The Sun. — London, England, 1849-07-12 00:00:00

fourtb92Vition SUN OFFICE, Seven o'clock. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. (THIS DAY.) HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair shortly after 'Twelve o'clock. Mr. S. ADAIR presented petitions in favour of the vote by bsllot. THE SCOTCH BILLS. In reply to Mr. FORBES, Mr. LABOUCHERE intimated that the Noble Lord the First Lord of the Treasury would make his state ment upon this subject at five o'clock this afternoon. MERCHANT SEAMEN AND PILOTS. On the motion of Mr. LABOUCHERE the House went into Committee. Mr. LABOUCHERE then rose and said he proposed, in redemption of the engagement which he entered into at an early period of the session, to call the attention of the House to the various objects connected with the mercantile marine of this country, and he felt persuaded in doing so that it would be wholly unnecessary for him to detain the House with any preface by setting forth the immense importance of the subject to which he invited the attention of the House. He need not dwell upon the immense magnitude of the ospital invested in the merchant service of this country, upon the great and 'valuable portion of our population which it employed, nor of the immense national as well as commercial interests connected with the service. It was their duty at a former period of the session to call the attention of the House to a subject intimately connected with the interests of the merchant service—he meant the question of the navigation laws. Oa that occasion, in bringing forward those measures which he felt it his duty to propose, he encountered, as he had naturally anticipated, opposition of a great and powerful party, to whose opinions ho was well aware the principle of the Bill which he proposed was altogether contrary, and he, therefore, could neither feel surprised nor complain of the strenuous opposition which that measure hail to encounter. But he had the satisfaction of being able to entertain a hope that with regard to the class of subject to which he now invited the attention of the House no such party feeling would necessarily be excited; but, on the contrary, that they should be able to turn their attention in a dispas sionate manner t • this subject, and to endeavour, by their united counsels, to dispose of them in the best manner, with a due regard to that great interest which they affect. He had already adverted to the change which Parliament had agreed to in the navigation-laws; but he could not say that in any measure for the improve ment of the mercantile marine, or for its relief, he could, consistently with the arguments he had urged in support of the navigation laws, recommend those measures to the House as a sort of compensation for the injury inflicted upon the mercantile service by the repeal of those laws. If he were to do so that course would be altogether inconsistent with the arguments he had used when he asked the House to agree to the repeal of the navigation-laws—but if he had believed that injury was inflicted upon the mercantile service of this country by the alterations which Parliament had consented to make in them, no consideration on earth would have in duced him to propose that alteraticn to the House. In saying this, however, he did not say that future mea sures would not be introduced with a view to the im provement or advantage of that marine; but this he would say, that the attention of the mercantile marine would, after what had taken place, be earnestly directed to those grievances which they considered they laboured under, directing greater attention to them than they did during the period when they believed they were protected, though they were in reality crippled by the existence of the navigation-laws. This he thought was an induce ment to the House to calmly consider this class of mea sures. He did not propose on that occasion to take a complete view of all the questions that affected the mercantile marine. Indeed it would be impossible for him in a single statement to do so; but there were se. 'feral questions of great importance to which ho had turned his attention, and upon which he intended to pro. pose to the Sousa what he trusted would be found measures of relief and importance. Upon others he was unable at that period of the session to pro 'pose any measures which he could hope the House would consider as maturely as they deserved, but upon this occasion he was anxious to ex press the sentiments and interests of the Government preliminary to proceeding by Bill in another session, in order that the House and the public—but more especially those whom they affected—might have an opportunity of considering them during the recess with that careful ness which their importance required. The first of the subjects to which he wished to call the attention of the House were the light dues which were paid by the mer cantile marine of this country. The burden of the light dues upon the mercantile marine had been long justly complained of, from their weight, unequal distribution, and for many other reasons connected with the system upon which they were founded. In other countries the lights were maintained at the public expense, or of the funds placed at the disposal of the Treasury.—(Hear.) In this country a different system prevailed—they were Maintained by tolls upon shipping, and were under the management of ancient corporations, which in England, Scotland, and Ireland, exercised a separate juris diction, and over which the Privy Council exercised an imperfect authority, with which they were invested. In other countries the lights were placed under some general board of management, responsible to the Govern ment and the public. He felt it well to express his opinion that it was most desirable to improve this sys tem, and to render it more consonant with the wants of the present day and the requirements of the mercantile marine, and more in accordance with the way in which the administration of this country was conducted, than at present. In saying this he did not retract any of the opinions he had expressed. He had embodied his views in a Bill introduced last session, the general principle of which was to substitute for the present imp3rfect and inadequate control which the Privy Council exercised over these boards an efficient control by a Government board of management, and also to commute the present system of payment of light dues to a charge on the tonnage of the shipping atlarge. He intended still to adhere to the principles of that mea sure; and if he had again to lay a Bill on the subject on the table it should embody the same principles, though he admitted subsequent reflection showed that the modi fication of some of the clauses would be advisable. As, however, that Bill could not be passed this session, even if embodied in the present Bill, he thought it well to merely intimate the course he should adopt with respect to it, leaving the consummation until a future session. Having turned his attention to the possibility of obtaining for the commercial marine relief from the burdens which the pre sent light dues imposed upon them, he put himself into communication with the Trinity House, in whose management the lights in England were vested, and he was proud to state to the House that he had found on the part of that corporation an anxious desire to co-operate with the Government in this matter. He was the more bound to state this, as the manage. ment of the Trinity-house had been much impugned, and having expressed that opinion, which he had stated on former occasions, he was the more impressed with this instance of their liberality, as he found that those brethren in the corporation who had been—if he might use the expression—most liberal in their readiness to meet the views of the Government had only a life interest in its welfare.—(Hear, hear.) Now he was not by any means inclined to go into any unnecessary details. A great portion of the difficulties with which the corporation had to deal, and which bore most hardly on the merchant service in this country, arose from the debt contracted some time ago in consequence of purchasing the private lighthouses on the coast. That debt amounted to a million of money, and in consequence of the representations of the mercan tile question, the corporation had entered into an ar rangement with the mercantile interest. The Trinity house had paid a large portion of the debt contracted by the purchase of the private lights, They had not only paid all the interest due, but also a large portion of the principal with considerable interest. The whole amount which had been discharged was 500,0001., and there was an arrangement still in existence by which the Trinity. house were bound to pay 50,0001. per annum. That was a great burden, and the corporation very pro perly stated that, under the circumstances, and consider ing the benefits which they had conferred upon the country, they were entitled to have the payment of this debt spread over a greater number of years. Now, in his opinion, the time was come when the merchant services were entitled to this relief, for upon them of course fell the great weight of this obligation.—(Hear, hear.) He must also say that the Trinity-house had given their fullest co-opersation tem to the furtherance of this matter, by adopting a ys of greater in the management of their lights. The Hon. Member for Montrose (Mr. Hume) —ho did not kno w whether he was in the House — ha d on a former consideration of this question called their attention to what he termed the extravagant mode of managing their lights, and to their want of economy in not using rape oil. The Trinity-house had not failed to take advantage of the suggestion, had changed their mode of managing those _lights, and rape been used • hts tor most of the li oil had in effe ct on the coast. — (Hea r, hear.) therefore, He believ e d, g that it was but justice to the rinity-house that thi s n debt is should be spread over a greater number of years. obj ect h was at present only to refer to the private lights on English coasts, for to those of Scotland and Ir eland th e objection did not apply.