The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-03 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COSIMONS, ArclL 2.

The SPEAKIKR took the Chair at the usual hour.
[We observed a great alteration in the position of the than'
dithers by which the House is lighted, besides a considerable
increase in their numbers. They are raised very much nearer
to the ceiling than they were before, and five additional oneg
have been put up, four of which are so suspended that they
can be lowered to any degree that may be thought
desirable. Two of them are large and circular, carry
about thirty lights. Each have their branch arms of oak, and
look singular, though not grand. We believe the alteration
has been made at the suggestion of Sir F. Trench.]
SHAFTESBURY ELECTION COMMITTEE.
Mr. BLACKSTONE, the Chairman of the Shaftesbury
Election Committee, appeared at the bar, and stated that the
the
a met this morning for the purpose of drawing °Ye
a special report, when they received a letter informing
Committee that Lord Ilenniker was prevented, from illncss'
attending ; that the Committee were therefore unable to pro-
ceed, and adjourned till ten o'clock to-morrow.
A Medical Gentleman was then called in, who stated that
he was in attendance on Lord Henniker ; that he had 5e!.11,
him this morning, and that his Lordship was so much incllje
posed that he would not be able to attend to his duty for s°ai
days.
Mr. BLACKSTONE then moved that Lord Henniker be
excused from further attendance on the Committee.

Agreed to.
On the motion of Mr. FIEL D EN, the Oldham Gab 3:11°I."
Bill was read a second time.—Referred to a Committee.

NOTTING HILL FOOTWAY
Mr. HA YTER presented petitions from Bayswater alla
St. Pancras against the Bill. ll
Lord G. LENNOX moved the third reading of the
and in doing so, begged to ask his Hon. Friend, the igen'ci,
for Marylebone, was it his intention to oppose the third re'
ing, or did he still persevere in his opposition to the Bill?
the
Mr. HALL was understood to say, that he would take
sense of the House on the last question, that the Bill do Pa's'
after the amendments had been brought up. ent
Mr. FOX MAULE said the attention of that departill d
of the Government to which he belonged had been direct° t
to this Bill. It certainly was the duty of that dePrti,rnbeillid
to guard, as far as possible, against those abuses which had
been apprehended from the institution in question. goeughtt
framed four clauses with this object; and if the House
fit to adopt these clauses, he should be prepared to suPP?r,
the Bill. The clauses had been assented to by the parti,:at
concerned in the institution. He would observe
this was not a Bill for establishing the Hippodrome for tad
;
first time.—( Hear.) It appeared that Hon. Gentlemen II:t
overlooked the existence of the Hippodrome in its Preseith
f )rm —( Hear.) If Hon. Gentlemen wished to do awayvr to
the Hippodrome as a nuisance, a Bill must be brought _
get rid of it.--( Hear, hear.) These clauses were for r` f?
lating the Hippodrome, and for preventing the wilful existenrc.,
of those abuses of which complaint was made.—(

tie would nowmove the insertion of a clause to em-
awer the Magistratesof Bow-street, the Magistrates of
all rylebone Police-office and the Commissioners of Police, at
ernes to claim entrance into the Hippodrome, when open
a"Y purposes, otherwise than for repairs, to be executed by
eeservants of the proprietors.
The clause having been read a first time,
e
et,Sir INGL IS wished to know if the Hon. Member for
therYle Bill hone meant to take the discussion on the question that
do pass, or he proposed to take it separately on
each clause.
jec;Nir. HALL replied that he would take the sense of the
et,l,e on the question that the I3ill do pass.
-'eptairi WOOD slid that the Under Secretary for the
to-l'uthis le Department laboured under a great mistake with respect
nil'. The establishment could not go on without
e interference of Parliament, and the levying a tax on
.--( coue in support of it. The whole bus;ness was ajugg
1 le
."
Heatry
r, hear," and laughter)—and the Government were
eliding their assistance to it.
~,The House then went into Committee on the Bill, Mr. B.
,Y
_eirtenes( in the chair.
