The Express.
London, England, 1850-03-06 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 6, 1850.

greeter eHicfastioa than the manner in which the
Paitsaraters sad the secretary ecembarkal that de-
mu, Imrig 114114,411=019 Nate by
WNW 'odliaries•
tbsee noasblie d Om. of
""- eloolosbat had
, um& the par 1(131' no lees thadaidPiO Per-
^ who
IPS& Deem to Didaloll,lloo
Devoe itatt Bat in
Ikr. IVA went by seales... al by Calais.
so that it appeared, mos deepness, be rosatouni-
seam wen established from Folkelesekalloadepto, nearly
the whole stream of private to allay wen{ that way. That
was • Wong argument why the mils dwitil be also sent
through Boslogne; because if tabards was head to
prefer one tine to another, it was us* Ilk* tiny did so
locum they found it themes% upedltienessodo of travelling.
Since the year 1848 they seat the mails by Calais to
Paris. In doing so they went sixty-eight miles out
of their way, and thus sixty-right mike made a difference
in the oennutalostion between the two capitals of two hours.
If the communication by Folkston, and Boulogne were
adopted, these two hours would be gained, which is smatter
of the atmest importance. He saw the hon. member for
Dover (Mr. Rise) taking notes, but he begged to assure him
that he did not mesa to wake this a question between Dover
and Folkstooe. (Hew, hear.) It wit of very little impor-
tame, he believed. whether they went by the Gael or the
other, but he wanted to show that two hours wuld be
saved by sending the mails via Boulogne. The principal
argument against the adoption of this route wan that when
the wind was westerly or south. westerly there was great
difficulty in making Boulogne harbour. But on refac-
ing to tUt number of times that the boats had missed
that bar mut, he found that they had missed it only thirtj-
eight times in the year. Between Dover and Calais the
boats held missed twenty -six times, so that the difference in
the gaining or miming a one barb Our more than the other,
wee as nothing compared with the advantage of gain-
ing two hours. (Hear, hear.) Then it was to
be considered that when • south-westerly wind
(smelled, the boat that missed Boulogne could make Calais.
But the boat that could not make Calais when a north-
easterly wind prevailed would be obliged to return back to
Dover. (No, ao.) He begged to move for • committee to
investigate the subject.
Mr. BROTHERTON seconded the motion.
Mr. COWPER said he had no objection to the committee
which the honourable gentleman moved tor, but he did not
anticipate from it any great mutt except, perhaps, that
man of the statements put forward by the hon. gentleman
would be sifted end examined. The bon. gentleman attached
wadi to the dogma& on which he founded his
Sildern t tat be (Mr. Cowper) believed that the persons who
osaduseed the other expeese would show before a committee
that It arrived within 18 minutes after that on which the
hots. gentleman so meek relied. (Hear.) He would only
observe at present that the point to be considered in making
postal arrangements was not so much what route could be
travelled over with the greatest expedition and rapidity, but
on which could the greatest amount of speed be permanently
maintained for • whole year. (Hear, hear.) It appeared
after the experience of one year, which they had of the route
by Boulogne, that, from certain peculiarities of that port, it
was attended by greater uacertainty and irregularity than
the other—(hear, 11460—and it was surely a greater evil
that correspone ems should arrive at different and various
hours than that it should arrive at a flied hour, though it
might be a little later than if it were canied by the more Tapia
route. (Hear, hear.) He had one suggestion to make
to the hon. gentleman, namely, that if this committee
should be appointed they should take into their consider&
tion, in addition to the question of the mail•puket service
between Dover and Calais, the subject of the service between
Dover and Ostend, with • view of ascertaining *hither
mails for the north of Europe could not be carried through
Franco without any loss in point of time. In that Oleos
the expense occasioned by a second line of transit would be
saved. (lieu, hear.) He would, thereon, beg of the
hen. gentlemen to add to his motion the words, "and the
north of Europe" altar " Paris."
Sir 0. CLERK said that as the hon. gentleman had stated,
on the part of the government, he would offer no opposition
to the motion, it was not hie intention to eject
to it. At the same time, he considered this .question
as one which could be more satisfactorily settled by
the government than by a committee. (Heat.) He agreed
with the bon. gentleman that • fixed time for delivery- was
of more importance than the receiving of their letters a little
earlier but with greater irregularity. He wished to
throw no impediment in the way of a lair, full, and impar.
tial inquiry. Whatever question might arise as to the
superiority of Boulogne or Calais, there could be ho doubt
that the port of Dover offered national advantages
and facilities as the port of departure from this
country which no other could afford. (" Hear" and a laugh.)
The great works which were now going on at Dover would,
when completed, give that port advantages peculiar to itself,
and would render it superior as a harbour to any other on
the south eastern coast.

