The Sun. — London, England, 1834-06-06 00:00:00

brought forward the evidence of Messrs. Nichol, t e 4l. Y, end Nelson ; the former gtntleman having stated, el since 1825, four vessels in the Indian trade ha:l to his Rowledge sunk their capital. Mr: Barry had also stated that fr ights were not at present insured, and that one- I tterth of the entire tonnage of the country was mortgaged. li '''as a strong fact, acid those who were connected with e 'llgieei of shipli well knew it, that there was ship a sin gle instance of a man who mortgaged hisbeing t hawed to redeem it. This was a corroborative proof of present depressed condition of the ship-owners. The test document to which he should refer was one of eon stlorabl importance, as it impuened the accuracy of the r atliamentary documents on which so many arguments F ete b ase d, and from which so many important conclu :','As w.re deduced. The official returns stated that the I)Ping of the empire amounted, in 1817, to 2,664,9 36 ',Rs, and ten years afterwards the amount was stated at 246 0,500. That was a considerable reduction. That di r'3oution resulted from the circumstance that the Custom -Ise had no means of correctly ascertaining the to n na g e ~, ii ships that were lost. They obtained the bes t evi d enc e , at it was possible to procure, and then they struck off keh a number as they believed to have been lost. It m ight be readily supposed that there was great difficulty ascert a i n i ng the number, and, accordingly , t h e re turns ts uld not be very accurate. The following statement would it °nee show that :--In 1827, when the new registry act, :h ips by Mr. Huskisson, came int o operation , all the 4 'l 3 s in the kingdom were registered de novo, and then it I Peared that 346,966 tons which were registered, had no existence. (Hear, hear.) That large number was th ere - I en ee . ' r o struck off at one fell swoop. That was the cause of 1 ,7 reduce ond number of ships to which he had referred. " 5 h. member stated that the annual loss of shipping ' 4 4 0 1 1 4130,000 tons, and declared that the t onnage in 1832 t ee upwards ce . 40,000 tons less than 1827. It wtimeas cnsi- Vably less than at the time of the war, or at tlie o that *0;r• Huskisson made his statement of the flourishing state , the s hipping interests. Th e ac t ua l t onnage was now re duced (and he pledged himself to the accuracy of the state ment) ~, 2,433,0e1. Ameri can t onna ge was great ly increas -4r4, are i therefore we had th e w o rs t to fear from the rivalry of d the nited States, when our naval resources continued e • mn. tie:liing. America had shipping to the amount of '4 4 ,, e th an t wo -thi r d s o f w h a t we had engaged in trade; 1 that, too, notwithstanding our extensive colonial pos e'si°,ls. The hon. member proceeded to show that cur eign trade had not increased. He then read returniof the r ihsh and foreign - ships entered in wards in 1817, 18'24, b l lBBl. These returns, he said, showed the aggregate. h our tonnage in foreign trade with the four northern no.= nal who were our most formdable rivals—Sweden, Nor way, and Prussia, with the United States and other kset • s t -hich he add d the British fisheries. In le re s, .o w 0 7 1 7 the amoun: of the Bri ish tonnage greatly exceeded „'''lt of the foreign tannage : From 1817 to 1824, the ton ‘l,lge of the British shipping exceeded that of the foreign ' ll Pp:ng by 22 per cent. But i n th e seven y ears ssubse quentto 1824 the amount of the tonnage of foreign ships at ereil inwards exceed 'd that of the B r iti s h ships by 83 brcent. In 1832 ;he foreign tonnage exceeded the Bri -0111 by 213 per cent. The next document to which the ej• member refereed was the list of British ships which t 7 Passed the Sound. This list Mr. Huskisson referred „ e as a satisfactory evidence of the state of BrAish trade t - O its fluctuatio n s. M r . H us ki ss o t , at the time he made i: statement, gave returns for the live years preceding at in which he spoke. They showed that during the s tage of those five years, the British shipping formed Blarg assed the prope Sound . ortion—one- He held inf the whole tonnage at phis hand a list of the th rttish shipping which passed the Sound d ur i ng th e l as t t h r ee years, 1831, 1832, and 1333, and it a pp eare d f rom 'ene that while the tonnage of British shipping had in t.teased 6 per cent., the foreign shipping had increased 26 ter cent He felt. it his duty to make special reference to Ileressia, Lecause he knew that. Prussia had taken a promi °t Part in justification of that course of policy which eli i• Iluskisson stated compelled him to adopt the measures , 'eh he did. The returns which he should read gave the ~ a da ge value of the exports to and front Prussia, and the Page of ships entered inwards. The house would : I ge from those returns whether the anticipations bad trot borne out of the commercial advantages to be derived fitt ed the concessions made to foreign states. They exhi gted a complete falsification of the statements that British rade had nothing to fear from those concessions, and that ~,en if British navigation suffered, British commerce err be benefitted in a greater proportion. During the e l; Years that preceded the reciprocity system, our exports ,' ritssia exceeded our imports from Prussia very consi derably. The hon. member having shown this by reading : Calculations, stated, that our imports from Prussia I le gradually diminishing in those four years. In „" 4,5 the official value of our imports from Prussia ~...a , 1 0 9,934/. The moment the reciprocity system "stne into operation, the state of things was changed !Itost alarmingly. In 1824 we imported from Prussia " b s' 3 the amount of 151,824/. more than we exported 37n Prussia. In 1831 we imported from Prussia th' - ' 6O /. more than we exported. This showed that o. ° beneficial results which had been expected did not take te g ee- The hon. gentleman then read the returns relating w l.the Brsh and foreign ships trading with Prussia, troicti showed a large increase of the foreign, and a.` de tease of th e B r i t i sh. T he next paper w hi c h h e rea d con (17;irle(l the returns of the population of the United King o lo l'``2l and 1331, when the census took place, the vial valu e o f i mports an d o f t onnage . I n 1821 the po w `ation wa s 21 millions, and in 1831 24 millions in round 34nbers, which exhibited an increase of three millions, or i! l c 4 per cent. The value of imports had increased from 1 1 ` . ., : = 1 to 1831 at the rate of 61% per cent. Our rivals ee at th e same time employed an increased number of " i Ps. We had, however, been cajoled, and our fears had eti sent to sleep by declarations of the extreme prospe rity of our trade, which were now controverted by his sta tistical statements. Thetactics had hitherto been to lump t ogeth er imports, exports, and tonnage; and as they in tr.eased, we were told that our fears were vain. The re %irocity advocates pointed not only to the increase of the L 4l Ports into th e U n i te d Ki ng d om, b ut to t h at o f t h e ton age which entered inwards. That tonnage had increased Percent., and this was observed upon as a most re tee'Kahle and cheering i nc rease. But if there had been e -Yierease of navigation, he wished to know how much 7, e 4 0 fallen to the share of the British shipowners, and how .144 t t to the foreign shipowners. (Hear, hear.) Now, eta the returns which he possessed, he found that, ' 4 ° 1821 to 1831, the foreign tonnage had con ef'erably the advantage of the British. - The honourable 'll4.e!Aber expatiated at some length upon this part ..!. the subject, and showed by his calculations that, in con 7Plence of the competition to which we were exposed with the chief Northern 1 ations, British trade had. in eleased in . a very small proporti on , w h en compare d w i t h the large increase of foreign trade. He really felt ashamed at trespassing upon the house to so gre a t a l engt h , b ut the lOportance of the subject warranted him in so doing. He " 4 4 another document to read to the house, giving returns the total foreign trade between 1817 and 1831. This e " a most important illustration of the subject and he : 41 ,1 have been exceedingly sorry if he had omitted it. he n° o . member then read