The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-28 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Petitions were presented by Mr. M'Alahon and several
other Irish members, in favour of the Fisheries (Ireland)
Bill,

FISHERIES (IRELAND) BILL.

Mr. 11PMAHON moved the second reading of this bill,
the object of which, he said, was simply to assimilate the
law respecting the inland and sea fisheries of Ireland with
those of England. There was fish on the coast of Ireland
sufficient to feed three times the population of that country,
and yet at the present time a large portion of the people of
that country were starving. The fact was the Irish
fisheries were totally neglected, while fish was imported
into that country in large quantities from Scotland. Several
causes have been assigned for this, but the real cause was
the bad laws which regulated the Irish fisheries. Until
they were restrained by act of Parliament from fishing
freely as they were wont to do, there was abundance of fish
of every kind caught on the Irish coast. In the middle of
the seventeenth century the Irish were not only able to
procure a sufficient supply of fish for themselves, but to
compete with the Dutch in their own markets. In 1654
there was a larger quantity of fish cured in the town of
Wexford alone than there wore in IM3 in the whole of the
empire, so that there was no doubt when let alone the
Irish :fisheries were prosperous, but such had been
the consequence of the interference of Parliament, that,
while in the year 1734 Ireland exported 21,000 barrels of
herrings, in 1834 she exported none, but, on the contrary,
she imported 149,000 barrels. In 1785 an interference took
place with those fisheries in the shape of a new description
of trawling, and a consolidation took place of all the worst
portions of the Acts of Parliament respecting the Irish
fisheries. From that time, therefore, the Irish fisheries
decreased, and instead of exporting fish they became im-
porters, and that to such an extent that for the twenty years
previous to 1860 the average yearly importation of herrings
into Ireland was 127,000 barrels ; and in 1834 they imported
from Scotland alone 121,000 barrels of herrings. The Lion.
member then proceeded to detail the restrictions placed on
the Irish fisheries, from which the English fisheries were
entirely free, and which he ascribed as the cause of the
failure of the fisheries in the former country. It was the
object of the measure, therefore, to remove these restric-
tions, and place the fishery laws of the two countries on a
similar footing, in terms of the report of the Irish Fishery
Commissioners ; and he concluded by asking the house to
allow the measure to be read a second time.
NEW MEMBER.

Colonel SYHITE here took the oaths and his seat for the
borough of Kidderminster, in room of Mr. Bristow, who
has accepted the office of Secretary to the Admiralty. The
hon. member was introduced by Mr. Brand and Mr.
Beamish.

Lord FERMOY then resumed the debate on the Irish
Fisheries Bill, stating that he considered a bill on so im-
portant a measure as this ought not to be left in the charge
of a private member, but should be taken up by the Go-
vernment. The consequence of the executive Govern-
ment not doing so was, that the time of the house
was taken up with discussions which resulted in nothing,
while the Government, instead of helping on and forward-
ing measures for the good of Ireland, prevented and ob-
structed such measures from being carried out. He thought
the hon. and learned gentleman was wrong in bringing up
the deep sea fisheries and the salmon fisheries in one bill,
and he thought. moreover, that Irishmen were too apt to
depend on legislation for the development of the resources
of their country. He would rather have them rely on
the maxim that heaven helped them that helped them.
selves ; and the Bay of Dublin being at present
fished by Cornish fishermen, who made a good
living by doing so, afft,rded a moral which he
hoped
his of,
perseverancelyhch waEot
theyp'eadt
his countrymen would see the meaning
were they to show the same industry and
could do the same, and there would be no necessity
having recourse to Cornish men to fish the Bayofllu fbliunr.
He did not admit that the system of state cranes and bag
nets had been the means of diminishing
fish caught in Ireland, as he found, from retuernqsuwanhtiicthy he
had procured from the London fishmarket, that while up
to the month of May in the year 1861 the quantity of
salmon brought into the London market from Ire-
land was 3,647 boxes, the quantity brought into the
same market up to the month of
year was 6,783 boxes, being May in the present
an increase of nearly
30 per cent. He, however, protested against a measure of
this nature being in the hands of a private member, and he
should move as an amendment that it 1243 be read a second
time that day six months.

Col. YANDELETJR also opposed the measure, contend-
ing that the system of stake wires and bag nets had the
effect of deteriorating t 13,0 0811ezieN, Ie undontood

