The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-27 00:00:00

EXPORTATION OF HORSES,

The Earl of MALMESBURY said pe had reason to
believe that there had been an unusual exportation of
horses from this country, particularly within the last six
months. He was lately at Folkestone, where he nas
informed that there was as many as 1,000 horses ex-
ported from that place to France within the last three
weeks. • He wished to ask the Government whether
they were prepared to take any steps to prevent such
exportationo
Lord STANLEY said he believed that the attention
of the Government had not been called to the subject,
and he did not think that they had any intention what-
ever to limit the exportation of horses.
Lord CAMPBELL said, when he was Attorney-
General some years ago, his attention had been called to
the exportation of horses that was then going on. He
then examined the law on the subject, and he found that,
though there were some ancient statutes which limited
the exportation of horses, those statutes had subse-
quently been repealed. The Government therefore had
no power to prevent this trade being carried on.
The Earl of MALAIESBITRY then moved for a re-
turn of the number of horses that had been exported
from this country since the Ist January, 1854.
After a few words from the Duke of NEWCASTLE,

Earl GREY said he was glad to hear that there was
no intention to prevent the exportation of horses from
this country.
The Earl of MALMESBURY bould not conceive how
the keeping of brood mares in this country would inter-
fere with the freedom of trade, and doubted very much
if the importation of horses contemplated by the noble
earl would amount to anything. He would amend his
return by moving for an account of the horses imported,
in addition to the horses exported, within the period be
had mentioned, though he thought that while the- ex-
ports would be found large, the imports would be found
to be nil. With respect to free trade, he had opposed
it, but he would never again ,interfere with free trade.
(Hear.) That question was settled, and there was an
end of it. (Hear.)

Earl GREY, when he spoke of purchasea, did not
allude to purchases for importation into this country, but
purchases for use in the East.

The Earl of HARDWICKE said the question was
whether his noble friend would drive his theory of free
trade so far as to injure his own principles. What did
France do ? France would not permit horses to be ex-
ported from her shores. Throughout Europe and the
whole world it was found that the animal was not pro-
duced in sufficient quantities to enable the purchasers of
horse flesh to obtain it at a moderate price. We were
notoriously the first breeders of horses, and we had the
best blood of horses, and all his noble friend (Lord
Malmesbury) said was, that we should so far preserve
our brood mares as to maintain our improved breed of
horses. Although a good free-trader, be could not see
in what way the restriction, so far as his noble friend
prOposed, would interfere with its beneficial operation.
The returns moved for were then ordered.
THE VIENNA CONFERENCE. ,

Lord LYNDHUST, in the absence.of the noble earl
the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, begged to ask
the noble marquis the President of the Council (alluding
to Lord Lansdowne) a question which he and every
member of the Cabinet must be competent to answer.
The noble marquis was aware that by the treaty of the
24 of December the parties to that treaty were bound to
each other, in the event of peace not being concluded on
the basis mentioned in the first article—that the Allied
Powers would without delay deliberate on such measures
as would be necessary to give effect to the principles
agreed upon, and the question he had to ask was, whe-
ther this deliberation was entered into during the resi-
dence in Vienna of the noble lord (Lord John Russell)
and the French Minister for Foreign Affairs, and if such
deliberation had been brought to any result
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE—When the noble
and learned lord calls on me to answer as the organ of

the Government in this house, and as President of the
Council, he invokes a, departed spirit. (Laughter.) The
noble and learned lord has correctly stated that on
ceasing the noptiatiou consideration should be taken
upon the steps necessary to adopt in conseouence of the
state of affairs. In the absence of the Secretary of
State for Foreign Afftirs lam not able to answer, nor
do I think that he would, if present, be able to answer

till tie arrival of Lord John Russell, which wiil be in a
few days, what has taken place in Vienna, if indeed any-
thing hai taken place.
THE NILITIA (IRELAND) BILL. •
This bill Wlti read a third time and passed.
Their lordships adjourned at half-past 5 o'clock.