The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-20 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 20, 1863.

the court-martial and granting the court of inquiry, which
was a great slur on a naval officer.
Mr. COLLIER defended generally the course pursued by
the Admiralty, though he admitted that in one respect Lord
Elphinstone's absence from the inquiry was a grievance of
which the noble lord had just cause of complaint. It was
not until after the court of inquiry had made its report that
a court-martial was asked for.
Mr. WHITESIDE said the Board of Admiralty had no
right to refuse a c,urt-martial and proceed against Lord
Elphinstone by a court of inquiry, which was an illegally
constituted tribunal.
The subject then dropped.
THE IRISH MEMBERS AND THE IRISH
FISHERY BILL.

Mr. E ~MON DE asked the Irish Secretary whether a
report which appeared in the freeman's Journal of Satur-
day last, and which purported to give an account of a meet-
ing of Irish members convened by the right hon. gentleman
in one of the apartments of that house, was correct; and if
so, why the right hon. gentleman had omitted to invite the
attendance of members representing large interests in con-
nection with the Irish salmon fisheries.
Sir R. PEEL said the meetirg to which the hon. mem-
ber referred was constituted of himself and three other hon.
members connected with Ireland, with whom he was anxious
to consult as to the provisions of the Fishery Bill proper to
be introduced. He had seen the report alluded to, and he
must say he had never been more surprised than at seeing
the very admirable speech which was attributed to him,
but one word of which he had not spoken. (Laughter.) He
believed the report in question was traceable to the hon,
member for Waterford (Mr. Blake).
Mr. BLAKE repudiated the allegation that the report
was traceable to him.
THE AMERICAN WAR.—RIGHTS OF NEUTRALS
Lord A. VANE desired, before the adjournment for the
recess, to take the opportunity of calling attention to the
position of neutral traders belonging to this country in the
present crisis of the American war; and he was the more
induced to do so from having read the statement of the noble
earl the Secretary for Foreign Affairs that evening. It
would seem as if Federal cruisers had the right to an un-
limited degree of seizing neutral vessels going to Matamoras
and Nassau. Now, the noble lord the Secretary for Foreign
Affairs had laid it down, in a despatch to Washington, that
though the right of belligerents to atop neutral traders was
a very useful right, yes, unless it was used with discrimi-
nation, it would become an intolerable evil. In another
place, however, the noble lord was too much in the habit of
speaking the views of the Washington Cabinet; and there-
fore it was that he desired to impress upon the Government
the necessity of having the principles laid down by Mr.
Seward in his despatch of August last rigidly adhered to ;
otherwise the American Government would only be too
likely to presume upon our rights.
IRISH DISTRESS.

Mr. MAGUIRE gave notice that on the 23d of June
he would move an address, praying for a Royal commis-
sion to inquire into and report upon the state of the agri-
cultural classes of Ireland, and suggest measures for their
relief.

Mr. WMAHON gave notice that on Tuesday, June 2,
he would call attention to some of the causes of the distress
prevailing in Ireland, and the means which had been
adopted to prevent its recurrence.
RATING TO THE POOR.

Mr. HUBBARD gave notice that on Friday, June 19, he
would call attention to the laws relating to the rating to the
poor, and move for certain returns.
The motion for the adjournment of the house was then
agreed to.