16, by the Courier, --, arrived at Bordeaux. RE FUNDS.-(THIS DAY.) CITY, 7'IVELVE O'CLOCK. this morning are the French and Hamburgh "° an ! p-1 The few s arrivals etter this . morning, and the disappointment in bress veeivi r , f. any telegraphic dispatch from Paris by the ex t ut this morning cause a very great dearth of information; Spjjniise,re Particularly the latter, a . s the speculators in the f Gen eral Securities entirely build their hopes on the success o the N o Evans, and until trey receive further information from . placed Nor Evans, of Spain, they continue inactive in their operations, c e q as they are between hopes and fears. fer ll 4s were, in the course of yesterday,. rather in a as vr II St ate, owing to a good supply of stock in the Market, ehd l e a s a great scarcity of money, particularly for commer- Peculations. Pr ov th e course of yesterday afternoon there was a slight im- Pari e s inen t in the Foreign Exchanges, and the Exchange on 1 2 q ie sed 25f. 80c., to 25f. 821 c.; upon Hamburgh, lira The no , accounts from the United States received yesterday Pro vail Lof a cheering nature. A great scarcity of money rat e f ': ) 4 , and the interest given in some instanFes was !it the briti sh ' Per cents. per month. A very large importat!onof manufacturedprim goods, it is reported, will be made , in the la fey wlth the view to effect an alteration in the Exchange 'our of England. THE FUNDS. c count ; Nloney, 90k ; Consols closed at 90e F- Ind a Account 26 24 prem. ; Z e oed at the same • Exchequer Bills, for the . 7c l s, 26 i► rn flank Stock shut. t l- I m 'e to: 4,.,'n the r)re. . ; Market Spanish Active Bonds e 7 l e e r d e 'e 'oreign ~4.1.v.y during yesterday, and closed at 214 a; op ~.,, Portuguese, 50 4 -t ; Three per Cent! o , 144ment is attributcd to the Portugueß: Thi 2r s a7 Colombian 241 " r° ied for the a meat of the next divid s cll. ,. . o‘ 3 •e 2 r l n . ment having per Cent., i 1 the Ac- i; Dutch Ti,PvoY-aild-a-llalf (;onsols have just receded to 90 ; 1. h Russia. Money, 90i, - , 4 for vi'unt, owing to the state of affairs wit HALF-PA ST ONEI• O m ' o C r i n ' in O g C a K. t the Official despatches have been receiv . ad t its _,Ptnish Ambassador's, from the Spanish Co p i e is e u t l mated the 12th inst. confirmin g t a h t e ßa onne, previousy Ileourits received b' the telegra i r i li e c v d er eS lines before o j the whole of the Y entrenchments of the Carlistil_c_ i h are making despatches of the taking I?_aro Sabastian, and of the preparation.s ofw Hernani. The .; a further advance for the attack "SPatches also state the loss of the Carlists at 900 They ,:rnozigst whom were 93 officers killed. to 1,000 men, in order to field that two battalions of Biscay were incorp li o k r e a " te i d se on me th n e - OranT of battle with the battalions of GuiPusc?s, a'l of them fight. ri c , St St. Sebastian, with the official commu They also confirm the arrishieatieiGt of e t r h a e l ai.e of Espartero to Cuernica, where helead taken 600 prisoners. a . f or the Aceensols, which were heavy in the morning at 9 . atig h4ave since i_ ceurit, owine'to the pending affairs with jproved to 90.1 'a% and 90 for for Money, as th ß e us p s r i ev Bonds, .1,!,°!_1.,. that the affair will be adjusted without resaoilritnigng"tio '"2"4'2,l3,ltLii. Exchequer Bills, 24 26 prem. ' za prem. In the Foreign Marketlndia Spanish during the mornin known that the Ambassador I _ , Spanish Active was also very heavy _ g; b . ut on its being success of General 275 a • Pas lad received official dispatches, confirming the s to o ; ga, per • i -f i ; DeferrEedv,atilsl, Spanish;pe Portuguese, 50 Three_ Ei: Cents., 321 33; Dutch To -and a-Half per Cents., 53t Colornbian, 24i; Mexican, 241 - O'CLOCK. Consols for the Account, 90.-: THREE I . ____ u• The phenomenon noticed on the 18th ult. over the greatest part of Europe, and which was supposed t o b e a varia tti.ioen of the aurora borealis, was most probably occasioned by tha t reflection of the red atmosphere of Mars, which passed b4t night behind the moon ; and it is worthy of rema r k that, 411 ring the transit of this planet, Venus, which was not .'rnyivderissta,n,ct, exhibited hues of the brightest red.—Gazette j . t Mr. r IN " T o . ntgomer y s 11 i r e Assizes on Tuesday, • 4stlee Bosanquet congratulated the Jury on the state of the val e a terZnth Il uar • there was not onc prisoner for trial. He observed, at whife in other countiesacts of personal violence were itted, and destruction of property sustained, the county i t w "tgeniery was exempt from those stains upon society ; and as a proof of the way in which the magisterial duties were Perfornted. MENTAL RESERVATION.-- Although the lower c't'lers of the Irish are famous for a species of ready wit, tllielss_liag_ volatility and a rich vein of. humour, they are no 1 , 4 ,, in rked by a quaintness of expression and a mental res.er tC_l°ll, calculated to gain. time and evade inquiry, or havin . g ia4t brought hom e to them which they wish to avoid ; of this ghatFomplexion is Shelah's answers to a country Magistrate. h im s gone of your husband, Shelah ?"—" What's gone of , ~,,. Your honour worship ? faith, and he's gone L711,,`"?:0, pray what did he die of ?"" Die of, your honour . ~u'e of a Tuesday." I don't mean what day of the week, arimti' bat,..complaint ?"—" Oh !complaint, your honour ; , faith, O h !1:81iself that did not get time to complain." ' Oh' al l i, „Y: , he died suddenly."" Rather that way, your +Nor ., ,t;•e Did he fall down in a fit "—( No answer from Shelah.) ti:l4' ?down in a fit, perhaps ?"" A fit, Your honour's wor or , felt,T, ne, not exactly that ; he—he fell out of a wndow, h, br o i o t r, I. don't know what they quieti." " Aye, ay; .and" ii \VII ° ° Ins nock•"--" No, not that, your worship. iik . at then ?,,___.., There was a bit of string, or cord, or tha t t dilioand it throttled poor Mick." " And pray, for what for rniliil;eb?"--" Suffer, your worship (weeping), faithoi?ly s own, but 0 lug (embezzling), a trifle that he taught wasay.h..l.. hiB_,. ls master said it was not, and so they swore an ay 1141. "'ens life, and that's all ; for Mick's as innocent as the hie Unborn." liIIPERI AMEN T. HOUSE OF LORDS, Mixat 17. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Woolsack at Five o' Clock. Lord KENYON presented petitions against the abolition of Church-rates from several places in Sornersetshire and Northamptonshire. The several Bills on the table were then, on the motion of the Earl of DEVON, advanced a stage. Lord CAMDEN presented several petitions in favour of Church-rates. Lord BANDON presented petitions from Castle Rising, and several other places, to the same effect. The Bishop of HE RE FORD presented a petition in favour of Church -rates, from the Dean and Chapter of Westminster. He said that he had a similar petition to present from another place, which from intechnicality he feared could not be received. It contained a passage to the effect that a Resolution had been submitted to their Lordships proposing the abolition of Church rates, and praying that they would check the progress of a measure the principle of which involved the destruction of the Church. Now, as no such Resolution was before their Lord ships, he begged to have the opinion of the Noble Chairman of Committees as to whether it could be received. Lord SHAFTESB UR Y said that in his opinion it could not. The petition was then withdrawn. Lord REDESD AL E then presented several. petitions in favour of Church-rates. The Archbishop of CANTERBURY presented petitions to the same effect from Deal, and from the parish of St. Mary Magdalene, Bridgenorth ; also from several places in Suffolk and Northamptonshire. The Duke of RUTLAND presented petitions from several parishes in the county of Leicester, praying their Lordships not to agree to any measure that would weaken our Ecclesias tical Establishment, as connected with Church-rates. If he were to form a judgment from the number of petitions which had been entrusted to his charge on this subject, as compared with those which had been entrusted to him on any previous occasion, he could not but think that the feelings of the mass of the people were more alive on this subject than they