The Sun. — London, England, 1849-06-02 00:00:00

foreign power in question for permission that vessels with the mails might pass, but he had not yet received an answer to the application. Mr. G. SANDARS had been informed that as many as 36 vessels, most of which were foreign, had been allowed to pass this blockaded port. _ . . _ Lord PALMERSTON said 'Government had sent out a steamer to ascertain if the blockade was completed, but the shores of the Elbe could not be so effectually blockaded as to keep out all vessels. No doubt some vessels had effected an entrance at night, but it must be remembered that they did so at a risk, and were liable to be afterwards seized and condemned, SUPPLY. _ The House then went into Committee of Supply. On the question that 103,4671. be granted for addis Lions and repairs of Royal Palaces, Mr. B. OSBORNE said no man in the House had greater respect for the Sovereign of the country than himself. While he was sure he was only expressing the feeling of the House in saying that he was most anxious that the Sovereign should be lodged in a way that would do credit to the country and the station she occupied in Europe, at the same time he thought the House was bound to inquire into the system in which these enormous sums were year after year brought before the House of Commons for public palaces. He was sure the Sovereign would be the last individual in the country M wish that system to continue without proper inquiry being made into it. Now on the first page of this estimate he saw 7501. for Buckingham Palace ; but if the House would take the trouble to turn over the next few Pages, they would find an additional sum of 50,0001. for the same building. By the report of a Committee appointed in 1831 to inquire into the state of Windsor and Buckingham Palaces it appeared that, exclusive of the marble arch, there had been expended on Buckingham Palace no less a Eum than 613,2961., which, aided to the 150,000/. granted last year, made an aggregate sum of 763,2961., beside% the grants for furniture, &c. Now, for such a sum as that they ought to have been able to build a palace fitting the Sovereign of the country, instead of which they had got a patched up building, erected in a hole. So much, then, for Buckiagha'.n Palace.—(Laughter.) He had not the least disrespect for the Sovereign, but he could not forbear calling attentien to a vote of 6,5001. for new stables at Windsor, awl fur supplying them with water. Then, again, flashing and cleansing the drains was charged at 15,550/ The Noble Lord at the head of the Government stated, last night, that where round figures were put down that it meant that a further sum would be required. Ile, therefore, called particular attention to the vote, because it might be inf:rred that it was only preliminary to a further sum. The House might say that it was a small sum ; but he found from the report of the Committee of 1841, that the expenditure upon Windsor Castle, from 1824 to 1836. had amounted to the enerineus sum of 1,498,516/. (11i ar, hear)—making, with what was required this year, a total of 1,5130001., exclusive of the sums voted to the Woods and Forests for furnishing and other matters. They told other nations that they were the guardians hf the public purse ; but he denied that they were. It was disgraceful that so large a sum should have been spent upon two palaces, one of which was not fit to put a Sovereign in. He would not put the II :use to the trouble of a division, as he might only get a " baker'. dez n" to go out into the lobby with him ; but ho celled sty): the House to express a strong opinion upon this excessive expenditure. Why, if they went on at this ra:e, the whole of the re venue of the country would be swallowed up in the build ing of palaces.—(Hear, hear.) Why, the estimate for the new Palace at Westminster was 750,000/4 but already they had spent 2,000,0001. upon it—(llear)—and .hey were disfiguring the House of Lords by erecting a hideous gallery, which would spoil the beautiful proportions of the buildine.. And in the new House of Cummins not a word would be heard, hut perhaps that would be an advantage to some Hon. Members.—(Laughter.) Again, he ssw in the estimates a small sun, since is was 41 14 , ., but he mentioned it for another reason—naeselv, from its being appli‘d to the purposes of the abowinable Palace Court, to which he wished to draw the attention of the NoVe Lord the Member for Marylebono.—(Hear.) The miscellaneous estimates were, however, so large that it was impossible to follow them. Ile suggested that for the future all the sums expended upon public buildings should be carried on, as at present Members thought that new sums were required, and they were consequently deceived, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER hoped the Hon. .and Gallant Member would not deny that Buckingham Palace was a handsome building. To save money it was essential that repairs should be made. Mr. OSBORNE did not object to repairs. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—At the time the money referred to was expended on drains at Windsor Castle there were no drains. Mr. SL AN EY said he remembered that a survey was made of Windsor by Sir 11. Delabeche, and that ho reported that improved drainage was necessary for the health of the town. Sir DE LACY EVANS hoped that the barracks at Windsor would not be forgotten. The vote was agreed to. BUCKINGHAM PALACE. On the next vote, 14,2001. for enlarging and improv ing Buckingham Palace, Mr. OSBORNE inquired whether there was any esti mate of the expensa of furnishing Buckingham Palace? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was able to give what the Hon, Gentleman,he belived, would regard as a very satisfactory answer—that the public would be put to no expense at all in that respect. Mr. OSBORNE said, that in this vote there was a sum, he observal, of 2004 for the expense of pulling down the marble arch. This arch had cost upwards of 80,0001. in the erection, and now there was to be a further sum for pulling it down. Ho should very much like to know what was to be done with this arch? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that, in reply to the Hon. Member, he really could not say what was to be done with the arch, for nothing had at present been decided upon, but one thing was very plain, and that was that the arch could not continue where it was.—(Laughter.) The vote was then passed. COMMITTEE-ROOMS, &c. On the vote for 3,284/. to defray the cost of Committee rooms and other temporary accommodations in the new Houses of Parliament, Mr. OSI3ORNE said he hardly thought that the House were aware that since the temporary accommodations had been afforded not less than 200,0001. had been spent upon theri.—(Hear, hear.) Then, again, there was another item to which he thought no suffi cient attention had ever been directed, and that was the charge of 120,000/. for ventilation. Not that he was in clined to find fault with the ventilation—(Hear, hear) — but he wished the House to see what they paid for it. Then there was another charge which he wished to bring under their notice, and in doing so he was anxious to hear the opinion of the Under-Secretary for the Colonies, respecting those hideous galleries which were now being erected in the House of Lords. That Right Hon. Gentleman was a member of the Fine Arts Com missicn, and, as in all probability they would see the expense of them charged in next year's estimates, he should like to have his opinion. —(Hear.) He objected to money being expended on temporary erections, and would advise the Howe to refuse their countenance, for it was his firm impre:sion that unless the House put the scrsw on the Chancellor of the Exchequer they would never sit in the new House at all.(Laughter.) The vote was then agreed to. HOLYHEAD HARBOUR. The sum of 45,771/. for completing the Harbour at Holyhead for the accommodation of her Majeaty's mail s:eam-packets was then agreed to. HARBOURS OF REFUGE. On the vote for 141,5001 for completing the Harbours of Refuge, Mr. M. GIBSON wished to inquire whether these harbours were for commercial or for military purposes. He understood that these harbours, for commercial pur poses, were more likely to be harbours of destruction than of safety. The French, he understood, termed the harbour at Dover a harbour of aggression instead of safety. After a few observations from Mr. THORNELY and the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER the vote was agreed to. CALEDONIAN CANAL. A vote of 10,000/. for works and repairs upon the Caledonian Canal was agreed to without discussion. PUBLIC BUILDINGS (IRELAND). Upon a vote of 24,233/. being 'proposed fel. the ex pense of maintaining several public buildings belonging to the department of public works in Ireland, and also fur the purposes of inland navigation, under the direc tion of the said Commissioners, Mr. SPOONER moved, as an amendment, that the vote should be reduced by 1,2251.15. Id., that sum being required for certain repairs in connexion with May nooth College. Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the House divided, when there appeared— For the reduction 27 Against it Majority KINGSTON HARBOUR. A vote for 9,5501. for defraying the expenses of the works and repairs at Kingston Harbour, was agreed to without discussion or division. SALARIES OF PARLIAMENTARY OFFICERS. A vote for 93,2001 for the salaries of officers and expenses of the two Houses of Parliament, and the sala ries of retired officers, was agreed to without discussion. THE TREASURY. On the vote for 57,2001. for the salaries and expenses of her Majesty's Treasury being read, Mr. GOULBURN said he could net concur in the principle on which the reduction had been made in those salaries. He did not deny that by this arange ment a largo amount of money was saved, but it was very bail economy to save money at the expense of the efficiency of the departments. It was highly important that the subordinate officers of such depart ment of the state should be efficient individuals, well versed in the usages and rules of Parliament, but let them not establish a system which should place great power and vast duties in the hands of only a few individuals. It was much better to have one responsible bead over each department, and spread the duties over a number of subordinate officers, who should be entitled to promotion according to merit and seniority. He therefore thought the ar rangement now proposed of reducing the subordinate officers was au ill-advised one. Under an Act of Perna ept, persons who held offices of a quasi freehold nature c( 1...,%W - 04/1 / nounty courts were justly dechred entitled to .: : • . iolliflir tAe loss of those offices consequent can .1. ~,.. It Att . r 6f the new county courts. The Hon. ,-- 1, 1 11 'lii - e• Id (Mr. Parker), who formerly hold -.. tie fse re ry to the Treasury, arid now fill e d .. 