The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-29 00:00:00

i

It
this direction merited the highest commendation.
It was also due to the Earl of Aberdeen to state, that
.when he held the seals of office, he sedulausly oc-
cupied himself to effect the same object. It was the
noble Earl's conviction that it was our duty to
Make the diplomatic service a pro'ossion. To carry
that object into complete effect, a formal education
would, of course, be nocessary.—(ll, ar.) To a cer-
'tain degree the principle had been developed. Attached
to the universities were classes for the study of the
Oriental languages, and those of the students who had
distinguished themselves by their proficiency were ap-
Pointed to offices connected with our eastern embassies.
The present Government had bad but little opportunity
yet of directing their attention to all the points connected
with the subject, but there existed every disposition on
their parts still further to develop the principle laid down
by their predecessors. Having said this much, he would
take the liberty of reminding the House that the expe-
rience of momentous years had proved the diplomacy of
logland to bo inferior to no other branch of the public
service. In confirmation of this statement, it was ne-
-cessary to refer merely to the great events in which the
'Noble Lord the Member for Tiverton distinguished him-
self in the years 1839 and 1840, and which were com-
inonly spoken of as the settlement of the East. Those
event,' furnished evidence that the British Go•
Vereza
ent was able to obtain the most accurate
information under very trying circumstances.
It was mainly owing to • the admirable infer-
int
etion and dexterity of our diplomatic service
that time that our then Foreign Minister—who, how-
eve r• was quite equal to the occasion—was enabled to
avail himself of circumstances and to bring the business
to a successful issue. More recently, again, during the
events which convulsed Europe from 1848 to 1851, our
diplomatic service defied the competition of the diplo-
macy of all other countries, if, indeed, it did not excel
them
He did not recall these matters to the recol-
lection °fah° House by way of answer to the Hon.
thober'e reasoning; on the contrary, t he concurred in
Hoe. Member's views. There was no reason why
our diplomatic service should not be an educated ser-
vice, and subjected to the influence of the spirit of im-
provement which governed the whole conduct of the nit-
, tion, and influenced every department of the State,—
(Hear, bear.) All he desired was, that the House and
the public should not run away with the idea that, in
consequence of the want of a formal education for the
diplomatic service, the country was notably served. The
country was most ably served. No diplomacy had ac-
complished greater results, saved more of the public mo-
tley, or contributed more to the national honour.
LIGHT DUES.
Mr. HUME said he wished to call the attention of the
House to the light dues levied on the commercial ship.
ping, and especially to the correspondence between the
United Stites minister and Viscount Palmerston, laid
before Parliament on the 13th day of February, 1851.
The Hon. Member said ho had always advocated the
abolition of the corn laws; but he had advocated it on
the distinct understanding that our shipowners should he
relieved from every burden that exposed them to an un-
fair competition with the shipowners of foreign coun-
tries. The charge for the light dues amounted alto-
gether, he believed, in the United Kingdom, to nearly
3°0,000/. a year. But if the light-houses of !England,
reland;
and Scotland were placed under the direction of
One board and properly managed, it appeared, from the
evidence taken before two Committees of that House,
that they would not cost more than from 80,0001. to
10'00°1- a year. In the United States, where there wore
gree times as many lighthouses as we bad in these
oingdorns, those establishments did not cost the shipping
*hiehe
country a single farthing. Under the system
hat Present prevailed in the United Kingdom, a
vess which took a single ton of goods from one port to
rotelher was liable to the whole amount of the light dues
much as if she had taken hundreds of tons of goods.