Ur' the first of Mr. Meree's clauses being proposed,
ferr* ESTCOURT objected to its passing in its present
b form. Why coufine the powers given by it to the Maryle-
the
t 005 M agistrates? In his opinion they ought to be extended
t1)1 whole of the Metropolitan Magistrates, who would
blerehy b e empowered to exercise a controul over the esta-
NBhtment, and, if necessary, to visit it like any other nuisance.,
ep P. MAULS said that all he wanted was to vest a con-
-I.°4' in some parties or other, with a view to the better regu-
ation of the establishment.
Mr. ESTCOURT said it did not appear that the Magis-
ttrates of Msrylebone were so peculiarly at leisure, as to
.at-
,Fki to this business.—( Hear, hear.) He should vote against
the clause, because he felt it to be exceedingly objectionable
In principle.
:Nll% HAWES strongly objected to the clause. He wanted
- know wiry Magistrates were to be appointed in this
tiT the tlimanner. 'They had a Metropolitan-police, and why
y want Magistrates to go to the race-course ?
An HoN. AIRMIIRR—To clear it.—( Laughter. )
'aMr. HAWES said it appeared to him that the Police
cted he the best parties for that purpose, but he denied that
to be the duty of any part of the Metropolitan-police. If ad-
Mitted there, there was no other public place into which they
Might not be admitted. He hoped the sense of the Com-
mittee would be taken on this clause. It was enough for
'llagistrates to decide on cases when brought before them, and
be hoped the tines had gone by when Magistrates instead of
constables went earch of offenders.
~.oLnord DUNGANNON concurred in the observation of the
tt,l_ • Baronet the Member for Oxford (Sir R. Inglis) and
ne Hon. Member for Lambeth (Mr. Liaises). If it were
necessary to bring Magistrates here, why confine it to a parti-
cular number—why should not the Magistrates of Mid-
dutdlesex have admission at all times. It was more the
y of Magistrates to judge and decide cases as
y come before them, than be themselves acting the part of
Policemen. This measure, if passed into a law would be a
perfect abomination. —(Hear, and laughter.) It would be the
tesort of every thief and scoundrel round the metropolis—
(Laughter)—and he earnestly hoped those Honourable Gen-
tlemen who in so very praiseworthy a manner supported the
Bill for the better observance of the Sabbath, would be most
Prominent in opposing such a measure as this, in every stage.
If they were the real friends of virtue, and the foes of rice, he
should not appeal to them in vain. He certain sh Pose the the passing of that clause, on the principlel ty hatou held conp-
ceived it to be an utter absurdity. If they wanted Magistrates,
Why not extend it to county Magistrates generally ; why
aelect a particular seifid He should give his
decided oSpecified number. He should give his
decided Opposition to this clause. number.
Mr. HALL complained of the conduct of the Government
trates
in taking the question out of the hand, of the local Magis-
,
the prov whiso wionseof the Bill re the best qualified to judge of what should be
After a few words front Mr. FR E S H FI E L D,
Mr. F. MAULE said, as the opinion of the House ap-
peared to be against it he should withdraw the clause.—
(Much confusion.)
too Captain WOOD thought the proper way would be to put
clause, and let it be negatived, if the Hon. Member did
t intend to press it.—( Cries of " Go on !" " Withdraw I"
and much laughter.)
begatived
The CHAIRMAN put the question, and the clause was
The House then resumed.
Mr. F. MAULE then proposed to add a clause, that the
PProprietor for the time being should pay the expenses of the
°lice, and that any persons committing offences agai the
law there should be committed by a Magistrate to the House
'of Correction for one month.
Mr. HALL wished to call the attention of the House to
the injustice of this clause. Persons committing offences
against the law at this place of entertainment were liable to
thbe imprisoned one month ; but no such penalty was to await
eproprietor. He thought if the House agreed to the clause,
proprietor ought to be included.
On the question that the clause be committed,
Mr. HOPE said if the Bill went to create a nuisance, it
was then the duty of the Home Office to oppose it altogether—
(llear)—it was surely lot their duty to legalize the nuisance,
by introducing clauses into the Bill for the regulation of the
Place by the police.