the returns, from which it ara'ed that the British tonnage in those fourteen years . deerei ased 24 per cent., while the foreign tonnage had i th erease(l 345 er cent. The returns also showed, that in rs reittrhade With ') Prussia . there was an as erage increase of Is ships about 6% per cent., while the increase in the foreignin the shipping was equal to 105 per cent. The decrease he British imports of Prussia in the same period was 37 A' cent. Th e returns re l at i ve to t h e tra d e o f N orway ex ,,!,bited th e same un f avourable results to Br i t i sh sh i pp i ng. e t_lle returns s h owe d, w i t h regar d to t h e tra d e w i t h Ger nthy, that the increase of British shies was 37 per cent., while the foreign trade had increased 30 i per cent. The im- Ports into Germany had decreased 20 per cent. The returns Of the total trade with Sweden, Denmark, an d N orway ex hibited a decrease of British ships at the rate of 13 per .!.erit. while the Foreign shipping inc rease d 210 per cent. Let, then, the advocates of e the reciprocity system lay these facts to their hearts, and consider whether the time had !' u l.arrived when it was absolutely necessary to review that i, 1 , 1 t7 which had been the cause of such considerable ruin. e last s t a ti s t i cal document with which he should trouble L'th e house would corroborate the statements which he had In ee a de, and would justify him in drawing the most melan -11 inference It wes a return, showing unanswerably the dete rioration which had taken place in the quality of British ressur:43 (Hear, hear), arising fr om the extraordinar y ; upon the shipowners, which prevented them from they out that expenditure upon them which Bth one time were enabled to do ; so that not e only were ey with ottt the power of building them as soundly as before, but the were unable to preserve them in that ex cellent state of rep a i r w hi ch formerly - gave them the preference in the nisrkets. That losing, and by manpreference he knew many were rapidly lamentable fact. 6„ t l e ael been entirely lost. This was a an th d er hand, foreigndshipping,n' was tincreasing both in quality fr :j. , ua h n t tity, a k n apdy su rseding us in the genera the hon. member then read -mar ets7of the world. returns relative to the de terioration of British shipping. InlBl9,entered n Lloyd's o f capital, or the best, ship s ' the proportion d sbooks Was at the rate of 44 per cent. In 1831, it appeared that Re ne had fallen to 33 per cent. The next class of ships treore termed good ships, which were insufficiently stored, by r 4 the circumstance of the shipowners having no funds th e wbi eh they could fit out their ships more efficiently. In Year 1819, there were 163 of this class of ships, and in ;3.3}, they had increased to 635. Thus this class of indif !rent ships hadhear.) The second quadrupled. (Hear, lass of indifferently stored ships had been doubled in num ber since 1819. Otships out of repair,. - and so stated in the ktre were and in the year _l4l in the first period he had referred to, 22d. Thus it app e i tgil they had increased to the number of had decreased in nuamrtd, that while the best class of ships had greatly increased_ e a r, the number of inefficient vessels (Hear, hear.) ' rhe hoTe quadrupled and some doubled. evidence of .Mr. Tr: ill' ,; seen member then referred session upon the subject, toof last before the committee . laid to show the inability of themembersship. bear out what he had stated, l'essels in repair. Hon. owners to keep the r r tish commerce had not been benefited d ld now see that I - by the measure adopted in 1824, when at all ( Hear,. hear) t'ae passed. He thought he had the Reciprocity Act. demonstrated the extreme , 4 'Pressed state of British shipping, He protested against the rank and anomalous injustice which had been committed on the shipowner. Let see house be consistent. Let them take one of two courses. liestore to him protection, while they continued their yes; . iet:ces upon him ; or if they de clined to do that, take cd restrictions ( Hear), and leave him unfettered, and enalile him to meet in some degree the competition to which they had doo:ned him. When that question came distinctly before the hotist he would be fully prepared to meet it. He was not then called upon to state what his individual opinion was, but he asked hon. gentlemen to put it home to themselves whether they were prepared to make such alterations—to repeal the Registry Act. He did not want them to give farthing reductions. Not only must the timber duty be repealed, but they must give liberty to the ship-owner to import his ship. 'the manufacturer might import his imple ments, the agriculturist might import his tools. Let him import his ship. That was in the same situation. The ship was his tool. But he believed in his conscience that the house dared not do that. He called upon the gentry of England to be politic as well as just. It had too long been the practice, and the shipowners had been the victims of that practice, to take the weakest interest ( Hear, hear)—one incapable of defence—and make it suffer for the benefit of others. The enactment of the corn laws had established the principle for which he contended in this discussion ; he only called on the house to place the ship owners in the same position that the land-owners and far mers were placed in regard to protection, and he would be contented. ( Hear, hear.) He made this proposition in anticipation of the objection which the right hon. President., he was sure, would make, that such a proposi tion would involve the repeal of the corn laws. He (Mr. Young) was aware of the objection, and he was satisfied that such would necessarily be the result, but still he ven tured to ask the support of the house in favour of his mo tion. He admitted that the right hon. gentleman at the head of the Board of Trade had done as much as lay in his power to support. the ship-owners under the operation of that act. He did so by the insertion of a clause the year before last, taking out. of the operation of the measure the articles of beef and pork, together with flour and bread, which in fact included almost the whole of the articles com plained of under the head of provisions. But no sooner had that measure been passed than intimation was given of a plan by which those articles, if not intended for home consumption, might be carried in foreign ships on the sane terms with snips of this country ; and the result was the issuing of a Treasury order in actual contravention of the law of the land, which, in fact, to the present Mllll , nt, required an a.t of indemni yto his Majssty's ministers, in order to relieve them of the sesponsibility they had incurred by it. In short, after the passing of an Act of Parliament for the benefit of the shipowners of Great Britain, this order of council was passed, which took away from them the whole kernel, while it only gave them the husk. It took away all but pepper, mustard, and salt. It was right to say, that the shipowners were aware of the boon accorded to them by the act introduced by the right hir. gentleman ; still they had suffered by the policy on which the system was founded, and he hoped, therefore, that he should have the support of the house in endea vouring to obtain a repeal of the act. He would ask what benefit this country had acquired by this act? What had been the effect of it ? He would tell the house, that under that act the Crown had been enabled to lay taxes on the country to the amount of 263,000/. (Hear, hear.) He merely wished this country to show a liberal example, which it might be expected would be followed by other countries ; but let the liberality not be all on one side, while all the advantage was on the other. He would con clude by merely moving, that the act Geo. IV. cap. 77, commonly called the Reciprocity Act, be repealed. Mr. POULETT THwisoN felt assured, that from what had passed that evening, the hon. gentleman who had brought forward the motion would allow, that on all sides of the house, however much the gentlemen who sat on his (Mr. P. Thomson's) side might differ from the sen timents advanced by the hon. member, the subject had received the most earnest and respectful attention. The hon. member would not deny, indeed he would be