The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-19 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

ROM OF LORDEL7MoNDAY, MAY 1&

The Loan caapozmoa took hie east oa the woeheek
at fire &dock.
PRIVATE BUSINME.

The following bill. were read a third time and passed :
Saint lees and West Cornwall Junction Railway, Law
Life Assurance Society. Isiah North Western Railway, and
the Cheltauhiun Roads Bills.
On the motion that the Detain Metropolitan Railway
hill he read a third time,
Viscount CLANCARTY moved that the bill be read a
third time on that day six months ; and, in doing so, con-
tended that, although the greatest deference ought to be
paid to the decisions of their select committees, those
decisions must be subject to reeiewal by the house.

-----
The Earl of DERBY was of opinion 'that ; much better
bill than this might have been produced for carrying out the
objects of ill promoters, and he did not think it a measure
which it was desirable to pass in its present ehspe. It
would be a great dialiguremeut to the town ; it would accom-
modate the auuthern traflc only, and it would be very costly.
The proposed line was 21 miles, end although the promoters
said it would only cost 150.0001. per mile, its opponents said
that it would cost 260,0001. But on the other hand, as it
appeared that the comuuttee had fully sifted the evidence,
sod am the bill moot be considered by the other house of
parliament, he felt that he moat vote for the third reading,
although the bill was in his opieioe imperfect, if not veil
objectionable.
For the third reading
Against
THE METROPOLITAN RAILWAY SCHEMES.
Lord STRATREDEN said he wished ko ask his noble

hieedVh;;;;; it, ;Wats intention of the government to
appoint a commission similar to that of 1846, with a view
to inquiry into the subject of metropolitan midways Wm*
any considerable programs was allowed to be made in the
different schemes for the acommodetion of the metropolis,
or whether it was their intention to appoint such a commis-
sion only in the event of the select committee now sitting
recommending it. There was great weight of authority in
their lordships' house is favour of the appointment of such
oommissioa, and Di there woe no security for its appoint-
ment, he thought it right to know what were the intentions
of her Majesty's government on the subject.
Earl GLANVILLE said be could not hold out any hope
to his noble friend that her Majesty's government would
appoint a commission on the subject of metropolitan rail-
ways until they came to examine the raped of the commit-
tee cow sitting. The committee bad taken all their evi-
dence, and all noble lords who were present would agree
with him in thinking that he was not at all in a position to
tell them what the report of that committee would
De. (A laugh.)

PRIZE COURTS IN AMERICA.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE rose, pursuant to
notice, to move for copes of soy reports from our contour
agents or diplomatic agents in North Arnericaof the decisions
or proceedinp of the prise courts of the United States.
The noble marquis observed that the conduct of the United
Beteg government, which professed to be on terms of
amity with us, was so contrary to the n aogniand law of un-
ties' in referesce to the seizure of ships engaged in the com-
merce of this country, that it wag absolutely necessuy that
her Majesty's government should take more active steps in
the matter than they had hitherto done. At the present
momet.t it was impossible to effect insurances upon vasels
trading to the western hemisphere, ole to the coasent
asinine made by American cruisers. os
If thee were any
potted to hope that the existing state of things would woe
pam away, or that the United States would evince a sin-
cere desire to respect the law of nations, he should be da-
wned to make every allowance for them ; but these OODIIIOI
lad now gone on for a considerable time, and he saw DO
of a satisfactory change taking place unless her
Majesty'suPt government adopted more energetic and decisive
neseames.

Earl RUSSELL said that so far from disputing the law
of mikes Mr. Seward, in all his communications, had
fully acknowledged it, and had stated that in every cam
there must be a legal came of capture before a ship could
le seized. Her Majesty's government had instructed Ad-
miral Milne to send a millekset naval force to the neigh-
bourhood of Matamores in order that British shipping might
be protected from unjustifiable seizure, and the admiral had
reported that that harbour was crowded with vessels engaged
in the pursuits of commerce. It would, therefore, seem
that the proceedings of the United States cruisers had not
inter( with vessels that wire employed in legitimate
Made. Numerous complaint had, no doubt, been addressed
to the government by the ovum of vessels which had
been seized, and every such case had been referred
to the law officers of the crows, who had reported
that there was no rational ground for objection
with regard to the decisions of the prize courts.
There was no disguising the fact that many vessels,
built purposely for speed, were actively engaged in break. '
sag the blockade, and he was afraid that when one of three
emelt happened to be captured it was the custom of the
owners to come at once to the Foreign-office, with all the
air of injured innocesce, and demaad redress. On the
other hand. the Americans were much incensed at what they
considered the unjustifiable conduct of England in fitting
out and sending forth the Alabama to prey upon their com-
merce ; but, he believed, there was • very general and sin-
ews desire an the part of the English people not to interfere
unfairly is the cooled that was now going on.

