The Express.
London, England, 1862-07-29 00:00:00

SLAVE TRADE ON THE AFRICAN COAST.

Yr. H. SMYMOUR asked the First Lord of the Treasury
whether her Majesty's government wets aware that a system'
masted of conveying so-called free nevem from the port of
St. Paul's de Loando, on the west coast of Africa, to
the Wand of St. Thomas, under the purport of the Por-
tuguese governor-general ; whether this was not a breach
of the treaty of Ju1y,1142 ; and, if so, what steps her
Majesty's government ad taken in this matter.
Lord PALMERHTON—I am sorry to my that her Ma-
jesty's government have received information to the effect
that practices, such as my hon. friend adverts to, have been
'larded on between the Portuguese settlement. on the
swim coast of Africa and the island of St. Thomas that
is to my, under the pretence of transporting free labourers,
• reel slave trade has been carried on. (Hear, hear.) Her
Majesty's government have remonstrated against it, and
they are still in negotiation—cornmanicatim. I should rather
soy— with the l'ortugue.e government on the sub-
W bile communicatioos are pending, it would not
advivable to lay the correspoedemee before par-
liament, but when they are finished, that correspondence
will be submitted to parliameot with the slave-trade papers
of nest year. (Hear, hear.) lam sorry to add to that
statement that the love and habit of slavery is so ingrained
in the Spanish and Portuguese nations, that in spite of all
the efforts of their respective governments, both the Portu-
guese and colonial authorities of the east and western coast
of Africa, and the Spanish authorities in Cuba, do persevere
in violating the orders of their governments and the treaties
by which they are bound. But I hope that in the course of
time the repeasatatioes of her Majesty's government may
lave the effect of stimulating the governments of Madrid
sea Lisbon to adopt more stringent measures to enforce
their orden, and to take care that their treaty obligations
are not violated. (Hem.)
KENSINOTON-CiiRDENS.

Mr. LEWIS asked the First Commissioner of Works
whether his attention had been called to the state of the
paths and woodland in Kensiogton-gardens ; sod, if so,
whether it was his intention to take any steps to have the
11&1116 pat into a proper state by drainage ; and whether
there was soy prospect of completing the works at the
ornamental water in the gardens!
Mr. COWPER said that under the trees in Keosington-
Wdeal there was an accumulation of water, in consequence
of the recent wet weather. That water might easily be
got rid of by drainage. but be was afraid the drainage
would also get rid of the trees. (Hear, hear.) In former
times the trees had been killed in the ardem by the con.
'traction of dream, and as it was one of the duties of his
*Mee to take we of the trees especially. he was not
willing to expose them to any risk. With reference to the
works at the upper raid of the Serpentine, the contractor,
who was sinking • well, had brought up a considerable
supply of water, but be wan now occupied in boring the
chalk, and it was expected a still larger supply might be
obtained by that means.
ARMOUR-OASED VESSELS.—MR. HEED'S PLAN.

Mr. LAIRD asked the Secretary to the Admiralty if the
Admiralty had decided to build or alter any more timber
limas ta be eased partially with iroaarniour plating on
Yr. Heed's plan, mail the Enterprise now being altered is
enspleted aid tried?
Lord C. PAGET said there was one vessel being built ae•
cording to Mr. Reed's plan, but be wee usable to give an
answer a, to the future intentions of the Admiralty with
regard to that particular mode of construction.
ELEOTRIO LIGHT AT DUNGF,NDIS.

Lord LOVAINE asked the President of the Board of
Trade whether the electric light now in use at Dungeness
Lighthouse had not been successful ; and, if so, whether its
adoption was to form p►rt in the alterations contemplated
ly the Trinity Board in the Portland lights ; and moved
for copy of Mr. Faraday's reports on the light to the royal
comniustoners, and of those made by order of the Tnnity
Board.

GIBSON said the electrklight bait been exhibited
only fora abort time at Dungeness, but so far as experience
want, the result wee encouraging. A pranced bad been
made to the Board of Trade by the Trinity Board for the
reconstruction of the lights at Portland, and they bad re-
plied by iLsking whether the time might not come for
placiug the electric light there as well as at Dungeness, but
they had received no answer to that letter. At present
the matter might be mid to be under consideration. The
electric light was entirely in an experimental position, and
time most gapes before an opinion could be formed sus to
whether it would be safe to adopt it elsewhere. There
would be no objection to producing the papers.
Lord LOVAINE gave notion that next session he would
call attention to the experiments which had been mule
wit .the electric light on the coasts of the United Kingdom.
CONSOLIDATED FUND (APPROPRIATION) BILL.
EXPERIMENTS WITH THE ARMSTRONG GUNS.
Upon the [notion for the third reading of the Consolidated
Feed (Appropriation) Bill.
Sir H. WILLOUGHBY dwelt on the importance of
elesiag the cote of credit for the last Chinese war,and asked
the government to place se account of the expense of that
war befog parliament without delay.
ELPHINSTONE inquired what was likely to he the
outlay during the remainder of the year for the war in
Mina, and urged the necessity of adopting some distinct
policy with regard to that country. Is his opinion, the
peeper policy for us to pursue would be to establish our-
selves in • strong strategic pceition on the Yang-faze-kung
river, and clear out the 'fseping baeditti along its course.
Lord R. CECIL hoped the government would pause before
they acted upon such • policy as the one recommended by
the hoe. b•ronet.

