The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENTING-, JUNE 18, 1847.

335 for pale, and at 31s 6d to 32s per cwt for brown,
still few purchases have been made, and there is a
plentiful supply, whilst further parcels are near at hand
of Foreign. For Linseed Oil the market has an im-
proving aspect; there is a small supply, and an ex-
tensive consumption; on the spot a good deal has been
done by the home trade, whilst exporters have taken a
fair quantity; the rates paid have been rather above
those previously current, and 27s is the quotation;
for forward delivery several purchases have been
made. - Tliere are few buyers of Olive for
any purpose, whilst holders are anxious sellers.
Of Palm some parcels have been received, still prices
rule firm, as a good demand exists. Of Cocoa Nut the
supply is inadequate for the demand, and prices in con-
sequence range high. For Lard Oil the demand has
been only for small parcels at 44s to 495. Of Fish Oils
several parcels have been received since this day week,
and for auction on the 25th 34 tuns of Sperm and 60
tuns of Southern are declared. The business concluded
in Cod Oil during the week has been to a small extent
only. For Southern prices ruling moderate occasions
the demand to be good for all kinds by private treaty.
There has been little desire shown to operate in Seal
Oil, and merchants are inclined to realise, as the supply
this season will be much greater than it was in the
former one.

TALLOW.—For Russian on the spot former prices are
asked ; but there has been less desire evinced to operate
this week, and only a small amount of business has been
done ; the value is 50s 6d to 51s per cwt for fine Peters-
burgh Yellow Candle. For delivery in the last three
months of the year less business has been done, and
prices have declined to 47s 3d to 47s 6d per cwt. Fur
home made the demand has been active. Other kinds
of Tallow are less wanted, and former rates are not gene-
rally to be obtained.

BANK OF ENGLAND.
(From this night's Gazelle.)
An Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth of Victoria, cap. 32, for
the Week ending on Saturday, the 12th day of June, 1847.
DiPAHTMENT.

4.
Notes isstied•• •• •• .. 23,592,925

X.
Government debt .. 11,015,100
Other securities .. . • 2,984,900
Gold coin and bullion 8,143,925
Silver bulliou .... 1,449,000

