The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-15 00:00:00

Society, or iu which the authorised version of the
Scriptures were read. But inquiries had been
made in reference to that point by different
parties, and the President of the Council had in answer
referred them to the Minutes of Council of 1839. Pre-
vious to 1839, the view was that Government aid could
only be given to schools in cennec ion with these so-
cieties. But in 1839 it was intimated that the
Committee of Council would consider other applications
made, not through these societies, but as special cases,
and they would be considered as special. It ;had,
however, been intimated by Lord Lanadowee, the
President of the Council, that the Committee of
Council would not insist that such applications should
be considered as special cases, but that if they should
seem deserving of aid, aid would be granted, although
they were net in connection with these socierii s. Re-
terence having be-en made to the minutes of the year
1839, when it was made necessary that the authorised
version of the Scriptures should be used in the scheel
the impression seemed to have been made that that
limitation still continued. But it must be recollected
that Roman Catholic- since then had received Govern-
ment aid in their schools. Ti ere might be some altera-
tions made with respect to Roman Catholic schools.
Lord J. RUSSELL in reply to questions from Mr.
Duncombe and Mr. Ewart, said that everything that was
required would be found to be entered on the minutes
With respect to the minutes of 1832, they had long be-
fore been presented with them.
RELIEF TO IRELAND.
Mr. HAWES presented a dispatch from British
Guiana, in which it was stated that 1,2001. were col-
lected for the distressed Irish; also another from Barba-
does, where 2,0001. was collected for the same purpose.
WRECK OF THE THETIS.
Viscount INGESTRE moved for a Select Committee
to inquire into the circumstances relative to the re-
covery of treasure and public stores sunk in her Ma-
jesty's late frigate Thetis, off Cape Rio in 1830.
He would preface the observations, which ho was about
to make, by stating that he did not want the trea-
sury to pay away money as a gift, but to render
up that which had been unjustly obtained from
a body of men who exertd themselves most
laudably in saving a vast amount of treasure
from the wreck of her Majesty's frigate Thetis. She was
sunk in water from six to thirteen fathoms deep, and had
it not been for the exertions, bravery, and mechanical
skill of Captain Dickenson, 157,0001. would have
been lost. It was his intention so long ago
as 1844 to have brought this subject under the attention
of the house. But he was prevented by his Hon. and
Gallant Friend the Member for Ripon, who was of
opinion that discuision might prejudice the
cause, as he believed that the Board of
Admiralty would do justice to these brave men.
In the correspondence which had taken place upon the
subject, when several officers had volunteered to recover
a quantity of the tteasure, it was stated that no expense
would be entered into on the public account, beyond the
use of the crews of those ships on the station who might
not otherwise be engaged. That permission having been
given, it was most unfair to charge the expense of the
provisions of the crews and their pay upon those who
had attempted a public service. It was shown that
there was no other service in which to employ
the crews, and it was merely a little extra work.
It was said that the treasure in the ship was 127,0001.,
and the stores were estimated at from 2,000/. to 3,000/.
An adjudication was made on the question in 1834,
after a long investigation by the Commi•qtary Ge-
neral, that the decision did not give satisfaction.
In this case there was recovered net less than 157,0001
and there was scarcely anything like a fair pro[,ortion
given for the recovery of it. lie did not wise to press
any particular course on this, but he did suggest teat a
Committee of inquiry should be appointed on this
matter. lie must say on behalt of those hardy seamen
employed in the service that their remuneration was
miserably inadequate to their services, notwithstanding
their praisea oral,. conduct and the hardships endured.
He thought it was bad encouragement to those who had
risked their lives to recover property, and save human
life. He thought 16/. or 17/. a hoed would not have been
to great a remuneration fur their services. He hoped
that the House would not sanction such an unprece-
dented act as the piesent. The Hon. Gentleman con-
cluded by moving for a Committee of Inquiry.
Captain PECHELL an,ught this to be of all the
cases be had ever heard the most extraordi-
nary. One of her Majesty's ships, when on a
cruise, was wrecked on a dangerous coast, and
the stores and specie on board were at risk.
The admiral on the station gave orders that every ex• r-
tion should be made to sto e the specie anti stores, and Capt.
Dickinson was the officer who had the duty in charge. and
who had exerted himself in a manner the most exem•
plary. After several months' suffering and privations
of the exiremest kind endured by the crew
at work in the wreck, a very considerable
sum of money was saved from the shir.
The Board of Admiralty handed over one third of the
whole to Captain Dickenson and his officers, who felt
in some degree satisfied with the decision. But now
came a most extraordinary charge the board sent in
a bil, which the Admiral did not tax. The other night
the excesssive charges sad extortion of the Admiralty
and Ecclesiastical Courts, had been exposed, but he
would say, this Bill of the Board of Admiralty, of 1831
and 1832. he did not know who they were, was
of a worse character. It was not only abo-
minable extortion, but gross robbery.—(Hear, hear.)
Thirteen thousand pounds was charged for the wear and
tear of these vessels, and they also charged for the time
the ships were employed on other service for the vic-
,ualliug of the men.
[LEFT SPEAKING.