0- _ . , - i. , art' tos he Admiralty, was entitled to 1,2001. , • ' a - yv.r- sa3.l4onog ion for the loss of one of those offices, but he‘itadi• o accept it. At a tine when endea kvolirs there - ,Beci made by a certain party to persuade th . eatbiie, 1 public men were greedily intent upon augmenting their incomes, it was desirable that a fact so honourable to that Hon. Member should be conveyed to the pub:is in a more direct manner than it could be by the return upon the table, in which the circumstance was samewhat obscurely a lluded to.—( Hear, hear.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thanked the Right Hon. Gentleman for the notice he had taken of the sacrifice made by the Hon. Gentleman the Secre tary to the Admiralty. With reference to the reductions which tho Right Hon. Gentleman had remarked upon, he took upon himself all the blame of the alterations, but he certainly thought then, and continued to think, they were quite justified by the circumstances. The opinion of those best able to judge of the value of the reductions had been taken, and he believed there was a general opinion that by these reductions the efficiency of the Treasury departments had been improved. Mr. HENLEY said, as we had cut down prices by the liberal system of policy, it was impossible to keep up the old scale of payment to public servants. All classes should ba obliged to take their share of the general less. As the Treasury was the principal department of the Government, he thought the present vote presented a suitable opportunity for proposing a reduction, and be should therefore move that a reduction of 10 per cent., or 5,0401., be made in the proposed grant. Mr. DRUMMOND said that effectual reductions could only be made by the Administration itself, and he thought the best thing the House could do would be to adopt some such resolution as that which he had placed on the table, and to say " We can afford to pay so much no longer.—(Hear, hear.) The reduction of the salaries of persons in public offices was a matter of some diffi calty, and the increase of the public business required a great number of servants, especially in the higher de partments. Ho considered the proposed reduction merely a drop in the ocean; bat acting on the principle whic,., he had uniformly supported, he should give it his support.—(Hear.) Colonel THOMPSON did not see wby, at a time when something like a national jubilee had taken place, her Majesty's servants should be expected to give up their chance of a participation in the reductions which had taken place in the price of the necessaries of life. Mr. F. O'CONNOR did not know what the public would think of the declaration just made by the Gallant Colonel, who, on the hustings was such an enthusiastic admirer of financial reform. de (Mr. O'Connor) thought the Government the proper parties to commence with, and therefore should vote for the proposition of the Hon. Member for Oxfordshire, than whom the working classes had no more sincere friend.—(Hear.) After a few words from Mr. LOCKHART, Mr. SLANEY expressed his opinion that the reduc tion which had taken place in the price of articles of consumption would not be ;permanent; and, therefore, thought the reduction proposed by the Hon. Gentleman ought not to be so hastily made. Many of the members of the executive were not paid a farthing too much for their labour. The CIIANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the salaries of the Government had been inquired into, and remained at the amount recommended by two separate Committees. In the year 1831, on the motion of Mr. Ashburton, a Committee was appointed to consider the salaries of the higher officers. A considerable reducti,n was reccrnmended by that Committee on many of the salaries, and they have ever since remained at the amount fixed at that time. In the course of the last session tha subject was again gone into. A proposal was made before the Committee to reduce the salary of the First Lord of the Treasury, and on a division the number of votes for rataining the salary at 5,0001 a year was 11, and for reducing it 2; and he found the name of the Hon. Member for Oxfordshire in the majority.—(A laugh.) A similar proposition was made with respect to the salary of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and on a division the result was the same. The proposal of the Hun. Gentleman was not confined to the higher salaries, but would extend to the smaller ones. Now the Hon. Member for the West Riding said, the other day, he did not think the public servants were overpaid. Mr. COI3DEN—I beg pardon. I spoke of the army and navy when I said thai the officers - in the service are not overpaid, but that there or,: more than aro wanted. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought the allusion of the Hon. Member had been general. He (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) entertained a strong opinion t hat the public servants employed in the different offices were, generally speaking, not an overpaid body of men, and one proof of this might be found in the fact, that these officers were not unfrequently tempted to quit the public service by the prospect of higher pay elsewhere.—(dear.) Mr. Alderman SIDNEY said he should vote for the proposed reduction, considering it a step in the right direction. He thought a reduction of 10 p2r cent. per fectly justifiable, when articles of consumption generally had undergone a reduction of from 20 to 25 per cent. As this was a question on which her Majesty's Govern ment had a pecuniary interest, he thought they ought to abstain from voting, and leave it to the decision of independent Members.—(Hear.) After a few words from Sir H. VERNEY and Mr. HENRY, Sir J. TYRELL remindechhe Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer, that the inquiry of 1831 was a political move by the party to which the Right Hon. Gentleman belonged. Ile felt indebted to the Hon. Member for Oxford for having made the mo tion, and thereby testing the sincerity of the economical school of Manchester. Mr. GOULBURN said the Hon. Member for Oxford had rested his proposition on the general reduction that, had taken place in the price of commodities from the le gislation of 1842 and 1846. He was glad to hear an Hon. Member say that the general reduction in certain commercial articles had been 25 per cent. He must say that he had not profited by the reduction, though doubt less others had. If, however, such reductions had taken place in consequence of the reduction of duties, they ought to recollect that the income tax had been imposed to ensure against deficiency of revenue, and that it was paid among others by that very class whose salaries were now proposed to be reduced. Mr. BUCK thought the time had arrived for the House entertaining some such proposition as that of the Hon. Member for Oxford. He believed that discontent and depression never existed to a greater extent that at this moment. He should certainly vote for the proposal of the Hon. Member for Oxford. Mr. BROTHERTON said that if a general reduction were proposed he should vote for it, but he did not think it would be just on the present occasion to vote for a partial and invidious reduction such as that proposed. Mr. SPOONER recalled to the recollection of the Right Hon. Gentleman near him (Mr. Goulburn) that the income-tax was not imposed for the first time in 1846.. The question was not whether Ministers were over paid, bat whether, having by Legislation reduced every man's income and every man's profit, that class who had made the reductions were alone to escape? He should support the proposition. His•only fault with it was that it did not go far enough. Mr. COBDEN thought the proposal involved a prin- ciple which might have important consequences. - His reasons for supporting the proposition were not the same as those of llon. Gentlemen opposite. They had rested the proposal on the reductions in the price of commodi ties, which they had attributed to our recent commercial legislation. He begged to remind them that if legisla tion had affected the pricy of corn, it had not affected the price of manufactures. In fact, cotton and woollen manufactures were cheaper before their legislation with respect to corn and other articles, than after it. The recent commercial legislation had been of great advantage to the community he repre sented, whose condition now was comparatively better than it was previous to such legislation. It would be much easier now to raise from them the taxation neces sary to pay these and other salaries, than it would have been if the corn laws had not been repealed. He did not wish to be thought to give a vindictiie vote against the Government. The tone of Hon. Gentlemen opposite indicated revenge.