The Express.
London, England, 1860-06-09 00:00:00

THE (;EXPRESS. 47(1►! p EVENING, 1110W49, POO.

importation of foreign wines, he bad any TOROOII to believe
that his anticipations that the free exportation
of unmanufactured cork from all_parti Cl
Spain might take place, would be fullßed. With
rapid to the skill of foreign workmen, which monad
to be superior to that of !raids workmen, he was instreeted
by the latter to any theyvvere quite to eater into
competition if the government offered •
THE SUBMARINE TELEGRAP IC CABLE.
Colonel P. HERBERT naked the Chantilly, Cl the Ex-
chequer. with regard to the itilmosehee taistpapide wade
to Gibraltar, for which • mem of 30,000 L was greeted lest
year.
THE COMMERCIAL TREATY WITH FRANCK
Mr, S. FITZDIRALD wished to ask it the Cheaseler el
the Etalsequee could kites the keen whet • pleipses led
been sods by the cosaiedesios new iffy is
Pula, with a view Cl ellestine a .he is
the ad valorem duties We wale Mks, bow
much an we were tepidly
_sidgestehlai a time Isiah met
ialuence the ad valorem Mateo He amid deo be glad to
know whether it wee probsble that the wl valorem &dim
would be converted into specific duties by the end Cl the
month.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHIQUISH mid
the question pull by the bosomed& member fee
flendiese (Mr. Fituperald) would be
better answered by lib Noble friend the Berelney fee
Affairs. He teamed, boodever, that the eisedit allei be in
the negative ;et beet be bed act bond Shot ay valet had
been reached by the tionosiselen ter fake In Paris,
so ae to enable them to Rieke a deledthr• eseeduakatioe
to the goverement,_ their labours befog la pet of fad an
adjushesat et details. He (the Cheapener ores
had nee the toms meths treat sufficiently in Ide mid total=
with seidessee,bdt he the bes. useeber sot
wised ha supposing that the esuesquenee of fan.
big to agree to any particular terms regard to the oat-
venire of any dotage would be, that the ed valorem duties
would be levied at the maximum rate, se there was the
right to fix a specific duty which might also reach the
maximum duty. He wee not aware, however, that these
was any official informatios which could be laid before the
brew- If be membered Paright, the supplemental eon.
veution worth' be trained before the Ist of -July ; but he
, if these examinations should be greatly pro-
Efeigliridehich he conceived way very probable, it would be
the object of the government to give facilities for extend.
Mg the time. With respect to what bid fallen from the
hos. member for lineletry, he could maitre him he should
be very glad to do justice to thaw whom the hon. member
represented if be *mid show to him that he had done them
injustice. But the bon. member had pursued an incoove-
sleet course in relation to this matter, inasmuch as he had
taken three months toproduos this vindication. which it &p-
Mulleas in his promotion ap of eat part the time. If the
entlemen had favoured him with the documents he
should have been in a position to examine the case and to
have reverted again to the sources from which he received
information. and to have given to the hoe. gentleman • re-
ply either chiding by, retracting, or modifying what he had
stated. The hon. gentleman had met bat a very small por-
tion of the allegatioes which feU from him (the Chancellor
of the Exchequer), and those with whomthe hon. gentleman
communicated, had very much misunderstood him. What
he had said was, not that masters were driven to employ boys
in the corkriatting trade, but that the regulations of tntdse
unions very greatly limited and fettered trade. He had also
stated that he was informed that six Ostalonians who came
over from Spain to this country, for the purpose of working
at the trade of corkeutting, IMO paid higher wages than
the Enchsh workmen. With regard to any change
in the law of Spain in respect to the exportation
of the taw material of cork, the right hon. gentleman must
indeed be very sanguine if he thought by this time the
government should have been able to announce that any
chase had been effected in the law of Spain, inasmuch an
the change in our own law had not yet taken place. The
general law of Spain did not prohibit the exportation of
corks ; it was only the local regulations of Catalonia that
prohibited that exportation, and those regulations were
mainly founded on the operation of a principle in Catalonia
very like the principle of our trades unions. He (the
Chancellor of the Exchequer) believed that his noble friend
intended to make au application to the Spanish government
in respect to these commercial arrangements, when the sub-
sidiary arrangements 0000seted with the commercial treaty
with Trainee had been carried into effect. In respect to
what had fallen from the hon. and gallant member for
Ludlow (Colonel P. Herbert), that err • subject which
deserved the attention of the house ; but he would not
enter fully into it now, inasmuch as a vote wield be pea
posed in the estimates for completing the mentthictuxe
the cable, and when that came before the home hes. geede-
men would have a full opportunity of speaking es
When the guverumeut came into office they- found that •
contract had been entered into for the manufacture of
certain submarine cables. There was no time to carry out
those plans last year, but he looked for the accomplishment
of them during the present year. A variety of circum-
stances led the government to think that upon the whole
they should n the justified in aside( the house to vote money
for the purpose in the present state of such enterprises. It
might be recollected that when the project was introduced by
the late government there was a difference of opinion
amongst the authorities as to the practicability of laying
down the deep sea cable with a prospect of success. The
experience which they had had during the last j twelve
n.ouths had gone far to support the views which the go-
vernment took of the difficulty of the efficient working of
such cables. The instances of failure in the working of
those cables were numerous, or nearly universals He be-
lieved that at this moment there was ear deep sea
cable—a cable 1,000 or 1,900 fathoms eletent
operation. The operations of all those ealiek that
from Malta to Corfu, had failed with* the hot twelve
months. Those facts had mak the Bus ommt easy ou-
tlaws in the expenditure of the pubic maw csa these pro-
jects. India being interested ie the Was down of the
cable between Re pea eat Muetreee.des would bear a
portion of theluppeematiming 4be maim
Mr. T. DIYNOCIUM rose to explain, bet, being called to
order, said he should take efsethrr oneeleioity of bringing
the subject to which be bed referred- Is a formal manner
Were Hie boom

