The Sun.
London, England, 1839-06-14 00:00:00

Trtr Stilkr,-+JOVIION% PilT DA r, J-TM7/1 14. leM.

MAIL PACKET STATION.

CONTEMPLATED REMOVAL OF HER MA-
JESTY'S MAIL PACKET STATION FROM
FALMOUTH. •

SoUTRADIPTON, WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
A very respectable meeting of the merchants and inha-
bitants of Southampton, to consider the propriety of me-
moralizing the Government to make that post the station
for the arrival and departure of the mail packets. in case
of its being removed from Falmouth, was held at the
Guildhall, Southampton. this afternoon,
The late Mayor, JOSEPH Loan, Esq , was called to the
Chair, in the absence of the Mayor.
L'eutenant-Colonel HENDERSON rose to submit the
first resolution. It was now upwards of seven
years since he was first engaged in endeavouring
to establish a Company for making a Railway from
Southampton. He was appointed Chairman of the
Committee which was formed for that purpose, and he
would now give an account of his stewardship. In the
year 1832, the period to which he was alluding, it was
found that after all the exertions that had been made, the
requisite amount of capital could not be obtained. In
1833, determined that he should not be accused of being
lax in his efforts to effect that great undertaking, he went
to London, where several men of influence took up the
measure, amongst whom were the late Chairman of the Com-
pany, Mr. Wright, the present Chairman. Mr. Fasthope,
Mr. Humphries, and meny other gentlemen of capital.
Still the amount subscribed was insufficient, and to obtain
further funds he went to Manchester, where he got ac-
quainted with Mr.. Langston, by whom he was introduced
to Mr. Lloyd. For three days he walked the streets of
Manchester without having obtained one single share sub-
scribed for ; during that time he called thrice on Mr.
Lloyd, who heard him patiently, and on the last occasion
said to him, " I feel quite satisfied with the explanations
you have given me, and I will take 200 shares." On
coming oat of Mr. Lloyd's office, Mr. Langston shook
hands with him, and told him lie would soon have his
share-list filled ; and so it was, for in three days 400 0001.
was subscribed in Manchester. They carried their Bill
into Parliament, and after much skirmishing before the
Committee, they found they were still a hundred and fifty
thousand pounds short, and which sum must be obtained
before they could take forcible possession of a single
acre of ground. Accordingly, it again fell to h:s lot to
endeavour to get the money. He went into Scotland,
where he very soon got the 150,000/. subscribed for. The
work was proceeded with, and, as the engineer had ob-
served on Monday last, there was now no doubt of its en-
tire successful completion in twelvemonths from this time.
In connexion with the railway the docks were also at first
projected, but as it was thought that both together would
prove too stupendous an undertaking, the docks were
stopped for a time. He was happy to see that they were
now taken up by other patties; the share list was com-
pleted, and the works would very soon be commenced.
There was one point connected with the docks which bore
very strongly on this question, and that was the intended
formation of e tidal basin, in which there would be at all
times of the ode a depth of from 18 to 20 feet of water,
approachable at all tides, and at all seasons of the year.
He believed that the largest steam-ves-Tls did not draw
more than 15 feet water, and for the Post-office packets
the depth would be amely suffedera. Some time ago
it was his lot to have communication with se-
veral gentlemen in London connected with the
project of the steam navigation of the Atlantic;
amongst - them was Mr. Beckford, the son of a gen-
tleman well known and respected in this town, who was
largely connected with the Vest lndia interest. He fre-
quently saw him, and pointed out to him the advisability of
making this port the station, if Government would consent,
for sending the mails, by steam vessels across the Atlantic.
It was then suggested that one steam vessel should be sent
to St. Michael's or Terceira, or if the harbours in those