—(Hear.) The vote which he in tended to give he should have given five years ago. He thought the higher functionaries in the civil departme nt were paid more than they ought to be. He did not say they should be paid low salaries, or that, because bread was cheaper, salaries should be low. But, when he found a First Secretary of State receiving 5,0001. a year, he thought there was room for reduction without trenching upon the dignity and hospitality of the office. More than double the salary paid to public officers in other countries was paid for simileal services in this. Ono advantage he contemplated from a reduction of salaries was the greater simplicity which it would produce in the habits of life. If the salaries of 5,0001. were cut down to 4,0001., that sum would be ample. There was no very great additional expense en tailed on a man from filling the office of a Secretary of State. On the contrary, his whole time was then de voted to work; and he had no idle time to fill up expen sively. Ho therefore thought 4,0001. ample for a First Secretary of State, and had no objection at once to re duce the salary to that sum. But the Hon. Member for Oxford had proposed a mode of reduction which he could not altogether approve of—he proposed to take off 10 per cent. from all salaries. Now, in the Treasury there were a great number of clerks at salaries of 1501., 146., and 1074 as also messengers at 70/. Now, he was by no means disposed to deal with these small salaries in the same way as be would with the large salaries of 5,0001. Indeed, if this motion were adopted, he should propose that the saving be distributed in a totally diffe rent way from that suggested by the Hon. Gentleman— and that it should go to increase salaries that were in sufficient. Whatever was the motive of the Hon. Gen tleman in bringing forward the proposal, he had done well in boldly attacking the Treasury bench. In all probability, if the First Lord had not 5,0001. he would not get up and say that a Bishop should have 10,0001. He should certainly support the motion of the Hon. Member for Oxford, Mr. SIMEON said it was not desirable that a ques iion involving so important a consideration as general economy in the public expenditure should be brought forward ir. the spirit in which that amendment had been introduced, and therefore he should vote against it. Strangers were ordered to withdraw, and the Com mittee having divided, the numbers were— For the vote 84 For the amendment ... ... 33 Majority The vote of 25,4001. for the expenses of the office of the Secretary of State for the Home Department was then agreed to. A sum, not exceeding 7,600/, was then proposed for the offices of the Foreign Department. Mr. COBDEN wish& d to know whether the Hon. Mem ber for Oxfordshire (Mr. Henley) intended to persevere in his resolution with respect to that department, or would give notice of some motion on the bringing up of the report? Mr. HENLEY said he thought the best way of ac complishing a general reduction of public expenditure was to lay down the principle for which he had con tended. After the decision to which the Committee had come he would not again divide, but he would not be pre chidedlrom taking whateTer steps lie thought advisable on a future occasion to enforce that general principle which he sought to establish. After a few words from Mr. MITCHELL, The vote was agreed to, as were also the following:— A sum of 36,9001. for the expenses of the Colonial office. 43,0001. for the expenses of Privy Council-office and Board of Trade. 2,000/. for the expenses of the office of Privy Seal.. 28,900/. for the office of the Paymaster-General. 6,626/. ditto Paymaster of Exchequer-bills. 2,700/. for the expenses of the State Paper office. 3,540/. expenses of the Ecclesiastical Commission of England. A vote of 240,000/. to defray the expenses of the ad ministration of the poor-law having been proposed, Mr. HENLEY wished to know how the increase oc curred in the expenses of that commission from former }ears ? _ Mr. BAINES said the expenses of the united Ccm missions of England and Scotland had been added to that of England. The only increase in England had been caused by the appointment of two additional in spectors to the eleven already made, and had only made an addition of 853/. to that item of expenditure. Captain PECIIELL said he had always been opposed to that grant, but considerable improvement had taken place in the system since the investigation into the affairs of the Andover union. He had intended . to bring for ward a motion for an inquiry into an important subject connected with the administration of the law; bat, as he understood the Hun. and Learned Commissioner was himself about inquiring into it, he would not proceed with his notice. After a few words from Sir 11. VERNEY, Mr. FRENCH cendeinned the great increase which had taken place in the administration of the poor-law in Ireland, a law which had been forced on the country, and was considered unsuited to her condition. It might be said that Ireland had no right to complain, for that money came from the Consolidated Fund. Now, he maintained, that Ireland contributed more than her fair share to that fund. The expenses of introducing the law into Ireland had been more than in England. He found an architect appointed at a salary of 8001. a year, while his assistants had 3001. a year, and their travelling expenses amounted to over 5,000/ ; now, although that officer had been sent over to Ireland at the commence ment, and had not been very successful in his labours, he was still retained. In conclusion, he moved that the item in the votes should be reduced from 35,0001. to 30,0001. (as was understood). Mr. HENLEY said the travelling expenses of the inspectors appeared to amoult t•) about O. a day—in fact to more than their salaries. The salaries of the Irish inspectors were 7,0001., and their travelling ex penses were 6,000/.; and than there was an additional sum of 6,6001. a year for extra clerics and architects' as sistan's. It appeared to him that those charges required some explination. Mr. BAINES said that the English inspectors were obliged to travel at a moment's notice to any part of their respective districts in which it might be neces sary that they should institute inquires. In fact they were compelled to be constantly on the move, and he did not think that a sum of 10,7401. a year was too much to meet the expenses which the thirteen inspectors had to incur. Colonel DUNNE said he felt it his duty to direct the attention of the Committee to the feet that in Ireland the poor law auditors, the schoolmasters and school mistresses, and the medical officers were paid by the unions, while in England a considerable portion of those expenses were paid out of the Consolidated Fund. In the statements of his Hon. Friend, the Member for iluscommon (Mr. F. French) with respect to the poor- Taw architect in Ireland, he entirely agr--ed. He ba lieved that officer had been particularly mischievous, and that he had put the country to a goad deal of un necessary expanse. Sir W. SOMERVILLE said he believed his Hon. and Gallant Friend was mistaken in supposing that the auditors in Ireland were not paid out of the Consolidated Fund. It was, true, however, that the whole of the ex penses of the schoolmasters and the schoolmistresses in England and half the expenses of the medical officers were borne by the Consolidated Fond. But in exchange for that indulgence extended to the people of this country, it had been arranged that the expenses of the constabu. lary in Ireland should be defrayed by the public exche quer. The expenses attending the bperation of the Irish poor-law had certainly of late been very considerable; but that fact might, he thought, be attributed to the un fortunate condition of the country; and he hoped that a large portion of the expense would not be re2iuired after the present year. With respect to the Irish poor-law architect, he should observe that be entirely differed from his lion. Friends as •to the merits of that gentleman, whom he believed to be a very able and efficient officer. Mr. SIDNEY said he could not help thinking that the travelling expenses of the inspectors were unaccount ably large. Those expenses amounted to about 23. 10s. per day for each inspector, Sundays excepted. Mr. BAINES had only to repeat that the inspectors had constant journeys to undertake. Mr. SIDNEY wished to know what was the sum al• lowed them daily for travelling? Mr. BAINES—Their actual expenses. Mr. WYLD said he could not help observing, even in these days of economy, that there was one item connected with the working of the poor-law which was much lower than it ought to be. ll© alluded to the allowances to medical officers, which amounted to only 150,000/. a year. In his opinion that sum was altogether insuffi cient; and he hoped that some morn liberal provision would be made for the payment of officers who were en trusted with the discharge of such very laborious duties. Mr. SLANEY wished to know what was the number of unions in which the system of industrial schools had been adopted? Mr. J. O'CONNELL said he hoped his Hon. Friend the Member for Roscommon would not press his amend ment, because any excess beyond the amount that might be voted would be defrayed out of the different unions, instead of being chargeable to the Consolidated Fund. In reply to the statement of the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary for Ireland, he wished to observe that the people of Ireland had already paid more than 3,000,000/. for the establishment of the Irish constabulary force ; and as that was an armed force, which saved this country the expense of extending the military establishment in Ireland, he thought it would be unufair to place the pay ment of such a force out of the Consolidated Fund as a set-off against the payment of medical officers and schoolmasters and schoolmistresses in England out of the public exchequer. He should therefore propose that the charges of those officers should be defrayed in Ireland, as in England, out of the Consolidated Fund. Mr. BAINES wished to observe, in reply to the ques ' tion of his Hon. Friend the Member for Shrewsbury (Mr. Slaney) that he was not then enabled to state the number of unions in which industrial schools had been established; but he should be Prepared on a future day to furnish the desired information. Sir W. SOMERVILLE wished to remind his Hon. Friend the Member for Limerick (Mr. J. O'Connell) that the yearly charges for half the expense of medical offi