had been on any other. In his own neighbourhood he knew that small villages which had slept for years during the political turbulences that had gone by, had now been induced to petition both the Houses of Parliament; and entirely concurring, as he would say he did, with the prayer of the petitions, he was exceedingly happy to have been made the channel of communication between the petitioners and their Lordships' House. One of the petitions had the names or two or three females, but he did not know that that made any difference. The Bishop of BATH and WELLS presented petitions from Charlton, Banwell, and several other places, against the abolition of Church-rates ; and as the Right Rev. Prelate might not be able for some time:to present any farther petitions to their Lordship's House, he earnestly hoped nothing would be done by their Lordships contrary to the prayer of the petitioners. Earl RADNOR presented a petition from a parish in the County of Kent, in favour of the abolition of Church-rates. Lord BROUGHAM presented petitions from Barrhead (Renfrewshire) and other places, in favour of Church-rates. The petitioners prayed for the abolition of Church-rates on account of their being unjust and highly detrimental to the progress of true religion. Earl SHAFTESBURY presented a petition from the parish of Holyrood, praying for the abolition of Church-rates. The Duke of RICHMOND presented a petition from the city of Chichester, most respectfully signed, in favour of maintaining the privileges of their Lordships' House. Lord HATHERTON presented a petition from an indivi dual named William Deacon, a publican, praying for relief ; also a petition from Netherly, praying for the abolition of Church-rates. The Bills on their Lordships table were forwarded a stage. Lord WHA RN C L I FFE presented a petition from Newcas tle, signed by 500 persons, complaining that certain hospitals in Newcastle, established for the benefit of widows, infirm females, were about to be abolished by the present Council and Corpo ration of the town of Newcastle, and praying that their Lord ships would preserve those hospitals, whether endowed or not. The Noble Lord thought this a subject well meriting the at tention of their Lordships ; and he thought that when the subject of the Municipal Corporation Act came again under the consideration of the House, some provision for their preser vation would be made. Lord BR 0 UG H A M thought that to attempt to make such a provision would be attended with infinite difficulty. In point of fact the petition called upon the House to convert into per petual endowments, out of funds over which it had no con trol, those Establishments which had only been occasionally endowed. STATUTE LABOUR. Sir J. BECKETT brought up the Report of the North Midland Railway Bill. On the motion of Mr. WILLIAMS, the Ashby (Norfolk) Inclosure Bill was read a second time. DEPTFORD AND DOVER RAILWAY. Sir E. WILMOT moved that the time for the Committee to Report upon the Deptford and Dover (Kent) Railway Bill, be extended to the 17th of April.—Agreed to. On the motion of Mr. CHALMERS, the time for bring ing in the Leith and Newhaven Pier Bill was extended till Thursday next. Sir J. Y. BULLER presented a petition from the Trades House, Glasgow, and some individuals, against the Glasgow and Ayr Railway Bill, and praying to be heard against it by their Counsel and Agents. Arne. Lord WHARNCLIFFE said that he would take this op portunity of asking a question from the Noble Lord in respect to the Highway Bill. Previous to the new statute every pa rish had been obliged to supply a certain portion of statute labour; but, by the new statute, statute labour had been done away, and the consequence was of course that this evil was ex tended to the turnpike roads. This state of things had produced another equally bad in many parts of the country where the only resource was, in order to secure the repair of the roads, to have recourse to the common law, and to indict the parishes. Ho wished to know if any step would be taken to remedy the evil. The Duke of RICHMOND said when the Highway Bill was introduced, a Committee of their Lordships' House had been appointed to consider its provisions. A great many Peers had attended that Committee, and all its provisions had been narrowly watched. They had then discovered what had been overlooked in the House of Commons, that by destroying statute labour they would injuriously extend that provision to turnpike-roads, and he (the Duke of R.) had been directed as the Chairman of the Committee to state the existence of the clause; and in order to got over the difficulty—as it was not the custom of their Lordships' House to alter money Bills— he bad proposed that the Bill should not come into operation till March 1838, and the statute labour could have been collected before then. Last Session he stated the same thing as he had stated now, that if the Government did not do something, the turnpike trusts of the country would be in the greatest dis tress. He agreed with his Noble Friend who had asked him the question with respect to statute labour, that it was, in his opinion, the worst species of labour for repairing the roads. In his opinion there was a great deal more mischief done to the roads by means of that labour than there was good. He was perfectly aware of the abuse that existed in the system of management of the turnpike roads of the country. He bad called that subject to the at tention of their Lordships several times ; he knew that the Trustees were spending more money than they re ceived, and that in many instances they were actually borrow ing money to pay the interest, and added to that there here many bankrupt concerns. He would never consent to statute labour, as he did not think it right to tax the farmers. His object, in the recommendations he had given to their Lordships, always had been that a Bill should be brought in to amend the Turnpike-laws of the country, in order to en able the trustees to exercise a proper economy. He believed, if the consolidations proposed last session had been made the law of the land, the trustees of the roads would not re quire the imposition of any additional tax. That Bill had met with opposition in the other House of Parliament by the clerks of all the Trustees of the roads ; the cause of that opposition was easily explained, because by that, instead of 1,000 Clerks of the Trustees being requisite, only 500 would be required. In answer to the question of the Noble Lord, he would only say that he did not feel himself in a condition to propose to the House any measure of the sort he had alluded to.—( Hear.) He thought the best way of getting rid of the grievances complained of, was to pursue that line of conduct which would get them out of the difficulty. The Marquis of SALISBURY thought it would be a little too hard to inflict on the parishes an expense merely for the purpose of encouraging a system of profligate expenditure. He trusted the Government would take the matter into their early consideration. CHURCH-RATES. The Earl of WILTON presented a petition from Middle ton against the abolition of Church-rates. Viscount ST RANG FO RD presented several petitions from Canterbury and other places to the same effect. IRISH MUNICIPAL BILL. Viscount STRANGFORD presented a petition from the Guild of Merchants in the City of Dublin, sealed with their Corporate Seal, praying that in any Act introduced for the Reform of Municipal Corporations iii Ireland their private pro perty might be respected. Tho NOBLE VISCOUNT then presented petitions from Kings Sutton, Northampton ; Hopnorton, Norfolk ; and other places, praying the House to preserve its privileges inviolate. The House then adjourned till a quarter to Four to-morrow. HOUSE OF COMMONS, MARCH 17. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'Clock. On the motion of Mr. CAVENDISH the Newbold Derby Inclosuro Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr. BOWES brought up the Report of the Committee on the Clarence (Durham) Railway Bill. The Report of the Committee on the Leith any' Newhaven Harbour Bill was also brought up, stating that the Standing Orders had not been complied with. WEST CORK MINING -COMPANY. On the motion of Mr. RUTHVEN the West Cork Mining Company Bill was read a second time and ordered to be referred to the Committee. Mr. HINDLE Y was about to make some observations on the iniquitous propositions in this Bill, but was informed by Mr. Ruthven that the Bill had been read a second time, and the Hon. Member then stated he should defer those observa tions till the next stage of the Bill. SOUTHWARK AND HAMMERSMITH RAILWAY, Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition signed by a Member of the House (whose name we could not hear) an d the Directors of the Southwark and Hammersmith Railway, denying the allegations contained in a petition which had been presented by an i n di v id ua l i mpugn i ng t h e con d uc t of the peti tioners. The prayer of the petition was that it might be re ferred to a Committee , by which the truth of its allegations would be ascertained. BRIGHTON . Sir C. BURRELL presented a RAILWAY petition against Rennie's line of Railway to Brighton, which was ordered to be referred to the Committee on the Bill. OVER INCLOSURE. Mr. TOWNLEY brought up the Report of the Standing Orders' Committee on the Over Inclosure Bill, which was then ordered to be read a first time. Mr. VILLIERS presented a petition from Northampton in favour of the South Union Railway, BIRKENHEAD AND CHESTER RAILWAY. On the motion of Mr. WILBRAHAM, the Birkenhead and Chester Railway Bill was read a second time and ordered to be committed. TFIE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH ig.), 1837. the Standing Orders' Committee. He thought the practice prevailing in the Standing Orders' Committee eves not con formable with the intention of the House in establishing them. By the Resolution of the House the Sub- Committ eke was bound to report to the Standing Orders Committee any special reasons which might exist for their forming an opinion, provided there were any alleviating circumstances in the arse, and the Standing Orders Committee should report accordingl,v to the House. In the present case no alleviating circumseanees e ere reported, and the House had no means of term ing an opinion of what might be the nature of any evidence tendered to the Committee. If the Committee excluded any evidence offered by the parties, it certainly was a great hardship upon them ; and he understood there were circumstances connected with this case of an alleviating nature. In the case of the Brighton Committee, the House would bear in mind that it had been preceded by a petition, stating facts upon which that House could not express itself too strongly in condemnation.—( Hear). That there had been an agreement that the parties would not avail themselves of any I objection that might be taken before the Standing Order 1 Committee, it was quite obvious that if such a course was allowed the whole of the Standing Orders might be got rid of. In all cases in which there had been a non-compliance with the Standing Orders, the buildings had been disiectly inserted in the book of reference, and in the present case the question turned upon this—it was stated, and not denied, that the barn had not been inserted in the book of reference, and it was also stated that it had been originally in the book, and was struck out. Lord EBRINGTON made an observation. Mr. POULTER rose to address the House amid cries of " Order, Chair." The SPEAKER observed that these contradictions only showed the House was not sufficiently informed upon the facts. He had paid every attention to the facts, and confessed GRANTON PIER. that he was unable to come teeny definite conclusion, but from On the motion of Sir G. CLERK, the Granton Pier Bill all he had heard he thought it a case in which the parties were was read a third time. entitled to redress. BIRMINGHAM AND DERBY RAILWAY. Lord EBRINGTON explained. Mr. TANCRED had to call the attention of the House to Sir ROBERT PEEL had so much doubt upon the subject a petition from the Directors of the Birmingham and Derby that he had felt it his duty to appeal to the Chair, in order to Railway Company, whose Bill was (as we understood the obtain the opinion of the Speaker. He had a very strong im- Hon. Gentleman to say) lost on account of some informality by pression that injustice had been done in this case ; and it would a non-compliance with the Standing Orders of the House. be most important to know whether or not other Railways That had been productive of a loss of upwards of 5,0001., and had been permitted to pass, in which buildings had not the promoters of the Railway Bill felt satisfied that that had been included in the book of reference which had not been occurred, from a misunderstanding on the part of some parties. on the enlarged scale, because if they had the House would The circumstances of the case were shortly these : last year have contrary decisions. If the Honourable Gentleman a Bill had been introduced for the purpose of con- would consent that the parties should be placed in their netting the town of Birmingham and Derby by Railway, original position, and if it should be found that there 1 Another Bill had been introduced to correct the original line, was any Standing Order contrary to this Bill, that then the and for connecting with it the towns of Tamworth and Rugby. Bill should be rejected, he (Sir R. Peel) thought that that The principal objecti o n w hi c h h a d b een ma d e i n th e Standin g would be right. Orders Committee was that a barn in the pasture property me POULTER explained. of Sir George Chetwynd had not been engraved upon Mr. ESTCOURT said, that he felt bound to oppose the the plan. When the Bill was before the Sub-Committee motion. the agent had proceeded to obviate that objection, but he was Mr. PEA SE did not consider that it was a breach of the given to understand that in that stage it was not necessary to Standing Orders. The engineer had struck out the word proceed farther. Afterwards, when the Bill went before the " Farms" from the book of reference, saying that they did not Standing Orders Committee, it was thrown out in consequence want it—the opponents now came down and said but they of that informality—thus an enormous expense had been fruit- might yet take it. He would give the motion his support lessly incurred. The Company never contemplated carrying the After a few words from Sir R. Price, Sir E. Knatchbull, works over 50 yards of the park, and the building in question Sir T. Fremantle, and Sir J. Wrottesley, was not required. He hoped there were some of the Members Mr. R. WA SON moved the Standing Orders be con of the sub and superior Committees present, for the matter fi rme d. was not yet understood; this was the first Session in which Sir ROBERT PEEL thought the proper course would be the Committees had 'been subdivided, and it was no wonder to bring in a Bill. that parties should frill into such a mistake as this Company Lord SANDON reminded the House that the line was a had. Under these circumstances he proposed that the Bill be very short one, and no inconvenience could result from their referred back to the Committee. coming to Parliament next Session. Mr. POULTER rose to second the motion, which he Mr. TA NCRED said, after what had been stated, all he trusted would be conceded. As, a member of the Committee, would ask for was, for leave to present a petition to bring in he could state that the objections appeared to the Committee a Bill for making a Railway between Rugby and Tamworth. to be of a very trivial nature, and as it was quite clear that the A Message from the Lords brought up several papers. appeal Committee would be able to give relief, whether erro- Strangers were ordered to withdraw, and the House neous or not, the Sub-committee did not think it of importance divided upon the motion for leave to present a petition what decision they came to on those trivial objections. The Com- to bring in a Bill for making a Railway between Tamworth mittee certainly acted on the supposition that the appeal Com- and Rugby. mittee had power to grant relief, and, under such circum- For the motion stances, he hoped the motion would be conceded. Against it Lord EBRINGTON objected to the motion, but before Majority —s7 stating his reasons, he would detain the House a few moments TRANSFER OF