among the first to admit, that the great and important interests which formed the foundation of our national defence, as well as of out national wealth and stability, had received at the hands of the house their full share of consideration. No one felt more strongly or more deeply interested than himself in the prosperity of those classes whose interests the hon. gentleman had supported, and he knew not that he had much to say in complaint of the hon. member's argument. The only thing was, he would not say he had not defined, but he had so closely defined the object of his motion, that it did seem strange, that on so narrow a field he should have been able to touch upon so great a variety of topics ; and though he professed to have the shipping interests only in view, that he should have entered into all the operations of that act. He would enter but briefly into the arguments of the hon. member, and he thought the house would be the less disposed to find fault with him for doing so, inasmuch as the arguments of the hon. mem ber were completely at variance with documentary evi dence he could produce. (Hear, hear.) The hon. gen tleman had concluded by saying, that all he asked the house for was, to repeal the Reciprocity Act. Why, if the Reciprocity Act were repealed to-moreow, and the crown were deprived of the power of imposing restrictions on such countries as refuse to admit our productions on lasi terms, would the wish of the hon. member be effected ? There was a time when the Customs' book of this country was loaded with distinctive duties, but dir. Huskisson suc ceeded in sweeping away those distinctive duties ; and now none, if any, operated to the disadvantage of any nation. He doubted, however, if the hon. memter would not be sorry to see this Act repealed, as it allowed the crown to do away with the restrictive duties on ships of a foreign country, which admitted our ships on the same terms as their own into their harbours, and imposed duties on the goods of a foreign country where equality did not exist with respect to these circumstances. But the hon. gen tleman by his motion would remove that power which the crown did possess, which it did exercise, and with the re moval of that power would take away the great means of forcing other nations to maintain flieir commercial rela tions on terms of equality and reciprocity with us. (Hear, hear, and cries of " Order," and " Bar.") If it were re pealed, it would be impossible for the crown to impose ad ditional duties where it might be necessary. How stood the ease ? We had treaties of reciprocity with about eight different nations. In most cases the repeal of the Act to which the hon. gentleman objected would have little in fluence. With two small states, Oldenburgh and Meek lenburgh, we had no such treaties, and our commercial in tercourse with them was regulated by the orders in coun cil ; so that even if the hon. member carried his motion, its operation would only affect Oldenburgh and Mecklen burgh. (Hear, hear.) He was much astonished when he heard the hon. member maintain that there was no reci procity in our treaties of reciprocity with other nations, and he would cite, to dislodge him from his position, the instance of France. (" Hear, hear," and " Hear" from Air. Young.) In 1823 we had no treaty of navigation with France, and equitable terms were offered for the ad justment of our marine relations. But France refused the offer, and imposed higher dues upon our shipping. The English Government, accordingly, issued an order that distinctive duties should be affixed on French shipping— higher dues, differential duties ; and what was the result ? Four years afterwards, in 1827, a convention was entered into, of which the principle was, and a very fair principle it was too, that the duty should be regulated by the ton nage. (Hear, hear.) But the French complained, and with some reason, that their ships were charged with light duties, and subjected to other local imposts, which they on their parts never imposed, and on these grounds kept up the duty at 31. 50c., which had been subsequently reduced to If. 50c. Even this he (Mr. P. Thomson) thought too high, and he had received by the mail of that day in formation that they had reduced the scale of dues to one franc (Hear, hear), which, he believed, taking all things into consideration, was the fairest possible rate that could be levied. (Cheers.) He thought, therefore, the hon. gentleman might perceive there was some advantage in this act, since .we. were thus enabled to say to foreign countries;—" If yo 4 won't relieve our ships, depend upon it we won't relieve yours." Mr. G. F. YOUNG, in a very low tone of voice, said a few words across the table, which did not reach us. Mr. P. THOMSON proceeded. The hon. gentle man denied that France wos in a state of reciprocity with us as regarded dues. Did he not know that ? Let him g , o into a port of France (Hear, hear, from Mr. Young) (Hear, from the same hon. member), e a d h r c i t s sa s e t roaee:ded_ wouldf i w- ship, bee th od i ri s rffe,, c er o te u .n n t t .i ry f , ,iit. a he n ea d inc h eas e fer w oom o f u os ld tpha fi ei n rn d cho w al h n a tb t reie h esn e , hcil th haar alluded to, with reference to the state of our relations with that cou n t r y. T a k e away the eiommercial govern ment the power of coer c ing s t ates to meet us on field, and ,pain, as a country con sum i ng our product i ons, fair would be almost lost to us ; but he hoped th a t the ons, improv ing aspect of affairs in that country would lead to a better state of things. Looking to the lion. member's motion only, he should be somewhat at a loss to discover his real aim, but it was evident that his object was to attack tae reciprocity system altogether. Now he knew the feeling which influenced that honourab!e gentleman on principle on which the system of subject, but the of reciprocity was grounded appeared to him (Mr. I'. Thomson) so clear, that he was surprised to perceive by th e cheers which followed certainportions of the hon. member's speech that he did not stand alone in his opposition. e But let the hon. member be ever so much opposed to liberal commercial policy on internal questions, he should b, ware of following the same path, where foreign Intel ests were concerned. He could not rep eat the last words of the hon. me m b er 's speech, but t.ieir puri,o es was, " Give us prote c ti on . Th row its shield over every interest. Guard the particular industry of every individual from any inter ference by foreign competition, and then one state of hap piness and comfort will unavoidably follow." The hon. member might f ee l th ese sentiments on any isolated branch of domestic or foreign production, wine, cotton, oil, and all the various articles which our habits or necessities de manded. We might return to hips, and haws, and acorns (Hear, hear), or build a wall of brass around our country —we might exclude all the means of enjoyment, all the accessories of luxury; this we might do—we might main tam the colonial and the coastmg trade ; here we had a monopoly, but a foreign trade must be carried on within a foreign country, and if we imposed differential dues on their shipping, they had it in their power to retaliate. (Cheers.) : with foreign shipping in respect to the carrying trade. The He could understand how individuals' winds might be in • right hon. gentleman had contended that the distress of th e a state to induce them to advocate protection, or prohi- shipping intues:e oas not the effect of the Reciprocity Act. tion, at home, but to attempt to play the protectionist He (Mr. Aldermen 'Thompson), on the contrary, asserted, or prohibitionist in places where we had no power, ap- that it was mainly owing to the Reciprocity Act throwing peered to him an impossibility, not to say an absur- out of the Baltic trade a vast number of British ships, and dity. He would rest this part of the case on the ex- overstocking other branches of our trade. Other nations ample set us by our quarrel with the United States. we re adepting the views of Peussia. Hanover and Bruns- By this system, continued for a long series of years , wick intended to adopt the same course,_ a measure having not only was there produced a great deal of injury in been