The Sun.
London, England, 1853-02-18 00:00:00

BILL.

This bill was read a second time, and the standing
ders having been suspended, went through the remain-
g stages, and was passed.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(THIS DAY.)
The SPEAKiIi, took the chair shortly before 4 o'clock.
Sir CHARLES WOOD took the oath and his seal
on his re-election for Halifax.

The members selected to serve on the Cheltenham, observations to the proprietors on the general state of
Blackburn, and Clitheroe Election Committees appeared their affairs ; and if it had hitherto been advisable to
at the table, and were sworn. adopt that course for the purpose of placing the proprie-
The SPEAKER acquainted the house that he had
tors in possession of information which might be pecu-
received a communication from the agents to the peti-
tioners in Stoke-upon-Trent stating that it was their liarly interesting to them, he thought it was particularly
intention to proceed with the petition. necessary at the present time, when this company had
PRIVATE BILLS. arrived at a magnitude which was never contemplated
Mr. SOTHERON moved that so much of standing by its original projectors, or even by those who succeeded
order, No. 160 as requires that there shall be no more them ; and ,when, moreover, it sought foripowers to be
than ten days between the first and second reading of enlarged by means of amalgamations with other com-
any private bill be suspended, as to all railway and panies, to an extent which must increase its importance
canal bills, but that no such bill be read a second time both as regarded the interests of the proprietors and
later than the 14th. of March next, except by special those of the public ; for though the public were not
order of the house. actual partakers- in the property, they must be deeply
The motion -was agreed to. concerned at any time in arrangements which might
The Swaffham and Bottisham Drainage Bill, the Teign- materially affect their comfort and convenience, and
mouth Harbour and Teign Navigation Bill, and the at the same time affect the mode of conducting
Whitechapel Improvements Bill, were read a second the whole internal traffic of this great kingdom. (Cheers.)
time, and ordered to be committed. They had been accustomed on former occasions to have
Mr.i WILCOCKS presented a petition from a life as- all the matters interesting to them so ably stated, and
surance society, complaining of the inequalities of the so clearly explained, when explanation was necessary, by
income tax in respect to annuitants. his hon. friend the late chairman—(cheers)--that they
Several petitions were presented from letter carriers, might well understand how deeply' e felt the serious
praying for an increase of wages. responsibility which now devolved upon him, and he
Mr. SPOONER presented a petition from a place in trusted here he might be allowed to repeat those expres-
Warwickshire, praying that the grant to Maynooth may mons of regret which he ventured to offer at the last
be discontinued, special meeting, at the retirement of his hon. friend from
Mr. K. SEYMOUR presented a petition from a those duties, in the performance of which he succeeded in
Wesleyan body, praying the house not to sanction the fully attaining the confidence of the shareholders, and in
opening of the Crystal Palace on Sundays. also acquiring a title to their general approbation, as
! OUR RELATIONS WITH FRANCE. well as to the thanks of the country. (Cheers.) If he
Oh the motion for going into Committee of Supply, followed his own impulse, he would say more on this
Mr. DISRAELI said, before going into committee subject, but he believed it -would be more gratifying to
he • wished to make some inquiries of the Government the feelings of his hon. friend, and be infinitely preferred 1
respecting our relations with France, which he con- by him if he proceeded at once to the business of the
sidered was one of the most important subjects of day, but before he did so, he must say that he would
modern times. (Hear, hear.) We had now for nearly leave his hon. friend in the hands of the meeting, be-
-46 years enjoyed the blessings of peace, and during cause he felt assured that before they separated to-day
that period the social relations between the two they would bestow on him such an acknowledg-
countries had become various and multitudinous ment of their regard, and of the recollection of the
—(hear, hear) our rcommercial relations during services to which he had devoted himself for a
thatjperiod had greatly,fand progressively, and consider- great many years on behalf of the company, as would
ably increased, and at the right opportunity, and under
favourable circumstances, no doubt with enlightened far exceed anything he (the Chairman) could say.