—(Hear, hear.) the returns that the whole cost of sustaining these lights was ,000/. ; of those for Scotland, 145,0001 ; and of those for 31 f0 i5 rl B reland, 173,000/. Of the 300 , 0001 . the Trinity 3 the new principles which they had adopted, ed y s b a nd the economy which they had had saved upwards of 100 , 030 L, or more than one-third of the whole cost.—(Repeated cheers). That was the amount of the reduction already effected, and the sub ject of the strong representation on the strength of which the Government were disposed to mite the reduction for the future, of the light dues paid by merchant-vessels. —(Hear, hear.) He was bound to say that he took upon himself all the responsibility which the alteration might involve when the reduction should be made. When he came to consider the whole of this subject, he found that these dues pressed much more heavily upon coasters fir than upon if for thes eign or over-sea vessels. ID the st place, e dues were paid only by those vessels which obtained a direct and immediate benefit from the lights, but little advantage would accrue to the merchant service from the alteration. lint such was not the case, and therefore the whole of the mercantile marine would be relieved. By the changes which he proposed to adopt, 70,0001. a year would be saved to the merchant service of this country, and that was about 50 per cent. of the amount now paid by the coasting vessels of this country. But the House would perceive that this bene fit was prospective, as the Bill was only intended to take effect on the Ist of October ; but when it did come into operation, it would cccasion a relief to the amount of one-half the money now paid by the shipping inter est.—(Cheers.) He would not at that time enter into the details of the measure, for those could be fully con sidered when the Bill was in Committee; but he might observe, that it was the custom for foreign or over-sea vessels to pay a toll, not only on passing a light, but also on their return. That he proposed to abolish by this Bill, and to make one payment sufficient That would make a reduction of 50,0004, or what was equal to 16 per cent. upon the amount paid by foreign or over-sea vessels; so that the House would see that the reduction on coasters would be 50 per cent., and on foreign vessels 16 per cent.; and he was again bound to say, that in the whole of this matter he had received the best assistance from the Trinity-house. Sir J. GRAHAM—It can be done without an Act of Parliament. Mr. LABOUCHERE—The Right Hon. Baronet asked him if it could not be done without an Act of Parliament. It certainly could be done by the Trinity house, with the eonsent of the Privy Council, without having recourse to the enacting of an Act of Parliament. He came now to another question, which was also of great importance to the shipping interest of this coun try—he meant the question of privilege .—(Hear, hear.) It was not new in that House, for frequent attempts bad been made to improve the system under which our pilotage was conducted. He remembered when he had the honour, some years ago, of being President of the Board of Trade, the Right Honourable Gentleman the Member for the University of Oxford strongly urged upon him the propriety of dealing with this question, and he recollected when the Right Hon. Gentleman was President of the same Board, he in his turn returned the compliment by requesting him to in terest himself in dealing with this difficult subject.— (" Hear," and a laugh.) He believed they had both very good reasons for not undertaking it, while they were very much warned against it by the example of his late lamented friend Lord Sydenham, who with great energy, great industry, and great talent, devoted himself to the consideration of the question; but in that instance he was sorry to say that local interests were too strong, and the public interest too weakly represented, to give much chance of success to any efficient measure upon the subject.—(Hear, hear.) However, he did not intend to propose, nor was he in a condition to propose, any great or general scheme, such as was c ontemplated by Lord Sydenham on this question, if he did, he could not hope that at this period of the session th e House would be able to carry it ; but with regard t o t hi s sub ject, as well as upon the subjec t of lights, h ld e h no a te d h turneethi attention to considering whether it po ssible,wou e n a v e e r u e a s e t a I this i n t p e e r r e i s od : e o f l t t h h e e e s e o s u s e i o t r n y , t s o o m s e e c ure f o r the practicable relief from a system which he, for one, had always con. sidered acted with great severity on all who were en gaged in the merchant service—(Hear, hear.) The sys tem of pilotage in England was under the control of three jurisdtctions ; first, there were the Cirque Ports, who had the control of the pilotage within their own range. Then some of the greatest of our ships had to resort to a pilotage that was under the control of local and special jurisdiction; while, in the last place, the rest of the country, com prising that part of the kingdom beyond the North Fore land, and which was traversed by most of the shipping passing to the port of London, came under the jurisdic tion of the Trinity-house. In his communication with the corporation of the Trinity-house he had telt it his duty to call their attention as well to the question of pilotage as to the question of light, and he was happy to say, that upon this question likewise the corporation had met the demands of the mercantile interest, and the views of Government, in a spirit of co-operation and willingness to come to some arrangement on the subject, and he was able to state to the House that a great prac ticable alteration would be introduced into the pilotage system under their control.—(Hear, hear.) At present the coasting trade was altogether exempted from pilotage, but the whole of the foreign trade of the country was obliged to take pilots, notwithstanding the captain or master of each vessel might be sufficiently conversant with the coast as to enable him to work his ship into port without risk or danger. That was a system which ren dered it incumbent upon every vessel to take or pay for a pilot, and he was sure the House would agree with him that it was an obligation which inflicted a severe injustice upon a large class of shipowners. At the time when this system was founded he believed there might have been good reason for its establishment; fur instance, the importance of encouraging local pilots might have rendered it necessary, but in the present condition of our trade he had no hesitation in saying that if the system ought not to be alto gether abolished, at any rate it ought to be greatly modified and improved. Could a greater anomaly or injustice than this exist—a vessel going from Liverpool to Dublin was not obliged to take a pilot on going into Dublin, but a vessel going from Liverpool to Dublin, and then to Brest, was obliged to take a pilot in going into port, although the captain might be well acquainted with the coasting trade. He might multiply instances of this nature 1 to show the injustice and anomalies of the present system, but it was not necessary for his purpose that ho should trouble the House with doing so, since he was enabled to state the willingness of the Trinity-house to allow in future any foreign trading vessel that should have on board a master or man con versant with the coast, and of whose fitness and ability they had previously satisfied them selves of, to dispense with the services of a pilot. It would be necessary for him to bring in a Bill upon this subject; the Bill would be of a permissive and not of a compulsory nature, extending not only to the Tri nity-house, but to all bodies who had jurisdiction over pilots; it would allow them, if they thought fit, after having satisfied themselves of the qualification of the master or man on board, to grant permission to the ships to dispense with the services of a pilot. As he understood the law, the pilots themselves ha 3 a vested interest iu working foreign traders along the coast, and unless this Bill were passed they might be in a position to bring actions against the Trinity-house. He attached the greatest importance to this question, as this position would not only be given to the Trinity-house, but to the Cinque Ports and other jurisdictions, if they should think fit to avail themselves of it. Certainly he was not empowered on the part of the latter bodies to state that they were disposed to follow the example of the Trinity -house, but at the same time he indulged in the hope that if the new system were found to work well in the instance of the Tri nity-house, the Cinque Ports and other local bodies would be induced to consider whether there were not special circumstances to justify them to follow the example in part, if not in the whole. Still, however, he could not help thinking—returning to the real question—that a great point had been gained by the establishment of the principle that a vessel coming from abroad to this coun try should not be obliged to take a licensed pilot, if there should be on board a captain or man capable, or of competent ability, to work the vessel along the coast.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") He was authorised on the part of the Trinity- house to state that this permission,would be given, and as the Bill he proposed to bring in was merely of a permissive character he could see no difficulty in the way of carry ing it even at this late period of the session.