Mr. HUME aid that anything which would facilitate and
expedite the postal communication between the two
countries would be of great importance to the °Gist:tercel
and every other isterest in the country. But he rose on the
regent occasion to suggest that the advantages of the
penny pest should be extended to the communications
between this country and the colonies. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. RICE said that he did not attach much im-
portance to the motion of his hon. friend, and
when he had been conducting the e)menittee for
some time he thought he would see reuse,
to change the opinion which he appeared at present to en-
tertain. His hon. triend said that the communication would
be shortened two hours. He believed it would be shown
that the real difference between the two routes of communi-
cation was 42 minutes, and not two hours. The reason why
so msny persons went formerly by Boulogne instead of
Cattle was that they avoided the three hours' journey
by diligence between Celais and Boulogne. But it war
different now that the railway from Calais was opened.
The fact was there had been a constant syst m of
puffing, in the public pap.rs, and in pamphlet", in
favour of the route by Boulogne. But if they wished
to shorten the transit Letween London and Paris they
must facilitate the makiug of • direct railway between
London and D ver. He believed that all the landlords in
the county of Kent were prepared to support such a line,
and he hoped that in another union it would be carried out.
After a few words from Sir Ds LACY lEVANd and Mr.
BROTNEUTON,
Mr. RICE said two hours might be saved by an early ex-
press from Lover.
Mr. MACKINNON Denied to add to his motion, after
the words " Loudon and Paris," and the northern parts of
Europe." (Hess, hear.)
The motion wee then agreed to as amended.
ABOLITION OF CORPORATE FINES AND
DUTIES. _ _ - •

Mr. Alderman SIDNEY row to move for leave to bring
in a bill "to abolish the payment of fines and stamp
duties on the admission of freemen into corpwations
of cities and boroughs in England an I Wales." lie asked
the house to consider the privileges the burgesses
enjoyed. Every person who served an apprenticeship was
compellable to be enrolled by the town clerk. The flan oa
that enrolment were very serious, amounting from 6e. to 38..
and 401 , and that merely for servitude. He asked the house
to consider was that • matter of justice to thou persons,
many of whom were extremely poor, after bavir g I an
apprenticeship to an humble calling, to be required on attain
log their majority to pay for enrolment some 38e. or 40.. /
(Hear, hear) He (Alderman Sidney) had heard in that
house many denunciations of the corruption of the old
burgesses connected with the boroughs. But there could
be no doubt whatever, if they charged persons 38s. and 40s.
forth, it freedom by way of enrolment, they taught them
in effect the way to sell their votes, as well u to purchare
their freedom. (Hear, hear.) He had no hesitation what-
ever in saying that it was owing to that system, the old
burgesses were called the corrupt burgesses, and said to
be purehaseable. Now that principle still existed in the
City of London, because, though abolished elsewhere by
the Municipal Act of 1835, it was not touched in the City
of London. (Hear, hear.) The Municipal Act bad
abolished all hats upon residence in every city with the
exception of Lendon ; and it was most unjust and impolitic
not to have included Landon also. (Heart hear.) In
London the lowest and poorest persons who got into business
—whether retail shopkeeper, tailor, greengrocer, or publican
—all were alike compellable to take out their freedom,
and pay down • sum of money before they were permitted to
become inhabitant households!. of the city. (Hear, lieu.)
If the practice hat the merit of uniformity it might 041 en-
titled to some support. But the wealthy merchants, profes-
sional men, and bankers, as well as wealthy private
luoividuals, put to scorn all attempts to impose fines on them
for residence. (Heir, hear.) ine question was not of
small importance or insignihcance as regarded either in a
pecuniary or political sense. (Hear, hear.) He (Alderman
Sidney) might state that the city solicitor had lately pron.
gutted upwards of 3,000 persons for not paying up their
enrolment fees, and there were at present before the Court
of Aldermen 2,000 persons who refused to pay the fine
of residence, (Hear, hear.) Now, he conceived such
proceedings as thew were contrary to the spirit of
the ancient charters of London; because by the ancient
charters occupiers were entitled to residency and citizenship.
(Hear, hear.) He did not ask the house for power to bring
in a bill which would have the effect of depriving the City of
London of an iota of the property poesessed by its corpora-
-1 tie. or that would in any way curtail its privileges; but
be Uked permission to bring In a bill which would have the
effect of removing • great injustice from many poor voters of
several cities in the kingdom at large. (Hear, hear.) If
the house considered it of small importance that these pasties
should pay 21. to obtain their freedom, why let it
be pronounced, that it might go forth that they
should pay for the privilege of exercising an in-
dependent trust, and that they were to be mulcted
for the benefit of other claws ; at the same time he cau-
tioned them they would be teaching these persons how to
sell their votes. (Hear, hear.) In London the matter was
of more importance than a pecuniary fine involved. They
had had for centuries a constituency of municipal voters of
50,000 nr 60.000, with a parliamentary constituency of some
30,000 or 40,000 voters ; whilst at the percent moment he
believed they bad not more than 5.000 or 6,000 persons en
titled to exercise the civic franchise in London, with •
parliamentary constituency ranging over 20,000 voters.
(Mew, hear.) As regarded the perliamentary con-
stituency they voted in one unbroken stream,
whilst the municipal constituency was divided into
25 wards five of which wards averaged between
70 and 100 persons. (Hear, hear) Now, be asked was
that right, in such a c•tminunity as the inhabitant's of the
city of Leadoes—the wealthiest in tl.e world 1 (Hear, hear.)
If he were given the opportunity of bringing is the bill,
hon. gentleman would see that he sought nothing but the
removal of a very crest injustice. (Hear, boar.)
Mr. WILLIAMS seconded the rat. ti m.
On the question being put,