The Earl of DERBY said he thought the noble earl had
satisfactorily answered the complaints of the noble mar-
quis, and that the male marquis was not entitled rashly to
=sums that the decisions of the supreme courts of the
United States would be coateary to all law and justice. He
also agreed with the noble earl that the people es both sides
should approach them questions ia reference to the inter.
motion of commerce with good temper sod with modem-
tioo, seeing that a large contraband trade had been carried
on with the Southern States. He wished to ask the noble
earl whether he had been correct in stating that the papers
of some of the vessels showed as intention to break the

blockade, because he (the Earl of Derby) could hardly ima-
gine each • case. He quite admitted that every allow-
ance ought to be made for the strong firAing which existed
is Amenca in reference to the contraband trade carried on
with the Southern States, but he would like to know whe-
ther vessels carry* on a lawful trade with Ma-
tamons—tlough the cargoes might ultimately be
intended for the fioutheni Staten—could be considered
as liable to seizure by the United States cruisers,
It might be suspected that • large portion of a cargo pro-
ceeding to Nassau or Matamorm was intended for the Coo-
federate States, bat ea the graced of that sweicion an
American cruiser would not be justified in doing more then
ascertaining what was the immediate destination of the
vessel. If a vessel were proceeding bone fide from this
country to Hammy there to discharge her cargo, whatever
might be the nature of that cargo, no American cruiser had
a right to interfere with her —(hear, bear)—end no matter
what might be the ultimate intentions of the vessel or of
her owners ; even though it were meant that she should sub-
seciumitly proceed from Hamm to the Coefederate States
and endeavour to break the blockade, that would afford no
jmtifiostion for her seizure by an American =ear
pew-
viously to her entering the port of Nassau. He hoped
the noble earl bad not made to the American govern-
ment any CODEIMIOII to the effect that an American
emiser had a right to interfere with such a voyage, or to
send such a reseal before • prize court. He trusted he had
misunderstood the noble earl upon that point, aad if that
were the case, he wits sure it would be satisfactory to their
lordships and to the country that the noble earl should met
himself right upon a subject of such importance. (Hear,
bear.)

Earl LUSSELL said that in reply to the fiat point men-
tioned by she noble earl, he had to observe that be believed
it was quite true that in one ease et least an American
captain bad found in the papers—he would not say the
regular papers—of &ship ea order to break the blockade. With
Tigard to the other and much more serious point, the noble
earl had certainly misunderstood him if be supposed that
he had meant to my that • vessel going to Nassau, and in-
tending afterwards to make • further voyage to the Coe-
federate Mates, could be lawfully captured. (Hear, hear.)
What he had meant to refer to was the case of simulated
deatinatioe—that of a vessel declaring that she intended to
proceed to Nassau, but in reality destined for a Confederate
port.
Lord CRAN WORTH said that the question to which the
sold. earl had just referred had arisen in • celebrated case
which had been decided b 7 Lord Stowell. During the war
with the first French empire a ship proceeded from Lisboa,
which rem a neutral port, with • cargo apparently
destined for China. She, however, carried a number of
French officers, and she visa seined in the embers mu, on
the ground that, she was proceeding with them—they beim
of cosine contraband of war—not to China, bat to some
Preach or Dutch island. Lord Stowell, in deciding the
elm, stated that if the ship were really going to China he
had nothing to do with her, but inasannzb se it ap-
peared that that alleged destination was but • pretence,
and that atm was really ma her way to a French or Dutch
part, the misers was justifiable and legal. There could be
no doubt that that was the law of the cam—that • neutral
vessel carrying cootraband of war con:d not legally be
stopped if on her way to • neutral port, whatever might
be her subsequent dentiaation. (Hear, hew.)
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE said that if any locos-
misname would be combed by the production of the papers
for which he had moved he would not press his motion.
The audios was than withdrawn.
DUCHY OF CORNWALL MANAGEMENT BILL.
This bill paned through committee.
MARRIAGES, am (IRELAND) BILL
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