The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-18 00:00:00

Government proposed to take anylneasures for the more-
certaiiitiansinission of the mails to Australia, and for
effectually enforcing the contract for that purpose with
the Australian Royal Mail Steam Navigation Com-
pany ?" (Hear, 'hear.)
Viscount CANNING said that no apology was needed
from his noble friend for bringing under the notice of
their lordships an occurrence which had caused so much
public inconvenience, and had led to so much disappoint-
ment and anxiety on the part of private individuals.
Before proceeding to answer the questions which his
noble friend had put to him, he thought it was necessary
that he should refer to one or two points with regard to
the contract between the Government and the Australian
Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, and the mode in
which it was performed by the latter. He (Viscount
Canning) had no wish to be considered as the champion
of the company, and if he had such a wish his task would
certainly be a difficult one, but he thought it right that
there should be no appearance of overcharge in what
was stated against the company ; and, in the first place,
he might remind their lordships of the exact nature of
the communication which existed atthe present moment
between this country and Australia. The Australian
Royal Mail Company did not provide the only means of
postal communication between England and the Aus-
tralian colonies. There was, or there ought to be, a
regular monthly- mail, starting alternately from Ply-
mouth and Southampton, proceeding on each alternate
month by the Cape of Good Hope to Australia, and the
other months by the Mediterranean and Singapore. On
every alternate month of the year the service was per-
formed by the Australian Mail Steam Navigation Com-
pany, their vessels sailing by way of St. Vincent and
the Cape of Good Hope ; but however imperfectly the
service might be performed by them, there was not the
absence of all sure communication which his noble friend
had seemed to suppose. He (Viscount Canning) had no
wish to 'extenuate the conduct of the company in failing
to perform their contract, but he simply desired to assure
their lordships and the public as to the fact of there being
a safe and reliable means of communication between this
'country and Anstralia.. His noble friend had also found
faillt with the low rate of speed at which the vessels of
the' company had performed their voyages ; but he (Vis-
count Canning) could not help thinking that his noble
friend had left out, of his calculations the stoppages which
the vessels were 'obliged to make, being compelled to
stop at St. Vincent's, and at the Cape, besides further
stoppages in Australia, before they arrived at Sydney.
These stoppages ought to be taken into consideration.
He was not praising the company for their punctuality
or rapidity ; far from it ; but he wished their lordships
to be informed of the whole of the facts of the case: The
Australian, on her first voyage, had occupied 95 days in
reaching Sydney ; according to the time tables attached
to the contract 79 days was the time allowed to her for
completing the voyage. Upon her return she had oc-
cupied`ll3 days in going over the same space. That
therefore gave, in the one instance, a delay of 16, and in
the other a delay of 34 days over and above the right
time. With respect to touching at King George's
Sound, he was not prepared to defend the arrangement
under which that provision made a part of the contract.
The contract had been signed in June last, and he was
ignorant of the motive which had induced the Govern-
ment of 'the day to put this and some other provisions
into the contract, though he was sure that they had not
been inserted without due consideration. However, he
was inclined to think that the stoppage at King George's
Sound was on the whole objectionable. His noble friend
had statedcorrectly all that had happened in reference
to this unfortunate vessel the Australian. She ought to
have left Plymouth onker last voyage on the 3d of Feb.,
but the company had made application that she should
not sail until the 23d, as she was not likely to be ready
for sea before that day. The Lords of the Admiralty
had given their sanction to the delay, and the mails had
been sent down to Plymouth on the 23d, but the vessel
was not then ready, and did not sail until the 24th. This
last delay had been without the sanction of the Lords of
the Admiralty, and a fine had been inflicted on the occa-
casion, which would be enforced against the company.
On the 24th, the Australian put to sea, but on the 25th
she was obliged to put back to Plymouth, herself disabled
and her mails very seriously damaged. So far as re-
garded the performance of the public service, her Ma-
jesty's Government felt it to be their duty to provide for
the immediate dispatch of the letter part of the mails, and