—(Hear, hear.) He was empowered by the Trinity-house to say that they did not mean that the permission in their hands should be a dead letter, bat that they would truly and bona fide carry it into effect; that they would, in all cases where they should be satisfied of the competency of the master or mate, or some other per son on board an over-sea trader, to pilot the vessel along the coast, give permission to exempt that vessel from the necessity of paying a pilot whose services they do not require. —(Hear.) This was the only measure which he proposed to introduce, with a view to carry out or amend the law in the course of the present session. but there was another measure relating to this question of the highest importance, and perhaps of still greater in terest, but with regard to which he did not propose to take any step, or to ask the House to pass it in the course of the present session. Indeed, at this period of the session he must despair of the House being able to give that consideration to the matter which would justify them in passing a measure on the subject, still he was most anxious to lay the views which he and the Government enter tained with regard to it upon the table of the House, in order that they might be considered by the House and the country with that deliberation which the importance and the interest of the question demanded.— ' (Hear, hear.) He came now to the consideration of the general condition of our mercantile navy.—(Hear, hear.) He desired to ask the consideration of the House to the condition of the mercantile marine, mainly with reference to the character and qualifications of the masters and mates, and to the discipline of the crews, and general well-being and condition of the seamen.—(Hear, hear.) They had already had incidental, discussions on this subject while dealing with the navigation laws, and he could only repeat now, 'what he stated then, upon this question, that while nothing was further from his intention than to cast any sweeping or indiscriminate censure upon the officers of the mercantile marine of this country, yet, upon the other hand, truth and a sense of duty obliged him to state to the House his opinion—an opinion founded upon inquiries of no limited or superficial description—that there was much in the condition and in the present s tate, in the qualification of the officers of our mercantile marine, in the condit t io h n e senodnditdioisn ' line of the men, and i n opcountry, that cart required the most of the mercantile sailors serious of ofattetnhtiison this no He believed that in saying Government and the Legislature—( lefear, hear.) ; l had of the Royal Navy, whose profess ional com mercial men of experience, and no services captai n . led him to a distant part , where he had British ships, and had ample o ppor tunities of found forming a n opinion upon the sub j ects, wean contradict him when he said that especially in regard to the quali fi cation, both in au honorary and a scientific point of view, the mercantile captains of this country were not the most competent in the world; and it was most desirable for the House to consider whe ther some measure c ou ld no t b e d ev i se d to put a atop to an evil prevailing in the mercantile soon arrested,ercaatile marine he had ofthe n eootuentry, which, if not h esitation in saying would, ere long, threaten h and welfare of our mercantile service.— odeparrosverity He said this without any feeling of despondency with regard to the condition of the British merchant navy. —(Hear, hear.) He believed they possessed that which must constitute the staple of the greatest mercantile navy in the world, and he had no doubt whatever that by some judicious measures they might place it on the same prominent footing on which it once stood. It was, therefore, not from Any feelings of despondency, but from a sense of duty, that ho urged the discussion of this important question, in the hope that the most expedient course might be adopted to put a stop to the evils which they all so much re gretted. He was unwilling to go at any length into evidence to prove the statements which he had made. They had had much discussion with regard to the character of those very remarkable documents—the reports of our Consuls—which had been laid on the table of the House. He was very much of the opinion which he had heard expressed by a Noble Lord in another place, who had paid great attention to the subject—he meant Lord Ellenborough. :Speaking of the Consuls reports, he said although it might be true in particu lar instances, the Consuls had been biased in favour of our merchant navy, and had coloured the character of it a little too highly, but that there could be no doubt about the truth and general accuracy of the reports. He believed that to be a fair description with regard to those Consuls. There were one or two state ments in support of that assertion, independent of those reports, to which he could not help calling the attention of the House, because they came from authorities of the highest character, who had no bias of any sort to give a colour to their statements. Mr. Morley Wigram stated, when he was examined be fore the House of Lords, that he was engaged in the China and India trade, in which the character of our vessels were very high, and in which the captains commanding them were of a better class, better 'edu cated, and more trustworthy. He stated, however, that that character did not apply to the merchant navy generally, and that he was afraid that the reports of the consuls were too correct. Mr. Richmond, another gentleman, observed that if he were to say that our English captains had improved within the last twenty-five years, he should state that which was not a fact; that the captains of our merchant ships were a less educated class of men than they were sixty years ago. Mr. George Frederick Young alto said, although he thought that indiscriminate censure had been thrown on the commanders of those ships, he believed, taking into account the whole of our trading ships, that the captains of many fo reign ships were of a better class than the captains of many of our ships. The Right Honourable Gentleman then quoted a passage from the work of Mr. M'Farland, to show that a preference was given twenty years ago to our ships in the Mt diterranean es‘d Italian seas, and that the amount re quired by underwriters for an insurance upon them was less, but that now no such preference was given, and no difference was made with respect to -the insurance. lie (Mr. Labouchere) was anxious to call the attention of the House to a memorial which came from the Bombay Chamber of Commerce in 1832, which appeared to him to be of very great im portance. 'rhey stated with regard to the India and China trade, which, generally speaking, had a much higher class of captains than the Mediter ranean and American trade, that serious conse quences had ensued from want of discipline on board merchant vessels owing to a want of morality in the captains, and to the little respect in which they were held by their men. He also called the attention of the Government to another most important point, viz., that though the captains were generally possessed of sufficient scientific attainments the mates were not, and the con sequence was, that if any accident happened to the cap tain, the vessel aas placed under the command of an in competent man, and the result had been that most serious accidents had happened. He (Mr. Labouchere) had also stated that he believed that there was a great want of improvement in the discipline of the crews of the merchant ships of this country —(Hear, hear)—and that he believed this, in many particulars, necessarily connected itself with what he before stated as to the want of properly qualified captains. He believed that where the want of discipline existed among the crew of a merchant vessel the cause was generally traced to the person of the master of the vessel. Or this he was certain, that proper discipline could not be enforced unless they had some security that the captain would not improperly or harshly discharge his duties, for not only had he the care of a great amount of property, but the lives and comforts of many of his fellow. creatures were entrusted to his charge. He held, therefore, that these two subjects were closely connected with each other. He would not weary the House by quoting the reports of the consuls, but he would appeal to every Member in the House who was acquainted with the subject whether there was not a lamentable want of discipline in our merchant vessels. Our whale fishery, which was once of so much importance, we had almost entirely lost from a want of discipline on the part of the crews em ployed in the vessels engaged in that service. He believed that it had been transferred to America in consequence of the superiority of the American crews over ours. He now came to the third and main point, to which he was anxious to call the attention of the House—he meant the general condition of the sailor, which they must now lock upon with regret. In the last year there had been no less than 14,000 desertions from the British merchant navy. That he thought was a sufficient rea son to induce him to call the attention 'of the House to the condition of these men. The relation between a merchant-seamen and his employer was one of a very peculiar nature; it was always so recognised and dealt with in every mercantile country. The sailor and his employer never entered into agreement with each other in the same manner in which the employer and the employed were accustomed to do in other trades. On this point he could quote the opinion of a gentleman who was a high authority in such matters, though not an Englishman, still one whose opinion was worth lis tening to—that of the American Chancellor Kent. This gentleman described the condition of the sailor in terms which he was convinced were not overdrawn, and he was sure the House would agree with him that it would be very bad policy to leave this class of men entirely to themselves to take their own chance in forming their contracts with their emplsycrs; and that it would be no more than right that the State should interfere for the protection of the sailor. He should state that in pro posing any improvement of this system he should not be introducing anything entirely new, but merely proceed ing upon grounds which had been laid down before and sanctioned by the Legislature. Experience had proved that in the contracts between the seaman and his employer much depended upon the character and of the agent employed by the sailor, upon his qualifica tion and trustworthiness. Without the trustworthiness of this person could be secured, they left the sailor ex posed to the greatest frauds. In America