The Express.
London, England, 1858-07-27 00:00:00

THY WORT OP SEARCH.

Lord LYNDHURST mated the Foreign Secretary whe-
ther he was prepared to lay on the table of the house the
correspondence with the American government with rasped
to the right of visit. There warn a belief in some quarters
that we had surrendered • most valuable and important
right. We had done no such thing. We had abandoned
the assumption of a right, and In so doing had acted justly.
prudently, and viably. He quoted various high authorities
to show that the right of visit never existed legally.
The Berl of MALMESBU RY—My lords, I have to thank
my noble and learned friend for having given us an
lenity of hearing his opinion on this very important a=
That opinion most be of immense value both in Europa and
in AOlll6Ol. I may say that that opinion has finally retied
this disputed question; and if the question should ever be
again mooted, that opinion will be quoted as my noble end
learned friend himself boa quoted that of Lord Stowell. My
lords,
~it was with great pleesnre that I heard my noble and
friend entirely confirm the opinion of the law Mows
of the clown, which we of course asked for before we ad-
dressed our answer to the American government on this sub-
ject. When we had to consider what reply we should make
to the note addressed to us by General Cue, we began by
consulting the law °Rosso( the crown, who usanicoously as-
serted that the International law on the subject was what
it has just been stated to be by my noble and
learned friend. Upon that opinion her Majesty's govern-
meat acted. They at once frankly confeesed that there wee
no right of visit and search, and abandoned the elates
which had been made to It. At the same time they placed
before the American government the pmentorant INVJOINky of
endeavouring to codify the instructions delivered by both
these maritime nations to the ships belonging to them, in
order that they might operate in a manner less oppressive to
commerce, and with a view to the avoidance in future of such
quarrels as had been tamed by the past assertion of the right
of visit and march. Those negotiations have proceeded to
this extent, that we have, as I have before Intimated,
frankly given up the assumption so long made of a right
of visit and search; and the American government on their
pert, receiving our declaration with equal franknees, have
aided that they are ready to receive and to consider any ger
seethes which we may make with a view to the mellyieg of
national flags. My lords, we have made similar propeeals to
the goverment of France. They have answered us in the
same spirit, and, entirely appreciating the great importance
of the question, have agreed to consider any proportion
which we may make to them for the attainment of the object,
sod to suggest themselves any propoeition which they think
likely to be useful in promoting it. Under these circum-
stances there can, I think, be no doubt that, although the
dignity of the several nations would be compromised deities.
of them agreed to the exercise of the right of visit
and search, yet In three days, when the extension
of ehippmg has reached such a point, some sort of security
should be afforded against the fraudulent use of the national
flag. (Hear, hear.) My lords, further than that the nego-
tiations have not yet proceeded. Although it is not, as your
lordship, are aware, usual in the midst of negotiations, and
during their continuance, to produce any correspondence
relating to them in parliament, yet her Majesty's govern-
ment have no objection to piece on your lordships table the
correspondence which has taken place, as far as It eaterie.
Your lordship will understand that the matter has gene on
further than this,—that we have abandoned the tight of
search and visit; that the American government Lave 'greed
to entertain and consider any suggeations which we may
maks Ina fair spirit, with a view to :he giving some esanil
against the fraudulent use of flags, and that the French go-
vernment are ready and even anxious to assist ua in attain-
ing that object.
The Earl of ABERDEEN remarked that a sake of in-
structions respecting the visitation of vessels suspected of
being slavers bed been drawn up many years dace, with the
aims' of the British sad United States government. If any
cause of manuedeneendiug had lately arisen, It must, he
thought, have been °cordoned by some infraction of those
regutatirea.
After some further disclaim the subject dropped.
ARTISTIC COPYRIGHT.

