The Sun.
London, England, 1854-06-24 00:00:00

MANAGEMENT OF CROWN ESTATES.

The Earl of DONOUGHMORE moved for the
,ap-
pointment of a select committee to inquire into the ma-
nagement of the Crown estate of Kilancour, in the
King's county, and into the circumstances attending the
occupation of a portion thereof by the Rev. F.
M`Mahon, P.P. of Kinrit'y.
The Earl of ABERDEEN said the transaction
affected the administration of the Crown lands, and
therefore he had no objection to the appointment of a
committee, but he did not. think the case had any in-
trinsic importance.
After a short conversation the motion was agreed to.
'BLOCKADE OF THE WHITE SEA.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE presented a peti-
tion signed by nearly all the merchants and bankers of
Hull, praying for a rigorous blockade of all the Russian
ports. The petitioners stated that the depression of
trade in their town caused by the war had been very
much aggravated by the uncertainty which had prevailed
on this subject. The ports to which the petitioners more
particularly alluded were those of Archangel and Onega.
When about six weeks ago it became commonly rumoured
in the mercantile circles that a determination had been
come to not to institute a blockade in the White Sea, it
was stated to him by a friend well versed in commercial
affairs, that it was stated that the merchants of Holland
had received a distinct intimation from an official source
in this country, to the effect that such would be the
course adopted. He (Lord Clanricarde) replied that there
must be at least one great error in that statement ; for
it appeared to him impossiblethat the Government could
have come to any determination to forego so important
a right. About ten days afterwards, however, his
friend came to him again and with something like
triumph in his countenance stated that in Holland
the merchants were chartering large numbers of ships,
and sending out large orders, to Archangel and Onega,
where it was expected that the tradeduring the summer
would be at least as favourably circumstanced as usual.
He thought that these facts required some explana-
tion. Toe traders in Russian commerce had only two
courses open to them on the breaking out of the war,
• namely, either to send for them to other countries pro-
ducing the same articles, though at a greater cost, or
to apply to neutral countries to procure them from
Russia itself, for of course no certificate of the origin of
the articles would be required. But it was of the un-
certainty that the petitioners complained When a
number of ships had sailed from her Majesty's ports
three or four weeks ago, it was expected that those
ships were intended to institute a blockade, and he was
really very much surprised when the First Lord of the
Admiralty stated in answer that there was no present
intention to commence such a blockade. Only two
days ago a deputation waited on the right hon. gentle-
man, and he was said to have stated to them that an
order in council to blockade the waters of the White
Sea had been signed, but that it had not been issued,
and that he would say when it would be published. He
(Lord Clanricarde) quite agreed that it would be unwise
either for her Majesty's Government or for any other
Government to :announce beforehand the course they
_ intended to pursue ; but the questionwas, whether it was
fair to our own merchants to intimate to other countries
what was the step they intended to take / He had
in his hand letters from St. Petersburg and Arch-
angel, stating that large orders had been imme-
diately sent to the latter place as soon as it was
known that the English were not going to estab-
lish a blockade in the White Sea. But, besides
this, he wished to draw the attention of the
Government and their lordship to the impolicy of not
taking this step. He had it upon very good informa-
tion that within the last three weeks at least 400 vessels
had been chartered for the port of Archangel ; and that
on one particular day no fewer than eight had cleared
out from Hull and two from London. And what had
been the effect of this state of things ! The Emperor
had required a loan and had been able to raise it on very
advantageous terms in Holland from the customers who
had now the trade of the White Sea. It was evident
that the war would be a most profitable business for the
Dutch, and they would thus have a direct interest in its
continuance. But if the Government wished to bring
the contest to a satisfactory and speedy termination,
• they must attempt it by throwing a pressure upon the
Russian people, as well as by endeavouring to destroy
the Russian armies. (Hear, hear.) The war, so far,
had been glorious to the allies, and especially to the
Turks themselves. It was impossible not to admire the
wonderful ability, and the astonishing bravery with
which all their operations had been carried on ; but they
could scarcely hope that the blows which had been
struck on the banks of the Danube were likely to bring
them much sooner to the termination of the war. The
most despotic of tyrants, however, did not dare wholly
to despise the will of their subjects, and it was, there-
fore,. by bringing a pressure upon the Russian
peopie, that they might hope most speedily to termi-
nate the struggle. (Hear, hear.) Let them only
feel the finch of war, and it would not be by false
bulletins that the Emperor would be able to conceal
from them the real facts of the case. (Hear, hear.)