this object was mainly obtained by insisting that all contracts of this sort sht.uld be conducted through the instrumentality of a notary public, but in this country there was no ' class who managed these contracts equal to these notaries public, in respectability and qualification. This was a point greatly to be deplored. During the late Adminis tration a measure had been brought in to endeavour to improve this system by providing that no persons but those duly licensed should :be employed; and though, no doubt, this system had been produc tive of very general benefit, yet he could not think that it was sufficient to work that amount of good which was necessary ; it fell very far short of what was required. It was found still very difficult to in duce.persons of proper respectability to undertake these duties. In many instances licences had been obliged to a o n u d n d though o s t s h i they y i e h a t d o o was quite certain d e b excluded e t o n l o p e d - s g i e n i l n l a e g r - p s h , r o o s u p t s i e e l rl k pi e tl e a p c,, re e . a. r s s ; I t that if they wished to accomplish any important altera tion in this system, to make the sailor satisfied with his contract, they must attempt to conduct this business through the instrumentality of persons of very different character than hitherto. There was also another point, to which he had-directed his attention, and that was the sanitary condition of the seamen on board. No man could read the reports that had been laid before the House on this point, ane had heard the manner in which sailors were stowed together, engendering the seeds of future disease, and, perhaps, of death, without feeling the necessity of some interference— that it was desirable to introduce some alterations. He had now stated the general points relating to the mer candle marine where it was desirable to extend relief; and he would now proceed to state the details of the measure which he intended to lay before the House. He knew it was a subject which required great consideration, and he was conscious that any measure which he might introduce would be capable of great alteration. At present there was no department of the Govern. meat that was responsible for the condition of the sea men, there was a jurisdiction divided and fluctuating between the Admiralty and the Board of Trade, and there was no doubt but that the mercantile interest had greatly suffered from this. He, therefore, proposed to give the Board of Trade an increased authority, and with it increased responsibility. In order to do this he should propose to add to the Board of Trade a department going by the name of the Board of Mercantile Marine, not to constitute a separate board, but merely to institute a separate department of the Board of Trade under this name. On this board he intended there should be two members who should have served as captains in the mer chant service, for he thought that the mercantile marine had a right to expect that in a board like this it should have some persons who understood its necessities and sympathised with its wants. He should first state, then, what he intended to do with respect to the first di vision of his proposed improvements—the qualification of masters and mates. At present there was a system of voluntary examination for these officers, and he thought that this had been productive of much good, but he had no hesitation in stating, atter the experience he bad had, that it was not sufficient. Without going into any detail, or making any particular charges, he would say that these examinations were not always exactly what they ought to be. Well, then, with regard to this part of the subject, he proposed in future that these examinations should be entirely . under the superintendence of the Board of Trade, and that this department of mer cantile marine, which he proposed to establish in it, should grant certificates of three kinds. Lie proposed in future that every master and mate, pre vious to his being entrusted with the command of a vessel, should be obliged to pass an examination and to obtain one of those certificates. At the same time that he proposed that system for the future, be thought it would be inexpedient, unjust, and almost impossible, to apply this system to masters and mates who were already in service, seeing it to ho unlikely that their education could have embraced many of those qualifications which will probably be insisted on under the proposed system of examination. He would propose, therefore, at first, that all that any merchant or mate in command of a merchant vessel should be required to do should be to go to this mercantile marine department and o btaina certificate, nut of q ualification, but of service either in the mercantile marine or in that of the East India Com pany, and that that ce rtificate should entitle him to the command of a merchant vesse l . He also held that in future any merchant captain, who shou ld be satisfactorily proved to have misconducted himself , s hould be de prived of hi s cer tifi ca t e , w h e ther it was one of service or of qualification. Perhaps, on that part of the sub ject, he might mention that he proposed in cases of gross misconduct, attended with loss of life or property, on the part of a merchant captain, that that ahOtdd COLlSti- THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 12, 1849, lute a misdemeanour, and that he should be brought to answer for it before the tribunals of the country. — (Hear, hear.) He believed, from the communications he had had from shipowners on this subject that that would constitute a very important guarantee to the shipowner against the misbehaviour of the captain. He now cams to the remaining branches of this subject ; he meant the discipline of the crew and the condition of the s•.amen. Ile believed a great deal depended on the character of the agent employed in drawing up a contract between the sailor and his employer, and some material improvement on the pre-eat system should be adopted.—(Hear.) He proposed to substitute for the present system of licen,.ed agents shipping officers who should be public officers estab lished at our principal ports, through whose instru mentality those contracts should be carried out. He had received remonstrances from almost every port in Eng land on the extent to which the crimping system pre vailed; and to such a degree had it obtained at Quebec that the Colonial Assembly of Canada had established public responsible shipping officers at their ports by whom those contracts between the sailor and his employer should be conducted in order to put an end to that crimping spteva. The condition of the sailor has been greatly ameliorated since that re gulation came in force, and the trade, which was con ducted in a way scandalous to the country, was now carried on with an infinitely greater degree of satisfac tion. Such a regulation would go far to remedy evils of a similar nature in this country. He proposed, therefore, that shipping officers should be established in the ports of this country, and be believed those officers might be made greatly instrumental in protecting the seamen, and also in disciplining the crew when they embarked on board of ship. He proposed that seamen were to be heard at those offices, and that all ships' agreements should be signed in the presence of the shipping officer, and attested and explained by him. With regard to the dietary, in all well conducted ships a scale was agreed upon before going to sea; and he believed a scale of dietary properly frAmed :would be a very useful thing on board of those ships. He would also add that a form of log-book, properly drawn up, would be supplied to every ship, and that offences against the regulations would be properly entered in that log-book. He believed that by this means of fines some of the most frequent causes of diseontent would be taken away from the merchant seamen, and that discipline would be 'better enforced. But ho would add that he was so much impressed with the neces sity of strengthening the discipline of the merchant service that he proposed to give to captains ofhavinga class c fi er r t s a t inm a o certificates, unr of tonnage, and a power commandingoerwhich h vessels e thoughbe lievedit might was m nhet be a cessarsytrfoonrg power, thewel i fart w e o a t s the one which navy, heand thoughttied offences ffoenn o ob u eo g s a h trh t d e t y o b s hi should . given. Ile proposed s respect the powertoth t i that of fo fst subject j r p e c s t imprison menttchi log-bock would be a material check. He believed it wits for the interest of the mercantile marine that the hands of merchant captains should be strengthened with regard to punishment. A far more stringent discipline was in practice in American vessels. Corporal punish ment was there in the power of the csptain, and he was supported by the American Government in inflicting it. It was to be remembered that the cir cumstances of trade had very much altered. During the war merchant ships were almost always near navy vessels, but the case was very different now.—(hear.) He proposed when the ship =returned to port that her crew should be paid off before the shipping officer, and not on board, as they had hitherto been. He proposed also that that officer should bear what the crew had to say with regard to disputes that had taken plitee, and that in any disputes under 40a. he should have a summary power of adjudication, and even above that amount it all the party agreed that ho should do so; but if they did not, then another course should be pursued. Ile believed that by these means a great deal of dissatisfaction would be obviated, that justice would be done, and pettifogging and low lawyers would be pre vented from practising on the unwary.—(Hear, hear.) With regard to the subject of the sanitary condition of ships, he proposed that a space of nut less than eight superficial feet shoull be appropriated to the seamen on that part of the ship ap propriated to the men. There was another mat ter on which he believed the new vocation of the Board of Trade might be exercised with advantage. He re ferred to the question of the registry of seamen. The system of tickets had been found to be most grievous to the sailor, and ineffective to the pre vention of fraud.