The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-16 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF LORDS— Last Evening,
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.
THE SEIZURE OF THE RAMS AT BIRKEN-

HEAD.

Earl RUSSELL said the noble earl opposite, the other
evening, in remarks on the detention of the iron-
dads, referred to several despatches written to
Mr. Adams, and wished to know how far the opinions
ani conduct of Government had been influenced by those
communications. He (Earl Russell) had been looking into
dates since that time, and how the conduct of Government
had been influenced by despatches dated the 4th and sth of
September may be gathered by the fact that on the 3d
of September he (Earl Russell) came to the de-
terminatien to delay and prevent the departure
of the iron-clads at Birkenhead. On that day Mr. Laird
wrote to the Treasury on the subject of the detention of the
vessels, and he (Earl Russell) also found that from a pri-
vate letter of his:own, written from Scotland, that he
had taken the course he had already mentioned. That
being so, it was impossible that the determi-
nation of the Government could in the slightest
way have been influenced by anything Mr. Adams may
have written on the 4th of September. Looking, however,
at the correspondence presented to the Government of the
United States, and more especially that part of it which
he had taken part in, he felt that had the language of Mr.
Adams been less temperate he should not have desisted
from the course he (Earl Russell) had adopted. It having
come to his knowledge that the iron-clads building at Bir-
kenhead were intended for the Confederates, it was his duty
to take steps to detain them, in order to obtain full evidence
as to their destination. The noble earl then read the cor-
respondence as published in the American papers in support
of what he had said, and concluded by stating that the
noble earl (Earl Derby) who had introduced the question
must have seen the explanation of the difficulty in the cor-
respondence itself. (Hear, hear.)
The Earl of DERBY said that he had not seen the ex-
planation of the difficulty that presented itself to him, and
it only showed how much better it would be that such a cor-
respondence should be published authoritatively, (Hear.)
With respect to another part of the question, the noble earl
inquired whether Earl Russell had asked on the part of her
Majesty's Government an explanation from the United States
Government of the circumstances that a despatch written by
Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams, to be communicated to the noble
earl, but which was not so communicated, had been actually
published and laid before the Congress as part of the corres-
pondence between the United States and her Majesty's Go-
vernment.

Earl RUSSELL, in reply, said as he had apparently con-
cluded too hastily that the noble earl (Derby) had seen the
answer to the question he asked in the correspondence itself,
he wished to withdraw the remark. With regard to the last
question, he (Earl Russell) deemed that it was a wise course
to consider the despatches as received, and to perform that
duty with as much conciliation as possible. He believed
Mr. Adams had pursued that course, and he (Earl Russell)
had communicated to the noble earl opposite the views of
the despatch in question, though not the substance of it.
(Hear, hear.)
After a few words in which Earl GRANVILLE and the
Marquis of CLANRICARDE joined, the subject dropped.
DENMARK AND THE DUCHIES.

Lord CAMPBELL called attention to the treaties and
conventions by which the possession of Schleswig was gua-

ranteed to Denmark, and observed that if it could be shown
that Great Britain was bound by treaties as well as by po-
licy to guarantee the possession of Schleswig to Denmark,

it might have some effect in leading to the earlier restora-
tion of peace. He contended that the guarantee of 1852 did
not supersede or annul previous treaties, and that the main-
tenance of the Danish monarchy was essential to the balance
of power in Europe.
Earl RUSSELL said it would be rash for the Govern-
ment to come to any positive judgment upon such im-
portant questions without the most careful and searching
examination. That examination had been given ;
but it would be injudicious at the moment to
state the opinions at which they had arrived. The
relations of Austria and Prussia with Denmark were very
differently affected to those of the other German Powers,