it had so happened that when the accident occurred to
the Australian, it was within seven days of the dispatch
of the next monthly steamer. Accordingly, the letter
portihn of the mail had been immediately sent to South-
ampton, and was now on its way, by the Mediterranean
and Singapore, to Australia. He did not apprehend
that much inconvenience would be suffered by parties
from this brief delay of seven days, because the means of
communication by which the letters had been dispatched
was so much shorterthan the other that the letters would
reach their destination nearly as soon as if the Australian
had proceeded on her voyrge. After sundry repairs, it
had been announced to Government that the Australian
would be ready to start again from Plymouth on the 10th
of this month. She did start') with a new mail, and,
as their lordships were aware, was obliged to put back.
into Plymouth, more than ever disabled ; the mails, how-
ever, had suffered no injury, and the vessel was now on
her way up the Channel to the port of London. That
portion of the last mail which was addressed to the Cape
of Good Hope had been immediately transhipped to a
vessel belonging to the Screw Steam Company, which
sailed the following day ; and, in fact, the only portion
of the mail which would be at all delayed, and by which
any inconvenience would be caused, was the newspapers.
That, no doubt, would occasion serious inconvenience to
parties in Australia, but it had been quite ont of the
power of the Post-office to make arrangements for the
transmission of the newspapers, inasmuch as it would
have been utterly hopeless to attempt to convey the 150
large boxes which would be required for the purpose
across the Isthmus of Suez, unless due notice were given
beforehand. Those newspapers would in all pro-
bability be conveyed in a day or two by some fast-
sailing passenger vessel, and in the ordinary course
of things they would be delivered in the Australian
colonies within ninety-five days. He believed that he
had now replied to the inquiry of his noble friend so far
as it related to the transport of the present mails. As
regarded the question whether the Government would
take any steps for enforcing the contract with the Aus-
tralian Royal Mail Steam-packet Company, it was neces-
sary that he should state that, during the delay which
had occurred in consequence of the mishaps of the Aus-
tralian, the Lords of the Admiralty had received a letter
from the chairman of the company, setting forth the dif-
ficulties under which the company conceived that they
had been called upon to perform the service, and pray-
ing for a favourable consideration, and requesting that,
as it would be impossible for them to provide a vessel
for the conveyance of the mail which ought to leave
England in due course on the 3d of April, their lord-
ships would consent to forego that service, and would be
satisfied if the vessel were ready by the 3d of June. That
letter had been referred to a committee which was now
sitting for the purpose of investigating the state of the
Post-office packet service. The committee having had
the letter before them, had yesterday reported their
opinion to the Lords of the Admiralty ; but as he (Vis-
count Canning) was not then in a position to state that
any action had been taken on that opinion, he hoped
that his noble friend would not press him to give any
distinct explanation of the terms in which it had been
conveyed. It would be perhaps sufficient to state that
the spirit in which the committee had approached the
subject had been, that while,-on the one hand, it was
most desirable that the Government should not justly
undergo the charge of straining their legal rights or of
pressing hard upon the company, yet,' on the other-
hand, it was their firm conviction that the system of con-
tracts for the packet service of this country was to be
carried on, and if the public was to be called upon to pay
large subsidies for such service, it was the duty of the
Government to insure to the public the enjoyment of all
contracts of a reasonable amount of punctuality, cer-
tainty, and dispatch. (Hear, hear.) He had only to
add that, if the contract between the company and the SERGEANT ADAMS.
Government were not already on the table of both houses Sir DE LACY EVANS wished to ask the Secretary
of Parliforthament, it should be placed on their lordships' Of State for the Home Department, a question concern-
table with.
• Lord COLCHESTER was understood to observe that ing a recent trial at the Middlesex Sessions, in which it it was for the convenience of Western Australia that it is stated that Mr. Sergeant Adams, who presided, sen-
bad been provided buy the contract that vessels should tented Mary Hill to 7 years' transportation for robbery,
call at King George s Sound. In reply to a further re-
and to 3 years' additional transportation for calling a