AIDS BILL—POST-OFFICE. with some of the facts that had really taken place. The Speaker On the Order of the Day being read for receiving the Ro he was sure would recollect that when the petition of the pro- port of the Transfer of Aids Bill, meters of the Railway was first brought forward by the Hon. Mr. WALLACE wished to know from the Vice-President Member for Warwickshire, a motion was made fur referriog it of the Boai‘d of Trade whether any new regulation had been back to the Standing Orders Committee. On that occasion come to by the Post-office relative to the charges of postage the Speaker had stated it as his opinion, that it on the Commercial Shipping Gazette. was not proper that such a reference should be made Mr. LABOUC HE RE said the Post-office was engaged in without the express consent of the Standing Orders Committee, an inquiry respecting all fees, and the point to which the Hon. and it was in consequence of that opinion that in conference Member alluded had come under their consideration with the with the Hon. Member for Warwickshire he had inserted the rest. words which were objected to. Upon the motion being Mr. O'CONNELL moved for copies of returns relative to brought forward by the Hen. Member for Staffordshire, the the number of persons tried at the County Assizes in Ireland. Chairman of the Standing Orders Committee said Mr. BE RNAL brought up the Report of the Transfer of he could not consent to the insertion of the words until an Aids Bill. opportunity had been had of consulting the Standing Orders STORES SUPPLIED TO SPAIN. Committee, and in consequence of that the discussion was Mr. M'ls EA N said he understood a ship had been sent out postponed. At the next meeting of the Standing Orders lately with ammunition and stores for the service of the Queen Committee, the subject was discussed, and the members of of Spain ; he wished, therefore, to ask the Noble Lord whe- Committee present at the time stated distinctly, and as ther such was the fact, and also whether the Government had far as he recollected, unanimously, their objection to received any payment for stores hitherto furnished, and, if not, the assumption of their consent.--( Cries of " Hear, hear.") whether there was any guarantee for payment ? A resolution was then framed, omitting that part of the order. Lord PALMERSTON said he could give no answer to the In consequence of the discussion which took place at that first question, as he had no knowledge of such a circumstance ; time, with respect to what the Hon. Member for Staffordshire and his answer to the second was, that his Majesty's Govern considered the course of the House, he was induced to withdraw ment had furnished the stores in conformity with the engage his opposition, and by that he certainly considered that an talents entered into by the Quadruple Treaty. extinguisher was put upon all opposition to the Bill.—( Hear.) Mr. M'LE AN—Without any guarantee ? He would fairly admit there was an obscurity and difficulty in Lord PALMERSTON—We were satisfied with the gua the constitution of these Standing Orders ; but he would sub- rantee entered into during the Government of the Right Hon. mit to the House, if it considered the construction which had Baronet the Member for Tamworth. been put on the Standing Orders by the Sub-Committee was Mr. • M‘L E A N—On that occasion there was no guarantee. not correct, it was the duty of the House in the first Lord PALMERSTON—An exchange of notes. instance to amend the Standing Orders, and then give the Lord MAHON wished also to put a question. He un parties liberty to proceed with their Bill. He did not know perstood that the sum of 540,0001, put down in the esti w hether it was necessary for him to go into the particular merits mates as expenses for the service of the Queen of Spain, was of the case, but if the House thought it necessary he would do not all the expense that had been incurred in the transaction. so. The Standing Orders Committee had determined to hear He did not say there was any error i n th e ac c oun ts, for he had all the statements seriatim ; they were all rea d ove r, and tne ' not had an opportunity of examining them, but he had been in- Committee proceeded to discuss two or three of them. The formed that provisions and stores and other supplies had been main point, however, upon which a decision was come to, was furnished by his Majesty's Government for the service of the the absence from the book of reference and from the enlarged Queen of Spain since the estimate was drawn up. He wished, scale of all notice of a barn, which was within less than one therefore, to know from the Noble Lord whether any supplies hundred yards of the proposed railway. It had been in the had been furnished in addition to those included in the esti book of reference but was struck out. lie should :confess he mate, and also if he could give anything like an approxima saw no reason to alter his opinions, and he would therefore tion to the expense. oppose the proposition for referring back the case to the Stand- Mr. CHARLES WOOD said he believed the most pre ing Orders Committee. eise information was given in the accounts made up, one ac- Sir EARDLEY WILMOT explained. count to the 15th of February, and the other to the 24th of Sir G. CLERK was most anxious to have the decisions of February, when the Noble Lord gave notice of his motion. the House always consistent with each other ; and therefore Ile was not aware any further supplies had been sent out since he thought this case ought to follow that of the Brighton case that period. He had further to tell the Noble Lord, that no last night. If the Standing Orders Committee were not very supplies for more than a year were furnished at one time ; that strict, the landowner would have no security a t a ll. Th e the whole of the naval stores had been furnished two years people interested in railroad lines must be particular in their ago, during the Administration of the Right Hon. Baronet, plans, or who was to know whether his lands were to be effec- and when the Noble Lord was Under Secretary for Foreign ted or not? He would cordially support the motion of the Affairs; and any supplies sent out since that period did not Hon. Gentleman. amount to more than 601. Mr. GR. EENE, as one of the Members of the Standing COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY—TREATY OF ADRIA- Orders Committee who had been particularly alluded NOPLE, AND SEIZURE OF THE VIXEN. to, felt it necessary to state what took place in the Com- On the Order of the Day being read for the House resolv naittee. In his opinion, the consideration of the quell- ing itself into a Committee of Supply, tion was gone through entirely, and the Committee had Mr. ROEBUCK ruse and spoke to the following effect :—I come to a decision to which he still adhered, that hope for the indulgence of the House on account of the hoarse the Standing Orders had not been complied with. ness under which I labour, and on that account I shall make a After that decision had been come to, he unquestionably did very short speech. I wish to call the attention of the House state that he thought the parties ought not to feel much an- and the Government to a subject of no ordinary importance, a noyed at the Report that the Standing Orders had not been subject interesting, not because it refers to individuals who complied with, as he thought that the Committee would have lost their produce and merchandise, but because it in afford them relief. This he stated only as his own opinion, wolves a question on the principles of international law, and but in consequence of that statement the parties said they had also a question of peace or war.