—(Hear, hear.) He understood that in Wapping they might buy as many tickets as they pleased.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") The only point on which the ticket system had bad any operation was with regard to apprentices, and with regard to them there was no necessity whatever for keeping up the system of registration. He proposed, therefore, in the Bill he was about to introduce to give to the Board of Trade the power of putting an end to the registration department, and transferring it to the Board of Trade, by that means the system of registration would be done away with. He proposed that some fee should be taken by the ship's officers, and by that means and the fines a sum would be raised which would, as he calculated, amount to nearly 40,0001. a year; he thought, after the payment of the ;ship's officers, there would be a surplus of nearly 30,0001. a year, out of which he thought many useful purposes might be effected. He had no matured scheme with regard to that surplus, but he could not but think that out of that fund good service pensions might be: given to: masters and, mates in the merchant ser vice with good effect. - He thought that anything that raised the master and :mates would tend to good. He should be glad if the system he proposed shonld oblige shipowners to give to their servants higher wages. Great good might be accomplished by a fund of such a nature ; for instance, in addition to the advantages he had mentioned, it would enable the captains of merchant vessels to wear badges emblematic of their good service, and which would en dow them with some authority . in foreign ports, thus raising them in their own t stimation, which could not fail to be attended with the best results. The fund derived from the fines of seamen should be applied to the benefit of seamen themselves in general, and this might be done in connexion with the Merchant Seamen's Fund, or in some other way. In the Bill there were several minor matters with which he would not trouble the House, except to ment:on that it contained a provision with respect to advance notes. lie believed no more important subject could come under the attention of the House and the country than the one he had now laid before it, and he was most anxious that it should receive the dispassionate consideration of both. He was sensible that the laws which referred to this immense body were susceptible of great improvement, but he thought, with regard to the measure lie had introduced, and was desirous of passing this session, that it would meet the wants of the mercantile marine and tend to improve the sanitary and moral condition and contentment of the great body of the seafaring population of this country embarked in that marine, which, as he had already steted to the House, were inti mately bound up with the welfare, security, and national theoohv l e owu H tihtigooi o hen u lht a s deeyumt heote embodying a a dmd s y s iv an.oi alluded thisses defences of this country. It only remained fur him to thank the House for what necessarily was a lengthened h e ig s ni t aoe a rhnn t d e i t wsml to caame address, adht t th . e: hm h s: e pinhl o ol e u rwht l o y aai ntnnßhltdyi respect el handed ) j a e ur tesagcus sought t e te r o s i d ee tsathudttrtheeede table of the House.—(Hear, hear.) The liieht Hon. G sentiments contained in his speech. Mr. W. E. GLADSTONE thought the IL,use and the the e e b w ted he t h o atdhe taken Right i g of aHon.subject ub j Li e Gentleman tl ema f which n had no exterior attraction. He should not attempt to follow the Right lion. Gentleman through the many points on which he had touched. The plans which he had pro posed were of great importance, and with respect to the last it was perfectly obvious that it would require more detailed and prolonged discussion than could be given to it during the present session. Ile should, therefore, confine himself to a few of the subjects. e With regard to the question of the light dues he was exceedingly glad he had succeeded in obtaining a considerable remission of those dues, and he thought that the corporation of the Trinity-house, whatever they might think of the consti tution of that body—he thought that body deserved the thanks of the House for meeting with enlightened judg ment the exigencies of the times.—(Hear, hear.) He regretted, however, that he had not laid the Bill he had formerly introduced upon the table simultaneously with the Bill with respect to the light dues, as it would have been a practical recognition of etc purpose. He trusted the Hon. Gentleman had well considered the legality of the course he had adopted. Mr. LABOUCHERE—Hear, hear. Mr. GLADSTONE thought that the diversity of charges upon different classes of vessels in respect to the light dues was a very difficult matter. He said when a ship had sailed from a given point and had paid light dues, that it should not be called upon to pay them when it passed the same light and entered the same port homeward bound. Mr. LABOUCHERE said a certain class of vessel, when it had once passed a light, was to be exempt when it returned, but other classes would have to pay both ways. Mr. GLADSTONE said, in reference to the question of pilotage, he regretted that, with the views he had entertained, the question of the repeal of the navigation-laws had prevented him making the state ment earlier in the session; for though he anticipated unanimity in respect of his plan, and though perfectly fair, yet it was conceivable that the parties interested might demand delay before it was settled. But the statement was incomplete, he had omitted any particular mention of the Merchant Seamen's Fund. It was necessary that the fund should be placed under better government, as it perpetrated 'fluty anomalies, and often neglected to provide ade quately for those who had the greatest claims upon it, whilst it unduly favoured others. He (Mr. Gladstone) suggested whether it would not be well to wind up the affair altogether, compensating those who had pensions, and arranging with those who had inchoate claims; and to remodel it, for ia was insolvent, and its in solvency was increasing from year to year. If it remained as it was, in a few years it would be absolutely necessary to legislate with respect to ie The Right Hon. Gentleman had proposed to make an order for compulsory examinations, and he was not dis posed to conceive that such examinations were unneces sary. But there was one subject to which he must refer, and that was the regulation contained in the Bill by which the certificates granted to masters and mates were to be withdrawn. Now, be did not thick that there was anything in the Bill unjust but this ; and he did conceive that it was unjust—not to say anything of the impolicy of giving to a subordinate portion of in executive department that power, which was of so large a character that it was only exceeded in the consequences which were likely to ensue from it by the penalties im posed upon the offences, of which cognizance was taken in the criminakcourts. By the regulation to which he had slluded the certificates of masters and mates of yes gels might be withdrawn by the magistrates of this juriediction, who would at any time be liatle to actions for their proceedings, and the regulations would prove harsh in the extreme to the seaman. These certificates ought. to be withdrawn fur any case of desertion. He was quite ready to bear his share in eemtnendation of the British seaman, and no one could be more anxious that those merits should be duly recoe nised and rewarded.—(Hear, hear.) None could think more highly or his qualities and capability for his work. '1 hose qualities and that capability had long been proved; but yet if the re were any deficiencies which it lay in their power to remove in order to render that capability the greater, it wee unquestionably their duty to remove them—(hear, hear)—and in doing so it wes their duty altogether to di.regard the clamour that might be raised respecting the rights of the British seaman. He did not wish to say more, but there was one other remark which he felt compelled to make. The Right Hon. Gentle man, his speech on the Bill for the repeal of the na vigation-laws bad observed that that measure was not intended to inflict an injury but to confer a benefit. In this he perfectly concurred; and he did not feel that they were in any way retracing their steps; but the question was whether this Bill was quite adequate to all its ob je cts, reed whether a larger, more comprehensive, and more effective measure might not have been introduced. —(Hear.) For his own part he was free to confess that he thought there might have been. He thought that the principle which had been adopted with respect to the masters and the mates of vessels ought also to be adopted with respect to manning the mercantile marine. They had emancipated the shipowner, they had emanci pated the shipbuilder, they had destroyed the monopoly of both, and why not destroy also the monopoly of the seaman.—(Hear, hear.) The principle which they bad applied to the shipbuilder and the shipowner, which had to a certain extent been applied to the masters and mates of vessels, was equally applicable to the 'seamen. He was convinced that the system of compulsory examination would do good, great good, but still not all the good that might be accomplished. They might go further, and give to the seamen who man our ships the same facilities which the masters and shipowners enjoyed, and allow them to seek emple t yment wherever it might be beneficial tor their interests.—(Hear, hear.) It was a very remarkable and significant fact that curing the last year not less than 14,000 of our seamen had deserted the merchant service. It was plainly evident, then, that that service did not pos sess any very great or peculiar attractions. and no unnecessary scruples need be entertained respecting the introduction of rules by which its regula tion might be improved.