The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-02 00:00:00

DANISH WAR.

Mr. GEORGE SANDALS wished to ask the Noble
Lord the Secretary for Foreign AfFrirs if he had heard
of the fact of several British ships with British property,
sailing from the port of Barth, having been seized by the
Danish ships of war, and taken into Copenhagen, though
the said port of Barth is not one of the ports which has
been declared under blockade, or any steps taken to
render it so.
Lt.ird PALMERSTON replied that a few days ago
nu application was made to him on the subject, and he
was now causing inquiries to be made into it.
Mr. GEORGE SANDALS observed that one of the
vessels stopped had charge of the mails.
Lord I'ALDLEASION 'Aid he had opplted to the

foreign power in question for permission that vessels with
the mails might pass, but he had not yet received an
answer to the application.
Mr. G. SANDARS had been informed that as many
as 36 vessels, most of which were foreign, had been
allowed to pass this blockaded port.
_ . . _

Lord PALMERSTON said 'Government had sent out
a steamer to ascertain if the blockade was completed,
but the shores of the Elbe could not be so effectually
blockaded as to keep out all vessels. No doubt some
vessels had effected an entrance at night, but it must be
remembered that they did so at a risk, and were liable
to be afterwards seized and condemned,
SUPPLY. _

The House then went into Committee of Supply.
On the question that 103,4671. be granted for addis
Lions and repairs of Royal Palaces,
Mr. B. OSBORNE said no man in the House had
greater respect for the Sovereign of the country than
himself. While he was sure he was only expressing the
feeling of the House in saying that he was most anxious
that the Sovereign should be lodged in a way that would
do credit to the country and the station she occupied
in Europe, at the same time he thought the House
was bound to inquire into the system in which these
enormous sums were year after year brought before the
House of Commons for public palaces. He was sure the
Sovereign would be the last individual in the country M
wish that system to continue without proper inquiry being
made into it. Now on the first page of this estimate he
saw 7501. for Buckingham Palace ; but if the House
would take the trouble to turn over the next few
Pages, they would find an additional sum of
50,0001. for the same building. By the report
of a Committee appointed in 1831 to inquire
into the state of Windsor and Buckingham Palaces
it appeared that, exclusive of the marble arch, there had
been expended on Buckingham Palace no less a Eum
than 613,2961., which, aided to the 150,000/. granted last
year, made an aggregate sum of 763,2961., beside% the
grants for furniture, &c. Now, for such a sum as that
they ought to have been able to build a palace fitting
the Sovereign of the country, instead of which they had
got a patched up building, erected in a hole. So
much, then, for Buckiagha'.n Palace.—(Laughter.)
He had not the least disrespect for the Sovereign, but
he could not forbear calling attentien to a vote of 6,5001.
for new stables at Windsor, awl fur supplying them
with water. Then, again, flashing and cleansing the
drains was charged at 15,550/ The Noble Lord at the
head of the Government stated, last night, that where
round figures were put down that it meant that a further
sum would be required. Ile, therefore, called particular
attention to the vote, because it might be inf:rred
that it was only preliminary to a further sum. The
House might say that it was a small sum ; but he found
from the report of the Committee of 1841, that the
expenditure upon Windsor Castle, from 1824 to 1836.
had amounted to the enerineus sum of 1,498,516/.
(11i ar, hear)—making, with what was required this
year, a total of 1,5130001., exclusive of the sums voted
to the Woods and Forests for furnishing and other
matters. They told other nations that they were
the guardians hf the public purse ; but he denied
that they were. It was disgraceful that so large
a sum should have been spent upon two palaces, one of
which was not fit to put a Sovereign in. He would not
put the II :use to the trouble of a division, as he might
only get a "baker'. dez n" to go out into the lobby with
him ; but ho celled sty): the House to express
a strong opinion upon this excessive expenditure.
Why, if they went on at this ra:e, the whole of the re-
venue of the country would be swallowed up in the build-
ing of palaces.—(Hear, hear.) Why, the estimate for the
new Palace at Westminster was 750,000/4 but already
they had spent 2,000,0001. upon it—(llear)—and .hey
were disfiguring the House of Lords by erecting a hideous
gallery, which would spoil the beautiful proportions of
the buildine.. And in the new House of Cummins not
a word would be heard, hut perhaps that would be an
advantage to some Hon. Members.—(Laughter.) Again,
he ssw in the estimates a small sun, since is was 41 14,.,
but he mentioned it for another reason—naeselv, from its
being appli‘d to the purposes of the abowinable Palace
Court, to which he wished to draw the attention of the
NoVe Lord the Member for Marylebono.—(Hear.)
The miscellaneous estimates were, however, so large
that it was impossible to follow them. Ile suggested
that for the future all the sums expended upon public
buildings should be carried on, as at present Members
thought that new sums were required, and they were
consequently deceived,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER hoped
the Hon. .and Gallant Member would not deny that
Buckingham Palace was a handsome building. To save
money it was essential that repairs should be made.
Mr. OSBORNE did not object to repairs.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—At
the time the money referred to was expended on drains
at Windsor Castle there were no drains.
Mr. SL AN EY said he remembered that a survey was
made of Windsor by Sir 11. Delabeche, and that ho
reported that improved drainage was necessary for the
health of the town.
Sir DE LACY EVANS hoped that the barracks at
Windsor would not be forgotten.
The vote was agreed to.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE.