--( Hear.) Some time ago a delayed taking farther proceedings. If the statement was of any vessel was fitted out, and before she proceeded to her desti service to the parties he was bound to make it, that he never nation application was made in the regular quarter—to the meant to express any positive opinion that would bind the Corn- Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs—to ascertain whether mittee. He would only further observe, that in a conversation he there was any impropriety or danger to be apprehended if a had with the Hon. Chairman of the Standing Orders Commit- vessel landed goods in any ports on the Circassian coast. The tee, he was informed it was the practice o f th e Committee to application was made because fears of danger were enter call before it the agent, and investigate the matter. tained from the interference of Russia. The answer returned After a few words from Mr. R. PALMER, which were by the Government through the Noble Lord to the merchants not heard in the gallery, who applied was to look to the Gazette ; and finding no indi- Mr. AGLIONBY said, the question really was whether cations whatever in the Gazette of any acknowledgment of the decision of the Standing Orders' Committee could be con- blockade, and thereby concluding that the blockade was not sidered conclusive. In his opinion the House ought to preserve recognised by the British Government, and that they were its right as a Court of Appeal ; and in the present instance, not precluded by authority from landing goods and merchan great injury would be done to the parties if the resolution of di se in a Circassian port belonging to an independent nation, the Standing Orders Committ e e was h e ld t o b e final. When they dispatched a vessel ; and when at the port it was seized the cottage alluded to was not in the book of reference, the by a Russian ship of-war, and the master and crew were im parties could not be required to put it in the enlarged scale ; prisonod. Here, then, is this extraordinary circumstance. In and, under the circumstance, they could not take it even if they the first place, an English merchant vessel is prevented from afterwards desired. It not being i n th e b oo k o f ref erence was entering the port of a country with which England is on prima facie evidence that it was not their intention to take it. terms of amity by an armed force—a Russian man-of-war. The finding of the Standing O r ders Committee had been that In the next place, English subjects carrying on a legal the building was not up o n th e large scale of the plan, and trade—a trade of which they had obtained no information that it was not inserted in the book of reference. Now he from their own Government calculated to discourage them, (Mr. Aglionby) would contend upon the precedents laid are coerced by Russia, captured, and thrown into prison. Sir, down in the case of other Committees, the House was bound I have entered in the order-book a notice that I would move to reverse the decision that bad been c ome t o . He should for certain papers elucidatory of this singular transaction. The therefore vote for relief being given to these parties. reason why I ask for these papers is, that I understand the Lord G. SOMERSET thought the Hon. Member had the defence by Russia of this aggression is two-fold. The rather assumed than proved his case. It was rather hard upon first, that she had placed the coast of Circassia in a state of those individuals who, relying upon the decision of the Stand- blockade ; the second, that she had framed certain custom ing Orders Committee in their fa vour , h a d gone t o an error- house regulations, to which it was necessary that the ships of mous expense, t o ques tion that decision now, and he for one alljnations should conform.: I want the papers for which lam should certainly object to it. about to move for three reasons. First, to ascertain if this The SPEAKER sa id ever since he had the honour of country has ever acknowledged the right of Russia toblockade sitting in that Chair, he had not had such a difficult case sub- the coast in question ; secondly, to ascertain if Russia ac mined to his notice.--( Hear, hear, hear.) He thought tually possesses the right of blockade ; thirdly, to ascertain if it his first duty to give all the weight of his authority Russia has the right to make the custom-house regulations to in favour of the Committees generally, but more especially which I have a d ver ted. On all those points the papers for to the Standing Orders Committee ; on the other h an d, th e w hi c h l am about to move, i f they b e pro d uce d , w ill pro b a bl y case then before the House involved the character of the Mem- afford us satisfactory information. The defence of Russia is, hers composing both that Committee and the Sub- Committees. that, by the treaty of Adrianople, Circassia was ceded to Rus- It was the manner in which this case had been conducted which sia by Turkey ; and consequently that Russia had a right to caused all the difficulty. His opinion was, that though the House establish a blockade of the coast of Circassia, and to establish ought to give large powers to Committees, and gene- whatever custom-house regulations she might think proper rally to support them, still they ought not to part with in relation to her ports.—( Hear, hear, hear.) Now, in the whole of their own power. But he thought the House the first place, I deny that the territory of Circassia is in ought only to be called upon to give a decision, not the possession of Russia ; secondly, I assert that, not being for the purpose of sending a Bill back to the Corn- in the possession of Russia, Russia has no right, according. mittee.—( Hear, hear.) He on the former occasion un- to the law of nations, to make any custom-house regulations derstood that the Standing O r ders C om mittee were wil- in relation to the ports of Circassia ; and, thirdly, I maintain ling to have the Bill refened back to them.—( Signs of dis- that Russia has no right to blockade the coast of the terri sent. ) He most certainly understood it so, and had tory of a free people against the entrance into its ports of acted upon that understan-ling. He understood that upon an English vessel with English goods.—(Hear, bear.) 1 further consideration they were willing to reconsider know, stir, that I shall be met by a reference to the con their decision with a view to its b e i ng a lt er ed. d u ct of th e British nation itself on former occasions. . I When again it came before the House, the Hon. Member for shall be told that we then claimed the right to lay an em- Warwickshire was induced to withdraw his motion, on the barge on the ports of a nation with which we were at war, understanding that he should not be prevented from ap- against the whole world. I acknowledge that this was for pealing to the House, if such a course might be merly the rule laid down by the British people. But I ask deemed necessary, in the way of a motion such as whether at this time of day we are disposed to place any that now made. He understood there were several points part of the system of international law on a footing so to be be considered, three only of which were discussed before grantly unjust ? It is my earnest desire to maintain the peace of the world. But, ;. iir, the peace of the world is not to be maintained by any six uffiing, unjust, or timid course ; it can be maintained only by , a straightforward, bold, open, and manly line of conduct.—(ll ear, hear, hear.) The rule must be the rule of right—the rul e which alone is sanctioned by the principles of internationa 1 law—the rule which must be observed and upheld under all circum.tances of difficulty and danger.—( Hear, hear, lit !az.) I care not what conduct the English Government may have pursued in former times. If unjust, it deserved to be .3-, tiFmatised, as it was stigma. tised, by the whole world. .But there is a power rising up which will put an end to all such oppressive and iniquitous proceedings. The United S tates of America will presently lay down the just law of naeions: with reference to the com merce of neutral nations, amid that law her naval power will enable her to support. I con te now, Sir, to inquire in what way the commerce of this country has been attacked by Russia in the case in questicl n. The Circassians are in pos session of almost the whole of their coast, Russia possessing only three points--mere forta. On a coast extending many hundred of miles, Russia posy e sses only these three isolated forts. All the rest of Circassi ais in the hands of the Circas sians themselves. They cultiv: ►te the soil—they reap the har vest ; and on their coast our mt •rchants have a right to stop, and to negotiate their trade, inn 'epenolent of, and unobstructed by, the interference of Russia.