Sir R. PEEL said he was rather inclined to approve of
the proposition to refer the measure to a select committee
than to adopt the amendment of the noble lord the member
for Marylebone The question was a most important one,
and he thanked the hon. and learned member for Wexford
for introducing it to the house. Ho had had innumerable
communications from Ireland on the subject, and all of
them complaining of the stake nets and bag nets, and
which he believed himself to be a deteriorating cause of the
failure of the fisheries. He understood that in the Shannon
there was 135 fixed engines doing an immense injury, and
which prevented fish passing up and fructifying and mul-
tiplying as they could wish them to do. He had been in
communication with:the Fishery Commissioners and the
Solicitor-General on the subject, all of whom state that
the measure was capable of being made a good bill, and
that it ought to receive the assent of the Government.
(Hear, hear.) That being so he thought they should read
the bill a second time in order to refer it to a select come
mittee, when he had no doubt they would be able to frame
the measure so as to meet the exigences of the case and be
beneficial to Ireland. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. GEORGE supported the measure, and considered
it would be the means of raising the fisheries in Ireland to
that state of prosperity to which they ought to assume.
Mr. CAL C TT considered that the right hon. baronet
the Secretary for Ireland ought not to have been so hard
upon stake nets, as Government had themselves leased two
fords on one of the Irish rivers, where they had erected
stake nets. On the understanding, however, that the mea-
sure would be referred to a select committee he should sup-
port the second reading.
Mr. LONGFIELD contended that the act of Parliament
regulating the Irish fisheries did not authorise the erection
of those fixed engines which had destroyed the Irish fishe-
ries, and quoted the opinions of the late Baron Pennefather
and other judges to that effect. He was connected himself
with the River Blackwater, in the county of Cork, and ho
could state that that river—one of the finest in Ireland,
having a course of some 70 miles--was hermetically sealed
to salmon in consequence of these engines.
Mr. H. HERBERT considered that a sifting and search-
ing inquiry was necessary before they passed a measure on
the subject, and were this measure read a second time, and
sent to select committee, an opportunity would be afforded
for making that inquiry. To show the necessity of such in-
uiry, while he found it stated that the fisheries on the Shan-
non are gone to ruin, he found the conservators of the fishe-
ries at Limerick stating, in reply to a query put to them by
the Fishery Commissioners, that the fisheries had improved
and that the prospect of further improvement was very
good. That staggered him, and without a proper inquiry
into the matter, it was impossible to get at the truth one
way or other. He did not hesitate to state, at the same 1
_ _ .

time, that the restrictions imposed by the act of 1842 had
deteriorated the fisheries; yet inquiry was absolutely ne-
cessary on the subject, and he hoped the measure would be
sent to a select committee for that purpose.
Mr. WHITESIDE also agreed that the measure should
be read a second time and sent to a select committee, but he
did not think that their doing so was an implication that the
Government should take up the measure, as he thought that
any of the Irish members conversant with the subject
should do so themselves.

Mr. MONSELLL considered that as they had the state-
ment upon legal authority that the fixed engines in the
Shannon, and other Irish rivers, were not authorised by the
act of Parliament, he thought there could be little doubt as
to the necessity of a measure on the subject. He thought,
therefore, that much good would result horn the inquiry as
regarded that point, and he confessed that he had himself
grave doubts upon the point.
Mr. BRADY supported the measure, and hoped, from
the unsatisfactory state of the law at present, that it would
be assuredly brought into operation,

Mr. V, SCULLY said there were no less than 14 Go-
vernment bills relating to Ireland, and 15 introduced by
Irish members, now before the house, and he thought,
therefore, that the right hon. baronet the Secretary for
Ireland was not liable to the charge of neglecting legisla-
tion for Ireland, and of cementing the union between Ire-
land and this country by means of it. He soul,) not see
whether the measure would be properly investigated before
the select committee ; but he supposed that, as the discus-
sion had been conducted in that house by interested parties
—for, with one exception, all those who had spoken upon
it were in some way interested either as stake-men or bag-
Ten—(laughter)—it was not unlikely that the committee
might be composed of parties having the same interest in
the subject. He had no objection to the bill going to a
select committee, provided the committee had powers to
send for persons and papers in order to make a searching
inquiry into the matter.
Mr. BLAKE would not bind himself to all the provi-
sions of the measure, but he should vote for its second
reading, in order that it might go to a select committe, and
hoped the noble lord the member for Marylebone would
withdraw his amendment.
The amendment was then withdrawn .and the bill was
read a second time; and, on the motion of Mr. M'MAUoN,
was ordered to be referred to a select committee.
INNS OF COURT GOVERNMENT BILL.
The second reading of this measure was postponed to
'Wednesday the 25th of June.

JURIES BILL.
This bill wns read a second timo and ordered to be com-
mitted on the 23d June.

ELECTION FOR COUNTIES (IRELAND) BILL.'
Mr. A. ELLIS moved the second reading of this bill, the
object of which is to limit the days of polling for members
of Parliament from two days to one, the same as in Eng-
land.

Mr. HENNESSY considered that the measure would be
the means of increasing the expenses of Irish county elec•
tions, and as they had not the same extensive railway
system in Ireland as thcy had in England it would be im-
possible to poll one of the Irish counties in one day.
Colonel FRENCH supported the measure, as by increas-
ing the number of polling places they could prevent voters
being conveyed large distances.
Mr. LEFROY also supported the measure, as he thought
one day quite sufficient.
After a few words from Mr. V. SCULLY, who said
that he had no objection to limit the polling to one day or
to one hour, if possible, but he objected to the measure in
the number of polling places.
Sir G. GREY said the limit of the polling to one day
had worked most beneficially in England, and ho had no
doubt it would do the same in Ireland.
The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be
committed on Tuesday next.
ELECTIONS (IRELAND) BILL.
This bill, whichreadasecondtime, was stated tto b
aan driderto orderedthe preceding-
b e com
one, was also
mitted on Tuesday.
CROWN PRIVATE ESTATES BILL.
This bill was read a third time and passed.
JUDGMENTS LAW AMENDMENT IRELAND
BILL.

