The Sun.
London, England, 1847-07-09 00:00:00

as could be expected. From his Honourable Friend
the Secretary for Ireland down to the clerks of the I
13,ard of Works, the exertions used had been almost
superhuman.—(Hear.) Many of the officers had unfor-
tunately fallen the victims of disease in their anxiety
to carry out their duty to the utmost.
He was glad, however, to understand that the
appearance of She! crops in Ireland were
promising, in some parts they did not look well,
and he feared that the potato disease was still spreading
its ravages in many quarters ; but the grain crops were,
at any rate, promising. A letter received that morning
from Mr. Fisher, one of the officers of the public works,
stated that the crops in Donegal, Louth, Cavan, and
Meath, looked well. He would now state the whole of
the expense for the past year, ending with the harvest,
and the probable expense up to the Ist of March next.
The whole expenditure upon relief works up to August
would amount to 4,900,0001. ; for-the relief works and
for soup kitchens, &C., 2,200,0001. The grants were pro-
posed to be made one half as loans, and one half as grants.
The absolute expenditure had been 2,500,0001., grants by
relief to Sir John Burgoyne's commission, 1,000,000/. ;
staff of the board of works, 310,0001. ; advance to
the Relief Commissioners, 190,0001. ; estimated
loss upon the commissariat, 250,000/.; making
altogether 4 250,0001. The probable expenditure of the
fisheries, piers, and drainage, until April, 1848, which
would also be taken as a grant, 130,0001., making alto-
gether 4,380,0001. without any intention of its being re-
paid—namely, as a grant. The advances to be repaid
othuet of the
be
commissioners,
i:s.eiorener2; , andsoo,oooeLd,
vla,e2eoeos,otoeoL theloans
public
works, charged upon the land, 250,0001., making the
whole expenditure, up to March, 9,350,0001.; 3,700,000/.
of which would be charged upon the rates. Early in
the session he estimated the probable expense for the
relief of the distress, for the year, at 10,000,000 L, and
as 2.000,0001. had, at that time, been advanced, he pro-
posed a loan of 8,000,0001., but as the expenditure
had been less than the estimate there was
a balance in hand of 650,000/. which he
proposed to reserve for any contingency that might arise.
300,0004 had been agreed to be advanced on the fisheries,
and he proposed to take a vote of 300,0001 more, making
altogether with the balance 1,200,0001. He now proposed
to take a vote of 300,0004 on the security of the rates.—
The vote was agreed to.
The House resumed, and
The CHAIRMAN reported progress.—Report to-
morrow.