places should not be found fit fir the purpose, to the island
of Madeira, and that on its arrival there, three vessels
should start simultaneously, one to Halifax, Boston, or
New York, one for the West indies and Mexico, and the
third for the more southern parts of South America, as low
as Rio Janeiro. He had an interview with Sir John Bar-
row, the Secretary of the Navy, and Col. Maberley, the
Secretary of the Post-office, respecting the subject. He
had expected to receive a refusal, and to have cold water
thrown on it, considering the number of gun vessels em-
ployed in that service, and the amount of patronage such
employment places in the hands of the Admiralty ;
but he was surprized to meet such a cordial reception, and
so far from any obstruction being thrown in the way by the
Admiralty, Sir John Barrow assured him, that they were
ready tc enter into a contract with any parties who would
undertake to convey the mails, by steam•vessels, across the
Atlantic Ocean. He therefore hoped he should have been
able to effect the formation of a Company, on a grand scale,
got up for the purpose of establishing steam-vessels for the
navigation of the Atlantic, to start from the Port of
Southampton, but he was much disappointed to find that
he had been anticipated, and that another Company had
been got up, who had contracted for conveying the mails,
by steam to H ilifex, New York, or any other Ports, north
of New York, fur 55,0001. alear. He saw Mr. Kinnaird,
the head of the Company, and pointed out to him the
advantages of making Southampton the port to start, from
the depth of water, and the facility of approach._ Mr.
Kinnaird promised him that regard should be paid to
the claim of Southampton, but he had been told—
he did not know if it was true—that that gen-
tleman had since received a bonus of 20.00(1. for half his
share in the Company, and that the parties who had taken
it were connected with Liverpool and Bristol. If that were
the case he feared there was little chance of Southampton
being made the port of departure unless the Government
ordered the Company to do so, fOr be did not see why the
merchants of London should be compelled to send their
letters for America to Liverpool,—.:tie did not see why, the
vessels should not start from Lotion direct. It was his
own opinion that if the matter were brought properly under
the notice of the Government they would compel the Corn-
pany to sail from the mot direct port. This question was
of very great importance to Southampton. Ile, believed
that no port possessed so many advantages, taking into con-
sideration the depth of water, tire tranquil stme of the river,
the railway to Loudon, and the Tidal Basin, which perhaps
would be completed in twelve months, and ready to receive
the largest steam vessels which still ever be employed in
the navigation of the Atlantic. The resolution which he
had the honour to propose was to the following effect :
" That this meetine taking into consideration the pecu-
liar advantages which the Port of Southampton affords for
the esteblishment of a Pest-offiee packet station, regard
being had especially to the safety of its harbour—the
facility of departure at all seasons of the year, and all times
of the tide—its contiguity to London, and its railway com-
munication. now on the point of completion—resolves that
a Committee be appointed fit the purpose of drawing up
a memorial to the proper etithorities, with power to ap-
point a deputation to wait upon such authorities, and to
take proper steps, as the Co nmittee may deem requisite.
to extend the benefits which must result both to the town
and to the public service, from the attainment of this
important object."
Captain WARD, R N., said that after the lucid state-
ment mule by Colonel Henderson, it was almost unneces
sary for him to do more than move a vote of thanks to that
Gentleman, but as the usual course was that every resolu-
tion should be seconded, he would second this one with
great pleasure. With respect to the exertions made by
Culonel Henderson, in first pa omoting the formation of
the Railway, he had been joined with that Gentleman in