That was an evil which evidently required a remedy.
thed`'ommittee on the light dues in 1845, he wished to
th Member
few words to the observations of his Hon. Friend
Con m for Montrose. It was proved before that
rmittse that the aggregate revenue derived from the
3rthouses of the United Kingdom amounted, in the
Ip2, to 240,304/ ; the cost of collection, to 22,1251.;
on, the expense of keeping up the lights, to 74,8321.;
age'b Y the then last published returns it was shown that
14ate were, in 1843, 150 lights in Great Britain and Ire-
-1;42 the amount paid for which by the shipping interest
157.1a0t less than 356,9051., the cost of collection being
pre°,,lllea considerable reduction as compared with the
lights e a
Ina. period—and the expense of maintaining the
eati to 131,0301; thus levying a tax upon the mer•
keep 3111Paing alone, over and above the expense of
hardship uP the lights, of 225,875/. To illustrate the
tow etuP with which the light dues bore upon particular
case of
the lion. Gentleman then referred to the
eta, ol the Dundee Shipping Company, trading between
being called before the Committee, stated that the per-
-I.iB4ge which the light dues bore to the nett profits di-
net leasa mong the proprietors of the stock amounted to
eorQthan ee
esee, and that the total amount which that
yettYlinat alone paid in light dues was 2,056/. 14s. 23. a
Pint Cote also instanced the case of the Aberdeen Ship-
PerfPay, the manager of which stated to the Com-
ceee theft the charges for light dues amounted to 51
upon the divisible profits of the company. It
eo,ga. believed, a notorious fact, that, so far as the
Were
trade was concerned, many of the companies
at the present moment actually losing money, in
°ll2eciue
Upon th nee of the burden which those light dues were
slneonuetu and it was only a short time ago that the
i;"the subject of his burgh met in common hall to consider
e__pect, and there was scarcely a single individual
dcas'ae,rt who stated that he had received a farthing divi-
tiMu_ t.orn that trade for years past. In his opinion
f:760 clues were a burden upon the mercantile marine,
from which thep y ought to be exempted
to „ . hh'ISTER said it was admitted. that relief ought
haoserhent but the question wa;,_ its what way ? For
try ton e contended that it was the duty of every coun-
ight up
bet •effect;
its own shores. They pay it in
it was in a
More than the rooutudabout way. The shipown ors paid
ittonclugerutairatte jag
ought to pay for maintaining the
arrived when something should be done
Whole burdeer. If
n, they
Government would not take off the
equitabl might at least lay it on in a more
e Manner
, Mr RENTr, •
uant '""'alr said this subject was one of transcen.
eta, importance to the shipping interest; but. he was
usedtai at the tone and manner in which this appeal
be,,2een made. They were told they ought to do this,
slta'4USe they were friends of the shipping interest. But
on' Gentlemen on the other side of the House should
this pressed it upon their friends when in office. That
t.n burden should be laid upon the country in an equi-
table manner was a proposition that could not be denied;
itt the question was, what was equitable? All tho
oc..n. Members who had spoken said it would be more
gct7 to adjust the payment than to sweep it away alto-
her The shipping interest desired to get rid of this
tax
ahem 300,0001. a year. There was no doubt that
b large sum went towards liquidating the debt caused
buying up private rights.
FlUME—That'a due to the Treasury.
4 kr. HENLEY—There's a sum of about 150,0001. still
to be paid on account of this sum advanced, and that is
included in the general charge, which, he was afraid,
moat continue for some few years longer. The lion.
miter for Montrose held up the American system for
r example but the American Secretary, in reporting
to their board, did not express his sense of their advan-
tage in having a central management of light-houses
Under the controul of Government. lle said they were
hot SO efficient as the interests of humanity demanded,
411(i he went on to say that their establishment upon the
!Fare ers,
I h of
"ray, did sot compare favourably with the
tg.t system of Europe. He thought the light vessels
!Ras remain at their moorings in bed weather, that
as an advantage which they had obtained in this coun-
a_l7: Their lights and their buoys were not so efficient
r_la this country. Neither their light vessels kept the
a`e...e_! nor were their buoys so efficient.—(Hear.) Their
illera was not characterized by so much economy.
toon' WAS a difficult and important subject, and from the
instil he came into office he had turned his attention
lie felt the shipping interest was in a depressed
tee ou4oll, and it would be his anxious desire if he could
tt.ysinY way of relief compatible with other interests to
teem relief in respect of this burden.