- -( Hear, hear, hear.) I may be told by some persons that 11 ussia is a great power, and that we ought to be careful how ,. we offend her. Sir, that is not my policy. If Russia were the most insignificant power on the face of the earth, we oug bt to yield to her claim, if it be one of justice; if Russia w ere the greatest power on the face of the earth, we ought; to resist her claim, if it be one of injustiJe.—( Hear, hear. ) But I maintain that the claim of Russia is unjust, and that the power of Russia is con temptible. If Russia were to t: o. to war with England to morrow, in six months there would not be a R L 'ssian flag flying on the high seas, or on the Black Sea.—(Hear. j \ And further, I maintain that a war with Eng laud would soon m eke the Em peror of all the Russians tremble! on his throne; for s 'bere would then be no British merchants t-u whom the Russiail people might sell their goods. The tim e has been when Ruoia was subjected to the coercion of a miy:htier power than any which now exists in the world. When Napoleon was in the pleni tude of his strength, with Austria as his ally, and almost a U the rest of continental Europe a.t his feet, he was unable to prevail on Russia to renounce her alliance with England, be `;, cause in that event the Russian Nobles would have been de prived of the outlet which we afforded them for the sale of their goods. If that was the calm when all the power and in fluence of Napoleon was exerted to produce an opposite result, is it not more likely that such would be the case in the present condition of the world ? Depend upon it, that whatever may be the weakness, whatever may be the madness of the Empe ror of Russia, he would at once yield to the representations of the English Government, and would not dare to brave the resentment of a power which could crush him in a month. —( Hear, hear.) Sir, it is contended that Circassia was ceded to Russia by the treaty of Adrianople. But the Cir cassians are in possession of their own country. I deny that Turkey had any right to cede Circassia to Russia. But even if Turkey had a right to cede Circassia to Russia, yet see ing that Russia is not in possession of Circassia, I main tain that Russia has no right to proclaim a blockade of the coast of Circassia.—(Hear, hear, hear.) I will suppose an analogous case. Spain has not yet yielded her authority over and her right to her South American colonies. Suppose Spain were to cede the province of Mexico to the United States of America, and suppose America were to declare the port of Tampico in a state of blockade, would the right of America to do so be recognised ?—( hear, hear.) But the cases are strictly analogous. Turkey was not in actual pos session of Circassia, nor is Spain in actual possession of Mexico. Turkey, nevertheless, cedes Circassia to Russia. But would-Spain cede Mexico to America ? I ask the Noble Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he should con sider America entitled to preclude English vessels from enter ing the ports of Mexico because Mexico had been ceded by Spain to America ?—( Hear, hear.) If the Noble Lord would 'not allow this, and if the cases which I have described are per fectly similar, what ought the Noble Lord to do with reference to Russia? The case of the Vixen is an individual case, it is true ; but the Noble Lord should at once make his stand upon it.—(Hear, hear.) It may be said that it is not a just case to go to war upon. I say that it is a just case to go to war upon. —(Hear, hear.) lam always against going to war upon ab stract political principles. I care nothing for what is termed the balance of power. Russia may endeavour to obtain pos session of all the world, and I regard her efforts with indiffe rence ; but the moment she interferes with our commerce, I call upon the Government of this country to punish the ag gression.—( Hear, hear. )It would be a just punishment, and a punishment which, in the plenitude of our power, might be inflicted without difficulty. For my own part, I look upon Russia merely as a barbarous country ; or as a country connected as slightly as may be with civili zation and its advantages. The power of Russia exists in the imagination of those who have dwelt upon it, rather than in real and substantial strength. I am prepared to declare, therefore, that if the facts of the case be such as I have de scribed them to be, I would call Russia to a severe account for her conduct.—( Hear.) I would do so, not because I wish for war, but, on the contrary, because I wish for peace.— ( Hear.) I would not go to war with Russia on account of any territorial aggression on her part ; but I consider it the bounden duty of the English Government to protect English commerce from attack and injury. Of this lam convinced, Sir, that if we really wish and intend to maintain the peace of the world, we must not evade meeting such a case as this—we must not shrink, as the Noble Lord seems to shrink, from at once declaring ourselves with respect to it. —( Hear.) I can not acquit the Noble Lord of blame in the whole of this af fair. Why were not the people who asked the Noble Lord whether they might undertake this commercial expedition prevented by him from doing so ? They had a right to make the inquiry, whether the coast of Circassia was really in a state of blockade; and it was the bounden duty of the Noble Lord to give them information upon the point.—( Hear, hear.) Sir, it is beneath the dignity of Great Britain to tam per with, or hesitate upon, subjects like these. If we are a great people, let us act like a great people.—(Hear.) The Noble Lord is bound to assert the principle of the freedom of our trade, and to enforce that principle by our power. The Noble Lord ought to declare that we will trade with any na tion not at war with us, with whatever other nation that na tion may be at war.—( Hear, hear, hear.) Unless some dis tinct principle of that kind be asserted—unless we specify what we mean by interference or non-interference—unless we state what, as a commercial people, we are entitled to, and will defend—we may keep going on upon isolated cases, and never have any certain or established rule of action. If the Noble Lord will tell us what is the principle of international law by which he has been guided on this occasion, I will endeavour to understand him. I want to know what the British Govern ment has done to protect the British subject ? I want to know if the British Government has acknowledged the treaty of Adrianople ? I want to know if the British Go vernment has acknowledged, the right of Turkey to cede Circassia to Russia ? I want to know if the British Govern ment has acknowledged the right of Russia to blockade the coast of Circassia ? As to treaties, Sir,. all experience shows us how insignificant and unavailing are the stipulations of treaties when it ceases to be the interest of the parties to ob serve them. By the treaty of London it was stipulated that Russia should not, in any way whatever, acquire territory from Turkey. In the treaty of Adrianople, in spite of the treaty of London, there is a distinct article stipulating that Circassia should be ceded to Russia by Turkey. Why do I say this ? Not that I care whether Russia is in possession of Circassia or not ; but I want to point out the utter fallacy of any Treaty, the stipulations of which it ceases to be the in terest of any of the parties concluding the Treaty to fulfil. The principle of our policy ought to be, to trade with all na tions ; to enter into political Treaties with none. That is the wise policy pursued by the United States of America. The first thing they do when the trade of America is attacked is to send a ship-of-war to protect it. They do not content themselves with firing off a battery of protocols.—(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) They do not talk about their rights ; they enforce them.,—( Hear.) They do not meddle with other people's concerns ; but they take care of their own. Now, if I travel all round the world with the Noble Lord, what do I find ? That the Noble Lord has interfered where he should not have interfered—that he has not interfered where he should have interfered. The Noble Lord " has done the things that he ought not to have done ; and he has not done the things that he ought to hare done."