the first progress of the work, and no Gentleman, he was
sure, could have displayed more energy and zeal than
that Gentleman had done. ledeed, had it not been
for his .perseverance, he, (Captain Wa.d) was coevinced
there would hive bsen no tail ase from London to
Southampton this day. He aorthuted to th it gentle-
nun's exertions the great ued rteking which will ,end
to make this port a naval and mercantile arsenal—equal
to any in the kiegdam. There was not one port better
adapted to the object which they were met to endea-
weir to obtain—from the facility of approach—the safe-
ness of the anchorage—the advantage which it derived
from its p culiar tides, of its being high water longer
than at any other port—its central poshion, and its near
approach by means of the reilsvey to London, by which
the dangers of the Channel would be avoided. Their
good neighbours of Portsm oath had boasted of the advan-
tage of their situation for a packet station, but riotwith-
stiinding the xcellence of that port as a naval arsenal, he
would not cones de one particle to them on this point.
The aproach to this place was quite as good, if not
better than that to Portsmouth. He considered that the
Government ought to keep Portsmouth as a naval ar-
senal, and net allow it to be mixed. up with mercantile
affairs. He had been greatly employed there during the
war, and he had fiequntly experienced the greatest
difficulty in .getting in and out of the harbour from the
crowd of transports and merchantmen, sod the rapidity o
the current. He had great pleasure in seconding the re-
solution. Before he sat down he bad one word with re-
gard to the docks. He begged to produce the plan
which had been agreed to at the last meeting, and wnich
was calculated to afford the greatest accommodation tof
mercantile shipping. Not only had the whole of the
shares been subscribed for, but those who had refused to pay
until that had been done were now paying up, and there
was no doubt that the works would very shortly be in pro-
gress; and he was convinced that there were many here
whose heads were not yet silvered over by age, who would
live to see this one of the first mercantile ports of the
kingdom.
J. B. Hoy, Esq., (late M.P. for Southampton) said
he had one'or two observations to make at this stage of the
proceedings. On reading over the report of the meeting
at Pcirtsmouth he had been struck with the advantages
possessed by Southampton over that town, one of which
was that in the former case the steamers would lay at
Spithead, and passengers would have to go out in open
boats in all weathers, whereas if the Station were
established at Southampton pissengers would have only
to walk on board from the pier or docks. He said it was
stated that the mails could be forwarded from Portsmouth
to London within six hours ; but surely with the Railroad
they could be forwarded in 3-1- or 3 hours from Sot*bamp-
ton. The Railroad was originally projected at a very
small meeting. His friend, Mr. Le Fouvre and two or three
other gentlemen, had waited on him in the Isle of Wight,
as a deputation, and he had the honour in the House of
Commons to be the Chairman of the Committee on the
Dock Bill, which he looked on as the consequence of the
Railway. The harbour of Southampton had been cele-
brated in former times as a resort for mercantile shipping,
but with the Docks and Railroad, should the station be
removed from Falmouth, he considered the appeal in favour
of it would be irresistible.
The resolution was then put from the Chair, and car-
ried amidst great cheering.
Captain Weer) then proposed the following resolution :
.‘ That the Committee consist of the Mayor, J. B. Fly,
J. Ede, G. Brown, J. W. Drew, and J. Lobb, Esqrs.,
Col. Hendersole, Capt. W ard, R.N., Messrs. Bienvenue,
Keele, Chaplin, Witt, Channel, Buchan, and Le Feuvre.
Seconded by W. D. BROOKS, and carried unanimously.
Mr. La FEUVRE then proposed a vote of thanks to Mr.
Lobb for his oncduct in the Chair, which was carried by
acclamation.
It was agreed that the Committee should nave power
either to request the Mayor to sign the memorial,
or to submit it for the signatures of the inhabitants, and

