The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-12 00:00:00

TIES.

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE gave notice that on Tuesday
next he should bring forward a motion relative to the
laws with reference to friendly societies.
Still? OWNERS.

Mr. LIDDELL presented a petition from the Ship
Owners' Society, and moved that it be printed with the

votes.
THE SALMON FISHERIES OF ENGLAND AND

WALES.

Sir THOMAS WINNINGTON obtained leave to
bring in a Bill to regulate the salmon fisheries of Eng-
land end Wales.
CAPTAIN JOHNSTONE.

Admiral DUNDAS said it had been pretty generally
rumoured out of the House, that it was the intention of
her Majesty's Government to send Captain Johnstone,
who had recently taken his trial at the Old Bailey, for •
the murder of sonic of the crew of the ship Tory, to some
distant colonies. He wished to be informed by the
Right Hon. Baronet, the Secretary of State for the
Home Derartment, whether that report had any founda-
tien ? Tee man ought certainly to have bee hung.—
(Great laughter.) He also wished to know whether the
Government intended taking any steps to prevent such
men being appointed to the corn wand of ships in future?
Sir J. GRAHAM said that with respvct to the question
which had Leen put to him by his lion. and Gallant Friend
in reference to -Captain Johnstone, who was not found
guilty by the jury, but was found to be insane.—(Hear,
hear.) He had to state to the lion. and Gallant Officer
and to the House, that her Majesty's Government had
no power whatever to interfere in the matter under the
present circumstances of the case, with respect to
sending him to a colony.—(Hear, hear.) They felt it
their duty to place him in close confinement for the re-
mainder of his life. With regard to the second question •
of the Honourable and Gallant Officer, he might state
that he was glad to inform him and the House that
it was the Government's intention to make proper
examination in future into the characters of candidates
for the command of vessels.—(Hear.)
NAUTICAL.
Captain LAYARD wished to be informed by the
Right Hon. Gentleman the Secretary for War as to
what had been done by Government with respect to the
pensions of the naval staff of • officers that were engaged
in the late Chinese war, and also what progress had
been made with the proposed medals?
Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT said, that the Govern-
ment was engaged in making arrangements for the pen-
sions, and 17,000 medals had been cast.
Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN deprecated the circula-
tion of the blue book, entitled " commercial regulations,"
inasmuch as it was full of the most egregious blunders?
As to the malt and excise, the compiler of the volume
had taken the mourn of the duty at 8,993,752 L, whilst
any person possessing the least arithmetical capacity
could show that the duties amounted to 10,326,742/.
Therefore it was desirable, not alone for their own cha-
racters' sake, but also as regarded America, that such
disgraceful inaccuracies should not be permitted to go
forth as authentic.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir G. CLARKE, in reply, said that he could not re-
frain fromexpressing a wish that notice had been
given him on the subject—a subject so grave and
serious.—(Hear, hear.) The House should be aware
that it was utterly impossible for him to be able to
a.,:count at a moment's notice fur the accuracy of a
volume in which were set down upwards of 1,400 items.
—(llear, hear.) But if the Hon. Gentleman would
have the courtesy to inform him of the particular inaccu•
racies, he would inquire into the cause, and ascertain
whether thethtr they arose from an error of the press
or intentionally.—(tiear, hear.) As the only object in
publishing the volume was accurate information, he could
assure the Hon. Gentleman that if ho should
point out the inaccuracies to the Board of
Trade they would fceltnost grateful to him,
and most assuredly have them corrected.
Lord SEYMOUR said it wa difficult, from the sys-
tem pursued at the 'Board of Trade to ascertain cor-
rectly any information upon the trade and commerce of
the country, for the officers who prepared the documents
of that department often gave such a tone to certain
facts as to make them serve the purpose of peculiar
views. He wished, therefore, to have laid on the table 'of
the House, the original minutes from which the statis-
tical information of the Board of Trade was compiled.
It would be well, he thought, if the Noble Lord at the
head of that department, who discharged his duties with
great zeal and ability, would direct his compilers to
confine themselves to facts' tether than indulge in de-
clamatory language against the tyranny of other Govern-
ments.--(Hear, hear.)
Mr. T. M. GIBSON had had occasion to test the ac-
curacy of Mr. Macgregor's compilations, and certainly
he had generally found that they corresponded with the
facts.—(ileac, bear.) It did, however, sometimes happen
that unintentional inaccuracies found their way into
public documents—for instance, didnot the. House remem-
ber a most remarkable case of inaccuracy of this nature