—( Hear, and a laugh.) If anybody ask me why I introduce the discussion of this subject on the motion for going into the consideration of the navy estimates, I will tell him. In the Mediterranean a great por tion of our naval establishment is at present stationed. Most of our men-of-war are in that sea enjoying a very agreeable pastime. The " scions of a noble stock," who are there in command, arc sailing about from port to port in their armed yachts, taking their pleasure at the expense of the country.— (A laugh.) The Hon. and Gallant Admiral opposite seems much struck and amused with this view of the case. He is an experienced officer ; but in his time the case was different. Now, what is the state of our trade in the Medi terranean ? Why, that it is less secure there than in any other part of the world I In its immediate neighbourhood, in the Black Sea, an English merchant-vessel his taken, her crew are made prisoners, and her captain is barely per mitted, by the supreme and supereminent mercy of the Empe ror of all the Russias, to keep his head upon his shoulders.— ( Hear, hear, hear.) Sir, that is not treatment to which Bri tish subjects ought to be exposed. At least we ought to un derstand where our people may go and where they may not go. It is not surprising that an event of this nature should occasion considerable excitement and sympathy among the countrymen of those who have been so treated. I lay at the door of the Noble Secretary all the sufferings which these British sailors have endured. The Noble Lord ought to have been more ex plicit when he was asked by them what they should do. When they inquired whether Circassia was a place to which they might legally go, the Noble Lord ought to have told them, and not to have wantonly exposed them to all the evils which they have Suffered.—( Hear.) Russia, as I have already said, is hardly to be considered a civilised power. Unless, there fore, we make a signal declaration in this House that we will no longer suffer her aggrestions on our commerce, that our relations with her and the rest of the world are founded on a spirit of justice, and that being so founded, we will never fail steadily to observe and promptly to enforce them, we may assuredly expect further encroachments. Russia must be told that we will not allow her, from any freak, or at her own pleasure, to say to our merchants, " Here you may trade, and there you may not ;" but that we will pursue that undeviating course in which by the law of nations we are justified.—(Hear, hear.) And if the Noble Lord de sires to do something that may benefit mankind, I recommend him to inquire what the international law is on this subject, and, having ascertained it, to insist upon its observance by all nations. By such means, and by such means alone, can the poace of the globe be preserved. It is useless to talk; let the Noble Lord act, and ho will have the co-operation of every f iw li y • 1 ... •I'ArrNi civilised State.—(Hear, hear.) TheskqesTftr§islAlio' w whether the Noble Lord has b een su ffi ciently ilive ne im portance of the subject ; and they will also show whether he has taken the right means of protecting the interests—l mean the trading interests—of this country. The Hon. and Learned Member concluded by moving for " a copy of all correspond ence between the Government of this country and the Govern ments of Russia and Turkey, together with a copy of all cor respondence between the two last-mentioned Governments communicated to our own, relating to the treaty of Adrianople, as well as to all transactions or negotiations connected with the occupation of the ports and territories on the shores of the Black Sea by Russia since the above-named treaty of Adri anople." Mr. E WART declared himself as determined an advocate for the miantenance of peace as any one in that House could be ; but he did not conceive that an acquiescence in, or sub mission to, the conduct of Russia was the way to preserve peace or to support our national rights. The papers of that day communicated the intelligence of the condemnation of the Vixen, and he would ask whether the British nation could or ought to submit to such a dangerous awe such an audacious act of aggression ? The Goirernment were bound by every consideration, to afford protection to the trade of this empire ; and he thought it due to British commerce that a fleet should be stationed in the Black Sea. Sir ED WARD CODRINGTON maintained that that House had a right to know precisely the situation in which the country was placed in ) respect t o R uss i a . Russ i a, not only on paper, but with sincerity, was formerly determined to execute the treaty of London. Now, would any man say, looking to that treaty, that it was not in the power of England and France to force Russia to abide by the terms of the treaties she had entered into ? If this were not the case, then indeed he must agree with the Honourable and Learned Mem ber for Bath that all treaties were mere nonsense. Now with reference to the Greek question, he had no doubt of the sin.. cerity of Russia ; but it was in consequence of the Government showing a disposition to break faith that Turkey forced Russia into a war ; and then we left the Turks in the lurch, as we always did, and as we had done in the case of Spain. With regard to the present case, he had said two years ago that it . was our duty to stretch out a hand to Turkey ; and after the restoration of Greece, if we had done so, we should have prevented the war with Russia, and left Turkey in a much more favourable position. He hoped the Noble Lord would produce the papers for which the Hon. and Learned Member for Bath had moved. Mr. B. 1 - 1 0 Y said that whatever might be done in the mat ter to which the motion referred would be done in the spirit of fairness. Viscount PA LiVIE RSTON—The Hon. and Learned Mem ber for Bath, when he rose, promised the House that he would condense what he had to say into the narrowest com pass ; and never did an Hon. Member more correctly keep his word than he did. But I never y e t h ear d a speech of the same length which contained more extraordinary and new matter, or more astounding propositions, than the Hon. Gen tleman has promulgated. fie has laid down opinions upon public law which I confess—(though I may be ignorant on these matters)—appear to me to be calculated to raise the shades of Puffendorff, of Grotius, and of Bynker shock—_men who devoted their lives to the study of interna tional law. But not only did the Hon. and Learned Gentle man broach the most extraordinary doctrines when he adverted to what he maintained to be the proper law for nations to act upon ; but, having afterwards complained of my interfering too much in the affairs of other countries, he has had the good ness to set me a task which, whatever expectations he may have formed, I certainly could not achieve.—( Hear, hear. ) Sir, the Hon. and Learned Member gravely proposed that I should occupy myself by devising and putting together a code of international law, to entitle any country to trade with an other, in spite of the contingency of wars which mat rage in foreign lands. We are to get rid of this difficulty at the same time that this new code comes into operation. But there should be a perpetual peace, I presume, and, armed with this single parchment I am to address myself to the nations of the world. Now, I confess that whatever may be the talents of persuasion of the Hon. and Learned Member for Bath, I have too humble a notion of my own capacities to think the task he has set me is one that I could fulfil. The Honourable and Learned Gentleman asks me to state precisely what is the principle of international law on which his Majesty's Government intend to proceed ; and he says, do you mean to maintain the antiquated doctrine that the bel ligerent has the right to blockade are you prepared to maintain that principle ? I think, first, that the Hon. and Learned Member is mistaken in supposing it to be the doc trine in the United States that every country has a right to trade. sir, it is not necessary that I should agree to the production of the papers connected with the treaty of Adria nople, because I assure the Hon. and Learned Gentleman that his Majesty's Government are prepared to exercise themselves, and they admit the right on the part of others to exercise, the undoubted law of nations, which is, that the belligerents have the right to blockade, if that blockade be effective and con sistent with the law of nations. It must not be a matter of paper, but there must be the presence of force ; and I say that, as a maritime nation, our power must depend on our fleet. We arc satisfied that not only our commercial, but our political existence is connected with this principle of maritime law ; and I say, that any man who would persuade England to renounce this principle, on the adherence to which the wel fare of the country depends, must be the greatest enemy the country ever had.