The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-24 00:00:00

Earl GREY was understood to say that he entertained
no doubt of the validity of the reasons assigned by the
noble duke for the step which the Government had
taken, provided it were carried out with due caution
and in the proper manner. This country had made
great sacrifices for the abolition of slavery in these
islands, and the substitution of a free and industrious
community. The success of that experiment depend-
ed on the small white population being encouraged
for some time longer, because if the white planters
were to leave these colonies at too early a period he
had no doubt they would relapse into a state little diffe-
rent from their original barbarism. He trusted, there-
fore, that due care would be taken to prevent any alarm
which might have the effect of inducing the white popu-
lation to leave, which would have a disastrous effect on
the future civilisation of these islands. (Hear, hear.)
Lord ELGIN said, that having been for many years

connected with the administration of public affairs in
some of the most important dependencies of the Crown,
and therefore having had greater opportunities of ascer-
taining the feelings and sentiments of the colonists than
most of their lordships, he begged to make a few remarks
on the general relations which ought to subsist between
the colonists and the mother country. It was his opi-
nion—and the good sense of the colonists would bear
him out in that opinion—that it was perfectly just and
reasonable that the colonists should be required, except
in certain and peculiar cases—to provide at their own
cost such forces, whether civil or military, as might be
requisite for the maintenance of internal tranquillity.
But on the other hand he thought that the colonists had
very strong claims on the protection of the mother coun-
try against such casualties as might be brought upon
•-them by the policy of the mother country, over which
they had no control. Such he thought was a fair repre-
sentation of the equity of the case as between the colonies
and the mother country; but at the same time it did not
exhaust the whole difficulty of the case. It was quite na-
tural that the people of this country, looking to the vast
extent of their colonial empire, and the progress it was
making in some quarters, should inquire whether the time
was not coming in which these young communities should
contribute some aid and co-operation to the mother
country as a kind of indemnity for the care and expense
which the mother country lavished upon them during
the period of their infancy and childhood. (Hear.) He
believed that when the legislature of this country de-
liberately abandoned the system of protection, the con-
nection between the mother country and the colonic,
became ono of constitutional sympathy and feeling, and
protection. He felt confi lent that the general content-
ment now prevailing in Canada, not amongst one class
or race, but amongst all classes and races, was not less
due to the growth of that conviction than to the power
which they had received of self-government with regard
to their own local affairs. He was sangaine enough t
believe, or rather to hope, for the period of actual belief
had not arrived, that, if no untoward accident should
occur to mar the good feeling that now hapei!y pre-
vailed, when the proper time for manifesting such senti-
ments Caine, the colonists would be found ready to join
with them in the righteous cause of the defence of the
weak against the strong, of the oppressed against the
oppressor, of the victim against the persecutor, and
show that they were desirous of sharing the glory
of England and not unwilling to partake of her sacrifices
and burdens. (Cheers.)
UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.

