The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-30 00:00:00

tee, consisting of the justices of the peace residing or pos- such poorhouse be at least six miles from
aessing rateable property in such electoral division ; of Zany infirmary, such buildings or wards as shall
the Roman Catholic, Ep'scopalian Protestant, and Pres- he approved of by the Poor-law Commissioners, for a- e
byterban clergymen usually officiating in the churches reception Of destitute poor persons requiring surd-
existing in such electoral division ; of the guardians cal assistance ; and it shall be lawful for the iguar-
of the poor elected for such electoral division ; and of diens of the said union to charge the expense incurred
wardens elected in the proportion of one for every in the maintenance and medical treatment of the said
inhabitants of such electoral division, ac- destitute poor persons upon the rates of the said union,
cording to the census of 1841 ; which wardens shall or of the electoral division to which they may belong.
be elected at the same time and in the same manner as And whereas great advantage would arise, were wards
the guardians of the poor are elected. And be it en- for surgical cases made available in the different poor-
acted, that the relief committees, constituted as afore- houses in Ireland for the reception of the poor, &c., be
said, shall consider and determine who are the persons it enacted that surgical wards be provided for such poor
entitled to receive relief in the several electoral divisions persons, &c., upon receiving security for the expense in.
for which they act, and shall certify their opinion with earred in the maintenance and medical treatment of such
respect to the claims of each such person who may apply persons. And be it enacted, that it shall be lawful fur
fur relief to the board of guardians, and shall state the guardians of any union to pay out of the rates the
whether, in their opinion, the person so ap- expense incurred in conveying any destitute poor person
plying ought to be relieved in the workhouse or out of it. to any infirmary or hospital, who from accident or
Sir GEORGE GREY thought it would be actually otherwise may require surgical assistance, and in
impossible to act upon the principle laid down by the maintaining such destitute poor person in such hospital.
Hon. Gentleman in his first clause. Mr. LABOUCHERE objected to the clause, as it
Mr. HAMILTON said the disapprobation of the die- would interfere with the Bill for the regulation of
proportionate relation established by the electoral the medical charities.
divisions between the population and the property was After a few rem.trks in support of the clause, from
universal. Sir H. W. Barron, Mr. P. Scrope, and Mr. M. J.
Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL corroborated the observe- O'Connell, the clause was negatived without a division.
tion of the Hon. Gentleman. Sir GEORGE GREY said, the Hon. Member for
Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN said the divisions into unions Kilkenny (Mr. J. O'Connell) had given notice of a
were most unequal. In Rathdown Union, for example, clause to he inserted after clause C, section 10, for the
there were 69,000 acres, while in other unions there were appropriation of a separate apartment for the religious
so many as 498,000 acres, and 320,000 acres, an ine- worship and practice of each denomination of Christians
9uality for which there was no assignable reasons. among the paupers, and also giving the appointment,
Some change was clearly very desirable in this respect. control, and dismissal of the schoolmaster and school-
The clauses were negatived without a division. mistress of each denomination to a sub-committee of
Mr. SMITH O'BRIEN then moved the following the board of guardians, to consist of the guardians 'of
clause :—And " whereas much inconvenience has been such religious denominations. He thought that cases
found to result from the great size of set eral of the might arise where such regulations would be necessary;
unions of Ireland ;" Be it enacted, that the Poor-law at the same time that he did not approve of a heavy
Commissioners shall revise and reconstitute the unions, expense being incurred for the erection of separate
so that no union shall contain more than one hundred places of worship where they were not absolutely re-
and fifty thousand acres. quired. He had, therefore, prepared an amendment to
Mr. VESEY trusted that some measure would be the clause of the Hon. Gentleman, giving the Poor-law
taken to subdivide the unions, and he hoped also that Commissioners a discretion to carry out these objects
the electoral districts would be so arranged as to bear where they should think necessary, and he would beg to
some proportion to the local properties. propose it to the House.
