The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-06 00:00:00

would be, in his opinion, not by any means a wise pro-
ceeding to discontinue them.
The committee then divided—
Ayes
Noes

94
27
-67

Majority
The vote was then agreed to.
On the vote of a sum not exceeding 20,0001., to defray
he expenses of the harbour and lighthouse of Ardglass, in

the county of Down,
Mr. MACARTNEY objected to the vote on two grounds ;
one was, that he did not believe that the country would
receive advantage commensurate with the expenditure, and
the other was, that if the Government were prepared to
lay out money upon harbour accommodation, they should
fall back upon the report of the Tidal Commissioners of
1851. He suggested that the vote should be postponed till

next year.
Mr. IRK objected to the vote. The report of the Tidal
Commissioners of 1845 was clearly to the effect that an
outlay upon this harbour would not be at all advantageous,
and that opinion had been confirmed by a later report.
The money proposed might be much more advantageously
expended, and he was clearly of opinion that the vote ought
to be postponed.
Colonel DTJNNE supported the vote, and expressed his
surprise that any Irish member should propose so small a
sum as this for an important local improvement in lovemenreland t,
after voting a large sum for metropolitan improvements
out of an Irish income tax.
Mr. FRENCH was one of those who had supported the
metropolitan votes referred to, because he thought they
were intended to promote important public improvements ;
but he felt bound to object to the present vote, because he
did not think it would serve any useful purpose. (Hear.)
Mr. WILSON explained that the vote had been recom-
mended by Captain Denham and Mr. Rendall (the commis-
sioners who were appointed by the Government to report
on the subject), and who were of opinion that the improve-
ment of tha harbour would not only be of great advantage
to the coasting trade, but would tend to prevent the occur-
rence of the numerous shipwrecks which now took place in
the neighbourhood of Ardglass.
Sir R. FERGUSON hoped the vote would be with-