at'. LABOUCHERE said he had given this subject
% rat attention, but it was a question beset with diffi-
ho ee; and he did not, when in office, hold out any
144 that it would be dealt with in the present Par-
k) CTt. A reduction had been effected on this subject,
fette7s, as the coasting trade was concerned, to three-
teanZe of the total amount paid. That was a relief ob-
Vat Within the last throe or four years.—(Hear.)
they had no option but to adopt a liberal policy, for if
V 4 eXaluded the ships of other nations from the acl-
vrotififiges they had accorded to them, the consequence
ftele.),,'4l that they would retaliate. It was stated that
thaiVin had fallen. No doubt they had fallen like other
Ofltes•utit there was nothing to fear for the superiority
ue
arid Mercantile marine of this country. This was
thwient from the fact that more ships were now built
t
thareitot ttnY former period ; and they were of the first
thin eta and were of such superior construction, that
4,07: now built on the Clyde took the prizes from the
furilcuu clippers. When he saw the building yards
eleei employed, he could not come to any other eon.-
bee;„(1 nut that
—era would persons. Rho so. fullyitaulnidnersshtiopopdintgh,etirf
they did not not. invest their cap
Mr. M, not it to their advantage.
said,fromthe
given to his—`AClß consideration he had
the li
ght dues.e.n.bje.tt he had come todth fronts that
he Consoli-
ted Fund. ,I),lgh to be defraye
"lilted States in of the
They ought to follow the example
)400884 b that respect. A tonnage duty must of
. bear te t.
but Ye u
nequal and unsatisfactory. He could not
gong Gentle unony to the services rendered by the Right
pollee naan who spoke last, in adopting a liberal
g h• a
hTandedcountry owed him a debt of gratitude for
kota the nue While at the Board of Trade to pro-
!vaswelfare of the shipping interest. Much credit
'rede inr'utra for the relief he gave to the coasting
reodifictit
jo educing the light dues. With regard to the
Mae/Neon of the navigation-laws, he thought it was
Wks thm thus as far as it went. His opinion, however,
te6Pect ta jsy ought to be repealed altogether; and with
tcod ships mercantile marine, ho could state that
tubrreot. qaefancetv
terhermeore in
adgreat deficiency in the
This 71tacjefa:1Ps to convey emigrants to South Australia.
`l,otlia • demand for ships might be attributed to the
14, catiott
-each had taken place in the navigation.
foreo their own
tuwase•tt.The best way was to leave the shipowners to ma-
affairs and to free them from all inter-
taxed tat their concerns. With the raw materials nu-
The,' t_nee: could compete with the whole world.
1,0,4,111).1e/3 then dropped.
orl'AL SERVICE TO
.100 Hr <7— INDIA AND CHINA..
I,cnise th hha ea rose to call the attention of the
_ e tenders which were accepted from the
ev:ahandr Oriental Steam•peenet Company on the
tee bet_4'_eo nary for the performance of the postal ser-
giasa riewecen England, India, and China. He had not
vitae of Ilia intent.
""tv 04 attention.to tilt) sub-

ject without communication with commercial parties in
this country, as well as with parties in India. He
doubted whether Parliammt was justified in making
thee() grants which it had been in the practice of
making, so as to create a monopoly in favour of those
companies which received the grants. The people of
this country had a right to ask whether they received
an equivalent.—Ch ear.) He spoke no from surmise,
but from facts. The effect of the large grant cf 270,0001,
which was made of the public money was to prevent
competition. Ho thought the House would agree that,
although they were not bound to act in accordance
with the recommendations of the Committee on this
subject, yet that the House aud the Government ought
to give some consideration to its recommendations,
more especially when the report was adopted unani-
mously by the Committee. If the Government
pat forward proposals, they were bound to ac-
cept parties tendering according to those proposals, with-
out showing any bias towards one company over another.