423,592,923

bad stated in opposition to it that Members would
be burdened with more work -- than at present;
but the very contrary would be the case, be-
cause, under the new system, five would often
be enabled to perform the task now assigned to fifteen.
The present system was bad, because it overworked
Members—(Hear, hear)—but the plan proposed would
make that labour less. As Chairman of the Committee
of Selection, he had found greit difficulty in the
selection of Members, but he apprehended that
the plan of his Honourable Friend would remove it.
He considered that it was greatly necessary to alter
some part of the present system, and he believed that if
they adopted the plan proposed by the lion. Member
they would effect a great public benefit. They would
advance the dispatch of business, and he was quite sure,
at all events, they would consult the convenience of the
Members of the House. (The Hon. Member, owing to
the noise in the House, was but indistinctly heard.)
Mr. BROTHERTON hoped that the House would
pause before it attempted to carry out this resolution.
With regard to the constitution of Committees on former
occasions, he remembered when 60 or 70 Members were
entitled to sit upon the Committee, and were, without
being interested in the question, induced to come and
give their votes. He thought that in those Com-
mittees which sat to decide upon subjects of a
local nature, that local Members ought to be
allowed to sit upon them. He conceived that such a plan
would be much better than the present one, by which
two or three Members were put upon a railway Com-
mittee when they were actually interested in the passing
of the Bill before them. If they could not use direct
influence, still they would have weight enough with the
chairman to affect the Bill in its clauses. If the pro-
position was open to modification, he should give his
support to it.
Mr. BANKS said he was quite ready to view this
question in respect to the parties more immediately con-
cerned. In that view he was obliged to support the
Hon. Member for Salford. His experience lately on a
Railway Committee, where the want of local information
was severely felt, strengthened his conviction. He be-
lieved the system pursued, in respect to the rail-
ways, was perhaps the best that could be adopted
with regard to them ; but only in regard to them for
the qualification, for his tribunal was ignorance.
Mr. STRUTT begged to remind the House that they
had already expressed an opinion on the very subject
which was now under consideration. A motion on it
was made by the Hon. Member for Dumfries, which,
because it was somewhat prematurely brought on, was
negatived by many in the House. No final decision, there-
fore, was given. In reference to whiit had fallen from the
Hon. Member, about ignorance, as a qualification, it
was enought for him to say that, not ignorance, but im-
partiality, was the qualification which was looked for in
a Committee, as in a jury • and he thought that was the
more satisfactory principle on which to constitute a
tribunal.
Lord SANDON said that he should like that the
Members of the Standing Committee should come before
the House instead of being contented with general in-
structions. All questions that were brought before the
Committees were in some degree local ones, and when
the House ordered that no local representative sat upon
that Committee, it practically denied the district to be
affected by the Bill the means of making its opinions
known to Parliament. He hoped the House would pause
before they came to any decision upon the subject. He
was of opinion that local Members should be placed on
these Committees. The rule might have been quite
right to exclude them on Railway Bills, but it
did not follow that they should be excluded
from Committees on Bills which were merely local in
their nature ; in fact, be was of opinion that none but
local Members should be placed there, and he was per-
fectly convinced that strict justice had ever been done.
—(Laughter.) At all events, place them on the Com-
mittee, do not give a vote if they felt so disposed,
but at least allow them to be present and to be heard.
Sir J. GRAHAM said that he disclaimed altogether
the propriety of considering what might be the conveni-
ence of Members of that House with regard to sitting
upon these Committees. He thought thst when
a Member undertook the representation of any place,
he undertook it under the implied, if not the expressed
condition, that his convenience was to be sacrificed, and
his time devoted to the public service. He could not say
that it was for the public good, with reference to what
they were then discussing, that local Members
should be excluded. He must say that he could
not conceal his opinion, that it was due to the
interest of the people that, in the discussion of private
business in that House, and which might in different
localities affect interests of vast importance, that the
representatives of those localities
.should not be alto-
gether excluded. He thought that what his Noble
Friend said was most true with regard to the case of the
Liverpool docks. That was from the Corporation
of Liverpool, and from the Dock Company or Liver-
pool. The rival contending parties alone paid the wit-
nesses and incurred the expenses of fighting a Bill in
which these corporate bodies might not alone be in •
terested. The people at large might not have a pecu-
niary motive to appear by counsel, but they ought
to have some means of having an interest in it by their
Members, by whom they would be represented without
expense. He thought that the question was one which
materially affected the principle upon which the people
were represented.
He would hear it with very much regret that the House
should have surrendered at any time any of these im-
portant functions, the discharge of which is the object of
its existence. At the same time they ought to be pre-
pared to enter upon the consideration of the subject. In
the Committee to which he had alluded the
question was mooted and sustained even by an
authority such as the Hon. Chairman of Committees,
that the local interests should be carefully excluded.
It was considered by the Committee, and they decided
that the 10c.,' interests should be represented, and that
private Members should be added. He (Sir James
Graham) supported that decision. He thought their
attendance was most important; it might be a question
in considering this subject whether their attendance
which at present was voluntary, ought not
to be made: compulsory, and a large proportion
of private Members added. The subject, however,
deserved consideration, and the resolution especiallly
which had been brought before the House, containing
some words of a questionable and almost neutralising
effect. The subject deserved the consideration
of the Government and of the new Parliament
when they should come to deal with the standing orders
in detail. But he was surprised that this resolution
should have been brought forward now, at the last hours
of an expiring Parliament. If it went to a vote, he must
divide against it.
Sir G. GREY said that when the motion was brought
forward in the earlier part of the session, he objected to
the alteration so recently made in the matter of railway
business being again so 'soon changed, but since
that period a Committee had reported upon the subject,
and they almost unanimously supported the resolution
proposed by the Hon. Member for Montrose. They
did not mention any system to be proposed in its
stead, but they proposed to leave to the Committee
of Standing Orders the details of the question.
To this suggestion he would offer no objection.
Mr. ESTCOURT said that there was no dis-
inclination on the part of Honourable Members
to serve on the Committees of -the House,
and he should not, therefore, expect that any
reluctance would be exhibited under the new resolu-
tions. The plan had worked admirably since 1839,
and he was sure that the extension of it would
not disappoint the expectations of the House.
This was the last time, probably, that he would have
the honour to address them before he retired into private
life ; he saw the utmost necessity for their adopting the
resolution, which would not only save the public time.
but also the convenience of the Members.