(Cheers.) There were also other reasons why, in ad-
legislation these commercial transactions were verting to the different topics in the report, he should
susceptible of considerable and perhaps indefinite deve- have, himself, to claim the patience and forbearance of
lopment. (Hear, hear.) It was somewhat strange then the proprietors. Everything connected with the company
that while we had so many guarantees for the mainte- was of such importance and interest, that whether as
nance of a permanent good understanding between the regarded its past progress, its present position, or
two countries, and so many securities for the continu- future prospects, it was extremely difficult to select
ance of that ,peace which we all desired, the fear had any particular topic on which to call particular atten-
entered almost every man's brain, and the expression tion ; but in the first place he would advert shortly to
was almost in every man's mouth, that we were on the statement of accounts which had been placed in their
the eve of a rupture with France. (Hear, hear.) He, hands. The most foremost item was the capital stock of
therefore, did not think it was unreasonable, before going the company. In this there was a considerable increase
into committee, and when they were about to vote large since the last half-year. The final call, which amounted
sums for increasing the armaments of the nation, to 500,000/., was paid up in July last, and the whole con-
that he should make some inquiries of the Government solidated stock was now 4,200,0001. The interest payable
on a subject of so much absorbing interest to the on the amount called up in July made an additional
country as that of our relations with France. (Hear, charge to the revenue to this half-year of 21,0001. With
hear.) All must feel that upon such a topic respect to the capital account, the increase was 'very
it was of the highest importance that no false opinion small, being only 87,0001. It was satisfactory to find
should take possession of the public mind, for in a free that the charges under this head had been gradually di-
country public opinion was the security for peace, as it minishing during the last four or five years. There was
was some times the cause of war. • (Hear, hear.) And an increase upon the debenture debt, the amount being
it was by discussion, which was the life and soul of so- 3,292,6561. That might appear a large sum, even taking
ciety like ours, that we arrived at the truth upon sub- into account their large powers of borrowing ; but the
jects which often, to the danger and peril of the com- greater portion of the money was raised for subsidiary
inunity, became perplexed and obscure. (Hear, hear.) lines, and if they desired to' realise their property and
The right hon. gentleman then proceeded to argue apply it to this debt, they could reduce the amount con-
against the dogma which is held by some persons that siderably. Taking the full market value of the shares
France and England were national enemies, and hay- on the lines to which these debentures referred, it would
ing pointed out that the past history of both be found that if the property were realised, there
was entirely opposed to such an opinion, he went on to would hardly be a difference of 300,0001. against
observe that the impression that a rupture was about them, ' which, in a company with such a great
to take place between the two countries gained strength, capital as this, was n'ot a matter of much consideration.
from the fact that we were about to make a considerable (Hear.) By paying off those debentures on which the
increase in our armaments. It was argued average interest was now 31. 195., and by getting money
out of doors, the right honourable gentleman said, at a half less per cent., they might effect a saving of
that whatever might be the assertion of states- 25,0001., or thereabouts. On the whole, therefore, the
men in either country or the opinion of un- debenture account was in a very satisfactory position,
impassioned men, no one could deny that the and, he ventured to say, it would bear comparison with
Government of the country felt that the responsibility that of any other company. The number of miles
devolved upon them of recommending an increase worked last half-year was 903,000, as. against 866,000 of
in our forces. (Hear.) Now, it was naturally the previous half-year. The amount charged to capital
supposed that this increase was to guard against some in the last 6 months of 1852 for their stock, was the
foreign foe, and who could that foreign foe be but the same as the corresponding period of 1851, notwithstand-
ing which was nearest to us, and the most warlike in ing they were enabled to add to their stock 21 engines, -
its attitude. (Rear.) There was a good deal of 20 carriages, and 186 waggons. He now came to the
plausibility on the face of this argument ; never- revenue account, and he would first take the receipts;
theless there was not the least foundation for their line during
the belief'increased The total receipts from the traffic on.
that these armaments were the half-year was 1,309,7971. It would be unfair to
attributable to such a cause. (Hear, heaf.)