Were any such hie manifested, it would at once raise
doubts in the minds of men as to how far they were ho-
nestly and fairly dealt with by the Government. The
service to India had been performed for the last six
years by the Peninsular and Oriental Company; and the
contract for the year 1853 was for the sum of 280,0001.
In the course of the last two years various reports had
reached the country that many evil effects had resulted
from this monopoly, and it was stated that the company
had not taken advantage of the great improvements in
steam navigation, which they ought to have done; and
th, re were various other charges as to the mode in
which the service was conducted. Lest year be thought
it his duty to 1110V0 for the appointment of a Committee
to inquire into the exbtieg steam communications with
India and China, and into the practicability of erect-
ing any improvement therein, and also into the best
mode of establishing steam communications between
England, India, China, Australia, and New Zea-
land. On that Committee there were three
members of Sir R. Peel's Government, three members of
the late Government, and two who were of the present
Government.• That Committee entered into tho whole
question of steam communication with the various parts
of the world. The Committee came to an unanimous
report, to which he might hereafter allude. Evidence
was given to the Committee of the great inconvenience
suffered by the public on the line traversed by the com-
pany. Applications were made to the Committee from
Manchester and Liverpool that in future contracts the
parties should be tied down by stringent rules in respect
to various matters, as to the comfort of the passengers.
The Committee had also evideece that the trade and
commerce in the course of the last few years had in-
creased rapidly on that line. Taking these matters into
consideration, they thought they were justified in re-
commending that Government should interfere to tie
down the parties to more stringent rule, and also that
competition should be established, by which a largo in-
crease of trade and commerce might be produced along
the line. The report stated that in November, 1851,
tenders were called for by the Government under the
following heads:—
_ .

"Firs Line—A line from England to Alexandria and
back, monthly, leaving England in the beginning of
every month, and calling at Gibraltar and Malta, with
a branch from Marseilles to Malta and back, conveying
between those two ports the mails which aro carried
across France. Second Line—A similar line from Eng-
land to Alexandria and back, monthly, leaving Enadand
in the middle of every month, with a similar I), anch be-
tween Marseilles and Malta. The ports in England
from which the vessels are proposed to start (subject to
the approbation of the Lords Commissioners of the Ad-
miralty) are to be specified in the tender. It is to be
clearly understood that the times of departure may be
fixed and altered from time to time by the Admiralty,
an interval of about a fortnight being left between the
days of departure of the two lines. If circumstances
should render it advisable to substitute any other ports
in the Mediterranean for Marseilles and Matta, the
Admiralty to be at liberty to do so on payment of a
reasonable compensation to the contractors for any
additional expense incurred. Third Line—A line
from Suez to Calcutta and Hong Kong and
back, monthly. This line will take the mails which
have left England in the beginning of each month,
and will touch at Aden and Point de Galle, whence
one steamer will proceed by Madras to Calcutta and
another by Penang to Singapore and Hong-Kong. These
steamers will be met at Aden, both on the outward and
homeward voyages, by vessels of the East ludia Com-
pany, which will convey the mails and passengers be-
tween' Aden and Bombay. Fourth Line—A similar
line from Suez to Calcutta and Hong-Kong and back,
monthly, conveying the mails which have left England
in the middle of the month, and proceeding in like
manner to Point de Gallo, and thence by Madras to
Calcutta, and by Penang to Singapore and Kong-Kong.
Vessels of the East India Company will leave Suez at
the same time, carrying the Bombay mails and passen-
gers; and the return mails from Bombay will likewise
be conveyed in vessels of the East India Company to
Suez. Fifth Line—A line from Singapore to Sydney
and back. Every alternate mouth a steamer to leave
Singapore on the arrival of the outward packet. at that
port with the mails which have left England in the mid-
dle of every alternate month, and to leave Sydney so as
to meet at Singapore the homeward packet which will
arrive there from China, after the lapse of two months.