(LEFT SITTING.)

LATEST PRICES OF SHARES.
IN BANKS, ASSURANCE. AND OTHER COM
PANIES' STOCK',
From the Official List,
PUBLISHED EVERY TI.TEKDA.Y AND FRIDAY EVENING.
LONDON, FRIDAY, JUNE 18.
JOINT-STOCK. BANKS.

Dividend Amount I
Name of Company. , per of I Paid. i Price
1 Annum. Share.
.---
,--
I £ S. d. £ 8. d. I
-
australasia ••••• • • • • • ! 40 0 0 40 0 0
BritshNorth American ; 51. per Cent. 150 0 0 50 0 0 I -
.../ommercial of London 161. per cent. 100 0 0 20 0 0 I -
"lolonial .
(100 0 0 25 0 0 1 -
Londu and Westnainstr 61. per cent. 100 0 0 20 0 0 I 26k
London Joint-Stock ..• , 61. per cent. 50 0 0 10 0 0 ' -
Metropolitan ......... - 25 0 0 710 0
Provincial of Ireland• • 81. per cent. 100 0 0 25 0 0 ( 46
Ditto, New.- •• • 8/. per cent. 10 0 0 10 0 0 -
STational of Ireland • • 151. per cent. 50 0 0 20 0 0 I -
hat. Provncial of Eng. 151. per cent. 100 0 0 35 0 0 -
Ditto, 1Tew..... •• • • 51. per cent. 20 0 0 10 0 0
Union of Australia •• 1 61. per cent. 25 0 0 25 0 0 -
Union of London... - , 5/. per cent. 50 0 0 10 0 0 -
carz.a.zis.
.;Dividends:
An Dividendpn ewr ii
.i Names of w ,Names of
Companies. 111 per Price. Companies. cl Price.
Basingstoke-1100
ri: Annum. va
____--- _______
Ashtn & Olelhi
! X X
Ashby-d-la-Zlll3 4/. .- Mntgomrysh 100 61.
Dudley, ..
Barnsley.. • •1160 121. 180 Macclesfield. 100 - -
97 5/.55. p c 70 Monmouthsh 100 lel. \ -
Brknk&Abrgllso 5/. 85 Nottingham. 150 12/. -
romford..••lloo' 141. - peak Forest. 78 3/.
Derby 40
- - Neath ...... 100 20.1. 340
,100' 61. 63 Rochdale .. • - 85 41. 54
........ 100 4/. - Regent's ••• • 33 I/. 4s. 20
Ellsrnre&Chs'l33l 4/. 51 Shropshire • • 125 81. -
E:ewash • • •11001 321. Somrset Coal 150 7/.los. 130
Forth & Clydllool 4/. Do.LkFdSt 12 6/.p. c. -
GrandJunctn 100, . 79 Stffrd &Wore 140 281. 275
Grand Union 1001 11.6/ 10s. - Shrewsbury.. 125 15/. -
Glamorgnsh. 1721
, 13%1. - Stourbrldge.. 145 201. 305
i iistr & Brkly i 001 _ -
Strtfrd on Av 79 1/. 10s. -
3rantham • • 1150' 12/. - Severn and} Eluddersfleld., 57 - - Wyeltail. 26 1/. Bs. -
Kennt & AvM 39 7s. 6d. 5 Trnt& Mr. 50 30/. --
Lancaster ..• 47 11. 10s. _ sey •• • •
Leeds&Livrp 100 341. 505 Thams&Med 19 - _
Leicester .. • •140 10/. 75 Worcstr &/ 78 21. 41
Leiestr &Nth 81 4/. 36 Binning.
Lotighborogh,l42, 70/. j 530 ,Wiltsk Brks 67 11. 11
DOCKS.
Dividend Amount
-Name of Company. per of I Paid. Price.
1 Annum. , Share.
- ,--
1 X s. d. £ o. d.
Commercial --•• .• • 31. per cent.l Stock. - 71
East and West India... 61. pr cent. I Stock. - 130
East Country • ... •• . 11. per sh. ;100 0 0 - -
1 ar,don - 104
SL.Kathaline ........1 5 per cent. I Stock. - -
Bout tianipton ••.• • • • • 2/. per cent. 50 00 ' 0 0 25
....
WATER-IVORIES.
Dividend Amount
Name of Cr..mpa.ny. per of Paid. Price,
Annum. Share.
----.---
East London.... .. .... lit. 100 00£s. d. -
195
Grand Junction .... • • 3/. 108. 41 13 4 - 90 i ,
:0.,' 0 0 -- - P Vauxhall •••• • • • ..... i•i:ia
West Middlesex . !
_. 31. 10e.yrraii. 63 a 9 .., i:2O ,
___

