The Press.
London, England, 1858-03-27 00:00:00

THE PRESS, MARCH 27, 1858.

Folkestone, Newhaven, Southampton, and Liverpool ; but
such arrangements would be made as experience might
suggest to be best calculated to meet the requirements of
the ease. It having been communicated to the French
Government that it was probably the intention of her
Majesty's Government to establish passport offices at some
of the principal ports, they at once said they would meet
her Majesty's Government half-way, and establish French
consular agents at those ports, who should have the power
to riser passports, and so prevent any inconvenience which
might otherwise happen. (Cheers.)
With respect to the reduction of the charge upon
Foreign-otfice passports, that matter lay with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Lord PALMERSTON said, as far as the late Govern-
ment was concerned, he had no objection to the pro-
duction of the papers, but ho suggested an addition
of copies of any correspondence received at the
Foreign•office relating to the inconveniences and ex-
pense attending the passing back of British workmen
who had arrived in France with passports from the
French consular agents in England. tie concurred
with Mr. Fitzgerald that the passport system was an
internal and domestic arrangement of the French
Government with which the British Parliament had
no right to interfere. It was true that inconve-
niences had resulted from the present regulations,
which had been established only provisionally and
experimentally, and he had no doubt that they might
be greatly mitigated.
Mr. BRIGHT observed that this Government could
only make friendly representations to foreign powers,
but in regard to our own country, it could do almost
anything. The foreign Government did not ask us to
charge 7s. for a passport, nor to burden applicants
with impediments. He objected to the establishment
of passport-offices in the country, but thought the
mayors of towns cowl easily undertake the additional
duty :
I hope (sail Mr. Bright in conclusion), the Under
Secretary for Foreign Affjirs will not conclude from these
observations that I ant dissatisfied with what he said. I
think that what he has stated shows that the Government

are paying attention to the subject, and I hope that as long
as he occupies his present position the house may be as
well satisfied wish any explanation he may have to give in
future as with that he has just offered. (Hear, hear.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said :
It appears to me that the observations of the hon. mem-
ber for Birmingham are well entitled to the consideration
of the house. I feel, as I think the house must feel, that
there are two objects desirable to be obtained. 11'e want to
mike the distribution of passports among the people of
this country easy and cheap. ( Hear, hear.) The office
with which my hon. friend is connected has this subject
under consideration, with the intention, if possible, of &1!
o pl ishing those two objects; and without pledging the
Government to any particular mode, I can assure the house
that we wish the distribution of passports to be easy in all
the principal ports of the country. Tffere have been some
difficulties started by the municipal authorities with regard
to this point, but 1 feel, after the discussion which has
taken place, that those difficulties may be overcome.
( Hear, hear.) The great object we have in view, and
which I think the house will desire to see attained, is that
in future any Englishman who wishes to leave his country
should find the process of obtaining a passport not expen-
sive or troublesome, but one which might be gone through
without the difficulty and cost an artisan niight fear to en-
counter. (Hear, hear.) The addition proposed by the
noble lord appears to be one to which there can be no
objection. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. M. MILNER, in reply, thanked the Under-
Secretary for Foreign Affairs for his statement, in
which there was but one point omitted, and that was
the consideration of the enormous number of people
who had been in the habit of frequenting the ports
of France without any passport whatever•. The sud-
den abolition of that privilege deserved the attention
of the Foreign-office. After tho papers he now
moved for were produced, he should aga;n, if neces•
nary, call the attention of the house to the subject.
The motion was then agreed to, with the a•tdition
proposed by Lord Palmerston.