The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-06-04 00:00:00

which he had ti make was, that this declaration was not made by I
his Majesty's 31inisters at the time the subject was first introduced
to the House; for al bough it was now very properly made, yet it
unfortunately came after all the mischief had been done. He how-
ever did not deprecate th- disminsion which had taken place upon
the question, for as he was one of those who entertained strong
doubts of the truth of the principle that the plague was contagious,
be did not think that, inasmuch as it had very important conse.
*senses oh the commerce of the country, the facts on which that
principle was founded ought to be fully investigated, and a correct
opinion on the subject, if possible, should be arrived at. There
was therefore no impropriety in discussing the subject, and of all
the places where that could be carried on. he thought the House
of Commons the best. But beat the same time highly disapproved
of the reports which had been circulated ; and if the declaration
which bad been made to-night, disavowing It to be the intention of
his Majesty's Ministers to act w those reports represented they
were about to do ; if, he would repeat, such a declaration had been
made at the first, then the evil consequences which had ensued at
the pore; of France and Indy would not have taken place. The
Right Honourabk Gentleman (Slr. C. Grant) had stated, that it
was the intention of Government to send inspectors to the different
ports, to see that the Quarantine Laws were properly complied
with.. Now, as this was not a quertion depending on medical opi-
nion alone, but on facts which any individual was competent to
know and observoupoa, he thought that the persons to be appointed
should not be subject to any inioence from a medical n.an • for
whatever opinion that individual might entertain upon the subject,
he apprehended there would he an undue influence exercised by
him on the minds of the other persons with whom he was acting.
lie thought, indeed, there would be great danger in having any
one medical man to influence the Boerd of Trade qo a subject so
important to the commercial intonate of the country, and upon
which other individuals were mueb less lfhtly to be prejodieed.
Mr. HU3KISSON said, that if the Hon. Gentleman would con.
elder seriously the wildcat, he (Mr. Huskisson) thought it would
sappeare to him that it was the moat advleable course which the
of TrICIO could take on • question of this kind, to ascertain'
the opinions of those individuals Who had been into various parts of
the world where the plague bad rased- and who hail had opportu.
aides of witnessing these contagioar'diseases, as they were called,
operating in all their degrees of malignity, respecting Its nature,
sod the bast =Me to resist its osemetudeation. It waa not en un-
ensemble motion op the part of *milord of Trade took this, and
to consider that such persons sitolibie allowed to risk the ports of
the country (Mtn tune to time, SONO dot the orders in Codocil and
the regulations to be made by the Legislature respecting quaran-
tine were property obsetved. His tele is regard to this important
question had been generally to act on the safe side. (hear, hear,) and
to presume that the plague was susceptible of being communicated
by =Legion, and that this contagious property was capable of
being conveyed from foreign countries in eliffereat 'articles of mer-
chandise, after a long time had elapsed. Tne lion. Gentleman
(Mr. Hume) asked why his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Canning) had
not made the declaration, which he had done this night, when the
question wax first introduced ? He would answer that question by
saying, that his Right lion. Friend did declare the intention of his
MajestSjs Government on the commencement of the discussion of
the eat 'ect this House lie said that no regulation would be
enforc that wino beyond what should be recommended by the
Committee on Foreign Trade. It was not his Right Hon. Fnend's
fault, that persons out of doors should misrepresent the re-
mit of the investigation of that Committee. He had himself read
various loose assertions as to the intentioes of his Majesty's Minis.
tws which had led to very great evils, and had seriously affected the
trade of this country. Parties who were interested in defeating the
object of the British merchant. had takea advantage of these louse
and unfounded rumours to prevent the British merchant from
entering foreign ports. Persons ought not, upon such vague and
runimus. to make assertions that in foreign countries were cal-
culated to work very serious mischiefs to the trade of England. He
bad read iiensething about a ship being placed at quarantine for
an Unreasonable time at Vera Cruz, on some such rumour as these, '
when it appeared there was not a single man on board affected.
He denied that the Right lion. Gentleman (Mr. C. Gram) had
arty intention, by the introduction of this Bill. to less-n the security
afforded to the public by the Quarantine Laws. The malo object
of this Bill, after all, was to relieve commerce from the expenses
attending the complying with the Laws of Quarantine, and to
throw it upon the public, for whose benefit those lows were adopted.
Mr. DENMAN said that hr felt himself incompetent to offer an
opinion upon the prevent subject, but he wished merely to mention
that he had had an otunity of perui some papers written by
ppor Dr. Bailey, its which that celebrated indiving dual stated it would, In
his judgment, be unsafe to do away with the Quarantine Laws.—
(Hear, hear.)
After a few words from Mr. C. GRANT, the Bill was read a
third time and passed.
Mr. PEEL gave notice of a motion which he should make on
Tueedey next, for leave to bring oe a Bill to regulate the law re-
lating to the suing out tr-.. writs in the Courts of Law.
COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY.
- - •

The House then resolved itself into a Committee of Supply.
HARBOUR OF LYME REGIS.
Mr. BERRIES attoed that the sum of 32,0001. should be grant-
ed, to enable his Majesty to repair the damage which had bees
done to the Cobb at the port of Lyme Regis, by the late severe
gales. This sum was proposed for a public and national work, and
DIM that was essential to the safety of vessels on that coast. This
grant wee intended to be in aid of 6,000/. which was partly in hand,
and partly_ to be railed on the credit of the pore tolls.