Sir G. GREY said that the Commissioners had the The clause, as amended, was agreed to without dis-
power of reconsidering and arranging the limits of the cussion.
electoral districts, and he saw no reason why the same Lord G. BENTINCK then moved the addition of the
rule should not apply to the unions also, following clauses:—" And be it enacted, that, save as
Lord G. BENTINCK had always advocated the ex- hereinafter provided, it shall not be lawful for any occu
tension of the unions. The districts at present were pier of rateable property holding under any lease or
immensely disproportioned to the population, in some agreement to be made or entered into after the passing
instances the applicants for relief having to walk of this act, nor for any tenant at will, or from year to
seventeen miles, and in a very great number of cases year, after the let day of January, 1849, to deduct from
the distance was equally great. The district cempre- the rent to which he may be liable in respect of such
hended in the Ballina union was very extensive, and property any amount whatever in respect of any
what made the evil the worse was, that the union rate which may be imposed at any period subsequent
was situated at the one extremity of the dis- to the date of such lease or agreement, or subsequent
trict, and the western, or more populous part to such Ist day of January, as the case may be.
of the district, was some forty-six miles distant.— And be it enacted, that all the provisions of the
(Hear, hear.) He believed that the system of union Act 6 and 7 Vic., c. 92, intituletl, "An Act for the fur-
government, and more especially of that part of it ther Amendment of an Act for the more effectual Relief of
which referred to the care of the sick, was capable of the Destitute Poor in Ireland " for the charge and reco-
very great improvement. Perhaps it might be within very of rates upon property rated to a net annual value
the knowledge of the Hon. Gentleman the Solicitor- not exceeding four pounds, shall be deemed and taken to
General for Ireland, that in the year 1.643, when apply to the like property rated to a net annual value not
Mr. Gulston was in Galway there were upwards exceeding five pounds. Provided nevertheless, and be it
of two thousand persona lying ill of fever enacted, that no immediate lessor holding under any
1,500 of which number were in the streets and lanes of lease or agreement to be made or entered into after the
the town, and many of them were exposed before the passing of this Act, shall be authorised to deduct from
doors of their houses, with scarcely a rag to cover them. any rent by him payable under such lease or agreement
In the course of 48 hours Mr. Gulston constructed a to his superior landlord any amount whatever in re-
fever hospital, at an expense of 3061., capable of contain- sped of any rate which way be imposed at any
ing one thousand inmates. The result was, that out of period subsequent to the date of such lease or
the 2,000 persons that passed through the fever hospital, agreement." 'ihe Noble Lord then proceeded to say,
only 17 died. Now, if this principle had been whilst the rental of Ireland was 13,187,4701. sterling,
adopted in the present session, the Government might the rack-rent was 17,000,0001. ; the effect of this was,
have saved an enormous sum of money, and the lives of that the landlord paid 2s. sd. of the rate. Such a state
hundreds of thousands of people. He was sure that in of things kept down the disposition of the tenant to re-
the year 1847 not less than 4.000,000/. would have been duce the rate, for his poor relations gained more than
saved to the revenue of Great Britain. The expense of he lost by his assessment. The million of heads of fami-
the public works for the year ending the 13th of March lies in Ireland, representing five millions of people, lived
instant, amounted to no less than 13,142,0001. The ex- without any regular means, or knowledge of how they
pense of the staff alone was 1,193,000/. Now, he was in were to provide for themselves or their families. Nearly
a condition to show that if they had extended the work- one-half of them lived in heuses or cabins with only two
houses—if they had built 400 workhouses upon the rooms; and ninety thousand of them lived in
same principle as that upon which Mr. Gulston con- mud cabins, without either windows or doors. With
strutted a similar building in Galway, and supported in such a state of things, the poor rates, when the
them the 2,200,000 paupers of Ireland, they would not Act came into operation, would be 20d. in the pound.
only have saved 4,000,0001., but they would have in. He thought it would be for the advantage of
creased the comforts of the poor, and avoided all chance all parties to throw the whole burden on the