On the next vote, 14,2001. for enlarging and improv-
ing Buckingham Palace,
Mr. OSBORNE inquired whether there was any esti-
mate of the expensa of furnishing Buckingham Palace?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was
able to give what the Hon, Gentleman,he belived, would
regard as a very satisfactory answer—that the public
would be put to no expense at all in that respect.
Mr. OSBORNE said, that in this vote there was a
sum, he observal, of 2004 for the expense of pulling
down the marble arch. This arch had cost upwards of
80,0001. in the erection, and now there was to be a
further sum for pulling it down. Ho should very much
like to know what was to be done with this arch?
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
that, in reply to the Hon. Member, he really could not
say what was to be done with the arch, for nothing had
at present been decided upon, but one thing was very
plain, and that was that the arch could not continue
where it was.—(Laughter.)
The vote was then passed.
COMMITTEE-ROOMS, &c.

On the vote for 3,284/. to defray the cost of Committee-
rooms and other temporary accommodations in the new
Houses of Parliament,
Mr. OSI3ORNE said he hardly thought that the House
were aware that since the temporary accommodations
had been afforded not less than 200,0001. had been
spent upon theri.—(Hear, hear.) Then, again, there
was another item to which he thought no suffi-
cient attention had ever been directed, and that was the
charge of 120,000/. for ventilation. Not that he was in-
clined to find fault with the ventilation—(Hear, hear)—
but he wished the House to see what they paid for it.
Then there was another charge which he wished to
bring under their notice, and in doing so he was anxious
to hear the opinion of the Under-Secretary for the
Colonies, respecting those hideous galleries which were
now being erected in the House of Lords. That Right
Hon. Gentleman was a member of the Fine Arts Com-
missicn, and, as in all probability they would see the
expense of them charged in next year's estimates, he
should like to have his opinion.—(Hear.) He objected
to money being expended on temporary erections, and
would advise the Howe to refuse their countenance,
for it was his firm impre:sion that unless the House put
the scrsw on the Chancellor of the Exchequer they would
never sit in the new House at all.(Laughter.)
The vote was then agreed to.
HOLYHEAD HARBOUR.

The sum of 45,771/. for completing the Harbour at
Holyhead for the accommodation of her Majeaty's mail
s:eam-packets was then agreed to.
HARBOURS OF REFUGE.

On the vote for 141,5001 for completing the Harbours
of Refuge,
Mr. M. GIBSON wished to inquire whether these
harbours were for commercial or for military purposes.
He understood that these harbours, for commercial pur-
poses, were more likely to be harbours of destruction
than of safety. The French, he understood, termed the
harbour at Dover a harbour of aggression instead of
safety.
After a few observations from Mr. THORNELY and
the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER the vote was
agreed to.