M dr
Mr.CAIRNS suggested that, at all events, it should be
postponed until the Government had ascertained whether
the money could not be laid out to greater advantage on
some other part of the coast.
Mr. G. A. HAMILTON said, it was impossible that for
20,0001. Ardglass could be converted into a harbour of
refuge. He thought it would be better to postpone the
vote until they had ascertained which was the best site for
a proper harbour of refuge, which he maintained was es-
sentially necessary.
Sir J. GRAHAM protested against postponing the vote
in order to have an inquiry with regard to a much larger
work ; but with regard to the smaller question as to whe-
ther 20,0001. should be laid out on Ardglass or not, he had
no objection to postpone the vote. (Hear.)
The vote was accordingly postponed.
On the vote of 4,0001. for the purchase of Archer's pa-
tent perforating machine.
Mr. V. SMITH wished to know what advantage the
Government expected to derive from this machine at all
commensurate with the snm of 4,000/., which seemed to
him a monstrous sum to give for it ? (Hear, hear.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, he
thought the committee who had inquired into the subject
must have formed a high opinion of the advantages likely
to result to the public from the adoption of Mr. Archer's
invention, or they would not have recommended its pur-
chase. Re must say his own opinion was, that the patent
was worth the money they were giving for it. (Hear,
hear.) As the patent had been purchased without any
reservation, any person might make use of it, and it might
be applied to bankers' checks, or any other purposes.
The vote was then agreed to.:
On the vote of 5,0001., as compensation to Sir W. Snow
Harris for his expenditure of time and money in perfecting
a mode of applying electric conductors on board ships,
whereby great saving of life and property had accrued, more
particularly in her Majesty's navy,
Mr. HUME said he believed the adoption of this inven-
tion had been the means of saving a large amount of pro-
perty, and he asked whether the Government would pro-
duce any papers or documents in their possession showing
the merits of Sir W. Harris's conductors ?
Sir J. GRAHAM said he would have much pleasure in
laying on the table the report of the Admiralty to the
Treasury, strongly recommending the conductors invented
by Sir W. Harris, who, he thought, had contributed more
to the preservation of life and property than perhaps any
individual he could mention. Sir W. Harris had never,
until this time, received any grant of money whatever,
although the public, her Majesty's service, and the mer-
chant service had had the free use of his valuable inven-
tion ; and he (Sir J. Graham) never in his life recom-
mended any reward with a clearer conscience than he did
this vote.
The vote was agreed to.
The next vote was for 30,0001., for the purpose of laying
down an independent line of wires from London to the con-
tinent, and thus to enable her Majesty's Government to join
a convention recently concluded between France, Belgium,
and Prussia, for regulating the transmission of messages
by electric telegraph.
In reply to a question from Mr. Hume,
Mr. CARD WELL said that a convention had been agreed
upon between certain foreign countries forthe establishment
of electric communication throughout the whole continent
of Europe. This country was invited to join the conven-
tion, bat the Government of the day did not accept the
invitation because they had no power of establishing a
communication with the wires upon the continent, That
communication, had, however, since been effected, and he
thought it most important that the Government of this
country should avail itself of the advantages of the con-
vention. The advantages of joining the convention, so far
as the diplomatic service was concerned, were the right to
priority of intelligence, to send messages in cipher, and to
the continuous transmission of messages, which might be
sent through several countries without any delay. Then
the advantage with regard to commercial messages was this
--the English language was not allowed to be used in the
transmission of English messages across the continent,
unless the British Government were parties to the conven-
tion. If the Government of this country joined the con-
vention, messages in the English language might, however,
be sent to all the continental countries the Governments of
which had agreed to the convention. The estimate now
proposed included the sum required for laying down six
independent lines wire from London to Dover, and thence
to the opposite coast. This was the estimate of the whole
cost Parliament would be called upon to incur. He had
been informed by the Foreign Secretary that, even if this
arrangement were confined to the transmission of diplo-
matic messages, it would be attendedwith great advantage.
He (Mr. Cardwell) had, however, to deal with the com-
mercial bearing of the question, and he was most desirous
that, if any just and fair arrangement could be made, the
benefits of this mode of communication should be avail-
able for the interests of British commerce. (Hear, hear.)
He might observe that it was not intended that any
of the lines of this telegraph should extend beyond
London, or interfere with the perfectly free competition
which now existed between the electric telegraph compa-
nies whose lines were established in this country.
In reply to Mr. HUME,
Mr. CARDWELL said that the States which had already
joined the convention were France, Belgium, the Nether-
lands, Hanover, V urtemberg, the German States, Prussia,
Austria, Bavaria, Saxony, Switzerland, and Sardinia.
In answer to a question from Mr. BRIGHT,
Mr. CARDWELL said he had been assured by engineers
that the vote they proposed would be fully sufficient to
carry out the plan, and that no further vote would be re-
quared.
Colonel SIBTHORP viewed the proposition with the
utmost suspicion. He objected altogether to the principle
of trusting to foreigners, who, he was sure, were trying to
undermine the country to which he was proud to belong.
The vote he considered absurd, ridiculous, and dangerous,
and he must protest against it.
Mr. COBDEN thought that it would be more advan-
tageous to endeavour make arrangements with some exist-
ing company before asking for a vote of public money to
establish a new line, and he did not clearly understand on
what principle the line when established would be worked.
Mr. CARDWELL said that the object of the new line
would be to obtain means for diplomatic and Government
correspondence, but at the same time the commercial in-
terest of this country would derive the same advantages as
that of the other nations who joined the convention. It
was most expedient that the Government should have the
power of laying down an independent line.
Mr. COBDEN wished to know whether the lino pro-
posed to be laid down was to be at the service of the public,
or only to be used by the Government.
Mr. CARDWELL hoped that advantage might be
given to the public without using that line for commercial
purposes.
Mr. COBDEN did not think that the necessity of the
vote had been clearly established. It did not appear to
have been considered whether the same purposes could not
be accomplished by the line already established. It was
not clear that the use of cipher in diplomatic correspond-
ence could not be employed in existing lines ; and, as to
priority of intelligence, it had not been shown that ex-
isting companies would not have entered into arrangements
to afford that priority. He was not quite satisfied that
it would not have been possible to enter into an arrange-
ment by which the Government could have sent a clerk of
their own to work the wires, so that any message could be
dispatched in cypher or otherwise. There had been so
much mystery in the explanation which had been given by
the President of the Board of Trade, that he should like to
have heard the matter fully discussed.
Mr. CARDWELL explained, that one of the principal
reasons which rendered it advantageous for this country to
join the convention was, that the whole of the lines were
worked at present under monopolies granted by the Sove-
reigns of the various nations.
The vote was agreed to.
On a vote of 2,5001. for the funds of the Royal Dublin
Society,
In answer to Mr. F. Serrwav,
ix, J. J. YOUNG stated, that there were four -professors
larks were
ll_ril_!letrished eminence connected with the Royal Dub-
ywrra
chlyaihtehree
remainingo fwhomonehaads
aelnajlojoe enjoyed
IsooalTiAes oeefeilmiso/t.teae-
fessors belonlld
inquiredll into the matter thought that those sa-
laries
lecture
this grant sOt
that they were sufficient
eient, and recommended that 5001. of
had lectured.
be applied to increase those salaries. Pro-
at gl, poiftrteonittlearees,iebtuytwitehreaagseonmereatllimy
essenocteudrrowned
prTovhienciveatel professors
oaf:
stscan:allable, and on six occasions last year
of
sn6g4cl to.
l'thfeorite'ralefsrcaoynitnaing
On the vote
civil contingencies, tehde
ne expenses eve: t
eo f.
Mr. HUME objected to
Among other items he noticed
passage of General Roses,
late Dictator
a sum of 5001. for the
Republic, to this country was incl later of the Argentine
for what public reason the public ushed, and he did not see
pay an item of that description. should be called upon to
Colonel SIBTHORP entirely concurred •• . I
of the hon. member who had Just sat down,the opinion '
it a very unusual course to go onin thisthought
(" Divide !') It was all very well for honourab raw"'
hers who had no property to look after to sit here from
era-
l? in the day till 3 o'clock in the morning,
would not do for members who were differently placed.
It was an attempt of Government to shuffle through mea-
sures they
.did not wish the public to be acquainted with.
It was a trick, and he would join the hon. member for
Montrose in resisting it. Were they to goeoi.i. ien this we!.
(exclaimed the hon. member looking
ell') goo the
gallery) voting away the people's mtohn y,
house but abouyt
heard much from the other side of e
entle cared a penny ?
whieh he did not believe the hon. g
case the hon.
He would move they reported progress in
1 he would not.
member did not persist, a acne uppose(
over this vote, and go
Mr. WILSON propose tpass
on to the next. (" No, no !")
Mr. WILKINSON appealed
to the Government not to
press them so hard. The house ought really to strike for
shorter hours of labour.
Mr. HUME said he must insist on the motion for re-
porting progress. He was obliged to leave the house last
night at 1 o'clock. He could stand it no longer.
Lord J. RUSSELL had no objection to reporting pro-