Letters had been received two days previous from the
Sea of Azoff, stating that the trade of that sea had not
been in the least interrupted ; and the remarks he had
made would also, to a certain extent, apply to that part
of the world. We shoull undoubtedly have to consult
our allies ; but he confessed that it was inconceivable to
him how the White Sea remaining open could be any
less prejudicial to the commerce of France than it was
to our own. (Hear, hear.)
The Duke of NEWCASTLE said the noble lord had
not dwelt much upon the particular object for which he
apprehended this appeal had been made by the petition-
ers to the house, namely, the effect which this blockade
would have upon their own interests. The functions of
the executive in such a matter were of the most delicate
nature; and that delicacy was much increased when
they had to consult an ally whose interests were as
much, if not more, concerned than their own. He had
no objection to confirm the surmise of the noble-marquis,
that it was in consequence of the engagement into which
the French Government had entered pfevious to the
commencement of the war, that had prevented their
agreement with the English Government with respect
to instituting a blockade ; and he did not think that
we could commence a blockade while our ally was
under an engagement not to institute one. Commu-
nications, however, had been held with the French
Government on the subject, and the last correspon-
dence showed a considerable alteration in their views
upon this subject, which he thought might before long
lead to an alteration in the policy both on their part and
09. ours. (Hear, hear.) But the noble marquis was
linstaken if he thought that the mercantile world at large were unanimous as to the desirability of blockad-
ing Archangel and 0
the deputation iega. So far, fur instance, from
to which he had alluded wishing for a
1-trict blockade, its of was to remonstrate against the
bare Pbilaitisicmes,tiich a step being taken ; and the
reason they
was that the
his noble friend had 400 ships which, as
said,
been chartered for Arch-
angel, and of which at leasthad three-fourths were for the
export of grain from that port, were to bring away Rll9-
sian produce which had alreadybzreid for. They said
that the ()Teeter part, if not the
Russian,
fiatnhe
buttrade of
goods which the 400
ships
rchangebl was carried on, not with
and that the
foreign capital,
were to bring away havingp been
purchased with theirlps
belonged not to .ussia, but to the Sul •
money,
result of a blockade subjects of
other nations. The would thus b
but to injure the subjects of_nen-
tral, e
not to &Imago
tral, and probably friendly, powers. With resthe First Lord pect to
the-statement attributed to of the Ad-
miralty, he Qhe noble
duke) was utterly at a losi to con-
et hon. gentleman's answer
ceive, what part of the lig
gentleman
could have been so tortured by anyp a_
jog the deputation, if, indeed, the noble marquis re-
ceived his information from them at all, In the first
place, unless he (the noble duke) was greatly mistaken,
no order in council was necessary ; and such an order
had not, could not, and would not therefore be signed
at all.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE—e Not an order in
council, then, Veit an order for a blockade.
The Duke of NEWCASTLE—WeII, the right
lion.
gentleman certainly could not have said that any such
order had been signed. He might have said that he
could state when such an order would be issued, and
whatever the right hon. gentleman did say, was no
doubt consistent with perfect propriety. With respect
to the policy of this blockade the opinions expressed by
the noble marquis did not greatly differ from the views
which he himself entertained ; and although the noble
marquis might
_not altogether approve of the general
conduct of the Government, he thought that he (Lord
Clanricarde) might repose some confidence in the Go-
vernment as to the particular moment at which such a
step ought to be taken. He could assure the house that
if they had hestitated hitherto to institute a_ blockade in
the White Sea, it had not been from any apprehension
.of .doing too much harm to Ruasia, (Cheers.) His