of demoralising the peasantry. There would have been rate-payers generally, instead of on the land
no forsaking the land for being employed on the lords, for it was surely better that the poor should
public works ; and, had recourse been had be dependent on 500,000 or 600,000 tenant-farmers, in-
to this system, hundreds and thousands of stead of but 16,000 lauded proprietors. This was the
lives would have been saved, while the general condi- object of his amendment, which was in entire conformity
tion of the people would have been greatly improved. with the observations of the Noble Lord at the head of
Government could tell them the number of potatoes the Government in introducing the present measure.
which Ireland had produced, but they would not give Though in some particular instances, as had
them a return of the number of poor wretches who had been objected to, his clause might operate injuriously
perished under the foolish system of free trade. When on the middle-man ; generally speaking, its operation,
Government, in the month of August, knew that the po- he was firmly persuaded, would be beneficial.
tato, the only food of the people, had failed, they ought The effect of his first clause, then, would be this—sup-
to had taken decisive steps to supply the wants of the posing Bs. to be the rate paid by the landlord, the land-
people with another description of food, but instead of lord would deduct 45., namely, half the rate, from the
doing so, Government had shown an utter indifference tenant ; or if be should be debarred from that, he would,
for the sufferings of the people, and now they boldly be at libJrty to enter into a -new contract with the
refused to supply the House with any infor- tenant. That would be a most stringent means of get-
nation upon the great misery of Ireland ; but ting rid of the middle-man, who must be allowed to be
he could tell them that the time was coming when it the bane of Ireland. Such was the effect of the first of
would be wrung from them by the united voice of the his clauses. The first object of the second clause was
three kingdoms. to reduce the small rate-payers, and the
Mr. LABOUCHERE was anxious that the House second to withdraw from the inducement
should proceed with the consideration of this important to sub-let small farms to small holders
Bill, and he should not then intrude himself upon the The object of the proposed clause would be to improve
House had it not been for an assertion of the Noble the character of the rate-payers by removing from the
Lord. He owed it to himself, to his own character, and tenant who was rated under a the liability to pay poor-
the feelings of the Government with whom he acted, to rates. The effect of the measure would be to remove
make some reply to it. The Noble) Lord had said that this liability from the ehouldcls of 76,027 persons, while
Government were indifferent to the sufferings of the there would still remain of persons rated above that sum
people of Ireland ; and he should content himself with 309,726. The guardians would, when thus elected by
giving a contradiction to that assertion as explicit a better class of rate-payers, be more likely properly to
and as complete as his respect for the House fulfil the duties which might devolve upon them by virtue
would allow him to give.—(Cheers.) He felt of their office than when chosen by the lower (dais of
too deeply the responsibilities which rested upon him, rate-payers.
as a Minister of the Crown, to lose his temper in dis- Sir G. GREY did not believe the statement of the
cussing a question of this magnitude, and no provoca- Noble Lord would lessen the alarm felt on the subject
tion should induce him to do so, and nothing but the by the Irish landlords. The rental of Ireland was 13
provocation the Noble Lord had given could have called millions, and the landlords were rated at present at 17,3-
from him the declaration he had made. He trusted that millions; but the proposition of the Noble Lord would
he had not expressed any sentiment in opposition to the increase that rating by half a million more. The adop-
principle of the Bill, or that he had not displayed a tion of the proposition of the Noble Lord would inter-
spirit which was not in perfect consonance with that fere with the working of the project, and he considered,
which the Government desired to display, but if he had therefore, that it would be better to postpone it for the
it had been elicited by the charge which the Noble Lord present. Nothing could be more mischievous than to
had so unjustifiably brought against the Government. hold out to the people of Ireland any expectation that,
Sir G. GREY trusted that the observations which because the potato crop had failed, there was to be an