Bill, or that it would in any way have affected the de-
cision of the Committee? It was perfectly evident to any
one in the possession of common sense, that these shares
had been placed in the hands of the present holders
not for the honest purpose of deriving an income
from them, but in order to obtain a preponderance of in-
terest in theconcern, with a view to influence the opposition
and obtaining the defeat of the Bill. This was the rea-
son why they were placed in such a situation, and he
was quite sure that, considering the matter in that light,
their Lordships would not allow any merely tech-
nical obstacle to stand in the way of substantial justice to
the parties. And he felt the greater confidence on this
point, because, in fact, at the time the report of the
Committee was made, they were not aware of the precise
position in which the Bill stood before the Committee of
Standing Orders, and should, therefore, move, that, in
compliance with the instructions which they had received,
the Committee should be directed to take the evidence,
and inquire into the merits of the Bill pending the deci-
sion of the Committee of Standing Orders.
A conversation here ensued across the table between
Lord Lyndhurst, Earl Grey, Lord Brougham, Lord
Redesdale, and the Duke of Richmond, at the conclu-
sion of which
The Earl of DEVON moved that the Committee do
proceed in the usual way.
The Duke of RICHMOND then explained that it
was the custom of the Standing Orders' Committee to
allow of one month to go to the shareholders in the
event of there being a non-compliance in any particular.
Such was, in fact, the position of the Bill at the present
moment.
Lord ICINNAIRD said on a former occasion he voted
against going into Committee, because he did not think
it wise tor the Legislature to interfere in the matter
while it was before a court of law, but their Lordships
having decided to appoint a Committee, he was
inclined to support the motion for going
further ioto the inquiry. It was alleged that
the directors having delayed the issue of the sealed cer-
tificates deprived the shareholders of the power of
voting upon the Bill, but urged in justification of the
directors that these shareholders had purchased their
shares for an object. He had no doubt whatever that
such was the case, but he altogether disbelieved the
statement that the shares were purchased with the funds
of the London and North-Western Company.
Earl FITZWILLIAM supported the motion for in-
quiry. He had supported the appointment of the Commit-
tee, because he thought inquiry necessary for the public
good, and because he thought it behoved their Lord-
ships to assert the powers which they delegated to the
promoters of that railway, and which powers were
sought to be turned aside by the conduct of cer-
tain parties. He regretted that the Commit-
tee had not gone into the inquiry, and with
all due respect and regard for the Noble Lords com-
posing it, he would support the motion of the Noble
and Learned Lord, or he would go further and support
the appointment of a new Committee, who might take a
different view of the proceedings.
The Earl of CHICHESTER said as chairman of the
Committee which had been appointed by the House,
he thought it necessary to make a short statement of
the grounds upon which the Committee bad come to
report against proceeding without further instructions
from their Lordships. The further observations of the
Noble Earl were perfectly inaudible.
Lord BEAUMONT thought there were two distinct
questions before the House. The case as brought before
them by the Noble Lord was, whether they should or
should not suspend their own standing orders, and whe-
ther it was wise to suspend them or not depended on the
truth of the allegations in the petition presented to their
Lordships. The Committee appointed to investigate that
was most competent to form a correct judgment, and he
therefore thought it should report to the House
whether the allegations were true or not. It
would be then for the House to say whether they
would suspend the standing orders. He thought, however,
they should nut stop there, but take steps to prevent a
repetition of similar acts in future. His own opinion
was, that they were common, and he was of opinion
that the time had arrived when they should put an end
to them. For that purpose, he would suggest the ap-
pointment of another Committee to report specially on
that subject.
Lord PORTMAN thought that certainly the Com-
mittee ought to report to the House, for the whole of
the argument of his Noble and Learned Friend fell to
the ground, when it was recollected that the agreement
had been entered into by a number of gentlemen, who
had been elected to the responsible position of directors,
with full powers to make any arrangement which would
be bidding on the shareholders ; and it was hardly to
be supposed that was at all consistent with equity or
fairness, to allow their decisions to be set aside through
the conduct of a few of the shareholders, unless there
was some equitable or legal deficiency in their proceed-
ings. If a Committee then was appointed at all, he
trusted that his Noble Friend, and the Noble Lord next
him (Lord Brougham), and other Noble Lords who were
more conversant with legal and judicial inquiries than
many Hon. Members of their L ird,hips' House, would
consent to render their assistance in the investigation.
The Earl of DEVON was understood to cite some in-
stances of similar purchases of shares, and to show the
effect of them upon the interests of the different com-
panies, but the way in which his Lordship spoke, ren-
dered him quite unintelligible in the gallery.
Lord REDESDALE said that he could not see how
the statement made by many Noble Lords with respect
to the London and North- Western Company, having
purchased a monopoly in the Birmingham and Oxford
shares, had been borne out. It was confidently asserted
