The Express.
London, England, 1864-05-03 00:00:00

THE CONFEDERATE STATES.

Sir J. ELPHINSTONE asked the Ceder-Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs whether her Majesty's govern-
meat had expressed any opinion on the circumsteeess of
Mr. Seward heels( presented a document to Lord Lyme on
the 22nd of Deoember lest, which, ce the 19th of March,
he " felt hound" to tell him be hod " just discovered" to
be "a forgery;" and whether her Majerty's goverment had
communicated with the agents of the Confederate Steels in
Europe on the subject, or with the government of the Con-
federate States at Richmond, and with wh►t result.
Mr. LAYARD--Iler Majesty's government h►ve not
expressed any opinion upon the communication from Mr.
Seward. As hoe. members are aware, there is no agent
of the Confederate States it this country to whom any
question could have bees addressed ; and it is not usual to
address questioes to the agents of an tuirecognisiel govern-
ment abroad. Every endeavour was made by her Majority's
government to ascertain whether the document is tpion
was authentic ; and as soon as it was discovered to be a
forgery the fact was communicated by a member of the
government in another pleas.
Sir J. ELPIHNSICITE—I wish farther to oak the boo.
gentleman whether an agent was not despatched from
Havana to the Confederate Stater for the purpose of tom.
municating with the government at Richmond, and that be
was not permitted to pass through the blockade?
Mr. LAYARD—That is so. He was not allowed to enter
the Confederate States.

Sir J. ELPHINSTONE—Then I beg to uk oat more
natation. Au agut having been accredited by her Majesty's
government, end met to outunneicete with the Coaliederate
States, I wish to know whether that was not an act tanta-
mount to the acknowledgment of an 'Amon.' power in
thou States? (Cries of "No, no." and "Order.")
The quietism was not answered.
THE CHANNEL FLEET.

Sir J. PAKINOTON—I bog to ask my noble friend the
Secretary of the Admiralty whether it is true that the
Chasnel fleet has been moved from Portland to the Downs,
sad if sot, whether they ars under orders to proceed
thither! I wish next to ask whether the noble lord is in •
position to say that the ships constituting the Channel
fleet have bees completed with respect to their coals, pro.
visions, sad other storm! I also beg to ask the noble lord
whether the large iron ships of the Channel fleet have been
into docicsiaos their return from their winter cruise!
Lord C. PAGET—The Channel squadron Sr. in the
Downs. (Hear, hear.) They are very nearly complete, and
they are perfectly ready to proceed to any part of the world
at 24 boon' notice. (Cheers.) The iron ships have sot
bees docked since their winter cruise ; but the Warrior was
docked of the 12th of November, the Black Prince on the
Led of *October, the Prince Consort on the 11th of No-
vember. s►e Hector on the 12th of January, and the De-
fence on the 10th of October.

Lord R. CECIL—In connexion with the questions which
have just been put by my right hon. friend I beg to ask whe-
ther any information has been received with respect to the
movements of the Austrian fleet, which has moved north-
wards, whether it is known that any kind of guarantee or
pledge has been given that it shall not go beyond the North
Bet, or, if not, whether there will Le any opposition to its
entering the Baltic!

Mr. LAYARD—If the noble lord will put his question on
Siemer! will answer it tomorrow eveoing.
THE UNDER.SECRETARYSHIPS.

In waverer to Mr. NVALPot.s,
Sir G. GREY et.ited that in cossequeoce of the difficulty
which had bees experienced by the committee in construmg
the act of parliament. A was the intention of the govern.
meat to introduce a bill for the purpcee of amending the
statute.
CUSTOMS AND INLAND REVENUE BILL

The report of anseadmeets was brought up, and some
seism alteratioes having been made,
ltr. MALLNB rose to more en amendment of which be
bad given notice. He said that his hoe. friend the member
fee Evesham had asked whether this bill proposed any new
tax. The answer was that it did not ; but he was prepared
M show that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in proposing
that policies of assurance in eattlenents should ho liable to
ditty, was proposing a new tax, for the Court of Exchequer
lad decided that • policy of assurance in a settlement was
net liable to ad valorem duty. Now the Chancellor of the
Exchequer proposed to make • policy of assurance for 5,000/.
=Onset to the same duty as 5,000/. in Consols. Accord-
ingly be proposed to omit from the clause the qualification
which the Otani:eller of the Exchequer had introduced by
the words, " Unless they were accompanied by a varmint,
bet.," and thus leave all policies in settlements free of duty.
(Heat, hear.)
The CH:LW ELLOR of the ILCCHEQUER was sorry to
be enable to accede to the proposal of his hoe. sod learned
friend, who by his amendment would be intro-
ducing into the U. a most arbitrary exception.
A p0i...! accompanied by a covenant to keep it alive was
equivalent to • bond debt, and it would be a grievous
seotnaly to leave the duty chargeable upon beads, and at
the name time to exempt from duty policies with memento
to pay the premiums which were equivalent to bonds. No
doubt there had been a Judgment of the Court of Ex-
chequer deciding that policies in settlements were not
ehargeable with sd velment duty. But is the fiat place
the ROW' had sot been able to carry that judgment to the
cessideretios of • court of review, as bad hese desired.
Is the meantime the law advisers of the crown had
been consulted. They were of opleion that these Ito/kiss
were chargeable with duty, and the make of the executive
gevernmeot bad been regularly to charge the duty, and
the the decision of the Court of Exchequer was sat relied
spell. Under these circumstances it bed been thought
beefily dairshis that the law should be declared by express
enseinnal He would dales his hoe. end leaned friend
to Tewark that es between settled and unsettled persosalty,
lb latter already bad decidedly the airman* : it seesped
pas& duty. (Kr. NALiss : Bat it pays secession duty.)