Lord LYN DIYITit WILT,' I; had Heil to eeu their lord-
ships' attention to • very different subjeot. His had to pre-
sent three petitioas—one from the Sodety of Arta, another
from the Society of British Artiste, and the third signed by a
large number of artists, praying for an extension of the law
of copyright. For many years the law had recognised the
principle of granting protection to the weeks of the mind as
on. as they assumed s material form. It was so se long
back as ths reign of James I. In Queen Anne's time pro-
tection was granted to authors. When Hogarth could not
sell his paintings, he determined to make a profit by Belling
engravings of them, knowing the engravingswould Lo-
pr
Nested. The MUM protection wag extmdad to sculpture and
to manufactures • but with retard to painting, that most
delightful art, the protection of oopyr.glit wee never given.
Li pnoties the malt was • coneesnt reproduction of spurious
eoldes of good minting*, by which the artist and public
equity suffered. It was surprising the extent to which these
Asada were carried ; names and marks of the artists were
copied,and the pictures sent down to the large towns to be
air auction. A regular system of fraud was adored ;
one gentleman who had purchased • picture at • high price
was much surprised at seeing • couple of copies of it in Man-
chester. A story wag told of a noble marquis who, having
purchased a picture at the exhibition, kindly lent it to be
engraved, but 'furrow& found that several copies had been
taken. An mike was employed to usage • commiaakta •
he worked on • dealer's premises, end every day after he left:
two or three copies of his works were put fn hand.
Another they wars told of • naval officer who
seat • pi-tun to be clamed ; he went to the
dealer's to am it ; he was told it wee at the workshop two
or three mum off--be went there sad Ina told It was tome.
where else • he, however, happened to notice • ladder Issobe
to • trap door, he mounted, and in a loft found two or three
men busy toying his *three A oanewittee of the House
of Commons bad been appoiaMd to investigate the subject,
but they only made a hurried report at Emend of the maim,
and theft recommendation that the otandttes should be re-
, appointed was not tarried out. He would ask their lordships
I to appoint • committee, be did not, of course, expect say
result that sendon, but he would Rom the committee, and
they then having their attention dinested le the satgeot
would be fully prepared to deal with It. He begged to mem
that • committee be appointed to consider the subject matter
of the petition he had presented.
After • law words from the Earl of DONOUOIIIIOII,
The main was agreed to and the committee appointed.
EXETER HALL SERVICES.

The Earl intended to put
certain questions to his Grum the Ate of C.nl~bur~
is reference to the Church of ll
He wished to ask whether tbegethad been withdrawn in
the other bona' with his gross's mesolion, and whether the
withdrawal was in eanesynmeo el hi. eramidaring the mea-
sure not to be asorasary. Ha led written to apprise hie
grace of hie istaatice, end voadvad s reply stating his gram
could not he present, bat Wiring
_aged& anawerto his gnaries.
Th., Blehop of LONDON amid those envious were
not comror • with hie annetien. It was the first time he ever
heard it stated that they were mammeared with his asaction.
In the short correspondence ea the subject, a printed copy of
which he believed the noble earl held in his hand, he stated
that they were not ormanneed with his sanorios, and be
thought it wanhl be may hit end jest of the eeble earl I.
take hie own dekeseet. Same these services were intended
I. he riropmed be neelvad an intimation from entail: gun-
ties= that dry had Ile baw on their aide, and wort deter.
leinnil to amp services. His answer was that be did
net le preaoow say opinion on the law. He then
an tram soother gentleman, who said he
wee weft Nil. that the law was the other way, and him
le ohs fehl.llll to the legal tribunal. When there we. a dia-
pawl Oat of kw his opinion we. that the blehnp should
use re hie private iallosees to prevent the point from being
settled. He believed that hat interference would do berm.
I lady knew thew was great room for these services, in
the Their lorilahips deemed by • large majority
they there was room toe them, and if it turned eta that they
IRO lawful, he, for no., should not object to them. (Haar)
Viecoust DUNOANNON thrught the noble earl wee
jeselled la Whim up the case of one whom he believed is be
a greatly 7i:wed and perx,ut, Ll.rsyman. It might be
perfectly ht elf.ral,Arn to perform these
services to ater-hell, but he thought it highly irregular