that the funds of the North-Western Company had
been employed to get the line into their hands. Now,
what was the fact—lt was said on the ether side, that
the shares were not purchased by the North-Western
Company, but by individuals, who, having purchased
those shares, considered that they then had a right to
vote as to the disposal of their property. He looked
upon the manner in which one-sided statements were
received in that House, as highly injudicious and even
dangerous. The charges made against the North-Western
Company were all received by the House as proved.
It would fall upon the commissioners to report whether,
in the quarter of Oxford and Birmingham, the broad
gauge should be continued farther. That was a most
important matter for the public, and therefore he moved
that proceedings on the Birmingham, Oxford, Wolver-
hampton and Dudley Junction Railway, and the Bir-
mingham and Oxford Railway, should be intermitted till
the important questions pending in the Courts of Law
should be decided. He was surprised most of all that
such a motion should ever have been heard as that the
standing orders of their Lordships' House should be sus-
pended. The standing order alluded to was framed for
the safety of the shareholders, and was one of the most
important for the public that existed on the records of
their Lordships' House.
The Earl of WICKLOW said he would support the
amendment moved by the Noble Lord who had just sat
down. For he had voted against the original motion
for a Committee of Inquiry as a course which could not
result in anything useful ' • and now that he had heard
the Noble and Learned Lore, after the Committee had
reported, his opinion was noways changed. He thought
that their time, especially at this part of the session, was
more valuable, and might be more usefully employed
than in prosecuting an incpiry so abortive. Why should
a Committee of that House be formed to inquire into
what was the intention of the Legislature in an
Act of Parliament whether one company had
power to sell, or another companyth the powerre
to buy? It appeared that the Greatreat Western
anxious to become lessors of the line, and were in pos-
session of a vast amount of the shares. The Great
Northern wished to have the same line ; they bought
many of these shares as they could find in the
market ; they purchased from the Great Western them-
selves, who could not resist the temptation, and thus
got possession of the line. That was the case, the whole
case, as far as any result which any Committee of their
Lordship's House should ever be able to at rive at.
Lord BROUGHAM thought that the Noble Lord, who
had just sat down, had made a distribution of his goods,
his vote to the one side, and his speech to the other.
But whatever might be said, there could be little doubt
that there had been a juggle, a device, a stratagem, which
had operated to the frustration of the declared intention
of the Legislature. Votes were purchased up at any
price prior to that meeting, which was necessary, under
Lord Wharncliffe's standing order ; and the object,
without doubt, was to frustrate the intention of the
Legislature. But if he was wrong in the fact, the re-
port of the Committee, when brought up, would set
him right. That was the object and the end of a Com-
mittee. A Committee were the very eyes, the organs
by which their Lordships saw. They were instructed to
inquire ; inquire they did, and submitted all the facts to
the House. Complaints had been made about crimina-
tion and recrimination taking place. That was the very
point upon which they ought not to complain, for there
was criminztion in that which they had directed their
Committee to inquire into, and they could not expect
that some reply would be wanting to the allegations
which were made against parties, whose interests were
concerned in the transaction. He felt it necessary to
apologise to their Lordships for again entering into the
subject. He had confined himself as much as possible
to the new features which the case had presented ; and,
in conclusion, he should express a hope that a strict
investigation, if honestly .gone into, would operate as
an example, and tend to binder the offence from being
repeated.
Lord STANLEY said that the question was, whether
this was a transaction carried an by one great company,
or was it not? Was it a bonc2 fide purchase, or was it
not? The Committee agreed to investigate the case ;
and the Counsel, in his opening speech, said, that he
would not attempt to prove that this was not a bona fide
transaction, and then . the Committee and House were
entertained by a mere assertion of some guarantee hav-
ing been given by the Great Northern Company, and
that they had gained an unfair advantage by a strata.
gem. How did the case stand—the shareholders in the
Company had sold their interest in the Company_
no formal transfer had taken place, and the shareholders
took advantage of their nominal position as shareholders
and repudiated that which they had performed, really
and in fact, because of a technical objection. He was
surprised to hear his Noble Friend take the part of those
who bad acted in such a manner, and to complain that
the Committee would not hear those whose case had, in
the very outset, been admitted to be no case at all.
He thought that, in such a case, their Lordships would
be wrong if the), attempted to depart from the ordinary
rules permitted in these cases.—(Hear, hear.)
Earl FITZWILLIAM stated, that he entirely con-
curred in the view which had been taken of the case,
when Noble Lords stated that there had been a strata-
gem practised. The only question was, whether the
stratagems on one side, or both sides, were calculated to
injure and damnify the public. That was a matter which
ought to be inquired into. •
The House then divided, when the numbers were—
For the amendment
22
Against it
Majority
against the amendment 2B
The original motion, instruottn. g the Committee to