In reply to the Earl of DERBY,
Lord ABERDEEN was understood to say that he
had no objection to lay on the table the further corres-
pondence between the Government and the University
of Oxford.
Their lordships adjourned at six o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS--(YESTERDAY.)
METROPOLITAN BRIDGES.
Mr. OLIVEIRA moved for a select committee to in-
quire into the state and condition of the bridges over
the Thames in the metropolis ; to report whether they
are adequate to the present vastly increasing traffic ;
whether it be desirable to construct one or more bridges
over the river ; and if so, at what point or points ; whe-
tber it would be desirable to provide, out of local funds,
the means of throwing open to the public the present
toll-paying bridges, and if so, upon what terms such
bridges could be thrown open. The Government having
assented to the appointment of this committee, he would
reserve his facts and details for the committee up stairs.
(Hear, hear.)
Sir B. HALL hoped it was not the intention of the
Government to inflict any local taxation upon the people
on account of those bridges. He could not ascertain
that there l&ad been any movement with regard to them
except on the part of the shareholders of the different
bridges. As it was the intention of his right hon. friend
the Chief Commissioner of Works to grant the com-
mittee, he hoped he would take these two points into
consideration, first, whether it would be advisable,
under any circumstances, to grant public money to buy
up bridges which the shareholders had found to be a
bad speculation ; and next, whether any of the ex-
pense should be put upon the local funds without the
inhabitants having any voice in the matter. A rumour
was abroad that it was intended to raise a sum of money
in these different localities to buy up the shareholders
who had found these speculations failures, and he hoped
that would not be sanctioned.
Sir W. MOLESWORTH did not see any objection to
the appointment of this committee to inquire whether
the existing bridges were adequate to the traffic, whe-
ther any new bridges ought to be built, and if so where?
All these were important questions for the consideration
of Parliament and a committee of that house. As re-
garded the buying up of the tolls of some of these bridges
he must say that he ebjected to having them bought up
public money out of the Consolidated Fund. He
Iftught means ought to be provided out of the local
for the
'uncle of the metropolis for that purpose. It would be
ICommittee, however, to investigate all these points,
.rePort to the house.
3% SHELLEY said it was well worthy of id-
oration COnS
, Whether by
.opening all the bridges free of toll it
would not b possible to relieve the streets of London of
the enonsos6,3
amount of traffic which now encumbered
them. ‘uear.) If he were appointed on the commit-
tee, he certainly
silould not agree to throw the ex-
rates, especially so long as the
coal tax was continued.
long the report of the City (Hear.) He hoped before
and that the tax v gold Commission would be made,
egot rid of altogether. (Hear,
bear.) But if it were to be retained, and if the
inhabitants of the district 20
bofettEreilnelse
metropolis,
BL, London
thoughton were
to be taxed for the benefit
that there could not be a
duce of the tax than to the puapplication of the pro-
crowded state of the streets. Hear
r)e of relieving the
Mr. GOULBURN suggested that with a • t
object the Thames Tunnel should be includedthis
in the
inquiry. (A laugh.) -
Lord J. MANNERS made an observation -
ion which was
not audible in the gallery.
Mr. LAING said the present position of the bridges
was attendel with great inconvenience to the metropoless
Those which were free, London.bridge particularly:
enormous traffic, h
(hear), had an c w—;c.i was tt a ended
with absolute danger, and which must be in creased I),
•
the approaching opening
of the Crystal Palace Railway
Undoubtedly the necessity for some remedy was most
urgent.
Mr. OLIVEIRA said the observations of the hon.
baronet (Sir B. Hall) were inopportune and uncalled
for. The committee was proposed not at all with the
view the hon. baronet suggested, but upon purely public
grounds.
The motion was agreed to.
THE INNS OF COURT.
g r. NVITIER had given notice of an address for a
commimgion,to":l uiry into the arrangements in the inns
of court f
or I)rosioting the study of law and jurispru-
deuce, the revenAs properly applicable, and the means

r' . ".~

"S'l7`:,

11:4(1V(IS:AVAN:

hensions on the part of the white population of a rising
of the black. That such apprehensions were not alto-
gether unfounded was evident from the insurrection
which took place at Tortola in the month of July last
year, in consequence of which the white residents were
compelled to seek aid from the neighbouring Danish
Island of St. Croix. The withdrawal of troops was false
economy, as the maintenance of such possessions de-
pended on the security of capital. He wished to ask the
noble duke whether all the troops were going to be with-
drawn, and, if so, what was the intention of the Govern-
ment with regard to the maintenance of these smaller
islands in future. He was enabled to state on private
authority that if the troops were withdrawn for the sake
of economy, a contribution would be raised towards
maintaining them there, 15,0001. annually being, he be-
lieved, the entire cost ; for one of her Majesty's ships
occasionally to touch at these islands was not sufficient
to maintain order among so ignorant and excitable a
population.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said it was quite true
that the troops had been withdrawn from the islands of
St. Vincent, Tobago, Dominica, and St. Christopher,
but expense was not the sole ground of the withdrawal.
The first reason for it was that the discipline of the
troops has deteriorated by small detachments being scat-
tered about different islands. A second reason was,
that the detachments were so small—in one case, that
of Tobago, numbering only 84 men—that for the pur-
pose of external defence they were entirely useless. In
time of war it would be an invitation to a privateer to
attack the island for the express purpose of inflicting
a military disgrace on the country. Besides, in all these
islands the system of police was lamentably neglected,
and the withdrawal of the troops, which though compe-
tent for the suppression of internal disturbances, were
not suited for their prevention, would probably. force on
the colonists the imperative duty of providing a better
police. The third reason was the expense, for the main-
tenance of these troops in small detachments was a con-
siderable addditional expense to the mother country,
He did not think the slightest apprehension need be en-
tertained in consequence of the withdrawal of these
troops. The noble earl supposed that her Majesty's
Government proposed to meet this difficulty by occa-
sionally sending ships of war to visit these islands,
with a view of producing a moral effect on the black popu-
lation. Her Majesty's Government entertained no such
foolish idea. The arrangement which the Government
proposed to make—and he thougnt it would be more
effectual for the suppression of disturbances—was to
place a steamer at the disposal of the commander at
Barbadoes for the conveyance of troops wherever they
might be required. He believed that this arrangement
would obviate the evils he had pointed out, would give
a more effective military establishment, and prevent that
demoralisation of the troops in those islands which, above
all things, it was desirable to prevent. The contribu-
tion of the 15,000/., which the noble earl spoke of, only
met the smallest of the objections—that, namely, of the
expense. He thought they should maintain their colo-
nies from foreign aggression at all hazards, but that it
was unadvisable to keep their troops in the small colo-
nies or portions of colonies. He did not think that any
evil would result from the system which the Government
introduced.