ar LIVISLL.A/45AAJM
In answer to severe questions,
Mr. CARDWELL amid that se regirded the prosecutions
fee Abadan in the south of Ireland. the parties
pleaded guilty and were discharged on their own
recognisance. Then arose the came of one pri-
soner who bad been previously convicted, but with
jreZeto khn • selMOridil wee presented, and the learned
etwho tried the man having been con silted, stated
there was enthine in his case worse then the case of any of
the caws who bad pleaded guilty, and he was therefore
prated a conditional liberation. Htu that period the case
led been bratt before the Lord-Lieutenant, who had
i
pardon him. It was not true that the
mmirierkilirsibbenice n the county of Westmeath had
been He thought the house would consider that
he . Cardwell) bed given a satisfactory answer to the
points mired by the km. mad learned gentleman olbpoimositt
L
hear.) He believed the nefarious system of ri
latterly bees gradually diminishing throughout
beim& and that its program towards dimplution
wee steady. (Haw, hear.) It was perfectly true
that eleven persons] at Dmai— lic were under arrest
for the offence of ribbeniain, but no report on their cue had
yet re shed him. In answer to the question put by the hon.
semerbar far the Kiejs County, he mad demur to obtain-
log lie 'information as to the easel state of Erris from
foreign newspapers. (Hear, hear.) He must express his
sorrow however that in the district of Effie there bad been
peat distress . In the autumn of last year, the storms
wrung lost at the period of baguet, destroyed a great
portion of the oat crop, and occesioned • failure
in the fishery, and this um followed by the
extraordinary, drught in the present spring, which
stopped the growth of fodder for cattle. From then
causes great dieters had spread through that district.
He must plead guilty to the charge of not hark:: interfered
with the operation of the Poor-law Beard. He did not
wish the hon. gentleman to suppose it was the intention
of the government to interfere and break down those laws
which parliament had provided for the relief of the ne-
cessities of the people. There was room for nolece:rt
600 paupers in the Belmullet workhouse, and
to the last accounts received there were 116 inmates there.
The maximum relieved at any one time had been 115. In
the last month for which the government had • return
the number relieved had been 51. The Poor-law Board had

determined not to tsise additional rats at the present
but to borrow money. All the engagements in the work-
house itself were reported to be quite satisfactory, and the
steps taken by the guardians ample. That was the exact
state of the our so far u the paupers were concerned ;
but the persona who bad suffered the greatest distress were
the smell farmers. (Hear, hear.) Mimi would the boa.
gentleman have the government do! He seemed to imagine
the government ought to have instituted a system
of public works. He (Mr. Oardwall) believed that
what was going on on many estates in that district was •
much more wholesome and much more natural mode of
relief. It appeared that on several of the estates the landed
proprietors had not been inattentive to their duties, and
that there vrapeat activity in tillage going on. He was
told that supplies of meal were abundant, and that amnge-
°tenni for its distribution were complete; while with re.
gard to seed, • great quantity was to be had at T low
prices. (Hear, hear.) He felt that if her Majesty's
government had interfered at an earlier se private en.
' terprise might have been paralysed. He had now laid be-
fore the homes the present aspect of the awe, and he did not
think there was any ground of complaint against the ad-
ministration of the Poor-law authorities (Hear, hear.)
THE WAKEFIELD PETITION.