some of whom, and especially Bavaria, had declared that
they th,,ught the Prince of Augustenburg was entitled to
be acknowledged as Duke of Schleswig and Milstein ; and
it followed from that that they would endeavour to put him
in possession. Upon such an attempt being made, however,
it would also follow that England must declare whether or
not sne felt bound by the Treaty of 1720 ; and if so, it would
be her duty at once to go to the support of Denmark, With
regard to Austria and Prussia, their identical communica-
tion of the 31st January distinctly asserted that they did
not contemplate the dismemberment of Denmark ; but, on
the contrary. that they had entered Schleswig to maintain
the integrity of the Danish monarchy ; and that the very
cause of their entrance was to obtain the fulfilment of en-
gagements which the King of Denmark had undertaken as
Duke of Schleswig, and in no other capacity, In this diffi-
cult and complicated state of affairs they had gone to
Schleswig to hold it as a material guarantee, and he thought
it was desirable to endeavour to settle all these questions by
pacific means rather than resort precipitately to anything
in the nature of a threat founded on the guarantee of 1720.
Austria and Prussia were conscious, as indeed all the prin-
cipal Powers must be, that the Duchies could not be trans-
ferred to any other Power than the King of Denmark with-
out the general concert and assent of all the great Powers.
111 admitted that the Government must make up their
mind with the best advice they could obtain as to the bind-
ing nature of the treaty guarantee of 1720; but for the sake
of the peace of Europe everything that could be done by
conference and negotiation ought to be done before any step
was taken which might produce an attitude of hostility be-
tween any of the great Powers of Europe.
Their lordships adjourned at half past six o'clock.

HOUSE OP COMMONS—Last Evening,
The SPEAXER took the chair at four o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS,

Over 200 private bills were read a second time and
ordered to be committed, and several other bills were read
a first time.

POLAND.

Mr. BUTLER-JOHNSTONE gave notice that on an
early day he would draw the attention of the house to the
subject of Poland, and that he would make a motion in
reference to the same.
HERRING FISHERIES.
Mr. CAIRD asked the Lord Advocate, or, in his absence,
the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether
it was the intention of Government to alter or repeal the
recent laws on the subject of the herring fishery in Scot-
land, which the Royal Commissioners appointed in 18G2 to
inquire into the operation of these laws report to have "un-
necessarily restricted the operations of fishermen; to have
repressed invention by prohibiting new and more productive
forms of labour ; as calculated to be destructive rather than
conservative in relation to the future supply of herring ;
and, although beneficial to certain class interests, as pre-
judicial to the consumer of fish and to the public gene-
rally ?"
Sir G. GREY said he had communicated with his learned
friend the Lord Advocate, and he hoped shortly to be able
to lay on the table a bill on the subject.
TOBACCO IN IRELAND.
In reply to Mr. M'Evov,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
there was no special exclusion of any part of the United
Biugdom for the growth of tobacco, but it extended to all
Parts of the kingdom, and the reason was, that it would be
impossible to levy a tax on home grown tobacco that would
snit the purpose of revenue in the same way that a tax on
l'ar4rtei tobacco would do. As far as he was concerned he
should be happypy
could be if tobacco and other articles of import
ccl,
Produced at home, but it could not be practically
carried out as regards revenue.

RAILWAYS IN DUBLIN.
Mr. VANCE asked the President of the Board of Trade,
if he would consent for an appointment of a preliminary
select committee, composed of members of both Houses of
Parliament, to consider and report upon the various rail-
way schemes affecting the lil—
y of Dublin, such committee
to be nominated in the Same manner as that which has
been recently appointed to consider and report upon the
different railway projects affecting the metropolis ?
Mr. M. GIBSON said that it was not intended by Go-
vernment to appoint any such committee.
ALLOWANCES TO GOVERNORS OF COLONIES.
Mr. HOPWOOD asked the Under Secretary of State for
the Colonies when the Government intend to bring forward
the subject of granting retiring allowances to governors of
colonies?
Mr. C. FORTESCUE said it was not intended by the
Government to bring forward the subject.
PROTECTION OF 111 E METROPOLIS FROM
FIRE.
Sir M. FARQUHAR asked the Secretary of State for
Home Department whether he intended to introduce a bill
this year for the better protection of the metropolis from fire ;
and, if so, when he would lay it upon the table of the house ?
Sir G. GREY said that he was in communication with
the managers of different insurance companies, and he be-
lieved that a satisfactory arrangement would be effected.