Mr. V. SCULLY moved that the select committee on
the Judgments Law Amendment (Ireland) Bill and the
Land Debentures (Ireland) Bills do consist of nineteen
members ; and that Mr. More °Terrell, Sir Edward
Grogan, and Colonel Greville be added to the committee.
Mr. WHITESIDE objected to nny increase in the
number of sixteen already appointed.
On the house dividing there appeared_

_ -
For Mr. Scully's motion .............. 39
Against it
Majority against •
the motion ...... —22
Mr. SCULLY then stated that he wished his name with-
drawn from the committee.

---
The house then adjourned at five minutes past 5 o'clock.
—.--__

The contemplated trip of Queen Victoria to
Coburg has been made the occasion for addressing to her
Majesty an invitation on the part of the Austrian Court.
It is hoped that her Majesty, after a stay at Reinharts.
brunn, where she is to meet the Crown Princess of
Prussia, will pay a visit to the Emperor at the Palace of
Greinburg, in Upper Austria.
The Countess de Flahault has issued cards for
assemblies on the sth and 19th of next month, at Albert-
gate House.

MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE ON LOCHLOMOND.
—On Saturday forenoon three yonng men, named respec-
tively James and Gavin Morton (brothers), machine-
printers, residing in Alexandria, and James M'Ewan, a
field-worker, residing in Bonhill, left Balloch in a small
sailing boat, belonging to Gavin Morton, for a day's plea-
sure sailing on Lochlomond. They proceeded in safety as
far as Luss, which place they left in the evening on their
return home. '1 hey were all quite sober, it is said. The
weather being somewhat squally, they were cautioned on
leaving Luss as to the danger of setting their sails, a caution
which they unfortunately did not attend to, as, shortly after
leaving, the sails were observed hoisted. Nothing more
was heard of them till Sunday morning, when the boat was
found lying on the beach on the north side of the loch,
nearly opposite to Luse, with keel uppermost, the young
man, no donit, having met with an untimely and watery
grave. All Sunday and Monday large numbers of boats,
plied by willing hands, were in search of the bodies, which
have as yet not been recovered. On Monday, MT wan's
cap was found floating on the water about a mile above
Luss. The ages of the unfortunate men ranged from 25 to
30 years, Whey Were all tvamarned.

Sometimes it is the wife who is p. ut under the
screw of her husband'e peculiarities sometimes it
is the husband who is martyred by his wife's ex-
travagances. I know a little woman whose life is
a perpetual sacrifice to blinds and boots, and another
who will surely never rest in her grave because of
the creases in the tablecloths, and a certain silver
tankard which never is clean, never was clean, and
never will be clean, yet which the maid polishes
twice a week with rouge, and rubs up every day
with " chamoy leather." My little friend who is
under the screw in the matter of blinds, has long
ago been squeezed flat and shapeless ; but then her
husband wields a very formidable machine, and
knows how to give the extra turn scientifically. A
third is under the screw of her husband's disorder
and irregularity, having to subdue herown instincts
of order and organisation and clear methodical
punctuality, in obedience to his demand for muddle,
and being obliged to neglect her own life in the
vain attempt to stitch up the rags and rents of his.
In point of fact she is held in the tightest vice of
all, her whole life being passed in a state of uncom-
fortable pressure and inharmonious servitude, where
she has not even the wages of service—the plea-
sure of accomplishing the work she undertakes to
fulfil. As a rule I should say that wives are more
frequently under the screw than husbands,oni woman's
with a larger proportion of smashed vitality, but
sometimes they take their revenge, and a w
revenge, like most things feminine, is apt to be ex-
cessive and by no means well considered. When
they once get hold of the screw-handle, pray how
much nerve and muscle do you think is left
entire P And do they ever leave off turning
until their victim is a mere superficies—a flat-
tened bit of cardboard bearing but a remote resem-
blance to a man ? The screw of old maiden primness
which squeezes down all exuberance and indivi-
duality and naturalness and moral richness, as if
all men ought to be pulped into one homogeneous
whole, and then run off into moulds like so many
jellies of the same shape : the screw of housekeep-
ing meanness, where there are barbed points and
salt to rub into their wounds, over and above the
lawful amount of pressure : the screw of feminine
gadding, which cannot rest quietly at home and
will not gad abroad alone, but must have a compa-
nion to fly in the same concentric circles: the screw
of sullen taciturnity, which will not open its own
lips to speak, and forbids you to open yours ; con-
trariwise, the screw of chattering, which cannot lot
you keep silent, not if it went with your life or
reputaptoiowne;r,
whenceare not n
allo
humanthese
screws
soul
can
hundred-
horseof issuein
rightful form, or with due proportion of numbers P
The screw takes the life-blood out of them.--,
Dickens's "411 the Year Round."

MARKETS---THIS DAY.