The Express.
London, England, 1847-04-16 00:00:00

insist that there should be a special ease; bet that in any
case is which it seemed fit that avaistance should be gives,
the committee would grant aid to schools not in connexion
with the two societies. Lord Lansdowne had also referred,
is his answer to this application, to the minutes of the com-
mittee of council of 1839, by which it was declared that, in
all the wheels aided, the authorised version of the Scriptures
must be used. That decision, made in 1839, had not since
been departed from. although some two or three cues of
Roman Catholic schools had been brought under the consi-
deration of the committee. Bat Lord Lansdowne had
thought it necessary, in order to prevent any minconcep-
tion on the part of those to whom that answer was
given, to state that, sltheugh the minute declared
that the authorised version of jhe scriptures must be used in
their integrity in those school en which aid was given,—that
neither he nor the committee of council would feel them-'
selves at all precluded from preparing and agreeing toanother
minute, by which aid might ,be given to other schools, in
eases in which it sou thought fit, considering the conititu-
lion of such schools, that such aid should be granted. Those
to whom that information had been given had stated that
they understood that the present minute confined
the aid to be given to schools in which the authorised
versicn of the scriptures was used; and that when
those further minutes were prepared sad agreed to,
the committee would be prepared to consider such applica-
tions, and to offer them such aid as they might think it their
duty to afford. He had only further to say, that no such
minute had yet been agreed upon,—that he thought it a
subject which would require very mature deliberation. He
was not prepared to sty that there might not be cues of
Roman Catholic schools in which it might be fit to give
aid ; but the terms on which such aid was to be given would
require very mature deliberation. The terms of those minutes
would be fully considered, and those minutes, when
upon, would be laid before ths house, before any aiantil
granted under them.
Sir J. GRAHAM said he understood that, u the minutes
of council now stood, no aid was given to any school in
which the authorised version of the scriptures was not used.
Lord J. RUSSELL begged leave again to repeat, that this
was not by any minutes of council of 1846, which were now
ander consideration, but that it followed from the minutes
of council of 1839.
Mr. T. BUNCOMBE begged to ask the noble lord if he
intended to persevere with the educational scheme on Monday
nets, or at least to call upon the house for a grant of money
in aid of that scheme. Because, after what had fallen from
the noble lord, he thought it was only due to the house that
the noble Iprd should postpone the censideration of the sub-
ject until after the altered minutes had been laid before the
louse?
Lord J. RUSSELL said there was no need of waiting for
those further minutes to be prepared, because everything
that would be asked for on Monday would be expended un-
der the minute already before the house. (Hear, hear.)
With respect to the minutes of 1839, they had lone ago been
presented to parliament ; he was sorry they had not met with
all the attention which be thought they ought to have re.
ceived ; indeed, it seemed, with reference to many parts of
this subject, as though what had been done many years age
was now to be undone.

Lord J. RUSSELL (in answer to a question from Mr.
Wean r, which was not heard in the gallery) said the intention
of government was, that the grant of this house should be
expended under regulations which were fully known to par-
liament before hand; and any alteration with regard to
those minutes, which would not at all affect the application
of the 100,0001 , would be duly signified to the house. The
committee of council would be glad to receive any suggestion
from one who had laboured so long in the cause of education
as the hon. member (Mr. Swart).
COLONIAL GRANTS FOR IRISH DISTRESS.

Mr HAWES ?merited papers, including a copy of •
despatch addremed to the noble lord at the head of the
foreign office, from the governor of Jamaica, accompanying
the first instalment of the subscription in aid of the Irish dis-
tress; also a despatch from Barbados', announcing that
2,000/. bad been voted for the same purpose. (Hear, hear.)
WRECK OF THE THETIS.

Viscount INGESTRE moved bra select committee to
inquire into the circumstances relative to the recovery of trea-
sure and public stores sunk in her Majesty'. late frigate
Thetis, ott Cape Frio, in 1830. That wreck took
place in the night on a steep shore; the treasure was
sunk in thirteen fathoms of water; and had it not
been for the skill and ingenuity of Captain Dickinson,
that amount (164,000 f.) would have been lost. But 157,0001.
had been recovered, and part of the public stores. The eit-
corastancrg of basard and difficulty under which that service
was performed, justified him in asking for • select com-
mittee. No allowance had been made by the Board of Ad-
miralty, not had they sanctioned the attempt at recovering
the treasure. The noble lord then read some portions of a
correspondence which had passed between the Board of
Admiralty and the parties concerned; from which it ap-
peered that a counter claim had been set up by the Admiralty
for the use of the vessel employed in recovering the treasure.
He wished to know what had become of the money ' • it was
said that it was referred to in the navy estimates. He hid
looked carefully over the navy estimates, and he could not
dad it. He did not want a grant of money, but all he asked
for was a committee to inquire whether • certain sum of
money which was unjustly detained should not be given
back to a worthy body of individuals, instead of making a
deduction which left them only lid. for fourteen months' ser-
vices. They ought to show a proper sense of the exertions of
the seamen, which reflected great credit on them. With
respect to Capt. Dickinson, he had done immense service.
He humbly prayed that the house would sanction his
motion.