Yr. PEEL remarked that the vote of credit on account
of Cbisi, had reference to the late war, and was not avail-
able for the present operation@ evilest the Tatipiop.
Sir H. CAIRNS ealled attention to the recent procession
is Dublin in connexion with the new Roman Catholic
and inquired whether the government intended
to take any proceediogs against the originators of it under
the Party Precarious Act
Afts s few words from Mr. HENNUISY,
Sir R. PEEL said that though the promotion was avow-
edly a political one, no collision bad taken place, and under
Rare circumstances the government did not intend to inter-
fere in the matter.

Mr. E. I'ITZOERAUt called upon the goverment not
to allow parliament to be prorogued without giving the
country some itaauraeoe that they were not about to enter
upon a third Chinese war.

Lord PALMERSTON said when the people of Italy rose
against their sovereigns and deposed them, the opposition
aympathised with the exiled monarchs ; while is the case of
China the insurgents were taken under the protection of
eertaia gentlemen. The British government was not making
nay war in China, except foe the purpose of protecting our
trade, which would be annihilated if the trading ports were
takes poseeasios of by the Taepings.
In answer to Lord H. LENNOX,
Tir G. C. LEWIS denied that the Armstrong gun had
tailed either by land or sea, or that we had no gun which
would penetrate an iron-plated ship.
r. MONSELL having made a few remarks,
The bill was then read a third time and passed.
UNION RELIEF AID BILL.
Os the order of the day for going into committee on this

Mr. OSBORNE rose to call the attention of the Secre-
tary of State for the Home Department to the effect of the
dirty-sixth section of the Reform Act on the franchise of
working men is the manufacturing districts of Lancashire
and Cheshire who may be in the receipt of parochial relief.
lie raid this bill was certainly one of the 11304 momentous
is its character and bearing that could be submitted to
parliament. He could not consider it a mere local measure
apOying only to Lancashire and Cheshire, but as mar
irekh affected the whole country. Harare every credit to
the goveroment, and particularly to his right hon. friend
the President of the Beard of Trade, for good intentions,
hut at the same time be regretted that a bill of inch im-
penance should hive been brought forward somewhat in
haste, and at the termination of the session, when in the
exhausted state of the home its details could not be dis-
c:need with sufficient care sad attention. They were about
to separate under the most gloomy circumstances. The
goveromeut admitted that the money of the operatives bad
tarn removed from the savings banks, sad that the small
tradespeople in the cotton districts were es the verge of
han'aruptcy. He. for one, did not believe that with pmoe in
trnerica trade would quickly revive in this country. We might
procure some little cotton, but the breadth of cotton sown
in the Southern States was trot sufficient to keep our people
employed during the ensuing year. For his own part he
believed that one anew more would convert many of time
present ratepayers in the cotton districts into recipients of
relief. (Hear, hear.) He begged to say that he made these
cbsenations in no party spirit, but simply with reference to
the public good. The difficulty of collecting the rates in
the manufacturing districts became greater day by day. He
believed that in Stockport alone they were sow unable to
collect 50 per cent. of the rate, and if such were the nese,
whit would be the state of things 'rhea the autumn wore
on ? The whole of that portion of the kingdom would lie
plunged into hopeless pauperism, and the small tradespeople
and operatives be involved in nee common nib'. The cause
of the prismat aims was not aysibshle to the milleweers,
for it was altogether an exceptional ease, and he thought it
ought to be exoeptioeally dealt with. The recognition of
the blockade of the Southern ports had deprived us of three