These steamers are to touch both ways at Batavia, Swan
River (or King George's Sound; as may be hereafter de-
termined), Adelaide, and Port Philip."
Two parties tendered, viz.—the Eastern Steam Naviga-
tion Company, and the Peninsular and Oriental Steam
Navigation Company. Those two companies had a right
to expect that their proposals should be fairly considered
and that the basis of the terms stated by the Government
should not be changed. It was stated that the tender
of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Company was ac li
-
cepted for the whole service; but that was not correct.
From England to Alexandria they tendered for; from
Suez to Calcutta and Hong-Kong, touching at Aden and
Point de Gallo, they tendered for; but for No. 4 they
did not tender; and they wholly omitted the lino from
Suez to Calcatta and Hong-Kong, proceeding to Point
do Guile. and thence by Madras to Calcutta, and by Pe-
nang to Singapore and Hong-Kong. The letter making
this tender to the Treasury was received by the Govern-
ment on the 26th of February, almost at a ticao when
the Government wore out of office, and the tender was
accepted by the Government on the 27th of February.
He must, therefore, repeat that the mode in which
the tender was accepted, whether right or wrong, was
calculated to shake the confidence of any party who
might be disposed to offer tenders of this character to
the Government. He asked the Right Hon. Gentleman
the Chancellor of the Exchequer if ho did not think the
subject was too far advanced for reconsideration to direct
his attention to it, in order that justice might be done to
all parties.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, said,
that he proposed to confine himself strictly to the ques-
tion at issue, and not to enter into the more general
question whether it were expedient for Governments to
assist greet enterprises like these steam companies with
grants of public money. To set out with, he must
frankly acknowledge thet the present Government was
entirely responsible for the arrangement which in this
teed had been made. This was, in fact, the first oficial
act which he had trateeicted, and it had been brought
under his notice quite unshackled by any arrangements
of his predecessor. He had given to it his most undi-
vided and complete attention, and the decision at which
he had arrived was the result of the most cateetil atten-
tion he could devote.—(Hear, hear.) On the Ist of
November, 1851, the late Chancellor of the Exchequer
made the follovring proposal to the East India Com-
pany:—l, a line from Southampton to Alexandria twice
a month, with a branch from Marseilles to Malta, to be
performed by contract, her Majesty's ships beine. discon-
tinued ; 2, a lino from Suez to Point de Gallo, and thence
to Madras and Calcutta, twice a month, and a second
line from Point de Gallo to Singapore and Hong-Kong,
with a branch every second mouth from Singapore to
Sydney, and twice a month from Aden to Bombay; 3,
to be performed by contract with one or more compa-
nies, with the exception of the branch from Adeu to
Bombay, which was to be performed by the East India
Company; 4, that the payment of the contract service
beyond the Isthmus of Suez should be charged on the
revenue of this country and of India in the same propor-
tion as at present; 5, that this country should contri
bute a sum to the East India Company for the perform-
ance of the service between Aden and Bombay, calculated
according. to the nature and difficulty of the service per-
formed. The East India Company assented to these
terms by letter of the Bth of November, 1851. On the
18th of November, 1851, the Treasury desired
the Admiralty to call for tenders for the bi-monthly per-
formance of the service. This concluded the negotia-
tion so far as his predecessor iu office was concerned.
Oa the 29th of February, 1852, the Admiralty reported
to the Treasury that they had received three tenders,-
1, from the Peninsular and Oriental Company, for the
whole of the mail services advertised, with the addition
of a branch line between Bombay and Point de Galle,
not mentioned in the conditions of tender, for the annual
SUM of 199,6001., to be rodeo: el to 179,6001., after the
completion of the railway across Egypt; 2, from the
Eastern Steam Navigation Company, for a lino once a
month between England and Calcutta and Hong-Kong,
for 110,000/a to be reduced to 100,0001. in the event of
Trieste being substituted for Marseilles as a port of em•
barkation; 3, one from the same company for a branch
between Singapore and Sydney, in addition to the line
previously mentioned. Adding then 100,000/. to 166,0001.