—(Hear, hear.) They had adopted the principle of building their ships and carry ing their goods in the best manner and at the lowest cost. Why should they not carry out this principle to the manning of those ships, and let the shipowner] procure his crews and make his arrangements with any set of men with whom he might choose to engage.-(Hear.) That principle / could not, might not be adopted this session, but he must say that the next should not, ought not to pass without some Bill grounded upon it being carried through Parliament. He did not wish in any way to depreciate the present Bill of the Right Hon. Gentleman, or in any way to disparage his motives or his endeavours to improve the condition of our mercan tile marine, but he could nut help saying that the Bill would have been better if the principle to which he al luded had been embodied in its provisions. Sir: G. CLERK thought the Bill which the Right Hon. Gentleman proposed to introduce was one whch, from the reduction of the light dues that it would effect, was likely to be or great immediate benefit to the mercantile community. The Right Hon. Gentleman had asked for leave to intro duce a Bill, which he bad stated he wished to pass this session. As; Member for Dever: he must protest against a measure which so nearly affected the interests of his constituents being taken at so late a period of the session. The Right Hon. Gentleman had stated that the measure of Lord St thnham had been defeated by local interests. tic only mentioned this to prove that local interests did exist. He thought he had a tight to complain of the late period of the session. It would have been just as easy to bring on the meatura on the 12th of February as on the 12th of July. The alterations too which were proposed were very objectionaehe and injurious too to the pilots; and from what he had seen there was no such great excess of remuneration paid to them that it was necessary: those at the Cinque Ports had about 1101. per annum, and the others about 1201. He must ask too with regard to the examination of masters and mates, did the Right Hon. Gentleman imagine that the American Minister, or the American captains, would submit to this. He thought that not only the Ameri cans but also all the foreign Ministers would complain. Till a full opportunity had been afforded the country for considering the Bill, he hoped it would not be persevered in; but, at all events, if it were, it would meet with his most decided opposition.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. T. M. 'GIBSON observed that a pilot question never could be brought before ,Parliament without it always being thought necessary to introduce a clause to this effect : " Provided always that nothing in this Bill contained shall effect the rights and privileges of the Cinque-pot ts." There was always a reservation of that sort conveyed in an intimation that thee might do what they liked without interfering with the Cinque Ports. Now it so happened that the Cinque Ports were the great grievances, they formed the subject of all the complaint. and if they left them out of the Bill, it would be like the play of Hamlet with the part of Hamlet left out.— (Hear, and a laugh.) The speech which they had just heard was not the speech of the Right Hon. Baronet the late Vice-President of the Board of Trade, but the speech of the Hon. Member for Dever, and certainly the speech induced him to think of his Right Hon. Friend's scheme, for certainly he did not collect from his Right Hon. Friend's observation that he intended to grapple %%WI the Cinque Ports in a manner that would become him as a Minister of the Crown. From the speech of the Honourable Member for Dover—(A. laugh)— it appeared otherwiee. Now this was not a question effecting the rights of a large body of individuals; and though there might have been a time when the ne cessities of the country required that large and ex clusive privileges should be conferred on the Cinque Ports, that time had long since gassed away, and instead of those privileges being a public convenience they were a public nuisance; he therefore called upon the Right Honourable Baronet the President of the Board of Trade to deal with these cinque ports with a bold hand. He did not believe • that the dis tinguished person who was- at the head of them would throw any obstacle in the way of improvement, if proper representations were made to them.—(Hear, hear.) With regard to the pilot system itself, it worked in this way: when ships do not want a pilot he is forced upon them, and %Len they do want a pilot they cannot get one, and for this simple reason, that they secured to the pilot a certainty of employ ment and income in fine weather, which induced him to take no trouble, and go to sea in bed weather. If they often often thesk of South secured en income to him in fine weathe r , i t was not likely that he would run the risk abd danger, and i ncur that very tf n o n lan t h a () i the wear and tear by going to sea i n roug h weather, c a h n a d rg t e he of c a on p s i e lo q t u i e n n fi ce ue was, weather, Foreland, vessels which w ere compel l e d to submit to the be ing lost through the:neglect of the pilot to go to sea in rough weather. With regard to the Trinity Corporatiun, he was ore of those who had never joined in a tilt against them, because the evil of the light dues had been occasioned by the acts of the Crown and the Legis lature.—(Dear, hear.) Mr. CARDWELL said if he understood the state• meat of the Right Honourable Gentleman opposite, he had brought three questions before them upon which he proposed to take the opinion of the House. The first of these was to give an important relief to the mercantile marine, and as that measure was not to be disposed of in the present session, he should say nothing against it then.. With regard to the second question of pilotage, the Right Honourable Gentleman proposed to bring in a Bill which he is anxious to pass in the present session of Parliament. It was merely of a permissive nature, to enable those parties who had the control of the pilotage to make certain remissions in regard to taking pilots where it would be expedient; and, at the first view, it certainly did appear a reasonable proposal, which he was not then prepared to obj et to.—(Cries of "Hear, hear.") At the same time, however, he thought the Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for Manchester would feel with him, that it was but reasonable that those parties whom it would affect should have time to consider its provisions, and he should, therefore, defer any observa tions upon the subject till the second reading, when he would hare had an opportunity of communicating with the parties interested in the Bill.—(Hear, hear.) With regard to the third and by far the most important sub ject, the Right Hon. Gentleman bad proposed a course which must be eminently satisfactory to the House. He proposed to lay before them in detail a comprehensive scheme with regard to the mercantile marine, and having done so he proposed to give the country a fall opportunity of considering the measure before any opinion of the House could be asked for. He would, therefore, be no party to raising any objection to this Bill at the present moment, nor did he think any of those obstacles suggested by the Right Hon. Gentleman would be thrown in his way. Ile promised the Right Hon. Gentleman to give his most deliberate attention to the proposition, and in the communication which it would be his duty to hold with those parties whose interests are most affected by it, he would endeavour to arrive at a solution of the question which it is the Right Honourable Gentleman's desire to attain, namely, the best means of raising the condition of the masters, the seamen of the mercantile marine, and of promoting the social advantage and welfare of that class of the community. He had before him a statement of the existing law of the subject, which, did time permit, he should be glad to detail to the House; but, at all events, this he must be allowed to say, that the existing law gave a much larger control over the sailors of the mercantile marine than would be supposed by those who has listened to the statement of the Right lion. Gentleman.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. LABOUCUERE said, it now being three o'clock I ho trusted the Committee would at once agree to th e resolution, and postpone its consideration till the second reading of the Bill. Some doubt had been raised as to whether the Trinity House bad the power to carry out the arrangement in reference to the light dues, but ho had consulted with parties competent to give the best oninion on the subject, and they entertain not the least doubt upon the matter—indeed, in the case of Scotland, some years ago, a remission was actually made in the same manner that he now pro• posed, namely, in conjunction Kith the Privy Council.— (Bear, hear.) He trusted that the Committee would now agree to the resolution, and he would fix the second reading for some day next week. Captain HARRIS gave the Right Hon. Gentleman great credit for the measure he had brought before the House, which no doubt had been dictated by a desire to benefit the mercantile marine ; but there was one point which be, bad heard with extreme regret, and that was that it was intended to do away with the registry certificate.