mark by the noble lord, which did not reach the gallery,policeman a pig ; with a view of founding a motion
Viscount CANNING said, he believes that the por- thereon, if the facts be as stated, and if the pre-
sent state of the. law be inadequate for enabling
of the Australian's mail which had suffered most
were the bags for Melbourne. Those bags had been the Secretary of State to correct this description of
opened judicial administration. He wished to ask the noble
that and the had
000 letters dried, which was an operation lord if his attention had been directed to the case ?
which haa thuepied a considerable time. The letters Lord PALMERSTON said the woman was found
packed in box Ix directions still legible had then been guilty of an offence committed under circumstances of
and Oriental
• es, and had been sent off by the Peninsular an aggravated character, and he was informed that rob-
overlandStea packet Company's vessel along the
route. beries committed in this manner were by no means an
letters, the addres ere were, however, about 60 or 70 f t
terated that it wasses of which had been so entirely obli- requen occurrence. The practice of such depreda-
of
impossible
impossible to forward them to tors was this :—A lady of engaging manner—(a
their destination, and
r these circumstances they laugh)—inveigles a gentleman into a lonely spot, and
had been dealt with in the usual way, and sent to the manages to rob him there while engaged in conversation.
Dead Letter-office. About hf of them had been claimed, Thereupon a male confederate of the lady issues upon
and about 30 still remained, which could hardly be I the unsuspecting gentleman, and complains of being in-
called letters, and could not be distinguished from mere terfered with in his connubial rights—(renewed laughter)
scraps of paper.
—and while the altercation is going on the lady escapes
In reply to a question by Lord 'cm
which did not reach us, ARNCLIFFE
of
hisotngoivlee with her booty, and the gentleman is happy to escape
' without personal injury. Now, this woman, after
Viscount CANNING said he feared he could , having been once rescued from the hands of the police,
a very satisfactory answer to the question b was again taken up and found guilty of robbing a gen-
friend, because it related so entirely to Admiralty bus; tleman under similar circumstances to those he had
nees that
sere was not folly informed on the subject de stated. The magistrate sentenced her to seven
had seen port from Captain Lowe, the Admiralty years' transportation ; and ' after the sentence
surveyor at Plymouth, to the effect thdat, on examina- Was passed she became very violent. The judge, there-
tion, it appeared that the Australian ha started on her fore, increased the sentence by three years, for the pur-
second voyage with something like 400 tons weight, in ' pose of deterring others from falling into such violent
the shape of coals, stores, and cargo, beyond that which
rueesmtoonstrations of rage and temper, but he intended to
she had had on a former voyage, which, although not ,re
original sentence before the sessions closed,
performed at the stipulated rate of speed, had
been
_fle.,Qrst.h sentence now stood at seven, instead of ten
safe and prosperous. It was conjectured that this (Hear.)
CANTERBURY ELECTION.
t at the La
cause, together with severe weather, had led to the
opening of her seams, through which the water had got
house, KER sEymou.R
popredasrreedquaitretdhea beaerufeorfeutheee
in, and the safety of the vessel had been risked. This and stated h
managers having been accordingly
supposition appeared to be borne out by the fact that with this house on the subject of the Canterbury
as suspended for she had been carefully examined by the surveyor, and election._
ase Wheld. On the return of the ma
so long as she was in smooth water she had been ap-
pap
briefo appointed, d,
space,the
abnudsinthesescoofuftehreenheeouz
parently perfectly watertight.
The conversation then dropped.
'ICER SEYMOUR stated that the resolutiontee of
BRIBERY AT ELECTIONS.
Secretary
ee
eftr
ewt
On the motion that the house do now adjourn, I namgerrs.
the house for an address to the Crown had
The Earl of DERBY said he wished, before th house
ith
ndern
adjourned totar ask a question of the noble duke the Secre-
COLONIAL POSTAGE.
heerPeclol:tentii°asnteira-
Y of State for the Colonies, or of the noble and their lordships.
learned lord on the woolsack. Their lordships had re- I Lord STANLEY wished to ask the U
veeeirvyt totrhe course of that day a communication on a of State for the. Colonies,aantuwounhaetetdimbeytht
it was due,tnt subject from the other house, to whom rates of colonial postage,
pay
ta.oint of courtesy and respect, that they General, may be expected to come into operation?
arliest attention, more especially on a ! Mr. F. PEEL said he was afrai nsi erable
eP interes. the lan announced by the
The communication re- 1 time must elapse before P