Price.

- „
proceed with the inquiry which they eiefe
directed to
make by the former of der, WO then put and negatived
Lord It E gs'o DDESDALE then nctice hard he
should move a resolution, that the Commissioners .of
Railways do inquire into the comparative merits, and the
means of public accommodation afforded by
all ,be rail
ways between London and Birmingham.
BISHOPRIC OF MANCHESTER BILL. •!:
The Marquis of LANSD'IWNE stated that the Coin'
inittee on this Bill would be postponed until Monday'.
Lord STANLEY said that it was understood that the
Bill would not be committed that night ; in order that
legal opinion might be taken as to the power of
tilt.,
Crow:: to call the four new bishops proposed to be crestee
to that H 4 use, and thus supersede the arrangement of the
Bill on that point.
The Soap Allowances Bill, and the Stage Carrisge
Duties Bill were severally read a first time. •
The Masters in Chancery Affidavit Bill passed through
Committee, and was reported without emendment.
heßuragshPo lice (Scotland) Bill was read
time thin'
l'
and passed.
The other orders of the day were disposed of, and the
House adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS. June 17.
CURRENCY OF PORTUGAL. h"i°
On the order of the day being read for going i
Committee on the Poor Relief Bill,
e
tion of the House to the infraction of the
Lord GEORGE BENTINCK rose toiscta,llitshtnit,stleirol:
and 18th Articles of the Treaty of Lisbon, 014111Y,,lpits
mid to ask her Majesty's Ministers IN bother any spa r!_t
steps have been taken to obtain from the Goverarturity
the Queen of Portugal, redress for the past, and hid
against future injuries of a like kind done to Brit's
the
terests. He said that this was a question in whica.ti,
British merchants, resident in Portugal and this
country were deeply interested.—(Dear-) IL h•
ad
be within the recollection of all those who
read the papers which had been
House, with respect to the affairs of P°l:LuVd..
that Mr. Southeron, on the 16th of November last'
iLif For
im
dressed a letter to Viscount Palmerston, inform g "
that a decree had been proclaimed by the Queen _.r,,
presented 0....TT,
tugal, which compromised the interests of Brititaire'sr,
chants resident in that country.—(Cries of lock
hear.") The Noble Lord then read sott
statement made by Mr. Southern,
the disadvantages under which they were laboarich.
the compulsory use of the bank notes of Portugal, wwhigh
as they were of much less value than the sums
for
they were issued, materially interfered with the'r orsi-
ch
tions, because it compelled them to take Parr would,
would shortly be valueless ; and the consequence fir
pointinF
be that they would be compelled to suspend their or, to
tions. Now, the first article of that decree 11001
these words—" Any person who from enl
should reject the notes of the Lisbon bank, ,0 g
be liable to transportation, and subject of
`gofd,
fine of from 50,000 grains to 500 grailnsin eel,
to be placed to the public account. The 11°-0011°,1',
case to be regulated by the judge, according to the
for,
of the transaction and the sentence of the trausgregeneet,
The 15th article provided, that under the eggs% gab.
of the Queen of Portugal the commerce of Br be red
jects in the Portuguese dominions should 00`*ohott
strained or interrupted by any monopoly of th'Lgice
notes; that they should have unrestrainedoePaserdlil-ane
pduri!
buy from and sell to whomsoever they
whatever form or manner was agreed d sbr°.,,*
chaser. An article of the 17th of Deceinu"2llritis'•
gated that to a great extent, and at present the tont
subjects in Portugal were compelled to take Pld id
in notes of Lisbon, which were dePreceitttr pot
value to the enormous amount of filtcr.,,eleb ,of
cent. This was fully stated in a 9gin
Sir George H. Seymour, dated April l'"'" Cow