Mr. BU3IE said, his objecton is this vote was, that it was not
for the purpose of benefiting a national object. The harbnu rat
Lyme Regis was not able to receive • ship much above 100 tons
burthen, and the number vessels that put in there was so incon-
siderable, that it could not be considered an harbour of any great
public utility. Besides, the Committee would be astorished to be
inrormed that, up to the present moment, no less a sum than
106,0601. had been paid towards the repairing of this harbour. He
did not mean to say that he would not vote foe the grant, but be
would say that there was nothing before them to show that this vote
was likely to do more good than what had been done already by the
former grants; and therefore, without better information, he thought
the grant should not be made. The harbour of Lyme was a petty,
insignificant place, and could not give the least shelter to sbips of
trade ; if it could there would then be some excuse for granting the
so
Land's E Besides,d o n it,lihiisoilvxerlpieuisaniclynhzcbyouwrasfrorrn
utihreed:floemcoesz
not
perceive why . this partiality should exist. In 832 the number of
tons of shipping which entered that harbour was 22,000. There
were 36 vessels only above 100 tans burthen, and all the others coo-
risted of small vessels and craft that might be almost run on the
beach. In ordtr, however, to make it appear that a great quantity
of &hipping entered the port, the returos contained an account of
vessels so small as 10, 12, and 13 tons burden. Ile knew it was
the opinion of severe' naval men with whom he had conversed on
the sukject, t!ist it was a complete waste of money to maintain this
Coble and that it was a complete job to serve private purposes. If
the Committee should accede to this grant, there was no baying un-
der what circumstances port might not make such a claim. He
was anxious that the whole question should be submitted to a
Committee, and if It were regular he would propose that there
simuld he an Address to his Mejtsty to appoint &Committee of In-
quiry, tor the purpose of ascertataing whether the harbour was of
such a nature as to justify its being maintaiaed and upheld at des
public expense. He thought that this proposition was both tale,
an' reasonable, ar.d might to be acceded to.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER wished to say a
few words on the Subject, because it appeared to him that the lion.
Gentleman laboured under a mistake. lie said that if any good
public object was to be attained by the grant, he amid vote for H.
lint that he thought the harbour of Lyme Regis Illefeed MD public
utility. lie (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) thought She Hen.
Gentleman had not considered the cireamstancee of that den. This
harbout was, in fact, the only one which afforded shelter se swede
whet overtaken by certain winds-peculiar to the widow tint.
Vessels were often exposed to great danger in ouneeinspuseif Wee
semi-eireular form of the coast, near the harbor git tam and
that was the only harbour into which they, could pi he iseher. It
appeared by the returns, that no less than twenty-fivel NMI& sought
refuge last year in that harbour, and that if these had not been
such an harbour they would, in consequence of the peuthem wind,
have gone on a lee 'here, and most probably have perished and
although the vessels were small, yet they contained ninny persons
connected with Lyme, and he thought the lives of individuals were
as valuable at that plat. as at any other. (Hear, hear.) He thought,
therefore, there were g od pounds for supporting the grant,
lie would lay no stress upon thetrade of the port, for if the place ob.
tined &benefit from its trade it was reasonable that it ithoeld maintain
its own port ; but the vessels which took shelter there did not belong
to the port, and therefore it ought to be considered a question of
public utility to support the harbour. But in point of fact there was
at toll paid by the vessels that went into the place which yielded
SOW. a year, and as far as it went it was applicable to the mainten-
ance of the port, and those who superintended its application pur-
posed to raise 6,000/. upon the credit of these tolls, to be applied
towards the expense of repairing the breath in the Cobb. The
Hon. Gentleman wished in the first place to have a Committee ap-
pointed. He begged to inform the lion. Gentleman that the place
tad been seen by the engineers belonging to the Ordnance, who
were sufficiently competent to speak upon the subject, apd
that the reparations were considered by them to be net:nary.
If the breach should not be repaired the whole of the pier would be
.indered useless. Much damage bad already ensued in emir-
'. tence of • the breach, and unless it were repaired there wall
-AND to apprehend that seen the houses would be seriously in.
cored by the sea breaking through. I u its way, although not
putting the Cobb upon the same footing of the breakwater at Ply-
mouth, he thought great use might be made of this harbour, and
that it was • proper thing to be maintained at the public expense.
Mr. A. BARING uid. that when the subject was mentioned in
he Committee on the Western Canal Bill, the idea of spending
*.ie public money on such • work was laughed at. If the Chan.
lerof the Exchequer had been present to have heard the evidence
;,yen before that Committee, he was sure the Right HOC. Gentleman
.euld not have voted another sixpence for this work. It was one
ehiet no expense whatever would make good. There might, how-
sver, be made a very capital harbour at Beere, which would do
may the neeessaity of one at Lyme Regis. The Right HOD.
linttleman must be very much pressed by the Noble Patron of the
leder plate, if he should, after learning the nature of the evidence
theu well acquainted with the harbour, be induced to spend
temker sixpence about it.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said be was not
lb unaware of the plans of the ',roomed ship canal as the lion.
(*uteri= (Mr. A. Baring) seemed to think. But the BM to
'Mich the Hoe. Gentleman had alluded mitthenever pass, eel ids;
it he were to do as the Hon. Gentleman suggestrel, there weiddiene
'many harbour either at Beer, or at Lyme, toe unless the eselefilie
Wes were soon made that harbour would be destroyed.
Al HER NALL considered the proposition of the Hots. Gentle.