The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-09 00:00:00

ceptional case. It was not likely that a colony would
pi tition the Queen for the restoration of protection,
when that petition was to go through the hands of the
Noble Earl, and he was to advise the answer. The
case, however, of Canada, was peculiar. The differ•
ence upon the receipts from Quebec or Montreal was
never great, and between which there were very heavy
charges before a vessel could enter the ocean. These
amounted, upon a vessel of 350 tons, to 1751. In truths
American vessels would not go to Montreal, closed
up for five months in the year with ice, when they could
export their produce from New York.—(Hear, hear.)
The American ships would not, and did not, compete
with English ships on the river St. Lawrence. The
Noble Earl referred to the firm of Holme, Young, and
Knapp, stated to carry on a very profitable trade in pig
iron, but stated that they were seriously injured by those
obnoxious navigation-laws. He could not, however,
agree in that view. This House was said to have de-
clared that the people of Canada were most loyal, but
recommended that their feelings should not be exaspe-
rated by a refusal to repeal these laws. Now these gen-
' tletnen, on a former occasion, stated that the Canadas
wire anxious for annexation with the United States,
and further stated it was impossible to retain a
colony upon the principles of free trade.—
(Hear, hear.) This was the authority upon
which the Noble Earl acted to conciliate their own sub-
jects in Canada, addressed by this American friendly
authority. Besides, Cenada was not the whole of the
Northern colonies. New Brunswick end Nova Scotia
called upon them to repeal those laws, because they
were shipbuilding colonies. Those cheap ships, upon
which they so much relied, were of nu consideration, if
the peculiar situation of Canada was taken into account,
end they desired to relax the laws with regard to
Canada. That might be done without opposition from
the merchants of this country, by placing Montreal
in the position of having goods exported con-
sidered as the produce of that port. Reference
had been made to the petition from Jamaica. But
the curious thing of it was, that the memorial from
Jamaica did not ask for a repeal of the navigation -laws,
They wished to have the order of the Queen in Council
altered—and it was not fair, in the face of such a com-
plaint, to say that those people complained of the nevi-
against which they did not complain at all.
gI
tatwi-°ans-alrits,
e
certain that while they were acting on prin-
ciples of reciprocity, they gained great advantages for
this country in their commerce with foreign nations.
Now, with respect to British tonnage, it was quite cer-
tain while it had fallen off to an immense amount that
of Prussia had increased to a great extent. They en-
joyed 1,700,000 of shipping, and in that no power could
reach them, if they took care not so to alter their navi-
gation-laws as to hold out to them an inducement to do
so. They should also take care that they did not so inter-
fere with the interests of their artisans in their
dockyards as to discourage them, and drive them to
seek a field wherein to exercise their skill and industry
in other nations. It had been said that the British ship-
builders in this country had nothing to fear from the
' fact of British ships being built in foreign countries; but
let him remind their Lordships that there could not be
a British ship built in a foreign country without dis-
placing a large amount of British labour, and diverting
from this country a considerable amount of British ca-
pital.—(Hear.) lie warned them to take care not by
any act of theirs to trench upon and injure the inte-
rests of the labouring poor connected with this great
question; he warned them not to set one class against
another; he warned them to take care of their artisans;
he warned them not to drive their British shipowners
to register their ships in foreign countries; and he
warned many Honourable Members of another House,
who, he must say, were not on this question representing
their constituents, that they would have much cause, in
the event of a dissolution, to apprehend the consequences
which the Noble Lord said he felt so much alarm about.
He, therefore, held that question to be entirely one of
giving employment to the people—to be totally separate
from tree trade, and their Lordships would be much mis-
taken if they thought that British shipowners or seamen
would be satisfied with an Act passed, if it should pass.
with menaces—(Cheers)—which the Noble Marqui
opposite thought proper to use.—(Hear, hear.) 'lli
Noble Lord then concluded a speech of great eloquence
and power, by invoking the blessings of Providence on
this country to maintain that navy which was not the
strength alone, but the greatness of that empire, and on
which its very existence mainlydepended.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE then rose and ob-
served that he was not, at that hour of the night, going
to obtrude on their Lordships at any length, in answer
to the eloquent speech of the Noble Lord who had just
sat down. The Noble Lord said, that menaces had been
used, but he defied him to state when or where they
were so uttered.—(Hear, hear.) When the Noble Lord
made the statement, there was a general curiosity to
know what those menaces were, and whether they were
given in public or private. But he would take on him-
self to say that the words, if menace they were, would
never have been used, were it not that the Noble Lord
himself said, manfully certainly, but ostentatiously, that
he was prepared for the consequences of a victory on
that question.—(Load cheers.) All he (the Marquis of
Lansdowne) said was, that if he were prepared for a
victory, he (the Marquis of Lansdowne) was
equally prepared for a defeat, and that was the menace
which was used, and which was so much exaggerated.
The attention of the Government had been for some
time drawn to the subject, and after two or three years'
deliberation, after successive votes of the House of
Commons in its favour, the measure had come before
their Lordships. how then could the Noble Lord ac-
cuse Ministers of being guilty of precipitation with re-
ference to the present question?—(Bear.) The Noble
Marquis having concluded,

Strangtrs were ordered to withdraw, when there sp-
ptared—

Contents

Proxies

---- 173
Non-Contents
Proxies 44

- 163
Majority for Ministers -- 10
The result was a majority in favour of the Govern-
ment, and was hailed with loud cheers.
Their Lordships then adjourned at a Quarter to Five
o'clock.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS.
(From the Votes and Proceedings of the Rouse of Commons.)
TUICSDAY, MAY 8.
STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE.
The following Resolution was reported from the above
Committee:—

That in the case of the Edinburgh and Northern Railway
(Formation of Slip Quay and other Works at Granton, Ex-
tension of Station at Edinburgh, Regulation cf 'Perth
Stations, and Amendment of Acts) petition for additional
Provision, the standing orders ought to be dispensed with :
That the parties be permitted to introduce their additional
Provision if the Committee on the Bill shall think fit.—
Resolution agreed to.

THE " COUNT OUT" LAST NIGHT.
The following Members were present when the House was
counted out last night:—
Sir Charles Wood Colonel Raved=
Sir W. Somerville Mr. Lawless
Mr. Baines Mr. Cowan
Mr. James Clay - Mr. Wawn
Sir H. Williamson Mr. Pilkington
Mr. Poulett Scrope Colonel Salwe
Y
Colonel Thompson Sir A.ll3rooke
Mr. Aglionby Mr. Duncuft
Mr. Macgregor Mr. Lacy
Mr. French Mr. Taylor
Mr. W. J. Fox Mr. Stafford
Mr. John Williams Mr. Henry Herbert
Mr. Meagher Lord M. Hill
Mr. William Fagan Mr. Moore
Mr. John O'Connell Mr. C. W. Martin
Mr. Sullivan Mr. Feargus O'Connor
Mr. George Thompson