submitted to the Legislature of Hanover for raising a pecuniary point of view to this country, but jealousies the duties. With respect to our dependence upon Ame were fostered and animosities engendered, an d a t l as t we rica for cotton, we were likely soon to be independent of were obliged to say, even so early as 1815, " We have the United States for the supply of that article, which was been both in the wrong in this destructive commercial largely cultivated in South America, Egypt, and India. warfare, and it is high time for us to giv e up w hat can He had presented a petition from Sunderland, signed by only do us both harm without benefitting either." But several hundred seamen, complaining that they had been supposing the hon. gentleman to carry his motion, did he discharged from ships, and had been forced to apply for pa suppose that we could now alter our system with regard rochial relief, and were employed in cleaning the streets. to the United States ? (Hear, hear.) How, then, were By the same post which brought him the petition he had we to do so with other countries? And how did the lan- received a letter from a shipowner, who stated that he had guage of merchants and ship-owners, in 1523, describe the found it so much cheaper to employ Prussian ships than his experience they had of this system ? He would not trou- own, that he had laid up his own ships, and brought timber ble the house by reading the despatches quoted by Mr. in foreign vessels, althoughships were built cheaper on that Huskisson (which he had sent for since he came into the coast than in any other part of England. He gave the house) when he brought forward his well-known motion, proposition his hearty concurrence, and hoped that the re as ail the documentary evidence on this question must be slat of the motion would not cause disappointment to the well known to every member of the house. The fact shipping interest. was, the hon. member supp ose d th a t things would always Ar. HUTT observed that the hon. member (Mr. go on as they had done during the time of the war. Then Young) had failed to show that the reciprocity system was we had a monopoly of trade, our fleets could ride seas, our the cause of the distress of the shipping interest. All his industry could exercise uninterruptedly the unshackled statements might be reduced to this—that British shipping vigour of its arm; but peace came, and could it be sup- was on the decline, and that foreigners were engrossing posed that with the peace foreign countries would endure the foreign trade ; that whilst they were growing rich, the to see an unjust advantage maintained by this country over shipowners of England were unable to obtain common themselves? On our part there could be no equitable ob- interest upon their capital. This was a species of hyper jection against an equality, and, supposing the equality, on bole and extravagance in which persons suffering under what side, he would ask, would the advantage be? Un- distress were too apt to indulge. He (Mr. Hutt) admitted doulectily it would be y p favour of those who had the that the shipowners were suffering, but they were not the lirgest stake in the business ( Hear, hear, hear)—who only persons who suffered. Were not all persons possessing had the older connexion, the more established re p_ mills and manufactories, or any species of fixed capital, tation, the best ships, and the best sailors. (Cheers.) suffering likewise? He had a document of 901111 e impor- Then, on the other hand, take the case argued for by the tance before him--an account of all vessels which had hon. gentleman. Suppose the reciprocity duties were at entered inwards and cleared outwards since the Reciprocity Act, and h e f oun d n ot only that British tonnage had in an end; suppose we made 10 per cent. on the ships and goods of foreign countries more than they made ours pay. creased, but that it had increased in a considerable ratio Well, they would naturally immediately levy the same on over foreign ships. This account was satisfactory as prov ours. We might then go on to 20 per cent., they would ing another point—that shipowners could not be assumed follow the example, until pushing the principle to its ex- to invest capital to such an extent where there was a posi treene length, we arrived at a complete interdiction of fo- e bve loss. With respect to reciprocity duties, he appre reign commerce. He had Nei putting the case as the headed that there must be reciprocity duties; we must c ase of the shipowner only, but what became of the coil- have a reciprocity with low duties or reciprocity with high sumer (Hear, hear)? and when he talked of consumers, duties—either the system of America or Holland. he he did not mean it in a restricted sense, but what would feared, from the great sufferings of the shipowners, it beeome of th great industries of the country ? Suppose would be imposs i ble to convince them of their error; the it was prat ose I to levy a tax on cotton impoi ted in Ame- only way, he believed, would be to let them have then own rican instead of British bottoms, what was to become of the wa y for on ce , and they would the n find out its ruinous hundreds of thousands, nay, the millions of persons who conseyeences. supplied with the manufactured fabric all the markets of Dr. LUSHINGTON said that if he thought it would the world. And if there was a place in the world more befor the ad van t age o f th e s hipping interest to adopt the painfully interested in these circumstances than another, it motion, he wou ld suppor t it ; b u t. being of opinion that the repeal of th e R ec i proci t y A c t would notha.ve this effect, he was this country, depending, as it did, so much on foreign markets, and competing with all the other nations of the could not consent t o th e adoption of a measure which world. The system for which the hon. gentleman con- would be inj urious t o th e great commercial interests of the tended would be injurious if carried to a small extent, and country, with out t h e l eas t a d van tage to the suffering ship deadly if far. ( Hear, hear.) He contended that the opi- ping intere s t. It was imposible that this country could nion that we could force foreign powers at the present time meet fiscal regulations by any other than fiscal regulations. to give exclusive advantages to our commerce was erroneous. What course of a different nature could England with pro- In the case of Prussia it had been shown that that power PrietY or advant age p ursu e? Could she seek to establish could and did retaliate. With respect to the complaints a comparison b e t ween th e p ros p er ity an d re sources of Eng- Which had been so ably and well put forward by the land and thos e o f o th er countries ? That prosperity and hon. gentleman he had - only to observe, that the Prus- . those resources w ere f r om their very nature, and especially sian shipowner might, upon much better grounds, prefer ei from thr great extent, liable to accident, and it would be similar complaints. In the observations which the hon. the direct reverse of a wise policy to depend on either as member had made with regard to our commercial relations the means Of compelling other countries to yield to our with France, he had alluded to a report more than eighteen wishes on the subject of commercial arrangements. It was months old, and to a commission which was of necessity also, he conceived, a matter of the highest importance that much older; but it was scarcely necessary for him (Mr. we should bear in mind that commerce caused the increase Thomson) to remind the house that public opinion had of shipping, and not that a superabundance of shipping at undergone a great change upon this subject. He had then tracted commerce. If they lost sight of that important in his possession an ordinance taking off certain prohibi- truth, they might continue indefinitely to extend the ms tions against British commerce. Extraordinary powers chievous consequences ofthose steps by which they sought to had been granted by the Chambers to the Government, to injure the commerce of other countries, and to .found enable them to pass this ordinance, whereby they were upon those injuries a superstructure of mercantile great enabled to do that which they otherwise could