cers,and for the whole of the expense of schoolmasters and schoolmistresses in England and Scotland amounted to only 120,0001. a year-85,0001. for England and 35,000/. for Scotland—while the expense of the Irish constabu lary, which was defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund, amounted to not less than 500,0001. a year. Mr. J, O'CONNELL repeated that the people of Ire land had already paid 3,000,0001. for the establishment of the constabulary. After a few words from Mr. F. FRENCH, Strangers were ordered to withdraw, but no division took place; and the vote was agreed to. A sum of 45,684/. having been proposed for defraying the expenses of the Mint, the T two o - C s h u i I i e N g p E i e L c L e s o lo u of l would b the i e s s E n e x. d ? Mr. fIIORNELY as k e d w h en i t was pro b a bl e t h at CHEQUER said that all the necessary steps had been taken for issuing these pieces, when he had found that it would be neces sary to pass a Bill for legalising any coin different from that which had existed under the former Act. Ile had given notice of a Bill for that evening to legalise the issuing of the pieces in question. Captain PEC HELL expressed ahope that the arrange ment with respect to the distribution of medals would be reconsidered. Sir F. BARING said that the claims for medals by officers who had been engaged in certain actions were still under consideration; but the whole question would not again he reopened. Mr. SPOONER wished to know whether it was the intention of the Government to act on the report of the commission in reference to this department? Tho CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, it was impossible to come to an immediate decision on the subject. The vote was then agreed to. On the vote of 7,9961. for the railway department (per Act 9 and 10 Viet., c. 105), Air. HENLEY observed an unusual item under this bead, namely, a charge for newspapers. This, he pre sumed, arose from the officers connected with the depart ment h av ing nothing to do.—(Hear, and a laugh.) Mr. LA BOUCHERE said, the lion. Member would recollect that the Government had undertaken to make a ll the reductions possible in this branch of the public serv i c e ' and in redemption of that pledge ho might r e f er to the fact that while the original charge in 1847 was 176,000 i, and in 1848 10,6701., it this year did not exceed 7,99 6/. With regard to the question put by the Hon. Gentleman, he might say that it was thought advisable that the board should be supplied with railway news papers in order that they might be acquainted with what going on in reference to railways. was a Tvotes of 12,8221. for expenses of salaries, &c., public records; 7551. for offic es in , 11,869/. f o r the salar s ie c s o , t lk la c n . d , .of inspector s , & c . ; 1, 6,46 41, for the household of the Lord-Lieutenant in der-Secretary' s Offi ce Ireland; master of Civil Services, Ireland; l a r n e d lan U d n ; an 3s d 9, P ri vy Commissioners of Public Works, Ire -24,2351. Council Office, Chief 5 , 9 5 6 6 / 2 . I f . o r fort h t h e C a 30' land; 39,000 service,o.vfotresoefer2e7t7J62l. fo w r perreinttbinegn andag reedto. Oathe stationery, e a . n o ß c y tay th o is fo m rm ea , ns in t s h t e e y ad w o o f uld th b e e ir re p n r d e e s reendt Mr. COBDEN su gg ested that tho blue boo ks should mu b i ben much a ian c p cessible, more portable, and, in addi t i on to w s c , phi:l h inidn e Yoter u sde n h derstood that a saving would be effcctLd of from 20 to 30 per cent. The CIIANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said doc tors differed upon this as upon othar subjects, but it was moro rroperly a subject for the c)nsideration of the printing Committee. The following votes were then agreed to:- 26,0001. for law charges paid by the solicitor to the Treasury. 9,0001. Mint prosecutions relating to coin. 17,7001 sheriffs' expenses, officers of the Court of Ex chequer, &c. .10, 3704 lazolvent Dvl.)tors' Court. THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, 73,7301. criminal prosecutions and other law charges (Scotland). 63,991/. criminal prosecutions and other law charges (Ireland). 35,5001. for the expenses of the metropolitan police (Dublin). 258,0001. for prosecutions at assizes and quarter ses sions, formerly paid out of the county rates. On the gross vote of 702,5231. for the expenses of law and justice, Mr. HENLEY observed that the expenses relating to convicts were put in a different form from that in which they had been accustomed to see them. This might be more convenient, but it at the same time rendered it diffi cult to compare the present with the previous years. The aggregate expense appeared to him to have in creased. Sir G. GREY—Not as compared with last year. Mr. HENLEY said he observed, in page 16 of the estimates a sum of 17,000/. to defray the expense of con fining and maintaining in probationary discipline 674 male convicts in county gads in Great Britain under sentence of transportation, until otherwise disposed of, and he wished to know whether the expense per head was greater or less than the expense at Pentonville, Milbank, or Portland ? Sir G. GREY said the charge to which the Hon. Mem ber had adverted was the result of a recommendation of the Committee on the Miscellaneous Estimates, who stated it to be impossible to form an opinion of the ag gregete expenses with reference to convicts under tho old system. Au experienced cflicer had been placed in com munication with several of these establishments. The aggregate expense, no doubt - , appeared to have increased, but then the Hon. Gentleman would observe that a sum of no less than 53,0001. had been transferred from the navy estimates. Those and some other charge had, on the recommendation of the Committee, been included in the miscellaneous estimates. With regard to the sum of 17.000/. for the maintenance of 674 male convicts in pro bationary discipline, to which, the Hon. Member had ad verted, it must be remembered that this stage of punish ment was attended with very considerable expense. A revision of the expense connected with the various esta blishments to which the Hon. Member had referred was in progress, the result of which be hoped would be to secure greater equality. Mr. HENLEY said, one other item, which appeared to him extravagant, was the charge for the maintenance of criminal lunatics. He found that the expense of maintaining 111 patients in Bethlem Hospital was set down at 3,8401., and he really could see no reason why the charge in that establishment should be so much beyond Hanwell, or any other well-conducted public asylum. . Sir G. GREY said he had bad some communication with the Governor of Bt thlem Hospital, and a reducti)n had taken place there this year. It must, however, he obvious that the expnse must be greater in an establish ment for criminal lunatics, where patients were confined who had committed murder and collar grave crimes, than it wool I be in ordinary lunatic asylums. On the vote of 125,0001. for public education in Grett Britain, Mr. HENLEY regretted the absence of the Honour able Member who had raised a discussion upon that question ie the previous year, and hoped that his now not opposing the vote would not be understood as pre cluding him from taking any course he thought proper on a future occasion if the question should be brought in another form before the House. There was a very considerable amount of feeling, and among a class whose opinions were worthy of the attention of that House and the country, with regard to that vote, and the impres sion was that it was not fairly administered by the Go vernment.—(Hear, hear.) lie wculd not go at length into the question then, as he had not expected that the vote would have come on that night; but he merely wished to reserve to himself, when the matter was more fully gone into, the right to take such a course as he might think fit, because, so far as he had been able to judge, a considerable portion of the community had great reason to complain of the mode and manner in which the grant was administered. The vote was then agreed to. On the vote of 120,0001. for the commissioners of na tional educatioon in Ireland, Mr. GROGAN wished to call the -attention of the Committee to the fact that, although:these commissioners received a very large sum of money per unnum for the management of the education of a section of the people of Ireland, they appeared to be very strangely employed. He found a notice issued by them very lately stating .that they had prepared two volumes of poems for the use of the children in these national schools, the one containing biographies of all the poets from Chaucer down to the most recent period, and the other containing selections from their poems. And these were for the education of the poor children in Ireland, who were most of them in a starving con dition. Ho thought they might be much more usefully employed in making arrangements for the endowment of schoolmistresses who could instruct the children, par ticularly the females, in useful work, such as em broidery, which had been done with the happiest effect in the north of Ireland, as that species of work found a very ready sale. The vote was then agreed to ; as were also the fol lowing:- 10,000/. for the School of Design. 2,036/. for the salaries and allowances of certain pro fessors of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. 4,0001. for the University of London. 7,450/. for the Scottish University. 300/. for the Royal Irish Academy. 3001. for the Royal Hibernian Academy. 6,000/. for the Royal Dublin Society. 3,100/. for the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. 36,288/. for the new buildings of the British Museum. 1,5001. to the trustees of the British Museum for anti quities. 1,500/ for the. National Gallery. Sir W. JOLLIFFE wished to know whether it was intended to make any addition to the building in order to provide room for the valuable pictures that had lately been presented to the country? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER feared be would hardly be justified in proposing any additional sum for that purpose in the present circumstances of the country. He quite agreed with the Hon. Baronet as to the desirableness of providing proper accommoda tion, but, under the present circumstances, the Govern ment did not feel itself justified in proposing any addi tional expense. The vote was then agreed to; as were 18,000/. for the geological survey. 5,0001. for scientific works and experiments, and mag netic observatories at home and abroad. 2,800/. for completing the pedestal of the column in Trafalgar-square to the memory of Lord Nelson. 4,049/, for the civil establishment of Bermuda. 2,0001. for the civil establishment of Prince Edward's Island. On the vote of 11,578/. for the ecclesiastical establish ments of British North America, Mr. J. B. SMITH had a strong objection to the vote. He thought those colonies ought to be able to support their own Church, and he should be glad to know whether the Government was making any arrangement for the purpose. He would not go into the question of the injustice of the vote, but leave that to the Canadians themselves; but he certainly objected to a vote of that kind for a religious sect comprising not one fifth of the pepuletion of Canada. Mr. HAWES observed that those votes terminated with the lives of the present incumbents. It was a special contract made by a previous Secretary of State, and as the lives died off the vote would be reduced in amount. The vote was then agreed to, as were 14,1021. for the Indian department in Canada. 290/. for the civil establishment of the Bahamas. 18,028/. for the governors of the West Indian colonies. 41,150/. for stipendiary justices of the West Indian colonies and the Mauritius. 13 680/. for the civil establishments on the west coast of Africa. 16,940/. for the island of St. Helena. 7,3791. for the settlement of West Australia. 1,763/. for the settlement of Port Essington. On the vote of 20,0001. for the colony of New Zoaland, Mr. J. B. SMITH saw in the vote a sum of 6001. for isrt tieh mtetheythe Bishop of New Z"aland. He should like to know whether the vote stood upon the same footing as that of the Canadian vote, and that it would expire with the bishop? Mr. HAWES could not say that it stood upon th e e hzh s ee a fth m dl aolonps timelsland—that lad nwateh le— were recentlyy t e hi iwna w retori o tuteh u tl aed l es d niebno o e tgl o b oes s nno e tyah r rvbeae lep shoulddGi thataoltrapidly samett h h e a t n revenuesa footing. h o oft At Nw h e vweri take n t write upon to of him Prince a s Edward's itself the civil charges of the colony. Sir W. JOLLIFFE obser ve d that the establishment of the chi e f secretary was put down at 1 200 1., an d t h e salary of the c hi e f j ust i co at 1,000 / ., w hil e th a t of th e bishop was only 6001 . Mr. HAWES said the 600/. was no t th e w hole of the bishop's sal ar y ; or 8001. p er annum, the rest b e i ng t h e ex p en ses of his establishment. the salary of the secretary was only 6001 . Alter It few words from Mr. CARDWELL, the vote was agreed to. 1,023/, f or t h e civil establishmen t a t H e li g oland. 5,7001. fo r t h e Falkland Is l an d s . Mr. COBDE N observed t h a t the number of inha bitants in th ese i slands d id no t e xceed 160, and the cost of gover ning which w ou ld feed and lodge them in that country. No one could believe that these islands were of any value to them.them , th er efore, amounted to 35 /. p er head, They had no trade, and no shi pp in g whatever, and he hoped the . G overn ment would be able to assure them that th e country wou ld s hortly be relieved from that expense. Mr. HAWES could not sa y that the vote would be struck out of the estimates a l t hough he hoped it would be reduc e d. T he Falkland Islands were not of any com mercial importance, but they wore of great political im portance, in enabling vessels coming round Cape Horn to put in and refit. Mr. COBDEN said that the complaint was that ships did not touch at those islands. He did not know what were the political considerations that induced them to expend all this money. Th e governor , it appeared, was paid 8001. a year, the magistrate 4001., the clergyman 400/., the surgeon, 400/. The superintendent of cittle was also paid a handsome salary, although no ships would stop there to buy the meat. The votes were then agreed to. On the vote of 25000/. for the British settlement of Hong-Kone, , Mr. E SMITH said that he found included in this vote 7504 for the ecclesiastical establishment, which he protested against, Mr. HAWES said, as they had thought it expedient to take possession of Hong - Kong, and had sent a Euro pean Population to that colony, he did not think it un reasonable to make some provision for their religious education. This estimate was considerably less than that of the previous year, and he believed they would be able to make a considerable further reduotiou in future years, JUNE 2, 1849 the island in question might be carried into effect with the utmost possible dispatch, Considering that the Hon. Member for the West Riding of Yorkshire (Mr. Cob den) was so intimately connected with the commercial and trading interests of Lancashire, he (Mr. Labouchere) was surprised that he bad thrown a doubt upon the sincerity of the motives of such an eminent and re spectable body as the Manchester Chamber of Com merce.—(Hear, hear.) The mercantile community of this country had generally agreed in recommending that Labuan should be taken possession of as a colony by Great Britain; and, as a Member of the Government, he concurred iu the recommendation. Mr. COBDEN, notwithstanding what had been said by the members of the Government, still retained the opinion that the Government establishment at Labauu was extravagant and profligate; and he, therefore, could not sanction the vote under consideration. Ho com plained that he had had no answers to the questions put by him to the Under Secretary for the Colonies. Mr. HENLEY expressed his dissatisfaction at the ex planations given by Mr. Hawes with respect to the vulue of Labuan, and wished for more detailed and decisive in formation on the subject. Perhaps the Hon. Member for Glasgow (Mr. Macgregor), who was so will versed in statistical details, and had such a thorough knowledge of the question before them, would favour the Committee with his opinion. Colonel THOMPSON could not help saying he thought that mercantile men had great facilities for getting up experiments when other people had to pay for them.—(lronical cheering from the Opposition side of the House.) He did not, however, believe that the general opinion of the people was in favour of adopting Labuan as a colony. He trusted that the Committee would express their opinion upon the question before them by dividing. After a few words from Mr. NEWDEGATE in favour of the vote, and laudatory of Sir J. Brookes, Mr. SCOTT thought the House was greatly indebted to the Hon. Member for the West Riding for bringing the matter under their notice, and also for the manner —the manly manner—in which he had stated how pe titions and memorials were got up in the north of Eng land. Mr. WYLD said, as all that fell from a gentleman holding the distinguished position filled by the Honour able Member for Kinsale would be looked upon as autho rity, and as- he had stated that we had not the shadow of a claim upon any portion of the island of Borneo, he was anxious to take that opportunity of stating that there could be no doabt whatever that this country had a good claim to several portions of that island, although in abeyance now in consequence of the treaties into which we had entered. In answer to Mr. NEWDEGATE, Lord PALMERSTON said it was well known that the seas around Borneo swarmed with pirates—(Hear, hear)—and that they did not sail, as in the Mediter ranean, in ones or twos, but in whole fleets. Accounts had recently been received that a small fleet had been seen, and had committed several depredations on the coasts and rivers of Borneo.—(Hear, hear.) It was the duty of Sir James Brooke, in conjunctio❑ with the Commander on the station, to take measures for the security of the British commerce there. Cruisers had already been sent to those seas by the Spanish Governor of the Philippine Islands, and with a view of protecting our own commerce and that of our customers, it was of the utmost importance that such wholesale piracy should be put a stop to, aLd one of the ends contemplated by the establishment of Labuan was, to put down the abo minable system there carried on. Mr. COBDEN—That was just ono of the evils of taking possession of the island at all. The Hon. Mem ber for Warwickshire already wanted more ships of war to be sent out to Sir James Brooke, on the pretence of putting down that piracy which was skid to exist. Now he repeated that those so-called pirates never did, and never would, attack a:square-rigged vessel. The people there were in the same position as the ancient Scanda navians; they were nearly in a state of barbarism, and they were all pirates amongst each other. Was it our business to send out ships of war to compel the people to lead civiliz .d lives ? Mr. MANGLES said the Hon. Member for the West Riding had gone beyond the mark in his last statement. He (Mr. M) remernbEred being in the Straits of Malacca in a 700 ton ship when the demonstration of the pirates rendered them very much afraid of an attack. Mr. COBDEN—How many years ago ? I spoke of the present time. Mr. MANGLES—It was in 1834 or 1835. The whole of the commerce of Singapore was carried on in small vessels, and unless they were protected, even to the very mouth of the harbour, the trade would be wholly stopped. After a further conversation, the vote was agreed to. 13,6541. was then proposed to be granted for defraying the expenses of the Emigration Board. In answer to a question from Mr. V. SMITH, Mr. HAWES said ho hoped the report of the Board would be laid on the table in the course of next week. As the work of that Board has so much increased of late, he had no hope that it could be reduced in number during the present year. Mr. SCOTT did not think the board too large for emigration which took place yearly, but he trusted they would do all in their power to turn the stream of emi gration more towards the British possessions. Mr. HAWES said, while the passage to Australia cost so much more than that to America, the great stream of emigration would flow to the latter country. In answer to a question from Mr. GROGAN, Mr. H A.WES said, free passages were paid for out of the colonial funds, and as they increased or decreased, so would such passages be granted. The facilities for emigration would certainly be increased. Mr. SCOTT must protest against the colonies being so heavily taxed in order to relieve the mother country from their pauperism, neither did he think that England ought to be called upon to bear the burden of relieving Ireland froni her paupers. Mr. HINDLEY hoped the Government wculd give some assurance that they were prepared to take up the subiect of emigration in a large and comprehensive manner. There was not a question of greater import ance to England. The Government ought to come for ward and assist the emigration clubs. Let those clubs pay one-fourth, the parish or the union one-fourth, the colony one fourth, and the Government the . other fourth; then the colonies would be benefited by the labour which they wanted for the purpose of bringing their laud into cultivation, while the mother country would be relieved. Let them not.be afraid of spending a million or two.