The
more ceipts during the Exhibition year, but it was at least sa-
the increase of our armaments was origin of make a comparison between that account and de re-
.—
of a, much 7 remote date than that which had seen the tisfactory that wherever the extraordinary results of that
promulgation of this erroneous belief. The origin, in
ear were not particularly felt the traffic had maintained
fact, was to be traced to the rapid strides which had ?.Itself extremely well, although competition opened-upon
been made of late years in the application of science to them at several points, and absorbed a portion of what
the arts of war and defence, as well as the every- they had formerly possessed. The receipts from mer-
day affairs of life. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) Though chandise had increased by 65,0001., and that was
the necessity of perfecting the national defences attained without any increase in the working charges.
of the country was always apparent, it fell to the lot of The r • from
eipts other sources were rather greater than
receipts .
the late Government to take a most important step f Railway, for instance,showed
or before. The North Union
that purpose. They established the militia on a popular a gain this half year of 98,".. versus a loss of about 8001.,
principle, they placed the Artillery. in an efficient state and during the last. The t0..1 receipts were, under all
introduced a measure for fortifying the arsenals of the heads, 1,366,000/. On looking to the other side of the
country. They also increased the marinesd by 15,000 men, account—the expenditure—the first item to be seen was
and made arrangements which would, no oubt, be carried for the maintenance of way. This showed an increase,
out by their successors, for forming a natural garrison in
which was owing to the floods, which had committed
the shape of a Channel fleet, consisting of 15 or 16 sail, .
One of the reasons why it was supposed that
peace would serious injuries on various portions
• of the railway, but
increased— chiefly on the Peterborough and Trent Valley lines,
be disturbed was the fact of their having so
which had alone cost 4,0001. for repairs. On this sub-
fallacious.their armaments. That conclusion was,
Bonapartehowever, utterly
„,, ject there had existed a great deal of misapprehension ;
Whether a Bourbon or a
. were and he had heard it stated that their losses in this
on the the throne of France, and whether the country wasf
spect were between 50,0001. and 100,000/. Re had,
disturbed or tranciuil, the responsible Administration o
however, the authority of the persons who superintended
England must, sooner or later, have felt it their dut to the maintenance of way for saying that as far as the
place the land in a state of defence. It was said that North-Western Railway was concerned, the cost would
apprehensions of invasion fence. It entertaised, probably not be more than 15,0001. (Hear, hear.) He
because there was a 'military dynasty in France, believed he was also justified in stating that there was a
but it did not fellow that that dynasty was diminution of 25,000/. in the working expenses. The
a warlike one, or that the army were anxious to next was a very awkward item, and one which he deeply
conquer other countries. Besides, though the Emperor deplored—namely, 19,000/. compensation for accidents
was the descendant of a great conqueror, he was not by
and losses. About 6,000/, of that was for damage sus-
profession a military man. But there were two reasons
pained by the goods
at Coventry. traffic, and about 2,0001. for the fire
given for objecting to his rule in that country What, therefore, remained for personal in-
-first,
that he had overturned the constitution, jury was not large. He would take that opportunity of i
and secondly, because he had abridged the liberty of the
refuting the charge made by the public newspapers,
press. Now he (Mr. Disraeli) was a member of the
press, and he had no other escutcheon. (Hear, and that directors evinced an entire indifference for the lives
f who travelled along their railways. They re-
himself No one was therefore more conscious than ° persons deeply
gretted most himself of the invaluable blessings of a free ress ; but it shad adopted •l
should be recollected that the freedom had life or limb, and they a pevery possib e precau-
of the press tion to avoid accidents, and among other things had ap- I
not always existed in Engla dll 3 and that it was but a
pointed a