he made the lowest tender of the Eastern Steam Nevi-
gatiou Company amount to 266,000/, against 179600/ ,
the lowest tender of the other company, being a differ-
once. of 86.4001. Under these circumstances he had
decided in favour of the latter company. The tender
Of this latter company was at the rate of 6s. 6d. per
mile, without the additional branch they had
volunteered to perform between Bombay and Point
do
while that of the Eastern Steam Nevi-
gation Company 57,89 at the rate of Bs. a-mile in their
'
first tender, and 10e. on the average of their second.
pointt to consider,
brought before him, he had
only one other point These facts having
consider, which was to ascertain
whether the offer which was the cheapest was equally
efficient with the other. That inquiry had been made.
The result of it was that the Peninsular
eyereenu preferable
drOefreireanbtleel
Company appeared in this respect to hei
to the other, and upon the sth of March of the present
year the Treasury approved of the tender of that com-
pany, and desired the Admiralty
ed to obtain 1110
to carry it into effect.
had h That WAS his simple story. lie-
best service, and he had obtained it at the cheapest rate.
—(llear.) Within an hoer of his neking his s,a in
Doweing-etree t, he had received a deputation fromthe
Eastern Steam Navigation Compantt, and their case had
been so well placed before him that he was sure it was
from no neglect on the part of those intrusted with
their affairs that the merits of the question had not
been well discussed. However, after having given the
matter the most impartial consideration, tie had do-
termirpd upon giving the tender to thf, ef)mr.s.ny
which would at once most efficiently and most
economically perform the service.—(llear, hear.) Ha
hoped that, 40 far as the present Government were con-

corned, this statement would exonerate them from blame.
He wished also to exonerate his predecessor from tbose
charges which had been freely circulated upon this
matter. When he acoaded to office he had been indebted
to the Right Hon. Gentleman for that confidential com-
munication - which it was necessary to give when a
change of Government took place. The Right Hon.
Gentleman had called his attention to what arrears of
business there were in the office, and when he in his
turn should hand it over to another he hoped there
would bo as few arrears as he then found. The Right
Hon. Gentleman handed over to him the duties of an
office which up to that period had been discharged in a
most efficient manner. This subject among others had
of course been alluded to, but with reference to it his
judgment had been perEctly unshackled.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. H. BERKELEY observed that the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, in having given the contract to the Pe-
ninsular and Oriental Company, had completely thrown
overboard the labours of the Committee.

Sir C. WOOD said ho was surprised to find in the
report of the Eastern Steam Navigation Company
(whose mouthpiece the Noble Lord the Member for
Lynn had made himself that evening) that ho was
charged with having cordially concurred in the recom-
mendation of tho Committee that the service should be
necessarily given to two companies, and afterwards
with having turned round and decided agginst the
Eastern Steam Navigation Company. Both these state-
ments were utterly without foundation. Every one
knew the meaning ordinarily attached to the word
"competition," but the competition which the Noble
Lord sought for was, that, at whatever price, there
Amid be two companies to carry out the contract.