Lord DUNGANNON said, if the clause under considera-
ti"u were as futile and absurd as the two which they had just
heard read, it was a mere wasting of the time of the House to
t°, en with it—any thing more absurd he had never seen
ere that House.
',Tel.' P. MAULE said, if the Hippodrome were put under
ividlier Police regulations, it would not become a nuisance—
that °.it those regulations it might. Maintaining, as he did,
public--`Lie institution would be Of great advantage to the
e, and on that ground it was that he was doing t" in, his power to render it as little obnoxious to the Noble
Lord as possible.
licl
Mr. ESTCOURT hoped that the Hon. Under-Secretary
rn not mean to acknowledge that the establishment would
bedo a nuisance, even if those clauses were acted upon.
Mr. F. MA ULE—Certainly not.
Mr. ESTCOURT understood the Under-Secretary for
111 e Home Department to admit that after this clause was intro-
tl,uced, the nuisance would still remain in an unmitigated state,
and that the only object of this clause was to prevent breaches
of the peace, and to punish offenders.
Mr. FOX JIAULE considered the Hippodrome, if put
under proper regulations, would not be a nuisance.
Captain WOOD considered the Hippodrome would be ge-
nerally injurious to the public.—(Cries of " Question, ques-
Iver time") What were the
police wanted for if the establishment
e not likely to he of an improper kind ?—( Hear, hear,)__
ae!d (continued the Hon. and Gallant Member) I shall move,
Sir, that you do
leave the Chair this day six months.—(Roars
of laughter, in the midst of which the Speaker left the Chair.)
The Hoes 'then went into Committee on the clause.
1 w as he Hresoouse resumed, and the clause having been reported,
rider, lved that it should be added to the- Bill by way of
thatMr' F. MAULE then moved another clause, to the effect
boundaries
no wine, spirituous liquors, or beer, be ever sold within the
oundaries of the Hippodrome.
Lord GRANYIL LE SONIERSET o
Iftray pposed the clause. e
than it it were carried it would make the Bill much worn
Houses for the sale of beer would be set up vicinity of the Hippodrome ; and the Bill allowed the in the
police
no control over them.
Mr. HALL was opposed to the clause. would b
Police within the grounds, but how did the There Bill provide for
preventing the recurrence of those disgraceful scenes which
had taken place without the boundaries.—( Ilear.)
Mr. WA K LEY was astonished to hear his Honourable
Friend speak of disgraceful scenes. There had been no
hibiproof of any such before the Committee. The clause pro-
ted not
only the sale but the consumption of spirituous
liquors, wine and beer. What objection could there be to
Pie°Pie who went from town for the sake of recreation taking
ti`!(e• oven refreshments with them?--( Hear, hear.) If that
3/4teoge were a body of tee-totallers, he could understand their
Passing such a clause.—( Hear, hear, and laughter.)
tut if they wore not, and he (Mr. Wakley) was sure that the
(Llion. Member ( Mr. F. Maule) was not a tea-totaller—
aughter)—he hoped the House would not sanction the pro_
hibition of the consumption of liquors, &c., but only of their
Sale.—( Hear, hear.) As the clause now stood any work-
Man, for instance, would be liable to a penalty for drinking a
glass of beer. Ile hoped the House would not object to the
erasure of the words " or consume," in the 2d lino ; again in
the 4th line, the word " distribute;" and in the 13th line, the
Words " or distributing."—( Hear. )
Sir R. INGLIS said whatever objection there was to the
clause, he did not consider that an objection which was stated
11 the Hon. Member for Finsbury. It should be observed,
that the penalty did not apply to the consuming, but to the
selling or distributing.
Mr• WAKLEY was aware of that. But the violation of
`ue Act, in respect to the prohibition of the consumption,
/'"ld be a misdemeanor. And though the penalty was not
tl
4,!ta.Ched to the consumption, the prohibition of that, or of the
istribution, was equally objectionable.—( Hear. )
Sir E. KNATCIIBULL said these clauses, if the Go-
vernment deemed them essential to the Bill, should have been
ltnetreduced before. He wished the House to go at once to
X o, ee question of the passing of the Bill, and throw it out.
et.