not do. It ness. In a commercial point of view, no question what was true that these reliefs to British commerce did not ever but this country had attained a position of singular touch iron or coal. It was true that the Chamber of eminence, but that success was not in consequence, but in Deputies load recommended that the duty should be re- despite, of the system to which he had just been alluding. duced from 25 francs to 19 francs, but public opinion was In opposing the present motion he begged most d,stinctly so strong upon the matter, that it was found necessary to to say that he was a sincere friend to the interest to which couple with this, that no further concessions should be that motion more particularly had reference •, he should made till the year 1840. Under these circumstances, it not be worthy to represent the constituency by which he was thought better by the Government to leave the whole had the honour to be returned did he not feel as became question to the coming year and a new Chamber, in the him upon any such occasion. He begged to say that when hope that greater and more important reductions might b e any practical measure came before the house which could made. It was perfectly true, as had been stated, that in any shape benefit the electors who had sent him to that there were higher duties upon British iron and coal i n house, he should not fail to do all in his power to advance France than upon Belgian iron and coal. This, however, such measure. He earnestly desired to see his consti arose, not from any difference that was made as to the im- tuents enabled to victual the shipping proceeding from the posts upon the productions of the countries, but from the port of London ; he therefore would support an ) motion tact that different duties were levied by the French cu s. giving them any facilities with respect to beef and pork, tom-houses upon goods entering the country by land, or and even the opportunity of making biscuit from foreign entering it by sea And it appeared that, if through flour—an advantage which the hon. member for Tyne this difference we suffered loss in some instances, in others mouth by his votes declared himself opposed to granting. we were the gainers. While he stated this, however, He (Dr. Lushington) would not flatter the agricultural he would beg to add, that he never would allow that interest by giving them that assistance in the maintenance France, treating her goods as they had treated them, of their supposed monopoly which they had de. ived from should be permitted to continue her present system of en- the hon. mover of the present proposition. He ought to forcing so large a difference in duty upon our commodities be ashamed of so obtaining for the landc.d psoprietors an beyond that imposed upon those of other nations. For his imaginary benefit, but which, in point of fact, was a real part, if he should continue in the councils of his Majesty, and substantial injury. Isis advice would be that such powers as were vested in the Mr. A. CHAPMAN dwelt upon the hourly increasing Government should be exercised to put an end to the sys- strength) of the United States as a maritime power, and re tern. Many causes might be assigned for the decrease of ferred t o the members in that house best qualified to pro the shipping interest. Be did not think the hon. gentle- nounce an opinion upon that question. He had himself man had assigned the true one. From the evidence of heard the first partner in the first commercial house in Mi. Akehead (we believe) it appeared that returns might England declare, that the United States were twenty years be made, and documents brought forward, to prove that in advance of this country in the art of shipbuilding. The the shipping interest was either Prcsaerous or the contrary, distress and difficulties with which British ship-owners had as might be desired. As to the alleged falling off of Bri- at the present moment to contend was admitted by the , tish commerce, he begged to read one paper. It related right hon. gentlema n ; but no s pecific plan of relief w as I. the number of vessels entered inwards or outwards,with proposed by him. Surely that was not what the country their amount of tonnage, engaged in the foreign colonial had a right to expect from the executive government, re trade, from the year 1819 to 1832, the whole space of sponsible as that government was to the nation at large for time being divided into periods of seven years each. The the faithful and effective administration of its affairs. No amount of tonnage entered inwards and cleared outwards thing, in his opinion, could be more evident than the de from 1819 to 1825 was, for British vessels, 1,351,000 tons; cline of British shipping and the advance of that of the and for foreign ships 464,000 tons. From the year 1820 to United States. No one in the habit of reading the mes -1832, the amount of British tonnage was 1,549,000 tons, sages addressed to Congress by the American President and that of foreign was 564,000 tons, giving exactly the but must remember the frequency of his allusions to the propOrtiOn of one-third of foreign to British tonnage. extent of their commercial marine. His Majesty, who He denied that the British shipping interest was took a warm interest in all that related to the naval going to ruin. He contended, that after the termi- strength of England, would, if he could, have been most nation of the war all we could reasonably expect to do prompt to advert to such an object of national security and was to hold our own, and our own, he said, we had main- triumph as the prosperity of the shipping ; but never was tamed. In proof of this, the only other return he would there to be found in any of the speeches from the throne trouble the house with reading was one which would show the remotest allusion to any thing of the sort. In what that British vessels were not only able to compete but ac- ever point of view he looked at the motion brought for tually come intosuccessful competition upon neutral voyages ward by the hon. member for Tynemouth, he could but with foreign vessels. It was a return of the vessels which regard it as well timed and judicious ; it should t herefore had passed from one foreign port to another, through the have his cordial support. Sound, for the year 1832. From this it appeared that Mr. INGHAM (as we understood) supported the mo there were 175 British vessels of a burden of 23,000 tons, tion, and contended that what were - called the reciprocity which went upwards from one foreign port to another ; treaties were in fact treaties for putting down the navigation and that there were 73 British vessels, of 11,000 tons bur- of that country which was once unrivalled in its maritime den that went down the Sound, making a total of '248 strength. vessels, and say 40,000 tons, engaged in the trade from one Lord SANDON observed that the present was not a foreign port to the other ; and consequently, when so question of justice, but of bargain and sale, and no country many of our vessels were empl o y e d, it f o ll owe d th a t we had a right to insist that g o ods conveyed in their ships were able to supply ships f or th e carr yi ng t ra d e a t a c h eaper should be placed on a par with goods c om i ng i n E ng li s h rate than other nations. But the hon. gentleman yet vessels. It was altOgether a question of policy and nego cal ed out for protection for the shipping interest ! What tiation, but in whatever manner it might be conducted, would he have ? Had he not already a monopoly of the he should like to leave matters precisely in the condition colonial trade, and of the coasting trade ? Ten millions of in which they were antecedent to the passing of the act. tonnage were engaged ! Was thatnothing? The g overn - He desired to proclaim to the world th a t it s h ou ld b e mat ment had the coasting trade and the colonial trad e i n ter of negotiation. Much in the course of the present their hands; these they had secured to the s hippi ng discussion had been said of the advanta g e to the shi pp in g interest—the foreign trade they had not, and that interest which must arise from carr y in g into p ractice those they could not secure to them. The honourable gen- princip les of free trade and reci p rocit y which