had been made were not in consonance with those end to all exertion on their part. The Bill would afford
which had been evinced by the enunciation of the Noble to meet an emergency, but not to encourage a deficiency
Lord's views ; and it should be recollected that the in the individual exertions of the Irish people. Ile
cases which had been adduced were in contravention of should, therefore, oppose the clause.
the principle which he had propounded. There would Mr. SHAW said the clause would assimilate the law
be ample opportunity for discussing them in the Com- of Ireland with the law of England, and he could not see
mittee, when the clauses were brought under the notice what sufficient reason could be urged against its
of the House. He sincerely hoped that the Hon. Mem- adoption. He would quite agree with the principle of
ber would not press any of his suggestions to a division, his Noble Friend if he would act up to it. His Noble
Mr. REPTO.N had not the slightest wish to detain Friend had said that the sacrifice would be of the
floe house from the discussion of the clauses, and must 13,000.0001. a year on the part of the landlords for the
say that he gave the greatest credit to the Government sake of the labourers, and if the 1,500 were to be sacrificed
for their exertions to relieve the distress in Ireland. for the 700,000 now engaged on the public works, he was
Mr. S. O'BRIEN had, no more than the last Member, also ready to agree to it; but it should be recollected
a wish to detain the House from the consideration of the that they were not prepared to give the English poor-
subject before them ; but he believed that in the doe- law in its entirety. When the Hon. Member for
trines of free trade, to which they professed their adhe- Northamptonshire had first stated his scheme to the
rence, there was a remedy to be found ; and if they had House, he had dissented from it ; but he was now of a
acted up to those principles, he believed that it was not different opinion, and if they would give the English
necessary that a single life should bo sacrificed in Ire. poor-law in its entirety, he was quite ready to agree to
land. He trusted, therefore, that they would not now it. The effect of the law would be, as he conceived, that
depart from their principles, but that they would recol- the poor-rates would be thrown on the small occupiers,
lect what was the amount of distress that was likely to and if they would give the English poor law in its whole
ensue from a too astringent adhesion by them. effects, he thought that it would be a boon to the coun-
On the clause bring put by Mr. GREENE, try, and a motion which he could readily support.
Mr. NEW DEGATE said that it was very possible Mr. BROTHERTON moved that the Speaker report
that the Noble Lord had used expressions stronger than progress, and ask leave to sit again.—(Cries of "Go
the meaning which he intended they should bear— on, go on," and Mr. Brotberton refrained from press-
(Laughter)—but while saying this, he was quite ready ing his motion.)
to give her Majesty's Government credit for every desire Captain HARRIS felt that the Noble Lord was en-
to relieve the distress in Ireland, but to do that they titled to the highest credit for the introduction of this
must depart from their rigid construction of the princples law, but he thought that it was insufficient for the pur-
of political economy ny which they seemed to be bound. pose.—(Loud cries of " Divide, divide.")
The clause was then negatived without a division, and Sir W. JOLLIFFE thought the system adopted in
on the proposition that the original clause should be this country should be applied to Ireland—namely,
brought up with the report, throwing the burden of the rates in the first instance on
Mr. HAMILTON and Mr. SMITEI O'BRIEN expressed the occupier of the land. It would then be the interest
doubts as to the way in which it was likely to work. of the farmers to find work for the labourers for the
Sir GEORGE GREY explained that it would not purpose of keeping them off the rate.
depend on the guardians so much as on the Act itself. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL said the tenantry of Ireland
Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN proposed the insertion of the did not call for this arrangement. It had existed for
following clauses :—And whereas it has been found centuries in England, but it was quite unsuited to Ire-
that the rate required to repay the original cost of land. They might as well talk of extending it to Siberia.
building the workhouses presses very unequally upon Gentlemen seemed to forget that in Ireland half the rate
property in the several unions in Ireland ; be it enacted, was now paid by the landlord, and the other half by the
that the repayment of the loans borrowed under direr- tenant. This, therefore, was but another sample of the
