The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-16 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS-(YESTERDAY.)

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
five o'clock.
Lord BERNERS presented several petitions from
places in Scotland against the distillation of grain.

THIRD READINGS.
On the motion of Lord REDESDALE the following
bills Were read a third time :—Jedburgh Railway, Ban-
gor Markets, Plymouth Gas, and Birmingham Water
Bills.`

THE DIVISION LAST NIGHT.
The Earl of MALMESBURY called the attention
of the leader of the Government to a circumstance that
occurred last night, in the division that took place upon
the motion of the Earl of Ellenborough. After the divi-
sion, proxies were called on the part of the Government, at a
time when a considerable number of lerds of the Opposition
side of the House had left, under the impression that
proxies would not be called for. The custom had hitherto
been for the Government to give notice of their intention
to callfor proxies if they had really such an intention. Yes-
terday, however, it appeared, probably by accident, that
this custom was departed from. He thought it would
tend greatly to the convenience of all parties in that
house if due notice were given that proxies would be
called for.
The Earl of BESSBOROUGH said he believed it
never had been the custom for the Government to give
notice. It so happened that he had been entrusted with
a large number of proxies, and when that division took
place as he passed along the gangway he called as loud
as he could " Proxies."
The Earl of DERBYsaid thefact was, that the occasions
of calling proxies were exceedingly rare. He thought
that it would be most expedient as well as desirable
when proxies were intended to be called for, that notice
of such intention should be given.
Earl GRANVILLE thought that the suggestion
made by the two noble lords opposite was deserving of
much consideration. At the same time he must observe that
when the noble lord alluded to the rare occasions on
which proxies were called that he could hardly imagine
a circumstance more natural for the Government than,
upon a question of such importance as that of last
night, and upon the result of which the existence of the
Government depended, that they should endeavour to
show to the country and the world the very large
majority of peers that were determined to support their
policy.
The Earl of DERBY hoped that the noble earl would
now give notice whether he intended to call for proxies
on Monday next: (Laughter.)
Earl GRANVILLE said he would divide the house
on Monday.
Earl GREY—Then, in that case, I may reckon that
the noble earl's vote will be in favour of my motion.
The Earl of DERBY was not disposed to give to the
noble lord any pledge upon the subject.
After a few words from Lord REDESDALE the subject
dropped.
INTESTACY (SCOTLAND) BILL.
_ _

On the motion of Lord CAMPBELL, this bill was
read a second time.

UNION OF CONTIGUOUS BENEFICES IN
CITIES AND TOWNS.

The Bishop of LONDON, in moving the second read-
ing of this bill, said it was his intention, after the bill
had gone through its stages, to move that the bill
be referred to a select committee.

Lord PORTMAN said he had intended to have made
some observations on this bill, but the referring it to a
select committee rendered it unnecessary for him to do

The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to
be referred to a select committee.

AFFIRMATIONS (SCOTLAND) BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
TRADE WITH RUSSIA.