had been so tleman talked of the advantages which foreigners en- much esteemed and advocated within the last f ew y ears . but little value in yeti. • • joyed. Well, let him only renounce the advantages peen- He thought there was eng w hat was liar to the British shipping interest, and he might forthwith examile ; so far from following that prac tice; their aim shout be to secure commercial advantages avail himself of all the advantages of the foreigner. There had before been questions of relief to the shipping interest, w i thout committing themselves or making any concession but it had then wisely determined not to separate its in- an tecedent to an equivalent benefit : for the Ministers of forests from that of the community. A complaint, how foreign states ought to be armed with that ground for pro ever, was still raised as to the dearness of materials for posing charges which could alone be derived from the re ship-building. Whose fault was it that Baltic timber was spilt of bargain, and negotiate not what was called good so high in price? Take away the duty on timber, and he e xample ; local prejudices were difficult to be overcome, (Mr. P. Thomson) knew of no heavy duties that pressed and nations. were like individuals, if they did not make on shipping. Let the hon. member produce them if there good terms for themselves, they must lose in the affairs of were any ; let him move for their reduction, and he (Mr. life. • It was vain to hope that the progress of liberal prin- Thomson) would be happy to concur in removing these ciples in politics would lead to liberality in trade; for the impediments. He would not detain the house by reading nation which enjoyed the greatest amount of political free documents to which he might refer, but he entreated the dom was that which was the least liberal in matters of com house, when it considered the question propounded by the merce. H hon. gentleman, to bear in mind that to effect his own Mr- HUMS then rose to address the house. He was object his motion was impotent. What was involved in astonished at the speech of the noble lord below (Lord the speech of the hon. member, and was avowed by him, Sandon). It seemed to have become the fashion to talk .was the principle, that .if we departed froin the system of the restrictions imposed by America and the other fo forced upon us in 1815, and voluntarily entered upon in reign p_o_rts ; but England had herself to blame in the mat -1823, other nations might treat us as we treated ter- The Americans had naturally enough sought to them, and he would ask the house whether i t inflict some species of retaliation on this country, because would deliberately and advisedly overturn the present we had refused to admit her corn. (Hear.) Prussia, wholesome system of commercial policy and enter t oo, would not have acted as she had towards England if again on that system of commercial warfare and we had not shown her so bad an example. We complained hostile retaliation called protection, which, in his opinion, of the 10, 20 , 30, 40, or 50 per cent. duties which she im was a useless and impotent protection, involving us in com- posed, while actually this country laid on 250 per cent. on but t rcial hostility with other countries, and doing nothi her timber, and refused her corn altogether. If ever his injury to the cause itself which the honourable gen mind had been made up upon any question it was this, that Heinen wished to serve. by the reciprocity d • (Hear. ) The hon. gentleman . , duties great evils had been avoided and had reminded him (Mr. Thomson) that his advocacy of considerable advantage acquired. England, with all her the reciproca .system had advanced him to lucrative of- other powers of competition, enjoyed great superiority five. He begged to him a • tis respect . inform that his present situation . also, because, he tedeved, for one foreign ves was less profitable than his last ; but he was proud of the set teat entered our ports, two English vessels entered situation, because it gave him the foreign rtun t , of acting on ports; so that he might say that, for one farthing o ) th • pratc.,l •s he hat alwa , sand which they gave afforded him the means return. of carrying, humbly but zealously,(A laugh.) He denied that the English mei into effect, measures adapted to the present • c'ntile present state of things, e interest was at all so depressed as had been revo on which he rested his hopes of promoting seined. the commercial ' What was the state of ruin and deteriort - interests of England. (Hear, hear.) Thisonly ! tion, as i t was the was called, to which it was sunk ? considers ion which attached him to the • situation which hedocuments which he knew to be authentic, and wh, h held, and deeply should he regret if, on th e d ec i s i on o f the ' he held in his hand, he observed that since 1827, there h. d house on the question before it to-night, he could no longer only been a diminution in our tonnage of from '27,000 0 hope to see the principles still acted on which had been 30,000 tons, whilst the tonnage of America had actual y a d o pted by a preceding Parliament, fe e li ng as much fallen in the same time 400,000 tons. He did not think t anxiety as the hon. gentleman for the interests and welfare fair for the shipping interest first to refuse the repeal of tl e of the country. (Hear, hear.) timber duti es , and then to complain of dilapidation and tie M r . Alderman THOMPSON supported the motion. . expense of building ships. (Hear.) He was also sorry to At the present moment British shipping had Changed p l aces perceive, that there had been considerable vacillation on the part of the Ministers, who had at last yielded to the mp.:rt unities of the sister kingdom, and giv,n I, eikted monopoly of supplying the shipping with beef and pork. He wished Ireland well ; but he did not think fief entitled to that monopoly. In fact, they were ruining the sitlng:ig interest, in order to uphold a general system of monopoili especially that of corn. (Hear.) Abolish that monopoly, and encouragement woulu at once be afforded to the ship ping interest, while the great body of the people, the con sumers, would be at the same time greatly and extensively benefited. (Hear.) His hon. friend, the member for Tynemouth (Mr. G. F. Young) had made out a good enough case for free trade, but not, in his opinion, for the repeal of the reciprocity acts. ( Question, question.) Mr. ROBINSON rose amidst loud and general cries of " Question," which for some time rendered him inaudi ble in the gallery. He was understood that if the speech of the hon. member for Middlesex, and the hon. civilian opposite (Dr. Lusbington) were to be taken as answers to his hon. friend's (Mr. Young's) motion, the shipping in terests of the country must be content to remain in a state of utter declension and helplessness, without the slightest prospect of any improvement in their condition. He had not expected the taunt of the hon. member for Middlesex that the shipowners, having refused the repeal of the tim ber duties, should not now be heard to complain. They felt that they could derive no advantage whatever from a mere change of duties, which might at the same time de prive them of the carriage of the colonial timber. He admitted most candidly that much had been said by the right hon. gentleman opposite, which operated materially against the assumed argument of his hon. friend near him ( Mr. Young) ; forhe was unjustly charged with advocating the shipping interest at the expense of the other interests of the country. Why, the shipping interest was the only one in the country which was placed on disadvanta geous terms, with the most onerous restrictions, and without any protection whatever. The hon. member for Middlesex spoke of the corn laws, but that monopoly was kept up, not for the shipping, but for the agricultural interest. ( Hear.) The hon. member had referred to the state of the American tonnage, and stated that within the last few years it had decreased 400,000 tons. There could be no doubt this was a great blunder—a very natural one for the hon. member to tall into ( A laugh), thereby mis taking an actual increase for a decrease. (Renewed and general laughter. ) This was a question, he was ready to admit, of considerable difficulty, but he would support the motion of the hon. member for Tvnemouth (Mr. Young); because he denied the right and power of The crown to form treaties of commerce with foreign powers indepen dently of that house. (Hear.) He wished Parliament to be the judge on such an occasion. (Hear ) Sure he was, if this motion was negatived, and if there was no assurance from government that some other remedial measures were about to be proposed, in order to relieve the shipping inte rest of the country, that most important branch of the commercial greatness of the country would soon dwindle into insignificance, if not perish in ruin. Mr. RUTH \TEN was understood, amidst loud and re peated cries of " Question," to support the motion. The house then divided— ! Ayes Noes 52 117 Alajority against the motion...