But what an opening that afforded to jobbing and all
kinds of unfair practices? Why, if he were to give one
portion of the service to one company and another to
another, without any competition for the same, there
would he no limit to -the favour, monopoly, and jobbing
that might result from it.—(Hear.) The accusation of
the Noble Lord was against laim personally, that ho had
given a decision contrary to his opinion.—(" Hear, hear"
from Lord Jocelyn.) The ground on which that charge
had been made against him was totally without foun-
dation, and, grateful as he was to the Noble Lord for
having brought this subject forward, and for his courtesy
in hating apprised him by letter of his intention to do
so, ho thought that his courtesy would have been better
applied, and his justice too, if before ho had made the
charge, ho had taken the trouble to inquire whether
there was any foundation for it. He thought the present
Government had decided perfectly right, for the question
did not admit of the slightest doubt. The Eastern Steam
Company had asked 160,0001. for three lines, while the
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Company had contracted
for less than 200,000/. for all the five lines. If he had
been actuated by any unworthy motives, as the Noble
Lord had insinuated—[Lord JoCELYN—" I never insi-
nuated anything of the kind]—ho would have meted as
ho had done. The Government were bound, certainly,
to take the most advantageous contract, but the lowest
was not always the most advantageous. He warned the
House against being led away by contracts of the kind
referred to. Last year he received no less than seven
private applications from the Eastern Steam Navigation
Company to enter into the contract with them, but he
had refused to entertain them; and he again warned the
House not to sanction a course of conduct which opened
the door to an amount of jobbing and corruption never
before heard of.—(Elear,)
Lord JOCELYN—I wish to call it to th© recollection
of the House that I distinctly stated I did not attribute
any unworthy motives to the Right Hon. Gentleman.
Mr. COWPER defended the Admiralty, and thought
it exceedingly unfair to say a company did not tender
for the whole of the service because they made a differ-
ence of 73 miles on the whole voyage. The Noble Lord
was more influenced than ho was aware of by the state-
ments of the company which had not gained the con-
tract. It was natural that directors should endeavour to
throw the blame the shareholders would fix upon them
for not making tenders which could be accepted on other
shoulders than their own, but in their report the direc-
tors of the Eesiern Steam Company had done more than
any company was entitled to do, for they had not only
misrepresented figures, but had stated what was abso-
lutely entre. The decision of the Admiralty was shown
to bo correct, and he was glad that her Majesty's Go-
vernment supported the result at which the Treasury
and Admiralty of the late Government had, after the
fullest investigation, arrived.
Mr. WILLCOX observed, that the Noble Viscount
was mistaken in supposing that the Peninsular and
Oriental Steam Company had not included Calcutta in
the se;vicede for which they made the contracts.
ROUNDELL PALMER said, that had the ten-
derthe Eastern Steam Navigation Company
the
.a
Mr.
by
been accepted, it was the intention of that company to
have made arrangements, if possible, for landing their
mails at Plymouth, instead of at Southampton • and he
felt that the time was come when it was the duty of the
Government itself to take into consideration the claim of
Plymouth to be a point of departure for the mail service
with our colonial and foreign dependencies.—(Hear,
bear.) The facilities of that port for such a purpose
were, at the very least, equal to those of any other, in
some material respects superior. Mails landed there
from the east would be distributed not merely through-
out the western districts of England, but also through
the manufacturing districts, much earlier than if they
were landed at Southampton. He was satisfied, indeeil
that the present arrangements would have long since
been altered but for the want of a complete railway
communication between Plymouth and London. That
complete communication was now effected; the tele-
graph between the two points would also bo completed
before long, and works now in rapid progress at Ply-
mouth would render that port in every way eligible, and
in the highest degree, for the purpose in question, to
which purpose he trusted tho Government would not
then delay to apply it.
Lord S rANLEY said that the two principles on
which contracts were adopted were, first, that of taking
the lowest tender, irrespective of all other considerations,
and, secondly, that of taking the tender most likely to
be of best service, irrespective of its being the cheapest.
The tender of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam-packet
Company fulfilled both these conditions, being 25 per
cent. cheaper than the other tenders, and, the manner of
its service not being surpassed by that of any other
steam navigation company, that tender had, conse-
quently, been adopted by the Government.--(Hear,hear.) The Cunard steamers were perhaps somewhat
more rapid in their course, but these steamers had only
a single voyage of 3,400 miles to coal for, whereas the
steamers of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam-packet
Company performed the double voyage from Calcuttatthe
to
Suez, and back, almost entirely with coalslaid in at
uc
than the Cunard steamers.
former port, and where therefore much heavier weighed

The subject then dropped.
COLONEL OUTRAN.