— (Oh, oh.) Had they spent the eight millicns they had thrown away in Ireland— (Hear, hear)—on emigration, they would have benefited the colonies and done Ireland some good. The vote was agreed to. 30,0004 was proposed for maintaining captured negroes and liberated .Atricans at Sierra Leone. Sir W. JOLLIFFE said, they had now arrived at a class of votes which brought the whole case of the slave trade under the notice of the House. The system now pursued only added to the misery and cruelty of the abominable traffic, and had entirely failed in the object with which it was instituted. He believed that it cost the country one million sterling per annum, besides the wear and tear of ships, the expense of which could not be arrived at. By disagreeing to the vote, they would show their determination to put an end to a system which only aggravated the evils it was intended to cure. If the money were spent on emigration, the country would be much better satisfied. Mr. M. GIBSON asked if the mixed Commission Courts were not placed in a peculiar position at the present moment ? He thought they coald have nothing to do at present, as the slave trade was carried on under the Brazilian flag. The Brazilian ships could not be condemned by these courts; and he wished to know whether an arrangement could not be made for lessening the expense ? It was now, he believed, at least 25,0001. a year. Lord PALMERSTON said it was quite true the greater part of the slave trade was carried on under the Brazilian flag, still there was some portion of the trade carried on under the Spanish 111 g, and some under no flag ; and if these courts ceased to exist, some ships could not be condemned. His Hon. Friend would perceive that he had acted on the sugges tion thrown out last year; and that he had left vacant several of the appointments, so as to reduce the expense by 6,0001. a year. He was also in communication with the Court of Portugal to reduce the expenditure, and would omit no opportunity that m;ght offer for re ducing it. Mr. M. GIBSON suggested that there should be a return made of the ships seized. Ile wished to know when a return would bo forthcoming? Lord PALMERSTON said returns were made from time to time of the ships seized. The vote was then agreed to. The next vote, 16,850/. for salaries and expenses of the mixed Commission Courts, was agreed to. 98,6901., to complete the sum necessary for the corms lar establishments abroad, were next proposed. Mr. HENLEY observed they had not yet got rid of Hong-Kong. The salary for superintendent he per ceived was included in that of governor. They had a consul, too, though it was not usual to keep a consul in one of their own colonies. There was then a secretary, and a second assistant keeper of records. There was a cost of 25,000/., and salaries amounting to 4,600/. for the consular service. Lord PALMERSTON replied that the same person who acted as governor was superintendent to the consu• lar establishment in China, and had tocommunicate with consuls in five different ports. Mr. SCOTT objected to the payment of an interpreter at .Canton, when they had so great a linguist there as Dr. Bowring. Mr. MITCHELL objected to the payment of two se cretaries. Lord PALMERSTON replied that one secretary was engaged in consular business, and another secretary was employed in other duties. Mr. HINDLEY wished to know by what rule the sa laries of consuls was fixed, as they differed so mueh from each other? Lord PALMERSTON replied that the amount of salary depended upon a variety of considerations—the importance of the duties, the rank of the officer, the ex pense of the place, its healthiness or unhealthiness, and many other considerations. He had looked over the list with great attention, and had endeavoured to apportion the salary to the duties. In reply to a question from Mr. GROGAN, Lord PALM ERSTOi said it was quite true the salaries in China were arranged on a very high scale. All the salaries under the East India Company were on a high scale, but ho hoped ho would be able to reduce them considerably. Mr. HENLEY said that the consular establishments in China were a comparatively new creation; and if the consuls in other parts of tbo world saw that the consul general to China had an outfit they would expect one also. In his (11Ir. Henley's) opinion the outlay for an outfit Ras altogether unreasonable, especially in a ease like this, where the consul was paid so high an amount for his expenses. AlinEY saiti that the vote WAR objectionable, Mr. V. SMITH reminded his Hon. Friend that the I Committee which had sat in 1847 had stated that the I establishment kept up in this colony was one of endless expense. He complained of the great discrepancies that existed in the salaries paid to the governor, the secretary, and other officers in Ilong-Kong, with those paid to the same officers in Now Zealand and other colo nies, the amount paid to the former being about double that paid to many others. Mr. HAWES said that there had been a gradual re duction effected in some of these salaries for several years past. The Governor of Hong-Kong was no doubt paid a salary of 6,0001. a year, but it should be recol lected that his duties were not simply confined to the island of Hong. Kong—he was also superintendent of the trade, which was most important in that part of the world, and had an extensive jurisdiction over the whole general establishment in China. He was also pleniPo • tertiary, representing tho Crown there. It was a most expansive Government, and the climate was by no means favourable to health. On the contrary, New Zealand was singularly salubrious. . • Sir W. JOLLIFFE thought that the Government might have selected a much more healthy situation for the settlement.. He sh9uld like to hear some explana tion given in respect to the slit vcyor-general'G duties. He thought the ecclesiastical establishment highly necessary there, as prevention was better than cure. Mr. MITCHELL suggested that tho salaries of the different officers referred to at Hong Kong ought to be reduced one-half. He was certain the Government would find uo difficulty in procuring competent persons to discharge the duties II quircd from the respective officers there, even if such reductions were effected. Mr. M. G 1850 2 ,1 was surprised to find the traders so slow in admitting the advantage of the trade of 'lona.- Kong, if it were really so important as the Hon. Gentle man seemed to think. Now he had 12« and persons inter ested in the trade of that culony say that the possession of Hong-Kong was no benefit whatever to the trade of China. Suppose that the United States of America had obtained possession of the Isle of Wight or the Isle of Man, would the United States, he ailed, have a larger trade in England? It was mast absurd to assume that they would. He believed that the occupation of such places as llong-Kong rather militated against their trade than promoted it, and he was of opinion that they only benefited these who gave away places, and these who were appointed to them. The vote was then agreed to. LABUAN. On the vote 0,8271. for the governor and establi3hment of Labuan being propoaed, Mr. COBDEN said that here they took possession of barren rock, assuming that they would have a large trade there, and that they forthwith make a large estab lishment. lie did not think that they could ever have a trade there of the slightest importance. The governor and commander-in-chief, it appeared, was paid 2,0001.; the lieutenant-governor and magistrate, 1 3751.; the mas ter attendant and post-master, 500/ ; the surveyor, 500/.; the station surgeon, 4461. 133. 41. ; the governor's office, 4871. 