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. HENLEY said, after the Right Hon. Gentleman had quoted disputed evidence in such a wholesale manner, he did not think that it was quite fair, at three o'clock in the afternoon, to suddenly cut short the discussion without giving any party an opportunity of nnsw(-ring it. A resolution, agreeieg with the n ecessit y o f intro ducing measures upon the subject was then agreed to. The House then resumed, and leave was given to bring in the necessary Bills. The House then adjourn. d until Five o'clock. The House resumed at Five o'clock. STRANGERS. • The report of the Committee_ On " Strangers" was brought up, and ordered to lie on the table. BEXLEY WOOD. Mr. P. WOOD presented a petition from cottaget.s living in the vicinity of Bexley Wood, praying that, in the event o f t h e wood being enclosed, they might re cave a sufficient allowance of fuel. SCOTCII MARRIAGE BILL. Mr. BAILLIE presented a petition from a place in Inverness-shire against the Scotch Marriage Bill. AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS. Mr. W. MILES presented a peti.im from a place in Somersetshire complaining of the existence of agricul tural distress. BEER-HOUSES. The HON. MEMBER also presented several petitions from places in Somersetshire complaining of the spread of beer-houses. CHURCHES AND CHAPELS IN WALES. Mr. JOHN WILLIAMS ros e t o p ut a question to. the Under-Secretary of Sete for the Home Department relative to the non compliance with a portion of a return relative to churches and chapels in Wales, which was presented to the House on Friday last. The Bishops of Llandaff and of St. David's were those who had neglected to make the returns, and he wished to know from the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of the Home Department, in the absence of the Under-Secretary of State, what was the reason of this? Sir G. GREY said that he was aware that inquiry bad been made on the subject, but in the absence of his Right Hun. Friend he could not get any information. Mr. JOHN WILLIAMS said he should place on the paper for to-morrow night a notice for the production of these returns. Sir G. GREY said, that if the Hon. Member would trek the question of the Uuder-Secretary_ of , State, whEn he was in his place he would probably be able to inform him. COMMISSIONERS OF DEPARTMENT OF CUSTOMS. Mr. THORNELY rose to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any reports have been made by the Commissioners for inquiring into the management of the Department of Customs; and, if such reports have been made, whether the Government will, in consequence, be able to effect any material saving in the cost of collecting the revenue of Customs; and whether the inquiries of the Commissioners are still proceeding. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that some time ago a report had been presented, and in consequence of which a saving had been effected of 160,0001. ; a report was now being made by which it was expectfd that 10,0001. more would be saved, and further inquiries would be made, from which it was anticipated further reductions would be made. ST. MARGARET'S CHURCH AND THE CHOLERA. Mr. BERNAL rose to call the attention of the Secre tary of State to the fact, that while the cholera was advancing with great rapidity, the Members of that House were assailed by several nuisances which existed about the House, and particularly by the smell arising from the vaults of St. Margaret's church, which were often so ove:powering that the Memle..rs of Committees were obliged to close their windows. He would also advert to the state of sewer age, which, after all their expensve measures, was sO bad in his own neighbourhood,,a mile from the House, that he had often been obliged to close his window. Sir G. GREY said that all the powers which were vested in the Board of Health were being used to clear away such causes of complaint, and he himself, when he had his attention called to such subjects, always communicated with the Board of Health or to the police. Mr. GOULBURN inquired whether a treaty which had been stated to be pending on the part of the church wardens of St. Margaret's, fur a burying ground, had been completed? Sir G. GREY said he was not able to inform the Right Hon. Gentleman. Lord ASHLEY said that the Board of Health had no jurisdiction to interfere, except where the cholera had broken out. They had no puwer to do anything ter the permanent removal of disease. Ile admitted that the pre. sent state of the metropolis was bad enough, but not anything like what had been represented by his Hon. Friend to his left (Mr. Bernal). There could be no doubt that the cholera was spreading rapidly in the metropolis, and unless something was done no one could tell what would be the consequences. Viscount EBRINGTON said that many of the nui sances in the neighbourhood of the House bad been removed, and the drains under it were in a healthy state; but the exhalations from St. Margaret's Churchyard, which it was stated affected parts of the House, it was impossible for. the Conamieszonere of Sewers to keep out. Mr. HENLEY wished' to ask the Noble Lord at the head of the Government whether, when the Health of Towns Bill was brought in, he and those who supported him were not the cause of the Metropolis being left out of the provisions of that Bill ? Lord JOHN RUSSELL said it was thought necessary by his Noble Friend at the head of the Woods and Forests, that a separate Bill should be brought in for the metropolis. He had spoken to bis Noble Friehd with respect to the iniroductiLn of that Bill, and he bad told him that he thought it would not be desirable till the Commissioners of Sewers had proceeded further to bring in the Bill. QUARANTINE LAWS. Mr. HUME wished to know from the Noble Lord at the bead,,of the Foreign Department, whether any attempt had been wade by the Government to obtain from foreign powers an alteration in the qua rantine laws, which so greatly affected the commerce of the country; and also, whether there was any intention on the part of the Government, after the report of the African Committee, to remove the squadron on the coast of Africa? Lord PALMERSTON said he had bad communica tions with some of the foreign Powers, as to some regulation being made with respect to the quarantine laws, and when be got their replies they should be communicated to the House. With respect to the other question, there was no intention on the part of the Governatunt to remove the squadron. HUNGARY. Mr. B. OSBORNE wished to know if the Govern ment had received tiny information of the advance of the Russian troops into Transylvania? Lord PALMERSTON said the Government had re ceived information of the advance of the Russians into Transylvania, and of their having got possession of Constadt. RAILWAY AUDIT BILL In reply to Mr. Mr. LABOUCIIERE stated that he had placed this Bill on the vote fur Monday, and that should be not be able then to procved with it he would stale when. TUE SPANIziLI TARIFF. In reply to Mr. RotsINSON Lord PALMERS ON stated that the Spanish Go vernment had modified their tariff; but still the duties were so high, that they would continue to encourage smuggling. _ _ NEW SOUTH WALES. Mr. SCOTT inquired whether thu Government had received from Sir George Gipps, the Governor of New South Wales, a dispatch buggt sting the propriety of establishing a second chamber: also, whether the Aus tralian Colonies Bill would be taken on Monday, and if so, when it would come on. Lord JOHN RUSSELL proposed to take the Supply and Ways and Means before these Bills on Monday. Mr. HAWES would ascertain if such a letter had been received. JERSEY. Mr. EWART referred to the Commission that had been appointed to inquire into the criminal law of Jersey, and inquired what had been done? Sir U. GREY said the correspondence had not yet terminated. THE SCOTCH BILLS. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he wished to state the course the Government intended to adopt with respec t to the two Bills which affected Scotland, the Registration and Marriage Bills; and he had now to state that, after the discussion the other day, and the opinion expressed by the House in regard to the sentiments of the people of Scotland upon them, that it was not the inten tion of the Government to proceed with t h ese Bills during the present session.—(Hear.) He thought he might state, at the same time, that the speech of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman (Mr. M'Neill) whom he he did not see i n hi s place, had convinced him that the marriage law of Scotland was objectionable, and that it was very desirable that it should be altered. He, therefore, begged to i move the ord ers o f the day in re spect to these Bills n order that they might be dis charged. The orders were accordingly reed and digeharged. ENCUMBERED ESTATES (IRELAND) BILL. The NOBLE LORD intimated that he ciid not intend to proceed with this Bill until Monday, several Hon. Gen tlemen having intimated that they could not attend at twelve o'clock. The Bill was accordingly postponed until Monday. JUDGMENT (IRELAND) BILL—ESTATES LEASING BILL (IRELAND). In reply to Captain PECHELL, Lord JOHN RUSSELL insinuated that he intended to proceed with these Biils at 12 to-morrow. SMALL DEBTS ACT. Lord D. STUART inquired when the Attorney- General intended to proceed with this En Would it cume on to-night? The ATTORNEY-GENERAL said he intended to bring it on as soon as possible. If possible, he would bring it on to night. VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. On the motion for going into a Committee of Supply, Mr. A NSTEY moved fee an address to her Majesty, on the subject of certain illegal ordinances or acts of Council fur the taxation of the people of Van Diemen's Land, the attempts of Lieut.