The Sun.
London, England, 1852-12-03 00:00:00

Vbirti Wtittion.

SUN OFFICE, Seven o'Clock.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS—(THIS EVENING.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
a few minutes before 5 o'olock.

NATIONAL EDUCATION IN IRELAND.
The Earl of CLANCARTY adverting to a petition
which had been brought forward on this subject, prayed
her Majesty's Government to consider how, after a full
enquiry, proper alteration could be made in the present
system of national education in Ireland.
The Earl of DERBY could assure the noble lord that
without endangering the destruction of the present sys-
tem, he did not see any way of interfering with it, and
this he could hardly think beneficial. He should be
most happy, however, if it should be moved for to grant
a committee of enquiry into the subject.
The house then adjourned at 10 minutes after 5
o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—('PHIS EVENING.)
The Speaker took the chair shortly before four o'clock

PETITIONS.
Mr. FITZROY presented petitions from the civil
service of the Crown, praying the house to take into
consideration the Act relating to the Benevolent Fund,
with a view to its alteration.
Sir E. FILMER and other hon. members presented
petitions praying for the repeal of the taxes on know-
ledge.

Mr. F. MACKENZIE presented a petition from the
Jamaica Association of Liverpool, complaining of dis-
tress in that colony, and praying the house to adopt
measures of relief.
Mr. GLADSTONE presented a petition from the
colonists of New Zealand, complaining of the conduct
of the New Zealand Company, and praying the house to
withhold its consent to the bill for paying that company
a sum of money by way of compensation for surrender-
ing its rights to the Government.
ELECTION PETITIONS.

The SPEAKER acquainted the house that he had
received a letter from the agents of the petitioners
against the return for Clare, stating that it was not
their intention to proceed with the petition.
Mr. M. GIBSON presented a petition from an indi-
vidual in Yarmouth, complaining that the Examiner of
Recognizances had declared his recognizances, in the case
of the Yarmouth election petition, to be objectionable,
although a similar form had been passed in other cases,
and praying the house to take the matter into its consi-
deration. The hon. gentleman gave notice that on
Monday he should move that the petition be printed
with the votes, with the view of calling the attention of
the house to the subject.
The SPEAKER stated that he had received a report
from the Examiner of Recognizances, stating that the
recogniza,nces in the cases of Derby and Pontefract were
unobjectionable.
RAILWAY AMALGAMATION.
Mr. HENLEY gave notice that on Monday he would
renew his motion on the subject of Railway Amalgama-
tion, which fell through last night owing to his absence.
CRYSTAL PALACE FUNDS.
In reply to Lord SEYMOUR,
Lord J. MANNERS stated that the Woods and
Forests had not received the report of the Crystal Palace
Comrnmissioners relative to the disposal of the surplus
fund, but as soon as it was received it would be laid be-
fore the house.
LAMPS IN PALACE-YARD.'
In reply to another question,
Lord SE YiVIOUR stated, thaVe had given directions
for additional lamps to be placed in Palace-yard.

LONDON BRIDGE.
In reply to Mr. LAING, •
The NOBLE LORD said, Government were not respon-
sible for the present state of either London or Black-
friars Bridge.
Sir R. W. INGLIS gave notice, that on Monday he
would ask a question of the noble lord relative to the
state of Westminster-bridge.
LEOPOLD DE ROSE.
Lord D. STUART wished to ask the Secretary of
State for the Home Department, what has been the re-
sult of the inquiry undertaken by the Government into
the case of Leopold de Rose, a Polish officer, who was
imprisoned in Winchester gaol at the instance of Cap •
fain Cospatrick Baillie Hamilton, R.N.
Mr. WALPOLE replied, that the case had been fully
inquired into, and ho thought the magistrate was
justified in the committal ; but, had the magistrate
been in possession of facts which had since come to his
knowledge, he was satisfied the committal would not
have taken place.

CLERGY RESERVES.
Sir W. MOLESWORTH wished to ask the Secre-
tary of State for the Colonies, whether it is the intention
of her Majesty's Ministers to bring in a bill to enable the
Canadian Legislature to dispose of the Clergy Reserves,
subject to the condition that the stipends and allowances
heretofore 'assigned and given to the Clergy of the
Church of England and Scotland, or to any other reli-
gious bodies or denominations of christians in Canada,
shall be secured during the natural lives and incumben-
cies of the parties now receiving the same.
Sir J. PAKINGTON said Government had no such
intention.