or four million balm of cotton, and the absence of that
supply bed plunged the people of the north, Into a Ai* if
not of starvation, at least of pauperism. It might well be ;
worth oonsideratiou whether something like a tax on
Mousse and available property should not be raised to
assist our brethren in the manufacturing districts,
for the cotton industry was the fly-wheel el needy
an other industries. He could not aliment to the
proposal of the bonourable member for Rochdale
to raise a loan upon the rates, as that course would swamp
thorn districts, and he would prefer to melt a scheme a rate
in aid over the whole country, questionable as that course ,
might be. (Hear, hear.) He wished to press on the govern-
meet the necessity of taking every precaution that the
money raised by private benevolence should be properly
distributed amongst the sufferers, and that for this purpose
some competent lAMB, unconnected with the ItCdiDi/I-
tratioa of the poorlaw, should be despatched to the manu-
facturing district& With refereece to the terms of the motion
which he had placed on the paper, ha thought it would be
en act of great injustice if men who had borne their sufferings
with exemplary patience and loyalty should in consequence
of the temporary receipt of relief be deprived of the elective
franchise. That right, however, would actually be taken
sway under the 36th section of the Reform Act. Previously
to the Reform Act, as in the case of °trickled' and
Cirencester, the right was not taken away when the
cholera broke out and people were in receipt of paro-
chial aid ; but after the Reform Act the votes of those who
had received parochial relief were invalid. He felt that
measures should be taken for preserving the right to vote •
to these unfortunate operatives, who were stricken down by
what might well be called a pestilence. With regard to the •
number of poor voters who would be disfranchised under'
the preesnt state of things be might mention that ia .
Oldham of 2,275 voters two-thirds were opnritives who would
be prectically disfranchised by the receipt of parochial aid.
The population at Asbtoo-ender-Lyn. was 29,791, and the
voters 1,062 ; but there were 9,600 operatives in receipt of
parochial relief, and the cue of Blackburn was equally dis-
couraging. He found that in Manchester there were 19,410
voters out of a coomitneecy of 316,213, and be believed
that there the Cale would not be quite so bad. Preston,
however, would lose • large number of voters under the re-
striction of the Reform Act ; and in the case of Stockport,
he believed that out of 1,470 voters 600 would be in re-
ceipt of aid, thus reducing the franchise to something under
1,000 persons. This was a state of things which ought not
to be permitted to occur under the peculiar circumstances
of the case, and be therefore trusted that her Majesty's
government would give the subject their careen con-
sideration, (Hear. beer.)

Sir G. GREY said tie hon. gentleman did not oppose
the principle of a rate in aid, but he made some suggestion
for the extension of the rate which might be open to strong
objection. The bill, however, would only be in operation
mail the Ist of March next, and if the distress should con-
tinue until next session, and he could not deny that be
shared in the apprehension that it would be prolonged,
parliament would be able to consider the subject with •
full knowledge of all the circumstances. The government
were blamed for recognising the blockade of the
Southern ports, but if they bad refused to recognise
it, that would have been tantamount to •
declaration of war with the United States, and the cons.-
queues of such • course during the last three months
would have exceeded the state of things which bad arisen
from the recognition of the blockade. The hoe. member
suggested that the Secretary of State for the Home Depart-
ment should mod down ao officer to the diatressad districts
to commie, • system for dispensing the large funds which
bed been contributed by private heoevoleme, but he be.
limed that an organisation did already exist extensively is
those districts for that purpose. It appeared from the re-
ports of Mr. Parnell, that those connected with the admi-
nistration of the poor-law and private individuals
were acting together cordially for the relief of
the distress, and he (Sir 0. Grey) doubted whether any-
thing was to be gained by government interference. With
regard to the franchise, it would be an additional canes of
regret if the operative classes io Lancashire and Cheshire ,
should suffer not only the loss of their ordinary means of'
subsistence, but also the lona their political franchise, but'
the hon. member had rather overrated the number who
were likely to be affected. The present franc/dm was not
only • ratepaying one, but the voter was obliged to be ia
the occupation of • 10/. house ; and it did not follow
that all who paid the rates would be on the
register. Before the Reform Act, it was the
common law of the land that a person receiving
parochial relief, or a certain class of alms, should be dis-
qualified from voting, and that act did not alter, but rather
relaxed the law. If a person who had received such relief
were on the register, he could eontinue to rite until he was
objected to at the annual registratioo. Under the circum-
stances, be did net believe that any objection would be
largely made to the votes of these persona because they had
received parochial relief, and those who did object to them
eunuch a ground would be acting most unworthily. (Hear,
bear.) Is any case, however, he did not think that stem-
porary disqualification would warrant them in altering the'
common as well as statute law of the land. (Hear.)
Mr. COBDEN said he had not the least doubt of the bona
fides of the right hon. gentleman as to disqualifying the poor
voter, but he hardly agreed with him in thinking that they
could depend entirely upon parliamentary agetits and politi-
cal partisans exercising that benevolent forbearance which
' had been referred to. Without pursuing the subject
further, and as they were all in the dark as to the probable
extent of the calamity which was overtaking us, he wished
it to be distinctly understood that the question laid over
until next session, when it would be quite competent to deal
with it on its merits.
Mr. WARNER asked the President of the Poor-law
Board whether in his opinion it would not be just and
expedient to insert • clause authorising an occupying tenant
who may have paid the additional rate levied under the in-
tended act to deduct from the rent in the sent settlement
with his landlord the whole or some fixed proportion of such
additional rate so paid 9
• . . . .