tion of the Poor-law Commissioners, for the construction extension of English laws to a country of whose existing
of the workhouses, shall be defrayed by means of a rate laws they were utterly ignorant. He warned the House
leviable according to the net valuation, as an uniform that a more dangerous experiment could not be tried
poundage upon all rateable property throughout Ireland. than that now proposed by the Noble Lord. By adopt-
And whereas it has been found that the standard of ing it they would do more to unsettle the state of
valuation differs very much in the several unions of Ire- Ireland than all they had done beside would tend to
land; be it therefore enacted, that the Poor-law Com- settle it.
missioners shall take immediate steps for obtaining an Mr. P. SCROPE opposed the clause. It was objected
uniform valuation of rateable property throughout Ire- to by the tenants of Ireland, and, upon every ground of
land, in so far as the same may be attained by the Acts reason and justice, ought to be negatived by the Com-
now in force relative to valuation. And be it enacted, mittee.
that persons receiving fixed incomes from rateable Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD protested that, pro-
property by way of jointure, rent-charge, or any other posing this clause at such a time, was taking the people
annuity, not being created in satisfaction for debt, of Ireland by surprise. The tenants of Ireland were in
shall be liable to all rates levied for the relief of the a very different position to the tenants of Eng-
poor in the same manner as if the incomes so received land, and, therefore, the law of the two countries could
were receivable as rent. And be it enacted, that it not be assimilated; at all events, if the Committee
shall be lawful for the guardians of any union, passed the clause, he could assure them it would create
if they shall so think lit, to put out to nurse and to disturbance and discontent in the sister kingdom.
contract from half-year to half-year for the mainte- The House then divided, when there appeared—.
nance of any orphans or deserted children whom they For the clause 76
may consider fit objects for relief, and to order payment Against it 79
out of the rates, and charge against the union at large Majority 3
such sums as may be agreed upon between the guardians Sir G. GREY moved the following clause: And
and the persons so contracting for the maintenance of whereas by the said first-recited Act the Poor-law Com-
such orphans or deserted children. Provided always, missioners are empowered to purchase or hire land not
that no such contract or payment shall continue after exceeding twelve acres, imperial measure, to be occupied
any orphan or deserted child, for whose maintenance with the workhouse of any union in Ireland, and it is
such contract shall have been made, shall have attained expedient so to extend the said provision as to enable
the guardians of any union to occupy for certain pur.
After a short discussion, in which Sir G. Grey,
years.
Mr. Bellow, Sir 11. W. Barron, Mr. poses an additional quantity of land not immediately
thirteen years.
contiguous to any workhouse, or to the site thereof:
and Mr. Archbold took part, the clauses were
Shaw, be it enacted, that it shall be lawful for the Poor-law
negatived. Commissioners to purchase or hire land not exceeding
Nthieoraggaen ofJ J.
Sir GEORGE GREY introduced a clause, removing three acres, imperial measure, in addition to the twelve
the restriction of a three months residence in the union acres aforesaid, to be occupied by the guardians
workhouse previous to establishing aim to
a elemigration of any union, any portion of the said land so to be oc•
relief, which was agreed to.
cupied being either contiguous to, or detached from, the
Mr. VILLIERS STUART moved the following site on which any workhouse stands, as shall be found
clauses :—And whereas in many districts in Ireland, most convenient in each case, and it shall be lawful for
from the local position of the county infirmary, the poor, such land to be used for the site of a fever ward, or as a
oho from accidents or other causes may require surgical cemetery fur the burial of deceased inmates of the
assistance in an hospital, are unable from Ste distance of workhouse, or for any other purpose which the said
he said infirmary to obtain it, and it is desirable that Commissioners shall approve ; and the Poor-law Com-
this evil should 'be remedied : ne it enacted, that it missioners are hereby empowered to erect such fever
shall be lawful for the guardians of any union ward on such land to be se purchased or hired as afore•
for the relief of the, poor in Ireland, to attach said,- and to direct the guardians of the said union to raise or
to the poorhouse of the said union provided