Mr. ANSTEY said he would, in order to give wey to
his Hon. Friend (Mr. Horsman), postpone his motion
respecting Colonel Outram till a future day. He must
express, in so doing, his conviotion that the directors
wero resolved not to produce the documents for whichd
he had moved. On the next supplywould
press be
press his motion to a division.
Mr. HERRIES (who was imperfectly heard in the
gallery) said, he was confident that when the subject
came to be fully investigated, the Court of Directors
would be fully exonerated from the strictures passed
upon them by the Hon. and Learned Gentleman.
THE REV. MR. BENNETT.
Mr. HORSMAN called the attention of the House to
the statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
as to the result of the Government inquiry into the case
of Frome. The Hon. Member proceeded to say, that
he wished to call the attention of the House to the law
of the case. He would remind the House, that the in.
quiry he had moved for was an inquiry into the conduct
of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, in instituting Mr.
Bennett. The Government undertook the inquiry, and
they stated - that the complainant had a remedy under
the Church Discipline Act. The Right Hon. Gentle-
man (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) gave an answer
on one point—the case of a clerk, but not on the other
point, as to whether there was any redress in the case
of a bishop. He would take the case of the offending
clerk under the Church Discipline Act, and they
were told he could be proceeded against either
in the diocese in which he held the preferment, or
in the one in which he committed the offence.
The parties to whom the matter would be referred
under that Act would be appointed by the bishop him-
self, and if they said there was no ground for inquiry,
there the matter terminated. The inquiry could not
take place in the diocese of London, as it must be in-
stituted within two years after the offence charged had
been committed. The parties who complained stated
that one bishop had been applied to about Mr. Bennett's
adherence to the Roman Catholic doctrines, and he was
therefore called on to give in his resignation. There
was then the further difficulty that the Bishop of Lon-
don had accepted his resignation, and he could not,
therefore, be brought before him again. But there was
another thing, the offence that was committed abroad
could not be brought under the cognizance of the Church
Discipline Act. It was, therefore, obvious that the re-
dress under the Church Discipline Act was a nominal
one. But that was no portion of the inquiry that he
(Mr. Horaman) had asked for. When he understood
that the bishop was the party to be blamed it was
against him that he complained. Ile was told there
was an application to the archbishop, and when he in-
quired how that was to be made the Right Honourable
Gentleman declined to answer the question. He
then asked him what redress ho had, and an
answer to that question was also declined. He next
asked to see opinions of the law officers of the Crown,
and the Right Hon. Gentleman declined to give that
also. Ho would now state to the House what the law was
on the subject. As regarded the bishop who instituted
rr
ee
dwr ea sa
a person to a living, though he were avowedly a member
twohfeeannt ettohet
the Church
ecbhiusChurch—evenhreohp a
nd
he if
instituted Cardinal h
him
—(A
—lf
gfulnrrddeerd
stated, the redress was only
th
esn.n.:bo
iceldllehigodeape.l:.n)ot tribunal
The ,baesf orreeg whomarded
tthhee they could
clergyman
tare waas no
Discipline Act, as ho had already
(the Attorney-General ask the Right [lon. Gentleman
nominalred redress whatever.—
(Hear.) vaesr.r—e-
His silence wouldeloquent enough;
be) to say anything upon the law.
(Hear.
Hursman) knew that no la but ho (Mr.
on tint subject. If
there
was
searnwould disagree with him
gentle-
men would not snret, to his moti)On
redress, many
thet he had made the statement
he,.haandd therefore it was
given. The case
ouse
being as he had stated, and the H being
in the
condition it was in on the 20th of April, when same
his motion, ho had thought it necessary k he made
give the
statement he had made, his intention being so bring on
his motion on the 7th of Juno.
The ATTORNEY. GENERAL said, if it had not
been the intention of tan Hon. Methber to raise a dis-
co,- or, trieh, h iv. vhsrlinmi from saying what ho
t do,a. rxa h o not contiutd himself to the law of
the case, and though ho said ho did not wish to provoke
diocussio, he had done ; good deal tom* it, The