----65 Mr. CHAPMAN moved for the appointment of a select committee to inquire into the circumstances connected with the application of the coercion act to the barony of Delvin, in the county of Westmeath. The hon. member went into a number of details to show that no grounds had existed to justify the extension of the act to that district. Mr. LITTLETON contended that the Lord-Lieutenant was perfectly justified in applying the provisions of the co ercion bill to this barony, especially as the application for it came from thirty-seven magistrates of the highest re spectability in the county. The right hon. gentleman read a number of documents to show that disturbances had occurred in the barony during the last six months, to an amount and of a nature that warranted such a decision on the part of the Irish government. Mr. F. O'CoNNoit and Mr. N. FITZSIMON supported the motion. Colonel PERCEVAL opposed it, and thanked the government for having done its duty in this instance. He took that opportunity to ask the right hon. gentleman whether it was the intention of the Irish government to renew the Coercion Bill this session ? Mr. LITTLETON made no answer. The house then divided— For the motion l4 Against it 30 Majority —l6 OFFICE OF POSTMASTER-GENERAL. On our return to the gallery, we found Mr. WALLACE proceeding with his motion for an ad dress to his Majesty, praying that he would be graciously pleased to place the office of Postmaster-General in com mission. He remarked that nothing but the peculiar situa tion in which he was plead, could induce him to think of bringing forward his motion at that late hour. LordA LT HO RP trusted the hon. gentleman would not proceed, it being so very late. Mr. WALLACE observed, the only cause of his doing so, was the fear of the office being tilled up before he should have another opportunity of bringing the motion on again, being satisfied he should be able to convince the noble lord the office ought to be put in commission, in ac cordance with the recommendation of no less than four re ports, after due inquiry. But he would agree nut to pro c..ed, provided the noble lord would inform the house the office had already been filled up. Lord ALT Ho ...:P—Certainly not as yet. On Mr. WALL c E proceeding, Mr. Humz remarked his hon. friend would perhaps withdraw his motion if the noble lord would agree not to fill the office up until the discus sion had taken place, to which the noble lord said be could not consent. Mr. PEASE suggested to the hon. member whether it would not, at such an advanced hour, be better to post pone such a motion. If he proceeded with it, the house ' would be counted out, and much pubiic business retarded. Mr. WALLACE said he would persevere. He accord ingly, after a few observations, concluded by making the motion. Mr. PEASE moved that the house be counted. The gallery was then cleared, and there not being forty members present, the house adjourned at half-past two o'clock. LIST OF THE MAJORITY Of 52 ( Tellers included) who voted against the Kingsclere Enclosure Bill. Ayes 3O Noes 5O Majority, 20. Aglionby, H. A. Baine., K Beauclerk, Major itewes, lackburne, J. Brotherto:i, J. Buller, C. Butler, Hon. P. S. Cobbett, W. Codrington, Slr E. Collier, J. )awson, E. Dobbin, L Faithful!, G. Feuhien, W. F.eliteri. J. .... W. F. F,rzsimon, C. Fitzsinion, N. Gilion, W. D. Gully, J. Hallybutton, D. G. Hodges, T. L. lac , b, E. Lams. P. Maxwell, J 'Maxwell, W. • Rider, T. Iltuth en, E. S. Ruthven, Satuillird, Sir D. K. Seholefield, J. Sharpe, Ge eral Sullivan, R. "Iniektiesse, R. l'relawney, Sir W. Vasun, IL W gn y, I. N. You g, G. F. Ilion, Viscount Morrison, J. O'Connell, M. O'Connell, John O'Con .or, F. O'Reilly, W Oswald, R. A. Parrott, J. ease, J. Phil;ps, M. Potter, It. TELLERS. Walter, J. Hughes H. PAIRF.I) OFF. Godso.., R. Wood, Colonel T. LIST On Arbuthnot, Hon. H.I Attwootl, I'. Attwonu.M._ 7F THE MIN, Mr. Younk's ,Doti Dune mbe, W. Ewing, J. Fergusson, Sir Ron. kergusson, G. Gordon, Hon. W. tialcomb, J. Hay, Colonel L. Hiy, Sir J. Hayes, Mr E. Hodgson, J _ Hook:sworth, T. Ingham, R. Irton, S. Jone-, T. Lowther, C. H. Mile-, W. Perceval, Colon I PAIRED OFF. 'ORITY Reid, Sir J. R. Robinson, G. R. It.)ss, H. ion - 11,01d, C. E. Ruthven, K S. inn f rd, Sir D. K. Sandon, Lord Seal , Colonel Shaw, F. inclair, G. Thompson, P. B. Tullamore, Lord V.nce t, Sir F. V%vyan, Sir IL WAllave, R. Wilke, .1. Williamson, Sir H. ateson, Sir Bell, M. Beutirck, Lord G. Be hell, R. Blackstone, W. S. I:rocklehuret, J. Cayley, S r G. C.,yley, E S. Chapman, A. Chaytor, Sir W. Copeland, W. Corry, H. L. Darlington, Eirl of L W. FOR. Stewart, J. Fielden, J. Warre, J. A. Egerto , '1•. Stewart, Sir M. S. Talbot, J. Johnstone, Sir J. V. TEL. FOR. AGAINSr. Grey, Colonel Pmme, G. Phillips, Sir G. Lewis, T F. Cavehdish, Hon. 0, .1, phs n, C. D. 0. Palmer, C. F. ,LERS. Young. G. F. Thompson, Al. AGAINST Wo d, Bsr ng, F. SELECT COMMIT' 'EES. EDUCATION.—The following are .. Select Committee nominated last night : Hoe uck, J. A t azakerley, J. N. Vyvyan, Sir R. tiorpeth. Viscount Leal:it. T. e. Briscoe, J. I. Strutt, E. Dili, W. Divett, E. ranam, Sir J. R. C. Verney, Sir H. mar4tall, J. Peel, Sir IL %hitmore, W. W. Evans, W. i't omson, C. P. Sandor., Viscount Wood G. W. Grote, G Parker, J. Smith, Vernon Kerry, Earl of Romilly. E. Salford, K A Ab reromby, Right Gladstone, W. E. Mosley, Sir 0. Hon. J. H Avicins, J. H. Hawes, 13. PI mptre, J. P. Molt•sworth, Sir W. CALCUTTA JOURNAL.—SeIect Committee appointed " to take into consideration the circumstances connected with the suppression of the Calcutta Journal in the yeer 1323, and the lo s of property entailed on Mr. Buck ng ham in consequence of that measure ; and to report their opinion to the house. as to whether any and what amount of compensation ought to be awarded to Mr. Buckingham for his losses on that account." Hume. Joseph ',tit r e', M...jor .tant, Right tion.C. Fr mantle, Sir 1, Wynn, tit. Ilon. C. 134ines, E. Russell, Lord J. xshley, Lord Somerset, Lord G. lake, M. Althorp, Viscount ;li.,w, I'. . Ross, Ch ales Ross 1' el ii nee, Sit-I\i Fotgusson, IL C. forret'', Colonel Abercromb y , Ri.o denial, R. Hon. J. Gordon, R. Hughes, H. Thompson, W. Smith, John Guest, J. the members of the Maxfield, W W:titer, J. Lambton, H. .., „twone. W. E. Penoarves, E. W. Fi etweod, H. al gdale, Hon. C. W li.s, J. Ita leg, A. Peel, Sir R. WA, r, C. A. Maikensie, J. A. s. :r~ ~~ ' _ti, ~„~ . . ( 177 ST:: CC :T; 7 v. 5; tri , t . From the votes and ) ,ro, - , mons, Merevi - ii, 4;e juai, I 534 . . ( 4 alt Report and Resolutions brought up and read, as fcl2 -41 ' loweth _ . . PUSINESS 01' Ti . - r. 11 pe4ient that cer: .....-....- 1. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee, that, with a view to promote the convenience of members, of Parliament, and to faeL' tate the despatch of private business, it is cx iin measures which, under the existing ~n aratelv under the consithration laws, must be brought .... their accomplishment, 2 , l „ yuld b j pr... therein for by general enact therein to proceed to ments, enabling parties interesteu i to the special sanction of the le.gielature. withafit basing :Nalstant reference '2. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this con..7'ittee; that if possible s General Enclosure Act stied be passel.,' which may enable p,iv•tes having an interest the:Ain- to en close lands, subject to such provisions as may secure th. , rights of all concerned, withssnt. subjecting themselves ti the heavy expenses which are noW itynArred. 