borrow the sum necessary to defray the expense of hiring
or purchasing such land and erecting such building, and
to charge the same, with interest, on the poor-rates of
the union, in the same manner as the said Commissioners
empowered by the said first recited Act to purchase
and hire land, and to erect a workhouse or additional
workhouse for any union, and to direct the guardians
thereof to raise orborrow the necessary sums to defray the
expenditure so incurred. And ho it enacted, that ail the
provisions of the said first recited Act, which relate to
the purchase and conveyance of land for the erection of
workhouses, or for the purpose of carrying into effect any
of the provisions of the said Act, shall extend and apply
to the purchase and conveyance of land under the provi-
sions of this Act.

The clauses were agreed to without discussion.
Mr. SHAW proposed several clauses relating to the
mode of voting clergymen to the relief of the poor,
which were also agreed to.
The preamble of the Bill was then agreed to.
The House resumed, and the report was ordered to
be brought up on Wednesday.

ARMY SERVICE BILL.
Sir HOWARD DOUGLAS was sure that the House
would not, at that hour, enter upon the Army Service
Bill, and he hoped it would be put off till after Easter.
Mr. FOX MAULE objected to the Bill being post-
poned till after Easter ; and said, if it could not be
taken immediately, it would be necessary for the House
to meet at twelve o'clock this morning (Tuesday), to
take the 13i11 into consideration in Committee.
Lord J. RUSSELL thought that as the opponents of
the Bill had deelined to come to a division upon a former
occasion appointed for the Bill, he did not think it fair
that a postponement of the measure should now take
place; he thought the arrangement he had proposed was
the most desirable that could be effected.
Sir B. DOUGLAS was understood to consent to the
suggestion of the Noble Lord.

Mr. S. HERBERT thought that no good could result
from the House meeting to-morrow at twelve o'clock, as
most of the Members would have left town under tho
impression that the Irish measure was disposed of.
Lord J. RUSSELL said that if the Bill did not come
on at that period, he would propose that it should be
taken after the notices at the usual hour this day.
Colonel SIBTHORP considered that the Go►ern-
ment wished to smuggle the Bill through the
House, or they would not bring it forward at so late an
hour as the present.
Lord J. RUSSELL, on the suggestion of Sir H.
DOUGLAS, fixed the Committee for this day (Tuesday)
at fire o'clock.

Lord J. RUSSELL said that, in order to suit the con-
venience of Irish Members, he would fix the third read-
ing of the Poor Relief (Ireland) Bill and the Landed
Property (Ireland) Bill for Friday, the 16th of April.
The report on the Customs Duties Bill was brought
up and agreed to.
The Marine Mutiny Bill was read a third time and
passed.
The remaining orders of the day were disposed of, and
the House adjourned at a Quarter•past Two o'clock.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS.
(From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.)
NOTICES GIVEN AT THE PRIVATE BILL-OFFICE.
The following Railway Bills are appointed to be read
second time on Wednesday, March 31:—
Caledonian (Edinburgh Station, and Branches to Grantor'

and to the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway).
Caledonian (Branches to Wilsontown, to Fauldhouse, and to
Biggar and Broughton).

PARLIAMEN TARY DIVISIONS.

From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Common-L.
MONDAY, MARCH 29.
POOR RELIEF (IRELAND) BILL.
(IN THE COMMITTEE.)

Clause (And be it further enacted, That from and after the
first day of November next, no person who shall be in the
occupation, whether under lease or agreement, or as tenant at
will, or from year to year, or in any other manner what-
soever, of any land of greater extent than the quarter of a
statute acre, shall be deemed and taken to be a destitute poor
person under the povisions of the first recited Act and the
Acts amending the same, or of this Act; nor shall it be
lawful for any board of guardians to grant any relief what-
ever in or out of the workhouse to any such person until
they shall be satisfied that he has bond fide, and without col-
lusion, absolutely parted with or surrendered any right or
title which he may have had to the occupation of any land
over and above such extent as aforesaid, of one quarter of a
statute acre):—Motion made, and Question put," That the
Clause, as amended, be added to the Bill." The Committee
divided:—

MAJORITY-AYES, 117.