—( Hcaie ) I agree, indeed, with the Hon. Gentleman, in the observation he made, that the question which is now brought before the House is one not merely involving the important question of international law, but, by possibility, the question of peace or war between this country and Russia; and such being the true definition of the question before the House, I am persuaded that the House will see that, fortunately for us, it is not a part of its policy that in a case which may lead to the issue of peace or war it can be properly treated in Parliament under circumstances like the present; but that the matter should be left to the Execu tive Government, until it shall have arrived at that point when it becomes their duty to communicate the facts to Parliament itself. Such being the constitutional practice, lam sure this House will feel that I only discharge an imperative duty if I do not follow the Hon. and Learned Gentleman into any dis cussion of the practical question of the Vixen, to which lie has referred. At the same time, in nay own justification, I beg to say one word as to the charge which has been brought against me. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman has said that I gave an evasive answer to the owner of the Vixen, by which he was misled; and as the Hon. and Learned Member has directed his observations to that point, I will read the letters which passed between Mr. Bell and myself. But I beg to point out a distinction which has not been sufficiently ad verted to by the Honourable and Learned Member, with re ference to belligerents blockading. There is a distinction to be drawn between measures which may be applied by one Power to the ports and coasts of another Power with which she may be at war, and a blockade maintained to enforce municipal regulations to which a system of quarantine applies. [Here the Noble Lord read the whole of the correspondence that passed between the Government and the mercantile house of Bell and Co., previous to the sailing of the Vixen.] This constituted the whole of the correspondence that took place between the Government and the commercial House of which Mr. Bell was a member ; the fact at the time being as appeared in the Gazette, that no blockade had been declared by the Russian Government—at least, none communicated to the Government of this country, and therefore none had been acknowledged. I have already stated that I wished to draw the attention of the House to the distinction that exists between a blockade and the establishment of certain municipal regula tions. Acting according to what I conceived to be my duty, I declined to give to Mr. Bell any communication as to what the bearing of the municipal regulations established by Russia on the eastern coast of the Black Sea might be upon the parti cular voyage he was about to undertake ; but I referred him to the Gazette, where he would find that no blockade had been communicated to this country. Therefore, , when the Hon. and Learned Member (Mr. Roebuck) says that the voyage of the Vixen was encouraged, that she was allowed to go out by the Government as a sort of feeler to try a particular question of international law, I think, from the correspondence I have read, the House will see that all the replies of the Govern ment were of a discouraging rather than of an encouraging na ture. I quite agree with the Hon. and Learned Member in his maxim, that we ought to do justice to all countries, however small or weak they may be ; and that we ought not to sub mit to injustice from any country, however strong ; because undoubtedly this country is sufficiently powerful to make her rights respected by any nation that may be disposed to violate them. But the Hon. and Learned Member complains that we do not put in practice this maxim; and he says that we have a fleet in the Mediterranean for no other purpose, as he conceives, than to furnish yachts of pleasure to a certain number of captains descended from high families in the land. As a proof of the uselessness of the Mediterranean fleet, the Hon. and Learned Member cites a case 'which took place, not in the Mediterranean, but in the Black Sea, and in which therefore the Mediterranean fleet could not in terpose. But I take upon myself to deny the assertion made by the Hon. and Learned Gentleman, and to declare that that the Mediterranean fleet has been most useful in pro tecting our commerce, which is the chief and main object to which the policy of this country should be directed. But the Hon. and Learned Member made a very singular proposi tion—he said, " I care not for the balance of power, I care only for the commerce of England; I care not if one power gain possession of the whole world, as long as the commerce of England is maintained." But what would be the position of our commerce if the Honourable and Learned Gentleman's proposition were established ? What would be the position of England, if her commerce with all the rest of the world hap pened to depend on one single will by which the rest of the world was governed ? I am sure be would see that his indif ference on one side, and his anxiety on the other, were incom patible in their results; and that the only mode of continuing a free commerce is to keep a watchful eye upon that balance of power which he thinks should not be a matter to occupy so much attention as the Government were disposed to lavish upon it. The Hon. and Learned Member states that Russia has broken faith with regard to the arrangements entered into in the treaty of London, by which she engaged not to acquire any territory at the expense of Turkey. Ido not consider that that particular engagement applied to a case of war between Russia and Turkey. lam of opinion with the Gallant Ad miral (Codrington) that it was limited to transactions con nected with the settlement of the affairs of Greece. At the same time I must say that Russia, though she was not bound by that particular stipulation, did nevertheless, at the time she was commencing her war with Turkey, voluntarily enter into an engagement, by a declaration to the whole of Europe, by which she did bind herself, as far as a voluntary declara tion can be considered binding on any power, that let the re sult of the war with Turkey be what it would, in no case would she look to any acquisition of territory. lam bound, therefore, to say that the criticism of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman, although the reasons upon which he founds it are not correct, yet holds good as far as the extension of the DROGHEDA AND KELLS RAILWAY. Mr. R. PALMER brought up the Report of the Standing Orders Committee on this Bill, stating that the Standing Orders had been complied with. DURHAM AND SUNDERLAND RAILWAY. On the motion of Mr. A. TREVOR, this Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to the Durham list. On the motion of Captain AL SAGER, leave was given to bring in a Bill to enable the Commercial Steam-packet Com pany to sue and be sued. Sir W. RAE presented a petition against the Glasgow and Kilmarnock Railway. MANCHESTER AND TAMWORTH RAILWAY. Mr. CALCRAFT presented a petition from an individual against the Manchester and Tamworth Railway ; also a peti tion from the same person against the Manchester and Staf ford Railway Bill. BRISTOL COURTS OF CONSCIENCE. Sir R. VYVYAN brought up the Bristol Court of Con science Bill, which was ordered to be read a first and second