-Governor Sir W. Denison to intimidate the Judges of the Supreme Court of that Island declaring such ordinui ces or acts to be legal, and the grie vnlices complained of by the cclonists of that island in their petition prea. wed last year to Li r Majesty, and printed by order of this Ilvm,e; and that her blaje•at.y may be pleased to direct the local authorities in future to re apt ct the independence of the judicial functions of that Court, and also to signify her disallowance of any Ordinance or Act subsequently passed by the said Lieutenant-Go. tremor in Council, for giving to such illegal Ordinances or Acts the force of law. This motion, he said, involved al much the conduct of Earl Grey as it did that of Sir William Deei.on, because he had neglected to advise her Majesty with reseecs to the memorial which had been transmitted by the rehabitants of the colony to the Government of this country. One of the ch,rveS in the memorial was, that the Governor, Sir W De e ison, had interfered, by private soltcitaion, with the Jud e es of the Supreme Court, in inducing One of them to absent himself for eighteen months on full salary, in order to enable the Government to appoint a suers-ssor who would give a decision in favour of the Crown in re ference to certain actions which were then pending be tween he, Atejesty and s .me of her subjects in the colony. He would concluce iimply by moving the resolution by way of smendrrent of which he had given notice. Mr. li A WEri was und, rstooi to say—but was very indietinctly heard amid the buzz of conversation in the House—that Sir William Dennison, the governor of Van Diemen's Laad, in what he had done in the mat ters relernd to by the Hon. Member (Mr. Anstey) had acted entirely in conformity with the opinion of the law officers of the Crown. Sir William Dennison then passed an Act through the House, which was the 11th Victoria, which had coma home. And there was a peculiarity about it, namely, that though -it had come home, and had not yet received the sanction of her Majesty's Government, all proceedings under it were valid. He was unwilling to do anything which should reflect on Sir William Den nison, as with one - occeptton, and that would be better described as an error of judgment, there was no fault to be found with. On what ground was it then that the Hon. and Learned Gentleman made this motion. There was no other point in this case to which he wished to call the attention of the House. Mr. HUME wished to know whether her Ma jesty's Government refused to lay upon the table the letter conveying the disapprobation of the Colonial Secretary to the Governor. It was fortunate that in such distant colonies there were independent men, and he believed that judges had always maintained a character for independence. If the Governor had done wrong in interfering with Judge Peddee, he thought that all the circumstances of the case ought to be laid before the House. He could not think that the House would be satisfied with less than a disavowal. of such conduct, 'coupled with an introduction of all the documents relating to this point. (LEFT SPEAKING.) HOUSE OF LORDS. Their Lordships met at Five o'clock. On the motion of Lord CAMPBELL, the Quarter Sessions Proceeding Bill was read a second time. On the motion of the Earl of CARLISLE, the Drain- age of Lands Bill was read a third time and passed. CRIMINAL LAW CONSOLIDATION. Lord BROUGH AM introduced a Bill to consolidate the crimina► law relating to homicide and offences against the person, which was read a first time. FORE' PATRICK AND DON AGHADEE. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY said that after the large sum of money which had been expended at the national expense on the harbours of Port Patrick end Donaghadee, amounting to upwards of 400,0001., and the grant last year of 10,0001., by her Majesty's present Government, to enlarge and dredge the basins for the reception of large steam vessels, it is highly inexpedient to remove the packet from the station and give up the desirable communication between the south-west of Scotland and the north of In land. The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said that the al teration had taken place for the public convenience. Lard 1)E ROOS contended that the harbour of Donaghadee ought to be kept up as a harbour of refug e. AA( r a tew wo r d s f rom t h e E arl of GALLOWAY , ' The Marquis of CLANRICARDE exphined, and their Lordships divided, when there appeared— Conten ..• ..• ... 18 Not contents ... • ... 31 Majority against the motion ... —l3 (LEFT SITTING.) SIR ROBERT PEEL. The announcement in the Dutch Papers of the arrival of Sir Robert Peel in Rolland, on the 9th, is absolutely without foundation. The Right Honourable Baronet spoke in the House cn Friday night. Oa the 9th he was, we believe, at Osborne on a visit to her Majesty. Oa Tuesday, he, with his family, occupied her Majesty's box at the Royal Italian Opera ; and he is at this moment in London attending to his Parliamentary duties. AUSTRIA. Kossuth his recently published a proclamation at Pesth, which may be considered as the Magyar programme of the approaching campaign. Kossuth makes a new and imperious appeal to the sturdy patriotism of his countrymen. The priests are ordered to take up the cross and to head their parishioners in the defence of their religion and liberty. The people are to arm themselves, as they best can, " with scythes, pickaxes, &c." The line of the Theiss and the fords of that river are to be defended, and the inhabitants of the towns and villages shall, on the approach of the enemy, leave their houses and homes, and, carrying away all provisions, take refuge in the fastnesses of the mountains and the islands of the morasses. They are further instructed to set fire to the places in which the enemy are quartered, and to molest them by noctural attacks. Kossuth finally states that the Hungarian army numbers 200,000 men: ----- THEATRE ROYAL, RICHMOND.—This little theatre commenced a season on Monday evening, under the di rection of Mr. John Ryan, a gentleman well-known to the Richmond playgoers as a successful caterer for their gratification. The entertainments were varied and numerous, supported by metropolitan artistes of acknow ledged talent, and, if the reception of the company and pieces on Monday ue taken as a criterion of future sue cess„Mr. Ryan will have reason to congratulate himself on the result of his speculatiun. The curtain rose, when. the National Anthem was given in capital style by several vocalists from the two op rate who were engaged for the occasion. The farce of Slasher and Crasher followed, in which Mr. N. B. Ryan, as Slasher, kept the audience in a roar from first to last. The celebrated Shawl Dance was admirably given by Miss C. Pelser, and drew down a unanimous encore; a similar compliment was paid to the Misses Desborough and Furtle, who danced the Minuet and Bolero (as done by them before her ajesty and the Court at the St. James's 'Theatre lately) with elegance and effect. The petite drama of Monsieur Jacques introduced Mr. B. Barnett, who played the hare of the piece with much feeling; the parts of Sequence and Vivid were excellently sustained by Messrs. G. Coke and H. Lee of the Mary lebone Theatre. The song of "I'm going for a S ri old l ie i r i; J l e m n e n s y,'' w w ho as p es a sung g ss wth great taste by hi sweetness, musician. w hi which Some soprano manages with ot the enirsusc skill hMo t p a a o ri w a e l r d an experienced comic singing by Mr. N. B. Ryan and H. Saville created much merriment. The hit of the evening, however, was the Gitana, by Miss Resina Ryan, who gave that popu lar dance with much g r ace and spirit, betraying such gr, at talent in the art es astonished and delighted her auditor*, and produced a repturoes encore. The farce of Mr. and Mrs. 11 bite terminated the performances, in which Mr. 17. Cooke mid Mr. N. B. Ryan, as Aiajor Pepper and Peter White, made setae large demands upon the risible faculties of the audience, and which were heartily responded to. It is lour years since the theatre had a lessee before, and Mr. Ryan's theatrical tact and industry will, we hope, render his undertaking a source of enjoyment to his patrons, and profit to himself. REGISTRATION OF VOTERS. —The new law affect ing the registration of voters will come into practical opertvion on the 20th inst. Hitherto taxes sad poor rates due on the s:h of April were to be paid on or before the 20th of July, but by the Act 11 and 12 Vie., cap. 90, it is declared "that after the Ist of January, 1849, no person shall be required, in order to entitle him to have his name inserted in any list of voters for any city, town, or borough in England, to have paid any poces-rates or assessed taxes except such as shall have become payable from him previously to the sth of January in the same year, and that no person shall be entitled to be on any such list of voters unless the poora rates and assessed taxes, payable from him previously to the sth day of January, shall be paid on or before the 20th day of July next following.' PROGRESS OF THE CHOLERA.—Mr. W. Baker held six inquests on Tuesday in various parts of his district, on the bodies of persons who died from Asiatic cholera, and verdicts to that effect were returned in every case. It appeared that the deceased, without an exception, had been living when attacked by the disease in districts where the drainage was bad. EMIGRATION.—During the ast six months 87,443 emigrants have sailed from the port of Liverpool. The number fur the corresponding period of 1848 was 82,680.—Liverpool Courier. B On the 9th i ns t. , the Hon. l Mrs RTHS . Beaumont, of a daughter. On the 6th inst., at Aylesrnore-house, Gloucestershire, the wife of Captain Lacon, R.A. On the 7th inst., the lady of G. Moore, Esq., of Appleby— hall, Leicester hire, of a daughter. On the 7th inst., at Arrowe-park, Cheshire, the lady of J. R. Shaw, Esq., of a daughter. On the 7th inst., at Clapham.common, the wife of Richard Ravenhill, Esq., of a daughter. On the 9th inst., at Bridlington-quay, the wife of Charles Preston, Esq., of a daughter. MARRIED. On the 7th inst., a t S t. M ry'e Church, Portseas William Spear, Esq., of Cobland-house, Totton, near Southampton, to Harriett Jones, only child of the late Lieutenant Thomas Mitchell, R.M. On the ;th inst., at All Souls', Langham-place, David Black, Esq., of Brighton to Cla ra M ai i d . on l y d aug h ter o f G. Patten, Esq, A. lt.A., of Deniers. Areet, London. On the "ith inst., at St. Pancras Church, Theodosius Webb, Esq., Captain Royal Engineers, second son of Sir J. Webb, KGB., to Julia Thal, daughter of the late William Caldwell Brandrum, Esq. DIED. On the 9th inst., at Lyme Regis, Dorset, J ames Lean Esq.. of Clifton, B r i sto l, aged 75. , On the 9th inst., at Cliefden, John Hay Mackenzie, Esq., of Newhall and Cromertie. On the 9th inst., at Tetbury, Glocestershire, aged 78, De borah ; , mith, widow of the late T. R. Smith, Esq:, - of Fur nival's Inn. On the yth inst., at Great Coram•street, George Henry, fifth so, of the late J. B:idgett, Esq., aged i 5. On the 10th inst., in Albemarle-;treat, aged 67, Sir W. H. Pearson, M. u., F. R S. London: Printed and Published by MURDO YOUNG, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sure ()thee. No. 112,, trued. in- rlo , Procu o s, . 0 t h e „uvoy,iA the county of Thursday, July 12, 1848,