votes of than;

were given to Col. Henderson and J. B.

Hoy, Esq.
Before the meeting broke up, Col. Henderson men-
tioned a plan which was in contemplation for 'erecting a
Mercantile Exchange, where the tradesmen •f the town
might find a point of union. The plan had been prepared by
the architect of the London and Sonthampton Railway, and
an application would be made to the Corp-)ration for the
site. The meeting then, having entered into a subscrip-
tion to defray the expenses of the Committee, broke up.

METROPOIATA/N POLITICAL
SU‘IMARY.

The Courier, in an article on the Ballot, very justly
observes, that " the Tories are unable to conceal their
vexation at the rt solution to which Ministers have come,
to leave the Ballot an open question. This concession
i is itself sufficient to bar Sir Robert Peel and his friends
from office for the year 1839, and the interval between this
and the next Se:lion will, we trust, be profitably spent
in preparing the whole Liberal party to act with union
and energy at the next general election ; for the present
House of Commons, though it may suffice to keep the
Tories from office, does not possess the means of corn-
!minding respect for its decisions from the other House
of Parliament, and as long as the latent struggle between
the two Houses continues, it is impossible that the legis-
lation of the country can be carried on to the satisfac-
tion of any party whatever."

It adds, in allusion to the nut cry which the Tory
cacklers of the press are raising aLainst the Govern-
ment for making the Ballot an open question, that " of
all people in the world, however, the supporters of the
Duke of Wellington and Sir Robert Ptel ought to be
the last to make it a matter of reproach to public men
to consent to remain in a Cabinet not united on a great
and momentous question. Lord Liverpool's Cabinet
was from its very commencement, di,ided on the ques-
tion of CatholicEniancipation ; yet, neither the Duke
of Wellington nor Sir Robert Peel, unbounded as their
zeal then was for the entire exclusion of Catholics from
all share in the Government or Legislation of the
country, ever manifested the least reluctance to accept
of scats in a Cabinet which left Catholic Emancipation
an open question."

The itandard thus enlightens its readers on the ad•
vantages of education :—" Whoever considers the
state of the mass of the population seventy or eighty
years ago, and has manliness to confess the truth,
trill acknowledge that before the middle of the
last century, the peasantry of England could
scarcely derive any possible advantage. from a general
diffusion of book and paper knowledge—we s iy from
a general diffusion, because at all times the possession
of a singular accomplishMent must profit the possessor
exactly to the extent
_Prat it is singular. Goldsmith's
flute-playing, as he tells carried Urn prosperously over
the Continent until he reached countries where every
peasant played as well as himself.' So it was in England
at the time of which we speak ; the one or two in a
parish who could read,' and write throve better than
their illiterate neighbours ; but the argument from the
particular to the universal fails here, as it always fails.
Had all the parish been raised to their level they would
have been so much the worse in those respects in which
they had an advantage, without their neighbours being
anything- the better."

The Globe has a leading article on the Eastern ques-
tion, from which we extract the following observations:
—" The permanent interests of France, however, are
those of civilized Europe ; the independence of the other
members of the great European family against despotic en-
creaehment has become essential to her own ; and France
knows well the dangers her peace and freedom would
have incurred of late years from Russian preponde-
rance, or from English hostility. United, France and
England can dictate justice and moderation to the world.
In alliance or connivance with Russia, France might
hope to share in the spoil of her neighbours, as Austria
and Prussia were deluded to do in the last century, and
each of them have bitterly repented since. The policy of
France, however, like that of every state which has
reached a certain stage of national progress and moral
development, has ceased to be naturally or essen-
tially aggressive in character. War amongst equals
is a game at which all must lose. The great security
of peace in Europe is the equslity of civilization,
where every country has much to lose and little to gain
by attacking others. There is only one European-
Asiatic power, which has much to gain and little to
lose (in her present state of organization), by systematic
encroachments upon all her neighbours.—by force, where
the victim is feeble—by fraud, where her force is inade-
quate, and at wham it is childish to call names for 41
disposition which is- the law of her beini, but most in
dispensable to constantly alive to the dangers which
result from her neighbourhood."

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

HOUSE OF LORDS, Juxß 13

The House sat to-day for the purpose of hearing Scotch
appeals. The Peers in rtttendanee were the Lord Chan-
ce lor, the Marquis of Tavistock, and Lord Montagu.

GRAY V. FORBES.

The LORD CUANCELLOR, after hearing Counsel in this
appeal on behalf of the aupellant, ordered the judgment
of the. C tkirio-Lolow to- be zuktVirrna4 vw;

FLEMING V. DUNLOP.
The -Loan Ciuvsecer.t.on gave judgment in this case,
which was argued a shott time since, reversing the deei..
sion of the Court Session.

BF, Cr: V. M`C.4Lf.

This case came li...fort:their Loritiliipl, upon appeal from
the decision of the Court of Session, in an action of mul-
tiple poimiine% TMS:atgumenk,-, which hal not concluded-
at lour o'clock, will be resumed .te.m,,,row (this day).