Captain JTERVISsaid that understanding from the hon.
and learned gentlensn the Attorney-G-eneml that the pro-
secut4ons in oonnexlm with the Wakefield petition had been
instituted under the statute law, and not under the common
law, he should withdraw the motion on the subject which
stood in his name on the poper.
The ATTORNEY-GEL said that if, contrary to
his opinion, it should be found the lapse of one year was an
objection to the prosecutions he had instituted, no attempt
would be made to support those prosecutions by resorting
to the common law. (Hear, hear.) If it turned out that
they wens/bided by time, contrary to the opinion of him-
self and of those with whom he had consulted, the prosecu-
tion' would certainly be given up. (Hear, hoar.)
THE SLAVE TRADE.

Mr. CAVE rose to ask the Secretory of State for Foreign
Affairs whether his attention bad been directed to the Mes-
sage of the President of the United Stoma to Congress, on
the 19th day of May, respecting the slave trade ; and whe-
ther her Majortfs government had received any recent
communications from the government of the United States,
or intended making any fresh proposals to that government
on this subject .
Mr. KLNNAIRD thanked the hon. gmtleman for having
introduced the question, and wished to learn from the
Foreign Secretary if it were true that offers had been made
by the American government to co-operate with her Majesty's
government in suppressing the slave traffic ?
Lord J. RUSSET said the question of thesis,e trade was
one which must deeply interest the house and the country.
He should add nothing to the statement of the hon. mem-
ber for Shoreham in reference to the present state of the
question, the negotiations conducted by Lord Malmesbury,
and the attempts which bad been made to excite the
jealousy of America ea to the right of search. It was un-
fortunately too true that the slave trade was extensively
carried on in Cuba, between 30 sad 40,000 slaves being an-
nually imported into the island. It was also true that it was
carried on in contempt of the =sty between this country
and Spain, and that at prsent the= were no efficient means
for suppreseing it Thte want of efficient means arose from
various causes. ems of which was, as had ;been stated
by the hon. pottiness., the_ Isola= on the partof America
of any regulations that weld iiier• with the free action
of American vessel. Another canes wee the imperfection
of the American law. Aa article bad been introduced by
his noble friend (Lard Palmerston) into some of the treaties
in reference to time slave trade ailed the equipment article,
but there was so each provision in the American law. It
therefore frequently happened that vessels upon the coast
of Africa completely equipped for the slave trade, intending
to embark MO or 300 slave. in the night-time, and fitted up
for that purpose, had been seen by our cruisers under the
American fag, but they were of course unable to interfere
with them, and though they might point them out to the
American cruises, still there was no power of interference,
there being no law of the United States which would justify
it. There was also another difficulty with regard to having
no flag. When • British vessel appeared the slavers hoisted
the American fiag, and when an American cruiser appeared
she threw away the flag and destroyed her papers, in which
case the cruiser had no power to seise her, though if a Bri-
tish cruiser were in sight the latter would be enabled to do
so. Her Majesty's government had proposed to the govern-
ment of the United States that by keeping the British and
American cruisers in company off the coast of Cuba one
might be prepared for • case where the Ame-
rican flag was hoisted, and the other for •
case in which there was no flag used at all.
The question was now under the (consideration of the Ame-
can government, and so far as it bad been considered it
seemed to have been (avowable received. As yet, how-
ever, no promise bad been obtained from the American
government to amend their law, but the statement they
nade.was • very well founded one, namely, that it was not
Neely that any proposition for rendering the American laws
again= slavery more stringent would ever receive the sanc-
ta= of the congress of the United States. The question had
=ligethe attention of her Majesty's government, who
d
in preparation • despatch upon the subject which they
transmit to various governments. It was
proposed to
doubtless mortifying as well as shocking to feel
that when we bad dope so much we were
sot able to destroy altogether a traffic [which
was not only repugnant to all our feelings of
humanity, but was absolutely • direct infringement of
treaties. (Hear, hear.) There was, however, • subject up=
which be thought some good might be effected. The slave
trade had hitherto been extended to China, persons laving
been kidnapped and forcibly abducted from their homes by
the most atrocious means. He thought that might be put
a stop to, but there was • distinction between the Atrium
slave trade and that with Chive. In Africa the trate
had been fostered by wars and civil contests in which whale
villages bad been destroyed by every kind of violence. The
case with respect to China was wholly different,- Mumma
as the people there were highly civilised and subject to
severe laws, and the government possessed very
efficient powers if they chose to exercise them.
It bad been hitherto an object which had been attended
wit', success to employ the agency of the Chinese govern-
ment in putting an end to kidnapping, and substituting •
system of emigration. He trusted that by these means
something would be does to eradicate the Slay* trade.
When they compered what was the Pee man, years age,
when 140,000 slaves left Africa in one year, with the state
of circumstances in the present year, the number having
been reduced to 30,000, be thought they would admit that
sufficient propose had been made in the question to justify
them in not abandoning all hope of ultimately obtaining
the entire suppreemon of the trade. (Hear.)
Mr. S. FITZGERALD reminded the noble lord that
he had not answered his question in reference to the
extension of time for the conversion of ad valorem duties.
Lord J. RUSSELL said he had received no official infor-
mation npon the subject. _
ENGLISH SHIPWRIGHTS IN FRANCE.