,MINORITY-NOES, 7.
Crawford, W. S. WCarthy, Alex.
Eecott, Bickham Scrope,
Evans, Sir Da Lacy Williams, W.
Ilumphery, Ald.

TILLERS.
O'Brien, W. S.
Curteis, H. B.

Clause (And be it enacted, That, save as hereinafter pro-
vided, it shall not be lawful for any occupier of rateable pro-
perty holding under any lease or agreement to be made or
entered into after the passing of this Act, nor for any tenant
at will, or from year to year, after the Ist day of January,
1849, to deduct from the rent to which he may be liable in
respect of such property, any amount whatever in respect of
any rate which may be imposed at any period subsequent to
the date of such lease or agreement, or subsequent to such
Ist day of January, as the case may be) brought up, and
read a first time ; Motion made, and Question put, " That
the said Clause be now read a second time." The Com-
mittee thvidgd:—

MINORITY—AYES, 76.
Acland, T. D. Gaskell, J. M. Masterman, John
Adderley, C. B. Gladstone, J. N. Maxwell, Hon. J. P.
Antrobus, Edmund Gore, W. H. 0. Mundy, E. .M.
Heinle, W. donThum, Henry Newdegate, C. N.
Barkly, Henry Grogau, E. Newry, Viscount
Baring, Thomas Balsey, T. P. Norreys, Lord
Bateson, T. Hamilton, G. A. O'Brien, A. Stafford
Bennett, Philip Harris, Captain Patten, J. W.
Bentinck, Lord 0. Ileathcote, Sir W. Reid, Colonel
Bribe°, M. Henley, J. W. Repton, G. W.
Brooks, Sir A. B. Herbert, Sydney Ito Heston, Colonel
Sunbury, T. Hildyard, T. B. Sibthorp, Colonel
Cardwell, Edward Hill, Lord E. Stuart, J.
Carew, W. 11. Pole Holmes, W. A'Court Sutton, 11. M.
Chandos, Marquis of Hope, G. W. Taylor, E.
Chute, W. L. W. Jocelyn, Viscount Thompson, Alderman
Clerk Sir G. Jones, Captain Tollemache, J.
Cole, Hon. H. A. Kcr, D. S. Vesey, Hon. T.
Corry, Henry Knight, F. W. Villiers, Viscount
Cripps, William Law, C. E. Vyse, H.
Darner, Colonel Lefroy, Anthony Walsh, Sir J.
Disraeli, B. Lennox, Lord G. 11. Young, John
Douglas, Sir H. Liddell, 11. T.
Douglas, Sir C. B. Lincoln, Earl of TELLERS.
Emiyn, Viscount Lindsay, Colonel Jolllffe, Sir W, G. 11.
Finch, G. Manners, Lord J. Shaw, F.
Fuller, A. E. March, Earl of

MAJORITY-NOES, 79.
Aglionby, H. A. Evans, Sir De Lacy O'Brien, W. S.
Aldam, William Fitzroy, Lord C. O'Connell, At. J.
Anson, Colonel Gore, Robert O'Conor, Don
Archbold, Robert Grey, Sir G. Ogle, S. C.
. . .