10s. ; the lieutenant-governor's office, 1751., and so on, making, in the whole, 0,827/. a year. Now this vote was the same as last year. What, he asked, was La buan good for ? . It was said it was a place for a large trade. He should like to hear from the lion. Gentle- man the Under -Secretary for the Colonies what the prospects were which induced them to encourage such expectations. What he complained of was this—that before they had obtained that trade they furnatd a large establishment, sufficient to govern a hrge community. The settlement of Labuan, toe, was rather curious. it was through a piece of sentimentalism that they were in debted for the possession of this place. There was an adventurous gentleman who sailed in his yacht towards this part of the world. This gentleman takes possession of Sarawak, a district of a country upon the coast of Borneo, and he gets the cession of this dist l ict, He is, therefore, called Raja, the former Raja being a pirate. This gentleman then comes to England, and by a system of enormous and sentimental puffing he persuades the Government that he is going to civilize 11)rneo. What does he do? Ile first appoints himself !onsular agent—agent to himself. He is Raja Brooke at Sarawak, and cmsular ag< nt to himself at Borneo. We take the island of Labuan, about 300 miles from Sarawak, and appoint this gentleman governor of La buan, although it is probably more difficult to communi- cate between these places than between Labua❑ and England, became there are no means of communication established there. It was quite clear that this gentle man could not be in both places at the same time, and to get over this difficulty he appoints a lieutenant-governor to dohs duty during his absence from an island which was without a population! Now, he asked, could any country play such tricks with their ways and means as this country has done? lie shouU be glad to hear from ;he Hon. Under-Secretary whether it was the intention of the Government to continue this establishment, and to pay the salaries that were now to be voted? Mi. lIAWES thought that his Hon. Friend had ra ther undervalued this settlethent. He would remind the Hen. Member ttat from no quarter of the world did stronger representations come for thu settlement of La buan, than from Manchester, Liverpool, London, and Glasgow. Memorials had, in fact, been presented to the Government from the whole commercial community, urging a settlement of Labuan. It was not, therefore, from a mere feeling of sentimentalism that the Govern ment were induced to form an establishment at Labuan. Sir James Brooke was then singularly well qualified to undertake the duties of Governor, from - the influence which he had obtained over the surrounding savage ter ritories, and over the Sultan of Borneo, a place which did not belong to us, and of which we have no right to the smallest possession. His Hon. Friend seemed to forget that the coal found in Lahuan was most valuable and advantageous to our whole steam navigation in those parts. When they sent such a man to so miserable a spot they were bound to make him some good compen ation for the duties they imposed upon him. If they thought the salary too large they could discuss the mat ter. So far as he had seen he had found that when they had, through a mistaken economy, reduced the salary of a gcverner under such circumstances, it was increased in another way by means of allowances that were not accounted for, es'had formerly been the case in Ceylon, for instance. Papers relating to this settlement had been laid before the House last year, when there was a vote of 2,5001. taken for public buildings. This place being half way between Singapore and Hong-Kong, would be the greatest possible benefit to our steam navy and mercantile interest. He defended the vote for La buan, unon the same principle as ho defended that for Hong-Kong, the former being peculiarly valuable to us, by reason cif its coal mines. Mr. V. smut' did not think that the Hon. Under• Secretary had given a very good answer to the state ment of the Hon. Member for the West Riding of York shire, when he said that a petition had been presented from Manchester in favour of the settlement of Labuan. He was of opinion that the statement made by his Hon. Friend was in most respects perfectly correct. It ap peared that there was a clever and entertaining book written by Sir J. Brooke upon the subject of this colony which caused much excitement among - it the people, arid a desire to know something more about this country. Cones quently the Colonial Office made an establishment at Labuan. He, however, thought that the Government had a duty of resistance as well as a duty of compliance. His Hon. Friend the Under-Secretary had only men tioned the fact of coal being found at this place in show ing the great advantage Litman was to this country. He (Mr. V. Smith) did not think that this fact was suffi cient to justify the large establishment which they kept up there. He was afraid that in a short time they would be compelled to do something in respect to Borneo in the extension of our arms over that quarter. The Hon. Gentleman seemed to forget that there were troops at Labuan. He wishe I to know whether there was a probability of any increased expenditure in consequence of our taking possession of Labuan? Sir H. VERNEY protested against any premature opinion being expressed with respect to the value of Labuan as a colony. Similar opinions to those which had been stated tc-night were made use of in 1823 and 1824 with respect to the foundation of Singapore, which opinions ultimately turned out to be unjustifiable. Mr. F. SCOTT hoped that the Committee would not come to a hasty conclusion upon a matter which, ho be Hayed, was likely to turn out one of immediate import anc to our East Indian possessions. He hoped that the Under-Secretary for the Colonies was.in aposition to give the Committee some estimate of the value of the coal which was to be found at Labuan, and what other sources of wealth the colony possessed: Mr. HAWES said that he did not wish to approach the subject of coal mining at Labuan with any degree of delicacy. He had reason to know that an agent had been sent out by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Naviga tion Company to Labuan, and that he had transmitted information to this country, to the effect that the ships of the company could bo supplied at the island with coals, at from one-fourth to one-half less cost than at present. Ultimately, therefore, the public must be benefited in the shape of entering into contracts for the conveyance of mails, as well as in other matters, by this settlement. Mr. COBDEN complained that a Government had been established at Labuan, before a colony or settle ment was founded. Lie did not believe that there were ten white people in the colony. He could not help observ ing that Gentlemen might have a motive for going through the north of England, and exciting the manufacturing classes there—(lronical cheering from the Protection ists)—for a particular purpose interesting to themselves —(Renewed cheering of the same character and from the same quarter)—exciting them into a mood for petitioning the Legislature under certain promises of benefiting themselves by it—(Repeated cheering from the let of the chair)—of benefiting by a new sort of trade with Japan or some unknown country. Gentlemen had gone through the north and raised great expectations with respect to trading with Labuan. He believed that the memorials from the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce and other places to the Government in favour of occupy ing Labuan were very cautiously worded, and not so much in favour of the system of government of the de tached island as was stated. It should be recollected that Sir J. Brooke was Consul at Sarawak and Governor of Labuan, which was 300 miles distant from his place of residence.—(Hear, hear.) Lord PALMERSTON said that Sir J. Brooke wa s not consul to himself, as the Hon. Gentleman had asserted. He was accredited to the Sultan at Borneo by the Government of this country. Sir W. JOLLIFFE expressed as admiration of Sir James Brooke's conduct, and the confidence he had in his management of the colony, for the welfare of British interests. His appointments as Raja of Sarawak and Governor of Labuan were in his (Sir W. Jolliffe's) opinion well deserved.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. LABOUCHERE defended the Chamber of Com merce of Manchester, with respect to the memorial pre sented by them to the First Minister of the Crown in 1846, in favour of colonising Labuan. Tho Right Hon. Gentleman read the memorial in extenso, and: said that nothing could he less vague than the opinion expressed in it. The language was that of men who had no doubt looked well and carefully into the whole subjcct— (Hear)—and they prayed that immures for colonising not only because the office of consul in China was a new creation, but because the consuls exercised powers which did not attach to the office of consul in any other part of the world; for they were invested with diplomatic and judicial functions as well as those of a commercial cha racter. With the sensitive disposition of the Chinese people he thought this system was calculated to inter rupt friendly relations between the two countries; and he hoped the Noble Lord would be induced to revise it, as it bad been found in practice most pernicious, and consider whether it would not be better to confine these gentlemen to their proper functions, which were entirely of a commercial character. _ Lord PALMERSTON was of opinion that nothing was more adapted to secure the permanence of peace be tween this country and China than that system of juris prudence to which the Hon. Gentleman had alluded• ; because an:, body who knew the state of our relation a with China before the treaty of Nankin, and the institi L . tion of that system, must be aware that disputes of embarrassing nature used frequently to arise from ti le fact that it was impossible to deliver up a British subj( et to the Chinese authorities for having committed an fence, inasmuch as to do so would be to deliver him to a cruel and barbarous death. So far from thinking it to be a matter that ought to be altered, he could only s that eleven years' experience had shown the wisdom a ad expediency of the system. Mr. C. HINDLEY asked whether information 1 ad been received of the arrival of Dr. Bowring at Cant on, and his reception by the Chinese authorities? L'l'd PALMERSTON—The last accounts announ 2c d the Learned Doctor's arrival at liong.Kong, but he ; red not then got to Canton. Ile had no doubt, however, t hat his reception would be such as hie personal appears uco and rre.rits entitled him to. The vote of 20,0001. for extraordinary disbursem ruts of missions abroad was agried to without discussion. The House then resumed, and the Chairman obtained leave to sit again. The Defects in Leases Bill was read a third time t. = d passed. THE PUBLIC HEALTH (SCOTLAND) BILL . On the motion of the LORD ADVOCATE, this I Nal was referred to a Select Committee. Lord J. RUSSELL said, he would take the lIICT rra bered Estates (Ireland) Bill first on Monday; and t ben the Committee of Supply. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER obta fined leave to bring in a - Bill to amend the 56th Geo. ID o. 68, for the creation of a coinage of a lower denon illa tion than sixpence. Mr. WALPOLE obtained leave to bring in Bill -for explaining the Ac'. granting the sites of schools. The House adjourned at a Qulrter-past Twelve o'cl ?ek. PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS. (From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commor FRIDAY, JUNE 1. STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE. The following Resolution was reported from the a' )ove Committee : That in the case of the Lancaster and Preston Juliet' on I ?ail way Acts Amendm •nt ( Powers to alter Tolls, and Appoint' sent of Officers) petition for additional provision, the standing o' viers ought to be dispensed with:—That the parties be perm it ted to introduce their additional Provision if the Committ' con the Bill shall think fit.—Resolution agreed to. PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONt. (From the Votes and Proceedings of Me House of Comm 00.) FRIDAY, JUNE 1. SUPPLY. (IN THE COMMITTEE.) Motion made, and Question proposed, " That a sum mot exceeding 21,2331. be granted to her Majesty, to defray Ole expense of maintaining the several P u bli c Buildings in the Department of the Commissioners of Public Works in Dire land; also the expense of Inland Navigation and o Cher Services, under the direction of the said Commissioner a, to the 3 ist day of March, 1850:"—Afterwards Motion se zcle, ankQueetion put, " That a sum not exceeding 23,007/.1 be granted to her Majesty, to defray the expense of maintain in g the several Public Bui:dings in the Department of the Cc - missioners of Public Works in Ireland; also the expense of Inland Navigation and other Services, under the direction of the said Commissioners, to the 31st day of March, 18Z e," The Committee divided : MINORITY—AYES, 27. Alcock, Thomas Fordyce, A. D. Lockhart, W. Anderson, Arthur Fox, W. J. Martin,7J. Arkwright, George Galway, Viscount Noeld, Joseph Beaett, J. Goring, C. Plowden, W. U. Buck, i.. IV. Heyworth, L. Sidney, 'Alderman Cole, H. A. Hill, Lord E. Tyrell, Sir J. lied, J. W. Illudley, Charles Wyld, James Drummond, Henry Jolliffe, Sir W. G. TELLERS. Duncan, George King, I'. J. Ticresford, William Fergus, John Knox, Colonel Spooner, MAJORITY—NOES, 96. Armstrong, Sir A. Grace, 0. D. Ogle, S. C. Baines, M. T. Greene, Thomas Palmerston, Vis. Baring, Sir F. Grenfell, C. Pascoe Parker, John Bellew, R. M. Greaten, Charles W. Peelicll, Captain Berkeley, Captain Grey, Sir George Peel,;Sir Robert Blackall, S. W. G ey, R. W. Philips, Sir G. R. Bowles, Admiral Guest, Sir J. Power, Dr. Boyle, Colonel Hallyburton, Lord Robinson, George Brotherton, J. Hawes, Benjamin Romilly, Sir,John Brown, W. Hayter, W. G. Russell, Lord John Burke, Sir T. J. Henry, Alexander Russell, F. C. Cardwell, Edward - Ilerries, John C. Itutherfurd, A. Clements, Charles Hervey, Lord A. . Shelburne, Earl of Clerk Sir G. Howard, Lord E. Sheridan, R. B. blifford, n.sm.: Howard, C. W. Slaney, Robert A. Cobden, Richard Humphery, Ald. Smith, J. A. Davie, Sir IL Jermyn, Earl Smith, J. B. Dawson, T. V. Jervis, Sir John Somerville, Sir W. Denison, Edmund Labonehere, Henry Stanstield, W. R. C. Divett, Edward 4 Laseelles, W. S. T en i son, E. K. , Dundas, Admiral Lemon, Sir C. Thickn esse , R a l p h Dunne, P. Lewis, Sir T. Thompson, Colonel Ellis, John Littleton, E. R. Thornely, Thomas Elliot, J. E. Mackinnon, W. Townshend, Captain Estcourt, J. B. B. Mogan, W. R. Verney, Sir 11. Evans, William Mahon, Viscount Willyams, 11. Foley, J. 11. Mangles, R. D. Wilson, Matthew Fortcscue, J. W. Maule, Fox Wood, Sir Charles French, F. Mines, It. Monckton Wood, W. P. Gibson, Thomas M. Mulgrave, Earl Wyvill, Marmadako. Gladstone, W. E. O'Connell, Maurice TELLER& Glyn, G. C. O'Connor, Fcargus Tufnell, Henry Goulburn,lllenry O'Flaherty, Anthony Hill, Lord Manua Motion made, and Question proposed, " That a sum not exceeding 57,209/. be granted to her Majesty, to pay the Salaries and Expenses of the Department of her Majesty's Treasury, to the 31st day of March, 1850 :"—Afterwarde Motion made, and Question put, " That a sum not exceed ing 52,1601. be granted to her Majesty, to pay the Salaries and Expenses of the Department of her Majesty's Treasury, to the 31st day of March, 1850." The Committee divided: MINORITY—AYES, 33. Beresford, William Gibson, T. M. Perfect, Robert Buck, L. W. Greene, John Plowden, W. 11. Clay, James Henry, Alexander Sidney, Alderman Clay, Sir W. Heyworth, L. Smith, J. Benjamin Cobden, R. Knox, Colonel Stansfleld, W. R. Cubitt, William Lacy, H. C. II hicknesse, It. A. Drummond, Henry Lockhart, W. Tyrell, Sir J. East, Sir J. Lushington, C. Walmsley, Sir J. Ellie, John Martin, John Wyld, James Fergus, John Mitchell, A. T. TELLERS. Fox. W. J. O'Connor, Feargus Henley, J. W. Galway, Viscount Pechell, Captain Spooner, Richard MAJORITY—NOES, 84. Anson, Viscount Freestun, Colonel Paget, Lord A. Armstrong, Sir A. Goulburn, Henry Paget, Lord Clarence Armstrong, R. B. Grace, 0. D. Palmerston, Viscoun t Arundel, Earl of Grenfell, C. P. Parker, John Bathes, M. T. Grenfell, Charles W. Power, Dr. Baring, Sir F. T. Grey, Sir G. Rich, Henry Bellew, K. M. Grey, R. W. Romilly, Sir John Berkeley, Captain Grosvenor, Lord B. Russell, Lord J. Illackall, S. W. Guest, Sir John Russell, F. C. H. Boyle, Colonel Haggitt, F. R. Rutherford, A. Brotherton, J. Hawes, Benj. Shaito, R. D. Brown, W. Hay, Lord John Sheil, R. L. Busfeild,William Ilayter, W. G. Simeon, John Clerk Sir George Heywood, James Slaney, R. A. Coke, Edward K. Howard, Lord E. Smith, J. A. Craig, W. G. Jervis, Sir John Somerville, Sir IV. Crowder, R. B. Labouchere, ilenry Tenison, E. K. Dalrymple, Captain Lascelles, W. S. Thompson, Colonel Davie, Sir Henry Lewis, G. C. Thornely, T. Denison, Edmund Littleton, E. R. !I ownley, R. G. Dundas, Admiral Magan,;W. IL Verney, Sir H. Dunne, F. P. Mangles, B. D. Villiers, Charles Ebringtou, Lord Maulc, Fox Wil!y ams, H . Elliot, John E. Monsen, William Wilson, James Evans, John Morison, Sir W. ' Wood, Sir Charles Evans, William Mostyn, E. Foley, John H. Mulgrave, Earl TELLEas. Fordyce, A. D. O'Connell, John Wyvill, Marmadulce Tuihell, Henry Fortescue, J. W. Owen, Sir John Hill, Lord Marcus RAILWAY_ S HARE MARKETS. BRISTOL, 1. ----- STOCK Excnatfaz —.Although the Jurnt market was not so /Inn 41 ,„ yesterday, and prices reced e d, th ere was a good business (Wok' Great Western, Quarters, at 6y„ to 7 dis. LIVERPOOL, JUNE 1. STocit ExertArum—The share market was extremely fiat 0- day. Towards the close, however, a better feeling prevailed. llle salts are—Eastern Counties, 814—Great Northern, Si% shire and Yorkshire, Fifths, 4 c. dis.—Great Western, I li. Shares, 4% dis.—London and North-Western, 125—Ditto, New Quarters, 2% Ditto, Fifths, 4 c. p.—Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnst lre. Shares, 11% dis.—Midland, 68%-Ditto, Halves, 11 % dia.—N( ol r Union (A), 220— South-Eastern and Dover (No. 4). 6% c.—Port Newcastle, and Berwick (Extension, Nos. land 2), 6/. 13s. 9d. dis.-" Ditto (G. N. E. Purchase), guaranteed 6 per cent. till 1850, 78s. Pd. dis.—York and North Midland, 30 - BIRMINGHAM, JOSE 1. STOCK EXCHANGE.—The only transactions to-day Were in shror shire Unions, at 234. YORK, MAT 31. - t W eed est h er p n er , cent.), 10. 3/. 178.—Sheffield , Ditto Class a STOCK Excnexoc.—The tran(slaacttleoln:satnod-dtay.),hsa lows :—Eastern Union, Class _ve been as fol - B t GLASGOW, MAY 31. l ie o f . N la .l) 3 l d v: — (g N u ° a rt ra i n l S TOC K ExcnANoE.—The transactions to-d ay have been as fol. Rotherham,s—Great No a rt i h d e I G •n o. , lows : Glasgow, Kilmarnock, and Ayr, Halves (No. 1), 61. 9s.—NOI IP B r iti s h, Quarters, 595. 6d.—Stirling and Dunfermline, 81s. Mr. S..unders, M.P., transacted business yesterday at the Office of the Commissioners of Railways. FADvEarisEHENT.]—TnP. EARL OF ALDBOBOIIO_,II AND Ilou.owAy's PILLs.—An astounding cure b y this miraculT, medicine, alter every other means had f a i led. See extract from Lordship's letter, dated " YWa Messina, Leghorn, Feb. 21, 18 0., Professor Holloway—Sir : I beg t o acquaint you that your pills hav c , o g fected a cure of a disorder in my li ver and stomach which all the 1nv,..8 eminent of the faculty, at h ome and all over the continent had u". P been able to effect ; nay, not eves the waters of Carlsbad or „as rienbad. (Signed) " Aramoitouuri." These wonderful pills W; cure any disease of the liver or stomach.—Sold (also Hollow) 1 Ointment) at Professor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand, by 421 medicine vendors throughout the civilised world. BITS. On the 3lst u lt . , at Hanov R er- H square, the Lady Chariot° Chetwynd, of a son and heir. On the 21st ult , at the Manor-house, Little Marlsw, 1311°P ' the lady of Lieutenant-Colonel Snell, of a son. of On the 2 3 th u lt., at Walliscote, near Reading, the iviA :r e J. Parkinson, Esq., of a daughter. On the 30th u l t . , at Torquay, the wife of D. Dieklo— Esq., of a son. MARRIED. 1 -1 On the 31st u lt.. at Chelmsford, the Rev. James U. o,crt0 ,crt 0, WI, vicar of Great Waltham, Essex, to Emma Pa r, a.. youngest daughter of the late Rev. Thomas Mills, of CO" ball, and vicar of Bumpitead Helion, in the same count)___> MED. At Harrow School, on the 31st tilt , the Hon. Franc is Ashley, aged 17, the second son of Lord Ashley. est On the 21st ult., at Gillingham, Dorset, Harriet, young, - 1. daughter of J. blesser, of Bruce-grove, Tottenham, age d On the 27th ult., Mr. Baxter, of Huxley-farm, North GP , Kent, aged 63. London: Printed and Published by MURDO I 011.0 ° No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, N 0.,: a Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the wow biiddloacz, Saturday, Awe 2, -1849. -