METROPOLITAN BUILDING ACT.
Mr. OSBORNE wished to ask the First Commissioner
of Works, Buildings, &c., whether the bill for the regu-
lation of Metropolitan Buildings is to be introduced
before Christmas, with a view to its being pressed to a
conclusion this session.
Lord JOHN MANNERS said he should not be able
to bring in the bill till after Christmas.
ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.
On the motion of Mr. F. MACKENZIE, it
agreed that the house at its rising should adjourn un
Monday.

was

THE FINANC lAL
STATEMENT.
The house then went into Committee of Supply, Mr.
WILSON PATTEN in the chair, after which
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER imme-
diately rose to make his anxiously looked for finan-
cial statement. He said he trusted that at the
present financial statement had to be made under very
peculiar circumstances, the House would excuse him
if he deviated somewhat from the usual formal manner
in which Chancellors of the Exchequer laid the financial
affairs of the country before the house. Though they
had, for instance, on the present occasion, to consider
whether it was possible to make such changes in the
mode of levying the revenue as would contribute more to
the satisfaction and welfare of the community, and
whether such alterations could be effected
in our financial taxation as would remove from various
classes a well-founded sense of injury and injustice, and
principally whether they might not take that opportu-
nity of establishing the financial system on principles
more adapted to the requirements of the time, and espe-
cially to the industry of the country, which was pre-
eminent for its capacity for labour. Still there were
topics to be adverted to which were not strictly
of a financial nature. (Hear, hear.) He also
trusted the House would recollect that only
two-thirds of the financial year had been completed.
(Hear.) If he deviated from the usual course, it was
from a desire to lay with clearness before the house the
views of the Government, and the opinion of the
country, and he asked them not to precipitately decide
on their motives and policy, but to consider the state-
ment as a whole. (Hear, hear.) After the event
of the general election, and after understanding
that the principle of unrestricted competition was
Permanently adopted, it became their duty to
consider whether a commercial system could
not be so harmonised as to remove the well founded dis-
content of the people, and to lay the foundation of a sys-
tem which would be more beneficial, and enlist the sym-
pathies of all classes of the people. It was but right
they should consider the claims of those great interests
who believed that by recent legislation they had received
oPrecunoll,ar injury, and ascertain whether they were just
'be alluded to the shipping
in interest, the sugar
Planting interes
they t, and the agricultural interest. He trusted
'would be enabled to come to an unanimous
opinion as to their peculiar burdens and grievances, and
to arrive at Some
permanent conclusion on which the
could conceive
financial system of the
state
of country could be based. He
than when'inju
rynn was
inmestoeciety more to be deprecated
changes of the law which d
uni °II
particular classes, by
benefit of the country. (Revaerre)ally contributed to the
st, the Government investigated
the case of the shipping intere
of opinion that, principally in conse rnment were
quence of the repeal
ought not to bear,s mail-
of the Navigation Laws, they were suffering at this ment under burdens which they
restrictions which impeded their industry,
v,-Lear, ear.
If it were the opinion of Parliament that such was the
case, he thought the better course would be to meet the
claims in a just and liberal spirit, and see if it were not
possible to remedy the complaints of an influential, im.
portant, and worthy body. The Government had ex-
amined the case of all those classes comprised under the
popular name of the shipping interest. They complained
that they were subjected to vexatious burdens under the
head of light dues, and of passing tolls, (Hear, hear.)
They complained of the present system by which
pilotage was carried on, and they made also a
great complaint against what were called Ad-
miralty grievances. (Hear, hear.) They complained
also of the circumstances under which individuals be
longing to the mercantile marine were enlisted into the
royal navy—(hear, hear)—they also complained of the
present claims made on account of salvage —of the sums
exacted for anchorage, of the restrictions placed upon
them in the manning of their vessels, and of the stamp
pates levied on marine insurance, and on bills of lading.

'"~►,,

,__..

