The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-28 00:00:00

Mr. H. BERKELEY tho hig_t that it as jusl

that the pot rileu str,,ule be used for the mail
station, should be decided by fair competition. He did
not say that Brittel ought, par excellence, to be
selected as the port of departure for the \Vest Indian
mails ; if he said so, he would subject himself to a charge
similar to that contained in the old fable of the town be-
sieged, where every man recommended his own materials
as the best. He did not, therefore, recommend Bristol as
the test port for the purpose under consideration, but he
thought it possessed sufficient advantages to entitle it to be
admitted to a fair competition with Dartmouth or Falmouth.
One-sixth of the whole of the West Indian commerce was
represented by Bristol. That port, also, was more central
than the others mentioned, and it had a supply of coals of
the very first quality, and to any extent.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER would
state the course which he intended to pursue.
Mr. O'CONNELL thought he had a right to be heard
first. The question was as to which harbour should be
selected, Now, he thought the Shannon had some claim.
—(Order, order, and a laugh.)
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said
there was scarcely anything more disagreeable to the Go-
vernment than personal applications of this kind. Fal-
-1 mouth had been objected to by a large body of persons
connected with the West Indies, and Devonport was
greatly preferred. He had not the power of fixing the
ports from which the owners of the packets might desire
to sail their vessels. They might sail from the port of
London, if they pleased.—( Hear, hear.) All he had to
do was to select the port at which he would allow the mails
to be embarked. The Government had not to take into
account the local interests of particular parts of the coun-
try, but to regard only the general Interests of the public.
Two gentlemen, Sir James Gordon and a gentleman
connected with the Post-office, had been appointed to ex-
amine and make inquiries. Their Report had given great
dissatisfaction it. some quarters. But, after the fullest in-
quiry, the Government had come to the opinion th.t Dart-
mouth was the most eligible place within the Channel.
They could not, consistent with their contract, have made
choice of Bristol a 3 the packet station. He opposed the
moti{in.

Mr. MILES supported the motion, and concurred in
the observations of his Hon. Colleague (Mr. H. Berkeley).
Sir H. VIVIAN thought that the Commissioners had
reported in error. Instead of the distance being in favour
of Dartmouth. there was actually a difference of one hour
in favour of Falmouth. It was on account of the mis-
takes made by the Commissioners he was desirous of
the appointment cf a Committee of inquiry, and should
support the motion.
Lard INGESTRIE thought that the claims of the
city of Bristol were deserving of consideration, and that
the port of departure ought not to be finally determined
on without a Committee of Inquiry. The south of Ire-
land also had strong claims to be considered in respect to
this question—( Hear, hear)—and it was important for the
maintenance of the Union, which he hoped would never
be dissolved, that the interests of that country should not
be overlooked amidst the conflicting claims of different
parts of England.
Mr. J. IRVING was understood to say that there was
no ground of complaint against the choice made of
Dartmouth, and he hoped that if the Committee was gone
into, the result of its inquiries would be to confirm that
choice.

Mr. O'CONNEL L said that there were no parts so
eligible as those on the South-West coast of Ireland, for
instance, Cork, Valentia, and Beerhaven. The advan-
tages of these ports would be greatly increased by the corn-
pletion contemplated railways. The passage from Hali-
fax, Nova Scotia, to Valentia, in the county of Cork, had
been made in seven days, but it could be done regularly
in nine days at the furthest.
Lord ELIOT thought that there were good grounds
for a Committee, and he supported the motion.
Mr. HUME said that the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer had appeared to him to have taken the best means
of avoiding partiality in the selection of a port, and he
considered that a Committee was unnecessary. He thought
a Commission of five would be the best way of settling
the question.
Lord DUNCAN thought it a most inconvenient ar-
rangement that the packets should sail from Southampton
and the mails be put on board at Dartmouth, He also
thought a Commission of five would be better than a Com-
mission of three.

Col. SE A.L E defended the appointment of Dartmou

as a mail station. was not afraid of the competition
of the port of bartmoutla with any port in the Channel.
There wars no obstruction or bar in the harbour. It was
true that it was narrow, but that constituted the safety of
the vessels.—( Loud cries of " Question, question.")
Mr. FRESHFIELD replied. After which strangers
were ordered to withdraw, and the House divided—
For the motion
Against it
50
Majoitv
—4
COURTS OF LAW.
Tha SOLICITOR.GENFRALthenmoved fur the. ap.
pointntent of a Committee, to consider the expediency of
electing a building in the neighbourhoodof the lonsof Court
for the sittings of the Courts of Law• and Equity, in lieu
of the present Courts adjoining to Weaminster Hall, with
a view to the more speedy, c:navenient, and effectual ad•
nainistratration of justice.—( Hear, hear.) He did net
know of any set of gentlemen in the kingdom who were
less accustomed to associate than the solicitors. They
had submitted to this inconvenient situation of the Courts of
Law tor many years, and he believed that nothing but its
overwhelming inconvenience had induced them to asso-
ciate to remove it. It might be said they sought the
charge for their own convenience. It might be so, but
the convenience of the solicitor was for the advantage of
the client. He was at first opposed to the proposition, but
on further consideration he believed that the arguments
against it only required to be stated at length to expose
their fallibility. Wben the site of the Houses of Parlia-
ment was under consideration, it was stated that it might
bo advantageously separated from that of the Courts of
Law, and he believed it would he found this would be the