The Earl of ALBEMARLE, in rising to bring for-
ward the resolution of which he had given notice, ex-
pressed his regret that in calling the attention of the
house to the manner in which the Government had acted
in regard to trade with the enemy, he found himself for
the first time in his life opposed to those friends with
whom he had for a quarter of a century been united on
all public and political matters. He entered upon this
subject at great length a short time ago, and only rein-
troduced it now in consequence of the unsatisfactory
answer he received from his noble friend the President
of the Board of Trade. What his noble friend stated in
reply to him was a mere rechaufe of the fallacy used by
his predecessor in office when the subject was mooted in
the other house of Parliament. If he were told that the
blockade was meant to be a real and effective one then his
occasion was gone. But he must remind their lordships
that the most effective sea blockade that could be instituted
was a mockery and a sham as long as the overland tran-
sit trade through Prussia was permitted to go on.
It would be almost better to throw the money which
was extracted from the pockets of the people of this coun-
try into the sea than to spend it on a blockade by sea,
whilst they, permitted a free transit by land. (Hear.)
Hew did the Russian Government avail themselves of
that means of transit 1 They so organised the means of
transit by the Niemen, the Vistula, and the whole fron-
tier of Prussia, that the Russian produce which had been
blocked up in the ports of the Gulph of Finland and Riga
bad found an outlet in that way. Our blockade of the
Russian ports was thus neutralised in. toto. He spoke
under correction, but he believed that to trade with the
enemy on the breaking out of war was a violation of the
common law and the statute law—that it was a violation
of the 23d of Edward 111., which made it treasonable
to give "aid and comfort to the king's enemy." It
was also against the maritime law, which was part and
parcel of the law of nations. He was not on a'l occa-
sions an admirer of the " wisdom of our ancestors,"
but he thought that law was wholesome to this extent,
that it was founded on the principle that war ought to be
conducted on war, and not on peace, maxims. But in
three weeks after the declaration of war came out the
unhappy order in council, by which all the subjects of
her Majesty were allowed to trade freely with all ports,
except within certain specified limits. It was this that
rendered the blockade delusive up to the present time.
At least two-thirds of the Russian produce was &wined
for British Nits, and nearly the whole was carried on by
British capital. Tne small remnant that remained in the
hands of the Russians themselves would hardly pay the
expenses of transit, which the Russian Government will-
ingly incurred in order to carry out the important object
they had in view. If the law were allowed to rewainas it
existed formerly, no one could trade with the enemy.
And, in proof of that, he might state that no British
merchant made a single purchase in Russia during the
three weeks between the declaration of war and the
issuing of the order in council. He gave the Government
credit for good intentions, but their lax policy had
done more mischief than the most active partisanship
could effect. (Hear, hear.) Her Majesty's Government
had given "aid and comfort " to the Queer's enemy as
essentially as that "shady ally," whose fraudulent ally
—neutrality—was so ably alluded to by the nol,le and
'venerable lord, whom he did not see in his place. On
her Majesty's Ministers, who permitted the trade to be
carried on by Prussia, rested the responsibility of the
consequences. It was because be thought this fault was
still reparable that he now reminded the Government of
that responsibility. Prussia supplied the enemy with
arms and munitions of war ; but her Majesty's Govern-
ment supplied them with that which was still more use-
ful, the sinews of war, in the shape of 10,000,000/. tie be
paid for the export of Russian goods. The want of the
articles was the short and long of the reason assigned
for this course of policy. At least he could draw no other
inference from what had fallen from his noble friend.
He would show in a few words how small was the sacri-
fice they were called on to make on this account. He
would take the article of tallow. Their lordships were
probably not aware how insignificant a part of that ar-
ticle was furnished by Russia to this nation. She con-
tributed only one-tenth to our stock of tallow. That
one-tenth, however insignificant to us, was of vital im-
portance to the enemy. A week after his noble friend
bad made his fallacious comparison by compar)xi' g. the
whole produce of one year with the half of the produce
of another year, he had e 7irintP-t circular put into his
hand, not made fur Parliament, but for the trade, and
it was therein stated that the arrivals in the la.st week,teat
wee the 7th May, amounted to 11,333 casks of tallow
from Russia. With respect to hemp, there was a supply
in this country now which was unprecedented in any
former year. That spoke more powerfully of their
blockade than any figures could do. The noble earl
proceeded to say that an ample supply of hemp,
or fibres from which hemp could be made in abun-
dance, could be procured from India, Mexico,
and other countries, so that they might be quite in-
dependent of the Russian supply. Indian Jute was
capable of being manufactured into excellent hemp, and
the natives used it as a strappado for refractory wives
and strangling supernumerary children. (Laughter.)
The Admiralty entered into an enormous contract for
the supply of hemp last year ; but, notwithstanding that,
the price of hemp was 30 or 40 per cent. lower this year
than last year. He would recommend their lordships
to read a very excellent work on ,the subject of Indian
fibres, written by Mr. Gregson, a member of the other
Rouse of Parliament. With regard to flax, there were
two official returns for 1853 and 1854, from which it
appeared that in the former year there was an increase
of 27,415 acres under flax cultivation in this country,
t e (1_ nn the supposition that the war would be car-
Ly„r:ll2.u..s svar should be carried on ; whilst in the latter
curttv"
.the order in council had become known,
One ation of flax decreased by 23,607 acres.
Oat cultiva; (s.iolv J. M'Neil) who had 600 acres under
tits to 30 ezes .ui the former year reduced the quail-
mischief doles This was but one sample of the
He would now shot wen:rr riaiug with international law.
stoppage of the Russiait"ta historical examplee, that the
embarrassment, disconeeerta" would produce financial
the Russian nobles.
aieuluasian sovereign. He
and consequent pressure on
need not do more than just
took place fifty-three years atghoe te:tptoo:rehtetethrit:FuLereerotrhaot,
dreenot:th: het
Russia, in consequence of the stoppeg
was occasioned by crippling
pine. (Hear.) The noble earl went on to say that
the Emperor Alexander 1., after the hkOdy att,,r when
was coui'&d 041,h,_...ter into i
the cont eof
Friedland, nehta..
system of Bonaparte,%4l wlrreesure occasioned by the
blockade of the Russian pits was so great, that the
Russian nobles put M. Savary, the French ambassador
in St. Petersburg, into Coventry, and would not re_
eeive him into their houses. Prince Hardenburg said
that in consequence of this the paper rouble fell fully 30
er cent. ae comparison with the silver rouble ; and
en 1810 when the ian d
ter a 1041
tra.a.a„H2, Pnekler pocketed 28overnment per cent.contracte for the
~
not et-sTir we consequence. It was said that if they did
could do so Produce somebody else would. Nobody
in mild Bundy t'l72 e machinerybody else but England could afford
_or.
np the nmachinerywhich was required for work
w Produce of Russia. Under the flag of