Mr. FOX MAULE said he certainly did not wish to
prohibit the consumption of liquors, &c. which were broughtt
thn the ground by the parties themselves. And be would
werefore object to the amendments of his Hon. Friend (. r.
,411,'IeY• )—( Hear, hear. he Heuse went into Committee.
pgr WAKLE PS amendments were made, and the Clause
-eee.
Bill,
'hd toe
House then resumed, and the clause was added to the
t. The House then went into Committee on the fourth addi-
lcr
clause, Mr. R. STEUART in the chair.
s ° opposition Was given to the clause. The House re-
-Weed, and Mr St ted the clause as agreed to.
mt. ,„ CllB.l repor
" YNN said that nothing could be more inco.n-
hla etteee.sr mischievous in principle than the course which
Propoait " Pursued with respect to this Bill. The
eneine:g el such a number of additional clauses in
to Put it out of the power of the House
called the
be Judge the merits of whole Bill, which they would now
0
r_p..n to discuss.
fallen frounl•XthehlAULE agreed in principle with what had
Hon. Member, but in this particular instance
neZ.1.1.15,1.,n.0t avoid departing from it.
Heel "ALL said, one reason Is by he did not divide the
sesieri'°,
_on.tbese clauses \Nes, that there might be but one di-
greater `:inct that tellers brought forward they might throw a
hear.)
,regbeee of ridicule on the Bill then before:— (Hea. r,
the fser e nbiect of this Bill was at direct variance with
ings of the inhabitants of that part of the

metropolis.—( Hear.) It was to shut out a public highway
through certain ground called the Hippodrome, which
was to be enclosed for the purpose of pi ivate speculation and
pecuniary ads-ante:re. It appeared that a person named
White, who was not the proprietor of the premises—who
had not even the semblance of a lung lease, but an
unexpired term of seventeen or nineteen years—took this
property and enclosed it, and finding that a public bridleway
existed through the centre of the property, he went to the
Magistrates of Middlesex, end consulted with them as to the
expediency of shutting up the footpath, and he could not find
two willing to close it. He then put every obstacle in the way
of the public enjoying the right--he dug trenches, threw
up barriers, and actually flooded the lower part of the fields,
in order that the footpath might not be enjoyed; and finding
that he was still frustrated he came here, not having asked a
Member of the county of Middlesex to introduce his Bill
to the House—but he int: oduced a Bill for the
purpose of forcing the public from the path they had
hitherto enjoyed. With regard to the establishment of the
Hippodrome, he (Mr. Hall) contended that it was at variance
with tha feelings of the inhabitants of that part of the metro-
polis. Petitions from all classes of society, from the highest
to the very lowest, had been put in against the passing of
the Bill, and only one in favour of the Bill. This was
not entertained as a political question, but by all classes pos-
sessing whatever political or religious feelings. He was re-
quested to ask whether these classes were brought forward by
the Hon. Member himself, as an individual Member of the
House, or as having the sanction of Government ; for he did
not think when the Government had enough to do to bring
forward other measures, they would waste their time in
bringing forward a Bill of this kind.—( Hear, hear.)
He objected on the part of those whom he had the honour of
representing that the Metropolitan Police force should be em-
ployed in matters of this description. Those whom he repre-
sented paid one-sixth towards the maintenance of the Metro-
politan Police, and objected to the employment of this force.
Upon all grounds he objected to the Bill. He considered it
an encroachment upon a most important right the people
now enjoyed. The projector having failed in his at-
tempts so far as regarded local magistracy to shut up that
right of way, he ( Mr. Hall) thought it was unfair
in that branch of the Legislature to sanction any measure
which would deprive the people of those just rights.—( Cries
of " Question.") He thought that these clauses, and the
conduct of the Government lately in matters of a similar
description, instead of attending to the great constitutional
questions which the people had set their hearts upon, had
thrown a greater degree of ridicule upon that Bill than anything
else. His Hon. Friend had stated there was no opposition to the
Bill in Committee, but he would remind the Hon. Member that he
(Mr. Hall) had stated his opposition to the preamble of the
Bill, which was the great point in dispute, very strongly—
( Renewed cries of " Question.") He hoped the House would
not interfere in those private local matters which ought to
be settled by the Magistrates of the counties in which they
were situated. He should most certainly oppose the Bill.