-
Hear, hear.) The Government believed that, with re
gard to these complaints, the house adopted the recom
mendations, which it would be his duty to lay before
them to night—the claims of this interest would be satis
fled. With regard to the light dues, it was their opinior
that these complaints were in a great measure foundec
on fact. (Hear, hear.) It seemed quite indefensible that
irrespective of the dues which were paid for lighthouse:
by the shipping interest should be called on to pay
large snm of money in the form of due; which was it
fact interest paid to the Trinity House for the purchase
of private lights which had been long ago been improvi
dently granted by Parliament or the Crown. (Hear,
hear.) The Government thought also that all those
sums levied under the name of passing tolls, wen
vexatious grievances and burdens to which the shipping
of this country ought not to be subjected. They also
thought that the shipping interest ought not to be called
on to pay sums for the support of the charities of a cor-
poration. Taking these three points into consideration,
the Government were prepared to say, with respect to
the light dues, that the tax upon the shipping interest
ought to be confined merely to payments for benefits
which it received, and they were prepared to relieve it
from all that was paid for interest upon those loans for
the purchase of private lights, and from the contribution
to the charities of the Trinity House, and, finally, to re-
lieve it from all passing tolls. (Hear.) This settlement
would probably cost the country about 100,000/. a year ;
but it appeared to him that the claimss were so just
that it was impossible to resist them, and that they
ought to have been considered when the Navigation
Laws were repealed. The next point was the question
of pilotage, a system which, he might say, was full of
anomalies. There had been, upon a former occasion,
though a long time ago, a committee of that house on
the subject of the pilotage laws ; and, though he
himself, in general, was very much disinclined to
propose the appointment of committees, still, he thought
that it would be eminently worthy of the consideration
of the house whether or not a committee should be
appointed to investigate the whole question of
pilotage and ballast. And therefore it was the
intention of her Majesty's Government to recommend
that there should be a committee of enquiry
and he did not entertain the slightest doubt but that
the result of its investigation would prove most satis-
factory. He now came to remark upon those grievances
which he had described as the Admiralty dues. The
house was well aware teat a merchant-ship, find-
ing hrself upon a foreign - station, her captain
may be deserted without any ceremony with-
out any notice—and often without any cause, by
any of the crew who may immediately enlist in a ship
belonging to the Royal Navy that may happen to be
on the station. That was a privilege 'which
acted very ingeniously upon the discipline and
general conduct of the mercantile marine. (Hear,
hear.) He, for one, would certainly be most unwilling
to propose any change which would affect the necessary
powers of the Royal Navy ; but he was forced to believe
that this was a grievance of a most vexatious character.
Her Majesty's Government, therefore, intended
to propose that no man quitting the mer-
cantile marine should receive his wages then
due to him, until the rest or the crew had been
paid. At present he could at a moment's notice, not-
withstanding his engagement with his master, hoist his
red shirt on a royal ship and demand his wages. His
master thereby not only lost one of his crew, but he
was called upon to pay wages which were not due
until the ship had arrived in port. It is proposed
that any one availing hiMself of this privilege of
enlisting in the Royal Navy, should not receive his
wages until the rest of the crew were paid off. It was
further proposed that if the Royal Navy should avail
themselves of this privilege, that they were liable for any
injury which might be thereby inflicted on the merchant
ship. The next grievance which he would bring before
them was the question of salvage. He believed that,
under the present system, the mercantile marine were
grievously afflicted. There could be no doubt, although
the humanising feelings which actuated the Royal Navy
had been much improved from what they once were—
that still instances of a most oppressive nature
continually occurred, and the Government pro-
posed that the whole system should entirely cease.
He need say very little on the subject of anchorage.
That was a regulation which, like salvage, depends en-
tirely upon the Admiralty, and the Admiralty were pre-
pared that all vexations of this kind should be con-
cluded—(hear, hear)—and from henceforth no merchant
vessel would not be deprived in its anchorage by the
superior claims of ships belonging to the Royal Navy.
There was another subject of paramout importance to the
mercantile interest, and that was the restriction which at
present existed upon manning the merchant marine.
(Hear, hear.) They thought these restrictions were in-
defensible, while they doubted whether even in practice
they were beneficial. (Hear, hear.) The time had
therefore arrived when these restrictions must en-
tirely cease, but their removal could only be
taken into consideration in connection with the
other subject of manning the navy. (Hear, hear.)
The whole subject would hereafter have to be considered,
and something would have to be done to remedy the
evils of a system which dismissed our seasoned seaman