ferred-to-the proceedings which had been taken by the
other house under the act which had been brought into
operation in the course of last year, and with regard to
which severaLother messages of the same kind might yet
be received by their lordships. This was the first in-
stance in which they had been called upon under the
provisions of the act of last year to concur with the
House of Commons for _ the purpose of effectually pre-
venting acts of bribery, and he thought it was impor-
tant that they should ascertain from the Government
what course they intended -to- pursue with reference
with reference to the message. He conceived that it
was now the duty of the Government to suggest the
course which they would advise their lordships to pursue,
and he had expected that some communication would
have been made by some member of the Government
before.the motion for the adjournment of the house, but
probably it had been from inadvertence that no such
communication had been made. He now wished to ask
what course her Majesty's Government were prepared
to suggest in reference to the communication which had
been received from the other house of Parliament ?

The Duke of NEWCASTLE apprehended that the
only reason for the Government not having stated their
views to their lordships in reference to the subject al-
luded to by the noble earl was that they were not aware
that such a communication would be sent up from the
other house that day. He was quite prepared to state
the course which the Government proposed to take. An
alteration had been introduced into the measure on
which these commissions rested, to the effect that on
any occasion when the House of Commons should call on
their lordships' house to join with them in an address to
the Crown, a message should be sent down to request
the House of Commons to favour them with a copy of
the evidence taken before the committee of that house.
He for one had objected to the introduction of that pro-
vision, but of course, apart from any individual opinion,
as to the advisability of such a provision, it was the duty
of the Government to carry it out in the proper spirit.
He believed therefore that the proper course would be
for their lordships to ask the House of Commons to
favour them with any evidence taken before any election
committee, and after a sufficient time had been given for
considering the evidence, it would be proposed that that
house should agree with the House of Commons in an
address to the Crown.

The Earl of DERBY said the course proposed by the
Government appeared to be that which was required
under the circumstances of the case, for it was only pro-
per that they should have the evidence before them on
which they were invited to join in an address to the
Crown. It might be more in accordance with the usual
courtesy between the two houses that they should not
separate without taking some step, and perhaps it would
be better that the evidence should be moved for before
the adjournment of the house.

The Duke of NEWCASTLE said that there might be
some irregularity in that course, but he should give
notice on the subject to-morrow.
Their lordships then adjourned at a quarter-past seven

HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock.

NEW MEMBER.
Mr. ALEXANDER -took the oaths and his seat for
Carlow.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third time and passed :
—Crystal Palace Company, Liverpool Borough Court,
and London Assurance

Several petitions were presented against the opening
of the Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Mr. OLIVEIRA presented a petition from medical
men in the metropolis, in favour of the duties on foreign

wines.

Several petitions were presented against the admission
of Jews into Parliament.
Lord D. STUART presented a petition from Mary-
lebone, in favour of competition in the supply of water
to the metropolis.
Mr. BLACKIE presented a petition from Newcastle,
in favour of the London University being allowed to
return members to Parliament.
Mr. LOCKE presented a petition from Dover, in fa-
vour of the admission of Jews into Parliament.
KNARESBOROUGH ELECTION.
The SPEAKER informed the house that he had re-
ceived a letter stating that it was not intended to pro-
ceed with the .petition complaining of the return for
Knaresborough.
SOUTHAMPTON ELECTION.
The SPEAKER also intimated that he had received a
letter to the same effect, with regard to the petition
against the return of Sir A. Cockburn, at the last elec.
tion for Southampton.

PETITIONS.
Sir J. PECHELL presented a petition from Brighton
against the taxes on knowledge.
Mr. COBDEN presented a petition from Tavistock,
praying for the abolition of the qualification of members.
Mr. G. R. MOORE presented a petition from Dublin,
praying for the revision of ministers' money in Ireland.
Sir B. HALL presented a petition from freemen,
inhabitants, and others of the Ward of Billingsgate, in
favour of a reform of the corporation of London.
Sir J. SHELLEY presented a petition from Bridg-
north, praying for inquiry into the corruptions at the
elections for that borough ; also, a petition from a per-
on named Truelove, complaining of his treatment by
he Stamp-office in respect of a paper called the Potteries
Free Press.

NORWICH ELECTION.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE brought up the report of the
committee appointed to inquire into the withdrawal of the
Norwich election petition. The report, which was rather
lengthy, and detailed some of the main facts proved
before the committee, stated that the committee were of
opinion that Mr. Brown, the Parliamentary agent,
received no instructions to withdraw the peti-
tion, and that the complaints of the petition-
ers, with regard to its withdrawal, were not alto-
gether unfounded ; but as they. could find no
precedent as to the proper mode of proceeding under the
circumstances, they left it to the house to determine
whether it could comply with the prayer of the peti-
tioner. They did not think that Mr. Brown was ac-
tuated by any corrupt or unworthy motive, and they
attributed his conduct to an error of judgment, and
his zealous desire to advance the interests of his
party. (Laughter.) The committee also reported that
it formed part of the arrangement entered into between
Mr. Brown and Mr. Coppock that petitions should be
withdrawn, affecting no less than the seats of 10 mem-
bers. (Hear.) The committee, in conclusion, recom-
mended the house to take into its serious consideration
the facility which at present exists of withdrawing elec-
tion petitions, for the purpose of ascertaining whether
it was not desirable to adopt measures to prevent the
continuance of the system.