although by the articles of this commercial treaty, boy
eluded by Lord Waldegrave the • were entitled te eat
and sell, and to receive i)
n exchange, ,PLlrniand
which might be agreed upon between,the parce7:4s to
the seller. He should have occasion afterwiropth
refer, as regards the seventeenth and eig tic!**
articles of the treaty to trial by jury. tboSe 11;ritish
as Honourable Members would know, al they
subjects were entitled to trial by jury, but of that mg.
were deprived. So, then, all British merchant* et •Le
to nacturers would have suffered a depreciation sat rt.,
present time, on the whole amount of 54 Perriboti
if they had contracted any bargains with riot.
houses since November last. This state ° ted,
ters continued to exist, and to be tolehraeros,
notwithstanding the frequent protests of Mr. Sojt cold
addressed to the Queen and her Minister of
nut avoid drawing a contrast between the condue
British M • nisters in regard to the Court of .-P°rLutf
i
and their onergy, when the Junta appeared to tee? _fir,
guilty of any infraction of the rights of the BrhitiV4764
jects, or of the law of nations. On the 4th of oa apt
Colonel Johnson wrote to Mr. Southeron, statieg trio
the Junta had seized stores in the town, part ot
belonged to a Mr. Russell. This was instantly 1;0'1,4
municated to her Majesty's Ministers, and A. di..
Palmerston, on the 26th of March, had sent o'ons,
patches to Mr. Southeron relative to his communiest!;„o.
Now, he wished to ask Hon. Members would this rhe
lation in the treaty, signed by the Queen in 184 is' oft-
permitted to be violated without any °Porgy
tion being demanded by her Majesty's 0; the
ment ? So much for the infraction ° veer
treaty as regarded the rights of British h the
chants to deal in any way they pleased wit des!
Portuguese merchants. He would now proceed !lb of
with other infractions of the treaty. On the ",hvit
December Mr. Southeron wrote from LisbOn al,
violation of trial by jury had taken place in eria/;g,
and that British subjects were placed in a different Pc4flo
tion to that intended by the 17th and 18th article` ;of
treaty of 1842. It might not be known bu fbers
Honourable Members of that House that in 1842 ' the
existed a court of justice in Portugal for
trial of British subjects; but by that treaty
vileges were granted to British subjects u r es
institution of Conservatorial Courts. As 'liners
he had been able to gather from these Par the
no remonstrance had ever been entered into uP°llO if
subject. He wished to know whether any stePsodres.
any, when and what steps had been taken to
these wrongs of British subjects in Portugal d the
Lord PALMERSTON said that he understood
Noble Lord to ask him a question relating to thee deceor
which had been passed, giving force to the pap°
forced r
rency of the Bank of Portugal at a rag:rla'
nominal value, and, secondly, with
to certain suspended guarantees with rag
to the British subjects in Portugal. NOW hadwith ret-gr•
'C
to the first point, without pretending, as Goarern;
thought of doing, to justify the Portuguesed
regorge,'
ment for the financial measures which it ha
ow adl
to in its pecuniary embarrassments, be „Allier We'
the attention of the Noble Lord to -- not
The Noble Lord would admit thst this f Govern-
the first instance in the history of nations ° slue to*
ments being obliged to give by law a forced Y
a dersble
paper currency which was suffering from o°-1 valuedepreciation, and that paper had been received at e-er
somewhat different to that which, according to the Irjhe
trade notions of the Noble Lord it would fetch In
'-
market. merchant/
Lord GEORGE BENTINCK said, British tnern--,,,e/
were prevented from making any private contract; ,m,",
were forbidden by this decree to contract even byfil tufo
medium of bars of silver, under a penalty varying ;
50,000 to 500,000 reals—notwithstanding any COP