Mr. BYNG had a greater objection to that Bill, than
perhaps any private Bill that had ever been brought
before the House. He had been always a friend to
the recreations of the people, and Honourable Gentlemen had
stated that they supported the Bill because it would add to the
recreations of the people. He maintained that recreation
would never answer the purpose of the promoters of the
Bill. They had gone to the most enormous expense, and
recreation would never repay them. Nothing but vice and
profligacy would make that great outlay worth their while.—
( Hear.) They had been obliged to put down several fairs in
the neighbourhood of this great metropolis, where there was a
population of up cards of 1,500,000, and where 200,000 rose
every morning not knowing how to gain their daily livelihood.
They had been obliged to put down various fairs in the neigh-
bourhood of London, at Hampstead and at Edmonton, and
therefore it was he did hope that the House would not
sanction this Bill, and bring down upon this unfortunate
neighbourhood, all those nuisances which had been antici-
pated.--( Hear, hear.) He had presented a petition to the
louse against the Bill, signed by no less than 1,650 in-
dividuals, amen. whom were many Clergymen, some of
whom stated what was suffered by the inhabitants of the
neighbourhood last summer and autumn ; there were
many boarding schools there, and the petitioners were
afraid that licentiousness might take place. On the whole, he
would give his most decided opposition to the mea wire.
Mr. HATTER rose amid loud cries of " Divide, divide."
He was unable to recognise in the present Bill any prin-
ciple on which Parliament could be called upon to act.
When the Bill was first introduced, its ostensible object
was to enable the promoter to establish a race course,
and thereby destroy the rights of the public for the be-
nefit of a private individual.—( Cries of " Divide, divide,"
and " Hear.") When the Bill progressed forward in it,
course to a Committee, its ostensible object was sedu-
lously kept in view—( Hear)—and, he must say, that, looking
at the clauses, he saw something that had the air of plausibility,
but there was a total want of every good principle.--( Cries of
divide, divide, and oh, oh.) What was the course that was pur-
sued by the present promoters of the Bill? Why, when his rights
were disputed he went before the Magistrates, and there the
rights that he alleged were decided against him.—(Cries of
" Divide, divide.") He then attempted by force to assert his
rights. He brought no less than nine actions against as many
individuals who attempted to deny the rights that he claimed.
—( Increased cries of " Divide, divide.") It was a maxim
in the legislation of that House, that private interests
must give way to the public demands, as in the case of
canals and railroads, which were established for the public
benefit ; but the converse of that proposition he had never heard
contended for by any person.—( Loud cries of " Divide, divide,"
and much uproar.) The House might as well establish in Hyde
Park weekly markets or monthly fairs.—( Laughter, and loud
cries of " Divide.") He could bear testimony that the road
from Turnham-green to Bayswater—he could bear his sleepless
testimony to the fact, that along the while of that road was
one scene of drunkenness and riot.—(Laughter, and much
confusion, amidst which the Hon. Gentleman sat down.)
Mr. WAKL EY rose amidst loud cries of " Oh, oh,"
which drowned the first sentence of the Hon. Member. Ho
said that his having been on the Committee to which
the Bill was referred, and where it was passed without a divi-
sion, he thought it was unfair that 20 gentlemen should be
heard against the Bill and not one in its favour. He had
especially to complain of the conduct of the last speaker.
That Gentleman, as a Member of that House and a lawyer,
ought to have known that the proper place where his
testimony should have been produced was before that
Committee. In that House he was a party interested, and
his exparte statements could not therefore be received.
Counsel were heard against the Bill, and witnesses were
called against it : but, after evidence on both sides was
heard, the Committee came to a decision without any
division having taken place. What was the real charac-
ter of this proceeding ? A gentleman, who had established
a public institution came before the House, and asked
the House to give him the means of conducting it in a proper
and orderly manner, and he wished so to conduct the institu-
tion that it should become of great public advantage. Then
with reference tc the footpath. The witnesses before the Com-
mittee stated that the footpath was used as leading to a single
farm, and to a place not much frequented, called Wormwood
Scrubbs. No individual came before the Committee to state
that he would be subjected to the slightest pecuniary
loss by its being stopped up. He (Mr. W.) had for five
years 'been in the habit of going along that footpath, and
during those five years he never saw twenty individuals on it.