at a time when he was most qualified to do his duty to
the country. (Cheers.) Government were awaiting the
report of a committee which had been sitting upon this
very subject, but they trusted when it was hrought
before Parliament, it would be in a manner that should
be satisfactory to the house and to the country. (Hear,
hear.) He had now touched upon all the points of any
importance which were embraced in the care of the
shipping interest, except those which referred to stamps
upon insurance, bills of lading, and charter-parties ; but
the heuse would at once perceive that these were
points that affected the general taxation of
the country, and, therefore, this was not the
moment when they could be fairly alluded to in detail.
(Hear, hear.) Government however, proposed to deal
with the question lightly, under three heads, they pro-
posed to reduce the taxation that was paid by the ship-
ping interest, under the claims of supporting the light-
houses of the country—namely, the interest upon debt
which has been incurred, and the contributions to-
wards charities, and the passing tolls to harbours,
which ships never enter. (Hear, hear, and cheers.)
He proposed to terminate these three series of unjust
taxation, and they belieued that object could be effected
by the payment of an annual sum of 1,000,0001. (Hear.)
There would then be left for the shipping interest to pay
for such lights only which benefitted them. (Hear.
hear.) The proposed—the second place to submit to the
consideration of the house the whole question of
pilotage, and they purposed in addition, that the
three admiralty grievances of anchorage, salvage,
and enlistment should be entirely terminated or subject
to slch regulations as should deprive them of their
injurious influence. (Hear, hear.) They proposed that
the subject of manning should depend upon the decision
of Parliament ; while with respect to the last point,
which question related to the army, they proposed that
this shouid be considered when the house came to con-
sider the whole subject of revenue. (Hear, hear.)
The right hon. gentleman then proceeded to consider
the claims of the sugar producing colonies. Sugar had
been the battle-field of parties, but they must form an
opinion as to the condition of the colonies upon strict
and naked facts, and not by any recollection of the past.
They might deplore past legislation, and be of opinion
that the conduct of this country towards the colonies
had been inconsistent, and, moreover, occasioned great
damage to sugar growers, but they had to decide
to-night, what under the existing state of affairs
could be done for them. There was no one more ready
than himself to listen to the just complaints of any class,
or none more ready to redress their grievances. He had
often expressed it as his opinion that the conduct of the
mother country to the colonies would occupy no embla-
zoned page in the history of England. The redress
prayed for by the colonies was contained under the fol-
lowing heads :-Ist—Arrest of the descent of the duty
on foreign sugar. 2nd.--Reduction of the duty on British
plantation sugar. 3rd.—The grant of additional loans to
the respective colonies, for emigration and improvement.
4th.—Permission to refine sugar in bond, for home con-
sumption as well as importation. sth.--Permission to use
molasses in breweries. (Hear.) 6th.—Equalisation on
the duties on rum and British spirits. Under these
circumstances he would find great difficulty in making
such recommendations as were contained in the two
first, but especially in this Parliament, which was re-
turned to support unrestricted competition. Even if he
saw that ruin was falling on the sugar-producing colo-
nies, he would hesitate before having recourse to the im-
position of a differential duty to mitigate their sufferings.
Was there such evidence of a rivalrybetween British and
foreign producers of sugar as to justify the Government
in proposing any special measure for their relief ? They
were told this competition could not be endured, but
what were the facts ? In the ten months ending Nov.
1251, the West Indies sent to this country, for home
consumption, 2,251,000 cwts. of sugar, and in the ten
months ending Nov. 1852, 3,940,000 cwts. From the
Mauritius for the same period, there were entered
for home consumption, as follows :-1851, 804,000
cwts., and 1852, 977 cwts. (Hear, hear, and cheers.)
East India sugar, which in Nov., 1851, amounted to
1,037,000 cwt, had in Nov., 1852, risen to 1,300,000
cwt. Our united colonies in Nov., 1851, had sent
4,094,000 cwt. ; in Nov., 1852, they had sent 5,373,000.
(Hear-) He now had to show whether he was called
upon to arrest the descent of the duties upon foreign
Vg_ar. The quantity of unrefined foreign pugar in Nov.,
cal, amounted to 1,218,000 cwt. • in Nov., 1852, it
amounted only to 570,000 cwt. The uantit of refined
' foreign igar was in ov., 1851,. 268,000 cwt. in Nov.,
would be seNvena:
of British sugar entered figures would be that
and 1,000,487 cwt. of fc, •
243 000 cwt. (Hear, hear.) It
therefore,, that the general f these
rheq e beingfor
homein 1851 c 0 n
s4l,in
100p0i
1.1:n6,
reign sugar, and in
5,378,000 cwt. of 13ritih, and 814,000 cwt. of foreignlBs2,
sugar, the British production had increased, from-
vember, 1851, to November, 1852, 1,250,000 cwt.,
while foreign sugar had decreased 600,000 cwt. (gear,
m Now, lie might be called a traitor, and he
might be called a renegade—(laughter)—but lie would
ask if there was any gentleman in the house, who, with
these facts staring him in the face, could recommend

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