- -
PUBLIC WORKS AND DRAINAGE BILL.
The House then went into Committee on this Bill,
and a resolution exonerating the land and rates of
Ireland from the payment of one half of the amount
granted for the relief of the destitute was agreed to.
Sir J. GRAHAM wished to know how the 14,000
persons now lying in the hospitals of Ireland were
to be maintained. He understood that the Act passed
on the subject simply provided for the payment of the
salaries of the medical officers, and of management.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
expenses would be defrayed out of the rates, which in
many parts had been struck, and were in the course of
collection.
Mr. B. OSBORNE said the various measures of the
Government had demoralised the people of Ireland. So
great was the pressure upon the farmers and gentry that
he feared they would not get through another year like
the last, as in many places rents could not be collected,
and the rates were so heavy that they would not in many
places be able to collect them. He feared that there
would be a revolution during the winter. The success
which had attended the lahour of Sir John Burgoyne
had far exceeded his (Mr. Osborne's) expectations. Un-
less the Government introduced a Bill to enable parties
to sell unencumbered estates little permanent good would
accrue to Ireland.
Mr. LABOUCHERE denied that the measures of the
Government had demoralised the peoples in fact, the
very contrary had been the result, as it appeared from
official authority that the convictions were 1,000 less in
June than in May, which was to be attributed to the
relief which the Government had afforded to the people.
Unless the Government had acted as they had, an abso-
lute dissolution of society would have been the result.
Mr. CALLAGHAN concurred in the opinion which
had been expressed as to the able statement made by the
Right Hon. Baronet the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Great blame had been, in some quarters, thrown upon
the landlords of Ireland for not doing more then they
had done to alleviate the distress of the country. The
owners of property in Ireland were not, in his opinion,
however, to blame, for they were, in the present con-
dition of the country, almost, if not entirely powerless,
their lands being, in most cases leased away from them.
Lord G. BENTINCK did not think that if the Go-
vernment were to have to go through the whole process
of relieving the people of Ireland again, that they would
adopt the same course they had taken, or that they
would consent to expend upwards of 9,000,000/. of public
money either in unproductive works, or in the shape of
advances, the greater proportion of which was not to be
repaid. The only item of the expenditure that was
admitte3 to be really productive was that of 620,0001.
for the formation of railways in Ireland. And it was a
strange circumstance, that that single item should be the
only one about which an outcry had been got up with
respect to the prodigality and uselessness of the grant.
He thought it a great mistake on the part of the Go-
vernment that they did not provide food for the people
or Ireland at an earlier period than they had done.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that the Government
upon. a review of the whole circumstances of the case,
had no cause to regret the course that had been taken
to afford relief to the people of Ireland. Several courses
had been proposed by honourable Members which the
Government had thought, for prudential reasons, not fit
to adopt; among which were suggestions that the Go
vcrnmeut should ransack the world for food, or send
their men of war to America and other ports, to bring
here supplies of food. The Government had thought
that the better course would be to open the ports of the
country to a full and free competition, rather than in
ter fore in the legitimate operations of trade and com-
merce, and the result had fully justified the opinions
which the Government had formed.
Mr. D'ISRAELI was not one of those who would be
forward to criticize very closely the conduct pursued by
her Majesty's Government under circumstances of un-
expected and unprecedented difficulty, for which they
had been called upon to legislate, and he gave
them the fullest credit for the ability with which
they had acted, and could have been perfectly contented
with the result of their measures. He was not, how-
ever, prepared to coincide in the opinion expressed by
the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary for Ireland that
should the Government be called upon to legislate
under similar circumstances they would adopt the same
course. The Government had itself been obliged on
more than one occasion to halt and hesitate in the midst
of their measures, and even to change the course of
their policy, and it was his firm opinion that the mea-
sure introduced to the House by his Noble Friend the
Member for King's Lynn (Lord G. Bentinck) for the
promotion of railways in Ireland, would have been pro-
ductive of far more benefits to the people of that coun-
try, than the course which had been adopted by the
Government.
Mr. LABOUCHERE rose to explain.
Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN was rather surprised to
hear the speech of the Right Hon. Gentleman, the Se-
cretary for Ireland. What did it amount to ? Why
that free trade principles were very good in general, but
whenever an emergency, or a difficulty, arrived, they
must give way to the system of protection,—(Hear,
hear.) It had been stated by one of the Members of
the Government, that if the Government had to deal
again with the same circumstances, which had taken
place in Ireland, they would pursue exactly the same
course over again.—(Hear, hear.) Now, he would ask,
if this was the case, why did they supersede the 9th
and 10th of Victoria, by the Soup-kitchen Act, and the
other measures which they subsequently brought for-
ward to remedy the mistakes which they had fallen
into.— (Hear, hear.) He would conclude, however, by
saying, that he gave the Governmen credit for the
best intentions in the course they had adopted, though
he could not approve of it.
Mr. POULETT SCROPE rose for the purpose of
expressing a strong hope that if the same calamity
should again occur, the question of reproductive works
would be more favourably considered than they had been
during this session. He was sorry to find that the waste
lands measure was not proceeded with, as he; believed that
it would be found more advantageous than any system of
railways. In any case, however, they could not continue
the same outlay as they did this year, but must have
recourse to some scheme less oppressive to the people of
this country, and more advantageous to those to whom
assistance was extended.
Sir R. FERtIUSON said that unless the gentry of
Ireland worked themselves little benefit would result
from any expenditure that might be made.—(Hear.)
The resolutions were then agreed to.
STOCK IN TRADE EXEMPTION BILL.
This Bill was read a third time and passed.
DRAINAGE OF LANDS (IRELAND) BILL.
This Bill was also read a third time and passed.
MASTERS IN CHANCERY AFFIDAVIT OFFICE
BILL. _ _

The report on this Bill was received, and it was or-
dered to be read a third time to-morrow.
BANKRUPTCY AND INSOLVENCY BILL.
This Bill went through Committee.
CONSTABULARY FORCE (IRELAND) BILL.
This Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be
committed.
JOINT STOCK COMPANIES (IRELAND) BILL.
This Bill went through Committee, pro
_forma, and
ordered to be re-committed on Monday next.
POST-OFFICE BILL.
The report on this Bill was received.
NATURALIZATION OF ALIENS BILL.
This Bill went through Committee, and was ordered
to be read a third time to- morrow.
POOR REMOVAL (No. 2) BILL.
Captain FITZROY moved the second reading of this
Bill.
Sir G. GREY would oppose the Bill, and hoped the
Hon. Member would withdraw it.
Captain FITZROY would not withdraw it, and would
press it to a division.
After some further remarks,
The HoN. GENTLEMAN consented to postpone it till
Tuesday next.
POOR REMOVAL ACBI AMENDMENT (No. 2)
LL.
This Bill went through disposedCommitte
The other orders of the day were of, and the
House adjourned at Ten o'clock.

ROBBERY OF FOUR HUNDRED POUNDS' WORTH OF
man, named
WATCHES, JRWELLERY, &c.—Wednesday information
was receive ' d by the police that a young
John Daniell, bad absconded from the service of his
employers, Messrs. Walker and Brown, jewellers, of
No.llo, Leadenhall-street, with a large quantity of gold
and silver watches, jewellery, &c., with which it is
believed he is makingihis way to America. 501, reward
is offered for pis opprehension.