3. Resolved, that it is the opinion of this committee, that powers, providing for paving, Macmktinizing, water ing, draining, and otherwise improving cities,- towns, and places, should be vested (under certain conditions and re gula'ions) in the inhabitants, to be carried into effect with , out the necessity of appealing to Parliament. Report to lie on the table, and to be printed. SUPPLEMENT TO. THE LONDON GA- ZETTE, JUNE 3. THURSDAY, JUNE 5. At the Court at St. James's, the sth day of June; present, the King's most Exellent Majesty in Counc►l. His Majesty having been pleased to deliver the custody of the Privy Seal to the Right Hon. the Earl of Carlisle, the oath of the Keeper of the Privy Seal was this day ad ministered to him, and his Lordship took his place at the Board accordingly. At the Court at St. James's, the sth day of June ; present, the King's most Excellent Majesty in Council. This day the right hon. Thomas Spring Rice and the Right Hon. Sir John Vaughan, Knt., one of the Justices of his Majesty's Court of Common Pleas, were, by his Majesty's command, sworn of his Majesty's most hon. Privy Council, and took their respective places at the Board accordingly. His Majesty having been pleased to appoint the Right Hon. Thomas Spring Rice to be one of his Majesty's Prin cipal Secretaries of State, lie was this day, by his Majesty's command, sworn one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State accordingly. At the Court at St. James's, the sth day of June ; present, the King's Most Excellent Majesty in Council. His Majesty in Council was this day pleased to appoint the Right Hon. Charles Poulett Thomson President of the Committee of Council appointed for the consideration of all matters relating to Trade and Foreign Plantations, This Gazette contains three proclamations, offering a reward of 1001. each for the apprehension of William Richard Lapworth, William Oram, and Samuel Dingley, for disobeying the order of the House of Lords to attend before them to give evidence on the bill respecting the bororgli of Warwick. HIS MAJESTY'S LEVEE. The King, attended by Sir Herbert Taylor, arrived at St. James's Palace at one o'clock yesterday afternoon from Windsor Castle. . . . His Majesty held a Levee and Privy Council in the afternoon. At the Entrée Levee the Prince de la Mos kawa (Peer of France) and the Prince d'Eckmuhl (Duke d'Auerstaedt, Peer of France) were presented to the King by Prince Talleyrand, the French Ambassador. After the Levee the Duke of Richmond, the Earl of Ripon, the Right Hon. E. G. Stanley, and Sir James Graham, had audiences of the King. 'the Earl of Ripon delivered to his Majesty his Seals of Office u Keeper of the Privy Seal, and Mr. Stanley delivered to the King his official seals as one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State. The King held a Privy Council at which Mr. Justice Vaughan and Mr. Spring Rice were introduced, sworn in Privy Councillors, and took their seats at the Council. The Earl of Carlisle was sworn into office as Keeper of the Privy Seal. The Right Hon. Thomas Spring Rice took the oaths of one of hs Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State. The Right Hon. C. Poulett Thomson was approved of by his Majesty in Council as the President of the Board of Trade. Three Proclamations were issued for certain parties to attend the House of Lords. The following Ministers attended the Council:—The Lord Chancellor, Earl Grey, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Viscounts Melbourne, Palmerston, and Althorp, and the Right Hon. Edward Ellice. Tie lion. 'William Bathurst was the Clerk of the Coun cl in Waiting. Lord Auckland kissed hands on being appointed First Lord of the Admiralty, in the room of Sir James G rah am. The Earl of Carlisle kissed hands on his appointment to the Privy Seal. The Right Hon. C. Poulett Thomson kissed hands on being appointed President of the Board of Trade. The Right lion. T. Sprang Rice kissed hands on his appointment of Secretary of State. The Recorder of London was introduced, and made a Report to the King in Council of the cases during two Sessions at Justice Hall in the Old Bailey. The Lord Chief Justice of England; attended the reading of the Report. tits Majesty gave audience to Earl Grey, the Marquis of Winchester, Viscount Palmerston, Lord Hill, and the Earl of Albemarle. The Prince Leiningen, accompanied by Sir John Conroy, attended the Levee. His Serene highness took leave of his Majesty • At the Entree Levee there were present the Russian and French Ambassadors; the Sardinian, Neapolitan, Pruss;an, Swedish, Belgic, Danish, Portuguese, Grecian Spanish, and Saxon Ministers ; the Austrian and Hanoverian Charges d'Affaires ; Mosselman, attache to the Belgian Legation at Paris ; the Dutch Special Minister, the Lord Chamberlain, the Lord Steward, the Groom of the Stole, the Master of the Horse, the Commander of the forces, the Vice Chamberlain ; Viscount Combermere, Gold Stick in Waiting ; the Treasurer of the Household, the Comptroller of the Household, the Captain of the Yeoman Guard, the Master of the Ceremonies, the Master of the Robes, the Honourable Captain Poulett (in waiting); Colonel Elphinstone, and Colonel Lord Dufferin, Aides de Camp ; Colonel Horace Seymour, Equerry in Waiting ; the Rev. T. F. Foord Bowes, Deputy Clerk of the Closet ; and Lieutenant Colonel Bouverie, Silver Stick in Waiting. Earl Amherst and Sir Robert Otway were the Lord and Groom in Waiting. (From the Court Circular.) The Queen attended by the Marchioness of Westmeath, arrived in town a quarter before three o'clock yesterday afternoon, from Windsor Castle. The Prince and Princess Hohenlohe Langenbourg landed yesterday morning at the Custom-house, where the Duchess of Kent's carriages were in waiting to convey their Serene Highnesses, their children, and suite to Ken sington Palace. The Princess Hohenlohe is the only daughter of the Duchess of Kent by her first marriage. Her Serene High ness has not seen her Royal Mother since her marriage, upwards of six years ago, the Duchess of Kent never having visited the Continent to see her relations there since her arrival in this country, upwards of fifteen years ago. Her Majesty visited the Duchess of Kent and the Prince and Princess in the afternoon, at Kensington Palace. The Prince Hohenlohe Langenbourg returned to St. James's with the Queen. Yesterday was the birthday of the Duke of Cumber land. The members of the Royal Family, the Foreign Ministers, and many of the nobility and gentry , called at the residence of his Royal Highness in St. James's Palace. The King gave audience yesterday to Sir John Mac donald and Sir Martin Archer Shee. The Dukes of Cumberland and Gloucester, the Duchess of Gloucester, and the Princesses Augusta and Sophia, visited their Majesties yesterday. Their Majesties left town a quarter before seven o'clock last evening, on their return to Windsor Castle. A deputation, including Lord Henniker, Messrs. Deni son and Shaw, had an interview (on the subject of the poor laws) with Viscount Althorp yesterday. Yesterday a numerous meeting of house holders of the parish of St. Martin:in-Me-Fields, was held at the Mitre Tavern, St. Martin's-lane, at whi c h notice was given of a motion that a public meeting should be called to take the Poor Laws' Amendment Bill into consideration. The persons present fully concurred in the propriety of calling such a meetirg. NAVAL AND MILITARY LIBRARY OF ENTERTAINMENT. —This wor k, w hi c h, a l t h oug h o f especial interest to the two services, cannot fail to be come popular with every class of readers, is now com pleted by the " Night-Watch, or Tales of the Sea ;" comprising " The Captain's Story," " The Master's Story," " The Boatswain, a Forecastle Yarn," and " The Prisoner of War's Story." These tales, we understand, are the production of Captain Johnson, the intimate friend of Captain Parry. It has been well observed by the Edinburgh reviewers, that " these works afford a great deal of new information which can scarcely be found anywhere else. They admit us into the interior of a soldier or sailor's life, teling us much that history will not condescend to notice, and which we had rather know than a great part of that w.,ich it tetis."