Colonel LINDSAY presented a petition from the board
of guardians of Wigan against the bill. The bon. and
gallant gentleman said that Wigan was in • very different
position to other towns. as it had mimed no less than 7,000/.
by private charity for the relief of distress, and coons.
quently the rates were much lower than in other places.
Under the bill the parish might therefore be called upon to
contribute to another parish which was suffering lees distress
than itself. He could hardly go as far as the guardians in
opposing the bill ; but as scarcely one pariah was the MUM
as another, he thought that those which presented remark-
able exceptions should be provided for. Considering how
Lancashire bad been enriched by the cotton manufactures,
it would be • letter plan to enlarge the area at owe, and
include either a half of the county or the whole county.
Mr. VILLIERS said, with regard to the objection that
it would be • hardship upon the tenant to pay a higher rate
than be expected to do under the agreement with his land-
lord, it would be difficult to legislate so as to shift the
burden. In respect to the observations of the hon. member
for Liskeard as to the franchise, he stated that • return
showed that out of 390,000 occupiers rated to tenements in
Lancashire 294,000 were rated under 101.

The house thee went into committee upon the bill.
Upon clause 1,
Mr. VILLIERS said he would state what amendments
be intended tombs is the hill. As it now stood the ex-
cess of rates which entitled a parish to claim relief out of the
common fund, was two-thirds of the average estimated
expenditure in the three preceding years. That excited
some little difference of opinion, and, therefore, be proposed
to substitute a fixed rate at fe. in the pound. (Bear, hear.)
With regard to the order in council,' ho propane& with a
view to ovoid delay, to substitute a special order of the
Poor•law Board, which would have to be signed not only by
two principal moot/tries of state, but by three other mem-
bers of the cabinet. Under the alteration he proposed as
to the excess, the case would not occur of a pariah being
liable to contribute which had paid more than the parish
seeking relief.
Mr. E. EGERTON saidhe was glad to hear from the right
boo. gentleman that he had consented to make these chamois.
Mr. POTTER moved to insert after " Lanaulire and
Cheshire," the words, "Yorkshire, Nottingham, and Cum-
berland." Re said that in Derbyshire there were 12,696
persons who worked in cotton mills. In Cumberland there
were 3,281, and the state of destitution in Carlisle was very
great. One-third or one-fourth of the population is Car-
lisle was dependent upon cotton.
Mr. VILLIERS said he believed that in Glossop there was
every reason to apprehend the rates would soca be 111 s. in
the pound, and be would, therefore. include Derbyshire,
but as there was not the same meson for including the other
counties named, he should not include them.
After some discuaaion,
Mr. POTTER withdrew his amendment.

Mr. VILLIEILS then mo.edlir;;;;clatuse in lieu of
clause 1. It provided that where the rates in any parish
exceeded be. in the pound, the surplus should be thrown
upon the other p►rishes of the union, until they'll paid that
►um.

Colonel PATTEN thought it would be convenient at once I
to take • discussioa and a division upon the question of
whether there should be loans or rates in aid. He had pro
erred an amendment with that view, but without having !
the long clause which bad just been moved by his right boo.
friend, he was unable to say precisely where it should come
in. His amendment was to the effect that, with the sane-
Lion of the Poor-law Board, any union might borrow the
overplua beyond its ordinary rates.
Mr. HENNESSY complained of the difficulty there was
in discussing a clause and an amendment, neither of which
was in print, and suggested that the present committee should
be only pro forma, in order to iutroduce the amendment of
the right boo. gentleman ; that the bill should be 'reprinted, !
mid that it should be recommitted to-morrow. (Cheers.)
Mr. AYRTON had put upon the paper a number of
amendmenta at the request of the hon. member for Oldhsin.
who bad left town, and would not return that evening. I
It appeared to him ihat nobody would object to the individual
parish being aided by the rest of the union till the regalia
that union had reached a certain uniform sum ; and be bad
therefore purpoeely placed his amendments upon the third
clause. The effect of those amendments would be to enable
the union to borrow leans instead of empowering the Queen
in Council to invoke the aid of the county. As far as be
could gather the meaning of the right hon. gentleman's gew
first clause, is met all the objections he had entertaineff to
the old one. He presumed that the re. in the pound would
include the common fund as well as the parochial rates.
Mr. VILLIERS was understood to assent.
Colonel PATTEN said be would withdraw his amend.
moot, sod give the new clause his support, as ha considered
it a very good one.
Mr. VILLIERS intimated that he did not topsider that
an

at ss. is tie paid would be
111 r. A. SMITH said that the pressure on the rates warn
not only much heavier than it appeared to be, bat it was