The footpath being, closed. what were the public to get as an
equivalent ? (Cries of " Divide, divide.") When there was
a noise in the House he was sorry to say it generally pro-
ceeded from his side of it.—( Great laughter.) On the
other side of the House, if there was impatience, it was
always expressed in a more mild and gentlemanly tone.—
( Renewed laughter and cheers from the Conservatives. )
What was the benefit which the public would derive,
in return, for closing the footpath in question? First
of all there would there he 150 acres of open land within a
mile and a half of Oxford-street, on which the public might
walk on Sundaes without the payment of a single
farthing. That of itself was a very great advantage,
to that densely populated neighbourhood. Then, again, on
Easter-Monday, on Easter-Tuesday, Whitmonday, and
Tuesday, and on the first Monday in June, July, August,
and September, the working-people of this metropolis
would be entitled by this Bill to admission at the
Hippodrome, there to follow what amusement they
pleased, to amuse themselves at cricket, quoits, foot-ball, or
any other game they pleased, on the payment of two-pence.—
( Hear, hear, and laughter.) If the parties in the neighbourhood
deemed it a nuisance, why did they not adopt some legal pro-
ceeding ? He did hope the House would have some feeling
for the working people of the metropolis, and decide in
favour of this Bill ; because a greater boon could
scarcely be conferred upon them. —( Hear, hear, hear. )
Lord TEIGNMOU TH said he had been requested by a
considerable body of his constituents to give his decided oppo-
sition to the Bill. He thought the clauses which had been
brought forward were quite futile. He wished that his
Hon. Colleague (Mr. Hall) had pressed his opposition to the
Bill on the third reading; he was persuaded the House would
then Isaac been saved much unnecessary discussion. The most
frivolous pretexts had been brought forward to justify the Bill.
It was said, that the Bill was only for the diversion of a
footpath ; and the Hon. Member for Finsbury had stated on the
evidence, or rather the no-evidence before the Committee, that
the footpath was of no consequence. He (Lord Teign-
mouth) had presented a petition from the minister,
churchwardens, overseers, and vestry of Paddington, stating
that the footpath was of the highest importance to their
health and pleasure.—( Hear.) This was also stated by the
parish of Kensington, and he was surprised that no evidence
of this kind had been adduced before the Cemmittee.—( Hear. )
Ile did not object to places of public recreation. And he
would support a proposition for setting., apart, or purchasing,
Primrose Hill, for purposes of public recreation, to be
open, free, on Sundays, and on week days, for harmless
a games, such as cricket—( Ilear,)—and he wished more money
had been expended on appropriating large tracts of land for
these purposes in the neighbourhood of all large towns.
But when be came to the consideration of a Bill for establish-
ing a resort for hundreds and thousands, he begged to quote a
short passage from the " Sporting Magazine"—( Laughter,
44 Hear, hear," " Oh, oh," and " Divide")__a publication
which would doubtless carry greater weight with the support-
ers of the Bill than aught that he could say.--( Hear.)
The Noble Lord then read the passage, which described
the Hippodrome as a sort of metropolitan Ascot or Epsom.
Now, he would appeal to the Honourable Member for
Finsbury, as a man of honour and a man of candour, whether
it would be desirable to have a place of this description
within such a short distance of the metropolis?
Mr. FOX MA ULE wished to set the House right with
respect to a statement which had dropped from the Hon.
Member for Marylebone. His Honourable Friend had
asserted that the influence of Government had been
brought to bear on this question. Now he did not

hesitate to say, that not only was this not the fact, but
that it would be a disgraceful thing for any Government to use
their influence to forward the views of any private individual.