Capt. PECHELL said that of all the cases that ever pre-
sented themselves to h is notice,this was the most extraordinary,
and he would be greatly astonished to find out why any per-
son shouldopposs this motion. Here was a vessel wrecked
off the coact of the Brasil, in 200 fathoms of water. He
could not conceive how the government could recover the
treasure without incurring vast expense, and yet Captain
Dickenson, who had been selected for the duty, had accom-
plished his task in a manner beyond all praise; but it was it
the sacrifice of his health and prospects. The party em-
ployed under Captain Dickinson endured all manner of
hardships. They were exposed to every inclemency
Of the weather; they were lying at three miles distance
from the scene of their operations; they were, before reaching
that spot, obliged to risk their lives in an extraordivary
meaner, and what was their reward ? They were first com-
pensated with the promise of one-third of the treasure re-
covers& ,• but, afterwards, the account of the Admiralty of
1831 and 1832 was sent in, and it beat in atrocity and ex-
tent* the bills of the new Admiralty Courts of the Cape of
Geed Rope which had been exposed the other night. Why,
Mr,only charged for the wear and tear of their ships
but they positively charged fee the food and wages
Mall men. The government, after charging for the use of
• *gun brig 1,4631., also charged 2,5431. for the
emenasof victualling. Here was a clear case of excess of
victualling of 2,5431. Captain Dickinson was then charged
for the use of ships, and twice as much as the government
should charge. He 'maid be glad to discover why it was
that the government did not charge for convoys. What was
the navy of Great Britain intended for, but to protect the
merchants of this country, and much more for the recovery
of government property' If Captain Dickinson was unsuc-
cessful, would the government have charged him 13,0001. for
the use oldies. ship, and theircrews ? He was of opinion that
they would not. The case was of a novel dew:siphon, and he
tasted, for the honour of the country, that it would remain
se. At all meats it would give • lesson to parties that be-
fore they lodged money in any court they would first take
oars to remunerate themselves. He hoped that the parties
who had the money would be obliged to disgorge it. The
sable lord said that he looked over the records of the Admi-
ralry, and be could not find any reference to it. The noble
lord was not, perhaps, aware that there was a way of mysti-
fling these matters ; he was not acquainted with that
magus] word "miscellaneous." The matter lay between
the Board of Admiralty and the Treasury. The latter being
the masters of the former, it remained with them to give the
necessary explanation.
Mr. PARKER had no desire to prejudice the case of Capt.
Dickiason by making any reference to the long evlsM
had intervened between the time when the
took place and that at which the noble lord asked isr
iaguiry. The transaction took place in 1830 ; and when the
galhat member said that it was an extraordinary circum-
stance that the Admiralty should have sent in a bill, he
should also recollect that It was an extraordinary transaction.
The case came before the High Court of Admiralty in 1833, '
and when the claim of 13,0001. was made the parties'
had the opportunity, and availed themselves of it,
of apposing against the bill. He would not say
whether the claim was reasonable or not; it, how-
ever, had been made. The case was afterwards m-
imed to the highest court in the land, and no alteration
whatever had been made in the charge of the Admiralty.
Re had thus shown the house that by the decree of the
board sod that of the committee of the privy council, this
claim had been substantiated. The matter had been referred
to again in 1842, and again at a subsequent period. Here
they were again, in the April of 1847, re-opening the sub-*
ject ; and he trusted that the house would not revive a
question which had been set at rest by several of the consti-
tuted courts of the country.
Sir C. NAPIER said, that he did not think that the
Secretary of the Treasury had given a satisfactory explana-
tion.
Sir J. GRAHAM said, that he had a right to take the
responsibility 01 the decision which was complained of, Neff
which was arrived at when be was president of the Boma
Admiralty. Two hon. gentlemen opposite, who bolleoWl
to that board at that time, would, no doubt, OM
firm what he was about to state as to what then occurred.
The decision of the Board of Admiralty was adopted, after
full consideration, in which two able officers then at the
board—Sir Thos. Hardy and Admiral Dundas—concurred,
officers who, he need hardly say, would be actuated by a
strict sense of justice, but at the same time by a love of the
public service. Capt. Dickinson was bent to recover as
much of the treasure as payable—his service lasted fourteen
months, and certainly a great portion 'o the treasure as
recovered, but both Capt. Dickinson and his ship's company
were in the receipt of their pay, as they would have been if
they had been employed on any other service, and they also
received the salvage awarded, the decision of the Court of
Admiralty baying been appealed from, and the amount in-
creased by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council;
and the only complaint which was now made was, that the
Admiralty, considering all the circumstances, thought it
;asst to deduct the amount of *ores used on the occasion.
He thought the services of Capt. Dickinson had been *AI-
Sandy rewarded, and any further payment would be a waste
tthe public money. iff
Mr. WAK LET thought the eau of Capt. Dickinson and
odious was une of great peculiarity, and ought to be at.
rely diseased ;' whereas the observations of the right
baronet who load last • addressed the house hod alone
heard, the right hon. baronet's statements were
so clear, that it was impossible not to understand
; and when he was net sincere, so mild and bland was
manner, that he made the house believe him to be at.
laugh.) It appeared that the case of Capt. Dickinson

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