, .. . -.
Arundel, Earl of Hall, Sir Benjamin Paget, Lord A.
Bannerman, A. Hawes, Benj. Pechell, Captain
Baring, F. T. Heneage, Edward Perfect, Robert
Barron, Sir H. W. llobliouse, Sir J. Philpotts, John
Berkeley, Captain Holland, Robert Rawdon, Colonel
Berkeley, H. F. Howard, C W.G. Rich, Henry
Bodkin, J. J. Howard, E. G. Russell, Lord J.
Bowring, Dr. Howard, P. 11. Russell, Lord B.
Brotherton, Joseph Howard, Sir R. Scrope, G. P.
Buller, Charles Jervis, Sir John Sheridan, R. B.
Christie, W. D. Labouchcre, henry Somerville, Sir W.
Collett, John Lambton, H. Stanley, W. 0.
-Cowper, W. F. Macaulay, T. B. Stuart, V.
Craig, W. G. M'Carthy, Alexander Strutt, Edward
Crawford, W. S. 24'1 lonnell, J. M. Thornely, T.
Dickinson, F. F. Maitland, Thomas Warburton, IL
Dodd, George Mangles, R. D. Ward, H. G.
Duff, James Marshall, William Wilshere, T. W.
Duncan, George Haute, Fox Wyse, Thomas
Dundas, Admiral Mitchell, T. A.
Dundas, Sir David 31otratt, George TELLEILI.
Dundas, J. C. Monahan, J. 11. Hill, Lord M.
Escott, Illekham hforpoth, Viscount Tuniell, IL
Evans, Wiliam Morris, David

AMERICAN WHALERS.
MR. BROWNING''; EVIDENCE BEFORE THE
NAVIGATION-LAWS COMMITTEE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,—In The Sun of the 24th inst. Mr. Browning is
reported to have said, before a Parliamentary Committee
on the Navigation-laws, that " the American whalers
were generally of an inferior class of vessels, and could
not follow the whales into high latitudes, or hook on to
them in rough weather."
Happening to be an American myself, and, indeed,
to have been "raised"—to use a Yankeeism—in a little
town called Nantucket, which is somewhat famed
for its enterprise and success in the prosecution of the
whale fisheries ; and being, moreover, familiar with the
modes operandi of the whaling business otherwheres, the
above statement somewhat amused me.
Now it so happens that the one thing for which our
American whalers are pre-eminent, is strength, a quality
more necessary than any other to success. In fact, the
length of their voyages (averaging over three years), and
the great cost and inconvenience of getting repairs while
abroad, makes it of prime importance that such should be
the case. I can assure the Committee aforesaid, that
the Nantucket and New Bedford merchants (and they
do seven-eighths of the whole business) never send a
vessel from their ports until, after a thorough overhaul-
ing. she is found to be every way seaworthy. The com-
monest self-interest would warn them from any other
course. The statistics show that fewer vessels are lost on
whaling voyages than any other. As for the difficulty
of " hooking on to whales " in stormy weather, one
scarcely knows what Mr. Browning means. The whale
is always attacked, captured, and " hooked on to," from
comparatively small boats—of which every ship carries
from four to eight—and is not brought alongside till he
is in a state of most harmless quietus; and it must be a
" stormy " time indeed, when either an American or a
British whaler loses an opportunity to " hook ou to
him. Really, testifiers before such Committees should
be more cautious in their testimony.
On looking at another part of Mr. B.'s statement, we
find the following :
" The shipwrights repairing her (meaning the Ameri-
can ship), and other artisans fitting her with stores, take
their chance of the profits arising from her fishing. The
same arrangement was made with those who navigated
her, the ordinary seaman receiving one-sixtieth part of
her net prefits, and the captain about one-twelfth."
The whole of this is wrong. The shipwrights and
artisans have nothing to do with the ♦oyage, and the
" lay" (as it is called) of the sailor and captain is not a
given proportion of the profits, but of the cargo. The
owners may sink thousands of dollars, and yet the sailor
make one or two hundred, and the captain much more.
Dundee, March 26, 1847. C.
[The writer of the above has sent us his name and
address.—ED.]

LONDON AND NORTII-WESTERN RAILWAY OF-
FICERS, &c.—Tho officers and servants of the London
and North-Western Railway Company having, much to
their credit, opened a subscription for the relief of the
distressed Irish and Scotch, have collected the sum of
two hundred and eighty three pounds, which has been
paid to the account of the National Relief Fund.
Dispatches were received yesterday at the Colonial
office from the Governors of Hong-Kong, Ceylon, the
Mauritius, and Gibraltar.