What were the facts ? They found this Bill before the
House, after passing through a Committee, who had reported
favourably of it. The Bill had reference to the public
sports cf the people, and as disturbances, they well
knew, frequently occurred in such places, it was right that
those who had charge of the public peace, should interfere to
protect it, and it would probably have been made the ground
of censure against them, if t!,ey had not. He begged the
House, therefore, distinctly to understand that the part which
he had taken with respect to this Bill was dictated solely by a
sense of public duty.
Lord GEORGE LENNOX rose amid loud cries of
" Divide, divide.") He hoped that as he was the person who
had introduced this Bill he would be allowed to say a few
words.—( Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member for Marylebone
appeared to have fallen into the same mistake as other Hon.
Members, viz., that the object of this Bill was to sanction
the Hippodrome Races.—( Hear.) Now he could assure the
Hon. Member, that whether this Bill passed or not, these
races would continue. On the same ground he would call
on the Noble Lord, the Member for Durham, to support this
Bill. The Noble Lord had stated, that this footpath had
been the resort of scoundrels and vagabonds. Now he would
say, shut up this footpath, and the scoundrels would be shut
out from it.—( Hear, hear, and much laughter.)
The House then divided, when the numbers were—
For the Bill
Against it 123
Majority 39
The Bill was then passed.
Mr. BROTHERTON presented a petition from Salford
against the Manchester and Bury Canal Bill.
PROMOTION IN THE MARINES.
Lord W. LENNOX begged to remind the Noble Lord the
Secretary of State for the Hor.-...e Department, that some time
since he had stated it was the intention of the Government to
appoint a Commission to inquire into the subject of promotion
in the marines and navy. He begged to ask the Noble Lord
whether he could inform him when the Commission would be
appointed, and whether it was the intention of her Majesty's
Government to place any Officer of the Royal Marine Corps
upon the Commission.
Lord J. RUSSELL said the Commission had not yet
been actually appointed, as it would take some time to con-
sider the names of the persons to be placed upon it. He
begged to say that it was the intention of the Government
to appoint a Marine Officer on the Commission, and he hoped
no further delay would take place.—(Hear.)
Mr. LANGDALE, seeing the Hon. Under Secretary for
the Colonies in his place, begged to ask him whether under
the amended Bill with respect to the apprenticeship in the
West Indies introduced by the Colonial-office, those apprentices
who were bound apprentice in consequence of not being sup-
ported by their parents would remain apprentices to a later
period than 1840, or whether, like the others, they would then
obtain their entire freedom ?

Sir GEORGE GREY said there was no doubt that,
under the provisions of the Act of 1833, there were some parties
so situated as to remain apprentices after that period. He be-
lieved they were not numerous, and he hoped to be able shortly
to lay on the table of the House a return of the entire number.
Mr. F. FRENCH seeing the Noble Lord (Mahon) in his
place, begged to state that an Hon. Friend of his (Mr.
French's) felt much grieved at some words which had fallen
from the Noble Lord some nights ago. The gentleman to whom
he alluded was continuing a work of great merit, and felt grieved
at the criticism which fell from the Noble Lord in that House.
He was an intimate friend of this, therefore he would give no
opinion of this work, but ho trusted the Noble Lord would
give some explanation.
Lord MAHON—What he had stated was, that the con-
tinuation of the works of Sir James Mackintosh was done by
an [inferior hand. He was sorry to give offence to any
gentleman, either in or out of that House. It was his indi-
vidual opinion, and it was confined entirely to the literary
merits of the work, and he still adhered to it.

In answer to a question from Mr. Barron, Mr. C. WOOD
said (as we understood), that the Admiralty had succeeded in
establishing the line of packets between Dublin and Liverpool.
They had not yet succeeded in establishing the station at Hobb's
Point, not having packets of a superior description to spare for
that service—those now employed, however, were much better
than those formerly in ust by the Post-office. The passengers
during the seven months of last year from Milford Haven, only
averaged three in each packet—a traffic that would not
authorize Government to spend a large sum of money upon
the station. In consequence of the communication by railroads
the whole current of the traffic was thrown into Liverpool.
The Hon. Member added that in consequence of the weather
that had occurred within the last two months, it had been found
impossible to insure regular communication.