Er. B. JOHNSTONE said he wished to call the attention
of the Rouse to a question of considendde !aspartame*. Sense
time ago he had asked the Secretary of the Admiralty if it
was tree that weal of the shipwrights of the dockyartia
bad been discharged, and had all gooe over to France.
The answer of the noble lord was that
of he knows=
the matter, but a statement bad awe
in the newsmen which showed that the fact
was precisely as he (Mr. Johnstone) had stated it.
He believed be was quite within the mark in stating that
the activity in the French dockyards was such that at the
present moment there were no less than 1,200 or 1,500 of
car beet dockyard artnans and shipwrights employed there.
If the calamity at war between the two countries should
arise, it was tree that we might have the pleasure of taking
those days_ which these. men had helped to build, but still
he rigmeded it as • great imiefortume that such a state of
thimp should exist!'
Mr. 15. OSBORNE bore testimony to the anxiety which
ea this Sulstect. He with ed to ask the noble
prevailed
C. Paget) if he was able to contradict a state-
ment that had been given as the reason for discharging
those men from our doekyreda. The reason given, as he
understood, was that there was not two yews' supply of
Won in store. He also wished to ask the Secretary for
Ireland what eouree he intended to take with regard to
those Irish bills which had been en the paper for so long a
time? (Hear, hear.) There was a bill for the registration
of births, marriages, and deaths, broeght in by the

government, and he believed a brill had brn brought in
on 'the err subject by the noble lord opposite
(Lard Era), which stood for that night also, sad there were
also two Lenard and Tenant Bills. He thought, there.
fan, it would be very convenient to gentlemen connected
with Ireland, [(tie Secretary for Ireland would state what
warm be treaded to take in respect to these bills.
Lord 0. PAGET said he perfectly remembered the ques-
tion which the hon. member had put to him some weeks
ago with regard to the discharge of airflows from her tie-
jesty's dockyard, and who, it was Meted, hadgone to Cher-
bourg to enterthe imperial dockyard there. Nowthatstatement
had caused a good deal of sensation, which was not confined
entirely to this side of the water. The result was that our
consul at Cherbourg wrote to state that there was no truth
whatever in the report of any English workmen having gone
into the imperial dockyar& at Cherbourg. He stated,
moreover, that it was contrary to the regulations that any I
foreign artificer should work in the French dockyards ; he
added also—which was a still more conclusive argument—
that whereas both in private trade and tinder the
system of -the royal dockyards in this country
men were earning about Is. day, in
the wages were about ilf. • day. It was not likely, there-
fore, English workmen, when there was plenty of work to
be had all round the country, should go sari the water
to work for 41. a day. (Hear.)
Er. B. JOHNSTONE here intimated that he was perfectly
imbibed with the explanations of the noble lord.
Lord C. PAGET oontinned—The hon. and gallant mem-
ber for Brighton (Sir G. Pechell) had asked him whether it
was the intention of the Admiralty to give the same eaten
pay and allowanoss to the naval forces sow in Chins as to
those in India. He was afraid of sairntunyithing which
might hold out hopes which might be • ted ; but he
could enure We hon. friend that the Ai ralty would act
strictly according to the precedent of tits day, and would
do all the justice they could to the naval tomes employed ;
but he rut sot distinctly answer the question as to
what tie slimmer would be. (Hear, hear.)

been expended on metropolitan improvementa. There was a
sines ~ end confirmed by several acts of parliament. For
the three years ending 1859 the produce of that duty was
66,0561. per year. The charge upon that duty was 890,0001.
for various purposes, and would absorb the duty for the
next 20 years. The tion considered this duty their
own property and dearth it as they thought proper.
There was a third duty of 14., which had been relinquished
by the corporation and made over to the Woods and
Foresta for metropolitan improvements. The produce of
that duty in 1859 was 17,076/. He thought a portion of
the expenses of the embankment ought to fall
we/son the
imperial exchequer. The corporation had to em-
bank the river at their own expense from c ttersea-bridge
to Blacken&
The committee then adjourned.