to that effect, they were forbidden from receivingl3,,,sl;
ment in any other mode except in the Bank of Lisn'A
notes. Now, he apprehended that the Noble Lord could
not instance any precedent for such a course.
it Lord PALMERSTON resumed. He admitted thitig
Noble
ablevery stringent rule; but he wished to remit
ttlhoewvaNs Lord that the notes were receivable by PI"
Government at the same rates at which they
Twherecocuorit;
gelled to be received by private individual
adopted with respect to this by her s.Majesty's(l3eover_s
mint was, he considered, the usual course. They L;
not anticipate complaints of hardships from f°11312
countries ; but whenever any complaint was r°
founded upon the construction of treaties whose Pair.;
visions had been invalidated, it was referred
t° t°
proper law officers of the Crown, and according
adv ice given by those officers her Majesty's Goveraille-to
acted. He was not aware that any specific conielazinne
had been made by British merchants in the conversalh
of Mr. Southeron; but if any complaints were made'' be
course which the Government would pursue would
te•
this—to refer that complaint to the Queen's L,
AO"- sf
and if he were to state that a violation of the tre*.
had taken place, the Government would seek LI
redress. With respect to the second question, it
perfectly true, as his Noble Friend had -stated, thsi re.
17th and 18th articles of that treaty of 1842, CO
the establishment of the conservatorial court bad bad
(as we understood) violated. A British subjecthese
suffered great injustice from the suspension of
articles ; and an application was made to the G°l:„%ln
ment of Portugal to re-establish the conservat',7o,l
court,e. and it was established accordingly, and
inwitsAr-
to xistence. He did not think it fitting or exeem4
had troubleak the House with all the correspondence iry,ll-„
veriunt en place between this Government and the L'l.l
relations.
ent of Portugal, appertaining to their coninteere.,„o
the uP
He had carefully expunged everything
tothecommunications which took place from Oetobei.rol• ,
present time, with respect to those relations "Ithe
had a bearing upon the political question Which .
House would, at a future time, take into consider lee,
A vast deal of correspondence with respect to blockato,
and other matters, would be found in the blue b°°
Founded on the articles of this treaty that court e*Is.:11:
and will still continue to exist, until the legal constitute
guaranteed will be established.—(Hear.)
HEALTH OF TOWNS BILL. the
Lord LINCOLN wished to know whether it waso, °
intention of the Noble Lord to bring on the Ilea't-
Towns Bill to morrow 9
Lord JOHN RUSSELL—My impression is 11111-ttilbee
discuision on the Poor-law Administration Bill will to
concluded to-night, and I therefore hope to bring °I2
Health of Towns Bill to-morrow.
DECORATIONS FOR THE BRITISH OFFICE.;'"

PORTGAL.
Mr. E WART desired to asUk the Government whether
it was the intention, as it was reported to be, of the
tuguese Government to confer a decoration on the onie4.
of the British navy who were concerned in the late a
in Portugal ? He did not consider such was deserve"'
as they were employed not as partisans, but as
trators.
Lord PALMERSTON—It is well known that t•Vre:
is a rule in force which presented any British subile
from accepting or wearing any foreign order, unless ve.
person has been actually in the service of a foreign sea
reign, or performed particularly eminent services ; ve
feel no ditlicul:y in saying, none of the duties which 11:1,b0
been performed by the British officers concerned in one
late transactions in Portugal brings them within the se 1"-

of this rule.
POOR-LAW ADMINISTRATION BILL. go
On the order of the day that the House should

into Committee on this Bill,
Mr. BANJOS said that he should oppose the 034911